Party Season

National One-Hit Wonder Day

2005-09-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

Evidently it is National One-Hit Wonder Day today. For all those bands and artists that thad their 15 minu...er, seconds in the sun, now they have a little bit more.

You know, after hearing about this, and then reading more into the Talk Like a Pirate Day (in which some guys just decided to make a holiday, which is evidently all it takes), I'm starting to wonder when the National Day for schmoe's who work crappy jobs and go out drinking on the weekend is?

Oh wait, that's right. That day is every Monday, when I have to go back to work.

Oh Joy.

The Bobblehead Regime Has Begun

2005-09-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you have noticed over the last few years, but what I call the "bobblehead" picture has become increasingly popular in graphic design. What do I mean when I say "bobblehead" picture? Well, like the image above, it is a picture taken at such an angle that the head and upper body appears disproportionately larger than the feet and lower body.

I can only imagine why this has become the "in" thing to do for graphic designers. One theory involves a cheap photographic trick producing an interesting graphical production. Another theory involves 8 year old humor and dick and fart jokes.

Of course, my thought is that the creator of the bobblehead is secretly trying to take over the global economy, one bobble at a time. The first step was sporting events, and then specially created figurines for weddings and anniverseries. Now we are on the next phase of the plan, which is taking over the internet. From there, the sky's the limit.

Top 11 Dirty Sounding Words

2005-09-23T19:18:00.000-07:00

11) Prong
10) Quiver
9) Spackle
8) Kumquat
7) Drizzle
6) Juices
5) Caulk
4) Mustache
3) Masticate
2) Pianist
1) Moist

There you have it, the Top 11 dirtiest sounding words that I could think up. And not only that, but a link to images that Google thinks these words evoke.

And, as you can see, the words only sound dirty.

Who's Responsible? I have my ideas...

2005-09-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Us Debt in Trillions, 1938-2004

George Bush I and II: 2.75 trillion dollars added to the deficit.
Republicans: 5 trillion dollars added.
Democrats: 2 billion dollars added.

My 21st Birthday Napkins

2005-09-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

When I was in college, for your 21st birthday, everyone that you knew went to the bar in town (yes, there was only one bar in town at that time). Since things tended to get a little hectic, being someone's 21st birthday and all, it was somebody's job to write down everything of import that happened on the bar napkins, and then you could look over them the next day as you were wondering what the hell happened the night before.

Anyway, I just ran across mine from 7 years ago, and I thought that I would share. Here goes (TS is me):

9:02-Raspberry Kamikaze

9:05-Stoplight (shot of something red, shot of something yellow, shot of something green). TS-"Do you want my keys now?" JB-"No, we'll just reach down your pants later."

9:08-Long Island Iced Tea

9:19-TS is threatened by big hicks

9:20-'Desperado' on the jukebox, TS rides the fences.

9:23-TS tries to say "The Skunk Thump the Stump Thunk".

9:24-Was that a whip cream bra? JB and TS head bang.

9:29-Lemon Drop

9:31-Kelly feels up Ivana. At least they are roommates.

9:32-Three wise men (shot of Johnnie Walker, shot of Jack Daniels, and a shot of Jim Beam)

9:33-TS spills one of the wise men, because whiskey tastes like ass!

9:35-Bartender tells Brooke to keep her shirt on.

9:36-Brooke feels up camera

9:37-Makes it past Ron's 21st, who only made it 31 minutes from first drink to puking.

9:41-Kelly "I can't find the hole!"

9:58-Rum and Coke

10:10-TS and JB "go to the bathroom together"

10:13-JB returns, where's TS? "Trying to pee"

10:14-TS returns, pee successful.

10:17-One nice drink, and one mean drink, from Apu

10:19-Takes mean drink, "It's Evil!" "This is what went on top of our Christmas tree!" (Jack Daniels) "No, we put the beer on the tree."

10:21-Takes nice drink, wants another. Bartender won't tell what it was, TS accuses bartender of only becoming a bartender to be like Tom Cruise.

10:23-Ivana "Have you felt her muscle in a while?" TS "No, that's for later" "I'm so flat that I make the walls jealous"

10:24-TS "I'm drunk, I'm insistent, don't play this game with me."

10:25-TS "strikes a pose"

10:26-Kelly threatens throwing a dart into Seth's face

10:31-TS spills in his crotch, asks if anyone wants to help clean it up

10:33-TS talks shit, then hits funny bone very hard. Karma's a bitch

10:36-TS puts moves on Mimi, talks about "pussilishish" things

10:37-"I will comve over and kick your ass, bitch! That was my nose!"

10:44-Amaretto Sour.

10:45-TS feels up camera

10:50-Prairie Fire. TS "No Katilla", refuses to drink.

10:51-Clay drinks Prairie Fire.

10:52-Sex on the Beach

10:55-"You know how that guy fell over? Well, I just knocked over a table."

10:57-"I woke up one morning, looked into the mirror and scared the shit out of myself"

11:03-TS draws a middle finger on his hand

11:04-Bottle Cap

11:09-TS wants Janaki soooo bad. Brooke licks Janaki's hand.

11:31-Brooke calls TS a pussy, so TS drinks the ketchup.

11:33-"Dick is good"

11:35-TS shows his ass

11:36-TS steals Clay's glasses

11:42-Vomit time

As you can see, sometime not a whole lot happens. But sometimes it is nice to know just how much you drank, who you hit on, who hit on you, what random quotes were said, etc.

Now go out there and get Napkining!

The Ipod Nano

2005-09-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if you are aware of this yet, but Apple has come out with a new product, the Apple Ipod Nano. Basically, it is a smaller version of the Ipod in a 2 Gig or 4 Gig version, in black or white. Here are some specs for you:

Flash-based iPod

Only .27 inches thick and 1.5 ounces

1.5 inch color LCD display screen

Holds up to 1,000 songs (4 Gig version)

Familiar ClickWheel functionality

14 hours of use on a single battery charge

Earbud headphones, USB cable and Dock adapter included

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Well, it is about to sound better. You can sign up to get a free Ipod Nano with this link. It is the same deal as the free ipod and the free flat screen deals from Gratis Internet. Just click on the link, sign up, skip over the "optional" surveys (the most annoying part, but don't worry, it won't take long and they don't show up again), and then complete an option. I recommend the eFax option, as it is free, and easy to use. After that, send the link to your friends, and the Ipod Nano will soon be winging it's way to your door. It's that easy.

And honestly, wouldn't a free Ipod Nano really brigthen up your day?

Gas Prices

2005-09-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

I got this email from a friend, and decided that I may as well pass the message along to you. Here is the meat of it:

I hear we are going to hit close to $3.00 a gallon by the summer. We need to take some intelligent, united action.

Phillip Hollsworth, offered this good idea:

For the rest of this year, DON"T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do!! Now, don't whimp (sic) out on me at this point.. keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!! I am sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)... and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) ... and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers! Etc. Etc. You get the idea.

HOLD OUT UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES TO THE $1.30 RANGE AND KEEP THEM DOWN. THIS MAY REALLY WORK

The problem that I see with this chain-mail is the effect that Katrina will have on gas prices. I have already seen pictures of gas prices in the $5-6-7 range, and heard stories of gas stations running out. I even spent $2.80 a gallon for gas at Costco, the lowest priced gas station in Seattle, usually by $0.10-0.15. Basically, because the oil rigs were hit so hard in the Gulf Coast, gas prices are jumping like crazy (even in the Pacific Northwest), and I don't think that a concentrated effort to stop buying ExxonMobil gas will have much effect at all, at least for the next 3-6 months.

I also like how the author of the article ends buy saying that "this may really work". No guarantees, no promises, just a "may" work. Talk about covering your own ass.

But, I've done my job. I've spread the word, and if this does work, I helped in some small part. And that is covering my own ass.

The Wedding Crashers

2005-09-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

I went to see The Wedding Crashers this past weekend, with Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, and Rachel McAdams (and also Christopher Walken).

First things first, Rachel McAdams was hot in this movie. I don't know if she is a real brunette, or just went that way for this movie, but it is a change for the better in my humble opinion. Now that I have that out of the way, I can get to other things.

Other things being that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are hilarious. They have a great charisma that really shows through in the movie. I got the feeling that half the time the actors were really laughing at Vince and Owen (can I presume to call them by their first names?) because they were just ad-libbing the script as they went along, and it turned out great. I hope that these two stick together and make a few more movies down the road with each other.

