Aaron Riveroll | Photographer

I ended up going to bed at two last night, mostly because I wasn’t tired. And here I am, sitting at my desk and really not wanting to be here. I’m not tired at all; quite the opposite, actually. I just have no desire to sit here for the next eight hours and deal with junk. But alas, that’s what happens when you have three days off…you get sort of spoiled.

I had a good night last night. I made this decision to go to the 9 o’clock Flood (mostly since I missed the 7 pm service)…so I picked up Dave and we cruised out there. It was an interesting, but good, service tonight. Music was great…and instead of the sermon, they had a four-person panel and asked them questions about life, and God, etc. The panel consisted of some pastoral types from back in the day when I was a kid, some professors from Bethel West. I took notes.

And I’m always astounded at how many hot girls go to that church. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like that’s the reason to go to church. But we decided that it was definitely a fringe benefit.

If you are going to meet a hot girl, why not at church? She’s there, you’re there…it can only mean one thing; that you are like-minded in faith enough to be at church on a Sunday night. A girl that believes in God is definitely someone I wouldn’t mind getting to know a little bit more. And if she’s hot, that’s even better, right?

Anyway, there is my superficial analysis of the day. But in all seriousness, the Flood is a great place to worship and hang with cool people my age (I still consider myself relatively young). And since it’s 5 minutes from my house, I really have no excuse not to go.

Well, I think I have a busy day ahead of me. And I think it’s definitely fall. I turned my heater on in the car this morning and wore my leather jacket. That’s so not like me.

Have a great Monday. Mmmm, yeah.

Okay…so I’m back. :)

A few days ago, I was telling you how great Tristan Prettyman is (which she still is), and how annoyed I was at her label for putting anti-piracy protection on the disc.

Then I read this in the San Diego Union-Trib. It was published the day after mine, so I guess they read my blog and decided to wise up.

At least they see the error of their ways…for now.

Nothing like a hot shower and a bit of inspiration to give you a little clarity.

It’s a beautiful day.

Okay, so I’m stepping out now to live life…with my sunroof open. See you when I get back.

Yesterday was shopping day. All day. And what did I buy? Absolutely nothing. But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t have. I hate going to the store without the means to make a purchase…and at least I had the means, even if money never actually left my wallet.

The boys headed to Fashion Valley and the first store we hit was Tiffany’s. Let me just say that I was simply there for moral support and advice and that I wasn’t actually shopping at Tiffany’s. I don’t have a reason to shop at Tiffany’s (yet), but I will keep you posted on that one. We then visited the Apple Store, which put me in a trance. I think they had to call the janitor to mop up the all the drool. I was so close to buying a Mac Mini, but I restrained myself. I also almost upgraded my iPod but again, I restrained myself.

We then had lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen, where we continued our conversation and proceeded to interrogate our waitress on the 15 points of CPK. She was not fazed by our questioning and did an outstanding job waiting on us. Two thumbs up. She deserves a raise.

After lunch, more perusing at Macy’s and Banana Republic (however, there is something strange about three dudes going into a Banana Republic together in the first place).

Later in the day, my dad and I made a run for the border (literally) and visited the Nike Outlet in San Ysidro. Lots of good stuff down there, if you are willing to make the drive.

Anyway, because I was in a mood to do nothing last night (I’ve been in a “crawl-in-a-hole� kinda mood these past few days), and because all of us happened to be home at the same time, we chilled to the tunes of Dave Matthews and David Gray and played an exciting round of Monopoly. I started strong, kicking major butt along the way…but Danny proved to be a formidable opponent, eventually bankrupting both myself and Dave. I know a little bit about being in debt (can you say “student loans?�) Also saw an interesting movie called 11:14. It was alright, definitely a “rental� type of movie, but it was well told.

Well, that was my exciting Saturday. And today is the last day of a very sad three-day weekend. I want to do something, but I don’t feel like actually doing it (due to the aforementioned mood). And it’s back to work tomorrow. Yay.

