Guys backflip into jeans

Not too sure how many times they screwed it up, but the end result is mighty cool...

What If Sarah Palin Was a Disney Movie?

This is so funny, it's not :-(

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

What The Hell Am I Eating 8: 2 Kinds Of Chewing Gum

Piccadilly Pound

Mason has been playing guitar since he was a little one. This is him playing a piece from memory at his last recital.

Remixing NIN

I've never really been a big Nine Inch Nails fan, but I love what they've been doing with their music: releasing it for free onto the web.

On their site, http://remix.nin.com -- there's the opportunity to remix their music... mighty friendly in this age of lawyers and C&D's and takedown notices.

So, with their virtual blessing, I remixed their song, "The Hand That Feeds" -- and I'm sharing the results with all of you. Being a hip-hop head, I decided to give my remix an old-school hip-hop twist. Hope you like it...

The Hand That Feeds (strippedmix) (free registration may be required)

9/11: A Day I Won't Forget [part 1]

This is a journal entry I had written back in 2001, with the idea that someday, when I felt OK with returning to "that day" mentally, I would flesh it out and share it with you. Here is some of it:

Sonia had slept over her grandparent's house with Mason that night. I took the LIRR like I always do, and the ride was as uneventful as it usually was. I had gotten a 2-way message from Linda Dreeland complaining about someone not being able to access their QuickMail. Since I am usually the first one in, I told her I'd take a look at it once I got there.

I had accidentally left Sonia' Gap knapsack on the train on Friday. We were supposed to pick it up over the weekend, but the Lost and Found is closed those days.

Once I had gotten into Penn, I made a beeline for the Lost and Found. After 2 fretful days of wondering whether or not it had actually made it there or not, the guy behind the counter had me fill out a card.

Who would've thunk it? He actually READ the card, realized I wasn't talking about a Gap plastic shopping bag, but a Gap MESSENGER bag! He had it all along, and Sonia's stuff was safe inside it, and I felt relieved.

Bag in hand, I decided to take the A train instead of the C or E, because it skips 23rd street, and I was hoping maybe I’d run into Sonia on the subway, like we sometimes did on the way out of work...then I could surprise her by giving her bag back.

The A trains stopped coming; I tried to cross over to the C or E line, but my Metrocard wouldn't work. A bunch of us crossed over to the E, and of course, our Metrocards wouldn't let us in...the message on the little screen said, "Just Used" – grr!

After speaking with the token clerk,  I was finally let in through the gate. I caught the E train downtown, and it made all local stops to 14^th street.

At the 14^th street station, an announcement came on that we were held there by MTA supervisors, and that we’d be moving again in 5 minutes. What was supposed to be just a 5 minute wait turned into 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes... we weren't moving at all, and I still had to get to work to check on Linda’s email.

Some of us had stepped out of the subway onto the platform for some air (it was an unusually warm September day and there was no A/C in my car). A few of us had gathered around the conductor’s opened window and were asking him questions. All he knew was that there was an "incident" at the World Trade Center. He didn't know anymore. I told a black couple, "at least I have a good excuse for being late" I was thinking of how it would look while walking down Spring Street, since I always would use the Twin Towers as my orientation beacon. You usually could spot them from anywhere in Manhattan.

A black guy listening to his Walkman spoke next: "A plane hit the Twin Towers!"

We had thought it was a small plane like a Piper Cub or Cessna. I thought of the B-25 that had run into the Empire State Building in a fog. This was a clear day, however. How could you miss the biggest buildings in Manhattan?

A young guy came over next: "Two...two planes hit the Towers...they also hit the Pentagon" 

Pacing

Pacing, originally uploaded by macfixer.

It's funny, how much of my family's life revolves around food. Anything in life that happens is cause for a family get-together for a meal.

This is the morning of February 22. My dad's mother had died earlier, and there were plans to make. After dropping him off at the funeral home, I went back to my parents' place to pick up the rest of the family to join him for brunch at Bollinger's in Farmingdale.

Even though he was up late the night before; even though my dad's mind was racing with what to do next, he still had the presence of mind to call the immediate family together for brunch.

It was bittersweet, that meal. I wish I could tell you what I had, but I don't remember.

What The Hell Am I Eating 6: Pop Rocks Chocolate Bar

Index Card Sketch

Index Card Sketch, originally uploaded by macfixer.

A doodle I made while listening to Mason's guitar class back in 2005.

Back To School Time

Waiting To Board The Bus, originally uploaded by macfixer.

• I work at a college, and "the crunch" is most definitely upon us. This year is especially challenging because of construction, faculty and students coming back at the same time.
• Mason is headed back to school on Tuesday, which means...I won't lie...someone's going to be looking after him. It's hard to work and watch after a bored kid at the same time.
• My wife got some startling news from a recent doctor's visit. I'll update you more when we know for sure, but it's definitely bigger than the common cold treatment she went in for.
• My summer was good -- got a chance to take a couple of weekend trips. I still have too much vacation time left over. Rats.

That's it for now. No, I never heard back from the "Car Talk" folks, other than an apology for not getting back to me. I'm now in "wait and see mode" and I'll go from there.

