HAPPY NEW YEAR

I think your new year's resolution should be to comment at Xpinionated every chance you get!

OR, send me money

OR, skittles, I do like me some skittles!!

Disappointment

I am considering stopping production on my Redskins and Hokies blog. The readership is just not there. I don't seem to have the time to keep those up to date like I do with the Lakers and Xpinionatedl, and I'm even slipping on the Lakers website.

I had such high hopes for the Xpinionated Blog Ring. Oh well, life goes on.....

In other news, I've had this strange desire to go out every night even when there's no Lakers game. I feel bad because I know Mrs. Xpinionated thinks I don't like being at home but that's not it. I think it's still a hangover from my brief consulting career. At around 9:30 at night, I just have this urge to be out in the streets. Okay, I'm the black guy at the redneck sports bar but when you're 30 miles from the city, that is being out in the streets. Hopefully, I will get this under control and only go for Lakers, Redskins, and Hokies games.

Pray for the Tsunami victims and survivors.

All these Ideas

I am chock full of ideas. I come up with them at work but by the time I get home I lack the execution necessary to achieve the results I desire. OR, I could just be that bored at work that my mind wanders relentlessly.

Idea #1: Create a website for Magdeline de Magnum much like I did for Dango the Durango.
Why this is a bad idea? First, I would need to find some hosting with no ads and relatively cheap. Quite frankly, I feel like doing that kind of research at work. But once I get home the urge is gone.

Idea #2: Create a fantiffic photo blog.
Why this is a bad idea? TOO DAMN LAZY

Idea #3: Actively recruit more visitors to my current blog and subsequently to the website I created for Magdeline that I mentioned in Idea #1.
Personal issues with begging for visitors, personal issues with negative criticism, personal issues with vanity or should I say more vanity.....

Noon Time Observations

Chaka Blond and I were at a bar having some grub. I had parked Magdeline de Magnum in a spot with an empty space next to her. IN my nervousness, I continually checked the parking lot to make sure no on ehad parked next to her. I noticed through my parking lot surveillance that people often pull into the parking lot and loiter....never really come in the bar but not quite just cutting through either. SO I POSE THIS QUESTION TO YOU FAIR READER:

How come (the best questions always start with 'how come') it's okay to loiter in a bar but not okay to loiter outside the bar???

Ah

So I have to take Magdeline de Magnum back to the orphanage to get her original shoes put on. The orphanage put on these expensive though very nice chrome shoes on her that I can't afford, at least not now. Perhaps in the future, I will be able to provide such thorough footwear for her. Sadly, I have become accustomed to the gawks received at stoplights and worry that I have become too attached to the chrome shoes....

Worst feeling

You want to know the worst longing? No, not longing for you beloved to return safely home after a journey rivaling an epic story. No, not longing for a tasty alcoholic beverage from your local watering hole after a long day at your . . . .or just any day for that matter.

Nope, the worst longing is buying a new car and having it sit in the parking lot whilst you work. BUT, longing magnification occurs when said work is ridiculously slow because it is the week after Christmas and for whatever reason, you don't have the vacation days necessary to miss said week....

So now you look forward to rush hour, which is a rarity in itself. Alas, mocked again because rush hour is only going to be 10% of what it normally would be which means you don't get to just sit in your new ride and take in that new ride smell! Nope you'll be home lickety split trying to think of other places you could go.....

Armstrong - AP Athlete of the Year???

Now a lot of folks are probably going to get on me for this (if any of those folks actually read this literary masterpiece), but how in the hell is Lance Armstrong the Male Athlete of the Year??? He wins one flipping race a year and the world loses it's damn mind.

Now I understand a three week bike race is about two weeks, 6 and 1/2 days more of a bike race than I could complete, but seriously athlete of the year? One, bike racing, especially on streets, isn't overly athletic. Endurance? Hell Ya....Stamina? Hell Ya....athleticism? No. Two, can anybody name Armstrong's rivals? The common sports fan who can tell you the New York Giants score from a game against Washington in 1987 couldn't tell you who else races the Tour De France. Seems to me that Lance is good, but everyone else pretty much sucks! Lastly, and this is the part that will draw the ire of some people, if Lance Armstrong did not have testicular cancer, he would not have been the male athlete of the year for the past three years. It's a sympathy vote. It's a vote by the media for some heartwarming story which is fine when it's not at the expense of other individuals. There are so many other athletes out there that deserve this award before Armstrong but since he sells yellow wristbands and survived testicular cancer (and in no way do I wish to demean or lessen that achievement) he is automagically given the award time and again? It really irks me, yes yes it does.....

