VIDEO: Birthdays, Briefcases, and More!

And as a side note, do you like the new style of the blog banner? The briefcase is obviously and update, but I changed the layout title and type of font as well.

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 3-3

So whenever The Vampire Diaries does a flashback episode, I equate it with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy did a fantastic job of shedding light and developing some of their core characters. The secret was in moderation, though, and that’s one thing I think The Vampire Diaries hasn’t realized yet. It feels like last year alone we had flashbacks for Klaus, Elijah, Katherine, and Stefan. That might not be entirely correct – I honestly don’t recall – but it does feel that way. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not a criticism. I’ve enjoyed the flashback episodes, and although I was initially worried that this wouldn’t give us any new information (yes, we get it…..Stefan used to be a cruel, brutal, monstrous murderer), but thankfully that didn’t turn out to be the case.

Continue reading "A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 3-2"....

The big reveal of this episode was that, during his most vicious days, Stefan not only knew Klaus, but he was in love with the original’s sister. The three had grown so close that Klaus had considered Stefan a surrogate brother, and Stefan felt the same way. However, for reasons that weren’t made immediately clear, Klaus was forced to erase Stefan’s memory of ever knowing either of them – and he staked his own sister when she chose Stefan over him. At the episode’s conclusion, Klaus made Stefan remember all of those hidden memories. One would assume Stefan’s feelings for Rebecca will return, as well.

That would actually be a really interesting story arc, with Stefan torn between his two loves. He was clearly emotionally impacted by Rebecca (once his memories were restored), but he still protected Elena when the topic of the necklace came up. We don’t know enough about Rebecca to know if she’s outwardly evil, or if she’s got a softer side like Lexie, but there are a lot of interesting possibilities here.

Speaking of Elena, I actually really enjoyed her silent connection with Stefan in the closet. It hit just the right notes. It lasted just the right length, and I’m glad they didn’t have either of them say anything. I’m also glad they resisted the temptation of having them touch (although I didn’t mind when it happened later). It was a really great, tense moment. Speaking of Elena, I was surprised about something, though. Following the revelation that Klaus compelled Stefan to forget about him and Rebecca, I thought Stefan would do the same to Elena in order to get her to stop looking for him. It seemed like an organic advancement to the story, and the intensity of the scene seemed to call for something fittingly dramatic.

I’m glad they didn’t drag out Caroline’s captivity longer than necessary. It was an interesting story and it’s always super awesome to see Jack Coleman, but this wasn’t an arc that should last more than a few episodes. The notion of forcing the vampirism out of you through Pavlovian methods is interesting, actually (and not to sound controversial or unintentionally offensive, but is that what happens at those anti-gay camps?) It was also kinda awesome to see how far Sherriff Forbes has come since last year.

Oh, and it was fun seeing Katherine again, too. It’s odd – even though she’s portrayed by Nina Dobrev, it still felt like a “guest appearance.” What’s she up to? And who’s hunting Klaus and Rebecca?

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LIVE Birthday Diary!

Yeah, it's a bit (a bit?) narcissistic and self indulgent, but today is my 30th birthday and I want YOU to know how I'm spending the day! So, throughout the day, I'll be updating this blog with an ongoing birthday diary -- with photos! Enjoy.

7:22 - After several unsuccessful attempts at a number of different functions, I FINALLY manage to get a nice shot of my two godchildren together! A great birthday gift, I'd say.

6:38 - Shockingly, I arrive at Charlie Browns close to 6:30. However, upon going inside, I discover from the hostess that the reservations are actually at 7:00. Evidently my mom took my advice about having no chance of getting there at 6:30, however she forgot to tell me about the change of plans. Nonetheless, this gives me an excuse to sit back at the bar and enjoy a couple of birthday Miller Lites. Could be worse.

5:30 - The workday comes to a close (trust me, it was busier than it looked!) Now I just have to rush back to Bergen County in hopes of making it in time for dinner with my family (6:30 reservations? Yikes!) Hey, maybe I'll even be home in time for Modern Family.


4:27 - Unfortunately, it isn't all celebration and fun (and diary updating) here, as I've spent the vast majority of my day going through files of a former employee so that somebody else can move into his office. Not so much the fun (although the CM Punk imitation is a plus)!

3:10 - Getting a MUCH needed burst (hopefully) of energy with some delicious pumpkin spice coffee. Also, through e-mails, text messages, and Facebook, I've heard from a bunch of people. Thanks, all, for your birthday wishes!


12:38 - Good read? Good! And with that in mind, it's now time for lunch. My work friends ordered one of my favorites -- Tito's Burritos. Big lunch crew today.


12:00 - As I prepare for lunch, I take a moment to visit my buddy's blog -- Tween at 28 -- where she discusses her adult perspective of Harriet the Spy. It's a fun read. Go visit the site, I'll wait.

9:30 - It was a hellacious ride into work, between A LOT of traffic (moreso than usual) and rain (boo). But when I did arrive, I found some very humorous decorations in my cubicle. There's an "Old-Timer Crossing" sign up front, and a "30" tiara inside. Plus a couple of throughtful cards. Thanks!

