I’m super bored at work right now so I’m going to take a moment to reflect upon my reunion last weekend instead of trying to figure out the market rent for Class B office space downtown.
The beginning started off iffy at best. We showed up to Sidelines an hour after its official start and it was basically a dozen or so people lethargically sitting around the bar as if a funeral were in progress.
When I ponied up to the bar, I was praying that at any second a cheesy heavy metal riff would be heard and then two average joes with Hawaiian shirts and cool shades would pop into the party with coolers of ice cold beer and yell “we know what this party needs!” and then all of a sudden bikini-clad chicks would be dancing everywhere for some reason and everyone would start miraculously having a great time like some kind of cheesy 80’s beer commercial.
Yep , things were dire initially but then a lot more people trickled in, the music got louder, shots were had, the beer started to flow like wine and it just ended up being a really fun night in the end. No startling revelations, no harbored grudges, no coveting of my more successful classmates; it was just a good time with people I haven’t seen in a long time.
I hope more people show up to the next one, I don’t think there was enough representation from the sportos, motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, or dickheads but, oh well, I’ll cross my fingers for the 15 year reunion.
It’s weird, I remember vividly thinking in high school that my 10 year reunion was going to be a really big deal and that all the choices I made in school were someday going to really pay off at that particular point in time. Well the jury is still out on some of those choices but I know now that setting objectives towards an arbitrary date 10 years into the future is a pretty dumb way to measure a goal. Remind me to tell my future kids that lesson. Nevermind, I’m sure they won’t listen.
If I had to make one suggestion for next time, I would make awards for the attendees. For example, if there was a prize for the most drunk attendee, I would have to award that to…nah, I can’t say it, I’m going to take the high road here, after all I am a mature adult ten years out of high school. I’ll keep my opinions to myself.
Ok, if you must know, I’ll give you a hint, I won’t say their last name but it rhymes with “fails”.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Double Play Tuesday: Wednesday Addition
I swear this is the last post from me for awhile. I just figure going through all this film footage over the past week is going to be completely irrelevent again for another 10 years after this weekend so I might as well get it all out there before the reunion.
The source material from all of the youtube clips posted over the last few days come from a few movies I made when I was in 8th grade, my Speech I Video, Altmann's Speech I Video, an assignment from Mass Media class, an assignment for German class, and an assignment for English class.
I know I probably got carried away with all this but I haven't had this much fun goofing around since creating my first hypercard stack after a session of apprehending that elusive Carmen Sandiego in the old computer lab at Parkview.
The best part about this next video is the bit where Greg filmed a bunch of people wearing 3-D glasses. Greg had incredible foresight to capture this footage back in the day. Let me be the first to tell you that you will never hear the words "greg" and "foresight" uttered in the same sentence ever again; need I remind everyone of the ATM incident of Winter 2010.
A few stray observations:
1. Please don't look for any cohesion or unifying theme in the following clip; just a bunch of people doing random things.
2. Joe Barrie and/or Woody could host a talk show today and I would watch it.
3. Somebody notify the Academy about my tear-jerking performance in Preppy Massacre. I haven't seen better acting since Brett Favre chewed the scenery in There's Something About Mary.
4. I'm not sure if we were really making fun of Servais or if it was for a class project.
5. I can't believe I got Antonio Freeman to be in my videos. Wait, maybe that was Ding. I can't really tell.
Ok, that's all I got. Sorry if you didn't see yourself, I had limited materials to work with and I tried to get everybody I could. Laters.
The source material from all of the youtube clips posted over the last few days come from a few movies I made when I was in 8th grade, my Speech I Video, Altmann's Speech I Video, an assignment from Mass Media class, an assignment for German class, and an assignment for English class.
I know I probably got carried away with all this but I haven't had this much fun goofing around since creating my first hypercard stack after a session of apprehending that elusive Carmen Sandiego in the old computer lab at Parkview.
The best part about this next video is the bit where Greg filmed a bunch of people wearing 3-D glasses. Greg had incredible foresight to capture this footage back in the day. Let me be the first to tell you that you will never hear the words "greg" and "foresight" uttered in the same sentence ever again; need I remind everyone of the ATM incident of Winter 2010.
A few stray observations:
1. Please don't look for any cohesion or unifying theme in the following clip; just a bunch of people doing random things.
2. Joe Barrie and/or Woody could host a talk show today and I would watch it.
3. Somebody notify the Academy about my tear-jerking performance in Preppy Massacre. I haven't seen better acting since Brett Favre chewed the scenery in There's Something About Mary.
