The Squirrels Nest

2009-10-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

New Mika Album... Completely Relavent

2009-10-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Apparently only one person cares about the blog. But that's okay with me, she's kinda a big deal to me. Couple things are going to get done in this blog post. Review of the new Mika album, small updates throughout about my life, and completely thinking about Jenny the whole time.

So the album. It's called "The Boy Who Knew Too Much." It's one that has to grow on you. I heard it the first time and thought "This isn't Mika." And on the surface, it's not, but the more you get into it the more you realize that it is Mika, with the fun happy music. But it's not all that way. Yes you have songs such as "Touches You"

Which makes you want to get up and dance, even if it is a little creepy... But the message is pretty good. Very true actually. Makes me think about when I'm with Jenny... All the time I just want to be holding her hand or having my arm wrapped around her waist or hugging her or any number of things like that... And I completely miss it whenever I'm not with her.

Another song on the album that's awesome is Blue Eyes

I completely agree with the song too. I always worry when people I love are upset and they're hesitant to tell me.. I hound them. I bug them until they tell me... I should just start singing that to Jenny everytime I sense something.

But overall, I give the album about a 7.5 out of 10. It's good at some points and fun, but other ones it just dies on and doesn't live up to what was expected of a follow up to "Life in Cartoon Motion."

Bring Your 9-Volts

2008-09-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

While I was reading one of my favourite blogs, The Fightin's (http://www.thefightins.com/) I was reminded that if you're going to the Boston Red Sox Series this week at CBP, bring your batteries to throw at that ignoramus JD Drew. That is all.

Ryan Adams

2008-07-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

Today is another posting of my favourite artists. I bring you former Whiskytown front man Ryan Adams. Not to be confused with that Canadian douchebag Bryan Adams, Ryan is an edgy, alternative artist, who since his departure from Whiskytown has moved from his country roots with his debut solo album, Heartbreaker, to more rock oriented with success with albums such as 2001's Gold (My most highly recommended), 2003's Rock N Roll, and 2007's Easy Tiger. His album Gold, considered his masterpiece so far, had such hits as New York, New York, which the video was shot only 4 days before 9/11 and When The Stars Go Blue, which he wrote and originally performed, but is better known as a cover song done by many artists, including U2 and Tim McGraw. He did an amazing thing is 2005, releasing 3 full length albums full of new material in one calendar year. So enough of my jabbering, here's some stuff to listen to.

New York, New York (I cannot embed it, so click on the name to go to the video.)

Halloweenhead (Again, I can't embed, so click for the video)

So Alive

When The Stars Go Blue

My Alternate Presidential Candidates

2008-07-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

So this post is to show you some of the other candidates for president that I might support this year.

Cthulhu

Zombie Lincoln

Robot Nixon

The HAL-GlaDOS Ticket

Have your own alternate tickets? Let me know about them!

Robert Ruszczyk's Law of Inverse Parental Attraction

2008-07-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

So in my dating experience I have seen a theme. A theme of how you can tell how much a girl likes you in relation to the amount their parents like you. So to you world, I present my discovery: Robert Ruszczyk's Law of Inverse Parental Attraction.

The law is very simple: The more the girl likes you, the less the parent's like you. Thus the more the parent's like you, the less the girl does.

Now, please debate my discovery!

Guster

2008-07-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

In the contiuning series of posts about my musical tastes, I bring you Guster. Formed at Tufts University in 1991, Guster is a up beat band with comedy on its side. When first listened to, they remind me of the Beatles because of their breaking ground sound. When they began they didn't have a conventional drummer instead they used a perrcusionist, using bongos and tambourines, but recently have moved to using a tradional drumset in live performances. So instead of listening to me talk, just listen.

Placation And The Breaking of My Heart

2008-07-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

Placation. I find this one of the worst things that you can do to people. The idea of doing something to just make someone leave you alone hurts. I believe that people should do what they want, not because they are forced to or to appease someone else, but because they feel they want to. I have been the victim of placation lately, where a person I care about deeply has only been in contact with me because they feel they have to. Is it a result of them genuinely caring about me and just not being able to or is it a result of really not caring and doing it because I’m so earnest to keep in contact with that person.

My last post was just a picture; take a look to see if you don’t believe me. But it has become my motto since May 20, 2008. The girl who I loved decided that she couldn’t trust me anymore. Whether that was my fault (as she said it was) or her not being able to cope with being emotionally dependent on someone (she is fiercely independent) has yet to be scene. I believe though, after careful consideration of the circumstances (which I would rather not go into, if you really want to know, let me know in the comments and I’ll consider putting it up in a separate post) I believe that it was both of our faults. I screwed up, yes. Maybe not as much as she tells me though, and she has some part, in that she wouldn’t work with me to make things better. But she claims it was all my fault.

