you made me strong when I was feeling weak

Anyone can see that I have not been around this side of the web in some time. I have really put this site off but I need to get back into the swing of things. I have been overworked for some time now and I snapped at some point this week. I declared that this past Saturday would be a ‘Me’ Day. I have not had a day where I did nothing for myself, being by myself, and focused on myself, longer than a 3 hour window, in a really really long time.

My choice of escape was a daunting one. I would go play a round of golf. Something that does not sound like much at the surface, but for me, it was monumental. I heard a while back that Golf is an escape, so I was ready to put everything I learned with my fiancee in the group lessons and all the driving range visits and try the real deal for the first time. 

I invited my friend of almost 20 years who just recently moved to the Valley to play along, but he gave out after 6 holes. I commend him for his attempt, but he assumed the role of my photographer. Here is one of my golf shots he took of me. There are videos as well, but I’m hesitant to make them public, yet.

I wish it hadn’t been as hot as it was, but I did insist on a timetable where my pace was reasonable for the people around me. I remember my parents frequent complaints of either people being too slow or people pushing them from behind to hurry up. I believe the pace I kept was reasonable and when we did catch up to people ahead of us, I welcomed the breaks.

There was a solitude there that I did like and would welcome again in the future. However, more range shots are necessary. I only had a handful of halfway decent shots, and one really really great one. I have that on video that I intend to share later, but for now, I can find the happiness of having a 200+ yard drive. Even my buddy, who also lost it in the light of the sunset, said it was a pro quality swing and snap.

A little ego rubbing every now and then. I don’t ask for much. Just a little gratitude to let me know I’m doing well. I get nervous when I hear nothing, and I’ve been hearing a lot of nothing lately. But with this passing day, all of it went out the window with the flight of a 1 and a 1/2 oz. ball. Let the new week begin. I’m ready for it.

-Me

So my brother has finally taken upon himself to review trailers. Now that he has, I now have a chance to give my protest to his trailer critique.  While he mocks me for my culinary experience, here is my chance to get back at him.

This article starts off with what looks like a 2-page synopsis about an American anime movie. I have been watching anime for years and whenever he sees me watching it, he makes it known that “Anime is teh suck!” Using a cliche phrase made popular from Adult Swim’s message boards years ago. You’re giving props to an anime picture when you won’t even watch “Cowboy Bebop?” Granted, I like how he is broadening horizons, but he needs to know the classics before he can say an animated feature is worthy of greatness. I don’t see a synopsis or a prognosis so I don’t know if this a real critique, but it sounds positive. I agree but I will keep my eyes out for more.

Strange Wilderness? Yeah, don’t think so. Chalk this to the “The Critic”’s thought: “If the movie sucks, just don’t go.” Maybe I will watch it on Spike in a year, which is where I foresee it being aired.

Hankcock. I’m not immediately impressed. I tell my friend who I constantly argue about movies that trailers are made to make you see the movie, no matter how bad it is or how much they know that we know that they know how bad it is.  Whenever I see this trailer, I see how it can be a great movie but I can also see the scenes where I can go to the bathroom or get a popcorn refill. Here’s to the hype! I’ll need to do some further research on this movie.

Thanks for reading, more will come as long as Chris keeps doling out critiques.

-Me

I was trying to think of a “Year in Review” post, but I will tend to forget much of last year, if that is okay. But here’s a brief review:

-Quit one job for another, got canned from that, and joined a better one down the road a bit.

-I moved in with the perfect woman

-I’ve been doing lots and lots of cooking.

-I started my own business.

-I turned 30.

-I went to Vegas for the first time without the family. That was relaxing

That about sums up my year.  Here’s to 2008, great things are bound to happen, I know it.

