So I'm watching Dana White's UFC 94 video blog on YouTube earlier and he's asking everyone he runs into who wins this weekend's GSP vs. BJ Penn fight and I'm shocked.
Robbie Lawler says BJ Penn.
"Little Evil" says BJ Penn.
Jamie Varner and Urijah Faber say BJ Penn.
Even Japanese dudes who can't speak English (Caol Uno and Kid Yamamoto) are picking BJ Penn.
Thankfully, WEC featherweight champ Mike Thomas Brown was last on and gave GSP some love.
Now, I'm going to be covering this bad boy big time in the next couple days over at TLOS and you have to check it out, but seeing fighter after fighter stand there and say BJ is going to beat GSP has me worried. What if they're right?
I've had GSP at the top of my Pound for Pound Rankings since he beat Jon Fitch and while BJ has been sitting at #4 this whole time, I just can't see him winning this fight. What is it that these guys know that I don't?
I mean, I could see Little Evil and Caol Uno picking BJ because he beat both of them, but what is everyone else's excuse?
Regardless, I know who I'm picking and I can't wait until Saturday night...
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Can't Wait Until Saturday Night
The Things I've Been Thinking Lately
Been a couple days since I last posted, in part due to spending more time than usual at work, but also because I just haven't had anything that I wanted to write about. I've been putting in lots of time trying to build The Love of Sports and just hanging around the house pondering.
These are the things I've been thinking:
- At what point to you just say "Fuck it" and go balls to the wall in pursuit of your dreams?
- Do people ever step out of their own little world to remember the things that are going on in the lives of the people around them? (Myself included in that one, by the way...)
- What is the point of people saying they are going to do something if they just aren't going to do it?
- For all my talk about writing a book - or multiple books for that matter - I don't have a single meaningful word down anywhere.
- Why is money so important? Not in a "people care too much about money" kind of way, but in a "isn't there more to life than not being broke?" type way.
- How can Sarah and Luke sleep so much and why can't I ever do that?
- Baseball season is quickly approaching and I am completely underwhelmed.
- Sushi on Thursday was so good.
- So was bowling on Friday night with Higgs and Justina.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Soundtrack of My Life
Song: All Uncovered
Artists: The Watchmen
Album: In The Trees (1994)
You know when you're flipping through your CD collection and you come across a random disc by a band you had long since forgotten? That's me with The Watchmen.
They're never a band that remains at the forefront of my memory, but every time I see their disc in my CD collection, I instantly grab it and throw on this track because I absolutely love it.
I actually stole this CD. Well, maybe borrowed is a better word, as it was the property of my friend Thom Loik back in university and he lent it to me so I could listen to this song (on repeat for days on end at one time) and then he never asked for it back. Or I never gave it to him. Whatever.
The point is, this song was awesome to me back when it came out and every time I end up putting it on I remember how awesome it is. It's melodic, has lead singer Daniel Greaves playing harmonica and is an interesting song lyrically.
For me, the song is about life changing and people not wanting to accept that. It's easier to go along with the life you don't want to really be living because change appears harder:
Driving in style with a smile on
I wish the light could turn red on me now
The day's been so damn hard already
So buckle me in on the highway of sin
'Cause that's just the way that I wanna be
The Watchmen, who are in fact named after the graphic novel that has been made into a movie that is coming soon to a theatre near you, never really grabbed me with any of their other material following this album, so maybe that's why I always forget about them.
Regardless, I always end up rediscovering them and this song in particular. Now I pass them along to you...
Enjoy! Continue reading ...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
SUSHI!
For the first time in who knows how long, we're going for sushi!
Yes we made it at Aaron and Justina's one night, but that is nowhere near the same as going to a sushi joint and getting the real McCoy.
My mouth is watering just writing this... time to go.
P.S. Yesterday was post #400... crazy.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Rundown: Actors to Watch
Last week, The Rundown featured my list of five actresses I think will make a serious name for themselves in 2009.
This week, we change it up and look at the fella who'll be making waves on the silver screen.
Top 5 Breakout Actors 2009
5. Chiwetel Ejiofor
This guy is one of my personal favorites and has been for some time. He's been great as a second banana in a number of films and killed the starring role in David Mamet's jiu-jitsu movie Redbelt. But somehow, Ejiofor has escaped critical acclaim and true star status. That could change 2009 with his lead turn in Toussaint, the true story of one of the leaders of the Haitian Revolution.
