Back from camp, summer is over and I recently moved into a dorm. The move in was as exciting as watching peas sprout, but meeting my roommates and finding my way around campus was exciting. So far I'm enjoying it.
I honestly have nothing interesting to write about. Sorry. I'm sure I will get some inspiration within the next few days.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
MTV playing music videos again
Yea I don't think so. They should just keep to their reality tv and leave it there. MTV lost the nack at showing videos in the early 90's.
If you're not hip with MTV then here's the low down. MTV started some media hype using The Hill's villains, Heidi and Spencer and Pete Wentz. If you don't know what The Hills is or who Heidi and Spencer are then I'm sorry I can't help you any further. If you don't know who Pete Wentz is, you seriously need to remove yourself from under the rock.
So the media was all about MTV playing videos again. I was excited, until for the past three days when I finally saw what 'playing videos' actually meant.
MTV has this new program called FNMTV where they allow viewers to video blog or write in a comment about the video they are playing. Way to twist the whole reality thing MTV. Sounds okay, the only problem is they play the same videos over and over and over again. I can't take it. I'm going crazy, if I have to listen to Flo Rida tell me to put my hands up in the 'ayer ayer ayer' again, I'm going to shoot myself. Also I don't want to know the desire of the Pussy Cat Dolls to grow up and have boobies, you already have them shut up. Snoops new sampled, god I really do hate the world sampled, STOLEN! song from Johnny Cash is entertaining, but I don't need to hear it 5 time in an hour, once a day is enough. And lastly the poor Ting Tings, stop over playing them, they are the only decent video that's being played a million times.
In conclusion I'm sticking to VH1 in the morning until 11, MTV still sucks at videos.
If you're not hip with MTV then here's the low down. MTV started some media hype using The Hill's villains, Heidi and Spencer and Pete Wentz. If you don't know what The Hills is or who Heidi and Spencer are then I'm sorry I can't help you any further. If you don't know who Pete Wentz is, you seriously need to remove yourself from under the rock.
So the media was all about MTV playing videos again. I was excited, until for the past three days when I finally saw what 'playing videos' actually meant.
MTV has this new program called FNMTV where they allow viewers to video blog or write in a comment about the video they are playing. Way to twist the whole reality thing MTV. Sounds okay, the only problem is they play the same videos over and over and over again. I can't take it. I'm going crazy, if I have to listen to Flo Rida tell me to put my hands up in the 'ayer ayer ayer' again, I'm going to shoot myself. Also I don't want to know the desire of the Pussy Cat Dolls to grow up and have boobies, you already have them shut up. Snoops new sampled, god I really do hate the world sampled, STOLEN! song from Johnny Cash is entertaining, but I don't need to hear it 5 time in an hour, once a day is enough. And lastly the poor Ting Tings, stop over playing them, they are the only decent video that's being played a million times.
In conclusion I'm sticking to VH1 in the morning until 11, MTV still sucks at videos.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Last Lecture
I hope many of you have heard of Randy Pausch and his book The Last Lecture, if you haven't I highly recommend you read it and get on youtube and view the actual last lecture.
Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, PA when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His amazing spirit and ability to cope with this unfathomable matter has inspired many people to follow their childhood dreams just as he did. I'm not going to tell you the whole story, you should find out yourself.
The book, a national bestseller, is a short 206 pages long and is full of useful information that Pausch wanted to leave behind for his children but is also insightful for anyone.
Paucsh had 6 childhood dreams:
1. Being in zero gravity
2. Playing in the NFL
3. Authoring an article in the World Book encyclopedia
4. Being Captain Kirk
5. Winning stuffed animals
6. Being a Disney Imagineer
He completed all but one and even though he is shy one childhood dream coming true he believes that he got more out of the person training him for that dream than actually making it come true. You will need to read the book or listen to the last lecture to find out which one it is.
The book has put new perspective into my life. When I recently changed my major from Biochemistry to English, I thought I was making the biggest mistake of my life, but I soon remembered after reading Pausch's novel, it was a childhood dream of mine to be a journalist.
