Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Rejected Album Cover - Master of Puppets
Hey there. I picked up this gem on Cracked.com. They had readers send in their renditions of famous album covers BEFORE the label made the artist change them. This Metallica one ranked third but I thought it was too funny and had to share it. You can check out the full listing here. Later!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Rock Band 3... With Keyboard???
Hey there. I love the music genre of games that seem to have plagued most of the video game consoles. I own Rock Band 1 & 2 and several of the Guitar Hero installments. Now, there's buzz about the upcoming Rock Band 3 and from what I've being told, it's supposed to be pretty massive in terms of it's catalog. That is a good thing. The more music choices the better the range of musical tastes that will be featured. However, there is a screen shot popping out in the internet that displays what seems to be a promo shot for Rock Band 3. Check it out...
Join Summer Classes with Kidzmet
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of KidzmetJen. All opinions are 100% mine.
Hey there friends. With public schools cutting more and more of the fine arts department (music, art, sports, etc.) due to budget cuts, us parents are finding it harder and harder to find alternatives to keep that integral part of our kid's education alive. Whether we're going through parks looking for sign up signs or searching online for classes in the area, it's always a tough search when minimal information is provided. That's why Jen Lilienstein, the founder of Kidzmet.com, created a central location where parents can search for available classes for their children.
The focus of Kidzmet is squarely on the education of our youth. You can very easy search for classes that fit your child's need. There is no second guessing when you can easily create a search for classes based on your child's, age and interest, and best of all... your budget! Check out the search results for the Santa Barbara area:
There are several classes for the new born group. Since my wife is a stay at home mom now, I know she'll want to look for some "mommy and me" type activities and this a great way to see all the available classes in our area. If you're looking for activities for you kids, do not overlook Kidzmet.com. All the information you need in one website and if for whatever reason you are having difficulties at the site, you can easily chat with a Kidzmet member by clicking on the live chat icon in the bottom right of the screen. Best of luck and I hope you enjoy your time in class with the kids! Later!
The focus of Kidzmet is squarely on the education of our youth. You can very easy search for classes that fit your child's need. There is no second guessing when you can easily create a search for classes based on your child's, age and interest, and best of all... your budget! Check out the search results for the Santa Barbara area:
Monday, May 24, 2010
LOST: 'The End' of an Epic Journey
Hey there. I told myself I wasn't going to post about Lost. There are so many outlets online that there are more than enough ideas, thoughts, interpretations and all things Lost that I didn't feel the need to have to throw in my two cents. However, after watching the series finale last night, I decided that I would give the show my one and only post. Grab some coffee friends, this is going to be a long one.
For those of you didn't see it, go watch the finale. Once you do, come back and read this and give me your opinions. There will be spoilers. You have been warned.
Lost has been a great journey. On island, off island, love interests, dire situations, sacrifice, good, bad, light, dark... the list can go on and on showcasing some of the great themes of Lost. But thinking back on Lost as a whole, the focus of the show is not that of the Oceanic 815 survivors and their adventure but that of Jack Sheppard himself.
The show started with an opening of an eye, Jack's eye, and we are immediately thrown into the chaos of the crash. Seeing everything through the point of view of Jack. The fact that Lost started with his eye opening is important. Since the show predominately featured eyes as a theme, it's imperative that we understand from the the get go that this is Jack's story. Within Jack's journey, we are introduced to the other characters and as a means for us, the viewers, to better understand their plight, we are treated to the origins of their stories, which also are signaled by the opening of their respective eyes. And one of the great aspects of the side character stories is that we're never let in on more than what we need. We are never given information that Jack himself would not have any knowledge of. The perfect example of this is given recently with Desmond in the well.
Now you're thinking that conversation between Desmond and Sayid happened well before Jack knew of it. That's fine. We're being told a story that needed that scene to take a place for the story to progress. The brilliance of it is that we don't know what was said between Sayid and Desmond and we'll never know, and that's because Jack himself was not told of the conversation. For those that followed the show, that conversation is critical to the character growth of Sayid. Sayid was on a path of darkness, not feeling emotions and was very much looking the part to take over Smokey's spot as the island terror. After that conversation with Desmond, Sayid lightened up, culminating with him sacrificing himself to to save his friends. Right before his death, he uttered to the words to that Jack that Demsond is in a well. This is all happening during's Jack's journey, not Sayid's.
In regards to the ending and the flash sideways, I thought it was a fitting ending to Jack's journey. A man of science, needing to know how and why, needing to fix people, transforms himself into a man of faith, trusting others and himself, to simply go with the flow and trust his instincts. No one knew of the outcome of Desmond going into the heart of the island but Jack had faith that whatever happened, it needed to be done, since Desmond was brought back to the island for this particular reason. Cutting right to the end of Jack's journey, you see him lying in the same bamboo field where his journey first began. A close up of his eye was the last scene, the difference was that this time, it was closing. Very strong imagery.