On a total side note (which is sort of random too), I misspelled the word “shoppingâ€? in the first grade spelling bee. I spelled it with only one “p.â€? What can I say, I was a stupid kid back then. Not much has changed these days, since I’m still stupid…but at least I will never forget the other “p.â€?

So I set off on this adventure of mine…and I am happy to report a success. You see, I know how to cook…I just never really put it into practice (aside from botching an apple pie or two as a kid or the age-old classic, and my favorite, spaghetti). But tonight, I think the masses agree…and any girl with tastebuds would be happy to be with me for my, uh, skills. Girls like guys with skills, after all.

I chose something simple, quasi-classic, with some really interesting flavors. That was key…the flavors were different, but all worked together. And all three parts of the dinner, including prep work and some cleanup, took just about an hour. But it was stinking simple. I admit, there were a few kinks in the system; for instance, my not being able to follow directions. But in cooking, usually it all works out in the end. And I was definitely pleased. I’m stuffed too, by the way. :)

Oh, you are probably wondering what was on the menu. Well, let me tell you. First, I made garlic roast chicken with rosemary and lemon (which I actually accidently braised instead of roasted…but it was still yummo), pesto smashed potatoes (which was outstanding!), and a mixed greens salad with gorgonzola dressing. The salad was stinking simple too. But all was very tasty. Too bad the internet doesn’t have smell-o-vision.

Well, I have to run. Sorry this is so short, but more adventures are to be had. I can’t believe it’s only Friday! I think I am a fan of Fridays off as opposed to Mondays. With a Friday holiday, it feels like you have three days of “going-out� nights.

Oh, and speaking of going out, check out the latest Fact Finding Mission on NiceGuy Society.com. This one is classic.

Have a great night!

I went to Best Buy tonight. I had money burning a hole in my pocket and figured the only way to put it out was to spend some of it on the necessities of life.

I finally picked up the new Nickel Creek album, Why Should The Fire Die?, which is really good. So stinking good. I highly recommend it. I also picked up Tristan Prettyman’s Twenty three. Amazing. She’s a San Diego artist and has a really great sound. But that isn’t to say that my enjoyment of her album didn’t come with a price…

Rant begins here…
In an effort (a sad one, at that) to prevent piracy, certain music labels have been installing encryption on their albums. What this means is that normal, honest people like myself who legitimately buy a CD to listen to it on an iPod are suddenly out of luck because they can’t import the music to their iTunes library. Granted, there are work-arounds; as a matter of fact the bands themselves, such as the Dave Matthews Band and Switchfoot, actually provide the means for their fans to enjoy their music while mobile. But it is unfortunate that it creates so much frustration in the interim.

You see, the problem is all about the big buck. I am a musician, so I understand that for an artist, their livelihood is based on people purchasing their albums. This is why I make every effort to obtain music legally, whether it be purchasing their album in the store or online. I understand not everyone is honest…and I, at times, have downloaded music not-so-ethically…but for the most part, I know that I am contributing to the greater good by forking over the money for artists I enjoy. Consider it a drop in the hat, the guitar case, or any other money collecting receptacle.

But it’s not the artists that are concerned about the money. It’s the industry itself. And that’s pretty darn pathetic. Sure, money is important. But making music is more important. Music makes people happy, and that’s important. And if the RIAA had the artists’ best interest at heart, then sure, I could see why people are making a big stink out of it. But the sad, unfortunate truth is that the execs are concerned with lining their own pockets. Sad. So sad.

If anyone from the music industry was listening, they would hear something they’ve heard a thousand times…limiting what we can do with our legally purchased music and the emerging technology will not make your pile of green any bigger. What it will do is infuriate, frustrate, and ultimately discourage fans from buying your product. The more your try your sneaky ways, the more we will just eventually say, “this isn’t worth it,� and stop buying.

Any marketing genius can see that this is bad for business. The technology is here to stay.
End of rant.

