Sunday, September 20, 2009
First Love...
Growing up in my family there were two things stressed; family first and loyalty to the Raiders. Almost every memorable moment of my childhood the Raiders are either in the forefront of the memory or in the background. By 7 I knew that Howie Long was the only player on the team that played in Oakland and would recite that eagerly. In 1992 I watched as Bo Jackson was injured against the Bengals in the playoffs. I remember being extremely heart broken because I knew that if he would have been healthy we would have won the Super Bowl that year. In 2000 I remember being able to call out when ever Rich Gannon would run a naked bootleg for a touchdown before the play was even called. I remember feeling like I was punched in the stomach with the "Tuck Rule." The Raiders have been there for so long its almost like a relationship. We have had hit a pretty rough patch the last couple of years. With that rough patch, there have been some longing to go to another team. One thats more mature and better looking. But like all relationships I just can't turn my back on them. This is when they need me. To show my love more then ever to help them back to the top. Yes, it may be a one sided relationship but it's one that I will never leave. I have invested too much energy and love. Yeah, they may break my heart but they never leave. Every fall they come back in my life. And every fall I embrace them with open arms.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sorry...
Hey everyone. I am sorry that I haven't been posting that much. Unfortunately work has been picking up and I have been absolutely exhausted when I get back. I just haven't been able to get the creative juices going. Hopefully, once I get a day off I can sit down and knock out some posts. In the mean time I will just keep posting videos of shit I like. But there will be more writing I promise.
Anthony
Anthony
Friday, September 11, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
From my ipod to the blog...
Being deployed sucks. Being away from friends, family, and everything you love to be put into a situation where everyday is just a grind to get through. Few people that haven't been there understand the complete feeling of isolation. Of those few, I feel that indie musicians probably have the closest experiences to the deployed soldier. Being on the road for 9-10 months trying to squeak out a whatever living they can make. Sleeping in rundown hotels or on the bus, they just leave everything they love behind for what they believe in. The soldier has his nation and the musician has his music.
No album I have heard yet proves this point more than A Day to Remember's Homesick. This album basically plays out the struggles of deployed through the eyes of the band. Through writing music based on their struggles with touring they have given me my soundtrack to my deployment. Every song on this album feels like it is ripped from my own personal feelings. From the opening acapella breakdown of The Downfall of Us All to the closing acoustic sing along If it Means A Lot to You, ADTR gives you a glimpse of the life on the road and overseas.
Homesick is crammed full with gang vocals over breakdowns. A wrinkle that I can not get enough of. It just begs to be sung along with while picking up change. Some people have come down on them for being a little too poppy or watered down. But when you take a step back and look at the finished product its hard to argue with the band. Walking the tight rope of hardcore with pop punk they deftly put on a show that I believe should be pleasing to both crowds.
The first track begins with the band doing gang vocals for a breakdown. Personally, I think its genius and shortly it blasts into driving riffs. The song is their letter to their families explaining why they have to leave them. With lyrics like "I sold my soul to the open road," it's hard to blame them. As a soldier its eerie how they've captured that feel of the love you have for your family versus the commitment you've made to serve. Its absolutely heartbreaking to leave but its what you know, and what you love. And ADTR have gotten it perfectly.
The song Have Faith in Me is the band's letter back home promising their loved ones better times and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Opening with drum rolls it's easy to bring to mind the endless road rolling beneath the wheels of the convoy as your thinking of home. The song is the soldier's plea to his family to trust him that everything is going to be alright. That he has their best interests in mind.
The title track pretty sums up every tour I have been a part of. The feelings of missing out on home and being away from everything you love isn't something you get used to. It's something you just deal with, and everyone is different. The song plays as a letter to their parents just letting them know that they are still wanting to be home with them but they have made their choice to follow their dreams.
If it Means a Lot to You is the song that hits way too close to home for many soldiers that I know. Sung as a letter home to his girlfriend and her replys it is heart wrenching to listen to. Along with Sierra Kusterbeck of Versa Emerge. ADTR tells the story of being away living the life you chose while their girlfriend doesn't understand answering their letters with a Dear John letter of her own. Knowing multiple guys who have been through that situation and having been through it myself if never gets easy listening to it.
