Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Crazy Texas Weather
I have no clue what is going on with this crazy Texas weather. One minute it is bright and shiny and the next we are under tornado alerts with heavy rain, damaging wind and hail. And then poof, back to its normal hot summer self. It seems like the weather is acting like a Kaiser Soyze, and just disappears. ( I hope you understood that last reference)
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Whitesnake Concert
The day after seeing My Chemical Romance in Concert, it was time for Ogle and I to see WHITESNAKE, yes that WHITESNAKE, in concert at an outdoor concert called the Wildflower Festitval. Let me set the scene. The venue was a family friendly atmosphere resulting in sticky humidity and foul stenches amongst the nearly 100 dozen kids constanly throwing up from too much candy, fat people walking around in nothing but cutoff shorst and 80s mesh t-shirts, creepy music fans who thought it was still 1988 (some partaking in perhaps more than their fair share of adult beverages) who were all brought together to see the mighty Whitesnake on their Forevermore summer tour. For the record, I’d do it all again in the name of classic rock n roll, even as gross as it was at times.
I wanted to make sure I was able to see the band early on in this tour because bands have a habit of playing songs from their new albums and then inexplicably dropping them from the set. I’m glad I did; I think Forevermore is Whitesnake’s best album since Slip of The Tongue. I was treated to 90 minutes of thrills, chills and at times massive audience sing–a-longs. It made for a fun evening filled with some fantastic rock arena moments crammed into a small theater.
The sounds of The Who’s “My Generation” rammed through the theater shortly before and as the band members hit the stage. I was a bit surprised they opened with “Best Years” from the Good To Be Bad album but it did set the tone for what would be a terrific set of mixing the old tunes with the new ones without having the crowd lose it’s momentum as the night wore on. But then came three classic ‘Snake tunes back to back to back. Starting with “Gimme All Your Love Tonight” Coverdale had the crowd clapping and guitar players Reb Beach and Doug Aldrich had the floor hopping. “Love Ain’t No Stranger” always pleases the older fanbase that seem to sing out this one with as much feeling and emotion as David himself. “Is This Love” was up next and was one of my personal favorites of the night as the crowd belted out the chorus as loud as any other song all night long. I think this is also a favorite with the ladies as well because I had a Tawny Kitaen wanna be to my left dancing – complete with leg splits on the Webster floor..only in Connecticut.
Up next is a mix of the last two albums highlighed with the title track “Forevermore” which not only showcased Doug on acoustic guitar for the first half of the song but some very complex percussion parts from drummer Brian Tichy and solid bass work from Michael Devin. This was the most demanding song of the band all night and they delivered 100% on the money. Next up was Doug and Reb dueling it out on stage six string vs. six string. I’m not generally a fan of guitar solos (never have been) but this was fun. ‘My Evil Ways” went right into a Tichy drum solo which ended with no sticks and just Tichy playing the kit with his bare hands; primitive but entertaining at the same time.
The final four songs of the night were all older tracks including “Ain’t No Love In The Heart of the City” which I have not seen live before too many times, if ever. “Still of the Night” is the predictable set closer and Coverdale did his best to hit every note he could even at that stage of the set. Overall I was pleased with the amount of newer material even at the expense of some ‘Snake classics like ‘Slide It In” “Slow and Easy” and almost nothing off of Slip of the Tongue.
Coverdale has the unique ability of getting the most out of his players and this lineup is no exception. I think it would be unfair to compare Beach/Aldrich to Vai/Vandenberg or Devin/Tichy to Sarzo/Aldridge but if you did you could make a good argument for either era. I think if you asked the current lineup (and I did in the case of Devin and Tichy after the show) it would pay homage and respect to the past era lineups without attempting to copy their style. Who knows what the future will bring but you can bet Coverdale ,who has always surrounded himself with top talent, will make sure ‘Snake will remain what is has always been, just a great rock band. If you have a chance to get bitten by this snake sometime this year it’s worth the teeth marks it will leave behind
I wanted to make sure I was able to see the band early on in this tour because bands have a habit of playing songs from their new albums and then inexplicably dropping them from the set. I’m glad I did; I think Forevermore is Whitesnake’s best album since Slip of The Tongue. I was treated to 90 minutes of thrills, chills and at times massive audience sing–a-longs. It made for a fun evening filled with some fantastic rock arena moments crammed into a small theater.
