Thursday, May 31, 2012

Song of the Day

I had the original version of this song stuck in my head and I couldn't stop singing it.  Since the original version sucks, here's the cover I listen to on my iPod to lighten the embarrassment.


1st tally for Yourhighwayhome, 1st tally for Dynamite

Dynamite - Yourhighwayhome
I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, saying ayo!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Song of the Day

This song brings me back to early high school, that's for sure.  Still love it.

Song of the Day Tally

1st tally for Senses Fail, 1st tally for NJ Falls Into the Atlantic


NJ Falls Into the Atlantic - Senses Fail
It's plain to see the wind beneath the trees.  Flowing free, the summer breeze is sweet, but play in this place.  I'm choked by my own air.  I love the taste of your blackened lips.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Song of the Day

I really love this song.  The way Max sings and the lyrics are just amazing to me.  It has quickly become one of my favorite Say Anything songs.  I have this weird feeling in my life, a good one though.  It's hard to explain and better yet, I don't know if I want to explain it.  There's pretty much no shot of me ever explaining it to anyone, but for good reason.  This is vague as fuck, which I try not to be on this blog, but I kind of feels like it has to be.  It's something that has been simmering in my brain the last couple days and I don't know how to explain it, I just know, I kinda dig it.  Listening to music always sorta brings this, emotional if you will, side out of me.  Usually, at least lately, that means bad things, but not so much anymore.


21st tally for Say Anything, 3rd tally for Peace Out

Peace Out - Say Anything
I may be shy and not reply to your scathing review, but I'd rather subsist on venom than abstain with you.  I'll be fine, sever this for all time.  I'll laugh it off when this ends.  You can just go get high with all of your dumb friends.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Song of the Day

Memorial Day, yay America!


1st tally for Team America: World Police, 1st tally for America (Fuck Yeah)

America (Fuck Yeah) - Team America: World Police
America, fuck yeah!  So lick my butt and suck on my balls.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Song of the Day

Pretty fantastic Saturday for me, follows up a solid Friday as well.  No complaints from me lately.  Got to see Chernobyl Diaries, solid little flick, but nothing too special.  Afterwards got to hang out with two of my favorite people and had some pretty kick-ass conversations.  Between venting about annoying shit or channeling my inner mean girl and gossiping about stuff in my life, makes for some pretty fun nights in front of a fire pit.  Got Radiosurgery from one of my friends, the most recent New Found Glory CD, which I had not heard yet.  Can't lie, I fucking adore it.  I already know this won't be the last New Found Glory song to be featured as a song of the day in the near future.  Jordan Pundik is seriously one of my favorite singers.


5th tally for New Found Glory, 1st tally for Radiosurgery

Radiosurgery - New Found Glory
My best friends, they don't even know that my mind is going thousand miles an hour.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Song of the Day

Today was an oddly good one.  Odd in the sense that it wasn't a typical night of fun, but has made me content nonetheless.  I decided walking to work would be a good idea earlier and it certainly was.  Beautiful day and listening to my iPod for the duration of the 3.5 mile walk made for a pretty relaxing and rewarding little excursion.  I got home and bought myself some dinner.  Hadn't had Jersey Mike's in a while and felt like that needed to be changed.  Original Italian is just superb.  Had no real plans for tonight, but spent hours texting a surprising person for most of it after receiving a greeting from them while I worked.  One of those really good conversations that reminds me why I enjoy being a nice guy, provided that someone actually gives me a motivation to do so.  I was ecstatic to see, when I got home, Netflix had delivered the next disc to my house of Big Bang Theory.  My wonderful mother asked what it was and when she found out, exclaimed how much she loved the show.  I was all set to chill alone and watch it, until she offered to make us some popcorn and watch it together.  Took her up on the offer and spent the night laughing at Sheldon Cooper with my mom while texting.  Oddly enough, wouldn't have had it any other way.  That being said, fucking ecstatic to go out tomorrow night with friends to see a movie.  I listened to music on the roughly hour long walk to work and God knows there were plenty of options for song of the day, but The Few That Remain prevailed through all the worthy candidates.


3rd tally for Set Your Goals, 1st tally for The Few That Remain

The Few That Remain - Set Your Goals
You instilled, you helped to build a belief within me that I carry to this day.  You passed the torch, cared no more.  What a shame, who's to blame when the mighty fall from grace?

Friday, May 25, 2012

Song of the Day

I love New Found Glory.  A seriously underrated band in my life.


4th tally for New Found Glory, 1st tally for Oxygen

Oxygen - New Found Glory
It's hard to get rejected by the one you most expected to be by your side.  Your first thought being you should run and hide.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Song of the Day

Had a very peculiar moment just now.  I haven't really had a song stand out to me as a potential song of the day candidate thus far, so I figured I would listen to music while playing Binding of Isaac.  Most of the songs seemed to sort of just play through without much notice from me, until this song.  Go figure, I'm playing a super violent and intense game and Vanilla Twilight is the song that stands out to me.