A new member to the Xpinionated Family!!

On December 26, the Xpinionated family was proud and downright giddy to welcome the newest member to our household: Magdeline da Magnum. Yes, a new 2005 Dodge Magnum pulled into our driveway with all the style, performance, and downright grrrrumble she could. Pictures are forthcoming but if you'd like to take a quick peek, this is her before I rescued her from her autombile orphanage: Lookie Here I don't know how long this link will be valid since it's from the dealership and the car is no longer on the lot.....but we'll see...

Jamaica Flashbacks!

PC130058
Originally uploaded by Xpinionated.

What could be better than swimming up to the bar to order your tasty libation? All that relaxing got your nerves a little frayed, swim on up to the bar and get a nerve relaxer! That wife of yours nagging you again, swim on up to the bar and get you a wife quieter!
Just jokes about the wife nagging heehee

It's that time

I guess I'll go start my Christmas shopping. Ugh! I can't put it off any longer I 'spose!

Destiny' s Child

Anybody find it funny they went from Independent Women to Needing a Soldier????

Over at my Lakers Blog

I have vented a little bit:
Excerpt:

I'm reading all these herds of sheep . . .oops sportswriters. . . reporting on the showdown between the Lakers and the Heat Saturday and quite honestly I'm disgusted.

I'm disgusted at the media's portrayal of this regular season game in december.

Flickr

I've joined Flickr, an image hosting service. So far I'm happy with it but I'm limited to 10 mb per month. Trying to decide if I'll use it enough to pay for it.....does this blog need more photos????

Jamaica Pictures

PC110136
Originally uploaded by Xpinionated.

Ok, so I am starting to get around to putting these pictures up. I kind of want to somehow copyright some of these so they don't get used without permission but have no idea how to go about that.....

Anyway, this is the first in a series of sunset pictures from the catamaran.

More on Beer

I was beerdrinker 2094 to pledge my alliances to beer friendly practices!!!!!

Finally

This is a classic. I love beer. And I love the fact that someone is standing up for beer. Please you must visit Beer Drinkers Against the Mistreatment of Beer!

Horrid Idea

Wore briefs today for the first time in a long time.....wow they are uncomfortable!!!!! In all the travelling we've done during December, I have managed to run out of 'serviceable' underwear so I had to go the emergency briefs.....horrid idea. So tight, no freedom. Confining. It's like my nasty jungle of love is on timeout! Guess who'll be washing clothes tonite!!!

Christmahannukwanzaa

This Christmahanukkwanzaa, I have done absolutely nothing in the commercially led tradition of present giving. Furthermore, I have no plans to do too much of anything. I picked up some things from Jamaica for my parents and sister, gonna give my Nephew some cash, and buy some stocking stuffer things for the new wife.

Ok, I made myself sound like a scrooge (which isn't entirely off base), but in reality the wife and I agreed that due to the large matrimonial expenditure recently incurred (I love when my MBA starts typing), we were not going to be gift giving this Christmahanukkwanzaa. Darn it, I wish I could keep up the front but I'm weak...very weak.

In other startling news, Tupac has yet another posthumous album out. I haven't bought any of those albums though I have been a Tupac fan since his first album was released (for you pop culture kiddies All Eyez on Me wasn't the first or even the second album) which also happens to be my favorite. I don't know, it just seems to me that if his unreleased stuff was as good as his released stuff then it would have been released.....

Other Xavier's blogging

I have found at Globe of Blogs other blogs by folks named Xavier. I thought that I would give them their proper due since they have such nice names (if you look in the profile you will see that my name is also Xavier, hence the fixation on the letter X as in Xpinionated....for the little bus folks):

• Xavier - Animal Diseases Blog


• Xavier - Exponentiel


• Xavier - Xavierism

As I stumble through my blog adventures with my trusty keyboard in tow, I will be sure to add other blogs based on names of people I love! Of course, I have a short attention span and may never actually follow up on this....whatever....

