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Well, another NFL draft comes to a close. This one came with a new prime time format and an ending that was saved for Saturday as opposed to Sunday. While I am not a proponent of the Thursday night start time (really sucks for those west coasters), I loved the fact that the first round flew by in about 3 1/2 hours. That’s definitely better than the normal 5 hours we have endured in the past. Of course, the first round is is even more enjoyable when one has a KFC Double Down to keep you company (better than one might expect).

Enough of those pointless remarks. I need to get to the point on my overall thoughts. I’ll start with the Falcons first as they were my true purpose in watching the draft. My night didn’t start off well once the Eagles were on the clock as they went after my main target of Brandon Graham. However, at least my second prediction came true as the Falcons welcomed the latest member of the family, Sean Weatherspoon (Falcons introduction video). SPOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sean’s presence fills a hole that will VERY soon need to be filled for Stephen Nichols or Mike Peterson.

Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. This format doesn’t work. Let’s just list and discuss.

Player	Description
Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri Round 1, Pick 19 (19 overall)	If I can’t have Graham, I’d love to get SPOON!!!!!!! After the draft a two years ago and Curtis Lofton, the Falcons now have the next beast of the linebacking core who will control the outside of the field. Watching some of his highlights, I have become pumped for this year’s season.
Corey Peters, DT, Kentucky Round 3, Pick 19 (83 overall)	After taking Peria Jerry last year with the first round pick, adding another Defensive Tackle puzzled me slightly. However, I thought about the pick and the need and it started to sink in better for me. When Jerry went out early due to season ending injury, the interior of the line was hurting. The free agency pool during the season was slim to none due to other major injuries around the league. Depth is needed and Peters gives us just that. Check out the highlights here.
Mike Johnson, OG, Alabama Round 3, Pick 34 (98 overall)	Once I get out of the first round, like most people, I realize I have no information about any of the new draft choices. Therefore, I went to my best scout for the Crimson Tide. His response when I simply said “Mike Johnson. Go.” was just as simple. “All American, Leader, Versatile, National Champion prepped by Saban.” Hmmm….I’d say that is exactly the description I needed as the Falcons are preparing to build a offensive line to protect the franchise Matty Ice. Johnson is projected as a guard but has had time at the tackle position. Check out the highlights here.
Joe Hawley, OL, UNLV Round 4, Pick 19 (117 overall) .	Again, the thoughts provided for Johnson above work here as well. The Falcons needed to continue building the line and Hawley helps add that depth. Same Baker was a welcome addition the same year as Ryan, but his inability to stay healthy has provided weaknesses in the line that we can’t afford. Hawley is projected as a center, but can also play guard.
Dominque Franks, CB, Oklahoma Round 5, Pick 4 (135 overall)	Note: This pick was due to a trade with St. Louis for fifth (149) and sixth (189) round picks. Even with the addition of Dunta Robinson, the Falcons still need to find that corner for the other side of the field. Is it Grimes? Is it Owens? Is it Williams? Is it Jackson? Is it now Franks? Regardless of who it will be, I believe that the competition at training camp should be a great one. I’m just hoping that Grimes stays on the team so I can continue to see this highlight again and again. Franks was expected to be off the board much earlier than this so maybe we were able to get a great deal. Check out highlights here.
Kerry Meier, WR, Kansas Round 5, Pick 34 (165 overall)	When discussing this player another current Falcon just might come to mind. “Meier is a flat-out football player. He started off his career as a quarterback at Kansas and had some early success. But an injury cost him his starting job and he moved to wide receiver in 2007. All Meier did was go out and set a school record for career receptions. He played all three receiver positions, got some work as a fullback and H-back, served as the holder on place kicks and even still got some time as a backup quarterback.” Sounds like Brian “The Finn” Finneran to me. Finn is getting old and has filled many needs for the Falcons over the years. Looks like now it is time to start thinking younger. Nice little catch here. Maybe we can get a few more of those.
Shann Schillinger, S, Montana Round 6, Pick 2 (171 overall)	I really have nothing here. I can see this as depth and I can see this as just adding another player that can relate with Kroy Beirmann and his time at Montana. Heck, if he can be as productive as Biermann has been for a late rounder, then I’d say this is a steal. Can’t complain on his speed either for a sixth rounder (4.51 and 4.53 40-yard dash).

Now with the picks out of the way, it is time to grade the draft in a way that is meaningless because we are only a day removed and have no way of knowing what will happen here. I’m guessing not having a second round pick really hurt us. With that being said, I’m giving the Falcons a C/C+. Sure, we addressed the LB and OL needs, but where is the defensive end? The secondary was destroyed last season because of no pressure on the opposing quarterback. Look at the results from 2008 and 2009. In 2008 we were all over the quarterback. In 2009, most quarterbacks were building new homes behind their lines. A Van Gorder defense is built around a strong pass rush. I guess we are hoping to see more production out of the line we have and have more faith in the newly built secondary. Let’s just hope it all works out for the best.

