From my latest 401k statement
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
So, how's that hopey changey stuff goin' for ya?
Hmmm...pretty okay for me
From my latest 401k statement
From my latest 401k statement
Sunday, April 11, 2010
A rejuvenated Magic fan
Basketball gods smiled upon me Friday, as I was generously and luckily gifted two tickets to the Orlando Magic game vs. the New York Knicks.
Once upon a time I was part of a group of Magic season ticket holders – there were five of us, and we got eight home games each. This was during a turbulent time in the Magic’s history, post-Shaq and devolving into Penny Hardaway becoming full of himself and leading a coaching coup. I loved going to the games with my son, and there were real standup men and great players on the team then, including Darrell Armstrong, Bo Outlaw, Nick Anderson and Pat Garrity.
After the games, we would hang out behind the arena with other fans and offer our homemade signs up to the players for autographs, and enjoy some camaraderie. The above noted players always rose to this occasion, as did others.
Penny Hardaway was an exception. He acted like a spoiled brat on and off the court. He continually demanded “respect,” not understanding that respect is earned by how one conducts oneself as a sportsman and a human, not demanded. If it looked like the win was in hand, his efforts on the court ceased. Penny swore at my son once when he proffered a sign he had made for him.
Eventually, some of my other season ticket buddies and I let them go. This just wasn’t fun, or worth the cash. I even stopped watching the team on TV or reading about them in the paper, going from a totally devoted fan to an almost completely lapsed one.
Then I attended the game on April 9th, and saw an entirely different and utterly incredible and gorgeous team. I don’t think I’ve seen better basketball in person in my lifetime. Not necessarily the game – it was a blowout, with the Magic taking the lead at 1:33 in the first quarter and never losing it – but how well the Magic functioned as a team, and how they never stopped playing until the game was over, even though they had it won clearly early on.
Most notable was the near absence of trashy/dirty play, whining, pouting, or flopping on both sides. There were few trips to the free-throw line, especially in the first half. No one was a ball hog, and nobody choked the coach. Just smooth well-executed basketball for four whole quarters.
Dwight Howard truly deserves the nickname Superman
Vince Carter is like a dancer or a ghost – he uncannily inserts himself in spots where he just shouldn’t be and scores beautifully. The threes are gorgeous, too
Glad to see Jason Williams again – one of the best passers ever
Thank you, basketball gods and ticket gifter.
GO MAGIC!
Once upon a time I was part of a group of Magic season ticket holders – there were five of us, and we got eight home games each. This was during a turbulent time in the Magic’s history, post-Shaq and devolving into Penny Hardaway becoming full of himself and leading a coaching coup. I loved going to the games with my son, and there were real standup men and great players on the team then, including Darrell Armstrong, Bo Outlaw, Nick Anderson and Pat Garrity.
After the games, we would hang out behind the arena with other fans and offer our homemade signs up to the players for autographs, and enjoy some camaraderie. The above noted players always rose to this occasion, as did others.
Penny Hardaway was an exception. He acted like a spoiled brat on and off the court. He continually demanded “respect,” not understanding that respect is earned by how one conducts oneself as a sportsman and a human, not demanded. If it looked like the win was in hand, his efforts on the court ceased. Penny swore at my son once when he proffered a sign he had made for him.
Eventually, some of my other season ticket buddies and I let them go. This just wasn’t fun, or worth the cash. I even stopped watching the team on TV or reading about them in the paper, going from a totally devoted fan to an almost completely lapsed one.
Then I attended the game on April 9th, and saw an entirely different and utterly incredible and gorgeous team. I don’t think I’ve seen better basketball in person in my lifetime. Not necessarily the game – it was a blowout, with the Magic taking the lead at 1:33 in the first quarter and never losing it – but how well the Magic functioned as a team, and how they never stopped playing until the game was over, even though they had it won clearly early on.
Most notable was the near absence of trashy/dirty play, whining, pouting, or flopping on both sides. There were few trips to the free-throw line, especially in the first half. No one was a ball hog, and nobody choked the coach. Just smooth well-executed basketball for four whole quarters.
Dwight Howard truly deserves the nickname Superman
Vince Carter is like a dancer or a ghost – he uncannily inserts himself in spots where he just shouldn’t be and scores beautifully. The threes are gorgeous, too
Glad to see Jason Williams again – one of the best passers ever
Thank you, basketball gods and ticket gifter.
GO MAGIC!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Random Funny 21st Century Silly Internet Crap
Wikipedia Vandalism (slideshow - right click on link to open in new window or tab - via HuffPo)
Anti-Facebook fun
Lamebook (The comments on this site are often funnier than the postings themselves)
South Park explains everything that is annoying about Facebook, via Gawker
Thank God/FSM/whoever your higher power is for the logic and reason of South Park.
From On ChatRoulette, featuring a flat-chested and unusually hirsute Lady Gaga in a messy room (NSFW)
Merton is becoming famous on ChatRoulette for giving an improvisational piano performance to the lucky ones who land on him
Want more Merton? Click here!
Ben Folds has been paying homage to Merton live in concert, with hilarious results
What a world we live in...
Anti-Facebook fun
Lamebook (The comments on this site are often funnier than the postings themselves)
South Park explains everything that is annoying about Facebook, via Gawker
Thank God/FSM/whoever your higher power is for the logic and reason of South Park.
From On ChatRoulette, featuring a flat-chested and unusually hirsute Lady Gaga in a messy room (NSFW)
Merton is becoming famous on ChatRoulette for giving an improvisational piano performance to the lucky ones who land on him
Want more Merton? Click here!
Ben Folds has been paying homage to Merton live in concert, with hilarious results
What a world we live in...
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Packaging is out of hand these days
So I was at Costco the other day, and ran across the Kirkland by Borghese Mineral Color Collection. Looked like a nice makeup set at a reasonable price ($25.99 in the store), so I bit.
It came in this package
It took me forty-five goddamn minutes to get all the lil jars and brushes out of this freaking plastic packaging, including the use of an X-acto knife and a scissors. But that's not all! Once freed from this sarcophagus of a package, each little jar had not one, but TWO pieces of teeny tiny tape sealing them shut. AND, there is also a little plastic seal inside each jar that I had to use a hemostat to remove.
Costco, is this absolutely necessary? I might understand if it was poison or a firearm I was trying to liberate from this packaging, but this is freaking MAKEUP!!! Whoever designed this needs to be encased in it without food or water and attempt to free themselves.
It came in this package
It took me forty-five goddamn minutes to get all the lil jars and brushes out of this freaking plastic packaging, including the use of an X-acto knife and a scissors. But that's not all! Once freed from this sarcophagus of a package, each little jar had not one, but TWO pieces of teeny tiny tape sealing them shut. AND, there is also a little plastic seal inside each jar that I had to use a hemostat to remove.
Costco, is this absolutely necessary? I might understand if it was poison or a firearm I was trying to liberate from this packaging, but this is freaking MAKEUP!!! Whoever designed this needs to be encased in it without food or water and attempt to free themselves.
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