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A third attempt at this blogging business. |
30-DAY BLOG CHALLENGE WINNER FOR SEPTEMBER 2011 AND APRIL 2012!! BLOGGING CIRCLE OF FRIENDS "BLOGGER OF THE WEEK" MAY, SEPTEMBER, AND NOVEMBER 2013 JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND JUNE 2014 After 380 entries and over 17,600 views, it was time to retire "Who Do I Think I Am??" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
Thanks for stopping by and showing your support! ![]() ![]() ![]() THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED.
Continue along on my journey over at "Still Figurin' Out Who I Think I Am" ![]() |
30DBC PROMPT: "Provide your thoughts/opinions on a newspaper/magazine article or a radio/television news story from the past week." Hey! Look at you! You're back again! I hope everyone's relaxed and rested from the festivities surrounding today's big event, "The Quills" ![]() ![]() ![]() As for the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() To know me is to know I love hockey, and you might remember on Friday that I shared with you my disappointment that my hometown Buffalo Sabres traded away goalie Ryan Miller as part of their rebuilding effort. The article I'm gonna link in today's entry won't come as a surprise if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, because I thought enough of it to post it late that evening. http://msn.foxsports.com/buzzer/story/buffalo-sabres-forced-to-use-video-scout-a... Basically, it's a rule in the National Hockey League that each team dresses two goalies per game. Because the Miller trade happened so close to puck drop, there wasn't enough time to summon a proper backup goaltender from Rochester, where the Sabres' AHL affiliate is located. In a pinch, they dressed pretty much the warmest body they could find...a situation akin to the lead actor in a play coming down with an illness and the director combs the crowd before show time to offer an understudy role to someone who dabbled in the arts a little in the past. It's a rare occurrence, to say the least, but it's not entirely without precedence. I'm shy on facts and I don't feel like doing a ton of research tonight, but I'm pretty positive this wasn't the first time a team has had to scramble at the last minute to dress a backup while hoping there's no need to call him into service. Still, it's a good story for your grandkids someday if you're that guy. Not many people can say they suited up for a professional sports team...he may not reel in any endorsement deals, but he probably won't have to pay for drinks anytime soon either. The two most popular sports figures in Buffalo are usually the backup goalie and the second-string quarterback...everybody loves them and thinks they can do a better job, until they're under game conditions and people are reminded why they've been on the bench. BCF PROMPT: It's Sunday, so no "Blogging Circle of Friends " ![]() MUSICAL BREAK!! ![]() ![]() I feel like the kid who shows up at a birthday party and gets a present even though it's not my birthday! Many thanks to lizco252 for the sig above...I can't wait to see what our Soundtracker activities will be! It's exciting, being a part of a new group...especially when it's something so great and personal like music. As we get into another month of the 30DBC and after a great Quills ceremony, it's easy to lose focus on overall goals or get lost in moments of glory. Maintaining what you love in the big picture can be difficult at times, especially when accolades pile up. I'll take a step back for a second to enjoy the awardicons and MB's I was fortunate enough to receive this weekend...and then it's back to work. ![]() THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I think that about does it for me this evening...it's been an eventful weekend for sure, and now seems about as good a time as any to give myself a bit of a breather. We're barely into three days of March and I'm ready for a break! But as long as y'all keep readin' this, I'll keep writin' it. Peace, the sun has gone down and the moon has come up, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
30DBC PROMPT: "Write for fifteen minutes using 'I used to think...' as your starter." Hey everybody! Welcome back to another official month of the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() I used to think... (Wordsmitty ✍️ ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Pencils down, players. It's 11:39am, and I'm cool with what I got so far. Nobody wins a 30DBC on the first day, but I'm not here for your heads or your trophies...just a little respect. That said, I'd like to issue a little "challenge within the challenge". It won't cost you anything, and there's no incentive or prize for doing it, but take a few minutes and get to know some of the people who are runnin' with you in this month's 30DBC, and give their blog a review. Read a few entries and tell them what you think. Do the whole "public review" thing, if you'd like. You never know...it could make someone's day just to hear a few kind words. BCF PROMPT: "National Compliment Day: What's the best compliment anyone has ever paid you?" It's well documented between courts of law and public opinion, Facebook, Twitter, and this hunk of internet meatloaf that I am a man of many flaws. However, it is my belief that a person should not be judged by them...one of the many keys to understanding an individual is how he turns his weaknesses and misgivings into strengths. That's not some "self help" mumbo-jumbo. That's how people get by and get over. What I can admit is that I have a huge problem when it comes to taking compliments. I'm still workin' on it, but like Slug raps in Felt's "Marvin Gaye"..."It's my song but I'm still tryin' to learn the words" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkyBavydyss). Maybe it's the self esteem issues I've had since I was a kid that I still struggle with trying to shake, or broken components of trust that get knocked over when I build them back up. I don't know. As much as I write and love to do it for its therapeutic value, now's not the time for public self-analysis. I'm normally even-keeled in pretty much every situation on the outside (almost to a fault) and I've mastered the exterior view by blushing uncontrollably while I look at my feet as they kick gently and shuffle. And I might even know/understand what you're saying, but it doesn't make sense. I can hear it, and I love it because you took the time to