Mike's Bloggity Blog

>I’m trying out for this on Saturday morning! I’m so nervous!

Pointers? Suggestions?

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Did you watch Lost last night! It was one of my favorite ones this season. Which isn’t saying much. I’m usually not a John Locke fan, but I was all over this particular episode. However there was one thing I noticed that made me think. What does the below pic from last night’s episode remind you of? This post perhaps? Awkward.

note to self: never have confrontational meetings with certain family members in buildings higher than 2 stories. Or planes for that matter.

Goodbye Stephanie, we barely knew yee. Which I think was part of the problem.

>It is a mere nine days until I take my life long dream trip of going to Hawaii. Me and my closet 7 friends…..ok I’ve never met two of them, but we might become life long freiends are heading off to the Island of Oahu next Saturday!

But I need some help. Has anyone been there before? Do you have suggestions? Likes, Dislikes?

Also, I wonder when I should open the wagering on when I will do/say something so stupid it would only happen to me. Ideas?

I’m all ears!

>So because I was at The Fray concert tonight (read below) there is no critque for American Idol. It is on my Tivo, but it waaaaay to late for me to be watching that crap right now.

But let’s be honest North America. Samosa has to go home. He has to go home like my parents wanted me to move out:fast and 8 years before I actually did. Do the right thing.
Also I never got feed back saying that calling him Samosa was racist, so I’m sticking with it. If it offends you because you like him, or if it offends you because like the pastry please tell me and I will do my best to change it.

>Now Available on The Q

Dear Readers, Let me prefix this piece by stating that it turned out to be more of a rant than originally intended. If you are patient and sarcastic enough, I feel like the pay off is worth it.

If there is one thing I love about Calgary, it’s the concerts! I’ve said it before that I love that we get a wide range of different types of music for all to enjoy. Except Polka, we never get enough polka. If there is one thing that I HATE about Calgary, it’s the lines. Because of the massive worker shortage you always have to wait in long lines, or come back when they aren’t so busy. Which is never.

Tonight somewhere on the University of Calgary campus my biggest loves and hates combined when The Fray made their debut Calgary appearances.

I knew it was going to busy, tickets sold out within minutes when they went on sale in January and even faster when they released a new set in early March. Because it was rush seating my roommate and I got their what we thought was early for the band that has been made famous on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs and The Hills.

We got there a full hour before the doors even opened at 7pm for the 8pm show and there were already at least 150 people in front of us! We couldn’t believe it, but once we got into line we were even more amazed at how fast the line grew behind us. It was like the passport office, which didn’t make me feel very good.

It wasn’t until around 7:30 that the line started moving into Mac Hall, by this time we had been standing in line for nearly 90 minutes and weren’t feeling too hot. This is where it gets ugly folks: Everyone loves The Fray, no one apparently more than teenage girls. If there is one thing teenage girls know how to do it is to butt in line and act like they didn’t know that they just did it. Now for anyone that knows me they know that I’m not very confrontational, but they were butting on my turf and I was having none of it. Needless to say, words were said. Harsh words. Words that didn’t necessarily work, but those Bratz dolls wannbes will remember me next time they see an angry bald guy in line and think twice about butting. Also I called at 13 Victoria Beckham. She took it as a compliment, it wasn’t.However, once we got into the room itself we quickly moved as close to the stage as possible. We never understood why The Fray weren’t playing at a theatre with seats, it’s not as if the band is a Nirvana waiting to happen. They play nice ballads,that in my opinion are best enjoyed sitting down.

But alas there were no seats so we were left to stand. Luckily we met some very nice people in line and ended up standing by them for the concert too. We made an alliance to not let anyone squeeze through us and I’m proud to say our Maritimer-Red Deer alliance held tight throughout the night.

A little after 8 a man holding a guitar approached the centre stage and the crowd went nuts. It was at this point that I realized no one, not even me, even knows what a single member from The Fray looks like, because folks this man not a member of the band, he was indeed the opening act and it took the audience a good three songs to realize this.

Finally after the opening act wrapped up a way too long set we excitedly awaited the bands appearance. During the wait I realized something else, if I was a producer for Degrassi Junior I could have come to this concert and held a giant casting call. I was surprised at how many pre-pubesant little brats there were. Don’t these kids have curfews or parents for that matter?

Now this is where my problem with lines and waiting takes a turn for the worse. So the Fray are a good band, not a great band. They are not historic and will probably fade away in a couple of years. But they, on the other hand, seem to think they are all that and a bag of Dill Pickle chips because it wasn’t until nearly 9:30 that the band graced us with their presence. This is 3.5 hours after we started standing in line. 2 hours after we got into the room. And an hour after the Gavin Degraw wannabe finally got off the stage. Also not a compliment. Keep up.

Now just who do they think they are that they think they can make an audience wait that long? I know they were in town, I heard them in interviews on almost every station. Do they think it was building suspense? Because the audience of future degrassi rejects and me and my new found friends were restless, hot and annoyed. When they finally began the concert I would say it took at least 3 or 4 songs to win the audience back.

I understand they probably had their reasons but for a concert like The Fray and the type of music they play this wasn’t following proper concert etiquette. By the end of the night legs were numb and patience was…well…Frayed. Haha.

Did I have fun at the concert? Absolutely. Will I ever go back to a concert at Mac hall only to wait to 3 hours to stand behind a bunch of teenage brats that feel the need to take pictures with their cameras and cell phones then call people on said phones to tell them they got pictures of the concert only to then watch them text their friend that they were previously speaking to because they couldn’t hear them talk on the phone because…THEY WERE AT A CONCERT.!!! And breathe. Also, when did cell phone screens become suitable replacements for lighters. I don’t think the band wants to see pics of you and your dog or your friends drunk at Cowboys. I know I don’t.

