No love for "Stealth"?

The Oscar nominations were announced this morning and I'm underwhelmed (although far from surprised). Not much appealing to me this year - seems like a lot of This Is How You Should Think movies, rather than films that have artistic merit AND are, oh, say, entertaining. And Walk the Line getting snubbed for Best Picture? Criminal. Matt Dillion gets a nom?! I guess he was okay in Herbie: Fully Loaded. Probably the only movie nominated in a major category that I haven't seen, but probably will before the ceremony is Capote. Maybe.

Do I even need to start a pool in the Year of Brokeback?

Regardless, I'll be watching like I do every year, if only to replicate last year's Oscar night post (232 comments!).

Best Albums of 2005

Considering that each year roughly 31,000 albums are released (no joke), there is no way I can hear them all. And some that I want (LA Symphony) remain unpurcashed/unstolen. But of the ones that I did listen to in 2005, these are the tops:

Album of the Year: Neil Diamond 12 Songs

The best of the rest, in alphabetical order:
Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
John Davis John Davis
Depeche Mode Playing the Angel
Ben Folds Songs For Silverman
The Go! Team Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Jack Johnson In Between Dreams
Korn See You on the Other Side
LCD Soundsystem LCD Soundsystem
Anya Marina Miss Halfway
Nine Inch Nails With Teeth
Ohmega Watts The Find
Rev Run Distortion
Sigur Ros Takk
System of a Down Mesmerize/Hypnotize
Kanye West Late Registration

Best singles: Kanye West - "Gold Digger", Hot Hot Heat - "Goodnight Goodnight"
Best comeback: Neil Diamond, getting his largest first week sales in years
Shame on you: Sony, for secretly putting dangerous software on Diamond's disc (among others) and having to pull it from stores a week after it was released, killing its momentum
Best duo: Kanye West and Jon Brion (how the hell did they get together?)
Best videos: Nine Inch Nails - "Only", Bright Eyes - "First Day of My Life", Jack Johnson - "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing"
Best non-2005 finds and rediscoveries: Warren Zevon, Rilo Kiley, Erasure, the Magnetic Fields, Evanescence
Disappointments: Weezer - Make Believe, Moby - Hotel, Z-Trip - Shifting Gears, Pigeon John - ...Sings the Blues

For your listening pleasure, here are some MP3s and AACs of some of my favorite songs of '05:
Anya Marina - "Lovesick"
Bright Eyes - "Lua"
Jack Johnson - "Good People"
Ben Folds - "Jesusland"
John Davis - "Jesus Gonna Build Me a Home"
Kanye West - "Gone"
LCD Soundsystem - "Tribulations"
Neil Diamond - "Hell Yeah"

Enjoy!

And in the next panel Chloe makes coffee

A million little mea culpas

Recently, the Smoking Gun has unearthed some discrepencies between my blog (and memoir What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?) and the events that actually happened to me. Among the instances that my critics cite me taking the most glaring liberties:

• I never shot black tar heroin directly into my eyes. Rather, I simply watched Pulp Fiction a lot.
  
• Me and the Coreys (Feldman and Haim) having an orgy with all 52 Miss America 1987 contestants? Regrettably, no.
  
• I did not attend the University of Richmond, but I did get my GED.
  
• My entire sordid tale of spending a night in Bangkok was actually lifted from the lyrics of "One Night in Bangkok".
  
• I am not a cancer survivor. It must've just been some bad clams.
  
• My affair with Lisa Whelchel ("Blair" from "The Facts of Life") never occurred. I just wrote her like a billion letters that remain unanswered.
  
• I never actually saved a lot on my car insurance.
  
• My favorite movie is not Citizen Kane, but actually Roadhouse.
  
• I did not march with Martin Luther King, Jr. However, I have seen every episode of "The Jeffersons" multiple times.
  
• In my book, I wrote that I killed 12 hobos. That number is actually 9.
  
• I am not the inspiration for "The Dude" in The Big Lebowski.
  
• The accounts of me being unwillingly sold into the S&M sex trade are ficticious. Again, I have watched Pulp Fiction a lot.
  
• I never played nose tackle for the Jets. I came close to finishing a season of "NFL Blitz", though.
  
• That part about me doing a nickel in Chino is false. But I've gotten 4 speeding tickets.
  
• "Pay at the pump" was not my idea.
  
