Heart Rant

Something that's definitely on my mind and the minds of many single American males is the opposite sex. Now I could write a post about ladies in general, but that would be very generic, rather I would like to talk about a situation I've found myself in.

As Lips Like Asukal (LLA) readers may know, I've sort of developed a thing for one of the co-workers in my job. And whoa I did not expect this to happen. I have very very very little experience in dating and women in general, so I've been single for a very long time. Although I've obsessed over one specific girl since 8th grade, I was never confident and assertive enough to make anything happen. Even through college, I never approached any girl that I found attractive.

It's one thing to see someone across a lecture hall and find her cute, but it's another thing to actually become transfixed by someone you see on a daily basis (albeit professionally). It's sad, but I was just fine with being single up until two or three months ago. I mean, I've been single all my life and I was getting used to it. My philosophy was, "I'm fine with being single as long as I don't meet someone that I become attracted to like that girl in 8th grade". Doesn't it make sense? If you go through your daily routine and never meet someone you fall for, (not cute, because you can always find someone you think is cute), it wouldn't bother you. I mean, you can't want someone you've never met.

But then, all of a sudden my plan, as do all my screwed-up plans, goes to the shitter: I meet someone in my job. (Dammit!!!)

It wasn't all of a sudden. My feelings for her gradually grew as I talked to her. I don't have to describe her, maybe because I don't know her as well as I want to, but more because how she is is not the point. Attraction is attraction and cannot be reasoned. I don't know how she feels, but I damn sure know how I feel.

Now obviously, I don't have what people like to call "game". If I do, it's a really bad one. So in order to make up for this lack of game, I have sought the advice of every single person outside of my family. That, unfortunately, included co-workers. I have only told one co-worker, but she's sort of my friend, the rest of the co-workers only have an inkling that I like someone and want advice.

Bad Move. I would have to say 80 percent of the advice is crap and the only thing I've gotten out of my co-workers is playful ridicule. It's fine with me, but I would rather have only a select few people know. Anyway the 20 percent that does make sense I sort of half knew:

• Take some time to become friends with her first.
• Do Not ask her out right away!
  
• Be Yourself*

The first two rules are brand new. I did not know you should take your time and not ask the girl out right away. No problem for me, I work so slow, the girl in 8th grade probablly still has no idea I like her. (joke). So it's going to take some time, but hopefully I can become friends with her. But how am I going to accomplish that? Well that brings me to rule number 3.

So I knew about the "be yourself" all along, but I was too busy trying to be someone else to remember that I'm most comfortable being who I am. She might be just a friendly person, but she laughed at my jokes and we had good conversations when I was being myself. I don't know why I felt or still feel like I need to change something about who I am. All I need is the confidence to be myself and focus on becoming her friend first. THEN SWOOP IN FOR THE KILL. That's a joke. I'm not going to kill her. I do want to kiss her though.

Most important of all, I need to continue to build up my new (still growing) philosophy: "It's better that you go after what you want and not succeed, than regretting later on because you're not sure of what might happen." It's not very eloquently put, but in essence, I just need to go for it. And by it, I mean build up the friendship and then wait for the right time to gradually spend time outside of work and happy hour, then ask her out.

If I'm reading this all wrong, the worst that can happen is that she rejects me for me and I remain single. Well, not much of a difference in my life so that's nothing new. Although it might be awkward in work. But, like I told my other co-worker who's a guy, "I have to go for it and see what happens".

Why do I feel like I might just revert to my old self and not even try to befriend her and then go for it? :(

Stunted

It hit me today: I'm still the same shy and naive boy. Here, I thought I was growing up. I was socializing with people, having decent times, having the casual drinks, working a job. I should've known I couldn't just put on a face and pretend that four years of high school, four years of college never happened. I wanted to pretend that that was all just a bump in the road to being an acceptable human in the eyes of anyone and everyone. Well, that was all shot down in the blink of an eye after work in an innocent conversation with my peers.

But first, let me build up the situation. If you know me in anyway, the "real" me, then you already know that I'm not the most experienced person in the world. I've never gone clubbing, never partied, and I only had my first drink this summer. It never really bothered me until I got out of college and into the real world. I have had to adapt, and I guess that's the bad part. I want so much to do "normal" things and experience life with people. I want to laugh and have fun.

Well, I thought I was headed on that path these past few weeks or months. In my job, which is how I have most of my human interaction outside of my family, I've developed friendly relationships with many of the new teachers ( by the way, I'm a teacher). I actually was comfortable around these individuals and was able to joke around and carry conversations. You might think that that's a trivial accomplishment. However, I have always struggled with small talk and socializing. I consider the fact that the new teachers and I are on a level where we can kid with each other, a monumental feat. See, just to carry a conversation and laugh and make people laugh and not even have to think about what to say next is a dream to me. Sure, I may have done this before I hit puberty, but afterwards, not so much.

In these past few weeks, I loved how I could talk about anything, joke around, have friendly banter, and even exchange phone numbers for purposes outside of the workspace. I can enjoy happy hour with these teachers and feel human and personal. It's sad that I see myself in this light. It's sad that I need to be a little tipsy to be more open. But, that feeling is so lacking in my life, that having it made me realize the stark contrast of how I've been living my life before these experiences. Humans are social animals.

Then, today a conversation developed that I could not partake in. It was after school, the end of the work day, but three other new teachers (two girls and one guy) and I were working on lesson plans. Now, I told you how friendly all the teachers are, so if you picture any jovial situation with conversation topics all abound, that is what the meeting looked like. We were working, but we also were socializing. What could possibly wake me up from dream-like past couple of weeks? I could be reminded of my inexperince in life, and I truly and deeply emphasize and quote a special type of "inexperience".

The topic was abortions, but the "inexperience" comes from what physical activity leads to babies. Before that topic came up, we were all taking turns making jokes as we figured out what homework to give for tomorrow's lesson. A joke here, a joke there. A laugh here, a friendly roll of one's eyes there. An okay time. But what could I say when that "topic" comes up in which I have a profound "inexperience" with? Could I fake it? No. That would spell the worst disaster and I was at least smart enough not to fake it. So, if I couldn't fake it, then the only thing I could do was keep quiet. Oh, God. That was almost as worse as faking.

Just the way I was frozen staring at my work. "What could've happened to Blurr that made him so quiet", my colleagues must have been thinking. Just seconds ago, I was joking about how disorganized they were as teachers and visa versa. Now I'm quiet when this topic comes up? Each of them had some imput, some opinion about abortion, that was directly related to "experiences" that I was so "inexperienced" with. Oh, I felt my quietness. I was petrified of them asking me for my two-cents, and at the same time, like a little boy who realizes what boys and girls do for the first time, I was shocked that I was in the presence of people who have had that "experience" and were talking about it so openly. Talking as if it was something that everyone goes through.

"If you're a mature adult, you obviously have had the "experience", so it's okay for us to talk about it in front of ourselves."

So, I just listened along, trying as hard not to show my heart bouncing out of my sweater. I was hoping that the conversation would pass me by like the many conversations that I didn't have when I was college. Please pass me by without my input. I'm not going to pretend, but that doesn't mean I'm going to tell you I'm an "inexperienced" boy.

Luckily, somewhere in the conversation, I had gotten up and grabbed my jacket, in preparation to leave. Then the one guy colleague switches the conversation to marijuana. Now, that I can take. I don't have to be ashamed or apologize for not getting high. It's no big deal for me. Humans are not born to smoke weed. It's not encrypted in their genes. Procreation, however, is. Those 10 minutes of three people talking with the unusual silence from me was excruciating in my part. It has affected me so much that I had to make this entry in "Lips Like Asukal".

