Facebook and the 25 things, getting old, bye bye soda & fries

Current mood:  amused

A few things going on that have caused me to write today. First off is this “25 things about you” making the rounds on Facebook right now. Several of my Facebook friends (people from high school, college, acquaintances etc) are filling it out and then requesting me to do the same. Originally I thought “why not?” but the more I think about it, are you sure you really want a bunch of semi-random people knowing all of this about you? Would you write this out and nail it to the front door of your house? I don’t think so. So why is it acceptable to wear your heart on your sleeve on the internets? It’s almost like perceived anonymity. You think you’re being relatively private, but then your 200+ friends can see it all.

One other important revelation. Dr. FU just played a solid weekend of shows on the road up in Maryland. And man am I hurting from it. Back, knee, ankle, hip, you name it. I feel like I’m 50 years old. Things that used to heal in a few days, now take a few weeks or even longer. And while I do exercise a bit, it’s not nearly enough, especially if I’m going to get my ass kicked when playing. For those of you who have never been to a FU show, we try to be a bit more lively than your average “stand around and do nothing” band, but that comes with a price.

Finally, in the spirit of trying to be a little more healthy, I’ve decided to give up two things that I really like. First off, soda (or pop, if you’re from the Western NY area like me). I made the switch from regular to diet many, many years ago, but if you think you are getting off scot-free, think again. In addition to the caffeine (pretty hard to find diet soda that is also caffeine-free at a restaurant), apparently your body can confuse artificial sweeteners for the real thing, thus making you crave sugar more when you aren’t getting it. And, apparently, aspartame is used as a supplement to help boost appetite in people that aren’t hungry. So, with those two potentially true facts out there, I’m laying off. I like water and should be just fine.

Next up, french fries. I’m amazed at just how many meals I order that show up with fries. And this is pure crap for your body. If I had any sort of discipline, I would only eat a few. But I just can’t do that. So, it’s goodbye to french fries for the time being. I will still be eating the bacon cheeseburger, but I’ll be doing it without the extra 500 calories in french fries and the usual 3-4 diet sodas (free refills are another one of my weaknesses…before I know it, I’ve had a half-dozen diet cokes. And there’s NO WAY that can be good for anyone).

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening: Three Sides Live By Genesis

Superbowl post-mortem, Dr. FU needs your help, song selection

Current mood:  rockin

A few things to catch up on in the ol’ blog. First, the Superbowl. Is it just me, or does the NFL play favorites? I watch some of these teams (Steelers, Cowboys, Patriots etc)…large market, large amount of mass appeal, large amount of money generated in other words, and you can really see how the league almost paves the way for them to win. Sometimes it’s very subtle (protecting star players on the field), sometimes not (non-calls on penalties, and the general disregard for small-market teams by the NFL as a whole) and it makes for very frustrating viewing. I really wanted the Cardinals to win. And they almost did. Almost. But not before Roger Goodell made a call down to the field and told the refs to back off a little bit. Ok, that last part is pure conjecture. But watch that game again and tell me if the Steelers didn’t get some ridiculous calls. And it’s been that way throughout the playoffs. I don’t want to bore you anymore, but it is something to think about if you like football. Ok, rant off.

Next topic: Dr. FU. I am guessing most of you know that I play in a band called Dr. FU. We’re just a rock cover band who plays in the DC/VA/MD area, but I love doing it and play with 4 other really good guys, 2 of which I’ve known since I was a wee lad. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without the FU and I don’t even want to try. Suffice it to say it’s one of the things that keeps me sane. Ok, now onto my pitch. I’m using this blog to solicit help. We’re trying to win a local award, and I need your help. All the info you need is here. Check it out and make sure you spell our name Dr. FU (period and all caps on the FU important). Thanks! Voting ends Monday, Feb 9th.

Finally, while we’re on the subject of the band, I wanted to talk about songs. As a cover band, song selection is pretty important. You play a good song, and people go nuts. You play a crap song, people leave. It’s pretty simple. What’s not simple, however, is finding the recipe for what makes a song a good song. At times, we nail it (but more often than not, these are the songs that are covered by a LOT of bands, and so you’re basically an also-ran)3. And at times, we completely miss the mark. But we’re always trying to stay one step ahead of the other bands in the area and add stuff that goes over well but is not necessarily played by similar groups.

Interestingly enough, several factors go into finding good songs. Sometimes a song will go over well at one bar, and crash and burn at another. It all depends on who’s there and what they’re in the mood for. But the FU has its standards: there are some songs (Brown Eyed Girl, Mustang Sally, Born to Be Wild) that we will NEVER play. I’m not sure what gets a song into that category, I guess you just know. But it’s what makes it into the “let’s play this” category that is much more puzzling.

Have a song suggestion? First, check our setlist over at drfu.com. If we’re not doing it, let me know and I’ll bring it up at our next rehearsal. We’ll vote on anything (unless it’s Bad Case of Loving You, which I know CD will comment and add), so let me know!

