Posted 5:03 PM by John A. Seafisk

Really Random Music Trivia

-The lead vocal in the Rolling Stones' song "Happy" is sung by Keith Richards, NOT Mick Jagger.

-Ringo Starr is the only member of the Beatles to appear on solo albums by all 4 members.

-Chevy Chase was drummer for the band that would eventually become Steely Dan.

-Led Zeppelin's original name was The New Yardbirds.

-David Robert Jones changed his name to David Bowie so as not to be confused with Davy Jones of the Monkees.

-"Headquarters" was the first album the Monkees played their own instruments on. Previous albums were performed by studio musicians, with the Monkees only offering vocals.

-Frank Sinatra's vote for the most beautiful song ever written: "Something" by George Harrison.

-Nick Mason is the only member of Pink Floyd to appear on all the band's albums.

-Jimi Hendrix was a former member of the 101st Airborne paratroopers.

Posted 12:15 PM by John A. Seafisk

Viva Las Vegas

So I spent the weekend in the largest city in Clark County, Nevada. (No, not Henderson.) It was fun, enjoyable, relaxing, slightly profitable.

My drive began right after work Thursday evening. Drive? Yes, I happen to like the drive from the Los Angeles area to the Las Vegas area. I have never been a big fan of flying....It's not that I'm afraid of it, I just get annoyed with the whole process. Also, since I am using my car to get to Vegas, I can go where I please in Sin City without trying to get cabs, or worse yet, get rides from relatives.
So I head north on the 5. Out in L.A., the lexicon for speaking about the freeways is to always inclued the article "the" in front of the number (ex: The 405, The 134, The 101, etc.) It's quite warm as I head out. Surprisingly, there isn't much in the way of slowed or stopped traffic.

When I gets hot, I turn on the A.C. It then gets too cold, so I switch it off. Then it gets hot, so back on it comes. I do this for the whole 5-hour trip. Guess I'm just too hard to please.

A tip for those who drive from LA to LV: Most folks take the 10 to the 15...while it may be nice to visit all the Foothill communities along the way, you'll likely be seeing them from the 10 at 20-25 mph. The route I usually take is as follows. And I offer this to you dear readers as a gesture of appreciation for sitting and trying to read all this drivel, er, personal introspection:

-5 North to 14 North (Lancaster/Palmdale exit)
-14 North to the town of Mojave, right turn at 58 East (Bakersfield)
-58 East (partial freeway, partial divided highway, partial 2-lane road) to 15 North (Las Vegas)
-15 North to The Strip, choose among your own vices to explore.

Simple, isn't it?

There nothing quite like driving through the Mojave Desert in the middle of the night....the only lights on the horizon coming from the white dots of headlights from the other direction & the dimmer red backlights stretching out in the lanes in front of you...complete
darkness on either side, save for some mountains outlined in the moonlight.

Of course, it also helps having cool air blasting you from the panels, as the Beatles & Tom Petty blare from your CD player. "Running Down A Dream" is excellent auto fare.

I hit the town of Baker at 10:50, 10 minutes before the Del Taco closes. If I was 15 minutes late, I'd be out of luck, since Baker is the only sign of civilization within the next 80 miles or so...halfway between Barstow & the Nevada state line. I glance at the World's Tallest Thermometer standing outside the Bun Boy Restaurant. 99 degrees. I thought to myself, "Wow. I need to eat there at some point."
After a quesadilla or two, I'm back on the 15. I was slightly disappointed with my meal, since this particular Del Taco did not have Mr. Pibb at its soda fountain. But, being in the middle of nowhere, thirsty beggars can't be choosers.

As I climb over the mountain pass known as Mountain Pass (no services this exit), I see in the distance the neon glory that is Primm, Nevada. This town, or actually, collection of large casinos, sits right at the Nevada-California border. It's a welcome sight to those travellers who have tired of seeing nothing for the last hour or 2. And I mean it's right at the border...the casino parking lots start immediately at the border. Only 45 miles to go.

Actually, it ends up only 12 miles to go. I stop at Jean, similar to Primm in that it is just a place on the Interstate to hold a couple of casinos. Unlike Primm, there is no stateline running along the edge of its parking lots. I bask in the glow of its jumbotron screens announcing that they now comp gas. I view the lines & lines & lines of slot machines, ready to slurp up all your quarters or nickels or whatever denominations you choose to pump in. But I view these quickly, since the only reason I stopped is to use the restroom.
Back on the road, after 20 miles...thar she glows: The Las Vegas Strip.

