Explore the Concrete Beach

That is the time I started writing this. I am currently at work at this odd hour. I started at 8PM to turn over a new system and of course when it was suppose to be easy, it’s not!

I’ve been listening to MIS people go back and forth trying to figure out what went wrong and they can’t so I am stuck here in my cube, in the dark because they shut off the lights on our floor at 9.

Luckily I have a light at my desk and the computer moniter to help me see.

It’s no secret I don’t like my job, really I’m more bored with it. A few days ago I sent off my resume to another company in another state. I’ve determined it’s time to move on. Sitting here at 12:45AM on a Friday night is not doing my 28 year-old self any good and it’s time for a change.

I hope I get an interview for the job I applied for, but we’ll see. I should here something in the next two weeks.

So what is the real reason the Penguins have to win tonight?

Well, for one thing it spares all of the City of Pittsburgh from having collective heart attacks at the same time, but the real reason the Penguins must end this series tonight is it will stop Pittsburgh sports writers and bloggers from posting the same story tomorrow.

If you’re asking “what story?” You don’t know your Penguins history and you can just sit tight on the bandwagon and figure out 8787 ways to yell “Shoooooooot” during a Power Play. I know every sports writer has their little anecdote ready for a game 7 piece and it probably goes something like this:

The first game played by the Penguins 43 years ago in the then Civic Arena was played against a now familiar foe, the Montreal Canadiens, but unfortunately for the Penguins that ended in a 2-1 loss to the Habs. Will history repeat itself? Will the Penguins find themselves removed from another Stanley Cup run because of a building coming “full circle”? Could the Pens time at the Mellon Arena end just like it began?  Quite possibly, if the blah blah blah criticize defense, Malkin, Fleury, the earth revolving around the sun, pigeons, Disco Dan’s tie or some other non-sense…

Yep, you’ll all read that tomorrow if the Penguins do not finish off the Montreal Canadiens tonight. So get praying to the hockey gods because any game 5-7 makes me queasy enough in the stomach to cause an acid volcano, I don’t need to add a heart attack.

And can you imagine the TV reporters going nuts with this story? I don’t to hear this beaten to death either.

So please hockey god’s spare use from “clever,” but un-original stories in tomorrow’s paper and hockey blogs and make them full of Eastern Conference Final stories. I don’t need to hear how history might repeat itself because of something 43 years ago, but I know every writer had their story ready to go before game 6 is even played.

There’s only one way the Mellon Arena should go, and that is to go out in style with  a repeat of last years history. 

And with that I say:

Yesterday was my hooding ceremony for my Masters Degree, woo! So things should start moving along here a lot better. It was an early morning as the ceremony started at 9AM and I had to be there by 8AM.

This is why:

Yep, water. Today I was volunteered for the Pittsburgh Marathon. I was at a water station in front of the Rivers Casino on the North Shore with a few people I’ve met on Twitter. After all these cups were filled with water and stacked two tiers high there was more water in the form of rain. Yep right as the first set of wheeled racers zipped by it started raining then as the day went on it went from pouring to a slow rain to pouring down again.

The runners didn’t seem to mind, a lot of them looked to be enjoying it. I could never do a marathon, or the half, maybe if I walked it…maybe.

I did get to see a lot of people I know so congratulations to them for finishing their race despite a bomb scare near the finish line. It was a good time and thanks to the location, I got to play some slots afterward.

Today, I do not care about an animal seeing its shadow; I care about what’s inside a smoke monster or more specifically what it is as today is the beginning of the end of one of my favorite TV shows, LOST!

On Twitter people are quoting lines from an awful Bill Murray movie and think they are being wacky and funny, but it’s a little annoying and just needs to stop, because no one cares that much and is Bill Murray even relevant anymore?

Didn’t think so?

So, previously on LOST we saw Juliet pound the hydrogen bomb with a rock and we got a white screen left to wonder, if the plan worked. Did the hydrogen bomb reset the timeline for our castaways returning them to their rightful place in time? Did the bomb not explode? Or did something else entirely happen? Well if you saw the first 4 minutes that were “leaked” (BTW folks ABC totally leaked that for you) you kind of know the answer to this.

The first hour was premiered in Hawaii the other day and based on the Tweets from the premiere the first hour sounds like it’s going to be a blast. There are spoilers out there for the first hour, but I refuse to read them though an annoying co-worker keeps going around saying “I know what happens on LOST tonight. Do you want to know?” I now know that co-worker has the mind of a 7 year-old, a really dumb 7 year-old with no social skills.

