Queen of Wands

Queen of Wands, originally uploaded by rjschwabe.

Well, as long as there’s a precedence for this hair sort of thing. And it kindof ties into my current thoughts about the ponytail.

Anyway, this was taken from: http://www.queenofwands.net/d/20061023.html

Rob

Modern Journalistic Integrity 1

Journalistic Integrity 1, originally uploaded by rjschwabe.

Well, I don’t mean to multiple blog, but this one deserves it.

Screaming Like a Girl, and Hiding Under the Bed

Okay, not quite that bad.

But, we all have our phobias and fears, and then there’s the things that we just hate. Things that pop-up in life, that we don’t have nightmares about, we don’t freeze up, or tremble over, but just things we detest.

For me, that thing is mice. Specifically, mice that have invaded my house, and that I have to do something about.

I’m reasonably ok, with mice in a cage, or even bringing one out and letting in crawl in my hands. I’m not rushing out to do it, but if it’s someone’s pet, I’m sure I’d be okay with it. But when they come in my house, then it’s something different.

So, I go home yesterday, and I open the door to go to my makeshift pantry going down to the basement. And I see a small grey furry thing run down the steps.

Now, I don’t handle being startled well. And seeing a moving thing scurry down the stairs, startles me.

I go downstairs making a huge amount of noise, to scare the little buggers out of my way. And I go to see if I have any traps or poison. I have two traps and D-Con Mouse poison, that I don’t think works. (Well, I’m sure it works if the mice would actually eat the poison, but I see no signs of that, unless the mice are coming back later and cleaning up after themselves.)

So, then I have to set the old school springloaded mouse traps. This is worse than being startled by the mice in the first place. Because you first put the bait on the trap (peanut butter in this case). Then it’s tough to find the spot on the mouse trap, where the bar catches. And then, you have to slowly pull your hands away, not setting off the trap. Well, mister unsteady here, is not good at this, and half the time, I set off the trap, startling me, and spreading peanut butter on the floor. So I get pissed and startled at the same time, and now I have to do it again.

When I finally get the traps set, I’m startled because of the lack of reaction, which is even stupider.

(And yes, by the way, I sucked at Operation when I was a kid)

So I set two traps and caught two mice. So well worth it. I’ll just keep the memory of me huddled in my childhood blankie to myself.

885 Greatest Artists (Part 3)

Referencing my previous post here….

Well, the WXPN Greatest Artists countdown is complete. The Top 10 list was pretty predictable, but such is life. The Beatles is a popular band, so it makes sense that a popular band would be a popular pick using a popular way of determining artists.

The full list is located here.

Well, here’s how my picks did….

1. Bruce Springsteen (4)

2. Southern Culture on the Skids (379)

3. Richard Thompson (43)

4. Joe Satriani (640)

5. Garbage (448)

6. Buddy Guy (213)

7. Brian Setzer

8. Jimmy Buffett (116)

9. Meat Loaf (517)

10. Little Feat (110)

Honorable Mention: Tower of Power (456), Prince (39), Stevie Wonder (22), Billy Joel (48), Paul Simon (20), Sheryl Crow (183), Marvin Gaye (75), Sarah McLaughlan (101), Pink Floyd (9), Marah (584)

Other personal mentionables: Marc Broussard (865), Kenny Wayne Shepherd (826), Def Leppard (738), Weird Al Yankovic (737), Marc Cohn (729), Michelle Shocked (650), Wallflowers (543), Joe Walsh (495), The Chieftans (491), Raul Malo (489), Cracker (467), Trout Fishing in America (461), Five for Fighting (408), Cowboy Junkies (333), Train (278), Public Enemy (259), Cake (236), Al Green (229), Black Crows (190), AC/DC (180), John Lee Hooker (166), Muddy Waters (109), Stevie Ray Vaughan (60), The Clash (24), Johnny Cash (18),

Phenomenon Lost

Okay, we are three episodes into the third season of the television show, Lost. Over the first two seasons, I tagged this show as the best fully-serialized television show ever.

(And by fully-serialized, I basically mean that it is a show that you had to watch every week. On most shows, details change: characters get fired, clues get added to the conspiracy, and people fall in love. But you turn on the television, and the gang is hanging out in the bar, or the new case gets placed upon the desk, and the show starts anew)

Every episode had me eagerly waiting for the next week so more pieces of the puzzle could be added, more mysteries would be solved, and more intrigue established. I can’t say that anymore.

One of my favorite (sports) columnists is Bill Simmons, and he once talked about the first season of Friends. He said that basically, the first season of Friends didn’t try to be a sit-com, it went beyond that, showing the true inter-personal relationships of people who hang around each other too much. That once it tried to be a sit-com, it became more mediocre.

(He said it much more eloquently than that.)

But you can say the same basic gist is true for Lost. The first season was tremendously exciting, because neither the writers nor the show actually told you what type of show this was: survival television, science fiction, action-adventure, psychological thriller… it left you guessing.