UGA Note: The following players were taken from the University of Georgia.

• Rennie Curran, LB to Tennessee Titans. Round 3, Pick 33 (97 Overall)
• Geno Atkins, DT to Cincinnati Bengals. Round 4, Pick 22 (120 Overall)
• Reshad Jones, S to Miami Dolphins. Round 5, Pick 32 (163 Overall)
• Jeff Owens, DT to Philadelphia Eagles. Round 7, Pick 36 (243 Overall)
• Kade Weston, DT to New England Patriots. Round 7, Pick 41 (248 Overall)

Posted under Sports

Thursday night is the 2010 NFL Draft and the third year of the Smitty and TD connection. There are of course many others involved in turning the Falcons’ franchise around but we will stick with those at the top for the moment. The current path has looked promising with the addition of Matt Ryan in year 1 and Peria Jerry in year 2. Year 1 gets most of the attention due to the fast start and quick production while Year 2 was riddled with injuries. Regardless of the stance you take, one must not forget that the 40+ curse ended late last season (like really late).

As we prepare for the new season, both sides are the ball are possible within this year’s draft. The hole filling began with free agent signing of Dunta Robinson. We are a team that drafts on need and the current pressing needs are:

• Outside Linebacker (OLB) – Mike Peterson was great last season providing veteran leadership, but his age is a factor and the Falcons have slowly tried to remove the Over 30 Club from the team as needed. Peterson won’t be with us many more years and that needs to be addressed.
• Defensive End (DE) – John Abraham was a beast two seasons ago and one of the main reasons why the defense looked better than it was in 2008. 2009 was a different story and caused the secondary to be called into question on numerous occasions. We all know that Brent Grimmes just can’t do this every week. Well, maybe I believe he can.
• Offensive Lineman (OL) – One must commend Paul Boudreau for what he has put together in order to protect Matty Ice. However, continuing the improvement is a need and possible that it will be addressed in the draft (most suggestions currently are later rounds).

Due to work and other commitments, I haven’t been able to perform my research on this year’s possibilities. I can only provide my quick impression based on what I do know and what names have popped up.

• Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan – A majority of the mock drafts out there have the Falcons picking Graham with the number 19th overall pick. Seems like a good fit as Defensive End is the MAJOR hole in my eyes. With a strong rushing attack, the secondary will seem stronger and hopefully turnovers will increase. We have the interior of the line set with Peria and Babs. Now to just fill the outside and provide opponents with the real choice: real or artificial turf. Here’s someone’s version of his highlights.
• Taylor Mays, S, USC – Yes, I know what you are thinking here. Mays is a safety and that was not a need list. True. But I’ve heard that some teams are interested in moving Mays to the LB position because he does not have the top level speed to play safety in the NFL. He does have the speed to be a great linebacker and who doesn’t love a good hard hitting player?
• Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri – In every mock draft that doesn’t list Graham, Weatherspoon’s name is the next to pop up. I wish I had more to go on here but the limelight is always around the probable pick (see Graham) or the sexy pick (see Mays). I guess this highlight video will have to do the talking for me. I’d be happy with him.
• Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech – I’m only listing this pick as it just popped up as a possibility on one of my favorite NFC South blogs. I don’t know how I feel going after a WR with the first pick and no second round pick. There are more pressing needs at the moment. I could see this happening if we trade Jenkins for the second round pick. Highlights are here.
• C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson – The man is a human highlight machine. Some say Reggie Bush. I say something better. Sure we have Norwood, but his durability has been called into question. If Norwood can’t stay healthy, then there really is no change of pace option in the backfield. I only take this pick if he is available. No trading up for this one. It’s just a sexy pick.

As for the other Draft expectations?

1. Who is this year’s cryer? I would assume Tebow due to prior evidence. However, I think it could be Eric Berry just for the fact that he should be the number 1 overall pick and no one will take him. Everyone feels that a safety is not worth that high of a pick which means he will fall and could fall fast and hard.
2. Please someone make certain that Jimmy Clausen stays off camera. He has one ugly mug, but I can’t hold it against him. It does run in his family.
3. Can Oakland out do itself this year with its first pick? I’d bet on it.
4. Will the new prime time airing of the draft really help the ratings that much? Of course they will, but will it really help me staying up so late watching the draft on delay due to timing?

Check back after the draft for full list of Falcons draft board plus any UGA players that were taken too.

