Utter Crap!

Canadian Rock and Roll Legends Rush get the Shaft once again for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/8877914/blacksabbath?pageid=rs.Home&pageregion=single1

Lions Coach Steve Mariucci rumored to get the ax soon

Steve Mariucci?!?!?! Holy Crap when the hell is it (Lion's Team President) Matt Millen's turn to get the ax? How many years has he had to build a winner. He's drafted great players but has failed consistently to put quality people in the franchise to build the winner.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, there's nothing like the sure fire signs that Thanksgiving is here. Things like turkey, Football, pumpkin pie and food coma. After moving to San Diego there was one thing that was missing for me that's been a part of every Thanksgiving since I was a kid. I wasn't sure if I would be able hear it on the Radio Stations down here but the moment I turned on my Sirius Sattelite Radio the song was playing repeatedly on two stations for the entire 24 hours that encompasses Thanksgiving. Needless to say, I've found another reason why I really fucking love Sattelite radio.

What's the Song you ask?!?!?

Alice's Restaraunt Massacree by Arlo Guthrie....all thirty minutes of it. I've you've never heard it I would suggest listening to it. Absolutely hilarious!

http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/alices.shtml

Gotta go! The Vancouver Canucks are playing at home tonight and I've got to find a place to either listen to or watch it.

Quick thoughts.

I don't know why but for some reason or another I keep thinking about two rules of business that I've learned over the past ten or so years. This applies to what I've learned in my life experiences as well.

1) Don't assume anything. This is the first thing I learned in the business world.
2) He who talks the most shit about another person behind that person's back is 99.9% of the time the actual guilty party.

That is all....

Snowboarding in the Sun

Well, I'm listening to Redman rap about rushing the security on Sirius satellite 28 (Faction) working on getting some start up businesses up and running. I just finished up a logo for an online charity that I'm doing some work on. I'm about to fire up the Day of Defeat (a Half-Life WWII modification...an on-line computer game for those of you who don't know what that is) while thinking up a mission statement for my web design start-up I am the CEO of. I do better thinking when I play on-line games for some reason or another.

Anyways, I went to check out the Beanies and Bikinis exhibition today and it ended up being a snowboarding contest in 85 degree heat (it was 95 degrees at about 10:30 am today). The contest wasn't anything special as all people were doing was trying to ride some rails on a man made snowboard mountain (dubbed Mount Slushie) for a ten thousand dollar first prize. However, there was LOTS of free stuff like energy drinks, can coolers, posters, shirts, stickers, etc. I didn't stay too long as the snowboarding contestants didn't do too many risky tricks and got boring real quickly.

I'm not going to be able to make it up to the Ducks game tomorrow as I still am not able to get the cash flow going at all. Oh well. They'll be back in a few months. I'll see the 'nucks then.

HEEEEESSSS BAAAACK!!!

Note: This is the sports article I submitted to one of my editors. I have just been offered a job to cover San Diego Gulls games (Local Pro Hockey Team) on a periodic basis. I’m definitely gonna to take the job!

========================================





For those of you in the Hockey world who missed the battle between the two best teams in the NHL face off in Vancouver, British Columbia, you missed an amazing game! Todd Bertuzzi and Dan Cloutier, the target of Vancouver Area armchair General Managers for most of this new season, put on All-Star performances to shut down the Detroit Red Wings (The team with the best Record in the NHL) 4-1. Todd Bertuzzi put on a scoring clinic with his fourth career Hat Trick mowing down the Detroit Defense like a bull in a china shop. Then again, it was not that difficult to score on the aging sloppy Red Wings defense that left Red Wings Goaltender Manny Legace hung out to dry for the entire game.



Watching this game was like watching the (Michael Jordan-Era) Chicago Bulls relentlessly opening a proverbial can of whoop ass on a group of Senior Citizens. The Canucks swarmed the Red Wings with skill, speed, and the desire to win from the opening faceoff. Now for some reason or another the Canucks haven’t played up to this potential before last night’s game as the entire team just never all clicked together.

The Detroit Red Wings on the other hand, came into last night’s game with the best record in the NHL. However, what the Wings record fails to mention or reflect is that the Wings have been beating up on the really horrible teams in their own division for most of this new season. Of the five teams in the Central Division, three of the five teams in the division do not even come close to a .500 record this season. All of the Wings losses so far have come from teams outside their division. Tonight’s outcome was definitely solid proof that the Detroit Red Wings are as overrated as Ashlee Simpson’s career. Next up for the Red Wings are the red-hot Calgary Flames (in Calgary) on Wednesday night. Mark my words the Wings are going to transform from an NHL team with the best record to a team of amateurs when they roll into Cow-Gary (Calgary). Calgary is currently on a Seven Game win streak (at the time of this writing) and has this ability to make every team play down to the sloppy, defensive hockey style that they are racking up wins with.



