Cynical Media Junkie

I need a day off.

2009-03-18T00:23:36Z

In my perfect world, it would be mid-April, and I'd be at SafeCo Field watching a day game against Oakland in the chilly sunshine. Freshly cut grass, bright yellow foul poles.

I’d get there early to watch batting practice, read a newspaper between bombs off the Hit It Here Café and follow the jet trails above the Space Needle. I'd have garlic fries, a few Mikes Lemonades and an Ivar Dog in the 7th, I'd listen to Dave Niehaus on my portable radio, I'd dance with the gruondskeepers, I'd root for the yellow boat.

I would consider life, universal truth, man's essential dilemma, the benefits of the DH and the absurdity of the Oxford comma. I would not think about work, church, my financial situation, my luck or my lot in life.

Ichiro would get four hits and two bags, Bedard would get 12 Ks and leave to an ovation in the 8th, there would be a Beltre/Lopez/Sweeny triple play, the game would end with a Griffey walk-off shot and the announcement that the New Orleans Hornets were moving to Seattle for the 2010 season.

I’d meet Erin for pizza with our friends after the game and we’d sneak bags of candy into a cheesy Sci-Fi movie in Woodinville. We’d listen to The Police on the radio and the babysitter would drive herself home.

After a day like that, I think I’d be able to come back here.

Career choices

2008-11-21T16:24:58Z

Pah!

2008-11-17T16:47:32Z

We can hope.

2008-11-13T16:55:02Z

True

2008-11-10T14:06:30Z

Baudboys @ Kirkland Performing Arts Center: October 18th

2008-10-07T21:06:49Z

Please forgive my blatant advertising.

Come see us at the KPC next Saturday, the 18th. Buy tickets here: http://www.kpcenter.org/cgi-bin/event.cgi?id=303 and use the code "Best of KPC" to get tickets 2-for-1.

The Economic Situation Explained

2008-09-30T18:05:32Z

Hank Green is a genius.

Random video of the day

2008-09-19T16:36:56Z

Beacause I don't want to talk about the Seahawks or my job.

Holy...?

2008-09-12T19:02:28Z

Part 2

2008-09-12T15:56:49Z

Behold the Ass-Kicking

2008-08-13T18:30:03Z

1. Go HERE
2. Forward to the 16:30 mark
3. Hit Play
4. Marvel at the beat-down.

Q: Phelps - Greatest Athlete Ever?
Discuss.

Also: MAJOR props to Benjamin Boukpeti for winning the first Olympic medal in the history of Togo.
What does this athlete from the tiny West-African country do so well? Why, white-water slalom kayaking, of course.

This is why I love the Olympics

2008-08-11T15:32:29Z

Everyone should take 5 minutes and watch this.

McBlah Family Idaho Vacation: Day 1

2008-08-01T03:50:28Z

So. DH was sick last night - evidently he ate something that didn't agree with him, so EK got to stay up late, helping him... um...get it out of his system. Several times. He was a trooper, though. I'm proud of him. Then I slept downstairs with him to make sure he was OK. He's fine now.

Woke up this morning early, but not as early as we originally planned, and drove to PShort and S0ckM0nk3y's place. (God bless them.) We're here now, eating their food, stealing their WIFI and settling in for the next few days. Then we'll switch to Donars' new house, then to Signetk's house so DH and DK can play with their cousins.

All is going very well so far. Drive was fine. Dinner was great (thanks, Deb) and we have already played quite a bit of Rock Band. Now, if only the kids would go to sleep!

Anyway: Party at PShort's house on Saturday night! I'm sure she'll post more info later, but Jon, Ruth, John, Lisa, Matt, Wendy, and everybody, it would be great if you could make it over.

My creativity fell asleep long ago. Think I'll follow it now.

Tornado Torshmado

2008-07-18T19:45:41Z

(Great.)

And lo, on the next-to-last day of his weeklong trip to Atlanta, our hero comes home from a long day herding cats and finds... the internet. Wow. No in-room connectivity for a week, and when I finally get connected, I have to run back to the convention center and make sure uber-confident millionares get on the correct bus routes.

Back to work...

I wonder if this will work?

2008-07-01T23:56:47Z

I'm such a geek.

2008-05-23T17:27:51Z

I bought a new car yesterday.

It's a 2008 Smart ForTwo. I pick it up tomorrow at 3pm.

