January 31, 2006

Richard Cheese - Dome!

Probably one of the funnies little animations that has crossed my computer screen. For my birthday week - Day Two I give you RICHARD CHEESE!

Warning... there are numerous swear words on this..so not safe around children...or co-workers for that matter...so I provided a link to it and didn't post it to be "live" on here.


Richard Cheese - Do Me



Richard Cheese: You can dome in the morning
You can dome in the night
You can dome when you wanna dome
You can dome-
Sound Technician: Hold on hold on. It's not dome, it's do me.



Link from: Newgrounds.
Photo from: http://cynicalsmirk.com/

January 30, 2006

Musical Roulette & Guitar Shred Show!

It's my birthday week! This is Day one of a week of no-reason just for fun Blogs. You're welcome.
Part 1
Musical Roulette aka What’s on YOUR player

1. Open up the music player on your computer.
2. Set it to play your entire music collection.
3. Hit the shuffle command.
4. Tell us the title of the next ten songs that show up (with their musicians), no matter how embarrassing. That's right, no skipping that Carpenters tune that will totally destroy your hip credibility. It's time for total musical honesty. Write it up in your blog or journal and link back to at least a couple of the other sites where you saw this.
5. If you get the same artist twice, you may skip the second (or third, or etc.) occurrences. You don't have to, but since randomness could mean you end up with a list of ten song with five artists, you can if you'd like.

1. Brandon Rhyder - Let The Good Times Roll
2. Matt The Electrician - $100 Bill
3. Guy Forsyth - Patients Blues
4. Los Lobos – Will The Wolf Survive
5. Nooner – Friday Night
6. Ray Charles – Cry
7. Brand New Sin – Another Reason
8. Travis Tritt – I'm Gonna Be Somebody
9. Red Leaves – 33
10. The Offspring – Pretty Fly For A White Guy

Bonus: This popped up, but this band is defunct…(and AWESOME) and there is no mention I can find of them on the Internet… the funniest punk-rockabilly-wear-a-tweety-head-and-dance-around band ever.
11. Loblolly – Crawlin’ Pappy



Part 2
Get your learn on...

Sean Claes photo

“Guitar Shred Show” (http://www.guitarshredshow.com/)is an entertaining and educational Internet site for guitar players, musicians and casual music lovers. The basic idea for the programme was to combine educational guitar lessons with fictional, animated cartoon characters and environments. In traditional instructional videos well known musicians sit down to share playing tips and teach techniques on the instrument. With interactive media, this kind of educating can be taken to new levels.

“Guitar Shred Show” contains one guitar lesson, which is a combination of two modes: the actual in-class lesson and the musical jam. The teacher, Mr. Fastfinger acts like a puppet or a game character, which plays the guitar as you push the keyboard keys, real-time. If you play the guitar, you can take your own instrument and try the licks yourself, by reading the notated guitar tablatures. In addition to learning, you get to see amazing choreographies.

After a hard lesson, you can move on to jam mode. This mode is a short, interactive story, where you bump into a musical battle. During the jam the user can hear and test out how the lesson’s licks and techniques work with actual musical background. As if you were playing live in front of an audience!

January 27, 2006

Busy week... and Randomness

I've had a hell of a week. Between meetings with my full-time job, deadline for INsite, deadline for the community newsletter (yes I'm the editor and designer of my subdivision's newsletter), dealing with the Keystone Cop-esque phone company, and an interview that couldn't happen until last night...it's been a stretch-me-as-far-as-I-go week. But we're at the end of the "work" week and I send the newsletter to press in a few minutes...so I'm breathing a little... thanks for your concern.

So.. these are my random thoughts...

- Sometimes I chew my gum and listen to the chewing while intensly looking at someone who is talking. For all practical purposes I should be really paying attention because what they are saying is really important...but I chew...

- The word "numb" is extremely difficult to say when you have a mouth full of novocane. That's just wrong.

