Posted 11:02 AM by John A. Seafisk

The American public has spoken.

And they have said, "Duhhhhhhhhhhhh."

As heard in many a classic Warner Brothers cartoon....

"You'll be sor-ryyyyy!"

Posted 12:26 AM by John A. Seafisk

So I'm 30.

Now what? Should I be on the lookout for Michael York in a black & gray shirt with a blow dryer?

Posted 3:24 PM by John A. Seafisk

I'm very tempted to slide further into credit card debt with the purchase of this.

But it's waffer-thin!

Posted 6:10 PM by John A. Seafisk

We all have our droughts.

And I'll have a draught. Guiness Draught, that is.

Brilliant!

Posted 5:37 PM by John A. Seafisk

The Pixies @ UC Davis rocked. Some of the moshing I could have done without, though. One concertgoer gave me a rude shove with his elbow. I retured an angry shove to his back. He flew about 12 feet.

Needless to say, no more moshing came my way.

Posted 3:05 PM by John A. Seafisk

Don't you hate it when it feels like a Friday, but it's only Thursday?

Posted 12:10 AM by John A. Seafisk

It's amazing that hitting such a small area as a big toe can cause such tremendous pain.

Posted 11:54 PM by John A. Seafisk

What I sung to myself today

"Idiot Wind" by Bob Dylan

Because, some days, it feels like an idiot wind is blowing right in your face. Usually from the idiots in other cars who CUT YOU OFF *THEN* USE THEIR TURN SIGNAL!

Posted 1:53 AM by John A. Seafisk

Going Dancin'

Congrats to the Eastern Washington Eagles for winning the Big Sky Conference Tournament Championship, thus earning their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tourney.

I did not go to Eastern Washington, nor have I even visited the campus in the town of Cheney. But I like to show support for lesser-known teams that finally achieve such long-awaited goals. Being an alum of a school still looking for its first invite (Northwestern), I know how it feels to wait so long. As I type, the Wildcats still have a chance to win the Big Ten Tournament & claim the automatic bid. One can always hope.

Looking forward for the Madness to begin!

Posted 1:32 AM by John A. Seafisk

Lethal Combination

Consumption for the day:

12:35 p.m. - Overpriced Tuna Melt & French Fries at Art's Deli
3:00 p.m. - One can of Fanta Grape Soda
3:55 p.m. - 2nd can of Fanta Grape Soda
7:16 p.m. - Bag of Gardetto's Italian Style Snack Mix & pint of Nestle Double Chocolate Milk acquired at Shell gas station right before taking the car to the wash
8:10 p.m. - One can of Thai Kitchen Chai Tea (shaken well & poured over ice)
8:26 p.m. - Serving of Trader Joe's Nasi Goreng Indonesian Rice Dish cooked in wok & complimented with a glass of water.
9:29 p.m. - One can of A&W Cream Soda

Result:
11:50 p.m. - Serious but short bout of vomiting

Where did I go wrong?

Posted 12:14 AM by John A. Seafisk

Oh, Oscar, Oscar, Oscar!

The Academy Awards were this evening. And what did I do about it?

I went to a friend's house to watch 'Dirty Dancing'.

For a long time, I thought I was the only person in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area that did not really give two figs about the Oscars. However, during a drunken conversation in some dimly-lit bar in L.A.'s glittering West Side, someone else admitted that they, too, did not watch the ceremonies. As an alternative plan, she invited myself and another friend over to her place for dinner and a movie. And that movie would be the Patrick Swayze-Jennifer Grey choreographed masterpiece, "Dirty Dancing".

For those that likely know, I'm not one to voraciously attend any type of film viewing. However, I had not seen this film in it's entirety. And I saw this opporunity not as movie-watching, but as spending time with friends....not to mention the free meal.

And on the off-chance I do watch a movie, I am prone to 'Mistie' it. Basically, I make smart-alecky comments during the show, a la 'Mystery Science Theater 3000'. Yet, I try to carefully craft my selection of off-the-cuff remarks & bon mots so I come off more like Tom Servo & Crow T. Robot instead of Beavis & Butthead.

Since 'Dirty Dancing' featured Jerry Ohrbach as Baby's dad, I made some 'Law & Order' quips, along with some other verbal jabs I can't quite remember at the moment. The hostess, who is a huge fan of the film, asked me to refrain during certain scenes, but she did laugh at some of my remarks. And the other guest friend chuckles & guffawed at my better moments. Before too long, they were joining in on the 'Mistie' fun.

Overall, it was a good evening. I still don't know if 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Lost In Translation' swept up the most awards, but I do know I had my own night of fantastic film.

And remember...."She's Like the Wind."

Posted 5:45 PM by John A. Seafisk

It's raining outside, and I'm coughing inside.

I'm suffering a cold, and the wet world surrounding me at the moment isn't helping matters. What a double-whammy of a waste of a weekend.

Luckily, I had the box set of the first season of "What's Happening!!" to keep my spirits up.

(Grammatical note: Remember, when referencing this show, always remember there are officially 2 exclamation points after 'Happening', not just one.)

