Hard Eight

Stephanie Plum is back in Janet Evanovich's eighth novel about the Trenton, New Jersey bounty hunter. In "Hard Eight," Stephanie is on the trail of her neighbor's granddaughter who has fled Trenton with her daughter for unknown reasons. This time Stephanie isn't working to retrieve an FTA (failure to appear) for her cousin Vinnie. This time her tracking skills are put to the test for personal reasons. As the story evolves, Stephanie's position changes and she becomes the hunted by a psycho who fancies himself as an expert in military strategy and war games. The game is afoot.

I really enjoyed this latest entry into the Stephaine Plum saga, but like candy, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. I'm going to have to take a break from the series before moving on to "To the Nines." All the humor and charm I've come to enjoy and expect in the series is present but the book does have a couple of diversions from the previous stories. Stephanie has to content with a stalker this time around and the tone of the story is a little darker than what I've come to expect. This isn't a bad thing. She also has to contend with a personal life that's spiraling out of control. Problems with her on again, off again cop boyfriend, Joe Morelli, and sexual tension with bounty hunter and mercenary Ranger only help to complicate matters. Finally the book doesn't exactly end cleanly. The central plot is tied up but the continuing story lines are left completely open this time around and I'm curious to see how they progress. I get the feeling that some things will never be the same.

Another great book by Evanovich. A funny thriller that flies by. Recommended.

Cowboys Win x2

Revenge! The Dallas Cowboys get revenge for a humiliating loss last year at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles that kept them out of the playoffs. Revenge is a dish best served cold (old Klingon proverb) and it was very cold in Dallas last night for Philadelphia. The Cowboys beat the Eagles (humiliated) for the second week in a row, the latest in the first round of the NFC playoffs. The Cowboys win was their first playoff victory since 1996! Right now I think Dallas is playing football as well as anyone in the league, especially their defense. Defense wins championships, right? If they can eliminate the pesky penalties that have plagued them all year, I really think they can make a run to the Super Bowl. How satisfying it is to beat the Eagles three times this season, a team I truly loath.

The other Cowboy win last night was Oklahoma State's basketball squad. They opened Big 12 play at home against 22nd ranked Texas Tech. After a slow start the Pokes went on to route the Red Raiders 81-52 and improve to 13-2. Top 25 ranking, how long? The Cowboys travel to Norman for Big Monday to face the dreaded Swooners of Oklahoma. I fully expect the Pokes to beat the ailing Sooners in Bedlam round one and pick up a difficult conference road win. Get out the tissue paper, Sooners, and let the crying commence! I really hope I don't have to eat those words...

As an added bonus, the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers last night at the Ford Center. If OKC continues to play as they have all season they should secure a playoff berth.

What's in a Name: The Revenge!

I was thinking about writing a top 10 list of my favorite posts of 2009 but I ultimately decided against it since I had just recently written a top 10 listing of my all time favorite posts for my 200th post extravaganza. While researching posts for 2009 I did come up with inspiration for another new post. The second post I made of last year was called "What's in a Name." Basically it's just a stupid list of all the funny nicknames everyone had at my last job. I found that while going through my phone that this is a pattern that expands beyond the work place.

Interesting nicknames I use to identify my friends in my cell phone:

Ana Banana: Yeah, it rhymes.
Ben The Popo: Not really a friend but he is a cop, hence the name.
Brownie: Last name Brown. He's also often referred to as "Shamey," something to do with a walk of shame somewhere. I can't imagine where...
Butters: I've referred to him in previous posts, he reminds my friends and I of Butters from South Park. This person also reminds me of Chris from Family Guy, not by how he looks but by some of the off-the-wall things he says.
B-b-barrett: How he speaks when intoxicated.
J-Ho: Not sure where this nickname came from, though she is a ho. Jenny will have to enlighten us.
Lindsay Lou Who: I guess she reminded someone of a girl from Whoville.
Satan: My old boss from Pearls . He really is pure evil but in a good way.
Zima: An old friend of mine who would get drunk (and sometimes sick) after drinking only one Zima when he first turned 21.

College Football Recap

Observations on the 2009-2010 season:

My college football bowl picks ended up at 15-17, just under .500. Not bad considering my lack of research on some of the games and my weakness for having faith in the Big 12 Conference.

Oklahoma State finished at 9-4 for the second straight season and participated in their fourth straight bowl appearance, a school record. I'm happy that the Pokes are consistently bowl eligible under coach Gundy but I'm a little weary at their inability to win "the big game." Next year is a rebuilding season but I think the defense will continue to get better under coordinator Bill Young and maybe the Cowboys will be a little more balanced between offense and defense.

The Oklahoma Sooners chocked most of the season finishing at 8-5. Who cares right? They had a lot of injuries and played with an inexperienced offensive line. The experience the younger players gained this season will help them tremendously next year. If moustache (Landry Jones) can continue to develop his skills at the quarterback position, there's no reason the Sooners won't be in the hunt for the Big 12 South.

I've got to give it up to the SEC Conference. For the most part they looked good during the bowl season. Alabama and Florida are the best teams in the nation, in my opinion. Too bad the real National Championship Game was really the SEC Championship Game.

The Big 10 was also really impressive in bowl games. I could be mistaken but I think they had the best record of any conference. I've also heard the talking heads mention that Ohio State may be the favorite for the preseason number one next season.

Farewell to the 2009-2010 season, it was a lot of fun! College basketball season kicks into high gear this weekend, for the teams I favor anyways. Big 12 Conference play starts this weekend. Go Pokes!

Nintendo Wii Top Three in 2010

2009 was a pretty lean year for fans of Nintendo games on the Wii. What I mean is games produced and published by Nintendo themselves. In my opinion there were only two standouts, Punch-Out!! and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. 2010 looks to be a whole lot better just based on the expected release of merely three games. Here's my top three most anticipated Nintendo Wii games this year:

Super Mario Galaxy 2



Looks to be more of the same as Super Mario Galaxy with our favorite green dinosaur, Yoshi, thrown into the mix. Even if it is a rinse and repeat game, I'll happily buy and play it. There are, however, some additions I'd like to see. I'd like to see the difficulty level taken up a notch and it would be nice to have a true two player co-operative experience (not that I have anyone to play with me but just in case I do make some friends this year). Out of my top three games of 2010, I expect this one to be the earliest release of the year.

Metroid: Other M



Hmmm. I love the Metroid series going all the way back to the original game on the Nintendo Entertainment System up to the very latest installment on the Wii, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. I'd be extremely happy with another Retro Studios produced Metroid game, but it appears Nintendo is collaborating with Team NINJA for a fresh approach. I have to say that I'm not too impressed with Team NINJA's work but with Nintendo holding their hand I'm sure the results will turn out well.

The graphics from the trailer for Other M looks great and the style of game play, at least partially, looks to move between a first person perspective to a third person perspective. If implemented correctly this could be a killer game. Time will tell.

The Legend of Zelda


There are two things known about the next installment of The Legend of Zelda series for the Wii. Supposedly the picture above has something to do with the game and it is going to be released in 2010 according to Satoru Iwata. If it does release this year, I bet it will be a Christmas release. I think the girl at Link's back is his sword.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was a great entry in the Zelda series but I expect a little more from Nintendo this time around since this is the first true Zelda game for the Wii. Twilight Princess was a Wii/GameCube dual release. I'd like the next installment to be a little more challenging, I really never felt in danger of losing all of my hearts and dieing. I also think the scope of the game should be expanded to something truly grand. It's time for something off the chart Nintendo!

