Saturday Night Rock Out

Hey there. So this Saturday was our rock band / guitar hero night. My wife had asked everyone to come dressed up. Some people did, others didn't, but that was expected. We dressed up, of course. lol We never miss an opportunity to show a little creativity. We didn't go all out but just enough to make it fun. First off, I was a little upset that I could not find a white mask ANYWHERE. I went to Halloween shops, party supply shops, malls... nothing. So I had to improvise. Being Buckethead, I needed the white mask and a bucket so I just did the next best thing, painted my face white. While at the store, I decided to get black paint to get the kids in the spirit. I figured I could just paint their faces as members of KISS and they're ready to go. My wife decided to change her persona at the last minute and went with the beehive wearing Amy Winehouse.

First to arrive was our cousin, who came right from work so he wasn't dressed. He's a butcher so I told him he should have just brought his bloody apron and made up a name. No one would have questioned him. lol Soon after my compadre and his wife showed up as Maynard and Noodles. The guy looks hilarious in his bald cap. Miss B,"La Chica Dorada", and Donna member, Brett showed up shortly thereafter. We all got to playing and started laughing our asses off. Once the kids were in bed, the drinks started flowing, except for my wife, of course. No drinks for her. After many battles and songs, Maynard and Buckethead started to get into a heated showdown on who can sing Creep, by Radiohead better in Expert. Needless to say, if you're singing Radiohead, you're buzzing. lol I'm already getting questioned on when the next rock night is. I'll keep ya guys posted. Until then, check out some pics from the night. Later!

Oh! I almost forgot. One of the highlights of the night was when we went out to get pizza. I pulled up to the pizza place and Maynard says, "Yo, Buckethead, you're forgetting your bucket!" lol I put my bucket on and jumped out the car and into the pizza place to order our pizza. lol Man, did we get all kinds of looks and I swear, the people thought we were there to rob the place. Instant classic! lol So if you were in the Long Beach area and thought you saw Buckethead ordering pizza, YOU DID!!! HAHAHAHA! Later!

Mini KISS

Maynard and Noodles

Amy and Buckethead

Brett and Paul(a)
Getting the show started

Catching the show
Drinkin' it up
All Star Girl Band (feat. Jack Sparrow as their manager)
Showing Mayanrd how it's done

Star - A Haiku

Hey there. I love the Japanese art of Haiku and love me the heavenly bodies. Check out my Haiku on stars. Later!

Star - a Haiku
A haiku of the beauty of stars.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1669885/star_a_haiku.html

Sunday - A Day of Rest

Hey there. I am beat. We had our rock night last night and we're still pretty tired from it. We must have gone to bed at about 3 AM. I'll post the pics and details tomorrow, since I'm too lazy to go and get the camera right now.

Today is our "we're not gonna do sh*t" day. You need those every now and then. We slept til 10, which is a huge luxury for us, and then made breakfast for the kids. We've been lounging on the couch since, watching TV. We caught the Bulls - Celtics game, which was great. My wife likes to give me grief cause I'm a huge Laker fan and the Celtics gave the Lakers a beat down in last year's finals. Seeing the Celtics playing, she was going for the Celtics (friendly trash talking ensued). My wife, not really a basketball enthusiast, was pretty into the game. The game was definitely an exciting one, that was close throughout and didn't name a victor until the 2nd OT. Bulls came up with some huge blocks in the 2nd OT for the win. Dont' worry friends, I'll convert her to a Laker fan soon enough. lol

After the game, she switched it over to some movie about Amy Fisher on the Lifetime Channel. I'm not very familiar with her story but the movie was awful, in the sense that it cut at the most inconvenient of places and the dialogue was not all that great. All the while, I'm tossing Reese's Pieces in the air, trying to land them in my mouth. Yes friends, I was chucking candy into the air and trying to eat them cause "silly daddy" is cool like that. lol My wife soon joined in, but to show me how it's done. I'm not very good at it and I'm sure that there's still a few pieces on the couch somewhere. Eh... too lazy to look for them now.

Once the movie was over, we switched it over to the Travel Channel where we've been watching the "paradise" series. Good stuff. You put anything in front of Paradise and you'll get the best places in the US to get some of that food. We caught the Ice Cream Paradise (Mmmmm We need to visit Ben & Jerry's to do their tour), Deep Fried Paradise, and now, Sandwich Paradise (I've eaten at the Stage Deli in NY!!!).

