Thursday, December 15, 2005

It Didn't Feel Like Cabbage...

Am I the only one who likes those stupid games in the advertising banners? Where you can win FREE* things? I mean, I intend on never participating in those "sweepstake-y" gimmicks, but dammit if I don't like punching Osama Bin Laden...or hitting pool balls into pockets...or playing pretend basketball. These things are fun. These things give me joy. I don't want your FREE* items, I want fun in my life.

That reminds me, am I the only person here who likes breaking his own toes? I am? Oh.

Friday, December 9, 2005

This Feels Like Digging a Hole

"Would you like a free credit report?" That is exactly what the woman asked me, as if credit were something that one could even report...ever. I'll admit, this confused me. My first reaction was "Huh?" That's actually my first reaction to everything, which is why I went to jail for 8 months (long story...for another blog entry).

After that, I gazed deeply into her deep blue eyes, and spoke with my deep baritone voice, "How is that even possible?" She didn't respond. She just stood there, staring at me...probing my deepest thoughts with her proboscis. "Excuse me, Jenny," I don't think her name was Jenny, but I desperately wanted it to be, "But...my credit. First of all: 'What is it?" and secondly: 'How can you check it for me?'" Still nothing. Still blue eyes. Still deep. Still still.

This made me angry. "Jenny!" I screamed, "How chose you me?!" I had meant it to sound all mysterious, medieval, and archaic, but I think it sounded more Yoda than anything else. Still nothing from Jenny. She didn't move a muscle, nor turn, nor wink, nor think. She was an absolute statue. I couldn't help it, I started to cry. Tears welled in my eyes as if I were a guy who was cutting onions...or his fingers off...or just really sad about something.

Despairing, I did something I'm not proud of -- I called my mom. That's right, I selected "Mom" from my contacts list and punched the little green button that makes the magical phone calls happen. My mother wasn't home, but I did leave a message for her. It went exactly like this: "Mom...I...and the Jenny won't even....Buwahhh!!! She just, like...even and she stands there! Statue!! You're a statue is what you are at all!!! Buwahh-haaaaa...muhhmmahawaaa!!! (there was a continuation of aspirated & bilabial noises following here which I don't have the patience to write out) You mean...I mean she is just...Jenny! She didn't even...I mean...she didn't tell me anything about ANYTHING! Why Mom!!! Does not she love me!?"

I hung up, and turned back to Jenny. The waterworks were going pretty good at this point. As I wiped the bloody tears from my eyes (yes, that's right...much like the Virgin Mary I was crying blood I was so sad) I looked at Jenny again, and I saw her for what she truly was: the Yellow Pages. I blinked...and blinked...and blinked...then wiped more bloody tears and looked again. I could not believe my eyes (which I had just blinked and wiped, in case you weren't paying attention): Jenny was nothing more than a heavy, bound book full of "words" and "numbers."

Well, you cannot believe my elation. I cannot even believe my elation I was so elated. I took Jenny upstairs, when mischief started to take over my brain. "Who does Jenny think she is, being not a person like that?!" I screamed at my refrigerator. In a fit of what can only be described as "rage," I punched Jenny right in the rib. That's right, I'm not proud of it, but a man does odd things when he's mad. A...man...does...odd...things. Once my anger had been slaked, I made a Pop Tart and watched Everyone Hates Chris until I fell asleep.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

My Dear, Dear Friends

Well, I have decided, with today's blog, to offer you all a gift. The gift of friendship, because it is the most precious gift that anyone can offer. Giving the gift of friendship is much like giving someone a black eyeliner pencil, or an extra Playstation 2 Controller (if you catch my meaning...and if you do, could you please tell me what my meaning is?)

But this is my treat. I am going to say one nice thing about all of my 20 friends...some of whom I'm so close with you could practically say that I live with them, and some of them who live in freaking Illinois. In fact, I'm pretty sure the state motto of Illinois is "Freaking Illinois." Or is that the motto of Indiana?

Then I thought to myself, how much fun would it be if I just said one nice thing about everyone I'm "MySpace Friends" with? So, to keep things interesting, I'm also going to say one viciously mean thing about them, that will be completely fabricated...but will hopefully entertain. It's all about getting to the next paragraph, iddin' it? Oh, and instead of bullets, each person will get an emoticon...because there are a freaking buttload of them, an emoticons make me giggle.

Erika Erika has the sexiest body that I have ever seen, and is by far the most beautiful woman on the face of the planet. On the down side, I also saw her punch a homeless guy once.

Matt Matt has the most beautifully trimmed facial hair that I have ever seen on a man, and I think he'd look great with a full beard. Unfortunately he has a nasty habit of stealing my car and selling it for drug money.

Molly Molly decorated her apartment elaborately, and I would turn to her first if I were to ever purchase a chandelier. That is, if she could ever stop setting things on fire.

Meaghan Meaghan is all that a first cousin could ask for in another first cousin. But she's been crashing at my place for about 4 months now, and always eats my Nutri-Grain bars without asking first.

Lauren Lauren did me the great service of actually marrying my cousin Danny, which she did with Aplomb. Unfortunately, Aplomb is the name of her Pakistani housekeeper, and the three-way-marriage is reportedly fairly awkward at this point.

Noah Noah is the tallest person I have ever met, and he has very nice teeth. But whenever I see him, he bites me with those teeth and tells me my flesh tastes like "Cooked Turnips..." and I wish he'd stop.