4. Anton Yelchin
A bit of an easy pick as the kid is already a critical darling after quality performances in House of D, Alpha Dog and Charlie Bartlett, but 2009 is the year his names goes into, well, space actually, as Yelchin will portray Chekov in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek.
3. Andrew Garfield
The Terry Gilliam film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is going to receive a great deal of attention as it stands as Heath Ledger's final film. Seeing as many eyes will be watching, the chances of Andrew Garfield shining in his role as Anton, a sleight of hand expert in the traveling troupe that has a deal with the Devil. See, now you're interested.
2. Ben Whishaw
If you saw Perfume - and you should have, it was solid - you know Whishaw. I first became fond of the young Englishman in Layer Cake, where his portrayal of young, wannabe gangster Sidney stole scenes from Daniel Craig and Sienna Miller. This year, he stars in Jan Campion's Bright Star as poet John Keats.
1. Sam Riley
I had never heard of Riley. I had to look up his credits on IMDB this afternoon. So why do I put him at the top of my list? Simple: he's portraying Ian Curtis, the lead singer and founder of legendary British band Joy Division who hung himself in the film adaptation of Control. If he can bring half of Curtis' tortured soul to life of the screen, people will be talking about Riley a great deal... and you can say you heard about him first at iBlog.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
So Long Dubya!
There is a new man in the White House and we have finally come to the end of the George W. Bush era.
Thank fuck!
I hope Dubya doesn't become one of those presidents who remains present and involved post-office like Bill Clinton because honestly, I'm looking forward to a good long break from this idiot. Go the Nixon route and just disappear into oblivion.
Regardless of what he does, he's not doing it from the White House and that alone is enough to put a smile on my face.
Peace Out Dubya...
Monday, January 19, 2009
R.I.P. Sundance Film Festival
I'm a movie guy, as many of you should already know and I remember when the Sundance Film Festival was the greatest thing since sliced bread.
First, it's named after The Sundance Kid and put on by the man himself, which made it unassailably cool.
Second, this was where little movies became big movies and guys like me who have always liked things a little left of center could find a less-hyped, non-blockbuster to hitch my wagon to and fall in love with. Some of the greats over the years from Sundance include Clerks, El Mariachi, Little Miss Sunshine and Thank You for Smoking.
Lastly, Sundance was where Hollywood went to not be Hollywood; it was a getaway from the glitz and the glamor and seemed, in the early days, to truly be about the movies and the filmmakers and getting the little guy a piece of the bigger pie.
Not anymore.
Now, Sundance isn't even a place C-List celebrities hit during the winter chill of January. When Hulk Hogan's ex-wife Linda is garnering throngs of attention, you know that your time has come and gone.
Seriously, this used to be a required stop for any up-and-coming actor-slash-director-slash-writer and numerous actual celebrities flocked to Park City to spend some time in the snow, but now, you're left with Kevin Federline's ex-girlfriend trolling through the free swag, a tramp who used to be in a band you probably never heard of in the first place (Aubrey O'Day of Danity Kane) and a flock of nobodies from the realm of Reality TV.
You know you've passed your expiry date when people are raving about Mariah Carey's performance in a movie. She very well could be great, but really, it's Mariah Carey and you're judging her against Glitter. It's not as if she's suddenly morphed into Meryl fucking Streep or anything...
Sadly, my new measuring stick for things being officially over comes from one of my former favorite shows, Entourage, which has also ran it's course and remains on television solely to inspire douchebags to slum around Hollywood mooching off their one rich friend.
Even though Entourage made their trek to Sundance during the outstanding first season, it's like the Sports Illustrated / Madden Cover curse; once they use you, consider yourself officially done.
Such is the case with the Sundance Film Festival, the new playground for has-beens and never-weres.
Rest in Peace...
Sunday, January 18, 2009
10 Things I Learned This Week
Have no fear, Albert is here!
1. Fight! Magazine is Still Happening
Apparently, the holidays being busy makes Editors-in-Chief of major magazines forget about small-time whiny readers who are looking for work. After one email and a quick phone call, my parcel of back issues to correct are in the mail and I'll be getting started this week.
2. Loving - repeat LOVING - the New Gig
Started taking baby steps towards crossing over into Editor-dom myself this week and have to say that I love the process and look forward to February 1 when we go full throttle. It's going to be a lot of work and take some serious time and energy, but as I've been saying this whole writing ride, I'd rather put in big effort and big hours on stuff that I love and believe in than anything else.
