The 34th in our 118-part series.
Giveaways that make you go “Huh?”
Go to a few NHL games and you’ll find yourself the recipient of a giveaway. Everyone at some point in their lives has been handed a team picture, or a cap, or a pack of trading cards on the way out of the arena. And don’t get us wrong — we love those things, but what we’re talking about here, what we really, really love, is the crazy stuff. Like the commemorative coins we got at the 1996 World Cup that celebrated the inaugural event at the Flyers’ then-new arena, or those “beer mugs” the Devils gave us after a St. Patrick’s Day game against the Flyers that were little more than just plastic cups, or the badge holders we got when we traveled to Los Angeles to see the Devils play the Kings. It’s just so much fun to get a cheap piece of what would be considered nothing more than clutter if it wasn’t emblazoned with a team logo and handed to you by an usher as you shuffle out to the parking lot after a hockey game. The two items that stand out the most in our minds are the cereal bowls we got from the Devils after one late-season game against the Islanders (perfect for holding paint when we’re doing edgework while redecorating), and the famous, random, ridiculous inflatable Gulf blimp that didn’t even have a Devils logo anywhere on it. We don’t remember who the opponent was, or even what year it was, but we will always cherish that stupid blimp, just because it made absolutely no sense and was completely free.
My inaugural hockey game was a giveaway night – Natalie & I were both “proud” recipients of some sort of Rags poster. I kept it (hey, any holiday memento from another continent gets kept!), but man, was it ugly.
I love freebies! Last season, at the home opener, they gave away little lighted star-shaped necklaces. During the opening ceremonies, everybody was wearing their flashing lights and it looked awesome! It was like glitter. I took mine home and hung it on an old nail in the den and (I’m so embarrassed) I turned it on during every game I watched until the battery went dead. It was like a lucky charm.
Do y’all get a free coupon for tacos or something if they get a certain score? We get a free chalupa, I think, something like that, for 3 goals. I think it started when Mark Cuban promised Mavs fans a free chalupa at Taco Bueno whenever they got 100 points in a game. He might have stolen that from someone.
I kept it (hey, any holiday memento from another continent gets kept!), but man, was it ugly.
Don’t tell your friends that that’s typical of American souvenirs! :D
Iain, I’d probably have kept it too, even though it was a Rangers souvenir. I mean, it’s a momento from your first-ever game! I still have the ticket stub from my first game.
Patty, we so don’t get coupons for shit when they get to a certain score. I guess with the Devils it would be such a blatant “you’re never getting anything” sort of deal (like if they have to score, say, six goals) or it would be really patronizingly low (like, “free pizza if the Devils get three goals”) and we’d still never get the coupons. Although I suppose you’d know all about that in Dallas! If I’d gotten a twinkly, light-up star necklace I would TOTALLY have lit it up for every televised game!
Giveaways that make you go “Huh?”
When I read this, I first thought this was going to be about Andreas Lilja in overtime, managing to skate away and leave Selanne alone with Hasek. “Huh? Wooo!”
See, I had the exact same thoughts that Sleek did, except that I immediately thought about that Edmonton/Dallas tilt with the hilarious empty net debacle by Stefan.
Good point, guys — that’s a whole other reason we love hockey! (Although Pookie and I would both be thinking of the “Hey Ace” Mario Lemieux giveaway to John Madden that led to a goal in the 2001 ECF.)
(I suppose it would have made more sense to title this “Promotional Giveaways that make you go ‘Huh?’”, but we were a wee bit drinky when we finally got to the computer today…)
…that Edmonton/Dallas tilt with the hilarious empty net debacle by Stefan.
Poor kid. If it had been at any other arena, there would have been a lot of talk about the ice conditions. In slow motion, you could see the puck jump a foot right at the line. Poor kid.
Giveaways that make you go “Huh?”
When I read this, I first thought this was going to be about Andreas Lilja in overtime
Meanwhile I thought it was going to be about the entire Sabres squad. All playoffs.
I don’t think I’ve been going to the right games, because I don’t remember ever getting anything for free. I had the potential to get a free medium coffee from Dunkin Donuts one night when Jaro Spacek (her?) scored against Montreal. Of course, I don’t drink coffee, and even if I did I would be far too lazy to actually drive to Dunkin Donuts and show them my ticket to pick up a free one, so the giveaway was quite moot.
Meanwhile I thought it was going to be about the entire Sabres squad. All playoffs.
Gambler, my thoughts exactly. How do you even choose one?
The only giveaway game I’ve ever gone to netted me a Sabres calendar but it’s freakin’ awesome – it’s not one of those little dinky magnet things but a full 12 month calendar featuring awesome photos – so I’m not going to complain. In fact, I made sure I went to that game last season because I NEEDED the new version.
In Buffalo we get $10 off a $50 purchase at Dick’s Sporting Goods if the team scores 3 goals or more. (Woo-hoo.)
when the giants(vancouver’s whl team) gets six goals everyone gets coupons to white spot. I dunno if there are white spots in the states but it is a pretty good burger and fries place. My darling Canucks have never given me anything for free :( I must rectify that this year and demand something silly and free when I do go watch a live game
it’s not one of those little dinky magnet things
Those little dinky magnet things are by far my favorite giveaway. In fact, I’d count the lack of magnetic schedules as one of the main drawbacks to giving up my season tickets. The full 12 month affairs are nice, but as we’re big-time magnet people here at IPB Manor the combination of hockey and magnet is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
alix, the Canucks don’t do promotional giveaways? That’s terrible!
Heather, I also like the 12-month giveaway calendars; my favorite thing about them is checking out the hierarchy of the players in the team’s eyes. Guys like Marty and Patty get the choice playoff months, while your Dan Lacoutures and Scott Clemmensens get the summer months. I also liked how the last team calendar I can remember getting put Gomer and Pando on the same month. Just because they were BFFs. And, I think, because they were both December birthday boys. But mostly because they were dating.
Do the things they give you at the beginning of the game count to? You know like the towel, thundersticks, pom pom, and little hand clapper thingy. I’ve kept everything but the thundersticks.
The last game I went to was when I got the hand clapper thing. Luckily, I was sitting in the last row of the lower section because when the Preds tied the game with about a minute a was clapping away and the thing just fell apart. The one part hit the wall behind me and another almost hit the kid next to me. Those things really should come with a warning.
Giveaways that make you go “Huh?”
Oh, shades of Spezza on that one. Except at this point it isn’t so much “Huh?” as “[insert eye roll here]“
This past year’s giveaways were lame. I mean, I appreciate that I finally got to complete my Cup-winning team pictures, but they really cheaped out by way of celebrating year 25.
I trust that this year will be crazy and huh?-like in nature, especially if/when new companies jump on the promotions bandwagon, being in an actual city this year.
Gambler, my thoughts exactly. How do you even choose one?
Well, I didn’t single anyone out because if I were to choose just one guy, it would probably have to be the guy we just signed for six years. Thankfully, that abysmal play isn’t typical, right, Derek? Right? But really, everyone was guilty. Except for Crunchy, who now not only looks like a martyr, but feels/sounds/smells/tastes like one, too!
Heather, I also like the 12-month giveaway calendars; my favorite thing about them is checking out the hierarchy of the players in the team’s eyes.
Ooooh, now I really want to know what the hierarchy of the Sabres calendar looks like. Where exactly does Yo-Yo fall?
The Stars put out a 12-month calendar every year. There are some pretty cool photos, but I think they need a new photographer. They always look like hockey players who are trying to be models: nervous and unnatural.
This year was sponsored by a fitness company and there’s a picture of Mike Modano with no shirt on and they managed to make him look dorky. Even Boucher, with his shirt off, could have used some better direction.
Last year, it was the zoo, though, and Boucher had a giant snake wrapped around him. Ex. Tremely. Hot.
They had a fun pet one in black and white that was actually good the year before that, now that I think about it. Marty was holding little kittens.
Um. I’ll be right back. :D
This past year’s giveaways were lame. I mean, I appreciate that I finally got to complete my Cup-winning team pictures, but they really cheaped out by way of celebrating year 25.
That was a pretty chintzy way to celebrate, but oh-so-Devils! We still have our 2003 Stanley Cup team picture hanging on our fridge (and I refuse to believe that’s the reason the fridge keeps dying, so don’t say anything!), and of course the one game we went to last year was the game they were giving away… the 2003 Stanley Cup team picture! Now we have TWO on our fridge.
MrFrisby, I am going to write to the Predators and suggest next time they have a hand clapper giveaway that they also include a hardhat.
Ooooh, now I really want to know what the hierarchy of the Sabres calendar looks like.
Pookie says, “If it’s not 12 months of Staffy, I don’t want it.” I think she should hold out for a 365-day Staffy-A-Day calendar featuring Staffy in short shorts.
This year was sponsored by a fitness company and there’s a picture of Mike Modano with no shirt on and they managed to make him look dorky. Even Boucher, with his shirt off, could have used some better direction.
Last year, it was the zoo, though, and Boucher had a giant snake wrapped around him. Ex. Tremely. Hot.
They had a fun pet one in black and white that was actually good the year before that, now that I think about it. Marty was holding little kittens.
Patty. Scanner. Now.
I can’t BELIEVE you get calendars of your guys POSING. The Devils practically put the team mugshots on their 12-month calendar. I think the action pictures they use all come from preseason. They’re awful. But then, considering how Lou would like the world to believe that his players are all a bunch of robots who sleep in a broom closet under the rink at night, I suppose that’s all we can really expect. (By the way, I believe Lou about some of those guys…)
Pookie says, “If it’s not 12 months of Staffy, I don’t want it.” I think she should hold out for a 365-day Staffy-A-Day calendar featuring Staffy in short shorts.
I’d like to amend this statement. My dreams are now set on a calendar featuring “Staffy-A-Day — Now with snakes!”
This year the Sabres calendar features action shots but they’re good ones that really focus in on their faces. In most of them you can’t see the sticks, pucks, or opponents. Last year’s calendar consisted of the Sears Glamour Shots which are alternately hot and funny, depending on the player. Gambler, I think Yo-Yo is near the beginning of the season – September or October – but I’ll check it out and get back to you!
Heather, I also like the 12-month giveaway calendars; my favorite thing about them is checking out the hierarchy of the players in the team’s eyes.
Yep, the first thing my friend and I did when we found our seats was flip through and see which players got their own months and which players got little tiny photos crammed into the two page spread in the middle of the calendar. Henrik was relegated to the middle last season but this season he made the leap to full month status. His photo is an adorable shot of him celebrating something, arms lifted up with and a big grin on his face. There’s always that one guy with his own month that makes you think, “Her?”
For the record, I do love those magnetic calendar/schedules. We have about 8 seasons worth of Bills schedules on our fridge. I was merely trying to make a distinction.
Patty. Scanner. Now.
I don’t have a scanner! I’ll work on that, though.
I might be wrong about the kittens. Maybe it was Steve Ott. I’ll look it up. They had a couple of years in a row with pets.
They had a fun pet one in black and white
I bet Petr Sykora is asking to be traded to Dallas as we speak.
Patty, Marty and kittens? I’m dying from the cuteness of it all.
Oh, and it’s not free. It’s like, $12 for the Foundation.
I bet Petr Sykora is asking to be traded to Dallas as we speak.
Hee!
This year Lou’s planning on putting out a $12 calendar of his copy boy posing with office supplies. The money goes to keeping Marty in honeyed dormice.
Now I’m seeing that they’re not where I thought they were. They must be packed up with some of my books. And all of the (I’m so embarrassed) programs from every game I went to.
Now I have a project. And it includes shopping! Woo-hoo!
I used to ride the bus from Port Authority to the Meadowlands for every game when I was in college, and I always rode with the same people. One guy used to bring shoeboxes of old hockey cards and give them to me because he didn’t want them. I didn’t want them either, but I was to polite to say no. One game all fans were given free hockey pucks on the way out. Since I’d already amassed a sizeable collection of free hockey pucks, I dropped it in my peacoat pocket and forgot about it. The next season I reached into my pocket while on the bus and found the puck. I offered it to the free hockey card dude and he was so rude about not wanting my cast-off garbage! So there you go. What comes around does NOT go around. In case you were wondering.
Now I have a project. And it includes shopping! Woo-hoo!
I think when you’re shopping for scanners you should ask the helper at the store, “Excuse me, which scanner optimizes performance when scanning pictures of Boucher wrapped in snake?”
alix, the Canucks don’t do promotional giveaways? That’s terrible!
It really is Schnookie. They’re lucky I’m already hopelessly obsessed or there might be trouble :p I would love a canucks calender. I could probably buy one but that’s just not the same as getting it FREE. Although I guess I do have the sedins swedish twin commercial for free. hee hee
bye bye italics…
I could probably buy one but that’s just not the same as getting it FREE.
I’m mortally embarrassed whenever we get giveaways because Schnookie always declared loudly, “Well, one of my favorite attributes is ‘FREE!’” That said, she makes up for it by leading the charge against Thunderstix.
On that note, even thoughts of free player/pet calendars can’t keep my eyelids from drooping. Good night, IPB!
I would love a canucks calender. I could probably buy one but that’s just not the same as getting it FREE.
I’ll give it to the Sabres. The calendars they give out are as nice as the official NHL calendars, I think. They’re in black and white instead of color, but I don’t mind that. I love black and white photography actually. I also enjoy announcing to my class, “Hey, guess what, guys? Today is Toni Lydman’s birthday!” and watching them stare back at me blankly.
“Excuse me, which scanner optimizes performance when scanning pictures of Boucher wrapped in snake?”
I’m gonna say that!
I also enjoy announcing to my class, “Hey, guess what, guys? Today is Toni Lydman’s birthday!” and watching them stare back at me blankly.
I actually went to a Sabres game on Hank Tallinder’s birthday. I can’t remember which one, but they announced it on the Jumbotron and everything, which was really sort of anti-climactic, because he wasn’t playing that night. He said he was injured, but I’m sure he was really out boozing it up with his Tally-Hos. Heather, can you confirm?