Posted under Sports

Ok this was not the originally planned next post, but this will help me cut down on the slight repetition of retelling the story of my recent engagement to May. It may be a little long to read, but I’m hoping its entertaining. Enjoy

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May: Earlier in the week Ben asked me if I would go on a date with him. We had just gotten in a huge fight over the weekend and he said it would be nice to spend some time together just the two of us. We had been going out a lot between all the weddings we attend and friends coming to visit – which we love – but just had not been spending much quality time as a couple. Between our schedules we decided Thursday (April 15 – Tax Day) would work best.

Ben: I chose Tax Day as the best way to keep her from noticing the true nature of the date night. I knew I could offset her by saying we could spend some of my tax return by having a nice evening together.

May: Thursday morning on my way to class I remembered that I still had not talked to my dad in Boston about my upcoming graduation so I gave him a call. Little did I know that Ben had just called him the previous day. So when my dad answered in a very excited voice, I was a little surprised. He asked if I had anything to tell him – to which I responded, “Well, yeah. I’m graduating.” Then his voice dropped a little and he asked if there was anything special going on with Ben and I – to which I responded, “No. Ben’s fine, I’m fine, we’re fine.” Then my dad says, “Oh, didn’t Ben tell you he called me yesterday?” To which I exclaimed “NO!” and he responds with a quick “Oh! I should stop talking now.” Then of course he not so subtly proceeds to gush about what a wonderful guy Ben is and how happy he is that I am with him.

Ben: All my careful planning and it could have been thrown away in a few seconds.

May: This is about the time that I start to freak out! I knew the only reason Ben would call my dad is to ask permission to marry me. I was so excited but I didn’t know when it would happen and I knew I could never let Ben know that I had found out. I always seem to find out about surprises too early. I also didn’t know how long I could keep my composure and was worried that I would just burst if he waited another couple months and I had to pretend to be none the wiser. I called my cousin Janet who sounded so unenthusiastic and unconvinced about the whole ordeal that I was crushed.

Ben: Janet was unenthusiastic because she was one of my many spies and aides. She called me immediately worried that everything was falling apart. I didn’t worry. I could easily explain away my call to her dad if needed. I informed Janet I would just say that I was attempting to see if he could fly out for graduation.

May: I chatted with my close friend Erin online about the spoiler and she managed to turn it into a whole ordeal about how mad she was that she was not included in the planning of it all. This made me feel even worse! Why were all the people around me being so mean?

Ben: Again, spies and aides.

May: Why couldn’t they just be happy for me???

Ben: Because I called them to assess any further damage control on the secret of the evening being spilled.

May: And why wouldn’t any of my other friends answer their phones???? Although it did cross my mind (which I mentioned to Erin) that maybe, just maybe, EVERYONE was in on it and they all knew!!!

Ben: Insert wink here.

May: I would pride myself on my cleverness but in truth, every single possible scenario of what could be happening and what might happen buzzed through my head all day long. I got to school and I confided in a friend who managed to get my excitement up again without getting too excited – though that was hard to keep control of. I went to work but I couldn’t concentrate on anything all day! Despite the spoiler, I was pretty convinced it was not happening that evening. There was a small glimmer of hope but I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen.

Ben: I made sure to head home early to get ready and to calm myself down for any nervousness that would begin to hit me as we moved closer to time. When May continued to ask where we were going, I continued to answer Carl’s Jr (Hardees to those east coasters). She sounded still thrilled to go and they do make a tasty burger.

May: I rushed to get ready after arriving home from work late. I became increasingly frustrated when my roommate, Lindsay, refused to come downstairs so that I could ask to borrow her dress.

Ben: Lindsay has a terrible poker face and attempted to stay on the phone and away from May in order to give away nothing. It’s a shocker she made it that long.

May: Ben took me out to our favorite restaurant in San Francisco, Cappanina. It is one of the first SF restaurant dates we ever had, via a recommendation from our friend Jim, during my first year of law school. We had an amazing meal – the works!

Ben: Part of dinner was a gift from me and flowers waiting for us at the table. Bless you opentable for making my life easy. The gift was a book that she already had. Around the time when we first started dating, we traded favorite books in hopes to “educate” the other. She finished mine, Invisible Monsters, rather quickly while I’ve put off Catch-22 until…well…now. Thanks to the power of the audiobook and my daily commute I was able to comply with a request for me that May had probably forgotten. She was thrilled to hear that I had finally read it and I was just thrilled to finally be able to discuss it since one can find a Catch-22 anywhere and everywhere.

May: Yay, he read a book!

Ben: I even snuck in a Foursquare checkin at the restuarant. I was so proud to see that I was now the mayor. This was truly myour night.

May: After dinner, it was getting a bit late and I was tired so when Ben asked if I wanted to go out after dinner I said that I’d really be happy just going home and watching a movie. So we headed out.