3. Ari-freakin'-zona!
Can you believe the Arizona MF'in Cardinals might win the Super Bowl? This is insane. Not that they haven't played pretty damn good these playoffs, but at the start of the year you never would have picked the Cardinals. Even if you were Kurt Warner's crazy-ass wife. Now they're one win away from winning the whole shebang. Crazy...
4. Welcome to the White House, President Obama
The President-Elect drops the "Elect" in a couple of days and I am glad that I will be around to see it. This is truly a monumental and historic event that will be taking place, one that we'll be teaching in history books someday and it will be the only thing on in the bar on Tuesday with good reason.
5. Wedding Headaches Subsiding
This week has been more productive on the wedding front than the last four months and that is a testament to our new agent. All the invoices are done and proofed and ready to go and we should have everything and everyone lined up and ready to roll in the next three days. Funny how getting pissed a couple rungs up the ladder makes everything happen a little more quickly...
6. Luke is His Mother's Dog
They two of them could probably sleep for 24 hours straight if you let them. In fact, with Sarah being off all through the week this week, I'd wager that over the three days they're off together without me around, they get in at least 30 hours of sleep. Updates later in the week.
7. So the Old Man Called Me...
Just weird having my phone ring and it be him, seeing as the last three times we talked were at funerals and totally awkward interactions. I think I said six or eight words. So strange, so sad...
8. It's Already Been One Year
Thursday marks a year since Heath Ledger's death. That's crazy to me. I still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I found out - Wexford Street apartment, putting away the groceries after work. Funny how some things just stick in your head.
9. Wanted: One Good Book
With no Chapters to speak of in a 100 kilometre radius, I've been reduced to checking out a very small Coles in the crappy Cranbrook mall from time to time when I want something to read. Unsurprisingly, they got nothing... so I'm asking you folks to fill me in on some quality literature that I can go find and enjoy. Homework is due by the end of the week.
10. Joaquin Phoenix is a Rapper?
I knew he had "retired" from acting to pursue music, but hip hop? That would have been the last place I would have expected the man who brought Johnny Cash to life on the silver screen to end up. Punk, country, rock, sure... hip hop? I've gotta find his stuff somewhere on the 'net and give it a listen.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
How Did This Take So Long?
Pretty soon, the good people who bring you The Love of Sports will be launching another site, The Love of Movies and I'll certainly be doing some contributing.
Thinking about the movies that came out recently and are coming out soon enough led me to thinking about The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky's latest flick that won two Golden Globes and might earn Mickey Rourke an Academy Award.
How did no one ever think of making an actual dramatic film centered around the world of professional wrestling before?
There have been documentaries (Beyond the Mat is pretty solid) and comedies (Ready to Rumble was a TBS staple) but never anything that actually looked at the difficulty and struggle that being a professional wrestler undoubtedly places on a person.
Now I haven't seen the film myself and living in BF, Idaho means that there is a good chance I won't see it until it makes it's way to the shelf at Black Bear (my movie joint out here), but when Hollywood is rolling out biopic after biopic of every dead musician they can and bringing us mindless crap like Bride Wars, seeing something with wholly original that is extremely well done (from all accounts) is refreshing.
I won't get a chance to see The Wrestler for six months, but I'll have ample opportunity to see Dance Flick when it comes out...
Sometimes, I hate living here.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Soundtrack of My Life
Song: I'll Be
Artist: Edwin McCain
Album: Misguided Roses (1998)
I loved this song the instant I heard it.
Driving around while working construction in St. Catharines during the summers between going to University, I spent a lot of time listening to the radio. In the summer of 1998, this track was all over the Top 40 radio station I listened to out of Buffalo, New York and with good reason.
It's a ballad without being too syrupy. There is power and volume and strength to the song just as equally as there is softness and sincerity and truth.
The scattered horns both at the beginning and end of the song give it an easy introduction and conclusion. The song doesn't just start or finish; rather it glides into the first verse and slides out to an ending, unlike so many song today that are abrupt, starting and ending before you know it.
Edwin McCain was never a big household name, but there aren't many people who don't know this song, which is a testament to how good it really is. The only other song of McCain's that you might now - or should know - is "I Could Not Ask for More," a song in a similar vein as this one that was also covered by country artist Sara Evans.
