rickyleepotts.com | a voice of rhythm, reason, & reality

I text a lot.  I text more than most people do, I am sure.  Well, maybe not.  I do not text during the day, at least Monday through Friday, as I am at work.  But I do text a lot in the evenings and on the weekends.  (OK, I cannot say that I do not text at work sometimes.   There have been the occasional text messages that come in that I have to reply to.  But those are only for emergencies only.)  I rack up about 5,000 to 10,000 text messages sent and received a month.  That number was higher when I was a server, of course, as I was only working a couple days a week.

The majority of my text messaging comes from Twitter these days.  I send more text messages to social media sites than I do people it seems.  Not to mention the number of people that I receive text message alerts from when he or she Tweets.  Yeah, maybe Twitter can start paying my outrageous cell phone bill.  (I have unlimited text messages, don’t worry.)

I have actually written several posts about texting.  I wrote one a while back that discussed a girl that had run up an insane bill (she was very young, under eighteen for sure) and how her parents reacted to it.  I also wrote a post, quite recently actually, about a girl that fell into a manhole in New York City while she was walking and texting.

But the reason that I am here today is to discuss the art of texting and driving.  New York, of all places, is saying that they have proof that texting while you are behind the wheel is dangerous.  They stated in a recently research study that you are 23 times more at risk of getting into an accident if you are texting while you are driving.  That number, to me, is actually quite low.  I cannot believe that it only goes up 23%.

But the state of New York is also trying to push for this to against the law.  They are saying that if the state begins to enforce this as being something not to take lightly, that in turn they would see a decrease in not only crashes, but deaths as well.  (Of course if you believe that you die when you die, like most of us do, then no matter what the law is it will not matter when we go.)  They also say that this is something that can easily be monitored and tracked.  Huh?  Really?  I want to know how.

How in the world are you going to tell me that you can tell when I am texting and driving?  Outside of the fact that nearly every teenager that has a cell phone can text without even looking at his or her phone, and the fact that I can type faster than most of you out there reading this right now, you mean to tell me you can track my texting while I am driving?  I want to see it.  Prove it.  Pull me over.  Now, granted, I believe that you could see me if you were sitting in the car beside me, but that is about it.  What if I am looking at my GPS driving to get to my next destination?  Or what if I am checking the weather reports because there is a tornado warning and I am scared for my family at home?  Or are those going to be illegal as well?

The more and more people that get cell phones, and the more and more people that text their fingers away, the more you are going to see this becoming an issue.  There is no way to stop it, and I will be surprised to see any state make this an official law.  Of course, there already may be states that have made this a law, but I will not listen.  I am going to text when I want whether I am driving or not.  I have not wrecked (knock on wood) nor even been close (still knocking) since the day I turned sixteen and began my text message career.  I am just as safe driving while texting as the guys that leave the bar every night at 3 A.M. who have had one too many are.  How about the police focus their efforts on something a little more meaningful, huh?

I am not sure if you know this but we are in a recession.  Yeah, it came as a shock to me too.  But according to out wonderful government we are in an official recession.  And maybe it is just because I have a job (and a great one at that) that I do not see the recession first hand, but the 10.4% (that is current so I am sure that by the time you read this that number will have grown) do see it on a daily basis.  We have not seen unemployment rates this high in years and if it keeps up we are headed straight for a depression.

But as we suffer through this recession and watch store after store and bailout after bailout be handed out like candy, it is hard not to start thinking of some ways to make a little extra cash on the side.  So here are some ways that you might be able to make a little extra dough this year and try to not let this recession get you down too much.

The first way you can earn a little bit of spending money is to answer text messages.  You are already doing that anyway, right?  Especially the people out there with smart phones like the Blackberry (I have been calling them Crapberry lately as it just seems to fit) or iPhone.  Text messaging has never been as easy or as cheap as it is now days and if there is a way to make some Roosevelt’s while doing it why not?

There are all kinds of services out there for this.  Locally you might have heard, or have seen on the side of a city bus, the words ChaCha.  ChaCha was started by a guy from right here in Indiana (he also invented voicemail) and has been based in Carmel since its inception a few years back.  I actually have had the pleasure of working for this company for a short period of time as, what they call, a “guide”.  You sign up for free and answer questions while you are at home in front of your machine or on your phone as you are out with your friends.  It gets a little over bearing but you have total control because you are treated as a contractor and not an actual employee.  Another service that is similar to ChaCha is text118118.com.  They are very similar and seem to be more focused on text messaging than anything.

The cool thing about these sorts of jobs, if you can even call it a job, is that you can work at your own pace.  Never more are the days of being bored with nothing to do; simply respond to the never-ending list of questions that these services get on a daily basis.  (ChaCha is actually not doing very well.  They have cut back staff and slashed their payment schedule back and have even begun charging users for answers after he or she hits a certain number.  Apparently paying people to answer questions all day and night with no income outside of advertising was not the best way to create a business success story.  Guess voicemail wins the battle of his best ideas, huh?)

