Uncle_Garrett's Xanga

John McCain learns not to lie to David Letterman

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:24:02 GMT

Enough said......

Music Reviews September

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 03:53:59 GMT

I thought I would review a few of the albums that I have been listening to lately every month. Maybe I can share some great little nuggets I have found, but at the very least it will keep me writing.

The Hold Steady:
Boys and Girls in America
Stay Positive

I started listening to "The Hold Steady" probably about a year ago. Their first major label release "Boys and Girls in America" was getting a little bit of critical attention so I decided to check the album out. I wasn't disappointed in the least from what I heard, but didn't get the album for some reason. This summer they released "Stay Positive" and after hearing them perform the lead single "Sequestered in Memphis" on Letterman I decided to pick up both albums. The setup for the band is clear. Play straight forward rock, about people who might be on the rocks. The funny thing is that they come off as kinda hip/alt/indie in the process, because its been along time since we've heard anything Springsteen-esque on the radio. Out of the two albums I definitely would pick "Boys and Girl in America" as the superior record. Its a little harder and seems to have a little more flow than "Stay Positive".

Boys and Girls in America: 9 out of 10
Stay Positive: 6.5 out of 10

The Submarines:
Honeysuckle Weeks

The Submarines got me listening to their music not at all because I had ever heard of them, or even gotten a recommendation from a friend, or saw them pop up in the "things I light listen to list" on iTunes or Amazon.
I started listening to them because I had read an article about a couple that had broken up, had each written songs on the subject of their breakup, and got back in touch with these songs from each persons point of view. The result was a strangely fulfilling album that was well rounded and heartfelt. That couple became the "Submarines" (they are now back together). This is their newest album and its filled with really tightly wound pop goodness, which is not at all about the end of a relationship. This is a great rainy day sort of album.

Honeysuckle Weeks: 7.5 out of 10

Jack's Mannequin:
The Glass Passenger

Nothing like piano rock is there. Actually this is possibly the last incarnation of Andrew McMahon's piano punk/emo that he started about a decade ago as a member of the band "Something Corporate". Then McMahon was a punk wunderkind at the age of 16. Now 26, married, and a survivor of leukemia, you can hear more maturity his music. "The Glass Passenger" is quite possibly the best "just press play" album I have listened to this year. (Just press play meaning you can listen to the thing front to back and not be let down over the course of the album). I would give this album a hearty recommendation to fan's of McMahon's previous work as well as people that are completely unfamiliar.

The Glass Passenger: 8 out of 10

Time and Space

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:17:08 GMT

We had to light the furnace.....
    I am wearing the flannel pants to bed.....
       Frost made its way onto the plants last night......
          I spent a good chunk of yesterday watching real NFL games.....

All signs point to one thing.... Summer is over.

In days gone by this was a huge issue: harvest, summer job wrap-up, school to look forward to. In recent years its been a time of preparation for another programming year, the busyness and optimism of a clean slate.

This year, none of that....

Just days that turn into weeks. Enough to keep busy, not enough to be fulfilled. Humility about being unemployed and finding that I might not be as great as I would like to think that I am (at least to perspective employers). Worries about finances as the money begins to dry up....the money that was meant for the move.

Life was going so fast, there was time to spend with family and friends, goodbyes to be said, and laughter that needed to be had. There was so little time to get this all done. And now, there's just a void. A purgatory of sorts, of which the end does not seem clear. As summer ends much of the bright and vibrant seems to end with it. And I think that as a whole its working on me.

I am going to try to make everything work with a renewed vigor. Any good thoughts and prayers for gainful employment in the Gettysburg PA area, and for my own peace of mind, would be greatly appreciated.

Big Ben, Skype, and the other stuff....

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:14:20 GMT

So, I had my fantasy football draft this week. For the first year we had a keeper league, I can keep up to three guys off this team into next year for my first 3 picks in next years draft. So I had to go young, I had the first pick in our 8 team league. Here's my lineup

QB: Ben Roethlisberger: Round 6
RB: Adrian Peterson: Round 1
RB: Reggie Bush: Round 5
WR: Andre Johnson: Round 2
WR: Braylon Edwards: Round 3
WR: Marques Colston: Round 4
TE: Jason Witten: Round 7
K: Adam Vinitieri: Round 13
DEF: Pittsburgh: Round 12
Bench: RB: LenDale White Round 8
Bench: RB: Ronnie Brown Round 9
Bench: WR: Kevin Curtis Round 10 (bad research didn't know he was out indefinitely without a sports hernia)
Bench: RB: Rashard Mendenhall Round 11
Bench: QB: Philip Rivers Round 14
Bench: WR: Anthony Gonzales Round 15

I had to drop Curtis and pick up Patrick Crayton to make up for my stupidity in the 10 spot. Looking back I could have handcuffed either starting running back at that point in this shallow league. I made some huge mistakes though. I don't know if this is more than a 4th place team at best.......