8:15 - Since blue is my favorite color, and today is my birthday, I decided to go with a blue theme for today's attire. Blue watch, blue bracelet, and blue pants. Unfortunately, my suspicions have also been confirmed: The live diary is making me late for work. :)

7:36 - Per usual, I had a bit of a tough time actually rolling out of bed. However, I do see that I received at least two birthday wishes (a voicemail and a message on Facebook). The first thing I'm doing, though, is putting on a new necklace. When my niece was born, I made a "Godfather necklace" which featured the initials of my two godchildren (my niece and nephew). I've been wearing it for the past month and it's pretty beat up. So this is the second version, which features the initials on a necklace with a cross and rose pendant. And now....shower time!

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LIVE Raw thoughts - September 26, 2011

11:02 - It's odd, I don't even remember if Ricardo Rodriguez even did anything on this edition of Raw to justify that beating. Nonetheless, all things considered, I suppose that was the best ending possible. Punk goes over clean, but Del Rio got some measure of revenge by beating both men with a chair. But overall this was a strange episode of Raw. The Pay-Per-Views were definitely scheduled way too close to each other this go around.

10:54 - I REALLY hate how they keep pushing the Hell in a Cell match as the first triple threat match in history. It's such an arbitrary distinction. There's been tag matches and six ways. It just so happens that there hasn't been a three way up until now.

10:48 - My guess is that this match ends with shenanigans between Punk and Cena.

10:36 - Annnnnnnnnnd it's another video.

10:30 - Kofi Kingston's reaction to Mason Ryan's attack on Dolph was great. So where do they go from here? Is Mason Ryan going to feud with Dolph, or is Zack Ryder?

10:24 - Really? They aren't going to use a sixth person?

10:20 - Why should Vickie worry about finding one person? Triple H found 9 with no problem.

10:15 - Another video? Is it me or have we seen WAY more of these than usual? We always see a lot, but this seems excessive.

10:07 - Why is CM Punk the best in the world? Because he once again brought up the spilled Diet Soda when Cena through Christian onto the announce table. That man is brilliant. I defend Cena A LOT, but for the life of me I don't know why they don't want to take advantage of Punk right now. People want something new, people want Punk, and Cena doesn't need to be WWE Champion to be "the man." They're REALLY missing out on an opportunity here.

10:04 - You know why John Cena is constantly in the main event? Because this is the most alive the crowd has been all night.

By the way, Punk is great. "I look like a clown? You're half naked!"

10:03 - Gotta love Punk's announcer's jacket. Although, Michael, I do believe he debuted it on NXT.

10:00 - So after all those weeks of pushing the title of "Undisputed WWE Champion," we're now told there's still a controversy over who is the actual champion?

9:58 - Odd use of clips for tonight's show. Does it seem like they're using more videos and clips than usual? Like, what was up with the Hell in a Cell poster close up in the middle of John Cena's promo?

9:49 - So what, exactly, was the purpose of the Khali heel turn? It's not as if he's in a better place now, as a face, than he was before the heel turn. And it's not as if he was setting the world on fire as a heel either.

9:33 - "Anal bleeding"? Are we supposed to take that seriously? I couldn't tell based on any of their reactions. Cole played it straight, Booker looked shocked, and JR looked embarassed.

Also, it looks like David Otunga is debuting a new gimmick.

9:24 - That was a fun opening segment that not only helped build up Hell in a Cell, but it also promoted much of the rest of the tonight's show, as well as Smackdown this Friday. Pretty well done and entertaining. Eager to see how this Battle Royal plays out (looks like Cody will retain).

9:05 - If I ever get fired, I hope my former employers take the time to make a clip show of the events that led up to my termination.

9:03 - It should shock no one that they cut the clip before the infamous "cart incident."

9:00 - This is the first time I've noticed that they added Smackdown Superstars to the Raw opening.

8:42 - First and foremost, happy birthday to the incomparable Masked Emotions. And speaking of birthdays, mine is this Wednesday (turning the big 3-0). This evening I got a new TV as a gift, but it won't actually be hooked up until I get an HD cable box (that's right, the TV I've been watching Raw on for all of these reviews has been from the Stone Age -- standard definition!)

So CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio has been announced for tonight's Raw. This is one of those no-win booking decisions that I detest. Both of these guys are coming off of angles that they not only lost, but they ended up looking not too hot in. Neither man can really afford to lose here. ADR already looks out of his league, and they should be protecting Punk at all costs. Why not just book Cena, ADR, and Punk in singles matches that they can win and look good in?

Anyway, check back in about 15 minutes for my LIVE Raw thoughts.

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 3-2

I’ve got three words for you: Horn. Rimmed. Glasses.

That’s right, the absolutely awesome Jack Coleman (of Heroes fame) made a surprise (for me, anyway) appearance in the season’s second episode, where he revealed as some sort of vampire handler (amongst other things, but more on that later).

Continue reading "A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 3-2"....

I initially viewed this episode as a set up for things to come. I don’t want to refer to it as “filler” because of the negative connotation associated with that word, but the purpose of the episode was to advance the story of the season. However, upon reflection, there was an ongoing theme of family throughout the hour. We had Elena reaching out to Alaric, attempting to get him to join her family. We had the ongoing struggle between Stefan and Damon – two brothers unable to let each other go. We had Tyler revealing to his mother that he (as well as his father and uncle) is a werewolf. We had Matt recollecting his memories of Vickie. And, finally, we discovered that HRG is Caroline’s father (that’s sorta his M.O. – the discovery that he’s the father of the people he’s seemingly against). Did anything earth shattering happen? No, not really. It’s still the episode that gives you the necessary information and puts the characters where they need to be for a later point, but it was still fun and entertaining.