He said he was injured, but I’m sure he was really out boozing it up with his Tally-Hos. Heather, can you confirm?
Gambler, he was injured, but hey, you got pass time on IR somehow, you know?
but hey, you got pass time on IR somehow, you know?
And what better place than the PPB?
The only giveaway game I’ve ever gone to netted me a Sabres calendar but it’s freakin’ awesome – it’s not one of those little dinky magnet things but a full 12 month calendar featuring awesome photos – so I’m not going to complain.
I have only “known” Heather for a few months now, but this calendar has come up enough in our communications that I’ve actually become quite jealous of her calendar. One night, I spent a few fruitless minutes attempting to purchase a Sabres calendar online. No dice. I think I’ll be a real Sabres fan when I have a Sabres calendar, but I can’t go searching for the calendar. The calendar must come to me.
Although I guess I do have the sedins swedish twin commercial for free. hee hee
And really, I feel that the Swedish twin commercial is worth several free things. If only the NHL marketed themselves so innovatively more often.
and the famous, random, ridiculous inflatable Gulf blimp that didn’t even have a Devils logo anywhere on it.
A blimp? How random and cool. At a Sabres game I went to two years ago, they had a mini-blimp flying around the arena during one of the intermissions. It would drop tickets (usually for the rodeo or something equally ridiculous) from the blimp and people would be fighting for these tickets as they fell from the sky. I was always afraid that someone was going to fall from the 300 level reaching for the free tickets. Its all fun and games until someone goes splat, I guess.
If only the NHL marketed themselves so innovatively more often.
If only, eh? It has really only taken them this long to figure out that humour sells better than anonymous Sun-Tzu warriors.
humour sells better than anonymous Sun-Tzu warriors.
Ya think? Really?
Unfortunately, most of my real friends aren’t hockey fans and I’ve been using “I got a twoonie!” and “I thought they were just a myth!” a lot in my everyday dialogue for the past year yet they fail to see the humour in it, sadly.
Unfortunately, most of my real friends aren’t hockey fans and I’ve been using “I got a twoonie!” and “I thought they were just a myth!” a lot in my everyday dialogue for the past year yet they fail to see the humour in it, sadly.
Hey, at least people there know what a twoonie is…people in New York would be even more confused.
A blimp? How random and cool.
The thing I liked best about that blimp (and it was about 18 inches long and probably 8 inches tall. Just so random) was that a friend of ours inflated his and put it on a shelf and decided to wait and see how long it would take to deflate. Six years later, when he got married and moved out of his apartment, there was his Gulf blimp, still as air-filled as the day he first blew it up. That may have seemed like a cheap promo giveaway, but it was, in fact, one quality blimp.
There is a joke in there, but I’m unpacking my house, so don’t expect me to find it before 8 this evening.
Death!
Hmm, where is everybody today?
I’m here!
Yay!
Don’t tell me everybody else is actually busy with ‘work’ :P
I’m here. Quiet, but here.
Yeah, what’s up with everyone being so quiet? Because I’m totally here. And I’m full of exciting things to say. You all just have to get me started, that’s all. Because, um, yeah. Really exciting things to say…
Haha yeah, slow morning I guess.
My mother just called me to say their phone line got caught off because the neighbours are installing sprinklers. Things could get ugly there!
Yes, that is the most exciting part of my day so far.
and by ‘caught’ I clearly meant ‘cut’. I think I need another cup of coffee.
Dude, your mom’s neighbors are installing sprinklers that cut off the phones? They’re, like, sneaky-murderer sprinklers!
We’re having the plumber and floor guys over today. Putting in cork on the floors, and a working faucet on the sink. Good times, good times. And thrilling. For you. To hear about.
Yea, I don’t even know how that happened either. Suffice it to say she’s not pleased.
That is very thrilling! A working faucet on the sink is definitely something to celebrate. But what kind of faucet is it?
Also, it looks like I will have to get my wisdom teeth pulled. My bottom ones are impacted but the top ones are growing in straight down apparently. The dentist said it shouldn’t hurt that much but I’m still a little worried, haha.
Who crosses sprinkler lines with phone lines? Is your mom prepared to wake up every morning at 5 am to answer an sprinkler-system-automated phone call?
Also, it looks like I will have to get my wisdom teeth pulled.
I wonder if your dentist can pull your wisdom teeth without knocking out your neighbor’s power lines.
I dunno, she’s up at weird times watching her Korean Soap Operas so I’m sure she’ll already be up :P
And again, I don’t know how it happened. The people doing it must be seriously incompetent, that’s all I got. I imagine there will be blood spilt.
What great news about your wisdom teeth! Not only do you at least have an answer for why your jaw hurts so much (as well as a solution), but now you get to enjoy what we all seem to hold in our collective estimation as one of the truly magnificent experiences in life!
Oh, and our faucet is a pretty standard faucet. It’s got a pull-out spray neck thingie, a nice little handle you can just push on and off with the back of your hand if your hands are dirty, pretty minimally styled. We went for function over form with the faucet (this is the one we had in our last kitchen and we really, really loved it). Just brushed nickel finish, very utilitarian. It’s the one thing in the kitchen that isn’t overdesigned! :-)
I wonder if your dentist can pull your wisdom teeth without knocking out your neighbor’s power lines.
The way they seem to mix these things up in Canada, I seriously doubt it.
Sherry, that’s so bizarre about the sprinkler/phone lines. For some reason it reminded me of when we lived in a townhouse in Princeton and our and our neighbor’s tv remote controls would change each other’s channels. In the middle of a Devils game, our tv would switch over to the Golf Channel. We would flip back to the Devils, and then a second later, they’d switch it back to golf. We weren’t on very friendly terms with the neighbor so instead of ever talking to them about it, we would just keep changing the channel back until they gave up.
The way they seem to mix these things up in Canada, I seriously doubt it.
Well, look if they’re going to be cutting off our phone lines everytime they want to get something installed, it’s only fair!
Our neighbours are always getting work done at their house. A few summers ago they were getting their backyard completely re-landscapped and designed and there were a bunch of people coming in and out of the yard. MamaScarlett thinks one of those workers was the one who broke into our house while we were away for the summer. And stole our DVD player…and the batteries from all of our clickers. Not the actual controllers themselves, just the battieries.
It’s got a pull-out spray neck thingie
This is one of the things I miss most about living at home. This and a garbage disposal.
It’s got a pull-out spray neck thingie, a nice little handle you can just push on and off with the back of your hand if your hands are dirty, pretty minimally styled.
It sounds nice! I’m a fan if minimally styled things actually. I love those pull-out spray neck thingies. Dodger and I used to have these really messy water fights in the kitchen with those things and his Super-Soaker 3000. Actually, when we moved into our new house, I think that’s why MamaScarlett purposely decided not to have those pull-out spray necks.
I dunno, she’s up at weird times watching her Korean Soap Operas so I’m sure she’ll already be up :P
The fact that my mom watches Korean Soap Operas also isn’t that noteworthy–the fact that she can drag my dad (who speaks no Korean) into watching them also is. It is hilarious to hear my dad talk about these shows–it is very clear he has no idea what is going on and yet (s)he persists.
My mother just called me to say their phone line got caught off because the neighbours are installing sprinklers.
Sounds like someone didn’t call the “call before you dig” number.
My mother’s getting twitchy because the gas company was out two weeks ago to repair a leak in our front yard, and they said someone would be out to landscape the hole. They haven’t been out yet, so we still have a grave sized mound of dirt in our front yard. Of course, the easy thing to do would be to landscape it ourselves, but that would make sense. She’s holding out on the principle of the thing; meanwhile are neighbors are looking at us funny.
And stole our DVD player…and the batteries from all of our clickers. Not the actual controllers themselves, just the battieries.
Canada: the country where your phone lines are run through your neighbor’s hose bib, and where burglers steal the batteries from your remote controls.
Sherry, that is just TOO funny.
And yeah, once you’ve had a nice pull-out spray thingie in your sink faucet, it’s just so hard to live without one. It’s like tivo that way, but way, way, way less vital.
The fact that my mom watches Korean Soap Operas also isn’t that noteworthy–the fact that she can drag my dad (who speaks no Korean) into watching them also is. It is hilarious to hear my dad talk about these shows–it is very clear he has no idea what is going on and yet (s)he persists.
My mom really is into them. The fact that she doesn’t work means she can spend the whole day watching them and she will often fall asleep with it on. My grandmother is so much more into it though. Something about those extremely and unrealistically attractive young people and their romantic entaglements and family drama that is really appealing to them. She’ll even try to talk about it with us but of course we have no idea what’s going on. As far as I can tell, there will always be som sort of unrequited love of some sort.
Canada: the country where your phone lines are run through your neighbor’s hose bib, and where burglers steal the batteries from your remote controls.
Sherry, that is just TOO funny.
Yeah, that was truly bizzarre. I suppose Double A and Triple A batteries don’t come cheap these days.
She’s holding out on the principle of the thing; meanwhile are neighbors are looking at us funny.
Yeah, totally something my mother would do too.
Isn’t it usually customary for you to tell your neighbours if you plan on digging into the ground? Yeesh.
I wish I had gotten here sooner! When I read the post title, I knew immediately what you meant…not that I’m a free giveaway whore or anything, planning which games I attend based on the advertised giveaway…who does that?
The Kings offer a free McFlurry if the Kings score within the last minute of the second period (or maybe it’s the first, can’t remember). So far, I still haven’t gotten a free McFlurry!!! But the fans go nuts in the final minute because we all want a McFlurry and usually the Kings are down by that point.
In Buffalo we get $10 off a $50 purchase at Dick’s Sporting Goods if the team scores 3 goals or more
That is way too good of an offer. No wonder your franchise almost went bankrupt.
Anyway, I have about 3 Dave Taylor (or Rogie Vachon) mini jerseys because the rest of my family didn’t want them. So if anyone wants one…
And I’m completely embarrassed that you got a badge holder from a Kings game. That is so pathetic!
Isn’t it usually customary for you to tell your neighbours if you plan on digging into the ground? Yeesh.
Our neighbors installed a fence around their yard without telling us. We just came home from work one day and there was this six-foot-high, solid fence all along the side of our property. Which pretty well expressed what they think of us, I guess.
And our township installed new storm drains (that involved digging on everyone’s property) on our street without giving warning. We just got vague word of mouth from neighbors about what was going on.
As for the grave in your front yard, Amy, we put a raised-bed vegetable garden in our front yard. And all the beds are about coffin-sized. So when we first installed it we just had eight wooden boxes lined up in the front yard, with all the earth turned around them. People REALLY stopped and stared until we got them filled with soil and it became clear what we were doing.
And I’m completely embarrassed that you got a badge holder from a Kings game. That is so pathetic!
Compared to the usual stuff we get from the Devils, a badge holder was pretty exciting!
These free coupon things teams offer based on scoring and whatnot are fascinating. The Caps had a deal that everyone got free pizza when a guy scored four goals, or something like that, and our first trip down to DC to see the Devils involved a really unpleasant game from a Devils fan perspective, but one of the Caps had a hat trick, and it was quite thrilling how everyone was just DYING for that fourth goal…
Our neighbors installed a fence around their yard without telling us. We just came home from work one day and there was this six-foot-high, solid fence all along the side of our property.
See, I always thought that you need to have your neighbours informed and signed off on it to even get the permit to start building. Also, I think you’re also allowed to ask your neighbour for part of the cost since the fence is technically ‘shared’. Unless I’m totally hallucinating on that front. I think MamaScarlett is waiting for our other neighbour to start putting up a fence so we don’t have to.
Schnookie, I love the idea of a vegetable garden in the front yard. You and Pookie might be the first people I’ve heard of to do that.
not that I’m a free giveaway whore or anything, planning which games I attend based on the advertised giveaway…who does that?
Cheap people looking to stock up on items for Christmas stocking stuffers?
In Buffalo we get $10 off a $50 purchase at Dick’s Sporting Goods if the team scores 3 goals or more
That is way too good of an offer. No wonder your franchise almost went bankrupt.
I think Dick’s probably provides the $10 off as a form of advertising. Although it is a good offer!
Also, I think you’re also allowed to ask your neighbour for part of the cost since the fence is technically ’shared’.
I think the sharing thing is just common courtesy, I don’t think it’s actually required because the other neighbor could probably just say that they don’t think a fence is necessary. But I’m pretty sure you are supposed to be notified.
Cheap people looking to stock up on items for Christmas stocking stuffers?
Or my brother giving me the giveaway as a Christmas gift thinking it was good enough because it was a Luc Robitaille puck and commemorative stick holder that you mount on a wall. Only problem was there were 3 other pucks that were given away during the season but of course I only got just that one puck.
See, I always thought that you need to have your neighbours informed and signed off on it to even get the permit to start building. Also, I think you’re also allowed to ask your neighbour for part of the cost since the fence is technically ’shared’. Unless I’m totally hallucinating on that front.
These laws differ pretty drastically depending on where you live. And I don’t even mean towns, but within housing developments. For example, in some developments fences aren’t allowed at all, technically. (And look, those years working in real estate law did do me some good)
Anyway, I have about 3 Dave Taylor (or Rogie Vachon) mini jerseys because the rest of my family didn’t want them. So if anyone wants one…
KMS2–did you ever get a Luc Robitaille mini-jersey? I got one in one of the two Kings games I attended last year (ugly 3rd-period loss to the Stars) and I’m not that attached to it.
The only fun part was walking around the Staples Center and noticing people with actual Robitaille jerseys, and complaining all too loudly, “What a ripoff! How come that guy got a full-size one?”
did you ever get a Luc Robitaille mini-jersey?
NO!! I sadly only have Dave and Rogie.
The fence thing was really troubling. The neighbors who put it up have never once spoken to us. They have the nicest house on the street, so it seems especially snobby of them. Like that they’re trying to distance themselves from the hoi polloi on the rest of the street. I’m sure that’s not the case, but…
The vegetable garden in the front yard is super cool. One neighbor has complained about it, but she also complains about our other neighbor’s yard which is landscaped with gorgeous specimen irises, so we’re not sure what her problem is. Our street gets a ton of foot traffic and people who walk be seem to enjoy looking at the garden. We’ve even had some people walk into our yard to get a closer look. I think that the pumpkin patch at the side of the road is also a nice thing for the people who walk by. I mean, who doesn’t want to see pumpkins, right?
