Looking Back....Looking Ahead

As the clock counts down toward 2012, it's really difficult to not think back on 2011 and the things that have happened in that 12 month span. This blog is usually a great guide to recap my year, but this has been a light year to say the least. One of my least posted years, and not much at all for the second half of the year with only 7 posts (including this one) after April ended.

I completely missed posting in November, which is unheard of for me considering my birthday is in that month. I'm only posting in December because I have time to do this now, and didn't put it off until tomorrow. Looking at the number of posts and where they were distributed begs a few questions about my posting. Primarily, is there something wrong or a reason I haven't posted much the last 8 months. The answers are no....but yes at the same time.

No there isn't anything wrong with me or what is going on in my life at this time. I am very happy where I am, and couldn't ask for more than I have right now. My life is better in many ways than I ever could have expected. That being said, I do have reasons for not posting pretty much everything I do or think here. First and foremost, I know I still have some people checking this blog that I'd rather not. I made the decision long ago to keep a public blog and never turn it private, and I've been on this blog for too damn long to change it and start over somewhere else. So I keep this one as my primary blog, and it will stay that way until I completely abandon it. Therefore, I have to pick and choose what I want to share with everyone, including those I don't want to share anything with anymore. If anything gets questioned in my head now, I usually won't put it up here.

Another reason I don't have as much to share anymore is lack of opportunity. I don't have as much time to waste by putting a blog post up. I have fewer chances to blog, and can't take away from the time I have for other things....so it doesn't get done.

Add to those the fact that I don't listen to music much anymore. Music has always been a huge part of my life, but as of late I don't listen to songs all that much. When I do, I usually don't have a way to record the names and artists of the songs so I can post a list of ten songs later. I made an attempt at this a couple months ago, but the post never made it up.

I could always lay out a plan for 2012 and say that I am going to blog more....but really, why bother? I always intend to blog more, but for one reason or another it just doesn't happen. So what do I expect for 2012 in terms of this blog? In a word, nothing. I won't place any expectations here at all and just be happy to read whatever I really feel like posting through the year when December 31st rolls around next year.

Don't Waste Your Time....

....or time will waste you.

These lyrics popped into my head after I read a quote on Twitter attributed to Steve Jobs.
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."

Simple and profound, very much like the man who has shaped technology more in the last 30 years or so than anyone else. The world lost a great mind and, by all accounts, a better person today with the passing of Steve Jobs.

I've tried my best to live life the way I've wanted to, although that has lead to plenty of conflict over the years, even within myself. I'll continue to do so to the best of my ability, taking hold of life and shaping it the way I want....but right now I have an essay I have to grab hold of and reshape. And it seems that Mr. Jobs has put his mark on my iPod one last time with this quote helping me choose my first song to write to.

One Year

One year.

Twelve months.

Fifty two weeks.

Three hundred and sixty five days.

No matter how you look at it, my heart still aches missing my best friend. Would it be too much for me to hope that a place such as Rainbow Bridge really does exist?

2 Years

August 21st, 2009. It started off as any other day for me, but little did I know when I rolled my ass out of bed and headed to work, the events of that day would change my life forever. So much has changed in such a short period of time. That day I was living the single life (albeit the boring side of it), I was recently back to school at a community college (although I had taken that semester off because....), I was only a few days away from finishing the hiring process for a job I had been wanting my whole life, I weighed less than 230 lbs and was really beginning to get into good shape, and I had a 9-5 that worked me only during the day, M-F. All of that has changed, and I have a high speed motorcycle crash to thank for it.

I had hoped to elaborate more on this, but as usual I just don't have the time to do so right now. Suffice it to say things have changed for the better overall, and if I could smile in ICU only hours after my crash....imagine how big my smile is now.

As the Crowe Flies

So it's pretty obvious that there aren't too many things I feel like blogging about as of late. Still have plenty of things going on in my life that are noteworthy, but I just haven't felt the urge to write about them. Today, a coworker said something that changed that....if only for a few minutes.

We were outside a little after 7 tonight, and talking about movies that have filmed scenes in Detroit and near our building. One of those movies was Kill the Irishman with Val Kilmer. I mistakenly thought that Russell Crowe was in the movie as well, and mentioned that. The next thing my coworker said was that I reminded him of Russell Crowe, to which I thought "ok, whatever". Then he went on to say "....from American Gangster".

Then I pictured it and shook my head....I was the overweight, bad hair, sloppy dressing, and poor as fuck version of Russell Crowe. My head shaking wasn't me disagreeing with what he said, but the realization that I actually saw what he was talking about. Then I went inside and ate my worries away with the chicken shawarma sandwich my coworker had just brought to me. All's well that ends well I guess.

June....

....is almost at the end. It's hard to believe we are halfway through 2011.

All in All, You're Just Another....

With my final now out of the way, and keeping my fingers crossed that I did well enough to maintain my A for the semester, I can focus on getting my ink. Just over two hours until I get my first tattoo. I am all kinds of nervous and excited. I have been planning my tattoos for years now, just waiting for the right moment to come and push me into getting them done.

Ironically, after all these years of planning, I am changing the position of my first tattoo so that it will mesh better with the tattoos I have planned for the future that will be in the same general area. Looks like I will have a couple themes on major parts of my body, and work that will go on for quite a while.

I will gladly post pictures of the final results later today....but you won't be seeing them unless you are my friend on facebook. Sorry, gotta keep some things personal....and permanent identifying marks are definitely in that group.

Back

Back from my wonderful vacation. The week absolutely flew by because I was having so much fun....and I am already looking ahead to my next vacation, whenever or wherever that may be. One drawback of the vacation is that I gained approximately 8 lbs while I was gone, so if you are going to claim that you saw me somewhere while I was on vacation, make sure you say it was a restaurant or something so that it is almost plausible.

Now that I am back, I'll get back to my song list. I was thinking about writing the posts and backdating the posts so there wouldn't be any gap....but I am very happy to have had this vacation, so I am going to have my blog reflect at least that in case I don't get to say too much more about it here.

Day 20 – A song you can’t help but sing along to

Another simple one for me. I have liked this song ever since I first heard it and while I don't sing the whole song, I REALLY get into the one part that I do sing. So much so, that I can actually scare people who aren't ready for it. :-)

One- Metallica.

Darkness imprisoning me
All that I see
Absolute horror
I cannot live
I cannot die
Trapped in myself
Body my holding cell

Landmine has taken my sight
Taken my speech
Taken my hearing
Taken my arms
Taken my legs
Taken my soul
Left me with life in hell

Day 19 – A guilty pleasure

Yet another song I have seen performed live in the last year. This song doesn't have much in the way of musical merit, but I can't help liking it and singing a couple different parts.

Shots- LMFAO.

