Teh baptizum of Jesuz!
13 Den Jesus caem from Gallalee, to has baptizm from John 14 But John was all "Ur doin it rong, j00 needz to baptize me"
15 And Jesus answered sayin "STFU and baptize me n00b" and John did.
16 Wen he was baptized he gtfo of teh water and, ZOMG, teh ceilinz opened up and teh Spirit of Ceiling Cat caem down liek a duv and landeded on him 17 And, ZOMFGWTF, a voice from heven sayed "Hai guise, dis my son, and I tink he teh leet"
Courtesy of the lolcat bible, an effort to translate the entire bible into "lolcat", a terrifying internet language used to caption cat pictures.
In other news, due to a combination of having very little free time, and having nothing all that relavatory to say, I haven't been updating with any real frequency. This will (hopefully) change in the new year.
Have a wonderful Christmas, and an equally wonderful new year!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Those Wacky Christians and Their Boycotts
So, it seems that 'The Golden Compass' didn't do so well (or at the very least, didn't do as well as expected). Blame/Congratulations were immeadiately directed at the fervent religious folk who did their damndest to keep as many people away from the movie as possible. I find this idea to be beyond ridiculous. Pop culture boycotts (and Christian/Catholic boycotts in particular) have generally raised public awareness and have arguably had opposite the intended effect more often than not.
Let's rewind to every single instance a new Harry Potter movie or book has come out, because you know that the boycotts and (overbearing) conscientious folk who tried their best to keep people away from that franchise have been so successful. 'Brokeback Mountain' almost seemed to be assisted by the attempted backlash. The moral? A boycott, no matter how strong, will not beat out the hype machine if people are intent on seeing, reading, or listening to the object of ire.
I honestly felt this movie was going to disappoint in the Box Office, and the reason has very little to do with overeager moralists. It had much more to do with the fact that the movie, as advertised didn't seem to be the type to really grab attention. The disticntly 'meh' reviews that poured in from both critics and fans of the book alike did little to convince anyone that this was a movie they had to see (and honestly, the film may have done itself a disservice by watering down the material, thereby alienating the only pottential hardcore audience it had left - fans of the original series).
Having such a poor opening week may doom this franchise before it even really gets off of the ground. You may blame Rotten Tomatoes for this, if you like, but I don't know how much credit I'd toss William Donohue's direction.
Let's rewind to every single instance a new Harry Potter movie or book has come out, because you know that the boycotts and (overbearing) conscientious folk who tried their best to keep people away from that franchise have been so successful. 'Brokeback Mountain' almost seemed to be assisted by the attempted backlash. The moral? A boycott, no matter how strong, will not beat out the hype machine if people are intent on seeing, reading, or listening to the object of ire.
I honestly felt this movie was going to disappoint in the Box Office, and the reason has very little to do with overeager moralists. It had much more to do with the fact that the movie, as advertised didn't seem to be the type to really grab attention. The disticntly 'meh' reviews that poured in from both critics and fans of the book alike did little to convince anyone that this was a movie they had to see (and honestly, the film may have done itself a disservice by watering down the material, thereby alienating the only pottential hardcore audience it had left - fans of the original series).
Having such a poor opening week may doom this franchise before it even really gets off of the ground. You may blame Rotten Tomatoes for this, if you like, but I don't know how much credit I'd toss William Donohue's direction.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Well, That Was Fun...
After going 10-1 through the regular season and generally destroying anyone I played all season, Carson Palmer and Adrian Peterson teamed up for a gargantuan total of 5 points, and once again, I exit in the first round of the playoffs(or, rather... second, as I had a bye).
Meh, how 'bout them Vikes?
Meh, how 'bout them Vikes?
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Bye, Torii
After over a decade with the Twins, it's been reported that Torii Hunter and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have 'reached a preliminary agreement' for 5 years (thought to be) worth at least $80 million, territory the Twins could not hope to match (and really shouldn't think about trying to match).
Fare thee well, Torii (except when the Angels play the Twins, of course)... It was a lot of fun watching you all these years.
Fare thee well, Torii (except when the Angels play the Twins, of course)... It was a lot of fun watching you all these years.
Monday, November 19, 2007
SIC (lol)
Remember the Days When Getting Mail Was Fun?
Yeah, so do I... I seem to recall them being days where I didn't get exclusively credit card applications and bills for weeks on end.
"Selling Out is Not Possible"
I always shudder when someone uses the word 'sellout' to describe an musician. The idea strikes me as ridiculous, since the people who say it are (almost) always achieving some method of gainful employment themselves. Would you really go to your job for free/next to nothing if you had the choice of making more money? I can't imagine anyone responding to that question in the affirmative, yet people seem to expect their favorite band to do just that.
