Modern Vespa

I knew this one without having to search, though I was so underwhelmed by his follow-up memoir about his alcoholism that I didn't bother to check out the one that made him famous.

Anyway, I promise I'll get to it...just been a BUSY week!

That would be writer Augusten Burroughs who was propelled into the literary spotlight with his 2002 memoir Running With Scissors, which is either based on his (seemingly embellished) adolescence, or an homage to Weird Al Yankovic's 1999 album of the same name.

I'd go with the latter.

Speaking of autobiographies...

This modern Renaissance man was skyrocketed into the literary stratosphere when his meta-memoir about raising his eight-year-old brother after the death of his parents was published in 2000, becoming a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in non-fiction. Among his many hats, this writer: has founded a magazine, a literary journal and a publishing house; has written non-fiction, fiction, short stories, movie screenplays, a novel based on his own adapted screenplay, and even a regular column in ESPN the Magazine; founded a non-profit writing and tutoring center for kids in San Francisco, which has since expanded nation-wide; designed album artwork; whistled on an Aimee Mann track.

(Though I really respect the guy and his insane amount of achievements, he still comes across at times as a little too too-cool-for-school to me. Perfect example is a 2009 movie he co-wrote with his wife (starring Office and Saturday Night Live alumni), which tried so damn hard to be hip and irreverent that it ended up feeling hugely contrived. When he's on his game, though, the guy can definitely write.)

That would be Dave Eggers, an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is known for the best-selling memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and his more recent work as a screenwriter. He is also the co-founder of the literacy project, 826 Valencia and is married to Vendela Vida, also a writer.

So the other day we had our Staff and Faculty Opening Luncheon, where the new folks get pinned.

A Grip and Grin.

Unfortunately, no one here seems to understand the concept of "Grip and Grin." It was more of a Grip and Grin and Run. Instead of standing in one place on the stage the pinner was moving to where ever the pinnie was coming up the "stage". The "stage" is in our dinning room and is just a two step up platform.

That would have been alright if they had not tried to see just how far over the Fire Code they could get with people and tables and chairs.

I had about two feet of space between the stage and where people where sitting (with the first step being part of that two feet.)

So needless to say I was doing a lot of strange positions to get shots.

When it was all over our President, laughing introduce me as "The Official University ___________"

Those damn paparazzi and their salacious celebrity upskirt pics.

It's new phone time in the Urick household. While I resisted the rather strong urge to be connected 24/7 and went with a basic texting phone (I can still feel the Android ads mocking me), the wife caved in and went with this, a brand that has been around since 1996 and currently sits at second place in worldwide smartphone sales.

And as I sit here watching her watch a movie on TV while checking her facebook and e-mail accounts every 5 minutes between playing some online game or another, I can certainly understand why many refer to the phone by replacing the first word in its name with "Crack"...though as I told her this week, it shall forever be known to me as the "Dingle."

That would be CrackBlackberry

So did we hear someone went to a concert recently?

(yeah i think it's been tag before, so sue me)

so don't tell me you need a better hint.

No hint needed. It's just been a BUSY weekend.

That would be the incomparable Arcade Fire, who put on a hell of an energetic show.

(Though less than a song in and I was quickly reminded how much I hate my crappy CoolPix camera. People's iPhones were taking better pics and videos than my camera. Somehow it made it look like we were farther away than we actually were.)

The Wiki page for Arcarde Fire uses this word - one that is most often used in reference to a style popular in 16th to 18th century European art - to describe their musical genre. Appropriately enough, one of the songs on the band's recent Suburbs album is titled "Rococo."

That would be Baroque




(which you wouldn't be if you had a little Monet)

So I'm on a list serve for College and University Graphic Designers, and the other day someone asked about using an outside marketing firm to do the branding.

One person replied back naming a firm they had been working with for the past two years and the cost so far.

It was well over 6 figures (closing in on 7), and I couldn't help my self and asked if they had received any physical compensation.

A few replies later someone asked if I was channeling this 1975 movie that was based on a true bank robbery of a Brooklyn bank in 1972.

Dog Day Afternoon.

Yeah, this band's been tagged before...but to find this one, you'll have to search both band name and video / song title.

This British rock band is known for its musical experimentation and non-conformist approach to everything from song structure to album releases...so what better way to shoot the 2008 video for one of their songs than without any cameras whatsoever. "Filmed" entirely with lasers (LIDAR, to be exact) in Florida, the data was later released on Google Code for enterprising fans to play around with.

Well that would be Radiohead's song House of Cards from their the seventh studio album In Rainbow that was first released on 10 October 2007.


(source credit Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Well as you may know, I've recently converted to Bootyism.


And if you've been following my facebook page (as it appears you have) then you should know that I really, really like the new ads from this German producer of athletic footwear.

Really, Messy? If anyone should know about the photoshopped falsehoods of print advertisement, it's you.