3rd tally for Owl City, 2nd tally for Vanilla Twilight

Vanilla Twilight - Owl City
The silence isn't so bad, 'til I look at my hands and feel sad.  'Cause the space between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Song of the Day

I listened to this song earlier & was digging it.  Fast forward to tonight, hung out with some friends after work & spent the night staring at a fire.  Very fitting song.


4th tally for The Used, 1st tally for I Caught Fire

I Caught Fire - The Used
You could stay and watch me fall and of course I'll ask for help.  Just stay with me now.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Song(s) of the Day

I try to always make some time to listen to music every day.  You can guarantee I'll listen to my iPod at night.  Something about music & lyrics just calm me down.  I often hit shuffle on my iPod & let the songs decide for me which ones will be the song(s) of the day.  Today we get a punk band & a post-hardcore band sharing the honor.


7th tally for Rise Against, 2nd tally for Architects

Architects - Rise Against
Don't you remember when we were young and we wanted to set the world on fire?  Because I still am & I still do.

1st tally for Escape the Fate, 1st tally for Not Good Enough for Truth In Cliché

Not Good Enough for Truth In Cliché - Escape the Fate
Sitting in this room playing Russian roulette.  Finger on the trigger to my dear Juliet.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Song of the Day

I barely listened to music today, was at work for most of it so I guess, since this was the only song I recall listening to, it's the song of the day.


1st tally for Sick Puppies, 1st tally for My World

My World - Sick Puppies
Welcome to my world.  Where everyone I ever need always ends up leaving me alone.  Another lesson burned and I'm drowning in the ashes; kicking, screaming.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Song(s) of the Day

This song has been playing in my head for a couple days now, all came to fruition today as I couldn't get it out of my head.


27th tally for A Day to Remember, 1st tally for I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made of?

I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made of? - A Day to Remember
I'll be there just to watch you fall, so don't push me, I've got nothing to lose.  Don't blink, they won't even miss you at all.


Today was one of those days where I wished that something terrifyingly exciting would have happened.  I kinda want to be in an almost life threatening situation, like the first lyrics of After Midnight says.  Not that I wish to die or any of that, quite the opposite, I actually want to feel alive.  After Midnight used to mean a bit more to me, but it's lost some of its luster in the past half year, but still a damn good song.

35th tally for Blink-182, 7th tally for After Midnight


After Midnight - Blink-182
I can't get my feet up off the edge.  I kinda like the little rush you get when you're standing close to death.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

I Like Sportz

Top Story
Not So Fast
After a dominating game 3 win for the Boston Celtics against the Philadelphia 76ers, Philly knew they had to play their heart out to tie this series up or else the future would be very bleak.  It didn't start off so well for Philly, because Boston came out firing on all cylinders.  Boston outscored Philly 24-12 in the first quarter & then 22-19 in the 2nd, leading to an impressive 46-31 lead at halftime.  The game was so lopsided that Philadelphia was booed by their homecourt fans.

Some teams would probably crawl into their shell after a half like that.  It was the biggest game of the year for a young team that nobody even expected to be in this round & they were getting punk'd out.  The fans booing them may have a motivating factor, though, because they came out ready to play in the 3rd quarter.  Philly's offense emerged in the 3rd quarter as they dropped 28 points on Boston & only gave up 17 to the Celtics.  The 76ers were back in the game.  Still, Boston had the lead going into the 4th, Philly would have to play that much better to complete this miraculous comeback.  They did just that.  Philly is a team centered around depth, they don't really have that prototypical "superstar" player.  Their proverbial "best" player showed up last night, though.  Their potential Olympic representative Andre Iguodala put the team on his back & led the 76ers to an improbable victory against the mighty Celtics.  It was Iggy's 16 points that helped propel the 76ers, including 5 straight points for Philly in the final minute & a half when the game was tied.  With less than 2 minutes left, Iguodala calmly took a step back jumper & drained a go-ahead shot to put the 76ers up 85-83.  Immediately after that, Rajon Rondo had his shot blocked & Philly was back on the attack.  Iguodala sank a 3 point shot for the dagger, giving Philly a 5 point lead & causing the passionate fans, the very ones who were booing this team earlier, to go into a frenzy.  76ers somehow win 92-83.

I wrote in my small prediction yesterday that I believed if the Celtics could get the kind of stellar production they got from Rondo, Kevin Garnett, & Paul Pierce in game 3, then game 4 would be just as easy for them.  It started off that way, but they fizzled fast.  Garnett no longer looked like he was 10 years younger, he looked old again.  Only 9 points after his epic game 3 is definitely not what Boston was looking for.  Pierce played well, getting 24 points, but seemed to take a backseat as he watched Rondo try to make plays by himself, even though he is not a play-making point guard. Brandon Bass had a good first half, but disappeared in the 2nd half, finishing with 15 points.  What's really hurting the Celtics is the lack of production from their former all-star shooting guard, Ray Allen.  He played 31 minutes but only scored 5 points.  He has been disturbingly quiet this series & God knows they could have used him last night.  This supporting cast is awful for Boston, the stars need to make the plays & they just didn't last night in the 2nd half.  Keyon Dooling was bricking shots left & right while no one else could even pray to hit the rim.  Philly, on the other hand, has great depth & put their trust in all of their players to complete the comeback.  Evan Turner, their much maligned former lottery pick, poured in 16 points for them while the runner-up for 6th Man of the Year, Lou Williams, scored 15 points off the bench, 13 of which he scored in the 2nd half.  Williams was really the spark this team desperately needed in the 2nd half.  All of Philly's starters had a negative +/- rating, save for Evan Turner who finished neutral at 0.  Williams, on the other hand, finished with an impeccable +28 rating.  Add in 12 points off the bench from Thaddeus Young, 9 from Jodie Meeks, & 8 from Lavoy Allen & you've got some pretty solid bench production.  Philly's bench outscored Boston's 44-12.

