Hodelicious

Beer, Waffles, Cheese Fries, Manneken Pis...

2007-09-14T23:26:00.001+01:00

... HOTT with two 't's

Every European city who's any European city has...

A Cathedral

La Grand Place

A Royal Palace

An Arch (yeah, nothing on the lou)

A busy street

A Chinatown

And a view.

But only one has...

The EU

An atom

A 37hr work week, 4 weeks off every Aug AND nap chairs in all parks

And of course, finally, a peeing manikin.

Yeah Brussels

Hey, look what I found...

2007-07-31T23:58:00.000+01:00

Our very own Ms. Cozzolino!

And the Paris Top Ten.

10. Bastile Day (and firemen...and firehouse parties)

9. Smart bikes.

8. The Paris Eye.

7. The Siene by night.

6. And by day.

5. The leaning tower of Paris.

4. Independence.

3. New friends.

2. The night.

1. The view.

Le Tour

2007-07-31T22:22:00.000+01:00

Apparently this message got lost somewhere on the chunnel...

Because look what turned up in Londres baby...

Some peeps from the prologue time trial.

Team Discovery.

Levi on the big screen.

And hey, Lance is back... and with a new training partner?

I'm pretty sure this is Rasmussen warming up.
And finally, the peleton leaving for canterbury... ...with St Pauls as the backdrop.

SW19

2007-07-21T00:47:00.001+01:00

Nobody, and I mean nobody, beats my boy Rog.

Here's to a record no. 6...

But since that was as close as I got to seeing my man,

here are some other cool cats... introducing Mr. Roddick.

And Coach Conners in the box.

Miss Williams (this was from her first round match in which she lost the first set and was down a break in the second). But of course... she went on to be crowned champ.

Mr Tsonga (my new fav behind Rog)

And of course, the man who knocked out, for the final time, that poor Tiger Tim.

It's the very fit Mr. Lopez.

Those random people in the uniforms.

The amazing Centre Court.

And the not-so-shabby Court No.1

Of course the essential eats and drinks.

The never-ending queue.

And, lastly, of course, THE:

punting, pimms, perfect

2007-06-30T14:09:00.000+01:00

trust me folks, it's not as easy as it looks

but after a few run-ins with the side bank...

and a slight knee injury to the driver...
we were golden.

damn it feels good to be a gansta

Mem Day +0...

2007-06-24T13:22:00.001+01:00

...and where could I be but in the good ole U S of A. Why? I'm glad you asked...

1. Because trips home are always worth it.

2. Because when Danny's in nyc, I'm in nyc
3. Because union sq park has rats... and I have friends who will wait in the rats for me4. Because my cuz rocks.
5. And because sometimes ales aren't the best aliments.
6. Because Dave Chapelle hangs out outside the Coffee Shop at 2am on Friday mornings... and leaves evidence behind.
7. Because of hot lovers.
8. Because a day of beach volleyball means a nice dinner is warranted.

And because lobster antennas are edible.

9. Because of camper pies.
10. Because you never really know if the ship will sink.
(except, of course, when this guy is pouring-- when it's an emphatic yes)
11. Because after 482 bad ones, this guy on the left will always pull out a gem
12. Because you never, ever, ever, pick anything but spades. 13. Because some couples are meant to last forever.

14. Because this cat's family, Felidae, is believed to have

originated in Asia approximately 11 million years ago.

15. And because, just sometimes, it's nice to have a break from minding it.

16. And because all blogs need dramatic effect.

Document It- Part 2

2007-06-24T13:21:00.000+01:00

Now settled in... the Royals set out to, what else, find Nemo.

But not before a little breakfast...and you said I couldn't cook

(this was chucked out the window 3 seconds after the picture btw)

Ok, fully nurished, and the search is on.

Nope, not it guys.

And after a near miss at blockbuster AND McDs...
...things became a little tense.
As JT says, what goes around comes around.

Only a stop at the GBK could smooth things over.

And after a quick visit with uncle henry things were back on track.

After finding a clue at the center of the maze...

They were getting close.
But no one said this was going to be an easy search!
It was time for the gun show to lay some smack down.

Getting hotter...hotter...

Uh, no... colder.

Wait. Success!

Well done team. Don and Charlie couldn't have done it better.
Miss you guys!

Document It - Part 1

2007-06-24T13:16:00.000+01:00

Moveover Wills. Moveover Harry. Britain's new royals are moving in...

Posing outside their new residences

Paying respect to sir paul
Embracing the 're'
Enjoying the nice weather
Savoring the local chow
Avoiding the congestion charge
Taming the local lionsUntil they fight back

Loving the +44
Conquering the wheel
Working in the garden
Becoming the ultimate fans (sorry gunners)

Avoiding the traitor's gate...

And more importantly, the rats with wings.

Taking in a pint or two...
Ok, maybe they need just a little more refining.

25

2007-06-16T15:00:00.000+01:00

Yes, it has taken me over a month to come to terms with it, but I have now accepted reaching the quarter-century mark in this thing we call life.

Below are a few pics from my mourning weekend.

hedge 4 life

The food was bad, but the drinks were ok.

And yes, it was just barely, but we made it up past:

After the Friday night 'bbq' it was on to the coast for some proper fish and chips on the Brighton pier...
The next day saw the arrival of some proper English weather, so, what else could we do but ROAD TRIP

Ok, maybe you had to be there, but this was the best parallel parking job in the history of man

Anyway, moving on, we found the white cliffs of 'Dover'.

Game hair is back baby!

From here we thought, hmmm, where else is there to go.... let's check out the map... wait, in Portsmouth you can take a HOVERCRAFT to the Isle of Wight... what are we waiting for! So, we decided to hover on over for some dinner.

No my friends, it doesn't get much better than that.

The last hurrah..

2007-06-16T13:29:00.000+01:00

And the Griswold family vacation comes to an end... but not before we go out with a bang in a 24-hr, whirlwind tour of Paris...

View from the hotel room window... a lovely (loud and polluted) bus stop (but, right next to a metro station, and, unbelievably, still less than the omelettes we had for breakfast :))

I had us wandering for a bit through the side streets of Moulin Rouge, but we eventually made it to the Sacre Coeur.

The next morning it was up early for the walk till you drop Hodel tour of Paris. First stop: Notre Dame.

Next, off to the Louvre.

Isn't that holy grail thing supposed to be somewhere around here???