Part V of the novel really was inspiring, Pausch offers advice on how to live your life the only way he knew how, by his own example.
Give Yourself Permission to dream
Hip is short term, earnest is a character trait that never leaves
Life is too short to fuss about the small things
Acknowledge your responsibility in case of damage
Don't Complain, Work harder
Treat the disease, not the symptom
Don't Obsess Over What People Think
Work in Groups
Look for the Best in Everybody
Watch actions, don't listen to words
Learn to love cliches
Experience
Get People's Attention
Hand write Thank You Notes
Be loyal
Pay it Forward
Everyone loves Thin Mints
Be prepared
Learn how to apologize
Tell the truth
Look at the whole crayon box
There is more than one way to measure profits and losses
No Job is Beneath you
Know Where You Are
Brick Walls are there for a reason
Be a Communitarian
Ask
Be Tigger
Understand Optimism and strive for it
Listen to What others have to say
It's a lot, but I'll never forget the examples that Paucsh used to explain these life changing messages.
Pausch talks about 'Head Fakes' in the book. A head fake is when someone is teaching you something but has the incentive that you learn something more meaningful in the end. It tricks you. The head fake of the book was that it was for his 3 very young children and not for the reader.
What's the head fake in this blog? That you'll go read the book? No, I know you'll read the book, I want you to read the book and take something from it as I did.
Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, PA when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His amazing spirit and ability to cope with this unfathomable matter has inspired many people to follow their childhood dreams just as he did. I'm not going to tell you the whole story, you should find out yourself.
The book, a national bestseller, is a short 206 pages long and is full of useful information that Pausch wanted to leave behind for his children but is also insightful for anyone.
Paucsh had 6 childhood dreams:
1. Being in zero gravity
2. Playing in the NFL
3. Authoring an article in the World Book encyclopedia
4. Being Captain Kirk
5. Winning stuffed animals
6. Being a Disney Imagineer
He completed all but one and even though he is shy one childhood dream coming true he believes that he got more out of the person training him for that dream than actually making it come true. You will need to read the book or listen to the last lecture to find out which one it is.
The book has put new perspective into my life. When I recently changed my major from Biochemistry to English, I thought I was making the biggest mistake of my life, but I soon remembered after reading Pausch's novel, it was a childhood dream of mine to be a journalist.
Part V of the novel really was inspiring, Pausch offers advice on how to live your life the only way he knew how, by his own example.
Give Yourself Permission to dream
Hip is short term, earnest is a character trait that never leaves
Life is too short to fuss about the small things
Acknowledge your responsibility in case of damage
Don't Complain, Work harder
Treat the disease, not the symptom
Don't Obsess Over What People Think
Work in Groups
Look for the Best in Everybody
Watch actions, don't listen to words
Learn to love cliches
Experience
Get People's Attention
Hand write Thank You Notes
Be loyal
Pay it Forward
Everyone loves Thin Mints
Be prepared
Learn how to apologize
Tell the truth
Look at the whole crayon box
There is more than one way to measure profits and losses
No Job is Beneath you
Know Where You Are
Brick Walls are there for a reason
Be a Communitarian
Ask
Be Tigger
Understand Optimism and strive for it
Listen to What others have to say
It's a lot, but I'll never forget the examples that Paucsh used to explain these life changing messages.
Pausch talks about 'Head Fakes' in the book. A head fake is when someone is teaching you something but has the incentive that you learn something more meaningful in the end. It tricks you. The head fake of the book was that it was for his 3 very young children and not for the reader.
What's the head fake in this blog? That you'll go read the book? No, I know you'll read the book, I want you to read the book and take something from it as I did.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Cocaine Jesus, JESUS!