There will be much speculation as to what the flash sideways really is. Is it purgatory? Christian Sheppard tells Jack that this is a place that they, the Losties, created so that they can find one another. It is a clearly a form of afterlife where our characters are working on their issues. But how long before they learn to let go? This was a strong theme between Jack and Locke in the afterlife. They each tried to push each other to "let go" of their past, not knowing that letting go will enlightened them to what they really are. In the end, despite their differences in their philosophical views, Jack needed Locke just as much as Locke needed Jack to push each other into enlightenment. And once all the characters have come to grips with their pasts, and ultimately, their deaths, they allowed themselves to let go and move on. The fact that Ben decided to stay a little while longer add credence to the fact that there is a chance for redemption in their after life and how long before they accept their progression is unknown, but I believe that it was a great way to send off our cast. Especially Jack. His realization that he died was a strong revelation to the audience. We all knew that the rest of the Losties were aware of their island presence, but we were not aware that they knew of their deaths. Jack's realization is our realization and it was difficult to not have a somber heart once that was a made a fact. Our beloved characters are in fact, dead. However, this afterlife does not recognize time. Christian made it clear that there were those that died before Jack and there were many that died after Jack and yet, they are there to welcome him and continue their journey. So we can take solace in the fact that some of our friends managed to live long lives after the island.
It is interesting to note that some characters were not in attendance to this transgression. Micheal, for one, was not there. I strongly believe that he's stuck on the island as part of the whispers. Looking back at that conversation between him and Hugo, it makes it clear that there are others still lurking the island. Does this mean that the island also has an "afterlife" and that is the real purgatory? Or simply a form of hell for those that died on the island with blood on their hands. Michael killed Libby and Ana Lucia so he may not have been allowed to leave the island and join the sideways afterlife like many of the other characters. Another one that raises a question is Richard Alpert. I understand that he was there for centuries so did he get a free pass and was instantly allowed into the "light" that Christian was about to lead our Losties? It's all open for interpretation and it's all dependent in your spiritual beliefs. And even though this was the journey of Jack, all in all, it was a great way to send off our group of friends, together, into their next journey. Later!
For those of you didn't see it, go watch the finale. Once you do, come back and read this and give me your opinions. There will be spoilers. You have been warned.
The show started with an opening of an eye, Jack's eye, and we are immediately thrown into the chaos of the crash. Seeing everything through the point of view of Jack. The fact that Lost started with his eye opening is important. Since the show predominately featured eyes as a theme, it's imperative that we understand from the the get go that this is Jack's story. Within Jack's journey, we are introduced to the other characters and as a means for us, the viewers, to better understand their plight, we are treated to the origins of their stories, which also are signaled by the opening of their respective eyes. And one of the great aspects of the side character stories is that we're never let in on more than what we need. We are never given information that Jack himself would not have any knowledge of. The perfect example of this is given recently with Desmond in the well.
Now you're thinking that conversation between Desmond and Sayid happened well before Jack knew of it. That's fine. We're being told a story that needed that scene to take a place for the story to progress. The brilliance of it is that we don't know what was said between Sayid and Desmond and we'll never know, and that's because Jack himself was not told of the conversation. For those that followed the show, that conversation is critical to the character growth of Sayid. Sayid was on a path of darkness, not feeling emotions and was very much looking the part to take over Smokey's spot as the island terror. After that conversation with Desmond, Sayid lightened up, culminating with him sacrificing himself to to save his friends. Right before his death, he uttered to the words to that Jack that Demsond is in a well. This is all happening during's Jack's journey, not Sayid's.
In regards to the ending and the flash sideways, I thought it was a fitting ending to Jack's journey. A man of science, needing to know how and why, needing to fix people, transforms himself into a man of faith, trusting others and himself, to simply go with the flow and trust his instincts. No one knew of the outcome of Desmond going into the heart of the island but Jack had faith that whatever happened, it needed to be done, since Desmond was brought back to the island for this particular reason. Cutting right to the end of Jack's journey, you see him lying in the same bamboo field where his journey first began. A close up of his eye was the last scene, the difference was that this time, it was closing. Very strong imagery.
There will be much speculation as to what the flash sideways really is. Is it purgatory? Christian Sheppard tells Jack that this is a place that they, the Losties, created so that they can find one another. It is a clearly a form of afterlife where our characters are working on their issues. But how long before they learn to let go? This was a strong theme between Jack and Locke in the afterlife. They each tried to push each other to "let go" of their past, not knowing that letting go will enlightened them to what they really are. In the end, despite their differences in their philosophical views, Jack needed Locke just as much as Locke needed Jack to push each other into enlightenment. And once all the characters have come to grips with their pasts, and ultimately, their deaths, they allowed themselves to let go and move on. The fact that Ben decided to stay a little while longer add credence to the fact that there is a chance for redemption in their after life and how long before they accept their progression is unknown, but I believe that it was a great way to send off our cast. Especially Jack. His realization that he died was a strong revelation to the audience. We all knew that the rest of the Losties were aware of their island presence, but we were not aware that they knew of their deaths. Jack's realization is our realization and it was difficult to not have a somber heart once that was a made a fact. Our beloved characters are in fact, dead. However, this afterlife does not recognize time. Christian made it clear that there were those that died before Jack and there were many that died after Jack and yet, they are there to welcome him and continue their journey. So we can take solace in the fact that some of our friends managed to live long lives after the island.
