I could really use a wish right now.....wish right now

How do you decide what your preferences are? (No I'm not talking about sexual preference).

I can tell you right now, I prefer Coke vs Pepsi, Windows vs Apple, Canada vs Mexico, Red Sox vs Yankees, Playboy vs Penthouse, etc....etc.

I don't remember any certain time in history I made this choice. I was just born that way and I'm the type of person who sticks to their guns. Sure each of those opposing choices have their benefits (Mt. Dew, Ipod, Tequila, Jeter, extreme expose), but it's not enough to sway my vote.

It's akin to the which hand you write/eat with. Did I choose to be left-handed? Absolutely not, there are very few advantages to being lefty. Hell, my writing is so sloppy, I don't think people would notice if I switched from one to the other.

Where does it end though? I've never been able to define that line of where preferences are choices. Take for example women. I prefer brunette to blonde 10 outta 10 times (sorry to all the blondes out there). I know for a fact, two of my closest friends would chose the opposite, and a third would just take whatever. Were we born this way or was it because of some ridiculous justification? I've even forced myself to date blondes, but a few months later I'm stuck with thinking, why did I do that???

The more I think about it the more I get this feeling, we're all just pre-programmed a certain way, and so are our lives. It's an odd thought to have, but maybe, just maybe it's true. Either that or I'm drunk at work....

Work, work, work, all day long

After that last disaster of a blog, I'm hopefully back on track for you, my loyal readers.

Try and follow my logic here. Recently, I was thinking about a conversation that I had with Aaron regarding what qualifies as an expert. There is one theory out there that qualifies one as an expert, if they dedicate 10,000 hours to their craft. Simply put, that would be 2 hours of practice/work a day for over 13 years. Many of us cannot stake claim to this, especially at our age. I of course, immediately thought of myself as a hockey expert because of being involved in the sport or study of it for over 18 years. Do I sincerely believe I've studied the sport for over 10,000 hours? Hopefully not.

Then my mind wandered a bit more, thinking perhaps I am an interview expert. It would still take several years to even consider this, but in my 12 years, since being able to work legally, I've had 12 jobs. Now mind you, 3-4 were summer jobs, but still that's quite a few. In the past 2-3 years, I'd be safe in saying I've been on about 20 interviews alone. So perhaps, this is my calling, teaching those how to properly interview, and spinning a negative into a positive.

After this mindless thought process, it hit me. I've changed jobs often b/c I'm never willing to settle and get bored easily if I'm not challenged. One has to believe this is the biggest generational gap between our parents and the current crop.

When I go into an interview with a company, I ask myself one question. Can I see myself working here for at least 2-3 years? Hopefully the answer is yes, otherwise, even if offered the stars and the moon, I'd turn it down. (This recent one is the exception to the rule).

Maybe there are a minority of people who actually enjoy both their job and company. They see themselves sticking with it for the long haul. I say, More power to ya, it'll help when you're building up those 10 weeks of vacation. However, I tend to believe more often than not, we view our jobs like relationships. After those first 2-3 years the fun and "newness" is starting to wear, and you're forced to looking long term. By year 4-5, you're either a "lifer" or if things haven't improved you're bailing ship. Sure, there would be reasons why you'd stay, even if you're dissatisfied. Perhaps the "economy" is bad and you don't have any other options. Maybe this company gives you really "good" money and benefits, and you can't turn it down.

It's funny because unlike my personal life, I jump from job to job with reckless abandonment. It's definitely a terrible approach, but I'm looking more long-term. Whatever job will get me closer to the ultimate goal of working with a "Secret" agency, I'll take it.

Our parents believed in loyalty to their employers. Even if the job became mundane and the pay was not so great, they stuck with it, for the kids. It's a huge sacrifice they made, and I'd like to thank them everyday for it.

I guess I still haven't fully matured yet, because I'm unwilling to make that sacrifice and settle for anything less than everything. Will that ultimately come back to haunt me? Maybe, maybe not. But it's been a helluva ride so far.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

With no solid ideas, I present to you the second of many randomized thoughts from within the Mind of a Mihlfman...


-Apparently Indiana is trying to outlaw "ball-tapping". Most people who have gone through college know what this is. Many of us have probably even experienced it several times. They (Indiana gov) apparently want to outlaw it because it has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of testicular surgeries in the past two years. Somewhere John Bobbit is thinking "Really???"

