Vancouver 2010, Eh!

It's been a great past two weeks for fans of winter and winter sports.  In New York we've seen record snowfalls and world was treated to the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  As a New York who enjoys and embraces seasons [Editor's note: that was a cheap shot at a certain San Diego friend] I prefer the Winter Games over the Summer Games.

Since I have this bad habit of typing to no end, I will dedicate a later post to discuss my thoughts on what should constitute a sport.  Here are some of my observations from these games in no particular order:

[Obligatory Disclaimer: all observations were made prior to watching the closing ceremonies]

1)  It took awhile but I finally learned curling.  Not that I want to watch people throw rocks down an ice surface for three hours, but at least I can explain it to someone in under 90 seconds.

2) A Double McTwist 1260 is not an item on the McDonalds Dollar Menu nor a character on Grey's Anatomy, rather two flips while doing 3.5 twists (rotations).  Thank you Shaun White.

3)  Two-man luge continues to make me uncomfortable.

4)  Favorite Olympic name:  Torah Bright (Australian snowboarder)

5)  Do the Olympians have any say on what they wear?  I plan to purchase a Ryan Callahan USA hockey jersey (image on right).  I'm still undecided about the USA snowboarders "uniform" (with the fake jeans) but what were those Norwegian curlers (curlists?) thinking.  Still undecided about the USA snowboarders and I'm not going to discuss the outfits worn by the figure skaters.

6)  I can do without the NHL and the all-star festivities for the two-week Olympic tournament.  I just hope someday soon the women's tournament can be competitive.  Watching the USA and Canada dominate the women of the world is just painful. 

7)  The Russians continue to be sore losers.  After a male Russian figure skater lost to an American, he took a shot at the victorious skater's lack of performing a quadruple thingy, and called his performance something more fitting to ice dancing (another winter Olympic event).  My take:  Is there a difference between figure skating and ice dancing anyway?

8)  And finally, the Olympic games will always be remembered for the tragedies and negatives of the games and less so for all the great moments.  Vancouver will be probably be remembered for its glitches and tragedies rather than its amazing stories.  More on this here.  All non-believers should do a quick search of the Summer Games in Atlanta in1996 or the Winter Games in Munich in 1972.

Eight observations in honor of Apollo Ohno's total career Olympic medals.  Congrats to all those who competed in Vancouver and I'll see you all in Sochi, Russia in 2014!

San Diego is Evil!

I know just from the title that I've already insulted a certain friend. She plans to move out west as soon as possible. Not just out to California, to San Diego. She constantly talks about going out there, finding any (respectable) work to pay the bills, and then find her true calling (with or without that law degree).

This friend talks more about the greatness that is San Diego than she does about the virtues of the most awesome movie masterpiece of the century--Slumdog Millionaire of course (which I still have not seen nor intend to see). This friend also happens to also be one of my closest friends while I was in law school and if I ever find myself out west, I will make a point to visit her. I'm sure she will be happier out there than I am in NY.

The purpose of this post is not to dwell on my friend but to let out some anger. As you all know, I'm working on developing a number of business ideas. I also recently got back from a trip to Canada which was both business and pleasure. This story relates to the business side. The friends happen to be my marketing consultant and graphic designer.

Late one night over Presidents' Weekend we were trying to come up with a business name. Because of the nature of the business, certain names can be twisted into something dirty while my business is child friendly. So I asked my friends for some help. During a brainstorming session (around midnight) , the graphic designer came up with the best idea. I was thinking about it all weekend and up until today and really took a liking to it. I even started doodling on a pad to see what I can do for a logo. [I am fairly creative and artistically talented both on and off the computer.]

Earlier today I started doing a due diligence search to see if the name is already being used. First I checked in New York and the name was not in use. Then I checked nationally just in case my company makes it big. Sure enough, the first result in my search was a business operating out of San Diego, California. That business was somewhat related but the model is completely different. Unfortunately, the business (which shall remain nameless) took my name and had the domain name up and running for some time now. Back to the drawing board for me!

The moral of the story is that the founder of that business is evil, the city of San Diego is just as evil, and California is beyond evil. Don't get me wrong, I wish the owner and the business lots of success because I have nothing against him or his business. Plus, everyone knows that karma is a [censored].

[Editors Note: I know I'm blaming the entire city in a state I know little about (other than the fact that the people are weird and their governor is Kindergarten Cop) but I am miffed. It's always easier to blame a large group and make generalizations rather than go after the individual or small group who is/are the source of the problem. I don't actually hate La Ciudad de San Diego or the people of California (except the hippies, Nancy Pelosi, and the illegals).]

Please direct any and all complaints about this post or any other post on this blog to (212) 479-7990.

I Love You, Man

Okay, before you all get the wrong idea, there are many girls who can vouch for my heterosexuality. And no, I don't buy the "man-crush" or "bromance" concepts.

Before my Presidents' Weekend excursion to our neighbor to the north (see next post) I had a chance to catch an advanced screening of the upcoming flick, "I Love You, Man" starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. The film hits theaters on March 20th but here's a sneak peak:

Paul Rudd is the main character and the movie opens with him proposing to his girlfriend. While they plan the wedding, he and his fiance discover that while he has lots of female friends, he has very few guy friends, and no best man. Rudd's character then goes on a series of "man dates" to find a best man for the wedding.

Funnier Moment: Paul Rudd goes to Jason Segel's house following a man date. Segal introduces the dog as Anwar Sadat. When asked why he calls his dog Anwar Sadat, Segel replies "because he looks like Anwar Sadat" and the camera pans to a picture hanging on Segel's wall of the real Anwar Sadat.

I highly recommend this movie for a lots of laughs. [Okay, that sounds really lame] Guest starring Rush (the band) Jamie Pressly, Jon Favreau, and Lou Ferrigno (the original Incredible Hulk). Rated R for language and sexual innuendo (cue The Todd).

Check out the trailer:


SPOILER ALERT (which will have no impact on any storyline): You will not see as much Jason Segel as you saw in his last film, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." END OF SPOILER

Finally a reason to go to California

As fun as it would be to continue a certain blog war with Danielle, I don't think it needs to go beyond "I HAVE NO INTEREST IN SEEING SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE REGARDLESS OF HOW CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED IT WAS!"

There were other topics of conversation that night. For one, we also discussed her desire/plan to move to California. I have never been to the left coast. [Been as far as Edmonton, Alberta Canada, which is in the Canadian Rockies for those non-moose loving or geographically challenged folk.] I want to go out there and ride along the coast on my most awesome Cannondale roadbike, and also see friends, hit the beaches and check out the girls. Not that there aren't enough fake or enhanced girls in New York!

[NOTE: I would never go out there and escape the seasons. I am perfectly content with my New York summers and winters. I love the beach and love to ski. I can do without spring and fall.]

ANYWAY, Danielle asked me if I would visit her if she moved out there. Considering that in my many years of existence I have never ventured out there, was this enough to tip the scales, and go west (albeit for a brief vacation)?

I said yes because that's always the right thing to say, but then yesterday I finally got a good reason to go to California. After that football game last night (which I did watch very intently), I went online to re-watch the Audi commercial with Jason Statham ("The Transporter" or "El Transportador" south of the border). I also found this other Audi commercial which did not air in the US.

And THIS is why I need to go to California: