MERRY CHRISTMAS !

BUSH CHRISTMAS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

Birthday In Cleveland

Well it's October already and you know what that means...birthdays. Kevin's birthday is on the 5th and mine is on the 6th. So in order to start the celebrations, we traveled to Cleveland yesterday to celebrate Kevin's 28th birthday.

The day started out in a normal fashion with lunch at The Cheescake Factory. After lunch we went to Pirahni's Hockey store to get Kevin a new hockey stick ( does everyone know he is playing hockey again? and that he has lost 40 pounds?).

After Pirahni's, Kevin had to stop at the lab to do some work, so Gen, Deana and I went to little neighborhood bar called "Becky's". You wouldn't know it was called "Becky's" from the outside. All they have is a blue neon sign that says "Liquor". Kevin finally joined us and we decided to go see a movie. Since it was Kevin's birthday, we let him pick the movie.

Kevin picked the movie "Choke". "Choke is a movie based on author Chuck Pahluniuk's book by the same name. I personally am a fan of his work so I was curious to see how closely the movie emulated the book.

I was not disappointed. From the opening sex scene ( the main character is a sex addict) to the ending sex scene, all I could hear was Deana muttering under her breath "this is sick". I don't think Kevin intended on spending his birthday taking his mom to watch soft porn, but he did.

The movie was good and it was a perfect end to a perfect day. However, I don't think Deana will let Kevin pick the movie anytime soon.

Later!

SCARE TACTICS

One of my favorite shows this year is Scare Tactics on the Sci Fi channel. It's on every Wednesday at 10:00 PM. You can also catch episodes on Hulu.com. Tracy Morgan replaced Shannon Daugherty as the host. He definitely has some pretty funny comments. Here is a clip from the first show this season. It's called "Satan's Baby". Enjoy!

HOFFMAN REUNION

The original forecast for Sunday August 3rd was 95 degrees. We all hoped they were wrong because that was the day for the First Annual Hoffman Reunion. The reunion was held at a park in Fremont, Ohio. A shelter house was reserved, but 95 degrees is damn hot.

As it turned out, the weatherman cooperated and the Hoffman, Kerns, and Feebacks all enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon of food, drink, games and conversation. Contact information was exchanged and the commitments to get together more than once a year were made.

I have included a small slideshow capturing the days participants. Enjoy!

PROJECT: CORN HOLE

Well it took me about three weeks to complete, but after hours of after dinner sessions in the garage Project: Corn Hole is done. Check it out!



I know that the Detroit Tigers are Kevin's favorite team, so it was easy to know how I was going to paint these boards. I don't know how well that will go over in Cleveland, but I'm sure Kevin can handle it. With a quart of White, Orange and Blue Semi-Gloss for the color scheme, I applied three coats on the top and two coats on the sides.

The hardest part was the Detroit Tiger "D". I used Bumper Sticker paper from Office Max and printed an inverted "D" I found online. Using a razor blade, I then cut it out so that the white side showed the "D" the right way. Bumper Sticker paper has adhesive on one side, so I stuck it on the board and finished with a coat of clear epoxy to seal the logo and protect the painted wood surface.

Hope you like it Kevin!

VIDEO GAME GLITCHES

Here is a collection of Video Game glitches and bugs. We've all experienced them at one time or another. These are pretty hilarious.


The Funniest Video Games Bugs & Glitches - The best free videos are right here

COOL COMPUTER CASE MODS


Check out this cool mod for your computer.






To see even more cool mods click on this link. They will blow you away.

COMIC BOOK CREATOR

I got a new program last night: Comic Book Creator. Click on the picture to get a closer look. Check it out.

R.I.P. GEORGE CARLIN

Somebody's Got A Case Of The Mondays

Office worker freaks out after a co-worker bumps his desk.

THE END OF THE INTERNET

TWINS

I see a slight resemblance.

TIME TO GET THE BAND BACK TOGETHER

It looks like the makers of Guitar Hero IV are taking a cue from the makers of Rock Band. The new version will include a drum kit as well as a microphone. What makes it different from Rock Band is the Music Studio where you can create and edit your own music. It also features an eight on eight online Battle Of The Bands. I would pick it up in the fall...but I don't think Deana can play drums.

Check out the trailer:

BROTHER

I could be wrong, but I think it's someone's birthday today.

BONDING WITH THE BOY

I'm heading to Cleveland today to spend some "Man Time" with Kevin. The main event of the weekend is Dream Theater's "Progressive Nation" tour. They headline along with Opeth, Between The Buried And Me and 3. The concert is at the Tower City Amphitheater. Should be a great show.

But before we hit the concert, we're going to check out the movie of the summer "Iron Man". I've been hearing great things about this flick and it looks like Iron Man 2 is in the works.

We wanted to get in some golf on Sunday, but it doesn't look good weather-wise. Rain and cold temperatures is not a recipe for a good time on the golf course. We'll probably be too hung over anyway.

That's it! Over and out.

MEN'S ULTIMATE FANTASY !


Alcohol Makes Girls Sexy - Watch more free videos

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERRY!

THE BEST OF BUSH



No matter who wins this next election, they can't compare to these Bushisms.

So You Want To Be A Reporter?


Compilation of Reporters Getting Owned - Watch more free videos

THE NEXT VIDEO GAME

The last time Kevin was in town we finished the video game "Kane And Lynch: Dead Men". It was a pretty decent Co-Op game that was pretty challenging which is why it took us a few all-night sessions to complete.

I've found the next Co-Op game for us. It's a military game called "Army of Two". This game is so violent, that you can only purchase it at the register in Best Buy. It is the story of a freelance military agency who is called upon to complete missions that the regular Armed Forces cannot. Check out the video below:

JAPANESE GAME SHOWS

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY !

31 Years and still going.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

THE LION KING

Last night Deana and I attended what would technically be called our first Broadway Musical. The Lion King performance at The Stranahan Theater was visually amazing. Having only seen high school musicals, the obvious differences in production values made for a very enjoyable evening.

Based on the Disney cartoon, The Lion King is the story of Simba, the baby cub destined for greatness as sole heir to Mufasa the current Lion King. The play's Act One depicts, the childhood of Simba, the death of Mufasa, deviously planned by Scar, Mufasa's brother, and Simba self-imposed exile from his rightful kingdom.

In Act Two, Simba finds Timon and Pumbaa a fun-loving meerkat and gas expelling warthog respectively. Timon and Pumbaa add the comic element in the play. Simba as he grows older becomes restless with his current surroundings. Nala, a lioness, strikes out on her own from Pride Rock, Simba's original home in search of food. The two unite, fall in love and decide to return to Pride Rock to overthrow Scar who has now assumed power. As expected Simba finds that part of Mufasa in himself and defeats Scar to become the rightful Lion King.

Visually, this play was outstanding. I swear I heard Deana say "Wow!" at the close of every scene. The cast performed in the audience as well as on stage. The set design and costumes stole the show. In a combination of make-up, sophisticated puppetry and colorful costumes, the play paid special homage to a Disney animated classic.

The only downside I could find was the music. Written by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice of "Jesus Christ Superstar" fame, there wasn't one song you found enduring enough to hum or sing along to. I guess the closest one would be "Circle Of Life" or "Can You Feel The Love Tonight".

For a better insight into the production values of this play, check out the official website at The Lion King.

IRON MAN MOVIE

I can't wait to see this movie. I grew up reading Iron Man comics and next to Spiderman is one of my all-time favorites. Check out the latest trailer and tell me it is not awesome!

Iron Man Exclusive Trailer

Add to My Profile | More Videos

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!

Todays primary is very important for the future of this country. It is also the first time a woman and an African-American are being considered for the highest office in our government.

With that being said, I thought I would post a few humorous remarks about each of the candidates made by our hosts of late night TV. Enjoy!