The next idea is one that will make you feel like a real life guinea pig.  This is also a way to make a quick buck and to get your name attached to some research studies throughout the country.  You can become a simulated patient for a variety of tests, medications, and procedures at an endless list of hospitals and medical programs at colleges and universities.  Some of them that I have thought about include deprivation sleep studies (where they watch your sleep patterns for a series of nights), and alcohol dependence.  (The only rule with that one is you have to be 21 years of age and must consume at least three drinks a week.)  They pay incredible rates as most are extended over a series of days and sometimes weeks as well as require you to stay in either the hospital or research laboratory.  However, for the rates that some of these places dish out I will stay as long as you need me.

One way, and one that is not necessarily new to the average online user, is using services like eBay and Amazon to sell your used goods.  Take your last semester’s algebra book for example.  If you take that back to the bookstore on campus they might give you a fraction of what it is worth.  Or they might not give you anything at all if the class will be teaching out of a different book the following semester.  Or that collection of baseball cards that have been sitting in your attic for God knows how many years.  Those things could be, depending on their condition, worth hundreds, even thousands of dollars to a collector.  So why not throw them online.  Sure, these places take a cut (and eBay has actually raised their cut to 3% last I checked) for your total selling price but in the end it is more money than you had before with all that junk just lying around.

Another way to earn some quick bucks is to become a tutor. You can do this at a handful of organizations from homeless shelters (most of these are non for profit though) or local elementary or even your nearest college campus.  Take something you are good at, especially if you are still in school you should select a subject that you always get an A in) and just post signs with an hourly rate and your phone number.  You might be shocked at the results.

Of course this list is endless but I just wanted to share a few that I have seen over the past few months that have had my brain ticking.  I work full time the way it is, so I do not have a lot of time to take part in these activities.  This is meant for those of you that might not like your current situation.  I have always felt that if you find yourself in a job that you like, or one that is not providing you with the adequate financial stability that you deserve or desire, then get out.  There is nothing worse than waking up every morning and not wanting to go to work.  You should love your job.  Do not work to live; you need to live to work.

I am hanging out with a band that I dare you to listen to and not move your feet and sing along like you know the words.  Better than that go ahead and learn the words that way you can actually sing along.  These guys have energy that is hard to find in today’s industry and matches it perfectly with incredible lyrics, smooth vocals, and powered instrumentals.  A band that I am glad I have discovered, I am happy to introduce to you Athens.

Where did you guys all meat?

We met at the butcher shop.  Our mutual friends Chuck and Patty introduced us.

How long have you been together?

461 days.

Describe your genre in one word.

Other.

Is there a ringleader in the group?

Athens functions much like the systems of the body.  All have their essential functions that contribute to the survival of the body.  In this way, Andrew is the central nervous system, Adam is the cardiovascular system, Nick is the digestive system, and Jed is the endocrine system.

Where do you guys practice?

We practice in the Church of Saint Francis, Liberal Catholic, which also happens to be the home of three of our members.

Do you guys all have jobs or is music it?

Most of us have day jobs.

What is your favorite venue to play?

Nature.

What is the largest crowd that you have ever played for?

I’d say the gross weight was about 10,500 lbs. of people.

The smallest?

Roughly 170 lbs.

Let’s say that you are headlining at Madison Square Garden.  Who is your opener?

Annie Lennox.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

Whales, the universe, the Mayan Empire, oceans, etc.

What are your thoughts on MySpace?

It’s swell.

Where does the inspiration come from for a new track?

Thin air.

Who writes all the lyrics?

Andrew.

Let’s say you are offered a $250,000 record deal but it is some one else’s lyrics and it is a rap album.  Do you do it?

Yes.

What did you guys have for dinner last night?

Beer, cheeseburgers, Domino’s pizza, bow tie pasta with traditional basil sauce, vegan macaroni and cheese, hot dog, potato chips, potato salad, Colt 45, Magnum, brownie, vodka watermelon, pasta salad, whiskey.

PC or Mac?

Both.

You guys have more photo albums than anyone I have ever met.  Who is taking all these pictures?

The official band photographer is Nick Neiman, who usually goes by Dick Diamond.

So did you guys get any poison ivy standing in those bushes?

No, the bush is a Contorted Filbert (corylus avellana), also called a Corkscrew Hazel, or a Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick.  There was no poison ivy present.

I feel that I can get a lot about your individual personalities out of your photographs and lyrics.  Is that a true statement?

Only you can answer that.

Any thoughts on a nation wide tour this year?

Yes, we’ve thought about it.  We will not do a nation wide tour, though we are traveling to the east coast later this month for a nine-day tour.

Where can I buy some of your music?

Our CD, “What Would We Wear We Werewolves?” can be purchased on iTunes, CD Baby, in Indianapolis at Luna Music Broadripple and Indy Vinyl and CDs.

If you could be any one cartoon character whom would you be and why?

We’d each be a character from the Muppet Babies, for obvious reasons.

If you could meet any one person, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

The man who put the ram in the ram-a-lam-ding-dong.  We’d like to shake his hand.

If you could tour with any band currently in the market who would it be?

The Flaming Lips.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

We’ll be living in a modest castle with a moat and a bridge somewhere in Europe.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

We’d like to be remembered as the doers of good deeds.

I always let the artist get the last word.  Go.

Thanks.