I think part of the reason why we can have a veggie garden in the front is because here in Central Jersey there are so many small farms and private veggie gardens. Everywhere you drive there are cornfields, so it’s not that out of whack to see it in someone’s yard.
See, I always thought that you need to have your neighbours informed and signed off on it to even get the permit to start building.
Yeah, we needed permission from our neighbors before we could do our kitchen. We found out during this process that a previous owner of our house wouldn’t let the neighbors (of the surprise fence) put in the driveway they wanted, so maybe there’s still some residual frostiness? (As for the fence, there had been a pre-existing fence, albeit a small and very open one. So I guess they didn’t need to tell us ahead of time that they were “replacing” the fence, even though what went in was more of a wooden wall.)
I love the idea of a vegetable garden in the front yard. You and Pookie might be the first people I’ve heard of to do that.
We tried putting it in the backyard first, but our backyard is too shady. For a while we were like, “Bummer. I guess that means we can’t have a garden.” Then we looked out at the vast, treeless, sunny swath of front yard and were like, “Why the hell not?” It’s not the world’s most attractive front yard, but I say to the neighbors who don’t like it (and there is one — she’s a total passhole-aggresshole about it, too), “Fuck you! I bought the lot and I pay the (exorbitant) taxes and I can do whatever the hell I want to with it.”
The only fun part was walking around the Staples Center and noticing people with actual Robitaille jerseys, and complaining all too loudly, “What a ripoff! How come that guy got a full-size one?”
If I’d been at that game and overheard that, it would have made my night!
“We found out during this process that a previous owner of our house wouldn’t let the neighbors (of the surprise fence) put in the driveway they wanted…”
Isn’t homeownership just wonderful sometimes? We live in a totally bland suburban tract and if you want to do anything to the front of your house you have to get clearance from the HOA. It’s a pain.
When I was growing up my dad got sick and tired of the shitty grass in our backyard so he had some fun and planted gourds. So for awhile we had tons of gourds in our tiny backyard and I’m pretty sure if he had done it in the frontyard all the neighbors would have thought, “What the fuck is wrong with that house?” because honestly, gourds in So Cal suburbia? But my dad did is from Virginia/Central NJ, so maybe it’s just in his blood.
We live in a totally bland suburban tract and if you want to do anything to the front of your house you have to get clearance from the HOA.
The fact that we finally don’t have to deal with an HOA after many, many years, contributed greatly to our conviction that we could put a veggie garden in front of our house and not feel bad about it.
The only fun part was walking around the Staples Center and noticing people with actual Robitaille jerseys, and complaining all too loudly, “What a ripoff! How come that guy got a full-size one?”
Did they laugh? Because I would have.
These laws differ pretty drastically depending on where you live. And I don’t even mean towns, but within housing developments.
I lived in a developement where you could not do anything to your house without the approval of the whole neighborhood, not just your next door neighbors. They had all kinds of strict rules. No clothes lines, no chainlink fences, no aboveground pools…
I don’t understand why you woud pay $750,000 for a house that you couldn’t do what you want to. I thought that was the major perk to home ownership.
if you want to do anything to the front of your house you have to get clearance from the HOA.
When I was in middle school, my mom painted cats and other garden scenery on our garage because she was bored and the garage door sucked anyway. My parents were going to replace the garage door but that was over 10 years ago. I was so embarrassed when my mom did that but all the old people in our neighborhood think it’s cute…or rather, that’s what they say to her face.
I’ll paint on my garage wall, but I’m not sure I have the courage for the garage door. Our 5-unit complex is pretty funny-snobby, though. On one occasion they have coerced the neighboring pre-school to repaint in order to match our color scheme, and now that we’ve recently re-painted to a new color scheme, I eagerly anticipate our HOA getting brutal with the preschool once again.
KMS2–I’m supposed to go drinking sometime next weekend with Rudy Kelly in Long Beach (I’ve never met him). Plans are still mush, but interested at all?
I’ve heard terrible stories about HOAs. I’ve never belonged to one, myself, though. I did get a ticket from the city once for letting my grass get embarrassingly high. I was on the porch one day getting my mail when some kids walked by on their way home from school. They asked me if I lived there and when I said yes, they said, “OH! We thought it was abandonded! ”
I so hated mowing the lawn that I soon sold the house and moved back into an apartment. If I had known how cheap it is to have a lawn service, I might still be living there. (Except I’d be selling, because the property values in that little town have soared since.)
“The fact that we finally don’t have to deal with an HOA…”
I’m totally jealous. Although, I have to admit, they’re pretty lax with all of us…as long as you get permission. Our neighbors across the street are a Russian family and they don’t speak a lick of English. So anyway, the dad builds this shed that pokes up above the fenceline, so it can be seen from the street. The HOA, of course, goes after him to tear it down because he built it without clearance. He had to go around to all the neighbors and collect signatures acknowledging that none of us were offended by the sight of the shed (and he couldn’t speak any English!). I felt bad for the guy! I totally signed it. Stupid HOA!
We’ve never painted anything on our garage doors but my mom has always been found of really off-the-wall garage door colours. For awhile they were actually pink…and then purple, like really deep violet. And then they went to a sort of normal brown colour but now they’re sort of brown-pink again.
If you guys go, make sure it’s before 9PM EST on Saturday :P or after 11 :P
Earl: If I can convince my boyfriend to come. He might think it’s just a tad shady for me to go out drinking alone with the guys I’ve never met. Or rather, met on the interwebs! Yeah, that’s not shady at all!
I’m supposed to go drinking sometime next weekend with Rudy Kelly in Long Beach (I’ve never met him).
When you meet him, Sleek, tell him I think he’s hilarious. :D
I don’t understand why you woud pay $750,000 for a house that you couldn’t do what you want to. I thought that was the major perk to home ownership.
Yeah, I can’t tell you how glad I was to finally be rid of our HOA. My favorite part of living in a strictly-governed townhouse neighborhood was when they sent around notices every year telling us all the things we were required to do with our houses. Like powerwashing and replacing the backyard fences or painting the window trim or whatever. It was so frustrating that we would get fined by the HOA if we didn’t make the improvements, whether we had the budget to do them or not. It was like, “If the exterior of my townhouse unit is so important to you, why doesn’t the HOA take responsibility for the exteriors of the properties.” SO ANNOYING. And I understand the idea that an HOA helps to keep property values high because no one’s going to be parking cars on cinder blocks in their front yards and whatnot, but when you’re dealing with the kinds of property values and house costs in our neck of the woods, it’s not like anyone would be doing that anyway.
They had all kinds of strict rules. No clothes lines, no chainlink fences, no aboveground pools…
Yup, that’s what the neighborhood I grew up in is like(although people have fences anyway and no one cares).
Did I say abandonded? I meant abandoned. Sheesh.
I did get a ticket from the city once for letting my grass get embarrassingly high.
That is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard of. Didn’t even know that was possible!
They asked me if I lived there and when I said yes, they said, “OH! We thought it was abandonded!”
:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I think I would wear that kind of comment as a badge of honor!
To be fair, I didn’t have to pay the fine. They gave me 5 days to get it cut. But it was embarrassing.
My current house backs up to a drainage creek and most people just barely take care of that part of their yard. But every couple of years we all get a notice that our trees/brush must be cut back or we’ll be fined. Mainly because telephone and electricity trucks drive through it like an alley.
I’m sure if I let my yard go too far, the city would have something to say about it. They do watch for abandonded-ness-looking. :D
Earl: If I can convince my boyfriend to come. He might think it’s just a tad shady for me to go out drinking alone with the guys I’ve never met. Or rather, met on the interwebs! Yeah, that’s not shady at all!
Well, I’ll shoot you an e-mail once I figure this out–don’t even know if it’s Friday or Saturday yet. But yeah, I will pass on a bunch of “you’re hilariouses”, and maybe try to get an autograph.
Earl, that’s awesome that you’re doing a BoC get-together. I recommend going somewhere that has an alcohol-dispensing slushie machine!
Earl and kms2, you should do a fly-on-the-wall recount like Margee and the -ookies did when they met up.
I recommend going somewhere that has an alcohol-dispensing slushie machine!
There is nothing better in the world than spiked slurpees!
And take cute pictures this time! I was so disappointed the –ookies and Margee, and the –ookies and CC meet-up didn’t produce any photos.
I just have to get together once (or maybe once-in-a-while, we’ll see) with these guys and make sure that they don’t have any huge BoC aspirations that I’m killing with my blog-laziness.
But yeah, alcohol (slushie form or liquid form) will probably be the main item on the agenda.
But yeah, I will pass on a bunch of “you’re hilariouses”, and maybe try to get an autograph.
Give him a pat on the back for me too okay. I think he’s a hoot.
And speaking of yards, am I totally lazy and spoiled if I say I (well, sort of we, but I’m the only one who cares about the garden) have a gardener? He comes once a week and makes sure everything looks pretty. And if I tell him I want new flowers somewhere he goes and buys them and puts them in. Very nice guy.
I was so disappointed the –ookies and Margee, and the –ookies and CC meet-up didn’t produce any photos.
Me too! Maybe the -ookies are camera shy. Which is really too bad for them if I come to Ottawa.
And take cute pictures this time! I was so disappointed the –ookies and Margee, and the –ookies and CC meet-up didn’t produce any photos.
If you knew what we looked like, Sherry, you wouldn’t have been so disappointed. (Not Margee and CC, just us.)
I just have to get together once (or maybe once-in-a-while, we’ll see) with these guys and make sure that they don’t have any huge BoC aspirations that I’m killing with my blog-laziness.
Hm, that would be a problem, wouldn’t it? Of course, you’re the one Sports Illustrated thinks is the BEST BLOGGER EVER, so it’s not like they can really accuse you of dragging them down!
And take cute pictures this time! I was so disappointed the –ookies and Margee, and the –ookies and CC meet-up didn’t produce any photos.
Umm, I don’t want to let you down prematurely, but you are talking about two bloggers who have to this point entirely avoided online self-pictures.
But maybe I’ll take a picture of my empty glass. :)
I was so disappointed the –ookies and Margee, and the –ookies and CC meet-up didn’t produce any photos.
Me too! And after we were so good about it! (Of course that might in part be because I am a huge huge camera whore and insist on pictures every two minutes, but.)
“am I totally lazy and spoiled if I say I (well, sort of we, but I’m the only one who cares about the garden) have a gardener?”
A little bit, Mags. But it’s all good.
I’m building two raised beds for the backyard as we speak! I’m excited! Also in the process of constructing a pergola. That’s more for the missus, I’m a little less thrilled about building that one.
And speaking of yards, am I totally lazy and spoiled if I say I (well, sort of we, but I’m the only one who cares about the garden) have a gardener?
I put the kibosh on a gardening service because I didn’t want anyone using gas-powered tools in our yard. We have a little over half an acre, so there’s a lot of power tooling that needs to be done, and those things are just profoundly awful with CO2 emissions. So I got a push-reel mower, and we have an electric edger, and then I decided I hate doing the yardwork so now Boomer does it all. She doesn’t seem to mind, though… or at least, that’s what I try to tell myself whenever I feel guilty about making her do all that work…
Umm, I don’t want to let you down prematurely
Frankly, that ship has already sailed.
And after we were so good about it!
I’ve already given up on trying to keep my anonymity what with everybody being on Facebook now. I insist on pictures every two minutes too..I just prefer to be the one taking the picture myself :P
If you knew what we looked like, Sherry, you wouldn’t have been so disappointed. (Not Margee and CC, just us.)
Nonsense, Schnookie. Plus, how am I supposed to recognize you at the Ottawa Convention then? Especially if all of us are going to be wearing bags on our heads.
Of course, you’re the one Sports Illustrated thinks is the BEST BLOGGER EVER
What? Really? That’s sort of awesome.
andrew, how big are your raised beds? What are you planning to put in them? How exciting! (And a pergola? Wow. Pookie promised to build us all kinds of awesome stuff, but after the beds for the garden [which had all kinds of fancy mitred corners and were really structurally impressive], we’ve seen nothing.)
I insist on pictures every two minutes too..I just prefer to be the one taking the picture myself :P
Hahaha I’m the type that likes to give my camera to someone else so I actually wind up in some of the pictures…then again I’ve broken a camera twice doing that because apparently being drunk inhibits your ability to not drop things, who knew. So when I got a new one I stopped throwing it at people quite so much, and I’m pretty sure there are about 80% less pictures of me on the internet now.
A little bit, Mags. But it’s all good.
Phew.
I put the kibosh on a gardening service because I didn’t want anyone using gas-powered tools in our yard.
Those things don’t even exist here, so I’m in the clear on that one. He has a push-me/pull-you mower that makes the most delightful sound when he does the grass.
And poor Boomer! You should feel guilty!
In other news, today is Mags Moves Into Her New House Day, which means I have no kitchen and ordered pizza for dinner for the first time ever ever.
two bloggers who have to this point entirely avoided online self-pictures.
I kind of like the mystery.
Before we have the IPB Convention, we should just send around pictures of the types of potted plants we plan to hide behind.
Plus, how am I supposed to recognize you at the Ottawa Convention then? Especially if all of us are going to be wearing bags on our heads.
I’ll be the one with a bag over my head wearing a hoodie that says “SCHNOOKIE”. (Seriously.)
I have a feeling there won’t be any way to get out of the I-95 Corridor HLOG Convention without having a picture or two taken, but we’ll just see.
Plus, how am I supposed to recognize you at the Ottawa Convention then? Especially if all of us are going to be wearing bags on our heads.
I’m the one hiding being a camera and possibly toting around an article of goalie gear for people to sign.
Plus, how am I supposed to recognize you at the Ottawa Convention then?
