February Thoughts

February is thought of as Valentine's month or Black History Month to some, but to me, it's still the shortest month of the year, leap year or not.  The month had it's share of ups and downs for me, but overall, it was a good month.  The worst thing that happened was that blizzard that pummeled the East Coast, but we got by.  As for plus's, I did well in school, wrote a little or a lot depending on how you look at it, and I saw my friends at home and in Amherst.  It may of only been 28 days, but a lot of good and important things happened that I wouldn't change.  Here's hoping March is just as good, if not better!

Oscar Thoughts

The 85th annual Academy Awards were this past weekend, and I watched most of what I could, which was about an hour and a half of it.  I have some thoughts on it, so here are some opinions I have of the ceremony overall.  I know I'm three days late, but give me a break, I was going through some personal stuff.

Now, my Oscar Thoughts...

• Seth MacFarlane has gotten a mixed reaction for how he hosted the ceremony, which is fair since some of his routine was bad taste, but I thought he was decent host compared to James Franco and Anne Hathaway, who were awful.  And I'm someone who dislikes Seth MacFarlane because I find his humor repetitive and somewhat misogynistic.  The consensus is that he was bad, but if that's the case, stop trying to attract younger audiences with people who have no business being hosts.  Just get Billy Crystal to host every year, or find a way to bring Bob Hope back to life.
• Christoph Waltz winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor was no shock to me, although I can't say it was obvious because I only saw maybe three of the nominees this year.  The obvious thing Christoph Waltz should do though is always work with Quentin Tarantino because they both bring out the best in each other.
• I'm hoping that Anne Hathaway's Academy Award for Les Miserables will make her choose movie roles better, or make her a better actress because besides being attractive, I don't think she's a good actress.
• Based on the reviews of Brave from critics and audience alike, I'm stunned Brave won for Best Animated Feature, although this was a weak year for animated films.
• How did Quentin Tarentino win for Best Original Screenplay when his screenplay for Django Unchained was so flawed?  I guess the Academy must be softening up a bit, or they just wanted to give some big name an award. 
• Adele winning an Academy Award for Skyfall was well deserved, and great for James Bond movies overall, but her performance was just sub-par at best.  You could barely hear what she was singing. 
• Jennifer Lawrence's misstep was something I could foresee coming.
• Is is odd that Ang Lee and Daniel Day-Lewis are stars at their profession, yet they seemed so awkward/shy when they won?  Maybe, it's just because they were stunned they won Academy Awards, but I just never expected that from them.
• If you're one of those rare people who thinks Oscars make careers, what do you think of Daniel Day- Lewis winning this third Academy Award for Best Actor?  He's the only person to ever do that, so does that make him one of the greatest actors of all time, or are you still unconvinced like I am?
• The Michelle Obama appearance was nice, but awkward at times, and unnecessary.
• They need to find a way to make the Oscars shorter.  Three and a half hours is way too long.

My Morning

I'm back after a 2-3 day hiatus from blogging, in a good mood, feeling better than ever, but that changed quickly from the moment I woke up.  I woke up early like I always do when I have to go to the computer lab since I have to beat the morning traffic if I want to print something.  The problem was that I overslept past my alarm, so I woke up closer to seven o'clock.  Not a huge difference since I would still be the first person at the computer lab, and still have time for class, but then when I left the place I'm staying, I realized my umbrella was in terrible condition, so I couldn't shield myself from the rain.

That was bad, but it was something I was used to, so I wasn't too angry.  As I was walking to the computer lab with my headphones on, I passed by a school bus and some kids standing outside.  I was wondering why they weren't going on the bus since the door was open, but then I realized that something was wrong.  I took off my headphones, then talked to the bus driver, who asked me if I could get a kid's shoe out of a snow pile because somehow it came off, like the whole shoe.  And it wasn't on top of the pile, it must have been like a foot deep.  I couldn't say no to kids though, so I decided to help, but then it happened!  The show pile caved in because of the rain, and my shoe was drenched with rain and snow; I felt it right away.  Worst of all, the kids shoe took forever to pull out.  When I finally did get it out, my hand was bleeding a bit because of some cuts I previously had.  The bus driver said thank you, but the kid didn't say anything.  I know he was just a kid, so I shouldn't have got mad, but you should still have some manners when someone does something for you.

I thought about turning back after everything I had been through, but it had only been 20 minutes since I left, and if I didn't at least print what I needed, then this experience would have been for nothing.  I eventually got to the computer lab and printed my homework, but after that, I decided I was going to skip class because attendance wasn't mandatory, and I didn't have dry shoes.  Hence, why I'm here posting this right now.

The rain sucks because of what it did to the snow, and what it always does to my clothes, but despite that ordeal today, I'm still in a good mood, and I'm back.

Midterms And Other Things

HELLO EVERYBODY,

Due to midterms and tests coming up, along with more personal issues, I'm not going to be posting any new stuff for the next couple of days.  I'm sorry since these hiatus's and announcements seem to be happening more frequently, but they're necessary in my opinion as I have a lot to deal with.  Plus, this was just not a good week.  Anyways, I apologize again, and hope all is well.  Be safe and well everyone!