Last week I noted my disappointment with Alaric moving out of the Gilbert household and that I hoped it didn’t mean his role was being downsized. Thankfully, they picked things up right where they left off and quickly resolved that issue. Elena finally got through to Alaric, telling him that both of them have essentially lost their entire families and that they need each other. In the end, Alaric decided to stick around and even moved into their house. Hooray!

I’ve also continued to enjoy the interaction between Jeremy and Matt. While Vickie was the first semi-major character to get killed, in a lot of ways her death was glossed over. The memory was erased from Jeremy’s head, and everyone else just assumed she went missing. This episode did a great job of delving into the emotional impact of her death, and the feeling of loss from those who were left behind – particularly Matt. And I’m now extremely intrigued by the dueling messages. Vickie claims she can come back, while Anna urges Jeremy not to trust her. Who does he believe? Both have lied and manipulated to him in the past. Who is the lesser of two evils here?

It seems like Klaus may soon be putting the pieces together that Elena isn’t really dead. He knows he killed a vampire and he knows he killed a werewolf. At some point he may realize that Elena’s death was the most inconclusive of the three. I also liked Stefan’s attempts to protect Elena, Damon, and Alaric in the midst of trying to act like a heartless badass.

Before closing this up I have to confess that being a big fan of both True Blood and The Vampire Diaries can often be confusing. One show says “Glamour” while the other says “Compel.” In one series, the vampires are susceptible to silver, while in the other their weakness is vervain. And to be honest, a lot of the times I forget which one is which (example – when Caroline grabbed her purse and burned her hand, my first thought was that it was a silver purse). But there’s one thing both shows love – having their vampires rip people’s hearts out with their bare hands.

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Blog Exclusive: A Case of the.... True Blood - Season Four Review

A couple of weeks ago True Blood completed its fourth season and I have to say, it was probably their best season yet! I don't know what it is about True Blood, but I tend to enjoy each individual episode, yet my enjoyment of each season as a whole varies greatly. For example, before this season, I typically viewed season two as my favorite, followed by season one. For whatever reason, season three felt like the weak link. But overall, I thought this was a really, really strong season. In an effort to not reveal any spoilers, please click the link below for my full thoughts on the season. As one might infer, spoilers are within.

Continue reading "Blog Exclusive: A Case of the.... True Blood - Season Four Review"....

My one criticism of the season is a pretty major one, though: I had a really difficult time buying into the Eric/Sookie relationship. I just had a really tough time believing that she would fall in love with her so easily and so quickly. Yes, I could understand that she felt hurt and betrayed by Bill, and that she was taken aback by his suddenly innocent persona, but still. I was never invested in that relationship. Seemed very, very forced to me. And is it me or is the whole "woman chooses herself over two lovers" thing a massive cliche?

But other than that, PHENOMENAL season!

I was sad that they killed off my favorite new character, Jesus. When he debuted last year, I wasn't entirely impressed. He just seemed like yet another dark, sketchy character introduced onto the show. But this season, he developed into a really great character. His death was obvious, once Lafayette became possessed, but I found myself legitimately disappointed when it actually happened.

I was handing out cigars when Tara was killed, on the other hand. There's a lot of people guessing that Bill or Eric or somebody will turn her into a vampire, but I'm hoping that the fact that her head was shot off is dead enough to not bring back. Good riddance.

While I wasn't a huge fan of the Eric and Sookie together, unusually I did enjoy the love triangle. And while the ending was a bit of a cliche, I think the bad ass tandem of Eric and Bill kinda sorta kicks a whole lot of ass. Their slaughter of Nan and her goons was, in a word, incredibly awesome. "We're not f'n puppy dogs!" These two can be awesome together.

Jason & Jessica ">" Hoyt & Jessica

I'm glad they drifted away from somber, drunk Sam after a few episodes, because he's one of my favorite characters. It's strange how he manages to stay away from the "A" story, yet maintains interest in his own arc. His up and down relationship with Tommy was complex, but ultimately rather sweet. I especially loved the fact that he didn't blame him for the outburst directed at Sookie.

The Marnie story arc was surprisingly interesting as well. I loved the reveal that Antonia wasn't actually the one going crazy with power and vengeance -- that it was actually Marnie. And the end, when she was (somewhat) forgiven and vindicated, that was nice as well.

The big story of next season may be the return of Russel. Who's responsible? Pam, out of vengeance against Sookie/Eric? Nan, to retaliate against the Authority? Somebody else? I'm not sure -- but I'll be watching.

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LIVE Raw thoughts - September 19, 2011

11:05 - Intriguing ending to Raw. Surprised to see Miz and Truth fired, but loved their facial reaction (especially Truth). I'm guessing Johnny Ace scoops up and hires all these guys Triple H is firing. This red hot CM Punk/John Cena feud has morphed into the world against the heroic Triple H quite nicely.

10:59 - For a moment there, I thought we might see Punk refuse Cena's tag, and reveal to be in cahoots with Miz/Truth. I'm glad we didn't see that, though. And I'm glad Punk is the one who got the hot tag.

10:45 - Compare CM Punk's entrance to John Cena's, and it's pretty obvious who the front office considers their big star. Not taking anything away from Cena, but I really wish WWE understood what they have in CM Punk. He's something special.