It is also about time that comedies moved into the "R" ratings, because all the "PG-13" jokes are tired and used. There is a whole new realm of comedy out there, waiting to be tapped. Think Eddie Murphy "Raw", and not Eddie Murphy "Dr. Dolittle", and you'll know what I'm talking about. What? You've never seen Eddie Murphy's "Raw"?!? Well, go rent it and get ready to laugh.

If all you are looking for is a quick synopsis of the movie, a mini-review if you would, then here it is:

The more people you sleep with, the better the chance that you meet the person you are meant to be with.

There it is, in all it's glory. Now get out there and get working.

2005-09-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

I'm speechless.

"A Million Ways" Dancing in the Courtyard

2005-09-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine emailed this to me the other day, and I laughed my ass off. These guys, who are a band of pretty crazy guys, choreographed their own dance to their own song, and put in online. It is hilarious, and well worth the five minutes to watch (plus the music is pretty good too).

Check out the video here.

Dream Host Promo Codes!

2005-08-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

I've recently teamed up with Dream Host to create some great new deals for the Party Season Blog Community (hereafter known as the PSBC). If you are looking for some new web space to host your innermost desires and/or the next Donald Trump adventure, look no further.

If you use Dream Host Promo Code "S3BB4L1T3" when you are first signing in to your Dream Host account, you will receive the following deals:
Plan (Cost) Discount
Monthly L1 ($59.90) $15.00
Yearly L1 ($119.40) $15.00
Two years L1 ($190.80) $15.00
Monthly L2 ($69.90) $30.00
Yearly L2 ($239.40) $30.00
Two years L2 ($382.80) $30.00
Monthly L3 ($89.900 $40.00
Yearly L3 ($479.40) $40.00
Two years L3 ($766.80) $40.00
Monthly L4 ($129.90) $50.00
Yearly L4 ($959.40) $50.00
Two years L4 ($1534.80) $50.00

So if you decided to get the second level of DreamHost's server space for one month, instead of paying $69.90, you would only pay 39.90. Too good to be true? Nope, just another service coming to you from the Party Season. Remember, use promo code "S3BB4L1T3"

I Think I've Seen It All

2005-08-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

Well, as I was driving today, I think that I saw what I needed to see, and I can die now. I can honestly meet my maker and say "Yep, saw it all. Nice work by the way."

Here's a quick summary of what I've seen:
1) A guy on a unicycle riding to work, and reading his book. At least he had his helmet on, otherwise it would have been illegal.
2) A mannequin in a major department store in a mall (Macy's) was wearing a shirt that said "Cleaveland Steamer". And this was right in front of the main in/out door to the store, it wasn't tucked up in the eaves somewhere.
3) A local sports reporter (NBC) told a horrible joke during his report, and then while laughing, said that "...he wished that he had a rim shot to follow that up..."
4) A woman jogging with another woman, but talking on her own cell phone, while her jogging partner listened to her MP3 player.
5) All the usual stuff: volcano's erupting, sunsets over the ocean, sunrises in the mountains, wild animals, big cities, etc, etc.
6) A stripper making 15 grown men stand up and sing the National Anthem.
7) And what I think is the penultimate, what really took the cake for me: a man riding his bike, talking on his cell phone, with his dog on a leash, and eating a corndog.

And I'm spent.

How To Tell If You Are a Southern Boy

2005-08-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

1) You quote distance in terms of how far you can spit and/or pee.
2) You profusely say thank you for anything and everything.
3) You use the phrase "I tell you what" as a complete sentence.
4) "If it ain't meat, it ain't worth eating" sounds like something you might say.
5) Y'all, All y'all, and You'uns are three seperate categories for groups of people.
6) You enjoy being in Southern California to "take a break from the heat and humidity".
7) Your dog doesn't respond to "sit", "stay", or even his own name, but instantly knows what to do when you yell "Go git 'em!"
8) You think that Beau and Luke Duke were way too clean for Hillbillies.

How to Win The Party

2005-08-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

There comes a point in everyone's life when they need to win the party. You may ask, what exactly is "winning the party"? Well, it's an age-old ultimate frisbee term for being the loudest, most obnoxious, most noticed, and most fun person/team at the tournament party. Basically, it is when everyone who talks about the party later on in the month/year talks about you and what you did, and hardly remembers anything else about the whole evening. That is when you have won the party.

The next question is: well, how do you win a party? And that is what I am here to tell you today.

The most consistent way to win the party is to have more energy than everyone else, be involved in everything, and stay at the party the longest. That being said, it isn't always the easiest thing in the world to do. Sometimes you are tired, or uninspired, or just don't want to be involved in everything. Don't worry, I've compiled a list of the top things that you need to do in order to win the party.

1. Show up late: and I mean late. If the party starts at 8, don't show up until 11:30 (note: this is frisbee specific. Office parties may have a different time schedule). The truth is, nothing happens in the first two hours of a party anyway, and most people don't show up for those hours. So show up late, after everyone is already there and has gotten past their catch up with old friends stage and is now looking to start getting down.
2. Make an entrance: so it's 11:30, and you want to make sure that everyone knows when you got to the party. Drive up in a 1978 Lincoln Towncar with all the windows up, except the sunroof. Have a friend drive right up to the front door, slam on the brakes right in front, and get out. Then, have them get out of the car, adjust their tie, slowly walk over to the passenger side door, and let you out as if you were a combination of Madonna, Beyonce, and the Queen of England all roled up into one person. If you are going to the party en masse with some friends, have them all get out of the car then as well (you'd be surprised how many people you can comfortably fit into a 1978 Lincoln Towncar. It is something around 12 close friends).
3. Make sure everyone knows that you are there: now it's time for your social hour. Make sure that after you have made your entrance, you see and talk to everyone. Be nice and happy, say hi to people even if you don't know their names, and generally look like you are having a good time.
4. Make your mark: a little while after you arrive, and after the social part is done, it's time to make your mark on the party. You will have to read the party to determine exactly when this needs to be done, it could be almost immediately upon arrival, or it could wait until 2 in the morning. Regardless, now is the time to be involved in some sort of spectacle. You don't actually have to be the one performing the spectacle, but make sure that you are at least the one announcing it (goad a friend into landsharking, and then while they are preparing themselves make an announcement to the entire party about what is going to happen, or start some sort of contest that gets everyone involved and playing, etc).
5. Before you leave, make another mark: right before you leave, make sure and make another public appearance. This is for the late nighters who sit in a corner and drink until 5am. If they see you, and notice that you are still up and going at 2, they'll talk about you to everyone else later the next day or week. It doesn't matter if you leave right after your appearance, but it does matter that you make that appearance.

Hopefully this is enough to make sure that everyone talks about you for the next week or month, which is a sure sign that you have won the party. If someone else appears to have the same strategy, you'll just have to play it up a little more, and then try to outlast them. If they stay until 2, stay until 3. If they start a contest with half the people participating, start a contest with everyone involved. You get the point.

Now get out there and start winning!

The Blogging Snob

2005-08-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

You know, I'm beginning to think that the whole blogging world is made up of self-aggrandized snobs. I used to think otherwise, I used to think that the blogging world was different than the mob mentality(read: idiotic) seen in actual person to person contact. I used to have this idyllic feeling about my fellow bloggers (read: strangers) because we had the whole blogging experience in common, and we could relate.

Talk about some bullshit.

Over the course of the last few weeks, I have sent emails to fellow bloggers, posted in forums asking questions about some of my other sites, sent more emails to other fellow bloggers, and in general tried to make myself affable to the blogging community in the whole, and certain other bloggers in particular (because I like their sites). In return, I have gotten carpal tunnel, heckled on some forums for my lack of design sense, and a cease and desist letter (not really, but you get my point). And there goes my high and mighty theory about the blogging community. Oh well.

What that means though, and this could prove interesting to say the least, is that I will no longer post for the masses. I'll post whatever I damn well please, whenever I want, without editing or afterthought (or even forethought in some cases), and however much I desire. If you find that you like my style, well good. Welcome to the real world. If not, then do as the Canadian's say, and take off, eh!

Brain Teasers

2005-08-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

Check out this IQ test. Supposedly it was created by Einstein, and only 2% of the population will be able to solve it.

I'm not sure if I buy that. I admit that I had to do it twice, but I'm pretty sure that I got the right answer. If you just follow the instructions in a logical manner, it shouldn't be that hard.

And since I have started to sound like Spock, I'm done with this post.

The Ipod That Could

2005-08-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

Do you remember my previous post about my ipod? Well, basically my Ipod's battery recharge system was messed up, and for whatever reason it wouldn't power up when connected to the charger.

Well, earlier today as I was cleaning my desk, I once again ran across my Ipod, and so I plugged it in for shits and giggles. Lo and behold, the little thing started right up. Not only is it recharging like it used to, but it actually kept all of my playlists in memory as well.