Two weeks ago Federal agents on the Texas/Mexican boarder seized a statue of Jesus made out of cocaine paste, dubbed Cocaine Jesus. Cocaine Jesus was being smuggled across the boarder by a Mexican national who said she was paid $80 to bring the statue into Texas and deliver it to him at a Laredo bus station. 61 year old Bernardino Garcia-Cordova has identified Cocaine Jesus to be his, and stated he was smuggling it into the country to give it to a man known only as "La Arana," or The Spider who resides in Dallas. The estimated street value of Cocaine Jesus, $30,000. The women defiantly got ripped off.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Exam Movie
Okay after a far deal of research I have created a list of 10 films (and synopsis) that we can fight over. I would really appreciate it if everyone gave me their top three in a comment to this blog.
In no particular order:
1) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Drama (1975)
Staring: Jack Nicholson
McMurphy thinks he can get out of doing work while in prison by pretending to be mad. His plan backfires when he is sent to a mental asylum. He tries to liven the place up a bit by playing card games and basketball with his fellow inmates, but the head nurse is after him at every turn.
2) The Departed, Action/Drama (2006)
Staring: Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen
Two just-graduated officers from Massachusetts State Police Academy follow opposite sides of the law: William Costigan is assigned to work undercover with the Irish mobster Frank Costello to get evidence to arrest him. His true identity is only known by his superiors Dignam and Oliver Queenan. The protégée of Costello, Colin Sullivan, is promoted in the Massachusetts State Police and is the informer of Costello. Each police officer gives his best effort trying to disclose the identity of the other "rat".
3) Forrest Gump, Drama (1994)
Staring: Tom Hanks, Sally Fields
Forrest, Forrest Gump is a simple man with little brain activity but good intentions. He struggles through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His 'mama' teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, starts a table tennis craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, create the smiley, write bumper stickers and songs, donating to people and meeting the president several times. However this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny. Who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone.
4) No Country for Old Men, Drama/Thriller (2007)
Staring: Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Javier Bardem
In rural Texas, welder and hunter Llewelyn Moss discovers the remains of several drug runners who have all killed each other in an exchange gone violently wrong. Rather than report the discovery to the police, Moss decides to simply take the two million dollars present for himself. This puts the psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh, on his trail as he dispassionately murders nearly every rival, bystander and even employer in his pursuit of his quarry and the money. As Moss desperately attempts to keep one step ahead, the blood from this hunt begins to flow behind him with relentlessly growing intensity as Chigurh closes in. Meanwhile, the laconic Sherrif Ed Tom Bell blithely oversees the investigation even as he struggles to face the sheer enormity of the crimes he is attempting to thwart.
5) Donnie Darko, Sci-Fi/Mystery (2001)
Staring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze
A troubled teenager, Donnie Darko, escapes death when a jet-engine crashes in his bedroom, because he follows a giant bunny leading him outside. The bunny, called Frank, tells him that the world will end in 28 days. As the final date comes closer and closer Donnie is drawn into an alarming series of events that may or may not be a product of growing insanity.
6) Into the Wild, Biography/Drama (2007)
Staring: Vince Vaughn, William Hurt, Emile Hirsch
Based on a true story. After graduating from Emory University in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters who shape his life.
7) Stand By Me, Adventure/Drama (1986)
Staring: Wil Wheaton, River Pheonix, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry O'Connell
Based on Stephen King's Short story "The Body", "Stand By Me" tells the tale of Gordie Lachance, a writer who looks back on his preteen days when he and three close friends went on their own adventure to find the body of a kid their age who had gone missing and presumed dead. The stakes are upped when the bad kids in town are closely tailing - and it becomes a race to see who'll be able to recover the body first.
8) Juno, Comedy/Drama (2007)
Staring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
A tale told over four seasons, starting in autumn when Juno, a 16-year-old high-school junior in Minnesota, discovers she's pregnant after one event in a chair with her best friend, Bleeker. In the waiting room of an abortion clinic, the quirky and whip-sharp Juno decides to give birth and to place the child with an adoptive couple. She finds one in the Pennysaver personals, contacts them, tells her dad and step-mother, and carries on with school. The chosen parents, upscale yuppies (one of whom is cool and laid back, the other meticulous and uptight), meet Juno, sign papers, and the year unfolds. Will Juno's plan work, can she improvise, and what about Bleeker?
