Micah, please!

Happy Burns Night

2012-01-25T19:46:00.000-05:00

Here's to another Burns Night. It's been one big sucker punch to the gut of a day for me, so this gives me a positive excuse to get lost in a bottle of McClelland's Islay tonight.

Gonna kick it root down.

2012-01-23T22:54:00.000-05:00

Entering the world of smart phones early last year changed my life. Now wherever I go, I have a little computer in my pocket. Need to check movie times or sports scores? No problem. Kill time by surfing the web? Can do! Need directions? Fire up the ol' GPS. Listen to European pop stations? There's an app for that.

While I love my LG Optimus V, I can't truthfully say a world of productivity and entertainment possibilities opened up to me. You see, while the phone is a great starter Android in many respects, there is one major drawback to it: a paltry 140 mb of internal that leaves little room for apps. Sure, a lot of apps out there can be moved to the SD card, but not all of them, by any means. With so many apps out there begging me to give them a spin, there was only one solution. I would have to root my phone.

When it comes to electronics, I'm a straight arrow that plays by the rules. (Well, I did complete the arduous task of punching a sequence of numbers on my remote control to make my DVD player region-free. Yar!) I don't cotton to voiding warranties should anything malfunction. Combine that with my limited technical knowledge and I didn't think I'd ever be able to unleash the full capabilities of my phone by myself. That is, until I found out about Gingerbreak.

With Gingerbreak, the process couldn't have been easier. I installed it on my Optimus and pressed one button. Boom. Rooted. It couldn't be simpler.

Of course, this was just the first step. With my phone "free", so to speak, I was now able to install apps that require rooting. One such app would solve my internal storage problem: Link2SD. This app moves any non-system app to the SD card and create a link to it on the phone, tricking it into thinking it is in the phone's memory. Installation of Link2SD was easy. It just required a partitioning of the card. (The first partition is for the moved apps. The second's for everything else.)

The one-two punch of Gingerbreak and Link2SD finally unlocked all of my phone's potential. I could now download many of the daily free paid apps from Amazon that I had been banking. Paper Camera for cool pictures. Lightning Bug to relax me! Flight Control to occupy all of my free time! And much, much more! Really, I am so glad that I rooted my phone and wish I would've done it sooner.

And here's one funny moment from my rooting experience:

We speak the same language, yet are worlds apart. I love my phone, but not that much. Sicko.

Requiem for a fashion icon/pundit

2012-01-08T21:31:00.000-05:00

R.I.P. Tony Blankley, 1948-2012.

He was my favorite McLaughlin Group All-Star and will be missed.

It's the end of the world as we know it (and I'm totally cool with that)

2012-01-02T16:09:00.002-05:00

It would be folly to make an effort to better yourself during the year that the world's going to end. Play for today, as the bard Robert Smith wrote so many years ago. So I'm not going to make any profound resolutions for 2012. But I will make a few tweaks in my life before the Mayans bring us all down.

Firstly, there are all of the previous attempts to improve things over the past couple of years. Some items were successfully completed (Redesigned blog! Read an epic-length book!). Others will have to be carried over for another year (More Bible time! More Britcom time!).

Now, the big thing I want to accomplish in the coming 12 months is to be more socially available. Living about 40 minutes or so from all of my friends has really secluded me. They don't really want to make the trip down south and all too often I regrettably return in kind. I really miss hanging with everyone. What's more, who knows how many professional/romantic/etc. opportunities have been lost by retreating into my cocoon of video games, DVDs, and books? So, I will make the effort put myself out there*.

Also, I want to get my writing and this blog back up to speed. In 2011 I made the first big step with the redesign and custom URL. Heck, I even did the same for A Very Micah Christmas, which I kept fairly up to date this season. Now it's time to take things to the next level. In the new year I will do more longform posts. In the meantime, all of the "drive by posts" - links, pictures, videos - have been transitioned over to the Micah, please! Tumblr**. Do check it out!

So, that's that. I think I can do those things before we're reduced to rubble. And if I fail, it's not like anyone will be around to call me out on it. Win-win!

*And, hopefully, that includes a move back to Richmond proper, which would greatly reduce any "effort" needed in going out.
**The exception will be that the Crushes of the Week will be staying put here when I bring them back. Gotta keep up those page visits!

O Holy NighTunes

2011-12-17T14:04:00.000-05:00

Well, my merry little friends, Christmas is nigh and that means it's time for me to shove some Yuletide music deep into your earholes. This is the thirteenth edition of my mix, so most of the old chestnuts that you hear year in and year out have already been included at one point or another. If these songs are new to you, hopefully you'll dig them. And if you don't, then just wait until next year, you ingrate.

1. "Home for the Holidays" - Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler
2. "Santa Stole My Lady" - Fitz & the Tantrums
3. "Party Hard" - Zach Gill
4. "The Christmas Song Song" - Rocky and Balls
5. "Winter Night" - Little & Ashley
6. "Angels We Have Heard on High" - Sufjan Stevens
7. "Get Down for the Holidays" - Jenny O.
8. "Beautiful Star of the East" - How to Throw a Christmas Party
9. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" - Dean Martin & Scarlett Johansson
10. "What the Hell (It's the Holidays)" - Joey + Rory
11. "Who Needs Mistletoe" - Julie Roberts
12. "Silver Bells" - Raul Malo
13. "What Will Santa Claus Say?" - Christabel and the Jons
14. "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" - Regis Philbin
15. "Zat You, Santa Claus?" - Buster Poindexter
16. "Christmas Smorgasbord" - The Swedish Chef
17. "The Christmas Goose" - The Oxford Waits with the Mellstock Band
18. "Ring of Hannukah" - Paul F. Tompkins
19. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" - Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers
20. "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - Butch Walker
21. "Toy Jackpot" - Blackalicious
22. "Christmas All Over This Town" - The Plimptons
23. "George Bailey" - Carolyn Sills
24. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" - The Avalanches
25. "Sleigh Ride" - She & Him
26. "White Christmas" - Otis Redding
27. "Adeste Fideles" - Frank Sinatra
28. "Always in the Season" - Pomplamoose
29. surprise!

Grab a .rar file of all of these songs here. Enjoy!

(And if you're jonesin' for more Christmas goodness - including past editions of A Very Micah Christmas - do check out my other blog, creatively titled A Very Micah Christmas.)

Micah World is dead. Long live Micah, Please!

2011-10-31T21:32:00.001-04:00

"I feel reborn. I'm like a Phoenix rising from Arizona." - Frank Costanza

Way back in late 2004 I caught the blogging bug and set up my corner of the internet. It was fun and I had a good time bringing light to the music, movies, books, and TV shows that I was enjoying. Posting weird news and links, making fun of politicians and celebrities, and occasionally giving people a glimpse of my personal life also occupied my time here. Entries were substantial. Readership could be counted on more than one hand.

Then I got lazy. Posts with actual substance got rarer. Later, I'd just throw a funny pic or YouTube video up. If you were lucky, I'd write two sentences to go with each of them. No one would comment. Checking my log, I could surmise that the only people coming here were the result of Google image searches of my weekly Crushes. (Granted, that traffic is steady, but I doubt anyone sticks around to do more than gawk at the fairer sex.)

So, I took a summer vacation. And then an autumn break.