But I bypass the strip and end up at my relatives' house.

More later.

Posted 11:27 AM by John A. Seafisk

I'm So Tired

...I haven't slept a wink.
I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink.
I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink?
no, no, no.

I'm so tired, I don't know what to do,
I'm so tired, my mind is set on you
I wonder should I call you,
but I know what you would do...

You'd say, I'm putting you on,
But it's no joke - it's doing me harm.
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain,
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane!
You know I'd give you everything I've got for a little piece of mind.

I'm so tired, I'm feeling so upset,
Although I'm so tired, I'll have another cigarette.
And curse Sir Walter Raleigh,
He was such a stupid git!

You'd say, I'm putting you on,
But it's no joke - it's doing me harm.
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain,
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane!
You know I'd give you everything I've got for a little piece of mind.

I'd give you everything I've got for a little piece of mind.

I'd give you everything I've got for a little piece of mind.


Monsieur, Monsieur, Monsieur, how about another one?

Posted 3:08 PM by John A. Seafisk

Achoo!

Bless me.

Posted 11:53 AM by John A. Seafisk

The Mechanics of Beach Ball Bouncing

Whenever I attend an outdoor event with a large seated crowd, say at a Dodgers game or a concert by a Beatles tribute band, there is something I can always count on:

Beach balls.

After an hour or so, during intermissions or between innings, the inevitable beach ball makes its appearance...resulting in a spontaneous mass volleyball game. The ball gets battered around and around, off people's hands, their heads, their faces, their shoulders, their butts, and so forth.

But before you start banging your balls around, there are some tips you should take to further your enjoyment & lessen the aggravation of other concertgoers/sports fans/drunks:

Lesson 1:
When seated in the front-row sections, always hit the ball to the back seat of the stadium/arena/bowl. Hitting it forward will only result in the ball falling to the lower sections or onto the field/stage, causing delays in the game/performance and inviting the scorn of fellow attendees. They'll point and boo at you, and your self-esteem will be knocked a few pegs down by the ridicule. Or they'll yell at you.

By hitting it to the back, more folks will get the chance to touch & handle the sacred beach ball, generating a sense of community participation...bringing us altogether as one big happy global family. Also, it'll keep the ball moving, distracting those from a game/show that has waned in exciting or interesting moments.

Lesson 2:
Hit the ball in any direction, as long as it's up. The ideal angle of trajectory should be 60 degrees to provide enough distance for ball travel. Hitting the ball straight up will result in the ball coming back down to hit you or those around you, which may make an uncomfortable ride home with your date/significant other, and likely the last ride you'll have for a while. Hitting it at a low angle, say 10 degrees, will result in the ball slamming against a fellow attendee's face....who will likely be your date/significant other or a very large short-tempered gentleman who may take appropriate action later in the parking lot. Also, security won't be happy, and we don't want to upset security now, do we?

And again for added emphasis: if you're in the front rows, HIT IT TO THE BACK! Some of us want to get in on this action, too, you know! Don't be such a greedy, stupid bastard.

Lesson 3:
If sitting near young children when the beach ball comes your way, catch it and give it to them. This will make you appear like a nice person and improve your social standing, especially with the hot chicks who go for the sensitive male thing. Too bad they're there with their boyfriends.

But anyway, giving it to the kids is just a nice thing to do. It also deflects all boos to them when they hit it all wrong. Just beware of the ball heading right back at you, most likely toward your crotch.

Keep these lessons in mind, and your next festival outing should be more enjoyable then ever before. Or you can just forget it and stay at home.

Posted 11:01 AM by John A. Seafisk

Beware American Idols & Graven Bobblehead Images

Last night was Sean Green Bobblehead Doll Night at Dodger Stadium. Oh, and there was a Dodgers-Padres game, too.

As we sat in the $6 Upper Upper Upper Deck, I realized it wasn't such a bad view. We were right behind home plate, albeit about 100 feet up, but we could see the whole field, and the players looked no smaller than sitting on either edge of the reserved section seats.

After soaking in the environment for a short while, it was time for the National Anthem. And who would be doing the honors of singing said anthem, but the finalists of the Fox show "American Idol".

I have not seen "American Idol" and have no plans whatsoever to do so. But based on the ads I've seen and the discussions I've heard from others who have seen it, I don't think I'm missing much. Just another annoying 'reality' show. If you're into that sort of thing, more power to you. But catching very small glimpses of other similar TV fare (i.e. "The Real World", "The Mole", "Big Brother", etc.), I don't believe real reality has that many attractive people.

