Instead of writing lately, I’ve been doing a lot of reading—and watching, and listening, et cetera et cetera et cetera. It’s a big internet out there, kids, and there’s lots to do. Here are some things that have piqued my interest of late.
The Life In A Day Trailer
Is your heart warmed? Mine is (a little). I’m unsure how this kind of footage could sustain more than an aww-inducing trailer, but we’ll see.
This Brian Williams Article
My long-standing crush on Brian Williams is well known and never-ending. In January, on a tour of the NBC studios in New York, I even got to sit in his chair (he was not, unfortunately, also in said chair). This article makes me love him even more. If you aren’t familiar with B Dub’s comedy, I’m not sure where you’ve been for the past few years—the smirky anchor has hosted SNL and made numerous appearances on the likes of 30 Rock and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Slow Jammin’ the News? That’s my jam.
Paul F. Tompkins American Idol Recaps
Do you watch American Idol? Of course you don’t, because it hasn’t been topical or culturally relevant in years. If you do watch it, surely you do so in a haze of boozy intoxication as you play the Official TT.TKO American Idol Drinking Game. In any case, Paul F. Tompkins has been saddled with the sad obligation of watching this season’s American Idol, so you don’t have to. His recaps on New York Magazine’s entertainment site, Vulture, are much more thrilling than actually sitting through the show, and you can drink while you read them just as easily.
The New Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part II Trailer
Go ahead and watch it. I’ll wait. Did you just get chills? I kind of can’t remember much about the latter half of the seventh book—it’s long, and I’ve only read it twice. But I will definitely be in line for the midnight show on July 15th—possibly wearing my Hufflepuff tie (don’t hate)—for this last installment.
Tom Haverfoods and Ron Swanson's Turkey Burger
Eventually the internet and TV will merge into one sentient being, but for now they just link up every so often to make me happy. Last week’s Parks and Recreation featured the inimitable Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) describing his idea of a turkey burger—a fried turkey leg inside a grilled hamburger patty, which sounds impossible but was no match for the internet, who made it a reality. Well, Eater.com did, specifically. The episode also featured a segment of Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) detailing his numerous and varied nicknames for foods, which now exists in convenient website form. You can even submit your own! My favorite may be “butter boats.”
Lastly, I’d like to add that the pinnacle of my existence (aside from an epic kickball win last weekend) came recently in the form of a trivia question that allowed me to utilize my knowledge of the names of both actors who played Darren Stevens on TV’s Bewitched (Dicks York and Sargeant, if you were, like the other unsuspecting trivia teams, unsure). Now you see, hard work does pay off.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Generic Distinctions
As I quietly bounced at my desk, I thought to myself, “Self, this song makes me want to have lasertag dance parties,” and I tweeted as much. Mere minutes later, my friend Luca tweeted at me to tell me that it’s a real song by a real band—a band called Anamanaguchi. As he put it, an “8-bit chiptune band.”
An 8-bit what tune band? I mean, the name makes sense, when you think about it. The song sounds like an old PC from the late ‘80s was integral to the composition. But gone are the days where record stores (what are those, anyway?) were divided along such broad lines as “Alternative,” “Rock,” “Pop,” “Country” and “R&B/Hip Hop.” If you’re stocking up for your lasertag dance party, you’ll have to investigate the chiptune section of your local online music store.Weird genres aren’t exactly breaking news, though. The cultural zeitgeist has been assigning strange monikers to music for years. You’ve heard of math rock--much to Mattie’s disappointment, they aren’t rocking about math. According to Wikipedia, “it is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (including irregular stopping and starting), angular melodies and dissonant chords.” Sounds almost as boring as math to me.
Or take shoegaze. A genre name commonly tossed around in conversations about weird genre names, I’ve never really known what shoegaze meant, exactly. Apparently it means the bands just chill on stage and stare at their shoes during their shows. While playing instruments, of course, but it would seem that energy and movement have little place on the shoegazing scene. Although Wikipedia identifies Explosions In The Sky (the band behind the awesome music in Friday Night Lights) as a shoegaze band, to be honest, I think I’d rather listen to math rock.Michael has already extolled the virtues of nerdcore hip-hop, which, much like 8-bit chiptune music, sounds exactly like the name describes. Who can resist lyrics about Boba Fett’s jetpack layered over thumping bass? That being said, the name would certainly throw the older generation for a loop.
What about a term I first heard over at Slate that describes a particular favorite subset of mine--beardy indie-folk. In this “Justin Vernon has his thumb in every pie” era, the beards are becoming less genre-specific, but Fleet Foxes have a new album on its way out, as does Mr. Vernon himself as Bon Iver, so the genre lives on. Maybe these hyper-specific genre distinctions make things easier for all of us, so instead of having to explain to someone, "Well, I don't like country, but I like alt-country," we can simply state our passion for "mustachioed post-cloudcore" or "language arts rock" and have that be that. After all, this is The Future, and "I like everything" just doesn't quite cut it anymore.
Anamanaguchi - Jetpack Blues, Sunset Hues
Monday, April 25, 2011
Love At First Fight
I have found extreme joy and her name is Whirlyball. I have recently been exposed to an amazing sport that combines lacrosse, hockey and basketball with the fury of bumper cars. Yes. Bumper cars.
