So much to do...

Tomorrow starts one heck of a weekend for me. For starters, Sin City opens up. Roz said it was really good but I've read some questionable reviews. No matter, I can't wait to see it. Then on Sat I have a fantasy baseball draft at 10:30 in the morning. It sucks that it's in the morning but at least I have one draft under my belt, so I should be good to go. Later on in the day is the Final Four and after that I'm goin to swing over to Toys R Us to see what Star Wars goodies they have when they open up at midnight. Yeah I know that sounds rather geeky but at this point there's no point in hiding it. Who knows, maybe there will be some toys there that I can sell on ebay to other Star Wars geeks.
Saturday also marks Daylight Savings which means I have to make sure my parents fix their clocks otherwise they'll be late for their annual bus trip to the Divine Mercy on Sunday. A few hours later, I'm off to drop Roz off at the airport and then head back to Brooklyn where I'll be staying for the next 2 months. Sunday also marks the beginning of the 2005 Major League Baseball season with the World Champion Boston Red Sox (still sounds funny when I type this) take on the Skanks and pickup where they left off last October.
And to top that all off I'll be starting that Burger King promotion on Monday. I have to admit, I know the money is good but I'm not looking forward to all the standing I'm going to have to do. What makes it worse is that I'm not going to be able to see the Mets open the season on the road against the Reds. That reminds me, I still need to get a new Met hat since I can't find my old gamer anywhere and my black one doesn't fit anymore.

R.I.P. Johnny Cochrane...

Today is a dark day for would be criminals all over the world, for they have lost one of their patron saints. Yes friends, I too was taken aback when I learned that the legendary Johnny Cochrane passed away today due to a brain tumor. Somehow, someway I have a feeling that O.J. will be giving the eulogy at the funeral.
I went to the city today to pick up my uniform for the Burger King promotion that I'll be working next week. Once again I'll be playing the role of a security guard, only this time, instead of guarding a vault I will be guarding a crash site. Apparently, there will be a huge breakfast sandwhich on top of a crushed N.Y. taxi. Man, what I wouldn't do for a buck. I just hope it doesn't rain when I'm standing out there, that would really suck.

Now what do I do?

Now that the tournament is headed for St. Louis, the Road to the Final Four ended for me last night. And I have to admit that I'm glad that it is since I was running on empty by the time Michigan State finally put Kentucky away. I slept to noon today and it coulda been a lot later had I not felt my dog breathing on me.
At the end of the telecast it was quite a scene, one that reminded me of the last day of elementary school. It was kinda sad saying goodbye to everyone, some more than others. And for a few moments there I felt that last few years that I've spent at CBS pass before me. For most of the people there I'm pretty sure that I will stay in touch with. But for some others it was weird saying goodbye since I had first meaningful conversations with them over the last 2 weeks. And these were people: cameramen, technicians and stage hands I had been around the set with for years but never really had the chance to know them. So I'm glad that I at least had this time to finally get to know some of them.
I agreed to semi-sublet Roz's apartment for most of April and May. Part of it was to help Roz out but also since I have a Burger King promotion in the city starting April 4th-8th and then a VH1 promotion on the 15th. That should be fun to get out and feel like I'm out on my own again, although I'm not sure what I'm going to do for food. Plus with my bday coming up it'll be good to have some place to be so I don't have to inconvenience any of my friends with having to let me crash at their apartment(s).
I can't wait to see Sin City this Friday. Visually it looks too good to be and appears to be the best adaptation of a comic book (in this case graphic novel) into a movie adds to it's allure. I'm probably going to buy one of the Sin City issues to get a feel for the mood of the film as well as some background of the characters. I hear that it's really violent and that Mickey Rourke gives a great performance. The only draw back to the film/story is that there is a character named Yellow Bastard which kinda sucks for me since I am calling myself the Crimson Bastard. Rest assured that this is just a coincidence since I've never actually read Sin City. But I was a bit perturbed to hear that there is another 'bastard' out there. The last thing I want is for people to think that I'm biting off of Frank Miller's work.