Next up for the Canucks is a three game Road Trip to California Starting with San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night.



Post Game Articles:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=143043&hubname=

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/shownews.jsp?content=h111404A

http://www.canada.com/sports/story.html?id=733da8a5-f077-42f8-8991-ee006f95dc21

What's on the horizon?

I'm in a San Diego bar (with wireless!!!) chilling drinking a 'Black and Tan' and deducing that the reason why I'm so tired is because of the energy (mentally and physically) I expended playing my guitar at last night's Stones concert. My left hand was in so much pain this morning because I haven't played this much in a VERY long time.

Well, this is what I've got going on so far since my move to the big SD.

1) Working as the Chief Technology Officer of a San Diego company

2) Starting a band

3) Looking to get a job at a San Diego Online Web Site as a Hockey/Sports reporter. I've been given the task by my editor to report on Sunday's Vancouver Canucks/Detroit Red Wings game. However, I'm not going to do the regular drab post-game writeup, I'm going to give it my own voice and go from there. I'll post the final product after I send it off to my editor.

4) Trying to land a part-time paying job.

5) Exploring San Diego and reporting on it to this blog.

It's a bit much at the moment but I'm trying to keep myself active and prevent the boredom from setting in.

Anyoo, gotta go. There's a bunch of cuties at this bar that I've got to meet.

**EDIT**

6) I just got another possible writing gig as a movie reviewer for a popular blog. More details to come.

The Stones @ Petco - 1st Concert at Petco

Well, I'm sitting in a SD cafe listening to the "Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Channel" on Sirius Satellite Radio (Candy's Room is playing right now). This is a channel that started to commerate the 30th Anniversary of the release 'Born to Run'.

Anyhoo, Friday night marked the Rolling Stones playing the first ever concert in Petco Park. Now I didn't have a ticket nor could I afford the astronomical sum they're asking for good seats for the show ($400 face value). I also needed to practice my guitar so I figured why not combine the two. I took the trolley with my acoustic guitar to the show and see if I could not only get some good practice in but make a few bucks on the side.

I didn't have anything prepared for the show. In retrospect, I should have had a few songs and some Stones songs prepared but I just wanted to check it out. I got to the show during opening act 'Toot's and the Mytals' set and setup shop. I made some quick cash and went to get a Subway Tuna sandwich at the Subway across the street from Petco. Once the show began I wandered around the stadium looking for a good place to watch the show. I saw one place where lots of people were sneaking into the show. I would have gone but I didn't want to lug my guitar around in the show.

I finally found a great place to listen to the show got out my guitar and began jamming to the Stones. By the time the show got out I set up shop in a prime location and started playing. I ended up making about ten dollars on the night. Not bad for not having anything preparing a thing. I made some good contacts in the music scene while I was there and ran into some friends that I have met since I've been here.

Anyhoo, I was up till 3 AM and I'm REALLY dragging right now so I'm not sure what I'm going to do tonight. Probably rest.

Photos from the Show:

http://photos.signonsandiego.com/gallery1.5/rollingstones2005/mick_disco3

The Setlist:

Start Me Up
You Got Me Rocking
She's So Cold
Tumblin' Dice
Oh No, Not You Again
Won't Take Long
As Tears Go By
Midnight Rambler
Rocks Off
Night Time is the Right Time
Slipping Away
Infamy
Miss You
Rough Justice
Get Off My Cloud
Honky Tonk Woman
Sympathy
Brown Sugar
JJ Flash

Can't Always Get
Satisfaction

Skateboards and Bikinis!

Well, I found something to do next week:

The San Diego Beanies and Bikinis on November 19, 2006. During the day is a free exhibition of skateboarding and snowboarding followed by a $10K best skateboard trick Contest.

Once that's over, there's a Video Premier, a 'Best Bikini Body Contest', and a live performance featuring U-God of the Wu Tang Clan. ($10 Cover for the events at night).

Gonna start a band.

One of the other reasons why I came to the big SD was to start a band. I play the guitar (quite well I might add) and wanted to get this creative outlet going for me again as it's been quite a while since I've been in a band (working for the Biggest Software company in the world tends to eat into the band time). I've placed ads in some of the area's magazines and I'll see what the talent in this area is like.


