Black Jack and Free Booze

My long awaited trip to Las Vegas has arrived and boy do I need it. All this stressing out about my future, moving away from my family and friends, from everything I know, has taken a toll on me mentally and I need some time to unwind and forget about it all. Just me and my boys in Sin City getting into trouble. Nice. I'll be sure to tell you what I can remember when I return...and relax, I don't believe in that nonsense about what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Fingers Crossed

The meeting explaining exactly how relocation monies work took place today and I got a better idea of how this whole move to Georgia will go down over the next couple of months. In early June I need to venture back down there to find an apartment to live in and then I'll eventually have to move down there in late June/early July. This takes planning, time and money to execute, so hence the company has supplied us with a contact person whose job in life is to help people relocate. Who would have thought a job like that exists. To be perfectly honest, I would be an idiot not to pursue purchasing a home in Georgia considering the resources I will have a my disposal, but I'm still apprehensive about making that kind of committment. Not a committment to Georgia, but a committment to a home. I'm an ancy kind of guy. I like to move a lot, so I don't usually tie myself down in one spot for very long. Plus, they have really nice loft apartments down there in Augusta and I've always wanted to live in a loft. In any case, my work is cut out for me.

Right now, I'm more or less focused on solidifying who's in and who's out amongst my peers and employees. I know a couple of people that are locked in to going, but some folks are still holding their cards tight to their chests. It's an odd set of circumstances and I just want it to progress the way it is going to already. Let's figure out who's in and what everyone needs to do to make this thing happen. I am happy that 3 very talented members of my staff are considering moving with the company enough to be road tripping there tomorrow and coming back on Sunday. In addition to being perhaps the 3 coolest chicks working for the company, they also will possess a ton of knowledge that will help us in the long run trying to acclimate 200 new employees to the job. Can you imagine? 200 people that right now haven't a clue what Urban Outiffters is even, will be working there in less than 10 weeks. And I very well could be one of only two managers making the journey. Holy shit. My summer is over. In any case, I really hope Syd, Lindsey and Tena enjoy themselves down there while I'm partying my nuts off in Vegas and decide to make the move. I could use all the friends I can get down in Augusta. Fo' Sho.

Westward Ho

Helicopter

For lack of anything better write tonight, I'm sprinkling in some links to crazy shit in between whining about life. It makes me feel better to know that while you are reading about how pathetic and sad I am, you can easily click a link and chuckle a bit.

Stumpy Spindorfer

I was thinking today that I can't quite understand why there are so many really smart, funny and attractive women that are involved with such complete assholes? Then there are the single girls who are just looking for an asshole. Mind boggling.

Pirate's Treasure

I was also thinking, how the hell did Veronica beat Jodi in the Inferno?

Rappy Birfday

But mostly I have been thinking of Vegas. I'm about to roll out to this oasis in the desert and I can't fucking wait.

Double Down y'all!

Phase 1: Taking Stock

Time to take stock of what I have accumulated in life thus far and what is important to actually make a move to Georgia.

1. Couch - I've had this blue Ikea thing for quite a while and it's made many a move, but frankly I don't think it's that comfortable and I'm not in love with having a blue couch anymore.

2. Red Chairs (2) - These bitches are just plan dirty. Unfortunately they are the kind of chairs that are covered in Non-Removable fabric causing them to basically never be cleaned in the 6 years I've had them.

3. Bed (Mattress and Frame) - Although I love my mattress, I'm just thinking it's wise to grab a new bed and begin a new. 10 years is a long life for a bed.

4. Ikea Shelving - I've had my shelves for so long they have become like a member of my family. I think I will have no choice but to bring them along.

5. Book cases - Ikea book cases, especially the Billy model, don't move well. Each time I move them, they get a little more wabbly and the fucking backs always come off. These are trash.

6. Computer desk - I have this ergonomic super desk that my Dad got me for XMAS a couple years ago...and I couldn't see myself not bringing it.

7. Television (36 inch) - Tragically this beast is history. Brother Mike could use a TV for his new abode and I'm so not moving this 300 lb fucker to another house.