While so many ballads and love song fake sincerity and offer up cliched lyrics, this song is genuine and original. My favorite line has always been "I'll be better when I'm older" because in truth, that is the case for many of us. We grow into being the best we can be, it doesn't just happen instantly or overnight. I know that has been the case with me and most certainly with my relationship with Sarah.
Sit back and take a listen. This one is a dark horse contender for our wedding song.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Best News Ever!
Posting some of my work over at Yardbarker earlier today, I trolled through the MMA posts and came across this gem that is easily the best thing to ever happen to Mixed Martial Arts.
Hung Lo Dojo found a story on gossip site Just Jared about Heidi & Spencer of The Hills "fame" making a foray into MMA for some new reality show Captain Douchebag (that's Spencer...) is going to be doing.
AWESOME!
That's exactly what the sport needs, this jerkoff spending too much time watching Entourage and wanting to be a real-life E and help Kevin Casey (2-1 career record, pictured) make it in the world of Mixed Martial Arts.
We already have a show like that where unknowns fight to make the UFC and even though it's run by the people in charge of the biggest and best organization in the business, even it's getting tired and losing fans. But it doesn't have Spencer...
You just have to know that the creation of this project came together in some boardroom brainstorming session where a bunch of retarded television executives were shooting down Pratt's ideas and then pulled the old, "That Mixed Martial Arts sure is popular. You should do something about that..."
And now we have a show where this moron who really, really needs to shave plays sports management guy in the world of MMA.
I say it again... AWESOME!
Someone shoot me...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Rundown: Get to Know these Actresses
As promised on Monday, I thought I would dedicate today's Rundown to hooking you up with five females who will be making waves on the silver screen in 2009.
While you may recognize some of the names, 2009 is sure to be the year that sends them into the stratosphere.
Top 5 Breakout Actresses 2009
5. Julianne Nicholson
If you're a Law & Order junkie like myself, you remember Nicholson from here role on Criminal Intent. The eldest of the lot, her breakout in 2009 will come in the John Krasinski (Jim from The Office) vehicle Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, an adaptation of troubled writer David Foster Wallace's short stories of same name.
4. Maggie Grave
Fans of Lost will surely know Grace from her time on J.J. Abrams' island, but it's two films in 2009 that will take her to the next level. The first is the Liam Neeson film Taken which is getting outstanding reviews and makes my list of Must-See Movies. The second will be Grace's role as Alice in the retelling of the classic children's story twisted up into Malice in Wonderland.
3. Saoirse Ronan
One of the youngest actresses ever nominated for an Academy Award, Ronan turned heads in Atonement. However, I know that since it was a British period piece, many of you skipped it and have no idea who she is. That will change this year with her starring role in the Peter Jackson film The Lovely Bones.
2. Rachel Nichols
Meet the new object of affection for geeks around the world. Not only is she portraying Scarlett in G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, but she is also starring in the new Star Trek flick. Creepy, socially awkward fanboys around the world will be scouring the Internet for her picture like never before in 2009.
1. Freida Pinto
Two words: Slumdog Millionaire. Director Danny Boyle's (Trainspotting) latest effort scored four Golden Globes and the first-time actress stars in the film alongside fellow breakout candidate Dev Patel. Not bad for a first gig, huh?
Monday, January 12, 2009
Good to Know I'm Not Alone
Not too long ago, I rolled out the Dishonor Roll for Mr. Brody Jenner and his new show Bromance where he brings a bunch of dudes to Hollywood to audition for a place in his "posse" of jobless, party-going douchebags.
Clicking around the web today, I landed at Next Round to see who they have pegged as the "Actresses you need to know heading into 2009." While I'll be posting a better list myself for Wednesday's Rundown - you can't include people who are already fairly well known - I found this little gem in the sidebar of previous posts:
Things Less Gay Than Brody Jenner's Show Bromance
Some of my personal favorites include:
- Dry weddings
- Sean Penn's character in Milk, gay rights activist Harvey Milk
- Zac Efron
- Saving yourself for marriage
- Seeing Twilight with another dude
- Capris for men
- Ellen Degeneres
- The picture used at the lead of this post
- The basement scene in Pulp Fiction
I have to say, it's refreshing to know I'm not the only one that thinks a show about auditioning dudes to be one of your best friends just sounds like a thinly-veiled way of saying you love Sausage Parties.
* * * * * * * * * *
I know what you're thinking:
Dishonor should have a "u" in it, same with favorite. Well, at least if you're Canadian you're thinking that. Believe me, I know.