Patrick Patrick is the tallest person I have ever met, and he could destroy me in either an arm-wrestling competition or Boggle. But I think he's a little vain sometimes, and just because he is the most beautiful human being alive, it doesn't mean he has to act like it. Sheesh.

Jess Jess makes me crap my pants she's so talented. Now if she could stop using that talent to promote the forces of evil at the "Church Of Ba'al," we'd probably be even better friends.

Nick Nick's hair smells like Pert Plus, and I really dig that. His breath also smells like Pert Plus, and that makes me a little uncomfortable.

Sharky Sharky is strong...I bet he could bench press the New York Knicks if he wanted to. All he does now is bench press the grass in my back yard, and there are some unsightly divots that need constant filling because he always feels the need to show off his manly biceps.

Tessa Tessa looks totally awesome when the wind whips through her hair. But when her whip whips through the air, it usually leaves welts on my forearms...that have been placed in a protective manner over my face after she's "had a few."

Aubrey Aubrey not only has the coolest name I have ever heard, it also happens to fall at #1 alphabetically on my list of friends. Just be warned though, she will tackle you violently if you accidently call her "Aub."

David David wears the best pants. But pants are the only thing he wears -- the rest of his body is covered in moist pink paint.

Eric Eric can put a healthy dose of "stank" on a track that he's mixing, and he's far and away the best DJ of all my friends. But dude cheats like hell when he plays Bed Bugs ©...trust me.

Jocelyn Jocelyn has the most awesome speaking voice that you will ever lay ears on...and if you have a chance, let the woman talk to you for a while. Now, when I asked her to do this she stabbed me...so be sure to ask nicely.

Betsy Betsy can apply glitter so that it appears as if her skin itself glistened...and she knows karate. She has a monkey fetish.

Brett Brett is the tallest...wait...um...I mean Brett does an amazing Groucho Marks impression. But his Harpo impression sucks.

Krystle Krystle can literally kick her leg 7 feet over her head -- I've seen it. She told me that her Beanie Babies© taught her to do that...according to her they teach her "everything."

Chris Chris was in Drivers Ed with me, and he didn't hit a car the entire time we drove together. He did run the car into the side of a building...but the damage was minor.

Lisa Lisa and I went to junior high, and high school together...and she has lived her life with passion. But with great passion come great responsibility, and I fear her passion is almost too passionate for the world to bear right now.


Now, if I have offended, then dammit lighten up. But if I haven't, then dammit what's it gonna' take? No, but I treasure you all, as a pirate would treasure his booty.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

The Perfect Chain Letter

Yes...I am constructing it right now. It is going to be amazing. You know, there are a lot of winners out there, and I've learned from each one. I've been silently waiting...like a hawk...or throat cancer...and now I am ready to strike.

I have titled this letter "Do Not Open This Letter," but I can't tell you what is inside. I can only give you one hint -- it's a scantily clad picture of a famous celebrity. Okay, I'll give you another hint: it's Christina Aguilera. And I'll give you one more hint: the text of the letter reads "Send this picture to 10 of your friends, or I'll send Christina your house to kill your dog."

Okay, turns out I actually revealed a little bit more than I wanted to, but I have no regrets. None. Well...actually two...but they're none of your business...and they involve canned pineapples, which are also none of your business.

Anyhow, I'm not sure what I want with this chain letter. I mean...I have a lifetime subscription to www.chainletters.com, and I know that I can get some amazing distribution (professional chain letterers call it "e-spread"). But I want more. I want every citizen of the United States, from the president down to Armin (who works at my building) to own this letter.

I'd like this letter to be elected to public office -- nothing too big...I'd settle for State Senator...or Student Council Vice President for Arrowhead Elementary School.

All I need you to do is open this letter, and pass it along. Really. I promise that I didn't put any viruses on the picture or anything -- I actually just downloaded it from the FHM web site. It's harmless...really. All I want from you is 20 seconds of your time, and everlasting chain-letter-writer glory. That's not such a horrible thing, is it?

Reflections of Fish

"Are you blogging again?" comes Erika's mocking question.

Yes. Yes I am.

Monday, November 14, 2005

The "F" Word

Seriously, I don't know about all y'all, but when I'm super, super pissed, I sure do use the "F" word a lot (and I'm not talking about "phaser," because that starts with a "P").

Now, I don't know how descriptive I can get, because the funny-looking guy that stands in front of the blackboard (who used to be my friend until I caught him posting naked pictures in my comments section), might get mad at me for cursing. But, man oh man, nothing feels better than delivering an upper-cut to your kitchen cabinet while loudly belting the word that always makes baby Jesus cry. Oh...what joy a little anger is.

Speaking of anger, here's DMX...from some song...and some album...

And the stacks will light up, will "f-word" the night up
blow everything in sight up
"f-word" around and I'll have your "cornhole" right up
What makes you think, you wasn't able to stand
I got "poopie" that'll disable a man with the wave of a hand
The days are longer and seems like I'm wastin time
I've got a lot of dreams but I'm not really chasin mine
I suck it all up like a sicka fly

Damn...that guy knows how to fucking vent, let me tell you.


Sunday, November 13, 2005

And It Got Me To Thinking...

Just what exactly did I mean when I told my parents that I was a man without any ice cream? Was that supposed to be deep...like some sort of metaphorical romp across the subconscious? Or was I just really craving a heaping bowl of ice cream? I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good scoop or two here and there, but I avoid the stuff for the most part because my teeth are weaker than an aluminum foil suit of armor. And ice cream to me, is like a phaser to a Klingon. Oh, dammit...have I revealed too much? BACK BEHIND THE GUISE OF COOL, YOU FOOL!!!