Game 5 will be played on Monday as this series has quickly become one of the more exciting ones left in the playoffs.  It's anyone's guess as to how the next game will play out.  After watching Boston dominate game 3 & the first half of game 4, you gotta believe they have what it takes to shut down this young 76ers team.  The thing that keeps Philly more than just alive, but with legitimate reason to believe they can win is their depth & confidence.  Boston has their big 3 of Rondo, Pierce, & Garnett, but that's about it.  If they don't perform, they're screwed.  Philadelphia, however, has a rotation that goes about 8 men deep.  Boston will be playing at home on Monday, which should give them the emotional charge they may need to shake off this heartbreaking loss.  Philly seems to play off the energy their crowd gives them, it's time for this young team to prove they can win pivotal games on the road.  I still believe Boston ultimately wins this series, but this has 7 games written all over it.

Song of the Day

Early to mid 2000's Rise Against is so good & Life Less Frightening is one of my favorites.


6th tally for Rise Against, 1st tally for Life Less Frightening

Life Less Frightening - Rise Against
I don't ask for much, truth be told, I'd settle for a life less frightening.

Friday, May 18, 2012

We Got Wood

Today saw the last appearance for Chicago Cubs pitcher, Kerry Wood.  Kerry announced Friday afternoon that he'd be retiring after the game today between his Cubs & their crosstown-rival Chicago White Sox.  The White Sox beat the Cubs in Wrigley Field, but the lasting memory will be that of Wood's final appearance on the baseball field.  Wood was summoned to the mound to face Dayan Viciedo.  Wood, who has been struggling mightily this season, channeled his inner 20 year old rookie self & promptly struck out Viciedo on 3 pitches, the final one being a nasty curve that scewed Viciedo into the dirt.  After the strikeout, the Cubs made a pitching change & Wrigley Field created a moment that will live on forever.  Wood began shaking hands with his teammates around him & turned around as he made his way to the dugout.  The Wrigley faithful, both the Cubs & White Sox fans, stood up and gave the man the standing ovation he deserved.  Kerry gave the fans, the very same fans he has pitched in front for 12 of his 14 year career, a tip of the hat.  Kerry's young son emerged from the dugout & gave his dad a hug in front of everyone as Kerry lifted him up, smiling.  He disappeared into the dugout, but the cheering didn't stop.  Kerry was given one last curtain call as he once again emerged from the dugout & offered a 2nd tip of the hat to the fans who loved him so much.  It was one of the greatest moments I have ever seen in Wrigley Field.  Well deserved for Kerry.

I Like Sportz

Top Story
 Sweating in Miami
Remember game 2 of the series between the Pacers & Heat?  The Pacers managed to get out of Miami stealing a win on the Heat's homecourt & they were amped about it.  The Heat players were none too pleased by Indiana's reaction to the win & thought their celebration was too over the top.  So you gotta bet that the next game, the Heat would be ready to embarrass the Pacers for such a thing, the motivation had to be through the roof.  Uhh...I guess not.  The Pacers gave the Heat the biggest beat down they've seen all year long & it was in the biggest game (until the next game) of the year.

The game started off according to script.  Another low scoring game with some physicality.  The Pacers came out red hot to open the game as Roy Hibbert managed to completely embarrass Erik Spoelstra's new starting center, Dexter Pittman.  The Pacers went on an 11-2 run to open the game in front of their golden crowd & were flying high.  Unfortunately for them, LeBron James led the Chris Bosh-less Heat on an impressive run of their own, managing to outscore the Pacers 24-6 to end the quarter & take a 26-17 lead at the end of 1.  The first quarter was a tale of 2 runs, the Pacers made theirs while the Heat did as well.  James was playing fantastic & carrying his team along with, not Dwyane Wade, but rather, Mario Chalmers.  Wade struggled mightily from the field.  The 2nd quarter was the same story, but played by opposite roles.  The Heat watched their 9 point lead diminish as Indiana went ahead & outscored them 26-17 in the 2nd to lead to a 43-43 tie at halftime.  The Heat had to feel okay, considering they were on the road, LeBron had played great with 16 first half points & despite Wade having an atrocious game so far, they were still very much in it.

