I have created a new blog on a new site and the link is...
http://dontfierme.wordpress.com/
It has all my old posts but includes some new features plus a much cleaner look.
This site will remain up for a while but I wont be posting anything new on it.
Thanks for all the support!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
My Potpourri
1/19/08
The first bit of exciting news I would like to point out is that my roommate and good friend Matt Bravmann admitted to me last night he occasionally dabbles in reading my blog. So while my other roommate Mike continues to be an unsupportive bastard, at least I got one of them hooked. And by hooked I mean mildly interested when he has absolutely nothing else to do with his time. Either way, I'll take it.
I got back to school last Sunday and with classes beginning for me at 8:25 Monday morning, there was no time for me to readjust. And so the week began with a 2 hour education class I have already deemed utterly worthless, as we are treated like 3rd graders by my professor who is downright out of her mind. In the 2 hours of class, we get 120 minutes of straight nonsense, without a break, and without anything meaningful being absorbed by anybody in the classroom.
In addition, we were treated with the standard first day ice breakers, and the ice breaker which I enjoyed the most was having a student pick a card out of a box with a random question on it. The three questions selected were:
-If you had one picture left on a camera and good take a picture of anything or anyone in the world, past or present, what would you take a picture of?
-If you were stranded on an island and could have only one book with you, what would it be?
-If you could meet and spend time with one person or a group of people, past or present, who would it be?
My way of dealing with these ridiculous attempts to have uninterested, half-sleeping 20 year olds get to know each other is by not taking the activity seriously and coming up with answers which if nothing else will get a few laughs from the audience. And with that in mind, these were my answers:
Picture- Gerry McNamara (most people chose things like their family or a picture from the top of Mount Everest while I chose a former Syracuse University basketball player)
Book- Goosebumps Night of the Living Dummy (most people again chose something like a bible, or catcher in the rye- noteworthy literature. I chose the first and only book I have read and enjoyed cover to cover)
Person- Jesus Christ. While some people in the class took my answer seriously, they clearly were unaware of my Jewish heritage and accompanying belief that Jesus means as much to me as keeping Kosher meant to Hitler. The other answers in the class ranged from famous musicians or people like the Pope or Mother Theresa.
It was a good time, and you had to be there to appreciate it.
The rest of my week as far as classes were concerned was more or less uneventful. I went to Math and was reminded why I dropped it a year ago. I was lost within the first 10 minutes, and despite taking notes and paying attention, asking me to tell you what I learned would be speechless. I have no idea what I learned, or how im pulling off a C in this class.
My schedule breaks down as such- 3 education classes and a math class (I dropped my history class after the first day because my professor was having us write a 3 page paper for every class we missed, regardless of reason. I also had 18 credits on my schedule, and with student teaching this semester I wasn't in the mood to work that hard for a class I didn't care about.
And speaking of student teaching, I went to my placement school and met the teacher I will be working with for 7 weeks, and he is a really nice, down to earth, laid back guy who seems to be exactly the kind of teacher I want to be. I'll stop short of hoping he becomes a sort of mentor of mine (yes, another Scrubs reference, get used to them) but he definitely has the style and demeanor I want to have, and the kids seemed to really like him.
The best part of student teaching is that while it is 5 days a week for 3 hours in the morning, it takes the place of my 8:25 class 3 days a week, and despite the extra 2 days a week, its a move I am ecstatic to make.
Overall being back at school has gone about as well as I could have hoped, so hopefully things continue to progress accordingly.
And just when you thought I was wrapping up this post, I'm just getting started.
The weather this week has been miserable, and while I realize I go to Syracuse, the cold weather and snow is difficult to get used to. Combine that with the fact that before i got back up here I had 2 weeks of temps anywhere from the high 30s to 60, having constant 20s with snow and wind has forced me back into hibernation mode.
The plus side to that is the additional TV I get to watch, but thanks to the ongoing writers strike that has taken a hit.
As i pointed out a few posts ago, 24 was supposed to have debuted last Sunday, but instead Fox premiered the Sarah Connor Chronicles, which is as appealing to me as eating cold stone without my lactaid pills. Yea, you do the math.
And while I was left without 24, I was reminded why Fox is still my go-to network in the spring, because the 7th season of American Idol started up this past week. And nobody was happier than I was, because over the past two years I have transformed into a complete die-hard Idol fan, and so getting 4 hours over 2 nights of Ryan, Randy, Paula and Simon was music to my ears, literally and figuratively.
My early thoughts are that Simon seems to be in as good a mood as he has ever been, and the talent itself has yet to really blow me way. I think the judges feel some pressure after the Sanjaya debacle last year, then again with what they are making I doubt they honestly care. That being said, while the 2 nights provided the usual freaks and nut-jobs, not to mention a memorable performance by the Asian guy the 2nd night at the end singing to Simon about being Brothers forever (check it out on youtube if they have it), Idol seemed to lack the punch it has had in the past. Its only the first week, and I'm sure between now and the finale and June, there will be plenty to talk about.
At this point I know 24 wont be on for a long, long time and while shows like American Idol are unaffected, this writers strike continues to be a pain in the ass, and with new Scrubs episodes airing this Thursday, I am getting more and more concerned the final season of this show is going to be ruined somehow. It also shows you how dependent I am on television, as most people could probably care less when it comes to how long this strike will continue.
Has anybody else noticed the assortment of crap playing at the movies these days? At the top of my list is Cloverfield, which actually got a handful of good reviews looks absolutely dreadful, and after hearing the credits roll only just over 70 minutes in, the Godzilla-Independence Day combination of garbage that is Cloverfield is one movie I'll be missing out on. Elsewhere, 27 Dresses looked like it had potential after the first preview I saw, but the more I saw the more it looks like the most stereotypical romantic comedy with predictable dialogue and an ending we can all assume is happily ever after. Other movies out right now I wont be wasting my money on: One Missed Call (why was this movie made), First Sunday (I have nothing against a good black comedy- Barbershop was awesome- but this looks painfully bad), and even though its no longer age appropriate- Alvin and Chipmunks, which is certainly a questionable career choice for the very talented Jason Lee.
Finishing off with some random thoughts:
-doing laundry at school compared to having my mother do it for me at home is a harder transition than waking up at 7:30 in the morning.
-The Knicks actually won 3 games in a row
-I still don't care, and fans still need to stop showing up
-Dining hall food here at Syracuse might be the biggest rip off in the $40,000+ we pay to go here. The biggest insult is that I am being FORCED to pay for a 5 meal a week plan despite the fact I have a kitchen on my floor and no desire to step foot in another dining hall between now and the time I graduate.
-I spent last Sunday in the house I will be living in next year, and I am counting down the days until I can call it my own (even if its only for 10 months)
-Being an education major is a joke, and anybody capable of reading a textbook and writing the English language on a blackboard is qualified to teach.
Last but not least, my NFL Championship Sunday picks..
Through the first two rounds of the Playoffs, I have a combined record of 7-1. And while I am a Jets fan at heart, I am also biased towards the Giants and root for them game in, game out with the lone exception being the one time every 4 years the Jets and Giants meet.
That being said, I did not take my rooting interest into picking them 2 weeks in a row, and I will continue to pick according to my gut.
The Championship games come loaded with great story lines.
The first and biggest of course is the now 17-0 Patriots looking to continue their run of perfection into Super Sunday against a Chargers team who is coming off an upset of the Peyton Manning led Colts. The Chargers have been running their mouthes and talking a big game, but the status of starters Phillip Rivers and Ladanian Tomlinson is up in the air, although I would be shocked if both don't play.
The Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field will be exactly that tomorrow, with Temperatures expected to be below zero. The crusty old veteran Brett Favre looks to continue his magically season with a 3rd Super Bowl appearance, while little bro Manning looks to match big bro's heroics last season. Eli, after all the criticism he has taken, has Big Blue on the verge of one of the more unlikely Super Bowl runs in history.
And so without further adieu, the picks:
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
SUNDAY 3:00, CBS
Pats over Chargers, final score 31-21
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
NEW YORK GIANTS @ GREEN BAY PACKERS
SUNDAY 6:30, FOX
Packers over Giants, final score 17-14
I would be surprised if the Patriots don't take care of business, however anything can happen in negative 12 degree Green Bay, and with the Giants making it as far as they have, I hope my prediction is wrong, and Eli and the Giants get a second chance to put an end to New England's pursuit of perfection, while doing it on the biggest stage of them all.
Regardless of what happens, one way or the other, it should be a great day of football i'm sure will be one of the more memorable in recent history.
The first bit of exciting news I would like to point out is that my roommate and good friend Matt Bravmann admitted to me last night he occasionally dabbles in reading my blog. So while my other roommate Mike continues to be an unsupportive bastard, at least I got one of them hooked. And by hooked I mean mildly interested when he has absolutely nothing else to do with his time. Either way, I'll take it.
I got back to school last Sunday and with classes beginning for me at 8:25 Monday morning, there was no time for me to readjust. And so the week began with a 2 hour education class I have already deemed utterly worthless, as we are treated like 3rd graders by my professor who is downright out of her mind. In the 2 hours of class, we get 120 minutes of straight nonsense, without a break, and without anything meaningful being absorbed by anybody in the classroom.
In addition, we were treated with the standard first day ice breakers, and the ice breaker which I enjoyed the most was having a student pick a card out of a box with a random question on it. The three questions selected were:
-If you had one picture left on a camera and good take a picture of anything or anyone in the world, past or present, what would you take a picture of?
-If you were stranded on an island and could have only one book with you, what would it be?
-If you could meet and spend time with one person or a group of people, past or present, who would it be?