Um, because she’ll be the one who looks in our direction when I yell “HEY SCHNOOKIE MCCROTCH!”
You know how all the HLOGers, in the pictures from various meet-ups, look cute as buttons? Now imagine the opposite of that. That’s how you’ll be able to find me in Ottawa.
Um, because she’ll be the one who looks in our direction when I yell “HEY SCHNOOKIE MCCROTCH!”
That too!
Um, because she’ll be the one who looks in our direction when I yell “HEY SCHNOOKIE MCCROTCH!”
So. Embarassing.
But hilarious nonetheless.
Um, because she’ll be the one who looks in our direction when I yell “HEY SCHNOOKIE MCCROTCH!”
Unless I start preparing myself right now, I’ll probably turn my head at this outburst also.
Yes, and the best part is that I can totally picture Steph doing that too.
Aww, Pookie, don’t say that. I’m sure you and Schnookie are absolutely adorable that no camera is adequate enough to capture that.
So. Embarassing.
Need I remind you who you’re talking to? :P I think that’s one of the lesser embarrassing things I’ve let myself get talked into.
I’m with Sherry, don’t talk yourself down Pookie (and Schnookie)! I bet you’re cute as anything.
Steph, no you don’t need to remind me. I’m so there, yelling it with you.
Unless I start preparing myself right now, I’ll probably turn my head at this outburst also.
You know, that is a good point. This plan might be flawed.
Yes, and the best part is that I can totally picture Steph doing that too.
Excellent. Sherry has met me once and this is the impression I have managed to give. I’m not sure if I’m exceedingly proud or, well….
“andrew, how big are your raised beds?”
4′ wide x 8′ long x 2′ high. Building two of them. We found a place locally that sells certified organic topsoil, so it should be pretty sweet. Probably gonna plant tomatos, herbs, squash, artichoke, etc. Pretty much whatever grows best in our weather.
And the pergola…sheesh. I’m telling you, concreting in four posts to be perfectly square, and to be equal distances from each other….damn near impossible!
Steph, don’t think of it as a bad thing! I love you for that because it will make up for my absolute social awkwardness.
I recommend going somewhere that has an alcohol-dispensing slushie machine!
I honestly don’t think those exist in SoCal. Something about the popo being strict with the drunk driving policies. When I was in New Orleans, the bf took me to a slushie machine daquiri bar that also operated a drive-thru! Now that is brilliant!
There’s a real hole in the whole dive bar about two blocks from where I live. That’s where we take the out-of-towners and show them the glamour of the LBC.
hole in the whole
wow, I impress even myself.
I’m sure you can read across misplaced words and know that I meant “hole in the wall”.
Plus, how am I supposed to recognize you at the Ottawa Convention then?
Go ask the bar which green-shirted fellow has the biggest bar tab. That will either be me or maybe Kevin Lowe will be wearing a green shirt too.
Hey, Andrew, that’s exactly how big our beds are! You’d be amazed how much you can squeeze into that amount of space. I’ll be so jealous of your artichoke! I don’t actually like eating it, but it seems like such a cool looking plant. I actually don’t like eating many veggies at all, but they’re just so much fun to grow. Corn, in particular, is an amazing plant. I could water corn for hours just to watch the water bead on the leaves and get sluiced into the core of the stalk. So cook.
If you’re wearing your green shirt, I can pick you out anywhere since I’m pretty sure I saw you at least three times when I was watching the SCF.
“You’d be amazed how much you can squeeze into that amount of space.”
I know! Our friends down the street have one and it’s unbelievable how much you can grow! That’s so funny that you love growing stuff but not eating it! I eat pounds, literally pounds, of veggies every week. I figure it helps counteract all the drinking I do.
Corn really is amazing. Read the first third of “Omnivore’s Dilemma” and you’ll never look at it in the same light. Ever. That book changed my entire perspective on food.
Corn really is amazing. Read the first third of “Omnivore’s Dilemma” and you’ll never look at it in the same light. Ever. That book changed my entire perspective on food.
I’m terrified of that book! I read “The Botany of Desire” and really enjoyed it, but then Michael Pollan went on Colbert and talked about all about how corn is destroying our ecosystem and I was like, “Forget that! You can’t take my corn away from me! NOOOO!”
I’m sure you can read across misplaced words and know that I meant “hole in the wall”.
This place sounds perfect, though I’ll see if Rudy has any similar recommendations. On a side note, how is it that I live closer to Staples than any of you Kings bloggers?
I think that’s one of the lesser embarrassing things I’ve let myself get talked into.
Steph, I want you to know that I’m really looking forward to being (loudly) hailed as Schnookie McCrotch. I think I need to make up moo cards that say this. For all that I talk a big game about hiding behind plants and whatnot, I’m pretty damn loud, so believe you me — when you shout “SCHNOOKIE MCCROTCH” across a crowded public space, I’ll shout right back, “THAT’S MY NAME!” And then I’ll do my screaming/cackling laugh thing that tends to make conversations stop around me. (I’m so pleasant to be around.)
Corn really is amazing. Read the first third of “Omnivore’s Dilemma” and you’ll never look at it in the same light. Ever. That book changed my entire perspective on food.
I really really need to read that book.
Steph, don’t think of it as a bad thing! I love you for that because it will make up for my absolute social awkwardness.
Well okay, if you say so… I think you lie about this so-called social awkwardness though. I didn’t see it!
Meanwhile Sleek, I’ve decided that maybe you should try the green shirt for the Tigers after all. Anaheim or not, well, not wearing it sure as hell didn’t help.
“Botany of Desire” was a really, really good book. But I’d say “Dilemma” is even better.
And if it helps, he’s talking strictly about industrial/commodity corn (HFCS, cattle feed, etc). Not the good stuff that comes on a cobb!
when you shout “SCHNOOKIE MCCROTCH” across a crowded public space, I’ll shout right back, “THAT’S MY NAME!” And then I’ll do my screaming/cackling laugh thing that tends to make conversations stop around me.
My desire to yell “SCHNOOKIE MCCROTCH” has just climbed to a whole new level.
I’ve been to “Daquiri’s” many times in New Orleans. When I go to my friend’s family’s crawfish boil every spring, his cousin brings those slushies over in gallon jugs for the party!
I haven’t been since Katrina, though, since they had to build a new house somewhere else and they’re just finished with it. The Daquiri’s where she worked is gone, too, but there are still plenty of them down in the Quarter.
“My desire to yell “SCHNOOKIE MCCROTCH” has just climbed to a whole new level.”
It should have been pretty far up there already Steph. Just because.
And if it helps, he’s talking strictly about industrial/commodity corn (HFCS, cattle feed, etc). Not the good stuff that comes on a cobb!
OK, but I’m still suspicious… Just kidding. I’ve heard such good stuff about it, I promise I will read it… and soon as I start reading again at all.
I’m off to channel my own omnivore’s dilemma — cheese pizza or sausage pizza for lunch?
And if it helps, he’s talking strictly about industrial/commodity corn (HFCS, cattle feed, etc).
And I’m sure ethanol from corn is not going to help that problem.
Meanwhile Sleek, I’ve decided that maybe you should try the green shirt for the Tigers after all. Anaheim or not, well, not wearing it sure as hell didn’t help.
Confession time, Steph: (a) Despite me assuring you that I would not watch any more Tigers, I did find myself watching that first inning debacle yesterday too. But that’s it! I swear!
(b) I’m not exactly sure I am capable of rooting for the Tigers when the Angels are in the same game. I mean it’s one thing to not root for the Angels, but it’s quite another to root against them overtly.
So, I guess the good news is that series is over and I won’t have to be conflicted again. On the other hand–Tigers should try to work on that whole “defense” thing–paper says the Angels scored 34 runs that series on the back of only two home runs. Yeesh!
cheese pizza or sausage pizza for lunch?
Obviously today is pizza day. I vote cheese pizza! (even though it is totally not my place to decide what Pookie eats)
Corn really is amazing. Read the first third of “Omnivore’s Dilemma” and you’ll never look at it in the same light. Ever. That book changed my entire perspective on food.
I really really need to read that book.
Yeah, I really want to read it too, but I’m trying to work through some of my book backlog first. I’m hoping that I have various books I don’t enjoy and then I’ll feel ok about giving them to the local non-profit bookstore and clearing shelf space.
“cheese pizza or sausage pizza for lunch?”
mmm…pizza.
I’m so excited! We bought a ton of okra at the farmstand on Saturday, so I made a huge pot of gumbo last night! I got leftovers for lunch! LOVE gumbo!
My vote is Cheese Pizza too. It’s my favourite type of pizza because I’m boring like that :P, despite being a self-proclaimed meat lover.
When y’all first started talking about the IPB Convention, I thought to myself, don’t say anything, but there’s no way I’m going to that. I’d be too nervous and shy and I’d look like a crazed idiot. But now I think I could handle it because y’all are all so nice and seem like you wouldn’t judge me for my social ineptitude.
Plus, if Sherry will really show us some sights, I think I might really plan a trip.
And if it helps, he’s talking strictly about industrial/commodity corn (HFCS, cattle feed, etc).
And I’m sure ethanol from corn is not going to help that problem.
I think the only problem ethanol from corn solves is the “I need to win the Iowa vote” problem.
When y’all first started talking about the IPB Convention, I thought to myself, don’t say anything, but there’s no way I’m going to that. I’d be too nervous and shy and I’d look like a crazed idiot. But now I think I could handle it because y’all are all so nice and seem like you wouldn’t judge me for my social ineptitude.
That’s the way I felt about it too, but I got over it pretty fast. I may be nervous and shy and I will end up having a panic attack before I meet any of you, but I figure you’re all so nice that it’ll be worth it in the end.
Patty, at worst you’ll look like you joined a band of escaped mental patients who are hellbent on finding/harassing Ryan Miller and/or Ty Conklin. No big deal.
Patty, I wouldn’t have any right to judge others on social ineptitude since I’m pretty sorry in that department myself :P
And I would love to show you guys some sights. I don’t live there but I absolutely love going there. It’s not a place with say big-city type excitement but there’s still a lot to do and experience there. It’s a really nice chilled-out mellow city to hang out in.
I think the only problem ethanol from corn solves is the “I need to win the Iowa vote” problem.
Haha!
Well, I’m off to go find somebody to re-upholster my dining chairs. Anybody know somebody in Dallas that’s good at that? I haven’t met anybody here that does.
(I called in sick, but don’t tell anybody that I’m going out to run errands.)
It should have been pretty far up there already Steph. Just because.
It was. I promise.
Confession time, Steph: (a) Despite me assuring you that I would not watch any more Tigers, I did find myself watching that first inning debacle yesterday too. But that’s it! I swear!
On the other hand–Tigers should try to work on that whole “defense” thing–paper says the Angels scored 34 runs that series on the back of only two home runs. Yeesh!
That’s more of the game than I saw! (And I am completely okay with that.) I did find out afterward, though, about the first inning Bonderman debacle, and then subsequently that Kenny Rogers is now on the DL, so uh then I drank a couple beers.
Defense might be nice. Then again, so would starting pitchers who were not suddenly incapable, and a bullpen not full of Jason Grilli. Come back to me Zumaya, come back.
But now I think I could handle it because y’all are all so nice and seem like you wouldn’t judge me for my social ineptitude.
Patty! Come! We can run off to a secluded corner behind some plants and squee over Pudge.
(I called in sick, but don’t tell anybody that I’m going out to run errands.)
I have no idea why I didn’t think of this–good work, Patty!
And as for upholsterers in the Dallas area, I don’t have a favorite. They’re all good!
Sherry, I’ve never been to Canada at all, so I would be thrilled with even the touristiest of sights. Remember, I like to drive around and look at houses, so I’m easy to please.
I can go to bars here, so it doesn’t have to be stuff like that. Not that I won’t want some drinking, but the bar itself doesn’t have to be cool. Well, you know what I mean.
Although, hanging around with all the IPBers will probably be a sight in itself. Har!
Good luck, Patty!
Hey, Steph, that’s a great idea! Speaking of Pudge, would you be interested in a bobblehead of him in his Rangers uni? I saw it recently in un-packing and re-packing my knick-knack boxes.
I’m not a collector of bobbleheads or anything, so if you’re interested you can have it. My feelings won’t be hurt if you’re not, though.
His little hat is on backwards! *singsong*
We’re all old enough to drink in Canada right? (Not that I drink at all, but the pictures could be awesome)
Considering that this is an IPB get together, I think drinking will be inevitable. There are a ton of great bars on Sparks so I don’t think that’ll be a problem.
And if you’re not 19+ uhh…I don’t support getting a fake ID but if you do, just make sure I don’t know about it ;P
Speaking of Pudge, would you be interested in a bobblehead of him in his Rangers uni? I saw it recently in un-packing and re-packing my knick-knack boxes.
Awww, Patty, really? Despite telling myself countless times whenever I was tempted that of all the things I needed in my apartment, stray bobbleheads were not part of the list, I kind of acquired a Jiri Fischer one, and now I’ve got someone trying to get ahold of a Magglio one for me…Pudge would be a great addition! If you really don’t want it and all :)
(Hahah the hat! That sounds so cute! I am a big sucker for cute.)
I have no idea why I didn’t think of this–good work, Patty!
When you start hiring, I really want to work for you! I could just proofread and stuff and occasionally put up a killer Stars post. (Kind of like the backup singer in a band that does one house-bringing-down solo.)
(Don’t go my earlier post about my house being abandonded.)
“I think the only problem ethanol from corn solves is the “I need to win the Iowa vote” problem.”
I’m with you Meg!
Steph, I don’t see it from where I’m sitting right now, but I’ll look for it and send it to you. You can send you shipping address to pattykennedy (at) yahoo (dot) com.
I’m even a slacker when I call in sick! I’m leaving right now!
Don’t go my earlier post about my house being abandonded.)
OK, so long as you don’t start fact-checking behind my claim to be the worst blog administrator on the internet!
(Don’t go my earlier post about my house being abandonded.)
Dammit! BY my earlier post.
Never mind, I guess.
