Thursday, November 19, 2009

If you have doubts about using social networking websites, let this story convince you that they are worth your time. Or convince you that I've finally lost it...

Over this past summer, especially the July/August timeframe, I was being more and more vocal about my abhorrence (extreme hatred) for social networking sites. I thought they had nothing to offer me, and I had nothing to offer to them. It was like "Why bother? Who cares? I never do anything exciting ever."

After a late night discussion with my buddy Travis in early September, I slowly became convinced that it may not be as bad as I thought it would be. About a week and a half later, I was on Facebook. I was unimpressed, at first. But I put it to use for me. Getting the word out about my blog. Posting pictures. Locating people. Even found a fan of my video game FAQ's. You know, the usual.

"So, now I'm on Facebook." I was going to leave it at that. "What more would other services, like Twitter, accomplish?"

Well, I joined Twitter a month after I got on Facebook. I proceeded to use it in the same way. Partly to further readership of my blog (Seriously, who reads this shit? Wait, don't answer that...). Partly because Travis (@trav) would "be interested in following your twitter." But let's not kid ourselves here. I did it so I could #AskTheDonnas!!

The concept is pretty simple. Send them a question over Twitter with the tag #AskTheDonnas. Roughly every other Friday, they pick 8 questions and post the answers to their iLike blog (which then gets propagated to their Facebook and Twitter pages).

Yes, I'm still obsessed with them. And I'm proud to admit it. They rock. You can't avoid it, might as well enjoy it, 'cuz I do. But this isn't about them. It is, but it's not... We're getting off topic here...

I wanted to come up with a good question to ask @the_donnas. Something normal, something interesting, maybe a little humorous. I gave this a GREAT deal of thought. Do I ask something innocuous, as not to scare them away? Do I try to be a smartass and potentially (hell, DEFINITELY) make a fool of myself? Do I ask a question that I think they'd enjoy answering, "guaranteeing" (in my mind) a response? I spent weeks trying to come up with something.

I finally decided on one about a week and half ago. Asking which of their videos is their favorite, and which one they enjoyed making the most. Lame, I know. I thought it was the safe play. An innocent question, which, if answered, could potentially open the door to something a little more... aggressive (by that, I mean maybe get them to reveal even a mundane, yet fascinating, slightly personal detail).

Round 5 of #AskTheDonnas came around yesterday and they didn't answer my question. "No big deal, I'll live. It was a dumb question anyways." I had a much better one ready to go.

Before I even became obsessed with The Donnas, they had announced that drummer Torry Castellano would not be touring with them this summer (technically, it would appear her replacement, Amy Cesari, broke the news on 5/7/09 on her band's website; I couldn't find anything earlier than that on the Interweb). When I found this out during my descent into Donnadom, I was disappointed in the lack of Torrance, but gradually warmed up to the idea of Amy, and even started to like it. "Hey, if it keeps the band going, I'm gonna support it." Eventually, I did my due diligence to get to know her, maybe not as much as the regular Donnas, but enough.

Anywho, when Amy performs with The Demonics, she's sporting red face paint and devil horns on her forehead. Odd, but hey, whatever works for you.

Then I had watched The Donnas' "Who Invited You" video for the bazillionth time this past weekend. BAM!! It hit me. Like I suddenly put 2 and 2 together. "Wait a minute... That girl with face paint and horns on her forehead... (check out the 1:54 mark of the video) Is that Amy?"

Bingo. I had my question. So after Round 5 was finished and the bell rang, I came out swinging for Round 6. I asked...

And ye shall receive! Hell, I got something even better. My question was so good, The Donnas didn't even bother with waiting.

They responded with an empathic "Yes!" and retweeting my question on Twitter.

How fuckin' awesome is that? Getting RT'ed by one of your favorite bands, for the whole world to see? When I saw that on my phone during my lunch break today, I was beside myself. Arms raised in victory as I walked to my car. Cranking up that song on my radio during the drive back to work. Laughing like a mad man from my cubicle, with a huge grin on my face. That made my day. Literally. I'm gonna ride this high for the rest of the week and through the weekend. I'm tellin' everyone!! This is THAT good.