BARACK OBAMA

"I don't know if you have seen this. It's everywhere. They have a controversial photo of Barack Obama wearing a turban. It's been circulating on the Internet. Yeah, the turban photo should help Obama with a key group of voters, the New York taxi drivers." --Conan O'Brien

"The founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream are endorsing Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton, which makes sense because Baracky Road is a catchier name for an ice cream than Pantsuits and Cream." --Conan O'Brien

"Congratulations to presidential candidate Barack Obama. He won a Grammy last night for best spoken word album. Boy, there's four words you haven't heard in the same sentence in a while — 'presidential' and 'best spoken word.'" --Jay Leno

HILLARY CLINTON

"All the other Democratic candidates are continuing to attack Hillary Clinton. In fact, in the debate the other night, they accused Hillary Clinton of having things both ways. Which is ironic, 'cause Bill's been trying to talk her into that for years." --Jay Leno

"Hillary has a big lead in the Democratic race for president. Political insiders are speculating that if Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, she may choose a Hispanic running mate. When he heard about this, Bill Clinton yelled, 'How 'bout Salma Hayek?'" --Conan O'Brien

"A new novelty item is now being sold. Get this, it's a Hillary Clinton nutcracker that cracks nuts between its legs. Yeah, Hillary calls the nutcracker silly, and Bill Clinton calls it chillingly lifelike"--Conan O'Brien

"Hillary Clinton's campaign is trying to embarrass Barack Obama. Have you seen this? They have circulated pictures of Obama wearing tribal dress. Obama wanted to strike back, but there are no pictures of Hillary wearing a dress." --Craig Ferguson

JOHN McCAIN

"How about that John McCain, huh? John McCain looks like the kind of guy who brags that his new denture adhesive allows him to eat corn on the cob. He looks like a guy who parked his RV overnight at Wal-Mart." --David Letterman

"As you know, last week the big rumor, according to the New York Times, is John McCain was allegedly sleeping with a a young, attractive lobbyist. Well, that story has pretty much gone away. In fact, the only one trying to keep it alive now? John McCain." --Jay Leno

"How about this John McCain, huh? Whoa, my gosh - doesn't he look like the old guy at the barber shop? He looks kind of like a Wal-Mart greeter, John McCain. He kind of looks like the neighbor who says, 'Oh, that dead tree is on your property,' one of those guys. He's the guy who is always early for the early bird special, that's what he looks like. He looks like a mall walker, ladies and gentlemen. He looks like the guy at the supermarket who is confused by the automatic doors. He looks like the uncle who pretends to remove his thumb." --David Letterman

WII BOWLING TRICK


How To Score A Perfect Strike On Wii - Watch more free videos

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY !!

Don't send a lame Valentine's Day eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

BIG BROTHER 9


Let's meet the cast.

Reading, Listening and Playing 2008


With the weather outside being so crappy, I thought it was time I update the blog and let all my fans out there know what I've been reading, listening to and playing.

Let's start with reading. I love Chuck Palahniuk. He is the author of Fight Club and Choke. Everyone is familiar with Fight Club because of the movie starring Brad Pitt and Ed Norton. I just read the other day that they will be making a film version of Choke due out this summer. The reason I love to read his books is because of his eccentric characters. No one creates protagonists as bizarre and offbeat like Chuck Palahniuk.

His latest book is called Rant. It is the story of Buster "Rant" Casey, described in the book as the most efficient serial killer of all time. His story is told through statements made by his childhood friends, family members, enemies, and even old teachers.

Rant moves from his small hometown of Middleton where he becomes the leader of an urban demolition derby called Party Crashing. On appointed nights participants recognize each other by special markings on their cars and then crash into one another.

Rant's saliva supposedly caused a massive outbreak of rabies in his hometown. These are just a few of the hilarious anecdotes told to the reader through his various aquaintances. If you've never read anythying by Chuck Palahniuk, I highly recommend him.

After I finish Rant my next book will be this one.
Duma Key by Stephen King. I'll let you know how it is in a future blog.







Here is what I've been listening to. First let's start off with Black Mountain's "Into The Future". I really dig the retro sound of bands like WolfMother. The only problem with Wolfmother is that the songs all kinda sound the same. Black Mountain starts out that way, but then something unexpected happened; they completely changed styles, but in a good way. If you're looking for something that rocks and then gets psychedelic, pick up Black Mountain's "Into The Future".


Another audio gem I discovered is a band called Red. Their debut disc "End Of Silence" is awesome. They remind me a little of early Linkin' Park, but not the rap stuff. It's hard to define their sound other then to say they "rock". "Breathe Into Me" has my vote for top track on the disc, but the whole album is pretty good. Go to you local record store and buy it (yeah right!)



