Why The New York Times Should Hire Me and The Invention of Lying

Every day we hear about the newspapers and publishing industry struggling to stay above water. Subscriptions are down and companies need to find new ways to engage readers. So I came up with an idea for the New York Times this morning while walking to work because that's what I do in the morning. I think. About life, about the people in my life, about ideas, dreams, the future, you name it, I think about it. So this morning I decided that the New York Times should start marketing specifically to people with dogs. That's right. Here's why. It starts as early as when people go to pick up a puppy from a pet store. A majority of the time, these puppies are playing and rolling around in shredded newspaper. The New York Times should use this in their marketing plan. Let's fast forward a few years. The puppy is all grown up, likes to fetch the newspaper! So having a subscription is a great way to train your dog. Next and last is the blue bag. The New York Times is delivered in this blue bag which then gets used by dog owners to pick up excrement. Okay, I'm done. Did I make my point? I'm not sure. New York Times and Dog Owners just seem to go together very nicely.

Last night I had the pleasure of going to see the new Ricky Gervais film, The Invention of Lying. Yes he stars in it, but he also co-wrote and directed. The man is a machine. You can really tell that he wrote the script because it's very much his humor. Throw in a plethora of familiar faces (all you Ricky Gervais Show fans will be happy to know that Stephen Merchant makes a brief appearance). I went into this film wondering if I was going to be presented with something fresh, something new, and I was. Ricky Gervais is genius although at times the "everyone saying what they really think" gag grows old until the film is brought to the next level and the plot is able to move forward. I felt as though the film plateaus as some point and then regains momentum and continues on. Jennifer Garner's dimples can do no wrong and behind it all, there is a message. Love conquers all and funny short overweight men have a shot.

Watching this film left me craving a trip to a quaint small New Englad town and my question was answered in the press notes, it was filmed in Lowell, Massachusetts, 25 miles north of Boston.

That's all for now. Busy day ahead.

Are You Going To Answer That?

We've heard numerous stories of cell phones interrupting Broadway shows, the actors stopping and making light of it or getting angry and then the show continuing. Well by now many of you have seen this clip from the new show starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, A Steady Rain.



The audience laughs but even I feel somewhat uncomfortable watching this. I'd also like to know if this person was just filming or they started filming because the cell phone was going off. Bootlegged Broadway.

If you live in New York City or any other walkable city, you really have to watch where you walk. There are bad drivers out there. I've noticed that cars in Hoboken have a tendency to ignore stop signs and also any yield to pedestrian signs. And so, on my way to my personal training session last night, I was crossing the street and a guy in his Benz sees me waiting to cross, he has a stop sign and so I start crossing and he doesn't stop at all. He just drives by slowly. So I banged my fist on his car. It gave him a jolt, but it was a well deserved jolt. Jerk.

Here's some great news. A new study shows that the health of people with jobs is declining. I'm tired of these studies. Your health is declining if you have a job, your health is declining if you don't have a job, don't drink coffee, drink it, alcohol makes you live longer...

Coconuts are in style.

Here's a great Vermont/MOMA story.

For those who enjoy trying new things in Final Cut Pro and other editing programs, I highly recommend fooling around with green screen, split screen and trying to stage a light saber fight. No, I have not done this. But here are some people who have spent a little too much time doing this.

I leave you with this, which I find to be tres tres cool. I mean, nothing says cool like a 12 foot Zoetrope.

Temperley London Circus Zoetrope from LEGS on Vimeo.

Octobrrrrrr

I hope you had a great weekend. I did. I had a lot of fun on Saturday in the city, exploring new places, laughing, brainstorming, it doesn't get much better than that. It was chilly on Saturday, a sure sign that fall has arrived. The leaf peepers will soon be on their way North to see the changing leaves. Ahh, I just love it.

Let me start with this video...



I saw a couple yesterday in Hoboken that just made me sick. Really. She was wearing a football jersey and he a black shirt and jeans. I was standing behind them as we waited to cross the street and they were standing in front of me, out in the street. They look to their right and see a parked car starting to back up so that it can pull out. Now, if I saw someone backing up I would move my girlfriend out of the way and back up onto the sidewalk. Not this guy. This guy just stands there with his arm around his girlfriend and tries yelling at the guy in the car. "Hey, hey, don't you see us standing here?". A lot of good his screams did with the car windows up. The driver had no idea. Then the light changes and we are walking. He whispers in her ear and curses about something. Then the following takes place:

He:Your friend Karen said I was hot.
She: *fake laughs* oh yeah, Karen said that?
He: Yeah *runs fingers through hair*
She: Wow, that's a compliment. She doesn't say that to anyone.
He: (smiles, proud of himself)

Unfortunately there wasn't a place for me to barf because I just might have. There are some really great and interesting people in Hoboken, but then there are these people. And these people are the people who give Hoboken a bad name. I wonder where their conversation veered next? Let me take a shot at this...

