Tag / Tru Calling

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Travelling The 50 States – California

Over my 47 years, I’ve done my fair share of travelling across these United States.  I thought it would be an interesting experiment go look back at those trips to each of the 31 states I have visited (62% isn’t bad, is it?) and see if, and when, I may be returning.  Working in alphabetical order, we start today with the 31st state to be added to the Union: California.

State: California
Joined the Union: 1850
Visits: 11

With eleven visits between 1998 and 2019, the Golden State is the state I have visited the most, outside of those I have lived in and/or attended college.

My first visit was in 1998 to attend Comic Con International in San Diego.  I went early, spending the entire week and enjoying some pre-Con time checking out the sights, including the San Diego Zoo.

I returned the following year for Labor Day weekend, but this time up to the San Francisco Bay area, to visit my old friend Scott, who had moved out there after graduating to work at AMD.  What I remember from that trip is my first Giants/Phillies tilt at the former Candlestick Park, my first trip to the toilet that at the time was called Network Associates Coliseum, and a car trip over the Golden Gate Bridge.

I returned to San Diego for Comic Con in 2000 and 2003.  I don’t remember much of the 2000 trip, but the 2003 trip included my one visit to the former Jack Murphy Stadium to see the Padres face the Diamondbacks.  At the Con, I managed to see many of the stars (or, at least, bit players) from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Smallville, and Tru Calling.

With the Cubs coming off their first division title since 1989 and a new stadium opening in San Diego, my friend Pete and I planned a trip for the Cubs mid-May road trip.  We attended all three games at PETCO Park, which the Cubs swept, while also taking in the local sights and the ambience of the Elephant and Castle bar in our hotel. Continue reading →

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Monday’s Commute

It’s been about 3 months since we’ve taken a look at the playlist that got me through a commute.  Monday’s got off to a late start and took nearly 2 hours, though some of that time was spent waiting for the good folks at Papa John’s to cook my dinner for the evening.

Raspberry Swirl Tori Amos From The Choirgirl Hotel 8/19/2013 5:26 PM
Spoonman Soundgarden Superunknown 8/19/2013 5:31 PM
Hash Pipe Weezer Weezer (Green Album) 8/19/2013 5:34 PM
Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart Stone Temple Pilots Tiny Music…Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop 8/19/2013 5:37 PM
Pinch Me Barenaked Ladies All Their Greatest Hits 1991-2001 8/19/2013 5:42 PM
Black Velvet Alannah Myles 90’s Style (Disc 1) 8/19/2013 5:47 PM
It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday Boyz II Men Cooleyhighharmony 8/19/2013 5:50 PM
The Blob The Five Blobs Halloween Hits 8/19/2013 5:52 PM
Celebrate You Veruca Salt American Thighs 8/19/2013 5:57 PM
Unskinny Bop Poison Swallow This Live 8/19/2013 6:01 PM
Getting Better The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band [2009 Stereo Remaster] 8/19/2013 6:04 PM
Malibu Hole Celebrity Skin 8/19/2013 6:07 PM
Walk Through The Fire The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Once More, With Feeling 8/19/2013 6:11 PM
Dick In A Box (ft. Justin Timberlake) The Lonely Island Incredibad 8/19/2013 6:14 PM
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Mix Tape Monday – March 2005

After my tape deck crapped out in 1997, I was stuck listening to either the radio or full albums in whatever order the artist intended.  That all changed in 2001, when the new-fangled MP3 technology got combined with my new CD burner.

So, we skip ahead to 2005 with this entry.  Perhaps nothing interesting happened in music in 2004.  Along with a couple of television theme songs, we have new music from Snoop Dogg, Tegan and Sara, and Garbage.

Letters To Cleo – Here And Now

The biggest hit for the Boston based band.

iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 3/13/2012

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son

As President Bush’s second term gets under way, this song suddenly became relevant again.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 8/1/2011

Andy Partridge – I Wonder Why The Wonderfalls

The theme song to the short-lived Fox show Wonderfalls.

iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 5/19/2012

Nazareth – Love Hurts

The staple of classic rock stations in the late 80s and early 90s.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 8/10/2011

Snoop Dogg – Drop It Like It’s Hot

The first song from Snoop Dogg that I’ve liked since his debut album.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 3/16/2012

AC/DC – For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

I suppose we have Artie Lange and the Howard Stern Show to thank for the inclusion of this classic.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 7/30/2012

Ludacris – Get Back

The latest release from the Champaign-born rapper.

iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 1/4/2013

Black Eyed Peas – Let’s Get It Started

The PC version of the ubiquitous hit that introduced the Black Eyed Peas to a mainstream audience.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 10/2/2011

The Dandy Warhols – We Used To Be Friends

The theme song to the wonderful Veronica Mars program.

iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 1/2/2013

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by jim

25 Years Of Fox – Drama

The Fox network celebrated its 25th anniversary last Sunday night in a 2 hour retrospective.  Here’s a final look back at some of the dramas they have broadcast over the years, based on Wikipedia’s list:

24: One of the best shows ever to air on any network, let alone Fox.  The nation’s introduction to Jack Bauer and the Counter Terrorism Unit was ironically delayed, as the pilot was pushed back following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Ally McBeal: David E. Kelley’s special brand of whimsy took hold at a Boston (where else?) law firm featuring young, mostly attractive lawyers who lived for their quirks.

Beverly Hills, 90210: It started off as a show tackling the relevant teen issues of the day, but took off when it embraced its inner soap.  Who can forget Dylan and Kelly on the beach while Brenda was in Paris, Brandon leading the student body protest declaring that “Donna Martin Graduates”, or Donna trying to keep her virginity for years and years, before finally giving it up to young David Silver.

Boston Public: David E. Kelley again infiltrates Boston, this time focussing on the teachers and administrators at a school.

The Chicago Code: A one season wonder focusing on a group of cops trying to take down corruption at city hall.

Class of ’96: I enjoyed the show, but it tried to be the original issues-based 90210 except in college, and who needed that when we had the current 90210 in college?

Dark Angel: Jessica Alba starred as a genetically altered being trying to take down the people that created her.

Drive: Only four issues of this show starring Nathan Fillion and a young Emma Stone ever made it to air.

Dollhouse: Somehow Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku got two seasons of Dollhouse on the air.

Continue reading →