Moods

I am in a mood. I think I'm just tired. But I am definitely grouchy. People are getting on my nerves which is funny because I've talked to absolutely no one today. But on my way to work, anybody who was in front of me got on my nerves. The dude at Chick Fil A got on my nerves (but he has been getting on my nerves for a couple of days now) because they use to have morning shift people there that were happy and cheerful and though that got on my nerves, it was still much better than the guy who shoves my sweet ice tea in my face and doesn't say anything....what if I forget how much it costs? I should just start sitting there and waiting for him to say something.

While I'm speaking on nerve irritators, I can't stand people who go through the drive thru to order food for their entire office! The drive thru is supposed to be quick! If you are ordering for more people than can fit in your vehicle, you need to carry your lazy ass inside.

If there is a center lane for making left turns, then get in the lane, then brake. And don't leave the tail end of your car in oncoming traffic. A little vehicular consideration is not a lot to ask!!

Christmas irks me in general. To the point where I don't even want to expound on it. It's probably because our society has been celebrating it since mid October....

Entertainment Tonite irks me. Are there really that many people whose life is so boring that they feel the need to stalk celebrities personal life? It's a sad state of affairs in my opinion.

TV in general is pretty irking. Reality TV makes no sense to me. It was cute at first but now it's not cute. Now it's grandpa defecating in the tub.....

Flashbacks

In the span of a week I went from enjoying 90 degree weather to perservering through 15 degree weather (in Indiana this past weekend). To make it worse, the current temperature when I left the home this morning was 10 degrees....this is in Hotlanta as they say. Hell may not be freezing over but it's getting a little nipply!!!

Where was I?

   Ah yes, so lunch begins. Just for the record, I am only documenting detail by detail to this point right . . . . . here.

So Jamaica was a lot of fun. I am still kind of depressed about leaving. I swear that my people are originally from Jamaica though. I look like everyone there. I felt like I had found home in a deep almost spiritual sense. The people seemed to take to me and I definitely took to them.

The entertainment staff at Couples Negril was beyond excellent. It had gotten to the point where I was hanging out with them more so than other guests at times. Though it is their job to make each couple feel special, it felt like they actually wanted to be around us and that they would have done it regardless of a paycheck.

I plan to post pictures as I get the time...

Resort Arrival

So finally we are at the resort after our near death bus rides. Check in is smooth and made even smoother with a glass of champagne. We go to the room and immediately start snapping some pics. We are also starving as we haven't had anything since that nasty little doodad passing as a meal on the plane. So a quick change of clothes into more suitable attire and we rush to the Cassava Terrace restaurant which promptly stopped serving lunch 15 minutes earlier. On to the beach grill for some mild jerk chicken and a burger. Oh, and a Red Stripe. I felt like I had to drink because it was all inclusive and if I didn't drink then I was wasting money! Can't waste my parent's money...wouldn't be right....

Jamaica Continued

So half way to the resort, the driver pulls off the road. He gets out of the vehicle and starts talking to some dude that we passed fifty yards back. A couple of minutes later, as we and two other couples anxiously await the outcome of this unexpected stop, the driver returns. . . . . with another passenger. Just some friend of his that needs a ride......this too would resurface as we left the resort headed to the airport.

A little while later, we stop at a roadside bar....and I mean ROADSIDE BAR. This place had no entry point. You get off the bus and there's the counter for beer, a table with various knickknacks etc. At this point, the driver comes to me and is real buddy buddy. He asks me if I like to party. Luckily one of the other couples on the bus had informed me that this question really means do you want some drugs (presumably weed but who knows nowadays). For the record I declined. But that got me to wondering, of the six folks on the bus, am I the one that resembles a pot head?

To be continued

Last Week at this Time

I had just arrived in sunny Jamaica. Granted we were a day late due to some birth certificate issues on Monday. But we figure since the wedding and reception went so ridiculously well, if something had to go wrong, let it be missing a day on the honeymoon. In hindsight, it just added to the anticipation.

The first sign that I knew we were in Jamaica was when we landed. Yes, I know that's an obvious sign but there's more to it than that. For the entire flight, the flight attendant had used her normal voice. She had a Jamaican accent but that was about the only noticeable aspect of her voice. As soon as we land though, she went from normal flight attendant to some 'just had an orgasm and I need a cigarette voice'. I mean she literally started with a breathy, seductive, 'man I want to do whatever it is she did during landing' "Welcome To Jamaica". It was so blatant that passengers were looking around for strewn clothes leading to a secret queen size bed on the plane somewhere.....

