Saturday, August 30, 2008

We're Home!

yay... and boooooooooooo....

Monday, August 25, 2008

FREE Football Pro & College Pick Em & Survivor Football LeaguesFREE Football Pro & College Pick Em & Survivor Football Leagues

I have set up my normal Football leagues. They are free. Here is how you can sign up if you haven't yet.

PRO FOOTBALL PICK EM LEAGUE

(Basic rules this year are... straight pick em with spreads and your worst week is removed, including a ZERO if you forget a week.)

1. Go to http://fantasysports.yahoo.com
2. Login or create a profile
3. Click on the "Pro Football Pick Em"
4. Enter the league information:

League ID#: 7595
Password is cheese

Feel free to invite anyone.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK EM LEAGUE
(Basic rules this year are... straight pick em without spreads and your worst week is removed, including a ZERO if you forget a week.)

1. Go to http://fantasysports.yahoo.com
2. Login or create a profile
3. Click on the "College Football Pick Em"
4. Enter the league information:

League ID#: 3183
Password is cheese

Feel free to invite anyone.

SURVIVOR FOOTBALL
(Basic rules this year are... You pick one team per week to win. If they lose, you get kicked out. Last one to survive wins.)

1. Go to http://fantasysports.yahoo.com
2. Login or create a profile
3. Click on the "Survival Football" link
4. Enter the league information:

League ID#: 3970
Password is: cheese

Feel free to invite anyone.


Good luck everyone...

Friday, August 22, 2008

If You Need Me, I'll Be Here





I stole the idea from Steakbellie.

Thanks Steakbellie.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Three Word Movie Reviews

Brand Upon the Brain -- Weird and..... uuuhhhhh....

CJ7 -- Cute Chow Flick

Confessions of a Superhero -- Thoroughly Entertaining. Different.

The Counterfeiters -- Thought Provoking. Exceptional.

Dark Days -- Bit Too Weird

Doomsday -- Is What Is

Evil Dead -- STILL FRIGGING AWESOME!!!!!!

How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer -- Spent Whooooooooooooooooooole Summer.

Miss Conception -- Just God Awful

Nim's Island -- Cute, but Dopey

No Reservations -- Just Dreadful. Don't

Paper Clips -- Deeply Moving. Powerful.

Pineapple Express -- Thoroughly Underwhelming. Bleh

Prom Night -- Served Its Purpose

Protocols of Zion -- Started Strong.... Weakened...................

The Secret -- Surprisingly Entertaining. Mediocre.

Smart People -- Entertaining, Yet Distracting...

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder -- Not Entirely Horrible

Tropic Thunder -- Hilariousness, Silly -- Awesome

Wargames: The Dead Code -- Surprisingly Entertaining. Passable.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Pineapple Express Moviegoing Experience

IOUSA
Yes Man
The Rocker
College
Lakeview Terrace
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Thoroughly UNDERWHELMING FLICK

Ambulance in Front of Restaurant



Is it a bit dosconcerting to see an ambulance in front of the restaurant you are bringing one of your best friends to because you couldn't stop talking about how much you love the restaurant?

I think so.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Observations From the Neil Diamond Show

Muh wife and I braved NJ Transit last Thursday for a Neil Diamond show and so many things completely made me think, laugh, and cringe.

1. There was a LOT of OLC. Don't know what that means? Old Lady Cleavage. I was both horrified and proud of these women who all got gussied up for Neil expecting some tail.

2. Dude -- No matter how much you think you are hiding the joint by cupping your hand over it, I can still tell it's a joint because you keep bringing it up to your mouth and it smells like pot!

3. Old couples are cute with the ways they equally respect and berate each other. Man asked his wife as we were walking down some stairs to exit the building "Are you alright honey with walking doen the stairs?". Her response? "Of course I am. Are you an idiot?"

4. 10 bucks will get you uo the front of the waiting list at the bar/restaurant Kaboozie at Penn Station.

5. Why do people spend so much money to go to a concert when they talk and pay almost NO attention to the concert at -- including leaving early.