So I let out a small groan, thinking I would be the only one unexcited about "American Idol" folks having me as their captive audience. But a strange thing happened instead. As soon as the word "Idol" left the PA Announcer's mouth, the rest of the crowd started booing. It wasn't a vicious or mailicious boo, but more like a disinterested & slightly annoyed boo...sort of a collective "feh".

There were about 8 or 10 singers altogether; I couldn't really tell since they all looked the same on their Jumbotron close-ups. Each one took a verse, and did their damnedest to draw it out for as long as possible. Example: "Oh say can you seeee" became "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay caaaaaaaaaaaaan youuuuuuuuuuuuu, caaaaaaaaaan youuuuuuuuu seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEE".

It reminded me of an early 'Simpsons' episode where Homer becomes Dancin' Homer, the mascot for the Springfield Isotopes minor league baseball team. One of the gags early in the show is when Bleedin' Gums Murphy sings the Star Spangled Banner. He begins while standing behind the stadium clock that reads '7:30'. Of course, he's drawing out each verse very similar to the description in this log's previous paragraph. The shot keeps dissolving between verses, and when he's finally finished, the clock reads 7:57. Cut to the crowd standing at attention, finally collapsing in a sigh of exhaustion, save for Lisa, who stood wide-eyed & unflinching throughout.

When the real-life cartoon characters finally finished their rendition, I applauded politely....not for the singers, but for the song they sung.

The game was an official sellout. I could tell because every single concession line at Dodger Stadium was 5 lines wide & at least 10 people deep. My evening meal was chosen from the only stand that didn't have a line: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. I can think of plenty of worse dinners than 4 glazed donuts & a chug of milk.

But it was a quick game. Dodgers lost 4-1. They are now 1-6 when I'm in attendance. So they should do OK until the next time I plan on seeing them: Hideo Nomo Bobblehead Night.

Posted 5:15 PM by John A. Seafisk

Talk Amongst Yourselves

I had dinner with a few friends last night. It was sort of a birthday dinner for one of my friends (i.e. Happy Birthday, Katie Smith!). I say "sort of" because although Tuesday was the official celebration of her existence, we had a larger get-together over the weekend at a place called Killer Shrimp. Normally, I'm not a big fan of shrimp or unfried seafood, but the food here was gooooood. It's like a noveau Cajun-esque place where you can only get 3 items:

Shrimp in sauce
Shrimp with rice
Shrimp with pasta

But each one is a culinary delight. The spices & seasonings they use certainly give it a flavorful kick. Best of all, they serve the entrees with slices of mini french bread, so you can mop up every last drop of juices for you taste buds to enjoy.

So, since the big bruhaha happened on Saturday, last night was celebrated at The Great Steak & Potato Company. As far as food court eateries go, this is one in the upper eschelon, along with Hot Dog On A Stick. Interestingly enough, this Steak & Potato place was not inside a mall, but rather as part of a new development on the grounds of the old Lockheed plant. It includes a Best Buy, Target, Krispy Kreme, Wendy's, Jamba Juice, Hometown Buffet, Shoe Pavilion....need I say more?

The evening meal itself was pleasant & relaxing. And the presence of a baby (courtesy of the baby's parents) livened things up, giving the rest of us valid excuses to make funny noises & faces in the sake of infant entertainment. As the conversations shifted from work to comic books to films to sports to HBO's Real Sex, there were noticeable instances when someone would get left out of that conversational section. When work was discussed, the person who did not work at the same place had nothing to say. When movies were discussed, the person who doesn't visit the cinema had nothing to say. When sports was discussed, the person who doesn't follow anything athletic had nothing to say. When Real Sex was discussed, we all had plenty to say.

This exclusionary occurence must be part of natural conversational habit, like the 20-minute pause of silence. No matter what discussion or talking-to is involved, after 20 minutes into said conversation, everyone stops talking. Silence....everyone looks at each other. This silence doesn't end until someone says, "Hey, must be that 20-minute lull in the conversation!", then everyone chuckles politely & leaves the area.

Then I go find another beer.

Posted 1:03 PM by John A. Seafisk

Indian Name Generator

A while back, I came upon this website that would provide to you your American Indian name. Basically, you type in your name, and the generator looks deep within your soul & mind, processes all your deepest and darkest info, and spits out what you would be called if you were born in a teepee. It was a fun little exercise in wasting time, except maybe to those who already were christened with American Indian names.

