Archive for January, 2011

The Twenty Ninth of January, Two Thousand and Eleven

Posted in Daily Pictures with tags on January 29, 2011 by Verge

woke up this morning to sleeping kitties and a wife who didn't have to go to work.

then, off to Merchantville Lodge to donate some more blood. Seriously, Community Blood Council of New Jersey is so much better than the Red Cross. They don't bruise my arms!

giving blood is kind of like getting a mini health checkup. I don't know what HGB is exactly, but I was told I wouldn't die if I lost a pint of blood.

then off to the Mart, where people smoke these...

...and ride this....

...and walk down this hallway...

...for the privelage to use this lovely specimen!! Good Day!

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The Twenty Sixth of January, Two Thousand and Eleven

Posted in Daily Pictures on January 26, 2011 by Verge

Not too much going on here in our lives right now.  We tried to go hiking last Saturday afternoon and that was a mistake.  No pictures or adventure stories from that excursion.  We’ve been laying low since we’re on the wagon for another week and a half, so no crazy stories either.

Craig and I did make two 5 gallon batches of beer over the weekend.  I already had a batch going, so that means, in addition to the ridiculous amount of alcohol and beer already in the house, ready for Super Bowl, we also now have 15 gallons of home brew that may be ready to drink by then.

Anyway, Monica has started work at a new job and isn’t here with me right now.  I’m waiting for the snow storm to hit us for a second time today, and see what happens overnight.  It’s raining now, at 6 pm.  I’ll update some pictures and it will either be awesome (lots of snow) or shitty (lots a snowy rain).

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Albums I’ll actually still listen to after 2010

Posted in Uncategorized on January 23, 2011 by Verge

I STARTED THIS LIST BACK IN DECEMBER, AND I JUST NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO FILL IT OUT.  THER ARE SOME GREAT PICKS IN HERE, THOUGH, SO CHECK EM OUT IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY.

This isn’t a top ten list of my favorite albums of 2010, but sort of.  It’s also not the best albums of 2010 because I haven’t listened to everything that’s come out this year.  Maybe I’ll get to that sometime, but not likely.  But, I have listened to a lot of new albums this year, and some of have been a true letdown (I’m looking heavily in your direction, Miss Xtina), and others have amazed me.  I say bullshit to anyone who says that new music and the bands of today have no talent, are boring, or just plain suck.  You suck.  Don’t be so closed minded.  Learn to listen.

So, here’s a list of albums that maybe aren’t the best artistic achievements in music ever, but the albums that I’ve loved this year, and when I hear them in the future, I’ll think “wow, brings me right back to 2010!”

OK Go -Of The Blue Colour of the Sky

Release Date:  January 12, 2010     Label:  Capital Records     Producer:  Dave Fridmann

Only their third album, OK Go have really taken a huge step forward with this release.  This is their first release since 2005’s OhNo which spurned their first few hits with…   This album, it seems to me, is very similar to Radiohead’s OK Computer in the sense that OK Go were considered by many to be a one trick pony until they heard this and said, “Holy Shit, these guys are on to something big.”  To them, music is art, something to be experimented with and something to entertain, much like their amazing videos.

Huge credit must go to producer Dave Fridmann who obviously pushed this band into extremes they didn’t even realize they could achieve.   With clear nods to Radiohead, Prince, Queen and The Flaming Lips (who Dave Fridmann also produces), OK Go show their maturity in epic tracks like the stunning Skyscraper and the soaring…

 

LCD Soundsystems – This is Happening

Released:  May 17, 2010     Label:  Virgin Records     Producer:  The DFA

 

 

School of Seven Bells – Disconnect from Desire

Released:  July 13, 2010     Label:  Ghostly International (Indie)     Producer:  Benjamin Curtis (self produced)

 

 

Sleigh Bells – Treats

Released:  May 11, 2010     Label:  Mom + Pop/NEET (MIA’s label)     Producer:  Derek E. Miller (self produced)

 

 

The Twilight Saga – Eclipse – Soundtrack

Released:  June 8, 2010     Label:  Chop Shop/Atlantic     Producer:  Alexandra Patsavas

 

Massive Attack – Heligoland

Broken Bells

Gorillaz

John Legend and The Roots

Taylor Swift

The Black Keys

Albums that are probably awesome, but I haven’t listened to enough times to really review them properly.