Of course, the battery is still as messed up as it was before, but I think that is easier to fix than an Ipod that won't charge at all.

And by the way, I take back my earlier offer about giving away my old Ipod for a new, free Ipod. And the Gap gift cards are gone as well. Sorry, no one was biting so I let the offer go.

10 Rules of Blogging

2005-08-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

Rule #1: You do not talk about Blogging.
Rule #2: You DO NOT talk about Blogging.
Rule #3: You can create interesting posts by blatantly ripping off things that are interesting from other sites.
Rule #4: You must follow up your blatant rip-off with your own original, and hopefully interesting, content.
Rule #5: No Cheating.
Rule #6: Please read rule #4 again.
Rule #7: Sooner or later, you will piss someone off (or a lot of people): don't worry about this.
Rule #8: If you enjoy what you are writing about, people will notice and will read your site.
Rule #9: Limit your ads, and make them tasteful.
Rule #10: If this is your first time blogging, you must blog.

Amazing Breakdancing Video

2005-07-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

Check out this video for a new album from a band called "Mint Royale". As near as I can tell, Mint Royale is a UK based band, and the have some sort of connection with the hip hop dancers in the video. I've seen some of the guys in the video in other dance-offs and movies (although I can't recall where or what movies right now), and they are sick.

Insurance Fraud? It Should Be

2005-07-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

I'm pissed at my insurance company (and all other companies in general, but this one in particular).

About 2 months ago, my car quit working. I parked it in my driveway, and just let it sit for a while, planning to get it fixed eventually, but not really needing the car right away. So I changed my insurance on it to a Comprehensive plan only, saving myself about $50 a month. Since they had already billed me for the next months service, I had a credit on my account. So far, no big deal.

About one month ago, I was going to rent a car and drive to Canada (which is in itself a long story, and to be told another time). Instead of paying out a ton of money for crappy rental car insurance, I changed my policy back to the original amounts for the weekend only (three days) just to be insured while driving a rental car. They assured me that this would cost about $15 for the weekend. As it turns out, I didn't go to Canada due to a slightly enlarged spleen. But I did change my policy back to the Comprehensive coverage only after the three days, and when I could see straight again.

Two days ago, I got a note from my bank saying that I had $130 in overdraft fees. This certainly annoyed me, especially since I had no idea why I should be paying anything out of that account, since I had a credit in my insurance and no other bills coming due. As it turns out, during those three days, the insurance company sent me a bill for the full coverage amount (and took it out of my bank account since I have automatic payment). Basically, I paid $60 for three days worth of coverage, and then they were nice enough to put another credit on my account.

What really pisses me off is how readily companies will take money out of a bank account, and how much of a fit they will go into when they have to put it back. I know that it isn't the bank's fault, because it is much easier (and takes less clearance) to put money into an account than to take it out. In essence, my insurance company pre-paid themselves for their service that they hadn't performed yet, kept the money as a "credit" on my account when I changed my policy (which is like saying "I'm going to keep this money safe for you, even though technically it's mine"), billed me again, caused me $130 in overdraft fees, but then were nice enough to give me another "credit" for my own money, minus the fees. Sweet. Now that is a deal if I've ever heard of one.

And it isn't just insurance companies that do this: cable companies, cell phones, land lines, etc. Everyone gets paid up front for a service that they haven't performed yet, and may not perform. I think that I am going to try to do this at work. I can imagine how well HR will take it when I tell them that I want my paychecks up front, with no guarantees that I will be working those hours, and any money over the amount that I work will be applied to the next paycheck and not given back to the company. I think that they will like that.

That Whole Blingo Thing

2005-07-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it turns out that Blingo isn't just a shot in the dark after all. Today I received my first confirmed "winnings" in the mail. True, it was only a coupon to see a movie, but that is $10 that I now don't have to spend to see some dumb movie (which basically describes all the movies that are out right now).

I'm sure that the times that you will win an Ipod, Playstation, or Computer are very few and very far between, but a free movie now and again ain't that bad either.

So if you want to see a free movie, sign up for Blingo today!

Team USA Wins the Gold!

2005-07-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

The past three days has seen the ultimate frisbee games at the World Games in Duisburg, Germany. The World Games is a sort of tryout for sports to see if they are feasible as an Olympic sport, and so the IOC is present and taking notes during the Games.

That being said, Team USA has finished with the Gold medal, beating Australia in the finals 13-11. Why does this matter to you? Well, because my girlfriend is on the team, and I'm happy for her, that's why. And also because it is pretty sweet for Ultimate Frisbee in general, as the IOC has been pretty amazed by the level of the sport (athleticism, community support, organization, etc). So we may see Ultimate Frisbee in some Summer Olympics within an 8-12 year period.

Here are some pictures taken by one of Team USA's wives who got to go along for the ride. Lucky girl.

Swat. Step. Squish. Survey. Repeat

2005-07-23T18:38:00.000-07:00

I was at the local park, walking my dog (well to be honest, he was walking me, but that is another story), and I spent some time watching this woman.

Usually that comment is followed by a description of how hot this particular woman was, which would be why I stared at her for about 20 minutes. But this time, it was something different. I think that this particular woman was singlehandedly trying to eradicate the entire bee population of the park. It wasn't just an ordinary woman, it was a woman bent on genocide.

I didn't pay much attention at first, since quite a few homeless people hang out around that park day and night doing strange things, but her actions finally got to me. She would find a "target", swat with a rolled up newspaper, step on it, squish it to ensure death, and then look up and survey the surrounding area for more bees.

Swat. Step. Squish. Survey. Repeat.

It was brutally efficient, and totally unnecessary. Had she had some bee related incindent in her past that caused this action? Had a swarm run her out of house and home? Or was she just opposed to bees? Who knows. I just hope that when I am old I have a hobby that I can pursue with as much tenacity as she.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2005-07-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

You know, I'm kind of suprised by the lack of reference to the new Harry Potter book around the blogging community (or, at least, the blogging community that I associate myself with). I would have thought that there would be reviews, spoilers, pictures of people dressed like Hagrid and Dumbledore going to some convention, and the like. But so far, nothing.

That being said, I am going to undertake to fix this problem. I recently acquired the new Harry Potter book by JK Rowling, and what follows is my review:

It's a rather large book, coming in at 652 pages in the hardcover edition. The first chapter (the only one that I have read so far), isn't all that exciting. I don't think that will set the tone for the rest of the book, although I have some doubts as to what exactly will occur in this book.

According to the blurb on the dust jacket, it sounds like this installment in the Harry Potter series will only serve to set up later installments. It says, and I quote:

...Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who becamse Lord Voldemort-and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.

To me, it sounds like JK Rowling has come across something that every writer of a long series runs into: boredom with her characters. Basically, authors start writing about certain characters and they have all these ideas for plots, adventures, twists, turns, asides, insides, outsides, and themes. Sooner or later, these ideas run out, but the overarching story isn't complete yet. What do they do when this happens? Well, they don't give up, because their editors and fans would have their heads. So instead of taking a break and re-connecting with the characters, they cop out. They write another story in the series, but this story has nothing to do with the actual series. By this I mean that they write a pre-history, or they create a story of one of the supporting characters, or something along the lines of stepping away from the direct storyline.

What it boils down to is that most authors need to expand their creativity as artists, while most editors want to narrow it down to what has been selling well for them.

Of course, I have only read the first chapter of the book, so I can't really say that this will happen. But, once I'm done with the book (sometime between 8 hours from now to 1 week from now), I'll let you know a little more.

What Do I Do With An iBook?

2005-07-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a question for you: what should I do with my old (and the emphasis is on old here) iBook? It was a gift, and I never really used it at all. I've got some files on there, but nothing that I need and/or want anymore.

Here are the specs:

3 Gig G3 iBook

300MHz

Mac OS 9.0

64MB virtual memory

32 MB SDRAM built in memory

And here are what I am considering using it for:

Give it away as a contest

Use it for an internet only hookup

What I'm asking is this: does anyone out there in technology-land have a better idea of what I could use this for? I suppose that I could put some playlists on it and use it as a really big ipod for at home. But there has to be something better than that...

My Head, The Shield

2005-07-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

Evidently the last line of defense that I employ (after negotiation, dodging and weaving, and running away) is to take it in the head.

I spent last Monday night in the Emergency Room of the local hospital (which just goes to show what happens when you get cocky), and ended up getting my 23rd through 30th stitch underneath my right eye. Now you may think that this makes me look badass and tough, and you may be right, but that is beside the point. The point is that all 30 of these stitches occurred within a 7 1/4" diameter, that being my hat size and ergo, my head size.