Now this is a common theme with her, that it is not her fault. It’s not her fault that she hasn’t called me or kept in contact, she’s been busy. She’s not the one to blame for me reacting and getting impatient with her not keeping in touch; it’s me for being irrational. It’s not her fault for me texting her and asking if the cd playlist she gave me signaled that there was no hope, it was again my fault for sending her a cd that had “subliminal” messages and she was merely making me feel like she did. (On a side note, I had sent a cd to her made up of songs that I had liked recently and had just been listening to. There was no ulterior motive, not other aim, no messages that I was trying to send to her. I was just trying to share some of the music I liked because according to her, we were still friends and that’s the kind of things friends do.) So as I look back now, maybe from a bitterer place than where I was last week when I posted about my plans for Friday, I see that common theme of her not taking responsibility.

She said to me that I need to get my life straight and take care of myself before she would consider letting me back in and letting me be the person who I want to be to her and she wants me to be, which is to be the one she turns to when she’s angry or upset.. This is coming from the girl who pulls away and cuts herself off from people when things get too much to handle. She doesn’t ask for help, she shuts herself away and deals with it internally. This from the girl who was my best friend before we dated and who genuinely loved me and I loved her, but now says she only “loves me as a best friend.”

Well news flash: best friends don’t go weeks without talking, best friends don’t do vindictive and mean things to the other, best friends don’t turn away when things are going bad, best friends try to work things out between them, they be nice and supportive, they turn to the other for help, they’re in contact with each other. She may have been my best friend before we started dating, but I would question to call it even acquaintances now.

I had many good times in DC with her. Many late nights, concerts and movies. We shared experiences, music, laughter, food, and much more. I learned to like her favourite bands and know her favourite colours and foods and places. Now I can’t turn on my iPod and listen to those songs I like because they remind me of her. I can’t watch movies because they’ll always be associated with her. I hate the colour yellow now, because it was her favourite.

I tried my damndest to make things work when she said that I needed to regain her trust. I really did. I apologized, said it was all my fault and promised that I would change. And I would and still will try to change, but I don’t know if it’s worth it. I was blinded by her and her willingness to talk to me again that I didn’t see the signs of her placating me. I’ve wasted much of my time these past few months obsessing over her because I thought there was a chance, but only now I realize that she stole my time, my life, my energy, my sanity, because she placated me. So to you, reader, I beg, don’t placate others, it only brings about harm.

Little Pieces

2008-07-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Augustana

2008-06-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

Continuing my series of posts about artists who I like and enjoy comes Augustana. The band, which comes out of San Diego is considered the American version of Coldplay, but I like them a lot better than Coldplay. Chris Martin, the pretentious ass, has a whiny voice compared to Dan Layus, the lead singer for Augustana. I'm going through a down period in my life right now and they help. First releasing an EP named Midwest Skies and Sleepless Mondays as a debut album. They then reached critical success with their single Boston from their second album. Their third album was the one that caught my eye though. Can't Love, Can't Hurt was a pure joy to listen to. With such songs as I Still Ain't Over You and Where Love Went Wrong Augustana seems to hit a stride that I love. The lyrical deepness combined with just great melody makes the third album the one I suggest.

Boom De Yada

2008-06-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

If anyone has seen the Discovery Channel commercials where they're singing, then you'll get a kick out of the latest XKCD comic.

DC Gun Ban

2008-06-26T22:49:00.000-07:00

DC just became a much more dangerous place.

Tomorrow

2008-06-26T22:46:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, loyal readers (if I have any...) I will not be here, I will be in NYC seeing the girl who I love. Whether or not she loves me is another story, but nevertheless. I can only attempt to gain her back, and this is a step in the right direction. Farewell!

Bedard and Closing for the Phillies

2008-06-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

Rumour has it that the Mariners are looking to trade Bedard, the lefty who just signed this offseason. The Phillies are allegedly in the market for a pitcher. I was reading another blog, Bugs and Cranks and the author, Patrick Smith talkied about how he was not one to pitch late into ballgames.

The Phillies, who are looking for a lefty reliever, should make a move for him, because if he comes here, he's signed through next year. If they cannot resign Lidge, Bedard could be the next closer. So Gillick and Amaro, trade for Bedard and move him to a reliever, you have your next closer sitting right there.

Help with Google Analytics

2008-06-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'm having trouble installing the Google Analytics script on my blogspot blog, so if you can help me, let me know. The blog is an exact copy of the one here, same posts for the most part and will remain that way. I can copy the html script for the site, send it to you in a word document, then you paste the analytics script where it needs to go and email it back to me so I can paste it back. If anyone can help me with this, I would appreciate it greatly!

Amazing Catch

2008-06-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

While browsing my many blogs on RSS, I came upon a post on Balls, Sticks, & Stuff about an amazing catch. And it is, not by the Left Fielder, but by the ball girl. You're going to have to see this one twice!