Anyone excited about a particular video game releasing this year?

Top 10 Movies of the Decade

10. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
9. Memento (2000)
8. The Departed (2006)
7. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
6. Best in Show (2000)
5. Donnie Darko (2001)
4. A History of Violence (2005)
3. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
2. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
1. Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Honerable Mentions:

Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Far From Heaven (2002)
Big Fish (2003)
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Transamerica (2005)
An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
Children of Men (2006)
Star Trek (2009)

Most Overrated Movie of the Decade:

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

New Year's Resolution Addendum

There was one other New Year's Resolution I was thinking about that I forgot to add to my resolutions post the other day.

Cell phone: I have two very disturbing habits when it comes to my cell phone. I lose or break my phone several times a year and I'm notorious at drunk texting (which is weird because I was never too bad at drunk dialing back in the day before texting was popular). Some days after a night out, I take a quick peek at my outbox on my phone and I immediately start deleting sent texts. If I don't see them, they didn't happen! Thank goodness I don't have a phone that can easily browse the Internet or I would probably post some unflattering statements on Facebook.

So I think I've got a handle on the not breaking or losing my phone thing. I haven't had to replace my phone since Labor Day and I've only went through three different phones last year. It's probably because I finally decided to carry insurance on my cellular plan. Since paying for the additional five bucks a month I've only had one close encounter, I left my phone in Kim's car overnight once.

The drunk texting issue is a bit trickier. By virtue of trying to not party as much I should be able to eliminate some incidents of inappropriate texting. I need to have some kind of plan when going out. On New Year's Eve I specifically told my friend Cris to snatch my phone away from me if she saw that I was texting after having some drinks. I didn't consider she would be intoxicated as well. That plan failed miserably. I need some kind of complicated locking device on my phone that I can't get in to after having some beers and shots. I'd leave the phone at home but I might need to call for a cab or a ride or a booty call. Suggestions?

Oh! I have another resolution. I really need to get a haircut sometime this year, otherwise I'm going to start a rock band named the Beatles and invade America...

I'm beginning to look like the kind of person that chops up innocent people and stores them in the fridge!!

NFL Playoff Predictions (Wild Card Weekend)

Much easier than picking all the college bowl games, less picks to manage.

AFC

#5 New York Jets (9-7) vs. #4 Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
January 9th at 3:30PM
Pick: Cincinnati
Comments: Two good defensive teams. Picking the Bengals with the better record and at home.

#6 Baltimore Ravens (9-7) vs. #3 New England Patriots (10-6)
January 10th at noon
Pick: New England
Comments: Looks to be a great match up on paper. I have to go with the Pats though. They are 8-0 at home this season.

NFC

#6 Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) vs. #3 Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
January 9th at 7PM
Pick: Dallas
Comments: Speaking as a Dallas fan, I hate that the Cowboys are playing the Eagles for the second week in a row and for the third time this season. The same scenario played out the same way for Dallas a couple of seasons ago against the New York Giants. The Giants won the third meeting at Dallas. Statically speaking, Dallas leads most major categories against the Eagles. I really hope Dallas can avoid setting an NFL record for most consecutive post-season losses.

#5 Green Bay Packers (11-5) vs. #4 Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
January 10th at 3:30PM
Pick: Arizona
Comments: Toughest pick of the group. Green Bay should be the favorite, statically they are the better all around team and they have a better record. Something just tells me that Arizona is going to get their act together and play well at home this weekend.

Current record 0-0
Agree? Disagree? Let me know.

Screw This!

A low of 2 degrees on Saturday? Really? I'm already freezing my ass off at home in my drafty old house. Do they make electric Snuggies yet?

Change of Heart

I was oozing on the sofa last night playing with my Wii (sounds dirty), killing time until the Thunder game started. I had music blaring from my computer room, the room just off the living room because there's only so much of the Animal Crossing soundtrack I can take. One of the songs that came up in the random shuffle on iTunes was "Change of Heart" by Cyndi Lauper.

This song will always remind me of the True Colors concert I saw with Matt, Justin, and Kim a couple of years ago at the Zoo Amphitheatre. The concert was crammed with several bands including Andy Bell, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the B-52's and headlined by Cyndi Lauper. Lauper opened her set with "Change of Heart."

Aside from the great music, beer, and sunburns, something that made the concert so memorable and funny was Justin and the baggie of weed he brought along to smoke during the concert after the sun went down. Every large concert I've ever attended I've smelled marijuana at some point during the show. This also includes indoor venues like the Dave Matthew's Band show I saw in Tulsa in October. I was floored that someone would have the balls to smoke a joint or a pipe in an indoor concert! Willie Nelson did open for Dave Matthews so that may have had something to do with it.

Anyways, by the time late afternoon turned into dusk, Justin was starting to get antsy to light up. Being a little nervous, since I normally don't do drugs in front of thousands of people, I told Justin to wait until dark and until we could smell other people smoking. This went on forever. Justin pestering Matt and I nonstop by asking: "now?" We continually kept telling him to wait. Finally just before dark I started to smell the unmistakable aroma of weed. I turn to Justin to tell him it's probably safe for him to at last "light up." He says "okay" in a funny voice. I look down and see him holding a joint! Apparently he broke the seal for the concert. Needless to say, everyone in the surrounding area of our section had a great time for the remainder of the show.

So that's my "Change of Heart" story. I think about that concert and marijuana and Justin's jonesing to light up for what seemed like an eternity and it always makes me smile or laugh (probably funnier at the time since we were drunk and/or high). Just for the record, I hate marijuana. I won't go into too much detail about it but I'll just say I think it's disgusting. Not that I'm judging, to each their own...

Below is a video of "Change of Heart."

Stephanie Plum Quotes III

The first book of 2010 is um, in the books. I finished Janet Evanovich's seventh entry in the Stephanie Plum series, Seven Up. Not nearly as good as Hot Six but a decent and easy read. Again, instead of recapping the premise of the novel, since they're all the same basic storyline, I'll provide some funny quotes from the story:

"That's the good part about smoking pot all your life... no short-term memory. Something horrible happens to you and ten minutes later you can't remember a thing."

Stephanie on her arch nemesis Joyce:
"Next time my mother had chicken I was going to wish on the wishbone that Joyce got herpes."

Stephanie and Joe:
"Maybe we should just go get married."
"When?"
"Can't be tonight. The Rangers are playing. Tomorrow? Wednesday?"

"We've got to get into shape," I said to Lula. "We should go to a gym or something."
"I'd rather set myself on fire."
That about summed it up for me, too.

49 books in 2010 to go to reach my "goal."

New Year's Resolutions

I'm usually not the kind of person that sets (and breaks) New Year's Resolutions each year. I thought this year I would list some goals that I'd like to accomplish. If I succeed, great. If not, no big deal, I'll just keep trying.

Read more: I read around 20 books the last few months of last year. I'd like to continue to read more and try to bump that number up to 50 by the end of this year. I have a ton of books on my reading list so this should be an easy goal.