When it rains it pours...

Now that the NCAA tournament is winding down I was a little worried about what I was going to do for income again. The tourney money will give me a decent head start but I was a bit concerned about what I would do for cash the next few months.
Then bingo it happened. I got a call today from one of the marketing companies that I've worked several promotions for in the past and they wanted to hire me for a gig starting April 4th. The beauty is that it's for 4 days and it pays about $1200 (before taxes) which is right up my alley. Coupled with a VH1 promotion Roz mentioned to me that's supposed to be on the 15th, my post CBS income has been greatly supplemented. And as the weather gets better I'm sure there will be other promotions that I'll be offered to work. Now, if only I can somehow win the CBS tournament pool then I'd be in some real business.
I must say, the first 2 weeks of April look to be pretty busy for me. In addition to those promotions that I'll be working, my bday is coming up and the day after that I'm goin to Shea for the first time this season. Plus a ton of my friends have birthdays in April which means multiple celebrations. I like it when I have a lot going on since it makes me feel like I'm being really productive and getting the most out of life.

Madness Hangover

Well I've managed to survive the first week of the NCAA Tournament....again. By my count this is the 5th one that I've worked for CBS and it still amazes me at how much manpower goes into it. This year I've had the pleasure of making sure the hightlight paperwork gets to Greg, Clark and Seth. Unfortunately it's one of those jobs that no one really pays attention to until something goes wrong. Still, it's been cool being able to interact with Greg, Clark and Seth more than I normally would have.
Looking back on last week I didn't help my cause by going out every night. Then again, after working consecutive 12-14 hours days will drive anybody to drink. And I'm all about being around people in a more social setting when drinks are involved. It's just great to see people you work with in a different light.
I spent most of last night and today just getting my body clock back in order, which meant plenty of sleep. Despite the rest, I actually got a lot done today. I paid some overdue bills, cleaned my room, went to the bank and bought the Killers CD, which I'm happy to say is rather good. I even made it to the gym today which was really a necesity since I not only drank like a fish last week but I ate like a pig as well.
I know this entry is lacking in the entertainment department but I am pretty tired still. I'll try and do better tomorrow.

Here's a surprise, more friggin snow...

I woke up this morning to the sound of squirrels running roughshod inside my attic. The noise became so annoying that my dog (Pogie) wouldn't let me go back to sleep unless I did something about it. This was around 8am and I was totally not in the mood to do anything other than returning to me dreaming of Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek teaching me Spanish poolside at the Playboy Mansion. But there I was trudging, up the stairs to see what the hell was going on in the attic. After removing what seemed like 50 boxes out of the attic I shined my flashlight all over the attic in search of where those damn squirrels were getting into my house. I spotted a small gap at the base of the attic where the slant of the roof intersected with it. I managed to plug the whole with some old towels and was satisfied that I had done something to improve my house. When I emerged from the attic I promptly threw the boxes back in it and went back down to catch some extra z's.
I knew yesterday was too good to be true. I mean 54 degree weather the first week in March? Could it be that we were in for an early Spring? Of course not. And so 24 hours later I find myself suffering from not only more snowfall but harsh, bitter winds that ripped through my neighborhood unmercilessly. The weather was so bad that I only left the house twice today. I meant to do some grocery shopping but didn't want to get stuck in the middle of the 'whiteout' conditions that enveloped the hamlet of Holbrook (my hometown) in a matter of minutes.
Adding insult to injury, I'm supposed to work outside on a Shell promotion Thursday and Friday when it's supposed to snow again. I have my sis to thank for that. She has to work another promotion those 2 days so she was kind enough to get me the extra work. It shouldn't be too hard but of course it has to be outside. Oh well, money is money and right now, at this particular point in my life, I can't make enough of it.