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening: The Blackening By Machine Head Release date: 2008-11-04

Setting goals vs. resolutions, football is awesome, cubes

Current mood:  satisfied

I am not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. People often make promises they can’t keep and some of them don’t even try. I have never been a resolution kind of person. If I want to do something, I don’t need the first of the year to do it. I do find that having goals is a fairly important part of being successful in anything you do. After all, if you’re not shooting for something, what are you doing? I would say you’re treading water.

The mistake that a lot of people make is making goals too hard to reach. This is doubly negative. In addition to them being nearly impossible to achieve, you end up beating yourself up about it. Rather than say you want to lose 25 pounds, how about setting a goal of losing a single pound in a week. Seems easy enough to do, right? Well then, if you can lose one pound, why not set the same goal at the end of that week for the next week? By this logic, it’s possible you could lose 25 pounds in 25 weeks, and you won’t be deterred if you miss a single week here or there. Yet, if you set the goal of losing 25 pounds and you have a bad week, you may be inclined to stop altogether. Sure, this is pretty much a purely mental distinction, but it’s this approach to goals (i.e. making sure they’re realistic) that gets you somewhere.

Let me give you another example. If you have a room full of crap and it appears as if it will take you hours and/or days to clean it up, you probably won’t even try. But how about this method instead: work on the room for one hour a week, or more if you can. And you’ll see it start to work itself out.

The first time I heard of this philosophy was in my Eastern Religion class in college. My professor told us of a famous Buddhist saying, “a 10,000 mile journey begins with just one step.” This makes total sense to me. See if you can apply it to anything you’re trying to accomplish. Now, the DISCIPLINE to do all this? Well, that’s a story for another day.

I have no idea how many of you watch football or even like it at all, but if you do, I hope you have watched some this weekend. These games are some of the best I’ve seen in awhile, and I’m sorry to say I had to miss two of the best ones yesterday. Regardless, there are only 3 games left in this NFL season, so you better make the most of it (and yes, I am not including the Pro Bowl because it doesn’t count). I did hear that they’re moving the Pro Bowl from Hawaii next year and it will be played the week before the Superbowl in the same stadium. I think this is a good idea, but a better one would be to play the Superbowl first (and get rid of the pointless bye week) and THEN the Pro Bowl. But then the NFL machine wouldn’t be able to cash in on an additional week of merchandise sales. Ah well, so much for that good idea.

Finally, an update to my goal (not resolution) to solving Rubik’s cubes. I have, with the help of some youtube videos and websites, been able to solve the 2x2x2 cube and the 3x3x3 cube. I have started to learn the intricacies of the mathematics that goes into one of these things, and I feel like I’m back in school. Of course, my brain feels like oatmeal, so any sort of activity like this has to be helping. Next up is the 4x4x4 cube. We’ll see how that goes. And then there’s the 5x5x5 all the way up to the 7x7x7. I’ll keep you posted (as if anyone was interested).

Finally, for those of you who have seen or received our holiday letter, fear not, it’s coming. It’s just turned into a “new year letter.” And hey, better late than never, right?

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening: UK Tour 75 By Thin Lizzy Release date: 2008-10-21

What am I doing up at 2am anyway?

Current mood:  tired

One of the biggest problems I have with writing blog entries is that I never feel like I am writing anything earth-shattering. And yet, I’ll go through a day and think “hey, I should write about that” at least 2 times. And then, when it comes time to sit down and write, I got nothing. I guess I need to take better notes.

A few things to report. First, I have developed a serious problem of going to bed far too late for my own good. This past week, it’s been around 2am. And when you’re getting up at 6:30, that’s not good. I have no good reason for doing it. In fact, when I look at the clock in the upper-right-hand corner of my screen, all I can think of is “hey dumbass, what are you still doing awake?” And the sad part is I have no answer.

I have always been a night person, so it’s easy for me to stay awake, but when you start burning the candle at all ends, it’s just not good. A few people at work have made mention that I looked tired (which is another, nicer way of saying “hey Rob, you look like shit”), so I really need to get back into the habit of going to bed earlier. And the strange thing? I freakin’ love sleeping. So, what the hell am I doing?

One other item of note. I am not big on New Year’s resolutions or resolutions of any kind for that matter. My wife keeps a “bucket list,” but I have always looked at those as a way of measuring failure (i.e. what you haven’t done, rather than what you have). However, I am making one resolution for 2009. I want to solve a Rubik’s Cube. Yes, I am a retard. But I want to do it. And I want to do it fast. And then I want to figure out the Rubik’s Revenge (the 4x4x4) and then the Rubik’s Professor Cube (the 5x5x5 monstrosity). I have had one of these since I was 9 years old and I’ve never solved one. I’ve gotten close a million times. I’ve read the books. And for some reason, it just hasn’t sunk in. So, I’m going to make it happen this year. Mark my words.

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening: Folie A Deux By Fall Out Boy Release date: 2008-12-16

So much to write, so little time & why blog at all?

Current mood:  calm

Good evening everyone. Getting ready to give my little girl a bath, put her to bed, and head off to see Fishbone (yes, that Fishbone) at the State Theatre in Falls Church, VA. Should be a good time.

Sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve written. I try to think about things to write about and always forget them when it comes time to sit down and actually do it. Perhaps I am just waiting for something too spectacular to happen. Not sure, but regardless, even if it’s something minor, I’ll be sure to write. If you have a preference (be it a long post or a short one), let me know. I wonder if anyone actually reads these things anyway.

So, Fishbone tonight and back to work tomorrow. Also, those damn Bills are starting to live up to their reputation. Started off 5-1 and have since gone 1-5 to make it an even 6-6. Mediocre. Same old Bills. Same as it ever was. See my last blog if you want more detail on this subject. I would rather not write about it again as it pains me too much.

Finally, I was starting to think about the purpose of keeping a blog and why people do it. I think, for me, it’s somewhat theraputic, but why not just keep a journal that no one can read? I think people want to have their opinions counted, even if it’s in a minor way. Not sure why I do it, other than to let people I know know what I’m thinking about. 

I’m Rob H and I approved this message.

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening: Black Ice By AC/DC Release date: 2008-10-20

Why do we love sports?

Current mood:  apathetic

Here’s something I have been thinking about a lot lately: my allegiance to sports. Specifically, my allegiance to all things Buffalo and sports, primarily the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres. Since I moved to Buffalo when I was 7, I have watched and listened to these two teams. So, we’re talking about 30 years of loyalty here. And that’s nothing to sneeze at. I haven’t been married that long, in school that long, or at the same job that long (yet). So, one could argue that my love affair with Buffalo sports is the most long-lasting relationship of my life.

And here’s the most interesting part: it pretty much sucks. That’s right. In any sane relationship, the two parties each benefit from the arrangement. In science, we called this a symbiotic relationship; each person gets a little something and both come out ahead. In that 7th grade science class, we also learned about the parasitic relationship, you know, the one where one side gets all the benefit? And so it goes.

So, let’s look a little deeper. 30 years. THIRTY. Years. Example #1: What have the Bills done for me? Well, we can start with the obvious: zero World Championships. Sure, the 4 AFC titles are great, but the Bills have never won it all. Which means, some point during the NFL season, I was dealt a painful hand of misery. So, as much elation as was felt, it was eventually replaced by pain. And this happened for four years straight. It’s happened several other times as well. “Homerun Throwback” (aka the Music City Miracle) is another fine example. The Bills rally to go ahead with seconds left against the Titans. And what happens? Well, you probably know.

Ok, onto Example #2: The Buffalo Sabres. This team has warmed the cockles of my heart since I was a wee lad. I spent countless evenings falling asleep listening to the graceful charm of announcer Rick Jeanneret on the radio. I love this guy and I love this team. And again, what have I received for my undying affection: a nice helping of pain and suffering. Again, zero titles. Two failed Stanley Cup Finals appearances, a dozen or so stalled Stanley Cup runs, and several controversies which nearly caused me to have aneurysms (The “No Goal” incident being the most famous).

So, why do I bother? Maybe because I am a sadist. But more likely because it’s not just titles. There are moments of greatness folded in. Victories, comebacks, amazing plays, these things all keep me coming back for more. I’ve never felt so much joy then when I drove 5 hours to Raleigh, NC in 2006 and watched the Sabres take down the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Conference Finals. It was incredible. And, even though it was erased by the heart-breaking Game 7 loss in the same series, I have to admit it felt pretty good for a few days.

But this can’t be enough, can it? We spend thousands of dollars on television packages to watch these teams, hundreds of dollars on merchandise, clothing and whatever else can be imprinted with logos, and hundreds if not thousands of dollars on tickets (if you’re lucky enough to be able to go once in a while). Add to this the thousands of hours we invest reading, watching, talking, living vicariously, etc. And yet, the end result is a negative, at least for me.

I love talking to Boston fans. The Red Sox have two titles in the last decade, the Patriots have three, and even the Celtics have one (well 17 all-time, but who’s counting). Do these people really know anything about what it means to be a fan? How hard can it be to be a fan of Boston sports teams? Oh yes, the Patriots went 16-0, then won 2 playoff games, and came one play short of winning the Super Bowl, which would have made them the only 19-0 team in NFL history. Ok, so they lost. Big deal. The Bills have NEVER won a Super Bowl. I don’t know what it feels like. I don’t know what it will feel like if it happens. I can only imagine.

I’m not saying I’m renouncing my fan-ship, but I am wondering why we do what we do? If it’s better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all, I have loved and lost. But when you lose, it’s so much more painful than the love. At least until we win a Super Bowl.