So, my beautiful truck died. My dad bought it slightly used back in '88 or so, and it's been a part of the family for 20 years. It was this totally cool light blue Nissan pickup with tons of mileage and ... character. I traded the little '95 Camry I got from my uncle to my dad for the truck last year, and it got me through the winter, but last week it finally gave up the ghost. I'm no mechanic, but something about not being able to keep compression or somesuch. People thought it was either a gasket problem or a crack in the block or something.

So I needed a new car and didn't have a ton of money. I did a quick search for cars that got huge (40+) MPG and sold for less than $13,000 and this was the only car that fit the bill. I took a test drive, got on the waiting list, and was surprised by a call from the dealership saying that someone didn't want their Black ForTwo and would I like it? I jumped at the chance, put a deposit down on my credit card, and it'll be ready tomorrow.

And I'll have a tiny, earth-friendly, gas-sipping golf cart on steroids to commute in from now on. How cool is that?

Some videos:

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It's a geek cozy!

2008-05-12T18:01:20Z

This one's for EK.

thing of the day: a softer world

2008-05-06T21:54:30Z

Thoughtful. Odd. Brief.

I like it.

?

2008-05-05T23:56:59Z

Harmony Sweepstakes prep concert... with reporters!

2008-05-01T15:21:27Z

Check out the front page of the Business section in today's Seattle Times!

Microsoft's Baudboys singers scoring big with their gigs

By Benjamin J. Romano

Just for fun...

2008-04-29T18:51:48Z

With the NFL draft this past weekend, I was reminded of exactly how much I love football. (Is it August yet?) Anyway, I was poking around some college highlights and found the video below. I love plays like this. Can't watch it without smiling.

Random.

2008-04-24T15:19:14Z

S0ckM0nk3y is coming to town on Saturday for the NFL draft and a bunch of Rock Band. Don't forget your profile, dude!

Oh, and here's a video of a computer playing Guitar Hero.

Seahawks Schedule Out...

2008-04-15T22:26:39Z

Updates continue - now only 1 home game left available.

Preseason:
Aug. 8 at Minnesota                                                                      WIN!    34-17
Aug 16 Chicago Bears                                                                  WIN!    29-26
Aug 25 at San Diego                                                                      LOSS    17-18
Friday Aug 29 ~~Oakland Raiders~~ 7:00pm KING               --  Terry, Tommy, Jeffy

Regular Season:
Sunday Sep. 7 at Buffalo Bills 10:00 a.m. FOX
Sunday Sep. 14 ~~San Francisco 49ers~~ 1:05 p.m. FOX         --   Will A.
Sunday Sep. 21 ~~St. Louis Rams~~ 1:05 p.m. FOX                   --   GMAK
Sunday Sep. 28 BYE
Sunday Oct. 5 at N.Y. Giants 10:05 a.m. FOX
Sunday Oct. 12 ~~Green Bay Packers~~ 1:15 p.m. FOX             --   4String
Sunday Oct. 19 at Tampa Bay 5:15 p.m. NBC
Sunday Oct. 26 at San Francisco 1:15 p.m. FOX
Sunday Nov. 2 ~~Philadelphia Eagles~~ 1:15 p.m. FOX           --   Andy S.
Sunday Nov. 9 at Miami Dolphins 10:00 a.m. FOX
Sunday Nov. 16 ~~Arizona Cardinals~~ 1:05 p.m. FOX               --   Jim H.
Sunday Nov. 23 Washington 1:15 p.m. FOX
Thurs   Nov. 27 at Dallas Cowboys 1:15 p.m. FOX
Sunday Dec. 7 ~~New England~~ 5:15 p.m. NBC                       -- P. Mike
Sunday Dec. 14 at St. Louis Rams 10:00 a.m. FOX
Sunday Dec. 21 ~~N.Y. Jets~~ 1:05 p.m. CBS                               -- Doug G.
Sunday Dec. 28 at Arizona Cardinals 1:15 p.m. FOX

(~~Strikethrough~~ means the tickets are claimed)

Cool

2008-04-02T15:54:17Z

Stolen from jjustj

2008-04-01T05:17:52Z

EK is in the other room watching Emma or some such drivel, so I'm wasting time on the internet.

The Letter A:
Are you available?: I think I could fit you in between 10 and 10:30 on Thursday.
What is your age?: 35
What annoys you?: My L4 vertebra

The Letter B:
Do you live in a big house?: Biggest I've ever owned.
When is your birthday?: Two days before my anneversary
Who is your best friend?: Unsure. Haven't had one in a while.