Now I'm back! New layout, new name, a little more focus. Let the old blog be a lesson to you: never name something after a passing piece of pop culture ephemera. Sure, in 2004 I had just seen Spice World on cable and thought it'd be funny to jack the title of the Spice Girls movie for my blog. In 2011 it made no sense. (Also, the Micah World URL was taken.) Welcome to Micah, Please!

Updates won't be daily. They may not even be weekly, but I'm going to try. Sure, I may still make posts with little more than links, videos, or pictures in them, but I'm going to do my best to do some actual writing, dammit. And maybe I can then build my readership to a level that can be counted on two hands. Dare I even wish shoe removal should be required when tallying them up?

Oh, yeah. Since the season is approaching and all, I'm also reopening my Yuletide blog: A Very Micah Christmas.

So, ease into your comfy chair, start a fire, pour yourself a brandy. Cozy up with your new 78th favorite sporadically updated blog. ~~Spice up your life!~~

Opening Day: it's all downhill from here

2011-03-31T09:25:00.002-04:00

Ah, Opening Day. So much promise. Before the first pitch is thrown, every team is a contender. And then tomorrow we may as well call it a season for my beloved O's and Nats.

Are you still on the fence as to who should be "your team"? Well, just use the handy dandy chart above. (Get the original, larger version here.)

Quick movie reviews

2011-03-28T09:35:00.004-04:00

Sucker Punch: Sure, the story wasn't deep, some of the acting was poor, and the dialogue could tend to be laughable. But I went in to the matinee expecting some kick ass action and an embarrassment of visual riches and that's just what I got. Were there hot chicks with guns, dragons, steampunk robot Nazis, runaway trains, living stone samurais, and Don Draper? Yes there were. The flick's not as terrible as everyone says. Basically, it's a mess, but a fun one. (Sucker Punch was initially filmed as a sort of musical (!), but was later recut into a traditional action movie. I'm dying to see the original version.)

Paul: Shaun of the Dead is one of my all time favorite movies. Hot Fuzz is a riot. This Simon Pegg/Nick Frost film is different from those two, though, because it lacks the directorial skills of Edgar Wright, so I went in with my expectations lowered. Even only expecting a solid flick, I still didn't really care for Paul. I got a lot of the geek references. The performances were fine. Pegg and Frost still had their usual chemistry (and some terrible haircuts), but the movie just wasn't all that funny. What a shame.

Blimey! An Irish Limey!

2011-03-17T10:05:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, friends. Get out your seat and jump around, but try not to overdo it.

My plans for the evening? Root my beloved Spiders on to a March Madness first round victory (hopefully!) and then imbibe a few drams of Scotch while settling in with Annie's Boobs, the Nard Dog, Ron Freakin' Swanson, and Toofer. Hey, it's a school night. *shrug*

Note: This post's title is a reference to an old Captain 20 and Chef Combo PSA/kids' show cooking segment on DC20. All these years I thought they made an "Irish Slimey" until a Google search turned up this. Upon reflection, "Irish Slimey" makes no sense and I guess it could be offensive to our drunken Leprechaun friends. Sorry, you tossers.

Beware the Ides of March

2011-03-15T09:35:00.000-04:00

Step lively out there today, folks.

We ain't got no place to go, so let's go to the auto show.

2011-03-13T22:33:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again, which means yesterday I moseyed on over to the 2011 Virginia Motor Trend International Auto Show. Unlike last year, I didn't do any test drives or get my hands on any tech (unless you count briefly watching a friend's DVD of The Expendables on the down low in one of the cars). But I did get a few good snaps:

This Camaro is practically begging to have a personalized license plate that reads FKYEAH.

A new color for my dream car! It looks like FJ Cruisers now come in a different shade of blue.

First person shooters aren't my thing, so I'm eagerly awaiting a Katamari Damacy-branded Xterra or Rock Band Econoline van.

An old Holman Moody race car.

Unfortunately none of the new cars on floor were powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball. None of them were...The Homer.

Want more pictures? Head on over to Spydrz's blog.

Special thanks to the fine folks at Ford for providing for my entry to the show. And also for not taking taxpayer money.

Crush of the Week: Autumn Reeser

2011-03-04T10:05:00.000-05:00

This week's Crush is actress Autumn Reeser, lately of "No Ordinary Family". The show has its faults, but largely I'm digging it.

Her adorable comic book geek character on "No Ordinary Family" is a far cry from the upwardly mobile Hollywood agent she played on "Entourage". Range!

"And the Oscar goes to 'Little Fockers'..."

2011-02-27T19:48:00.000-05:00

Ah, Hollywood. My favorite hideous bitch goddess. There are few institutions I love and hate with equal fervor as do with the Dream Factory. And Oscar night let's both sides shine.

I can't really comment on what films are deserving of a nomination this year as I only saw a handful of '10 movies, with Toy Story 3 being the only Oscar contender among them. So I'll leave the speculating to the experts.

Last year's pairing of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as tandem hosts was great. Anne Hathaway and James Franco have some mighty big shoes to fill. But even if they aren't as funny, well, I can always gaze upon Hathaway's big, beautiful eyes. That's good enough for me.

So join me in the comments section here and we can rag on the self-important speeches, the back-patting, and the opulence. Share your thoughts on the big winners and even bigger losers. Revel in the nipple slips and the people being cut off by the band. In other words, let's knock them down a peg!

(I'm also going to be following along with Doug Benson's live tweeting and the goings-on at the A.V. Club.)

Best of 2010: podcasts

2011-02-27T15:40:00.002-05:00

I don't see as many movies these days. I still listen to a lot of music, but not as much as in my trendsetting days. It seems there is one entertainment medium that has been increasingly dominating my free time (and work time, for that matter): podcasts.

While still in its relative infancy, podcastdom has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. There is a show for pretty much any interest. While there are many podcasters still stuck in amateur hour, there are a slew that have carved out niches and set the standard.

My daily/weekly/monthly/sporadic favorites are still chugging along - Doug Loves Movies, Filmspotting, The Adam Carolla Show, and Comedy Death-Ray, to name just a handful - these are the best podcasts that debuted in 2010:

The Pod F. Tompkast: It's nighttime on the internet and once a month (and sometimes here and there in between) stand up comedian extraordinaire Paul F. Tompkins puts out this hilarious hour long show. Each episode contains some of his riffing, an excerpt from his monthly stage show, a phone conversation with fellow comedian Jen Kirkman, and an ongoing story featuring his hilarious impressions of Ice-T, John C. Reilly, Dame Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Lithgow, the Cake Boss, and others. It really is the highlight of my podcast month.

The Sporkful: Two guys and occasionally a guest go into the minutiae of the preparation and consumption of everyday foods. This is not your high-falootin' foodie father's podcast.

This Week with Larry Miller: Larry Miller has long been one of my favorite comedians and his 30-45 minutes of stream of conscious rambling each week amount to a good helping of audio comfort food. I like to listen to this on the commute home from work.

Culturetopia: This used to be a weekly compilation of stories from NPR - well, it still is that - but it's been retooled to add a second weekly episode featuring a pop culture round table. I find panelist Glen Weldon nigh-intolerable, but can overcome my dislike of him because I enjoy listening to the other people on the show so much.

The Nerdist: '90s MTV darling Chris Hardwick and a couple of his pals descend into the depths of geekery with a special nerdy guest. They've also recently added a non-guest (or "hostful") chat each week, too.