The second sign that I was in Jamaica was the extremely hot airport. At the time of course it was welcome since the weather was the reason we were there in the first place. But after returning to the airport a week later to go back home, I realized that the damn airport is humid and hot and in places quite malodorous.....

So after getting through immigration, we are directed to the Couples Negril waiting room where we receive a warm welcome and ice cold RED STRIPE.....mmm. Little did I know how much Red Stripe I would consume in the following days.

Once the bus arrives to take us from Montego Bay to Negril, I realize I'm in a different world. It's remarkably sunny, like summertime sunny, like wow my eyes hurt so good sunny. As we start our drive I damn near have a heart attack because they drive on the left hand side of the road. I didn't realize at the time that the initial scare was the first of many when riding in automobiles in Jamaica.

To be continued.....

I's Married Now

There is now officially a Mrs Xpinionated. On Dec 4, I hopped the broom at a wonderful ceremony. More details later as I haven't been to work in a week and have an assfull of emails to go through....

2 Hours Left

In two hours, I begin my 10 day marriage/honeymoon/no go to my job vacation.

After the wedding, we got sunny beaches, unlimited libations, and activities to do while partaking in unlimited libations!!!

Interesting

A coworker informed me today that the Spanish word for wife is the same as the spanish word for handcuffs: esposa (wife) and esposas (handcuffs)....Coincidence???

Woo Hoo

I won!! I won!!

What have I won? Well let me tell you. I won a mini IceHouse fridge with $100 worth of beer. The contest was being held at Jeffrey's in Suwanee, Ga. Basically, for the month of November, every Icehouse brew you put down, you get an entry form. Well, being that I spend quite a bit of my waking life in this bar, I decided to drink Icehouse for the month though normally I'm a Budweiser man. Actually, I don't really like Icehouse (man they are getting all kinds of free advertisements in this post). So, on college football Saturdays, three or four entry forms. Throughout the week on Laker gamenights, three or four entry forms. I told the manager the night before the drawing that there was no way this fridge was going anywhere but the Xpinionated residence. And lo and behold, I go in last night with the Fiancee and the Mom in Law to be, and I've won the damn thing. Ironically, I have also won $100 worth of (yep) Icehouse.....

Prayer in Schools

I know a lot of people feel pretty strongly about whether or not prayer should be allowed in school. What I don't understand is what exactly do those in favor of prayer in school hope to achieve with prayer in school? Better yet, what do they hope to achieve with prayer in school that parents can achieve with prayer at home? If you want your child to pray, pray with them before you send them off to school instead of letting them watch a cartoon in the morning.

Personally I believe that religion is a private institution in that an individual needs no one else to communicate and have a relationship with God, whatever their religion may be. As such, a mandatory group prayer sounds more like a missionary crusade to convert\brainwash those that may be on a religious fence so to speak. I read a blog (sorry don't remember which one) that suggested placing students whose parents did not want them subjected to prayer in another intercomless room during the morning school prayer. So in this country of diversity, in this melting pot, we still want to pick out the onions or carrots. These kids will be singled out if such a situation were to occur. The blog goes on to say how 'neat' a muslim prayer is to hear (very belittling though I don't think the author intended it to be). So the options were to a)place kids in a holding room during the morning prayer, or b)say multiple prayers for all the various religions in the morning.

Odd, isn't this what church is for? Shouldn't school be used to teach the regular school subjects? With inadequate school budgets as it is, do we really need to allocate the limited time and funds on prayers which can (and should) be done at home?

Rush Hour Observations

Hello Fellow Commuter,

Have you ever felt that everyone around you drives so fast that they must be crazy? Do you feel like you're always being tailgated? Do you worry that all those cars pulling away from you are gonna get somebody killed one day?

Well, you're FRIGGIN WRONG!!! You're the problem! IF you ALWAYS feel tailgated and there are always cars pulling away from you, then you are the traffic problem idiot!!!

Sincerely,
The Guy Who Just Flew By You Giving you the fancy 'You're #1' finger