Aww thanks Patty! Email will be on its way shortly! Haha I’m so excited now! A little Pudge to sit next to my little Mags! (No really guys, this is how big a loser I am. Four exclamation points in as many sentences. About a bobblehead.)
OK, so long as you don’t start fact-checking behind my claim to be the worst blog administrator on the internet!
I’m glad you said that, because that would be first thing I’d dispute.
A little Pudge to sit next to my little Mags!
Clearly I need the re-learn (learn at all?) how to read, because I totally went “She has a WHAT of me? O wait… THAT Mags”
Clearly I need the re-learn (learn at all?) how to read, because I totally went “She has a WHAT of me? O wait… THAT Mags”
HAHA Mags, tell your team to make bobbleheads of you. Then again, the sheer glee that would come from being able to put your Mags bobblehead next to Tigers’ Mags bobblehead might be too much from me. So maybe don’t. (I’m holding out that next year there will be PitchyCrunchy bobbleheads. Verlander got them this year! I can dream right?)
HAHA Mags, tell your team to make bobbleheads of you.
Consider the message relayed. Although I wonder for how long the theoretical bobblehead’s hair would match mine. I say 3 months.
And of course there will be PitchyCrunchy bobbleheads! I’ll mutiny if they don’t!
Although I wonder for how long the theoretical bobblehead’s hair would match mine. I say 3 months.
Which is better than my matching ratio would be!
And of course there will be PitchyCrunchy bobbleheads! I’ll mutiny if they don’t!
There had better! I’m just waiting for him to have a crazy breakout game or something. THEN everyone will see he deserves bobbleheads just as much as the next cute rookie pitcher.
In Buffalo we get $10 off a $50 purchase at Dick’s Sporting Goods if the team scores 3 goals or more
That is way too good of an offer. No wonder your franchise almost went bankrupt
No kidding. After the 9-1 Philly game we attended we asked if we got $10 off for every three goals but no dice :-)
I did get a free Briere mini-jersey last season. I’d forgotten about that because they actually mailed the jerseys to you rather than giving them out at the game. That thing was awesome. It came with a little stand and I pasted a Danny head on it and sat it on top of the TV where it sat all season. I recently came home to find it in the office garbage can which was way, way sadder than it should’ve been. (I rescued it and shoved it in a box in the closet.)
“I recently came home to find it in the office garbage can…”
Poor Danny, he gets no love. Good work saving the mini jersey Heather. It deserved a better fate than that.
Aww, Heather. It really doesn’t deserve such love and care from you. But since it was free.
Kate, if you want to help a Sabres calendar “find” you, you could wander into the Sabres store. They were selling off the extras at one point. Don’t know if there’s any left or not. Otherwise make sure you get yourself to the New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day game because that’s when they usually give them out. Of course if Jan. 1 really is the Ice Bowl, I don’t know when they’ll do them this season.
Poor Danny, he gets no love. Good work saving the mini jersey Heather. It deserved a better fate than that.
Mark was glad I saved it. He said he felt bad later. Maybe in 10 years when Danny is clamoring to come back and everyone is begging for it to happen even though he’ll be old and injury prone, I can pull it out again.
*crickets chirp*
Danny Briere, thread killer!
Yes, exactly.
It’s another one of those days. I could really use a nap right now.
ooooh can I come to the ottawa/draft/convention too? I’m another stupidly shy person but usually drinking helps solve that :p Plus there’s a good chance my cousin is being drafted probably in the second round so mostly likely I’ll already be there. Hopefully I haven’t totally jinxed him now.
Danny Briere, thread killer!
He so is. I couldn’t think of anything to say that didn’t end with “and I bet he has hairy feet”. Which is just lame.
Don’t y’all go away and nap. I need company while I unpack my entire house.
At least unpacking is more fun than packing (or I’ve always thought so anyway)!
Alix! All are welcome to the convention. With a little bit of luck, I bet we’ll be the cookest party in town and all the little drafties will want in. Except we won’t let them because they’re unerage.
Mags, I promise I won’t nap while at work. Because my boss as a key into my office and can see. How’s the unpacking going anyways? It’s a lot better than packing, I must say.
Very true. Napo isn’t helping though, he keeps carrying thing off. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten a retriever.
Hey I’m not going anywhere….except to pay my rent and wait hopefully at my mailbox as UPS’ tracker promises I should have a jersey this afternoon.
Alix, you must come! I’ll bring cookies!
Me too! It’s not only a Draft Convention, it’s also a cookie swap, remember?
You have a retriever? Awesome!
Except we won’t let them because they’re underage.
Uh, I have a bad habit of enabling underage drinkers, but I’ll try to keep that under wraps for the young players not drafted by Anaheim.
Very true. Napo isn’t helping though, he keeps carrying thing off. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten a retriever.
At least he’s doing what he’s meant to do. One of my cats likes to tear paper, try to rip through boxes, etc. What’s with that?
I hate two hour lunch meetings. I miss all the fun.
I want to come to the IPB/draftCon next year. Canadian beer, hockey and good company; life does not get much better.
I’m kind of Pommerdoodling over this Buffalo News story about them testing out the logistics of an outdoor hockey game at the Ralph.
http://buffalonews.typepad.com/sabres/2007/07/sneak-peek-at-p.html
That’s awesome Steph! What jersey are you waiting for? And you’re not allowed to say Ty Conklin. Just kidding. Conker is okay in my book.
excellent! I’m so there. And cookies yum :) My good old hockey obsession is getting me to travel more. Now my mum has to stop ranting about how much time I spend in front of the tv watching it. Although now she’ll probably freak out about me meeting people off the interwebs but meh :p
Uh, I have a bad habit of enabling underage drinkers
I’m sure if you went to more all-ages nights at clubs or bars you would definitely do less of that.
One of my cats likes to tear paper, try to rip through boxes, etc. What’s with that?
aww, that sounds destructively adorable.
You have a retriever? Awesome!
Labrador and retired seeing eye dog. He can do more tricks than I can think of names for :D
I’m kind of Pommerdoodling over this Buffalo News story about them testing out the logistics of an outdoor hockey game at the Ralph.
http://buffalonews.typepad.com/sabres/2007/07/sneak-peek-at-p.html
Ooh, Amy, I saw that video a few days ago and totally Pommerdoodled.
One of my cats likes to tear paper, try to rip through boxes, etc. What’s with that?
aww, that sounds destructively adorable.
It is fairly cute. And as far as bad habits go, I prefer it to the other cat’s penchant for chewing on the spines of my books.
Now my mum has to stop ranting about how much time I spend in front of the tv watching it. Although now she’ll probably freak out about me meeting people off the interwebs but meh :p
My parents totally do not have a say in my travel schedule. But I do have to pass all my exams on the first go to have time to head to the draft. Actual motivation to study yay!
Whew! I come back from lunch and I’ve got a backlog of comments to slog through! Nicely done!
In response to various parties hoping to attend the IPB Ottawa Draft Convention, the more (and the drunker) the merrier! I’m hoping to break the world record for “Being Called ‘Schnookie McCrotch’ By The Most People”, and I think if we get our numbers up a bit more, the record might be in reach.
andrew, leftover gumbo sounds delightful! I’m really looking forward to being able to go back to my leftovers lunches, especially now that the farm season is kicking up. I think we’ve got two more days of non-functionality, and then the kitchen goes back online! WOOOO!
That’s awesome Steph! What jersey are you waiting for? And you’re not allowed to say Ty Conklin. Just kidding. Conker is okay in my book.
Hey now! I don’t love the guy that much :P It’s Hemsky, actually. No one make fun of me for my lace up collar.
I’m hoping to break the world record for “Being Called ‘Schnookie McCrotch’ By The Most People”, and I think if we get our numbers up a bit more, the record might be in reach.
You know, I think you probably already have.
the more (and the drunker) the merrier!
With my luck I would say something that ticks off both Mags and Earl in the first half hour.
Steph, you’d be amazed how many Schnookie McCrotches there are out there! :P
Meg, one of our cats adores chewing paper. You can’t leave any important papers where he can get to them, or he just chomps away.
No one make fun of me for my lace up collar.
You know what? I actually realy like the lace up collar.
No one make fun of me for my lace up collar.
I won’t. I’m totally not in my rights anymore considering my uniform next year (incidentally, remind me to take pictures of it once I get it)
With my luck I would say something that ticks off both Mags and Earl in the first half hour.
Awwww, I’ll probably be too hyper to truly acknowledge the slight.
With my luck I would say something that ticks off both Mags and Earl in the first half hour.
You and me both, MrFrisby! (But safety in numbers, right?)
The lace up collar is old school. I like it.
Steph, Hemsky is alright. If it had been a Raffi Torres jersey, we might have had a problem!
Schnookie McCrotch…I just wanted to say it. We’ll get you to that world record just yet.
My parents totally do not have a say in my travel schedule. But I do have to pass all my exams on the first go to have time to head to the draft. Actual motivation to study yay!
hockey draft going would be my only motivation to study as well mags!
When my cousin’s name gets called at the draft we should be super loud and totally embarass him. It will be tres cook.
I actually realy like the lace up collar.
Really? Because uh, I’ve always liked them even if they’re, well, silly and unnecessary. I think the continued boringness of the Wings’ jersey (not that I don’t appreciate and love the boring!) had endeared me to all the dumb little add-ons like that.
Steph, you’d be amazed how many Schnookie McCrotches there are out there! :P
Ahhh, yes. But how many of them get their name yelled whilst being chased down with signs?
Meg, one of our cats adores chewing paper. You can’t leave any important papers where he can get to them, or he just chomps away.
When we were still in school, my roommate and I liked to speculate about just how our professors would react to, “I’m sorry, my cat ate my work.” Would the unlikeliness make it more or less believable?
With my luck I would say something that ticks off both Mags and Earl in the first half hour.
Aw, I’m much nicer drunk (or at least less capable of holding any sort of prolonged argument). You just keep catching me on a grumpy day (uh, a non-drinking workday).
When my cousin’s name gets called at the draft we should be super loud and totally embarass him.
I am so there if only because I’d get to embarrass someone :D
If it had been a Raffi Torres jersey, we might have had a problem!
Andrew, just because I like you, I’m not going to take that for the personal slight it could have been :P
“a non-drinking workday”
Never heard of it.
Just kidding, but seriously, I used to work at a place that had enough of a problem that the boss told me upon my hiring, “If you come into work drunk, you’re fired. No questions asked.” I remember thinking, hmmm…okaaaay.
When my cousin’s name gets called at the draft we should be super loud and totally embarass him. It will be tres cook.
Consider it done, I’m all up for embarrasing people that’s not me.
I’ll join in the chorus of “Schnookie McCrotch” my fear of saying ‘Schnookie and Pookie’ only apply to when it’s being done ove the airwaves :P
I really do love the lace up collars, they’re very slick and classic. Plus it’s a little more interesting than the standard collars. Just uh..be careful not to choke on it?
When we were still in school, my roommate and I liked to speculate about just how our professors would react to, “I’m sorry, my cat ate my work.”
Roy (the cat) has eaten all kinds of important papers. He especially loves the distinctive flavor of credit card bills. Oh, and the backings of adhesive stamps. It used to be if you opened the drawer where the stamps were kept, he’d coming running.
I really do love the lace up collars, they’re very slick and classic. Plus it’s a little more interesting than the standard collars.
I like them too.
“I’m not going to take that for the personal slight it could have been”
haha, nothing personal at all Steph. It’s just that I still haven’t forgiven Raffi for that cheap shot on Michalek in the playoffs last year. What can I say…I’m totally petty like that.
He especially loves the distinctive flavor of credit card bills.
Aww…he’s just trying to save you from all that unpleasantness. That’s sweet.
Roy (the cat) has eaten all kinds of important papers. He especially loves the distinctive flavor of credit card bills. Oh, and the backings of adhesive stamps. It used to be if you opened the drawer where the stamps were kept, he’d coming running.
That just made me get a little sad, because of the memory of my mom’s cat Roy (named for Patrick). He used to love eating cook books.
excellent…I wonder if I should warn my cousin before hand? nah I think the surprise would be much more fun buahaha. I’m off to get some lunch. Have a good afternoon IPB.
I wonder if I should warn my cousin before hand?
Definitely not. What fun would there be?
I’ve never been fond of the lace up sweaters, but it’s probably mostly a Ranger thing for me. I find them a bit too much like they would fit best in a theme-park version of hockey, rather than the sport as it exists today.
I used to work at a place that had enough of a problem that the boss told me upon my hiring, “If you come into work drunk, you’re fired. No questions asked.” I remember thinking, hmmm…okaaaay.
I worked at a place where I got to see that HR policy in action! Seriously. One of my coworkers (in this bobo call center I worked at) showed up the day after the Diamondbacks won the World Series still odiferiously drunk and he was fired on the spot. Very impressive.
As for this talk of lace-up collars, I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of you say you like them. I mean, come on! The Rangers have them! And the stupid “we want to be as cool as the Rangers (and how lame is that?)” Avalanche third jerseys. There is no defending that!
I really do love the lace up collars, they’re very slick and classic. Plus it’s a little more interesting than the standard collars.
Seriously Sherry I usually get railed on for saying I like them. I don’t know what it is, but even though in the scheme of things they are completely unnecessary, they just add something.
My sweet cat, Cooper, used to like to punch holes in cardboard with her teeth. She didn’t chew the cardboard up, just punctured it. She’d sit in, say, a shoebox, and just work her way around the whole edge until she’d perforated it all the way around.
alix, that’s so cook that you have a cousin that will be in the draft! I’ve never known anybody personally that was in any draft. Wait. I know a guy that was in the CFL for a cup of coffee. He probably wasn’t drafted, but I have no idea.
As for this talk of lace-up collars, I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of you say you like them. I mean, come on! The Rangers have them! And the stupid “we want to be as cool as the Rangers (and how lame is that?)” Avalanche third jerseys. There is no defending that!