The sounds of The Who’s “My Generation” rammed through the theater shortly before and as the band members hit the stage. I was a bit surprised they opened with “Best Years” from the Good To Be Bad album but it did set the tone for what would be a terrific set of mixing the old tunes with the new ones without having the crowd lose it’s momentum as the night wore on. But then came three classic ‘Snake tunes back to back to back. Starting with “Gimme All Your Love Tonight” Coverdale had the crowd clapping and guitar players Reb Beach and Doug Aldrich had the floor hopping. “Love Ain’t No Stranger” always pleases the older fanbase that seem to sing out this one with as much feeling and emotion as David himself. “Is This Love” was up next and was one of my personal favorites of the night as the crowd belted out the chorus as loud as any other song all night long. I think this is also a favorite with the ladies as well because I had a Tawny Kitaen wanna be to my left dancing – complete with leg splits on the Webster floor..only in Connecticut.
Up next is a mix of the last two albums highlighed with the title track “Forevermore” which not only showcased Doug on acoustic guitar for the first half of the song but some very complex percussion parts from drummer Brian Tichy and solid bass work from Michael Devin. This was the most demanding song of the band all night and they delivered 100% on the money. Next up was Doug and Reb dueling it out on stage six string vs. six string. I’m not generally a fan of guitar solos (never have been) but this was fun. ‘My Evil Ways” went right into a Tichy drum solo which ended with no sticks and just Tichy playing the kit with his bare hands; primitive but entertaining at the same time.
The final four songs of the night were all older tracks including “Ain’t No Love In The Heart of the City” which I have not seen live before too many times, if ever. “Still of the Night” is the predictable set closer and Coverdale did his best to hit every note he could even at that stage of the set. Overall I was pleased with the amount of newer material even at the expense of some ‘Snake classics like ‘Slide It In” “Slow and Easy” and almost nothing off of Slip of the Tongue.
Coverdale has the unique ability of getting the most out of his players and this lineup is no exception. I think it would be unfair to compare Beach/Aldrich to Vai/Vandenberg or Devin/Tichy to Sarzo/Aldridge but if you did you could make a good argument for either era. I think if you asked the current lineup (and I did in the case of Devin and Tichy after the show) it would pay homage and respect to the past era lineups without attempting to copy their style. Who knows what the future will bring but you can bet Coverdale ,who has always surrounded himself with top talent, will make sure ‘Snake will remain what is has always been, just a great rock band. If you have a chance to get bitten by this snake sometime this year it’s worth the teeth marks it will leave behind
My Chemical Romance Concert
What a night for entertainment! For the PBS crowd, there was Celtic Woman at the Verizon Wireless Theater. For the ‘normally sane but not tonight’ adults, there was Jimmy Buffett at Pizza Hut Park. For the nostalgic type, there was the Wildflower Music Festival in Richardson. And last but not least, for the ‘tween to teen to just turned 21 set, there was the very entertaining My Chemical Romance at the House of Blues. Tough decision you say. Not at all! I just went with the coolest sounding band name. Turns out it was an excellent choice.
The reason for going to the show: I bought Ogle tickets to the concert as a Christmas gift and it was finally time for him to get away from his wife (and if you reading this Meagan, you are awesome) and have a beer or 5 with his best friend.
First off, this was no place for anyone under 25. Seriously, this band has been around for ten years, but its audience keeps getting younger, not aging with grace along with the band. Oh there were some token adults spotted in the crowd here and there, but I’m sure there presence was meant to be felt, not seen, by the kids they chaperoned to the show.
When lead singer Gerard Way stepped on stage to thunderous applause and cheers, the first thought I had upon seeing him was “flame on!” This New Jersey native definitely has the hottest head of red hair I’ve ever seen on a performer. With kids in raccoon makeup jumping up and down like pogo sticks, and everyone singing the songs, even Way was taken back by the reception the group received.
Before I get to the show, I want to give kudos to My Chemical Romance for fully embracing technology to push themselves to the heights it has attained over the years. This is definitely a tech generation band, and the youthful crowd cheering their conquering heroes proved that. When you finally release an album four years after your last one, you need to do something to keep yourself in the public eye. This band has done that and them some.