-The song Airplanes by B.o.B. is simply amazing, and the remix (Airplanes II) with Eminem makes it that much better. I won't mind blaring this song everyday.

-Speaking of songs, here's my top 3 for ones I never want to hear again 1) All Summer Long by Kid Rock 2) Need you now by Lady Antebellum 3) Drive-thru by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland

-The Blackhawks have made the Stanley Cup finals. Their coach rocks a mustache Tom Sellek would be jealous of, and their star player, Patrick Kane, rocks a mullet. It's the power of hair compelling this team to the championship.

-ESPN's main NHL guy, John Buccigross, predicted a Chicago-Philly match-up in the Finals, back in the Pre-season. He is a true expert of the game, unlike every "Analyst" for the NFL and NBA.

-Land of the Lost bombed at the box office, but honestly after watching it twice on HBO, I don't see how. Will Ferrell is great even in his bad movies (Semi-Pro & Blades of Glory). Danny McBride is phenomenal as well, catch him in East Bound and Down, Tropic Thunder and Pineapple Express.

-How is it that Oakland (Pittsburgh, PA) is the only area I've come across where they perfectly time their stop lights so you're not slamming on your brakes every few blocks? It helps keep a flow to traffic. The DMV area (DC/Maryland/Virginia) needs to take note. Whichever way the heaviest traffic flows, time your stoplights so that if you travel 30-35 mph you'll continuously hit all greens. This will greatly reduce backups, I personally guarantee it.

-Barack Obama recently predicted a Lakers vs Celtics finals. Wow, thanks B.O. for your insight into the game of basketball. We get that you're a fan of the game, but I believe you have more pressing matters at hand. I really hope both the Suns and Magic make it, just so he can be proven wrong again. The only thing worse than his approval rating is Dwight Howard's free-throw percentage (too far?).

-Speaking of negatives, an increasing trend I see in interviews with athletes is the use of the double-negative. They somehow believe it's correct to say, "He didn't do nothing against me". Well apparently he whipped your ass, because that means he did do "something". Maybe every sport should institute a Wonderlic (knowledge) test, and that way the Sports Reporters know which athletes they should avoid interviewing.

-Apparently Miss DC (yes that is a title) is complaining of being "touched" while strolling the streets of Georgetown. DC 11 (news station) reports this is a growing concern within the area. REALLLLLLLY???? Attractive women are being touched in bars? Someone get Bo Bama on the phone! This alcohol stuff has to be stopped!

-Finally, it's good to see Bret Michaels will be making a full recovery. This guy has both had the best and worst of luck. Worst, because of his recent string of heart problems. Best, because he's somehow stayed relevant 22 years after his band, Poison, released their only hit "Every Rose has its thorn". That my friends is impressive.

Take off your headphones and read this

With the severe chance of sounding like your parents here, I truly believe some technology would be better left not created.

Lemme explain....

In this corner we have the Apple Ipod (MP3 player for us non-conformists). Great technology! You can store thousands upon thousands of songs on this little device and it will hold a charge for several hours. A huge improvement over the Walkman and portable CD players. Not only in convenience, but in net weight as well. Running with those was a workout in itself. BTW, don't believe any of the conspiracy theorists who tell you it'll give you brain cancer. If you're listening to your Ipod that much, well maybe you deserve it anyways (JUST KIDDING geeeeez).

The Ipod has also led to the demise of personal interactions and pick-up lines. I can't tell you how many times I see people either driving in their car listening to this device or on the subway/bus. Yes, I did say in the car. What happens if you pass someone on the road, and want to show you're interested? You first send over the universal signal (honking your horn) in hopes as you fly past them, they'll eventually track you down and reciprocate the move. Now that they have those earbuds in, they'll never hear your horn, and thus crush any chance of being the next Mrs. Mihlf.

On the Subway/metro/bus and even walking is where I have a huge problem. Sure, some use it as a security blanket to keep those odd creatures who dwell on city buses away from them. But what about the thousands of young professionals taking the metro? Maybe I want to throw out a good line (You shouldn't wear make-up, it's messing with your perfection) or (Do you have a BandAid? I just scraped my knee falling for you.). Thanks to Apple and their creation I have to chuckle at my own lines and imagine what could have been.