I was reminiscing about it, and decided to share some generated names of people I know & know of:

John Seafisk - Thornton Vital Canary
Stephanie Losi - Delia Suede Morningstar
Jim Ellwanger - Douglas Geodisic Jumper
Gerry Holtz - Thomas Flying Chickadee
James Dalby - Randolph Wavy Larva
Anna Siri - Sandra Singular Scallion
Mitch Bugajsky - Michael Overhead Rooster
Greg Schwartz - Lesley Dignified Llama
Halle Aten - Marion Subatomic Lizard
Katie Smith - Laura Percolating Toes
Todd Carney - Raymond Supine Fireweed
Jennifer Carney - Annabelle Melodramatic Radical
Aidan Carney - Tomson Snakeskin Lionheart
Reggie Scott - Romeo Pivoting Osprey
Jason Kaifesh - Grant Swift Mink
Jeremy Morse - Geoffrey Clairvoyant Buffalo
Breen Frazier - Martin Wobbling Thrush
Cathryn Humphris - Mabel Clairvoyant Eagle
David Ramirez - Donald Gothic Bull
Kathy Bugajsky - Renata Camouflaged Toad

Isn't this fun? Feel free to drop a line to tell me what Indian name was generated for you...or to have your name removed from this hilarious list, killjoy.

Posted 12:00 PM by John A. Seafisk

One of the best feelings in the world is waking up early on a Saturday on your own accord. With such an early start, you have the whole weekend to take advantage of. You have the great feeling of anticipation, similar to the moment before you start opening Christmas or birthday presents.

What to do, what to do? For a start, you can get all you weekend errands done before noon, when the shops and stores haven't been filled with competiting customers as of yet. Then the rest is up to you: You can follow the plans you made eariler in the week while waiting for this day to come...or do it all on the fly, not necessarily knowing what decision will lead you on what wacky adventure to come. Why not....you have the time!

It also makes you feel less guilty about sleeping in on Sunday.

Posted 7:38 PM by John A. Seafisk

I think I'm losing my mind this time, this time I think I'm losing my mind.

'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't....stop!
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't....stop!
'Cause you can't, you won't, and you don't....stop!
Just like rockin' a sure shot!

(or something to that effect)

Posted 12:19 AM by John A. Seafisk

Guess It Was An All-Snore Game

Apparently, last evening's 2002 MLB All-Star Game was one of the lowest-rated baseball all-star games ever. Me and my 980,000 Nielsen household points were withheld from this spectacle. Instead, I watched a DVD of the first season of a BBC sitcom called Father Ted. It was very clever and amusing...all without any molestation jokes!

Was it unpatriotic of me to shun a celebration of America's pastime in favor of a British sitcom? I do not think so. First of all, Father Ted takes place on an island off the coast of Ireland, not Britain. Second, it looks as though the baseball players and owners will eventually be shunning me and any other fans yet again, with all this here strike talk & gloomy economic situation. Besides, one of the Father Ted episodes featured the Monsignor on vacation in California. And another episode featured the starring priests dressing up like Elvis. If that isn't Americana, I don't know what is!

And to reaffirm my faith & pride in the good ol' U.S. of A., I watched 'Ferris Buehler's Day Off'...on a big screen outside with my fellow Americans, no less! What's more American than playing hooky from school? (Although, this may explain the low test scores from our educated younger ones.) And before the film was shown, there was a Twist & Shout contest held by the radio station sponsoring the movie event. What's more American than doing funny dances? In other less freedom-loving places, you could be beheaded for doing something as innocent as the hokey-pokey or bonie-maronie. Also, the contest winners & non-winners all won t-shirts and tickets to the circus! What's more American than acting like a goofball for free stuff?

This land is still my country 'tis of thee. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some Blackadder episodes to watch.

Posted 5:59 PM by John A. Seafisk

All-Snore

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is being held tonight. And I don't really care.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the sport of baseball. What better way to spend a lazy afternoon or pleasant evening than at the ol' ballpark, chomping down on red hots & trying to snag some foul tips. Well, maybe there are better ways to spend such time, including such activities that should not be discussed on a public weblog. But still, 'tis a fun time to go. Just look at some of my previous posts.

However, I have become turned-off (even more so than before) of the current hijinks in pro baseball of the major league variety: Skyrocketing salaries, which lead to skyrocketing ticket prices & concessions; admission & unadmission of steroid abuse; constant talks about yet another possible strike; the Damn Yankees appear in the World Series each year.