Brian eno

CeeLo Green

Autechre

Deftones

Miley Cyrus

Linkin Park

Royksopp

Kings of Leon

My Chemical Romance

Duffy

 

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Trailer Park Boys Show

Posted in Daily Pictures on January 23, 2011 by Verge

Just ahead of another snow storm rolling in to Philadelphia, our friends from the Great White North, the Trailer Park Boys, rolled into Glenside to the Keswick Theater to tell some jokes, act some skits, and generally get “high as fuck.”  In the wake of their seventh and final season  on Canada’s Showcase channel,  show writers and stars Mike Smith, Robb Wells and John Paul Tremblay came to a Philly stage to reprise their roles as Bubbles, Ricky and Julian.

Monika and I couldn't resist. We had great seats, only 15th row or so, just to the left.

...

bubbles as a woman

And then there’s this…

Liquor and whores
Liquor and whores
Cigarettes and dope and mustard and bologna
Liquor and whores

I went down
Drinkin’ at the Legion
I met a girl she was nice
She was pretty and pleasing

She said “Hey boy
We should do some marrying”
I said sure but before we do
There’s something that you should know

I like
Liquor and whores
Liquor and whores
Cigarettes and dope and mustard and bologna
Liquor and whores…

Then one night down at the legion
She walked in, I was drunk on gin
Dancin with a lady friend
She said hey boy, You’d better fly the fuck home
I said no cause five little words I coulda
Swore I said to you

I like
Liquor and whores
Liquor and whores
Cigarettes and dope and mustard and bologna
Liquor and whores…

And for any Rush fans out there

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January Pictures (from the first two weeks)

Posted in Daily Pictures with tags , , on January 17, 2011 by Verge

This was the Element after it decided to smell the butt of the car in front of it. Never knew my car was into trucks, but apparently...

another Sabol original, one of the newer ones around the office. during the playoffs, I spend more time than usual at work, but it's nice to feel important once in a while.

we went bowling for Dan's birthday at Pinsetters, the hippest bowling alley in South Jersey. I only got one game in, but I did manage to finish the entire flask of whiskey. I win!

and so did they...I guess we all won (because we all brought flasks)

my birthday was next, and I decided to make a nice birthday stout for myself. It should be ready by New Years!

you may be wondering what Craig is demonstrating in this candid photo...

why, it's a demonstration of how to use my most prized birthday present!

I'm used to snow on my birthday, and I got it once again. This is our Chrismas Tree. I had dragged it outside to take to the trash, but stood it up when it started to snow.

step two of brewing beer....wait. I decided to go on the wagon for a month after my birthday to recover from the holidays. But, in three short weeks, for the Super Bowl, somebody better kick me right the hell out of the wagon already.

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New Years road trip Part 2: Boardman, Ohio

Posted in Daily Pictures on January 15, 2011 by Verge

Monica made it through the night, and since we had gone to bed so early, we were packed and on the road early.  Kat wanted to drive the rest of the way to Ohio, so I had a chance to be a passenger and take some pictures.

we drove west along Lake Erie, so there were a lot of windmills and nothing.

it didn't take too long, despite some stops for fuel, food and what not. 1 pm, New Years Eve, we arrive just in time as our bourbon was almost completely gone.

 

ahhhh, that's the ticket. whiskey!

actually, because Steve wasn’t home yet, we went out to The Flaming Icecube to score some vegan lunch, and then to the liquor store to get party supplies.

okay, Steve's home, let's do shots!

some time together before the impending party.

we went to Steve's dad's house to the big party. His sister and some of their firends all showed up, and there was plenty to do. Drink, play pool, Kinect dance party...

this is just after the ball dropped. We watched, and all had a toast of champagne, of course.

our girls, looking scandalous.

next morning, I made us all omlettes to cover our hangovers.

Sam had to go to work, so we went for a hike at Mill Creek Park

an ice wall. it's hollow on the other side, with just this one hole in the entire thing.

we're lucky that this park is so huge and so close to Sam and Tuk.

yeah, sometimes I even have someone else take a picture. rare, but not impossible

kinda looks like the set of a movie. It was very overcast, and very foggy, and made for an excellent setting

...

Monika showing off her local support with the shirt that Sam and Tuk bought her for Christmas

ah, there's that familiar self shot photo

Later that night, we all went out to dinner to some fancy local Mexican place that really did have excellent food, especially when you’re already drunk when you get there.  I watched the Winter Classic over Monika’s shoulder on a big screen.  The ending of a very thrilling, and quite busy vacation.  I passes out on the couch at home watching Black Swan before leaving the next morning for home.