They definitely noticed my not talking during the conversation. Or, maybe it just passed them by. I think I'm more afraid, that if they didn't pick it up, another situation may arise where I may have to share my "inexperience". And, this could've been the perfect place to own up to my "inexperience". I'm still young, out of college, and I know I'm straight-laced. I need to be myself and let the chips fall where it may. But damn have they fallen back onto the same place where I was when I was in college. I'm so worried how I will be perceived in my peer's eyes. I felt like we could be friends, but something like this may put a damper on my human appearance.

I know it has changed, for the moment, my view of these three people. Sure, in the back of my head I may have knew that these folks are adults and should be experienced like "normal" people, but I am always naive. I still think there are "innocent" people out there. And I was developing a thing for one of the girls at the meeting. That was slowly happening in the past weeks of working together. But just hearing this conversation, and how all of them were experienced, has changed my view of them. I thought they could possibly accept me, but now I'm scared that if they ever find out, they might look at me differently. What little chance I may have had with this girl might have gone down the drain today.

Boy, did I walk out that school with my jacket feeling absolutely different. Because I am different. I need to accept that, and live with it. No. Be proud, happy, and content. I was happy in the presence of these people before this faux-revelation, so nothing should have change. They may not even know of my "inexperience", and even if they did, who cares. I'm not going to apologize for being who I am. If it affects any potential relationships negatively, then so be it.

I hope it doesn't. After all, I'm still human.

Bar Experiment

Recently, because of my new career as a teacher, I have found myself in social situations that most people find themselves in when they are younger. But for me, any social situation is a new one. Anyone who knows me for 15 minutes can see that, but I have found a way to "fool" others to think otherwise. I've put myself in these situations and managed to stay afloat, and dare I say, swim.

Yesterday, a bunch of the teachers and I went out for our customary Friday happy hour. It's probablly not so much customary, as it is an occupational requirement. (We teachers need to vent, people, and this is how we unwind from the verbal, emotional, and sometimes, physical abuse of teaching.) I am a 21 year-old boy, err, I mean man and I have only started "drinking" this summer. It's a casual thing and I'm only doing this because not doing this in college has brought me no where, except to drinking in a bar with teachers. So yesterday was not my first time drinking in a bar. It must've been my 5th or 6th. You see that? I've already lost track of my alcoholic escapades. What has motivated me to do something so opposite of my character? Well I would say peer pressure, but I'm not in high school anymore, nor am I in college; so I would say that it was the social need that humans require at least once every 8 years of their life. So the time seemed right. Plus, I get along with my colleagues just fine (so far...until I screw this up like every other social relationship. I'm just glad one month has gone by and things are just okay.)

I walk into the bar first, with two other first year teachers that I came with right behind me. We were a little late to happy hour. Of course, I walked towards the long table of teachers already there with all the confidence of a 7th grader who has just recently discovered that he likes girls. The teachers yell out "Reyes!" or at least one of them does and I sort of tilt by head up to acknowledge them instead of acknowledging the floor which I was doing. God, I wished the two teacher I came in with had walked in first. So I sort of do the "Hey, what's up" thing to the general table, which probablly only the floor heard, because I was again acknowledging the floor. I get a really bad seat at the end of the table because the two teachers who came with me sat at the last socially inviting seats. How ironic? The the three table long table had been pushed just far enough from my bench so that I would have to physically lean in if I wanted to partake in the merriment. So now I would have to make the conscious decision of "Hey, I would like to converse with you fellow humans. I am going to lean over to let you know that I am ready for a two way conversation. I have no excuse not to participate correctly because I am leanining in and should hear you!"

The waiter comes over and asks what will I be drinking and I have a 2.5 second delay and signal with both of my hands that I will be having what that man is having in front of me. "A corona?", he asks. Dammit, blurr, can't you see that the man was drinking a beer with it's frickin' lable showing "corona". You could've just said to the waiter, "I'll have a corona." This is the first clue that I clumsilty drop to the teachers at the end the table that I may not be so human after all. It's okay, blurr, you can survive this, just as long as you don't think of socializing as a life and death situation, and never refer to it as surviving.