• The account of me doing whippets with the guys from Journey backstage at the Rose Bowl is not true. Instead, I ate a whole tub of Cool Whip while listening to the band's Escape album in my bedroom.

I am truly sorry if I have caused you to think less of me and my seafaring tales of adventure. What is important, though, is the underlying message of recovery and redemption (Oprah be damned). Also, I am hoping to turn this whole thing into another book deal.

Pope my ride

This ain't your father's Pope-mobile.

Spiders gonna work it out

Mid snarky comment, no doubt.

There's a University of Richmond revolution going on. On last week's episode of "Best Week Ever", Michael Aboud (one of the Modern Humorist guys) wore a UR t-shirt. How do I know it was a UR shirt and not one trumpeting some other "Richmond"? Because I have the same freakin' shirt (same font and all)!

Pardon me for thinking this is newsworthy, but unlike other schools (say, Harvard, NYU or UCLA), my alma mater doesn't get much pop culture media attention (aside from the backstory on "Commander in Chief"). Go Spiders.

UPDATE (1/27): Today I got the following e-mail from John:

Hey, Michah (sic). John Aboud here. I grew up in Richmond, but I didn't go to UR. Thanks for watchin'.
-John

So, there you have it. Because of his wearing of the shirt on national TV, his humorous contribution to pop culture commentary, and his response to my e-mail, he is the inaugural member of the Micah World Cool People List.

Crush of the Week: Judy Greer

This week's Crush is actress Judy Greer, of the current show "Love Monkey". She also plays "Kitty" on "Arrested Development".



She's never looked better (I suspect she's had some work done).

Ain't no party like a Burns Night party because a Burns Night party don't stop

Happy Burns Night!


Not Robert Burns.

My night will consist of reading some of ol' Robbie's greatest hits and then a dinner of spinach and feta chicken sausage (hey, I defy you to find haggis anywhere in central Ohio), salad, and cheese, with some shortbread and tea for dessert.

Then I'll have a wee nip or two of the Dalmore (alas, I have no Robert Burns scotch) while I puff on my pipe and watch last night's episode of "The Shield." Maybe I'll drift off to sleep to Braveheart or Rob Roy.

Or maybe I'll screw all of that and watch some porn.

Hump Day News Round-Up

• A Tokyo jewelwer created a Valentine's Day chocolate shaped like Africa and encrusted with diamonds, worth $5 million. Now, that's rich. (Okay, stupid joke).
  
• Hockey legend Mario Lemieux retires again.
  
• A 73 year-old woman was killed by a banana. A survivor of the Nazis and the Commies, she said, "I can't believe after all this time it was a bloody banana that killed me." At least she had a sense of humor about it.
  
• A Pittsburgh area high school student wearing a Denver Broncos jersey was humiliated by his teacher, who made the kid sit on the floor and had other students throw crumpled paper at him. This stuff just writes itself, I tells ya.
  
• Kentucky's governor doesn't kowtow to Pamela Anderson's big, beautiful breasts and keeps a bust of Colonel Sanders up in the state's capitol. PETA lunacy aside, I still love you, Pammy.

Requiem for Nice Guy Eddie

R.I.P., Chris Penn. 1965-2006.



You taught us about the joy of dressing like a member of the Russian mafia and that loyalty can sometimes lead to a Mexican standoff.

You learn something new everyday

Creepy.

This may be common knowledge to everyone else, but I learned from a "Mostly Trivial" podcast that Willard Scott was the first person to portay Ronald McDonald in a TV commercial.


Also creepy.

He was also Bozo the Clown in Washington, DC.

About as funny as (insert arcane reference here)

This weekend I watched Dennis Miller's new comedy special "All In". While his material was kind of funny, it elicited mostly hod nods and only a few chuckles. The funniest part to me:

"Nice to be back here in Las Vegas. I just went for a walk out on the Strip a little earlier. Now I'm looking for a bookbinder to have my porno handouts leatherbound. I never know whether to put 'golden showers' under 'G' or 'P'."

So true. Anyway, the special's worth a look, but not as funny as his previous one - "The Raw Feed" (a steal at only $7).

A note from housekeeping

All of this blog's pictures (except for the ones appearing in the last week or so) are hosted at Pix8.net, which has a set monthly bandwidth restriction. Due to a HUGE surge in Google image searches, I've exceeded my limits, so pretty much all of the old pictures aren't showing up. The bandwidth will be reset on February 6th. Sorry, Linda Cardellini* fans.