Most of you who have listened to the podcast are very aware that I am a pretty competitive guy. I love my sports, I am pretty much a child at heart and hell, I am even in an adult kickball league. I will say that it has been a long time since I have found the pure joy in competition like I found in Whirlyball.The basic set up is two teams of five. Everyone has a bumper car and a scoop. There is one wiffle ball and your primary objective is to score points by hitting that wiffle ball against your team’s designated goal. Simple enough. Let the mayhem begin!
Some places play by more formal rules with referees and penalty points. Lets just say I played a pick up game with STREET RULES, SON! IF YOU AIN’T BLEEDING THEN IT AIN’T A FOUL!!! I went too far? Ok my bad. There is something great about having a fun competition that really only requires strategic thought and some hand eye coordination. The best part is if you get frustrated you just drive your car at full speed and crash into someone. Seriously, check it out if you get the chance.
Friday, April 22, 2011
What I Live For...
I love me some awkward moments. I eat them up. I can deal with my own and even laugh at them. Nothing compares to witnessing a friend that has to deal with an awkward moment. They turn into great stories that I have no problem telling because it didn’t happen to me. I am nice like that. The big ones make great stories but really we need to appreciate the smaller moments.Back around Halloween I wrote my first bit about awkward moments pointing out the fun of playing a song for a friend. Along the same line is sending the wrong text to someone. We aren’t talking about an accidental “hey” we are talking about the kind of text you don’t want the recipient to see. Maybe you meant to text Corey “that bitch” in reference to what Courtney just said to you. Whoops. Nothing quite matches the moment of pure fear that takes over your body when you realize what you have done. The highlight of the moment is the next text. How do you get out of it!?
I think we have all experienced the moment where someone at school or work tells a story that you could care less about. The story teller walks out of the room and someone, maybe even you, opens their mouth and says something like “oh my god shut up no one cares” only to realize that they never left. Oh yeah I love it. I eat it up!!! NOM NOM NOM!!! Even better is when the storyteller did leave the room but they were actually closer than anyone thought so no one is quite sure if they heard or not. 
One of my favorite day-to-day awkward moments is the “you go, no you go, I insist you go” that happens basically anywhere. It happens when two cars get to stop signs at the same time, with people at the grocery store, walking down the hall and going in and out of restaurants. Some people get frustrated with it, others can laugh about it and oddly enough some people are really embarrassed by it. I really suggest you embrace the humor in everyday awkward moments. Just one request, please don’t be the person who actually says “AWKWARD!” because that makes everyone more uncomfortable.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
If You Want To Sing Out
Going out to bars is a blast. But whether you're nursing a PBR or a pinot, don't you get a little bored sometimes? Don't you crave an activity with your beers and bar snacks?
You could play a little trivia. Pool, if you're good at that sort of thing, or darts, if you like throwing really sharp things at tiny targets like I do.
Or you could sing yourself some karaoke.
If there's anybody out there who doesn't at least kind of love karaoke, they're probably boring. It's a truly fantastic pastime. Just this last weekend I had the privilege of singing myself some karaoke, out at a bar for a much-needed girls' night. And as could be expected, we were all clearly fantastic at it. But not everyone else was.
There are a few clear karaoke fouls that get committed in bars, night after night, by overconfident or overindulgent amateurs across the country. The number one infraction comes before the singing even begins-- song choice.
Choosing a quality karaoke song is an art. You may think you're selecting wisely, only to bomb three notes in. It's happened to the best of us. What makes a good karaoke song, in my opinion? A handy rule of thumb: Think to yourself, "In spite of wanting to sing this song at karaoke, am I myself really sick of hearing it?" If the answer is yes, definitely don't sing that song. This may eliminate a good chunk of the songbook, but trust me, it's for the best.
As a corollary, can we as a human race agree that anything by Journey should be retired from karaoke bars the world over? Any takers? Scribble "Don't Stop Believin'" on that slip of paper at your own risk.
Me, I love to sing early Beatles-- the upbeat stuff. Cheesy '90s pop can be fun, but you've got to gauge your audience.
I like throwing in a little Tom Petty or the odd Huey Lewis & The News-- I've got a soft stop for good old Huey, and particularly for "The Power Of Love." The point is, pick something everybody knows pretty well and yet still isn't tired of. The most fun moments at the karaoke bar can come when an entire roomful of drunks of all ages are singing along with you. You may want your moment to shine, but trust me, the sound of 50 bar patrons drowning out your amplified croak may not be such a bad thing.
Which brings me to another point. There are no A&R guys hanging out at the karaoke bar at one in the morning, looking for the next big star. You're not going to get signed a record deal at this dingy dive, and just because you think you can outsing Whitney, it doesn't mean we want to hear you try. This is not a lounge on the Lito deck of a cruise ship, and nobody likes a karaoke singer who takes themselves just a little bit too seriously. Take it down a notch.
Other tips? Take your hands out of your damn pockets and have a little stage presence. Get drunk-- but not too drunk. If it looks like there are two sets of lyrics on the screen, you may want to sit this one out. Don't try to eat the microphone-- we can hear you just fine.
And like I said. Cool it with the Journey.
You could play a little trivia. Pool, if you're good at that sort of thing, or darts, if you like throwing really sharp things at tiny targets like I do.Or you could sing yourself some karaoke.
