Today's Quiz

What's worth watching?

2012-02-09T01:47:00.002-06:00

Shortly after watching the latest episode of Justified, which is already hitting its stride early its new season, I realized that not enough people are mentioning the Kentucky set FX drama among TV's best. The thought also made me realize that I didn't share my Best of 2011's TV. Better late than never? Here are my top 11 shows of 2011:

Parenthood on NBC (via)

11) Parenthood
Pure and simple my feel good TV show. Although it won't fill the void left by the #3 show on this list, it consistently reminds me of it (which makes sense because they're both run by Jason Katims). It's one of the more expansive casts on this list, and I'm on record saying I love my own family very much, but if I had to choose another - I'd choose the Bravermans. If NBC wants a hit, they should consider spinning off a show with the oldest granddaughter away at a college (Felicity 2 anybody?)

Shameless on Showtime (via)

10) Shameless
Emmy Rossum is a star. Yes, William H. Macy is at the top of this show's call sheet - but Shameless is nothing without Rossum. I first fell in love with Rossum as the cause for one of the cheesiest movie smiles of all time (Dennis Quaid's reaction to her head on Jake Gyllenhaal's shoulder - watch it, trust me, it's awesome). But she is not playing some sweet young smarty pants in this Showtime TV-MA Drama - she's one of the strongest, sexiest, characters on TV today that is also vulnerable and caring.

The Walking Dead on AMC (via)

9) The Walking Dead
I don't read comic books and I don't watch zombie movies, but I really like The Walking Dead. It's a perfect show for me in a post-Lost world. Lost was a show about survival, and living with what you have left - only to have a bunch of unexplained craziness introduced later. The Walking Dead is right up front with its insanity: A Global Apocalyptic Event occurred, there are now zombies, that's what's happening - deal.

Game of Thrones on HBO (via)

8) Game of Thrones
Similar to what I wrote about zombies - I feel the same way with the fantasy genre. I went into the show with a cynical preconceived review of "Lord of the Rings with Boobs" but it's much better that that. Its season finale was remarkable. It's been a long time since a show was as daft at finishing loose storylines while also setting up a next season arc without resorting to hack cliffhangers. I can't wait for the new season.

Louie on FX (via)

7) Louie
Louis C.K. is a stand-up-auteur. Louie is a lighthouse of creativity that is the perfect example of how a Network should exhibit trust to their talent. Of course I've never literally stood up off my couch and given a scene a standing ovation - but I've never come as close than after the below embedded scene. This show is a comedy, but this example shows how Louie is not afraid to show excruciating real life

Justified on FX (via)

6) Justified
I enjoyed Justified's first season, but it's second was leaps and bounds better. Thankfully the Emmys got it right giving Margo Martindale the award for Best Supporting Actress, because she was brilliant. The show is fantastically written - it's able to have stand alone episodes work as well as season long arc builders. It's lead character is easily the most likeable character in recent FX history. The Network, starting with The Shield, seems hell bent at placing flawed and wrong minded people at the head of its dramas. But U.S. Marshall Givens is a good man and awesome.

[We interrupt the countdown to point out a program that didn't make the cut]

Sons of Anarchy on FX (via)

This list was initially posted as a Facebook Status Update with no further explanation - just the show titles. Friends quickly commented that I should check out Sons of Anarchy on FX. I've seen every episode of SOA, I've been with it from the start. The show wouldn't even make my top 15 (I'd place Boss, Check It Out with Steve Brule, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and The League ahead of it. It's Sons of Lower Class Sopranos at best and Nip/Tuck with Tattoos at worst. I have problems with how storylines get dragged out and how its characters are immune from consequences. But, I will continue to watch this show until it's finish.

Boardwalk Empire on HBO (via)

5) Boardwalk Empire
My friend recently described Boardwalk Empire's beauty as, "There are scenes that you just want to hang up on your wall as art." The show is a technical marvel, and a cinematic masterpiece. It's a full meal of a show, with thick character development and strategic plotting. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love reading episode recaps of this show - I study it like I'm going to be tested on it.

Homeland on Showtime (via)

4) Homeland
This show is 24 for grown ups, and I mean that in the nicest and most Jack Bauer complimentary way possible. Ten years ago I bought in on 24 and it became one of my all-time favorite shows. But I'm no longer in my early 20s ready to fist pump during action scenes. Homeland is a real slow burn pressure cooker that builds suspense better than any show not named Breaking Bad. I don't know how the characters will work in season two, but they've more than earned my trust.

Friday Night Lights on NBC (via)

3) Friday Night Lights

FNL is one of the best examples at showing people wanting to be better, and the struggles inherit in such a choice. For some, it means fighting against what they consider their fate or circumstance. For others it means a long journey to figure out what aspects of their life are most important to them (self-worth / inner-potential, family obligation, purpose and love to name some but not all).

At the show’s heart is a family. By no means a perfect family, it’s a working family – one that bends but never breaks. It’s a study of what we want America to be, especially in an America in which we realize what it is not.

It is the perfect flipside to Breaking Bad. BB is a show that must be watched after the sun sets – a show that makes you face the ramifications of indirect and direct evil. However, FNL can be a beautiful thing to watch on your couch any Saturday afternoon – and it will make you step out into the world and finish strong. Breaking Bad shows you what you can lose and Friday Night Lights shows you what you can gain.

Parks and Recreation on NBC (via)

2) Parks and Recreation

Three words: Ron F'n Swanson

Breaking Bad on AMC (via)

1) Breaking Bad

Every time I convince someone new to undertake watching Breaking Bad (FROM THE START) I take great pride and consider it a personal victory. It must be what preachers feel like when they convert people to a new religion.

If you're not watching this show, I earlier wrote three reasons to start. All the seasons are available on NetFlix Instant and I suggest you hurry. The show has a definite end point - exactly 16 more episodes that AMC will likely split into two mini seasons. You will want to catch up to be "live" with all of us when it returns in the summer. At the very least - it's the best way to save yourself from spoilers because your social network will explode with us vocal fans after it's finale.

Dishonorable Mentions, Footnotes & Loose Thoughts:

In 2011 I stopped watching Jersey Shore. In my mind, it is an accomplishment that I stopped before the Italy Season. I had cleaned some of my DVR series recordings before leaving for Sri Lanka (mainly to insure that nothing would prevent Breaking Bad, and thankfully also Louie, from recording). I've never looked back and regretted quitting Snooki & Co.

Dexter is not a good show [anymore]. The most recent season ended where it should've began, but instead we got a full season with twice the number of cartoonish villains providing zero suspense along with every character not named Dexter without a reason to be on camera.

To a lesser extent, Modern Family is nearing its end in my DVR. Its first season was great, but ever since then it has been a poor copy of itself and is no longer a must-watch-within-24-hours. If NBC put Up All Night against it, I would choose Pappa Bluth and Mamma Bundy.

The Bachelor continues to make me laugh while The Bachelorette will always make me furious.

Sadly, the entire initial seasons of Hell On Wheels and The New Girl were lost in a DVR death. Through no fault of their own, I will probably never see an episode of either (nor will I make an attempt to give them a shot).

I don't watch Mad Men, but I will most likely try again (which would now be a third attempt).

I don't watch Community (very long story), but have changed my mind and need access to all its episodes (same goes for Happy Endings)

There is no scientific reason why someone with my tastes would not love 30 Rock, but I don't watch it and have very little desire to start.

Finally, I don't watch Fringe, Chuck, House, or any show on Bravo, TLC, or CBS.

Who will see what with me when?

2012-02-07T21:11:00.000-06:00

M83 @ Lincoln Hall. December 2011

This past weekend someone asked me what upcoming shows I was planning on attending. The answer was disappointing because it only consisted of the M83 show, which isn't until the first Friday in May. Typically the first few months of a year are concert-free as I'm focused more on either going to college basketball games (or rather watching them on TV). Meanwhile, it usually takes me a couple months to thoroughly sift through various Best Of Lists from the prior year. Essentially, I'm scouting for which acts I want to target as they visit Chicago.

Here are some examples of acts about to come to town that I have not yet purchased tickets, but am strongly considering attending. Please let me know if any of these hit your ear well and want to make next year's spreadsheet.

Miniature Tigers @ Schubas Friday March 30 ($14)
(with opening act: The Chain Gang of 1974)

Neon Indian @ Metro Friday April 6 ($20)

Metronomy @ Lincoln Hall Wednesday April 4 ($15)

I Break Horses@ Lincoln Hall Tuesday May 29 ($14)

What's that sound?

2012-02-05T11:25:00.001-06:00

I've fallen deeper and deeper into the genre I lovingly call "techno pop." It's a label that nobody else would self apply, because it's a reference to how Maude Lebowski described a music group comprised of three Nihilists. But I see you're anxious for me to get to the point...

"EDM" seems to be the preferred nomenclature. Standing for "Electronic Dance Music" it can be applied to a vast array of music. For a while I've enjoyed Cut Copy - and most recently Holy Ghost and Washed Out, but Spotify has steered me further into this genre. Here are three examples:

Bag Raiders

Toro Y Moi

Miami Horror

Finally, I can't post without mentioning M83. By far, the most listened artist since joining Spotify on December 1. This is a party that's not too late to join! The breakout "Midnight City" track will easily make its way onto my Decade's Best list. (For the record - I would've made this statement even if Victoria's Secret didn't use it for a recent ad campaign). Thankfully I was able to get tickets to their early May concert after the sold out show was moved to a larger venue. I recommend everyone also check out "Couleurs" but I will instead post the closing track from the recent Hurry Up, We're Dreaming double album because it was recently set to an amazing time lapse video shot at Yosemite National Park:

Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.

When did Liam Neeson get awesome?

2012-01-28T16:45:00.001-06:00

Schindler's List was almost 20 years ago.
That's when most of us first saw Liam Neeson in his Oscar nominated role as Oskar Schindler. His acting career began more than 20 years prior and he's been working nearly nonstop the entire time (Neeson's impressive IMDB page).

photo via a Liam Neeson Photoshop Challenge on uproxx.com

Lately, he's been one of the best Hollywood kicking ass badasses. Some may have realized how awesome he is when he was wielding a light saber, or beginning Batman, but for me it was his throat-punching tour de force Taken. It was quickly followed up by a similar role in Unknown and yesterday The Gray opened in theaters. [I really wish "the" would've been dropped from the title - I wanted the starkly titled single word trilogy to have been completed].

Just when I thought my opinion of Liam Neeson couldn't have gotten any better, I saw the below embedded video. In my mind, he's a triple threat - with the ability to make others cry from an emotional monologue, cry from a painful beating, and now cry in laughter.

Was the past year the best year of my life?

2012-01-23T02:00:00.000-06:00

January 24, 2012 is my birthday. As an American, I'm allowed to be totally self absorbed and selfish on this day. Therefore, I'm using this opportunity to write an extremely long brag. Please note that I did not write this for you - it's entirely for me: A document to upload to the Internet that I will be able to look back at for years to follow. This is my birthday present to myself.

Dear Facebook, not everything has to be "like"-able

2006 was the best year of my life. I knew it while the year was ending. It wasn't in the morbid, "well, it's all downhill from here" sense - it was a warm feeling of accomplishment. That year I finally told my parents that they were ready to live on their own when I bought my condo and was also the year I won a free weekend in Vegas thanks to a lavish charity poker tournament held on Northerly Island. In January of that year I started blogging and by the end I had accomplished a resolution of finishing 12 books in 12 months (a feat I have yet to equal again). Life was sweet, life was comfortable, life was happy. The following years were slight builds featuring more sweetness, comfort and happiness - but I knew it was all set in motion by 2006.

2006 was the best year of my life - past tense. 2011 is the new highpoint. Again, I don't feel like 2012 is going to be horrid (Ancient Mayans, I'm looking in your direction). Barring something insanely crazy like getting brainwashed into a marriage or fatherhood - it will probably be more than 5 years when it gets topped, if ever. [Although it might be a slight cheat - I'm going to modify by "best year" to the 365 days between my 32nd birthday and my 33rd. There are a couple events from an already stellar January that I want to include in this post.]

The little things: my sporting year

Obviously, you're not a golfer

Even though I started golfing a few years ago, 2011 was really the year I became a golfer. At the start of the season, I openly worried with friends that it might be the last season for me - that if I wasn't happy with my progress I wasn't going to continue. As much as I don't like to admit it, I don't think I truly took the game seriously when I started - seemingly more interested in wearing stupid straw hats or making a damn fool of myself in outbursts of rage. My first time out in 2011, one of my friends said that he didn't recognize me in my new "golf hat" (a modest white Titleist cap). My last time out I hit my preset goal for the year (and also saw a friend bury an eagle from about 190 yards away). But it's not the quantitative scoring improvement of 2011 that earns its place in this post - it was the network of about 6 different people that was willing to spend a few hours with me nearly every Saturday this summer that made it the best.

My home on Wednesday nights

The first sport I loved, basketball, earns an honorable mention here. I took over the low-maintenance coordination duties of a weekly open gym. Pick up basketball is often young men at their worst: hard fouls, harder personalities, and massive amounts of others' shirtless sweat - however, not when I'm in charge. It's more difficult than you'd think to gather ten people who aren't pricks and can remember the four other people on their team. Another reason that makes my basketball group great: we donate a ton of food to a local food pantry.

We made shirts

And now I bowl. It's not the first bowling league I've been a part of - but it's the first bowling team that has ever found its way to first place. If I am honest with my most egotistical self - it's not the team's success which is making me happy (it should be noted, my average is the worse of the team named StrongMenAlsoCry). I'm getting out of work on a usually boring Tuesday night to roll with a couple friends. We all laugh together and regularly tease each other. The only thing that I love more than the others' toleration of my non stop Lebowski quoting is the creation of the below video. It will keep me smiling for many years:

What was heard: my year in music

Jim James of My Morning Jacket

Arcade Fire winning the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2011 was a moment of huge joy for me. Was it my favorite album of theirs? - no. Was it in my opinion the best album of that year? - not even close... But when a band you like - that a lot of people were vocal about never knowing existed - wins an award like that it's like having your small school win the National Championship.

More important for me, 2011 was a record setting year in both concerts attended and people who went to concerts with me. After years of trying to convince friends to check out this band, or having the same friends ask me to check out that band - we finally saw'em all when they came to Chicago. Or, as was the case with my favorite show of the year, go up to Milwaukee (My Morning Jacket at Riverside Theater) to catch a better performance. Even though MMJ was the best show, my strongest memory from the past year might be how I got myself to see Foster the People for free. (and then also, by the same reward, see Girls) Yes, I made a chart to fully detail just how many great shows I saw with many great people:

Other people's joy: my year of being included in something bigger


Doug & Rachel

Not too long ago, if you would tell me that I would not blink twice at missing Fatboy Slim performing in Chicago or a hometown Lebowski Fest I would not have believed you. Those two events seem to be right up my selfish alley, but 2011 presented me with better options that reminded me there are other people I care about more than myself.

The wedding of Rachel & Doug was not the first wedding in which I viewed both halves of the union as a friend. It was also not the first time I was an usher in a ceremony. It felt different because Rachel & Doug are not lifelong friends I've known since childhood. I always knew of them as a couple and they always knew of me as a beaten up romantic cynic.


Me n'Matthew

Then there's Matthew: my Godson. Again, it's not the first instance of a friend having a kid - and not the first instance of watching a child grow before my eyes that I've had a sincere connection and love. Matthew is my first Godson (his parents = crazy?). The title definitely changes things - and I'm already loving my front seat to the rest of his life. I'm dreaming of living vicariously through his accomplishments and bragging about him without having any of the time and pressure responsibilties his parents have.

The separate incidents of Rachel & Doug's wedding and Matthew's Baptism does not make me want to start a family any sooner - but I'm happy everyone involved in those events felt different.

Passion Affinity Infinity: the year of #mubb (and its role in my Las Vegas success)

Ring out ahoya

There's nothing more I can say about my time in Las Vegas during March 2011 that hasn't already been blogged with an incredible amount of detail. Those five days in Nevada was the greatest time I had [domestically] in 2011 - with a large part courtesy of the NCAA results of my beloved alma mater. Even with the Vegas Geographical piece aside Marquette Basketball deserves its own block in this post. Once again I had purchased a 5 game ticket plan and was able to take a few more people to their first Marquette game. The team is a personal source of pride and I love being able to share it with others - to have them experience just how many students go to the game and to know that a smaller private school can sell out an arena built for an NBA franchise. For example, I was finally able to take MySister to a game. She had bought a "Beat Syracuse" button in the Spirit Shop before the game after I told her that Syracuse was the only team MU has yet to beat since joining the Big East. The button worked, and more importantly MySister wore that button the next time they played: The 2nd Round of the NCAA Tournament - when I literally ran a victory lap around the Sports Book at Treasure Island and bought many people celebratory beers.

With a MU rah-rah

I've already been to 3 games this year - and Marquette has won all three! Keeping the family vibe going, I took my Dad (MU class of 1960) to the game and even though he seems to cheer louder at the Kiss Cam - it always fills my heart when I'm able to take him there. It's a great arrangement / tradition we have: I buy the tickets, he buys the celebratory Culvers meal on ride home.

(FYI: #mubb is the Twitter hashtag that links all "Marquette University Basketball" tweets -it's a fun community and culture that I'm slowly becoming more entrenched)

Sri Lanka: the year I happened to go to the other side of the world

MySister & I in Sri Lanka

Still can't believe I did that. My head may never wrap around my choice to join MySister in Sri Lanka for two full weeks. I didn't even have a passport when I made the decision.

It's the highlight of my life. Pure and simple the largest endeavor I undertook causing the best result I ever could have imagined. I wrote many posts soon after my return about it. The experience almost killed this blog - for there seemed nothing in my humble life blogworthy anymore.

Negombo Cricket Club: 2011 Fantasy Baseball Champions

Every aspect of my life seemed to be positively influenced by it - from the crazy awesome winning streak I experience at the poker tables (funding my plane ticket) to my appropriately named Fantasy Baseball team winning a Championship.

The group that organized the build, the team I joined, recently created a video I hope you all watch. I'm in it briefly, but MySister is the exclamation point at the end. Thank you Be The Change Volunteers:

BONUS MENTION:
Bowling Pin continues - highlighted by a new best effort in St. Louis

Bowling Pin has now been photographed in seven states

What are my (personal) year end music awards?

2011-12-21T23:32:00.002-06:00

Jim James of My Morning Jacket (June 16, 2011 at Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

The “Perpetual Repeat” Song of the Year: Pumped up Kicks (Foster the People)
Runner up: Midnight City (M83)

The “Share with All Friends” Album of the Year: Father, Son, Holy Ghost (Girls)
Runner up: Kaput (Destroyer)

Top 25 tracks of 2011 (NOTE: not listed in order of rank)

The “If Everyone Could Be Like This” Concert of the Year: My Morning Jacket (Riverside)
Runner up: the dual experience of Foster the People / Girls (both Lincoln Hall)

The “Phoenix” Becoming Too Big To Not Easily See Again: Foster the People
Runner up: M83

The “Franz Ferdinand” Must Now See Every Time They’re In Town: Foals
Runner up: Fitz & The Tantrums

The (newly named) “Bon Iver” Regret of the Year: Passing on seeing Bon Iver live at Chicago Theater
Runner up: Passing on seeing Bon Iver live at UIC Pavilion

The “Medulla” Most Disappointing Album: Zonoscope (Cut Copy)
Runner up: King of Limbs (Radiohead)

The “Should I Quit You” Most Disappointing Concert: Feist (The Riveria)
Runner up: Delorean (Lincoln Hall)

The “Shadenfradue” Guilty Pleasure Track of the Year: Party Rock Anthem (LMFAO)
Runner up: Barbara Streisand (Duck Sauce)

The "Buy an iPod stereo for the car" Best Decision I made in 2011: Cancelling my weekly basketball game in order to catch Broken Social Scene perform a free concert outside of Wrigley Field
Runner up: Creating an account on Spotify.

2011: A record setting year in venues attended. And more importantly, people who joined in the fun.

Can you tell a story without words?

2011-11-02T00:54:00.003-05:00

Thankfully a coworker bought a current contest by National Geographic to my attention and suggested I enter with pictures from my recent trip to Sri Lanka. Below are my submissions to Stories Without Words (The caption notes each submission's category for consideration).

The Culture You Learn

People You Met

Occasions You Celebrate

The Spaces You Discover

Who was my roomate?