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I love SKYPE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am thinking about becoming a podcaster/website runner ( I know that the term is webmaster but that sounds too archiac) I think that I have become so engrossed in all the free content that is out there that I feel that I might be able to find a niche. If you have some time to kill I would definitely take a look at these podcasts (all available for free on iTunes)

This American Life
The Sound of Young America
Jordan, Jesse, GO!!!!
The Moth
The B.S. Report with Bill Simmons
Never Not Funny

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:06:35 GMT

It's been a long while. Since the last time that we talked I resigned from my job, and am currently living with my brother and looking for a new job. I have been on a couple longer trips visited friends, and am trying to get in move mode once again. Everyone, for fun try to guess where I am moving......

Events of the night, well we got some weather and lightning struck the transformer near the house. There was a fire department/electric company/sheriff get together with my brother and my dad last night at about 4am. Now we're dealing with the aftermath. I think that somethings got really screwed up, still accessing the damage.

Nothing too big. I guess I can only leave you guys with a list of things that I have loved since the last time we talked.

The Dark Knight
The Wire
iPod Classic
Jess
The Minnesota Twins

FARLEY LIVES!!!!!

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:22:41 GMT

What to think.....

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:52:28 GMT

"I don't want to disparage anyone because of their, their race, their ethnicity, their name - whatever their religion their father, father might have been,"

"I'll just say this that when you think about the optics of a Barack Obama potentially getting elected President of the United States -- and I mean, what does this look like to the rest of the world? What does it look like to the world of Islam?

"And I will tell you that, if he is elected president, then the, the radical Islamists, the, the al-Qaida, and the radical Islamists and their supporters, will be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on September 11….

"It does matter, his middle name does matter. It matters because they read a meaning into that in the rest of the world, it has a special meaning to them. They will be dancing in the streets because of his middle name. They will be dancing in the streets because of who his father was and because of his posture that says: Pull out of the Middle East and pull out of this conflict.

So there are implications that have to do with who he is and the position that he's taken. If he were strong on national defense and said 'I'm going to go over there and we're going to fight and we're going to win, we'll come home with a victory,' that's different. But that's not what he said. They will be dancing in the streets if he's elected president. That has a chilling aspect on how difficult it will be to ever win this Global War on Terror."

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa

This steams me. So much.

My darkest secret.....

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:02:36 GMT

I am going to share with you all a secret that not even my girlfriend knows. I think that the only other soul that I have been able to share this with is my brother, who has seen this event take place before.

I verbally berate the people serving me in a drive-thru window when they have the little window thing closed so they can't hear me. I say the worst stuff. Most of it in nonsense, and in no way rooted in reality. I say the most random things. Once, while the little window thing was closed, I threatened to stuff the attendant in a piano and throw him off a bridge. Its just strange. I actually have to catch myself as the window opens sometimes.

I think that it might be a sickness.

drivethrutourretsacitis

look it up at webmd

Peace

I need blessing

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:01:11 GMT

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5:3

I am so tired, so worn, so stressed, so apathetic,
I am losing chunks of hair, I wear a 2 day long headache
I worry about family, friends, loved ones, and coworkers.
I feel like I want to be done. I want to go to the movies, shut off my phone, and just disconnect for a couple of hours.
I throw this pity party, each and every year during lent. I get worn down, and about halfway through I realize there is a lot more work to do. I just seem to give up, and then scripture hits me.

Whilst giving guitar lessons this evening, a kid asked me if I was going to get a new guitar. (Using the theory that I have so many that it must be time to get another one). I said "HECK NO!! I'm Poor!!" And this child said

"Blessed are the poor"

She didn't go any further than that. She stopped. And all of a sudden I was hit by a train of grace. I don't really know what to do other than bask in God's promise of peace to those who follow him. Even though we may be poor, weak, tired, grieving, emotional, exhausted, infected, or inflicted. God will grant us his peace, through his promise.

I just needed that. As I choke back emotion, and release my burden. I tell you truly that I needed that.

For those who would care about this stuff

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:45:46 GMT

What do you think of this fantasy baseball team. I had the second and 19th picks in a 10 person league

I took Johan #2

P Johan Santana
P Roy Halladay
P Felix Hernandez
P Francisco Liriano
P Chad Billingsley
P Phil Hughes
P Matt Garza
RP Bobby Jenks
RP BJ Ryan
C Joe Mauer
C Ivan Rodriguez
1B Prince Fielder
2B Brandon Phillips
SS Micheal Young
SS JJ Hardy
3B Ryan Zimmerman
3B Evan Longoria
3B Josh Fields
OF Curtis Granderson
OF Corey Hart
OF Delmon Young
OF Shane Victorino
OF Jacoby Ellsbury
OF Rick Ankiel
OF Justin Upton