Blog better: I would say write more blog entries but I've had that covered since mid July. So, I'll try to write better entries instead of the random posts I usually create.

Work on the house: I've lived in my house just over two years and besides taking down some wallpaper in the dining room, I haven't accomplished anything in the way of a remodel. I guess remodel is probably an extreme way to put it. What I really need to do is just some basic texture work and painting in the rooms. I'll save the kitchen for when, and if, I ever have money again.

Cook more: People often don't believe me when I tell them I can actually cook, I just hardly ever choose to do it. It's just me at home so it seems kind of a pain to go to the effort only for myself. I'm going to try and change that this year but that also entails going to the grocery store, a task I don't favor much.

Lose weight: I quit smoking last summer. Big mistake. That in conjunction with not bartending anymore (being active) put a lot of pounds on my frame. Naturally I started smoking again and I've lost a little of the extra weight but I'd be happy to shed 10 to 15 more pounds this year. Perhaps I'll try to quit smoking again in the near future but before I do I have to have a plan to deal with the weight gain.

Not go to jail: Should be an easy goal to accomplish, right? As I've written before I went to jail last year for a DUI (driving under the influence). Basically I'm going to be spending all of this year paying the fines, court costs, and probation fees. Since I had my driver's license reinstated last month, I haven't operated a motor vehicle while intoxicated. I've been careful to either not drink more than one cocktail, ride with a friend, or get a ride home after drinking if I'm in my own car. This a goal I absolutely guarantee I'll accomplish.

Grow up: Funny huh? What I mean is that it's time to start acting my age! It doesn't help that the majority of my friends or people I socialize with are in their mid-twenties and the last person I seriously dated was 21 at the time. I'll be 37 this year so I think it's time I stop going out so much, wasting money and acting the fool. I think what I mean is that I want to have fun and a social life but not at the expense of responsibility and maturity.

Cowboys Win the NFC East!

The good news yesterday is that the Dallas Cowboys pitched a shutout (the first time in franchise history it's been done two weeks in a row) against the Philadelphia Eagles to win the NFC East Division and secure a number three seed in the NFC playoffs. The bad news is that the Cowboys have to play Philadelphia for the second week in a row. Luckily they're playing at home but it's really difficult to beat a team three times in one season.

I'll make my Wild Card weekend picks later in the week but I have to say I like Dallas' chances to go far in the NFC. Their offense is playing well enough to win games and the defense has been superb the last half of the season. Regardless of what happens I'm just glad the boys are back in the playoffs!

Happy New Year!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, and happy New Year! I don't ever remember being kissed on New Year's at midnight and I'm sure tonight will be no different. I want to know what happened to you at midnight on this New Year and I'll post the same sometime tomorrow...

BCS Bowl Picks

Here's my picks for the last five games of the college football year. I'll write a recap after the season has concluded on January 7th.

January 1st: Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Pick: Oregon
Comments: Should be an interesting match up. Going with the Ducks, I like their uniforms better.

January 1st: Sugar Bowl: Florida vs. Cincinnati
Pick: Florida
Comments: It pains me to pick Florida but it won't break my heart if they lose. I wouldn't mind to see Tim Teabag cry one more time.

January 4th: Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs. TCU
Pick: TCU
Comments: Picking and rooting for the Horney Frogs.

January 5th: Orange Bowl: Iowa vs. Georgia Tech
Pick: Iowa
Comments: Yawn. The least intriguing BCS bowl. I really don't care who wins, though I'm picking Iowa since I know more about their team.

January 7th: BCS Championship Game: Alabama vs. Texas
Pick: Texas
Comments: This pick is tough! I kind of expect Alabama to win but I've got to root for the Big 12 team. Texas pretty much walked all over everyone this year with the exception of Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship Game. I think the game will be close and will come down to a fantastic finish.

That's it. It's a great time of year for college sports, second only the the NCAA Basketball Tourney.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think.

College Football Bowl Picks Week 3

I did a little better on picks for week 2 but still not great. Here are the rest of my bowl picks. I'm saving the BCS Bowl games for a separate post in a day or two.

December 31st: Armed Forces Bowl: Houston vs. Air Force
Pick: Houston
Comments: Houston will have too much offense for Air Force to handle.

December 31st: Sun Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Stanford
Pick: OU
Comments: I'm probably going to regret this pick but I'm going with the dreaded Swooners of Oklahoma. They've had a lot of injuries this year; however, all of their loses have been close. Brut sponsers the Sun Bowl? That's kind of funny.

December 31st: Texas Bowl: Navy vs. Missouri
Pick: MIZZOU
Comments: Missouri rebounds from a disappointing season with a bowl win.

December 31st: Insight Bowl: Minnesota v. Iowa State
Pick: Iowa State
Comments: Sticking with the Big 12 on this one.

December 31st: Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee
Pick: Virginia Tech
Comments: Easy pick. I saw Alabama and Tennessee play in the Peach Bowl a million years ago.

January 1st: Outback Bowl: Northwestern vs. Auburn
Pick: Auburn
Comments: Should be an easy win for Auburn.

January 1st: Capital One Bowl: Penn St. vs. LSU
Pick: LSU
Comments: I hate to pick Les Miles' team, he's such a d-bag.

January 1st: Gator Bowl: Florida St. vs. West Virginia
Pick: West Virginia
Comments: Florida St. has had a terrible year. Adios Bowden, you won't be missed.

January 2nd: Internation Bowl: South Florida vs. Northern Illinois
Pick: South Florida
Comments: Really? A bowl game in Canada? That's kind of cool.

January 2nd: Papajohns.com Bowl: Connecticut vs. South Carolina
Pick: South Carolina
Comments: Going with the Gamecocks... He he, I said cock.

January 2nd: Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Mississippi
Pick: OSU
Comments: Obviously the game I'm most excited about being a Cowboy's fan. Most of the "experts" are picking Ole Miss. They can suck it. The Pokes will avenge their 2004 Cotton Bowl loss to Ole Miss and give Oklahoma State a rare 10 win season. I hope.

January 2nd: Liberty Bowl: East Carolina vs. Arkansas
Pick: Arkansas
Comments: I don't know a lot about East Carolina and I kind of like Arkansas.

January 2nd: Alamo Bowl: Michigan State vs. Texas Tech
Pick: Tech
Comments: I'm going with Tech's high powered offense even though it looks like they'll be without the evil genius for the game, head coach Mike Leach.

January 6th: GMAC Bowl: Troy vs. Central Michigan
Pick: Central Michigan
Comments: Going with the experts on this one. Why is this bowl played so late in the season?

Current record 6-9 (I should work for ESPN)
Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think.

Stephanie Plum Quotes II

I finished the sixth book in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, "Hot Six". I laughed my ass off last night and today reading the book. I think "Hot Six" is probably the funniest entry in the series I've read so far. At this rate I'll be caught up to book fifteen in no time. Here are some funny excerpts from the book I took down as I was reading:

"I've got to get back to the office," Vinnie said. "I've got stuff to do."
Talk to his bookie, play with his gun, shake hangs with Mr. Stumpy.

"Rollswagon." Stephaine's second car in the book after the demise of her car due to a fire. Half Rolls Royce and half Volkswagon!

"Shamu with wheels." The '53 Buick that Stephanie always ends up driving in every book due to a knack at killing her cars.

