For the Band Nerds!

Yes, I was a 7 year band nerd (2 middle school, 4 high school, 1 College). Mind you, for two of those years in HS I dropped out of band half way, sick of the directors. I think I was a moderately good player. When I would go to band camp I placed ok, chair-wise. Heck, at the UF camp, I placed 3rd out of like 30. Band was probably the best thing about my adolecent years.

Anyway, for years, something has stuck in my craw about band. When you take band as a class, you are automatically expected to play in the marching band. I suppose this may have just been my school, so perhaps other band nerds can correct me. Anyway, this always bugged me. Just because I wanted to play an instrument does NOT mean that I want to march. Or to have every friday night of the entire fall taken up. Or have after school practice either.

I mean, when I took math, I wasn't automatically put in the math club. Taking PE didn't force me on to the track team. But somehow taking band=march. Heck, quite a few of my fellow band mates could play decently, but could NOT march.

Mind you, I loved it. When we did penalty box (a kind of elimination round of marching, were people are 'out' when they mess up) I was generally one of the last men standing(usually along with my buddy Michael). And away games are pretty much where I was able to get around 1st 2nd and 3rd bases. Which reminds me, I really could do with an away game right now.

So it's not that it was a bad thing for me. I guess the principal of it bugs me is all.

Cats and Dogs

A recent teasing of a friend about cats made me start thinking about them. And dogs. Anyone that knows me knows that I prefer dogs. I probably would never own a cat unless I had a SO who had/wanted one. Now, I don't really have a thing against cats. I just don't get them as a pet compared to just about any other non-social pet (by this I mean animals that would prefer to be solitary in nature).

To me, a cat cares little for its 'master' beyond itself. "Free food and shelter? Yeah I'll pal up with this person...WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT." Whereas a dog to me is more like a companion. Someone who wants your attention and affection, whenever it can have it. Someone who will protect you. Someone who actually likes you for you, not just what you can do for them.

Of course, I'm biased. My family (immediate and extended) always had dogs. My friends were dog people. At least until more recently. Then I started making friends with cat people. Weirder still (when it first happened years ago) was that some of these cat people were...men! When I was younger I had always equated men with dogs and women with cats. So much for THAT sterotype.

At any rate, I started trying to think of what traits in common these people had. Gender wasn't it. I could tease some of my cat people guy friends and say masculinity. But that's not really true. I could say upbringing (most likely), as in what they grew up with. But I don't actually know everyone's past like that. And the evil cynic in me wants to say that my cat friends are all too tied up in themselves to want a pet that requires attention and work. But that doesn't stand up at ALL, since I am a lazy sack and I had a dog.

Then, today, I saw a link. Superficial to be sure, but it holds true in my TINY world at the moment. It seems that my dog friends tend to be more conservative. My cat friends are all pretty liberal.

So, if there was actually a link, what would it be? Sghoul Brain GO!

Cat People: They see no problem with having someone with wealth/resources have their hard earned wealth taken and given to people who have done nothing to earn it, don't appreciate it, and may piss on you after it is given to them.

But, I can do this to 'my people' too.

Dog People: Have no qualms about having someone less privledged/powerful as them under their thumb, kissing their butts, and rolling over whenever they are told.

Seriously though...it would be cool to see if any kind of studies have been done about the psychology of chosing a cat or dog. Also, everything here is a generalization. There are cats that come when called, and dogs that ignore their owners.

What do ya'll think?

Marry, Boff, Kill!

Time to play a game. It's one I have seen around the tubes for a few years, but re-re-watching 30 Rock this week put it back in my head. So I decided to try it out here. It's called Marry, Boff, Kill (often using a less censored work in the middle there). Basically I am going to throw out three women, and we have to pick one to Marry, one to just have sex with and one to kill. And for the purposes of this excersize, we are talking about the characters, not the actresses.

Lets try some ladies from Scrubs:



Dr. Molly, the short lived shrink.



Dr. Elliot Reed, neurotic private practice doctor.



Nurse Carla Turk, know it all Dominican head nurse.


Ok, I will gladly say that I would kill our shrink. She's way to flaky to marry. And I think her penchant for 'broken' men would leave any bedroom activity rather cold.

Next I think I would boff Dr. Reed. This was tough, but I think Elliot's neurosis would drive me nuts for the long haul. but could lead to some heavy duty passion for a one time deal.

Leaving Carla to marry. Which is probably the right choice. Her take charge attitude could whip me into shape and based on the episode where she tries to hold a sex embargo (and fails because she can't hold out), I wouldn't have to worry about the sitcom sterotype of 'no sex once you're married'.

So, what say you folks? It was a fun exersize for the 10 minutes it took for me to type this up.