Johan!!!

The Mets traded for Johan Santana. Today is a good day. This almost makes up for how awful they did at the tail end of last year. It sucks they had to give up so many prospects, but the chances one of those pitchers becomes a player like Johan is so small, and this makes the Mets better in both the short term and the long term- players will want to play with Santana.
World Series '08 baby!

Music

I think I might start talking about music more in this little blog. Granted, most of it will be praise, since I'm mostly going to talk about music I like, but then again, that's the point of this blog- to talk about the things I want to talk about.

Comps are over, now what?

So today I took comps, short for comprehensive exam, which is basically the test I need to take and pass in order get my Masters degree. Next up is the job search and finishing up my semester.
I just want to relax. Like, after the exam, a bunch of us went to a bar, and I had a beer and a shot, and that was it, because I knew I was driving home and wanted to leave ample time to sober up (whcih I did). In actuality, I wanted to celebrate- hell, I want to be celebrating right now. The thing is I drive every where, and will under no circumstances drive drunk.
Except I also put forward this teetotaler facade. I guess since my relationship ended last October, I have rejected the drunk life style I used to emulate. Sometimes though, it still comes out; it's not like I'm an alcoholic, just sometimes, I want to relax and have a drink or two or five. Perhaps this is my reaction to my ex, who drank quite a bit more than I ever could.
Who the hell knows.

Some insight into the mind of Alex

When my professor for Law in Higher Education asks us to think of something evil a town could do to a college that is established nearby, the first thing that pops into my head is raise a horde of zombies to attack the institution.

Remember when...

Remember when you could listen to music and just enjoy it? What happened to those days? Now, whenever you like a band, it's either "too serious" or "too immature" or "too loud" or "too something." I still listen to the music that makes me happy- isn't that reason enough to listen to it?
Take for example this band Teenage Bottlerocket- straight up four chord pop-punk. No depth, no deeper meaning, just fun. It's the kind of music I could drink a beer to and then chill with the band after. And isn't that what enjoying music is all about- having a good time?
Side note: what ever happened to the Centurions? I think it is time for this crappy cartoon to make a comeback as a major motion picture, complete with over the top CGI- for no reason!!! I mean, it would be so awesome to have some halfway decent actors to fight someone like Robert DeNiro as Doc Terror. Who even cares about the plot, I just want Power Extreme dammit.

A problem with being a guy

Sometimes at the gym, you see cute and attractive women. You know you shouldn't stare, and you don't, because that would be just plain old creepy and rude. But then you're on the track, minding your own business, totally focused, and two women start running in front of you. Immediately, to avoid the same creepy rudeness, I have to look in a different direction than the one I was looking so as to avoid this. See, normally I look in a sort of down direction, to make sure I don't trip and fall and bust up my face. However, when a woman is running in front of me, that angle puts my eyes squarely on the butt. The choice is then to be creepy or risk tripping. The risk always wins.
Thankfully, I haven't fallen yet.

I think Eric put it best...

Eric put it best when he said I seem to always date girls who have more than a regular amount of issues. I don't argue, but the task is now to try and fine women who are not issue-laden.

Single Saturdays

A lot has happened over the past few days. From absurd dreams involving high school crushes and key lime flavored yogurt (separate dreams mind you) to studying for the comprehensive exam I have Friday and nearly everything in between (and yes, I mean everything), I am a bundle of exhaustion and energy.
Dougherty got G-Mail finally, so we've been chatting it up during the days. I'm jealous as hell of his job- he works and make money, and gets to see prop guns for use in movies. He's my brother for life, but I miss sharing music with him. He got me into punk and ska, and has since moved to more mature pastures. I, on the other hand, refuse to get old, so it's the same old song and dance (four chords and moshing). I miss the man horribly though.
I wish Buffalo, or at least the area I occupy, was more conducive to the single life. There are no real hot spots to go, per se, and everything seems to be geared towards families, kids, couples, or older people. This leaves single dudes like me home on a Saturday night, since I can't easily go downtown where all the undergrads love to party. Actually, it would be really easy for me to do that, but I don't feel comfortable doing that. Being the only single person in my program makes the social aspect a little off. I'm always ready to go out and paint the town red...or at least beige, and it's hard to find a good wing-person in a group full of people in committed relationships.
But of course, I'm just complaining for the sake of complaining. Life's good, and in a few short months I'll get a job and be off to an entirely new area (or maybe a familiar one).
Side note: does anyone read this? If you do, please let me know.