Who Charted?: Howard Kremer (aka Dragon Boy Suede), Kulap, and a comedian guest dissect the weekly music, movie, and other charts. Simultaneously, it confirms my bewilderment regarding what the kids listen to and watch these days. Get off my lawn! (This wins my award for Best Podcast Name.)

Requiem for Uncle Leo

2011-02-18T13:49:00.000-05:00

R.I.P. Len Lesser, 1922-2011.

"Hello!" Uncle Leo was always one of my favorite secondary "Seinfeld" characters. He's not really dead if we find a way to remember him.

Too early for flapjacks?

2011-02-02T07:59:00.001-05:00

When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.

As much as I love winter, I'm ready for some spring. An actual, breezy, full spring. None of this summer-in-April crap we usually get. Make it happen, Punxsutawney Phil. Happy Groundhog Day!

Crush of the Week: Sarah Shahi

2011-01-27T10:10:00.000-05:00

This week's Crush is actress Sarah Shahi, lately the lead on Fairly Legal. Honestly, I find her strikingly beautiful.

The show itself is nothing new - She's a lawyer-turned-mediator who solves everyone's problems but her own. And she lives on a boat. She's so quirky! - or all that special, but Shahi can really fill out a business suit and the show's light enough for background noise. So I'll keep watching for a few more episodes.

Best of 2010: DVDs

2011-01-25T13:05:00.000-05:00

What makes a great DVD? Sure, the content of the movie/show/concert/whatever itself is imperative, but more important for whether something is to be deemed a success on the format is the audio/video quality, packaging, and the scope and depth of the bonus features. Due to budgetary reasons, an ever-increasing lack of storage space, and willingness to wait so as not to double dip on discs when I get my own Blu-Ray player, I've greatly slowed down my purchases. Honestly, I only bought a handful of titles. But I made sure they were all winners. Here are the shiny discs that I think were the best to come out in 2010:

Kick-Ass - Okay, so I still haven't really checked out the bonus features of this Blu-Ray, but it looks packed. The film transfer itself is excellent, though. The colors of this world of costume vigilantes absolutely pops.

The Office: Season Six - When it comes to DVD releases of TV shows, "The Office" is tops in terms of what it gives back to its fans. The webisodes (ugh, I hate that term) and bloopers are fun, but the real meat is the all of the deleted scenes. When you add it all it up it's like getting almost another 10-15 episodes. And it's not chaff; this is quality humor that just couldn't be fit in due to time constraints. Points off for completely excising the Halloween cold open of the "Koi Pond" episode because some nervous nelly watchdog group complained. Boo!

The League (The Complete First Season) - The deleted scenes and extended episodes make a funny debut season even better.

Survival of the Dead (Ultimate Undead Edition) - The movie was crap, but this Blu-Ray is packed with zombie goodness. The feature length documentary is better than the actual movie. And some of the autumnal scenery really is nice to look at.

Happy Burns Night!

2011-01-25T10:15:00.000-05:00

Wishing you and yours the very merriest of Burns Nights. What will I be doing tonight? I don't know. Definitely enjoying a wee dram of Islay. Maybe read from Will There Ever Be a Rainbow?

Best of 2010: books

2011-01-24T09:45:00.001-05:00

In 2009 I read embarrassingly few books. To make up for that, last year I read more books than in any other year, including seventeen books from an entirely new genre to me and the best freakin' book that I've ever read. My year end list for books is different than most people's since I'm a relatively slow reader. And sometimes inspiration takes a while to hit me. So I don't catch everything as it's published. So these are the best books that I've read in 2010:

The Stand by Stephen King - At 1,100+ pages, this epic novel is the longest book that I've ever read. But the daunting length did nothing to diminish how extremely intriguing the story is. Seriously, this is the best book that I've ever read. King really threw everything into this tale of good versus evil. I can't recommend it highly enough. Baby, can you dig your man?

Hard Case Crime books by various authors - I've decided to lump these together, but they aren't a series of books per se, but a publishing imprint. I had never really read any crime noir fiction before, but the dual siren song of a dollar store find and the best damn covers in the business swayed me. And I'm so glad that I spent those hundred pennies. Last year I ended up reading 17 HCC books and have loved every one of them. The cream of the crop: Christa Faust's Money Shot (murder in the porn industry; this is the title that got me hooked), Lawrence Block's Grifter's Game (the ending is completely shocking; I can only imagine how it played in 1961 when it was first published), and David J. Schow's Gun Work (this would make an excellent revenge movie). Hard Case Crime's original publisher decided to get out of the books-on-paper business this year (damn you, Kindle!), but luckily they found a new home and will resume putting out these pulp classics in the autumn.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill - Stephen King's son whipped up a very creepy ghost story, about an aging rock star haunted by his past. The first half is great, but it loses steam when the setting changes halfway through. Still worth a read if you want some chills.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - Hey, I'm not above reading airport novels. And I like stories about the Freemasons, so it's got that going for it. In usual Dan Brown fashion, it's briskly paced. It's not as good as Angels & Demons. (The Illuminati are my favorite nutty conspiracy theory.) I'd put it on par with The Da Vinci Code. Great for the beach or your next trip to Washington, DC.

The old college try: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith - Last year I tried yet again to read this, but I just couldn't get into it (again). It takes a lot for me to abandon a zombie tale and that special something is Jane Austen's writing style.

Simpsons surprise

2011-01-12T10:10:00.000-05:00

So, whilst Christmas shopping a few weeks ago, I happened to stop at the local hipster dry goods market and general store and noticed an intriguing impulse buy: mini Simpsons figures. Cool! But there's a catch: each individual box is sealed and you don't know which character you've bought until you open it.

Interesting concept, but I'd much prefer to know what I'm getting. At $.25, a gumball machine isn't much of a risk. But at $10 a pop, which is what each of these suckers cost? Anyway, this weekend I went back to the shop and picked a box up.

Of all of the Simpsons figures in this set, the one I really want is "Zombie Homer". Apparently, he's ultra rare and goes for upwards of around $80 on ebay.

But if I don't end up with "Zombie Homer" (and I don't expect to), the other Springfield denizens that I'd prefer to get are Moe Szyslak, Groundskeeper Willie, or Captain Horatio McCallister. The rest I'll accept (of course), but I may not rest until I get what I want. Maybe.

So, let's see who's in this box...

It's, uh, Disco Stu. Despite having one classic line - "Did you know that disco record sales were up 400% for the year ending 1976? If these trends continue...AAY!" - he's never been one of my favorites. You know, I've been wanting to try my hand at selling stuff on ebay. I think I know what item I'll put up on the auction block first.

I remain undeterred and may have to give it another shot. But if I get another so-so character - please no Patty or Selma! - then I'm out for good.

You choose the Crush of the Year

2011-01-10T09:45:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been pretty busy with compiling my "Best Ofs" for movies, music, TV, etc. and those lists should be popping up here shortly. But there's one area where the choice of the year's perfection is out of my hands. Once again, I'll turn the selection of the Crush of the Year over to you, dear reader. After all, the consensus picks in previous years have been great. (You folks did a fine job last year given the tough choices.)