He: You know, I'm not nearly as hot as you, bebe.
She: *fake laugh* uh yuh, I know you're not. So do they call these jerseys because they are from our state?
He: I think so, man you look great in that Giants jersey.
She: I look even better without it.
He: yeah, I bet (hand moves to her right cheek)

Okay, okay. That's enough of that. You get the point.

I just realized I left my cell phone charger at home. Don't you hate that?

New SNL cast member, Jenny Slate mistakingly droppped the F Bomb the other night.

Blame it on the m.mm.mm.mmm.mmm.mailbag

Since it's Friday and because 3 Chords and the Truth reminded me that I have a mailbox which needed to be checked, (Whoops. I completely forgot about it) I chose a couple of questions from the bag and let's see what people are wondering.

The first one comes from Randy Crazhman in Phoenix, Arizona. Don't know if Randy is a man or woman but let's see what he/she has to say:

Dear Evan Almighty,

I'm a longtime reader of your blog and was wondering what your morning routine is like. Are you an egg or cereal man?

Randy

Thanks for the question, Randy. I love eggs and cereal but I'll have to say I'm a cereal man during the week and an egg man on the weekends. As for my morning routine, well...



My next question comes from Margaritte Wilson in Dorset, Vermont. Thanks for writing Margaritte!

Hi Evan,

I've seen you mention Vermont often on this blog and I recently saw you said something about Mad Tom Orchard. I just went picking there yesterday and was curious what kind of apples you like?

Cheers,
Margaritte


Great question! One of my favorite apple varieties are Honey Crisp which I believe are currently being picked. However, this apple takes the cake.


Okay, one more. This question comes from Brad Ronsoni from Tampa, Florida. Brad writes:

Hey,
You know what? No one cares about your life stories and your links and your NYC experiences. What I want to know is about the stuff you keep on saying you'd like to write but can't because people read this. Suck it up and lay it out there. What? You like some girl? You're stressed at work? Big deal. We all have these issues. So stop telling me about your personal trainer moving to Thailand and give me the real stuff

Brad

Oh Brad, what am I going to do with you? It's not that simple. If you email me directly I might be able to share with you but until then I'm just going to avoid the issue and change the subject using this:



Keep plucking those chickens, Brad.


And that's today's mailbag. Nothing too exciting unfortunately. Which brings us to another Friday. I read an article about the precautions gyms are taking to prevent Swine Flu and when I got to my gym last night I didn't see any sign that they were doing anything. I notice most people don't wipe off the machines and when my trainer pointed to one person doing it I told him that he must have paid her to do it in front of me. I'm sure he's glad he's moving to Thailand.

I have a question for you. Just who is this MIKA character? I recently heard his music and saw that he has a new CD out so I decided to do some investigating and found some of his performances online. Like this one:



I then went to Wikipedia to read about this guy and noticed people have been editing his entry with some interesting info. Gotta love Wikipedia.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Super Charged Man In Suit

I started my morning off behind a man in a suit and a solar paneled backpack walking super fast. It looked as though the solar pack was charging him up and making him go. It made me laugh.

Speaking of making me laugh, here's something to get us all going this morning:

Last night was my first night of class and it went pretty well. There are only 12 classes so I have a feeling it's going to go by very quickly. Most of the people in the class are in an MBA program and I guess they all have these name plates and the desks have a slot in the front where you can stand them up. An easy way for professors to call on people and, I guess, learn names. I'm thinking about getting a "Hello My Name Is _______" sticker to wear to class. The subject is interesting although I'm not looking forward to the presentation. Presentations scare me and so I usually try to make them as creative and funny as possible because that's the way I cope. Gone are the days of feeling special because the teacher learned your name first.

I don't know about this one, Honda. Looks sort of uncomfortable to me.



I'll let Enrique have the last word..

