Underestimated

This weekend showed me that I underestimated the number of nerds in Baltimore and also overestimated my own nerdom. Dave and I ventured out into the rain (torrential downpour) over to the Baltimore convention center Saturday to go to Comic-con. I thought it would be fun to get some free stuff, see all the people dressed up and maybe get some info on new/upcoming movies. When we got there to buy tickets, we realized that whenever there is an opportunity to buy tickets online, we should do so. There were several hundred people in line just to buy admission tickets. The line went all over the lobby and outside into the rain and still wrapped around the building ... it easily would have been over an hour to just get into the event. We were not about to wait that long so we did the next best thing, went drinking and watched the Maryland Terps silence 82,000 people in orange.

My Inner Nerd Emerges

So I recently found out that Baltimore has a Comic-con convention and it's this weekend. This is the ninth annual one and this is the first I have heard of it? I knew about the Anime convention they had here, (it was hard to miss all the people dressed as cartoon characters when I was driving through the inner harbor). I think I am going to go. I don't really read comics, and was never really into anything but X-Men (and Wolverine) but I like the idea of them. I also recently read Watchmen after seeing the preview for the movie coming out next March and thought it (the "graphic novel") was awesome. I could also probably watch that movie trailer on repeat for about an hour before I got tired of it.

Just because I like it

Finance from the Future

Great column, and by great I mean really, really sad and quite possibly very likely.

Renewing my License

Yesterday I made a trip to the MVA Express in Columbia to renew my soon-to-be-expired license. I am sad that I no longer have a license with a picture that looks like a mug-shot and instead have one that looks like it should adorn the packaging of Brawny paper towels. At least I thought that until I just (literally, just now) went to get a picture and realized that the new Brawny man is clean-shaven and the old one only had a mustache :-( Hmmm ... well maybe my new license photo could be on the cover of ... damnit ... can't think of anything ... this really ruined my day and it's not even 11 AM yet. Well, my friend's mom calls it a Moses beard ... so that will have to do.

I made an observation while standing in line. The guy standing in front of me was texting and being a half a foot taller than everyone else and "observant" (nosey) I looked at what he was typing ... verbatim - "Word. Can you help get those job postings fo meh?" I didn't see the message he was responding to, and after he glared at me I decided no to read any of the future messages, but thought this was worth mentioning ... mainly because it made my wait in line less agonizing.

Political Thoughts

With the upcoming election and everyone talking about Obama this and Palin that and Tina Fey this and McCain won't make it another 4 years that ... I figured I would talk about why, as a Maryland resident, I am not going to vote. As much as I appreciate being able to cast a vote and being told I have a say in who the future leader of our country is, that is a load of shit. Why? Maryland is a blue state and until the electoral college goes away and this country becomes truly democratic (popular vote), there is no point to me wasting my time to drive somewhere I don't live (my legal address is still in the county) and vote when I already know what the outcome of my state will be. "But Patrick, if everyone thought that way, then McCain could win Maryland." Well, everyone doesn't think that way ... I do, and will continue to until I either move to Ohio, Pennsylvania or get old and end up in Florida (as all old people do). Less then 20% of Maryland's population are registered Republicans (it was 12% in 2002, not sure exactly what it is now) and I don't see a Republican candidate ever winning Maryland in a Presidential election without some pretty extraordinary circumstances (like if Obama chose Palin to be his running mate).

Who else is up for re-election/replacement this term?? Guess I need to do some research and find out if I'll end up voting anyways.

Football Funday

Yesterday was the first Ravens game of the regular season I went to this year. If you recall, I went to the Ravens - Vikings preseason game (for about 15 minutes) but ended up getting rid of my tickets to the Cincinnati game. Rob and I started out at Mother's in Fed Hill around 11:30 for brunch, Brian got there shortly after to meet up with us. Mother's was good and bad ... the good was the Maple leaf 'dilla I had for breakfast and all the TVs showing the 1:00 PM games while we waited for our 4:15 start ... the bad was the complete lack of drink specials. We had our 'dillas (and a couple beers) and headed over to Cross Street Market and got the more valuable $5 32 oz drafts. A couple of those and we headed back to Mother's to watch the games for a little while. Rob and I left Brian to his Eagles and made our way to lot H for some tailgating with my sister's bf and his crew. I also met up with an ex I hadn't seen in several months that was tailgating (I think that was awkward but was drunk and am not sure). Several Natty Boh's and a couple of Jager bombs later we made our way into the stadium. A bag of pistachios, half an order of nachos and another couple beers later the Ravens won and my voice was shot. Rob and I headed back to Cross Street to get picked up by his awesome fiancee. I had her drop me off at Tiburzi's so I could see some of the Dallas - Packers game but fell victim to the long day of being in the sun (nothing to do with drinking) and went home to pass out around 10:30 PM. My fantasy team is down 30 but I have two WRs going tonight, I hope Favre and Rivers have a shoot-out and Cotchery and Chambers come out the best.