-Me

That about sums up my year

I’m here in Gordon biersch unwinding with my 2 beers. It’s been a few weeks since I last posted, but I think it’s about time to update this, eh? 2 weekends ago, Joy and I went to Las Vegas with a few local friends for labor day weekend. There was definately a drink for every step we took! (well, not really, but just a way to give you an idea of how much we drank in the OTHER city that never sleeps….) I drove instead of flying and it was a lot of fun. Armed with Verizon Navigator, we got there with ease. We later found out that our friends took the long way to LV through Flagstaff (a near 2-hour detour, I believe). We didn’t see any shows, but who needs shows when friends who drink are nearby?

We ate…and…ate…and…drank…and…well, you get the idea…by the end of the weekend, we all felt a lil’ weird inside. So I decided that it was time to get back into the gym. Joy took it one step further. She took me to Bikram Yoga here in Scottsdale. OMG what an intense workout and experience it is. I’m barely 5 classes in and already I have some definition on me Joy likes :).  We also saw 2 movies: Balls of Fury and Shoot ‘em Up. I’d make detailed reviews of those, but that would take too much time.  Simply put, Balls of Fury is a cute brainless movie that has Walken present and Shoot ‘em Up is a typical action movie that has some interesting twists. Both enjoyable pictures, though, damn shame they aren’t doing better in the BO than they should be deserving. In a sea of “dramas,” a brainless comedy was exactly what we needed for getting our fixes.

It was our anniversary last Sunday and instead of taking her to a fancy-shmancy restuarant, I took the reigns of dinner and made it myself. The meal: Filet mignon, Spinach salad with cirtus vinagerette, & a spinach pasta dish we learned from Giada that morning before going shopping. Delectiable in every way! Her meat was prepared prefectly and mine……..was….done…we’ll just say that ;).  (I swear, the thermo said the meat was done!) .  Topped off with some new wine to drink, and a perfect collection of mid-evening selections from Dave Coz on the local Jazz radio station, I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect dining experience with the one I call my own:).  Love ya baby

This past weekend, Joy’s been all about shopping for me and my birthday on Saturday. Which is kinda why I’m able to post right now. I’m having a “writers block” with this programming assignment Joy asked me to do for one of her clients. I’ll see if I can focus on that later. Now’s the time to vamooosh Until next time…

-Me

Overworked, jaded, and a little tired one mildly warm night, Joy and I decided to exploit the closeness that is Barnes and Noble in Keirland Shopping center. While Joy poked at some design magazines, I went on the hunt for this month’s “Mens Health” magazine. I figured it would be a good start to finding out anything to help my workouts that I have resumed. When I could not find the magazine, I asked Joy if she’s seen it. She starts asking me why I’m looking for a “metrosexual” magazine :p. Ignoring that comment slightly, I found my magazine. Further into the visit, we got a couple of books. I got the A+, Net+, and Security+ book from O’Rielly and Joy picked up Stardust. We made our way to the Starbucks inside with our books to bring back to the apartment.

“Go ahead and order. I don’t know what I want.”

Joy orders then asks, “What are you in the mood for?”

I looked at the coffee-less fraps and I could not decide between the double chocolate, the Orange Crème, and the Strawberries & Crème. I told Joy what I was trying to figure out and the clerk piped in.

“We can mix 2 if you want.”

“Well, babe, I’ve had the orange and chocolate blended in Vancouver and it su…” She doesn’t get the word out before I go for the order. Her drink had long been prepared before I made my choice. She grunted and moved to the side for the next customers. I got my drink a few moments later, stuck my straw in it and exclaimed, “Oh my GOD!” I offered some to Joy whose eyes now bugged.

“That’s awesome! The vancouver one is nasty, I’m surprised!”

“Well, that’s because America rocks dear.”

I get the glare and daggers from Joy, but what made it all the more memorable was that at the end of the bar where all the condiments are, there was a guy who let out the most baritone laugh I’ve heard in a long time. I had a good smirk the rest of the night, along with a reddened arm from the slapping I recieved. The redness was worth it, in my opinion.

-Me

hello again. It’s moving time for me. I’m moving out of my present arrangement and into a new apartment. It’s a thing of beauty too. The Legend at Keirland of Scottsdale. This is also a mark of the first time I’m going to be moving in with someone. To further that mark, I’m moving in with my girlfriend. It’ll be good, I know, but at the moment, it’s a lil’ nerve-wracking, especially since we walked through the place the other day (During a torrential downpour in Phoenix, thank god, I wouldn’t want to be driving during that.) and saw many many many things wrong with the place. The office says they will fix it, but we’ll see.
All the while, I’ve been sorting. I like to use sorting, others say ‘gutting,’ and even more say ‘Throw ALL THAT SH*T OUT!’ I wouldn’t say I’ve been a packrat, but I’ve collected a LOT of things over the 12 year span I’ve had in this city. So far, I’ve tossed 6 garbage bags worth of stuff, 7….maybe…8….donatable bags of clothes, & I still have about 20% left of the room to sort. What I found most surprising, and I’m not saying that I held onto these things for any apparent reason, but a holographic ruler from the 4th grade (and if you’re googling me and KNOW me from Roslyn-BHS, leave me a comment :P), and some hand-held ballbearing games (kinda like these, fits in your palm, and is not automated…), and of course, many many many books. The books will be donated to the local library (as soon as they put the donation bin out again…dunno what happened to it…) & the games have been distributed across my neices and nephew.
And the best part of the deal? My mom’s friends are giving me and my girlfriend a 52″ TV and a 3-person sofa-bed. Can you say ‘kick ass’?
In between sorting, packing, and sleeping, Joy and I went to the movies and saw the Simpsons Movie. It was hilarious! I was worried though. I haven’t watched the show in years because it stopped being funny and got more policial. The movie was cleaverly done. When asked about the quality, relating to the early years vs. recent years, I said it was mixed. The political didn’t overpower the comedy though. The animation was classic Simpsons style and thankfully no character that was not needed to be a simpsons geek was in it. The story was cute and I’m not really going to start researching this answer, but why did it take over 10 years for this movie to come out? This storyline was topical to today’s standards, but there were plenty of storylines they could have done years ago. But I’m not here to gripe about the movie, just praise it.
I’m trying to think of ways to describe this movie without giving too much away, but it’s all just flash images and whatnot (showing you that I should have written this on Friday night when we saw the bloody picture :p). So in short, I was thouroughly entertained, but I don’t forsee a sequel if this was the process needed to get 1 Simpsons movie on the silver screen. If there are, I’ll be ready.
Final score: :):):):)

Yes, I am back.

“Back??? I just found your site! Looks pretty damn new to me!”

Well, that’s the thing. I used to have a journal on this site many years ago. Then it became a LiveJournal. Then I took a break. And recently, I have come back from the “dead.”

So I’ll introduce myself all over again.

I’m Daniel Stipp.

Born of Chicago, raised in Kansas. Went back to Chicago, then vacationed in every corner of the country, I had a slight affinity for the Southern accent so when you hear me talk, sometimes the faux accent comes out.  After Chicago, I came to Phoenix. I call this home, for now.  I say for now because my girlfriend, Joy would like to go back to Vancouver some day, as she’s going to be visiting for an extended period of time. I would agree. It is beautiful up there :).
Currently: I’m a SEO specialist for a local Phoenix company. I left a position at a local hotelier / software company for it, and at the moment it’s damn entertaining.
What will be coming from this journal?
-Rantings.
-Food Stuff. Yes, due to familial popular belief, I cook. I bake. Yes, I’m not afraid to get dirty in the kitchen. I’m just afraid of the seafood. **WINCE**
-Movie information. This will not just be about movies. I will, from time to time, try to set my brother Chris
straight when it comes to reviewing trailers. There have been a few that I’ve combat him with and I’ve had no public outlet to let the debate roll. Nothing wrong with a little Sibling Rivalry, eh?

Anyways, let’s get with the regular postings, shall we?

It’s been enough time. I missed my journalistic side. I’m starting up my little hole in the wall again

-Me