I was first introduced to this band a little over a year ago when I went to see one of my favorite bands, Breaking Benjamin, in concert. This band, Dropping Daylight, came out on stage and caught my attention from the first second. The lead singer did not play guitar or even the bass. He was playing the keyboard, which I thought was flat out eye-catching and amazing. Normally the guy playing the keyboard is in the back corner and doesn't even have a spot light, but this guy was right up front and his energy livened up the entire stadium. After watching their set and listening to them plugging their new CD that was coming out the next day I was flat out hooked. I woke up the next morning and ran over to the store to buy the CD.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Back in The W-B!
For months now I have really been missing all my dear friends that I left when I moved out of the Wilkes-Barre area and came back to Jersey. Some of them have been begging me to visit but with my schedule and how busy I am it has been real difficult to set aside a weekend. But, I finally was able to squeeze a one night visit to the WB this past Friday. It was fantastic!
I got into town around 8ish and headed right to where I "lived", my bar, Senuna's. Considering I worked there for 7 years, my coworkers and regulars really became a family to me. When I moved it really felt like I left a part of myself in that bar. So many good times, memories and amazing stories were had there.
As I walked in I get flat out tackled by one of my former co-workers, Bridget. This was just a glimpse of what was going to happen all night. Pretty much every person that walked in either tackled me, lifted me up or hug the shit out of me. And, of course had to do a shot with me.
After catching up with every person that I could and taking every shot that was bought for me, I just took a step back and soaked in the scenery. For as much as I love that place it hurt a bit to be there because of how much I miss it and the people who were my life for so long. I love them all to death and I will always have a place in my heart for that place.
I'll be back again to visit the WB soon.
I got into town around 8ish and headed right to where I "lived", my bar, Senuna's. Considering I worked there for 7 years, my coworkers and regulars really became a family to me. When I moved it really felt like I left a part of myself in that bar. So many good times, memories and amazing stories were had there.
As I walked in I get flat out tackled by one of my former co-workers, Bridget. This was just a glimpse of what was going to happen all night. Pretty much every person that walked in either tackled me, lifted me up or hug the shit out of me. And, of course had to do a shot with me.
After catching up with every person that I could and taking every shot that was bought for me, I just took a step back and soaked in the scenery. For as much as I love that place it hurt a bit to be there because of how much I miss it and the people who were my life for so long. I love them all to death and I will always have a place in my heart for that place.
I'll be back again to visit the WB soon.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Greatest Website Ever!
For those of us who are always constantly busy and don't have the relaxing time to watch TV, this website comes to our rescue! Whether it be recent episodes of The Office or Family Guy, or whether it be old school shows such as Airwolf or even Flipper! This website has it all. Even if you missed the Rangers/Devils game and you want to watch the highlights....hey, they are there.
Now, you are probably saying "Alright Brendan, we know you with your "illegal" movie websites". Not at all! This is completely legal and FREE! It is a joint effort of a ton of TV networks, such as FOX, FX, E!, National Geographic, etc.
There are also a good collection of movies and trailers for upcoming blockbuster hits!
I definitely recommend checking it out ad catching up on old episodes of Doogie Howser!
www.hulu.com
Now, you are probably saying "Alright Brendan, we know you with your "illegal" movie websites". Not at all! This is completely legal and FREE! It is a joint effort of a ton of TV networks, such as FOX, FX, E!, National Geographic, etc.
There are also a good collection of movies and trailers for upcoming blockbuster hits!
I definitely recommend checking it out ad catching up on old episodes of Doogie Howser!
www.hulu.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Day From Hell!!!
I am just going to momentarily bitch about my day for a second here, so just bare with me. Being in the mortgage business as a Loan Officer I depend on my amount of leads and contacts that I make in a day. Well, I don't know if it is me or just the way the economy is (probably a mix of both) but I cannot make a good contact to save my life! Every individual I speak to is in bankruptcy, foreclosure, or just flat out sucks and I can't do anything for them. Because of that, I am not selling anything! If I am not selling anything, that means I don't make any $$$.
Next thing is as a Loan Officer, my job is just supposed to sell loans and make money.....not a difficult job as long as you have the right work ethic and personality......I still don't know how I am doing it. Once we sell the loans a Processor is supposed to take care of the rest and get the damn thing closed. Well, for some reason, people don't like to do their job and try to pawn it off back on to me. If I was a God damn processor then I would have applied for that job....NO, I am a damn Loan Officer....I am a salesman....not a freakin numbers cruncher and document retriever. I will do my job, and PLEASE, do yours!
