Charlie Bartlett

I need to get back to my roots. Movies. Charlie Bartlett. I haven't watched any of my movies in queue for quite some time. I didn't hear much about this movie other than it was the 'new' Ferris Buehler. Do I agree? Not exactly. It was a good movie, don't get me wrong. I was actually surprised by what a good movie it was. But a big wildcard was Robert Downey Jr. I didn't realize he was in the film and to be honest, he stole the show.

The movie is about a kid that is kicked out from countless private schools and ends up at a public school. Not an unusual story line. He turns out to be a go to for advice and drugs. Not drugs in the sense of acid, weed, cocaine, like one would imagine, but mental drugs from the ever-present problem of over prescribing non-over the counter drugs. He finds his place in school and finally becomes one of the popular kids. The only real problem I had with this was that it was to the extent that was a little unbelievable. High school kids are malleable, but not quite to this extent. It featured the kid brother from Alpha Dog, a great movie by the way, as well as the girl from Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, also a good film. Those three actors/actresses alone (including Robert Downey Jr.) makes the film worth watching. It shows how impressionable high schoolers really are, and how much they just need someone they can talk to, without having to hide anything. Later in the film, it even shows how the 'popular' kids don't even have their stuff together. Kids are kids, they still are trying to put together who they really are. Let's be honest, at 26, I'm still doing the same thing, granted I have a much better idea.

Robert Downey, Jr. is on a roll. He's really come out of the cellar with great performances everywhere, starting with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. If you haven't seen that movie, put it at the top of your list. Great movie.

Characterization is strong, story is above average. I guarantee you will be entertained, give it a roll at Red Box if you do the $1 movies.

I give it 3 Manatees. You won't be floored, but you won't regret spending 2 hours of your life in front of the TV.

The Frozen Four

I would be the last person on this planet to ever believe that I would one day get into hockey. I remember being so disappointed as a kid when that was the only thing on. The whole Fox 'blue puck tail' was the coolest thing that the sport had for the short-lived season. That kind of sums it up. But my how things change as you grow up. You start to not judge things quite as much and are willing to give anything a try.

One week ago, I attended my very first NHL hockey game. Washington Capitals vs. Buffalo Sabres. It's amazing how electric the crowd was. But that wasn't even the most amazing part. I've been to Wizards games before and I must say, nose-bleed seats are not the greatest thing for a basketball game. You are just too far away from the action and some seats are definitely better than the others. Basketball is too focused on one side of the court of the other. Teams run plays, Free throws are there, in-bound passes. The game is just a slower pace.

Hockey on the other hand. Wow. Even in the 400 level, seats were great. I can only imagine what it would be like right up against the glass. The game is fast paced, there are only a few stoppages a period. And the puck is always moving. Its never really focused on a specific side for very long. The game I attended went into OT, Sabres winning 5-4. Great game, bad outcome.

So being so open to the idea of attending another hockey game, my friend Laura was gracious enough to offer up some extra tickets she had to the Frozen Four which happened to take place in DC this year. Biggest drawback? It's an NCAA event, thus no booze flowing. Thank goodness for Rocket Bar (one of my personal favorites) and RFD before and between games. The games were Bemidji State vs Miami (OH) and Vermont vs BU. As a side note, few of you probably knew that Ben Roethlisberger is a Miami (OH) alum. The first game was cool because Bemidji State made it to the semi-finals as the lowest seed in the tournament, cool in any sport. Everyone loves an underdog. Watching the game, however, it quickly became evident why they were the 16 seed. They were sloppy on the ice, but they had a lot of heart. The second game was probably one of the greatest games I'll see. I dunno if that's a good or a bad thing. BU ended up winning 5-4, but it was great. The atmosphere was tense, and it came down to who wanted it more. I will say that I was sort of amazed by how many BU students travel. We were sitting next to the student section, jam-packed with 200+ students with unified chants. Impressive. It probably added to the excitement, but I think I may in fact become a hockey fan. Who'da thunk it? I guess it helps when the Nationals are arguably the worst team in baseball, and Wizards one of the worst in the NBA. Washingtonians don't really have a choice. Is DC going to turn into a Hockey town? Maybe. But the skins, in the few select good times and mostly bad times, will always be the heart and soul of the this area's fan market. But since I refuse to ever become a true Redskins fan, who wants to buy me a Capitals jersey? Can you believe how expensive they are? All just for long sleeves? Crazy even for me.

Rock the Red baby!

