Chopped and screwed

Today’s post will simply be a few random thoughts, more of an extended “Thoughts at the closing bell”. Why? Cause I’m lazy today, sue me.

• Van Halen’s “Right Now”, it’s hard not to want to sing along. It’s on in the office, and I’m fighting the urge with all I’ve got.
• Blew the door off of my sales goals this month, and just saw in my paycheck that I got my bonus for last month. Beer’s on me!!!! Whoa, whoa, are you ordering Heineken. Let me restate – Pabst Blue Ribbon’s on me!!!
• Weird Al needs to be stopped, once and for all.
• I’m getting the Wall Street Journal, I signed up for it at an extremly reduced rate. What’s fascinating, though, is that they started throwing in the yard in the mornings, along with The New York Times, my favorite rag. The question is, I never ordered the NYTimes, so why is it showing up? Am I stealing my neighbors paper (he’s a third year law student, so it’s possible he feels the need to have to Times delivered)? If he ordered, that means two things 1) He’s got bank, cause that’s an EXPENSIVE paper to have delivered 2) I should probably not take any more of them.
• What’s my number one least favorite type of user pic for social networking websites? It’s the “Exposed Abs” pic. This is the pic where the jocky-looking young man will lift his shirt just enough to show his “monster” abs. Keep showing those abs, it’ll keep your hands busy while I punch you in the damn mouth.
• LSAT tomorrow morning. That’s all that needs to be said to gauge my mental state.
• No matter what you’re opinion of the situation, you have to admit, Bill Clinton just going ape sh*t on Fox Reporter Wallace was good, fun television. I wish all interviews were that crazy.

One love to you all, holla atcha boy

Congress: Redefining Inefficient

The New York Times did a front page article on the this Congress and just how much they have not accomplished – it’s a pretty impressive list. This Congress has failed to finish up legislation on Immigration, Surveillance, Port Security, Lobbying reform, Estate Tax and Minimum Wage…and those are just the major pieces of unfinished business (see the Magic Numbers sidebar for even more impressive figures). Before you go and blame partisanship, all signs point to strife within the Republican party as the major reason for nothing getting finished up. Instills you with confidence, doesn’t it? Makes me wonder if it really matters between Carson and Dickerson. Ehhh, I still want Carson out. I don’t think she knows where she is alot of the time, I’m just saying.

Who loves study filled weekends? Holly and myself do, apparently. Friday night, we studdied. Saturday, I got up and went to an MBA Group Meeting, then went and spent most of that afternoon working to help D-Rock get relocated to the Broad Ripple area. From there, it was back to the apartment for, you guessed it, more studying. Sunday we went to church at Indy Metro again. Nothing like walking two minutes to get to church. Then it was back for lunch and another round of studying. I spent most of the weekend working on a case study for Strategic Management and the LSAT, while Holly focused on a web exam she needed to take by last night. She passed it, I finished my Case Study, so all is right with the world for now.

I noted with some people at work that time after college just seems to move faster. I’m amazed that September is about to be over.

Thoughts at the closing bell:

• The Tigers are in the playoffs! For the first time since 1987, the Tigers are assured of a spot in the American League playoffs. I’ll be worthless in October.
• Has anyone else seen the clip of Clinton just going and flipping out on the Fox News correspondent for accusing him of not doing enough to get Osama? I’ve never seem him loose his composure like that, I’d say it’s fair to assume that a raw nerve for Slick Willy.
• Aaron Carter broke off his one week engagement with a woman who was, among other things: a former Miss Teen USA, a Playboy Playmate, and most importantly, his BROTHER’s ex-girlfriend. I think he made a good move is walking away before that train had a chance to jump the tracks.
• As I was going through the process of rebuilding my recently erased iTunes library, I came across the most exciting discovery. In the case, underneath my Master P’s “Ice Cream Man” CD, was Master P’s “Ghetto D”. Yes, this is the first rap CD I ever owned, and the CD that turned me on to the world of Rap and Hip-Hop as a young 6th grader at Hillsdale Middle School in Mobile, AL. While containing the widley known “Make Em Say Ugh”, it also contained the remarkably hilarious track “Captain Kirk”, with a woman rhyming “Captain Kirk can you save me, Captain Kirk, I wanna have yo ba-bay!”. Just brilliant.
• Where da gold at? I want da gold.

