Only Time Will Tell

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Dear Comments and Callers,

In the last year I have actually found something new on the internet that I have grown to make a part of my daily surfing routine. I guess the correct term is blog, but I am not sure that fits. Perhaps Industry Blog?

My favorites are TV Squad and Engadget. These are closely followed by NintendowWiiFanboy, Cinematical and Digg. These sites (except Digg) review or discuss current topics in their respective fields.

If you have never tried Digg think USA Today meets Google News on steroids. Surfers can “digg” a story and then it rises up the list of current hot stories.

With that explanation aside let me get on to my rant.

At the end of each of the stories on the above sites, there is a place for comments. People can chime in, point out flaws, agree with the poster or most of the time, be a complete ass.

People will get on and begin attacking the poster or someone else who has made a comment just for the sake of attacking them. Why? Does it make you feel better? Do you think you might convince ANYONE that you are right?

The internet has brought us many fine things. It has created many new ways to communicate. It has allowed some of us to make money while sitting at home in front of a screen in our Homer slippers.

This also applies to callers on a sports talk radio station. When driving, I will listen to ESPN radio or Sirius NASCAR Radio while I drive. I am interested in what they have to say and it helps pass the time in rotten Chicago traffic. I genuinely like to listen when a coach/athlete/driver comes on and talks. I have also surprised myself by not changing the channel even though someone I dislike is being interviewed.

What kills me (and makes me change the channel) are callers. Why? Why call up a radio show and prove how stupid you really are? What’s the point?

What makes it worse is that when I am listening to NASCAR radio, the bad callers almost always have the thickest southern accents. (INSERT YOUR OWN SOUTHERNER/NASCAR JOKE HERE) It’s not that they are stupid because they are from the south. I lived in the south for a good chunk of my childhood. There are just as many stupid northerners are there are southerners. The accent just seems to make it worse.

Everyone has heard the phrase “If you can’t say anything nice…” How about we try that for a while? Do I think that we should all agree on everything? Hell no. If you post or call ake sure to follow these guidelines:

1. Have a point

2. Speak/write clearly

3. Support your idea with facts and examples

4. Remember to accept criticism gracefully

These are the same things that we hope for from the folks who publish/broadcast the very content we love to read.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Dear World,

Blog… What is it? What do I want it to be? Who knows?

Mostly, I think I just want to vent at the outside world.

First, I want to say that I am indeed the biggest hypocrite in the world. I will use this space to rail on things that bother me yet I will do very little (if anything) to change them.

Let me tell you about me. I am 39 years old. I own my own production company. I am married to a wonderful woman (N) and have two great kids (M & C). I am overweight and I do very little to take care of myself. I used to have 2 full time jobs but then lost them both in the span of 4 months. I was downsized at one and I suddenly became unqualified for the other (after eight years of doing my job well, go figure).

I work all the time, when I am not; I love to hang out with my kids. They are homeschooled (thanks to my wife) so schedules are easier. We love to play with our Wii (not a dirty thing) and we all love to watch TV. Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters and America’s Funniest Home Videos are our favorites.

There are many shows that N and I watch that help prove that TV is NOT a vast wasteland. Battlestar Galactica is one that comes to mind.

What else do I care about? I love Kevin Smith. I love Asia (and that is NOT how you know I am gay). I love the Goo Goo Dolls. I love great books. I love Indy Car racing.

Do I expect people to read this? No. Do I care if they do? No. I am doing this in hopes of getting some things off my chest. Every day I hear something that just seems to make no sense to me. I wonder if other people feel the same way I do. I wonder why there are not protests and why people are not rioting in the streets.

That’s it. There is more but it does not seem to be pertinent now. If I think that it is, I will share.

Enjoy!

Monday, March 26, 2007

We are home!

After a week and a half on the road we are home! It was a great time and there are tons of great memories! On Sunday we planned to go to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. I say planned because a word to the wise... buy tickets ahead of time!

No big deal though. We got home earlier and got top get unpacked and have dinner in peace. We also go to watch the best season finale ever: Battlestar Galactica! It was awesome. New cylons and Kara is back. It was great!