A Few Lines for James

Just gonna share a poem I wrote for Poetry Class. It's for my dearly departed grandfather:

this is a poem to my grandpa jim
whom I have seen but a few times.
whose graying beard and raspy voice
have embedded themselves within
within my restless, raging mind.
slaving to paint pictures and recall
fragments of time spent and logged,
lost in the grasp of age and time.
I have through vinyl heard
the hip jazz cats which made his ocean eyes twinkle.
because when he needed to vent
he danced solo with the wild rhythm.
he puffed until
nicotine had stained the walls
the chairs and the desk.
all these years, no one knew that
he dug himself when others wouldn’t
sitting face to face with his soul.
because when the world becomes too much to bear,
after awhile even a pack of smokes
can seem like your best friend.
so I write this in longing, in hope
that I may again meet my grandpa,
whose life I was too young to share

Sarah Speaks! Finally......

So the moment is fast approaching when good ol' Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin will be forced to back up that bark with some bite. Yes, the Alaskan Governor and notoriously uninformed American citizen will debate Joey Biden this Thursday night. Many, especially Palin's critics, believe the debate will do the American people a favor by revealing her for what she really is: (As Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi so perfectly put it) A puffed-up dimwit with primitive religious beliefs who had to be educated as to the fact that the Constitution did not exactly envision government executives firing librarians.
And what did Palin herself have to say about the impending showdown? She is apparently gushing like a schoolgirl about the prospect of meeting Joe Biden. She was quoted as saying that she's "been hearing about his senate speeches since I was in, like, second grade". Like, Oh My God! A debate! How supercool and fabulous! Palin went on to say that the Senator looked confident, but would fail in the end because of the fact that he apparently picked wrong in the Ohio State and Delaware fotoball game the previous weekend.
I don't know about you, but this just screams wrong to me. If this naive approach to a political debate is indicative of what we can expect from Sarah Palin, then Obama's increasingly cheesy parade of change is looking like our only option to save ourselves from total and utter annihilation.

Another phone gone!

Ok, this time I swear I didn't do anything! I wasn't even drinking last night, but lo and behold I woke up this morning to find that my phone wouldn't turn on or take a charge. Great

I won the Superbowl...In madden

Wow, gettin' kinda nerdy today, but I'm actually excited that I finally won a Superbowl on Madden 07 on All-Madden skill level. Now I know some of you might be saying to yourselves, "get madden 08 already you loser!" But, hey, I'm poor so buzz off.

Wings lose opener, but excite nonetheless..

If any of you out there are hockey fans, it's safe to assume that you tuned in to the first RedWings preseason game Wednesday night. Ah hockey season, a time to drink beer, gather around the TV with friends, and cheer on the Big Red Machine to another Stanley Cup. The roof of my living room is still stained from the cheap Champagne we sprayed down the house with after last summer's victory. That was a hell of a time that I hope to repeat coem next June!

Mail Van is Now Ice Cream Truck

So I work in the mailroom at AQ, and we have this ugly-ass red van we drive around to deliver the mail. As some of you may have heard as you were walking around lately, the thing makes this awful ringing noise when it idles, so now it sounds like some kind of half-assed ice-cream truck or something. If any one comes to the window to ask for a cone, I'll prolly laugh and peel out in your face.

Where is our Observatory

Just a quick rant today. I was out by Wege pond, staring at Albertus, when the dome of the observatory caught my eye. If you were'nt aware, the telescope up there hasn't worked for some time, prompting the question of why such a valuable resource that our college could be utilizing is up there rotting??? How about some budget money for that?

Direct Deposit...Yay!

I finally got my Aquinas paychecks differed to direct deposit, which means I'll no longer have to sneak away in the Red Mail Van to drive all the way to Michigan And Fuller to cash my check every other friday. Not to mention that as soon as I get out of work on payday, my beer money is already on my debit card!

Hope For The Lions?????

Wow. That's all I have to say about yet another dismal performance by the Detroit Lions this past Sunday, landing them at an embarrassing 3-0. There may, however, be some ray of hope for the team yet, as Lions Vice Chairman Bill Ford Jr. was recently quoted as saying "The fans deserve better, and if I had the authority I'd fire the general manager". That's great to hear Bill! Where the hell was this kind of rhetoric years ago? Unfortunately, the final say comes down to the old man, William Clay Ford, who bought the frickin' team in ninteen sixty frickin four! That geezer probably thinks that Bobby Layne is stil the Lions quaterback and that African-Americans aren't allowed to play. So cross your fingers Lions fans, because if the old man finally kicks the bucket we just might be able to get the ball rolling in a positive direction for the first time since Barry Sanders was breaking records and ankles.