From free downloads on MySpace, benefit songs on iTunes, and skillful use of YouTube to promote new songs, this group knows exactly how to keep their audience up-to-date with MCR. Probably their most brilliant marketing move involved the live album, Life on the Murder Scene, released just two albums into their career. This masterfully conceived recording, released in 2006, incorporated one documentary DVD chronicling the band’s history. The second disc contained music videos, the making of their videos and live performances. The third was a live recording of the band itself. With that kind of exposure, it’s easy to see why the crowd roared with every song the band performed.
Both nights My Chemical Romance was in town, they drew heavily from their last three albums. For some reason, the first recording was only represented by “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” along with “Our Lady of Sorrows” the second evening. The set list was pretty much the same both nights with these exceptions. Sunday night “Look Alive Sunshine” and “Kids from Yesterday” replaced “Summertime” and “Sing” from the Danger Days album. “Ghost of You” and “Thank You for the Venom” replaced “Give ‘em Hell” from Three Cheers and “Cancer” from Black Parade. If you went both nights, you obviously were in MCR heaven.
My Chemical Romance has risen to stardom relatively quickly by expanding upon an ever growing fan base with solid albums and smart touring with the likes Linkin Park, Green Day, Avenged Sevenfold and Bon Jovi over the years. This particular evening, the group never had a lull in their set, playing radio hits like “Helena”, “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” and “Welcome to the Black Parade”, as well as fan favorites like “Mama”, “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” and “Bulletproof Heart”. By the time MCR launched into “Teenagers,” all the designated drivers (i.e.adults) had gathered in the back of the floor so their young charges could literally scream their heads off
For those of you wishing your mom’s would have brought you to the MCR show(s), you’re in luck. My Chemical Romance is coming back this fall with Blink-182 to co-headline the Honda Civic Tour along with Rancid, Manchester Orchestra and Matt + Kim. If that doesn’t smell like teen spirit, then you just don’t know what true nirvana is. Your designated driver will be happy to decipher that last line
The reason for going to the show: I bought Ogle tickets to the concert as a Christmas gift and it was finally time for him to get away from his wife (and if you reading this Meagan, you are awesome) and have a beer or 5 with his best friend.
First off, this was no place for anyone under 25. Seriously, this band has been around for ten years, but its audience keeps getting younger, not aging with grace along with the band. Oh there were some token adults spotted in the crowd here and there, but I’m sure there presence was meant to be felt, not seen, by the kids they chaperoned to the show.
When lead singer Gerard Way stepped on stage to thunderous applause and cheers, the first thought I had upon seeing him was “flame on!” This New Jersey native definitely has the hottest head of red hair I’ve ever seen on a performer. With kids in raccoon makeup jumping up and down like pogo sticks, and everyone singing the songs, even Way was taken back by the reception the group received.
Before I get to the show, I want to give kudos to My Chemical Romance for fully embracing technology to push themselves to the heights it has attained over the years. This is definitely a tech generation band, and the youthful crowd cheering their conquering heroes proved that. When you finally release an album four years after your last one, you need to do something to keep yourself in the public eye. This band has done that and them some.
From free downloads on MySpace, benefit songs on iTunes, and skillful use of YouTube to promote new songs, this group knows exactly how to keep their audience up-to-date with MCR. Probably their most brilliant marketing move involved the live album, Life on the Murder Scene, released just two albums into their career. This masterfully conceived recording, released in 2006, incorporated one documentary DVD chronicling the band’s history. The second disc contained music videos, the making of their videos and live performances. The third was a live recording of the band itself. With that kind of exposure, it’s easy to see why the crowd roared with every song the band performed.
Both nights My Chemical Romance was in town, they drew heavily from their last three albums. For some reason, the first recording was only represented by “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” along with “Our Lady of Sorrows” the second evening. The set list was pretty much the same both nights with these exceptions. Sunday night “Look Alive Sunshine” and “Kids from Yesterday” replaced “Summertime” and “Sing” from the Danger Days album. “Ghost of You” and “Thank You for the Venom” replaced “Give ‘em Hell” from Three Cheers and “Cancer” from Black Parade. If you went both nights, you obviously were in MCR heaven.