I am just a little bitter now....and also really tired since it is almost 3:00Am and I have to be up for a licensing test that I am taking at 8:30ish. Have a good night and I will catch you on the flip side (good movie....Boondock Saints!.....check it out)
Next thing is as a Loan Officer, my job is just supposed to sell loans and make money.....not a difficult job as long as you have the right work ethic and personality......I still don't know how I am doing it. Once we sell the loans a Processor is supposed to take care of the rest and get the damn thing closed. Well, for some reason, people don't like to do their job and try to pawn it off back on to me. If I was a God damn processor then I would have applied for that job....NO, I am a damn Loan Officer....I am a salesman....not a freakin numbers cruncher and document retriever. I will do my job, and PLEASE, do yours!
I am just a little bitter now....and also really tired since it is almost 3:00Am and I have to be up for a licensing test that I am taking at 8:30ish. Have a good night and I will catch you on the flip side (good movie....Boondock Saints!.....check it out)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
By the way........
if you want to read some excellent writting and be turned on to some artists who are "off the beaten path" but who are just fantastic check out http://the-life-of-mb.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Recommended Artist
I might be playing favoritism a bit here, considering this artist is my brother-in-law, Dave. But, he really is an amazing song writer, performer, and all around good guy. He has one CD that is currently out titled "Stuck Between These Lines" and he has been working hard on putting out some new music. This video is a small example of the stuff that will be on the new CD by his band "Five Star Dive"......enjoy.
GREATest ADVENTURE
This past weekend one of my best friends, Mira, came up to visit from D.C.. It is always a special time because we barely ever see each other, but when we do we have the best time I think 2 people are legally allowed to have. On this most recent visit we decided to head down to Six Flags Great Adventure.
Let me tell you, who ever came up with the idea to name it "Great Adventure" is a freaking genius and should be given the Noble Peace Prize......or at least a nice big pat on the back!!!
First off, on the ride down there we we decide to stop at Quick Chek and get some cappuccino and hot chocolate. Of course, our stomachs get the better of us and we buy a box of the most delicious donuts. I am sure you already know the ones I am talking about, but for those who are slow on the up take they are the Entenmann's Crumb Donuts. If you have had them you know they are crack in a donut form.
With 3 donuts in my stomach, 2 in hers (she is a light weight) we continue on our way down to Six Flags. We start to discuss comedians and listen to a bit of Mitch Hedberg (who you should go listen to right now.......hilarious!).
We arrive ready and excited for our day at the park. We meet up with Mira's cousins and start hitting up every roller coaster in our sights! Superman, Kingda Ka, Nitro, of course the Scream Machine, Medusa, Run Away Mine Train (which I will wear a neck brace next time I go on), The Twister and El Toro.....which is fantastic. I would ride El Toro all day if they wouldn't kick me off.
Mira, her cousin Michelle and myself then decide to act our crazy selves and hit up the Dare Devil Dive! This is one of those rides you don't tell your parents you did until after the deed is already done.
After waiting a little while in line (the only line we had all day), we finally start to put on the vests/harnesses. One of the workers is having a bad day and starts dropping the F-Bomb and bitching about everything while her nasty bunched up cheetah underwear is hanging out....Cheetah.....Grrrrrr!
So, I get put in the middle of the 3 of us, and Mira and I vote Michelle (the youngest with the most to lose) to pull the draw string that will eventually release us into a dive bomb for the ground......she seems a little uneasy, but shows her courage and decides she is the one for the job.
We finally get the harnesses on and start on our way out to the platform. The platform is a small elevator type device that bring us up about 15 feet off the ground. At this height we are hooked up to the cords that ultimately decide our fate. The main guy in charge finishes hooking us up and tells us to hold on as he lowers the elevator. We loose our footing and hurl forward, as if we were face planting. At the last second we are caught by the cord and we are left horizontal.
The cord starts pulling us up to the max height of over 15.5 stories. Once we are there we have about 2 seconds to enjoy the view before they call up to us that we are free to pull the cord. Michelle, being the dare devil she is, pulls the cord with a great but hesitant force.........