If there's anybody out there who doesn't at least kind of love karaoke, they're probably boring. It's a truly fantastic pastime. Just this last weekend I had the privilege of singing myself some karaoke, out at a bar for a much-needed girls' night. And as could be expected, we were all clearly fantastic at it. But not everyone else was.
There are a few clear karaoke fouls that get committed in bars, night after night, by overconfident or overindulgent amateurs across the country. The number one infraction comes before the singing even begins-- song choice.
Choosing a quality karaoke song is an art. You may think you're selecting wisely, only to bomb three notes in. It's happened to the best of us. What makes a good karaoke song, in my opinion? A handy rule of thumb: Think to yourself, "In spite of wanting to sing this song at karaoke, am I myself really sick of hearing it?" If the answer is yes, definitely don't sing that song. This may eliminate a good chunk of the songbook, but trust me, it's for the best.As a corollary, can we as a human race agree that anything by Journey should be retired from karaoke bars the world over? Any takers? Scribble "Don't Stop Believin'" on that slip of paper at your own risk.
Me, I love to sing early Beatles-- the upbeat stuff. Cheesy '90s pop can be fun, but you've got to gauge your audience.
I like throwing in a little Tom Petty or the odd Huey Lewis & The News-- I've got a soft stop for good old Huey, and particularly for "The Power Of Love." The point is, pick something everybody knows pretty well and yet still isn't tired of. The most fun moments at the karaoke bar can come when an entire roomful of drunks of all ages are singing along with you. You may want your moment to shine, but trust me, the sound of 50 bar patrons drowning out your amplified croak may not be such a bad thing.Which brings me to another point. There are no A&R guys hanging out at the karaoke bar at one in the morning, looking for the next big star. You're not going to get signed a record deal at this dingy dive, and just because you think you can outsing Whitney, it doesn't mean we want to hear you try. This is not a lounge on the Lito deck of a cruise ship, and nobody likes a karaoke singer who takes themselves just a little bit too seriously. Take it down a notch.
Other tips? Take your hands out of your damn pockets and have a little stage presence. Get drunk-- but not too drunk. If it looks like there are two sets of lyrics on the screen, you may want to sit this one out. Don't try to eat the microphone-- we can hear you just fine.
And like I said. Cool it with the Journey.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
TT.TKO: Why Are You Famous?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
That'll Do, Pig
Don’t bother denying it. Bacon is the new black. Nothing’s cooler than cool, except maybe bacon. It’s this season’s must-have accessory. No need for a $1,500 Prada purse when you can tote around a few slabs of bacon. It’s the hottest thing to hit the runway this year and it’s a fad we won’t soon forget.
Of course, trend forecasters have been citing bacon fever for a few years now. Gone are the days when delicious, delectable bacon could only be tasted and smelled from your kitchen, or maybe from your upstairs bedroom as it wafted through the house, gently waking you from your pre-breakfast dreams. The future is here, and that future is smoky.If you ask me, it started with bacon chocolate. I first started hearing of this concoction, I don’t know, two or three years back? It sounded delicious. I’ll mix anything sweet and salty, so the flavor combination of bacon and chocolate sounded right up my alley.
This was back before it was available in every gourmet basket from Harry & David and Eckerd’s alike, though, so I never got around to trying it out. To this day, my tastebuds remain in ignorance of the glory that bacon chocolate would (probably) bring to my life. But today in 2011, there are tens, nay, twenties, of bacon-related products I’ve yet to try.
I’ve wanted to try bacon salt for awhile now. Imagine a bacon cheeseburger without all those pesky extra calories that propel your everyday, average cheeseburger from the “pretty unhealthy” column right over into “ye gods.” I’m no health nut, but I’d sprinkle this stuff on a baked potato and call it a healthy vegetable.
Bacon vodka exists, and frankly, I think it could provide just the bit of oomph my Bloody Maries need. Or it could be disgusting. The world (and I) may never know.
But the world does know what bacon smells like, and you can smell like that, too. If you want. Bacon cologne? I’ll allow it. What could draw me to a stranger in a club quicker than the scent of fresh breakfast meat? It certainly seems like it would be more effective than Axe. If you want to toe the line of hilarious novelty breakfast meat related products, toss some bacon essence into a funny-shaped candle or something. If you want to completely tumble head-over-feet across the line with a beer in one hand and a slab of bacon in other, you should find a way to actually manufacture J&D’s mouth-watering April Fools Day joke from earlier this month—Bacon Air. They’re selling it for a mere $8.99 a bottle, but the caveat is that it does not really exist. Just think of the money that could be made by filling this delicious niche in today's bacon market.
I’ve seen the future, and the future is smoky.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Sit Down And Listen
Are you worthless as a human being? Than I have just the thing for you! The AMAZING Pocket Chair!!! For $15 (plus shipping and handling) you can get two compact chairs with carrying cases!!! Are you kidding me?! Is there really a market for this? I am about to take a trip to Rant City and if you don’t want to be apart of the road trip maybe you should close your eyes for a second.
“Tired of standing around?”…. Then sit down. Can you not use your legs properly? Do you have a difficult time putting one foot in front of another? Do you get out of breath just standing in place? Then this chair probably can’t hold your weight.
I mean I know I have had trouble carrying a dozen folding chairs before but that’s when I realize I only have to carry one for me to sit in and be comfortable. How will I survive if I need more than one chair!!??? Oh wait I have two arms.