Overall, Homesick is a great up tempo rollicking trip down the touring path. I highly recommend it to anyone that has trouble imagining what exactly a soldier feels everytime he is called away to work his craft.
No album I have heard yet proves this point more than A Day to Remember's Homesick. This album basically plays out the struggles of deployed through the eyes of the band. Through writing music based on their struggles with touring they have given me my soundtrack to my deployment. Every song on this album feels like it is ripped from my own personal feelings. From the opening acapella breakdown of The Downfall of Us All to the closing acoustic sing along If it Means A Lot to You, ADTR gives you a glimpse of the life on the road and overseas.
Homesick is crammed full with gang vocals over breakdowns. A wrinkle that I can not get enough of. It just begs to be sung along with while picking up change. Some people have come down on them for being a little too poppy or watered down. But when you take a step back and look at the finished product its hard to argue with the band. Walking the tight rope of hardcore with pop punk they deftly put on a show that I believe should be pleasing to both crowds.
The first track begins with the band doing gang vocals for a breakdown. Personally, I think its genius and shortly it blasts into driving riffs. The song is their letter to their families explaining why they have to leave them. With lyrics like "I sold my soul to the open road," it's hard to blame them. As a soldier its eerie how they've captured that feel of the love you have for your family versus the commitment you've made to serve. Its absolutely heartbreaking to leave but its what you know, and what you love. And ADTR have gotten it perfectly.
The song Have Faith in Me is the band's letter back home promising their loved ones better times and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Opening with drum rolls it's easy to bring to mind the endless road rolling beneath the wheels of the convoy as your thinking of home. The song is the soldier's plea to his family to trust him that everything is going to be alright. That he has their best interests in mind.
The title track pretty sums up every tour I have been a part of. The feelings of missing out on home and being away from everything you love isn't something you get used to. It's something you just deal with, and everyone is different. The song plays as a letter to their parents just letting them know that they are still wanting to be home with them but they have made their choice to follow their dreams.
If it Means a Lot to You is the song that hits way too close to home for many soldiers that I know. Sung as a letter home to his girlfriend and her replys it is heart wrenching to listen to. Along with Sierra Kusterbeck of Versa Emerge. ADTR tells the story of being away living the life you chose while their girlfriend doesn't understand answering their letters with a Dear John letter of her own. Knowing multiple guys who have been through that situation and having been through it myself if never gets easy listening to it.
Overall, Homesick is a great up tempo rollicking trip down the touring path. I highly recommend it to anyone that has trouble imagining what exactly a soldier feels everytime he is called away to work his craft.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Salvation from the most unlikely places...
Being contemplative is a trait I rarely make use of. It's not that I don't try to think about my life all that much. It's more or less that I've developed an attitude of acceptance. I just happen to accept all outcomes of my life. So, tonight while I was working out it somewhat startled me when I started to think about how my life has changed drastically since this time last year.
Last summer was probably the hardest summer I had ever endured, including the year I spent in Baghdad before it was a safe place. I was lost inside myself. Stuck in a life that didn't seem to be living. I was involved in a relationship that had lost all sense of connection and love. Parading around in a hollow shell of what it used to be. The promise that was my future became a grave of unseen expectations. Everyday was spent in the same haze of self torture. Doubt, regret, and despair were my only companions.
I was working at a nowhere job for a pinch above minimum wage. Though I love my brother dearly I envied him so much for having the life I thought I would have. I hated myself for what I became. Perhaps I put too much weight on my shoulders or I never fully recovered from the emotional scares of my first tour. Whatever the case my life was going no where.
In October I received a call from my reserves unit out of Vallejo. They alerted me that I was on a list to possibly be sent to Iraq. This was the absolute last thing I wanted. Despondent I took off early from work to go home and contemplate whether or not I was going to volunteer.
I didn't leave the Army because I sucked at it. In fact it was quite the opposite. I served 3 years very honorably never once garnering any kind of negative counseling. I just realized that the soldier's life as noble as it is, wasn't for me. But at the same time, my time in the Army was the only time my life made sense or had a purpose. Struggling with this I spent most of the day talking with my then girlfriend and parents about my choice. Seeing that maybe this was an opportunity to get my life back on track I decided to roll the dice. I was told that I was going to deploy in January to Fort Hood then to Iraq a few months after that.