One love to you all, holla atcha boy.

Did you say “Milky-Way Cappachino”?

Last week, the Indianapolis East office of First Horizon Home Loans (the wonderful company willing to bankroll my marriage at this time) decided to invest in a coffee station. What’s the big deal of a coffee pot, you might ask? Well, it’s NOT just a coffee pot. It’s a true coffee STATION, with twelve choices of flavors, ranging from your normal coffees, to chais, earl grays, and the aforementioned “Milky Way”. You can make Coffee, Tea, or Cappuchino, or Cold Teas and Coffees, or blends. All you have to do is insert your choice of flavor, push a button, and you’re off. Good thing, too, because I wasn’t getting enough caffeine in my diet. At this point, just call me “Tweak”.

It’s actually been on of my best weeks at work, referrals and business have just come pouring in. I have a very good shot at making my goals this month, so I’ll consider this the post honeymoon rebound for my job. Hopefully, you’ll see me on MTV “Cribs” by January. “Kids, you gotta have the 15 inch plasma comin from the hood of the Escalade”

I’ll be helping the esteemed D-Rock move on Saturday. I look forward to being a manly man. Even before that, though, I’ll have a MBA group meeting tomorrow morning at 9am. Then, in all that, studying for the LSAT and working on a case to turn in for school on Monday night. I was destined for a full plate in life, it’s just my makeup.

At the closing bell:

• I’ve made what I like to think of as a bit of a sociological discovery. I truly believe that you can tell the degree to which a person is a “country thug” (ex: Bubba Sparks, anyone who grew up on a farm and bumps rap music out of there truck) by the amount of hair on the top of their head to how much is shaved off the back and the sides. The more unequal the proportion, the more thug in the country boy. Here in Indianapolis, we could call this the “Greenwood” corollary. It also can applys in some instance to certain city kids, but expanding the theory to there will take time.
• President Bush is “the devil” apparently.
• The Tigers look like they’re going to hold on to make the playoffs. If so, consider me done socially until they’re run is over. I’ve waited all my life to see my Tigers in the playoffs.
• President Musharaff of Pakistan (who I mentioned two days ago in my post about his coup) apparently said his country was “treatened” into helping the US against the Taliban. Looks like someone is trying to cover his ace at home. Nothing beats when a leader shows just how pathetic he is.
• Richard Branson pledged $3 billion dollars to fight global warning. I should warn him about the hole in the ozone forming in our apartment. I will urge him to send funds immediatley, this is a problem that doesn’t just affect us, but…well, i guess it does just affect us. Give us some cash, Sir Rich!

One love to you all, holla atcha boy.

Itchin’ for a coup!

Frankly, the military coup just does not get the love it used to. There was a time, many decades ago, you couldn’t go couple days without a coup! Ok, so maybe that’s not true. Still, it seems like the world hasn’t seen a good old fashioned military coup for a couple years, at least since Pakistan saw it’s coup in 1999 install President Musharaff. Well, that was until today.

Today saw Thailand become the newest member of the military coup. Actually, they have had coup’s before, but not in a long while, and recently, the country has experienced relative stability. Now some may ask, “Andy, what about Somalia and other countries that have recently seem regime change”. Well, that’s true little Billy, but I’m only concerned with coup’s in seemingly “stable” countries, and Somalia stable is not. Anyways, the tanks rolled into Bangkok today just as their Prime Minister was supposed to speak before the UN tonight. Surprisingly, they’ve moved his speech to tomorrow night. WHY? That would have been a great speech, just on the Unintentional Comedy Factor. I mean, where do you go with a speech to the world when you’ve just been deposed from power? So far it’s been bloodless, an I seriously (all kidding aside) hope that it stays that way. Bloodshed is not funny.

This week has been ok so far, have had a couple of sales, so hopefully the bonus next month will look a little better. Tomorrow night I have my first MBA test, yikes! Managerial Accounting and me will dance the forbidden dance at 6:00pm. Then this week and weekend will be my last good shots at hard studying for the LSAT before I take it next weekend. I’m starting to get more nervous as it apporaches. Holly has her Bloc exams coming up, so frankly, I think we’re both counting down the days to escaping to her parents for the big family reunion at the beginning of October. More on that another time.