Older People Say The Darndest Things

Howdy! Why is it that I still feel a little nervous my first day of class. There's no reason to be nervous, Evan. And yet, I am. Who will be in the class, will the teacher be good, how much work will we have? The questions linger in the back of my mind. Luckily, it's only an hour and a half. If you're interested, I'll give you a brief summary tomorrow, a review of the first class, Entertainment and Globalization.

Since I was a kid I was always fascinated with Pee-Wee Herman. His show was brilliant and his movies are classics. There is no other comedian quite like him. Well Pee-Wee is back and he was on this new Jay Leno Show. He's a somewhat older Pee-Wee but his facial expressions alone are enough to make me laugh. He's doing a live show in Los Angeles and I hear they are working on a new movie. I know you are but what am I?

Last night there was an event in conjunction with an art show at our University Gallery. The show is Early Aboriginal Paintings from Papunya. While exiting the show, an older woman came over and said how much she enjoyed the show and that so and so was very knowledgeable and then she said something that was unexpected. In fact, I can't even remember the exact wording. But she used the word "penises" and "beautiful" in the same sentence. I think I must have done a double take before excusing myself. You had to be there.

This is random, but here are 13 techniques to cure the hiccups.

The crazy Yes Men are at it again and the New York Post isn't amused. Did anyone get the faux cover?

I'll let Ernie Anastos have the last word today:

Where Can You Find Real Fun? CT!

As you may have noticed, state commissions on culture and tourism have been launching advertising and marketing campaigns to get us to go to these places and spend money. Vermont plastered the walls and floors at the Hoboken PATH station and I've been staring at this one poster for Connecticut on the PATH trains. It shows a little girl holding up a lobster claw and smiling devilishly while her family eats lobster in the background. The copy reads, "Real Fun is Closer Than You Think" and then says something about Connecticut. My first thought was, that's fun? My second thought is, this girl just ripped of the poor lobster's claw and my third thought is, I know how close Connecticut is. Perhaps I'm just being picky, but if I wanted to get people from Hoboken to Connecticut my approach would be much different. It would involve a scantily clad woman and/or man, some sort of alcoholic beverage, and jetskis.

I've been getting these 1010 Wins news alerts to my phone and I must say they come in handy, especially when it comes to transportation. But today I got one that has to do with terrorist attacks on stadiums, entertainment complexes and hotels. Freaking me out.

That's all I've got today.

The Censor Inside

I think I've mentioned before that some of my posts that seem to get a greater response are the more personal ones. Things about me, what I'm thinking, my thoughts on life, love and the pursuit of happiness. And yet, while this blog affords me the opportunity to write freely, my inner censor is always on. "Nope, can't say that Evan, so and so is reading this" or "Are you sure you want to say that?". Wouldn't it be great if you could have hidden blog posts that only certain people could read. Like hidden lemon juice messages written on paper with a toothpick and revealed under either a light bulb or candle.

It's amazing to think that I am coming up on 900 posts. That means a lot of useless links, jokes, witty remarks, thoughts, vacations, a breakup, birthdays, celebrations, hope and dreams, and much more have been shared with all of you. Censored, of course.

This morning, I took my usual path to work and on this one street, I always see someone famous. This morning, my serene walk down said street was no longer serene. Two can collectors, on opposite sides of the street were collecting cans and one was screaming at the other one. I tried to comprehend what all the screaming was about as the construction workers stared on. I figured the one guy was angry at the other one for taking "his" cans. I kept walking and then looked to my left, John Leguizamo was standing on the steps of his apartment watching the two men. His wife and kids were coming out behind him, ready for school. You could tell he was trying to listen and see what all the yelling was about. I smiled and then continued on my way.

Leave it up to Time Magazine to put together a Top Ten Newscaster Bloopers for their website.

Hey all you iPhone users, please do me a favor and download Pen and Teller's iphone app. It's awesome!!!

Sometimes, things look cool when you speed them up...

The Fourth of July in San Francisco from Delrious on Vimeo.

And now a message from Riba the Robotic Assistance Bear:

Memories

Boaz posted this compilation of clips from Clips and Quips. I miss the days of holding the camera and trying to keep as steady as possible. We had such a blast doing this show.

Clips & Quips from Boaz Frankel on Vimeo.