And wouldn't you know it, I fared pretty well in the bar. No, I had fun. It was a great time to relax and talk about our experiences of the week. Better than that, we talked about each other to some personally degree. Of course, I didn't divulge much about my inner workings. One thing I found out was that I made people laugh by the way I said I live in Westchester and then defensively added that I lived with my parents. The first time a couple of them laughed, I wondered if they were laughing that I lived at home still, but I tested it out (I just wanted them to laugh again). So one of the assistant principles signals to a teacher "Hey, ask Reyes where he's from." The teacher asked. Then I said "Well, I live in Westchester", the I used my comedic timing to wait 2.5 seconds and then exclaim "withmyparents!" I said the second part with an exaggerated look to show that I was doing it on purpose. Some teachers still laughed! (Yes!) Anyway, I used that technique the rest of the night. And yes, it will get old because everyone will know where I'm from, but at least for that moment I was enjoying my time.

Good times. Other things happened, but I wasn't drunk enough to forget it. I'm just not going to make this post any longer. Of course I must've enjoyed happy hour more than the other teachers because most of everyone had other social events to go to. But who cares, I'm not an alcoholic and I had fun.

First Reaction: Damn. Second: Daayum!!!

First of all, sorry for not keeping up to date, but I promise you that this post will be a good one-- or a really shiny turd.

<---- glow? check! smile?double check! Me? missing!
Have you seen her new video for her upcoming album? Daayum!!! I'll give you a hint: she's really popular with the Desi peeps (I guess because she sorta looks like them?). Give up? It's Nelly Furtado. Don't tell me you've forgotten? Have I not spoken about her on Lips Like Asukal, a blog about cool things and fine ladies? Anyway, man is she glowing. It's probably her hair, because I'm so used to seeing it tied up short or whatever the term. But it's working. It's also probably because it's not loose and straight, but a little curly. (I dunno, this sounds pretty gay that I'm talking about Nelly Furtado's hair.) I was way into her before I started noticing her looks. You wouldn't think she is a mother with her figure. Check her new "Promiscuous Girl" video for some proof!


She's sexin' it up a little, err, a lot. Initially, I was shocked and I felt like she sold out, especially since her music is starting to become more hip-hoppy. Couldn't she have chosen one over the other: either sell your body or your hippity hoppy music? I was starting to miss her
I'm-like-a-bird-ethnic-Portuguese-dancy-soulful-sultry-but-not-slutty music. But then, I backed up a little. She's always made music that had a little bounce. This is a different bounce than the type found in regular ol' pop/hip-hop music: it's not forceful. On many of Nelly Furtado's tracks that have bounce, you want to dance because her voice makes you move, not necessarilly because of the beat. Plus you have to listen to all her songs to see that she's not a one-trick pony (inside joke!!!). I like the songs that tell a sad story, again, because she's so expressive with her voice.
<---You really need to check out the "Maneater" video
In regards to her becoming more sexy, she's always been sexy but to varying degrees. It's just that now she can flaunt it, because she's a mother who looks friggin' awesome. Wait, she looks awesome period. Do I wish she'd tone it down a little more? Yes, only because she'd just gain more fans for the wrong reasons: her looks. I'd have to explain to people, who think I like Nelly Furtado because of her looks, that it was her music first. Her music makes her more attractive.

But dammit if she doesn't look drop-dead amazing. Second proof!!! Check out her international video for "Maneater". Towards the end she's just wearing a wife-beater and she pulls it up to display her stomach. I've never noticed a girl's abdominal region before, but for some reason this did something to me. Oh yeah, the track is good too. Duh, because it's all about the music ;o)
Fine, Ms. Furtado, I get the point: you look awesome. Now flash me some new music! AND NO MORE JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE COLLABO'S PLEASE!!!

Damn you, Bucky.