But this unfortunate accident made me question myself; do I just say any old crap that comes out of my mouth...without thinking first? Like, there was that time I told my car mechanic that I think he'd look good in a tuxedo...or that time I informed my across-the-street neighbor that I didn't care for her brand of stink (I think I may have said "stank" at the time, but it really had the same effect either way). What I really need to do is just sit down with pen and paper, and write out all of my conversations for the coming week. Now, I'm not talking about something verbatime...verbatum...verbayschin...ver...ver...verbatativie...vin...vu..vuu...vuuuariari!!! VAAAA!!!! Vuskitvfairfiii!! Vivi!! VIVI!!! VIVI!!!!!! VAAAAAAAA!!! SOMEONE MAKE THE VIVVVITY-VIVVITY-VOICES STOPPPPPPP!!!

Sorry..."verbatim" (I know because I checked on "dictionary.com" and "hornysluts.net" to make sure). Conversations are, for the most part, a varied thing that you carry out with people across a day. No way can you script every word, and expect it to be accurate.

For instance, yesterday I was talking to my buddy Bardiche. I said...I said to him, "Hey, dude, what's your problem?" And he was like "You're my problem." And I was like, "Oh, that is soooo original." And he says, "Well, your face is original."

Then I thought...yes. My face is original, thank you. But I didn't tell him that. Instead, I said, "Hey dude, it takes one to know one." Then I drove off on a moped.

So, anyway...I've decided to put write down a brief outline for my very next conversation here...to see how it goes. That way I won't face the crushing embarrassment that I feel every time I go in unprepared. All right...here goes.

-- General Greeting, like "Yo!"

-- Question what this person is "up to," or something of that nature.

-- Listen, respond non-commitally (we wouldn't want them to take over the conversation now, would we?)

-- Talk about how "crazy" stuff is now. If person agrees, then find further examples of craziness. If person is "not so sure" that stuff is crazy, quickly agree, and talk about how things are much better now then they used to be.

-- Ask about the mutual friend you have. If you don't share any mutual friend, use a generic name like "Jon" or "Jen," and ask how that person is doing? Failing that, ask how the person's parents are; if they're still "healthy" and all that.

-- After that inevitable pause of a fraction of a second, decide that the person that you're talking to really does not want to talk to you, and provide them an escape. "So, it's been cool seeing you again" always works. Or maybe "Well, I'm off to get some lunch." No one in their right mind would deny a person lunch. Give a little wave to them, and make your way out of their sight.

There, that wasn't so hard, was it? Now, you know what would be a great conversation topic (probably something I will have to save for another post, as this one has gone from "long" to "gaa gaa GOOOHEEIO!!!")? How's about the legendary band "Quiet Riot" (get it? How can a "riot" be "quiet?" That's hilarious!!!)? Here's a little snippet from a song appropriately titled "It's Not Funny." See if you can make any sense of it, because I've now read it twenty-four times, and it's still a little blurry. Anyhow, here goes:

You say when you grow up you'll have what you want
And everything that you need
What is the use of having it all
If you listen and never be seen

Man. That's just...man...

Monday, November 7, 2005

This one is for my homie...wherever she be...

See if you can spot this hidden message...it's hidden in the most secret of places. I call this poem, "The London Snicker"

Every time I close my eyes

Rabbits haunt blueberry pies

In those dreams I answer quick

Killing rabbits with a stick

All about me, angels fly

'Spose they know that rabbits die?

Such is living, such is death


As goes the rabbits' final breath

Wafting up to "Fairy Lands"

Evening gowns, and tiny hands

Something strikes, a fairy shrieks

Overwhelming rabbit dreams

Massive blows about the head

Even fairies want rabbits dead

Coolest Headline Ever!!!!!!!!

Yes, it was so cool that it deserved six exclaimation points.

"Cheerleaders Arrested After Having Sex in Bar Bathroom."

Now, it got me to thinking...you know how you scan them news websites, looking for something that tickles your fancy. I was trying to imagine a more perfect headline -- something that would make me snap a tendon in my index finger with the vigor of which I would click the link. I had a couple of thoughts...

"Bus-Load of Ninja Monkeys Seize Indonesian Village"

For a number a reasons...most importantly because they arrived by bus. Do you think that a monkey was driving? These are things I need to know...

"Nashville Turns Into Gigantic Burrito"

If you want me to be for reals, that is a burrito that I would willingly devour. Not single-handedly, of course, but I would break off a chunk to feed my family.

"Bird Poop!"

Yep, that'd hook me. I'd all be thinking "So!? What about bird poop!?!?"

"'All Out Of Love' Now Ghana's National Anthem"

Now, if anyone were to truly appreciate the legendary "Air Supply," my guess would be the second largest supplier of cocoa in the world.

Saturday, November 5, 2005

Brekkie

Seriously, for breakfast this morning I had a can of coke and a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. I'm not even joking.

Thursday, November 3, 2005

Didn't Think I Would...

But I did...and I'd do it again if it weren't for this damn artificial hip.

Can I be "for reals" with you for a second? If I didn't have this blog of mine...would you still love me? I mean, I know I don't have much to give you in the way of fancy things...like all them diamond rings...but, if you're just seeing me because I have a blog...well then, sir...I'd rather you spent your time elsewhere. This is difficult for me to say...and it's even more difficult for me to type (because of the arthritis), but I think it's best if we just both go our own ways...

