You've got less then a month....

I'll admit it. I'm not a very "open" guy. Never have been. We could go into a whole bit about my childhood, try to find the source of why I don't put myself out there. But that whould be a VERY long and depressing blog. And I'm not a very open guy to begin with. So we're gonna leave all that behind us. 

One unintended side effect of my shyness is that I'm very hard to shop for. I can't even shop for myself. I'm the guy that goes to McDonald's and take 10 minutes to figure out what he wants to order. So when it comes to birthday's and Christmas's, people really don't have an idea of what I want. In back to back Christmas's, my cousin Matt bought me a football. Yes, it's one of my favorite sports. It's also one of the favorite sports for a vast majority of Americans. That's not to say I haven't gotten good presents. A couple years ago, my buddy Donavon got me an Arizona Cardinals fleece blanket. My favorite football team and a warm blanket for winter. Excellent choice. This last Christmas I got a digital camera. I really wanted one and got it. Sure it's red. but I don't have to borrow my parents camera anymore and that's a good thing. 

So, in order to facilitate a truly Happy Birthday to me, I've compiled a list of things I wish for. A "wish list" if you will. And while it is unnecessary to actually buy me anything, if you do wish to show you care about me with something physical(wink, wink), I think you'll find this blog half full with ideas. Gather together friends!!

1. The Dell XPS 7100 Desktop Computer

Fairly certain that nobody is getting me this one. But I badly need a new computer. The one I have can barely do what I need and can certainly not do everything I want it to do. I need the power that a basic bottom of the barrel computer can't pull effectively. I stream videos and music from all corners of the internet. I'm a hardcore PC gamer. At least I would like to be. I can't play anything released in the last year or so. This XPS model comes with AMD's proven Phenom processors, 6 GB of onboard memory, ATI's HD Series video cards and plenty of harddrive space. Not anywhere near the top of the line, liquid cooled gaming monsters, but enough to keep me competitive. The base price of this 500 bucks but the standard option Is the one I'm dreaming of. It's 700 smackers.

2. Turtle Beach Ear Force Z2 Gaming headset

http://www.turtlebeach.com/products/pc-gaming-headsets/ear-force-z2.aspx

 This one is much closer to the ball park that I think people think I'm worth. The Turtle Beach Ear Force Z2 Gaming headset delivers excellent sound quality using a 50 mm main speaker that's angled so the sound goes directly into the ear canal. Padded ear cups allow for comfortable long term gaming and the ear pieces rotate so they lay flat against the chest when taking breaks. It's foldable design make the ideal for taking them on the go. Standard jack system allows for them to be used with cell phones and MP3 players and comes with an optional cable that allows it to be used with your Xbox. And considering other, simular headsets from SteelSeries and Razor cost over one hundred dollars, this pair is a steal at 69.99!

3. StarCraft 2

http://us.starcraft2.com/index.xml

OK. Last computer oriented gift, I swear. StarCraft 2 is the long overdue sequel to the game that got me hooked on gaming. StarCraft was released back in 1998 and has sold over 11 million copies. Now, I had played computer and console games for years before this game but it was the first one that I really dove into. learning strategies and introducing me to hotkeys(sounds a bit naughty, huh?). StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty is the first installment of a trilogy. Each Installment will highlight a single player campaign based on the 3 different playable races in StarCraft 2. Wings of Liberty is the Terran campaign. The biggest part of SC2 isn't the single player mode though. It's the massive online ladder system. A newly redesigned battle.net(Blizzard Entertainments online community) tracks achievements, as well as places you in divisions based on your skill as a player. The thing is... my computer only meets the minimum hardware requirements. 59.99!

4.Star Wars: The Clone Wars on DVD

http://www.walmart.com/ip/12309352

Is my geek showing. YES!! I am a huge fan of movies and television. And while any action or comedy DVD will make me pretty happy, this one will make me a smidgen more happy then the rest. I missed most of the 3 seasons of the fanboy heaven so if I could get them on dvd, that would be pretty cool. 40 bucks for the Blu ray copy of season one. And yes, I have a blue ray player.... well, access to one!