2011-09-14T09:46:00.000-05:00

I've embraced TQ has my preferred nomenclature because of how common "Tom" is - especially in my extended family. It's the name of my Grandfather, two Uncles, two uncles, and more friends. It's no surprise that when I travel to the other side of the world, that I'm put into a room with someone also named Tom.

The above picture is one of my favorite pictures I took while in Sri Lanka. It beautifully illustrates the connection my roommate Tom made with the young students at the school. He was certainly a favorite of them - and you felt like they were all genuine favorites of him.

It did

What does S.A.S. stand for?

2011-09-13T09:43:00.000-05:00

Our team in Sri Lanka in was 13 people strong. Each was obviously worthy of their own post, but there are just a few I want to publicly mention. For example our Team Leader 'Nique.

And when you mention 'Nique, you best mention her sister Mary-Lourdes as well. As one who likes to assign nicknames, I was quick to refer to the two The SAS. SAS stands for many things, such as high quality sanding standards and bags of wine - but it literally stands for South African Siblings. Initially it stood for South African Sisters, until I met their brother at the tail end of the trip.

South African Sisters

Recently 'Nique has been transplanted to Boston, but her sister Mary-Lourdes is still keeping it real in Capetown. Both, on multiple occasions, suggested I visit Capetown someday - and that I'll have a place to crash there if I do. There are many things that I hope will happen one day for me - showing up in Capetown to see these characters is no doubt one of them.

Their brother, Manny, who I only met briefly at the tail end of my trip when Team India merged with our Team for our last weekend of R&R is also a character with character - but he won't be stealing his sisters' thunder here.

Before the trip, I (as politely as I could) hassled 'Nique about many trip details. She was very quick to reply, which in other words meant she was very quick to settle my anxiety. Once on the scene in Sri Lanka - she was on top of it. What do I mean by "it?" I mean everything. The fact that I never had any worry the entire two weeks is directly associated with her tireless preparation.

Mary-Lourdes is as cool as cucumbers come. Being more reserved than her sister - there was nobody else on the team I wanted to make laugh or smile more. MySister usually laughs at my jokes regardless of their quality (and often - regardless of her comprehension of them), but when M-L laughs at a joke - it was earned.

These two better realize that they haven't seen the last of me.

How could the flight have been worse?

2011-09-12T09:17:00.000-05:00

In my mind: this might have been an improvement

"The only way that flight would have been worse is if the plane had crashed." ~ MySister

My last day in Sri Lanka was Sunday August 14. I had woken up at 5 am in Kandy, taken a 90 minute bus ride to Columbo, waited* in the Colombo airport for 5 hours, flown four hours to New Delhi, and waited** 8 hours for our plane home to Chicago to board. This story is about that plane home from Chicago. It was a 17 hour flight - but it felt longer.

*There was another group flying out of Colombo earlier than us, it made more sense to wait the extra time at the airport instead of going back to the hotel and making another run to the airport. **The layover in Delhi was relatively painless, we experienced a grand shopping mall that existed inside an airport and experienced McDonald's without beef as an option.

But by the time we had boarded Air India Flight 127, it was 1 AM. I had been awake for 20 straight hours and still had another hour before the flight would takeoff. That was the longest hour of my life.

The Boeing 777 jet was packed. MySister & I were unable to change our seats, which we desperately wanted because we were separated on the flight. The plane has a window-middle-aisle-()-aisle-middle-aisle-()-aisle-middle-window configuration: MySister was in one of the "side-middle" seats and I was stuck in a "middle-middle" arrangement. Same row, but just far enough away that we couldn't easily communicate with each other: we were both on our own.

The four seats to my left were for a family of four: the two parents, a 4 year old daughter, and an infant son. It was the second row of the economy (coach) section, and of the 18 passengers total in the first two rows, six of the passengers were crying babies... at 1 AM. But none of those six crying babies were my biggest problem. Immediately to my left was the patriarch of that family of four. I'm not happy to admit this, but I've never wanted to punch a man in the face more than him. The following are his offenses:

Instantly removing his shoes and socks after seating
Playing with the tray table as if he didn't know how it worked before takeoff
Deciding to lean entirely on the armrest between us (instead of the other one on the aisle, that was shared with no one)
Leaning his face clearly over the invisible border between us to read the book I was attempting to read
Dancing feet, row seat shaking dancing feet (he was not listening to music)
Punching his leg, violently, which he had placed on top of his tray table

Yes, he put his leg on the tray table. And yes, all of these offenses were occurring in the initial hour after I had boarded - before takeoff. While his leg was propped up on the tray table, he began punching it - hard. He wouldn't go 3 seconds before the next rabbit punch to his leg. I've re-enacted this scene to a few people, and each time I stress that I'm not hitting my leg as hard as he was his. The only one more bothered than me by this was the poor man in the seat ahead of him. Thank God nobody behind me had lifted their leg to lay on a table and begin rocking the hell out of it through calf violence.

It was only though a more bizarre act that I was saved on this flight. After we had taken off and the seatbelt light went off, that man moved away from me. He spent most of the flight making the rounds of the airplane and guarding watch over his family. Why would his family need a guard? Because his wife was sleeping ON THE FLOOR OF THE PLANE! Meanwhile, his infant son was sprawled out along two seats and his daughter was standing on the third seat. If only I was an artist - I would illustrate how a mother could squeeze between two rows of seats in the fetal position under a tiny airline blanket.

Life Saver

My saving grace were my large over the ear headphones and my fully charged iPod. Specific thanks to the comic duo (and twin brothers) Randy & Jason Sklar. Their podcast helped me through that long journey. I had written them an e-mail of thanks after my arrival - and they replied in appreciation. I will repeat my sentiment in early December when I see them perform live (they usually sell merch themselves after shows).

Sadly, MySister was not as fortunate. The headphones she had brought were not as loud as mine - not louder than the many crying babies. Worse for her, she was flanked on both sides by less than positively fragrant men in a perpetual lean invading her personal comfort. The quote at the the post is very real - it was uttered before we even exited the jet-way at the terminal.

The entire situation left me more delirious than exhausted. I didn't sleep at all. All food was refused (note: if you think airplane food is bad, try adding curry to it). Did I get up once? NO. That's right - I freakin' locked myself into that "middle-middle," dialed my headphones up to volume 11 and RODE THAT FREAKIN' PLANE - RODE IT G.D. HARD.

You ran a marathon? Good for you. You swam a large body of water? Beautiful. I've had my endurance test - it was Air India Flight 127.

How much do I love Sri Lankan Airlines?

2011-09-11T09:18:00.000-05:00

Srilankan Airlines is the greatest airline I have ever had the pleasure to experience. I was on it twice - from New Delhi to Colombo and back. Most certainly my evaluation was improved by its pairing with the long enduring trials of Air India - but even if you look at their characteristics in isolated terms, the quality shines through:

The planes were either new, or were kept in new condition - the leather seats had a new feel, but more importantly it had a pleasantly fresh smel.
I was able to watch episodes of The Simpsons on my flights
The complimentary magazine was a worthwhile kept souvenir (I had to consult it when writing many of these posts)
They weren't overbooked - on both flights MySister and I were able to have an open seat between us.
The flight attendants are very attractive, and were wearing semi-midriff revealing uniforms.

Sadly, I may never have the opportunity to be their customer again. Most everybody knows that if I had to select a dream vacation, it would involve Las Vegas - but in that fantasy - I'll fly there on Srilankan Airlines.

How would you react to an elephant sneezing?

2011-09-10T09:16:00.000-05:00

The picture above and the one immediately below were thankfully taken by a fellow BTCVolunteer that had a much more high tech camera that yours truly - and I'm forever thankful that they were captured, for they are my two most favorite pictures from the trip to Sri Lanka.

Both were taken at the Elephant Orphanage in Peradeniya. There was one specific elephant with a handler that you could pay to pet and get a picture taken. While MySister and I were close, the elephant sneezed. I didn't react - I was transfixed in a Am I really in Sri Lanka, touching an elephant, is this real? trance; Too paralyzed to move. MySister, however, well you can see her reaction.

We saw more elepants there than a lifetime of American circuses. Add in the elephants we saw later that night on parade in Kandy and you have MySister saying, "I think we saw all the Elephants in all of Sri Lanka." Visiting the Elephant Orphanage was pretty awesome - we saw elephants being fed, elephants grazing about, and elephants washing themselves in a nearby river.

Random footnote: on the way back to Kandy from this excursion, we saw someone walking a porcupine on a leach.

What was the last memory of Sri Lanka?

2011-09-09T09:15:00.000-05:00

My last night in Sri Lanka was spent in Kandy. I had mentioned that I would be in Kandy in one of my last posts before my departure, and a friend had a wonderful response to it. But we weren't there to visit a sweet shop, we were there because every August in Sri Lanka (the night of that month's full moon) is the Festival of the Tooth. We didn't see Kandy's Temple of The Tooth, but we saw its parade.

I have the feeling that you can not be told what the Festival of the Tooth Parade is, you must experience it for yourself. As someone who is a strong advocate against parades ("Parades, Circus and Fireworks: if you've seen one you've seen them all.") I will admit that what I saw was unique.

It was four hours plus of a parade of elephants and fire. Fire and elephants. Theatrics with fire. Theatrics with elephants. Elaborate costumes on elephants. Elaborate costumes on people, people with fire. Two hours into it we saw this:

MySister said it best, "I wish this had an accompanying headset like in a museum, to explain all of this." If I had to guess, and that's really all I can do, the middle of the parade with the most elaborate accompaniment had to have been the Tooth. Basically we all stood when the others stood, watched what the others watched, and resigned to the fact that we were in the middle of something huge and important (although none of us fully understood why). Here are a couple pictures I took before my camera battery expired:

Where is your secret place?

2011-09-08T09:13:00.000-05:00

We made two significant stops at Sigiriya on the way back to Negombo from Anuradhapura to end the first weekend in Sri Lanka.

First we toured a spice garden, which provided one of the biggest genuine laughs of the trip. Our guide was an older, small, sweet man who gave (at times too long) descriptions of the various spices grown there and its applications. This one was good for headaches, this one gives you more energy, and so on. At the end of the tour (which lasted a little under an hour) the guide was explaining the particular product that was used for hair loss. He mentioned that women use it for their legs and...

And then there was a pause... a long pause.
As someone more immature than most, I knew what he was hinting at. For the goal of reducing any awkwardness, I hoped he'd just move on to the next spice. But the long pause continued - until he decided to break it with: "your secret place." Then all bets were off - I lost it and the fellow teammates and I continued to make "secret place" jokes that would make your ordinary junior high boy proud.

Still laughing from that, we visited the nearby Rock Fortress - the greatest sight of the trip. Built in an amazingly short time (7 years) about 2,000 years ago (give or take a century) it used to house the King of Sri Lanka. To summarize the story read aloud from one of the guide books on the trip: If you build a Rock Fortress, you best stay in it. As legend has it, the King fell off his horse - leading his horse to instinctively retreat. All of the King's soldiers interpreted the fleeing horse as a signal to retreat - and thus the Fortress was lost.

I, on the other hand, felt like a bona fide conqueror after climbing its 1,200 steps to the top. The feat's reward were the best views of the trip. Next time I do something like this, I'll find a place to change into shorts (the jeans were the only long pants I had on the trip, worn out of respect to the Temples visited prior to the Rock Fortress).

How much onomatopoeia is in Anuradhapura?

2011-09-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Being the son and brother of Elementary School teachers has helped me understand the difference between alliteration and onomatopoeia. Alliteration is when closely placed words sound alike, for instance Sally Sold Seashells and onomatopoeia are words that are associated by the sounds made from saying them aloud (such as Bam, Pow, Zap). With that distinction out of the way, the former capital of Sri Lanka is Anuradhapura. It helps to pronounce the word by creating an alliteration situation by using the onomatopoeia in the word: onomatopoeia Anuradhapura.

Although Negombo (where I spent most of my Sri Lankan time) seemed mainly Catholic, the nation on the whole is primarily Buddhist. The spiritual peak of the trip was its first weekend, when we took a bus up to the ancient capital of Sri Lanka: Anuradhapura. There we saw many Temples and Monasteries. In America, it's not odd to note: That building is very old, it was built in the 1890s. In Sri Lanka, I saw things older than my religion.

I'm not here to comment specifically on Buddhism, or other Eastern religions, but want to share one aspect of its faith:

Saṃsāra refers to a place, set of objects and possessions, but originally, the word referred to a process of continuous pursuit or flow of life. In accordance with the literal meaning, the word should either refer to a continuous stream of consciousness, or the continuous but random drift of passions, desires, emotions, and experiences.

Saṃsāra: Do you know what it means?

Mainly, this post is to share a couple pictures from this trip to Sri Lanka's former capital.

What can 200 Sri Lankan Rupees (approx $1.95) buy you in Negombo?

2011-09-06T09:05:00.000-05:00

Fellow BTCV teammate Diana (Colombian born, but 100% Miami) and I pose next to a Tuk-tuk

I have since learned that these types of vehicles exist in other foreign lands - in Sri Lanka it is called a "tuk-tuk." With the pull start motor reminiscent of a lawnmower, handlebars indicative of a motorcycle and the kind of backseat you would want in a dorm room futon - a tuk-tuk is a fancy motorized hard top rickshaw.

Nearly every night I was in Negombo, I would ride in one of these the short distance from the hotel to the "Negombo Strip" where all its restaurants existed. Three of us would squeeze into the backseat and one of us would pay the driver 200 Sri Lankan rupees for the experience, which sometimes involved racing the tuk-tuks carrying others from the BTCV team and other times coming to a halt to make way for an unknown theatrics or festival in the street.

The times we went out for dinner we would dine at places clearly named to attract English speaking visitors (i.e. "Rodeo" and "Serendib"). I maintained a very conservative approach to food, pretty much avoiding anything I didn't recognize and trusting only fish and french fries along with either the sugar formula Coke or alcohol formula Lion Lager.

We had great times at these dinners learning about the interests of everybody. One of the best instances was when my roommate for the trip ordered a White Russian and MySister shot me a quick, "Don't you dare expose your delirious appreciation of the 1998 movie by Joel & Ethan Coen" glance. I bit my lip, only to jump on the opportunity when the drink was appropriately referenced by another on the team during dinner on another night.

Something that also needs to be noted: the Sri Lankan interpretation of Western Music. The most consistent genre played was Pop 80s, but when it wasn't that it was Bryan Adams. It became a running joke as we couldn't go a single day without hearing Bryan Adams in the ambient noise of Sri Lanka. And I'm not just talking about that song from the Costner movie - there were multiple "hits" from the man. It didn't help (or maybe it did help) that one of the BTCV team is an admitted fan of Bryan Adams. MySister wants me to make a mixtape to commemorate the trip. I told her I couldn't because, "half the disc would be Bryan Adams!"

Can I cricket?

2011-09-05T09:04:00.000-05:00

While I was in Sri Lanka both the NFL & NBA (my two favorite professional sports leagues) were in lockouts. Even if there were actual football and basketball games during my time away, I would not have seen any of it. Sports seems to start and stop with cricket in Sri Lanka. Sure, other sports exist - but they are background thoughts at the very least.

I did have some American Sports withdraw while I was away. There was nothing I could do but trust that my fantasy baseball team (named Negombo Cricket Club) would continue to win while I was away "scouting talent" as I joked on the league's message board. There was something to fill the void: a 24 hour Cricket TV channel. (footnote: my fantasy baseball team won every week I was away in route to an eventual championship - my first in 11 seasons)

Thankfully there were three foreign born (Scotland & South Africa) members of the BTCV team that were able to give me an initial understanding of the sport. Another teammate from Georgia (the American state, not the former Soviet nation) had bought a Cricket for Dummies book for the trip and had graciously given it to me. Later the same generous Georgian gave me a cricket bat purchased at a roadside market. My transformation to Meatball Cricket fan was complete when I purchased a Sri Lankan Cricket jersey.

For those that aren't aware of the "Meatball" adjective in relation to sports fandom: it refers to someone who is very much an outwardly appearance of a huge fan, adorned in team gear and loudly cheers for a specific team regardless that knowledge of the sport/team is questionable at best.

Do you like yardwork?

2011-09-04T09:03:00.000-05:00

My Father laughed heartily when I told him, "There's nothing like the smell of fresh cut grass when you know you don't have to cut it" a few years ago. The Saturdays of my youth were tormented by being yelled awake - a call to yard work duty.

It's been almost seven years since "Q-Manor" was sold. Seven years since my parents moved to a townhouse located in a housing community that does all their yard work for them (for an association fee of course). Five years ago I also found myself writing a monthly check to an association that funded the yard work of others. Yard work is not something I miss.

The hardest day that I've ever worked in my parents yard multiplied by the largest snowfall I had to shovel, does not compete with one day working with Be The Change Volunteers. Did I mention that I was the youngest member of the team? Well, I was. Did I let that stop me from being overtly strategic on when I would "check up on MySister" in consistent intervals while awaiting the next "tea time" break? Absolutely not.

Every time I saw a student in uniform I noticed how impeccably white and clean it was. I would arrive at the school and would be instantly dirty. I also sweated profusely every day and didn't see the bit of exhaustion on any of the locals that helped. For the record, I understand that a surgeon is going to be better than me in the fine detail of paint edging with a brush - but to also have other team members (also medical professionals) able to work a shovel better than me is another thing.

All my bellyaching aside, I know that I helped. The fact that I was there to contribute is better than if I was not there. It helped me reinforce my decision: for every large stone I carried and cement bucket I filled was further proof that I wasn't just taking a vacation.

What did you listen to?

2011-09-03T11:31:00.000-05:00

I'm very proud that I was able to "disconnect" to the extent I did for over 16 days. Even though it resulted in a missing something incredibly major, I didn't look at one website and was totally absent from any social media. However, I was not without my iPod. In addition to being vital to my airline survival, I just don't think I can go that long without some level of control in the music I hear.

All respect to ARASH and Bryan Adams, I need my own tunes. And because I know my music isn't universally liked, let alone even known, to people I'm usually around - I need my iPod.

One of my routines I loved in Sri Lanka was taking a nightly stroll on the beach, feet in the Indian Ocean, just before sunset. After I would return from an exhausting day at the school, and a lovely to say the least shower, I would take my iPod for a stroll before the team met for dinner.

Here are just three of the songs that provided an awesome soundtrack to my most reflective and isolated moments on the other side of the world:

"God Moving Over The Face Of The World" by Moby (One of my favorite, if not #1, song all-time. Was chosen purposely to be the first song to play on the Indian Ocean)

"Terrible Love" by The National (Chosen for the obvious "it takes an ocean not to break" line)

"Literal" by The Calm Blue Sea (A newer song, that I like for its lack of lyrics and chose to share here for the apt band name)

Do they have toilets in Sri Lanka?

2011-09-02T03:50:00.000-05:00

During the evening of Wednesday August 3, 2011 I wrote an inspired post in my Moleskine. It was titled "The morning I lost my innocence" and was ultimately deemed too graphic to share verbatim. Shortly after my return I told a PG-13 version of the tale to my parents, which was able to produce the rare feat of getting my Mother to laugh to the point of tears.

So that story is going to be kept as a "to tell" and not one that will be preserved for all the Internet to behold.

Here's the thing I want to mention about toilets in Sri Lanka: They exist.
More importantly I want to mention: They should exist more!

Luckily (and most thankfully) all the hotels I stayed at while in Sri Lanka had the type of toilets we've all grown to appreciate, value and take for granted in America. The school we volunteered at did not.

I didn't really think twice about that squat toilet at the school until the first weekend in Sri Lanka, when we took a bus ride from Negombo up to Anuradhapura. Along the way we drove through a market; one of the shops in the market was a housewares type store that sold sinks, pipes, and toilets among other such items. They had on display both a standard toilet and a squat toilet for sale.

Wait, what?

If you are building a bathroom in Sri Lanka, and you go to the local toilet shop, why would you even want the squat option? In summary, the source of my confusion about squat toilets is not that that they exist, but why they exist in places in which it's not the only option?

How were we welcomed?

2011-09-01T10:34:00.000-05:00

The van stopped and we were there.
There was no big driveway, no large sign visible from far down the road (the usual trappings of a school in America). I was too busy looking at the tropical surroundings during the commute to realize we had gotten there - I felt more like I was going to be an extra on the set of Lost than going to a school - the stop of the van was my only warning that we had arrived.

