(See)King Truth

Summer Ends; or, A New Year Begins

2010-09-06T09:57:00.001-04:00

Well, it certainly has been quite some time since my last posting here. Not surprisingly, no one really noticed. But, when you have 2 readers, it's hard to have people clamoring at your door to write a post. My hope is that my renewed (for now anyway) vigor to blog will result in more people actually reading this, and keep me going. But we will just have to wait and see, won't we?

Where to begin? Since I last left, there have been few changes in my life. For starters, I have a new car. Well, new to me. See, my old trusty steed (a 1998 Saturn SC 1) finally bit the big one. It was a bit of a difficult situation given that it was the first car I had ever bought. Managed to keep it for 8 years too, and a lot of miles. That car got me to Florida and back, and countless trips across the state, and around town. Overall, it was a great car for me, and I will certainly miss it.

But, not too much as I did manage to upgrade slightly in the motor vehicle department. The thing with the Saturn was it's main upside, was also it's main drawback. It was a small car. Great for things like gas mileage, but not to much for comfort and winter road worthiness. I am not a small man, standing at 6'4", and getting in and out of the old girl was becoming a chore. So I now rock a Subaru Forrester, which is in great shape, and I am quite pleased to say is my car.

That isn't the biggest change that occurred this summer however. Nope, that award has to go to my losing of over 60 lbs. in the span of 4 months.

Back in April, I foolishly stepped on the scale in my bathroom, and what I saw made me take a step back and really think. I am 28 years old, and as stated above, pretty tall. But when I read the scale that day, and saw 285 lbs., well, I was not pleased. I had really just let myself get out of control. I ate the same way I had when I was in high school, and running distance every single day. I ate the same way I did when I was moving furniture for a living, or delivering packages all day. Now, I wasn't doing these physical jobs, but still stuffing my face all day every day. I drank Mountain Dew like it was my job, ate at all hours of the night, and just generally gorged myself far too often. Well, this all needed to change, and change it did.

I started by cutting the soda. Not completely out, that would only serve to make me crave it and set up the inevitable fall in to drinking it all the time again. No, what I did was to simply change my default drink to water. Seems so simple now, but in reality, it is anything but. I have friends that have a difficult time with drinking too much soda, or energy drinks. And our daily lives demand that we be more attentive, and so we need caffeine, and sugar to keep us awake the long days, and short nights. So I simply switched to water as my go to beverage, carrying a bottle with me everywhere I went, and would on occasion, treat myself to a soda during a meal, or after a particularly good workout.

Step two was the working out part. I began to play basketball again, but in earnest this time. This summer my average week of basketball was 6-10 hours (or 3-5 days a week, at 2 hours a pop), of intense, game basketball. All pick up style, but still a good workout. And when I had to sit a game out because of not making a free throw, I go to a side court and run sprints, or work on high energy stuff. Anything to keep my heart rate up, and sweat going.

I also began a steady walking regiment. Popping in my headphones, and walking around town for anywhere from 35 minutes, to 2 and a half hours. Doing this, sometimes daily, was a huge improvement over my normally sedentary lifestyle I had been falling in to the last couple of years.

Step three was the hardest of all. Cutting back on how much I ate. Part of this step was cutting back on all the heavy, nasty food as well. Gone were late night trips to the drive thru. Severely reduced were the diner excursions. But most importantly, was the amount of food I consumed at each meal. By simply dialing back my intake, I could effectively get the same nutrition, without always feeling so full, and heavy. And by jigger it worked. I managed in just 4 months to drop my weight to 223 lbs. and my waist by 4 inches. I also feel better on a regular basis, with more energy and even my sleeping has improved (not a whole lot, but anything is better than nothing)

The next change coming is of the moving variety. I have found a place to live that isn't my parents house. It's a block from the campus of my school, close to town, and work. So all in all, it's a great location, and I should be moving in the next few weeks.

I am really going to try and keep this blog updated as much as I can. It really is my only place to just write anymore. I simply suffer from the all too common lack of motivation at times. Here's hoping I can change that. Until next time, have a great Labor Day.

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Jack Morris; or, The Best Pitcher not in the MLB Hall of Fame

2010-01-17T11:41:00.001-05:00

So recently the National Baseball Hall of Fame voting took place. Each year, the Baseball Writers of Association of America vote for who they feel should be permanently enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Now, for those of you who don't know the process (and since I know all 3 of my readers, that's probably all of you), allow me to enlighten you. Basically what happens is everyone with a Hall of Fame vote is sent a ballot with the names of all eligible candidates on it. In order to be eligible for the hall, you had to play in the major leagues for at least 10 years, and be retired for a minimum of 5 years. At that time, you are placed on the ballot after all eligible candidates are screened to weed out and only have players who had a significant or stellar career. Now, writers are allowed to vote for up to 10 players. In order to be inducted in to the hall, a player must have his name on 75% of the ballots.

Ok, so all the boring parts are over, now on to the meat of this post. Growing up, I was a Detroit Tigers fan. Being a Tigers fan in the 80's meant that the names Trammell, Whitaker, Gibson, and Morris were the names I knew as some of my favorite players. That Morris was Jack Morris. He was the best pitcher on the team, and along with Gibson, had the greatest mustache.

Simply put, Jack Morris was one of the best pitchers in baseball for a decade. He won more games (162) in the decade of the 80's than any other pitcher. He was on 3 World Series winning teams, the 1984 Tigers, 1991 Minnesota Twins, and the 1992 Toronto Blue Jays. He was THE big game pitcher of his era. When your team needed to win a tough game, you wanted Jack Morris to be taking the hill. He threw a no-hitter in 1984, won 21 games in a season twice, and had possibly the greatest pitching performance in World Series History.

In 1991, pitching for the Twins against the Atlanta Braves, Morris pitched a gem of a game that is still talked about almost 20 years later. He was 36 years old, and on the downside of his career, but was still a gamer, and pitched 3 times in that world series including game 7. All he did that game, was pitch a 10 inning shut out, to win the game 1-0, and win the World Series.

He never finished higher than 3rd in the voting for the Cy Young award, but was also a 5 time all star, 3 time world champ, and when he took the mound, he wanted to finish the game. Morris was of the school of pitching that wanted to pitch all 9 innings, and win the game. He was and is a Hall of Famer in my book, and should get in. Morris deserves to be in, and I hope that it happens for him soon. After seeing Jim Rice get inducted last year, it keeps my hopes up that it will happen sooner rather than later. I will have to post sometime in the future about how the H.O.F. voting needs to be done in a different way, and not by the BBWAA. Writers can tend to be a bit petty at times, holding grudges against players they don't like (such as Jim Rice, who finally got in after almost 20 years).

Anyway, Jack Morris is a Hall of Famer, plain and simple. Let's hope next year the writers vote him in.

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A New Year, a Fresh Start; or, I'm Back Kids

2010-01-10T12:07:00.001-05:00

Well, it has been a while since I last posted to this here blog of mine. In the past my standard response would be that not much has happened, and I really have nothing to write about. The truth however, is that a lot has happened recently, and it's been a combination of laziness, apathy, and a somewhat busy schedule that has kept me from posting. That all will change as I am going to make it a point to post more often, and even have a few small projects in their infancy stages that will give me more of a purpose to write.

For starters, here's a recap of what has been going on with me lately. Anyone that knows me knows that I have been trying to get myself back to college. This is something that I really want for myself, and has been important to me for quite some time, but for various reasons, hasn't happened just yet. Now, I graduated from high school 10 years ago, and even went to a university for a short time the next fall. That didn't turn out so well for me. I was on a scholarship for athletics, but injuries and other outside forces took the wind out of those sails pretty quickly. I don't have any regrets, but it just was not the right situation. After that, I needed some time to grow a little, and get some things in order before I could go back to school. I wanted to go to film school a couple of years later, but that didn't work out either, mostly due to the cost of the school, and my financial situation at the time.

Well, most recently, I was going to attend a broadcasting school in the Detroit area. This school was much more affordable, closer to home, and something that I wanted to do. I was finally getting some student aid to afford college, and I felt good. So I packed up my belongings, found a place to live, and moved down. I knew I would need to find a job while I attended school, as the financial aid money was enough for school, but not rent. Not my ideal situation, but not a bad one either. The apartment was great, the neighborhood wonderful, and I even had a few friends near me so I wasn't going to feel alone.

Sadly, the economic situation in Michigan (and especially in the Detroit area) saw fit to give me a nice open handed slap across the face. When I moved from Traverse City, I left a part time job driving a hack (taxi cab for the uninitiated). Not a great job by any stretch, but it was alright, and kept my head above water. Finding a job downstate, was ten times worse. There were hardly any job openings, and far far more people applying for them. Needless to say, I hunted for work high and low, and the only thing I could find, was a part time sandwich delivery job, which wasn't going to pay my rent, let alone keep me afloat while I went to school. The decision had to be made, and just over a month after moving down, I packed everything up, and moved back to the frozen northern tundra of Traverse City.

I was not about to be defeated. And so, I moved in with my parents for the time being, and signed up for classes at the local college here. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to study, and in the end, decided that I was better off learning a good trade (in this case, information technologies and computers) and using that knowledge to get in to the career of my choice. Also, I am back driving the hack a few days a week, so that will help keep gas in my car, and food in my belly.

So, tomorrow begins my college career. Doing the full time student thing, driving a couple days a week, and starting my new path. Along the way, I have a few things I want to get going for myself. Continuing my growth as a cook, and as a audio/video guy. Be on the look out for a Shatner-like spoken word album coming soon-ish.