It is interesting to note that some characters were not in attendance to this transgression. Micheal, for one, was not there. I strongly believe that he's stuck on the island as part of the whispers. Looking back at that conversation between him and Hugo, it makes it clear that there are others still lurking the island. Does this mean that the island also has an "afterlife" and that is the real purgatory? Or simply a form of hell for those that died on the island with blood on their hands. Michael killed Libby and Ana Lucia so he may not have been allowed to leave the island and join the sideways afterlife like many of the other characters. Another one that raises a question is Richard Alpert. I understand that he was there for centuries so did he get a free pass and was instantly allowed into the "light" that Christian was about to lead our Losties? It's all open for interpretation and it's all dependent in your spiritual beliefs. And even though this was the journey of Jack, all in all, it was a great way to send off our group of friends, together, into their next journey. Later!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Next Time, Make it a Diamond Ring
Thursday, May 20, 2010
NBA Playoffs: Lakers Looking for Revenge
Hey there. I'm an avid NBA fan. I watch the games all the time and I especially make note to NOT miss the NBA playoffs. So far, there have been some very entertaining series. Oklahoma City gave Los Angeles a good run for their money, LeBron was bounced from the playoffs yet again, The Suns swept a superior team in the Spurs, Orlando looked every bit of the part of a championship team until they ran into the Celtics. While last year's playoff theme seemed to showcase an "inevitable" LeBron vs Kobe NBA Finals, this year's theme seems more in line with the Lakers avenging their loss to the Boston Celtics.
We all love story lines, the NBA is no different. Last year, the story of LeBron vs Kobe was derailed by Dwight "Superman" Howard and the Orlando Magic. The Lakers ended up beating Orlando for the championship. The year before that, the story was of the great rivalry of years past between the Lakers and the Boston Celtics, two of the NBA's most winningest teams. Boston embarrassed the Lakers and took home the crown. This year, no one is giving the Suns much of a chance against the Lakers, and as the Lakers have proven in two games, they are simply the superior team in the series so you might as well pencil them in for the finals. As for the Magic and Celtics, Boston has taken a surprising 2-0 lead in their series and the Magic are looking very vulnerable. Whether it be the Magic or Celtics to go up against the Lakers is yet to be determined, but either way, it will be a compelling series. Are the Lakers ready to avenge their NBA Finals defeat against the Celtics? Or will the new kid on the block, Dwight Howard and the Magic, come back to get another crack at the Lakers for a championship?
While a rematch with Orlando would be intriguing, you always want to avenge losses so many Laker fans, including myself, are hoping for a Lakers vs Celtics series. Either way, the NBA Finals is shaping up to be one hell of a series waiting to happen. Until then, later!
PS: If you want to know why the Suns and Magic are getting their butts handed to them, check out Jason Whitlock's article. The man is pure genius and tells is like it is.
While a rematch with Orlando would be intriguing, you always want to avenge losses so many Laker fans, including myself, are hoping for a Lakers vs Celtics series. Either way, the NBA Finals is shaping up to be one hell of a series waiting to happen. Until then, later!
PS: If you want to know why the Suns and Magic are getting their butts handed to them, check out Jason Whitlock's article. The man is pure genius and tells is like it is.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Find a NMEDA Dealer Near You
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Hey there friends. As many of us age, our bodies are simply not as strong and healthy as before. We may very well find ourselves at the mercy of a wheelchair due to an accident or an illness. Throughout all this, we should be able to be as independent as we possibly can. That's why taking your vehicle to a NMEDA dealer is the way to go.
No two persons have the same disability so NMEDA will do a personalized "in person" evaluation to assure you that they can customize your vehicle to fit your needs. Or maybe you don't want to customize your car, going straight to the dealer is your best bet in getting the best deal on a wheel chair adjusted vehicle.
Now for those of you that feel a little uneasy on getting your vehicle modified, all NMEDA dealers are the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. That's some pretty high standards.
Just think about it for a second. Maybe you're not the one in need of a modification, but if you're a caregiver, it would definitely be a huge help. Instead of going through the tough task of helping someone off and then on their wheelchair, you can have a much more comfortable time for both you and the disabled if your vehicle is a modified vehicle done by a NMEDA dealer. And, god forbid, they would need to be rushed to a hospital, the last thing you would want to struggle with getting the disabled person in your car. It just makes more sense to have a ready and able vehicle to suit their needs. And let's not forget that it also grant them some of their independence back. They may be confined to a wheelchair but they should be able to get on the road and live as close to normal lives as possible.
I was able to locate 4 NMEDA dealers within 25 miles of where I live. I'm sure that you would be able to find one close to your home as well. Check it out and let me know how close is your local dealer. Happy driving and be safe! Until then, later!
No two persons have the same disability so NMEDA will do a personalized "in person" evaluation to assure you that they can customize your vehicle to fit your needs. Or maybe you don't want to customize your car, going straight to the dealer is your best bet in getting the best deal on a wheel chair adjusted vehicle.
Now for those of you that feel a little uneasy on getting your vehicle modified, all NMEDA dealers are the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. That's some pretty high standards.
Just think about it for a second. Maybe you're not the one in need of a modification, but if you're a caregiver, it would definitely be a huge help. Instead of going through the tough task of helping someone off and then on their wheelchair, you can have a much more comfortable time for both you and the disabled if your vehicle is a modified vehicle done by a NMEDA dealer. And, god forbid, they would need to be rushed to a hospital, the last thing you would want to struggle with getting the disabled person in your car. It just makes more sense to have a ready and able vehicle to suit their needs. And let's not forget that it also grant them some of their independence back. They may be confined to a wheelchair but they should be able to get on the road and live as close to normal lives as possible.