5. Brewers Tickets

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=mil

Footballs over. Let's all take a moment of silence....

Alright, that's enough. Our national past time is back. No, I'm not talking about Nascar. Players are reporting for spring training which means baseball season is just around the corner. And I would like to take in a game or two. I couldn't name all the players but I know the more notorious ones. But I love having a good time with friends and I can never turn down a chance to grill out in a parking lot. If your gonna spring for tickets, don't get the nose bleed ones. I'm not saying get a private box suite, but I would like to see the baseball while it's getting thrown around!

6. Gregory Miwok 18 Pack

http://www.rei.com/product/811201

I want to get more active. And since I plan on moving some day to California, Hiking seems to be something I could get into. I already go rafting every year with some family and friends so a pack like this seems ideal for starting to really get into more active, outdoor activities. It's got a sleeve for a hydration pack. a 3 point compression systems to keep the backpack snug against the body, and it looks cool in the Iron Gray color scheme(the green one is ridiculous, I think). it's a bit pricey at 99 bucks but it will get plenty of use, believe me!

Alright. That's it. Gives you some idea of what I would like for my birthday. If, in your travels, you see something cool that's related to TV, movies, computers, or gaming, go for it. I'm not picky and I'm sure I can guarantee I'll like it if it falls within those categories. In the end though, Just being my friend and/or family is enough. Thanks for that. I appreciate it! 

Later.

From one end to the other: Valentines day.

Do you remember Saturday morning cartoons? I personally could not get enough of them back in the day. I would always be up at the buttcrack of dawn to watch the Animaniacs, Bobby's world, Digimon, etc. But before all that is my favorite cartoons of all time, Looney Toons. Bugs, Daffy, Yosemite Sam, Porky the Pig, Taz, and my personal hero Marvin the Martian. And then there was the ever persistent Willey Coyote, chasing the road runner in the same desert for over 40 years. One of the most iconic visuals from the Looney Toons era was Willey running off the edge of a cliff. His legs kept running, head up, staring straight at his target.....  Until he saw where he was.  

That kinda describes what valentines does to me each year. My birthday is less then a month away, the frozen tundra starts to melt just a bit, and spring is just around the bend. Beautiful time of year. Then this holiday comes along. And I love holidays. I like to participate in holiday activities. Usually, Valentines activities include dinner and the buying of chocolates, and roses, and stuffed animals who have their lips sewn together(which is only a little disturbing as far as sentiments are concerned).  But I have the same problem, it seems, each year. I have no one to buy this stuff for. 

Now if you were to over analyze that last sentence, you might say I would only love someone for the holiday. But that's not true. I really am looking for the person I can love the other 364 days of the year. but I also have not been actively looking. If she comes along, I'll see it. Maybe she has and I need to reconnect, who knows. But I like not being in a hurry. I have friends and family on both sides of the Love Spectrum. My parents that have been married for 25+ years and are still in love with each other.  Friends who have just gotten married this past year. Several friends and family who are engaged. Some single friends who are just fine being that way,  and even friends who have recently become single and want nothing to do with this holiday. 

For me, love goes to each in their own way. My family for the support, my friends for their council and to each woman that has come and gone in my life. Each of them have shown me love in their own way and I have loved each of them differently. While the love for some have been more intense then others, the love I felt for all of them is still there, somewhere in the back of my mind. And while the one love that will fill my heart has not done so just yet, I'm sure it will. 

 "Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts."

My Fall Premier Schedule

It's cold, It's rainy, It's mid September. That makes it Fall.