It's always good to travel light anyway, so this is probably a wise decision. I'll be able to hopefully find a cheap couch down there. I'll probably go smaller with the TV this time round and perhaps go flat panel. The rest of it will come as it comes...

I laughed and I didn't even play Nintendo.

The New Muse

I managed to coax another teenage beauty queen into posing for me and the results are now viewable by clicking the title of this post. Hopefully you see some improvement and not just a pretty face. But I have to admit, this new girl Lauren is just plain gorgeous. Yowza!

I have decided to upgrade cameras and pursue buying a digital SLR. Mainly I am sick of getting film developed and noticing a lot of mistakes. The cost of developing is so ridiculous it's just not worth it. Of course, a $1,000 investment in a digital camera to just take pictures of pretty young things might border on nuts. Everyone has to have a hobby right?

I can assure you that Lauren is safe and sound and not tied up on my bedroom floor.

Heat Wave

What was up with yesterday people? It was literally 95 degrees in my apartment...I toyed with perhaps busting out some air conditioning. It's April for fuck's sake.

I guess I picked a lousy day to get through my latest portrait session with a model, since I'm sure most of the pictures will come back with her all aglow. The sweat was pouring off us both as I tried to properly light the scene and the fan oscillating in the background wasn't enough to help. I can report that my new model, Lauren, was not only giving and attractive, but she had experience...something that I have yet to get when using a model. I'm confident that I will turn out a better crop of photos then the last time. One step closer to perhaps turning this little hobby of mine into something more.

The Woodsman

Kevin Bacon playing a child molestor just strikes a chord in me as something I have to see. Ever since my teenage years, I've been a real fan of Mr. Bacon, and I think he currently is one of the better actors out there. Perhaps a bit unsung however, since he takes risks and does great work in movies that are not seen by enough people. Or he works in large ensemble casts and is so subtle and real that he doesn't stick out as a performer, which is a testament to his talent. Bacon puts in another amazing performance in the Woodsman as a recently paroled man who has a passion of getting young girls to sit on his lap. The really harsh scenes are played out in a very intense but non-exploitative way, they have a underbelly of disgust AND sympathy for all parties involved. My one problem with the script was that it was loaded with back stories involving molestation perhaps to drive home the point that situations like this happen all the time? Bacon's character sees another molestor at work across the street from his apartment, tries to molest a girl who is already a victim at the hands of her father, develops a relationship with a woman at work who was molested by all 3 of her older brothers as a child, it's a bit of overkill and not very believable in my opinion. The strong acting work of Kevin and his off screen wife Kyra Sedgwick take this movie from a C to an A. With another set of actors, this movie may have just been odd and creepy like a Todd Solondz flick, instead you have a very detailed and nuanced examination of the act of molestation.

It's Getting Hot In Here...

I can't find my lease! I knew moving into this place that there was a chance I would be moving somewhere quick, so you would think I would put the lease somewhere easily accesible for just this situation. Nah. It's MIA. Oh well. I will have to talk to my landlord in person anyway about breaking that shit...

Slurpee might be the best thing ever invented. I'm enjoying a large Pineapple/Sour Watermelon beauty right now while listening to some Frank Sinatra. Nancy with the Laughing Face...ah, Frank.

So this whole moving thing is really hitting me. I'm actually doing it. I'm shedding my old life and starting over. I decided tonight to sell most of what I own and say "fuck it"! I'll buy what I need when I get down there. Considering that we are going to build up a work force from scratch, I'm guessing I won't have much free time for the rest of the summer. And then it's XMAS. Oh yeah, in the world of catalogue/web retail, XMAS begins in September. 4 months of slammage.

But I'm embracing it. The idea of being in a new town, meeting new people...however, it's not stopping me from relentlessly trying to get some people to join me on this adventure. My theory is that this is a once in a lifetime chance and there are some people at work that could use the change. Just like me. It's a bold statement to make, to pick up and leave this town....but why the hell not? And I'll be better with some familiar faces around me.

Even if no one else goes down there, I still have my rock...joolie. My fellow supervisor and my soon to be only friend in the world within driving distance is definitely going down there to GA as well. And I'll tell you what, if she wasn't I am not sure I would feel brave enough to do it. The girl is fearless and brings out the best in everyone she is around...her confidence in this decision to move empowers me. Hopefully she isn't unwittenly helping me make the biggest mistake of my life.