Flip Cup Revival

Since graduating college, one doesn't play nearly as many drinking games. Me especially. It got to the point where any card drinking game sounds horrible to me. I don't need an excuse to drink. I just drink. (Yes I know spoken like a true alcoholic) But in some drinking games, drinking isn't a punishment, but just part of the game. A reward if you will. I have come a long way since the early days of the young Manatee not enjoying the taste of beer. I remember in 5th grade when I had my first beer how horrible I thought it was. "Why would anyone drink this?! It tastes like bad soda!" How naive I was. I like to drink beer. The taste, its quite quenching.

So what games do I find acceptable nowadays to play while drinking? Unless you're at a bar and are playing shuffleboard, pool, or darts, really not a whole lot. Put simply, it was only beer pong. A game of half skill, half luck, half drunkenness. (It's a big game) You get to cheer, you get to feel pressure, you get to feel excitement, you get to feel defeat. Everything you would want in a game. This was the only game I was ever interested in playing after college....until 2 days ago. Apparently it was a big part of UVA Law to play flip cup all the time...and when I say all the time, I mean every party. Maybe flip cup to law schoolers is what beer pong is to most people. I had one instance of playing flip cup in July '06. It was not pretty. No one told me not to fill my cup as high as I was, and about 12 quick games in, I remember nothing. I got so bad that I went to breakfast the next day, drove both Tiffany and Courtney to downtown in C'ville. Came home. Went to go to dinner that night and had no recollection of going to breakfast in the same area.

Rick: "Where do I go? Where is this restaurant?"
Tiffany: "Just go to where we had breakfast. You can park where we did then."
Rick: "Breakfast? What the shit are you talking about?"
Courtney: "This morning...when you drove us to breakfast."
Rick: "Is it bad I have no recollection of this? Did we really go to breakfast??"
Tiffany: "Rick. You drove."
Rick: "That's not good..."

That gives you an idea as to what happened. So, clearly, I couldn't really evaluate how fun flip cup is. I barely remember stuff from the morning AFTER, let alone the night OF drinking.

Mere's birthday brought about a lot of good times, but lets be honest, the invitee that brought a CASE of Hurricane's really got the party started for me. Really? did anyone know you could buy a case of Hurricane's? Flip cup commenced. The same pros that make Beer Pong so awesome are present for flip cup, but the team is larger, and the atmosphere is electric. I got so excited winning one time that I almost punched out the ceiling light when i jumped up and down for joy.

Round 2.

Opening day of baseball. One of the best days of the year. First time to start grilling and not feel strange about it. Pong table in the backyard. Guys vs. Girls. Flip cup all day. I think everyone would agree that it was a great way to spend a Sunday. Ridiculously fun. Best part of the day? Tough call, but when I say tough, I mean there is a clear winner. Jon drank his beer early, everyone screamed at him, he spit it back in the cup, then when everyone yelled at him to go, he drank it again. Amazing. And let's not forget there was one of Jon's infamous rants. I live to be present for those.

From this point going forward, I will force others to play this game at parties. or boring afternoons. Whatever the case. Let's flip.

300!

No, not the movie as everyone probably thinks...I went bowling tonight for the first time in months, maybe even years. Once upon a time when I lived quite close to the fairfax circle bowling alley, we used to go quite often. Yes I may fit the bill because I'm fat and white, but only partially (White that is). I forgot how much I loved this game. Everyone gets excited. Its not really a sport, but more of a leisurely activity which I'm king of...(aka. Darts, Bocce, Golf) I went with two of my good friends Que and Raf and I'm not going to lie, I took all of their money.

The thing I think I like about Bowling so much is that 300 will pretty much always be elusive to me. In basketball you can hit 3s, even half court shots. Baseball, you can probably hit a homerun (at least in softball I have). But to bowl a 300? I could easily go my entire life without doing that, so you'll always try and perfect your game. Just like golf. Shooting par for the average golfer is probably unattainable. But it doesn't stop us poor schmucks from trying.

You all know me pretty well, I own pretty much any random sports equipment possible. I own skis (I don't go that often). I own a pool cue (I rarely use it out of fear of people making fun of me cause I'm not very good at pool). I own a bocce set. I own EVERYTHING. Does it shock anyone to know that I own my own bowling ball? My own bowling shoes? Probably not. Does it shock everyone that tonight I probably averaged a 160 and even bowled a 223? probably yes. It's probably also not shocking to everyone that my arm and leg will probably be sore from it. Embarrassing? perhaps? Am I ashamed? No. I think I bowled 7 games tonight. Let's see you do that...