I was able to locate 4 NMEDA dealers within 25 miles of where I live. I'm sure that you would be able to find one close to your home as well. Check it out and let me know how close is your local dealer. Happy driving and be safe! Until then, later!
You’re Invited to Experience Project Natal with Cirque Du Soleil
Hey there. Whoo hoo! I've been invited to the "unveiling" of XBOX's Project Natal. How bad ass is that? I received an Email from XBOX Live stating that I was on of the lucky few to be chosen to attend the event and that I can bring up to 4 people with me. I wasted absolutely no time to confirm my attendance. lmao I'm sure that our son will be the most excited to check it out since he's expressing a strong interest in gaming the way I did as kid (and to an extent, now) so this would be a cool event event to check out as a family.
For the those of you that are not familiar with "Project Natal", it's the latest in gaming technology. Many of use have enjoyed video games and have used all sorts of gaming controls. Simple ones with only a few buttons to monstrous ones with more buttons than our fingers can navigate through. Project Natal claims to be the first to be a "controllerless" system. Or in other words... You're body is the controller. How it works, I'm still not sure but while other systems, such as the Wii and PS3, offer motion sensor controllers, the XBOX 360 is taking it a step further by eliminating the controllers and have you use hand gestures and body motions to control the action. Sounds pretty high tech stuff and it's going to be great to be able to witness it in action first hand! Until then... Later!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
DOVE® Ice Cream Mini Moment Contest
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dove Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.
Hey there friends. My wife recently decided to be a stay at home mom and while she's loving the extra time with the kids, she's also found out that there is a lot more involved than cooking and cleaning. She zooms off and does several errands, all while coming and going from school to pick up the kids. And trust me friends, it's no easy task when a baby is also involved. She feels the pressure to be super mom and hot wife all in one. That's why she hits the gym in the evenings and watches what she eats. I don't know how she does it!
The other night, she took a moment to herself. Sitting on the couch, enjoying some chocolate ice cream. You can see it in her face that it was pure bliss. She has asked me to remind her when she's "cheating" on her diet but once I noticed the box of the ice cream she was eating, I knew it was OK. Dove Ice Cream Minis are only 70 calories each and it's perfect for when anybody wants to get away and just enjoy a moment to yourself. And my wife, being a smart cookie, got the new Cafe flavored bars, which include Cappuccinno and Java chip flavors. She's also cut down on coffee so I thought she was getting the best of both worlds!
After reading more on the box, I noticed that DOVE is holding a “My Mini Moment” contest where they are asking women to submit the favorite "me" moment for a chance to win 1 of 3 sensational mini-grand prizes: a mini-getaway to Napa Valley, Spa services for a year or a mini-home makeover. What hard working mother and wife would NOT want to enter this contest? And the best part is that DOVE knows that all women are unique so the winner will get to choose their prize. Don't get me wrong, all women can enter but I would love for MY wife to take home a prize. She deserves it! lol To enter, you will need to submit a photo and short essay at DoveIceCream.com/myminimoment by June 7, 2010. Sorry guys, even though you may sneak a piece or two away from the ladies, this contest is open to women only.
So ladies, take a minute to yourselves and enjoy the moment. Snap a picture and write a quick essay and enter this contest. For you women who blog, this should be especially easy since you already spend some time writing! For all the work that you ladies do, DOVE is here to say "thanks". Later!
Hey there friends. My wife recently decided to be a stay at home mom and while she's loving the extra time with the kids, she's also found out that there is a lot more involved than cooking and cleaning. She zooms off and does several errands, all while coming and going from school to pick up the kids. And trust me friends, it's no easy task when a baby is also involved. She feels the pressure to be super mom and hot wife all in one. That's why she hits the gym in the evenings and watches what she eats. I don't know how she does it!
After reading more on the box, I noticed that DOVE is holding a “My Mini Moment” contest where they are asking women to submit the favorite "me" moment for a chance to win 1 of 3 sensational mini-grand prizes: a mini-getaway to Napa Valley, Spa services for a year or a mini-home makeover. What hard working mother and wife would NOT want to enter this contest? And the best part is that DOVE knows that all women are unique so the winner will get to choose their prize. Don't get me wrong, all women can enter but I would love for MY wife to take home a prize. She deserves it! lol To enter, you will need to submit a photo and short essay at DoveIceCream.com/myminimoment by June 7, 2010. Sorry guys, even though you may sneak a piece or two away from the ladies, this contest is open to women only.
Monday, May 17, 2010
I'm Back From Boston
Hey there. I'm back home! My trip to Boston was a short one, but certainly an eventful one. Here's what went down...
My alarm did NOT go off on Thursday morning. That's right. It decided to mess with me and simply not go off, even with the stupid thing CLEARLY saying that the alarm is on. It's 6:30 AM and my flight is set to take off at 7:15 AM! I grab my stuff, put on some clothes, kiss my wife good bye and speed off to LAX. I manage to get there at around 7:00AM. I got and punch in my confirmation code into the kiosk to get my boarding pass. I sigh a sigh of relief since I don't see anyone in line at security should it should be a breeze to get in. "Confirmation code not recognized" What the... I try it again. "Confirmation code not recognized" Oh man...