Anyway, needless to say, Tristan Prettyman rocks. :)

I finally saw the new Willy Wonka. I must say I’m quite disturbed. It’s definitely different than the original, which is by far my favorite of the two. The new one is okay…but Gene Wilder definitely makes a better, and less psychotic, Willy Wonka. Think of it this way: Wilder’s Wonka is just eccentric and perhaps a little trippy. Depp’s Wonka definitely has some daddy issues to work out…and most of the time, it’s like he’s high on something. The film definitely had some funny moments, but in my opinion, wasn’t as good as the original. But that’s just me.

I still want to ride in a glass elevator, though. And lick a snozberry.

…and thank goodness that I work for a company that is holiday-friendly. :) I have the day off tomorrow, which will be really nice. I don’t have any plans, other than not coming in to work. And that’s good enough for me.

I’m actually thinking about going shopping and trying out a 30-minute meal. The cooking part isn’t the intimidating part of the process. The intimidation comes from having to pick out something from the huge list of recipes. I think another source of apprehension is the shopping experience. I usually don’t stock food at my house because I don’t eat very much at home and know that it will go bad. And that’s sad. At the very least, I’m going to invest in some EVOO…the other ingredients should be okay too. I’ll let you know how it all pans out.

So Friday…dinner for one? :(

So it started raining quite unexpectedly today. Sort of. The weather dude hinted at it, but you can never believe those guys. So it’s raining in San Diego. And it’s been a rather gray week, if you ask me. I sort of like it. It’s a nice change from perfection.

I caught part of a very educational documentary last night. It was all about the casting and grand opening of the Coyote Ugly bar in Austin, I believe. They showed the hiring process of the girls/dancers/bartenders. Um, yeah. It’s a very demanding process to find someone who is good at dancing on a bar in tight leather pants.

Okay, back to my Friday.

My fan has spoken; and by popular demand, here I be, posting again. :)

So, I was driving to my grandparents’ tonight and saw this random old dude jogging and lifting weights in a really bizarre manner. It wasn’t until I got closer that I realized it was Alfred Hitchcock.

And what a perfect segue into the “People Who Look Like Other People” part of this post. The other day while at In-and-Out, I not only saw Richard Moll, the freakishly giant dude from Night Court … I also saw David Battley, the guy who played Charlie’s teacher, Mr. Turkentine, from the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. He was cooking up French fries. How random is that?

Almost as random as me.

But I’m still cool. And speaking of cool, I have started this new series on NiceGuySociety.com dedicated to the art of being cool. My first post touches on Tic Tacs, but can also apply to loose change or anything else that could make you percussive. It also seems that Danny is turning a new leaf and becoming cooler before our very eyes. We all stood in the door way; me, sporting my Old Navy jeans and Converse sneakers, Dave wearing his Anchor Blues and Converse, and Danny in his brand spanking new AE jeans. He’s got cool written all over him. We took a picture to commemorate the moment. Who knows how long this will go on?

So I voted tonight. I have to say I’m surprised with how some of the results are coming. But I don’t think these updates are the final word. It will be interesting to see what happens. But, I’m glad I did my part. I exercised my right as a citizen and did my civic duty. But I almost didn’t … I think I buried my voting pamphlet under a pile of junk mail, which is to say when I got it in the mail I gently tossed it aside with all the other crap I get on a daily basis. It’s a good thing I’m an intelligent, informed individual who was up on the current events. So I voted. And I got my sticker, which is the best part of it all. :)

Gilmore Girls was great tonight, wasn’t it? That was the most drama (and great acting) I’ve seen from Logan (Matt Czuchry) all season. It was great. I knew that the visit from Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) would definitely spark some sort of drama … and I wasn’t disappointed. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season pans out.

Continuing the trend of randomosity, my dad asked me what he should do with the box of cell phones he has. He has this big box of old cell phones that have accumulated over the years and are basically obsolete. I suggested he keep them … you never know when you will need an old cell phone. You could wear this giant Motorola StarTac on your belt just so people think you’re cool. That, or you could wear a garage door opener.