Enough blathering tonight. I'm up for a DVD and some more sweating....

Independent Cinema Gone Wrong

My friend and former bandmate Evil Jared has gone ahead and decided to take a chance by acting in his first non-porn movie. Now if the name White Men Can't Rap isn't scary enough, how about co-stars like Ness from Making the Band 2, Correll Buckhalter from the Eagles and a cameo by Stevie Wonder. (At least the guy in the trailer sure looked like Stevie Wonder) Good Jared, another friend of mine, witnessed this abortion this past weekend and said that it is just so not funny it's down right sad. Before the credits roll you are reflecting on just how much delusion this filmmaker must be suffering from.

Now I've seen some of Evil's work and his equipment, and I can honestly say he should stick with porn.

So Long Philadelphia, Hello Georgia!

The day has arrived and I can once and for all make an announcement regarding my future. I'm headed to the wonderful Central Savannah River Area which is essentially the border of South Carolina and Georgia before July 1st of this year. Why you ask? Well, my job is relocating our facility there and I can't pass up the offer. It's a great opportunity to be part of a start up of a company of this magnitude. Plus, I'm getting money to move there from the company. And, after visiting the Augusta, GA area this weekend, I'm honestly excited for the change. My new office will be in the middle of Peach Country...Trenton, SC but I'd prefer to live in the closest "big city" around there, the very manageable and pictureseque Augusta. Philly has been good to me, but I have never really moved away from here and I'm thinking it may be time to do so. I'm in a rut, a routine, I'm bored. I'm hoping the change will do me good and help me thrive again.

Come visit!

(S)crapbook

Mikey Drumsticks, a horror movie fan and film student, recommended I sit through a movie called Scrapbook. Made in 1999, but not released on DVD until recently, the film is a portrayal of a serial killer who is compiling a "scrapbook" of his 12 years of killings. I'm a serial killer fan and thought that this might be interesting, so why not. What Mike said was compelling was the documentary feel of the movie, it looks like this might be "real" in a Blair Witch kind of way, a statement that I disagree with. The only thing that is real about it is that they got an actress to "really" allow herself to be humiliated for 90 minutes straight. The movie looks like something my friends would have made in college if we were able to coax a girl into allowing us to do all the things this director and writer get this chick to do. The guy playing the killer is the writer of this hunk of shit and the irony of it all according to the special features eulogy to him is that he died before he ever saw the completed project. This movie has elements of gonzo porn to establish a back story that is just too brief to explain how a guy winds up killing people for 12 years. There is never any threat of the guy getting caught, probably because that would require another actor and there wasn't enough of a budget for that. The really depraved aspect of the whole thing is that it's intensely, and I mean intensely, humilating for the female lead and our killer's latest victim.

Apparently the guy likes to kidnap and torture people. During the process he collects body parts like fingers or toes that fall off, receipts from wallets and other collectables from his victims and arranges them in a "scrapbook." While the torturing process seems to last a while, he manages to get his victims to get in on the action and write about their torture experiences in his scrapbook before he kills them. Trust me, my description is ten times better than the actual execution of all this scrapbook nonsense. The fact that this appears to have been filmed on video makes the "dark" aspect of the props seem rather silly and completely fake. What the video does do however is make the torture scenes seem that much more realistic which was probably the only aspect of the film the creators focused on. Why do I think that? Well, they include a laundry list of sick shit that you can just tell were the backbone of why they made this movie. Getting back to the humiliation factor, our victim is put through the following over the course of the movie.

1. Raped. This movie is NC-17 and the rape looks as real as can be.
2. Pissed on. I mean actually pissed on. You see the guy wipe it out and tinkle. This is immediately following rape #1.
3. Placed in a 20 gallon trash can, the rubber kind, with a couple gallons of milk dumped on her. Then the lid is duct taped down and she is placed out in the sun like this for a couple of days? When she is reopened, the milk has soured and she appears to be covered in cottage cheese. Yummy.
4. This milk souring incident leads to a shower. The victim is handcuffed to the shower head, stripped naked, forced to "drink" a whole bottle of shampoo and then raped anally for good measure.
5. Moving on the post shower rape (#3 if you are keeping count) our killer is having problems with getting an erection and decides instead to rape our victime with a wine bottle.
6. And now this is just crossing the line for an NC-17 movie, the killer forces the victim to attempt to perform oral on him. I mean for real. Brown Bunny style. It's nuts.