The Magic and Sixers are playing. I'll catch you guys later. I got some more lounging to do. Later!

Log Your Miles To Help Find A Cure To Breast Cancer

Hey there friends. Breast Cancer accounts for nearly 33% of the cancer detected in women. That's a fact that is stated in the Breast Cancer Facts & Figures section of Cancer.org. We don't need a month to bring awareness to this horrible disease. It's something that should be year round and if I can help spread the word, or help an organization aid in funding research, I will. This is why I have registered with Bumblebee Foods' BeeWell Miles program. Sign up is quick and easy and Bumblebee Foods is donating $.15 to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength® for every mile you log in the website. They are donating up to $150,000 and if everyone pitches in, we can easily hit the 1,000,000 miles needed for the company to donate an additional $50,000. We have until 10/31/09.


Easy, right? You walk, you run, you help save lives. It really can't get much easier, but it does get better. Everyday that you log in your miles, you will gain one entry to win an instant prize. You can also receive a coupon for $15 off Lady Footlocker (Min $75 purchase), $5 Subscription to Health Magazine, or other great prizes by entering the code found on specially marked cans of Bumblebee Foods. You simply enter the code here and see if you're a winner. The website also makes it extremely easy to calculate your miles. Enter two addresses (or land marks, or two points on the map provided) and miles will be calculated for you. There is also this nifty tool where you can log your meals, nutrition, miles, and activities so that you can do a side by side comparison on how many calories are being burned compared to how many are being entered in your body. All for the sake being active and health conscience.



Check out my profile, sign up, and become my friend. Yes, it shows a bunch of 0's now, but that's because I signed up prior to this post, but I want that "I Made a Difference" badge and I need to log 100,000 miles for it. It's quick and it's easy and you'll not only help a noble cause, but be healthier because of it as well. Later!

Metallman = Buckethead for Saturday Night's Rock Out

Hey there. I've decided. I'm going to be Buckethead for Saturday night. I mentioned earlier that my wife set up a game night for this Saturday and the twist added is that guests would need to be dressed up as a musician. My wife has already called a "preggers Gwen Stefani" while I was still undecided... until today.

While driving to work this morning, my wife showed me a picture of a friend that sent a text message to her. She was wearing a hat that resembled something like the hats worn by the "Hot Dog on a Stick" workers. Then, it dawned on me. I shall be Buckethead! lol Funny how you associate 2 completely unrelated items. In this instance it's Hot Dog on a Stick and Buckethead. I laughed and told my wife that we need to get a bucket of chicken and a white mask and I'm set. So far, I know of 3 "rockers" that will be attending Saturday. We have Buckethead, Gwen Stefani, and Maynard (Tool). Everyone is else is keeping quite of their identities. Hopefully, we won't get any people that will flake out and not come in costume. Later!


UPDATE:

Confirmed appearances by:

Buckethead
Maynard (Tool)
Noodles (The Gorillaz)
The Donnas
Miss B (My Ruin)

Unconfirmed appearances by:

Axl Rose (G n R)
Cindy Lauper

Be Careful Where You Sit!

Hey there. As many of you know, my wife and I are expecting and we have gotten many well wishes from across the globe. We also started to get many pregnancy jokes from friends and family and this is one that crossed my inbox earlier today. Thought is was hilarious and the fact that it claims to be true makes it even more hilarious. Enjoy.

ACTUAL AUSTRALIAN COURT DOCKET 12659 - CASE OF THE PREGNANT LADY

A woman, about 8 months pregnant, got on a bus. She noticed the man opposite her was smiling at her. She decided it was a little weird so she moved to another seat. This time, the man's smile turned to a grin. Feeling uneasy, she moved again. This time, the man seemed more amused. When the woman moved for the fourth time, the man burst out laughing. The woman, freaked out and complained to the bus driver and the he had the man arrested.

During court, the judge asked the man, in his 20's, what he had to say for himself.

The man replied, "Well, your honor, it went down like this. When the lady got on the bus, I couldn't help but notice her condition. She sat down under a sign that read, "The Double Mint Twins are coming", so I smiled. Then she moved and sat under a sign that read, "Logan's Liniment will reduce the swelling", so I grinned. Then she placed herself under a deodorant sign that read, "William's Big Stick did the trick", and I could hardly contain myself. Then, your honor, when she moved the fourth time and say under a sign that read, "Goodyear Rubber could have prevented this accident", I just lost it.