This decision turned out to be the greatest thing that ever happened to me. It gave me purpose and pride that I had lost for a few years. I have gained some great friends through this deployment. E Rock, Shaun, Jayson, Chris and everyone else have helped me see the future for what it could be, and how to get there. Through this deployment I was able to get out of my self destructive relationship. Though I won't be staying in the Army when I return home, I will be forever indebted to it for saving me from myself. Of showing me who I could become and how to get there.
Anthony
Last summer was probably the hardest summer I had ever endured, including the year I spent in Baghdad before it was a safe place. I was lost inside myself. Stuck in a life that didn't seem to be living. I was involved in a relationship that had lost all sense of connection and love. Parading around in a hollow shell of what it used to be. The promise that was my future became a grave of unseen expectations. Everyday was spent in the same haze of self torture. Doubt, regret, and despair were my only companions.
I was working at a nowhere job for a pinch above minimum wage. Though I love my brother dearly I envied him so much for having the life I thought I would have. I hated myself for what I became. Perhaps I put too much weight on my shoulders or I never fully recovered from the emotional scares of my first tour. Whatever the case my life was going no where.
In October I received a call from my reserves unit out of Vallejo. They alerted me that I was on a list to possibly be sent to Iraq. This was the absolute last thing I wanted. Despondent I took off early from work to go home and contemplate whether or not I was going to volunteer.
I didn't leave the Army because I sucked at it. In fact it was quite the opposite. I served 3 years very honorably never once garnering any kind of negative counseling. I just realized that the soldier's life as noble as it is, wasn't for me. But at the same time, my time in the Army was the only time my life made sense or had a purpose. Struggling with this I spent most of the day talking with my then girlfriend and parents about my choice. Seeing that maybe this was an opportunity to get my life back on track I decided to roll the dice. I was told that I was going to deploy in January to Fort Hood then to Iraq a few months after that.
This decision turned out to be the greatest thing that ever happened to me. It gave me purpose and pride that I had lost for a few years. I have gained some great friends through this deployment. E Rock, Shaun, Jayson, Chris and everyone else have helped me see the future for what it could be, and how to get there. Through this deployment I was able to get out of my self destructive relationship. Though I won't be staying in the Army when I return home, I will be forever indebted to it for saving me from myself. Of showing me who I could become and how to get there.
Anthony
Saturday, September 5, 2009
The truth of war...
"For those regarded as warriors, when engaged in combat the vanquishing of thine enemy can be the warrior's only concern. Suppress all human emotion and compassion. Kill whoever stands in thy way, even if that be Lord God, or Buddha himself. This truth lies at the heart of the art of combat."- Hattori Hanzo
Friday, September 4, 2009
Never threaten a drunken Irish dudes girlfriend...
The following is a conversation I had via the interweb with one of my best friends. He had gotten into a skirmish in Davis and proceeded to explain just exactly what happened that night. Author's note: Due to his job we decided to just call him Irish, also I would like to take this time to apologize to anyone who is offended by the amount of cursing. But we're two single guys in our 20's with no filter just be happy we didn't start making fun of each other. Thank you
12:50pm Irish
So I was in Davis with my girlfriend and a bunch of her friends for her sister's birthday. We were walking downtown after a few beers and going to get some pizza.
12:50 Anthony
Yeah
12:51 Irish
Well we see this girl sitting down crying and this dude yelling at her. One of my girlfriends friends mentioned that maybe we should go see what was up and that maybe her boyfriend was beating on her.
12:51 Anthony
Oh shit.
12:51 Irish
Well, its just speculation.
Anyway, we're walking by and my girlfriend says to her friend "if she wants to be a punching bag that's on her." You know nonchalant and just to her friend.
12:52 Anthony
OOHHHHH
12:53 Irish
Anyways, all of a sudden there's this dude coming up the street yelling and waving his arms around saying that he's going to punch out my girlfriend.
12:53 Anthony
Time to go to work.
12:53 Irish
So I get in between him and my girlfriend.