The second season successfully was all of these at once. And it was really thrilling, until the last few episodes.

This season and the last, you get the feeling that the writers and creators of Lost, didn’t like the direction they were going, or felt like they were painted in the corner by the current direction. So, they tried their best to ‘fix’ these things, and in the same time, focus on one specific aspect of their story, “The Others”.

Okay, so over the last 3 episodes, the show has become a total action-adventure show. In fact, it has not only ignored these other genres and stories, it has gone away from the one thing that truly made it unique, the ensemble cast: the past three episodes has focused on small groups of the survivors, rather than the group as a whole.

And the previews for next week, seem to be more of the same.

So, is this a cry stating that I’m never going to watch the show, that it is terrible, how the mighty have fallen, and how the shark has been jumped…

No.

It is still a good action adventure show with some mystery elements thrown in for good measure. But the phenomenon is over. The edge of your seat riding, unique, television phenomenon is done. I don’t think they can get it back.

I will enjoy it. I probably will be pulled in by cliff-hangers that one day make me wait in anticipation for the next episode, but that initial love has fallen away.

It’s just a television show.

Namaste,.

Robert

Regional Food

Culturally, I consider myself a Philadelphia guy. The sports teams I follow are from Philadelphia. I watch Philadelphia television and radio stations, even when there’s a New York or Baltimore alternative. When I say, “the city”, I am referring to Philly, tho usually I say “Philly”.

In truth, my allegiance is to the Delaware Valley, which is influenced by Philadelphia, Wilmington, Trenton, and (to a lesser degree) New York.

My cuisine is influenced by this region, and it surprises me that many local foods have never extended themselves beyond the region. The Philly Cheesesteak is well-known, as well as the Hoagie (basically a Sub). But there are a few less-known favorites that never made it out of the region, that surprise me tremendously:

• Scrapple is a favorite by those in the know. And if you’re gonna get it, get Habbersett. But also, and more surprisingly Pork Roll is very regional. I say surprisingly, because Scrapple is an acquired taste, but if you like ham or canadian bacon at breakfast, you’ll like pork roll.
• Tastykakes are tremendous. I’ll never know why they haven’t moved beyond the region. My current favorite is probably the Chocolate TandyKakes, but traditional favorite Butterscotch Krimpets.
• Spiced Wafers. It is not fall until I get a box of Ivins or Sweetzels. Basically ginger snaps, but better.
• According to Wikipedia, Birch Beer is a northeastern thing. But, the most popular one, to my knowledge, is Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer. It’s more similar to Sasparilla than Root Beer.
• Yes, there’s there’s a hoagie, there’s a sub, there’s a cheesesteak, but you haven’t lived til you had a Bobbi from Capriotti’s.

And then there’s soft pretzels. Basically there are now four types of soft pretzels sold in the region:

The classic SuperPretzel soft pretzel. No different than what you find in the freezer section, around the country. Golden outside, totally white dough inside. Really good if you can find them on a pretzel carousel on the boardwalk or at the snack counter at Target.

The overly caloric, Auntie Anne or Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Pretzel. These things are evil. Convered in butter, when properly done, it drips out of your mouth. Only found at Auntie Anne stores or local Amish Farmers Markets, like the Reading Terminal Market.

Then there’s the two types of traditional pretzels. These are easily identified, because they were cooked in a slab of pretzels and torn apart from each other. The first ones are the crunchy oven baked kind. They have a slight burnt taste to them. Sold primarily from Philly Soft Pretzel factory or in vendors outside of sports games.

Finally, there’s the evil pretzels. They are heavy, dense, and ’sweaty’. Similar to the ‘burnt’ kind, but somehow they gain moisture due to the salt extracting the moisture. But when they are still fresh and good, these tempt me tremendously, even though I prefer the others. Cause you’ll know for several hours that you ate one of these monstrosities, cause it’s laying in your stomach that long.

Okay, enough of the regional food tour.

Cheers,

Robert

A Something Positive Moment of Zen

SP5, originally uploaded by rjschwabe.

In two months my wife will severely beat me for this joke. Oh well, enjoy it til then. Link to the full joke is at: http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp09222006.shtml

General Etiquite – Cellphones and Bathrooms

Okay,

I own a cellphone. I’m not one who uses it constantly. I really hate people who are screaming into their phone as they walk in public places. I hate people who drive poorly because of it. And generally think people are talking to each other waaaaay too much.

But for the most part, I have a live-and-let-live attitude about it all.

Today, I was in the men’s room at my office. My company shares the bathroom with the other suites in the building. I’m sititng down (yes more information than you need), and someone comes in and does his business (at the urinal) while chatting on the cell phone.

Now, there’s an awkwarness when two people who know each other chat in the bathroom, especially when one is using the toilet or urinal. But to invite a cellphone conversation into the mens room, just is wrong in so many ways.

Anyway, it nearly lead to violence, but I wasn’t prepared to get up at that time.