I head over to the desk while valuable seconds tick away and give the clerk my confirmation number. The guy punches it in the computer and says that I missed my flight. I point to the huge clock behind the guy and say, "It's 7:05. If you give me my pass now, I can still make my 7:15 flight." The dude persisted that I missed my flight, all the while getting me upset. After arguing with him, and the manager, I decided that I'm just wasting energy here and decided to get a standby pass on the next flight... 4+ hours later. I'm going to miss my appointment with our client! Ugh...
I grab the pass, go through security, and when I reach the terminal of my flight, I hear "last call for flight blah blah blah from LAX to BOS" Damn it!!! If that guy would have given my pass when I asked for it, I would have sooooo made my flight! I see them shut the doors and minutes later, watch as my flight takes off without me. *Sigh* I go over to the attendant at the desk and ask her what are my chances on getting on the next flight since it is a standby ticket. She punches in the info... "It's 50/50 right now. There are only 2 seats available." Ugh... She sees my dejected look and assures me that I'll probably get on since there's always cancellations and people being late. I thank her and decide to have breakfast at the airport. I also called our client to let him know that I won't be able to make it and would have to be pushed to Friday. The meeting was rescheduled but it was a huge bummer for me since I wanted to use Friday afternoon as a means to check out the sites of the city.
Afterward, I continue to check in on my chances. "1 seat left" Oh man... I'm getting nervous at this point. I ask her, what if I don't get on this one? She then told me that the next flight to Boston is the red eye... Ugh! Not a good way to start the day. The plane pulls in and I ask again what are my chances. "Better than before," she says, "there are now 3 available seats." YES! I watch as passengers board the plane still waiting for them to give me a "confirmed" boarding pass. After just about everyone is on, they call my name. YES! I get my ticket and hop on the plane. Relieved. 7+ hour flight... COMMENCE!
Nothing too eventful on the plane. A lot of the "Boston vs Cleveland" game that could have been LeBron's last game as a Cavalier. I arrive at Boston close to 7 PM... oh man... The group that I was meeting was scheduled to have dinner at 7 PM! By the time I get in a cab, check in my hotel and start looking for the place, it's already closer to 8PM. I get to the restaurant and feel weird walking in while everybody else is enjoying their dinner. I go ahead and advise the head of the group that I made it and said my hellos to some familiar faces. I sit in an empty seat and menu and a wine glass is handed to me. No kidding... that was ONE EXPENSIVE MENU!!!! Nothing on there was under $40! Before the waiter decides to take off to "give me some time" I asked him what he recommended. He pointed to a prime rib steak and he claims is the best in the world. I don't believe it, since the restaurant's specialty seems to be seafood. I was starving, so I asked to be served the steak and wow... what a steak it was. It was one of the better tasting steaks I've ever had... and in case you don't know what a $40 steak looks like... here it is.
After a couple more glasses of wine (I needed them after the morning I had...) I went back to the room to catch the Boston - Cleveland game. I texted my bro while watching the game, giving our opinions on James' looking rather lethargic and once the game was over, I called my wife to chat for a bit. After we said our goodnights I tried to sleep. Not happening... Stupid time change really messed with my head. Clock said 1 AM but it's 10PM in LA. I don't usually go to sleep until midnight or so... 3AM... Still up, but managed to drift asleep. 5AM... I'm up... it's light out and I don't feel all that sleepy anymore. Hell with it. I got up and showered and went for a walk.
I took a stroll down the "Freedom Walk" path. It's basically a red line on the sidewalk that takes you to several of Boston's points of interest. That's a neat idea. So I walk and catch several glimpses of the city's statues and monuments. I snap some pictures and take a few videos. Boston definitely has some unique sights to see. Being one of America's first settlements definitely resounds across many of the cemeteries and buildings that are littered with plaques stating their historical importance. I missed out on seeing the Constitution (a ship... not the document. lol) and Paul Revere's statue. But here are some of the stuff I did get to see.
Once 7:30 AM rolls around, I head back to the hotel for my meeting. During our lunch break, I notice that the cemetery across from the hotel seems like a pretty lively place. I see several children storming in and even caught a glimpse of some people dressed as patriots... I need to see this. I excuse myself from the table and head over there. I managed to snap a pic of the patriot but he wasn't too happy that I did. I walked the other way and then saw another guy dressed up as Ben Franklin (I think) and listened in as he gave the small crowd some historical facts on John Hancock's grave. He then snapped at me for taking a pic of him and asked me if I knew that this was a paid tour. I smartly responded that I didn't know since I just walked up to him no more than 2 minutes ago. He didn't seem to happy so I decided that I best better go. Dude was carrying a gun (or replica... I didn't want to find out) so I told him that I'd just be "on my merry way". lol I was too upset to look for Paul Revere at this time so I headed back to the hotel.
We finished up our credit conference and I moved on to my meeting with our client. It being close to 2:30PM really set a damper on me since I would have had all this time (flight leaves at 8:25 PM) to check out the city, but instead I decide to walk to my meeting, a mere 1.5 miles away. Nothing too eventful on my way there other than I got to walk on a bridge. I had my meeting, discussed some business, made a good impression and I was off to the airport... all at around 5:30 PM...
