I forgot to renew this domain.

But nobody swiped it.

So I bought it again.

Maybe I'll use it.

Blog is the Word

I should blog again.

I haven't journalisted in over 2 years. I wonder if I could do it again, pick up where I left off. Maybe not - I've already used the cliche "pick up where I left off" and we are 3 sentences in. I mean three.

A funny thing happened on the way to the weekend. A lawyer contacted me and wanted to talk about an article I wrote, giving me no other clues. I, of course, Googled his name and found out he's a big shot. He's been in the news lately because he's representing a big celebrity. I looked back at every article I had written about that celebrity and found nothing worth suing me for. And - I haven't even written anything in two years so who would want to come after me for something so old?

Turns out he was contacting me about another client. Leaving out names will make this confusing so I'll summarize it. The estate of ___ is suing someone and some companies over .... OK this is too hard. I'll fill in the blanks and expand at a later date. He just wants to use some quotes from an article I wrote based on an interview with one of the people he's suing. I'm a small part of this and am in no trouble at all, but I'll have a cool story to tell at the end of this.

And in a strange twist, I might even get to meet the biggest band in the world (hint: Joe Jonas is a member of this band).

But it kills me

I feel like writing today.

Not sure why, haven't written a post in months.

I almost went on a lengthy rant about Sarah Palin and stupid Americans but I'll save that for another time. I hope and almost pray that America isn't racist and makes the right choice or we're all screwed on Nov. 4. I'm actually nervous for the election.

I've been so confused lately. People are hard to figure out, even though I have 25 years of life experience.

Fear and Loathing on a Friday night

As soon as Saturday morning hits (still Friday night, though technically Saturday, around 1 a.m.), I love logging onto the New York Times Magazine site. The magazine is included in Sunday papers, but they upload it to the web Friday night at some point. Not sure exactly what time; not that obsessive.

Sometimes, there is a lengthy (2000 word plus) story that turns out to be the best story I read all month. Though more often, the stories don’t interest me. If I had the magazine in my hands, I'd read more stories, but if I'm reading 1000s of words on the computer screen, I stick to what sounds like something I'd like.

But no matter what, I read Randy Cohen's column, The Ethicist. People write in to this guy (who I actually assumed was female for about 2 years until I noticed the photo of him was a male) and he tells them what to do – ethically. I usually roll my eyes at his answers, but where else can you read every week ethics says you should do? It's like I'm back in philosophy class.
Nytimes.com/magazine. Check it every weekend.

Ya... maybe go with plan B

So this guy from my old university calls last week. Some kid, probably getting paid minimum wage or commission. Here are a few parts of the conversation that lasted about five minutes because I felt bad hanging up on the poor guy.

Guy: We are asking our recent graduates if they can donate some money to the program.
Me: I'm not exactly in a situation where I am able to give more money to the university right now.
Guy: Ok, yes, I understand. But when we approach corporate sponsors about donating money, the first question they always ask is what percentage of recent graduates donate money to the school.
Me: Ok.
Guy: Yes.
(silence.)

Another part:

Guy: I understand that you are not able to donate money. Can I speak with your father and ask him?
Me: Um, no, you cannot.
Guy: Ok, thank you, I understand, yes.

And then some more:

Guy: I'm sure you are familiar with the new Masters of Journalism program we started, right?
Me: No.
Guy: Ok, well, it starts next year.
(He then describes the program, sounds exactly like what I did for four years)
Me: Ok.
Guy: Would you consider applying?
Me: So how is it different than what I did?
Guy: It's a Masters.
Me: But what will I learn differently or do differently?
(He explains the program again)
Me: I already did that though.
Guy: But it's a Masters.
Me: Ya, I won't be applying.
Guy: Ok.

He was going on even more, so I had to end it.
Me: Sorry I could not be of more help to you. I know you have a tough job so I hope I did not sound rude but I am not going to give more money to the university, especially now just a year removed. And you have to understand that the way you described the Masters program makes it sound like the exact same thing I already did for four years so you must understand why I have no interest.

I was not rude on the phone but I should have been. Yes, he's a kid given a tough task to call penniless grads and ask for money, but what a fuckin dumbass.

Really?

Killing time before The Most Serene Republic concert last week, Jillian and I stepped into a coffee place a couple doors down from the Mod Club.

Dude at the front, probably 17 years old, takes her order. She wants a donut and coffee and in a paper cup.

