towncryer

Okay,
So I've been thinking a lot lately about the economy. It's pretty bleak, and people seem to want to point the finger at this president, or that political party. Truth of the matter is this...I have no idea whose fault it is. But I do feel that we need to move on and fix it. So, in the spirit of forward progress, I'd like to go ahead and take the full brunt of the blame for our poor economy. It's probably my fault anyway.

I feel better already.

Well, it looks like another sad election year for me and my kind.

NADER IN 2012!

If you want a toe-tapping, soul-satisfying, heart-wrenching album to serve as the soundtrack to the next couple weeks of your life, I suggest...

...is my new homie.

Some people say that John McCain selected his VP to snag all the Hillary supporters. I think he really selected her to score big with one key demographic...Sopranos fans who miss Dr. Melfi.

For your consideration...

Lately I've been thinking a lot about Weezer. I played Guitar Hero in Des Moines last month, and "My Name Is Jonas" completely threw me back to junior high. I mean, I've listened to it since then, but it unleashed my Weezer-lust as I felt it when I was 13. Then I read an article on them in Spin, and then Tim posted about Pinkerton.

I want to talk specifically about the blue album, if I may. Every song is a classic. Maybe it's just nostalgia taking over, but I have difficulty not singing along to one of those songs. How do you not scream "THE WORKERS ARE GOING HOME" with Rivers? Anyway, there are so many memories associated with this album. I remember hearing Buddy Holly the first time on the ride home school. The album was released ten days after my 13th birthday (May 10, 1994), and I bought the cassette with my birthday money. I remember playing "Say It Ain't So" in one of the high school bands I was in, and "Only In Dreams" in another. I remember driving around and listening to it when I lived in Denver. It was one of those albums that would almost always sell if I played it at CD Warehouse. I love Pinkerton, I like the Green Album, I tolerated Maladroit, and I have never listened to Make Believe. The Red Album comes out tomorrow, and I'm thinking about giving it a shot. I'll let you know.

Weezer is probably not in my top 10 bands and musicians, but that damn blue album conjures up so many memories because it hit me at exactly the right time in my life. I was just then discovering that I was a music person, that I liked singing and playing instruments, and talking about songs, etc... It's the first album that I just played over and over and over.

So, what was yours?

I'm sure that teenagers would disagree, but I don't think that high school students get as excited about summer break as I and other teachers do. I'm psyched. Just a touch over a month to go, and I think only 24 more school days with students.

I need a job this summer. I'm not teaching summer school, so I need to do something with myself, or I'll drive Kellie crazy. I applied at Austad's, but I don't like my chances. I'll keep looking.

I'm currently bearding again. I think it looks bad, and I'm not 100% positive why I'm doing it...probably to compensate for male patter baldness.

Speaking of hair, I got a haircut last week and the lady sort of mulleted me. For all I know, it could be the best cut I've ever had...but I have to go by feel...it feels way too long in the back.

...bouncing over a white cloud, killing the blues.

I don't have IFC, but they have this show called "The Whitest Kids U'Know." It reminds me of "The Kids in the Hall" and it's f-ing hilarious. They have episodes On Demand in the Free Zone...Cable TV Showcase.

Maybe you check it out. Fair warning...might be kind of a dude show.

When I used to work at CD Warehouse, I totally paid attention to the Grammy Awards. Did I think they actually mattered? No. And I still don't. Was I into the awesome performances! No, they're garbage now as they were then. The reason I cared is because I wanted to know what album every idiot with access to CBS would come in the following Monday and ask for. At music stores everywhere, Herbie Hancock will be discussed and purchased for the first time in decades. Good for him.

I joined netflix. It's pretty cool. I've watched "Raging Bull" and "On the Waterfront." Good movies.

I'm pretty sure every one of you has seen it already, but if you have not, I command that you rent "Once." It's the best movie I've seen in a few years.

http://casualheap.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/30-rock-midnight-train-to-georgia/

From What Privileges Do You Have?, based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.


1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school.
17. Went to summer camp.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child.
23. You and your family lived in a single family house.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home.
25. You had your own room as a child.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18.
27. Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course.
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16.
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.

Okay, so the Browns failed to make the playoffs. I could go on and on about how common tiebreakers are bullshit, and how there is no need for a 16 game season (there should only be sixteen weeks and the seventeenth should be left open for the possibility of playing a tie-breaker for a wild card slot). There are a number of things I could say about how bad the Titans really are (Vince Young has more interceptions than touchdown throws). But instead of chewing these sour grapes, I'll change my icon and look forward to other only professional team sport that I can stand (I like hockey, but I don't get whatever channel has games).


Here's to a new year! GO ROYALS!

Not to steal Thad's thunder, but Kellie and I got engaged on Friday night.

We are excited.

This is a picture of us being straight up gangstas...

I wish i-Tunes had bootlegged songs from shows. Sleater-Kinney did a sweet version of Promised Land with the singer from The Gossip when they came to Omaha in '05 (which was a better show than most). There's one on youtube with Edward Vedder singing, but the sound is "meh" at best. Stupid i-Tunes.

...and I believe in a Promised Land.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=7104565

I'm helping coach girls golf this year, and the first practice is at 3:30 today. This needs to be made into an inspirational movie about a group of girls who nobody expected to compete and their coach who taught them to believe. I can't decide if I'd be the unorthodox, loose cannon coach (kind of like Emilio in Might Ducks), or the "by-the-book" coach who teaches them to be proud of themselves for playing the game with dignity, respect, etc...(maybe Denzel in Remember the Titans)

We'd get to State and lose in a playoff in the movie. You always learn more about yourself when you lose (Rocky).

I would be played by Kevin James.