I’m going to go with the “but a certain Czech looks pretty in them” excuse again. It got me off the hook last time… (Although admittedly I like them on pretty much anyone, pretty, Czech, or not. This is just a desperate plea to not lose all my credibility in the eyes of Schnookie McCrotch.)
“I’ve never known anybody personally that was in any draft.”
Hey Patty, take a look in the Stars farm system. I used to work with a guy who was Junior Lessard’s cousin. The kid hasn’t really made the big boy team yet, but he did win the Hobey Baker. The guy was also cousins with Francis Lessard, not that I would brag about that. I guess he had quite a few family members who had played in the NHL back in the day. Pretty cook.
I’m going to go with the “but a certain Czech looks pretty in them” excuse again.
I want you to know my first thought was, “Jaromir Jagr does not look pretty in those lace-up sweaters!” THAT’S how much I hate those collars, I guess. :P
Patty, our cat doesn’t eat paper so much as he perforates, just like yours does. And he’s systematic and really focused about it. He’s a really vapid cat normally, with a miniscule attention span, but as soon as he gets chewing on paper, he’ll go at it for hours.
I want you to know my first thought was, “Jaromir Jagr does not look pretty in those lace-up sweaters!”
You voluntarily thought of Jagr? Wow. And admittedly there is not much, aside from a paper bag over his head, he could wear that would make him pretty.
I want you to know my first thought was, “Jaromir Jagr does not look pretty in those lace-up sweaters!” THAT’S how much I hate those collars, I guess. :P
Oh thanks. Ow :P
The thinking of Jagr wasn’t voluntary. It’s an automated response I have when thinking of lace-up sweater collars. Which is why those collars are evil!
I used to work with a guy who was Junior Lessard’s cousin
I really don’t know why they haven’t brought him up yet. He’s had a goal in every NHL game he’s played, it’s just that’s it’s only been 2 or 3. Last year he had a big injury that allowed some others to get in line ahead of him. I hope they bring him up more this season. If only because I grown man named Junior is so old-school. :D
They signed him as an undrafted free agent. I think we got another Hobey Baker guy last season, but I can’t think of who that was now.
Junior Lessard stole Zach Parise’s Hobey Baker! Boo! Hiss! (Just kidding. I think Parise came in 3rd in voting or something. I don’t think he was really in danger of winning it.)
There is starting to be some Texas kids getting into the draft and it’s pretty exciting for us. I’m sure the California fans have the same feelings.
I think the Sharks were the ones that drafted the goalie last year (right, andrew?) that was from the DFW area and came up through the local ranks. He was the first. Then one of our drafts this year is from here — played for Jesuit right here in town. Very exciting.
By the way, going back a hundred comments or so, Schnookie and I decided we might as well give in to the pressure and provide photographic evidence that we exist.
Schnookie
Pookie
“I really don’t know why they haven’t brought him up yet.”
Yeah, I’ve followed his progress, he’s a sharp player. The guy I worked with was a total maniac. 40 years old, playing semi-pro rugby. I could see how he came from a big hockey family. He was gonna score me a UMD jersey, but he quit.
Aren’t y’all cute!
A) Is that the tree you got your cork floors from?
B) If you think you’re going to trick me into posting a picture, you’re incorrect.
Now you can’t say anything that belies your cuteness any more. We all know the truth.
Wow! a very rare -ookie sighting! how cook!
“I think the Sharks were the ones that drafted the goalie last year (right, andrew?) that was from the DFW area and came up through the local ranks”
The Sharks draft, like, 6 goalies per year. So I’m going to go ahead and say you’re absolutely right without verifying it Patty.
Now you can’t say anything that belies your cuteness any more. We all know the truth.
I was about to say! Now that we know what you two look like, you can no longer make totally false claims to un-cuteness.
The guy I worked with was a total maniac.
Was he a full-on redhead like Junior is?
Awww, you guys are absolutely adorable! I feel like we really need to save these pictures because it’s one of those “will only happen every sixteen-hundred years” type of thing.
Patty, I’m going to pretend from henceforth that our floor did come from that tree! Those pictures were taken on one of those fantastic days where everything seems right with the world, so I think having our unicorn kitchen imbued with some of that goodness can’t hurt, right?
“Was he a full-on redhead like Junior is?”
Don’t know, he was bald as hell. Have you ever seen “Ed Wood”? He looked strikingly similar to Tom the chiropractor, except maybe a little uglier (he played a lot of rugby over the years).
By the way, going back a hundred comments or so, Schnookie and I decided we might as well give in to the pressure and provide photographic evidence that we exist.
Holy crap! Now as the last bastion of anonymity, I will never ever give in!
Well, as expected, UPS tracker is a big fat liar :P So no worries about being spammed with pictures of lace-up jerseys until at least tomorrow. (And nothing to ease the pain of having just paid rent either, sigh.)
But I came back to cute photographic evidence that Pookie and Schnookie do indeed exist, so that’s something :P
Ookies, you two aren’t far off from what I imagined you to look like. Totally sweet!
OH MY GOD. I wander onto the internet during my 30 second break from a full work day, and what do i find? Photographic evidence of the -ookies existence? What?!
What the HELL? You’re supposed to be fat and ugly. DAY-UM. You guys are hotties. :) I had such perfect mental images of unforgivably hideous -ookies, and now you’ve gone and turned out to be cute. Thanks a lot.
Just kidding. I’m glad you trust the interwebs enough to reveal your cuteness.
Now I have to get back to work.
Holy crap! Now as the last bastion of anonymity, I will never ever give in!
Oh, I see, non-hockey bloggers like Patty and me don’t count, huh? Whatever, Earl. :)
The Sharks draft, like, 6 goalies per year.
David McKee? Was that it? Maybe it was somebody else. Or maybe y’all traded him already.
I do remember that he said he saw his first hockey game at 13 when he went to see the Stars inaugural game. Decided that’s what he wanted to do. Does that happen often? When somebody picked their sport at the ripe old age of 13 and went on to be a pro?
I had a boss that was really cool with me calling in “hungover”. It was a sheet metal shop, so he preferred me missing a day than going in and chopping off a finger. Although, one night I got home about 4 a.m. after a long night of boosing so I just called in before I passed out. The next day my boss, having such a lovely sense of humor, played my drunken ramblings over the intercom for everyone to hear.
“Holy crap! Now as the last bastion of anonymity, I will never ever give in!”
You’ve boasted your non-tech-savvy-ways in the past Earl. There’s a big difference between not giving in and not knowing how to actually post a picture on the interweb. Which one is it, Earl?
Oh, I see, non-hockey bloggers like Patty and me don’t count, huh? Whatever, Earl. :)
Yeah, Earl. What’s that supposed to mean?? :P
alix, that’s so cook that you have a cousin that will be in the draft!
Yeah Patty it really is. He’s such an awesome kid too. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed he doesn’t go to a team I hate. I mean still super exciting for him of course but it would kinda suck if I had to start cheering for the flames or something.
And an ookie sighting in their natural habitat! It’s a red letter day :p
David McKee? Was that it? Maybe it was somebody else.
Uh, I think that guy is Ducks property, and I believe he was never drafted, so based on my limited knowledge, I’d say “try again”.
Oh, I see, non-hockey bloggers like Patty and me don’t count, huh? Whatever, Earl. :)
Umm, whoops! We’ll hold out together, then!
You’ve boasted your non-tech-savvy-ways in the past Earl. There’s a big difference between not giving in and not knowing how to actually post a picture on the interweb. Which one is it, Earl?
Umm, as of now I can post a picture, so I’m holding out, but there were earlier times when I didn’t even have a digital camera, so I haven’t always been lying!
my italics never work :( sniff sniff
Now as the last bastion of anonymity, I will never ever give in!
Heh, only to some people :P
Yeah, seeing as how most people already know what I look like I’ll just not bother open myself up to more criticism :P I have a link to my photo gallery on my blog but I actually went back and made a lot of my personal pictures hidden and I tried my best to hide my face in my profile pic, but if you’ve ever seen some of the group HLOG pictures, you can tell what most of us look like.
And seeing as how some of us are so open with our lives, I think it’s only fair the rest of yo udo the same :P
I have no internet anonymity. Everyone knows what I look like. I figure it’s better than someone going to find my mugshot (you won’t) because I look like hell in that one.
Now that I think of it, though, that might be the reason I’m afraid to start a blog: the fear of having to post a picture.
alix, what are you typing? (you can email me the code at magses at gmail dot com if you want because it won’t display in the comments)
OK, I’m dying with laughter over what Sather said about Avery in his arbitration hearing: “a reasonably effective player as well as a detriment to the team”. Wowza! I’d say he’s more like a detriment to the entire league.
Hahaha I’ve never had internet anonymity. I spent too much time on my stupid hair to not show it off :P (Wow that sounds…ridiculous.)
Uh, I think that guy is Ducks property, and I believe he was never drafted, so based on my limited knowledge, I’d say “try again”.
Woops. That’s the guy, but wrong team, and wrong point to support. I guess he wasn’t drafted. It seemed like he was moved, but maybe it was that he left Cornell to go pro, but I don’t see him on the Ducks’ roster even as a prospect.
I hope he hasn’t failed already.
(He’s from Irving, TX, by the way. One of those in-town suburbs.)
“a reasonably effective player as well as a detriment to the team”.
And that, ladies & gentlemen, is what makes arbitration so much fun. (when it’s not your team).
a reasonably effective player as well as a detriment to the team
Wow. Where did you see that?
Did Avery sucker-punch him when he heard that?
It’s okay, Steph. Your hair really is a work of art!
Pookie – I read about that and Avery was none too pleased, haha. I’d imagine the dressing room to be nice and awkward come next season, just what we’ve always wanted.
Did Avery sucker-punch him when he heard that?
That would have made things REALLY interesting!
And seeing as how some of us are so open with our lives, I think it’s only fair the rest of you do the same :P
Don’t blame me–I’m always alerting readers about my Row B exploits, it’s just TV crews always seem to have different priorities.
In the spirit of photo day, I present you: the most embarrassing pictures of the day we visited peewee camp
What I love about Sather calling Avery “a detriment to the team” is that by all accounts he was supposedly NOT being the Avery of old in New York. So either Sather is just being a complete dick (not unlikely) or Avery wore out his welcome in the Rangers room a lot faster than anyone anticipated. Which I find crushing — I mean, he saved hockey in New York! And thereby saved us all!
Courtesy of the NY Post…by everybody’s favourite writer Larry Brooks:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07302007/sports/rangers/slats_not_fair__rangers_call_avery_detriment_in_brief_rangers_larry_brooks.htm
a reasonably effective player as well as a detriment to the team
Did Avery sucker-punch him when he heard that?
Someone PLEASE tell me he did. Please?
Maybe Sather’s vocabulary just isn’t that good and he meant to say, “…a complement to the team…” The way the sentence is composed, it doesn’t sound like he’s about to say he’s a detriment.
If he’s a detriment to the team why’d they bother to qualify him. “Detriment” indicates that he hurts the team more than he helps them.
Funny Patty, but I thought the one word that looked out of place was “effective”.
Mags, those peewee camp pictures are great.
Funny Patty, but I thought the one word that looked out of place was “effective”.
Haha.
From IM.
“I’m really high on the team.”
Mags: I bet that’s not the only thing he’s high on
Oil: No shit
Oil: they must feed those fucker “crackpuffs” for breakfast.
Mags, those pee-wee camp pictures are a work of art. I especially like the uber-colourful number.
“Crackpuffs” HAH.
Thanks Meg :) We had a good time thoroughly embarrassing ourselves :D
We had a good time thoroughly embarrassing ourselves :D
Kind of like this guy? If it’s the same guy as before, he’s quickly becoming a bit of a cult hero to me.
Earl, the boy in the “Sparrow” suit is still the same guy. And still (somewhat miraculously) Flutter’s boyfriend.
“I know this is part of the business, I know this is part of the process, but it’s extremely disappointing to read something like that coming from Slats [GM Glen Sather] and not to be offended by it.
Wow, Avery’s even turtling when someone says something!
I’ve heard that the arbitrations can be brutal, but I’ve never heard a player tell a reporter that his feelings were hurt. Maybe it’s just from the lack of detailed coverage out here.
Heh, according to this article, Emery’s bumming around Hamilton over the summer
http://senators.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=335361
He should be relatively easy to spot since most of our roads probably aren’t even big enough for Hummers.
I’ve never heard a player tell a reporter that his feelings were hurt. Maybe it’s just from the lack of detailed coverage out here.
No. Avery is just a whiny b*tch.
I’ve heard that the arbitrations can be brutal, but I’ve never heard a player tell a reporter that his feelings were hurt. Maybe it’s just from the lack of detailed coverage out here.
Well, there was that player that cried (who was that again?) so maybe he didn’t need to tell the reporters he was hurt.
there was that player that cried (who was that again?)
The guy who was Sweden’s goalie before Lundy. Damn, I wish I could remember who exactly.
Tommy Salo. Belarussian Legend.
“The guy who was Sweden’s goalie before Lundy. Damn, I wish I could remember who exactly.”
Salo.
Tommy Salo!
Oh, Salo. Poor guy…maybe there was another reason he was crying. [cough]
Anyways, it’s quitting time for me. I was more or less completely out of it the whole day. Hopefully I didn’t inadvertently blow anything up.
see ya Sherry. Have a good ‘un.
Bye Sherry!
Hopefully I didn’t inadvertently blow anything up.
Aw, if you did, just blame it on the new sprinkler system.
Whew! It never ceases to take me by surprise when I’m being expected to work while I’m on the job. This has been madness for these last two hours. I mean, that’s at least four times as much work as I’ve had to do all the rest of this month…
Schnookie, I am thoroughly impressed with you :)
Keep up the good work Schnookie, maybe through internet osmosis I will miraculously get some work done.
Schnookie, do like me and just not show up. :D
Keep up the good work Schnookie, maybe through internet osmosis I will miraculously get some work done.
I’m probably counteracting any productivity Schnookie’s web osmosis provides, Andrew. I think somehow I may be doing negative work today.