An amazing catch.

My Top 5 TV Theme Songs

2008-06-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this post because I've recently been listening to Massive Attack's song "Teardrop," which is also the theme song to House on Fox. So that got me thinking and today I'm listing the top TV theme songs I would listen to voluntarily. So without further ado:

Hey Beautiful-The Solids-How I Met Your Mother-CBS

Baba O'Riley-The Who-CSI:NY-CBS

Hey Sandy-Polaris-The Adventures of Pete & Pete-Nick

Teardrop-Massive Attack-House M.D.-Fox

Law & Order-Mike Post-Law & Order-NBC

So there you have my list of the Top 5 TV theme songs. As usual, if you have a problem with my list, think you can do better, want to make your own Top 5 go right ahead in the comment section. Click on the names of the songs to listen to them to make your own judgment. Full version of Hey Sandy available when you click on the artist name.

The Demonization of Science and The Religious Right

2008-06-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

I'm a stumble-upon user and when stumbling the other day, I found this article: Above the Law. I find it kind of disturbing that the teacher could have gotten away with burning the kids like that. And as for the other things, I went to a Catholic school and we never had that junk pushed down our throats. The mere fact that it was in a public schools shows that the extent that the children of today are being indoctrinated is immense.

The rejection of pure science for some crackpot theory about how a "divine influence" created the world is alarming in that if that mindset is kept up, we can be taken back to the middle ages and the belief that "God" wants us to be ill.

Now I know everyone doesn't agree with Michael Moore, but I bring up his move "Sicko" because it is relevent to the way that the religious right and the Republicans believe that we should be living our lives. The tapes that were played in the movie of Nixon when the new healthcare system was initiated shows the level of disregard that the Republicans truely have for human rights.

The Republicans claim that Ronald Regan was the true founder of the modern day conservative movement, but I would rather disagree and claim Nixon as the founder of the current Republican party. He was the first Republican to use many of the tactics in domestic policy that are in place today, such as the privatization of industries, the current health care system, the secrecy among the administrations, and the feeling that the President and his administration answer to no-one.

So this case is well intentioned, in that it brings to light many of the points that should be addressed about how the country is being run and the future of progress in America.

Boring?

2008-06-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

There have been allegations that my blog is "boring." And this may be true. I'm still trying to find my groove on what to write about, my writing style, and how to phrase it so people do enjoy reading it. But then again, you don't have to read the blog. Me telling you to is only a suggestion.

And as for the black theme that is being used, well I like the way it looks. If you've seen my computer and Firefox skin, you know I like my themes to be dark and black with blue or red highlights, so again, have a problem? Too bad. This is my personal forum, and you are all just here to visit.

Lists

2008-06-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

So the posts that get the most amount of traffic on here are lists, so I'll try to do more lists from now on, even if it is just a rundown of my day or such.

All Class Act Team

2008-06-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

A class act player I believe is a player who does what he should, does not complain (at least in public) and genuinely cares about the game, maybe not outwardly, but in some way cares.

So I give to you my active player All-Class Act Team:

Torii Hunter-CF- Los Angeles Angels

Placido Polanco-2B-Detroit Tigers

Ken Griffy Jr.-RF-Cincinnati Reds

Todd Helton-1B-Colorado Rockies

Pat Burrell-LF-Philadelphia Phillies

Chipper Jones-3B-Atlanta Braves

Derek Jeter-SS-New York Yankees (And I loathe the Yankees with a passion, so this is a high compliment)

Jason Kendall-C-Milwaukee Brewers

John Smoltz-SP-Atlanta Braves

Trevor Hoffman-RP-San Diego Padres

Disagree? Think you can do better? Want to do an all time team? Go right ahead and post them in the comments

Pat "The Bat" Burrell

2008-06-18T21:07:00.000-07:00

I'm writing today about one of my favourite players in baseball, the Philadelphia Philles' Pat Burrell. Pat play's left field and bats 5th in a very potent lineup that includes MVP canidate Chase Utley, Former NL ROY and NL MVP Ryan Howard, current reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins and the Flyin Hawaiian Shane Victorino. Now with those players, you would think that naturally Pat is going to put up very good numbers, and he does, but better than what you would think.

A recent article on Philly.com by Rich Hofmann points out Burrells value to the club and how good he really is. Was he a number 1 overall pick? I'm not sure, ask me again in 5 years, but has he been valuable?

Yes

As pointed out in the article, he rarely makes a stink over things, is quiet and un-assuming and knows that he is viewed as a second tier player in Philly. He has been booed, heckled, had things thrown at him, and yet he still loves the city of Philadelphia.

He is a class act player, and no matter what you say will not change that.