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening :  Operation: Mindcrime  By Queensrÿche  Release date: 2003-05-06

Remembering where you grew up

Current mood:  full

Been a nice week back at work and it got me thinking about a subject I’ve been meaning to talk about for some time now. For those of you who don’t know me, I grew up in Buffalo, NY, and I return there a few times a year either for family events (Thanksgiving) or sporting events (Sabres or Bills games). Well, last weekend was one of those times. In the Spring, I usually plan my fall trips home and decided I was going to see the Bills/San Diego Chargers game. And, as usual, it did not disappoint.

The football was great (actually, the Bills are playing well for the first time in a decade, something which will most likely occupy a blog posting of its own sometime in the near future), but it was everything else that got me thinking about writing this time.

When they say “you can’t go home again,” I believe this is mostly true, but you can certainly visit home again. And when you do, it’s one of the great things in life. At least it is for me. Let me explain.

Buffalo is a mid-size town with a very small-town feel. Every time I am there, I see or run into someone from my past. It never fails. Maybe it happens at the airport, maybe at a bar, maybe a restaurant, but I always see someone. And, no matter what, I always end up re-visiting the past. Part of me takes a great deal of comfort in reviewing what was a pretty fun and very stable part of my life. And part of me definitely misses the easier times of having less responsibility.

And if any of you followed my facebook or twitter updates last weekend, then you will certainly know that Buffalo is also about food and beer. GOOD food and GOOD beer. Let me set the stage for you. Saturday afternoon, I fly into Buffalo to meet up with a long-time friend of mine (who is also a Chargers fan and is in town on business) and am picked up by my sister who still lives there. We swing by the New Era flagship store for some Sabres swag (the fact that I live in Washington DC who is Redskins everything gets me jonesing for NFL and NHL merchandise, so I normally pick up at least one thing every time I visit. This trip: new hat, car magnet), and begin to decide where to eat dinner. This is kind of a formality, because it’s always wings. No, not Buffalo Wings…CHICKEN Wings. They are called chicken wings by anyone who is from Western NY. Eat the wings (my top two seeds are Duff’s or Gabriel’s Gate), then go out drinking (this time, Colter Bay and one more un-named bar on Delaware). Good times, made better by the company I was keeping.

Sunday, we go to a great place for breakfast (for those of you Buffalonians keeping score at home, I’m talking about the Towne Restaurant), and then to the game. After the game, dinner is at a great sub shop (John & Mary’s) and then I’m back on a plane home. I average gaining 2-3 lbs of beef when I visit my hometown, and you know what? It’s totally worth it. At least until I have a heart attack.

Ok, food and beverages aside, I really enjoy being in Buffalo. Yes, the economy there is terrible and the job-market is probably not much better. And yes, the weather can be a bitch, but none of that really matters, especially when it’s just a weekend. Imagine if you could live in a town where a palatial estate could be had for $350k or even less. That’s Buffalo. Imagine if you had access to fantastic museums, great food (aside from pizza and wings), decent entertainment and cheap housing. That’s Buffalo. And now you can see why I look at it the way I do when I’m home.

I’m not sure everyone is like me, however. My closest friends are people I grew up with, not people from college or today. I’ve known my two closest friends for at least 25 years, and one of them over 30. Thirty. Years. I’m only 37. See what I mean? Buffalo seems to hold people together, moreso than other towns. At least that’s what I think. Tell me if you feel the same way about your hometown. I am interested to know if it’s just me.

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I’ve been re-connecting with several of my old high school friends through Facebook, and I think several of them think the same way. I always look forward to being “home” (not sure if I touched on this, but Washington DC (well, Northern VA) will never be home to me, even if I spend the rest of my life here) and when I’m there, I often wonder why I don’t make the trip more. Next year, I am bringing my 5 year old daughter to a Bills game, and will begin the brainwashing process then. She already has disdain for the Redskins, and you know what? That’s perfectly fine with me.

Rob FU, out.

Currently playing :  Madden NFL 09  Release date: 2008-08-12

Getting older, NFL Sunday

Current mood:  sore

My daughter just turned 5 last week and I am realizing that when you measure time by a different standard, it’s a hell of a lot easier to see it go by. What I mean by that is this: I’m 37 and 6 months or even a year doesn’t mean much to me. I pretty much look the same, sound the same, and know the same. Sure, some things change, but most things don’t. And maybe it’s just me, but has anyone else noticed that the months and seasons are all just running together and speeding up? Fall is already over, and winter is just around the corner. The holidays will be here before you know it and then it’s 2009. And just like that, 2008 is done. Amazing.

But watching my daughter puts even more perspective on this. A year ago, I was 36, but she was only 4. She was just learning how to write her name and read basic words. And now, she can do all this and more. She learns more every day and she is a much more interesting measuring stick for my time. 5 years have gone by in a blink, and the next 5 will do the same. She’ll be 10 then. Imagine. No wonder I feel old. Crap.