Ranting aside, however, Of Montreal's lead singer, Kevin Barnes, has put his opinions on the matter over here at Stereogum. Those few paragraphs sum it up better than I ever could (and in a more informed way, since I don't recall anyone clamouring for my music to be in commercials).
Yeah, so do I... I seem to recall them being days where I didn't get exclusively credit card applications and bills for weeks on end.
"Selling Out is Not Possible"
I always shudder when someone uses the word 'sellout' to describe an musician. The idea strikes me as ridiculous, since the people who say it are (almost) always achieving some method of gainful employment themselves. Would you really go to your job for free/next to nothing if you had the choice of making more money? I can't imagine anyone responding to that question in the affirmative, yet people seem to expect their favorite band to do just that.
Ranting aside, however, Of Montreal's lead singer, Kevin Barnes, has put his opinions on the matter over here at Stereogum. Those few paragraphs sum it up better than I ever could (and in a more informed way, since I don't recall anyone clamouring for my music to be in commercials).
Monday, November 5, 2007
The Worst Thing Ever
Follow this link and prepare to not believe your eyes: http://www.iawareables.com
Because really... who DOESN'T want Gonorrhea as the template for their tie?
Even better are the conversation possibilities that having an Avian Flu tie could bring up. "Hey, cool pattern, what is it?""The doom of the human race"
Of note: they have plushies. Yes, that's right... Plush gonorrhea. Your life is so close to being complete, order now.
Because really... who DOESN'T want Gonorrhea as the template for their tie?
Even better are the conversation possibilities that having an Avian Flu tie could bring up. "Hey, cool pattern, what is it?""The doom of the human race"
Of note: they have plushies. Yes, that's right... Plush gonorrhea. Your life is so close to being complete, order now.
296
I realize that I've possibly overgushed about 'AD', but breaking the all-time NFL single-game rushing yards record does merit at least a passing mention. Yesterday was a great game all around. Aside from the best game a running back has ever had, the Defense played great, and Bollinger played very nicely in relief of an (AGAIN) injured Tavaris Jackson. It's too bad the quarterback situation isn't better, because Sidney Rice is electrifying, and with the domination of our running game, we could be a playoff calibur team.
Without Peterson, this would be a 3-13 team, it's truely shocking how good he is for how long he's been in the NFL. Having played 8 games, he's got two 200+ yard games. Hopefully we can assemble a decent team around him (and an even mildly imposing air attack) next year.
Without Peterson, this would be a 3-13 team, it's truely shocking how good he is for how long he's been in the NFL. Having played 8 games, he's got two 200+ yard games. Hopefully we can assemble a decent team around him (and an even mildly imposing air attack) next year.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
The Anti-Midas Touch of Conversation
God bless awkward pauses... They seem to be all I'm capable of lately (I think the mornings are getting to me).
Way to make a first impression there, chief.
Way to make a first impression there, chief.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Squirrels Update
All is well with the squirrels (as in Flying Squirrels, my fantasy football team). I'm 6-1, with my lone loss coming because Andy Reid decided not to tell me that Brian Westbrook wouldn't be playing. Adrian Peterson has been huge, of course, but I actually had him benched 2 or 3 of the first few weeks because I didn't trust the Vikings to keep running him. I've led the league in scoring 3 of 7 weeks, coming in second 2 others. I lead the league in scoring by just shy of 100 points.
Here's the updated lineup:
QB
Carson Palmer
David Garrard
(Losman showed his stripes quickly, and in Palmer's bye, AD had his superpowered game)
RB
Adrian Peterson
Brian Westbrook
Marshawn Lynch
Derrick Ward
(Ladell Betts was a long-shot late round pick, anyway, so losing him was no tragedy. Lynch and Ward were nice in week 5, and I don't see having to do much scrambling in this area for the rest of the season)
WR
Torry Holt
Donald Driver
Plaxico Burress
Santonio Holmes
Calvin Johnson
(Evans went bust, and Johnson hasn't really played the superstar, but Holt, Driver, and Burress have been strong enough to carry the team admirably. I picked up Santonio recently when someone didn't want to put up with his injuries anymore.)
TE
Antonio Gates
Owen Daniels
(Gates is the only TE that matters, well worth the late 3rd round pick. Here's hoping he doesn't get injured)
K
Nick Folk
David Akers
(meh, they're kickers... Folk plays for the Cowboys, so he gets more chances.)
Team
Chargers
Raiders
(I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the Chargers in the Free Agent pool after week 4.)