Just finished watching Lisa Tucker get voted of American Idol 5. It's not a total shock to me. Though Lisa was, and still is, one of my favorites on the show, I saw this train coming a mile away. She's been in the bottom three for the past two weeks, not including this week. It was probablly her song choices that did her in. No one can say that she can't sing, because she can-- just look at her audition and when she sings Whitney songs. Maybe she's too young to pull off the older songs she's chosen, but the Kelly Clarkson song she chose last night might've been too new and, more importantly, she might've taken that song too seriously. I guess people wanted her to do something that made her stick out from the dumb blondes on the show. She might've been too nice, but dammit if I like nice people. You shouldn't have to have an edge, or be a whore to be in a good singer. She's a great singer, and at 16, she will mature and eventually harness that not-so-raw talent. I can't wait to see what she does in the future.

Other's, on the other hand, have survived being voted off inexplicablly. What the @#$%! Bucky?!?! I can't even understand anything he says, and it's not even just the accent. It's like there's a trailer rat in his mouth holding his tongue and making him swallow and stutter all his words. He's a mediocre singer at best. I predicted him to be out tonight, though I kinda knew Lisa was on the ropes. It doesn't even look like he'll be out soon either. Next week is country music week.

I am angry. But I wish Lisa the best.

The Top Two things in the World Right Now

Youtube is an amazing thing. You can find a butt-load of crap about anything in it. So, I was doing some video surfing (or what I like to call- vurfing) and I was watching some anime music videos. By chance, I saw plenty of Kingdom Hearts videos (it's videogame if you didn't know) and I realized that the sequel was coming out soon. Then I remembered how I like the theme song of the original, though I did not play the game. The commericials for the game were running all the time back in 2002 (I think), and like many commericals, the music got stuck in my head. Except this song was stuck in my head, which made me think of some cute girl. This was understandable: duh, I think about girls, but that's just the safe reason.

So, while singing this friggin song all the time ("When you walk away/ You don't hear me say...") I googled the song and found out it was sung by a Japanese girl named Utada Hikaru. Back then I just thought that she was just this cute girl who sang video game songs. But through youtube, I found out I actually enjoy many of her songs not attached to a videogame. Sure, it may be considered cheesy J-pop stuff, but hey, it maketh me shaketh down to my boneths, so it gets a thumbs up in my book. Utada Hikaru actually breaks the misconception that Asian singers can't sing well. Her voice may not be a Kelly Clarkson or Mariah Carey, but it's still strong and has a uniqueness to it that isn't found here in the US.

She's stuck in my head, and something here is borderlining Nelly Furtado obsession. Did I mention I'm still obsessed with Furtado?

Second TOP thing in the world right now is Taylor Hicks of American Idol 5. Refreshing change of pace from your Fantasia's and Carrie's. This is the first season of AI that I'm actually watching even after the funny mass-hilarity audition phase.

I Spy

Sam Fisher is so bad-ass. His guns don't need holes.

Finals and Procrastination

I have a physical chemistry final in a few hours and for the past couple of days (and up even up to this moment), I have procrastinated by. . .

1) Playing Majora's Mask. It came out 5 years ago on the Nintendo 64. I bought it (again) recently since I had lost it (read: I have no friggin' clue where it layeth). I'll admit: It was an impulse buy. The graphics suck now, and I'm pretty sure I bought damage goods from EB games. Never buy last generation games thinking you will still play them. Especially if they're in cartridge form make sounds when you shake them.

2) A couple of hours ago I watched The 40 year-old Virgin. Pretty hilarious, but not as funny as Wedding Crashers, which also came out this year. Virgin was very quotable and memorable. I just forget what was so quotable. I'll have to rewatch it to remember what.

3) I watched alot of late night talk shows, specifically the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. I dunno. The writing is very witty and very well executed. Damn I wish I was that quick and funny. Dammit, I wish I was funny. I'll just have to live with what God gave me: a sexy and killer body. The only thing funny about me is how a guy this good looking is named Blueberry.

4) I'm not really sexy.

5) Okay, I am.