On Ranger: "The well-dressed urban commando. I could guarantee that any man facing him in a blind alley would have an empty scrotum, his most prized possessions gone north."

Stephaine asking her mother if she ever had dessert before dinner: "She looked at me dumbfounded. As if I'd asked whether she ritually sacrificed cats every Wednesday at the stroke of midnight."

"I wish I had a movie of you wrestlin' with this guy," Lula said. "It reminds me of that joke about the midget at the nudist colony who kept sticking his nose in everyone's business."

"No pickled beets for me," Myron said. "They give me the runs. I don't know what it is, you get old and everything gives you the runs."
Something to look forward to.

"I want you to leave the guns in the car."
"These are Trekkies we're dealing with. They could put the Vulcan death grip on us."

New Link of Interest (6)

Zelda Reorchestrated is a project devoted to remaking all of the songs from the hit video game series "The Legend of Zelda" to sound like they were being played by live musicians.

"At Zelda Reorchestrated, we are committed to lush symphonic performances of the greatest songs from The Legend of Zelda™ as they would have sounded with the warm halls and intimate expression of a live philharmonic.

We do not seek profit or fame. We simply love Zelda and wish to share its inspiration on all of us with all of you."

As a video game fan (and Nintendo fan and Zelda fan) I think this is cool as hell. Check out the site and the music they've redone.

Other orchestrated classic video game music can be found all over the web. Here is a Super Metroid medley, performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra at the Orchestral Game Concert in 1994.

Official Book Club Selection

I finished reading "Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin" last night. I've wanted to buy the book since it's release but I figured I would get it as a Christmas gift, and sure enough I did. Kathy Griffin, for those who do not know, is a comedian, actress, Emmy Award winner, and star of her own Bravo reality series, My Life on the D-list.

Her book is exactly what I thought it would be and a little more. I knew there would be plenty of dish from Kathy about celebrities she's met throughout her career. It's become a staple of her routine the last few years. What I didn't expect was more detail about her personal life, specifically details about her childhood and her suspicions about her brother being a pedophile. Of course other details of her personal life that were very public in past years also made an appearance in her book. She writes about her near death experience with plastic surgery and her really bizarre break with her husband.

The Good: The dish. I love reading her take on celebrity gossip, it's hilarious and cutting. I also enjoyed reading about some of her more controversial moments from the "suck it Jesus" Emmy Awards speech to her joke about Dakota Fanning that started a shit storm around town.

The Bad: The chapter about her friendship with Steve Wozniak. The format of the chapter was a series of email discussion between Kathy and Steve. I found it to be a little boring and tedious. I'm just not that interested in Steve Wozniak.

The Ugly: Some of the old pictures in the book. There are some body views of her disastrous liposuction procedure and it's pretty gruesome.

I know Kathy Griffin can be a little hard to take, her humor is biting and sometimes way out on the edge. I recommend the book if you're a fan of her work or if you're gay. Are those two things mutually exclusive? Suck it Jesus!

Sunday Funday Monday Part V

My Sunday Funday yesterday consisted of washing dishes and doing several loads of laundry. Livin' the dream! I did have a pretty fun Sunday Funday last week that I forgot to blog about.

Kim, Haley and I hung out the Sunday before starting off at the 'Sip and then checking out the Drunken Fry. I'd been to the Drunken Fry one time before but I was so trashed I vaguely remember the experience. This time we went mostly sober to chow down of some of their Belgian style fries and to check out the multitude of sauces they offer.

"Drunken fries are hand cut, ice bathed to remove starch, then twice fried at separate temperatures in a soy derived super oil that can withstand over 400º F. We don't want to say they're good for you...but it's as close as you'll get!"

As advertised the fries were delicious. We tried a myriad of sauces (Kung Fu Grip, The Tailgate, Hasta Inferno, The Morning After, and Sunday Morning Coming Down) All the sauces I tried were awesome as well but it did come back and bite me with indigestion the next day but that was probably due to the combination of beer, fries and sauces.

The Drunken Fry is located on Classen Circle, at Classen and N.W. Expressway in Oklahoma City. The location used to be the Sidecare Lounge but the place has been expanded outward so the place is much roomier than before. Though we were there on a Sunday night the place was packed and it did take a while for three of us get a permanent seat at the bar which came available before a table. Not only are the fries and sauces good but they have a great selection of beers to choose from and a full bar. If you're looking for a different experience in the area definitely check it out.

The Boys Are Back...

... in the playoffs! America's Team is about to beat the hated Washington Redskins and advance to the NFL playoffs. Thank you Jeebus! Perhaps better, a win against Philly next week will secure Dallas the NFC East title. Maybe Christmas wishes do come true. It appears that the December curse may be over for the Cowboys. Hopefully the Boys will get past the Eagles next week and move into the post season and end another curse, a long overdue playoff victory.

The Stand

I haven't written about books that I've read lately since I've only been working on one book the last couple of weeks. I went back to revisit "The Stand" by Stephen King, a book I've read twice before. It's been at least 15 years since I last read the book, the complete and uncut edition. The book is a monster with 1153 pages and 78 chapters. I don't know what possessed me to read the book again but it was just as pleasing the third time around.

In a nutshell the book is about a government engineered "super flu" virus that is accidentally released upon America and presumably the world. Super Swine Flu? The virus has a 99% mortality rate basically devastating the world of it's population. As the survivors of the apocalyptic event slowly gather, a more sinister hand seems to be afoot. Lines are drawn between good and evil and the novel culminates in mankind's final struggle, a kind of biblical last stand of the righteous and of the darkness.

The novel is divided into three books: Book I deals with the devastation of the virus on mankind and technology throughout the country. Book II tell of the consolidation of what is remaining of mankind into two camps, one under the leadership of a dark man of the west and the other under the light of an extremely old woman living in Nebraska. Book III brings everything together in humanities final struggle between the dark man's armies and the population of the good on the other side of the Rocky Mountains, the stand.

If you want more specific information about the story, you can click on the link above. The story is way too massive for me to go into specifics without it becoming extremely tedious. Many fans hail "The Stand" as King's best work. Of that I'm not sure but I have read the book three times over the years and that does make a statement coming from me as I rarely read the same book multiple times. The book is epic and certainly classic King, the older Stephen King I prefer. Highly recommended.

There was also a mini-series of the novel that was made for TV in 1994 but I can't vouch for it's quality as I've never seen it.

College Football Bowl Picks Week 2

I got absolutely raped by last week's picks! Here we go, hopefully my predictions will fare a little better this round.

December 26th: Littel Caesars Pizza Bowl: Marshall vs. Ohio
Pick: Ohio
Comments: No real reason, I'm sure that will screw me over! The loss of the Thundering Herd's coach probably doesn't do Marshall any favors either.

December 26th: Meineke Car Care Bowl: North Carolina vs. Pittsburgh
Pick: Pittsburgh
Comments: Pitt has had the better season and ranking.

December 26th: Emerald Bowl: Boston College vs. USC
Pick: Boston College
Comments: After last week the PAC-10 is dead to me! Oh and is there not a web site for this bowl?

December 27th: Music City Bowl: Clemson vs. Kentucky
Pick: Clemson
Comments: Take this one to the bank.