If you not drunk ladies & gentlemen
Get ready to get fucked up
Let's do it, Ha Ha
LMFAO
You know what
Lil Jon
Yeah
All of the alcoholics
Where you at
Let's go

When I walk in the club
All eyes on me
I'm with the party rock crew
All drinks are free
We like ciroc
We love patrone
We came to party rock
Everybody it's on
Shots shots shots shots shots shots
Shots shots shots shots shots
Shots shots shots shots shots
Everybody
The ladies love us
When we pour shots
They need an excuse
To suck our cocks
We came to get crunk
How 'bout you?
Bottles up
Let's go round two
Shots shots shots shots shots shots
Shots shots shots shots shots
Shots shots shots shots shots
Everybody
If you ain't getting drunk get the fuck out the club
If you ain't takin' shots get the fuck out the club
If you ain't come to party get the fuck out the club
Now where my alcoholics let me see ya hands up
What you drinkin on?
Jaegerbombs
Lemondrops
Buttery Nipples
Yellow Shots
Kamikaze
Rewindin'
Fucked on that shit
Get me some Gin

Patrones on the rocks and I'm ready for some shots
The women come around everytime I'm pourin' shots
Their panties hit the ground everytime I give em shots
So cups in the air, everybody let's take shots.
If you feelin' drunk put ya hands in the air
And If you tryin' to fuck put ya hands in the air
Now say "I'm fucked up" (I'm fucked up)
I'm fucked up (I'm fucked up)
I'm tryna fuck (I'm tryna fuck)
I'm tryna fuck (I'm tryna fuck)
Shots
Patrones on the rocks and I'm ready for some shots
The women come around everytime I'm pourin' shots
Their panties hit the ground everytime I give em shots
So cups in the air, everybody let's take shots.
I fucked up
La dad a da
La dad a dad a da

Day 18 – A song you never get sick of hearing

There are a ton of songs that I could have used for this. A lot of the songs I like listening to are so good, in my opinion, that I don't think I'll ever get tired of them. So, just like a lot of my posts for this challenge, this song has a definite memory attached to it. I liked this song a lot before I went to see Kings of Leon last summer, but sitting there and listening to it with LM made it a hundred times better. It's somewhat odd that this song always makes me feel good and/or smile considering the lyrics are rather sad. And while I was going to go see Kings of Leon last year no matter what, I have to thank them for having The Stills open up for them....without that, I wouldn't have this exact memory to look back on today.

Being Here- The Stills.

We ride through
These plains of hurt
Through the Southern breathing rock
On a railroad of knots
And there's blood on the lines
Of every page I turn
When the ones you love
Are the ones you burn

Being here
Being here ooh oh
Being here

Somewhere singing songs
About a girl I hurt
I've been everywhere enough
I've been torn apart by the world
But there's apples in the trees
And diamonds in the earth
I've been losing my mind
Somehow it can't get worse

Being here
Being here ooh oh
Being here

And the wind is blown and cold
And I can't escape the tears
One for every broken bone
And a hundred for all the years

Being here
Being here ooh oh
Being here

Day 17 – A song that makes you think of a family member

This one is a no-brainer for me....probably the easiest one I've seen yet. As a kid I used to see guys all over the place who claimed to be Viet Nam vets, looking for a handout with those little toothpick American flags for sale. One day when I was probably around 7 or 8 years old, one of those guys gave me a flag. I thought it was cool and was probably planning on using it for my GI Joe or He-Man forts when I got home. Well, the guy made the mistake of trying to get money out of my dad for that little flag. Long story short, the guy couldn't answer some very basic questions about being in the army and being "in country", and my dad lit him up....verbally.

My father has never talked too much about his time in Viet Nam. I know it's hard for him, and with the little bit I know about what he saw when over there, I completely understand. There are a few different songs that remind me of my dad, but this one is number one by far. Not only does it remind me of my father, it reminds me of what he did for his country, what he has done (and continues to do) for my mother and I, and how much I really love my old man and how I will always be proud to be his son. Even more, this song gives me chills by making me think about what he had to do and see while in the military....all before the age of 21.

Run Through the Jungle- Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Whoa, thought it was a nightmare,
Lo, it's all so true,
They told me, "Don't go walkin' slow
'Cause Devil's on the loose."

Better run through the jungle,
Better run through the jungle,
Better run through the jungle,
Woa, Don't look back to see.

Thought I heard a rumblin'
Callin' to my name,
Two hundred million guns are loaded
Satan cries, "Take aim!"

Over on the mountain
Thunder magic spoke,
"Let the people know my wisdom,
Fill the land with smoke."

Day 16 – A song that reminds you of a holiday

My first thought on today's post was Auld Lang Syne, which of course will always remind me of New Year's Eve. NYE has always been one of my favorite holidays. My friends always make an attempt to get together and do something, whether going out or just staying in at someone's place to celebrate. This past NYE was one of my favorites. We didn't do too much at all, and the group wasn't as big as it had been in previous years....but the people who were there, and the smiles on their faces will stay with me forever. As will my roommate's shirt. I think he knew before the rest of us that Charlie Sheen was going to be fired from Two and a Half Men, because he did his best to dress like Sheen's character from the show.

After a little more thought, I Got You Babe settled in my head. It reminds me of a recent holiday, a movie, and a furry little creature who "predicts" when Spring will arrive. Groundhog day is also quickly becoming one of my favorite holidays. Hopefully I'll get a chance to party with Punxsutawney Phil on February 2nd in the next few years.

I Got You Babe- Sonny and Cher.

HIM: I got flowers in the spring I got you to wear my ring
HER: And when I'm sad, you're a clown And if I get scared, you're always around
HER: So let them say your hair's too long 'Cause I don't care, with you I can't go wrong
HIM: Then put your little hand in mine There ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb

HIM: Babe
BOTH: I got you babe I got you babe

HIM: I got you to hold my hand
HER: I got you to understand
HIM: I got you to walk with me
HER: I got you to talk with me
HIM: I got you to kiss goodnight
HER: I got you to hold me tight
HIM: I got you, I won't let go
HER: I got you to love me so

Day 15 – Your favourite TV theme tune

Nothing too in depth here. I just always loved the Airwolf theme when I was a kid, and I still like it today. The theme from Dallas got some consideration for this, strictly because of a commercial that used it a few years ago....but as a devout member of the Redskin Nation, that thought was out of my head as soon as it entered it.

Day 14 – A song off an album that has brilliant cover art

When I first saw the album cover for Saving Abel's self titled album, I really liked it. I thought it was pretty hot without being overt, but I can't really say that I believe it's brilliant art....more so just a way to catch the eye of guys buying CDs. I'm not too sure how well it worked though, considering I bought the single 'Addicted' before ever seeing the album cover.

Now, whether or not the album artwork for American V: A Hundred Highways by Johnny Cash is brilliant or not can easily be debated, this is the one that moves me the most whenever I see it. I nearly used his rendition of 'Hurt' from American IV: The Man Comes Around because I really like the picture on that cover as well, and I love the way he covered that song, but I just can't deny that this picture of him working at what he loved to. And this song isn't too shabby either....

God's Gonna Cut You Down- Johnny Cash.

Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin' in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What's done in the dark will be brought to the light

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down

Day 13 – The song that contains your favourite lyrics

So many options for this one, considering I generally like songs more for the lyrics than most people. It took me QUITE a while to come up with an answer, and my answer would probably change here and there depending on my moods, but right now, this is the one that I can think of that I like most just for the lyrics. At many times in my life I have felt like a caged animal, so hearing the the first line of this song really caught my attention when I first got this CD.

Right Where it Belongs- Nine Inch Nails.

