Beefy Cat Angus

A Perfect Sunday Morning...

2008-12-21T10:48:00.001-05:00

Watching "The Soup" with Mosh Goose over New England Coffee...

MMMMMMMMMMMMM...

80 Skillz

2008-12-07T23:48:00.002-05:00

Stolen from The Garvey at Royal Toy Box... :

Here's a list of 80 things every man should know how to do. Let's see how I do (what I can do is bolded- ok, what I feel I think I should be able to potentially do if I have to is bolded).

Automotive
1. Handle a blowout
2. Drive in snow
3. Check trouble codes
4. Replace fan belt
5. Wax a car
6. Conquer an off-road obstacle
7. Use a stick welder
8. Hitch up a trailer
9. Jump start a car

Handling Emergencies
10. Perform the Heimlich
11. Reverse hypothermia
12. Perform hands-only CPR
13. Escape a sinking car

Home
14. Carve a turkey
15. Use a sewing machine
16. Put out a fire
17. Home brew beer
18. Remove bloodstains from fabric
19. Move heavy stuff
20. Grow food
21. Read an electric meter
22. Shovel the right way
23. Solder wire
24. Tape drywall
25. Split firewood
26. Replace a faucet washer
27. Mix concrete
28. Paint a straight line
29. Use a French knife
30. Prune bushes and small trees
31. Iron a shirt
32. Fix a toilet tank flapper
33. Change a single-pole switch
34. Fell a tree
35. Replace a broken windowpane
36. Set up a ladder, safely
37. Fix a faucet cartridge
38. Sweat copper tubing
39. Change a diaper
40. Grill with charcoal
41. Sew a button on a shirt
42. Fold a flag

Medical Myths
43. Treat frostbite
44. Treat a burn
45. Help a seizure victim
46. Treat a snakebite
47. Remove a tick

Military Know-How
48. Shine shoes
49. Make a drum-tight bed
50. Drop and give the perfect pushup

Outdoors
51. Run rapids in a canoe
52. Hang food in the wild
53. Skipper a boat
54. Shoot straight
55. Tackle steep drops on a mountain bike
56. Escape a rip current

Primitive Skills
57. Build a fire in the wilderness
58. Build a shelter
59. Find potable water

Surviving Extremes
60. Floods
61. Tornados
62. Cold
63. Heat
64. Lightning

Teach Your Kids
65. Cast a line
66. Lend a hand
67. Change a tire
68. Throw a spiral
69. Fly a stunt kite
70. Drive a stick shift
71. Parallel park
72. Tie a bowline
73. Tie a necktie
74. Whittle
75. Ride a bike

Technology
76. Install a graphics card
77. Take the perfect portrait
78. Calibrate HDTV settings
79. Shoot a home movie
80. Ditch your hard drive

49... not too shabby...

Johnny The Office Boy

2008-12-07T23:42:00.001-05:00

My 2009 Oscar Predictions (So Far)

2008-12-07T21:37:00.002-05:00

If God sent me a text saying, "The most important movie awards of the year are tomorrow and you decide them- ONLY based on the movies you have seen in 2008. Send me your nominations NOW" what would I do?

I would listen to him.

So, if I had to give out "The Best-Of-The-Movies-I-Have-Seen-In-2008-SO-FAR" Awards, here's who and what would be nominated (so far- there are 24 more days left- TONS of time for these to change!):

Best Movie
The Dark Knight
Wall-E
Tropic Thunder
Rachel Getting Married
The Visitor

Best Actor
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Christian Bale, The Dark Knight
Robert Downey, Jr., Iron Man
Josh Brolin, W.
Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Frances McDormand, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day
Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City
Sallie Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky
Angelina Jolie, Wanted (this is kind of bottom of the barrel...)

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
Eddie Marsan, Happy Go Lucky
Richard Dreyfuss, W.
Ciaran Hinds, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day

Best Supporting Actress
Vera Farmiga, The Boy In The Striped Pajamas
Amy Adams, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day
Cynthia Nixon, Sex And The City
Rosemarie Dewitt, Rachel Getting Married
Debra Winger, Rachel Getting Married

Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted)
Wall-E
Sex and The City
The Visitor
Tropic Thunder
The Dark Knight

Hopefully I'll be able to pull some double feature movie days in the weeks to come.

Warn Fuzzies...

2008-12-07T21:34:00.002-05:00

My show closed today- the one I wrote, directed and choreographed, inspired by my father.

He gave me a hug, the first in years, today. "I'm proud of you."

It was sad and wonderful all at the same time.

He IS Sasha Fierce

2008-12-01T23:44:00.002-05:00

Dear Katie:

I listened to the song (as you asked). I watched the Beyonce video (as you asked). BUT... I heard about this guy on Youtube and I had to share this with all the Beefy Cats out there, including you.

Shane Mercado on The Bonnie Hunt Show
Uploaded by TheDlisted

It is BRILLIANT. Shane Mercado- you're a talented little flitter!

A Facebook Experiment

2008-12-01T20:10:00.004-05:00

Last week, I unfriended a person on Facebook and got an email.

"Hey there- why did you unfriend me? Aren't we friends anymore?"

Last time we spoke was in 1991, so I didn't really think we were friends anymore and I was doing some housekeeping with Facebook anyway. But this person really seemed to be upset by my lack of comraderie that I decided to friend him again, just for the hell of it.

A few weeks before that, a very good friend and professional colleague of mine got into a rather heated argument with me (we were both working on the same show). I went onto Facebook the next day to find out that I was "unfriended" by her. I emailed her:

"Did you really unfriend me on Facebook?"

Her reply: "Damn right I did."

Wow. Seriously, I mean, c'mon. It's Facebook, people. Did she really expect that to piss me off to the nth degree? I half heartedly expected her mom to call my mom and tell on me for calling her out in the middle of a meeting. Then what would have happened? Bedtime at 9:30. Oh, pooh.

But both of these incidents got me thinking. I logged on to my Facebook account and saw that I had 467 "friends". 467. Sweet mother of God. 467 people are my friends? I, I, I usually only talk to 6 people a day, but if Facebook says I have 467, then I must be pretty popular.

So, since my satellite dish is down because of the lake effect snow that is coming in as I type, I decided to do a little statistics on my Facebook "friends." How exactly do I determine who is really a "friend" and who really is just a person in my cyber life?

It's pretty simple, really. OK, in theory it's pretty simple, but in actuality it really isn't. I set up 2 types of data: In My Life and What I Consider. In My Life consisted of 3 subsets:

Everyday Life People (people whom I speak to or think about on a daily basis)
Sometimes in My Life People (people whom I sometimes talk to or think about- more irregularly than regularly)
Never in My Life People (self explanatory- these people are never in my life on a daily basis.)

What I Consider consisted of 5 subsets:
I Consider Family (those people whom I have strong connections with, either through long friendships or familial binds)
I Consider Friends (those people whom I hang out or whom I have shared details about my life with on a rather frequent basis)
I Consider Acquaintances (those people whom I know, but don't socialize with or speak to ona regular basis)
I Don't Ever Consider (those people who may have been in my life once, but aren't a facotr in it anymore)
I've Never Met (those people whom I have never met)

The results were astounding to me.

In My Life Results
Everyday Life People: 32
Sometimes in my Life People: 50
Never In My Life People: 385

385 people who aren't in my day to day life.

The next results were more astounding.

What I Consider results
I Consider Family: 17
I Consider Friends: 22
I Consider Acquaintances: 114
I Don't Ever Consider: 282
I've NEVER MET: 32

Now, I was hesitant to post these findings because many of you may be thinking "Jesus H., what a douchebag" or "Can't he hang out with one of his 22 friends or 114 acquaintances to keep his mind off of freakin' lame ass statistics?"

No, I'm not a douchebag. And no, I am in for the night. So there.

Seriously, though- haven't you ever looked at your Facebook and thought to yourself "how did this happen?". I am "friends" with a girl I made out with when I was 9. I am "friends" with people who used to make fun of me in high school. I am "friends" with a straight man whom I slept with in college.

Are these people my friends??? No.

But is it fun to see what my french kissing partner from 1982 is doing now?

Yup.

Is it fun to see that those who made fun of me in high school are now balding and chubby, running around with 3.86 kids, and I am praying to God that they teach them how NOT to bully others?

Yup.

Is it fun to see the straight guy still straight, even though he wears way-too-tight turtleneck sweaters and loves Liza Minnelli?

Yup.

Facebook is ingenious. Therefore, I will keep all of my "friends". Because even if I don't think of them on a daily basis, or talk to them monthly, or have never even met them, it's fun to see what their normalcy is compared to mine.

And I know- straight guys can like Liza Minnelli-while wearing a turtleneck sweater.

Oh- and if you decide to "unfriend" me because of this, that's fine. Just be upfront about it. And don't say "Damn right I did."

It's already been used on me. By a friend- or someone I considered a friend.

How Bored Am I?

2008-12-01T19:22:00.001-05:00

I am watching Scrubs. Season 5.

Beefy Best Buy

2008-12-01T14:31:00.001-05:00

Dear Santa, or Anyone:

All I want for Christmas are Best Buy gift cards. I want a new 42" LCD TV. Any and all denominations are welcome.

Lots of love and candy canes-

Michael

Bell's What?

2008-11-30T23:42:00.004-05:00

Being sick meant staying in all day, except to go find Bell's Seasoning to make stuffing for a turkey that will never be made. My brother made the most kick ass stuffing (sorry Mom) on Thanksgiving, and I felt the need to attempt to recreate it today. Yesterday I went out and bought the celery, onion, white bread and Bob Evans sausage, but he said the secret ingredient was Bell's Poultry Seasoning. Could I find it yesterday? Um. no. Could I find it today- yes! But it was Bell's Lemon Pepper seasoning- so I went with McCormick's poultry seasoning instead.

Wrong move.

The smell of Thanksgiving was in my kitchen, but it was more of a Thanksgiving Lite feel because I didn't have the Bell's. Even after it was baked it *looked* like my brother's stuffing, but it definitely didn't have its flavor. But, for a first time attmepting to make it, I didn't do too bad. I will still eat it. I eventried to help it along by using my old standby seasoning- OLD BAY.

If you haven't tried Old Bay, do it. It makes everything taste better. Soups, chowders, chocolate- anything.

Mosh Goose brought over leftovers from his mom's Ohio Thanksgiving dinner. I have to admit- there was a sweet potato casserole that was pretty kick ass. Sweet, nutty, very dessert-esque. I'm so not about the sweet potatoes or yams, but this casserole was pretty rockin'.

If you have any Bell's seasoning left over and you want to send it to me, I'm all about charity. Muchas Gracias.

Ugh

2008-11-29T23:55:00.002-05:00

I wonder why I get really sick the day after I see my brother's kids.

EVERY flippin' time.

Yuletide Bullseye

2008-11-29T18:22:00.002-05:00

I love Target at Christmas. I went last night with Mosh Goose and today I went after my rehearsal. I got so much stuff that I needed, including:

- glittered snowflakes
- 2 MORE rolls of wrapping paper (up to 4 now)
- an Anakin Skywalker Modified Jedi Spaceship
- a baseball bat
- 4 robe boxes (even though I haven't bought a robe. Or 4.)
- kitty litter deodorizer (ok- that isn't too Christmas-y- but it does smell like pine!)

AND... the best of 'em all...

- Season 1 of Charmed (it was $8.98... SUE ME)

I'm still a bit hot for Alyssa Milano. Somehow I want to scream at her "WHO'S THE BOSS? WHO'S THE BOSS, BITCH?"

Digression complete.

2 years ago today...

2008-11-29T00:52:00.001-05:00

This is what I posted. I still love it and it still inspires me.

I can't believe BCA started almost 2 1/2 years ago. Suh-weet Moses on a stick.

I, Like Rachel, Am An Addict

2008-11-29T00:23:00.004-05:00

I am fully prepared to not be available for anything substantial in the next couple of months. I have warned Mosh Goose that I will be going to see as many movies as possible to prepare for The Oscars. I started months ago by being one of the only people in Buffalo to see Richard Jenkins' subtle yet amazing performance in The Visitor...

I have seen The Dark Knight (jumped on the bandwagon for a while, but I'm more interested to see if Robert Downey, Jr. will get the accolades he deserves for his performance in Tropic Thunder. I have also seen Rachel Getting Married, a strong contender for best movie, best actress (Anne Hathaway), best supporting actress (Rosemarie Dewitt and/or Debra Winger), best supporting actor (Bill Irwin), and dreamiest newcomer who has sex in a basement with an addict at her sister's rehearsal dinner (Mather Zickel).
This week I am preparing to see Synecdoche, NY and Australia . In the next few weeks comes Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
I have been playing Academy Idol over at The Oscar Igloo and have been stuying IMDB.com for all of the latest gossip, polls, interviews, everything.