Take it to the park or the beach! You know because no one wants to be in the sand on the beach. Why the hell would you want to get all sandy when you are on the beach? The pocket chair is truly “A LIFE SAVER"! I had a distant cousin who almost died from not having a place to sit. Wait… what about the ground. Fail.
Who needs to stand in line ever again?! Certainly not the lazy bastard who was clever enough to spend fifteen bucks on a piece of metal they can sit on that fits in their back pocket. Let’s face it if you are struggling to stand while waiting in line you probably need a fire department to get out of your house.My rant is over. You can open your eyes now. This chair does have practical applications but they did a crappy job showing them. This is a chair that should be marketed toward the camping and hunting market. Suck.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Are You Afraid Of The Dark?
What’s your favorite scary movie?
If you checked out this week’s podcast already, you may have been mulling that question over. The boys brought some solid choices, from the best horror series to the scariest horror villain to Rick Moranis. But there were a few movies that immediately leap to my mind when I think “scary movies” that were left out. And as horror flicks are wont to be, 4/5 of them are really, really bad.
The Midnight Meat Train
Now I don’t know how anyone could think this movie would be anything less than stellar, just from the name alone. But let me set you straight. It is not stellar.
The premise of this movie involves a mute butcher who secretly hangs people by giant meat hooks on subway trains at night. This in itself seems like it would make an excellent gorefest, doesn’t it? I suppose it does. There’s not much of a plot beyond this, which is why my friend and I wound up watching the last half of the movie on fast-forward—we didn’t miss anything. OR DID WE? There’s some super-weird supernatural twist at the end that made no sense even once we rewound. I couldn’t spoil it if I tried. Don’t bother seeing for yourself.
The Hitcher
Starring that girl from One Tree Hill (I don’t watch it, folks, I just know my teen soaps), this is your standard, makes-no-sense-why-that-dude’s-trying-to-kill-these-people movie that takes forever. Just when you think he’s caught—or dead, as the case may be—he’s not. Is it over yet?
I watched this with a couple of girlfriends back in college, all the lights out, intentionally trying to scare ourselves. It worked well enough—I mean, a dude stalking you and your boyfriend all over the desert (was it the desert? It’s been awhile, but I seem to remember an awful lot of sand) would be pretty creepy in real life. But the flying cockroach we discovered crawling across the wall after finishing the movie and turning the lights back on (there was much standing on couches and flailing about with a broom) was by far the scariest part of the evening.
Teeth
Teeth could never be omitted, and it actually wasn’t—but neither Mikey nor Mattie have seen this modern classic. I have had that privilege.
This one I can recommend, if only because it’s the self-aware kind of bad. This movie isn’t trying to be amazing. It’s so campy and ridiculous that it’s incredible—particularly when watched at midnight after a few drinks with friends, which is how it happened for my first time.
My first time watching Teeth.
And anyway, even if you don’t enjoy the movie, c’mon, isn’t “vagina dentata” fun to say? DENTATAAAAA.
Death Sentence
Everybody’s got their go-to answer when somebody brings up “worst movie of all time.” This is mine, only it’s so generically awful that I went years without remembering what it was called, beyond “that Kevin Bacon movie about revenge.” A podcast I listened to recently brought it back to my attention, and boy am I glad.
I thought Kevin Bacon had hit a new low when I saw Hollow Man at an ill-begotten birthday party in 9th grade, but no. He had this gem just waiting in the wings.
To be fair, this movie was billed as a thriller, not a horror movie. But I can’t help but bring it to mind when thinking about awful scary movies, so its atrociousness actually helps it escape a lifetime of obscurity. Any press is good press, right?
Don’t see this movie.
The Orphanage
Produced by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth), this subtitled Spanish film isn’t a standard horror movie—you may not even be able to neatly lump it into that genre. But it doesn’t get much scarier than this, to me. There are images in this film that I can’t picture in the dark without needing to burrow underneath the covers or turn on all the lights in my house.
This is the slow burn kind of scary. The kind that creeps up on you. It’s easy to get absorbed in the story—an impossible feat for many movies hell-bent on making you scream. And maybe you won’t scream. But I’m pretty sure all the lights remained on in my bedroom the night that I saw this one.
The Orphanage aside, I'm not sure I'd wish those first four on anyone. But that being said, horror movies are one of the only film genres where sometimes, worse is better. So I don't regret seeing any of these.
Well. Maybe that Kevin Bacon one. Seriously guys? Don't do it.
If you checked out this week’s podcast already, you may have been mulling that question over. The boys brought some solid choices, from the best horror series to the scariest horror villain to Rick Moranis. But there were a few movies that immediately leap to my mind when I think “scary movies” that were left out. And as horror flicks are wont to be, 4/5 of them are really, really bad.
The Midnight Meat TrainNow I don’t know how anyone could think this movie would be anything less than stellar, just from the name alone. But let me set you straight. It is not stellar.
The premise of this movie involves a mute butcher who secretly hangs people by giant meat hooks on subway trains at night. This in itself seems like it would make an excellent gorefest, doesn’t it? I suppose it does. There’s not much of a plot beyond this, which is why my friend and I wound up watching the last half of the movie on fast-forward—we didn’t miss anything. OR DID WE? There’s some super-weird supernatural twist at the end that made no sense even once we rewound. I couldn’t spoil it if I tried. Don’t bother seeing for yourself.