It seemed as though, once the 3rd quarter began, the Pacers decided to stop messing around with the Heat.  Indiana dominated the 3rd quarter in every aspect, their defense holding Miami's electric offense to a measly 12 points.  Wade continued to struggle as LeBron stopped dominating.  The Heat's best player on the floor was Mario Chalmers, which doesn't bode well for them.  The Pacers spread the ball around, the major standout being their 7'2 center, Roy Hibbert who finished the game with 19 points, 18 rebounds, & 5 blocks.  There is not a soul on this Miami team that can dream of stopping him, Roy is setting himself for quite a hefty contract whenever these playoffs end for him.  The loss of Chris Bosh is such a crushing blow for Miami, not only for his ability to be the best 3rd option in the NBA, something that would have been vital for this team in game 3, seeing as how much Wade struggled, but also for his ability to at least be a big body down low.  No Bosh means LeBron has to play out of position as a power forward & you can tell it is exhausting LeBron.  He just doesn't have as much energy in this series as he normally does.  Danny Granger, whose main objective this series is to guard LeBron (which he did & got in his face for the 3rd consecutive game) got hot, he finished with 17 points & David West, their emotional leader on the floor who got face to face with Mario Chalmers at one point, finished with 14 points.  Their starting PG, someone Larry Bird brought over from San Antonio in the offseason, George Hill, was the one who really shut the door on any idea of a Heat comeback in the 2nd half.  He finished with a team leading 20 points, including 3-4 from 3 point land.  The Pacers bullied the Heat in the 2nd half & were clearly the better team, walking away celebrating a 94-75 victory.

LeBron had a very pedestrian game, finishing with 22 points (only 6 in the 2nd half), 6 rebounds, & 3 assists.  Dwyane Wade had his worst game, possibly ever, with 5 points & only 1 assist, compared to 5 turnovers.  The boiling point came in the 3rd quarter after another missed Wade shot led to an Indiana fast break and easy bucket.  Wade didn't hustle back on defense & coach Erik Spoelstra called a timeout & basically told Wade to sit his ass on the bench.  Well, Dwyane being the emotional prima donna that he is, did not approve of his coach telling him what to do (even though that's his job) and could be seen verbally sparing with Spoelstra.  He had to be calmed down by Udonis Haslem & Juwan Howard.  I know what you're thinking; yes, Juwan is still in the league.  Wade was 2-13 from the field & had a whopping -25 rating.  Mario Chalmers seemed to be the only one who really wanted to play the entire game, because he ended up with a game high 25 points with 6 rebounds & 5 assists.

So what's next?  Game 4 takes place on Indiana's floor, so no party atmosphere for Miami to lift them.  When there's two minutes left in the quarter, they won't hear the ear cringingly annoying "2 MINUTES...DOS!!!!"  Indiana is a basketball crowd, not a party waiting to happen that just so happens to catch a couple moments of the game in front of them.  The Heat need to come out and prove that they are the better team that every single expert chose to win, including ESPN analyst & former NBA player, Jon Barry, who even said the Heat would sweep.  I swear, I look at some of these predictions & think to myself how it would be so awesome to be a sports columnist.  You make awful predictions, you're basically the weather man, you can suck at your job but somehow continue to keep doing it.  Seems nice.

Song of the Day

That Girl just gets embedded into my mind when I hear it, it's insane, I swear.  I listened to this song 2 days ago & it's still stuck in my head.


17th tally for All Time Low, 5th tally for That Girl

That Girl - All Time Low
What am I supposed to do, oh oh, when she's so damn cold, like 20 below?  That girl, that girl, she's such a bitch, but I tell myself I can handle it.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

The 2011-12 Chicago Bulls

I did not anticipate writing this recap for the Chicago Bulls this early.  The Bulls, who were the number 1 seed in the East & had finished with the best record in the NBA, were knocked out of the playoffs by the 8 seed Philadelphia 76ers in the opening round of the playoffs.  This shortened NBA season was killer for all teams, but most notably for the Bulls as they dealt with injuries all year long.  The injury bug finally caught up to the Bulls in the playoffs.

I Like Sportz

Top Story
Stop Me If You've Heard This Story Before
The Los Angeles Lakers came into yesterday's game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder down 1 game & looking to fight back after a humiliating loss.  Unlike the last game, this was a low-scoring affair.  The two teams combined for 209 points in game 1 & just 152 in game 2.  The prevailing message after this game, a game in which we saw the Thunder rally from 7 points down with just 2 minutes left to win, is that the Lakers cannot beat Oklahoma City.  It seems as though the Thunder are younger, deeper, more cohesive, & just plain better than the Lakers.

Remember game 2 between the Pacers & Heat?  A low-scoring game, superstars not showing up down the stretch, & an unlikely player taking the final shot being the headline of the game?  This Lakers/Thunder game 2 is eerily similar to that.  During the Thunder comeback, there were no issues with their superstar, the MVP runner-up, Kevin Durant.  Durant, who finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds, & 5 assists, hit a floater just outside the paint with just 18 seconds left that gave the Thunder a 1 point lead.  Durant scored the final 9 points for this Thunder team, playing very much like an MVP.  Kobe Bryant, on the other hand, struggled.  He was guarded by Durant the whole night & had a very mediocre shooting night, going just 9-25 from the field for 20 points.  It was the Lakers ineptitude to perform during the final several minutes of the 4th quarter that did them in, missing on their final 6 possessions.  Kobe just wasn't very Kobe-like in this game.  James Harden managed to block a Bryant jumper which led to the Thunder cutting the lead to just 1 & it was a missed 3 point shot from Kobe that led to Durant putting the Thunder up for good.  