Bottom line is I WILL be prepared this year to win the Oscar Pool. Take that, Doug.

OH! P.S.- I also saw The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. If you have seen it, let me know. I'd love to discuss it over getting some fillings at the dentist's office. I wonder what would be more numbing?

Where's the Nutshell?

2008-11-28T17:31:00.005-05:00

I need to thank BCA readers Zacki and Kelly for lighting a fire under my fat ass to get Beefy Cat Angus up and running again. I have taken a long hiatus from this little piece of the blogosphere, and I feel it is time to get back to doing what I do best- writing about nothing and everything at the same time.

In a nutshell, here are the last 6 months of my life:

- I wrote a musical and it's currently running (check out Musicalfare's Website). We close December 7th. I even gave Special Thanks to Beefy Cat Angus in the playbill (as well as Zacki- he helped me with my set! I love talented bloggers!)

- I found a good man. 3 months now, going very strong. He's on TV here in the B-lo, so I won't give out his name. (but it sounds like Mosh Goose).

- Dad is ok. He's still truckin' along, and although Parkinson's has beat him down with a very large proverbial stick, he's still not out. Mom's medical tests all came back negative. Yay for parental units!

- living with Semi-Goth is fine, even though I cannot put up any Christmas decorations. Damn agnostics. (If I offend any readers by saying that, so be it. She's sold me on the "All Agnostics hate Christmas" deal. She is into black and skulls, however. Maybe I'll put up a black tree with Danzig ornaments...

- my photography took up a lot of time in the summer. I love it love it love it.

- Beefy Cat Angus is doing well, although I think he hates me. No, seriously. I think he does. Mosh Goose got him all these toys and Angus is all happy when he comes over. Mosh'll play with him. Give him treats. Me? I just sit and hope he doesn't claw my furniture. And I throw him off my bed at 3 in the morning. I guess he has reason to hate me.

Anyhoo, I'm back. I've said it once and I'll say it again. I'm in rehearsals for my next gig already, but I am sure I'll have tales to tell of mean cats, happy dancers and all around fierceness.

I've missed all of you.

High School Tony Awards

2008-06-18T00:26:00.002-04:00

High School Tony Awards Honor Nation's Biggest Drama Club Nerds

Want to be part of my training?

2008-06-08T19:12:00.006-04:00

I'm learning how to take headshots. Want to be a subject of mine? Email me and let me know!

Sigh

2008-05-29T08:36:00.004-04:00

I think everyone has the "one that got away".

Mine just emailed me and told me that he has found true love with a man named Vince. And he made sure to tell me that he's not the only one in love, but that Vince loves him too, and just as much.

Ouch.

I'll admit, I'm a bit sad right now.

I'm Back... and I've Missed You!

2008-05-26T21:57:00.008-04:00

I took 2 months off from blogging. In those two months, I have:

- finished writing my new musical revue.

- taken some pretty awesome pictures:

- been nominated for 2 Artvoice Artie awards for Best Choreography in a Musical, for:

Altar Boyz

and Bat Boy

- watched my Dad have his up and down days

- watched my Mom have her up and down days

- lost 15 pounds and gained it all back.

- quit smoking and started again.

- noticed that Angus has gotten needier.

- realized I miss blogging, but I needed to take a little break.

I am excited to be back again. Beefy Music Sunday has ALL new music and I have a few more Monday Brunch dates lined up!

(Did you know BCA was mentioned on Bravotv.com?)

Who knew!?

With a new start comes a new template as well. So there.

Everyone Needs An Oily Frog

2008-03-27T23:42:00.005-04:00

I hate my roommate.

OK- I don't really.

But she's gotten my hooked on The Hills. The best part about the show is that I cannot tell if it's scripted or if it's "reality." They bill it as reality, but I'm so not sure. Seriously- who names their incredibly effete son KIMBALL, who then becomes Senior Editor of Teen Vogue? I mean, that HAS to be a character, right?

Maybe not.

So, Meg and I sat and watched the "mini-season" between Seasons 2 and 3, where Whitney and Lauren went to some ball in Paris for Teen Vogue to cater to young debutantes, blah blah blah. The fun part of the show came when the ladies met this band from Paris named Rock & Roll. They aren't big at all, but they have the hottest Parisian ever in the group.

His name is Matthias. He's charming. He's greasy. He smokes. He wears skinny jeans. He has a hot accent.

And he drives a Vespa.

Oh, how I wanted to be Lauren as she hopped on the back of his Italian moped and drove up and down the streets of Paris with him. How I dreamed of clutching his tiny chest next to mine as the Parisian air and rain were pounding against our helmets.

And then I realized- I don't think I'd fit on a Vespa. And I don't think I can bring home to my family a man who's biggest hit is called "Loser, Boozer, Jacuzzi-User."

Ribbit.

No Country For Old Peeps

2008-03-22T11:31:00.004-04:00

My sister Meggie is so creative, and she shows it in many different ways. For one, she loves to make cupcakes and have cupcake parties for her and her friends (oh- and their children). Secondly, she makes really cool claymation videos that just make me smile.

Her latest creative endeavor took her into the competitive realm of the Peep Diorama. The Washington Post has an annual Peep Diorama contest. You all remember dioramas, right? Those cardboard-box presentations we had to do for our 3rd grade Social Studies classes that showed how the dinosaurs lived, or how Abraham Lincoln was giving the first stump speech ever?

Well, this is taken to the nth degree. People have taken movie moments, pop culture references, or just plain funny moments in life and made them into dioramas that have every character played by a PEEP. You will never know what a Peep can be until you see these amazing dioramas.

So, Meggie entered this year and she was a SEMI-FINALIST! She did a wonderful diorama depicting a scene from "No Country For Old Men". Of course, it was named "No Country For Old Peeps." Take a look below:

She even got Javier Bardem's Dorothy Hamill haircut perfect! I am so proud of her. She worked her butt off and now she is a Diorama SUPERSTAR.

There is an online fan favorite contest and I really want her to win. If you will, please go to THIS LINK and vote for #33. Also, if you will, please link this to your blogs so we can get Meggie as many votes as possible.

If you are in the Washington, DC area, her diorama will be on display at a future Art-O-Matic gallery show. Once I get the date, I'll put it on here.

Vote for Meggie Walline! Queen of the Peeps!

BufBloPoFo - Day 14

2008-03-16T21:56:00.003-04:00

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 14: Link to whatever you posted exactly one year ago (or whatever’s closest), and give your readers an update on that topic. If you haven’t been writing for a year, give us a list of three or four things that are going on in your life right now that you’ll want to update one year from now at the end of BufBloPoFo09.

Ok... here's a link to what I wrote about last year. Here's an update:

1) I tossed out the bobblehead
2) I still like chubby guys with beards.
3) I still love Meeeechele Norris and Robert Siegel (and, ok- Melissa Bloch)
4) I still love to dance (duh- I now teach! SHOCK!)
5) Heather Mills still has one leg
6) Heather Mills now has $50 million.
7) I still have issues taking chances.
8) I give myself limitations.
9) I definitely have a point of view. It's just finding the right audience to present it to.

Thanks, Royal Toy Box, for making me think a little bit more about me. Although I cheated on this little Blog experiment, I did do it. And I'm glad I did!

BufBloPoFo- Days 2 through 13

2008-03-16T18:39:00.004-04:00

Mr. Garvey- if you read this- cut me a bit of slack... I've been sick for 5 weeks now. Doctors won't give me antibiotics 'cuz it's viral and I'm not in the BEST OF MOODS. So, I would like to catch up on the last 13 days of BufBloPoFo.

So, here we go...

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 2:What’s the best gift you’ve ever gotten?

I think the best gift I ever got was actually last year. I wrote a show called "Familiar Strangers", and it was a dance musical as told through the music of Joni Mitchell. 28 songs- I put my heart and soul into that bugger. Most Beefy Gen 1's were around to read about it.

My boyfriend at the time, A Boy, did this beautiful piece of artwork for me. He calligraphied a variety of lyrics from each of the songs in the show into the gorgeous mosaic. This thing was huge- probably 32 inches by 24 inches. It must have taken days and days for him to do. I looked at it for the first time and cried. No one had ever done that for me before. It was absolutely beautiful.

Too bad I ripped it up when I found out he was tryin' to bang his ex while we were together. It was much prettier in 84 pieces than in 1, anyway.

Next topic...

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 3: Those who know me know I tend to look for what’s wrong with something. I’m a happy man, but a consummate pessimist. Ignore the same tendencies you may have and write about the things that went right today. Plenty of Wegmans brand raisin bran for breakfast? All green lights on the way to work or to school or to Wegmans to buy more raisin bran? Maybe other good things happened that were not cereal related? Share!

Let's see... what was right about today...

- my Desi Arnaz CD came in.
- my nose wasn't as stuffy as yesterday
- my house is quiet.
- I had Tim Horton's coffee for brunch.
- Angus has slept all day.
- I did 2 loads of laundry.
- the sun is shining at 6:45pm.
- I visited my parents.
- I talked to my oldest sister (which really made my day!)
- things are... good.

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 4: Who would play you in a movie? Who would play me?

I think Vincent D'Onofrio would play me in a movie. People say I look like him and I always loved his creepy performance in The Cell.

Who would play you, Mr. Garvey? Ummm... I think Kevin James.

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 5: Patty recently instructed on Starbucks etiquette. Beers and I occasionally talked about the proper way to ride the el in Chicago. Everyone has an opinion on the correct way to hang toilet paper. What do you think too many people do wrong? Well, here’s your soapbox, participants. Take a stand and teach society something.

I think too many people use the word "myself" incorrectly. People nowadays are afraid of the word "me". "Should you have a question, please contact myself" is INCORRECT ENGLISH. "Please contact ME". Oh yeah, and starting a sentence with "Should" means you are afraid of the word "IF."

We didn't have these issues in the 70's OR 80's.

*sheesh*

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 6: What kind of stuff (toys, books, TV shows) were you into when you were a kid? Do you think that had an effect on what kind of a person you are today?

Toys: Lincoln Logs; Tonka trucks; string; making forts out of blankets; getting Colecovision at the age of 7 was thrilling, even though we only had 1 game for it and noone knew how to play it; stinkbomb berries in the backyard; mud pies; basketball and hockey in the driveway; fisher price everything; and I will never forget my Snoopy jack-in-the-box.

Books: All of the Ramona and Beezus books; Where The Wild Things Are; Rikki Tikki Tembo; Judy Blume (!); Madeline; Richard Scarry bedtime stories...

TV Shows: Guiding Light (after school, being latch key meant I got to fall in love with Reva AND Josh Lewis!); World News Tonight with Peter Jennings; The Waltons; The Brady Bunch; The Love Boat; Fantasy Island; Dallas; Silver Spoons; Punky Brewster; The Cosby Show.

All of it has helped shaped me into the person I am today. I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 7: Open up your wallet/purse/backpack/hobo bag on a stick. What’s the one thing in there that no one else has in their wallet/purse/backpack/hobo bag on a stick? What’s been in there the longest, having never been used?

The one thing in there that no one else has is a picture of my sister with her feet on a statue of a midget pegleg sea captain.

What's been in there the longest? My Social Security Card from when I was 12.

What's been in there the longest that's never been used? An old phone # I got. It's now in the garbage.

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 8: What are you listening to these days? New stuff? Old stuff? This isn’t a hipster competition; I just want to know what’s in everyone’s ears out there. Playlist me. Or, if you don’t feel like making suggestions, open up your ipod on shuffle and just jot down the first ten songs that pop out.

Beefy Music Sunday - March 16, 2008

1) Feedback - Janet Jackson
2) Briony - Atonement Motion Picture Soundtrack
3) It's A Good Day - Peggy Lee
4) Piece Of Me - Britney Spears
5) Whatever Lola Wants - Peggy Lee
6) Get Me Bodied - Beyonce
7) Hey Baby - Bow Wow and Omarion
8) With My Own Eyes - Atonement Motion Picture Soundtrack
9) Sea Lion Woman - Feist
10) The Girl From Ipanema - Peggy Lee

Can you tell I'm:
1) writing a Peggy Lee musical
2) teaching hip-hop class (which as changed names to ABP: Adult Booty Pop)
3) obsessed with light-classical soundtracks with typewriters as instruments?

