Notes on a Cross Country Move

First off, let’s just say moving from Illinois to Colorado hasn’t been without a certain amount of odd events that soon translated to humor.
I moved in full nearly a week ago. By ‘in full’ I mean I finally to settle in permanence. My first journey was driving a 26-foot U-Haul truck across the COVID-hoax luvvin’ state of Iowa who still, in spite of clear evidence she’s a buffoon, re-elected Joni Ernst. After Iowa came Nebraska. Got to say, Nebraska, flat as it can be hauling ass on I-80, wasn’t so bad. I stayed overnight in York, Nebraska and they were super friendly even when I kept asking where I could see the World’s Largest Peppermint Patty. Frankly, York would be a hotbed of Nebraska tourism if someone would just get on it and erect that Patty.

Why would you ever want to drive a moving truck for 15 hours?

Good question. Because after trying to hire a moving company to haul my precious items such as my small Buddha statue and stuffed Paddington Bear, I was shafted by a fast-talking son-of-a-bitch salesman who quoted me at $2,500 to get my stuff loaded into the truck in Illinois and unloaded in Colorado “we got to get the truck their anyway and don’t want to send it back unloaded.” Uh-huh. The real estimator gave me a call a few days later to re-evaluate after he saw the notes that said I had enough stuff to Tetris a 20-foot truck. I literally gave him a tour of the stuff via Facetime, including two huge rectangles of stacked boxes. He hung up, ran the numbers to get cubic feet and called me back.

Continue reading “Notes on a Cross Country Move”

NFL Winners & Losers: Week 12

NFL Winners & Losers: Week 12

Week 12 is in the books and the only thing worse than the Bears offense is the NFL’s handling of the COVID outbreak…and also the Jets. We had a practice squad WR play QB because the Broncos watched film without masks and a game that will be postponed forever until the Ravens ultimately have to play a doubleheader. At least Pat Mahomes is still fun to watch. Let’s break down the Winners and Losers of Week 12 of the NFL season.

Continue reading “NFL Winners & Losers: Week 12”

Is This The End of Corporate Dick Waving?

Is This The End of Corporate Dick Waving?

Every year, it happens. An inevitability like the sun rising, taxes being paid, and Rudy Giuliani being a public embarrassment. Besides Patrick Mahomes, the McRib, and horrible country music, it could be what America has come to be known for over the past few decades. It shows up in your email. It shows up in your mailbox. It shows up in targeted marketing ads while you are trying to watch tables get made on Facebook.

I’m of course referring to Black Friday. Every year, the spectre of saving a few dollars on a big screen tv and a chainsaw you don’t need (but what if you might, someday???) leads friends and family members to throw ‘bows with strangers in a Target parking lot, because their beloved CBS sitcoms are just so much more enjoyable on a 58 inch television screen that a 51 inch (oh that Sheldon Cooper, amiright?). It is what causes us to shred any sense of decency with the ferocity of Hulk Hogan tearing off his shirt in the eighties, just for the sake of getting 15 dollars extra off some Rachel Ray cookware that is inevitably going to bow and warp the moment you boil water in it. THOSE PANS ARE JUST FOR LOOKS, KAREN! YOU WEREN’T MEANT TO COOK IN THEM!

Continue reading “Is This The End of Corporate Dick Waving?”

NFL Winners & Losers: Week 11

NFL Winners & Losers: Week 11

We head into the best NFL day of the year after an action packed week 11. Seattle reclaimed the top of the NFC West throne on Thursday night, while Mahomes capped off Sunday with some more late game magic. Joe Burrow had the worst weekend of all, unless of course you’re a Lions fan. While the big winner of the weekend is every Bears fan who was free from the death grip of their offense for one Sunday, let’s break down the winners and losers from week 11 of the NFL season.

Winners

Seattle Seahawks
Cleveland Browns
Tennessee Titans
Houston Texans
Pittsburgh Steelers
Washington Football Guys
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
Denver Broncos
Los Angeles Chargers
Indianapolis Colts
Dallas Cowboys
Kansas City Chiefs

Losers

Arizona Cardinals
Baltimore Ravens
Philadelphia Eagles
New England Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars
Cincinnati Bengals
Detroit Lions
Atlanta Falcons
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
Las Vegas Raiders

Can We Get Much Higher: Kanye West’s Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy Ten Years Later

Can We Get Much Higher: Kanye West’s Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy Ten Years Later

I fantasized ’bout this back in Chicago…”

Long before Kanye West was a pop pariah / media megalomaniac / Christian contrarian, he was merely a polarizing figure who would interrupt Taylor Swift and liken himself to Michael Jackson repeatedly. Two albums later, he would make a whole song about how he loves himself. But at some point, Kanye was a true artist, the kind that calls himself a genius and for all its worth… is right. There is an apex to all ability, however, and it’s nearly always noticed in hindsight. When MBDTF dropped a decade ago, an artist had his most quintessential work- an endlessly quote-able, often repugnant, undeniably gorgeous, sonically diverse, musically challenging album. It was an artist reaching a zenith so shortly after his emotional nadir, and a masterpiece that has aged well in spite of its creator.

Continue reading “Can We Get Much Higher: Kanye West’s Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy Ten Years Later”