12:54 Anthony
As any real man should do.
12:54 Irish
So, I turn around and he's right there in my face.
12:54 Anthony
was he big?
12:54 Irish
yeah like 6-0, 61 180 to 190
12:55 Anthony
Fuck thats pretty big.
12:55 Irish
Yeah so he just punches me once right in the face. Then like 2 times to the left eye.
12:56 Anthony
HOLY SHIT.
12:56 Irish
Funny thing is I dont get knocked out or knocked down. I stand back up and punch him in the face. Then I get a headlock on him and drag him down. Still just going to town on his face.
12:56 Anthony
YESSS!!!!!
12:57 Irish
So he tries standing up. And I just drag him back down. I get like 5-7 HARD punches to his face the whole time. And he starts to go limp.
12:58 Anthony
shit
SHIT
HOLY SHIT
1:00 Irish
then a crowd of like 20-40 people rip us apart
1:01pm Anthony
hahaha
1:02pm Irish
i'm all amped up and more pissed off then i have ever been in my life.....
so what do i do?????
yes, i start fighting the crowd
1:02pm Anthony
HAHAHAHAHHA
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
1:02pm Irish
i start throwing punches and elbows on the people who are pulling me off so i can get back to him
thats when i'm taken to the ground by like 15 guys
1:03pm Anthony
You are my hero
1:04pm Irish
it was ridiculous man
he gots some good hits in
1:04pm Anthony
BEST
STORY
EVER
1:04pm Irish
i seriously thought i would have been K.O'd on the first hit
1:04pm Anthony
dude you're irish you got that Mickey Ward shit going on
1:04pm Irish
i didnt even have time to square off or block or anything
1:05pm Anthony
PLUS you have the Japanese samurai spirit
1:06pm Irish
lol for real
i thought i was fucked up when it was all over man
1:06pm Anthony
its like the two cultures that put fighting before anything else have made you the perfect warrior
1:07pm Irish
i had blood ALL over me
1:07pm Anthony
but it was his
1:07pm Irish
all down my head and shit, kinda where he hit me
1:07pm Anthony
NICE
1:07pm Irish
then i wiped it off and found out i didnt have a single cut on me
lol
and i remembered seeing his face when i was punching him and it was covered in blood
lol
1:08pm Anthony
LOL
Dude that is why God gave you Crones diseaese
he was like Fuck I cant have this dude fighting in a war
He is a one man nuclear bomb
1:09pm Irish
hahahahahaha
i dont think i was that bad ass
but i definitely took care of business that night
i did work
the moral of the story is, if you're going to pick a fight with a guy thats smaller than you, make sure you knock him out with the first hit
1:10pmAnthony
FUCK YEA... you fucking put on the hard hat picked up your lunch box and fucking clocked in
hahahahhaha
1:10pm Irish
yeah, exactly
then i went home early after that
lol
1:10pm Anthony
lol
Irish ended up suffering a fractured jaw and a broken finger. But he is one of my best friends and I wish I was there to have his back during all this.
Anthony
12:50pm Irish
So I was in Davis with my girlfriend and a bunch of her friends for her sister's birthday. We were walking downtown after a few beers and going to get some pizza.
12:50 Anthony
Yeah
12:51 Irish
Well we see this girl sitting down crying and this dude yelling at her. One of my girlfriends friends mentioned that maybe we should go see what was up and that maybe her boyfriend was beating on her.
12:51 Anthony
Oh shit.
12:51 Irish
Well, its just speculation.
Anyway, we're walking by and my girlfriend says to her friend "if she wants to be a punching bag that's on her." You know nonchalant and just to her friend.
12:52 Anthony
OOHHHHH
12:53 Irish
Anyways, all of a sudden there's this dude coming up the street yelling and waving his arms around saying that he's going to punch out my girlfriend.
12:53 Anthony
Time to go to work.
12:53 Irish
So I get in between him and my girlfriend.
12:54 Anthony
As any real man should do.
12:54 Irish
So, I turn around and he's right there in my face.
12:54 Anthony
was he big?
12:54 Irish
yeah like 6-0, 61 180 to 190
12:55 Anthony
Fuck thats pretty big.