Before we get started I would like to ask you a simple question.  Who is the number one golfer in the world?  I am talking about the single best player that is on the face of this planet.  The guy that wins over 25% of the tournaments that he enters.  The guy that took eight months off for a knee surgery to come back to the tour still ranked number one in the world.  The guy that is only a few majors away from breaking Jack’s record of fourteen majors.  He is the guy that wears red every Sunday and makes more money than most of us will in our lives to play a game.  The man that I am talking about is Tiger Woods.  (I will come back to the fact that I just called him a man here in a few minutes.)

Tiger took some time off last year to have his knee worked on for a fifth time in hopes of fixing the issue once and for all.  You might remember the major that he went up against Rocco Mediate in with what doctors called a “broken leg” due to the amount of damage that was done in his leg.  That week he walked around the course in pain after nearly every shot and actually took the time to explain how he finally knew it was time for another surgery.  (The moral of the story is that in his insane seven days a week work out routine he was running one of his ten miles when all of a sudden his knee gave out.  He was basically running in a bone on bone scenario.  He played that US Open with bone on bone and actually broke pieces of the bone in his leg during that week because he was walking on it.  Doctors even told him the week before the tournament not to play as he could damage it even more so than it was.  He played, he won, and shut up a lot of naysayers with his victory.)

But Tiger came back and it took him a bit to get a win.  He finally did win and managed to place in the top five in a couple of other tournaments along the way.  But when he won two weeks before the British Open this year, he was ready to head to Turnberry (a Troon course if you didn’t know) a week early to get ready for the insane winds and links style format that would await him the following Thursday.  He played a few rounds, but was not prepared for the winds that Thursday and Friday would bring.  His knee, mind you, is fixed.  The surgery was a total success and he actually took two more weeks off than he should have.  He was ready when he came back earlier this year, so his knee had zero affect on his performance.

But Tiger comes out of the gate with some bogeys and finds himself a couple under par the first day.  No big deal, the lead was only a couple under, and he was just a few shots back.  Tiger would shoot in the high sixties on Friday and be a couple back going into the weekend.  Well, Tiger did not shoot in the upper sixties; he shot in the upper seventies and managed to come into the clubhouse at a nice number of +5.  For those of you that might not play golf, that is not a good score to have in a major, or any tournament for that matter.  He would need a handful of guys to bogey at least one hole on the way in for him to make the set +4 cut.  Tiger had only missed one cut in a major prior to this week and it was in a British Open.  He has now missed two cuts in majors.

But outside of the uncharacteristic play that tiger had this week, it was his behavior on an after shot by shot basis that shocked me.  Let me explain.  Tiger has a temper.  Tiger gets mad.  Tiger slams clubs, uses more profanity than a sailor, and has the tendency to yell at “fans” and media people while he or she shoots pictures during every single step he takes on a golf course. (Could you imagine living a life like that where every thing you do, every step you take is caught on camera?  Well, this is why he is currently in the spotlight right now.)  Tiger spends his entire day on Thursday slamming clubs and cussing up a storm only to get the majority of it caught on tape.  (Can I even say tape anymore?)  And Rick Reiley made notice.  Rick is a sports writer for various big named outlets, mainly Sports Illustrated and ESPN.  He has made a lot of coverage on my boy Tiger (kind of like MGB) and has spent many years covering his career.  And Rick (no relation) had a few things to say that I can just simply not agree with.

In Rick’s article, he states, “He’s grown in every other way. He’s committed, responsible, smart, funny, and the most talented golfer in history. I just thought we’d be over the conniptions by now. “

I have to beg to differ with Mr. Reiley on this one.  Sure, I get it that Rick is respected and I am in the beginning stages of starting my blog presence, but he could not be more from wrong on this.  Let me tell you why.

Tiger is in the spotlight twenty-four hours a day.  He has to live his life in almost total secrecy.  (I mean, a guy that still talks on a Razor cell phone does need to keep some things in hiding.)  He cannot go to the mall or go out to dinner with his family.  He cannot go to a movie on a Friday night or go on a double date with his closet friends without signing autographs, posing for pictures, and being the center of attention everywhere he goes.  That is point one; he is a celebrity that just happens to be the best golfer ever to play the game.

The second point is that he is a ridiculous competitor.  He thrives, he lives for competition, and if he is not winning or in contention to be winning he is upset.  He is not upset at you, or the cameraman, or the golf course, or the weather; he is upset with himself.  He is not even upset with his caddy.  Tiger is the one hitting every single shot and he is the only one that he can blame for missed shots.  So when he hits a bad shot, with the history he has in the game, the practice routine that he holds, and the absolute sheer talent that he has, he has every right in the world to get mad.

I am a decent player, carrying a one handicap for a few years now, and can go shoot in the low to mid seventies any day of the week.  And I still get mad when I hit a bad shot.  I do not practice a fraction of what he does and I still break clubs, still yell profanities, and still get mad at myself for missing birdie putts and blocking a drive right into the woods.  Why do I get so angry?  I get angry because I care.  I get mad at things that I can, and even sometimes cannot, control.  If I hit a ball right I want to know what I did wrong.  And yeah, I get mad because I expect to be shooting in the low seventies.  (I once heard someone say that you cannot get mad until you are your handicap or more.  Meaning that if I am only one over par and I hit a bad shot I have no right to get mad because at the end of the day I am supposed to have a couple of bogeys on my card.  I try to live by that when I play today, but it rarely works.)

