Ooooooo, I'm PISSED

While taking a study break from Biochemistry, good ol' wikipedia informed me that "24" won't be back on TV until 2009. In an article I found here, we're told that:

"Even though eight episodes for this season had already been filmed before the beginning of the writers strike, producers would have had to ramp up production soon to complete the season. So "24" represents this television season's most prominent casualty due to the writers strike. "

And that

"A January 2009 start seemed the best way to comply with viewers' wishes that a season's episodes run without interruption to conclusion, Fox said on Thursday."

Delay it a whole year? Comply with viewers' wishes? Yeah, I was totally wishing for that. Just because I'm a FAN of the show, doesn't mean I actually have a desire to watch it, or that I anticipate the start of a new season. No, no, no, no, that's crazy talk (just want to point out that hint of sarcasm there, in case you missed it).

I always looked forward to the start of the "24" season, just as I looked for other ways to make it through the winter until Spring Training started. So, the real reason they're delaying the season premiere (from that same article):

"If [FOX] had started airing new episodes soon, the season finale would not have taken place until the summer, when TV networks rarely show their high-profile programs."

I mean, honestly, does everything always have to be about money? I know it's FOX, so I shouldn't really be that surprised, but it still irks me. I have no problem with the writers strike itself; everybody is entitled to as much as they can get, and I think it's the networks fault for prolonging it. But what irks me more is that I know I'm gonna end up watching it next year, not because I have any sort of loyalty to the network or give a crap about their advertising revenues (which I certainly don't) or care for their political views (which I certainly despise), but simply because I'm a huge fan of the show, and I'd rather be entertained than miss out on something I enjoy simply to prove a point, especially when TV ratings are in millions of viewers.

It's Here...

Oh yes boys and girls, it's that time of the year again. The long cold nights are over, and we finally have that magical something to look forward to. In two weeks, we'll get to hear the voices of Jon Miller, Dave Flemming, Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper filling the airwaves. My Baseball-Prospectus is in the mail, the local batting cages open this weekend, and I can't wait to get my glove out and see what kind of shape my Sinker is in, and if my Slider still has that nasty break.

Thank God for Baseball: Pitchers and Catchers have reported.

And remember, TINSTAAPP, but there is Timmy.

Keep to the Code Part II

Not that I'm really into sequels, but this will be fast.

So, last year, I touched on keeping to the code in men's bathrooms here. For the record, that post was also way before that Senator got arrested for doing something ELSE in the bathroom, but I digress. To continue the theme of male social awkwardness, I bring up the topic of a phone number exchange.

It's just really weird to ask another dude for his phone number.There might be a perfectly legitimate reason for it; getting together of UFC fight night, study sessions for our disorganized and heavily biased Vine Physiology class, playing some Racquetball, etc. But you can't just outright ask for the number. There has to be some kind of reasoning behind it.

So, here are some examples of how it might work:

"Hey, do I have your number?"

That would never work on a woman. They know exactly to whom and when they give their number out - you'd be shot down in a glorious blaze of smoke and shrapnel. But us, we're stupid enough or so scattered with our memories that, "Oh, crap, I thought I did." Well of course we thought we did; we can't remember what we had for lunch three days ago, let alone the details of a conversation that was last year?

"Alright, so I'll call you about the ___________. Let me get your number."

Obviously this scenario would imply some social familiarity with the guy. Maybe you were gonna help him out ... fixing his car or brewing some beer over the weekend. Maybe you were proximal friends - your spouse is friends with his girlfriend or something - and it's suggested that you hang out. Chances are you'll end up getting along fine, but again, the number thing is weird.

"Hey, let me get your number, we'll hang out."

This one's probably the worst. Obviously the guy who is asking is enthusiastic about grabbing a beer or something. But what about the other guy? He can't exactly say "No thanks man", because that would be brutally impolite (though I know a couple of guys who wouldn't care about the manners and would say it anyway). So then, he's stuck with a guy who has his number but he has no desire to socialize with.

And then it ends up like that Seinfeld episode where Jerry can't get rid of the guy, and after he attempts to "break up" with him, ends up getting guilt tripped out of his Knicks tickets.


And for the above reasons, Business Cards were invented...

Grumpy Part III

OK, so maybe this is just getting old, or maybe I'm becoming bitter in my old age (I'm almost 25). I've been a real jerk on three different occasions this week.

1. Biochemistry. I was a little later than I usually am to the class, meaning I walked in as the professor started. I found a seat in the back with a couple other people from the Viticulture & Enology department (henceforth referred to as VEN), sitting next to one guy in particular who I'll just call "Dude". So, here were five "kids" sitting in front of us, who were stealing each other's notebooks, writing notes, re-stealing them and giggling. This went on for about 10 minutes. We have a mid-term coming up. Dude and I looked at each other and figured it was time to teach a life lesson. Dude led off by grabbing two of their shoulders and saying, "You wanna quit fucking around? It's starting to piss me off." Not to leave my 2 cents sitting in my pocket, I followed up with, "It's much cheaper to pass notes in High School."

2. Later that day, Dude and I were in another class that we share. A kid in front of us thought it would be a good idea to bring a box of cereal to class. Seriously, it took him 5 minutes to open the damn thing - during class - and the teacher doesn't speak that loud either. Grumpy here asked "Kid, you think you can do that any louder?!?" Kid replied, "uh... Sorry man." Dude was sitting next to me, cracking up silently.

3. We have these neighbors who have this annoying puffy little yap dog that NEVER shuts up. They also had a sign on their front gate that proclaimed "Bitch Boulevard" until the wind mercilessly blew it down a couple weeks ago. Damn dog was barking up a storm during my lunch, so I went over and in my low blood sugared state asked the dog owner to do something about it. "It's a dog, it barks. Why do you care?" she told me. I told her "Not all dogs bark as often or as annoying as that one, and it's ruining my lunch."

Maybe I'm just stressing about mid-terms next week. Maybe I'm a jerk. Maybe little things just bug the crap out of me for some reason. Maybe it's somewhere in between, but at this point, I'm not going to worry about it anymore.

I mean, I try to treat others like I would like to be treated. But in my mind, if I was jerking around during class disrupting everyone around me, making noise opening a box of cereal or letting my annoying ass dog bark all afternoon, someone would be well within their rights to hit me with a little common courtesy, which I would deserve at that point.