Also, this blog will be updated far more often, including posts of my mindless yammering, and reviews of movies, TV shows, video games, and Music. Why bother? Every third blog does the same thing right? Because it's what I know, what I love, and what I want to do. So be on the lookout. Until next time, stay frosty!

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EVE Online unleashes Unholy Rage on in-game currency traders - Ars Technica

2009-08-21T00:02:00.001-04:00

CCP, the developer behind the popular online title EVE Online, hates players who hope to profit in real money from its game. Those who buy and sell ISK, the game's currency, are not only exploiting the game, but unbalancing play. That's why the company decided to go drastic: a program they called "Unholy Rage," whereby 6,200 paying accounts were banned at once. The results from the mass-banning of all those real-money traders were more dramatic than anyone expected.

Einar Hreiðarsson, one of EVE's lead GM's, was gracious enough to take time out of his schedule at Gamescom this week in Germany to explain exactly why CCP finds real-money trading so distasteful.

"RMT operators take up a lot of server power. They use macros to run missions, rat (grind PvE) and mine 23/7. This adversely affects other players’ chances of making a simulated living as all sweet-spots for this sort of activity are totally overrun with RMT-type users," he explained to Ars. Prices for mission-related items are adversely affected as well, which hurts regular players. Then there's the criminal element.

"Practically all credit card fraud we suffer stems from the RMT element which uses stolen credit cards to register expendable accounts that they know we will ban as soon as they start using them, e.g. accounts used to spam ISK sale adverts and such." Further, almost all hacking problems involve accounts being cleaned out by ISK sellers. The game suffers, credit card fraud becomes an issue, and accounts are hi-jacked. Something had to be done, and "Unholy Rage" was what they named CCP's response.

"We must address this in the manner of the FDIC, not the SWAT"

For weeks they studied the behavior and effects these real-money traders had on the game, and then they struck. During scheduled maintenance, over 6,000 accounts were banned. Hreiðarsson assures us that the methods were sound, and the bannings went off with surgical precision. "We are quite confident that false positives are practically non-existent, but we examine all requests for review," he explained. "So far less than a dozen have been found to be false positives." The project is ongoing, and so far CCP has banned approximately 9,000 accounts.

What they found was these real-money traders were not only soaking up in-game, virtual assets as well as hacking accounts, but also taking way more than their fair share of server cycles. The result was dramatic.

"Now, that is a beautiful graph if I ever saw one," CCP wrote on its official blog. "While the number of accounts banned in the opening phase of the operation constituted around 2 percent of the total active registered accounts, the CPU per user usage was cut by a good 30 percent." This is great news for legitimate players. "That is a whole lot of CPU for the rest of you to play with, people."

Areas that used to be heavily traveled by bot-controlled players are now easier for real players to visit. Systems that used to be controlled by the RMT players are now open for business. "Another great improvement is that space is now suddenly full of belts of oversized asteroids that were previously sucked up by hoards of macro miners of the RMT persuasion," CCP wrote. "Regular players are now starting to see mining as a viable means of making some ISK and they are moving in to take over the business." Now that the mafia has been kicked out, legitimate players and corporations can turn an honest profit in once-overrun systems.

The dust is settling, and they'll be back

Where there's money to be made, real money, in trading in-game currency, there will always be crafty people trying to profit. Fortunately for CCP, they've hired the talent and the brain-power to continually fight the good fight.

"They keep trying to sneak back, but in the end it’s all about the money and we simply follow that to find our guys," Hreiðarsson said to Ars. "Not only do we have a Doctor of Economics and a crack team of data gurus to analyze the problem, as well as able and willing developers to cater to our every need, we also have dedicated enforcers of published policy on this matter."

EVE Online is a game of high drama and intricate economies, and for at least a short while the skies are going to be a little safer for players to legitimately fight and mine and swindle each other and defend what's theirs. "Unholy Rage" was a success, with more server power for the real players and rich veins of ore now available for anyone who wants to make a career out of mining.

Back in Iceland, the men and women at CCP are busy crunching numbers, keeping an eye on trading, and getting ready for the next attack on those who seek to illegally profit from their game. "We try to stay out of the players’ way as much as we can. As long as they adhere to local law and our EULA/TOS, we really don’t find cause to meddle in their affairs," Hreiðarsson stressed.

"However, real-money trading and most of the activity involved with it is against our published policy, and even international law in the case of credit card fraud," he warned. "That is really where we draw the line—keep it in-game." CCP keeps proving that the only thing more tenacious than real-money traders are the people keeping the game clean.

via arstechnica.com

I haven't played EVE Online for a few months now, but reading this article made me smile. Glad to see CCP taking a stand and laying the smack down. I hope they can keep it up =)

Posted via web from tvstravis's posterous

Serenity - Battle of One HQ

2009-08-08T22:00:00.001-04:00

via youtube.com

A great Serenity video mashup done by my friend Joe. Definitely give it a watch

Posted via web from tvstravis's posterous

2009-04-15T23:12:00.001-04:00

The weather is beginning to turn for the better, and this time I believe it is for good. That being said, it didn't help much yesterday when I drove 250 miles to Detroit for a Tigers game. It was just a comedy of errors yesterday.

First, I woke up late. I wanted to be on the road by 8am, well, I woke up at 8:12. So, once I fueled up, got a Mt. Dew for the road, it was 8:40ish by the time I actually got on the road. At first everything was smooth, until about Saginaw, when the rain started to come down. That was when my windshield wipers decided that once I turned them on for mist, they were just going to stay on. For the rest of the trip, whether it was raining or not.

I made really good time getting down state, and Picked up my friend Patti just after noon, and off to the park we went. When we found parking, I tried putting my iPod in the glove box of my car. Well, that wasn't going to happen, because the glove box opened, but then wouldn't close. So fine, I just decided to take the thing with me. Ok, can't have anything else happen right?

Wrong! We get to the gate, and I hand over the ticket. Now, I bought the tickets on Stubhub.com, and printed them out from home. Well, one of the tickets printed out just fine, and the other? No barcode or number on it. All the relevant information was on it, except the barcode. There was simply the word "barcode" printed in it's place. This meant we had to head over to the stadium box office and get it sorted out. Well, we did, and finally made our way in, and found our seats.

Now, the seats were really nice. The "Tiger's Den" is a great section, with wooden deck chairs with pads, and plenty of leg room. Plus a small table in between, and a wait staff. So yeah, we were doing good, getting ready for the tarp to come off the field, and just as Patti was saying "let's get a beer", the announcement came. The game was postponed due to rain. So great. Well, at least they will honor the tickets when they eventually reschedule the game. If I can make it down for that game. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

And so, after hanging out at Patti's for a bit, I made the 4 hour drive home. And that was that, 8 hours of driving, 0 hours of Tigers game. Oh well, I did have a good lunch in Greektown, and I'll be heading back down sometime soon.

Play Ball!; or, The Start of Baseball Season

2009-04-08T22:32:00.001-04:00

Spring has kind of arrived here in northern Michigan. And by that I mean that you can see grass (not just snow), and the temperature is slowly climbing above the freezing mark.

That being the case, it also means we have entered my favorite time of year. That would of course be Baseball season. I am something of a rarity these days, a rabid baseball fan in a time when everyone is a football fan. Don't get me wrong, I like football, and certainly watch plenty of it during the fall, but my first love is still baseball.

I will watch most any game when it's on TV, or listen to them on the radio, but at heart, I am a Detroit Tigers fan. They've been my team since I was just a 3 year old and they won the World Series in 1984. I grew up with guys like Jack Morris, Lou Whitaker, Alan Trammel and Kirk Gibson. Then the early 90's and Cecil Fielder, Travis Fryman, Bill Gullickson, and Mickey Tettleton. Whether the team is good or not doesn't stop me from watching, and following them.

This year's team is a bit of a conundrum for me. On one hand, I'm looking forward to watching them this year. To see Miguel Cabrera with a year in the AL under his belt, Brandon Inge getting to play a full season at third base, and the hopeful bounce back of the pitching staff. Which is where the problem is. The pitching staff is a bit of a mystery. Justin Verlander needs to return to his form from 2006-07, instead of the man masquerading in his place in 2008. Will Jeremy Bonderman ever live up to his potential? And let's not even start on Dontrell Willis and his Anxiety disorder. But, I am still hopeful that they can turn it around.

The bullpen will also be an interesting thing to watch. Can Brandon Lyon be a solid piece? I have my reservations about Fernando Rodney ever getting the command of his pitches to be effective. And 2006's wunderkid Joel Zumaya needs to stay healthy and be able to utilize his 103 mph fastball, as well as fully develop something off speed.

All in all, I'm remaining positive about this years Tigers team. Especially given the wide open nature of the American League Central Division. All 5 teams have a legitimate shot at winning the division. Expect quite a few posts this summer about baseball in general, and the Tigers specifically. I'm looking forward to a good season.

Tweets Ahoy!; or, Twitter isn't really that new folks...

2009-03-20T00:06:00.004-04:00

There has recently been a rash of stories, and segments involving Twitter all over the news. In the past couple of months, every major news channel has had at least one mention of the website during a broadcast. Or have used it to "crowd-source", and/or reach out to their viewers in a new way. Even ESPN had an article involving Twitter in the past few days, as well as nearly an entire hour on the radio program "All Night" with Jason Smith on ESPN radio.

All this exposure for twitter is a bit of a double edged sword. See, here's why I think this. I started using twitter about a year and a half ago. I thought I was one of the Johnny-come-latelys to the party, having heard about it a few months before that, but signed up on Jaiku first. In the end, I joined twitter because the community was so much better there. Sure, the site was constantly down, and holy unreliable, but yet I stuck with it because the people were there.

