Disturbing Trend

Several months ago, I posted a video clip of my old band performing a song I wrote when I was 19 called, "Kill Your Girlfriend." The entry also told the story of how the song was written.

Since then, I installed a traffic monitor on my blog and have found that way too many people come to this blog after searching for terms like "How to kill your girlfriend" or "Kill your girlfriend and get away with it." That's a bit creepy. No, it's really creepy.

Therefore, I would like to issue the disclaimer that the author of the blog entitled Random Thoughts does not and has not ever seriously endorsed the killing of one's girlfriend, boyfriend or any combination of the above.

Thank you.

My Life According to Squeeze

RULES: Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to a bunch of people including me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Re-post as "My Life According to (BAND NAME)"

1. Are you a male or female?
A Man for All Seasons

2. Describe yourself:
I Think I'm Go Go

3. How do you feel:
Slaughtered, Gutted and Heartbroken

4. Describe where you currently live:
King George Street

5. If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Piccadilly

6. Your favorite form of transportation:
The Elephant Ride

7. Your best friend:
Vicky Verky

8. Your favorite color is:
True Colors

9. What's the weather like:
Wild Sewerage Tickles Brazil

10. Favorite time of day:
In the Morning

11. If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
Gone to the Dogs

12. What is life to you:
The Truth

13. Your current relationship:
House of Love

14. Looking for:
All the King's Horses

15. Wouldn’t mind:
Everything in the World

16. Your fear:
Going Crazy

17. What is the best advice you have to give:
Walk a Straight Line

18. If you could change your name, you would change it to:
Dr. Jazz

19. Thought for the Day:
All's Well that Ends Well

20. How I would like to die:
Third Rail

21. My motto:
Take Me, I'm Yours

69 Concerts

OK, here are the rules. Test your memory and your love of live music by listing 50 or so artists or bands (or as many as you can remember) you've seen in concert. List the first 50 acts that come into your head. 

1. KISS

2. Judas Priest

3. Cheap Trick

4. Queen

5. The Rolling Stones

6. The Who

7. Rush

8. Crosby, Stills and Nash

9. Joe Walsh

10. Jon Butcher Axis

11. Stevie Nicks

12. Sparks

13. Squeeze

14. Stray Cats

15. Jetboy

16. Crash Test Dummies

17. Crowded House

18. Squirrel Nut Zippers

19. Rod Stewart

20. Robby Krieger

21. Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

22. Billy Idol

23. The Cult

24. They Might Be Giants

25. NRBQ

26. Flight of the Conchords

27. Jill Sobule

28. Los Bukis

29. Burton Cummings

30. Little Feat

31. Giant

32. Kenny Loggins

33. Meatloaf

34. Right Said Fred (I know!)

35. Great Big Sea

36. Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers

37. Paul McCartney

38. The Waifs

39. Jimmy Eat World

40. Weezer

41. Dashboard Confessional'

42. The Old Ceremony

43. The B-52s

44. Beatlemania

45. T-Bone Burnett

46. Rick Springfield (don't you judge me!)

47. American Music Club

48. Nick Harper

49. The Spring Standards

50. Chris Difford

51. Aimee Mann

52. Alice Cooper

53. Stevie Wonder

54. Little Richard

55. Brian Wilson

56. Elvis Costello

57. Nick Lowe

58. Carbon Leaf

59. Southern Culture on the Skids

60. Dwight Yoakam

61. 1964

62. Blur

63. The Specials

64. New Order

65. Imelda May

66. Vintage Trouble

67. Ace Frehley

68. Iron Maiden

69. Ghost

This was my second concert, Cheap Trick. They played at the Charleston Civic Center in W.Va. My friend Ikechi and I waited outside all afternoon and managed to be in the very front. Again, this shot is without any kind of special lens. This was how close I was to the stage. This is Rick Nielson (in case you didn't know already).

About Me - More than anyone cares to know

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My middle name is Edward, my grandfather's name. He had five kids, all used his name as one of their son's middle names. My youngest son is also named after him (Jordan Edward)

2.WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Last July.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Black forest ham.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Three sons.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I hope that I would, I fear that I wouldn't.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? All the time.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Probably not. I hate heights.

10. NAKED? No, I'm a never nude.

11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Honey Nut Shredded Wheat or Raisin Bran Crunch.

12. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes, what am I? A farmer?

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Chocolate Raspberry Truffle

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes and face.

15. RED OR PINK? Red

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I have a giant, freakish head.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? I wish my dad was alive to enjoy the follies of my children.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? I don't really care.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Khaki pants, no shoes.

20. DESCRIBE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU CANNOT RESPECT? I don't like dishonesty.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The air conditioner.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Red or Green.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Peppermint.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Shauna.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I like them both. :-)

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? I love watching football. It's partially the football, partially that it's fall.

27. HAIR COLOR? Black with lots of grey mixed in.

28. EYES? Green.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Pizza.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I like both.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Fanboys. Pretty funny if you are a Star Wars nerd.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Blue

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer, though I prefer fall and spring.

35. HUGS OR KISSES? Depends on who it is.

36. YOU ARE MOST COMFORTABLE-WHEN? I have no worries and no one is bugging me.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea.