Love at First Read

How many of us believe in love at first sight? We have seen it time and again in song, book and movie. A character falls immediately in love at first sight of another. Researchers say love at first sight might be genetic. But then again, that research was done on fruit flies. So now you are asking yourself, where is Evan possibly going with this. Here's where I'm going. And let me propose this question. Is it possible to fall in love with someone through the written word? That is, can someone be so moved by a writer's hand that a connection and feeling of love is created? I wonder if any blogger or author has fallen in love with one of his/her readers. Okay, I know what you are thinking now...and no, I don't believe there are women out there reading my blog and falling for me. And if there are....call me.

Writing, as we know, can be powerful. It can evoke feelings and this is what started me thinking about this whole love at first or second or third read. I was also thinking about this in terms of online dating. Some Joe Schmo from Kansas could write a brilliant profile on a dating site about himself and the match he is looking for. Will he get more emails from women than a guy who isn't a decent writer? Probably. But don't be fooled. Disappointment might be lurking around the corner. Falling in love with someone and their words can be dangerous. Because if and when things progress to the next level, like a phone call or in-person meeting, there is opportunity for a huge let down. Am I making any sense? Who knows. That's my thought for today.

I leave with you with this..have a great weekend.

Comedy Central's Next Move

Last night I attended the taping of a pilot for an original new game show at Crash Mansion. I knew very little about the show going in and was curious to see what the creators and writers had come up with. I left very impressed. The writing is smart, clever and funny and the game concept is original and a lot of fun. Comedy Central would be silly not to pick this show up. It's just the sort of programming that they need right now. Not to mention it's a new and different venue for them to expose their comics to a wide audience. There was a wide age spectrum last night and looking around and listening to people talk, everyone was interested in the game and found it entertaining. This show would greatly appeal to Comedy Central's target market. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens and hope that the show moves on to the next level, because it's time for a funny and smart gameshow that doesn't rely on briefcases, hot models (well, maybe) and fist bumping.

We've all seen Ernie Anastos but did you HEAR him? This clip has now moved into my top ten news bloopers. Watch it before it's taken down!



Cloudy with a chance of meatballs....

Have you always wanted to drive a Peugeot? Well check out this new electric shape-shifting car.

It's really feeling like fall now so its appropriate to end with this video:

Suddenly, last summer from Leonardo Dalessandri on Vimeo.

So much to say, so much to say...not really

I don't really have anything spectacular to write about this morning EXCEPT I am really looking forward to the taping tonight. My buddy Adam has been working on a very exciting project and it'll be my first time seeing all of his hard work and brilliant writing come to life on set. (Adam, is that good enough or do you need me to go on some more about your place on the genius meter??) Also, tonight is going to be a reunion of sorts. That's right. Someone I haven't seen or spoken with since college will be there and while I'm looking forward to this reunion, it might be sort of awkward. More on that tomorrow.

An NYU alumna is suing because she claims NYU used a drawing she did of a cougar for the bobcat logo on their materials. Which made me wonder, what's the difference between a cougar and a bobcat?

SIZE: Cougars average between 75 and 150 lbs, while bobcats average between 15 and 30 lbs. However, an exceptionally large male bobcat can be close in size to a small female cougar.

COLOR: Cougars are mainly one color (a tawny gold); bobcats are spotted or striped. One exception: cougar cubs are spotted (for camouflage).

TAIL: The most pronounced difference between the 2 species is their tail shape. Cougar tails are very long, at least half as long as their body length. Bobcats are named for their short "bobbed" tails, which are only a few inches long.

EARS: Cougars have rounded, wide-set ears. Bobcats have a very distinct tuft of hair on top of each ear which makes the ear look pointed.

FUR: Bobcats have a ruff of fur on their cheeks, while cougars have short fur all over.

And there you have it. That's all I've got for today...well, except for this classic news clip:

Obama and Clinton

Dear NJ PATH,

I am writing to find out why you do not inspect the cars to make sure each one has proper air ventilation/circulation? Is it really that difficult? And if for some reason the air flow isn't working, put a sign on the window so on a day like today, when train service is slow and there are a lot of people pressing against the door to get in, we can be assured that there is a nicely ventilated car waiting for us. This was not the case this morning. And to top it off, the guy next to me, who must have been narcoleptic immediately fell asleep and his head was just about on my shoulder. Not cool, not cool at all. You know there is a problem with the air flow on a car when the doors open at a stop and cool, fresh smelling air comes rushing in.

Yours,
Evan

Yesterday, there was a lot of excitement around campus because Obama and Clinton decided to have lunch at Il Mulino on West 3rd street. Streets were blocked off, students stood on their toes hoping to catch a glimpse of the president, and security was tight, of course. I'm just glad one article reported what they ate:

“We had fish, pasta and salad,” Mr. Clinton said as he turned to leave, smiling and waving at a few reporters on the sidewalk. “It was very healthy. Even I was healthy.”