Because see, I've learned something about myself. I've learned that, yes, as amazing as my blogging skills are (and they are quite something -- I scored in the top 17.4 percent my blogging class last Tuesday), there has to be something more that you could be attracted to. We must face facts; if I didn't have this blog, I wouldn't have you. You're a person who is attracted to blog. That's what you told me when we first met -- you love me for blog. And I was fine with that.

But I'm getting old. Very old. Dog old. Older than that old coot who hangs out in front of the general store and combs his ear-hair with a tooth brush. Yes. That old. And I need some security in my life. I need to know that, as soon as I give up my blog, you will still be around. I honestly don't think you can promise me that.

Which is why...as hard as this is to say, you must...must......must go now. Please don't look back. Just walk away. Please. Please...what...why are you looking back? Oh, I still have your keys? Sorry about that. Here. Here's your keys back. Sorry about that -- I forgot that we took your car here. So, please go n--what? Oh, and your purse? Yeah, I have that too. Here you go. Well, I thought it would look nice with my sweater. Well I--huh? Yes. But blue on blue looks good, doesn't it? You don't think so? Teal? Well, I guess in the sun it looks teal...but at Old Navy--

Darling, please, let's not get distracted. You must...you must leave me now, and not look back. Unless you forgot something else. Huh? You have everything? Excellent. Now you can leave. And now I can serenade you in our final seconds together...providing the fitting sound track to our fond adieu. This is from that Sisqo album that you love so much: "Unleash The Dragon." I'll sing our song, "How Can I Love You 2Nite?"

Don't cum
Baby please wait for me
Just think how wet we're gonna be
Let it rain on me
So sorry we can't be baby

Wait...are those really the lyrics? "Let it rain on me." Hmm...did we pick that song on the day I was doped out on DayQuil and Beefeater Gin? Whoops.

Monday, October 31, 2005

Time to Rip Something Off

So it's time. Let me tell you a little story about the life of Tyler "To The" Rhoades. Wow...that would be an amazing nickname, wouldn't it. I'll get my people on it right away...just as soon as I figure out the emotion that goes with this face ----> I'm guessing, "Clambaked?"

All right, I'll start off in the 9th grade, because there was pretty much a void for me from 0-14, in what I like to call "The Suicide Watch Years." I'm kidding of course -- only retards commit suicide. And besides, suicide has always been too depressing for me...even though it is, apparently, painless...

So, after 9th grade I went to high school, and started dating my first real girlfriend (no offense Valerie, if you ever read this) Lizzie. I started acting in plays in and out of school fairly consistantly, and decied that I liked doing that. I still like it, and I still do it.

I decided to go to Western Washington University, partly because I heard they had a good acting program, but more likely because I have no driving ambition, and Western was the path of least resistance (not taking anything away from that illustrious place of learning, of course). First year I roomed with a guy named Matt who was very nice. Now that I was away from Lizzie, I could break up with her...because I'm a coward, and I could never have done it if I were around her every day.

After breaking up with Lizzie, I somehow turned into one of those creepy "funny" guys who puts too much gel in his hair, and falls head-over-heels for a girl whom he is only really good at annoying. So, I turned my affections to a troubled female who was too empathic to reject me outright...and my obsession was fed by her ambiguity, until it exploded one night in a fruitless, stupid, love-sick, misguided plea for her affections (which, regardless of what you see in movies, is the stupidest thing a person can do. Ever). This overly-dramatic ball of crap allowed her to unambiguously reject my ill-intentioned advances.

After that lovely, knife-twisting saga came to a close, I entered what I like to call the "year and a half of pouting & early adulthood idiocy." And this wasn't the cool "get drunk and high then screw a lot of random chicks" idiocy that people (like our current president) got to enjoy. This was more "spend a lot of time in my room playing computer games" stupidity, interspersed with stilted, awkward conversations with my burgeoning drug addict friend/room mates from high school, and their newly acquired drug addict friends.

Following that time, I entered this current phase, which I guess I could just call "complete and total narcissism." Most people would call it adulthood...or at least, "young adulthood." I met another lady, eventually, and got very involved. Unfortunately, the relationship became more involved than I had wanted it to be, so we separated after two or so years. I quickly started seeing someone new a couple of months after that, and she started hating my guts for that. That was a trying time. So it goes...

I'm still with that "something new" girl after a good two and a half years...give or take. I graduated from Western in 2003 with a degree in theater arts, and I've been in about 45 full-length plays in my lifetime which includes about 6 professional productions (I'm not trying to brag here, because a good 60 percent the shows were total shit...but just so you have some perspective...). I currently work at a bank, I have a 401k, life insurance, a Roth IRA, car insurance, renters insurance, health insurance, a dental plan, quickly diminishing debt, and all of those other great things that adults are supposed to have. My transition from "dependant" to "independant" was surprisingly easy.

As far as my history of employment, I've worked (in order) as a newspaper delivery boy, at McDonalds, for some grocery store whose name I can't remember, Fred Meyer (sorta' the middle-class man's Wal*Mart), Target, as an electrical parts delivery person, and finally as an employee of Washington Mutual. I've also worked as a professional actor around Seattle, though at this point it's still more of a "paid hobby" than anything I could possibly do for a living.

