Today was significant in my life for two reasons. The first is that I (regretfully) have officially reached my mid-20's, celebrating the completion of my 24th year on this earth. The second is that today is the last before embarking on my final 24 credits at Temple University. 24 years old, 24 credits to go, 24 bottles in a case, 24 hours in a day...where do the coincidences end?
Why then, with the celebration of both my final year and my birthday, would I have the blues? It's quite simple actually...I have an indescribable disdain for school. Me and School have never gotten along. The evening before my first day (like tonight) I just can't seem to think rationally. I am anxious about classes and angry that summer's over and wondering if this constant war between the summer months and the education-filled ones will ever end. What makes it more irrational is that I should feel no rush to get established in the working world, at least that's what everyone tells me. That world sucks on a level that my collegiate brain couldn't grasp.
My birthday always marks the end of joyous times and the beginning of backpack hauling drudgery. That's why it's always bittersweet. If you run into me in the next few months, know that I am a better person than I may come across as. Just remember what I was like when the sun was out and the only statistics on my mind were those of the NL East-leading Phightin Phils.
Big Ups to everyone who made my 24th awesome. You guys are the Junior Griffey Jersey to my number 24, cause I'm attached (no homo....obviously no homo...Where did this "no homo" thing come from anyway? Is it related to the "bromance" thing). It was a fantastic weekend, the ultimate way end a 5-star summer.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Ugggh Technology
You ever have a long debate/fight with someone and think of something brilliant you could have said to them after the fact? It's an awful feeling. You drive yourself crazy thinking about how said discussion would have turned out if you had come up with those money lines while involved in it.
Well I just wrote half of a monster blog entry and for whatever reason the computer I was typing away on just shut down and blogger decided it didn't want to save my material every 6 seconds like it usually does, leaving me annoyed and completely material-less.
The best analogy I could come up with while fuming mad and possibly a hair inebriated ties these two things together....I would venture to say that losing something--in this case a piece of writing--that you've put a decent amount of time into is kind of like being in an argument and giving a laying out a perfect point...only to find out that after you've spouted off for 5 eloquent and flawless minutes that the recipient of your rant did not hear you. There's no way you can replicate the genius you put into words again. Whatever you say will be a dumbed down version of what you said before.
Moral of the story: Losing your work sucks. Especially when you can't bust out more than 2 blog entries a month and all you want is to get your point across without sounding like an idiot....too late.
Well I just wrote half of a monster blog entry and for whatever reason the computer I was typing away on just shut down and blogger decided it didn't want to save my material every 6 seconds like it usually does, leaving me annoyed and completely material-less.
The best analogy I could come up with while fuming mad and possibly a hair inebriated ties these two things together....I would venture to say that losing something--in this case a piece of writing--that you've put a decent amount of time into is kind of like being in an argument and giving a laying out a perfect point...only to find out that after you've spouted off for 5 eloquent and flawless minutes that the recipient of your rant did not hear you. There's no way you can replicate the genius you put into words again. Whatever you say will be a dumbed down version of what you said before.
Moral of the story: Losing your work sucks. Especially when you can't bust out more than 2 blog entries a month and all you want is to get your point across without sounding like an idiot....too late.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
My Dungeons and Dragons
If you know me, you know I love sports. It's been an hobby since my Dad propped me up in a kiddie seat to watch a football game for the first time. The passion has only grown over the years, blossoming into full-fledged sports nerdom. The pinnacle of the sports dorkiness, sporkiness if you will, has come with the age of fantasy sports. Average Joes like myself can draft their own teams, trade, drop and add players, and pretend to be a manager of their own personal squad. It gets intense, proof of such being that it's grown into a billion-dollar industry. Heard of Dungeons and Dragons? It's the Sports fan's version of that. And I may as well be wearing a wizard cap with some sort of Calderon next to me when late August rolls around. Which brings me to this week...
I've been in chill mode all week. 5 consecutive crazy weeks working with special needs kids deserves one off to clear the dome-piece. I've been trying to avoid spending a ton of presidents while staying in a relaxed, air conditioned enviroment, keeping myself entertained. What better way to do so then to read countless articles on the internet about my nerdy fantasy football craze. (And watch countless episodes of the office. I'm the Dwight Schrute of the sports world)
It's been a phenomenal week as a result, and it kills time so football season gets here faster. Don't get me wrong, I wish summer could last forever, but God didn't intend for it to, which is why he gave man football season to ease the transition.
Listen, I've dated girls that don't really share my passion for sports, but they've understood it. I've never been with a female who ever could remotely comprehend why men turn into computer slaves during fantasy season. Hey, I never claimed to be "cool", in fact to the contrary, this is my Dungeons and Dragons boo.