Does my head emit some sort of subsonic signal that just screams to the world "C'mon! Give me your best shot you pantywaist!"? And if so, how do I turn that off (or better yet, turn it into "C'mon! You know you want me!")?

Updates, 7/22/05: I went in today to get my stitches removed, and I have a feeling that I would have been better off taking them out myself. The first nurse that looked at me had hands that shook like an epileptic at a Laser Floyd show (I'm going to hell for that one), and she only managed to get out 5 of the stitches before calling in her counterpart, big Doug, because she couldn't see the stitches.

Now big Doug had surprisingly tender hands for such a large human being. Unfortunately, he didn't have eyesight any better than Twitchy McShakes, my first nurse. When I got home, I went into my bathroom, looked in the mirror and actually saw parts of the thread that they had left in my face. Fortunately, I also have surprisingly tender hands for such a large person (larger than life, perhaps), and I managed to get the rest of the stitches out with some tweezers and a small pair of scissors. Fun times, let me tell you.

KEXP Bar-B-Que

2005-07-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to the KEXP Barbeque in the parking lot of the studio (pictures here). And I have to say, it was amazing. I only had one ticket, so I went by myself and just hung out, enjoying the bands, the people watching, the sun, and the food.

Speaking of the bands, four of them played throughout the day. Starting off was Crooked Fingers, who I hadn't heard of before, but I am a big fan now. I think it is nicer to have no preconceived notions of a band (or movie, book, idea, etc), and then being totally blown away by them, which is what happened for me with Crooked Fingers.

Next on the menu was Smoosh, an 11 and 13 year old sister combo. I don't know if I am more impressed that they sounded as good as all the other bands, or scared for that same reason. All things considered though, I think that this band is going to be something special, and something to keep track of in the next 5-10 years (just imagine how good they will be when they are 19 and 21?)

The third set was played by the United States of Electronica, a band that was thrown together as a farce for one show. But the problem was that they were too good for just one show, and their fans wouldn't let them quit. And I now know why: they rocked. Even for Seattle, a town where the crowd will sit and passionlessly watch a great band play a great set, U.S.E. rocked enough to get the crowd moving.

Finally, the Super Secret Headliner band turned out to be none other than The Go! Team. And like I said before about Seattle crowds being way too snobby and sitting with hands crossed while listening to a live show, the Go! Team rocked them as well. You can see in the pictures that I took that the crowd is actually responding to the animated Ninja (the lead singer). Now that is rocking.

D.B. Cooper's Disappearing Act

2005-07-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

Cooper simply did it for the money:

I had heard references to DB Cooper in different form for quite a while, but I had no idea who he was or why he was so famous. But, recently I watched the movie Without a Paddle, which is centered around some guys trying to find his treasure. Since it was a rental, that meant that I could sit and watch the movie, figure out the entire history of D. B. Cooper, and even determine where they were in Oregon during their adventrues.

Yes, I'm a geek.

What Happened to DisneyWorld?

2005-07-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

News - Finger Scanning At Disney Parks Causes Concern: Isn't Disney World supposed to be a safe place for kids and their parents?

Then why am I so suspicious of this new implementation at the Disney parks? They say that they aren't actually scanning for fingerprints, just the "finger geometry", which is like saying that your signature isn't your signature, it is just how you write your name on all your checks in cursive.

It should be interesting to see where this goes with the consumer rights groups/Civil Liberties Unions.

How to Get Fired in Under 12 Hours

2005-07-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

I stopped by my old place of employment to see some people and say hi, and I got this letter from them. I don' think that I should, but I really can't not share this with everyone. So, this is my advice if you want to get fired immediately: send this letter to everyone in your company.

An employee’s answer to a certain managerial publication.
“On second thought, reality and open communication aren’t so bad.”
-Company Newsletter, June 2005

Well, in the interest of this assertion by our fearless Vice President of Marketing, I thought perhaps it might be prudent to get some “open communication” out there from someone other than a manager. One thing I learned from my journalism studies is that one of the purposes of journalism is to serve as a watchdog for the community. This “watchdog” capacity seems to be lacking in our recent “corporate” environment these days, and could benefit hardworking employees that are feeling a bit under-valued as of late. Thus, here is my attempt at leveling the playing field and bringing the upstairs, upper management, upper-salaried persons “back in the loop.”

Here’s my reality
Reality #1: I currently earn $14.50 per hour. Which equates to $30,160 per year. So far in 2005, inflation has been averaging about 3%. What happens when prices have risen 3% and my salary has not? My salary is actually worth $29,255.20, or $904.80 less. This is equal to about 62 hours of work at $14.50 per hour which I will not be paid for.

Reality #2: “Simply put, there’s a philosophical difference between increasing pay based on taking up office space for a period of time and increasing pay based on value, effort and commitment brought to the company.” -Company Newsletter, June 2005. There you have it, fellow employees. If ever you were wondering how the managers viewed you, here is your stark reality: you take up office space for a period of time. Apparently those of us who did not receive raises do not bring value, effort, or commitment. Those two weekends I worked overtime were just for fun.

Reality #3: We have absolutely no clue what our healthcare benefits will be when we switch over to the new plan in August. August also happens to be in two months. Don’t be surprised when employee contributions to healthcare goes significantly up and that 3% decrease in salary because of inflation is decreased even more.

Reality #4: The average one-bedroom apartment in Seattle rents for $700 per month. This amounts to about $8,400 per year. With my gross annual earnings currently at $24,429.60, this leaves me with $16,029.60 per year to live off of after I put a roof over my head. After 3% inflation and no cost-of-living raise, this will actually be $15,548.71 to live off of. Paying your dues and putting in two years at a company does not appear to be paying off. One might think that perhaps it has something to do with my performance, but my most recent performance review was nothing but positive.

Reality #5: With all this difficulty getting raises these days, perhaps the best route to go is to shoot for a promotion. We are in fact a growing company that has created many positions over the past year. I was even told in an email from our fearless Vice President on October 18, 2004: “If you’re patient, there will be growth opportunities for our star performers.” In an email from the Vice President on October 19, 2004, I was also told, “…where there’s growth, there’s opportunity.”

My experience has shown that this is not the case. On May 6, 2005 I emailed the Vice President, asking if the new sales coordinator position in development would be open for everyone in the company to apply. Here was his response:

Hi. We expect to have three positions to post internally in the next week or so and all employees will be welcome to apply. They are: 1) Sales Coordinator; 2) Northwest Regional Sales Manager; and 3) Marketing Manager. The CFO will let us know when they're ready to post.

Thanks for your interest,

On May 9, 2005, a posting for the Sales Coordinator position was sent out via email to the company. We have yet to see a posting for the Northwest Regional Sales Manager position (although there have been several outside applicants coming in to interview for it, as some of you sharp observers may have already noticed), and the mystery Marketing Manager position.

On May 13, I was allowed the opportunity to interview for the Sales Coordinator position. “Rumor-mongering” and a sick feeling in my stomach tells me that the certain outside applicant to which the job was awarded had probably already been awarded the job prior to my interview (management, please correct me if I’m wrong). When I sent an email requesting the reasons they had decided to go with another applicant (information which would be helpful to me if I am to improve and hopefully next time be awarded that future promotion I might apply for), I received no response.

I was informed by the CFO that the Sales Coordinator position would be offered a salary in the range of $32,000 to $37,000 per year. What does this mean to me? A brand-spanking new employee to the company with equal responsibilities is making $2,000 to $7,000 annually more than I am.

Management: Super in the loop
Our company has been sold and this all leaves me wondering: was the collective managerial conscience included in that sale? GASP! How could I write something like this and hit send? This surely is an emotionally-charged, reactionary response to a poorly-worded news article.

I beg to differ. These are issues which have been weighing on my mind for quite some time. Call me a liar, but I actually am a firm believer in the benefits of straight-forward, open communication. So, sans rumor-mongering and innuendo, this is my reality. I would encourage other employees experiencing similar frustrations to also take the route of open communication and put their issues and concerns out there on the table. Who else is going to stand up for you but YOU?

I guess if all else fails, we all know where the door is. Don’t let it hit you on the way out.

This was sent at the end of a working day, and within 10 minutes of walking into the building the next morning, the person that sent this email was fired. And from what I hear, the door did hit her on the way out.