6. Heartlight didn't play well over my cellphone and on to MB's voicemail. :-(

7. TW and I saw some amazing racism at the Metropark train station. People avoided the black guy paying for parking and created much longer lines elsewhere. We got on line behind the black guy and out a lot earlier than the rest of them.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Tropic Thunder Movie Going Experience

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Sprint Instinct commercial
Levis 501 commercial
Heroes commercial
Nissan something commercial
Axe bullet commercial
Coke football commercial
Martin Scorsese "Get off the phone during the movies" commercial

I.O.U.S.A.
Stand Up 2 Cancer

Lakeview Terrace
Role Models
Ghost Town
Appaloosa
Hamlet 2
Eagle Eye

Book 56 of 52 -- Margaret Sartor's Miss American Pie


Margaret Sartoe's book is probably best appreciated by women, but I was immediately drawn in to the unique style of writing and raw emotion.

The book is actually a collection of diary entries by Ms. Sartor during the 1970s when race relations were tenuous in her Louisiana town.

The book is super neat and truly imaginative in a variety of ways.

She has editted her own journal and I am amazed at how irrelevant each entry appears, but in the grand scheme of her life story, they are incredibly poignant and touching.

We see a young girl's reactions to her changing body and Elvis' death and beconing an adult with her own opinions and dreams.

Different and I loved it.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Michael Phelps Mark



That's me.

I made sure to tape the race last night andhide out from any coverage or anything to see if he could do it... and for the second time in a week, I was yelling...

GO LEZAK... GO!!!!!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Funny T-Shirt I Saw

You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Nastia Liukin -- WOO HOO!!!



I couldn't believe that I stayed up for the whole thing!

Who is Shawn Johnson?

Smelmooo -- WII Tennis Pro



It only took a week, but I finally had a camera around just to prove how awesome I am.

Anybody think they can beat me?

I doubt it... I am THAT good.

Go Smelmooo!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Making Friends At the Urinal?

True Story

Me: (Standing at the urinal relieving myself at a nice banquet hallish type place in Red Bank, NJ)

OM (Other man about 48ish): Good evening.

Me: Good evening

OM: Wow... this is a very nice bathroom.

Me: (Pausing a second to think about whether I want to engage him since I am at a work event and I am not quite sure who will be attending.) Yes it is.

OM: I don't go into bathrooms this nice normally.

Me: (Smiling...zipping and moving to the sink) I know, but I have been to NASCAR races where they have troughs to pee in instead of urinals...so I am just happy to have a urinal. Makes me uncomfortable to pee that way.

OM: Wow... that'll make you nervous especially if you don't like gays.

Me: Riiiight. Gotta be honest with you. I am nervous enough talking to a strange man like this.

OM: That's funny... (he was still peeing when he said that and I walked out to him laughing.)

He never showed up to our event.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Book 55 of 52 -- Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain



I rarely take the recommendation of my sister with stuff that she likes, because she likes country music... a lot, but for some reason, I decided to try this book.

On the eve of his death, Enzo (a dog) tells what amounts to his master's life story.

Stein's attention to detail was amazing - the book read like it was written by somebody who took the time to stop and think "what would a dog feel/do in this situation?"

As a result, Enzo is memorable and lovable.

He's at once a crotchety old man, and an innocent youth.

He's wise, he's naive, and he is devoted.

I'm not going to lie to you, this book is very sad, but it is also laugh out loud funny at times, and filled with love, devotion, philosophy and hopefulness.

It's a beautiful book and definitely one of my favorites of the year.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The Mole -- Answers... Winners... Mole... REVEALED!!!



Who will win... who will lose? Who... is... THE MOLE?

Remember... we ended last week's episode with the cliff hanger with the least cliff hangery cliff hanger of all time on THE MOLE. In other seasons... it is taken right up to the reveal... but in this season... the credits were rolling over the tests... good times.

We get a bunch of scenes from former weeks... and we end with scenes from the final two missions with the final three players.

Tonight... we will reveal who wins and who... is the Mole... It is time for the FINALE of THE MOLE... $420,000 will go to the winner.