Dentists

You know that dental commercial that has the line "Oral health is part of your overall health"?  I was thinking about that today because I'm going to the dentist later for my annual checkup.  As a child, I didn't like going to the dentist much because it always hurt going there, and I didn't like doctors of any kind back then, but now that I'm older and so health conscious, I'm glad my dentist is around because he helps me take care of my teeth, which I think is pretty important.  That's why I just want to take a short time to write a post thanking my dentist, who has been my dentist there for me all these years.  Without you, I would probably be unhealthier and smile less, so I just want to say Thank You!

The Mysticalness Of Time

Whenever I'm alone or in deep thought, one of the things I think about most is time.  I know that sounds weird because time is pretty much self-explanatory, but to me, time is mystical.  It's something that has been around since the beginning of time, it's changed it's look (sun-dial to clock), and it passes by without us even realizing it.  Time may seem simple, but it's far from it.

Time has been on my mind a lot recently because of school.  We've all had days that we want to end quicker than others.  Whenever I have one of those days, I just look at my watch, and watch the seconds and minutes go by.  Sometimes some days go by faster than others, but they go by, which always amazes me.  It's even more of a stark revelation when it's over a long period of time like a month or a week.  I never think that time like that will go by, but then like that, it's passed. 

It's kind of scary that time can go by like that without us noticing, but I guess it's something we all have to get used to since the older we get, the less time we'll have.  I've been in college for four years now almost, and I still can't believe soon it will have been four years since I graduated high school.  Those days still seem so recent since my friends and I talk about it often, but now that some of us are going to graduate, it's a reminder of how much time has truly passed, and how much older we're getting. 

Queen: My Top 10 Songs

I listen to lots of music from before the 90s, which is considered "oldies" to some people like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Elton John, but out of all them, my favorite by far is Queen.  Queen, with Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon created music that the world had never heard before, and since they've been gone, music of all kind just hasn't been the same.  Queen has so many great songs with eclectic styles, sounds, and harmonies, but I'm picking ten to list as my favorites.  There's no right or wrong here.  Everything Queen has done is amazing!  These are just the songs I like/listen to the most.

To start we have...

10.We Will Rock You: What's not to love about "We Will Rock You"?  It's arguably Queen's most well known-song because of it's use in sports, and it's great for getting pumped up for something.  I love the simplicity of the song with just the stomping and clapping, and I love the live performances I've seen of the song.  Everyone is in unison, and Brian May ends the song with the killer solo.

9. Bohemian Rhapsody: Claimed by many to be the greatest song of all time.  I love the song, but I don't think it's my favorite Queen song.  It is brilliant in it's structure through from the opening, to the solo, to the end.  I love the live performances of this song, and I always sing along, but I can never figure out what they're singing.  Maybe that's where the brilliance comes from.

8. You're My Best Friend: It maybe a surprise to see this song here because of the softness of it compared to some of Queen's harder and louder stuff, but that's what I like about it.  I like the electric piano used, and I like the message it entails about having a best friend.  It makes me feel good, and makes me think about all the important people in my life.

7. The Show Must Go On: One of Queen's loudest and saddest song's in my opinion just because Freddie Mercury was basically on his deathbed when this song came out.  This song is great because I think Freddie's vocals are at his best here, which is shocking considering his health.  Plus, I liked the music video and message of the song that even though Freddie is gone, Queen and it's music must/will go on.  And it's safe to say they have.

6. Good Old-Fashioned Love Boy: I don't have a great reason why this song is here besides the fact that I listen to it a ton more than the others. I do like the gentleness of it though, and the way Queen sounds in unison.  Plus, I like the part with the rock-a-by-baby.  Makes me think of a dreamlike sequence, which Queen is sometimes.

5. Friends Will Be Friends: This song is here because I love the sound of it, and it's message is something I preach more than anything, besides maybe love, friendship!  You need friends in the world, and this song demonstrates that.

4. Crazy Little Thing Called Love: '"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is great because of the simpleness of it, from the chords to the length.  I find the music video of it so engrossing, and I like the fact that this song focuses on love.  Also, whenever I listen to it, I always feel very excited, and I love the ending.  "Like Freddie".

3. We Are The Champions: Do I need to say anything more?  Song is just bad ass!  It's a song that unites people, and makes everyone feel good because we all are champions in our own way even if we don't see it.

2. The Miracle: An odd choice for number two to some people, I'm sure, but I love this song because the music video is so innovative and memorable, and I love the sound and composition.  It's just so damn catchy and I love the references to God's creations and well known figures.  This song just transfers me to a fantasy world that I don't want to leave.

1. Somebody To Love: Number One is "Somebody To Love".  I love this song because it was the first song by Queen that really WOW'd me when I first heard it.  I remember where I was when I first had an epiphany with this song (Eye Doctor).  It's loud, it has a mix of gospel in it with it's highs and lows, and it's a song that represents something I've been searching for my whole life.  I don't know if I'll ever find somebody to love, but I'll keep listening to this song and keep hoping!