Ok, onto something else. Today is Sunday, normally my football day, but the Bills are off, so I am forced to watch the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens (thank you, TV in the DC area…ugh). And I am realizing just how much I do not like the NFC. I am a Bills lifer and there’s NO WAY I will ever pledge allegiance to the NFC East or any other NFC Division. And I just don’t like the Ravens, although they’re playing the Colts (and getting the beat-down) who I like watching.

Strangely enough, I am finally admitting that I like the Washington Capitals, and I’m ok with that. I guess that’s because I actually like the new talent and the owner, and I cannot say that about the Redskins. Regardless, there’s no way even a local team here will take over the #1 spot that the Bills & Sabres occupy. The bigger question is what to do if the Bills move to Toronto or leave altogether? Issues to ponder.

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening :  As Daylight Dies  By Killswitch Engage  Release date: 2006-11-21

Summer is over, Bills are 4-0, Dr. FU plays the 9:30 Club, Facebook

Current mood:  amused

Sunday night, 9;45pm. Life is pretty good right now. Sure, I don’t have enough time to mow the lawn, do the dishes and the laundry, empty the garbage and pay the bills. But I got most of that done, all while recovering from a surreal night last night and following the Buffalo Bills online. But first…

Summer is over. Yes, it’s still hot, but as last week ushered in the first official day of fall, you can really start to tell it’s coming. And, even though it’s just begun, fall is pretty much over too. You’ll see what I mean. The next time you think about it, it will be Halloween, and then it’s pretty much winter. I’m not a big fan of 90 degree days, and fall is my favorite time of year, so I’m glad it’s here. But the quick passage of summer just proves how fast time is moving in general. My daughter is 5 next weekend. FIVE. I cannot believe it. My 20th high school reunion is less than a year away. My 15th college reunion is next month. Where is it going?

I don’t want to get too contemplative here, so let’s move on. The Bills beat up a hapless Rams team today and are now 4-0. Sure, you could argue they haven’t beaten any really good teams yet. But a 1.5 game lead on the Patriots is pretty good. And, even though they’re beating scrubs, the last two weeks have really shown me something. First, they won a game they easily could have (and probably should have) lost last week against the Raiders. Second, they won a game against a desperate team on the road that they were losing at halftime. This team is explosive and they have the goods. Next week: Arizona on the road. Could the Bills go into their bye week at 5-0? It’s certainly possible, but I’m not counting my chickens.

And finally, Dr. FU made a triumphant return to the 9:30 Club in DC last night as an opener for Super Diamond. We brought the rock and played as good as we ever have. It was a fantastic show. And we also got the rock-star treatment. Roadies, stage managers, pro sound & lights, a dressing room, free food, beer, and whatever else. And, of course, backstage privileges. I could get used to this! The guys from Super Diamond were very cool and were amazing musicians. I hope we can wrangle a return there, but they do not book cover bands often, so we shall see.

I guess that’s about it for this installment. I was going to comment on the debate on Friday, but I will leave my political blog until later. For what it’s worth, I am still undecided (although I have historically voted Democratic), and I am already tired of the mud-slinging propaganda. Who isn’t?

Rob FU, out.

p.s. one more thing. Facebook. Is it just me or is my entire high school class on Facebook? I am blown away by the number of people signing up every day. And I love connecting with people I haven’t seen or even talked to in years. I can’t wait to see who else turns up…

Currently listening :  Folklore & Superstition  By Black Stone Cherry  Release date: 2008-08-19

Japan post-mortem

Current mood:  happy

All,

Been back in the states for a week or so (edit: much longer now, but I needed the time to get this all down…thanks for being patient!) and have had ample time to reflect on our trip to the Pacific Rim these past few weeks. While I really didn’t know what to expect, it was a fantastic time. I really appreciated being totally immersed in a foreign culture and it makes you think about what you take for granted every day. It also makes you think about eating squid tentacles and seaweed and other things I won’t even mention. Wow.

I have a few observations which I’d like to share. Hopefully this won’t be too long of a post. Thanks for bearing with me here. If you’ve never been half-way around the world, or to some other completely new place, I HIGHLY recommend it. It will turn you on your head and really change your perspective on things. Based on my very limited exposure to the Japanese culture, I noticed quite a few things, which I will describe shortly.

First off, I had no idea there was actually a direct flight to Tokyo from Washington DC, but there is. All 14 hours of it. The longest I have flown on a plane was when we flew from New York City to Sao Paulo, Brazil (10 hours) and this flight made that look like a puddle-jumper. It should also be known that for whatever reason, I simply cannot sleep on a plane. No matter what. I’ve tried drugs, I’ve tried alcohol. I’ve tried sleeping in a bed in first class. Nothing works. So, I was prepared for a solid 14 hours of being awake, with the payoff being an easier acclimation to the jet lag of a 13 hour time-difference. And you know what? Surprisingly, things went pretty much according to plan. The flight was long, but not terrible, and I never went stir crazy. We arrived in Tokyo at around 4pm, and once I legged it out and stayed up until around 10 that night, all was well. The return trip, however, was not as easy, but I’m trying to forget that part of the vacation.