Next, time for a walk through the Tuileries Garden and up the Champs Elysees (and a stop for baguettes and crepes of course)
Where's this Lance guy everyone has been talking about?
Next, the Eiffel.
And what better way to end the day than with a stroll along the Seine.

!Au revoir!

Mont St Michel

2007-06-04T18:38:00.000+01:00

Sorry in advance for the glut of pics (and the long history), but this place was unbelievable.

Mont St. Michel (named after the arch-angel St. Michael) is known as the Merveille de l'Occident or Wonder of the Western World. The granite used to build the abbey was transported by boat from the nearby Isles of Chausey. Construction of the original abbey took more than 500 years, from 1017 to 1521.

The origins of Mont St. Michel can be traced back to a legend that has the archangel Michael appearing in a series of dreams to Aubert, Bishop of Avranches. Saint Michael implores Aubert to build a church on what was then a barren rock called Mont Tombe. The original church structure was completed in 1144, but other buildings were added in the 13th century to accommodate monks and pilgrims who flocked to the abbey even when the Mont was in English hands during the Hundred Year's War.

The Monks of Mont St. Michel were revered for their copying skills before the printing press was widely in use. The Romanesque Choir was rebuilt in the popular Gothic style during the 15th and the 16th Centuries. Currently Monks live and work here again, just as in medieval times.

Perched on a 264 ft high rock formation, during the season's highest tides the abbey is surrounded by water. During low tide the flats provide food for the world's only herd of salt water plant eating sheep. Mont St. Michel's tides can rush in at incredible speeds. It's not uncommon to hear an announcement in French over the island's PA system that a car must be moved from the auxiliary parking lot within minutes or be completely underwater. The sea can rise 45 ft during high tide.

Ok, this place is huge, and it seriously just pops up

out of nowhere in the middle of some open fields.

In the winding streets below are restaurants, hotels and shops...

Including a famous restaurant with the 'best' omelettes in the world.

Anyway, moving on, it's time to head up (and up, and up) to the Abbey

The views from the top...

Inside...

And on the way back down...
Watch that water!

The D-Day beaches

2007-06-03T17:44:00.001+01:00

Arromanches

The seaside town of Arromanches was designated as Gold Beach by the Allies during the invasion. Remnants remain of the artificial harbor code named Mullberrys that the Allies built to facilitate the massive flow of supplies for the invading army.

Longues-Sur-Mer

German gun batteries at Longues-Sur-Mer: A spectacularly preserved example of the massive firepower the Allies faced in storming the Normandy beaches, these four German 152mm gun batteries are situated on the coast in the midst of a working French farm field. Finally knocked out by Allied warships following a daylong artillery duel, three of the guns remain in their massive concrete bunkers.

Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach, over 4 miles long, was the codename for one of the principal landing points of the Allied invasion. There were over 3,000 casualties suffered by American troops who landed here on D-Day. The high cliffs and strong German defences made this a formidable objective. Despite heavy losses, by the end of June 6th, over 30,000 soldiers of the US 1st and 29th Divisions, and the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions, had gained a foothold at Omaha.

The Pointe du Hoc

Strategically located between American landing beaches Omaha and Utah, La Pointe du Hoc remains virtually unchanged from when American Army Rangers scaled its sheer cliffs under deadly fire to knock out huge coastal guns they didn't know had been moved. Pocked by huge craters left by naval bombardment, most of the German bunkers remain. The cliff-side battlefield also offers a scenic view of the French coastline that saw some of the war's fiercest fighting.

They face westward...towards home

2007-06-03T16:51:00.000+01:00

9,387. Never was so much owed by so many… to so many.

If you’ve ever needed to feel small in this life, visit here.

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,

I have already come;

‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

Part Duex: Caen and Bayaeux

2007-05-20T15:04:00.000+01:00

Part 2... off to France. If you're ever going London to Paris, definitely do Eurostar. Cheap (well, relatively), easy, and fast. Here we are pre-chunnel.

Then we hop off and go to pick up the car... are you kidding me, we needed something with a little more roar. Now we're talking

With pops behind the wheel, me in the front with some AA maps, and mom in the back with some sedatives, we successfully (minus a slight toll incident) made the 3 hr Paris to Caen drive.

If you're looking for some history, look no further than Caen. Its castle was built circa 1060 by William the Conqueror and is one of the largest medieval fortresses of Western Europe. It is also home to the Eglise de Ste. Etienne and Eglise de la Ste Trinite, the Men's and Women's Abbeys. The Men's Abbey houses the tomb of William the Conqueror. The city was more or less completely destroyed in the War in 1944. In Montgomery's plan, it was the objective of one of the D-Day landing squads to take the city that evening, but it wouldn't be won from the Germans for over four weeks. Ok, some pics...

Here's the view from our Hotel balcony.

Saint-Pierre Cathedral.

Spires were popping up everywhere in this city.
The edge of the walls of the old castle.

Inside the castle.

I've always considered myself a thinker...

...and a Heisman candidate.

William's 'Men's Abbey' - the home of his tomb

Now, moving on to Bayeux. Again, the history is everywhere. The city is best known for its tapestry, made to commemorate the Norman conquest of England in 1066. I have to say, for a piece of cloth, it was pretty amazing. And it's still in good shape after nearly 1,000 years. The town also has a large Norman-Romanesque cathedral (pics below), consecrated in 1077. It was one of the first cities liberated during the Battle of Normandy and amazingly, virtually untouched as German forces defending the town were pulled away to help at Caen.

The Griswold European Vacation: Part One

2007-05-18T15:46:00.000+01:00

Clark and Ellen don't have nothin on Elton and Nancy. These two know how to travel!

First, props to pops for surviving his first transatlantic flight. The first stop of course was London, where they stepped off the plane and right onto the hodel walking tour.

It took some time, but with some enlisted help...

I was able to make the London streets safe for my mom:

Just some highlights on the tour:

Quote of the trip No.1:

"Look, that gnarly tree is growing straight up out of the ground!"
The Number 1-4. That's how we roll.
Next up, a little fun with the fam.

And, as they say in Boston, hasta la vista.

After the Easter celebrations it was back to Putney for... The Race. Cambridge vs Oxford. The smart vs. the smarter. The blue vs the bluer. The man vs the river.... and man vs a giant vat of sausages. A man vs a man on stilts. A corona bottle vs a strong gust of wind.

From there it was on to Fulham. They may have lost on the day to Man City, but cheers to the craven cottage boys for avoiding relegation.

And cheers to mom and pops for navigating The Tower, St Pauls and Windsor all on their own!

But man were they tired...

