In case you're new

I've been commenting more lately, and plan to add some new blogs to my rotation. So, in case you're new here and am wondering why this is my first post in nearly two years...this is my real blog. I just use this one as a placeholder.

That and I got tired of seeing that same post on top for, like, ever.

The list

Please go here if you've ever played a game with me. Don't worry, this isn't a trick question.

A march down stupid memory lane

I realized part of the reason for my recent saltiness: stupid people. But not just any kind of stupid people. No, to get on my shit list, you have to meet three important requirements:

1) Be stupid;
2) Have no idea that you are stupid; and
3) Be loud about it.

About five years ago, I was in a sports bar with noted Packers fan Tom when the Packers were playing the Raiders. Sitting near us had to be the loudest (#3), dumbest (#1), and most clueless (#2) Raiders fan ever -- and that's saying a lot for Raiders fans. This was the first game of the season, and the first game in a Raiders uniform for running back Tyrone Wheatley, former star at Michigan and first-round bust with the New York Giants. In other words, despite being a mediocre pro player, this was a guy who was still pretty well known.

Despite this, the Obnoxious Raiders Fan seemed to have no idea who he was. Ok, I could deal with someone not knowing about your team's significant free-agent acquisition, I guess. Not everyone follows their team off the field that closely, I guess. But not knowing wasn't enough. Instead, ORF didn't want to feel stupid, so when one of his table-mates asked him who Wheatley was, he responded, "I think he played in the Canadian League or something." This provided no end of amusement to me and Tom. Later in the game, when Wheatley fumbled, Tom whispered to me, "Send him back to Canada!" That's still our cry whenever some player makes a bad mistake: "Get your ass back to Canada!"

The very next week, of course, the Vikings played the Raiders, and we were once again treated to the musings of the ORF. I can only hope he's in Canada now.

So, today, I'm in the sports bar, alone, watching the Bears/Vikings game, which was enough of a torment to me, until an OBF -- Obnoxious Bears Fan -- sat with a friend at the table next to me. He was loud (#3) and seemed fairly stupid (#1), but, to his credit, didn't try to display any uncanny knowledge of football and prove his stupidity for all the world to see (#2). Then came a ridiculous sequence late in the first half, which I will attempt to transcribe here. My quotes were only thought, not said.

A) One of the commentators mentioned Jarret Payton, son of legendary running back Walter Payton. He was recently upgraded from the practice squad and was playing for the Titans.

OBF: "How can you have a last name like that (Payton) and not be on the team?"
Me: "Because he's not that good? A lot of players have had sons that haven't even been in the NFL, you dolt."

B) His friend then asked OBF about Jarrett Payton. His response:

OBF: "Yeah, he's a backup for Miami."
Me: "That's true. If by 'Miami,' you actually mean 'Tennessee.'"

C) Finally, after three-and-out by the Vikings:

OBF: "Yeah, that's classic Mike Tice. Pass, pass, pass, punt."
Me: "Funny, I didn't know that a handoff on third down counted as a pass."

Maybe that's how they score it in Canada.

Photography 101

This is my apartment. Isn't it neat?

Ok, so it's not that special. But this is the first picture I've taken on a camera of my own in, oh, 20+ years.

I've never been a big camera person. My mom got me one when I was about 10 years old. Between having to make sure my flash was on, developing film, and the whole nine yards, it was enough to turn me off on photography for a while.

Then, along came digital cameras, and I thought, "So, I won't need film or any of that junk? Just point, click, shoot, hook up to computer, and presto?" Still, it's been a couple of years since I first got that urge to buy a digital camera, since it is, in effect, a luxury -- and a pricy one at that -- and most of you who know me know what a cheapskate I am.

But, after going on a few trips with the JoyRide crew and seeing all the fun they (make that Trevor) have taking snapshots of, well, pretty much everything, not to mention all the other photos y'all (see, I'm officially a Carolinian!) have been taking. There have also been lots of times in the last couple years when I've seen something particularly neat and thought, "Gee, I'd like to have a picture of that to share with people." Particularly, there's the waterfall that forms outside my apartment each time it rains. I'll show you that next time we get a decent downpour. Granted, I'm still not much beyond that "point, click, shoot, hook up, presto" phase, but I'll figure it all out.

So, I am now photo-enabled. Be afraid. Don't worry, no nudes anytime soon. At least not until I can figure out the timer.

Two blogs are better than one

Or not.

This is just here largely so that I can keep better track of my friends' blogs on Blogger.

I don't plan to post here much, but I do like the photo-handling, so maybe I'll put some pictures up.

If you really want to know about me (masochistic much?), you should read my livejournal, Den of Evil.

That is all. For now, at least.