Skip ahead to now, and we see a massive influx of celebrities, athletes, and the like joining twitter. Everyone from Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, to Shaq, have joined and started tweeting. This is all well and good I suppose, as they way I see it, the more the merrier. But, all this attention to Twitter has some calling it a fad, and has led to the mass miss use of the service.

First, let me address the fad angle. It's entirely likely that Twitter is nothing more than a fad, and will die out in a year or so. But, keep in mind that it has been around for quite some time, and unlike some other social networking sites (myspace, facebook, etc.), Twitter opened up the service to let others build widgets and such for any site. You can add your twitter feed to your blog, facebook, myspace, or any other page you want. Meaning that no matter what social network is the next hot network, you can always take your tweets along with you. I personally tie my tweets in to my facebook status messages. That way I can update both at the same time.

As for the miss use of Twitter, well, this happens to any and all websites that get popular enough. Spam happens. Anything that gets enough traffic will eventually have to deal with spam, and spammers. Why? The almighty dollar that's why. Spammers see all that traffic, and think only of the money they could possibly make off it. Thankfully, Twitter is set up in such a way that just because someone wants to read your posts, you don't have to read theirs. There are different levels of involvement, Followers, and Friends. Followers simply see your tweets and that's it. Unless you choose to follow them as well, you don't have to even know about them. Which is nice to keep the amount of spam down.

The other thing is people starting fake Twitter accounts in the name of someone. Like a fake account of a celebrity or athlete, or prominent tech person. For the most part, this is harmless as you can usually tell right away it's a fake, as those who do it tend to either do it for fun and are just having a harmless goof, or THINK they're funny, and are in fact just plain simplistic and sad. Either way, the fake Twitter accounts are kind of silly, and in the end don't get anywhere.

So, as long as there are people on Twitter that I find interesting or are friends of mine, I'll keep tweeting. It's a nice way to communicate, or just get a thought out in the ether for others to digest.

On the Grift; or, My Review of Confidence

2009-03-11T00:56:00.004-04:00

Tonight, I decided to re-watch the film Confidence starring Edward Burns, Rachel Weisz, and Dustin Hoffman. 5 years after it's initial release, and in my opinion, the film still holds up. A great script with a wonderful cast, and tight pacing and direction drive this underrated flick.

Confidence came out in 2003, and I really think part of the reason for it's underrated status is a product of timing. The film plays like an R rated version of Ocean's 11, and being just a couple years behind it, I think a lot of people thought it was a copy cat of a movie, and passed on it. Now while I will agree there are similarities between the two, they really are quite different in tone and feel. Ocean's 11 is very glitzy, tongue-in-cheek and Vegas. Confidence is a little grittier, harsher, streetwise. Both are polished, snappy and funny; but while Ocean's does it with a wink and a nod, Confidence does it with more of a wry grin.

A film like this truly relies on everyone involved knowing their roles and playing their parts to perfection. Just like pulling a con, if any one part falls short, the whole thing collapses. This all starts with the writer. Doug Jung crafted a very tight, and well paced script that twists and turns like a mountain road. The dialog is quick and biting, and believable. I was rather surprised when I looked up Doug Jung on IMDB that he hasn't written more movies. A few TV shows, and another movie coming soon, but I would have expected a couple more under his belt given how well written this one was.

James Foley's direction is also spot on. He does a great job of crafting the script in to a film that is very much a con. Realistic and believable, yet upon subsequent viewings, you see the layers to the narrative and the little quirks that can tip you off to the plot twists and turns ever so subtly.

The cast is truly the heart of a film like this. If you can't buy that these people, you can have the greatest script since The Usual Suspects, and it won't matter. Thankfully, that's not the case here. Edward Burns pulls off the cocky grifter as if he's not even trying to. Rachel Weisz is likable as always for me, you're never really sure if she's playing a scene honestly, or as a grift. Paul Giamatti is wonderful as always. I've always like him in any role he's in, but he's at his best when he's wise-cracking and sarcastic. Dustin Hoffman is a bit over the top, but because it's Hoffman, it doesn't feel like it's too much. A lesser actor would have just felt too campy, Hoffman gives off a different vibe. Brain Van Holt is under utilized, which is a bummer for me personally because I really like his work. Donal Logue and Luis Guzman are fun as LA cops on the take, and Andy Garcia is having a blast as a slightly nutty, off kilter special agent. And check out Leland Orser in the beginning of the movie doing his standard yelling and crazy persona. Always fun.

All in all, I feel Confidence stands up to the better known Ocean's 11 in many ways, while still being it's own movie. A strong script, great cast, and tight editing and direction make this one I bring out every so often to re-watch and enjoy

Beers, Basketball, and Blizzards; or, The Weekend at a Glance

2009-03-09T16:48:00.003-04:00

Not much to really say for this past weekend. I did manage to drag myself out to the gym Friday for some basketball, followed by one of the worst nights driving my cab yet. 5 hours of work for 4 fares, one of which tossed their lunch in the back of the van. Thankfully, the guys were nice about it (the sober ones) and actually cleaned up the mess for me. After that, I called it a night and went home.

Saturday night was a lot better as far as work went. It was a fairly busy night, and I made some good money, so I can't complain. But that's really all that happened. Well, that, and I watched 4 episodes of "The Pretender" because I'm addicted to that show. Having the whole run on DVD has been nice, as it's very much a serial show that should be watched in order. I'll most likely have a review coming on that series, possibly in parts as it is 4 seasons and almost 90 episodes long. I also have the two tele-movies coming from Netflix, so I can finish the series in it's entirety.

Sunday came, and it was time to attempt my new culinary project. Corned Beef. I bought a seven and a half pound brisket at the local Sam's Club, and made up a brine all on my own. With a recipe courtesy of my cooking patron, Alton Brown. Said brisket is happily pickling away in the chill chest, and next week will be time for sandwiches and Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner. Just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

Then last night, went down to the local watering hole for some birthday beers for Anna. It was a good time. A few friends showed up, others could not make it. Not that I blame them. We had a blizzard that would have kept Jim Cantori off the roads. Honestly, in the span of a few short hours, well over a foot of snow fell, and I'm pretty sure actual dogs and cats were falling along with it. It was bad, so much so that I got stuck in the road attempting to pull in to my own driveway. Not on the side of the road mind you, but in the middle of it, due to the fact that nary a plow truck had gone by.

And today's weather? Sunny, near forty degrees. All the snow is beginning to melt again. Schizophrenia is difficult to cope with. Even more so when it's the weather that is afflicted. Well, I'm off to prepare for the next bout of winter. Because we all know it's not over yet

Duck Soup; or, A Great Matinee

2009-03-05T18:29:00.004-05:00

I'm always trying to have experiences that maybe I've missed in the past, or never had a chance to enjoy. Whether it's a good concert (see my post about the Clutch show) or a classic film that maybe I haven't seen in a while, or ever. It's even better when I can see that film on a big screen, in a theater. Well, this week was an oppurtunity for just such an experience.

The State Theatre showed the classic Marx Bros. film "Duck Soup" as part of their 25 cent matinee feature. Now, I love classic comedies like those from the Marx Bros., Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, and Abbot and Costello. So to see Duck Soup at any time is something I'm going to jump on. And to see it at a place like the State, for a quarter, well, 'nuff said.

It was a pretty good turn out to see it, which made me happy to see right away. It's nice to know there are enough people in this town that will come out to see something as great as that, both old and young. And the film still holds up today, in my opinion. Groucho and Chico's lightning fast verbal comedy, and Harpo's great physical schtick are still hilarious.

All in all, it was a great experience, shared with some good friends, and for less than the price of a pack of gum. Looking forward to the next matinee.

2009-03-04T20:00:00.002-05:00

I've spent the last few days in the company of a good friend of mine. Wardo, Dubbya, or Justin, depending on who you talk to. Justin and I have been friends for years now, and sadly, he no longer lives here in the good ol' TC. he's finishing up his degree at GVSU, and because of that, we don't get to hang out as much as we used to.

Hanging out with Justin takes me back to a time when we would do nothing but play video games and watch TV, all while eating chinese food and relaxing. Obviously these aren't things we get to do anymore, jobs, college, and "growing up" have taken the fun of youth away from us. But, for a short time, we could jump in the Way-Back machine, and enjoy the finer things in life.

Getting to relax, blow off some steam, and just enjoy a few days of unfettered play time is much needed, and even better when you can do it without leaving home, and saving a bit of money. What's better is that with my current work schedule, I get 3 day weekends (which run Sunday through Tuesday, and I don't start work until evenings on Wednesday) that I am able to do this type of thing more often.

I am looking forward to using this type of schedule to my advantage. I'm getting better about updating this here blog that both of you are reading. As well as working on finally getting some video and audio projects started. I now have sufficient equipment to get things going, certainly not professional gear, but I can at least get a start. For the past few years, I haven't had the means to get even entry level recording gear. I still need a better camera (both video and still), but I have the ability to record decent audio, and will do so starting soon.

I'll keep this blog as my repository for all updates as to what I'm up to, as well as my random brain dumps. So check back, or even better, subscribe. Hopefully I will have better things to write about, and maybe even be entertaining (that's the goal after all)

Pure Rock Fury; or, Clutch in Concert

2009-03-01T19:18:00.006-05:00

So, last Friday (which was the 20th of February mind you) I went to a concert. Clutch was playing in town for what was I believe the third time or so. Given the size of my hometown, that's saying something. Well, I've missed them each time they've come to town, as well as when I lived in Orlando, and they played at a local club there for 2.5 hours. So, this time, I was going. I took the night off work, and Anna and I made the trek out to The Terminal (formerly Streeters). All I can say is that it was completely worth the $25 per ticket.