- On that note.. who was the genius that came up with the word "dyslexic?"

- I've got a co-worker that tries to use 25¢ words.. and fails many times. Example... "collaburting" for collaborating, "plundering" for intensly considering something, and "refernance" for "reference." It's not a slip up.. he says the words more than once... Kind of like that commercial for Fed-Ex or something... "It's the leaning tower of Pisa.. not Pizza."

- A few days ago I received a box of bracelets, pins, and cards from http://www.tclane.org/. TC Lane was one of my best friends little brothers. His story is tragic. Young guy with everything in the world going for him (Political Science major in a good school, interned with a Congressman, really good head on his shoulders) until he was killed by a drunk driver. The bracelet reads "Make A Difference" and has the Website address. I'm handing them to people who I believe have made a difference in my life... and will make a difference in the world. If you see a baby-blue and purple-swirl bracelet on my wrist...or someone elses.. that is the meaning.

- It's Friday.. I'm the proud owner (thanks to a Craig's List posting) of the most obnoxious Hawaiian Shirt EVER! yes...it is metallic gold. Look and be proud to know me.
Friday

You know how some people are so full of themselves that they take a picture of themself looking all sexy and stuff with mood lighting and they think they look sexy and they really don't and people just kind of make fun of them behind their backs?
OK.. I did that last night before my interview with Nooner. I rule.
SexyMe

Have a fantastic weekend.

January 22, 2006

It will be a happy birthday!

February 5, 2006.. I turn 33..and my favorite football team will be on TV.
Hooray.

Sttelers advance to Superbowl

January 20, 2006

Wilson Pickett...and a naked Austinite

The first time I ever sang in front of a crowd with a band bahind me, I was at my sister's wedding reception in Boston at Fenway Park... I somehow talked my way into singing "Mustang Sally." I was told I did a great job. I was just glad my sister and her new husband weren't embarrased. I mention this because the song was a fantastic hit by one of my favorite R&B singers - Wilson Pickett. Well...Wilson Pickett died yesterday. Man... a heart attack at 64. Rest in peace Mr. Pickett. Thanks for the music.

On a lighter note... Guy Forsyth is naked in my kitchen.

My parents are about to come into town and visit and I've decided to hang up my Naked calendar. What is this.. you might ask? Austin photographers donated their talent and local musicians donated their time and shed their clothing for Naked, a 2006 Calendar put together by Spike Gillespie (http://www.spikeg.com/) to benefit the Willie Graham/Legg Perthes Fund. The fund is named for Jon Dee Graham's son, and benefits the family to help pay for medical bills. The musicians include the likes of Guy Forsyth, Tosca, Eliza Gilkyson, Matt The Electrician, and Patricia Vaughan.

Guy Forsyth is January. I'm kind of looking forward to February... no offense Guy.

Have a good weekend.

January 18, 2006

January 12th... An Anniversary for me...

I just realized that I missed a pretty big anniversary. On January 12, 2000 at 3:00p.m. Sean Claes quit smoking. Last Thursday marked 6 years.

Sure I've had what would amount to about a pack of smokes in the last 6 yearss.. but I went from 2 packs a day to "cold turkey" on that day.

I remember it like it was 6 years ago.... I was standing on the "smokers balcony" at The Austin American-Statesman where I was an Assistant Special Sections Coordinator (Yes... and ASS C) and I finished a pack of smokes... thought.. "I'm done." and went in and told my co-workers I just quit smoking.

They laughed.
But... here we are 6 years later...
I'll bet they're still laughing.

January 16, 2006

Steelers, Longhorns, Nooner, INsite and coffee...

I'm on my 4th cup on kick-ass coffee at Cafe on the Square in San Marcos, TX. You should come in here... truly.. their breakfast is amazing and their basic cup-o-jo is the best coffee I've ever had (that wasn't "fancy" coffee).

They've also got free wireless so I'm here too.