My Chemical Romance has risen to stardom relatively quickly by expanding upon an ever growing fan base with solid albums and smart touring with the likes Linkin Park, Green Day, Avenged Sevenfold and Bon Jovi over the years. This particular evening, the group never had a lull in their set, playing radio hits like “Helena”, “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” and “Welcome to the Black Parade”, as well as fan favorites like “Mama”, “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” and “Bulletproof Heart”. By the time MCR launched into “Teenagers,” all the designated drivers (i.e.adults) had gathered in the back of the floor so their young charges could literally scream their heads off
For those of you wishing your mom’s would have brought you to the MCR show(s), you’re in luck. My Chemical Romance is coming back this fall with Blink-182 to co-headline the Honda Civic Tour along with Rancid, Manchester Orchestra and Matt + Kim. If that doesn’t smell like teen spirit, then you just don’t know what true nirvana is. Your designated driver will be happy to decipher that last line
Dallas Comic Con
The morning after Matt's Dirty Thirty Birthday Bash, I had to get up extremely early and get into full nerd mood.
I attended the Dallas Comic Con, which I have done for several years now, to meet some celebrities and get some autographs. And this year did not disappoint me at all.
Some friends and I drove the 40 minute drive or so the newly constructed Las Colinas Convention Center to brave the lines of people who live to play Dungeons and Dragons and have still yet to kiss a real girl, or without paying for it at least.
This year, there were only 3 out of 50 guests that I wanted to meet. They were Leonard Nimoy, Stan Lee, and Carrie Fisher. Each of the 3 highly sought out guest were the number 1 choice for the majority of the people visiting the convention that day.
I got the chance to meet all 3 of them, along with get their autographs, in record time. It only took me a couple of hours and I had the rest of the day to look at crazy movie stuff the was placed all over the place.
I know this is going to sound morbid as hell, but another reason for wanting to meet Nimoy, Lee, and Fisher was that they aren't going to be around much longer which would make their autograph become much more valuable. I am thinking long term here people.
Give me a day or 15 and I will put the autographs up on my picture website.
I attended the Dallas Comic Con, which I have done for several years now, to meet some celebrities and get some autographs. And this year did not disappoint me at all.
Some friends and I drove the 40 minute drive or so the newly constructed Las Colinas Convention Center to brave the lines of people who live to play Dungeons and Dragons and have still yet to kiss a real girl, or without paying for it at least.
This year, there were only 3 out of 50 guests that I wanted to meet. They were Leonard Nimoy, Stan Lee, and Carrie Fisher. Each of the 3 highly sought out guest were the number 1 choice for the majority of the people visiting the convention that day.
I got the chance to meet all 3 of them, along with get their autographs, in record time. It only took me a couple of hours and I had the rest of the day to look at crazy movie stuff the was placed all over the place.
I know this is going to sound morbid as hell, but another reason for wanting to meet Nimoy, Lee, and Fisher was that they aren't going to be around much longer which would make their autograph become much more valuable. I am thinking long term here people.
Give me a day or 15 and I will put the autographs up on my picture website.
Matt's Dirty Thirty Bday Party
How would you like to spend your 30th birthday? Playing Dungeons and Dragons? Helping your Grandma clip coupons and rub the bunions off of her feet? Or working on your sales pitch? Here is mine:
"Mister, I only deal in high-end weapons. All guaranteed stolen and traceable only to their original owners. All sales are final and all prices are negotiable.
Glock semi-automatic 9 mm. Tenifer matte finish, Polymer grip, fixed sights, 4 and 1/2 inch barrel, 22 ounces, double action and a 10 round magazine. Mister, I could hook you up with this gun for the low price of three hundred and "fitty" dollars - well below market value.
Tangfolio semi-automatic. This a 9mm too - seems to be the weapon of choice - try one and you'll understand why. Rubber grips, adjustable 3 dot sights, 4 and 1/2 inch barrel, 33 ounces. Check out the eye-catching extended beaver tail just above the grip. Got mad-ass double action and a surprising 16 round magazine. Mister, I want to sell you this gun and I can hook you up for the low price of 200 dollars.
Maybe you looking for something in a chrome finish. Something to impress the ladies. This right here is a Llama Mini-Max .38 Super Auto. semi-automatic. Fresh satin chrome, black rubber grip, 3 dot fixed sights, 3 and 1/2 inch barrel, skeletonized hammer with an extended slide release, eight capacity magazine and single action. Mister, I won't lie to you, this gun is not the bomb - it'll do the job, but it ain't all that. That's why you can walk out of here with this gun for the incredible low price of one hundred and "fitty" dollar.
Maybe you looking for power, mister. This gun got mad power, mad kick and mad reputation. That's right, it's the Colt .357 Magnum revolver. Rubber combat-style grip, fixed rear, ramp front sights, 2 inch barrel. Weighs in at a feather-like 21 ounces. 6 shot capacity with double action. Mister, if you're looking for impact, the Magnum will satisfy all of your needs.
I don't know you, mister, but you look like a man of style so maybe you in the market for a custom piece. Mister, it's your lucky day 'cause this gun got style to burn. You lookin' at the Les Baer Custom Premier Tactical 45. Fresh blue finish, deluxe grips, 5 inch barrel, 37 ounces, guaranteed to shoot 1 1/2 groups at a distance of 50 yards. Aluminum speed trigger, throated barrel, single action with 12 shot capacity magazine. I could see you with this gun, mister. And I can give it to you for the low price of seven hundred and ninety-five dollars.
Mister, these are my guns. All sales are final, and all prices are negotiable."
DAMN, NOW THAT IS A GOOD SALES PITCH.
Anyway, my friend Matt decided to throw himself a nice little party at a bar called Caves. And by little party, I mean he rented a portion of the bar out so all of his friends could drink for free.
About 16 of us showed up at 9 for the drinking festival in honor of Matt and we closed it down promptly at 2 am. Oh, and let me share you a couple of rules that had to be followed by all of the guests for Matt's Party.
No Driving home
Order one drink at a time
No shots on Matt's tab
Avoid puking and hooking up with people whom you think are attractive when you are drunk
"Mister, I only deal in high-end weapons. All guaranteed stolen and traceable only to their original owners. All sales are final and all prices are negotiable.
Glock semi-automatic 9 mm. Tenifer matte finish, Polymer grip, fixed sights, 4 and 1/2 inch barrel, 22 ounces, double action and a 10 round magazine. Mister, I could hook you up with this gun for the low price of three hundred and "fitty" dollars - well below market value.
Tangfolio semi-automatic. This a 9mm too - seems to be the weapon of choice - try one and you'll understand why. Rubber grips, adjustable 3 dot sights, 4 and 1/2 inch barrel, 33 ounces. Check out the eye-catching extended beaver tail just above the grip. Got mad-ass double action and a surprising 16 round magazine. Mister, I want to sell you this gun and I can hook you up for the low price of 200 dollars.
Maybe you looking for something in a chrome finish. Something to impress the ladies. This right here is a Llama Mini-Max .38 Super Auto. semi-automatic. Fresh satin chrome, black rubber grip, 3 dot fixed sights, 3 and 1/2 inch barrel, skeletonized hammer with an extended slide release, eight capacity magazine and single action. Mister, I won't lie to you, this gun is not the bomb - it'll do the job, but it ain't all that. That's why you can walk out of here with this gun for the incredible low price of one hundred and "fitty" dollar.
Maybe you looking for power, mister. This gun got mad power, mad kick and mad reputation. That's right, it's the Colt .357 Magnum revolver. Rubber combat-style grip, fixed rear, ramp front sights, 2 inch barrel. Weighs in at a feather-like 21 ounces. 6 shot capacity with double action. Mister, if you're looking for impact, the Magnum will satisfy all of your needs.
I don't know you, mister, but you look like a man of style so maybe you in the market for a custom piece. Mister, it's your lucky day 'cause this gun got style to burn. You lookin' at the Les Baer Custom Premier Tactical 45. Fresh blue finish, deluxe grips, 5 inch barrel, 37 ounces, guaranteed to shoot 1 1/2 groups at a distance of 50 yards. Aluminum speed trigger, throated barrel, single action with 12 shot capacity magazine. I could see you with this gun, mister. And I can give it to you for the low price of seven hundred and ninety-five dollars.
Mister, these are my guns. All sales are final, and all prices are negotiable."
DAMN, NOW THAT IS A GOOD SALES PITCH.
Anyway, my friend Matt decided to throw himself a nice little party at a bar called Caves. And by little party, I mean he rented a portion of the bar out so all of his friends could drink for free.
About 16 of us showed up at 9 for the drinking festival in honor of Matt and we closed it down promptly at 2 am. Oh, and let me share you a couple of rules that had to be followed by all of the guests for Matt's Party.
Obviously, we were totally safe and got rides from Jess (because she is not that much of a drinker). And also, followed the rules to the T.
In case you are wondering, yes, Matt did get extremely drunk and did he damnedest to not following rules 2 to 4(especially rule 4) at all times.