The case was dismissed.

The NBA Playoffs are Here

Hey there. I am a huge basketball fan and I have been waiting for this for almost a year. THE NBA PLAYOFFS ARE FINALLY HERE!!! I'm a huge Lakers fan. I've been following them since the days of Byron Scott, AC Green, Magic and Pat Riley. I pledge loyalty to no other team but the Lakers. If you follow basketball, then you would know that the Lakers were humiliated by the Celtics in last year's championship round. Do or die time for the Lakers, and what did they do? Lay a turd the size of the L.A. river... The bastards pretty much just rolled over. How embarrassing. This year will be different. It better be different. I caught the Lakers put a beat down on the Jazz this weekend and the team looked strong. The final score does not tell the tale of the game since the Lakers were in control early (up by 22 at the half) and pretty much was on cruise control the rest of the game. We're a bunch of focused individuals and this season will be a failure without a title. Being a fan, I didn't just watch the Laker game, the weekend was full of surprises in what is turning out to be a pretty interesting first round.

First game of the playoffs, Chicago @ Boston. The Celtics are the reigning champs and should be able to dispel an upcoming Chicago team. Well, the C's were without Kevin Garnett and the Bulls refused to go down without a fight. Soon to be rookie of the year (in my opinion, at least) Derrick Rose scored 36 points in his playoff debut. A huge deal since it's something that Michael Jordan nor Magic Johnson accomplished in their debut. The guy was on fire. He kept his team in the game by calmly hitting 2 clutch freethrows to put the Bulls up 1 near the end of the game. While Paul Pierce hit 1 or 2 moments later to tie the game instead of putting his team up by 1 near the end of regulation. The Bulls continued the momentum into OT and managed to edge out the Celtics for a surprising win. Rajon Rondo is having difficulties staying in front of Derrick Rose. Unless they contain Rose in the coming games, this could be a long series that can go either way.

Game 2 featured the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. It's highly anticipated that the Lakers will meet the Cavs in the finals so I keep a close eye on this game. The Cavs look strong in their win. I don't see them losing to Pistons. The Pistons looked like a team that is worn out. GM Joe Dumars has done a great piecing together a great team there but that team may need to start the rebuilding process soon. The Cavs are too strong and too good to lose to an old team.

Game 3 featured the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. I only caught glimpses of this game, since I spent most of the afternoon doing come yard work and heavy duty cleaning. What I did see was the Spurs up big in the second qtr, which, quite frankly, I expected. When I looked at the highlights later in the evening, shocker #2 came to light when it showed that Dallas pulled out the win. San Antonio needs the injured Manu Ginobli if they wish to get far. This is a toss up for me since the Spurs have championship experience and a great coach in Greg "Poppa", but it may not be enough this time.

Game 4 was the Rockets and the Trailblazers. I should have watched this game, but payed no attention to it all. Was still outside working... I will say this however. Portland was looking very formidable near the end of the regular season. It's a huge disappointment for them to come out flat and lose to Houston home. Portland is the only team in the West that I see posing a problem to the Lakers. Their big guys can definitely match up to our bigs and the battle won at the post will determine the winner of the game.


Image courtesy of FoxSports.com

Sunday

Game 1 was Lakers at Jazz. Already spoke of this game and I'll be extremely disappointed if we dont' take care of the Jazz in 4 or 5 games. They are not strong enough or big enough to contend with our length. No excuses Lakers! Handle your business.

Game 2 featured the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. The Magic was in control of this game from the start. Up by 18 or so by the end of the 3rd quarter, the Magic had this game in the bag. Then, they collapsed. The Sixers were the aggressors, constantly in the lane, hitting layups. Now, if you have a monster like Dwight Howard on your team, NO ONE SHOULD BE GETTING LAYUPS! The guys is a beast, and he's only 22! He's only going to get better from here. Chalk it up to inexperience if you want, the Magic gave this game to the Sixers in that 4th quarter.

I didn't see the next two games, but considering that they were beat downs, I don't think I missed much. The Hawks gave a huge hurt to the Heat. Surprisingly, they handed them a 26 point beatdown. I didn't see the game, so I don't know the facts, but where was Dwayne Wade? He's a killer talent to have on a team and he tends to shine in the playoffs. His leadership may need to be questioned if he allowed his team to be on the receiving end of a beating like this.