Posted 4:26 PM by John A. Seafisk

An Ice Time At The Theater

I have said before I'm not much of a movie person. However, last Sunday, I did see 'Miracle', the Walt Disney film based on the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team who beat the feared Soviet Union team and eventually won the gold medal. And I liked it.

Fearful that this was a Disney movie, I was concerned about how sugar-coated and non-believeable this film might be. But I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of saccharine - no stupid love-story subplots, no cartoonishly-evil Russians, no pet dog or cat or canary swooping in to save the day...just a simple story about a team who overcame great odds and came together to lift the nation's spirits in troubled times.

Kurt Russell did an above-excellent job portraying coach Herb Brooks. I might even say it was the best acting performance of his career. All the while I was watching, I never thought that this was Kurt Russell on screen. The acting roles that impress me the most are the ones where you no longer recognize the actor or actress, but truly believe that who you're seeing is a completely different person.

That's what impressed me with Eddie Murphy's roles in 'The Nutty Professor' films. I didn't see Sherman or the other characters as Eddie in a fat suit, but as a real family. It was a great accomplishment in suspension of disbelief...namely becaue I believed it.

I never thought I'd be praising a current-day Disney film, but there you go. If a bunch of 18 to 21-year-old kids can beat a hockey juggernaut, I can give kudos to an evil company.

Posted 1:46 PM by John A. Seafisk

Chew On This

I saw a TV ad last night for Extra sugar-free gum. It was about a skydiver who jumps out of a plane. He's soon followed by an anthropomorphic stick of Extra gum, who jumps out of his pack of gum & falls downwards with the skydiver.

What confused me about the stick of gum wasn't the fact that it had eyes & hands & could talk, but the fact that it spoke with a Scottish accent. "Aye! You ain't leavin' without me, laddie!" and so forth. And it wasn't a giddy, comical kind of accent - this stick of gum was quite serious. He ends up landing in a tree, to which the gum tells a live squirrel, "What are yoo lookin' at, ya mangy beast!"

I sat there wondering how one would equate sugar-free gum with a Scotsman. I'd understand if the product was whisky or haggis or even some kind of money-saving item (albeit that last one would be a wee bit of a hurtful ethnic stereotype). But when I'd like to chew something to freshen my breath and/or give my mouth something to do, the first thought into my mind isn't some bloke from Glasgow in a kilt playing bagpipes...or even any of the fun kids from 'Trainspotting'.

It would appear the Wrigley people or the ad agency may have gotten the inspiration from Mike Myers -- whether it be his Fat Bastard character from 'Austin Powers', or his dad character from 'So I Married An Axe Murderer', or his 'If it isn't Scottish, it's Crap!" shop-owner character from 'Saturday Night Live'.

I have nothing against the ad. It just confuses me, that's all. Next time I'm in possession of a stick of Extra, I won't know what to do.

Posted 12:31 PM by John A. Seafisk

Last Call

Beers I've consumed over the years:

Corona
Corona Light
Heineken
Stella Artois
Bud Light
Coors Light
Anchor Steam
Goose Island
Portland Honey Brew
Miller Lite
Miller High Life
Cerveza Pacifico
Tecate
Modelo Negro
Oranjeboom
Amstel Light
Pyramid Hefeweisen
Gordon Biersch
BJ's Raspberry Ale
Wyder's Pear Cider
Wyder's Raspberry Cider
Morelli
Newcastle
Guinness
Harp
Bass Ale
Molson Canadian
Molson Ice
Labatt's
Moosehead
Bear Beer
Foster's
McEwan's Scotch Ale
Boddington's
Pilsner Urquel
Red Stripe

...And that was just yesterday!

Posted 2:06 PM by John A. Seafisk

Consumer Advice

Don't get the chili at Wendy's.

Trust me on this one.

Posted 4:08 PM by John A. Seafisk

It Stinks!

I was in Hollywood last night, on a quest to locate the newly released DVD set of the Jon Lovitz-starring animated cartoon "The Critic". Having no luck at my local Best Buy, I scurried over the hills separating the Valley from the, um, non-Valley...destination: Amoeba Music.

For those unfamiliar, Amoeba Music is basically the world-largest used CD store. They have new music, as well, and more importantly to my quest, DVDs (new & used). The only downside to an Amoeba visit is the woefully-tiny parking garage below.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts in previous trips, I've now just head straight to the Arclight Cinerama Dome parking structure next door. This usually works out well, since Amoeba validates Arclight parking, and the short walk between the 2 places is pretty good exercise.

As I pulled into the garage, I noticed a sign that read "Premiere Parking on 5th Level". I wondered if that meant 'premiere' as in 'really really nice'. But being in Hollywood, I should've known it was referring to an actual "movie" premiere.

I lucked out and got a good spot. As I walked past the Arclight entrance, I noticed a large crowd of people dressed pretty nice...nice even for Arclight patrons. (Usually nicer-dressed patrons patronize the Arclight Theater, which I believe is correlated to the fact that movie tickets cost $14 here.) As the crowd got nicer (looking, that is), I noticed the walkway from the entrance to the street was blocked off.