Let's talk to the players and examine possibly shady and suspicious activities of each of the finalists... Nicole is up first, Craig is second, and Mark is third.

Horrific Commercial for KY His and Yours was just on... ugh.

They are focussing on Booby... and doing a retrospective on him and his weaknesses. It was a funny retrospective, but the reactions from the other players was contrived and stupid... this is just plain dumb. Let's ask him how bad he feels... I want to kill someone as my boredom reaches a new level.

Time to reveal the winner and the mole. John gives each player a key and only the winner will come... lots of tension is building up... and a door opens and out walks... Mark. (I HEART ANDERSON COOPER is the WINNER of that game!!!)

Time to find out who is THE MOLE...

The Mole is.... COMMERCIAL!!!!!!!

The Mole is.... Craig. I lose... both... and I am incredibly disappointed that he is the Mole for some reason.

Time For Reflection With the Returning Players
We take a look at Nicole's story.
We look at Mark's story including stories of how he was almost booted a bunch of times...

Ho hum....

Who Will Win?

I Am The Mo
Victoria -- EXECUTED NIGHT FOUR
Craig -- He is the Mole
Paul -- EXEUCTED WEEK EIGHT

Team 360°
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Nicole -- EXECUTED FINAL NIGHT
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE

Tucker’s Nuts
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Mark -- WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Clay -- EXECUTED NIGHT SEVEN
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Who is the Mole?

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Paul -- EXEUCTED WEEK EIGHT
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE

Tucker’s Nuts
Victoria -- EXECTUTED NIGHT FOUR
Nicole -- EXECUTED FINAL NIGHT
Mark -- WINNER SO NOT THE MOLE!!!

Team 360°
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Craig -- WINNER!!!!!!!!
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I Am The Mo
Clay -- EXECUTED NIGHT SEVEN
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Monday, August 11, 2008

Book 54 of 52 -- James Patterson's The Dangerous Days of Daniel X



I am a fan of James Patterson and have read almost all of his books.

So I "rented" this book...It should have had "For Idiots Only" printed on the cover.

I am very disappointed in JP...this was the dumbest and most retarded book he has ever written.

It didn't deserve a space in my LIBRARY's book case next to Jonathan Kellerman, Stephen White, or Nelson Demille.

Puleese!!!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Scattergories

It's harder than it looks!

Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things. Nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person who sent this to you has the same first initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? B____

4 LETTER WORD: Beef

VEHICLE: Beemer

TV SHOW: Bewitched

CITY: Brick

BOY NAME: Ben

GIRL NAME: Bonnie

OCCUPATION: Bouncer

SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Bra

FOOD: Bananas

SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Bathtub

REASON FOR BEING LATE: Boredom

THINGS YOU SHOUT: Biache!

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Friday, August 08, 2008

Good Meeting -- One Reason Why...



This is why this meeting was one of my favorites.

Two full days of meetings.

Tucker's New Bed



This bed was on UBER SALE at BJ's the other day.

It is WAY too big for him.

I think he likes it.

The Olympics Start Today...

... This is one of my secret LOVES.

Go... whomever I love... American or not...

Synchronized Diving?

I will find it.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Book 53 of 52 -- Ron McLarty's The Memory of Running



I think anyone, especially any male, past the mid-teens should enjoy and benefit from this book.

It strikes me as one that could be read along with "Catcher in the Rye" and "Huckleberry Finn" for a quick overview of how unusual guys grow up and cope with life.

Smithy, the protagonist, responds to grief and to his own dissapation after a war wound by taking off on an unplanned road trip across the country on his old beater bicycle.

He grows in maturity, ability and strength and tells a good tale.

Easy to read and enjoy. I learned some things from Smithy at the age of under 40.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Oh What an Experience -- Flying to Charleston

Oh… What an experience…

So there I was… looking to book a flight to South Carolina for a short 3.5 day work trip.

I did a search of flights and was surprised to see a $1000 price differential between a Saturday versus Sunday night flight so I booked the cheaper, but longer time away trip in April.

A warm August Saturday rolled around and I packed my carry on bag and was ready to walk out the door when I got an email informing me that my flight was cancelled.