My way of dealing with these ridiculous attempts to have uninterested, half-sleeping 20 year olds get to know each other is by not taking the activity seriously and coming up with answers which if nothing else will get a few laughs from the audience. And with that in mind, these were my answers:
Picture- Gerry McNamara (most people chose things like their family or a picture from the top of Mount Everest while I chose a former Syracuse University basketball player)
Book- Goosebumps Night of the Living Dummy (most people again chose something like a bible, or catcher in the rye- noteworthy literature. I chose the first and only book I have read and enjoyed cover to cover)
Person- Jesus Christ. While some people in the class took my answer seriously, they clearly were unaware of my Jewish heritage and accompanying belief that Jesus means as much to me as keeping Kosher meant to Hitler. The other answers in the class ranged from famous musicians or people like the Pope or Mother Theresa.
It was a good time, and you had to be there to appreciate it.
The rest of my week as far as classes were concerned was more or less uneventful. I went to Math and was reminded why I dropped it a year ago. I was lost within the first 10 minutes, and despite taking notes and paying attention, asking me to tell you what I learned would be speechless. I have no idea what I learned, or how im pulling off a C in this class.
My schedule breaks down as such- 3 education classes and a math class (I dropped my history class after the first day because my professor was having us write a 3 page paper for every class we missed, regardless of reason. I also had 18 credits on my schedule, and with student teaching this semester I wasn't in the mood to work that hard for a class I didn't care about.
And speaking of student teaching, I went to my placement school and met the teacher I will be working with for 7 weeks, and he is a really nice, down to earth, laid back guy who seems to be exactly the kind of teacher I want to be. I'll stop short of hoping he becomes a sort of mentor of mine (yes, another Scrubs reference, get used to them) but he definitely has the style and demeanor I want to have, and the kids seemed to really like him.
The best part of student teaching is that while it is 5 days a week for 3 hours in the morning, it takes the place of my 8:25 class 3 days a week, and despite the extra 2 days a week, its a move I am ecstatic to make.
Overall being back at school has gone about as well as I could have hoped, so hopefully things continue to progress accordingly.
And just when you thought I was wrapping up this post, I'm just getting started.
The weather this week has been miserable, and while I realize I go to Syracuse, the cold weather and snow is difficult to get used to. Combine that with the fact that before i got back up here I had 2 weeks of temps anywhere from the high 30s to 60, having constant 20s with snow and wind has forced me back into hibernation mode.
The plus side to that is the additional TV I get to watch, but thanks to the ongoing writers strike that has taken a hit.
As i pointed out a few posts ago, 24 was supposed to have debuted last Sunday, but instead Fox premiered the Sarah Connor Chronicles, which is as appealing to me as eating cold stone without my lactaid pills. Yea, you do the math.
And while I was left without 24, I was reminded why Fox is still my go-to network in the spring, because the 7th season of American Idol started up this past week. And nobody was happier than I was, because over the past two years I have transformed into a complete die-hard Idol fan, and so getting 4 hours over 2 nights of Ryan, Randy, Paula and Simon was music to my ears, literally and figuratively.
My early thoughts are that Simon seems to be in as good a mood as he has ever been, and the talent itself has yet to really blow me way. I think the judges feel some pressure after the Sanjaya debacle last year, then again with what they are making I doubt they honestly care. That being said, while the 2 nights provided the usual freaks and nut-jobs, not to mention a memorable performance by the Asian guy the 2nd night at the end singing to Simon about being Brothers forever (check it out on youtube if they have it), Idol seemed to lack the punch it has had in the past. Its only the first week, and I'm sure between now and the finale and June, there will be plenty to talk about.
At this point I know 24 wont be on for a long, long time and while shows like American Idol are unaffected, this writers strike continues to be a pain in the ass, and with new Scrubs episodes airing this Thursday, I am getting more and more concerned the final season of this show is going to be ruined somehow. It also shows you how dependent I am on television, as most people could probably care less when it comes to how long this strike will continue.
Has anybody else noticed the assortment of crap playing at the movies these days? At the top of my list is Cloverfield, which actually got a handful of good reviews looks absolutely dreadful, and after hearing the credits roll only just over 70 minutes in, the Godzilla-Independence Day combination of garbage that is Cloverfield is one movie I'll be missing out on. Elsewhere, 27 Dresses looked like it had potential after the first preview I saw, but the more I saw the more it looks like the most stereotypical romantic comedy with predictable dialogue and an ending we can all assume is happily ever after. Other movies out right now I wont be wasting my money on: One Missed Call (why was this movie made), First Sunday (I have nothing against a good black comedy- Barbershop was awesome- but this looks painfully bad), and even though its no longer age appropriate- Alvin and Chipmunks, which is certainly a questionable career choice for the very talented Jason Lee.
Finishing off with some random thoughts:
-doing laundry at school compared to having my mother do it for me at home is a harder transition than waking up at 7:30 in the morning.
-The Knicks actually won 3 games in a row
-I still don't care, and fans still need to stop showing up
-Dining hall food here at Syracuse might be the biggest rip off in the $40,000+ we pay to go here. The biggest insult is that I am being FORCED to pay for a 5 meal a week plan despite the fact I have a kitchen on my floor and no desire to step foot in another dining hall between now and the time I graduate.
-I spent last Sunday in the house I will be living in next year, and I am counting down the days until I can call it my own (even if its only for 10 months)
-Being an education major is a joke, and anybody capable of reading a textbook and writing the English language on a blackboard is qualified to teach.
Last but not least, my NFL Championship Sunday picks..
Through the first two rounds of the Playoffs, I have a combined record of 7-1. And while I am a Jets fan at heart, I am also biased towards the Giants and root for them game in, game out with the lone exception being the one time every 4 years the Jets and Giants meet.
That being said, I did not take my rooting interest into picking them 2 weeks in a row, and I will continue to pick according to my gut.
The Championship games come loaded with great story lines.
The first and biggest of course is the now 17-0 Patriots looking to continue their run of perfection into Super Sunday against a Chargers team who is coming off an upset of the Peyton Manning led Colts. The Chargers have been running their mouthes and talking a big game, but the status of starters Phillip Rivers and Ladanian Tomlinson is up in the air, although I would be shocked if both don't play.
The Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field will be exactly that tomorrow, with Temperatures expected to be below zero. The crusty old veteran Brett Favre looks to continue his magically season with a 3rd Super Bowl appearance, while little bro Manning looks to match big bro's heroics last season. Eli, after all the criticism he has taken, has Big Blue on the verge of one of the more unlikely Super Bowl runs in history.
And so without further adieu, the picks:
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
SUNDAY 3:00, CBS
Pats over Chargers, final score 31-21
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
NEW YORK GIANTS @ GREEN BAY PACKERS
SUNDAY 6:30, FOX
Packers over Giants, final score 17-14
I would be surprised if the Patriots don't take care of business, however anything can happen in negative 12 degree Green Bay, and with the Giants making it as far as they have, I hope my prediction is wrong, and Eli and the Giants get a second chance to put an end to New England's pursuit of perfection, while doing it on the biggest stage of them all.
Regardless of what happens, one way or the other, it should be a great day of football i'm sure will be one of the more memorable in recent history.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Good to be Back
1/14/08
Helllllllllllo and welcome back to school!!!!
Ok so I was saying that too myself, and I must say I couldn't be happier back here in chilly Syracuse.
Being at home turned out to be alright- not half as bad as I was anticipating, however thanks to not one but two colds I caught I spent most of two weeks in bed doing nothing but watching Scrubs (6 and a half seasons biotch), drinking orange juice and peeing 12 times a day.
Recapping the 4 weeks that was my winter recess, other than the time I was sick, I managed to fit in some pretty good times.
I was able to get into the city a few times to do some shopping and see a few Knicks games. And while the Knicks were hardly worth my money or my time, I was lucky enough to see them play the Lakers and Kobe Bryant.
I was also lucky enough to snag two tickets to the Giants-Patriots game during the final week of the NFL season, where the undefeated Pats withstood a valiant effort from the Giants to complete the first undefeated 16 game season in league history. Combined with a great pre-game BBQ, the game itself was exciting and with the Giants almost winning, they have since used the game as a springboard for back to back playoff wins on the road.
I had committed myself to getting to the gym in my building everyday, and for the first 12 days of being home I was able to go every day but one. And then I got sick, got better, went to the gym twice, got sick again and never got back.
Now while I wasn't able to go to the gym as often as I had hoped, I was able to eat relatively well, as as a result I actually got back up to school weighing a few pounds less than when I left for my vacation.
Without sharing specific numbers, because a lady never does so, since my heaviest point last summer I've lost more than 15 pounds. Some of that came off as the summer progressed and I spent all day in the sun running around, but between eating better and making some effort to exercise, I'm on the way to getting myself in shape.
Anywho, I was somehow lucky enough to be healthy for New Years, which was probably the high point of the break. I hosted a little shindig in my apartment, and the party seemed to go well. So well, that I invited a bunch of people back over 5 days later to polish off the leftover beverages.
My winter break was not really all that exciting, not that it ever is, however if you ignore the fact I had two pretty lousy weeks being sick, I actually was able to enjoy myself more than I expected to. I did some quality shopping, saw 2 Knicks game (and Kobe), an NFL team complete an undefeated season, threw two successful parties and even made time to lose some weight.
And so now I am back in Syracuse, where after two and half years I can actually say I feel more at home than I do in Queens.
I got my roommates plus the return of Rossy, making out little family up here complete again.
And we spent the first night together in style, watching the Giants beat Mike's Cowboys in the big, beautiful house Rossy and I will be sharing next semester, while downing Pizza Hut (and Diet Pepsi, to keep things honest with myself).