How do you think all our parents met? They weren't pre-occupied with their portable 8-track player or radio. Ladies, I have a simple request. Please try to ride every once in awhile without the tunes and maybe you'll finally find that Mr. Right. Well either that or Dirt McGuirt will sit down and stink up the seat next to you. It's just the chance you take when you're living on a prayer.

Which LOST character are you??

Lost is coming to its' glorious end this upcoming Sunday (May 23rd). In dedication to the past five years of viewership for this show, I will present my first true blog.

http://www.seabreezecomputers.com/lost/

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=5052228135609532493

http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/new/TBLightning419/which-lost-character-are-you/

Here are three quizzes I advise everyone to take in preparation for the final episode. I always wondered if I was put on the island who I would have sided with, Jack or Locke. Well according to the results of all 3 of these quizzes, I fall under being a combination of Jack and Sayid. So I guess we're going with Jacob and the good guys.

I'm not sure what the results exactly mean. I assume that I most closely resemble a doctor who is constantly spurned by his love interest, all the while being a trained assassin.

I'd like to believe that most of my friends would agree with this assessment. The giving nature of Jack, with a little bit of the quiet insanity that Sayid displays. People often have said I'm difficult to read, and I think that fits Sayid to a T. The only difference being I'd never go after Shannon, because, quite simply, she's blonde. Don't hate me because of it, blame my sisters.

I'd be interested to get everyone else's take on this, and what their results are.

You're welcome DC

I sit here looking outside at the sun shining, wondering when I can finally escape this office to enjoy the 80 degree day. All I can think about is the incredible luck that the DC area has had over the past year and a half, and have only one thing to say about it.

You're welcome DC, please send some thank you cards.

I agreed to move down to the DC area in Nov. of 2008 and since then the area has only flourished. I feel like I am Jacob to DC's island in this Lost comparison.

Sure you'll argue about the ridiculous amount of snow this past winter. But hey, I was just trying to toughen up the city like Pittsburgh. Plus, it was a rough time for me personally.

Just think of all the joy I've brought to the scene. A new President, who I've safely guarded, even if I don't agree with all his policies. I've gotten rid of a Supreme Court Justice, Arlen Spector, and hopefully soon enough a new DC Mayor.

On the sports front how much more can you ask for?? I've completely revamped the Redskins, since my hatred for the Eagles runs so deep. I decided to steal their Quarterback (McNabb) and replace Jim Zorn (thanks a lot Gigs for that one) with Mike Shanahan. I single-handedly delivered the Nationals the #1 pick in the Amateur draft and savior, Steven Strasburg (nice first name!), in addition to their first winning season so far.

I propelled the Caps to their first President's Trophy (by hook or crook), and watched with a bowl full of popcorn as the city's collective hearts were ripped out by the Montreal Canadiens. Don't worry I'll make sure they win the division again next year.

To top things off, after some careful negotiations I've been able to acquire the #1 pick for the Wizards. Now the Devil's terms were strict that the Wizards didn't waste it again, like they did in 2001. If they do, he promised 10 more losing seasons.

I'm really not sure what else I can do. It's been an exhausting past year and a half, and I plan to take the Summer off to enjoy shows from Jack Johnson and Ray Lamontagne. Now if I could only get the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica here, it'd be a great year of music.

So the next time you see me, residents of DC, feel free to shake my hand and thank me for the incredible luck the city is experiencing. All I ask is for you to make sure your hands are clean.




(In case you take everything I say seriously, this is all a joke)

Cereal Killer

I'm thinking of changing my nickname to this. I know you can't make up your own nickname, because it'll never stick. But honestly, there are only two other people in the world who I imagine consume more cereal than I do. One is an old roommate of mine (I'll give you the hint, his name rhymes with Lee), and the other is Tony the Tiger.

I'm not sure if it's possible, but I truly believe I have an addiction to it and there's no one to blame but my parents for feeding it haha.

You see, growing up we had a rule that if you were consuming/inhaling a sugary cereal (Frosted Flakes/Honey Nut Cheerios/etc), you had to mix it with a healthy one. This way you had equal parts Frosted Flakes to Corn Flakes, or Cocoa Krispies to Rice Krispies. This system worked because not only did it make that sugary delight last twice as long, but it also aided in my early years' diet. You may think I'm joking, but I've received boxes of cereal for my birthday multiple times. I was that big of a fan.