*She is the subject of an overwhelming number of the recent image searches leading to this blog, probably because of her role in Grandma's Boy and, to a lesser extent, the Gay Cowboy Movie.

I read a book!

I'm beat. See, I was up well past 2 am finishing my book - Term Limits by Vince Flynn. I just couldn't put the damn thing down.

A couple of months back I had heard a radio interview with Flynn and he said he was a consultant on "24". Right then I knew I had to read his books. Term Limits is his debut and I quite enjoyed it. Very exciting and probably one of the most politically conservative books I've ever read (the plot centers on a group of ex-SEALs upset with government waste and hypocrisy so they try to get the President to change the system). One book down, six to go.

Next, I'll be taking a break from Flynn to read either Chris Elliott's The Shroud of the Thwacker or Tom Robbins' Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. Probably the former.

Good job, Hoyas

It's always nice to see Duke made someone's bitch.

My creme brulee brings all the girls to the yard

Not bad for a first try.

I could teach you, but I have to charge.

Sometimes it pays to wait 11 years

I picked up a used copy of Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill for $2.99 yesterday. I guess it finally got down to the price point I'd pay, plus I was feeling nostalgic for my college years. I also wanted to hear songs from an angry woman with a dirty, dirty mouth (who doesn't know the meaning of the word ironic).

Some CDs I picked up from the library:

• Patrick Stewart & Orchestre De L'Opera De Lyon - Peter and the Wolf
  
• Paul Oakenfold - Bunkka
  
• The Corrs - Talk on the Corners
  
• Matthew Sweet - Time Capsule
  
• Cornershop - When I Was Born for the 7th Time
  
• Paul Simon - You're the One
  
• Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits
  
• Roger Waters - Ca Ira
  
• Old 97's - Satellite Rides
  
• Old 97's - Fight Songs

I have a lot of copying ahead of me. I'm just praying that the RIAA never finds out about the public library.

Touch my "Love Monkey"

This week was the premiere of the unfortunately titled "Love Monkey", Tim Cavanagh's first post-"Ed" series. I absolutely loved "Ed", so this show had a lot to live up to. The verdict: I liked it, although it was a bit derivative. It seemed like a mixture of Jerry Maguire (man tells boss and fellow employees that their company should be focusing on quality and not money; man gets fired; man starts own company and chases after One Big Client) and High Fidelity (tying relationships into music geekery), with a little bit of the quirkiness of "Ed". Tim Cavanagh's great. The writing's snappy. The female co-stars are all attractive (Judy Greer's never looked better). Of course, the music aspect appeals to me (future guest stars include Ben Folds and Aimee Mann). Jason Priestly is showing his age, though - gone are his twentysomething high school student days.

Add another book to my Reading Pile: the novel this show's based on.

Weekend To-Do List

• Clean house
  
• Copy those Warren Zevon CDs I got from the library
  
• Write Christmas thank you notes
  
• Learn how to make creme brulee
  
• Make creme brulee
  
• Power read stacks of old magazines
  
• Go to the gym
  
• Upload holiday pictures
  
• Get a haircut (maybe)
  
• Take down Christmas tree
  
• Fill out and mail Linksys rebate forms
  
• Check to see if used CD store has a cheap copy of Paul Simon's Graceland remaster
  
• Get caught up on e-mails
  
• Research whether or not I should update my iPod's firmware at iLounge
  
• Think of more "filler" for my blog

Mmmmm...the Land of Chocolate

Aritst's rendering of a rebuilt New Orleans.

"It's time for us to rebuild New Orleans - the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans." - Mayor Ray Nagin

Crush of the Week: Sandrine Holt

This week's Crush is actress Sandrine Holt, who plays the First Lady's Secret Service agent this season on "24".


"WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME!"

Too bad she will likely die before the season's over. Then again, her character does have a name, so that increases her likelihood of survival tenfold.

Crush of the Year 2005: Scarlett Johansson

Hot damn.

I had grandiose plans to have you, my loyal readers, choose my Crush of the Year through a series of polls and drafts all throughout last December. Obviously, I didn't get around to implementing a feasible plan. So, when I saw these pictures of her at the Golden Globes, my choice was made. Congratulations, Scarlett! You can pick up your prize at my house.

