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.

Where's the D?

I'm so frustrated that I haven't seen any new releases for Initial D here in the US for months. I haven't been able to find any word on why this is the case. I've even written the customer service people for Tokyo Pop (the US distributor). They actually wrote me back and told me that this just the sort of thing that is discussed on their message boards and sent me the link to go on and post my question. Thanks for nothing Tokyo Pop. Somebody could've just answered the damn question, instead they put forth effort to pass the buck. Damn I hate that.

Good news if this happens

From Yahoo News-
YANGON, Myanmar - Hopes ran high among supporters of detained Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi that she would be released when her house arrest order expires Saturday, and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan appealed to the ruling junta's chief "to do the right thing."

Aung Sun Suu Kyi has been a personal interest of mine for the last few years. She is a truly inspirational person and I hope that the ruling party will release her, although I fear that even if they do it will be short lived. She is not the type to cower or capitulate to oppression just as her father was not, so I expect that even if she is given freedom it will quickly be taken away from her once it looks like she will speak to the public again. I hope that these people finally get control of their country.

My Favorite Possession

I truly LOVE the 3M projector that we "acquired" from my wife's work. I don't watch everything on it, but when we rent a movie or by a new DVD that we're really looking forward to there is little better than to blow it up to mammoth proportions on my living room wall. It's also especially good for booty shaking videos on MTV Hits late at night. I'd personally like to thank our wasteful government for giving it to us (rather than throwing it away). If they could also see it in their hearts to give us a theater style popcorn popper I might actually vote Republican.

A New Parenting Low

Interview today. It's kind of last minute which raises a red flag, but I'm not in a position to be too choosy. Hopefully, it's not a red flag of consequence, but today will go a long way towards answering that question.

I had a heart to heart talk with my son the other day. I love my son and think he's smart, fun, and just a really good kid, but his social skills are pretty bad. I don't think he has many friends at school and this was reinforced as he wanted to by a yearbook to remember his teacher since we moved and he will be attending a different school next year. He even wanted to know if we could invite her over some time. He wasn't going to miss any of the other kids in particular, but he was going to miss his teacher. He also told me that a couple of kids were making fun of him because "they think he toots a lot". I asked him if he farted a lot at school and he said, "only twice" that day. So I realize that we've done a good job of raising a nice kid and a good son, but maybe a little too naive and innocent for his own good. I had a private conversation and let him know that even though we've taught him not to make big a deal out of people farting that other people still will make a big deal of it. I explained that if he is letting out farts everyday at school then the other kids are going to think that he is weird (God bless him he is). I also talked to him about not letting other people make fun of him. His tendency is to blow it off, but I think it still hurts his feelings. I let him know that when people speak to him like that, it's bullying just as if they were taking swings at him. I let him know that if somebody is going to verbally assault you you need to be ready to fight back. If it's going to be an insult fight than you need to have a come back. He said that he didn't know any come backs. I said that it's not always easy to have a come back, but that if all else fails then you can you use the old reliable of come backs..."Your mother".
So this probably marks my point of absolute failure as a parent that I've now advised my son to insult another kid's mother. I pointed out that this was a failsafe and not to be used lightly. I also pointed out that if he invokes the power of "your mother" that he better be ready for the other kid to get mad. Oh well, he starts at the new school next semester and hopefully we can get some of these behavioral things worked out.

Just a weird side note. Apparently, the word "fart" isn't in the spell check dictionary for Blogger. Must be a nice world they live in.

It is too late!!!

You have already been affected by the curse. For centuries the curse of this blog has spread to countless numbers of people and doomed them to a torturous fate. Every person that has viewed this blog has been marked with a fatal curse. So it is with regret that I inform you that this curse has now infected you! During the times of misery that are sure to come, know that it was the curse of this blog that has brought them upon you....and know this now that this curse will one day lead to your death!!! There is nothing that can be done that will save you from this fate. Some have turned to prayer, others have turned to arcane magics, others have resigned themselves to their fate and decided to spend their remaining time on earth downloading Vivid videos. Find what comfort you can, friend, for you are now doomed!

Thank you Mavericks!!!