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 9: Share your own insider’s perspective on your hometown. Most of you, like me, are Talkin’ Proud, so share your expertise. What’s your favorite way to spend a Buffalo summer day? Which old timey Buffalo movie theatre is to most old timey? What’s your most vivid Buffalo memory (any Buffalonian worth his or her road salt knows where they were when the pigskin went wide right.) Your favorite Buffalo restaurant? (If you say Wild Wings, you’re dead to me.)

My hometown... I am a huge Buffalo fan. I moved back here 5 years ago after a brief stint in Fort Lauderdale and I'm so glad I did. My parents are still here, and 1 of my 5 sibs is here with his family as well. So, I get to be Super Uncle to Aidan, Zach and Lola. My Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's last year, so it's extra special that I'm here so I can help him and my Mom whenever they need it.

My favorite way to spend a summer day is to play lots and lots and oodles and oodles of tennis. Then go down to The Hatch for Perry's Ice Cream and watch the boats on the water.

My favorite movie house in Buffalo is the North Park. The seats may be uncomfy, but the tickets are $5, the popcorn is free and the ceiling is out of this world spectacular. And it's rarely, if ever, busy. Last movie I saw there was "There Will Be Blood." I drink your milkshake!

My most vivid Buffalo memory (personal memory) are 4th of July nights at Bassett Park with the family. Those nights were always wonderful.

My favorite Buffalo restaurant varies. For the french onion soup, it's Gabriel's Gate. For the ambience, it's Mother's. For old time good "Buffalo feel", it's Jovi's. For an all around great evening, it's anywhere with friends.

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 10: Remember elementary school when your teacher would let you write about whatever the hell you wanted? Well, I’m heading to the teacher’s lounge for a stiff drink, so write about whatever the hell you want. Got a post in you about Van Halen? Mitochondria? Pominville? Samuel Gompers? Spuds Mackenzie? Do it up.

I am going to steal Mr. Garvey's idea: 50 random Buffalo things that stick in my mind:

(1) Clint Malarchuk's neck (2)Jimbo's on Genessee (3) BBQ chicken wings from Marvino's (thanks, Jimmie!) (4) Club Heat (5) the smell of Cheerio's on a spring evening (6) ghosts on Linwood (7) Millard Gates and Nurse Michael (8)Sabres Sundae (9) TED'S (10) Franklin Street Theatre (11) Summer movie night at Bacchus (12) photos at Delaware Park (13) Wegmans (14) the 33 (15) the 198 (16) MUNY tennis tournaments (17) BAC Hip Hop (18) coming back on tour and playing Kleinhan's as Big Bird (19) La Mancha at The Kav (20) Huntington (21) Danny Moves My Fanny In The Morning (22) that wiggly thing they used to hand out in the early 80's that looked like an uncut penis - was it the "Whammy"? (22) Susan Hunt on PM Buffalo (23) Brian Kahle and Cindy Abbott on AM Buffalo (23) Commander Tom (24) UB Elicott Dorms (25) Katharine Cornell Theatre (26) Aunt Rosie's Loganberry (27) pre-casino Niagara Falls (28) hookers on Chippewa (29) Buffalo Bandits (30) Molly's Pub (31) Goldie on PBS (32) The Great TV Auction (33)RAY FLYNN'S (34) underage drinking at RAY FLYNN'S (35) singing Handel's Messiah at RAY FLYNN'S (36) Fun House Pinball at RAY FLYNN'S (37) Tim White shaking Tic Tacs to Santana songs at RAY FLYNN'S (38) not being able to walk at RAY FLYNN'S (39) breaking up with my first boyfriend at RAY FLYNN'S (40) being counseled by Marie at RAY FLYNN'S (41) finding a homeless man in my car on my 22nd birthday at RAY FLYNN'S (42) The Jackson 5's 1984 tour (43) Ani DiFranco (44) The Glass Room at AKAG (45) The Planetarium (46) Tifft Nature Preserve (47) Anderson's (48) nosebleed seats for Hulk vs. Andre the Giant Steel Cage match at the Aud (49) Forest Lawn Cemetery (50) Artie Awards.

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 11: Answer these questions:

1. What is your favorite word? What is your least favorite word?
2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? What turns you off?
3. What sound or noise do you love? What sound or noise do you hate?
4. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? What profession would you not like to do?
5. What is your favorite curse word?
6. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

What is your favorite word? quiet
What is your least favorite word? moist (ew)
What turns you on creatively? classical music; angles in art; bold colors.
What turns you on spiritually? happiness
What turns you on emotionally? strength of character; honesty.
What turns you off? someone being a total douchebag for no reason whatsoever; lack of intellect.
What sound or noise do you love? violins; tennis balls bouncing; laughter.
What sound or noise do you hate? forks on teeth.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Theatre owner.
What profession would you not like to do? Doctor or nurse
What is your favorite curse word? fuck
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "Michael, this is your Grandpa Caisse and this is your Grandpa Walline."

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 12: Write an “About me” paragraph consisting of things your readers don’t really know. We all “like to read, travel, and party with friends”, but your next topic is to talk about the things that are totally specific to you.

OK...

About me- I, Michael Walline, like to sit at home alone with no TV on and listen to Gustav Holst music (especially "Venus" and "Mars"), I do all my choreography when I drive, I pull out 5 paper towels every time I go into a public restroom after washing my hands, and I refuse to wash utensils (unless I live alone- if not, the roommate has to do it).

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 13: When the writer’s return kicks back in and all the good TV comes back, what’s your viewing list going to be?

Oddly enough, I don't have ABC,NBC,CBS or Fox. So this doesn't really pertain to me. And I just watch TLC and Bravo anyway, so if it isn't reality-based or doesn't have the word "Project" or "Top" in it, I probably don't watch it.

I am now up to speed, Mr. Garvey. Thank you for the reprieve.

Sorry

2008-03-16T16:31:00.004-04:00

This is how I've been feeling lately.

I'll get back to blogging soon, I promise.

Clothes All Over My Bedroom Floor

2008-03-06T23:53:00.005-05:00

I think I keep clothes all over my bedroom floor to repel the idea of me having sex with strangers.

I think I keep clothes all over my bedroom floor to remind me that I don't want to have sex with strangers.

I think I keep clothes all over my bedroom floor because it's comforting on some fucked up level.

I think I keep clothes all over my bedroom floor because I can't pee on my furniture to mark my space.

I think I keep clothes all over my bedroom because I am lazy.

The truth would come out at some point.

Is It Me, Or...

2008-03-02T16:02:00.002-05:00

is Prince Harry now hotter than Prince William?

Hm.

BufBloPoFo 2008 Post One

2008-03-02T11:13:00.004-05:00

Mike over at Royal ToyBox has started a Buffalo Blog Posting Fortnight that started yesterday and I decided to join in on the fun. He is giving us Buffalo bloggers various topics to write about and share intriguing little tidbits about ourselves with our readers. Could be fun... could be 8 shades of bad therapy, but hey- I'm on it like fat on a grandmother.

So... here's topic #1...

BufBloPoFo Topic for Day 1: Look at you. You blog. You’re a blogger. You’re reading a blog right now and already thinking about what you’re going to write on your blog. So… tell me about your blog in general. Why do you have it? Why did you start it? What’s the name mean? Why that template?

My blog in general. Well, my blog started out as a way for me to write down everything I wanted to say about anything I wanted to talk about. That sounds REALLY random, but it's true. I never had a diary growing up (I had a "journal"- a more artsy diary, I guess...)and I have always had a lot going on in my head- you know, thoughts, ideas, fantasies, quips, foibles, irks, angers, desires- all of it. I also come from a large family and we are spread out across the country, so it was a good way for me to keep them on top of my life without a weekly phone call.

I also had a wonderful inspiration in my cat, Angus. At first, I gave him this persona of being the antithesis of me- he was a Republican cat who hated gay men. He only liked me for the food I gave him. I can say now that that character was completely placed on him for the sake of the blog (I know, I know... BAD Michael). He is NOT Republican- he is an independent. I have NO idea how he got a Barack button and I have NO idea how he put it on his chest. And I have NO idea how he thinkgs anyone is going to see it on his chest.

The blog is named Beefy Cat Angus because it's in honor of my Beefy Cat Angus. As much as I bitch and moan about him, he is the child I have always wanted and the proud recipient of all the love I want to give. It's an homage to him and his big, beefy ways. And, I guess, my own big, beefy ways.

As for the template- as many of the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Beefies know, I change it at least twice a year. I get bored with the color. It went from green to red in September. I think it'll go to burnt Sienna Miller in May.

Happy Birthday To Me

2008-03-01T00:58:00.004-05:00

So, here I am, sitting on my couch. I've been sequestered for the past 5 days with the worst flu I've ever had (yes, worse than the flu I had month ago- a different strain, the doctor said.) and I had to cancel my birthday dinner with my family because of it. I cancelled my hockey game plans with Smug Doug tonight because of it as well. Being sick has killed my birthday.

OK, it really hasn't "killed" my birthday, since I've only been 35 for an hour now. I just wanted to have something spectacular for my 35th. Instead, I'm kind of just, well, being sick. On the couch. Wallowing.

One good thing happened. For each of the past 3 days, I have tried to smoke. The first day, Wednesday, was horrible. I could taste the cigarette, but I looked like Katharine Hepburn in her latter years because of my shivering. 2 puffs and I was done.

Thursday, driving away from the doctor's office, I was so upset that he didn't give me antibiotics that the first thing I did was light up a cigarette. Couldn't taste it (stuffy nose), but it wasn't really appealing. 2 puffs and I was done.

Friday, I was sitting on the couch and I said "I haven't smoked all day." Literally, out loud. My internal clock said "well, ya need one." I put on my coat and scarf and opened my front door. Lit the cigarette and inhaled...

It...was...gross.

I think the tylenol/sudafed/Ihaven'teatenin3days trenchmouth action that was going on didn't help things too much. I had one puff, smacked my lips and squinted my eyes in that "God, taste this- it's so bad!" way and buried it in the snow.

I was getting my sense of smell back as well, which I didn't realize how much I had missed it. Roomie Meg has this Olay Face Cream in the shower that smells SO good. I will freely admit that I use it everyday because it makes me happy. Ever since being sick, though, I haven't had that luxury. One weird thing I do after smoking is I always smell my hand. I don't know why, I just do. I usually find comfort in the smell. I walked in to my house and put my hand to my nose.

I almost gagged.

It was so horrible. Even after one puff of a cigarette. Did I always smell like that? I have been smoking for 16 years and yes, I know that the smell lingers, but is it always that offensive? I consider myself a polite smoker, too. Unfortunately there was nothing polite about that stench.

I have been taking this 35 thing way too seriously and dramatically. Woe is me, I'm 35, wah wah wah. But the past week's events have opened my eyes to a few things. I have always been a firm believer in things happening for reasons. As much as I don't want to admit it, 35 is a milestone. But I'd much rather it be a milestone for me that was a bit more personalized, such as being on my deathbed for 5 days (and counting) and deciding to start anew without a long time friend.

I've said it before, but this time it's a bit more eye-opening. I'd like this birthday to be a big milestone in my life.

The 2nd Annual BCA Movie Award Nominees and Winner

2008-02-17T23:13:00.017-05:00

I've seen more movies and I had to change my winners. Sue me.

These are the nominees and winners of the movies that I've seen in 2007. One movie that has crossed years between 2006 and 2007 is "The Lives of Others", which won the 2007 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, but it also won the 2008 BAFTA for Best Film Not In The English Language. So, I am including this year because, well, I can.

So, here are the nominees. The 2008 ANGUS winners are in BOLD.

Best Movie:

No Country For Old Men
Once
Michael Clayton
The Lives of Others
Juno

Best Director:

Florian Henkel von Donnersmarck, The Lives of Others
Jason Reitman, Juno
Paul T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
David Fincher, Zodiac

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

Josh Brolin, No Country For Old Men
Daniel Day Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Gordon Pinsent, Away From Her
Glen Hansard, Once
George Clooney, Michael Clayton

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth 2: The Golden Age
Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Marketa Irglova, Once
Ellen Page, Juno

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:

Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men
Robert Downey, Jr., Zodiac
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Clive Owen, Elizabeth 2: The Golden Age
Armin Mueller-Stahl, Eastern Promises

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:

Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Kelly MacDonald, No Country For Old Men
Jennifer Garner, Juno
Saorise Ronan, Atonement
Samantha Morton, Elizabeth 2: The Golden Age

Best Ensemble:

Juno
No Country For Old Men
Waitress
Zodiac
Hairspray

Best Screenplay (Angus doesn't care about adapted or original):

Juno
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
Knocked Up
No Country For Old Men

Best Cinematography:

Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Away From Her
Elizabeth 2: The Golden Age
No Country For Old Men

Best Art Direction:

Elizabeth 2: The Golden Age
Atonement
La Vie En Rose
Hairspray
There Will Be Blood

Best Visual Effects:

Transformers
300

Best Costume Design:

Elizabeth 2: The Golden Age
Enchanted
La Vie En Rose
Hairspray
Atonement

Original Score:

Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Michael Clayton
The Lives Of Others
Elizabeth 2: The Golden Age

Congratulations to all the winners. I have $5 Applebee's gift cards for you in my mailbox. JUST TAKE ONE, Ms. Blanchett.

