Radio Golf

I've gotten tired of looking at my "facebook etiquette" post, and I'm mildly pissed no one commented on my 2006 music review (yeah, I'm talking to you), so I decided I would rant and rave about my recent weekend and other developing developments in my life.

Maybe I haven't made it clear enough that I am now in Loyola's production of "The Visit," starring as Hofbauer (or 'First Man' if you read the program). Anyway, rehearsals have been going pretty well, which I'm at 7 days a week, usually for at least 4-6 hours. And that's what I was doing Friday night. After rehearsal, I kicked back with some of my scenemates at this one group of senior's apartment. One Fab-u-lous man was making all sorts of yummy cocktails (no pun intended, oh I slay me)....with free Skye vodka. It was quite good. I'm pretty sure I kissed him at some point, but I won't get into that. After that I walked back to CFSU, which was having some sort of all-nighter fun times thing...with a mechanical bull. There are some rare cell phone pictures of me spanking the thing (not gonna lie, I owned that muthaf*cker), but they'll never end up here, so suck it.

Saturday was also good times. I woke up at freakin 10 AM, had rehearsal until 5, and then got ready to go with Samira to "Radio Golf" down at the Goodman:


In case you didn't read the top paragraph.

Anyway, it was freaking amazing. It's the first show I've ever seen in the Theater District, and it was hella cool. August Wilson, he's a good guy. Funny too.

The best part about it? I got in for free. I wrote a review of the show, and so got two free passes, and they were awesome seats. Afterwards, we went to Giodarnio's or whatever (darn wop names...j/k j/k, you know I'm the Eitelian Stallion) because it was the only place open in the whole snow-covered place. There famous for their stuffed crust pizza, and I can see why. I had a bunch of mine left over. It was also pretty friggin cold. Really cold. But overall it was an amazing evening. Quite awesome.

I would put up the pictures that I got free for being in the press, but I figured it might make a little trouble for your's truly, and I wouldn't want to lose my free theater stuff. Guess you'll have to check out this Wednesday's Phoenix to get the whole story....

Check it. I gotta go do laundry,
Barry


P.S. Dates for Visit: Feb. 15-18, 22-25. Come see. You won't be disappointed.

Barry's Guide to Proper Facebook Etiquette

After doing some pretty heavy Facebooking, I've realized that people bug me. All of them. Well, maybe minus a few. I think I feel some grievances about to air....

*Alright, it's all cool to put up pictures of you and your friends on facebook. Good. I like to see people. But I draw the line when I see people who put albums containing approximately 60 billion photos that all depict a group of college kids getting sloshed. C'mon, people, be a little more selective with your pictures. If you wouldn't develop all of these pictures, don't put them up. Just because it's possible to vomit up all your photographic trash on Facebook doesn't mean you should. And to those kids who are tagged in 7000 pictures....I wish I was you. There just is not enough pictorial evidence to document my life. I digress; that's a story for another day.

*The other day I came across a group griping about the limits of the relationship status. What a bunch of losers. They were all like, "If you can input what religion you are, why can't you make up a relationship status," and I was all like "Why don't you download some more kiddie porn, douchebag?" But yelling at my computer doesn't have much affect. If you take Facebook that seriously, well, you might have less of a life than your's truly. Although it would be kinda cool to have my status be "Playa Fo Real."

*Notes. If you make them depressing, I'm going to make some snide comment making fun of your crappy life. Facebook is no place for making anybody feel bad about anything. It's a place of fun and carefreeitude. Go complain on your blog that nobody reads (case in point. At least I follow my own rules).

*If you have the nerve to invite to a group, it better have a pretty freakin hilarious title. Otherwise you're not worth my time, I'm not gonna join your group, you pissed me off, and you're gay. What's the point of any Facebook group if reading the title doesn't inspire chortling from viewers of your profile? Eh? And any group with words like "official petition" can suck it. For one, it's not official, for two, it's not a petition. Shut up.

*To all those dudes who operate under the "I don't friend request people, people friend request me"--I wish I was as popular as you.

There it is.

From me to you,
--The Illustrious Barry

Annual Music-Mania

I kinda been wanting to do this for awhile, so I figured I better get it out of my system before February rolled around. So here it is. My music picks for 2006 (whoa, that rhymed):

These are in no particular order.