Ben: I made sure to play dumb on the best way to go home as my next planned stop was….well…planned.

May: The route home takes us towards the Golden Gate Bridge. The exit to our house is immediately before you cross the toll to actually get on the bridge. I kept telling Ben to get over or he would miss the exit and when he finally tried to get over we nearly got side swiped by another vehicle – thank goodness we didn’t – and missed the exit. Little did I know this was all a part of the master plan (minus the nearly dying part)!

Ben: For the record I paid that car to do it. It was the best way to throw May off and we practiced the almost crash for weeks. Ok, I was just an idiot and I was nervous. We are all ok now.

May: We are crossing the bridge and I suggest that since it was a clear night we should drive up to the overlook point on Hawk Hill (Marin Headlands). This was apparently Ben’s plan all along!

Ben: She makes my life so easy.

May: We get out and are enjoying the beautiful view. It is a clear night and the city and the Golden Gate Bridge are just lit up and glittering (best view I could find from Google, follow the road off the bridge). I get a little cold and suggest that we get back in the car, but Ben insists we stay out and he wraps his jacket around me. We stay out there a little longer and as I start to head back towards the car he drops down on one knee. I look down at him stunned.

Ben: Here’s the actual conversation at this point. Please keep in mind that the ring I am holding is a little toy ring.

May: Shut up! Get up! That’s not funny! Shut up! Are you serious??? That’s not funny!

Ben: I am serious! Will you marry me?

May: YES! YES! YES! YES!

Ben: I was nervous enough to put the toy ring on the wrong finger. No one is perfect.

May: I had always told him that I would be perfectly happy if he proposed with a toy ring and let me go pick out a real one – I can be a bit picky! Then of course came the crying and happy kisses. We sat out on the lookout point a while longer while he explained to me how he had been planning this for quite a long time and how pretty much everyone was in on it!… all the people who had been so mean earlier in the day were just trying frantically to do some damage control while alerting Ben to the possible spoiler!

Ben: I really enjoyed the part where she was perfectly content with the toy ring for about 20 minutes and not knowing that anything else even existed.

May: We got back in the car and Ben looked at me and asked if I would like an upgrade to my ring. He pulled out a small box and I got really excited. I told him to ask me again. As he opened the box, he asked will you marry me and I exclaimed YES the second I saw the beautiful glittering rings inside.

Ben: I quickly reminded her that she had to actually look at me when she provided the answer and not the ring.

May: I looked at him and said ‘yes’ and started crying all over again. I was so excited and everything was just so perfect. I just don’t know how everyone who knew managed to keep it a secret for so long! Thank you to everyone for making it such a wonderful night for us! It was perfect!

Ben: Yay me!

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End scene. Man, I’m glad that’s over. I’m emotionally spent now.

Posted under Other

Much like one of my close counterparts, I too have been away from posting for far too long. I’m not promising anything life changing here, but at least it is more than a heartbeat to let people know I’m here. So like many posts where I try not to say too much, here are the fast facts.

• I upgraded my old phone and am now enjoying life with my Android powered device. Sure it has its cons, but doesn’t every phone? Next path will be to attempt to build my own app for it and see if anyone is willing to download and/or buy it. I doubt the second part of that. Here’s hoping I can put together a better future post talking about apps and how this phone really measures up.
• My newest side project will move any of my future movie posts to The AC Guild or Amateur Critics Guild. I’m hoping to push this really hard because it has been a thrill to create so far. If you don’t believe me, just head over to the About page and enjoy the most random ramblings you will find as well as a good picture or two.
• I’ve just picked up the new The Rocket Summer album. I’m not enjoying as much as the past ones, but it still has a few fun tunes. Check out Nothing Matters.
• In keeping up with my Falcons from my new west coast location, I’m pumped with the new addition of the Falcons family, Daunta Robinson. Now we just need a fearsome pass rusher and other teams will fear the days they have to face us. Saints, we will knock you down first.
• I just enjoyed a wonderful weekend snowboarding in Mammoth. I’m no Shaun White, but I think I’m doing quite well for only having been two times now. The new board, bindings, and boots worked out great. Anyone ready for a fall trip now? Possible picture and video to come later depending on when the one who took the pictures and video lets me get my hands on them.
• I’m a little behind the times, but thanks to a great deal, I just picked up the God of War collection pack. Sure I’ll be stuck playing God of War while everyone else is enjoying God of War 3. That’s fine. I enjoying playing games on the cheap.
• The greatest candy time of the year as arrived once again. I’ve already begun stock piling as many as I can. I will note that the bunny shaped Reese’s are quite good as well so please don’t write them off. You still can write off the smaller easter eggs though. They just aren’t the same as the big ones.