There were 3 opening acts, well, 2 really. The third was Clutch's side project "The Bakerton Group". The first act was a metal band called "Red Fang". They were okay, but nothing special. Basically just a bunch of old metal guys, or at least that's how it looked. It was pretty bland metal, and not really worth much more than as an opening act. Don't get me wrong, I give them credit, they're out there touring, doing their thing. It was just not that great.

Act 2 however, was something different, and worth the trip to the concert all by itself. "The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. A three piece bluegrass/blues/rock band that just blew me away. Their energy and showmanship was awesome. Guitar, Washboard, and Drums, and a pretty big sound for such a small band. With songs like "Your Cousin's on Cops" and "Is It the DT's, or the Devil?" I was hooked. Will be buying their work very soon.

Then The Bakerton Group came on. This band is comprised of the same members as that of Clutch, but it's all instrumental, and slightly more blues influenced. Very very good, with nice grooves, and a good flow. I'm definitly looking up their music and going to find some of it.

After about a half hour of The Bakerton Group, the boys took a short break, and then the Clutch set began. Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes later, they ended. And my ass had been kicked. While I was hoping for a couple of songs in particular (Cypress Grove and Big News I respectively), I wasn't surprised to put off that I didn't hear them. After all, Clutch has a library spanning 17 or 18 years of material. But it was an amazing show, lots of great energy, lots of good music, and worth every penny of the admission price.

If you get a chance to see Clutch in concert, do so. It's worth making a road trip, and you won't be disappointed. I know I wasn't.

Juicing in Baseball; or, My final take on the whole thing

2009-02-18T10:48:00.005-05:00

Baseball season begins in just a couple of short months, and lately, all the talk is about steroid use again. Most recently, NY Yankees slugging 3rd baseman Alex Rodriguez is the focus of the media and bloggers. Now, the one nice thing is he's admitting to taking steroids, which is at least a step up from the likes of Rafael Palmerio, Mark McGwire, or Barry Bonds, who have taken different things, but never admit to doing it. Or won't admit to knowing what they took. A-Rod has said he wasn't sure what he was doing was wrong or not allowed, which we all know is a joke. He knew what he was doing, and now is on damage control. He did admit to taking performance enhancing drugs, but not until after Sports Illustrated outed him in an article. Granted, the drug test which his positive result came from was supposed to be anonymous, but he still did it, and after he got his hand caught in the cookie jar, he admits to it.

If you look at him over the years, he doesn't have all the classic signs of steroid use. His body didn't drastically change, Ala Jose Canseco or Barry Bonds. But not all steroids are the same, and while I haven't done a lot of research, I'm pretty sure there are steroids that can help build lean muscle, and what not. But also remember, that the point of steroids isn't to build muscle by taking them, it allows you to work out harder, and recover from your workouts faster to get back to it the next day. Which is why a guy like Roger Clemens could have the insane workout routines they do. And why he's linked to 'roids.

But if you think that Rodriguez is the only one, or that somehow baseball has all but eliminated steroid use in it's younger players, don't kid yourself. If tomorrow I found out Craig Counsell (who is listed at 170lbs, and that's being generous, he's probably closer to 160) was using 'roids, it wouldn't surprise me at all. It's the way it is today, I don't condone it, I would think I could resist using it if I were in that situation, but at the end of the day, these guys are playing a sport for entertainment purposes. I'll still watch, and maybe that makes me a sucker, but that's how it is. Hopefully with increased testing and monitoring, steroid use can be taken out of the game, but until then, I'll just be waiting for opening day.

I'm Back; or, Time to Get Back in to Blogging

2009-02-11T18:15:00.003-05:00

Well, after a long lay off, I think it's time to start up my blogging again. Not that anyone reads it or anything, but I still feel the need to post.

A lot has happened since my last post, and yet nothing has really changed. I'm still in the process of getting my lazy ass back to school, however the PTB's are seeing to making that a difficult proposition. I am getting closer however, and I hope that within the next year, I am able to start school and get on with my education.

In the meantime, I am working as a cabbie, keeping my head above water. I recently bought a new MacBook, and that was a great purchase for me. I can now start working on some audio/video projects I've had in my head for a while now. I don't want to talk about them just yet, because every time I do that, I end up not finishing them, and I'd rather have a finished product to tell you all about first.

So less talk, more rock.

Cool Blog to check out

2008-08-24T12:29:00.001-04:00

Stumbled across this blog this morning. check it out: http://aperturenatureworkshops.com/

(makes me want my mac even more now, so I can use Aperture, lol)

The Dark Knight; or, I Just Saw an Amazing Film

2008-07-18T03:40:00.003-04:00

I would like to say that this is my review of "The Dark Knight", since I just got home from the seeing it. However, at the moment, words fail me. That movie kicked my ass up one side and down the other. A full review will be coming by the end of the weekend. But for now, let me just say that all the hype, all the publicity, did no prepare me for what I saw. Top notch flick, let me tell you!

For now, off to bed for me. But expect my full review of "The Dark Knight" by Monday

Skidoosh; or, My Review of Kung Fu Panda

2008-06-18T14:45:00.002-04:00

I decided to take in a double feature the other night. It was a Monday evening, with nothing really going on, and there were a few movies out I hadn't seen yet that looked interesting. My double feature was Kung Fu Panda, followed by The Incredible Hulk.

First up, was Kung Fu Panda. A Dreamworks Animation Studios flick, involving a panda bear named Po (Jack Black) who lives with his adopted father (James Hong) and works in his noddle shop. Po dreams of being a great Kung Fu warrior, like his idols The Furious Five. It's a fairly average story line, with the big threat to the Valley of Peace breaking out of prison, and the only one who can stop him is the Dragon Warrior, who just so happens to be chosen as Po (accidentaly of course, or is it). The underlying theme is all about being true to yourself, and believing in your own abilities. Po is a bit of a bumbler, and no one believes he should be the Dragon Warrior, least of all the one who is to teach him Shifu (Dustin Hoffman)

The animation is superb (I won't sit here and compare it to a Pixar film, that's not fair to either studio, as each have there own merits), the opening sequence is done in a comic book style cell shaded look, that fits quite well. Characters are well concived, and really jump off the screen. The use of slow motion enhances the action of the martial arts sequences as well, although there are a couple times it gets used a bit too often. Overall, the film has a very cartoony look to it, which fits perfectly with the storyline. The backgrounds are good, but not overly breathtaking.

Most of the films dialogue is limited to Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman. However, the rest of the voice cast is pretty good as well. Limited roles from Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Seth Rogan (Mantis), Jackie Chan (Monkey) and Michael Clark Duncan (Commander Vachir) are good, but fairly straight forward, no frills stuff. Ian McShane plays Tai Lung, the antagonist of the flick, and does a good job as well, but again, not awe inspiring. The real gems come from James Hong as Po's father, a slightly goofy duck who hopes for nothing more than his son to take over the family noodle shop, and RandalL Duk Kim as Oogway, the wise old turtle. Both of them embrace their roles, and have a great time in them. They made for some of the funniest and more touching moments in the film.

I would certainly recommend this movie to anyone with kids. It's a great family movie. Funny, touching at times, and with a good message that everyone should follow. Plus, at 1 hour and 34 minutes, it's just long enough to have a good story, and short enough to keep the kids interest. The pacing overall is quite good too, no real lulls in the story, and the action sequences don't go on for too long. I liked this movie, while not the best movie of the year so far, certainly one of the more entertaining, and fun. Which is what I look for in a movie.

Naps; or, This is Why I Like My Sleep

2008-06-17T12:56:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update. My review of Kung Fu Panda and The Incredible Hulk is coming later today. But until then, check out this handy dandy little item. Thanks to Merlin Mann from 43 Folders for posting it: http://www.43folders.com/2008/06/17/guide-better-napping

Hiatus; or, Look, I'm Lazy OK?

2008-06-16T18:35:00.003-04:00

So, I know that I said I'd be posting more often, and moving to a new server to do it. Well, things haven't worked out on that front so far, and i've been busy/lazy. But I feel that I can't neglect my blogging duties any longer. So, I will start posting more often again (yeah yeah, sure you will, punk! -editor)

To start things off, tonight I will be posting a movie review (or 2) which will become a regular fixture of this here blog. Probably once a week or so, I will post a new review, of either a new movie, or just one I've recently seen. Feedback is, as always, appreciated and encouraged. So, be looking for a new review tonight. Until then...Happy Trails!

Holding Pattern; or, I'll Be Back, Just on a New Platform

2008-05-05T12:27:00.002-04:00

For the 3 of you who read this blog, I just wanted to let you know, I will be moving it to new surroundings soon. When I have the url for it, I will post it here. Until then, I will be in a holding pattern (yeah yeah, I know, I don't ever post anyway, but I will be...be patient)

Pictures; or, Flickr FTW!!!

2008-04-13T13:21:00.005-04:00

Posted some photos of my new place today on my flickr account. Nothing special, and no shots of the outside just yet, as it's been gloomy and raining all week. But I'll have more to come soon, as i get more settled and the weather gets nicer. Until then, enjoy these, or call me up and stop by for a visit :)

Flickr Photos

Wednesday; or, Spring Has Sprung....Sort of

2008-04-09T13:38:00.003-04:00

I'm getting all settled in and situated at my new house. Yes, HOUSE. It's awesome to have an entire house all to my onesies. Only real complaint is the small shower. But, I knew about it before I moved in, so I can deal with it. The adjustment to not having cable tv has been probably the biggest change for me, mostly because I watch too much of it. But I'm surviving, and certainly enjoying my space.