The campus of the school consists of a 200 yard long (nearly 45 degree angled slope) hill with school house structures on both sides. There was a white and blue (the school colors) balloon arc at the school's entrance, with all 300+ school children lining the path up the middle of the school to the top of the hill. Each student was dressed in their school uniform - waving small flags and large smiles.

The Welcome at Pope Paul II School (Sri Lanka)

As we walked up the hill, I realized that there were more than just school children welcoming us. The kids were in the front bordering our path, but behind them were their parents and others from the surrounding community. They were all there to welcome us, I never felt more like a rockstar in my entire life. But my rockstar feeling wasn't so much a yeah, we're here - let's rock, as rather a feeling of you all are hear for us? really? I better produce what you want.

I'm not sure if that last line has the intention I want - I was struck by the gravity of the situation I had placed myself. I was wondering if I had out drove my headlights, bitten off more than I can chew, (insert a metaphor that illustrates an underestimation). I've always considered myself a "good" person but this was a venue for a "great" person. That's the feeling of a cautious rockstar, wondering if the venue booked was too large and would ultimately wreck a career.

The large scale of the welcome was thankfully overpowered by the small individual reinforcements that I noticed. The large crowd was generally stoic and at a distance when the nearby children were reaching out with individual greetings. I kept my focus on saying hello back and making eye contact with as many sincerely excited kids.

International Language of Smiles (Sri Lanka)

There was a formal welcome ceremony including a presentation of the school by the principal, speeches by both students and teachers, and a rite that I don't understand well enough to document. I did not take as many pictures as others on the team because I thankfully realized how much of "a moment" was occurring and I wanted to live and experience it as much as I could (which meant not looking at a 4 inch display of it on my camera).

Without a doubt, it was the International Language of Smiles that got me through that nerve wrecked initial moments and stamina challenging first day at the school.

Students welcoming a teacher

When am I leaving?

2011-07-26T22:59:00.001-05:00

The plane leaves in the early afternoon this Friday July 29.
I intend to unplug shortly after I [hopefully] purchase tickets to an upcoming Fleet Foxes concert.
My phone will be left behind. If you've known me well in the last two plus years since getting an iPhone, you know I've been quite tethered to it.
Admittedly, I do want to "check in" at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Someone else on the team will probably have a device that could allow me to sign in and digitally gloat - so don't be too surprised if you see that.
Mostly, I'll be tempted to find a way to log in just to post a note to all that I've arrived safely. In the past my parents have operated on the "no news is good news" strategy - but with them having both kids halfway around the world, I think they would welcome an encouraging report... we'll see...

That's pretty much where my social networking whines end. Thankfully, I'll have my iPod with me for as what my friend so eloquently described as, "a very long boring uncomfortable journey." There are so many things I'll happily be leaving behind and won't miss (the latest douche voted out of the Big Brother house & the newest sexy business wear of Perabo on Covert Affairs to only name two).

I'll miss a lot of things important (parents and friends) and less important (Walter White and Jesse Pinkman). I'll gladly trade new stress (wondering if anybody within earshot understands English) for old stress (did anybody notice the format error on a recently e-mailed spreadsheet).

But I'm not there yet. Although it seems like pieces of me have already left. My heart left a long time ago when I made the decision. Most recently it seems my sanity has left - I hope to find it waiting for me in Sri Lanka. In the past 48 hours I've had 2 horrid nights of little sleep leading to an irrational action such as a Target shopping binge consisting entirely of a massive underwear buy. So although I may not have all my technology I'm accustomed to - I'll have fresh underwear if I need it. I can't even get into the other stumbling blocks I'm tripping over such as how many socks to bring or if an ironic shirt that says, I'm a Keeper is even worth packing. Oh, and then I need to pack food (really!?)

Tomorrow is Wednesday, the day after that is Thursday, and then the day that I depart arrives. See you on the other side of the world, or with pictures of it.

What goes into an 11 hour playlist?

2011-07-15T00:44:00.006-05:00

For the fourth year in a row, I have refreshed my iTunes playlist named "Lou'a'vul." It's about a six hour drive from door to door, and I stuck with the past strategy of whole albums with a few Lebowski inspired songs along the way.

It starts with "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" by The Sons of the Pioneers. This is the song that opens The Big Lebowski. A no-brainer for Achievers followed by "Lookin' Out My Back Door" by Creedence Clearwater Revival. CCR is a must for a Lebowski-minded mixtape.

Next up are both the In Rainbows and King of Limbs (including the "Supercollider" & "The Butcher" add ons) albums in their entirety. These are the two most recent studio efforts by Radiohead.

After two full albums I'll remind myself why I'm in the car with "The Man in Me" by Bob Dylan. This is arguably, the most iconic song tied to The Big Lebowski followed immediately by "Hotel California (Spanish Mix)" by Gipsy Kings. Ya kinda need to have seen The Big Lebowski at least twice to know why this song is on there. It don't matter to Jesus!

After those two tracks, I'll be in full Achiever spirit, and ready to get caught up on the two most recent episodes of the Lebowski Podcast.

My Morning Jacket will then finally make their much deserved appearance. There are too many reasons to include this band. MMJ was the first band to perform at a Lebowski Fest. They are from Louisville. Shortly after their latest release I created an all-MMJ mixtape featuring my favorite tracks from their four most recent albums:

MMJ mixtape

Before getting back into an album focus, one more reference to the film: "Just Dropped In - To See What Condition My Condition Was In" by Kenny Rodgers and the First Edition. I'd say you'd need at least 4 viewing of The Big Lebowski to know why this song belongs here.

The entire Civilian album by Wye Oak.

The entire Pickin' Up The Pieces album by Fitz & The Tantrums

The entire Veckatimest album by Grizzly Bear

The entire Kaputt album by Destroyer

The entire This Is Happening album by LCD Soundsystem

The entire Cloak and Cipher album by Land of Talk

The entire XX album by The xx

(the back half the playlist is intentionally devoid of Lebowski as it's intended for the return home, and playing Creedence will probably make me start feeling sad that the next Fest is a year away)
Okay, time to get to sleep - I'm hitting the road as soon as I can tomorrow morning. I'll be on the road less than ten minutes after I get out of bed - "You didn't think I was rollin' out of here naked, did ya?"

What made my Best of 2011 [so far] Mixtape?

2011-07-09T03:39:00.004-05:00

Best of 2011 [so far]

Every year I love creating a Best of [year] Mixtape playlist in iTunes. Around this time of year I check in to see how many tracks made it through the nomination process of getting dropped into consideration and make a mixtape for the year's midpoint. The tracks are not listed in order of preference - there is no ranking with one* exception:

*"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster The People is the current Song of the Year for me. Quite honestly, I don't know how any song can find my ears before this year's end with a story better than what vaulted this one to the top of the list.

If you care to hear any of the other selections, below are links. If you would like a copy of this mixtape for yourself, please let me know.

1. My favorite song from the latest album of my favorite band
2. My favorite song from the latest album of a top 5 band
3. The best song from an album that, at the time, was cheaper than a gallon of gas
4. (see above)
5. A welcome return to form from a Scandinavian favorite
6. Not only a good track, these guys deserve more credit for finally getting me to Smart Bar
7. A standout track from an otherwise disappointing album
8. Why thank you iTunes for a free SXSW sampler
9. Probably the best new band I stumbled across this year [so far]
10. Immediately after hearing this song for the first time I thought - Phoenix 2.0?
11. Justin reclaims his throne as King of Beardy Folk
12. The ubiquitous "Thank God for NPR's All Songs Considered Podcast" discovery

Who has been going with me to these shows?

2011-06-21T23:15:00.004-05:00

I have fallen behind on my In Concert posts, which is something I like to write for my future self - to have something to look back upon when my life moves on to its next (non concert going) phase. Last time I checked in I was eagerly anticipating a very busy month and posted a few pics from the busiest week of that month.

As I'm nearing my departure to the other side of the world, it is a good time to look back at the year so far in ticketed events. I wasn't planning on seeing anything else before I leave, although I am starting a new campaign to get myself and others up to Milwaukee next Friday to see Girl Talk perform at Summerfest - but that's besides the point of this post.

What stuck out the most in my mid-year self review was the diversity of the company I kept for these shows. There's no way to explain this without sounding conceited at worst or humblebragging at best.

Peter Bjorn And John perform at Chicago's Lincoln Hall in April

Concerts attended so far in 2011:

Girl Talk at Congress with DG & RM (with a fourth ticket going to JJ's friend)
Machinegun Mojo at Elbow room with ZC (with MC & RS there too)
Mountain Goats at The Vic with MB
Cut Copy (& Holy Ghost) at The Riv with JK
Park Ridge Chorale at St. Luke's with PB, SW and more
Delorean at Lincoln Hall with LT
Arcade Fire (& The National) at UIC with RG
Foals (& Freelance Whales) at Metro with DS
Peter Bjorn And John at Lincoln Hall with ?*
Janelle Monae (& Bruno Mars / Mayer Hawthorne) at Aragon with SS, MP and CW
Foster the People at Lincoln Hall with NB

My Morning Jacket perform at Milwaukee's The Riverside Theater in June

And then most recently My Morning Jacket at The Riverside with RG.

I'm separating out the last show because it's the first time I had to repeat a fellow concert goer. I was happy to tell RG he was the first person this year to go again with me to a show. It's a feat that I'm not sure I'll ever be able to repeat, even if it was done somewhat intentionally.

Since I made the choice to stop lamenting at home wishing I'd be at these concerts I kept hearing about and start going sometime in 2007, I've slowly figured out what kind of music my different friends like. Knowing I'd never be able to find one person that I can lean on to repeatedly join me, it became a challenge within a challenge. It also took on another appreciation for me.

For example, I did not discover Janelle Monae. My friend SS had brought over her album during one of our marathon Madden nights and I was instantly impressed. SS is not one to actively seek out, let alone attend anymore (he's been through the concert ringer - hip hop shows can do that to you), concerts. However, he said he'd go see Janelle Monae live. Therefore, I instantly started following her on Twitter, which granted me access to her fan club allotment of tickets - securing them before the quick sellout ensued. It was a great show, but I was too far away and don't have a picture to share here. The highlight of the concert was not only getting SS to the show, because he had discovered Monae for me, but also getting CW out there - who also doesn't get out to many shows and is someone who I introduced the wonderful dynamo named Janelle.

It didn't work out perfectly however. The "?*" next to the Peter Bjorn And John show refers to a night when I had out driven my headlights so to speak. I was unsuccessful finding anybody to go with me - even when I had offered to give the other ticket away for free. The show was sold out (in fact, even the second show they added at Lincoln Hall that night had sold out as well) which meant I could've unloaded both of the tickets with little hassle. But I really wanted to see this show and decided to go solo. Someone outside was looking for people with extras - so whether you count that stranger as someone new to the list or even the fact that I was by myself makes it unique experience among the rest.

As far as the other shows are concerned, I did write a post centered around the Foster the People concert and intend to devote a separate post to My Morning Jacket in the future - for that show was too great to be buried this deep in a post.

While I'm tooting my own popular horn with my full stable of concert going friends - here are some more stats to really drive home my point:
Not included in the above list is the Comedy show featuring Todd Barry & Brendon Walsh at The Hideout with BM.
Finally, I took five different people to Marquette basketball games this year:
-the win versus Notre Dame with DQ
-the loss versus UConn with JW
-the win versus Syracuse with MQ
-the win versus Providence with ZC
-the loss versus Cincinnati with AS
(Note, only ZC is a repeat ticketed event attendee, and he probably wins the virtual tiebreaker with RG because he is a Member of the Park Ridge Chorale - so technically he was at that performance too)

As much as I didn't want to write this because it looks like an awful attempt at a modern day yearbook that has to have all it's pages filled to convince an older me that I was somewhat popular - I really wanted to write it as a thank you to all of my friends who have had to deal with my constant propaganda efforts to convince them to join me to bands you have never heard of or basketball games involving schools you never attended. 2011 is shaping up to be a record year for yours truly - I couldn't be more appreciative... The song at the bottom is dedicated to you all:

How did I get to see my "Song of the Summer" live?

2011-06-14T20:26:00.000-05:00

Photo by Will Rice via Lost In Concert

For a great review of the actual show I saw last Sunday written by Marisa Ruiz (@MarisaVictoria) with more pictures like the one above by Will Rice (@photobywillrice) please click over to the post at Lost in Concert. Instead, this post is more about my personal experience in getting myself to see the frontrunner for my personal Song of the Year: "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People:

There are a lot of parallels with my early exposure to this song and my experience with 2009's "1901" by Phoenix. Both were witnessed in the verge of Summer's start at a sold out smaller venue, but more importantly shortly after hearing the tracks had I known it to be the Song of the Summer without a doubt. Time will have to tell if "Pumped Up Kicks" will win my personal Song of the Year award, but it's easily the leader in the clubhouse right now. (quick sidebar: one thing these songs do NOT have in common are ties to any embarrassing encounters with cute concertgoers)

Foster the People have been riding quite a popularity wave after being a darling of SXSW in March, performing a sold out show in Chicago at Schubas in April and exposure on NPR in May before returning to Chicago to perform in front of a larger sold out show at Lincoln Hall in June. Not to mention they will also be back for Lollapalooza in August. All of it on top of this viral pop track that's been playing on the radio during this time span... But since I don't listen to the radio, by the time all this buzz finally busted through to me their show this past Sunday was already sold out. With the song basically on repeat for me the days leading up to the concert I decided it was time to attempt a plan that I have been thinking about for some time.

People who know me know I love Lincoln Hall. These same people know I'm quite the loudmouth on various social networks about it as well. I've shared my praise with a few people at LH and they have been appreciative while kindly asking for a Yelp review. As soon as I was asked I knew I would write a review - eventually. Part of me didn't because of sheer procrastination and laziness. However, I also thought I should attempt to withhold a review until the timing for me would be more advantageous.

Giving away tickets through their Facebook page and Twitter account is nothing new for Lincoln Hall. However, they seemed to up the ante last week. In order to enter to win free tickets to the sold out Foster the People show, LH asked for people to vote for them in Chicago Reader's "Best of Chicago 2011" poll. In addition to tickets for last Sunday's show, LH was giving away tickets to "an unannounced August" concert.

After nearly half a year of thinking in my mind what I wanted to write on Yelp, I finally signed up and published a review:

A list that is actually longer now in my mind

To really drive home my obsessive level of appreciation I attached a few of my crappy Instragram photos from past concerts and proceeded to run the propaganda train all over my social networks. I posted it on the aforementioned LH Facebook Wall and tweeted it myself. Finally, I submitted my ballet to the Reader and let LH know I had done so - while also not so casually mentioning that I was the same dork that recently posted on Yelp.

Less than 30 hours later LH had replied a thanks back on Twitter, liked my FB wall post and lo and behold sent me an e-mail saying I had won two tickets to Foster the People along with a not-yet-announced Lollapalooza After Party (again thanking me for the kind words on Yelp)!

And there you have it sports fans. Who says wasting time on the Internet doesn't pay? A wonderful song, a great story and an even better venue to encapsulate it all. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Lincoln Hall, I love you - don't you ever change.

What am I [NOT] listening to? [yet]

2011-06-03T22:27:00.000-05:00

For those that don't know, I'll be going halfway across the planet in under eight weeks. I've begun a very important step of the process recently. Was it getting my malaria pills? No, I need to stop procrastinating about that... What I have started is the very important process of podcast hording. A few recent flight changes have made me more aware of the time I will be spending on planes at the end of July.

fly over states

The first flight to Delhi will take 14 hours, with an additional 4 hour skip to Sri Lanka. Last weekend MySister (who will be joining me, don't forget) asked me if I was planning on listening to my iPod for the entire voyage. It's not like MySister and I will need the long flight to get caught up, we talk rather regularly as it is... That being said, I figure that I'll need at least 30 hours of iPod content. I also have a few books I have bought for the purpose of plane reading (read: iPod battery death).

According to my iTunes library, I have 17.5 days worth of music. But I think the time might get killed easier with new content from such podcasts as The Nerdist, Kevin Pollak's Chat Show, Sklarbro Country, WTF with Marc Maron, Comedy Bang Bang, Doug Loves Movies and of course the always awesome All Songs Considered (among others).

Fun fact - I'll be flying over 14 different nations:
United States
Canada
Ireland
United Kingdom
Netherlands
Germany
Poland
Ukraine
Russia
Turkmenistan
Afghanistan
Pakistan
India
Sri Lanka

FYI: a flight from Los Angeles to New York flies over 12 States

What's your band name?

2011-05-19T22:44:00.002-05:00

I have zero musical talent - but if talent existed I would go by the following stage names:

Fictitious EP cover

Dance Music DJ: DISCO'TINUED
Singer/Songwriter: Cassanova Jones
Indie Rock Band: Beautiful Noise Rock
Radiohead Tribute: Karma PD
Beardy Folk: The Plurals
Techno Pop: Keystroke Anarchy Epiphany
Vegas Lounge Act: Max Thomas
Crappy Suburban Cover Band: Heart to the Shot
Comedy Hip-Hop: T&A
Jam Band: Kick Ass Summer

Is it a New Era?

2011-05-15T16:32:00.003-05:00

Back when I blogged on MySpace I wrote a post titled, "I Am A Golfer Today" (I moved it over to Blogger, but it was originally written on Sunday May 4, 2008). I'm now in my fourth year of golfing and have made more progress in the four weeks of this young season than I have in the previous three years. In the spirit of assigning credit where it's unwarranted, I present to you a history of my golfing headwear:

obviously not a golfer (Straw Hat 2008)

I really loved getting my Straw Hat. I wore that hat for every round of golf in 2008 & 2009. Yes, it was a joke - as was my game. But I wasn't trying to make a joke of myself out there - on the golf course. I've always been a huge fan of activity based haberdashery. I like to wear a headband during basketball, a cap for softball, visor for poker, and I thought a straw hat for golf.

In 2010 I ditched the Straw Hat. It had deteriorated to a significant degree, but I no longer wanted to be known as the guy in the straw hat. Because I feel most comfortable playing cards, I went with the visor route. My game continued to struggle.

unchecked aggression (Visor 2010)

This past March, in Las Vegas, for the first time I played cards without my usual costume armor of visor / shades / earphones and had the greatest success of my career. Call it what you will: Being more comfortable and confident / maturing / accumulated experience finally retaining what I've been learning... The same rules apply to why I decided to ditch the visor for golf as well.

While watching The Masters I noticed an overwhelming majority of the golfers wore caps. I thought to myself, why not? and picked up one of the finest golf caps money can buy. I'm not sure what it's called but it's one of those Titleist by New Era Tour Sport Cap Flex Fitted models. It's the most comfortable hat I've ever had on my head by a huge margin.

Golf Hat 2011

A friend, who had been golfing with me for over 2 years, quickly commented that it looked very odd to see me with clubs in a cap. I told him that it was a new year and I'm trying something new.

This is also the first golf season when I decided to not sign up for more golf lessons. And I also won't be buying any more clubs (like how I bought that expensive Driver everybody wants to have two years ago). But I did splurge for the fancy cap, and I've never had buyers remorse like I've had with every other golf related purchase.

No golf scores will be posted until I only need two digits to type them, however I'm more than happy to share scores verbally when asked. It's been a very soap operatic relationship: Golf and I, but it's one that's going to continue.

What are the opposite ends of the "hipster music" spectrum?

2011-05-05T19:01:00.005-05:00

A friend and I had casually agreed that "hipster music" (for lack of a better term - for instance you may prefer "the indie scene") has a larger scope that is interpreted from the outside. He defined the spectrum by amount of Organic sound. I like this theory, and have decided to label the far end, or most Organic, by the NPR label "Beardy Folk" and the opposite end by the pseudo Lebowski quote of "Techno Pop."

Check out Infantree for an example of Beardy Folk:

Ah who am I kidding? I can't talk about Beardy Folk on the same week of a new Fleet Foxes album and not post a song from them too:

The sound that actually started this conversation was from Twin Shadow (although it's not nearly as far on the Techno Pop end, it's a song that's been in heavy iPod rotation recently):
16-Twin Shadow — Shooting Holes (Live) by hyperlame

Finally, a video from Holy Ghost!:

Holy Ghost! - Wait & See from DFA Records on Vimeo.

Maybe I should've posted a sample from Cut Copy, but those Aussies have already gotten a ton of play on here in posts past.

It's just a theory, what's yours? And if you're wondering what sound I would place at the center of this Spectrum - probably Arcade Fire.

How did you hear the news?