I hope we can get more people to go bowling because I think it gets a bad rap. In the words of Bowl America... "It's fun for the whole family!"

St. Lucia - Day Five

So I've been in the pool for approximately 7 hours. I needed to get out so my skin didn't prune too much. This trip has been one of the best I've ever had. I can't wait to go somewhere tropical again. Hopefully this upcoming winter. Maybe destination Birthday? Is that asking too much? I think not.

I'll post pictures in a little bit, but the drunk jenga pictures coupled with the picture of Robby and myself on an inflatable dolphin....priceless.

Let's make a mastercard commercial.

More to come...

St. Lucia - Day One

I'm sure most of you are going to ask what the fuck I am doing online while I'm on my tropical vacation and all I can say is. Shut up. Day One was amazing. Not amazing in the exploring, wow, beautiful island type of way. But amazing in the holy shit I can't believe all these things happened kind of way. Obviously these posts aren't going to be long and/or in depth, so I'll just give you the cliff notes version.

9 hours of traveling. Plane from Miami to San Juan included no other than Richard Jenkins (yes the dad from Step Brothers who was recently nominated for Best actor in The Visitor) and Aaron Eckhart. (Yes, Two-Face). I thanked him for smoking.

We get to St. Lucia after 9 hours of traveling. Within 20 min of getting to the hotel, we are starving, but apparently the island is pretty much closed because its 11 pm. We walk to one of the only places open that have karaoke. I am wearing a Guinness shirt. An islander walks up to me within 30 seconds of getting to the bar. "Ey mon. I like ur shirt!". He then proceeds to show me his Guinness he is drinking. He then asks me what I'm into, referring to what drugs I need cause he's the man of the island. Yes I was offered drugs within an hour of arriving in St. Lucia. Best part? He introduced himself as Pablo Escobar. Theh brightside, other than the drugs, was that he showed us where to get food. It was literally the only place left open. We all look at the food and have no clue what anything is. We ask the woman to just give us whatever she wants. We walk home and eat in the hotel. The pork is delicious. Fatty, seems like knuckles. I then start to pay closer attention to what I'm eating. There is no way this is pork. God only knows what we ate. I lose my appetite. Begin drinking immediately. Our 7 bottles purchased at the Duty-Free shop will benefit us all. We drink and go into the hot tub until 3 am.

Rinse. Repeat.

More on Day 2 upcoming.

Pandora Internet Radio

is probably the most amazing application ever. I know I'm very late to this party, but my god, streaming radio that is catered to your own individual taste? You can listen to music you don't even own? In theory this idea is a gold mine, and in reality, it lives up to it. It's even extremely simple to set up, just click here and you can create an account and a few 'stations'. If you have an iPhone, which it seems is only a matter of time before everyone has one, this application is even more amazing. I never really got into Pandora originally because I never really thought about listening to music while working on the computer, the speakers at my office computer are horrible, so i just kept putting it off, but recently I went on a kick of getting several applications for the iPhone and FINALLY set up an account. I pop my phone on my speaker dock and Voila. Internet radio streamed to my speaker dock.

So yes, I like music like everyone else, but I am always trying to learn of new bands. Obviously everyone that reads this blog knows me well, so me describing myself as an addictive personality shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Just like everything else in my life, when I get into something, I'm 110% (similar to this blog, lets see if this keeps up by June...) So I get into bands, wear them out over a month, then try and find a new band. The problem with getting into Indie music is hearing about new bands, getting exposed. It's mostly through word of mouth, maybe a few trusted websites, but its a crapshoot. Pandora does a great job exposing you to these bands that you are more than likely going to like, and providing you with the all important information of band and album names.

I've created a music station based on my love for Vampire Weekend. I'm sure most of you are familiar with this band, but both A-Punk and my personal favoriteThe Kid's Don't Stand a Chance. But I've come across a lot of bands and songs that I really really like thanks to Pandora. I wanted to share them with you all (they are in no particular order):

Spoon - The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine

Velour - The Way She Said

Bloc Party - This Modern Love

Zox - A Little More Time

Coconut Records - West Coast

The Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies)

The Magic Numbers - Take a Chance

Arctic Monkeys - A Certain Romance

Ra Ra Riot - Each Year

The Kooks - Seaside

Pinback - Fortress

Band of Horses - The Funeral

I tried not to double up on bands, just to give you an idea of the sound of each band. But 2 weeks ago, I knew none of these bands. I recognized a few band names, but wasn't really familiar with their music. Now they are all go-to's. The power of Pandora. Embrace it.