Now, I'm a robust 220 pounds of balding whiteness...not unlike young Mr. Brimley whom I have chosen as my avatar. I'm currently involved in a production of "Man of La Mancha" which I suppose you could call professional (inasmuch as the company pays you a couple hundred dollars at the end of the 1 month run). I'm living in Seattle with the girl of my dreams (which makes the balding and heftyness not such a big deal with me...unfortunately for her...) who is breathtakingly gorgeous...and she is as funny and smart as she is beautiful. Which works pretty good for me. Not to be cloying, but I highly recommend it.

As far as friends go...well...I've got a couple of those...with an ever growing list of "acquaintances." My old college room mates and I have fallen "out of touch." It's no one's fault, really -- we just wanted different stuff out of life. They wanted to be cool...I wanted to be left alone...so we just didn't work out together. I got much love for those guys, but they're pretty much out of the picture at this point. I've also got some current close college friends scattered throughout the country. They are the "Hey, what's up? What have you been up to" types. There are a few, though, who I met later in my college career (during my narcissim period) that I'm still close with...whatever that means.

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold. I learned that in elementary school, and I still don't know which is silver, and which is gold. Personally, I found I didn't have much in common with a lot of my old friends after a while. So it goes...

And yes, I know I'm ripping off Kurt Vonnegut there. Sue me.

And yes, I enjoy a good book, a good TV, "thought-provoking" video games, and all the available mass media I can get my hands on. I mistreat my body phisically by eating horribly and not working out consistently...but I'm far more interested in growing my brain than my muscles. I consider myself fairly liberal, though not extremely so (honestly, though, I feel like I should be more extreme to counter the current "right" movement taking over the United States Government now). I spend too much time staying up late at night, and not enough time taking care of myself. I'm full of equal parts self-loathing and narcissism...which makes for an unhealthy, volatile combination that I am totally fine with. Not really. But I am. No, I'm not. Yep. Nope. It's cool. No, it isn't. Yeah. Nah.

Okay, ripping off Eddie Izzard now. Shameful.

And believe it or not, I really don't like talking about myself that much. In that instance, the self-loathing wins, because I can't imagine anyone actually finding any of this information interesting. But the narcissistic part of me is confident that there are people out there who will not only read this information, but will be amazed by it, and praise me endlessly. Perhaps I'll even get a book deal? "Tyler, may we print your blog entries? Here's $100,000!" Truth be told, I'm positive that I'm not so reviled or amazing as I think...and that's how I feel about abortion.

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Passion

So it's time. Let me tell you a little story about the life of Tyler "To The" Rhoades. Wow...that would be an amazing nickname, wouldn't it. I'll get my people on it right away...just as soon as I figure out the emotion that goes with this face ----> I'm guessing, "Clambaked?"

All right, I'll start off in the 9th grade, because there was pretty much a void for me from 0-14, in what I like to call "The Suicide Watch Years." I'm kidding of course -- only retards commit suicide. And besides, suicide has always been too depressing for me...even though it is, apparently, painless...

So, after 9th grade I went to high school, and started dating my first real girlfriend (no offense Valerie, if you ever read this) Lizzie. I started acting in plays in and out of school fairly consistantly, and decied that I liked doing that. I still like it, and I still do it.

I decided to go to Western Washington University, partly because I heard they had a good acting program, but more likely because I have no driving ambition, and Western was the path of least resistance (not taking anything away from that illustrious place of learning, of course). First year I roomed with a guy named Matt who was very nice. Now that I was away from Lizzie, I could break up with her...because I'm a coward, and I could never have done it if I were around her every day.

After breaking up with Lizzie, I somehow turned into one of those creepy "funny" guys who puts too much gel in his hair, and falls head-over-heels for a girl whom he is only really good at annoying. So, I turned my affections to a troubled female who was too empathic to reject me outright...and my obsession was fed by her ambiguity, until it exploded one night in a fruitless, stupid, love-sick, misguided plea for her affections (which, regardless of what you see in movies, is the stupidest thing a person can do. Ever). This overly-dramatic ball of crap allowed her to unambiguously reject my ill-intentioned advances.

After that lovely, knife-twisting saga came to a close, I entered what I like to call the "year and a half of pouting & early adulthood idiocy." And this wasn't the cool "get drunk and high then screw a lot of random chicks" idiocy that people (like our current president) got to enjoy. This was more "spend a lot of time in my room playing computer games" stupidity, interspersed with stilted, awkward conversations with my burgeoning drug addict friend/room mates from high school, and their newly acquired drug addict friends.

Following that time, I entered this current phase, which I guess I could just call "complete and total narcissism." Most people would call it adulthood...or at least, "young adulthood." I met another lady, eventually, and got very involved. Unfortunately, the relationship became more involved than I had wanted it to be, so we separated after two or so years. I quickly started seeing someone new a couple of months after that, and she started hating my guts for that. That was a trying time. So it goes...

I'm still with that "something new" girl after a good two and a half years...give or take. I graduated from Western in 2003 with a degree in theater arts, and I've been in about 45 full-length plays in my lifetime which includes about 6 professional productions (I'm not trying to brag here, because a good 60 percent the shows were total shit...but just so you have some perspective...). I currently work at a bank, I have a 401k, life insurance, a Roth IRA, car insurance, renters insurance, health insurance, a dental plan, quickly diminishing debt, and all of those other great things that adults are supposed to have. My transition from "dependant" to "independant" was surprisingly easy.

As far as my history of employment, I've worked (in order) as a newspaper delivery boy, at McDonalds, for some grocery store whose name I can't remember, Fred Meyer (sorta' the middle-class man's Wal*Mart), Target, as an electrical parts delivery person, and finally as an employee of Washington Mutual. I've also worked as a professional actor around Seattle, though at this point it's still more of a "paid hobby" than anything I could possibly do for a living.