Anywho, I know not all of the questions won’t be answered for me in this final season, but here are a few questions I want answered by the end of the season:

1)      What the hell do the numbers mean? I mean they constantly use these numbers, so it has to have some meaning right?

2)      Who or what is the Smoke Monster? Is it another form of the man in black, can’t be because that’s the fake Locke, right? Is it another form of Jacob? Please tell me what it is

3)      Who were the Adam and Eve Skeletons? Were they someone the castaways knew?

4)      I know everyone hated Nikki and Pablo, I sure did, but if the timeline was reset I would like to know what happened to them. Because if it was reset did all the people that died really die? Charlie, Doc Artz, Boone (who was confirmed to be coming back)?

5)      Richard Alpert? Who is he, and what is part in the island mythology?

If those 5 questions are answered then I will be happy with this season. I’ll let the rest of the unknown answers surprise me.

If you are a true LOST fan then I know you probably read Doc Jensen and his ramblings on EW.com. If not Doc and Dan Snierson premiere their first episode of “Totally Lost” today, you can click HERE to view.

So what questions do you want answered in this finale season of LOST? Let everyone know in the comments section.

Sometimes I get fascinated with a concept I become borderline obsessed with it then my ADD kicks in and I move on to something else. I’m like a little kid who can be distracted by shiny objects at times, but then 6 months to a year later I pick up on it again. I use to do this with video games. I would play one game for months no matter how many times I would beat the game then I would get so bored with it I would just toss it aside and be all, “This game is so boring. Why am I even playing it?” Though it did entertain me for a good long while, I was really over it.

I wouldn’t call it a habit, but it still happens today. I will be so involved in a game, project or something around the house (like remodeling my bedroom) then I will just stop, I want to continue but for some reason I just can’t. I do this when I blog. I have so many ideas written down on what to write about and when I got to write, I say to myself, “I’ll write this tomorrow.” Then I never do. I get distracted with other minor things and then it just sounds like making excuses for not writing, but I just can’t. It’s hard to describe. I get everything ready from pictures or a YouTube video and then when I go to write the post that I have been formulating in my head from hour to days it’s like my mind let’s out a giant brain fart and poof their goes the desire to write and post.

Yet, when I am at work I want to write and post things. I find articles and other things I share on Twitter and people will respond to them and I feel like I should expand on my Twitter comment later when I get home so I can pull the images and videos I need since my job pretends to like communication and sharing thoughts and ideas, yet blocks the tools to do so, and then I just don’t do it. I don’t know what prevents me from doing so something just clicks in my brain and is all like, “Nope you’re not going to do it, go play Mega Man 3 on the Wii, Dr. Wily awaits. Look at the flashy screen the fast moving colors…what was I going to do again oh yeah Mega Man 3?” Evil laugh from my brain :Mwahahaha: because it clearly won again.

There are so many videos I want to make and projects I want to do but I don’t know what’s preventing me from accomplishing these things. I start working on them then poof. This happens when I have to do things like update my resume because it hasn’t been done in months. I think I look awful on paper, but I tend to way tougher on myself then other people are to me. This probably sounds awful, but I laugh at my resume, not because I think it’s bad but how random it is.

I have a B.A in Journalism only because my concentration was Advertising and PR, and I never claim to be a journalist and find most people that are “journalists” annoying and out of touch with the people they write for. I have an MBA in Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management. My work experience includes a long stint at an amusement park, then a radio station, retail and the banking industry. The plus side to all of this is I know a lot of random crap. It has its positives and negatives to knowing randomness.

I feel it’s better to know a lot of random things then just one thing. Because no one really cares if you can find a dangling participle, it’s something you don’t brag about, yet I know some people who are grammar Nazi’s and it drives me nuts. Instead of enjoying a funny story or column you get, “Well their comma usage is atrocious and their sentence structure isn’t perfect.” At that point I just sigh and say never mind, thanks for being a writing douche. I feel people write to share and if a person can’t lighten up and if the only thing a person can do while reading is criticize how something is written or if a comma is out of place, well then they got some issues. The funny part is the people who think they are the kings and queens of grammar can’t take the criticism when they make a mistake and I usually find their writing boring.

Well how was that for random post? There’s  probably two posts in this, but I don’t care. It’s what I was thinking and that’s what part of this blog is about.

Tonight begins the 9^th season of American Idol and probably the first season with a drastic change. I know they added a 4^th judge last year, but to me that is not as drastic as the loss of an original judge, Paula Abdul, the addition of comedian/talk show host Ellen Degeneres and the announcement this will be Simon Cowell leaving the Idol judging panel after this season to bring his British hi ‘The X Factor’ to America in 2011.