December 28th: Independence Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Georgia
Pick: Texas A&M
Comments: I have great respect for Georgia's program but we all know they're a little down this year. I expect A&M to pull out the win but they are an extremely young football team.

December 29th: Eaglebank Bowl: Temple vs. UCLA
Pick: UCLA
Comments: I hate to pick UCLA but I can't in good conscience go with Temple.

December 29th: Champs Sports Bowl: Miami vs. Wisconsin
Pick: Miami
Comments: Should be a good game, edge goes to Miami.

December 30th: Humanitarian Bowl: Idaho vs. Bowling Green
Pick: Idaho
Comments: Only picking Idaho since the game is near their neck of the woods.

December 30th: Holiday Bowl: Nebraska vs. Arizona
Pick: Nebraska
Comments: The Huskers great defense will be too much for Arizona. Should be another great game though.

Current record 1-5 (nice huh?)

Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think.
I'll be back next Thursday for my next round of picks. Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!

Or Happy Holidays or Merry Davemas or whatever floats your boat!

Oklahoma Christmas Music

There are two Christmas songs that will forever remind me of Oklahoma:

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas was performed by the Oklahoma City area child star Gayla Peevey in 1953.



"A popular legend holds that this 1953 hit had been recorded as a fund-raiser to bring the city zoo a hippo; but in a 2007 radio interview with Detroit-based WNIC radio station, Peevey clarified that the song was not originally recorded as a fundraiser. Instead, a local promoter picked up on the popularity of the song and Peevey's local roots, and launched a campaign to present her with an actual hippopotamus on Christmas."

Peevey was presented with an actual hippopotamus that she donated to the Oklahoma City Zoo. Matilda, the hippo, lived for nearly 50 years.

"I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too"

The other song is the BC Clark Jewelers Anniversary sale jingle.



The jingle was created in 1956. It just wouldn't be Christmas in Oklahoma without it.

Please Ignore My Previous Post

All I really want for Christmas is Chris Pine.

All I Want For Christmas...

Here is my modest top 10 Christmas list:

10. The Dallas Cowboys to not suck in December.

9. The Democrats in Congress to grow a pair and give us health care reform with a public option.

8. A new radio station in Oklahoma City with decent morning DJ's. Jack and Ron's Paula Dean morning segments on 98.9 KISS FM are especially cringe worthy.

7. Roman Polanski to get sent to prison to become Bubba's biatch and salad tosser.

6. President Obama to change his name to James Earl Carter, Jr.

5. Some height for the Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball team. At 10-1 they are off to their best start since the '06-'07 season so I shouldn't complain too much.

4. Susan Boyle: The remixes CD.

3. A Cotton Bowl win for Oklahoma State football and coach Mike "I'm a man" Gundy.

2. An end to the long, tragic, and bloody war on Christmas.

1. My own personal Zamboni (stolen from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels).

It's the Weekend, Bring it!

Under Pressure

"Chippin' around - kick my brains across the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours..."

"Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Why can't we give love that one more chance
Why can't we give...
'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves..."

College Football Bowl Picks Week 1

I won't be blogging about the Top Chef: Las Vegas reunion show last night as I missed it and may or may not catch it on rerun. Instead, for the next few Thursdays I'll be making my college football bowl predictions. Feel free to join in and make your predictions as well.

December 19th: New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State vs. Wyoming
Pick: Fresno State
Comments: If I remember correctly Fresno State has a decent offense and they beat a talented Houston team this year. I'm just making these predictions on the fly so my memory may fail me, fair warning.

December 19th: St. Petersburg Bowl: Rutgers vs. UCF
Pick: Rutgers
Comments: Some of these picks are going to be tough since I know little about some of the teams in the smaller bowl games. I'm going with the east coast biased and picking Rutgers.

December 20th: New Orleans Bowl: Southern Mississippi vs. Middle Tennessee
Pick: Southern Mississippi
Comments: I know nothing about Middle Tennessee.

December 22nd: Macco Bowl: BYU vs. Oregon State
Pick: Oregon State
Comments: I nearly picked BYU based on their win against the hated and dreaded Swooners of Oklahoma earlier in the year, but I remembered the Swooners suck! Best game of the week, I think. Both teams are ranked at or near the same in the polls. I went with OSU since they play in a better conference.

December 23rd: Poinsettia Bowl: Utah vs. California
Pick: California
Comments: Another toss up. Once again I'm going with the PAC-10. What's wrong with me?

December 24th: Hawaii Bowl: SMU vs. Nevada
Pick: Nevada
Comments: Rooting against the Methodists! This is probably the best location for a bowl game.

Current record 0-0

Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think.

Bama Slaps Gators

I met up with my friend Lindsay last night at Pearl's Oyster Bar. She was in town visiting from New York City and unfortunately she'll be on her way back later today. Lindsay and I used to work together at Pearl's Oyster Bar on the south side of Oklahoma City before I moved to the north store to manage. My favorite shift was Sunday brunch when I would bartend with Lindsay. Often times after the shift we would hang out, usually on the north side of town, to enjoy Sunday Funday. Lindsay is a really sweet girl and a lot of fun to hang out with, I miss her immensely. I just wanted to let her know, if she's reading, to have a safe trip back to NYC!

Our friend Scott also came out to Pearl's to eat and drink with us last night. Scott and I bartended together at Old Chicago on the south side, ironically in the same building as the old Pearl's Oyster Bar. He told us a story last night that I had to share here.

When I worked at Old Chicago, one of my coworkers, named Dustin, was a huge Florida Gator's fan. During football season it's all he ever spoke about, mostly talking smack. His smack paid off after the Gators beat the Sooners in last years National Championship Game. Anyways, I guess Scott is not only a Sooners fan but is also an Alabama fan. Scott said he bought an Alabama jersey to placate Dustin so he could root for 'Bama during the SEC Championship Game and prove that he wasn't a fair weather fan. Dustin was so confident in his Florida Gators winning the game that he made a "slap bet" with Scott. The bet was straight up, to win.

Slap Bet: A bet where no money or property is involved, and the prize for losing is getting to slap the loser across the face. Excellent for bets of extreme importance. A slap bet is often monitored by a slap bet commissioner, that regulates the rules of said bet.

Below is the results of the slap bet, recorded for all time! Dustin's Gators lost the game so he was the recipient of the slap. It couldn't have happened to a nicer Gator fan... Idiot.

Mr. David

There is an office in Georgia that I provide technical support for which seems to be a predominately Hispanic office. I spoke with the receptionist today who placed me on hold while she tried to connect me with my contact, the office manager. When she came back on the line she said the following: "Mr. David? Can you hold for a moment, please?" I immediately thought of the clip from Framily Guy below.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

No, not the video game, the movie. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the movie, is based on the popular video game franchise of the same name. Most often, movies based on video games turn out poorly. Super Mario Bros., Doom, and Mortal Kombat are just a couple I can think of off the top of my head. I think Prince of Persia shows promise and it helps that it's being made by Disney.



The feature releases on May 28th, 2010. For a decent blog with more media and information, click here.

