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Archive for April, 2011
Flickr Friday: Autobots, Decepticons and a LOT of books.
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A few months back I bought this awesome book shelf from Ikea. It is now home to my library of AWESOME and a bunch of Transformers statues. Bask in the geeky goodness of this photo.
I occasionally update new photos (and old ones that I scan) on my Flickr account. Each Friday I post one on my blog from my collection that I think is visually literary.
I can’t play baseball very well, so I don’t know how to explain this (video.)
0The set up: A few weeks back I went to the Indian River County Firefighter’s Fair for a night of bad food and dangerous rides with my friends. You see, after years of working in theme parks I have become jaded by so called “thrill rides.” Disney and Universal work hard to make their rides as safe as can be which, while fun, isn’t really “thrilling.”
Carnival/fair rides have a special charm for me (and some of my fellow theme park employee friends) because there is an actual risk of death when you hop onto one of those things. Risk of dying on an aging and questionably maintained ride = actual thrill.
Don’t judge.
WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH BASEBALL, you ask? Well, while we were walking around the midway we passed one of those insulting clowns in a dunk tank. My friend Stacy and her boyfriend Miles walked by earlier and, it seems, the clown had annoyed Miles by making some rather ruthless and tasteless comments towards some passing fourteen year old girls.
He decided he wanted a shot at the clown, so I decided to do it too (so he wouldn’t be doing it by himself.)
I blame it on hyperactivity brought on by the fried Oreos I had earlier, but for some reason the clown started to piss me off. My friends know “that look” I get when I get truly annoyed… it’s this focused yet unstrained expression my eyes get. You can’t see it in this video (because it’s from behind) but you can VERY MUCH notice my extended pause to focus in frustration before throwing the ball.
I couldn’t repeat that throw if you paid me, but it was fun to enjoy for the moment.
You can watch the full version here (which includes me hitting the mark and in a lucky throw earlier and thanking Nintendo Wii for the skills.)
Thanks Kaleb for filming this.
Review: Deception Point
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My rating: 3 of 5 stars
After reading The Da Vinci Code a few years back (along with the rest of the world) I became interested in Dan Brown and decided to read some of his previous works.
This book involves proof of alien life that may or may not exist in the Arctic circle and a government conspiracy involving the evidence.
Why yes – it DOES sound like the plot of an episode of The X-Files. As a matter of fact, this entire book could have been retooled to be a two part episode with Mulder and Scully seeking out “the truth.” Instead, we get an oceanographer named Michael and an Intelligence Analyst named Rachel.
Like reading the early works of Michael Crichton (an author I’ve begun comparing Mr. Brown to) this book allows a glimpse into what has become the formula for a writing style that is revisited in his future works: the well researched thriller. Dan Brown does his due diligence for each topic he writes about so the reader doesn’t feel talked down to.
Timely topics with intelligent details.
I enjoy books that feign me into thinking I *might* be learning something, so I’d recommend this as a fun read… especially if you enjoy The X-Files.
The Welcome to Fin-Land Jimmy Buffett Concert at Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach had THE WORST AUDIO
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Oh… the adventures we go on in the magical land of Margaritaville. Sometimes they are the best times you can remember. Sometimes they are the best times you can’t remember (making them epic!) Sometimes, though, they are good times with things that you’d rather not remember.
This was the case with my 7th Jimmy Buffett concert experience. It started with awesome tailgating that looked like this:
But ended with me writing a letter to Margaritaville management and the Cruzan Amphitheatre:
TO: info@margaritaville.com; cruzanampinquiry@livenation.com
SUBJECT: Jimmy Buffett on March 23rd in West Palm Beach. Please Read!Dear Purveyors of the Parrothead Lifestyle,
Close to a quarter of a century ago, I moved to Florida and found myself an adopted son of the beaches, palm trees and atmosphere that can only be found in the Sunshine State. Part of my right of passage into a citizen of this fine state was being introduced to the music, mania and mentality of Jimmy Buffett.
Since then, I have attended six shows (at various venues in Florida) and each has always been, without fail, a memorable experience of epic proportions… until now.
Last weekend was the seventh Jimmy Buffett concert I have attended. It is also my fifth concert experience at Cruzan Amphitheatre. It was, without a doubt, the worst audio presentation I have paid for at a live show.
While it was great to hear all the press via email and banners around the concert that the show would be simulcast on Radio Margaritaville, it seems to me that more focus was needed on clear sound AT the venue itself. Myself, and dozens around me in general admission seating, couldn’t hear a word Jimmy said on stage – and the music was barely audible.
Concert tickets have always carried the caveat of “no refunds,” but this was the first time in over twenty years that I was disappointed in having handed over my money to Jimmy and the Margaritaville Empire.
If someone doesn’t tell you there was a problem, then you’ll never know that there was one. So here I am.
Regards,
Tom Croom
www.TomCroom.com
Regarding the time I ran into Christina Hendricks from Mad Men – wait, what??!!!
02 years ago
by Tom
in Conventions
Working for Universal Studios in the 1990s destroyed my ability to place names with faces. If I didn’t know who you were, I’d just look at your name tag with a sly passing glance and pretend like I knew who you were the whole time.
(This was only difficult when a cute young woman was wearing a tag that said something like “Ralph” for obvious humorous effect. Then I’d wing it and say things like “ma’am” a lot.)
As I get older, I am finding out more and more that I have bumped into/appeared on stage/met people that I don’t even remember. Katie McAwesome showed me this photo last night knowing that I am a HUGE Mad Men fan. Too bad I wasn’t a fan (yet) at the FX Show in Orlando, Florida back in 2007.
Flickr Friday: South Park wasn’t lying – the place is REAL.
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Been there. Done that. Saw the cliff divers and Black Bart’s cave.
I occasionally update new photos (and old ones that I scan) on my Flickr account. Each Friday I post one on my blog from my collection that I think is not just fat, but also big boned.
Review: Electric Barracuda
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Electric Barracuda by Tim Dorsey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Is this the best of the Serge Storms books? Nope… but it’s still a damn good time.
Tim Dorsey’s books (for those of you that haven’t read them) are 49% Florida history tour guides and 49% dark humor.
The other 2% is usually a mystery of some sort.
The mystery in this one centers around a legendary treasure left in the Everglades by Al Capone and Serge, Coleman and special guest “Mikey” make the rounds around the Sunshine State to lay the groundwork for a “Fugitive Tour” for Serge’s blog. This book was a little heavier on the location focus than most of Dorsey’s books, but it works to keep me interested in hitting up some of the places he mentioned. Things I got from this book:
-The Nu Bamboo should have been a good idea. In real life, though, it wasn’t. (Read my blog post about it.)
-Lucky Cole is THE MAN.
-I need/want to check out the old Al Capone location in the Glades one day.
-Florida seems to have a high concentration of “interesting bars.”
-Tim Dorsey is not a fan of “Dog, The Bounty Hunter.”
Electric Barracuda is a good book made better (in my opinion) as a audio book enjoyed while on the road in Florida. Now if they would only go back an record his earlier novels…