Overall, it was a damn good party, even when it took us a couple of hours to put all of the pieces together.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Trivia: Semi Finals
If you don't know, every Thursday night at 9, some friends and I get together and play a live trivia game. Well, apparently we have been kicking a ton of ass at this because we made to the semi finals in Grapevine last Sunday night.
Usually, the game is played by the following rules and will last about 2 hours:
1. Each game consists of six rounds, with one half time question and one final question.
2. Each round consists of three questions. The categories for the three questions are announced at the beginning of each round.
3. Teams are allotted three point values to use each round. Once you have assigned that value to an answer, you cannot use it again for that round. The point values for rounds one through three are 2, 4, and 6 (maximum score of 12 points per round). The values for rounds four through six are 5, 7 and 9 (maximum score of 21 points per round).
4. Your team may have as many players as you want.
5. You are allowed the length of one song to turn in your written answer and point value. An additional song may be allowed for half-time and final questions.
6. Once you have turned in your answer, you may not re-submit another answer.
7. Teams do not lose points for wrong answers, with the exception of the final question.
8. A team may wager up to 20 points on the final question. If your answer is correct, your team is awarded the amount of points wagered. If your answer is incorrect, those points are deducted from your score.
9. Some rounds include bonus questions or opportunities for additional points.
During the semi finals round, they switch things up a bit. Instead of 6 rounds per game, there are now 8 rounds. That may not sound like a big deal but it makes the game noticeable longer. And you can only have 5 people max per team. Since we had 10 people, we had to branch out and make 2 teams, both called Todd Scott after one of the member's fake id from high school.
The trivia employees will ask all kinds of questions ranging from science to pop culture events to food. It is basically a live, much cooler version of trivial pursuit.
The good thing is that both of the Todd Scott teams qualified to be in the finals which will be in a couple of weeks. In order to make it to the finals, you have to be in the top 15 teams of the night. My teams was 8th place and the other Todd Scott came in 3rd.
I will let you know if we place at the finals place 1st place wins 5 grand. So we are either going to win or rob the 1st place team. Either way, we will be leaving with something.
Usually, the game is played by the following rules and will last about 2 hours:
1. Each game consists of six rounds, with one half time question and one final question.
2. Each round consists of three questions. The categories for the three questions are announced at the beginning of each round.
3. Teams are allotted three point values to use each round. Once you have assigned that value to an answer, you cannot use it again for that round. The point values for rounds one through three are 2, 4, and 6 (maximum score of 12 points per round). The values for rounds four through six are 5, 7 and 9 (maximum score of 21 points per round).
4. Your team may have as many players as you want.
5. You are allowed the length of one song to turn in your written answer and point value. An additional song may be allowed for half-time and final questions.
6. Once you have turned in your answer, you may not re-submit another answer.
7. Teams do not lose points for wrong answers, with the exception of the final question.
8. A team may wager up to 20 points on the final question. If your answer is correct, your team is awarded the amount of points wagered. If your answer is incorrect, those points are deducted from your score.
9. Some rounds include bonus questions or opportunities for additional points.
During the semi finals round, they switch things up a bit. Instead of 6 rounds per game, there are now 8 rounds. That may not sound like a big deal but it makes the game noticeable longer. And you can only have 5 people max per team. Since we had 10 people, we had to branch out and make 2 teams, both called Todd Scott after one of the member's fake id from high school.
The trivia employees will ask all kinds of questions ranging from science to pop culture events to food. It is basically a live, much cooler version of trivial pursuit.
The good thing is that both of the Todd Scott teams qualified to be in the finals which will be in a couple of weeks. In order to make it to the finals, you have to be in the top 15 teams of the night. My teams was 8th place and the other Todd Scott came in 3rd.
I will let you know if we place at the finals place 1st place wins 5 grand. So we are either going to win or rob the 1st place team. Either way, we will be leaving with something.
Mother's Day
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!! I hope you like Italian because that is where we are going per your request.
Friday, May 13, 2011
3rd Annual Shedfest
Parents, its 1 in the afternoon. Do you know where you child is? Well if they are like me, then they are at Shedfest!
Shedfest is the annual party/BBQ that Paul and Katie have been throwing for the past 3 years at their home. Everyone gets together and enjoy a keg or beer, tons of food, and some games as well. Thankfully, the weather was awesome this year and it didn't get that hot at all.