The other game was the New Orleans Hornets at Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have the second seed in the West and considering how tight seeds 2-8 were, it speaks volumes that they were the ones to claim that spot. This was another one where Chris Paul should not have let his team lose by so much. He's the leader of that team and should have lit a fire under his team. Also, I was not impressed by his press conference explaination. It seemed to me that he was making excuses than taking measures to rectify the team. It's a chess match during the playoffs. Adjustments, and then readjustments are made and the team that can do it better tends to win.

If you keep track, you'll notice that the road team won in four of the contests, stealing home court advantage. I don't believe in home court advantange. You either have the skills to win, or you don't. It shouldn't matter whether the game is in different cities. The 4 teams that won on road displayed their skill. With the exception of the Rockets, the road team fought back after being down to take the win. It was an exciting slate of games this weekend and the playoffs are looking to be extrememly entertaining. Later!


Image courtesy of FoxSports.com

Old Boy: A film of Love or Revenge

Hey there. I first caught of glimpse of this film back in October, when the Bravo network was running their 30 Even Scarier Movie Moments. Yes, the show wasn't all that great, but considering that it was Halloween time and being a fan of the horror film genre, I just could not tune it out. The film Old Boy ranked near the top 5, I believe, and I made a mental note to check it out one day. Well, that day came earlier this week.

I've stated my new found passion for the IFC and Sundance channels before. This week, they've brought another gem of a movie to me. Old Boy is a South Korean movie that will blow your mind away. It is rumored that Quentin Tarantino was so moved by the film, that he lobbied for the film to receive the Palme d'Or award during the film's showing at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. The film is subtitled in English so the one negative thing I will saw about this film is that it's difficult to focus on the actors and their facial expressions while reading.

Warning: If you plan on watching the film and do not want me to kill it for you, then I strongly suggest you stop reading here. Go watch the film, then come back to read up on my thoughts. Thanks.

The film revolves around Dae-su, a family man with a drinking problem. One night, he is so drink, that his friend, Joo-Hwan, has to retrieve him from a bar. As Joo-Hwan phones Dae-su's wife, to let her know that he'd bringing him home, Dae-su disappears. Spending no more than 5 to 10 seconds in the phone booth, Joo-Hwan is dumbfounded at his disappearance. As the camera panned out to show the sidewalk, you get the feeling that this was not a random kidnapping.

We are then shown of Dae-su's whereabouts. He is being held captive in a hotel room. While there, he discovers that his wife was murdered, with him being the prime suspect, and his daughter was sent to a foster home. Dae-su then spends the 15 years in the hotel room.

One day, out of the blue, the hotel room door is opened. While getting some sushi, he passes out and the woman chef, Mi-do, takes him. When he awakens, he receives a call from his captor and Dae-su vows to get even. Dae-su, then goes on a mission, gathering clues, as to his captor's motives and identity. Soon after discovering that he was captured because "talks to much", he comes face to face with his captor, Woo-jin. Woo-jin, then gives Dae-wu the ultimatum, discover the reason he was imprisoned. If he fails, Mi-do, will die, and if he succeeds, Woo-jin will kill himself. Mi-do, becoming more than just a friend to Dae-su, is then held hostage before Dae-su to show Woo-jin's seriousness.

Mi-do and Dae-su pack up and stay in another hotel to avoid Woo-jin and his gang. During this brief time, they express their love for each other and end up having sex.

Shortly thereafter, Dae-su uncovers the motive. Woo-jin was a classmate of Dae-su back in their high school days. Dae-su discovered the incestuous relationship that Woo-jin and his sister had. Leaving town the next day, Dae-su spoke about what he saw to a friend before leaving and his friend started spreading rumors of the relationship. The rumors even got as far as Woo-jin's sister being pregnant. Shortly thereafter, his sister is found at the bottom of a dam, dead.