The HitcherStarring that girl from One Tree Hill (I don’t watch it, folks, I just know my teen soaps), this is your standard, makes-no-sense-why-that-dude’s-trying-to-kill-these-people movie that takes forever. Just when you think he’s caught—or dead, as the case may be—he’s not. Is it over yet?
I watched this with a couple of girlfriends back in college, all the lights out, intentionally trying to scare ourselves. It worked well enough—I mean, a dude stalking you and your boyfriend all over the desert (was it the desert? It’s been awhile, but I seem to remember an awful lot of sand) would be pretty creepy in real life. But the flying cockroach we discovered crawling across the wall after finishing the movie and turning the lights back on (there was much standing on couches and flailing about with a broom) was by far the scariest part of the evening.
TeethTeeth could never be omitted, and it actually wasn’t—but neither Mikey nor Mattie have seen this modern classic. I have had that privilege.
This one I can recommend, if only because it’s the self-aware kind of bad. This movie isn’t trying to be amazing. It’s so campy and ridiculous that it’s incredible—particularly when watched at midnight after a few drinks with friends, which is how it happened for my first time.
My first time watching Teeth.
And anyway, even if you don’t enjoy the movie, c’mon, isn’t “vagina dentata” fun to say? DENTATAAAAA.
Death SentenceEverybody’s got their go-to answer when somebody brings up “worst movie of all time.” This is mine, only it’s so generically awful that I went years without remembering what it was called, beyond “that Kevin Bacon movie about revenge.” A podcast I listened to recently brought it back to my attention, and boy am I glad.
I thought Kevin Bacon had hit a new low when I saw Hollow Man at an ill-begotten birthday party in 9th grade, but no. He had this gem just waiting in the wings.
To be fair, this movie was billed as a thriller, not a horror movie. But I can’t help but bring it to mind when thinking about awful scary movies, so its atrociousness actually helps it escape a lifetime of obscurity. Any press is good press, right?
Don’t see this movie.
The OrphanageProduced by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth), this subtitled Spanish film isn’t a standard horror movie—you may not even be able to neatly lump it into that genre. But it doesn’t get much scarier than this, to me. There are images in this film that I can’t picture in the dark without needing to burrow underneath the covers or turn on all the lights in my house.
This is the slow burn kind of scary. The kind that creeps up on you. It’s easy to get absorbed in the story—an impossible feat for many movies hell-bent on making you scream. And maybe you won’t scream. But I’m pretty sure all the lights remained on in my bedroom the night that I saw this one.
The Orphanage aside, I'm not sure I'd wish those first four on anyone. But that being said, horror movies are one of the only film genres where sometimes, worse is better. So I don't regret seeing any of these.
Well. Maybe that Kevin Bacon one. Seriously guys? Don't do it.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Beards With Passion
For the last six years I have been hearing all about how you have to have passion. The best of anything has overwhelming passion for it. It gets harnessed in different ways and you may not really see it but it is there. Passion for your work, creativity, design, love, it doesn't matter there must be PASSION! PASSION! THERE WILL BE PASSION!!! I have always felt that I had passion in spades (whatever the hell that means).
I have constantly had the urge to put my creativity out there and was lucky enough to have a friend in Matt that could help me harness it. We have been working on TT.TKO for over two years. In a month it will be two years since we actually posted our first video, Shredder vs Megatron. TT.TKO went public on May 13th, 2009. We have done a lot and as usual that is not enough for me. I have been mistaking my competitiveness for passion lately and that isn't good for the long haul.
Over the next few weeks/months/rest of my life I hope to put myself to work a whole lot more. Matt and I have been lucky enough that our friend Amy has been more than willing to fill the site with content while we gave each other confused looks about podcasts. We don't give her enough credit and I hope to take some of the weight off her shoulders in the future. This is a work in progress and I hope to build on what we have already done.
There have been some personal changes that I am hoping to build on. Starting with my beard. RAWWWWR. I hope the upcoming changes will show you all how much passion I do have. In the meantime pay no attention to the man behind the curtain and if you haven't seen this yet here ya go:
I have constantly had the urge to put my creativity out there and was lucky enough to have a friend in Matt that could help me harness it. We have been working on TT.TKO for over two years. In a month it will be two years since we actually posted our first video, Shredder vs Megatron. TT.TKO went public on May 13th, 2009. We have done a lot and as usual that is not enough for me. I have been mistaking my competitiveness for passion lately and that isn't good for the long haul.
Over the next few weeks/months/rest of my life I hope to put myself to work a whole lot more. Matt and I have been lucky enough that our friend Amy has been more than willing to fill the site with content while we gave each other confused looks about podcasts. We don't give her enough credit and I hope to take some of the weight off her shoulders in the future. This is a work in progress and I hope to build on what we have already done.
There have been some personal changes that I am hoping to build on. Starting with my beard. RAWWWWR. I hope the upcoming changes will show you all how much passion I do have. In the meantime pay no attention to the man behind the curtain and if you haven't seen this yet here ya go:
TT.TKO - Megatron vs Shredder from TT.TKO on Vimeo.
