TWIB Notes

Some notes from around the league. Err.. of Nate.

GIRL POWER
This is my newest guitar pupil. Look at Polly rocking out! Polly took guitar lessons when she was 10 years old so her guitar is 3/4 size. And hasn’t really touched it since then. I started teaching her a month or so ago. She’s getting better. And we changed her strings. Which were 10 years old. Those strings were older than all of my nieces and nephews. Speaking of…

CAT SCRATCH FEVER
This is my niece Caroline. Pretty cool cheerleading outfit right? Wonder what sort of cool uncle got her that? Sidenote: They play Ted Nugent’s song “Cat Scratch Fever” at Panthers’ games. Because they are panthers. Still, I feel like it is the first time I have heard that song since being a child growing up in the 70’s.

YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME, MONETARILY
Jason Garrett, the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, was given a raise by Jerry Jones, the Cowboys’ owner. He now makes 3M a year. What is interesting about this is not only is he the highest paid assistant coach in the land. He also makes more than the head coach, Wade Phillips. I thought this would be remedied by a new contract for Wade. But it hasn’t happened yet. This was a month ago. How awkward is that?

IDOL WATCH ’08
Since there is not much new on the airwaves these days what with the WGA strike, I have been watching American Idol. Ok, that’s a load of b.s. I would have watched it anyway. They are really amping up the whole this contest is a life changing experience for people with sob stories galore. “Singing on American Idol will bring my dad home from Iraq!” “This is my version of ‘Funkytown’ to let my sister with cancer, I am thinking about her.” It’s ruthless. And tasteless. But it makes for good trashy television. Still, I’d rather we just cut straight to the awesome and pitiful performances. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again–Ryan Seacrest earns his $ on that show. He has to keep a straight face talking with the crazies and show genuine compassion to the cry babies. He does it all. And he’s able to keep his smarm factor down which was off the charts in season 1 and 2.

SUPER JACKED FOR SUPER TUESDAY
I’m pretty excited for Super Tuesday to roll around on Feb. 5th here in the NYC. Because it’s the first time it really mattered. Get to make a real difference on who might run for the Dem nom. You want to know which way I’m voting? Here’s a hint: I’m going with the young man.

PICTCHAS
Because I pride myself on being a good uncle, I did some research the other day. I netflixed “High School Musical”. For youse not in the know, kids everywhere are crazy about HSM and Hannah Montana. They are really batshit crazy about this stuff. I got my niece Kayla this Wii game where you can sing all the songs from HSM. I wanted to do some duets with her but I didn’t really know the words. Well, later I made a mix of the songs and then I watched the movie. Now, I’m ready!

But you know what? The movie’s not half bad. The one thing is disturbing is they have this brother/sister team and their relationship is a little weird I think. They sing a song that the main love interests sing too. Until I saw the movie, I didn’t realize they were brother/sister. Ummm… creepy. Still, it’s a good song.

In other movie news, I think they are going too far with the “Computers Are Cool” notion. And just general technology. It’s one thing to have a sci-fi movie. It’s another to have current technology and spin a thriller from it, ridiculously. Enter ONE MISSED CALL. This movie is the evolution ripoff of The Ring. You’ll remember in the Ring, people watch a video tape of some weird scattered grainy images. 24 hours later, they die. Then there was that movie where if people visited some website, 24 hours later they’d die. Well, now, apparently someone leaves a voicemail on your phone and it’s your death. You’re listening to a recording of how you die. And then ho hum. 24 hours later you die.

Come on people, it needs to have sort of thread of reality if you’re making it out to be a modern day picture. What sort of voodoo is being done so someone can travel back in time with a recording of someone’s death? I don’t buy it.

Still, maybe this is more exciting than in the vast number of movies where you need some sort of exposition to take place, ,or plot development, and it takes place in front of a computer, normally Google.

APT
I start painting this weekend for the living room. New Year’s resolution here we come!