Dude: Are you staying?
Jillian: Yes.
Dude: Then I need to serve the drink in a mug.
Jillian: But I might take some with me. Can I get it in the cup?
Dude: It's our policy that if you're staying I have to serve it in a mug.
Jillian: OK then we'll go, so serve it in the cup.
Dude: OK. So for sure you're not going to drink it here?

Wow. Who enlisted the help of Jessica Simpson to make their list of policies?

Edwin's had Better Days (get it? That's the title of his most recent album. Ah..)

I have now been to Tattoo Rock Parlour five times since it opened in December, and all five times Edwin, formerly Edwin of I Mother Earth, has been behind the bar serving drinks.

I assumed he owned part of the club and was serving drinks as a joke, but I'm told that's not the case.

My favourite moment of the night: Ian of Billy Talent ordering a drink from Edwin. I couldn't figure out if that was ironic, progressive, or what. But it was funny. That I know.

After Die Mannequin performed, I headed downstairs for about 20 minutes. When I went back upstairs to leave, there were about 10 people milling about. I needed a drink of water so I went to the bar, where I found Alex Lifeson of Rush talking with Edwin, the only bartender left. I waited for about a minute but they kept talking. I wasn't listening in, but the conversation probably went something like this:

Edwin: Ya, so I work here now.
Alex: Hang in there, buddy. At least in a couple years people won't remember you were in a band anymore. Nobody will ever forget I'm in Rush and I'm stuck with that until I die.
Edwin: Hang in there, buddy.

So I never got that drink. He's not the greatest rocker. He's not the greatest bartender.

Kanye vs. Jay-Z … Whatever Happened to 50 Cent?

Kanye vs. Jay-Z … Whatever Happened to 50 Cent?

The two biggest names in hip-hop – Kanye and Jay-Z – are touring this summer. Kanye's bringing along Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco and NERD. Jay-Z's splitting the bill with Mary J. Blige.

If it were a choice between Kanye and Jay-Z, I'd choose Jay in a close race.

But I hate Blige. And Rihanna, Lupe and NERD make the Kanye tour the instant "tour of the summer," hands down.

All of Kanye's tickets will be priced under 100 bucks. The top Jay-Z ticket is 400 bucks (though 300 for the Toronto show)! That's nuts! Does it include dinner with Beyonce and a bottle of Moet?

Anyway, Kanye hasn't officially announced a Toronto date but I'd bet money on it that it would happen (like, 80 bucks… then I'd win enough to cover a ticket). And Pollstar says it's May 21 at the Molson Amp. I might have to buy some tickets!

Anyway Part 2, here are my predictions: Kanye's Toronto date will sell out in less than 30 minutes; Jay's will not sell out. Go.

On the subject of Kanye, have you seen his new video? Wow. That is some messed up Kanyeezy.

The Brits Are Coming Again... Again

Music kind of sucks right now. There's little that excites me. I just heard the new Lenny Kravitz single; sounds like a bad Philosopher Kings rip-off. I think all of Jordin Sparks' recordings should be gathered and buried in a Saddam-like spider hole. Sum 41 have never been worse and other pop punk bands think they can keep making the same music they made in 2000.

But there are exceptions, and one of them is the new wave of British rock bands. I'll admit, they all seem to sound pretty similar, but who cares? If one band is awesome and the other band sounds like them, then now I have two awesome albums!

The Kooks are right at the top of my list. Their new album comes out in April and I just heard the entire album and it's just as good as their first one, which I discovered early last year. Their Toronto show sold out in less than 30 minutes but I found a pair on eBay that only cost $8 over face value. This Monday! Kooks!

Another band is Foals. I don't know much about them yet but from the few songs I've heard, grand. I mistook one of their tracks for the Kooks, but as I explained above, that's ok with me.
And I'm slowly getting into the Arctic Monkeys. Albeit late, better late then never.

Giants Win Game They Were Not Favoured to Win

Watching most of the Super Bowl tonight (the first time I've watched football all season), I remembered where I was exactly a year ago. Last year on Super Bowl Sunday, I was working on the sports desk at the newspaper I used to work at.

The paper decided around that time to switch design programs. Perhaps switching complicated programs around the time of the biggest sporting event of the year wasn't the best idea. Nobody had quite perfected using the program yet.

I heard more expletives that night than I had ever heard before.

A mug was thrown halfway across the newsroom.

One person went home that night and never returned to the sports desk ever again.

It was an entertaining night from my seat, at least.

Something the sports section boasted about during my year and a half there was that it never went with the predictable headline. Silly and obvious puns belonged in headlines found inside the Toronto Sun.