One thing we overlooked was the weather. Based on my internet research, it looked very much like DC. Well, I was right and wrong. Sure, the temperatures were close (Tokyo was in the low 90s, Kyoto in the mid 90s), but the humidity was far worse there than here. After about 10 minutes of casual walking, my clothes looked like I showered in them. And since we were spending the majority of our day outside, this became a tough situation. In the end, I pretty much wore a dri-fit shirt every day and left all of my cotton t-shirts at the hotel. I wish I had a little more knowledge of the climate and I would have packed accordingly. Suffice it to say it was damn hot. Every day. No rain, no clouds…just plain hot and humid. So much so that many people told us (either in Japanese or English) that most tourists avoided Japan in August. I guess we’ll learn from that lesson.

The sights and sounds of Tokyo and Kyoto were incredible. I really can’t describe them as well as I can show you some of them, so I highly encourage you to check the photo galleries I’ve posted. The first one is a hundred or so photos of the entire trip (I took over 1200 and distilled them down) which can be found here: Japan gallery. The second, which is much smaller, is all about the music stores I went to in Tokyo. In a word: insane. Check them out here: music stores. Hopefully this will give you some insight into what I was around while there.

Next, the food. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Sure, I liked the occasional sushi and Japanese steak-house, but I am pretty conservative when it comes to food. Needless to say, I was very surprised and ended up absolutely loving the food. Sushi, sashimi, you name it, I ate it. I ate jellyfish, eel, squid. I ate noodles prepared every way possible. I ate raw food, cooked food, steamed food, boiled food. We ate something entirely different every meal and I loved all of it. Even if I didn’t love the food, I loved the experience. I also found out that I really like drinking sake.

And finally, the culture. You take for granted how varied the USA really is. And because of this, there is no typical American. Every time you think there is, take a trip to a different state and you will see what I mean. We’re called a melting pot for a reason. Well, Japan is completely different. There appears to be a uniformity there that does not exist in the U.S. And perhaps it is for this reason that there is a predictability I saw with regards to the Japanese people as a whole. First, there was absolutely zero anti-American sentiment. Everyone was as nice and as helpful as possible. Second, there is a very orderly sense of culture, work and environment. Everything has its place. Every person has their job. And, as a result, the machine just works. I was amazed how clean everything was, and how much pride everyone had in what they were doing, even the most menial of tasks. It was very refreshing to see even a McDonalds worker treating you like royalty and caring so much about their job. I wish I could see more of that in practice here, but that is a topic for another day.

I hope this has been at least somewhat revealing, and in closing, I’d recommend everyone travel in this way; perhaps not to Japan, but to somewhere will you will be completely out of your own element.

Rob FU, out.

p.s. #1 – Bills 2-0. Woo!

p.s. #2 – New Metallica? Not so woo…

Currently listening :  Death Magnetic  By Metallica  Release date: 2008-09-12

Japan

Greetings from Kyoto. I’m in the midst of a 10-day trip to Japan and will write much more extensively about it when I get back. In the meantime feel free to follow what is going on via twitter or facebook.

I have a lot to say about my experience here and I hope it will be a worthwhile read. In the meantime, you’ll just have to get by.

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.

Rob FU, out.

 

Shinjuku

iPhone 3g continued, birthday, Rush concert, Rock Band

Current mood:  jedi (whatever that means)

Tomorrow marks the 2nd week I’ve had the new iPhone 3g and while I really love it, it is still what I would consider a work-in-progress. Definitely a little more unpolished than its predecessor and I think this is because of the developers that all released version 1.0 of their programs simultaneously. I’ve been surprisingly bug-free, but I’ve had a few crashes and my reception is not as good on 3G as it is on Edge and the 2G network. This is heavily documented and there are people freaking out about it, but I’m guessing there will be some sort of firmware update coming soon to address all of these problems. I’m not entirely sure where all of these people are getting their sense of entitlement from, but it’s getting annoying. If you are on the bleeding edge of technology (as you are with this phone if you buy it when it is first released) be prepared to wade through some crap while they iron out the kinks. In other words, chill out, people, it’s gonna get better. Enough said.

Had a great birthday weekend last week. Good food, good cake, good presents, and it was capped off by going to see Rush at Nissan Pavilion with some friends. They were in great form and it was a fantastic show. I’ve seen Rush more often than any other band and lately they’ve been getting better instead of just older. A good time.