Damn you Auto-Correct!

I'm sitting here trying to write a poem for my Poetry Workshop class, and am also trying to be all unique and shit, not capitalizing any of the words in my poem, but the friggin' computer keeps doing it for me! Somebody help!

Tattoo's are retarted

Last night some friends and I were discussing tattos, and one of my friends said he couldn't wait to get his, some sort of stupid-ass celtic cross with barbed wire running around it. I promptly said that I thought he was a jackass. Seriously folks, c'mon!

Saw My Niece...what A Trip

I just saw my niece for the first time today! It's pretty messed up to think of myself as an uncle, but even more messed up to consider my brother a father. Seems like just yesterday we were fighting in the backyard over hockey cards....where has the time gone?

The Price of Love

Whoever said you can't put a price on love, obviously didn't live in 2008. Let me break down for you, mathematically, exactly what my affections for my girlfriend cost me this week. She a Spartan in East Lansing, and I drove there to see her Tuesday on a limited budget and in my buddy's POS (piece of shit) Pontiac Sunfire. He calls it The Black Beauty by the way, but in my opinion in would look a whole hell of a lot more beautiful pancaked flat in a scrapyard.
Anyway, before I left I set out trying to calculate exactly how much gas I would have to put in this heap to get me there and back. Here's where the math comes in: my buddy''s Sunfire gets roughly 23 miles to the gallon, count the POS factor and we'll call it 19. The round trip to my girlfriend's house is roughly 170 miles, and gas on that day was going for $4.17. Wait a minute, I almost forgot that I drove a mile more down the road to "save some money" by filling up at a place where Unleaded was going for the bargain basement price of $4.15! To be honest folks, I probably burned up my savings drivig the extra mile to get there.
But back to the math. at 19 miles to the gallon, 170 miles of travel would require 8.947 gall0ns, so for sake of ease let's make it 9. 9 gallons of gas cost me $37.75. To put it in perspective, I make $7.45 an hour before taxes, let's say $7.15 after. To earn that money, I had to work nearly five and a half hours.
This brings me to my final point. All in all, it cost me five and a half hours of my labor, or $37.75, to drive to Lansing to lay on the couch with my girlfriend and watch Across The Universe, which if you haven't seen it is an abomination to the Beatles music and should not be watched by Beatles fans. (And let's face it, anything featuring Bono is pretty much out the window) You may ask why? Why did you spend the money? Make the trip? Why not just stay home and watch a movie you liked? The answer, folks, is simple. I did it for love, to make the girlfriend happy and to keep everything on an even keel. But if gas prices keep getting higher, I guess love can no longer be a part of my budget.
Just don't tell my girlfriend that....

Ode to Arnold Palmer

No not the golfer, but the exquisitely tasty beverage made by the Arizona Company, a perfect blend of iced tea and lemonade, offering equally balanced amounts of refreshment and enjoyment. I was enjoying one today, contemplating the reliability of the modern world, when I came to a surprising revelation. What can you count on these days? Politicians? Not exactly. Friends? Sure, sometimes. Girlfriends? She'd kill me if I didn't say yes, but not 100% reliable. Can you count on the price of things not to fluctuate wildly, ruining your weekend plans? No. Can you count on your safety in the face of this influx of natural disasters? No. Can you count on your job in our sagging economy? No. So what can you count on then? The answer, my friends, is not blowin' in the wind, but instead is located in the cooler section of your nearest convinience store. Because in a world rife with insecurity, picking up a cold, delicious, Arizona Arnold Palmer for only 99 cents is always a sure thing.

Monitor Down!

I'm at the library writing this now, because when I went to turn on my computer monitor at home today it was giving me all these funny flashing lines, and I couldn't see worth a damn what was on my screen! I don't know what the hell happened to it but I have a roomate who's passed out drunk in his room across the hall from me (it's 3:30 in the afternoon on a weekday mind you) that better have some answers for me when he wakes up.