OK, so I'm calling this one a few days early, but look outside. It really has gotten cold and rainy. And to me, that makes it fall. Despite being cold and rainy, I do like this particular time of year. Can you guess why? No, it's not the color changing leaves. Pretty as they are, it is a reminder that they will eventually all fall down and I will have to clean that mess up. No, it's not the change in weather. I like warm weather. The only time I like cold is when it refers to beer. It's part of my reasons for the move out west I will eventually make. No, It's no the holidays either.Though I have some excellent memories of Halloween. Like all the best memories of my life, they are a little fuzzy around the edges. But it is by no means my favorite holiday and I'm pushing Thanksgiving into Winter because of snowfall. Veteran's day is nice but doesn't make for a great party and we don't even get Columbus day off!

So what makes the next couple of weeks so special..... Premier week!

So in an effort to sort out what to watch, I'm recommend to myself(because few people actually read this thing) what to watch on any given night. And it all starts's tonight!

The first thing that comes to mind on Mondays in the fall is Monday Night Football. But unless the Packers or the Cardinals are playing, I am not all that interested. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE football, but I don't love the guys who call this game. I miss the days of Pat Summerall and John Madden. So go watch it if you want but we are gonna concentrate on the big networks for this blog.

Here's how this will work. I'm gonna give the 2-3 best options for each hour of television from the 4 major networks(ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC). Forget cable for now, too much good programing. And absolutely no CW. That stuff will rot your brain!

7PM - 8PM


Hour one starts with a comedy, a drama, and a reality show.

Chuck

All the secrets that the USA's combined intelligence agencies has is downloaded into a computer nerds head. Ridiculous, right? That's OK, it's a comedy! Zachary Levi plays Chuck(the guy with all the secrets in his head). He is given 2 handlers, one from the CIA, one from the NSA.
The CIA send the incredibly hot Sarah Walker(played by incredibly hot Yvonne Strahovski) and of course Chuck falls in love with her. The NSA sends Col. John Casey (Adam Baldwin(not a real Baldwin brother)). Chuck comes complete with a goofy sidekick, family to protect, and(thanks to upgrades he downloaded into his head in season 2) the ability to call up martial arts moves and how to play a guitar and a crapload of other stuff. Season 4 starts with Chuck being retired as an agent, his father is dead, his sister now knows his secret, and he has to go and search for his mother who left long ago. It's a ridiculously funny comedy that makes nerds look cool!


HOUSE

House is back for it's 6th season with exactly what people have been waiting for for the last 5 season. House and Cuddy are together. YEA!!
Back up a bit. If you have never seen House, here's the basics. House(brit Hugh Laurie) is a grumpy, self destructive genius doctor who takes on the worst cases at a teaching hospital and generally fixes them with the help of his team.. Lisa Cuddy(Lisa Edelstein) is his boss and runs the entire hopsital and has been in love with House but his Jackass-ness kept her away. He has one friend, Oncologist Dr. James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard from The Dead Poets Society) who keeps him in check. To be honest, I haven't kept up on this show. Ever since he came back from rehab, I just can't get back into it.














Dancing with the Stars

I have no need to see David Hasslehoff dance. Kurt Warner is cool but once you get into Bristol Palin and "The Situation?" I have lost interest. And the rest of the nation should be appalled at themselves.

Chuck wins!

8PM - 9PM


Dancing with the stars is 2 hours long so we look to the other 3 networks. Unfortunately we only get 2 good shows!


The Event

The first of the NEW shows, The Event follows an ensemble cast as they unravel the mystery around the Event. 
Starring Laura Innes (ER) and Jason Ritter (Son of the late John Ritter). It's being billed as Lost meets 24. I loved both shows so I think I will at least like this one!


Lonestar


Lonestar is about a man with 2 lives. A con man named Robert Has a girlfriend in one city and a wife in the other. The said conman has some sort of epiphany and decides he wants to go straight but also wants to keep both lives. Greedy bastard! Jon Voight and David Keith play the 2 father figures and will be trying to get there way from Robert. Looks good. Wish I had that TIVO!