Holy Crap! I Submitted A Question To The "Car Talk" Guys! (UPDATE 2)

I was finally able to get through to a producer over at "Car Talk" and they said they'd call me back on Tuesday to get me all set up for Wednesday. This is mighty cool, since it could mean I'd be in the show by that weekend.

I'm so excited!

Related:

Holy Crap! I Submitted A Question To The "Car Talk" Guys! (Update)

Holy Crap! I Submitted A Question To The "Car Talk" Guys!

What The Hell Am I Eating 7: Flame Broiled

Holy Crap! I Submitted A Question To The "Car Talk" Guys! (UPDATE)

Car Talk emailed me back!


What's that? You have no idea what I'm talking about? Sheesh, I thought you guys were more faithful at reading this blog! Way back in June, I submitted a question regarding one of our cars (I'm not going to tell you what I called about, because I want you guys to listen to the episode!) to the Car Talk line. Apparently, they liked what I had to say (must be all of my drama training from high school, thanks Mr. Kirby...) because they wrote back:

Hey, we got your call and we liked it.

Now...we need to talk to you further.  And then...maybe we can get your question onto Car Talk!

I'm so excited. I hope that I make it to the next round... I'll post more info once I get it...

Related: Holy Crap! I Submitted A Question To The "Car Talk" Guys!

The Dewmocracy Conspiracy

The Dewmocracy Conspiracy, originally uploaded by macfixer.

What if Mountain Dew had pulled a fast one on the Dew-loving public? Create one "real" flavor -- we'll call it, oh I don't know... "Voltage". Then, to give the illusion of the fanboys having a vote, create two fake flavors (in our example, "Supernova" and "Revolution").

What else could we do to create a frenzy? Label them 'Limited Editions' and tell them 'Only One Will Survive'. Sprinkle in online voting with some Flash graphics and a telephone poll and voila! The illusion of a democracy, oops, I meant DEWmocracy!

The only problem is this: The other two flavors are bland, boring, and lack the (excuse the pun) 'pop' that Voltage has. They're not even close! What combinations did they choose for the bogus flavors? Strawberry-Melon, and Mixed Berry? What?!? Some Juicy Fruit gum and a yogurt flavor? WTF?!?

I think Mountain Dew's plan was to release Voltage anyway, and threw together some quickie flavors to give the illusion that it could be decided by the people. Like there would be a full-time web staff updating the results hourly -- this is soda, for chrissakes, not CNN people.

Don't believe me? Think I'm off my rocker? That's fine, but even the fanboys are onto it, check the DEWmocracy forums...

The Perfect 80's Video

Uncovered this gem while looking at "Weird Al" Yankovic's bio on Wikipedia (don't ask). It seems he had a bit part/cameo in this forgotten Michael Jackson video from "Liberian Girl".

I swear, this video is horrendous. It's so bad that the director actually fades the music down to a dull mumble halfway through the video it's as if he wanted to make it less of a music video and more like an overproduced high school 'day in the life' video. Want more proof?

• Loads of 80s-era One-hit wonders? Check.
• The occasional Cosby Show kid? Check.
• "This is scripted, but we're gonna act all spontaneous" crap? Check.
• Bubbles the chimp? Check.
• Paula Abdul? Check.
• Steve Guttenberg and Dan Akroyd as two motorcycle cops? Check and Check.
• Sherman Hemsley dancing? Check.
Enough of my babbling... peep it and see:

More Videos

Goodbye iCards

Goodbye iCards, originally uploaded by macfixer.

What's on the card:

"iCards goes away tomorrow, to make room for Mobile Me.

I've been using iCards for a long, long time. In fact, I've been sending them since 2000, when they were a part of Apple's iTools. I sent my wedding announcements through them, as well as many birthday and anniversary cards as well [sic]. They were always, in my opinion, classier than the other Flash-based drivel on the internet.

Goodbye, iCards!
2000-2008"

Old Drive-In

Old Drive-In, originally uploaded by macfixer.

This aerial shot shows a former Drive-In movie theater in Waterford, CT (the next town over from the town I work in, New London, CT).

It's now it's a vacant lot next to a supermarket. I can't wait to go snooping around, taking
pictures.

Is it still called "Urban Exploration" if it's in the suburbs?

Big Mouse / Little Mouse

Big Mouse / Little Mouse
Originally uploaded by macfixer

Little Mouse goes to Big Mouse to learn about the Birds and the Scroll Wheels.

Holy Crap! I Submitted A Question To The "Car Talk" Guys!

I took the plunge tonight and submitted a question to Click and Clack, the Tappett brothers, on NPR's "Car Talk" (I'm not going to divulge what that question was, just in case it gets picked!). If my question gets picked to be asked on-air, I'll get a chance to speak with two of my favorite radio personalities.

I'm so excited! This is awesome! I'll post more info if I hear back...

New iPod?

New iPod?, originally uploaded by macfixer.

Yeah, I wanted a little something to listen to while out and about, so I nabbed a 2GB iPod Shuffle. Her name is Ruby.