The Winds of Change

Ah, fall. I find it kind of fitting that I haven't posted anything since May when I complained about my least favorite season, and now I pick up posting again in October which is quite possibly the best month in what I know to be the best season of the year. Okay okay so maybe that's just my opinion but I see I'll have to show you the amazingness that is Fall. So for those of you that are already in agreement with me you may take this time to sit back with a smug self satisfaction deserving to you, while I try to convince and make believers out of the rest.

Really I can't see what there is not to like about fall. First things first, the weather. The last vestiges of the summer heat that have as of recent years found their way creeping into September are gone, and have been replaced by what is commonly known as cool comfortable "sweater weather." Time to grab that favorite sweater, hoodie, turtle neck or fleece that you know and love, and secretly can't wait to start wearing again. Don't give me that look, we all have one. Unlike summer where you wear as little as possible and still find yourself camped out in front of the AC or winter where just to be able to brave the outside you have to bundle up like Ralphie's little brother in A Christmas Story, fall is perfect for getting outside. What about spring you say? Spring is the bastard sister of fall, there I said it! Sure spring has the same beautiful weather that fall has, maybe even a little bit on the warmer side, but you pay for that weather with the assault on your senses. I'm talking about allergies, I don't have them but every spring that's all anyone bitches about, so they must suck. So don that comfy sweater and enjoy the outdoor activities fall has to offer, such as...


...apple and pumpkin picking! Nothing says fall like getting out to the farms and picking your own apples or pumpkins with your family and friends. One of my fondest memories as a kid on Long Island is going out to the farms with my family and enjoying the childlike freedom to roam about and pick apples straight from the trees and pumpkins straight from the vine. While I think as a kid my enjoyment merely stemmed from my ability to run amok and eat as many apples as possible before I started to fill the basket, I do still enjoy it as a wonderful day out as an adult. Granted I still do try and eat as many apples as possible, only now i'm smarter and do it while i'm picking apples instead of before so it's not as obvious as to what I was up to, take that mom! I mean come on you know it has to be fun when you're essentially driving further than you have to and paying the farms to be their day laborer! Who says farmers aren't smart?



Another amazing reason fall is so kick-ass is football! In my opinion the only really entertaining sport to watch. Fall is an awesome time for sports in general, the hockey and basketball seasons start, baseball is in it's playoff prime, but even with all that football takes the cake. Football is the only one that really knows how to work some excitement into their schedule, with that I mean the amount of games you get to watch per season. With me all the other sports even if I were so inclined to watching them have way to many games per season, so many so that they lose their excitement and become even less appealing. Don't believe me, look at the numbers! Hockey and basketball seasons both have 82 games a piece and baseball an insane 162 games per season! Wins and losses hardly seem to matter at that point, so whats to get excited about, your team lose today? Don't worry they play another 4 times this week! Football has it set out perfectly with only 16 games per season and each team only plays once a week. That's right 16, that way every game is important and you have all week to get psyched to see your team play. Besides the fact that you get more excited over each game because of the wait between games to me football is just more exciting to watch with constant action, and just like we're drawn to turn our heads at the signs of a car accident there is something about watching a sport that constantly involves people getting hammered on by 350lb monsters. Plus what can be more iconic pairing than Thanksgiving dinner and football?



The last thing i'm going to list but certainly not the least is of course Halloween! What other holiday let's you go door to door and get free candy (or pennies if they were old) from people?! Just waking up that day and knowing I was going to be allowed to dress up as GI Joe and get a vast amount of sweets brought unparalleled happiness to my little world at that young age. The joy of free candy eventually ends as you get classified as "too old" to be dressing up and going door to door, although I pushed that boundary as far as I could, it did eventually end. Just because your quest for free candy has ended doesn't mean the fun did as well, because after that you get to go to parties that involve groups of people still dressing up and enjoying Halloween themed games. Just when you start to think you're getting "too old" for these themed parties you're now old enough to imbibe in pumpkin flavored ale and these same games take on a whole new level of fun with the introduction of liquor! Really it's just kind of a fun way to let loose from the stresses of the work week and dress up and have fun as an adult. Unfortunately over the years since my childhood of trick-or-treating Halloween has seemed to diminished to barely called a holiday and every year I see fewer and fewer kids out on the streets looking for their free candy. At least as an adult there are no lack of bars to frequent for Halloween parties, so I've still got that going for me. With Halloween comes a bevy of movies that while any other time of the year you wouldn't give a second glance to if you saw it on TV, now makes you stop, sit, and watch. Personally i'm partial to "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas" but honestly i'd watch those two at anytime of the year, particularly the best "Disney" movie ever.

So that's fall in a nutshell or at least the things I enjoy about fall. Now i'm aware that my paltry explanations don't do it justice but hopefully at least something I've said opens your eyes to reason and makes you a believer in just how great fall really is. ∞

The Beginning of the End

The middle of June is fast approaching and with that means the start of the death season, or as you may know it, Summer. I hate the Summer, loathe it to it's very core, and all because of the heat. Sure you may thank the sun for giving us such little things like the ability to continue living, but me I shake my fist at it for making me a walking version of Niagara Falls for three months. Don't get me wrong Summer can be one of the more fun seasons because there are lots of good things that come with Summer like the beach, BBQ's, and a bevy of outdoor activities (I got a SIX on the Sun-Stare!) With that I figure I would try and come up with some good ideas for the upcoming Summer season, like actual things to do or try, maybe tips for how to do something better or correct, stuff like that, and maybe it's something you do regularly and maybe it's something you've never tried before but I hope for it to be somewhat useful either way.

• Lots of people do it, few do it right. Sure that can be said about a lot of things, pervert, but it's been my experience it's true more often then not when it comes to Grilling a Steak, so here are some easy step by step instructions.
• Go to the Beach! There is nothing like hanging out with a bunch of friends at the beach tossing a football around and then going for a nice swim in the ocean to cool off. And whats better is its free! End the day with your new skills in grilling a steak and you're set!
• Whats the best part of a water park? That's right, the Lazy River! Something me and a few friends tried a couple years ago but something I won't soon forget. A real lazy river! Basically get a ride a few miles up, handed a tube, and told to have fun while you float back down river to where you parked your car!
• Something I haven't done besides in the comfort of my own back yard but am looking forward to trying this summer is Camping. Real deal camping out under the stars. Camp site, tents, sleeping bag, cooking food over an open fire, the whole nine yards! Seems to me like it would be very relaxing and peaceful, add some alcohol and you've really got yourself a party.
• Pick up a new sport. If not for exercise then why not for fun? The beautiful weather gives you plenty of outdoor time to try out a new sport, get some practice in, find something you that fits you and that you can really enjoy. I find Golf to be relaxing at times, but frankly quite boring. Tennis on the other hand I love and is a great summer time sport for both fitness and fun!
• With the nicer weather here there will be plenty of Carnivals and Fairs that you can find in your area to go and spend a day out of the house at. There is always a wide variety of fairs during the day, usually on weekends, ranging from arts and crafts to food. If day fairs aren't your thing there are always plenty of night fairs and carnivals full of funnel cake and rides!
• Take a hike! Seriously there are plenty of places you can go for a nice hike out in the woods or on a trail in a park. Pack yourself a snack and a bottle of water and go enjoy nature for a few hours.
• One of my favorite things to do during the summer when the sun starts to go down and it starts to cool off was to start up the grill (on the rare occasion it wasn't already going,) and make some Smores! Whats not to enjoy?! Chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallow, and it's always a good laugh trying to put them together around a grill with a bunch of friends.

Albeit not everything possible to do to enjoy the summer and get out of the house it is at least a start! If this list does anything I hope it gets you out of the house and doing something. Stay cool! ∞

I Wanna Trigger Your Heart

With Mothers Day just having passed and another important date coming up for me tomorrow I remembered an essay I was given in my Philosophy 101 class I took in college. The class itself I couldn't stand and was required for my degree, so I valiantly attended every class only to hide in the back and sleep as much as I could. I never really was very big on philosophy plus the professor liked to tie in a lot of religion into it and only looked to be a few years older then I was. Did I mention she was a bitch? Well one day I got to class early to grab my preferred seat in the back corner to find her passing out a sheet of paper at each seat. When I grabbed my seat and prepared my jacket to be used as a pillow she looked at me and handed me the sheet of paper only to say "You might want to stay awake for this one David, I think you might enjoy it." I hated that she called me David because the first day of class she went around and asked me to talk about myself and if I preferred Dave and I said yes. I think she did it on purpose. Calling me David is definitely not the way to make me stay awake in your class, and so I went back to my pillow making procedure. Once the class was filled she went on to take attendance and told us to flip over the paper at our desk and this is what I saw...