At the closing bell:

• This past weekend, we went to the world premiere of Booth Tarkington’s “The Gentleman from Indiana” at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. We were given season tickets for having our reception there. The tickets were center stage, right in the center section. Afterwards, we walked out and there were hors’ dourves and champagne waiting for everyone, compliments of the IRT. We felt like big time city players…and then we scrounged for dollars to get out of the parking garage. Oh, how wonderful your twenties are.
• The Muslim world, or at least the parts that the governments can get in the streets to be on TV, are inflamed with the Pope over his recent statements to Mohammed and his spreading Islam “at the point of a sword”. Was that a bit of an overstatement? Yes. What a surprise, though, that we are now seeing burned effigies and treats of “death to the west”. Who on God’s green goodness is the PR rep for the Muslim world. “Whoa, guys, we’re trying to convince people we’re not a jihadist, murderous, violent religion, so ix-nay on the ffigie-eays.”
• Let me just say GO BLUE! Michigan beat the brakes off of Notre Dame this past weekend. Congrats to Auburn and Bama as well for remaining undefeated.
• Holly once pointed out that my father and me would have nothing to talk about if it wasn’t for Detroit sports. After his email today that was nothing but Detroit sports observations, I must conquer with her. And you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I hate to break it to her, but that kinda stuff is hereditary. I know, I took a class on it once.
• You know who you are in life if you preferred to old, skanky Christina vs. the new, classy, hollywood in the 20’s Christina. Who do you prefer??

One love to you all, holla atcha boy.

How low can you go?

That’s the question I would have to ask of the women on the VH1 CelebReality show “Flavor of Love”, starring ya boy Flava Flav. Let it be known that, of all the reality shows I have come to love over the years, this show ranks only behind “The Real World/Road Rules: The Challenge”. It’s just an amazing display of a man’s hubris, instilled with a touch of cartoonish lunacy, with a bag full of skanky and questionable women thrown in for just the right effect. It’s these woman that catch my attention.

They don’t catch my attention in a “man, look at that hot chick” kind of way. They catch my attention in a “WOW, really, you don’t mind doing and acting like that on national television?” I mean, maybe reality TV should have me used to these type of antics at this point, but I’m still boggled and befuddled by the choices of these women. Let’s look at the fact that they are willing to basically say they would do whatever Flava Flav wants of them (while not the Elephant Man, I don’t think anyone would mistake Flav for ‘attractive’). Throw in that they know that other women in the bunch are engaging in certain activities with him, and yet they continue to do so themselves. I think a great added feature would have been to see the STD scoresheets before and after the show. All in all, just an amazing tour de force of humanity. Oh, and one girl pooped on the floor. And two have done adult entertainment work. And one’s a white girl with a bad “black” accent. And yes, I’ve got Holly addicted to this sad commentary on society.

Should be a fairly calm weekend, just meeting up with AJ and Amanda (Holly’s sorority sister who AJ met at our wedding and has been on the phone with every night since basically, even though she lives in Texas and he here in Indy…crazy, huh??) a few times. Corporate Board meeting for AKL on Sunday afternoon. Lots of accounting homework to study, first real quiz of my MBA is next week. And we’re about two and half weeks from the LSAT. Practice scores have been 164, 160, and 165, so hopefully can keep building up to the test day.

A final thoughts at the closing bell:

• The Tigers are in a fast, downward spiral. I’m truly worried that my dream of finally seeing the Tigs in the playoffs is going to fall short. Michigan is 2-0 but has a fierce battle with Notre Dame this weekend. The Lions…well, they still suck.
• Got an e-mail today from the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (I’m a member) about a new line of clothing modeled on our youngest (and smartest) President, called the Roosevelt collection. While extremely cool looking in the “wow, I’d look just like TR” kind of way, I think I’d look a bit out of place at the martini bar in a hunting shirt and rabbit fur hat.
• In an effort to help Holly get motivated, I did Tae Bo with her the other day. I thought, “you know, this is kinda a girl work out”. I was right, but only cause you need to have a woman’s flexibility to pull some of that stuff off. My body still hurts a little, nod of respect to Mr. Blanks.
• I don’t know where it went exactly, but I pledge my efforts to the fight to bring sexy back.

