I needed a new post...

I really needed a new post on my blog. Work has kept me SO busy and tired I feel like I rarely have time to do things like blogging or keeping up to date with Facebook. I mean, trying to stick to the World Cup is time consuming enough, but man that is some good soccer. I just don't really know too much to say anything more though, except GO USA!!! (and GO NETHERLANDS!!!)

I am currently watching Michael Jackson's This Is It. It is weird to think that it's been almost a year since he passed away. While the guy had some majorly weird personal life issues, no one can deny the amazing talent he had as a musician, dancer and all-around creative person. His music videos, songs and performances really changed the music industry. I mean, he's gotta be top 5 influential artists of all-time, maybe even #1. I can't really think of anyone else even close. If you can think of anyone else even close I am open to the suggestions, but I doubt you will change my mind. I still think he's a creepy weirdo, especially with the multiple surgeries and such, but man was he talented.

fun music game i found on facebook

Put your iTunes/Winamp/Windows Media Player/whatever on Shuffle and list the next thirty songs that come up. No cheating to make yourself look cool!

Okay here are the random songs:

1. Time Of Your Song - Matisyahu
2. Hold On Hope - Guided By Voices (from the Scrubs soundtrack)
3. Pure Imagination - Willy Wonka Soundtrack
4. Lounge (Closing Time) - Modest Mouse
5. On Jordan's Stormy Banks - Jars Of Clay
6. Strength To Endure - The Ramones
7. Foreign Language - Anberlin
8. Bird Of Paradise - The Appleseed Cast
9. Chills - Ben Lee
10. King Without A Crown (Live) - Matisyahu
11. Lovesong - Anberlin (cover of The Cure)
12. God Almighty - Chris Tomlin
13. Surf Wax America - Weezer
14. Champagne Supernova - matt pond PA (cover of Oasis - from O.C. Mix 4)
15. Army - Ben Folds Five
16. YMCA - The Village People (from Jock Jams)
17. In Christ Alone - Newsboys
18. Church Punks - Audio Adrenaline
19. Learning To Breath - Switchfoot
20. Better Way - The Ataris
21. The Ponytail Parades - Emery
22. Breathe - Bleach
23. When DC Talks - dcTalk
24. Lullaby - Pedro the Lion
25. Electable (Give It Up) - Jimmy Eat World
26. Rain City - Turin Brakes (from O.C. Mix 1)
27. Shelter Me - Project 86
28. Longview - Green Day
29. In The Devil's Territory - Sufjan Stevens
30. Unite - The OC Supertones

QUESTIONS:
1. Which song do you prefer, 1 or 30?
Ouch...probably Unite - it has some major nostalgia coming along with it!

2. Have you ever listened to 12 continuously on repeat?
No - but that album was on repeat in my car for a while

3. What album is 26 from?
On my computer - it's from O.C. Mix 1...not sure what album it's originally from

4. What do you think about the artist who did 15?
Oh Ben Folds - if I was a girl I'd have a MAJOR crush on him...even though he's funny looking...but so dang talented

5. Is 19 one of your favorite songs?
No - but it's an amazing song

6. Who does 28 remind you of?
Green Day and Jimmy Eat World at the Tacoma Dome...or karaoke...

7. Does 20 have better lyrics or music?
Probably music...I don't know the song really well

8. Do any of your friends like 3?
EVERYONE should LOVE #3 - Willy Wonka?!?!?

9. Is 23 from a movie soundtrack?
Oh no...

10. Is 18 overplayed on the radio?
I doubt it...although the station that it would play on (Spirit 105.3) would overplay it if they did play it on the radio

11. What does 21 remind you of?
Seeing Emery at Creation...the keyboardist was CRAZY

12. Which do you prefer, 5 or 22?
5 - good band...good song...22 is one of those nostalgia bands that wasn't ever "good" just fun to listen to

13. What album is 17 from?
Adoration I think...probably lyrics-wise one of my top 5 worship songs

14. When did you first hear 19?
Not sure - a long time ago that I do know

15. A missing question...hmmmmm...

16. What genre is 8?
Indie

17. Another gone one...what's going on?!?

18. What color does 4 remind you of?
Oh Modest Mouse - funky dancing is what Modest Mouse reminds me of...makes me want to dance weird

19. Have you ever blasted 11 on your stereo?
Probably - great cover song done by my FAVORITE band!

20. What genre is 7?
Rock - but also very emo...

21. Can you play 13 on any instrument?
Never tried - but probably could on the drums if I practiced

22. What is your favorite lyric from 30?
"Got a whole army on my case/Got the Devil in my face/Cuz that punk knows it's the end!"

23. What is your favorite lyric from 23?
The whole song is best...classic early 90's Christian rap

24. Would you recommend 24 to your friends?
Yeah - Pedro's awesome

25. Is 2 a good song to dance to?
Nope

26. Do you ever hear 16 on the radio?
No - I don't listen to the radio...but I'm sure it's probably played on the radio

27. Is 22 more of a nighttime or daytime song?
Daytime for sure

28. Does 8 have any special meaning to you?
No - good band though

29. Do any of your friends like 1?
I'm sure some do - Matisyahu is awesome

30. Is 25 a fast or slow song?
Fast-ish

31. Is 5 a happy or sad song?
HAPPY!!!! All about being bound for the PROMISE LAND!!

32. What is one of your favorite lyrics from 9?
"You give me chills/Then you leave me cold"

33. Is 14 better to listen to alone or with friends?
It's a looooooong song...but a good cover of a classic song - so I'd say alone because it's too long to want to listen to with friends

34. When did you first hear 27?
A few years back when I really got into Project 86...then I got out of the screaming music scene soon after...