Ok, I'll be honest, the other reason I'm starting a band is that it's alot easier to meet women when you're in a band. As I've said to a family member before I'm getting into 'Rock Star Shape' and my goal is to get to where I was when I was last in a band. Having three dates on a Weekend with three different women.


Stay tuned...

Road Trip! Well, kind of....

I'm in the process of planning a road trip to Anaheim to see the NHL Vancouver Canucks play the Mighty Ducks on a Sunday Afternoon (a couple of weeks from now) at the Duck Pond. There will be more details on this as the game date approaches. I was going to head to see the Canucks play the Kings at the Staples Center but logistically it won't be possible for me.


Stay Tuned....

Experiment in progress!

I'm in the process of running an experiement as part of this project but I'm not going to write about it until I have results to post. It's based on a magazine article I read in Esquire Magazine and I'm looking to see if the techniques noted in the article can be applied in my life.

Stay tuned....

The Stones are in Town!

Well, not the band but they have been building the stage for their show at Petco Park for over a week now. Now from what I've read at the start of their tour it takes approximately 18 straight hours to build the stage. However, since hotels and condos are literally jammed next to Petco Park, the stage can only be built during the day. It's pretty friggin massive. They have empty trucks parked all the way at Qualcomm Stadium and have crap strewn all over the Outside Petco parking lots and in the Streets.

Update on what the Fuck I've been up to - Diary - Nov 4 2005 9:30 PM

I haven't updated my blog for some time as my PC has been in the shop. One month for a swap out of a lousy AC Adapter.

I've been in San Diego for over a month and a half now and I'm just about out of money BUT I have just started a new job as the Chief Technology Officer of a San Diego area Company. This is my second job in San Diego as my first one lasted about a week and a half. Long story short it wasn't a good fit as this company is REALLY lax when it comes to their IT. I'm not going to mention the neither company nor am I going to mention how bad things are there but I'll just say I've never seen a sloppier IT environment than I did at this job.

Anyways, I moved from Seattle to San Diego because I was bored with Seattle in a social sense. The work in Seattle was great but the social life in Seattle is beyond lame. Seattle, without a doubt, is the worst City in the Nation to be single in. Seattle women are pretentious and lame; they for the most part are very closed and not very outgoing at all. Here's the kicker, they continuously bitch about why they can't get laid or find a good man. Dunces deserve to be single.

Ok so I wanted a new challenge as I was REALLY bored in Seattle so I decided to pick up and move to San Diego with very little money in my pocket and the desire to build a new career literally from the ground up. That's how much of a challenge I needed in my life. I was EXTREMELY bored in my life.

I took my time getting down to San Diego spending a day at my Dad's place in Oregon and two days at the Gay Bay (San Francisco Area). I stayed an extra day in San Jose to see an NHL game at the HP Pavilion (Shark Tank) to see the San Jose Sharks play the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in an exhibition game. I mainly wanted to see this game to watch San Jose Shark Patrick Marleau play, in person, in an NHL game. Patrick Marleau was a first round draft pick who played his Junior Hockey with the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds. He definitely is coming into his own this season and played extremely well in this exhibition game.

Anyways, I spent a day in LA and made it to San Diego. Ever since I've been working to get my career and dream (playing music in a band) going. I should mention I've been living in my car on and off. For some reason or another people in San Diego don't look too kindly on someone living in their car regardless of their resume. If I had the chance I'd point them in the direction of some of the most successful businessmen and leaders that started out working out of their cars, I would. (People like The founder of Nike, The founder of 'Body Armor' sportswear, and the guy who writes the 'Rich Dad/Poor Dad' books).

Frankly, if people are that superficial about whether or not I live out of my car then, in my opinion, the opportunity was not meant to be. Also, it also tells me that some companies aren't really caring about the quality of people they hire or aren't risk takers. It doesn't bother me. I'm focused on my goals and desire to be the best of the best. Besides, experiences like this are character builders.

I would recommend experiences like this for anyone who needs to build their character. It doesn't have to be something as drastic as the steps I'm taking. You could do something as simple as going on a mountain bike ride without a cell phone, GPS, bike tools, or even your wallet/keys to your car. Just find something you can do to allow your animal/survival experiences to kick in instead of relying on technology or other crutches.