Overall, the lead actress is basically in state of nudity the entire 90 minutes. Did I mention that not only is she not that attractive, but that she could very well be a lesbian? Wouldn't that be an odd twist considering the intensity of the performance? If you like brutality and just perverse shit, then you might actually think this movie is alright. Myself, I'm into creepy serial killers, but this was too low budget to make me think that it was really happening. Instead I was stuck on how awful it must have been for this woman to make this film. Maybe almost as awful as if it were really happening to her. But then, maybe that was the intent?

Out of Towner

So I'm going to be out of town this weekend and not in a position to post anything of importance (or not of importance as it might be). Below is some junk to keep you amused that I have pillfered from a variety of sources. As a side note, the newly renovated Forces of Good site will be up and running shortly and I will have a strictly entertainment related blog on there that you will no doubt want to use as a companion piece to this reading this shit every day, weeek, month...whatever. Keep your eyes and ears open for a formal announcement soon enough.

Draw a Pig Personality Test! : Just like using Paint on your computer, you draw your best representation of a pig and then this site will spit out some junk about what kind of person you are. To see my Pig and what it says about me....CLICK THIS! My apologies in advance for such a pathetic representation of a pig.

Hello! is a link that is a combination of Right Said Fred, the drummer from No Doubt and a protest about who knows what. In other words, turn the volume up and enjoy. (P.S. If you change the word hello in the URL and put another word under 9 letters there, you can change the sign and therefore enjoy this for hours and hours and hours. If you need help doing this, then you could be retarded.

Do this jawn but it's funnier if you don't use your name, but someone you love or someone you hate or a the name of a fruit or a funny phrase. Again...you can repeat this over and over again until it's 4 AM and you have to work the next morning at a decent hour and you can't believe how much time you devoted to such a mindless form of enjoyment.


Drunken Stepfather is a new daily read for the sick and twisted. Those Vida cell phone pics, embarassing celebrity pictures (see below) and some filthy sex related shit can be found on this nutty site.



Speaking of Celebrity...Chris Klein got a DUI, Joaquin Phoenix is in rehab for drinking and Nadia Turner gets the American Boot...celebrity IS a bitch.

Mixed Media

Bought a couple CD's this weekend that I was thinking I might mention. Tegan and Sara are some emo chicks that have a really distinct vocal styling about them. I'm really into this one song because lyrically it's kind of how I think about shit. "You Wouldn't Like Me," off of their album So Jealous has this great hook..."i think that i wouldn't like me if i met me"...that's rich. So yeah, a bunch of the other tracks are cool as well. Slightly depressing lyrics, upbeat tonality. Yeah.

Then there is The Bravery who are getitng some shit lately for being a Strokes/Killers retread or something like that. I can't keep up with all the nonsense....either I hear it and like or I hear it and it's shit. You dig? Anyway, sounds more like 80's to me than anything. Some Cure in there, some keyboards....I like it. I like it A LOT. Jammed it in traffic today on the way home a rush hour...windows down....got some stares. Fucking people.

Caught some movies this weekend as well. Last time out I saw the Jacket and therefore I decided against going to the theater for the remainder of March a notoriously horrible month for movies. The post award show lull as I like to call it. Anyway, saw Upside of Anger which was really good and saw Sin City which was very strong visually, not so much in the story line/acting departments. I'm not a fan of the grapic novel/comic book thang, so maybe that killed if for me. I still liked it despite it's flaws, so that's saying something.

Not my best "reviews" of all time. But it's after Midnight and I'm fucking beat.