See the animal in his cage that you built
Are you sure what side you're on?
Better not look him too closely in the eye
Are you sure what side of the glass you are on?
See the safety of the life you have built
Everything where it belongs
Feel the hollowness inside of your heart
And it's all...
Right where it belongs

What if everything around you
Isn't quite as it seems?
What if all the world you think you know
Is an elaborate dream?
And if you look at your reflection
Is it all you want it to be?
What if you could look right through the cracks?
Would you find yourself...
Find yourself afraid to see?

What if all the world's inside of your head
Just creations of your own?
Your devils and your gods
All the living and the dead
And you're really all alone?
You can live in this illusion
You can choose to believe
You keep looking but you can't find the woods
While you're hiding in the trees

What if everything around you
Isn't quite as it seems?
What if all the world you used to know
Is an elaborate dream?
And if you look at your reflection
Is it all you want to be?
What if you could look right through the cracks
Would you find yourself...
Find yourself afraid to see?

Day 12 – A song that makes you laugh

Plenty of options for this one, and most of them came from the same guy. I think this one makes me laugh the most because I know a few different people that have these tendencies.

White and Nerdy- Weird Al Yankovic.

They see me mowin'
My front lawn
I know they're all thinking
I'm so White N' nerdy

Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Can't you see I'm white n' nerdy
Look at me I'm white n' nerdy!
I wanna roll with-
The gangsters
But so far they all think
I'm too white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
I'm just too white n' nerdy
Really, really white n' nerdy

First in my class here at M.I.T.
Got skills, I'm a Champion of DND
MC Escher that's my favorite MC
Keep your 40
I'll just have an Earl Grey tea
My rims never spin to the contrary
You'll find that they're quite stationary
All of my action figures are cherry
Steven Hawkings in my library
My MySpace page is all totally pimped out
got people begging for my top eight spaces
Yo I know Pi to a thousand places
Ain't got no grills but I still wear braces

I've been browsing, inspectin'
X-men comics you know I collect 'em
The pens in my pocket
I must protect 'em
My ergonomic keyboard never leaves me bored
Shopping online for deals on some writable media
I edit Wikipedia
I memorized Holy Grail really well
I can recite it right now and have you ROTFLOL
I got a business doing websites
When my friends need some code who do they call?
I do HTML for them all
Even made a homepage for my dog!
Yo! I got myself a fanny pack
they were having a sale down at the GAP
Spend my nights with a roll of bubble wrap
POP POP! Hope no one sees me gettin' freaky!

I'm nerdy in the extreme and whiter than sour creme
I was in AV club and Glee club and even the chess team!
Only question I ever thought was hard
was do I like Kirk or do I like Picard?
Spend every weekend at the renaissance fair
Got my name on my underwear!

Day 11 – A song that reminds you of your best mate

Another easy one. Although I did not attend the wedding where this song became,to my group of friends, synonymous with my best friend....I have seen him at weddings before and have no problem at all picturing him on the dance floor showing off his sweet moves with this song playing in the background.

Dancing Queen- ABBA.

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
Ooo.. see that girl, watch that scene, diggin' the Dancing Queen

Friday night and the lights are low
Looking out for the place to go
Where they play the right music, getting in the swing
You come to look for a king
Anybody could be that guy
Night is young and the music's high
With a bit of rock music, everything is fine
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance

You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen
Dancing Queen, feel the beat, from the tambourine oh yeah
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
Ooo.. see that girl, watch that scene, diggin' the Dancing Queen

You're a teaser, you turn 'em on
Leave 'em burning and then you're gone
Looking out for another, anyone will do
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance

You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen
Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine oh yeee
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
Ooo.. see that girl, watch that scene, diggin' the Dancing Queen

Diggin the Dancing Queen

Day 10 – An awesome driving track

This one is very simple. One song immediately jumped into my head when I read this. I actually haven't listened to this song in quite a while, but then again I don't drive quite the way I used to anymore. When I was a young and dumb driver, this was the one song that got me moving more than any other.

Radar Love- Golden Earring.

The radio’s playing some forgotten song
Brenda Lee’s “Coming on Strong”
The road’s got me hypnothised
and I’m speeding into a new sunrise

No more speed, I’m almost there
Gotta keep cool, now gotta take care
Last car to pass, here I go
And the line of cars drove down real slow
And the radio played that forgotten song
Brenda Lee’s “Coming on Strong”
and the newsman sang his same old song
One more radar love’s gone

When I get lonely, and I’m sure I’ve had enough
She sends her comfort, comin’ in from above
Don’t need no letters at all
We’ve got a thing that’s called a Radar Love
We’ve got a line in the sky
We’ve got a thing that’s called a Radar Love
We’ve got a thing that’s called a Radar Love

Day 09 – Favourite new release (has to be less than 2 months old)

Just reading this challenge made me feel a little bit ashamed. I am usually very attuned to the newest songs out there....but lately, I have been pretty lazy when it comes to new releases. With everything going on in the NFL the last couple months, I have been listening to a lot of NFL network when I drive to and from school or work. If I have the satellite radio going and it's not on the NFL network, then it's usually something 90s based or hair bands depending on my copilot. So, very few new songs have made there way to my ears lately and I might be stretching this two month rule....but I am too lazy to check.

The only two songs that come to mind that would (maybe) fit this are new releases from old bands. First, The Strokes found there way back onto my radio recently with Under Cover of Darkness. I like the song, and it'll probably grow on me a little more as I continue to listen to it. But like most of their songs, I don't see it having any long term hold for me.

On the other hand, the Foo Fighters new song Rope could be one I play for a while. I am always happy to hear new things from the Foo....but this new thing sounds like an old thing, which I happen to really like.

Rope- Foo Fighters.

This indecision got me climbing up the walls
I've been cheating gravity and waiting on the falls
How did this come over me, I thought I was above it all
Our hopes gone up in smoke, swallow your crown

Choke on a kiss, Thought I'd save my breath for you
Choke on a kiss, Thought I'd save my breath for you

Give me some rope I'm coming loose, I'm hanging on you
Give me some rope I'm coming loose, I'm pulling for you now
Give me some rope I'm coming, out of my head, into the clear when you, go,
I, cut, Loose

Day 08 – Your most played song on itunes

No thinking involved with this one, which is a great thing for me tonight since my brain is pretty much fried and I am just ready to lay down and call it quits for the day. This song has been number one for a long time, and I don't see it getting overcome anytime soon as I still like it as much as ever.

Map of the Problematique- Muse.

Fear
And panic in the air
I want to be free
From desolation and despair
And I feel
Like everything I saw
Is being swept away
When I refuse to let you go

I can't get it right
Get it right
Since I met you

Loneliness be over
When will this loneliness be over?

Life
Will flash before my eyes
So scattered and lost
I want to touch the other side
And no one
Thinks they are to blame
Why can't we see
That when we bleed we bleed the same?

Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a tv series

This one took the longest for me to think of so far. I immediately thought of several TV theme songs, but that isn't what this is asking for....so I sat and thought. I tried going over shows that I liked at one point or another, and looking for any song that might remind me of one....with no luck. Then, once I gave up and moved on to something else. This song hit me. It was used as the theme song for a show that I watched pretty often as a kid, much like most people my age I would assume, but it was a very popular song way before The Wonder Years.

With a Little Help From My Friends- Joe Cocker.