To answer simply No, I won’t go back to Mac Hall. Except it is on the same campus as where I work. So yes technically I will go back, but hopefully not for a concert. The Tim Horten’s line is just long enough.

>There will always be naysayers about us Tv Watchers. They say there are better things to do with their time, they are usually smoking up or drinking hard liquor as they are telling me this.

But today my friends, I can say Thank you to TV. Without it, I would have been out $1800.

Here’s the story,
I’ve been looking to by a computer for sometime now. I frequent Craigslist and just the other day I found my dream Mac. It was amazing and a great deal! I contacted the seller and he responded right away. He wanted to go through a third party, I thought..hmm. ok?!?! That is when my Veronica Mars induced censors started tingling. I emailed him and told him how uncomfortable I felt. I avoided the typical Michael joke : “I feel so uncomfortable it’s like I’m at Church camp.” I thought it would be wise to do so.

He wrote back assuring me it was legit. I did a little more research and found that him and his “PaySafe” is one of the biggest scams going around. People all over the world had gotten literally the exact same emails! I quickly wrote him and said no thanks, this time not sparing him the awkward religious joke. Take That!

So it is thanks to Veronica Mars that I saved myself $1800. Thanks Veronica, I knew I’ve been watching you for the last three years for a reason. (does that sentance seem creepier than I meant?)

Lesson: Put down the joint or bottle of JD and pick up your remote. Your bank account will thank you for it!

>Finally some good news! Click Here!

Now if we could just get that whole Iraq sorted out, all my dream would have come true!

>Now Available on The Q

Sunday mornings are usually reserved for drinking a coffee, reading the paper, doing some chores or sometimes meeting friends for brunch at a local diner. However, sometimes I wake up early and just feel like going to breakfast by myself. Getting a nice table in the corner and reading FFWD or do some people watching.

I go by myself because it’s relaxing. You don’t have to come up with things to say or have any particular interesting anticdotes to share. It’s just “you” time. The interesting thing about going to Nelly’s on a weekend morning is that usually you are not the only guy sitting there alone. There always seems to be quite a few guys enjoying “you” time. I would estimate that most times at least half the table at the tiny diner are occupied with single men like me just enjoying breakfast by themselves.

When I stumbled upon this early morning Breakfast routine several months ago and noticed all the guys sitting by themselves, I mistakenly thought I had stumbled upon a joint similar to “those” truck stops that you hear about on the side of the highways. I cautiously entered the restaurant with barely anyone noticing and thought I realized that it be all right after all.

The waitresses at the 4th st Nelly’s seem to be used to guys sitting by themselves. They quickly take away the second mug on my table without even asking if someone would be joining. I don’t take offense, but is it because I look like a guy who would eat by himself? I try to not to dwell.

After placing my order I let the people watching begin. The restraurant offers up a wide range of characters for me to silently criticize. Across the way was the “reader guy”. You know the type, he brings an interesting book to read while eating. But instead of actually reading, he is just thinking about what people are thinking while seeing him read that book. He is very similar to the “laptop guy” at Starbucks, who wants you to see him writing the next great novel. But really he is just playing Minesweeper.

Then there is “creepy guy”. Who flirts nervously with the young, and I mean young, waitress. He hopes that she’ll see past his creepy exterior. She doesn’t and quickly brings up her boyfriend. You can see his heart break, but only until the even younger waitress refreshes his coffee.

Then there is the “older guy”, probably retired. He looks forward to his weekly trip to the diner just for the little social interaction that might occur. He waits patiently to over hear a conversation about the struggling Flames or the newest political scandal just so he can put in his two cents. During this particular morning no one engages with him. He leaves the diner probably to return later for a late afternoon coffee.

Then there is me. I wonder what kind of guy they think I am? I’m might come across as a bit creepy, I mean I am staring at them and chuckling to myself. That’s pretty weird right? Maybe they think I’m the “new guy”. Relatively new to the city and neighborhood. They think I think I’m cool for going to a diner by myself. But really I just woke up hungry.

Soon my food arrives and I realize something else. There are no women sitting by themselves. Come to think of it, there never are. Not at the diner, the movie theatres or even shopping at Ikea. Why is this? I can’t even begin to try to figure out why men don’t mind doing things by themselves while woman rarely ever. Maybe single men are just more willing to go out there and see what is going on. Maybe single women fear getting hit on by creepy diner guys or getting written about in a Calgary blog. But those are just ideas, I don’t know why. Maybe someone can it explain it to me. Maybe over coffee.

So as I finish up my breakfast and open the sucker wrapper that accompanied my bill, I look around the restaurant one last time. “Creepy guy” is still there. He’ll probably be there till well after lunch. The “reading guy” has moved across the street to Starbucks but is replaced with “married guy” probably needing a break from his children. I leave the restaurant and begin my walk home.

I like my Sunday routine. It’s relaxing. I think it’s important to take time to yourself and enjoy your thoughts. And I think as long as those thoughts don’t turn into voices I don’t think there is anything wrong with eating at a diner by yourself, no matter if you a man or woman.

>FACEBOOK! Who doesn’t love it? Who is not on it on all the time? When i get on the computer I check my email, then I check facebook. It is my routine. If you are like me, than this video is for you…. Enjoy! (thanks steph)

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Tomorrow is supposed to be a beautiful day in Calgary, so after chitchatting a little more with Miguelito we decided to go to bed. But as I turned the lights off around the apartment and headed to my room, I noticed that Miguelito’s red light had turned on. It had found something for me. And that’s when I realized. Like in high school, even though I pay $15 a month for this friend, he really is the best friend a lonely, single guy could ask for.

“Seriously Tyra, you of all people must be have a hit or something.”