The party started at 1 in the afternoon of Saturday and quickly went into full steam. Katie made a several batches of Sangria while Paul was attempting to set up the keg and Mr Betik started the grill.
I had to leave the party at 4:30 so I could attend Ogle's son's christening and dinner at 5, but by 10 I was back at the party and it was insane. It was kind of funny when you leave some sort of event for a little bit and come back to find everyone in high spirits due to the beer and sangria.
Since the next day was Mother's Day, I did get home at a decent hour so I wouldn't be hungover or sick while hanging out with my mom. I am pretty sure that she would kill me if I ever showed up like that on Mother's Day.
Everyone seemed to have a great time at Shedfest again this year and plans are already underway for next year's event. It may turn into a weekend event with even more alcohol induced blackouts. Can't Wait.
Shedfest is the annual party/BBQ that Paul and Katie have been throwing for the past 3 years at their home. Everyone gets together and enjoy a keg or beer, tons of food, and some games as well. Thankfully, the weather was awesome this year and it didn't get that hot at all.
The party started at 1 in the afternoon of Saturday and quickly went into full steam. Katie made a several batches of Sangria while Paul was attempting to set up the keg and Mr Betik started the grill.
I had to leave the party at 4:30 so I could attend Ogle's son's christening and dinner at 5, but by 10 I was back at the party and it was insane. It was kind of funny when you leave some sort of event for a little bit and come back to find everyone in high spirits due to the beer and sangria.
Since the next day was Mother's Day, I did get home at a decent hour so I wouldn't be hungover or sick while hanging out with my mom. I am pretty sure that she would kill me if I ever showed up like that on Mother's Day.
Everyone seemed to have a great time at Shedfest again this year and plans are already underway for next year's event. It may turn into a weekend event with even more alcohol induced blackouts. Can't Wait.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Texas Frightmare Weekend 2011
Its that time of the year again that I go to a movie convention in Dallas and meet some famous people.What happens at these events is that you basically just get to hang out with other movie nerds, get free stuff, get some autographs from your favorite celebrity. Oh, and there are tons of socialising with other guest as well such as visits to the bar or hotel room parties.
The convention lasted for 3 days with Saturday being the busiest. Because of this, our group of 7 decided to hit the convention as hard as we could on Friday night and meet as many celebrities as we could. And that we did.
The nicest guest there had to be Cary Elwes. He was completely down to earth and just a cool person. He said that this was his first time to do a meet and greet convention and apparently he enjoyed the hell out of it. The Boondock Saints Brothers, along with Rocco, were very cool and Brian Austin Green acted like a bag of dicks. He totally just douched the place up.I am not trying to be mean or anything, but Brian Austin Green or BAG, was really just a bag of dicks. He showed us some scenes from his new movie and I am pretty sure my dog could be a better actor. By the way, all he is known for is nailing Meagan Fox and I am pretty sure she is
tired of him as well.
When the convention ends every night, the majority of the people go to the bar that is located in the hotel while others will pay an ungodly amount of money to be a part of the VIP party. The thing that sucks about that is that not only does it cost $200 just to get in, but you have to buy drinks as well. Hell, for $200 admission fee, I better get some free drinks or a gift card worth $150.
Since alot of people don't want to pay that much, the hotel bar seems to be the place to be. And the cool thing is that when the VIP Party is over, all of the celebrities from that party go to the hotel bar any way. I don't see the point in paying for that at all.And if you don't want to spend a ton of money at the bar, again like me, then you just throw a small party in your room. Because I have been going for 4 years now, I have been meeting and hanging out with people during the event. We usually meet up at someones hotel room and the rule is that if you come to the hotel room and drink, just donate some drinks as well.
The bar and hotel room parties seem to be the most successfull because you can either hang out with the people you know or meet a couple of new folks. And that is what we did both Friday and Saturday night.
My main concern was too save as not to spend as too much money since I am saving up for an apartment and other stuff. So, we would have a couple of drinks in the hotel room and then grab a couple at the bar and then back to the room for the final drink. Again, this was the best system. I should patent it and teach it to college kids across the country, write a book about it, and sell it on the web for $100 each. Plus it would be awesome if it was narrated by Samuel L Jackson, just because that guy is a bad ass.
Well, back to the purpose of this particular post. The whole weekend convention was great. I meet some famous people and drank with them as well. And the good part was I didn't spend too much money as well. So its a win win for me.
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