def

confession, i write "def" because i dont know how to spell definitly. i dont even know if that was the right way to spell it.

Thoughts of the Day 4-29-09

I think it's funny how people bitch about the heat and the pollen for two days, and then the minute it starts raining, those same people bitch about how wet it is and why it can't be summer. Really? I guess it's the nature of humans to complain about every little thing. I mean, I'm complaining about people complaining, so I suppose I'm proving my own point and exacerbating the situation.

Why is it the tastiest cheese snack foods are only available to me on the days that I wear white?

I'm armed with pens, and I got my rhymes. Whatever comes, I write it down so knock me out and shoot me down with mics in hand, we'll stand against the test of time.

When getting my haircut:
I never remember what I tell the person to do when i get my hair cut.. Do I ask for a 5 on top and 4 on the sides? 6 and 5? or was it a 5 and a trim. Do I get a wash? I don't mind paying extra.. I get a bath (basically) and a head massage... It's worth the 4 bucks. They massage so well. I should go to a day spa and get a massage. Or just get some girl to do it. Or august. August would be easier. and I wouldn't have to call him back.

Am I in good enough with Lani to ask for more money next season? Or is the justification of cutting the labor of the team store worth the extra $100 a month to pay me? I need to convince Jim that the Picnic area is food and therefore should be staffed by food. I will NOT work in food service (in any capacity) during the 2010 season. I won't. It has nothing to do with me, and I refuse to be responsible for it. I will help, sure, but I want zero responsibility for it.

Is it bad to eat 4 burritos in one day?

Since when did everyone start liking hockey? No complaints, It's good that we have a fan base, but I would have liked to see the fans be vocal in the past. By no means am I the #1 fan, I'm probably in the 20 thousands, but at least I was always proud to wear my Allen jersey and sit in the 400's at least three times a season. try not to be too obvious about your fandom now guys, it'll make you look bad next year when we're not as fortunate to have a good professional hockey team in the city.

This is the same reason I'm loud as shit about my skins when they suck, so that when they are the champs, I don't have to prove my support. I know i'm a fan and that's really all that matters. I dont know, I guess it really doesnt matter if you're vocal or not. It's just weird that EVERYONE is a caps fan now.

Pandora has saved me musically. Thank you to Jon for showing it to me three years ago and thank you to my mom for not deleting the bookmark i left of it on the home PC, of which I would not have remembered pandora and would not be listening to the Smashing Pumpkins as I type this.

Funny how my skin went from normal to burnt, to tan, to less tan, to normal in a matter of 5 days.

That's it for today. Double header tomorrow, but I'm not working.

good luck Bill. have a dippin bun without me. you will have deserved the break by the time game time rolls around.

Thongs

My dad calls flip-flops thongs. Sorry, I thought Id clear up any confusion about what this post would be about as soon as possible.

So why thongs? I mean i guess it's because of the toe strap. I never liked saying "flip-flops". Thong rolls off the tongue so much easier. Maybe We should bring this back? But if you imagine the confusion that would come out of that, you start to realize it's not worth it. I mean just picture someone walking around with a thong on each foot. Kinda weird..

They're also called slides and sandals. Sandals I think are more of the shoe-like things that Jesus would have worn. Slides, i guess, are those Adidas things you see with the velcro strap across. Or really any with just the strap across and not the "thong" shape that flip flops have.

In order of comfort (for me) is:
1: slides
2: flip-flops thongs
3: sandals

And before I go, if Jesus were around today, what kind of shoe would he wear? Barefoot, k-swiss, sandals, or roos?

Hey Arnold

Just got the full series of Hey Arnold, it's amazing. The 11th disc doesn't work, so I need to get that replaced, but otherwise it's legit as shit.

Better post tomorrow, however it'll be up really late tomorrow night.

Thanks for hanging in there, I appreciate everyone coming here day in and day out.

How I stand on the Issue: Prop 8

As Howard Stern said, gay people have every right to be miserable like the rest of us.

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more... from Jack Black

loose leaf paper

why is called loose leaf? i get the loose part, but why leaf? it's a tree! it's more accurate to call it loose thin cut slab of tree paper.

thin cut slab... that sounds like something out of a deli... mmm...

and while im discussing paper (yea i can tell you're enthralled by this topic, yet you keep reading? interesting.) whats the deal with college rule / wide rule? i stopped using this wide shit when i stopped writing in crayon and started writing my name all by myself. college rule my foot. if you're using wide rule in high school, you're trying to fill space on an essay.

