New York, New York!

As most of you already know I'm leaving soon for a vacation I've been planning for a while (and have been dreaming about even longer). I'm going to leave for New York City on Wednesday, and I'll return on the next Wednesday. I think a lot of you can't wait for me to leave since I've been talking about it a ton, and I'm sure you're tired of hearing about it. For that, I apologize. But, I'm finally going, and I'm super excited!

The only reason why I followed through with my impulse to buy a cheap ticket to NYC is because I have an amazing awesome friend in New York who is letting me stay with her!!! Otherwise, I don't think I would have gone. My friend is fantastic, and she lives in the Bronx and is nice enough to let me crash on her couch while I'm there. Thanks Lorri, you're the best!

I've got tons of stuff planned. I talked to all of my friends that had been or lived in New York, I bought maps, I researched on the internet, and I bought a couple travel guide books. After my extensive research, I have made an itinerary for a fun-filled week in Manhattan. I've got all the top things, Empire State Building, MoMA, Guggenheim, Rockefeller Center, Ground Zero, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, a couple Broadway shows, etc., not to mention some great famous restaurants and shops/destinations. Want to know what I've got planned? Yeah, I thought so.

Here is my itinerary: (Click here.)

A few of the days are "wandering around" or "shopping days" so I just listed a few main places, but times are flexible. Friday is my shopping and wandering 5th Avenue, and Saturday I'm wandering around Little Italy and Chinatown.

But, Thursday, I've decided is 30 Rock day. I'm planning on waking up super early on Thursday morning to stand outside of the Today show, then I'm going on the NBC studio tour, and then a TV/Movie sites bus tour, and then Top of the Rock. If you too are an early morning person, look for me on Thursday on the Today show with the following sign:

If you see me let me know! I'm making my parents DVR it for me so I can see if I can see myself.

And, if you're not a morning person but a night owl, on Monday, June 7th, I'm going to the taping of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, so look for me in the audience then. No sign, but you might see me. Who knows.

If you're interested in the fun things I'm doing and any crazy things I see while on my adventure in New York, follow me on Twitter (or look on the left hand side of my blog for my twitter feed). I'll update my Facebook occasionally, but my twitter I'll update more often. When I get back, believe you me, there'll be a follow-up blog post. Until then!

Have I told you lately that I love...

Robert Downey Jr.?

Yeah. I do. And I'm not one of those new fans. Oh no. I've loved him since I was a child. Ever since Heart and Souls. (It's got RDJ, Kyra Sedgwick,Charles Grodin, Elisabeth Shue!)

When he started coming back from his terrible drug/alcohol abuse, I was very pleased. I knew he was starting to get popular again, doing parts here and there now that he was recovered. But, as soon as I saw the little-known, but really great film, Charlie Bartlett, that is when I knew he had finally arrived and was bound for awesomeness. Then, of course came Iron Man, and we all know what happened after that.

Ever since then, I've been wanting to write Mr. Robert Downey Jr. a letter telling him how great I think he is (and have always known) and how he better not fall back into his old ways because if he disappeared again my heart would not be able to take it. Well, I have finally drafted this said letter, and I'm about to send it (debating on whether or not to include a SASE cause I don't want to be begging for stuff). I kind of want a response, but I doubt I'll get one. I'll let you know if I do. Here it is:

Dear Mr. Robert Downey Jr.,

While I am pretty sure that the person who initially opens this letter is either an intern, secretary, or perhaps someone your agency hired off the street who gets paid five cents for every letter opened, I write in the hopes that just maybe by my sheer wit and sincerity, my letter will somehow change hands enough to get mentioned, or if I'm lucky, handed to you for your reading pleasure. With this bold assumption in mind, I would just like to say thank you.

Thank you, and please don't ever go away again.

I admire you and your ability to overcome adversity. While I have not had to face anything like you have, you are still an inspiration to me and others, and what I love is that you joke about it now.

You know what else I admire? How loving and dedicated you are to your wife. So many other Hollywood couples cheat on each other, separate, divorce, and sometimes not even act like they love each other. Yes, you've had experience with this too, but this time, I can tell you two will last far longer than some of those other folks. It is refreshing to see someone so dedicated and loving to his wife like you are. If only there were more like you two. Of course if there were, TMZ and shows like Extra would have nothing to talk about (except maybe about who wore it best). And where would we be without good ole TMZ?!

I would also like to say that my admiration for you goes way back. I'm not one of those new fans who started liking you after Iron Man; although, I can see why so many would start because in that movie you were pretty much freaking awesome. No, no. I thought you were an amazing actor even before then.

When I was 7 yrs. old a movie called Heart and Souls came out, and I loved it. I would watch it over and over again on VHS (I loved the "Walk like a man, talk like a man" sequence). I thought you were terrific (yes, even my 7 yr. old self knew that), but I was saddened when you kind of disappeared (both because you had and because you were in movies my parents wouldn't let me watch).

I realized only later why, and I thought to myself, if he was great hopped up on drugs, he'd be amazing sobered up! And boy, are you.

Slowly, you got back into it, and it was after seeing Charlie Bartlett that I knew you were back. Then Iron Man, and well, you know the rest.

I hope and pray that you continue. I want you to be like Clint Eastwood, 80 years old and still making awesome movies. You have a gift (which I'm sure you've heard a million times over, but who doesn't love to be complimented over and over again?), and the entertainment world would sorely be lacking without you.

You make what could potentially be lame movies 10 times better just by being in it and by being able to deliver an even terrible line with such confidence and style it doesn't sound terrible but great! If you were in Iron Man 10, I (and really everyone) would see it. (Although, I really hope it stops at a reasonable number. 10 might be a bit much... like Land Before Time 13 or Rocky V or Rambo IV, or come to think of it... really any Sylvester Stallone sequels.)