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; big men and small character; steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce; fancier houses but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember to say "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

What can I say it was pretty interesting, and not the normal boring religious philosophy that she liked to rattle on about for an hour and ten minutes. What came next had to be the reason she thought i'd find it interesting because she asked if we could guess who had written that essay. All the kiss ass' in the front started shouting out philosophers that we had learned about, Saint Thomas Aquinas! Kierkegaard! Nietzsche! The teacher just laughed. She finally gave in and with a smile told us it was George Carlin. I don't know if I was more surprised at the asshat who said "Who?" or the fact that before I remembered I was sitting in class I called out "Bullshit!" The teacher just laughed and said it was true and showed us the original copy that said it was by Carlin. After class I went home and did a search to see if she was right, she wasn't. I knew the man who taught me the essentials in cleaning myself (assholes, armpits, crotch, and teeth) couldn't have written that. Not to say hes not capable but I just don't see him doing it. Apparently it was written as a sermon by a Dr. Bob Moorehead, seriously, who was a pastor in Seattle until he was forced to retire after being accused of touching little boys. My reason for knowing this essay aside it really does speak volumes about us and how our generation lives because it's all true.

I also wanted to share a quote from a movie that I absolutely love because it's along the same lines as the essay from above, just a little more recent and comedic.

Here's to Bavarian sugar cookies!

As Harold took a bite of Bavarian sugar cookie, he finally felt as if everything was going to be OK. Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies.

And, fortunately, when there aren't any cookies, we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin, or a kind and loving gesture, or subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort, not to mention hospital gurneys and nose plugs, an uneaten Danish, soft-spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the occasional piece of fiction.

And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause. They are here to save our lives. I know the idea seems strange, but I also know that it just so happens to be true. And, so it was, a wristwatch saved Harold Crick.

From an amazing an underrated movie called Stranger Than Fiction with Will Ferrell, check it out if you haven't seen it you'll thank me. If you have to take anything away from reading the essay and movie quote I hope you realize not to take anything for granted, stop and smell the roses, tell your friends and family how much they mean to you as often as you can, and to live life to the fullest, because it's the only one you get. ∞

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

The snow is all gone and the warmer weather is finally making its way here and though I can't say that I am a fan of 90 degree weather in April (damn you global warming eliminating Spring and making New York go from Winter to Summer, I bite my thumb at you) that means it's time to get the hell out of the house.

Fall happens to be my favorite season, football AND my birthday need I say more, but Spring is a very close second. Lots of things come to mind when I think about Spring but really only a handful stand out that are worth talking about.

• BBQ's
• Easter
• Sunshine and Happiness
• and Weddings
  

As soon as the weather starts to get nicer I start getting antsy and the first thing I think about is the grill and when can I start eating BBQ again. Now I know what you're thinking "Dave, real men don't stop BBQing," and while you are 100% correct when you use a charcoal grill like my roommate Tom and I it turns into "Real men don't stop BBQing; until they run out of charcoal and have to wait for the evil stores to carry it again in mid-April." I have a theory that during the Fall season they take all the unused summer charcoal, cut off the char- and repackage it as just coal for use for bad children across the world for Christmas, because between Tom and I we must have went to about 3 supermarkets, 2 specialty supermarkets, and 2 Home Depots and couldn't find a bag of charcoal anywhere. While I know that a propane grill would solve my dilemma of being able to BBQ year round, to me that's not BBQ. Food just tastes better cooked over mesquite hardwood charcoal, if I wanted to cook over a gas flame I would just stick a hot dog on a skewer and cook over my stove. There are few things more relaxing and fun then sitting around a table and chairs outside with some friends laughing and having a good time over a few drinks with the smell of a seasoned bacon cheeseburger in the air. This is where I smack your ass and tell you to get out there and start BBQing, you know in a non-homosexual way.