Note

Soo I just got what I can only assume is a "love note."

I know, I thought I stopped going to middle school years ago too. Here's the note:

Dear Paul,
I feel so stupid. I didn't even realize that was you in the elevator!
I have no idea what she is referring to here. shows how much I pay attention around the building
OK, so I'm lying, I was so taken back by your beautiful physique that I got nervous!!
This is where I'll note that every "i" and "!" is dotted with a heart.
I hope this hasn't ruined our relationship! See your SEXY ASS Later!

Love ALWAYS + FOREVER!

Sarah -----
[757-773-####]

then follows a picture of two stick figures holding hands and a heart in between them. wow

You know, I don't know what to do in this situation. I mean, is a thanks but no thanks in order? yes. yes it is.

foot traffic

i dont think its just me, but maybe this is just my tendency to analyze everything to the point of compulsion.

Is there anyone else out there who sees traffic patterns repeat themselves when walking in a busy area? say a mall or school hallways, or even a crowded concourse and, in my case, a quad? people walk on the right of oncoming traffic, they merge, they pass on the left or right, whichever is more feasible, and if they stop to chat, the pull onto the shoulder.

i know i follow these patterns. i consider myself a fast walker, on most days, and if you havent seen it, i talked about my walking in the past. but because of my walking wrecklessness, i like to think that i would have a suspended license. knowing that people follow patterns, i change my direction to dodge their movement and make my trip faster and shorter.

while im thinking about it, i think (for some strange reason) mason students in general dont walk on the grass. i make a point to walk on the grass because i want to get to where i need to be with time to spare. and have you ever walked in grass on a hot spring afternoon in flip flops? it feels awesome. especially if its sunny, because its warm and springy.

so if there were foot traffic officers out there, would running in a crowded area be grounds for arrest? how bout walking into oncoming traffic? failing to yeild to a group of people at an intersection (or corner)?

drunk walking would be punishable by confiscating shoes.

boxers or briefs?

boxers, but preferably boxer-briefs.

Birthday Suit

I know where the expression originiated, "wearing your birthday suit", but let's imagine what it would be like if this was an actual practiced tradition.

Every year on your birthday, you walk around full blown naked. and i don't mean just the super model types, I'm including the 83 year old women. the 90 year old men would love it. gross.

A weekend in the life of a college intern (2)

By 9, we're elbows deep in cash and working in the money room. At this point we become delirious and giggle at everything. Then I realized that were missing 6 registers from the Main Stand...

...2 hours later, we finish the money room by 11:45 and I leave by 12:15 and head to my dad's house.

Sunday Morning
Wake up at 8 and eat breakfast with my Dad, Jess, and Bubba.

Get to the stadium at 9:30 and head straight to the picnic area. The picnic gates open at 1145 so i have to get everything ready for the very small picnic. Everything went smoothly and We closed down the picnic area by 2:00.

I came back to the ticket office and helped pete, really from here the day was pretty simple. We finished the money room pretty quickly and I left the ballpark by 5:00.

PictureMail

Redundant fountain on a rainy monday morning. First rain out of the season today. 5 am start tomorrow morning.. Oh joy!

A weekend in the life of a College Intern (1)

This isn't meant to be a list of complaints, because I am certainly not complaining in any shape. I just wanted to share my prospective.

Friday Morning
7:30 am class with a hippy history teacher. Today's topic, the Judea Christian Split during the turn of the millennia (around 100 AD). This teacher is currently accusing me of plagiarizing, and I am currently awaiting trial by peers. Her reasons for suspecting me? I used the word forbade and I stated the dates of Treaties during the Seven Years War.

I come back to the dorm at 8:30 to study for my Accounting Midterm. By 9:30 I'm sick of studying, so I try and eat quietly so I don't wake the roommates.

Go take the exam, pray to the accounting gods that I got at least a C, hopefully a B.

Class ends at 11:45, at which time i take my books to my car and drive to the stadium. I spend the first few moments and check email and voicemail for anything important, and put the rest off.

1:00 rolls around, and I need to take care of some items in the Picnic area. I head down there with a hammer and a saw. Complete only half of the hammering I wanted to, and none of the sawing. So instead I volunteer my services to put up a billboard or two.

