Something I found Strange

I'm really into two singers at the moment. One would be alternative country singer Robert Earl Kean. I am especially liking the songs "feeling good again" and "Merry Christmas From the Family". The other is Steve Earle who drifts in between alternative country and the regular kind of country. Right now from him I'm really enjoying "Ain't no Liquor in this Town" and his amazing cover of Nirvana's "Breed". I thought it odd that I I was currently into two artists who have Earl in their name. I mean how many singers in the entire world have the name Earl in their name? So that was strange enough untill I listened to Robert Earl Kean song "Everclear" (great song by the way). Anywho, Robert Earl actually MENTIONS Steve Earl in this song. He says when he drinks everclear it makes him feel cooler than Steve Earle (I guess Steve Earle is cool or something). So there we have two conections between the two artists I'm listening to the most right now. Coincidence? Or something far more sinister? You be the judge. No scratch that. I'm the judge. It's sinister.

Top 25 Movies of 2005

Well it's about that time of the year boys and girls. I feel 2005 was a pretty decent year for movies and here are what I deem to be the best of what I've seen. Please keep in mind that their are 8 movies released this year that I have seen but have not put on the Ultimate Movie List, so I'm gonna sort of have to wing it, so it may not be perfect. Plus as you well know, I have not seen nearly every movie released this year, not even all the ones I'd like to.

1. Sin City
2. A History of Violence
3. Batman Begins
4. The 40 Year Old Virgin
5. Kingdom of Heaven
6. The Wedding Crashers
7. Murderball
8. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
9. Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
10. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
12. Walk the Line
13. Crash
14. Lords of Dogtown
15. Cinderella Man
16. The HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy
17. Kicking and Screaming
18. Lord of War
19. Jarhead
20. King Kong
21. Dukes of Hazzard
22. Coach Carter
23. Red Eye
24. The Ring 2
25. Sahara

Ratings Updates

I have put a lot of time in to ranking some back-lotted books, songs, and movies. And while nobody probobly really cares about this I feel like sharing.
Here are what I consider to be the most important updates:

The Slaughterhouse by Echeivera came in as my 56th favorite short story of all time, not bad for something I was forced to read for class, and a 100-level class at that.

Somewhat dissapointing result for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It came in at 39th, which is pretty good in-of-itsself, but its the second lowest ranked Harry Potter book better only than the dissapointing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Some highly rated movies that just got added to the list:
139. Evil Alien Conquerors
172. The 40 Year Old Virgin
188. The Wedding Crashers

Now the MOST important updates have been to my music list.
Two songs were added to the list that rate higher than anything added since the list was created at the begining of the semester.
54. Tomestone Blues, Bob Dylan
64. Cattle and the Creeping things, The Hold Steady.

Needless to say these two newly ranked items reeked havoc on my bands list seeing as they each garnered their respective singers nearly 450 points each.

Bob Dylan, in spite of several two star songs and the 4 star song Subterranean Homesick Blues was previously unable to crack the top 50 (just barely). But with the Addition of these new points Bob Dylan is now ranked at 36th with an impressive 876 points.

Now I had been quite curious where the Hold Steady would end up after I ranked all of their songs. Unfortunately it appears that the Hold Steady are one of those bands that I would like to rank significantly higher than the points their songs have earned actually allow me to. The Hold Steady scored a dissapointing 777 points, which put them in 42nd place. This definately is well below where I would like to put them meaning the Hold Steady are in the same shoes as such bands as The Rolling Stones (17th), The Velvet Underground (22nd) Man... or Astroman (27th), Queen (30th), or The Zambonies (44th). Of chorse I have no one to blame for this but myself. Myself and my liking for bands that I wish I didn't like nearly as much as I do: Rage Against the Machine (9th), The Offspring (18th), Greenday (28th), Blink 182 (48th). Man that last one really hurts.

Anyway thats about it, wow that turned into a rather long post.

Christmas is Over, you don't have to be of good cheer anymore

Well Christmas has come and gone. Except for some problems with my teeth and trouble sleeping I would deem it excellent. Since I can't blame the Christmas season for these problems I would have to say Christmas on its own was deffinately above average. Not to much to talk about though: eating pies, sleeping in basements, creating bizzare insults over games of nerts, going to church and burning aunt Sue's hair... pretty standard really.

Top 5 Christmas gift (recieved) this year:
(Note: Rather than taking the time to rank my top five I will simply list them in the reverse order of when I recieved them)

1. DVD: Things to Do in Denver When Your Dead - I believe I have been asking for this movie for 3-4 years now. It's impossible to find and I've been too lazy to order it online, but my aunt Caroline did it for me! There are several people I want to make watch this movie, mainly Zach since he loves Terrentino movies, and while this isn't a Terrentino movie, it does feel like one.
2. My Onion Tear-Away calander from my aunt Peggy. I loved the one I got last year to the point that if I wasn't given one I would have gone and bought one (even if I was given a different tear-away calander). Plus now I can keep my big list of the best headlines of the year that I keep on my bedroom door going!
3. Playstation 2 Game: Resident Evil 4 - Alot of people were talking like this was one of the greatest games of all time, and although I'm only about 5 hours into it I think they may be right. My grandma got this for me. I picked it out when she took me on the "lets go to best buy and you can pick out a bunch of Christmas gifts" expedition.
4. My digital camera. My mom apperantly got up at like 4:30 in the morning or something the day after thanksgiving. She did so to buy me a combination digital camera, voice recorder, movie recorder, MP3 player for 90 dollars. She gave it to me and I couldn't for the life of me figure the damn thing out. So we returned it to Radio Shack 2 days after she gave it to me and I got a digital camera from wallgreens. I absolutely love it, I've been taking all kinds of pictures here in Iowa.
5. The new sign for my bathroom. I had said several times that I felt our bathroom should be called "The poop factory". I say this because try as I might I can't say those words without giggeling like an 8-year-old. So Shannon got me a custom made paque for my bathroom door that reads: Poop Factory. The best part is that she actually had to go to a store and ask to have it made.

The Problem of Graphic Novels

You see I forgot to mention this but since getting back from break of also read three Graphic Novels: A History of Violence and Sin City volume 1 and 2. These were all very good and I enjoyed reading them. The problem is that I don't know how to rate them within my existing systems. I could put them in novels, but that seems unfair because these only take like 90 minutes to 2 hours to read while a novel can take days. However, it also seems unfair to rate them with short stories because those stories have to tell everything in only a few pages while these graphic novles get like 200-300 pages to tell their stories. I could put them in thier own list but seeing as how these are the first 3 I ever read this is going to be a piss-poor list for a very long time, at least untill I've read 20-30 graphic novels, which could be years from now. I think right now I'm planning on ranking them with novels, they might do better there than I expect. I know they'd destroy most of the competition in the short story list (all three may rank in the top ten there) so I can't put them on that list. I guess I'll just have to look in to it.

Breaking News Update: I'm being told by my sources that this is now the 4th nerdiest post I have ever put up here. What? My post about ranking graphic novels is only 4th? Wow, I really am a nerd.

Break Going Well So Far

Hey ya'll, I'll probobly get sick of it soon enough but I'm really enjoying having nothing to do right now. It's nice not always having something over you head thats due in a few hours, a day, or a week. I have no responsibillities at the moment. So anyway heres what I've been doing with my self:

1. Watching television: I don't mind not having TV at school but after going without it for so long its become a bit of a novelty, I'm really enjoying it, especially all the sports. Oh, and later I'll get to watch Conan, awsome!
2. Sleeping: Yeah I've been sleeping at least 9 to 11 hours a night, plus I had an awsome 2 hour nap on sunday while the redskins game was on, kick ass!
3. Playing "The Movies" PC game: I won't nerd you out too much by explaining it but you run your own movie studio... it's fun.
4. Eating a lot: When I am no longer required to buy food for myself and prepare for myself my diet vastly improves, we had steak tonight!
5. Random stuff: I saw the family stone, rented high tension and Battlefield 2, and got my hair cut, and went out to TGI Fridays since I've been back.
6. Spending time with my family: I haven't gone home as much this semester and its been really nice seeing my family, considering you don't get to choose your family its really funny how much I like them all.
7. Talking to Shannon on the phone: I have always really hated talking to most people on the phone. I don't know if my jokes are transfering well and I never know how to end a conversation when I want to stop talking. However, I've been talking to Shannon for like 40 minutes to an hour at a time. I honsetly don't think I had previously ever had a phone conversation over half an hour. Of chorse I'd rather be seeing her but its still been nice to talk to her.
8. Umm: I guess I don't have an eighth cause that's pretty much it, Christmas break rules!

The Papers done

It took me 10 hours and 15 minutes. It's done. Go screw yourselves. I wanna go to bed.

The Story of My Final Paper of the Year

OK, I have one more paper left this year. I have to research 30 days of the New York Times, Write Ten Pages, and Revise. At this point I have 22 Hours and 36 minutes to get it done. I will attempt to give you regular updates on my progress.

Does anyone else do this?

I have a ton of homework so I'm cleaning my room. My room has been impractically messy for well over a month now, and it really hasn't bothered me at all. Now, as the year ends and a have an ass-ton of homework to do I find myself with the overpowering urge to clean my room. I did so for two hours on saturday when I should have been studying. Now I have one free hour that I should work on my power point in but instead I'm gonna go finish. I guess when I have homework to do cleaning seems like a more legitamate excuse than my ussual sitting around doing nothing. Well, guess I'll go clean for a while.

Survey I stole from Zach

heres a pretty nifty survvey I just swiped from Zach's website.

1-What time did you get up this morning? 7 Am
2-Diamonds or pearls? Oh Diamonds all the way
3-What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire… great
4-What is your favorite tv show? It’s always been the Simpsons but there no good anymore. Deadwood is probobly the best show on TV right now
5-What do you usually have for breakfast? Whatever chips or crachers or whatver is lying around
6-Favorite food? Sandwhiches and lobster
7-What foods do you dislike? Anything minty
8-What is your favorite chip flavor? Taco Dorritos
9-What is your favorite CD at the moment? My “I Wanna Rock Your Body” Mixed CD
10-What kind of car do you drive? 92’ Honda Civic Hatchback
11-Favorite sandwich? Thanksgiving sandwhich
12-What characteristic do you despise? smugness
13-Favorite item of outfit? If you mean the one I’m whereing now… shirt
14-If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Alaska
15-What color is your bathroom? Dirty White
16-Favorite brand of clothing? Uhh… probobly American Eagle
17-Where would you retire to? Wife…kids…grandkids…maybe an RV if things go well
18-Favorite sport to watch? Basketball
19-When is your birthday? February 18
20-Favorite flowers? Posies
21-Are you a morning person or a night person? Night
22-What did you want to be when you were little? accountant
23-How are you today? Feeling pretty good at the moment acctually
24-What is a date on your calendar you are looking forward to? Christmas I guess