Hey, no rest for the weary... up next, Caen, France.

Cheap weekend deals!

2007-04-20T16:29:00.000+01:00

Credit to Becka for finding an inexpensive, albeit lengthy, trip from NYC to London.

Check out google maps’ directions for getting from here to London. Note, in particular, step 12 http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=Norwalk,+CT&daddr=London,+England&layer=&sll=42.77584,-58.214216&sspn=139.292531,229.921875&ie=UTF8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;z=3&ll=46.800059,-31.289062&spn=78.093873,114.960938&om=1

And, once you pull yourself out of the water... just look what you have waiting for you!

History...

Theater...

Football...

(these Man City hooligans were arrested during the game)

An obnoxious wheel...

Men in uniform...

Tall men in uniform...

The famous telephone booth drinking game...

And, of course, late night shenanigans on the tube.

Would you recognize a miracle if you saw one?

2007-04-20T16:10:00.000+01:00

I did. Richard Schiff in the flesh :)

As most of you know, I'm a huge fan of -- ok, obsessed with -- the West Wing. So, last month I went to see one of the old cast members in a play he was doing in the West End.

It was a one-man show, and, as expected, he was great. Turned out the play was good as well.

I of course then waited outside like a groupie -- ok, stalker -- to shake his hand. I have to say, no offense to all my visitors of March, but it may have been the highlight :) j/j -- ok, maybe not.

At any rate, if this is ever showing again in nyc, I'd recommend it; and, I'd ask you this -- are you really here?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/arts/2007/02/14/btchas14.xml

croesawiad hyd Cymru

2007-04-20T14:09:00.000+01:00

(aka... something like, welcome to Wales)

Cardiff Castle

The keep

View from inside the dungeon

The daring escape

Cardiff Castle and Millenium Stadium

"Stonehenge"

Llandlaff Cathedral

Caerphilly Castle (and it's own leaning tower)

And, you know it's going to be a great St Patty's Day when...

the Guinness 'mobile bar' is parked next to...

...Dempsey's. I heart the UK.

The Chinese, the year of the pig...

2007-03-19T20:02:00.000Z

... I, the month of the visitor.

We continue our journey with a stop in Bath, England. You gotta give credit to the Romans here. I mean, our generation has created cell phones, computers, the internet, etc... but will any of it really be around in 2,000 years.... doubt it.

The Abbey...

...but who really needs church when you can hang out in these:

Bricks that used to support the old floor;

hot water flowed underneath to heat the rooms.

The original tunnel taking water from the baths to a nearby river -

still functioning today.

Hmmm, I can't remember the signifcance of this... old dude on old rock.
One of only three shop-lined bridges in the world. Can you name the other two?

Some freshly-washed Bathian citizens.
Pretty sweet architecture from a father/son duo.

The Circus...

And the Royal Crescent.

And, finally, I couldn't say it better if I tried...

Yeah london. Holler.

2007-03-10T12:48:00.000Z

What's left of me.

2007-03-10T11:53:00.000Z

2 waters and a Maltesers 'The Big Pack': €8
Peanut M&Ms 'The Big Pack', Pringles salt&vinegar and a Mars Delight: £4
Heinz Hot Dog (you know... new york style) and Champagne: €18
Ryanair on-board menu: priceless.

Aight, some last misc. pics from Rome.

Trevi Fountain.Not the Trevi Fountain.
The Pantheon (our favorite Roman ruin)Some good eats (and drinks)
The Fabrizzio tart.The Tiber.
Some football of course.Severe collision caught on camera (nearly -- check out blue sweat suit and mad biker... a millisecond after I snapped they were both sent sprawling. I'm happy to report no serious injuries)

The biggest thing I learned... you really gotta watch your back in Rome.And lastly, my futile attempt to be artistic.

An ode to the right calf.

2007-03-10T10:43:00.000Z

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred steps.... How do you measure, a weekend in Rome? Well how about... pain.

Shall I compare you to a Roman god?
Thou art more worthy and I dependent.
Rough rocks you climb but never once relent;
On you I rely much more than the quad.

On you in London a glass pane did fall.
In Rome you fought when I wanted to crawl.
Battered with bruise but without a complaint,
A god, perhaps not; but right calf – a saint.

St. Peter's

The ascent.

The view from the top.

The views inside.

The Vatican (I won't mention how these pictures were obtained)

Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II
The Spanish Steps.

Piazza del Popolo
La Republica.

Gianicolo hill- on the way up and the view from the top.

URGENT: Please read before completing morning TPS reports!

2007-03-08T19:13:00.000Z

To all employees at Grantham & Wells, Inc:
It has come to my attention that our Hartford branch consumes 5% more water than the company average. That said, we have attributed this egregious over usage to employees flushing toilets more often. Consequently, we will now be enacting a new policy to curb this recent issue of toiletry waste.
If it's brown, flush it down. If it's yellow, let it mellow.
This policy will go into effect in all Hartford branch lavatories as of the start of the next fiscal year, 10/1/08.
If you have any questions, please contact HR at extension 1122.
Thanks to everyone for ensuring our continued growth.
Sincerely,
H. G. Pennypacker
CEO, Founder

You have not lived until...

2007-03-07T18:54:00.000Z

79 hours…

19 flavors*…

18 cups…
(2 obese - but extremely content -Americans…)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelato

Stop no. 1 and no. 10. You can't beat this shit.

And the brief stops in heaven continue...

The last bite... :(
*in no particular order…lemon; strawberry; raspberry; cookies ‘n cream; lime; chocolate; green apple; cheesecake; blueberry; cream; caramel; pistachio; nutella; after eight; chocolate and nuts; pineapple; kiwi; banana; blackberry

Rocks. Old rocks. And very old rocks.

2007-03-07T18:43:00.000Z

Unfortunately we just missed Russell, but this place was still kinda cool.

Forum Romanum. Hot.

And there aren't goddesses still alive and kickin in rome...ha

It may be a grass field now, but back in the day, the Circus Maximus could accommodate 300,000 peeps. Eat your heart out Rose Bowl.

And now, presenting Ostia Antica... Rome's Pompeii, but not quite as ashy

First, you're not really a proper old town without a castle.

Or baths...

Or a bar...

Or a theater....

Or a mare.

And as they say... when in Rome... wear sunscreen.

In celebration...

2007-02-13T18:12:00.000Z

of Australia and Kiwi day... a few pics.