Moral of the story: To be announced after I find out the grade that I get for the final that I should be studying for that will be taken in the morning.

Bad News, then the Good News, Then More Bad News

I was always on edge when watching Arrested Development, because I always felt they were always about to be cancelled. 'Lo and behold the great network of FOX reduced the order AD around november from 22 to 13. So Arrested Development is basically cancelled even though FOX has not officially stated so.

Now there's news that Arrested Development might be picked up by smarter networks who do not rely on Pamela Anderson's, err, boobies, if you will. So now I'm thinking,

"Hey, maybe AD will make it to abc since apparently they're having the best years in their history (i.e. some sci-fi island show and some show about too eager female house spouses). This is great news. Maybe even NBC will pick it up since it sorely needs some shows ever since Friends left (Joey does not count, because it's not funny)."

But then I read further, and find that Showtime has the most interest in the show. At which point I say,

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

It's good that Arrested Development may get picked up and not die a cruel death in the hands of a Family Guy obsessed network, but getting picked up by a premium channel? I have to pay to watch my AD? Sure, I like to buy their DVDs, but at least I can watch them anytime I want: it's called on-demand viewing. I don't even know what the frick is on Showtime.

So, in some sort of irony, I am hoping that Arrested Development does not get picked up by a network/channel. Hey, maybe the WB can pick it up (Smallville leading into AD)?

Christmas+Rachel McAdams=Feel Good

Just a heads up: There's a new Rachel McAdams movie coming out (Yit-tah-dee!). Need I say more? She's just too cute, and what's more- she's a brunette in "The Family Stone".

There aren't enough movies with Rachel McAdams as a brunette. If this movie is any good (which it will be), it might be on top of my list of favorite Christmas movies with a cute girl. The other one of course is that Will Ferrell movie with the lovely Ms. Deschanel. I almost forgot the title. Just look at that picture on the left and tell me you still remember what this tiny sentence was fore.

Response to Gamespot editorial.

Am I in the minority of gamers when I say that a $50 to $100 price cut on hardware is a significant amount worth waiting for? The only reason why this may seem like a small amount is because xbox 360 games cost $60 which is a 20% increase over the normally $50 price tag of new current generation games (it's 50% if you count the $40 dollar new games). Of course Ekberg is correct that $50 won't cover a $60 game.

But, do we need to buy this overpriced games? I'm not going to spend my money so that games can increase in price even more every year. In fact I think $50 cuts in too much already. You might argue that if I'm not able to spend this kind of money, then I should rethink about my hobby. Well, that's exactly the type of thinking that will destroy the gaming industry. Making gaming accessible starts with the economics, that is, how much games and hardware cost. If prices rise, only those who are willing to devote a large percentage of their earnings to gaming can participate. The fans less blessed financially will have to be more strict in choosing which games to buy more. This will decrease the ammount of innovative games (read: games that the are fresh, but the average "kid" would pass over to kill hookers) made because, not everyone will pay for katamari or shadow of the collosus, if madden or grand theft auto comes along.

As a gamer with a tight budget, the bottom line adds up. Even if you think saving $50 is nothing, those savings can possibly allow many more gamers to purchase out-of-the-box titles that make the gaming experience worth it all.

Stupid Game Commercials

Anyone seen the latest Sony PSP commerical? Yeah, you know, the one with the throwing and the catching of the nearly $300 portable system. Well, I shoudn't have to write any further if you do. It seems like the Sony is trying to focus less on the games and entertainment aspects of the PSP, and more on the frisbee/boomerang features. Great, now I know I want a PSP. If I play three seconds of some random game, and then throw it as far as I can, someone will catch it and play three more seconds, then throw it to another person at an even rediculous distance, then repeat until the PSP returns to me. Who needs an ipod or a Nintendo DS, when I can play catch wirelessly and play a game for three second intervals.

