Finals suck

Top 5 other things that suck
5.) The Steelers
4.) My fluids grade (assuming said exam went as wonderfully as it felt)
3.) The fact that I've spent essentially all of my money on things that I shouldn't have spent that much money on, and it is now Christmas time. Sorry guys...
2.) The fact that I caved and spent the little money I have left on food for this week. The good news is, I don't need to taste Ramen for another few weeks. The bad news is, food just isn't that fun.
1.) Your mom.

Back to increased regularity following Wednesday...

Top 5 Artists of 1st Semester of Junior Year

It's weird how it works when you think about it. Certain songs take me right back to an exact moment in time. Most ironic in my lifetime thus far has been the Three's Company theme song during a "first kiss" moment. May have ruined the gushy romance of all of it at the time, but given how I have rarely taken much of the gushy romance seriously anyways, I wouldn't have it any other way.

A few other songs that have exact moments tied to them for me:

"What Hurts the Most"

"Crush" - Specifically the Live at Radio City version

"Elanor Rigby" - actually, this one is a dual memory: freshman year sitting in my dorm with nothing but the UD lights on above me, and driving up to the stop sign at Creek and Eljay - and I have no idea why the second one exists)


"Shipping up to Boston" - St. Patricks Day, Junior year in high school; aka green vomit)

"Kashmir" - The song that was on when I got in my car wreck, that song will never be the same

"You Got It Bad" - I think I heard this on the bus ride to high school every morning in junior high. Therefore, I smell the dust/pre-pubescent B.O./overloaded Ax every time it comes on. Still, great song.

The list goes on, but onto the top 5 artists for here and now:

5.) Paramore - Hayley is hot, and has a hell of a voice to go with it. If things don't work out with Chad, I'm here baby girl.
4.) Mike Posner - This one is more because this semester was the first, and will probably be the only time, I listen to him.
3.) Drake - Called this one
2.) Third Eye Blind - Gonna have to thank Saturday's at the stoop for this one.
1.) Miley - For better or for worse, this song will always be attached to the past four months.


If anyone out there has any big flashback songs, lemme hear em.

Wow, I'm not even mad

I actually didn't mean to post that last, well, post with nothing but a title; however, I like the artiness of it all, so I'll keep it.

But the point stands.

I don't really have anything to say. But it's been a few days since I've posted and I did have that whole "be the change you want to see in the world" shpiel less than a fortnight ago, so I feel kind of shitty not following up.

So what's going on in my life, you ask? How about a top 5 I respond. In reverse order, because I love the suspense.

5.) I bought my first ever full length video game digitally recently. Yes, I know the previous sentence will probably exclude me from any contact with the opposite sex for +/- a month, but how would that be different from the past +/- 20 years of my life, so screw it. It feels really really weird buying essentially nothing physically (meaning something that has mass) with nothing physically (meaning my credit card, the whole concept of which still blows my mind, but that's a post for another night). All in all though I'm liking the concept. Rumors have it the PS4 will have primarily a digital download means of distribution so I should probably get used to it either way.

4.) I had a little too much of the jungle joose last night and may or may not have yacked a little on the porch of the stoop. Actually, yea, I did. I tried to clean up my mess this morning, but given the ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL WEATHER today, it had caked very nicely on the already concrete-esque front dirt. So, any water splashing was in vein. I say all of that to say this: I don't know how bulemics do it (my throat kills), and I never want to drink again.

3.) Charlie needs to go. I understand the '07 team had the least talent of any ND team ever possibly, but seriously Charlie, again? This isn't the U.S. Delta Force Academy, it's the fucking Naval Academy. Start talking to your NFL connects about some openings for next year, because if there is a God, you won't be at ND.


2.) If you ain't first you're last.

1.) Nothing in life is big enough for me to give it a "#1" type of status right now, so I'm going to take the easy way out on this one, too. I mean that in the least emo way possible, I'm far from being a manic depressive about things, there just really isn't one thing I can point out as being major.

I did have a pretty prescient fortune cookie in my Chinese carry out this week though, so I guess I'll leave that both of you readers who actually got this far through my ramblings to read it:

"Stop searching forever. Happiness is just next to you."

Peace up, a town down.

It's happening

This is the week I look forward to the other 51 out of the year. When fall is in full bloom, most of the trees are noticeably sporting their colors, and football season is fully under way.

Yes, it's Southern Cal week.

