High School Hell

My idea for a TV show that I ran by Q some weeks back revolves around a high school in the underworld. It would very much be in the same vein of shows like Saved By the Bell and such with the exception of course that it all takes place at Hellside High. In the show we would learn that even teenage demons and devils have the same growing pains that we all experience. The kids (like A.C. Slayer and Screech) would all learn lessons from each other and whacky Coach Lucifer and knowledgeable Principle Beelzebub as each week they are faced with new predicaments. Of course they would also have to deal with their rival school from the other side of the Styx. The Fighting Angels of Heaven High. In one episode, the kids are outraged that the Angels have stolen their school mascot the 3-headed dog. So they decided to get back at the kids from up north by stealing their mascot, the lamb. Well things quickly get out of hand and the pranks escalate until the school administrators get involved.
Let me know what you the internet world thinks of this idea and know that even if I don't do it that somebody will within the next ten years. Guaranteed.

Cleaning out my office

Today I'm working on cleaning out most of my office, so that I don't have to spend a lot of time doing it tomorrow. It's a process that shows you just jow much of your daily work is completely useless as I am throwing away file after file of "important information" that I haven't looked at once since I received it. Of course a large part of that is to make you look like your important to the company, because you obviously aren't important at all if you don't have file drawers that are full.
Oh well, tomorrow I need to clean out all my electronic files with titles like "Focus on Production" and "Diversity" which really are filled with my favorite cheerleader pictures.

Just a quick update for the teeming masses that wonder what's going on in Dagromm world. I will spend my last day on the job this Friday and will have a paid week off next week. Still no new job and interviewing weekly. I guess it's time they rachet it up a notch. The Mavs pissed away their chance to win a championship and for the last week I've just been waiting for it to be over. Now we can concentrate solely on World Cup soccer and then prepare for Fantasy Football.

I Think I'm Allergic to the Pussycat Dolls

Seriously, I watched their newest video earlier today and had a violent physical reaction. Afterwards I was incapacitated for like twenty minutes. Then I had to clean myself off and get to work.

V For Vendetta

This might be a little late for a movie review as I know this has been out for some time, but I just saw it yesterday and felt it deserved a mention. Being somewhat of a comic book afficianado I have been looking forward to seeing this movie for quite some time. Alan Moore is recognized as one of the greatest comic writers of all time and I've never read anything of his to make me think any different. That being said, I've never actually read V fo Vendetta even though it's been out for almost twenty years. It's not for lack of opportunity, but your head has to be in the right place to undertake one of his stories. Just the same I was very interested to see what kind of rendition the story would get from the Wachowski brothers who are noted comic fans. I had seen reviews for the movie that were mainly positive even though it apparently departed so much from the original work that Alan Moore sued to have his name removed from the credits. Well good news for Mr. Moore I can say with out a shadow of a doubt that his name was removed from the credits. The basis for the movie was credited to the graphic novel and the illustrator, but Alan Moore was left off.
All that being said I would have to add my recommendation to the list of many others. I found the movie to be at times compelling, touching, humorous, frighteningly familiar, and thought provoking. I felt like it touched on many subjects very well and had a good presentation. Hugo Weaving had a great performance despite the fact that he couldn't use one of an actors greatest tools (his facial expressions). I do wonder how much of it resonated with other members of the crowd, and how much of it was missed. Of course I don't know what other audience members expected out of the movie either. I don't know if they expected a movie that oozed with the truest kind of patriotism and idealism. The kind of story that argues against conformity and in a very anarchical way say that we should all fight against the oppression of status quo and doing nothing.
I would recommend this movie very highly and am looking forward to finally reading the graphic novel.

How Come Some Women Can't put on Make-up?

Okay, I know this is complete double standard as the vast majority of men don't wear make-up, but why does this become an unlearnable skill for some women? Those that have foundation caked on, or eye shadow that completely clashes with everything, or like this lady just gets her make up everywhere. I know that this is an area that I have very little expertise, but I think I am at least proficient enough in basic guy skills to expect that grown women should also be at least equally poficient in expected women skills. Let's go ladies! Get it together. Don't be like this lady, put your make-up on straight. Don't get it all over you face. It makes you look foolish and slovenly.