10:36 - I hate these obscure "first time in history" labels. We've had six man matches in Hell in a Cell, and tag matches too. What's the big deal that there's never been three people?

10:29 - Pretty cool moment for Zack Ryder. And Hugh Jackman is a great host. It's great when these visitors come to play.

10:16 - Beth Phoenix is slowly turning into the female version of Christian. Keeps losing, but keeps getting title shots.

10:08 - Hearing the people in the audience yell, "get Michael Cole!" really says it all, doesn't it?

10:01 - I like how the back of the World Heavyweight Championship's strap is red now. Adds a little flavor to the title.

9:51 - Wow, VERY sloppy camera work by not only showing the trampoline, but also panicking and showing nothing in an effort to look away.

9:43 - Hugh Jackman is a good sport. He seemed unsure of how to react in certain instances, but I thought he did a great job out there.

9:42 - Yeah, I definitely own that tie.

9:39 - I think I own that tie that Dolph is wearing.

9:37 - I have to admit, Hugh Jackman is quite the score for them. He seems like a pretty upstanding guy, too.

9:35 - Wow, tapped clean in under a minute. I'm not saying Morrison is the total package, but he's unlike any other person they have on the roster. They were doing a magnificent job of pushing him before his injury, I wish they hadn't given up on him.

9:30 - How sad is this? When ADR came down, I thought to myself, "They're going to have to give him a strong win." I then sighed and thought to myself, "They'll probably put him up against John Morrison." So what do you think the deal is with Morrison? Is this punishment for Melina?

9:18 - Do you think anybody will remember that David Otunga and Wade Barrett don't like each other?

9:13 - Well, once again, Triple H does everything right and one could argue that Punk looks like he's whining.

9:06 - By the way, thank God Punk is wearing his Best in the World t-shirt (which is awesome). That ice cream bar t-shirt was clever, but it was just a LITTLE too cutesy and kiddie. Something John Cena would wear, not CM Punk.

9:01 - Okay Punk is starting off the show. Let's see which direction this all goes.

8:20 - Raw isn't starting for another 40 minutes, but I thought I'd open the floor for some discussion. There are two things people are upset about -- John Cena winning the title back and Triple H defeating CM Punk. I'm pretty indifferent to the former, but the latter bothers me a lot.

Don't get me wrong, I don't actually mind that CM Punk lost to Triple H. In a lot of ways, it was the right ending. But only under one circumstance -- that Triple H turns heel and we learn that Punk was right and that there was a conspiracy against him and that Triple H is the one orchestrating it. Not only would it vindicate Punk's not-very-likable behavior, but to be honest it would make a rather lucklaster feud somewhat worthwhile.

Instead, everybody looks bad except for Triple H, who comes out smelling like roses. Punk is a paranoid jerk who horribly harassed an innocent man. Nash is an illogical sociopath who attacked people and ruined careers for no discernible reason. And then there's Triple H -- the guy who always did the right thing, always acted professional, and then successfully defended his honor's family after being wrongly accused of a conspiracy. And people call John Cena a boy scout?

Another argument people are making is that Punk doesn't really look bad, because there was outside interference. Normally I'd agree, except for the fact that Triple H was the victim of that very same interference, but managed to win.

And where do they go from here? It seems like Punk and Triple H may start an uneasy alliance, which isn't good for Punk's character either. The guy is supposed to be anti-authority, yet you're going to team him up with the authority figure?

Frankly, this entire angle has been poorly written. Punk is screaming conspiracy without hard evidence and we're supposed to cheer him, yet Miz/Truth do the same thing and we're supposed to boo them? The problem is, they never gave Punk a leg to stand on. They never gave the character Punk -- or the audience -- any real concrete reason to believe that Triple H was in on the conspiracy. Therefore, the only way the story COULD have ended and made as many people as possible look good was for Triple H to turn heel.

So, where do you all see the story going tonight?

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VIDEO: Night of Champions Predictions

Yeah, I know the show already began, but I got a late start to editing this video. Nonetheless, let's see how I do!

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 3-1

The Vampire Diaries is back with its third season, which means I’m back for another year of reviews! And, for the first time ever, it’s without Smallville. It feels kinda odd, to be honest.

I actually quite enjoyed the way the premiered eased into everything. A whole lot happened in last year’s finale and to be honest, it took a while to remember everything that happened to each character. They took things slow, but not to the point that it was boring or tiresome. And best of all, they built up certain stories and actually paid them off by the end of the hour. What did Klaus want with Simon Camden? Why was Tyler’s mom giving Caroline the stink eye? Would Jeremy reveal his secret about seeing dead people? And how far would Stefan go in his journey down the dark side? A lot of shows make the mistake of drawing out storylines/mysteries too long, to the point that fans no longer care or the payoff doesn’t meet the expectations built up in the viewers’ imaginations. Thankfully, The Vampire Diaries didn’t fall into that trap tonight.

Continue reading "A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 3-1"....

Let’s start with the first question. So it seems that Klaus and Stefan are scouring the globe so that Klaus can build an army of vampire/werewolf hybrids. It seems Caroline’s mother, who now knows her daughter’s secret, is helping them track Stefan (in addition to Damon and his news reporter “girlfriend”). We’d also come to learn that Stefan is willing to go quite far to protect Elena and Damon, in his own twisted way, by actually forcing Damon’s girlfriend to kill herself. Bringing that character back for this moment was actually quite brilliant, as it allowed Stefan to kill somebody close to Damon without having to sacrifice a major character. And since she had been instrumental in assisting Damon in his search for Stefan, the audience had an actual reason to care about her death. Well done.

