Living vicariously through myself

Day Two

After spending the whole morning re-writing one lead over and over, we finally got to do some actual writing (sort of) near the end of the day. We took a crime report and wrote a very basic crime report story. Nothing I didn’t do at the Banner-Graphic. Still, it’s kinda fun to watch all the other people do these writing exercises when they’ve never done such things before. Also, it’s interesting to note who tries to get their work done first, when in reality that’s the work that’ll probably be handed back first full of ink.

We did get out at 3:30 as planned today, and I hope to get out earlier tomorrow. Tomorrow holds in store a man-on-the-street story where we hear our morning lecture and then go out to get quotes. We’ve got a number of topics we can write on. I’m thinking I may skeleton out the story tonight and just insert quotes tomorrow. Thank you to Ken Owen at DePauw for showing me how predictable things are and how to make life easier in this respect.

Oly and David Nelson figured out this morning that I have an affinity for sports in Chicago. It seems they both know it pretty well also (it’s clear Nelson is a big sports fan), so if there ever comes a chance to cover sports, hopefully I’ll get the nod.

All in all, day two of class was much better than the first three days I spent at the school. I’m choosing to laugh as often as possible and go from there.

Day One

The morning was spent listening to a lecture about how to exist in multiple media successfully. Nothing groundbreaking, really.

The REST of the day was spent learning to write leads to stories.

We debated:
-- How long they should be
-- Where attribution should be given
-- Whether or not to include a timeframe
-- Which lab professor did it better
-- How to write the fewest drafts possible so that you could move on

And on, and on, and on…..

At least there were some good laughs to be had from time to time. I’ll try to provide at least one good quote or anecdote each day.

Today, I was re-writing a purposely bad lead about a drought in Minnesota.
My draft went something like “Prayers to various rain deities look to go unanswered again this week, as a drought continues to ravage Minnesota’s crops.” My professor, who we call “Oly” for short, looks at the lead. I say “Maybe it’s not a good idea to make light of a drought (having purposely written the lead just for fun)…” He says, “Yeah, that’s sorta like saying ‘residents of Bangladesh will go without after dinner mints again this week…’”, and we both had a good laugh about it.

Two positives from today (well, one and a half):
1. Found a good place to have lunch – the student lounge in the MTC has Ethernet connections and comfy couches. This makes me happy.
2. We elected that we wanted to get out of afternoon class every day at 3:30, rather than 4:00. The caveat is that I get to spend less time in my nice place for lunch in order to get that half hour back. Still, I only need an hour for lunch and if it gets me home earlier, I’m in favor of it. Today added up to more than 14 hours away from home, all thanks to good ‘ole (dead) Joe Medill. If it killed him and IT HAS HIS NAME ON IT, what does that mean for the rest of us……???

Spent most of the morning writing and re-writing the lead to one story about a lecture we saw this morning. Boring as hell. We were also introduced to a quote by the great sportswriter Red Smith who said "There's nothing to a lead. You just stare at your typewriter until little drops of blood form on your head and fall onto the page."

Now, I know you loyal readers are thinking "MAN that sounds like a good time!", but let me assuage your contempt for my fun-having right here and now. You have to get up pretty early in the morning to have more fun than 'ole Stan. And I mean that -- my day now begins at 5:40 a.m. most days.

"Deja Vu All Over Again": At DePauw, the joke is that at night they water the sidewalks, as well as the plants, and sure enough the sidewalks seem to grow each summer. Walking to the student lounge of the McCormick Tribune Center today, there was a sprinkler sitting in the middle of the lawn, and approximately 120 degrees of its rotation served to make the MTC wet. This is ALREADY a four-story building. I have no doubt it will tower over the campus by the time I'm supposed to get back from Washington in August or so.

Over-rated: Graduate school
Song lyric: "Who needs sleep, no you're never gonna get it..." -- "Who Needs Sleep", Barenaked Ladies

Finally got the real scoop, as it were, on Medill Tuesday.

The financial aid they gave me covers three quarters, which I was led to believe would run me through next June, when I’d graduate, having been to Washington and ostensibly learned everything a good young journalism student was supposed to learn. Well, it’s not like this at all.

Washington will only come next summer, after I’ve spent two quarters spinning my wheels learning the rudiments of how to be a journalist and how TV “works”, and then spent the spring in Chicago. Then, out of my own pocket, after three quarters at one of the most expensive schools in the country, I’m supposed to pay for Washington, D.C. out of my own pocket.

There are problems out the wazoo here.

First, it would seem to me that if you want to call yourself the most exclusive and best journalism graduate program in the country, you’d let in only the best, brightest, and most qualified. To me, if you’re in the broadcast sequence, you ALREADY KNOW how to do most of the stuff they want me to re-learn. I spent three years at a TV station during high school and four years in college taking broadcast journalism classes and learning how to edit things together. I don’t need another half year before they let me begin. Most of these people look like they’ve never SEEN a linear tape editor before, let alone used one. Give me a one-week refresher course and I’ll be as proficient as I need to be. Moreover, if they were to give us that one week course and then tell us to go to the Chicago newsroom and start doing it, everyone would be better off. No one sees these newscasts, in reality. I’d liken it to learning a language by going to a foreign country. Everyone I’ve ever spoken to has told me you learn Spanish much more fluently by GOING to Spain than you ever would by learning what they teach you in the classroom. Take off the god damn training wheels already and let’s separate the men from the boys here.

Next, I now understand why I could not get any information on the Washington program before I actually got to the school. The fact that they hide that this will be out of your own pocket (in one of the top 10 most expensive places to live in the entire nation) is an abomination. This is a program clearly tailored to only those people who have money flowing freely out of their (read: their parents’) pocket. And this only comes after three quarters of spending tons of money on books, housing, food, etc at a school that prides itself on not giving many scholarships.

I discovered on my brisk walk to the El station in Evanston this afternoon just how Captain Kirk must have felt standing on the bridge in any number of seemingly inescapable positions, all the while screaming at his crew, “I need OPTIONS, dammit!” It is options I need, and I see that I have a few of them.

First, I have funding for three quarters. There are other sequences at Medill that only take three quarters and let you graduate like a normal person at the beginning of summer. This broadcast program is almost certainly not going to teach me things I have not done before. I’ve been on camera, I’ve done behind-the-scenes work, and I come from a school very strong in media. So I see that I’ve got two options:

(A) I can transfer into a three-quarter sequence. What this will do is use my funding effectively and allow me to hone skills that I might not have been able to before. Let me learn more about internet media and about creative writing. I promise you I can do a stand up or video editing without much time spent re-learning anything, so in a certain regard, why not try something different and make myself more well-rounded, so that I can fit in almost anywhere when I leave?

(B) I can look for a job. This is not as bad as it sounds. I made a good connection at WIBC radio in Indianapolis in the Spring, and I figure I’ll e-mail my contact there, since this is really what I want to be doing. Medill offers almost no radio training whatsoever. Also, this cements in my mind the fact that I’m going to apply for the job as a producer at This American Life. Working for NPR may or may not pay well, but it’s one of the most respected companies in radio and should open doors just like saying I went to Medill would.

I never thought I’d be sick of school, but I think I’m officially sick. And it’s too bad, really, because I genuinely like the people I’ve met and shared some laughs with. This means they’d probably rescind my free El pass, huh?

I start graduate school at Northwestern Monday, but I'm more looking towards a job. National Public Radio in Chicago is hiring a producer for its nationally-syndicated show "This American Life". For those of you who are fans of David Sedaris, he gained national prominence through this show. If I were to get this job, I'd get to work for NPR, get to work in Chicago and not have to take on a whole bunch of loans because I'd already be working for maybe the best radio organization in the nation. It's a risk and it's crazy, but I think I should definitely go for it -- the worst they can do is say no. All I want is for them to take a chance on me.

Over-rated: College loans
Song Lyric: "Do you really wanna be like them? / Do you really wanna be part of the trend?" -- "The Anthem", Good Charlotte

Well, I decided (on the advice of my parents) that I should not go to Colorado, after all. My mother was concerned about some unresolved paperwork issues with Northwestern. So hopefully I'll get to go see Dave either over Spring Break or early next summer.

Amanda visited for the weekend, and we changed her oil on Saturday, during which I suffered injuries to both my face (dropping the hook end of a hammer just below my left eye) and my right index finger (throwing away an oil filter that I had to just about demolish before it would come off). She's going to pay people to do it from here on in, even though she now knows what to do.

Went to the Cubs game yesterday. Team lost 1-0 on a 9th inning single. Carlos Zambrano lowered his 2.86 ERA and still lost...grr. Amanda did win a baseball autographed by Fergie Jenkins, though.

So now I have the upcoming week to get things squared away for school, make a dry run in my car to NWU, and get things straightened up around the house. At least I'll get to sleep in and relax.

Over-rated: so-called "pundits"
Song Lyric: "Relax / don't do it / when you want to go to it..." -- "Relax", Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Yes, today is my last day in my relationship with Mobil Travel Guide. I'm sitting at my desk in jeans and an aloha shirt. I have one small thing to get done before the end of the day, and then I will have completed all of my responsibilites as the company's first-ever web editor. I'm very glad for the pay over the summer, but learning to write in a journalistic style goes contrary to the flowery, always-positive writing we do here by mandate. The up side is that I should have enough money to live out the school year (keep your fingers crossed). I decided to take the work study Northwestern offers, because it seems like I can work as much or as little as I want, and the money on the side will be nice. So hopefully going to school in an expensive city can be offset a little bit by work up there during the year.

Over-rated: The Wild Card (in ANY sense)
Song Lyric: "I never knew there'd come a day / When I'd be sayin' to you / 'Don't let this good love slip away / Now that we know that it's true.'" -- "Caught up in You", .38 Special

Two years ago today, I sat and watched like everyone else.

I was working for ESPN Radio in Chicago, at the time, but it was a Tuesday, so I was not in the office (working MWF, every week), which happened to be in the John Hancock building at that time (the second tallest in Chicago). Co-workers told me the next day it had been mass chaos as almost every tenant in the building shut down and forced its employess out.

The first thing I remember is my mother walking into my room and turning on the TV on my dresser. She told me about the first tower. I saw the second one for myself not long after that. "This is our generation's Kennedy assassination," I told people. "We'll always remember where we were."

I sat down that evening and wrote an op-ed piece for the school newspaper, The DePauw, about how it's important as journalists to be storytellers in this situation. I took a lot of flack when a friend of mine from high school sent out a mass e-mail saying how he'd had trouble covering the day in Carbondale, Illinois. I sent back an e-mail saying he should just do his job and not let emotion get in the way -- because that's what he had signed up to do. I got notes back from people I didn't even know saying they would have "punched me in the nose" if I had said that to their face.