4. I'm not sure if we were really making fun of Servais or if it was for a class project.
5. I can't believe I got Antonio Freeman to be in my videos. Wait, maybe that was Ding. I can't really tell.
Ok, that's all I got. Sorry if you didn't see yourself, I had limited materials to work with and I tried to get everybody I could. Laters.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Montage Monday: Tuesday Edition
It's less than a week to go before the Ashwaubenon Class of 2000 gets together for...sigh...our 10 Year class reunion. It seems like it was only yesterday when we used to cruise around town aimlessly, looking for shit to do on the weekend.
Man, have things changed. Like this last Saturday...I...cruised around town aimlessly looking for shit to do.
Well some things may never change but I certainly look forward to seeing my old friends this weekend and drinking some beer. If you see me at Sidelines this Saturday, don't be afraid to come up to me to talk about Brain Litter. It's my favorite subject.
That being said, I got a couple of clips coming up that should provide some social lubricant between the awkward name forgetting and the stifling conversation disconnects between the "married with kids" people and the "people that haven't grown up at all yet" people.
Here is a montage of some of my greatest bits over the years when I was a young autuer. I highly recommend viewing this with the volume turned up. I know it's totally cliche but nothing really beats the 1812 Overture for good montage music.
Seriously, this thing ain't that funny without the volume.
Man, have things changed. Like this last Saturday...I...cruised around town aimlessly looking for shit to do.
Well some things may never change but I certainly look forward to seeing my old friends this weekend and drinking some beer. If you see me at Sidelines this Saturday, don't be afraid to come up to me to talk about Brain Litter. It's my favorite subject.
That being said, I got a couple of clips coming up that should provide some social lubricant between the awkward name forgetting and the stifling conversation disconnects between the "married with kids" people and the "people that haven't grown up at all yet" people.
Here is a montage of some of my greatest bits over the years when I was a young autuer. I highly recommend viewing this with the volume turned up. I know it's totally cliche but nothing really beats the 1812 Overture for good montage music.
Seriously, this thing ain't that funny without the volume.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Attack of the Ninja Alien
I bought a new Mac about a month ago because those clever Justin Long commercials finally got the best of me so now I am officially a cool, sensible Mac guy. I thought it would be an easy transition because Apple builds all their stuff so intuitively but it has been a rough start so far. In an effort to stream line their keyboard, they have eliminated some of my favorite buttons and moved them too close together which has been a frustrating ordeal to say the least.
But one thing those geeks at Apple have nailed is iMovie. Getting my old VHS tapes transferred to my computer was an arduous task but once I got them on there, I felt like a young Scorsese or a young Spielberg or even a young McG. I can only imagine the movies I would have made back in the day if I had access to this technology.
The closest thing I had to piecing together movie clips was doing a single take, stopping, then taping the tv screen of a different clip I wanted, stopping, and then resuming whatever nonsense I was filming at the time. It was bootleg but it got the job done. Now the editing is just click and drag. It could not be any easier.
For your viewing enjoyment, in a Brain Litter segment I like to call “Shit I Made With a Crappy Video Camera Before I Discovered Girls,” I present to you Attack of the Ninja Aliens.
Some of you may remember this video when it debuted in Ms. Prevost homeroom in 1996. The original version had no sound except for my mom yelling for Doogie at the end credits but I added sound effects to this version to complete the original vision that I started with. I tried to remain faithful to the mentality I had at the time. I asked myself questions like, “Would 8th grade Ben approve of a popping cork sound when the alien bites the head off the lego guy?”
The answer is a resolute yes. A thousand times yes.
Now before you cry foul and get all George Lucas on me for altering a classic piece of cinema, please be reminded that I totally would have added these sound effects if I had the means at the time. Also, I did not make Greedo shoot first and Jar Jar Binks is nowhere to be found in this film.
I’ve got a couple other videos that are going to make perfect additions to this new Brain Litter segment. If you were concerned that there weren’t enough people falling down the stairs in this last bit, rest assured, a montage will be coming to a future blog post near you.
Oh. And in case you were hankering for a futuristic version of Romeo and Juliet Act III Scene 1, a remake of the Tom Green Show starring Joe Barrie, or choreographed fight sequences from dudes who can teleport, then yup, you are soon to be in luck.
But one thing those geeks at Apple have nailed is iMovie. Getting my old VHS tapes transferred to my computer was an arduous task but once I got them on there, I felt like a young Scorsese or a young Spielberg or even a young McG. I can only imagine the movies I would have made back in the day if I had access to this technology.
The closest thing I had to piecing together movie clips was doing a single take, stopping, then taping the tv screen of a different clip I wanted, stopping, and then resuming whatever nonsense I was filming at the time. It was bootleg but it got the job done. Now the editing is just click and drag. It could not be any easier.
For your viewing enjoyment, in a Brain Litter segment I like to call “Shit I Made With a Crappy Video Camera Before I Discovered Girls,” I present to you Attack of the Ninja Aliens.