Then of course I was reminded why being at home was not worth complaining about it, as I had to wake up at 7:30 this morning for my first class at 8:25.
Just a side fact, last semester my first class of the week was not until 3:45 Monday afternoon, and my schedule also ended Thursday afternoon at 3:20.
This semester as I pointed out in a past post, Monday, Wednesday and Friday- thats right- for the first time since Freshman year I have class on Friday- my day begins with class at 8:25, and is 2 hours long.
The good news is that after 6 weeks, I start my student teaching, 5 days a week. I found out today that the school day at Henninger High School begins at 7:55, meaning I need to be there by 7:45. I also am driving to the school with somebody else, so if you do the math I'll most likely be waking up at 6:30 the latest.
Did I mention how happy I am to be back at school?
Helllllllllllo and welcome back to school!!!!
Ok so I was saying that too myself, and I must say I couldn't be happier back here in chilly Syracuse.
Being at home turned out to be alright- not half as bad as I was anticipating, however thanks to not one but two colds I caught I spent most of two weeks in bed doing nothing but watching Scrubs (6 and a half seasons biotch), drinking orange juice and peeing 12 times a day.
Recapping the 4 weeks that was my winter recess, other than the time I was sick, I managed to fit in some pretty good times.
I was able to get into the city a few times to do some shopping and see a few Knicks games. And while the Knicks were hardly worth my money or my time, I was lucky enough to see them play the Lakers and Kobe Bryant.
I was also lucky enough to snag two tickets to the Giants-Patriots game during the final week of the NFL season, where the undefeated Pats withstood a valiant effort from the Giants to complete the first undefeated 16 game season in league history. Combined with a great pre-game BBQ, the game itself was exciting and with the Giants almost winning, they have since used the game as a springboard for back to back playoff wins on the road.
I had committed myself to getting to the gym in my building everyday, and for the first 12 days of being home I was able to go every day but one. And then I got sick, got better, went to the gym twice, got sick again and never got back.
Now while I wasn't able to go to the gym as often as I had hoped, I was able to eat relatively well, as as a result I actually got back up to school weighing a few pounds less than when I left for my vacation.
Without sharing specific numbers, because a lady never does so, since my heaviest point last summer I've lost more than 15 pounds. Some of that came off as the summer progressed and I spent all day in the sun running around, but between eating better and making some effort to exercise, I'm on the way to getting myself in shape.
Anywho, I was somehow lucky enough to be healthy for New Years, which was probably the high point of the break. I hosted a little shindig in my apartment, and the party seemed to go well. So well, that I invited a bunch of people back over 5 days later to polish off the leftover beverages.
My winter break was not really all that exciting, not that it ever is, however if you ignore the fact I had two pretty lousy weeks being sick, I actually was able to enjoy myself more than I expected to. I did some quality shopping, saw 2 Knicks game (and Kobe), an NFL team complete an undefeated season, threw two successful parties and even made time to lose some weight.
And so now I am back in Syracuse, where after two and half years I can actually say I feel more at home than I do in Queens.
I got my roommates plus the return of Rossy, making out little family up here complete again.
And we spent the first night together in style, watching the Giants beat Mike's Cowboys in the big, beautiful house Rossy and I will be sharing next semester, while downing Pizza Hut (and Diet Pepsi, to keep things honest with myself).
Then of course I was reminded why being at home was not worth complaining about it, as I had to wake up at 7:30 this morning for my first class at 8:25.
Just a side fact, last semester my first class of the week was not until 3:45 Monday afternoon, and my schedule also ended Thursday afternoon at 3:20.
This semester as I pointed out in a past post, Monday, Wednesday and Friday- thats right- for the first time since Freshman year I have class on Friday- my day begins with class at 8:25, and is 2 hours long.
The good news is that after 6 weeks, I start my student teaching, 5 days a week. I found out today that the school day at Henninger High School begins at 7:55, meaning I need to be there by 7:45. I also am driving to the school with somebody else, so if you do the math I'll most likely be waking up at 6:30 the latest.
Did I mention how happy I am to be back at school?
Sunday, January 13, 2008
One Giant Leap for 'Mann'-kind
1/13/08
Believe it. The New York football Giants are going to the NFC championship game.
Those same New York Giants that lost their first two games of the season giving up a combined 80 points, and then narrowly escaping a third straight defeat with a last minute goal-line stand against the Redskins.
The Giants went into todays game against their division rivals in Dallas as 7.5 point underdogs, without anybody expecting much from Big Blue following two drubbings during the regular season when they went up against the Cowboys.
However they shocked the football world with a stunning 21-17 upset this afternoon, led by a very poised Eli Manning and just enough from a defense that seemed to bend without breaking against a highly potent Dallas offense.
Let the stories break about whether or not Dallas QB Tony Romo spent too much time with girlfriend Jessica Simpson in Mexico last week, however Romo was not the reason the Giants are heading to Green Bay next Sunday.
Eli was very efficient, and while he completed 12 of 18 passed with 2 touchdowns, the most important stat for him and his team was for the second consecutive week there were no turnovers committed. No interceptions, no fumbles, nothing.
The Giants defense, which in the first half was unable to stop Marion Barber and the Dallas running attack made the necessary adjustments and not only stopped the run game but was able to put enough pressure on Romo to disrupt the passing game as well.
Amazingly, the Giants, who played inconsistently all season, losing their first two games, winning their next 6, having a losing record at home while now going 9-1 on the road has all added up to the G-Men heading to their first NFC championship game since 2001, when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 at home.
The most impressive aspects of this Giants team would have to be the resiliency they have shown following a mediocre second half of the season, which included losing Jeremy Shockey for the season with a broken leg.
Eli struggled up until the final game of the year when the Giants hosted the then 15-0 New England Patriots, however you could make the arguement that this team really turned a corner that Saturday night when the played the Pats as hard as any other team this season has, highlighted by Eli playing perhaps his best game as a pro, throwing 4 touchdowns.
The Giants rode the momentum wave into Tampa Bay and played very well in winning their first playoff game in 7 years.
Being underdogs in Dallas only served as motivation for a team that refused to lose for a third time this year to the Cowboys, who after a 13-3 regular season lost their 6th post-season game in a row, with their last playoff win coming back in 1996.
And so now, Tom Coughlin, who without a doubt has secured a nice contract extension, will lead Big Blue into Green Bay next Sunday against Brett Favre and the Packers, who took care of the Giants back in week 2, 35-13.
I would be lying if I said I really knew what I was talking about, however after 2 weeks my playoff picks have been pretty good with a record of 7-1.
I'll wait until Saturday to unveil my picks for next Sunday, however while one Manning was unable to sure up a spot against New England, the other was taking 'Giant' steps towards reaching the big game, where big brother found glory last season.
Believe it. The New York football Giants are going to the NFC championship game.
Those same New York Giants that lost their first two games of the season giving up a combined 80 points, and then narrowly escaping a third straight defeat with a last minute goal-line stand against the Redskins.
The Giants went into todays game against their division rivals in Dallas as 7.5 point underdogs, without anybody expecting much from Big Blue following two drubbings during the regular season when they went up against the Cowboys.
However they shocked the football world with a stunning 21-17 upset this afternoon, led by a very poised Eli Manning and just enough from a defense that seemed to bend without breaking against a highly potent Dallas offense.
Let the stories break about whether or not Dallas QB Tony Romo spent too much time with girlfriend Jessica Simpson in Mexico last week, however Romo was not the reason the Giants are heading to Green Bay next Sunday.
Eli was very efficient, and while he completed 12 of 18 passed with 2 touchdowns, the most important stat for him and his team was for the second consecutive week there were no turnovers committed. No interceptions, no fumbles, nothing.
The Giants defense, which in the first half was unable to stop Marion Barber and the Dallas running attack made the necessary adjustments and not only stopped the run game but was able to put enough pressure on Romo to disrupt the passing game as well.
Amazingly, the Giants, who played inconsistently all season, losing their first two games, winning their next 6, having a losing record at home while now going 9-1 on the road has all added up to the G-Men heading to their first NFC championship game since 2001, when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 at home.
The most impressive aspects of this Giants team would have to be the resiliency they have shown following a mediocre second half of the season, which included losing Jeremy Shockey for the season with a broken leg.
Eli struggled up until the final game of the year when the Giants hosted the then 15-0 New England Patriots, however you could make the arguement that this team really turned a corner that Saturday night when the played the Pats as hard as any other team this season has, highlighted by Eli playing perhaps his best game as a pro, throwing 4 touchdowns.
The Giants rode the momentum wave into Tampa Bay and played very well in winning their first playoff game in 7 years.
Being underdogs in Dallas only served as motivation for a team that refused to lose for a third time this year to the Cowboys, who after a 13-3 regular season lost their 6th post-season game in a row, with their last playoff win coming back in 1996.
And so now, Tom Coughlin, who without a doubt has secured a nice contract extension, will lead Big Blue into Green Bay next Sunday against Brett Favre and the Packers, who took care of the Giants back in week 2, 35-13.
I would be lying if I said I really knew what I was talking about, however after 2 weeks my playoff picks have been pretty good with a record of 7-1.
I'll wait until Saturday to unveil my picks for next Sunday, however while one Manning was unable to sure up a spot against New England, the other was taking 'Giant' steps towards reaching the big game, where big brother found glory last season.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF PICKS
In what is probably one of the last great sports weekends until March Madness begins, this weekend features two days with 4 games, all with marquee teams, players and story lines.