The rules:
1) Vote by leaving the name of your pick in the comment section of this post (either on Blogger or Facebook). No votes via e-mail, text, phone, different posts' comments sections, or other methods will be counted. I do this so that there'll be a virtual paper trail of people's clear intentions. No hanging chads around here.
2) No justification of your choice is required, but if you want to explain why you opted for a particular candidate, feel free to do so.
3) No write-ins.
4) You may only vote once regardless of location (that means no voting on both Blogger and Facebook).
5) Only the candidates listed below are eligible to win.
6) Should no Crush receive a plurality/majority of the votes, I shall choose the CotY. In fact, I reserve the right to lay down my tyrannical fist and institute my own pick, no matter the voting results. But I probably won't. But you never know.
7) Void where prohibited. (Likely Utah.)
8) Voting ends when this post leaves the front page of the blog or two weeks from the exact time and date of this post, whichever comes first.

Finally, your candidates for 2010 Crush of the Year:Lindsey Vonn

Nicole Joraanstad

Liudmila Privivkova

Torah Bright

Julia Mancuso

Kiira Korpi

S.E. Cupp

Anna Semenovich

Kate Nash

Lucia Micarelli

Mary-Louise Parker

Sara Watkins

Elizabeth Cook

Britney ("Big Brother 12")

Rachel ("Big Brother 12")

Laura Allen

Katie Aselton

Belinda Stewart-Wilson

Keri Russell

Annie Little

Rebecca Hazlewood
So there you go. Pester your friends, rally the civic organizations that you're a member of, and organize your congregation. You really don't want Diddy on your bad side.

2010 resolution winners and losers

2011-01-04T10:05:00.001-05:00

2011. A new year. A fresh start. A blank slate. Another tired cliché. Rather than make some new resolutions, how about we see how I did on last year's lofty aspirations?

Get better at responding to e-mails (including Facebook messages and posts). Two day delay, tops.

Eh, I wasn't great at doing this, but I think I was better than before. A little.

Start AND finish at least one these epic-length books: The Count of Monte Cristo, Gone with the Wind, The Stand, or Atlas Shrugged.

I read the extended and uncut edition of The Shining! I think this year I'm going to tackle The Lord of the Rings.

Start AND finish at least one of these epic-length video games, including their DLC: Fallout 3 or Grand Theft Auto IV.

Nope. I did finish Fable II, though, and that's pretty epic. I'd still like to get those games, as well as Fable III and Red Dead Redemption.

Finish compiling the mix CD that I promised a friend of mine.

Yup. It was actually more of an audio and video project, not just a mere mix CD. And it was warmly received.

Watch all of the various Britcoms that I've already procured. I kept promising and promising to blog about them, but obviously didn't.

Didn't touch 'em. In fact, I've procured even more since then. *sigh*

Read more of the Bible. I've really slacked off in this department.

I sucked at this, too.

Post more substance here, less lazy YouTube hit and runs. Hopefully, that'll get people to actually, you know, read this blog (no offense to my three regulars).

Yeah, this blog is still pretty much a YouTube-links-and-pictures-of-attractive-women repository with only a smattering of substance. But I have a new feature in mind that should last at least a year. If only I could muster the initiative to start it.

Create a super secret online Christmas thingamajig.

Done: A Very Micah Christmas. The plan is to make every one of my Christmas mixes since 1999 available digitally on that blog. But I've at least started it and posted 2010's mix there.

Totally revamp this blog's layout and name.

Fail. I should check Go Daddy and see if there are any domain name coupons. I'm still bored with the layout and would like to get a custom one. Any kind souls want to do that for me?

So that's that. Strange that I didn't make a public proclamation about my intentions to drop some el-beez because that's the one thing I actually DID do last year. (70+ pounds to be a little more precise.)

Anyway, in 2011 I'll just build on what I couldn't do over the past 365 days. The only thing that I'll add is that I intend to get rid of my mounting paper clutter. Why do I save all of these gas station receipts? And you'd think after two moves over the last five years that I'd learn not to amass an immense archive of unread magazines. So, henceforth I will read and toss new ones out shortly after they arrive.

I can probably do all of that. Or maybe I'll just wait until 2012 to get things done. Then again, the world's going to end then, so what's the point?

Audio fruitcake: "Auld Lang Syne" by Salsa Celtica

2011-01-01T13:18:00.001-05:00

(link)

We finish up this seasonal loaf of audio fruitcake with Robert Burns' poem-turned-song "Auld Lang Syne" by Salsa Celtica. Leave it to a bunch of Scottish lads playing salsa music to record my favorite version. You can find this on their 2003 album El Agua De La Vida.

And now that "the holidays" are almost officially over, I can start the process of shedding my winter weight.

Audio fruitcake: "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by Diana Krall

2010-12-31T12:58:00.000-05:00

(link)

Not a damn thing special. I hate New Year's Eve, but since others seem to enjoy it, here's Diana Krall's take on "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?", off of her 2005 album Christmas Songs. Bah, humbug!

Audio fruitcake: "If We Make It Through December" by Holly Cole

2010-12-30T17:59:00.000-05:00

(link)

We're almost done! This supreme downer - a cover of a very depressing Merle Haggard tune - appears of Holly Cole's 2001 Baby, It's Cold Outside album. Uh, happy new year?

Audio fruitcake: "Fairytale of New York" by the Priestess and the Fool

2010-12-29T09:45:00.001-05:00

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Because why not? Sure, the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl's original "Fairytale of New York" is still the best, but my second favorite take of this increasingly covered Christmas song is the one the Priestess and the Fool put out in 2008 (and it's still a free download). If you're going to cover a song, make it your own and they sure did, by stripping the Irish out and replacing it with a hootenanny.

Audio fruitcake: "It's Christmas So We'll Stop" by Frightened Rabbit

2010-12-28T09:35:00.000-05:00

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The more pessimistic among us would believe that the whole "Christmas spirit" thing is a charade and, even if people are nicer, it's only for one day. Frightened Rabbit expresses this sentiment in their excellent 2007 single "It's Christmas So We'll Stop" (presented above in the 2008 rerelease version). Next to Better Than Ezra's "Merry Christmas Eve", I think this is my favorite modern Christmas classic. Kinda funny how one is a celebration of holiday warmth and other is all about what a sham the day is.

Anyway, Christmas is now over. Go back to being a jerk.

Audio fruitcake: "It Really Is (A Wonderful Life)" by Mindy Smith

2010-12-27T09:45:00.000-05:00

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One of my family's Christmas traditions is to venture over to Carytown on Christmas night and catch a showing of It's a Wonderful Life at the Byrd. Sitting in the worn out seats for the duration of the film's 130 minute run time (plus an additional 10-15 minutes beforehand for the Sing-A-Long with Bob Gulledge and the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ) is a real test of ass-durance, but we do it for George, Mary, and Christmas. My mouth's bleeding, Bert! My mouth's bleeding!

This song by Mindy Smith, off of her 2007 album My Holiday, doesn't really have anything to do with the Frank Capra classic other than kind of using the movie's title, but it's a good Christmas song nonetheless.

Audio fruitcake: "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Bob & Doug McKenzie

2010-12-26T13:06:00.001-05:00

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A common misconception: the Twelve Days of Christmas are the days leading up to Christmas day. As John McLaughlin would say, WRONG! The celebration actually starts on Christmas Day. And that's one to grow on.

Though I maintain that John Denver and the Muppets recorded the definitive version of the song, this take by Bob & Doug McKenzie, off of their album 1981 Great White North, is a close second. Now, I will start celebrating with a beer...in a tree.