The Letter C:
What's your favorite candy?: Planters dry roasted peanuts
Who's your crush?: Grace Kelly. (hubba hubba...)
When was the last time you cried?: I got an elbow in the eye playing basketball last week.

The Letter D:
Do you daydream?: Sure. In sterioscopic, technicolor 3-D.
What's your favorite kind of dog?: Ivar
What day of the week is it?: Monday night - I should be in bed.

The Letter E:
How do you like your eggs?: Scrambled w/ bacon and wheat toast
Have you ever been in the emergency room?: MANY times. Some even for myself.
What's the easiest thing ever to do?: Waste time on the internet

The Letter F:
Have you ever flown in a plane?: Before I ever rode in a car. (Ask AV8)
Do you use fly swatters?: Um. No. I use rain.
Have you ever used a foghorn?: I've used a horn in the fog - does that count?

The Letter G:
Do you chew gum?: Not really.
Are you a giver or a taker?: Compulsive Giver.
Do you like gummy candies?: Sure, but I don't crave them or anything.

The Letter H:
How are you?: I need an aspirin (See C3)
What color is your hair?: Thin

The Letter I:
What's your favorite ice cream?: Peanut butter and chocolate (shake)
Have you ever ice skated?: Yep. Wasn't good at it, though.
Do you play an instrument?: Many. Was a music major in college for a while.

The Letter J:
What's your favorite jelly bean brand?: Sunkist?
Do you wear jewelry?: 1 Ring to rule him all...

The Letter K:
Who do you want to kill?: That seems a little harsh. I wouldn't mind slashing John Elway's tires, though...
Do you want kids?: Only my own, and NO MORE.
Where did you go for kindergarten?: A presbyterian church in Sitka, Alaska.

The Letter L:
Are you laid back?: Sure. Unless I'm working or trying to sleep.
Do you lie?: I could have been a professional liar.

The Letter M:
Whats your favorite movie?: Shawshank Redemption
Do you still watch Disney movies?: With my kids.
Do you like mangos?: Can I have a banahhna?

The Letter N:
Do you have a nickname?: Used to. Now most people just call me Dave. Or dude.
What is your real name?: David (Dave) John McBlah
Whats your favorite number?: 25
Do you prefer night over day?: I watch more TV at night...

The Letter O:
What's your one wish?: To live a life of integrity and honor, which then leads God to reward me with a winning powerball ticket.
Are you an only child?: HELL no.

The Letter P:
What one fear are you most paranoid about?: My kids and traffic. That or bees.
What are your pet peeves?: People who assume that they know what's best for me.
What's a personality trait you look for in people?: Humor.

The Letter Q:
What's your favorite quote?: "When a problem comes along, you must whip it. Whip it good."
Are you quick to judge people?: Unfortunately, yeah.

The Letter R:
Do you think you're always right?: No.
Are you one to cry?: Yes.

The Letter S:
Do you prefer sun or rain?: I have found a world where both can exist - with Hail AND fog - and I love it.
Do you like snow?: More than sun OR rain.
What's your favorite season?: Football.

The Letter T:
What time is it?: 10:14pm
What time did you wake up?: 6:30ish
When was the last time you slept in a tent?: Family Camp two years ago.

The Letter U:
Are you wearing underwear?: I think so. (checks) Yeah.
Underwear or boxers?: Boxers ARE underwear, aren't they?

The Letter V:
What's the worst veggie?: Spinach
Where do you want to go on vacation?: Sydney

The Letter W
What's your worst habit?: Wasting time.
Where do you live?: Seattle's East Side
What's your worst fear?: People will find out who I really am.

The Letter X:
Have you ever had an x-ray?: Probably 30 or so.
Have you seen the x-games?: Yep - My son loves the skateboarding.
Do you own a xylophone?: That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?
Are you a xenophobe? Now you're just being silly.

The Letter Y:
Do you like the color yellow?: Actually, yeah. I'm mostly colorblind, and whenever I play board games, I want to be yellow. If I'm blue, green, red, brown, orange or any other color I tend to move other people's pieces.
What's one thing you yearn for?: Financial security

The Letter Z:
Whats your zodiac sign?: Saggitarius
Do you believe in the zodiac?: There's no better inflatable beachcraft.
Favorite zoo animal?: I really dug the elephants at the San Diego zoo last fall.