.........for the first 2 seconds it is complete terror and ecstasy at the same time, because there is no tension from the cord and we feel as if we are flying. Then just as we are reaching the top speed of 60MPH, straight at the ground, the cord catches and sends us flying over the onlooking crowd.
With several passes over the crowd, like a pendulum....and the utter fascination of what we had just done, we are finally back on the elevator platform and the ground. With smiles as big as the arcs we just flew and our hearts still racing in our chests we laugh at ourselves on the replay and pledge that we will do it again next time we are there.
Cheers to an amazing time at Six Flags and great times with even greater friends!
Let me tell you, who ever came up with the idea to name it "Great Adventure" is a freaking genius and should be given the Noble Peace Prize......or at least a nice big pat on the back!!!
First off, on the ride down there we we decide to stop at Quick Chek and get some cappuccino and hot chocolate. Of course, our stomachs get the better of us and we buy a box of the most delicious donuts. I am sure you already know the ones I am talking about, but for those who are slow on the up take they are the Entenmann's Crumb Donuts. If you have had them you know they are crack in a donut form.
With 3 donuts in my stomach, 2 in hers (she is a light weight) we continue on our way down to Six Flags. We start to discuss comedians and listen to a bit of Mitch Hedberg (who you should go listen to right now.......hilarious!).
We arrive ready and excited for our day at the park. We meet up with Mira's cousins and start hitting up every roller coaster in our sights! Superman, Kingda Ka, Nitro, of course the Scream Machine, Medusa, Run Away Mine Train (which I will wear a neck brace next time I go on), The Twister and El Toro.....which is fantastic. I would ride El Toro all day if they wouldn't kick me off.
Mira, her cousin Michelle and myself then decide to act our crazy selves and hit up the Dare Devil Dive! This is one of those rides you don't tell your parents you did until after the deed is already done.
After waiting a little while in line (the only line we had all day), we finally start to put on the vests/harnesses. One of the workers is having a bad day and starts dropping the F-Bomb and bitching about everything while her nasty bunched up cheetah underwear is hanging out....Cheetah.....Grrrrrr!
So, I get put in the middle of the 3 of us, and Mira and I vote Michelle (the youngest with the most to lose) to pull the draw string that will eventually release us into a dive bomb for the ground......she seems a little uneasy, but shows her courage and decides she is the one for the job.
We finally get the harnesses on and start on our way out to the platform. The platform is a small elevator type device that bring us up about 15 feet off the ground. At this height we are hooked up to the cords that ultimately decide our fate. The main guy in charge finishes hooking us up and tells us to hold on as he lowers the elevator. We loose our footing and hurl forward, as if we were face planting. At the last second we are caught by the cord and we are left horizontal.
The cord starts pulling us up to the max height of over 15.5 stories. Once we are there we have about 2 seconds to enjoy the view before they call up to us that we are free to pull the cord. Michelle, being the dare devil she is, pulls the cord with a great but hesitant force.........
.........for the first 2 seconds it is complete terror and ecstasy at the same time, because there is no tension from the cord and we feel as if we are flying. Then just as we are reaching the top speed of 60MPH, straight at the ground, the cord catches and sends us flying over the onlooking crowd.
With several passes over the crowd, like a pendulum....and the utter fascination of what we had just done, we are finally back on the elevator platform and the ground. With smiles as big as the arcs we just flew and our hearts still racing in our chests we laugh at ourselves on the replay and pledge that we will do it again next time we are there.
Cheers to an amazing time at Six Flags and great times with even greater friends!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Poor Toby :(
For those of you who know me, you know that one of my best friends is Toby, my Golden Retreiver. He is a young, spunky, crazy, loving, energetic, nutty dog.....but you just have to love him!
On Friday when I got home from work I realized he was limping on his front right paw. I was thinking that he stepped on something or got a splinter from one of the decks. I figured I would wait the weekend and see how things progressed. I thought that by today (Monday) he would be putting more weight on it and he would be fine.
Wake up this morning and he is not putting any weight on it what-so-ever. Time to call the Vet! I set up an appointment for this morning at 10:00. The poor guy :(
At the Vet I can tell he is hurting. He is completely out of is and just staring off into the distance. The Vet finally sees us and starts checking him out. His paw is really sensative and he is running a little fever of 103 degrees. (Canines have an average temp of 101 - 102.5) He takes some blood for some tests and decides to take some X-Rays to make sure there are no foreign bodies in his paw, since there is a lot of swelling.
