Ravings of a Madman?

Freewrite #1: Immediate Gratification or Buyer's Remorse?

2008-10-19T12:36:00.001-07:00

This is the first freewrite blog. The topic is entirely your choice. It must include one form of media (picture, video, music, links, etc.) and be at least 250 words long. My first freewrite is entitled: "Immediate Gratification or Buyer's Remorse," but you can call yours whatever you want.

Usually I do not need to do any deep soul searching when I set my eyes on a sweet fitted hat, but recently my inner voices have been battling over whether or not to take action and make a purchase. I am pondering the idea on dropping some greenbacks, that is slang for dollar bills for all of those who aren't "in the know," on two Bay Area fitteds. The first is a San Jose Sharks (Hockey) fitted w/ Elephant print bill, red Sharks logo, grey front panel, and black back panel. The second is a San Francisco Giants fitted flipped in San Francisco 49ers colors w/ old gold brim, cardinal red panels, and white SF logo. Pictures shown below: Sharks (left), SF (right)

Both of these hats are from ecapcity.com and the pictures are credited to them as well. Their website is definitely worth a look. They carry fitteds for all walks of life and the selections they have in stock are pretty comprehensive.

You may or may not be able to see my current dilemma, but I must pose this question to myself and others who would care to offer their two cents: Should I indulge in immediate gratification or should I suffer buyer's remorse? One part of my mind is telling me to buy the fitteds and ignore my misgivings and the other is telling me to be conservative style-wise and financially. So should I be frugal and slap the credit card out of my frenzied hand? Or should I throw caution to the wind and order the glorious headwear pieces to bask in their ephemeral light in less than a week's time? I am going to go ponder this on a walk outside.

(BLOG ACTIVITY PAUSED FOR ADVANCED PERSONAL RESEARCH)

Developing Your Character

2008-10-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

Character Name: Ralph
Occupation: Jack In the Box Drive Thru Night Shift Manager
Age: 34 years and 364 days old

On the eve of his 35th birthday, Ralph realized that his life had not turned out like he planned. He was almost 35, still living with his overbearing mother, and stuck like a lifeless drone in his going-nowhere job. Ralph had always sat by passively and let life strain through his fingers, not able to grasp some meaning or importance. The 30 something fast food employee had always given some excuse for his current situation, but the time had come when change could no longer be held back by the dam comprised of Ralph's many insecurities.

This brisk September morning, the daybreak brought a boldness to Ralph’s being. Brazenly, he bounded out of bed, peered into the mirror, and belted out a cathartic groan. "Somehow," he thought while running his fingers through his brown bed bent locks, "this day will be different, it has to be."

Normally, Ralph would still be sleeping at this hour, but this morning he awoke, imbued with an unknown energy, a revived spirit. His eyes were open wide for the first time like the aperture of a camera, consuming every minuscule detail. They focused on his battered alarm clock. “7:33” appeared, faded red, on the rectangle digital face. “I am up way too early,” he remarked rather lively.

Triumphantly, Ralph emerged from his sub floor lodgings, also known as his mother’s basement, and was met with a pair of lukewarm Pop Tarts resting on an olive green plate and a glass of OJ made from concentrate, cloudy with pulp. Apparently, this was his mother’s idea of a hearty breakfast. Nonetheless, Ralph appreciatively scarfed down the pre-packaged pastries and the watered down juice. Now that he had a “square meal” in him he could finally take on the day.

**NOTE** This is an example of how you should develop your character. Remember there is a length requirement of 225 Words. I will also be adding to this character over time and to his story.

Setting

2008-10-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

Setting: Oktoberfest @ Alpine Village - Saturday, October 4th 2008

For my setting I visited Alpine Village for their annual Oktoberfest festivities. Here are my sensory details (5 sentences for each of the 5 senses):

I hear glass clanking loudly in the background.
I hear obnoxiously loud (yet entertaining) polka music blasting from the speakers.
I hear the incoherent mutterings of a German man who apparently imbibed too much grog.
I hear the slamming door of a porta-potty that shuts with a shuddering "thwap."
I hear the "whir" of car tires spin as they kick up dust in the dirt parking lot.

I see steins filled to the brim with frothy drink.
I see dark brown wood benches with deep grooves .
I see the bright light reflecting off of the golden colored tuba.
I see people, with arms interlocked, engaging in a traditional German dance.
I see the line to the women's restroom that looks exponentially longer than the men's line.