Dae-su confronts Woo-jin and tells him what he has uncovered. He then accuses him of killing his sister to hide his "shameful" secret. Woo-jin laughs it off and present Dae-su with a gift. It ends up being a Dae-su' family photo album featuring many pictures of his daughter. As he flips through the book, it is revealed that Dae-su's daughter is Mi-do. Horrified of what has become of his relationship with his daughter, Dae-su begs Woo jin to keep this a secret from Mi-do. He even goes as far as cutting off his tongue to show that he will not speak of what transpired. Woo-jin then spills the beans of his plan. His capture, his daughter, the murder of his wife, all done so that Dae-su and Mi-do would fall in love. Woo-jin expresses his love for his sister to Dae-su and calmly asks him if he can do the same with Mi-do. Keeping good on his deal, Joo-win commits suicide.


The film ends with a disturbing image. Dae-su and Mi-do are out in the snow and Mi-do hugs Dae-su saying that she loves him. Dae-su has a smile on his face upon hearing this, but that smile soon fades and transforms to a look of grimace.

The movie did leave the question, does Mi-do know of Dea-su's secret? It also left me wondering if Woo-jin is the antagonist of this movie. Woo-jin and his sister had a lover's relationship, as witnessed by Dae-su, but Woo-jin's parting words to Dae-su left me wondering if, had Dae-su not mention what he saw, would it all have been avoided? Did Dae-su, the persona that we follow throughout the ordeal, deserve what he had coming? The fact that a film will have me talking about it well after I've finished seeing it speaks volumes. This is one that you definitely need to check out.

The camera work in this film is also suberb. I mentioned facial expressions earlier because the film uses them to great effect. When Dae-su grimaces, you grimace, when Woo-jin sneers, you get a rush of hatred. It's used to great effect and should be greatly applauded. Another great effect occured during Dea-su's memorable fight scene. Over 3 and half minutes of action, all done in one shot, being reminiscent of the Final Fight video game. So I leave you with this. A video of one the longest fighting sequences in a film. Later.

Deliverance: A Cinquain

Full of worry, full of sorrow, a life away makes sense
In this feeling, always reeling, no more options left for me
A fallen angel, an archangel, no one to my defense
All sullen lies, as I do cry, death is all I see
I can't recover, as souls hover, no chance for deliverance

-Metallman

Metallica's Top 10 Must Hear Songs

Hey there. America's greatest metal band, Metallica, has recently been inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and what better way to commemorate the band than with a top 10 list, of what I believe to be, their greatest songs. Considering that the band has been creating masterpieces since 1981, the catalog of music is there to do a top 100! They have endured tragedy and have overcome hardships yet the music that resonates from Metallica will live on forever. Now, the list.

#10
Album: Kill 'Em All
Song: Whiplash

Off Metallica's first album, Kill 'Em All, is a song where the lyrics match the heavy music. A song about headbanging, Whiplash introduces the world to Metallica, as band that "will never quit" and "never will stop". The Metal Militia at it's infancy, this song is a strong candidate as a song that rallied to troops to cheer their new idols on.

#9
Album: Metallica (The Black Album)
Song: Enter Sandman

Enter Sandman is the song that introduced the band to all the "mainstream" listeners. Because of that, this song ranks as one of their better songs that not only pleased their die hard fans, but captured the ears of those that never heard of heavy metal music. The opening guitar riff is one that is easily learned and hummed and the vocals during the chorus is strong and unforgettable.

#8
Album: S&M
Song: No Leaf Clover

Heavy metal music backed by an orchestra? Impossible! Well, Metallica is all about making the impossible, possible. The S&M album could be considered a collection of "greatest hits" with an added orchestra track. I praised the band for thinking outside of the box and exploring new territories. No Leaf Clover captures the beauty of this experiment in all it's glory. This song, hands down, has one of the best vocal tracks I have ever heard. It's strong, it's powerful, and each time I hear it, I cannot resist the urge to sing along.

#7
Album: Metallica (The Black Album)
Song: Nothing Else Matters

Every metal head has a soft side and Metallica lays it out on the line with this one. Generally considered a softie, this song flows flawlessly as it transitions from intro to verse to chorus and back again. Kirk Hammett's solo is a short one, but nevertheless, its speaks to you like none other can.

#6
Album: Ride the Lightning
Song: Creeping Death

One of my personal favorites, Creeping Death is metal at its best. A song about the plague that devastated the Egyptians, this song is fast, heavy, and is nearly a lock to be played at a Metallica show. Kirk Hammett thoughts on the songs solo as published by Kerrang! (Sept. '08) "There's a really raw, powerful energy to this one. It's exciting to listen to, and it's one that even to this day I absolutely love playing live. In my opinion it's definitely one of the best solos a Metallica song has ever had." How can you not want to listen to this song after reading that?

