Friday, April 29, 2005

dot dot dot

I don't have anything meaningful to say. The unmatchable ability to enter in to a state of unintelligible, nonsensical madness has over taken the chicken coop, so to speak. Only these chickens have large talons. Chaos is mildly amusing and none-the-less, a sham. To elude greatness from the finger tips to the keyboard is sometimes a lost cause. One might be better spending their time reading the news from the morning paper or watching Maury on channel 8. I, however, will do nothing more and nothing less.

Right now, Explosions in the Sky is filling my ears with blissful enjoyment. It happens everytime, you know. Like clockwork, you can always count on EITS to make a melancholy day as bright as a rocket's red glare. I think if I listened to nothing but EITS, I would accomplish all of my dreams; my dreams to write a screenplay, to open up my own diner, to get my wife a Digital Rebel, to have my own editing suite in the den of my house (which I do not own), to make a documentary about the downtrodden effects of war on a G.I., to get involved with a Christian fellowship that thinks outside the box, to get out of debt, to get back into shape and to eat healthy, and lastly, to provide for all of the needs of my family.

And so my right brain is functioning in overload, double-secret-probation mode. The stars at night are big and bright. Deep in the heart of Texas, you know.

Did you ever want to go back? Go back to an era that was great but you didn't know how great it was until that era had passed? Some friends and I were talking about the greatness that abounded in 1988-1989. For true Hip Hop connoisseurs, that is an era filled with nostalgia. Public Enemy, Eric B & Rakim, De La Soul, Run DMC, EPMD, Boogie Down Productions, The Beastie Boys, Slick Rick. Remember the cassingle (or cassette-single)? For like $1.99 or so, you could pick up cassingles of your favorite song. Essentially, cassingles replaced the 45 record. I had cassingles of my favorite rap songs: fight the Power - Public Enemy, Hey Ladies - The Beastie Boys, Cha Cha Cha - MCLyte, etc. I wore these tapes out. Also, I'd rush home from school every day to watch Yo MTV Raps! That was an elite era of greatness, long forgotten.

And so this journey of randomness expelled from head to fingers to screen is about to conclude. My impoverished mind is empty and I must return to normalcy. One day, I'll go back. One day I'll reach all of my goals. One day, after a long talk with my high school guidance counselor, I'll choose the right path. But for now, my 31 year old body must retire to things of yore. Remembering how and then fulfilling the future by doing things in the present. Because we be to rap what key be to lock, cuz I'm cool like that.

love peace and chicken grease.
i'm out like the gout.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Wesley Test

These are 22 questions the members of John Wesley's Holy Club asked each day in their private devotions. This was over 200 years ago.

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I'm better ......than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on what was told to me in confidence?

4. Can I be trusted?

5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying or self justifying?

7. Did the Bible live in me today?

8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?

9. Am I enjoying prayer?

10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

17. How do I spend my spare time?

18. Am I proud?

19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees ......who despised the publican?

20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what I am doing about it?

21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

22. Is Christ real to me?

Friday, April 08, 2005

finger lickin' good

so you heard about the woman who found this finger in her chili at Wendy's? suprise! it might have been a hoax or better yet, a scam to get a settlement from Wendy's. turns out the finger might belong to the dead aunt of the woman who 'found' it in her chili.

the question is, was the finger disattached from the aunt before or after she was dead? and why'd she single out Wendy's... the one and only, truly great fast food chain?

check out the story here.

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

tv show obsessions with no apologies

SUNDAY
AMERICAN DREAMS (NBC - since moved to WEDNESDAY and had it's season finale last week) - Always a compelling story of life growing up in Philadelphia in the 1960's amidst racial tension and the Viet Nam war.
THE CONTENDER (NBC 8-9PM) - the most underrated reality show on TV... lots of drama, lots of gut-wrenching drama
DEADWOOD (HBO 9-10PM) - I really enjoy this show. I love the wild west. Deadwood is definitely wild. I usually tape this show and watch it at a later time. I can't watch it when my 2 year old is awake... don't want him learning the words they speak on this show.

