Pause....
Hey everybody...No new blogs until at least Friday...QUITE overwhelmed with work at the moment...
In the mean time, enjoy this link:
Boom Goes the Dynamite!
In the mean time, enjoy this link:
Boom Goes the Dynamite!
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
Where's Michael Keaton?
Pretty much worked every day through this weekend...yikes, so much to do, so little time...
It's moments like this I wish I could clone myself. Multiple Mandels...on second through, strike that, don't think we need to unleash that on the world!
It's moments like this I wish I could clone myself. Multiple Mandels...on second through, strike that, don't think we need to unleash that on the world!
Friday, September 23, 2005
Flash forward....
As you very well know I was a little bit disappointed with the Atari Flashback. The console looked the Atari 7800 and the controls...oy, don't get me started on the controls. Nothing like dinky pseudo-joysticks that feel like they're going to snap at any moment. Big boo on that end...
Well, it looks like Atari has learned from their lessons and got it right! Check this out:
Atari Flashback 2.0
It looks like the old 2600! Yes, it's still a bit smaller than the original and it has buttons on the console as opposed switches, but other than that, an old friend has risen from the dead! And the controllers look like the 2600 joysticks!!
Leafing through the online version of the manual, the game lineup is pretty kick-ass with some sequels that never saw the light of day. Yar's Return!!!?!? NICE!
Let's hope it's as good as the pictures are letting on to...Now, to find a store that carries one this weekend!
Well, it looks like Atari has learned from their lessons and got it right! Check this out:
Atari Flashback 2.0
It looks like the old 2600! Yes, it's still a bit smaller than the original and it has buttons on the console as opposed switches, but other than that, an old friend has risen from the dead! And the controllers look like the 2600 joysticks!!
Leafing through the online version of the manual, the game lineup is pretty kick-ass with some sequels that never saw the light of day. Yar's Return!!!?!? NICE!
Let's hope it's as good as the pictures are letting on to...Now, to find a store that carries one this weekend!
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Don't you think....
Had to thrown in one more post here for today...
In the midst of sifting through ABC's promos last night, I couldn't help but think...wouldn't an appropriate alternate title for "Commander in Chief" (starring Geena Davis as the president) be "THE BREAST WING?"
Think about it...
* Cue Password Plus theme music *
In the midst of sifting through ABC's promos last night, I couldn't help but think...wouldn't an appropriate alternate title for "Commander in Chief" (starring Geena Davis as the president) be "THE BREAST WING?"
Think about it...
* Cue Password Plus theme music *
Don't Get It Twisted....
Dear networks,
I'm stuffed. I'm about to explode...Not only did you throw the season premiere of "Lost" and the reveal of what's down there in the hatch (wait, isn't that Brian's apartment from "Queer as Folk?"), but you also had Charla refereeing a tug of war showdown on "Battle of the Network Reality Stars." Then, there was Kathy's big reality all-star reunion just after that. Oh, but wait, there was also the premiere of Martha's "Apprentice" (which was quite good...anybody think "Mr. Belvedere" when she started writing the letter?)...and if that wasn't enough, you unleashed a two-hour helping of "America's Next Top Model" (which my owner still hasn't gone through all of yet!). And last but not least, another hour of "So You Think You Can Dance?" goodness where Nick and Melody kicked some major ass. YAYYYYYYY! Yes, you've put me to the test and I need some rest...I'm all bloopity-blooped out!
Yours truly,
Mandel's TiVo
I'm stuffed. I'm about to explode...Not only did you throw the season premiere of "Lost" and the reveal of what's down there in the hatch (wait, isn't that Brian's apartment from "Queer as Folk?"), but you also had Charla refereeing a tug of war showdown on "Battle of the Network Reality Stars." Then, there was Kathy's big reality all-star reunion just after that. Oh, but wait, there was also the premiere of Martha's "Apprentice" (which was quite good...anybody think "Mr. Belvedere" when she started writing the letter?)...and if that wasn't enough, you unleashed a two-hour helping of "America's Next Top Model" (which my owner still hasn't gone through all of yet!). And last but not least, another hour of "So You Think You Can Dance?" goodness where Nick and Melody kicked some major ass. YAYYYYYYY! Yes, you've put me to the test and I need some rest...I'm all bloopity-blooped out!
Yours truly,
Mandel's TiVo
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Buy a Landslide...
Time for another edition of "I, Consumer"...
Olivia Newton John: Video Gold I and II DVD
Wow...I don't remember more than a handful of the videos here, but wow...where to begin. There's the weird jungle infant lost in some Labyrinth-esque world grandeur of "Heart Attack." There's the infamous "Physical" video. There's the we inherited the "Total Eclipse of the Heart" set and found a reallly bad body double for John Travolta action of "Twist of Fate." There's the we inherited the set of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and morphed with an awful gay 80s version of an Escher painting veneer of "The Rumour" (my favorite overlooked ONJ single...yes, I used the term ONJ!).
But ya know...there is the piece de resistance...The crazy violin player...The weird Apple-esque costumes...The evil hell children...The back-when-he-was-hot-hotness of Matt Lattanzi...It's the video for the forgotten "Landslide." It's worth the $9 of admission I paid to get this DVD. Oh, and there's these weird prism-like crystal that pops up every now and then that made me think, "Wait...did I just get the 'Out of This World - Season 1' DVD by accident?!?"