A raucous Oklahoma City crowd, perfectly sequenced in white & blue, sat in anticipation as the Lakers gathered for the final shot.  The Lakers were only down by 1 & had the ball coming off a timeout.  Metta World Peace had the ball standing out of bounds & gazed ahead of him & saw Thabo Sefolosha draped all over Kobe Bryant.  Down by 1, Steve Blake received the pass from World Peace & fired a corner 3, which bounced off the rim & into the hands of Kevin Durant.  Thunder win, up 2-0 in the series.

Kobe Bryant was visibly upset when he saw Blake had gotten the shot over him, but fact of the matter is this, he wasn't open.  It was a bad playcall coming off the timeout & bad management of timeouts from the Lakers, considering they couldn't call one once they saw Kobe wasn't open.  Blake finished the game 1-5 from behind the arc & should not have been the man to take that final shot.  The fact that the Lakers settled for a low percentage shot like that, when they shot only 25% in the 4th quarter is just absurd.  They handed the Thunder this game & probably the series.  6 turnovers in the final quarter is not the play of a championship team.  The Thunder have blown out the Lakers & now stolen a game from them, they're in the Lakers psyche & this series is going to be over sooner, rather than later.

Song of the Day

A Day to Remember again & an old friend.  My favorite song of all-time, shocked this is only the 2nd tally for All I Want, to be honest.


26th tally for A Day to Remember, 2nd tally for All I Want


All I Want - A Day to Remember
All I want is a place to call my own, to mend the hearts of everyone who feels alone.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

I Like Sportz

Top Story
The Pacers Are Who We Thought They Were!
I wrote in my last I Like Sportz post that the Pacers absolutely had what it took to stand up to the daunting Miami Heat & Tuesday, they proved that.  After a very competitive game 1 that ended with the Heat just outplaying the Pacers down the stretch run, the Pacers regained momentum in the series by holding on to win a very ugly & gritty game 2.  Chris Bosh, the Heat's all-star power forward, will be missing the rest of this series due to an abdominal injury, which is a huge blow to Miami.  The Heat rely heavily on LeBron & Wade to carry the load & Bosh was that anchor who could help out should they need it.  Now he's gone & this already thin team is looking all that more beatable.

The Heat had a 5 point lead at halftime at home, the first half being a very low scoring & physical affair.  The Pacers came out hot in the 3rd quarter & exploded for 28 points & held Miami to only 14 3rd quarter points, giving them a 9 point lead going into the 4th quarter, which even blossomed to an 11 point lead.  The Heat are no strangers to miraculous comebacks, especially in the playoffs, & they fought back.  Indiana missed 24 of their final 29 shots, costing them the lead on the road against the team that most "experts" claim to be the best in the world.  Recipe for a loss & going down 2 games, right?  Wrong.

What's one of the biggest knocks against this talented Heat team, besides their lack of depth?  It's the ineptitude to perform in clutch situations that has taxed this team for the past 2 years.  Those ugly demons surfaced again last night as the two players they rely on the most to propel them to victory, didn't deliver.  If you look at the box score, you'll say Wade & LeBron had great games, which they did, as a whole.  It's those last couple minutes of the game that can change everything.  Dwyane Wade misses an open lay-up that would have tied the game with less than 30 seconds left & all of a sudden his 24 point game is a bit tainted.  LeBron misses 2 free throws with his team down 1 with less than a minute left & his 28 point, 9 rebound effort is pushed to the backseat.  The game ended with Indiana nursing a 3 point lead & trying to stop Miami from hitting a game-tying buzzer beater.  The final shot came & who took it?  Wade?  Nope.  Surely LeBron, right?  Na uh.  Mario Chalmers, who finished the game 2-10 shooting, took the final shot that he failed to sink & Indiana was going home, managing to steal 1 game away from the Heat in Miami.

Before we go to the smaller stories of the day, let's analyze what exactly happened at the end of this Pacers/Heat game 2.  Tough game, full of physical play & comebacks.  Any team would feel good coming off the floor with a win.  Once Chalmers missed his final shot, a number of Pacers began to celebrate on the court in front of the Miami, err..faithful, if you can call them that.  Fist pumping, chest bumping, & cheering from Paul George, Danny Granger, & Darren Collison were pretty prominent.  The Heat took notice.  Some condescending reactionary comments from Wade, LeBron, Udonis Haslem, & Chalmers were given & it left this sports fan a bit perplexed.  This is the same Heat team that screams & pounds their chest after every big play.  This is LeBron who used to dance before games & do choreographed stunts with his teammates.  The very same team who provide the NBA with the gaudiest & flashiest live presentation of a game in all of sports, creating a party like atmosphere in their arena.  All of a sudden, they have an issue with celebrating?  Me thinks the Heat are being a bit hypocritical.  The fact of the matter is this; the Heat, with their over the top attitudes & bigger than life image, give other teams the motivation to celebrate.  When you beat a team as arrogant as them, you want to rub their face in it.  They're the bullies who do all the pushing, but when they get pushed back, they run off & tell the adults.  Last year you were telling your fans to "Fan up," Miami, seems like it's time for you to man up.

Song of the Day

I have listened to this song for so long.  I remember back when I got my first iPod in 2005, I was so psyched to have so many songs at my disposal.  Seein' Red was one of the first songs I put on there & listened to it constantly.  I couldn't tell you how I came across Seein' Red by Unwritten Law, but I always loved it.  Even now, I can never get enough of it.  The lyrics are very me & I really believe Unwritten Law is an extremely underrated band.


1st tally for Unwritten Law, 1st tally for Seein' Red

Seein' Red - Unwritten Law
Don't have much time for sympathy, 'cause it never happened to me.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Song of the Day

Was listening to Neighborhoods as I drove home from work today, man do I love Wishing Well.  The line  I reached for a shooting star, it burned a hole through my hand is one of my favorite lyrics I've heard.


34th tally for Blink-182, 3rd tally for Wishing Well

Wishing Well - Blink-182

Monday, May 14, 2012

Song of the Day

Another A Day to Remember song, go figure, I guess I like this band, huh?  They have a knack of writing songs that I can relate to, probably more so than any other band.


25th tally for A Day to Remember, 1st tally for Homesick

Homesick - A Day to Remember

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Song of the Day

Had a decent Mother's Day, for the most part.  Got to finally see The Avengers, but other than that, a very very frustrating & deflating day as well (personally at least) Still can't quite shake the feeling of wishing someone would go out of their way to surprise me & for once, prove me wrong.


24th tally for A Day to Remember, 3rd tally for All Signs Point to Lauderdale

All Signs Point to Lauderdale - A Day to Remember

Song of the Day

Happy Mother's day!


33rd tally for Blink-182, 1st tally for Mother's Day

Mother's Day - Blink-182

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Song of the Day

Admit It Again by Say Anything combines so many things I love.  Passionate Max Bemis lyrics delivered with force, pop culture ridicule, a disdain for hypocrites & liars, & calling people out for their bullshit.  This is Say Anything at its best.


20th tally for Say Anything, 2nd tally for Admit It Again

Admit It Again - Say Anything

Friday, May 11, 2012

Song of the Day

I have had more than my fair share of so-called friends who fuck me over & abandon me, so this song is slightly perfect for me.  Let's say this is a dedication, if you will, to all of them.


10th tally for Simple Plan, 2nd tally for Thank You

Thank You - Simple Plan

Thursday, May 10, 2012

I Like Sportz

No more classes means I actually have time to do this every day.


Top Story
All NBA Edition!
The Miami Heat scorched the one-man show known as the New York Knicks in round 1 & the Indiana Pacers took out the no-man show in Orlando, knocking out the Dwight Howard-less Magic.  Both teams did so in just 5 games, the Pacers finishing the job before the Heat.  So what does this mean for round 2? Round 1 featured a pretty easy fluff match for the Pacers, seeing as the Magic are a shell of their former self.  Then again, it is a young team, one that gave the number 1 seed Chicago Bulls fits last year.  They're learning & have improved since then, there isn't a chance they'll be taking the Heat lightly.  

What about the Heat?  This was a team that pretty much dominated the Knicks in the first round, which was a pretty easy match-up considering they only had to stop Carmelo Anthony & they knew they were set.  New York didn't help things by having ball-chucker J.R. Smith playing point for most of game 5.  

The Heat/Pacers round 2 series may not have the glitz & glamour of other playoff series, but it may be the best one yet.  In a 1st round filled with duds, the NBA playoffs are eagerly anticipating a series with some heart & excitement.  This one may be just what they are looking for.  The Heat took care of Indiana in the regular season, winning 3 of 4 games, so take that as you will.  

The reason why I like Indiana so much in this series is because their strengths are Miami's weaknesses.  The Pacers are anchored by their all-star center, 7'2 Roy Hibbert, who has a chance to absolutely dominate this series.  This could be his coming out party if he plays his cards right.  The Pacers also have a legitimate point guard in Darren Collison who, unlike the Heat's Mario Chalmers, can control a game & run an offense.  He has been coming off the bench as of late, giving George Hill the spotlight, but he played very well in the final 2 games of the 1st series with the Magic, scoring 30 points with 15 assists to close out the last games of the series.  The depth of the Pacers is nothing to sneeze at either.  I just mentioned the depth at point guard with Collison & Hill, but it doesn't end there.  The frontcourt was bolstered this past offseason when they added former all-star forward David West.  He's no focal point on this team, not while Hibbert, Danny Granger, & Paul George are around, but he doesn't have to be.  With Miami's less than fleet footed frontcourt of Joel Anthony & Ronny Turiaf, all West has to do is set up at the top of the key & hit some mid-range jumpers.  This clears the paint for a guy like Paul George, Indiana's young budding star, to drive to the hoop like he does best.  Like Collison, Tyler Hansbrough was starting for this team last year, but thanks to offseason additions, they just fill out a very formidable bench.  Leandro Barbosa was added at the trade deadline, but injuries have affected his game so far in the playoffs.  Maybe these couple days off will improve his health, it would be a huge boost for Indiana to have a scoring option like him coming off the bench & playing well.  

Some people may think I was overly focused on the Pacers here, but let's be honest, we all know about the Heat.  It's the 2 & a half man show.  LeBron is the best basketball player on the planet & Dwyane Wade is in the top 5.  Chris Bosh is probably the greatest 3rd option of all-time, even if he plays soft.  Other than that, save for an occasionally productive Mario Chalmers, this team doesn't have much else.  That's fine, because LeBron & company have been proving they can handle the load. I just live in a world where I can see the Pacers pushing them to the brink, scaring them, making them think that they just might lose.  The series begins Sunday & I'll be watching.  I expect this game to go 6 or 7 games, provided Indiana plays up to the level I have come to expect from them.  Ultimately, I believe the Heat will get the series win, just because the East is so weak, but it will be the first & only true test until they get to the Finals.

Song of the Day

I usually try to avoid this song on my iPod when it comes on because I find it to be overly emotional & probably not the best song for me to hear.  Couldn't really deny it today, been pretty dejected lately.  The usual.  Wish I didn't have so many people in my life who have lied & stabbed me in the back, blah blah blah.  Just going through some garbage where I'm accepting the fact that I'm completely alone, but not really all that thrilled about it.  Ah well, I'm kinda used to people letting me down & abandoning me anyway, just never really fun.  I do tend to bring it on myself though, seeing as how I hide mostly everything (unless I post it on this thing) & just push people away.  I guess I'm waiting for that person who actually goes out of their way to prove to me that they care, instead of just words.  I have this weird delusion, if you want to call it that, in my head that I've had to go through so much crap & I should come to expect people to do more than I expect of them.  I guess I believe I deserve more or better, though there is no part of me that actually believes I'll get it.  I don't trust anybody, I don't rely on anyone.  Just not worth it.  Most of the time the person you're relying on doesn't even know it, so how fair is it to them in the long run?  Some people are just meant to be alone, doesn't necessarily mean it's a horrible thing.  I got something in the mail today that really threw me through a loop.  Nothing major or life altering, just kinda shocking & out of nowhere.  It's going to make for an interesting  2 weeks or so.


2nd tally for Hollywood Undead, 1st tally for Black Dahlia

Black Dahlia - Hollywood Undead

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Song of the Day

Pretty sure I listened to this song around 8 times last night when I was trying to fall asleep & it was pretty impossible to get it out of my head today.  Melancholy day usually means I listen to "sad" songs.  There isn't a better one than Miserable at Best by Mayday Parade.  I'm a sucker for a lot of things; bands with 2 singers is definitely one of them.


17th tally for Mayday Parade, 3rd tally for Miserable at Best

Miserable at Best - Mayday Parade

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Song of the Day

Had this song pop into my head during work.  That tends to happen a lot, on a day where I don't actually listen to that much music, the song of the day gets decided by a track that just randomly embeds itself into my head that day.  This would be my 2nd favorite All Time Low song off the new record Dirty Work, which I am a pretty big fan of.  That Girl is seriously catchy.


16th tally for All Time Low, 4th tally for That Girl

That Girl - All Time Low

Monday, May 7, 2012

Song of the Day

Usually I do a song of the day post at around midnight, but I was beyond tired last night so I decided to just go to bed at 11:45 PM.  I've always said it is so much easier to get myself to go to bed when I'm tired when I feel like I have no reason to be awake.  Too often I stay up all night because I think there's a reason for me to be up when there really isn't.  Anyway, I went to the Cubs game yesterday & it was one I'll remember for a long time.  It was a 1:20 CST start, scheduled at least, because it didn't start until 4:00 CST due to a very long rain delay.  Luckily, our original seats for the game were located under the 2nd deck of Wrigley Field, so we were protected from Mother Nature's fury.  I say original seats because as we were walking towards the park, some random guy who looked like Hurley from Lost offered us 2 tickets to the game.  You can't go walking around any ballpark without hearing someone offering to sell and/or buy tickets, so we usually drown them out.  The thing that stopped us was this guy offered us FREE tickets.  He couldn't make the game and just handed us 2 tickets at field level right in line with home plate.  Uh, THANKS!  

