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Dusty Old Cat - b. June 1987, d. January 27, 2007

After being my sidekick and buddy for nearly 20 years, the dusty old kitty had reached her limit.

I woke up to her having a seizure at about 6 AM. I knew at that point she was living on borrowed time.

She was a bit out of it, but I got a couple hours to hold her, pet her, hear her purr, and just say goodbye. Keeping her any longer would have prolonged her suffering, and been selfish on my part. I'm just happy I got a chance to say goodbye to my baby.

I'm gonna miss her.

Dissappointment in Jean-Luc

Dear Captain Picard,

For quite some time, I have been a fan of yours. Your teachings, your pimplike bald haircut, your power you express when you say "make it so" have greatly moved me.

However, recently, you have led me astray. During my neverending quest for new delicious things to try... you led me wrong.

Earl Grey Tea.

How can you drink that stuff? Its like someone spilled paint thinner in the tea. I will never trust an English guy playing a Frenchman in a Science Fiction series ever again.

Sincerely,
Michael

Bears vs. Colts - Further Thoughts

Now, we have a target... which also happens to be my (distantly) second favorite team... the Indianapolis Colts.

Like many people, teams I like/dislike are due to demographics and established rivalries. The Bears are NFC, and the Colts AFC. So, they don't play each other often. Also, if you drive half an hour south of my house... nothing but Colts fans. Besides, after hearing Manning chant "Cut that meat" in a commercial... I became a fan.

HOWEVER:
This is a field of battle. Only one team can be rooted for, and that is DA BEARS!!! I want to see Brian Urlacher completely LEVEL Manning. I want to see Tillman and Vasher both have interceptions. I want to see every Bears lineman knock down, or better yet sack Manning.

I want a complete, total, demolishment of every aspect of the Colts offense.

This is THE biggest game in Pro Football. The championship.... The Super Bowl. Making it is insignificant.

People don't remember Super Bowl Losers. They remember the winners.

Besides, I've long ago pegged Manning as the next John Elway. i.e. he's gonna lose a few bowls, have a few years out of contention, then win a couple and retire.

...and without further ado...

DA BEARS!!!

DA BEARS!!!

Chicago Bears 39 - New Orleans Saints 14

We're going to the Super Bowl!!!

Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears

Buddy Guy at Legends January 10, 2007

I saw Buddy Guy at Legends last Wednesday... for the last time. The college that has the lease on his blues club isn't renewing it. (Rumor's that he's working with Mayor Daley to get a new club opened up somewhere downtown.) Hope so. Chicago is one of the homes of the blues. Buddy was born in one (Louisiana), and became famous in another (Chicago).

Show was good. I had a good view (as shown in my poor camera phone picture). 70 year old man plays guitar better than just about anyone... and his showmanship is outstanding. During the show he said he's known for blues, but he can play other stuff too, and began playing Voodoo Chile... then kept playing it one handed.

As me and my brother were leaving, we were standing in line for him to buy a T-Shirt since Buddy was signing autographs. We were two people away... when he stopped. So, didn't buy one and left.

Me, being a paranoid like I am, took a look behind me as I was walking out: I was being followed behind by him. So, of course I held the door for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. My now second best contact with someone famous.

And, thanks to the miracle of Google Video... a live performance of "Damn Right I Got the Blues."

Little differences...

Americans and Canadians are both very similar, there are just a few little differences between us.

One of them is: American's make their computers out of plastic and aluminum.

Canadians build their PC's out of wood.

3 Year Anniversary

It has now been three years since I quit smoking.

That translates out to be a little over 36,000 cigarettes not smoked, and me having saved over $7,000.

Music of the Year '06

Now, my picks for tops of 06 - as in I heard them first in 06... this is all relative to me.

This year was a really good one for music for me. I made a few discoveries (Skunk Anansie). I found re-incarnations of past musical genius (Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty's solo work). I also got new discs from long time favorites (Mushroomhead, Todd Snider, Ben Harper, Audioslave).

Best Cover Songs of 2006 (this is only because I have a sick fascination with them.)

1. The Gambler (Kenny Rogers) covered by Mike Doughty
2. Where the Streets Have No Name (U2) covered by Serj Tankanian (vocals), Flea (bass), Tom Morello (guitar), Brad Wilke (drums), Pete Yorn (vocals, guitar)...
3. Enjoy the Silence (Depeche Mode) covered by Lacuna Coil
4. Gone Daddy Gone (Violent Femmes) covered by Gnarls Barkley
5. Bold As Love (Jimi Hendrix) covered by John Mayer

Top Ten Songs of 2006

10. Charlie Big Potato by Skunk Anansie - Technically this song was released many years ago, but since the band never had a following in the US, and I didn't discover them till this year thanks to the legendary Swiss Toni Shufflethon, they are eligible. Rare you find a female fronted rock band that has this much power and emotion. Skins voice amazes me to this day.

9. Online by Gnarls Barkley - this song is great. Has a catchy beat, excellent vocals... its just too short. Under two minute songs are there just for catchyness. I have songs with guitar solo's that surpass the length of this song.

8. Both Sides of the Gun by Ben Harper - Yet another 1970's R&B inspired song by Ben. Just one of many songs from his most recent CD that could have been on this list.

