Title change owing to a decision to live an unconventional life in 2010

The title of this blog (formerly "Was That Fun or What?") is being changed to, "365 Days At Jack's Bar & Lounge". (map link)

Why the change?

One, I like Jack's a lot.

Two, I meet interesting people there every single time I visit; many of them from the neighborhood.  (Hell of a lot easier than randomly knocking on your neighbor's door and introducing yourself, hey.)

Three, I get to drink alcohol (don't poo poo it; it's fun in moderation).

Four, it's part of my plan to rule the world and embrace the art of non-conformity in 2010.

Five, I get to listen to cool music, whether Chris Burkhardt (guessing on the spelling there) playing his steel guitar every first and third Sunday of the month; Dave and KC who spin the reggea every Monday night (see riddim 2009 for playlist samplings or listen to them on KKUP 91.5 lunchtime on Monday and afternoon to evening transition on Fridays)  or DJ Benofficial on Wednesdays. There's also the booty song ("Booty Man" by Tim Wilson) from the jukebox; I never get tired of hearing that song and it gives me an excuse to stare at ass (beg your pardon: very nice behinds).  ;)

Six (this really should be number one on the list) the bartenders and door people are Gods (yes, capital "G" there).

Seven, Jack's hosts fun events like Jell-O Wrestling and White Trash Christmas parties.

Eight, the conversations are off the wall fun. Today alone I participated in a conversation that discussed the emergence of the internet, how many bar patrons have written "tweets", whether or not The Curious Case of Benjamin Button sucked (as one patron put it, "It's a Fairy Tale!  Those don't take three hours to tell!"), then transitioned to how to survive a car crash in Mexico where you break five ribs, puncture a lung and still successfully recover 90% of your belongings two months later, then ended it all with the bartender tripping over a case of beer (don't tell OSHA, those guys have absolutely no sense of humor; besides, we three wise men checked the bartender out post-fall and she was fine save for a crooked finger). 

Jack's really is made of winbricks and lovemortar.

I'd write up a "nine" and "ten" but I think you'd be far better served by halting your review of this blog and instead get yourself over to Jack's ASAP. 

It's far more fun experiencing Jack's than it is reading about it.

See you there!

Thinking About Places To Take A Trip To

So I'm reading a website I found through google reader called Study Hacks and going about the process of following all the links on it to other useful websites (like Zen Habits), and like so many other "ooh, look what I found on the internet!" moments I followed a link there to this awesome website called The Art of Non-Conformity.

There the website author posed a rather thought provoking question: What's the one place in the world you'd like to visit someday?

Damn. Good. Question.

So I got to thinking about it and the result I came up with was London, England. I totally dig English accents of all kinds and would quite frankly be a happy camper sitting in some English pub, feigning interest in whatever soccer match was playing while eavesdropping on every voice in the place.

So I added my little comment to that effect on the non-conformity website and moved on with my web surfing.

But as I got to thinking about it (well, thinking about the Jason Bourne movies) I realized I've always wanted to visit Moscow. I love reading National Geographic articles about the former Soviet Union (why do I always find them in tattoo shops in San Francisco, I wonder?) and Moscow in particular.

And then there's Germany. It's where my Dad's side of the family is from and I feel like I ought to go there even though I don't really identify with the place beyond the concept of drinking lots and lots and lots of beer and I've had a bad vibe going with Germany since every online discussion I've ever had with someone from there has always been with them being, well, so damned absolute/it's-this-and-not-that/rigid. Still want to visit the place, though.

Maybe I should go there just to find some counter-culture Germans who aren't all about toeing the party line (whatever that may be).

Gawd and then there's Tokyo, Japan. I have to admit it'd be fun to walk in a heavy population center where I'm at least half a head taller than everyone else (I promise to laugh on the inside). After that, I want to get on a bullet train and go really fast.

Hrm....London, Germany, Moscow, Tokyo.

So yeah, thinking about places to travel to is fun. Now to master the "making it happen" part.

Oh and by the way, where's the one place you want to travel to?

Just Go To Jack's Bar & Lounge in San Jose, CA

Really, that's it. 

Because Jack's is pure fun, every minute of it. 

I could try and quantify it more, but there's no need.

Just put yourself there, then put everyone around you before yourself.

And it works.

Just.  Like.  That.

Special thanks to Patty, Dave, Rina, Jeff, Andy, "Old School" Gary, "Not Jay, Not Doug" Marcus, "Fast Hands" Amy, "Grab Your Soul and Give It A Loving Squeeze" KC, "Ricola" Nicola and "To Good For Word" Daisy for adding your special flavors to tonight's entree. 

You all rock.

Revisiting Games

I don't know about you, but I like to revisit board games that I haven't played in some time. I've blogged previously about playing chess with my housemates and the fun we have playing that game and learning not just how to play it, but how each of us plays in our own way. It's gotten to be fun playing the other player and not just playing the game.


Today I busted out the Go set (actually I have two of them; not sure how that happened). One of my housemates picked the rules up off the kitchen table and said something like, "I haven't played this in forever." If I wasn't so sick I would have tried to convince him to play then and there.

Regardless, him reading the rules is a good sign.

Since I've never quite figured the game of Go out (the rules always leave me confused), I decided to watch some tutorials on YouTube...and I'm still confused. ;) Seriously, I'm getting there. See tutorial #1 for yourself: 
 

I Have Fallen Prey To Cute Kitten Videos

Cute kitten videos are like crack cocaine.  You see one, you want more.  When you don't get a good video, you get mad but that only doubles your need to find and watch more cute kitten videos.

I now attempt to addict you: