Blogging about not blogging

In the midst of exit week for the Washington Journalism Center, and finals at Georgetown. Should be able to breath sometime next week!

GopherLink! This is the most heart-breaking photo essay I've ever seen. Very powerful. Look here.

100 Confessions: My Top Ten Songs

Confession 41: My favorite songs of all time:


(10)"Soak Up the Sun" by Sheryl Crow
This is probably written about California. Because everything is. But in my mind, this is DEFINITIVE Florida music.

(9) "Get Rhythm" by Johnny Cash
After Johnny Cash's death, I came to really enjoy his music. Here lies the central problem of musical taste: I only come to like an artist after their dead. Ditto John Denver, George Harrison, etc. (RunnerUp: "Folsom Prison Blues (Live)" by Johnny Cash)

(8) "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" by John Denver
At my wedding, my mom made a slideshow that used John Denver music. My grandfather, a Canadian long-time truck mechanic, was for some odd reason a huge John Denver fan. But after hearing his music, I really came to love it too. (RunnerUp: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole)

(7) "Let It Be" by The Beatles
When I was learning to play music (both on piano and guitar), this was one of the first songs I learned. It also opened me up to my first dash of Catholic ideology in music.

(6) "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay
Probably the newest song on this list. This was the key song from the CD that marked my transition to Washington DC. To this day, when I hear this song, I think DC. And yes, I was excited that Coldplay learned to sing tones that don't make me feel like I've been kicked in the crotch. (Hey! That is a guy singing!). (RunnerUp: "The Fly" by U2 )

(5) "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick
Top Gun made me a fan of Cheap Trick. To this day, I still think this stuff is pretty solid.

(4) "Track 3" by Michael Tague
Michael Tague has a sound that is just uniquely West Palm Beach. Unfortunately for me, and for many others, he passed from cancer about three years ago. If he had a title for this song, I don't know it. But it's one of my all time favorites. Download 03 Track 03 2

(3) "Proud Papa John" by Michael Tague
Ditto #4. This one is written to his daughter, Jenna, a dear friend of mine.

(2) "Old Time Rock & Roll" by Bob Segar
Risky Business. This song speaks to me. I'm old fashioned guy, I like old fashioned Rock.

(1) "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
"Hey Jude" is timeless. A song written from a lousy father (John Lennon), trying to give advice on girls to his son Jude. I'm not alone in having this as a favorite song. If it's Stephen King's favorite song too there's good reason.

100 Confessions: VHS Tapes

(40) People have called me a dinosaur. Out of touch with reality. CRAZY. But I still record things with my VHS player. I'm having a hard time locating the tapes and playback quality isn't great, but hey, I'm just recording LOST while I'm in a statistics class. It doesn't have to be rocket science. Everyone has these new fangled TiVos and DVRs, but me and my VHS player get along just fine thankyouverymuch.

GopherLink! J.J. Abrams edits a hidden code in this issue of "Wired" Magazine. Maybe it will tell us what lies in the shadow of the statue? Read here.

Redirection Woes

(39) I didn't renew my domain name in time (www.gaelicgopher.com). And by "in-time" I mean I'm more than a month late. Which means I had to learn the hard way that GoogleApps has lousy customer support (because they have no phone number, etc. And their help center is the equivalent of running in circles)

Great Quotes: "The Office"

A month left of "The Office! " That is far too close for comfort. In keeping with my tradition, I think necessary to take note of some of the great quotes of Office fame:

(CPR Training)
Red Cross woman: So, assessing the situation. are they breathing?
Michael Scott: No, Rose, they are not breathing. And, they have no arms or legs.
Red Cross woman: No that's not part of it.
Michael Scott: Where are they? You know what? If we come across somebody with no arms or legs do we bother resuscitating them? I mean what kind of quality of life do we have there?
Kevin: I would wanna live with no legs.
Michael Scott: How 'bout no arms? No arms or legs is basically how you exist right now, Kevin, you don't do anything.

Rose: Ok. You didn't maintain a hundred beats per minute. And the
ambulance didn't arrive because no body called 911. So you lost 'em.
Dwight Schrute: Ok. He's dead. Anyone know what we do next? Anybody? Rose?
Rose: I have no idea.
Phyllis: We bury him.
Dwight Schrute: Wrong. Check for an organ donor card. If he has one we only have minutes to harvest.
Creed: He has no wallet, I checked.
Michael Scott: He is an organ donor.
Dwight Schrute: [excitedly] He is? Give me some ice in a Styrofoam
bucket. [removes a hunting knife from his ankle and cuts open the
dummy] We search for the organs! [digging around inside] Where's the
heart? The precious heart.

(After Michael runs over Meredith with his car)

Michael Scott: Spend your whole life trying to get people to like you and then you run over one person with your car. And it's not even one of the popular ones, and everybody gets on your case. Doesn't make any sense. God is dead.

Michael Scott: Guess what? I have flaws. What are they? Oh, I don't know. I sing in the shower, sometimes I spend too much time volunteering; occasionally I'll hit someone with my car. So sue me. No, don't sue me. That's the opposite of the point that I am trying to make.

(Darryl is writing a song for the new Dunder Mifflin Commercial)
Michael: I was under the impression that this was going to be a rap.
Darryl: What's rap?
Michael: Okay, Darryl, wow. You need to learn alot about your culture. I'll make you a mix.

Dwight Schrute: Rule 17: don't turn your back on bears, men you
have wronged, or the dominant turkey during mating season. There are
forty rules all Schrute boys must learn before the age of five. [sings]
Learn your rules. You better learn your rules. If you don't, you'll be
eaten in your sleep. [makes chomping sound]

(Dwight and Andy prepare for a duel)
Dwight Schrute: What is your weapon?
Andy Bernard: My bare hands.
Dwight Schrute: That is stupid. I will use a sword and I will cut off your bare hands.

Michael Scott: Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not. I like to be liked, I enjoy being liked, I have to be liked, but it's not like this compulsive need to be liked. Like my need to be praised.

Dwight Schrute: I got a knock knock joke.
Michael Scott: No... God...
Dwight Schrute: Michael please! Please please. Please! Please let me.
Michael Scott: Alright.
Dwight Schrute: Knock knock.
Michael Scott: Who's there.
Dwight Schrute: KGB.
Michael Scott: KGB who-- [Dwight slaps Michael]
Dwight Schrute: [in "Russian" accent] We Will Ask The Questions!