12:55 Irish
Yeah so he just punches me once right in the face. Then like 2 times to the left eye.
12:56 Anthony
HOLY SHIT.
12:56 Irish
Funny thing is I dont get knocked out or knocked down. I stand back up and punch him in the face. Then I get a headlock on him and drag him down. Still just going to town on his face.
12:56 Anthony
YESSS!!!!!
12:57 Irish
So he tries standing up. And I just drag him back down. I get like 5-7 HARD punches to his face the whole time. And he starts to go limp.
12:58 Anthony
shit
SHIT
HOLY SHIT
1:00 Irish
then a crowd of like 20-40 people rip us apart
1:01pm Anthony
hahaha
1:02pm Irish
i'm all amped up and more pissed off then i have ever been in my life.....
so what do i do?????
yes, i start fighting the crowd
1:02pm Anthony
HAHAHAHAHHA
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
1:02pm Irish
i start throwing punches and elbows on the people who are pulling me off so i can get back to him
thats when i'm taken to the ground by like 15 guys
1:03pm Anthony
You are my hero
1:04pm Irish
it was ridiculous man
he gots some good hits in
1:04pm Anthony
BEST
STORY
EVER
1:04pm Irish
i seriously thought i would have been K.O'd on the first hit
1:04pm Anthony
dude you're irish you got that Mickey Ward shit going on
1:04pm Irish
i didnt even have time to square off or block or anything
1:05pm Anthony
PLUS you have the Japanese samurai spirit
1:06pm Irish
lol for real
i thought i was fucked up when it was all over man
1:06pm Anthony
its like the two cultures that put fighting before anything else have made you the perfect warrior
1:07pm Irish
i had blood ALL over me
1:07pm Anthony
but it was his
1:07pm Irish
all down my head and shit, kinda where he hit me
1:07pm Anthony
NICE
1:07pm Irish
then i wiped it off and found out i didnt have a single cut on me
lol
and i remembered seeing his face when i was punching him and it was covered in blood
lol
1:08pm Anthony
LOL
Dude that is why God gave you Crones diseaese
he was like Fuck I cant have this dude fighting in a war
He is a one man nuclear bomb
1:09pm Irish
hahahahahaha
i dont think i was that bad ass
but i definitely took care of business that night
i did work
the moral of the story is, if you're going to pick a fight with a guy thats smaller than you, make sure you knock him out with the first hit
1:10pmAnthony
FUCK YEA... you fucking put on the hard hat picked up your lunch box and fucking clocked in
hahahahhaha
1:10pm Irish
yeah, exactly
then i went home early after that
lol
1:10pm Anthony
lol
Irish ended up suffering a fractured jaw and a broken finger. But he is one of my best friends and I wish I was there to have his back during all this.
Anthony
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Secure in my insecurities...
I honestly have no idea why 90% of the time I feel like I am going to fail. I have lived a modest but successful life so far. I served 3 years in the Army never garnering one negative counseling statement. I have great relationships with my family. Enjoy very close friendships with all of my friends. I've done many a lot of things most people would never do. Been in life threatening situations and have come out the other side unscathed. Yet, whenever I think about the future I only see failure. In my last relationship, my girlfriend would always ask me what I wanted to do with the rest of my life now that I was out of the Army. The answer was always the same, I don't know. The truth of the matter being that everything I ever find myself being interested I just find how it can fail. Right now, I want to go to school when I get back. I have researched it and decided on many of the things I need to do to make it happen. Still in my mind though, I can only see myself failing at it and my life going nowhere. And it's not only that. Some of you may not know but I used to be engaged to a lovely young woman. We were 1 month away from being married when I decided I wasn't ready. At the time I gave some excuse about how it happened too fast and that I wasn't the man I needed to be. In reality I feel that maybe I was ready but I was just mind blowingly afraid of it failing. Of being divorced at 23. I couldn't bear the thought. So, I let the fear take over and I bounced. Eventually, we broke up and I still think about it. It's not that life has ever treated me bad. I have gotten a few bad breaks here but just the thought of failing keeps me in my shell. Maybe one day I will get over them. Until then I'll just stay here in my shell waiting for the world to collapse around me.
Anthony
Anthony
I hate America....