The Event wins!!

9PM - 10PM

CBS will finally get into the race in the last hour of primetime but it's already a clouded field. 2 New shows take on a returning favorite.

Castle

I'm gonna tell you right now that this is what I will be watching in this hour and watch the rest on Hulu tomorrow. Nathan Fillion plays Richard Castle, a crime novelist who needs inspiration and finds it when he gets to ride along with the hottest cop to come from the NYPD(sorry Mariska Hargitay), Det. Kate Beckett played by uber hot Stana Katic. Detectives Esposito and Ryan are the "Bert and Ernie" of the team and Molly Quinn plays Alexis, Castles daughter.   Last season ended with Beckett coming to the conclusion that she likes Castle and wants to be with him. But Castle leaves for the Hamptons with his Ex-wife to finish his newest book. The first 8 minutes is floating around the internet somewhere so go find it and watch it.

Chase

Chase Stars Kelli Giddish as US Marshal Annie Frost. She leads a team of Marshals which include the guy from Pitch Black and 2 Fast 2 Furious(No, not Vin Diesel. He wasn't in the second movie), the would be dead guy from John Tucker Must Die and Amaury Nolasco. Probably one of the most underated supporting actors around. If Castle starts to disappoint(not likely) this is my back-up series!

Hawaii 5-0



This one is gonna walking a tight line here. I am one of the few in my generation who has seen at least one episode of the original Hawaii 5-O AND liked it. They can't mess much with this formula. They have, however, put together an all star cast that could possibly pull it off. Every single one of them is a talented veteran in there own rights. The cast come from everywhere in the TV/movie business including gigs in 8 Mile, Battlestar Galactica, Lost, Heros, Oceans 11-13, 24, Hustle and Flow, etc. If done right, It will be HUGE!

Castle wins!!

but the competition is close behind!

Now THIS is a blog. Whew!!! I need a timeout. Enjoy Monday night!

Things I wanna get back to.

Hey guys!

It's been a while. How have you been? 

OK. I haven't been keeping up with my blogging. But in my defense, neither have most of you. In fact, The man who inspired me to start bogging again doesn't even update his Facebook status anymore. The only person I can rely on to keep their blog/Facebook/Twitter updated is my good friend Holly. She knows how to put herself out there(at least digitally). She's awesome and should be read by anyone with a free moment. But this is my blog, you can read hers later. 

My problem is my life. My life has not gone as planned for some time. Not that I really had a plan to begin with. My life used to be like walking on a beach. You don't really know how long you wanna walk, never really know where you'll be when you wanna stop, and you can always keep walking. Then I screwed up. I made a bad decision. A wrong decision. And I was kicked off the beach. 

I used to do so many things. Things I enjoyed. But now I find myself  missing out on those things. Kinda zoning out. I seem to have lost my will, my inspiration. I seem to have lost a piece of myself somewhere. I can only imagine it's around here somewhere. And I'm sure I will find it. I'm good at finding myself. I'm always right where I left me. My problem this time is I can't seem to remember when I lost me. So I don't really know where to look. So I have devised a plan. I'm gonna start doing the things I used to love to do. The things that made me feel happy because, truth be told, I haven't really been happy in awhile. So I have compiled a list of things I wanna get back to. And I hope that one or all bring me back. Here we go.

• Reading - This one is kinda cheating because I already started up again so I can't really get back to it. I had a lot of time recently to dive back into books. I used to only read books from names like Grisham, King, and Clancy. Very limited scope of writers that offered almost no variety. But lately I have been reading all sorts of stuff. I read Treasure Island for the first time. I started Isaac Asimov's Foundation  series. I've even read a Daniel Steele novel(She's very adept at weaving narratives from two separate perspectives together). I have read a couple of selections from Robert Ludlum(the guy who penned the Bourne Identity). My new favorite author though is a man named James Rollins. His Sigma series is awesome beach reading. He takes James bond type spy intrigue and goes all "DaVinci Code" with it. I highly recommend The Last Oracle.