35 Is Hitting Me Hard

2008-02-17T18:59:00.003-05:00

I will be 35 in 2 weeks. I don't know why, but it is freaking me out. 30 didn't freak me out at all, but this 35 thing really is getting to me.

I KNEW IT!

2008-02-17T16:37:00.000-05:00

Take the Quiz

The Soundtrack of My Life

2008-02-15T19:06:00.002-05:00

This is courtesy of Water-Loo .

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool... and alot of the songs fit with the setting

1. Opening Credits: The Mood That Passes Through You - Michael Nyman

2. Waking Up: Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse

3. First day of school: Technologic - Daft Punk

4. Falling In Love: Once You've Loved Somebody - Dixie Chicks

5. Fight Song: It's In Our Hands - Bjork

6. Breaking Up: Black Angels - Kronos Quartet

7. Prom: Shenandoah - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

8. Life: Memories of You - Ryan Adams

9. Mental Breakdown: Sentimental Journey - Peggy Lee

10. Driving: Path of Thorns - Sarah McLaughlin

11. Flashback: Green, Green Grass of Home - Dean Martin

12. Getting Back Together: My Immortal - Evanescence

13. Wedding Day: The Summer Wind - Madeline Peyroux

14. Birth of Child: Pass That Dutch - Missy Elliott

15. Final Battle: Decembers of Love - Imogen Heap

16. Death Scene: Til It Happens To You - Corinne Bailey Rae

17. Funeral Song: Don't Go - Yaz

18. End Credits: My Best To You - Joni Mitchell

Monday Brunch

2008-02-12T00:10:00.001-05:00

Beefy Music Sunday has been kind of lame lately, since all I seem to listen to is Beyonce and Thom Yorke. So, I am going to start something new- Monday Brunch. Since I have Sunday Brunch every week with Hot Cocoa, I thought to myself:

"Self, who would you like to have Monday Brunch with and where?"

Well, today I give to you Andy Cohen, Sr. VP of Programming at Bravo. And we would have brunch with my family at my parents' house- to get it out of the way before our wedding.

I hope he likes cats and dysfunction.

Where Have I Been?

2008-02-08T20:20:00.001-05:00

For Christmas, my brother Jimmie got me this REALLY nice camera (I mean, REALLY nice camera). I have been going around the Buffalo area with it trying to hone my shutterbug skills. I wanted to share some of my better shots with you. If you want to look at the rest, click on my Flickr link in the Beefy sidebar.

Tifft Nature Preserve

Tow Park on the Niagara River

Galleria Mall. I mean the Buffalo Zoo.

Tifft Nature Preserve. The stupid deer lunged at me and scared the shit outta me after this pic was taken. I cried a little.

Forest Lawn Cemetery

My living room - I call this one "Fire Cat and Goose"

Mirror Lake

I'm Alive, I Swear

2008-01-31T00:23:00.001-05:00

I've been really sick for 5 days now. I haven't wanted to do ANYTHING.

But I'm back up to speed (cross fingers) and will be back at work tomorrow. And I should have some good stories coming up.

Biggest thing to pass along to you: losing 10 pounds in 10 days is stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. And for all of those who said "Michael, be careful", you were right. I went uber-extreme too fast and oops- I got sick.

You were rrr...

You were rrrriiiii....

Damn it.

You were right. I was wrrrrrrrr...ong.

Oh. My. God.

2008-01-27T22:30:00.001-05:00

I am sick. I have the chills and a fever of 102. My lungs are on the floor. I hate my life right now. AND I have to go to work tomorrow.

Gar.

I Am The Biggest Loser

2008-01-16T14:13:00.000-05:00

First Biggest Loser weigh-in today...

In 2 weeks, I have lost 10.4 pounds. Insane, right? I have lost 4.2% of my body weight- all healthily, I might add. I eat like a pig (but just the good stuff) and I ride the bike or take class 6 times a week.

I am in first place. WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Uh oh. I need to go- The Kashi is rumblin'...

Pump Up The J.A.M.

2008-01-15T23:53:00.000-05:00

So I joined a gym. Yes, that's right. I am now a Gold's Gym member. It's on the way home from work and they offer classes (which I love). I went 2 weekends ago on a guest pass with my friend Sue to take the Dance J.A.M. class. (The J.A.M. stands for Jazz, African and Modern). I walked in to the class and I heard a shriek.

"OH MY GOD! MICHAEL WALLINE!"

I looked up. It was the teacher of the class.

"I AM SO NERVOUS NOW!"

Great. 9:30 in the morning. I feel gross, I look gross (ok, no I didn't)- just let me dance and don't talk to me. The teacher actually turned out to be Olivia, the costume designer at the theatre company I work at. I took her class once before- in 1991, when I went with my bestie Rachel and her Dad to The Village Glen and did arm pumps and step touches to "I'm Your Baby Tonight."

No joke.

I was hoping that the class wasn't going to be like that. To this day, I can look at Rachel and start punching above my head and she'll sing "Whatever you want from me... I'm givin' you everything...". Olivia then gave the class an introduction to who I was and what I did. Choreographer, writer, blah blah blah. Yeah, hi everyone. I'm the only guy in the class and I'd like to stay in the back. Unnoticed.

"I used some of your choreography last week. From Familiar Strangers. You know- this move!"

Olivia started moving her torso and her arms like a washing machine. Ah, yes- I liked that move. But it wasn't meant to be put to "Soulja Boy". It was sweet to be immortalized like that in Dance J.A.M. class, but I didn't really need to know about it. If she was going to put on Whitney Houston again, I would leave quickly. So, the class started and luckily Ms. Houston wasn't on the playlist.

But the Club Mix of "A Boy Like That" from West Side Story was.

The class was really good. Olivia's choreography kept the blood pumping and the heart pounding for a good hour, but it also gave me enough room to give it a little sass. By the end of the class, I made a few pals and I decided I wanted to join.

Later that week the manager of the gym, Mike, gave me a tour of the place and asked me how I heard about Gold's. I told him that I took the Dance J.A.M. class. He looked at me and smiled and said, "You... dance?"

"Yes, yes I do."

"Oh. You don't look like the type."

"Oh. I am."

I should have snapped my fingers twice in a z-formation and pivot turn walk walk walked away, but I didn't. The guy was really nice and offered a lot of information to me about the club and what it offers. The selling point to me was this amazing exercise bike that they have that has a computer screen and a pace bike and you plug in your headphones and it has 30 speeds and... well, it's pretty effin' cool.

So, I signed my life away (ok, not really) and went back on Saturday to Dance J.A.M. Olivia did the same routine this week, so I got to have a little more fun with it (when my heart wasn't about to explode out of my chest). Again, I was the only guy in the class and I tried to stay in the back. It's kind of hard to stay in the back when your stride is 3 times bigger than everyone else's. By the time the class ended I was firmly in the middle row, dancing next to Williamsville's version of Angie Stone. I love the class- for Olivia, for Angie, even for West Side Story.

Today, in the mail I got a postcard in the mail from Manager Mike.

Dear Michael:

Congratulations on your decision to get started with us here at Gold's Gym.

I saw you taking Dance J.A.M. Looks like you could teach the class. Let me know if that is of interest to you.

Thanks-

Mike

I may take him up on the offer- only if I can play "I'm Every Woman."

Beefy Music Sunday

2008-01-14T20:26:00.000-05:00

... and let the workout music commence!

1) Get Me Bodied - Beyonce
2) Atoms For Peace - Thoms Yorke
3) Nobody Needs To Know - The Last 5 Years Original Cast Recording
4) Just Fine - Mary J. Blige
5) Piece of Me - Britney Spears
6) Candyman - Christina Aguilera
7) My Love - Justin Timberlake
8) See I'm Smiling - The Last 5 Years Original Cast Recording
9) One Mint Julep - Ray Charles
10) Watch My Mouth - Cazwell

Numbers 2,3 and 8 may be weird, but they are good for stretching and cool down. #8 is especially good when you just rode 12 miles on a gradual incline and need to scream at something because your head's going to explode.

Doggie Treats

2008-01-14T20:03:00.001-05:00

The Nickel City Cluster. What is it?

- a new candy from Fowler's here in Buffalo?
- an op-art piece by some pretentious 3rd year in UB's Visual Arts Department?
- a pile of 5-cent pieces?

All wrong.

It's a dog show. And I went yesterday. As many of you know, I love dog shows. None of my friends really do, so I went alone. Luckily, one of my friends had a dog entered and he won the Great Dane breed! (GO LEO!) If I ever get into a new apartment, or my landlords have a change of heart, or Angus gets run over by a truck, or all three, I have found the dog of my dreams.

The Swedish Vallhund. It's pretty much a cross between a corgi and a german shepherd (or looks like it). But it's way cooler because it's Swedish. And apparently it's been around since the age of the Vikings. And Vikings are cool, right?

It's Not Like A Tattoo... IT IS A TATTOO

2008-01-14T19:34:00.000-05:00

I had a very nice weekend. I got a tattoo on Friday. They call me Dot Dash at the Tattoo place. I love it. I think it looks great. And noone knows what it means unless I tell them. Or if you know morse code. And can catch me. Sleeping or otherwise. Just don't tap it out on me or whisper "Beep beepbeepbeepbeep beep" in my ear. I'd have to hit you. And someone already did that, so it's old.

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

2008-01-09T20:46:00.000-05:00

First weigh-in today:

I LOST 6 POUNDS!

I took 2 pictures yesterday after my work-out. One of me smiling (if I lost weight...) and one of me frowning (if I gained weight...).

I am about to delete the frown. Whoo HOOOO!

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

2008-01-08T20:05:00.000-05:00

Whenever I work out, my sweat pattern on my chest and stomach gets made fun of by pretty much anyone that is around. Why? Because a round faced-asian man comes out of my belly and screams

"HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Tummikashi, Chapter 1

2008-01-07T23:28:00.000-05:00

I am doing quite well with my new "lifestyle change". I have become an addict (of sorts) of Sparkpeople and it seems like I am on it endlessly- loggin my foods, marking my fitness progress, meeting new people through message boards and blogs- all for the larger (well, smaller) picture. If you need to lose weight THAT is the place to go.

My fitness regimen has been pretty good, too. Roommate Meg has a high-end exercise bike that I put in our dining room. Every day I come home from work, turn off the lights (for my own safety- I don't want the crazies of North Buffalo watching me sweat to the oldies), put on my iPod and ride for 45 minutes. I never knew how much fun it would be to be looking at a wall, going up a faux hill, thighs burning, and patting my weave to the sounds of Beyonce.

AND... I burn 400 calories and 70 units of carbs. HA!

I have cut out all white flour products, but I will have the occasional sugar snack (i.e.- I had 2 Jack and Diets this weekend. But then went to the club soda with lime. Ask Lou!) I have found the joys of fruits (ahem.) and vegetables. I even bought a mango today. I have also found the joys and pains of Kashi. Here are a few guidelines for when you buy the 7 Grain Goodness called Kashi:

1. It kind of tastes like Sugar Smacks- only stale.

2. Read all Kashi labels. You will get a crapload (pun intended) of protein and fiber, but some products are heavy in sodium, so watch out (the frozen dinners, albeit yummy, have up to 30% of your RDA of the salty stuff. I personally enjoy the Lemongrass Coconut Chicken- on a bed of stale Sugar Smacks.)

3. You will be bound tighter than a Geisha's foot. Drink a lot of water.

4. The granola bars are a great snack.

5. You will fart like their is no tomorrow. Fart fart fart fart fart. In cars, in your cubicle, on your sofa, on your cat- everywhere. Just deal.

6. Flaxseed= colon blow.

7. It's good shit (again, intended). And reasonably priced.

My first weigh-in for my Biggest Loser contest is on Wednesday. Even in a week, I sense a bigger change about to happen. It feels good. I feel good. And hopefully, there will be no turning back.