Take, for instance, this original photo for Reebok's Reetone ads before it was touched up in Photoshop.

So apparently college football started this week.

Though I really don't care much about my alma mater's team (a truly sacrilegious statement throughout Georgia), ours is easily the friggin cutest mascot in the country. His various progeny have appeared in movies, been named top mascot in the country by Sports Illustrated, and has achieved near-cult status in the south. (Pet shops, breeders and owners of the breed all claim that their puppies / dogs are related to him.) He is currently in his eight incarnation after the untimely death of VII last November.

That would be University of Georgia Mascot "Uga" VII

Uga (pronounced UH-guh) is the name of a lineage of English Bulldogs owned by Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler, which have served as the mascot of the University of Georgia (UGA) since 1956. Although the University is located in Athens, Georgia, the dogs have lived with the Seilers in Savannah, Georgia.

Uga VII ("Uga VI's Loran's Best," 2008-2009) - his tenure ended abruptly, near the end of his second season, when he died of heart failure on November 19, 2009.
The name "Loran's Best" was given in honor of longtime Georgia icon Loran Smith, (when former lead radio announcer Larry Munson called Smith for a sideline report, he asked "Whatchagot Loran?").

(source credit Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)




Well this one took me a little searching to find the one you used, strange thing, this photo of Cha-ka keep showing up,


Hey, you play the cards your dealt.

Well I had drinks with a couple I 'm friends with yesterday afternoon and they had just come back from seeing this movie, while they said they thought the plot was a little slow, they both agreed that this actress had some assets and there was one scenes that was worth seeing.

George Clooney and the not-unpleasant-to-look-at Violante Placido (and certainly not bashful, judging by a simple GIS) in the American.

Hmmm. Crazy. Page 5 when I GIS with the search term "Uga." No Cha-ka in site.

My agnosticism was called into question recently thanks to the buzz surrounding this latest film by Darren Aronofsky. Seven words: Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis makeout session.

And though Portman (one of my personal top 5) looks freaky as hell in the trailers and posters for this flick, her role can be no more frightening than her total misuse in the three Star Wars prequels.

Well it wasn't until after I found the image that I learned the name "Uga" try any combo of University of Georgia Mascot VII.

Well that would be Black Swan (the 2010 movie directed by Darren Aronofsky) not to be confused with the 1942 movie with Tyrone Powers, nor the Winery in Australia, or even the book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Well if you've been following my facebook posts then you know I've recently discovered this artist.

If not, well you're looking for a French man living in New York.

That would be French artist WK Interact.

Proving the adage that any publicity is good publicity, sales of this modified dumbbell hit $40 million in August after its, uh, sexually suggestive infomercial went viral. Originally designed as a workout product specifically for women (wink wink), a men's version soon followed, selling 500,000 units in 2 months.

well once again,

you should have known that this was not going to go well for you,


right.




That would be the Shake Weight

This singer-songwriter was considered the Italian Bob Dylan in the early 70's and is now considered to be one of the best and most influential musicians and authors in Italian pop/rock music history. Releasing 18 albums between 1969 to 1994.

The US Rock group The Grass Roots scored a hit stateside with one of he's compositions, "Balla Linda", translated as "Bella Linda and the English band, The Hollies - featuring Graham Nash - recorded a his song "Non prego per me" in Italian".



(source credit Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

iTunes finally has some of his catalog and he's been getting heavy rotation at the messy household.

Lucio Battisti.

I'd imagine it's hard for Bob Dylan not to have a big head. It seems he's the go-to guy for any music reviewer / critic looking for a quick singer/songwriter comparison.

From the 70's Dylan in Lucio Battisti, to this contemporary Idaho singer/songwriter and critics' darling, who's been favorably compared to Dylan practically from his first album. (Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and Gillian Welch also tend to pop up in his album reviews.) Rock historian Mary Louise Parker said that this musician "is usually compared to the legends, the ones you have been listening to since you were 15, the ones you love most." With such high praise, it's no surprise that in 2006 Paste magazine ranked him among the 100 Greatest Living Songwriters, alongside Dylan, Springsteen and Neil Young.

That would be Josh Ritter

Well as you may know, The Wild Bunch (what I called my sister, brother-in-law and niece) have found a place of their own and so now the house is all mine.


So I'm cleaning up and getting ready to move downstairs and take over the guest room (where they were staying).

We have two fireplaces downstairs, one in the living room and one in the guest room.

I had the one in the living room cleaned a couple of years ago, but the one in the guest room hasn't been used or cleaned in I don't know how long.


So Thursday I've got one of these guys coming by.


Lets hope he gives me this sign.

he did!!!!!

Chimney sweep.

(Context is a curious thing.)

you're right, and having done my 50,000 mile and 55,000 mile check up (on me, not the bike)

I can tell you, one day you'll really know.