Schnookie, I am thoroughly impressed with you :)
I wouldn’t be too impressed — most of that time was spent on hold with the travel agency, but it still counts as work, and was especially grueling for having to listen to the hold music.
andrew, I hope the internet osmosis makes my can-do attitude go away. I’m finding my office usefulness just isn’t as much fun as when I’m being the world’s worst secretary. (“I’m sorry, but ordering your lab supplies isn’t my job. You’ll have to do it yourself.” Pause. “What’s that? It is my job? Huh. Well, tough.”)
Schnookie, do like me and just not show up. :D
I’m like Earl and, more often than not, am probably yielding a negative net of “work” for my employer. Not showing up would make me less of a detriment to my team!
“I think somehow I may be doing negative work today.”
That’s awesome. I can just picture Earl, going around the office undoing other peoples’ work.
I can just picture Earl, going around the office undoing other peoples’ work.
*gigglesnort* Me too.
Not showing up would make me less of a detriment to my team!
That’s a good point. I’m not adding to the A/C’s job or drinking free Cokes, so I’m doing them a favor.
Stupid tags. I’m not really making a good case for a proofreading job, am I?
You’re starting to put yourself in a BoC price range, though.
“You’re starting to put yourself in a BoC price range, though.”
Yeah Patty, and you can proofread my non-existent blog anytime!
Well, it’s time for me to take my useful self home to do even more work — stupid garden fence needing to be painted! I could be sitting on my couch in my pajamas playing Katamari (because as you’ve all seen in photographic splendor, I’m wildly sexy), but no. I have to paint. It is so hard being me.
Cheerio, all, until later then!
See you Schnookie!
See ya Schnooker. Don’t paint too hard.
And maybe that’s what’s so funny about Avery’s quotes. I mean, my boss could pull me aside on roughly any day of the calendar year and point specifically to hours spent that clearly were a detriment to the team, and I’d shrug and say, “Yup, I saw that one coming” or “Hmm, I wasn’t much help there, was I?”
But somehow Avery’s self-convinced he’s done a good day’s work everyday. He’s stunned to learn that he’s a detriment, and in doing so, easily becomes a laughingstock to more self-aware team detriments everywhere.
Buh-bye, Schnookie! Don’t get overheated! It’s hot out there!
“But somehow Avery’s self-convinced he’s done a good day’s work everyday.”
HAHAHA! Stupid Sean Avery. His misery brings me so much joy.
Bye Schnookie!
And maybe that’s what’s so funny about Avery’s quotes. I mean, my boss could pull me aside on roughly any day of the calendar year and point specifically to hours spent that clearly were a detriment to the team, and I’d shrug and say, “Yup, I saw that one coming” or “Hmm, I wasn’t much help there, was I?”
That was kind of how I was expecting my annual performance appraisal to go last week. But apparently they think I have a good work ethic. Maybe the problem is Avery really needs to be in an entry level office job like me!
“Maybe the problem is Avery really needs to be in an entry level office job like me!”
He’s far too surly, Meg. Maybe if he were hired on as Lou’s new copyboy?
But somehow Avery’s self-convinced he’s done a good day’s work everyday.
That’s so true. I am actually surprised when I don’t hear that I’m a detriment. And every year when I have my “review”, I think, okay, this is her chance. I’m going to get it this time, surely. But I don’t. If I did, I sure wouldn’t whine to (the equivalent of) the press.
But somehow Avery’s self-convinced he’s done a good day’s work everyday.
I need to go check my vcr for days Avery actually did ANY work.
Yeah, somehow my reviews keep coming back on the positive side too. That might come from the fact that my boss is in Wisconsin and thus is naturally “hands off”, but even so, it becomes my duty to sit through my reviews and bite my tongue everytime I have the urge to spit and say “Ha! Suckers!”
Oh good lord, performance reviews! When I first started my job I was really annoyed that I never seemed to have any. I felt like I was doing enough stuff that was going unappreciated and unnoticed that a performance review would really help. Um, that’s not as much the case anymore…
well I’m off to do a shift at my stupid bakery job. I will try to keep up with the IPB tradition and do negative work :p have a good night everybody.
Oh rats, I think it’s fence-painting time. There’s no way this isn’t a big pain in the ass, since I just got off a service phone call to Comcast in which they — yes, it’s true — exceeded my expectations! I know! It’s shocking! I called to get cable cards for my new TiVo box and not only did they not charge me at all (even thought there’s supposed to be a $2 fee) they offered me a choice of installing them myself or having a free service call, and then, when I opted for the service call, they gave me an appointment on the first try that worked for me and was a week sooner than I would have expected them to offer. I would have fallen out of my chair but I was sitting on the floor. Shocking! If that sure-to-be-nasty chore turned out that well, the fence can only be a million time worse than I’m expecting.
OK, the fence is calling my name. See you all later!
it becomes my duty to sit through my reviews and bite my tongue everytime I have the urge to spit and say “Ha! Suckers!”
Hey, if you would rather your employers have a more honest view of what you do during the workday…:P
I’ve honestly never had a performance review in any job I’ve done. I’ve had a volunteer review when I was a volunteer at this kid’s music summer camp and it consisted of: “How do you think you did?” and me responding “Pretty well?” and them going “Great!”
See ya Pook. Good luck on the fence.
I too will be shocked the day that Comcast exceeds my expectations. In any way. Whatsoever.
I’ve honestly never had a performance review in any job I’ve done. I’ve had a volunteer review when I was a volunteer at this kid’s music summer camp and it consisted of: “How do you think you did?” and me responding “Pretty well?” and them going “Great!”
I’m guessing that this is what Avery envisioned arbitration to be like.
I’ve honestly never had a performance review in any job I’ve done.
Sherry, this was my first one ever, and I was convinced it would be much worse than it was. I always worked for small companies before.
And having said that, it’s after 5, and since I have such a fabulous work ethic, I’m heading home.
Later, all.
Bye Meg. Have a great night!
Man, it’s clearing out fast around here.
I’m still here. Insomnia sucks ass.
I’m guessing that this is what Avery envisioned arbitration to be like.
Sorry, Avery. I didn’t mean to give you a false idea of arbitration. I’m betting he would have done better at that camp than I did though. I’m pretty sure not a day went by where I didn’t make a kid cry.
If you guys ever need a list of whether or not your performance review is adequate or appropriate, I think I still might have my HR textbook handy. That’s about as close to a performance review as I’ve ever gotten.
And having said that, it’s after 5, and since I have such a fabulous work ethic, I’m heading home.
Hey, it’s a great comparative work ethic! Since my carpool partner decided to call in sick today a la Patty, I doubt I’ll even stay until 4 today!
Ha! Suckers!
Bummer Mags, I have that problem all the time. But it’s only, what, about 11:00 over there right now? You got plenty of time to fall asleep!
And I’ve never had a performance review. Because I’ve never had a real job. And if anyone wanted to review my performance, I like to think of my stat speak for themselves.
Andrew, yeah, it’s 11, but I’ve been awake since 2 am. I wanted to get to bed at about 8, but that didn’t work.
I’m just watching crappy tv atm. Scrubs will be on in a minute though.
best o’ luck to you, Mags.
Did you guys see Ingmar Bergman died. What a drag, that man was a genius.
Hee. I love love LOVE any news of Ranger strife!
Speaking of people with poor work ethic, and worse supervision, I hear the trash trucks finally coming up the street. They’re usually here before I leave for work. I was starting to wonder if it was a holiday and I didn’t know about it.
And if anyone wanted to review my performance, I like to think of my stat speak for themselves.
Whatever you do, avoid arbitration! They’ll tell you you’re an effective player and a detriment in the same sentence!
Scrubs will be on in a minute though.
Aww, I absolutely adore Scrubs. I haven’t watched it at all in the two years though because we don’t have the channel it’s on in Hamilton. Because we’re poor students.
Kate,
You still stuck out in the woods?
Patty, considering I don’t get paid (even though it’s practically a full time job) so I don’t think I’ll ever see an arbitration hearing.
Sherry, we only just got it here so I’m only on season 1. Flutter has all the seasons on DVDs, but she won’t let me borrow them. Bitch.
[GASP] I will rarely say that about somebody, but…BIATCH!
I have all the episodes up to Season 3 burned onto CD which I um…obtained in a manner befitting a student. [cough]
So if you want them, just let me know!
Damn, my grammar totally went to hell there.
That’s okay. Given how many grammatical and spelling errors I make, I think it’s forgivable :P
Also, my housemate and I just recited the first two cartoons from Rejected verbatim because my spoon was literally too big for my mini pudding cup.
Scrubs is the bomb. They started getting a little “uninspired” there for a number of episodes. I was worried they were running out of material or going the way of The Simpsons. But they pulled out of it. I thought this past season was really good.
Hi andrew! I’m still in the woods, and the internet connection is back (for the time being). I can NOT believe how addicted I am to the computer. I feel so much better now that i have wireless again. I’ve been all out of sorts for the last few days.
*gigglesnort*
I just called Flutter to hate on her lack of Scrubs DVD sharing and she was drunk. What a wasted international call that was.
Poor Katebits…interweb addicted and stuck in the sticks.
Hope you’re having a good time camping at least!?
You know what show was completely underrated and therefore got cancelled? Wonderfalls. I think I might be the only person who has even heard of it. I own all the episodes on DVD and it is spectacular, it’s from the same people who did ‘Dead Like Me’, another criminally short-lived series.
I have all the episodes up to Season 3 burned onto CD which I um…obtained in a manner befitting a student. [cough]
Good old Sherry. Sees a shopping cart that nobody cares about and stresses herself out. Then she pirates a CD and undermines the TV-video-distribution industry and doesn’t bat an eye.
Don’t get me started on brilliant t.v. that is cancelled before it’s time! I seem to fall in love strictly with shows that everyone else seems to hate.
I seem to fall in love strictly with shows that everyone else seems to hate.
Oh man, SAME WITH ME. I’m so upset Veronica Mars got canceled because I’m convinced everybody would have loved it had they had the patience to actually watch it.
I don’t know I’m over the death of Arrested Development yet, myself.
Then she pirates a CD and undermines the TV-video-distribution industry and doesn’t bat an eye.
I didn’t pirate it, Sleek! It was only two tracks! As a favour! For you! Plus it’s only the TV industry. They’re reach enough as it is.
You know what show was completely underrated and therefore got cancelled? Wonderfalls. I think I might be the only person who has even heard of it. I own all the episodes on DVD and it is spectacular, it’s from the same people who did ‘Dead Like Me’, another criminally short-lived series.
Oh my god Sherry I love Wonderfalls. Dead Like Me too, actually, though I haven’t seen the second season. But Wonderfalls. Is. Brilliant.
Kate! Heya there.
Sherry, I know wonderfalls! Liked it a lot too. I wondered where it went.
and by ‘reach’ I clearly meant rich. Bah, I am such a basket case.
Oh my god Sherry I love Wonderfalls. Dead Like Me too, actually, though I haven’t seen the second season. But Wonderfalls. Is. Brilliant.
Okay, so in addition to watching Miracle while you’re over we clearly have to watch all of Wonderfalls. And you’re in luck about Dead Like Me because I also happen to own Season 2 on DVD and I really want season 1.
I seem to fall in love strictly with shows that everyone else seems to hate.
Ditto. Plus, I hate the ones that everybody else apparently watches. Once upon a time, I would watch any sitcom that came on, but thankfully, hockey broke me of that, so I only watch good one[s].
Sherry, I know wonderfalls! Liked it a lot too. I wondered where it went.
I was so mad that after it got canceled word came out that FOX refused to air it in its proper order and stuff. They only aired about 4 episodes I think and then it got canceled? Luckily, the DVD set has about 12 episodes that were unaired.
“I don’t know I’m over the death of Arrested Development yet, myself.”
Ditto. Such an underrated show.
But the greatest news I have heard ni the past several years (yes, I am that boring): Futurama is back. New season starts in February on Comedy Central. I practically wet myself every time I think about it.
They only aired about 4 episodes I think and then it got canceled?
We got all of it, but it was at this impossible time. Of course no one is going to watch it if it’s on at 11 pm, you tv idiots.
I don’t think I’ve heard of Wonderfalls. Was it on one of the Big Four originally? I tripped over Dead Like Me on HDNet. Hadn’t heard of it before then, either.
I don’t have HBO or Showtime, so that might be why.
I miss Arrested Development. Such genius.
Poor Katebits…interweb addicted and stuck in the sticks.
I know. It’s rough Andrew. Actually, I’m not camping, I’m teaching at a little music festival in New Hampshire. The experience is one tiny step less heinous then actually tent camping. (Truthfully, despite the borderline disturbingly rustic housing, I totally love it here.)
Was it on one of the Big Four originally?
It was originally aired on FOX, but because it’s FOX, they manage to screw everything up. They changed the time slot a bunch of times and didn’t air the episodes in the proper order. It hurts my brain and my heart that ‘The O.C.’ managed to last so much longer than Wonderfalls.
I seem to fall in love strictly with shows that everyone else seems to hate.
This doesn’t happen that often, but at times I will keep watching shows because I hate them (see: last season’s 24).
It’s completely bizarre, but it kind of brings me to a current topic: anyone else catch the first episodes of the A&E reality show about the 2 Coreys (I think I only saw the second one), about the new live-in life of Feldman (and wife) and Haim? I am totally hating myself into another episode of that!
“I will keep watching shows because I hate them…”
See, I just can’t do that. People always say they watch shows like American Idol because it’s so bad or whatever. I just can’t!
My motto is that if I’m going to kill brain cells, it’s going to be from alcohol, not reality television.
Kate, good to hear that you’re having fun! Aside from the internet withdrawls, of course.
The 2 Coreys were before my time, but yes I have heard of the show.
The only reality show I watched was ANTM and CNTM with my housemates and it was mostly only because I loved the photoshoots and the photographs they shot.
I used to watch a lot more TV, haha but it’s been awhile since I’ve actually gotten into a TV series. I watched Prison Break in the first season and loved it but after they got out of prison, it sort of became pointless.
