National Hype Week 2014

This is going to be the best…no, greatest...most colossal, stupendous, amazing, incredible, fantastical post EVER! EVER!!! EVER!!!!!!

It is. Really.

Don’t believe the hype.

Welcome to National Hype Week 2014! I ranted the other day about the State Of The Union address…47 channels of hype before, during, and after the speech. I ignored the Grammys…well, I forgot they were on.  (I tend to ignore hype. I think I’m allergic to it.)  And speaking of being ignored, I haven’t seen a lot of hype about the upcoming Winter Olympics, which to me is kinda surprising, because that event is usually pretty well hyped. Well, except that everything is being dwarfed by the biggest hype machine of the year (and why I’ve anointed this week as National Hype Week):

THE SUPER BOWL. 

The National Football League (trying to do my best Ron Jaworski impersonation, and it’s not a good one) is the second-best hype machine in America. The best will be revealed soon; just wait until you find out!!! (Sorry…needed more hype.)

It’s Super Bowl week! Thousands of reporters, sports and otherwise, have descended on New York City to offer spin, front stories, back stories, side stories, anecdotes, opinions, predictions, projections, analysis, betting tips, “inside information”, historical perspective, etc., etc., etc. Players and inundated, and their wives, friends, family members, former girlfriends, next-door neighbors, high-school coaches, etc. Richard Sherman has, and is going to profit greatly from the hype machine (and go get yours, son.) And we LOVE to have an opinion about his opinions. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Marshawn Lynch, who obviously seems to not want any part of this, but he is required to make appearances, so he does. Barely. And we have opinions and judgments and comments about that. (And I feel bad for him, even if he is getting paid.) There’s a player whose nickname is “Pot Roast” who has been making his rounds. Now, I like football and I pay attention more than I want to, and I never heard of Pot Roast until this week. We’ve created a fake street called “Super Bowl Boulevard” and we have a hype parade down the street, every day. New York City…the center of the universe!! Never mind that the game is going to be played in New Jersey. Outdoors. 

Outdoors?? In February? It’s a genius hype move. Pure genius. We’ve been talking about the Super Bowl and weather even since it was announced that the game was going to be played in New York City, er, New Jersey.  It’s gonna be GREAT! It’s gonna be a DISASTER!! What a debacle!!

Genius move. We’ve combined the second-best hype machine in America with the BEST hype machine in America (told you I would tell you!) – weather forecasters! This would be like Apple and Microsoft merging to be one company!  We could call it MEGA-TRON! (Oh wait…that’s already taken.)

This month has been some month for weather, huh?  Polar Vortexes (Vortices? Vortici?) have INVADED us from Canada dumping snow and pelting us with ice and wreaking HAVOC all over the country! Snow in Hawaii? YES! Gridlock in The South for DAYS?? Multiple SNOWMAGEDDONS!!! YES!!! QUICK!! RUN AND SAVE YOURSELVES!!!!!! With bread and milk…burst pipes and massive snowdrifts and AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!

Oops. Sorry. Got caught up in the hype. But seriously, there is so much hype in weather, it really clouds things up for me (pun intended). And I’ve posted about this before, comparing weather hype to the boy-who-cried-wolf parable.  I saw a post on Facebook yesterday, with a weather map and text that announced that the East Coast was in the cross-hairs of a storm, two weeks out, which could possibly set all time snow records by dumping 30-40 inches of snow. The post added that roads and air travel would be cut for DAYS by the impending BLIZZARD!! The post was attributed, but not directly linked, to a page called Mid Atlantic Weather.

Well, there is a page called Mid Atlantic Weather. And they had to issue a post stating that this post in question was a hoax. BUT…it is true that there is a potential storm brewing two weeks from now, but of course they can’t say how much snow there will be, but it COULD be significant, so, stay tuned for each new update. Subtle hype. I love it.

But back to The Super Bowl and The Weather…the best part about all of this, to me, is this:  many of the sports reporters are telling us (warning us) that they will be OUTSIDE in the elements, whatever they are…they are going to be part of the weather! And the Weather Channel is going to feature its own halftime show, where they will have Al Roker performing the hits of Barry White and Luther Vandross!! No (please, no), but they will have a halftime show of meteorologists who will analyze the weather at the game, and provide insight on how the weather will impact the second half of the game.

REALLY?

But, guess what? It sells. We tune in, and stay tuned. We're riveted. We can't turn away. We stay and watch the commercials in between the hype. Oh wait, even the Super Bowl Commercials are hyped, too!!  We hate commercials 364 days out of the year, and we LOVE them, or hate them even more, on Hype Day/Super Bowl Sunday. And we analyze them, and rank them, and talk about GoDaddy.com forever, which, by the way, that company is still around, while other similar yet unknown companies have fallen by the wayside. Unknown. Hmmm. Should have built up more hype. We rush out to the internet and click away (generating ad revenue) and buy NFL merchandise and Super Bowl merchandise, and then we'd better rush out and get Velveeta NOW, because there is a VELVEETA shortage!!  And don't forget the aforementioned bread and milk, too, since the day after the big game, we're all gonna be buried in 25 feet of snow. But, we'll still have our 4G network to keep us warm. And safe. And informed about THE NEXT BIG THING!