Rothbury 2009: Cross your fingers and hope it happens

If you're like me, then you were fortunate enough to attend the first annual Rothbury Music Festival that was held this past Fourth of July Weekend at the Double J Ranch outside of Muskegon. The experience was my first at a music festival, and one that has impacted me in so profound a way that I feel strangely indebted to the chunk of land the event was held on. Miles of campground. the muddy yet refreshing lake, the ever-psychedelic Sherwood Forest, and of course who could forget the Spinning Strobe Monkeys. All scenery aside, the festival was (for me at least) proof that in these troubled times it is still possible for people to get together and share four days of peace, love, friendship, music, and laughter. And that, for me, is what its all about. Sadly, the Double J Ranch is going bankrupt, and will be auctioned off to the highest bidder on October 30th of this year. Hopefully, the new owners will embrace the festival and its Green-Themed organization, not just for the state of Michigan, but for all of us who need to escape the real world every summer just to stay sane.

Stop Bugging me Grammar! I don't want to "Do" you

The title of my Grammar of Modern English textbook has been bothering me lately. It's entitled, "Doing Grammar", and it couldn't fit the act of completing homework for the class any worse. What am I, making love to the sentences? Getting freaky with verbs and adverbs and maybe some noun clauses if I'm lucky? Please, if grammar ever wants me to "do" it without extreme reluctance, it better make itself a hell of a lot more attractive.

Phone Broke......Again

I wish cell phones didn't cost so much. I also wish that Jack Daniels didn't make me use my phone as a hacky-sack outside of a Checkers at 4:30 in the morning......but such is life

Caribou Babrie Betting on a Heart Attack?

Sarah Palin is bettign on the fact that John McCain will have a heart attack, of this I'm thoroughly convinced. After reading the GOP VP candidates interview wtih Charles Gibson of ABC news, her ambitions are quite clear to me. not only does Palin go in depth about her difference of opinion with McCain on such critical issues as Global Warming and ANWR, but she also has the balls (weird, right?) to say that she is "ready to be President if called upon". Are you kidding me? God help McCain if he ends up on life support, because Palin will surely be heading up the movement to pull the plug.

September 11th. seems so long ago......

Just a short post today. I was doing some reading when I looked at my cell phone to get the time and realized that it was September 11th, the 7th anniverssary of the "incident" we all remember so vivdly. In these seven years, I've seen waves of patriotism, waves of anti-nationalism, waves of conspiracy theories, and waves of tribute videos, but nothing that indicates that our country and our generation will ever completely undersatnd that tragedy which happened seemingly so long ago.

The Good Ol' Double Standard

Here's an encouraging news story: I read an article today that read "A "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" existed in the federal agency that handles royalty payments from oil companies, including sexual encounters between government employees and industry representatives". Apparently, these crooks in our increasingly untrustworthy federal government had been accepting a variety of gifts and gratitudes from these oil company representatives. They attended wild parties, and engaged in heavy alcohol and substance abuse, as well as sexual relations with oil company representatives on several occasions. As a twenty-year old college student, it's disheartening to know that while these federal jackoffs are partying their asses off without consequence, a person of my age and status could be fined and jailed for simply consuming alcohol or merely smoking marijuana. Now who's supposed to be running the show here. Who's protecting us from high gas prices if these government mornons are too drunk to give two shits?

I need to quit smoking.....but i won't

I really need to quit smoking cigarettes.... This morning I hawked a loogie into my trash can that was about the size of a half dollar! I know, gross, right? It's one of the many downsides of smoking, and I keep thinking I'm gonna let em go because of it, but then I get stressed and light one up and ahhhhhhhhh.....sweet relief. I'm an addict and I know it, but let he who is without sin..........you know the rest

OJ Again? The Circus is Coming to Town!

My eyes did not deceive my today when I read that OJ Simpson is back on trial. No, not for the same infamous murder of his wife, we cleared that one up with the classic, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit" line. This time OJ seems to have landed himself in slightly cooler water, this time only being charged with burgulary, kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon, but given his previous stints in the courtroom, this one isn't likely to be over anytime soon. No, this will surely be dragged out into a months long, media-fueled whopper of a spectacle. I'm sure that everyone will have an opinion about wether or not he did it, and I'm also sure that everyone will want to express that opinion whole-heartedly. I, for one, could care less. This trial and the ensuing media circus that will inevitably follow it says alot about A). Our Justice System, B). Our Popular Culture. And C). Our skewed American priorities (remember that Presidential Election Thingy???? Maybe we should focus on that instead)

I Thought The Curse if Bobby Layne was over????