When I started this blog, way back in yesterday, I decided that I wasn't going to do anything political or religious. Now its not because I don't have the intellectual capacity to have such debates. It's more or less the fact that I don't feel like it. Political debates gets everybody riled up and next thing you know you are stabbing you're best friend with a prison style shank. So, this is not a post about why I hate America in a political sense. But why I hate America as a whole. And I am sure after you finish reading this you may hate America too.
Reason 1) Arrested Development was only on the air for 2 1/2 seasons
Premiering in November 2003, Arrested Development was a trailblazing comedy. Shot in a documentary style, it was taken out of the three piece sets of most sitcoms. The show followed the Bluth family right after their father and real estate kingpin was sent to prison for embezzlement. "Now whats so funny about that you" may wonder. Everything. And the best part was that there wasn't a studio audience that would mess up the flow of the show. Unfortunately, most Americans apparently need a laugh track so they know when to laugh. Thinking of the comedy gold that could have been provided seriously makes me want to cry. "But Anthony what about the Office. It sounds just like what you described." Shut up. The Office though funny couldn't touch Micheal Cera's jock strap if it wanted to. They basically stole the entire concept of that show from the British version. And lets be honest here, anything British deserves to be shot.
Reason 2) The WNBA still exists...
I am not a sexist, in fact I am all for equal rights. But, lets not kid ourselves here. The WNBA just sucks. It just isn't fun to watch. So, let's stop pretending that its going to work. It's been 10 years and the average attendance to a game is 8 thousand people. 10 years and a major tv deal and they still can't pull more then that. Hey, David Stern I am sorry but its about time to pull the plug. We don't want to watch solid fundamental basketball. If I wanted to watch that, I would go watch a high school game, where there is a better chance of a dunk happening. Now I am not against women's sports as a whole. I enjoy WPS and acutally think that they have a good business plan. I also feel that women's soccer is on par with men's soccer from a fan's perspective. But the WNBA doesn't have that feel. I think its about time the WNBA is taken out to the woods and put down.
Reason 3) Nobody watches hockey...
Hockey a pure game, passed down through the generations as a game of finesse, grit, determination, and mullets. A game that has gone untainted by steroids. Has fallen by the wayside in America. There are still some havens where teams pull respectable attendance; Detroit, Boston, and San Jose stand out. But elsewhere in the country attendance is down and television ratings are worse. I don't understand why America continues to not watch hockey. It is infinitely more entertaining then basketball. The NBA is so afraid of bad press that they suspend whoever gets a flagrant foul. Hell, in hockey not only is bare knuckle fighting practiced but its condoned. Teams hire players to be enforcers. Basically all they do is protect the star player by fighting on his behalf. It's seriously like a mafia mentality. Its awesome. Plus, hockey in HD is absolutely stunning. The way the ice just shines of the screen is purely majestic. In my opinion, hockey is one of that last pure sports where greed and steroids have yet to undermine it.
Reason 4) Tyler Quinn
He is the essence of douchbaggery.
Anthony
Reason 1) Arrested Development was only on the air for 2 1/2 seasons
Premiering in November 2003, Arrested Development was a trailblazing comedy. Shot in a documentary style, it was taken out of the three piece sets of most sitcoms. The show followed the Bluth family right after their father and real estate kingpin was sent to prison for embezzlement. "Now whats so funny about that you" may wonder. Everything. And the best part was that there wasn't a studio audience that would mess up the flow of the show. Unfortunately, most Americans apparently need a laugh track so they know when to laugh. Thinking of the comedy gold that could have been provided seriously makes me want to cry. "But Anthony what about the Office. It sounds just like what you described." Shut up. The Office though funny couldn't touch Micheal Cera's jock strap if it wanted to. They basically stole the entire concept of that show from the British version. And lets be honest here, anything British deserves to be shot.
Reason 2) The WNBA still exists...