Thought you were lookin' at the way I feel
And the warning sign in my eyes
Whoa, I'm gonna take my friends along with me
And then away we go
Everywhere we go we're gonna be on the same road.

Day 06 – A song by your favourite band/artist

I don't think that any band could ever knock Pink Floyd off as king of the mountain for me. Some songs from NIN have a very personal meaning to me, and that is one band I will drop pretty much anything for to go see in concert. Tons of emotion in Trent's words and singing makes the songs wonderful, but seeing it up close in person is absolutely amazing. Muse is another of my favorite bands, and probably has the best chance of anyone to overtake Pink Floyd sometime in my life....but they will have to do a hell of a lot, for an awful long time to have a chance. Floyd put out quality music from the late 60s through the mid 90s, so Muse has a couple of decades til they get to that same level. Believe me, I really hope they do. Muse is by far my favorite active band.

So how do I pick just one song from Pink Floyd, when I can hardly ever listen to just one at a time? If I listen to one, it's usually four or five. So many songs have so many lyrics that hit me hard in one way or another. It's no secret that I have quite a wall up between myself and other people. There are very few people who have ever found their way inside, and a lot of those never would have made it if it wasn't for the album The Wall. Reading everything I could about Roger Waters and his thoughts and feelings about The Wall gave me a lot of insight into what was really going on with me when I was younger, but never realized on my own. Not only was this album my real introduction to Pink Floyd, it's not a stretch to say that it had a huge impact on the person I have become, and I like who I am today a lot more than the person I was on my way to being about 20 years ago. So I will be choosing a song from this album.

At one point or another in everyone's life, you feel alone. No matter how many people you have around you, nor how good your life may be to everyone on the outside looking in. We all have our times of doubt, fear, and loneliness. This song seems to illustrate those times best for me. I may never be able to express them well, but I feel this song about the depressive side of rock stardom does a great job for me.

Nobody Home- Pink Floyd.

I've got a little black book with my poems in.
Got a bag, with a toothbrush and a comb,
When I'm a good dog, they sometimes throw me a bone.

I got elastic bands keepin my shoes on.
Got those swollen hand blues.
I Got thirteen channels of shit on the T.V. to choose from.
I've got electric light.
And I got second sight.
Got amazing powers of observation.
And that is how I know
When I try to get through
On the telephone to you
There'll be nobody home.

I've got the obligatory Hendrix perm.
And the inevitable pinhole burns
All down the front of my favorite satin shirt.
I got nicotine stains on my fingers.
I got a silver spoon on a chain.
Got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains.

I got wild staring eyes.
And I got a strong urge to fly.
But I got nowhere to fly to.
Ooooh, Babe when I pick up the phone

"Surprise, surprise, surprise..." (from Gomer Pyle show)
There's still nobody home.

I've got a pair of Gohills boots
and I got fading roots.

Day 05 – A song from your childhood

A few songs popped into my head when I read the day five directive. One of them was the Snoopy song I talked about in my Day 02 post. That would probably be the one I'd choose for this but since I already mentioned it in one post, I'll choose another today.

My first thought for this was simply, Happy Birthday. Lots of great memories from my childhood revolved around birthdays, and not just mine. I had a couple memorable birthdays as a kid, but a lot of memories I have with friends and family revolved around someone's birthday. But this song isn't just from my childhood, because I have plenty of recent memories involving birthdays too. So I am going to have to disqualify it right there.

Next I thought of the Christmas album that I had from Alvin and the Chipmunks because I know I listened to that plenty as a kid, but I don't have any memories really associated with it....so I moved on past that one too.

What I finally came up with wasn't a song that I listened to a lot when I was a kid, and when I did listen to it, it wasn't by choice. There is a small bar & grill in my town that has been a family hangout since before I was born. My father has a lot of siblings, and most of them lived within a mile or two of this bar when I was young, so it was a convenient meeting place...and the fact that they had cheap beer didn't hurt either. Well, the time I spent in there as a kid was occupied by the pinball machines, pool table, or the jukebox. As far as I remember, this song was the number one played song on that jukebox for YEARS.

Waiting on a Friend- The Rolling Stones.

A smile relieves a heart that grieves
Remember what I said
I'm not waiting on a lady
I'm just waiting on a friend

Don't need a whore
I don't need no booze
Don't need a virgin priest
But I need someone I can cry to
I need someone to protect
Making love and breaking hearts
It is a game for youth
But I'm not waiting on a lady
I'm just waiting on a friend

Day 04 – A song by the first band/artist you saw live

This one is by far the easiest one to answer so far. The first concert I ever went to was at Tiger Stadium, which could be why I like outdoor venues so much for concerts, and it was the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" tour in 1994. I wasn't a huge fan of the Eagles, but liked them well enough, so when I had some friends show interest in going, I didn't hesitate to say yes.

Now at the time of this concert, Melissa Etheridge was just starting to get really big as a main stream artist, and The Eagles had her open the show for them....but she played nearly two hours before vacating the stage for the headliner. About an hour into her set, we started to boo her. At first it wasn't much, and it was just funny to us....but it didn't take too long for the rest of the crowd around us to join in, and soon thereafter we had the entire section booing her offstage. I guess we weren't the only group there just to see the Eagles.

Going into the concert, I only had one song that I really wanted to hear them perform; Hotel California. It was the one song from them I knew and liked really well. Not only was it the one song I wanted to hear live, it was what they opened the concert with. Excluding that whole Etheridge thing, it ended up being the first song I heard performed live. I was very happy about that, but I seemed to be one of the few at the time. Most people, including myself, were puzzled as to why they would open the concert with their strongest and most popular song, and a lot of others were seriously mad about it. I, on the other hand, was happy with it because after hearing it, I was free to do whatever I wanted without worrying about when they'd play it, and if I might miss it.

"You can check out anytime you like....but you can never leave"

Day 03 – Your favourite album track

Going back to my Day 02 post, where I talked about how much I'd rather take a chance on an album than just buy a single, it should come as no surprise that I have a LOT of albums to choose from for this. There are a handful of bands that I put in my upper echelon, like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, NIN, and Muse, and at one point or another I owned every studio album from those four bands. Here and there over time, I have picked up hundreds of albums....and a good share of those have been stolen from me at one point or another, but that is a story I can tell some other time. Right now I have to choose some favorite albums and songs.

Now with this challenge, I could easily include EVERY album I have ever owned. The best album track may actually come from one of the worst albums I own....all it takes is one great song on the album. That being said, I weigh this one heavily in favor of my favorite albums....and therefore, more toward concept albums like Dark Side of the Moon or The Wall. Aside from those two albums, I'd also have to consider Led Zeppelin IV in the running for favorite album. Black Holes and Revelations from Muse would have to be up there too, considering that is by far the most listened to album for me since I've had an iPod. And Wish You Were Here is my favorite album from start to finish from my favorite band, Pink Floyd.

Other albums that really stick out to me are Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt, which is the only one on this list to have the designation of being stolen from me three times, and American Idiot by Green Day. Both have a couple strong candidates with songs like Don't Speak and Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Unfortunately, I just can't put them in the same category as the others.

Eminem has some great albums, and I'll always be very partial to Appetite for Destruction....but they can't contend either. Heather Nova's Oyster is definitely one of my favorite albums too, and probably comes the closest of the runners up so far....but it's still just a step behind the top front runners.

Seeing that I have named nine possible top albums, I might as well add one more to give me a de facto top ten. The Chronic by Dr. Dre was an amazing album all around, and introduced us to Snoop. There is no way I could leave that out....but again, it's not strong enough to me to be in the top 5.

So now, which of the top 5 do I choose? Or do I just choose which song I think is strongest out of them all, since they are so close in terms of being my favorite album? Alright....I am thinking way too hard about this. I'm just going to list my favorite songs from each, then compare them.

First, I have to mention Map of the Problematique off of Black Holes and Revelations. It is by FAR my most played song on iTunes, but just don't think this album will get the favorite track. Next, I'd have to bring up Dark Side of the Moon because I don't have just one favorite that sticks out. I rarely, if ever, listen to one song off of this album without listening to several of them. Because of that, I just can't give any of them the top spot.

The third album is The Wall. Just like Dark Side, I can't listen to just one song from this album....plus I can't help thinking about how neither of those albums is my favorite from the band. Which leads me to Wish You Were Here. This is my favorite album from start to finish, yet one that I often do listen to just one song at a time from. Have a Cigar and Wish You Were Here are both great songs individually and in the context of the album, but they still can't beat out my favorite album track.

Led Zeppelin IV is regarded by a lot of people as one of the best rock albums of all time, and I certainly agree. This is an album that I like and listen to as much as my mom did, if not more. One of the things that makes this album so good is the way it ends, leaving you on a really high note, and that high note is due to the orchestration and composition of Stairway to Heaven. The song is widely regarded as one of the best in rock, and for me it's easy to see why. The lyrics are great, and the way the song takes you from low and slow to high and mighty. I really can't say enough about this song and, in the end, I didn't really have to go through all of this to decide. With my first iPod I was offered free engraving for two lines on the back. My choice, after about this much debate, just happened to be lyrics from Stairway.

"Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven"

Day 02 – Your favourite single

When I first read this, I took it to simply mean my favorite song. After further review I believe that to be wrong, and in the context of this challenge I take it to mean my favorite single (cassette/CD/45 RPM) that I have owned.

This is a lot more difficult for me than the last song, because I am much more of the "buy the album" type when it comes to music. I've wasted a lot of money on stuff that I don't like on an album that has only a song or two that I actually did like....but more than once I have found songs that I liked and never would have heard had I not bought the album. In general, I think the weight of finding something I like outweighs the possibility of missing out on something I'd never discover enough to justify the price I have paid.

Some of my favorite recent albums would be just a couple singles in my collection had I not taken the chance and grabbed the entire album. I may have saved a few bucks, but I would have missed out on a lot from Vampire Weekend, Metric, and Kings of Leon. All three of these bands are in my upper echelon of artists today because of an album I took a chance on, and now love to listen to.

So now that my little dissertation on why buying albums is better than buying singles, I have to try and narrow down an answer for this question. Thinking about it for a few minutes now, I can only come up with four singles that I have ever bought in the non-digital download days....which is how I feel I should qualify this. Three of those singles were cassettes, and one was a 45 RPM. I know I had several 45s that I loved as a kid....but I can only remember actually buying one of those for myself. Now, owning the single was the only designation in the day 2 challenge, but I have put a lot more weight to actually going out and buying the single. Therefore I will mention my favorite single I had bought for me as a kid, then move on to working out which of the four I bought was my favorite.

Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron was by far my favorite 45 as a kid. I listened to it over and over again....and if I can remember listening to it a lot, I can just imagine how often I REALLY listened to it....and therefore made my parents listen to it. I shudder at the thought. Lol.

So now that I have revealed my favorite 45, I guess I can talk about the one that I bought for myself....because it's not going to be the answer to this question. My best friend when I was about 10 or so was into rock just as much as I was, and then some. Then one day he started talking about this song called Fernando. I had no idea who ABBA was at this point in my life, so I expected something completely different when I found the 45 in a thrift store shortly after hearing about it. I think I paid a quarter for it, and was excited to get home to listen to this cool song. I remember putting it on the stereo in my room, which I had just gotten some pretty large speakers for, and dropping the needle onto it. Less than halfway into the song I was on the phone with him laughing and questioning his orientation. It was only a few years later that I realized I had actually struck gold with that 45. Fernando was not, in fact, released as a single....it was the B-side to a little song called Dancing Queen, which will forever hold a place in my heart because of the embarrassment it holds for my current best friend. 25 cents for a good amount of best friend torment is a great value, but getting a two for one at that price is simply amazing.

Now for the cassette singles I can remember purchasing. One of the three was a Mariah Carey song when she first hit the scene. I don't remember which of her songs it was, but I absolutely loved her voice when I first heard it, and still think she has one of the great all time voices to this day. But the fact that I don't remember exactly which song it was takes this one out of the running.

In the late 80s early 90s, I really liked Latin Freestyle music. The beats and music of Freestyle progressed into popular dance/pop music in the 90s and early 2000s....and now into the crap on the radio that I loathe listening too. One night in 1990 I heard a new Freestyle song on the radio and dug it IMMEDIATELY. I thought the beat was great, and the lyrics were SO deep. Although I played the cassette single a lot for quite a while, Sending All My Love by Linear is definitely not my favorite single.

So if I thought that Sending All My Love was deep in 1990, I must have been blown away in 1991 by what is actually my favorite owned single. Like I said, I was into rock as a kid. Even though I liked a lot of other music genres, rock has always been number one for me. So it's no surprise that a rock band holds this title....but it is kind of surprising that it's not a traditional rock song, but what we now refer to as a power ballad. When I first heard To Be With You, I had no idea who Mr. Big was. I still couldn't tell you what other songs they have ever sung....but it's undeniable that the one song they had become popular was a great song at that time. Most anyone remotely near my age can still sing that song with great accuracy....although most of us have absolutely no idea what "waited on a line of greens and blues" means.

Build up your confidence
So you can be on top for once
Wake up who cares about
Little boys that talk too much

I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you

You can make my life worthwhile
And I can make you start to smile

50 Day Song Challenge, Day 1

I too will be taking on this challenge that some of you may have read about here. Of course everyone doing this will put their own spin on it, so I figure that I will treat it like any post where I put up a song and take the lyrics I like the best, for whatever reason, and post those along with the song and whatever explanation I have for choosing the song I did. So, without further ado....here is number one of fifty.

Day 01 - A song from the first album you ever bought

The first part of this, figuring out which album was the first I ever bought, is a no-brainer. At the age of six I bought two copies of Michael Jackson's Thriller with my own money after it came out in 1982. One copy on vinyl, one on cassette. I was a huge Michael fan, and saved every bit of money I had to buy them. It's amazing to think how simple that time of my life was that the only thing I had to worry about financially was the one thing I was fixated on buying.

So, now here is the hard part....what song do I want to list? Thriller is an obvious choice, just for the level of impact the song and video had on pop culture. Not to mention it's the title track of the album. But just look at all the other popular songs on this album. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', The Girl is Mine, Beat It, Billie Jean, Human Nature, and P.Y.T. There are only two on the entire album that I couldn't sing along with. This album was a monster compilation of songs.