Audio fruitcake: "Christmas Morning" by Lyle Lovett

2010-12-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

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Though not strictly a "Christmas song", Lyle Lovett's "Christmas Morning" - off of his album 1996 The Road to Ensenada - counts as one in my book, if just for the title alone. He's always been one of my favorite songwriters and this one he cooked up, with feelings of self-doubt and wee bit of paranoia, is a doozy. The last verse gets me every time and is the reason I've selected it for today:

Now each Christmas morning I sit in my chair
And I look up at the angels that float through the air
Some look down upon me, some come to my side
And they tell me that Jesus he said to say hi

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T08:37:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, dear readers! Here's hoping all of your wishes get fulfilled today. Or, at the very least, one or two.

Audio fruitcake: "Silent Night" by Pink Martini

2010-12-24T09:55:00.001-05:00

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Out of all the Christmas carols, I think "Silent Night" is my favorite. I just love its simple beauty. And this twinkly version by Pink Martini, off of their new album Joy to the World, ranks among the better versions, in my opinion. Of course, it wouldn't be a Pink Martini song without them going international, so the verses are sung in German, Arabic, and English.

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Audio fruitcake: "Christmas in Hollis" by Run-DMC

2010-12-23T14:55:00.000-05:00

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Ah, kickin' it old school. This takes me back. Welcome to the soundtrack of my Christmas in 1987. Based on a horn sample from Clarence Carter's "Back Door Santa"*, Run-DMC's "Christmas in Hollis" was the first credible hip-hop Christmas song and has yet to be topped, in my opinion. R.I.P., Jam Master Jay.

And, yes, this has been my cell phone's ringtone all month.

*Itself a classic.

I find tinsel distracting.

2010-12-23T09:05:00.002-05:00

Wishing you and yours a very happy Festivus. I know I say this every year, but I'd love to throw a Festivus party. Maybe next year...

Audio fruitcake: "Elf's Lament" by Barenaked Ladies with Michael Bublé

2010-12-22T09:45:00.000-05:00

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You're not the only one feeling overworked and underpaid. Ever think about Santa's elves? Yeah, no one does. This is an anthem for the little man.

"Elf's Lament" can be found on Barenaked Ladies' wonderful (and very fun) 2004 album Barenaked for the Holidays.

My favorite (Christmas album) things of 2010

2010-12-22T07:35:00.003-05:00

Like pretty much all types of music, a very high percentage* of Christmas music that comes out each year is crap. Most of it is bland, overproduced, extremely saccharine, and cheesy. Or, if some indie band wants to put their stamp on Yuletide songs, it may be underproduced, discordant, and drenched in feedback. This year is no exception. Only two full length albums honked my bobo this year.

Pink Martini - Joy to the World: These multicultural folks put on a heck of a live show and, based on their back catalog, I was expecting all sorts of sublime merriment. I was only a *tad* disappointed, but it's still better than pretty much the rest of the stuff out this season. It's twinkly, twirly, and very international. It's no wonder that Starbucks commissioned this album. But don't hold that against the band.

Christabel and the Jons - The Christmas Album: This band is completely new to me, but another blog recommended it and, wow, I'm impressed. The Squirrel Nut Zippers' Christmas Caravan is one of my favorite seasonal albums and this one sounds like its spiritual successor. It's jazzy, swinging, and brassy. I love it.

These two new albums will surely join my other favorites at the forefront of my hifi's festive rotation.

*I'd say a good 70% or so, but then again, I have a very high threshold for Christmas music. Your results may vary. For reference, I maintain that a good 90% of all music releases range from "blah" to "sucks".

Audio fruitcake: "Believe in Me" by fun.

2010-12-21T09:45:00.001-05:00

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fun. produced one of my favorite albums of 2009 (dare I say it's a indie pop masterpiece?) and they followed it up with this Christmas single a few months later, which wears a heavy Beach Boys influence on its red, velvety sleeve.

In addition to it being offered as a free download by Amazon, it's also included on my Christmas mix this year, which you can snag here.

Silent nighTunes

2010-12-20T12:01:00.001-05:00

As we rush headlong into Christmas week, I figured it was the right time to unleash this year's A Very Micah Christmas mix upon your precious, little ears. This being my twelfth year of making these mixes, I've pretty much exhausted all of the Lite 98 December staples, so enjoy some less familiar takes on your old favorites, as well as some great Yuletide originals.

Without further ado, here is the soundtrack to your seasonal anxiety disorder:

1. "Everybody Wants to See the Lights" - Kevin McKinney
2. "Darlin' (Christmas Is Coming)" - Over the Rhine
3. "Winter Wonderland" - Dean Martin
4. "O Tannenbaum/We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - Liberace
5. "It Snowed" - Meaghan Smith
6. "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" - Big Al Carson with Lars Edegran and His Santa Claus Revelers
7. "Believe in Me" - fun.
8. "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" - Julian Casablancas
9. "Christmas Party" - The Sweptaways
10. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" - C.W. Morris
11. "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" - Frank Sinatra
12. "When the Leaves" - Ingrid Michaelson
13. "There Are Worse Things to Believe In" - Stephen Colbert and Elvis Costello
14. "Grateful For Christmas" - Hayes Carll
15. "White Christmas" - Jamie Randolph
16. "In the Bleak Midwinter" - Paper Route
17. "Away in a Manger" - Hyperbubble
18. "Fruitcake" - The Superions
19. "Up on the House Top" - The Jackson 5
20. "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" - Wizzard
21. "Party Hard" - Little Isadore
22. "Pour Another Ounce of Rum in the Eggnog" - Heather Blush and the Uppercuts
23. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Jo Stafford
24. "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas" - Yogi Yorgesson
25. "Year End Letter" - Garfunkel & Oates
26. "Auld Lang Syne" - Pink Martini
27. You'll see

Grab an .rar file of the mix here.

Jonesin' for more festive goodness from Christmas past? The last few AVMCs can be found here, here, and here. My goal for 2011 is to put digital copies of all of my previous ones up on their own blog. I won't get to it right away, but keep checking throughout the year.

Merry Christmas to all! And to all, RAWK!

Audio fruitcake: "Everybody Wants to See the Lights" by Kevin McKinney

2010-12-20T09:30:00.002-05:00

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Yeah, you make fun of Clark W. Griswold's buffoonery, but admit it: his over-illuminated house is pretty bitchin'. Kevin McKinney's "Everybody Wants to See the Lights", the eponymous song off of his 2009 album, explores the inner thoughts of the neighborhood "Christmas light guy". He does it for you, you bunch of ingrates.

This is the lead off track of my Christmas mix, which I will unveil shortly. As for the video, I threw it together using pictures from Richmond's Tacky Lights Tour.

Audio fruitcake: "Silver Bells" by Gavin DeGraw

2010-12-19T11:50:00.000-05:00

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There are two types of people in this world*: those who want a country Christmas and those who prefer a festive city setting. I'm squarely in the latter camp, though I recognize the merits of the former. There's just something about the combination of cities, Christmas decorations, and snow that I love. And the song that really puts me in an urban Christmas mood is "Silver Bells" (key line: "city sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style").

I think my favorite version of the song is by Gavin DeGraw and is found on the Target exclusive 2005 Sounds of the Season compilation. But that's out of print now and I'm not sure where one can currently find this song (legally, that is).

*Well, four types if you also include those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't.

Bonus Crush of the Week: Rebecca Hazlewood

2010-12-18T14:29:00.000-05:00

This week's Bonus Crush is actress Rebecca Hazlewood, lately of "Outsourced". Really, she's the best part of that show.