Too big for my britches

Luckily, I don't need a moo-moo and Fat Guy Hat.

The Cleansing has begun. Last night I consumed the last of the waffle kooken (thanks, Shamrock & Amanda!) and then went to the grocery store. White flour? Gone. Refined sugar? I'm done with it. Caffeine? Not any more. I stocked up on salad stuff, whole wheat pasta and tortilla wraps, and plenty of chicken and turkey. I even reverted back to - ugh - natural peanut butter. And I'm also going to resume going to the gym - I've missed gawking at the sweaty women. I have a feeling that they missed me, too.

Well, the above isn't 100%. I'll continue to treat myself to my weekend coffees (and I still have some Pumpkin Spice creamer that'd be a shame to waste). And this weekend I'm planning on trying out that creme brulee kit that my brother got me for Christmas (and I don't think Splenda would work well). But it's a start.

Hump Day News Round-Up

• "Limbo" is dead. Can one of my Catholic readers let me know how part of the afterlife can suddenly be wiped out?
  
• William Shatner sold his kidney stone for $25,000. When reached for comment he said, "Khaaaaaaaaaaaan!"
  
• Iran will be holding a Holocaust conference. Any guesses on what they will determine?
  
• Sex is the cure for the common cold. Based on the ailments that I've suffered this season, I can safely say self-medication doesn't work.
  
• A new study purports that having a TV in your bedroom can cut your sex life in half. What's half of zero? (Alternate Quip: "Talk about Sophie's choice.")
  
• Gerald Ford is still alive (again).

Top Ten Movies of 2005

There's still a ton of movies on my "To Watch" list (King Kong, Narnia, The Weather Man, Shopgirl, Elizabethtown, The Producers, War of the Worlds, etc.), so my Top Ten is admittedly quite incomplete. Regardless, here they are:

1. Walk the Line
2. The 40 Year-Old Virgin
3. Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
4. Batman Begins
5. March of the Penguins
6. Sin City
7. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
8. Lord of War
9. Wedding Crashers
10. Land of the Dead

Honorable Mentions: Red Eye, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Cinderella Man
Heavyhanded Award: Crash. Racism is bad, mmm-kay?
Best Sci-Fi: Hitch. Kevin James and a cutie? Yeah, right.
Jamie Foxx Award (Best Musician Biopic Performance): Joaquin Phoenix
Delayed Again (Naturally): Strangers With Candy
Best Couple: Vince Vaughn and Isla Fisher, Wedding Crashers (see the dinner table scene)

By the time I get to Virginia

"So what if I celebrate it standin' on a corner."*

Happy Lee/Jackson/King Day! (You can take the gentleman out of Virginia...)

I plan on observing the memories of these three by watching my backlog of DVRed shows, reading my book, browsing ebay, and anxiously awaiting two more hours of "24".

*Apologies to Chuck D.

From now on it's Oscar Sauce on top of everything

I'm back from a short hiatus, where I was helping KPMD and Shamrock move into a spacious row house in Philadelphia's historic Trash District.

My muscles are aching, but my belly's full, thanks to the couple's payment of moving services in food. In addition to the Dunkin' Donuts, cheesesteak, and pizza, I had my Smith & Wollensky cherry popped, where our waiter (Ewan McGregor's slightly effeminate American twin brother) served me a fine big-ass medium-rare sirloin topped with Oscar Sauce* (bernaise with crab meat and asparagus) with hash browns and grilled vegetables. Scrumtrulescent.

There's a S&W in Columbus and when it comes time for me to move in a few months, I'll be sure to drive my helpers by it on the way to Wendy's. It's the least I could do.

*Not to be confused with Rocket Sauce.

Bill's reign of terror is over (kind of)

Earlier I received this e-mail from good ol' Bill Cooper:

Dear University Alumni,

I have decided to step down as President of the University of Richmond effective June 30, 2007, and plan to resume academic pursuits as University Professor. It is a singular privilege to have served as president since 1998. I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of all members of the University community.

Working together, we have achieved a great deal and have made key decisions that will continue to unlock Richmond's full potential. In coming months, I look forward to working to fulfill the aims set forth in our strategic plan and laying the groundwork for future achievements. Let us join together in a spirit of friendship and appreciation for the opportunities we share in serving Richmond.