So there we go. The part I like best about this is that none of the players are on teams that will wrap the division up early, therefore, they'll likely be playing until the end.
Jesse, how's your team doing? Haven't talked with ya in a while. Give me updates, man!
Here's the updated lineup:
QB
Carson Palmer
David Garrard
(Losman showed his stripes quickly, and in Palmer's bye, AD had his superpowered game)
RB
Adrian Peterson
Brian Westbrook
Marshawn Lynch
Derrick Ward
(Ladell Betts was a long-shot late round pick, anyway, so losing him was no tragedy. Lynch and Ward were nice in week 5, and I don't see having to do much scrambling in this area for the rest of the season)
WR
Torry Holt
Donald Driver
Plaxico Burress
Santonio Holmes
Calvin Johnson
(Evans went bust, and Johnson hasn't really played the superstar, but Holt, Driver, and Burress have been strong enough to carry the team admirably. I picked up Santonio recently when someone didn't want to put up with his injuries anymore.)
TE
Antonio Gates
Owen Daniels
(Gates is the only TE that matters, well worth the late 3rd round pick. Here's hoping he doesn't get injured)
K
Nick Folk
David Akers
(meh, they're kickers... Folk plays for the Cowboys, so he gets more chances.)
Team
Chargers
Raiders
(I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the Chargers in the Free Agent pool after week 4.)
So there we go. The part I like best about this is that none of the players are on teams that will wrap the division up early, therefore, they'll likely be playing until the end.
Jesse, how's your team doing? Haven't talked with ya in a while. Give me updates, man!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Bliss, Madness
Changes
I've been married 3 weeks, I've been at my new job for 5 days... Things are hectic right now. Leaving Unicel was as difficult as I figured it would be; probably a little more difficult, actually. I worked with good people, and it's always hard to leave something like that behind and jump off into the unknown for such base requirements as pay, work shift, and job security.
Married life, on the other hand, has been about par for the course thus far, the only obvious difference being Linds doesn't call her parents' house 'home'. We had been going out for 5 years, and been pretty serious for at least 4, so there haven't been a large number of surprises. The only big difference is that overpriced piece of metal on my left hand... I swear i took that thing off no fewer than 30 times a day the first week.
Let's See How This Looks
The normal sized bolded text just isn't enough to make each paragraph heading stand out. I guess I need to experiment a little.
A Silver Lining
Vikings fans have known for a couple weeks now that Adrian Peterson is the real deal (I suspect that Oklahoma fans have known for longer than that). Sunday confirmed those truths to the rest of the world. No Viking has ever rushed for that many yards (and no Bears' defense has been gouged for so many). The best part? Rather than looking like a fleeting phenominal game, it looked like AD was simply doing what he does; running hard for positive yardage and breaking a tackle or two. Rather than looking like an aberation, it seems to imply that he could break huge gains at will.
Even so, Sunday almost turned into another sickening example of Coach Childress' ineptitude at getting, then keeping a lead. The 4th Quarter turned mean in a hurry, and some questionable clock management forced Ryan Longwell to kick a career-long field goal to win. Tarvaris looked alright, it's very encouraging that he threw no interceptions, and he made very few mistakes throughout the game.
Don't get me wrong, this still feels like a 6-10 team at best, but there's just enough silver lining here to where the clouds don't seem quite so bad.
I've been married 3 weeks, I've been at my new job for 5 days... Things are hectic right now. Leaving Unicel was as difficult as I figured it would be; probably a little more difficult, actually. I worked with good people, and it's always hard to leave something like that behind and jump off into the unknown for such base requirements as pay, work shift, and job security.
Married life, on the other hand, has been about par for the course thus far, the only obvious difference being Linds doesn't call her parents' house 'home'. We had been going out for 5 years, and been pretty serious for at least 4, so there haven't been a large number of surprises. The only big difference is that overpriced piece of metal on my left hand... I swear i took that thing off no fewer than 30 times a day the first week.
Let's See How This Looks
The normal sized bolded text just isn't enough to make each paragraph heading stand out. I guess I need to experiment a little.
A Silver Lining
Vikings fans have known for a couple weeks now that Adrian Peterson is the real deal (I suspect that Oklahoma fans have known for longer than that). Sunday confirmed those truths to the rest of the world. No Viking has ever rushed for that many yards (and no Bears' defense has been gouged for so many). The best part? Rather than looking like a fleeting phenominal game, it looked like AD was simply doing what he does; running hard for positive yardage and breaking a tackle or two. Rather than looking like an aberation, it seems to imply that he could break huge gains at will.