A good family friend of ours was interviewed for Style.com. Michael started The Journal and it is amazing to see how far the magazine has come. Be sure to check out The Journal website for upcoming events and news. And while you're at it, why not buy a subscription?

I was sad to see Roger Federer defeated by Juan Martin del Potro in the US Open Final but Federer will go down in tennis history with this shot. I could watch this all day long.



I'd like to end with the following advertisement, courtesy of YesButNoButYes:

Please let this week be better than the last.

Last week was not the best week. I found out that my wonderful advisor had passed away and then this weekend, found out that a friend of my parents had died unexpectedly. News, that you never want to hear. So I spent a lot of time this weekend reading and reflecting and although I hate to admit it, celebrating. Celebrating life and also Italian heritage! I'd like to thank the Hoboken Italian Festival: Feast of the Madonna dei Martiri for providing me with much needed entertainment this past weekend. It's great to see that such a small and intimate festival can pack such a big punch. The celebrations concluded last night with a wonderful display of fireworks and a concert on the Hudson.

Let me switch over to an entirely new topic. I consider myself to be someone that pays attention to what's going around them. I'm that way when it comes to driving, walking, you name it. So I noticed something this morning on the PATH. A woman who color coordinates her blackberry sleeve with her clothing. The only reason I noticed this was because the first time I saw her she was wearing a pink outfit and had this pink blackberry. I thought maybe she just liked pink. Fine. Well today, she gets on with a blue dress and the same color blue sleeve for her blackberry. I guess I've been out of the fashion loop, but this apparently is something women do. They try to dress like their electronic devices or vice versa.

For all of you tennis fans, you probably witnessed a furious Serena Williams who apparently shouted "If I could, I'd take this ******* ball and shove it down your ******* throat" to the line judge. She has been fined $10,000 and I'm wondering what kind of sponsorships she'll be offered.

Then there was this whole Kanye West incident which I missed but heard about this morning. Blame it on the Cognac, Kanye. Blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol.

September 11th

In addition to it being my grandparents' anniversary today, today marks another anniversary of the attacks of September 11th. Everyone has there story about that awful morning, the scenes of which currently play back in my mind.

A moment of silence for all of those who lost someone in these attacks.

And now for some other news...

The NYC Cricket Hunt is taking place today so grab your cell phone and start looking for crickets.

Yesterday, many well known faces could be seen at Lincoln Center for a memorial service honoring the late, Walter Cronkite.

Alec Baldwin picking his teeth at the US OPEN is making headlines...but why?

Uh oh, what does this mean for that Wizard of Oz celebration???

Architecture At Night

There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing architecture under beautifully lit light at night. Oh, that rhymes very niiicely. On my way home last night I couldn't help but stop and snap a few photos of the Washington Square Arch. Even more interesting are the little vignettes that take place underneath the arch. 3 people were sitting on the lights listening to music and meditating while on the other side, a double bass player laid down a beat.

Speaking of beats, Steve Jobs made the announcement yesterday about the new generation of ipods, now with video recording.

What's with Facebook? It's been acting so buggy lately and no one has said anything to us. Don't you think the FB people should let us know that people are taking over the system? I've heard that spammers have hacked into peoples Yahoo email accounts through facebook. I've got nothing else to say about this.

Do it Rockapella. Do you like A Capella? Well if so, you might like this bizarre performance. I have a name for this but I'm hesitant to, well, what the heck...Spermacapella.



All you Idol fans now have a fourth judge...Ellen Degeneres. Makes perfect sense and no doubt will boost ratings. Fans of the show had mixed reactions but I'm sure Ellen will just add another comedic layer to the show.

And in cellphone radiation news...

Hope you have a great day!

The Hoff Video Timeline

I don't get peoples fascination with David Hasselhoff. Sure he's been the butt of jokes for many years and we know how much the Germans love him, but I've been trying to figure out the appeal. I guess Knight Rider and Baywatch had something to do with it. People came to know the man and his red suit very well. We've witnessed David under the influence with a cheeseburger, have laughed at his video for Hooked on a Feeling and the man continues to perform. So I decided to put together a video timeline so that you can get to know the man, the myth, the legend.