MONDAY
24 (FOX 9-10PM) - Jack Bauer has got to save the US from terrorists. My wife reminds me that the action is far-fetched - as everything takes place in one 24 hour period, but none-the-less, it's got good cinematography, great complexity, decent writing and compelling actors.
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND - (CBS 9-9:30PM) - That Barone family is nuts. only four more episodes left! Peter Boyle (Frank Barone) steals the show.REAL WORLD/ROAD RULES CHALLENGE - THE INFERNO II (MTV 10-10:30PM) - I've pretty much watched every one of these challenges. Don't know why. I think because it's fun to see people make fools of themselves and lose all of there credibility and character. They take themselves too seriously.


TUESDAY
AMERICAN IDOL (FOX 8-9PM) - Shut up! You watch it too!
THE OFFICE (NBC 9:30-10PM) - A copy of the BBC hit. Just as good as the original, I think.
COMMITTED (NBC - had it's season finale a few weeks ago, before THE OFFICE started airing.) - not like any other situation comedy on TV.

WEDNESDAY
LOST (ABC 8-9PM) - This is the greatest show on television. Every week the writing, suspense and mystery get me hooked to the point that I can't wait until next week. The most creative show on TV right now.
AMERICAN IDOL (FOX 9-9:30PM) - Shut up! You gotta find out who got voted off!

THURSDAY (the most anticipated night of TV viewing)
JOEY (NBC 8-8:30PM) - My wife and I saw every Friends episode. Of course, we watch Joey, then. The show has improved since it's start. It is getting better each week.
SURVIVOR (CBS 8-9PM) - I've seen every episode of every Survivor. I was hooked from the start when it debuted 5 years ago. It is the reality show. Everyone else copied off of it.
THE APPRENTICE (NBC 9-10PM) - Another reality show that has us hooked.
ER (NBC 10-11PM) - This is another show that I've watched from the beginning. Because of that, I just can't seem to not watch.

FRIDAY
LAW & ORDER: TRIAL BY JURY (NBC 10-11PM) - The only L&O show we watch. (My parents and parent-in-laws watch every form of L&O). I like the process of the courtroom (a result of an exciting jury duty a few years back). Maybe I should have been a lawyer... or a judge.
REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER (HBO 11PM-MIDNIGHT) - I love to hate this guy. The discussions are always interesting. He speaks his mind openly and makes you think about things... or he just makes you hate him more.

So there you have it... a moderate TV obsession. I don't watch every one of these shows every week, but the magic of the DVR helps me... That way I (we) can watch shows at our convenience.

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Scandel Rocks American Idol

no, Paula Abdul is not having Simon's baby.
check this out:





from the SMOKING GUN
"
An "American Idol" finalist was once arrested for domestic violence after roughing up his infant son's mother during a Valentine's Day fracas, The Smoking Gun has learned. According to police, 28-year-old Scott Savol, one of the remaining nine "Idol" contestants, was busted following a February 2001 confrontation with Michele Martin at the woman's Ohio home."
FULL ARTICLE HERE

I don't know watch American Idol, but I do.

Monday, April 04, 2005

LISTENING TO:

for 3 years now, I've been logging every CD i've listened to at work...

since MAY 13, 2002 i've listened to 2,431 CD's. There have been roughly 144 work weeks since the start of my logging. That means while working I listen to roughly 17 CD's a week (3.4 CD's a day). Most CD's listened to are listened to in their entirety, but some get ejected before the disc completes.

MOST LISTENED TO ARTISTS:
U2 - 87
Radiohead - 60
Sigur Ros - 53
Underworld - 46
Switchfoot - 44
David Crowder Band - 43
Sixpence None the Richer - 39
Delirious? - 43
Coldplay - 32
Manic Street Preachers - 32
Starflyer 59 - 30
Linkin Park - 29

2005 MOST LISTENED TO ARTISTS:
The Appleseed Cast - 12
Explosions in the Sky - 12
Underworld - 9
Interpol - 8
Manic Street Preachers - 6
Ilya - 5
Lovedrug - 5
The Shore - 5
U2 - 4