But since I'm striking out into the US and A as Co-Editor at The Love of Sports, I need to get my writing a little more Americanized, which basically means my man G is sick of editing my work for what he feels are superfluous "u's" strewn throughout my writing.
I told him it's like asking him to give me distances in kilometres and it's going to take time, but that didn't really get a response.
So, I'm phasing out the "u" to appease my US bosses and readers. Just don't ask me to sing the Star Spangled Banner... Continue reading ...
Sunday, January 11, 2009
10 Things I Learned This Week
1. Holy Stressful Batman!
These wedding plans and headaches are driving me bonkers. Our former agent has a bunch of our arrangements all banged up and that is making our life wicked stressful, as we want to have everything planed and organized and ready to roll soon so we can just kick back and count down the days. Tomorrow should be a telling day, as we're supposed to be talking with the Regional Manager to sort some of this stuff out. That being said, we've been waiting to deal with him since Wednesday...
2. I'm an Awesome Server / Bartender
Yeah, I'm tooting my own horn again... so what? We're in a bit of a lull period right now on the hill with Christmas and everything being done and people trying to save a little cash this month, but still I manage to make $100 every day without fail. Now, sometimes that means I have to work five or six hours, but considering no one else is really pulling in that kind of money consistently, there can only be one conclusion... I'm Awesome!
3. Good Old Nintendo Thumb
Remember when you used to spend hours upon hours playing Nintendo and your thumb would develop that soreness that verges on becoming a full-blown callous? I'm dealing with that right now thanks to two days spent finishing Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and six amateur fights on Fight Night Round 3. Impressively enough, I'm still banging out articles galore this week too.
4. Missing Magazines
Sarah and I signed up for some magazine subscriptions a couple weeks back through one of those "Get 3 magazines for $6" type of deals. Canadian Living arrive a while back, but we're still waiting on Self (for her) and GQ (for me), except they were all supposed to have been sent out at the same time. Something tells me that our friendly local post office either (A) put them in the wrong mailbox and the people didn't bother returning them or (B) decided to keep them for themselves. I hope I'm wrong on both fronts, especially because I want my Jennifer Aniston issue of GQ!
5. Speaking of Jennifer Aniston...
We're back around to Season One of Friends - we watch them in succession - and I have to admit that I really miss that show. There hasn't been anything that has made me commit to watching it every week on the sitcom front since Friends left the air. I know it's kind of hokey and whatever, but for my money, the stupidity of Joey Tribiani will always be hilarious.
6. False Promises
So a while back I told you about me getting a proofreading job with Fight! Magazine. I don't think it's happening... I emailed the Editor a couple weeks back and have yet to receive anything back. Was it just a case of telling a disgruntled reader what they wanted to hear or did I slip his mind? I'm not sure, but one thing I do know is that they could still use me because there are more mistakes in the current issue...
7. Elk are HUGE
Saw a bunch of them driving home from Marley and Me this time last week and sweet merciful crap would those big bastards ever do a number on our poor '93 Honda Civic! I mean, we wrote off the Corolla smacking into a deer, so I could only imagine what kind of carnage would ensue slamming into one of these monsters. D'you know what's worse? There are caribou and moose that are around these parts and even bigger still...
8. Sharp as Marbles
I don't expect to be surrounded by MENSA candidates working in a restaurant, but some of the brilliant questions that get shot my way are amazing. Questions: How do I make lime water? Is France on the ocean? What's a jiggaboo? Answers: mix bar lime and water, sort of and a very derogatory term for black people that if you say again I'm going to knock your teeth out.
9. Exciting News from the UFC
Dana White said earlier this week in a press conference that he's working on bringing the UFC to... wait for it... wait for it... VANCOUVER! Sarah has already been informed that regardless of date and cost, I will be in attendance at this event.
10. College Football is Equal Parts Awesome and Annoying
There were some great games this week - Texas and Ohio State was outstanding - but in the end, when all was said and done, there was controversy and it annoys the bejesus out of me. How there still isn't a playoff system in place to determine one unquestioned champion is beyond me. Yes Florida won the BCS Championship, but Utah went undefeated and crushed Alabama. And they still ended up 4th in the AP Poll!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Soundtrack of My Life
Song: Fight the Power
Artist: Public Enemy
Album: Do The Right Thing OST (1989) / Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
Welcome to the most influential hip hop track of all-time.