7. Wide Awake by Audioslave - This song surprised me a bit, as Chris Cornell's lyric writing hasn't really been too political in the past. Tom and the boys from Rage must have influenced the man a bit, as this one is very political (hurricane Katrina). From the catchy opening bass line to Cornells amazing vocals... this song has it all.

6. White Lexus by Mike Doughty - Mellow song. Much different sound musically than his old Soul Coughing days... more folklike. His lyrics really are poetic though.

5. 12 Hundred by Mushroomhead - This is the song that just got me most off of the new disc. Its angry. VERY angry. Loud. But... metalheads like myself eat this kind of stuff up.

4. Time of Your Song by Matisyahu - He really created a great song with this one. This song dominated the first half of 2006 for me... then the magic just faded away.

3. Zzyzx Rd. by Stone Sour - Corey from Slipknot's side project is turning out to amaze me more than his original group. He couldn't write something like this with them. Just truly a great song that pretty much anyone could listen to. Slow songs tend to be a bit more trans-genre though.

2. Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry - This song is flat out dirty. Its a lot of fun though. My most overplayed song this past year. I couldn't give it the number one spot, due to it being all pop and of little substance.

1. 10,000 Days (Wings Part II) by Tool - This song is absolutely amazing. It is like a novel, when most songs are short stories. The lead singer, Maynard, wrote the song about his mother who had passed away. She had a massive stroke 27 years before she died (roughly 10,000 days). The song is about her life, and ascention into heaven, written from the eyes of her atheist son. Its over 11 minutes long... but keeps you engaged the entire time. Its truly a work of art... out of a metal/prog rock band that was usually known for songs like "Prison Sex" and "Stink Fist."

Top 10 Albums of 2006

10. Post Orgasmic Chill by Skunk Anansie - Good disc. Skin quickly became one of my top female vocalists. Lyrically the band is lacking, but overall sound wise impressed me. Overall it was a strong disc, with only one really bad song (On My Hotel TV).

9. St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley - This disc was catchy. It was pop but not mainstream. Really created a sound all its own. If you want something different... but electronic... this may be it.

8. Both Sides of the Gun by Ben Harper - Ben got carried away, and did a double disc. This is bad. He had many good songs on the CD's, that just them could have been the #1 disc this year. Too bad there were a lot of so so tracks on the discs, that just killed it. Overall, it is the continued expansion of Ben's unique blend of every genre known to man. Plus his slide guitar gets better and better every album. This is the different but non electronic you may be needing.

7. Karmacode by Lacuna Coil - This band expanded itself a lot with this album. Much heavier than their previous efforts. Less dude singing, more Cristina... who is by far the best female vocalist in metal.

6. Haughty Melodic by Mike Doughty - This is a really good, rocksy, folksy kind of disc. Although not exactly anything all that original musically, the songs have a good flow to them, and Doughty continues to prove to be a great lyricist.

5. The Devil You Know by Todd Snider - Todd put together another outstanding disc. The discs are good, but the live show is better. His writing is just amazing. He'll make you laugh, he'll make you cry. He tries to get in the heads of people, and tell the story from their perspective. This goes from politicians to criminals to regular people.

4. Revelations by Audioslave - One of the greatest rock vocalists + one of the most innovative guitarists + a really tight rhythm section = yet another great CD. They continue to go beyond the Rage against the Garden sound that they started with, and continue to find their own. Still loving the third effort.

3. Come Whatever May by Stone Sour - Corey Taylor and crew are proving to be a much more varied and interesting band than Slipknot. He pidgeonholed himself into a specific sound with Slipknot, and this band allows him a lot more creative freedom... which creativity is a necessity for good music.

2. 10,000 Days by Tool - Another excellent album by Maynard and the boys. The band continues to evolve into something greater. The downside of this disc was a few too many filler tracks. It may work for transitioning songs... but not as enjoyable in a day of short attention spans and iPods.

1. Savior Sorrow by Mushroomhead - In what is basically their third mainstream release, the band lost one of their lead singers (J. Mann), and replaced had to replace him (Waylon). Its proven to not slow them down one bit, as this disc rocked my face off. Waylon has actually helped to improve the bands overall vocals, as he can sing as well as shout. They continue their heavy guitars, accompanied by piano, strings, a DJ, and a combo of two good vocalists. Really a talented and unique group. ALTHOUGH I must say the song "Damage Done" pissed me off to no end. Not only was it bad, it went against one of the good parts of the bands writing I had admired... no foul language. It really lent the band a lot of credibility... but I'm sure some record company exec thought a foul mouthed rant about "getting fucked up" would sell to the illiterate kiddies.

Person Of The Year 2006

It took me a long time to determine who the person of the year for the year 2006 would be.

So long in fact, its now 2007. The extra time allowed me to figure out it wasn't a single person, but a group of people. Yes, the all appropriate cop out, just like TIME magazine and their "you" award. So, 2006's person of the year is....



Republicans.

By shedding their sheep's clothing, and showing that they aren't the moral do gooder's of society, the world has become a better place. Tom DeLay's indictment, Mark Foley writing lewd love letters to little boys, Dick Cheney shooting some dude in the face, Donald Rumsfeld getting canned, Rush Limbaugh attacking Michael J. Fox for having Parkinson's... the list can go on forever.

Thanks to them, the new Congress is marked D instead of R. We might actually see some improvement around the place now... at least I hope we do.

(Person of the Year 2005)

(Person of the Year 2004)