3:00 and now I need to head to the ticket office. I hold down the fort until 4, when I need to prepare the Money with Andrew.

4:30, I head back to the ticket office and close the windows, I start printing out will call tickets, and then let Pete take over that while I grab the player pass list. I print these out to go with the will call. I head upstairs and help Jon with stuff the programs with stat sheets. We finish, and I head back to the T.O. (ticket office).

By 5:30, most of the employees have arrived, I'm working Will Call today, so we wait until 5:45 to open the windows to sell tickets. I spend about an hour and a half at will call. During the hour, a woman whom I'm trying to sell season tickets too comes to pick up a game ticket. I eventually go visit her at her seats and shmooze her for about 20 minutes. And she gives me a list of dates that she wants, i go on the server and reserve her seat for all 35 dates. I go back and get her credit card, after listening to 30 minutes of how shitty our stadium and staff are. I return to the TO to see the seats were lifted off reserve by accident. so I redo the whole process. I then run the charge. My first season ticket sale, (awesome btw) so i buy the old cow a bbq sandwich (we had talked about them) and I return her the card and the tickets.

We close the ticket office, and verify the cash tills.

Me and Andrew begin the Money Room. ...and by 12:15, we finish and leave.

I grab the mascot suit and head to school.

Saturday Morning
7:45, the alarm goes off. I get the mascot back in the bag and drive to the mascot appearance. I hop in the suit and shake hands and take photos with about 200 kids and their parents. Little League opening ceremonies take place, I change and run back to the car. A tow truck is backing up to my car when I run and beg for forgiveness and I get off with a warning and a promise not to park in that lot anymore.

I head home and shower, by noon i'm in the picnic area sawing and hammering. I finish, and then rearranged the trash cans and the grills. I finish cleaning the grills and head back to the TO.

Grab Tropical Smoothie for lunch, bring it back and eat it at my desk while I answer phones and check email and voicemails.

3:15 we prepare the money for the night.

4:30 I close the windows and grab the player pass list, print them out and print out will call tickets. Pete shows me how to use the ticket scanners.

5:00 gates open and I am a ticket taker until 6:45. I resume the Will call post until 7:30. I close out all of the windows and we close the TO by 8:15.

pencils and writing utensils

Why is it, when i was in middle school, that I ONLY used mechanical pencils. was it cool? this trend continued into high school. I became so good at fixing the jams in those stupid things that i considered a career in mechanical pencils. I wanted to be the poster child of mechanical pencils, you would see my name in lights. But when I got to college two falls ago, I continued a long affair with old school wooden pencils. You could say that I was returning to my true love, because I'm almost positive I wrote with a wooden pencil in elementary school, if I wasn't using a crayon of course.

I cheated on mechanical pencils though. There were a few affairs over the 7 year relationship.

Remember those faggy gel pens everyone used in 7-8 grade? Yea I do. They were cool then, so cool in fact that our year books that year had black pages, so we could write in gel pen (and only in gel pen).

My second stint from mechanical pencils was the erasable pen. I had blue black AND red ink, all of which could be erased by respective blue black and red erasers at the end of the cap.

But that was back when I was immature. I grew, mechanical pencils kept taking me back. They deserved better than how I treated them. Breaking them open and cleaning out the tip with a piece of graphite, chewing on the eraser and breaking the clip off.

Then I saw wooden pencil. There it was, in a pack of 12 for less than $2. A sight for sore eyes, I took it to lunch, just to see how it was doing. We hit it off. It was magical.

We picked up right where we left off in 5th grade, and we've been going strong for going on two years this summer. I sharpen them daily and I use a white eraser from the store so mine don't get to flat.

I'll let you know when I announce the engagement.

The number 47

So i'm not crazy, but hear me out.

The number 47 is following me.

go ahead and laugh. it's not a joke.

This isn't like that movie, the number 23 (i think it was 23). I'm not jim carrey, as much as i secretly wanna be a 45ish year old man with acting issues. The number is legit following me. I'm not looking for it.

I have the complete series of Doug on DVD, don't ask me how, because it's not exactly legal approved by viacom. Watching this dvd, Doug's locker number? 47
I take pictures a lot, or i try to. I've liked doing it for a while, since about 05. my first roll on my new camera in 06 is from spring break. my favorite picture on that roll is this one. Picture ID on my camera? PICT0047

Favorite video game, Hitman. Hitman's main character? Agent 47

GPA? 3.47

stupid number.