Peter Pan Buses

I came back from a trip on the Peter Pan bus this past weekend, and have nothing but good things to say about them.  This wasn't the first time I've used their buses, but this was the quickest and emptiest ride I've ever had with them, which I liked a lot.  Yes, you can dislike them for charging what they do, or for not being the most sanitary in terms of bathrooms (which thankfully I've never used), but compared to other buses I've used, I can't complain.

The Bus Ride

Going through some of my old writing, I found this piece I wrote two years ago.  Doesn't have any significance now, but it's interesting because it's all written in 3rd person, so I thought I'd post it up.  Hope you all enjoy it.

The Bus Ride
He waited at the bus stop for her; he woke up early just for her, and even cleaned himself up.  He walked back and forth to try and calm himself down, but his heart was racing.  He really liked her.  Her glasses, her curly brown hair, her fondness of Twinkies and Mountain Dew.  They were all positives.  After his past rejections, he needed this.

As the bus came, he got on and waited for her.  It was raining, but he had confidence she would show.  She always did.  As he waited for her, he thought about the moments.  The talking, the staring in class, her noticing him and complimenting him on his hair.  No one ever did that before.  She was different; he knew it.  He just wanted her to make his day.

Ten minutes passed, but she had still not yet come.  He was beginning to lose hope, but as the bus was leaving, she showed up.  She wasn't alone though; her boyfriend was there, and he was all over her, talking about how he spent the night.  He was such an idiot.  He knew it was too good to be true.  Plus, she had the ring on her hand and everything, which he was stupid not to notice before.  She tried to say something to him, but all he could do was say hi back.  As he heard their conversation, he put his head back, covered his eyes and cried.  It was over before it even started.

Afterward, the three of them got off the bus.  His dream was shattered.  She stayed to chat with her boyfriend, but he couldn't watch anymore.  Later on, she asked if anything was wrong because he was more quiet than usual, but all he could say was that he was having a bad day.  She said she would remember that, but he knew she wouldn't.  He would always remember this moment though.  She was different than all the others, but now he realized she wasn't. 

A Temporary Hiatus

HELLO EVERYBODY,

Due to some personal issues and some depression, I'm not going to be posting anything new for the next couple of days.  Hope you understand.  I'll be back soon, but until then, be safe and well.

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

Recently when I re-looked at an old blog post I did about TV shows not being what they used to be, I was stunned that one of the shows I accidentally omitted was Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, one of my favorite shows from my childhood.  I watched the show constantly as a child, but never fully understood it because I was too young to comprehend the issues being talked about like divorce or death.  As I got older, my interests gradually shifted, and I liked different things, but I always kept the show in the back of my mind.  When Fred Rogers passed away back in 2003, I was sad, but I was only 12 at the time, so I still didn't understand everything.  Now that I'm older, and have had time to look back on the show though, I think Fred Rogers and his show were absolutely wonderful.

From a modern or outsider's perspective, if you've never seen Mister Rogers' Neighborhood before, you might be wondering what made it so appealing, but the better question is, what wasn't appealing about it?  The show was about a gentle, kind human being who just wanted to teach/help children by giving them a safe environment they could come to, whether it was bringing them to his home, talking to them, taking them to the Neighborhood Of Make Believe, or singing; he never changed.

 Mister Rogers singing "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" over the years.  He may of aged, but his message never did

The true delight of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for me was learning that Fred Rogers was just as nice on TV as he was in real life, helping children, giving back to the community, etc.  Mister Rogers' being himself is so inspiring because it shows how much of a true human being he was.  He didn't have to act that way, but he wanted to, and I think that's wonderful because it's something that gets lost in this world sometimes.  Children often don't get enough attention or are taken advantage of by adults, which is so disheartening, but I'm glad that there was a Mister Rogers' in the world who was there for children when others weren't.  Him and his show were really amazing.

Like I said earlier, Fred Rogers died in 2003, which is something I didn't really understand, but now that I've watched old clips, and gone back in time, I understand everything and have cried thinking about the way TV and people used to be.  Fred Rogers and his neighborhood may be gone, but he'll always be there like he's always been.  Parents have been passing the show onto their children for years, and I think that trend will continue for the many years to come.

Mister Rogers singing "It's Such A Good Feeling"

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day gets a lot of hate from people, but I honestly can't understand why that is.  Valentine's Day is a day that celebrates one of the most important things in the world, love, which is something that should be celebrated all the time, let alone one day.  Yes, I know the day is commercialized, and shows a lot of affection between people, but every holiday is like that, so don't hate on Valentine's Day!  It's just a day where people express how they feel about each other.

If it was up to me, I would switch Valentine's Day up to not just focus on couples, but any relationships, whether ones with friends or family since most of the time, I don't think we show the people we love that we care/notice them.  That is why I say Happy Love Day instead of Happy Valentine's Day, since we should tell the people we love that we care about them.  It doesn't have to be commercialized or public like it's portrayed in the media.  It just has to be sincere, which is what I think he day is really about.

For all the haters, I doubt I've changed their mind, but regardless, I still want to say Happy Valentine's/Love Day since we need more positivity in this world. 