On the Cover of Rolling Stones

My mother subscribes to Rolling Stone magazine. It seems an odd choice for a woman nearing her 60's but I benefit from it by getting a hand me down copy once she's done reading. Actually I think she mostly reads for the articles by Matt Taibbi. Anyways, the December 10, 2009 cover features Taylor Lautner. I'm beginning to see why everyone is crazy about that New Moon movie, especially all the thirteen year old girls (whenever I'm asked if I've seen the movie, I say "no, I'm not a thirteen year old girl!").
Yeah, so this is just an excuse to create a new post label called "eye candy."

The Princess and the Frog Sunday

I went to see "The Princess and the Frog" yesterday with my friend Kim, her daughter, and her cousin's son. I'm a huge fan of Disney animated movies, especially the classic hand drawn animation. In my computer room at home I have three framed Disney movie posters hanging on the wall. They consist of "Peter Pan", "The Little Mermaid", and "Beauty and the Beast". I bought the posters from movie theatres after each movie's run. I planned on collecting more over the years but I kind of lost interest. I take some shit every now and then when my friends see the posters hanging in my spare bedroom, but I don't really care.

The movie was enjoyable and the animation superb. I really liked the New Orleans setting of the movie and the jazzy music that went along with it. The kids (5 and under) said they enjoyed the movie and they didn't seemed to be scared by the voodoo wielding villain throughout the show. I would rate the movie in the middle of the pack as far as Disney animated musicals, good but not great.

Perhaps even more fun than the movie was seeing Kim handle her daughter and her cousin's young son. Kids are truly evil, little people but I have to admit that I do get a kick out of seeing all the goofy stuff they do. Kim shared a popcorn and a soda with the kids, making sure to place three straws in the drink so each person drinking would have their own straw to use. I thought this was hilarious! Is this normal parenting behavior? Aren't mommies supposed to be immune or unafraid of cooties? I also got a kick out of watching the kids bob up and down the stairs in the theatre trying hard not to lose their footing, oblivious to everyone else around them with Kim dragging behind trying to get them to stop and wait for her. At moments like this I regret that I do not have children... That moment faded quickly and that ship has sailed.

Go see this movie, and hey, why not take some children to amuse you?

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicals: Crystal Bearers

I have been anticipating the Nintendo Wii game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers since the game was announced even before the Wii was released three years ago. The game is a sequel of sorts to the Nintendo GameCube game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. I estimate Timmy and I spent at least 100 hours playing Crystal Chronicles, dungeon crawling, leveling up, and looking for secrets and upgrades. Hopefully the sequel will encompass all the great multiplayer fun as the GameCube version. View the game trailer below:



Crystal Bearers is due to be release on December 26th of this year, only on the Nintendo Wii.

The Godfather

I love "The Godfather" movie trilogy. It's one of those movies I always stop to watch when I see it on TV even though I own the collection on DVD. My mother has an original 1969 hardback edition of "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo in her collections of books. I've been eyeballing it for sometime, interested in reading the book version that precedes a film trilogy I adore. I put off reading the book until the last couple of days because I rarely read novels that have been made into movies when I've seen the movie first.

Everyone knows the premise of the novel and the movies, if you don't, stop reading now and go read the book or rent the movies. Rather than recap the story here is what is said in the jacket in the first publication of the book:

"Mario Puzo has here created an extraordinary novel; it pulsates with dramatic and evil incident, brute rage, and the naked terror of an infamous underworld. Puzo takes us inside the violence-infested society of the Mafia and its gang wars. He shows us its trials by gunfire and torture and the nature of Mafia friendship. The Godfather is essentially the story of a man and his power, and it is a reading experience one is not likely to forget.

The Godfather is Mafia leader Vito Corleone, benevolent despot who stops at nothing to gain and hold power.

The Godfather is a friendly man, a "reasonable" man, a just man -- and the deadliest gang leader in the Cosa Nostra.

The Godfather's command post is a fortress on Long Island, from which he presides over a vast underground empire that encompasses the rackets, gambling, bookmaking, and unions. Tyrant, blackmailer, murderer -- he gives his friendship (no man dares refuse it), rights wrongs (even murder is not too great a price for "justice"). His influence runs through all levels of American society, from the cop on the beat to the nation's mighty.

Mario Puzo introduces us to an extraordinary gallery of men and women and re-creates the feudal world of the Mafiosi. The elements of this world explode electrically to life in this violent and impassioned chronicle. It is a spellbinding story, written with authentic knowledge of this particular milieu and with the hand of a master storyteller."

I was surprised how well the first movie followed the story of the first novel so closely. Characters, quotes, and storylines are all strongly based on the book. What made the book an interesting read was the further detail it provided to the story we all know as well as to provide more depth to some of the minor characters and events. For example there is a character arc involving Johnny Fontane that runs throughout the book that was never really told in the movies, other than very lightly at the beginning of the first film. We learn more about the brutal cold blooded killer, Luca Brasi, as well many other intriguing characters.

If you're a fan of the movies, I highly recommend this book. The storyline may be very familiar but the depth the novel adds is well worth the read. Puzo crafts a novel that flows well and moves along at a remarkable pace. I enjoyed his style so much that I'll probably look into some of his other written works. I'm also eager to watch the movies again. "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

Top Chef: WTF?

Last night was the season finale of Top Chef: Las Vegas. I have to say it was probably one of the more disappointing episodes I've seen this year. The show was a little bland and the conclusion was very surprising.

The last elimination challenge consisted of a face off between the three finalist, Kevin, Michael, and Bryan. They were to each prepare a four course meal. The first serving was a dish that reminded them of home and the meals their mothers would prepare, the second was a predetermined dish with ingredients they all had to use, the third was any dish of their choice using whatever was available in the kitchen, and finally the last course was a dessert. Each finalist also drew knives to determine which previous chef contestant would help them with prep on the first day and cooking the second day.

Each chef finalist seemed to prepare their food well but nothing I saw really blew me away. I knew overall by what the judges were saying that Kevin was out of the running, he just had a bad day, too bad it was during the last challenge. Based on what else I heard throughout the show I thought for sure Bryan was going to run away with the top honor. I was shocked when Michael was proclaimed Top Chef. Maybe he truly did prepare the best dishes on the finale but it just didn't seem to be presented that way, to me, while watching the show last night. Interesting finish. I haven't read other opinions about the show yet, I wanted to write my recap first. I'm curious to see if everyone was as surprised as me about the outcome.

Other thoughts:

I thought the drawing of the knives to select a sous chef was a bit ridiculous. It would be one thing to draw a number and then get to pick a helper in order but it is quite different to draw the name of the person helping you. Did Preeti's prep work hurt Kevin's chances? He wasn't pleased about her work.

I gave Padme shit last week about her bangs. I take it back, her hair looked pretty good this week.

Bacon on ice cream? Yummy! Bacon goes with everything, it's the new pink.

I found it odd that all the gay people from the contest were involved in the finale. Ash, Ashley, and Preeti. Bravo conspiracy to pander to their favorite demographic? Probably not but it is quite a coincidence.

It was ironic that pork was the downfall of Kevin aka the Porkmeister! I felt bad for the guy having an off day when I thought he was the leader throughout the competition. Toby gave him high praise saying something to the effect that he would be a superstar in the culinary world. I think and hope so. Speaking of Toby, I though it was funny that he defended one of the dishes that had a bad element but had other impressive elements that in his eyes redeemed the dish. Problem with part of the dish? Don't eat that part.