Drum Roll

"Can i get a drum roll please?"

I hear this all the time in movies and tv, but it happens so infrequently in real life. I have no quarrels with people calling for a drum roll to make some sort of announcement. I'd actually like to see someone whip out a snare drum and beat the hell out of it when or if I have something moderately important to say.

Picture it, maybe I'm at a lunch with a group of my peers and I'd like to announce something pertinent. I call for the drum roll and out of the kitchen comes either (a)a high-school marching band student in full garb wielding a snare drum (b)a neil peart wanna-be rolls in with a full drum set and busts out with a killer 3-5 minute solo, or (c)a weak as hell drum roll from all in attendance at the lunch breaks out with finger tips or hands on the tables, much appreciated but it's not as good as (a) or (b).

I say we include the drum roll with in-appropeau moments:
Breaking up with your significant other? "drum roll please.... It's not you it's me!"
Contract an unfriendly condition? "drum roll please.... Get yourself tested!"
Firing a less than dedicated employee? "drum roll please.... Pack your shit and go!"

Bathroom Authors

I'd like to meet the people who scratch the ignorant statements on the walls and doors of the stalls in bathrooms. In my life, I have never seen someone doing this, you'd think it'd be obvious. The door would have to be closed, and they would probably be standing, depending on where their sentiments are going. Inevitably, there are people who disagree and rebut below with "no YOUR gay!" and an arrow pointing to the original statement.

Why is there always a drawing of a penis? That's just weird that it keeps making an appearance.

It's not just bathrooms. At my library, we have rooms that you can go to and have group or individual study. These walls are absolutely covered with "graffiti." For example, you'll see at least 50-100 exam statements, "Anatomy 301 Final", "Chemistry 422 Midterm" or "I should be studying, but I'm writing on this wall".

I've never read anything extremely witty, but that's just my opinion. I wonder if the bathroom walls at Harvard or Cal tech are different. Are they pristine? or are they covered with funnier stuff? or is it nerdier?

It's like youtube comments, they never seem to be related to anything and they always seem to include racial slurs. According to the Thompson Hall Bathroom on the 2nd floor, Obama is a socialist, and the guy who wrote that is retarded, and the guy who wrote that thinks free speech is retarded.

So i drew a penis.

Musicians

I love music, I do. It's fun to listen to, it can change your mood for the good and bad. It even evokes memories as I've talked about before.

But the thing that really makes me laugh, is the musicians. There are different types.

The Student
This is the musician who is always aspiring to be a pro. They are taking the classes to get better and they probably play classical. Sure, they've experienced with Rock, but they get off on a symphonic march. This one was probably once a...

...Marcher
High School was the highest point of their musical career, unless they became the student. They marched for their High School Band and probably wore more feathers than Elton John. These guys had all of their first sexual encounters with fellow band members and they probably brag about it. Still, these people are at least tolerable.

then, you have The Guitarist
It's always a guy, and he only knows enough to impress. Why play really well when you only need to play a few songs to gain the attention? Then you can tell a sappy story to ring the girl in and before you know it, one night stand. It works, and you know it's happened. Maybe not to you, but probably one of your friends.

The Drummer
Generally, these guys are the most fun. But they are probably insane. You can count on this guy being pretty tight, but wild as shit. The chick drummers on the other hand, well their probably the same. I've only met a few. The drummer should not be confused with...

...The Drum Circle
If you've ever been on a college campus in the late spring-late summer, you've probably seen a drum circle. Shit i've seen one in a tree (CNU, I'm talking to you). Now these people are a different breed from the Drummer as mentioned above. They are chill as you will ever see. They also make (arguably) the best music. Have you ever walked by one of these on a beautiful afternoon? It's almost as good as..

...The Street Performer
The Street Performer is passionate. That's what makes him the best of all. He's playing for dinner, or boos. Either way, it's important to him. I wanna see this movie because of these guys. The Verizon Center (more commonly known as the Phone Booth) attract these bad boys like bees on sugar every game night. You have the Drummers on the corner of F and 6, the Sax player at the top of the Chinatown Metro escalators, and you have the violinist on the other side of the metro.

Now go out there and support your hobos like a real American! And try and stay dry, it's supposed to be raining all week here.

Easter Sunday

I'm posting this from my phone, oh how far technology has come!