On the work front, things are progressing nicely. Got a new computer (with spiffy new 22in. monitor, hehehe), and we're getting a lot of business, which keeps me busy and employed. There's also rumblings about moving into a new office downtown. No confirmation on that as of yet, but it sounds like a definite possibility.

My online presence should be back up to normality again, as the most daunting part of moving is over. That's all I have for you, gentle reader. But I will return next time with more thrilling adventures! Same Bat Time! Same Bat Channel!

Moving On Up; or, The New Homestead

2008-04-03T16:29:00.003-04:00

Well, I found myself a new place to live. It's small, but it's a good size for me. I move in this weekend, so I'm currently in the process of packing/sorting/getting things ready for the move. That's all for now...but more to come after the move

Reassesing; or, A Truth Comes out

2008-03-31T18:00:00.004-04:00

I'm finding it a little bit difficult right now to put into words how I feel. I guess I knew what the reason I was being taken out of the situation by the guys was, but it still is hard to take. It's never easy feeling like you're losing friends. But, all the signs were there, I should have seen this coming from a block away. It would have been nice if those involved could have treated me like an adult and just said it to me, instead of behind my back for what turns out to be years, and then dropping it on me and offering nothing in the way of explanation or reason. But, that's how it went down, and that's how it will be. Nothing to do now, but continue forward.

P.S. - Despite what anyone may think, I will not hold any grudges or ill will. Life is too short for something like that.

A New Beginning; or, Finding Myself an Apartment

2008-03-30T23:29:00.004-04:00

So, the past couple of months I've been feeling like a bit of an outcast in my house. For those of you that don't know, I live with 3 guys, and have for a few years now. Well, lately it's been strained. I dont really know why, because no one has talked to me about anything. It's apparently been building for a long while now...but rather than be adults about things, and talk out any problems, things festered, built up and friendships became strained due to it.

My thing is this. I have no problems if someone has issues with me. I try really hard to not fly off the handle about stuff. I'm human, and sometimes over react, but still, if you have an issue with me, talk to me about it. But you have to have the stones to do that. Which must be harder that I think it is.

But, that's life, I'll survive and advance. Things happen for a reason, and life comes at you in different ways. It's all about moving on, evolving, and trying to be a better person. Which would be easier if people would talk to you about your faults, but if they won't, you just have to deal with that.

Well Hello There; or, Still Kicking!

2008-03-25T23:40:00.006-04:00

Ok, so I haven't updated in somewhere around 2 months. But, it's been interesting, and I've been dealing with all that. So, where to start?

Well, New job. No more DHL (Welch Aviation). They fired me. Why? Because I didn't send a message to the office about a pickup at the theater. And apparently that is a fireable offense, on the first offense. No warning, no nothing. Oh well, in the end, I'm much better off with out them, and they have to get someone else to fill my route (which i did for 3 years). So, it's all good =)

Now, on to the new stuff. I'm starting out with a part time gig working for a Voip company. It's actually a reseller of Voip equipment and service. So far, it's a good job, I'm learning a lot, get to work in a relaxed environment, and for a good guy that respects me and treats me good. Also, some occasional video work still. So it's all good there too =)

I also had a little vacation a couple weeks ago. 1 week in Orlando, hanging out, going to Sea World, and Tigers spring training. It was a good week, much needed, and over too quickly.

There's some other stuff going on with me right now, but I can't really go into all that at the moment. But as soon as I can, you will all be informed. I will be updating this blog more often, and I mean it this time. Also, check me out at Twitter for updates as well. Until next time...keep it real.

Sick Sick Sick; or, Just a Touch of the Plague

2008-01-27T17:58:00.000-05:00

it's been a month since I've posted here, I know. But there is interesting news to report. Unfortunately, I am currently on my death bed, and can not get in to it now. Perhaps later on in the week, if I'm still alive and kicking.

Get Up, Come On Get Down With The Bloggness; or, Believe It Or Not, I Am Still Alive

2007-12-27T21:09:00.000-05:00

Wow, so it's been quite some time since I've last blogged. I'm sure of the 3 of you who read this mindless drivel, you were happy with that fact. Well, I'm not Robert Scoble, but I shall endeavor to press on, and restart my little bloggity blog here.

Now, where to start?

Ah, yes, the radio show. Seems a good place since that was the subject of my last entry. The Trifecta is going strong, every Tuesday night, from 11pm-2am eastern time. And now that the holidays are past us, I will be able to get the past month or so worth of shows up online. My work schedule has just not allowed me the time. But rest assure, they are coming, and you can subscribe to the podcast feed of those shows here. We are having a good time with it, and while we have no real numbers, we think that slowly, we're building a fan base.

Speaking of work, this year was by far the worst in terms of volume for Christmas. But somehow, I survived it, and will push on, in hopes that a change is on the horizon for me, career wise.

Other than that, it's been pretty much par for the course. I did have my birthday about a month ago, which went well, as it usually does. Far less drunk this year, which believe me, is a good thing. The mead has been finished, and half is already gone and drank. I think it turned out pretty good myself. In fact, most all who have tried it, said it was good. Even Jim, who hates everything, and isn't afraid to tell you about it. I am pleased that it turned out well, and will be starting a new batch soon.

Also, in technology news, I took the plunge, and bought a big screen tv. 42" of LCD greatness I must say. I was stupid enough to go out for black friday and stand in line for 3 hours starting at 2am to get it, but in the end, it was worth it. The TV is outstanding, and now that Pat has his PS3, we have some fantasic gaming and movie watching going on. Well, not much of an update, but it's all you get. Oh yeah, vacation time is coming soon. I have two trips planned. One to florida for a week, sometime in March, to visit friends and relax. And a second, week long road trip to see 5 or 6 baseball games in different citys. More on both of those as detail become available kids. Until the next time (which i promist will be less than 2+ months), this is TV's Travis, signing off

The Trifecta; or, It Has Begun!!!

2007-11-03T14:28:00.000-04:00

We have begun the new show. That's right, The Trifecta on WNMC is on the air. Tuesday nights, from 11pm to 2am eastern time. We also have a way to hear each episode via podcast here. As well as the myspace page for the show. You should listen in, and let us know what you think.

Now, I know I said there were going to be movie reviews happening here every so often, and that is still the case. I just haven't had time to get them up. Mostly due to time restraints with work, the new show, and the need to sleep every so often. But rest assured, the reviews are coming.

Also, I have a paranormal investigation tonight, so I will be letting you all know what evidence is found, if any, and a general feel of how the night goes. Until then, I leave you with a photo from the devil's night show. Pat and Joe, goofing off in the studio. Enjoy!

A Short Update; or, New Hotness

2007-10-24T15:25:00.000-04:00

The mead is coming along nicely. It's still a couple weeks away from drinkable, but it's getting there. Not much else to say on that.

We had the "1st official" show last night of The Trifecta, which is on WNMC (90.7fm in Traverse City, wnmc.org online) which went well. 3 hours of shenanigans and music. Listen in on Tuesday nights, from 11pm to 2am and call us (231-995-1090). We have a myspace page of the show here. And we will begin recording the shows, and putting them up edited down and in a podcast probably starting next week, so check back for that.

In other news, I am going to begin a semi-regular movie review on my blog. It will happen basically when I feel like it, and deal with movies either in theaters, or on video, old or new, and good or bad. It should be interesting only because you will never know when I will post, or what it will be like, so check back early and often.

Now, I must get back to work. First movie review is coming tonight, you have been warned. In the meantime, check out the Trifecta on myspace, and show us some love.

Polluting Airwaves; or, Radio Gold!

2007-10-16T23:37:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday night, which means I am currently on the air, doing my weekly radio show on WNMC. If things go well, this will hopefully be the last one I do alone. I'm currently awaiting word back from the station manager about my idea to bring in Patrick and Joe, and do some sort of late night talk/music radio. Things sound favorable, and it looks good that it will happen, but until it does, I am stuck doing my show alone. It's not that I don't like being able to do a show on college radio, the freedoms of it are much better than commercial radio. It just gets pretty boring doing music radio for 3 hours. That's why I want to bring those guys in, bring some newness to the show. Keep it fresh, and interesting, with some good bantering, pop culture and movie references, and just overall, different from traditional radio. If I had my way, I'd do all talk radio, with just music for bumpers, I find that to be much more compelling radio personally. But, even a combination of the two would be better than straight music, and if it's Pat, Joe, and myself; entertaining to the extreme!

In other news, the Mead is coming along. It was racked from the pot, to the first jug today. I'm not sure how it's going exactly, because I've never made the stuff before, but so far, it seems fine, and smells really good. It's still a few weeks off before I can say for certain I brewed it correctly, but we shall see.

And lastly, this past week, in my fantasy football league, I mopped up, scoring a league record 206 points. I try not to brag much in my life, and I know karma will come back to bite me on this one...but HELL YEAH! Eat it boys...for this week, I RULE!

Well, back to work on the show

Trying My Hand at Home Brew; or, Barkeep, Mead!