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? It's just black.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? The Empire Strikes Back

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? The ocean.

43. MYSPACE OR TWITTER? If I had to choose, I'd say Twitter.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Mexico

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Special? Not really. I can sing pretty well, but so can a lot of people. I have a pretty good people sense. I can usually suss people out pretty quickly. I claim 98 percent accuracy, though my wife thinks it's lower (it's not)

46 FAVORITE PLACE VISITED? I love Puerto Rico and the Outer Banks.

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Anyone

48. TRAITS YOU LOOK FOR IN A PERSON? I like funny, smart people who know who they are.

49. WHAT DO YOU DRIVE? I alternate between a Subaru Legacy Outback and a beat up old minivan.

50. And a message from you: Not me, but Terry Pratchett: The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they’ve found it. -- Terry Pratchett

Whatcha Gonna Do About It?

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your next answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how outrageous it sounds!
4. Tag friends who might enjoy doing the game as well as the person you got the note from
5. Post the last answer as the title of the note.

IF SOMEONE SAYS, “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
222 (Paul McCartney)

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Hold Me Tight (The Beatles)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GIRL/GUY?
The Acid Queen (The Who)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Back Track (Squeeze)

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Stir it Up (Bob Marley and the Wailers)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
The Bottom Line (Big Audio Dynamite)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OFTEN?
I Get Around (The Beach Boys)

WHAT IS 2+2?
Sebrina, Paste and Plato (Jellyfish)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
I Wanna Be Around - Friday Night (The Beach Boys)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LOVE?
Waitress (Live)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Misunderstanding (Glenn Tilbrook)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Stupid Girl (Garbage)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LOVE?
You Can't Hurt the Girl (Difford & Tilbrook)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Sex Master (Squeeze) O.K. this one is horrifying, but it proves I'm not cheating on the test.

WHAT WILL YOU/DID YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Sometimes I Make You Sad (Supergrass)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Ugly Truth Rock (Matthew Sweet)

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Helen Wheels (Paul McCartney & Wings)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
My Sweet Lord (George Harrison)

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Walk a Mile in My Shoes (Joe Souther)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
I am the Walrus (The Beatles) I suppose this means I will be murdered by walruses?

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Kings Horses (Jet)

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Get it Up (Aerosmith)

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Fair (Ben Folds Five)

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED OR DIVORCED?
Girls on Film (Duran Duran)

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
No Good Trying (Syd Barrett)

IS ANYONE IN LOVE WITH YOU?
Married with Children (Oasis)

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Child is the Father of the Man (Beach Boys)

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Love of My Life (Queen)

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Whatcha Gonna Do About It? (The Small Faces)

Dog Strategies II

So my dog Odin is smarter than any pet I've ever had, bar none. I wrote before about his strategy to take his sister's bone without having to fight for it. He used a new technique just the other day.

The dogs were laying on the bed while my wife was resting. Daisy had a bone which she was happily gnawing on while Odin plotted. Suddenly he perked up and cocked his head as if he heard something he sprang to the edge of the bed. Daisy, realizing she must be missing something, sprang to action and was off the bed and out the bedroom door in a split second. Odin, however, never moved beyond the edge of the bed. He pretended to hear something because he knew she would fall for it! He faked her out. As soon as she jumped off the bed, he very casually walked to her bone and lay down to chew it in peace.

About a minute later, Daisy walked back to the doorway and stared at Odin in seeming disbelief. She had been had. Again.

I nominate Odin for President of all dogs.

24: Day Seven

I've been watching 24 since midway through Season Three. After seeing that, I caught up on DVD and have watched ever since. I admit that the horrific Season Six nearly made me give up on the show, but I had heard this season would be better so I gave it a chance. So far it has been better.

Nevertheless, I have a complaint or two.

One of the things that made 24 such a great show was the fact that anyone was expendable. It makes the viewer feel some of the danger that Jack is in and thus become more invested in the show. Having said that, I think that it's lazy to simply kill characters as an emotional wrench. They have failed to consider what cast chemistry means. A good example of this is Tony Almeida. In Season Six, they unceremoniously killed his wife, the former president and then Tony himself. This seemed to have almost no purpose, particularly the death of Tony. Then through a somewhat contrived plot twist worthy of As the World Turns, Tony is alive.

At first, we were sure Tony was a bad guy, but then we learned he was double crossing the bad guys to uncover their plot. Tony was working with other former CTU operatives and quickly agreed to help Jack. As everyone who has been watching has since learned, Tony seems to be bad again. This will lead to the inevitable showdown which will undoubtedly result in Tony's death.

I'm disappointed in this twist because I think it's a lazy way to create tension. I'm not saying I know what would be better, but I think these writers underestimate the importance of cast chemistry when they decide to knock of a character or make them turn evil. Now I suppose it's possible that Tony is double-double crossing the secret group that apparently is at the head of this plot, but he's already killed one agent directly and blew up a whole bunch on last night's episode.

I just don't see how they will write their way out of this one and make it seem satisfying. If this is the end of Tony as a good guy and a character on the show I'm going to be really pissed. Again.

Don't even get me started on what's wrong with Heroes.