Rubik's Cube, Vol I, Issue i

2007-01-23T16:03:00.000Z

I’m Fairly Certain the Color Printer is Lying to Me
by Dr. H Miller

What started as a creeping suspicion has turned into a sinking certainty. The office color printer is almost definitely lying to me. At first it was small things. It would tell me it needed toner suspiciously soon after a new cartridge had been inserted. Then it was saying it needed to be manually fed the legal paper for no discernible reason. Now, however, it is feeding me blatant bull$hit about paper jams in trays that don’t exist.

Well, I’ve had it. The day I take cow flop about needing to perform printer maintenance from a machine is the day hell freezes over. If this crappy Photojet 3000 thinks I’m buying into its ruse of making me inspect its innards for 15 minutes like some sort of mechanical gynecologist, it is sorely mistaken.

I know there’s no input error. Stop lying to me. Is this because I accidentally print things twice sometimes? Is it because I ignore your pleas for toner? Perhaps my jibes at your lackluster colors cut too deep. While I’m sorry if this is the case, this reaction demeans us both. No matter how many times I push the help button, you just give me the same emotionless reaction as always. We’ll never solve our differences unless we get to the root of the problem. But if covering up wounds with fibs is your tune, don’t expect me to dance, motherf*cker. If you persist in this charade, I’m going to jack you up like Terry Tate and upend you into a neighboring cubicle. Think I’m bluffing? Try me, Photojet 3000. Just try me.

Turns out Newton was right...

2007-01-18T19:08:00.000Z

You've all seen the red delicious a little ooc...
...now, proof that she hasn't fallen far from the tree.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcMMshE_iZo

"it is better to have laughed and laughed than never to have laughed at all."

As Dorothy says...

2007-01-15T18:44:00.000Z

…there’s no place like home.

After escaping the london fog and the stl airport (my luggage wasn’t so lucky), stop 1: bread co.; stop 2: home for a little imos pizza.

next morning david and katie stopped by after their escape from denver
Afternoon was spent shopping; evening was spent (once again) eating...
Mom fixin up some tasty brisket (notice the rolls pre-oven… and not burned)
We try…
…but cannot escape the camera
After dinner, an intense game of spoons...
...played for some reason with plastic forks ...

...the result of which was…

Anyway, on to xmas eve – always my favorite day of the year. After my second annual trip to the dome (where the rams were OT winners and ryan set a new record in the 100-yard dash), it was back home for church and presents…

…but not before a little cookie decorating

that's good work son...

and (once again) picture taking

moving on…three bottles and an hour later... it was downstairs to pool... and mariah carey intepretive dance... (I can't upload videos to this thing, but don't you worry, the youtube account will be up and running soon. link to follow asap)

Xmas day…over the river

And through the woods (where else but in the Midwest would you see a mailbox like this…or beer this cheap)

...to grandmothers house we go. As always, my compliments to the chef.

Well, that’s all folks…
Coming soon...mama hodel hits broadway, and you won't want to miss it.

Welcome back to London

2007-01-13T12:10:00.000Z

Just a few quick thoughts on america after my brief return visit…

1. cut a hole in a box
2. put your…ok, I’ll stop there :)
3. where else but in america could an old, busted-face 60-year-old make a few million dollars by running up some stairs and punching a bag.
4. I heart real skippy
5. I heart engagements
6. champagne power day. On the hour, every hour. !Sun nien fai lok!
7. bootleg dvds…
8. starring matt damon in the very, very bad shepherd
9. urban sprawl
10. fat people
11. open water
12. imos pizza.
13. cheap beer, cheap food, cheap entertainment, cheap transportation…shit, everything’s cheap.
14. i still love bud light
15. it’s never too early to start planning for new years in newark 2008.

Oh…and this guy – huge in europe – not as big in america… maybe it was all the salt water??

The Big Apple...

2007-01-12T16:58:00.000Z

After getting my ass kicked in the nielsten foosball drinking game in CT, I decided to try my luck in the big city.

The night began here... where we ate crappy food and drank crappy beer...

but were in good company...

hold on, hold on, who's this guy with the cell phone??

wait, let me prepare my fake smile for the group pic...

after dinner, cotton candy...

apparently no one told adoue it's the warmest winter on record...

inside ace bar...complete shenanigans...and skeeball...

look at that form...look at that crowd...

not sure what you call this in the UK...

anyway, on to the match... both look loose in pregame warmups...

but then look at that concentration...

(for the record, the cute c.lay won)

I don't know what to say to this bortz...

perhaps nielsten has a comment...

nope, looks like he's busy...

anyway, moving on... the many faces of mbi...

...the many hodels...

...the shimmy???

Sorry, we are currently experiencing technical difficulties. If and when I get this video up, you will enjoy it.

...the corndog???

I'm speachless... so, I must say goodnight.

tomorrow...impressions of america.

I'm baaaaaack........

2007-01-11T19:19:00.000Z

The phoenix has risen my friends. After a month of fun in the sun (ok, only part of it was fun… and none of it was in the sun) I am ready to post with a vengeance.

Today, though, I have to ease myself back into things. So, just a few random thoughts…

- With Becks moving to America, I may just have to follow… spanks, room for me on your couch?

- Bleiman's new job (and fitness routine) in Chi-town.

http://video.uk.msn.com/v/en-gb/v.htm?g=C58A56EC-AF9D-4817-B8AC-6BAA0C972603&t=s73&f=&fg

- And just in case you were curious...

Tea makes up around 40% of the UK’s fluid intake.
Black tea contain no calories – adding semi-skimmed milk adds around 13 calories per cuppa.
Four cups of tea with milk will provide you with 16% of your recommended daily calcium intake.
A cup of tea contains around half the caffeine of a cup of coffee.
Tea also contains zinc and folic acid as well as the minerals potassium and manganese.
Tea is an excellent source of fluoride.

Ok, here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store… come back tomorrow folks.

THE STL
…some got jobs and some sell yea, others…

MAMA HODEL
…words cannot describe this… well, her quotes do an ok job, but the song and dance tell it best…

AMERICA
…just a few observations from my time home…

NYC
…the city that never sleeps... because it’s too busy trying to make me pass out…

MY ROOMMATE…a survival story...

Caption contest...

2006-12-11T20:49:00.000Z

For example:Oh my God! billkang.com is a virus attacking blogs everywhere!

OR:

Booyah! You just got served. By Gary Coleman.

The rest I leave up to your own imagination...

Television at its best.

2006-11-30T19:05:00.000Z

So, here in the UK they are nice enough to give us Americans a channel called Five US. On this superb station, they tease you with a taste of good ole American entertainment…Happy Days…NASCAR…CSI…but, this past Tuesday night, they really outdid themselves.