2007-10-14T18:08:00.000-04:00

So I've decided to make my own Mead. For those of you unfamiliar with the substance, Mead is an old fashioned honey wine. It's the oldest fermented beverage, and it something of a rarity this day and age. Oh sure, you can find it if you want to look hard enough (or just go here and click the search option), but I wanted to try my hand at it. So, after looking around for a reciepe online, I traveled to the local home brew shop (Diversions in downtown TC) and picked up the needed supplies. Mead is a very simple concoction to make. It's essentially honey, water, and yeast. I added some cloves, cinnomon and lemon for flavor as well. As we speak, the yeast is in it, working it's magic. I'll report back on the mead's progress as it develops.

In other news, there is no other news. Nothing new to report really. Spent most of the weekend just hanging out with Dubbya, and doing very little. Well, except for the mead making, that was an accomplishment I suppose.

Halloween fast approaches, and I really need to put the finishing touches on my costume. It's probably about 80% done right now, but needs some touches to make it complete. So, that's now my focus, as well as the radio show, and filmic ventures.

On the topic of the radio show, I am attempting something new. I have moved to tuesday nights, from 11pm to 2am. I am in the process of convincing the station manager (a wise and sage like man, I should add) into letting me bring Patrick and Joe in to the mix, and make it a mixture of standard college rock radio, and late night talk radio. I don't think the three of us would have much trouble coming up with topics to discuss, and we would incorperate emails and calls from our audience (all 6 of them, including you Jacob). So, if you are reading this blog, tell me, would you listen to a show of three guys, riffing and playing music once a week? And if so, would you tell your friends and get us more listeners? Let me know, spread the word, help us make it happen.

OK, I'm off to watch some more television/movies on my dad's big screen (housesitting is fun!) I'll check back with mead updates, as well as other updates as they develop.

Music Piracy Trial; or, Why the RIAA Should Go Away

2007-10-03T17:24:00.000-04:00

I've been following this story lately, and I find it quite interesting. See, Capitol Records (et al) are suing a lone private user for copyright infringement. But what really caught my attention was this little nugget I saw from Ars Technica:

"It's my personal belief that Sony BMG is half the size now as it was in 2000," she said, thanks to piracy. In Pariser's view, "when people steal, when they take music without compensation, we are harmed." Pariser has a very broad definition of "stealing." When questioned by Richard Gabriel, lead counsel for the record labels, Pariser suggested that what millions of music fans do is actually theft. The dirty deed? Ripping your own CDs or downloading songs you already own.

Gabriel asked if it was wrong for consumers to make copies of music which they have purchased, even just one copy. Pariser replied, "When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song." Making "a copy" of a purchased song is just "a nice way of saying 'steals just one copy'," she said.

That's it. I officially hate record labels. I'm sorry, you can honestly believe that everyone who has ever made a copy of music (and dating back to the advent of recording technology, that would be EVERYONE) is a thief. That's just plain ignorance if you ask me. All that is accomplished by that thought process is to punish normal people who don't pirate music (or movies, or any other media), but who make copies for their own use as backups, or just a way to archive for later use. (on a side note, that means that every single iPod or other MP3 player owner is a thief, and all the money the labels have made off those people apparently doesn't count) Pirates, those who truly want to steal music, will always find ways around any copy protection scheme you can think of, just remember that. I personally will buy music if at all possible. But I despise DRM, and avoid it at all costs.

Get your act together RIAA, and record labels. For all the money you've screwed bands out of in the past to make youselves fat and happy, you deserve what you get. If I thought the money for a CD actually went to the band itself for their intellectual property, that would be a different story. But bands don't make money on that, they earn there cheese on concerts and merch, not album sales.

I will get off my soapbox now...and bid you good day.
I said GOOD DAY!

Computer Troubles; or, Someone call Max Von Sydow

2007-09-25T18:57:00.000-04:00

I agreed a couple weeks ago to fix a friends computer. Nothing new there, and I began as I have so many times before. Except that this time, it was a machine with Windows XP Home edition. ugh. While this should not cause to many problems, it in fact did. Because you can't use an XP Pro CD to install XP Home. So after sacrificing a goat and 3 chickens to appease the gods, I had to call in the professionals. They came in the form of DBAN, or Darik's Book and Nuke to be exact. It wipes the hard drive clean allowing for a fresh install. But not just clean, oh no...so clean the DOD couldn't get any info off the little bugger. Needless to say this is a lengthy process, which I began Saturday afternoon, and will commence sometime around midnight tonight. Way longer than it should, but I was out of options, and desperate. The worst part, is my computer has been disconnected during all this, which means I have been sans computer since Saturday. Luckily I have my trusty Lappy486.

Everything should be back to normal tomorrow, but head my warning: Check which version of windows the serial key is for BEFORE you begin the install. It will save you time and sanity, both of which are in short supply as it is.

One last note. My radio show has changed yet again. I am now moving to Tuesday nights from 11pm to 2am (possibly with a co-host to trade off every week, not sure on that part yet) but it's a more free form show, so I will hopefully get to expand and experiment some. Tune in starting next week, and feedback is always appreciated

A Little Late; or, Yes I'm Lazy

2007-09-20T21:16:00.000-04:00

So, I'm a bit late on this post. Granted there is no set schedule as to when I post for this blog, but i did intend to have this post up Tuesday or so. So, let's recap, shall we?

Friday night was a movie night, watching Hot Fuzz with the iBock and Anna. I'm still not tired of that movie, and it still cracks me up every time. Saturday was a day of nothing-ness. And boy did I enjoy every last taste of that. Sunday was the day of filming. Ah, how I love filming. Currently the project is our upcoming Halloween special. I don't want to give away the goods, but let's just say I was covered in pea soup with green food coloring added to it for the better part of 3 hours on Sunday. The things I do for my craft. But it's worth it, because I think we'll turn out one helluva Halloween special. Better than last years, and that one was pretty good. That's the trick as an artist (and yes, I think of not only myself, but our group as artists), challenge yourself to get better every time out.

Monday saw a horrendous work day, followed by some beers at the local drunken clam, and my bragging over fantasy football superiority. A good evening in all respects. Tuesday was nothing special, with Wednesday bringing a softball double header (we won both games) that included my first inside the park homerun of the season. Then a pint and off to bed. Today was fairly slow as well, and I'm currently on air doing my radio show.

I did participate in last evenings Taps Family Radio broadcast, from the chatroom, and made it on air with my question to the guest (Keith Johnson, noted demonoligist). That was pretty cool for me personally.

Now, some of you out there may have heard the story of the college student from U of F that was subdued by police at a John Kerry talk last week. I'm not going to go into detail here, but check out my friend Pat's Blog to see his reaction and thread. It's a shame what happened, but it's also a shame when you find out that the kid is not an innocent college student. Go read it, and form your own opinions.

Well, that about wraps up this blog post. I shall endeavor to be more up to date and post more often. This once a week shit's gotta go. Until next time children

tomorrow; or, my next post, seriously

2007-09-17T23:42:00.000-04:00

I have plans for an update tomorrow. There's a bit to tell, but I'm in to mental state to post it tonight. So check back on the 'morrow children. I'll try not to disappoint.

One Strange Day; or, You'll Never Believe This

2007-09-04T22:55:00.000-04:00

So, today started out like pretty much any other week day. My alarm woke me up earlier than I wanted, and try as I might to fight it, I did eventually drag my ass out of bed. After the morning routine (the S-in' - Shit, Shower, Shave. Minus the shave part, it's against my religion), I put on a relatively clean work uniform and head downstairs to go to work. Reaching the bottom of the stairs I see someone sleeping on the couch. It appears to be the size and shape of The Horvath, so I think nothing of it and head off to the jobbie-job.

4 hours pass, and I stop by the house for a little lunch. Pulling in the driveway I notice both The Horvath and Perkette chariots are missing, OK, they left for work. But when I walk into the house, there on the couch is the same dude from that morning. So, it's not The Horvath. Alright, must be a friend of his, or maybe Patrick's. Whatever, I gotta pee. When I get back downstairs, he's gone. Strange, but I sort of put it out of my head, and get back to work for the day.

I get home from work, and Perkette comes home. I start to tell him my story of the morning, and see if he has any idea who our "Couch Bum" was. I'm treated to his telling of seeing this guy on the couch as well, thinking at first it was The Horvath's friend, but he claims to not know the guy. Naturally we think must be a friend of Patrick. Well, once Patrick makes it back, we ask him. He has no idea who it is. Sometime around 3am, Patrick woke up for some water. On his way out to the porch for a smokie treat, said "Couch Bum" snores really loud, scaring the holy-lovin'-shit out of Patrick. He thinks it's The Horvath (it's dark after all) and shakes him, to which he hears "Search Query". He assumes it's still The Horvath, has his smoke, and goes back to bed, albeit a little weirded out.

At this point, None of us have any idea who the guy that slept on our couch the previous night is. Nothing was missing, and the living room had been vacuumed (to which Patrick owned up). Then we headed out to see "Superbad". Funny movie. Even funnier was the Rhodes Scholar sitting 3 rows back repeating lines 30 seconds after they were said in the movie, or shouting "What?" at every turn.

On our way home from the movie, Patrick gets a call from the bartender at his bar. Some dude is at the bar, telling the story of waking up this morning at a strange house, on the couch. And he remembers the address (which was our address). When it finally dawned on the bartender who's house it was, he calls Patrick. Set course, Bootleggers!

We get there, and there he is. The guy from our couch. Drunk as shit. Fresh from the pokey for a DUI and subsequent probation violations, he got drunk as a skunk last night, and walked in to our house thinking it was his. He apparently lives a block from our house.