#5
Album: ...And Justice For All
Song: One

Metallica tested the waters of the music video business with this song. Many fans were none to happy about it, considering the band a sell out. But One is a powerful song where the visuals of the music video greatly enhanced the song. One, a song about death, war, and an unknown soldier, begs to ask the question, "How could a man lose as much of himself as I have and still live?" (quoted by the novel Johnny Got His Gun)

#4
Album: Death Magnetic
Song: My Apocalypse

Fresh off their latest album, Death Magnetic, Metallica produced this hell of a song. Not as well known as their other masterpieces, this song has all the strong elements of a Metallica classic. Blazing solo, heavy palm mutes, double bass drum, and a bass line that blows your mind. As great as they are known for their guitar parts, the bass line really shines on this album and Robert Trujillo just kills the bass line in this song.

#3
Album: Ride the Lightning
Song: Fade to Black

A song with suicidal undertones(I have lost the will to live. Simply nothing more to give), this song is a Metallica classic, not just because of the awesome intro that seems to cry to you, but because of the sentimental value associated with the song. James Hetfield has expressed that the song was originally written about his stolen amp, which unfortunately, was the very first amp he owned. The song also seemed to foreshadow grave news, as it has since been associated with Cliff Burton's death ("Deathly loss this can't seem real. Cannot stand this hell I feel). An emotional song that freakishly conveyed the band's emotions at the time.

#2
Album: Master of Puppets
Song: Orion

An instrumental epic of a song that showcased the band's musical knowledge. Not only did they manage to create a musical masterpiece, but did it with such precision that the song can be played with any other 4 instruments and sound beautiful as a classical piece. Cliff Burton considered this one of his favorite songs and after hearing the bass lines on this song, we can see why. Cliff has 2 bass solos on this song that can easily be mistaken as guitar solos.

#1
Album: Master of Puppets
Song: Master of Puppets

This song is the epitome of heavy metal. Fast, furious, and in your face, Master of Puppets is a clinic on how to play heavy metal. At a tempo of 220 beats per minute, it's definitely one of the faster songs in Metallica's repertoire. It has everything you want in a metal song: full, heavy vocals, fast, furious guitar work, low, decadent bass line, and drum work that will make you lose a few pounds before the song is done. A 8 minute song that is so in your face that you cannot avoid it's powerful message. James Hetfield in Thrasher magazine: "'Master of Puppets' deals pretty much with drugs. How things get switched around, instead of you controlling what you're taking and doing, it's drugs controlling you.

There you have it, friends. A top 10 of Metallica's greatest masterpieces. Now, let the debate begin. Later!

There's Going to be Some Changes

Hey there. I'm noticing that this layout looks pretty half assed... I'm thinking of changing it up some to make it a little more presentable. I would really like to have at least 2 columns so I may be shooting for that. So expect a few different looks in the coming weeks as I'm testing out some new layouts to see which I like best. Knowing me, it shouldn't take long. Later!

A Long Break Needed

Hey there. We had ourselves a nice, long 4 day weekend. We took Thursday and Friday off from work so that we can have at least 2 full days with the kids during their Spring Break vacation. Even though, it was supposed to be a time of relaxing, we spent a lot of time running around. lol

On Thursday, we deposited checks into the bank (this is a big deal for us since we RARELY go to the bank. We don't carry around much cash and any cash that is drawn is usually in the form of "cash back" at local retailers), our boy needed a hair cut (which lasted almost an hour!), and then we had our doc appointment to check up on our soon to be little one. The kids were pretty excited, since Dr. Hill played the baby's heart beat out loud so we can all hear. Strong, healthy baby, as she said. We ended the evening with a family dinner at Norm's.

On Friday, I took a trip to the county registrar. Oh man, was that a nightmare. We needed our little one's birth certificate and because I'd figure it would be a in and out trip, we didn't give ourselves much "wiggle" room for time. After spending what felt like an eternity, we zoomed to my mother in law's place, where my wife was anxiously waiting for me, and with out hesitation, my mother in law jumped out of the car, and my wife jumped in and off we went to Lip Service. A friend of ours works there and she was able to score us some bad ass deals on clothes. No BS, we managed to score 5 shirts for my wife and this bad ass jacket for me and our total was like $25. Now that is a bargain! From there, we grabbed something to eat and off to the mall for some maternity clothes and shoes, since my wife needed some. We managed to score on the clothes but was only able to find one pair of shoes that were her taste. While at home, my wife scheduled a Rock Band night for a weekend coming up. She threw in a twist though. Everyone invited is to be dressed up as a "rocker". lmao You know I'll be posting pics of that!