And point three that I would like to make about Tiger is that it is getting close to his prime for the game of golf.  Most guys hit it between thirty-five and forty years old.  Tiger, granted is only thirty-three years old, but he is getting there.  And the one big record that I know Tiger wants more than anything is that Grand Slam.  That is where he would hold all four major titles in the same calendar year at once.  He has the Tiger Slam, meaning he held all the majors, but he did it over two years.  And the year that he was going to do it, in my book anyway, was next year.  He gets three courses that he can not seem to loose on for majors next year, being Augusta for the Masters, Pebble Beach for the Open, and St. Andrews for the British.

All things aside, Tiger his human.  Sometimes on the golf course it might not look that way, but Tiger puts his pants on one leg at a time like everyone else.  (Does he make gold records when he puts his pants on?  Name that skit and win a prize!)

All that I am saying is give the guy some space.  I appreciate your take on this topic, Rick, I really do.  But you are wrong.  He is simply reacting as he sees fit and is trying as hard as he can to be a normal human being.  You have to expect a little bit of anger, though; after all, he is a Tiger.

I come to you today saddened by the death of a true legend.  With so many celebrity deaths that have been flooding our TV screens and news feeds it was nice going a few days with out a headline of a dead star.  But when I woke up this morning I found not only had another star died but perhaps the cutest most cuddly celebrity yet.  Today, Wednesday July 22nd (do you know what else happens on July 22nd) Gidget passed away.  Dying from a stroke, Gidget was only fifteen years old.  (Anyone know how old that is in dog years?)

Gidget is best known for her line, “Yo quiero Taco Bell.”  Blowing up all over commercials and billboards a few years back, Gidget became quite the star.  She was know all over the world (well maybe not the world, but anywhere there is a taco bell) and became part of an ad campaign that will not soon be forgotten.  Her trainer, Sue Chipperton, said, “She made so many people happy.”  And I must say I do not drive past a Taco Bell and not think about that dog.

(Taco Bell, like all the other companies that I have been mentioning lately, is going through a re-branding process.  They are changing their colors, their tables and chairs, and their menu.  With the addition of the Fresca menu a few months back (their chicken tacos on that menu are amazing and only 350 calories) they are reaching to a whole new crowd of people that are just begging for that 4th meal.  I just thought it was interesting that Gidget was the start of their branding and they have not really changed since that ad campaign.  Perhaps this will serve as a tribute to that furry little four legged dog.

The dog got treatment like a star, that’s for sure.  Gidget was allowed over twenty-three hours of sleep time a day (are you kidding me, that would be amazing) and would work for only minutes at a time.  But, it has been said that when Gidget hit the stage, she was ready to rock and howl.  She would light up, act her part bark for bark, and then go back to sleep.  She even had her own likes and dislikes.  Gidget loves the sunshine so most of her camera time was spent in the summer sun.  (OK, this is a little ridiculous.  I mean, I get it that animals can be stars, but who gets that money?  Do the owners of the animal get all the rights?  If so, I want to make Sophie (not my dog unfortunately) a success.  She is cute too you know.)

Gidget had some other time on the big screen as well.  Outside of the work that she did (why do I talk like this is a person) for Taco Bell, she also starred in Legally Blonde 2.  And if you get the chance to star in a Legally Blonde film, then you know you have made it to the top.  She also was in an ad campaign for the game Trivial Pursuit.  (I am not sure I have ever seen any of those commercials.)

So take some time today to have a taco from Taco Bell.  And when you are dousing the imitation beef with hot sauce think of Gidget.  Without that Spanish speaking Chihuahua Taco Bell might not be where it is today.  (Did anyone else see Beverly Hills Chihuahua?)

Who know that technology could be so cool and so cutting edge that it could kill you.  Well, the technology itself does not kill you, but it is a leading factor in today’s story.  For badly beaten and bruised Sun Danyong (how cool would it be if your name was Sun) his life came to an end much too soon.  Sun committed suicide this week.  And he did so in an unsightly fashion.  But why?

A little about Sun before we go on shall we?  Sun was working for Foxconn, one of Apple’s largest manufacturers located in China.  (Go figure that an American company had it’s biggest manufacturer in China.)  He was a young, freshly graduated engineer and was starting his career off on the right path by focusing on the future; in hand held devices and their structures and technologies.  And while working for Foxconn Sun had the chance to not only be surrounded by Apple products on a daily basis, but part of his job description consisted of packing and shipping new never before seen Apple prototypes.  This is a big deal as Apple likes to keep their products under wraps as long as they can and only discuss them whenever necessary.  This, according to Apple (as if they need an excuse) causes consumer anticipation and increased sales.  Guess what, I was buying an iPhone either way.  So if you want to use that to prove your point, then go ahead.