To add insult to injury, they rebooked me on a flight at 5:00 pm on Monday.

I made the appropriate phone calls to get myself rebooked on a plane just 24 hours after I was supposed to leave, but would still put me in to South Carolina at an appropriate time.

The upside is that I wasn’t going to be charged the extra $1000 for leaving when I truly wanted to, but I didn’t get the free day in Charleston, SC that I wanted.

So… now it’s Sunday and I get to the airport two hours early, make it through security in 20 minutes, pee, and settle to read until my flight starts to board in 45 minutes.

That’s the precise time they delayed the 88 minute flight by two hours.

Fine… it’s annoying, but it’s a way of life for an afternoon flight from EWR.

I eventually boarded and we waited for 15 minutes after pulling away. (something else obnoxious happened in front of me on the plane, but I won’t discuss it.)

That’s when the pilot finally addressed us and said. “Sorry to be delayed folks, but air traffic control has just informed me that we are 36th in line for take off.”

I am not shitting you.

That was frustrating at best and I finished a whole book before we landed.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Molely Moley Moley Moley Mole -- Week 9



Previously... on the Mole... Mark scored the winning shot to keep him in the game. And in case you didn't remember... Craig, Mark, and Nicole are the final three.

My prediction for tonight? We won't find out who wins or loses until next week in a special episode and reunion.

Here is one annoying thing that I forgot happens each episode... they all claim to not know who the mole is... even though you know the non-moles have an idea.

Tick Tock Boom is the first game. The players have one hour to diffuse a bomb and win $50,000 to bring the total over $400,000. There is a lot of stuff going on in the room but apparently everything in the room will help defuse it. John only tells them that and then leaves.

There are maps and clues and clues that you can only get if you work as three people. As I watch this... how the hell is Mark the Mole unless he has stopped doing Moley things. They do a lot of figuring out stuff and are failing miserably.

It comes down to the final minute and after a lot of figuring things out... they come down to the clue of "Red + Blue." Does this mean that they cut the purple wire OR the Red and Blue wires?

They cut the purple wire with a few seconds to spare and the timer turns off and this was the best challenge yet since it was a true working together challenge.

$418,500 is the new pot total.

Now they are playing a game ... the final game... called Three to Tango. They all have separate and unique clues to solve a clue... It is an individual race to get to a particular end point. The first person there has the option to put $75,000 into the pot or get a briefcase that has the Mole's dossier... basically giving up the identity of the Mole?

Craig is good at this... Mark is good... Nicole is good too, but not nearly as good. This is a tough one to look Moley in... since you are on your own... but Nicole is just not making an effort so she is either the Mole OR she is so incredibly confident on who the Mole is that she isn't making an effort.

It looks like Craig is going to win when Nicole makes quite a comeback... or at least editted that way. It gets a bit hectic in the end... as Mark and Craig call at almost the same time. They are both running when the commercial arrives again.

Mark gets there first... and John teases him a whole bunch. What will Mark do. Will he put $75,000 into the pot or look into the dossier? Craig arrives and Nicole is picked up early without finishing. Mark now has to make a decision...

He chooses... the dossier and I actually respect his decision.

The total is rounded off to $420,000.

They are at the last dinner when John tells them that the quiz tonight is 20 questions... not the normal 10. Blah Blah Blah... they are all tired and scared. The quiz is about the WHOLE game so far. As they go through the quiz... they talk about who they think is the Mole...

The credits come up over the final question... and we will have to wait until next week to find out who the MOle, Loser, and Winner is...


Who Will Win?

I Am The Mo
Victoria -- EXECUTED NIGHT FOUR
Craig
Paul -- EXEUCTED WEEK EIGHT

Team 360°
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Nicole
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE

Tucker’s Nuts
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Mark
Clay -- EXECUTED NIGHT SEVEN
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Who is the Mole?

