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!!!!!

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?

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)

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!

ATL Noise: Volume 7, Issue 1 (Concerts!)

Haven't done this in a while, and I happened to notice that Reel Big Fish is gonna be here in less than 2 weeks so I wonder what else I don't know!

So, here's the semiannual listing of concerts coming to the ATL that I might possibly could maybe want to go see. If you see bold, it means a much higher probability of me being there...

Sat 01/10/09 - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Becoming, Tickle Me Pink @ The Masquerade

Wed 01/14/09 - Sevendust @ Center Stage

Sat 01/17/09 - Reel Big Fish, The Sleeping, Emarosa, Funeral For A Friend, One Pin Short, Streetlight Manifesto @ The Masquerade

Mon 01/19/09 - Scott Weiland @ Center Stage

Fri 01/30/09 - The Killers, M83 @ Atlanta Civic Center

Mon 03/02/09 - Ludo, Sing It Loud, The Morning Light, This Providence @ The Masquerade

Wed 03/11/09 - Less Than Jake, The Expendables, The Gay Blades, VersaEmerge, Ace Enders, Craig Owens of Chiodos @ The Masquerade

Why I'm Dumb (Part 297)

This one I had to put as its own blog entry.

Last week, I finally found and bought a Wii. I've been out of town, so I really hadn't had a chance to mess with it until tonight. So, I finally put a disc in and am excited about playing. "Unable to read disc" WTF???? I check the manual, do the suggestions, and it still doesn't work. I go to their website...nothing helps. I finally have to call them. Here's how that went down:

Me: Hi, I'm getting a disc read error, my first time I'm trying to play a game
Nintendo Girl: Is your console horizontal or vertical?
Me: Horizontal
NG: Is the power button on the right or the left?
Me: Right
NG: Sir, your console is...
Me: Noooooooooooooooo Waaaaayyyyyyyy
NG: ...upside down
Me: You have GOT to be kidding me.
NG: You're not the first and you won't be the last, I promise. You're the second one today actually.


Well, at least she made me feel a little better!