9pm: Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating
10pm: Combover: The Movie

I mean, wow! Those blockbusters outside of season sweeps…unbelievable. Since I’m sure you’re all quite disappointed you missed it, I’ve decided to post a few gems below. Sit back. Relax. And enjoy.

Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating

“I’m just honored I was there. It was a moment not only in competitive eating history, but in all of history.” – Crazy Legs Conti on the demi-god of eating Takeru Kobayashi’s then record 50 and 1/2-dog performance at the at the Super Bowl of Competitive Eating, Nathans Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest.

On the bus on the way to Coney Island:
Conti: How many did you eat your rookie year?
Eric ‘Badlands’ Booker^: Uhhh, 15 and a half.
Conti: Wow, you've made a 12-dog improvement over what, just 4 years…man, that’s my inspiration.

More Crazy Legs on Kobayashi …
“I think he took the energy, the crowd, the hundreds of cameras broadcasting this worldwide, and channeled it – into his stomach.”

“My stomach wasn’t just full, my heart was full, just to be on the same stage as Kobayashi.”

And, finally, Max DePaola on Kobayashi…
“Kobayashi, yeah, he definitely makes six figures.”

This post was paid for in part by the IFOCE ** www.ifoce.com **

^ My hero: http://www.ifoce.com/eaters.php?action=detail&sn=14

He has excited fans at recent events by performing selections from his rap albums, Hungry & Focused, and The Ingestion Engine, and he remains among the most popular eaters in America.

Booker's efforts at the table, however, have produced mixed results in 2005 and 2006. After a very strong 2004, in which he achieved victories in cannoli, cheesecake and pumpkin pie, Badlands' consistency disappeared.

He lost to a 110-pound girl in this 11-lb burger competition.

But hey, it’s aight dog, I still love you.

Combover: The Movie

Combover/Comb-over: n. An arrangement of hair on a balding man in which hair from the side of the head is combed over the bald spot.

“There were historians in Ancient Rome who wrote about the combover. It was reviled even then.” – Baldness expert

“There is nothing more contemptible than a bald man who pretends to have hair.”
- Marcus Valerius Martialis, Roman poet, 98 A.D.

“If you don’t get out of my face I will kill you.” – Man, sporting extreme combover, after being approached to share his thoughts on the subject.

One devotee of the combover said it best: "Finally someone is going to record for posterity the dying art of the combover. Nowadays people are too quick to get transplants or wear toupees."

http://www.comboverthemovie.com/

You thought I was bitter about not having 2 days off...

2006-11-22T20:00:00.000Z

Think again...

(I am bitter, however, that this thing won't format into the nice grid I had made. So, excuse the untidy layout).

-
Thanksgiving...sitting around the table giving thanks and praise. Boxing Day...sitting around the table beating the shit out of each other (gloves optional). *
Advantage: Boxing Day

Thanksgiving...celebrated since 1619. Boxing Day...celebrated since feudal times.
Advantage: Boxing Day

Thanksgiving...also celebrated by: Canada. Boxing Day...also celebrated by: Austria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Poland and Sweden. Oh, and Canada gets this one too. **

Thanksgiving...football.^ Boxing Day...football.

Advantage: Boxing Day.

Thanksgiving...Macy's Day Parade. Boxing Day...fox hunting.
Advantage: Even

-
Thanksgiving: buying gifts (you know celebrate Black Friday). Boxing Day: exchanging gifts.

Advantage: Boxing Day

Thanksgiving: Samuel Motha-f-in Jackson. Boxing Day: Yeah, you can't top that.

Advantage: Thanksgiving.

-
Thanksgiving: Turkey and Sweet Potatoes. Boxing Day: Carling, Stella, Fosters, and, yes, Budweiser.

Advantage: Boxing Day.

Thanksgiving...in 5 days time: Tuesday, at work. Boxing Day... in 5 days time: New Years Eve.

Advantage: Boxing Day.

Looks like Boxing Day takes it in a landslide.

Nonetheless, Happy Thanksgiving!!

* Some activities that took place on this day seem peculiarly Welsh, including that of "holly-beating" or "holming." In this, it was customary for young men and boys to slash the unprotected arms of female domestic servants with holly branches until they bled. In some areas it was the legs that were beaten. In others, it was the custom for the last person to get out of bed in the morning to be beaten with sprigs of holly and made to carry out all the commands of his family.

** Note: Boxing Day 2005 was the single largest economic transaction day ever in the history of Canadian commerce (according to Visa) -- US$1672.64 . Also, in some parts of Canada, the celebrations only take place after killing of the traditional bear.

^ The Detriot Lions, enough said.

Christmas

2006-11-13T19:45:00.000Z

I apologize in advance for the self-call, but it has to be done. I am making a glorious return to America, and:

Stl amigos, I will be home from the 22nd-27th -- let me know if/when you'll be around. Liza, yes, I will help you waddle up the stairs :)

I will then be heading to the great lands of CT/NYC from the 28th-31st. I plan on stopping by work on the 28th and then heading into the city. Give me a holla if you'll be in town.

Oh, and to all my good customers here in the UK, as previously mentioned, Christmas has been moved back to January 15th; so, yes, you're product will arrive in time for Christmas!

Now, on to today's history lesson -- Kensington Palace.
Kensington Palace in London is a working Royal residence. Of great historical importance, it was the favourite residence of successive sovereigns until 1760. It was also the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. Today Kensington Palace accommodates the offices and private apartments of a number of members of the Royal Family.

In 1689 William III bought the Jacobean mansion originally known as Nottingham House from his Secretary of State, the Earl of Nottingham, and commissioned Christopher Wren to extend and improve the house. This included the construction of Royal Apartments for the King and Queen, a council chamber, the Chapel Royal and the Great Stairs.

The King's Gallery.

I meet Sir William himself.

Queen Victoria was born and brought up in the Palace and news of her accession in 1837 was brought to her there by the Lord Chamberlain and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Queen Mary (grandmother of the present Queen) was born at Kensington in 1867.

In 1981 apartments 8 and 9 were combined to create the London residence of the newly married Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana, and it remained the official residence of Diana, Princess of Wales after her marriage and until the day of her death.

Go on Dave!!

2006-11-08T18:22:00.000Z

Introducing......

TEAM DAVE

l.-r. Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave, and Dave.

