Jeremy's World

I’m not sure I want to know how this injury happened…How embarrassing.

I use the Facebook app on my Blackberry as my primary interface for updating my status and keeping up with my friends.  It’s great, and very much aids the crack addiction that is Facebook.  However, it has some limitations.  It doesn’t give you all those nice invitations and stuff that people post on your profile.  Maybe that’s a good thing?

I logged into the regular web interface last night and found this.  Holy crap, have I neglected so much of my Facebook experience.  That said, am I really missing out?  I mean, I like to think I’d fair well in a “Nicest Person Contest,” and I suppose I could use a “(lil) Green Patch” (though it sounds like there’s probably an ointment for that).  I could probably join the “Save the Gay Baby Whales for Jesus” cause…But is all that stuff a good thing?  I can’t seem to find the time for it.

So, I guess I am a Facebook loser.  I should probably update my status accordingly.

A friend of mine recently posted on his blog that he and his wife just got a minivan.  In writing about it, Fred points out how "conforming" (buying a minivan) actually is rebellion since today is the day of SUV’s for soccer mom’s.  Minivans are so 1998 and therefore, cool again in a non-conforming, rage against the machine kind of way.  Ok, Fred was kidding (sort of) with the post.  But it got me thinking…

Is "conforming" really an uncool, bad thing?

I’m not convinced it is, ’cause, well, if it is, then I’m way not cool.  I am proud to state the following about this average guy:

• I enjoy reality TV, particularly "American Idol."
• I don’t get the infatuation with bands like the Mildewed Oranges (or whatever they are called).  It’s acoustic guitar with a melody that is hardly impressive.  What’s the appeal?
• I love NFL football.  Not college, not European Football (soccer), not rugby…the regular old NFL.
• I watch and enjoy mainstream television.  "24" is pretty cool and "King of Queens" reruns can keep me entertained for hours.
• I watch and laugh my ass off at comedians like Larry the Cable Guy.
• I don’t like wine.  I guess I’m unsophisticated.
• I can spend the better part of the day watching VH-1 "Behind the Music" marathons on TV and not feel badly about it.
• Movies like "Vantage Point" (which my wife and I recently saw) entertain me.  Movies don’t have to be all deep and moving to be good.  See most any Sandra Bullock movie, which I usually also find entertaining.
• I like some contemporary country/rock music.  I’m a rocker, but I like me some non-twangy country (I’m looking at you Keith Urban and Little Big Town).
• I don’t get Twitter.  (Note: It’s the rage right now at work…maybe I’ll understand why someday).  Same goes for Second Life.
• I’ll read David Baldacci before poetry of any kind.
• Microsoft is not evil.
• I’m going to see Bon Jovi next month (that’s 2008, not 1988) and I can’t freakin’ wait.
• I prefer pleats in the front of my pants.
• King of the Hill > Family Guy.
• I prefer Leno to Letterman.

I’m sure there are a thousand more examples.  I guess what I’m saying is, I can like the same mainstream things that the majority of people like and not be a dork.  "Conforming" does not mean uncool.  If it does then, well, I’m proudly uncool.

I shouldn’t be surprised by this anymore, but I couldn’t believe the contents of the "Latest Video" portlet on a website I visited. Not a bit of good news on there except for the Giants win over Green Bay last night (which isn’t good news in Green Bay). And we wonder how people become cynical.

How are we supposed to be good evangelicals talking about a loving and just God when stuff like this happens? I know that isn’t a new question, but it’s still a pretty damn good one. Chime in…I’d be curious on your thoughts.

All I was trying to do is watch this video of this idiot getting a tattoo on his head…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8guMii5Uuw

Bon Jovi, who I am unashamed to say is my favorite band of all time, is coming to Greensboro, NC on March 16. Daughtry – probably the most successful American Idol contestant who didn’t win – is opening. Awesome show, I’m sure. So, Jenn and I decided, "What the hell, let’s go see them."

I logged on to TicketMaster on Friday for the "Internet Pre-Sale" event. Well, seems one has to be a member of the official Bon Jovi fan club to be able to do that (as an aside, I see someone is selling their password on eBay). $50 per person to be in the "club." Nah. So, I wait until they officially go on sale at 10:00 this morning.

First pass on "best available" returns 200 level seats straight away from the stage, clear at the other end of the stadium. Um, no. Try again…try again…try again…Finally there are some just-ok tickets available. Again, "What the hell, let’s get them."

Now, I’m a big fan of capitalism and all, but I find it retarded that decent tickets can’t be had at a decent price. Sure, you can get killer tickets on the floor near the front on StubHub. Just give them your credit card number and $700 per ticket you’re golden! Psh. Maybe in 1989 on the New Jersey tour. But considering I was in high school then and made $3.35 an hour flipping burgers, um, no.

