So this past weekend I helped out a friend by backing up her documents and photos on her HP computer, wiped it, and re-installed a fresh new copy of Windows XP Home Edition (legitimate copy, folks!  Although I still feel sick because I actually bought Windows…ugh).

Anywho, I was doing Windows updates, installing some new software, downloading REAL web browsers for her (Safari for Windows and Firefox), and getting all her files restored to it, when low and behold what did the anti-virus software find?  #$#%@$#@$$   I mean, COME ON!  It’s been running for 20 minutes on the Internet, and you contract a new STD?!?!?  And don’t worry if I just made it sound as if Windows is an 8-second man who has just picked up a prostitute in front of his local Wal-Mart.  That was intentional.

In comparision, my MacBook has been running since June of 2007 without any anti-virus software.  I’m still waiting for my first infection….first anything to go wrong….. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

In conclusion, practice safe sex: get a Mac.

So Friday night we (and by we I mean Jason, his brother and I) went downtown to the Annex to see the band Hue.  For those of you who have known me for awhile, you’ll probably remember that Hue is one of the bands we shared the stage with back in high school.  Unknown to me, they’ve all been living down here for a while now.  Small freakin’ world, yeah?

It was cool to catch up with the guys from Hue a little and to feel like young high schoolers again!  But one night of that feeling was enough.  Back to being “old”.  DOH!

Time for a little shameless plug!

My friend Kimani is a hip hop / rap artist here in Madison who recently recorded a patriotic song in response to the political upheaval in Kenya, which is his homeland. The reason for the song is to encourage the Kenyans to unite and stop the violence against one another. The name of the track is “Huu Wimbo Ni Maombi”. I’m a fan of the track personally. I’ve been playing it quite a bit. The groove fits with modern music and culture while at the same time delivering a powerful message. Hopefully you like it too!

You can learn more, download the track, and donate to his cause by clicking here.

So, some of my friends are watching this live in Madison tonight. One of our local hip hop groups (Dumate, check ‘em out on iTunes or live here in Madison) opened for him. OMG… I kinda wish I was there.

Believe it or not, that is NOT a random title (doh!).  Noooo, no this is the official name of my brother’s iPod Touch.  Ain’t it freakin’ sweet?

Well, it’s a decent title for this post.  So this past weekend my bro came down to visit, but mainly to accomplish some drinkage and a lot of Guitar Hero and Rock Band.  Unfortunately most of Friday night was spent calibrating the instruments for Rock Band (if you own the game, you probably know what I mean: watch the dot fly by, hear the tick and try and line ‘em up.  What fun!).  But once we got going we were rockin’ out!

This continued into Saturday evening too when Mr. (and soon-to-be Mrs.) Chippie Man came by to jam it like there was no tomorrow.

Yeah, the weekend was pretty good, well except for those icky excuses we call the AFC and NFC Championship games!  I was rooting for the teams that both lost!  What a horrible way to end my 2 days of relaxation!  @#!@$#!

Regardless, I will be rooting for the Giants come February 3rd.  Who’s with me? 

So last night was definitely, by far, the best New Year’s celebration yet I think. We setup ourselves up with a VIP table for 4 at the “hottest” dance club in downtown Madison. It was a night of being waited on, dancing, getting a bottle at midnight, and the highlight of the night (besides the new year itself), my friend proposing to his girlfriend (she said no.. just kidding!!). Yup it was pretty nuts, and I remember all of it too (surprising for someone who hasn’t had much to drink lately.. d’oh!).

I have to say that was the busiest I’ve ever seen that club. Even with a lot of the UW-Madison students still gone for Christmas break, it was jam packed (maybe even beyond fire code capacity, who knows?!)!

How and where did you celebrate your New Year’s? (and if you were asleep before midnight, I don’t want to hear about it!)

Seasons Greetings all you happy people!

Well, today is the day that we have chosen (or have to) travel for the Christmas celebrations up yonder. We will be mounting the silver sleigh (Chevy Equinox) with all wheel drive later this afternoon to make our first stop at the Milwaukee airport to deliver toys to little girls and boys (and to pick up my aunt flying in from Vegas)! After that, we’ll soar over the land back home to pick up Lexi and her things (meowing cat, meowing cat, meowing all the way), and then be on our way to our final rooftop of the evening, the North Pole (Central Wisconsin.. home sweet home?). Anyway, until then, I get to pack and clean house today! Woo!

Thursday night we had our company Christmas party. It was kind of short, but a good time. A little food, a little air hockey, and a little Halo 3 on a huge TV is always a good way to celebrate the spirit of the season! I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think instead of Santa and his eight tiny reindeer, it should have been the Halo soldier and his eight tiny alien creatures. Doesn’t that just really warm your heart?

As a final thought, today marks the first day of my rest-of-2007 vacation! I am officially off of work now until January 2nd. Holy crap do I love this time of year!

That’s right!  Today’s post goes out to all of those hardcore Overlive fans that know what that means!  It also brings me to this point: my main rhythm section partner in crime, Mr. Chippie Man King is back from his term in the service for good and has moved to Madison!**

(**Mid-Post Foonote: For those unfamiliar, Overlive was the name of my high school band, and Mr. King was our bass player.  He and I extended the intro and some other parts of Chick Magnet by MxPx.  I wish we had a recording of it.  Rock out with your sock out. Woo!)

We’ve met up a couple times already since his return to the Midwest, but this weekend will be his first time at our Madison residence as our neighbor (across town).  He, his girlfriend, and a small group of friends are headin’ over to our shack for some Christmas cheer and some friendly Wii competition!  Bring it on you maggets! (er, I mean cool friends!)

On an unrelated related note (huh!?), attention dudes and brothas!  Have you retired YOUR “chick magnet” status and proposed to that one special girl of your dreams?  Well, impress her even further by telling her you’ll be in charge of the wedding invitations and head on over to http://www.coquidesign.com!  These are starting to prove themselves as the best invitations in Southern Wisconsin.  Don’t get ones that bite!  Check out these awesome invites!  (lame rhyme alert; take cover Bert!)

Judging by the lack of good taste in those rhymes, I think it’s bed time (d’oh!!).  One more day of work before the weekend, and then I’m down to one more week before my Christmas vacation. 

To all a good night!

Tuesday night re-cap!  I’m full of crap! :)  Turns out the guitar battle with Tom Morello wasn’t so bad after all.  Then again, it was still in the Easy level. :P  I even accomplished the encore song that I got to play along with Tom on.  (so sad, this game may actually be addicting)

Anywho, it was overall a pretty sweet day.  It started when my boss called me at 7:30am and informed me that we had the option to stay home today due to the ice and snow storm that was about to rock our world.  So yes, I got to stay home today, but I still had to work some.  Oh well, it wasn’t all bad, and I got a bunch of other stuff done today too.  Yeah I know I rock! (Quick!  Someone pop my ego balloon!)

Also, if you’ve been following along with my holiday posts, I updated my .Mac web gallery today with more recent photos of our finished decorations.  You can check them out in the left column (Holidays > Christmas 2007 Gallery) or use the link in the other post titled “Christmas Pics”.

Don’t forget, only 14 days left until Christmas!  Time is running out to buy me something!  (even if it is just a fashionable lump of coal that has my name written on it in multi-colored glitter)

Well, at least up until this point. You see, we just got a Wii yesterday and Guitar Hero III last week. We started our first career play tonight and now we’re at a halt. The next time we start that baby up, we will experience our first face to face with Mr. Tom Morello, and from what I can tell from friends’ past misfortunes with him, that might be an interesting challenge!

Why the hell do we have to do this?!? Bite me Morello! BAH-HUMBUG you brainless, dickless, hopeless, piece of monkey s$#! you are! Hallelujah! Holy crap! Where’s the Tylenol? (Thank you Chevy Chase for your deep words. You truly are inspiration to us all)