But Sun was involved in the shipment of a new prototype project when 16 of the devices were to be shipped.  A few weeks after shipment it was brought to Foxconn’s attention that only 15 of the devices had arrived.  Guess who had the 16th device?  You got, Sun had the other missing jewel.  Sun had stolen the device and had been caught.  (I am sorry, but if there are so few devices in this shipment, do you not think that taking just one would be insanely obvious?  Seems that way to me.  But whatever, he got caught in the end so it does not really matter.)

But what does matter is the phone call that Sun had with a close friend only moments before his death.  While on the phone he told his friend that he had been badly beaten by a member of the Foxconn security staff.  However, after his disappearance, Foxconn, knowing that one of the missing devices was in Sun’s possession, began a search to bring some answers to the table.  Sun was found three days after the initial search began next to a 12 story building from which he jumped from the top.  Sun was only twenty-five years old.

Friends are claiming to have had conversations with Sun in an online chat room not days before he was found dead.  The friends call him a guy with “everything to live for” and that he would never do anything like this.  Outside of the fact he was young, he had all the talent and potential in the world, again, according to close friends.  In this said chat session Sun had mentioned that he was questioned and locked in a dark and cold room for hours by Foxconn a couple of days prior.  He was being questioned about the location of the device.  It would later come to find that his entire apartment had been ripped apart by none other than the folks at Foxconn.  (The BBC has recently reported that Foxconn has been, in the past, accused of mistreatment to their employees and have had several investigations brought upon them from previous employees.)

Apple claims to be saddened by this tragic event.  (See, people other than celebrities are dying.  So there, it is not a conspiracy after all.)  They are claiming that a full fledged investigation will begin immediately and all unanswered questions will not go unattended.  But what will an investigation prove?  He jumped from a 12 story building to an obvious death only a few days after getting caught for having possession (I can not say stolen because that has not yet been proven) of a prototype piece of hardware.  Is there any doubt as to why he “killed” himself?

I think if there is any investigation that needs to be going on it should be against Foxconn.  They are the ones that claim the device was missing.  They are the ones that are pinning this on Sun.  And they are the ones whose name is brought up time and time again when it comes to the final words of this too young aspiring educated man.  Sounds kind of like a conspiracy to me.  I can just see it now.  You have seen movies like this before.  The good guy does something bad, the big mighty corporation goes after the individuals first, then the families, and two hours of drama and violence are sure to follow leaving you confused as to why someone would do something so stupid.  And they all end the same way too, someone dies for the crime committed whether it be good guy or bad guy.  Well, did Sun jump from that building or was he thrown just like in the movies?

Either way you look at it, this just goes to show that the iPhone is to die for.

There comes a time in everyone’s life where he or she must grow up.  Some do it sooner than others, and some quite frankly some never grow up.  The ones that never grow up are the ones that are lying on their mother’s couch, living in the basement, working a dead end job (can you even say that in today’s economy) and making just enough to get by.  The ones that do decide to grow up, no matter the age, will start to experiment with the things that most consider adult activities.  For instance, when I decided to grow up, the things that I put focuses on were movies, wines, and whiskeys.  I chose to spend time learning about all three and taking the time to appreciate each and every one for their true worth.  No more were the nights of drinking PBR or watching the latest slapstick comedy.  I finally grew into eating salad, enjoying a single glass of red wine with dinner, and being able to quote from movies like Sideways.

Part of that growing up process was going to events.  And I am not talking about keg parties at the frat house or late night Steak and Shake dinners with my friends, but rather social events that involved more than a typical college lifestyle.  These are the kind of events that required a tie and an RSVP.  Being young, it is hard to “fit in” at said events, but I make due by actually being able to have a conversation with those in attendance.  And this Thursday night an event that fits right in this category is coming to town.

Before I get too far into the event itself I will tell you a little bit about how I learned of this event.  When I come across these events like these it is usually through a certain amount of research or a few ounces of good luck.  For instance, I was working as a bartender at a place, no longer with us I am sad to say, called Pikk’s Tavern.  Pikk’s was actually a featured restaurant in a yearly event held at the Ritz Charles that included distilleries, wineries, and the highest end steak houses in the area.  It was a sampling of food, drinks, desserts, and cigars.  Hanging out with a good friend of mine, Mr. Dave Smiley, we drank $200 shots of tequila and smoked cigars from countries that I cannot even pronounce their name.

But the event that I am speaking about to you here was introduced to me by a man named Andrew Lyon.  Having a scheduled meeting to discuss a potential website redesign, he and I began talking about an event that his organization was holding the upcoming week.  His organization is the Circle City Chamber Group, and boy am I excited that I was introduced to not only this arts group but also the events in which he is currently holding every quarter.

The event that is coming up this Thursday, titled Summer Fun!, will take place in downtown Indianapolis at the Terrace at the Market Tower.  The event will begin at 6:00 P.M. and will kick things off with some BBQ hors d’œuvre from the kitchen at the Terrace at the Market Tower.  (I truly enjoy food so once I have explained all the other activities taking place I will touch again on the food that will be provided.)  While you are snacking be sure and take advantage of the beers and wines that will be passed around while you look at art from the featured artist Julie Cifuentes.  She will be exhibiting her works of large-scale contemporary landscapes.  This will be quite the display of her incredible pieces.