It all began with this show about a man and his talking car, Knight Rider:



Kids, get out of the water, there's a shark! And who could forget David in Baywatch as he patrolled the waters with Pamela Anderson.



Then we were introduced to this wacky music video of "Hooked on a Feeling"



Then we better understood what he was hooked on when this video hit the web:


And now he continues to dazzle millions of Americans during the week on this America's Got Talent program. This next video just makes me laugh.




And there you "hoff" it. The Hoff Video Timeline. Hope that made your day that much better.

Back To School

I'll be honest, I'm not in much of a blogging mood this morning so I apologize. Remember the first day of school? I have clear memories of the first day of grade school. All the kids would line up outside with their parents. Flashes would be blinding as parents made sure to capture the moment. I usually got dressed up and sported a tie for my first day (what was that about???) and then the bell would ring and the lines would march inside to the classrooms where we would get acquainted with the teachers and look around the room for any new students. Ah the first day of school. Trapper keepers, new backpacks, packed lunches, fruit snacks. Here's something you probably didn't need to know. I used to give my fruit snacks to girls who I liked in class. That was my trademark. Because, nothing says "I like you" like a bag of fruit snacks. Perhaps I should go back to the fruit snack approach?

Teachers enjoy grumbling about going back to school, even after their months off. And today, they will meet their new classes. Smiling faces eager to learn and cause trouble.

By the way, this is probably the most brilliant back to school commercial. Kids hate it though.



Looks like I missed this year's tugboat race and competition on the Hudson.

Looking to spend some cheddar on a beach house? Why not make every weekend, a weekend at Bernie's?

I was determined to go see a broadway show this past weekend and so I tried my luck and won a rush ticket to Shrek: The Musical. Some people think that there is no such thing as too close at a Broadway show...well, I was too close. Sort of uncomfortably close. The actors are right in front of you and at times, stared me down. "Am I smiling? what does my face look like? Does it look like I'm having a good time" I thought to myself. I tried to look like I was having the time of my life after Shrek first eyed me during his opening number. The musical numbers were fun and the songs catchy, the costumes and puppetry make the show but most of the dialogue and jokes seem to be taken directly from the movie. It's a great show for the kids and adults forced to go will enjoy it too.

Ogre and out.

LDW

It's hard to believe Labor Day Weekend has arrived. This holiday represents the end of Summer, the beginning of school, and most importantly to some, it means no more white. We've all heard someone say it, "You can't wear white after Labor Day." But I never really thought about it or knew why. So I did a quick search and came up with this blurb:

As with many customs and etiquette dictums, it's difficult to pin down the reason behind the prohibition against white after Labor Day. We searched on variations of "wear white after Labor Day" and sifted through the Etiquette and Fashion categories in the Yahoo! Directory. We managed to turn up a bit of information on the fashion dictate.

Originally, the rule was more along the lines of "Only wear white shoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day." Furthermore, it mainly applied to white pumps or dress shoes. White tennis shoes and off-white boots seem exempt, as are any shoes worn by a winter bride. "Winter white" clothing (e.g., cream-colored wool) is acceptable between Labor Day and Memorial Day too.

The only logical reasoning we could find cited temperature. Image consultant Nancy Penn suggests that because white reflects light and heat, wearing white would make you cooler in winter, and thus should be avoided. But others suggest the rule stems from a class issue. Acting Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele notes that in the late 19th century and the 1950s, more people were entering the middle classes. These nouveau-riche folks were often unaware of the standards of high society, so they were given specific codified rules to follow in order to fit in.

I'm wondering how many people actually follow this fashion tip. And upon further research it appears as though it is okay to wear white after Labor Day.

I say wear white whenever the heck you want to.

Looks like Swine Flu Fashion has hit the runway.

It looks like Sony's Walkman is making a comeback!

Some ball boys will do anything to retrieve a ball:


Trying to stop drinking soda? I think I found something that just might help you out. Gross.