However, once I graduated from high school and was left to my own vices, the addiction grew. In college, with no one there to keep me in check, I started consuming multiple bowls of the "breakfast crack". Frosted Flakes didn't stand a chance. I'd tear through a box in two days. Sometimes having it twice a day.

It's a dangerous trend that continues today. I can't get enough of this stuff. It's gotten so bad I've started to smuggle in zip-lock bags of Frosted Mini-Wheats to work to feed this addiction. I can't stop!!

After a recent conversation with Gigs, he explained how 90% of cereals have no nutritional value, to which I had no retort. You see, when you're an addict, you know it's wrong, but it's impossible to quit or reason with one about it. There's just something about that perfect blend of sugar to wheat. Like peanut butter & jelly, the Caps & losing, and Ben Roethlisberger & underage women, they're all just meant to be together.

The grocery stores have gotten too expensive for my tastes and thus have forced me to find other avenues to purchase my weekly supply. The big Red Bullseye, is my new vendor. Their own brand of cereal is just as good for $1 less. I've been told to try and eat oatmeal instead, but I end up piling brown sugar into it, and it still won't compare.

I've tried to stop, but I wake up in a cold sweat from the nightmares of Dig'em and the "sun-tanned" versions of Snap, Crackle & Pop.

As I write this, I've polished off another 1/2 cup of Frosted Mini Wheats, and all I can keep thinking about is when can I get my next fix. Sure, laugh if you want, but all I can tell you is that they're GRRRRRRRREEEEEEEAT!

Goodbye Igloo....parting is such sweet sorrow

The more I thought about it after the early morning blog, the Igloo (Civic Arena) deserved better than that. For such a historical structure and center of countless memories, at the very least deserves it's own blog.

The Civic (Mellon) Arena drew the nickname the Igloo because of the team that played there (Pittsburgh Penguins). Ironically, it was shaped exactly like one as well. It was like a terror dome, with it's steel structure and re-tractable roof. Yes, read that again. A re-tractable roof for a hockey arena!! It was the first modern day indoor sports arena with a re-tractable roof. Great concept, but slightly misguided.

It was built in 1961 and saw it's last game on May 12th, 2010. Almost 50 great years. It was originally constructed for the CLO, but has held much larger acts and events.

Would you ever guess that greats such as Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, U2, and Justin Timberlake performed there? Err second thought, scratch that last one. Muhammed Ali boxed there, and the straight to DVD movie "Sudden Death" with Jean-Claude Van Damme was filmed there. It's actually an entertaining movie, especially when he beats up the Penguins goalie and replaces him on the ice.

Ironically the Penguins in all their time playing at the Civic Arena, never actually won the Cup on home ice. The only time the Stanley Cup was won on that ice, was by the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. So much for home-ice advantage!

In this arena I've been able to watch many of the greatest hockey players in history. I've witnessed Mario Lemieux's comeback, Mark Messier's leading the hated Rangers, Wayne Gretzky's greatness, and the birth of the new dawn of players in Geno Malkin and Sid the Kid. No matter what, the new arena will never be able to match the players and performers who have stepped through those Igloo gates.

My biggest memory there stems from a little event known at the 1998 King of the Ring. Yes, it was a wrestling event, but what I saw went far beyond the realm of wrestling. I attended the event with my cousin and several other friends. During this event, we witnessed as Mick Foley was thrown 20 feet straight to the ground, only after briefly skipping across a table, which shattered upon impact.

At that point in my life I knew wrestling was fake, but honestly thought I may have just seen a murder in real life. I have no idea how anyone could survive that, let alone get up, walk, and keep performing for 20 minutes. Call it what you may (pathetic, unreal, etc), but it's the type of event that remains etched in one's mind.

In the end unfortunately, Brian Gionta's goal will go down in history as the last event in the hallowed grounds.

I've had nothing but great memories at the Igloo, and to it, I wish the best of luck. May your demolition be painless and quick. Another part of my childhood becomes rubble.

I have no defense

I'm not even sure who that team was last night that showed up in the Pens jerseys. That definitely was not the same crew who produced back-to-back Stanley Cup final appearances.

It started ten seconds into the game, and was all downhill from there. Exactly what I preached about no more than 3 hours before the game, letting in soft goals and maintaining some sort of defense. 30 seconds into the game it was already 1-0 Montreal on their first shot. By the third goal, M.A. Fleury should have been pulled. By the fourth goal it was entirely too late.