Blingo=Google with Prizes

2005-07-13T21:11:00.000-07:00

Blingo Search:

"How Blingo works:

1. We pick a bunch of random winning times.

2. Search at the right time and you win. No registration required.

3. Then tell us where to send your prize."

Join now at Blingo and you too could win prizes just for searching. It is the same as a Google search, but with your first 10 searches of the day, you are eligible to win prizes (Sony Playstation, Apple Ipod, Movie Passes, a years worth of Blockbuster movies, etc). Go ahead and sign up, then start searching.

It is also a referral based system, so people that sign up under your link also give you prizes (if I win a prize, James Archer also wins a prize, so good luck James!). And if you sign up under my link, if you win I win. It's a win-win situation.

Apple Lowers Price on Ipod Battery Replacements

2005-07-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

AppleInsider | Apple Retail offering $59 iPod battery replacements [Update]: this is only for qualifying Ipods, but if your is anything like mine, it qualifies.

I felt like I had to share this article after my earlier rant about my Ipod and how the battery sucks. I think it is safe to say that mine no longer holds a 50% charge. In truth, it is closer to a 0% charge. There is enough juice for it to tell me there is a low battery when I try and reset the thing, so I know that the Ipod itself still works.

And please don't get the impression that this is a Mac or Apple site. It just happens that these two stories had to be put up, since they are near and dear to my heart.

The Avalanches: Frontier Psychiatrist

2005-07-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

The Avalanches: Frontier Psychiatrist:

One of the websites that got me through the slow and painful days at my old job was Milk and Cookies, and I would spend a goodly amount of time there just searching through the archives.

Well, I checked in today, and what did I find? The music video to a song that is amazingly sweet, The Avalanches' "Frontier Psychiatrist". If you haven't heard it before, I recommend that you watch the video, and then also go out and get the song somewhere since the sound isn't the greatest on this video.

On the bright side, I now know half of the words that they are saying trhough the song that I didn't before.

Oh, and by the way, the song is sweet. Did I say that yet?

My #@*%ed Up Ipod

2005-07-10T22:17:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know how to fix Ipods? Because mine is broke, flat broke.

I don't know why, but the battery will no longer charge up through the adapter. And I know that the adapter is working, through various other tests that I have run to try and get the damn thing working again.

What I've got is a 3G 10Gig piece of...er, Ipod. And I got it off Ebay, so I can't get the Ipod Settlement battery replacement.

Or, on the other hand, if only two more people sign up for a Free Ipod under my referral link, this whole point will be moot and I'll just toss the damn thing away.

Or, and this is where things get interesting, a contest of sorts. For the next person that signs up and completes an offer under my referral id#, I will send you a $50 Gap gift card. The gift card is real, and I'll do everything that I can to prove that to you if you need it. And for the person that signs up and completes an offer after that, I'll give you a $25 Gap gift card, and the old Ipod (I'm sure this has some value to someone, just not me), complete with charger and earphones. I may even have the original instructions, operating CD with iTunes, and everything else that came with it that I will throw in as well.

I'm sure you are wondering about the Gap Gift Cards, well here's the story: they are from the place I used to work. They were a parting gift for my years of service when I finally quit. I've meant to use them, but every time I go to the Gap I can't find anything that I want. Basically, they are real, they will work, and you can have them.

If you have any questions, please post them in the comments. Thanks.

Another 4th, and no trip to the ER

2005-07-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

When I was 14, I had to go the the Emergency Room on the 4th of July. It had nothing to do with fireworks, or any sort of interesting story at all (I fell off the top of the monkey bars at a playground and broke my arm), but I did hear a pretty good story while I was waiting for my x-rays to get back.

It turns out that the guy in the curtain next to me (the one with the boxing glove bandages on) had been trying to make something go boom. He had taken apart multiple fireworks and made a pile of black powder on a stump in his back yard the size of a small anthill. After fruitlessly throwing matches onto the pile from a distance (which I assure you doesn't work, I've tried it too), he decided that a lighter was what he needed.

And I think that you can tell where this story is going, and yes, it is third degree burns over 95% of his right and left hands.

But I couldn't help but feel for the guy, mostly because I'm a pyro just like him. Well, not just like him. I'm not stupid. I enjoy blowing up apples, empty two litre bottles, the occasional pineapple, and etcetera, but I don't enjoy lighting myself on fire.

The biggest problem with this is that the last three years, I've played at a frisbee tournament on the 4th of July, and one that doesn't allow fireworks of any sort. Which means that I haven't had the opportunity to employ my "skills" in about 4 years.

And I'm itching to burn things.

I think that I may have to plan a trip to go see my brother, who is also a pyro, and always ready to get into any sort of fire fight (roman candle wars, throwing black cats at each other, concocting elaborate bombs that make incredibly loud noises, etc). If I live through it, I'll try to get pictures and stories to share.

And if anyone knows how to turn ordinary fireworks into something extraordinary, please feel free to write me and let me in on the secret.

Song of the Day

2005-07-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

DJ Z-Trip - "Breakfast Club"

Kings of Leon - "Four Kicks"

Beck - "Que Onda Guero"

Snow Patrol - "Run"

Smog - "Say Valley Maker"

Jim White - "Still Waters"

Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc"

Mountain Goats - "You or Your Memory"

Kaiser Chiefs - "I Predict A Riot"

Quantity vs. Quality

2005-07-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, I've changed my blogging habits as of late. I have moved away from a strict "this is what happened to me" style of blogging, and into more of a "wow, check out this cool stuff I've found" sort of blogging. I still add in the occasional post about parties that I've been too, and I still post the pictures that everyone wants to see, I just add other stuff now too.

Of course, I have been running into the issue of Quality vs Quantity lately with my posts. I went through a day or two with quite a few posts, and then slowed myself down as I looked back and realized that some of the stuff that I posted wasn't all that interesting (I'm going to leave it though, as a learning experience). I think that it stems from my efforts to try and draw in a bigger community to this site. I've added a wider variety of posts in hopes that a wider variety of audience will find the Party Season blog, like it, and stick around.

Unfortunately, I went a little "post crazy" for a while. Partially it was due to the w.Bloggar that has made posting so much easier, as well as the "Blog This" feature of the Blogger Blogs, but mostly it was me being post happy.

I'm not entirely sure what the future of the Seattle Party Season blog will involve. I have some ideas about where I want it to go, and what I want it to be, but I'm not sure what road I am going to take to get there. On the bright side, with my limited readership I don't have to listen to that many opinions when I make a choice that isn't that great.

I think that I just have to listen to my heart...

What's your pokename?

2005-07-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

Pokemania:

My Pokename is Drowwhirl:
Evidently, I live in the rivers of Sweden, and my diet consists mostly of meatballs, cows and kerosene (you'd be surprised how close this really is).

Characteristics (Combat and Non-combat):
I can puke hot death. I can throw acid. I have ten-inch claws. I can shoot rocks. I have cool shades. I can swim in air. I have a fear of sand.

My natural enemy is Lochu.

Go ahead a see what your Pokename is, you know you want to...

Potlatch Time Again!

2005-07-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

This past weekend served up another year of Potlatch, the biggest Coed ultimate frisbee tournament in the United States. Bringing teams from around the country, and even some international appearances, it is always a fun time with some fun people. This year had Team Canada (the Canadian national team chosen to compete in the World Games at the end of July) beating out the Vagabonds, a Portland area team in the A-pool finals.

I admit that I wasn't my usual photographic self, and I only ended up taking about 45 pictures. Fortunately, there are many other photographers that make the journey to the tournament, and you can catch some better pictures at their sites. Here are a couple:

Ali and Cedar's Page

Rathbone Images

Bil Elsinger's Photos

And I'm sure that there will be more to come...

The Ridiculously Thorough Guide to Making Your Own Pizza

2005-07-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

Pizza: "There are a few 'secrets of the trade' in making your own pizza; once you know them, it is not hard to make your own and it takes very little time."

I will admit that this is a ridiculously thorough guide to making pizza, from what kind of baking supplies you need, to how messy your counter will be, to what kind of cheese is best.

On the other hand, I don't really know why a web designer felt the need to put all the work into creating such a thorough "how-to" for making pizza on his business site. Things that make you go "Hmmm".

10 Tips to Create Greater Balance at Work

2005-07-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

10 Tips to Create Greater Balance at Work: "Be calmly active and actively calm: this is the secret to success at work"

Probably the best advice that I've heard about being productive. I remember times that I've seemed to work at an intense level for a short period of time while angry, but I can never seem to manipulate that situation to occur again. It is always something that just happens. For the rest of the time, the best advice I can give is stated above.

The rest of the 10 tips aren't bad either.

For help on how to get enough sleep, check out this article by Steve Pavlina on how to become an early riser.

Thanks to Forever Geek and Maniacal Rage for the link to Steve's article.