Now, I'm a robust 220 pounds of balding whiteness...not unlike young Mr. Brimley whom I have chosen as my avatar. I'm currently involved in a production of "Man of La Mancha" which I suppose you could call professional (inasmuch as the company pays you a couple hundred dollars at the end of the 1 month run). I'm living in Seattle with the girl of my dreams (which makes the balding and heftyness not such a big deal with me...unfortunately for her...) who is breathtakingly gorgeous...and she is as funny and smart as she is beautiful. Which works pretty good for me. Not to be cloying, but I highly recommend it.

As far as friends go...well...I've got a couple of those...with an ever growing list of "acquaintances." My old college room mates and I have fallen "out of touch." It's no one's fault, really -- we just wanted different stuff out of life. They wanted to be cool...I wanted to be left alone...so we just didn't work out together. I got much love for those guys, but they're pretty much out of the picture at this point. I've also got some current close college friends scattered throughout the country. They are the "Hey, what's up? What have you been up to" types. There are a few, though, who I met later in my college career (during my narcissim period) that I'm still close with...whatever that means.

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold. I learned that in elementary school, and I still don't know which is silver, and which is gold. Personally, I found I didn't have much in common with a lot of my old friends after a while. So it goes...

And yes, I know I'm ripping off Kurt Vonnegut there. Sue me.

And yes, I enjoy a good book, a good TV, "thought-provoking" video games, and all the available mass media I can get my hands on. I mistreat my body phisically by eating horribly and not working out consistently...but I'm far more interested in growing my brain than my muscles. I consider myself fairly liberal, though not extremely so (honestly, though, I feel like I should be more extreme to counter the current "right" movement taking over the United States Government now). I spend too much time staying up late at night, and not enough time taking care of myself. I'm full of equal parts self-loathing and narcissism...which makes for an unhealthy, volatile combination that I am totally fine with. Not really. But I am. No, I'm not. Yep. Nope. It's cool. No, it isn't. Yeah. Nah.

Okay, ripping off Eddie Izzard now. Shameful.

And believe it or not, I really don't like talking about myself that much. In that instance, the self-loathing wins, because I can't imagine anyone actually finding any of this information interesting. But the narcissistic part of me is confident that there are people out there who will not only read this information, but will be amazed by it, and praise me endlessly. Perhaps I'll even get a book deal? "Tyler, may we print your blog entries? Here's $100,000!" Truth be told, I'm positive that I'm not so reviled or amazing as I think...and that's how I feel about abortion.

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Did You Get Any Sleep At All?

So it's time. Let me tell you a little story about the life of Tyler "To The" Rhoades. Wow...that would be an amazing nickname, wouldn't it. I'll get my people on it right away...just as soon as I figure out the emotion that goes with this face ----> I'm guessing, "Clambaked?"

All right, I'll start off in the 9th grade, because there was pretty much a void for me from 0-14, in what I like to call "The Suicide Watch Years." I'm kidding of course -- only retards commit suicide. And besides, suicide has always been too depressing for me...even though it is, apparently, painless...

So, after 9th grade I went to high school, and started dating my first real girlfriend (no offense Valerie, if you ever read this) Lizzie. I started acting in plays in and out of school fairly consistantly, and decied that I liked doing that. I still like it, and I still do it.

I decided to go to Western Washington University, partly because I heard they had a good acting program, but more likely because I have no driving ambition, and Western was the path of least resistance (not taking anything away from that illustrious place of learning, of course). First year I roomed with a guy named Matt who was very nice. Now that I was away from Lizzie, I could break up with her...because I'm a coward, and I could never have done it if I were around her every day.

After breaking up with Lizzie, I somehow turned into one of those creepy "funny" guys who puts too much gel in his hair, and falls head-over-heels for a girl whom he is only really good at annoying. So, I turned my affections to a troubled female who was too empathic to reject me outright...and my obsession was fed by her ambiguity, until it exploded one night in a fruitless, stupid, love-sick, misguided plea for her affections (which, regardless of what you see in movies, is the stupidest thing a person can do. Ever). This overly-dramatic ball of crap allowed her to unambiguously reject my ill-intentioned advances.

After that lovely, knife-twisting saga came to a close, I entered what I like to call the "year and a half of pouting & early adulthood idiocy." And this wasn't the cool "get drunk and high then screw a lot of random chicks" idiocy that people (like our current president) got to enjoy. This was more "spend a lot of time in my room playing computer games" stupidity, interspersed with stilted, awkward conversations with my burgeoning drug addict friend/room mates from high school, and their newly acquired drug addict friends.

Following that time, I entered this current phase, which I guess I could just call "complete and total narcissism." Most people would call it adulthood...or at least, "young adulthood." I met another lady, eventually, and got very involved. Unfortunately, the relationship became more involved than I had wanted it to be, so we separated after two or so years. I quickly started seeing someone new a couple of months after that, and she started hating my guts for that. That was a trying time. So it goes...

I'm still with that "something new" girl after a good two and a half years...give or take. I graduated from Western in 2003 with a degree in theater arts, and I've been in about 45 full-length plays in my lifetime which includes about 6 professional productions (I'm not trying to brag here, because a good 60 percent the shows were total shit...but just so you have some perspective...). I currently work at a bank, I have a 401k, life insurance, a Roth IRA, car insurance, renters insurance, health insurance, a dental plan, quickly diminishing debt, and all of those other great things that adults are supposed to have. My transition from "dependant" to "independant" was surprisingly easy.