2011-05-04T03:53:00.002-05:00

Had I known, I would've stopped tweeting momentarily starting last Friday. How huge would it have been if my 1,000th tweet would have been a retweet of the official news of Osama bin Laden's death? Instead, I just simply tweeted that joining Twitter was a good decision as my 1,000th tweet. Then late on Sunday, my opinion was forever justified as my Facebook feed was full of newly posted pictures of pets and laments for the end of the weekend while Twitter was erupting.

Here are twenty selections from Twitter in perhaps the most intense four or so hours of my tenure (for lack of a better term):

It may be different for you. Personally, I choose to not customize my Facebook feed at all. I want to see that world in its most ugly grimy version. Nobody gets hidden and I'll only consider defriending you if you steal my kidney. Additionally, I have not "liked" many news pages - the ones that tend to break news. My Twitter feed is usually in constant flux as I list and unfollow accordingly.

Can you rescue an out of focus picture?

2011-04-26T01:27:00.000-05:00

Delorean @ Lincoln Hall. April 2011

For the most part, I don't understand why people spend money on a concert ticket to watch more than half of the show through their cell phone camera (or video camera). It's a fault I too am somewhat guilty of because I just want one picture of my own per show (often leading to multiple attempts to try to get the right shot). At almost every venue, there are multiple professional photographers taking high quality pictures with more skill and with better equipment. For example, I always hope there's a representative from Lost In Concert present whenever I happen to be.

The iPhone, at least my 3GS model, is an overrated camera. It's primary benefit is that it eliminates having to bring another electronic device to concerts. But one of the following usually exists to make my pictures unsuccessful: I'm a long distance away, the tight crowd around me limits my ability to stabilize, the subject is not a statue.

The National @ UIC Pavilion. April 2011

Which is why I've come to throw any picture I take at a show through crazy filters on my Instagram app. It's a free app for anybody too cheap to spend $2 for Hipstamatic. A lot of photographers (for example ones from Lost In Concert) loathe these apps. Their disgust is very reasonable and understandable. However, to argue in favor of these apps, I don't think it's a threat to their livelihood. At least from my pictures there isn't any competition from me. Nobody is going to rely on an iPhone for any important event in which a professional photographer is needed. These gimmicks, while they are certainly such, are increasing the interest in taking photos - which is a good thing.

Of course, I can't imagine how insulting it must be for any film taught photographer who spent a career crafting compositions and distorting images though tedious and careful developing techniques.

Arcade Fire @ UIC Pavilion. April 2011

Did I say "Thank You" humbly enough?

2011-04-17T23:57:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday I typed a very bragging post about how I had a social life to be envied. Standing upon my pulpit of blogisicsm shouting to as many as 6 followers that I'm hip and cool. This week was very humbling, and allow me to bore you by bringing you up to date, because I do have some rather sincere sentiment I'd like to bury in this post.

Here are Monday's highlights: Called in sick, slept for over 12 hours, leaving the condo only for a trip to the grocery store where I bought a gallon of milk, 2 cartons of Orange Juice, 1 box of Oreos and 1 box of Fudge Stripes.

Very Thankful

On Tuesday I finally wrote Thank Yous to an incredible amount of people. (Some of you who may have received them and have already complimented me on either the humor or class of it. Since some donations are still coming in, I don't want to spoil what was enclosed in those envelopes.) If you don't know what I was thanking people for, you might want to check out a post from February. And if you happened to read the post many people thought was the better story, I'm happy to tell you that I did write a personalized note to Nolan. This whole thing is becoming more real by the day... Many are asking if I'm getting excited but I'm kinda nervous. This is my one good deed for my life and I don't want to blow it! By the way, nothing made my life feel as full of friendship as seeing the large stack of envelopes I had to shove into a post office box.

On Wednesday I polished off whatever milk and cookies were left from Monday's self medication purchase. That's the rough thing about living alone - You look down into a grocery cart of many cookies and realize that every single cookie will be devoured by only one person: yourself. Later in the week I humbly bragged to a coworker that I could empty a gallon of milk faster (in the non Jackass sideshow method) than any normal person.

Thursday was supposed to be a running day. Yeah, I'm trying to run again. (Last year around this time I started training for a 5K - completing it was one of the highlights of my 2010, but I promptly stopped running immediately after the race.) I won't go into the reasons why I'm running again, mainly because I'm not sure I know myself. By the way, I ended up crashing asleep before 7 pm on Thursday and never got out there to run.

Friday night was my first non profitable day of poker in 2011. Thankfully it was also the lowest buy-in of 2011 as well. Most importantly, the money was lost to a struggling artist who's music I enjoy.

Saturday I took down my holiday lights. For those of you scoring at home, the date this past Saturday was April 16 (well beyond the accepted 12 days after Christmas / Epiphany deadline).

Finally, I ran today. Completing the 3rd week of my "Couch to 5K" program. This past week was the first week I ran to non Girl Talk music - instead opting for Delorean, for I'll be seeing them this Tuesday at Lincoln Hall. On the running playlist for the upcoming week: Arcade Fire, who I'll be seeing a week from Monday!

Will April Shows bring May Lows?

2011-04-10T23:55:00.001-05:00

Tuesday April 5: The Mountain Goats w/ Mega Fun @ The Vic
Thursday April 7: Todd Barry w/ Brendon Walsh (Stand Up Comedy Show) @ The Hideout
Friday April 8: Cut Copy w/ Holy Ghost! @ The Riv
(Bonus After Party Show: Holy Ghost! (DJ Set) @ Smart Bar
Saturday April 9: Park Ridge Chorale @ St. Luke Church

Most of you have realized that this blog is more of journal that I'm just too lazy to make private or too conceited not to share. Weeks like the one that just ended are the kind that I need to document for myself. It's going to make me smile down the road when I remind myself just how my crazy April 2011 began.

I don't think I'll ever have as socially diverse of a week. Each one of the 5 above listed events required a purchased ticket - for reasons almost as random as the acts:

The Mountain Goats

A friend on Facebook was staring down the idea of attending a concert solo. Having done it once, I know it's a tough proposition. Although this friend is easily strong enough to carry out such an idea (I'm sure she's done it before), I think my gesture was appreciated. The Mountain Goats didn't exist on my iPod when I bought my ticket (although that quickly changed when Amazon listed their latest album on their 100 albums for $5 this month). The highlight of the show is when they brought out the opening band to join them for a song at the end of their set. This is an act I wish every headliner would do more often.

Karma quickly came back around in the positive two days later when a different friend agreed to attend a comedy show at The Hideout. Especially seeing how the early show had sold out, I know I wouldn't have driven into the city through that night's rain to attend the late show. I had seen Todd Barry's act not too long ago, but the opening comic (Brendon Walsh) had left a great first impression on me from a Conan routine. When we had left the venue that night, we saw Mr. Walsh just outside the door smoking. After a quick pause (to make sure it really was him in my mind) I complimented his set. Even though this man is a professional comedian, his snap response of "Thanks" sounded sincere.

Cut Copy

I've now seen Cut Copy three times - and I'm especially happy I saw them this time seeing as how I will be elsewhere when they are in Chicago next for the Pitchfork Music Festival. Cut Copy also holds a very important role in my "concert going lifestyle" because when I saw them previously The Metro I made a pledge to myself that I would wear earplugs at every show going forward. Some dufus lady made a snide remark before the encore to me saying, "Is it too loud for you?" while pointing at my earplugs. Maybe the old saying is true for me, but one of the first things my friend said to me when we exited was, "I won't ever hear that frequency again."

The wristband from The Riv show got us into Smart Bar for just $7 more to see the Holy Ghost! DJ set. Of everything that I experienced in the past week, the revelation of just how much I like Smart Bar might be the most significant. And I'm saying that even after knowing full well how large my bar tap was at the end of the night. Now stick with me on this next statement: I enjoyed Smart Bar to a level that makes me happy I live in the suburbs... If I lived a CTA card dip away I would spend way too much time and way too much money down in that glowing basement of fun. (By the way, there's a track from the new Holy Ghost! album available for free download on iTunes)

Finally, I found myself sitting in a Lutheran church listening to a choir sing (among other selections) show tunes. It was the perfect Week of Shows capper. For a week that started helping out a friend who wanted to see a show, I was at a show to support a friend who had auditioned for the Park Ridge Chorale and was excited to be performing with them for the first time. In a week that included some extremely foul language and worse subject matter for the purposes of invoking laughter, I also saw a show that was suitable for a newborn (although the Father felt otherwise, I didn't think bringing a crying baby into a choir concert was a good idea). Then, of course, there's the fact I sat quietly and respectfully composed in a church pew just 17 hours removed from being a sweaty dancy mess.

There are at least 3 more shows I plan on seeing before this awesome month ends. The second half of the month will have a tough chance matching this first half in diversity, but it does have a chance because not included in those 3 shows is a birthday party for a five year old girl and a poker night with six dudes all younger than I.

I can't wait.

Did your April Fools gag yield any results?

2011-04-01T22:43:00.003-05:00

If there's one thing you can depend on in this world, it's that you can always count on someone to read a Facebook post out of context. I hope you all had a non-annoying April Fools Day. I'm pretty sure I survived without a scratch.

You see here what I did. I had a fear in the back of my mind that it would turn into something bound for the someecards blog, but thankfully nobody took the opportunity to post a viciously cruel response.

When I saw my Aunt "like" the relationship change I knew I had to act quickly before she got the family phone tree working overtime to plan the next Family Reunion. Although, I probably should have held out until getting a call from my Dad. I can hear it now:

"I heard you got engaged on Face Page?"

Is this the best tweet yet? (I'm sorry I wasn't listening)

2011-03-30T18:20:00.000-05:00

I have been more Achiever-focused than usual in the past 24 hours:
Last night Burkhalter posted the official Facebook Event along with the updated 10th Annual Page on LebowskiFest.com. This morning I made sure to call the official hotel for the Fest to book my reservation under the discounted rate. (Something I highly recommend to everybody that knows they are going - the hotel block always sells out) And then this afternoon I noticed @lebowskifest started following me Twitter.

It's official fellow Achievers. The "LeBlogski" link was removed from www.lebowskifest.com. The Founding Dudes had given me fair warning. All I had asked was for a simple shout out when they finally did scatter the ashes. The result is easily the best tweet I've seen in my Feed since signing up on Twitter in late September 2010. If I could, I'd have Sam Elliot him-Stranger-self say, "Much obliged" to Will & Scott...

Well, I guess we can close the file on that one.

This was my final post on LeBlogski:
I've got to uh-- tender my resignation or whatever (February 19, 2011)

Co-Star in the Beaver Picture

Like a toe (with nailpoish!), LEBLOGSKI is getting cut off.
When asked about the idea of shutting it down, I told the Founding Dudes that its absence will most likely go universally unnoticed. LF's social media integration (Facebook / Twitter) is strong enough to get it into the next round robin (#amiwrong). It is a much smoother way for them to connect with Achievers. But just in case people see this, thank you very much for reading. There have been a couple instances when people have mentioned to me at a Lebowski Fest that they've read it, which is always surprising and flattering.

Favorite posts from my tenure as the Lebowski Fest Blogger:

For those looking to feed their Lebowski fix by way of a blog, I can't recommend lebowskipodcast.com strongly enough. In addition to the podcast maintained by Fest-regular Chalupa, the blog on the podcast's website is consistently updated with Achiever-minded stories grabbed from the fringes of the Internet.

Thank you to Will & Scott (the Founding Dudes) for allowing me the privilege of sharing my like love of Lebowski on their website, and in turn with all of you. This news won't stop me from writing about Lebowski Fests in the future (they just won't be here, but on my personal blog instead). More importantly, I can't wait to catch ya later on down the trail at an upcoming Lebowski Fest.

Goodnight, sweet prince.[TQ]

How sweet is it? (VEGASTORY 6 of 6)

2011-03-27T00:10:00.067-05:00

Not even TI's sirens would distract me.

Technically, because my flight departed at 1:30 AM, Monday was my last day in Vegas. But let me finish this multi-post story by chronicling Sunday.

In a scene polar opposite of the check-in mess, there was no line at checkout. This is probably more due to the fact that this was the earliest check out of my Vegas career (8:00 AM), but I needed to secure a TV for the late afternoon Marquette game.

I set out to Treasure Island, one of my favorite Strip stops (and also the hotel I've stayed at the most). I place a quick parlay bet on UNC moneyline + the over, which hit! This was a sign of things to come for me at TI.

I played a little craps, I won a little money.
I played a little blackjack, I won a little money
Enough of a profit to kill time in a poker tournament - it's a great feeling when you can buy in to one of these small poker tournaments with money already won. (After I got busted, the dealer told me I could buy back in - but after getting my flopped straight beat on the river by a full house - I chose to leave)

Then I started feeling nervous and anxious for the Marquette game.
Heading back to the Roulette Wheel hoping to repeat history.
AND I DID - EVEN MORE SO THAN I WANTED! (DJO #1 hits again!)

***And then the game began***

I befriended a couple UK fans in the Sports Book, which allowed me to run out for that Roulette Bet. They also kept saving my seat when I had to go through my nervous paces during the game's timeouts. During the game I noticed a fellow behind me wearing a Milwaukee Brewers cap - he was actually from nearby Park Ridge, Illinois! There was nobody else in the sports book with Marquette gear for me to confide in or fist bump with... I was pretty much by myself at TI.

***And then MU beat Syracuse!***

Yes, I ran a victory lap around the TI Sports Book.
Yes, I bought beers for the two UK fellows I befriended.
Yes, I also bought a beer for the Park Ridge Brewer cap wearing dude.
Yes, I even bought a beer for the ladyfriend of said Brewer cap wearing gentleman who I didn't speak a single word to the entire night.
Did I mention I literally ran a lap of joy around the TI Sports Book?

Oh, I also had some money on Marquette, moneyline baby, at 5 point underdogs!

My phone had been off for much of the game. Having already checked out of my hotel room, I was on battery conservation mode and didn't want to be distracted during the game (I usually love my #MUBB Twitter feed during games). After I finally turn it on, my phone started blowing up with messages of congratulations on my favorite team reaching the Sweet Sixteen. One of'em told me to head on over to O'Sheas.

I bust out out of TI with a grin a mile wide, to see a bunch of people watching the "Siren Show" outside on the Pirate Ship. It was about 55 degrees at that moment in Vegas - and the Sirens were wearing jackets. It didn't matter - they could have been twirling tassles for all I cared, nothing was going to make me happier than MU's win - and I had to get to O'Sheas!

So I won a lot of money at TI. I did tell myself to stop gambling for the trip... And I didn't want to repeat my post MU win blowup that led to a previous cash hemorrhage. Buuuuut...

The actual iPhone Note I used to track my gambling

I won money playing poker in the most insane - distraction intensive scene - at O'Sheas. I looked at my GAMING LOG (final tally attached, which I understand is one of the nerdiest things I've ever done) and saw I was so very close to a full thousand dollar profit! Most expensive attempt at winning just $20 ever... Oh well...

We left O'Sheas to New York New York (to meet up with more people that were going to be on the same Chicago-bound plane. The quick stop in their hotel room allowed me a much needed phone recharge). Nothing really happened at NY/NY, with the exception that I almost threw a pizza like a discuss out of unneeded anger. There's something about me during, and just after MU games: I have an overload of adrenalin that is beyond combustible.

The last thing I did in Vegas was something I've wanted to do for a very long time. At post 1:00 AM in Las Vegas, on a Sunday Night / Monday Morning, nobody is in McCarren Airport. The terminal was as empty as one I've ever seen in my life. But the moving sidewalks were still operational... and moving. Oh yeah, it was time to get my Feist on:
<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;A &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>
A perfect end to a perfect trip.

You know it's a virgin drink, right? (VEGASTORY 5 of 6)

2011-03-26T19:45:00.000-05:00

An expensive non cocktail

My Saturday in Las Vegas was, one could say, a "Market Correction."

Stories of failed poker tournaments are vastly uninteresting and difficult to follow even when you know all the players and terms used. I bought in for the $60 Harrah's tournament at 10 am about forty minutes before it started. That time was meant for me to grow $140 to $200 in craps to fund the tournament. Instead I ended up walking out of Harrah's short $200. The next tournament I wanted to play was the 3 pm at Caesar's and had zero intention of gambling at all before that. Which I was amazingly able to do. I think I might've hit a wall on Friday night; I was also rather hurting from the celebration post Xavier win.

Caesars, similar to Wynn, was running a poker tournament series that canceled most of their usual daily tournaments - but kept the buy-ins somewhat reasonable. They had correctly geared it towards the basketball fan population calling it, "Hoops & Hold'em." I chose the series' event: Saturday's 4:00 PM $130 double stack with 20 minute "turbo" levels. The time before it was killed by watching Richmond and Wisconsin make it to the Sweet 16. Watching the end of games in the Caesars Sports Book is always a spectacle.

I haven't had much success in tournaments at Caesars, but have always had a great time because of the cast of characters that show up to play:

A headphoned man who had seen my late night IP poker celebration/meltdown the night before
An attractive nurse from North Carolina, but moved to Vegas a few months ago with her professional poker playing boyfriend.
A quietly charming fellow born in Florida, lived in Austin, and now from San Francisco who was second strongest conversationalist behind your truly
A man from Sweden that was wearing a Sturgis Motorcycle Rally T-Shirt

That T-Shirt: It was not a shirt from the Rally, just an Urban Outfitters type of tight graphic tee referencing the annual event in Montana. I'm the farthest thing from a motorcycle enthusiast, but I know that Sturgis is a big deal. Someone else at our table was from Montana, and he made a mention of it to the Swede in the Shirt. Now I understand the Swede was not communicating to us in his first language, but he had no idea of any large bike rally. He was wearing the shirt because it "looked cool" to the anger of the man from Montana. I tried to cut him some slack, mentioning that I like a few bands from Sweden. He wanted to know which ones - so I told him Peter Bjorn and John along with Miike Snow. I didn't expect him to have heard of Miike Snow, but how can you not know of PB&J? The man was an impostor.

Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks by Pedro Rossi

Meanwhile, Mr. Charming wondered aloud what music was playing in the headphones at the end of the table. This is when I went into one of my most repeated jokes: "Probably Yanni." That line almost always gets a shock chuckle, even if they don't want to laugh. And sticking to the playbook I followed it up with the, "It makes sense, very calming music to settle your heart rate during cards... Personally, I prefer John Tesh."

And that's when Mr. Charming made the mistake of asking a follow up question because he's too young to really know who John Tesh is... Let me tell you all, sports fans, that I have an incredible amount of knowledge on John Tesh built only for conversations such as these. I don't own any of his music, but do appreciate at least one of his songs (The NBA on NBC theme song).

By this time the entire table had correctly assumed I was insane, going off on a monologue that lasted two hands about the career path of John Tesh. It's taken me over 5 years to decide what kind of image I wanted to reflect at a poker table. I used to wear headphones, sunglasses, act like I know what I'm doing... Now I want people to think I'm just a crazy guy there to have fun, which is why I quickly ordered a Strawberry Julius.

I knew it was an option, but I asked the server anyways.
TQ: Last time I was here, there was an incredibly girly drink that had strawberries and whip cream and the whole she'bang?
Server: A Strawberry Julius? You know it's a virgin drink, right?
TQ: Of course I know it is!
Server: Do you want extra whip cream?
TQ: Please yes.
Server (now walking away): Oh, and a cherry to top too?
TQ: THANK YOU YES!

I was short stacked when I made this order, and jokingly refused to play a hand to make sure I was still at the table by the time the drink arrived. When the drink arrived I made my moves, and won the next 5 pots I entered (including two all-ins) that grew me to above the chip average... Sadly, I made one mistake, which is all it takes in these things - and busted out on that sixth hand I played post Julius.

Express at Caesars Forum Shops

Not mentioned in the post, until now, is that the day started with a few sports bets placed in the IP Sports Book, of which none won. Therefore, for those keeping score (and I was) every gamble I attempted on Saturday ended up being a losing one. However, I was still up for the trip. Being the responsible gambler that I am, I was done gambling for the day. In a favorite Vegas Story of my past, this "quitting gambling" led to an infamous trip to Express. Thankfully, I had other plans in mind, but wanted to take a picture of the storefront for instant FB publishing to the delight of a few of my friends.