I kid you not … my dad busts out this story about this dude he worked with back in the day when pagers were cool. He actually wore a garage door opener on his belt and tried to pass it off as a pager. He told me dad it was a “special pager” that only his wife could page him with.

Um, yeah.
Unless Craftsman or Stanley got into the pager business, it is highly doubtful.

I wish I had a magic pager too. Although, like my cell phone, it’s doubtful anyone would ever page me.

Wow … I just started writing this, and I think I heard a cat outside trying to kill another cat. That was the most horrible noise I think I have ever heard. It stopped now. But, wow …

So I think I had one of the most unusual weekends I’ve had in a while. First off, Saturday was a complete waste. Sort of. I was up until 5 working on various projects and socializing, so the fact that I slept pretty much all day doesn’t surprise me. I finally woke up at about 11 or 12 and set to work on various errands. I’ve had a list that has been slowly growing, so it was nice scratching some of those items off the list.

Today, was good but random … someone from my not-so-distant past emerged on myspace today; it was cool, but it was more like a slap in the face. I don’t think I handled it well, but life goes on. You get over things … except for me, apparently, who tends to hang on to stuff way too long. This is sad, but such is life.

I had a VERY enjoyable, lengthy conversation with a friend, which is sort of a funny story …

It reminded me of the time my sister and I got lost at the Del Mar Fair. We were just little tykes and had just finished getting off of the Fun House ride when all of a sudden, our parents were nowhere to be found. Gasp! We frantically searched and waded through the sea of grown-ups towering over us, desperately trying to find a familiar face … but alas, we were unable to. We were lost. Eventually, we put our heads together and made our way back to lost and found; “lost and found” had to be for little kids too, right? Well, to make a long story even longer, our parents finally found us and I’m sure a hot dog on a stick was had. It was a happy ending.

So today, I lost my dad. But only for a little bit. I took him to Sam’s Club in search of a few necessities when my phone rang. I took the call and as I talked, I followed my dad around the store. After a while, I spied a comfy leather chair, which I sat upon for a great deal of time. I continued to talk. After a spell, I proceeded to locate my dad, (and a case of A&W Root Beer), but Pop was nowhere to be found. Now, God must have known I was looking for my dad because at that very moment, a voice boomed from the heavens, saying, “Aaron, please come meet your father at the front of the store…”

Okay, it was probably the Sam’s Club people talking to me over the intercom, but it was still pretty weird. It was the first time I have ever been paged in store before. I guess I kinda got distracted by my phone call. Good distracted, though.

When I finally found my dad, he was relieved to see that I was still there (like I would leave?!) and told me that when he told the checker who made the announcement that I was wandering around the store on my phone, he explained to her, “My son got a phone call. I think it was probably a girl.” The checker said she understood.

So there you have it. I think I’m going to bed now. Have an excellent night.

Okay, it’s a quarter after 5 in the a.m. and, yes, I’m still awake. Why? Well, I would just rather you not ask. But I’m still up. And holy heck it is cold. For the love!

But anyway…had a good night. I went out to Point Loma and took in the Paul Kenyon jazz quartet. Dr. Kenyon really is the man when it comes to jazz piano. I love jazz. We shot some video of Renee’s groovy tunes and then schmoozed a bit afterwards in the lobby.

After schmoozing, Renee treated myself and the Magnificent Brian to Adal’s, which will always have a special place in my heart. Mmmm, California Burritos. I miss those days! A little more hanging out was done, but it was a very entertaining evening.

Since then, I have been up editing the latest Fact Finding Mission (which will be up on the NGS site shortly) and chatting with Dan the Man about what else…girls…the biggest mystery in the world, ladies and gentlemen. But you probably already knew that, didn’t you?

Well, I am cold, so I’m off to bed. I’d say, “good night,” but it’s probably more appropriate to say, “good morning!”

So…good morning.