The New York Giants narrowly defeated the New England Patriots tonight in what was perhaps the greatest Super Bowl upset of all time. I just changed my MSN name to read, "how many headlines will go with 'Giant Upset' tomorrow?" Sure enough, a Google news search right now, not an hour yet after the game, reveals about 25 sites already using that headline including CBS, Associated Press, and sure enough, my former paper.

RIP Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger died today.

Only 28, apparently on drugs, I didn't know he had a drug problem.

I never met Heath but I did take his photo once on a red carpet. It was at the 2005 Toronto Film Fest. I was waiting for Johnny Depp to walk the carpet of the after party for his film Corpse Bride.

Terry Gilliam showed up and I started taking photos of him. I had no idea the man standing next to him was Heath Ledger until someone told me moments after they walked into the building. I just didn't recognize him with short hair. At the time, I could have named 5 Ledger films and fewer Gilliam films but it was the short hair that got me (Ledger's final film will be released next year and was written and directed by Gilliam).

So I got one picture of Gilliam and half of Ledger's face, and this one:

Super Jamario's Tomfoolery

I wish I could recount all the tomfoolery of the past weekend in Niagara. But many of the stories will unfortunately have to live in my noggin to protect all parties.

Tomfoolery and noggin in the same sentence. Score.

Other notes:

-I was about to downgrade Jamario Moon from Super Jamario to just a Jamario Brother, but after almost costing the Raptors the game in the final seconds of regulation by allowing Portland to complete a four-point play to send the game into overtime, he (Jamario Moon that is) put on a defensive clinic in the two OT periods to make up for his error. So he'll remain Super Jamario for now

-Looks like it'll be official pending physicals: Troy Glaus to St. Louis for Scott Rolen in an exchange of oft-injured third basemen. I think the swap makes sense for both teams. Glaus had to be moved. He was performing as expected as a Jay with his numbers matching his career numbers more or less, but the Jays had to get rid of him because of the steroid cloud that is permanently affixed over his head. When the Mitchell Report came out last month, the Jays got hit the hardest with nearly a dozen past and present Jays on the list. The Jays perhaps not needed but wanted a cleaner image and getting rid of Glaus means the only player on the team still suspected of using steroids is Gregg Zaun, and he's garbage anyway. Don't be surprised if Zaun is a) traded before the season b) demoted to backup catcher when the Jays sign a new catcher. Meanwhile, Rolen wasn't getting along with Tony Larussa and had been shopped for a while. Let's see how he does with Gibby. Good luck to both players passing the physicals.

Peer Pressure at Age 24.9

I watched an episode of Sex and the City tonight.

Call it peer pressure.

I watched an episode about three or four years ago.

Peer pressure too.

Two episodes in four years. An average of one every two years.

Is it wrong for a guy to admit that it wasn't bad? It had humorous moments, wasn't too girly, and had Ron Livingston from Office Space and Swingers.

(Ron Livingston by the way is not to be confused with Kyle Chandler from Early Edition and Friday Night Lights.)

Ya it's wrong.

I'll stick to Lost.

I Know Who Killed Lindsay

Brother Bram works at Blockbuster and gets 18,230 free rentals a week. If it were not free to rent, I would probably never have ever seen "I Know Who Killed Me," starring the sometimes-sober Lindsay Lohan. But it was free, and curiosity got the best of me.

The curiosity arose because of the trailer and because of the film's title. I don't care how bad it looked, I want to know how Lindsay Lohan knew who killer her.

Girl at counter: you're renting this?
Bram: it's for my brother.

I'm not ashamed.

So now I know how Lindsay knew who killed her. And I will be honest: it was a decent movie, even though I spent half of it staring at Lindsay Lohan wondering how she became this mega-paparazzi-focus. I just don't understand it. And what came first, the attention or the destructive Lohan? Did she wait until she became the huge star to go crazy, or did she get the attention because she went crazy? Because I tend to remember people making a big deal out of her before she started whoring it up and going drunk driving, so it doesn't make much sense.

Back to the film… don't read on if you still plan to see it. I will be talking about the ending.

After watching the movie, I felt like I just watched two sequels: Stigmata 2 and Parent Trap 2. You're making a movie and decide to have a surprise twin, and you cast Lindsay Lohan, star of one of the most famous twin movies of the past 20 years 19 years (see: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito)? You couldn't get Jessica Alba or Eliza Dushku? Erika Christensen was too busy?