The Wizard Of Oz

The Wizard Of Oz (G)

Grade: A+

• Directed by: Victor Fleming
• Produced by: Mervyn LeRoy
• Screenplay by: Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf.  Based on the novel "The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz" by L. Frank Baum
• Starring: Judy Garland (Dorothy Gale), Frank Morgan (The Wizard,  Professor Marvel, Doorman, Cabbie, Guard), Ray Bolger(Hunk/Scarecrow), Jack Haley (Hickory/Tin Man), Bert Lahr (Zeke/ Cowardly Lion), Billie Burke (Glinda The Good Witch Of The North), Margaret Hamilton (Miss Almira Gulch/The Wicked Witch Of The West), Clara Blandick (Aunt Em), Charley Grapewin (Uncle Henry), Pat Walsh (Nikko The Head Flying Monkey), Terry (Toto)
• Cinematographer: Harold Rosson
• Music by: Herbert Stothart, Harold Arlen, and E.Y. Harburg
• Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Distributed by: Loew's
• Released: August 25, 1939
• Running Time: 101 minutes/1 hour and 41 minutes
• Language: English

"There's no place like home."

-Dorothy Gale
 

It seems fitting to me that the first classic film review for my blog is "The Wizard Of Oz", arguably one of the best and most watched films of all time.  I first saw the film as a child, thinking it was just another run of the mill film, but as I got older, I started to realize what a masterpiece it was.  I'm 21 years old now, and have seen my share of film's, but few move me and bring me back to my childhood/home as much as "The Wizard Of Oz".

We start off in Kansas, where a young farm girl named Dorothy is running from Miss Gulch because she wants to take her dog Toto away for biting her.  Dorothy doesn't want to give her dog away, so she tries telling her aunt, uncle, and the farmhands about her problems, but they are too preoccupied to pay any attention to her.  When she finally does get attention from her aunt, she tells Dorothy to "find herself a place where she won't get herself into any trouble".  Dorothy doesn't know if such a place exists, but she sings about going over the rainbow because she thinks that might be the place.  After singing, Dorothy decides to run away from home with Toto because she knows that Miss Gulch will be back.  As she tries leaving Kansas, she meets Professor Marvel, who has a crystal ball telling her that Aunt Em is sick.  Dorothy rushes back home after hearing the news, but in the midst of it, gets caught in a storm and hits her head.  When she awakens, she finds herself in Munchkinland, but has to deal with The Wicked Witch Of The West, who wants revenge on Dorothy for killing her sister, and because she wants her ruby slippers.  The only way to get home, follow the Yellow Brick Road to Emerald City and visit the Wizard Of Oz, who can grant any wish.

The film has many strengths as a whole, but the thing I always remember from it is Judy Garland and her immortal performance as Dorothy.  Yes, her singing of "Over The Rainbow" is wonderful and brings tears to my eyes, but she's so much more than that song.  She's wonderful because of the innocence she has, and the fact that she's so realistic, we feel what she's feeling.  We want to leave home when she wants to leave home, and when she meets all her friends, we want her to succeed even more.  

"The Wizard Of Oz" is Judy Garland's defining role in film history, which is a shame cause most people haven't even seen some of her other film's like A Star Is Born or her movies with Mickey Rooney, which I highly recommend.  She was one of the most beautiful actresses and singers of all time in my opinion, which is why it's shame what her life was like with the drug and alcohol abuse, that really started because of the film industry.  I'm disappointed in what films did to Judy, but I'm glad she has at least one film and song that will last forever.  Not many people can say they have that.

In the end, "The Wizard Of Oz" is a simple plot, with old special special effects, sets, etc, but that's why it's a authentic.  As adults, we notice how cheap it looks now, but as children, it plays to our imagination and looks real, which is why despite it's minor flaws, the film is perfect.

"The Wizard Of Oz" is a timeless classic because it's a film that you see as a child that you will never forget.  It's a film that you couldn't bear never seeing again.  And most of all, it's a film that no matter how long it ages, it's something we relate to because of the lessons, and the fact that it always brings us back home.

 Judy Garland as Dorothy, singing her immortal song "Over The Rainbow"

Potato Chip Bags

When I was on a diet trying to lose weight, one of the things I cut out was potato chips because of how unhealthy they were, but now that I weigh less, I eat potato chips sparingly.  I'm not here to talk about my favorite potato chips (Cheetos and Cape Cod).  I'm just here to talk about how annoying it is that potato chip have more air in them than actual chips.

It's not the biggest issue in the world, I know, but as a consumer who has to spend money on food, I would like to get all that I paid for when buying potato chips.  That means a bag with at least 3/4 full of chips, not 1/2 with the rest being air.  I understand the reasoning for doing that to keep the chips fresh, or to make it so more chips don't break, but us consumers don't care about the look.  We just want to eat, which is why I say give us more because companies can afford to, while us consumers really can't.

Shoveling

As a commuter and Bostonian, one thing I always do is shovel snow.  Most of the time I don't mind doing it to be helpful, or make a spare dollar, but with the weather the way it was this weekend, I minded because there was so much damn snow.  My parents and I shoveled for four hours Saturday at my house; then I shoveled for a combined 2-3 hours at my friend's house Saturday and Sunday.  Things got easier as the weekend went on, but I hurt my back, and had to deal with people who don't shovel or steal parking spots, making me ask, what the f**k?