-The immortal Brett Favre and the resurgent Green Bay Packers
-The 16-0 Pats taking on the red-hot Jags
-Peyton Manning and the Colts beginning their Title Defense against the Chargers
-Eli and the Giants playing against their division rivals in Dallas for the first time ever in post season play.
The Picks...
Packers over the Seahawks 24-20
Patriots over the Jaguars 33-17
Colts over the Chargers 27-20
GIANTS over the Cowboys 34-31 in OT
I was 4 for 4 last week so we'll see if I was a one-week-wonder or if I actually have half a clue.
-The immortal Brett Favre and the resurgent Green Bay Packers
-The 16-0 Pats taking on the red-hot Jags
-Peyton Manning and the Colts beginning their Title Defense against the Chargers
-Eli and the Giants playing against their division rivals in Dallas for the first time ever in post season play.
The Picks...
Packers over the Seahawks 24-20
Patriots over the Jaguars 33-17
Colts over the Chargers 27-20
GIANTS over the Cowboys 34-31 in OT
I was 4 for 4 last week so we'll see if I was a one-week-wonder or if I actually have half a clue.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
I <3 Heather Edlestein
1/10/08
There are several ways to get into my blog.
You could be a professional athlete on a losing team I regretfully root for or a low rate actor in a movie I overpaid to waste 90 minutes of life seeing.
Or you could ask me over dinner.
This one's for you Heather, who not only lives up the block from me but we share an common interest in Jack Bauer, Evan Karol and this blog.
Heather, I dedicate this post to you my dear- thanks for the support!
Well folks, my winter vacation is winding down, as Sunday is fast approaching meaning that come Monday morning it's back to class and back to reality.
However until then, there is still plenty to talk about, starting with the fact that for the second time in my 4 week break I am getting sick.
I have been trying to figure out and pin-point exactly why I have been getting sick, and two things have been consistent factors.
The first is that my body simply does not have the slightest clue as to how adjust to significant changes in temperature, and so when we were teased with a few days of spring in January my body was more confused than a pre-teen child with 2 dads.
The second is that every year, without fail, my body's immune system must be Christian, because every year during the week Christmas falls I get a bad cold, virus or flu. The sore throats, the stuffed nose and the inability to get any sleep were responsible for ruining a number of my week long vacations in middle school and high school.
And so here I am, sick again, for the second time this break, which has meant I've been waking up in the middle of the night on no less then 3 occasions, which is unfortunate because come Monday morning I'll be waking up at 8 in the morning for next 4 months.
One of the advantages of being sick (and there aren't many) is having a legitimate excuse to watch an endless amount of television, or in my case, the remaining episodes of Scrubs on DVD I had yet to get to. And sure enough, after owning them for 11 days, I have successfully watched all 6 seasons I purchased, along with the first 6 episodes of the seventh and current season, which also happens to be the series' last.
There has been talk that because of the writers strike Scrubs may only be air 6 of the final 12 episodes the producers had intended to air, which would cause a lot of problems for die hard fans (of which I now proclaim to be), so we'll have to keep an eye on that.
Another Writers Strike victim, Gossip Girl, aired its final episode of the season last night, and I can't help but feel disappointed.
There were some big time story lines the show had been running with, most notably the Blair-Nate-Chuck love triangle, the potential pregnancy and Dan and Serena's relationship winning out over the relationship of their single father and mother respectively.
Last night feel short of expectations in my opinion, mainly because nobody was pregnant, Nate and Chuck yelled at each other like- well- teen aged girls- and Rufus (Dan's father) got back out into the dating world.
And the worst part of all is that the only real cliff hanger the show could have left us with was crushed in the final scene, where Blair- who had been considering escaping to France- was convinced by BFF Serena to stick around and fight her for tarnished reputation.
Boring!
The vacation is just days away from ending, which means a recap is in order, and a look back at all that was winter-break 07-08 will be soon forthcoming.
I've also been giving a lot of thought as to how I can spice up the blog, and while adding some useless gadgets and pictures is a half-hearted start, I plan on trying to figure out a way to adding some music, more pictures, more links and some more insight into how Adam Fier views life. I also want to try and dedicate more time to sports (as demanded by Scott Spinelli), and with the NFL playoffs here, college basketball conference play now starting and believe it or not pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training right around the corner, there should be no shortage in that department.
In addition, I have reached an agreement (the professional jargon amuses me) with Scott Spinelli to post his weekly articles which appear in the Syracuse student publication 'The Daily Orange' on my blog. For those of you who do not know Scott, he is a senior communication major and aspiring stand up comic who has performed at the Laugh Factory in Times Square. Just something else to look forward to.
Finally...
After watching like 130 episodes of Scrubs and seeing how nicely J.D. is able to narrate his life and incorporate his experiences into some really meaningful lessons, I figured I would try and explain my life as well as the world as seen through my eyes as this semester I really take my first big steps into the real world as I do my first actual student teaching, given that its part time (I'll be blogging plenty about it) and I feel like it could be fun to not only chronicle all of things that happen during the 7 weeks I'm a part-time teacher, but to talk about the experiences and how they are impacting my perspective on life.
We'll save that for when I get back up to school and realize how much free time I'll have with a schedule including classes Monday and Friday from 8:30-10:30 (AND THATS IT), class Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30-5:00 (that actually sucks big time ball sack) and Wednesday class from 8:30-10:30, and then also more class from 4:30-7:15 (gonna kill myself).
In closing, props to Heather for showing support and demanding a post be written about her (I did my best with an opening) and to everyone else for the compliments. If you have any suggestions or comments- positive or negative- please let me know and if you want to be really crazy and contribute it could be fun posting 'guest posts'. Apparently I am doing something right, because I've had literally dozens of people tell me they have checked out my blog, and a few people have even told me they want to create blogs of their own.
And so after scavenging the internet for some good Scrubs quotes (the show produces some dynamite quotes) I'll finish with this one, as I get ready to take a giant step forward...
"I usually don't like thinking about the future. I mean, let's face it, you can't predict what's gonna happen. But sometimes, the thing you don't expect is what you really wanted after all. Maybe the best thing to do is stop trying to figure out where you're going and enjoy where you're at.”
There are several ways to get into my blog.
You could be a professional athlete on a losing team I regretfully root for or a low rate actor in a movie I overpaid to waste 90 minutes of life seeing.
Or you could ask me over dinner.
This one's for you Heather, who not only lives up the block from me but we share an common interest in Jack Bauer, Evan Karol and this blog.
Heather, I dedicate this post to you my dear- thanks for the support!
Well folks, my winter vacation is winding down, as Sunday is fast approaching meaning that come Monday morning it's back to class and back to reality.
However until then, there is still plenty to talk about, starting with the fact that for the second time in my 4 week break I am getting sick.
I have been trying to figure out and pin-point exactly why I have been getting sick, and two things have been consistent factors.
The first is that my body simply does not have the slightest clue as to how adjust to significant changes in temperature, and so when we were teased with a few days of spring in January my body was more confused than a pre-teen child with 2 dads.
The second is that every year, without fail, my body's immune system must be Christian, because every year during the week Christmas falls I get a bad cold, virus or flu. The sore throats, the stuffed nose and the inability to get any sleep were responsible for ruining a number of my week long vacations in middle school and high school.
And so here I am, sick again, for the second time this break, which has meant I've been waking up in the middle of the night on no less then 3 occasions, which is unfortunate because come Monday morning I'll be waking up at 8 in the morning for next 4 months.
One of the advantages of being sick (and there aren't many) is having a legitimate excuse to watch an endless amount of television, or in my case, the remaining episodes of Scrubs on DVD I had yet to get to. And sure enough, after owning them for 11 days, I have successfully watched all 6 seasons I purchased, along with the first 6 episodes of the seventh and current season, which also happens to be the series' last.
There has been talk that because of the writers strike Scrubs may only be air 6 of the final 12 episodes the producers had intended to air, which would cause a lot of problems for die hard fans (of which I now proclaim to be), so we'll have to keep an eye on that.
Another Writers Strike victim, Gossip Girl, aired its final episode of the season last night, and I can't help but feel disappointed.
There were some big time story lines the show had been running with, most notably the Blair-Nate-Chuck love triangle, the potential pregnancy and Dan and Serena's relationship winning out over the relationship of their single father and mother respectively.
Last night feel short of expectations in my opinion, mainly because nobody was pregnant, Nate and Chuck yelled at each other like- well- teen aged girls- and Rufus (Dan's father) got back out into the dating world.
And the worst part of all is that the only real cliff hanger the show could have left us with was crushed in the final scene, where Blair- who had been considering escaping to France- was convinced by BFF Serena to stick around and fight her for tarnished reputation.
Boring!
The vacation is just days away from ending, which means a recap is in order, and a look back at all that was winter-break 07-08 will be soon forthcoming.
I've also been giving a lot of thought as to how I can spice up the blog, and while adding some useless gadgets and pictures is a half-hearted start, I plan on trying to figure out a way to adding some music, more pictures, more links and some more insight into how Adam Fier views life. I also want to try and dedicate more time to sports (as demanded by Scott Spinelli), and with the NFL playoffs here, college basketball conference play now starting and believe it or not pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training right around the corner, there should be no shortage in that department.
In addition, I have reached an agreement (the professional jargon amuses me) with Scott Spinelli to post his weekly articles which appear in the Syracuse student publication 'The Daily Orange' on my blog. For those of you who do not know Scott, he is a senior communication major and aspiring stand up comic who has performed at the Laugh Factory in Times Square. Just something else to look forward to.
Finally...