I've been in chill mode all week. 5 consecutive crazy weeks working with special needs kids deserves one off to clear the dome-piece. I've been trying to avoid spending a ton of presidents while staying in a relaxed, air conditioned enviroment, keeping myself entertained. What better way to do so then to read countless articles on the internet about my nerdy fantasy football craze. (And watch countless episodes of the office. I'm the Dwight Schrute of the sports world)
It's been a phenomenal week as a result, and it kills time so football season gets here faster. Don't get me wrong, I wish summer could last forever, but God didn't intend for it to, which is why he gave man football season to ease the transition. Listen, I've dated girls that don't really share my passion for sports, but they've understood it. I've never been with a female who ever could remotely comprehend why men turn into computer slaves during fantasy season. Hey, I never claimed to be "cool", in fact to the contrary, this is my Dungeons and Dragons boo.
Monday, August 10, 2009
My Weekend Via Setlist
So as many of you know I was one of a large group that rocked out at the Incubus show at Festival Pier on Saturday night. As usual it was a stellar performance with the exception of one thing: The inexcusable decision of the band to close with a cover. Apparently, they've been pulling this BS for a couple years, a move that seemingly defies all logical thinking and is of the utmost annoyance to a die hard fan like myself. Anyhow, I will attempt to wrap up my weekend while simultaneously letting people see what the band's setlist was looking like.
Pardon Me- For having to back out of playing with Jamie at the bar on Friday night. I was deathly ill and in no condition to sing. I was only going to play a handful of tunes, just to give him a break that he ultimately didn't get. I have no doubt he did a stand up job despite this....Side Note- This song is always an Incubus classic and the fact they can open with it shows how incredible their catalog is.
Nice To Know You- To Liz, who has successfully devised a way to spend 100% of her waking life being a business professional, a beach bum, or the recipient of construction workers cat calls. I would be upset, but I feel as though our friendship is only one of many things in her life abandoned so that the aforementioned trifecta can stay intact. Liz, if you would like to remain friends in a way that doesn't involve me putting on a hard hat and holla'ing at you, let me know.
Anna Molly- To Pam Beesley, for restoring my faith in women. Yes Pam, I know that you're fictional, but just the remote possibility that there is a living breathing female out there that even slightly resembles you is enough to carry me through waves of skanky bar broads and cheating exes. Mark my words, I will find my Pam Beesley. (More on Pam and my recent obsession with the Office in a blog to come...hopefully)
Stellar- To Diesel, the Critchlow's english bulldog. You are stellar D-baby, and seeing your jowly face always brings a smile to mine.
Megalomaniac- I don't really have anything I want to write for this song, it's middle of the road as far as Inc. tunes go anyway...
Circles- My calendar year has turned into one big fat cycle. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, where I'm working, where I travel or who I verbally accost in this blog, it all seems to be a never-ending carousel. I think a bold career move or a bold something-else would be a good way to break the emotional/psychological monotony that I've been plagued with of late. If this paragraph sounds wordy and overthunk, it's because that's what I was going for.
Love Hurts- I'm sure the theme of this tune has been done repeatedly over the years by different artists, but of course I am partial to Brandon and Co. version. This love stuff is physically painful on occasion and just a royal pain in the keester in general. I'm 24 in a few weeks. Ideally, I'd like to have kids in 6-10 years. (Yea you heard me, chicks aren't the only ones who think about marriage and kids) That sounds like a lot of time right? Wrong. Time flies, if you haven't already noticed. With each day that passes, I become more aware of how quickly the one before it came and went. The years start blending together after awhile, and dates become less clear as life just seems to blur together.
Just a Phase- Scott and I came to the agreement that we are starting to grow out of our concert phase. In high school, we would attend at least a concert per month, getting crazy in mosh pits and crowd surfing and losing our voices and hearing simultaneously. It's still a lot of fun, but not exactly the same. It's a couple-times-a-year event now and it doesn't have quiiiiite the same impact it once did. Not to mention, shows are getting too pricey these days. Mediocre bands are selling tickets for 40 bucks. I'll pay 40 for the Foo Fighters, but not for Slightly Stoopid.
Drive (Acoustic)- I've been trying to cut back on my time behind the wheel. Gas has been a finance-draining douchebag this summer as per the usual, and I look forward to the coming months where more and more of my friends will be moving into da friendly confines of Da-215. It will save time, which saves money, and it will save money, which, as you might imagine, also saves money. I can't imagine this utopia of a city where the great majority of the people I'm close to live within walking distance. Sounds too good to be true...