If it weren't for my team's end of the bargain not being held up for just about a decade now, it would still be considered the greatest rivalry in all of college football. Instead, I doubt many would let it crack the top 5. This is probably more because of their hate for Notre Dame and unwillingness to give them credit for anything than any true shittiness of the game, but so be it.

FWIW, my top 5, based on today's college football climate:

1.) Texas/Oklahoma - The Red River Rivalry has made and broken the National Championship dreams of these two teams every year since Vince Young was still in college. I'm far from a Big 12 fan, but this is as big as it gets anymore.

2.) OSU/Michigan - Personally, I think Big 10 games are a snoozefest. This game always gets hyped to shit by one side or the other, even though Michigan has been balled up and pooped since... I can't even remember how long. It's been a while though. Bold prediction: expect the pooping on to end this year. I'm not saying they are going to win, but OSU is just that bad offensively that they may let Michigan stay in this one.

3.) Alabama/LSU - Nick Saban. Combine that storyline with the fact that the SEC really is just more fun to watch than any of the integer conferences, and you have the #3 best rivalry.

4.) Florida/whoever-they-are-playing-this-week - Until Tim "Jesus" Tebow is gone, that school will be hyped to shit by the media, giving every team on their schedule plenty of reason to hate them come Saturday. In the end, Meyer is just too good and has had his pick of players since as long as he has been there. I don't see the domination going anywhere soon.

5.) ND/USC - If you didn't think I would have this in the top 5, you're insane. October 15, 2005 will be a date that will always be remembered in my heart. My junior homecoming. We ate at the now defunct Waston Bros. Good choice, considering we all temporarily ditched the dates to watch the last 5 minutes of one of the greatest games of the 21st century. Freakin' Reggie Bush....

I can't watch this much, but for anyone who wants to relive it, be my guest:

Top 5 hard words to translate:

1.) Mamihlapinatapai - a look shared by two people with each wishing that the other will initiate something that both desire but which neither one wants to start.

2.) Schadenfreude - pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others

.... That's actually all I have... I've known about Schendenfraude for a while (as should any other person who roots against the Yankees), but Mamihlapinatapai is a new one. I digg it.

Top 5

Holy crap!!! Semi-regular posting?! It can't be.... Well, if the cop-out that is a top five even counts.

Anywho, onward and upward:

Top 5 books read while at Princeton City Schools
1st-12th

5.) Out of the Silent Planet - Being a sci-fi nerd and a C.S. Lewis fan, I was pretty stoked to read this. However, in doing so I learned one life lesson: trilogies weren't meant to be read one at a time. Every time I think about reading the other two books, I remember I have very little recollection of what actually happened in the first. Maybe someday...

4.) Night - I still have this book tucked away in some dark corner of my room. I remember reading it in 8th grade with Mr. Pogue, the guy who, if nothing else, taught me that books are printed on paper so they can be written in, torn up, and generally made your own. To this day a good indicator of books I've actually read is to look for the one's that have seemingly gone through the washer, twice. Anywho, a powerful book that everyone should be forced to read in school.

3.) Lord of the Flies - Another Mr. Pogue read that I probably wouldn't have even opened if it weren't for two undeniable facts:
3-1.) The edition of the book I bought had cover that was about 6 standard deviations MORE badass than anyone elses book.
3-2.) Pogue sold this book as being a case study in anarchy, which is pretty much what a 13 year old boy strives for Monday-Friday anyways.

2.) Notes From Underground - I think I was the only person in the class of '07 to like this book. Dostoevsky is a hell of a writer and anyone who thinks any different can suck my thumb. It's not easy to write what is essentially stream of consciousness for half of a novel and make ANYTHING of it, let alone something that would be taught in high schools nearly 150 years later. It also makes for a hell of a book on tape.

1.) The Great Gatsby - I didn't like it much then. The book absolutely emits the feeling, taste, and smell of summer (“It was dawn now on Long Island and we went about opening the rest of the windows down-stairs, filling the house with gray-turning, gold-turning light. The shadow of a tree fell abruptly across the dew and ghostly birds began to sing among the blue leaves. There was a slow, pleasant movement in the air, scarcely a wind, promising a cool, lovely day.”) and has one of the most profound last pages of all time. It seemed like we talked about this book for a month and I'm still not completely sure I "get" it. I'm also not sure if I'm supposed to.




The best part of all of this? I still have every single one of my projects from sophomore year of high school on. I want to personally thank every teacher that realized computers weren't the devil and in doing so let me have an amazing archive of stuff that, barring something terrible, I will be able to have forever.