...And I'm Stickin' To It

2008-01-03T23:42:00.000-05:00

I actually made a New Year's Resolution this year. I am going to lose the weight that I have wanted to lose for the past 8 years. Not since 1999 have I been below 200 pounds, and for most of that time I have been between 230 and 240. My highest has been 265. I am currently at 247.6 pounds (I can say that without nary a wince on my face. Truth is truth, right?).

So, my track is to be down to 200 pounds by mid-June. This is pretty attainable- 47 pounds in 6 months. 8 pounds a month. 2 pounds per week. I have joined an online community called Sparkpeople, which is pretty friggin' awesome. It tracks everything for you and gives you daily report cards to see how you are tracking. Today, I was an overachiever, according to Sparkpeople. That 400 calories I burned on the bike was over 1/2 of my caloric goal for the week, and those 3 apples and 2 kashi cereal bars I ate are making me shit out every last piece of anything I had left in me. Kashi is spawn of the devil, just to let you know. If you want to see colon blow- eat Kashi. Don't sneeze after eating Kashi. Pressure build-up will cause damage. Or so I have heard...

I'm very excited about this new endeavor. I would like to be in size 34 jeans by June. I'd like to wear a size L shirt. I'd even like to take my shirt off at the beach and not have a net thrown at me.

This is achievable, I know it. I'll post pictures and stories of my journey. I think I will call my weight loss Hero "TUMMYKASHI."

*ah tee hee hee hee*

If I Don't Quit Smoking...

2008-01-01T21:18:00.000-05:00

This is what I'll look like with my oxygen mask on New Year's.

2007 - A Year In Review

2008-01-01T15:06:00.000-05:00

Looking back, 2007 was a pretty interesting year for me. It definitely had some ups and downs and I feel, overall, that it was successful. It was also my first full year of being a Blogger. I have met some wonderful people through this online journal, diary, rantfest.

As I was looking for excerpts from my previous year to re-post, I found one from February 27th called "Milestones, Baby". It had a list of things I made that I wanted to accomplish to make 2007 the best it could possibly be. I am revisiting the checklist now, just to see what I can check off.

- quit smoking
UPDATE: No. I still smoke.

- lose 40 pounds
UPDATE: I lost 26. Gained 15 back. So I am still down 11.

- get the tattoo I have wanted for some time
UPDATE: Yes, I did. And plan on adding to it this month.

- go on vacation
UPDATE: Nope. No vacation since 2003.

- kiss A Boy on a beach
UPDATE: Broke up with A Boy in June. Bullet dodged.

- win the lottery
UPDATE: No. I did win $2 last month on a scratch off.

- end misogyny
UPDATE: Um. No.

- take cooking classes
UPDATE: Nope. But I have become more adventurous in the kitchen, which I am very proud of.

- join a gym (again)
UPDATE: No. But I played a crapload of tennis.

- WIN a tennis tournament
UPDATE: Kind of... I went undefeated in league play and went to the Regional finals in Syracuse with my team. Got upgraded to a USTA 3.5 player, which was a HUGE deal for me. Tournament wise, I lost first round in the Buffalo City Tourney.

- get out of debt
UPDATE: No.

- be the best brother, uncle and friend I can possibly be.
UPDATE: Success. I have strengthened by relationship with both of my brothers and have rekindled a relationship with my oldest sister and her son.

- keep Angus out of time-out.
UPDATE: Um, no.

- finish my new play (ok- start AND finish my new play)
UPDATE: No. Still in the research phase.

So, ups and downs. At least I have my hair.

Oh, wait... crap.

Beefy Music Sunday (2 Days Late)

2008-01-01T14:49:00.000-05:00

1. F*** Me Pumps - Amy Winehouse
2. Get Me Bodied - Beyonce
3. Gold - Interference
4. Sea Lion Woman- Feist
5. See I'm Smiling - The Last 5 Years Soundtrack
6. Cast Your Fate To The Wind - Linus & Lucy: The Music of Vince Guaraldi
7. Technologic - Daft Punk
8. Atoms For Peace - Thom Yorke
9. I've Seen It All - Bjork and Thom Yorke
10. Isobel - Bjork

Sonny Bonehead (Me, not him)

2007-12-30T13:31:00.000-05:00

My wonderful friend Michael lives in Chicago and, for the new year, went skiing in Michigan to relax and have fun before he had to go back to the grind in '08. He sent me a quick email when he got there:

We arrived safely last night. Later.
XOXO

Michael

I emailed him back:

YAY...

Dont break your knees.
Bring your chapstick wherever you are.
Drink A LOT.

XOXO

Call me if you need to gloat.

I got a phone call from Michael yesterday. I was all excited to hear how his trip was going.

"Michael, it's Michael."
"Hey baby, how are ya?"
"Why did you have to send me that email?"
"I was just being protective, you know me..."

"Yeah, well I broke my knee."

"WHAT?"

"On my first run down the hill. I caught some light snow and my knee turned all the way around and I tore my ACL. I am in a brace from my hip to my ankle."

I got a text from him today. He's propped up against the chalet wall with a beer and vicodin. Sorry, Michael, for jinxing you.

And that's why I never go skiing.

"TIED TO A CHAIR" Meme

2007-12-26T17:07:00.001-05:00

Whenever a friend of mine tells me about how good the latest soundtrack is of the latest Broadway musical, I cringe. I am in the creative art of Musical Theatre, no doubt about it, but I honestly cannot stand to listen to soundtracks on my iPod or on a CD. It literally drives me batty, and all of my friends know this. When I am in the car with them, I can stand one song from a musical at a time. No more.

So, I was thinking today- what are my favorite musical theatre songs of all time? If I was chained down to a chair a la Daniel Craig in "Casino Royale" and forced to listen to musical theatre, what would I want to hear? What *could* I hear over and over again? I guess I have compiled this list as much for me as I have to share with you.

Here, in order, are my Top 25 Favorite Musical Theatre Songs (or, "What Can Michael Listen To More Than Once Without Shooting Himself in the Head?)

1) The Miller's Son - A Little Night Music
2) The Next 10 Minutes - The Last 5 Years
3) A Human's Heart - Once On This Island
4) Mambo - West Side Story
5) You Are My Home - The Scarlet Pimpernel
6) Just A Gigolo - Zooma Zooma
7) Inside Your Heart - Bat Boy
8) I'm Only Thinking Of Him - Man of La Mancha
9) The Kite Song - You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
10) Steam Heat - The Pajama Game
11) Natural Born Females - Pageant
12) Simple Joys - Pippin
13) Defying Gravity - Wicked
14) You Can't Stop The Beat - Hairspray
15) He's The Wizard - The Wiz
16) Anything Goes - Anything Goes
17) Over The Moon - Rent
18) Cell Block Tango - Chicago
19) Rhythm In Me - Altar Boyz
20) That's All - Pete 'n' Keely
21) Applause - Applause
22) Getta Loada Toad - A Year With Frog and Toad
23) Le Jazz Hot - Victor/Victoria
24) Unexpected Song - Tell Me On A Sunday
25) A New Argentina - Evita

I did 25 because 10 wasn't enough to fill a good song list on iTunes. Think about it, yo.

There you have it. I am going to download these into a new playlist on the iPod, entitled "TIED TO A CHAIR."

I want to see the lists of the favorites or the following Beefies:

MISS ROSS
Frenemies and Word Vomit
Water-Loo
Smug Doug
Meechele
Seagram's 7 & Corn Chowder
Pretty Birds

I bet I'll see some "Legally Blonde" up there somewhere.

A Very Beefy Christmas

2007-12-25T01:25:00.001-05:00

Angus and I would like to wish all of our Beefy readers a safe and happy holiday season! We love sharing our crazy stories with you, and after tomorrow I am sure we will have plenty more.

L'chaim, yo!

A Beefy Walline Christmas Eve

2007-12-25T01:18:00.000-05:00

Goodbye, Lover

2007-12-24T10:12:00.000-05:00

Dear Couture Diesel 3/4 Length Overcoat of Goodness,

I want to thank you so much for the time we had together. We really shared some great moments- like the time when I took you out at the party and introduced you to some of my friends, or the time when you met my parents and watched the football game with us. They were very, very special to me.

Unfortunately, you didn't make a good impression with a few people. Some of my friends thought you were too clingy; others thought you were really nice, but just not my style. As easy as it was to say hello to you, it was harder to say goodbye.

It's not you- it's me. Please believe that.

I only wish you the best in finding that man out there who can appreciate you like I did- but I hope next time it is longer than 15 hours.

For your sake, of course.

Always,

Michael

Hello, Lover

2007-12-23T01:45:00.000-05:00

Today I went to get chinese food with my brother for dinner. Mom was buyin' and they gave me carte blanche to order dinner for the fam. Score. We went to their favorite place and ordered- a little Crab Rangoon, Shrimp Lo Mein, House Mei Fun, and assorted chicken dishes. It was going to take around 1/2 hour, so we went to a store here in town called Tony Walker. Tony Walker is THE place in the 'burbs to get your shi shi froo froo stuff- you know, anything Fergie wears ("Seven jeans, True Religion, I say no but they keep givin'.) and anything that is fur lined (for men or for women) for your feet. (Can you say UGG?)

Anyhoo, Jimmie wanted to go in and buy a pair of sneakers he wanted. As he was roaming around, I went to check out the jeans wall. Literally,it's a wall of jeans. Lucky, Nudie, Seven, Mavi- all the fab jeans, all at my fingertips. Now, I am not a designer whore (far from it- I've been called a lumberjack twice in the past 2 weeks), but there was something about walking in there and feeling, well, two things-1) important - or at least important enough to have 3 salespeople come up to me and strike up conversations. Commission? Jigga what?
2) rich - I had just gotten a theatre check and something in my ass was burning. Oh yeah-it was a hole in my pocket caused by the money.

So, there I was, yakking it up with Fauxhawk McBlackteeshirt, saying I was "shopping for Christmas presents". He was talking to me about Black Friday or something, while all I could do was look at his biceps and wonder if he was gay. I laughed a bit with him- he obviously was my new best friend. I felt as if I should have asked him over for coffee after his shift and we could watch reruns of Project Runway and Top Chef. He hearted me. I hearted him. It was lovely.

Jimmie came over and gave me a quick reality check. Not everyone knows about Lucky Jeans, he told me. He, of course was one of them. I asked him some vapid question regarding the difference between DKNY Jeans and Lucky. OK- this is what I actually asked him:

"OK- so I want to buy Doug a fabulous pair of jeans for Christmas. I already got him a pair of DKNYs. Now, would you think 'oh wow, these are designer jeans' more with a pair of Lucky jeans or DKNY?"

Silence. Blank stare.

"Ummmmm... Lucky?", he said to me.

"Really? OK. That's what I thought."

Who the fuck was I? I think I even heard myself chuckle a wee bit in a high pitch, hoping that the 18 year old trying on the Uggs would look over and think "man, that guy's so fetch." Or "slammin'." Or "sick."

I took my new found suburban fantasticness over to the Anorak/Overcoat (i.e.- jackets) section. I tried on one jacket, priced at $280, which was nice, but was corduroy, and we all know that wide wale corduroy will be so out in 2008 (WHO AM I???). So I turned the corner and looked around. Then I saw it.

The most fabulous 3/4 length winter overcoat I had ever seen (picture the one above, but a nice olive green). I felt like Carrie Bradshaw when she walked by the Minolo Blahnik store window.

"Hello, lover."

My brother told me to try it on. One arm in; two arms; 4 buttons buttoned; belt fastened. I... looked... hot. It was way European, which was new to me, but somehow it worked. Jimmie just said, "Dude. It's Christmas. Looks great. Buy it." I played the "no, I really shouldn't, but it looks SO good" game for a minute or so.

And then, Ryan came over.

Ryan was the salesman. 25 years old, spikey hair, collared in full prep mode. He was very chill- talking up the fact that today was much busier than Black Friday. And then he said it.

"That jacket looks sick on you."

I turned into a giddy school girl, checking my ass in the mirror from both sides. Turn left, throw head over shoulder, smile. Turn right, throw head over shoulder, smile.

Being called out by Jimmie for doing that- priceless.

Ryan kept going on about how sick it was ("Sick" is apparently good, hot, chic, etc) and how good I looked in it. I actually believed him as a person and not a salesperson. So, after around 8 minutes of sick talk by both Ryan and Jimmie...

I bought it.

$379.40 worth of Diesel couture.

I experienced something I had never experienced before driving home. I had an "Ispenttoomuchmoney" headache. The exhilarating feeling of dropping nearly $400 on a piece of clothing was quickly usurped by a pounding sensation in my right temple. And apparently I was talking really, REALLY fast. Jimmie had to talk me down from the cliff and reassured me that the jacket was, in fact, "sick."