Shoveling maybe a lost thing now that people have snow blowers, but for most people who shovel, there are rules.  You can't just steal someone's spot if it's on their property or they spent hours shoveling it out!  I know it's not a written rule or anything, but it just isn't right/fair to the person who did all the work.  Also, you should just shovel the walkway in front of your house because it makes things easier for everyone.  Not just other people like me, but for you.

People say that Bostonian's are uptight when it comes to driving and parking, and I agree, but there's a reason for it.  If people paid attention, and just did what they were supposed to do, then we wouldn't have people arguing/suffering.  Shoveling maybe a small part of a Bostonian's life, but during the winter, it's the way people communicate, which is why I'm telling people to shovel carefully and know the rules before doing something stupid.

Shout Out To The People

I meant to post this yesterday, but with all the stuff I had to do before the blizzard, I was preoccupied.  Now that I have time though, I just want to give a big shout out to all the people who were out yesterday and today, whether it was the mailmen/women or the snow plow men.  We people couldn't get through this without you, so thank you so much for doing your job.

Stay safe and warm everybody!

Felix Hernandez: Return Of The King

Mariners fans are going to get used to seeing King Felix celebrate the next couple of years

There's that song from The Lion King that's called "I Just Can't Wait To Be King", when young Simba sings about the day he will become king.  The difference between him and Felix Hernandez; Simba wasn't king right away, while Felix Hernandez has been called King Felix for about as long as I can remember.  Yesterday, the big news in Major League Baseball was that Felix Hernandez resigned with the Mariners for  5-7 years for around 135.5-170 million dollars (nothing is exact because different outlets have different numbers).  The contract, once officially announced, would be the largest contract in history for any pitcher.  As tremendous an achievement it is that Felix finally got the contract he deserved, the more impressive thing to me is that he chose to stay in Seattle.

Loyalty is a dying thing in sports now.  Players want to leave teams for more money, chances to win, exposure, etc, but Felix chose to stay in Seattle because he was getting his due, he loves Seattle, and he believes they can contend while he's there.  It seems like it will be a difficult task with how stacked the American League is, but with their ace and many top prospects, hopefully things can change this season.

I don't need to say all the numbers Felix has since you can look them up and marvel at them like I have.  I just wanted to post about him since he's one of my favorite athlete's, and he just made history. As a diehard Red Sox fan, I'm a little bummed he didn't come to Boston since he would have helped the team so much, but I'm glad he's doing what makes him happy in his life.

Being in Boston, they say that Pedro Martinez was one of the best pitchers of his time.  I didn't watch baseball back then until 2003 when Pedro was arguably past his prime, but now that I love the sport, I'm glad that I will be able to see one of the great pitchers of my era flourishing in his environment like so many others have.  Felix Hernandez many not be what Randy Johnson was on the Mariners, but now that he's resigned with them, his place in their history will be immortalized.  Congratulations King Felix on returning to Seattle, but in all honesty, you never left, which is why I thank you as a baseball fan!

King Felix already has a Cy Young award, but can he add a World Series?

Home

This weekend, I'm going back home for the first time in close to three weeks.  One of the longest stretches of time I've been away from home since I've been in college.  I know that doesn't sound long to all you people who are out of state or far away, but for me, that's long.  I can't tell you how excited I am to go home because it's Chinese New Year Sunday, I get see some old friends, eat food, etc, but at the same time, I know I'm going to have to shovel, and then deal with the commute coming back.  So going home has it's perks, but it definitely has it's negatives to, which got me thinking, going home just doesn't mean what it used to anymore.

I first thought of home a couple days ago, while waiting for my 2 o'clock class to begin at school.  As I was waiting, it passed 1:40, which made me think of my high school, and how I used to be done with the day at that time.  School may of been harder then, and I may of had more work because of the bunched schedule, but I think I enjoyed going home more then compared to now because I got to see my friends, and those were simpler times.  Sure, as a senior in high school you have to deal with SAT's or college applications, but a majority of the time, you are hanging out with friends, and the schedule is so consistent with the same teachers, that you know what to expect.

People who have active lives in college may disagree with this sentiment, and they can, but I still think I'm right.  Sure, you may have fun in college, and get good grades, but look at the negatives.  You have to make new friends, have new teachers and classes every semester, pay up the a** in financial aid, and by the time you're done, you may have no home, or know what you want to do with your life.  College life may sound better than being at home with your parents, but the older you get, the more you realize you miss and need them. 

I know we eventually have to move on from home since soon we'll be the next generation of adults, but until that time, I'm going to enjoy going home every minute since in the future, "home" may not be around.  I may have my beefs with my parents and siblings, but it's better than being at college and not having them around.  Home may be far away, but it's still a part of me.

Athlete's And The Lives They Live

As a child, I didn't watch sports that often, but I knew who Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky were because they were everywhere.  It used to annoy the hell out of me seeing them, but as I got older and loved sports, I couldn't wait to see an athlete on TV.  Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky were basically retired when I got older, so I focused on athlete's who were popular at the time: Shaq, Kobe, Barry Bonds, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong.  The list of athlete's seemed to run a mile long, but unfortunately all was not what it seemed.  For some athlete's, they had their own issues off the court, which seemed to get in the way of their athletic career's.  For Kobe and Tiger, it was infidelity, while Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong cheated to get an edge.  It was a sad reality being a fan of some of these people, but now it's even sadder because an athlete's personal life overtakes everything now.

I could point fingers at Kobe, Tiger, Barry Bonds, or Lance Armstrong for making sports this way, but it's already been done.  In some ways, I see how it's necessary to talk about an athlete's personal life since it's so interesting, but they're just normal people like we are, who deserve their own privacy.  Yes, I know they make millions of dollars, so it seems okay, but that still doesn't make it right.  It's hard enough being scrutinized on the field, but now they're getting scrutinized for living.  It just isn't right, especially since if they make mistakes, things are magnified.  Yes, there are good and bad athlete's, but we don't talk about good and bad people, or good and bad politicians all the time, so why athlete's? 

For me, this all goes back to the Manti Te'o girlfriend "scandal".  I've never seen such a waste of time in my life from media and sports outlets like ESPN.  Yes, Manti Te'o got pranked, and made a gullible mistake, but we don't have to talk about it for weeks on end.  Finding an answer would be enough, but to ruin his life or to make his stock in the NFL Draft go down because of it seems extreme.  He didn't want to talk about it, everyone else did.  And because of that, now I can't go a day without hearing about Manti Te'o, Lance Armstrong, or someone else.  I'm sick of it!  Yes, they all made mistakes and we can talk about it, but we eventually need to move on.  Everything isn't as interesting as it seems, and if you love/hate someone, why pay attention to their personal lives?  You don't do it for your friends and family all the time, so why athlete's?  What makes them special?  I used to ask myself that same question, but now I don't anymore.  I love sports and the athlete's who play it, but I draw a line between paying attention to their play and what they do on their free time, because there's just more important s**t to do in the world.

Rondo: To Keep Or Not To Keep?

 Rondo has that look again, but what's it mean?

In a sport like basketball, it's rare to find a superstar who doesn't talk much, but that's what Celtics point guard (PG) Rajon Rondo does.  He doesn't talk much to people and the media; he lets his play do the talking, which I commend him for because his play speaks for a lot.  This season, Rondo's stat line was

• 13.7 points per game (tied for career high)
• 11.1 assists per game (leads NBA)
• 5.6 rebounds per game (career high)
• 48% field goal percentage (4th among guards)
• 64.5% free throw percentage (career high)

As you can see from his stat line, Rondo was having a career year by many people's standards, even having some people call him the best PG in the league.  I don't know if I can agree with that statement, but there's no doubt in my mind that Rondo is a top 15 player and a top 5 point guard.  That brings me to last week though.  Last week, the Celtics played the Miami Heat and it was discovered that he had a tore Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) from the previous game against the Atlanta Hawks.  The Celtics won, but their star PG was lost for the season.  Since ACL's are tricky injuries, people in Boston have surprisingly said to trade Rondo, or that the Celtics are better without him, but I think that's a bunch of BS.

Now, I'm not the biggest fan/defender of Rondo in the world.  His attitude annoys me, as does his lackadaisical effort whenever he plays against certain teams, but he is a dynamic and great player.  You can tell from how hard he plays when he puts in max effort and by his stat line.  I know for Rondo the stats are iffy since he does seem to play for stats sometimes, but that shows he cares about winning.  What I don't like about Rondo though is that ego of his.  Him thinking that just because he has a ring, he is better than Chris Paul or Derrick Rose when it just doesn't work that way.  Sure, Rondo may have better stats or more triple doubles, but he can't score consistently like Derrick Rose, run a team like Chris Paul, and most importantly of all, can't get wins like them.  You can disagree with me if you want, but ask anybody who they'd rather have and they'll mention tons of PG's like CP3, D-Rose, Russell Westbrook, etc.

The Celtics recent four game winning streak would suggest to you that the Celtics are better without Rondo, but again, I say that is nuts.  That's just a small sample; it doesn't prove anything if you beat Sacramento or Orlando, two of the worst teams in the league.  Sure, the Celtics beat the Heat last week, but there's no way they could beat them 4 times in the playoffs.  It just can't happen.  Like I said before, Rondo isn't the best PG in the league, but he is the most important player on the Celtics besides Kevin Garnett in terms of value.  And you can see from the way he plays that on nights, he can be the best player in the league.  I like to think of Rondo as Randy Moss sometimes because they take plays off, but when they're on, they are the best players at their positions.  Two different sports I know, but you see my point.

Trading Rondo or thinking the Celtics are better without him may seem good now, but in the long run, I don't think that will help.  Rondo is young now, and because of that, I think he will bounce back from this injury and come back stronger.  I know trading the veterans for young talent is the new thing now, but staying loyal can pay off, like it did last year.  I know Rondo can and does get on everyone's nerves, but his talent outweighs all of that.  Whether that leads to wins, I don't know, but I would like to see how it goes since Rondo is special.

