March 2007 Archives

I'm leaving the morning for Mazatlan, Mexico to spend a week in the sun enjoying some relaxation and time with the family! I'm so excited, and will post photos here when I get back :)

According to this AP article, a high school wrestling coach has been reprimanded by the State of Oregon for biting a student. Yes, biting. He left "distinctive teethmarks" according to the article. Why would a coach/teacher bite a student, you ask? Well, it seems the wrestling team was attempting to give him a wedgie. Yes, a wedgie. In case you have been hiding under a rock for the past century, please see the following description as described on Wikipedia.



The Wedgie is a joke maneuver or prank performed to humiliate someone. It is inflicted when an individual, or group of individuals, grab the underwear of the victim from behind and pull up, causing the underwear to wedge between the buttocks. A wedgie is also what happens when a person's undergarments get bunched up and "ride up" between the buttocks, causing discomfort and annoyance. This can be caused by bad posture, awkward sitting or tight underpants. (On the other hand, thongs are, essentially, designed to be wedged between the buttock. However, a wedgie while wearing a thong is extremely difficult to rectify, due to the garment's slender nature)

What is the appropriate defensive tactic when being attacked by a mob of high school kids intent on giving you a wedgie, anyway? I can't say I blame the guy, but also understand the State can't really condone the behavior.

Those of us who remember the show "Salute Your Shorts" on Nickelodeon know that a wedgie is not nearly as bad as a "Melvin."

Nope...it's not a joke, or a bad horror movie. Carnivorous frogs are seriously invading San Francisco!

Somehow, African Clawed Frogs found their way into Lily Pond in golden gate park. They have upset the ecosystem and killed most of the animals the species normally preys on...and now they're eating each other. Cannibal frogs. I can hardly keep a straight face. One of the ideas in the San Francisco Chronicle article was to introduce a natural predator. Unfortunately, the only one they could come up with was the crocodile.

Personally, I think the solution involves Samuel L. Jackson. They could film the whole event and call it "Frogs on a Bridge." Maybe the frogs take over the Golden Gate Bridge and prey on tourists, and the only one who can save the City is the guy who was on the bridge getting ready to jump (played by Mr. Jackson, of course). His name is Jeremy Fisher (ironically, also the name of the title character in Beatrix Potter's children's story about a frog who doesn't die when he should have), and he is upset because he was dumped by his girlfriend Jane (played by Halle Berry). But when he sees the tourists fleeing for their lives, he forgets his personal troubles and realizes that he is their only hope. As they attack, he starts killing the frogs - one at a time at first, then several with one swoop of his Samurai sword. It's a Hitori Hanzo - he had it with him just in case he survived the jump and there were sharks in the Bay below.

Last night my roommate, Sara, and I went to the Snow Patrol concert at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. It was an awesome concert, all 3 bands were great.

The first opener was Silversun Pickups. You may have heard their most popular single, "Lazy Eye." If not and you're a fan of Indie Rock, you should check it out.

OK GO followed. You may have seen their treadmill video - it's amazing! They performed it live at the 2006 Video Music Awards as well. Unfortunately, they didn't do it during the show - but their set was good nonetheless. I think I'm going to download more of their music now, I didn't realize I liked them so much!

And finally, the main event, Snow Patrol! They were just as amazing as I had hoped. They're famous for "Chasing Cars" after it appeared on the best TV show in the history of the world (Grey's Anatomy for those readers who are a little slow ;). I love both albums, "Eyes Open" and "Final Straw."

I always hear friends talk about certain songs where they totally connect with the music and it has an emotional effect on them. But I have never heard a song that puts me in a different place like that. I guess I figured they were being over-dramatic. But the song, "How to be Dead" from the "Final Straw" album was the first song I ever heard that affected me emotionally. I guess you'll have to download it to understand why it's my favorite song ever.

During the song, "Set Fire to the Third Bar" the lead singer, Gary Lightbody invited a fan on stage to sing with him. I was so impressed, I know I would have passed out! She was a little nervous, but actually had a great voice and did a really good job. Talk about a dream come true...imagine telling your friends! "So I was at a concert for my favorite band when the lead singer picked me out of the audience to come on stage and sing with him. And then he gave me this big hug and got down on his knees and sang to me, and there were thousands of people watching us..." I would have a hard time believing that story if I didn't see it with my own eyes!

Hopefully everyone goes and downloads music from these bands now, you won't be disappointed. Next I get to start the countdown to the Killers next month. I saw them in October at the Warfield, and am very excited about seeing them again. They put on a great show, and I love Brandon Flowers. He's a little weird, but in a good way :) Speaking of that, what is it that makes a musician so irresistible? Sara and I were discussing how Damian Kulash (vocals for OK GO) is very attractive. But if he came up and talked to me on the street I probably wouldn't feel that way - we determined it is the guitar. It must have superpowers of some kind.

My life is starting to seem like a bad joke. Seriously. If they made a movie about the last few months of my life, you would turn it off half way through because it is just too unrealistic. You'd say, "yeah, right. Like that many bad things could happen to the same person within such a short time frame." I realize that I'm whining so please stop reading if you don't want to hear it.

Today, I looked at my checking account balance online and realized that someone has been writing checks out of my account. "Natalia Carney" obtained a book of checks with my previous address that were in the backpack stolen out of the trunk of my car 2 weeks ago. This person wrote checks totaling hundreds of dollars to art supply stores, BevMo, Walgreens, and others. I will be reimbursed by my bank, but not before several administrative tasks and delays.

She printed her name above mine to make it look like a joint account, and the clerks have even written a driver's license number on the check. The fraud department representative at Washington Mutual doubts she uses her actual identity though. The art supplies may indicate she is buying equipment for additional forgeries. This is great for her because now she can go on ripping people off. They aren't actually going to investigate because the amount is not large enough. This person is going to continue getting away with fraud because she didn't steal enough for it to matter. Same case with the person who broke into my house in December.

This begs the question, how much is enough to matter? He didn't have a magic number, but said if the efforts would cost more than the loss they would not investigate. That makes sense, I guess. But what about potential loss? It is highly unlikely this is not the first time "Natalia" has done this, and she obviously has the equipment to do it again. She is using these checks for day-to-day expenses as opposed to a major fraud operation, so I wonder how many people have unknowingly been victims.

In an effort to comfort me, the fraud department rep. offered that, "Things come in threes. You should start having good luck now." I certainly hope so, because I can barely take any more things like this happening. March better bring some damn good things, because if not I'm going to lose it. Not really. But maybe. If you see me pick up a pair of hair clippers à la Britney Spears, be worried.

Deep breath.

On the upside, I'm going to see my favorite band, Snow Patrol, tonight. I've never seen them live and am very excited. Along the lines of music, but far from the likes of Snow Patrol - there is a new country radio station in San Francisco. It just began this morning, so I was pleasantly surprised on my commute. I realize that by mentioning my guilty pleasure here I am inviting criticism on my taste in tunes...but I can't help it. Go easy on me, it's already been a long day :)