9)The Breakfast Club, Drama (1985)
Staring: Emilio Estavez, Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwall, Judd Nelson
It's the weekend, and five students have Saturday detention. There's a jock, a princess, a misfit, a nerd, and a lout. Not much in common, except for having to give up their day, sit in the school library, and write an essay for the principal. Being from such widely different backgrounds and having such completely different personalities, it's inevitable that some frictions and shenanigans develop. Especially when the principal leaves the room...
10) Traffic, Drama/Thriller (2000)
Staring: Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Erika Christensen, Kathrine Zeta Jones
A modern day look at America's war on drugs told through four separate stories that are connected in one way or another. A conservative politician who's just been appointed as the US drug czar learns that his daughter is a drug addict. A trophy wife struggles to save her husband's drug business, while two DEA agents protect a witness with inside knowledge of the spouse's business. In Mexico, a corrupt, yet dedicated cop struggles with his conscience when he learns that his new boss may not be the anti-drug official he made himself out to be.
*All synopsis provided by IMDB.com
In no particular order:
1) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Drama (1975)
Staring: Jack Nicholson
McMurphy thinks he can get out of doing work while in prison by pretending to be mad. His plan backfires when he is sent to a mental asylum. He tries to liven the place up a bit by playing card games and basketball with his fellow inmates, but the head nurse is after him at every turn.
2) The Departed, Action/Drama (2006)
Staring: Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen
Two just-graduated officers from Massachusetts State Police Academy follow opposite sides of the law: William Costigan is assigned to work undercover with the Irish mobster Frank Costello to get evidence to arrest him. His true identity is only known by his superiors Dignam and Oliver Queenan. The protégée of Costello, Colin Sullivan, is promoted in the Massachusetts State Police and is the informer of Costello. Each police officer gives his best effort trying to disclose the identity of the other "rat".
3) Forrest Gump, Drama (1994)
Staring: Tom Hanks, Sally Fields
Forrest, Forrest Gump is a simple man with little brain activity but good intentions. He struggles through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His 'mama' teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, starts a table tennis craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, create the smiley, write bumper stickers and songs, donating to people and meeting the president several times. However this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny. Who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone.
4) No Country for Old Men, Drama/Thriller (2007)
Staring: Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Javier Bardem
In rural Texas, welder and hunter Llewelyn Moss discovers the remains of several drug runners who have all killed each other in an exchange gone violently wrong. Rather than report the discovery to the police, Moss decides to simply take the two million dollars present for himself. This puts the psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh, on his trail as he dispassionately murders nearly every rival, bystander and even employer in his pursuit of his quarry and the money. As Moss desperately attempts to keep one step ahead, the blood from this hunt begins to flow behind him with relentlessly growing intensity as Chigurh closes in. Meanwhile, the laconic Sherrif Ed Tom Bell blithely oversees the investigation even as he struggles to face the sheer enormity of the crimes he is attempting to thwart.
5) Donnie Darko, Sci-Fi/Mystery (2001)
Staring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze
A troubled teenager, Donnie Darko, escapes death when a jet-engine crashes in his bedroom, because he follows a giant bunny leading him outside. The bunny, called Frank, tells him that the world will end in 28 days. As the final date comes closer and closer Donnie is drawn into an alarming series of events that may or may not be a product of growing insanity.
6) Into the Wild, Biography/Drama (2007)
Staring: Vince Vaughn, William Hurt, Emile Hirsch
Based on a true story. After graduating from Emory University in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters who shape his life.
7) Stand By Me, Adventure/Drama (1986)
Staring: Wil Wheaton, River Pheonix, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry O'Connell
Based on Stephen King's Short story "The Body", "Stand By Me" tells the tale of Gordie Lachance, a writer who looks back on his preteen days when he and three close friends went on their own adventure to find the body of a kid their age who had gone missing and presumed dead. The stakes are upped when the bad kids in town are closely tailing - and it becomes a race to see who'll be able to recover the body first.