Mets Fire Randolph-Even Though He Shouldn't Have Been

2008-06-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

I just woke up, but I feel that I should comment on this any way. The best analysis of the situation, and why the Mets are failing was done in the comments section on the post about it on one of my favourite blogs, The 700 Level. It was done by the anonymous poster J13 and re-printed here for your reading pleasure:

Their woes are not related to the manager - they're related to that team's complete lack of character. They don't need a new manager, they need a heart transplant. They're the New York Tin Men.

I don't like Charlie as an in-game manager (although I loved the Rollins benching move), but more and more I've come to realize this - the reason why he works with this team is because the Phils are all heart. They all play hard, they are all incredibly motivated (see: Bruntlett or Victorino running over catchers, every single at bat by Chase, outfielders diving for balls, Chris Coste's clutch hitting, Old Man Moyer's grit, Rollins stealing second AND third to start off the last game of last season, etc. etc. etc.) - they don't need Larry Bowa firing them up, they need a man holding the reins to pull back and steer. Charlie makes a lot of in-game moves that make me angry, but he's clearly been great in the clubhouse, and is a first-rate mind when it comes to batting.

The Mets, on the other hand, have NO heart, save for a few guys (Wright, Pedro). They need someone to shove them into the breach, because they don't do it willingly themselves. They have some fundamental problems with aging players, but to me the complete lack of character is the real problem. The phils, on the other hand, have for the past several years placed a higher premium on intangibles than on lazy numbers (although they clearly have numbers players, too, with the past 2 MVP's and a strong candidate for this year's top individual award).

If I were the Mets, the first thing I'd do is trade Reyes for value, because as impressive as his skills are he's #1 on the heartless list, and I'd imagine they could get a mint for him. It would be like the Phils getting rid of Abreu - a bad move on paper, a great move on the field. I'd throw whatever I needed to give to the Pirates to get Nady, especially now that Church AND Alou are hurt. I'd hire a manager that yells a lot but is competent (Pinella-style), and clean house of anyone that didn't fall in line.

The mets have a *lot* of movable pieces, that you could definitely get some value for so long as you them out to a lot of different teams. If I were them, I'd start moving those players and replacing them with talent that has a different state of mind.

So there you have it, a well thought out rationale, not that I want them to follow it...

Root Canal and Other Stuff

2008-06-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

My sister has had a root canal. Does it really hurt that much? As for other things:

The ball hit by Geoff Jenkins was clearly not caught on Saturday, this is why we need instant replay in Baseball, its only a matter of time, but hopefully it will be implemented correctly soon.

Boston fans are asshats. They think just because they lost for so long they can afford to be douchebags now that they have won major championships, which is bullshit. . Those fucking Boson fans are just as bad as the Yankees now. I used to like Boston, when they had the Thunder as their farm team, I saw Nomar come up when he was playing in AA. I was happy when they won the World Series, bu then they turned ignorant, and became asshats. So Boston, fuck you, for turning casual fans against you, and becoming another Evil Empire.

My dog, Nibbles has just come back from the groomers, he's adorable as usual.

Why is it that I'm butter in this one girls hands? I try to be tough, to make a stand, but I roll over, probably because I still love her and that's not going to change.

I still need a job-anyone want to hire me?

Fuck you Verizon, for blocking my torrents.

Movie Snobs

2008-06-09T03:52:00.000-07:00

So I took a class called Critical Approach to Cinema, where the professor told us that we would be come movie snobs after taking the class. I laughed, saying to myself that I wouldn't become a movie snob, but it was true. I became a movie snob and am now very critical of the movies I watch. So today, I leave you with a selective group of movies that I enjoy and that I highly suggest people go out and see...

The Replacements- A formulaic sports movie, where the team is brought together through adversity. Stars Keanu Reeves as Shane Falco and Gene Hackman as Jimmy McGinty

Donnie Darko- A total mindfuck, I won't go any deeper than that without giving away the plot. Stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie Darko and Jenna Malone as Gretchen Ross

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb- Stanley Kubrick at his finest. Stars Peter Sellers as almost everything

Mean Girls- Come on, it has pre-blonde and slutty Lindsay Lohan! AND Rachel McAdams!

Wristcutters: A Love Story- An underrated indie film of 2007 that was defiantly a mindfuck. Starring Patrick Fuget as Zia and get this, Tom Waits as Kneller

So those are some of my favourite movies. And yes, I use the u...

The Point of this Blog

2008-06-05T15:58:00.000-07:00

So I welcome you to the first edition of The Squirrels Nest. This blog is intended for me to rant about what I want, which will most likely be politics, Philadelphia sports, American University, Washington DC, New Jersey, Mercer County and anything else I feel like. If you don't like what I say, well, frankly you don't have to read it. I welcome everyone to my new blog and let's have some fun...