Rondo showing that team leadership

Rage Against The "College" Machine

I don't consider myself a person with great fashion sense since I wear common clothing like t-shirts and jeans, but despite being that way, one thing I am proud to say I am against is college clothing.  I'll never understand how/why someone will buy clothing from their college, yet they despise the school so much.  Do they want to reward them for giving tons of loans or wasting years of their life?  A person's money is hard enough to come by as it is.  It's bad enough students have to overpay for books they'll never use again.  Now they have to overpay for shirts or sweats if they do want to represent the school.  It just isn't worth it, especially for colleges because they always have money even when they say they don't.

Sometimes, I wish colleges would give back to the students, but most of the time they're just machines who want money at another person's expense.  I know not all colleges and situations are like this, but when you're a college student, it seems like most of the time colleges always get what they want. It sucks, but it's reality.  That's why I maintain my independence, and will never feed the machine.

Smoking Sucks And Kills!

Less than a week ago, I had a small scare when the place I'm currently living filled up with smoke.  When it happened, I had no idea what was causing it, but was determined to get to the bottom of it.  As, I walked through the place, I feared the cause was a still-lit cigarette or a small fire, but the cause was a pot left on a stove unattended.  It was an honest to god accident, but it made the the place and my clothes reek, making me realize smoking just sucks.

I wonder why smoking is considered cool or necessary by so many people?  Is it because they just stand around holding a cigarette or what?  I understand the need to be cool when you're young, or "light" up when you're stressed, but cigarette's aren't cool, and they actually harm you more with the nicotine and tobacco in it, which can lead to many long term diseases.  Sure, it provides temporary relief and can be social, but it comes at a terrible price.

Now, I admit that it may be wrong to make such a judgment on something I've never tried before, but I don't need to try something that might kill me.  I've seen the ads, and I have family and friends who have been affected by cigarette smoking firsthand.  It's not a pretty sight, which is why I'm telling people not to smoke.  Don't just think about now, think about the future.  You do it already with school, so why not your health?

Mean Joe Green Coke Commercial

When it came to Super Bowl commercials yesterday, I didn't see most of them besides the Paul Harvey "God Made A Farmer" one, which was inspiring and risky.  As much as I enjoyed that though, it still doesn't make me feel as good as my favorite Super Bowl commercial, which is also one of the most famous.  It's the Mean Joe Green Coke commercial.  Been parodied numerous times, but the original with it's simplicity and sweetness will never be copied.

Enjoy and have a Coke while you're at it!

Static Shock: My Top 10 Episodes

Usually when you ask someone who their favorite superhero is, they respond with Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Flash, etc, but when you ask me who my favorite superhero is, I say without hesitation Static from the show Static Shock.  He was great not just because he was a teenage superhero, but because children of all races/ethnicities could look up to him, and claim him as a superhero of their era.  It's rare to see a show aimed at children made with such quality and thought, but Static Shock was with it's array of issues, animation, and plot. 

Static Shock was a show that aired on WB in 2000 about a kid named Virgil, who one day, is caught in this gas explosion known as the Big Bang.  He doesn't think much of what happens, until he wakes up one morning and realizes he has static electric powers.  Using his powers for good, he teams up with his friend Richie to become superheros and save his city Dakota from Bang Babies/Meta-Humans (people exposed to the gas who want to use their powers for evil), all while trying to live life as a teenager.

Now that I've said that, my top 10 Static Shock episodes...

10. Power Play: Richie meets an old man named Ragtag, who has the ability to give people powers.  Richie receives powers from him, and becomes a new superhero named Push, but his powers are temporary.  The only way to get more: commit crimes on Ragtag's behalf.  I like this episode because it's early in the series, so we still see growth in the characters, and it's the first time Richie gets powers, which I thought was pretty cool.

9. Blast From The Past: Static teams up with an old superhero from the 60s named Soul Power to take down an old nemesis, but their age difference makes it hard for them to work together. This episode is here because of it's humor, campy style, and the fact it reminded me of the Batman series and movie from the 60s.

8. Sons Of The Fathers: Richie invites Virgil to stay at his house, but his father comes home, and turns out to be a racist bigot, causing Virgil to leave.  Richie leaves the house in anger, only to be kidnapped by Bang Babies.  I like this episode because it addresses racism, which is always a strong issue, and it shows father-son relationships, and how difficult they really are.

7. Replay: A Bang Baby named Replay appears and can duplicate himself at the snap of his fingers.  After a scuffle with Static, he makes a duplicate of him, and has the evil Static do his bidding for him, ruining the real Static's reputation.  This episode is cool because I like the good vs. evil plot angle, Virgil and Richie's dialogue, and the fact Neil Patrick Harris plays the villain.

6. Shock To The System: The first episode of the series and the one that started it all.  It's here because it give us background on Virgil/Static, and it has some memorable moments like when Richie helps Static pick out an outfit.  Hilarious!

5. Frozen Out: It's Christmas time, and a young Bang Baby named Permafrost comes to Dakota freezing things uncontrollably.  Static tries to stop her, but then learns about who she is, which causes him to offer his help.  This is a standout episode because of how touching it is with the flashback scenes, and it tackles real issues like homelessness.  It's one of the times Static is a superhero without having to use any powers.