So yeah, we’re going. Their latest album isn’t my favorite of theirs, but it’s ok. It’s not my least favorite so that’s better I guess. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to go, and Daughtry will be very cool to see. But the ticket-buying experience and lack of ticket availability just as they officially go on sale (yes, I was online right at 10:00 like a middle school girl) pisses me off as a fan of 25 years.

Rock on, and get off my lawn.

I was reading up on Wikipedia about one of the candidates for the upcoming presidential election. In the “Presidential Campaign” section, I found this inserted disclaimer rather interesting:

So basically, this says that “we expect that this person will waffle and change their position as the election approaches.” Niiiice.

My band is auditioning guitar players to add to our lineup. To do so, we placed ads in the usual places, once of which is Raleigh Music.com. This is the site I originally used when I found Rob and Jonny for the original lineup. Anyway, the ad said:

Established Rock Cover Band Seeks Additional Guitar Player

Aftershock is looking to enhance our sound by adding a new/additional guitar player to our established lineup. We are a rock cover band, lots of 80’s rock with other party favorites being added to appeal to the local bar/club scene. We play out a couple times a month and are working to expand our rotation to include the downtown Raleigh clubs also. We practice a few times a month and have practice space.

We’re looking for someone with solid chops and the ability and desire to play both rhythm and split lead duties. We’re not looking for note-by-note solo copies, but hitting signature riffs is a must. Professional gear and attitude are musts. We’re not in this for the money. We do this for fun. No drugs or drama.

Simple, right? We had a few responses, and Rob was responsible for replying and setting up auditions for those who seemed “cool” on the phone. One guy, whose name I’ll omit, jerked Rob around by selling himself highly, pointing us to his MySpace page where he had samples of his guitar masturbation songs and basically told us, “If you heard me, you would add me to your band because I would make you great.” And the funniest part…His picture actually had an MS Paint edited version where he sloppily put black splotches on his head to cover his bald spots. Hilarious.

Yeah…Not even worth an audition. But here’s the REALLY funny part…

Continue reading…

Jenn had some friends over last week and we had an interesting conversation. All of her girlfriends who get together one night a week to do girlfriend things have pre-school aged kids. One mom stated, “[Fill in the name] is ready to move past where she is in her class. But, I asked the teacher about it who said, ‘We can’t go past where the whole class is because everyone need to be at the same place going into kindergarten. They’ll teach her that stuff in kindergarten.’”

So, kiddo is ready to be challenged more than she currently is, but the pre-school (which is something we pay for by the way) can’t (or won’t) challenge the kids ready to take it up a notch for fear of them being ahead of their peers come kindergarten next year. Wow. Just…wow.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for (the theory of, not our implementation of) “No Child Left Behind.” But “No Child Allowed Forward” doesn’t seem like a logical extension of that to me.

I’m “only” 34 years old. Why does my body feel 60? One big reason is my recent experience with herniated discs. Yep, my 34 year old back blew out on me a few weeks ago. What I thought was just my “back thrown out” turned into 2 herniated discs and a bunch of other medical mumbo jumbo that basically means I am getting old.

In the interest of trying to do as little as possible to fix it, I’ve opted for the most minimally invasive approach to therapy. Doing nothing. Just kidding. I did a little physical therapy which was kinda worthless. I also went through 5 rounds of cortisone and nerve blocker injections (3 in the “wrong place” and 2 in the “right place”). Couple that with Vicoden, anti-inflamatories and muscle relaxers and I should be good, right?

I thought things were getting better for awhile. The pain shooting down my leg and up to my shoulder was gone (or at least masked by drugs) and I was fairly mobile. I hadn’t been lifting anything and was able to play drums in my bands. Then this weekend, something happened. I woke up Monday and couldn’t hardly move. I had to email in sick at work (I freakin’ HATE doing that) and spent the day medicated and on my back. Today I was still sore but decided I could make it through work.

I was doing alright, sitting at my desk doing my thing. I started typing an email – innocuous enough activity – and BAM! Pain shot from both of my hips to my my ankles and I shot back in my chair like I had been struck by lightening. WTF!? I wasn’t doing anything to cause that! And now my back is back to feeling like it was when I was first diagnosed. My lovely wife brought meds, heat packs and ice packs by the office and I stumbled through the rest of the day. Even as I sit here now I am drenched in sweat from excruciating back pain. Neat.

I moved my doctor’s appointment at the Carolina Back Institute up a week. We’ll talk tomorrow about what is the likely inevitable next step…cutting me open.

It really sucks getting old.