Possible future posts?

• NFL Draft Preview – Sorry Mike.
• All things Android
• My Music History – Have had this one in the works for a long time so we know that it will probably wait longer as well.

Posted under Games, Movies, Music, Other, Sports

Here’s the next set of reviews from my Netflix queue.

Lost Season 5 Thanks to Watch Instantly I was able to quickly remind myself why season 6 will be amazing [Rating: 5/5]	Serenity I didn’t watch Firefly, but I think I might have enjoyed it after the movie. [Rating: 3.5/5]
The Protector Twitter Movie Review text… [Rating: 0/5]	Sliders Seasons 1 & 2 The visuals are pure 90’s, but I still enjoy the story for some reason. [Rating: 3/5]
Seaquest DSV A boat hasn’t been this entertaining since the Red October [Rating: 3/5]	Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Just another way to make Men in Tights funnier and Morgan Freeman is present [Rating: 4/5]

Posted under Movies

Thanks to work, I was able to attend the San Jose Sharks game on Tuesday where they were taking on the Detroit Red Wings. I had heard many great things about the Sharks (great team and amazing venue live). Well, the Sharks lost and the crowd was out of it. Maybe it was because of the loss or maybe it was because of being on a weekday.

The positive though was that I actually new a player on the ice. I’m not a huge hockey fan, but I at least try to watch the Stanley Cups since I state that is the most entertaining championship game(s) to watch. However, not being a true fan, it is hard to follow. Well, I was quite shocked then when I saw Dany Heatley on the ice for the Sharks. I always wondered where he went after Atlanta.

Here are a few pics from the game. Click for full view.

On another side note, looks like my minor care to follow the Thrashers is gone.

Posted under Sports

Now that I have settled into my new city and been placed on a new project at work, it is time to deal with the commute.  Please understand that this commute is by no means terrible even if it is about an hour and forty minutes each way (morning and afternoon).  The trip is a straight shot based on the MUNI (if it is running correctly that day) and BART.  I am able to have a internet connection for about 90-95% of the trip so if I need to do work I have that option.  Some may say the BART is terrible, but I am provided an easy laugh twice a day as I read the “Committed to Excellence” Oakland Raiders sign that rests on the stadium.

However, there are those days where I don’t need to do any work and I can just sit back and enjoy the ride.  Now my sister will tell me that I should pick up a book to read.  Well I have picked up a book, which is just a book I started while at the beach this summer but never finished.  It’s just that I can’t force myself to read along this trip because I’m very picky about my reading spots.  That and I’m of the generation who doesn’t know what reading is.  We won’t laugh about that in the future, but we can laugh now.

Anyway, I decided to get back into listening to podcasts on my Creative Zen Vision W, or the Betamax player as it is known on my project team.  I have been away from podcasting in general for several years so I wasn’t sure what was still out there or what new good ones were available.  Here’s a quick list of the ones I have found that I have enjoyed so far.