I'm having a hard time coming up with anything else that stuck in my mind from last night's show. I usually only watch the episode once and then write a post about it the next morning. Nothing too memorable means it was a pretty dull finale. I would have preferred that the final challenge was a heads up competition between two chefs with free reign to cook whatever they wanted. Having said that, I did like the inclusion of the last course having to be a dessert. I figure if you want to be Top Chef you've got to be knowledgeable in all facets of cooking.

I guess that is all. If I remember anything else I want to write about I'll add it in the comments section of this post. I've had a blast writing about Top Chef this season and reading all the other bloggers who do the same. Next week is the reunion show. I'll post some impressions about that as well next Thursday. Please pack your knives and go...

Cotton Pickin' Cowboys

College football bowl season is upon us. Later next week I'll be making my predictions for every bowl game. It will give me something new to blog about on Thursday's since Top Chef: Las Vegas is coming to an end for another season. Here is a list of this year's bowl schedule.

Obviously the bowl I'm most excited about is the Cotton Bowl. It features a rematch of the 2004 Cotton Bowl between Oklahoma State and Ole Miss (damn you Eli Manning!!). I expect a Cowboys win but they did struggle their last game of the year against the dreaded and most hated Oklahoma Swooners. We'll see how long they carry that loss with them.

Stephanie Plum Quotes

In between reading "I Know This Much Is True," I read three more Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich. I'm really enjoying the series about the bounty hunter bombshell from Trenton, New Jersey. Rather than writing a recap or my impressions of each book, I thought I would just provide some fun quotes from the books. For more information about the general premise of the series of books, click here and here.

"Three to Get Deadly"

"I make lots of mistakes. I try hard not to make the same mistake more than three or four times."

"Adaptation is one of the great advantages to being born and bred in Jersey. We're simply not bested by bad air or tainted water. We're like that catfish with lungs. Take us out of our environment and we can grow whatever body parts we need to survive. After Jersey the rest of the country's a piece of cake. You want to send someone into a fallout zone? Get him from Jersey. He'll be fine."

"Four to Score"

"You're going to find this hard to believe, but cops aren't required to carry emergency condoms."

"High Five"

"I'm a firm believer in denial. My reasoning is, why deal with unpleasantness today when you could get hit by a bus tomorrow?"

"I had a lot of unease over Ranger's definition of 'broad horizons.' I suspected his horizons were a teensy bit closer to hell then I might want to travel."

"How many times have I told you not to hit people in the face. You kick them in the body where it doesn't show."

New Blog I'm Reading

I've clean up some of the blogs that I follow, mainly I've removed some sites that were hardly ever updated. I usually check out Daily Thunder a few times a week for information on our NBA (National Basketball Association) team here in Oklahoma City, the Thunder. The NBA isn't exactly my favorite of professional sports but having our own team here has piqued my interest in the game and the league. There are frequent updates here and lots of valuable information if you want to keep up with Oklahoma City's only professional sports team.

It Doesn't Pay to Drink and Drive

I've mentioned a few times over the last few months what a wretched year this has been. There are many reasons for this but one that is most prominent was getting arrest in April. I hadn't written about the experience until now mainly due to an extreme amount of embarrassment and humiliation.

I went to a birthday party for a friend at Edna's on Sunday, April 5th. After many lunchboxes and shots I made my way to Nichos Hills to find the after party. I was pulled over in a residential area primarily for going ten miles under the speed limit. I refused to take a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) test and I was immediately arrested and hauled off to jail for a DUI (driving under the influence). I spent a few hours in the Nichols Hills jail and was eventually transferred to Oklahoma County jail.

I write about this experience now as a precautionary tale for those who do or who might drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Here's what you can expect to pay for a first time DUI offense in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County:

Cour costs, fees, and fines: $2000.00
State required drug and alcohol assessment/evaluation: $160.00
10-hour DUI class fee: $150.00
Lawyer: $750.00 (I found a really cheap attorney)
Drivers license reinstatement fee: $315.00
Vehicle impound and towing: $150.00
Victim Impact Panel (VIP) class: $50.00
Total probation fees: $960.00
Bail: $180.00

That's a grand total of $4715.00! That's probably a conservative estimate! It does not include increases to my auto insurance. So if I drank ten beers and shots on that Sunday night (probably a conservative estimate) it cost me $417.50 a drink.

Aside from the monetary cost, you will be taken to jail, an experience I assure you that isn't pleasant, and lose your license for a minimum of 6 months. The last time I drove a car was May 5th. I should have my license reinstated early next week.

I will never, never, never drive a car again when I'm intoxicated and urge all readers out there to do the same. Remember, not only are the fines and fees costly but it could be a whole lot worse, you could kill yourself or someone else. Take a cab home, or better yet take a cab out initially when you know you're going to be drinking.

Top Chef: Napa Valley

I was too tired and little stressed out last night to pay full attention to the second to the last episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas so I won't be writing as lengthy of a recap this week. Here are some observations:

Bangs? Really Padme?

I think most of us would agree that the best chef contestants are the final four that were left in last night's episode.

The quickfire challenge was really creative, I thought. Make a dish with your main ingredient coming from grapes. It was a great way to let them know they were in Napa Valley, the land of grapes, food and wine. Michael ended up winning the last "high stakes" challenge and was awarded a third generation Prius! Sweet. I want one! Although at this point I'd be happy with a rusted out station wagon ala National Lampoon's Vacation.

On to the main event. All four chefs are given the task of creating a vegetarian dish and a meat dish using only local vegetable and proteins save for salt and pepper. They were to feed 150 people! Talk about tough. Everyone did a stand up job from what I could tell. Bryan won the elimination challenge and heads on to the finals.

Jennifer had the least popular dishes and was sent home unfortunately. She was sad about it, I was sad about it. You can really tell that the chefs have all grown close through their experience so it's a bit touching when one of them has to leave at this point in the show, especially since there isn't a traditional villain left. Well maybe Michael is kind of a villain but he seemed pretty laid back this week and not his usual cocky self.

I was a bit worried about Kevin leaving early just because I picked him to go far but luckily he's going to be in the final episode. I still hopes he pulls out the victory but at this point I truly think it's any one's contest to win, or lose.

I can't wait to see which previous contestants come back next week to help in the finals. Will Robin be there? Would you want her as your sous chef?

So my final prediction of the season:

1. Kevin - Top Chef Winner
2. Bryan - 1st Runner-up
3. Michael - 2nd Runner-up

Fan favorite: Robin! Just kidding, it'll be Kevin.

Technical Support Horror Story of the Day

Everything bad comes in threes. Much like celebrity deaths, the same happens when working technical support. I'm not exactly sure what the hell is going on at work this week and why I'm even involved! I guess computer systems across the country had too much turkey to eat over the long weekend.

1. So your server dies over the weekend and somehow it's my responsibility to "fix" your system? Medical software is what you pay us to support, not your crappy Snap Server. Basically I spent most of the day Monday walking a medical office receptionist, over the phone, through getting her network up and running. Good times.