After watching like 130 episodes of Scrubs and seeing how nicely J.D. is able to narrate his life and incorporate his experiences into some really meaningful lessons, I figured I would try and explain my life as well as the world as seen through my eyes as this semester I really take my first big steps into the real world as I do my first actual student teaching, given that its part time (I'll be blogging plenty about it) and I feel like it could be fun to not only chronicle all of things that happen during the 7 weeks I'm a part-time teacher, but to talk about the experiences and how they are impacting my perspective on life.
We'll save that for when I get back up to school and realize how much free time I'll have with a schedule including classes Monday and Friday from 8:30-10:30 (AND THATS IT), class Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30-5:00 (that actually sucks big time ball sack) and Wednesday class from 8:30-10:30, and then also more class from 4:30-7:15 (gonna kill myself).
In closing, props to Heather for showing support and demanding a post be written about her (I did my best with an opening) and to everyone else for the compliments. If you have any suggestions or comments- positive or negative- please let me know and if you want to be really crazy and contribute it could be fun posting 'guest posts'. Apparently I am doing something right, because I've had literally dozens of people tell me they have checked out my blog, and a few people have even told me they want to create blogs of their own.
And so after scavenging the internet for some good Scrubs quotes (the show produces some dynamite quotes) I'll finish with this one, as I get ready to take a giant step forward...
"I usually don't like thinking about the future. I mean, let's face it, you can't predict what's gonna happen. But sometimes, the thing you don't expect is what you really wanted after all. Maybe the best thing to do is stop trying to figure out where you're going and enjoy where you're at.”
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Un-Written
1/8/08
I am happy to report what while the current writers strike is ripping the entertainment industry a new tush-hole, the show goes on here at 'Fier Thy Words', mainly because I am not yet a member of the WGA...yet...but also because with many of your favorite shows either going into re-runs or biting the dust, you'll have extra time on your hands to check in with me here at the blog.
And so, the beat goes on...
Among the abundance of things that we take for granted everyday are the people who bring us the television and movies that give us that all too necessary escape from our everyday lives.
Specifically, I am referring to the writers who are currently on strike, causing some big time problems for a number of our favorite shows.
I did some research on Wikipedia (where else would I go for the most trusted information on the web) and first I was amazed to find out that this strike has been going on for 9 weeks (it started November 5th). The network shows we love to watch (I'm assuming of course you all watch as much network and cable television as I do) have been unaffected as of now, although if you go on TVguide.com you can get a complete listing of how many episodes of each show are going to be aired, and among the shows listed, there is a notable show of mine missing: 24.
Thats right, we will not be seeing Jack Bauer this season, which really is unfortunate because 24 had apparently undergone a massive face lift, which included the return of my favorite character in 24 history, Tony Almeida.
The 24 website says that season 7 will return in 2008, which leads me to believe that maybe 24 will air in the fall. We can only hope.
But this strike really has been pissing me off because as I have previously discussed, television runs my life and fills up all of my free time and then some.
This week for instance is the first real blow from the writers strike which hits me close to home.
A few months ago, I was invited to watch a new show which on the surface had absolutely no appeal to me, and even when I agreed to watch this show I was skeptical about whether or now it was worth wasting an hour of my week. The show I'm talking about, which this Wednesday night will air the final new episode until further notice?
Gossip Girl.
After only 11 episodes in it's inaugural season, Serena, Dan, Blair, Nate, Chuck and everyone else takes an extended vacation, leaving me with a huge void to fill at 9 o'clock on Wed. nights.
This is devastating because while I and the rest of my Gossip Girl die hards will most likely left with some big cliffhangers (apparently somebody is pregnant...uh ohhh), the show itself became a big hit, and now will fall 2 episodes even complete half-season.
Alright so no Jack Bauer, no Blair Waldorf.
While many are ready to assume that I may be on the verge of a mental breakdown, there is a glimmer of light which will serve as my saving grace over the next 5 months.
For all of the questionable television I insist on watching week after week, one program probably sticks out from the rest of the pack to people who think they know me.
About to enter it's 7th season, this show is unscripted, unpredictable and the unquestioned number one show on TV year after year.
No, I'm not talking about Ghost Whisperer (although we are big fans of J-Love-Hewitt), I am referring to American Idol.
Thats right, not only do I shamefully love Gossip Girl, but you could argue the one show from January until June that I cannot miss under any circumstances, is American Idol.
I used to watch Idol up until the actual competition began, as the William Hung's of the world kept me entertained as Simon, Randy and Paula came up with new ways to make these poor people walk away from their dreams and in all likelihood contemplate suicide.
But that all changed during season 5, when I became totally hooked watching the actual talent perform week after week. And much to my delight, being an unscripted show means AI will be unaffected, giving me my annual fix I cannot live without.
So I get to hold onto American Idol, but the bottom line is that this strike really is wrecking some serious havoc.
The last time the Writers Guild of American went on strike in 1988, is was estimated at 500,000,000 dollars of revenue was lost as a result in the entertainment industry.
Now the amount of money being lost is more or less completely irrelevant to me, but that strike lasted 21 weeks.
Mind you, thats almost half a year, meaning we could very well be losing the entire spring season of network television.
While there will be new episodes running for a few weeks, and reality shows going on uninterrupted, the big picture here is that from now until next fall, my school work may actually have to become a greater priority of mine. Imagine?
Some other quick thoughts about the writers strike-
The late night shows have been the subject of a lot of controversy, as all of them have returned to the air, most of which without their writers.
Now with the exception of the Daily Show and Colbert Report, the shows with their writers are not particularly funny. And while Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert do a great job, the lack of writing leaves them having to fill time with clips and extended interviews, which are not the trademarks these shows live and die by.
The strike is causing a lot of shows to end their seasons early, including another of my favorite shows, Scrubs.
For anybody who watches the show as religiously as I have started to, there is a possibility the show will have cut its 7th and final season abruptly without giving fans the proper ending executive producer Bill Lawrence had in mind.
Thats bullshit, and not only is Scrubs likely going to be negatively impacted, the awkwardness on the late night shows and the complete cancellation of shows like 24 are showing how sever this strike really is. And even though this strike will eventually reach an end with an agreement being reached, there may be permanent damage done, which is unfair to the viewers who have supported these shows as intently as they have, myself included.
Until the strike is resolved, and it appears as though the end is not anywhere in sight (I hope I'm wrong), I'll have to give some serious thought into rearranging my focus from not missing my shows to not missing class.
As you can see, the urgency of reaching agreement extends beyond the entertainment world, as my education is now being brought into this mess.
For the sake of the loyal TV fans out there...
...and the continuation of my mediocre performance in school...
...we need those writers back as soon as possible...
...preferably before classes start on Monday.
I am happy to report what while the current writers strike is ripping the entertainment industry a new tush-hole, the show goes on here at 'Fier Thy Words', mainly because I am not yet a member of the WGA...yet...but also because with many of your favorite shows either going into re-runs or biting the dust, you'll have extra time on your hands to check in with me here at the blog.
And so, the beat goes on...
Among the abundance of things that we take for granted everyday are the people who bring us the television and movies that give us that all too necessary escape from our everyday lives.
Specifically, I am referring to the writers who are currently on strike, causing some big time problems for a number of our favorite shows.
I did some research on Wikipedia (where else would I go for the most trusted information on the web) and first I was amazed to find out that this strike has been going on for 9 weeks (it started November 5th). The network shows we love to watch (I'm assuming of course you all watch as much network and cable television as I do) have been unaffected as of now, although if you go on TVguide.com you can get a complete listing of how many episodes of each show are going to be aired, and among the shows listed, there is a notable show of mine missing: 24.
Thats right, we will not be seeing Jack Bauer this season, which really is unfortunate because 24 had apparently undergone a massive face lift, which included the return of my favorite character in 24 history, Tony Almeida.
The 24 website says that season 7 will return in 2008, which leads me to believe that maybe 24 will air in the fall. We can only hope.
But this strike really has been pissing me off because as I have previously discussed, television runs my life and fills up all of my free time and then some.
This week for instance is the first real blow from the writers strike which hits me close to home.
A few months ago, I was invited to watch a new show which on the surface had absolutely no appeal to me, and even when I agreed to watch this show I was skeptical about whether or now it was worth wasting an hour of my week. The show I'm talking about, which this Wednesday night will air the final new episode until further notice?
Gossip Girl.
After only 11 episodes in it's inaugural season, Serena, Dan, Blair, Nate, Chuck and everyone else takes an extended vacation, leaving me with a huge void to fill at 9 o'clock on Wed. nights.
This is devastating because while I and the rest of my Gossip Girl die hards will most likely left with some big cliffhangers (apparently somebody is pregnant...uh ohhh), the show itself became a big hit, and now will fall 2 episodes even complete half-season.
Alright so no Jack Bauer, no Blair Waldorf.
While many are ready to assume that I may be on the verge of a mental breakdown, there is a glimmer of light which will serve as my saving grace over the next 5 months.
For all of the questionable television I insist on watching week after week, one program probably sticks out from the rest of the pack to people who think they know me.
About to enter it's 7th season, this show is unscripted, unpredictable and the unquestioned number one show on TV year after year.
No, I'm not talking about Ghost Whisperer (although we are big fans of J-Love-Hewitt), I am referring to American Idol.
Thats right, not only do I shamefully love Gossip Girl, but you could argue the one show from January until June that I cannot miss under any circumstances, is American Idol.
I used to watch Idol up until the actual competition began, as the William Hung's of the world kept me entertained as Simon, Randy and Paula came up with new ways to make these poor people walk away from their dreams and in all likelihood contemplate suicide.
But that all changed during season 5, when I became totally hooked watching the actual talent perform week after week. And much to my delight, being an unscripted show means AI will be unaffected, giving me my annual fix I cannot live without.