I thought they did a pretty nice job with Elena and Damon’s relationship, as well. Thankfully, they didn’t push the tension too much and decided to play it smart. There was one thing that bothered me, though, and this is something I don’t get about women (okay, one of many things)….why exactly did Elena need Damon to put the necklace on for her? I understand it was to create a tense, romantic moment for them, but this happens on television often and I just don’t get it. Am I to believe she is unable to reach behind her neck and clip the necklace together? Talk about helpless….

One of the things I didn’t quite remember from last season’s finale was whether or not Caroline and Tyler ended up together. As we learned this episode, no they did not, but they sealed the deal before the end of the hour. However, for whatever reason, Tyler’s mother has it out for her. Since she’s in the know, I’m guessing it’s because Caroline’s a vampire. Speaking of Caroline, I did laugh out loud when she casually picked up that guy and moved him aside when she needed to get by.

The interactions between Jeremy and Matt were nice, and it wasn’t until I saw them that I realized that these characters very rarely seem to share screen time. So, what do you think Vickie (and I presume Anna) need help with? And will Jeremy be seeing any other characters? Like Jenna, perhaps?

I was actually a bit saddened to see Alaric move out, as I enjoyed the fact that he became a surrogate guardian to them. I hope this doesn’t mean he’s being phased out, or that his role as a “father figure” will be minimized.

Although I’m glad The Vampire Diaries didn’t fall into that other TV trap – namely, getting too gloomy for too long after something tragic happens – if I did have one disappointment it was that aside from Alaric, none of the characters really reacted to Jenna’s death. Elena and Jeremy were clearly in disarray, except Elena was all mopey and depressed because she couldn’t find Stefan, and Jeremy was a wreck because he was haunted by dead former girlfriends. The only one who even mentioned Jenna was Alaric, and that was borderline tongue-in-cheek. Out of all the deaths we’ve seen thus far, this was probably the saddest, yet it felt somewhat glossed over.

So, what did all of you think of the season premiere?

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Dive Bar Shirt Club: Which Shirt Was Your Favorite?

Now that I've received a full year's worth of shirts, I thought I'd let you guys vote on which one was your favorite! Vote in the poll below, and click the link to view each shirt! Your input is appreciated.

View the Dive Bar Shirt Club Photo Gallery

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Dive Bar Shirt Club: The Kingfish Pub & Cafe

Well, this marks the final t-shirt of my first year with the Dive Bar Shirt Club. Should I re-up my subscription? Right now, I'm leaning towards "yes." It was a pretty worthwhile investment. And this one is from California! And it revolves around shuffleboard, so that's cool with me.

They say this San Francisco Bay neighborhood watering hole got its name during Prohibition when it pretended to be a bait and tackle shop. Of course the catch of the day was 80 proof. Now it's a man cave that's solidly powered by testosterone. There's a fever on the mound as the walls celebrate champion ball players while TVs give you the warm glow of live streaming action. In the back of the vintage scoreboard lights your way as shuffleboard offers to take your puck on one incredible super long ride. When the mood strikes you can add your own thoughts to the decades of beer-inspired philosophy that has erupted into chalk talk on every available space. Low ceilings? Perfect. Just don't go nuts looking up. There's nothing quite like the salt life and this sportman's dream when you want to put out your own sign: gone fishing.

So with a full year of t-shirts to look at, is anybody interested in me posting a Poll so that you can vote on which shirt looked best?

Dive Bar Shirt Club: http://www.divebarshirtclub.com/Default.asp

Dive Bar Shirt Club T-Shirt Gallery

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VIDEO: The Tie Clip: Where does it go?

Do you know the answer to this mystery? View the video and let me know!

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LIVE Raw thoughts - September 12, 2011

11:10 - I know I'll sound biased, but I feel like CM Punk definitely carried that promo -- and it probably was their strongest one yet. Triple H just sounded super repetitive and his arguments continually came up short. Most wrestling fans are smart enough to realize that they've been rooting for CM Punk for far longer than this summer. Along with that, there are loads of people out there they are cheering for that aren't getting an opportunity. Triple H came off as pandering and disingenuous, and I don't think that was intentional. Having said that, I do think that this promo did a much, much better job of establishing who the "good guy" is and who the "bad guy" is. Punk's the guy you're supposed to root for, I'd say, and this segment at least explained why he's so hostile towards Triple H (who, on screen, has been nothing but professional). The mic mysteriously cutting out did add a little mystique as well, leading you to believe that there might be something to Punk's conspiracy idea.

Oh, and I must say that I did hate that Punk brought the real names into the deal. It's just a pet peeve of mine, whenever wrestlers use their real names, it always takes me out of the moment and reminds me that I'm watching a TV show. Obviously, I know that "CM Punk" isn't his real name, but why remind the audience that anything about what they're watching isn't real? The one misfire Punk has shot this entire run.

10:53 - CM Punk and Triple H -- as a unit -- have been hit and miss (unlike Punk/Cena, which was home run city). Let's see how they do leading into Night of Champions.

10:45 - For what it's worth, I hope that Cody doesn't abandon the masked look. His whole Dr. Doom thing is a lot cooler than the Dashing gimmick.

10:36 - Mark Henry will be playing the role of A.C. Slater tonight.