And is that all?  No, I have not even begun.  After enjoying the beautiful art and incredible eats, enjoy the spine tingling sounds of the Circle City Chamber Group Saxophone Quartet as they perform great works from the jazz, classical and contemporary realms.  And if that was not enough to make the ticket price worth every penny, you can finish off your summer’s night with a made-to-order ice cream sundae.  And did I mention the giveaways from the events sponsors!  The list of sponsors is quite impressive, too.  That list includes Hofmeister Personal Jewelers, The Alabaster Box (who are giving away five sixty minute massages), Blu Ultralounge (who are giving away some free passes) and the Cantebury Hotel (who is providing a champagne brunch.  (By the way, I forgot to mention the diamond hunt.  That is the point of these donations you know!  These are the sponsors for the Diamond Hunt, which involves a table covered in small gift bags.  Guests pay $5 per guess as to which bag has the prizes.  There are also some larger prizes that are in the $20 bags.)

So let me get back to the food.  The list of dishes includes bacon wrapped BBQ shrimp, grilled jalapeño and smoked gouda polenta with pulled pork, grilled filet bleu cheese Wellingtons, and sweetcorn poppers.  I am getting hungry just thinking about it.  And to go along with all that delicious food you have some wine and beer options as well that will actually be paired with the individual dishes.  It is encouraged to try all the different combinations.  The beer list includes (did I forget to mention that this is all hand selected by Jill Ditmire from the Mass Ave Wine Shop) Coopers Sparkling Ale which is from Australia.  It is a refreshing ale double fermented in the bottle to give slight fizzy bubble.  (Talk about a summer drink if I have ever heard of one.)  Next you have Wexford Irish Style Cream Ale, which hails from Ireland and is a smooth, rich, and healthy finish.  Next comes Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale from the land of Belgium and is a seasonal brew that is fresh, lush, and a perfect pairing with the evenings BBQ food.  And last but not least, a personal favorite of mine is the Coney Island Lager from right here in the USA being shipped directly from New York City.  This easy drinking lager makes everyone as happy as the clown on the label.  And there really is a clown on the label.

You can expect tall of this and more this Thursday night right here in the heart of the city.  And as the late, great, Billy Mays would say, “But wait, there’s more.”  Not only are you getting incredible food and beer / wine pairings with each sampling, a chance to see some incredible art work, and to see a concert that will leave you breathless, you will have the chance to network with some of the cities brightest and most cultured individuals.  I will be there sharing in all the festivities along side local uber blogger Kyle Lacy.  He will be in attendance in hopes of having an experience so impressive that it is great enough to blog about.

You can get tickets now (the early bird always gets the worm) for only $20.  Yeah, you read that right.  $20 is all that this event costs.  But, if you cannot get to a computer to get your tickets before the event then you can get them at the door for only $25.  Do not miss your chance to experience all that comes with the countless efforts behind the Circle City Chamber Group.  They are an amazing organization, and you will not be disappointed.

I am hanging out today with a group of guys that deserve some serious attention.  Hailing from across the pond but making a name for themselves in the states these guys bring a trust sense of talent to the stage.  Matching a near perfect image to go with their incredible vocals and educated lyrics, these guys are well on their way to the top.  I am excited to be sitting with Your Vegas.

Where did you come up with the name?

We actually had a song called Your Vegas first and after not being able to come up with a band name for ages a friend suggested we call ourselves Your Vegas.

Where are you guys all originally from?

Originally we’re all from a city called Leeds in North England. Four out of the five of us grew up in a small town called Otley, famed for charity shops, old people and pubs. The old women go in the charity shops and the old men go in the pubs.

How long have you known each other?

We’ve been aware of each other since 1993 but only really got to know each other at a team building exercise last week.

When did you realize that you wanted to make a run at music?

I think it’s all any of us ever wanted to do from the moment we first started playing. Even when we were still at school and we were rubbish we all knew that music was what we wanted to make a career out of.

Any tattoos in the group?

Sadly not. Not very rock and roll is it?

What was the last movie you saw?

The last movie I watched was Burn After Reading but I fell asleep halfway through it.

Did you like it?

I guess not. I was on a plane though if that makes it more acceptable.

Describe your genre in one word.

I’ll have to say “rock.”

Tell me what it was like recording your debut album?

It was an amazing experience. We all learned a lot. I know I learned a lot about playing. It was a very exciting time for us to be able to record our songs for real.

Where can I get a copy of that?

This time last year I would’ve said in any music store but I don’t think anywhere really sells CD’s anymore. If you can find a store that sells CD’s then you can get it there but if not you can buy it at our shows. Of course, you can get it on iTunes too.

What is the largest crowd you have ever played for?

I would say around 10,000 when we opened up for Duran Duran.

The smallest?

I think there was a show in London once, before we moved to NYC, and we played to a man and a dog. Three men, a dog and a cat if you count the bar staff.

Do you get nervous before a performance?

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. A few little nerves are a good thing I think.

Where can I get some of that Your Vegas merchandise?

We have an eBay store and we sell our tees and stuff at all our shows.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

We all love the classic bands of the 60′s and 70′s: The Beatles, The Stones, Led Zep and we’re all big fans of 80′s stadium rock: U2, INXS, The Cure, Depeche Mode to name a few.

Let’s get some pizza. What toppings?