Billie Jean and Thriller were by far my favorite videos from the album...but that doesn't really mean they were the best songs. And, to be honest....I don't even know if any of the other songs had a video. P.Y.T. and Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' are fun songs, but I don't have any memories that involve either song. Human Nature and The Girl is Mine both have some memories associated with them for me, but Human Nature never really appealed to me all that much as a kid. The Girl is Mine, however has plenty of good memories for me including the night I listened to it over and over to make sure I knew all the lyrics to the song and who sang them....this was in response to a disagreement my older cousin and I had about who sang one of the lyrics, and was just a glimpse at the tenacity I could show to prove I am right when incorrectly told I am wrong. This is still a top pet peeve for me to this day. The song also highlighted the great relationship between Michael and Paul McCartney, which led to Paul accidentally giving Michael some great advice about buying the Beatles catalog....which had a HUGE impact on music and advertising for decades. So for me personally, and for pop culture, I believe The Girl is Mine is easily the most important song on the album.

Every Night She Walks Right In My Dreams
Since I Met Her From The Start
I'm So Proud I Am The Only One
Who Is Special In Her Heart

Touchback!

Plenty of the buzz at the NFL owner's meeting this week has been about the possible rule changes, especially the proposed changes to kickoffs. In a "player safety" move, the owners wanted to have teams kick from the 35 yard line, and push touchbacks out to the 25 yard line. My initial reaction, and the biggest argument the coaches had against this rule, was that player safety wasn't going to be impacted at all, because teams were now going to kick high and directionally, like a punt, to try and pin teams deep. Not many teams would concede the touchback now, unless they were kicking to an elite returner.

Eventually the rule change that they settled on yesterday was to in fact move the kickoffs to the 35, but to keep the touchbacks coming out to the 20. Basically, we are going back to the kickoff rules that were in place until the mid 90s. Most players and coaches won't get too bent out of shape about this, but guys like Devin Hester and Joshua Cribbs have already voiced their displeasure. That's not surprising considering that they stand to lose a lot of money in all this. The NFL's top return men now have been pretty much neutered. Nowadays it's rather easy for kickers, or punters who handle kickoff duties, to bury a kick into the end zone from the 35. And the fact that the coverage teams have to cover 5 less yards means that taking a return out of the endzone is even riskier now. Teams don't like getting pinned at the 20, but every yard inside the 20 counts....and coaches are not going to want to risk those important yards

So this just made me wonder....is this really about player safety, as the owners maintain, or is it another financial move? It's no secret that money has been the root of all evil when it comes to the NFL lockout. I'm not even going to get into that right now. Are the owners really thinking of the players here, or their assets? For some this could be an easy way to save a few bucks off player salaries, and for others it'll be a great way to reallocate the limit dollars they can spend under the salary cap....the real irony here is that I am sure a couple teams will just take that extra money and spend it on a kicker or punter with a strong enough leg to put it through the endzone almost every time.

Replay is another thing the owners addressed again....and, in my eyes, still haven't gotten it right. They agreed to install a policy of reviewing every scoring play to make sure you take that burden away from the coaches, especially the away coaches who are at a HUGE disadvantage on questionable scoring plays. That is a step in the right direction, but for some reason they also wanted to take a step back and eliminate the 3rd coaches challenge. Currently, each team only gets two replay challenges, but they receive a third challenge if both of those first two are upheld. I don't see the logic in taking away the third challenge from a coach who is 2-0. In fact I think that if the coach is right, he should have unlimited challenges. Stay with the 2 challenges, but let them keep going as long as they are winning these challenges. In the rare event that coaches use 4 or 5 in a game, the games may be a few minutes longer (which I know is taboo as far as the owners are concerned) but isn't that trade off worth it once or twice a season to make sure the calls on the field are correct?

Another thing the owner's meeting is always good for is letting them get more free airtime to further whatever cause they have going on at the time. Right now, with the lockout front and center for all fans, the owners are already getting a lot of publicity....so I haven't paid too much attention, but I did hear Giants owner John Mara talking about the draft yesterday. Basically, he said that the lockout isn't going to change the draft strategy for his team and that he has always told his staff to go for the best player available no matter what. I know it's the standard answer when talking about who to draft, but it's still BS to me. No team with a superstar QB or RB would ever draft another high in the draft, no matter how much of a better player he was than the others available at that time. The Patriots aren't going to draft Cam Newton in the first round, even if he falls to them. Neither are the Colts, or even the Rams. Finances in the modern NFL just don't allow that, not to mention the media shitstorm that would follow. In the end though I was happy to hear Mara say that, and I really hope he sticks steadfastly to that draft strategy. I won't mind watching the Giants continue to get worse.

Something Old, Something New

Something Old: I suppose since my blog is actually older than Twitter, it can be considered old by social media standards....but what is really getting old is this stupid effing shift I have been stuck on for the last 2.5 weeks. I really can't wait for Saturday morning to get here, even though I might be on a quick turnaround, so my schedule can just go back to normal. Well, at least as normal as my schedule has been the last few months.

Something New: The Blogger App. I originally wrote this post two nights ago on the app that I had newly downloaded. Posted this same picture, used this same format, probably most of these same words....but I'll never know because my very first post from the app was lost somewhere in the blogosphere, somewhere between my phone and this here blog. If you see it, please help it find it's way over here....I'd really like to know how I originally finished this post. After a few tests with posts I have since uninstalled the app. I may give it a try again later if they fix the bugs, or if I feel fine posting a lot of pictureless blogs and risking my time and words when I hit the publish button.

I'm sure I origianlly mentioned that I set up a new Twitter account for my blog, and I plan to update that account anytime I put a post up here....since that was one of the main reasons I wanted to post in the first place. At my current pace there wouldn't be too many tweets, but I downloaded the app and setup the Twitter account to help make it easier for me to get posts up and tell people about it so I have someone actually read it....other than my usual stalkers that is. And even though I have said time and again this blog is for me, I have a hard time really putting anything down in these posts unless I feel someone is going to read it. I also write better when I know I am being read....just like I drive better when I know that I am being watched, by someone who could actually write me a ticket that is, or I watch my language just a bit more when I am hanging out with my mom.

So I've tried to make posting easier and getting my "hey look at me" fix a little easier as well, but so far it hasn't worked....or it's worked on a severe delay. Only time will tell if this is a good idea, or another one of the many ideas that I tout and get so excited for initially, but end up falling by the wayside after a while. One thing is certain, I've got one more post under my belt because of all this, and I'm pretty sure there will be another one up later in the day with a couple topics that I want to get out there.

So stay tuned blog followers, and go ahead an follow my blog's new Twitter account to....the better to stalk me with my dear. Muah ha ha.

Football Friday

Well when I thought to write this post I expected the news of the day to be primarily about football since the CBA extension for the NFL expires at 5PM today, but right now I am watching coverage of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Japan tonight and the ensuing tsunami waves which have been reported as high as ten meters in some places. It's very surreal watching cars and homes swept away by these waves.

One of the things I was going to talk about today is the fact that Southfield Freeway is going to be closed Monday morning through the morning rush and how stupid that decision was...but it really pales in comparison to what I am seeing on TV right now. I've got plenty to talk about, but for now I am just going to leave it at this and temper my attitude in light of what I am watching.