As far as my history of employment, I've worked (in order) as a newspaper delivery boy, at McDonalds, for some grocery store whose name I can't remember, Fred Meyer (sorta' the middle-class man's Wal*Mart), Target, as an electrical parts delivery person, and finally as an employee of Washington Mutual. I've also worked as a professional actor around Seattle, though at this point it's still more of a "paid hobby" than anything I could possibly do for a living.

Now, I'm a robust 220 pounds of balding whiteness...not unlike young Mr. Brimley whom I have chosen as my avatar. I'm currently involved in a production of "Man of La Mancha" which I suppose you could call professional (inasmuch as the company pays you a couple hundred dollars at the end of the 1 month run). I'm living in Seattle with the girl of my dreams (which makes the balding and heftyness not such a big deal with me...unfortunately for her...) who is breathtakingly gorgeous...and she is as funny and smart as she is beautiful. Which works pretty good for me. Not to be cloying, but I highly recommend it.

As far as friends go...well...I've got a couple of those...with an ever growing list of "acquaintances." My old college room mates and I have fallen "out of touch." It's no one's fault, really -- we just wanted different stuff out of life. They wanted to be cool...I wanted to be left alone...so we just didn't work out together. I got much love for those guys, but they're pretty much out of the picture at this point. I've also got some current close college friends scattered throughout the country. They are the "Hey, what's up? What have you been up to" types. There are a few, though, who I met later in my college career (during my narcissim period) that I'm still close with...whatever that means.

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold. I learned that in elementary school, and I still don't know which is silver, and which is gold. Personally, I found I didn't have much in common with a lot of my old friends after a while. So it goes...

And yes, I know I'm ripping off Kurt Vonnegut there. Sue me.

And yes, I enjoy a good book, a good TV, "thought-provoking" video games, and all the available mass media I can get my hands on. I mistreat my body phisically by eating horribly and not working out consistently...but I'm far more interested in growing my brain than my muscles. I consider myself fairly liberal, though not extremely so (honestly, though, I feel like I should be more extreme to counter the current "right" movement taking over the United States Government now). I spend too much time staying up late at night, and not enough time taking care of myself. I'm full of equal parts self-loathing and narcissism...which makes for an unhealthy, volatile combination that I am totally fine with. Not really. But I am. No, I'm not. Yep. Nope. It's cool. No, it isn't. Yeah. Nah.

Okay, ripping off Eddie Izzard now. Shameful.

And believe it or not, I really don't like talking about myself that much. In that instance, the self-loathing wins, because I can't imagine anyone actually finding any of this information interesting. But the narcissistic part of me is confident that there are people out there who will not only read this information, but will be amazed by it, and praise me endlessly. Perhaps I'll even get a book deal? "Tyler, may we print your blog entries? Here's $100,000!" Truth be told, I'm positive that I'm not so reviled or amazing as I think...and that's how I feel about abortion.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

What? A Serious Entry?

(originally posted October 20, 2005)

Here's what I figure. I could go on in life, cheerfully filling my blog with any old crap, and the 2 people who read my blog (the other user ID I use in which I pretend to be a hot 23 year old female named Chela, and my mom) might get a hell of a kick out of it. But I think it's time to raise the level of discourse; kick it up a notch. Bring this blognation to what I like to call "The Next Generation." That is, I need a serious blog entry...

Because I was thinking about it. Sure, I spent the first week or so looking up people I used to know. I did manage to find people I knew well such as my best friend from elementary school (What's UP, The Hunt?). I also found all sorts of crazy people whose names I remembered but who I never really talked to. And God Bless those people for existing, because I truly cherish them, but I don't think they're really interested in "what I been doing with my life since they last saw me..." because they really didn't know me...and most people aren't really interested in a stranger's life story (especially if they create huge, cumbersome run-on sentences with elipses and parenthesis littered throughout the length of the thing).

But then there are the forgotten ones. Or, as I like to call them, "The Forgotten Ones." Sorry, I'm not creative at all...but I am good at capitalizing letters. Anyways, these are the people who I had one or more conversations with, who might actually remember "who I was," and might be "interested in what I was doing," but who I didn't actually look up...because I forgot that I knew them. Those people, I thought, deserve an update...partly because I feel bad that I forgot about them, but mostly because that's what you do when you meet people you haven't seen in a while. You ask them what they've been "up to." You tell them what you've been "up to." You make out. You cry a little bit in the car ride home. You pick daisies from the side of a hill and go home and create your patented "Daisy Shake" in the blender, and you sip that while watching reruns of "The Gilmore Girls."