10:33 - Who do you see Cody defending his Intercontinental Title against at Night of Champions? Ted DiBiase? Or do you see them going a similar route as the U.S. title and having him defend in a multi-person match? Perhaps a fourway with DiBiase, Sin Cara, and Daniel Bryan?

10:28 - You know it's funny, the former creative writers who are on Twitter (and who are, for the most part, very entertaining) pretty frequently rail Vince and his Yes Men for not understanding pop culture and what his target audience wants, yet when it comes to this Mark Henry push, most of them are rallying behind the big man and saying how much he deserves it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking away from what Henry has accomplished over the past few months, but I don't think anybody in the audience actively wanted this push -- yet the former writers act like they've been campaigning for it for quite some time. Point being, they're not necessarily much better at knowing what the audience wants.

10:11 - I'm sure many would say that the 9/11 video was self indulgent -- and perhaps they'd be right -- but I thought it was a rather beautiful, touching tribute. And this is another reason why John Cena is their poster child -- not many Superstars could pull off that narration.

9:59 - Wow, they're not having Bret Hart come down to his own theme music in Canada? That's REALLY odd.

9:52 - If McGillicutty and Otunga couldn't beat Zack Ryder, why would we think they have a chance against Sheamus?

9:49 - Cole is calling Lawler the best ever (which is odd), and in the very next sentence he's saying that the former Nexus might finally shut Lawler's mouth. That criticism aside, the announcing has been SIGNIFICANTLY better this week, since they cooled off on the bickering.

Oh, and like I said last week, "The Great White" is a terrible moniker. It sounds incomplete. The Great White what?

9:46 - You know, when you think about it, it's rather remarkable how incredibly different Edge and Matt Hardy handled their injury-induced early retirements. I can't take credit for this observation, but Lita's decision is becoming more and more understandable.

9:40 - Told ya. If I were Kofi, I'd weep every time I saw that I was booked against the Miz. That guy CONSTANTLY has his number.

9:27 - Is Kofi ever booked to beat Miz? I'm guessing he's staring at the lights again tonight.

9:21 - Could these four guys face each other for the United States Championship at Night of Champions?

9:14 - The opening segment felt a little flat, to be honest. After weeks of such "real," passionate, true promos from CM Punk and John Cena, it's a little rough getting back to such character-centric promos like the ones from Alberto Del Rio (and by extension, Cena too). And further, WWE really shot themselves in the foot by teasing ADR vs. Cena for the title, and then ADR vs. Bret Hart for the title, before giving us a tag team match that was far less desirable.

9:09 - Honestly John, no matter how much you push it, NOBODY cares whether or not Alberto Del Rio knows the names of the cars he drives. Let it go. It doesn't matter.

8:53 - Is everybody ready for tonight's Raw? I just picked up quite the concoction at Red Mango, so I'm rearing to go (and appropriately, Fruity Pebbles are one of the toppings I went with!) Check back in about 5 minutes for my LIVE Raw thoughts!

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REPOST: September 11

WE WHO ARE TRULY BRAVE WILL NEVER LIVE IN FEAR
Today marks 10 years since the shocking and dreadful attacks on September 11th. The story of how I spent that day hasn't changed, so I thought I would repost the message I wrote two years ago, on September 11, 2009, with my recollection of that unforgettable day. My thoughts and prayers are with everybody that was impacted by that day. Be strong.

It's often said that the attacks on September 11, 2001 is our generation's JFK assassination. As in, you'll never forget where you were that day when you received the news. And in my case, that's true.

I was a sophomore at Rutgers and I went to class that morning just like any other day. As I was walking through the halls, I faintly overheard two teachers discussing the World Trade Center, and an attack. I didn't think much of it. I obliviously assumed that it was the anniversary of the 1993 bombing.

Class progressed as usual, until one student came in late -- probably more than halfway into the period. He reported the news that the South Tower had collapsed. Everybody was naturally shocked. After all, the Twin Towers is an American landmark -- just about as recognizable to New York City as the Empire State Building.

At the time I didn't have a computer in my dorm room, so I immediately rushed to the computer lab to find out what in the world was going on. It was still early in the morning -- before the North Tower collapsed -- so phones and Internet access hadn't yet flooded. As I sat there constantly refreshing the news page, I would quickly discover that the second tower had fallen. I was inundated with IM's (remember those?) as I read people's worried and depressing away messages.

Shortly thereafter classes were canceled and I returned to my room, where everybody continued to be in a state of shock. We would spend the next couple of days glued to the TV watching the news. Believe it or not, my freshman year roommate -- who lived on the fourth floor of our dorm building -- could see the billows of smoke coming from the city.

It's been eight years, and while I remember that day so vividly, it also feels like a lifetime ago.

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Blog Exclusive: A Case of the.... Louie - Season Two Review

So as I've probably mentioned before, I'm a big fan of stand up comedy and even though I rarely (if ever) get to see actual performances, there are a handful of comics that I find absolutely hilarious and will go out of my way to see, no matter the forum. Louis CK is at the top of that list, so I've been an avid viewer of his FX program, Louie.

When it premiered last year, I (like virtually everybody else) compared it to Curb Your Enthusiasm. Both shows had the lead character playing a fictionalized, exaggerated version of his actual self, and both programs took advantage of awkward, every day humor.