Podcast Name	Description
	DiggNation is pretty much where my world of podcasting started out. DiggNation, hosted by Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht, discusses the week’s top stories from the social news site, Digg.com. I truly enjoy the way the two hosts play off of each other and the topics can range from tech, news, sports, etc. It is usually a random assortment of “news” selected by those that post to Digg. I have listened to this podcast since it was first started as just audio. Now with video, so much more is added to the experience.
	I’m not a huge fan of the news, mainly because it is usually so depressing and only certain stories are stressed in the political realm. NPR’s 7AM news report provides me a fast and effective update for the day’s news stories. The report is offered in the audio clarity that only NPR can offer and usually is not much longer than 5 minutes in length. Perfect for a quick update.
	Pardon The Interruption has become my true DVR pleasure. Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are always entertaining and provide a quick shot of all the latest sports news. I love watching this show daily but I ran into an issue recently where I didn’t have time to watch the show each day. Thanks to the podcast, I don’t miss a beat. The audio only version of the show is not as good as the real thing but it is as close as you are going to get if you just don’t have the time to sit in front of a TV to enjoy. This one is not a push (Wilbon’s trademark).
	If DiggNation was my first podcast, then This Week In Tech is my tied first. A weekly discussion of the week’s tech stories is hosted by Leo Laporte. This is truely a geek’s show but I still find my chance ot laugh and enjoy another dose of tech talk.
	Provided by the same group that produces This Week In Tech and Security Now, TWIG (as it is known) follows the top stories related to Google or cloud computing. I’ve only had a chance to enjoy a single episode, but I did find it interesting enough to give it another shot. I’m just wondering if too much Leo Laporte in one week is good for me.
	Not long after I was listening to TWIT and DiggNation while in college, Security Now! began. I gave it a listen a few times in order to find out more within the security industry (might need this for work), but I just haven’t been able to consistently enjoy it. That basically means I’ll drop it soon, but for those that are concerned with their computer security, then give the show a chance. The show does find itself able to explain even the high level security issues so that normal users can understand them and how they could be affected.
	DiggNation was the first of many shows to come for the Revision3 online network. For those familiar with the days of TechTV, you’ll notice many old faces. AppJudgement provides a simple review of applications or “apps” for smartphones. These reviews are for both iPhone and Android phones. Since I’m close to purchasing a smartphone (NOT AN IPHONE), I thought it’d be a great idea to begin finding some apps that I’d find useful. The show runs between 5-10 minutes so it is easy to get in, learn, and get out.
	With my enjoyment of Alex Albrecht from DiggNation (that’s too many plugs for that show), I thought I would try his second Revision3 show, The Totally Rad Show. TRS discusses movies, video games, and comic books. I tried a single episode and enjoyed it but not sure if I will continue thanks to a few of the other shows below.
	Need a review of current and future video games? Well, CO-OP is a well produced show that does just that. My introduction to the show was an older episode that discussed Uncharted 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wii since I had just played both of them recently. My time to spend playing games is not what it used to be but I might follow this show every now and then if I’m looking to find a new game to try.
	InstMsgs had the most interesting concept in that they dramatize all things web. From instant messages to craigslist ads, they do it all. I first heard of this show from the first podcast listed above (I can’t name it again or I might have to start paying fees) and thought “Why not?” Well I jumped on for episode 8(Mad Men?) and that’s about as far as I’m going to get. The show was good and interesting but I don’t know if it is enough for me to keep going with it. Those who find lolcats funny might want to try episode 10.
	A podcast about comics? I’m so there! The discussion is sporadic in the episode (I’m only one in as of posting), but that’s the only way to describe comic book stories. Finding new comics, diving deeper into stories, or providing interviews, this is a great stop to keep up or find out more about the world of comics.
	Since moving to Linux, I wanted a chance to learn more on a more consistent basis. When I found Linux Outlaws, I thought that a podcast could be the perfect place if it was done correctly. Well I’m only one show in (Simple Doesn’t Equal Shit) and I have a few thoughts. First, I will not continue with this one if the running time is around 2 hours for each show. I need shows that are an hour or under to truly enjoy a show during the commute. Two hours is just way too much for me. Second, the content is there in this one. They discuss different flavors/distros, new application updates, and news within the Linux world. As long as the time is shortened for future episodes, I’ll continue listening along.

Anyone have any others I should try? I am interested in checking out others that are not only tech based but I do like what I like.

Posted under Games, Heroes, Internet, Linux, Movies, Sports | Tagged as diggnation, podcasts, twit

After countless people asking for an update (actually just one), I realized I needed to update people on the second half of my move to the west coast, aka SF, aka San Francisco.

On the Sunday following Christmas, my brother left Warner Robins, GA and embarked on the westward bound journey to our final destination. Our route would take us along I-40 (what is now Route 66) and to a few great Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Google can provide you the highlevel view of the trip. Armed with a southern snack pack (Georgia Pecans, cashews, oatmeal raisin cookies, and leftover holiday candy) and one heck of a roadtrip playlist (I could have done more), we set forth on the open road.

The trip may seem like an intolerable distance at 2,695 miles, but we were able to break it up into about 4-5 hour segments which provided great sanity and the ability to switch drivers at the point where one may not be able to take it much longer. The easiest way to talk about the trip is based on my brother’s well thought out plan.

——Day 1——
Warner Robins, GA –> Conway, Arkansas
Distance:  642 miles
Estimated Time:  10hr 16min

Recaps:

• Bryan had the coffee to start (didn’t realize Dunkin Doughnuts opened that early), but I was the first behind the wheel.
• As we entered the state of Alabama I could already smell the confidence of the crimson tide nation.  We passed a huge Bama convoy of 3 RV’s in length.
• One of the few times we were off our directions, we encountered an amazing site.  We saw at least 8 Bingo halls within a 1.5 mile stretch of road.
• Lunch stop in Memphis for BBQ at Interstate BBQ.  They had some of the best coleslaw I’ve ever had.
• Memphis has a pyramid?
• Mississippi has the worst interstate I’ve ever seen.  I think it was just some crushed rocks.
• The popular thing to do on the Mississippi interstate is to pull over, walk into the woods, and go hunting.  No seriously.
• In Arkansas, I really had to fit the urge not to drive to a certain university and destroy He Who Shall Not Be Named.  I really do hate him.
• There really is nothing to Little Rock.  Maybe I just blinked.
• As you will see in the photo gallery, we would stop at random sites for a crazy picture or we would just stay warm in the car and take pictures.
• For dinner, we asked the waiter about the remainder of our trip.  “There is nothing after OK City.”  Oh joy.  Oh bliss.