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Paul -- EXEUCTED WEEK EIGHT
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE

Tucker’s Nuts
Victoria -- EXECTUTED NIGHT FOUR
Nicole
Mark

Team 360°
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Craig
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I Am The Mo
Clay -- EXECUTED NIGHT SEVEN
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Monday, August 04, 2008

Three Word Movie Reviews

Bad Taste -- In Bad Taste

The Bank Job -- Surprised Us... Good!

Batman Begins -- Kick Ass Revival

Bonneville -- Slowly Entertaining. Average.

China's Stolen Children -- Insightful. China's Scary.

City of Men -- As Always... Excellent

College Road Trip -- Marting NEEDS Retirement

Control -- Good Biopic. Slower...

The Dark Knight -- Phenomenal. Fantastic. Spectacular.

Eureka (Season 1) -- Cute. I Like.

The Frighteners -- LOVE THIS MOVIE!

Harold and Kumar 2: Escape From Guantanomo Bay -- Funny...Not Great.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer -- Scary as Sh*t

The Lost Boys: The Tribe -- Predictabily Bad. Good.

Meet Bill -- Cute And Standard

My Mom's New Boyfriend -- Not Many Laughs

Never Back Down -- Karate Kid 800

Patriot Act -- Innocent Enough. Entertaining.

Penelope -- Mildly Entertaining... Supposedly.

Persepolis -- Great Film. Unique.

Sex and Death 101 -- Not Horrible/Good

Shine a Light -- Stones Fans Only

Shutter -- Don't Watch.... Goofy.

Sleepwalking -- Depressing and Eh.

Superhero Movie -- Utter Drivel... Entertaining!

Swing Vote -- I Thoroughly Enjoyed

21 -- Mediocre Yet Fine

Turn the River -- Surprised Me. Poignant.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe -- Entertaining... Yet... Weaker.

Wall*E -- Thoroughly Wonderful. Enjoyable.

The Year My Parents Went on Vacation -- Great Film. Sad.

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Finally Got Here...

After a two hour delay... the one thing you don't want to hear your pilot say is...

We are 36th in line for take off.

Only took my 8.5 hours door to door...

Should have taken 4.

Swing Vote

We thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

It is what it is.. and could lose about 10 minutes, but we loved it.

Swing Vote Movie Going Experience

Pre-Movie Stuff....

Nights in Rodanthe

IOUSA

Drum Corps Quarterfinals

Stand Up To Cancer

------------------------

Ghost Town (Ricky Gervais!!!!!)

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (stereotypical at all?)

Burn After Reading (Coen Brothers)

The Brothers Bloom

Miracle at St. Anna

Book 52 of 52 -- The Soprano State



I dislike Bob Ingle.

He is a hack and this book was annoying at best.

Can you read three hundred words of someone criticizing the horrible people of New JErsey and then raving about how awesome he is ... in the same breath?

Screw him and his stupid book.

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Or not...

... flight was cancelled.

I will be heading out tomorrow at the same time.

Off to South Carolina

I get to travel for four days to a gorgeous city and my wife gets to stay home.

Who's the lucky one?

Something else...

According to weather.com, it is supposed to be 91 degrees and it says that it will "feel like" 104.

Friday, August 01, 2008

The Mummy Part 300+

Crap.


I wanted to hate it... and now... the reviews for it are REEEEALLY good.

I will wait until DVD though.

Collecting -- It's a Blast


For a decade now, every time that I purchase something with cash, I excitedly look at the change placed in my hand.

I look to see if I got one of the new state quarters.

Five times a year, I was rewarded and I saw a brand new and shiny new quarter.

I would put the quarter in a separate pocket and take it home to put into my special quarter map.

I was so nuts with this that I actually have two quarter maps -- one for Philadelphia mint quarters and one for Denver mint quarters...

The other day though... I realized that my decade of fun and excitiement -- no matter how nerdy -- is coming to an end.

There are only two quarters left in Alaska and Hawaii.

The U.S. Mint struck a goldmine with this promotion and I had a good time with it.

As much as I am going to also participate in the Gold Presidential Dollar Coins promotion, it won't be as much fun as the quarters.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe Movie Going Experience

Mirrors Babylon A.D.

Death Race

Eagle Eye

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Saw V