I’m a pepperoni man myself. I know Mal likes ‘shrooms.

What are your thoughts on MySpace?  Are you addicted to Twitter like I am?

MySpace and Twitter are great marketing tools for bands. The internet as a whole is a great way to connect with your fans and build a buzz. MySpace is great for bands as people can check out your music, see when you’re playing and even contact you. I wouldn’t class myself as a Twitter addict.

What is your favorite venue to play?

I really enjoyed playing at 9:30 Club in DC. The backstage hospitality is amazing and the venue itself is awesome. It has an amazing atmosphere.

Any thoughts on a tour this year?

Right now we’re working on album 2 but hopefully we’ll get some touring in later in the year.

If you could tour with anyone in the business right now whom would it be?

I think it would be pretty cool to tour with the Stones. They’re not on tour right now but when they next hit the road.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

Touring the world and elsewhere.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I want YV to be remembered as being a great live act who recorded some classic albums.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Peace.

Wait wait wait; he deleted his account?  Like I cannot access his tweets anymore?  No, I will not have that.  He is not allowed to do that to me.  To you.  To all of us.  Trent Reznor has officially deleted his Twitter account and has left skeptics to wonder why.  Without the help of my fellow coworker, Dan Secrest, I would have no current interest in Trent or the Nine Inch Nails, but Dan has shown the light if you will on the recent activity coming from Trent’s bag of tricks.

Trent, fresh off a tour with Jane’s Addiction, has been trying to bridge the gap between falling record sales, failing record companies, and illegal downloading. (I would never do that by the way.  If the music is good enough to listen to then it is good enough to pay for.)    So Trent has been pushing the limit and has been trying to find ways to increase sales, generate ticket sales for shows, and to get more of his music on more sets of ears.  One of the most genius things that he has done is create an iPhone app that allows you to track tour dates, news, and other NIN information.  He has also been allowing full access to his shows allowing pictures and video recorders to tape everything.

But one thing that Trent has done better than a lot of musicians is uphold a personal Twitter page.  I mean, Miley Cyrus does not update her own Twitter.  Oprah does not update her own Twitter.  And I would venture to say that even Ashton does not update his own page.  But Trent did.  Trent put effort into his image and his fans by replying to nearly every direct message and every tweet about him or his band.  And that is something that is very rare among celebrities; effort.

But Trent has left the Twitter world.  But for what?  What is next for him?  And why?  Why would he leave the fastest growing and almost required social media outlet out there today?  Some are saying it is because of his fiancée, Mariqueen Maandig, and the loads of nasty comments that he gets towards her.  She is hot, I am not sure why people would talk down about her.  I mean, she is getting married to Trent and she also sings up front for NIN.  Yeah, must suck to be her.

Others are saying it has a lot to do with the little fight that he and Chris Cornell had recently in regards to Chris’s new album.  By the way, that album is absolutely amazing and will make the top five albums on my yearly top albums of the year list, and I suggest that you go buy it immediately.  But Trent begged to differ calling the album, well, this is what he said, “You know that feeling you get when somebody embarrasses themselves so badly YOU feel uncomfortable? Heard Chris Cornell’s record? Jesus.”

So with that public tweet he pissed off Chris and well, they bickered back and forth like little high school girls, and eventually it fizzled out of the news and no one paid much more attention to it.  So I highly doubt that this is the reason for his spontaneous disappearance.  Trent has done this before, actually, having left the band to focus on personal demons and to only come back a few years later to shock the world with new tracks, updated beats, and a new album.  So maybe that is what he is up to, who knows?

My thoughts on the issue are varied.  I mean, maybe he was bored with it.  Perhaps he was just sick of touring, sick of tweeting, and just sick of logging on every day to share with you everything that is going on in his life.  For instance, my cousin Chris does not want to have a Twitter page as she does not feel it is necessary to tell anyone and everyone where she is and when she uses the bathroom.  (She used language other than that, but I will save face for the children.)

Or maybe this is another part of his plan.  Has anyone tried to get that screen name on Twitter yet?  I am curious to see if it is taken and if so who owns it.  (Do you know that GoDaddy is starting to sell that process?  You can purchase a Twitter page setup to match your website domain and design.  Hey, guess what idiots that are paying for this; its free and you can do it in less than five minutes.)

Maybe Trent will leave Twitter and focus on his Facebook efforts or his blog.  Seeing as he is the actual one that write his blog that could very well be where hues headed. Or maybe he is more focused on his website itself and not his social media coverage.  What do you think?  Where did Trent go?

By the way, just because Trent left Twitter does not mean that Twitter will go out of business.  (Where do they make their money anyway?)  And it does not mean that you have to go kill yourself like those some twelve folks did when they heard that Michael Jackson was dead.  There is a good reason for it and he will be forced, if nothing else form fans, to give a story, whether it is the truth or not.

Maybe he is going into hibernation.  I heard rock stars could do that.  They just go in a cave, record an album, grow a beard, and come out sober.  It’s called rehab in some circles.

That gives me an idea.  Twitter rehab.  I think I am on to something.