I Never Learn

Whenever I am around a buffet, I usually have the sense to stay away from it. Food made in mass quantities just cannot be prepared properly. And despite my expansive waistline, I'm quite sensitive in the stomach region. Another reason to leave that shit alone. Well, tonight I was feeling a little light headed at a graduation party and decided that perhaps some bread, a salad and some potato salad might do the trick and not cause me any pain. Wrong. Within 10 minutes I could feel the churning and burning in my abdomen. To add to this misery I have my baby brother shunning me because I'm in pain and therefore not much fun to be around. It's tough to socialize and ogle women when you are about to shart yourself at any moment. I finally had my fill of Electric Slide and decided to head home early...spending another in a long line of lonely nights home alone instead of shaking my groove thing with recent college grads at Whiskey Tango, the local White Trash bar of choice on this fine spring evening. As I pulled off onto the street in route to beautiful Roxborough, I felt the aching that has become all to common place in my life. I had no choice by to drive unusually fast through residential neighborhoods on my way towards the home of my childhood. The quaking in my bowels was too much for my belt, so I was forced to loosen it and undo my jeans button. I made the 15 minute drive in under 6 and quickly raced up the front steps, unlocked the door (thank God my key still works) and nestled my large frame on that tiny bowl and let loose. Another one of those moments in life when you think to yourself, "why me?"

Happy Hour

I attended my first happy hour in probably over a year tonight. This place called Roosevelts has a special whereby you pay $7 to get in and basically drink for the next 2 hours on the house. It's like a keg party, but shorter waits for beer. The honoree tonight was baby brother Dan who had a birthday recently pass. All the people I've met over the past 3 years were there celebrating with him, and I managed to see some old faces...which was very nice.

The Penn honeys were in effect. Gorms made a showing. Big Larry and his "girlfriend" Katie. I'm glad I went out. My buzz is wearing off now, but before it did completely I wanted to capture the moment. Not sure when I will be in the same room with these good people again...life is moving at such a quick pace that you have to savor the moments you do share with each other.

Progress Report

I set a goal about 6 months ago that I didn't really share with too many people. Unlike when I quit smoking and eating fast food, this goal is a negative one. I decided that I wanted to become one of those people that winds up on Maury Povich and is so fat that they need to be airlifted from their house. This type of goal takes a lot of work, you need to arrange for home delivery of meals, a nice "work from home" job needs to be acquired and you ocassionally have to "upgrade" or "upsize" your wardrobe. So far, I've not been able to find a new job to allow me to concentrate all of my energies on eating and laying still, but I do have some progress to report. I'm blowing by the XXL tee shirts for the roomier XXXL size!!!!! And I'm having trouble seeing Little Skip without the aid of a mirror. Glory be. I'm so excited.

To celebrate, I went to FORMAN MILLS the other day and stocked up on a whole rainbow of plain colored tees in the Triple X size and when I got home I realized I had inadvertantly purchase what the gals at work call a "ghetto gown." For those of you who don't know, did you ever see a "thug" looking guy at the movies (usually the one waiting for his girlfriend to buy the snacks or talking on his cell phone during the movie) who has on a baseball hat sideways and a tee shirt that basically hangs down to his knees? That's the look. I put on this shirt I bought in a lovely dark gray, jersey type material and the thing hung down to my knees. Being the white guy that I am in, and extremely lazy, I did what anyone else in my position would have done. I tucked that shit in to my pants. The office was so hot yesterday, that at some point I felt constricted and had to abort the "tuck in" and just flaunted my new look. I think I may have some newfound respect from a couple of people due to my brazen decision. I looked very Bone, Thugs and Harmony meets the Family Guy. The sad part of this story is that I'm gaining weight so fast I don't think it will be long before I have to upgrade again to 4X and then my new look will most likely bite the dust in exchange for the oversized medical scrubs; strictly for comfort purposes.

A&E Reality TV

I stumbled upon this new show on A&E called Intervention. I recalled hearing something about this show a couple weeks ago, some were arguing that it was wrong since an invention should be private and that these addicts were being exploited. Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself...

Here's what A&E says the show is all about:

"A new documentary series, INTERVENTION  profiles people who are losing the battle with their addictions, and whose friends and families feel the only remaining option is to hold an intervention.

Each documentary follows the lives of these addicts, taking an unflinching look at the impact of their addictions on their everyday lives, all the while the addicts are unaware that an intervention is being planned.