Some of you may remember this video when it debuted in Ms. Prevost homeroom in 1996. The original version had no sound except for my mom yelling for Doogie at the end credits but I added sound effects to this version to complete the original vision that I started with. I tried to remain faithful to the mentality I had at the time. I asked myself questions like, “Would 8th grade Ben approve of a popping cork sound when the alien bites the head off the lego guy?”
The answer is a resolute yes. A thousand times yes.
Now before you cry foul and get all George Lucas on me for altering a classic piece of cinema, please be reminded that I totally would have added these sound effects if I had the means at the time. Also, I did not make Greedo shoot first and Jar Jar Binks is nowhere to be found in this film.
I’ve got a couple other videos that are going to make perfect additions to this new Brain Litter segment. If you were concerned that there weren’t enough people falling down the stairs in this last bit, rest assured, a montage will be coming to a future blog post near you.
Oh. And in case you were hankering for a futuristic version of Romeo and Juliet Act III Scene 1, a remake of the Tom Green Show starring Joe Barrie, or choreographed fight sequences from dudes who can teleport, then yup, you are soon to be in luck.
Friday, June 04, 2010
Sack Tappings: Public Epidemic or Really Fun Way to Pass the Time?
Extra! Extra! Todd Smells!
I’m sure you probably already knew that. But what I bet you DIDN’T know is that sack tapping amongst teenagers is on the rise. Don’t believe this me? Check it.
Injuries for "sack-tapping" on the rise, Doctors say.
I’ve got a lot to say on the subject of sack tapping.
First, sack tapping is a time honored tradition right up there with atomic wedgies, pitching somebody’s tricep-area arm fat to leave a big bruise, and getting bubble gum mashed into your hair and periodically having your pads thrown out of a backseat window on North Road while driving to football practice. These ancient rituals are a proven method to prepare boys for the real world.
Second, if you can think of a better way to punish the loser of a round of hacky sack then I would heh heh heh certainly like to hear it.
Third, don’t call it “groin-punching” because that makes it sound lame and it takes away all the fun. Acceptable names besides sack tapping are as follows: sack attacking, sack slapping, testicle tapping, nut knocking, roshambo, cup checks, or goosing (if getting sack attacked from behind).
Fourth, the article is bunk. If anything, instances of sack tapping are dangerously low. The accompanying pie chart in the article is a perfect illustration. Almost 70% of urologists are NOT reporting sack tappings. That is scary. What are these quacks doing if they are not treating sack attacks. Pulverizing Kidney stones!? Yeah right.
Fifth, there are positive signs that instances of sack tapping may turn around in the foreseeable future. I have extrapolated the emergency room data mentioned in the article between 2007 and 2009. The average increase year over year is 21% which should get us to healthy amount of sack tappings by 2030, God willing.
Sixth, this has nothing to do with the article but I found a wallet last night on the sidewalk downtown and I hoping someone would claim it. I took a picture and it’s posted below, you just have to scroll down because there is something wrong with my Google Blogger. The page breaks are all messed up…
BAM! Got you, sucker! You know what to do next…
I’m sure you probably already knew that. But what I bet you DIDN’T know is that sack tapping amongst teenagers is on the rise. Don’t believe this me? Check it.
Injuries for "sack-tapping" on the rise, Doctors say.
I’ve got a lot to say on the subject of sack tapping.
First, sack tapping is a time honored tradition right up there with atomic wedgies, pitching somebody’s tricep-area arm fat to leave a big bruise, and getting bubble gum mashed into your hair and periodically having your pads thrown out of a backseat window on North Road while driving to football practice. These ancient rituals are a proven method to prepare boys for the real world.
Second, if you can think of a better way to punish the loser of a round of hacky sack then I would heh heh heh certainly like to hear it.
Third, don’t call it “groin-punching” because that makes it sound lame and it takes away all the fun. Acceptable names besides sack tapping are as follows: sack attacking, sack slapping, testicle tapping, nut knocking, roshambo, cup checks, or goosing (if getting sack attacked from behind).
Fourth, the article is bunk. If anything, instances of sack tapping are dangerously low. The accompanying pie chart in the article is a perfect illustration. Almost 70% of urologists are NOT reporting sack tappings. That is scary. What are these quacks doing if they are not treating sack attacks. Pulverizing Kidney stones!? Yeah right.
Fifth, there are positive signs that instances of sack tapping may turn around in the foreseeable future. I have extrapolated the emergency room data mentioned in the article between 2007 and 2009. The average increase year over year is 21% which should get us to healthy amount of sack tappings by 2030, God willing.
Sixth, this has nothing to do with the article but I found a wallet last night on the sidewalk downtown and I hoping someone would claim it. I took a picture and it’s posted below, you just have to scroll down because there is something wrong with my Google Blogger. The page breaks are all messed up…
BAM! Got you, sucker! You know what to do next…
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