Quizno's Cabo Chicken Sandwich
In the fast-food restaurant world's effort to thrust chipotle in everything we eat comes the "for a limited time only" Cabo Chicken sandwich at Quizno's. It's a mix of cheese, bacon, chicken, and chipotle mayo. Ehhh...It blended into a bland amorphous salty medley. The bacon overpowered the chipotle to the point where you forgot there was any sauce on the sandwich. NO MORE CHIPOTLE...PLEASE! Well, Chipotle the restaruant is fine...but no more adding chipotle to everything! We've done everything we can with chipotle. Enough already!
Olivia Newton John: Video Gold I and II DVD
Wow...I don't remember more than a handful of the videos here, but wow...where to begin. There's the weird jungle infant lost in some Labyrinth-esque world grandeur of "Heart Attack." There's the infamous "Physical" video. There's the we inherited the "Total Eclipse of the Heart" set and found a reallly bad body double for John Travolta action of "Twist of Fate." There's the we inherited the set of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and morphed with an awful gay 80s version of an Escher painting veneer of "The Rumour" (my favorite overlooked ONJ single...yes, I used the term ONJ!).
But ya know...there is the piece de resistance...The crazy violin player...The weird Apple-esque costumes...The evil hell children...The back-when-he-was-hot-hotness of Matt Lattanzi...It's the video for the forgotten "Landslide." It's worth the $9 of admission I paid to get this DVD. Oh, and there's these weird prism-like crystal that pops up every now and then that made me think, "Wait...did I just get the 'Out of This World - Season 1' DVD by accident?!?"
Quizno's Cabo Chicken Sandwich
In the fast-food restaurant world's effort to thrust chipotle in everything we eat comes the "for a limited time only" Cabo Chicken sandwich at Quizno's. It's a mix of cheese, bacon, chicken, and chipotle mayo. Ehhh...It blended into a bland amorphous salty medley. The bacon overpowered the chipotle to the point where you forgot there was any sauce on the sandwich. NO MORE CHIPOTLE...PLEASE! Well, Chipotle the restaruant is fine...but no more adding chipotle to everything! We've done everything we can with chipotle. Enough already!
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Stuff to chew on...
Savored some of the new fall Monday offerings last night. My favorite new Monday night sitcom..."Out of Practice." You can definitely see the "Frasier" roots in this one. Great cast...Between this and the great season premiere of "Arrested Development, " I get two new doses of Henry Winkler in one night?!? YAY! And of course, there's Christopher Gorham, who busted a move on the dance floor with a bunch of his friends at the Brass Monkey YEARS ago when I attempted to do a little karaokeing with Olivia Newton-John's "Physical." Hope this is the one the clicks for him. But anyhoo, back to the show. It was quite a funny pilot and had that classic "oh, there's a misunderstanding!" thru-line in the 2nd act. Definitely has me hooked for another episode.
"How I Met Your Mother" has a bit of potential. The premise is cute and cast is endearing. I can't get over how Jimmy Fallon-esque the lead is. "Kitchen Confidential" was fun as well. Interesting to see Sam Pancake from the "Facts of Life Live!" show and "The Mismatch Game" without the Blair makeup and costume.
All righty...It's Two-for-Tuesday links time!
Don't Eat It!
Here's a blog my friend Drew showed me. This guy Steve basically dares himself to eat outrageous foods. The first is potted meat, which I happen to have had on many occasion while growing up. My mom used to make me potted meat sandwiches and I liked them, dammit! The best though is towards the bottom of the page...Cuitlacoche...Mmmmm....Enjoy and don't plan on eating soon afterwards!
Happy Belated Talk Like a Pirate Day!
I hope that yesterday you had a great "Talk Like a Pirate Day!" It's quite an ideal day to get yourself a little arrrr and arrrrr! ;-)
"How I Met Your Mother" has a bit of potential. The premise is cute and cast is endearing. I can't get over how Jimmy Fallon-esque the lead is. "Kitchen Confidential" was fun as well. Interesting to see Sam Pancake from the "Facts of Life Live!" show and "The Mismatch Game" without the Blair makeup and costume.
All righty...It's Two-for-Tuesday links time!
Don't Eat It!
Here's a blog my friend Drew showed me. This guy Steve basically dares himself to eat outrageous foods. The first is potted meat, which I happen to have had on many occasion while growing up. My mom used to make me potted meat sandwiches and I liked them, dammit! The best though is towards the bottom of the page...Cuitlacoche...Mmmmm....Enjoy and don't plan on eating soon afterwards!
Happy Belated Talk Like a Pirate Day!
I hope that yesterday you had a great "Talk Like a Pirate Day!" It's quite an ideal day to get yourself a little arrrr and arrrrr! ;-)
Monday, September 19, 2005
Politically speaking...
Just took one of them online tests...this time about my politics...Here's what the results were:
| You are a Social Liberal (60% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (28% permissive) You are best described as a:
Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid |
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Feed Me!
Just signed up for Feedburner...
Now you can get a feed of my blog whenever new material is posted. Here's the link to subscribe:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/mandelweb/
It's free!
Now you can get a feed of my blog whenever new material is posted. Here's the link to subscribe:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/mandelweb/
It's free!
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Adventures in podcasting....
First of all...Happy Birthday, Prince Harry! :-D
All right...so here's the scoop about my first podcast. This Sunday, I'm having a few friends (most of them fellow bloggers) over to watch the Emmys and they'll be joining me in my very first podcast. We'll do an initial podcast right before the awards start and throughout the evening, we'll be uploading mini-podcasts to this site during the commercial breaks.
You'll get our predictions, our comments, our snark, and whatever else we'll ramble on about as we sit through the commercials.