TT.TKO: You're A Horror
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Impression That I Get
No sooner had I posted that last entry (then finished work, then bought a new car, then ate some delicious McDonald's-because-nothing-else-is-open-at-10-pm) did I arrive home only to discover...
That's right. NO INTERNET.
I really shoulda knocked on wood.
*Posted from my iPhone.
That's right. NO INTERNET.
I really shoulda knocked on wood.
*Posted from my iPhone.
Disconnected
I didn’t have to be Amish for long. The power came back on, and thus far no elderly zombies have risen from their earthy graves, stumbling forth in search of brains or grains.
So I guess I dodged that bullet. But of late I’ve been faced with another nearly
insurmountable challenge in this 21st century world—for the past few weeks—nay, months—our internet has worked sporadically, at best.
Sure, you could argue that it’s in fact our neighbor’s internet that has worked so sporadically, but potato, potato, I say to you. The truth of the matter is, there have been nights and days I’ve been left with nary a connection to the outside world.
(Except, you know, my cell phone with its internet, and the ability to go outside, and stuff.)
What do you do when that connection is cut, however briefly? I do occasionally get internet fatigue—I spend all day at my job in front of a pair of computer screens, flitting between the
internet and a bevy of Microsoft Word documents, after all. There are nights I come home and the last thing I want to do is stare at a screen any longer. But truthfully, I spend much of my home life with my Macbook on my lap or at least within typing distance. Our stubborn connectedness is the curse of my generation, constant information the albatross around our collective necks.
So what happens when the cord is cut? How do you handle it?
For the sake of argument, let’s say leaving the house isn’t possible. I’m not talking about those evenings when you’ve got errands to run and friends to see; I’m talking about those times when you’re flat broke or feel gross or just plain don’t feel like going anywhere.
I know what I usually do. After cycling through a few stages of grief, and repeatedly checking the wireless connection like an insane junkie in need of a fix, I may relent for a bit. I’ve been reading more lately, which would be better if I were reading Crime & Punishment rather than
my recent diet of YA Lit and Anthony Bourdain, but it still feels productive to me. Bourdain is pretty badass, after all.
Then what? Well, without real internet, I’ll admit I spend a fair bit of time checking Twitter and Facebook on my phone. What can I say? I get antsy without constant updates by the likes of @drunkhulk and @docpemberton.
Oh, and there’s always TV, isn’t there? Well, there’s not Netflix, not without internet. But without the novelty of streaming, there are still DVDs to be watched, entire seasons of TV shows to be viewed and reviewed. A Buffy marathon is never out of the question.
The paradox, of course, is that whenever you can’t have something, you want it even more. So
whenever that sweet stolen internet connection is cut, however briefly, I’m sure to want to stream a specific TV show or pen an epic blog. I can crave the company of a book all day long, but as soon as I’m home and I can’t get online, it’s all I want to do.
Maybe one of these days I’ll really learn to rough it. Turn off all my glowing screens and fill my time with activities that people did just a few short years ago, when all these connections weren’t yet available.
Maybe one day. For now I’m going to go check Twitter and see if anything good’s been posted to reddit. Maybe do an online crossword or download a new podcast to listen to. Roughing it can't be all it's cracked up to be. Can it?
So I guess I dodged that bullet. But of late I’ve been faced with another nearly
insurmountable challenge in this 21st century world—for the past few weeks—nay, months—our internet has worked sporadically, at best.Sure, you could argue that it’s in fact our neighbor’s internet that has worked so sporadically, but potato, potato, I say to you. The truth of the matter is, there have been nights and days I’ve been left with nary a connection to the outside world.
(Except, you know, my cell phone with its internet, and the ability to go outside, and stuff.)
What do you do when that connection is cut, however briefly? I do occasionally get internet fatigue—I spend all day at my job in front of a pair of computer screens, flitting between the
internet and a bevy of Microsoft Word documents, after all. There are nights I come home and the last thing I want to do is stare at a screen any longer. But truthfully, I spend much of my home life with my Macbook on my lap or at least within typing distance. Our stubborn connectedness is the curse of my generation, constant information the albatross around our collective necks.So what happens when the cord is cut? How do you handle it?
For the sake of argument, let’s say leaving the house isn’t possible. I’m not talking about those evenings when you’ve got errands to run and friends to see; I’m talking about those times when you’re flat broke or feel gross or just plain don’t feel like going anywhere.
I know what I usually do. After cycling through a few stages of grief, and repeatedly checking the wireless connection like an insane junkie in need of a fix, I may relent for a bit. I’ve been reading more lately, which would be better if I were reading Crime & Punishment rather than
my recent diet of YA Lit and Anthony Bourdain, but it still feels productive to me. Bourdain is pretty badass, after all.Then what? Well, without real internet, I’ll admit I spend a fair bit of time checking Twitter and Facebook on my phone. What can I say? I get antsy without constant updates by the likes of @drunkhulk and @docpemberton.
Oh, and there’s always TV, isn’t there? Well, there’s not Netflix, not without internet. But without the novelty of streaming, there are still DVDs to be watched, entire seasons of TV shows to be viewed and reviewed. A Buffy marathon is never out of the question.
The paradox, of course, is that whenever you can’t have something, you want it even more. So
whenever that sweet stolen internet connection is cut, however briefly, I’m sure to want to stream a specific TV show or pen an epic blog. I can crave the company of a book all day long, but as soon as I’m home and I can’t get online, it’s all I want to do.Maybe one of these days I’ll really learn to rough it. Turn off all my glowing screens and fill my time with activities that people did just a few short years ago, when all these connections weren’t yet available.