I am not a sexist, in fact I am all for equal rights. But, lets not kid ourselves here. The WNBA just sucks. It just isn't fun to watch. So, let's stop pretending that its going to work. It's been 10 years and the average attendance to a game is 8 thousand people. 10 years and a major tv deal and they still can't pull more then that. Hey, David Stern I am sorry but its about time to pull the plug. We don't want to watch solid fundamental basketball. If I wanted to watch that, I would go watch a high school game, where there is a better chance of a dunk happening. Now I am not against women's sports as a whole. I enjoy WPS and acutally think that they have a good business plan. I also feel that women's soccer is on par with men's soccer from a fan's perspective. But the WNBA doesn't have that feel. I think its about time the WNBA is taken out to the woods and put down.
Reason 3) Nobody watches hockey...
Hockey a pure game, passed down through the generations as a game of finesse, grit, determination, and mullets. A game that has gone untainted by steroids. Has fallen by the wayside in America. There are still some havens where teams pull respectable attendance; Detroit, Boston, and San Jose stand out. But elsewhere in the country attendance is down and television ratings are worse. I don't understand why America continues to not watch hockey. It is infinitely more entertaining then basketball. The NBA is so afraid of bad press that they suspend whoever gets a flagrant foul. Hell, in hockey not only is bare knuckle fighting practiced but its condoned. Teams hire players to be enforcers. Basically all they do is protect the star player by fighting on his behalf. It's seriously like a mafia mentality. Its awesome. Plus, hockey in HD is absolutely stunning. The way the ice just shines of the screen is purely majestic. In my opinion, hockey is one of that last pure sports where greed and steroids have yet to undermine it.
Reason 4) Tyler Quinn
He is the essence of douchbaggery.
Anthony
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Yeah I like Twilight. Want to make something of it...
About a year ago I was introduced to the Twilight series through a friend of mine. We were on the set of my friend's movie No Ambition waiting for the next scene to start, when she pulled out Breaking Dawn. Intrigued I asked what it was about. She then went on to explain the principle plot about Bella and Edward, vampires and all that shit. To be honest I wasn't paying attention, I was too busy wondering how I could convince Josh to write a love scene with her. A few months later Twilight's trailers then started showing up. I was not too excited about it. It looked like more tweenage romance that was already populating 90% of the movies out at the time. The tipping point turned out to be Iraq. You see there are 3 things to do in Iraq when you aren't working. Watch movies, watch pornographic movies, and go to your friends room and watch movies. When you finish watching all the movies you own there leaves a gap to fill. At about that time my friend had a care package sent to him. In it was the movie Twilight. With boredom looming I decided to watch it thinking that if it sucked I could just make fun of all the girls I know that like it. Which is basically all of them. Funny thing is, it wasn't half bad. I mean yeah Bella was kind of a downer and I thought she should be punched in the face. But I liked the reimagining of the vampire. Some people have posted that the legend of the vampires are ruined and that Stephanie Meyer sucks. Personally, I feel that it was about time it was changed. Plus, its not like she totally flipped the script. She just tweaked a few things about how they don't go out in the sunlight. Its completely logical. Anyways, intrigued by Edward's brother Emmit, I decided to sacrifice my manhood and read the series. As a fan of good literature I found the books pretty appealing. The story moved quickly and there was enough to keep me wanting to read more. Now this is where you are probably saying, "Anthony, it was a huge chick flick in book form and you are now gay for reading them." Well, if that's how you feel then oh well. I liked the books. There was enough violence in them to keep me entertained. And since the book was written from Bella's point of view I feel a little more enlightened on the inner workings of the female mind. "Oh" you say now that the true reasons have come to light. Sun Tzu the great warrior poet said, "Know thy enemy and know thyself. And you shall know victory." Maybe that isn't word for word but its close enough. See, now I know how woman work. And I can use that to better my future relationships. All through sucking it up and reading Twilight. So, if you continue to question my sexuality go ahead. I don't hate you for it. I understand that you have to put up a front of being hella macho and shit. And if you really feel macho we can fight it out.
Anthony
Anthony
Hello,
Good evening dear reader,
Of course I can only assume that it is evening where you currently reside. That is one of the draw backs to this blog, I can not instantaneously view you and see where you are at. Though the technology exists I have neither the time nor the patience to install said technology onto the computer I am currently using.