Even so, Sunday almost turned into another sickening example of Coach Childress' ineptitude at getting, then keeping a lead. The 4th Quarter turned mean in a hurry, and some questionable clock management forced Ryan Longwell to kick a career-long field goal to win. Tarvaris looked alright, it's very encouraging that he threw no interceptions, and he made very few mistakes throughout the game.
Don't get me wrong, this still feels like a 6-10 team at best, but there's just enough silver lining here to where the clouds don't seem quite so bad.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
In Rainbows
New Radiohead Record!
So, uh... this is a little bit of a shock to me... As I was perusing the net tonight, I somehow found myself at Radiohead's website (it's on my sidebar, click away). To my surprise, their new CD, "In Rainbows" - which was supposedly not coming out until next year - is available for download, for as little or as much as YOU want to pay for it. It's only 160 kbps, which isn't quite CD quality... but seriously... NEW RADIOHEAD ALBUM FOR FREE (if you so desire... and I so desired). I'm drinking a Sam Adams and listening to it right now, and I must say... I like what I hear. I'm sure I'll have more to say about it later, but if you like Radiohead at all, go get it. Now.
So, uh... this is a little bit of a shock to me... As I was perusing the net tonight, I somehow found myself at Radiohead's website (it's on my sidebar, click away). To my surprise, their new CD, "In Rainbows" - which was supposedly not coming out until next year - is available for download, for as little or as much as YOU want to pay for it. It's only 160 kbps, which isn't quite CD quality... but seriously... NEW RADIOHEAD ALBUM FOR FREE (if you so desire... and I so desired). I'm drinking a Sam Adams and listening to it right now, and I must say... I like what I hear. I'm sure I'll have more to say about it later, but if you like Radiohead at all, go get it. Now.
Friday, September 28, 2007
End of (Another) Era
Tomorrow, at 3:00pm, I get married. I'd elaborate on what that means to me, and how it affects the world I live in, but I'm sort of running to and fro trying to get everything organized and whatnot. I'll probly write up something after the honeymoon.
Here goesnothing everything.
Here goes
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Finish the Fight...
Being a video game nerd, I decided to join in the fun of a 'pre-order and wait in line' grand unveiling of Halo3 at the local video game store. Sitting down and reading the credits in the manual, I've found that Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, and Alan Tudyk (from Serenity) are among the voice cast, as are the entire cast of Red vs Blue.
This makes me very happy inside.
I have a feeling I won't be getting all that much sleep tonight.....
This makes me very happy inside.
I have a feeling I won't be getting all that much sleep tonight.....
Friday, September 14, 2007
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...
Hoodie Weather
I know I go over this every year, but I need to say it again...
I love fall.
I love walking outside, and realizing it's just a little too cold to be wearing a T-Shirt. The time's soon coming when the first snow will be coming (my official favorite day is whichever day the first snow falls). It would actually be a real nice birthday present if the first (albeit temporary) snowfall would happen on the 18th.
...Speaking of Birthday Presents...
Apparently the band Fono is giving me one this year. I've enjoyed Fono's music for quite a while. I was a fan of their debut, and their EP was absolutely great. From what I've heard of the new CD, the jury is still out, but I have hope. Besides, it's free.... right?
Turbulent Times
It seems a bit strange to bury this beneath Fono and my enjoyment of the September through March months, but whatever.
Change is coming, obviously in the form of my upcoming marriage, but also in the form of me quitting at Unicel and taking a new job at the local hospital. The job will be doing pretty similar things to what I've been doing now (computer work), only now I'll be working days and few (if any) weekends. The idea of leaving my co-workers behind sucks, but I guess that time would be coming anyway (see: It's the End of the World as We Know It). The new job is a good chance to expand on everything I've been doing thus far, and (hopefully) is the same type of nice step forward that Unicel was.
A lot of change, here's hoping the stress level stays down.
The AP Era Begins...
The Vikings looked good on Sunday. Last year, the defense were a crutch for the team to keep them going even when the offense was pathetic (which was almost always). That only carries you so far, and towards the end of last year, the Vikings were pretty much unwatchable. That looks like it could change this year. Granted, it was the Falcons - who could honestly go winless this year - that we were beating around, but we thrashed them. Tarvaris even looked okay. He scares me, but at the very least, he looked like he belongs in the NFL. He had a couple of real nice, in stride passes, and even if his touchdown pass wasn't really all that much his doing, he still got one...
...which of course brings us to the real story of last Sunday. Adrian Peterson is the real deal. It's only week 1 - which is too early to really say anything - but he looked like a seasoned pro. I'd watch him burst up the middle for what looked like a 1 yard gain, only to find he had picked up 6 yards.