So.. The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off the upset of the season and beat the Colts...
Pitsburgh Steelers photo

Awesome. The Steelers have been my favorite team my whole life. Roethlisberger rocks. You can have your Cowboys, Patriots, and Packers... I'll take the yellow and black attack (Man.. they should have Stryper play their home games!...did I mention I'm on my 4th cup of coffee?). I missed the game. I went to visit some great friends. I wouldn't have it any other way.. I liked the surprise of walking in (wearing my Steelers polo) from a road trip and seeing that the Steelers dethroned the "unstoppable" Colts.

Now.. I thought they'd lose.. and I'm a realist... but how damn cool would it be to see the Steelers win the Superbowl on my 33rd birthday? Yup.. the big game is being held on my birthday! Whoop.

Now.. to the Longhorns.. Amazing season.. amazing Rose Bowl. Amazing celebration last night in Austin (I hear). What I can't understand is why is it everytime I see them they play "I've Been Working on the Railroad?" Why in all the yellow roses of Texas do they do that?
(I just got my 5th cup of coffee..my eye is twitching.)

I'm working on my interview for the February issue of Insite. I'm going to be talking to Nooner, who will be releasing their 2nd album It's Time on February 7th. They got me a rough cut of the album... wow. All I've got to say is by this time next year, you remember where you heard of Nooner first (or at least who is mentioning them to you now). These guys are going somewhere...

Nooner is going to be playing a HUGE show for INsite.. it's the first ever INsite Night on February 24, 2006 at The Dirty Dog in Austin.

12 Dramarama
10:50-11:30 Nooner
9:50-10:30 Freebleeder
8:55 - 9:35 Squint
8-8:40 Analog Missionary

The February issue will have interviews with all of these bands. INsite contributor Briana Reinertsen will be talking with John Easdale from Dramarama. I'll be interviewing Nooner and I'm also talking with Freebleeder and Squint. Danna Williams, another great INsite contributor will be talking with Analog Missionary.

Look for the issue on stands the first week of February...

OK.. I think I've said enough.
Go Steelers.

January 12, 2006

Isn't it ALREADY a Snack?

My lunch today was not satisfying. I'm just used to eating more than those microwavable "Good For You" meals. You know, the kind with the fat content on the box-top? I know why you can lose weight eating them... there's not enough food there to fill someone smaller than an Olsen twin up. You have to eat two to get the amount of food you get in one "Regular" microwave meal. Still... sweet and sour chicken didn't sound bad, and the fact that it was about a buck at the store sealed the deal and I bought it.

But, that's not the reason for this blog. The fact is, I finished eating lunch and I'm still hungry. So, I go in search of something to supplement my hunger. I decide I want a candy bar (nevermind I just has a "Good For You" meal). I go in search. I find a coworker who has the candy bowl. Everyone who works at an office has this co-worker. She rocks. I grab 3-4 mini candybars, exchange "UT rocks" pleasantries, and thank her and I'm on my way.

Now a "mini-bar" is smaller than a "snack size" bar but bigger than a "dot." All of these are smaller than the original candy-bar and the original is smaller than the "King Size." Does everyone really need 5 choices when choosing a Snickers?

Here's the difference.

The "dot" comes in a package like Whoppers... but smaller and provide pea-shaped pellets of candy-bar goodness. Not sure the purpose of these things, you end up eating more than a full-sized candy-bar by the time you're done with these. Maybe they're only meant to be topping for ice cream... I dunno.

The "mini-bar" is the smallest individually-packaged candy bar you can get though. It's one bite and you hardly get the taste in your mouth when it's gone. Worthless. This is what my co-worker had. I took 4 to made it seem like I actually ate something... not just had a chocolate-flavored airburst. And mini-M&Ms... did we really need a smaller candy-covered chocolate button? Is this to increase the opportunity for people of all ages to get one of these candies lodged in our throats?