So, as a long time, dedicated fan, I'd like to make a small request.

Don't stop. Keep going. Please don't fall back into drugs and disappear again.

I just don't think I could take the Iron Man or Sherlock Holmes sequels without you. You are what make those films. I know it, you know it, and Hollywood knows it. Don't let them mess you or your career up. Please? Thank you. :)

Signed with love, adoration, and a little free advertising on your behalf when I tell all of my friends and family to see your films, a loyal fan,

Mattie

So, what do y'all think?

Pretty Sure It's Not Real, But...

That doesn't make it any less funny. I saw this on what's starting to become my new favorite blog/podcast, and I seriously had to put my hand over my mouth to stifle my laughter cause I was at work when I saw it. This commercial, unlike the "booty pop," is not real, but boy is it hilarious.

You should check out some of the other "The Weak Shop" products. Like the chair pants...

Graduate Student Orientation Fun

I'm lying. It wasn't that fun. But there were some funny things that happened and that I noticed that I thought perhaps you would find amusing.

The clip I included below is my story of what happened to me when I went a little early to the orientation to get my student ID card. (I apologize if you've already heard it. If so, feel free to skip listening to it.)
It was interesting. But on to the main event!

I went into the room where orientation was and of course it was all decked out in UTD colors (green, orange, and white). They even had balloon towers of the colors. I picked a table that was towards the back that no one was sitting at so I could eat my lunch quickly without disturbing anyone before it started. No one was really talking to each other, but I loved how all the nerdy kids with their laptops out all gravitated towards the front and center of the room and sat at the same table together. (Have I told you about my theory about where you sit in a room/class says what kind of person you are? Remind me, and I'll tell you some time.)

The orientation was supposed to start at 2:30; it didn't start till almost 3 (freakin' ridiculous). The guy claimed he was waiting for the other people that signed up. Here's what I say to that, buddy... This is for graduate students. If they still haven't learned how to be on time and show up to something, they don't deserve to have us wait for them to come.

Oh! Speaking of the fact that it was for graduate students... one of them brought their mom. Their MOM to GRADUATE student orientation. Ummmm, really? Granted I can't be for sure, but seeing as they looked alike, one was older looking than the other, and there was only 1 packet between them, it had to have been her mom. Who brings their mom to graduate student orientation? Isn't that only a 1st year of college freshman thing? That mom and/or daughter really just needs to let go. Seriously.

Once the presentation finally started, they covered the basic, essential things. Financial aid, registrar, library, counseling/student resources, etc. Interestingly, the number for the campus police ends in 2222, which was the same number for the BYU campus police. Is this a universal college campus police number? But, I digress. So after the New Student Orientation director dude finished his presentation, he had the Dean of Students come and do her spiel. She was really boring, and the majority of her speech had to do with warning us about safety and telling us we need to be careful about what we put up on Facebook. She went on and on about security and how they don't want another Virgina Tech, which only makes me wonder... Is there something you're not telling us about your campus? Is there something I should've known before applying to this school? Cause, I mean, obviously this security thing is an issue for you and your campus if you keep going on and on about it.

Finally after she quit talking, they had a token faculty member talk, I'm assuming to get us really pumped about starting grad school. WEEEEE!!!! Yeah... no. Aside from all the bragging he did about himself and how he occasionally does TV news pieces for ABC and CBS, how he writes columns/articles for several newspapers (he's a chemistry professor... I doubt very many people read them), and how he is so dedicated to his work and his students that he stays up till 2 in the morning researching and answering emails, he tried to give us advice and help us picture what these next few years of grad school were going to look like. He quoted Batman and then told us that we need to be superhero grad students. (He claims he was inspired and got this wonderful idea because of Iron Man 2.)

After he stretched his analogy out as much as he could, he then told us we needed to really get to know who we were. He told us that we needed to go on a date with ourselves. He continued, "Go to your favorite restaurant and prop up a mirror in front of you because you'll want to look at yourself." While I'm sure he was not being literal, I thought it was funny that he went on about the date with ourselves. I think most people would have just stopped at the "go on a date with yourself."

All in all, it was kind of a waste. The only good things were that I found out that as a UTD student I can get a free DART transportation pass for any DART rail or bus in the metroplex, along with other discounted/free activities (man do I love being a student again), and there was a cute, very nice guy that sat next to me during the orientation. We talked for a little bit before and after, but since Clifton is a grad student in public affairs, I will probably never see him again. Such is my life.

Well, I've got a few more months before I'm sleep-deprived and stressed about homework, so I'm going to live it up this summer while I can. You'll soon find out how I'm going to do it.

Yeah, I know...

I'm slacking. I apologize. I've been focusing on other things, and everything that is kind of "less important" is on the back burner. I haven't blogged, my Hulu queue has 20 shows that are each an hour that I still have to watch, and I have about 4 books that I've started and haven't finished. I have borrowed a TV on DVD season from a friend that has been sitting on my chest of drawers for a few months now and I have yet to be able to sit down and watch it.

But, in my defense, I have lined up several blog topics, some personal, some random, and some thought-provoking, and not to worry dear friends, they are in the works. Some of them require some more research on my part, which is why they have yet to be posted (and because I've been otherwise preoccupied).

So, basically... I'm sorry. But, posts are on the way. In the meantime, I recently saw this infomercial, and yes it is for real, and yes, it is ridiculous:

I know you're dying to buy yourself some padded panties to help your "booty pop." Aren't you?