So, on Sunday night, keep any eye out here for those podcasts beginning around 7:30-ish Pacific/10:30-ish Eastern right here on mandelweb.com.
Sorry 'bout the delay East-coasters, but we don't get the Emmys live here in L.A. Nevertheless, it should be a fun experiment!
And, if you'd like us to answer any questions or have any requests while we do our podcast, zap them over via E-mail.
Chuckle of the day...In honor of Prince Harry's 21st birthday, I stopped by the local fish and chips restaurant to grab a plate of jumbo shrimp and hush puppies...mmm...The hole-in-the-wall restaurant is adorned with a map of the London underground and a framed map of the UK. Why the chuckle? The staff is all Asian! Ahh...only in L.A. :-)
All right...so here's the scoop about my first podcast. This Sunday, I'm having a few friends (most of them fellow bloggers) over to watch the Emmys and they'll be joining me in my very first podcast. We'll do an initial podcast right before the awards start and throughout the evening, we'll be uploading mini-podcasts to this site during the commercial breaks.
You'll get our predictions, our comments, our snark, and whatever else we'll ramble on about as we sit through the commercials.
So, on Sunday night, keep any eye out here for those podcasts beginning around 7:30-ish Pacific/10:30-ish Eastern right here on mandelweb.com.
Sorry 'bout the delay East-coasters, but we don't get the Emmys live here in L.A. Nevertheless, it should be a fun experiment!
And, if you'd like us to answer any questions or have any requests while we do our podcast, zap them over via E-mail.
Chuckle of the day...In honor of Prince Harry's 21st birthday, I stopped by the local fish and chips restaurant to grab a plate of jumbo shrimp and hush puppies...mmm...The hole-in-the-wall restaurant is adorned with a map of the London underground and a framed map of the UK. Why the chuckle? The staff is all Asian! Ahh...only in L.A. :-)
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Old dogs with new tricks...
First of all, a little apology...I'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due, and my addled mind had forgotten that my friend and fellow blogger Carl had sent me an E-mail about the Fark link. My bad...sorry 'bout that, Carl!
Now, to Wednesday's blog...and with it being Wednesday, it's another installment of "I, Consumer!"
Taking a little inspiration from my friend Sam, I did a little purchasing of some new product from some old faves...here's the result...
Paul McCartney's "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard"
I'm a big Paul McCartney fan, but his albums have been pretty hit-and-miss the past couple of decades. For every "Flaming Pie," you have to put up with "Off the Ground" or "Driving Rain." That's not to say that his albums since the 80s have been total crap. Even the weakest albums have their moments like "Waterfalls" off of "McCartney II" or "However Absurd" from "Press to Play."
The last album of his that made me go "WOW" was "Tug of War." The last album that didn't feel like a single with twelve B-sides was "Flaming Pie." The round of praise "Chaos" has been getting got me wondering, is this a return to "Tug of War" or "Band on the Run?" Not quite...
"Chaos and Creation" is a damn good album. It's not going to make you forget "Band on the Run" or "McCartney," but it's a very solid set eclipsing "Flaming Pie" in a several respects, most notably the production. It was definitely big plus having producer Nigel Godrich on board for this one. The songs are darker but not so much that it's un-Macca.
My faves after a first couple of listens..."Fine Line" (great piano-based song that chugs along quite nicely), "Promise to You Girl" (very cool harmonies in the intro), "English Tea," "Anyway," "This Never Happened Before," "Too Much Rain," "Riding to Vanity Fair," and "Jenny Wren."
Queen + Paul Rodgers' "Return of the Champions"
When "Rock Star: INXS" came out, I thought to myself, ya know...the band that should be really doing this? Queen! There's a band that cuts across many audiences on a global scale. Yes, Freddie Mercury has a voice that could never really be replaced, but why not give a shot with somebody else (in this case, it's Paul Rodgers from Bad Company) and see what happens?
Well, the answer lies here and the results are mixed at best. This live album isn't awful or sacreligious at all...still, hearing "These Are the Days of Our Lives" or "Another One Bites the Dust" without Freddie's signature voice just sounds...oh, I dunno, a bit off. Some of the songs lose a bit of power and edge without that voice. That being said, it's a noble effort and succeeds here and there as in songs like "A Kind of Magic," "We Are the Champions," and surprisingly "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen
This one's also a mixed bag, but then again so are most tribute albums. This one is actually one of the more tolerable ones along the lines of the Paul McCartney tribute albums ("Coming Up" and "Listen to What the Man Said") that came out a few years ago. There some clunkers like Joss Stone's take on "Under Pressure" and Be Your Own Pet's version of "Bicycle Race." But there are some goodies like Jason Mraz's "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" and the best of the bunch...Josh Kelley's rendition of "Crazy Little Thing of Love" which takes the song from rockabilly territory to the land of The Cars and new wave. It's one that's best purchased in bits and pieces on iTunes.
Elton John's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy - The Deluxe Edition"
OK, so I believe this is the fifth copy of this album I've bought in the past decade, but ya know...this one bounces back and forth with "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" as my favorite Elton John album. In addition to the awesome packaging, the second disc which features the infamous live performance of the entire album from 1975 making it well worth the price of admission. And some of the tracks like "Gotta Get a Meal Ticket" gain even more punch with a live setting.
Even better...I just read that Elton and Bernie are making a sequel to "Captain Fantastic" to be released in 2007. NICE!
All righty, I'm going to take my wallet to emergency room for some nursing after this latest bit of splurging...
In the mean time, the Emmy-fied podcast is set to go on Sunday. The plan will be revealed in tomorrow night's blog!
Now, to Wednesday's blog...and with it being Wednesday, it's another installment of "I, Consumer!"
Taking a little inspiration from my friend Sam, I did a little purchasing of some new product from some old faves...here's the result...
Paul McCartney's "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard"
I'm a big Paul McCartney fan, but his albums have been pretty hit-and-miss the past couple of decades. For every "Flaming Pie," you have to put up with "Off the Ground" or "Driving Rain." That's not to say that his albums since the 80s have been total crap. Even the weakest albums have their moments like "Waterfalls" off of "McCartney II" or "However Absurd" from "Press to Play."
The last album of his that made me go "WOW" was "Tug of War." The last album that didn't feel like a single with twelve B-sides was "Flaming Pie." The round of praise "Chaos" has been getting got me wondering, is this a return to "Tug of War" or "Band on the Run?" Not quite...
"Chaos and Creation" is a damn good album. It's not going to make you forget "Band on the Run" or "McCartney," but it's a very solid set eclipsing "Flaming Pie" in a several respects, most notably the production. It was definitely big plus having producer Nigel Godrich on board for this one. The songs are darker but not so much that it's un-Macca.
My faves after a first couple of listens..."Fine Line" (great piano-based song that chugs along quite nicely), "Promise to You Girl" (very cool harmonies in the intro), "English Tea," "Anyway," "This Never Happened Before," "Too Much Rain," "Riding to Vanity Fair," and "Jenny Wren."
Queen + Paul Rodgers' "Return of the Champions"
When "Rock Star: INXS" came out, I thought to myself, ya know...the band that should be really doing this? Queen! There's a band that cuts across many audiences on a global scale. Yes, Freddie Mercury has a voice that could never really be replaced, but why not give a shot with somebody else (in this case, it's Paul Rodgers from Bad Company) and see what happens?
Well, the answer lies here and the results are mixed at best. This live album isn't awful or sacreligious at all...still, hearing "These Are the Days of Our Lives" or "Another One Bites the Dust" without Freddie's signature voice just sounds...oh, I dunno, a bit off. Some of the songs lose a bit of power and edge without that voice. That being said, it's a noble effort and succeeds here and there as in songs like "A Kind of Magic," "We Are the Champions," and surprisingly "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen
This one's also a mixed bag, but then again so are most tribute albums. This one is actually one of the more tolerable ones along the lines of the Paul McCartney tribute albums ("Coming Up" and "Listen to What the Man Said") that came out a few years ago. There some clunkers like Joss Stone's take on "Under Pressure" and Be Your Own Pet's version of "Bicycle Race." But there are some goodies like Jason Mraz's "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" and the best of the bunch...Josh Kelley's rendition of "Crazy Little Thing of Love" which takes the song from rockabilly territory to the land of The Cars and new wave. It's one that's best purchased in bits and pieces on iTunes.
Elton John's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy - The Deluxe Edition"
OK, so I believe this is the fifth copy of this album I've bought in the past decade, but ya know...this one bounces back and forth with "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" as my favorite Elton John album. In addition to the awesome packaging, the second disc which features the infamous live performance of the entire album from 1975 making it well worth the price of admission. And some of the tracks like "Gotta Get a Meal Ticket" gain even more punch with a live setting.
Even better...I just read that Elton and Bernie are making a sequel to "Captain Fantastic" to be released in 2007. NICE!
All righty, I'm going to take my wallet to emergency room for some nursing after this latest bit of splurging...
In the mean time, the Emmy-fied podcast is set to go on Sunday. The plan will be revealed in tomorrow night's blog!
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
A linkin' log
It's a Tuesday blog, so you know what that means...it's the two-for-Tuesday links of the week!
I've been FARKED!
Got this link off of a post on the Game Show Forum. Aside from the theme being Rejected Pricing Games, this forum features a pic you've probably seen on this site. Heh...go figure...As with many of these Fark Photoshop threads, the humor's pretty hit and miss.
I still like my new apartment better!
My friend Nathan zapped this link to me one weekend. It's the evil German cousin of IKEA gone mad!! This reminds me of the future homes that you used to see at theme parks. Ahh, Orlando's Xanadu...how you are missed! I do like the simplistic design of the Loftcube, but really now...a shower stall (barely one at the that) doublng as a plant shower? And a pool on the roof? My friend Michael upon showing him this brought up a very good point...where do you go to the bathroom? I'm thinking, squat ass out off the roof and let 'er rip...Oh, those wacky Germans!
Here's an extra link for all of you...courtesy of my friend Jon:
"I Pity The Fool" Who Doesn’t Watch TV Land…
It's a press release about a reality show in the works starring Mr. T!!! And Mr. T is basically doing a door-to-door Dr. Phil with families across the country. I...CAN'T....WAIT!!!
I've figured out what my podcast will be...If all goes according to plan, it will happen through out Sunday evening and it will be um..."Emmy" worthy...More details in the next couple of days...
I've been FARKED!
Got this link off of a post on the Game Show Forum. Aside from the theme being Rejected Pricing Games, this forum features a pic you've probably seen on this site. Heh...go figure...As with many of these Fark Photoshop threads, the humor's pretty hit and miss.
I still like my new apartment better!