Each airing ends with the friends, family and a professional interventionist urging the addict to get treatment. If the individual should choose treatment, the addict immediately enters a widely respected treatment facility."

Sounds kind of like Cheaters, but the cameras are following the actual Cheater or in this case, the addict. The episode I saw featured a gambler and a shopper, although there are episodes that deal with druggies and alkies. What disturbed me about this show is that both parties profiled had backgrounds in entertainment and lived in LA, giving the whole show a feeling of complete phoniness. Gabe, the gambler who is 200K in debt, was a child prodigy who graduated college at 14 years old but who currently doesn't have a job and is wearing his parent's down financially. The shopper chick, I can't recall her name, used to be a regular on the first 3 seasons of ER as a nurse...now she has a laundry list of mental disorders and spends all of her money on material items. The acual interventions had this really odd feel, like the people doing the intervention were forced to be there but didn't really care about the person "in trouble." I don't know what to make of this shit, but I guess the more troubling aspect of this show for me was that it was on Arts and Entertainment TV? WTF? I think A&E needs to reconsider changing their name at this point. They have Growing Up Gotti, Dog the Bounty Hunter, some Robbie Kneivel mess and now this show about addictions. What an odd direction to go in, but honestly who watched A&E before they moved into this forray? I know I didn't.

Sidenote: The shop-aholic chick not only mentions Anthropologie by name in this episode, they film her buying shit there. I'm not sure my employer is aware of being featured in this manner on a TV show about addicitons, but I'm certain they would love the press.

Dead Guys

When I was 12 I went on a summer tour of Europe with the Philadelphia Boys Choir, of which I was a member. During our trek through Italy, France and Monaco, we sang for various dignateries and important figures all of whom seem to be dying this week. That's right, I once stood in Saint Peter's Square and sang for Da' Pope along side 100,000 common citizens who were there to see the Pope Mobile I assume. Our meeting was brief, but I did kiss the ring (you got to!) and say hello to John Paul the Deuce. The week before this event took place in the Vatican City, we sang at the palace of Prince Ranier of Monaco where I became quite smitten with a young girl named Stephanie. This gal would later go on to become a head case named Princess Stephanie, daughter of Grace Kelly...I guess I missed the boat on that one. Well, I was just reading that Prince Ranier died earlier today. It's kind of odd to have two men that you met 20 or so years ago, in a fleeting situation that has become dulled by fading memories, die in such proximity to each other. At the time I was more concerned with hormonal issues than the "greatness" of what I was doing as an "ambassador" to Philadelphia. I do recall a lot of things from this life altering trip at such a crazy age. I saw my first set of boobs in France. I got crazy sunburn in Monaco by falling asleep poolside for 3 hours. I lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks and didn't shit once because I hated all of our food options. See what I mean, it's weird the things that I recall from this trip that take precedence over meeting the Pope. Anyway, I thought I would share.

Gwen Stefani = Talentless

Twin Sin Cities, Sports and this Weekend.

As if anyone will care, my beloved Phillies won their opener yesterday 8-4 over the former Montreal Expos, now called the Washington something or others. Looks like getting Lieber and Lofton from the Yankees wasn't too bad a move. And Burrell is back! Who am I kidding, it's been 1 game...I'll calm down now.

So this coming weekend is my long awaited 3 day weekend...oh my. I'm besides myself with having 3 whole days off in a row that I have no idea what to do to celebrate such an event. Now I do have some things already lined up, like a graduation party on Saturday evening up in the lovely, picturesque section of Northeast Philly. I'm quite anxious to see a movie, espcially the Upside of Anger with Costner and Joan Allen. I've heard good things about it, unlike Sin City. Everyone and their mother saw Sin City this weekend and I've been hearing all kinds of reviews on this jawn. Looking at the real critics hasn't been much help either since their opinions seem to be all over the map as well.

Roger Ebert says, "This isn't an adaptation of a comic book, it's like a comic book brought to life and pumped with steroids" and gave it an A rating...hmmm, perhaps.

My buddy Gabe Jazzy says "Really hot" but this guy loved Harold and Kumar, so I'm cautious.

The New York Times says "The major problem is that after about 10 minutes, you've seen all the movie's tricks." and my co-worker Joolie agrees that it was "stupid."