Jalapeno Cheeseburger with Bacon and Grilled Onions

Another thing that signals Spring is in the air and kind of lets me know what season it is in case Mother Nature is screwing with the weather to badly to tell, is Easter. Now I am one of the least religious people I know, my skin actually chars a bit when I get close to a church, and maybe it's just me but I tend to gauge time based on important dates and holidays. You know, it's X days til Summer, it's X months til Christmas, that sort of thing. So besides seeing flowers bloom I am reminded it's Spring because there is a man who likes to dress up as a 6ft rabbit in the mall. The best way to make sense of Easter is to just let Eddie Izzard explain:

So, yeah. So the Pagan religion had very big festivals, remember, on Easter and Christmas. The Christian religion came along and had very big festivals, at Easter and Christmas. Jesus died on one and was born on the other. ( doubting sounds ) ‘Cause Jesus I do think did exist, and he was, I think, a guy who had interesting ideas in the Gandhi-type area, in the Nelson Mandela-type area, you know, relaxed and groovy; and the Romans thought, "Relaxed and groovy?! No, no, no, no, no!" So they murdered him. And kids eat chocolate eggs, because of the color of the chocolate, and the color of the... wood on the cross. Well, you tell me! It's got nothing to do with it, has it? You know, people going, "Remember, kids," the kids who're eating the chocolate eggs,

"Jesus died for your sins."

"Yeah, I know, it's great!”

“No, no no, it's bad, it's bad!”

“ No, it's bad! It's very bad. It's terrible! Whatever you want, just keep giving me these eggs."

And the bunny rabbits! Where do they come into the crucifixion? There were no bunny rabbits up on the hill going, "Hey, what, are you going to put those crosses in our warrens? We live below this hill, all right?" Bunny rabbits are for shagging, eggs are for fertility. It's a festival - it's the spring festival!

Exactly, it makes no sense, but hey kids still get a kick out of it right? It may not have the same effect on me as it did as a kid since I don't wake up to hunt for hidden eggs, the downfall to moving away from home, but hey there's still 'It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown' right?

Jesus died for your sins, soooooo here have some chocolate eggs?

Probably the best part about Spring is the beautiful weather that comes along with it, and with that beautiful weather comes an overall sense of happiness. The weather is what lets you really enjoy everything else about Spring. You can sit outside and hang out and BBQ because of it, you can enjoy hunting for eggs inside and outside on Easter, and probably the biggest part you can enjoy is a ton of outdoor activities. Sure there are probably more outdoor activities to enjoy during the Summer but I loathe the Summer and so you won't see me promoting it. Probably has something to do about the fact that it's hot as hell and you melt in the sun, fuck that. I much rather the cool mid 70's temperature to go out and enjoy my day. There is something calming about a nice shady park where you can go to relax and read a book. Parks these days seem to have everything you can think of to relax and enjoy a day outdoors from driving ranges and hockey rinks to bike paths and picnic tables. Some of the most fun that I have had out at some parks are when a bunch of friends and myself get together grab a few picnic tables and a grill and cook up some lunch and throw around a football/baseball/frisbee while we wait for the food to finish. You're not limited to just going to a park though with the nice weather you can do lots of stuff outdoors like going to the farms to pick your own fruits or vegetables. With the nice weather comes a lot of music, food, and arts fairs in the NY area. Personally when I hear Spring I think change, you know all the snow melting and flowers blooming and stuff like that, and I figure why limit it to nature why not change something about myself or try something new, get out there and do something!

Two for me, one for the green basket. Two for me....

The last thing I can think of worth mentioning and the newest to my internal list of what Spring makes me think of are weddings. Actually I should probable say engagements not really weddings. I don't know if it's the happy feeling created from the nice weather and all the pretty flowers blooming and the freedom from being stuck indoors for three months, but in the span of a month there have been like 5 couples who got engaged that I know. Sure some of them are acquaintances and friends from work, but at least two of those couples are people i'm very close with. With that being said... Congratulations to Tom and Cathy who got engaged last night and to Chelsea and Terry who got engaged March 31st. As if it wasn't necessary to get in shape before, stupid tuxedos.

With all that said and done how could you not love Spring?! It's time to get the hell out of the house and enjoy the fresh New York air. With the way the weather has been you better get out and enjoy it while you can before the summer really starts and you start to melt! ∞

Music Makes The World Go Round

I love music. I'm a believer there there is a song for any occasion no matter the mood or situation you're in. I've loved music ever since I was a kid listening to anything my dad was a fan of, hence my love for Billy Joel, and since then have listened to pretty much every type of music with open arms and a chance on my play list. I've gone through phases listening to a certain type of music for months on end until I got hooked on something else from classic rock to classical piano and everything in between. I take that back. Everything in between except country, country you are terrible, anyone who can take music about drinking and women and make it that bad has some serious issues in it's genre.