The night ended with Mexican food with some friends who had spent the day in Old Vegas (a.k.a. Downtown / Freemont Street) before that gang set out to find a Beer Pong game. I'm not a fan of Beer Pong (a.k.a. Dirty Balls in Beer), but was okay to drink from the sidelines and talk to more strangers - or so I thought... The Beer Pong Enthusiasts set their pitchers down in the battledome that is the back of O'Shea's Casino. I became quickly disinterested in that scene and set out to see two casinos that have been completed since my last time in Vegas: The Cosmopolitan & Aria.

Quick reviews of the two:
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas: A high concept club that happens to be an extremely expensive casino. Beautiful on the eyes, both in clientele and architecture - but not an option at all for thousandairs such as myself to gamble. True, I was done gambling - but I was hoping to get into a blackjack table just for a chance to change out with a $1 chip souvenir.

Aria at CityCenter: Very impressive non-claustrophobic layout that I sincerely hope will be a future option for me to stay at in the future (if the price is not too much of a stretch). The Poker Room looked beautiful - playing in a tournament there will be on my list of priorities for my next visit. The gambling there was expensive, but not too crazy. After all, it was a Saturday Night on the Strip - $25 minimum bet blackjack is to be expected. The only drawback is that it takes a crazy long time to walk to it's front door. They need to get some moving sidewalks like The Venetian and Caesars.

And that's really all I did on Saturday. Yeah, rather lame when looking back on it. I kept my eye on the prize - I was there to watch basketball, and the following day would bring a great gift: Marquette vs. Syracuse! I needed to rest up, recharge, and pack up for my last day in Vegas.

Did I wear the shorts? (VEGASTORY 4 of 6)

2011-03-25T00:02:00.001-05:00

Over 8 years between Roulette spins

Leading up to my Vegas trip I knew the most important day for me would be Friday: Marquette game day.

Every Sports Book I saw the previous day on the Strip was packed, which made a friend's suggestion to take a cab over to The Palms a worthwhile concept. I made securing a good watching spot my first and only priority for Friday.

When it was first suggested to me that I wear my baby blue Marquette uniform shorts to the Sports Book, I laughed. Then, as Marquette started wearing the baby blues in the Big East Tournament I started to consider it as a viable option. Last Friday, I wore the shorts (topped with a 1977 National Champions T-Shirt & my MU visor).
Mozart - Carmina Burana by angel000596
The best thing about the Palms Sports Book, besides it's low early attendance which found me one of the first 5 people there at 8:30 AM, was it's nearby food court. It sounds stupid to nearly everybody else, but I get a special craving every Lent for the McDonald's Fillet O'Fish. I'm not saying it's my most favorite fast food item, but if I was ever to enter a competitive eating contest - I think my best shot at winning would be in the Fillet O'Fish Category. The Palms' McDonald's, located mere steps from the Sports Book, started serving up FO'Fs at 10 AM! I instantly bought 3 at its earliest availability. (I also had another one a few hours later before MU's tipoff)

Throughout the early games I was growing visibly nervous for the upcoming game versus Xavier. People were asking me about MU's chances (wanting information to help them place a bet), and with every opportunity I steered people away from Marquette. One questioned if I was working a reverse psychology angle. but I honestly didn't want people coming up to me asking why Marquette lost them money after a loss. On the super secret level, I wanted people betting on Xavier for the line to get pushed more in their favor. However, by the time the game tipped off, the line moved from Marquette +2 to a PICK! (Vegas thought each team had an equal chance of winning, and too many people were betting MU to give them any points)

Like I said, the NCAA Marquette game was my #1 priority. I didn't play any blackjack at Palms. I didn't even look at what the minimum bets were for their Craps tables... But... I did do something I hadn't done in Vegas since 2002: Roulette.

I was just too jittery sitting in that Sports Book and I had to go stretch my legs and walk a little. My seat was secured for my return, so there was no fear of losing it... And I decided to get $100 worth of Roulette chips and start placing chips on Marquette Jersey numbers. The idea was to walk away if one of the numbers hit. On the second spin the little white ball settled in slot 1, which is the jersey number for Marquette's starting shooting guard. This made me incredibly happy, and made me think it could be a great omen. I cashed out and returned to the Sports book with a $60 profit.

I'm pretty insane during Marquette Basketball games. To call me passionate would be too nice. And for sure I probably made enemies during that game. People probably wanted Marquette to lose based solely on my antics... However, there was one other guy in the Sports Book wearing Marquette gear - and at every time out I made it a superstition to run over to him for a quick fist bump of solidarity and support. I was happy, but still nervous, when Marquette pushed out to an 11 point halftime lead. The worst was feared when Xavier cut it to 8 and had the ball, but that was the closest they ever came and when I heard the final buzzer it was total joy.

Victory Tweet

I sent out a quick text to another I knew was in Vegas: Where's the victory party at?

At this point I should probably mention that the Palms had a $1 Miller Lite special. Many people were buying me these. I was buying many of these for others.

That's one of the reasons why I took a cab to the Rio from Palms. It was easily the shortest cab ride I've ever taken, but I wasn't messing around. I had money on Marquette's victory, and was up for the trip as a whole - an expense such as a quick cab was well worth it. I probably didn't get the whole value out of that Seafood Buffet dinner either - but it was a fun meal with fun people. Thankfully the team they rooted for also won earlier in the night, so my victory celebrations were met with good cheer.

The rest of the night was kind of a blur. I got back to IP late that night and wanted to play hold'em, but there was a wait. One of the "Dealertainers" at IP (a man impersonating Garth Brooks to be exact) dealt me the hottest blackjack cards you can ever believe. I bought $200 in chips and walked away with $500!

I went up to my hotel room and considered calling it a night... Instead I changed out of my baby blue shorts in favor of jeans and went down to try to get into the poker game again... Some may blame my over excited, over served, state for why I lost $200 in less than an hour of hold'em - but I know it was because I changed out of those shorts.

Where we goin' U!? (VEGASTORY 3 of 6)

2011-03-24T02:15:00.006-05:00

The time is 7 PM. The day is March 17, which is St. Patrick's Day. The location is Las Vegas.

Leopold is a 25 year old man of slightly below average height but of average weight. He is wearing a black Celtic FC jacket along with a Chicago Cubs cap (except for where it is usually a blue cap with a red "C" it is a Kelly Green hat with a white "C"). He is also wearing sunglasses, inside.

Ulysses is an 32 year old man of slightly above average height and slightly above average weight. He is wearing a Kelly Green Republic of Ireland soccer jersey that has his name on the back along with the number 17.

Ulyssees has just given $100 to a Bally's Poker Room chip runner, but has not yet taken his seat to play in a $1 - $2 No Limit Texas Hold'em Cash Game. As soon as he sits down he hears the opening words from Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing." The words are shouted in a cadence dissimilar to the recording, but the voice is instantly recognizable as Leopold's

Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing by Independent™
Leopold: LAAA-LAAAA-LA-LA-WAIT-TIL-I-GET-MY-MO-NEY-RIGHT!

Ulysses instanly shoots up off his chair, but is unable to get his arms up in time to hug-hello Leopold. His arms become pinned in the hug.

Ulysses: Man, I just literally sat down - I haven't gotten my chips yet

L: LAAA-LAAAA-LA-LA-WAIT-TIL-I-GET-MY-MO-NEY-RIGHT!

The Bally's chip runner places a stack of twenty $5 chips in front of Ulysses' seat.

U: I'm sorry, but I have to go now, I'm sorry

L: (said between punches to Ulysses' right shoulder) What's (punch) up (punch) U! (punch)
Ulysses is attempting to scoop up all the newly placed chips off the poker table's felt, but the force from a shoulder punch causes some to jump out of his hands and onto the floor. Ulysses quickly picks up any dropped chips and steps towards the Poker Room's cashier. When Ulysses arrives at the cashier he looks over his shoulder to see Leopold still looking around Ulysses' vacated seat for more chips. Ulysses & Leopold leave the Bally's Poker Room, and begin walking through the field of Bally slot machines.

L: VEGAS! (the punching continues) Man, do you believe we're all in Vegas? (Ulysses beings to walk quicker) Hey-hey-hey (Ulysses slows down and turns around to face Leopold) C'mon now (Leopold stretches arms wide. Ulysses and Leopold hug it out on the floor of Ballys) YEAH VEGAS LAAA-LAAAA-LA-LA-WAIT-TIL-I-GET-MY-MO-NEY-RIGHT! Where we goin' U!?

U: To get something to eat, I'm starving.

L: Yeah, me too.
Ulysses is walking quickly, although without any direction, down various paths which lead to casino dead ends. Leopold struggles to keep pace. The walk's pace is more of motivation to stay outside of Leopold's punch-reach than a desire for sustenance.
L: Where we goin' U!?

U: I've got an idea. (Ulysses leads Leopold to a counter style take out food stop named Nash located just beyond the slot machines inside the casino at Bally's) How'bout here?

L: Nah, what am I supposed to eat at the same place I'm staying like a scumbag? I ain't eating here - hey, let's go to Freemont!
U: I don't want to go downtown, I want to eat now.
L: Let's just go out on the Strip and find something else.
U: Okay.

Ulysses leads Leopold out of the first exit he finds, which is an exit to the cab line, not to Las Vegas Boulevard. It takes an awkward zig zag path across cab traffic to finally get to the Strip. Ulysses decides to walk South.

L: LAAA-LAAAA-LA-LA-WAIT-TIL-I-GET-MY-MO-NEY-RIGHT!
Along The Strip, people are handing out trading cards that feature nude models along with a phone number for "private hotel parties." Leopold, at every opportunity, takes a card when handed to him. In alternating fashion he instantly throws it straight up in the air like a graduation cap at commencement or down like a basketball being dunked through a hoop.

L: (punching Ulysses again, this time in his left kidney) Vegas! (punch) Vegas! (punch) Ve-
U: (screamed at the top of his lungs): Stop hitting me!
A group of young girls walking ahead of Leopold & Ulysses turn around to witness the domestic abuse.

L: Where we goin' U!?
Leopold continues to take prostitute cards, but now has begun to hold the taken cards around his groin to allow himself to "hump" the cards instantly upon receipt.

U: We're crossing here
Leopold discards the humped cards this time by throwing them into the face of the man handing them out.

After crossing the Strip, Leopold and Ulysses head into The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. A nightclub scene of loud club music and scantily clad women.

L: Let's try one of these bars - whatcha drinkin' I'm buyin'

A bartender at the first bar Ulysses& Leopold enter at The Cosmopolitan tells them any bar that has smoking doesn't serve food. The bartender at the second bar tell the two that the kitchen closed at an hour ago. Leopold orders a beer and Ulysses orders a mixed drink. Meanwhile, while Ulysses lusts at a now moot menu a young man in his early twenties wedges his way in between the two at the bar. Ulysses gives the interloper an odd look.

Stranger: Oh, sorry - don't mind me.
The Stranger doesn't order a drink, only stands there momentarily before backing away
Stranger: Sorry, we're cool right?
U: whatever, fine.
L: (yelling) what's going on here?
U: (calmly) nothing.
Stranger: This guy (points to Ulysses) is being a prick!
L: (at Stranger) Fuck off.
U: (slightly less calm) It's fine, it's fine.
Stranger: (to Ulysses) Oh, you're fine now?
U: (to Stranger) Yes! (in a high voice squeal) Everything is fine.
L: Oh, so we're okay?
U: Yeah, don't worry about it.
L: Hey, it's Vegas, right? (offers his hand high for a High 5 - The stranger and him connect palms)
S: Yeah, Vegas! (to Leopold) You're cool. I guess (nods to Ulysses) is cool too - he just started off all standoffish and shit.
L: Hey, (to Stranger) fuck you! You wanna go?
U: (to Leopold) Stop it, this is nothing... We gotta get out of here now.
L: Yeah, okay (Ulysees and Leopold walk out of the bar) Fuck this place! Who do you guys (talking in the general direction of the bartenders) think you are! (then to Ulysses) Wait, did I already give them a credit card? (Leopold checks his wallet)
U: No, our drinks never came.
L: God, this place sucks - let's get out of here.
Ulysses & Leopold walk out of the bar, through the casino, and out the door to another valet/cab exit - with the strip nowhere in sight
L: Did you like how I had your back, U!? God, where the hell are we?
The scene looks like an underground lair for limos. A mutual friend of the two, Aaron, calls Ulysses. The phone conversation is quick - the only information relayed is that the two have yet to eat. After more zig zagingly fast but directionless walking Ulysses and Leopold escape from the The Cosmopolitan's property to walk into the CityCenter mall.
U: Maybe there's a food court in here? Let's see.

CityCenter Mall

Immediately upon entering the mall both notice a large art instillation that consists of columns of ice floating on an infinity pool. Ulysses attempts to reach to touch the ice, but realizes the ice is too far set in the infinity pool to reach. Ulysses withdraws his arm and moves on into the mall. Leopold, also failing at reaching the ice then takes a step into the infinity pool. His entire right shoe becomes submerged in water and is able to withdraw it quickly without losing his balance.

L: Whoooah, the water doesn't look that deep!
U: What were you trying to do?
L: I wanted to walk on the edge - thought I could ride the wave
A large suited man, with a visible earpiece walks up to Ulysees and Leopold. He is well over six feet tall - much taller than Ulysses with the build of a professional boxer.

Large Man (raises both if his hands above his head, as he begins talking his two index fingers point at both Leopold and Ulysses): I need you two to turn around (now makes a small circle motion with both index fingers, which are now pointing to an area behind Ulysses & Leopold) and walk out right now.

U: (instantly, with both hands up as if he was in the middle of being robbed at a bank) ok (Ulysses pivots around his left foot, and passes Leopold on his way out the door. Leopold is right behind him).
L: Man, my entire foot is SOAKED.
U: I'm just happy we didn't get thrown into casino jail.
L: Where we goin' U!?
U: I don't know, let's try Aria?

The walk to Aria is long, and the two discuss the condo market of Las Vegas, specifically the price of the for sale condos in CityCenter. By the time the two reach the front of Aria, Aaron has sent Ulysses a text message offering up In-N-Out Burger as a food option. Thankfully Ulysses and Leopold are at this time at the Cab Line in front of Aria. They decide to not enter Aria, but get in a cab headed to In-N-Out Burger.

A large chested girl, who Ulysses hoped for his conscience was twenty-one, walks into In-N-Out and passes by Leopold. She pauses near Leopold while staring at the menu board.
L: (while looking dead straight at the young girl's visible cleavage, standing less than four feet away) OH MY GOD! (The reaction by the girl: a smile)

Leopold and Ulysses eat their burgers outside on the picnic tables. They both hear the large chested young girl and her friends tell a cab driver to take them to Rio.
L: Wanna go to Rio, U?
U: I have a better idea.

Ulysses leads Leopold on a quick 300 yard walk across a parking lot to Wild Wild West Gaming Hall. The inside of the "local" casino is without any of the usual Casino distractions: The slots are quiet, the music is low to not present, and there is more smoke than than a Camel Joe fantasy. The defining game of Wild West Gaming Hall is something Ulysses calls "Bumper Pool Craps" that features a craps table nearly half the size you will see in a larger casino. The small size is to allow one person to work as both stickman and dealer. The minimum bet is $3.

Ulysses & Leopold are the only players playing craps. The only players at the specific table and the only players shooting dice in the entire Gaming Hall. By the time the first seven is rolled both players are up - Leopold up more than Ulysses. Leopold starts making field bets. Leopold continues winning.

L: GET HOT STAY HOT!

Leopold makes another point.

L: GET HOT STAY HOT!

Later, after a few more points by Leopold, he finally craps out and Ulysses is up to throw the dice again.

L: I'm thinking about a field bet, U - you gonna roll a winner?
U: yeah, sure.
Ulysses rolls a hard 12. Leopold's field bet pays double.
L: (directed at two spectators now watching, for Leopold is the loudest voice in the entire Gaming Hall) We got a heater boys, you wanna get in?
U: (in a soft, but oddly serious tone, to the couple spectators) You need to get in. You need to get in now.
L: What about now U? Field bet?
U: No.
A 5 is rolled by Ulysses, which would've lost a field bet if Leopold had placed one.
L: GOOD CALL U!
Ulysses continues to roll without any 7s. More points are made.

L: GET HOT STAY HOT!
About four or five rolls later, as Ulysses is about to shoot again, Leopold takes a large stack of red $5 chips and plops it on the Field. The amount was never counted, but was well over $100. Ulysses pauses - then shoots... It's a 3, it's a winner.

L: WHOOO! GET HOT STAY HOT! GET HOT STAY HOT! GET HOT STAY HOT!
The pit boss walks over to Leopold.
Pitt Boss: You know, when I win, I don't celebrate.
L: Well nobody likes you!
U: (Turns to the two players who took the advice and have been playing) Aren't you glad you started playing when we told you to? (They both quickly nod in approval)

As more points were made Ulysses and Leopold eventually rolled 7s. When given the opportunity to throw dice, the two newcomers instantly declined to allow Ulysses and Leopold to roll again. And more points were made.

Ulysses after again seeing the spectators decline to shoot the dice in favor of Leopold and himself, glances down at an over $100 profit. He notices nearly double that in front of Leopold.

U: (to Leopold) Hey, wanna get out of here? Quit now? When we're this ahead?
L: (pauses) Sure. (longer pause) Let's bounce.

Ulysses and Leopold triumphantly strut back across the parking lot to In-N-Out. Both consider going for round two of burgers but ultimately don't. Ulysses had been texting Aaron during the craps run, urging him to stop everything to join the two. Instead Aaron informs Ulysses that he's on his way to In-N-Out himself for a burger.

Aaron shows pop out of the cab with his friend Demetri. Both hear Leopold and Ulysses before they are seen. Leopold and Ulysses have reclaimed their outside picnic table and have been loudly rehashing their Wild Wild West run.

Leopold meets Aaron in a similar "rabbit punching" fashion that he earlier greeted Ulysses.

L: LAAA-LAAAA-LA-LA-WAIT-TIL-I-GET-MY-MO-NEY-RIGHT!

After Aaron and Demetri are done at In-N-Out the four of them share a cab back to the Strip. Leopold requests that the cab driver change the radio to rap music. Leopold requests that the cab driver turns up the volume.

L: LAAA-LAAAA-LA-LA-WAIT-TIL-I-GET-MY-MO-NEY-RIGHT!

St. Patrick's Day Block Party outside O'Sheas

It's gridlock traffic on The Strip as the cab inches along Las Vegas Boulevard. Leopold, anxious to exit, rolls down the cab's window and sticks his head out. He begins to shout at random walkers by.
L: GO CATS!
L: BOILER UP! (said to someone wearing head-to-toe Michigan State gear)

Ulysses and Leopold exit the cab with Aaron and Demetri, but the two groups head in separate directions. Ulysses and Leopold head towards the St. Patrick's Day block party outside O'Sheas Casino.

Leopold buys Ulysses a green beer. The party features a performer named "DJ IRISH." Many people are dancing - including Leopold, but not including Ulysses. Leopold begins calling other people he knows in town, recruiting them to join the party. Ulysses finished his beer and respectfully told Leopold of his departure.

L: Where you goin' U!?
U: I'm going to play cards at IP - if you want me you can find me there.

Less than an hour later Ulysses had won $100 playing poker and had texted Leopold announcing he was calling it a night. The text is immediately returned with a phone call.

U: Leopold?
L: U! Towerz and I just got here, at IP, where are you?
U: I'm in my room, but I'm on my way back down - hold on.

Ulysses wanted to meet Towerz, a childhood friend of Leopold who's reputation had preceeded him. Towers is a shade under 5'6" with enough hair product to fuel a junior high cheerleading squad. He is wearing a black tank top exposing tattoos on both arms. He has a large plastic novelty drinking vessel lanyard around his neck and propped up with both hands. The drinking vessel is approximately 5 feet in height.

Standing next to Towers is Leopold, who now has a plastic guitar strapped around his body featuring a large straw extending up to his mouth. The guitar is filled with margarita.

After a brief introduction the three decide to head back to The Strip. As Leopold is about to exit the doors a young woman wearing red walks in-
L: (at woman in red) ROLL TIDE!
Woman in red: ROLL TIDE, YEAH!

Towerz and Leopold openly debate their next destination. Less than 15 minutes into the walk Leopold announces an intention to get a cab to Stratosphere. Upon hearing this, Ulysses instantly removes himself from the group - wishing them both the best of luck.

The time is 2:30 AM
According to follow up reports:

Leopold attempted to get a tattoo, but was rejected by the parlor for being too drunk
Towers ended up getting a black eye
Leopold was later seen in downtown Las Vegas using his margarita-guitar to air guitar along with a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover band
Ulysses was awake at 8 am the following morning, as was Leopold.