Good move for Simon, but I don’t think it’s the end of Idol.

Not yet at least.

Being a fan of the show since the beginning I can point to the bad, Wild Card Rounds, Katharine McPhee V.S. Taylor Hicks, Ryan Seascrest’s frosted tipped hair in season 2 and the good, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Adam Lambert (yes, his CD is really good), Melinda Doolittle, and if you can’t tell there has been a lot more good than bad in the past 8 seasons.

So, why won’t idol just go away after Simon leaves? The show pulls in 20+ million viewers an episode, and is a cash cow for Fox. It’s not going anywhere until something beats it in the rating and beats them badly. Secondly, the show is not about the judges for me. I tend to disagree with them a lot, they have been known to push certain people that are considered marketable, and they are not what the shows about. The show is about singing and I think many Americans forget that quite often, look at the Sanjaya fiasco in season 6, it was funny for a moment then it got old fast and yes better singers went before the screech fest that was Sanjaya was sent packing.

I hope Ellen actually judges. I know she was brought in to be the “nice” judge, but based on her appearance this summer on ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ I don’t have high hopes, but I will give her credit she can be entertaining, I hope her Idol judging seat doesn’t turn into an HBO Comedy Special like on ‘Dance.’

If there was one judge I would like to see go it would be Randy, who hasn’t had an original quote or though since season 2. I’m sick of hearing “you can sing the telephone book dog, but…” It’s old and over like his career. Randy in season 9 could you please be original and to Kara, please don’t ever write or co-write the winners song ever again.

Tonight starts with the Boston Audition round with guest judge Victoria Beckham. Should be interesting, but these audition rounds have lost their luster; let’s see if the producers can make them interesting again. They tend to follow people who make it past this round and tell their whole story during Hollywood week and then they don’t make top 24 and the audience is like ‘Why did you spend 6 weeks telling us their story?” Let’s find out about the contestants who actually make the show than ones that came close.

So another season begins tonight. I’ll be watching, but will you?

My co-worker, Kristine, said the other day said to me, “So, now that you’re done with grad school, what are your goals? Like what’s your 5-year plan?”

I gave her a look, which I often give to people and if you know me you’ve scene it before, the look of “you’re kidding right? :eye roll:” Yeah, the eye roll is a bad habit of mine, but I’m not one to hide his feelings on something. I replied to her, “I hate that question.”

Yes, I hate the “what’s your 5/10 year plan?” question. I don’t like to predict the future for myself and I don’t let “fate” take me wherever it wants, typically I find people who wait for something to happen usually get left behind.

I don’t believe in making plans for myself, because “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” When that happens you gotten continually change and adapt.

This poster is just so wrong.

Yesterday, I work I let it slip (mostly on purpose) that I wanted to find a new job by the end of the year. It’s not because I hate the company I work for or my current job, I just want to do something different and maybe more in tune with what I spent the last year in grad school doing. I mean how many people have a MBA in Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management? Not a lot, because my school is the only one in the country to offer it. It just feels like time to do something different.

My boss found it kind of surprising that I said I was looking for a new job, she said I couldn’t leave, I just laughed, but she knew this was coming and she knows I’m not one to hide my feelings or thoughts.

So what do I want to do?

Well, there lies the problem.  I’m not 100% sure. I’ve always been one of those people who learn about a lot of subjects and then fill the gaps as needed. I’ve narrowed down the companies and organizations I would like to work for to a select few, but looking at their job databases it’s hard to figure out exactly where I would fit and what job would be suited for me. I look at most jobs and think I can do that. When I started at my current company no one trained me, I learned the product and created procedures by myself, I had a few guidelines, but I learned everything by asking people questions and using commonsense. If you make mistakes, they are fixable no matter how badly someone blows the issue out of proportion ( :cough: sales people :cough: ), because that’s how I, and most people, learn.  

So, that’s where my thinking is right now, trying to figure out details and something new I want to try. If I set I goal it’s not 5/10 years out it’s for the 1 year at most. It’s all about enjoying the journey, not the end. If you haven’t realized that yet, you’re probably falling behind as we all ready know what the end is…right?

So am I crazy for not setting 5/10 year goals? Suggestions?

So long 2009, I bid thee farewell.

I wish I could say 2009 was a superawesomefantastico year, but I can’t, but what I can say it was pretty darn good to me.