Music has been my catalyst to happiness on numerous occasions. With that being said I figure what better way to introduce my first post about trying new things and making small changes to brighten up your day then with some music! I've compiled a list of some albums after I asked around what people are listening to right now that they would recommend for others to check out along with a few of my own, and hopefully with a little bit of luck you'll find something on this list that you will enjoy!

Slight disclaimer, I haven't listened to everything i'm listing so if you hate something listed just remember that old saying "Don't shoot the messenger!"

1. Travelers in Space and Time by The Apples in Stereo - Indie Pop, a band I found out about because of a video that had Elijah Wood in it, but very glad I stumbled upon them. Cool robot voices + up beat music = fun to listen to.
2. The Resistance by Muse - Alternative Rock, fifth studio release album by Muse. Not to sure what else to say, they're Muse, they're awesome.
3. Played in Space by Something Corporate - Piano Rock, this actually worked out in my favor as I had a hard time deciding what album to put down. This is a best of album being released later this month.
4. What to Do When You Are Dead by Armor for Sleep - Alternative Rock, another great band, their second album. Band unfortunately broke up in 2009.
5. Drunken Lullabies by Flogging Molly - Celtic Punk, a seven-piece band ranging from boisterous punk to somber they hit such classic Irish topics of love, death, and of course drinking.
6. The Beautiful Letdown by Switchfoot - Alternative Rock, fourth studio album released in 2003 that really got them known and into mainstream.
   
7. My Dinosaur Life by Motion City Soundtrack - Pop Punk, fourth studio album released this past January. Mostly pop they fit into a few genres, this album is associated with punk but undeniably pop with clever lyrics.
8. Runnin' Wild by Airbourne - Hard Rock, often compared to AC/DC they've had a few songs in some video games like Rock Band and Madden 2010.
9. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix - Alternative Rock, one of the few good things to come out of France besides fries, bread, and kisses, this is their fourth studio album and well worth checking out.
10. Them Crooked Vultures by Them Crooked Vultures - Hard Rock, self titled debut album by rock super group formed by John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin,) Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters,) and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age.)
    
11. Oracular Spectacular by MGMT - New Wave, home grown Brooklyn based band named the 18th best album of the decade by Rolling Stone odds are you've heard one of their songs and don't even know it.
12. We Don't Need to Whisper by Angels & Airwaves - Alternative Rock, 2006 debut album led by Tom from Blink-182.
13. Fearless by Taylor Swift - Country Pop, all that country bashing aside anyone that cute that can make a song about Romeo and Juliet is OK in my book.
14. Legend by Two Steps From Hell - Production Music, production music company whose music has been used in such trailers as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Dark Knight, and Star Trek.
15. Blue Album by Weezer - Alternative Rock, debut album from way back in 1994. Absolutely amazing album with every song being awesome. I'm just glad someone else recommended it because it broke my heart not to list it myself!
16. Wires...and The Concept of Breathing by A Skylit Drive - Post-hardcore, first full length album released in 2008. Noted for frequently referencing Final Fantasy.
17. Where You Want To Be by Taking Back Sunday - Alternative Rock, if you didn't know them before 2004 you did after. They had songs on the Spiderman 2 soundtrack as well as opening for Blink-182 on tour.
18. Hearts for Bullets by Ayria - Electro-industrial, Canadian club and rave music, did a few minor tours in the US of A. Something besides hockey and maple trees for them to be proud of.
19. OK Computer by Radiohead - Alternative Rock, acclaimed as one of the landmark albums of the 90's this album gave them their greatest international fame.
20. Worship and Tribute by Glassjaw - Post-hardcore, the album mixes a handful of genres but leans towards experimental rock with a poppy punk feeling.
21. Sticks and Stones by New Found Glory - Rock, third studio album and first with a major label after leaving Drive-Thru Records. Definitely a change from their previous two albums, little more rock then pop-punk.
22. Lights and Sounds by Yellowcard - Alternative Rock, known for their use of a violin in their songs this is their fifth studio album and takes a turn away from their previous pop-punk sound for a more edgier rock feel.
23. Stay What You Are by Saves The Day - Indie Rock, third studio album and first with a major label. Has some great lyrics and a few of my favorite songs including a music video with muppets!
24. All Hour Cymbals by Yeasayer - Experimental Rock, debut album from Brooklyn based band that got positive reviews from Entertainment Weekly and toured with MGMT and Beck in 2008.
25. Control by Pedro the Lion - Indie Rock, third full length album released in 2002. It's a concept album that covers topics such as infidelity, parenthood, greed, violence, and fear of death.
26. We Are the Night by Chemical Brothers - Trip Hop, sixth studio album debuted at #1 on UK album charts and #65 on Billboard's 200. Won a Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance Album.
27. Myths of the Near Future by Klaxons - Dance Punk, Mercury Prize winning debut album released in 2007 and was listed in the musical reference book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
28. Volume Two by She & Him - Indie Pop, Zooey Deschanel's second studio album released in March 2010, debuted at #6 on Billboard's top 200.
29. Go by Jonsi - Baroque Pop, Icelandic debut studio album released just this month debuted at #23 on Billboard's top 200.
30. ...Is a Real Boy by Say Anything - Pop Punk, considered by the band to be their first official album it was released in 2004 and are mostly identified by their sardonic literary sense of humor.
    