Three hours from my flight. I could have gone back... But I was too tired to walk. I get to the airport and looked for food. I then grabbed some coffee and sat in a chair where I got to see planes come and go. I kicked off my shoes and enjoyed the view. Soon after, I'm on a plane, heading home. I get to LAX close to midnight and I'm not home, in bed, until about 1 AM.
Yup... condensed trip indeed. lol Later!
My alarm did NOT go off on Thursday morning. That's right. It decided to mess with me and simply not go off, even with the stupid thing CLEARLY saying that the alarm is on. It's 6:30 AM and my flight is set to take off at 7:15 AM! I grab my stuff, put on some clothes, kiss my wife good bye and speed off to LAX. I manage to get there at around 7:00AM. I got and punch in my confirmation code into the kiosk to get my boarding pass. I sigh a sigh of relief since I don't see anyone in line at security should it should be a breeze to get in. "Confirmation code not recognized" What the... I try it again. "Confirmation code not recognized" Oh man...
I head over to the desk while valuable seconds tick away and give the clerk my confirmation number. The guy punches it in the computer and says that I missed my flight. I point to the huge clock behind the guy and say, "It's 7:05. If you give me my pass now, I can still make my 7:15 flight." The dude persisted that I missed my flight, all the while getting me upset. After arguing with him, and the manager, I decided that I'm just wasting energy here and decided to get a standby pass on the next flight... 4+ hours later. I'm going to miss my appointment with our client! Ugh...
My flight taking off without me
I grab the pass, go through security, and when I reach the terminal of my flight, I hear "last call for flight blah blah blah from LAX to BOS" Damn it!!! If that guy would have given my pass when I asked for it, I would have sooooo made my flight! I see them shut the doors and minutes later, watch as my flight takes off without me. *Sigh* I go over to the attendant at the desk and ask her what are my chances on getting on the next flight since it is a standby ticket. She punches in the info... "It's 50/50 right now. There are only 2 seats available." Ugh... She sees my dejected look and assures me that I'll probably get on since there's always cancellations and people being late. I thank her and decide to have breakfast at the airport. I also called our client to let him know that I won't be able to make it and would have to be pushed to Friday. The meeting was rescheduled but it was a huge bummer for me since I wanted to use Friday afternoon as a means to check out the sites of the city.
Afterward, I continue to check in on my chances. "1 seat left" Oh man... I'm getting nervous at this point. I ask her, what if I don't get on this one? She then told me that the next flight to Boston is the red eye... Ugh! Not a good way to start the day. The plane pulls in and I ask again what are my chances. "Better than before," she says, "there are now 3 available seats." YES! I watch as passengers board the plane still waiting for them to give me a "confirmed" boarding pass. After just about everyone is on, they call my name. YES! I get my ticket and hop on the plane. Relieved. 7+ hour flight... COMMENCE!
Nothing too eventful on the plane. A lot of the "Boston vs Cleveland" game that could have been LeBron's last game as a Cavalier. I arrive at Boston close to 7 PM... oh man... The group that I was meeting was scheduled to have dinner at 7 PM! By the time I get in a cab, check in my hotel and start looking for the place, it's already closer to 8PM. I get to the restaurant and feel weird walking in while everybody else is enjoying their dinner. I go ahead and advise the head of the group that I made it and said my hellos to some familiar faces. I sit in an empty seat and menu and a wine glass is handed to me. No kidding... that was ONE EXPENSIVE MENU!!!! Nothing on there was under $40! Before the waiter decides to take off to "give me some time" I asked him what he recommended. He pointed to a prime rib steak and he claims is the best in the world. I don't believe it, since the restaurant's specialty seems to be seafood. I was starving, so I asked to be served the steak and wow... what a steak it was. It was one of the better tasting steaks I've ever had... and in case you don't know what a $40 steak looks like... here it is.
I took a stroll down the "Freedom Walk" path. It's basically a red line on the sidewalk that takes you to several of Boston's points of interest. That's a neat idea. So I walk and catch several glimpses of the city's statues and monuments. I snap some pictures and take a few videos. Boston definitely has some unique sights to see. Being one of America's first settlements definitely resounds across many of the cemeteries and buildings that are littered with plaques stating their historical importance. I missed out on seeing the Constitution (a ship... not the document. lol) and Paul Revere's statue. But here are some of the stuff I did get to see.
We finished up our credit conference and I moved on to my meeting with our client. It being close to 2:30PM really set a damper on me since I would have had all this time (flight leaves at 8:25 PM) to check out the city, but instead I decide to walk to my meeting, a mere 1.5 miles away. Nothing too eventful on my way there other than I got to walk on a bridge. I had my meeting, discussed some business, made a good impression and I was off to the airport... all at around 5:30 PM...