What's not a Wynn, not even a Win, but a victory nonetheless? (VEGASTORY 2 of 6)

2011-03-23T19:35:00.000-05:00

ZooZa Crackers Deli (Wynn Property)

When the alarm from my phone makes noise at 7:00 AM it never crosses my mind to snooze it or go back to the Penthouse Bed. I'm not here to sleep, although I will admit a longer than usual shower was needed to help mend any fatigue that a sub-two-hour sleep didn't cure. However, by the time I emerge from IP there is a definite pep in my step as I trek north on the strip to my destination: Wynn Property.

One of the benefits of solo walks in Vegas is that my gait is held hostage by no one. I step quick and I step long. Of course, the biggest drawback of walking alone in Vegas is the cartoonish "$$$" symbol prostitutes see above my head causing rampant, "Heeeey, where you goin'" calls... But this is before 8:00 AM, the only hooks you'll see are expressed as half points on the wall of a Sports Book.

Iggy Pop - Lust for Life by Thobias

Wynn Las Vegas has been my favorite casino since I first stepped inside it months after its opening. I think it has an awesome Poker Room, a chill Sports Book, and Zooza Crackers Deli. The plan was to place my sports bets and watch the action from either inside the Sports Book or in the Poker Room before their daily noon poker tournament. Baring that, I'll just settle for a Roast Beef Sandwich and bide my time elsewhere. Absolutely none of that happened.

The line to place bets stretched clear out of the Sports Book and even past the deli counter (which borders the Sports Book). Luckily someone called the guy standing ahead of me in line to inform him that there was zero line at the Encore Sports Book. I didn't even know the Encore had a sports book!? Hot Route! I walk away from the line with the splinter group. Turns out the Encore has a Sports Book Desk, where bets can be placed and cashed: no seats and no televisions... but also nobody else there.

a google doc screen capture saved on my phone

All normal daily tournaments were canceled in lieu of their "Wynn Poker Classic" which was taking place over on the main casino floor. I had noticed a large section of the casino floor usually home to slot machines replaced with many poker tables behind a velvet rope border. Of course I could have bought into one of those tournaments, but they were more expensive and weren't around close TVs playing NCAA action, as is the case in the Poker Room. So even though my self made Daily Tournament Chart (picture included) had already failed me, I decided to trust it to guide me elsewhere. I chose the 11:00 AM Mirage Tournament to be the first tournament to enter.

52 people entered the 11:00 AM Daily No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament on March 17. It cost $60 to enter. My fourth place finish won me $281. Finally cashing in a poker tournament in Vegas made me happy. All those parlays that Louisville screwed me on no longer mattered. After I took my prize money, I was able to watch the end of Richmond's upset victory (my only successful sports bet of the day) from the fringes of the packed Sports Book at The Mirage.

I walked back to the Wynn to cash that Richmond [Money Line Bet!] ticket and turned around to head back to IP. That was the last time I stepped foot on Wynn Property that trip... Although if it wasn't for a "meaningless" 3 by Wofford against BYU at the buzzer I would've been back to cash in my 4 team teaser parlay.

By this time its just about 4:00 PM. I was told by IP that I had to find out my new room between 1 - 4. Not knowing any better, and not wanting to get charged a Penthouse rate, I called the front desk and was told my new [non Penthouse] room is ready. The instant I see my "normal" IP room I instantly regret my decision and wish I could have held onto that Penthouse. For me, a hotel room has to be somewhat attractive because I can't spend all my time on a casino floor. I need a place to relax and recharge while taking gaming breaks.

Phone charging, I crash asleep for a much needed nap. During my walk back to the room I had fielded a call from a friend who was off the Strip, but planning to return soon and wanted to meet up... I had told him to call me when he was in the cab on his way...

At just before 6:00 PM when I wake up rather hungry. I walk out of IP with no particular direction in mind when my phone rings... It's him... I tell him I'll meet him in the Bally's Poker Room...

How do you get from a Frat House to a Penthouse? (VEGASTORY 1 of 6)

2011-03-22T02:00:00.000-05:00

IP Penthouse Bar

Even though the flight was at 9:30 pm, I wasn't going to wait at home watching the clock tick.

Advance scouts had reported that TSA's staff cuts in half after 7 pm. It was my intention to get through that section of the check in process by that time - and successfully got through without a wait and with my dignity/privacy in tact.

I sat at the gate by myself for a long time. When I say by myself, I'm also referring to the empty counter and all gates in my periphery vision. I was in a figurative desert waiting for transport to a literal one. But none of this fazed me in the slightest - more time to read my book. (which book might you ask? Click here to buy your own copy of Death By Strip Mall!)

As the gate started populating with more people, including my friend and two more childhood friends of his, the feeling was as electric as a song my MGMT.
MGMT - Electric Feel by rockndroid

Frat Flight 469 left on time. It ran out of booze before it landed. There were ten women, if that, on the plane dominated by logo wearing boys old enough to be men (of which I most certainly qualify). Across the aisle one of'em had a propped up iPad with a headphone hub to allow all three to watch an in-flight movie of their choice. It was an impossible angle for most to recognize the movie, but the style of video and title cards made it obvious to me. They were watching Jackass 3.

By the time the plane landed, bags were reacquired, taxi line waited, and neck craning out of the packed taxi rode, we finally stepped into Imperial Palace (from now on only referred to as IP) at 1:00 AM. You would've thought Lady Gaga tickets were about to go on sale judging by the line at the front desk. It's been fifteen months since I last set foot on a Vegas Property: It didn't take long for me to realize I didn't have to spend the first hour back waiting in line. My bags were almost thrown at the Bell Desk as I made my way to the IP Poker Room.

By 2:30 AM I was +$120 and decided to cash out while I had a profit from the poker game to check on the line at the front desk. It was still long, but not as long... I'd say it was a line you'd expect to see for Johnny Mathis (not very long, but barely moving). Wanting another "free" beer, I sit down at Blackjack with the only intention of playing until my drink arrives. I won another $25 waiting for the beer.

I commit to the front desk line at 3 AM (which is 5 AM my time) and endure there for a solid hour as the gravely understaffed IP struggles. My room has been taken. Or my room isn't ready. Regardless, I took this immediately as okay news - as the wait was such a bear I was considering taking by bags elsewhere - literally.

"...so we've upgraded you to a Penthouse at no extra charge, but when your room is ready tomorrow you will have to move."

Now that's more like it... I text the group that was also staying at IP if they got the same deal - they did not... I instantly told them to stop up to see it, for it wasn't going to last long. As I waited for my friends, I took pictures of every corner for a newly created Facebook album. It featured a nice bar and a Jacuzzi that can only be respectfully described as "hooker-riffic" (chandelier, mirrors, a carpeted stairway up to it, and more mirrors).

Mirrors make you look more popular

If I was brutally honest, it wasn't all that great. I don't even think the pictures make it look any better. But when you compare it to what a "regular" IP room looks like I do wish I had it more than 3 hours.

It's not until after 5:00 AM did my friends leave and I was finally able to fall asleep. My phone was set to wake me up at 7:00 AM. No snooze bar was needed, or wanted...

Was Vegas a success?

2011-03-21T22:52:00.000-05:00

Many people will be asking me "How was Vegas?" in the following days. My responses will depend on how many syllables people are willing to hear:

   1) WON!
   2) MARQUETTE!
   3) SWEET SIXTEEN!

There will be an in depth breakdown of the longest stretch of time I've ever spent in my most favorite city in the world... for those of you that want to read it. I just need to write it all down for my own personal memory first, run it by a few others for story clearance, than redact the bejesus out of it to protect the innocent.

More importantly, there is one marathon adventure story that I don't want anybody to read before I tell it to them.

Tonight, my first night back in reality, I had dinner with MySister. She made a side comment about her enjoyment of a recent mixtape I made for her and wanting the playlist. The mixtape was called, "My Super Sweet Sixteen Dance Party Mixtape." Sweet 16, at the time of the mixtape's creation, was more of a reference to an MTV reality show that made me question the next generation. However, it now has a much nicer allusion to Marquette advancing to the Sweet 16 portion of the Big Dance. I listened to this mixtape on the flight back home.

Keep dancing everybody! Keep dancing Marquette!

What's less than two days away?

2011-03-15T01:38:00.000-05:00

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. (CityCenter)

I barely slept last night.
Tonight will be worse.
Tomorrow night will be impossible.
Wednesday night I'll be in Las Vegas.

So what do I do after I finally check in? Should I just start walking on the Strip to whatever calls my name? Perhaps down toward the new CityCenter project (the only properties on the Strip that have opened since my last visit?). Should I head the other way to my favorite Wynn, and get into a No Limit cash game right away?

No, Wynn will be my first target the following day. Yeah, it's St. Patrick's Day, but more importantly it's the first day of the NCAAs. (First day that counts, neglecting the first two days of First Round "action.") What's the first bet? I'm leaning towards a Big East Parlay in the early games with West Virginia and Louisville... Hell, let me throw in Pitt into that parlay mix because by the time that game is underway I'll be watching from inside the Wynn Poker Room. I'm cashing in that noon tournament, damnit!

Then I'll remember that I actually know other souls also vacationing in Vegas while I am there, which is different from my past few trips. Perhaps I'll cab it over to the Palms? Perhaps I'll take a moment of St. Paddy's day mayhem at O'Sheas? Maybe scout out the scene at Mandalay Bay - the early front runner to host Friday's action?

Oh God that Friday.... That's the day Marquette will play... I can't believe I'll have to wait until the third set of games. 4:27 pm won't come soon enough. The craps tables of Mandalay Bay will be a perfect distraction I presume. It being Friday and all, that nearby McDonald's at Luxor better have enough Fillet O'Fishes on supply - I can't go a Friday in Lent without one... or four...

No matter what happens as far as my gaming fortune is concerned, Friday will be won or lost with my Marquette Basketball team. Nearby friends will be Boilered Up, but I will be a ghost the rest of the evening if what I expect to happen does...

Saturday, if I haven't been yet, will be In-N-Out's time to shine. With less NCAA games to watch on this day versus the previous two, there'll be a nice slowdown to get a 2 x 4 - give me extra spread... And then who knows where my mind will wander me. A Sit n'Go at The Mirage? A cheapo tourney at Harrahs? Blackjack at El Cortez? The 7 pm tourney at Aria is a leading candidate - although I'll have to do at least one tournament at Caesars before I leave.

Could my last day bring the awesome gift of another Marquette game to watch? Oh, the thought of it warms my spirit. Before I leave I'll need to make a courtesy dice roll at TI too.

It's been over 15 months. It's been too long. Only need to wake up and go to work two more times. Only got to get my head on my own pillow two more times. If only my mind would close as easily as my eyelids...

How am I going to say 'Thank You'?

2011-03-12T18:51:00.000-06:00

Some people have included a note with a donation.

More than thirty people have amazingly reached out in the month since I told everybody of my upcoming trip halfway across the world. MySister & I are planning on some sort of a Thank You Postcard to quickly send out before our trip, with a follow up extended Thank You Letter including pictures and a story worth the incredible amount donated. In the meantime I'm keeping all the little notes that some people have wrote. The stack of letters is a tangible reminder that this is happening.

Why are these guys dancing alone?

2011-03-07T23:49:00.001-06:00

Last Friday, at the Girl Talk concert, the two friends I had gone to the show with retreated to a safer section of the Congress dance floor. I remained - and I had loads of fun dancing my myself. Kinda considering keeping up the momentum this Saturday at the Riv when Crystal Castles performs... Kinda looking to these two for inspiration... Kinda know I have nowhere near this good of rhythm... (Note: these are both Crystal Castles songs)

Maybe I'll join up with these guys?

Do you have a favorite shirt?

2011-03-06T22:31:00.002-06:00

I lack fashion.

This statement is both true in the literal "I don't have own many stylish clothes" as the figurative "I don't know what would define style." If someone at work compliments a shirt of mine, there is a very large likelihood that it was a purchased by MySister (either as a gift or a commissioned buy with my money). Even in the genre of T-Shirt And Jeans I think I come up a tad short since 95% of my t-shirts fall into three categories:

References to The Big Lebowski
Bands most of my friends don't enjoy
Marquette University

Regardless, I have a favorite shirt. I wore it this past Friday and my friend happened to take a picture of me in it. The shirt is held so highly in my esteem, I usually prefer these pictures because I find the shirt an important element.

...I went out and achieved anyway...

[POST SCRIPT: In case you didn't know, the blog on lebowskifest.com's days are numbered. From now on, I'll be posting "Leblogski" type stuff here. Hopefully my 7 readers won't get too upset.]

How did you hear of Girl Talk?

2011-03-05T15:10:00.008-06:00

In 2007 a coworker, who had a college age younger brother (in other words, limitless amounts of spare time and internet access), told me about Girl Talk. That was the time of his breakout Night Ripper album from 2006. The man behind Girl Talk has since released two more albums, most recently All Day this past November (as I previously wrote, on one of the better Mondays in recent history).

Last night I saw Girl Talk live for the first time. The show was a sellout, as is his second show this evening, but I was delighted to see a lot of people mentioning on The Social Network that they were just discovering Girl Talk from the apparent flood of GT-related posting the night before (of which I am guilty of as well). The spread of music recommendation through friends continues, which couldn't make me more happy.

As for the actual show, I always find chronicling such events challenging. Unless there's some kind of humiliating story to occur separate from the show, I'm typically at a loss for words. In relation, I don't tend to take many pictures as I tend to have tunnel focus keyed to enjoying the reasons I'm there. I'm there to have fun. However, I tried to take a few moments to take few pictures (included at the bottom of the post) and do want to share a few of my takeaway highlights:

Balloon Rescuer

Top highlight, in a runaway, was the unexpected sampling of one of my top 5 favorite songs of all time Peter Bjorn And John's "Young Folks"
Realized the kids around me weren't as into indie rock as I am judging to my reactions to samples such as Arcade Fire's "Wake Up" and Phoenix's "1901"
Knew the extended sample of John Lennon's "Imagine" was going to unite the crowd, but it still warmed my soul as if it was a surprise.
Shows in this genre are nonstop, lacking the typical pauses between songs in a rock concert - but I really loved the start of the "quazi-encore" was the opening part of 2008's Feed the Animals

There's another unique source of gratification for me whenever I'm able to erase a regret of my past, which was the case here. No longer do I have to classify Girl Talk in that shrinking "I really wanted to go to the last concert, but wasn't able" category.

Are you a "comedy nerd?"

2011-02-27T23:50:00.002-06:00

Much like Music Snobs there are a flock of people called Comedy Nerds. While some people (like me) don't necessarily like being called Music Snobs, most Comedy Nerds are proud of the label. Here are a few traits:

They know not only who tell the jokes, but also who writes them
They are interested in influences of comics
They are interested in "comic trees" (i.e. Writers of 1 specific show that have branched out)
They consume hour long comedy podcasts in massive quantities

There are more traits. I can't exactly list them because I think I'm a Comedy Nerd in training. It's become a new passion of mine. How did this all get started? For me at least?

I got into Kevin Pollak's Chat Show. My obsession with KPCS has been documented. That podcast (that flirted with a pay option, but is free again) really got me interested in the process of comedy. I found the specific paths of comics extremely interesting whether it be from training at Second City, Upright Citizens Brigade or from hitting the road as a Stand Up. Or, and this is a very legitimate theory, I just enjoy conversations that involve funny people.

Regardless, here are the comedy podcasts I listen to every week. (Note that every one, as of February 2011, is free to download from the iTunes Music Store):

Kevin Pollak's Chat Show: It's video. It's also the most well produced and "professional looking" of all the podcasts I subscribe to. It's Charlie Rose with humor and profanity. Episodes usually run close to two hours each - posted weekly.
The Nerdist: The more established comic of the three is Chris Hardwick (the other two hosts are Jonah Ray & Matt Mira). The show is much less interview-y and more conversational. The easiest way to describe it would be to call it, "A conversation you wish would also involve you." They are posting two episodes a week (one featuring a guest).
Comedy Death-Ray Radio: This is Scott Aukerman's podcast. Knowing that name is a good litmus test of whether or not you are a comedy nerd. The man was a writer on The Larry Sanders Show and Mr. Show. I didn't know this, and it kept me from listening to this podcast for the longest time. Mr. Aukerman has since formed Ear Wolf studios, which records many podcasts and runs a very popular stand up comedy show in LA by the same name. The show is about 90 minutes every week, and is the closest of all these listed as an original radio program with recurring games and characters.
WTF with Marc Maron: Could me the most famous of the genre, or most well respected. The best blend between "interview" and "conversation" you'll find in comedy podcasts. It's also the most raw, unfiltered, talk you'll hear.
Sklarbro County: If you ever liked Cheap Seats from ESPN Classic's past - you need to listen to this show. A lot of sports story-related comedy, but also consistently has funny guests.
Doug Loves Movies:I'm listing this last only because I think it's the most difficult to explain. A bunch of stand up comics tangentially talk about movies, play something called "the Leonard Maltin Game" and rif jokes throughout.

Not listed is Jimmy Pardo's "Never Not Funny" and "Pod F. Tomkast" by Paul F. Tompkins. I'm not saying that those two are not funny, but I'm not listing them in the above list only because I'm not currently subscribing to them... But I know people that listen to, and enjoy, both of them.

Long story short: if you're looking to fill 6-9 hours of your week listening to funny people - check these out. I recommend scanning past episodes to pick a show featuring a guest you already know to start.

If an 8 year old (who doesn't know me) can, why not you?

2011-02-26T21:58:00.010-06:00

8 year old TQ

(You know I'm going to Sri Lanka at the end of July, right? If not, please click here to read the post explaining why.)

There have been a few frequently asked questions about my Sri Lanka trip:
When are you going? [July 29 - August 15]
Was Sri Lanka known as something else? [Ceylon prior to 1972]
Who should I make the check out to? ["BTCV"]
How much should I donate? [?]

That last question is disarming. It makes me very nervous. The entire process of soliciting donations is humbling and humiliating. With most awkward moments, I usually stoop to poor comedy. Thus, my common response to that question is: "Since I probably won't have any kids asking you to buy Girl Scout Cookies, whatever you spend on Thin Mints would be more than appreciated."

Which brings us to Nolan. (the other kid pictured in this post, anonymity protected through inelegant clip art)

I don't know Nolan. Before last Wednesday, I didn't even know he existed. He is an 8 year old grandson of a coworker who lives northeast of Green Bay, Wisconsin.

8 year old Nolan

He donated four dollars, cash. Needless to say when his Grandmother (a coworker who I can't honestly describe as anything more than an acquaintance, if that) handed me an envelope with "TQ" addressed in crayon, I didn't know how to react. After getting back to my desk and opening the envelope, to see four $1 bills inside, I e-mailed Nolan's Grandmother for an address to send a proper Thank You.

Thankfully, she replied with the story of his donation (along with his picture):

I gave him some money for Valentine’s Day and he gave it to charity. He took me on a “date” on Saturday for ice cream and he gave me the money he had left. When I wouldn’t take it, he said he would put it in my purse when I wasn’t looking. That’s when I mentioned what you were doing and he was excited about giving it to you.

When I was 8 years old I was in my first year of Little League afraid to swing a bat. I watched The Huxtables and was annoying my high school age sister. I'm fairly positive if I had four dollars I would've bought another Micro Machine, not given it to a stranger.

The going rate for Thin Mints is around $4. If Nolan donated $4, could you as well?

Can the same person enjoy Teen Dream and Teenage Dream?

2011-02-22T22:06:00.002-06:00

be your teenage dream tonight

I've renamed the playlist a few times now. It's currently listed as "Super Sweet Sixteen Dance Party Mixtape." The latest song I added is embedded below, a version that can be downloaded if you so choose. In the last 48 hours I've been sheepishly reaching out to people that have always been champions of bubblegum pop and the like. In every case the people have been really happy to hear that I'm deconstructing my high horse of music tastes. It started with a bang of dynamite, and got rolling when I got a hold of Rihanna's latest effort.