This one event erased every reservation I had about social networking. Travis, your infinite wisdom has shown me the way once again. Thanks. Again. I could never repay you, but I'll spend the rest of my life trying. Even it's from the looney bin after they come to take me away.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

My head hurts just trying to comprehend it...

Whoa, wait a minute. Fall Out Boy's been around for 4 years, have released three albums, and NOW they've got a greatest hits?

No, that's... NO!! Why did they even bother? Please, for the love of god, get them some more emo juice so they can make new albums. I can live with that; I've got all of them. I might buy that, but...

Ow. Just think these things out next time...

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Yet another reason I need to leave Fargo...

The music scene here sucks. Among the many problems...


  • Too much country music. WE Fest. Two country radio stations is one too many. Yuck.
  • All the rest of the radio stations here suck. Y94 blows goats. They keep shuffling the deck with every other station up here, so I never know what station is playing which format. Thank god for my iPod's FM transmitter.
  • We only get one good concert a year. This summer was Green Day. Bon Jovi's coming in March. That's about it within the next 18-24 months.
  • No good music stores. Best Buy is horrible; they keep reducing their music inventories in favor of more profitable items. Disc-Go-Round and Cheapo are gone. And I've bought all three of the decent CD's from PawnAmerica.


I could go on, but I think those points alone cover all the bases.

It's not gonna get better. Ever. Sorry.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Democrats are ruining America

President Barack Obama and his cronies are running this country into the ground.

I, like many conservatives, are worried that the Democrats are going to "fix" America by redistributing wealth. Going all Robin Hood-style on the rich and giving to the poor. Punishing financial success. Not allowing capitalism to do its job.

This would be all fine and dandy, but there's one area where they won't do a thing about it. One industry where they'll let the big spenders run rampant. Doing nothing to level the playing, both figuratively AND literally.

Major League Baseball.

Obama's been in office for one year, and the New York Yankees are the 2009 World Series champions. And they have the biggest payroll in baseball, and a new billion dollar stadium to go with it.

Those Democrats are fuckin' hypocrites...

You think I'm crazy? You be the judge...

In the Reagan-Bush years, from 1981 to 1992, the New York Yankees only appeared in the '81 World Series, losing in 6 games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. During the Republicans' time in the White House, 17 different teams appeared World Series (9 A.L. and 8 N.L.). Ten different champions during that time, with only Los Angeles and Minnesota winning multiple titles. There was no crazy free agent spending. Every team had players worthy of being on the All Star team. 20 teams would come into spring training each year with a reasonable chance of winning the World Series. It was wide open. Available to anyone for the taking, the way it should be. What a glorious time for baseball...

Then, Bill Clinton took office in 1993, and everything went to hell. That season, the Yankees went from a 76 win team to an 88 win team, a twelve-game turnaround, finishing 7 back of eventual World Series champion Toronto. In 1994, they were in first place in the A.L. East by 6.5 games over Baltimore before the strike cancelled the season. They made the playoffs every year through the rest of Clinton's two terms, winning four division titles (and two wild card spots). Each time they won the East, they went on to win the World Series, going 16-3 in those four contests. No one else had a chance. New York was loading up on free agents, getting the best that money could buy. Small-market teams who had great success in the 80's, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Milwaukee; they didn't even have a chance. I was disgusted.

Fortunately, it all came to an end in 2000. George W. Bush took control, and the Yankees were over. Only two world series appearances; 2001 and 2003. Lost 'em both. To expansion teams from the 90's!! It was great. The Yankees continued to attempt to buy the championship each year, but to no success. The Republican from Texas had fixed baseball, and all was right with the world once again.

Still think I'm nuts? I'll go on!!

The Yankees won twice while Jimmy Carter was in the White House, back-to-back in '77 and '78. They were swept in '76 while Gerald Ford was at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and didn't even get there when Richard Nixon was living at that address. And although New York did not get to the World Series with Lyndon Johnson in office, they won twice in three appearances under the Kennedy administration. In fact, the last time the Yankees won a World Series while the GOP held power in the executive branch? 1958, during the Eisenhower administation, when they beat the Milwaukee Braves in seven games.

Fuckin' Democrats. If it means keeping the Yankees out of the White House, I'll gladly vote Republican for the rest of my life.
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