After hearing about 35 times that he was lucky to not be in jail, that he can't believe it was our house, and that none of us know him at all, he wanders behind the bar (mind you, it was dead in there, and the bartender was on the phone telling the story to a friend of "Couch Bum", and fellow bartender), grabs a bottle of Petron tequilla, and proceeds to drink down about $20 worth like water.

OK, so, a long way to go for this story I know. But if you made it this far, I applaud you. It really is a funnier story than it sounds reading it here. But hey, I tried dammit!

Why You Can't Lock Technology Down; or, Viacom Are Some Greedy Folk

2007-08-30T21:36:00.000-04:00

Right, so, I've been bad at updating yet again. I have no excuse really, just a general lazy streak. So, let's get caught up shall we?

This past weekend, I was involved in my second "official" paranormal investigation. This time, making the trip out to Pere Cheney, which is a sort of local ghost town. When I say local, it's about an hour drive from my house. And when I say ghost town, I mean in the sense that it was once a town, which had two major fires, and a couple of outbreaks of sickness, and say it's population go from about 5000 to nil in less than 15 years. It is supposedly a highly active area for the paranormal. So, I met up with the folks in my group (Wind Spirits Paranormal Society), and we did a joint investigation of the area with Metro Paranormal Investigators (MPI) from down state. I really enjoyed working with the guys from MPI. They run an investigation the way I like to see it. Very professional, very organized, very good. I am hoping to work with them again soon. I was extended a personal invite to tag along with them again if I'm ever in their area, and I will be taking them up on that. I did have one personal experience happen during the night. I saw what looked to be a small child running around in the grass in front of me. I can safely rule out a fox or other animal, as I was less than 20 feet from it, and I heard no sound what so ever coming from it. I still have all my audio to go over, so we'll see if there is any evidence captured.

Now, here's a little news story I can't help but talk about. Seems Viacom send out yet another cease and desist order to someone on YouTube. It was for a clip from the VH1 show "Web Junk". It dealt with a clip that was an ad some guy made when he ran for public office on some kind. The rub? It was posted by the guy who made the original clip VH1 used. With out contacting him in any way, they used his clip, then try to say he is infringing on copyright by posting the clip from their show of his material. read more about it here.

In other news, The iPhone is unlocked. Well, sort of. Two different teams of hackers claim to have a software unlocking utility that can easily unlock the iPhone, allowing you to use any GSM carrier's SIM card to run your phone. Of course, you can't actually use either one yet, as they both have said that lawyers for AT&T have threatened legal action if they do. More impressive though, is the 17 year old from New Jersey. He did a bit more in depth of a task, spending his summer before college hacking the iPhone, hardware style. Using his trusty soldering iron, and apparently a lot of free time, he successfully hacked his phone. Not bad. When I was 17, I was lucky I knew how to use the microwave, but these kids today, boy howdy!

The weekend approaches. I have a pistol match Sunday, and labor day on Monday. I can't wait. Should be a good weekend

As Promised; or, It's Bloggerin' Time!!

2007-08-21T20:49:00.000-04:00

First off, I'd like to apologize for the title of this blog. Well, not really, it's the title I chose, and I'm sticking with it. Now, on to the post

I've been bad about updating lately, for that I do humbly and truthfully apologize to both of you who read this. I have this bad habit of putting off posting, usually because I am inherintly lazy. I did set up a microblog account with Jaiku (you may notice the badge on this blog) that I update with some good regularity. I like Jaiku because it lets me post quickly, and only gives me 140 characters to work with. Plus, it reminds me to update this blog as well (well, kind of). So keep checking back here, and my Jaiku page as well.

Some new news to report. My radio show, which had been alternating Wednesday nights from 9pm to 11pm, has now moved to Thursday nights. Same time, but different day. And will be a weekly show, instead of bi-weekly. And I will be adding a new feature. Webb Alert. You've heard me sing it's praises here (I even embedded it at the bottom of the page), and now I will be featuring it on my radio show. I obtained permission from those involved, so it will be starting up next week. I'm really happy to get my show weekly, maybe I'll even build a fan base (yeah...sure I will)

In other news, Michael Vick (aka Douche Bag) is going to plead guilty to federal dog fighting charges. That's right, the man who claimed (through his lawyer) to plead innocent only a few weeks ago (which is incorrect mind you, you plead not guilty, you don't plead innocent), and was going to clear his good name so he could get back to "spring training" with his team, is going to face the music. He'll get between 12 and 18 months in prison.

But even better, are comments made by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist on a round table program on KDKA. "It's really a sad day in this country when somehow ... Michael Vick would have been better off raping a woman if you look at the outcry of what happened. Had he done that, he probably would have been suspended for four games and he'd be back on the field. But because this has become a political issue, all of a sudden the commissioner has lost his stomach for it." Some people's children.

One last note. Don't shop for food when you're hungry. I know it's not exactly a new thought or anything, but I found out first hand why. I went to Meijer sunday night, with the intent of picking up a few items. An hour and a half and $110 later, I left with enough food to feed a small army. It's not all bad, I am stocked up. Just a bit of a strain on the pocketbook.

Until next time

update....tomorrow

2007-08-21T00:15:00.000-04:00

I plan on an update tomorrow. I had some stuff to post today, but well, it just didn't happen. So tomorrow shall be the day. Until then...

Monday Monday Monday; or, It's time for me to get back to blogging

2007-08-14T00:02:00.000-04:00

OK, so I have been bad about updating this here blog for a bit. My apologies. Life got in the way. What with the film fest, Softball tournaments, and friends returning, it's been a whirlwind. That having been said, let's recap, shall we?

Film Festival: Kick ass! I had a great time. Good movies to watch. Great People to work with. All around good week, and worth spending my vacation time working. Saturday night became Kilt Night '07. I need to wear my kilt(s) more often. Not only because of the comfort factor, or the pride...but the comments. I genuinely enjoy it. It is sad when the fest is over, and real life starts up again, but hey, there's always next year.

Rest of Life: Ward is back! That's right, every one's favorite computer savant is back in the state of Michigan. After a 3-4 month stint in Key West, he's back for fall semester. If only for fall semester. It's good to have him back. It's hard for me to say this, but I have missed him in his time away. It's been nice to hang out with him lately.

Also, last Saturday night, I was involved in a paranormal investigation. It was mostly uneventful, with no paranormal experiences while in the house. A house that was beyond disgusting I might add. But the experience of doing a full blown investigation was priceless, and I look forward to more in the future.

OK, I'm sure by now all 3 of you who've read this are bored to tears and begging for the end, so I shall grant you that. Until next time (which won't be in 2 weeks, promise), this is Travis, signing off.

P.S. - This Wednesday, I will be on the air (WNMC 90.7 FM in Traverse City, wmnc.org online) from 11pm to 2am. Listen in, call in, email me. If you do, I'll love you. Really. I'll even call afterwards ;)

My Celebrity Crush; or, Check Out the Video

2007-08-08T11:24:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note. Morgan Webb now has a daily video blog called Webb Alert. Be sure to check it out. It's a quick 5 minute roundup of daily tech talk. I have added it to the bottom of this blog page, so you can see it here or on her site. She rules, so you should check it out. Not to mention, she's very easy on the eyes =) (yes, I am still harboring my crush for her)

New JerryTown Content; or, A Short Update During Work

2007-08-07T11:18:00.000-04:00

New videos posted here from all of us at JerryTown

These are the bumpers we submitted to the Traverse City Film Fest. Two were chosen (one edited somewhat), and ran all during the festival at various venues. It was pretty fun to see my big fat head on the big screen, with as many as 600 some odd people watching it, and even seeming to enjoy it. I got a kick out of that.

Also, I have added a new feature to my blog, my Jaiku's. I thought I would give that site a little try, see if I like it. It is a nice way for me to update on the fly, to supplement my not-so-regular blog schedule.

That is all for now. I will have a much fuller recap of the festival after I get a little sleep, maybe tomorrow, maybe Thursday. But it is coming, so be warned!

Valets, River Monsters, WWII, Oh My!; or, The Film Fest So Far

2007-08-04T12:23:00.000-04:00

I had hoped that maybe I would be able to post somewhat during the Film Fest, alas, it was not to be. It's just been a whirlwind, coupled with little sleep. And I wouldn't trade it. It has been a fun festival. Monday was the volunteer free screening of the French comedy "The Valet". It was cute. Not laugh out loud funny, but some good moments. Yesterday I watched "Slaughterhouse 5" based on the Kurt Vonnegut book. I haven't read the book (but I plan to), but I enjoyed the movie immensely. Very good stuff. And last night, "The Host", a Korean monster movie. Highly entertaining fair. Tonight is the New Zealand vampire sheep movie "Black Sheep". Yes, vampire sheep. 'Nuff said.

Sadly, I was not able to make it to "Uncensored Borat and Beyond". My schedule just did not allow it. But, I did find out the Michael is planning to produce his next film here in TC. Not shoot it here, but do the production on it. And will be looking for local people to crew. So yeah, I'll be working to get that to happen for myself, as well as the rest of the JTown crew.

For those of you interested in photos of the festival, Clint has had his camera all week, so I will endeavor to get some of those pics from him, and get them up online soon. I do not have a camera of my own, or I would have them for you already.

Now, I must nap before my shift. Tonight will probably by my 3rd 4am night out of the last 4, and tomorrow promises to be similar. Homey needs his sleep

A New Age of Wireless?; or, It's Martini Time!