Hello fellow Lions fans! I'm writing on Sunday, after watching the first regular season game, and needless to say I was quite disappointed. If you're not familiar with the Curse of Bobby Layne go HERE and read up on it. Technically, it should have been over this year. But after going 4-0 in the preseason only to lose 21-34 to who else but the Falcons??? I personally don't think ol' Bobby went anywhere.

Cetan Clawson: Another gift from Detroit who may just save the music industry

My mind is blown and my ears are still ringing on this Saturday morning, the after-effects of a damn fine concert I saw last night. I just wanted to use today's blog post to spread the word about a guy from the D, Cetan Clawson, who plays a mean guitar, and not just any kind of mean guitar. I'm talking about the kind of mean where he plays with his teeth, behind his back and head, and through his legs, not to mention the little solo he payed with the mic stand! This guy is seriously from Mars he's so far out, very much in the same way as Jimi Hendrix. Go HERE to check out some vids, and if you dig it, order a CD or a t-shirt from the kid and help him out a little because he and his bandmates are trying to cut a CD down in Nashville.

The Killa from Wasilla

Just a short one for Wednesday.....Read a little tidbit about recently named Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin just a minute ago. Apparently the Govenor from Alaska, home to the 19,049,236 acre Artic National Wildlife Refuge, is a sworn enemy of environmentalist groups, who have apparently dubbed her "The Killa from Wasilla" in regards to her hometown. On top of that, she expresses doubt as to whether emissions from human activities are causing global warming????? Wow. Looks like John Boy picked a real winner here.

Kwami Kilpatrick: Still More Proof that the Only Hope for Detroit is The Red Wings

Thanks to Mayor Kwami Kilpatrick, the last 8 months in Detroit have been something of shitstorm of bad publicity. With the "text message scandal" so indicitive of our modern times, The Dishonorable Mayor has reassured us just how little we can trust politicians. The initial charges he's just been found guilty of are small potatoes compared to the charges of embezzlement of city funds, and if those charges stick, may whatever God he beleives in have mercy on his soul. The worst part is that Detroit, a city with an already less than perfect reputation, is getting a bum rap from the actions of ther very man they entrusted to lead them.
I guess they'll have to endure this bad press until next June, when Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Chris Osgood, and the others bring home another Stanley Cup.

Garbage Rant: I always forget about Labor Day

Ah yes, yesterday was Labor Day, a day which many rejoice for the sole reason that they do not have to report to work. It is a day of relaxation and rest, filled with family and fun. But for some of us, particularly those of us with poor memories, Labor Day can be 24 hours of mistake ridden hell. Let me share quickly with you one of my mistakes. I live in Eastown, and my trash usually gets picked up Tuesday Morning. Now I look forward to this day because, as a makle college student living in a house with four other male college students, my trash is quite rank and disgusting. Imagine my delight when I walked out my door this morning bright and early for work, only to be crushed by the sight of my trash canstill full and in fact leaking out the sides. Yes, I had forgotten that Labor Day extendes oublic services like trash pickup ahead one day, and for this mental slip, I now must suffer one more day of stink.

Hannah is a sign, but is it too late?

Today is Sunday, and I'm going to quickly comment on the current natural disaster that is wreaking havoc on our planet: Hurricane Hanna. The storm, which has the possibility of hitting the U.S. anywhere from Miami to North Carolina, is yet another one of nature's reminders that we, that is, humankind, are fucking with her a little too much. Not that this is anything new (I think we all can agree that we've been fucking with her for far too long now), but it raises the quesitions of just how much control we humans have over this planet, and just how much control it has over us.

Reflections On The Red Cedar

It's Saturday afternoon on the campus of Michigan State University, a place I've been coming to ever since I can remeber. Both of my parents are graduates of this fine institution, and must have felt a certain obligation to themselves and their alma mater to lift my opinon of it as well. On this afternoon, I'm contemplating my choice of schools, and why I ended up at Aquinas instead here with my green and white brethren. I always thought growing up that I would attend MSU, but as the time to choose a school drew nearer, my mind began to change. Perhaps it was my desire to delineate from my parents respective paths through life, to be something different in a sense. But what is most on my mind today is the question of whether or not my choice of college will do that. Would things have been any different for me at a different school? A larger school? I'm not unsatisfied with my current situation and my current social relationships, but what would they have been like had I selected a different course fo action? That is what I'm mulling over this afternoon by the river, watching the current carry the water down an endless path toward an unforseen future.