So I get to hold onto American Idol, but the bottom line is that this strike really is wrecking some serious havoc.
The last time the Writers Guild of American went on strike in 1988, is was estimated at 500,000,000 dollars of revenue was lost as a result in the entertainment industry.
Now the amount of money being lost is more or less completely irrelevant to me, but that strike lasted 21 weeks.
Mind you, thats almost half a year, meaning we could very well be losing the entire spring season of network television.
While there will be new episodes running for a few weeks, and reality shows going on uninterrupted, the big picture here is that from now until next fall, my school work may actually have to become a greater priority of mine. Imagine?
Some other quick thoughts about the writers strike-
The late night shows have been the subject of a lot of controversy, as all of them have returned to the air, most of which without their writers.
Now with the exception of the Daily Show and Colbert Report, the shows with their writers are not particularly funny. And while Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert do a great job, the lack of writing leaves them having to fill time with clips and extended interviews, which are not the trademarks these shows live and die by.
The strike is causing a lot of shows to end their seasons early, including another of my favorite shows, Scrubs.
For anybody who watches the show as religiously as I have started to, there is a possibility the show will have cut its 7th and final season abruptly without giving fans the proper ending executive producer Bill Lawrence had in mind.
Thats bullshit, and not only is Scrubs likely going to be negatively impacted, the awkwardness on the late night shows and the complete cancellation of shows like 24 are showing how sever this strike really is. And even though this strike will eventually reach an end with an agreement being reached, there may be permanent damage done, which is unfair to the viewers who have supported these shows as intently as they have, myself included.
Until the strike is resolved, and it appears as though the end is not anywhere in sight (I hope I'm wrong), I'll have to give some serious thought into rearranging my focus from not missing my shows to not missing class.
As you can see, the urgency of reaching agreement extends beyond the entertainment world, as my education is now being brought into this mess.
For the sake of the loyal TV fans out there...
...and the continuation of my mediocre performance in school...
...we need those writers back as soon as possible...
...preferably before classes start on Monday.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Hey Eli- Welcome To 'Mann'-hood
1/6/08
Before getting into my thoughts on Eli Manning, lets recap my NFL picks from this weekend.
I picked:
Jags over Steelers, final score 20-17
Seahawks over Redskins, final score 24-13
Giants over Bucs, final score 21-10
Chargers over Titans, final score 31-20
and the actual results were...
Jags over Steelers, final score 31-29
Seahawks over Redskins, final score 35-14
Giants over Bucs, final score 24-14
Chargers over Titans, final score 17-6
Thats correct folks. 4 picks, 4 correct choices.
The scores may have been off in a few of my predictions, but all in all I was not really far off with the exception being the points put up in the Charger game, yet I had them winning by 11 points, which they did.
I'll continue to see if I can impress myself next Friday with the games coming up this weekend, which all contain marquee matchups filled with great story lines.
Gotta love the NFL playoffs.
But onto the boy wonder...
Eli Manning has risen to the elite as far as most discussed athletes on New York talk radio.
Patrick Ewing, Mark Messier and Daryl Strawberry- all before my time- were the names which most frequently clogged up the airwaves, yet since being drafted first overall by the San Diego Chargers and facilitating a draft day trade to the New York football Giants, Eli Manning has been the subject of the rants and roast relentlessly.
There was no shortage of Eli talk heading into the Giants first round playoff match up against the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Eli had been heavily criticized for his inconsistent play and lack of leadership, yet it quickly is forgotten that he has done enough to get his team into post season play 3 years in a row.
However in sports, and even more so in New York, there is and always will be a 'what-have-you-done-for-me-lately' mentality as far as the fans here are concerned.
Simply put, getting to the playoffs is nothing to shrug your shoulders at, however the ultimate goal of course is start the following season with jewelry on your finger and a defending champion title before your team is introduced.
And as far as the Giants and Eli are concerned, not only have they fallen short in achieving that goal, but the team has been bounced from the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, including a 23-0 embarrassment at home two years ago which I had a seat at Giants stadium for.
And so the spotlight was shining bright on Eli this afternoon as there was the pressure of two straight playoff disappoints riding on his shoulders.
However unlike the his previous playoff performances, Eli Manning stepped up and played the type of game Giants fans have been longing for since the day he was drafted.
After the offense did nothing for an entire quarter of football, Eli turned it on connected on passes to (well dressed) Amani Toomer, Plaxico Burress and Steve Smith, finishing off a drive with a screen pass to running back Brandon Jacobs for big blue's first touchdown of the game.
Eli would then lead the offense to 3 other scoring drives, the signature of the 3 being a 16 play drive eating up over 8 minutes of clock which resulted in a touchdown pass to Toomer, essentially wrapping up the Giants first playoff victory since 2000, when they won the NFC Championship game 41-0 over the Minnesota Vikings, a game I also was lucky enough to be at.
The bottom line today was that Eli Manning was in command from start to finish, and aside from the occasional short arm throws which drive any football fan crazy, he was efficient and avoided turning the ball over.
His stats were better than modest, as he was 20-27 for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns.
He withstood the pressure applied from the Bucs defense, and his success can also be credited to a fine job by the Giants makeshift offensive line, working with a backup center and later in the game having to replace a dehydrated David Diehl.
And now the Giants head to Dallas following their first playoff triumph in 7 years, and will be facing America's team for the third time this season.
While the Giants can enjoy their victory for now, they know they have a lot of work to do in matching up against a team that has handled them in both prior meetings.
And while I'm sure the conversation this week will be as much about stopping the explosive Cowboy offense which the Giants have been unable to do, you better belive that Eli Manning will be an equally hot topic, as he has been for most of his tenure as a New York Giant.
Hopefully he will be able to continue to build upon the success he has had now in two consecutive starts (he played brilliantly against New England last weekend) and lead his team to further glory this season.
For now, today showed at the very least that when he wants to be,
Eli is the right 'Mann' for the job.
Before getting into my thoughts on Eli Manning, lets recap my NFL picks from this weekend.
I picked:
Jags over Steelers, final score 20-17
Seahawks over Redskins, final score 24-13
Giants over Bucs, final score 21-10
Chargers over Titans, final score 31-20
and the actual results were...
Jags over Steelers, final score 31-29
Seahawks over Redskins, final score 35-14
Giants over Bucs, final score 24-14
Chargers over Titans, final score 17-6
Thats correct folks. 4 picks, 4 correct choices.
The scores may have been off in a few of my predictions, but all in all I was not really far off with the exception being the points put up in the Charger game, yet I had them winning by 11 points, which they did.
I'll continue to see if I can impress myself next Friday with the games coming up this weekend, which all contain marquee matchups filled with great story lines.
Gotta love the NFL playoffs.
But onto the boy wonder...
Eli Manning has risen to the elite as far as most discussed athletes on New York talk radio.
Patrick Ewing, Mark Messier and Daryl Strawberry- all before my time- were the names which most frequently clogged up the airwaves, yet since being drafted first overall by the San Diego Chargers and facilitating a draft day trade to the New York football Giants, Eli Manning has been the subject of the rants and roast relentlessly.
There was no shortage of Eli talk heading into the Giants first round playoff match up against the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Eli had been heavily criticized for his inconsistent play and lack of leadership, yet it quickly is forgotten that he has done enough to get his team into post season play 3 years in a row.
However in sports, and even more so in New York, there is and always will be a 'what-have-you-done-for-me-lately' mentality as far as the fans here are concerned.
Simply put, getting to the playoffs is nothing to shrug your shoulders at, however the ultimate goal of course is start the following season with jewelry on your finger and a defending champion title before your team is introduced.
And as far as the Giants and Eli are concerned, not only have they fallen short in achieving that goal, but the team has been bounced from the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, including a 23-0 embarrassment at home two years ago which I had a seat at Giants stadium for.
And so the spotlight was shining bright on Eli this afternoon as there was the pressure of two straight playoff disappoints riding on his shoulders.
However unlike the his previous playoff performances, Eli Manning stepped up and played the type of game Giants fans have been longing for since the day he was drafted.
After the offense did nothing for an entire quarter of football, Eli turned it on connected on passes to (well dressed) Amani Toomer, Plaxico Burress and Steve Smith, finishing off a drive with a screen pass to running back Brandon Jacobs for big blue's first touchdown of the game.
Eli would then lead the offense to 3 other scoring drives, the signature of the 3 being a 16 play drive eating up over 8 minutes of clock which resulted in a touchdown pass to Toomer, essentially wrapping up the Giants first playoff victory since 2000, when they won the NFC Championship game 41-0 over the Minnesota Vikings, a game I also was lucky enough to be at.
The bottom line today was that Eli Manning was in command from start to finish, and aside from the occasional short arm throws which drive any football fan crazy, he was efficient and avoided turning the ball over.
His stats were better than modest, as he was 20-27 for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns.
He withstood the pressure applied from the Bucs defense, and his success can also be credited to a fine job by the Giants makeshift offensive line, working with a backup center and later in the game having to replace a dehydrated David Diehl.
And now the Giants head to Dallas following their first playoff triumph in 7 years, and will be facing America's team for the third time this season.
While the Giants can enjoy their victory for now, they know they have a lot of work to do in matching up against a team that has handled them in both prior meetings.
And while I'm sure the conversation this week will be as much about stopping the explosive Cowboy offense which the Giants have been unable to do, you better belive that Eli Manning will be an equally hot topic, as he has been for most of his tenure as a New York Giant.
Hopefully he will be able to continue to build upon the success he has had now in two consecutive starts (he played brilliantly against New England last weekend) and lead his team to further glory this season.