To be honest, it was the first game that I've watched of the Pens where Crosby played completely uninspired. If you compare this game to the Gold Medal game, the only similarity between the two players was the last name. He took a terrible penalty 10 seconds in, and for the rest of the game resorted to acting like he did the first two years in the league. Rather than having a quiet focus and attacking the net, he chirped away, got frustrated, and complained. Yes, I said it, Sid the Kid complained. I thought those days were long gone, but it was like I was watching that same over-hyped rookie.

Now on the positive front, many players gave it their all. Jordan Staal is by far my favorite player on this team. The guy does not give up and plays very old-school. Hits hard, works relentlessly on the penalty kill, and crashes the net. He is our 3rd Line center but could easily be a #1 on any other team. Sergei Gonchar, albeit one dumb mistake, is still one of the best defenseman in the game, and needs to be kept on the team for power-play chances alone.

It's been described as the curse of multiples. Many coaches have described the most difficult task in sports is not winning a championship, but trying to repeat. Trying to win multiple titles or appear in the finals is an insurmountable task. It showed last night. Montreal is a very hungry team, with an outstanding goalie. The Pens ONLY in last night's game played with no sense of urgency and played like they assumed they would win. Well guys, you'll have plenty of time now to think about it, while Caps and Pens fans debate over whose team is worse.

Personally, this year is a wash. Both teams underperformed and neither made it to the Eastern Conference finals. The good news is now Montreal ranks with the NY Islanders and Florida Panthers as teams who crushed the more talented Penguins teams. I still hope someone can stop this Canadiens team, because I can't stand the thought of them getting any further.

Goodbye Civic Arena (I'll never call it Mellon Arena) and your three Stanley Cup titles. For in the 2010-2011 season the Penguins will start anew, much like an expansion franchise in their home digs at the Consol Energy Center. Let's hope the opening ceremony there is nothing like the farewell party we gave the old Igloo.

Game Sevens

I was watching both an NBA & NHL playoff game last night, and there was a noticeable difference in atmospheres. The NHL game was a Game 6, and yet had that feel it was the deciding game of the Stanley Cup. Sure, it ended up being a blow-out, but you could see the effort till the final whistle from both teams, never letting up.

On the other hand, I watched Game 5 of the Cavs-Celtics series. The Cavs should already have this wrapped up by now, because the Celtics are an old team, who barely got by the first round. Somehow on the Cavs' home court, the Celtics BLASTED them, and made it appear LeBron & Company gave up after the 3rd Quarter. They were just jacking up 3-pointers and looking like they could care less what the final score was. It ended up being a blow-out as well but felt like I was watching a pre-season game.

Tonight we'll see the display of heart in the Game 7 match-up of Pens/Canadiens(Habs) and Game 6 of Bruins/Flyers. Hockey, is without a doubt the one game where 1 man can decide the outcome. Sure, the referees definitely can alter the outcome by dishing out penalties. However, the Goaltender is without a doubt, the most important and impressive position in sports.

Both of these games will come down to the goalies. M-A Fleury (think B.A. Barracus) needs to transform into the 2009 version on himself and stop letting in the some soft goals. It also doesn't help when you've lost your two best defensemen since last year, and replaced them with offensively-minded ones. His opponent, Halak (he's earned the one name moniker) is putting on another show, and quite frankly, scares the sh*t outta me. He started for the Slovakian team in the Olympics and has been displaying why since Game 5 of the Caps-Habs series. If the Pens don't get at least 2 goals past him, it's over. The Habs will pull their second upset in the past few weeks.

Tune in tonight to see the passion, desire and competitiveness that can only be found in NHL Playoff games. No other sport can compare to the non-stop action and excitement.

Keep rollin, rollin, rolling

Cheap Limp Bizkit reference right there.

Three times in one day? You must be asking what did you do to deserve this.

At the very least, "that's what she said"

Recently, Maxim's Hot 100 poll was released for 2010. Sure, it's a poll made strictly for guys, and the reasoning behind any of the selections are asinine, but this year really took the prize.

The "hottest" female in the WORLD as ranked by Maxim is Katy Perry. Yes, the same Katy Perry who once sang "I kissed a girl". I know we shouldn't put any trust in Maxim's polls because they are as useless as the state of Florida's in 2000.