It may just be fun to watch the Vikings this year....
I know I go over this every year, but I need to say it again...
I love fall.
I love walking outside, and realizing it's just a little too cold to be wearing a T-Shirt. The time's soon coming when the first snow will be coming (my official favorite day is whichever day the first snow falls). It would actually be a real nice birthday present if the first (albeit temporary) snowfall would happen on the 18th.
...Speaking of Birthday Presents...
Apparently the band Fono is giving me one this year. I've enjoyed Fono's music for quite a while. I was a fan of their debut, and their EP was absolutely great. From what I've heard of the new CD, the jury is still out, but I have hope. Besides, it's free.... right?
Turbulent Times
It seems a bit strange to bury this beneath Fono and my enjoyment of the September through March months, but whatever.
Change is coming, obviously in the form of my upcoming marriage, but also in the form of me quitting at Unicel and taking a new job at the local hospital. The job will be doing pretty similar things to what I've been doing now (computer work), only now I'll be working days and few (if any) weekends. The idea of leaving my co-workers behind sucks, but I guess that time would be coming anyway (see: It's the End of the World as We Know It). The new job is a good chance to expand on everything I've been doing thus far, and (hopefully) is the same type of nice step forward that Unicel was.
A lot of change, here's hoping the stress level stays down.
The AP Era Begins...
The Vikings looked good on Sunday. Last year, the defense were a crutch for the team to keep them going even when the offense was pathetic (which was almost always). That only carries you so far, and towards the end of last year, the Vikings were pretty much unwatchable. That looks like it could change this year. Granted, it was the Falcons - who could honestly go winless this year - that we were beating around, but we thrashed them. Tarvaris even looked okay. He scares me, but at the very least, he looked like he belongs in the NFL. He had a couple of real nice, in stride passes, and even if his touchdown pass wasn't really all that much his doing, he still got one...
...which of course brings us to the real story of last Sunday. Adrian Peterson is the real deal. It's only week 1 - which is too early to really say anything - but he looked like a seasoned pro. I'd watch him burst up the middle for what looked like a 1 yard gain, only to find he had picked up 6 yards.
It may just be fun to watch the Vikings this year....
Friday, September 7, 2007
The Flying Squirrels
I'm in Jada's fantasy football league again this year, and I had my draft on Monday, but haven't gotten the chance until now to post my team. So here goes.
QB
Carson Palmer
J.P. Losman
RB
Brian Westbrook
Marshawn Lynch
Ladell Betts
Adrian Peterson
WR
Torry Holt
Donald Driver
Lee Evans
Plaxico Burress
Calvin Johnson
TE
Antonio Gates
Jeramy Stevens
K
Josh Brown
Josh Scobee
D
Raiders
Broncos
I like my chances at QB, and if Losman doesn't pan out, there's still a fair bit of depth at QB. RB is marginal, but could look nice if Marshawn and A.Peterson are as good as advertised, or if Portis has any health issues. WR is a little banged up right now, but considering Evans is my 3 string, I've gotta be happy with how that turned out (plus if Calvin Johnson does make a difference, then he was a steal in the 11th round). Might have jumped the gun on Gates, but he basically adds a 3rd WR, so it's hard not to. Not really all that happy with the Kicker or Defense, but really... unless it's Vinitieri or the Chicago defense, who cares?
I'll post updates every so often. Hopefully they're full of optimism and positive news.
Coincidentally... "The Flying Squirrels" is my team name, so in case you were wondering what the title pertains to...
QB
Carson Palmer
J.P. Losman
RB
Brian Westbrook
Marshawn Lynch
Ladell Betts
Adrian Peterson
WR
Torry Holt
Donald Driver
Lee Evans
Plaxico Burress
Calvin Johnson
TE
Antonio Gates
Jeramy Stevens
K
Josh Brown
Josh Scobee
D
Raiders
Broncos
I like my chances at QB, and if Losman doesn't pan out, there's still a fair bit of depth at QB. RB is marginal, but could look nice if Marshawn and A.Peterson are as good as advertised, or if Portis has any health issues. WR is a little banged up right now, but considering Evans is my 3 string, I've gotta be happy with how that turned out (plus if Calvin Johnson does make a difference, then he was a steal in the 11th round). Might have jumped the gun on Gates, but he basically adds a 3rd WR, so it's hard not to. Not really all that happy with the Kicker or Defense, but really... unless it's Vinitieri or the Chicago defense, who cares?
I'll post updates every so often. Hopefully they're full of optimism and positive news.
Coincidentally... "The Flying Squirrels" is my team name, so in case you were wondering what the title pertains to...