Talk Shows On Mute (Acoustic)- I've really not been able to catch as much Conan O'Brien in his new time slot as I thought I would. I figured I'd be watching on a reg and getting an hour of extra Zs, but this hasn't been the case unfortunately. Truthfully, all TV I watch is online nowadays. I just exterminate full seasons of shows at a time after a hard days work. Plus, I still don't even have basic cable, so my options at any given time are limited. Still, I wouldn't mind catching up on my Conan.
Dig (acoustic remix)- Well, Jake hated the original, so I recommended this version to him only to get the same result. If loving new Incubus makes me gay, than lisp me up and throw a V-neck and some skin tight jeans on me.
Redefine- To Scott, who is redefining his writing and his image to a fascinating, and somewhat disturbing, cross between JFK and Tucker Max. His blog is both highly offensive and highly entertaining. It makes me shudder to think that both our mothers currently read our pages. Time to get a new URL. (or something like that)
Warning- This song is fantastic. Certain songs that become singles don't really deserve to be. Not the case with "Warning". I'd also like to send a warning out to bicyclists in Philadelphia who would stir my wrath to the point of no turning back with their idiotic traffic moves: I will reach a point where if I see you blatantly running a red while I have the green my foot and brake pedal will stay separated. You share the road, you share the rules. This act is getting very old, very fast.
Oil and Water- Again, applicable to my relationship with the biking population in the city.
Quicksand- See Megalomaniac
A Kiss to Send Us Off- To Ben Caplan and the multiple man kisses he generously dished out in a somewhat inebriated state on Saturday.
Wish You Were Here- To Mr. Tom who is hopefully loving life in Chicago right now. I hope to catch up with you soon brother and I really wish you could've been one of the people in that crowd with us on Saturday night. For those who don't know, Tom is probably the nicest cat you'll ever meet. He is working in the Windy City with underprivileged kids, much like he was doing in Philly. People who work with kids in the type of hands-on career that really impact lives (not just fill out paperwork) do not get compensated adequately for what they do. And Tom wouldn't cry about this fact ever. He's way to busy caring about others to be even remotely selfish. We love ya bro, and will see you soon.
Aqueous Transmission- This song has an Asian sound to it, so I will dedicate it to Sarah, the Asian-American lass I was chatting it up with post-concert. At any break from talking with each other, I was reminded by friends that she was, indeed, an attractive Asian girl and that digits should be retrieved. They were, moreso out of peer pressure than out of any deep connection. Still, a night full of moderately entertaining stories followed the show.
ENCORE:
The Warmth- A couple of the bartenders at Jocelyn's seemed to lack the Warmth, but luckily Caplan had enough to go around for the whole birthday party.
A Crow Left of the Murder- I'm not going to relate any aspect of my weekend to this song, but I will say that this was the jam that most impressed me that night. Brandon's voice was dynamite in such a way that it gave me an appreciation for the song I hadn't really had before.
Lets Go Crazy (Prince cover)- Since I already bashed this as a closer for the band's setlist I will say that it has been a wild summer and the last 3 weeks should be even busier (in a good way) than the first 3 months.
See, I go away for a month and I deliver the goods with a monster blog to follow a drought. So reader, I'll see you tomorrow maybe? In a week? Another month?.....
Pardon Me- For having to back out of playing with Jamie at the bar on Friday night. I was deathly ill and in no condition to sing. I was only going to play a handful of tunes, just to give him a break that he ultimately didn't get. I have no doubt he did a stand up job despite this....Side Note- This song is always an Incubus classic and the fact they can open with it shows how incredible their catalog is.
Nice To Know You- To Liz, who has successfully devised a way to spend 100% of her waking life being a business professional, a beach bum, or the recipient of construction workers cat calls. I would be upset, but I feel as though our friendship is only one of many things in her life abandoned so that the aforementioned trifecta can stay intact. Liz, if you would like to remain friends in a way that doesn't involve me putting on a hard hat and holla'ing at you, let me know.
Anna Molly- To Pam Beesley, for restoring my faith in women. Yes Pam, I know that you're fictional, but just the remote possibility that there is a living breathing female out there that even slightly resembles you is enough to carry me through waves of skanky bar broads and cheating exes. Mark my words, I will find my Pam Beesley. (More on Pam and my recent obsession with the Office in a blog to come...hopefully)
Stellar- To Diesel, the Critchlow's english bulldog. You are stellar D-baby, and seeing your jowly face always brings a smile to mine.
Megalomaniac- I don't really have anything I want to write for this song, it's middle of the road as far as Inc. tunes go anyway...
Circles- My calendar year has turned into one big fat cycle. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, where I'm working, where I travel or who I verbally accost in this blog, it all seems to be a never-ending carousel. I think a bold career move or a bold something-else would be a good way to break the emotional/psychological monotony that I've been plagued with of late. If this paragraph sounds wordy and overthunk, it's because that's what I was going for.