Why should I care about seeing some overpaid, underappreciative, drug-popping jerks stand around in a game that has no real meaning whatsoever in the standings? I can't think of any reasons.

If you choose to tune in & get involved in the All-Star activities, more power to you. Just color my alternate road uniforms unimpressed.

And $5 says they play Smash Mouth's song "All Star" before & after each commercial break.

Posted 2:38 PM by John A. Seafisk

Why I Like Minor League Baseball

Nobody Night, hosted by the Charleston RiverDogs.
Arthur Andersen Appreciation Night, hosted by the Portland Beavers.

Posted 11:11 PM by John A. Seafisk

Collections

Everyone collects something. Some folks collects stamps, some folks collect cars, some folks collect knitting magazines, some folks collect train schedules, some folks collect drug habits....well, you get the idea. I, myself, collect collegiate and minor league apparel.

Why? Well, why not? Perhaps it gives me the sense of being a man about the world without having to go to too many places. Perhaps it's to further assert my feelings of noncomformity and independence....anyone can wear a Lakers jersey or Yankess hat, but how many people dare wear a Quebec Rafales jersey and Beloit Snappers hat? Not many, ladies & gentlemen...except in the Quebec and Beloit regions. But I doubt it.

Over the years, I've tried to keep track of how many different teams & schools I inadverted advertised for (or against) by wearing such clothing on the top of my head and across my chest. Here's as many as I can figure:

Collidge
Northwestern
DePaul
Notre Dame
Indiana
Purdue
Michigan
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa
Wisconsin-Green Bay
Michigan Tech
Northern Michigan
Lake Superior State
Rutgers
Valparaiso
Air Force
Washington State
Stanford
Florida State
Cal State Northridge
UC-Santa Cruz
Akron
Toledo
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Brigham Young
South Florida
Middle Tennessee
Cal State Fullerton
CalTech
Northern Illinois
Penn State
Pittsburgh
Temple
Boston College
Georgia
South Dakota State
Youngstown State

Professional Teams
Cape Fear Crocs
Chicago Bears
Chicago Wolves
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Chicago Bulls
Quebec Rafales
Vancouver Canucks
Missoula Osprey
Pittsburgh Penguins
New Jersey Devils
Orlando Solar Bears
Pittsburgh Pipers
Carolina Cougars
Duluth-Superior Dukes
Lincoln Saltdogs
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Stars
Winston-Salem Warthogs
Montreal Expos
Chicago Blackhawks
Florida Marlins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kane County Cougars
Lancaster JetHawks
Long Beach Breakers
Long Beach IceDogs
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Kansas City Monarchs

That's all I can think of at the moment. This post may be updated, so stay tuned! (If you really care)

Posted 4:27 PM by John A. Seafisk

It's 4 o'clock on a Saturday, but I'm not in a bar room, nor am I drinking gin. I'm at work, drinking a Dr. Pepper. Oh, and working. Somewhat.

But it's not that bad. For one, I should be getting some extra income for this. And my office area has a lot of amenities that are lacking at my living quarters....namely: central air, high-speed internet access, and cable TV. Also, I am currently the only occupant here at the moment. So, I needn't worry about any interruptions from co-workers. And I can watch VH1's 'Greatest One-Hit Wonders', hosted by William Shatner. Oh, and I can get more work done.

Besides, I wasted the free day I had yesterday. At least I'm accomplishing something, even though I may be missing out on some fun outdoor activites.

Eh, probably not.

Now 'One-Hit Wonders' up to Sir Mix-A-Lot's 'Baby Got Back'. Even white boys got to shout!

Posted 12:35 AM by John A. Seafisk

Nada

Did nothing today. Not a sausage. Felt a real strong sense of non-accomplishment. Oh, I was invited to go see The Powerpuff Girls Movie, but then that would have been doing something. If it was a Dexter's Laboratory Movie, then I may have reconsidered.

Even this blog entry is nothing. Maybe it's just general apathy, man. Maybe it's writer's block. Maybe my brain is running on low wattage. Maybe it's just a funk, and I don't mean the George Clinton Parliament kind.

Just one of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer....with 'smog' for 'hazy' and 'insanely bored into uninterest in anything' for 'crazy'. But it was definitely lazy, I gar-on-tee!

