Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Catching Up With...Myself

Today we finally had the chance to sit down with JZ himself and see what he's been up to.

The J-Blog: So...haven't heard from you in a while, what have you been up to?

JZ: Well, I've been working on my new album, "The Blueprint³" which should be coming out sometime in September.

TJB: Album? Wait...I think we've got the wrong guy. You're Jay-Z. No one cares about you around here.

Jay-Z: Peace.

TJB: J!!!! What's up???

J: That guy is always trying to steal my identity.

TJB: What have you been up to? Haven't heard from you in a while, your blog has been pretty empty.

J: I know, I know...I've got no excuse.

TJB: I hear you've been doing a bit of traveling so far this year?

J: Yeah, I guess I have. I started out 2009 by going to Jacksonville for a few days for a wedding, went on a ski trip to Winter Park, CO in February, a surprise trip to DC for my sisters 30th in March and a trip to New Jersey this past weekend.

TJB: And you didn't feel like blogging about any of that?

J: Back off!

TJB: Alright! Fine, douchebag!

J: You're a douchebag.

TJB: We know. So any accomplishments so far in 2009?

J: Well, obviously what might be my biggest accomplishment so far in my life is last Tuesday in kickball I hit (kicked?) 2 home runs in consecutive at bats.

TJB: Wow! Has that ever been done before?

J: I doubt it.

TJB: Tell us about it.

J: Well, actually the first one was somewhat unexpected. I had an 0-3 count (you get 4 strikes in kickball) and I knew I had to keep the next one in fair territory. So far this season I was 5-5 by keeping the ball on the ground, but I noticed the right and right center fielders were disrespecting me by playing pretty shallow. So I kicked it over their heads and ran my ass off before my traditional belly flop as I crossed home plate! I was DONE! I'm not built to run like that...or at all.

TJB: Traditional?

J: Fuck you!

TJB: So tell me about the 2nd home run.

J: It was pretty similar, the outfielders were pretty shallow. We had a pretty comfortable lead, so I just gave it all I had. I kinda thought this one was gonna be caught but once I got to first and it wound up past the outfielders I just thought, oh shit, not again! But I took off and did another traditional belly flop.

TJB: Is it safe to assume those were your first two career homers?

J: Fuck off.

TJB: Traditional...LOL. So, seriously, a couple of fly balls in kickball has been your biggest accomplishment so far?

J: Well, it's not official yet, but I run in my first ever 5k on Saturday!

TJB: Run? really?

J: Ok, so I'll probably be walking half of it, but its a start.

TJB: What made you decide to do this? Your a lazy fat ass!

J: I know, but, I decided it may be time to work on that. In January at work there was a 12 week weight loss competition, and I decided to give it a shot with running this 5k as a goal, after all it's the Sweetwater 420 Fest 5k!"

TJB: Have you been training for that?

J: Well, I've ran an almost 5k on my own twice.

TJB: Twice? I guess you didn't win this challenge.

J: Ha! No. I did finish 5th though.

TJB: So only 5 people signed up?

J: Fuck You.

TJB: Chill out, that was too easy, I had to.

J: Yeah I know.

TJB: So you finished 5th, I guess running twice wasn't your big secret?

J: Yeah I can't claim that I guess. To be honest, I've been eating a little better and I bought a Wii Fit is what did it for me.

TJB: Seriously, you're gonna claim a video game helped you lose weight?

J: No shit man. There's stuff you can do on there that will make you sweat. Specifically the rhythm boxing.

TJB: So how was skiing?

J: It was pretty exhausting. The altitude really got the best of me. I spent most of my time with Ryan and Nikki at a bar by the ski slopes.

TJB: Nikki?

J: She was our server every time! She was awesome!

TJB: Do anything else while you were out there?

J: I did get to cross the Pepsi Center off my list of stadiums I've been to. Me, Matt and Ryan went to a Montreal Canadiens vs. Colorado Avalanche game.

TJB: What did you think?

J: I've gotta say...I wasn't impressed. Philips Arena is soooo much better. Besides the hockey (the Thrashers wound up finishing with a better record than the Avs), the environment, the PA announcer, the entertainment during stoppages was all...boring. The folks at Philips put on a much better show. I had no idea, but I've been spoiled by going to Thrashers games!

