Please Act Your Age

Say what you will about Carson Daly...
Many despise him, credit him for ruining MTV with TRL. However, we all know the demise of the network was some 15+ years ago when a small cancer named The Real World started the beginning of the end for Music Television.

I've lately grown more respect for Daly because he got OUT. I like to theorize that sometime after he left Tara Reid in his rearview mirror and before questioning the integrity of endless WOOOOs at the prospect of a bad cell phone connection phone call with a one hit wonder in the making he knew he had outgrown his life. Daly is rarely, if ever, on the network that made him famous and has carved out a late evening hole for himself on NBC. Bothering nobody, just those that want to tune in and watch whatever "Last Call" transmits.

The same can not be said for John Norris:

Why are you still at MTV John? Do you think you are making a difference? Do you think it keeps you cool? Please don't tell me you were ever cool to anybody. Chris Connolly got out and is a somewhat respected journalist for ABC/ESPN/ETC. You can at least parlay your experience into a Tell-All book or as a featured writer in Rolling Stone.

I saw you on MTV last night hyping up World Aids Day. I can feel your sincerity. Truly, you want to make a positive difference. You can't do it on MTV. Young kids will not vote. they will not buy a condom. And I doubt they can hear you in their non cell phone attached ear.

Take your message elsewhere. How about joining Dan Rather on Mark Cuban's network effort? Now that's surely hip enough for you? Good Luck John.

Thank You Notes (My Mother Raised Me Better)

Growing up, writing Thank You Notes was a huge deal.
Very large huge big deal.
Our [late] Grandmother would rat out any and all grandchildren who did not write her a thank you note promptly after the holidays. Sometimes I even would ask Grandmother outright, "thank you, thank you a lot. Do I still have to write you a thank you note?" She'd respond with a "(chuckles)Oh no dear." Only to bust my ungrateful ass weeks later.

Recently, I've gotten many "gifts" as I warm my condo. And sadly, not a note has gone out yet.

[With the exception of two (whom address are not yet known) they are all written and in a stamped envelope for mail first thing Monday morning.]

To all gift givers to my past and in my future:
A thousand thank yous upon you, upon your house, and upon your decendants.

Posting To Motivate

In January I made the New Year's resolution to finish 12 books in 12 months:
1. Positively Fifth Street
2. The DaVinci Code
The Tipping Point (quit)
3. Smashed
4. Attention. Deficit. Disorder.
5. A Clockwork Orange
6. Death by Strip Mall
7. The Ice Storm
8. Bringing Down the House
Catch 22 (quit)
9. Last Exit To Brooklyn
10. Kick Me: Tales of Adolescence
11. Superstud: Or How I Became a 24 Year Old Virgin
Middlesex (in progress)

I'm 500 pages away from completing my goal (with Middlesex). With just a little over a month left, it's well within reach. However, certain enemies like Digital Cable and John Madden are tough foes.

Next year's (working) reading goal:
Re-read books that I enjoyed the first time around. Will a more mature TQ find more depth?

Christmas Music Time!

I love Christmas Music!
However, if it's played anytime before Thanksgiving dinner or after January 10th I don't want to hear a single note of it.

Memories of long car rides through Indiana listening to The Carpenters album, then the Johnny Mathis album, and back to The Carpenters was awesome. Working a "seasonal job" with MySister when "I-I-I-I'm dreaming... of a WHITE, Christ - MAAAAAS" ranks up there high also.

Most of the time now, I cool out here in the condo to the smooth jazz sounds of the Vince Guaraldi Trio's album. Classic and timeless - and yes, I do believe that Christmas is classic and timeless.

(that last comment, of course, is removed from how much the next few weeks will have nothing do to with the holiday - the shopping, the parking, the hassles)

Christmas music, the right kind (not the fluffy 98 degrees Christmas or worse the Chipmunks), is almost a cold hard lock to place me in a great mood.