Posted 3:46 AM by John A. Seafisk

July 4

Went to a BBQ. Brought along a bag of ketchup-flavored potato chips (only 6 bags left!). Ate lots of charcoal-seared red meat. Drank Newcastle Ale & Dr. Pepper. Threw darts. Talked with an owner of an online aquarium equipment company, a girl trying to get a job with the Boston Red Sox, three people moving to Australia, and a British guy, among others. Saw fireworks along the oceanfront. Got hassled by the cops for ligthing sparklers in a park. Drank a Vanilla Coke, having it almost explode all over me. Drove home listening to The Doors' "Morrison Hotel". Watched a WW2 movie while eating chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream.

Now it is 3:30 a.m. July 5. The congealing grease from the red meat I gorged on & the pint of ice cream i went through quicker than I thought sit in my stomach....probably the reason why I'm still up. Or maybe that Vanilla Coke...which needs a little more vanilla.

How was your day?

Posted 4:00 PM by John A. Seafisk

Being Unconstitutional

I pledge allegience to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Posted 3:08 PM by John A. Seafisk

A New Taste Sensation

I received a large box in the mail today. It contained 12 bags of ketchup-flavored potato chips.


Yes, ketchup-flavored potato chips.


How? Why? Well, it all goes back a few weeks ago...(insert dissove effects here)


I had retured to the office from an errand, when I saw a collection of co-workers gathered around the kitchen table. They were gathered around a collection of bags of potato chips, made by the good folks at Golden Flake. There were all sorts of flavors: original, sour cream & onion, barbecue, hot, rippled, sweet hot barbecue, and so on. I, like everyone else, sampled from the bags. They were fine, but one flavor captivated all of us: dill pickle.


It may sound unpleasant, but it quickly became addictive. A tart & tangy taste...kind of like sweet relish. Not surprisingly, the dill pickle bags were the first to be completely gone. Even now, there are unconfirmed reports of dill pickle chip hoarding around the office. I must investigate.


Anyway, this culinary experience got me thinking about other flavored chips. My friend Todd told me about ketchup-flavored chips, which are apparently a big snack hit in Canada. Being a curious fellow with a curious palate, and being obessed with all things Canadian, I went on a search to find this unique snack delicacy. My tour took me to a very helpful chip site. After reading up on the tomato-powdery subject, I went for the gusto and ordered some chips, made by the good folks at Herr's of Nottingham, PA.


Unfortunately, the smallest unit I could order was a box of 12 5.5-oz bags. So I did it. Two to three weeks later, the box finally arrived. Fortunately, the first chip was tasty. Even more fortunately, the proceeding chips were good, as well. The taste is kind of similar to dipping french fries into ketchup, or like a very very mild barbecue sauce. What made the chips taste even better was the use of Heinz ketchup flavoring, instead of a generic or industrial brand. I'm not usually a one-brand consumer when it comes to foodstuffs, but it's either Heinz ketchup for me, or no tomato-based condiments at all...save for BBQ sauce.


Overall, this was one wacky online purchase that made the grade. And thanks to some help, only 7 bags left to go.

Posted 3:11 PM by John A. Seafisk

Good Day, Canada!

Happy Birthday, Canada! To learn more about our plucky neighbors to the north, check out the following helpful sites, eh?:

Travel Canada
Canadian Football League
Second City TV
Canadian Beer
Indigenous Cuisine
Indigenous Fauna
More Canadian Beer
Cute Figure Skaters
Even More Canadian Beer

Posted 1:34 PM by John A. Seafisk

Copa Mundial Finis

Before I forget, congrats to the Brazilian national soccer/football team for winning the 2002 World Cup. Oh, to be in Rio enjoying the victory celebrations. Then again...oh, to be in Rio, period.

In honor of the team's achievement, here are some photos of the Brazilian team. At least, I think it's the right team, give or take the correct gender.

Posted 12:45 PM by John A. Seafisk

Minor League Ball, Major League Fun!

I went to see a Jet Hawks game over the weekend. Originally, I had written a very descriptive and wonderfully-prosed post about the experience. Unfortunately, as soon as I tried posting it, the Blogger web site wouldn't reload. All those words, lost forever. *sigh*

And I don't really feel like typing the whole thing again, which is fine, since I forgot what I wrote. Instead, here are edited highlights of my unpublished post:

Chili Cheese Fries

Autographed bat won by friend

Home Run Fireworks

Randy Johnson bobbleheads

Cute ushers

Off by 60 in Jellybean Counting Contest

All in all, it was a fun & affordable time.