Random Elementary School Memory - This Is Not A Drill

In first grade at South City View, there was a fire in the art room in the basement of the school building. My memories may be a little sketchy, (art room? sketchy? get it?)) but it happened in the middle of the winter and we all had to evacuate the building and stand out on the playground while firefighters showed up. It didn't do a ton of damage and art classes resumed a couple of weeks later, but two things about it stand out.

1) Someone (And Nick Kuecker's name comes to mind) came running breathlessly into the classroom from the hall to say that there was smoke in the hall and Mr. Letzig was running down the hall with a fire extinguisher. It seemed, for a moment, that it was about to be the biggest thing would ever happen in my life. Instead, the alarm sounded, we all quietly walked outside and waited for the "all clear".

2) I never told my parents about it. I don't know why. I guess I didn't want anyone to make a bigger deal out of it or to worry, in retrospect. Even years later, I've never brought it up. That's kinda weird, right? So I always wonder when I ask my own kids what they did at school and they say "nothing" what interesting details they're holding back.

Today's Top 7 Movies I'm In The Mood To See Again, If I Had Time

I have a wall full of videos and not enough time to watch them.

If I DID have time, these are ones I haven't seen in ages and would really like to watch 'em again.

7. Bugsy
6. The Commitments
5. Y Tu Mama Tambien
4. The Talented Mr. Ripley
3. Stealing Beauty
2. A Very Long Engagement
1. Fearless

Things I Feel A Little Weird Admitting

...Of all the movies coming out this fall, I think I'm most looking forward to 'Zack and Miri'.

...I think of bad puns all the time. You're just lucky I don't say/write a third of the ones that come to my mind.

...I have never opened about half of the DVDs I've bought.

...I liked "There Will Be Blood," but if that movie and National Lampoon's Vacation came on cable and I could only watch one or the other, I'd pick the Griswolds every time.

Getting Started

One of the things I'm committing myself to do is actually making blog entries on a regular basis.

It should be easy, but it's not. I often find myself wondering "what the heck should I write about?" Occasionally, usually after a good movie, book or TV show, the words will flow out -- so maybe I just need a little direction.

Fortunately, I've found it. A handy book from the library gave some suggestions for blog topics and I came up with a few unique tags on my own. What I'll try to do is post something *almost* every day.

At least that's the idea.

Here are some of the tags you can look forward to:

Actual Yearbook Quotes - Actual things other people wrote in my high school yearbooks (with their names removed to protect the innocent)

Imaginary Vacation Itinerary - If I had time and an unlimited budget, this is the trip that I'd plan on that particular day

Top 7 Lists - Just like Letterman, only three easier

This Made Me Laugh Today - Expect photos, links and viral videos

Random Elementary School Memory - For example, "population dots"

Things I feel a little weird admitting - For example, "I'm probably a little OCD because I alphabetize my DVDs, by director"

(Not so) Shocking Confessions! - (you'll just have to wait)

Movie Quote Of The Day - Actual lines from actual movies

Something I Shouldn't Put Off Any Longer - 'Fixing the shower faucet in our master bathroom"

Random Items From My Bucket List - (I hate the term "bucket list", though)

What I Thought About On My Commute - Me + Alone Time + Car = Wandering Mind

Maybe there will be more. Maybe it's a lame idea or maybe it'll motivate me to do it every day.

I'll duplicate the posts on my MySpace site, so if you see it one place, you'll see it in both. And you can always check back here.

Let me know what you think.


Jeff