Anyways, I'm sitting here with a few cents in my pocket, diddly shit for gas in my car and waiting until Monday to get a check for the Funds I withdrew from my Mutual Funds. Some people would think I'm crazy doing what I'm doing or feel sorry for me. Please don't. To me, this is fun and part of what I signed up for when I needed a new challenge in my life. Besides, some of the really cool experiences I've been through the past few months, I would have never experienced if I didn't challenge myself this way.

Well, gotta go and make something happen! Damn this is fun!

Vegas Vacation Concluded

Well I'm currently kicking back in the big SD wearing shorts, flip-flops chilling in the warm evening breeze listening to Sirius Channel 12 (Supper shuffle). I'm going to sum up the rest of my trip pretty quickly but elaborate on some of the cooler stories.

I basically got back to my room and chilled for a bit went out to the Ceasers Palace Forum Shops and discovered the Playboy Store. This is a store that has every bit of Playboy related clothing, books, etc found in the back of the magazines. Anyways, I bought a shirt I've been wanting to buy for about a year or so. It's a Black T-shirt with the playboy Bunny logo in yellow. Over the logo were the words "I read the articles". I got it because it's a great summation of my attitude and sense of humor. I also picked up a 'Playboy After Dark' Jazz compilation that is some of the greatest Jazz artists in the world. If there's one thing that Hefner is REALLY good at, other than women, is Jazz music. If you get a chance to purchase this CD, GET IT! It's well worth the money.

Anyways, I left the Playboy Store and went back to my room to soak my feet. Of course, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville was on the way back to my hotel so two more Margarita's were purchased.

Next up! Velvet Revolver!!! When I got to the arena, I found out that Chevelle was opening as well. Friggin sweet! I always have wanted to see them in concert.


I haven't been able to find Chevelle's setlist as of yet. If I can find it I'll post it

Here's the setlist for the Velvet Revolver show.

Sucker Train Blues
Do it For The Kids
Headspace
Superhuman
Dead and Bloated (Stone Temple Pilots)
Illegal I Song
Fall To Pieces
Dirty Little Thing
Big Machine
It's So Easy (Guns 'n Roses)
Sex Type Thing (Stone Temple Pilots)
Set Me Free
Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd cover)
You Got No Right
Mr. Brownstone (Guns 'n Roses)
Slither


Check out the Comments on the show.

http://www.belowempty.com/vr/concerts/2005/050820_LasVegasNV.php

Well, I got out of the show around 11:30PM and I was no where near ready to slow down so I headed to the Palms for a bit and then ended up at Ceasers Palace.

I'll tell you one thing about Las Vegas, unless you're really an idiot its soooooo easy to get laid in Vegas. The only question to ask yourself is do you want to pay for it or not. I personally have never paid for sex but I came close a few times during my weekend. I mean I invested almost $5K into this trip (worth every single fucking penny) and had more than enough to buy plenty of hookers. I may be hard up (hey, I'm a guy...sue me) but I'm not desperate.

Well, my good karma seemed to kick in again as I ended up at Ceasers Palace around 1:30am and stood in line to get into Club Pure. Club Pure is without a doubt the best Club in Vegas. Even the Travel Channel and E! Television say it's #1. Anyways, there was a two hour wait to get into the Club OR I could have given a $250 'tribute' to the Doorman. (I found out later that one of the main reasons why there was a two hour wait was that Shaquille O'Neil was in the Club that night following the Ultimate Fighting Championships that weekend.) Well, I decided to stay in Line and ended up befriending about 15 people and we chatted, bullshitted, showed each other what color underwear we were wearing (Hey, this is Vegas!). Needless to say, by the time we got to the front of the line we were all chummy with each other and we all hung out, danced and drank with one another. In side the club is amazing there's a Dedicated Pussycat Dolls secion to the club but the rest of the club is all white and Neon Blue. The Club has two floors the downstairs is indoors and has hip-hop going on. The upstairs was all outdoors and had Techno/House pumping through it's speakers.

Anyways, I spent the evening with the new friends I made and we ended up partying all night long. To quote Forrest Gump "That's all I have to say about that".

That ended up my Saturday. Sunday I spent wandering around Vegas had a 'Special' Banana Cream Pie (Yes I knew about that) at Emeril's restaraunt at the MGM Grand and then went to go see a Cirque de Sole Show called 'Zumanity'. Let's just say that this particular version of Cirque de Sole is about Sex and that there's a reason why it's only in Vegas. Just like any Cirque de Sole you will indeed witness acrobatic excellence but with a twist. I went to the Palms again partied more after that and then went to bed. That was the 'Reader's Digest Condensed version of my Sunday.