Last year the show was phenomenal. This year, it was simply good. I think the problem lies in the fact that, as strange as it sounds, Louis CK forgot the make the show funny. Last year had dramatic episodes with a deep message, like the Bully and Crucifixion episodes (both favorites), but for the most part it was a genuinely hilarious show. I appreciate Louis CK's artistic capabilities -- he's rather talented from a production stand point -- but this year I think he just got a bit too "artsy" for his own good. And as a result, the humor suffered.

Don't get me wrong, it's still an enjoyable show and I do recommend it (if only because it's something that dares to be different), but my initial feeling is that it didn't quite measure up to its freshman year. This is not unusual, as shows tend to struggle to get comfortable in its own skin, and the second year suffers because of it (the infamous "sophomore slump"). I'm more than willing to see where things go season three, and Louis CK remains one of my favorite comics.

Did you watch this season? If so, what did you think?

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True or False: Coming Soon!

I've got some new ideas for the blog, and the one I'm most excited about is an interactive feature titled "True or False." It's not an original idea, admittedly, as it's based on "Fact or Fiction," and actually WWE.com did a feature by the same name several years ago.

The way it works is simple: Another person and I will receive five or so statements, and we'll each say whether we think the statement is true or false, and why. Each edition will have a central theme, whether it's wrestling or Lost or music or movies or cartoons or whatever.

I've wanted to do this idea for a while, and it was actually some recent Twitter interactions that got me motivated to make it a reality. Quite simply, Twitter made me realize that there's a whole community of people out there that like to interact and discuss/debate things. And through this medium, I may actually be able to reach out to people with some credibility, as well.

So who are the potential guests? Well, people I follow on Twitter, of course. But chances are I won't be able to reel in somebody like CM Punk or Conan O'Brien. So some editions it may be me and an old friend, and I'm actually rather hopeful that I can convince some of you, my readers, to participate as well.

Stay tuned for the first edition, hopefully in the near future!

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LIVE Raw thoughts - September 5, 2011

11:27 - And for those of you interested, here is some (brief) additional information the new WWE Network:

http://www.wwe.com/inside/wwe-network-announced

11:12 - I'm sure most people are going to say this is just another example of Super Cena overcoming the odds, but I found it relatively inoffensive. Cena was out of the match until the way end, so he was completely fresh. And the entire match was built around making Swagger and Ziggler (especially Swagger) look good. And of course, there was some hijinx that led to Cena beating the two of them. Thankfully, he sold after the match a bit more than he did at SummerSlam last year.

11:06 - The camera shot of Christian slapping Sheamus, and the zoom in on Sheamus shooting darts at Christian, is one of the MANY things that separates WWE and TNA. You'd never see that sort of thing from TNA.

11:01 - I don't care for the nickname "The Great White." It feels incomplete. The Great White What?

10:55 - Yeah, I probably should have guessed that Morrison would be the first eliminated....

10:49 - I LOVE elimination matches because I love reading into the order of elimination. Here's my prediction -- Alex Riley, Wade Barrett, Jack Swagger, John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, Christian, and Cena and Sheamus survive.

10:44 - John Cena is REALLY pushing this whole thing about ADR not knowing the names of the cars he's driving. Does he think this is going to get people riled up or something?

10:37 - Kyle, thanks for returning to the blog, your insight was missed. Regarding the WWE Network, you're right on -- they have TONS of material that they could do any number of things. Then there are specials, like their Wrestling Roundtable show (I've seen a few episodes and love it. The fact that it's On Demand, instead of a channel on a network, turns me off however). And like you said, there are shows like NXT and Superstars that would benefit significantly if it were on television, opposed to their website (plus it gives them original, new content to air). There's tons they could do and I'm excited to see what they have in store.

10:33 - So did anybody, other than Punk, get out of the Nexus/Corre with anything other than dreadful theme music?

10:24 - Nice that they gave Zack Ryder a victorious moment.

10:19 - Gotta love the fact that the former Nexus don't get an entrance, yet King -- who sits at ringside -- does. Good to see them giving Ryder some legit exposure, though.

10:14 - Somebody on Scott Keith's blog said that the WWE Network would never happen. Looks like it may, after all. That was a pretty solid indication, huh?

10:11 - I loved Punk's "you've been hitting people in the head with sledgehammers for ten years and you haven't killed one yet" line, but you could hear the audience groan when Punk mentioned his stipulation -- which I'm sure had a lot of people thinking that Triple H would win. This falls into the "booking yourself in a corner" category. If Punk wins, the entire WWE power struggle storyline crumbles. If Triple H wins -- even by nefarious means -- it could jeopardize Punk's ascension into super duper stardom.

10:08 - I'm glad they gave Punk the win. Truth be told, they should have given him the win last week against Miz, too. I was a bit worried, though, when he had his back turned to Truth for no less than 15 minutes.

9:54 - I have to admit that I actually enjoyed the interaction between Miz and R-Truth (it usually feels forced to me). And, as expected, they're going to be competing for the Tag Team Championship. Odd that they didn't give Punk a full blown entrance, though. I'm guessing he's giving the live audience a promo, perhaps to wake them up a bit.

How do you see the rest of the Night of Champions card playing out? Maybe Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes for the Intercontinental Title. And perhaps Dolph Ziggler and Swagger for the United States Championship? Is anybody else competing for that title? And is Orton vs. Henry official yet?