point it out, but it still seems like a foreign concept to me. So forgive me if I ever respond to something nice you or someone like you says about me in way you can't comprehend...it's just my way of sharing the confusion. Anyway, I need to reel this back in so I can get to the point of the prompt. I know the weirdest compliment I ever got was when I was around 18 or 19, and a woman a few years older (not much, but enough) told me I had nice lips. That she said it at all was embarrassing enough; but hearing that amongst a group of friends made it all the more awkward. I think I would've rather heard her call me plain, or even ugly, as I was more used to that and comfortable with knowing that my looks aren't for everyone. I've always been a basket case textbook case of "what's on the inside counts just as much as the outside". I don't file away compliments much, as if to pull them out at a later date to reassure myself of anything...life is always building and growing, and it's my opinion that nice words and actions water the personal plant. I honestly don't know that I can recall the "best compliment" I've ever been given, but I can postulate some of the most recent ones that stick out in my head. They were from blainecindy and Lyn's a Witchy Woman ![]() ![]() MUSICAL BREAK!! I've been thinking about "compliments" as a general term when it came time to provide some musical accompaniment to today's entry, and the first phrase that came to mind (no offense to anyone...but my blog header insists that you've been warned) is "Maybe a prostitute could teach you how to take a compliment". I'm probably gonna reference "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() THE DAILY BOX SCORE: Once: I know I've seen that 30DBC prompt before...it's only rational that when you undertake so many of these challenges, you'll have come across repeated queries. It's ok; I'm alright with that, if you're alright with me hitting you with "This one's about thinking, kinda." ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() And that's it. Time to post this and be done with March day number one. Peace, no one drags me anywhere, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: 'Sup y'all? It's an all-around unfun day, as last days of anything typically are...but there's some added weight to the package this evening. I'll spare you all the mushy sportstalk crap for a few paragraphs right now, and I promise I won't get too emotional. The end of February typically tends to sneak up on me way too fast...probably because it's the shortest month of the year or something. Besides the crappy weather though, I kinda don't wanna let this month go. Between the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() ![]() And give it up for everyone in the Blog Mob one last time...too many to name but I'm gonna try it anyway: A*Monaing*Faith ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Andre The Blog Monkey should be on his way back to Canada...safe travels, safe return. ![]() BCF PROMPT: "What is the most fun thing you have done this week?" It hasn't been all that fun of a week. I mean, I've had worse (and so have others), but this one's been pretty lousy. At least today I didn't go anywhere that held the potential to screw me, so that's good. And outside of bustin' out these words, I've been trying to keep a low profile. Like I said up above, the month itself was pretty fun, so I'll stick with that as my stock answer and hope that March is even better (which, really, if I can make it past the first week I should hopefully be in pretty good shape). I don't have much more to add, unfortunately. I guess it's just been that kind of week. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Wow...for the last time, the Soundtrackers' logo will grace this parcel of internet property. I'm sure some of you know this, and most of you don't, but I'm kinda picky about WDC things I associate with. It's not often that I'll see something and immediately go "Count me in!!", but for me this was an instant no-brainer. And it's been rewarding because not only have I gotten to talk about some of my favorite music, but I've been able to learn about others and share in some good experiences as well. This has been nothing short of tremendous. I'll wrap up this month with what I'd consider to be my "concert closer", if you will. Back in the day, I loved going to karaoke with friends...and one bar in particular would have karaoke seven nights a week. We became friends with the DJ's and bartenders, and on any given night you'd almost assuredly run into at least a couple members of our extended group there. Occasionally, I'd go there for the sole purpose of saying hi, staying for a drink or two, maybe grab the mic for a song, and leave. And some nights, we'd end up closin' the joint (or keepin' it open long after everyone else left). There would be times where it'd be no big deal for me to drop a $20 in the tip jar, give the DJ a list of five songs, sing 'til your eardrums bled, and head home shamelessly. I am certainly not the most talented singer, but who cares? It's all about havin' fun. Anyway, this song..."Don't Look Back In Anger" by Oasis (album: [What's The Story] Morning Glory? {link:http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Story-Morning-Glory/dp/B001MV49HG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393636858&sr=8-1&keywords=oasis+what%27s+the+story+morning+glory}; lyrics: http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/13120/) for me was the bar-closer, or at least the night-ender. When it came time to break this song out of my repertoire, my pipes were sufficiently lubricated and it was the best way of saying goodbye regardless of the night's circumstances. Sometimes it's easy to remember better the things that go wrong or unfavorably, and I'm just as guilty of that as anyone, but it's also important to be able to see through that and think about the good times as well. Even when everything falls apart, at some point (even if it's years and years later) you can reminisce about those moments and realize that maybe they needed to happen in order for you to get to where you are today. While it might be a necessary part in accepting and growing as a person for any given amount of time, it's not totally healthy to carry around certain feelings forever. Now I'm just rambling. Farewell Soundtrackers...tip your DJ's and waitresses, and drive safe. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Put it in the books y'all...another month down in 2014. Thanks for playin'. We've already gotten the "Welcome to the 30DBC" email (with the first prompt) for March, and there's still plenty of time to join as either a competitor or a judge...just hit up the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: Well then...good evening readers! With a day left to spare, our bOSS (with an uncapital B), Brother Nature ![]() ![]() ![]() And since it's not even 9pm (my time, not necessarily yours) and I'm already yawning, I'm gonna try to keep this short. You don't wanna know what happens when I start to doze off in front of my laptop (but if you're patient and read this through you might find out ![]() BCF PROMPT: "What is the kindest thing someone has done to you this week?" How do you know that your week has pretty much been a garbage fire so far? When the best example you can give relating to kindness is finally getting a call back from a doctor's office after you've placed three over the course of five hours. On one of those calls, I was transferred to another line...it would've been nice to at least get kicked over after 8 or 30 rings to a voicemail system, but no. Just kept ringin'. I was tempted to hang on to see just how long it might take them to answer, but even I know better than that. Of course, with every triumph comes the eventual let-down...when I finally got an answer from my primary care provider as to why I wasn't seen by the orthopedic specialist yesterday, the ortho office was already closed for the day. Which means I get to call them tomorrow for an appointment hopefully next week. But that's not what this is about. I'm really trying to think of something, honestly. The pretty/pregnant/pretty pregnant secretary yesterday was very kind to me, calling me "honey" about 18 times in the course of three minutes, and that didn't annoy me the same way it would, say, if she were a 57-year-old dude that has a problem with us kids playin' on the lawn or something'. I think she, along with my landlord, are among the only people I haven't lost my shit with or at least kinda wanted to this week (although it is only Thursday). Big-ups to Brooklyn for them. I wonder if that means I've officially crossed over into grumpy middle-aged man territory? What's "middle-aged" technically going for these days, anyway? I mean, assuming I die around the age of 78 (give or take), wouldn't that put me somewhere in the middle of my life right now? I have no idea. In some cultures humans weren't expected to live even this long, so I guess I've got that goin' for me. I try to be kind as much as possible, believe it or what have you. But sometimes you need to piss people off just enough to light a fire under them in order to get things accomplished, or get your point across. Lord knows I've done enough things in life unknowingly that have angered or frustrated people and needed my ass kicked a bit before things were eventually made right. And some things...you just don't screw around with. I've learned over the years how to do without a lot of things, but when my personal living situation is tied in with my health, and my future, I prefer not to be toyed with. But the other 99.643% of the time, catch me in a halfway decent mood and I'll shower you with all the kindness you deserve. It's a simple thing, actually. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** One more day left after today in "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() If you held a gun to my head and said "Name a line or two of any song that you think sums you up the best", I think nine out of ten times I'd probably say "My life has been extraordinary, blessed and cursed and won." There are a great many songs I feel like I can relate to on some level, but that line is a near-perfect summation of my history so far. It's as close to an all-encompassing biographical sketch one set of lyrics can get to me. The song itself is "Muzzle" (lyrics: http://rock.rapgenius.com/Smashing-pumpkins-muzzle-lyrics) by The Smashing Pumpkins (album: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness {link:http://www.amazon.com/Mellon-Collie-Infinite-Sadness-2012/dp/B00AEVQZWC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393554410&sr=8-1&keywords=smashing+pumpkins+mellon+collie+and+the+infinite+sadness}). Like so many of you, I've been on a pretty incredible journey so far, even if it's not what I'd hoped for or want right now. I've been able to enjoy great highs, and I've seen my fair share of lows. My story's still being written though, and just to be able to say I've made it this far is pretty amazing. It's not gonna be a book or a movie anytime soon, and it may not always be interesting, but this life is mine and I'm doing the best I can with it, even if that means not always being perfect, following along with the crowd, or making others happy all the time. Twenty-eight songs in the same amount of days is roughly two cd's worth of music, if you think about it. "Muzzle" would probably be somewhere near the end of disc one if I were ever inclined to give this collection away to someone that wanted to know a little bit about me; on the other hand, 28 songs doesn't seem like nearly enough...I'm already thinking about bands and artists that won't make my list this month. There isn't a whole lot of rhyme and reason that goes into a list like this for me (kinda like a lot of things I do) beyond the mood I'm in and whether or not any particular memories have shaken themselves loose throughout the day. This is a song that isn't pegged to a specific point for me so much as I feel very connected to the lyrics, to an extent where no matter what mood I'm in, I feel evenly related to it (unlike some songs, where being in certain moods can elevate or distance you). THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Well, I think I'm done here. I didn't really answer any prompts or talk about a song as much as I spoke about myself, but that happens. Time to move along with the rest of my night and start thinkin' about how I'm gonna occupy myself in those tense moments between taking my meds and actually sleepin'. Peace, the echo that is love, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: Good evening folks...another day's in the past, and I had every intent of waking up this morning with a better attitude and a positive outlook. Follow along as we see how stupid things happen to somewhat intelligent people. But first, a word from...nope, never mind. I'm pretty sure Brother Nature ![]() ![]() ![]() BCF PROMPT: "Who is your favorite villain?" Good question, "Blogging Circle of Friends " ![]() It's hard to like villains. Stereotypically speaking, they're evil, rotten, scandalous, cowardly in the face of superior efforts of resistance, and probably smell funny too. And usually we can figure out how a story's gonna end, as one of the basic plots in anything is "Good Versus Evil", and while the "good guys" themselves may not always win in the end, certainly their spirit triumphs over all. When looking at it that way, it feels like picking a favorite villain is akin to picking a disease you'd prefer to die from. And I don't wanna die, or hafta make that choice, fictionally or otherwise. It almost seems easier to spout off the ones I hate the most, in order from real-life soul-robbers to comical, bumbling bad guys. Yet that isn't gonna make this prompt any easier in that context, and yes, I'm still stalling (with the hope that one will magically come to mind...and it's not working). I don't even have a personal arch-rival. Man, if I did this prompt would be hella easier right now. Of all the times I could've foiled someone's plans to take over the world, this moment would be ideal from a blogging standpoint. In fact, I don't think I was ever popular enough at any point in my life for a long enough duration that another person felt like they had to take me out in order to gain some kind of personal, emotional or spiritual victory. Sure, I've been sabotaged before, but over dumb shit and trivial matters. Not the kind of power-transferring idealism like a coup d'ètat or anything...probably something more like being put in my place for a good reason, if anything. Yup, still stalling. And I'm glad I did, because drawing attention to a potentially dangerous situation may be saving a life, praise Jeebus and the internets. I have live-action animated footage of what appears to be the onset of a hostage situation involving Lyn's a Witchy Woman ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ** Image ID #1979158 Unavailable ** MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Today's song for "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() ![]() "Freakish" was my introduction to Saves The Day, fueled in part by many a drunken night at 542 when DMFM would hop on my laptop (or worse, my roommate's desktop) and start downloading things off the top of his head or buying boatloads of cds cheap from http://www.half.ebay.com/. Somehow I ended up with this cd, and I couldn't stop listening to it. That feeling of having unrequited love for someone who doesn't even know you exist (yet you know too much about ![]() I've sung this song so many times in the shower, simultaneously kicking myself over chances I failed to take. I know, I know, it's my own fault and all, and the Wayne Gretzky quote goes "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" or something like that. For whatever combination of reasons, I have a hard time getting myself to take calculated risks, and I probably have spent too much time making awkward smiles at women and having pointless conversations hoping it'll lead to something else. I don't know which end of the 2x4 I need to be hit with sometimes...the one that reads "Take that chance!" or the other side that says "This woman will go out for coffee with you if you take your nuts outta your throat and just ask!!" Sounds like the same thing, but it's not. Anyway, listen to a gorgeous song while watching a video of pseudo-muppets in a bar, dancing, smoking cigarettes and having a few drinks while gettin' with the ladies. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() That's all for tonight everybody. Gonna try to read a little before I slip off into a medically-induced night's sleep. I keep tellin' myself I'll catch up on reading more blog entries in the morning, but that's not workin' out for me at all this week. Maybe tomorrow...maybe. 'Til then peace, don't shut me out, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: BCF PROMPT: "In the story/movie Mary Poppins, Mary and Bert stepped into different paintings to explore. What famous painting would you step into and explore for fun?" What's up y'all? I seriously thought about takin' the night off, because I'm frustrated. Nearly everywhere I've been today, in both a physical and a mental sense, has been met with some combination of sarcasm, futility, ineptitude, or just stupidity. I don't play well with a lot of that goin' around...but more on that later. I have not seen Mary Poppins since I was a kid. For real. I remember some vague details, like she had an umbrella and she flew. Wasn't she like a nanny or housekeeper or babysitter or somethin'? And that song...not the one with all the consonants, or the one about chimneys, but the medicine one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrnoR9cBP3o. How am I just realizing now that it had nothing to do with medicine at all? Or maybe it does and I'm relying on three minute snippet of the movie to inform my ignorance. Whatever the case, I'm sorta on the minus side of the ledger already on this prompt, and that's before I even spit out... ...That I'm not really a big "art" person. I have very limited no knowledge of who made what, when, or which frame of mind they were in while doing so. I can appreciate it from a visual standpoint, and I can respect you if that's your thing, but for the purpose of this entry, I really don't know. Ask me about a 3-4 defense with a 2-deep look, and I'll tell you what a good play call would be based on the depth of the linebackers. But art? I'm lucky I know Art Garfunkel from Artisan bread. So I think what I'm gonna do here is crack open iTunes and look at the albums I have uploaded right now, and kill two birds with one stone. Interesting cover art, and a song for "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() ![]() ![]() Ok...after a quick scroll (and I mean quick), this is all I have the patience for tonight, but I'm gonna detour a bit when it comes to the song selection. The album shown is Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here"...it just so happened to be the first thing that caught my eye and looks like you could have a little fun trying to dissect it (low standards and criteria tonight y'all). I'm not a diehard Floyd fan, but I do enjoy a lot of their music, and "Wish You Were Here" is definitely a favorite. So it's two guys shaking hands...but OMG he's on fire!! Not much really to explore in a physical sense, other than please God somebody do something!! I'm sure much has been said about the metaphorical significance of for the love of God, humanity and puppies, no!! Perhaps it's good versus evil, or a symbolic shaking of hands with the devil, or oh my God he's gonna melt right into that suit!! It could be that they're agreeing to a business deal; maybe a drug deal destined to go wrong. They're in the middle of the street in broad daylight, and nobody's bothered to call 911?! You soulless bastards!! Bad example, I get it. But I'm not in a mood to be fancy and creative tonight, so that's what you're getting from me. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Like many people who've come to enjoy this song, I've associated it with missing people, as well as a way of coping with loss. The particulars aren't necessary other than the obvious ones I just stated; details can often wind up taking on a life of their own sometimes. I went through a gigantic Radiohead "phase", for lack of a better term. I would stay up late and patrol file-sharing websites for any and all live and/or unreleased songs, B-sides, videos, anything I could get my fingers on. I'd visit sites like http://www.greenplastic.com/ and http://www.ateaseweb.com/ before doing anything else online, just to see if there was any new Radiohead information I'd missed the previous day. I was a total fan-boy, making copies of cd's I'd burned for myself because "Hey, you should check this out". And then I'd found out that Thom Yorke did an insane cover of "Wish You Were Here", and it felt so much more haunted...ghostlier even. I kind of miss discovering new music in the pre-iTunes days, when you could just fire up Morpheus or Kazaa and take your chances on finding stuff like this. Turns out it was a legitimate release...I found it many years later in a cut-out bin at a local grocery store, of all places. The album is "Essential Interpretations" (album: Essential Interpretations {link:http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Interpretations-Artists-Yesterdays-Classics/dp/B000BX99NU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393383915&sr=8-1&keywords=EMI+essential+interpretations}; lyrics: http://www.ateaseweb.com/songs/wishyouwerehere.php), which was basically a record company compilation of popular artists covering other artists on the same label. Probably good for business, I suppose. The song is actually credited to Sparklehorse (featuring Thom Yorke), with Yorke doing his vocal take over the phone from a hotel room. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I need a break from this because I can feel my anger coming back to me at a level I haven't experienced in a long time. So I tell this woman what I need- my address changed, in case I ever need to a new phone or what have you- and she proceeds to repeat pretty much everything I say and follow it up with another question that I can barely understand but answer anyway, and finally we get down to the most important stat of all; the crux of the matter, if you will...my address. Which I told her, much the same as I would tell a 97 year old who's very hard of hearing. I can feel my face rejecting the muscles my mouth is pulling by trying to spell the words I've said. I'm overcompensating because I know I mumble at times, but this woman isn't helping me help herself help me by botching everything I'm saying, which is furthering frustration at this point I've only brought upon myself for looking into a possible non-issue. Finally we get it right, she puts me on hold, comes back, and she's like, "Do you know a Mark? A Patrick?" I lost it. I blew up on her. I did the raised-octave "WHAAAAAAT?" before blasting her with "No, I have no idea who those people are and what does this have to do with me?!" Turns out these people have lived at some point in the same building I live in now ('cuz there's like 25 separate residences in my building) and they can't validate me or some stupid thing. But she'll "go ahead and notate my account that my new address is such-and-such", even though for all intents and purposes, my mailing address will remain unchanged. Cool, I was hoping that would happen. ![]() After all this, I remembered I can receive calls, because my new orthopedic doctor's office called me yesterday and left me a voicemail to remind me of that appointment.. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() On a positive note, I at least have more Ambien, so I will sleep tonight and hopefully not stress out too much in the morning about seeing the new ortho in the afternoon. I'm also gonna cut this short here, right now, because I've about had it with today and it might be time to take said Ambien so I'm not sleeping all freaking morning (I get paranoid sometimes that I'll oversleep, even when I have no reason to wake up early). And I've vented enough for one day. Hopefully I'll have more fun things to share tomorrow...as for this moment though, it really is GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: What's up folks? I hope everyone's sufficiently recovered from last night's festivities or whatever it was you've been up to. I certainly have had no shortage of excitement here since "The PreQuill Gala (7th Annual Quills)" ![]() I've lost track of Andre The Blog Monkey the last couple of days, which makes me no better than our bOSS (with an uncapital B), Brother Nature ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Anyway, good to see that slots are filling up for March's next official "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() BCF PROMPT: "Write about a noise — or even a silence — that won’t go away." I had an answer for this earlier today, but I couldn't remember the prompt and I never wrote down what I was thinking (see CJ Reddick ![]() ![]() The walls in my building aren't terribly thick, so occasionally I'll hear conversations between neighbors or the random disturbance, and sometimes on Saturday afternoons and evenings I can hear the music from the bar down below. But last week, I heard something that really started to grate on my nerves. I hesitate to call it noise, because as blainecindy will attest, piano playing is almost always a beautiful thing (and I mean strictly playing actual music, as opposed to someone like me who merely makes sounds on the ivories like it's raining bricks...I'm the reason most pianos, when not in use, have a little sign on them in fancy font that says (usually with the quotation marks left in for some kind of