Ponytail on Life Support

I’ve had my hair in a ponytail since about spring/summer of 1998. I started growing my hair out, basically because I didn’t like my haircut. I looked into the mirror and to me it looked like “Rob, member of the young Republican club”. UCK.

So, I wanted a change, something a little more extreme, something that stood out. So I went with the long hair, and eventually put it into a ponytail. With the intention of wearing my hair long when I wasn’t at work.

Well, my hair is rather heavy, and I hate putting fifty different hair care layers of schmutz on my hair. And truth be told, I think most guys really hate the idea of taking more than 5-10 minutes on their hair in the morning, unless members of the sex you are willing to attract are really interested in it. (i.e., if I was getting some based on my hair from 1994 – 2001, my views on hair care might be very different).

So, the last few years, I’ve been sick of it. I hate having long hair if all I’m going to do is pull it back into a ponytail. I pull huge strands of hair off in the shower, and out of the drain. It gets frickin everywhere. I have major knots in my hair all the time. And a lot of times it remains wet all day.

I leave it because of intertia. The main reasons to leave it is that I am very recognizable with it. We were meeting friends, Larry and Michelle, at the Phillies game in the summer, and Michelle spotted us immediately, because of the ponytail.

My wife, tho she likes pictures of me with short hair, has only known me with long hair.

And I really hate having the reaction from everyone of, “Oh wow, you cut your hair.”

So, I have a cunning plan….

If I get my hair cut over the next few weeks, Yes I would get a reaction from my coworkers, family, and the friends I see often.

However, the people I see infrequently will be completely distracted from my haircut, by the ultimate distraction, a baby.

Yes, I plan on using my son. Probably the first time of many, where I will use him. It will switch from, “Wow, you got your hair cut. Why did you decide to do that. Can I feel it. You look much better with it short. Blah blah blah.” to “Oh, you got your hair cut. Cool. Where’s your son?”

*sigh*

Rob

What I Want

Okay, not that I think I have general readers, cause few people other than Brother Zonker, has ever piped up and replied to any of my posts, which is fine. These thoughts are primarily private posts that I don’t mind an anonymous public (and Zonker) reading.

But in case you don’t know, my wife and I are expecting a child in the very near future. We know that it is a boy, and are 99.9% sure about the name, so that’s kindof cool.

So, of course, the general question you get from people. Did you want a boy. Are you happy that it’s a boy. etc.

Look, I’m glad that it’s a boy. I kindof wanted a girl first. Yes, that assumes that we will have more than one kid, and that we will want more than one kid.

I am happy that my last name is going to go further. There are plenty out there who share my name, as my grandfather was one of like 9 brothers. But, from the union of Paul and Estelle (my grandparents), there was only one child, Bob. And from the union of Bob and Pat, there was only one child, Robert, which is me.

I’m probably most ecstatic about the fact that this child is going to be my first known blood relative. I am adopted, and have never felt the need to go find my birth parents. (As one person, who knows my parents said to me once, “Rob, given the intensity of your parents, I can understand why you don’t want to add to that.”) I’ve never been able to look at another human being and had someone say that I have their ears, eyes, chin, nose, skin, cough, allergies, or penis size.

I don’t believe that a blood relationship is stronger than others. It’s just more of something that I am curious about.

However, the question is asked. What do you want your son to be/like/do? (aside from healthy, which goes without saying). Let’s throw a few of these out there, for what traits I want my son to have (eventually):

* I want my son to enjoy reading. I don’t care what he reads, but I hope he enjoys it.

* I hope my son is either book smart, street smart, mechanically smart, or smart with people/relationships.

* I hope my son learns how to sleep on his back.

* I hope my son’s first word is not a curse word.

* I hope my son does not inherit his father’s dry skin; however, I’m willing to sacrifice this for straight teeth.

* I hope my son enjoys drinking water.

* I hope my son has the curiosity to try almost everything once. And the strength and fortitude to avoid habits and true addictions.

* I would like my son to be a fan of the local sports teams, especially the Philadelphia Eagles. I hope he learns how it is like to be a true loyal fan. And I will ensure that he is not a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.

* I know my son will like music that I dislike and disapprove of. I hope that he is as willing to experience the music of his parents, as I will be of his.

* I hope my son enjoys going to school, even if it’s only because he wants to get away from his family. (That was always my main reason)

* I want my son to enjoy moments of quiet solitude. Be able to take a ride in a car without a DVD Player. And go to a restaurant without bringing along a GameBoy.

* I want my son to have his father’s enjoyment of trying things new, getting lost, and being creative. However, I would like him to have more planning than his father.

* I want my son to value self-awareness, like his father does. But unlike me, I want him to be proactive in changing those things he dislikes.

* I want my son to question his place in the universe without the fear that would keep him up late at night.

* I want my son to be able to tell a joke.

* I want my son to be able to sing a song.

* I want my son to hate my guts on Friday, but be able to laugh and have a great time with me on Saturday.

Cheers,

Robert