TJB: I'm bored, what else?

J: After that trip was a surprise visit to DC for my sisters' 30th birthday.

TJB: So you actually made it up there without her knowing?

J: I did. She was suspicious that my parents were gonna be there, they showed up Friday night, I flew up Saturday morning while she was on an all day wine tasting tour. When she got home, I hid downstairs, then my dad called her to come down and I snuck out and back in upstairs. Then I just hung out on her couch until she came back up. Got her!

TJB: Not bad.

J: Yeah, she's off to a pretty good start in her 30's. A couple weeks later she managed to win my March Madness Pool. Out of 95 entries, she was the first to turn one in and nailed it. I actually had to give her $600!!!!! I held out as long as I could but I needed her help to finish up my taxes :)

TJB: Aren't you an accountant? You can't do your own taxes?

J: I'll leave. I'll leave right now.

TJB: You won't. So what else? How's passover treatin ya?

J: Passover isn't my favorite holiday, but good things definitely come of it. For the most part it turns into a big family reunion every year. And the bigger tradition is going to White Castle. I flew in before Passover began and met up with my Uncle David and Cousin Josh at Newark and we made our way to the family beach(less) house in Manahawkin, NJ. We picked out a White Castle and headed right for it. I don't know what it is, but those things are so much better than Krystals burgers. Between the 3 of us, we easily finished 20 burgers. We knew that some others we would be meeting would want some, so we got back on the road with a plan to stop at another one as we got closer. And we did. Another order of 20, unfortunately we overestimated this time and most went to waste, but it made the car ride smell good!!!! We even made another trip back after passover started, but because I can't have bread, I made due without. Without the bread that is. Wrapped the burgers with a few fries in the middle. Delish!!!!!

TJB: I think there's something seriously wrong with you

J: yeah, yeah, I think its because there's not a White Castle anywhere near Atlanta, just makes em taste better. So other than White Castle trips, I got to spend a lot of time with the family which is always fun. There's always drama, but I'll save that for when TMZ comes callin me. Amongst other things, I've become a dominant Wii Bowler now. Thanks Scott!

TJB: So we're just about caught up, right? Any other highlights so far?

J: Well, I actually read a book.

TJB: No. Seriously. I mean something YOU did.

J: Seriously.

TJB: There's no need to make shit up, we both know no one's reading this.

J: It's true. Not exactly my proudest accomplishment, but I read Chelsea Handler's My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands. She's a comedian, and a jew. Turns out she was quite the whore. But she was really funny in telling about her adventures. So I read the book over my 2 plane rides in the past week. And now I'm planning on getting my hands on her other book, Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea (which was actually #1 on the NY Times best seller list for a while). So I'll give it a shot. No promises. I'm not gonna become an avid reader. My TV's too big and beautiful for that :)

TJB: Reading a book is definitely an accomplishment for you.

J: Considering I'm still on the July 2008 Maxim...hell yeah!

TJB: Alright I don't like where this is going, we need to rap it up. Any important last words?

J: I have not and never have liked fish sticks (or Kanye West)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Facebook - Old Testament Style

I know it's been way too long since I blogged about anything. I don't really have a good excuse. But I had to share this link I've been laughing about since I first saw it yesterday. My cousin Rob stumbled across it, so he gets full credit for finding this gem.


Enjoy!!!! (It's much funnier if you're a facebook user)

Monday, March 9, 2009

Oh No Canada!

It is a well known fact that I'm a fan of Canada. I like to convince people that I'm from there...it's fun. I like hockey, that's enough to convince em. But my favorite part of Canada is their National Anthem. It's really a GREAT song. And there's no place better to witness it than a hockey game. Just...not necessarily in Atlanta. Whenever a Canadian team comes to Atlanta, they play O' Canada. I really don't understand why they don't play it every game. I'm not sure what the league percentages are, but 42% of the players on the Thrashers (9 of 21) are from Canada. (For fun - 5 are from the US, 2 each from Sweden, Finland, Russia and one 6'7" dude from Czech). Actually, I just found a study from the 2005-6 season, 53.6% are Canadian, 18.5% from the US. So to me, they should play the US & Canadian anthems every game. And mix in the Finland, Sweden, Russian, Czech anthems on a rotating basis.