35. Name 3 other songs by the artist who did 29?
Chicago, To Be Alone With You, Come On Feel The Illinoise...I can keep going...?

36. Do you know all the words to 6?
Nope

37. Does 4 have better lyrics or music?
I love the music on the song...but I can never discount the lyrics of Modest Mouse

38. What album is 10 from?
That version is from Live At Stubb's...but the original version is from Youth

academy awards

I haven't really had the time to review the Oscar Nominated movies, but I thought I'd put out my predictions anyways. Just for fun, but only the bigger categories, not the Foreign Film ones and stuff because I have to leave soon for work. No explanations either because I don't really know why I'm guessing this way either...Here we go...

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: James Cameron (Avatar)
Best Actor: Colin Firth (A Single Man)
Best Actress: Meryl Streep (Julie and Julia)
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz (Nine)
Best Cinemetography: Avatar
Best Animated Feature: Up

That's it. It's too hard to pick from there, although I bet Avatar gets lots of awards for visual stuff because I heard it's amazing. Anyways, off to work. Good bye to all my many (2) readers...

what a day

So today I found out I got the promotion to RSR for Franz. It's been a very exciting last 5 hours. It's a BIG pay raise, only 1 job (with 2 days off a week!!) and REALLY good benefits with a union backing. Now, my wife is asleep (she's getting up at 5 AM tomorrow for work) and I'm watching High Fidelity. This movie is awesome. John Cusack is brilliant, and I love the supporting cast of Jack Black, Joan Cusack and Ted Louiso. Great cast of characters, brilliantly acted, and beautifully written. I like that it's based off of a Desert Island Top 5 plot set up. Some of my favorite lines are, "Some people never got over 'Nam, or the night their band opened for Nirvana...I never got over Charlie." "Is that Peter ****ing Frampton?" I don't know why this movie is so good, and that I like it so much, but I think it struck a chord with me in college. I was a lot like Rob, really into music, and terrible with girls. That and I also got into the mindset that I was doomed to be alone...at age 19 or so...seriously...I was a little ridiculous I know, but I had that fear. Now that I'm married, I look back on those days and it makes me laugh. But I still have a connection to this movie still. I love the music references, the chemistry with the record store gang, and the fact that it does end up happy but not in the sappy predictable Hollywood way. Watch it please, it's well worth the 2 or so hours...but it's rated R (language and sexual content/language) so if you are against R-rated movies then it's ok if you don't watch it :-) Ok, I think that this blog post has really accomplished nothing but for me to do something while watching this amazing cinematic masterpiece. Ooooh, I'm gonna do a Top 5 next week using a topic they have in this movie...side 1 track 1 of records...except I'll just do track 1's from albums...should be TOUGH!!!

What to do now?

I know that I got into the "Top 5" lists, but I think I am going to take a break from that today. I'm going to write just whatever comes to my head today. First, the Super Bowl. I don't know how or when I am going to get to watch it, as my schedule somehow changed from yesterday to today, making it a Sunday AFTERNOON shift rather than a Sunday MORNING shift. I am really upset, cuz I told my boss yesterday that I was glad I was working the morning so I could watch the Super Bowl. Sometimes I feel as though Franz doesn't care about me or anything cuz they never get schedules out with enough advance notice and they change it on you without telling you. If I hadn't heard from Ryan I was working the afternoon shift, I probably would've shown up at 2 or 3 AM on Sunday morning to find out I got switched to an afternoon shift. Thanks for letting me know.

Ok, back to the Super Bowl. I really want to root for the Saints. Their first Super Bowl (which doesn't bode well for them, as the last 2 first time appearing teams lost the Super Bowl - to the Steelers) and with Katrina and everything, it's a GREAT story. Drew Brees, after what the Chargers did to him after drafting Rivers; the storylines are ENDLESS. But on the other side of the field is Peyton Manning. What an amazing player he is. You can't say enough about how good he really is. No one works harder, studies more, and has more class than him. Plus, his commercials on TV are freakin' hilarious! He ranks up with Favre as one of my favorite football players of all time. I have more respect for Peyton than anyone else in the NFL. So who do I root for? The 'Aints, or Peyton? You know that the Colts are pretty much going to win or lose with Peyton. My heart says the Saints, with all the storylines. My brain says Peyton and the Colts. I gotta go with my brain, I say the Colts are going to win. I just hope that the Saints come out and play like the Cardinals game, and make Peyton play his best to beat them. I like the Colts with a 35-31 win, Peyton driving them down and hitting Pierre Garcon with the game winning TD with under 2 minutes left. I want to root for the Saints, and I think they have a legit chance, but I think I'll be cheering for Peyton. Maybe I'll root for the offenses, shootout, yeah. That's what I like, shootout with Peyton and Brees.

Look for blogs every week, as now we have internet I can blog more! :-) My next blog will appear after the Super Bowl, with my thoughts on the game (and the commercials too). Later...