If you've got any other bands that you're currently listening to that you think others would really enjoy by checking out please feel free to comment and let me know! ∞

The Power of Video Games

Ah the joy of video games! They've been an intricate part of my life for at least the last 20 odd years, and can make you laugh, cry, and scream in rage. You can kill a few hours playing a shooter like Call of Duty 2, maybe kill a few months with a RPG like Final Fantasy XIII, or hell you can even spend the rest of your life married to a Nintendo character. They can even make you a sex addict. Seriously! Apparently the Nintendo Wii can do just that:

Amanda Flowers, a 24-year-old from Manchester, claims that a Wii Fit injury has turned her into a sex addict.

After falling from her Wii Fit board, Flowers reports that even minor vibrations--such as from a food processor, she says-- "turn's her on." She was told by a doctor that she had suffered a damaged nerve that has provoked "persistent sexual arousal syndrome."

"It began as a twinge down below before surging through my body. Sometimes it built up into a trembling orgasm," Flowers says, according to the Daily Star's article "Nintendo Wii Made Me A Nympho."

Although Flowers' injury isn't one you see every day, doctors in the UK reported frequently treating patients for Wii-related injuries. According to the Fox News article, "up to ten people a week are being hospitalized with injuries caused by playing Nintendo Wii games."

Granting nerd's wishes since 2007

So you mean there is a girl, a real girl complete with vagina, who likes video games, knows what a food processor is, AND is addicted to sex? Well played Wii, well played. ∞

Source: The Huffington Post

"My First Day"

Writing a blog has been something i've wanted to do for a while but I never really felt as if I had a good idea for one. It's crossed my mind every now and then for a few years but seemed to be popping up more and more often from seeing Julie & Julia last summer to reading my friend Matt Shafeek's blog (formerly about his year off from video games, now about his life with the return of them, great read) the past few months. Still not knowing exactly where to begin I started to put more thought into it.

What would Tyler Durden do?

He'd probably give you a chemical burn using lye and then say something really clever like "It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything," but you make do with what you can get away with. Essentially I want to do the same thing and help people realize that they aren't as limited as they think, and that even a small change can make the day exciting again. I've never been very good at solving my own problems or cheering myself up but i've noticed I seem to do a pretty good job at helping others with their problems or cheering them up, so I figured what better way to do that then to write a blog. That was when I finally realized I had been sitting on a good idea for a blog all these years and just never realized it, laughter and complete randomness.

The past few months i've been trying to change the way i've been living my life by being more open, trying new things, and overall not being such an ass. I said to myself "Self, how can I talk about the changes and new things i'm trying in my life, get people to broaden their own horizons and at the same time help them realize that even when things aren't going the way they planned they should focus on the positives, something I personally fail at?" Am I going to do so with the cunning use of flags? No! I'm going to give you things to do and try with the cunning use of lists and articles and self-deprecation in the only way I know how; crude, sarcastic, and with a soupcon of humor.

I promise not to burn your hand. ∞