Maybe one day. For now I’m going to go check Twitter and see if anything good’s been posted to reddit. Maybe do an online crossword or download a new podcast to listen to. Roughing it can't be all it's cracked up to be. Can it?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Beards and Breasts
There are many reasons to love Roger Ebert. There are probably a couple to not love him, but you end up loving him anyway.
Why do I love him today? Because of this journal title. Of course, the video is great, too.
In other news Mikey now has a beard. It's pretty sweet.
Why do I love him today? Because of this journal title. Of course, the video is great, too.
In other news Mikey now has a beard. It's pretty sweet.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
No More Original Ideas
The old folks can cash in on trends, too, right?
I promise I didn't just post that to get my daily Adam Scott fix. Well.
I promise I didn't just post that to get my daily Adam Scott fix. Well.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The End Of The World (As We Know It)
My power was out when I went to bed last night. It’ll come back on, I thought to myself, but set an alarm on my phone just in case. Lucky (or unlucky? Is “my power was out” an excuse to sleep 'til noon and miss work?) for me. It was still out when I woke up this morning, and in fact stayed out until well after noon today.
Naturally, I was woefully underprepared for this Amish morning. A flashlight? What’s that? My sole window is shaded by our porch, so even opening the blinds provided little light. And I’m neither a cat lady nor a candle lady (both equally pathetic, in my eyes), so I only own one sad, beach-scented candle with which to light my way.
Showering by candlelight? Kind of creepy. Applying makeup by candlelight? I’m lucky I don’t look like a clown. Getting dressed by candlelight? I’m not wearing the shirt I thought I was.
And what about everything else! Never mind that I didn’t get to blowdry my hair, what about the fridge and freezer full of food I spent $70 on at Publix last night? Well, it should be fine—for now. But what about next time, when the power goes out and we’re not lucky enough to get it reinstated 12 hours later because this time it’s not due to inclement weather, it’s due to, like, zombies?
Seriously. What would I do in a zombie apocalypse? I have a Wiffle ball bat in my car. That’s about the extent of my weaponry. I get the shakes if I go without Diet Coke for too long, and I’m not sure zombies are willing to wait for me to find a place that has Coke instead of Pepsi before attacking, but no way am I choking down Diet Pepsi if you expect me to fight off zombies for hours. And I’m not too keen on getting dirty—I got criticized recently for eating BBQ ribs with a fork and knife—so getting splattered with errant brain matter? Just not my thing.
So once again, I find myself woefully underprepared. But I have a few options:
1. Get to training. I’ve probably got time to wean myself off the Diet Coke and purchase a flashlight and a bat that’s not made of blue plastic.
2. Give up. Would life in a post-apocalyptic world be all that it’s cracked up to be, anyway? I mean, I’ve read The Road*.
3. Hope that one of you kind souls would be willing to take on some dead weight in the event of the zombie revolution. I’m a team player and I can bake you cookies. Think it over.
For now I’m just going to hope that our power stays on. Those Diet Cokes aren’t going to keep themselves cold, after all.
*No, I haven't.
Naturally, I was woefully underprepared for this Amish morning. A flashlight? What’s that? My sole window is shaded by our porch, so even opening the blinds provided little light. And I’m neither a cat lady nor a candle lady (both equally pathetic, in my eyes), so I only own one sad, beach-scented candle with which to light my way.Showering by candlelight? Kind of creepy. Applying makeup by candlelight? I’m lucky I don’t look like a clown. Getting dressed by candlelight? I’m not wearing the shirt I thought I was.
And what about everything else! Never mind that I didn’t get to blowdry my hair, what about the fridge and freezer full of food I spent $70 on at Publix last night? Well, it should be fine—for now. But what about next time, when the power goes out and we’re not lucky enough to get it reinstated 12 hours later because this time it’s not due to inclement weather, it’s due to, like, zombies?Seriously. What would I do in a zombie apocalypse? I have a Wiffle ball bat in my car. That’s about the extent of my weaponry. I get the shakes if I go without Diet Coke for too long, and I’m not sure zombies are willing to wait for me to find a place that has Coke instead of Pepsi before attacking, but no way am I choking down Diet Pepsi if you expect me to fight off zombies for hours. And I’m not too keen on getting dirty—I got criticized recently for eating BBQ ribs with a fork and knife—so getting splattered with errant brain matter? Just not my thing.
So once again, I find myself woefully underprepared. But I have a few options:1. Get to training. I’ve probably got time to wean myself off the Diet Coke and purchase a flashlight and a bat that’s not made of blue plastic.
2. Give up. Would life in a post-apocalyptic world be all that it’s cracked up to be, anyway? I mean, I’ve read The Road*.
3. Hope that one of you kind souls would be willing to take on some dead weight in the event of the zombie revolution. I’m a team player and I can bake you cookies. Think it over.
For now I’m just going to hope that our power stays on. Those Diet Cokes aren’t going to keep themselves cold, after all.
*No, I haven't.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Take Me Out
RT26 Tonight!!! Be there or make me mad at you! Other than that it is time for some quick baseball talk. I figured since Matt got to bore you with his football projections and how awful he was at making them I might as well show him up and give you a quick run through of the upcoming MLB Season.