Yes, even the bio coloring!!



So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

And now for something you have all seen before

Two posts today, mainly so I don't fall further behind on my "365-post" rule this early in the game:

Five Things I'm Interested in Right Now that I Will Probably Burn Out On in a Month
(A derivative of my "Top 5")

1.) Cooking - Thanks to watching Top Chef marathons pretty much all of finals week, some Pavlovian shit has made this a major curiosity/hobby/interest of mine lately. To add to it, I got Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for the Food for Christmas, and I've realized I like reading about cooking when it's not in the form of a cookbook. It's like a chem lab that you get to eat at the end, which totally revs me up.

...Long distance...

2.) Converting vinyl to digital - It was a Christmas present/project to mom and dad and (like all good hobbies of mine) is turning out to be a lot more work than I had originally imagined. It helps feed into my visions of being Rick Ruben/Scott Storch. I've realized grown-ups still play pretend, it's usually just a lot more expensive than when "we" (I'm not a grown up.) were younger.
3.) Rock Band 2 - I've gotten up to being able to play aboutttt half the songs on Hard. It's those half-beat kick drum patterns that are causing me trouble right now, but I'm working through them, all the while giving myself more false hope of being musically talented. Nothing like this guy though:



3.) Meh, can't think of anything here. Put this as another long distance in between

4.) Reading good books - Finally having a shitload of time after a semester of not having much has its benefits. No more information to be divulged in this sector right now because it will make for good blog-fodder later.

5.) Dashboard Confessional - This one is taking the "right now" qualifier pretty literally. Haven't listened to Chris Carrabba in a while (like, since A Mark A Mission A Brand A Scar was released), and I must say I don't mind him.

Top five movie characters I wish I could be:

5.) Batman, the Batman Begins one - All the other Batmans are too over-the-top comic-y. My alltime favorite comic book movie, but the comic aspect of it really ruins half the fun.

4.) George Jung, Blow - Just to feel what its like at the top, then have it all come crashing down (or would it!?!? if it were me, that is).

3.) Frank Abagnale Jr., Catch Me If You Can - Just to be able to pull off the stunts he does would be great.

2.) Jack Sparrow - Things we have in common: love of ships, pirating, girls, and rum. The whole dreds thing and braided goat (which I would so do if I had the patience) top it off.

[Big gap]

1.) One of the McManus brothers in The Boondock Saints - Irish, badass, and the best tats EVER. I get hyped everytime I watch it.

Top 5 reasons to stop by at your local festival

No particular order on this one

1.) Its like a high school reunion, but with gambling and its much easier to avoid the creepers
2.) There is no such thing as too many bratts, metts, or italian sausages.
3.) Blackjack is a great time waster.
4.) Funnel cake.
5.) ....Honestly I can't think of a fifth reason. Let's be honest, for the most part festivals suck bunghole and the only reason people go are to enjoy the wonderful vices of life. Irony at its best....

...just don't puke in the pews!! :)

Fun fact

Top 5 songs to cap off a night of kidney torture:

5.) Let Me Take You Home Tonight - Boston << A little too high tempo for me, but screams last song.
4.) Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi << Nothing like a little country/rock/badass to cap the night
3.) All My Life - KC & JoJo << I'm a product of my (junior high) generation, what can I say.
2.) The Dance - Garth Brooks << Always gets to ya, even if you can't even hear the lyrics through the ringing in your ears. Perfect.
1.) Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd << Starts quiet enough, builds up to a great climax, then tucks you in for bed. As a bonus, my generation's parents probably even passed out to this song a couple times. Classic.

Honorable Mention: The Late Greats (Wilco), My Best Friend (Tim McGraw), Dear Mama (Tupac), I've Got Dreams to Remember (Buddy Guy w/ John Mayer),

Top Everything

I love lists. I love rankings. Putting the two together just makes me want to channel my inner Dane Cook (heheh.)

Top Five Artists who probably should never have picked up a microphone

1.) Bob Dylan - Made famous for his horribly awesome voice.

2.) Johnny Cash - Hey, I like him too. Probably because I can sing his songs better than he can.

3.) Macy Gray - Should probably be number one, but she should not be number one in anything. Ever.

4.) William Shatner.

5.) The Green Hat Guy in Old School - Seriously, I hope for his sake that he just keeps making his money off Snoop-a-loop and never tries to go solo.

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with anything. But YOU try finding a picture of GreenHatMan, not so easy. And this makes me smile. So there.