Today is easter, obviously, and i had my first easter egg hunt since i was 12. I found all of the dozen brightly colored eggs filled with runts in a matter of moments. The last egg always seems to be the hardest.

Cadbury eggs and reeses bunny rabbits greeted me when i came home for breakfast with my mom; eggs, bacon, hash browns and pancakes (with blueberry syrup of course) filled me up. I never understood what bunnies and eggs have anything to do with each other, let alone Jesus Christ, but hey, i'm not a theologist or a stand up comedian so i'll let it slide.

So go out and buy yourself some discount candy, it's passover today and lent has ended. indulge! have a good sunday and i'll see you tomorrow.

Changes

First off, I'd like to share this article, I believe every word of it and it's a good read. It is in know way related to today's entry but I wanted to pass it along.

For today, I'd like to discuss something that's been on my mind for awhile now. It's not humorous, sorry, but I've wanted to say it for sometime now and I think now is as good a time (if not better) than any other. Enjoy.

It seems every year, around this time, changes occur. Now you can say that changes happen all the time, and you'd be right. Change is the only constant in this world. But what I mean by change during this season is a combination of things. Changes in our beliefs, fears, physical appearance, and attitudes seem to happen between February and May. My hair gets shorter, our skin gets darker, the days seem longer and the weather warmer. The streets seem wetter and the trees look fuller, our minds notice the beauty in things we had overlooked and our hearts question, "why?"

I know that I see things in a brighter light in the Spring and I know I am not alone. There is much to appreciate in a morning when birds awake you and a night when rain lulls you to sleep. The flowers bloom and the grass seems greener for me as I walk about my campus and head to my car after a morning class. The drive to work seems less dreary now than it did in January; maybe it's the music and the open window, maybe it's the approach of our home opener. Whatever it is that makes me happier, I know it always happens in this three month window.

I'd like to believe, belief is a beautiful thing to have. This time of year (specifically tomorrow's holiday) always makes me question my faith. The purpose of this site is not to cause doubt in anyway, but I personally don't have faith in a higher power. I can't seem to put my future in the hands of another being, even if that being knows what's best for me. For me, it's not a question of if there is someone out there, it's a question of whether or not I can believe in it. People have been fighting for years about what is right and what is wrong, and that's not what I'm here to debate. I just think it's a silly debate to have. Have faith in something, but most of all have faith in yourself. Faith that you can make the right decisions in your life to keep you safe and move on to the next moment hopefully better off.

As Spring becomes Summer, we will take advantage of the warm weather, whether you like it or not, we will either go out, be active and live life, or become hermits and lose time to ourselves. I hope you decide on the former as I will.

I'd like to end this on a word of advice; For every moment that you are unhappy or wish you were somewhere else, know that there is a reason for everything. Learn from every moment and take what happens as a tool for the future. You may need it one day.

Have a good weekend, and I'll be here tomorrow.

Minor League Opening Day

With the start of the season yesterday, we now have standings! As you can see, there is (yet another) new item to the left. This is the Carolina League Standings. Just below on the same item is the record and standing of each of the Washington affiliate in order of Major to Low A.

Our home opener is a week from tonight! Should be a lot of fun considering there is no picnic.

Tomorrow I have something planned that I think you'll enjoy.

For now, have a great Friday and try not to work to hard on the last day of the week.

Bugs the Shit Out of Me: Acronyms

There are the work related:
IBM
AT&T
API
ASP
GE
B2B
CEO's, CFO's, CMO's C_O's
OTC
GAAP
FIFA
P&L

the school related:
ACT
SAT
MCAT
GMAT
LSAT
PSAT
AP
CLEP
NMSQT

and then there are the moronic expressions people (i'm guilty) use on a daily basis:
LOL
LMAO
WTF?
STFU
G2G
BRB
FML
FTW

and many more.

I think acronyms are getting out of hand. I myself need to go on an acronym diet. There are some who use acronyms in a real life scenario, hopefully jokingly, and say the "L-O-L" or "lawl" out loud when they think something is funny. This is just absurd. I mean has our culture turned to shortening everything we say?

c'mon.

yea I know, but we use compound words everyday, don't we? I think it's something that should be payed attention to but no more. I'm not going to suggest some outlandish solution to this "problem" but rather plea for everyone out there to please, for your own sake, if you LOL than you better be laughing out loud. if you G2G, just get up and leave, say goodbye but don't shorten everything.

besides, If you say LOLOLOLOLOLOL out loud, you have bigger issues to worry about than grammar.

and that's why acronyms bug the shit out of me.