2007-07-28T20:37:00.000-04:00

Today is the first official day of my vacation week. A week of rest and trial seperation from work. I couldn't be happier. I needed some time away from that place. Working the hours I do, dealing with the people I deal with, takes it's toll on you after a while. So it's nice to get a little time away, collect myself, and not deal with it. Plus, it's Film Fest week, so I know where I'll be all next week. I hope to have some pictures, as well as good stories to tell. I'm sure I will have at least one of the two.

In other news, I recently heard about a news story that you all might find interesting. Read about it here. Apparently when the FCC is done making all the TV stations convert over to digital, they plan to auction off the 700mhz band to the highest bidder. That's the real reason for the whole switch to digital. It truthfully have nothing to do with High Definition (or HD, if you prefer) at all. They want that band because it's some valuable stuff. It's what TV is on now, and it's good, low frequency, and can go through walls and such. Of course, all the major telecommunications companies (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, et al) are going to bid, but a new player has tossed their hat in the ring.

Google.

That's right, the internet giant has said they will meet the minimum bid of 4.6 billion (billion!) dollars and get into the fracas on the condition that whomever wins the bidding (be it them, or someone else) has to keep it an open platform. In other words, no doing like what the wireless communication companies do now. Google wants it to be open to any hardware and software. And speculation is that if they were to win it, you might see a nationwide free WiFi network,
as well as Google perhaps getting into the hardware biz and making their own device that would work on it, as well as use Google Talk or Skype, some kind of VoIP service and if that were to happen, it would completely change the entire landscape of wireless communications. And be a huge benefit to us, the consumer. Keeps your eyes on this one kiddies.

Well, that is all for now. I'll try to keep up to date during the festival, but I can't make any promises. But check back often, and if you get bored, watch the JerryTown videos posted. They're good ones

Radio Gold; or, My Wednesday Evening

2007-07-25T22:01:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know (note: the number of people who read this blog is not gigantic by any means) I have a little radio show about twice a month on the local college radio station. It's my little two hour block of radio gold. That is, they let me play music, talk a tiny bit, and generally think I'm special. It's fun, it entertains me, and I get out of the house and occasionally get to play some music that normally doesn't get on air. If you're in the TC area, listen in on 90.7 fm. It does stream online at wnmc.org.

However, tonight, on my way here, something tried to ruin my mood. Not that I had a particularly good day as it was (work sucked more than usual, it was hot all day, and was my third long long day in a row). I have a flat tire. More annoying that horrific, but still, a pain in the ass to say the least. Now I have to get a new tire, an expense I don't want to make. And with work lately, it will be a day or two before I can get to a tire shop. All in all, Travis is not happy. But I'll survive.

After all, I only need to survive 2 more days of work, and then it's a week's vacation and Film Fest. I've been looking forward to this for a while now. And it's here, and I will relish the time off work, and the company of those crazy bastards at The State Theater.

Well, time to do a break. Only 45 minutes left in my show.

Embracing the Penquin; or, Starting Another Week

2007-07-23T01:00:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, July the 22nd, I took the next step in my continuing geek-dom. I installed Linux on my laptop. And I'm proud of it too. The nice thing about it is that the laptop is a little old, so putting Linux on it (specifically Ubuntu) will help it run a bit smoother. I really only use it to surf the internet, and as a device to capture audio with. And finding Audacity for Linux was the icing on the cake. So yeah, I'm a geek. And a proud one. Get over it.

Tomorrow, or later today if you prefer, begins a new chapter in my attempt to take over the world. My new Podcast. The first recording will take place tomorrow (if all goes well), and hopefully be up and available for download by the middle of the week. I will post details on it when it's ready.

Speaking of podcasts, if you haven't noticed, there is a link to the JerryTown video podcast on the side of this here blog. Click on either link to go to the page, or Here, and sign up for it. I will be adding content to this podcast as it comes along, as well as classic skits. So be sure to subscribe and keep up with what's new.

Also coming up, will be my Take on the Michael Vick dog fighting situation. I don't want to go into it right now. But I'm sure I will in the next day or two. So until tomorrow kiddies, download some JerryTown, and get ready for the new audio podcast.

Welcoming the Weekend; or, 5 More Work Days Until Film Fest

2007-07-20T17:37:00.000-04:00

It's Friday, which makes me happy. Why you ask? Well, because finally, after another long work week, it's 5pm (well, OK, more like 5:45, but cut me some slack here) and that means, weekend! Hooray weekend! And a weekend with no plans what so ever. Which is the best kind of weekend to have. This week was surprisingly busy given that Cherry Fest is over and all, but I managed to survive.

And, I'm now just over a week out from Film Festival. That's a scary thought, because I know we're not ready. But, I also know that we'll pull it together, and make it come off seemingly problem free. Because that's how good we are. I did happen by the box office today to see a line out the door, and around the corner of the next building of people waiting to buy tickets (today was the first day for the unwashed masses to purchase theirs). And that line had formed before 9am, and lasted out of the door until nearly 2pm, when I drove back by. That was a nice site to see.

In other news, in my continuing attempts to better myself health wise, I have decided today, that I am giving up Soda. I know, I know, it's been said before. But hey, I gave up smoking with sheer will power, I can do this. So today, I had my last bottle of sweet sweet Mt. Dew. My thinking is that if i can cut out all that nasty high fructose corn syrup, I might just live a little longer, and not to mention drop a few pounds. It couldn't hurt, I know i could stand to lose some of this weight. I mean, I'm not Shamu, but I am heavier than I would like. So, I'll let you know the progress of this endeavor.

And with that, I bid you Fondue

Light Alphabet; or, Some very cool photography

2007-07-17T17:23:00.001-04:00

Light Alphabet, originally uploaded by floyduk.

This is a picture I found on Flickr. It's from "The Tech Guy" assignment to make a composite photo of the alphabet. Check this one out as well as other submissions to the assignment. Pretty good stuff.

Garfield was right; or, Why Soccer still doesn't matter

2007-07-16T23:26:00.000-04:00

Monday. You all know how it goes. The start of a new week, filled with promise and hope. Right, not around these parts either. For me, Monday is a four letter word. It speaks of long hours at work, more stupidity than could choke a moose, and it all gets to start almost an hour early.

And this was no ordinary "I-hate-everything" Monday. No, today I had a new hire with me. Which means, I get to train them. Now while i don't despise this particular task, it's not how I prefer to start off my week. That, and having someone else in the vehicle that I have to talk to and train, means i can't listen to my radio shows/podcasts, and therefore puts me in a crabby mood (I'm a simple creature, with simple needs, OK?)

Oh, and let us not forget, David Beckham has come to the US.
........
Yeah, no one cares. Well, no one except for the myopic US soccer fan. The guy who swears soccer is the next big thing in the country. That somehow, a guy who is a good player, GOOD player, not great, will move the needle. Here's the thing. He won't. End of discussion. David Beckham isn't going to get more kids to play soccer (they all do already), and while some people might take notice for a month or two, it won't take long for them to realize "oh yeah, it's soccer, we didn't watch it before, why watch now?".
And don't tell me about Pele, and the New York Cosmos. Yes, I know that they sold out Giants Stadium once. Big deal. The league they played in, The NASL, yeah, that didn't last too long after that. And the MLS, please. They get ratings below Poker tournaments and even Hockey.

And it's not that I dislike soccer, or Beckham. Far from it. I'm just not convinced it's going to change anything. Soccer is a great game, but with all the other choices out there for sports fans, as well as non sport fans, it's not going to make a big blip in the long run.

There, I said it. For you soccer fans, take your shots. I will take all of them. And if I'm wrong, I WILL be the first to admit it, I promise you that

Looking Ahead; or, Getting a Handle on the Future

2007-07-14T23:32:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know, i have been able to crawl my way out of debt recently. Now, granted, i was not in debt up to my eyeballs or anything, but debt is debt, and being able to get rid of it is something I am rather proud of.

Now the plan is to make myself a little nest egg. A fund for when/if I move, or whatever I may need. The plan is I want to have an idea of where I will be, and what I'll be doing by next March 1st.

But, here is my dilemma. I don't know where I will be. Many of the people around here will be moving. Ian is headed to California, Patrick is headed possibly to Dublin, Horvath is talking of San Diego. Oh, and Wardo is either going to be in Florida, or GR.

So, the question becomes, do I stay or do I go? (insert your Clash reference/jokes here)

So, I have something to think about in the coming months. I would like to have it all thought out, planned (at least somewhat), and starting to wheels in motion by March 1st of next year. Any advice out there is of course appreciated, and I will keep all parties concerned posted.

Another Friday; or, How i suppressed my homocidal tendancies

2007-07-13T07:51:00.000-04:00

So here we go, a new blog, a new experiment. This one will be updated more frequently than my other blog on MyCrack, so look here for the latest news in the life of me. Now, on to the meat and taters

It's Friday, winding down the Cherry Festival, and believe it or not, I haven't killed anyone. Yet. I'll do my best to keep it this way. Thankfully, no one has tried to run me down either. Maybe I'm not doing something right, because each of the last two years, some sizzlechest has tried to run me over with their giant environment killing SUV as I attempt to do my job during Cherry Fest. Oh well, no new stories on that front.

We are approx. two weeks removed from the Film Fest. And no where near ready. Finally got the schedule of films however, so I will be choosing which i want to see, and making up the schedule for Stage managers soon. Should be an overall exciting and fun week, if not booze filled and stressful.

Lastly, I hope to begin the first recording of the podcast on Monday, with the help of the Hobo Lover. It will be up and ready for consumption as soon as I can get it done, so be prepared for that.

OK, I am off to work. Enjoy your Friday everyone, but enjoy your weekend more. I know I will