For now, today showed at the very least that when he wants to be,
Eli is the right 'Mann' for the job.
Friday, January 4, 2008
My Scrubs Diet
1/4/08
Recently I decided that the 3 hours a day Scrubs was on TV was not enough to really satisfy my craving for the staff at Sacred Heart so I picked up all 6 season on DVD (the 7th is currently in the process on NBC.
I actually had the DVD's sitting around for a few days debating whether or not I should wait until I get back up to school to watch them, however on Wednesday, after catching up on some of the sleep I lost New Year's Eve, while still feeling the effects of getting over a cold without sufficient rest, I popped season 1 in, and the journey began.
2 days later, I am mid way through the 3rd season (mind you, thats approximately 22 20 minute episodes, per season), and I realized that all the watching I was doing was cutting into the time I had been doing other things, including eating.
Thats right, I'll cal it my Scrubs diet for a few reasons.
First off, no I'm obviously not inhaling the 2 pairs of scrubs I own from my working in the hospital 2 summers ago. Although I would have to believe they don't contain a high calorie count.
I'll call it my Scrubs diet first because any legit fan of the show knows every episode is titled "My (fill in the blank)". The second and more logical reason is that watching scrubs has in fact reduced my food intake dramatically.
Today for instance, I woke up, showered, put in Scrubs and have not stopped since around 11:30. And what I have eaten today? 8 or 10 Hershey kisses.
Probably not part of your well balanced breakfast, however I get so wrapped in to these episodes that I actually lose the will to walk into my kitchen and make myself something. And when I do get off my bed and into the kitchen, the thought of taking the time to prepare a meal instead of watching another episode just doesn't cut it with me.
And so I have decided that a break was in order, so I can blog it up.
So before I lose my battle in fighting off the urge to hit the play button and resume my Scrubs conquest, theres some stuff I've been wanting to write down so here goes.
Firstly, I forgot to make New Year's resolutions.
I honestly cannot for the life of me understand how I forgot....
HOW I FORGOT TO LEAVE NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS OFF OF MY RANT ABOUT NEW YEARS
Seriously people?
New Year's resolutions are an even bigger sham than Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy getting in on while the Easter Bunny watches and calls his friend Jesus to tell him that ITS ALL A CROCK OF SHIT.
Back in the day I definitely tried to make New Year's Resolutions however I never:
Stopped cursing (HA)
Watched less TV
Got to the GYM more
Stopped eating Cheeseburgers
Put my schoolwork before my sports teams
Gave up racist jokes
Saved more money
etc, etc, etc
And for anybody who actually is pathetic enough to make a New Year's resolution, find me somebody who was able to keep it until they were given another chance to make a new one a year later and I'll go leave Milk and Cookies out for the fat man next December 24th.
This year I simply forgot to remember that the concept of New Year's resolutions exist, and for that I am grateful.
And my resolution right now is to make sure I forget about resolutions each and every New Year for the rest of my life.
Moving on...
I was at the mall on Wednesday (yes I did break away from Scrubs for a few hours) and I could not believe how many kids were still not back at school, which was a big bummer because not only was I psyched to shop in an empty mall, but not seeing the high school kids would have reminded me how happy I am to finally be in college. Needless to say, there were brats all around, and I left the mall without any major purchases, as my shopping slump continues.
Yesterday proved that somebody is in fact watching over us...and if not us then definitely me because I have been bitching about how much I want to get back to Syracuse since the day i got home, and so yesterday Syracuse was brought to me.
The temperatures were below 20 degrees, and being outside was not anywhere to be found on my to-do list from yesterday.
I had to run out for a half hour to replace the broken mop in my apartment, and so when I did step foot outside, bundled up and prepared for an Alaskan winter, I sprinted as fast as I ever have from my front door, all the way to other side of the other tower where my car is located (a legit 2 full minute hike) hoping that between my layering and speed my body wouldn't get the chance to actually feel how cold it really was.
And after I made it to my car in under 30 seconds, I forgot that the inside of my car does not heat up as quickly as one would have hoped, causing me to give a big thank you to those above for reminding me why I should enjoy the next 10 days I still have here at home.
And for a movie review, last night I saw Juno with some of my friends. I went in with moderate expectations, as the reviews were very good and the things I had been hearing from other friend who had seen it were positive.
However I was left feeling, well, nothing at all.
Juno is a movie about a 16 year old girl (Ellen Page) who is impregnated by her best friend (played by Michael Cera from Knocked Up.
The movie was clever and witty and smart for sequences, yet it was drawn out and seemed to flat line midway through.
The movie, in my opinion, simply had no pulse and left me feeling as though I had just seen the most mediocre movie of all time.
I wouldn't go as far to say that it was a bad movie, because it wasn't, however it was average at best. There were some pretty worthy performances from Page, Allison Janney (The West Wing), who plays Juno's step mother, and J.K. Simmons (HBO's Oz) who plays her father.
Overall I was just very unimpressed with the story and how it developed, as this upscale couple (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) look to adopt the baby Juno is carrying, yet things get complicated when there are questions as to whether or not they are ready to bring a baby into their family.
I don't want to give anything away, but if you are looking to see it there are definitely some moments of intense awkwardness and uncomfortableness (made up word which fits better than discomfort).
In the end, I would have to give Juno and C+, although I would not be surprised if the female viewer leaves with a better feeling than the male viewer, not for any sexist reason but that seems to be the consensus I was getting.
And so the weekend is upon us, even though the college vacation in generally a 4 week long weekend, but the NFL playoffs start tomorrow, so my playoff picks cannot be left out of this blog.
Saturday
Seattle over Washington 24-13
Jacksonville over Pittsburgh 20-17
Sunday
Chargers over Titans 31-20
GIANTS over Bucs (sorry Scott) 21-10
Do I have no faith in these picsk? None what so ever.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm hungry,
and Scrubs is waiting.
Recently I decided that the 3 hours a day Scrubs was on TV was not enough to really satisfy my craving for the staff at Sacred Heart so I picked up all 6 season on DVD (the 7th is currently in the process on NBC.
I actually had the DVD's sitting around for a few days debating whether or not I should wait until I get back up to school to watch them, however on Wednesday, after catching up on some of the sleep I lost New Year's Eve, while still feeling the effects of getting over a cold without sufficient rest, I popped season 1 in, and the journey began.
2 days later, I am mid way through the 3rd season (mind you, thats approximately 22 20 minute episodes, per season), and I realized that all the watching I was doing was cutting into the time I had been doing other things, including eating.
Thats right, I'll cal it my Scrubs diet for a few reasons.
First off, no I'm obviously not inhaling the 2 pairs of scrubs I own from my working in the hospital 2 summers ago. Although I would have to believe they don't contain a high calorie count.
I'll call it my Scrubs diet first because any legit fan of the show knows every episode is titled "My (fill in the blank)". The second and more logical reason is that watching scrubs has in fact reduced my food intake dramatically.
Today for instance, I woke up, showered, put in Scrubs and have not stopped since around 11:30. And what I have eaten today? 8 or 10 Hershey kisses.
Probably not part of your well balanced breakfast, however I get so wrapped in to these episodes that I actually lose the will to walk into my kitchen and make myself something. And when I do get off my bed and into the kitchen, the thought of taking the time to prepare a meal instead of watching another episode just doesn't cut it with me.
And so I have decided that a break was in order, so I can blog it up.
So before I lose my battle in fighting off the urge to hit the play button and resume my Scrubs conquest, theres some stuff I've been wanting to write down so here goes.
Firstly, I forgot to make New Year's resolutions.
I honestly cannot for the life of me understand how I forgot....
HOW I FORGOT TO LEAVE NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS OFF OF MY RANT ABOUT NEW YEARS
Seriously people?
New Year's resolutions are an even bigger sham than Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy getting in on while the Easter Bunny watches and calls his friend Jesus to tell him that ITS ALL A CROCK OF SHIT.
Back in the day I definitely tried to make New Year's Resolutions however I never:
Stopped cursing (HA)
Watched less TV
Got to the GYM more
Stopped eating Cheeseburgers
Put my schoolwork before my sports teams
Gave up racist jokes
Saved more money
etc, etc, etc
And for anybody who actually is pathetic enough to make a New Year's resolution, find me somebody who was able to keep it until they were given another chance to make a new one a year later and I'll go leave Milk and Cookies out for the fat man next December 24th.
This year I simply forgot to remember that the concept of New Year's resolutions exist, and for that I am grateful.
And my resolution right now is to make sure I forget about resolutions each and every New Year for the rest of my life.
Moving on...
I was at the mall on Wednesday (yes I did break away from Scrubs for a few hours) and I could not believe how many kids were still not back at school, which was a big bummer because not only was I psyched to shop in an empty mall, but not seeing the high school kids would have reminded me how happy I am to finally be in college. Needless to say, there were brats all around, and I left the mall without any major purchases, as my shopping slump continues.
Yesterday proved that somebody is in fact watching over us...and if not us then definitely me because I have been bitching about how much I want to get back to Syracuse since the day i got home, and so yesterday Syracuse was brought to me.
The temperatures were below 20 degrees, and being outside was not anywhere to be found on my to-do list from yesterday.
I had to run out for a half hour to replace the broken mop in my apartment, and so when I did step foot outside, bundled up and prepared for an Alaskan winter, I sprinted as fast as I ever have from my front door, all the way to other side of the other tower where my car is located (a legit 2 full minute hike) hoping that between my layering and speed my body wouldn't get the chance to actually feel how cold it really was.