• Cooking - Another one that I can't really say I gave up. I still cook. But it's always the simple dinner type stuff. Kraft Mac and Cheese, hot dogs, Hamburger Helper... stuff I can make with little effort and time involved. I wanna MAKE something. Something that takes extra some prep work. Something without directions on the back of the box or the side of the can. Something you can listen to music to while you chop or mince something. Something that takes longer to make then to eat. That's what I miss. I wanna feel like I deserve to eat this because it took EFFORT! 

• Friends - I wanna get back to my friends. I've been kind of a hermit of late. I used to go do thing with them. I miss the days when I could walk into someones house without ringing the doorbell because I'm there so often it feels natural to just open the door. Staying up late at night doing stupid stuff. Late night runs to Perkins or Denny's just to hang out and have a conversation. My interactions with them have more to do with liking their Facebook status's these days.

• Movies - I use to be all about movies. I watched them constantly. I used to check websites like E! and Variety all the time looking for the latest news about who was cast for which role. Which director signed on to helm the next big franchise? When does filming begin on that new comedy from Jim Carrey? When is Michael Bay gonna get a hair cut? I looked at scripts for movies that where being shopped around. I mean I was INTO ALL OF THIS! And like the other things on this list. I just sort of stopped. I didn't go to these sights as much. Hardly at all these days(Yup, I just check and neither E! or Variety appear in my browser history). What kills me is I can't remember exactly when or why I stopped.

There are other things I want or need to get back to but this is a good start. I don't wanna do to much. You don't come back from an ankle injury to be the starting quarterback of an NFL team(just retire already, you crazy old coot)! I hope this will bring Sexy back for me. Until then, I can only have faith that it will. 

Goodnight Everybody.

Obsessed with Fantasy Football? Let it go!

It's Sunday morning. Generally, my routine doesn't differ much on Sundays. I wake up. I use the bathroom. I turn on my computer and check my various internet stops. I watch football. And like most football enthusiasts, I take part in the magically terrifying tradition of..... Fantasy Football.

First, a bit of history.

Modern fantasy football was started by the late Wilfred "Bill" Winkenbach. Wilfred was a businessman and a limited partner in the Oakland Raiders. In a New York hotel room during a 1962 Raiders eastern cross-country trip, Winkenbach teamed up with Raiders Public Relations man Bill Tunnel and Tribune reporter Scotty Starling to develope a game based on the stats of actual AFL players.


Today, websites like Yahoo, NFL.com, Foxsports.com, and ESPN track every step of the 1,696 active players in the NFL. Every pass, catch, touchdown, fumble, interception, and yard is recorded and assigned point values to help your average Joe look like Joe Gibbs or Scott Linehan. Each week, teams go head-to-head and rack up the points to see who put together the best team back in August/September while munching on taco dip, pizza, and buffalo wings. The mini-sport has brought men closer together, and it has torn friendships apart. Brought men great fortune, or emptied their wallets. And while a good head on your shoulders and an analytical mind could take you far, sometimes luck, chance, and the gods are the better weapons to have. 


For those of us who really care, it's an obsession. Pouring over endless stat sheets, checking injury reports, and watching the waiver wires like vultures. We check it everyday and more then twice on Sunday. Watch every game we can to will the players we own forward to have big days. Watching live stat trackers, pulling our hair out when we are behind, and jumping up a down for joy when we are ahead. Watching like politicians on election night as the projections continue and feeling that sadness when we realize, even before the end, that we have lost the race.


Like most obsessions, it is unhealthy. But it gives us something to do. Obsessions drive us crazy. They make fools of us all. And that's exactly what fantasy football does. In the end, if we were any good at managing a team, we would actually be working for an NFL team. Managing personnel,  signing players, and winning championships. I know I could not do the job. 


