Sounds like fun

Ran across this video called Sounds of Chinatown on Rocketboom while surfing my Feed Reader.  Reminded me how great it is to simply listen to the sounds of life around you, especially when you’re traveling.  

 

Society 2.0

Perhaps you remember last year at this time we posted this video entitled on YouTube as “The Largest Weed Ever?”

Since then, it has racked up 3,300 views on YouTube as a publicly displayed video, second only to the Hot Pot video from our trip.  Why a favorite? The ever popular search term weed among the YouTubers out there.  Positions my video right next to the Largest Bong Ever!

(the marketer in me might point out the importance of picking search terms, qualified traffic and blah blah blah… but that’s a topic for a different blog I’ve been working on)

It’s interesting opening up your life for mass public display on blogs and social networks like Flickr, Facebook and even YouTube.  People read, subscribe and comment, good and bad.  These strangers are empowered to interact in your life.  Amazing really.  

Erin and I thought this comment chain of realization was pretty good… scroll down below the video for a chuckle.

 

 

Merry Christmas! How ‘Bout Them Cowboys?

Check out this Holiday gem from the 1986 Dallas Cowboys. Danny White, Herschel Walker, Bill Bates and more sing you a holiday treat! Tis the season for Cowboys football.

Thanks to Frontburner for capturing the glory of the 80’s in Dallas.

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

A few of my favorite things – 2007

Ok, Oprah I’m not. Maybe Stedman. Regardless, I have been exposed to some pretty cool things this year. Things that affect my life and get me talking. Plain and simple. In no particular order, here they are:

1. Senuti

This free software freed MY music, yes mine, from my iPod. Until now, iPod accepted music as a one-way street. Computer -> iPod but not vice-versa. As I’ve gone from work computer to work computer, my digital music library has shuffled around quite a bit and in some cases been lost. Who has time to upload it all again from disc? Thanks to Senuti (or Floola for you PC users), this software simply extracted the music files from said iPod back to digital storage for safe keeping. Took about 5 hours to transfer 5,000 songs. I ate Thanksgiving dinner while it did the work – good deal!

2. Google Reader

I’ve never been so in-the-know. Erin introduced me to this free feed reader calling it “Tivo for the internet.” Instead of having to repeatedly go to 20+ websites and hunting each for new info, now my Reader searches my usual bookmarks automatically and brings all new posts to me, in one convenient location. You simple scroll down, reading the headline, a key paragraph and a photo for each entry – ordered chronologically by time received. If you want to read more from an entry, simply click on link. For most, you’ll just keep on scrolling to the next item, with your brain growing exponentially. Awesomeness.

3. Lifehacker.com

I also owe my Reader for finding me this gem of a website. In fact, Lifehacker brought me Senuti (see, we’ve gone full circle on the list now) and so many more helpful products and tips for making life easier and more fruitful. Features life improvement tips beyond software, too. Like, how to open a clam package with a can opener. OR, how to make a bottle opener out of a single piece of paper. (it’s like McGyver, only more geeky…)

4. The T

Yeah, you know how much I like my Truck. It brings me much joy. It also brings me much used furniture and much trash for the dump. I suggest you get one.

5. Real Men of Genius telephone greetings

The marketing dork in me made me do it. It is quite funny and original for a birthday greeting.

6. My LG camera phone

Nothing is safe when you have a CU500v. It has a very convenient 1.3 megapixel camera. More importantly, the camera has a swivel, so you won’t even know when I’m taking a picture of you picking your nose. Well, unless it is dark, because there’s no flash. Next time.

7. The neti pot

I credit this crazy India-inspired product with keeping my nasal passages humming. It’s like a tea pot, only you use it to pour water in one sinus cavity and out the other. I was reluctant when Erin first brought it home, but tried it the next time I got some sniffles. And as sure a chicken tikka masala… it cleared me right out.

8. Tripadvisor.com:
It wouldn’t be a post without something travel related. At this time last year we were trekking through New Zealand. Without Tripadvisor.com, we wouldn’t have found some of our better destinations. The forum section is great, where real folks give you real tips, and usually answer your questions real quick. Search the section for your city and list your specific inquiry. Help is on the way.

I’m sure there are more, but these are top of mind. Hope you’ve had some wonderful discoveries that made 2007 a great experience in stuff.

 

American Football…my American Dream

Fall is here, and my sportscenter deep inside is rejoicing. That’s because football is back in full swing this weekend as both my Texas Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys will take the field regularly. This is no ordinary event – it’s almost like my natural body rhythm has accomodated this phenom over the years, and my reactions are practically involuntary at this point.

Differences you should expect:

No more indifference to TV watching (sorry Erin). I am likely to tune into morning sports shows like ESPN College Gameday, and likely to cap my weekend evenings with local news. I am equally likely to engage in marathon sitting sessions on the couch any given weekend afternoon, flipper in hand and movement only for the occasional frosty beverage, salty snack or repositioning to accomodate impromtu naps.

Enthusiasm for melding social activities with game-watching – like this UT gathering at Vickery Park bar in Dallas. That’s Mike, showing his allegence.

Unnatural interest in players and teams no one should like under normal conditions. Fantasy football is reality now, and my teams are ready to go. And we mean business – check out the intesnsity of our 3 hour draft session from the war room. Yes, that’s the draft board and its multicolor greatness.

Exceptional interest in the daily newspaper. Got to stay on top of all the football drama from kick off to kick off, weekend to weekend. Do not steal my paper – consider yourself warned…

Good times are here. I think it’s safe to say you’ll know where to find me in the coming weeks.

And my sports bounty is only growing, as basketball and hockey are right around the corner – gravy for my fall feast, if you will.

Happy kick-off weekend to you!

 

Home Box Office

It’s been a little quiet on the blog lately. With work and rain pouring in, our personal adventures have been a bit muted. Nothing blog-worthy.

My outlet of late has been the magic box, with all it’s flickering color and television greatness. But with summer here and re-runs in season, we’ve relied even more on HBO to relax the brain.

I love HBO originals. The Sopranos – which I’m ready to start again from season 1. Entourage – nice personal paradox of envy vs. relief that I’m not famous. Deadwood – awesomely grotesque within the setting of the archetypal freedom of the west. Rome – the most incredible history lesson ever. Curb Your Enthusiasm – hilarious and downright awkward, so much so you’ll want to turn it off at times. And there’s others that have their potential: Big Love – multiple wives = multiple problems. Flight of the Concordes – musical drama has come a long way since Cop Rock. John from Cincinati – should he be named Jesus?

But, how is it that The Wire, which may be my favorite of all the HBO series thus far, has escaped my TiVo?

Erin and I have churned through season 1 on DVD without blinking really; it was quite a ride. And now, in only 4 days, we’re 5 episodes into season 2. Equally compelling. From what I hear, it’s nothing compared to season 4!

And to think, season 5 will be it’s last – because no one watched. Me included.

Not the end of the world, but it’s a pity…

like way back when when the Moon Patrol video game ate my quarter at Twin Rivers arcade and discontinued my quest at finishing the high level. I never got back. At least I beat Double Dragon…

Or when I found out that Beastie Boys AND Rage Against The Machine canceled their appearance at the Tibetan Freedom Festival in Amsterdam while I was visiting. Bummer. At least I saw Tom York and Blur…

Or the other day when I raced home from work ready to go see Travis at the new House of Blues, only to find out the concert is JULY 25 – not June. Darn it. At least I have something to look forward to.

Like my remaining 3 seasons of The Wire. HBO greatness.

 

Take me out to the ball game

Summer afternoon, cold beer and fresh cut grass. Two of my baseball worlds came crashing together today in a much anticipated baseball match-up between my first-love Texas Rangers and my adopted Chicago Cubs. We took in game 3 of the series today at the Ballpark at Arlington. I was so excited, I sported a Chicago-style mustache to welcome all the visiting fans.

I grew up a Rangers fan, though the sport was never my first choice. But, I always enjoyed following our own lovable losers – which is a bit of a family tradition with my grandfather and my mom. I followed them through thick and thin, remembering vividly favorite players like Pete Incaviglia, Jim Sundberg, Julio Franco, Ruben Sierra and Charlie Hough, everything about Nolan Ryan…

…and the few successful division championships. Pretty anemic compared to say, the yankees.

Fast forward to adulthood. I realized quickly upon moving to Chicago, that there’s nothing quite like taking in a summer afternoon game in the heart of Chicago at Wrigley Field. It was always on my itinerary for visiting friends like Mike and Chuck.

It’s magical. It’s fantastic. It’s the toast of the town – and I believe the reason for summer work hours. Full Wrigleyville bars spilling into the streets, pageantry of bands and true blue fans milling around the stadium.

And that timeless field and scoreboard, seen here behind my parents several years ago.

Unfortunately, the Cubs are THE lovable losers of baseball. I was blessed with some successful seasons in Chicago, inlcuding the Bartman debacle. But the championship drought continues – curse that billy goat! Didn’t matter though. Each game was a priviledge in itself.

I was pumped to see the teams play each other today in a rare interleague game. If I was a betting man, this would be the last match-up I’d put mony on for the World Series. So I had to catch them now.

The game didn’t disappoint. Came down to a final hit to score the winning run for Texas. Long drive back to Illinois, Cub fans!

And there were many sporting Chicago gear – more than half the fans were Cubs fans. They must have been horribly disappointed in our 7th inning stretch rendition of “take me out to the ball game.” It’s a celebrity tradition up north.

They also must have wondered where our local bar district is, how so many seats can be empty, and how a stadium can feel so darned hot at 80 degrees.

It’s a little different here. But, hey, when it comes to teams that just can’t seem to win, I’m sure the Cubbie fans felt right at home. And, was it a little bittersweet to see longtime Cubbie Sammy Sosa hit his 600th home run in a Rangers uniform? Not to mention, a silly banner under the scoreboard to rub it in.

 

Not a good sport

Texas Mike here.

This self-proclaimed sports nut is coming off a doozy of a disappointing season in Dallas. April is usually one of my favorite times of the sports year. Opening day for the Texas Rangers. Dallas Stars bring me a good dose of playoff hockey and there’s nothing better. Dallas Mavericks begin the push for their first-ever NBA basketball championship. We’ve got the NFL draft and NASCAR at TMS to keep it interesting. How about the Byron Nelson PGA golf tourney in Dallas, too? I feel fortunate to live in such a sports mecca.

But, not this year. Tonight may just be the icing on my pity-party cake. If Dirk and the Mavericks lose, we’ll win the honor as the short end of the biggest playoff upset in NBA history. I came into April full of hope and giddy as a school boy, but the wheels came off quick. Dallas Stars – lost in the first round for the third straight year. Rangers – again mounting a less than competitive campaign. Everyone skipped the Byron Nelson. Can’t even say much about the Cowboys draft or the Nascar race. What the heck?

Maybe I need a change of pace; greener pastures; a new perspective for the time being (until next season). We experienced some new sports and ran into fanatics of other sorts along our journey last year. Anyone out there have room for a slightly disgruntled, somewhat intense, loyal yet critical fan from Texas?

I know, I could join the legions of All Blacks fans! Rugby is tough and breeds some tough fans. The All Blacks are New Zealand’s pride and joy. From talking to some fans there, it truly seems more like a religion than a game. I think I’ll fit in just fine. They like beer; I like beer. They like Maori dances; I can learn the haka: “Ka mate!” They wear shirts and hats that proclaim “All Blacks!”; … (I might get some looks there)

We watched bits and pieces of cricket as we trekked Australia. Even stayed at the same hotel as the NZ team in Sydney. Yeah, we ate the same buffet. But I think I’d have to jump on the green and gold bandwagon of the Aussie team. They have the rival British; we have a heated history with them. They just won their third World Cup in a row; I like championships… three times more than most. They say “Go off in green and gold!” My elementary school colors were, you guessed it, green and gold. Maybe it’s meant to be.

Maybe I’ll add a dash of (inter)national pride to the mix. Chinese ping pong is fast, furious heated by nature. But it’s a whole different beast leading up to the Summer Olympcs in Beijing. I’m ready. I watched some amateur action in the Hutong Ci and picked up a few pointers. Chinese people grow up with tables in every park; I grew up with a table in my garage. They bring heart to the game (apparently 4 players from the national team were sent home in 2004 for having romantic affairs with each other); I appreciate a good drama.

The possibilties are endless, and there’s certainly enough love to go around for this sporting man.

 

Estate of Mind

photos 040, originally uploaded by espeedy123.

Texas Mike

Want to walk in someone else’s shoes, AND have something to show for it? Sounds pretty good, I know.

I don’t think I’d ever pondered estate sales until I met Erin. She told me interesting tales of exploring Amarillo and ducking into houses of treasure on Saturday mornings with her mom. She spoke of great deals, must-have-merchandise, interesting people, awkward neighbor run-ins, great gambles (“buy now or wait until noon for 50% off) and those unsightly fake estate sales (how do those people sleep at night?). Weekend drama at its best.

Sure enough, I got roped-in here in Dallas. At first it was about heavy lifting and my truck. Then, QT with the wife. And now, I’ve admittedly just got to see some of this stuff to believe it.

I find the whole phenomenon quite interesting. I love how the whole event is so hands-on and down-to-earth. No strange internet sites, questionable bidding, cover charges, secret locations, invite-only socialite crap. It’s so simple (just show up and dig around). And yet, it’s so invasive at the same time. Forget that exercise of writing your own obituary for grounding; imagine droves of strangers strutting through your house, handling your goodies, and asking themselves: who are these people, where did they get this stuff, why the heck would any one want this and much less sell it? Let it sink in.. Scared?

This weekend we hit a very interesting estate sale; Erin had already scouted the location – I just came along for the mission. These folks were/are world travelers, and the house was overrun with trinkets, art, clothes, knick-knacks, books and much more from all over the globe. I saw evidence of India, Asia, Africa, Mexico and Canada – and several places domestically. And we’re not talking pressed pennies, commemorative spoons and shell necklaces, here. Some good stuff like full-size wooden warrior carvings, original paintings, and weapons – lots of weapons. As you can see from the pic, Mike snagged an engraved metal shield from India to go along with his Asian katana sword. Erin scored a couple of wooden sconces (polynesian, we think) and a sculpted head. And even better – 50% off. We even waited in line for this bounty, if that tells you anything.
earthly possessions.

 

The show that made me wish I had HDTV

“Planet Earth” premiered last night on Discovery Channel.  Amazing nature footage, all in HD.