Don't even get me started with the xbox 360 commercial. "Jump in." Jump into what, you stupid m%&$kers. Is the xbox 360 a game console or a jump rope? If Microsoft wasn't greedy for every market before, now they are: tapping into the tweenage girl demographic with a rope that anyone can jump with. Watch out, Nintendo, there goes more of what little market share you have. Microsoft is probablly just trying to hide the fact that the 360 is frickin' huge.

It probablly also won't come back to the owner if thrown like the PSP.

What the frick, man?

I don't confess to be a long time visitor of 4 color rebellion, but ever since I stumbled upon it (not through stumble upon), I have made it one of my top destinations on the web as do many people.

But three minutes ago, my life changed. Well, actually, it's just that 4 color rebellion has become acquired by CNET networks. I don't know much about CNET networks, but feel like 4 color rebellion has lost its originality in this acquisition. Whatever happened to independent publishing, not being restricted in what you can write about?

I dunno. I should probablly get slapped. I didn't fully read the press release, so I don't know if things will "stay the same". Plus, that BS about "independence" and "restrictions" makes no sense in retrospect. (I refuse to edit posts that come spontaneously). Things have and will change. How and how much is another question. Hopefully that iguana jump-off banner with Link is still their main banner. Whoops! Too late...

Heck, I'll prolly read 4 color rebellion still. There, I said it.

UPDATE: Apparantly, it was all a joke. They just needed to take the site down momentarilly so they played a joke in the mean time. Sheisty! I'm still not going to put 4cr on my links- sutiben is way better.

'Tis the season

It's a little too late to be reminding people of the upcoming holiday season, but that's not going to stop me. I've been seeing commercials with evergreens in the background, hearing those jingle bells, and of course another frickin' Harry Potter movie is out (theme song ringing: "dun don da-dun don, da dun dun"). Those are just some of the signals that it's time give and receive, and if you're lucky, do more of one than the other.

There has always been one specific movie that reminded me of Christmas, amongst many others: A Christmas Story. Now, I don't remember the last holiday season when I watched the whole movie, but I at have at least left it on in the background just as much as any Christmas carol. This movie is such a classic because every kid can relate to it.

Do you remember that gift you wanted so badly one Christmas, and all signs up to December 25th indicated a no go. Then all of a sudden that morning comes and you were surprised to find that actually did not get that gift. Well, that's not what A Christmas Story is about. The kid actually gets his gift but it ends up being a bitter-sweet present, because he hurts himself using it.

Last year, on DVD, I saw a future Christmas classic: Elf. Of course Will Ferrell is hilarious in this movie, but I enjoy it for the way it captures the innocence of a childhood Christmas in the elf character and also for Zooey Deschanel. What did it for me was when Ferrell's character walks into the bathroom and listens to Deschanel's character singing Baby it's Cold Outside. Now, in many cases, this scene would follow something sexual and possibly an arrest. But being the innocent child the elf was, this scene was charming and funny. Not to mention this scene introduced me to a classic Christmas song.

Plus how cute is Zooey and her beautiful voice. Damn, maybe that's the reason I love this movie so much.

360 reasons why not to get an xbox 360

(Warning! I am a big Nintendo fan, but of course I won't go as far as say that I am a fan boy. You be the judge. I happen to own a Playstation 2 and find many of its games hizzot. Sorry, I meant hot.)

Tonight at approximately midnight, best buys and video game stores will be opening up their doors for obsessed, loaded, early adopters of the xbox 360. I will not be one of them for several reasons:

1) It's all about the games. None of the launch games interest me so much that I need to get the system, with the possible exception of Perfect Dark Zero and Call of Duty 2. If racing games are your thing, then get an xbox and play Forza Motor Sport or Gran Turismo 4 on a Playstation 2. Do you really want Project Gotham 3?

Recently, I have played Call of Duty 2, but on the PC. I usually dislike World War II games, but this one was immersive. This probablly plays better on a PC than a console anyway. No need to to get this for Xbox 360 if your PC can run the game.