But Katy Perry? I mean, sure she's CUTE, but the hottest in the world? I'm not sure she's even the most attractive musician, let alone woman.

It's the age old argument for guys, arguing who's "hot or not". It's a complicated debate based upon extremely simple criteria. Now I don't have the time or energy to do much research but here's been my top 5 for the past 5 years. (Not sure how theirs can change every year). My original top 5 had all brunettes, so I decided to separate the two.

"Dark Haired"
1) Evangeline Lilly (Kate)
2) Anne Hathaway
3) Natalie Portman
4) Kate Beckinsale
5) Emmanuelle Chriqui (Sloan from Entourage)

Blondes
1) Carrie Underwood
2) Scarlett Johansson
3) Charissa Thompson (NHL on Versus)
4) Malin Akerman (from the movie Watchman)
5) Elisa Cuthbert

Feel free to argue or debate in the comments.

Sports Fan Rule #5

Dear Fans,

Yes I realize we are jumping out of order, but this one just came to me recently. Countless citizens in DC are unhappy because their Caps are still out enjoy the weather rather than playing hockey. It's understandable, you've invested all your energy into a team that chokes worse than a baby eating peanuts.

However, what bothers me is the view that these fans are cheering for the Canadiens. Let me introduce you to Rule #5.

Rule 5.1 for Fans: "Under no circumstance is it acceptable to cheer for the team that just eliminated yours"

Here's the reasoning. Your heart has just been broken (or should have been at least), and it takes awhile to heal. There's no way you should be hoping for that team to win anything. You should wish the worst on them. You should hope for countless injuries and their bus breaking down near the SouthEast region of DC (think East Liberty for your Pittsburgh folks).

By cheering for this team, it's the real life equivalent of having your engagement broken off, and within the next week jumping into a serious relationship. It's called a "rebound" and it's empty, shallow, and in the end unfulfilling.

The argument of "I'd be ok with losing to the Champion" is also ridiculous, especially this early in the playoffs. You lost in the first round!! This "Champion" still had to beat 3 other teams. Using this logic, you could perhaps argue you're the 5th best team. If that's what you'd like, then congratulations!!

Talk about settling.....

Sincerely,

the Caesar of Sports

I'm not letting YOU get rid of me...how bout that?

Sorry fans that it's been so long. Things just weren't clicking in the idea department. Then it all became clear over the weekend. I was sitting there on Sunday, when one of, if not the greatest sports movie of all-time, came on.


JERRY MAGUIRE

Sure you may argue, Field of Dreams, Miracle, Hoosiers, are better, but to me, this was the essential Tom Cruise movie. It was his turning point of going from serious leading man to clinically insane movie star.

The movie features a great soundtrack, bolstered by the hits "Free Fallin" by Tom Petty and "Secret Garden" by the Boss, Bruce Springsteen.

Cruise plays the part of Superagent-gone bust Jerry Maguire. He evolves from being a superficial person; managing multiple clients, taking advantage of GMs, and dating Kelly Preston (severely underrated in the hotness department) to someone on the verge of insanity. After losing the #1 Draft Pick on the day of the draft, he is then dumped by his fiance (Preston), writes a Mission Statement, and proceeds to quit his job as well. Maguire decides to manage one client (Rod Tidwell) and begins to date his secretary (Renee Zellwigger), who has that homely look going for her. She supposedly is playing someone who is 26, but looks more like 46.

Cuba Gooding Jr. was definitely a one-hit wonder in this film, portraying the superstar wide-receiver Rod Tidwell. One of the biggest laughs for me is when he finally gets rewarded a deal of $11.2 Million over 4 years. Really?? A star receiver only gets $2.8 million/year? Can you even name one film Cuba was in after this? He won an Oscar for this performance and then lived off his fame from this film for the rest of his life.

I've seen the film probably about 30 times, since two of my old roommates would play the movie constantly, and what's not to love about it? It's alot like Shawshank Redemption in that you automatically get caught up in it, not matter how many times you've seen it.

Both the monologues and lines in the movie are classic:

"You had me at hello"
"Show me the money!!"
"You complete me"
"It's not a memo, it's a mission statement"

and my personal favorite...

"I don't like BLACK people??? I AM Mr. Black People"

It's a movie both men and women can enjoy, which is very difficult to achieve considering it essentially is a sports/romantic film.

What's even more impressive is that Tom Cruise pulls off the character so well, you almost forget he's Tom Cruise. And that my friends is no small task.

Respect

Kids these days.....Oh wait does that include me?

There's a story being covered by the national media concerning an 18-yr old who had her grandmother arrested for slapping her. (http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2010/05/04/Grandma-arrested-for-teen-slap/UPI-69641272992704/)

As the story goes, the teenager kept swearing in front of her Grandmother, to which Granny had asked her to watch her language. After continuing to drop the "F bombs", Granny wound up and slapped the taste out of the teen's mouth. The teenager then proceeded to call the Police.

I don't care what the whole story is, or how much you argue about free speech. I'm with Granny on this one.

It's a continuing trend that people hide behind the law way too much, suing people for hot coffee, getting hit with a water balloon, and now this incident.

Toughen up America!!

Just b/c you could have the right to sue, doesn't mean you automatically should. In this case, you're really going to call the Police over your OWN GRANDMOTHER slapping you?

What has happened to this country. It's like we're back in the 70's with all the hippies who are too weak to fight back on their own. They've taken out punishments in school, outlawed calling other kids "bad" names (fat, stupid, lazy, etc), and now parents disciplining their own children.

People may state civil rights, I call it growing up. I won't even get into the details of the punishment I've seen and received. To me, it was all about growing up. It made you tough, and you learned from those experiences. You learn how to deal with bullies, name calling, and what your parents don't want you to do.

Nowadays, people are in therapy b/c they believe their parents didn't "love them enough". You know what therapy was back in the day? Mowing the lawn and crying at the same time, because of the beating you just received for breaking that lamp.

To a certain extent I honestly believe parents should be allowed to punish/discipline their children. If this involves some light "tough love", so be it. There is a pretty clear line over taking a whupping for doing something wrong and just getting physically abused by your elders.

This 18 year old is a clear example of what has become of today's youth. She really felt the need to call the Police b/c her 73 year old Granny just slapped and embarrassed her? If I was the Police I would have laughed in her face and lectured her to no end. Just before letting Granny off with a "warning".

Granny unfortunately had to spend the night in jail, but luckily this 18 year old will live with her shame for the rest of her life.

Rule #2 of being a fan

Over the weekend I attended the Orioles vs Red Sox game at Camden Field. Overall, not a bad stadium, decent seats for $25, and $7.50 Guinness. One thing I did notice was the influx of Red Sox fans attending the game.

This immediately led me back to a thought from a 2002 article I read (don't ask me how I remember it). It was "Rules of being a sports fan" by Bill Simmons. A few blogs back I discussed the bandwagon fan and all those jumping on the Pens and Caps. That is my number one rule I see people breaking all the time. Number two definitely has to be the mis-use of sports paraphernalia.

This should be stated in signs outside every gate at all stadiums and arenas. If you are attending a baseball game such as the one mentioned above, you should be allowed to only wear paraphernalia from 3 teams total. The Red Sox, Orioles, and Yankees. Many of you are thinking.....Why the Yankees?? I would only allow this b/c they are such a hated rival of the Red Sox it transcends sports and all rules. Very few teams are allowed this exemption from Fan Rule #2.

Nothing bothers me more than when people wear any old team's jersey to a sporting event. You cannot wear a Detroit Tigers jersey to a Red Sox game, the one has nothing to do with the other. If your response is "I'm a fan of the game and want to show it". Well great! Cheer your heart out for all the amazing plays and support the game by showing up. However, do NOT wear any baseball jersey to a baseball game. You shouldn't view yourself as an Elitist and have to "show" people you're a fan, albeit of neither team playing.

I'll take this a step further and what's even more infuriating is when people will wear a Hometown team's jersey to a completely unrelated sporting event. An example being wearing a Steelers jersey to a Penguins game. You see it all the time, especially in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, where their fans are so die-hard, they become mindless drones. We get it! You want to show your love for the city and its' teams. Well then don't be a cheap-ass and buy a tshirt or hat of the team that's ACTUALLY playing that day. If you're such a fan, hold off on those 3 or 4 Iron City Beers and buy that t-shirt.

You'll thank me later when you're not waking up in your Steelers jersey after a Penguins game, laying next to the biggest mullet wearing female you've seen in your life. Iron City gets ya every time!