Make Yourself in Lego

2005-06-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

Create Yourself In Lego!

I've seen this before with Southpark characters, and here it is in Lego.

Click on different body part areas, and change them accordingly. You'll get the picture when you get there. You can see what I look like (more or less... ok, less) with my lego version.

Napoleon Dynamite's Effect on Idaho

2005-06-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

Airbag - Talons.: "I've always liked Idaho and now I like it even more."

The suits in Boise — for you American school children that's state capital of Idaho — took the time to commend Jared and Jerusha Hess and the city of Preston for their movie Napoleon Dynamite. I dare say you will have a hard time finding another resolution anywhere that includes words like "chickens with talons", "Tina the Llama", and "Kip's relationship with LaFawnduh."

As a product of Idaho, and Boise in particular, I'm not so sure what I think of this. On the one hand, I thought Napoleon Dynamite was a horrible movie. Obviously I am in the minority with that opinion, but basically I was bored stiff until the dance routine at the end. Now that was comedy.

On the other hand, it's always nice to have podunk Idaho get theirs. Because it doesn't happen all that often. And if you have never been to Preston, all you are missing you can see in the movie. It isn't like it is a magical and mystical place. It's boring. And this is coming from a guy who grew up in Boise, not the most exciting of spots.

Special thanks to airbag for bringing this to my attention.

Why do we have Wishlists?

2005-06-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

I just started a Wishlist on Amazon.com, mainly so that I could keep track of all the new CD's that I want to buy. But as I was adding different CD's to my list, I started thinking about how many different sites have Wishlists, and what exactly are they for?

For example, I have a Wishlist on my account over at Milk and Cookies, which has less than absolutely nothing to do with why I joined the site. I don't even remember what I have on my Wishlist, but I do know that it has absolutely nothing to do with watching the latest viral video, or playing different online games, which is why I go to the site to begin with.

Are there people in this world that go around searching through other's Wishlists, and then these people will (gasp*) buy total strangers what they want? If so, how do I get in touch with these people, and show them my wishlist?

I don't think that it is possible to get in touch with them for the simple reason that they don't exist!

Or am I wrong? Have you ever had a complete stranger fill an order from your Wishlist and give it to you? Let me know, so that my continued faith in the human race is not completely misplaced.

Voices behind Tigger, Piglet die

2005-06-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

CBC Arts: Voices behind Tigger, Piglet die:

Now that is a damn shame for the cartoon industry. Not only Tigger, and Piglet, but also Gargamel, Sexton Mouse, Deacon Owl, and Porcupine are now gone forever. What is going to happen when The Smurf's movie comes out? Because you know that they are thinking about it. Hollywood hasn't had an original idea since the original idea was to remake old movies and tv shows.

I wonder if these two were friends? I mean, it is interesting enough that they shared the commonality of Winnie the Pooh, but I have to wonder if it goes any deeper than that? I guess we'll never know...

Seattle Bus Monster

2005-06-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

Seattle Bus Monster: "In the Bus Stops section, type in an address, intersection, or landmark to find bus stops near that location. In the Routes section, type in route numbers to view routes, stops along those routes, and current bus locations. Traffic Conditions gives you access to hundreds of traffic cams in the area."

Wow, the most amazing use of Google maps that I have seen to date. And Google maps are pretty sweet to start out with.

Basically, this guy has fused Google maps with the King County Bus Schedule to create bus route maps. You can search an address of where a bus will st0p, you can search through route numbers, and it also links to a bunch of traffic cams so you can see what the traffic is like for your commute, right on the Google map.

I wonder if there is a possibility of adding in the satellite images into this interface? It is probably way the hell too much work for what it's worth, but that would be pretty sweet too.

Outdoor Movies

2005-06-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

Seattle Outdoor Cinema | Home: "The Fremont Outdoor Cinema is back for our 14th Season with more than just movies"

I think this is an awesome idea. What is the best way to create a community? Have community events where everyone can walk down, sit around and laugh, talk to their neighbor, and just have a good old time. I've personally never been a fan of the "suggested donation", but for this I might even dole out and watch a movie. Maybe I'll see you there.

Fremont Solstice Fair

2005-06-29T18:18:00.000-07:00

Fremont Solstice Fair - a photoset on Flickr

Here is another set of Fremont Solstice pictures for all you voyeurs out there. I'm sure that mine just weren't interesting enough for you, so here are some more (including the nekid bikers).

Make sure and check out the cars, some of them are pretty amazing.

Statler & Waldorf Sell Out

2005-06-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

Watch Muppet cranks Statler & Waldorf as they review current movies on Movies.com.: "Will War of the Worlds' aliens scare off our cranky coots? Will Bewitched be the end of Will? Plus, Pepe the Prawn begs Miss Congeniality to cuff him."

You know, I was really looking forward to this. Statler and Waldorf were the best thing ever to come out of the Muppets, and you could say that they were the original critics. What did they criticize? Everything, which is what made them great.

But after watching the clip, I was bored to tears. How could you take something so good and make it so bad? Honestly, the best part of the clip was when Pepe the Prawn referred to the movie as "Miss Congenitalia 2". Now that's funny.

"How to make a solar power generator"

2005-06-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

"How to make a solar power generator": "Using parts easily available from your local stores, you can make a small solar power generator for $250 to $300. Great for power failures and life outside the power grid. Power your computer, modem, vcr, tv, cameras, lights, or DC appliances anywhere you go. Use in cabins, boats, tents, archaeological digs, or while travelling throughout the third world. Have one in the office store room in case of power failures in your highrise. I keep mine in my bedroom where it powers my cd player, turntable, lights, modem, laptop, and (ahem) a back massager. I run a line out the window to an 8' x 24' panel on the roof. "

I thought that this was pretty awesome, and as soon as I run across an extra $300, I'm on it. I'll let you know how it works out, and then we can start having parties anywhere. We won't be limited to party only where there is electricity, or only when we have batteries. It'll be great!

I've Added wBloggar!

2005-06-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

What does this mean? Well, it means that posts should start coming more frequently now, because it is now a whole heck of a lot easier to post. All I have to do is open up a desktop application, type in my post, and it is online. None of this searching through my bookmarks for the blogger page, logging in, editing settings and posts, etc.

If you are curious, check out wBloggar yourself, and see what it is and if it can help you out. And check back here to see if I will actually start posting more and more often. Later.

Think About the Kids!

2005-06-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend's neice positioned her Barbie this way last week, saying that she turned her Barbie into a Superhero, and all her mom could think of was "Should I be worried?"

I thought to myself "Well Hell yes! You've got a closet case SM/bondage fetishist on your hands!" And it is a good thing that I thought that to myself, because that is not even close to what came out of my girlfriend's mouth next.

She started going on and on about how 9/11 has affected the children, and how this is obviously a re-creation of some hostage situation that her neice had seen on TV, and blah blah blah.

Is it just me? I mean, I look at these pictures, and I see Bondage in action. And I'm not talking about the James variety, but the real deal. Where did I go wrong?

Flickr

2005-06-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

I'm now testing for photo sharing. I have a couple of pictures up so far on the flickr site.

Please let me know if this is easier, harder, or indifferent when compared to the Ofoto pictures, thanks.

Update: I am more than likely changing back to the Ofoto pictures, since I have almost used my entire allotted Flickr space already, and have only loaded up three sets of pictures. If you haven't seen them yet, check them out.

My Lightning Quick Wit Strikes Again...

2005-06-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to the Fremont Solstice Parade in Seattle, which for those of you who have never been or heard about, it is basically a big Hippy Fest. This Hippy Fest is complete with nekid bikers, body paint, costumes, bums with bubblemakers, the whole nine yards basically. If you still don't know what exactly I'm talking about, you'll see later when I post the pictures that I took.

Anyway, Hippy Fest happened about 15-20 blocks from where I live, and since there was no way in hell I was going to drive down there and try to find a parking spot, I rode my bike. I was down there for about 4-5 hours, most of the time watching the parade after locking my bike up to a fence post. On my way home, I got back on my bike and rode through the fair that was happening alongside the Hippy Fest. It was pretty busy (if you've ever been to Mardi Gras, it is comparable), and so I was only riding when the street opened up, or on the sidewalks behind the booths. Basically, I was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, given that I was on my bike and there were quite a few people around, and I did a pretty damn good job of it too.