My friend Nathan zapped this link to me one weekend. It's the evil German cousin of IKEA gone mad!! This reminds me of the future homes that you used to see at theme parks. Ahh, Orlando's Xanadu...how you are missed! I do like the simplistic design of the Loftcube, but really now...a shower stall (barely one at the that) doublng as a plant shower? And a pool on the roof? My friend Michael upon showing him this brought up a very good point...where do you go to the bathroom? I'm thinking, squat ass out off the roof and let 'er rip...Oh, those wacky Germans!
Here's an extra link for all of you...courtesy of my friend Jon:
"I Pity The Fool" Who Doesn’t Watch TV Land…
It's a press release about a reality show in the works starring Mr. T!!! And Mr. T is basically doing a door-to-door Dr. Phil with families across the country. I...CAN'T....WAIT!!!
I've figured out what my podcast will be...If all goes according to plan, it will happen through out Sunday evening and it will be um..."Emmy" worthy...More details in the next couple of days...
Monday, September 12, 2005
Blackout...without Bob Goen...
Well, that was interesting...Was having lunch with some co-workers this afternoon and then boom...the power went out. It took a while for us to realize it since the indoor lighting wasn't on in the restaurant. And then we got a call from the office that the power was out. Not only was it out in our area but the blackout also stretched as far as the valley. Traffic lights were out. You could see the confusion emerging in the intersection nearby. It was madness! Okay...it wasn't, but still...
When the check came and needed to pay with a credit card, I had an "oh, I take electricity for granted" moment. No credit cards were being taken because there was no power to run the credit card machine. YAY! Grrrr....
We walked back to the office wondering if we'd be able to continue working for the rest of the day since without power, we obviously didn't have any use of our computers. But alas, as we got closer to our building, we saw the traffic lights turn on and all was well.
Really lucked out this time...but it made wonder...would I be prepared had this been something bigger? Hmmm...and it also made me appreciate the wonder of electricity...that "universe of energy" if you will...HIT IT!....
Feel the flow...
Here we go!
Through the UNIVERSE OF ENERGYYYYYYY!
I had to...I really had to...sorry....
Saturday night attended a Red Cross benefit hosted by Realitycares.org. Quite a lot of people there...Surreal moment of the night...When Ruthie from "Real World: Hawaii" bought me a drink.
Speaking of reality encounters...Former schoolmate Fabian Basabe keeps invading my TV screen. First, it on "Faking It." Now, I'm seeing him on E!'s "Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive." Huh? What?!? I still have distinct memories of him in seventh-period chorus stirring up trouble. And mock me all you want...After all these years, I still think he's a cute guy...
Caught a little bit of Tyra Banks new talk show this afternoon. So many makeovers! And where can I get myself some touching up before I get my pic at the DMV. Nifty!
So my mug made its way onto TV again. This time it was in the audience of "Real Gay," LOGO's gay reality star reunion. Screengrab to come tomorrow morning...My friend Iowa Jim and I went to the taping several weeks ago. We kept popping up in the reverse angle shots of Will Wikle. Awww...Will.... :-)
Fired up the Colecovision last night...it now has a permanent place in the living room at the new apartment. What a cumbersome controller...still, I'll take the Colecovision controller any day over the original XBox controller. One thing we noticed while sifting through the pile of cartridges for a game to play, the box art on Atari cartridges was really cool. They always seemed to make the game seem more exciting that it was. Damn you, E.T.!!!
(Oh...got wrapped up with a number of things over the weekend that kept me from making an attempt at podcasting...will try to give it a shot next weekend!)
When the check came and needed to pay with a credit card, I had an "oh, I take electricity for granted" moment. No credit cards were being taken because there was no power to run the credit card machine. YAY! Grrrr....
We walked back to the office wondering if we'd be able to continue working for the rest of the day since without power, we obviously didn't have any use of our computers. But alas, as we got closer to our building, we saw the traffic lights turn on and all was well.
Really lucked out this time...but it made wonder...would I be prepared had this been something bigger? Hmmm...and it also made me appreciate the wonder of electricity...that "universe of energy" if you will...HIT IT!....
Feel the flow...
Here we go!
Through the UNIVERSE OF ENERGYYYYYYY!
I had to...I really had to...sorry....
Saturday night attended a Red Cross benefit hosted by Realitycares.org. Quite a lot of people there...Surreal moment of the night...When Ruthie from "Real World: Hawaii" bought me a drink.
Speaking of reality encounters...Former schoolmate Fabian Basabe keeps invading my TV screen. First, it on "Faking It." Now, I'm seeing him on E!'s "Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive." Huh? What?!? I still have distinct memories of him in seventh-period chorus stirring up trouble. And mock me all you want...After all these years, I still think he's a cute guy...
Caught a little bit of Tyra Banks new talk show this afternoon. So many makeovers! And where can I get myself some touching up before I get my pic at the DMV. Nifty!
So my mug made its way onto TV again. This time it was in the audience of "Real Gay," LOGO's gay reality star reunion. Screengrab to come tomorrow morning...My friend Iowa Jim and I went to the taping several weeks ago. We kept popping up in the reverse angle shots of Will Wikle. Awww...Will.... :-)
Fired up the Colecovision last night...it now has a permanent place in the living room at the new apartment. What a cumbersome controller...still, I'll take the Colecovision controller any day over the original XBox controller. One thing we noticed while sifting through the pile of cartridges for a game to play, the box art on Atari cartridges was really cool. They always seemed to make the game seem more exciting that it was. Damn you, E.T.!!!
(Oh...got wrapped up with a number of things over the weekend that kept me from making an attempt at podcasting...will try to give it a shot next weekend!)