Honor Committee

So I got an email today requesting my presence at a hearing because my History Professor thinks I plagiarized my Seven Years War paper. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? I didn't do it, obviously, but the fact that I have to defend myself AND go through exams this week and next week WITH OPENING DAY NEXT FRIDAY that's fucking bullshit.

This is the same teacher that hasn't cut her hair since 1985 and has straight up skipped class on two occasions without letting the class know she wouldn't be there.

Way to bring a fuckin downer on my whole God damn week. If this fucks up MY GPA and keeps me from getting into the school of management, just because a fucking HIPPY thinks I'm not smart enough to form my own sentences, I'm gonna go fuckin ape shit.

Damnit! ;oqwieg;./graehr;g

Seven Years War

I had to write a paper on the Seven Years War (1756-63) in history today, and I think I did pretty well. But instead of telling you the comprehensive analysis of causes and effects of the war, focusing on the major players in the battle, such as Frederick II of Prussia and Maria Theresa of Austria, I'll tell it like I would tell about a fight I was involved in.

So Frederick II occupied this place in Austria in the 1740's as part of this war with Austria, Maria Theresa wasn't happy about these em effers stealing her land so she waited about 10 years to rebuild her army. Meanwhile, England and France were arguing over Canada and the Ohio Valley in the Americas. Basically, they both belonged to France and England got handsy with the land and wanted something more permanent and not a one night stand. Netherlands said "i'm staying out of this shit" and they bitched out and played halo the whole time.

Because England and France were bitching and moaning, England had no problem signing a treaty (Westminster Convention 1756) saying that they would stay out of Silesia if Prussia would protect Hanover from the French. Seeing this, Austria knew they needed a new ally to replace England, so they called up France and they were like "hey, why don't you help us, and we'll give you the Netherlands when we rock that shit." and France was like "sure, is that it?" and Austria said, "nah, why don't you give us 12 million Livre a year for every year we don't control Silesia" and for some reason the stupid french assholes agreed (1st Treaty of Versailles). So Russia wanted in on the love, so Elizabeth I said, "hey we don't like Prussia cause they kinda sound like Russia and that's been confusing for years." so they sided with Maria Theresa (2nd ToV).

About 5 years into the war, England got fed up with fuckin Spain coming in and messin shit up for them in the English Channel so they said "fuck you Spain!" and declared war 227 years before my bday (Jan 5, 1762). I guess Spain didn't pay the phone bill, or they went over on their texting, because they didnt declare war on England for another two weeks. Once they did, Portugal went balls to the wall and said "fuck you Spain!" and sided with England.

At this point, everyone is pretty bloodied up. Elizabeth is dead, Peter III took over and switched to the winning side, his wife Catherine said "bitch shut up and sit down" and she switched back to the Austrian side.

Soon after, everyone was either tired of fighting or they withdrew their armies. France was forced to give up Louisiana to the Spanish, New France to the English, and they got to keep some islands in Canada. Retards. England took India over because they wanted to, and Prussia got to keep Silesia, but then said "why the fuck do we sound like Russia? lets reorganize that shit soon"

OH and because England is a bitch, they decided to impose laws limiting the white people in the American Colonies from going beyond the appalachians, which pissed them off, and then another law saying they couldnt go into canada, which pissed them off, and then they taxed the americans so they can pay off war debt in europe. That really pissed the americans off, so they declared independence or some shit.

at least this is what some guy told me, idk, but i heard it was intense.
and yes i know i am.

Rainy Days in April, who knew?

So as that stupid saying goes that we all learned in elementary school, April Showers bring May Flowers (and your teacher inevitably makes the lame joke, "and Mayflowers bring pilgrims"). Today it rains and I have to park away from the ball park. awesome.

Ive always claimed that i like the rain, and i do, but you never hear me say that when it is raining and i have something to do outside. I have to do a lot of work in the Picnic area this week and the weather has hindered my plans. Brings a special meaning to "raining on my parade".

Today is opening day of Baseball so turn on your TV or head over to your area club and get in good with a scalper because unless you live in DC, all of opening day tickets are probably sold out.

Warm weather!