Near the end of the fair, as I was riding behind the booths on the sidewalk and there was no one within 15 feet of me, this guy stops me. I'll call him Farmer Bob, and this is why: he probably weighed in at about 275 pounds but he was only 5'8" or 5'9" at the most. He had what used to be a white t-shirt on that had turned into a dingy brown, with some rainbow suspenders holding up a pair of pants that should have been retired when Reagan was president. In his right hand he held some sort of fried chicken or bundt cake type object, and in his left was a corn dog. Now he walked into the middle of the sidewalk and looked at me with a smile, and said: "Keys join your Mike with its fizzy."

WTF?

So I stopped and asked him what he said, because he was looking at me all kindly like he may have needed directions or something, and he said: "Please shine your dyke when it's dizzy."

I tried one more time, and he finally managed to get out: "Please ride your bike when it's busy" at which point I realized he was being a jackass, so I said that I would and rode on.

Now, of course, I'm pissed. I wasted such a great opportunity to just rip into Farmer Bob, and all I came up with was "Ok, I will." So to try and rectify the situation (not that I have any hopes that Farmer Bob is computer literate, or any other literate, by any means, but I still want to vent), this is what I should have said:
1) Alright jackass, let's try a certain thing called annunciation.
2) Since you brought up the subject of being in the way, could you move your fat ass out of mine, because your belly is blocking more of the sidewalk than I could ever hope to with my bike.
3) Being in public does not mean that you get to be a dipshit. Unfortunately, that is normal for you.

...and on and on. Now, I think that it would be best to have people write in with their best comments, and what they would have said in this situation. C'mon, don't be shy...

The Capulets and Montagues

2005-06-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

What happens when you get a bunch of people from UW-Madison together with a bunch of people from Carleton College? Usually some sort of competition will emerge, shit will be talked, walks will be walked, someone will puke in their dress shoes, and the bride will get nailed with a kickball.

Or maybe that is just my impression of the wedding I went to the other weekend. Without naming names, I'll try to relate the story as best as possible:
Thursday: drinking and parking lot four-square (including toilet-bowls, tea parties, around-the-world, and a bunch of other rules that were just plain made up), people who don't drink a lot trying to match drinks with people who do, and ultimately one of the groomsmen vomiting on his own dress shoes (at least they were his own).
Friday: the groom-"I'm not drinking." Everyone else-"Boo." The groom-"Ok, but I'm only drinking Irish Car Bombs." A certain individual to the bartender after putting $100 bill on the bar-"Car Bomb's until that is done!" All I know from there was that there was a game of Ro-sham where the loser had his hand pee'd on. Nice.
Saturday: kickball, four-square (with the inclusion of Randy Johnson's, Karch Kirai's, one-legged hopping, and even more made up rules), the actual wedding (where the weather sucked until the bride walked down the aisle, and the sun came out to shine on her-pretty fricking cool), the reception, the dinner, the toasts, the dancing, the polka?!?, the after-party, and the closing of the bar.
Sunday: Perkin's (best hungover food ever!), then the beach.

As far as I can tell, here is who won: Madison-dancing at the reception, not puking. Carleton-kickball, the bouquet, the garter, the toasts. Others may have different opinions, but they aren't writing this, so too bad.

The pictures are here! I've put a few up on the Flickr account I set up, so take a look.

Painted Baby Judges You

2005-06-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

College Nationals was in Corvallis, OR the other weekend, and I went to watch. I took a bunch of pictures, some good and some bad. I will say that the best one happened at the house that we were staying at. During one of the after-play gatherings (and by gathering I mean that everyone and their favorite uncle gathered for a party), I took this picture. When I saw it, all I could think was that the baby in the painting was judging whoever sat in the chair. And found them undeserving.

Regardless, there were good times to be had. One being the overplaying of a certain video that seemed to grab everyone's attention. Another being the University of Washington women's team making it to the finals, even though this was the first National's that they had even been too.

I promise I'll update this post when I get the pictures online.

My Dog the Cupholder

2005-06-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

I have a weird dog. For everyone that knows him, they know that is an understatement, but it will have to do for now. Let's just say that he has issues with, in no particular order: abandonement, strangers, mailboxes, sprinklers, eye contact, people in our house, people near our house, and various others.

On the other hand, he provides me with no end of entertainment, again in no particular order, by: playing golf, chasing frisbees, playing tetherball, chasing a wiffle bat, running in circles, having balance issues in cars, and being a cupholder. I will just say that he was so interested in watching a frisbee being thrown that he held that cup on his head for about 5 minutes without moving.

Time is Catching Up With Me

2005-06-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

After my previous post, stating that nothing happens and I have no interesting stories to relate, blah blah blah, I've been swamped recently with things going on. Suffice to say that I have also failed miserably in relating those events to the faithful followers of the Party Season Blog. My bad.

I do promise that I will be updating this shortly, with stories, pictures, kickball, four-square, weddings, ultimate tournaments, and more. Please be patient (and gentle).

The Non-Party

2005-05-17T16:04:00.000-07:00

The biggest problem with the party season is that there is an off-season. Or, more correctly, the party season ends and the frisbee season begins. This pretty much means that there are fewer and fewer parties as the summer draws near, and even less through the fall.

What does this mean for a Party Season Blog? Death through lack? HELL NO! It just means that we will be branching out more when parties don't happen, and spending more time reflecting on the parties that did happen.

That being said, I haven't been to a party in a couple weeks (which is why I am gnawing on my arm right now). But I will relay a story that I heard from one I didn't go to:

Big fish, little fish, cardboard box.

And I know that only 20 or so people will understand that, but those 20 people will all smile.

I'm a Sucker for Consumerism

2005-05-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I went and did it. Not only did I sign up for the free ipod (link is on the right), but I signed up for the free flatscreen monitor too.

It's not my fault, I have an addictive personality. Instead of letting that out in the completely normal and usual way by drinking, gambling, smoking and having a lot of meaningless sex, I get free stuff.

It doesn't matter how horrible the stuff is, as long as it is free. I got 28 table legs the other day. 28. What the hell am I going to do with that? I can use 8, maybe 12. But they were free, so I had to get them.

Anyways, back to the free flat screens. I need some help to get this, and I'm hoping that you will help me (you = my audience, limited in number but not nature). Please sign up under my link.

Well, that is my plea, take it as you will. Now I need lunch.

Comments are a good thing...

2005-05-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

Y'all, just to let you know that you don't have to sign in to write comments. You don't have to have a Blogger account, or a username, or anything. You don't even have to leave your real name, or any name at all. But you can still leave comments, which I think would be kind of fun.

I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

Warning: Genius at Work

2005-05-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

I went to another birthday party last weekend, and although I was only there for a short time, I had fun. I also heard quite a few stories about the party the next day from other party-goers. My favorite story is as follows:
About midnight, the police showed up. Sam, the birthday boy, went to talk to them-
Sam: "What seems to be the problem officer?"
Police: "Well, it seems like someone that you didn't invite to the party was jealous, and called about a noise complaint. But I just can't shut this party down, you guys look like you are having too much fun."
Sam: "Ok. Uh, thanks?"
Police: "Yeah, you guys keep having a good time here, keep rockin'."

The story is better than that, but that is the abbreviated version.

The other story I'm pretty happy about is the guy in the picture above. He found a watermelon, and decided that it needed to have Vodka in it. So he started carving a hole in the watermelon to pour vodka in. Of course, he didn't really think it through, and then he made a critical error-he asked me for advice about how to do it. So I told him to carve a big enough hole to fit the top of the vodka bottle, and then just turn it upside down. And he did, and then left it in the sink to marinate.

A couple hours later, when they were cleaning up from the party, the watermelon was "found" again. Still in the sink, still upside down, and still with the vodka bottle pouring into it. Now that is genius at work.

Anyway, I was only there for a short time, but here are the pictures from the party. Enjoy.

Best Ways to Amuse Yourself at a Party

2005-05-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Everyone has been to a party where they were bored. Either they didn't know anyone, or didn't want to be out, or something else, but they ended up not having a good time. I think that is a crying shame, and I've come up with a list of suggestions to alleviate this problem, and hopefully it won't ever happen again. Here's the list:

1: Be the keg guy/girl - hang out at the keg all night long. Sooner or later, everyone will be by to say hello, and you never run out of beer in your cup.
2: Dance, but not well - this one is for those parties where you don't know anyone. Put on a snooty attitude, and then go dance as badly as possible. If anyone looks at you weird, give them as haughty a look as you possible can, and continue dancing. Hopefully you can convince others that you are the only "in" person at the party, and get them to start dancing like you.
3: Make bets about who is going to hook up, and then try to affect the outcome of the bet - everyone likes a party where they make money.
4: When no one is looking, change the CD's to show tunes. Bitch and moan when the host changes them for dance/techno. Repeat 15 minutes later.
5: Try to convince everyone that the keg is empty when it isn't - if they fall for it, take the keg into a private room/garage, invite your close friends inside, and try to finish the rest of the keg yourself.
6: Speak only in Lymerics (only for advanced amusers).
7: Try to convince as many people as you can that a small percentage of genetically gifted people can touch their elbows together behind their backs. It may not actually reveal genetically gifted people, but it will definitely reveal the "ungifted" (you'll know what I mean when you watch someone try to figure out how to get their elbows to touch for longer than 2 minutes).
8: Chair wrestling, enough said.