Friday, September 09, 2005
Doin' the Village People doggie-style...
So, the other night I dropped by Target on my way home to pick up some Dryel...it does wonders I tell you when you need dry cleaning done at the last minute. But that's beside the point...
I blog today because of what I found while walking over to get the Dryel...Behold...
It's a do-it-yourself kit to turn your dogs into the Village People. Now, I've always been quick to say that I don't want a pet dog. I mean, I can barely take care of myself let alone another living creature. (I'm still amazed that Otter, the pet fish that was given to me for my birthday, is still swimming!) However, seeing these costume kits might make me change my tune for a day or actually probably just the hour or two it would take to form the puppy version of The Village People. Sing it with me everybody!
A. S. P. C. A.
Go help a dog with the
A. S. P. C. A-yyyy
They'll protect cats and pups
And all sorts of cute pets...
Save them from a life of regrettt....
Gonna try to get a podcast up on the site this weekend...stay tuned!
I blog today because of what I found while walking over to get the Dryel...Behold...
It's a do-it-yourself kit to turn your dogs into the Village People. Now, I've always been quick to say that I don't want a pet dog. I mean, I can barely take care of myself let alone another living creature. (I'm still amazed that Otter, the pet fish that was given to me for my birthday, is still swimming!) However, seeing these costume kits might make me change my tune for a day or actually probably just the hour or two it would take to form the puppy version of The Village People. Sing it with me everybody!
A. S. P. C. A.
Go help a dog with the
A. S. P. C. A-yyyy
They'll protect cats and pups
And all sorts of cute pets...
Save them from a life of regrettt....
Gonna try to get a podcast up on the site this weekend...stay tuned!
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Making the list....
...and checking it twice on TiVO.
Who would've guessed it...I made it onto Kathy Griffin's reality show, "My Life on the D-List." Kinda...sorta...
Towards the end of her season fniale, the producers used some B-roll from a concert Christie, Ted, Doug, and I attended back in 2004...I think it was the early part of 2004...
Check it out...
I have to say part of the fun with watching "My Life on the D-List" this past month or so has been trying to spot friends or people I've met through friends. There's been my friend Adam who has popped up on the show attending Kathy's game nights and TV nights. Grrr...me jealous! Then there's Doug P., who popped up briefly during last night's show. And of course there's Dennis and Tony, Kathy's main gays, whom I've had the pleasure to meet through both Ted and Adam. Anyhoo, seeing our mugs on TV was quite a pleasant surprise. Here's hoping there's more "D-List"-ing in the future!
Who would've guessed it...I made it onto Kathy Griffin's reality show, "My Life on the D-List." Kinda...sorta...
Towards the end of her season fniale, the producers used some B-roll from a concert Christie, Ted, Doug, and I attended back in 2004...I think it was the early part of 2004...
Check it out...
I have to say part of the fun with watching "My Life on the D-List" this past month or so has been trying to spot friends or people I've met through friends. There's been my friend Adam who has popped up on the show attending Kathy's game nights and TV nights. Grrr...me jealous! Then there's Doug P., who popped up briefly during last night's show. And of course there's Dennis and Tony, Kathy's main gays, whom I've had the pleasure to meet through both Ted and Adam. Anyhoo, seeing our mugs on TV was quite a pleasant surprise. Here's hoping there's more "D-List"-ing in the future!
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
I, Consumer
So one of my vices is shopping...often, a trip to the store for one thing leads to me buying a bunch of other things i hadn't anticipated.
Here are some of the latest things my dollars have gone to in the past week...
"Buffalo Bill" DVD Set - Vaguely remember this show when it aired originally and I think I caught a few reruns when it popped up again on A & E. The one thing I have clear memories of (as confirmed by the DVD) was the opening montage at the top of the show. And of course, there was story upon story about how this was a show ahead of its time, a show that was underrated, a show cancelled too soon...With there being only twenty-six episodes and all of them being in one set, I figured "what the hell?" and snatched up a copy. Watched a few episodes last night. The acting and writing are top-notch and it was quite cool to see early performances by Meschach Taylor, Charlie Robinson, and Geena Davis. And that theme...oh, that theme...definitely sticks with you. It's not the greatest sitcom ever as some have proclaimed, but it's a pretty damn good one. At times, it feels more like a dramedy than your stock sitcom and in doing so, I can see why it didn't get a big audience.
Hershey's Twosomes (Whoppers) - Picked this up at the 7-11...Limited Edition Hershey's Twosome chocolate bars. I got the Heath version and the Whoppers version. Haven't tried the Heath version yet...The Whoppers version wasn't bad. But it's really just a Krackel bar with bigger rice pieces. Bring back BarNone!!!
Namco Collection 50th Anniversary Edition for the Gamecube - Now I love Pac-Man and Dig-dug, but this collection left me a bit cold. The "80s soundtrack" while present only plays while you're picking a game. It would've been nice to have the music continue like the Activision Anthology set that came out a while back. And the control...oh the control. The Gamecube's analog stick is no match for a good old-fashioned joystick. The control is often frustrating. All in all, this collection is only recommended if you're a completist.
And those are my purchases of the week...back to catching up on some Celebrity Fit Club. :-)
Here are some of the latest things my dollars have gone to in the past week...