So I'm not an NFL coach...... But I play one on the internet ;)


I would wish all of the people who play fantasy football good luck, but I need to save some for myself! So have fun wannabes. And remember....


It's just a game!

WOW. So, last June, I created this blog as a way to share more of my thoughts with more and more people. I have a lot of thoughts, and most of them, I think, would be considered interesting. I had been sharing them on my Myspace page for years but I didn't like everything else about that whole mess. I also started it because my friend Jay started one and was doing some pretty neat things with video blogging. I went to look at his blog today and he too hasn't touched his in three months. I don't think it had anything to do with not having something to say for either of us. Jay and I always have something funny to say. But alas, Jay has 2 jobs and works like a fiend. I, however, don't have that limitation. So what is my excuse? The simple answer is..... I don't have one.

Moving on.

So, tomorrow is Veterans Day. One day a year where people think of those men and women that have fought in wars. It doesn't matter if you actually know a veteran. You're suppose to appreciate all they've done, which also included dying. Here's the thing. I think of veterans everyday. Well.... really just one of them. My brother is a Marine. A Jarhead, Leatherneck, Devil Dog. A veteran of the Second Iraq war, Mark has been on my mind alot recently. He's stateside these days, working on his tan in southern California's 29 Palms. I have no idea what exactly he does all day. Every now and then he goes out into the desert and shoots some really big pieces of artillery but that's all I know. Although my brothers biggest danger at this time is drinking too much on friday nights(so proud), I can't help but be the older brother and be concerned about his well being.

A little background about our brotherly love. Me and my brother didn't use to get along. He use to steal my stuff, then I'd steal it back(plus an extra item or two), and so on and on. He wore cloths that were 3 sizes too big that usually came from my closet. Quit a paper route because it meant getting up too early on the weekends. On a basic level, Mark was kind of a tool. It was hard to relate to him. Our sister, Lisa, is less then two years older then me, but Mark is almost 4 years younger then me. Mark and I were 2 different people. Even with all that, I still loved him and would've taken a bullet for him. And it wasn't all bad. We had tons of fun terrorizing people. Mark and I always knew how to team up and mess with peoples heads. Still do it to this day. Every time he's back in town, mom's blood pressure get's worse. Fun times!

So far, the proudest day in my life was watching Mark walk across the parade grounds at the Marine Corp. Recruit Depot. Accepting his eagle, globe, and anchor and becoming a Marine. The fact that there was a war still raging in the Middle East and it was pretty obvious he was headed straight for it was furthest from my mind. Mark had grown up before my very eyes.

Then, he shipped out to Iraq. Leave it to Mark to pick a job that didn't get used very much. Why use artillery when you have smart bombs from unmanned drones? So they made him protect convoys and bases. Other basic, but still dangerous, tasks. Got a call every now and then with every conversation ending in "Love you, bro". It was then that I realized how much I actually missed him. The scrawny little brother that always stole my things was fighting in a war and I was a little scared for him. By the grace of god and his own common sense, Mark made it back home even after so many didn't. Reassigned to the Marine Base at 29 Palms, he's been there ever since.

I guess my point is this. It's great that everyone takes the time on Nov. 11th to think of veterans. But I beat everybody at it. Because, for people like me, Veterans Day happens everyday. But it's not a competition. I'm just saying....

It's what I do!

I'm moving my blog.. I will have beer for anyone who helps!

Welcome everyone to a-v-j.blogspot.com. It's the new home for the funny things I think or feel from time to time. I've been doing it for years on myspace with some success but have grown tired of myspace in general. A good friend of mine recently started a blog of his own here at blogspot, were he yells at myspace for being stupid, and it made me wanna get my own blog here. So when your done reading here, please go visit my friends blog too. He is funnier then me in almost every way. Funnier writer, funnier thinker, funnier looking... Anyway, check him out at awesomejay.blogspot.com.