weird, misleading emphasis), "Please, Do Not Touch!" and the whole area is roped off like Prince is pretending it's a crime scene). And once I get irritated, I become fixated until I tire myself out. It wasn't that my neighbor was playing loud, or that he was playing poorly (and I won't even go into the thought that anyone in this building has any sort of musical inclination or ability because it's just so unlikely). No...it was the same damn piece of music for at least two hours. Two hours!! I know at one point I audibly swore to myself something like "Please God make it stop!". But it did not stop. I knew it wasn't a cd or mp3 (or heaven forbid, a cassette) playing on repeat, because of the variances; it legitimately sounded like someone with at least some kind of musical background learning and practicing a new song. Over. And over. And over. And what was this song? "The Pink Panther Theme" by Henry Mancini (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OPc7MRm4Y8), with piano parts replacing the lead saxophone. Certainly a tolerable song, and I enjoyed the cartoons as a kid more than the movies, but try putting that YouTube clip on repeat for two hours...you'll be reaching for your Ambien and other sleep aids a little earlier than usual as well. Which leads me to the one downfall I have about living in this town, and it's more a personality flaw on my end than anything...I don't feel comfortable enough knocking on my neighbor's door and asking him to turn the volume down whatever he's doing. Partly because I really don't care about these people more than I'm that bothered by what they do. 99.368% of the time they leave me alone, and I leave them alone, and the world spins another day. In fact, I think I've only seen that guy once or twice, and he certainly doesn't look like the jazz piano type, but what do I know these days? I'd just rather not get involved with some of these people and their drama...I hear enough in the ambient noise from the limited interactions I do allow myself with the general public out here to know that I've heard too much already. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** I kind of drew a blank on today, believe it or not. I have a few songs in mind but I wasn't really in the mood to share them just yet. Not sure what made me think of this, but The Muppets...I loved watching them when I was a kid! The "variety show" aspect, plus puppetry mixed with live actors and singers...crazy and fun and it never gets old. While I was laid up over the spring/summer after my accident last year, I was pretty geeked to discover my local library had the entire first season of The Muppet Show on dvd, and I spent the better part of two weeks watching it repeatedly. I have no problem admitting that, and I even learned a few things as well...neither of which will surprise you once you've read "This one's about sex, violence, and forever." ![]() But for my part in "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() ![]() THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() That wraps things up on my end, y'all. As usual, I've overstayed my welcome and will be heading off to a quieter side of the evening shortly. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to keep you from doing better things. Peace, it's deep down in the ground, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: Good evening friends! Hello, and what is up?? It's Sunday, a day where usually all the major WDC outlets for creativity are normally shut down for purposes of rest and reflection, but today was different. It was a special occasion. It was..."The PreQuill Gala (7th Annual Quills)" ![]() I imagine I'll be getting a notification of some sort soon from the principal's office asking me to rescind my offer to present an award at next week's running of "The Quills" ![]() It was my first time at one of these WDC-sponsored shindigs, and in all fairness I did try to keep my outbursts corralled to the separate chat room (I totally forgot WDC still even had chat rooms, because I also forgot it wasn't 1998 on AOL for Netscape as well ![]() So I did what I normally do when I'm bored and uncomfortable...I make everyone else uncomfortable, or at least try to. Because leaving's just not good enough. I think here's the point where I should apologize to Elle - on hiatus ![]() ![]() ![]() But yeah, special thanks to the folks that stuck around the chat room with me. It was a ton more fun. I don't even remember who all was in there...Charlie ~ ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() And always remember...when someone wants to call you a cab, let them. They're not comparing you to a vehicle meant for others to pick up and transport random strangers to different destinations. Also, "I'll give you a stern talking to" is not nearly as imposing as "I'll knock your effing teeth out". Capisce? MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Ever hear a song, listen closely to the lyrics, and have it mean one thing to you, but then see the video and realize it means something quite different, or maybe even the opposite? I guess that's the gift and the curse of interpretation. I'd been talking to a girl who lived halfway across the country many years ago, and for awhile things were maybe a little more serious than they should've been. Music was a big part of our conversations, as we'd had many similar interests, and "Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground" by The White Stripes (album: White Blood Cells {link:http://www.amazon.com/White-Blood-Cells-The-Stripes/dp/B001AP11LG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393207574&sr=8-1&keywords=the+white+stripes+white+blood+cells}: lyrics: http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/41881/) was one of our favorites because of the lines "If I could just hear your pretty voice I don't think I need to see at all" and "Every breath that is in your lungs is a tiny little gift to me". I'm pretty sure it showed up on one of the cd's we'd sent to each other. But like I said, the video painted a contrasting picture...maybe one you don't see in the lyrics when you're more concerned with how crazy you are about the other person and not as much with how crazy you are for feeling a certain way about someone. In the end, "I didn't feel so bad till the sun went down...then I come home; no one to wrap my arms around" wound up being the most appropriate takeaway from this song I could have, and it's something I tend to associate with an empty, lonely feeling that I get once in a great while. I probably might not have even thought about it had a friend not posted "Hotel Yorba" from the same album earlier this afternoon on Facebook, but all feelings aside "Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground" is brilliant because it's both simple and complex, and noisy and reverent. Chaotic beauty wearing denial...we've all been there before. If you can hear a piano fall, you can hear me comin' down the hall. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: 3rd: Place in January's "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() And two-time nominee in 2012. ![]() ![]() Well, it's about time I draw this entry to a close. Feels like it's been a long day, although I really didn't do much...some last-minute proofreading before bed ought to finish me off well for the evening. Peace, when I hear your lips make a sound, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: 'Sup folks? Here's where I'm at so far for today: I'm tired and I don't feel like doing anything. I laid in bed and watched the few shows that are actually available on Hulu without springin' for HuluPlus (and Netflix is so much better anyway, but that free-trial ship sailed weeks ago). Twice I snacked on Cheerios like they were a meal minus milk, which is my preferred method of getting them into my body anyway, but I think I ate like a quarter of a box (and their "regular size" box is huge to begin with). I know, it's not great for my digestive system and it's not the GMO-free kind (or the super-awesome Honey Nut ones either), but I don't care...they're still probably the healthiest thing I've got between my fridge and my, ummm, place I keep food that doesn't go in the fridge. I went and got my mail, which included a copy of Wired magazine with Questlove of the legendary Roots crew on the cover. That's it...the bare minimums from your boy over here in Cortland. Don't expect much more out of me the rest of the evening...got a few things to work on before I tackle sleepin' in a little tomorrow morning, and if I wasn't doin' this tonight I'd probably try watchin' the backs of my eyelids a little earlier, but you know how this goes. With each passing day, I lose a little more hope for our Blog Mob. Not even gonna bother taggin' the bOSS (with the uncapitalized letter) anymore. I'm not quite ready to bury him yet, but he's just about dead to us. <Insert more dramatic bits of drama here, because this story's goin' nowhere.> Lyn's a Witchy Woman ![]() ![]() At least Emily ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() My tummy growled. There's your sign, folks...don't eat more than the side of the box of Cheerios recommends as a "serving". Moving on then... BCF PROMPT: "Today is 'International Tongue Twister Day'. What tongue twisters do you know? Do you enjoy doing them with your family? Have you ever included them in your writing?" Honestly, I'd be surprised if I could tell you some of the basic tongue twisters I learned from my days being the dorky kid sittin' in the front of the class. And that's unfortunate in that I've had plenty of time over the last 14+ months here to prepare myself for a prompt like this, and yet I've got nothin'. Not even a one-liner with lots of esses and ess-h's and stuhhhs and sce-'s and sku-'s that with ten minutes of daily practice I'd be able to drop on you in 3.4 seconds flat. I just chuckled to myself when I thought "Maybe I should be a little more concerned about this", but then again I haven't read an article on Grantland in over a week either, so maybe my priorities aren't so out of whack yet. I would think that unless your house is filled with small kids or a person suffering from some sort of linguistic deficiency, your family doesn't just randomly break out into a routine of tongue-twisting battles in the kitchen over pancakes and sausages. Like pops isn't tryna spit one at ya over the last donut, and all the sudden the neighbors barge in and a "West Side Story"-style knife fight/dance-off breaks out with collar poppin' and menacing stares while your cousins are outdoin' each other flippin' their gums about the she that sells seashells versus Peter Piper and his pickled peppers. There's no Spelling Bee-style competition I know of (please, nobody Google it, and if you do, don't point out how wrong I am) where you're asked to bust tongue twisters 'til your teeth bleed, and the winner gets a blue ribbon or a trophy. This stuff doesn't happen. I don't even know if I have the words to describe a life where that did happen. And I know a lot of words. Just not in a consecutive, flashy, alliterative manner. You know what I can state, however? Every single time I try typing the word "tongue", I always- without fail- spell it "t-o-u-n-g-e", and when I correct myself it turns into "t-o-u-n-g-u-e" before I do it right on the third try (even though it looks so wrong that it baffles me how that could possibly be a word describing the mechanism that's a major part of manipulating and pushing speech out of your mouth). I just...I don't get it. In the book of life that is "Things I'll Never Understand", the spelling of "tongue" will probably fall somewhere between pages three and ten of 672. Why so many pages? Read page two and find out; it's in there. ![]() So, in conclusion, other than today's entry I don't know that I've ever used a tounge dammit tongue twister (this is one of those times where you should Google a longer, fancier word that I'd rather use because it's somehow easier to spell) while trying to write anything, at least not on purpose. Maybe my thoughts get a little twisted in translation, or your mind hears differently what your eyes see, or Cheerios for a third time, 'cuz why not? MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Well, this segues nicely into "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() "Peter Piper" was full of riffs on nursery rhymes and braggadocio turned into tongue twisters that were nearly impossible to decipher, and that probably added a little more mystique at the time to what I was hearing. And to this day, I could care less if there's something more to the song than it being a few guys in a studio goofin' around on some ol' Mother Goose-type ish. It had the grown-up feel of something maybe I wasn't ready to listen to yet...maybe the country wasn't ready to embrace yet, but at the same time it was mine...I went to the store, I picked it out, I paid for it. That's ultimately what mattered the most. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() That's where I'm gonna leave off today, fine readers. It's gettin' close to my "I'm gonna need to try this sleep thing again" routine, and I've gotta make sure I have my Editor's Picks in soon for Wordsmitty ✍️ ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MOB-RELATED ACTIVITY: What's up y'all? Only a few of us kickin' around the ol' Blog Mob as we limp into the last week of February minus our leader...makes me wonder why I'm still wearing this badge at the top of my entries at all anymore...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqomZQMZQCQ. If The Federales don't need no stinkin' badges, I shouldn't have to show you mine either! You hear that, Brother Nature ![]() ![]() ![]() Now then...has anyone seen pen? I'll need to take notes before we storm the throne so that we do it properly and I don't forget anything. My pen...where is it? *Checks behind ears* Oh yeah, there it is. I'd be in trouble if I didn't have ears. ![]() BCF PROMPT: "Pepsi or Coke?" I've been fortunate enough to live through some pretty great events through the course of recent ("recent" being kind of a relative things, given that history stretches a lot farther back than most of all of us do) history. The tearing down of the Berlin Wall. The 1980 Winter Olympics. The falls of both Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. Led Zeppelin reuniting 3/4th of the way (there's still time to patch things up, Morrissey and Marr, but I won't hold my breath). But nothing, dare I say nothing, was as epic as something in the eighties known as "The Cola Wars". Back in the pre-internet days, when families would gather to talk between episodes of "The Cosby Show" and "Family Ties", or during breaks in the action of football games, they would all get to know each other better. They could see these people that they lived with "in person", and come to know each day how they felt and what they "liked" or "disliked" (as opposed to our 21st-century oppressors, who are far more interested in what we "like" so much so that they've not given us the option to "dislike" anything). Sometimes, the conversation would dull to a halt, and families would pay attention to the "commercials" on the "tv" (which has become its own national holiday, called "The Super Bowl"). The main purpose of (one of) the most invasive tracts of these "advertisements" insisted upon sparking a debate unknown to politicians, scholars or clergymen (the forerunners to a burgeoning group of individuals now referred to as "clergypeople": Did you prefer to drink Coke, or Pepsi, as your cola-flavored soda of choice? I won't get into how stupid any of it was. This was a product that once existed as a "cure-all" by pharmacists claiming that whatever was wrong with you could be fixed by downing some carbonated beverage with real cola flavors (as much as it's killing me, I'm resisting the urge to Google what "cola" is supposed to taste like or why it was so popular, because I'm probably better off not knowing/caring). Then scientists discovered that one can of this "magic elixir" had roughly the same amount of sugar that some smaller South American countries export daily, and by altering the chemical components devised "low fat, low calories, no sugar" versions that tasted like paint thinner and piss left out in the sun virtual carbon-copies of the originals. Then some random internet people realized all sorts of fun stuff about these "diet" concoctions, and came up with a list of things you actually could use it for (as in "do" and not "consume" or "ingest"), like loosening stripped lug nuts and killing bugs (http://www.homesessive.com/view/unusual-uses-coca-cola#show-gallery). It always grosses me out a little whenever I see what someone writes about a food or beverage on the internet that I've put into my body before...until I come back to Earth and remember that everything is bad for you, makes you poop, causes cancer, and has been linked to the burial of Jimmy Hoffa under a football field in New Jersey. Nope...there's no way around it. Someone's gotta make enough stuff to fill all those Super-Walmart shelves, whether it's legally healthy and safe or not (http://www.slate.com/articles/life/culturebox/2014/02/whole_foods_and_walmart_ho..., complete with interactive charts! ![]() No, I'll just give you what you want: an answer to this prompt. While I was raised in a 3-liter buying Pepsi household, I'm fortunate to say I survived that time of my life and became a Coke drinker...Pepsi is just way too sugary-sweet to me and again, I must reiterate how much I don't want to know what "cola" is or why it tastes disgusting to me unless it's enhanced with (preferably something top-shelf, like Crown Royal) whiskey (should I ever choose to want to ruin a glass of whiskey). I became a Mountain Dew connoisseur, but even then it's damn near as bad as everything else (but at least if it's gonna kill me it tastes better than decent)...even to this day I'll only drink it in spurts a few times a year. Still, if the only choices you have in your fridge when I visit you are Diet Coke or ammonia, I'm picking the Diet Coke, but only because you're weird for having ammonia in your fridge unless you're planning on poisoning me, in which case you're double-weird and I'm watching your every move from here on out if we remain friends, which we probably will because I have a hard time saying no to people, especially weird ones like you who have no friends because you've poisoned them all, you evil friend you. MUSICAL BREAK!! ** Image ID #1970900 Unavailable ** Today for "The Soundtrack of Your Life" ![]() THE DAILY BOX SCORE: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Well, that's all I've got for today...it's been a busy day all the way 'round so I'm gonna take the rest of the night here off. Tried something different here at WDC I haven't done in quite a long time, and I'm bankin' on having to take a little time to fix it if it doesn't work out as planned, but I won't know 'til I'm done trying' to push out the remains of this entry and now's a good place as any to call it a night. Peace, all I wanted was a Pepsi, just one Pepsi, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! If you were hoping for Limp Bizkit lizco252, . I was gonna put this here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2U4I9-gG0c) but I'll go with this instead...my "guilty pleasure" ![]() http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGHz9-3je9I |