9:47 - It's a bit surreal seeing Christian and Del Rio paling around so casually. How about their multi-month feud? How about Del Rio putting Christian out of action? Granted, I missed last week's promo, but it seems awfully quick for them to just kiss and make up. Even Edge and Jericho remained hostile towards each other when they were both heels, until ultimately putting their past behind them.

9:36 - Wow, Kelly dropped "BS," huh? And doesn't Natalya hate Michael Cole?

9:29 - I've been meaning to do a full blog post about this, but for years people have been pleading with WWE to redo the WWE Championship. Yet with their last redesigns, are we convinced that the new one would be any better than what they have now? There was the silver ECW Championship, which I didn't hate but was certainly polarizing. Then there's the silver, butterfly shaped Divas Championship, which has pink and purple jewels all over it. And then there are the bronze, circular WWE Tag Team Championship, with gladiator helmets on it. When was the last time a championship was created that wasn't dreadful or polarizing?

9:23 - I noted in my LIVE Smackdown thoughts post that the Great Khali has to abandon those bright red "Punjabi Playboy" pants if he's going to get over as a monstrous heel. On WWE.com, they posted photos from WWE's recent tour of France, and in photo 7 Khali is wearing far superior navy pants. Yet, sadly, he's back to the red ones tonight?

9:18 - So you all know that I like to keep things positive and I don't typically subscribe to backstage rumors and reputations, however I can't help but get a bad taste in my mouth following that opening segment. The red hot CM Punk/John Cena feud led to a Triple H/Kevin Nash feud? And Kevin Nash attacking and beating up CM Punk for weeks on end results in Triple H punching out and firing Nash? I'm sure the story isn't over yet, but what SHOULD have happened is that Punk should have hit the GTS on Nash as the camera panned out and showed that he's still in the ring. This whole thing did nothing for Punk, and it certainly didn't add to the tension of CM Punk/Triple H at Night of Champions.

9:15 - PS - Can that loud ass woman in the front row, near the camera, shut the hell up?

9:14 - Kevin Nash sent the text to himself? This is like the episode of Lost where Dharma Miles babysits Baby Miles. What exactly did the fake text prove?

8:54 - I hope everybody is enjoying their holiday weekend. After a brief hurricane-related hiatus, welcome to another edition of my ongoing LIVE Raw thoughts. Good news! I added a new tag so that these posts can be easier to follow. And it's also been a while since I've received any feedback throughout the show. Where are my usual readers? Let's get an interaction going!

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Another indication of the nWo returning...

Since Kevin Nash's return, WWE has repeatedly hinted at the resurrection of the nWo. In some ways, it's actually been rather clever -- for example, having Kevin Nash wear a t-shirt that was very similar to the one he first wore when the nWo debuted. Well, there's a new indication that the classic stable may be returning, and it's right on WWE.com's WCW Competitors page.

If you check the page, you'll see that all of the competitors that didn't join the nWo are X'd out in a spray painted fashion, while all of the people who were in the nWo have a spray painted message written next to their photo. Plus, the "real" Sting's photo has been replaced by one of the nWo Sting.

Of note, the Wolfpac is apparently not included, as Lex Luger's photo is X'd out. Nor is the WWE's version of the nWo, as Booker T's photo is crossed out as well.

Also, be sure to check back at 9:00 for my LIVE Raw thoughts....

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Facebook Privacy: One Step Forward, Five Steps Back

I'm not one of those people that harp on Facebook's privacy policies and I really don't hide much of what I do on there either. There are certain features that I hide from certain people, either for professional or personal reasons, but for the most part it's a pretty open book.

However, I can't help but be REALLY frustrated with Facebook right now. In case you haven't noticed, they have now customized their privacy features, which allows you to control who can view individual photo albums and Wall posts. In theory, this is great. However, for whatever reason, the "standard" privacy setting didn't really translate, so now many people that previously couldn't see my wall now can. And it seems that there is no longer an option to hide ALL albums/Wall posts, instead you need to set each one individually. If you're like me, and you post a lot of photos, that's a HUGE undertaking.

And actually, I did find an option that is supposed to cover all Wall posts, but the individual settings override that. So let's say I have it set so that John Doe and Jane Doe can't view my Wall on my universal settings, but the individual settings only block John , then Jane Doe can still view my Wall. And of course, Facebook doesn't have a direct "Contact Us" link so that you can actually speak to somebody about this.

Truthfully, in my case it's more of a frustration/annoyance than a real issue. I keep my Facebook page relatively clean, so there's nothing that can get me in real trouble. But there ARE people out there who take this very seriously, and I have heard stories of being getting in professional trouble because of things on their Facebook page. In that sense, this is something Facebook should be concerned about.

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REPOST: My interview with Jenni Baird - June 25, 2007

This was the second celebrity interview I conducted, and in many ways it was actually my favorite as well. Jenni Baird, who was new to the series, was exceptionally friendly and personable. In many ways, it was the most personable and talkative of my interviews, and I do believe it was the only one which ended with the person telling me that I should call back once the season had ended. I particularly enjoyed our dialogue regarding American phrases that are unusual to those from other areas (now that I think of it, "lucked out" is a strange way of saying you're fortunate). And she very happily answered my question about Heroes stealing their thunder, which would be important later on. Jenni was a really friendly person, and most recently could be seen in the Sci-Fi comedy Alien Trespass. Enjoy the interview:

http://insidepulse.com/2007/06/25/68355/

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