As expected, ‘Team Dave’ proved victorious in last night’s, um, well, the trophy only had three sides engraved, but I’m sure it’s been going on much longer than that – we’ll call it seventh annual MBI-UK Bowling Tournament.

Once again the old adage proved true – slow and steady wins the race. With the Giant Killers – led by Lord David “Wannabe Dave” Randall – jumping out to a huge lead in the preliminaries, Team Dave stayed consistent and saved their best for last.

The team stayed lose in between rounds with a little Dance Dance Revolution.

And some…uh, yeah.

Congrats to all on a well-played tournament. The real winner of the night was cod goujons.

Later Dave!

And who said nothing good ever came out of America...

2006-11-06T19:15:00.000Z

David Hasselhoff is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "The Most Watched TV Star in the World," thanks to starring roles in both "Knight Rider" and "Baywatch."
Today, "Baywatch" is viewed in 140 countries by over one billion viewers each week. Along the way Hasselhoff appeared in several feature films...and most recently was seen in the family favorite The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.

His remarkable musical career took off in the late 1980s when he recorded the album, Looking for Freedom, at the end of the Cold War. The song became an anthem for the German people and remained at the top of their charts for eight weeks. The album went triple platinum in Europe, and Hasselhoff was named "Most Popular and Best Selling Artist of the Year" in Germany.
His most recent album, “David Hasselhoff Sings America,” is a selection of his favorite American pop standards. His concerts play to standing-room-only audiences throughout the world and he has released six other albums in Europe which have all gone platinum and gold.
For some more information, please vist any of the below:

http://www.davidhasselhoff.com/

http://www.knight-foundation.com/

http://www.davidhasselhoffonline.com/

Note: katiehodel.blogspot.com in no way endorses hoffmania or any of his projects. Thank you.

This post was paid for by the Scuba Diving Association of Hawaii.

VH1's Best Week Ever

2006-11-01T18:26:00.000Z

(Also known in Detroit as: The Worst Week Ever)

First, the 83-win Redbirds – led by their 5’ 7” MVP – take down the mighty Tigers.

Then, the stl takes 1st place in the recent study naming the most dangerous cities in America. I’m from the lou and I’m proud. http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/30/city.crime.ap/index.html

Then, Ford announces more record losses for the last quarter; meahwhile, Budweiser announces, well, we’re still the king of beer.

Eminem – cancel your battle Nelly this weekend! Luck is not on your side.

This guy, on the other hand, doesn't need any luck:

If Letterman only knew...

2006-10-30T19:26:00.000Z

Ireland’s Top Ten

10. Bacon.
9. Garages.
8. Rain.
7. Distant relatives.
6. Mount Errigal.
5. Guinness.
4. Baby Guinness.
3. The rule of Vegas.
2. Roundabouts, Road signs, Road trips, Flashers and Mrs. M. Mobile.
1. Nippers.

when in Ireland, drink like it. !slancha!

I refer you to the best blog ever for pictures.

Below are just a couple I took from the Cliffs of Moher. Random fact: The Cliffs of Moher were filmed as the "Cliffs of Insanity" in the 1987 movie, The Princess Bride.

Matt preparing to climb the cliffs.

From the hoods of Silicon Valley to the dangerous slopes of southwest Ireland.

Lauren and Bill.

Meg and Matt.

O'Brien's Tower.

Walking along the edge of the cliffs.

Looking over the edge of the cliffs.

For everything else, there's Mastercard...

2006-10-23T21:07:00.000+01:00

Walk to the tube...

(and the subway...)

6 minutes.

Drive to work...

19 minutes.

Drive to work in a world without speed cameras...

14 minutes.

Entryways that look, and, eerily, smell like New Quincy...
1.

Number of the sweetest (and only) apartment in London...

Sweet pieces of decor in the living room...

Depends on your definition of sweet I suppose.

Walls that will fit my 72" flat screen...

Don't worry Stearns...I think 20" may be pushing it.

Number of meals that will be cooked in here next year...

Depends on how fit George is.

Number of meals that will be eaten here next year...

Depends on how unfit I decide to become (duece...duece and half)

Pieces of clothes that fit in this washing machine...

4.

Water pressure found in this room...

I think this might have something to do with pascal, but whatever it is, it's not a lot of him.

Number of daddy-long-legs found in this room...

4.

Killed...

(getting over your fear of spiders....yeah right)

Number of square feet in this closet...

10.

Number of boat races held here next year...

(that's the Thames River looking at Fulham from Putney Bridge for those scoring at home)

Number of boat races held here next year...

47.

(That's my patio, b*tches!)

Not coming to visit me...foolish.

There are some things in life money can't buy...

a plane ticket isn't one of them.

And that has made all the difference.

2006-10-15T12:10:00.000+01:00

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference

www.dictionary.co.uk

2006-10-13T18:38:00.000+01:00

Rubbish. n.
Worthless, unwanted material that is rejected or thrown out; debris; litter; trash
“Let’s talk about your vocals…rubbish.” –Simon Cowell – X-Factor

Bin. n.
Where you put your rubbish of course.

Nick. v.
to steal: Someone nicked her pocketbook on the bus.

Cheeky. adj.
Impertinently bold; impudent and saucy impudent; insolent: a cheeky fellow; cheeky behavior.
From ad copy I looked at this morning: Has this cheeky rascal nicked a bloom from a vase in the sitting room.

Dodgy. adj.
chiefly British.
Risky, hazardous, chancy.
Unsound, unstable, and unreliable.
So risky as to require very deft handling.
“Oh and that’s a dodgy ball across the back.”

Pissed. adj. slang (vulgar)
No, not off… well, maybe, if you’re an angry drunk.

Daft. adj.
Senseless, stupid, or foolish; insane; crazy.
Someone who likes the Yankees, for example.

Cheers. interj.
Used as a toast or valediction. See salutation.
Hello, goodbye, thanks, what’s up, peace out…very versatile. better with mate and -io

Mate. n.
friend; buddy; pal.
the verb is cool too.

Knackered. adj. British slang.
Exhausted; very tired: He is really knackered after work.

Lorry. n.
Chiefly British. A motor truck, esp. a large one.
Warning: if you use the word truck in normal conversation you will stop it in its tracks – and be looked at as if you suddenly sprouted a third eye.

Biscuit. n.
Chiefly British.
a. a dry and crisp or hard bread in thin, flat cakes, made without yeast or other raising agent; a cracker
b. a cookie
As seen advertised: Oreo – the world’s #1 biscuit!

Blimey. interj.
British informal. Used to express surprise or excitement.