——Day 2——
Conway, Arkansas –> Albuquerque, New Mexico
Distance:  851 miles
Estimated Time: 13hr 10min

Recap:

• We cross into Texas for only 5 minutes when the radio begins to play “Waltz Across Texas” by Ernest Tubb.  Why does my brother know that song?
• Cattleman’s was worth it.  Now that is truly how a steak should be done.  The waiter asked if we wanted dessert and my response was easily “Does the dessert have steak in it?  No?  Then I don’t want it.”
• Yet again, we asked our waiter about what to expect for the remainder of our drive.  Again we received the “nothing.”
• In OK City, we did encounter snow on the ground left over from their “blizzard” from a few days prior but nothing that impacted us really.
• Cadillac Ranch is not as amazing as pictures make it out to be.  We actually passed it and I almost missed it because is roughly only 10 cars standing upright and it was on the other side of the road.
• Nothing out there.  No really.  There is nothing during this part of the trip.
• No roadtrip is complete without someone in the car playing the Alphabet Game. You know the one where you go through the alphabet trying to find things that start with that letter.  First one to the end wins.  Well, we started the game as a joke, but of course it turned into an actual competition.  Naturally, we both became stuck at Q.  The game seemed to “stop” for a few hours (there really was nothing).  After some time, in the distance I saw a DQ that quickly disappeared behind a mountain.  I quickly began telling some boring story to distract Bryan until it appeared behind the….QUEEN.  That’s my Q.  Of course at that point the game was over because we had been concentrating on the remaining letters until the bottleneck was fixed.  That’s right baby.  I won.
• At some point in Texas, we passed that Bama convoy again.  Roll Tide.
• It was about this point in the trip when we realized it would have been a smart/cool idea to take picture of each state’s welcome sign.  A little late to start of course.
• When it was UGA bowl game time, we stopped the playlist to begin AM searching.  Surprisingly, we were able to find the game.  Sure the game when in and out and there was a constant scanning, but we were able to hear the majority of the game.  When it really got bad and we were desperate, I pulled out the Blackberry (yes, there was a data signal) and the laptop (yes, there was a data signal.  no seriously).
• When we arrived at the hotel, we asked for a few good places to eat.  Naturally, we were recommended a few authentic New Mexican food establishments that we jumped at the opportunity of trying.  Bad choice.  I mean really bad.  The menu stated items would be hot which I’ve seen before but I was not prepared.  The complimentary salsa and chips were the first clues of what we were in for.  That was the salsa that kept on giving, and like an Alzheimer’s patient (yeah, I stole that joke), I would return to the scene of the crime for more.  When it was time to order the main courses, we were informed of the New Mexican way:  red vs green sauce.  We jumped at the sauce that was the least hot.  Apparently it didn’t matter because we were in for a night and day of hurting regardless.

——Day 3——
Albuquerque, New Mexico –>Bakersfield, CA
Distance:  803 miles
Estimated Time:  13hrs

Recap:

• With signs pointing to Santa Fe, NM, I called my sister to tell her that we wouldn’t be stopped to see if Cowboy really made it.
• We also made the effort to call our father to gloat about taking the right path.  Before we left, many people urged us to change our route due to bad winter weather.  If we had changed our route, we would have been hit by a terrible blizzard on I-20 instead of the amazing weather we received.
• Visually, this was probably the best part of the trip because the scenery was more attractive.
• Lunch was served at a Cracker Barrel.  That’s just good food even if I am nothing more than an eg-no-rameous according to there little game of sticks.
• Since the Cracker Barrel was so close to the Grand Canyon, we asked our waitress if it was an easy drive and all of the roads were open.  She informed us it wasn’t far and all roads were open when she took a trip to the southern point yesterday.  Of course, she did warn us that we might be cold upon arriving as it was in the low teens if not colder.  My brother was wearing a t-shirt and I had a light long sleeve shirt.
• The Grand Canyon was well worth it.  It was just amazing at how big and beautiful it really was.  The snow added a nice touch in parts too.  Of course, there were sections that did not have guardrails and some people seemed to enjoy testing their limits.  Testing limits at the Grand Canyon with ice covered walkways is not wise.  Just wanted to point that out.
• Of course, California would have border control.  We stopped and were asked if we had any agriculture products.  I of course stated I had a pomegranate.  “Did you buy it at a store?  (I nod yes)  What do we do with pomegranates?  Well I guess if I don’t know, there’s no problem with it.”  Good thing nothing was said about the Georgia pecans or there would have been a real fight.
• After entering California, my brother pointed out to me windmills that apparently had no meaning because the politicos couldn’t figure out how/where to use the power.  Well that’s just brilliant.
• For dinner, we were going to stop at a Burger King at a trucker stop intersection (gas stations and food).  However, when we pulled into the parking lot, we realized no one else was inside, but the Restaurant (that was the name) next door was packed.  Our minds were quickly changed and we enjoyed an “authentic” restaurant meal.  It was pretty good.
• Edwards Air Force Base is huge.  Like really, really huge.

——Day 4——

Bakersfield, CA –> San Francisco, CA
Distance:  283 miles
Estimated Time:  4hrs 42min

Recap:

• The drive to San Francisco from Bakersfield showed California from a different light (non-Hollywood and non-crazies).  This scenery was filled with every type of crop you can imagine.  I saw it all and even some that I had no clue what it was.  I’d still like to find out what was being grown on the side of the hills.
• This is probably the only time during the entire trip that we actually lost cell phone service.  Now when I state that, please realize that I mean both myself and my brother lost service (Verizon vs AT&T).  During other parts of the trip, I would be at full bars and he would have nothing, and vice versa.
• While on the phone with grandmother, Bryan asks “Are we in San Francisco?”  Ummm…..no.  That would be Oakland and make sure not to make that confusion with the locals.  They’ll hate it.
• We have arrived.

The rest of the day was filled with relaxing (until May’s flight arrived) and a few sight seeing moments (Golden Gate Bridge, Seven Sisters, etc.).  Check out the pictures for more of the tourist sites that we visited.

I’m here in my new home and now I just have to continue settling.

Posted under Other

Here’s the next set of reviews from my Netflix queue.

The Spirit This is not Sin City. [Rating: 1.5/5]	The Magnificent Seven My bromance with Steve McQueen continues. [Rating: 4.5/5]
The Hangover Maybe not as funny as everyone made it out to be (over hyped) but still truly funny [Rating: 4/5]	The Ugly Truth An ugly movie that I wish I had not finished [Rating: 0/5]
Sudden Death This is no Bloodsport, but man I still enjoy it. [Rating: 3.5/5]	IT Crowd: Season 2 Decent British comedy, but not as good as season 1 [Rating: 3/5]

Posted under Movies

I’m not even a week into my new relocation but I thought I’d take the time to give those interested an update on the San Francisco Move: Phase 1.

I arrived in SF late Tuesday night.  With a light load at work, most of the week was spent at home preparing my new room.  With my new tv (46 inch Bravia), bed, and dresser, my room quickly started to come together and feel like my new home.

Friday I headed to the SF office.  I knew that I would probably not meet many new co-workers, but I thought it would be nice to start learning my way around the office area.  I also needed to receive my new badge.  The day started poorly with checking into an incorrect desk, but thanks to Guest Services, I was able to find a great seat overlooking the bay.  Work went by quickly with few in person meetings, but many reached out to me online to welcome me and that was appreciated.

After work, I met May at a near by Muni station.  While waiting on her, I was able to enjoy the sound of a marching band (a subsection of University of California’s) play Holiday songs and some Chicago.  This was something I never had the chance to enjoy in Atlanta because it was not a walkable or transit friendly city.  Once May arrived, we headed for dinner and a movie.

Saturday meant a day of football (go Bama) and then meeting up with one of my roommate’s friends for a birthday dinner.  Dinner was simply amazing.  I don’t think I have had a bad meal yet with all of my trips here.  This dinner was to Koh Samui & the Monkey.  I’m not usually in the mood for thai food but I’m told that’s because I’ve never had the chance to enjoy good thai food.  Well those people were quite right.  I enjoyed the Bag of Gold appetizer, based on the birthday boy’s recommedation, and the Miracle Duck.  I must state that the combination of pineapple and red curry sauce is the greatest thing this planet has to offer.  Maybe I’m overhyping it but everyone who tried it loved it just as much.

Today meant that I needed to find a good location to watch my Falcons play (we lost, I don’t want to talk about it).  I found a few locations that had the Sunday NFL ticket, but the closest was the Mucky Duck Pub.  It’s quite weird to go to a pub at 10:30 in the morning on Sunday to watch a football game.  I was not the only person there.  I quickly developed ADD with so many TVs showcasing so many different games but it was a great experience.  Two Eagles fans were present and they were great to have around even if we lost and lost bad.  I quickly realized I had found a great location to watch any and every NFL game that I would need.

As I said at the start, I’m barely a week into this change in my life, but I’m enjoying it.  I miss friends and family, of course, but I’m excited to call a new city home.  I’ll need to continue to get out to meet people and learn the best parts of the Golden Gate City.

Posted under Other