I didn't know anyone who died, and I didn't have any classmates whose parents had been in the buildings. In short, I felt very little connection whatsoever. But it changed the way the people around me think. In my Media Fellows senior seminar, people said that I should be worried about our war on terror, because it might strike me, here in the Midwest. This is still an absurd argument, just as it was when the actual war in Iraq was going on. The American Midwest is probably the safest place on Earth. You're not going to be able to fly a plane into a building, our enemies do not have weapons that can reach here from their bases over there, and the country is on such a heightened alert that trying to get into the middle of the country is stupid, when coastal targets are bigger and easier to hit, if you're a mind-muddled terrorist trying to put some despicable plan together. Chicago is the Second City, but we were all glad of that on 9-11.

If you knew someone injured or killed on 9-11, my thoughts are with you. My mother recognized one name from her high school graduating class, albeit not someone she was close to. But focus not on the past, but on questioning the present, so that the stories you tell your kids are of triumph and positive change that allowed the country to be safer because you didn't want your kids to see what we all saw first-hand.

Doesn't work.

I'm gonna take down the 2 profiles I have online. Not because I haven't gotten people to respond -- because people HAVE responded -- YIKES!!! Who knew so many unattractive people could congregate in one place on the net. I better not add to their numbers. If you're gonna have a meaningful relationship, have it with someone you actually KNOW, for God's sake. Yeesh.

Some things I heard or thought about on my drive in to work today (while listening to NPR):

-- Frank DeFord said that football has overtaken baseball as the American sport. "Baseball was everyday...while football was once a week, making it seem special," he said. "In other words, baseball is more like marriage, football is more like sex."

-- Kurt Vonnegut, on the impact his novel Slaughterhouse-5 (about the English fire-bombing of the German town of Dresden in WWII) had on the way the American people and the American government looked at war, after it was published during the Vietnam conflict in 1969 (but applying to life, in general, I thought): "The truth can be really powerful stuff if you're not expecting it."

-- Palestine has appointed a new Prime Minister, after Mahmoud Abbas stepped down last month. How can have you have a PM of a nation that is not found in any Atlas published in the Western Hemisphere? Moreoever, why isn't Yassir Arafat lumped into the same category as the leaders of the military wing of Hamas? Both are killing people from the other side every day by their direct order. Why does Arafat not have a price on his head?

-- With all the suicide bombings in the Middle East, somehow all the radicals still have yet to extinguish their numbers, as the bombings continue. Here we go -- if Arafat is so convinced of his cause, why not strap some C-4 to HIS midsection...then send him to a Limp Bizkit concert. Yassir Arafat AND Fred Durst taken out in one fell swoop? I'd vote for that (paging Howard Dean, paging Mr. Dean...).

Over-rated: "Chick rockers" like Tori Amos, Alanis Morrissette, Sarah Maclachlan, et al (these are people who fit the bill of the song lyric from Bowling For Soup's "Girl All the Bad Guys Want" -- "...Her CD player's full of singers that are mad at their dad..." People like Michelle Branch or Avril Lavigne who have more mainstream (read: both sexes) appeal need not apply for this dubious distinction.

Song lyric: "...writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear / No one comes near..." -- "Eleanor Rigby", The Beatles

Made me laugh when listening to Music Match this morning:

The David Lee Roth version of "California Girls", by the Beach Boys

I hate commuting to work. More preceisely, I hate being on the road at the same time as a bunch of people who (A) were given driver's licenses because they knew George Ryan personally and had some extra cash to burn, (B) Are brooding, mono-syllabic-vocabulary-possessing dolts with a complete inability to distinguish between the brake and the accelerator or the colors red, yellow and green or (C) BOTH. JUST THIS MORNING, I saw:

-- A person come from behind me at a red light run the light at 50 mph in the other lane
-- A car in front of me at an intersection fully 2 car lengths behind the car in front of if, so as to block the right hand turn lane, that would not move despite honking and my pulling up right next to his bumper
-- A person going 15-20 miles an hour in a 45 mph zone, with a scared look on their face
-- Traffic jams (no less than 3) at a GREEN light, where, despite 2 lanes of traffic, not more than 10 cars get through the intersection per each green light

This is why I'm going to spend some 2-3 hours taking the train to Northwestern -- someone in Evanston would be brutally murdered every morning if I was forced to drive all the time.

Over-rated: Cars
Song lyric: "And I know there's just no use / When all your lies become your truth and I don't care / Can you look me in the eye / And tell me that you're happy now?" -- "Are You Happy Now?" -- Michelle Branch

Well, it was a busier weekend than I wanted it to be.

Friday night I filled in for a missing member of my mother's old bowling team. I didn't bowl badly, just inconsistently. Averaged about 169 for the series, but I can certainly do better than that. Looks like my name will be put on the sub list and I might go sub for missing people on different teams from time to time.

Almost everyone was out of contact Saturday, so I did a bunch of chores around the house and began writing a packet I need to finish for quiz bowl before the end of the month. Then went and got a haircut and didn't do much of anything in the evening.

Sunday meant the beginning of football season (and fantasy football). It was kinda fun to watch my team build up a big lead in the early games, but it's only a small lead now, after all Amanda's players had a chance to play in the late games. She still has two players tonight, but I have Tampa Bay's defense, which is usually pretty good.

Probably the most important thing I did over the weekend was have about a three-hour conversation with Sarah last night about a whole lot of different things. There were a bunch of things both of us had harbored for some time, and we just put everything out in the open and I think our friendship is better for it. There is definitely a cleansed feeling that I have. We both laughed a little, both cried a little (my parents don't believe I'm capable of crying), and we're better friends than we were before. For my part, she made me realize a lot of bad mistakes I made, but forgave me anyway. I consider myself lucky.

One more week of work, then Amanda comes in for the weekend and shortly thereafter I'm supposed to head to Colorado for a week. I'm beginning to have doubts about going, though. I have a good deal of work to get done before school starts and all I really want for the week is to relax. 34 hours on the train (round-trip) is not very relaxing when it's hard to sleep. So we'll see what happens. Then grad school begins on the 22nd. Still no idea what to expect there, either.

Over-rated: commuting to work
Song Lyric: "So just listen to the reasons / and the hints that I've been giving / to the thoughts of my imagination..." -- "Amazing", Josh Kelly

I was talking with Olivia last night (while she was putting off doing her physics work), and she told me that I came up at the first DUCKS practice this week, and that some people might be afraid of what they've heard. She said "Soon, you'll be a tall tale...". Just what I need.

Tennis last night was fun -- I felt like I hit really well for the first time in a long time, and got to play some doubles, as well.

This weekend is devoted to chores and writing questions for 2 packets I'm supposed to be working on. I should probably get these things done before I head off to Colorado, because there's no way I'll get anything done out there and the deadline is the end of the week I start school, so the odds are good I won't get much done then, either. So this weekend and next week become question writing time if I have any hope of sleeping in the coming weeks.

In other news, the Cubs beat the Cardinals AGAIN yesterday, taking 4 of 5 in the series and moving ahead of the DeadBirds in the standings, only half a game back of Houston. St. Louis and the Astros still have 6 games left against one another. Here's hoping they get mustard gassed at Busch Stadium -- that would get rid of both teams AND a bunch of Cardinal fans, who are the most obnoxious people on Earth, even more so than Sox fans.

Over-rated: Circular, symmetrical ballparks
Song lyric: "I believe I'd buy whatever you would sell to me / Nothing in my life ever came with a guarantee" -- "You're an Ocean", Fastball

After a miserable weekend, the weather promises to be low 70's and sunny all day today. I'm definitely going home and playing tennis tonight.

In other news, I'm glad I only have 6 days of work at Mobil after today. They will have gotten a whole lot of content out of me and even a few ideas to implement, which should prove even more valuable. All this and they'll have web content through the first quarter of 2004. Join Mobil Companion

Over-rated: Kate Moss
Song Lyric: "Dear you say that my behavior's unacceptable / So condescending, unnecessarily critical / I have a tendency of getting very physical / So watch your step, 'cause if you do, you'll need a miracle..." -- "Harder to Breathe", Maroon 5

Ok, hopefully this one is co-worker proof. I'll explain if you ask me. But, in theory, if you can see this, I don't mind you doing so. Everything I had written before is in 3 big posts to cover the approximately 2 months prior to the change.

Wednesday, September 03, 2003

Tuesday...
Revelation -- I love the train and the whole idea behind trains. They're my favorite way to travel, both between Chicago and other states and commuting to the city and within it. I'm gonna dig riding the el to Northwestern most days, I think.

Also, I heard something interesting recently. One parent said to another "Where's Josiah?", to which he answered "I've got him with me." This struck me as odd -- a child probably born near the turn of the 21st Century to two very normal looking people who was named Josiah. There are reasons some names die out, I think, and this should be one of them. Biblical names are just too out of character for today's children. Today's kids seem to have names like Tyler or Summer -- names that are new-fangled, rather than old-fashioned (could something be old-fangled?). Names like Josiah went out with Jesus, it seems to me (but I suppose if you believe the Bible, these names came back after just 3 days, right around Easter, about 2030 years ago...). I cannot picture how this will be good for today's children -- I have a relatively normal name that everyone calls me but people still give me funny looks when I tell them my full name. I just can't see naming a kid something like Malachi Methusaleh Jones. That will never fly in the classroom when roll is taken. So name your kids something sensible if you have to give them Biblical names -- name them after a saint or something. There's nothing wrong with Steven, Michael or Matthew -- these kids will do just fine. Little Malachi is gonna get the crap kicked out of him.

Over-rated: Jack Black
Song lyric: "Was it you who spoke the words that / things would happen but not to me? / Oh, things are gonna happen naturally..." -- "You and I Both" -- Jason Mraz
- posted by Stan @ 11:05 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Monday, September 01, 2003

Golf
I did get to play golf after all -- the rain subsided enough for me to go out. It was actually drizzling as I was driving, and I called Sarah with the following revelation: If anyone is ever going to have a child, do not let them play golf. Why? Because it'll clearly make them insane enough to go out and play in the rain -- which, not coincidentally, is exactly what your mom always told you NOT to do. So you get to be insane and rebellious to a fault. And you're still out there paying to be frustrated.
- posted by Stan @ 6:12 PM
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Labor Day
Well, my best laid plans for playing golf on this long weekend have gone right down the tubes, as rain has been falling in a slow but consistent drizzle for some 48 hours now. It has provided me with time to do sit-ups, which I need to do on a regular basis, but hate nonetheless. Yet another thing that my mother has made me consider doing (after making me self-conscious about my midsection). Hopefully once the school year begins again and I have to be walking around again, I'll be closer to the shape I want to be in. Maybe not the shape I was in 2 summers ago when I worked out 2-3 times a week after work, but in good shape.

Everyone else has begun school by now, so it's a little weird that I'm the only one still working for the summer. I've got two more weeks, then Amanda comes in for the weekend and that Monday I take a train to Colorado to see Dave. I get back the day before I begin at Northwestern and then it's grad school.