Sincerely,

Bill Cooper

Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out (in 2007).

My Dad called me tonight to tell me the good news, but I told him that Spydrz beat him to it (I got a voicemail from him while I was in Target buying vittles for tomorrow's road trip to Filthydelphia). He was a little dejected, but I told him that, at the very least, he could simply share in my joy. And we laughed and laughed and laughed...

Crush of the Week: Lindy Booth

This week's Crush is actress Lindy Booth. She was in the Dawn of the Dead remake, but was recently brought back to my attention from her starring role in the teen thriller Cry_Wolf.



I received the Cry_Wolf DVD for Christmas because it was filmed at my alma mater (the University of Richmond), which is its biggest asset, if I do say so myself. The movie itself is so-so, but looks really great for having only a $1 million budget. And even though Lindy plays a prep school girl, her being a Crush isn't as creepy as it could be since she's actually 26. Loves me the redheads.

Hump Day News Round-Up

• Super-beautiful Angelina Jolie has been impregnated with Brad Pitt's super-handsome seed. Now maybe he'll finally admit to being in a relationship with her. Oh, what am I saying? This is Hollywood, where a loving and committed relationship (much less marriage) isn't a prerequisite to having a kid.
  
• Cough medicines don't work. Of course, this study was released just after I spent a mini-fortune on OTC remedies.
  
• The man who discovered LSD turned 100 today. If you go to his birthday party, remember not to eat the brown acid.
  
• Ted Kennedy is writing a children's book. Make your own joke.
  
• File under "Lawsuits That Will Never Occur in the United States": a Royal Family bodyguard has sued Scotland Yard for "over-promoting" him because he was black.
  
• Elmo wants to kill us all. I knew it!

I Heart "Scrubs"

Multi-Ethnic Siamese Twin Doctor

"Scrubs" still brings the funny.

Finally, my bloodlust will be quenched

The season premiere of "The Shield" is tonight. Sunday is the return of "24." Vic Mackey. Jack Bauer. It's a wonderful time to be a TV viewer with a thing for law enforcement types who don't play by the rules (but get results, dammit!).

Danke schoen, Stardust

August 2003

"Oh, Mikey, you don't want all that 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' horseshit, or the 'Rock and Roll Grunge Tip.' Guys like you and me gotta kick it here, old school."

Boyd Gaming has announced that it will be tearing down the Stardust Resort and Casino to make way for a $4 billion, 63 acre complex on the Vegas strip. Around since 1958, the Stardust was the second hotel I ever stayed at in Vegas (the first being Excalibur - ugh). Yes, it's run down, the rooms aren't anything to write home about, and the casino's full of blue hairs, but it was fun kicking it old school. Plus, two words: Wayne Newton (the man's voice is shot, but - hot damn - he can put on a show). It'll be sad to see this Vegas institution go the way of the Sands, the Dunes, and all of the other Rat Pack-era haunts.

The kids aren't alright

Knocking on deaf's door, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend posted a message on his website warning of the dangers of cranking the volume on your iPod. That's a really valid concern and I have a similar warning.

After you're done listening to your iPod in your car, turn the volume down. When mine is hooked up to my stereo (via cassette adapter), I have to max the volume on the iPod to hear anything. Last night I forgot to turn it down after I came home and today I went to listen to it through headphones and - BAM - I nearly blew my eardrums out. Well, it wasn't that severe, but it didn't tickle.

So, there you go, kids.

Another chance to kiss Bender's shiny metal butt?

Good news, everyone. After looking at the high DVD sales and Adult Swim ratings, Fox is talking to Matt Groening about bringing his criminally cancelled "Futurama" back into production. Maybe this time they won't air it on the "Pre-Empted-By-The-Freakin'-NFL-Post-Game-Show" 7 pm Sunday Death Slot.

My United States of Whatever

New Year's 2006

I went down to the Philadelphia subway station and saw KPMD, spydrz, and shamrock. They were all like "Ehhh" and I was like "Whatever."

It's old, I know, but I still get a kick out of that Liam Lynch song (and its video). He's directing and co-writing the Tenacious D movie, you know.

While I'm mentioning old stuff: "Gonads and Strife" ("Weeeeeee!") and "Lobster Magnet" ("Lobster sticks to magnet!").

Brother, can you spare a window regulator?