After waiting for about 10 minutes Toby comes back from the X-Rays.
Vet: "Good news, there are no broken bones or foreign bodies present" as he is showing me the films
Me: confused "Then why is Toby limping?
Vet: "Bad news is, he has tested positive for Lyme Disease!"
Me: "Oh" (as all I can think of are the massive amounts of ticks I have picked off of him since we have moved back to NJ, despite the use of Flea and Tick repellents. NJ ticks are persistent buggers)
Me: still really confused "How is that making him limp"
The Vet goes on to explain how the disease causes bacteria to iritate joints which leaves them in costant pain.
So, now that we know what it is, the Vet fills my hands full of medications to help fight off the Lyme. 3 pills, 3 times a day for 1 month!
I bring Toby back home and start feed him his breakfast of medications and I head off to work. After a whole day of worrying about the poor guy, I get home and he is actually acting a bit better. My Dad told me Toby was trying to play fetch (while being on 3 legs still). He was also hobbling around with a great deal of excitement when I got home, which made me smile.
I think it is safe to say, that good 'ol Tobias is on his way back to good health.
Team Names
So, today at work my manager, Greg, decides to start a little competition for our team. It is all based on how many loans we sell for the next couple weeks.
For those of you who don't know what I do for a living, I am a loan officer for a mortgage company.
Anyway, back to the story......Greg splits us up into 2 different teams. 4 on one team, 3 on another (of course I am on the team of 3, because he knows I kick ass and really do the work of 2 individuals). Each team has to come up with a name for themselves. The other team comes up with their name rather quickly, but not creatively. Their name is "3 Guys and a Mexican". If you can't gather from the name, it's 3 guys (John, TQ and Eric) and the Mexican (Carlos). Not creative at all....I was a bit disappointed.
My lovely team consists of myself, Jeff, and Brooke. As you can tell, she is completely out of place being the only girl on the team. We begin to put our heads together and try to come up with the most creative name we can think of......nothing comes to us. We are a bit lame in the "Team Name Department". We start throwing names back and forth...."Brew Crew"....."Master Minds"......"Team Ramrod"......etc. This goes on for a good while.
Of course when things start getting redundant our minds start to wander and perverted things come out......"The Master Batters"......."Big Test Icicles".......and of course "Two Hot Dogs, One Bun"!!! I know what you are thinking, "You perverted guys!". Wrong! That definitely came from Brooke!!!.....pervert
It is safe to say that we still have not come up with an "appropriate" name for our team. If you think of anything, please let me know before our minds start to wander again!
If you are looking for a team name of your own check out http://www.teamnames.net/ . Some are really hilarious!
For those of you who don't know what I do for a living, I am a loan officer for a mortgage company.
Anyway, back to the story......Greg splits us up into 2 different teams. 4 on one team, 3 on another (of course I am on the team of 3, because he knows I kick ass and really do the work of 2 individuals). Each team has to come up with a name for themselves. The other team comes up with their name rather quickly, but not creatively. Their name is "3 Guys and a Mexican". If you can't gather from the name, it's 3 guys (John, TQ and Eric) and the Mexican (Carlos). Not creative at all....I was a bit disappointed.
My lovely team consists of myself, Jeff, and Brooke. As you can tell, she is completely out of place being the only girl on the team. We begin to put our heads together and try to come up with the most creative name we can think of......nothing comes to us. We are a bit lame in the "Team Name Department". We start throwing names back and forth...."Brew Crew"....."Master Minds"......"Team Ramrod"......etc. This goes on for a good while.
Of course when things start getting redundant our minds start to wander and perverted things come out......"The Master Batters"......."Big Test Icicles".......and of course "Two Hot Dogs, One Bun"!!! I know what you are thinking, "You perverted guys!". Wrong! That definitely came from Brooke!!!.....pervert
It is safe to say that we still have not come up with an "appropriate" name for our team. If you think of anything, please let me know before our minds start to wander again!
If you are looking for a team name of your own check out http://www.teamnames.net/ . Some are really hilarious!
First Blog!
I am completely new to blogging, but being inspired by one of the best people I have had the pleasure of having in my life, I have decided to give it a try. She has constantly entertained me with her persistent story telling and catchy artist that are displayed on her blog. I only hope that I can come close to being as successful blogger as she is, haha.
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