Minger. n.
Definition: an unattractive person; a smelly or ugly person.
Etymology: ming ‘human excrement’ or ‘unpleasant smell’ + -er
Usage: UK slang; minging, mingy, adj
Saturday night can’t miss. Sky One. 10pm. Celebrity Mingers.

Way out. n.
If you’re searching for an exit, you won’t find one here.

Sandwich. n.
Two or more slices of bread or the like with a layer of meat, fish, cheese, etc., between each pair.
Etc - the key word in that definition. Some recent Sainsbury selections: egg mayonnaise and cress; egg mayonnaise and pork sausage; egg mayonnaise and bacon; cheese ploughmans; cheese and spring onion; cheese salad; and, last but not least, tuna and sweet corn.
PB&J…forgetaboutit.

Git. n.
British Slang. a foolish or contemptible person.
Answer in a newspaper interview to the question: What do people think about you that isn’t true? “People think I’m a real git, but actually I’m quite bright.”

Bloody hell. expletive.
1. this blasphemous expression may be used to voice one’s incredulity about something just said. This is equivalent to the American phrase “Why, Gosh. Who would have thought!”
2. it may also be used to express disapproval of something said, as in the American phrase “I’m sorry, but I simply cannot agree with you!”
NEWS FLASH: One month, 8 days, six hours, 36 minutes and 4 seconds, and I’ve for the first time found an instance where the British version is better than the American equivalent.

Petrol. n.
Apparently three times better than ‘gas’ at 98p/liter.

Quid. n. One pound.
Stone. n. 14 pounds.

Footie. n.
As in the game England can’t seem to master. 4-5-1 maybe?

Form. n.
When Rooney finds it he’ll let us all know.

Chav. n.
David Hasselhoff.

And, last but not least,

BRILLIANT. Adj.
No definition necessary. I’m exponentially increasing its use in my vocabulary. You should too.

Right. I’m off. Pub at half 7. Ring me on me mobile. Cheers.

Until then, long live apple pie, the big apple, country music, little miss sunshine, Brad Pitt, the grundig radio, obesity – yet the weakening pound, Walmart, and Matt Effin TourGuide Nielsten.
Peace.

A very special shout out

2006-10-10T19:03:00.000+01:00

to my *mum* on her birthday today! Another year, another year younger.
Hope you have a great day!

Now, I was going to post dictionary.co.uk today, but I ran out of time compiling; hopefully I’ll get that up tomorrow or Thursday. Simmer down Effin.

In the meantime, cheers to the youtube guys. Wish I would’ve thought of that.

In honor of their $1.6bn payday yesterday, the youtubes of the week. …uh, I mean blind. Oldies but goodies. Thanks bortz.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=K1Y6PchDYfw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJdCglISowo

And lastly, a congrats needs to go out today to all Britons…fattest country in Europe…well done I say, well done. Not quite yet to American standards, but still, headed in the right direction.

1966.

2006-09-27T18:06:00.000+01:00

I’m sure many of you saw the title of this post and expected some brilliant thoughts on the anniversary of England’s last World Cup victory. Ok, maybe just Max thought it. Ok, probably no one. But, this special mid-week post is in fact a shout out to a much more important event in world history.

For all of you out there who may or may not be taking the first steps over the hill in say, oh, I don't know, the next day or so, this goes out to you…

As many of you know, I turned down the chance to collaborate with Eminem on his next album for the opportunity to come to work in the UK.

(a brief aside, in case you didn't know, he's the inspiration for my photo finger point)

Ok, back to the matter at hand. I admit, I was at first very torn, but when Marshall sat me down and said... “Katie, you have one shot, one opportunity, to get my face on a collector plate, you can’t let it slip. If Cliff or Freddie call me up one more time to brag about their collections, I think I’m going to lose it…the crap I’m getting in 8 Mile right now, it’s unbearable...” it was an easy decision.

So, here I am, an expat with a cause. As you may have imagined, m-dubs and I have remained quite close, and he’s asked that I share a few words with you on this momentous occasion…

Yo, His hair is greying, knees shot, bones decaying
They’re aching ‘fore it’s raining, always proclaiming
He’s young, but on the surface he looks old and ready
To break down, and he keeps on forgetting
What he wrote down, the hearing aid grows so loud
He tries to fight, but he’s gonna lose this bout
He’s 40, how, everybody’s aging now
The clock’s run out, times up over, bloah!

Cam, I think you can take it from here...

The mustache lives.

2006-09-25T18:43:00.000+01:00

First and foremost, two claps for hws on their win over penn this weekend. All seven… Could someone please tell me again what is the color of mold on cheese? yuck fale
And a special shout out to hooker... the youtube posting of the week is dedicated to you my friend…enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzFYsZRpHEU

In other news…

Spinach… who knew?? From a source who will remain unnamed…
“Did you hear about spinach?”
“No, what happened?”
“There was an e.coli outbreak in spinach and now it’s banned in the U.S.”
“Really, that’s kinda weird. I hadn’t heard about that.”
“Well, only one or two people have died.”

“I was so dizzy from the beer…” It’s happened to the best of us mate.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2006-09-20-panda_x.htm

In response to several comments today on this weekend’s Ryder Cup results, I’d just like to say, Europe, if we didn’t let you win some things every now and again, you wouldn’t come back to play, now would you?
Including your three consecutive victories, Colin Farrell, the sextant, and maybe reality tv, the score is: Europe, 14; America, 1,422,118, and counting.
But hey, congratulations on the win. See if Kentucky is as kind…

And lastly, yes, I will admit it was a slow news week (but I am working on a little mid-week story, so stay tuned), a few pics of my new best friend. What can I say, we had an instant connection.

He can’t watch as beret begins her half hour long passing out while standing up process…

What an amazing voice he had…

Aight, I'm outie. Remember, watch your back, and

And the smile belongs to...

2006-09-19T18:02:00.000+01:00

Audrey was correct... it's Tony Blair.

I guess they're not going with the top-down approach to improving dental hygiene.

Some pictures...finally.

