Grab Bag #11: LOL (Lots of Links)

* One of my new addictions online is this food recipe mega-search engine called Foodily. As you all know, I love to cook and try out new recipes and put twists on old classics. if you like to do the same, this site is a must-bookmark in your browser. You can also favorite different recipes, make lists and share them with friends on the site or on Facebook as well.


* One interesting sports story today is 50 Cent apparently filed and received a Boxing Promoter's Licence in New York this week. He is supposedly going to start a promotion company and draw in currently locked up Welterweight Champion Floyd Mayweather to fight arguably, the best fighter of the 21st Century, Manny Pacquiao, in what would easily be called The Fight of The Century. The door gate and Pay-Per-View draw of this event would rival money made in some of the last several Super Bowls and big Box Office movie hits that have been released in the recent times. I will be keeping an ear open on this story, and while a lot of you might not follow boxing (I am a huge boxing fan, and used to do cornerwork in fights after graduating H.S.) It will be a Breaking News story on here if that fight is announced.


* Been following this story about the ongoing trouble Chick-Fil-A has been through. For those of you who don't know, Chick-Fil-A is an awesomely tasty chicken place that is hard to find in the Midwest, but littered throughout the South. They have their "Old Southern Values" such as being closed on Sundays and apparently not supporting Gay Marriage. Let me now state a disclaimer


*DISCLAIMER* Courtside Seats to Hell has no problem with any couples being together or married, Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Whatever. Get Married if you like (Personally, Marriage seems dumb in general, but people do dumb shit all the time)


That being said, now Chicago, Boston, Philly and other cities are about to try and boycott Chick-Fil-A's from being opened in their respective cities. However, disallowing a franchise to open somewhere violates some Constitutional rights. I hope that things can be resolved so that we can just let people have their rights. Gays and Lesbians need their rights to marry, and I could really use a chicken sandwich about now.



* Read a study about the effects of Alcohol mixed with energy drinks of high caffeine (Vodka-Red Bulls and Jager Bombs) Basically telling us that the combo is dangerous and leads to reckless behavior and lots of casual sex. In other news, I have now started buying women more Vodka-Red Bulls at bars. But seriously, these can be tasty combos, you should just drink them in moderation

*One more thing, check out this awesome recipe I found on Foodily that I'll be making all Football Season long.

I'm not a self-racist, and that stripper's a bitch

So, I am blogging late at night after leaving a strip club for a friend's birthday. I should be telling you an awesome story about hot strippers and blowing cash but I'm writing because I am pissed off and extremely insulted.


I had one long lap dance the whole night. It was amazing. Around 1:45 AM, me and 2 friends briefly left to catch last call at a nearby bar. While it was to no avail, we head back into the strip club and right as I sit down, I am approached by a dancer (who is black) and she rudely states, "Oh, so you must not be into black women?" What makes this such a fucking ignorant comment is that the first girl I conversed with in the club was black and when I wanted to get a dance from her, she was in the back room and was never available. Keep in mind, there are only 5 girls on staff tonight (3 black and 2 white). This stripper goes on to call me an "Uncle Tom" and calls one of my friends's friend a prostitute. At this point, I am completely outraged and I tell the story to one of the bouncers, who has known me since I've started going to this club in 2009.


What kills me about this whole situation is that I have had to deal with simple-minded bullshit like this ever since I was a little kid. When I was 6 years old, I had a crush on a jewish girl and I mock proposed to her with a Ring Pop (She declined, but purchased the ring pop from me for a Quarter) and even then, I remember kids making a comment about me not going after someone "who looks like me."


I get a lot of bullshit for liking things that most black people don't stereotypically enjoy, like Hard Rock music, Hockey, and Cold weather. But one of the things that has always pissed me off is that people feel that I am not attracted to black women because they say that "I've never seen you hang out with any black women" or "You're never hitting on any black women.", I grew up hearing comments in a slightly jestful manner from family like "I could see you marrying a white girl" but they never meant it in a negative connotation, nor was it ever because I disliked a race.


Once again the ignorance is never short of a miscue. I wasn't raised to do certain things or to avoid things based on how few or how many black people were involved. I'm sorry, but I was raised in an era where race was only as big as how someone or the media empathized it. I'm not seen around any black women in Minnesota because a good chunk of the things and places I do and go to, there just aren't any around. I find women of all race attractive. But at the same time, I refuse to feel bad for things that stick out with me. Everyone knows that one big attraction of mine is that I love redheads, especially natural redheads. Now, numbers tell us that Redhead genetics are established from people of Irish or Scottish descent. That eliminates people from all walks of life mostly, not just blacks. But aside from this point, I find women of all races and colors beautiful. Therre are gorgeous women in every race, and there are ugly ones too, and this stripper, for the record, must have interviewed for her spot over the phone.


It sickens me that in 2012, I have to defend myself not from outward racism, but more self-racism than anything else.I don't fucking need to perpetuate any stereotypes and I can do and be with or hang out with or get a fucking lap dance from anyone I want. Like Dr. King preached, I judge by content of charactor, not color of skin. Ergo, I didn't dance with said stripper because she was black, but because she was a total bitch. 

Bands to Watch: Forever Waiting

So, this is a new segment I'm gonna throw in here and there, Bands to Watch


The band to watch in July and August is a 5-Piece Hard Rock band from Glenwood City, Wisconsin called Forever Waiting


Fans of Red and Breaking Benjamin should really enjoy this group, they are busy playing some big shows in the Twin Cities area, Currently in the Rawkzilla Battle of the Bands and also opening for Trapt at Station 4 on August 12. For more info on FW, check them out on Facebook.


Check out their debut single, 
"Lost in Silence" HERE
Like Forever Waiting on Facebook HERE

Cosmo: Funny read, but really?

So, I'm pretty old school in the sense that I like to still read and subscribe to magazines. I recently signed up to GQ and Esquire, and as a promo, I'm getting Redbook, Wired and Cosmo.


I always read Cosmo sporadically, back when I used to get my hair cut at the same salon my Mom went to, and then on the lobby tables outside my Dad's office. It seemed like a boring read when I was a child, but over time, I realised that a lot of women read this and look to this mag for a ton of advice. Eventually, I saw this more as a glance into the playbook of a woman, if you will.


But if you really read some of the shit that they write in here, it's not super bright advice or wisdom. (like Esquire , for example, is basically the Older Brother I never had) A lot of the things they claim men like or want from a woman is absolute bullshit. And I've had several female friends say that a lot of these tips are garbage as well.


Case in point, half of the relationship tips in here are common sense things that no one (magazine or person) should have to tell you, and the other half is stuff that is only true to such a small number of people that it's hardly worth mentioning. Don't waste your time and cash on this mag, just pay more attention to what's going on around you and you'll figure it out. Hopefully...

Unreal...

Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-dark-knight-shooting-20120720,0,2147749.story

Prayers and Thoughts going out to all of those affected in Colorado.

There is NO Fucking reason why this should have happened, when and where this happened. It is an absolute tragedy

It made me think of this song.

"How could you be so full of hate, to take away somebody's life?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U6kpj-k8BE

Again, Keep the victims & families in your thoughts.

New Look, New Stuff, Same Old Hell

*Hey, hope you guys like the new look of the page. Wanted to change it up just a 'lil bit.

*I'm gonna start doing some new feature segments in the upcoming months. One new segment will be a Mailbag. I want to talk about what the people want to hear about (sometimes) and so people can E-Mail me questions, comments and/or ideas to my e-mail

courtsideseatstohell@gmail.com

And once a month, I will answer as many questions as i can on here in a post.

*Another new segment starting this fall will be The Betting Window. Every Friday Night this football season, I will post my College & Pro betting picks on here, and toss in some game previews here and there. Also, for all you tailgaters and foodies, I will have some weekend recipes in there as well.

That is all. Carry on.

Courtside Seats to Hell Presents FOOTBALL DAYS 2012

So with Summer winding down in the next several weeks, NFL and College Football teams are hitting the field and working out, getting ready for combat on the gridiron this fall.

While usually I disappear from people during football season the last several years, this year I have charted out a plan of throwing a season-long set of Bar Crawls and House Party viewings to watch the games this season. We also have some possible Tailgate road trips to Chicago and Minneapolis planned

So, without further ado, here's the first half tentative viewing party schedule:

NOTE: Times and Bars Subject to Change, and Bars listed at TBD will be updated soon

Courtside Seats to Hell presents the 2012 Football Tailgate + Party Days

Friday Aug 24th - Bears vs Giants @ Alary's

Thurs Aug 30th - Kickoff Party @ Chateau

Sat Sept 1st - Kickoff Party @ Chateau

Wed Sep 5th - NFL Kickoff (Cowboys-Giants @ Kelly's Bar)

Sat Sept 8th -

Nebraska @ Tom Reid's - Night

Sun Sept 9th - 

Bears vs Colts @ Alary's - Day

Steelers vs Broncos @ McGovern's - Night

Thur Sept 13th -

Bears-Packers @ Chateau - Night

Sat Sept 15th - Tailgate in Chicago for Northwestern-Boston College

Sun Sept 16th - Off Day

Thurs Sept 20th - Panthers @ TBD? - Night

Sat Sept 22nd - Kansas vs NIU @ Tiffany's

Sun Sept 23rd - Bears @ Alary's

Sat Sept 29th -

Bar Spot for Gophers-Iowa - Day

Sun Sept 30th - Party @ Chateau

Mon Oct 1st - Bears vs Cowboys @ Alary's - Night

Sat Oct 6th - Miami vs Notre Dame @ Bar TBD

Sun Oct 7th - Bears vs Jaguars @ Alary's - Day

Thurs Oct 11th - Steelers @ McGovern's - Night

Sat Oct 13th - Homecoming Tailgate - Minnesota vs Northwestern

Sun Oct 14th - Packers vs Texans @ Gabe's?

Mon Oct 15th - Broncos vs Chargers @ TBD??

Sat Oct 20th - Nebraska @ Tom Reid's

Sun Oct 21st - 

Vikings vs Arizona @ TBD - Day

Steelers vs Cincinnati @ McGovern's - Night

Mon Oct 22nd - Bears vs Detroit @ Alary's

Thurs Oct 25th - Vikings vs Tampa Bay - Tailgate at Dome???

Sat Oct 27th - Party @ Chateau

Sun Oct 28th -

Bears vs Panthers @ Alary's - Day

Broncos vs Saints @ TBD - Night

Sat Nov 3rd - Tailgate @ TCF for Gophers-Michigan???

Sun Nov 4th - Bears @ Alary's

Wed Nov 7th - Bowling Green-Ohio at ABB

Sat Nov 10th - Party @ Chateau

Sun Nov 11th - Bears @ Alary's - Night

Mon Nov 12th - Steelers @ McGovern's

...More Dates to be Added Later in the Season

Loving this song! New track from Garbage

Adultism: Age is nothing but a number

Adultocracy: The social convention which defines "maturity" and "immaturity," placing adults in a dominant position over young people, both theoretically and practically. - (from Wikipedia)


Ever since childhood, I have dealt with ageism. Mainly because of the fact that I didn't not have the "normal" childhood. I didn't watch cartoons on saturday morning, I watched news and college football. My dad is a doctor, so laying around on the floor of our house would be copies of the New England Journal of Medicine, which at a young age, I was reading and comprehending with no issue. I could have probably gone on to become a doctor before even having to shave my face, but my mom made the smart and logical decision to not have me skip grades and develop social interaction with kids my age. (Plus, I hated blood as a child, thus didn't want to be in the medical field)


(Sidenote: My mom is 57 and my dad is 74.)


I grew up with old parents and I was an only child. This lead to a lot of summer days indoors and great reports from first hand accounts of Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement. However, this made interacting with children my age extremely hard. My favorite movies growing up were the James Bond films (for some reason I liked Roger Moore a bit more than Sean Connery) Try being 6 years old talking to a kid about how awesome "Moonraker" was. It's like catching bees with chopsticks in the dark.


Throughout the years, this became more and more difficult and as I am now 23 years and 1 month old, I still deal with Ageism, but from two different angles.


Most of my friends are older, between the ages of 25-34. I tend to connect with older individuals, mainly because I, too, enjoy nice fitting suits, wearing a timepiece, drinking well-aged whiskey and understanding the cultural appeal of TV shows such as The Sopranos and Sex and the City.


Even with this, I try my best not to alienate my "age box" of 18-23, but as I enter the cusp of changing boxes, it gets harder to connect to the masses that tune into The Jersey Shore, and think that Skrillex and LMFAO are the kings of dance music (that's just a sick thought, no matter how old you are)


What kills me more than anything else is when I'm talking with someone older, and they ask how old I am. I'll say 23, and they'll reply with something like "Oh, you're so young" or the ultra-condescending "You're just a baby" Correction: I'm a grown ass fucking man. I have my own apartment, my own full time job, hell I fucking Paid Out in taxes last year, tell me how many 23 year olds did that. Call me a baby again, and I'll tell you to stick your hands out so we can see how old you are.


It's very disrespectful to have this stigma of the fact that I'm young, that I have to be like most my age. Get to know me and you will see that I'm not like others my age, and there are plenty of young people who actually know things and have their shit together, just like I know a ton of old-ass people that have never been shit and never will be shit.


Ageism is assumption in its rawest form, and to assume is hazardous. A life lesson you'd think some would learn at a younger age, eh?

It's Complicated

We make things in our lives so complicated, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. We are taught how to think rationally and that can sometimes conflict with our emotional responses.

Sometimes relationships don't work out, not because 2 people didn't love each other, but because the times and situations didn't work for the couple. Sometimes people fall quicker for someone than the other person did, if they even did at all. And sometimes, you can see someone in a different light, and how you feel about them changes and grows into something unexplainable and random.

For any of us who go through this, we as a majority, struggle with these inner feelings because of the fear of getting hurt, hurting someone else, or trying to avoid an ackward situation. 

But the real question is: Which side do we listen to, and when is the right time to do so? The answer for that, well, It's Complicated.

Impaired Moment #356

So here's a story about what happened yesterday. A tale of drinking on an empty stomach, true friendship and bad ideas.

I went out yesterday morning and had lunch with a friend. Taking it easy, I just order a chicken salad and a pop. Cut to 5 hours later where I have a nap and wake up to start drinking a Thug Passion (read previous post from a few months ago on said drink recipe) Then, I go across the street, where there is a music in the park festival going on, and I meet up with some friends. After sitting there and seeing a bunch of uncoordinated people clap to some half-assed jazz covers, we go and hit a couple of bars.

During this small bar crawl, I did manage to scarf down a pork sandwich but that holds liquor like a UPS box holds water. Eventually, I am outside at a bar really close to my house. This is where shit goes bad. 2 of my friends go home, and at this point I'm really drunk. I get a text from this girl who I used to be into and she was at a bar down the street. Me and a friend who stuck around go down there and before I could have a drink, I turn and go home. I rush to the bathroom and I coughed twice, knowing what's on deck. My pork sandwich and thug passion is in the sink. I quickly grab a red cup and transfer contents to the toilet (my friend later helped clean my bathroom, I owe him a case of beer now, such a nice guy) and after slamming a (different) cup of water, I decide to go back to the bar.

This is where shit REALLY Goes bad. My Friend has a friend of a friend who, well let's just say will never be on the cover of Vogue anytime soon. About my height (probably a couple inches taller than me actually) slightly below average body and had braces (Yes, she was old enough to drink, Your Honor) This lady was having the time of her life, and was visibly looking for some nightcap action. But, she was getting shut down (for obvious aesthetic reasons) and I felt bad for her. I had briefly chatted with her and she was a nice person just wanting to have a good time.

Now it's bar close, everyone's outside. My other buddies are waiting for a cab and Lady wants to know where the after-party is. Me, still drunk (only had 2 pints of water the 2nd time around) decides to make a selfish charity donation and commits to bringing her and her friend (they play the Ashford & Simpson scene at bars, if ya catch my drift) back to my place. We drink some more (...oh, Me? I'm drinking "vodka" on the rocks - lowball glass of water)

Eventually, sobriety grows within me and my guilt and booze influenced idea fades, and thankfully, Ashford takes Simpson home and I eventually pass out for the night.

What I hope you learn from this story is to always eat a good meal before drinking heavy. And make sure you have a good support system of friends around too.

Grab Bag #10: Hot Dogs, Music and Booze for the 4th

*Whoa, so I read a Huffington Post article and slide show talking about the Chinese Dog Meat Industry. That shit is fucking real and about as crazy as you'd imagine. Piles of puppies shaved and ready for human consumption. People here say its crazy because it's man's best friend (to some, not me) but we must keep in mind it's a different culture. Indians (Dot, not woo-woo) worship cows as gods. Me, I pray to a Filet Migeon whenever I have $50 burning in my pocket. I will note that the images in the article are pretty graphic, so if you're not into that thing... who am I kidding, you're reading my blog, you probably aren't That squeamish.

So this leads us to our first ever poll question here at Courtside Seats to Hell:
Would you eat a Dog?  


The Voting box will be posted on the side.


*Saw Volbeat the other night. I get what the hype's all about. These guys are fun to watch and really talented. I love their cover version of "Only Wanna Be With You"

*People have requested that I post more drink recipes, so here are a few:

Clean Suburban
- 2 shots Absolut Berry Acai Vodka
- 4 seedless Blueberries
- dash of Lemon Juice
- 8 oz fresh Lemonade

Muddle 2 blueberries in a mixing glass and add ice, a dash of lemon juice, and 2 shots of Acai vodka. Shake and strain into a chilled highball and fill glass with fresh lemonade

Downtown Baller
- 2.5 oz Ciroc Coconut
- 1 oz Lime Juice
- Lime Wedge

Mix Ciroc and Lime Juice in an ice filled shaker. Shake and strain on the rocks in a lowball glass, garnish with lime wedge.

Forest Lake Special
- 6 oz Captain Morgan
- 1 can monster

Mix together with ice in one of those Holiday gas station cups. Remember, this drink is from Forest Lake, Minnesota.


If I don't see ya before then, have a happy and safe 4th of July. Don't blow off any limbs. 
And to my Chicagoans, don't get in that damn lake!

Full of Shit: The Official Dating History (to date) of Alex B. Smith

There have been some outright pathetic stretches in history. The Reign of Hitler, The Cubs' World Series Drought (ok, that one is cool) and Communism in China. But one of the shittiest trends in recent years has to be my own personal dating life, or lack thereof.


*Note: Names have been omitted and/or changed to avoid any defamation lawsuits


It all started in 2009. That right there is fucked. I was 19 going on 20 before Date #1. That first one went well, actually led to me "seeing someone" for 4 weeks, only for it to end miserably and miss a chance at being with someone else that could have been a great relationship.


Now fast forward to spring 2010, one of my best friends and his girlfriend set me up on a blind double date with one of her good friends. Apparently both of us were to have a lot in common musically, and she liked the sound of that band I was in then. What was neglected to be mentioned after I told the couple, "Sounds great, I'll make reservations for this great steak place I know of downtown" that this girl was a fucking Vegetarian! Now here I am not knowing this until 3 days before, I look like a giant asshole. Thankfully she enjoyed her salad, no one liked the wine selection I made and that's a $300 dinner I'd like to have back, to be honest.


Next one was winter of 2011, same couple (still feeling bad about Steakgate) tell me a random friend from her school that I met for 5 minutes once would be interested in going on a date. So this time the failfull foursome head to a more Hip(ster) place in St. Paul and chill. This seemed awesome until 3 things happened:


1) she kept slamming shit we liked because she's from fucking Germany (and one of my best friends is from there and he does the same shit, so it wasn't too shocking, but still annoying.)


2) she never made any eye contact while talking to me. Big sign that you'd rather be doing something else.


3) she starts hitting on my best friend constantly, and only until me and him mention it to his girlfriend, this continued for about a good 2 hours when we went to a mutual friend's party nearby


So with that being said, chalk it up to another bad date.


The last date I've been on was in January of this year 2012. Now I should have known this was gonna be a trainwreck. I have meet this girl twice in 2 years prior. Both times meeting her, she was blasted hammered with co-workers at a famous western suburb bar and the first time I met and danced with her, she had on a giant engagement ring. Anyways, I invite her to a Gopher Hockey game. She said she loved hockey. That translates into, I thought we were going to see the Wild and I don't actually know about hockey but I like to see them fight and hit each other. Combine that with the fact there's no liquor at campus events (Get Your Shit Together Gophers!) And this becomes a 3 hour clinic of silence. Oh and the Gophers got blown out early in this game, only to make a decent comeback effort in the 3rd and still lose. Afterwards, we drink at a nearby bar and eventually we both did something together. Threw in the towel on this date.


I've had people tell me that my problems range from "Being too nice", "Being Too Interested (aka, actually being interested at all) and my favorite excuse of a phrase that translates into "I'm not sure why you suck" is:
"If you stop looking, it'll happen when you least expect it."


This logic is perfect for winning the lotto or pinch hitting in the 9th, but this is god-awful advice. I go by the motto "You get out of something what you put into it". And for me to do nothing, nothing comes back in return. Quite basic. It goes without saying too that everyone who tells me this is always in a relationship or is part of that elite group that can date on demand and have no troubles finding at least someone to enjoy a nice evening with. No one's talking about sex at the end of the night or relationship potential, but it would be nice to actually meet a girl who's into me as much as I am in her and we go on some dates.


If you or some lady you know fits this bill, E-Mail at courtsideseatstohell@gmail.com. And who knows, maybe we hit it off or maybe I end up writing about you on the blog (just kidding... kinda)