Stephen's Up-N-Comin' Schedule

As I'm sure the four people who read our blog are aware, Mason periodically briefs us all with his up coming, outrageously rousing schedule of events and trips. Although Mason could be completely lying and really just sitting at home looking at Free Cabin Porn, I'm painfully and jealously aware he's telling the truth. My life in Green Bay is fairly uneventful, and his casual gloating about taking weekend trips to Beijing and parachuting exhibitions in Paris make my life look like some shit he accidentally stepped in while big game hunting in Alaska. With that being said, I thought I would share with everyone my excessively mundane schedule...

1. Go buy deodorant
The purchase of a reasonably priced, solid smelling stick of deodorant has become quite the endeavor for me. The correct purchase on this can be tricky and immensely affect many weeks to follow, because if one purchases an odd odored stick, one is forced to live with this until they run out (you can legally only buy one stick of deodorant at a time within a four week period, no turning back). I've tried hundreds of different brands (i.e. Old Spice, Right Guard, Ragu, Uncle Ben's, Payless, Pam), and have found "Old Spice: Game Day" to be the best. This scent is has great smell defense while not being so over powering I smell like I was eating it (which I have done).

2. Cavity filling
The dentist never really bothers me. Something about an early morning teeth scrapping really gets my blood flowing. I mean, I'm not digging at my teeth with forks when I'm home, but I'm pretty tolerable about wearing a bib and having strangers shine bright lights on my face while hovering around my mouth. This clip from the show "Metalocalypse," however, makes some legitimate points about trips to the dentist.

3. Go out to the exact same bars every weekend and continue to ask for "Shoop" to be played
As much as I like Green Bay, the setting offers little variety in terms of entertainment. There are the basics, niche events and occasional "wow" nights out...but really...every weekend offers limited options. Other than my brief trip to Milwaukee, I've been loosely running the same weekend routine for the last seven months. I like the bars my friends and I go to, I enjoy the people we meet up with, but eventually you feel slightly pathetic by rarely mixing it up. If you don't want to go out and drink, your options become fairly restricted. There isn't going to be an art gallery opening, an exciting band playing in town or much richer, hip culture very often. This leaves one with little room for options, and I find myself in the same places I went to while working towards my undergrad. The only thing different is how I'm awkwardly getting older and asking for "Shoop" by Salt-N-Pepa to be played more often.

4. Finish watching Season 4 of "Breaking Bad," alone.
Since I have to wait until around October to see the next season of "Dexter," I began watching the television series "Breaking Bad" periodically. Although not as addictive as "Dexter," I've been very impressed with the show, specifically the writing. The writing contributors not only must to require an essential creative, story building edge but also a deep knowledge of chemistry, drugs, the illegal drug market/distribution, law enforcement, finance and many other subject areas. Apparently they are making one more final season, I'm looking forward to it. However, unlike "Dexter," I'm not embarrassingly scheduling my day around watching more episodes...but I am always alone for viewing sesssions (no girls allowed).

5. Buddy Guy Concert
Okay, this counts as a real event. Other than looking to make more money before having a big concert in a much larger city the following night, why the likes of Buddy Guy would want to perform in Green Bay, Wis. is beyond me. Regardless, I was lucky enough to be offered a pair of tickets for his concert at Oneida Casino. This concert will very likely be the most exciting thing I do in town for quite some time. Buddy Guy's influence on some musical legends is epic.

6. St. Norbert College Track and Field Alumni Meet - April 21
Like Dale says on the show "King of the Hill," "Still, I must say, track and field doesn't really seem like a full sport. It's more like leftover scraps from other sports," track truly is hard to motivate yourself to want to do. Regardless, I competed in college for four years and have yet to rid myself on my extreme interest in it. Lucky for me, the SNC program is having an open meet for St. Norbert College Track/CC alumni this spring. I've been semi-training for the day in hope of not completely embarrassing myself, which is inevitable. The hope is for four of us to put together a decently competitive 4x400m relay team...I'm more interested in what costumes we will wear (probably wolves, maybe skunk people).

Another Ode to Coffee Shops

In November, Mason wrote an entry regarding coffee shops, and the on-going debate between anti-corporate, Starbucks and other competitors. Like many people, I'm along with Mason in hitting these "let your hair down" locations. However, coming into any coffee joint has never been easy for me.

I'm currently sitting in Luna Cafe, a phenomenal coffee shop in De Pere, Wis., which is a short walk from St.Norbert College. Luna is a must among students and the greater college community. I never went to Luna very often until my senior year, and I say the same for corporate coffee establishments. Something about sitting on a laptop, composing a journal entry about your dead dog "Kyle," ordering an outrageously specific coffee drink in an obscurely "hip" setting never appealed to me. Yet, here I am, blending in with the old douche-bags pretending to be young as they jot down notes and attempt to hit on the posh, possibly attractive girls dressed like they grew up in a thrift store near the forest. These epicenters of counter-culture and caffeinated drinks have gradually grown on me.

My love for coffee is embedded in my DNA down to my toenails. I prefer coffee black and often. I like my coffee how I like my women; strong and from Denny's. My friends have always been rattled when I order a coffee post dinner or how my family of six downed six pots of coffee respectfully on Christmas morning. As blue is to Babe the Ox, coffee is to me. I know my good coffee, but that doesn't mean I won't settle for swept up grounds off a shop floor. However, small coffee shops like Luna and even your over-priced corporate shops make some amazing brew. So, the quality of coffee from niche joints was the first hook to keep drawing me back. What began to reel me in further was my innate frugal traits.

Luna, for example, is very responsibly priced. If you sit down for a simple cup of coffee, it's one dollar for the initial mug and only twenty-five cents for refills. If you bring five dollars with you, you'll have had enough mild laxative to poop out your colon. In addition, these groovy settings bring in an outrageous crowd. Sad women reading newspapers, exchange students playing Farmville, unemployed uncles wearing scarves -- the list goes on. If you are seated in a proper position, coffee shops are ideal for people watching.

Like a retail store, coffee joints morph their customer's state of minds. In many cases, some of my best writing has been done at Luna, but this doesn't discredit the fact many individuals are still going to Starbucks with their laptop to let everyone know they are writing, studying or being productive. It's sad individuals reach a point where they need the sensual recognition from strangers to gain self worth in their daily tasks. Regardless, through time you eventually get over the hump off the "touch of the world" crowd around you.

At one point I realized these strange people are doing what makes them happy. Whether it's having a latte and thinking about their dad or catching up with a friend, this easy to judge crowd is just like you; enjoying the free time they have.