And the deer strikes again.  You all remember the classic Walt Disney film with the cute little animals running all around the forest.  The movie of course focused on the main character, Bambi (hence the name of the film) but included other wildlife to break the monotony.  But regardless, the deer was the main attraction.  It was cute, cuddly, and perhaps the most memorable cartoon animal to ever grace our big screens and television sets.

But Bambi is back.  She got a little bigger and decided to take some of her aggression out on a young man in northwest Indiana.  Bradley Shelly, of Valparaiso, Indiana was cruising around on his motorbike around 4:00 this morning when all of a sudden had an encounter with the famed creature.  Not wearing a helmet Shelly was thrown from the bike and would later die from crash related injuries.  Police also stated that high speeds were involved in the collision that would be an aid to the death of Bradley.  But outside the fact that he was going fast, and outside the fact that he was not wearing his helmet, let me go on a little soapbox about this subject.

Before I even begin I have to apologize to Josh Corken.  He has a bike and takes his riding quite serious (and I am sure he always wears a helmet) but I just know that this article will upset him in one way or another.  He and I have been bickering back and forth about the potential moon landings for the last week or so and also on what we consider the point of a blog, so I know that bringing up this touchy subject around him will cause some stir.  So please, Josh, take this in stride and listen to the next few paragraphs when you read my opinions on the above case.

I used to have a bike.  I was young and wanted to have a motorcycle one summer to ride around town and to “pick up chicks” with.  I actually had several ladies that rode on the back of that ride with me and I loved driving it all summer long.  I rode it to school, to work, and to cruise the “Bash” in Terre Haute.  I rode in the wind, in the rain, and at all hours of the night.  I was young, stupid, and didn’t care what people thought of me.  I was cool and there was nothing you could do about it.  The only worry that I had that summer was when I was going to be able to ride again.  But when I bought it I did not want to go through the process of getting a license.  So I grabbed a six-month permit and rode to my heart’s content.  But when that six-month permit ran out I continued to ride.

And while I was continuing to ride I continued to feel more and more comfortable with the bike.  It was a Honda CBR that had 600CC of power (that is more than my car has by the way) and was white and blue with a custom Vance and Hines pipe on the back.  I loved that bike so much if nothing else than the look of it.  I had a helmet, it was black with some patterns all around it, but would stop wearing that a few months into owning the bike.  I actually still have that helmet in my closet to this day.  I felt that if I was going to wreck bad enough that the only reason I was alive was due to the helmet, I would not want to see the condition of my body so I simply risked it.  I laid the bike down, actually, twice while I was not wearing a helmet.  I still have rocks embedded in my knee from the second time I laid it down.  I went down just outside my house on the driveway and slid all the way across the road and under the neighbor’s truck.  (That is one thing you have to love about living in the country.  There are gravel roads and driveways everywhere.  And did you ever wonder why we park in a drive way and drive in a park way?)

So I rode for a few months more always getting the nerve to go faster and do more dangerous stunts, all the while still not wearing my helmet.  (That is another thing that I always wondered about.  A motorcycle is WAY more dangerous than a car.  You are forced by the law to wear your seat belt in a car.  But, you are not forced to wear your helmet on a bike that has no seat belt and that only has two wheels.  Can someone explain that to me please?)  I eventually got to the point where I just wanted to test my nerves and I got the bike to 120 miles an hour on the way home one night.  I managed to make it home, and I put the bike up for sale the next day.  The front wheel began to come off the ground at about 110 miles an hour and I just knew that I was going to continue to push my luck until I ended up in a box.  So I sold the bike and have had no interest in them since.

But this story makes me feel one, lucky, but two, glad that I sold the bike.  I am glad that I sold it before this exact same thing happened to me.  He wrecked his bike, and ended his life, by probably doing some of the same things that I did.  He was going too fast, he was driving too late at night, in an area that was probably known for deer, and he just ended up being at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Or was that his destiny?  That is for you to decide.

But the point of this post is not to talk about my experiences (however short they may be) but to discuss how truly dangerous motorcycles are.  They are everywhere, especially in the summer, and I have ever seen bumper stickers that declare that as being true.  (You know, the ones that say, “Beware, Motorcycles Are Everywhere.”) A car will win in a collision with a bike any day of the week.  Imagine what would happen if a Hummer or a semi truck was in place of that car.  I have heard nothing but horror stories about folks that have been killed on bikes.  Sure, there are bikes that are less dangerous than others (meaning that if you have a crotch rocket you will drive it like the world can’t touch you and if you have a Harley you use it to cruise the country looking at sites and sounds of the nation) but they are all still in the same principle.

Outside of the dangers of a car or truck hitting you, have you thought about debris in the roadways?  Or perhaps a fresh pot hole (God knows that Indiana is full of those) or loose gravel on the side of the street.  There are truly endless ways that can cause an accident on a motorcycle.  The insurance is cheaper, sure, but you cannot have just a motorcycle and no other form of transportation in this state.  You cannot drive them in the rain.  You cannot drive them in the snow.  I mean, OK, you can.  But why would you want to?  If you were driving a motorcycle in the middle of the winter you would be laughed at.

Regardless, people will continue to ride them.  And people will continue to be killed on them.  It is the nature of the ride.  But of course, look at it this way; when it’s your time it’s your time.