"Outsourced" isn't as terrible as everyone says, but it's not all that great, either. Basically, for me it acts as a bridge from "The Office" to "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". I'm eagerly awaiting the return of "Parks and Recreation", which should've never been banished from the fall in the first place.

Audio fruitcake: "Your Christmas Whiskey" by the Minus 5

2010-12-18T09:58:00.001-05:00

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Sometimes all it takes to get through the holidays is a wee nip or two. This Minus 5 Christmas song is a nice chunk of jangly* power pop and appears on Yep Roc Records' 2007 compilation Oh, Santa!

*Of course it's jangly, since R.E.M.'s Peter Buck is a member of the band.

Crush of the Week: Annie Little

2010-12-17T13:35:00.002-05:00

This week's Crush is actress and musician Annie Little. You likely know her as the star of the Kindle commercials, the music for which was provided by her duo Little & Ashley. She's also in a couple of holiday Marshalls/T.J. Maxx commercials that seem to air during every other commercial break, not that I'm complaining.

I can't recommend Little & Ashley's Christmas EP Winter Night highly enough. It hasn't left my iPod all season. (Their Kindle commercial music's great, too.)

Audio fruitcake: "You're All I Want For Christmas" by Jump, Little Children

2010-12-17T09:50:00.001-05:00

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One of my favorite bands from back in the day* was Charleston, SC's favorite sons Jump, Little Children. In 1999 the band mailed fans cassette singles (!) of their non-album track "You're All I Want For Christmas" and I was fortunate enough to be one of the recipients. This is one of my favorite modern day Christmas songs and I really wish they would've recorded more holiday stuff before breaking up. Oh, well. I'll always have that tape.

*"The day" being roughly 1996 until about 2000

Audio fruitcake: "It Snowed" by Meaghan Smith

2010-12-16T09:45:00.002-05:00

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Well, it looks like we're about to be dumped with several inches of the white stuff (snow, not nose candy), so I guess it's only appropriate that today's Audio Fruitcake is Meaghan Smith's "It Snowed". This song, which appeared on last year's Wish Upon a Star EP, extols the virtues of taking a snow day. Unfortunately for me, I still had to go into the office today while the rest of Richmond came to a preemptive stop. Let's hope my car will be able to navigate the way back.

"It Snowed" appears on my Christmas mix this year, which I will unveil sometime in the coming days.

Audio fruitcake: "Christmas on TV" by Chris Isaak

2010-12-15T09:50:00.000-05:00

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Christmas is a wonderful time, but let's face it: it can also get kind of depressing. And as far as sad Christmas songs go, Chris Isaak's "Christmas on TV" is a good 'un. The music isn't too much of a downer, but wallow in those lyrics, man.

This song is from his 2004 album Christmas. There was also an accompanying PBS special, which I've only seen once, but I remember it being a lot of fun.

Audio fruitcake: "Tell It on the Mountain" by Duvall

2010-12-14T09:45:00.001-05:00

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Smoking Popes produced one of my all-time favorite '90s alt rock albums (Born to Quit), so it's really no surprise that I dig the band that arose from their ashes, Duvall. And really, of the two full length release Duvall put out, I prefer their 2004 Christmas album O Holy Night. And their swinging, flanneled take on "Tell It on the Mountain" is my favorite on said Yuletide album.

Audio fruitcake: "Christmas Tree on Fire" by Holly Golightly

2010-12-13T09:55:00.001-05:00

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One of my favorite "new holiday chestnuts" (by my standards, anyway) is Holly Golightly's cover of Tom Heinl's "Christmas Tree on Fire", which she released as a single in 2006. I put this song on my '07 Christmas mix, which you can grab here.

I really love this song and keep meaning to delve into Holly Golightly's catalog, but always seem to forget to take the plunge. Maybe 2011 will be the year when I go for it.

Audio fruitcake: "Mary's Little Boy Child" by Harry Connick, Jr.

2010-12-12T11:14:00.000-05:00

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One of my favorite Christmas carols is a relatively recent discovery of mine: "Mary's Little Boy Child". Sure, Harry Belafonte's version is the original and may be considered the definitive one, but I prefer Harry Connick, Jr.'s take on the song. His piano and the horns give it a great New Orleans jazz sound. You can find it on his excellent 2003 album Harry for the Holidays.

Fun fact: this album was the soundtrack to the longest paper I ever wrote in my schooling career, an argument against smoking bans for my libertarianism seminar in law school.

Audio fruitcake: "Hibernation Day" by Jars of Clay

2010-12-11T09:52:00.001-05:00

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Sometimes it's just fun staying in while the weather outside is frightful.

This is from Jars of Clay's 2007 album of Christmas songs, imaginatively titled Christmas Songs. I also put it on my Christmas mix that year, which you can snag here.

Audio fruitcake: "Holiday Road" by Matt Pond PA

2010-12-10T10:05:00.000-05:00

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Okay, so this isn't a Christmas song per se, but Matt Pond PA's cover of Lindsey Buckingham's National Lampoon's Vacation theme song does give off an appropriate wintery vibe. After all, it's originally from their Winter Songs EP.

I like this song so much that I gave it the coveted lead off spot on my 2007 Christmas mix, which you can still snag here.

Audio fruitcake: "All My Bells Are Ringing" by Lenka

2010-12-09T10:05:00.000-05:00

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I find Lenka absolutely adorable and her music is just as precious, especially this song off of 2008's The Hotel Cafe presents Winter Songs. This is what you call frolic-in-the-moonlit-snow-and-then-cuddle-by-the-fire music. Or so I would think. I'm willing to test out my theory...ladies.

Hey, Lenka, isn't it about time for a new album?

Audio fruitcake: "Come All Ye Faithful" by Halford

2010-12-08T09:55:00.000-05:00

This is by far the most bombastic version of "O Come All Ye Faithful" that I've ever heard. And I've heard my share of CCM artists' takes on the carol. Leave it to the former lead singer of Judas Priest to outshine them.

The album this is taken from - 2009's Halford III - Winter Songs - is actually pretty fun. Metal!

Audio fruitcake: "Winter Weather" by Squrrel Nut Zippers

2010-12-07T09:55:00.003-05:00

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Brrrrrrrr! It's been pretty cold here in Richmond over the past few days...and I'm loving it! This is my kind of weather. It's no surprise then that "Winter Weather" is my kind of song. As far as Christmas/seasonal tunes go, this one doesn't seem to make the cut on most people's mixes and it's a shame.

The Squirrel Nut Zippers did justice to this song on their 1998 Christmas Caravan album, one of my annual go-tos. Their hot jazz serves as the perfect soundtrack to these sub zero days. It's like a McDLT for your ears!

(And since I'm trying not to repeat artists for this series, do check their take on "Sleigh Ride". Dig that breakdown at the end!)

Audio fruitcake: "Winter Wonderland/Misty Mountain Hop" by Fleming and John

2010-12-06T09:45:00.001-05:00

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"Hey, you got your Zeppelin in my beloved Christmas song"
"Hey, you got your beloved Christmas song in my Zeppelin."
"Righteous."

Audio fruitcake: "Suddenly It's Christmas" by Loudon Wainwright III

2010-12-05T10:15:00.003-05:00

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Granted, given the topic of this song - the feeling that "Christmastime comes earlier every year" - I should've made this the first post in this series. But I plumb forgot to. Anyway, "Suddenly It's Christmas" is a very funny, very true reflection of premature holiday craziness.