Sure, I am a big Rare fan, as they have made some of the best games for Nintendo's consoles (e.g. Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, Golden-Eye, Diddy Kong Racing), but the verdict is still out on PDZ. If the game turns out to be even half as good as Golden-Eye and Perfect Dark, then this may persuade me. But . . .

2) The price ain't right. The system itself will cost upwards of $400 (Don't bother with the "Core" package, you'll end up paying more later for "extra" peripherals that you'll need eventually anyway). I can sort of understand the price, it is new technology, but 60 bones per game? I dont' know about you but my wallet would cry if I bought a game for $60 but it's too busy being empty in the first place.

So, you have the money for the system and games, but do you have a setup at home that can fully realize the potential of this next generation system?

3) High Definition televisions are still not common and an Xbox 360 would look like an xbox with your regular-ass television. I'm going to need a High Defintion TV to run the otherwise excellent looking games. My thirteen inch "tv" in my dorm is not going to cut it, nor will anything in my home or my neighbor's home. I bet you President Bush doesn't have a High Defintion television either. He won't be getting an Xbox 360 either. Once Hi-Def goes down in price in a couple of months, or even years, the Xbox 360 will also have become cheaper.

4) I have no time for games!

5) Heh, who am I kidding, I'll can always make time for video games.

6) Seriously, the games matter the most when buying a new system, so see reason number one and then number two, because that's also a big thing for me.

Arrested Development gets less arrested

Arrested Development is quite possibly the funniest thing on television. I challenge anyone to find another show that you can watch multiple times and still find something new and funny in each viewing. The show is made without a laugh track so it doesn't force viewers to laugh at anything that's not. In fact, it's meant to make you laugh at anything that you think is funny. Isn't that the whole point of a comedy: to laugh?

Unfortunately, not everyone feels that way. People would rather watch crime dramas that use special effects and "intuition" to solve unsolvable murders in 44 minutes. (With this piece of dandruff I can figure out that the killer was wearing sponge-bob squarepants underwear before he killed this dude, all I need is some special effects and I'm done.)

That's why the third season has been reduced to 13 episodes. It's probablly going to be cancelled soon.

My personal favorite episode is 'Marta Complex'. My favorite character: Buster ( "He just wants to see other boys' Linuses").

It starts. . .

I was flipping through the t.v. and saw that the Pussy Cat Dolls were performing on MTV's Europe Music Awards, which made me think. Sure, the girls in this group are not unattractive. If you ever get to see their faces, other than the lead singer's, for long enough, they're probablly not bad. (There is one girl that sorta looks like Rachel McAdams as a brunette which is definitely a good thing (see Wedding Crashers).)

But I am not particulary attracted to any of the women. Now, you might be thinking either,
"Damn, this dude is gay", or "What about the lead signer?"
First, No, I am not. Second of all, my main problem is the fact that Nicole Scherzinger, the lead singer, used to be in a reality girl group that I was fan of: Eden's Crush. Sure, it's not really her fault that the group that I was liked/was obsessed with broke up. My problem is that she feels that PCD is more successful because it was not a "manufactured" group like EC, and they have chemistry (my quotes).

How does she think PCD was formed? Did a bunch of chicks decide to make a band? No. PCD is just as manufactured as Eden's Crush. I think the main thing is she likes being the lead singer/ only singer. Can the other girls sing? Probablly not. No, I take that back. I meant to say hell no.

Now I'm not ragging on Ms. Scherzinger's skills. On the contrary, I've always felt that she was a very gifted singer. I enjoyed her voice along with the other girls on Eden's Crush. It's just that I wish two things would happen: either they change the name of the group to Nicole and the Pussy Cat Dolls, or Eden's Crush gets back together.

Because, Rosanna, Ana Maria, Ivette, and Maile could sing circles around any of the other members of PCD with the exception of the single EC alum. Plus, they were hot AND they could sang!

Knickerbockers

Damn, Damn, Damn, DAMN!

The New York Knicks are now 0 for 5.

Can you say first pick 2006 NBA draft?