Three hours from my flight. I could have gone back... But I was too tired to walk. I get to the airport and looked for food. I then grabbed some coffee and sat in a chair where I got to see planes come and go. I kicked off my shoes and enjoyed the view. Soon after, I'm on a plane, heading home. I get to LAX close to midnight and I'm not home, in bed, until about 1 AM.Yup... condensed trip indeed. lol Later!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Joker Book Shop
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Mentally Preparing for Boston
Hey there. No, I'm talking about the Celtics, I'm talking about my trip to Boston. I'm off to a credit conference later in the week and am meeting with a client of ours. My schedule looks pretty brutal so I'm getting mentally prepared for it. Trip (so far) is as follows:
Leave LAX @ 7am
Arrive at BOS @ 3:40
Rush over to downtown Boston and meet with our customer
Rush over to check into the hotel
Rush to the group meeting at 6 PM
Probably leave dinner close to 10 PM<
Sleep...
7:30 am Credit Conference
Conference is over at 5 PM
Find something to do before heading to the airport for my 8 PM flight
Arrive at LAX @ 11:55 PM
Yup... I would say that's a condensed trip if I do say so myself. I was hoping to be able to fly in on Wednesday evening. That would allow me to check out the city and meet with our client during the morning and not be so rushed right out of the airport. Well... that's how it rolls sometimes. Later!
Leave LAX @ 7am
Arrive at BOS @ 3:40
Rush over to downtown Boston and meet with our customer
Rush over to check into the hotel
Rush to the group meeting at 6 PM
Probably leave dinner close to 10 PM<
Sleep...
7:30 am Credit Conference
Conference is over at 5 PM
Find something to do before heading to the airport for my 8 PM flight
Arrive at LAX @ 11:55 PM
Yup... I would say that's a condensed trip if I do say so myself. I was hoping to be able to fly in on Wednesday evening. That would allow me to check out the city and meet with our client during the morning and not be so rushed right out of the airport. Well... that's how it rolls sometimes. Later!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Happy Mother's Day (Oh Yeah... and Happy Birthday to Me)
Hey there. To all you mothers out there, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I know it was yesterday, but I didn't have a chance to post and figured I'd do it now. Yesterday was also my birthday! Knowing that Mother's Day would overpower any birthday, my wife set up a dinner for us on Saturday night. We set out to eat with my mother and brother and we caught the Laker game all the while. One hell of a game, it was. Afterwards, we headed back to our place where the cake was the talk of the town.
I should've taken a picture of it, but I didn't, so I'll have to wait until they are Emailed to me, but the cake was kinda odd looking. It was about 5 inches high and seemed more like a block of frosting than a cake. My bro claimed that he made it and that's why it's funny looking. Fair enough. I'll buy that. After watching a few episodes of The Office, we cut the "cake". As I was about to slice through it, I noticed some silvery substance sticking out of it. What the... So I look closer and it's saran wrap wrapping a box. No wonder it was funny looking. It turns out that it was a box containing a Dwight Bobble Head doll. How bad ass is that! lol We all laughed and my bro confessed that he wanted to put the box in jello but that they couldn't find a big enough container. That would have been classic, but the cake thing is just as good.
Yesterday, my wife and I woke up to our gifts. Me, for my birthday and her for Mother's Day. I ended up getting her this one leopard bag from Betsey Johnson that I thought was pretty cool. Aside from the standard leopard print, it had lightning bolts on it which I thought was pretty awesome. She loved her purse and then presented me with my gift. The wrapping was pretty cool. It was home made by the kids and the paper had all kinds of stuff sprawled across it. Words like "daddy" happy birthday" and "Pantera" (lol). I opened it carefully to void ripping the paper and uncovered Final Fantasy XIII. Does my babe know me or what?! lol I've been wanting it for sometime but I'm not one to dish out full price for a game unless I really want it (Guitar Hero: Metallica) or it's a collector's item (Final Fantasy XII). I thanked her for it and reminded her that I'll be missing for awhile. I'll be there physically, but my mind will be on Final Fantasy. lol
We then got dressed and we treated my mother and mother in law out to breakfast at Mimi's Cafe. It's always a good time when we get together and laugh it up. After we over stuffed ourselves, we took off to the mall and treated my mother in law to a mini shopping spree. She was able to go to any store and choose out of stuff. After wards, we intended to go to the park and spend some time with the kids. That didn't happen. As soon as we got home after the mall, the wind really picked up and it didn't seem like the best of ideas to take the baby outside. So my wife and I decided to stay in, order a pizza, and watch Beyond Belief. Later in the evening, she baked me a cake. A REAL cake, lol, and my family sang happy birthday to me. All in all, a great weekend.
We then got dressed and we treated my mother and mother in law out to breakfast at Mimi's Cafe. It's always a good time when we get together and laugh it up. After we over stuffed ourselves, we took off to the mall and treated my mother in law to a mini shopping spree. She was able to go to any store and choose out of stuff. After wards, we intended to go to the park and spend some time with the kids. That didn't happen. As soon as we got home after the mall, the wind really picked up and it didn't seem like the best of ideas to take the baby outside. So my wife and I decided to stay in, order a pizza, and watch Beyond Belief. Later in the evening, she baked me a cake. A REAL cake, lol, and my family sang happy birthday to me. All in all, a great weekend.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Getting Stronger Every Year
A couple of old men were hanging out at the bar, talking about whatever old men talk about.
"You know," said John, "When I was 30 and got an erection, I couldn't bend it if my life depended on me. When I hit 40, I was able to bend it about 10 degrees if I really put some muscle to it. Then at 50, I was able to bend it 20 degrees without breaking a sweat and now that I'm going to be 60, I can almost bend it in half with just one hand."