STADIUM ARCADIUM
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
Not gonna lie, this is prolly like one of my fav CDs of all time and space. But, seriously, folks, this double disk is great. Pretty much any song picked off the album could be a good single, but my favorite is "Snow," and I'm so glad they finally released it as a single a little while ago. I never really figured out what an Arcadium Stadium was, but I can get pass that. If there is one your gonna buy, make it this one.



FEEDBACK
JURASSIC 5
I got this one on a bit of a whim, and was pretty impressed. I was turned on to these guys a few years ago by this really tall guy. Basically, Jurassic 5 is a bunch of old black dudes rapping, and they have a real old school (or ol skewl, if you will) feel. They actually have one song featuring Dave Matthews, and it's pretty fresh. The songs on this album are so different than most other rap out there. There is a lot more of a focus on samples and funkiness, like one song which samples "Love and Happiness" by Al Green, which I always thought would be a good idea.

THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE MOON
RICHARD CHEESE
This is basically a greatest hits collection, but I love this guy. He and his backing band (Lounge Against the Machine) cover alternative and top 40 hits in a very groovy way (their cover of "Down With the Sickness" is featured in "Dawn of the Dead"). His big band versions of NIN's "Closer" or Nirvana's "Rape Me" are great, and when I hear "Badd" by Ying Yang Twins, I laugh every time. At least listen to the free samples on his MySpace.



BEGIN TO HOPE
REGINA SPEKTOR
This CD has been out since June, and I was just turned on to it over Christmas break. Spektor and her "anti-folk" movement are pretty fun to listen to. Basically, picture Fiona Apple without the suicidal tendencies and the man-hatred.






A MILLION MICROPHONES
SUPERSYSTEM
This is a Chicago band, and coincidently, the first CD I bought in Chicago. It's pretty electro-boogie-funkalicious. Although the lyrics are somewhat, how you say, retarded, the music is innovative enough to make up for it. This is one band I would recommend to pretty much anybody.





ONCE AGAIN
JOHN LEGEND
When I found out John Legend was releasing his sophomore album this year, I nearly wet myself. Alright, take out the nearly. But nevertheless, this is one of the top of my top picks of CD this year. In my mind, Legend is single-handedly saving R & B as we know it. He is quite the keyboardist. Although some of his songs make him seem like a sleezebag, I really don't mind. His songster ability makes up for it.



EYE TO THE TELESCOPE
KT TUNSTALL
This is the British chick that sings the "wa-hoo" song. Like Spektor, this CD has been out for quite awhile (like Feb) and I was just turned on to her recently. Quite a bummer, cause then I could've enjoyed it sooner. Alas, that is life. Anyway, the music has a pretty stripped down rock feel to it. Although the best songs are the singles, the rest is not bad, either. I wouldn't exactly call it chick rock...mostly because I own the CD.



STRAIGHT OUTTA LYNWOOD
"WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC
Last not but not least, one of my other most anticipated releases of the year. And his best selling album to date. I love it. Actually, even though I've heard almost all his other CDs, this is the only one I own. "White and Nerdy" has quickly became one of my favorite songs by him, and the polka on this is superb, putting Pussycat Dolls and Franz Ferdinand to accordion (just like God intended).




Well, I hope you were entertained. Feel free to sing my praises and/or add your own inadequate ideas.

Love,
Barry

Starting 2007 off on the right foot

So, today the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has turned the "doomsday clock" closer to midnight two minutes, to five minutes 'till midnight. Midnight means "end of the world."

The clock was created in 1947 and is an arbitrary measure of how close humanity is to destroying themselves. Good stuff.

Apparently, increased nuclear proliferation, global warming, and the fact that the U.S. and Russia have 2,000 missiles at the ready to destroy the world bugs someone else as well. We'll see, I'll probably be asleep in five minutes.

--Barry

Detroit Auto Show Mania!!!!!!

As a last hoo-rah for Christmas break, I thought it would be a hoot if we went up to the Detroit International Auto Show. Yes, I know nothing about actual automobiles, but I am intrigued by spinny and shiny things. Anyway, here are some pictures.

This is the new Honda Accord Coup. Subtract 15 years and add two doors...you get my car.




The Ford Airstream concept car. The most pimpinest mini-van ever created (voted by JD Power and Associates). Notice the swivel passenger chair. Pimpinest.



This thing is now my dream car. It's called the Efijy. Mmmm. What would I do for one? I'd rather not get into it....