Tonight was the real tipping point after two others loaned me Far East Movement and Katy Perry. The Teenage Dream album was a very difficult guilty pill for me to swallow. One of my favorite albums from 2010 was Beach House's Teen Dream, which as you can imagine spawned a litany of poorly set up jokes at Mrs. Brand's expense. Thankfully, I've learned something very healthy in the process: letting go of hate is a wonderful experience. Who knows how long I can suppress my sarcastic and cynical leanings, but I'm done wasting effort explaining why I don't like the Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga... (especially when I see my friends' two daughters rock out to "Boom Boom Pow" or another friend's daughter singing "Telephone").
Infinite Dream - The White Panda by Suburban17

On another note, I'm happy that I can show a Perry thumb nail for a post on the heels of the Bieber Plea. Between people clicking there and here, I'm hoping I'm covering all the bases to get people to eventually read the most sincere post I've ever written.

What would Bieber do?

2011-02-20T23:06:00.002-06:00

Baby, baby, baby, oh!

(The following is fake. After seeing another charity post a picture of the sixteen year old heartthrob hoping to piggy back on his fandom, I thought I'd try the same. I do not know Mr. Bieber, and I mean no harm towards him or his following)

To my crazy amazing fans,

It's been quite a couple days for JB! Man, I was so psyched to be sharing the Grammy Stage with my main man Usher - what a thrill! I like exclamation points!

But then I had to sit through Esperanza Spalding winning the Best New Artist Grammy - that sucked. We really thought we had it, but don't worry, we'll get it next year. At least my fellow Canadians Arcade Fires won the big prize. I loved their performance because they had bikes on the stage with them - cool!

There's a lot of haters out there on Esperanza and The Arcades, and that's not Bieber-cool. In fact, we should all take our frustration and turn it into something positive... Like donating to this guy that's twice my age who's going to a place that even I haven't been to!

I read his blog post and was inspired! You should read it too! You should donate!

Calling all Beliebers - crack open your piggy banks, sneak cash out of your parents' wallets, and start donating to the cause. Baby, baby, baby, oh it's a great cause!

Never say never,
Bieber

[P.S. Hey TQ, I'm too young to have a checking account, so I can't write a check payable to "BTCV" and send it to you.]

Do you throw your hands up in the air sometimes?

2011-02-19T19:40:00.001-06:00

This post is to make a confession.
An omission of a guilty pleasure.
After hearing the following song last weekend at a swanky Valentine's party and last night at a WestEnd birthday party, I feel comfortable admitting to the world that I love "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz. If you're with your friends, and people are out there dancing, when this track starts beating you just have to surrender to it. Yes, I prefer Radiohead. Yes, I tend to get snobby in my musical tastes. Yes, it's a song that MySister works out to during Roomba / Zoomba / Pillati-yogi / Whatever... Whatever.

Also, as long as I'm on this topic, I now look to incorporate the phrase "fly like a G6" more into my vocabulary. But when I do, it's only slightly ironic.

Why would anybody go halfway around the world?

2011-02-10T23:40:00.024-06:00

Donations can be made payable to: BTCV

The flag of Sri Lanka: an island nation of the coast of India

I am going to Sri Lanka this summer. More descriptively, my sister and I are going to Negombo, Sri Lanka for the first two weeks of August to restore the classrooms of a school in need. The construction will include a new roof, screens, doors and a playground.

My parents have had an interesting time updating their friends on the lives of their children. They have an accomplished teacher daughter who consistently volunteers her free time to help others... and a son that annually voyages to Las Vegas. Our parents can finally be proud of us both!

(update: my parents have let me know they have always been proud)

I would not have acquired a passport and began planning a trip to the other side of the world if it wasn't for MySister (the preferred anonymity-abiding nomenclature). She's the best sister one can ask for and I'm looking forward to embarrassing her on another continent - without creating any kind of international incident, for this is a humanitarian trip.

This summer I will be going halfway around the world

Sri Lanka is slightly larger than West Virginia

A venture such as this is completely new territory for yours truly, but something MySister has been doing for close to a decade. In years past she has jetted off to far away lands (i.e. Costa Rica and Mozambique to only name two for there are more) for multiple organizations (first Habitat for Humanity and now Be The Change Volunteers). MySister met the founders of BTCV during one of her Habitat for Humanity Global Missions, it is an organization that provides volunteering opportunities benefiting foreign schools. As a son, brother, nephew, cousin and friend of many teachers - it is why the organization appeals to me. I have seen many teachers devote more than just a career to improving the lives of children and this summer I am going to step outside my selfish comfort zone to create something tangible for the benefit of children currently unknown to me. My impact on their lives will hopefully lead to a better learning environment, but I have zero clue how they will affect my future.

This is my opportunity to have an incredible lifetime experience. This plea to you has been delayed because, although I'm quite the verbose personality, I wasn't sure how to share this with all of you. Please contact me if you are interested in donating on my behalf. It is my own responsibility to get there and donate my personal labor. Knowing me, you can be safe knowing you'll get your money's worth at the conclusion of this adventure in the form of a story. Charitable gifts are tax deductable because BTCV is a validated 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (Tax ID# 26-2435157). Click below where it says "Please contact me" to ask me where to send your charitable donation.

Thank you very much for both your time in reading this message and in advance for whatever you donate... ~TQ

Please contact me if you have any questions.

How will my week in Vegas differ from The Bachelor's?

2011-02-01T00:41:00.001-06:00

Aria: one of the newest Vegas properties

As of this Wednesday night, it will be exactly six weeks until my [triumphant?] return to my most favorite city - Las Vegas, Nevada. Earlier tonight I watched Forrest Cowboy Bachelor Gump spend a few nights there... Our stays will be drastically different.

There will be no shopping spree in which I'm in a montage-ready fashion show with well timed "stepping out of the changing room simultaneously" moments. No $5,000 purses will be purchased. And although I do intend on walking through that mall in City Center, I won't be gleefully chasing a woman who doesn't realize what aspect of Pretty Woman she is emulating up an escalator. Fireworks will not make me happy.

I will not be wasting time driving around in circles. Even if there are multiple beauties dressed in similar uniforms to cheer me on as I drive around in circles. And if I, by unseen circumstances, have a one on one talk with a sweet blonde haired mother of a child named after her dead racer fiancee I won't make her take a few laps in a race car with fresh tears not yet dried.

Cirque du Soleil will have zero role. More importantly, I will have no role in a Cirque du Soleil production of a jumpsuited icon. I will not take two girls with the same name out to dinner. If by some stroke of luck I get the opportunity, I will attempt to prevent a strange (VERY STRANGE) over side-burned roadie type mysteriously barge into their hotel room to make luggage disappear.

My show will be set - only for brief moments - in The Palace, not the Aria.
The only crying will be during a Marquette basketball game, by me - not any of the women I encounter.
Any sexual pun you'll hear will refer to burgers instead of fireworks.
A phone call will be placed to wish MySister a happy birthday, not to my life coach.
I want a flush of hearts at the Wynn, not to flush the hearts of losers.

What's on my concert calendar?

2011-01-31T23:51:00.000-06:00

What were my concert highlights (and regrets) of 2010?

2011-01-30T17:00:00.005-06:00

My procrastination has delayed this post a full month, and with my first 2011 show potentially being this Tuesday, I gotta get this out the door. Here is a comprehensive review of my 2010 life seeing live music: the shows, the missed opportunities, the highlights, the regrets...

February 20 | Lincoln Hall | Tortoise
Saw this show mainly because not going would have meant a friend missing out on one of his favorite bands (I don't think he would have gone solo).

March 3 | Elbow Room | Machine Gun Mojo
A benefit show that benefited cancer charity that finally allowed me to see a coworker's band firsthand.

April 5 | Lincoln Hall | Camera Obscura
Stupidly bought these tickets not realizing it was the same night of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship (Luckily the show sold out and I found a happy buyer).

April 8 | Lincoln Hall | The xx
A band of the moment, in the moment (smugly happy that I was a tad ahead of the curve getting to see'em live)

April 29 | Metro | Yeasayer
Waited too long before it sold out (Regret erased before 2010 closed!)

April 30 | Metro | Los Campesinos!
Bailed at the last second, luckily my friend found another for my ticket.

June 3 | Lincoln Hall | Tortoise
It's clear that if anybody suggest a show at Lincoln Hall, I'll do everything in my power to join'em.

June 9 | Lincoln Hall | Stars
An out of town friend sold me her tickets to this show, and I didn't find anybody wanting to see it with me (like Camera Obscura, I made a buyer happy to pay only face value for a sold out show)

July 16 | Union Park | Pitchfork Music Festival
I really can't honestly call it a regret, because I know I had more fun at the 9th Annual Lebowski Fest (but missing LCD Soundsystem and Broken Social Scene hurt... tons.)

August 6 | Metro | Cut Copy
Most fun I've ever had at a show (even with a humbling side bar)

August 8 | House of Blues | Phoenix
INSTA-SELLOUT: unable (and unwilling) to pay over face to see'em for the 4th time in 2 years.

August 12 | Double Door | Machine Gun Mojo
I saw'em the first time to support a friend, saw'em again because they are good.

August 17 | Northerly Island | My Morning Jacket
Maybe the best experience of the year (with a great friend, at a great venue, great weather... what more could you want?)

September 1 | Union Park | North Coast Music Festival
The greatest Groupon deal in history (and a landmark concert going experience)

Chemical Brothers - Another World by ImaCrea

October 3 | Pabst Theater | Broken Social Scene
In the month of Breast Cancer Awareness I took a friend who recently lost his Mom from it. To a band he had to miss in July because he was in Ohio with her during the last stages.

September 21 | Lincoln Hall | Land of Talk
Oh, how I love Mountie Rock - don't you ever change.

September 24 | Lincoln Hall | Foals
The day itself is the biggest regret of 2010, not seeing Foals that night was only a part of it (but already have tickets in hand to see'em in 2011)

November 17 | Lincoln Hall | Delorean
I've always relied on the kindness of strangers.

December 2 | Lincoln Hall | Freelance Whales
Was able to bring 3 people into this show free, and met a (mushroomed out) lonely soul from Milwaukee in the process.

December 30 | Metro | Yeasayer
I won't make excuses or apologies for seeing a great set at half the price and six times less the hassle the night before NYE.

In case you are curious how this stacked up to 2009, go check it out.

Do you want to taste my Coffee inspired mixtape?

2011-01-27T20:10:00.000-06:00

Today I learned of a special work assignment for tomorrow. Without giving away too many work-specific details, I have to take the company van about an hour north of the office to pick up over 200 cases of coffee that will be used in various efforts to introduce a new Brand. About two years ago I had to take a van even farther to pick up samples of another new-at-the-time product for the purposes of a launch strategy.

That last trip was to a city named Rock City, Illinois (which is past Rockford, near the Rock River). The trip which prompted the creation of a mixtape called, "Rock music for getting past Rockford and over the Rock River to Rock City." It was difficult to fit that title on a blank CD).

My boss prefaced her assigning of this latest task by referencing that mixtape (of which I had given her a copy) saying, "You're going to have to get that Rock Rock mixtape ready..." Although it was said as a joke, everyone in my office knows I will craft mixtapes at the slight mention of one. There was zero doubt, especially when faced with having to drive alone in a car that wasn't my own, that I was making a mixtape post haste:

(Mixtape Title Censored due to it matching the new Brand not to be mentioned here)
1. "Meet Me in the Basement" by Broken Social Scene
2. "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire
3. "One More Cup Of Coffee" by Bob Dylan
4. "Dance Or Die" by Janelle Monae
5. "Faster" by Janelle Monae
6. "Wake Up Alone" by Amy Winehouse
7. "Hot Like Fire" by The xx
8. "Electric Feel" by MGMT
9. "Drink to Moving On" by Grand National
10. "When You Wake up Feeling Old" by Wilco
11. "My Maudlin Career" by Camera Obscura
12. "Awake My Soul" by Mumford & Sons
13. "Mr. Ambulance Driver" by The Flaming Lips
14. "Wake Up Dead Man" by U2
15. "A Beautiful Mine" by RJD2
Bob Dylan - One More Cup Of Coffee by waldojeffers

How am I going to make it until Sunday?

2011-01-19T20:04:00.001-06:00

The upcoming Bears & Packers NFC Championship has opened the portal into a Chicago Meatball Sports fans BEARPOCALYPSE!

I have all kinds of adrenalin running as fast through my circulatory system as Devin Hester in the open field. Tonight I embraced my inner Meatball fan and put together a slide show because there's nothing else I can do to kill time until 2 PM this Sunday. BEAR DOWN!

How will MTV present Snook's alcohol abuse?

2011-01-18T00:06:00.057-06:00

A spill on Seaside

Tonight was a perfect storm of reality trash with the 3rd episodes of both ABC's Elimidate and Jersey Shore airing on the same night. It was a night where I turned a corner with one show (The Bachelor) and was hoping there would be a corner to tun on the other (True Life: I Pump Fists). [Post 2 of 2]

I actually have some serious comments and heartfelt reservations about what The Jersey Shore is setting up, but let's get the mindless fun out of the way first:

Sam is the arguable all-star of tonight's episode for taking the high road (one not often traveled in Seaside) and apologizing to both Snooki and Deena. It was a great turnaround from her seemingly digging a larger hole for herself by attacking Ronnie seemingly out of nowhere for prior crimes. I understand she's not a constitutional lawyer, but hopefully someone can explain the concept of Double Jeopardy to her. But we can all happily move on knowing that Sam is not going to have an isolated Angelina-esque arc this season. Even better is that she appears to have made up with Ronnie. I want those two together on the show, just not separated from the rest of the gang.

The gang works best when they are together, and the segment of Karma and the continuation back at the house were my favorite pieces of the show. The largest laugh of the night was Danielle "The Stalker" executing a Sean Penn to the MTV Camera. And is there anybody you'd rather want on your side if things go bad in a club than Ronnie? He went from chill with Sam talking about love to snapping into action to see if Pauly D needed help. Did you notice one of the T-Shirts worn by a DTFer had Ronnie's credo of "Come At Me Bro" written on it? Classic fist pumping and stage falling aside, I probably could have done without J-Woww relieving herself behind a V.I.P. (Vacate Immediately to Piss) bar.

Back at the house Vinny continues his, for lack of a better term, success rate while Mike brings home arguably the most attractive woman (Paula) ever seen in the show's 3 season run. The largest smile of the night was witnessing the shared laughter between Vinny and Ronnie over Turkey Burgers at 4:30 AM.

And then we came to the Drunk.

MTV used to be the network progressive enough to first air commercials for condoms and were advocates of safe sex. Now they are the network that's given notoriety to multiple seasons of Teen Mom. A network that was very quick to step away from behind the camera to confront Ruthie on her alcohol abuse during The Real World: Hawaii. They like nothing more than to prop themselves up for being more than a network, for example using its True Life program as an example of their known responsibility to their viewers.

I'm nervous how they will treat the Snooki drunkenness. Very nervous. At first, I was optimistic because they showed confessions of roommates detailing how rarely she is sober in the house. Most of all, the scenes of her sneaking a beer at work - and worse using a coffee break for shots - were the most vivid representation of a problem's exponential descent. But then the boss at the T-Shirt Store used the term "rock bottom" in a comical, almost laughing-at-you, way. And the music MTV decided to play over her disorderly behavior at the beach sounded stolen from a circus.

Like I've said before, this show works best when its characters work as a family. Judging by the previews Snook's real family might get involved too. Sadly, we know how this turns out - Snooki is still drinking today.

Is Michelle from The Bachelor crazy?

2011-01-17T23:42:00.000-06:00

Michelle: not crazy.

Tonight was a perfect storm of reality trash with the 3rd episodes of both ABC's Elimidate and Jersey Shore airing on the same night. It was a night where I turned a corner with one show (The Bachelor) and was hoping there would be a corner to tun on the other (True Life: I Pump Fists). [Post 1 of 2]

Michelle, the self described WOMAN among girls, is clearly being painted as an evil mastermind of courtship by her show's editors. And yes, I'm calling it her show now. About halfway through tonight's episode I had a moment of clarity in regards to her: the "crazy" actions in a "crazy" set up are actually the actions of a sane normal person by some sort of a mathematical double negative rule. All women in an early relationship should act, and more importantly feel, the way she does. She should want all the other "girls" to get on a plane and go away. She should want to hijack her way into any conversation not involving her. Hearing of her target kiss other girls should piss her off. And she's the only one seeing clearly (or admitting) at this point. She's calling out this dude and he's loving every minute of it. At the Rose Ceremony some other girl showed weakness by vocalizing her self doubt, but Michelle didn't hesitate boasting her confidence. And that's how you need to feel if you're facing down a Rose Ceremony: if you don't have the confidence that you have a connection worthy of a red one, you shouldn't get one.

Speaking of not having the Flower Power, Madison did the right thing. Once again, here's another example of someone painted as a crazy person acting the most sane of all. Of course she doesn't feel any connection because Cowboy Awshucks never gave her a chance. Don't get hung up on those fake fangs: once they were off, so were the gloves.

In Michelle and Madison I felt like I could see the motivation behind their actions. I can relate to that. When Ashley (?) floated a false preference of being sent home now instead of later it reeked of double reverse mind games. The pause it created in the lonely Cowboy was, to me, his second honest emotion and reaction of the season (the first being the first confrontation with Vampire Madison).

Then I realized that this honest emotion I saw from The Bachelor was one of a lack of understanding, and that might be a clue. Is this guy dumb? Seriously, I'm staring to think he is just a hot bod with perpetual face gruff stuffed in a fancy car and expensive fashion. Most of what he says feels written for him by another. He doesn't have a conversational speech pattern expect for when he says, "I like (you / it / that / when), I really like (you / it / that / when)." Other times he's sitting down saying platitudes prefaced with, "I promise you..." as if there are cue cards held up behind the girl he is facing. This will no doubt read meaner than my intention, but he reminds me of Forrest Gump: Stupid is as stupid hands out roses.

So after three of these episodes, I'm still going to hold to my initial prediction that he's going to get on a knee for a southern belle. It's clear that Michelle isn't going any where anytime soon. For the record, if I had to pick one of these girls - I think I'd be leaning towards the funeral director at this time.

Or I'd be running off the set to track down Madison because I think she left her prop teeth behind.

What is the most damning four letter word spoken on the Jersey Shore?

2011-01-07T05:09:00.008-06:00

Deena: new cast member for season three

Thursday was a long, rough, day at work. But as I was about to leave another coworker, who was also there later than usual, reminded me (by a few silent although while grinning fist pumps) that I had the 3rd Season Premiere of Jersey Shore waiting for me at home as my reward.

I ended up taking one of my classic accidental / involuntary naps somewhere around 8 pm and woke up at 3 am realizing returning to sleep wasn't an option. Of course that meant a little late night Jersey Shore DVR action. Here are my notes on the Season Premiere, which I don't think was as great as it's Season 2 Premiere:

Snooki's shortness & bustiness make her boobs honk her BMW 3 series at every breath. She is nearly kissing the windshield.
Everyone loves the duck phone, and I do too, but I get a better kick out of the somewhat hidden Scarface mural (not the poster, the mural).
Can't we all just get along? J-Woww & Sam? Don't start out like this, not like this.
That sweet Mercedes is... Vinny's?! Whoa.
Really noticing the rides: Snooki & Ronnie have BMWs, Vinny the elite Mercedes, but look at Pauly D trading in the Escalade for the surprisingly understated Caddy (I guess when you tattoo Cadillac down your body you can't be behind the wheel of a Lexus).
Snooki calling Sam a Valley Girl must be a special kind of insult a Guidette can throw out. Ronnie calling Deena a Gremlin look-a-like is an equally dated reference, but not as funny to me. (On second thought, is Ronnie even old enough to have seen the movie?)
And now we have the traditional sex toy introductions... I see you've met Elmo, is there a Rabbit in the house?
Auto update: The Situation stays douchey with the Range Rover (not unlike his fictional TV dick counterpart)
The producers must have intentionally held The Situation back and given Sam & Ronnie the head start in getting to the house. It would make too much sense for an "MVP" room and for the only room with two beds to be roomed by the only couple. I don't think we will see The Situation eating an egg sandwich on his bed while watching a hook up (one of the highlights from their season in Miami).
Someone came prepared with talking points: "Single & ready to mingle" "A walking Holiday" "Blast in a Glass" (space'em out Deena. Let'em breathe and don't fire them all out at once like you just did)
The Situation Monologues, "If Deena was a holiday she'd definitely be Thanksgiving because she's got a lot to give and she's down for a lot of stuffing"
Sam says she can't deal with meatballs? Hello, why are you here? (oh yeah, that's why)
Deena was first introduced to those of us who saw the Snooki drop on NYE. When my friend heard that she was brought in by Snooki, he wondered why it wasn't Ryder (a guest last season). Answer: she was SBV ( "Smushed By Vinny")\
How to make an awkward silence more awkward? Have it in a hot tub.
Leader in the clubhouse with best line, "Stick it in a jet hole and go to bed" (J-Woww to Vinny)
"I can help you find your hat." (something I hope doesn't become a joke pick up line)
"You just hit an in the house home run" (that's my favorite line. That won't be topped)
"Why don't you go put some pajamas on, that's a good situation." (Bronze Medal, no Jersey Tan pun intended: I mean it's the 3rd best line of the night)
I'm not all that happy with Sam's actions and attitude this far, but I'm on her side when she laughs at Deena. Look, if you're gonna act funny you're gonna get laughs. Deena did do something to her: act like a drunk clown in front of her. Deena, meet Joe Pesci.
"You are going for Rookie of the Year Award" (that's the Silver Medal in Situation lines tonight)
ONE SHOT! COME AT ME BRO! The Ronnie Awakens. Nobody ever wins when that explodes.
Deena is just digging herself a bigger hole. (Again, no Jersey Slut pun intended) For Ronnie to invoke the godforsaken banished roommate Angelina speaks volumes. She does not realize the poor logic of loudly yelling about Sam while she is upstairs before criticizing Ronnie "fighting her fights" for her. If anything, Ronnie is fighting his own fight - he's clearly lost patience with the new roomie.
"I will attack you like a squirrel monkey." (here's the proper quote Snook)
A lot of nasty four letter words were used tonight... But the word that seems the most hurtful and powerful in the house is "fake."