4. Attack Of The Living Brain Puppets: Richie is running in the student election.  His opponent, a student named Madeline Spaulding, who uses her Bang Baby powers to turn everyone into zombies and have her way.  I love this episode because of the hilarity of it, and the fact it tackled zombies before they blew up everywhere.

3. Future Shock: After helping Batman and Robin with a job, Static is sent 40 years into the future, teaming up with the new Batman, Terry McGinnis.  If I have to explain why this episode is bad ass, then there's something wrong with you guys.  Static Shock meets Batman Beyond, enough said!

2. Jimmy: A teenager named Jimmy brings a gun to school to protect himself from bullies, but he shoots Richie in the leg, causing Virgil to feel guilty.  This episode is strong because of it's structure.  It tackles different issues like gun control and bullying, and shows us a side of Virgil we don't see often which is touching.

1. Flashback: It's been five years since Virgil's mother died.  He wants to see her again, but can't, until a new Bang Baby named Time Zone comes and takes him back in time.  Only problem, they have a fight with Ebon that transfers them all back in time.  I think of this as my top Static Shock episode because of the theme of love in it, plain and simple.  It's the episode where I think we see Static at his most vulnerable, and one where he has to make the toughest decision of his life.  I usually like time travel stuff in shows, so this one is definitely number 1.

My Current Health

I'm in a bit of a writer's funk today and not feeling too well everybody, so I won't be posting anything today. Hopefully, I'll be back soon. But if I'm not back by tomorrow, have a great rest of the weekend!

Adult Playgrounds

As I'm sitting here writing or doing schoolwork, various things run through my mind.  I think about my friends, food, and what I'm going to watch later, but the thing I think about most is fun.  If I could have a choice of doing anything, what would I do?  Some people would choose to be with your significant other, or play video games, but the thing I'd really want to do is go on a playground and have fun like the old days.  I'm not even lying.

Playgrounds are significant to me because they represent innocence and a good chunk of my childhood.  When I was a child, we had a swing set in our backyard that was just the best.  Each of my siblings had a swing, and we would play on it all the time until we had to go in.  Most of the time it was just us swinging, but whenever we had friends over, we'd play the lava game, which was hilarious as a child.  I don't think any one of us thought of it as anything else than just a swing set, but as children, I guess we didn't have to.

By the time I reached middle school, the swing sets were long gone, and I hung out in the park in my neighborhood.  The park was fun because of how big it was, and how many more things it had there like slides and monkey bars, but we didn't go as much because my parents became busier as I got older.  I could have gone by myself or with my friends at that time, but it just didn't feel the same anymore.  There were too many people at the park I didn't know, and when I went to the park with my friends, all we did was play basketball.

Now, as a 21 year old, I can't go to playgrounds anymore.  Yet, a small part of me still wants that enjoyment of running around, swinging on swings, and sliding down slides.  Since I can't get that feeling anymore now, my suggestion is that they make playgrounds for adults to play in.  It sounds ridiculous, I know, but I think it would be cool to see adults having real fun or relaxing after a long day's work.  Plus, I feel like there's a bit of child still instilled in all of us, so why not try something that can ease people's stress and help them exercise, therefore making them feel good.  Playgrounds are getting emptier everyday because children play more games or have more homework, so let us adults have some fun for once.  We're not nearly as stuck up as you think.

Newspaper Wars

Awhile ago, I was reading the Boston Herald in public when I heard someone make a comment about me.  It wasn't about the way I looked, or what I was wearing, but about the fact that I was reading the Boston Herald since in this person's mind, it was garbage.  I couldn't believe the audacity of this random person, making a comment about me, and the newspaper I read.  How could they judge me when they didn't know me?  They only looked at the type of newspaper I had which was wrong.

First off, I think I deserve credit for reading a newspaper of any kind because most people nowadays don't even read the newspaper anymore.  They'll just read it online, or watch the news instead, which is a lot faster.  Secondly, you can think what you want of the Boston Herald, but the Boston Globe isn't much better.  It's basically saying the the same things other Boston newspapers do, except they charge more ($2-$1), and they do it in sections like that's so genius.  Why separate everything if the point of a newspaper is to keep it all together anyways?  It just doesn't make sense.  Also, the Boston Globe has a terrible design being more vertical, therefore making it hard to read on your lap and eat at the same time.  That may not sound important to many of you people, but the point of a newspaper is convenience, and that doesn't sound convenient to me.

The thing that ticks me off about the Boston Globe the most though is their online site.  After awhile, you can't read their paper anymore online for free.  You have to register or pay for it, which I think is BS compared to the Boston Herald, which you can read in it's entirety for free.  It's a principal thing to me.  The Boston Globe advertises itself like it's better because of it's format, writer's, delivery, etc, but they're charging more for the same news that other papers and news outlets have.  It just doesn't make sense, and is very deceiving in my mind.

This isn't a piece to disapprove the Boston Globe.  I happen to read their paper sometimes, and enjoy some of their writers, but I don't want to be judged just because I read the Boston Herald.  There's more to me than that, and there's more to newspapers than just the titles.