So, I am now a proud owner of haute couture. And a bottle of Advil.

Tradition Lost?

2007-12-20T21:35:00.000-05:00

As most Beefy Gen 1's and Gen 2's know, I come from a large family. There are 6 kids- 3 girls then 3 boys (I, as if you couldn't tell, am the youngest). The difference in age between the oldest and the youngest is 8 1/2 years, so we are all pretty darn close. In years, that is.

This Christmas is going to be the first time all 6 kids are going to be together in 6 years. Due to my Dad's poor health, my sister in California has decided to come home with her son and spend some time with my parents. My sister and brother from the DC area come up tomorrow, and my sister in Rochester will be coming in to spend Christmas day with us after sharing a lovely night with her family at the Marriott nearby. So, all in all, this is going to be a pretty special Christmas.

The relationships between the siblings throughout the years have evolved- some to friendships; some to the snail mailing of a card or two for "special occasions" throughout the year; some to unbreakable bonds that will last a lifetime. I am fortunate that I have found the latter with 3 of my siblings: my 2 brothers, Matthew (the family man) and Jimmie (the photographer), and Meggie (my favorite person in the whole wide world). Throughout the years, we have developed our own traditions throughout the holiday season, such as sharing a shot of scotch before going in to unwrap presents, or tying Mom's favorite doll to the Christmas tree, or sitting by Mom and Dad's tree on Christmas night and just talking. These are things I look forward to about the Christmas season.

In a family so large, it wasn't necessary to buy everyone a present. For a few years when we were young, we picked names out of a hat and you had to buy for that one sibling. Honestly, I never liked doing that. One of the things that I truly love about Christmas is giving every person that is going to be at Christmas morning a present- making or buying- doesn't matter. I think the joy of it for me is that, even if it is a $5 something, it still is a token of appreciation. One year I didn't have that much money, so I bought everyone something small, but I painstakingly made the gift wrap out of brown paper and rubber stamped snowflakes. It didn't matter to me if I got the present "wrong"- I knew how much love went into each of those gifts.

This year, with each sibling's brood coming to celebrate, I have at least 16 presents to buy and wrap. I emailed my sister and asked her what to get her.

"Please don't get me anything. I don't need it."

I was a bit perplexed by this. I also got a phone call from my other sister.

"Please don't buy anything for me or my family. We don't need anything."

I was talking to my brother on the phone yesterday and he said,

"Don't get anything for us. We don't need anything. Just buy for the kids."

I was a bit taken aback by all of this. They all don't need anything.

It's rather anti-climactic to sit around a tree and not open presents by your family, especially considering that it is the first Christmas in over 10 years that all of us will be in the same town. Maybe I am completely overthinking this, but the thought of not getting them something never really crossed my mind. Doing that is my tradition.

I like seeing my Christmas paper under the tree- I like how all the colors blend into this festive holiday rainbow, mixing with the lights and the ornaments. I love seeing the look of faux surprise on peoples' faces when the person handing out the presents says "To *insert name*, Love Michael"- the "oh, you shouldn't have!" eyes just make me so happy. I love the tension I feel when someone opens up a present from me- did I get them the right thing? Will a "sweet!" come out of Jimmie's mouth, or will Mom say "oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!"? or will Dad say "Michelob came through again!". These are all things that I look forward to each year.

So, in order to keep my own traditions alive, I have gotten every person in my family a Christmas present. I hope that I don't get any "why did you do this?" and I get a lot of "Thank you, Michael." If this is selfish, then so be it. I'd rather be selfish by giving someone I love a present then not doing anything for them at all.

Even if I haven't seen them in 6 years.

Adelaide, the Garveys Made

2007-12-19T22:56:00.000-05:00

(photo credit: Proud Papa Mike, I think)

Congratulations to Mike, over at Royal Toy Box and his lovely wife, Lisa, for adding the newest face to the Buffalo Blogosphere. Adelaide, see above next to the sub, was born on December 18th. 10 fingers. 10 toes.

Pure beauty!

Congrats to the proud parents!

Beefy Music Sunday

2007-12-16T19:44:00.000-05:00

My music for the week:

1) Get Me Bodied - Beyonce
2) F*** Me Pumps - Amy Winehouse
3) Gold - Interference
4) Anyday - Ani DiFranco
5) Isobel - Bjork
6) Mad World - Gary Jules
7) The Hill - Marketa Irglova
8) I've Seen It All - Bjork and Thom Yorke
9) Hourglass - Squeeze
10) Good Beat - Deee-Lite

New songs/albums dowloaded this week:

853-5937 - Squeeze
Shine - Joni Mitchell
Firestarter - The Prodigy
Rockit - Herbie Hancock
Tamarack Pines - George Winston
The Very Best of Deee-Lite
Around The World - Daft Punk

Maybe I'm Not The Only One Confused By This...

2007-12-16T16:27:00.000-05:00

Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough and longtime girlfriend Leigh Boniello married Saturday in his hometown of Orlando, wedding guests confirm to PEOPLE.

"The whole thing was like it belonged in a bridal magazine," one guest tells PEOPLE of the Catholic ceremony, held at St. James Cathedral. "It was absolutely perfect."

Dorough, 34, proposed to Boniello last New Year's. "She wasn't expecting it, and I was quite nervous – more nervous about proposing to her in front of 40 family and friends than about performing in front of 40,000 people onstage," Dorough told PEOPLE earlier this year of his proposal at Boniello's family home in New Jersey.
(from People.com)

Wasn't he the gay one?

What I Am Preparing For...

2007-12-16T15:48:00.000-05:00

“Father, I thank you for my family. Life is not always easy for us, but we know that You are always with us. As Your Word says, You will never leave us nor forsake us. Thank you for the love that holds us together and for always meeting our needs. Draw us closer together through this coming year. We love You and want our time of celebration to be memorable today. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Sign O' The Times...

2007-12-16T09:08:00.000-05:00

I am up at 8:20am on this fine, snowy, Sunday morning. I turn on the Tennis Channel and I'm watching the 1982 Australian Open Women's Final between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert Lloyd. Great match, SPONSORED BY MARLBORO.

A definite sign of the times.

New Tricks!

2007-12-16T01:52:00.000-05:00

So, yesterday I was watching Cheerleading U. on some cable station. I watched 6 episodes in a row. I'm a douche, I know. But I finally realized that I should date a male cheerleader, just for the fact that they can do shit like this.

Is it wrong I find that kinda hot?

The Real Phil Davis

2007-12-16T01:34:00.000-05:00

Jeffry Denman is a brilliant man. Originally from Buffalo, he went on to make a name for himself as a Broadway performer (The original Producers and then on to Cats), an author (of both books and musicals), an amazing song and dance man, and an inspiration to many aspiring actors and actresses here in the Buffalo area.

I found this video that wrote and directed online and peed my pants. It is yet another way Jeff's talent comes out. For those who know Jeff on a personal level, I think you'll laugh extra hard.

I Hate...

2007-12-15T14:41:00.001-05:00

Last night I had a conversation with a friend about hating things. Hate is a very strong word and I don't use it too often, but she got me thinking:

What do I really hate?

And this isn't like saying "I hate that people treat other people badly." No. This is more of a "what really affects you to the point that you just turn into another person because it will make you puke."

That sorta thing.

So, I have thought about it and have made a little list for you (or for me, I don't know.)

1) Forks scraping on teeth. My old roommate used to do it. My new roommate does it. I have to leave the room when she eats. I want to put said fork into my eye. I HATE it.

2) Being wet. You wanna piss me off? Put me on a water ride at an amusement park. I will NOT be amused. I HATE it.

3) Being cold. I will pay $800 a month in heating bills so I won't be cold. I HATE it.

4) Spaghetti. I HATE it.

5) Back sweat. Kind of goes with #2, but at the same time- it kinda doesn't. I HATE it.

6) Seinfeld. I have never liked it and I HATE when people quote it. I HATE it.

7) Fur mats on Angus. I can't seem to get them off of him. Any ideas? I HATE them.

8) LOUD TALKERS when I want quiet. I HATE IT!

That's it. Oh wait, one more-

9) When I do try to be the leader and someone jumps on the bandwagon to steal the spotlight. I HATE IT!

Oh wait, one more...

10) I CAN'T GROW A FUCKING BEARD. I HATE IT!

I Am A Crobopple

2007-12-11T19:01:00.000-05:00

Bad day...

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD day.

Beefy Music Sunday

2007-12-10T00:16:00.000-05:00

I guess I was in an interesting mood this week for music. Ms. Winehouse topped the chart, and some choral music moved up the chart (OK- I listen to the choral stuff at work to calm me down... but I will admit it- I love it).

Pipe down, haters.

And yes, I haven't grown sick of Annie Lennox's music yet. I am sure it'll be on here for a few more weeks before I really want to jump off a cliff.

1) F*** Me Pumps - Amy Winehouse (have to make it suitable for work!)
2) Gimme More - Britney Spears
3) Sing - Annie Lennox
4) Falling Slowly - Glen Harsgard & Marketa Irglova
5) Fingernail Moon - Annie Lennox
6) Shenandoah - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
7) The Lord Bless You and Keep You - John Rutter & The Cambridge Singers
8) Love - Joni Mitchell (This is what happens when you watch "Love, Actually" over the holiday season.)
9) Slung-Lo - Erin McKeown
10) Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten by Arvo Part - I Flamminghi & Rudolf Werthen

Keep a Little In The Closet, Please.

2007-12-09T21:22:00.000-05:00

Why do some men on Match.com think that they need to talk about how much they want sex, love sex, are so sexual and/or sensual, or anything having to do with their sexual proclivity?

I would rather read about what movies you like, what makes you laugh, what type of food you eat (or cook), and what really makes you dysfunctional.

That is SO much more interesting that reading "and yeah, guys, I'll admit it- I like sex."

Gross grossity gross gross.

WANTED

2007-12-05T23:15:00.000-05:00

I need a friggin' date for my brother's Christmas party. One friend won't go because he's afraid of new people. One friend won't go because she's going to a sex toy party. Another can't go because I text too much. And I need a date for this thing because my brother has built up "Michael's Mystery Guest" to all those that are coming.

So, if you are available on Saturday and can afford a $20 gift (don't worry- you'll get a present in return) and partake in the games my brother has so thoughtfully planned (I think some involve singing and alcohol...), and you get to meet my niece and nephews and have a mondo spread of food at your beck and call...

EMAIL ME. NOW!

Pieces.

2007-12-05T21:24:00.000-05:00

My life right now seems to be one big puzzle. I have the edges done, but not the middle. And some pieces just don't seem to fit.

Quote of the Day

2007-12-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

"You're not a 3-pat guy, Michael."

-Leigh Ann

Joker Joker Joker!

2007-12-05T13:01:00.001-05:00

Heath Ledger as The Joker!

Dinner Tonight

2007-12-03T22:29:00.000-05:00

Being the Beefy Iron Chef that I am, I decided to make dinner again tonight. Hell, if I can go to Weggies and buy the stuff, the least I can do is make a fun recipe with it, right?

Right.

Tonight I tackled scallops. With their less-than-fishy taste and their plump and juicy texture, I knew I was in for a treat- that is, if I didn't overcook them.

I heated some garlic infused olive oil over medium heat and seasoned my scallops with white pepper, curry, paprika and salt. While the oil was heating up, I seasoned some water with around 2 tablespoons of curry and 1 tablespoon of paprika- I was gettin' ready for the best side around- couscous. I actually tried something different with the couscous- I wanted to keep it polenta consistency so I put less couscous in than necessary for the amount of water I had. After putting the couscous in the water (which smelled REALLY good) I put the scallops in to sear. 3 minutes, either side. Yummy.

The couscous was in its yummy goopy state and I threw in some fresh peas and some black pepper and sea salt. I cranked it up to high heat for another 2 minutes and added the excess oil from the scallops (the sauteed seasonings in the oil REALLY added a nice punch of flavor to the couscous.)

I plated it as Kit Cora-y as possible and sat down. It was DAMN good. Oh, and I had a bowl of my soup from last night to start. All in all, I have had two successful days of new recipes. Maybe I'll make myself a Beefy Cat Angus apron.

Anyone want one? If you want a recipe, let me know, too. If I get a few people who want them, I'll post them on the blog.

Meg's making cheesecake right now and it smells GOOD...

Dear Lou...

2007-12-02T23:20:00.001-05:00

Done. And Done.