I would like to take a sports moment to thank the Mavs whom I've been a fan of for twenty years now for finally looking like a championship caliber team. I've had confidence in them for years and even had a bet riding on the outcome of this play-off series. About five or six weeks ago I made a bet with my boss that if the Mavs won he would take me out for lunch at my favorite Chinese restaurant. It is a place that he and my coworker turn their noses up at because it doesn't look very impressive, but the food their is really good. If the Mavs lost though I would have to eat lunch at Burger King. This is an exceptionally cruel bet for as many people know the House of Dagromm has had an ongoing feud with the Burger King for over five years now. I have not eaten their since then. I don't let my kids eat there. I don't allow people into my house or office with food from there. I won't even accept free food from there and those who know me that there is little I love more than free food. The office was ready for the Mavs to lose and had intended to take pictures of me eating there with a crown on top of my head, but for once the Mavs pulled through and didn't let me down. I spit upon you Burger King and your poor service. I have once again bested you and will continue to do so. A pox upon your kingdom!

?

Can women in the office tell if I walk past them with an erection? I think this is a question that has beset all men at some point when we lose control of our bodies response system and get the inextricable hard on. It can happen at any point, yet we still have to continue on with our work functions. This means that we might still have a meeting to attend or some other interaction with others....and there it is.....like a huge beacon of virility. We can try to cover it up, but does that interaction alone bring more attention and make it that much more obvious? I don't know, and so I turn to you the blog public to give me your opinion. Can women tell, and if not is that worse than if they can?

The life span of a Blog

I imagine like most things (New Year's Resolutions, Gym Memberships, diets, etc) that most blogs have much more auspicious starts than endings. People have an initial rush that they have created something new and within a few days realize that if this is going to live up to their dream of it that they then have to continue working at it. They have to come up with something new to say or some great topic. They might even have the ego to think that what they put up has to live up to some standard. "What if my readers don't think this is as good as other things that I've put up before?" "What if I offend one of my regulars" Well thoughts like that should be ridiculous shouldn't it? The whole point of this stuff is to put whatever you feel like posting on any given day, hour, minute, etc. In my opinion if it's funny than fine, if it's angry, sad, whatever then that's fine as well. I will try my best not to get into too much of a rut with what I put on here, but if I do then I'll be okay with that as well. That being said, I will now answer the topic of the title. What is the lifespan of a blog? Two weeks. Here's hoping for another two.

Hey there reader!!!!!

Who the fuck are you?!?!????

Here are the two anime titles that I enjoy the most right now. There are plenty others that I like, but these are the two that I really look forward to putting my money down on to get the next DVD's.
1.Initial D - This series is tons of fun and shows the absolute coolness of drift racing. It's got a contemporary mix of music that fits the mood of the show and great characters. The story capatilizes on the mechanical specs of cars and parts that guys love to learn about as it makes us more macho, plus has the element of the normal uninspiring guy that suddenly realizes he has a skill that makes him special. Like in the movie the Karate Kid when Daniel realizes that all these chores he's been doing has made him strong at putting forth a good defense, Tak in Initial D comes to the conclusion that the boring chores he has been doing for his dad has given him the skills of a top street racer. It's lots of fun as different challenges from rival racing teams come to face the unbelievable driver in the old tofu delivery car.

2. Maburaho- This is a really fun show that I've become somewhat infatuated with over the last few months. This show takes place in a world that is very much like Earth of today except that everyone has magical abilities. The amount of power varies among people and the main charcter was never thought to be of any great shakes. We find out early on that he is in fact a descendant of the greatest wizards of all time and actually has a very concentrated amount of power. This means that he can perform the most powerful magic in all the world, but has a limited amount of uses. While others can use their magic thousands of times, he is limited to six uses before he dies and turns to ash. When word of his lineage gets out he suddenly becomes the most eligible bachelor in school. He becomes the object of desire for three girls in particular that want to make use of his DNA to secure the position of their families and reap the rewards. It's very comical and often times touching as the very kind hearted protaginist wants to do the right thing by everyone and is clearly uncomfortable with all the attention he is receiving.

There are plenty of others that I like including Blue Seed, Ranma 1/2, Inu Yasha, Chrono Crusade, Megazone 23, Petite Princess Yucie, Full Metal Panic, Gun Smith Cats, Macross, Ghost in the Shell, etc. so don't be exasperated if I'm not saying that your anime is the best, but if you like anime then I'd say you should really give both of these a try.