This list is not exhaustive, by any means, but it should be a way to start things going when you are bored. In fact, I think I'm going to try #8 right now, I'll let you know who wins...

House Parties: Great or Boring?

2005-05-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

What happened to the mid-week party? I remember some of the most fun I've had at parties is when I didn't even know there was a party until after I showed up. For instance, one Tuesday I went over to a friends place. There were a bunch of us there, sitting around and playing video games. A couple more friends showed up, and it became obvious that we either needed to start a party, or people were going to go home. So we started a party. 8 different half empty bottles of liquor and 4 hours later, it was one of the best parties I've been too. And the best part was that everyone there had a good time. There wasn't a person there that didn't want to be there, drinking, dancing, and having a good time.

Here's my question, when does that stop. Does that go away when:
1) You get a job
B) You get old
iii) House parties are too "college" these days
4) or simply no one cares about having fun anymore?

Suffice to say, I miss the good old days.

UW Ultimate Fundraiser Party

2005-05-01T11:15:00.001-07:00

Here's the premise: the UW women's ultimate team had a party for a fundraiser. They charged to get a keg cup, to get a shot glass, to get a shot glass with a shot in it, to get a shot glass and a body shot with your UW player of choice, to buy a disc, to buy a disc with Gin and Tonic in it, or just to buy a body shot or jello shot. Basically, they took advantage of the fact that college guys will pay a lot of money when good looking women are involved, and I think that it worked out for them.

It was a little strange to show up to a party with such a staggered ratio of men to women. I went outside to get a beer, and there were 40 guys on the deck, and one woman talking to a couple of them. Then again, I wasn't really interested in the body shot aspect of the party, so I just walked up to the front of the keg line and got some beer (by the way, if you are at a college party and 1-you have graduated from college, 2-you didn't go to the college that the party is being held at, and 3-you don't know a lot of people at the party, lines at the keg don't count for you. Just walk right up to the front, offer to pump the tap a few times, fill your beer, and leave). After that, a bunch of us found a couch right in front of the door to the keg and camped out. Now that is the way to party.

I did manage to take a few pictures too. I didn't want to take a lot of photos of body shots because it made me feel dirty. So if you're looking for some make-out action, there's plenty of it elsewhere on the internet because it ain't here. That being said, here's the pictures.

Please enjoy responsibly.

Let's go shoot something and eat it!

2005-04-22T23:35:00.001-07:00

You know, sometimes it isn't about going to a huge house party and staying out all night. It isn't about the club with that "hot n fresh" new DJ. It's not about the tight shirts, the short skirts, the fuck-me boots, the glitter and gloss and all that bling. Sometimes it just isn't about that.

Sometimes it's about drinking some beer and shooting some defenseless animals. Now that is a party!

The Pictures are Here!

2005-04-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

Y'all,

If you haven't noticed, I posted the link to the pictures from Chase and Skip's party. I've also got the pictures from Danny's 21st birthday party online now, for your viewing pleasure (and blackmail, of course).

Danny's Birthday pictures here.

Dirty South X-travaganza pictures here.

I'm still working on the pictures from St. Patrick's day, but don't worry, they'll go up sometime soon.

If anyone knows of any other picture posting venue besides Ofoto and Snapfish, let me know. I'm not sold on Ofoto yet, and Snapfish just plain sucked.

Dirty South X-travaganza

2005-04-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

Another party last night, and another 240 pictures that need to be posted. I promise that sooner or later I will get off my ass and find a good venue to share all the photos that I have.

Last night was Chase and Skip's Dirty South X-travaganza, complete with Miller High Life, Mint Juleps, women both barefoot and pregnant, Boone's, overalls, and an Atlanta NFL jersey. The party started a little slow and strange, with only a few people early in the evening and a strange mix of a college and non-college crowd. Asshole was played, the music was loud, I think that some pork was barbequed, and things started jumping. We fit a surprising amount of people into a pretty small space, and it never seemed too packed, which was nice.

I think that the highlights of the evening for me were Skip, Father Idaho, breastfeeding a doll, the Mint Juleps, and dancing with Kari and Viv. Others may have different points, but those really made the night for me.

The pictures are up!! Take a look now- www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=61261696906
and let me know what you think. I'm still not sold on the Kodak/Ofoto site, but at least I have some pictures up for y'all to look at.

Inaugarul Party Season Posting

2005-04-16T14:31:00.000-07:00

Due to to nature of the Ultimate Frisbee Season, it creates a "Party Season" after the final game of the year has been played. The Party Season usually starts the second weekend of November, and lasts through the summer (some hardcore partiers can make the season last until September).

This phenomenon has been going on for quite some time. Up until now, the only chronicle of this time has been through stories re-told over a drink or dinner (like how history was passed down before people learned how to write). Now that has changed. The technology is here, and it's time to start the Party Season blog.

I will be your host through this affair, as well as the "Unofficial Party Season Photographer" (yes, that is on my resume). The main purpose of this blog will be to share the stories and photos of parties past and present, to the chagrin of all involved. Also, if you have a party that you would like to post to the entire Party Season community, feel free to get in touch with me, and we'll make that happen.

But for now, enjoy the pictures from past parties that I have added post-humously, and know that more will be coming shortly.

2005-03-26T17:22:00.000-08:00

A friend of ours turned 21 the other day, so being the good and considerate drinkers that we are, we took him out to get sloshed (see above).

The evening started out innocently enough, with some beer at the Frat House. It was more the gathering place than a start to the evening. Soon after, we moved on up the street to Casa de MonGerBerg, where I think that things took a turn for the worse. That being tequilla shots with Rainier chasers. After a bit, the lucky birthday boy was presented with his present: a xx-small jersey, numbered 21, with the name "All Growns Up" on the back. This would come into play throughout the evening, as we also had permanent markers for other, more elderly drinkers to offer words of advice. I still think the best was the police officer who offered this gem: "Use both hands." Seattle's finest.

After spending some quality time at the SteinRothHans, we moved downtown to Cowboys, Inc, after a quick stop for some vodka shots, arm wrestling, handcufffing, and general hooliganism at a friends. At Cowboys, Inc, they have two things going for them: a mechanical bull, and girls that dance on the bar and slap you in the face. Odds are, one of those things will turn you on (I won't say what mine is, but I am from Idaho so you should be able to figure that one out). So our birthday boy shows up, gets a can of whip cream dumped on his head followed by a pitcher of water, and the club is going.

After watching several of my friends get turned down to ride the bull (evidently you can't be drunk and ride a mechanical bull-who knew?), we finally saw a few make their 8 seconds. I've got some good pictures of the bull, and the bull riders, but sitll haven't posted them (see other posting).

We finally got kicked out of Cowboys, Inc (evidently you can also be too drunk for a bar-again, who knew?), and we made our way back to the "handcuff incident" apartment near the Convention Center. The birthday boy was still going strong, so we repeatedly offered him "water" to sober up. After the first few shots he figured out that "vodka" and "water" aren't one and the same. But he did manage to lie down on his soap box and spout off about anything and everything, to the amusement of all present.

And to end the evening, we "almost" got back to the Frat House when the birthday boy decided that he didn't agree with all that he had to drink. He almost made it out of the car too, more's the shame.

2005-03-17T16:33:00.000-08:00

For St. Patty's Day we had to go out and support the local Irish by drinking heavily. So we did. The original plan was to go to Murphy's on 45th, because they had live music and a "lively" Irish scene.

Well, when we got to Murphy's, the place was packed and they were charging a $10 cover. Since we were with a bunch of poor college kids (and poor web designers), we decided that the $5 difference in cover charge between Murphy's and O'Sheas was enough to make the difference, so we trekked on down to O'Sheas.

And I'm glad we did. We would have missed the Bagpiper, the table in the corner that somehow was still open when we arrived, seeing Mick (owner/bartender) as happy as I've ever seen him, and more.

Sooner or later (I promise) I'll post a link to the pictures that I took from the night. I'm having issues deciding which photo site to use, those issues mainly centering around ease of use and how free they are to use. If you have any thoughts on the subject, please feel free to email me.