Okay, so in addition to watching Miracle while you’re over we clearly have to watch all of Wonderfalls. And you’re in luck about Dead Like Me because I also happen to own Season 2 on DVD and I really want season 1.
Yes! Best plan ever! I haven’t seen it since I marathoned it last year while staying up so as to not miss my flight to Prague. Hahah I’m not sure two days is going to cover all this epic viewing :P
I’m so upset Veronica Mars got canceled because I’m convinced everybody would have loved it had they had the patience to actually watch it.
Sherry, me too! Even though I saw it coming from about a mile away, I was so heartbroken when it was finally, officially canceled. I could never understand why more people didn’t love it. It was so awesome! To be fair, though, compared to other doomed shows, VM had a nice, long three-season life.
Also, while we’re talking about great shows that never had a chance, I have to mention Clone High, cartoon which aired about 6 episodes on MTV once upon a time (the only good show MTV has ever produced, I think, which probably explains why they dumped it) and then the rest of the 13-episode season ended up on Canadian TV. SO BRILLIANT! But no one’s ever heard of it.
And I might have been the only person on the planet who actually watched/liked The Black Donnellys on NBC this spring.
I have to say, as much as I loved Veronica Mars, it really didn’t work after the first season. I think of the cancellation as a mercy killing.
“I will keep watching shows because I hate them…”
See, I just can’t do that. People always say they watch shows like American Idol because it’s so bad or whatever. I just can’t!
I’m with you, andrew. I cannot watch any reality stuff of any kind. My friends are always talking about people on those shows that are so hateable that they love them. And I just don’t love to hate anybody. Once someone starts to irk me, I’m gone. Especially if their purpose is to irk me. Fake hatefulness is almost worse than the real stuff.
I have never watched 24, and I think I’m the only one. Or Sopranos, or Lost, either.
Gambler, I completely agree with you on VM. Every year I held my breath during the summer that it would get renewed. Although, I have to admit the last season wasn’t really as consistent with the quality. But I loved the soundtrack, and it was an extremely well-acted show all around.
Oh man, I also adore Clone High [and I also have all the episodes of that on CD obtained--well, you know :P]. My friends and I quote it a lot too. “Makeover, Makeover…Makeover, Makeover” has sort of become a theme song in our house.
I actually really wanted to check out The Black Donnellys but we didn’t get NBC here.
“I have never watched 24, and I think I’m the only one. Or Sopranos, or Lost, either.”
Me neither I don’t know why, but it seems like the only TV I can get into is comedy. Luckily, my wife is the exact same way. We like all the same shows, it’s totally weird.
Patty, you’re not the only one. I have never seen any of those shows you listed. And I’ve also never seen Grey’s Anatomy or whatever but I know a lot of people who are extremely obsessed with it.
I just watch whatever they show on TV here. 24 was on at one point but I missed most of that. The Soprano’s never made it here. Lost was literally lost on the Dutch audience. House and Grey’s are big though.
I actually really wanted to check out The Black Donnellys but we didn’t get NBC here.
Elly watched the whole thing online somewhere…though it could have just been NBC’s website. I meant to check it out too, but then I never did.
Anyway I’m off now, I apparently need to cart some friends to IHOP, so I’ll see you all later!
I discovered a cartoon that was, like 4 years old already that I think is just hilarious. There’s only 2 or 2 dozen episodes, so I’ve already watched them plenty. Has anybody watched Invader Zim?
I think it’s hilarious. I had vaguely heard of it I guess, but I tripped over it one day when I had my hands full and couldn’t change the channel and then got stuck.
Haha, I’ve watched House once or twice with my housemate cause she loves it, but that’s about it.
Steph, I tried watching some episodes on NBC but I think they only let you if you live in the ‘States. Blast that!
Have fun at IHOP!
Invader Zim is pretty damn good.
You guys are really making me sound like a reality show buff, despite my career consisting of watching one episode of the Two Coreys.
I did watch the whole 24 hours of 24 last year, though, in order to properly hate it better.
Has anybody watched Invader Zim?
[raises hand]. Yes, my friend also has…all…the episodes. Man, it was so much easier when we had that filesharing software in first year on campus. Of course that was also when we got very little work done, but hey, we still passed.
Zim is amazing, we also quote that mercilessly. My friend even has a Gir doll.
it seems like the only TV I can get into is comedy
I am the same way. I just can’t see dramas as anything but snooty and overwrought.
I tried House the first few episodes because I LOVE that guy in the BlackAdder series. But I was already tired of the same plot points by the 4th episode. I wanted to watch Grey’s Anatomy, too, because I like Patrick Dempsey, but the commercials were so “sincere” that I was turned off before I saw one episode.
Hugh Laurie. He’s MAGIC. I like House because I like trying to figure out what disease the patients have before they do.
“I just can’t see dramas as anything but snooty and overwrought.”
For real! I tell ya, some of these shows just look like they take themselves too seriously. Gimme a show like “My Name is Earl” any day.
I didn’t mean you, Earl. I just meant reality in general.
My friends seem to fall into two reality-show camps: Talent show crap, and wheels-off celebrity crap. :P There’s probably a good one in there somewhere, but I am not looking very hard.
Have you guys seen Hugh Laurie’s performance of his song ‘History’? If it’s still on YouTube, I highly suggest you check it out.
I tried watching ‘My Name is Earl’ one time but I couldn’t really get into it. I only saw it cause it’s on before ‘The Office’ on Global here, haha.
I’ve also watched Miami Ink on TLC, which I guess is considered a reality show but it’s actually pretty cool. And does nothing to curb my want for a tattoo.
Anyhoos, I’m off to cook dinner now. Yummy, Chinese rice cakes.
“There’s probably a good one in there somewhere, but I am not looking very hard.”
I’m probably showing too much of my true colors here, but I loved Jackass. I guess that counts as a reality show.
I actually really wanted to check out The Black Donnellys but we didn’t get NBC here.
Well, they also only actually aired about four of the episodes. Thankfully they had the rest of the 13 available on their website for people who were actually interested. I doubt it’s still up there, but you could try if you wanted. I can see why it didn’t catch on (it’s really hard to do realistic mob stuff on network TV… you know without the swearing and the gore), but I really liked it.
And yay! Clone High love. I swear there is nothing more quotable than that show. (When I read that story about the Staals, all I could think was “Well, well, well. We meet again, underage drinking. How are you, underage drinking? Besides illegal!”) And I also love how it’s a lot of the same people from Scrubs doing the voices. Also, there’s a cameo by Michael J Fox as Ghandi’s kidney! Really, check IMDB. He only says two words, but it’s him. Shows don’t get much cooker than that.
I watched the first season of Lost, but even my intense fangirly crush on Dominic Monaghan couldn’t keep me interested longer than that. Although I still tune in from time to time if I need a laugh. Hopefully now that his character’s dead Dom Mon will go do something I can actually get into. Other than that I’ve never watched any of the intensely popular shows. Except House. Loooooove House. Hugh Laurie is a god.
I tell ya, some of these shows just look like they take themselves too seriously.
Exactly.
Not to get too serious, but immediately after September 11, I could hardly watch anything. It seemed all pretty pointless. It was another thing that hockey helped me through. I probably only watched hockey and news the next 9 months. Then I kind of eased back into TV shows and so far, I’ve only gotten back into comedies and cartoons. :D I haven’t seen a serious movie in years, either.
I can’t say I’ve never watched reality though. I watched one called Regular Joe, or Joe Schmoe or something like that. It was a house full of contestants, but only one was unaware that it was scripted. It was kind of fun. But the key is that it wasn’t a true reality show.
Y’all that like Hugh Laurie should check out the Blackadder shows. He is hilarious! He’s the goofy moron to Rowan Atkinson’s snide condescension.
“I haven’t seen a serious movie in years, either.”
That’s where I get really random, because even though I can’t stand any non-comedy TV, I’ll watch any movie. I absolutely love horror movies, drama, film noir, anything.
Have you guys seen Hugh Laurie’s performance of his song ‘History’? If it’s still on YouTube, I highly suggest you check it out.
There’s so much good Hugh Laurie stuff on YouTube…I love the A Bit of Fry and Laurie clips.
My friend even has a Gir doll.
Cook! “I miss my cupcake.” –Gir.
I hate Jackass, probably because I met Bam Margera in West Chester, PA way before he was rich & famous. He’s a huge prick with an attitude problem. I can’t believe I had the audacity to try and skate on the same ramp as Bam.
/rant
Futurama is back. New season starts in February on Comedy Central.
Sweeeeeet! One of my favorite episodes was on last night:
“We need rest. The spirit is willing but the flesh is spongy and bruised.”
OK, I’m going to skip out of here early! (Put THAT on my review!) Later, everybody!
“He’s a huge prick with an attitude problem”
Not surprising. At all. He looks like a dick. But the way I see it, if you take the time to get to know famous people and what they’re really like, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Not that you actually studied up on Bam, MrFrisby. Same ballpark though.
Well, did you explain how their good fundamentals make up for their inability to dunk?!
You win again gravity.
I was just hung up in YouTube watching Blackadder clips. I remember Steven Fry as the WWI general who says, “I don’t care if he’s rogering the Duke of York with a prize-winning leek!”
Zap might be my favorite Futurama character. So many quotes….it’s staggering
Zap is a very quotable character.
My favorite [adult swim] cartoon character though, would be Coach John McGuirk of Home Movies.
I love Home Movies! Remember the cartoon with the psychiatrist? I think Coach McGuirk was the same voice as the Dr.’s son. I can’t think of the name of it…
I don’t remember that one. Was it Brandon’ choice?
Brandon, Brendon, same thing. :P
My friend has Home Movies! We watched the Franz Kafka episode and we spent the whole weekend singing that damn song.
“He is Franz! Kafka! FranzKafka!”
Was it Brandon’ choice?
It was a separate series. It was over before Home Movies came along.
Oh! Dr. Katz? I think that was it. I swear it just came to me. I didn’t look it up. Seriously.
Did you ever see Dr. Katz? I liked that one. That one and Home Movies and the first season of Spongebob were all “squigglevision”. That part usually didn’t last, though. I guess it’s too expensive to produce.
Dr. Katz was really cook. I like how everyone did nothing but squiggle their lines.
Hey, Earl and Andrew, is this an apt description of friends in California? :D
Oh, Dr. Katz! Yeah, I remember that one. That was on before the duck one (voice of Jason Alexander). There was also another one Comedy Central, “Undergrads”.
Did I kill it? or is everyone else watching Hell’s Kitchen too?
I’m here, Mr. Frisby. Basking in a lazy Monday night of trying to find as many royal presents in Katamari Damacy as possible. It’s maddening.
Basking in a lazy Monday night of trying to find as many royal presents in Katamari Damacy as possible. It’s maddening.
heh, Pookie I tried to do that too but just gave up. I may try it again some other time though!
Besides the fact that it is a video game, I have no idea what you are talking about. Best of luck though.
I appreciate it, MrFrisby. As Sherry can attest, we’ll need all the luck we can get!
I did watch the whole 24 hours of 24 last year, though, in order to properly hate it better.
Earl, you picked pretty much the worst season. I loved the first couple years of 24 but they’re rapidly running out of cities to threaten to blow up. I love Lost though. It actually has a lot of humor tucked away in it for such a serious show. The only other current drama I watch is Friday Night Lights People, I cannot describe to you how awesome this show is and I beseech anyone who hasn’t tried it to do so. As far as reality TV goes, I watch The Amazing Race, Project Runway, and Top Chef. I watched the first two seasons of American Idol but then gave it up with the exception of the Taylor Hicks season which I watched because I went to high school with Taylor.
Actually, I’m the opposite of most of you. I can’t think of a single sitcom I watch on a regular basis except for stuff in syndication.
Don’t get me started on brilliant t.v. that is cancelled before it’s time! I seem to fall in love strictly with shows that everyone else seems to hate.
I’ll see you the previously mentioned Arrested Development and raise you Twin Peaks, Freaks and Geeks, and Joan of Arcadia. And I’m not entirely convinced Friday Night Lights won’t eventually be on this list.
Three years in a row now my supervisor has pulled the ol’ “This year for something different, I’m going to have you review yourself and really analyze how you’ve done.” First of all, it’s not new if you do it more than one year in a row. Second of all, we’re on to you, you’re just saving yourself the work. The first couple of years I tried to be fair. The last year I gave myself the best damn review anyone’s ever gotten.
And now that everyone is done with all these conversations, I’ve said my piece!
In incredibly late-breaking news, my performance reviews are always done by a guy who literally knows nothing about how I do my job. I never interact with him, we work in different sites, and because I’m way overqualified for my job description, he’s terrified I’m going to wander off for greener pastures and he’ll be left with a secretary in his department who doesn’t have a college degree. So he always just tells me I’m great. Despite the fact that I haven’t worked a 40-hour week in over two years, I take unreported vacation days and I spend all day every day using the internet for personal use.
And that’s my story.
I love the ol’ “let’s give the power to do important things to people who have no clue what goes on in the building/program/department they’re making decisions for.” It seems to have worked out well for you, Schookie, but I ended up with the teacher from hell because of a similar dynamic. I would’ve liked to have done her performance review…
It’s less a question in my situation of an important person having no clue what’s going on and more that I am a very insignificant cog in my department and I happen to report directly to the guy at the top of the org chart. It works out very well for me because he doesn’t care about me other than that I’m a college-educated person on his headcount (I think that kind of stat wins him a bigger piece of the company’s operational budget pie), and I have zero accountability because the people I work for have no power over me. And to think they actually worry about me leaving for a better job… Seriously, as far as I’m concerned, there is no better job than this one.
I can see, though, how in many cases this is not the best way to be handling personnel. :P
The other kind of show I have become a fan of is the Discovery Channel/National Geographic/History Channel type show. One of my favorites is “Seconds from Disaster”. I also find myself watching stuff like Mystery Diagnosis and Snapped and Mega Movers and Modern Marvels. Stuff like that. Kinda dorky, probably.
Good night everybody (that’s still around).