None of that was the reason for this blog though. Yesterday, I was at the Calgary Flames-Atlanta Thrashers game. Got to my seat just before the anthems started. First up...the Canadian Anthem. I took my hat off (ok, so I wasn't actually wearing a hat) and started singing. Not sure who the girl was who was out there singing but it was bad. Actually her singing was pretty good...one slight problem...she DIDN'T KNOW THE WORDS!!!!! Several times she managed to keep up with the song while looking at a piece of paper with the words. But one time she paused for probably about 10 seconds. I am NOT ok with that. It's almost as bad as Thrasher fans yelling "KNIGHT" during the US anthem (only because Atlanta used to have a MINOR LEAGUE team called the Knights. USED TO!). In Canada, it's so much easier. The anthem singer can just sing the first verse and then hold the mic up and the crowd sings it. It really is pretty awesome to listen to! I just don't understand why someone would accept the honor of singing the two anthems if you don't even know the WORDS!!!!!

Monday, January 19, 2009

Why I'm Dumb (Part 298)

So I bought my condo right about a year and a half ago. In the living room of said condo, I have a fireplace. If you've been here, you didn't notice because, knowing that I would never use it, I've got a couch right in front of it. When I'm home, I spend most of my time in the living room, hanging out with Mitsa. On the other hand, Lauren spends most of her time in her bedroom. She's always complaining about it being hot in here, I'm always cold. It never occurred to me that there was a reason for this.

Fast forward a year and a half...hmmm, it seems that cold air is coming from the fireplace!!!! So I stick my head up in there, and wouldn't you know it. The flue was wiiiiiiiide open. Brilliant!

Worst. 80's Night. Ever.

I went with some friends to the Dixie Tavern (which I lovingly call the Dicksee tavern due to the unfortunate guy:girl ratio) Saturday night for 80's night. Who doesn't love 80's night, right?????

Well.....this was BIZARRE. From the time we got there until they closed the place down, I heard 5 (FIVE!!!!) 80's songs. The band looked like a bunch of guys from Def Leppard, except with all their extremities still attached. The music they played was baffling to me. When I got there they played a couple of Pink Floyd songs, which, although before my time, I'm pretty sure that's not from the 80's. But things got really confusing when they started playing songs by Kid Rock, Jet, Buckcherry and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Next Saturday night is 70's night. I guess that's when the 80's music gets played?

Saturday, January 10, 2009

My Sister's Encounter with Obama

This is kinda cool, somebody actually posted a youtube video of Barack Obama coming to Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. and my sister and brother-in-law just happened to be there. In the video, Kim (in the white coat) shakes his hand about 15 seconds in. Brian got to him just before...and then (off camera) recommended the half smoke (a chili dog)


Friday, January 9, 2009

F&*K the SEC!

I am sooooooo sick of the SEC. Last night's National Title game was lost because Oklahoma - the highest scoring team in the nation - couldn't score a single point on two separate possessions inside the 10 yard line in the first half. But I'm not here to talk about the game. I'm not even gonna talk about the Tebowner disease that has now spread to Fox's (AWFUL) announcers.

I'm here to bitch about SEC fans. I'm sick of you. I'm not even talking about Florida fans, who are far and away the most obnoxious of them all. Even though 95% of Florida fans have never even stepped foot on campus. I'm talking mainly about Georgia fans...rooting for the 'Turds last night. WTF? Don't you hate Florida as much as us FSU fans? Guess not! I now have ZERO respect for the UGA-UF rivalry. I would NEVER...ever NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER root for Miami to win anything. EVER. It's called a rivalry. That's how it works. Do you think Duke fans were mad when UNC lost in the final four last year? No!!!!!! So why do ALLLLL SEC fans sink as low as to rooting for the 'Turds to win it all? I'll never understand it. I know an Ohio State fan would never root for Michigan to win anything. So what is it with SEC fans? Do you really think your team will be better because of it? Knock it off!