2006-09-18T19:14:00.000+01:00

Hi all,
Ok, this isn't high tech as you can already see, but it gets the job done. We can't all be billkang.com. :)

So, enjoy the pics! But before you do, please take some time out to think about the following:

Same language, same fashion (kind of), same sense of world superiority (well, back in the day at least)….but for an interesting sociological look into the differences between our two countries, take a quick minute to view the links below. I never thought I’d say this, but I miss Howie Mandel.

http://www.nbc.com/Deal_or_No_Deal/game/

http://www.channel4.com/money/ontv/deal_or_no_deal/

And just for fun…Billed on the MSN UK home page entertainment section today as the five can’t-miss shows of the week:

http://entertainment.msn.co.uk/tv/bakontv/setthevideo/

(I already have the recorder set for this gem…)>Thursday 21 September: I Smack And I'm Proud – ITV1, 9pmWhen I was a kid, my parents had this red plastic carpet beater which hung menacingly in a cupboard, like a giant fly swatter for naughty children. They named it 'Peter The Beater' and the mere suggestion of it being employed as a smacking device could turn my brothers and I from monsters to angels in approximately one nanosecond.

I was welcomed to Ireland (I connected in Dublin before landing at Heathrow) by none other than Michael Flatley himself...

And on afternoon of day one was comforted by a familiar sight...

Here's my hotel. Built in 1700 something and I think was an important building at some point or another.

The hotel sits at the top of Richmond Hill Road and this is the view overlooking the Thames. It's amazing. Just up the street is Richmond Park (which used to be a hunting ground for Kings). I ran there on Sunday and there are deer that just hang out within feet of the running paths. It's pretty cool.

Petersham hotel just down the road.
Some expert photography illustrating that the sun does in fact exist here...

And now, the moment of truth....MBI UK:

My office...

And Cam, a special presentation just for you of some of the sweet office decor...

But even better, my sweet ride...

And sweet 'hood... (Putney is on the District Line about 20 minutes from Central London)

Does it get any better than that? Peyton who?

Yes, I'm still managing to take very flattering pictures of myself over here. It was a theme party, don't ask...

And now, for what I hope will become a weekly feature...Name that Smile. I'm looking for England's best and whitest. Who is the owner of these pearly whites? Make a guess...and come back tomorrow for the answer.

Peace.

The Flat

2006-09-16T15:36:00.000+01:00

sorry, i had to say it...i'm slowly being converted

1. the dollar officially sucks.
2. lodon is officially expensive.
3. my place is going to be officially sweet -- but since i'll have no money left to buy food or drink, your visit may not be so sweet.
4. actually, warm beer is half price, so we're cool.
5. assuming my juvenile criminal records remained sealed, i'm moving in on oct 15. longer than i would've liked, but hopefully worth the wait. check out a few pics.

http://www.townends .co.uk/site/search/screen_pdfs/pdfs/put_PUT060368.pdf

and now some other random observations...
1. when traveling down a road that is no bigger than a small bike path but is apparently a 2-way street, yield to the big red buses
2. indian food here is, for lack of a better word, brilliant. mandar would be so proud.
3. euro'08 qualifiers are on all the time...i love it.
4. mind the gap.
5. from sky tv news...a solid minute-long report on the air guitar championships in finland. some guy from japan - wearing a tiger sweatshirt and somehow oddly resembling michael flatley - won. the first prize...you guessed it, a real guitar.
6. seen: a gem of an ad in the richmond train station...
"kellog's crunchy nut...it's ludicrously tasty."
7. days in london: 6; days with sun: 6. it's time then i think to stop chuggin the haterade on british weather.
8. scotland is apparently the shit at elephant polo...who knew.
9. free william wallace.
10. you can in fact get peanut butter here...but only after a really strange look from your server, a minimum ten-minute wait, and out of a jar that was probably found behind an ally dumpster or something.
11. .co.uk rules.

anyway, real world starts tomorrow. hopefully i'll get my computer up soon so i can upload a few pics. i have some gems. and sorry for the mass emails, but write back and let me know what you're up to. until then,
cherrio mates

Day 2

2006-09-16T15:31:00.000+01:00

ladies and gentlemen, friends and countrymen,

1. in england, spell check corrects words like 'favor'

2. i made it to and from the office without hitting anything...well, nothing alive...or moving...ok, i hit a curb, ok, two curbs, but very gently...ok, the opposite of that, but in england, curb is another way to say unavoidable pothole that everyone is bound to hit at some point...nielsten, thinking about making me the primary driver, aren't you?

3. you're doing something wrong if you aren't called a twit, a cheeky monkey, or bleary something at least once a day...

4. some thoughts on the office...
- you have 700 people, we have 70
- you have sal, we have mr. microwave...where is lean cuisine when you need it
- you have walmart, we have an abandoned steel factory...you have blockbuster, we have
an abandoned steel factory...you have sierra, we have, well, you get the idea
- but most importantly, you have, thanks to sandy's daring rescue, badlands...i'm not sure
the uk is ready for the big man
but, despite all our differences, we do have one common thread...cheap jewelry you're thinking, perhaps a dog plate or two....no, we have one shot, one opportunity, to bowl. that's right... kalvar vs, kornblum....brent vs. nigel....the epic battles continue cross the pond.

aight peeps, promise to only write from now on with interesting stories....or until i start hanging out with people instead of the computer at the internet cafe :)

the blogizzle will be up and running as soon as i find a place and get the computadora. i mention this only because i'm sure you're all anxiously waiting...

always,

Welcome to London

2006-09-16T15:27:00.000+01:00

some early observations....

1. i love america
2. country grammar meets english country...awesome
3. i already have a sweet accent...as evidenced by the advances of two fine young men, who, for illustrative purposes, we'll call bucktooth tom and bucky covington, jr.
4. ireland is a popular place apparently...as evidenced by our abrupt pull-up during landing at the dublin airport cause another plane was on the runway
5. i have not slept in 24 hours...as evidenced by my awkward and continued use of 'as evidenced by'
6. i love bud light
7. if you are a backpacker and are traveling on a plane with civilized people, please shower before boarding. additionally, do not scratch your dirty partner on the plane for seven hours
8. my introduction of nelly to this society may well end up as revolutionary as the beatles to 1960s america
9. overheard (flight from dublin to london)
man (looking out window): at least it's not raining...
woman: yes, it looks nice
(actual weather conditions...extremely overcast with a downpour looming)
10. the irish don't believe in toilet seat covers...but they do believe in michael flatley celtic tiger (pictures to follow)
11. i love michael scofield
12. if you thought i was a bad driver on the right side of the road...
13. my tv channels...bbc1, bbc2, and something that plays fresh prince reruns - love it
14. keep it real...b/c there really aint any other way to keep it#

next installment....observations from the office -- this should be good.
miss you guys!
peace

Test

2006-08-27T21:10:00.000+01:00

This is my first test post. best blog ever.

I rock so hard: