"I Even Bought the Foam Finger..."

A Blog for Blogging's Sake

There you have it.

Over the week, I've had a number of blogs that have popped into my head, but just haven't been near a computer. I mean seriously, down to having the first two sentences, literally, in my head. But by the time I got home, forgotten about them and the blog altogether.

So, what's in my head now? A number of depressing things that I'm not going to elaborate. On another note though, I will say its sad when you are sort of provided clues into who a person is, but you not to say disregard it, but pay more attention to the person they are in the moment...and then at some point, you have those prior clues validated in a way that you realize you can now no longer be friends with that person.

I mean, I guess its sad whenever you lose a friend...it just smarts when it happens this way (no pun intended).

Cheers.

"Off the Record"...at the Hay-Adams Hotel

This is where I will watch the State of the Union address from now on (sorry for the blurry image). It's already a political hot spot / watering hole. The showing of the State of the Union address only makes it that much more the place to be to watch it. Tipsy republican and democratic staffers / big whigs taunting / flirting in code. The "political side" District at its purest.

They even have "State of the Union" Bingo, where the words are potential words Obama would use in his speech.

And yes, someone got bingo before the end of the speech.

Cheers.

Post #100!!!!

If I had a Facebook page, my status would read...

"Big Fred is cised, not only because he made it to 100 posts on his blog...but cuz the District might actually be redoing his sidewalk."

You know you live in a city when these types of things excite you.

You know what it is...it's sort of like why I want to rehab another house on my block. I know after going through it once, I not only know how the process works (so hopefully things would go MUCH smoother), but I also know what I would do differently. More importantly, I have an idea of what it would look like and want to see if its as good/functional as I picture it.

Back to the sidewalk. First off, the District and commercial real estate developers are alike in saying that they're going to do a project and many times they don't get it done until 3 to 5 years later (if at all). Now, I had heard rumors that they were going to redo the streetscape along my street, but I never fully bought in. Furthermore, if they did, I wouldn't have been surprised if they only did the other side of the street as that side is the C-M (commercial/industrial) zoned side and has the "future" Uline Arena development. My side was the R-4 (residential) zoned side with the uninspiring small row houses.

Still, I bought into the neighborhood cause I felt that one day it'll happen (whether I'm still here when it happens is another story altogether). I have this idea of what it would look like when finished and redoing the streetscape is the first of MANY things that need to take place before my vision could take hold. I've seen what its done to other areas nearby (see the first phase of the H Street redevelopment--north side of H between 3rd and 7th NE), and am eager to see what a new streetscape would do to my block...and how right I was as to how the look would look.

Anyways, I wake this morning to the sounds of MORE and LOUDER construction work than normal (mind you, one block to the south, there are not one but 2 mid-rise residential projects going up and the train/metro tracks are one block to the west). I leave the house to go on my jog and lo and behold, they are tearing up the sidewalk across the street. I held my excitement throughout the jog and upon returning (very winded, mind you), I approached one of the workers and asked what was going on. He told me that they were doing the whole of the west side sidewalk (opposite side) and that *fingers crossed* they were going to be replacing certain (older?) portions of the sidewalk on my side of the street. I asked how long it was going to take and they said they'd have it done by today. Yeah right I thought. Got home at around midnight and sure enough, about 3/4 of the sidewalk on that side was done...and the Bobcat was parked at the end of my side of the block.

Who knows, I may just get a chance to see my vision of a revamped streetscape more "concretely"...pun very much intended.

Cheers.

Conspiracy Theory...?

I wish they wouldn't use that "Cheaters"-type narrator guy. I think a History Channel-type narrator would lend some more "verbal/non-verbal" credence to this video.

I will say, I wouldn't be surprised if this is true.

Cheers.

Mine is a Mental Struggle...

So here I am, less than 30 days away from 30 years of age, and I find myself torn.

I have friends, family and colleagues whose ambition I admire...but to a certain degree, I feel its the money and fame that drives them--neither of which particularly appeal to me past the point of affecting my freedom.

On the other hand, I also have friends, family and colleagues whose freedom I admire...but to a certain degree, I feel its sloth and indifference that drives them--neither of which particularly appeal to me past the point of affecting my ambition.

So I guess that's the thing...are they mutually exclusive? I don't know, but it seems that everyone I've seen with ambition, is a slave to their drive. And everyone with freedom to "do what they want", doesn't really seek to do anything of real consequence.

An even bigger question, even if they aren't mutually exclusive...will I have any friends left, as I won't be driven enough for those with ambition and too ambitious for those who "do what they want".

Just my thoughts, I'll probably feel different tomorrow.

Cheers.

When was the Last Time you Wrote in Cursive?

For me, before last Saturday, it was...I'd say...at least 15 years.

I had to copy a 4 line paragraph on Saturday.

It took me 15 minutes.

No, I'm not remedial, I just prefer print and shunned cursive once we weren't required to write that way in like 6th or 7th grade.

My hand hurt like hell afterwards too.

Cheers.

P.S. This was supposed to be Saturday's blog.

Friz'z Top 5

1. Tupac
2. Jay-Z
3. Eminem
4. Ghostface
5. Redman

They ask every artist this question on allhiphop, so I figure I'd address it myself.

Tupac

This example sums it up as best as I can describe it. When quoted by non-rap publications, all other rappers are first mentioned either by their stage name--"Rapper 'Fabolous' said, 'I like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.'"--or by their name with their stage name in the middle--"Music mogul Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs said, I like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on my yacht on Tuesdays with a side of Malaysian breast milk.'" Tupac Shakur was the ONLY rapper to be quoted/mentioned by non-rap publications by his name alone--"Rapper Tupac Shakur said, 'F*** peanut butter and jelly, I make my own sandwiches with 2 butter pecan 'Ricans.'" Quite simply, he was and currently is, the only rapper bigger than his name. And he would have meant SO much more to us had he lived to see the age of at least 30.

Jay-Z

What he has accomplished musically and financially is the 'platinum standard' for all aspiring baller rappers (i.e. 99 percent of em...and he's 100% respected by the remaining 1% for his lyrical ability and what he's accomplished). It's like being the 4x over chip leader at the no limit hold 'em table. You can fold as many hands as you want til you get the grand slam of a hand you want, or you can call anyone's bluff that you want to erase from the table.

Eminem

I could spend very long explaining this one, but I need to get to bed and I promised I'd keep my blogs short. Quite simply, he's the Hank Aaron of rap.

Ghostface & Redman

These both were and are my favorite rappers cause I feel they are...genuine. And I mean that in the sense that when they're not in the booth, I feel they'd be just as entertaining...only not rhyming. Ghost's stories and Red's metaphors are absolutely...they come from somewhere else and for someone, anyone to have the ability to capture it in the fashion that they do is...amazing.

Cheers.

While We're At It...

Can you believe it?!...I have jury duty tomorrow morning! Ahh, the trials and tribs of being a District resident. Still, I have another blog in my head and its Conan's last week so 'I'll kill two more bird's with one stone' (i.e. watch Conan and type this post) before I head to bed.

These aren't a part of my new year's resolutions and I won't necessarily be bummed if I don't accomplish them. These are more like goals I keep in my head to keep my eyes on the prize:

• Join a photography group and meet with them twice a month (maybe use meetup.com)
• Play chess twice a month (either with Yves or through meetup.com)
• Play ping pong twice a month on Monday's at Rock 'n Roll Hotel (maybe with Josh)
• Pursue my MAI designation
• Read a book a month
• Cook a meal once a week (and I mean a real meal from a cook book)...if only for my refrigerator's sake
• Construct a retaining wall for, fence and level the backyard; install the pervious pavers in the front yard and install blinds on all the windows

This so reminds me of the journals I used to keep. I wonder how I'd feel about the 'goals' I had penned in there 10 years ago?

Cheers.

Random Idea

I would suffix this with a number but I'm not sure if the next one will make it to the computer next time. But never worry, I have a million of these that come and go.

Anyways, I wonder if there is a service where people can pay a culinary student/chef/critic to meet them once a week at a grocery store. The two then purchase the food they'll need to cook for that evening's meal. Well, ideally it wouldn't be just one store but a number of organic or ethnic or off-the-beaten-path or farmer's markets where they would not only learn about food they otherwise wouldn't have tried, but also learn how to shop for these things (as well as the foods of which they are all ready aware).

I say this after reading an article in the Wall Street Journal where they talked about 'noodles made with konjac fiber, often called shirataki or yam noodles', that 'are widely available in Asian grocers, usually refrigerated and packed in water.' After my introduction to H-Mart, I would love to learn more about and, possibly, cook with these noodles. But I wouldn't know which brand is the best, what is the difference between brands, nor how to cook them...let alone go to the Asian market at all (much less a general grocery store these days--you should see my refrigerator).

Such a service would allow me to kill several birds with one stone.

Cheers.