8) Juno, Comedy/Drama (2007)
Staring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
A tale told over four seasons, starting in autumn when Juno, a 16-year-old high-school junior in Minnesota, discovers she's pregnant after one event in a chair with her best friend, Bleeker. In the waiting room of an abortion clinic, the quirky and whip-sharp Juno decides to give birth and to place the child with an adoptive couple. She finds one in the Pennysaver personals, contacts them, tells her dad and step-mother, and carries on with school. The chosen parents, upscale yuppies (one of whom is cool and laid back, the other meticulous and uptight), meet Juno, sign papers, and the year unfolds. Will Juno's plan work, can she improvise, and what about Bleeker?
9)The Breakfast Club, Drama (1985)
Staring: Emilio Estavez, Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwall, Judd Nelson
It's the weekend, and five students have Saturday detention. There's a jock, a princess, a misfit, a nerd, and a lout. Not much in common, except for having to give up their day, sit in the school library, and write an essay for the principal. Being from such widely different backgrounds and having such completely different personalities, it's inevitable that some frictions and shenanigans develop. Especially when the principal leaves the room...
10) Traffic, Drama/Thriller (2000)
Staring: Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Erika Christensen, Kathrine Zeta Jones
A modern day look at America's war on drugs told through four separate stories that are connected in one way or another. A conservative politician who's just been appointed as the US drug czar learns that his daughter is a drug addict. A trophy wife struggles to save her husband's drug business, while two DEA agents protect a witness with inside knowledge of the spouse's business. In Mexico, a corrupt, yet dedicated cop struggles with his conscience when he learns that his new boss may not be the anti-drug official he made himself out to be.
*All synopsis provided by IMDB.com
Grandpa Woodstock Closure
No more siting of Grandpa Woodstock....not father Woodstock as I previously wrote. I'm pretty sure he's gone back home.
But the Bristol Press did a cover page article on him, not much of an article though. Apparently he was in Bristol visiting family, and collecting money to go back home to Woodstock, CT, where he resides during the spring in summer, in the winter he lives in Arizona. That's about all the article had, well done Bristol Press. Sense the sarcasim?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Father Woodstock Roaming Bristol
So the other day I was driving home from a night out with some of my friend and we drive past this dive bar on the west end of Bristol, CT and what to our wondering eyes should appear?? A wizard. No seriously, it was a man dressed in full wizard ensemble he had a beard and hair all the way down to his waist. I kid you not and no we weren't drunk. So we double back and get a second look, I wanted to go talk to him, but my friend is a chicken shit and wouldn't so we went home.
Then I asked one of my co-coaches at my work if she's seen him and she told me how she wrote a paper on him. He isn't a wizard he calls himself Father Woodstock, and has family in Bristol but a home near Bethal Woods aka Woodstock, NY. So now I really want to get an interview with him. She said he was mad cool and very open to talking to anyone.
All week I have been driving around Bristol aimlessly wasting my $3.55 gallons of gas looking for this dude and today I see him! I was so excited, but I had to get to the bank first to deposit a check, so I did that very quickly and drove back to the spot where he was stand to find the cops shooing him away! I was pissed!
I'm determined to get an interview with this guy before he heads back up to NY. Keep checking my posts.
* Correction, it's not Father Woodstock, It's Grandpa Woodstock, I was miss informed.
Then I asked one of my co-coaches at my work if she's seen him and she told me how she wrote a paper on him. He isn't a wizard he calls himself Father Woodstock, and has family in Bristol but a home near Bethal Woods aka Woodstock, NY. So now I really want to get an interview with him. She said he was mad cool and very open to talking to anyone.
All week I have been driving around Bristol aimlessly wasting my $3.55 gallons of gas looking for this dude and today I see him! I was so excited, but I had to get to the bank first to deposit a check, so I did that very quickly and drove back to the spot where he was stand to find the cops shooing him away! I was pissed!
I'm determined to get an interview with this guy before he heads back up to NY. Keep checking my posts.
* Correction, it's not Father Woodstock, It's Grandpa Woodstock, I was miss informed.
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