If you are reading this I am assuming 4 things: 1: You are currently working at a job that you do not really care for and are looking for some entertainment to get you through another day without committing Japanese ritual suicide. 2: You are currently at home searching online blogs for either wisdom or a break from the energy draining, soul sucking situation you call life you currently find yourself in. 3: You are currently in either of the previously mentioned circumstances and you stumbled upon this blog while searching for pornography. 4: You are either a friend or family member that upon my begging finally decided to see what all the hyperbole was about. And if you are currently in the 4th situation I sincerely apologize for the content you will view.
Now you may ask yourself who is this Anthony and what does he write about? Well, to answer your first question kind reader please read on. My name is Anthony. I am not using a pseudonym. I was born on February 29th, in the year of our lord 1984. I was born to Rodney and Susan who raised my siblings and I in Fairfield, CA. As most middle class white males I enjoy all sports, hanging out with my friends, and mainly having a good time. At age 18 I joined the Army and spent the next 3 years learning important things that would prove invaluable later in life. Such as; how to lie with a straight face about why I didn't polish my boots properly. how to run 5 miles while being hungover from the night before, and how to distract the ugly girl while the rest of my friends hit on her much better looking friends at the bar. After I was discharged from the Army I moved back to Fairfield and lived the next 4 years of my life in quiet harmony. After which the Army decided that I needed one more year in Iraq to make sure that I wasn't a quitter. And that is where you currently find me; in Iraq typing on my roommate's laptop dreaming of the time to go home.
At this time you may be saying to yourself "that is well good and all but he has forgotten my second question." And to that I must aplogize for I can be fairly long winded. The content that you will find posted on this blog will vary a great deal. From subjects such as "The greatest first round draft busts in Oakland Raiders history" to "The top 10 most badass actors in cinema" to "Why I love 4 Year Strong." To say that this will be a cornicopia of topics will be an understatement. I hope that you enjoy my blog and that you tell your friends.
Now that you have all this knowledge you are now ready to start perusing my blog. And for that I say hello, and good evening.
Anthony
Of course I can only assume that it is evening where you currently reside. That is one of the draw backs to this blog, I can not instantaneously view you and see where you are at. Though the technology exists I have neither the time nor the patience to install said technology onto the computer I am currently using.
If you are reading this I am assuming 4 things: 1: You are currently working at a job that you do not really care for and are looking for some entertainment to get you through another day without committing Japanese ritual suicide. 2: You are currently at home searching online blogs for either wisdom or a break from the energy draining, soul sucking situation you call life you currently find yourself in. 3: You are currently in either of the previously mentioned circumstances and you stumbled upon this blog while searching for pornography. 4: You are either a friend or family member that upon my begging finally decided to see what all the hyperbole was about. And if you are currently in the 4th situation I sincerely apologize for the content you will view.
Now you may ask yourself who is this Anthony and what does he write about? Well, to answer your first question kind reader please read on. My name is Anthony. I am not using a pseudonym. I was born on February 29th, in the year of our lord 1984. I was born to Rodney and Susan who raised my siblings and I in Fairfield, CA. As most middle class white males I enjoy all sports, hanging out with my friends, and mainly having a good time. At age 18 I joined the Army and spent the next 3 years learning important things that would prove invaluable later in life. Such as; how to lie with a straight face about why I didn't polish my boots properly. how to run 5 miles while being hungover from the night before, and how to distract the ugly girl while the rest of my friends hit on her much better looking friends at the bar. After I was discharged from the Army I moved back to Fairfield and lived the next 4 years of my life in quiet harmony. After which the Army decided that I needed one more year in Iraq to make sure that I wasn't a quitter. And that is where you currently find me; in Iraq typing on my roommate's laptop dreaming of the time to go home.
At this time you may be saying to yourself "that is well good and all but he has forgotten my second question." And to that I must aplogize for I can be fairly long winded. The content that you will find posted on this blog will vary a great deal. From subjects such as "The greatest first round draft busts in Oakland Raiders history" to "The top 10 most badass actors in cinema" to "Why I love 4 Year Strong." To say that this will be a cornicopia of topics will be an understatement. I hope that you enjoy my blog and that you tell your friends.
Now that you have all this knowledge you are now ready to start perusing my blog. And for that I say hello, and good evening.
Anthony
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