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Almost Perfect
Yesterday night, after a pitiful first game of the scheduled doubleheader, Scott Baker went out and sat the first 24 batters he faced down without a single one getting on base. Then came a walk, then a hit, but still... one of the best games pitched in baseball this year. Scott was classy in his interview after the game, too.My viewpoint on Baker had already changed quite a bit from when he was first brought back into the rotation (for the last time, we all assumed at the time, having had a couple of less-than-stellar trips up in previous years). He's pitching with a lot more confidence now, and it's starting to show.
I still have no idea how he gets away with some of his pitches. He's constantly pitching around the plate, which would seem to be sure death for a pitcher with is velocity, but he consistantly gets guys out, strikes out fair numbers, and has probably been our 2nd best pitcher since he caught fire.
This might be a lost season, but that was an awesome game.
Michigan 32, Applachian State 34
I'd be remiss to not mention one of the biggest sports upsets of any kind in recent memory. A top 25 team losing to a Divison I-AA?? I don't even follow College Football that much, but that kind of stuff makes you take notice.
Maybe not getting invited to last year's BCS Championship wasn't quite as much of a 'snub' as their fans thought. (Being even a casual Gophers fan, I have to enjoy this...)
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Sickly Taste of Defeat
So... what do you do when you've bit, clawed and sratched your way out of a 3-run deficit once already, and are one run away from doing it for the second time in the game? Keep in mind that this is the division leader you're playing, and that you NEED this game in order to realistically stay in the division race (the wild card race having long since become an unattainable goal).
If you're Justin Morneau, you take 3 strikes with 2 outs and the tying runner on second...
...and thus giving Twins fans everywhere a chance to say for about the 5th time, "That loss killed our playoff chances".
Twins fans everywhere wept in despair...
We still love you, Justin, but that was harsh...
If you're Justin Morneau, you take 3 strikes with 2 outs and the tying runner on second...
...and thus giving Twins fans everywhere a chance to say for about the 5th time, "That loss killed our playoff chances".
Twins fans everywhere wept in despair...
We still love you, Justin, but that was harsh...
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Baseball, Underground Rap, and So Much More
Curse You, Twins...
Just when I'd succesfully written off the Twins for this season and started reaming of glorious 2008 - just think, a rotation of Santana, Liriano, Garza, Baker, and Silva/Bonser/Slowey/Perkins... *drool* - they start winning games and Cleveland and Detroit start playing like they were based out of Kansas City andMontreal Washington. I wasn't about to stop watching Twins' games (much to Lindsey's chagrin), but being a mere 5.5 games back has sparked a little more interest in each individual game than was present over the last few weeks. There's only one problem...
It's all pointless...
2006, the year that we improbably stormed back from being over 10 game sback at the all-star break to win the division on the last day of the season, actually proved that we don't have the team to do anything more than embarass ourselves even if we were to make the playoffs. We weren't necessarily a better team last year - our lineup, up until Castillo got traded, was very similar to its 2006 counter part - but we were a much luckier team. Nick Punto gets most of the heat; after all, it's only an occasional act of God that bumps his average above .200, but really, any team that features a DH tag team of Garrett Jones (5 for 39), Rondell White (.138), and Jason Tyner (1 career homerun... poor Jake Westbrook) is in for a tough time. No one can be too upset for at least starting the year hoping Punto would hit .290 again, but to have no one as a legitimate backup (along with having no DH to speak of) has doomed us to some of the most pathetic games I've seen (and, subsequently, pretty much doomed the 2007 season). Even if we were to get into the playoffs, we're not the type of team that could take on the Red Sox, Angels, or, as we recently saw, Mariners of the league.
I say, get all of this out of our system this season. Let the Watkins, Jones, and Buschers have their shot. After all, we may just find something interesting. When they show that they're not really major league material, though, we need to move on. The Timberwolves finally lost Garnett, having nearly completely wasted the talent of one of the best players in the NBA for over a decade, Morneau, Mauer, Santana, and Hunter (amongst a large number of others) deserve to be surrounded with players who can actually fight for a World Series, not just a weak stab at a playoff spot.
Things You Should Really Be Listening To
CDs I've picked up lately that merit at least a passing glance:
El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
Being on somewhat of an underground rap kick lately, and having heard a lot of buzz about this guy, I picked up the CD. Great stuff. I love the production and the bleak, angry lyrics.
Download El-P - The league of Extraordinary Nobodies
mewithoutyou - Brother, Sister
This CD ended up on my Top 10 list from last year, but I hadn't listened to it in a while. It landed at number 10 at the time, but giving it several listens since, it would probly rank higher were the list compiled today. Nearly every song is engaging, and some of them are absolutely golden.