One of the best seats I've ever had to a Cubs game and it was a good one.  Travis Wood made his debut for the Cubs since they traded for him during the offseason & despite a rocky start, he really did pitch well.  I liked what I saw.  I also liked that sitting directly in front of us was a very attractive young lady with her adorable toddler kid.  I was curious as to why she was sitting so close but by herself.  It hit me when Travis Wood came up to bat & nailed a double down the 3rd base line & she started clapping & cheering for Wood.  She was Travis' wife & she was a trooper for sticking around the entire game with her awesome kid.  The Cubs were facing a top team in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers, & they left so many men on base early on, it was tough to watch.  Luckily, I got myself a Cubs plastic helmet filled with nachos to curb my frustration.  It was a 3-2 game going into the bottom of the 9th, last chance for the Cubs, & they managed to tie it, finally giving what was left of the crowd after the long rain delay some excitement.  The game went into the 11th inning when the Cubs managed to get the bases loaded & walked in the winning run for the wall-off win.  Go Cubs Go blared in Wrigley & all the fans who waited out the brutal rain delay & extra inning affair FINALLY got to go home happy after being there, some of which, for 6 or 7 hours.  I walked out of Wrigley giving highfives to Wood's hot wife & adorable little son feeling good.

The Fold's rendition of Let's Go Cubbies! is the song of the day.  I love The Fold & was quite thrilled when I heard they had won a contest held by WGN Radio (the station that broadcasts Cubs games) to dub the new Cubs theme song for the year.  They may not be a very good team, but hell if the Cubs aren't at least entertaining this year & on the right track.  Play the rookies, get rid of the underachieving & overpaid bums, get young, live through the growing pains...it's gonna pay off eventually.


1st tally for The Fold, 1st tally for Let's Go Cubbies!

Let's Go Cubbies! - The Fold

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Song of the Day

This song epitomizes the point of my song of the day posts.  I fell asleep last night with my iPod on & this was the first song I had played.  A few hours later, while I woke up, this track was still going through my head.  There wasn't a moment at all during the day, especially when I was working, this song wasn't playing in my head.  I played it when I got home from work & it honestly felt like a drug addict who just got his first heroin hit in days.  I really really dig the style of music You, Me, and Everyone We Know makes & their lyrics are creative & entertaining.  It's a joy to listen to them, for me.  Carolina Heat, especially, is one of those songs that I love the lyrics to & can't help but to connect to what I'm listening to.  I have REALLY been into them lately, wouldn't be surprised if they garnered a few more tallies in the future.  It's safe to say I'm hooked.

If I may go on a personal diatribe, there's a lyric in this song I Tweeted earlier that I adore.  Your skin was appealing wallpaper, now your skin is just peeling wallpaper.  It is a perfect metaphor for how I feel lately.  Do not get it twisted here, I am not some lonely depressed person yearning for what has been lost.  Quite the opposite.  I am simply just pissed off at everything & sick of having people in my life who lie to me, deceive me, & think I'm oblivious to everything.  I have been doing quite alright lately but a text message from someone the other day really sparked this.  Here's a protip, I am spectacular at finding things out.  You know what I'd kill for right now?  Someone in my life who wasn't a perennial disappointment and could actually prove to me that they're worth while.  I am really starting to lose space on my back, so the whole stabbing me there thing can stop anytime now.  I just love that I live in a world where I'm not even allowed to open up like this, because God forbid the dude who holds everything in actually speaks his mind.  Ah well, let's go back to listening to music, shall we?  Because when there's no one there to hear you, the music will listen.


1st tally for You, Me, and Everyone We Know, 1st tally for Carolina Heat

Carolina Heat - You, Me, and Everyone We Know

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Song(s) of the Day

Today was a tale of 2 halves.  This morning I was really hooked into listening to Peace Out by Say Anything, had it stuck in my head.  Then I took a midday nap, woke up, & went to work.  As I was driving home I had Up All Night by Blink-182 playing in the car & I was into it.  Two of my favorite bands sharing the honor of songs of the day.


32nd tally for Blink-182, 2nd tally for Up All Night

Up All Night - Blink-182

19th tally for Say Anything, 2nd tally for Peace Out

Peace Out - Say Anything

Friday, May 4, 2012

Song(s) of the Day

I made some new tabs for this blog earlier & was listening to music as I tediously put them together.  These were 3 songs that really stood out to me while I was doing so.


15th tally for All Time Low, 1st tally for Sick Little Games

Sick Little Games - All Time Low

3rd tally for Sum 41, 1st tally for Thanks for Nothing

Thanks for Nothing - Sum 41

23rd tally for A Day to Remember, 1st tally for Another Song for the Weekend

Another Song for the Weekend - A Day to Remember

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Song of the Day

There are very few songs on my iPod who get played consistently on a day-to-day basis as this one.

6th tally for Halifax, 5th tally for Better Than Sex

Better Than Sex - Halifax

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Song of the Day

Make a wish.

3rd tally for The All-American Rejects, 1st tally for 11:11 P.M.

11:11 P.M. - The All-American Rejects

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Song(s) of the Day

If someone were to ask me to provide songs that perfectly describe me, my life, how I feel every single day, these would be the 3 I showed them.  No one will ever understand how much I love music & how grateful I am each time I look at my headphones & iPod.

When there's no one there to hear you, the music will listen.


16th tally for Mayday Parade, 1st for Still Breathing

Still Breathing - Mayday Parade

3rd tally for Weezer, 3rd for Perfect Situation

Perfect Situation - Weezer

3rd tally for Zebrahead, 1st for Anthem

Anthem - Zebrahead