Our Current Stamp Situation

I have a problem with the current stamp situation. In the past, stamps were clearly labeled with an amount so we knew the difference between say a 42 cent and 2 cent stamp. Before they introduced the Forever Stamp, they had these tan stamps with a flag on them and NO amount. I was looking for a stamp to mail a letter and realized that I had a bunch of these stamps with no amount on them. Well, that's odd. These aren't the forever stamps...at least I don't think they are. Then how much are these worth? At this point Google would have been the obvious choice but I wanted to see if anyone else knew the answer to this question. So I asked around the office. One person said they had them too and that they just put two of these mysterious stamps on a letter to be safe. Another coworker had no clue and was in a bad mood. A third coworker actually knew that there was a year hidden on the stamps and sure enough there was. In Highlights fashion, it was hidden in the flag pole on the stamp, "2007". What kind of crap is this? How much are these stamps worth. I went ahead and put two of these stamps on my envelope and sent it on its merry way. I found out the answer to my question thanks to the USPS website. 41 Cents for all of those who are curious and have these stamps in your drawer. Here's a thought. If we go back to the old stamp system, can we clearly label the stamp value as we have in the past? Thanks.

I love it when people I know decide to start a blog. Heather just started hers the other day and voila, Chicken Monday was hatched.

Japan's first lady is making many claims, like she knew Tom Cruise in a former incarnation – when he was Japanese – and is now looking forward to making a Hollywood movie with him. When asked what movie, she replied "A remake of The Butcher's Wife".

Ben and Jerry have done it again. For the month of September they have changed the name of one of Chubby Hubby to Hubby Hubby in celebration of the legalization of gay marriage in its home state of Vermont. When asked about this decision, one Vermonter said, "If they had asked me, I would have suggested a rainbow sherbert".

While we're on the topic of ice cream, how about a look at some of the most bizarre flavors?

I got to see a Penny Farthing bike in Canada but here's something new. An electric Penny-Farthing bike.


Bloomberg's jet hit had bird trouble on the way to Ted Kennedy's funeral.


Take it away Indian Beatles:

Change

Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts. - Arnold Bennett

We all face change on a daily basis. The seasons, your favorite lunch special, heck even the change in your pocket. There are those of us who take change well and those of us who have a hard time with it at first. There are those people who order the same menu item at a restaurant every time. Why? Because we enjoy it and like it and if that's the case, why order something else? Change is inevitable. Buildings come up and are torn down, hearts are broken and relationships ended, and we face changes at work, too.

I was taught growing up that change is good and then my mom would go and order her usual dish at our favorite restaurant. But I knew my parents weren't referring to that sort of change. I'll admit that I'm not crazy about it. But what helps me get through it is believing that everything happens for a reason. The people we meet, the places we go, the things we do, everything.

ah, okay. I'll do it:

An offer you can't refuse

Sometimes I question whether to continue this blog. Yesterday was one of those days. I can see how after awhile, you've said a lot of what you have to say and you want to move on. After all, I write daily just to keep myself writing. I don't want to fool you. I do not have legions of fans waiting to read my every word, checking for constant updates and juicy gossip squeezed from celebrity pulp. No. It's basically my mom and her friends, the occasional person who searches for "cashew fruit on vacation" via Google, and Kenny the homeless man from Broadway and 10th. Thanks for reading. Let's switch subjects now.

For centuries, salesmen and saleswomen..er salespersons, I guess, try to get us to buy goods with a pitch. But here's something I don't get; the month end extravaganzabonanza. Haven't we been dealing with salespersons long enough to know that the "better hurry up before the month ends to lock in your savings" will reappear most likely at the end of EVERY month? I went in today thinking, and being told, I was getting the best rate, that they were going to take care of me...but I knew what was going to happen in the end. I knew they were going to try to use the fact that yesterday was August 31st, the last day of the promotion. Sign up now, or lose out. Mind you, it's not like they were going to give me a car to sign up. I had to laugh after the hullaballoo and fuss they made about giving me a great discounted deal. It wasn't any better than if I had walked in off of the street. And so it goes. The next time I walk into any place where a salesperson is trying to sell me something, I'm going to say, "you're going to have to make me a better offer because it's the end of the month and if you can't offer me what I want before month's end, I'm walking away."

Gosh, I'm just a ramblin' man today. Blah blah blah..

Isn't that right, Indian Elvis?



I'm going to start a new section on this blog called "Evan and Pregnant Women" and let this be the first one! My adventures with pregnant women continued this morning as I offered my seat to a woman. We had one of those exchanges that usually come at the end of a date with the bill...oh no, I insist, no I want..but you paid last..no let me...a bu..no, yes... . I should have stood up and forced her to sit but she was pretty adamant about standing. Mind you, no one else was offering their seat, and upon noticing this, the guy standing, reading the paper by the door, was shaking his head and using every nonverbal cue possible to show his anger. Of course, when I got up at my stop I turned back and saw the woman take my seat. Lesson learned.