In January I started Graduate school and now at the end of 2009 I finished Grad school in just one year and have an MBA in Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management. Now how many people have an MBA in that specialty? It was long and there were times I threw up my hands and said why did I do this, but in the end I’m glad I did and I’m the first person in my family (at least between my sister and me) that has an MBA. No I just got to figure out what to do next.

2009 was an excellent sports year in Pittsburgh. I got to see the Steelers win their 2nd Super Bowl in my lifetime and saw the Penguins when their 3rd Stanley Cup. I don’t think Pittsburghers realize how lucky they are. My dad said he never though he would see the Steelers win another Super Bowl in his lifetime after the win in Detroit in 2005, but he did and that’s coming from someone who’s only 48.

2009 at work was with it’s ups and downs. The current project I’m working on gets more frustrating everyday, but I’ll live and in 2010 I think it might be time to move on, it just feels right, but we’ll see. My second I still love, who knew I would like retail so much, but I think it’s because of the people I work with, they are just so much fun. I wish more people would come by and shop, but it’s still realzing to me and hasn’t gotten old.

2009 was also a big travel year for me. I didn’t leave the US but I flew to Florida 3 times this year and California once. I also got two knew airport credits (DFW and Santa Anna/Orange County/John Wayne) and a new hotel credit (HoJo Anahiem). I love traveling and hope to do more in 2010, I know there is a trip to Vegas scheduled for May and I hope to visit places I haven’t been to in years. On top of that list would be New York City and Toronto.

 The world was odd in 2009, but in the end we survived another year and that is really what matters.

So long 2009, you were a fun year and I hope 2010 is better not just for you too!

Happy New Year Everyone!

So how was your Christmas?

I hope it was good. I got my Keurig Mini-coffee maker from my sister and was thrilled. Though I don’t drink coffee, I do drink teas and hot chocolate and I have had about 20 cups since Christmas Eve when I got my gift.

Why Christmas Eve?

Well when my sister (Becky) and I were younger we use to have those in school “Santa’s Workshop” days where your parents gave you like $20 and you bought a bunch of crap for your family. Becky and I would then pass them out to our family, my dad’s side, on Christmas Eve that why they would get presents from use the day before and Christmas morning was spent opening up everything my parents, grandparents and aunt and uncle bought us. Christmas Eve was the time Becky and I exchanged presents with each other.

It became a tradition, even though my dad just wants to open everything on Christmas Eve because he says he wants to sleep in on Christmas, though the man can’t sleep past 7AM when we do presents at 9.

As we aged we’ve up graded the presents from random mugs and picture frames to clothes, golf clubs, and even a computer. Yes, a computer. We bought it for my parents a few years ago.  Don’t know if it was the wisest thing in the world, but we did it.

On Christmas I opened up a Wii. I was excited, but I find it funny when my parents said they didn’t know what to get me so they got me a Wii. If I was younger still and asked for a Wii, my parent’s would probably have looked at each other and rolled their eyes, but when you’re 28 and they have no clue on what to get you apparently video games systems are the way to go. I was excited for the Wii and have been playing it since Christmas Day, it’s like I’m 14 again playing on my N64.

Best. System. Ever!

So those were my main gifts on Christmas I did get a nice Penguins hoodie too! Can’t go wrong with a Pens hoodie.

So how was your Christmas and can you believe it’s almost 2010?

Where has the decade gone?

Which also means I graduated high school 10 years ago. Wow.

:blink:

That’s still odd to me, but I know we will not have a reunion as my senior class did not like each other that well and the people in charge did nothing with our class, except design the crappiest senior t-shirts ever and they wonder why no one bought them. Shooting stars are not something everyone would want to wear on a t-shirt.

Later this week my top memories from the last decade.

Mark

I just opened my school e-mail a few minutes ago. I found a reply from someone in my group who thinks we need a itemized list of services and products for the pro-forma budget for our project.

This is after an e-mail I sent that explained what to do. All he needs to do is group things together like labor, special purchase, equipment, facility fees etc..

I love when people make things more difficult for themselves. It just makes me want to bang my head off the desk. :head desk: Ah, much better.

 I haven’t started my slides yet. They’ll get done tomorrow since I have to work tonight until 10 tonight. They shouldn’t take me long as I know what what goes on them, and I wrote it out on paper so it should be easy to assemble.

I’m a little stressed at this point between work and school, but knowing it’s all over on Saturday makes things better. Also knowing I will be in Florida all next week brings a smile to my face!

Here’s to drink Back Scratchers at the Polynesian Bar, Cheers!

Mark