2. Another office upgrades their system with all new computers. On this occasion I'm dealing with their hardware tech. Should be a breeze. Everything I've told him to do has been done but they are unable to open our software program through the network. Permission issues I say. Couldn't be he says. He has done everything I've told him to do and like Santa Claus he's checked his list twice. So I bang my head against the wall for most of yesterday afternoon and I'm stumped. This morning I call the client and log into their server and look over their set up. The permissions on the shared directory for our software was not set up correctly after I had been assured yesterday they had checked and rechecked it. I forgot the number one rule of technical support: the customer lies. In this case I was too naive to believe a hardware professional was telling me the truth.

3. Today I'm expected to be Medicare. I have no clue why you can't download your electronic EOB's (explanation of benefits). Again, I do not work for Medicare and the information you're wanting is completely independent of the software I support! I guess it's easier for me to queue for three days waiting for a return call from the government Payor.

I hate people. Maybe I'm in the wrong profession. Actually I'm really good at what I do, I'm patient and pleasant and I never make anyone feel like they're asking a stupid question. I should've been an actor!

O Christmas Tree (2009)

I nearly decided not to put up a tree this year but I changed my mind since my niece had an SUV to help haul it to my house. Naturally I ended up picking a tree with a crooked stump! It took my dad and I many attempts to get the sucker to stand up straight. The tree is even more plain than last year, I went with white lights and my eclectic mix of ornaments and bulbs.

Maybe I need to add ribbons or bows or something.

View from the other side.

Pistol Pete always near the top.

I'm glad I ended up putting up a tree, though it is kind of a bummer doing it alone. Here's last year's entry.

I Know This Much Is True

I just finished the book "I Know This Much Is True" by Wally Lamb. The read was a bit of a monster, clocking in at just under 900 pages but well worth the time.

The story follows three generations of a family and is told from the perspective of Dominick Birdsey. Central to the story is Dominick's struggle with his identical twin brother, Thomas, who suffers from schizophrenia. The narrative jumps from the present day to childhood memories of Dominick's and even further back through a memoir by Dominick's grandfather written shortly before he was born. Not only does Dominick struggle with his brother's illness (and his lack of it) but he also tries to come to grips with his own issues from his abusive childhood to his recently failed marriage due to the death of his infant daughter.

The story is mesmerizing with rich and often (mostly) flawed characters. The novel is also extremely sad at times. There were several moments where I shed a few tears while reading, something I don't usually experience with books. Some of the more torturous bits of the book pay off nicely with themes of forgiveness and life renovation. The only minor problem I had with the story was the ending. It seemed to wrap up a little too clean and tidy for me, maybe a little bit of a jump from "real" life, a minor quibble.

Highly recommended, read this book.

It's Bedlam!!

Go Pokes beat the Sooners!



Ride 'em Cowboys, ee-yah!
Ride 'em Cowboys, ee-yah!

Ride, ride, ride, ride
Ride 'em Cowboys, down the field
Fight, fight, fight, fight
Fight 'em Cowboys, and never yield
Ride, ride, ride, ride
Ride on Cowboys to victory,
Cross OU's goal,
Then we'll sing.
Oklahoma State!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving meal with my family, cedar plank salmon. OK, maybe not so traditional! We ate at Deep Fork Grill. Sometimes we do the big meal thing and sometimes we eat out depending on how many of us are together for the holiday. Last year we celebrated a day late due to Lo's birth. You can read about that event here.

Years ago I lived with a partner, for lack of a better term. We started dating when I was 19, eventually we moved in together and lived in a kind of "marriage" for ten years. The last Thanksgiving we spent together we went to a friend's house to celebrate with a few other couples. Very traditional spread, turkey and all that, yadda, yadda, yadda. Before we began the feast, we went around the table and shared with each other what we were thankful for that year. I can't remember what me or my partner said, but as soon as we listened to the others around the table, I recall clearly now what we failed to say. Neither of us mentioned that we were thankful for each other! How funny. How sad. I have no clue why I thought about that time today but when I did it made me sob nearly uncontrollably. Fuck the past, right? That was a long time ago. Why do I still carry that kind of shit around with me?

"Life is short, time is flying, I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine." It's from RENT in case you don't know the reference.

This year I'm thankful, as always, for my family who continue to support and love me no matter what. In good years and in bad years. This year has been especially bad, a real beauty. Definitely the year of the Ox. It's almost over.

I'm also grateful for my friends, past and present, even those that I hold a grudge against... for a decade or two... I'm especially thankful for my friendship with Kim, even though she thinks it was me who broke the "let us have shots" seal last night. Funny. She never judges and always fiercely supports me. She is a totally super bad ass person, in a good way! Her battle cry: "I'm a grown ass woman!"

So that's it, I'm done with my bitter party of one for the day. Happy Thanksgiving!

Top Chef Rerun (Again)!

Boo (again)!

Apparently Top Chef: Las Vegas will not have a new episode on tonight so I won't be writing a recap tomorrow. In the absence of a post, here is a list of blogs that feature Top Chef postings that I usually read on Thursday mornings:

Top Chef Blogs on Bravo

Please Pack Your Knives and Go

The Troll Report

Tales From LaLa Land

Dealing in Subterfuges

Check them out and enjoy.

There's Somthing About Mary... Landrieu

I got a nice chuckle out of this photo shopped picture of Senator Mary Landrieu(D)-Louisiana, on Huffington Post today. Apparently it was provided by Mark Halperin on Time's "The Page." The picture has since been removed, I can't imagine why.

Landrieu, along with Blanche Lincoln(D)-Arkansas, is a Democratic Senator I won't be sorry to see lose her seat in next year's midterm elections. Thank you so much for your votes, ladies, to let the Senate debate health care reform! Why is it always the poorest states in the Union, with a small population that hold up progress for the rest of the country? I certainly wouldn't want our two idiot Senators from Oklahoma to do the same, though it is expected since they carry an (R) next to their names and are "conservative".

Sorry, I'm a little grumpy. I'm really tired of the endlessness of the whole health care reform debate (debacle).

She Wolf

Nothing to blog about today, so that means it's video time!

There's a she wolf in the closet,
open up and set her free (auuuuu)
There's a she wolf in the closet,
let it out so it can breath (inhales, exhales)

I think my favorite part of the song is where she howls during the chorus. It also goes without saying that Shakira is hot, hot, hot!


She Wolf - Shakira

Thirteen Years Ago...

On November 22, 1996 I went to the opening day showing of Star Trek: First Contact at the mall in Enid, America, Oklahoma. I only remember the date since it is also the anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

I had been following the movie information on the Internet and AOL for several months before its release. I even downloaded the movie teaser and trailer online. The video below took me hours to download at the time on a dial-up modem.



I'm not sure why I'm remembering all of this today, I obviously have too much time on my hands.

Let Them Eat Cake!

A phrase never uttered by Marie Antoinette, by the way.

Today I ventured to the land that time forgot, my hometown, for my great niece's first birthday party. I've stated before on this blog that I'm really not a kid person. They are vile, wrethed, evil, little people! Having said that, I do kind of have a soft spot for Loralei, or Lo for short. Why doesn't "i before e except after c" not apply to her name? Anyways, I love her so much that I'm willing to take a tour through Dante's nine Circles of suffering for her, again by visiting my hometown. As tradition requires she got her own mini birthday cake to destroy and spread all over her face and clothes. Below is a picture of her just getting started.

Let them eat cake. Indeed.