American League:
Central:
Let us start with the division I care the least about. The AL central is a three team race. The Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers will make a run but it is all Minnesota as long as M & M (Mauer and Morneau) stay healthy. Kansas City makes strides toward .500 but comes up short and Clevland still sucks. Maybe they can get Lebron.
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Kansas City
5. Clevland
West
Only four teams in this division and a lot of people are talking about Oakland. Their pitching is solid but they don’t make it past the Rangers. LA is on a down swing and probably need to spend some money to make a real run. Oakland has the best pitching and Texas has the best hitting. Oh yeah and Seattle still has a team.
1. Texas Rangers
2. Oakland A’s
3. LA Angels
4. Seattle Mariners
East
Money! Money! Money! Mon-nay! Spend it and they will make it to the playoffs. The Red Sox made too many moves not to win the division. The Yankees are old but willing to spend. This time they spend their young talent. Dan Patrick told me that the Yankees will make a trade with Seattle for King Felix (a really good pitcher) and I believe him. It gets them the wild card. Tampa does exactly what their fans do and that is stay home.
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
National League
Central:
St. Louis is distracted about losing Pujols and can’t win the division without Wainwright. Chicago, Pittsburgh and Houston… HA! That leaves Milwaukee and Cincinnati to battle it out. Cincinnati is young and has the pitching to return to the top of the division. Milwaukee should have never fired Yost.
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
West:
The West is always hard to figure out. Colorado is always streaky and the Dodgers have been distracted. The Giants are the defending champs but they barely made it in the playoffs last year. San Diego is solid but choked down the stretch last year. Let’s face it San Diego you can’t win after losing your best hitter. Colorado puts a big streak together to take the West.
1. Colorado Rockies
2. San Francisco Giants
3. San Diego Padres
4. LA Dodgers
5. Arizona Diamondbacks
East:
Let me start by saying I am a Braves fan. I want them to, and think they will, win the division. Philly has one of the best set of starting pitchers in the past 20 years but Utley’s injury combined with losing Werth doesn’t bode well for their hitting. Braves have a more complete staff. They both have the ability and Atlanta might be a year away from winning the division. Whoever doesn’t win takes the wildcard and they meet in the League Championship.
1. Atlanta Braves
1. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Florida Marlins
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets
Hopefully this was still pretty quick for you. The final 4 teams will be the Yanks, Sox, Phils and Bravos. I like the Red Sox vs Braves in the series but again I am a Braves fan. With that said I have to pick the Braves to win it all. There ya go. Now you don't need to watch MLB this year. I did it for you. I do hope I am wrong and there is some variety (well not about the Braves).
American League:
Central:
Let us start with the division I care the least about. The AL central is a three team race. The Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers will make a run but it is all Minnesota as long as M & M (Mauer and Morneau) stay healthy. Kansas City makes strides toward .500 but comes up short and Clevland still sucks. Maybe they can get Lebron.
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Kansas City
5. Clevland
West
Only four teams in this division and a lot of people are talking about Oakland. Their pitching is solid but they don’t make it past the Rangers. LA is on a down swing and probably need to spend some money to make a real run. Oakland has the best pitching and Texas has the best hitting. Oh yeah and Seattle still has a team.
1. Texas Rangers
2. Oakland A’s
3. LA Angels
4. Seattle Mariners
East
Money! Money! Money! Mon-nay! Spend it and they will make it to the playoffs. The Red Sox made too many moves not to win the division. The Yankees are old but willing to spend. This time they spend their young talent. Dan Patrick told me that the Yankees will make a trade with Seattle for King Felix (a really good pitcher) and I believe him. It gets them the wild card. Tampa does exactly what their fans do and that is stay home.
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
National League
Central:
St. Louis is distracted about losing Pujols and can’t win the division without Wainwright. Chicago, Pittsburgh and Houston… HA! That leaves Milwaukee and Cincinnati to battle it out. Cincinnati is young and has the pitching to return to the top of the division. Milwaukee should have never fired Yost.
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
West:
The West is always hard to figure out. Colorado is always streaky and the Dodgers have been distracted. The Giants are the defending champs but they barely made it in the playoffs last year. San Diego is solid but choked down the stretch last year. Let’s face it San Diego you can’t win after losing your best hitter. Colorado puts a big streak together to take the West.
1. Colorado Rockies
2. San Francisco Giants
3. San Diego Padres
4. LA Dodgers
5. Arizona Diamondbacks
East:
Let me start by saying I am a Braves fan. I want them to, and think they will, win the division. Philly has one of the best set of starting pitchers in the past 20 years but Utley’s injury combined with losing Werth doesn’t bode well for their hitting. Braves have a more complete staff. They both have the ability and Atlanta might be a year away from winning the division. Whoever doesn’t win takes the wildcard and they meet in the League Championship.
1. Atlanta Braves
1. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Florida Marlins
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets
Hopefully this was still pretty quick for you. The final 4 teams will be the Yanks, Sox, Phils and Bravos. I like the Red Sox vs Braves in the series but again I am a Braves fan. With that said I have to pick the Braves to win it all. There ya go. Now you don't need to watch MLB this year. I did it for you. I do hope I am wrong and there is some variety (well not about the Braves).
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