Proof That Guitar Hero and Playing The Guitar Do Not Require The Same Skill Set

I have been playing the guitar for almost 17 years. I'm not a shredder, but I'm a pretty decent player.

I just got booed offstage on the easy level of Guitar Hero.

This is going to be the biggest time sink I have ever invested in.

Fun With Playlists

So I'm putting together a playlist I've dubbed "Laid Off Blues", and I wanted to solicit some suggestions.

Here's what I've culled so far from my own personal library, in no particular order:

School's Out - Alice Cooper
Fired - Ben Folds
It's The End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine) - R.E.M.
Say Goodbye Hollywood - Eminem
Goodbye - Patty Griffin
I'm A Long Gone Daddy - Hank Williams
Already Gone - Tarbox Ramblers
Leaving To Stay - Kevin Bowe and the Okemah Prophets
Leavin' - Shelby Lynne
Why I Left California - Liz Phair
The World Has Turned and Left Me Here - Weezer
I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - The White Stripes
California - Rufus Wainwright
Day Job - Gin Blossoms
Why Don't You Get A Job - The Offspring
Get A Job - The Silhouettes
Nice Work if You Can Get It - Billie Holiday
Bad Days - The Flaming Lips
The Union Forever - The White Stripes
Sixteen Tons - Johnny Cash

Any other songs y'all feel are glaringly absent from this list?

Not Dead

Just damn busy. Work's been a bit nuts, and working out 5 days a week is just about killing me.

On the upside, I did get a free ticket to the Dave Matthews Band concert on Tuesday at the Hollywood Bowl through work. The show was awesome (guest apperances by some spectacular banjo player whose name I never caught, John Mayer playing way better than I'd previously given him credit for, and Ziggy and Steven Marley) and as we have a connection to Dave, the seats were great.

A couple other bits of miscellany I've been meaning to post but haven't got around to it:

- My gym recently rearranged their equipment, and now all the recumbent bikes (the ones where you sit down and your feet are out in front of you rather than below you like a regular bike), which are the ones I use because they're easier on Mister Cranky Ankle, are out in front of the room where the spin class takes place.

There's one bike nobody ever rides unless every other bike is full, because it's the one directly outside the spin class, so you spend your entire ride having to listen to the really obnoxious instructor try to motivate people by being so annoying that they're imagining each pedal push to be a stomp on her face.

I got stuck on that bike TWICE this week. I am literally going to stuff a sock in her mouth if I get stuck on it again.


- I don't think I've ever gotten as strong reactions to wearing my Cubs hat as I did at Oktoberfest down in Torrance last weekend. Apparently a lot of heavy beer-drinkers are Brewers fans! Who'd have thought?


- Another reason posting has been lacking is that I've only managed to delete one season pass so far of the stuff that's premiered. There's a remarkable number of decent shows (Chuck being the primary standout) and only one real stinker (Big Shots).

There's a few more shows I'll probably shitcan after the second or third episode if they don't improve, including a few that I've watched for several seasons but that have recently taken some unbelievably dumb plot twists.


- So the writers are going to authorize a strike and their contract expires at the end of the month. The working theory is that this is just saber-rattling, and that they won't walk until the actors' and directors' contracts are up in May, since working together they can shut down the whole industry.

The problem is, by authorizing a strike right now, they basically leave the threat of a walkout, which would shut down production shortly thereafter, hanging over Hollywood for seven months. Guys, I'm begging you. Please wait until May. My strike fund is not ready yet.

Errata

A few small pieces of flotsam and jetsam, Krazy-glued together into one for your convenience.

1. Doc's taking off the cast tomorrow, so I find out if (*cough cough* when *cough cough cough*) I need surgery. At least I'll finally be able to scratch this itch on the outside of my leg that's been driving me nuts for days.

2. I really have got to figure out why my apartment heats up faster than my damn oven. I'm trying some heat control window film (if I can figure out how to get it on there) on the giant front window to see if that helps, but if it's getting to be 80 inside when it's not even 70 outside? I'm fucked when it's 100 outside.

3. That guitar at the end of the episode that aired tonight? I have been lusting over that exact guitar for six years. I almost bought one when it was cheaper, but then I had to replace my car's entire exhaust system, and away went my guitar fund. When they took that sucker out of the box, I was green with envy. When it was played by a talented guitarist, I was even more jealous, because it sounds fucking amazing. The prop department has put me On Notice that if it goes missing, they're coming after me. Probably prudent of them.

Not Dead Yet

Yes, I am still alive. Down the rabbit hole a bit, but still alive. Here's a brief recap of a few things going on:

- Thanksgiving with mom went well, then Cleo stopped by for a few days. I need a neon "vacancy" sign.

- I joined 24 Hour Fitness. I'm trying to work out 4-5 days a week, 45 minutes a day. Doing this means getting up at 6am every. damn. day. during the week. Because of this, I'm a little tired.

- Work has been insane. This past week was less insane than the previous week, but still nice and batshit crazy.

- UCLA beating USC and thus knocking Florida into the title game has set up a battle royale over college football between two of my good friends. It is going to be hilarious.

- Did I mention that I'm a little tired?

- I got a fortune cookie with my Chinese food tonight that told me, "An admirer is concealing his affection from you." I found this rather weird.

- This week is going to be completely nuts because Saturday is the holiday party, which I've spent the last couple months pulling together. And I'm singing with the band that's playing...and I haven't sung in front of 300 people in about 3 years.

- My head hurts. Then again, so does every muscle in my body. So I suppose that evens out.

More than likely no blogging this week again. Once I have some shred of sanity back, it will return. Until then, I'm afraid you're just going to have to entertain yourselves.

I Am Turning Into My Mother

I love my mom, but one of her odder habits is that she hums Christmas carols. Like, 365 days a year. And not even the whole tune, but one phrase, over and over and over again (specifically the title phrase of "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland").

I'm not even sure she's aware she's doing it, and this is where my troubles come in.

I'm up to my eyeballs in Christmas crap for work (*cough* back at 9pm tuesdays after baseball! *cough*) right now, and it is seeping into every corner of my brain.

While finally cleaning out my overflowing inbox, I started singing to myself. And it was only when I got an entire verse in, I realized what I was singing.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know
Where those treetops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow...

And then I put my head down on my desk and said softly, "Oh dear god, it's starting."

How Tired Am I?

So tired that when I was at the hardware store tonight waiting for the credit card swiper to bring up the signature page, I started randomly singing the "doo doo doo dee doo dee doo doo do" part of The Hustle...out loud.

The clerk noticed, and called me on it. I told him it was either that, or The Girl From Ipanema. I think he thought I was insane.

If he did, he would not have been wrong.

I Need To Learn To Play This

And now, your moment Simpsons-related zen.

via Dave Barry's blog