Home Alone

Now that my folks are in Vegas for what seems like the 10th time in the last 6 months, I have to fend for myself. Eating out all the time might be too costly so maybe I'll knuckle up and decide to cook up some pasta or something. Then again I can always make sandwhiches right? I would thinkg about having a kegger here but I don't think anyone would want to make the trek all the way out here.
It's Rocky Week on AMC this week and I've made a point of watching Rocky I (yesterday) and Rocky II tonight, with Rocky III coming up tomorrow. God I love those movies, I guess because I've always felt like an underdog for most of my life. I still get goosebumps at the end of RII when Rocky yells, "I just got one thing to say, to my wife at home... Yo, Adrian! I did it!"
I can't believe that Spring is almost here. Before I know it, my birthday will be here. I"ll be turning 31 this year (the Mike Piazza year). And much like the Mets catcher I'm also hoping to have a big year. Ironically enough, Rocky Balboa was 31 when he fought Apollo for the 2nd time. Boxing may not be my game, but I wouldn't mind accomplishing something this year for crying out loud. I know that I have no right to feel sorry for myself, but every once in a while I get to thinking that perhaps I'm letting the word 'potential' get the better of me. And I hate feeling that I might be squandering all the things that God and my parents have given me.
Nevertheless, I am still able to wake up in the morning and I still think the glass is half full. It's not going to do me any good to feel sorry for myself so I might as well suck it up and start getting my act together already. I have a couple ideas in the works that will impact my future but I haven't shared those thoughts with too many people. The reason for that is because I've been talking a good game for a while and have yet to make good on some those ideas. However, I feel certain now that I will make that next step in the near future and am looking forward to the challenges that step will present.
In other news, I'm looking forward to seeing the new Star Wars trailer that will be shown during this week's OC. Yeah I know that's my inner Star Wars geek talking but I can't help it. I've been waiting for this movie for the last 20 years. Sure the first 2 installments of the prequels have sucked but I'm more than willing to give George Lucas one last shot at redeeming himself. I owe it to him to see this whole saga through and finally deliver the way he delivered with the original trilogy.

Doing the dance of Joy...

Once again I've neglected my blogging duties and I wonder why I never finish anything. I swear, there are days that go by that I really think that I have the discipline to be a writer. But then I get distracted or procrastination takes hold of my fingers and before I know it, it's almost a whole month before I start writing again.
It' not like I haven't had anything to write about. Afterall, I did get to meet Mark Lynn-Baker last week at this comedy show I attended with my friend 'E'. To those of you who are old enough to remember the show 'Perfect Strangers' he played the role of "Cousin Larry." Needless to say that I used to be a big fan of the show and was psyched to see that he was at the club. It was kinda crowded so me and 'E' had to sit on the floor which wasn't too bad, we just parked ourselves on my trusty pea coat and took in the festivities. What was great about our 'location' was the fact that I was literally spitting distance from MLB. He was a guest of the guy who's show we were there to see (he happens to be a friend of 'E's'). Also worth mentioning is the fact that for the $10 cover charge we were given some free wine, a goody bag as well as a massusse on hand giving free backrubs (unfortunately I wasn't able to get one).
At the end of the show, I bided my time while MLB patiently posed for photos and chatted with people who were filing out of the "theater" (truth be told the space couldn't have been bigger than Paris Hilton's walk in closet). Anyway, I was finally able to summon the courage to go over to MLB, and introduced myself. I explained that I was a huge fan of the show and that I felt that he was the true backbone of the show. He was very nice and didn't seem to mind me goin on and on about how sometimes I do the 'dance of joy' when I've had one too many Shirley Temples. It was a short interaction and I decided to keep it that way.

It's less than two weeks til March Madness i.e. the best time of the year. It's only fitting that the Big Dance is goin to start on St. Patrick's day, since it's goin to be such a nutty tournament. Maybe this will be the year when my bracket won't be rendered worthless by the Sweet 16. Who am I kidding? I never win that kind of stuff. I'll just fill it out like everyone else and sit back and enjoy the ride.