WAIT! Before really leaving Ohio for good, the next morning we met Sam after her shift ended at a crazy night club/suchi bar for one last round of shots and beers before we hit the road, for real this time. Great times, as always.

 

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New Year’s Road Trip, Part 1: Letchworth State Park

Posted in Good Times, Vacations with tags , , on January 7, 2011 by Verge

we headed off to upstate NY for a weekend of craziness

we rented a cabin in the woods. I wonder how many times they had to scrub blood off the floors before the cabin warranted this sign?

but, actually, the cabin was awesome. three rooms, electricity, fridge, stove...but no running water.

 

this is about how far we had to walk to the bathrooms, which where also surprisingly nice...and warm.

this is the real reason we came. This is the Grand Canyon of the East.

I know that there is another one somewhere in PA, but maybe next time we'll go there

this Grand Canyon was pretty damn good for us this trip. It was cold, but we layered up pretty well.

we hiked from lower all the way to upper falls, about a 3 mile round trip.

Kreg and Monika decided to cross a frozen stream while Kat and I decided to worry.

underneath the bridge, the tarp has sprung a leak

This is a track of the entire day.  It includes the car ride out of the park from our campground, to the left towards the falls, the entire hike, and our trip back to the cabin.

we tracked down some wood behind the cabin and started a campfire, pretty much a must while camping, no matter how cold.

we were the only ones in the campground with a fire, even though lots of people were out drinking on their porches, so we kind of became the center of attention.

so, of course, we built the largest fire we could for the hell of it.

After we burned all the wood, we went inside and played some dominoes.  and drank…a lot.  We were in bed early for the drive to Ohio for New Years Eve the next night.  Monika paid the price dearly.

 

!!!!!

As always, the full set of pix from this leg of our road trip can be found right here!

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End of Year Pics, December 2010

Posted in Daily Pictures on January 4, 2011 by Verge

we had the yearly Holiday party at Films. It's been ebb and flow with the parties at work since I've worked there, but you know what...even the lamest of them have been 10 times cooler than every single party we ever had at Sam Ash. Seriously, I loved the place when I was there, but....

...they never had some shit like this!! It's a giant, frozen snowflake with a tube running through the guts. Pour vodka in one side, out somes an ice-cold shot to dump into either a cranberry, cosmo, or into an empty cup, like me and my boss...twice.

we headed to Philly to see Jordan's band play a sick set to debut his new album

this place was pretty cool. we hung upstairs, which actually was an absinth bar, and had a delicious, seriously delicious absinthe I had never tried before.

well, most of you know how this one went down

Christmas Eve at Plunge Lounge!

a gift from kreg and kat...and truly appropriate

seriously, martinis for Christmas is pretty perfect.

then came the snow the day after Christmas. there are no pictures because we just got snowed in and drunk...hey, this blog is honest.

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The Fourth of January, Two Thousand and Eleven

Posted in Daily Pictures on January 4, 2011 by Verge

back at films. this was the set for all of last season of NFL Films Presents...except it's not a set, it's just another part of our office, filled with memorabilia

I think someone drowned tonight in Atco Lake. Or, it was some elaborate rescue mission drill, but it didn't look all that fake to me.

who isn't playing mega millions tonight. only reason I'm torturing myself and staying up till 11 tonight.

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2010 in Review

Posted in Daily Pictures with tags on January 3, 2011 by Verge

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

Healthy blog!

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is on fire!.

Crunchy numbers

Featured image

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 3,800 times in 2010. That’s about 9 full 747s.

 

In 2010, there were 105 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 127 posts. There were 739 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 1gb. That’s about 2 pictures per day.

The busiest day of the year was June 29th with 100 views. The most popular post that day was Atco Devastated.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, onthevergeoftears.com, stumbleupon.com, OnTheVergeOfTears.com, and touch.facebook.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for pernod, on the verge of tears, cachaca, verge of tears, and constantly on the verge of tears.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Atco Devastated June 2010
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2

Jackfruit Recipe (Vegan Pulled Pork) February 2010
1 comment

3

Italy Vacation Sneak Peek October 2010
1 comment

4

Ten Liquors You’ve Probably Never Tasted November 2010
1 comment

5

Spiritualized @ Radio City Music Hall August 2010
1 comment and 1 Like on WordPress.com,

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