Oh Monday Nights...

As everyone knows we are in the middle of football season, and I don't have cable. All I have is whatever I am lucky enough to pick up on the bunny ears. Now on weekends this isnt a problem because all games are played on local channels. But what about Monday Night Football? It's on ESPN. Now this may not be that big of a deal to most, but it is a major deal to me. And it seemed like this past Monday that it really hit me that I've been missing Monday Night Football all season, and I didnt like it. I love watching football.

So I'm not able to watch the games on TV. But there is another way for me to keep up with the game, on the internet through something they call Sports Trac. I usually use the one that is on NFL.com. They have live updates about the scores, in game stats, and whatever down it may be and how many yards to go. This definately isnt my first choice to watch a football game, but its all I got...and it will have to do for the time being.

Now Thursday Night Football is much the same, with one small difference. The game is on cable, the NFL Network, and I dont have cable. Although i can still actually watch the game. Through NFL.com for every game aired on the NFL Network they also show the game in real time on the website. Now this is just awesome. I actually just discovered this last week and it was amazing. I was actually watching a football game via the internet. This was serioulsy one of the coolest experiences of my life, I never thought I would be watching live TV on the internet.

Song of the day

"Something I Can Never Have"

Nine Inch Nails (later covered by Flyleaf)

I still recall the taste of your tears.

Echoing your voice just like the ringing in my ears.

My favorite dreams of you still wash ashore.

Scraping through my head 'till I don't want to sleep anymore.

[Chorus:]

You make this all go away.

You make this all go away.

I'm down to just one thing.

And I'm starting to scare myself.

You make this all go away.

You make this all go away.

I just want something.

I just want something I can never have

You always were the one to show me how

Back then I couldn't do the things that I can do now.

This thing is slowly taking me apart.

Grey would be the color if I had a heart.

Come on tell me

[Chorus]

In this place it seems like such a shame.

Though it all looks different now,I know it's still the same

Everywhere I look you're all I see.

Just a fading fucking reminder of who I used to be.

Come on tell me

[Chorus]

I just want something I can never have

Media Experiment

So I was finally able to conduct my little media experiment this past weekend. I ended up doing it on Saturday. Now I know it was impossible to avoid media all together unless i just locked myself in a closet all day. But I chose the forms of media that one would think that I would not be able to live without, my music, internet, TV, and phone. Like I said other forms of media were impossible to avoid, such as billboards and other outdoor advertisements.

This was definately a weird and different experience for me. When I woke up Saturday the first thing I wanted to do was go to my MP3 player, but I stopped myself because I remembered the "Experiment". So I thought to myself, "this is going to be a long day". But luckily I had a busy day scheduled so that it would help me get through it, hopefully. My plans consisted on going to work for my dad, so I had to tell him that we couldn't listen to the radio on the way to work, or at work. He didn't really enjoy that too much, but he did it anyway. I even left my phone at home the entire day so i wouldnt be tempted to call or text anyone and in case someone called or text me I wouldnt answer.

So work was over and we got home. Well it was Saturday, and you know what that means, college football. I wasnt able to watch any of it. What a great day to decide to do my experiment, what an idiot. But I toughed it out and was able to not watch any college football, and OU was playing too. Now that was hard. While my dad was out in the living room watching the games, I locked myself in my room and read a book. That was odd. I typically don't read much, but on that day I would say that I got quite a bit done.

On most days I check Facebook on a pretty regular basis, but not Saturday. That was definately strange. That was probably the first day I havent gotten on Facebook in God knows how long. Im sure some of my friends out there probably thought I was dead or something since I didnt get on, haha.

But all in all I survived. I made it the entire day without my favorite forms of media. Definatley not something that I would want to do again, it pretty much sucked. It was a long boring day. I mean I almost felt Amish, except I still had my truck and minus the cool beards. It was really interesting to see how my day went and not only how different my day went, but also I felt throughout the day. That day made me realize how much my life is consumed my media. But the second it turned midnight I went straight for my MP3 player for some music. The first song that I heard was "How to Handle a Rope" by Queens of the Stone Age (I wonder what the song of the day is gonna be).

Well that concludes my day without media experiment. Results: Terrible. Conclusion: Never gonna happen again.

Now I highly recommend that you go listen to this song, because although they are great lyrics you just can't get the full effect of the song without the actual music and Josh Homme on guitar.

Song of the Day
"How to Handle a Rope"
Queens of the Stone Age

Too late to think or filter anymore
A bitter pill to swallow Maybe you're in a blanket haze of ephedrine
I'm wonderin where the hell you been
So come on and right this wrong the rope

[chorus:]
You got it all right
You got a feeling
I'd rather open up my wrist, let it go
You got it all rightYou got a feeling
Cause devils and ropes around your neck
Cursing them all
And you can't hear it
Can't hear it

Ain't got a mind to deal with anymore
Sabatuer, infiltrator, and maybe more
If you're not blind and deaf, how can we pollute your head?
So come on and right this wrong the rope

[chorus:]
And I got it all right
I got a feeling
You'd rather open up your wrist, let it go
I got it all right, yeah
I got a feeling
Cause devils and ropes around my neck can't even know
Cause they can't hear it

Frustrated With the Media

Ok so I know i was supposed to conduct my experiment "this" time but there is something in particular that is, or should I say not, going on that I just need to comment on. This is something I need to get off my chest, and quite frankly it does upset me to some degree.

The issue that I am referring to is the media coverage, or lack there of, of the UCA shooting. I believe that it was October 26, 2008 when there was a shooting at the campus of the University of Central Arkansas. 3 people were shot, 2 killed and 1 wounded. Now when it initially happened of course you heard about it on TV. But honestly I don't think that this incident got the coverage that was needed. I remember when the Virginia Tech shooting happened last year and that was all you heard for God knows how long, but that is a good thing. Its almost like the people in the media look at this as a story that has already happened. It's not new therefore it isn't worthy of our time because it is something we have seen before. Well honestly I find that terrible. Granted not as many people were killed in this shooting, but people were still killed. Its like their deaths weren't as popular and weren't newsworthy because it had already happened. And like I stated before, I find this terrible. I think a tragedy like this should be seen and heard by all, not only so we can be aware of whats going on but so we can also mourn for those who have passed.

Maybe I'm overreacting to the whole situation but it is how I feel about it, and its my blog...so there.

Now there were actually three choices for song of the day today, and these songs came on one right after the other when I was listening to my MP3 player. They are Sideways by Citizen Cope, Heart Strong by Silvertide and Now I'm a Fool by the Eagles of Death Metal. Now I'm only going to post one, but i recommend you check out the other two as well. Great songs.

Song of the Day
Sideways
Citizen Cope

You know it ain't easy
For these thoughts here to leave me
There's no words to describe it
In French or in English
Well, diamonds they fade
And flowers they bloom
And I'm telling you
These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
They've been knockin' me out lately
Whenever you come around me
These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
I keep thinking in a moment that
Time will take them away
But these feelings won't go away