The "snack-size" bar is the worst named candy bar of them all. It's about 3 small bites worth. Enough to make you hungry for a full-size candybar...which as I recall has always been a snack. In-and-of themselves candy bars are snacks. They aren't meals, side dishes, or appetizers. OK.. sometimes they're desserts...but not usually. They are snacks.

Sometimes "snack-size" bars are called "fun-size." Does it do tricks? What's so fun about a 3-bite candybar? You can't even drop a "fun-size" Baby Ruth into a pool and get a reaction. You know what's fun about this? The giddyness you get when you realize you've got that co-worker that has these in a bowl and not those damned "mini-sized" ones.

It's also sometimes called "treat size." A treat is what you give a dog. Which shows how evil the candy business is.. "treat sized" candy bars could kill a dog... since chocolate is poison. BASTARDS!

The "regular" candy bar is the thing that costs you .65¢ and is what you ate your whole life. It's large enough to stop you from being hungry, and small enough so you don't look like a glutton when eating it... Not much to say about this one... it's a perfect snack-sized chunk of chocolate goodness.

The "king-size" candy bar dances the line of candy-bar decency. This thing should be resealable as if you are eating one of these things in it's entirety, you've got a problem. You are likely the person who eats alone at a restaurant and orders an appetizer before the meal. You should probably not be seen in public with this.

Oh.. as a side note. A small tootsie roll is called a "midgee." I don't know for sure, but I don't think that's politically correct.

I guess I'm a candy-bar purist. You can have your dot-snack-fun-mini-kings and leave with them Gimme a regular candy bar.
Until next time...

January 10, 2006

seanclaesDOTcom Update

The seanclaesDOTcom update January 2006. Ive been a little busy..to say the least, so Ive not had much of a chance to update my site until now.

Well.. heres a few things Ive been working on or worked on during November and December. Hope you enjoy!

All of these things can be found on: seanclaesDOTcom .

Features/Interviews:
- In Flames Interview (From the January 2006 issue of The Edge Magazine )
- Astrid Bin Interview (From the December/January issue of Whoopsy!)

CD Reviews : (From the January issue of INsite Magazine ):
Scott H. Biram- The Dirty Old One Man Band
Every Time I Die- Gutter Phenomenon
Mike McClure Band- Camelot Falling
Motionside- First Color
South Austin Jug Band- Dark and Weary World

Photos :
1/7/06 - Nooner, The Addictions, Shelly Knight, 21 Down @ Red Eyed Fly
1/7/06 - Full Service @ Flamingo Cantina
1/6/06 - St. Ignatius Church Christmas Concert @ St. Ignatius
12/11/05 - Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers @ Gruene Hall

Blog: Updated almost daily! - Sean's Blog on Blogspot.com

Hopefully it was worth the wait and you will love this so much youll want to join my fan club (see my MySpace page for more on that).

Happy New Year!
- seanclaesDOTcom .

January 9, 2006

Two Pennies For Your Thoughts

I was on my way to work this morning and I overheard my morning show mention it'll cost you two more cents to mail a letter.

That thought amazed me. Not the fact that now it'll cost 39¢ to send something through the mail, but the thought that you can still send something across the country for 39¢. There isn't much I can think of that I can get for under 50¢ these days.

A cup of coffee will cost at least 75¢, 20oz cappicuccino at a gas station is a buck, and if you go for Starattles Besbuck you're looking at $1.50 - 4.00 for your morning cup-o-joe. Unless there's a heckava sale, you can't get a candy bar for less than 50¢. Sodas will run you 65¢, a glass of tea with lunch is a buck. I can't think of anything that is useful to me that I can buy for less than 39¢.

Now... with the advent of the personal computer with e-mail and blogs and MySpace and Web sites...and cell phones with unlimited minutes... it amazes me that the price of sending "snail mail" is still so low. It also shocked me to learn (as I decided to read a little about the postage increase) that the Post Office actually made a profit in 2005 .