But I digress (damn, and I promised myself I wasn't going to digress...but here I go digressing all over the place...shooting my digressions is sticky wads all over the keyboard and mouse). So I've decided to spend a post updating all interested parties on what I been "up to," because really, the only reason I decided to log into this site was to see what people from my past were "up to." I figure they deserve the same from me...and I'm not really interested in dating you (sorry ladies...why did I have to be a heartbreaker) because I've already found & moved-in with the perfect girl, like, 2 years ago. I don't want new friends, because as interesting and cool as you are, I've got friends with an actual corporeal form who are much more fun to hang with. And I don't want to have dirty, dirty, dirty cybersex with you...because I have to type with two hands. Sorry. It's just this thing I do (and honestly, have you ever tried to type "I am unbuttoning my jeans to bring out my 12" rod; do you like what you see?" with your left hand? It's damn near impossible. The quotation marks alone make the whole endeavor just not worth it)

Damn digression! And a gross one too...great...there goes any chance I had with all those hotties from my past (kidding, Erika ) (wait, is that the "dead" emoticon? Awesome!). So anyway, I now realize that this entry has gone from "way the damn hell too long" to "eternal." So, I might actually just stop typing now, and save the update for later...probably tomorrow. Actually...I think that's a fantastic way to build up a little suspense. "Wow, I can't wait until Tyler updates his blog tomorrow! I won't be able to sleep a wink until I find out!!!" (the only people saying this will be Chela and mom, of course).

In the mean time...do try to get a little sleep Charlene and Chela...because that's how I feel about abortion (man, I totally forgot about that closing line).

Monday, October 10, 2005

Give Me Twenty Dollars.

(originally posted October 10, 2005)

Speaking of Life, one thing I didn't get: why did you get money at the end of the game for the number of kids you had? It always struck me as a little creepy -- I hope my mom doesn't sell me off when she retires.

Speaking of love (and I wasn't), have you ever noticed that the more you love something, the more full of darts it becomes? It's like this motorcycle I never owned, but loved with what I like to term a "long distance" relationship. I mean, I'd think about it all the time (especially when I was pouring concrete), and when I finally did get to spend a weekend with it, all I did was throw something like 50 darts into seat. Something wrong with that...let me tell you.

Speaking of tell, my new favorite word is "jam." I'm going to use that word instead of "jelly" all the time. Such as, "Pour that grape jam all over my chest, Mischa."

Sunday, October 9, 2005

Nope, But I Will Slap You

(originally posted October 09, 2005)

That's right...now, I wouldn't normally send flowers to a person, but if I knew the home address of Shaun at Nerdhelp.com, I would send him 30 roses wrapped in tinfoil...because I know that is the nicest gift anyone could receive. For those who care, I have removed my Trojan.Vundo virus. The day is mine. Now, the night is mine, and I must sleep.

Saturday, October 8, 2005

Nice Suit!

(originally posted October 08, 2005)

Seriously, anyone talking about Religion and Philosophy in their blog needs to send me $5, so I can hire a plumber to come over and grout their tiles.

So, I've decided to talk about Gatorade instead. Let me tell you something -- sort of a "personal story" about me and Gatorade. When I was six years old. Well...Gatorade...touched me. Down...down there. I...I can't believe I'm actually talking about this now. I've been dealing with these awful emotions for years. Repressing them...blaming myself. Turns out, Gatorade has been doing this kind of thing to young boys for decades...starting in the late 60s when he was first released from prison.

Well now that I've made this stunning confession (which I bet 3...perhaps as many as 4 people might actually read), I think I can finally move on with my life.

Friday, October 7, 2005

Well Sumbitch...

(originally posted October 07, 2005)

Well, dammit all to hell, I've managed to contract something called "Trojan.Vundo" that has gummed up the works of the ol' computer somehow. I had this amazing blog entry all planned out, then something has to go and demand a completely unrelated blog entry...with no comedic value at all. Well Mr. Vundo, whoever the damn hell you are, I hope you are happy. You've made an appearance in what I like to call "The Verdana-est Blog On Myspace." Wow...I can actually place an appropriate "mood" with this entry. Damn, blast, and hell.

Thursday, October 6, 2005

Holy Crap, I Just Blogged Myself

(originally posted October 6, 2005)


So, I think I may have just made the most important decision in my life. See...I was looking at the four fonts...and I always thought Times New Roman was the worst font that God ever created. I'm pretty sure God created Times New Roman right before he invented herpes, and Antonin Scalia. So, that was out right away. And Courier New is about as interesting as getting kicked in the side of the head, so I won't even go into a discussion about that. Plus, I think all font types with more than one word are racist.

That left me with Verdana or Arial. Now, this was a choice that I don't think Sophie herself could have even made. It's like chosing between Mark Ruffalo and Mark Wahlberg! Or Granny Smith apples and Fuji!!! Now, don't get me wrong, I love me some Arial. In fact, I think I had my first kiss while I was typing with an Arial font (Narrow, I believe). But, Verdana won the day. I'm not sure if it was the pseudo-Italian undertones, or the fact that it started with the letter "V." But whatever it was, I was hooked, and I don't think I could ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever turn back. Ever. Unless I change my mind.

Now on to more important things...like my damn mood. I never KNEW there were so many adjectives to choose from...though I didn't see "dying" in there -- which is how I'm always feeling. Stomach cancer will do that to a person. Fortunately, I don't have stomach cancer, but if I've heard that people die from it. No, I'm just dying a slow, illness-free death. It's as exciting as it is boring.

So, to split the difference, I'm going to put "accomplished." Because, well, it was the stupidest word on the list. And that is saying quite a bit. No, actually, it's only saying 20 words. But it felt like a lot.

And why can't I put "typing" in what I'm doing. Listen, I love Blogs as much as the next man, but with these limited choices I might be forced to go outside and actually talk to people. Trust me, you do NOT want that.

So I put "Watching DVD/Video" (which I hope is short-hand for porn, though I'm not totally sure about that). I can't wait until tomorrow, when I can make all new life-changing choices. Now, if only I had a snappy ending that I could put at the end of every Blog entry. Something like, "And that's how I feel about abortion." Hmm...I like it.