I've been a fan of Wainwright's since I first heard his Little Ship album in college. (It's definitely worth a listen.) I like his acting, too,; especially when he played Steven's dad Hal in the brilliant, done-too-soon series "Undeclared".

Audio fruitcake: "Let It Snow" by A Fine Frenzy

2010-12-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

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It seems only apt for me to choose "Let It Snow" as today's heaping helping of Yuletide goodness since Richmond's first snow of the season came down tonight. It wasn't much and nothing stuck to the ground, but it was still pretty to watch.

I think this version of the song, by former Crush of the Week A Fine Frenzy (née Alison Sudol) - off of the 2007 Stockings by the Fire compilation - is probably my favorite one. As the years go by, it seems my musical tastes get more and more Starbucksy and Lilith Fair-esque. Yeah, I don't know why, either.

Bonus Crush of the Week: Keri Russell

2010-12-03T13:05:00.001-05:00

This week's Bonus Crush is actress Keri Russell, lately of the recently canned "Running Wilde". She'll always be Elliot's sorority sister on "Scrubs" to me, though.

Hey, I liked "Running Wilde". It was no "Arrested Development", but how could the brilliance of that show be duplicated?

Audio fruitcake: "The Nutcracker Suite" by the Brian Setzer Orchestra

2010-12-03T11:20:00.001-05:00

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Who would've thought that years after his star had faded, former Stray Cat Brian Setzer would have a career renaissance as a bandleader specializing in swinging Christmas songs? Bully for him. This has eight minute condensation is my favorite interpretation of Tchaikovsky's work

Fun Fact: I've never actually seen a full performance of The Nutcracker. Strange, considering that I enjoy all the meats of our cultural stew.

Crush of the Week: Belinda Stewart-Wilson

2010-12-03T09:55:00.000-05:00

This week's Crush is actress Belinda Stewart-Wilson, who was in the late and dearly missed "The Inbetweeners".

Will's mom is fit!

Audio fruitcake: "Christmas with the Jews" by Elizabeth and the Catapult

2010-12-02T10:20:00.001-05:00

Christmas with the Jews from Dan Molad on Vimeo.

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Even though today's slice of audio fruitcake - Elizabeth and the Catapult's "Christmas with Jews" - was recorded in 2008, it takes me back to the late '90s. I was living in Northern Virgina and a severe ice storm hit right before Christmas. There was no way I was going to make it down to Richmond to meet my family. So a Jewish friend of mine invited me over to spend Christmas Eve with his family and friends. While we didn't do any of the activities mentioned in this song, we did have a very fun time.

P.S. I met up with my family on Christmas morning.

Happy ~~Chaka Khan~~ Chanukah!

Audio fruitcake: "Merry Christmas Eve" by Better Than Ezra

2010-12-01T10:10:00.001-05:00

I love Christmas music. Carols, secular, traditional, contemporary, whatever. For the month of December I pretty much exclusively listen to the stuff. Actually, I usually begin listening to holiday tunes around September each year, to prepare for my annual Christmas mix. Unlike most people, I never seem to get sick of them.

Much like how I did with the "spookymendations" of horror movies around Halloween, for the month of December I plan on posting one of my favorite Yuletide (or otherwise) songs every day, though considering how busy this time of year is you'll have to cut me some slack if I miss a day or two.

So, without further ado, here is today's slice of audio fruitcake: "Merry Christmas Eve" by Better Than Ezra

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This joyful ditty combines two of my musical passions: Christmas songs and '90s corporate alt rock. "Merry Christmas Eve", a B-side to Better Than Ezra's "Rosealia" single from 1995, is rife - RIFE! - with seasonal imagery and is probably my favorite contemporary Christmas song. I like it so much, I made it the lead off track on my very first Christmas mix, back in 1999.

Unfortunately, the above live performance is inferior to the original studio version, but I couldn't find a video for the latter.

My Autumn Mix 2010

2010-11-30T10:05:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I wanted to get this up quite a while back, but real life got in the way. So think of it as sort of an appetizer for next month's A Very Micah Christmas.

Not everything on this year's Autumn Mix is available for streaming, so the rest are here (YouTube links where available):

The Mysteries of Life - "I Need To Know Where I Stand"
Eels - "I Like the Way This Is Going"
John Doe & the Sadies - "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I"
Devon Sproule - "Don't Hurry For Heaven"
Cotton Jones - "Somehow To Keep It Going"
Dave Van Ronk - Cocaine Blues"
Elvis Costello - "The Comedians (Demo)"
John Wesley Harding - "Be With Him"
Karen Kilgariff - "Look At Your Phone/Jesus (Live)"
Sara Schiralli - "Bang Bang"
Belle & Sebastian with Norah Jones - Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John"
Katie Melua - "A Moment of Madness"
Crowded House - "Even If"
Odds - "The Last Drink"

Other seasonal mixes of mine can be found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and Doctor.

Requiem for Lt. Frank Drebin

2010-11-29T20:29:00.000-05:00

R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen, 1926-2010.

I sincerely hope that while his doctor was attending to him, someone would periodically enter the room and say, "I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you."

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Thirteen

2010-11-27T10:05:00.000-05:00

I was put in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey this year. So yesterday morning I got everything ready and was set to go, except for one little detail: my big ass turkey frying pot was still in Richmond (and extremely grimy). Luckily, Mom had a back-up turkey roast waiting in the wings and Thanksgiving was saved. The deep fried turkey was then reserved for today's family get together for the big Ohio State/Michigan game. Funny how things work out.

And what does the Great Xbox 360 Swami see when it gazes into its crystal processor? Well, the CPU vs. CPU match foresaw the following:

Ohio State 49, Michigan 16

God bless us, everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I've been charged with deep frying the bird this year (no pressure!), so if you'll excuse me, I've got to prep my turkey. Get your mind out of the gutter. It's a family holiday.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Twelve

2010-11-20T10:45:00.000-05:00

Well, as the November winds pick up and Thanksgiving dinner preparations are made, Richmond must close its regular season against the mighty ~~Tribe~~ Politically Correct Whatever They're Called Nows. How will the Spiders (and the Buckeyes, for that matter) do? Only the Great Xbox 360 Swami knows. Here are this afternoon's outcomes, as predicted through a series of CPU vs. CPU matches:

Ohio State 34, Iowa 17

Richmond 31, William & Mary 23

Word to your mother.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Eleven

2010-11-13T13:23:00.000-05:00

I've got a lot to do (so much that I forget to submit picks to my own college football pool this week), so there's no time to write a witty little introduction. Here are the Great Xbox 360 Swami's CPU vs. CPU picks for the afternoon:

Ohio State 40, Penn State 24

Richmond 3, Rhode Island 10

Those are the games and I am outta here.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Ten

2010-11-06T11:06:00.000-04:00

Halloween's over, November's here. While we rake leaves and sip hot apple cider, the Great Xbox 360 Swami is busy crunching numbers, predicting who will win today's game via a CPU vs. CPU match. So, what's in store this afternoon? Glad you asked:

Richmond 24, JMU 25

Loverly.

Song to close out the weekend: "The Curse" by Josh Ritter

2010-10-31T23:35:00.000-04:00

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The release of this year's Autumn Mix is imminent (it's been ready for a while, but distribution's been hampered by my laptop getting hit with a virus). As a teaser, one of the included tracks is this Halloween-appropriate song by Josh Ritter, "The Curse".

This was really a hard choice for me, since there's another story song on his latest album So Runs the World Away that I love equally. So here's a bonus track of sorts: "Another New World"

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Why I love Halloween Part VI

2010-10-31T13:05:00.001-04:00

"Victoria's Secret now has Halloween costumes. I hope they have an Iron Man for my son." - Jim Gaffigan

And the Micah World tradition continues!

Bonus: Worst "Sexy" Halloween Costumes 2010

Today's spookymendation: "Shaun of the Dead"

2010-10-31T09:35:00.001-04:00

I saved the best for last.

Today's spookymendation: "Trick 'r Treat"

2010-10-30T20:56:00.000-04:00

If you want a Halloween-themed horror flick, but are tired of Michael Myers, check this one out.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Nine

2010-10-30T10:17:00.001-04:00

It was a DARK and STORMY (yet sunny) afternoon. Some TERRIFYING skirmishes broke out on HAUNTED grassy fields across the land. Does GOOD triumph over EVIL? The MYSTERIOUS, Vincent Price-like mustached Great Xbox 360 Swami, through some FRIGHTENING CPU vs. CPU THRILLS, predicts the following NANCY PELOSIS:

GHOULhio State 35, MinneSCAREta 33

RichMUMMY 51, VillaBOO!va 23

I'm scared! And happy!

Today's spookymendation: "Salem's Lot"

2010-10-29T10:25:00.000-04:00

This scene scared the crap out of me when I was a kid.

Today's spookymendation: "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"

2010-10-28T10:05:00.000-04:00

You know, the adults were real a-holes. Just because the neighborhood has a loser kid doesn't mean you have to give him a rock when he trick or treats.

Today's spookymendation: "Manos: The Hands of Fate"

2010-10-27T10:25:00.000-04:00

Terrible movie (made by a fertilizer salesman, of course). Hilarious MST3K riffing. Just a little something to get you ready for tomorrow night's RiffTrax live event.

Today's spookymendation: "Day of the Dead"

2010-10-26T10:05:00.001-04:00

It's certainly not Romero's best zombie flick, but it's also not Diary of the Dead-level bad, either. For that we can all be happy.

Requiem for the Cool Ruler

2010-10-26T07:45:00.000-04:00

R.I.P. Gregory Isaacs, 1950-2010.

His was the first non-Marley reggae music I got into. I mean, really, can you beat this:

(link)

No, you cannot. He's with the night nurse now.

Today's spookymendation: the Simpsons' "Treehouse of Horror"

2010-10-25T10:05:00.000-04:00

For years "The Simpsons" has produced consistently funny Halloween specials and that is yet another reason why it's the greatest television show ever.

Song to close out the weekend: "The Horror" by RJD2

2010-10-24T22:49:00.000-04:00

(link)

Hey, it's Halloweentime! It might as well sound like it.

Today's spookymendation: "Disney's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

2010-10-24T19:53:00.000-04:00

One of my earliest Halloween memories is of watching this with my brother in his room. I watched it again today and totally forgot that Bing Crosby was the narrator.

Today's spookymendation: "1408"

2010-10-23T23:47:00.001-04:00

I haven't stayed in a room numbered 1408 since seeing this movie. Or before seeing it, for that matter.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Eight

2010-10-23T11:46:00.000-04:00

Even though my computer was struck with a virus a couple of days ago and most of my concerns have been directed toward that matter, I still found time, dear reader, to run a couple of CPU vs. CPU matches to predict the outcomes of today's games. Luckily, the Great Xbox 360 Swami was unaffected by the viral assault.

Ohio State 32, Purdue 47

Richmond 35, Towson 49

Computer viruses suck almost as much as the above forecasts.

Today's spookymendation: "Night of the Living Dead"

2010-10-22T23:25:00.001-04:00

I've spent the better part of the day trying to restore my computer to its pre-virus state, so here's a quick no-brainer (har har!) for you. Remember: Cooper was right.

Today's spookymendation: the "Community" Halloween episode

2010-10-21T10:20:00.001-04:00

This episode of "Community" ("Introduction to Statistics") would rank as a Halloween TV classic even if it only included Chevy Chase tripping out while dressed up as the Beastmaster. But it contains much, much more comedy goodness than that.

Today's spookymendation: "Pyscho"

2010-10-20T09:45:00.002-04:00

It still holds up after all these years.

Today's spookymendation: Dead Man's Bones

2010-10-19T11:05:00.000-04:00

Actor Ryan Gosling's musical side project didn't need a haunted children's chorus to make its music creepier. But it doesn't hurt.

Today's spookymendation: "Ghostbusters"

2010-10-18T10:25:00.000-04:00

Bustin' makes me feel good.

Today's spookymendation: "The Shining"

2010-10-17T14:39:00.000-04:00

As a Stephen King adaption, it's terrible. As its own horror movie, it's a classic.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Seven

2010-10-16T10:05:00.000-04:00

It's a busy, busy Saturday for me. I have to write this post and work on two - TWO! - mixes and their requisite cover art. Due to the weight loss, all of my old cargos fit like clown pants, so I should buy at least one pair to keep me going while the temperatures dip. I have to straighten up the house and the yard. And then I have Pumpkinpalooza to attend, which I'm really looking forward to. Honestly, I don't think I'll watch much football today. I may be unreliable, but the Great Xbox 360 Swami won't let you down. Here are the results of today's CPU vs. CPU matches.

Ohio State 40, Wisconsin 37

Richmond 31, UMass 38

Where did I leave my keys?

Today's spookymendation: "Dead Rising"

2010-10-16T09:16:00.001-04:00

Today's spookymendation: "Dead Rising". Admittedly, I haven't gotten too far in this video game, but there's something satisfying about mowing down (literally!) an endless sea of zombies.

Today's spookymendation: "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" by Tracy Jordan

2010-10-15T10:05:00.001-04:00

Spooky! Scary! I still think this is the funniest thing ever on "30 Rock". When this clip first showed up, I must've replayed it a dozen times.

Today's spookymendation: "Poltergeist"

2010-10-14T09:55:00.000-04:00

Ever since seeing this as a kid, I've thought twice each time I've eaten fried chicken.

Today's spookymendation: "Paranormal Activity"

2010-10-13T10:25:00.000-04:00

From what I gather, people who watch this fall into one of two camps: 1) "Loved it!" or 2) "Boring!" I belong squarely in the former group and thought the movie was really effective. Sometimes less is more, people.

Today's spookymendation: "6 Feet Deep" by Gravediggaz

2010-10-12T09:45:00.002-04:00

Looking for the best horrorcore album ever recorded? Seek out Six Feet Deep by supergroup Gravediggaz. Johnny Mathis never sounded so creepy!

Today's spookymendation: "Alien"

2010-10-11T10:05:00.000-04:00

As far as sci-fi horror films go, this one can't be beat.

Today's spookymendation: "World War Z"

2010-10-10T15:32:00.000-04:00

While it's not terribly scary, the oral history format does liven up the zombie genre. A great read.

Today's spookymendation: "Dawn of the Dead" (2004)

2010-10-09T12:41:00.000-04:00

By all accounts, I should hate this movie: Unnecessary remake of a classic? Running zombies? But it works. Plus, it's got one of the best opening credits sequences ever, with Johnny Cash scoring the breakdown of society.