IIIIIIt's Groundhog Day!

With SNOWMAGEDDON! fully upon us today, my class being canceled, and not much sleep to be had after work I didn't have much to do today aside from digging out from our "blizzard". After the snow was done I headed out to get some food. I decided to "eat fresh" this afternoon, and when I got back home from Subway I flipped on the TV as I sat down to eat. As I browsed the guide I remembered that Encore was showing Groundhog Day all day today, and saw it was just about to start again. It had been forever since I had seen it from start to finish, so that was perfect. I settled in, gnawed through my sub in no time, then kicked up my feet to watch the movie.

I've seen this movie enough to quote my way though it, but it's amazing how the years and my life experiences have changed my perspective on so much about the movie. And when it was over, I found that I had a new favorite quote from the movie.

"No matter what happens tomorrow, or for the rest
of my life, I am happy now, because I love you."

25 Years Ago

25 years ago today, I was sitting in my small 4th grade classroom in the southeast corner of the second floor in Maples School. I haven't set foot in that classroom in more than two decades, but I remember the room well because it played a very important role in my childhood for many reasons. The Challenger explosion is one of those reasons.

I remember the television being wheeled into our class that morning so we could watch the launch and witness the first school teacher ever traveling into space. By today's standards, the TV wasn't much....but at that time having this "big" TV in our room was rather exciting. I don't remember if our teacher, Dr. Bingham, was there that day or not, but considering how important it was to him for us to watch this event and how instrumental he was in securing one of the "big" TVs for us to watch this on, I can't believe he wouldn't have been....although because it's very hard for me to remember at what point of that school year he took his leave of absence, I can't swear that he was.

Actually, there are plenty of details I cannot remember from that day. Not only can I not remember if my teacher was there or not, I can't remember who I sat next to....or which of my elementary school friends were even in my class that day, or that year. I remember there was more than one adult in the room with us, but I can't remember who or how many. What I do remember is watching the shuttle take flight, imagining what it must be like inside the shuttle. I was obsessed with space flight and aviation overall at that age, and always wished I was on one of those shuttle flights. Hell, I still wish that nowadays.

Watching the shuttle go up was absolutely awesome, and I can still FEEL the smile I had while I watched. Unfortunately 73 seconds into the flight, my smile disappeared and this state of confusion just hit me. After a while the realization of what we were seeing set in to all of us. I felt a profound sadness I never remember feeling before that day. One that still resonates with me today when I think about the Challenger explosion. Over time I have learned that death is a part of life and have fully accepted that, but part of my innocence vanished in an instant that day. I like to say that I will never fully grow up, because I am just a big kid at heart, but looking back on it today, it sure seems as if that was the first big step I took toward being a grown up.

I was nine years old when the Challenger exploded. My father was a day away from turning 14 when Kennedy was shot. The times I have heard him talk about that always sounded a whole lot like what I felt watching the Challenger 25 years ago. I guess I am not so different from my old man as I would choose to believe....but that is something you'll never hear me complain about.

Three Sixty Three

Not too long after reading a blog post from Wil Wheaton today titled Technology Makes you Stupid, I wondered aloud what time it was, considering I had to nap at some point this afternoon so I wouldn't be dead tired at work overnight. I glanced down at my phone and saw 3:36 PM on the display. In keeping with my 'aloud' theme for the time, I actually answered myself out loud by reading the time....and saying "three sixty three".

Needless to say, it wasn't long after hearing that come out of my mouth that I decided it was time for my pre-work nap, but before any of that happened, I had a wonderful day. LM and I headed downtown first thing this morning to check out the North American International Auto Show. This was the first NAIAS for either of us in over ten years, and it was definitely different than we remembered. It was cleaner and nicer than we remembered, and I'm not sure if it's my immaturity or what....but I also remember it being a little more fun. Other than the guy doing card tricks near the Ford exhibit, it seemed like one giant show room with a ton of car salesmen. I understand that is the bottom line for most car companies nowadays, but I've been in a LOT of dealerships the last few years shopping for cars and was hoping for a little more. I didn't see too much there that was really eye-catching. I remember lots of concept cars and a little more theatrics back in the day.

While it was a different experience than I remember, it didn't take away from us having a great time....neither did having to turn around and head back after getting more than halfway there the first time, because I forgot the tickets at home. Thankfully I have an understanding girlfriend. :-)

After walking just about every inch of Cobo, we hit the People Mover and headed to Greektown for lunch at PizzaPapalis. The lunch was very good, but maybe a little expensive at $140. Well, ok....the restaurant only charged me $20 for the food, but that $120 slot tax was tough to swallow. Especially since I never got to spin the wheel. Not once dammit!

As a matter of fact, the lack of luck on the slots wasn't even the most annoying part of the casino visit. While we were checking out one of the new lounge areas at the casino which looked somewhat cool, but kind of reminiscent of a divey Vegas lounge trying to go upscale, one of the employees there came out from behind the velvet rope, waited for a minute or so until we worked our way over to her, then felt the need to tell us the lounge was closed after giving us a snotty "may I help you?" Unless we were blind or severely retarded, we would obviously realize this before making our way to her, making her actions completely unnecessary and somewhat offensive. Then again, it's just another reason Greektown is widely regarded as the worst of the four casinos in the area.

Aside from the two annoyances at the casino, one of which I completely brought upon myself, I had an absolute blast today. Just going places and hanging out with LM, even if it's local and not for that long, makes everything 10 times more enjoyable. Now I just need to get the ball rolling on teaching her Craps so we can avoid that slot tax in the future.

Almost 100 Questions

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.

The line doesn't make sense alone, so here is the entire sentence that contained line 4: "The godswood there was a garden, bright and airy, where tall redwoods spread dappled shadows across tinkling streams, birds sang from hidden nests, and the air was spicy with the scent of flowers."

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, What can you touch?

Two remote controls and a set of keys.

3. Before you started this survey, what were you doing?

Texting with my mom, girlfriend, and room mate.

4. What is the last thing you watched on TV?

Currently watching the New Orleans/Seattle wild card game. Seattle just tied it up at 17. I too New Orleans -10.5. Go figure.

5. Without looking, guess what time it is

5:44

6. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?

5:43

7. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

The annoying announcers on NBC....but they are doing the worst game of the playoffs (or what was supposed to be the worst anyway) so you can't blame them. NBC only has one football crew normally....I'm kinda surprised they didn't hire the homeless guy with the Golden Voice for this.

8. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

Other than driving to or from work, it was about 5 hours ago to shovel the snow.

9. Did you dream last night?

Yes

10. Do you remember your dreams?

Not usually, but I do remember one from last night/this morning because I has something of a epileptic seizure because of it. At least I didn't swing a fist, leg, or my head this time.

11. When did you last laugh?

5:22 PM

12. Do you remember why / at what?

Yes....thank you autocorrect

13. What is on the walls of the room you are in?

WAY too much to list. Lots of pretty lights.

14. Seen anything weird lately?

Yes, the Seahawks just went up 24-17 on the Saints....WTF?

15. What do you think of this quiz?

So far so good....just having a formatting problem.

16. What is the last film you saw?

What About Bob? It was a lot better than I thought it would be, even this many years after it came out.

17. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Well, there aren't many places in the world I couldn't live....and I still haven't left the Detroit area yet. Not sure what that says about me. That being said, I feel drawn toward the ocean and historical places. Anywhere near either or both of those things would be great....but it would have to be the right situation in more ways than one.

18. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?

Lots of "little" things. Those closest to me would get some pretty nice gifts.

19. Tell me something about you that most people don't know.

Sorry, there is a reason most people don't know these things. If you don't know, you aren't going to know.

20. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

Population control. Out of anything, I really believe overpopulation will be the undoing of man.

21. Do you like to dance?

I'm not what you would call a dancer, but I have my moments and am open to anything....except the hustle.

22. Would you ever consider living abroad?

Definitely.

23. Does your name make any interesting anagrams?

I don't know....you tell me.

24. Who made the last incoming call on your phone?

The Red Cross. I am ignoring them lately though, so the last one I answered was from Denise.

25. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?

Computer? Who needs one of those anymore. Did I mention I have a smartphone I really like. It was an AWESOME birthday gift.

26. Last time you swam in a pool?

Over the summer. It was small and the water didn't seem all that clean.

27. Type of music you like most?

Rock

28. Type of music you dislike most?

Country

29. Are you listening to music right now?

No. I don't get enough of that anymore.

30. What color is your bedroom carpet?

I have this amazing brown, woodgrain carpet in my room....wait, that's not carpet.

31. If you could change something about your home, without worry about expense or mess, what would you do?

Rearrange the layout of the house and/or the size of the rooms.

32. What was the last thing you bought?

A sketch/drawing book for S. I can't tell you how happy I am that she dove right into it last night.

33. Have you ever ridden on a motorbike?

Once or twice.

34. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?

I hope to eventually. Just need to convince someone to go with me.

35. Do you have a garden?

No, but Marq and I are talking about making one in the spring.

36. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem?

Yes.

37. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

That really depends on the day....but most often I wonder what time it is.

38. If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be?

I think Christopher Walken would be a great choice.

39. Who sent the last text message you received?

LM

40. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?

Best Buy is the first one that comes to mind....

41. What time is bed time?

Another one that depends on the day, but I am hardly ever tired before midnight.

42. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?

Plenty of fashion shows, but never a beauty pageant.

43. How many tattoos do you have?

None. I plenty planned....just need to figure out which arm gets the first one.

44. If you don't have any, have you ever thought of getting one?

I have plenty planned....just need to figure out which arm gets the first one.

45. What did you do for your last birthday?

The night before I had a great dinner with a group of my friends, then had an amazing one on one dinner on my birthday, followed by a night out with three of my closest M's. It's the best birthday I have had in a long time, maybe ever.

46. Do you carry a donor card?

My license counts as one.

47. Who was the last person you ate dinner with?

LM, S, and K....even though one of them waited til after the rest of us were eating to dig in.

48. Is the glass half empty or half full?

I am nothing if not an optimist....but I can see both sides. :-)

49. What's the farthest-away place you've been?

Mount Charleston just outside of Vegas.

50. When's the last time you ate a homegrown tomato?

Probably a couple decades ago.

51. Have you ever won a trophy?

I have several....and these are EARNED trophies, not the ones they pass out to every kid in a sport nowadays. I'm still bitter I didn't win either FFL trophy this year, considering I had the best team in both leagues.

52. Are you a good cook?

I bake better, but I can cook very well....I'm just too lazy to do it all the time.

53. Do you know how to pump your own gas?

Yes, I don't live in New Jersey.

54. If you could meet any one person (from history or currently alive), who would it be?

Plato

55. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school?

No, but I have learned to like school uniforms.

56. Do you touch-type?

For the most part I do, especially when I am at work.

57. What's under your bed?

A little bit of dog hair and a sword.

58. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Yes, but I also believe you can love someone before you ever even see them.

59. Think fast, what do you like right now?

The fact that I am not currently coughing. It's been an annoying few days with that.

60. Where were you on Valentine's day?

Well, it's a little more than a month away....but I have a few ideas for it. Just gotta narrow it
down before I can tell you.

61. What time do you get up?

All different times nowadays.

62. What was the name of your first pet?

Duchess was the first dog that was MY dog.

63. Who is the second to last person to call you?

Denise....but I explained that earlier

64. Is there anything going on this weekend?

NFL Playoffs begin this weekend

65. How are you feeling right now?

Iffy. Trying to hold off this cough.

66. What do you think about the most?

Nothing seems to really stick in my head lately, aside from a song getting the best of me from time to time, but I'd probably say the future is what I think about the most....and I like thinking about it.

67. What time do you get up in the morning?

Sigh, see number 61.

68. If you had A Big Win in the Lottery, how long would you wait to tell people?

I'd try and keep it quiet for a long time....unfortunately, the two biggest ones don't let you claim it anonymously.

69. Who would you tell first?

LM. We'd carry out my devious plans in secrecy from there on out. MWAH HA HA.

70. What is the last movie that you saw at the cinema?

Tron Legacy. I enjoyed it.

71. Do you sing in the shower?

Not usually. I listen to the news or a game when I am showering.

72. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?

Answered this already too.

73. What do you do most when you are bored?

Sleep.

74. What do you do for a living?

I am still a corporate thug....just in a different capacity these days.

75. Do you love your job?

That would be stretching the truth.

76. What did you want to be when you grew up?

A marine biologist.

77. If you could have any job, what would you want to do/be?

I can't tell you that.

78. Which came first the chicken or the egg?

The egg. Plenty of reptiles were walking the earth well before chickens appeared.

79. How many keys on your key ring?

Not too many....I have more rings than keys.

80. Where would you retire to?

Somewhere I don't have to worry about these stupid sinus infections anymore.

81. What kind of car do you drive?

Jeep

82. What are your best physical features?

My smile.

83. What are your best characteristics?

My patience is the first thing that comes to mind, but it can work against me too.

84. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go?

Rome

85. What kind of books do you like to read?

Anything interesting will keep me reading.

86. Where would you want to retire to?

This was JUST asked....

87. What is your favorite time of the day?

Whatever time I leave work. Lol.

88. Where did you grow up?

The D.

89. How far away from your birthplace do you live now?

About 10 miles.

90. What are you reading now?

These questions....more than the author it seems, since they keep effing repeating.

91. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Night owl

92. Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

No, my talent lies not within my length.

93. Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows?

I do both very often. Not sure I'd ever tried to do both simultaneously before, but now that I
have....I can confidently answer yes.

94. Do you have pets?

Yes

95. How many rings before you answer the phone?

Whenever I get to it

96. What is your best childhood memory?

Would it be bad if I said skipping school in the first grade?

97. What are some of the different jobs that you have had in your life?

I've only had a few. I ran a small company, then moved on to an employer that was as giving as it could possibly be, then moved on to one that is as greedy as it could possibly be, before settling in where I am now.

98. Any new and exciting things that you would like to share?

Not really....some things I like to keep to myself. :-)

99. What is most important in life?

Family and friends. Keeping the ones you love close and making sure they know it.

100. What Inspires You?

Seeing people who haven't been blessed with the same abilities or socioeconomic status accomplish things I would never even dream of. It inspires me, then makes me feel like a jerk for not doing more myself.