"Buffalo Bill" DVD Set - Vaguely remember this show when it aired originally and I think I caught a few reruns when it popped up again on A & E. The one thing I have clear memories of (as confirmed by the DVD) was the opening montage at the top of the show. And of course, there was story upon story about how this was a show ahead of its time, a show that was underrated, a show cancelled too soon...With there being only twenty-six episodes and all of them being in one set, I figured "what the hell?" and snatched up a copy. Watched a few episodes last night. The acting and writing are top-notch and it was quite cool to see early performances by Meschach Taylor, Charlie Robinson, and Geena Davis. And that theme...oh, that theme...definitely sticks with you. It's not the greatest sitcom ever as some have proclaimed, but it's a pretty damn good one. At times, it feels more like a dramedy than your stock sitcom and in doing so, I can see why it didn't get a big audience.
Hershey's Twosomes (Whoppers) - Picked this up at the 7-11...Limited Edition Hershey's Twosome chocolate bars. I got the Heath version and the Whoppers version. Haven't tried the Heath version yet...The Whoppers version wasn't bad. But it's really just a Krackel bar with bigger rice pieces. Bring back BarNone!!!
Namco Collection 50th Anniversary Edition for the Gamecube - Now I love Pac-Man and Dig-dug, but this collection left me a bit cold. The "80s soundtrack" while present only plays while you're picking a game. It would've been nice to have the music continue like the Activision Anthology set that came out a while back. And the control...oh the control. The Gamecube's analog stick is no match for a good old-fashioned joystick. The control is often frustrating. All in all, this collection is only recommended if you're a completist.
And those are my purchases of the week...back to catching up on some Celebrity Fit Club. :-)
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Not-so-weak links
Gonna start a new tradition here on Mandelweb...Two-for-Tuesday Links...
Here are the this week's duo of delectable delights...
Celine Dion on Larry King Live
First, one from my friend Ted. It's Celine Dion on "Larry King Live." Now, I'll be the first to say that I'm not a fan of Celine Dion, but after seeing this clip...wow...I mean, I know her heart is probably in the right place, but yikes...Are my ears deceiving me or is she advocating looting at one point in this clip? And did she say that she opened her television to find people suffering?!? There are people living inside her television!??! WHAT?!? And I can't believe Larry King asked her to sing a song after her emotional breakdown. Gee whiz! I will say this, if this doesn't get you off your ass to do something to help out the victims of Katrina, I don't know what will.
Behold...the Goddess Bunny
You can thank my friend Tim for this one. Honestly, I have no words to say about this...but my friend Tony said he's seen Goddess Bunny in West Hollywood. Here's more about him/her.
Here are the this week's duo of delectable delights...
Celine Dion on Larry King Live
First, one from my friend Ted. It's Celine Dion on "Larry King Live." Now, I'll be the first to say that I'm not a fan of Celine Dion, but after seeing this clip...wow...I mean, I know her heart is probably in the right place, but yikes...Are my ears deceiving me or is she advocating looting at one point in this clip? And did she say that she opened her television to find people suffering?!? There are people living inside her television!??! WHAT?!? And I can't believe Larry King asked her to sing a song after her emotional breakdown. Gee whiz! I will say this, if this doesn't get you off your ass to do something to help out the victims of Katrina, I don't know what will.
Behold...the Goddess Bunny
You can thank my friend Tim for this one. Honestly, I have no words to say about this...but my friend Tony said he's seen Goddess Bunny in West Hollywood. Here's more about him/her.
Monday, September 05, 2005
I'm back!
Ahh...after an almost two-month hiatus, I'm back to blog with a vengeance...
Decided to take a little break since the summer has been a bit crazy with moving into the new place and keeping up to speed with work.
So what has happened over the past couple of months...
Well, first and foremost, I've moved into a great new place. I have a cool new roommate, much more space, and it's in a good area. Oh, did I say I have more space? I actually have room to walk around my bedroom. And my tapes are now arranged in a semi-organized fashion. Pics to come on that...
The move was a bit of a pain in the butt, but I'm all settled in now. The walls have some decorations on them. There's a game show corner with some of the game show memorabilia I've collected over the past several years, a music corner which is home to the wall of album covers, and I was able to snag a movie poster of "The Apple!" The poster greets visitors as they enter the small hallway that leads to my bedroom.
And in true mandelweb.com fashion...time to run off a list of random thoughts that have popped into my head over the past couple of months that I want to get off my chest...
- YAY for "Battle of the Network Reality Stars." I'm not sure whether it was seeing Will Wikle in speedos or seeing Rachel Love Fraser pound the crap out of Charla Fadoul that made me realize how much I love my television and how much I love having DirecTV. Great to see Mike Adamle on television again...Oh, American Gladiators, how you are missed...
- This Pac-Man 25th Anniversary is going to do major damage to my wallet. Did a little splurging on various Pac-Man related merchandise this weekend...First, I picked up the Namco 50th Anniversary collection and then at Target, I stumbled upon these LCD miniature versions of arcade games including Pac-Man, Missile Command, and Centipede...grrr...damn my classic video game fixation.
- My friend Iowa Jim made me this Carpenters DVD of some videos of theirs and now I can get their version of "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" out of my head.
- Speaking of videos, how about R. Kelly on the VMAs? What? Huh? Was he being serious there? I'm very confused. I need a flowchart to keep up with that song. As to the VMAs in general...great set. Maybe I'm just out of touch with music these days, but I just wasn't feeling it this year. Nevertheless, yay for Green Day and yay for The Killers.
- Got fitted (or is it "fit?") for a tuxedo today. Going to a wedding next month. It's the first wedding I've been to in AGES. In the midst of getting fitted (or is it "fit?), I realized that my waist is still too small and my feet are too damn big. Slipped on an 11 1/2 wide shoe and it fit comfortably. 11 1/2!!! and I'm 5'7"!! Something is a bit off here...