On to the gaming portion of the blog. I recently watched "Reign Over Me" with Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle. In the movie the main character, who lost his entire family on 9/11, is fascinated with the video game "Shadow Of The Colossus". After the movie I realized that I had the game but never played it...till now. The premise of the game is for you to defeat each of the Colossus's so you can bring your dead loved one back to life. In the movie you never knew the connection until you play the game. Each Colossus is mammoth and you have to climb up on them and find their individual weak spot in order to kill them. It can be somewhat difficult because the Colossus will try to shake you off and you have limited gripping power so you have to be fast and efficient.


And of course when I purchased my PS3 it left me without the ability to play Guitar Hero. Well that is a problem I no longer have since I bought Guitar Hero 3 for the PS3, With a new wireless guitar and somewhat nimble fingers, I'm back to rocking out with the likes of Tom Morello and Slash. I love the guitar challenges where you have to defeat them in head to head competition. I'm afraid to play online (have you seen those videos on Youtube where some 8 year old plays the Dragonforce song on the expert level and gets a perfect score?) I don't need to be humiliated by an 8 year old kid!


Well I've prattled on long enough. Til next time...keep on blogging!

ARE YOU READY?

Season 4 begins tonight.

WHOPPER FREAKOUT

These guys really love their Whoppers.

BIRTHDAY GIRL

January 12, 1957

January 12, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEANA!

Guess That Organ!

It's time to play a little game called "Guess That Organ". I developed this game because someone we know may have to have this mystery organ removed. Here is a picture. Can you "Guess That Organ"?

Kinda gross isn't it? If I had an organ that looked like that, I would want it removed too. Please leave your guesses in my comments section. I will announce the winner later.

P.S. You science types should have no trouble with this.

TOP TEN INTERNET VIDEOS

Here is a compilation of the top ten internet videos from Break.com. Some are good and others are stupid. Let me know what you think.


Top 10 Internet Videos of 2007 - Watch more free videos

THE RETURN OF LOST

With virtually nothing new to watch on TV because of the writer's strike, I'm really excited to see the return of one of my favorite shows: Lost.

The new season will begin on Thursday January 31st at 9:00 PM. Since it has been six months since anyone has watched Lost, I found this video clip that covers the first three seasons in a little over eight minutes.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't seen all of Season 3 yet, do not watch this video.

VIDEO GAMES

Either I'm getting better at playing video games or they just aren't as challenging as they used to be. Case in point: Call Of Duty 4.


I got the game for Christmas and I just beat it. The graphics are outstanding and some of the game play is intense, like experiencing a nuclear explosion while in a helicopter trying to escape. I also liked the sniper mission where you are completely covered in grass and leaves for camouflage.

I have not played online yet, but I bet that is a lot of fun. I think with these heavy graphics games, the episodes need to be kept short in order to stay within a defined capacity on the disc.

So, either I need to get a life, or the programmers need to step it up.

P.S. I already beat "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" as well. But don't worry Kev, I won't play "Kane and Lynch" until I see you again.

Later!

The Top 12 New Year's Resolutions Made by Pets

12. Have a torrid one-night stand with a street mutt.

11. Try to understand that the cat is from Venus and I am from Mars.

10. I will no longer be beholden to the sound of the can opener.

9. Circulate petition that Leg Humping be a juried competition in major dog shows.

8. Call PETA and tell them what that surgical mask-wearing freak does to us when no one is around.

7. Take time from busy schedule to stop and smell the behinds.

6. Hamster: Don't let them figure out I'm just a rat on 'roids, or they'll flush my ass.

5. Always scoot before licking.

4. Grow opposable thumb; break into pantry; decide for MYSELF how much food is *too* much.

3. Get out of the castle more, maybe swim counter-clockwise this year.

2. January 1st: Kill the sock! Must kill the sock! January 2nd - December 31: Re-live victory over the sock.

and the Number 1 New Year's Resolutions Made by Pets...

1. I will NOT chase the damned stick unless I see it LEAVE HIS HAND.