Baby Brother Dan was high on this one and said he appreciated the style and the direction that Robert and Frank were going in as directors, he said it was Tarantino-esque. Hmmm. I like that.

I don't know. Maybe this weekend I'll squeeze in a viewing if I can. More importantly though, I'm almost off to the real Sin City out in Nevada. The countdown to Vegas has begun. 22 days left.

I'm also awaiting a call to confirm another photo session with the lovely Amy. I'm got a bunch of cool ideas that might actually turn into something paying if they come out right...so I'm amped about that. Looking like either Saturday or Sunday afternoon will be devoted to snapping some shots...and that's hot.

The reality is that I'll be happy just to rest and relax this weekend, as I've been working so much lately that I'm just plum sick of going there. It's not the job or the people, it's the routine that is getting me down. And the fucked up schedules.

Past, Present and Future

As this wet weekend comes to a close, I find myself in a reflective mood. I spent Friday night drinking some beers with my baby brother Dan and my old roommate Kevin in my living room and talking about the evils of Jack Johnson, the greatness of Kelly Clarkson and the merits of Hang Ten Whiskey. Our piss poor attempt at three man drinking games took a back seat to some decent conversation about the future for all of us. Collectively I think we all wish we could go back about a year and do it all again, especially considering that these two now live back a home with the parental units. However, all 3 of us are embarking on new chapters in our lives and there is a weird undercurrent of "are we going to see each other very much" in the not so near future?

By the way, I just had a double shot of Veronica by Elvis Costello and Needles and Pins by the Ramones on my Itunes while writing that last paragraph. That's hot.

Yesterday I had off and got to soak up the monsoon like conditions on the highway while traveling to the Northeast to pop in on the family. Got to be the guy to bring down my baby sister when she woke up from nap time which is always a nice event. Except for the crying. Primarily I had to make the visit to register as a democrat since that politician dude helped me out of my ticket nightmare. I also got extorted for $30 by this dude for some benefit beef and beer he's having for Autism in a couple weeks. I can't attend, but you gotta grease the wheels...you know? The plan for Saturday has been set for weeks since my college roommate was passing through the area on his trek back from Easter with his and his wife's folks. Usually Greg has to hit up either Central PA or West Virginia once or twice a year for appearances and we do our best to make sure we at least grab a meal and some conversation while he is en route. This time round was slighty different in the sense that a third party was with them in the form of a squishy new born named Emma. It was quite odd to see my old drinking buddy as a proud papa. Although he's quite capable of being a great father, it's just shocking every time a friend of mine transforms into a parent. There is almost an unspoken distance or separation that takes place at the exact moment you are confronted with friend and "child." Maybe it's me and my complete lack of understanding regarding procreation or my infant like behavior...whatever it is, it's unnerving. I am not one for curtailing my language, behavior (no matter how inappropriate) or apparently my IBS in front of anyone, let alone a small child that can't understand anything at all. I'm not off put by kids, it's just that I'm not one to coo and make baby noises and say all the cliche shit like "wow....she's adorable!" or "look at those pretty eyes!" Basically I'm a shit. I know this. What's great for me is that so does Greg. And he is cool with it. I think he almost expects it. Which is why no matter where we wind up or how far apart we are, we will always make it work. I'll always be Uncle Skip from now on...and that's kind of cool.

Right now, my reflections are more presently associated with my desire to actually fine tune my skills with photography and turning my passion into something more. Either a really committed hobby or a side job. The feeling I get preparing for and executing photo shoots is the best time for me. I'm in my head, always thinking about what I want to capture on film. I've had passion for other things in my life, like writing for instance, and clearly cinema and television, but this seems different some how. I can't explain it...but I if I could just take pictures all the time I think I would be happiest. Since I'm in the process of beefing up my skills and portfolio, I'm always looking for challenges, assigments, subjects. Ideas are always welcome...as are people willing to pose for me. Drop me a line and inspire me. Please. I'm begging you....I can only take so many pictures of the same willing subject.

Now playing....I'm Waiting For The Day by the Beach Boys.