Love Hurts- I'm sure the theme of this tune has been done repeatedly over the years by different artists, but of course I am partial to Brandon and Co. version. This love stuff is physically painful on occasion and just a royal pain in the keester in general. I'm 24 in a few weeks. Ideally, I'd like to have kids in 6-10 years. (Yea you heard me, chicks aren't the only ones who think about marriage and kids) That sounds like a lot of time right? Wrong. Time flies, if you haven't already noticed. With each day that passes, I become more aware of how quickly the one before it came and went. The years start blending together after awhile, and dates become less clear as life just seems to blur together.
Just a Phase- Scott and I came to the agreement that we are starting to grow out of our concert phase. In high school, we would attend at least a concert per month, getting crazy in mosh pits and crowd surfing and losing our voices and hearing simultaneously. It's still a lot of fun, but not exactly the same. It's a couple-times-a-year event now and it doesn't have quiiiiite the same impact it once did. Not to mention, shows are getting too pricey these days. Mediocre bands are selling tickets for 40 bucks. I'll pay 40 for the Foo Fighters, but not for Slightly Stoopid.
Drive (Acoustic)- I've been trying to cut back on my time behind the wheel. Gas has been a finance-draining douchebag this summer as per the usual, and I look forward to the coming months where more and more of my friends will be moving into da friendly confines of Da-215. It will save time, which saves money, and it will save money, which, as you might imagine, also saves money. I can't imagine this utopia of a city where the great majority of the people I'm close to live within walking distance. Sounds too good to be true...
Talk Shows On Mute (Acoustic)- I've really not been able to catch as much Conan O'Brien in his new time slot as I thought I would. I figured I'd be watching on a reg and getting an hour of extra Zs, but this hasn't been the case unfortunately. Truthfully, all TV I watch is online nowadays. I just exterminate full seasons of shows at a time after a hard days work. Plus, I still don't even have basic cable, so my options at any given time are limited. Still, I wouldn't mind catching up on my Conan.
Dig (acoustic remix)- Well, Jake hated the original, so I recommended this version to him only to get the same result. If loving new Incubus makes me gay, than lisp me up and throw a V-neck and some skin tight jeans on me.
Redefine- To Scott, who is redefining his writing and his image to a fascinating, and somewhat disturbing, cross between JFK and Tucker Max. His blog is both highly offensive and highly entertaining. It makes me shudder to think that both our mothers currently read our pages. Time to get a new URL. (or something like that)
Warning- This song is fantastic. Certain songs that become singles don't really deserve to be. Not the case with "Warning". I'd also like to send a warning out to bicyclists in Philadelphia who would stir my wrath to the point of no turning back with their idiotic traffic moves: I will reach a point where if I see you blatantly running a red while I have the green my foot and brake pedal will stay separated. You share the road, you share the rules. This act is getting very old, very fast.
Oil and Water- Again, applicable to my relationship with the biking population in the city.
Quicksand- See Megalomaniac
A Kiss to Send Us Off- To Ben Caplan and the multiple man kisses he generously dished out in a somewhat inebriated state on Saturday.
Wish You Were Here- To Mr. Tom who is hopefully loving life in Chicago right now. I hope to catch up with you soon brother and I really wish you could've been one of the people in that crowd with us on Saturday night. For those who don't know, Tom is probably the nicest cat you'll ever meet. He is working in the Windy City with underprivileged kids, much like he was doing in Philly. People who work with kids in the type of hands-on career that really impact lives (not just fill out paperwork) do not get compensated adequately for what they do. And Tom wouldn't cry about this fact ever. He's way to busy caring about others to be even remotely selfish. We love ya bro, and will see you soon.
Aqueous Transmission- This song has an Asian sound to it, so I will dedicate it to Sarah, the Asian-American lass I was chatting it up with post-concert. At any break from talking with each other, I was reminded by friends that she was, indeed, an attractive Asian girl and that digits should be retrieved. They were, moreso out of peer pressure than out of any deep connection. Still, a night full of moderately entertaining stories followed the show.
ENCORE:
The Warmth- A couple of the bartenders at Jocelyn's seemed to lack the Warmth, but luckily Caplan had enough to go around for the whole birthday party.
A Crow Left of the Murder- I'm not going to relate any aspect of my weekend to this song, but I will say that this was the jam that most impressed me that night. Brandon's voice was dynamite in such a way that it gave me an appreciation for the song I hadn't really had before.
Lets Go Crazy (Prince cover)- Since I already bashed this as a closer for the band's setlist I will say that it has been a wild summer and the last 3 weeks should be even busier (in a good way) than the first 3 months.
See, I go away for a month and I deliver the goods with a monster blog to follow a drought. So reader, I'll see you tomorrow maybe? In a week? Another month?.....
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