- Went to Maryland a few weeks ago for a shoot. While I was there I was able to savor in some crab cakes and I was also able to reunite with my friend Albie from high school. The neatest part was getting a little eye checkup from him. Quite cool to see him in action at work. On top of all this, we got a chance to talk about a number of things we hadn't talked about...ever. Not sure why it had taken this long, but it was fun and a bit ear-opening...and I'll just leave it at that. Heh...
- Got an Evite to my 10-year high school reunion. It's happening this Thanksgiving. Will I be going? Of course! Should be quite interesting to see how everybody looks and to see what everybody's been up to. It should be even more interesting as there are a few people (I think) who are not privy to my being out...
- Cuddling is very underrated... ;-)
- Caught the Ben Folds concert at The Wiltern on August 18th. Excellent show...Rufus Wainwright joined in on "Careless Whisper" and Ben and his band did "Where's Summer B?"!!! No "Alice Childress" though...but he did do "All U Can Eat" which was my favorite song from his set of EPs. Good mix of stuff from all his albums...
- Had a surprise visit from my college friend Adam. Got to meet his girlfriend Anne and I was able to introduce him to some the newest members of the bunch whom he hadn't met yet. And there's a chance he might be moving back to L.A. YAY!
More to come later this week...one thing I'm toying with doing is a weekly podcast. Any advice on how to start one, put one together, etc? Equipmentwise, I have a Mac G4, Garageband, Final Cut Express, iTunes, and iMovie.
Anyhoo...glad to be back doing this...Until next time everyone...
Decided to take a little break since the summer has been a bit crazy with moving into the new place and keeping up to speed with work.
So what has happened over the past couple of months...
Well, first and foremost, I've moved into a great new place. I have a cool new roommate, much more space, and it's in a good area. Oh, did I say I have more space? I actually have room to walk around my bedroom. And my tapes are now arranged in a semi-organized fashion. Pics to come on that...
The move was a bit of a pain in the butt, but I'm all settled in now. The walls have some decorations on them. There's a game show corner with some of the game show memorabilia I've collected over the past several years, a music corner which is home to the wall of album covers, and I was able to snag a movie poster of "The Apple!" The poster greets visitors as they enter the small hallway that leads to my bedroom.
And in true mandelweb.com fashion...time to run off a list of random thoughts that have popped into my head over the past couple of months that I want to get off my chest...
- YAY for "Battle of the Network Reality Stars." I'm not sure whether it was seeing Will Wikle in speedos or seeing Rachel Love Fraser pound the crap out of Charla Fadoul that made me realize how much I love my television and how much I love having DirecTV. Great to see Mike Adamle on television again...Oh, American Gladiators, how you are missed...
- This Pac-Man 25th Anniversary is going to do major damage to my wallet. Did a little splurging on various Pac-Man related merchandise this weekend...First, I picked up the Namco 50th Anniversary collection and then at Target, I stumbled upon these LCD miniature versions of arcade games including Pac-Man, Missile Command, and Centipede...grrr...damn my classic video game fixation.
- My friend Iowa Jim made me this Carpenters DVD of some videos of theirs and now I can get their version of "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" out of my head.
- Speaking of videos, how about R. Kelly on the VMAs? What? Huh? Was he being serious there? I'm very confused. I need a flowchart to keep up with that song. As to the VMAs in general...great set. Maybe I'm just out of touch with music these days, but I just wasn't feeling it this year. Nevertheless, yay for Green Day and yay for The Killers.
- Got fitted (or is it "fit?") for a tuxedo today. Going to a wedding next month. It's the first wedding I've been to in AGES. In the midst of getting fitted (or is it "fit?), I realized that my waist is still too small and my feet are too damn big. Slipped on an 11 1/2 wide shoe and it fit comfortably. 11 1/2!!! and I'm 5'7"!! Something is a bit off here...
- Went to Maryland a few weeks ago for a shoot. While I was there I was able to savor in some crab cakes and I was also able to reunite with my friend Albie from high school. The neatest part was getting a little eye checkup from him. Quite cool to see him in action at work. On top of all this, we got a chance to talk about a number of things we hadn't talked about...ever. Not sure why it had taken this long, but it was fun and a bit ear-opening...and I'll just leave it at that. Heh...
- Got an Evite to my 10-year high school reunion. It's happening this Thanksgiving. Will I be going? Of course! Should be quite interesting to see how everybody looks and to see what everybody's been up to. It should be even more interesting as there are a few people (I think) who are not privy to my being out...
- Cuddling is very underrated... ;-)
- Caught the Ben Folds concert at The Wiltern on August 18th. Excellent show...Rufus Wainwright joined in on "Careless Whisper" and Ben and his band did "Where's Summer B?"!!! No "Alice Childress" though...but he did do "All U Can Eat" which was my favorite song from his set of EPs. Good mix of stuff from all his albums...
- Had a surprise visit from my college friend Adam. Got to meet his girlfriend Anne and I was able to introduce him to some the newest members of the bunch whom he hadn't met yet. And there's a chance he might be moving back to L.A. YAY!
More to come later this week...one thing I'm toying with doing is a weekly podcast. Any advice on how to start one, put one together, etc? Equipmentwise, I have a Mac G4, Garageband, Final Cut Express, iTunes, and iMovie.
Anyhoo...glad to be back doing this...Until next time everyone...