Beefy Iron Chef

2007-12-02T19:21:00.001-05:00

Along with Beefy Music Sunday, I am going to blog about new (or, new to me) items I buy at Wegmans and I'll tell you what I do with them. I like to make new recipes, so I will dabble until something tastes really great.

This week, the new "Beefy" ingredients are:

1) Brussels Sprouts
2) Yellow Fin Tuna
3) Fresh squid and tentacles

I am currently making a soup with the sprouts. I seasoned it with fennel and sage (ok- and thyme and pepper and even nutmeg). Nutmeg, you say? Well, yes- it matches quite nicely with fennel and gives it a nice, wintery flavor.

It will be done in 15 minutes. I'll keep you posted. If it's good, I'll put the recipe online.

What do you think I should do with the tuna and the squid?

Beefy Music Sunday

2007-12-02T17:05:00.000-05:00

Beefy Music Sunday has a new format. I now set my play count to zero in iTunes every Sunday, so this is a list of the most played songs for the week. Let's see if I REALLY listen to Imogen Heap that much...

1) Get Me Bodied - Beyonce
2) Try A Little Tenderness - Otis Redding
3) All The Way Down - Glen Hansard
4) Sea Lion Woman - Feist

5) Big Sky - Annie Lennox (NOTE: Her new CD is AMAZING. Buy it, Beefies.)
6) The Hanging Man - Arvo Part
7) Us - Regina Spektor
8) Gimme More - Britney Spears
9) You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome - Madeline Peyroux
10) Down To You - Joni Mitchell

Hm. No Imogen? Interesting.

And I have to say- my Otis Redding and Feist picks are perfect songs for grocery shopping- trust me.

My Day With Marc

2007-12-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, my good friend Marc and I went to East Aurora to check out the Roycroft Artisans craft festival. I was introduced to this by A Boy last year and wanted to go back and keep this young tradition for myself going. And since Marc has never been I thought it might be a fun way to spend the day.

So I picked him up and we drove the 22 miles down to East Aurora. Marc asked the wonderful question, "Where's West Aurora? And, for that matter, where's Aurora?"

I had no answer.

We got to the Roycroft and it smelled like "colonial Williamsburg", according to Marc. You know what that is- the woodburning fireplaces emit this magic smoke that takes you back to... um. Well, it smelled like firewood. Everything was beautiful, and it was nice to see Marc's reaction to some of the art and pottery that we were introduced to. I "learned him" on some of the more rudimentary aspects of the Roycroft aesthetic, pulling stuff out of my butt that I hadn't thought of for a year or so.

I found a chair I wanted, and I asked Marc to get it for me for Christmas. It was $3,400. (But it was so pretty and so missionesque!). Then we had a discussion about a small, handcrafted wood wine and cheese table we saw- for $1,000. I decided that it was only for the GOOD cheese and GOOD wine. No Boone's Farm or Velveeta on this table, no sirree. We then walked over to the festival, which is more of a fabulous craft show than a festival. Not too many people were there, but that was ok. We walked around twice and looked at everyone's work- some was amazing, others were less than admirable (who NEEDS a purse with fringe? I mean, c'mon...). Marc got some really pretty glass snowflake ornaments for his sister and Mom. I really went to visit one of my favorite artists, Elizabeth Andrews, and to pick up some of her whimsical and cheeky etchings, but she wasn't around this year. Boo. I had one more place I wanted to go- a local art and jewelry store called Ashwood Artisans. I wanted to get a few presents in there, and I decided to get myself a nice necklace. If you ever are in East Aurora and want to spend an hour in a great store with nice people (who serve coffee with Bailey's and Kahlua! SCORE!), check out Ashwood. You'll be very pleased- and they have a great jewelry collection as well.

Oh yeah- we went one more place. It's called Vidlers 5&10. It's a staple in East Aurora, and I have no clue why. It's a Dollar Store haven with a Nels Olsen Mercantile candy counter in it. And nothing is a nickel or a dime. So we called it "Vidler's 17 & 23."

Thanks, Marc, for a great day!

For Jen...

2007-12-02T03:50:00.001-05:00

Brawny.

2007-12-02T03:34:00.000-05:00

So, you're out with friends, having a great time. Conversation is fun, drinks a flowin', meeting new people... and then you get a text from someone you have had butterflies about. You go to meet said person, all smiles, and he says:

"You look like a lumberjack."

Deflation occurs.

Who knew a plaid shirt and an LL Bean fleece could make you look like the guy who slings paper towels.

Ah well. Could be worse.

Jimmie Photo Gallery #4

2007-12-01T19:16:00.000-05:00

My brother, Jimmie, is a killer photographer. It boggles my mind how talented he is, and he's only really been doing it for 3 years. He IM'ed me today to take a look at his Flickr account and see if I liked any of his pictures. "I hope to be blogworthy again", he said.

Well, dude, here ya go. Give Jim some love. If you are interested in getting any of these for your house, let me know. This stuff is genuine ART.

Buy it, Beefies.

WWII Memorial

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls

Balloon Fire

Veterans Day 2007

Manhattan

The Weeds at Sunset

Can Anyone Tell Me...

2007-11-30T00:35:00.001-05:00

How does Angus get on top of the refrigerator?

And sleep in the football shaped crock pot?

I have no effin' clue.

Beefy Cat Angus Made A Magazine

2007-11-30T00:15:00.001-05:00

So, it's official- Beefy Cat Angus can be found in print. BCA is featured in Buffalo Spree Magazine this month as part of the "WNY/Blogosphere/Buffalo Blog Party".

Jen writes:

When writing this column, I am usually kind of snarky and sarcastic, and like to bust the chops of all the bloggers out there in Western New York. I really do it in jest, and feel honored to be a part of the Buffalo-area blogging community. We are an interesting and diverse group of people, writing about politics, Buffalo events, food, or nothing at all (that would be me). The holidays are almost here, and I am really looking forward to the Buffalo Bloggers’ Christmas party (date and place TBA). If you’re a blogger in WNY, we hope to see you there. Especially all you bitter e-strip.org people.

Now, here are some bloggers I know and love
whom I have not made fun of in a while:

• Michael, over at Beefy Cat Angus, claims to love ironing and figure skating. So incredibly lame, but he’s slightly redeemed due to the fact that he also loves the bands Deee-Lite and Squeeze. Read more about Michael and his (beefy) cat Angus at www.beefycatangus76.blogspot.com.

I told Angus about it and he stuck his paw in my face. His eyes dilated as well. I think he thought I was going to eat him. So I sang "Little Papoose" to him until he puked.

Jen also lists the following blogs as points of interest:

Gardening While Intoxicated
Phoeby and Her Friends
What Went Wrong
Bfloblog
Buffalo Pundit (a Buffalo Blogger's staple)

Thanks, Jen, for the mention! It's nice to know that of my 17 loyal readers, you are potentially one of them.

Mom will be so proud. :)

(Actually, she'll say "You write... about... your cat? Oh, Michael... people will think you are weird.")

Duh.

Click here for the link!

Jennifer Lopez's New Video

2007-11-28T23:50:00.000-05:00

Taco Flavored Kisses

Project Runway Tomorrow

2007-11-27T23:30:00.000-05:00

All of the ads have been showing the contestants ripping fabric, running into walls and caught in the midst of sheer panic. "This is the hardest challenge ever on Project Runway", quips Heid "Auf" Klum.

Some message boards think they are going to have to redesign dresses already done on previous seasons of PR. Wanna know my prediction?

I think they won't be able to use scissors.

Thoughts, anyone?

If You Google The Following, You'll Get Here!

2007-11-26T23:58:00.001-05:00

Cazwell Blogger
Naqoyqatsi Soundtrack
How to make potato soup with carrots and celery
Beefy Pencil Sharpeners
Falonna's at Studio 28
Beefy Cat Angus Bumble Bee
Hip Hip Chin Chin Song Lyrics
Potato Soup Recipe
Cat Papoose
Van Morrison Michelle Rocca
Angus Little
Episode 7 vamanos + streaming (huh?)

And my favorite:

Farting is fun and makes the room warmer

National Grid Warning

2007-11-26T19:54:00.000-05:00

WARNING:

If you move and need to stop online payments with National Grid, MAKE SURE YOU DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT as well as cancel your service. If you don't, you will still be charged the same amount of money out of your bank account until you do both of those steps. I have been charged $40 every two weeks since I moved because I didn't cancel my account. Now they owe me $160 and have to SEND ME A CHECK.

Oh, and if you talk to Lisa at National Grid, hang up and try again. She's a bonafide douchebag.

I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!

Now I'll Never Been A Teen Model

2007-11-25T23:38:00.001-05:00

This makes me laugh harder every time I see it.

Dear Doug

2007-11-25T23:28:00.000-05:00

Dear Doug,

This is us in 30 years.

XO-
Your Swedish Meatball

Carded

2007-11-25T15:30:00.001-05:00

I had to show someone I thought was cute last night my ID.

Because he thought I was 39.

I need new moisturizer.

The "Real" Housewives?

2007-11-24T12:43:00.000-05:00

I have the entire house to myself for the weekend. Meg is at her boyfriend's house in the country, and I am super excited to just sit here and relax, cook, and get a lot done here (laundry, dishes, etc.). But instead, I am sucked in to Bravo TV (AGAIN) and have been watching The Real Housewives of Orange County.

What the hell, you ask? You have so many other thing you have to do, Michael. You could be finishing ALL of your laundry, you could be plastic-ing the windows. Those can wait. I need to see why Jo is moving to Los Angeles, why Jeana's husband doesn't love her anymore, or why Lori just got a new BMW and Vicki is jealous.

I am addicted. Life was so much easier when I didn't have TV. I would read. I would play with Angus. I would watch my favorite movies over and over again, memorizing the lines so I would have more ammunition when my brother would surprise attack me with a line he just memorized from one of his movies.

All that has been tossed out. I need to see why Vicki is "real". Her house is just too small. And Slade has a daddy complex over Jo, and Tammy realizes that Duff is in love with her but wants to stay a "single Mom". Right now, they are all having meetings with an astrologer to see why they are they way they are.

I could tell them why- because they are spoiled, Botoxed women who have bought out the entire Silicon Valley and put it in their breasts. Their children are so out of control and they all have the worst rat's nests of bleach blonde hair. They are drunks, they are brats, they are rude for the sake of being rude.

But, God dammit- they are all GREAT television.

It's not that I want what they have. I like watching them flounder. And I've always wondered what the aftermath of facial injections looks like. And I think Slade is dreamy. Shit- I have to go. They are finding about their karmic purposes... and there's a cat fight!

Beefy Music Sunday (One Day Early)

2007-11-24T00:40:00.000-05:00

I haven't done a Beefy Music Sunday in awhile, since I haven't had internet at the house. So I am updating it one day early. And I am adding a new rule: I won't add music that I have to listen to for a show, i.e.- Bat Boy or Altar Boyz. It just skews the chart. So, here goes:

Beefy Music Sunday, November 25th, 2007:

1) Light & Day/ Reach For The Sun - Polyphonic Spree
2) Watch My Mouth - Cazwell
3) Atoms For Peace - Thom Yorke
4) On The Radio - Regina Spektor
5) Only You - Yaz
6) All Is Full Of Love - Bjork
7) The Moment I Said It - Imogen Heap
8) Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse
9) American Beauty - Thomas Newman
10) Maneater - Nelly Furtado

It's funny looking at this list, because I tend to listen to songs until they are run into the ground and then I get bored with them. Take, for instance, Watch My Mouth by Cazwell or The Moment I Said It by Imogen Heap. I haven't listened to those songs in ages, but since I listened to them for 3 weeks in a row around 5 times a day, they are still on my list. I have tons of other songs that I listen to much more often that aren't even close to being on the list. So, maybe I'll change the format to see what songs I listen to the most in a given week. That may be a better way to do it.

Thoughts?

House Party

2007-11-23T23:56:00.001-05:00

So, Meg and I had a pretty killer house party last Saturday. We titled it "Show Your Spirit" and we asked everyone to bring a bottle of their choice. This was done for a few reasons:

1) To keep costs (relatively) down
2) To stock the liquor cabinet
3) To have something there that everyone would like.

In turn, we did all of the food. Meg and I consider ourselves pretty good chefs, so we knew we could offer a nice spread to our guests. We were excited to have people over because we're very happy about our house and how it looks (OK- everything is mine, so it looks pretty fabulous!).

When I throw a party I pretty much go balls-out to make sure it is memorable and that everyone has a great time. I make sure the place is spotless and people can go whereever they want (except Angus' room) and they feel at home. And, of course, the food is flawless (excuse the 'mo... I just watched Stacy London's Fashionably Late on TLC and I think I've picked up her drag queeniness. Fabulous!)

So, house was clean. Food was prepped (Meg made hers while I was cleaning, so I cooked during the party). Now all we needed were guests. Meg and I have two COMPLETELY different sets of friends, so it was going to be interesting to see how they played together. Her friends are more hunters- literally. Her boyfriend is a big hunter and he brought a slew of their friends. My friends are not hunters. They are my theatre cronies- my family. We all tend to keep to our own people and don't socialize with those who are unfamiliar (or wear flannel)- it's more a defense mechanism than anything else. But yes, it's true- we keep to ourselves.

Needless to say, the first 3 hours of the party it was amazing how everyone was mingling. Straights, gays, flannels, cashmeres, Merlots, Millers, bread dips, crap dips... everyone was just getting along great. My phyllo dough cups filled with a curried beef and mango chutney was a HUGE hit, as was my jumbo lump crab dip and even the melon wrapped in prosciutto. We were all laughing and drinking and having a grand old time.

But somewhere around 1am, the segregation of the two parties withing the 1 party happened. Meg's friends were around the fireplace, where my friends were around the food in the dining room. They were listening to some music that my friends particularly didn't care for, so rather than asking them to change it, someone in my group had a much better idea:

"WALKOFF! LET'S HAVE A WALKOFF!"

Everyone's little gay eyes just lit up. There had to be a way to get some fun music pumping in our room. So, I grabbed my iPod and threw on our favorite going out song and closed the door to the dining room:

And there we were- 10 theatre folk, walking back and forth in my dining room, waiting for the line "Pat Yo' Weave, Ladies" so we could lightly tap the tops of our heads (you know, to make that damn itchin' stop!). We were having such a good time, when I open the door to the kitchen and Meg is standing there.

"Um. Is there a problem?"

"No, why?"

"Because you closed the door."

"Well, yeah..."

"Well, why?"

"BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING A WALKOFF!"

*duh*

We would have asked them to join, but I didn't think they would have appreciated me screaming at them, "PAT YOUR WEAVE NOW! No... No... DO IT AGAIN!"

The Song I Can't Stop Listening To

2007-11-23T23:44:00.000-05:00

"Atoms For Peace", by Thom Yorke. Maybe it's the line "I want to eat your artichoke heart" that gets me...

Love it.

The First Time I Wanted To Slap Dakota Fanning

2007-11-04T20:48:00.000-05:00

She's, like, 8 or something- and still looks like a vapid Michele Pfeifer.

Sometimes There is So Much Beauty in the World...

2007-11-04T20:36:00.000-05:00

This is one of my all-time favorite movie scenes.

Gets me every time.

What A Nice Day...

2007-11-04T20:03:00.001-05:00

I had the most lovely day today. My friends Brendan and Doug went with me to Empire Grill for brunch, where I had an Italian Omelette- picture the italian sausage you would get at any county fair, complete with peppers and onions, toss the bun and wrap it in an omelette. Voila. Italian Omelette. And, I have to say- there is something so completely fulfilling about sourdough toast. And real butter.

Anyhoo...

I drove Brendan back to Niagara Falls, which in itself was magic. It was the perfect Autumn day- 50 degrees, very sunny, and good programing on NPR (I heart "Wait Wait! Don't Tell Me!" Mo Rocca and Paula Poundstone were on the panel today. So funny.) Driving up to Niagara Falls from my house is great because you drive right along the Niagara River and get to be really upclose to its beauty. Granted, the beauty is more along the Canadian side (because they, uh- care?), but still- it's a fun little jaunt.

So, we get up there and I drop him off and I decide to head over to the casino for a little "let's burn a hole in Michael's pocket" fun. It was interesting walking around there by myself- I was assuming that since the football game was on that it would be dead. I was wrong- but I was the youngest one in there by probably around 25 years. Septuagenarians and me. Why do they consistently win these HUGE jackpots and I don't? Granted, I have had a horseshoe up my ass all week with the halloween stuff, but still... I sat down at slot machine #2 and *almost* won $4,000. Doesn't that count for anything? I was one "Double Diamond" away from winning. And then the 74 year old chain smoker won $1,200 next to me.

Bitches.

Anyhoo, after losing the said amount that I expected to (and after 14 minutes of actually being there), I took the great drive home and hunted on the radio for some Britney Spears. No joke. I needed to rock out to some "Gimme Gimme"- I'm a slave 4 her- leave me alone.

I went down to Spot on Elmwood and got some coffee and headed home. I've pretty much been home ever since, other than getting chinese food at China Star. So, I just finished watching When Harry Met Sally and I'm about to throw in The Family Stone. But I have to wait until Brit's done on my iTunes.

OK. She's done.

(Damn, that was a ramble).

Bold Move Update

2007-11-03T15:50:00.000-04:00

I texted.

He called.

Left a voice mail.

I called back.

Talked for 10 minutes.

Hung up.

What do I do next?

The Zombie Prom

2007-11-01T21:56:00.000-04:00

A group of 5 coworkers and I went to work yesterday as The Zombie Prom and represented our department in the annual Halloween Presentation contest.

We won.

And then we went and entered the costume contest.

And we won the whole thing.

So, we now have bragging rights for a year and whole lotta cash. Here's our handiwork. The Prom Queen and I died of hypothermia- thus the blue.

Me and my roommate, Meg

(Having some issues with Blogger and uploading photos, so I'll add more tomorrow)

Bold Move Update #3

2007-11-01T14:40:00.000-04:00

I texted last night.

I wimped out on the phone call.

I'm a LAME-O.

Guess Who Emailed Me Again Today?

2007-10-30T20:08:00.001-04:00

He's so cute in written form.

The Best Music Review EVER

2007-10-30T20:06:00.001-04:00

This is from today's Buffalo News. It made me laugh SO hard. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Bad Britney-Good Britney
By Jeff Miers / NEWS POP MUSIC CRITIC

Clearly, there’s nobody at home. Someone left the lights on, though.

Britney Spears is a walking trainwreck. She’s never encountered a mistake she hasn’t been willing to make, twice, and in public, while hammered on Cosmopolitans and lord knows what else.

As a mother, she makes a great pop star. As a pop star, she makes a pretty good Mouseketeer-turned-Courtney Love. As a barometer for America’s fascination with the wholly vapid and fatally flawed, Britney’s a faux femme fatale, Marilyn Monroe for Generation Cell Phone.

When she stumbled, in what appeared to be a chemically induced daze, through a “performance” on MTV’s Video Music Awards show last month, even the most hardened cynic should’ve felt something akin to sympathy for the collapsing teen-queen.

All the signs point to Spears’ pop-tart white Mercedes heading straight for the ditch. How is it possible, then, that the clearly troubled Spears is able to conjure a more-than-passable collection of dance-friendly trifles for “Blackout,” the appropriately titled album rush-released to stores today?

The answer is that this is a Britney Spears album in name only. With Pro Tools, auto-tune, a slew of outside songwriters and producers, and a bevy of image consultant-types gathering in her name, Spears is a figurehead, nothing more, a guest at her own party.

This has always been the case, though, even before it became clear that Spears was hellbent on undoing her squeaky-clean, Disney-approved image by running off to get hitched in the middle of a weekend-long booze-binge. Spears is the plastic toy in the bottom of the Happy Meal. That’s all she’s ever been. Clearly, she doesn’t take much joy from the whole process.

So what? This is wholly artificial pop music we’re discussing, after all, and as far as that idiom goes, “Blackout” is wellmade and insanely catchy. It’s also likely to put Spears back on top, partly because of the morbid fascination America takes in watching her disturbing freak show of a life unfold through the tabloids, and partly because the record is as good as pretty much anything else in the current dance-pop idiom. Faint praise, that, but praise nonetheless.

Britney — and by Britney, I mean “Britney the corporation” here — has always been about exploiting the Madonna-whore dichotomy, and doing so with far less subtlety than did the actual Madonna. So the majority of “Blackout” sounds like the soundtrack to an expensive porn film staged, incongruously, in a trailer park. That’s disturbing, but expected. There are multitracked moans all over the joint here, and the recording technology employed means they are arranged, layered, “played” like musical notes. Ick.

The record kicks off with Spears’ heavily processed voice breathily intoning, “It’s Britney, b----,” (aw, c’mon, white girl!) as single “Gimme More” emerges in all its giggling synth-pop glory. Like nearly every song on the record, it’s a tune about going out dancing and hooking up with a boy toy. Obviously, living this life has been great for Britney, and she wants to share all she’s learned with her audience of largely girls and young women, some of whom just might consider her a role model.

The tune sure is catchy, even though hearing Spears intermingling orgasm sounds with purred asides (“I just can’t control myself,” she slurs. Yeah. No kidding!) is wrong on more levels than I can count.

“Heaven on Earth” bubbles along like a Depeche Mode tune, circa “Violator,” and finds Spears reverting to her thin, candy-coated little girl voice. This tune is straight pop, minus the sleaze, and it comes as a major relief amid all the bright lights, booty and booze imagery. It doesn’t last, of course. With the very next tune, Britney’s all hot and bothered again, as “Get Naked (I Got a Plan)” finds our heroine dropping some mad science (“Baby I’m a freak and I don’t really give a damn”) over a synthpop/ soul mash-up. It’s gross. But again, it’s infectious.

The best thing about “Toy Soldier” is the fact that it shares its page in the “Blackout” CD booklet with pictures of Britney on the lap of a priest in a confessional booth. I could not make this stuff up.

“Hot as Ice” is a little bit better, as Spears attempts to delve into some R&B over — for a change — a synth-pop arrangement. There is so much vocalprocessing dumped on poor Brit’s pipes here that it is almost impossible to recognize this voice as belonging to an actual human being, let alone Britney herself.

But, hey, that’s the game, and even though she’s made a public freak-show of her life, Britney can still play that game as well as any of her peers. “Blackout” is an artificial construct. There’s no blood on these tracks. That doesn’t really matter, though. It’s pure escapism for the listener. Britney, however, is not likely to escape herself. As dumb as the record is, “Blackout” benefits from the air of American tragedy that hangs over it.

Dear Joe

2007-10-30T00:24:00.001-04:00

Dear Joe,

I finished the book. :)

We'll discuss soon...

XO-
M

Beefy Cat Angus

A Perfect Sunday Morning...

80 Skillz

Johnny The Office Boy

My 2009 Oscar Predictions (So Far)

Warn Fuzzies...

He IS Sasha Fierce

A Facebook Experiment

How Bored Am I?

Beefy Best Buy

Bell's What?

Ugh

Yuletide Bullseye

2 years ago today...

I, Like Rachel, Am An Addict

Where's the Nutshell?

High School Tony Awards

Want to be part of my training?

*Sigh*

I'm Back... and I've Missed You!

Everyone Needs An Oily Frog

No Country For Old Peeps

BufBloPoFo - Day 14

BufBloPoFo- Days 2 through 13

Sorry

Clothes All Over My Bedroom Floor

Is It Me, Or...

BufBloPoFo 2008 Post One

Happy Birthday To Me

The 2nd Annual BCA Movie Award Nominees and Winner

35 Is Hitting Me Hard

I KNEW IT!

The Soundtrack of My Life

Monday Brunch

Where Have I Been?

I'm Alive, I Swear

Oh. My. God.

I Am The Biggest Loser

Pump Up The J.A.M.

Beefy Music Sunday

Doggie Treats

It's Not Like A Tattoo... IT IS A TATTOO

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Tummikashi, Chapter 1

...And I'm Stickin' To It

If I Don't Quit Smoking...

2007 - A Year In Review

Beefy Music Sunday (2 Days Late)

Sonny Bonehead (Me, not him)

"TIED TO A CHAIR" Meme

A Very Beefy Christmas

A Beefy Walline Christmas Eve

Goodbye, Lover

Hello, Lover

Tradition Lost?

Adelaide, the Garveys Made

Beefy Music Sunday

Maybe I'm Not The Only One Confused By This...

What I Am Preparing For...

Sign O' The Times...

New Tricks!

The Real Phil Davis

I Hate...

I Am A Crobopple

Beefy Music Sunday

Keep a Little In The Closet, Please.

WANTED

Pieces.

Quote of the Day

Joker Joker Joker!

Dinner Tonight

Dear Lou...

Beefy Iron Chef

Beefy Music Sunday

My Day With Marc

For Jen...

Brawny.

Jimmie Photo Gallery #4

Can Anyone Tell Me...

Sigh