MF Doom - MM.. Food, Madvillian - Madilliany, Viktor Vaughn - Venomous Villian
Like I said... underground rap kick. Everything Daniel Dumile touches turns into awesome. Granted, it's a warped, weird, monster movie obsessed awesome, but it's still awesome. Any rapper that can toss in rhymes about King Koopa, Knishes, and still have time to drop a Bon Jovi reference is a winner in my book.
A Quick Note
If you're not a Blogspot member, and you want to post a comment, simply switch the radio button to 'other', at least that way you'll be able to supply a name other than 'Anonymous'. After all, I always love love knowing who's paying some manner of attention.
Then Again, "So Much More" Might Have Been Misleading...
fin
Just when I'd succesfully written off the Twins for this season and started reaming of glorious 2008 - just think, a rotation of Santana, Liriano, Garza, Baker, and Silva/Bonser/Slowey/Perkins... *drool* - they start winning games and Cleveland and Detroit start playing like they were based out of Kansas City and
It's all pointless...
2006, the year that we improbably stormed back from being over 10 game sback at the all-star break to win the division on the last day of the season, actually proved that we don't have the team to do anything more than embarass ourselves even if we were to make the playoffs. We weren't necessarily a better team last year - our lineup, up until Castillo got traded, was very similar to its 2006 counter part - but we were a much luckier team. Nick Punto gets most of the heat; after all, it's only an occasional act of God that bumps his average above .200, but really, any team that features a DH tag team of Garrett Jones (5 for 39), Rondell White (.138), and Jason Tyner (1 career homerun... poor Jake Westbrook) is in for a tough time. No one can be too upset for at least starting the year hoping Punto would hit .290 again, but to have no one as a legitimate backup (along with having no DH to speak of) has doomed us to some of the most pathetic games I've seen (and, subsequently, pretty much doomed the 2007 season). Even if we were to get into the playoffs, we're not the type of team that could take on the Red Sox, Angels, or, as we recently saw, Mariners of the league.
I say, get all of this out of our system this season. Let the Watkins, Jones, and Buschers have their shot. After all, we may just find something interesting. When they show that they're not really major league material, though, we need to move on. The Timberwolves finally lost Garnett, having nearly completely wasted the talent of one of the best players in the NBA for over a decade, Morneau, Mauer, Santana, and Hunter (amongst a large number of others) deserve to be surrounded with players who can actually fight for a World Series, not just a weak stab at a playoff spot.
Things You Should Really Be Listening To
CDs I've picked up lately that merit at least a passing glance:
El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
Being on somewhat of an underground rap kick lately, and having heard a lot of buzz about this guy, I picked up the CD. Great stuff. I love the production and the bleak, angry lyrics.
Download El-P - The league of Extraordinary Nobodies
mewithoutyou - Brother, Sister
This CD ended up on my Top 10 list from last year, but I hadn't listened to it in a while. It landed at number 10 at the time, but giving it several listens since, it would probly rank higher were the list compiled today. Nearly every song is engaging, and some of them are absolutely golden.
MF Doom - MM.. Food, Madvillian - Madilliany, Viktor Vaughn - Venomous Villian
Like I said... underground rap kick. Everything Daniel Dumile touches turns into awesome. Granted, it's a warped, weird, monster movie obsessed awesome, but it's still awesome. Any rapper that can toss in rhymes about King Koopa, Knishes, and still have time to drop a Bon Jovi reference is a winner in my book.
A Quick Note
If you're not a Blogspot member, and you want to post a comment, simply switch the radio button to 'other', at least that way you'll be able to supply a name other than 'Anonymous'. After all, I always love love knowing who's paying some manner of attention.
Then Again, "So Much More" Might Have Been Misleading...
fin
Friday, August 24, 2007
Slowly Moving In
Things to Notice
Using the combined power of blogspot and last.fm, I've added a couple of modules to the blog. On the left, you'll notice a short playlist. If you press play, you'll play songs that are currently in my 'hotlist' (a rotating list of 50 songs that I'm currently enjoying just a lilttle bit more than the rest). On the right, a list of the top 8 artists I've listened to over the past week. I used to go with songs, but I'm listening to more full albums now, so it makes more sense to do it by artists.
I've also added a short list of websites, which I'll obviously be adding to, deleting from, and pretty much changing and rearranging until I've got everything I really want on there.
The Jester Wins
For truth.
Back in the Real World...