"So what," say Jack. "What are you getting at?"
"Well," says John. "I was just wondering how much stronger I'm gonna get!"
"You know," said John, "When I was 30 and got an erection, I couldn't bend it if my life depended on me. When I hit 40, I was able to bend it about 10 degrees if I really put some muscle to it. Then at 50, I was able to bend it 20 degrees without breaking a sweat and now that I'm going to be 60, I can almost bend it in half with just one hand."
"So what," say Jack. "What are you getting at?"
"Well," says John. "I was just wondering how much stronger I'm gonna get!"
Where's the Yard Sale?
Hey there. I'm fortunate enough that I work close to my mother in law's place that I can just drive over there for lunch and have a home cooked meal instead of eating at the office or eating out. Today, I decided that I would walk to the corner store to get some ice cream for everyone. Then, I stumbled upon this gem.
"So what? It's just an upside down sign, Metallman.", you say? WRONG! It turns out my mother in law was having a yard sale. THE Yard sale that the sign is supposed to draw potential buyers too. The funny part is.... It's pointing the RIGHT WAY!!! lol Later.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Going to our First Dodger Game
Hey there. I'm not very big on baseball. Don't get me wrong, if someone were to come along and say, let's play baseball, I'd probably say sure and go hang out with the guys. But watching the sport is a completely different issue. I just find it a little slow. There's not much in movement from the players and, in my opinion, there's too much time in between pitches.Now, 2 days ago, I was awarded 3 tickets to a Los Angeles Dodger game. My brother and I were talking about taking my son to a game and this seemed to be perfect for that occasion, because really... who gives out 3 tickets? That's an odd number if you ask me. Anyways, he's up for it and my boy is excited about going so we'll be heading out to that later this evening.
I'm hoping that a live experience is different than the one sitting in front of the TV. My brother claims that it's better, but then again, he's a fan. I just figure that's it would be some great bonding time with my son and bro. The 3 of us out to see a game. And just because I don't like something doesn't mean my boy won't like it. We try not to shield them of stuff we don't like. If they wanna listen to certain music, so be it. If they want to watch certain sports, so be it. As parents we support and we expose the kids to our style of stuff and if they like it, great, if not, that's great too. As long as they get to have the experiences that they enjoy, I'm all for it. Later!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
I Need to Attach a Front Panel to a Computer
Hey there. I like to fix computers as a hobby and I've been fortunate to hve been able to fix any machine that has been brought to my attention. The other night, a friend needed 3 machines to be fixed. 2 laptops and a desktop computer. The laptops will be fine, once I am done with them... Its the desktop that I'm a little concerned about.
The desktop looks a little odd. It's missing a front panel and when I opened it to see what's going on, someone cut the front panel wires and rigged it with a completely different set of wires (different colored ones too) and I was surprised to see something so half assed. I have an extra computer that I keep for spare parts and since the desktop needs new wiring, I'm glad I have the spare computer to take them from. The mission now is not only to get the machine on, but also to attach a whole new front panel to it. I've never done that before so this will be m first with this issue. I don't want to say, "I couldn't fix it" so I'm gonna do by best to get it going. Wish me luck! Later!
The desktop looks a little odd. It's missing a front panel and when I opened it to see what's going on, someone cut the front panel wires and rigged it with a completely different set of wires (different colored ones too) and I was surprised to see something so half assed. I have an extra computer that I keep for spare parts and since the desktop needs new wiring, I'm glad I have the spare computer to take them from. The mission now is not only to get the machine on, but also to attach a whole new front panel to it. I've never done that before so this will be m first with this issue. I don't want to say, "I couldn't fix it" so I'm gonna do by best to get it going. Wish me luck! Later!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
I Said Pa!
Hey there. This week marks the first week that my wife is now a stay at home mom. We have the resources where she can now stay at home and spend more time with the kids and not worry much of finances. One of the first things we noticed is that our baby was all smiles and very animated. Almost as if he knows he'll be spending more time with her. Today, however, he was clearly in daddy mode. Check out the video of my wife trying to get our son to say "ma" when he clearly has "pa" on his mind. lol Later!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Top Commentators for the Month of April
Hey there. We have a monthly contest here at Metallman's Reverie where the top 3 commentators for the month receive a cash prize and a link in the blogroll for the month. Now that the comments have been tallied, here are the winners!
Enigmageek - $5.00
Silvergirl - $2.50
Alison - $2.50
Congrats to the winners! You your link is now available in the blogroll. Feel to check em out friends. Also, keep the comments coming, you may end up with some cash a link too! Later!
Enigmageek - $5.00
Silvergirl - $2.50
Alison - $2.50
Congrats to the winners! You your link is now available in the blogroll. Feel to check em out friends. Also, keep the comments coming, you may end up with some cash a link too! Later!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Motivational Sunday - Betrayal
Hey there. Loyalty, honesty, bravery... These are some of the adjectives to describe a hero. Link, Samus Aran, and many more of our favorite video game characters display these qualities... But what about Mario? Surely, he's be most well know hero of all. But did you know the bastard was a back stabber? Literally using Yoshi as a stepping stone? Don't believe me? If you've ever played any Mario game where you can ride Yoshi, I'm certain you did the same as the below. For shame... lol Later!