Does the girl come with the car? [rimshot]



Well, I gotta head on out, partner.



Vroom!
-B@rry

Licking shots...

Not gonna lie, today was pretty jam-packed.

As the second to last day of my stay in the scenic Southwest Michigan area, I decided that I would hang out with some BGSU buddies last night. We ate these giant "stuffed" breadsticks, which were kinda like canoli, but instead of whipped cream they were filled with cheese and meat. I stayed there pretty late, but made the long haul back to Bedford because my mom needed a car (my dad's transmission got killt, so we were playing man down for awhile there).

Today I went with an old friend and his uncle to a shooting range where we shot a multitude of pistolas. Now I haven't shot a handgun in like 3 years, and I definitley felt like the idiot in the group. I'm just not hick enough. It was still fun though, especially my friend's .45 revolver, which is freakin huge. I think even I could intimidate someone with this gun.

After that and some Elbo Room pizza, we went out to see "Children of Men" or some crap, which was an excellent movie. There were lots of explosions and British people and fascists and the future. Go out. Watch it.

However, apparently after the premiere of "Stomp the Yard" a huge fight broke out. I was like, "Wow, that movie musta sucked! [rimshot]" We came down the escalator to find the parking lot flooded with 5-0 and a bunch of young black kids. We asked an officer what was up, and he told us about the fight. Man, how come fights never happen at the end of my movies?? I'd love to take some kid out, and then quickly duck out before being caught by the authorities. Word.

And then tomorrow I'm prolly headed up to the International Auto Show Extravaganza!! in Detroit. We'll see. Not gonna lie, not a huge car guy, but I do like shiny things that I'm not allowed to touch (like girls), so I don't think I'll be disappointed.

I also just found out that my spring practicum assignment is being Assistant Stage Manager for a show, a position I didn't exactly sign up for. I'm somewhat flattered, but I don't know if this plus being in Das Visit will suck away my life. But then again, I like being busy. We shall see.

Stompin the yard,
Barry.

P.S. I love this White Rapper show on VH1. Love it.

I'd like to Auld Lang her Syne...

Yeah, it's a bit of a stretch for a title, but I couldn't think of anything that rhymed with 2007 (besides "heaven," or "Oy! Glevin!," which I'm pretty sure doesn't mean anything). Not gonna lie, I've been meaning to update this sooner, and I'm just getting around to it now.

Let me tell you, New Years Eve was a blast. I was invited this fabolous man's house for a party with some close friends and some random chicks. And the free booze was flowing like, well, free booze. What can I say, I'm an oppurtunist; morals aren't my thing. I had lots of liquer that I've never tried before, and I got to play Barry the Bartender for myself and create crazy drinks. Like gin and [dollar store] juice. Or a White Barry. I got pretty tipsy, but not so much as everyone else. To be honest, the whole experience was a little weird cause I never drank really with my Toledo friends. It was a little surreal, now that I'm reflecting on it. And I got to sleep under the pool table, so I never actually went to sleep. I had to work the next day, so I just left at 7 AM (don't worry ladies, I was sober) and crashed (pun intended) at my house. And my Jello (TM) shot at midnight was still liquid, and pretty much disgusting. Good times, though.

The next day I think was much more prophetic about how 2007 will turn out for me. I went bowling in Monroe with Miles (grade school buddy), his girlfriend, and this chick who works at Krogers.

I scored the highest bowling ever scored by me in my short life:
114.

Don't laugh. This is freakin monumental. I got three strikes in a row, too (a little Turkey popped up on the moniters). And I won the game. I went for 200 the next game, but had to settle for 60. Still, 2007 is shaping up pretty sweetly.

Also in the new year I've gotten the back of my calves chewed up by my ice skates, seen Marie Antoinette (sp?) and The Departed, and tried my hand at making homemade ginger ale. I saw it on Wikihow and decided to give it a whirl cause I was bored. I'll try it out tomorrow and tell ya what I think. Supposedly it has some alcohol in it.

And then today I spent most of the day replaying some good ol' Age of Empires, but I had to stop my seige of Gaul by the Huns because my dad kept talking to me about scholarships, and it was distracting me from conquest. Bummer.

Tomorrow I go to Ann Arbor with some buds. Hopefully they'll be some awesome photos to come.....

Oy! Glevin! it's 2007
--Barry