Finally, the fighting has got to stop. I really hope it does because I have no interest in watching each episode end with women taking off their earrings as the credits begin. This show, at it's best, works as a flawed family with insane interpersonal relationships. The fighting makes the show look more like an outdated Jerry Springer. The clips MTV showed of the season to come were focusing mainly on the breakdown of their family relationship and the destructive drunkenness of Snooki. This whttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_ff46b58Hkill probably be the final season of Jersey Shore, and I fear, it's worst.

Why do you watch The Bachelor?

2011-01-03T22:29:00.005-06:00

I watched ABC's version of Elimidate tonight.
The sole reason I wanted to watch it was to talk about it.
People at my work have a gambling pool based on the show.
These colleagues have a fiscal rooting interest in the bachelorettes.
For the record, I'm not in on that competition.
For the record, I kinda wish I was.

Supposedly this "returning" Bachelor is a very hated man.
Not seeing his first season, I don't understand why.
Would people rather have him propose to a woman he didn't want to marry?
Call me simple, call me heartless, call me one that can't believe you can find honest real love while Chris Harrison tells you which order the producers want you to call out names like "Ashley H." as if he's reading who is supposed to be line leader to fourth grade music class.

I can find heart in bad television like the fist pumpingly wonderful Jersey Shore, but I struggled tonight (but eventually did find some sincere emotion in me). Yes, I rooted for the beauty in a blue dress because she was, like me, from "outside Chicago" and couldn't quite get her moment in front of Mr. Cowboy. Of course I was not happy that Madison the Vampire got a rose.

The moment of tonight's episode that came as close to sincerity as I could be convinced was the confrontation to Madison the Vampire. For a split second I thought that Mr. Cowboy might actually not find her teeth a funny joke - that he wanted to take 30 incredibly attractive, unrealistically (perhaps artificially) in perfect shape strangers who were literally jumping into his arms at first sight, asking him to get down on one knee for a quazi-proposal and hitching up their boobs while exiting out of limos as a serious venture to arrive at the most important decision of his life.

A decision that he's had to make before. Which leads me to my initial disgust that this Cowboy is back on the TV. Like I typed earlier, I support his non decision he made three years ago - but I can't quite support ABC's decision to bring him back. It's not like this show needs a ratings gimmick, and they have more than a full stock of past rose-less contestants wanting to control the spotlight instead of vying for it.

It's a show that I'm going to continue to watch, for now - if only to be able to talk about it around others that talk about it. Maybe I'll grow a rooting interest in someone like that WOMAN that has a five year old kid. Although if I was said Cowboy, it would take a mighty strong steer to rustle me away from that bubbly first impression rose winner.

So here are my stupid snap predictions:
Madison the Vampire is a plant of the producers. She had to make it to episode two, or she's a known person in Cowboy's life to provide inside intel.
The Rockette's dancing antics will grow tired on everybody, and will be her downfall.
Chris Harrison will wear something hideous at a rose ceremony.
Someone gets a tattoo on a one-on-one date.
A crew member will get fired for interfering with "the reality."
The Bachelor will propose to a woman with a southern accent, and she will accept with less tears than the man on his knee.

What's on my Best of 2010 mixtape?

2010-12-25T12:35:00.000-06:00

Publish it! No more changes or tweaks! Here is my Best of 2010 mixtape. Please note that the tracks appear in no particular order as far as rank is concerned, but are arranged in the order I prefer to listen. 15 tracks made the cut, which is limited by how much I can burn onto a CD. If you would like the 1.1 hour long mixtape, please let me know.

Please understand that the list is only from music I've actually heard. There is no way for me to have a comprehensive list like actual music critics. If 2010 is anything like 2009, I will soon have to make a "Part 2" playlist from all the songs I discover in 2011 that were actually from the previous year. From reading a bunch of Best Of lists already out there I will be picking up more 2010 albums from the various gift cards I've received (i.e. The National, LCD Soundsystem, Mumford & Sons). The list has two motivating factors: to be a snapshot of what I was listening to at that time (and also what concerts I had attended) & to highlight a couple songs or acts that may be new to people who don't follow music as intensely. I love Best of Lists that include unknown acts - I need them to help me discover new music.

Picking the "Song of the Year" was increasingly difficult as I had a nice opportunity to see many of the mixtape songs live. Typically, hearing a song that I really like live has a way of elevating it to a new plateau in my mind. Land of Talk's "Quarry Hymns" was the leader in the clubhouse. I was highly anticipating their new album, and loved their performance of this song when they came through town. Broken Social Scene's 2010 album was not their best, and my dual love of "Sweetest Kill" and "Texico Bitches" basically split the vote in my head. Even though I heard both songs performed live, only one could make it to the mixtape - and none of them would be able to vie for Best Song of 2010. A late charge was made by Freelance Whales' "Generator (Second Floor)" which might have been controversial because some sources has it as a 2009 release. Allow me to pitifully confess: one of the reasons I wanted to see them live earlier this month was knowing how tough of a time I was having picking the Best Song this year and wanted to have my doors blown off hearing it live. It was a great performance, but not enough.

Yeasayer was a huge find for me this year. At one point, not seeing them when they were here in late April was my largest regret of the year. Thankfully, I will be seeing them December 30, which is too little too late for "Ambling Alp" to get the push it would've needed. Therefore, the biggest regret of 2010 was not seeing Foals. Buy me many strong drinks and I'll tell you why the night of their sold out Lincoln Hall show is the worst night of my 2010. However, don't let my personal misadventures take anything away from the overall excellence of that album - with "Black Gold" being my favorite track.

If it wasn't for the emotional baggage at no fault to anybody (especially Foals), their album would've won Best Album in my mind. But instead the accolade goes to the debut effort by Beach House. There are many songs of theirs I love, but have chosen "Walk In The Park" for the mixtape.

I will always remember playing Drake's "Fancy" for MySister in my car between a Wedding Ceremony & Reception in Milwaukee and watching the awe inspiring SNL performance of "Power." The selections by Flying Lotus and The Walkmen were hidden gems from free albums legally downloaded (in these cases from NPR and Spin magazine).

Awarding the Best Song of 2010 meant having to go back to the reason why I love mixtapes: sharing music I don't think the recipients have heard yet. There was one song I made sure was included on most mixtapes this year: "No Big Deal" by S Dot Schumacher. It was a song that hit true from first listen and doesn't feel any less false more than 10 months later. A song that dropped just before the artist turned 30, it's a hilarious mirror held up to the common actions of single women that I know all too well. It is the only song that I feel needs to be embedded in this post and if there's one song I want you to hear this year, it is it:

Sadly, one of my favorite musical moments of 2010 isn't included in the mixtape. As you can see, nothing from Girl Talk's excellent All Day effort made the cut. Since Gregg Gillis dropped his latest album for free download, his track "Down for the Count" was on my working playlist for the very fact that when I first heard the section that played Young MC's "Bust a Move" over Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" I was punching the [increase volume] key on my keyboard repeatedly - almost upset that there wasn't a level 11. It was kind of like Jack Bauer clicking his empty gun at Victor Drazen at season 1's conclusion. However, the Girl Talk album really is best listened to as an entire album, with the "tracks" acting only as arbitrary navigation points - it's tough to sandwich in the gem.

If you are reading this, I would love to see your Best of 2010 list - especially if it includes songs that I have never heard! And let me end this with a quick repeat: If you would like the 1.1 hour long mixtape, please let me know.

How did I get on ABC's Nightline?

2010-12-08T18:35:00.000-06:00

I wasn't the only one at the 9th Annual Lebowski Fest in Louisville, Kentucky.
Nightline correspondent Jeremy Hubbard was there with a camera crew.
Four months plus later, the piece was finally aired last Friday night.
The segment is an excellent, brief, explanation of Lebowski Fest. (Please go watch it)
You might still be confused as to why people like me love that movie to this extent, but at least you'll know a little more about our party.

I was in the background twice. Both more unspectacular than the next (my camera is completely covering my face in one - however the picture was worth it!)

I'm wearing a green shirt and a large straw hat ("Obviously, you're not a golfer") located just under the armpit of eventual Best Costume Winners, "Stranger in the Alps"

To understand both of those references requires an insane amount of knowledge of The Big Lebowski.

The piece ended on our bowling lane. I was throwing rocks with a great trio from Cincinnati which included the eventual winner of the "Best Walter" costume award. You can see me setting up for a superior camera angle.

I was more than ecstatic to sacrifice a chance for vanity to get the picture and capture a great moment for Bob.

I got both a Before and After!

Do you want 3 reasons to watch Breaking Bad?

2010-12-07T23:04:00.000-06:00

This is my plea to get those who are not watching Breaking Bad to take the op portunity to start.
AMC is going to systematically start replaying the entire series in easy to DVR doubleheaders on late Wednesday Nights, starting tomorrow night at 11:30 pm (my local, central, time).

Here are 3 reasons, I could list more, but I don't feel like writing (and know you don't want to read) too long of an essay.

#1 Bryan Cranston
He's the actor that plays the lead role of Walter White. But if you haven't seen the show you probably have the narrow minded perception of The Dad from Malcolm in the Middle. In an unfortunate coincidence, the first 3 minutes of the show's first episode (embedded below) features Cranston in tight white underwear briefs not unlike the kind he wore in the former Fox sitcom's opening title sequence. The comparisons, in character and every way imaginable, end there. Bryan Cranston is the three time defending Emmy winner for Best Actor in a Drama Series for this role. If you are someone who loves Jon Hamm in Mad Men, Hugh Laurie in House or Michael C. Hall in Dexter - know that Cranston has beat them all three years in a row. It's not a fluke. It's real. (side note: Aaron Paul won the Best Supporting Actor Emmy this year to complete the Actor sweep for Breaking Bad)

#2 There are stories of good people doing bad things and bad people doing good things - but this show is neither.
Breaking Bad is, unlike some recently canceled shows, a perfect name for a show that shows deconstruction. The story is of a man becoming something new, something worse, and the journey that leads to piece after piece falling apart to the detriment to himself and all that come into his association. It's haunting in its reality. Breaking Bad is not a comedy. Although there are traces of tension relieving black humor from time to time, this show is not positioned as a distant comedy like Weeds (a show that, as its poor timing circumstances must hurt, also has suburban domestic drug dealing as a main plot driver).

#3. The cold opening sequences
Every episode of Breaking Bad contains a bonus short film that happens to air immediately before the opening credits, or at least that's what it feels like to me. Instead of describing this point further, here is how the show began it's first episode...

I sincerely hope you'll want to continue watching after this tease and tune in or record tomorrow night. It's going to be a wonderful trip for yours truly - as I've only seen these episodes one time and can't wait to pick up on the nuances I have certainly missed.

He fixes the cable? (It's video, Dude.)

2010-12-06T20:04:00.003-06:00

Oh my, what a beautiful web address it is:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/dude--12311896
Go watch that video.
Go watch that video. (Mr. Lebowski asked me to repeat that)

I knew they were coming.
If you read* my posts, you knew it too.
You'd think I had one leg longer than the other - the amount of circles I walked around that Nightline camera crew for I attempted to get into the background of more shots that I could count... I succeeded twice.

Paused DVR glory! You're allowed to blink once as long as you don't blink the second time I appear in the background.

It was great to see friends like the entire "Chinamen with Lebowski's Legs" Philly foursome get a moment in front of the camera. However, it was an utter shame the famous Mrs. Jamtoss fell victim to the red pen of Nightline's editor.

The highlight of the overall strike of a piece was it's conclusion. I was on the lane with the eventual "Best Walter" (and Trivia 2nd place winner I might add!) and pictured the before and after of the most clutch roll in Lebowski Fest history!

Dios mio, Bob.
*If you haven't read my posts... I guess you just weren't listening... but I do recommend at least two of my posts from this past July:
My Favorite Picture From the 9th Annual
My Top 5 Garden Party Pictures[TQ]

Do you support Child Abuse?

2010-12-06T18:50:00.003-06:00

Fine.
You got me Internet, I hope you're happy.

This whole "change your FB profile pic to a cartoon from your childhood" might be a total sham - or even worse.

A Facebook spokesman said: "We’re concerned with the suggestion that paedophiles could use this successful viral campaign to target young people. This is not the case."

What made me change my profile pic? Especially when I'm very confident I'm in the top 5% of those in regards to level of profile picture selection obsession? Let's take the easy route and blame MySister (sidenote to MySister: sorry).

She sent me a text message wanting help changing her profile picture. (I had cropped and chose her current one.) So after telling her an easy way, I decided I might as well change mine as well because it was a weak moment and didn't want out of that party. The movement to change to these cartoons seemed more popular than the movement to change to a celebrity look-a-like. I'm thankful that I didn't follow suit with that fad (some of us can't stand our supposed doppelgangers).

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children probably liked the attention, but I don't know if they saw any more funds because of it. They got a Twitter follow from me this evening - even if it was out of total guilt for being a sucker.

Time to go back to the profile pic of my choosing, and the revamped Facebook Profile that is going to make it hip to complain about Facebook again. By the way, who still remembers the old design? FB is here to stay. If Jesse Eisenberg couldn't take it down, who could?

Learning of this was a bit of a downer for me today. If you, like me, need a pickup - here's a new video by Pretty Lights:

Do you really love "travel"?

2010-12-01T03:32:00.001-06:00

It's 2:53 AM as I begin this post. While staring at the inside of my eyelids I had a thought - a fake conversation that I'm never going to have in reality. It compelled me to bump my computer out of its sleep and type.

A note to any body who happens to read this with two x chromosomes and is not currently in a relationship - you may want to stop reading now. Also, if you are additionally someone who hasn't yet ruled out me as being potentially attractive - I wholeheartedly beg you to stop reading.

...so what do you like?
I love travel, love.
Oh? Where have you gone?
Nowhere yet, but it's a high priority. It's a goal, I know I'll do it.
I'm sure you will.
Are you being sarcastic?
No, that's a sincere comment... but... Would it be more accurate to say that you love the idea of travel?
What?
Or is your love a blind faith based love.
You don't like travel?
It's great, the limited places I've been.... It's not Rome, but have I mentioned what a gem of a discovery the city of Louisville was?
It's not the same, you haven't been to Europe.
Have you?
You know what I mean.
I have friends that sincerely love to travel - they've been places like Spain and China - it's a thrill for them to be surrounded in a culture that's not American. I think it gives them a perspective on their life.
What's your point?
Is it an escape? What is the fuel behind your passion? My theory is that you are in love with the concept or the idea of travel and since you haven't traveled you obsesses on it's thought.
Wow. You are so cynical.
What if I told you I loved skiing.
Do you?
No. But if I said I did, you'd believe me - right? It's a perfectly normal activity to say to enjoy.
Right.
But what if I said I loved skiing, but have never been skiing - wouldn't that be odd?
But you could still want to go skiing. I've never been skydiving but totally want to someday.
Okay, that makes sense - but you don't say you love to skydive and I don't say I love to ski... By the way, I do want to ski someday.
What's wrong with you?
I'm not done with this skiing thing yet. It's a luxury to me, the activity. My family had a few vacations growing up, but it was almost based around a family reunion or wedding. And to be blunt, skiing is an expensive venture - our family wasn't jetting off to Aspen on holiday. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Maybe you can go as far as to think I have a bit of jealousy over those that have skied? I don't know, you know?
Oh go screw yourself.
C'mon.
Why are you so adamant against travel?
I'm not against travel. The highlight of my last month was booking my next airplane ticket. The out of proportion importance of travel, especially among people who haven't traveled to the extent of their preaching baffle me.
Look, I'm not a shut-in. Can't you see how if someone went to the Paris of Kentucky and enjoyed it that it would be safe to assume that it would be more enjoyable on a larger extent? That is why I want to go to Asia and Africa... I've already been to Alabama.
That makes sense.
No shit.
Okay.
Okay.
well...
Goodbye. You really have that asshole switch don't you? No wonder you're so great at getting a first date and couldn't get to a fourth without a passport and a map.
They told me my passport would arrive in four to six weeks.
Good luck with that.

When does technology outwit a Mother's intention?

2010-11-24T16:57:00.001-06:00

MySister and I found a Care Bear gift in our parents' basement. There are a bunch of items down here, primarily books, that our Mom wanted to see if we thought could be donated. Seeing as how the Care Bears gift comes with a VHS tape.... it's not donate-worthy. However, it also makes it a keeper!

[Jack Bauer yell] WHO DO YOU WORK FOR!?

2010-11-23T17:54:00.005-06:00

Nine years ago, during the 2001 World Series (that had to take place in November due to the world stopping on September 11) FOX began advertising their new drama 24.

Every commercial featured a scene with Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer) yelling, "WHO DO YOU WORK FOR!?" to a seated Sarah Clarke (Nina Myers). I was interested.

Truth be told, I missed the pilot episode - and if my friend hadn't recorded it on VHS for us to watch later I might have never started watching the show... But I did... I watched them all (even after I knew the show was going downhill for good). Oddly, the friend who had recorded the pilot stopped watching - complaining, "The entire show takes place talking into a cell phone." I didn't realize how prophetic that complaint was... Both for the show, and our society.

An announced attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest television viewing made me wish I lived in Hollywood. It's a tie-in to the show's last season's release on DVD. Even though I hated the last season, and only bought the show's first five seasons, I would've loved to have been one of those diehards watching hour after Jack Bauer hour. Odds are, by how quickly the theater got filled, I wouldn't have had a chance to get in unless Chloe opened up another socket just for me.

It took me longer searching YouTube for a clip to end this post with than the actual writing. But I think I picked a good one. 24 really didn't give much comic relief during the suspense, but when it did - it was awesome.

For the record, I posted that picture of Jack Bauer from the last seconds of Season Four to aid in the following confession: Once I found out the exact sunglasses used in the scene, Serengeti Medium Aviators, I got'em for myself.

When is it appropriate to use a cell phone at a poker table?

2010-11-22T17:03:00.004-06:00

On Sunday I spent some four hours grinding out a small profit playing $1-$2 No Limit Hold'em, which will be a great contribution to the Vegas trip I booked less than 48 hours prior.

It was worth the hour drive to the best poker room in the Chicago Area: Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. You get some oddballs there, as with any poker room.

Take for example, a man from Italy who had a plastic grocery bag with him filled with DVDs of Dark Shields along with laminated 8x11 glossy stills of him "in character." This man had a gold chain around his neck - a gold chain highlighted by not a cross or something you'd expect to see on jewelry. It was his name, "DJ Steve."

The entire table teased him for nearly the entire time he was at the table. He was trying to sell DVDs at $10 each. He was also telling us that he's also filming The Assassin (IMDB page not available). He asked me if I wanted to buy a DVD. I told him I was going to wait for the Director's Cut extended Blu-Ray edition, which got a chuckle from the dealer. I then turned to the dealer and said, "By the way, it's already on my NetFlix instant queue, so why would I buy it here?"

Even though he had actual DVDs and laminated movie stills - it it wasn't for my iPhone and more specifically my IMDB app, I never would've believed it. But here he is - no IMDB nonetheless.