A Few World Cup Thoughts

The World Cup has begun and it's dawned on me that I haven't posted any predictions or thoughts on the soccer world in a few months. So with out further pause I will now confidently tell you that the winner of the 2006 World Cup in Germany will be.........Argentina. This is a powerful squad with speed, skill, poise, and a good combination of youth and experience. They are strong on the attack as well as defense and can match up with anybody. Brasil of course is very good as well, but I think that they are letting Ronaldo play to much of a role too far into his career. I also think that the pressure of expectations will get to them.
As for my own country the US, I am doubtful of their ability to get out of Group Play. This is of course easier to say considering at the moment they are losing 3-0 to the Czechs, but that's how I felt beforehand as well. The U.S. squad is made up of too many MLS players and not enough players from abroad. Players such as Landon Donovan and Eddie Johnson aren't going to develop to their fullest potential in this league. This is especially tough for me to say as I value loyalty and can appreciate a player sayin that he would rather stay and try to help build a better league, but I think this is detrimental to the national team. Of course maybe it's not all loyalty either. Perhaps in the case of players like Donovan it's more about being a big fish in a small pond. He can look like a superstar here while truly only being a mediocre player on the international level. I love American soccer and can't wait to coach my daughter's team this fall, but I also realize that if she continues and grows at the sport then she will move past what level I could succesfully coach her at. There's no pressure from me, I'll just enjoy my time with the girls and see if I can help any of them become a star.
I do honestly think that youth soccer will provide better players in the next ten years for our national team. Competitive club teams continue to get better and more organized each year, but unfortunately I don't think they always get the best athletes. The economic cost to be on these teams cuts out a large percentage of kids that could really excel at these next levels. I have coached YMCA teams the past couple of years and I have certainly had a number of kids that could be playing at a higher level and I would love to see have that opportunity, but unfortunately will never get the chance.
Joga Bonita!!!!!

T-Shirts are the New Bumper Stickers

I have a love hate relationship with the currently en vogue style of T-shirt with the catchy joke. I appreciate the truly good one, but the vast majority of them just take the jokes off of ten year old bumper stickers, and people buy this shit. There are also the redoes of old t-shirts. These don't bother me so much and I've seen both redoes and bumper sticker shirts that I like, but can't buy do to different circumstances. Like I saw a shirt of the I HEART variety ala I HEART NY that I liked that said I HEART Soccer Moms. Unfortunately, my position as a youth soccer coach at the YMCA might make this choice look like poor taste. Of course that's exactly why I want the shirt. Oh well, for the sake of not scarring my kids I'll pass.

Hitting the Wall
or
I Should've Been a Stoner

This weekend while unpacking still another box I came across one of my all time favorite cassettes. I know that it is a mark of still being in the stone age that I still have some cassettes, but I have a tough time replacing anything I can still use. On top of that this is one of the few albums that I can listen to start to finish any time without feeling the need to fast forward through any songs. The cassette in question was Pink Floyd's "The Wall". I remember really hearing this album in its' entirety for the first time as a teenager. It's of course been a classic with stoners for many years and to be honest most of my best friends at the time were dropping out of school and getting pretty heavily involved with drugs. I personally have never used drugs. Not even a little. Seeing my friends make bad decision after bad decision during this time probably went a long way in convincing me that I didn't really want to give it a go. I'm also very frightened about not being in control of myself and would find it hard to give up that control. Still the album is very good musically and lyrically and I love the way that it tells a story. I think they do a compelling job of documenting a man's descent into madness. From the loss of his father to an oppressive youth to a dependence on drugs to help him cope with wanting more out of the world than the harsh and often mundane reality. I think most of us have at the least felt this way at some time in our lives.
This will always be an all time favorite of mine which is probably even more curious since I've never gone to any great length to listen to other albums of theirs. Don't get me wrong I've heard them, but they lack the story and therefore the emotional impact that "The Wall" holds for me.

One Month Left

I've got one more month to go on my job. After that, I don't know. It's a wierd mix of feelings. Will I get freedom or will I be entering a form of Hell? Is there something inherently scary about having freedom? When you have it then there really aren't any more excuses. ex. Why am I so out of shape? I'm so busy I just don't have the time to work out as consistently as I'd like. Why does your yard look so poor? I just don't have the time to put into it. See, no more excuses. I almost have to become a better person. How do I not make good use of my time if I have the freedom to do it? I'm still hopeful that I will have another job before then, but I've been hopeful of that for six months now. I'm also going to be the last one leaving my department. How pathetic does that look? Everyone else has been able to move on, but not me. Oh well, enough of the pity party I'm going to try to enjoy the rest of the virtual freedom that I've got right now.