Things that I am looking forward to this summer that are greatly affected by the weather:

driving to the farm with the windows/top down
swimming
fishing
sleeping with the windows open
working in the sunlight
the smell of cut grass
baseball!
going to ballparks
beach trips
Busch Gardens
Kings Dominion
the smell of suntan lotion
shorts and flip flops
going camando wearing surf shorts
eating ice cream is a speed sport
golf
bbq cooking on the deck
watching the stars on the roof
training camp!

and so much more, it's a beautiful day, i'm going back outside!

Music and Memory cont..

Last we spoke, I was trying to make a point about how music ties into our memory. Here's my second attempt.

I guess this goes back to when I talked about our past; when something happens to us, or we meet someone, we are inevitably going to remember the event. Our minds, and this is just me talking, I haven't researched this or anything, our minds look to other influences around us that will trigger that memory. I'm probably not alone in this, but music is a big influence in my life. So I relate music to everything around me. Because of this, I always think go people, places, or a time period when I hear music.

In most cases, it's a great thing. In others, not so much. I generally always relate music to people and the relationships I have with them. If I ever don't like a song or a band, it's probably because they remind me of someone I really dislike, or someone whom I've yet to resolve issues with. I'm not one to hold grudges, but there are some people out there that I just get along with and, as a result, I can't think of them without getting a little peeved. So, needless to say (but then why am I saying it?) I dislike the music that reminds me of that person.

Well I hoped this has been exciting. I promise to return to less thought provoking stuff eventually. I just have had a lot on my mind recently. Which is always better than having absolutely nothing on my mind.

Music and Memory

Not as deep as the title suggests, but I wanted to talk about the way that people (i'm sure i'm not alone in this one) connect music to people or events in their lives. for example, I can't listen to the rolling stones without thinking of a girl i dated in high school and I can't hear Third Eye Blind without being remeinded of Stephanie and Sophomore year.

And with other songs, it has nothing to do with memory. Like, when i can't think of how a song goes, i think and think and when i finally remember how it sounds, i'll get that song stuck in my head for like an hour. that is probably the worst hour ever.

I have what I like to refer to as "music ADD". it is exactly what it sounds like, i can't listen to the same thing for more than a minute. MOST of the time, this is the case. like when i'm driving and listening to the radio, i'll scan the radio the whole time until i find something i can listen to over and over again.
CDs are the worst. that's why all of my mix CDs are more thatn 15 songs long, i can't listen to a whole song. i'll move on after about a minute.

well this post was pretty all over the place. meh. it's late and i don't care. i had a pretty chill day today so i'll just post this and move on to tomorrow.

Regrets and the Past

yea it's another one of "those" posts. the type where I get all philosophical and such. deal with it, or check in tomorrow where I'll surely discuss something more in tune to the humor of a 3rd grader.

People always look to the past when times are tough. Bad relationship with peers, poor economic standing, failing a class or even a family tragedy (God forbid). But what needs to be done in these situations is something different than regretting your actions. Saying that you wish you could do it all over again or that you want to "go back" and "wish it never happened". What everyone should do is learn. That's all it is. Take everything as a learning experience.

Date a guy who abused you? "I wish I never met him" or "I should have left him a long time ago" are appropriate responses, but you should be saying "good thing I got out of there when i did, I won't let that happen to me ever again.

Lose a loved one? "I should have told them ____" "I wish I could have treated them better". Maybe so, but there (sadly) is nothing you can do to change your actions. We all want to leave positive memories with people as they leave us, but you can't change the past. What you can do is correct your current actions and better your existing relationships. Reach out to someone you use to get along with or maybe spend more time with those you love.

The past is something we all look to. It should only be looked to for inspiration for our future. As much as we want to travel back in time to relive what we thought was amazing or change what we realized to be hell, your life is ahead of you. No regrets, no looking in back (unless for inspiration). Learn from everything because that's all you can do.

Janice Joplin: the return

The only reason I am bringing this up is because I've had this song stuck in my head all day, ever since I heard "Me and Bobby McGee" on the radio this morning.

Now if you're a devout reader (HA!) of this blog, you're familiar with how I feel about Ms. Joplin. I would like to formally say, right now, that I am giving her and her music a second chance. It's really not THAT bad. I'll have to find her music and view it from a different perspective.

As for now, I will do my best to get that stupid ass song out of my head.