Give me mercy and a minute now...

I've been introspective and contemplative lately- a deadly combination for the graduate student. On top of my comprehensive exams on January 25th (which I know I will pass, I just hate the anticipation) and the job application process, I am a mess of nerves and knots. My application process goes something like this:
1) Get all dolled up and post my resume on multiple websites
2) Scan said websites for jobs I want
3) Go to conferences to interview
4) Jump through hoops
5) Pray
6) Go back home and bartend if all else fails
In all seriousness, I'm sure I'll get a job, but again, it's the anticipation that is killing me.
On top of that, I keep coming home to an empty apartment. I have a roommate and food and I'm turning this place into a home, but I don't have anyone to come home to and lean on. Since my last serious relationship ended, I haven't been able to really connect with anyone- friend or otherwise. This has caused me to ruin otherwise decent "not as serious" relationships, and left me to deal with all this stress by myself. Like, I don't want someone to dump on, but, and I'm not lying here, it would be nice to come home once in a while, and just have a hug after a long day. The joys of being a bachelor- and one of my own design.
One a side note, everyone should listen to the Gaslight Anthem...they're just awesome:

One of my problems with TV

You never see any TV shows about people right out of college, unless they're in medical school. Sure, you may see a random character who is the "just out of college age," but that character is never the focus of the show.
I know why they don't have shows like this: they would suck. The time after college is the biggest let down ever (at least for me, and I'm still in school). You go from a huge social environment to trying to adapt to the "real world." This transition is rough, and often boring. On top of that, there's no TV saying "this is how it could be." Instead, we get the "Real World," which is about as real soap operas.
/end rant

It's really funny: I spend my days working on my office's stress awareness and reduction guidebook, and then I go home and can't fall alseep at night due to stress. This does not happen nearly as often as it used to, but it still smacks of irony.

Starting things off on the right foot

There is something I don't like about social networking websites, specifically, under the music section. It seems a lot of people have decided that in regards to music, they "like it all." What follows is invariably a list of "pop" artists, music that may have at one point been underground and genre'd, but now is little more than top 40 fodder. So next to all, there's always a list of pop-rap, and pop-rock, pop-ska, pop-pop. Invariably, however, there is an exhaustive list of country music. I'm sorry, but when did pop and country become the end all and be all of music? I mean, when you say "all music," I expect to see a little variety. Instead, I tend to see the same list, over and over. Occasionally, I'll see an artist I respect or even like in one of this "all" lists. I sigh a little, thinking that at least some of the time, this individual is listening to good music.
This brings me to a point I am sure I'll revisit numerous times. I listen to punk (and lots of other stuff), which always leaves me a little out of the loop when it comes to music at parties- not too many people are blasting A Wilhelm Scream at their latest shin-dig. I was at a party not too long ago and I was talking to this woman. The topic turned to music, at which point I told her that I liked punk- it was just easier than explaining the different genres I listen to. To my surprise, she said she liked punk too, and asked me what bands I liked. I gave the "safe" answers of Bad Religion, Pennywise, the Bouncing Souls (safe because if I let slip that I have a true love of ska and ska-punk, there would be a strong chance of laughter in my future). I reciprocate the question, and hear the following response:
"Well, the All-American Rejects," at which point my mind shut down.
Elitist? Yes. But really, why is it so hard to find someone who shares your taste in music, and who you'd enjoy hanging out with on a regular basis. I have my old friends, but by virtue of location, don't really get the chance to hang with them that much.
Oh well, what the hell.