Regardless of your feelings about Public Enemy, this track is powerful in so many ways. Yes, it's hard to look at it now and see Flavor Flav bouncing around, knowing he was a crackhead and later the star of too many Reality TV programs, but the truth is, this song was and still is a lightning rod and one of the best examples of the power of quality hip hop that has ever been put out.
The Bomb Squad created a monster when they came up with this track; the catchy horns, the open spots for Terminator X to scratch on and the perfectly understated by noticeable beat and melody Chuck D so eloquently flows over.
Can I get a moment for Chuck D please?
Where have emcees like this gone?
Could you ever conceive Chuck rapping over some slinky beat on a club-banger?
Of course you couldn't because the man is just not about that in the least. He's about saying what he feels regardless of how it will bristle some that hear it. This track is full of gems of that nature, including the very heavily scrutinized
Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant shit to me
You see, straight-up racist that sucker was simple and plain
Motherfuck him and John Wayne
The interesting thing about the uproar over that lyric is what actually comes next:
Cause I'm Black and I'm proud
I'm ready and hyped plus I'm amped
Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps
Sample a look back you look and find
Nothing but rednecks for 400 years if you check
Funny how people get upset when you call out Elvis and John Wayne on the basis of them never being your hero and never seeing yourself or your people represented in a similar fashion...
I fell in love with the song as soon as I heard it as part of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, a movie you should all go out and enjoy if you haven't seen it yet.
Challenging authority isn't a bad thing.
Demanding equality, having pride in yourself and standing up for what you believe in, at any cost, aren't bad things either.
This song was one of the first things to show me and teach me that and it's been a lesson that has served me well over the years.
It's also a shining example of how powerful and poignant hip hop can truly be... so let's stop talking about our rims and our guns and our parties and our bitches and get back to making monsters like this... Continue reading ...
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Six of One, Half Dozen of the Other
When I was leaving work this evening, I told my supervisor that I would give her a call in the morning once the restaurant opened to see how busy we were and find out if she needed me to come in for my shift at noon.
Her face lit up; she was thrilled with my selfless act to help her keep labor costs down and provide an opportunity for my fellow servers to make a little money, so I let her roll with it.
Why am I really going to call tomorrow morning, besides not having to drag my ass down the hill in the rain? They're threefold.
1) Sarah is on nights tomorrow, so going to work all day would mean zero together time. While it's true that she's likely going to sleep all day regardless of my decision, the persistence of a certain pug will get her up at one point or another, so we could share a little breakfast during the afternoon if I stayed put.
2) Writing is way more enjoyable. Work is in a lull period now that the holidays are over and while I've still been pulling in a yard (read: $100) a shift in tips, it's been over five hours of work and that doesn't sound as pleasurable to me as sitting in this chair penning some pieces for The Love of Sports and getting another Soundtrack song up earlier for all of you to download.
3) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. I don't care how much of a geek I sound like - and I know video games + Star Wars = Huge Geek - but there is something really fun about walking around massacring Stormtroopers and Imperials alike with Force Lightning that would be more fun on a Friday afternoon than serving four tables and standing around bored.
But hey, if my supervisor wants to think I'm just being a good guy, who am I to tell her otherwise?
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Rundown: They're So Fetch....
In Mean Girls, fetch never caught on as a hip word, no matter how hard Gretchen Wieners tried. She was just waiting for it to work and it never materialized and fetch fell into oblivion.
That's what I'm hoping happens to the people in today's Rundown: that 2009 marks the year they fall into a big, vacuous oblivion, never to be seen or heard from again.
2009's I'm So Over Them List
5. Judy Wilson, Marlin Travel
This one is personal and believe me, I can hold me a grudge. Not only did she screw up various elements of our wedding plans, she didn't even have the decency to apologize to me when I called to talk to her about everything earlier today. Instead, she got her defenses up, insisted she did everything she could for our benefit and told us we're not getting our deposits back. Obviously sending out invoices with the incorrect date puts a few holes in the old "I did everything I could for you" declaration and she clearly has no idea how much of a stink I'm willing to cause to get our money back.
4. The Cast of The Hills / The City
The great thing with fads is that they flame out and die, leaving only a few die hard fans lamenting it's disappearance. I know a ton of people who will be crushed if The Hills and it's new spin off The City go the way of the dinosaur, but my personal satisfaction of never having to hear about Heidi and Spencer and Lauren and Whitney ever again would be worth their fleeting moments of agony.