Tomorrow morning I'm presetting the non-stop holiday music channel in my car.

Hope y'all had a Happy Thanksgiving,
TQ

Generic Thanksgiving-themed sappy post:

The following is a quick - off the top of my head - dozen of what I'm thankful for:
MySister's dedication
Co-workers' laughter
The newly arrived dining room table
Quickly meeting a cool neighbor
Friends more talented than I
Recently annouced engagements*
*Standing up
Everlasting Adidas
Cheese-centric food
YouTube profile aides
Pocket Kings
Apples

Blackberry

About four years ago I made the largest purchase of my life at the time. I bought a 1999 Saturn SL2 four door automobile (with a spoiler!). Actually, there is no "about." I know it was exactly four years ago because I just recently made my last payment on the chick magnet (did I mention it has a spoiler?).

The fact that I have no more payments was confirmed yesterday during a phone call. My question was quickly followed up by a "When do I get the title!?" The last time I saw the car's title was when the Saturn dealer showed it too me after shaking my hand. I was too distracted at something listed on the title - which will be the first thing I will look at again when I receive the title in 2-4 weeks...

COLOR: Blackberry

What kind of a car color name was that? My friend drives a "Legend Lime" Mustang. I remember my Uncle buying a "Champagne" Towncar. I guess Blackberry is what you use to describe a car that looks black at night and purple during the day.

More often than once, when handing the keys to the oil change dude, I'd hesitate when responding to his question, "what color is it?" Once a guy even followed up with a "You don't know what color your car is?"

"Well... the title says blackberry... but just put down black..."

I'll tell ya one thing's for sure - as of this month, there is no red in that car at all.

Driving a Debtfreemobile (with a Spoiler!),
TQ

TQ a GQ?

Someone at work voiced displeasure at the two main choices for IL-GOV.
He asked if anybody wanted his vote?
I told him to write-in me, and I emailed him the below during lunch:

Campaign Platform:

Make "Voting Day" a state holiday, close the banks, close the schools, mandate all organizations with Illinois work tax IDs to close for the day. This will elevate the importance of the day every year (not just every four)


"Ignorance Tax" applicable to every person of voting age. Tax waived with submittal of voting receipt with prompt return of taxes (not only a money maker, but will also result in exponentially larger voter turnout like above point)


Hire more teachers and institute school uniforms state wide.


Outlaw "double-naming" of streets. All streets will have ONE NAME. None of this Lake/Euclid or Palatine/Willow.


Re-order Area Codes for phones. All pagers will have their own area code, as will cell phones. A land line to land line phone call across the street will return to a seven digit exercise.


For all future Governor Races an automatic "none of the above" will be added to the ballot. If "none of the above" receives more votes a run-off election will take place a month later with all candidates that includes candidates that campaigned in the primaries (with a month ban on ALL television advertising)


DESTORY THE SKYWAY, and sell for scrap metal. It's always under construction, it's always congested, it's way too expensive to drive on it. Use the money from the scrap metal to add extra lanes on the many other roads into Indiana.


Build 3 foot high fence along Wisconsin / Illinois stateline. Will be effective because thousands of Wisconsinites will just rub the back of their neck and say, "Yah Hey Dare's a fence over'dare?" and will be paralyzed in befuddlement.


By force, overtake cities of Davenport and Moline. We will no longer share the economic force of the quad cities with a four letter state! And if anybody doesn't think this is possible, don't forget the armory in Rock Island.


Ban all riverboat/casino gambling with the exception of the new "ill-quad". The Quad Cities will be the Mecca of the Missisip and soon take over Atlantic City as the nation's 2nd largest gaming revenue center.

LONG TERM GOAL:

Woo back the Football Cardinals back to Chicago. Build an Elk Grove stadium to house both Bears and Cardinals. Reverse all ..renovations.. to Soldier Field and make it an outdoor music/festival complex. Reassign Landmark Status.