So, I had to cut through the Arclight lobby before reaching Sunset Boulevard. When I turned to my left in the direction of Amoeba, I saw that the sidewalk was also blocked off.

So there WAS a movie premiere. I wondered what it could be. What film would receive the honor of having its world premiere at such a historical motion picture landmark as the Cinerama?

Answer: The Perfect Score.

What I've gathered from TV ads, "The Perfect Score" is about a bunch of too-cool-for-school teens who decide to steal the answers to the SAT tests. It's co-produced by MTV Films, who have previously bestowed upon the viewing public "The Real Cancun" and "Joe's Apartment" (starring cockroaches).

[Note: I might be wrong about "The Real Cancun", but it's the type of crap MTV would put money behind.]

Anyway, I was stunned. Why does this movie, a MTV MOVIE, get to have it's premiere here? Why would a movie like "The Perfect Score" get a special premiere in the first place? Most importantly, why were they blocking my way to Amoeba?!?!

Undaunted, I crossed the street, walk a block, re-crossed the street, and finally reached my destination. I headed upstairs to the DVD/Video area, right for the 'Television' section....and no "Critic".

I searched around the whole DVD area...still no "Critic". I was slightly bummed. To ease the slight pain, I picked up instead the first season of "The Kids In The Hall"...which I didn't realize was available for retail purchase yet. It was a pretty penny I spent, but I know it's something I would eventually aspire to get. Plus, a purchase would make it easier to get parking validation.

As I sauntered out of Amoeba, I noticed a Borders just down the street. Saying to myself "What the hey," I trekked on down to the bookstore/music store/coffehouse conglomerate, just to try my luck. And wouldn't you know it, there it was, sitting next to multiple copies of "Cheers: The Second Season" - "The Critic". Better yet, it was $5 off the marked price.

Flush with success, I returned to my vehicle & began my journey Valley-ward. My quest had reached its end.

And I'm still not going to watch "The Perfect Score".

Posted 6:15 PM by John A. Seafisk

Uh oh, here comes the boss. Everybody look busy!

Posted 12:36 PM by John A. Seafisk

Question of the Day

Should dwarf tossing be banned in Canada?

Read all about it and you decide.

Posted 12:43 AM by John A. Seafisk

All right, so the year isn't off to such a great start blog-wise. What can I say?

Well, here's some of the things that's happened to me within the last blog-free month:

-Won a trip to Hawaii via a trivia contest. It was through something called SportsByBrooks. Haven't gone yet, since it's for the Pro Bowl. And I haven't gotten tickets yet. But it's still nearly a month away, so I might be a tad impatient

-Went on a post-Christmas drive up the California coast. Got as far north as Medford, Oregon. It rained a lot, which was actually nice & added to the scenery of the Redwood forests. More details & maybe pictures coming soon.

-Found a Sonic Drive-In fast food restaurant in the Los Angeles area. It was in Anaheim, near the 91 freeway. Again, it was raining when I went, but it was my last day off before returning to work. This trip came about a year after I successfully discovered a Chick-Fil-A in Redondo Beach. Next mission: to find a Long John Silvers.

-Got a kiss on New Years Eve...but only one. I was at some L.A. bar/restaurant/hotspot, when a girl walked by & tripped in front of me. Being the gentleman I am, I helped her up. She was obviously quite tipsy (in more ways than one), and she gave me a slurred "Thank you; Happy New Year!", followed by a kiss on the cheek. Myself, also being very tipsy (ok...quite drunk), responded with a slurred "You're welcome; Happy New Year!", followed by a kiss on her cheek. She then wandered into the mass of partying people, never to be seen again. Evening was pretty downhill after that.

-Went to a San Diego Gulls hockey game. I enjoy minor league sports, and had a long-time curiosity settled with a trip down to the San Diego Sports Arena, a place you could tell was built in the '70s. Got a good seat behind the goal, and was witness to a 5-1 shellacking of the Idaho Steelheads. The Gulls fans gave an interesting chant after each SD goal:
" 1-2-3-4-5! Hey Ellis (the Idaho goalie's name)! It's all your fault! You suck! Looooserrrrrr! (complete with L-to-the-forehead gesture)"

-Watched the NFL Playoffs. Good games.

-Brushed my teeth a couple of times.

-Woke up this morning with a cramp in my leg. It was one of those cramps where your lower thigh muscle locks up suddenly, so you jump wildly out of bed and hop around one-legged like an injured kangaroo. Man, did that hurt!

So looking back, I guess I did do a lot...but never bothered to write about it. For shame on my part. It's enough to make me want to return my Medill diploma.

On second thought, no way. It cost too much to give up.

Posted 5:14 PM by John A. Seafisk

Ok, I admit it. I've done a horrible job of keeping this blog up to date. As with a lot of activities I've done, I get all excited at first, then slowly but surely lose interest in what it is, whether it be blogwriting, cello playing, eating healthier, improving social interaction, or cleaning.

But it's a new year, a new start! (Of course, I really don't know why the new year begins in the middle of winter. It would make more sense if it started in the spring, when the grass begins to grow and nature awakens with all her beauty.) Anyway, I'll try my darndest to keep better tabs on what to do with this blog.

Wish me luck!