So, the fact that it's still under 50¢ to mail a letter and the Post Office turned a profit amazes me. I for one amd going to jovially rrun down to the post office and by a plethora of 2¢ stamps. I think the world will be acquainted with
Navajo Jewelry for the next few months.

Oooh.. check out the pretty new 39¢ stamp: See it here

There's something cool about "First Class" with a line through it. Cheeky.

January 6, 2006

Hawaiian Friday!!!

Four photos of Sean Claes wearing Hawaiian Shirts

Maybe it's because I'm an oddball.. maybe it's because I saw Office Space one too many times (I still want a red Swingline stapler... I've got an old beige one but it's not the same)... maybe it's just because I like attention (I started my own fan club)... but I have worn a Hawaiian shirt to work every Friday for the last 2 years.

Now, these aren't the ones you can buy at nice stores, or at that sweet booth during Austin's Pecan Street Festival. I'm talking about those cheap ones you get at gas stations near beaches or at Wallgreens. They are made of cheap materials and feature loud and vibrant colors.

There is only one rule I have for my Hawaiian shirts: They must cost less than $10.

This is why I got so excited when a co-worker found a listing on Craig's List for a person that was selling a lot of 15 shirts for $60 or $5 a piece. I e-mailed the dude and I am now the proud owner of 5 of those sweet shirts. I'm wearing one today... with jeans. I rule.

Happy Friday Everyone.

----
From Office Space
Bill Lumbergh: Good. Oh and remember, next Friday is Hawaiian shirt day! So, y'know, if you want to, go ahead and uh, wear a Hawaiian shirt and jeans.
---

Anyhow.. this is the last day for Holidalies so I guess I won't be posting there anymore. Not sure if anyone actually read what I wrote, but it was fun to try and write something semi-compelling every day. I missed a few days... but I was pretty on-track. Thanks to whomever was responsible for organizing it and letting me participate. I'll be sure and do it next December.

Until then... why not join my fan club and let me know what you like about me... why I rock like Slayer and all that goodness.

January 5, 2006

Another Longhorn Blog...

This is actually the first time I've dedicated a blog to the Longhorns. I was a Southwest Texas State Bobcat. My sister was an Aggie. My parents went to college in Ohio (Bowling Green). Not much family love for the burnt orange... but I've got to admit. Oh My God.. what an amazing game.

In fact, before the Bobcats made the playoffs this year and ended up 4th overall in the 1-AA polls I didn't care much about college football as a whole.


Well.. the University of Texas Longhorns won the Rose Bowl national championship. Awesome.
As my friend Brian, a Texas-Ex who was in the stands in Pasadena, text messaged me late last night... "Unbelievable."

Instead of my non-sports-knowing self trying to wax poetic on the game. I'll let the "experts" do the talking.

Young gets it done in Rose Bowl as Texas tops USC 41-38 By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY

Texas wins U.S. college title thriller By CBC Sports

Young turns in performance as big as Texas By Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com

Texas' Young is Magnificant Lone Star By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer (ABC News)

Google Search

Make sure you click the "Sports" link below to read INsite's Pregame Tailgate (written by the amazing Andrew Fox in late December) for his predictions for 2006... He's been fairly dead-on so far... He was one point off on his Rose Bowl prediction. You can pick it up in print all over Austin..for free.




Hooked.

January 4, 2006

INsite Magazine - Always Entertaining Under The Covers

Howdy,
I'm the editor of INsite Magazine... and I work hard at bringing the world of entertainment news to Austin, Texas every month. The bulk of what we print is from local contributors (talented writers and photographers). We've got a few great non-Austinite contributors as well.

Our stories range from interviews with international stars like Sienna Miller, Big Boi, Michelle Yeoh, Jason Mraz, Jet and Kiera Knightly to local stars like Nooner, Cory Morrow and Pong. Our columnists write reviews on local restaurants and businesses (fashion), as well as local and national music and DVDs. Our sports section has featured stories on the Austin Wranglers, Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons), Austin Toros and our awesome Pregame Tailgate column (Don't miss the 2006 Predictions in the January issue)

We're kicking off a new column in January - Driving INsite - where our writer test-drives some of the newest makes and models. Honda is our January spotlight.