Hype.  It sells.

As Flavor Flav, rap’s biggest Hype Man (and yes, that was his role) said repeatedly in Public Enemy’s arguably biggest hit…DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE. (Any time I can work Flavor Flav into a post, I’m pleased).

Word.

State Of The Union Address - A Template

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, fellow citizens:

Insert opening quote from historic figure.

Tonight, thanks to the positive adjective and positive adjective of the American people, there is much progress to report. Something something something war, something something something economy, some positive statement! Add a statistical statement pointing towards growing economy.

Together, we have a couple clever metaphors that illustrate the state of our union is stronger.

But, put in an ominous statement stating that we’re not finished yet.

Lessons From Sixth Grade

I have a friend who has a son in sixth grade – first year of middle school. He has been struggling in school; struggling with grades, struggling with homework, struggling with feeling confident about school. As I was listening to my friend tell me about the things that are going on, it made me think about my experiences in sixth grade, and there were a lot of similarities…which triggered some thoughts. I decided to pose the question to my Facebook community, which includes parents, teachers, and counselors, just asking for general advice or quick stories. The responses I received were all very similar and seemed to revolve around a few basic themes…which triggered some more thoughts…and is now triggering this post.

Now, in writing this, as I do with most of my posts, I tend to not do a lot of research, or documentation, or citation. I try to come from a place of opinion and observation, qualitatively. Something will come up in a conversation, or from the media, and I get a little nudge in my brain that triggers a thought which becomes a string of thoughts that seems like it might be helpful to share.  And so, with that said:  in my opinion...

It seems like sixth grade is generally a tough time. Going to a new school, with a new class structure (periods and different classrooms and lockers and multiple teachers) is a definite change. The homework seems to get tougher, the lessons get faster, the pressure gets ratcheted up a notch. And on top of that, hormones start to kick in, and the body starts to change. Society isn’t slowing down at all- quite the opposite: everything gets thrown out there quickly and even faster than that; messages and opinions and judgments and here’s what you should do and here’s what you shouldn’t do and think this way and like this and don’t like that and that’s dumb and listen to me and be here at this time and you can’t go there and blink blink flash beep who’s doing what? where? why? how? …blllluuuurrrrrrr…

Change can be overwhelming…it’s all so new and uncertain…and fearful. And with all of that, it’s easy for fear replace confidence.

I’m going to isolate three quotes from the responses that I received.

"Bottom line for this age group is Build. Build them up. Teach them to build others up. Teach the value of forgiveness. Most of all, teach how to determine your own self-worth."

"…my advice is to be there. When he is ready to ask for help you will be there. Listen. Let him make the decisions right or wrong. Now is the time they learn."

"…let THEM talk. Let them know that you are there for them but that you also trust them to handle their responsibilities on their own."

I agree with all of the above. 

You know what? I don’t think this applies to just sixth graders…I think this is something that we all need to be reminded up when dealing with others, whether it’s our kids or our peers, or even dealing with our own struggles. As humans, we want to talk, we want to be heard, and we don’t want to go through things alone. We want to be built up, and we feel good if we build others up. We make mistakes, we struggle, we try, and we just want to be OK.  Life is easy when we’re in a comfortable routine, but when something comes up and breaks that routine, and forces us into something different, or uncertain, it’s easy for fear replace confidence.

Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to talk. Or listen.  Build others up. Teach the value of forgiveness. Determine your own self-worth. Build yourself up. Ask others to build you up. No one has to go through anything alone. We’re all a collective community whose roads intersect and we all can get lost sometimes…it’s OK to ask for directions.

The Roaring 2010s?

I shopped at Target on December 15^th.

So far, nothing has happened. But that does make me part of the group of 70,000,000 of us who’s financial identity may have been violated.

Maybe that’s a little melodramatic…but I’m just starting this melo-drama…

See, there is a thought I’ve had for quite a while; a general mistrust of banks.  When the banking industry faced the crisis in the late 00s, I had this thought. When some banks proposed charging a per-teller-transaction fee for walking into “your” bank to conduct a transaction, I had this thought. When Busta Rhymes rapped about stacking your paper in 1999, in preparation for the Extinction Level Event (a/k/a the New Millennium), I had this thought.

Why am I keeping my money in a bank? 

This Post Is Brought To You By The Number 0...And The Number 1...

Somewhere in my lifetime, we crossed over into the digital age.

The digital age has profoundly changed the way we live. For my generation, the digital age is THE technological advance that defines us, just as the television and the automobile did for prior generations.  The digital age has increased the speed of life. We get our news much faster, we find information and answer questions much faster, and we communicate to each other much faster, all because of computers, the internet, texting, etc. 

To me…the digital age is leading to the downfall of society. The world is going to hell in a hand-basket… woven with a series of interconnected numbers.

"Critical" Review of Taco Bell's Grilled Stuft Nacho

Vimeo: nickmicale

After seeing the television advertisement for Taco Bell’s Grilled Stuft Nacho – the one where there is a teenager running up the street while holding and eating the Grilled Stuft Nacho (seen here: http://youtu.be/y61fLD0NWAA ) – I decided to go out to taste, rate, and review this latest offering from Taco Bell.

So, on this past damp but unusually warm winter Saturday at lunchtime, I went to my local Taco Bell to partake in this menu item. The Taco Bell in which I dined was a full Taco Bell, as opposed to a counter in a mall, or one of the combined Taco Bell/KFC establishments. This Taco Bell was cleaner than not, and on this particular Saturday, the restaurant was relatively empty.  The cashier behind the counter greeted me pleasantly and asked me for my order. 

“I’ll try the new Grilled Stuft Nacho, please,” I said.

“Sure, would you like a drink with that? And is that for here or to go?” she asked.

“For here, thank you,” I replied.

(Now, I have to admit, I decided to write this after the fact…otherwise, I might have tried to get into character. Then again, I tend to not to be confrontational  when ordering or dining in fast food establishments, for fear of…well…you know…retaliation.)

I received the Grilled Stuft Nacho in a reasonable amount of time. The Grilled Stuft Nacho was presented inside of a protective clear wrapper, well-branded with the Taco Bell logo. I took my tray to an open table, and proceeded to open the wrapper.

Now, I was under the impression that this Grilled Stuft Nacho was encased in a hard taco shell, mainly due to the television advertisement. In fact, the Grilled Stuft Nacho was encased in a soft triangular-cut tortilla. When I went to pick up the Grilled Stuft Nacho, the Grilled Stuft Nacho flopped over. Fortunately, the contents of the Grilled Stuft Nacho did not spill out. Well, until the first bite.  I would not recommend running, driving, or performing any other mobile activity with the Grilled Stuft Nacho, unless you are attempting to create a new South-Of-The-Border fashion statement. If you are, then I wish you the best of success.

In order to maintain the experience of prior Taco Bell excursions, I did not include the use of a plastic fork and knife as part of my dining repertoire. I quickly adjusted my expectations, and focused on the culinary aspect of the Grilled Stuft Nacho.  In other establishments, nachos are usually made with jalapenos, tomatoes, and salsa. The Grilled Stuft Nacho had none of those ingredients, at least directly. Taco Bell remained true to its traditional experience of simplicity with a hint of flavor. The Grilled Stuft Nacho has seasoned beef, nacho cheese sauce, cheesy jalapeno sauce, red tortilla chip pieces, and sour cream. The ingredients blended well together, and the red tortilla chip pieces added a surprise textural contrast to the sauciness of the other ingredients. The seasoning of the beef provided a hint of spiciness, without being overpowering, or potentially offensive to those who have more mild tastes. The Grilled Stuft Nacho, for its size and price, was surprisingly filling.

For anyone who enjoys Taco Bell and the normal Taco Bell experience, the Grilled Stuft Nacho did not disappoint. Well, as long as you’re sitting down and eating it, instead of trying to eat it on the run.

Rating:  3 bells out of 5. 

For more info:  http://www.tacobell.com/

 

Changing Perspectives

My photography website is finally launched. In my last post, I posed the question of “what took me so long?” just to see what some of my friends would say. One friend in particularly, one who knows me pretty well, suggested that my hesitation was out of fear of “opening myself up to the critique of strangers” and that “opening the creative parts of [oneself] is scary, and real, and emotional.” I don’t think that’s really it, though I can see how that could definitely be the case in general.

But now it’s launched, and I'm in the process of getting up and fully-running. And it’s been a process. Launching a website to sell photography (or probably anything) isn’t as simple as doing so…which shouldn’t be (and isn’t) a surprise. My site has been up for a week now. I have a software package where I can organize caption, and edit my photos. I’ve kept my photos pretty organized over the years, just because I’m a pretty organized person. The software allows me to rate my photos on a scale of one to five stars, and I’ve always kept up with rating my photos after each upload batch.

Crawling Into The Spotlight

So, in a couple of days, I’m launching a website to sell some of my photos. I’ve been encouraged, prodded, and talked-up into doing this. And from the first suggestion, I was never against the idea, but it’s taken me nine months from when the idea was first suggested AND I took it seriously, until now, to actually almost launch. I’m going to this time, really…I’ve picked the platform site and all I have to do is start the process online.

So, what’s taken me so long? Maybe someone can tell me. (This is going to be a self-exploratory blog post).