Did you miss me? I meant to update the blog at least once or twice, but never got around to it (obviously). I only went to the coffee shop twice and the wifi connection I "borrowed" at my mom's house was spotty, at best. Some thoughts about my trip:

• On the West Virginia Turnpike (around Charleston), I rolled down my window and paid the toll. As I pulled away, my window wouldn't go back up. So I drove the rest of the way home - 4+ hours - with an arctic blast at my face. Luckily, I packed my heavy pea coat, winter hat, gloves, and scarf - even though I knew they wouldn't be needed in Virginia's tobacco-growing friendly climate. Hooray for overpacking! Turns out that my Jetta needed a new window regulator. My trip was extended a few days while I waited for the part to arrive at the place my dad gets his car work done. And then we found out it was backordered, so I opted to drive home (the window kept up with pieces of rubber tubing wedged inbetween the window and door) and have the VW dealer fix it. Got it done today - at no charge! I thought my warranty was up, but I guess not.
  
• I have a new mission: to eliminate our nation's oppressive speed limits. About an hour into my trip, I got pulled over (tagged by a damn plane) for going 70 in a 55. WTF? In addition to the window fiasco and speeding ticket, about a half hour from home I got pulled for having a broken tail light. This cop was cool, though, and just gave me a warning. I think he had pity for me when I told him the Legend of the Window.
  
• It's a Wonderful Life never gets old. Even watching it after a long day and in extremely uncomfortable seats.
  
• I say it every season as an excuse, but the Richmond Spiders truly are in a "rebuilding season." Their game against Wake Forest was just plain ugly.
  
• Best present: a smoking jacket (thanks, mom and grandma!). I'll be asking for the matching Playmates for my birthday.
  
• Even on vacaton, it's hard to clear 12 hours on your schedule. I never got around to my Lord of the Rings Nerd-a-Thon. But I will soon.
  
• I wish my allergies didn't prevent me from getting a cat. My brother's cats are really cool, but they make my life miserable when I go to his house.
  
• As Elton John likely said during his closeted days, the beard is back. It's itchy, but it's fun to see what I will look like during the inevitable Zombie Apocolypse (assuming I'm one of the survivors, of course).
  
• Two of my Christmas wishes came true: Ohio State manhandled Notre Dame and USC finally lost.
  
• Five Guys still makes the best burgers, with Jimmy's a close second.
  
• Mennonites can make a mean grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. As does Jimmy's. I think I should write a book along the lines of The Grilled Cheeses of I-95 or something. It may not sell, but the research would be fun.
  
• I am the Smartest Man on the Planet, as evidenced by my three consecutive wins at Trivial Pursuit (90s Edition).
  
• My new daily scent is Polo Blue, which replaces my previous daily scent of the last 8-10 years - Polo Sport (thanks, dad). It was about time for a change.
  
• I imbibed the single worst beverage ever: absinthe. It's worse than Surge. I expected the essentially green-colored vodka that was in the bottle I snuck back from Prague years ago, but no. This beverage (courtesy of Phil) tasted like a tree. Even with copious amounts of lemon juice and sugar added to it. But I drank it all down. Sadly, there were no weird hallucinations.
  
• I received the Jones Soda Co.'s Holiday Pack, featuring Brussels Sprout with Prosciutto, Cranberry Sauce, Turkey & Gravy, Wild Herb Stuffing, and Pumpkin Pie sodas. So maybe I shouldn't be too quick to name absinthe as The Worst Thing I've Ever Drank. I'll let you know.
  
• I know you're wondering what 2006 calendar I opted for. I got three. First, from my dad I got the annual pocket calendar, which I keep in my messenger bag. As for a daily calendar, I couldn't decide on one so I got two: Dave Barry and Playboy Swimsuit and Lingerie. Gotta love the post-New Years discount.
  
• Towards the end of my trip I was getting really antsy because I HATE living out of a suitcase. To my friends who are thinking "I didn't know that": why do you think I always utilize the hotel room dresser, even for an overnight stay? It probably stems from my dad being killed by a garment bag.
  
• Jeers to the West Virginia's government for raising the Turnpike's tolls before my trip back, from $1.25 to $2. Doesn't Sen. Byrd give the state enough pork to cover its expenses?
  
• I think I got the bug my brother and nephew had. Right now I'm planning on going to bed early and sleeping through the weekend.

So that was my trip, in twenty bullet points or less.