One love to you all, holla.

Life: the slimmer, less complicated model

Starting last weekend, we have been trying to implement our plan for reduced stress and involvement. It was not as streamlined as it will be in the future, but one can chalk that up to it being a holiday weekend. I mean, come on, we gotta have a little fun on a holiday. Franz Ferdinand says it best, “It’s always better on holiday, so much better on holiday” (keeping in mind that the Euro’s call any vacation a holiday, but that’s trivial).

The weekend saw us only engaging in a couple of activities, including church, and engagement party, heading to a martini bar to mee t a few friends, and a bon fire. Stretch that over four nights, though, and it’s really not that much stuff. We had plenty of time to study, work on the apartment, and other such things. I took my first LSAT practice test (164, not bad for a first go round) and had my first MBA group meeting. So very productive.

We saw “Crash” friday night. I know, we’re about a year behind the curve of jumping on this one, but I still have to say, what a fantastic movie. Every award one is most definatley deserved.

This week we’ve seen a couple more life trimming features introduced. We went to our young adults new leadership meeting, but decided not to accept a role. We’re both horrible about saying no, even when we should, so it was a pretty big deal for us to turn this down. We’ll still go from time to time, but leadership team is just a bit too much at this point. Maybe in the future. We also made the heart-wrenching decision to quit our small group, our “spiritual family”. It meets on Wednesday’s, which conflicts with my Wednesday night MBA class. Also, it almost always meet about 30-40 minutes away from where we live, too far to do on any weeknight. So, we have stepped away, but will hopefully start a small group out of our apartment soon, and look forward to what that might end up looking like.

At the closing bell:

• “Moneyball” has been a great book to read, as it appeals to both my business and my baseball sides. And yes, I’m about three years behind the curve on this as well.
• Paris Hilton is getting charged with a DUI. That’s one of those headlines that supposed to make you gasp, but in reality, you don’t even blink.
• I’m still reeling from the loss of Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin. I mean, it was somewhat like the headline above, in that you didn’t blink, you kind of always assumed it would go down like that, but this actually hurts. From everything reported and seen, he was a genuinly good man, who loved his family, and the natural world around him.
• Ok, it’s time to step on my soap box, so please indulge me: I’m sick and tired of everything and everyone who does something bad or wrong being compared to Hitler or the Nazi’s! Seriously, in the past week, I’ve heard Bush compared to Hitler, Osama compared ot Hitler, Islamic radicals compared to Nazi’s, the CIA compared to the Gestapo, and it’s ALL RIDICULOUS. People, let’s understand something. Hitler was Hitler, and the Nazi’s were the Nazi’s. The acts they committed, the laws Hitler put into place, the wars that he started, nothing before or since has been seen on this Earth. If I hear one more person say, “The white house easdropping program, that’s just what the nazi’s did”. NO IT’S NOT. The Nazi’s marched into your home, stomped the hell out of you, raped you wife if they were the brownshirts, took all of your wordly possessions, and then sent you to a concentration camp. The White House is authorizing people to listen to you talk to your Uncle Billy who happens to live in Morocco. Its not even close to comparable. You say, “Well gee, Andy, the Iraqi insurgents do stuff like that.” No, they don’t. They are not the ruling government, they are an organization that has no choice but to prey on the weak to try and instill fear in the common people, but can not influence any power on anyone outside of their neighborhood. “Well, Andy, what about the Taliban, you gotta say they’re like the Nazi’s, right”. No, they’re not. They were an awful, theocracy that took religous laws to extremes, but for the most part, kept to themselves, though allowing Osama and others to operate out of their territory. Call them Belgium if you must, but that’s not even close to Nazi Germany. Why this makes me mad, is that is actually weakens the historical shock of the atrocities commited by Nazi Germany, by distilling every bad or horrible act on Earth to “nazi” status. It’s just assinine, and it needs to stop. Don’t even try the “but the Nazi’s started small too” bit, because really, no, they didn’t.

I’m off the box. One love to you all, holla atcha boy, HOV