And after I made it to my car in under 30 seconds, I forgot that the inside of my car does not heat up as quickly as one would have hoped, causing me to give a big thank you to those above for reminding me why I should enjoy the next 10 days I still have here at home.
And for a movie review, last night I saw Juno with some of my friends. I went in with moderate expectations, as the reviews were very good and the things I had been hearing from other friend who had seen it were positive.
However I was left feeling, well, nothing at all.
Juno is a movie about a 16 year old girl (Ellen Page) who is impregnated by her best friend (played by Michael Cera from Knocked Up.
The movie was clever and witty and smart for sequences, yet it was drawn out and seemed to flat line midway through.
The movie, in my opinion, simply had no pulse and left me feeling as though I had just seen the most mediocre movie of all time.
I wouldn't go as far to say that it was a bad movie, because it wasn't, however it was average at best. There were some pretty worthy performances from Page, Allison Janney (The West Wing), who plays Juno's step mother, and J.K. Simmons (HBO's Oz) who plays her father.
Overall I was just very unimpressed with the story and how it developed, as this upscale couple (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) look to adopt the baby Juno is carrying, yet things get complicated when there are questions as to whether or not they are ready to bring a baby into their family.
I don't want to give anything away, but if you are looking to see it there are definitely some moments of intense awkwardness and uncomfortableness (made up word which fits better than discomfort).
In the end, I would have to give Juno and C+, although I would not be surprised if the female viewer leaves with a better feeling than the male viewer, not for any sexist reason but that seems to be the consensus I was getting.
And so the weekend is upon us, even though the college vacation in generally a 4 week long weekend, but the NFL playoffs start tomorrow, so my playoff picks cannot be left out of this blog.
Saturday
Seattle over Washington 24-13
Jacksonville over Pittsburgh 20-17
Sunday
Chargers over Titans 31-20
GIANTS over Bucs (sorry Scott) 21-10
Do I have no faith in these picsk? None what so ever.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm hungry,
and Scrubs is waiting.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
And to you 2008, I say Welcome
1/2/08
Firstly, Happy New Year to everyone. I hope that everybody enjoyed their New Year's Eve festivities as much as I enjoyed mine.
And before I even get into that, New Year's is a pretty popular holiday, which means one thing. I have some big time issues with it.
What exactly does the phrase Happy New Year mean? For a birthday, I can understand Happy Birthday because you are telling somebody to enjoy celebrating the day they were born. But it lasts a day. Should we be saying Happy New Year 365 times until December 31st rolls around again? Or by January 2nd is the New Year and Old Year already? If thats the case then New Years to me is blown completely out of proportion.
I was having a conversation with "Fier Thy Words" contributer Scott Spinelli (although he does not know I consider him a contributer) about New Years and how its really a rather depressing occasion that is ridiculously over-hyped. Think about it logically. Every December 31st, another year of our lives has come and gone, and 365 days later, we can do it all again, another year older. Why are we celebrating to such a degree the fact that our youth has pretty much come and gone, and for adults the realization that they are getting another year older is something they typically despise celebrating on their birthday.
I know its a big excuse to throw awesome parties (which I did) so in that regard I can't complain, however in theory, it's just like any other day of the year, except that it requires us going out and buying new calendars. My mom bought one with little kittens on it. I kinda like it.
My point is that New Years, for all the hype surrounding it, passes me buy in terms of significance. That being said, I easily has a New Years Eve to remember.
The majority of my friends here at home were planning to go upstate to Binghamton to ring in the New Year, which was a plan I had zero interest in taking part in.
However, those plans all seemed to crumble at the last second, partially because I had proposed alternative plans which involved celebrating in my parent-less apartment, but partially because among the 14 people going up, there was not unanimous excitement about the long drives and such.
So, essentitally 24 hours before the ball dropped, plans were finalized to host a Welcome 2008 party (which is how I'm going to refer to New Years from now on) in my Bay Club Apartment.
15 people turned into 20 people, which by nights end turned into 26 people, all comfortably hanging out in my place.
I was really skeptical about a number of things, mainly that because the Binghamton plans fell through people were going to be let down by having to stay home in an apartment. I was afraid that people were not going to have the great time they were looking for, so I wanted to do everything I could to give those who cared a memorable New Years.
And memorable it was, at least for anybody who didnt drink enough to lose the memories.
After spending upwards of 300 dollars on liquor and i would imagine another 100 on beer and 100 on food, plates and cups, my quiet little 2 bedroom was turned into a pretty wild time.
Beer Pong games in the dining room area which was conveniently located right next to my makeshift bar which had something like 10 bottles of liquor and 50 cans of beer on it. My dining room table, hardly regulation size, proved to be big enough to some good old competitive beer pong which everybody seemed to enjoy.
The living room was cleared out and became filled with snack trays of food, whether it was chips, shrimp or pita and hummus (my favorite), and thanks to 3 people bringing their iPods, along with the speakers from my computer, we had music going all night.
My bedroom was also available for use if anybody wanted to get away from the music, and both my living room and bedroom had big screen HDTV's which were on all night. I didn't expect the living room TV to have Tila Tequila playing for 2 hours, however when midnight rolled around, all 26 of us squeezed into the living room to watch the ball drop.
You can add the ball dropping to my list of complaints with New Years, as i really dont understand how some glass ball costing thousands and thousands of dollars mechainally dropping 30 feet is supposed to be the representation of the New Year.
But either way, watching it drop is essential, and so when it did, 2007 was finally put 6 feet under.
The party really ended up being a huge success, and if you want to see what went down, my facebook profile has tons of pictures to give you a better idea of what went down.
People hung around until around 3 if I can remember correctly, and I want to once again say thank you to everybody for doing such a great job behaving and helping me clean up.
All in all, while I really hate getting caught up in New Year's, I would be lying if i told you 2008 could not have gotten off to a better start.
And here is to hoping that 2008 truly is a Happy New Year.
Firstly, Happy New Year to everyone. I hope that everybody enjoyed their New Year's Eve festivities as much as I enjoyed mine.
And before I even get into that, New Year's is a pretty popular holiday, which means one thing. I have some big time issues with it.
What exactly does the phrase Happy New Year mean? For a birthday, I can understand Happy Birthday because you are telling somebody to enjoy celebrating the day they were born. But it lasts a day. Should we be saying Happy New Year 365 times until December 31st rolls around again? Or by January 2nd is the New Year and Old Year already? If thats the case then New Years to me is blown completely out of proportion.
I was having a conversation with "Fier Thy Words" contributer Scott Spinelli (although he does not know I consider him a contributer) about New Years and how its really a rather depressing occasion that is ridiculously over-hyped. Think about it logically. Every December 31st, another year of our lives has come and gone, and 365 days later, we can do it all again, another year older. Why are we celebrating to such a degree the fact that our youth has pretty much come and gone, and for adults the realization that they are getting another year older is something they typically despise celebrating on their birthday.
I know its a big excuse to throw awesome parties (which I did) so in that regard I can't complain, however in theory, it's just like any other day of the year, except that it requires us going out and buying new calendars. My mom bought one with little kittens on it. I kinda like it.
My point is that New Years, for all the hype surrounding it, passes me buy in terms of significance. That being said, I easily has a New Years Eve to remember.
The majority of my friends here at home were planning to go upstate to Binghamton to ring in the New Year, which was a plan I had zero interest in taking part in.
However, those plans all seemed to crumble at the last second, partially because I had proposed alternative plans which involved celebrating in my parent-less apartment, but partially because among the 14 people going up, there was not unanimous excitement about the long drives and such.
So, essentitally 24 hours before the ball dropped, plans were finalized to host a Welcome 2008 party (which is how I'm going to refer to New Years from now on) in my Bay Club Apartment.
15 people turned into 20 people, which by nights end turned into 26 people, all comfortably hanging out in my place.
I was really skeptical about a number of things, mainly that because the Binghamton plans fell through people were going to be let down by having to stay home in an apartment. I was afraid that people were not going to have the great time they were looking for, so I wanted to do everything I could to give those who cared a memorable New Years.
And memorable it was, at least for anybody who didnt drink enough to lose the memories.
After spending upwards of 300 dollars on liquor and i would imagine another 100 on beer and 100 on food, plates and cups, my quiet little 2 bedroom was turned into a pretty wild time.
Beer Pong games in the dining room area which was conveniently located right next to my makeshift bar which had something like 10 bottles of liquor and 50 cans of beer on it. My dining room table, hardly regulation size, proved to be big enough to some good old competitive beer pong which everybody seemed to enjoy.
The living room was cleared out and became filled with snack trays of food, whether it was chips, shrimp or pita and hummus (my favorite), and thanks to 3 people bringing their iPods, along with the speakers from my computer, we had music going all night.
My bedroom was also available for use if anybody wanted to get away from the music, and both my living room and bedroom had big screen HDTV's which were on all night. I didn't expect the living room TV to have Tila Tequila playing for 2 hours, however when midnight rolled around, all 26 of us squeezed into the living room to watch the ball drop.
You can add the ball dropping to my list of complaints with New Years, as i really dont understand how some glass ball costing thousands and thousands of dollars mechainally dropping 30 feet is supposed to be the representation of the New Year.
But either way, watching it drop is essential, and so when it did, 2007 was finally put 6 feet under.
The party really ended up being a huge success, and if you want to see what went down, my facebook profile has tons of pictures to give you a better idea of what went down.
People hung around until around 3 if I can remember correctly, and I want to once again say thank you to everybody for doing such a great job behaving and helping me clean up.
All in all, while I really hate getting caught up in New Year's, I would be lying if i told you 2008 could not have gotten off to a better start.
And here is to hoping that 2008 truly is a Happy New Year.
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