And even before I begin grad school, I have to wonder if I want to get a PhD. I know if I go into English or something, I can fairly easily get it paid for, and then it's 3-4 more years of school, and then on to teaching somewhere, ostensibly. I guess that will depend on job offers through Northwestern. I hate when I don't know what's coming next. I've realized that I kinda thrive on stability, even if this makes my life a little more dull and predictable than most people. I'm happy with a routine and don't require a lot.

Over-rated: Living the crazy party life in college
Song lyric: "This is my life so whatever the cost / If i'm lost would you hold it against me?" -- "I Refuse", by Sense Field

- posted by Stan @ 1:13 PM
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Friday, August 29, 2003

VMA's...
I have to say that I did not watch the VMA's on MTV last night, but I'm reading all about it this morning.

Good for Justin Timberlake for trying to feign honoring Johnny Cash. Now if we could just advance Timberlake to Cash's age and physical condition, the world would be a better place.

Missy Elliot is grossly overrated. She's maybe the ugliest woman in music and can't sing. I need to start listing someone overrated each day. Congrats, Missy, you started a trend.

I've never been into the whole girl-on-girl thing -- it's really pretty scary to think about. That being said, Britney and Madonna intrigues me more than it should.

Cristina Aguilera could be reasonably good-looking. She chooses not to whenever possible.

Hope to get to see the replay of Eminem beating up "Special Ed", from Crank Yankers.

Why is someone like Chris Rock, who is capable of actual social commentary, hosting such a program? Maybe they'll go out and get Micheal Moore to host next year. Hell, get him and Ann Coulter both -- that I might watch -- but only if Coulter gets to have Britney Spears' wardrobe.

- posted by Stan @ 12:06 PM
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That's MISTER tennis league champion to you....
Well, as though I needed an even larger target on my back, I beat the three-time defending tennis league champion last night in sound fashion, 10-4. In three playoff matches, I gave up 8 total games. My opponent, by contrast, gave up 8 just LAST WEEK. This makes me happy, as my friend Sam would say (more on Sammy in a minute). So I finished with a 12-0 record and now have two completely ostentatious plaques for regular season and tournament championsips, which will probably go right into a dark closet somewhere. I think I deserve to be proud over the long weekend.

I've noticed, as I mentioned to Dan near the outset of the summer, that driving in rush hour traffic twice a day has made me into a much worse driver than I once was. I used to be much more courteous and seldom change lanes. I still ALWAYS use my turn signal to switch lanes, but I drive faster now, change lanes a lot more to try to get by as many slow people as possible, and I go through a lot of yellow lights -- probably many I should stop at, in truth. However, Sammy taught me something valuable years ago about that -- she said that it was her understanding that for every yellow light you go through, you're entitled to 45 more minutes of sex somewhere down the line. So, let's see, 2 to 3 per day for the entire summer adds up to......

In other news, excited about finally making good on my dinner with Sabrina tonight (it's not a date, we've decided). I feel bad about cancelling twice before, but it's good to see someone you have not seen in years and be able to catch up a little. Hopefully, it'll be a nice start to a good long weekend where I can sleep in 3 consecutive days and maybe play some golf, if the weather gods will allow.

Finally, I've been really glad for the advent of cell phones a lot in the last week. I was able to call my mother for directions in Chicago (amidst my marathon through Millennium Park), I was able to be on the phone when Amanda needed to talk to someone about her grandfather, Sarah was able to get a hold of me when she was in a pinch, and it was nice to be able to hear Sarah's voice last night when she just decided to call for the heck of it. As I told her, IM is nice, but it's really comforting to be able to hear the actual voice of someone and make them laugh in person, rather than reading "lol" over and over again. So yay cell phones.

And now you can all make comments if you don't like what I'm writing....


- posted by Stan @ 9:16 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Thursday, August 28, 2003

Nap time...
I need to start napping on my lunch breaks. The days are just not packed with enough stuff to do that will keep me awake.


- posted by Stan @ 3:13 PM
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Guh....
I hate the feeling that I get most mornings when I'm walking out of the house that I'm forgetting something. Usually a quick mental inventory will clear up what it was that I was about to forget, but not this morning, when I left the power cord for my laptop plugged in to a power strip in my bedroom, rather than bringing it to work. Hence I'm on the cruddy desktop they gave me, where I cannot download any programs I might need to get my job done (or entertain myself when the job is slow).

The final match of my tennis league is tonight. It's me against the guy who has won it the last 3 years (losing one match prior to this year), but he looked eminently beat-able last week in a 10-8 semi-final win, while I cruised 10-1. I beat him during the regular season and I think I can do it again tonight if I get some breaks.

In other news, I really need something to shake up my life or make it more interesting. I've spent this summer like so many other millions of people -- commuting to work every day, working my 8 hours and going home to a routine that's pretty much the same every week. When the hardest thing you have to figure out every day is what to have for dinner, something needs to change. I don't even anticipate school being much of a change, because there's still the commute every day, class from 9 until whenever and then head home.

Like I told Sarah yesterday, I think I'm gonna steal a page from John Mayer here and chalk this up to a quarter-life crisis.
- posted by Stan @ 9:02 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Increasingly frequent rant...
I was watching an ESPN special on Arthur Ashe last night (black tennis player who contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion, but not before he helped get blacks accepted in the USTA and helped get Nelson Mandela out of prison), and I realized something about myself: I want, more than anything, to make a difference in life, and I want to find someone to spend my life with who is also making a difference.

I like to think that a career in journalism is helpful to the people who will see and hear my stories, and I hope it works out this way. There are only a few professions I can think of where people regularly make a difference in the lives of others -- among them: teachers, scientists, doctors, firemen, etc.

I don't know too many people (even those that want to go into some of these professions) that I believe will truly make a difference, but I do know a few. I'm certainly not looking for someone like this posting personal ads online -- this is just something to do for fun to get responses from people -- more a function of boredom and my training as a communication student than anything else, I think.

But I need to make a difference and I need to find someone who will do the same. I would love a life of going to PTA meetings, shuttling kids to baseball and soccer games and having kids around to watch them grow and help keep me young at heart. A lot of people I know are getting too old for their own good (I'm as guilty of this as anyone), and this is one aging process that I think needs to be tempered, but it's harder to do without a significant other there to keep an eye on you.

I do miss the feeling of being in a relationship, but I'm not just going to go out with people haphazardly to try to find someone I like to sleep with. This is a foolish way to go about things. People have asked me in the last year if I've met the person I think I'm going to marry and I've had to honestly say I don't know. I think that person will find me as much as I will find them -- it seems to me this should be a mutual decision more than one person convincing the other one that the union is a good one.

I think whenever the time comes, I'm not going to have any problem plopping down an obscene amount of money for a ring and getting down on one knee in front of the woman I want to spend my life with. Maybe I've met her and maybe I haven't. Whatever the case, I know relatively WHAT I'm looking for, I just don't know who's going to stand up and fit the bill.
- posted by Stan @ 9:40 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Tuesday, August 26, 2003

Bad verbiage...
I used the term "color scheme" in my writing for work today. This is a lousy term and I have no idea how we came up with it in the first place (this does NOT mean I will remove it from my writing, however).

It seems to me a "color scheme" is something having to do with one of the following:

1. Yellow Journalism
2. Seasickness
3. Any crime involving the makers of Crayola Crayons (Binney and Smith, for those keeping score at home)
4. The Red Baron
5. A point-shaving scandal involving the Crimson Tide, Green Wave, Blue Demons, Yellow Jackets or Rainbow Warriors
- posted by Stan @ 1:34 PM
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Car danger averted...
I'm glad I decided to walk outside to get some fresh air for 10 minutes at the end of my lunch break. It had just begun to drizzle as I walked out the front door. I waited for it to slow to a near-stop, then went and closed my car windows, which were open to let some of the 93 degree heat out during the day, making my car less of a sauna when I drive home. Now it's pouring.
- posted by Stan @ 12:54 PM
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Had a real interesting conversation with Sabrina last night, who (in a good-natured way) let me have it for using "The D Word", as she put it.

But the interesting part was not talking about whether or not to call it a date, but my suggestion that we get some sticky things out in the open. She said that she wants to find a relationship where she can share her views on God with a man, which I can completely understand.

However, my question for her was this: What about people like myself who really aren't sure WHAT they believe? I don't feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick or anything, it just seems to me that Sabrina has a very good sense of where her faith lies, but that other people might not, especially in college. So what about people like me who have yet to figure out what they want out of a relationship with God? I have enough trouble figuring out what to get out of relationships with WOMEN, let alone trying to open up a good dialogue with God.

And I suppose the converse is ultimately true for me, as well. Since I was not brought up in a family that where religion was stressed, I do not look for this in a woman. I'm accepting of whatever people believe (far be it for me to tell anyone what they should or should not believe when I could not possibly answer this same query from them), but religion has long been a little scary to me, because it always seems like when I talk to someone who is deeply religious I get this irrational fear that somewhere in there is a sales pitch for God ("Now try new GOD -- Eliminates ring around the collar, dish-pan hands and the fear of eternal damnation!"). To her credit, I have never felt this way when talking to Sabrina. She's been understanding of my religious conundrum, and more than anything, I'm curious what she (and almost anyone else, for that matter) has to say on the subject, so that maybe I can make a more informed decision when the time is right.

In the last 10 years or so, I've seen both of my parents change their views on God -- my mother because of surviving a bad car wreck and my father because he was introduced to a slightly radical church by a co-worker. They are very different in what they do, however. My mother still does not go to services, and my father not only attends church every week, but goes to Promise Keeper rallies (don't get me started on these).

My grandfather has always been a Presbyterian minister, and my grandmother devoutly religious, but neither one of them pushed religion on me beyond taking my sister and me to church whenever we spent a weekend with them as kids, and the saying of grace at big family meals. Other than that, it's been virtually a non-factor.

And I, of my own volition, began to pray every so often during college. I believe this is related to something that Descartes (at least I think it was Descartes) postulated: You begin assuming that you don't know whether or not God exists. If you take two people and have one of them pray on a regular basis and one of them abstain from praying, the one who prays stands to gain no matter what. It takes virtually no time, and if it DOES end up mattering who prayed, that little bit of time is ostensibly going to pay off when you get up to St. Peter.

But I can't help but wonder if this "safety blanket" approach is almost akin to worshipping a false idol, if one exists. Would God rather I pray, just in case it matters later or would he rather I pray because I actually whole-heartedly BELIEVE what I've been told about God, Heaven, etc? I'm told the Bible says "Thou shalt put no other Gods before me" -- I wonder if I'm praying to a different god than Sabrina does...