Rush appeared on the Colbert Report the week before we saw them and they were great. They don’t do TV appearances all that often and even when they do, they’re normally pretty quiet. Not in this case. They were great. And the best part of the show wasn’t even shown. Apparently, before the gig, the band sat down and played Rock Band (please tell me you know what this game is, because I am not explaining it here). Not only that, they played their own song, Tom Sawyer, on Rock Band. It was hilarious. Check out the video here:

Rush plays Tom Sawyer on Rock Band

I believe that’s all I have for now. Oh yeah, one more thing. Dr. FU just secured an opening band slot at the 9:30 club on Saturday, September 27th for a great band called Super Diamond (see superdiamond.com). That’s right, the 9:30 club. WOO!

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening :  Moving Pictures  By Rush  Release date: 1997-06-03

iPhone 3g, Bahamas, Wall-e, cd dilemma

Current mood:  excited

Went out on Friday and got in line to buy the new iPhone 3G at 5:30am. Yes, I am a geek. But I love me my gadgets and I wasn’t going to get anything done at work until this little mission was over. Bad news: had to get up at 4:30 am and get to the mall. Good news: was 33rd in line when the mall opened at 6am and had my shiny new iPhone at 9am. Bad news: apple’s activation servers got overloaded and crashed while I was activating my phone. Good news: my phone was partially activated so I was able to use it during the downtime and I finally was able to finish activating it and sync it a few hours later. So, all in all, only about a 4 hour commitment, less than I spent last year for the original iPhone. More good news for apple: it appears that the lines are still going strong even today, and Apple is selling out left and right of the new phone. This can only bode well for my stock. Good times!

As for the phone itself, it appears to be as-delivered. As I said last year, I won’t know the full impact of the new iPhone until I’ve used it for a few months, so stay tuned. But so far, so good. And here’s good news for the old iPhone users: software 2.0 is an incredible upgrade and it’s all yours free. So, other than 3G and a few other bells and whistles, you’ll be right there on the cutting edge, and that’s good business.

Ok, last week the family went to the bahamas. I haven’t been there (if at all, my memory is somewhat fuzzy on this) since I was a little kid, so it was a new experience for me. We had a free place to stay, which sealed the deal and we were able to find pretty cheap airfare. The place we stayed was fantastic, but I’m not so sure about the rest of the island (Grand Bahama). In many places, we saw evidence of a depressed economy and it was unclear where in the growth cycle the tourist industry was there. I know there are places in the Bahamas like Atlantis which are doing fine, but in our case, it was a mixed message. The long and short of it: I wouldn’t recommend going down there unless you have a fairly solid plan. Just driving around the island looking for things to do was not a great idea. Highlights were coconut shrimp (incredible) and the beach.

While we were there, we took our daughter to see Wall-e, the newest film from the Pixar braintrust. I love the Pixar movies and have been blown away by the most recent offerings including Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, and Ratatouille. I fully expected to be wowed once again and for the most part, I was. But is it just me, or is Pixar getting political? This film was loaded with subtle and not-so-subtle messages about the state of our society (pollution, laziness, fatness, you name it) and this was the first case that I thought it actually interfered with the movie itself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a political independent, but I am not a fan of anyone (or anything) preachy. It just turns me off. Let me live my life the way I want to and don’t judge me. Still, it was a decent enough movie and I will definitely see it again to see if it affects me in a similar way.

Finally, I am coming to the realization that I need to do something with my wall of cds. Since I don’t listen to CDs anymore, but I still buy them (I would rather have the actual thing, the cd, in my hands, and be able to rip it as I please vs. downloading it digitally and having no place to store an archive of it) and so I need a place to store them. As a result, my current cd shelf is at capacity and so I was thinking of creating a huge shelving unit in the basement to keep them. My problem? How big? How expensive? What kind? What color? The more I look at what is available, the more I am upset with the crappy quality of the products. And so, I am either going to commission someone to build me gigantic shelves (sort of like the one I have now upstairs) or I’m going the IKEA route and buying the pre-fabbed ones ($40 each, holds 180 cds, so I would need around 12 of them to hold my 2000+ collection). Any advice? 

And finally, I am loving the new Motley Crue single, so here’s the video for it, straight outta youtubes land (can’t embed it, so just click the “New Crue” link below).

Rob FU, out.

NEW CRUE!

Currently listening :  Saints of Los Angeles  By Mötley Crüe  Release date: 2008-06-24

What a week, Iron Maiden, Nationals game

Current mood:  triumphant

Have you ever had a perfect run of a few days? Well it just happened to me. Great times this week on several fronts, so I might as well tell you about them.

On Monday, I drove up to Philadelphia for work and spent two days at a pretty advanced printing plant. Saw some cool equipment and had a great dinner on the river. Drove back to DC on Tuesday and saw one of the new BMW 7 series that are powered by Hydrogen. Very cool. Photos to follow. I think the driver thought we were stalking him, as we were snapping photos for a few minutes. Also got to drive by the new stadiums in Philly on the way out of town. The venues where the Eagles, Flyers/Sixers and Phillies play are all close together.