Things are still hectic, what with everyone scambling to find new jobs while swearing up and down that they're not. The wedding is just over a month away, so things are pretty crazy with that. Moving in has sort of been put on hold in the meantime. In fact, I'm sitting here in my officem, which currently contains nothing but a dish chair, a desk, and a lot of packing boxes and styrofoam that didn't seem to fit anywhere else.
Ah well, such is life...
Last, but Never Least
Happy Birthday to my dad (as of yesterday).
Using the combined power of blogspot and last.fm, I've added a couple of modules to the blog. On the left, you'll notice a short playlist. If you press play, you'll play songs that are currently in my 'hotlist' (a rotating list of 50 songs that I'm currently enjoying just a lilttle bit more than the rest). On the right, a list of the top 8 artists I've listened to over the past week. I used to go with songs, but I'm listening to more full albums now, so it makes more sense to do it by artists.
I've also added a short list of websites, which I'll obviously be adding to, deleting from, and pretty much changing and rearranging until I've got everything I really want on there.
The Jester Wins
For truth.
Back in the Real World...
Things are still hectic, what with everyone scambling to find new jobs while swearing up and down that they're not. The wedding is just over a month away, so things are pretty crazy with that. Moving in has sort of been put on hold in the meantime. In fact, I'm sitting here in my officem, which currently contains nothing but a dish chair, a desk, and a lot of packing boxes and styrofoam that didn't seem to fit anywhere else.
Ah well, such is life...
Last, but Never Least
Happy Birthday to my dad (as of yesterday).
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
It's the End of the World As We Know It...
...and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
Just Wednesday, we had a big group meeting/get-together. Plans were made, the future looked glorious, things were falling into place and it looked as if I'd finally be getting the day shift I'd long hoped for.
...then 'Black Monday' came...
Verizon Wireless buys Rural Cellular
Verizon Wireless said today it has agreed to buy Rural Cellular Corp. for $2.67 billion in cash and assumed debt.
Now, it's hard not to suffix every plan that's made with a "not like it matters". I'm not that concerned about things, as I'd been passively looking into other opportunities for a while now. Also, it's not as if this whole thing is going to finalize anytime in 2007. It could be late-2008 before all this goes through.
One can't fault anyone involved in the deal. Even as I work and do my part in making whatever business I'm working for better, I'm still looking out for myself and mine. One can hardly blame anyone else for wanting to get out of this and make some money doing so...
...it just kind of sucks...
Okay, Enough of That...
Just Wednesday, we had a big group meeting/get-together. Plans were made, the future looked glorious, things were falling into place and it looked as if I'd finally be getting the day shift I'd long hoped for.
...then 'Black Monday' came...
Verizon Wireless buys Rural Cellular
Verizon Wireless said today it has agreed to buy Rural Cellular Corp. for $2.67 billion in cash and assumed debt.
Now, it's hard not to suffix every plan that's made with a "not like it matters". I'm not that concerned about things, as I'd been passively looking into other opportunities for a while now. Also, it's not as if this whole thing is going to finalize anytime in 2007. It could be late-2008 before all this goes through.
One can't fault anyone involved in the deal. Even as I work and do my part in making whatever business I'm working for better, I'm still looking out for myself and mine. One can hardly blame anyone else for wanting to get out of this and make some money doing so...
...it just kind of sucks...
Okay, Enough of That...
XKCD absolutely rocks in every way imaginable (and surely it rocks in some ways I haven't even fathomed yet)
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Here Goes This...
So, Xanga won't work for me anymore... I've come to this conclusion for a fairly simple reason.
Blogger is able to be viewed at work.
Work is where I have (at least for the time being) the most free time to sit and think up interesting things. 99% of the time when I get home and decide to make a post, it ends up as a lame one paragraph "I have nothing to say" post with some musical recommendations. If all I'm going to do is say that I can't think of anything interesting to say, then what am I doing on the internet? At work I have the time and patience to actually jot things down. (Also, I usually get inspiration at work, only to forget all about it by the time I get home).
So, I guess we'll see where this goes. I've been thinking about doing this for a while, but it sometimes takes a while to actually give up on something you've been doing for almost 5 years.
Blogger is able to be viewed at work.
Work is where I have (at least for the time being) the most free time to sit and think up interesting things. 99% of the time when I get home and decide to make a post, it ends up as a lame one paragraph "I have nothing to say" post with some musical recommendations. If all I'm going to do is say that I can't think of anything interesting to say, then what am I doing on the internet? At work I have the time and patience to actually jot things down. (Also, I usually get inspiration at work, only to forget all about it by the time I get home).
So, I guess we'll see where this goes. I've been thinking about doing this for a while, but it sometimes takes a while to actually give up on something you've been doing for almost 5 years.
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