Saturday was more of a work day, I guess. I spent a good chunk of the morning doing house work, which included yard work (I hate weeds!) and washing the car. Other than that, this was our day to rest. We took the afternoon off and just relaxed some. That night our little one said something that we weren't expecting for another 15 or so years... She marched out of her room, came directly to me and said, "Daddy, I want a dragon on my arm just like you." We laughed. It was so sudden and unexpected. So I did what any sane parent would do, I grabbed a pen and drew one for her. lmao Check it out. She looks sooooo happy. lol


This little one. I know we are going to have our hands full.

Sunday was Easter Sunday. We went to my wife's Aunt's house for an egg hunt, but before that, we had our own hunt at home. We didn't just hand the kids their baskets, they had to earn them. The night before, my wife and I sat and came up with clues to guide the kids to their baskets. They had the camcorder with them so we got it all in their perspective. Over at egg hunt, my wife's cousins filled some of the eggs with confetti or baby powder so many people got smashed in the head with them. There was a HUGE mess on the floor and because of it and because of it, people slipped as they walked. I tripped out most of the afternoon on my brother in law. He's about 13 and just sat in a chair camping out, surveying the area to assure that he would not be ambushed. It seemed as if he was playing a real life game of Rainbow 6 or something. lol Man, that was hilarious.

I also caught this one movie called Old Boy. I want to get into detail with that one so I'll do separate post, but I do want to say is that this movie is BAD ASS! Later!

911, What's Your Emergency?

Hey there. Things are getting a little nuts out here in this place we call the U.S. of A. A few weeks back, a woman called 911 for emergency help because McDonald's had run out of Chicken McNuggets. Now, I see this morning, that another woman (which sounded very much like the first woman) called 911 to request help because a restaurant was out of shrimp. SHRIMP! What the hell? I'm baffled as to why the dispatcher even gave her the time of day, let alone actually send a policeman to the scene. I mean, c'mon people... We have murderers, rapists, terrorists, and what not that need to be caught and we're sending our policemen to a restaurant because they ran out of shrimp?!?!? Really, now? Are we so free of crime that we actually have the resources to go and check this out? Now, I may not have all the facts straight, but it's beginning to get on my nerves, that shit like this is even making it on the news. This isn't news. This is stupidity. Why are we even wasting air time with dolts like this? Don't get me wrong, I love a funny story and I'd laugh my ass off if this was on some kind of TV special called, "When Idiots Call 911", the upsetting part is that police were actually sent. Does anyone know what the protocol for something like this is? Are they obligated to send someone to each 911 call they get? I'm extremely curious as to how our national emergency system works cause I'd be pissed off if I'm getting stabbed and my 911 call isn't going through cause the cops are out there attending to a chicken nugget dispute. Later.

2 Day Hiatus

Hey there. Sorry to my Entrecard friends. I have not dropped on any of them for about 2 days now. I'm not planning on severing myself from the service, it's just that I've been feeling pretty damn tired and have been pretty damn lazy to do it. I tend to get to my blog reading (and dropping) at approx. 10PM. Because of that, I usually don't go to bed till close to midnight. It's not all the web's fault, Family Guy is on at 11PM and I'll find myself watching it while online. I pretty much consider this "my online work" because, let's face it friends, dropping and reading can be a time consuming and tedious task.

Last night, I got to thinking of my online work and was about to get started on it, until I flipped the channel and started watching this one movie called Shooter. I don't know what it is with me and snipers but I thought the movie was pretty bad ass. Nowhere near as good as Enemy at the Gates (one of the most bad ass sniper movies EVER) but nevertheless, a good flick. Then I noticed that our cat was outside and I had out there and get him. I spent a good 15 mins out in the cold trying to get our cat out of the neighbors yard. I wouldn't doubt it if that's why I'm feeling like crap today. I felt hot as hell this morning and I started coughing up all kinds of crap... I came in to work though, figuring it would calm down some... It has, but still, I'm not up to snuff right now.