The Death Of Miramax

All the hub bub lately has been about Miramax collapsing or pulling way from Disney or the Weinsteins leaving or some shit. I don't even know the whole deal, but what I do know is that Miramax used to be a major player in the world of Indie Cinema but of late has become more of a major studio powerhouse...so what's the big deal if they do disappear or dissolve or whatever?

Over at Fox Searchlight they have been putting out quality indies for some time now and are in my opinion ripe to take over the throne as the new king of the Indie. Take a look at their roster below from the last 10 years...what's most impressive to me is that 3 of my TOP 10 in 2005 were released by Fox Searchlight. Sideways, Napolean Dynamite and Garden State were not only championed by FS, but they were all extremely sucessful movies that didn't have a chance according to the other studios that passed on each of them. Rock on Fox! Robert Murdoch is a manical, right wing nut job that controls the most shameless network in TV land, but the guy is putting the money into developing young talents even if he is oblivious to this fact.

FOX SEACHLIGHT RELEASES: Favorites of mine highlighted.
28 Days Later
Antwone Fisher
Bend It Like Beckham
The Clearing
The Dreamers
I Heart Huckabees
In America
Napolean Dynamite
Sideways
Thirteen
Two Girls and a Guy
Garden State
Kinsey
One Hour Photo
The Good Girl
Kissing Jessica Stein
Super Troopers
Waking Life
The Deep End
Sexy Beast
Quills
Boys Don’t Cry
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Waking Ned Devine
The Ice Storm
The Full Monty
Slums of Beverly Hills

I Make Jokey.

Now this April Fool's stunt is real fucked up.

Imagine reading that your husband or brother who has been held in a squalid Romanian prison for years is finally going to be released. You make the long journey to the prison and stand outside the prison gates, waiting desperately for the moment you'll be reunited with your loved one, only to hear... 'April Fools! No one's being released!' This experience happened to sixty people in April 2000 who read in the Opinia newspaper that their loved ones were going to be released from the Baia Mare prison in Romania. They made the long journey to the prison, only to learn that the paper had played an April Fool's joke on them. The Opinia later published an apology.

I had some good one's yesterday. I told people that Terry Schiavo came back from the dead. And I also told people all day long that the Pope had died. You should have seen there faces when I said "April Fool's!" it was priceless.

Oh yeah. This blog will never go away bitches. I'm here forever. Forever? Forever-ever? Yep.

It's been a blast...

So I'm deciding to end the Blog. I have nothing left to say and think it's wise to just get out of the game. If something interesting happens in my life, maybe I'll post again. Nice knowing you both.

Early Bird Special

As you can tell from the 6 and letters A and M in the time next to this post, my ass is up early today. It's because my work schedule is crazy-licious these days. And it's nobody's fault but my own. I was dedicated to the 3-Midnight shift and decided I wanted to move back into them mix and work a hodge podge of hours instead. So that means I work 1-10 one day, then 11-8 the next and then 7:45 AM to 5 the day after next, etc, etc, etc. This may explain my rather infrequent postings this week...I've been working hours that leave me with strange down time and to be honest, how many posts can I put up about my work day or about the latest episode of LOST ? My life has settled into a pretty boring pattern, one in which I primarily work and secondarily watch TV. I sprinkle in some web surfing and tada! it's a life.

Tonight I am free to party on like Wayne and Garth since I have a rare day off tomorrow, but my 5 hours sleep last night will mostly make having any fun tonight an unrealisitic goal. And besides I'm not sure what the hell people do for fun anymore anyway. Tomorrow does hold promise though in that my college roommate and his wife and new born daughter are cruising by Philly on their way back to Boston from West Virginia and want to allow me the honor of seeing their child for the first time. Another down side of my job right now is the lack of any sort of weekends off. Considering that I haven't made a trip further than the NE section of Philadelphia since September of last year, I'd have to say this is getting old. I feel like a shit not having gone up to Boston to see the kid, but work makes it so Baby Emma and for that I'm sorry. And to make me even more uncaring and selfish, I sure as hell have managed to book some time off in about a month to go to Vegas with the boys to raise hell, so again Baby Emma...I'm sorry. Uncle Skip is a real shit. Pleasure to meet you. Finally.