3. Brangelina
I'm torn on this one because I love Brad Pitt the actor. What I hate, however, is Brad Pitt, one half of the tabloid tandem Brangelina who grace the cover of 47 gossip rags a week and are purportedly pregnant and on the brink of breaking up every minute of every day. Enough already!
2. Kevin Federline
While I never understood why anyone really cared about a bad backup dancer and crappy boyfriend /father / husband for so long in the first place, but now... Why does this guy still get publicity? Go back to being "Dancer #5" in You Got Served already!
1. LiLo & Sam
First things first - Samantha Ronson: Horribly unattractive. Someone had to say it. Secondly, exactly what does Lindsay Lohan bring to the table any more? She doesn't act and if she did you know it would be horrible. Her music? Pass. Her family? Freaks. Unless Lindsay is making a Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler sort of return to the silver screen, you dare not speak her name around me in 2009.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
So I Got Me a Promotion
No, I haven't been made Supreme Ruler of the World yet, but I did get an even better offer from the people at The Love of Sports than I was initially expecting.
Remember back a few weeks, I said I would most likely be taking over one of the new sites we'll be launching this year? Well, it turns out I won't be... I'll be the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the flagship site itself!
Now, I know this probably doesn't mean anything much to a good 95% of you reading this, but a move like this is monstrous for an Internet freelancer like myself, as the site now becomes an extension and reflection of me (and my co-pilot) not only in terms of my writing, but my skills in layout, design, editing and building the readership and revenue stream of the site.
What has made it even better is knowing that I won't have to sacrifice anything to make this jump to the next level. I'm still going to be pissing off the Drunk Blue Jays Fans at Bugs & Cranks, delivering witty banter and useless thoughts galore here at iBlog and be writing as much, if not more, at The Love of Sports.
Just six days into 2009 and it's already shaping up to be a big one...
Monday, January 5, 2009
My Own Marley
Sarah and I decided to go see Marley & Me last night as we had been talking about it since first seeing the previews months ago and yesterday was the first chance we had since it's release.
Without giving away any of the movie to those who haven't seen it or read the book, you have to see it if you're a dog person and even if you're not it's good fun.
For us, they could have subbed out the adorable golden lab who portrayed Marley with a stubby little Jack Russell / Pug cross and it would have been like watching our life on a big screen... with Owen Wilson starring as me and Jen Aniston playing the role of Sarah.
Maybe it's all dogs (I doubt it though) but Cool Hand Luke sure does share a lot of similarities with the silver screen's Worst Dog in the World:
- A willingness to steal and chew just about anything
- The ability to eat and eat and eat and eat without stopping or getting full
- No regard for personal space
- A unique curiosity that only comes up when his parents are trying to get amorous
Note to Self: Never - I repeat - NEVER leave a garbage bag in the house with the dog.
We knew something was up when there was no barking as we keyed in the code on the door. We definitely knew Luke had done something wrong when he came out all sooky and cuddly; normally he's a big ball of energy.
Turn on the lights and VIOLA... garbage everywhere.
Coffee grinds mashed into the carpet with a little cranberry sauce on top.
Week old turkey devoured.
A quarter of an old ass Christmas fruitcake gone.
From the carnage, it honestly looked as if the little terror had eaten as much as he could and then crashed because he was just so full...
As angry as we were - especially considering this is the second such occurrence - walking into the mess after Marley & Me was the only way this dog didn't spend the night in his crate.
Instead, he got a nice long walk to poop out the garbage, a little scolding, some laughs when he wouldn't leave Sarah and I alone for "Grown Up Time" and his usual spot cuddled up between us on the bed for the night when it was time to go to sleep.
Why?
Because even though he's a little brat, he's our little brat and we wouldn't change him or trade him for the world. Continue reading ...
Friday, January 2, 2009
Soundtrack of My Life
Song: Gotta Get Through This
Artist: Daniel Bedingfield
Album: Gotta Bet Through This (2002)
Natasha isn't the only member of the Bedingfield Family that has wicked musical talents. And for the record, anyone who doesn't think Natasha Bedingfield has wicked musical talents is either deaf or in denial...
Big brother Daniel actually dropped a number of years before little sister and scored a major International hit with this track, a club favorite and the soundtrack in my car for a number of months back in the day.
While I don't personally have anything or anyone I gotta get through right now - life is great, actually - this song was also my theme song for a number of craptacular relationships that needed escaping and the acoustic version remains in heavy rotation as one of my favorite songs to belt out when no one else is around.
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