At least we're getting Thursday and Friday off. The kids are on spring break this week and we weren't able to get the whole week off, like we usually do, so we had to settle for 2 days. It would suck if we spent those 2 days sick... Later!

A Prize a Day Keeps the Gloom Away at Charter

Hey there friends. As many of you know, I am on a mission to cut some expenses, or at least trim them the best I can. I've already decided that my current cable TV is just not cutting it (price wise) so I've been shopping around for a good deal. Well, look at what I've stumbled upon. Our good friends at Charter have come up with another brilliant give-a-way to bring a smile to their new and existing customers. I'm sure we've all had that feeling before, where you sign up for a service only to find that a week later, that same service is offering some kind of freebie. I hate when that happens. I'll end up kicking myself and saying that, "I should've waited!" Well, you won't be kicking yourself with this because existing customers that upgrade will also be included in the sweepstakes. Great way to look out for your customers, Charter .

They have been at the sweepstakes game for a while now and many of the prizes given include laptops, XBOX 360s, and one lucky subscriber drove off with a new 2009 Honda Hybrid. So what's the prize this time around? A new 22" Samsung HDTV! A 22" TV will be given out daily during the month April so there is still time to get on board and get your name in the drawing for the free TV. Everyone that qualifies for the TV also qualifies for the grand drawing of free HDTV service for a full year, a 52" Sony Bravia HDTV AND home theater system. How can you not be interested?

What will Charter come with next? They are beginning to build a good reputation as a company that wants to reach out to their customers. These monthly give-a-ways are a great way draw positive attention to the company and from what I hear, they are now venturing off into the realm of Twitter. A company that has open communications is one that I definitely want to be associated with. The one thing that really upsets me is awful customer service and if I have more options in which I can get some answers to my questions, the better the company is in my eyes. Later!

Mandatory Metallica

Hey there. My name is Metallman and I'm an addict. ADDICTED TO METALLICA!

I'm in full blown Metallica status. Ever since I've found out about the Mandatory Metallica channel on XM Radio, I haven't stopped listening to them. They're EVERYWHERE! They're in my head, I'm constantly singing songs in my head (Mainly, No Leaf Clover... Go figure). They're in my XBOX 360, GH: Metallica is starting to get a grip on me. They're in my TV, Fuse is constantly playing Metallica stuff due to their induction to the Hall of Fame (I hate you, Susan!!!). They're in my radio, Death Magnetic hasn't come out of the CD player since I've had it. They're in my veins, I've pulled out Skully on a couple of nights and played whatever came out of XM (covers ain't all that bad, my friend). I think I finally made my wife snap with this over indulgence of all things Metallica. lol

While riding in the car, listening to Metallica, in a soft voice, she says, "Babe, I'm all Metallica'd out." I didn't think it was possible. lol But alas, it happened to my wife. I switched it over to KROQ and listened to what was playing there, but it got me wondering if my overindulgence will one day cause me to not want to hear them anymore. I doubt it, but nevertheless, it made me wonder.

Later in the evening, after some much needed "mommy and daddy" time, Metallica was back on the TV. First, on XM, then on my XBOX. I think the kids have Metallica on the brain too. My boy plays One on his PSP constantly, our daughter can't get enough of all the Metallica specials on Fuse, and last night the kids were playing Master of Puppets on the XBOX. Looks like we have a pair of up coming metal heads. lol

My name is Metallman and I'm an addict. Later!

Is Entrecard Consulting Satan?

Hey there. It's the middle of the day, and I'm checking my stats, referrals, and what not for Metallman's Reverie. As I'm checking out my referrals, I came across an interesting number... According to Project Wonderful, I have 666 referrals from Entrecard!!!! Dun! Dun! Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnn! I got my eye on you, Entrecard. Is this whole "Ad Network" business Satan talk? lol Later!

Blogs of the Month of March

Hey there. There was some shake up in my top 5 for this month. 3 blogs dropped off and our friends over at Blazing Minds stepped up and took the top spot. Feel free to check out the top blogs in my Blogs of the Month Section. Credits have also been awarded to them as follows:

Top Blog

1,000 ECs

Blogs 2-5

500 ECs

Many thanks to this month's winners and thank you for continuing to visit and support Metallman's Reverie! Later!