I taste the melted cheesy goodness of chili cheese fries.
I taste the crisp bubbly liquid as it flows down my thirsty gullet.
I taste the moist cold air that always follows rainfall.
I taste the savory flavor of the German bratwurst.
I taste the explosion of flavor from the watermelon flavored gum.

I feel the light drizzle as it coats my grey hooded sweatshirt.
I feel the damp wood bench seat underneath me.
I feel the hefty weight of the glass stein in my left hand.
I feel the impact of Adam's hand as I receive a totally pointless "high five."
I feel the urgent pressure brought about by the need to use the restroom.

I smell the pork bratwurst cooking as the scent rises into my nostrils.
I smell the unmistakeable stench of urine as I near the front of the porta potty line.
I smell incredibly rude burp that Andrew blasts into my face, revealing the details of his prior consumption.
I smell the propane gas used to fuel the cooking grill.
I smell the cancerous cigarette smoke that lofts into the tent from the smoking area and invades my lungs.

Response to Lyrics

2008-09-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

Song: Right Me Up
Artist: State Radio

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or here (in order for it to work you must have the website address for the mp3).

Song:
Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why so many, why? Why so many, why so many, why? Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why?

Manny don't need no comforting
He don't ask of the world to bring him up
Ain't gonna see him waitin' on waitin' on waitin' on the day
Got him a chair in '73
It was his only option
So Manny agreed
Same chair he has today since they threw the cane away
And Manny wasn't doing nothing
He just doing his own thing
You know it getting pretty cold out by the jub jub swing

Oh this friend today
Right me up
Oh this friend today
Right me up
Oh this friend today
Right me up
Oh this friend today
Right me up
I'm not so weak

Manny gonna go where the rabble go
He gonna roll down the world and he bring me up
Ain't going to see him giving into the others way
Cause they may beat us in search but our fall is unstained
You know he says it wont be long till we are up again
Having another swing
And Manny wasn't doing nothing
He just doing his own thing
Yah know it gettin' pretty cold but he the one who bring

Oh this friend today
Right me up
Oh this friend today
Right me up
No, I'm not so weak
Oh this friend today
Right me up
Oh this friend today
Right me up
I'm not so weak

'Cause the bottles not empty
'Cause your voices are all there
My life will fight in my body for air
'Cause the bottle's not empty
'Cause your voices are all there
My life will fight in my body for air

Oh this friend today
Right me up
Oh this friend today
Right me up
And oh this friend today
Right me up
And oh this friend today
Right me up
I'm not so
And oh this friend today
Right me up
Oh this friend today
Right me up
No, I'm not so weak
Oh this friend today
Right me up
Oh this friend today
Right me up
I'm not so weak

Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why so many why?
Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why so many why?
Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why so many why?
Why so many, why so many why? Why so many, why?

Manny we gonna get that A.M. dial just right
I'll hold that hanger up as long as the Sox put up a fight

Response:

This is where my 1/2 to 3/4 page response will go!

Keep a Lid on it!

2008-09-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

Some of you may of heard that I have quite the collection of fitted hats. This is true. My collection of Bay Area fitteds (fitted hats from Northern California sports teams) has grown from a hobby to an out of control obsession! I currently do not know the number of caps that I have in my possession (time out for an actual count!). Okay, the count for now is 27 Bay Area fitteds, but that may change in the next couple of hours. My collection of Bay Area fitteds consists of 26 Oakland Athletics (A's) hats of all different designs/colors and 1 San Jose Sharks hat (you can tell I am a huge A's fan). I am always surfing countless custom fitted websites that I have bookmarked and they are the first websites I open when launching my internet browser (Camino). This obsession has reached the point where I have hat store phone numbers programmed into my cell phone! It is insanity I tell you!

I would like to let you know that I just don't go out there and buy any A's hat that is made. If I did that I would probably have over 50 A's hats right now. Lucky for me, I have particular tastes that shield me from impulsive hat purchases (I also have a fiancee that governs my spending). In the future I will catalog all my caps on this blog so my loyal (or not so loyal) readers can gain insight on my fashion/hat aesthetic. Every time I order/receive a new bundle of joy (meaning a hat shipment), I will link to the site of it's origin and give you my thoughts on it. Also, after I retrieve the artifact (the hat) from the bowels of its cardboard container I will take some glamor shots to capture its magnificence. I am sure looking towards the future with extreme anticipation.

So, for now, I leave you with a link to my favorite hat site, "FITTED." They are a custom hat store located in Honolulu, Hawai i that drops some of the, dare I say, "sickest" fitteds this world has ever seen. Check out their recent and past designs on link above labeled "FITTED"!

Take it easy everyone and always...
Keep a Lid on it!

Ewing