The January issue will be on the stands (free) this weekend all over Austin, TX and online ( insiteaustin.com) soonafter. Join us on MySpace (details below) for updates.

Hooray Austin!

INsite Austin Logo

INsite – Always Entertaining Under The Covers.

Join INsite on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/insiteaustin and get frequent updates and INsite Extras delivered to your MySpace via bulletins and our blog (subscribe to it today!)

Join the INsite Group on MySpace http://groups.myspace.com/insite and come back daily to interact with some of the coolest folks in Austin. The bulletin space of our MySpace Groups features some great press releases about important issues and Austin entertainment.

January 3, 2006

Ehcilc (Cliche backwards)

I was watching a documentary of Lubbock music called Lubbock Lights yesterday and I think it was Tommy X Hancock who described Lubbock as "A nice place to live but I wouldn't want to visit." I thought that was pretty neat way to describe something.

So.. I thought of a few of those wordplay one-step-from-cliches... I'll call them Ehcilc (Cliche backwards)

- With the new smoking ordinance in bars, in Austin, you've got to "go inside to get some fresh air."
- If you're a spider.. it could be that "time is fun when you're having flies"
- If you block a Quarterback.. you could be "bucking the pass"
- If Henry VIII went into to a tailor.. he was a "King to be fit"
- At the animal shelter, "Every day has its dog."
- Didn't Ghandi "Fast in the live lane?"
- Canoe owners in the Sahara are likely "Up a paddle without a creek."
- Don't you hate it when embers jump "out of the fire and into the frying pan?"
- You're really skilled if you can "hit two stones with one bird."
- It'd take a lot of digging to make a "molehill out of a mountain."
- I was watching a bowl game with a bowl of Ruffles... when I leaned over and got a "shoulder on my chip."
- If you had a severe sore throat and wanted to eat in a foreign land you may be "so horse that you could eat in Hungary."
- With all of the stuff that goes on at my job.. it's like my "company loves misery."
- If you have an eating disorder you may think, "What goes down must come up."
- Nuns have "more God than money."

OK. I'll stop.

January 2, 2006

You shouldn’t be using advanced technology if...

I had a minute to think, so I came up with a short list… feel free to add on to it as I’m sure I missed something.

You shouldn’t be using advanced technology if:
- you gesture with your hands while talking on your cell phone. They can’t see you and you scare kids flailing about…
- You use a walkie-talkie phone in restaurants or in line at the supermarket. People don’t care what you’re talking about and having both sides of the conversation doesn’t help. (I actually hate that little brrring of the Nextel phones… and really don’t like the idiot attached to the end of the phone).
- You’ve been told by your IT department that you have to “plug it in” in order to turn on the computer… more than one time (you get a one DUH freebie on this).
- You forward e-mails that tell you that you need to send an e-mail to 10 people or something bad will happen to you… or that you’ll get a coupon for free food by forwarding something… or if you’ve added your name ta petition and then forwarded it off… (if it doesn’t reside online, there is no way the petition can be followed.)
- You hold the phone in front of you to talk and then put it to your ear to listen. People can hear you just fine if you hold it like a phone.
- You have a ringtone that contains vulgar language.
- You take your phone to work with you.
- You take your phone to work with you and you take your phone into meetings.
- You take your phone to work with you, take your phone into meetings, and answer it when it rings.
- You take photos of things like pencils and crackers at restaurants and exclaim loudly “ooh, look at that!” every time.
- You installed a TV in the front seat of your vehicle. Idiot… drive.
- You don’t know how to check your voice mail.
- You’ve called someone (not work related...) moments after e-mailing them to ask if they got it.
- Your work IT department has told you that your problem is OE and they’ll be there in a minute… (that means it’s operator error).
- Your company gives you a rotary phone for Christmas.