It strikes me all of a sudden that no matter how much education you have (I've quoted both Descartes and scripture above), it might not matter in the eyes of God. He seems prefectly happy to have people blindly follow him because someone told them to as he does having people do as much reading and research as they can to figure out what they believe. So clearly there's room on the proverbial bus for everyone, but it doesn't seem to matter what stop you get on at.
- posted by Stan @ 9:57 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Monday, August 25, 2003

I'm glad Sabrina is so darn understanding. She was completely cool about me going to help Sarah in South Bend and we're on to try the date for the third time Friday night. The third time will be a charm!
- posted by Stan @ 10:51 PM
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Crazy Weekend...
Well, as I told my mother Saturday afternoon, this is EXACTLY what I planned my weekend to look like.

The weekend began innocently enough, as I got to sleep in until about 10:45. Woke up, took a shower, and slowly began to get my chores done around the house. At about 11:30, I get a phone message from Amanda. I call her back immediately and she says her grandfather is at a hospital in Cincinnati and is not doing well, and that she is going to rush home to be with him. She was (understandably) very emotional, and my advice to her was to calm down before driving and try to find a way to come to grips with her grandfather's mortality. We hang up and she leaves for home.

I continue to get things done around the house until about 1:50, when Sarah calls. She has had some major issues with housing in South Bend. Well, it turns out she's found a new place and is going to move (second time in a week) into the new place. I had spoken to her on the phone the night before and told her that I would go help if she needed it (she assured me it would be NEXT weekend). So I walk into the other room and tell my mother that I'm going to South Bend for the weekend. The catch here is that I can't leave for another 2 hours, because Sarah called me just 7 minutes before the Metra train was to leave Elgin. There's another catch -- I had a DATE Saturday night. The date was with a friend from high school who I haven't seen in at least 4 years, and who I've cancelled on once this summer already. I call her around 3 pm and say "I've got a story you are NOT going to believe." She says "You're cancelling on me again..." and I say "No, that's the part you WILL believe..." Fortunately for me, she's a very understanding person. So, I finish my chores, pack, and eventually board the 3:57 Metra train into the city.

The train ride goes smoothly as usual. I get into the city at about 5:10, knowing that I have 50 minutes to get to the Randolph Street station for the South Shore train to South Bend. The catch it that I don't know exactly where the station is. From Union Station to Randolph Street, it's approximately a mile and a half. I get to Randolph Street at about 5:35. My mother has assured me there are signs telling me where to get on. I walk east on Randolph for a couple blocks and there appears to be no way to get down to the tracks that I'm sure are near where I am. I call my mother on my cell phone (which is down to below half power, as it's not holding a charge well), and ask for directions. She looks online, and finds an address. I walk back towards the Art Institute, where I know the tracks run. As I go through Millennium Park, it becomes clear that I am, in fact, walking right above the tracks. I reach the Art Institute at 5:48. It's impossible to get to Van Buren street station in time. I RUN back through Millennium Park, on my cell phone, to Randolph Street (about a third of a mile). I walk down a ramp on Randolph Street to get below ground. Still no signs. I ask a very friendly black lady if she has any idea where the station is. She does not. I find a stairwell to go even further down, and take it. I now have about 5 minutes to find the damn train. I get down and walk back towards Michigan Avenue. As I reach a dead end, I see what I know to be the outline of a South Shore car through a revolving door, and make the train with about 3 minutes to spare. Guh.

My green collared shirt is now a sweat rag for all intents and purposes anyway, so I take it off and demote it to that role entirely. As I had been on the phone with my mom, Amanda had called, but I didn't pick up. I listen to the message she left, and it says she's going to the hospital, because her grandfather's blood pressure had begun to drop. She said it would take her 20 minutes to get there, and the message had been left about 20 minutes prior (presumably as I was running through Millennium Park). I buy my ticket and begin to read my book (Closing Time, the sequel to Catch-22, by Joseph Heller). As I reach Gary, Indiana (*little boy from The Music Man* Gah-wy, Indiana, Gah-wy, Indiana...), I send Amanda a text message because I had come across the word "swashbuckler" in my reading (long story) and thought it might make her smile. So I send it and best wishes to her family. As it happens, she's sending me a message at the same time. Two very simple words: He's Gone.

She calls me a few moments later and sounds remarkably good. She got to say good-bye and her grandfather knew she was there with him. That was all she had asked for.

I get in to South Bend around 8:30, and Sarah and her grandfather pick me up. We go back to her original place of residence and pack up one load into her grandparents' minivan, before going to the hotel for the evening. There is little sleep to be had because, as Sarah puts it, her grandparents are downright symphonic in their snoring -- when one leaves off, the other picks up.

We get up and have breakfast in the hotel around 8:30, and then drop off the first load at Sarah's new apartment (where she has access to an indoor pool, outdoor pool, weight room, sand volleyball court, etc). It eventually takes 4 more loads before all her stuff is in her apartment. This actually goes remarkably fast. We're all done by about 2 pm. We have lunch, and Sarah's mom calls her grandparents. Her message for me is, and I quote: "Tell him he's on the top of my list of good men, for now." "For now...," I say.

My train leaves South Bend on time at 4:40, putting me back in Chicago at 7. At 7:20, I'm back in Union Station and, as I feared, there's going to be a wait to catch the Metra back to Elgin, which doesn't leave for an hour and 20 minutes. So I grab a couple Big Macs and a strawberry shake from McDonald's and go sit down to eat and read my book until the train leaves. I'm finally back home at about 10 pm.

Yeah, just as I had planned.
- posted by Stan @ 9:58 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Friday, August 22, 2003

Tennis results
In other news, I won my semi-final tennis match last night 10-1 -- ironically the largest margin by which I've won a match in all of league play. Tim Baran, the guy who I eliminated last week in the quarters, brought beer for everyone after the matches were done and we all sat around and talked about fantasy football and goofed off until it got dark and we had to go home. A great group of guys to be in a league with -- I hope I can do it again next summer.

- posted by Stan @ 11:14 AM
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Northwestern's Incoming Journalism Class....
I'm looking at the e-mail sent out to all the new graduate students at Northwestern this year. Talk about people from a wide range of places -- it's almost as though they rarely take two people from the same school. Here's a partial list:

McKenna
Cornell
Duke
Michigan
DePauw
Richmond
Colgate
Iowa
Bucknell
Cal-Berkeley
Northwestern
Swarthmore
Syracuse
Vanderbilt
Penn State
Illinois
Tulane
St. Bonaventure
Notre Dame
- posted by Stan @ 8:53 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Thursday, August 21, 2003

School must be starting again -- friends are returning to my IM buddy list like the swallows to San Juan Capistrano...
- posted by Stan @ 3:42 PM
Your Comments Here (0) Wednesday, August 20, 2003

As my friends and I begin graduate school, I got to looking back on the beginning of my undergraduate experience...

I don't think I've ever been so lonely as I was the first night I was at college. I didn't know a single person there whose room I could hang out in, but people I had met casually during my orientation all knew people from home who were there going through this new beginning with them.

I didn't have a TV, I didn't have an internet connection and I didn't even have a roommate -- he had decided to go to Ball State instead, so that he might get to play football. So I sat there under my lofted bed in the relative dark and nearly cried.

But it got better. After just a couple days, I knew people and was spending time away from orientation sessions with them. My next door neighbor was from Corpus Christi, Texas. I'd never been to Texas, and I don't think he'd ever been to Illinois. But he played tennis, and so did I -- and, as it turned out, we'd play as often as we could all year long.

Everyone (myself included) found their little niche at the University and a friend base into which they could easily incorporate themselves. The year went on, some people attached greek letters to their resume, and at the end of the year, we all moved to different places to be with the people we found we liked the best.

And four years proceeded to fly by. Friends came and went, classes were good and bad, and everyone made it through ok.

This has to be what grad school will be like. It's odd that we all have a degree with our names on it now, but we still harbor the same fears we did the first day of kindergarten -- Will people like me? How will I make friends? Will I fit in? What if I don't know anybody?

Now we have one another to pat the other person on the backpack and lead them to the door of their first graduate class. Pack yourself a fruit roll-up in your lunch, bring your three-ring binder and prepare to begin again -- just like you did so courageously when you were five. Mom and Dad are still behind you, wherever they are -- and so are all the people you were afraid you'd never get to like you.
- posted by Stan @ 2:39 PM
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Thanks to everyone who played the music game this summer. I hope everyone had a good time. Just to recap, the winners were:

VERSION 1.0 (Key words or phrases): NO ONE
VERSION 2.0 (Scattergories): Megan Kemp
VERSION 3.0 (Outburst): TIE (Andrew Ibendahl and Amanda Hartman)
VERSION 4.0 (Themed Artists): Olivia Hatton
- posted by Stan @ 8:53 AM
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Hatton Secures Win in MUSIC GAME 4.0
TUESDAY, AUGUST 19 – COLORFUL ARTISTS
1. Under the Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers
2. Spirit in the Sky – Norman Greenbaum
3. Don't Fear the Reaper –Blue Oyster Cult
4. Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple
5. Smokin' In the Boys Room – Brownsville Station
6. Minority – Green Day
7. Iron Man – Black Sabbath
8. If You Don't Know Me By Now – Simply Red
9. Least Complicated – Indigo Girls
10. Fell In Love With A Girl – The White Stripes

Amanda Hartman – 6 points
Steph Beach – 3 points
Mike Tillmann – 7 points
Olivia Hatton – 8 points
Andrew Ibendahl – 3 points


Overall Standings:
Olivia Hatton: 36 points
Mike Tillmann: 25 points
Steph Beach: 17 points
Amanda Hartman: 13 points
Pattie Quackenbush: 11 points
Andrew Ibendahl: 9 points
Craig Barker: 5 points
Megan Kemp: 4 points

- posted by Stan @ 8:46 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Tuesday, August 19, 2003

A great headline you'll never see, but should:

"Pop Tarts Inventor Awarded Nobel Peace Prize; Dalai Lama Stunned"
- posted by Stan @ 10:12 AM
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MUSIC GAME 4.0: Day Five
1. Under the Bridge
2. Spirit in the Sky
3. Don't Fear the Reaper
4. Smoke on the Water
5. Smokin' In the Boys Room
6. Minority
7. Iron Man
8. If You Don't Know Me By Now
9. Least Complicated
10. Fell In Love With A Girl
- posted by Stan @ 8:57 AM
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Tillmann Moves Into Second, Hatton lead still increases....
MONDAY, AUGUST 18 – IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR
1. We’re Not Gonna Take It – Twisted Sister
2. Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers
3. Flowers on the Wall – Statler Brothers
4. Champagne High – Sister Hazel
5. Ramblin’ Man – Allman Brothers
6. China Grove – Doobie Brothers
7. All I Have To Do is Dream – Everly Brothers
8. I’m So Excited – Pointer Sisters
9. Family Affair – Sly and the Family Stone
10. Who’s That Lady? – Isley Brothers

Amanda Hartman – 1 point
Olivia Hatton – 7 points
Mike Tillmann – 9 points
Steph Beach -- 2 points

Best incorrect guess: Sister Sledge (MT)

Overall Standings:
Olivia Hatton: 28 points
Mike Tillmann: 18 points
Steph Beach: 14 points
Pattie Quackenbush: 11 points
Amanda Hartman: 7 points
Andrew Ibendahl: 6 points
Craig Barker: 5 points
Megan Kemp: 4 points
- posted by Stan @ 8:46 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Monday, August 18, 2003

Productivity at an all-time high....
It's odd -- I had gotten so used to having to temper my efficiency and productivity so that my tasks lasted me the amount of time they were supposed to that I almost forgot what it was like to be on deadline and having to get things done. That being said, I've gotten about 8 projects done in the last 6 work days, so that's good. I'll actually earn this upcoming paycheck, I figure.
- posted by Stan @ 2:30 PM
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MUSIC GAME 4.0: Day Four
1. We’re Not Gonna Take It
2. Unchained Melody
3. Flowers on the Wall
4. Champagne High
5. Ramblin’ Man
6. China Grove
7. All I Have To Do is Dream
8. I’m So Excited
9. Family Affair
10. Who’s That Lady?

- posted by Stan @ 10:52 AM
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Beach takes over second place, Hatton still in front
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17 – ALLITERATIVE ARTISTS
1. Blinded By the Light – Manfred Mann
2. Me and Bobby McGee -- Janis Joplin
3. Goody Two Shoes – Adam Ant
4. Tonight's Tha Night – Kris Kross
5. I Love Rock and Roll – Joan Jett
6. Easy Tonight – Five For Fighting
7. Big Me – Foo Fighters
8. Vacation – Go-Go’s
9. 409 – Beach Boys
10. No Sleep Til Brooklyn – Beastie Boys

Steph Beach – 6 points
Amanda Hartman – 4 points
Olivia Hatton – 6 points
Andrew Ibendahl – 6 points

Overall Standings:
Olivia Hatton: 21 points
Steph Beach: 12 points
Pattie Quackenbush: 11 points
Mike Tillmann: 9 points
Amanda Hartman: 6 points
Andrew Ibendahl: 6 points
Craig Barker: 5 points
Megan Kemp: 4 points


- posted by Stan @ 10:44 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Sunday, August 17, 2003

Tillmann makes best one-day showing, Hatton holds on to lead...
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16 – “C” ARTISTS
1. I Want You To Want Me – Cheap Trick
2. Gonna Make You Sweat – C&C Music Factory
3. If I Could Turn Back Time – Cher
4. Zoot Suit Riot – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
5. Lovefool – The Cardigans
6. Anna Begins – Counting Crows
7. Saturday in the Park – Chicago
8. After Midnight – Eric Clapton
9. Hit the Road, Jack – Ray Charles
10. Muskrat Love – Captain and Tennille

Steph Beach – 6 points
Pattie Quackenbush – 6 points
Olivia Hatton – 7 points
Mike Tillmann – 9 points

Best wrong answer: Letters to Cleo (PQ)

Overall point totals:
Olivia Hatton: 15 points
Pattie Quackenbush: 11 points
Mike Tillmann: 9 points
Steph Beach: 6 points
Craig Barker: 5 points
Megan Kemp: 4 points
Amanda Hartman: 2 points

- posted by Stan @ 10:57 AM
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MUSIC GAME 4.0: Day Three
1. Blinded By the Light
2. Me and Bobby McGee
3. Goody Two Shoes
4. Tonight's Tha Night
5. I Love Rock and Roll
6. Easy Tonight
7. Big Me
8. Vacation
9. 409
10. No Sleep Til Brooklyn
- posted by Stan @ 10:52 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Saturday, August 16, 2003

MUSIC GAME 4.0: Day Two
1. I Want You to Want Me
2. Gonna Make You Sweat
3. If I Could Turn Back Time
4. Zoot Suit Riot
5. Lovefool
6. Anna Begins
7. Saturday in the Park
8. After Midnight
9. Hit the Road, Jack
10. Muskrat Love

- posted by Stan @ 11:40 AM
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British Invasion propels Hatton into Day One lead...
Friday, August 15 – THE BRITISH INVASION
1. I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band) – The Moody Blues
2. Glad All Over – Dave Clark 5
3. You Really Got Me – The Kinks
4. Squeeze Box – The Who
5. Glad – Traffic
6. I’m Into Something Good – Herman’s Hermits
7. Dizzy Miss Lizzy – The Beatles
8. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood – The Animals
9. Train Kept A Rollin’ – The Yardbirds
10. Angie – The Rolling Stones

Olivia Hatton – 8 points
Pattie Quackenbush – 5 points
Craig Barker – 5 points
Megan Kemp – 4 points
Amanda Hartman – 2 points

Best incorrectly guessed band(s): Boston

- posted by Stan @ 11:24 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Friday, August 15, 2003

I Must Be Nuts...
Just did one of the crazier things I have ever gone out on a limb to do in my life -- contacted a woman from a personal ad I found online. The men will appreciate this -- she had a picture on there of her and Mark Prior in the dugout at Wrigley Field and said she actively follows the Cubs and Bears. All this and she's an athlete. It's worth a shot, right? Right.....?
- posted by Stan @ 12:28 PM
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MUSIC GAME VERSION 4.0
Alright, here's how the new game works:

I'm going to list 10 songs. You will have to identify the artists of each of the songs, all of whom will have something in common. The catch is that I will not let on what that common trait is. You'll have to figure it out yourself. When I post the answers the following day, I'll also post what the previous day's hook was. Clear as mud? I'll try to put some songs that may not be as familiar, but try to stay with artists that are. The converse of that is one-hit wonders, obviously, which will make an appearance from time to time, as well. If you get all 10 right on a given day, I'll give you a bonus point. Once more, NAME THE ARTIST and NO CHEATING -- by this I mean no internet, no Winamp, no flipping through your CD's, etc -- you know it or you don't!.

1. I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)
2. Glad All Over
3. You Really Got Me
4. Squeeze Box
5. Glad
6. I’m Into Something Good
7. Dizzy Miss Lizzy
8. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
9. Train Kept A Rollin’
10. Angie
- posted by Stan @ 10:16 AM
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Sigh, another game without a winner...
Here are the final standings, new game to come:

Andrew Ibendahl: 9 points
Amanda Hartman: 9 points
Pattie Quackenbush: 8 points
Craig Barker: 8 points
Steph Beach: 5 points


BILLY JOEL
• Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
• Big Shot
• Only The Good Die Young
• Tell Her About It
• New York State of Mind

Amanda Hartman: Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, Only the Good Die Young, Uptown Girl, Big Shot, We Didn't Start the Fire (2 points)

Andrew Ibendahl: You May Be Right, River of Dreams, We Didn’t Start the Fire, Just the Way You Are, Tell Her About It (1 point)

Craig Barker: Miami 2017, I Go To Extremes, Goodnight Saigon, Captain Jack, Uptown Girl (0 points)

Steph Beach: Piano Man, Uptown Girl, We Didn’t Start the Fire, Still Rock and Roll to Me, New York State of Mind (1 point)
- posted by Stan @ 9:31 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Thursday, August 14, 2003

Baseball dilemma...
I subscribe to a service that allows me to listen to Chicago Cubs games over the internet while I'm at work. And like any good radio station, WGN takes pains to assure that fans hear the National Anthem before each game. I find myself torn, here in my cubicle among my co-workers, between standing up and putting my hand over my heart or just sitting here and typing things like this while Wayne Messmer sings the anthem at Baseball's Best Ballpark. I don't think I'm being unpatriotic, but I'm still torn.

The other half of this is that (through trial and error), I have learned that if I stand up to look over my cubicle wall and out the patio door, an electrical shock travels through my earphones (of which I usually only have one in, so that I might hear my boss beckon if she needs me) and into my ear. So standing I can do, but I might not be able to stand AND listen without taking my headphones off and subjecting the nearby cubicle tenants to WGN and the anthem for the 60 seconds it takesto perform it. A conundrum, to be sure.
- posted by Stan @ 1:22 PM
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The java was jive...
I walked into the break room this morning and noticed that the powdered non-dairy creamer had been replaced with honest-to-goodness cream, with even a tinge of french vanilla flavor. So I poured myself a cup of coffee, added 3 of the creamers and an Equal (some of the sweetest stuff on Earth), and had a sip. It wasn't bad. I got back to my desk, began reading through my news online, had another sip and was appalled -- both at the taste of the coffee in general and at the fact I had allowed myself to think it might not be all that bad. Guh -- coffee still stinks, even when severely doctored up.
- posted by Stan @ 10:36 AM
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In other news...
Won my first tennis playoff match last night, 10-3. I had beaten my opponent 10-2 during the regular season, so things pretty much fell in line. My first serve percentage had to be up around 70%, so that helped him from being able to take the offensive. Also got a big plaque for winning the regular season (going 9-0 in the process). Now I just have to try to win the plaque for the tournament.
- posted by Stan @ 8:55 AM
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This game seems abnormally prone to ties...
PQ did not play Wednesday, and it cost her the outright lead:

BARENAKED LADIES
• Be My Yoko Ono
• Falling For the First Time
• Brian Wilson
• Jane
• The Old Apartment

Steph Beach: One Week, Pinch Me, It’s All Been Done, If I Had a Million Dollars, Falling For The First Time (1 point)

Andrew Ibendahl: If I Had a Million Dollars, The Old Apartment, Pinch Me, One Week, It’s All Been Done (1 point)

Craig Barker: Who Needs Sleep, Call and Answer, Jane, Falling for the First Time, The Old Apartment (3 points)

Amanda Hartman: If I had A Million Dollars, The Old Apartment, Pinch Me, One Week, Who Needs Sleep (1 point)

Michael Tillmann (trying to come up with 5 songs no one else would name, and succeeding): Get In Line, Lovers in a Dangerous Time, Light up my Room, Helicopters, It's only Me (The Wizard of Magicland) (0 points)

So the cumulative standings look like this:
Pattie Quackenbush: 8 points
Craig Barker: 8 points
Andrew Ibendahl: 8 points
Amanda Hartman: 7 points
Steph Beach: 4 points

Those 5 are technically still in the game. Today will be a one-day tiebreaker. All ties stand after the end of today's round.

THURSDAY'S ARTIST: Billy Joel

- posted by Stan @ 8:53 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Wednesday, August 13, 2003

And down the stretch they come......
ROLLING STONES
• Let’s Spend the Night Together
• Brown Sugar
• Ruby Tuesday
• Wild Horses
• Get Off Of My Cloud

Andrew Ibendahl: Honky Tonk Women, Satisfaction, Start Me Up, Ruby Tuesday, Get Off Of My Cloud (2 points)

Steph Beach: Brown Sugar, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Wild Horses, Gimme Shelter, Start Me Up (2 points)

Pattie Quackenbush: Ruby Tuesday, Satisfaction, Come On, Brown Sugar, It's Only Rock and Roll (2 points)

Craig Barker: Gimme Shelter, Miss You, Let's Spend The Night Together, She's a Rainbow, 19th Nervous Breakdown (1 point)

Amanda Hartman: Get Off Of My Cloud, Paint It Black, Honky Tonk Women, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Ruby Tuesday (2 points)

Olivia Hatton: As Tears Go By, 19th Nervous Breakdown, Gimme Shelter, Paint it Black, and Mother's Little Helper (0 points)

Cumulative Standings:
Pattie Quackenbush: 8 points
Andrew Ibendahl: 7 points
Amanda Hartman: 6 points
Craig Barker: 5 points
Steph Beach: 3 point
Olivia Hatton: 2 points
Sam Gavin: 2 points
Sarah Mordan-McCombs: 1 point
Jim Nyenhuis: 1 point
Megan Kemp: 1 point
Ben Stewart: 0 points

So PQ has a one-point lead going into the final day of competition, but Andrew, Amanda, Craig and Steph have yet to be mathematically eliminated. Buena suerte!

WEDNESDAY'S BAND: Barenaked Ladies
- posted by Stan @ 8:41 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Nesmith, Tork, Dolenz and Jones wish they were still this popular...
People seemed to latch on to the Monkees, as 8 people played Monday

MONKEES
• Auntie Grizelda
• Pleasant Valley Sunday
• Goin’ Down
• I’m Not Your Stepping Stone
• A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You


Steph Beach: I’m A Believer, Daydream Believer, Monkees theme, Last Train to Clarksville (0 points)

Sarah Mordan-McCombs: Monkees Theme, I’m a Believer, Daydream Believer, Pleasant Valley Sunday (1 point)

Amanda Hartman: I’m Not Your Steppin' Stone, Last Train to Clarksville, Pleasant Valley Sunday, I'm A Believer, Listen To The Band (2 points)

Olivia Hatton: I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone, Daydream Believer, I’m a Believer, A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You, Last Train To Clarksville (2 points)

Pattie Quackenbush: Monkees Theme, Vallery, Pleasant Valley Sunday, I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone, Last Train To Clarksville (2 points)

Andrew Ibendahl: Last Train to Clarksville, Daydream Believer, A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You, I'm a Believer, Valleri (1 point)

Megan Kemp: Daydream Believer, Last Train to Clarksville, Steppin' Stone, Sunny Girlfriend, and Love is Only Sleeping (1 point)

Craig Barker: Last Train to Clarksville, I'm A Believer, Daydream Believer, (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone, Pleasant Valley Sunday (2 points)


So, here are the standings as of Tuesday morning:

Pattie Quackenbush: 6 points
Andrew Ibendahl: 5 points
Amanda Hartman: 4 points
Craig Barker: 4 points
Olivia Hatton: 2 points
Sam Gavin: 2 points
Sarah Mordan-McCombs: 1 point
Steph Beach: 1 point
Jim Nyenhuis: 1 point
Megan Kemp: 1 point
Ben Stewart: 0 points

TUEESDAY'S ARTIST: The Rolling Stones

- posted by Stan @ 9:01 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Monday, August 11, 2003

PQ takes the lead as they make the turn...
Pattie Quackenbush better send John Rzeznick a thank-you note after Sunday's performance lifted her from the ranks of the scoreless to a tie for first place in one fell swoop.

GOO GOO DOLLS
• Big Machine
• Here Is Gone
• Name
• Broadway
• Slide

Andrew Ibendahl: Dizzy, Name, Slide, Iris, Black Balloon (2 points)
Pattie Quackenbush: Slide, Broadway, Here is Gone, Name, Black Balloon (4 points)
Craig Barker: Broadway, Sympathy, Black Balloon, Name, Iris (2 points)

MONDAY'S ARTIST: The Monkees

- posted by Stan @ 9:23 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Sunday, August 10, 2003

Cumulative Stats
Here, by my count, are all the points people have in the Music Game:

Amanda Hartman: 2 points
Andrew Ibendahl: 2 points
Sam Gavin: 2 points
Steph Beach: 1 point
Jim Nyenhuis: 1 point
Craig Barker: 0 points
Ben Stewart: 0 points
Megan Kemp: 0 points
Pattie Quackenbush: 0 points
- posted by Stan @ 12:23 PM
Your Comments Here (0)

Looks like at least a few people were able to read my mind on one song...

TOM PETTY:
• Wildflowers
• All or Nothing
• Don’t Do Me Like That
• Refugee
• Into the Great Wide Open

Amanda Hartman: Refugee, Free Falling, Running Down A Dream, Don't Come Around Here No More, Learning To Fly (1 point)

Steph Beach: Free Falling, Don’t Come Around Here No More, Mary Jane’s Last Dance, Running Down a Dream, Refugee (1 point)

Andrew Ibendahl: Free Fallin', Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, Don't Come Around Here No More, Don't Do Me Like That, Refugee (2 points)

Craig Barker: The Waiting, Free Fallin, Won't Back Down, Running Down a Dream, Walls (0 points)

SUNDAY'S ARTIST: Goo Goo Dolls
- posted by Stan @ 12:20 PM
Your Comments Here (0) Friday, August 08, 2003

Amanda and Jim cut Sam's lead in half....

BEN FOLDS:
• Kate
• One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces
• The Battle of Who Could Care Less
• Fred Jones, Part 2
• The Luckiest

Amanda Hartman: Zak and Sara, Kate, Philosophy, Still Fighting It, Best Imitation of Myself (1 point)
Craig Barker: Army, Still in Love, Rockin' the Suburbs, Song for the Dumped, Brick (0 points)
Jim Nyenhuis: Kate, Philosophy, Song For the Dumped, Still Fighting It, Evaporated (1 point)
Ben Stewart: Brick, Rockin' The Suburbs, Zak and Sara (0 points)


FRIDAY'S ARTIST: Tom Petty (with and without the Heartbreakers)
- posted by Stan @ 10:50 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Thursday, August 07, 2003

Before results from Wednesday, I want to re-iterate one thing -- you are trying to MATCH what I have -- it doesn't matter what other people put down, only the list of 5 songs I personally generate at the beginning of each day.

That being said, the songs I picked by the Beatles were:
• Drive My Car
• Glass Onion
• While My Guitar Gently Weeps
• Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite
• Strawberry Fields

And here's what people gave me back:

Amanda Hartman: Eleanor Rigby, Yellow Submarine, Come Together, Hard Day’s Night, Paperback Writer (0 points)

Sam Gavin: Glass Onion, Strawberry Fields, Hey Jude, Revolution, Let It Be (2 points)

Megan Kemp: Help, Fool on a Hill, I am the Walrus, Yesterday, and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (0 points)

Steph Beach: Help, Hard Day’s Night, She Loves You, Twist and Shout, I Want To Hold Your Hand (0 points)

Andrew Ibendahl: Eleanor Rigby, Day Tripper, Revolution, Eight Days a Week, Penny Lane (0 points)

Craig Barker: Helter Skelter, Got To Get You Into My Life, I'll Follow The Sun, Kansas City, Mean Mr. Mustard (0 points)

Pattie Quackenbush: Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Octopus's Garden, Sun King, Come Together, and Oh Darling (0 points)

Ben Stewart: The Long and Winding Road, Help!, Yellow Submarine, A Hard Day's Night, Here Comes the Sun (0 points)

THURSDAY'S ARTIST: Ben Folds (both solo and with his eponymous "Five")


- posted by Stan @ 9:04 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Wednesday, August 06, 2003

Well, Megan did a smart thing yesterday and did not play the game, meaning she could not be eliminated, as she had already played 3 days in a row. Since Renita did not make the 3 days out of 5 rule, Megan is the winner of this round of (note new title) Stan's Music Game. So kudos to Megan.

The game will change again, and here's how it works:

Anyone who's ever played Outburst will understand this one.

I'll give you a band each day and you can choose to name up to five songs (NOTE: YOU MAY NOT GO ON THE INTERNET TO LOOK FOR SONG TITLES -- YOU MUST DO THEM FROM MEMORY OR FROM YOUR CURRENTLY EXISTING PLAYLIST ON YOUR COMPUTER!!!) by that band. I will generate a list of songs myself each morning and people will get points based on how many they match of mine. Do not be foolish enough to think I'll just use my playlist to generate this list -- think outside the box, as I will take great pains to do so myself. It does not matter if you name 5 songs by the same band if none of them match mine. Person with the most points by the end of next Wednesday (August 13) wins.

WEDNESDAY'S BAND: The Beatles
- posted by Stan @ 11:07 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Tuesday, August 05, 2003

Well, Megan appears the front-runner, unless any of the other people in the game can knock her out today. Also, Olivia and Renita must play today in order to avoid non-play elimination. Yes, I understand home internet connections can be a problem.

• “5 O’Clock World” (The Vogues) – Amanda Hartman
•“Midnight Voyage” (The Mamas and the Papas) – Megan Kemp
• “3 AM” (O.A.R.) – Kelly Higgins
• “5 O’Clock World” (The Vogues) – Michael Tillmann
• “3 AM” (Matchbox 20) – Pattie Quackenbush

TUESDAY'S CATEGORY (that came to me in the car on the way to work): "American cities WEST of the Mississippi River"
- posted by Stan @ 8:40 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Monday, August 04, 2003

Had a good time at the tournament in Michigan -- I think I finished third out of 7 people. A great job by Mike Burger and the crew up there.

A small volume of people played the lyrics game on Friday:

Friday, August 1
• “Don’t Look Back in Anger” (Oasis) – Amanda Hartman
• “Proud Mary” (CCR) – Megan Kemp
• “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (Beatles) – Olivia Hatton

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS:
• “She Hates Me” (Puddle of Mudd)

MONDAY'S CATEGORY: "times of day" -- Note: must be an actual time -- Morning, afternoon, evening, day, night, etc. NOT acceptable
- posted by Stan @ 9:59 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Friday, August 01, 2003

In other news, won my tennis match last night 10-3. Now 7-and-0 in league play, with 2 matches to go in the regular season. I'm assured the number one seed in the tournament as long as I don't lose both matches.

Also, heading up to Ann Arbor for a trash tournament tomorrow, and then hopefully back in time for an all-night shindig at Dan's. Should be a good time.
- posted by Stan @ 8:48 AM
Your Comments Here (0)

Well, if April is the cruelest month (according to T.S. Eliot), then Monday is the most deadly day according to the lyrics game:

Thursday, July 31, 2003
• “Manic Monday” (Bangles) – Kelly Higgins
• “Friday I’m in Love” (The Cure) – Olivia Hatton
• “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” (Elton John) – Amanda Hartman
• “Ruby Tuesday” (The Rolling Stones) – Megan Kemp
• “Waiting for Wednesday” (Lisa Loeb) – Renita Leichty
• “Blue Monday” (New Order) – Sam Gavin
• “Blue Monday” (Orgy) – Pattie Quackenbush
• “Manic Monday” (Bangles) – Sarah Mordan-McCombs

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
• “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” (U2)
• “Monday, Monday” (The Mamas and the Papas)
• “Saturday in the Park” (Chicago)

So, if you guessed a day other than the beginning of the work week, you're still in good shape. If you had Monday in your answer, then knock other people out so that you'll have other partners in crime to sit on the sidelines with you. Also, Megan should thank PQ for changing her answer from "Ruby Tuesday" to "Blue Monday", otherwise FIVE people would have been eliminated yesterday.

FRIDAY'S CATEGORY: Emotions
- posted by Stan @ 8:37 AM
Your Comments Here (0)

Thursday, July 31, 2003

Well, that one ended in a giant tie, so the lryics game CHANGES YET AGAIN...

Here's the way it'll work this time (and maybe more, if it seems fun):

I will give a general category of things that the song title must fit in to. You find a song title that fits the description, but try not to match that part of the song title. For instance, the first one will be "Days of the Week". If people have 2 different songs, but they both have the same day of the week in them, they're out. Got it?

Thursday's Category: "Days of the Week"
- posted by Stan @ 8:48 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Wednesday, July 30, 2003

Well, I knew this would happen....

Tuesday, July 29
• “Take it Easy” (Eagles) – Megan Kemp
• “Take on Me” (A-Ha) – Amanda Hartman
• “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (The 4 Seasons) – Pattie Quackenbush
• “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (The 4 Seasons) – Olivia Hatton

Pattie and Olivia eliminated one another yesterday, so techincally all Sam has to do is play Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and not be copied in his song choice. If he doesn't play Wednesday, however, it's a tie and NO ONE WINS and we start anew. Crazy.

Wednesday's Word: "Of"

- posted by Stan @ 8:52 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Tuesday, July 29, 2003

Monday's results:

Monday, July 28, 2003
• “Why Georgia” (John Mayer) – Megan Kemp
• “Why Can’t We Be Friends” (Smashmouth) – Amanda Hartman
• “Why, Part 2” (Collective Soul) – Sarah Mordan-McCombs
• “I Guess That’s Why They Call it The Blues” (Elton John) -- PQ

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
• “Why Don’t You and I” (Santana and Chad Kroeger)
• “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” (Diana Ross)
• “Why Does It Always Rain on Me?” (Travis)

Olivia and Sam had better get their acts in gear -- they both only have 1 day left this week that they can choose not to play.

Tuesday's word: "Take"
- posted by Stan @ 8:45 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Monday, July 28, 2003

Ok, camp is done, so the lyrics game resumes. I forgot to mention that Renita eliminated Amanda by virtue of both of them picking "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies on Friday. Therefore, Sam, Olivia and PQ are still in the running.

MONDAY'S WORD: "Why"
- posted by Stan @ 9:00 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Sunday, July 20, 2003

Camp is here for a week, so the lyrics game returns on Monday, July 28, with Sam, Amanda, Olivia and Pattie still in contention.
- posted by Stan @ 9:47 PM
Your Comments Here (0) Friday, July 18, 2003

Thursday's results:

Thursday, July 17, 2003
• “Crumblin’ Down” (John Mellencamp) – Megan Kemp
• “Running Down a Dream” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) – Amanda
• “Never Let You Down” (The Verve Pipe) – Renita Leichty
• “Down on the Corner” (CCR) – Olivia Hatton
• “Never Let You Down” (The Verve Pipe) – Michael Tillmann

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
• “Don’t Bring Me Down” (ELO)
• “Burning Down the House” (Talking Heads)
• “I Won’t Back Down” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
• “Follow You Down” (Gin Blossoms)
• “Goin’ Down” (The Monkees)
• “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (Elton John)
• “Lay Down Sally” (Eric Clapton)
• “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” (Paul Simon)

So Mike and Renita knocked each other out. This leaves Sam, Amanda, Olivia and Pattie (providing she plays today) still in the running.

FRIDAY'S WORD: "One"

- posted by Stan @ 1:43 PM
Your Comments Here (0) Thursday, July 17, 2003

Moved to 6-and-0 in my tennis league last night with a 10-1 win over the oldest guy in the league (he must be in his 60's). He moved amazingly well and got to a ton of shots, but made a lot of errors on his ground strokes. Now I get at least a week and a half off to head to DPU for DUCKS camp.

On that note, spent time at Dan's house practicing Mario Kart for what will undoubtedly be an epic battle for the ages against Olivia this weekend -- at least for the first few races... ;)

Looking forward to taking the train -- haven't taken it in a while and I hear the ammenities are improved. All I want is an outlet for my laptop and I'll be a happy camper. Hmm...I wonder if there's a way to hook my X-Box up to my laptop.....doubtful, but a fun idea for a second, anyway. Also gives me a chance to read my book, which I've slacked off on in the last week. It's good so far, and a nice read before going to sleep.
- posted by Stan @ 11:28 AM
Your Comments Here (0)

Wednesday came out like this:

Wednesday, July 14, 2003
• “I’ll Be” (Edwin McCain) – Megan Kemp
• “How’s It Gonna Be?” (Third Eye Blind) – Amanda Hartman
• “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” (The Proclaimers) – Michael Tillmann
• “Be My Lover” (La Bouche) – Olivia Hatton
• “Be Like That” (3 Doors Down) – Renita Leichty
• “I’ll Be There For You” (The Rembrants) – Sarah Mordan-McCombs

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
• “Be My Yoko Ono” (Barenaked Ladies)
• “Always Be My Baby” (Mariah Carey)
• “Be Here Now” (Oasis)
• “Born to Be Wild” (Steppenwolf)
• “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” (Smashmouth)
• “Hip to Be Square” (Huey Lewis and the News)
• “Only Wanna Be With You” (Hootie and the Blowfish)
• “I Wanna Be Sedated” (The Ramones)
• “I Wanna Be Like You” (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy)
• “I Want Your Girlfriend to Be My Girlfriend Too” (Reel Big Fish)

THURSDAY'S WORD: "Down"

- posted by Stan @ 8:24 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Wednesday, July 16, 2003

Tuesday saw Kevin continue to play spoiler, this time taking Sarah out of this round of the competition. Now Sarah gets to join Kevin and Megan in trying to see that others join them on the sidelines. Here's what people said:

Tuesday, July 15, 2003
• “Stop the Rock” (Apollo 440) – Sam Gavin
• “Don’t Stop Believin” (Journey) – Megan Kemp
• “Can’t Stop Loving You” (Phil Collins) – Amanda Hartman
• “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” (Credence Clearwater Revival) – Olivia Hatton
• “Stop! In the Name of Love” (The Supremes) – Kevin Russell
• “Stop! In the Name of Love” (The Supremes) – Sarah Mordan-McCombs
• “Don’t Stop” (Fleetwood Mac) – Renita Leichty
• “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore” (Elton John) – Pattie Quackenbush

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
• “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks)

WEDNESDAY'S WORD: "Be"

- posted by Stan @ 9:20 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Tuesday, July 15, 2003

Here's what happened on Monday in the lyrics game:

Monday, July 14, 2003
• “Only the Good Die Young” (Billy Joel) – Amanda Hartman
• “Hella Good” (No Doubt) – Renita Leichty
• “Good Riddance” (Green Day) – Olivia Hatton
• “Good Golly Miss Molly” (Little Richard) – Pattie Quackenbush
• “It’s No Good” (Depeche Mode) – Sam Gavin
• “Good Vibrations” (The Beach Boys) – Megan Kemp
• “Good Vibrations” (The Beach Boys) – Kevin Russell

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
• “Good Friend” (Nine Days)
• “Life’s Been Good” (Joe Walsh)
• “Back for Good” (Take That)
• “A Change Would Do You Good” (Sheryl Crow)
• “Good Lovin” (Young Rascals)
• “Hurts So Good” (John Cougar Mellencamp)
• “I Feel Good” (James Brown)
• “Good Day Sunshine” (The Beatles)

So Megan and Kevin eliminated one another, but now they get to try to knock other people out as well! Thanks to everyone for abiding by the rules so well -- I think the songs picked yesterday were much more in line with how the game should run.

TUESDAY'S WORD:
"Stop"

- posted by Stan @ 8:55 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Monday, July 14, 2003

Further proof Stan is old: listening to a classic rock station on the internet and "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers came on. If I'm not mistaken, I was a teenager when this song came out (relased on the group's Greatest Hits Disc). Time to go take my Geritol and Metamucil...
- posted by Stan @ 2:48 PM
Your Comments Here (0)

Rules addendum #1: If there are 2 or 3 players left in the game, Stan will choose a number of songs equal to the number of players left in the game (since the two players could not knock one another out of the game). If one of the players picks one of the songs Stan picks, the game is over in favor of the other player. If BOTH players pick a song that would knock them out of teh game, they are both still in and the word changes (so, too, do the songs that Stan picks before any guesses are made). The game begins anew once this happens, meaning that there are likely to be some days where there is more than one word to play on.
- posted by Stan @ 2:14 PM
Your Comments Here (0)

Ok, so it's come to my attention that a few things need to change about the lyrics game, and here they are:

1. We're going to limit this game to rock and roll music from 1955 to the present. This, therefore, EXCLUDES most rap, country, techno, house, hip-hop, etc. In some cases, there are crossover songs. These may or may not be acceptable. Be prepared for them NOT to be and have a back-up, just in case. This parameter is being set up so there is a smaller base of songs from which to draw, thus making the game more interesting and making it harder for each person who plays to simply pick a different GENRE of music in order to avoid anyone else picking what they did. Also, although taking songs from movies and TV is certainly a creative way to use familiar songs, that's going to go the way of the dodo, as well.

2. Instead of people racking up points ad nauseum, we're going to change the format a little bit. Starting today (Monday, July 14), everyone is in the game. If, at any point, you and another person pick the same song, you are eliminated from contention of winning that game, BUT WAIT -- this does NOT mean you have to stop playing. Now your role becomes almost more fun -- you get to try to knock OTHER people out of the game by deliberately trying to pick songs you think they might pick. So if there's someone you know, try to imagine their thought process for a minute and knock them out, as well. The last person standing wins, and then we'll begin anew. PEOPLE MUST PLAY THREE TIMES A WEEK TO QUALIFY FOR WINNING A GIVEN ROUND OF COMPETITION.

3. I have to have heard of the song. Read that last sentence again and then proceed.

I do NOT lack knowledge where music is concerned, otherwise I would not have started the game in the first place. If I haven't heard of the song, you can't use it. It occurred to me that even something being in the Top 40 is dumb. Songs make the top 40 because a whole bunch of people listen to it incessantly on conventional radio stations. It then occurred to me that Rule #1 in life is that most people lack the intelligence of a common house plant. This lemming-like approach is equivalent to your mother saying "If a bunch of your friends decided to fill the Grand Canyon with lime jello, strip down to their Spongebob Squarepants boxers and jump in, WOULD YOU DO IT, TOO?!" Furthermore, naming a song I've never heard of by an artist I have doesn't count either. Despite people who would argue to the contrary, not every song The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Dave Matthews Band or Barenaked Ladies records is worth listening to (although the chances are good that I'll be familiar with most of the music recorded by those four). So don't try to use arguments like "Well, Richard Marx had a couple hits, so why can't I use this song that no one in their right mind should have ever heard of?"

4. You may only use the word I give you. Using forms of the word is too easy. Someone tried to convince me that "lifetime" was a form of "life", which it is not ("lifetime" refers to a specified length of time, while "life" refers to the actual act of living). So if I give you the word "life", that's what you have to go on.

5. You may not use songs whose one-word title is the same as the word for the day. Janet Jackson's "If" was not acceptable for that word, just like "Name" by Goo Goo Dolls will not be acceptable if that word is chosen for that day.

6. Song subtitles are not acceptable. The only ever hit by the Procalimers is NOT entitled "I Would Walk 500 Miles" -- that's it's subtitle.

7. There certainly are songs whose exact title I do not know. If you believe I should know a song, please try to give me a familiar lyric to prove your case. I'm well aware that I don't know every hit song ever made, but I will certainly try to recognize as many as I can.

8. Stan reserves the right to change any of the above rules at any time, as well as the right to add or subtract any rules whenever he deems it necessary. The decisions of Stan are final, unless a proper bribe is given. The lyrics game may have harmful side effects, including (but not limited to) headaches, stomach pains, nausea and the uncontrollable urge to beat the living hell out of one's computer.

All that being said, MONDAY'S WORD IS........

"Good"
- posted by Stan @ 9:33 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Sunday, July 13, 2003

Saturday, July 12, 2003
• “If I Am” (Nine Days) – Olivia Hatton
• “If You’re Gone” (Matchbox 20) – Pattie Quackenbush
• “If I Had a Million Dollars” (Barenaked Ladies) – Kelly Higgins
• “If Things Were Perfect” (Moby) – Sam Gavin
• “If I Only Had a Brain” (Wizard of Oz) – Amanda Hartman
• “If You Leave Me Now” (Chicago) – Michael Tillmann
• “If I Could Turn Back Time” (Cher) – Renita Leichty

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
• “If I Could Be Like That” (3 Doors Down)

A record number of people (7) played the game Saturday and everyone had a different answer. Now on to slightly harder words. Time to show your knowledge...

STANDINGS:
Kelly, Amanda, Olivia, Sam: 19 points
Renita: 13 points
PQ: 7 points
Sarah: 6 points

SUNDAY’S WORD: “Life”

- posted by Stan @ 7:45 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Saturday, July 12, 2003

Friday, July 11, 2003
“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (Elton John) – Amanda Hartman
“Don’t You Forget About Me” (Simple Minds) – Renita Leichty
“Don’t Let Me Be The Last to Know” (Britney Spears) – Olivia Hatton
“Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” (A.L. Webber, Madonna) – Kelly Higgins
“Don’t Let Go” (En Vogue) – Sam Gavin
"Don't You Forget About Me" (Simple Minds) -- Pattie Quackenbush

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
"Don't Speak" (No Doubt)
"Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" (Fleetwood Mac)
"Don't Look Back in Anger" (Oasis)

So, Renita and PQ canceled each other out, and everyone else got 6 points for the day. THIS is how the game is supposed to work! :)

STANDINGS:
Kelly, Amanda, Olivia, Sam: 12 points
Renita, Sarah: 6 points
PQ: 0 points

SATURDAY'S WORD: "If"

- posted by Stan @ 11:43 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Friday, July 11, 2003

Today's most interesting purchase: 150 shares of Queen Elizabeth II.
(here's how: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/celebdaq/trade.cgi )

Also, great fortune cookie fortune:
"A friend is a present you give yourself..." I'll let you add on the requisite 2 words yourself...
- posted by Stan @ 2:28 PM
Your Comments Here (0)

Here are the results from Day One of the new lyrics game. Everyone who played got 6 points, and consequently, there's a 6-way tie for first place.

Thursday, July 10, 2003
• “Love Me Tender” (Elvis) – Kelly Higgins
• “Muskrat Love” (Captain and Tenille) – Amanda Hartman
• “I Love You, You Love Me” (Barney) – Sarah M2
• “Love in an Elevator” (Aerosmith) – Renita Leichty
• “Chapel of Love” (The Dixie Cups) – Olivia Hatton
• “Love is All Around" (Mary Tyler Moore theme) – Sam Gavin

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
• “Love Shack” (B-52’s)
• “Love Me Do” (Beatles)
• “Feel Like Makin’ Love” (Bad Company)
• “Whole Lotta Love” (Led Zeppelin)
• “I Love Rock and Roll” (Joan Jett)
• “The Power of Love” (Huey Lewis and the News)
• “The Game of Love” (Michelle Branch and Santana)
• “Addicted to Love” (Robert Palmer)
• “Love Her Madly” (The Doors)

FRIDAY’S WORD: “Don’t”

- posted by Stan @ 8:36 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Thursday, July 10, 2003

Ok, here's how the new lyrics game works: Each day I'm going to post a word or phrase on my profile (and here, for good measure) and people have to give me any song TITLE with the word or phrase in it. The catches are these: (1) I have to have heard of the song. If I have not, you have to prove to me it's been in the top 40 at some point. (2) If you and someone else pick the same song, NEITHER of you get any points. What this means is that if someone gets points early in the day, those points can be erased later if someone else picks the same song. Song titles will be posted here the following day, along with who said what. (3) It can be any form of the words (i.e. any verb tense if it's a verb, or it can be singular or plural). When it's a phrase, only the verb may be changed. (4) Telling me the same song as someone else but giving a different artist still counts as the same song and will cancel out the other answer. (5) Points will be awarded in the following fashion: Each answer is worth the same number of points as people who play the game that day. In other words, if 7 people play and they all have unique answers, everyone gets 7 points. HOWEVER, if 7 people play and only 3 have unique answers, only those 3 people will get the 7 points.

Again, only one guess per day, so strategize and think differently from other people!

We'll start real easy to get people some points.

THURSDAY'S WORD: "Love" (acceptable: "Loves", "Loved", "Loving")
- posted by Stan @ 9:15 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Tuesday, July 08, 2003

Seen on a sign for a church on the way to work this morning:

"God answers knee-mail".


Also, FINALLY got my federal tax refund -- that's why my bank account was so much higher yesterday than I thought it should be. It's nice not to be all Republican and try to spend a defecit anymore...

Also, apparently I'm Mr. Spock, according to the pop culture icon survey at http://www.vh1.com
- posted by Stan @ 8:56 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Monday, July 07, 2003

Well, I just won my tennis league match against the guy who had lost once in three years in the league.

We both went into the match 3-and-0 in league play, and were the only ones still undefeated. So a couple things were sure: The one who won would be the only one left undefeated and would, therefore, have a target on his back the rest of the season. Granted, it was about 86 degrees with about 80% humidity, so we were both sweating profusely during warm-ups.

So, I'm alone in first place for an as-yet-undetermined length of time. I'll say this about being a front-runner. Don't trash-talk, be extra courteous if you continue to win, and realize that the person who will eventually end your streak just might be the last one you'd expect. As for me, I'll be keeping my guard up, but still honestly shaking hands at the end of each match no matter the outcome.

Also, I had a conversation with a friend this afternoon wherein I espoused my idea that a tiring tennis match, followed by a cool shower and a nap is as soothing and relaxing as sex. Well, I was wrong -- I don't need the nap anymore. :)
- posted by Stan @ 8:27 PM
Your Comments Here (0)

Long weekend now over, car almost gasless, wallet considerably lighter. All this and several ideas for sessions to get ready for camp in two weeks. Better get cracking...

Also, it'd probably be good to start eating breakfast in the morning -- and something other than buying donuts or a muffin on the way to work. This would require getting up 5-10 minutes earlier, as well.... Hmmm....So we're weighing sluggishness at work (As a combatant for which I've already patented the "Jastrzebski Nap", where I put up something work related on my computer screen and sleep sitting up) with losing sleep at night for some cruddy cereal.

I think Dan was right -- I might as well wear a tie that turns sharply upward to work someday, because this is definitely some kind of a Dilbert-like existence.

Latest ludicrous, self-appointed job title: Head, Mobil Travel Guide Hot Chocolate Advisory Council
- posted by Stan @ 9:01 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Thursday, July 03, 2003

It's Independence Day Eve and I got paid today -- all the more money to pay off car insurance, graduate school and cell phone bills with.

The head of the print department here at work is from Britain and left this message (along with a full color, dry-erase marker-created Union Jack) on a white board as we all walked in this morning:

"Happy Independence Day. We didn't like the trans-Atlantic commute, anyway."
- posted by Stan @ 9:25 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Wednesday, July 02, 2003

Well, the room got painted, and hopefully the powers that be will decide that one coat of the bright white paint we got is enough. Thanks to Dan for all the help rolling.


Also, I've been thinking -- isn't an AIM away message that says "I'm away from my computer right now" COMPLETELY redundant? Well, OF COURSE you're not at your computer available to talk! Isn't this the whole POINT of that little yellow pad of paper next to someone's screen name signifying the away message is up? At least tell us what you're doing -- there's barely a verb in that sentence -- all it says is that you EXIST (the word "I'm"). They ought to eliminate that in future versions and put some useful away messages like "Watching TV" or "Eating" or "I'm doing something else right now, but apparently all you're doing is reading this stupid away message..."


Furthermore, what are the odds of hearing "Werewolves of London", by Warren Zevon twice in a two hour stretch?
- posted by Stan @ 10:07 AM
Your Comments Here (0) Tuesday, July 01, 2003

Well, I finally started one of these things, and oddly enough, here's the thing that did it in my mind:

Good movies Brendan Fraser has made:
With Honors (1994)
Gods and Monsters (1998)
The Quiet American (2002)

BAD movies Fraser has made:
Dudley Do-Right (1999)
Mummy, The (1999)
Blast from the Past (1999)
Scout, The (1994)
Airheads (1994)
Son in Law (1993)
Encino Man (1992)

A man with discernable talent and maybe the worst eye for choosing parts in all of Hollywood.
- posted by Stan @ 12:16 PM
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