Tuesday night we had band practice that was attended by a gaggle of pre-teens and their parents. One of the guys had seen Dr. FU play a few times and his son was in a band. He thought it would be a good idea to have them come over and watch us practice. We agreed and about 10 people descended on my basement for three hours. Even with their short attention spans (at that age I think I was able to do one thing for about 7 minutes and then I was done), I think they got something out of it. I know the dads did. And before we split for the evening, we had the kids pick up our instruments and bang out a few tunes. I think they were certainly better than we were when we were their age. Ah well.

Wednesday was the day I had been waiting for for months. Iron Maiden descended on DC and they delivered. We bought general admission floor tickets and managed to get there early enough to secure FRONT ROW center. It was surreal. I’ve been going to concerts for over 20 years and this was the best show I’ve ever seen. Bruce was amazing, the whole band was at the top of their game. Steve Harris was mesmerizing with his energy and incredible finger-playing. I was blown away. They played a recreation of their World Slavery Tour in 1984-1985 and I think the set was even better this time around. I’ll never forget it. We hooked up with a high school friend I hadn’t seen in 7 years and, after the DC show, he was on his way to Boston and then to Montreal before heading home. Three Maiden shows in less than a week. Incredible.

Still on a high from the Maiden show, the FU secured a gig at the brand new Nationals Park for a friday night game against the Texas Rangers. We were up on the HD jumbotron and played for about 90 minutes, right until the first pitch. The atmosphere was amazing and it was another fantastic experience. Next week, we’re back at Ri-Ra and then at the Clarendon Ballroom for Freedomfest on July 3rd. I hope we’re back at the Park sometime soon as they gave us the full VIP treatment and once you roll VIP you can never go back.

So it’s been a “charmed life” type of week. I could get used to this! See the photos and you’ll see what I mean. Click on the thumbnail to get the full photo.

SIDENOTE: after I wrote this, we got some more press in the DC Sports Bog. Check it out here.

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening :  Powerslave  By Iron Maiden  Release date: 2002-03-26

Back from Germany, food epiphany, what to do about my SUV

Current mood:  sleepy

Back from a long trip overseas to Germany for work, and it’s good to be back. Don’t get me wrong, I like traveling, especially when it’s a place I wouldn’t ordinarily go to, but it was a bit of a grind as well. I must have consumed 10-15 beers a day easy. Beer in Germany, thanks to the Reinheitsgebot (aka German Beer Purity Law), is all killer, no filler. No preservatives means no hangovers. And that is a good thing.

I won’t bore you with the details of my work-trip, but we had vendors feeding us left and right, so the food was pretty damn good. This leads me to my mini epiphany I had while on the plane home yesterday. I am fairly picky about food. I am always removing something or adding or changing the menu, and while I do not think I am at “When Harry Met Sally” level, I do like to have things my way. Anyway, there are a lot of vegetables I don’t like (tomatoes and mushrooms being up there), and I normally remove these from any meal I get that has them. Call me crazy, but I am a big fan of plain jane when it comes to food (this reminds me of Louis the Lifeguard, link to follow).

Ok, so I’m sitting on the Air France flight home, and they give me this fish-looking patty, which actually doesn’t look half bad. Except it has pureed tomatoes all over the entire thing. Removing them is pretty much impossible, so I have a choice: eat it or don’t. And I was pretty hungry at this point, so I said “what the hell” and went for it.

It was damn good. And after about 2 more courses of the same type of thing, I had my realization: good food is good food no matter what the hell they put into it. In other words, if you are eating at a spectacular restaurant, everything they have is probably going to taste pretty good, even if it has mushrooms or whatever in it. And if I take the time to try and remove whatever it is, I’m either wasting effort or fundamentally changing the food. So I just ate it. And it was good. I am going to try and do this more often, but I doubt you’ll see me leaving the tomatoes on a sandwich at a local deli (especially after I’ve unsuccessfully asked for them to be removed).

Ok, onto the last part of my rant for today. As we all know, gas is a show. I happen to have unwisely chosen an SUV as my current vehicle. And while I am getting respectable mileage for this type of car (around 18.5 mpg), it’s nowhere NEAR what I could be getting if I was driving a sedan. I drive 2000 miles a month and you can figure out the math there. A 30% savings would be realized if I changed to a car that got me 24 mpg, something that almost ANY sedan can do. 

So I am thinking about cutting my losses, ditching the X5 and downsizing. I am commuting nearly 60 miles a day. I need to think about this. Any thoughts?

That’s it for today, but here is a choice youtube video relating to our discussion.

Rob FU, out.

 

Currently listening :  Weezer (Red Album) [Deluxe]  By Weezer  Release date: 2008-06-03