methodwriter85

Chapter 20 -When the boys dance in the Manhole, and Will is brought to completion by a twink. "Hot In Here" by Nelly I've been waiting for this one. I'll probably wind up using this more than once before the early 2000's are over. LOL. -When Will helps out the nerdy guy who got screwed over on his bar tab by cockteases with his Amex. "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World -When Matt has a lame one-night stand with Josh, and gets bothered when it turns out Josh has a boyfriend and didn't tell him before they had sex. "I Kissed A Drunk Girl" by Something Corporate -When Will and Matt hang out at the Manhole again, this time with more people being there, but Will admits that he's not all that interested because of Zach. "Heaven" by DJ Sammy and Yanou This was a club hit in 2001-2002, I believe. Great tune. I love it a lot. It was on an episode of How I Met Your Mother.

I hate to say this, but I have to agree with you. We need someone like Aaron Rodgers to come out.

Actually, it's fine, Tet. This thread isn't about 2002 Callfornia culture- I started this to talk about the broader national and international trends, pop culture, and events. The gentrification in Philly is interesting....they're FINALLY doing something with The Gallery At Market East. Anyway...back to pop culture...since we're in 2002 right now...two big T.V. shows that are on right now in CAP-Land: The Osbournes (Premiered March 5th) That was MTV's record-breaking t.v. show at the time- it had amazing ratings for cable back then. And of course, the big surprise summer hit: American Idol (Premiered June 11th) It's crazy to think that Kelly Clarkson is still relevant after 12 years. America really did one hell of a job picking their idol that first year. Movies: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (April 19th- sleeper hit that slowly climbed it's way up the charts despite never hitting 1...it stayed in theaters for like a year.) Spiderman (May 3rd- the biggest movie of 2002) James Franco before he became an insufferable ass. And remember when Kirsten Dunst was EVERYWHERE? Signs (August 2nd) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (November 15th) Tom Riddle. *DROOL.* Chicago (December 27th) This is really more of a 2003 movie, but eh, it was fun to watch when the '03 Blizzard hit our area...a lot of people went to the movies. Other big movies: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (December 18th) and the Star Wars movie (May 16th). People do not seem all that fond of that Star Wars prequel triology. Also, 2002 Oscar bait/indie movies that were acclaimed and celebrated at the 2003 Oscars: Unfaithful Diane Lane's comeback movie that got her nominated for an Oscar. The Hours The Oscar went to Nicole Kidman for the Oscars that she SHOULD have gotten for The Others and Moulin Rouge. Far From Heaven Probably my favorite from that year...at that time, I was on an Old Hollywood movie kick, and I really loved how it was such a wonderfully crafted throwback to 1950's melodramas. Also, god, was Dennis Quaid a DILF in that or what?

For a school as preppy as University of Delaware, we actually have a pretty sizeable hipster scene there. And then there's Wilmington's one gentrified area, Trolley Square. Private Tim and Mark Arbour like to joke about what a backwater of a state Delaware is, but the truth is that we're heavily influenced by Philadelphia, D.C., and Baltimore. The state itself has 900k people, but within three hours of us you've got the Philly Metro Area, the D.C./Baltimore Metro Area, and New York City's on the edge of that. U of D actually has a lot of students from New York and North New Jersey, so those influences rub off on us. It's weird to think of hipsters in Kensington. When I think of Kensington, I think of this: But New York City has gotten too expensive, so hipsters are making their way down to Philly. (And apparently, Detroit.) North Philadelphia is the last bastion, apparently, and the residents are fighting it with all their might.

My favorite personal "underage drinking" story was when I was 20, second semester of freshman year, and I got a 12-pack of Bud light or something like that. I went to Williams Hall, carrying the 12-pack in my backpack. The R.A. at front lobby looked at me, and he said, "What do ya got in there?" I said, "Oh, just some books." He replied, "Well, then you wouldn't mind us checking your backpack when you leave, right?" I said, "Sure, no problem." I went in there, tried to hang out with some people who weren't there at the moment, (I think I had a plan to go to an Alpha Phi Delta frat party later that night, and this was part of my pre-game), and just kind of walked around, figuring that I would try and outlast the R.A. (In retrospect, the R.A.'s were on front-desk duty until 3 a.m., and it was like 10 p.m.) Then I thought I'd just drink the 12-pack, went into the bathroom, and could only manage to pound 3-4 beers in about 5 minutes before I had to stop. (I wasn't good at binging beers until I was 21-22, actually. 25 oz Bud Light beers at Grotto's Pizza, what!) I walked back into the hallway, and this sorority girl, who I think knew me from my reputation as "that kid who pukes a lot at frat parties", came out of her dorm and was like, "Hey, you REALLY need to get rid of the beer in your backpack. All of the R.A. in the front are talking about how they're planning on busting you when you leave." She kindly let me use her breath mints. Then I walked around, buzzed (remember, I'm a lightweight so 3-4 beers could do a lot to me), trying to figure out a plan. Now, I could have just dumped the beer, but that would have been a waste of money. So I didn't know what to do, until I just so happened to run into two girls that I was on the cross-country team with. That's when I got the idea to leave my beer with them. One of them said, "Take some of our textbooks so you won't have an empty bookbag on your way out." I was like, "Sick idea. Alright, cool, I'll see you guys at 2." I walked down to the entrance, and Chris (the R.A. who was totally hot but was also kind of an ass) was like, "Alright, let's see your backpack." I zipped open my backpack, then the guy smirked at me, took the backpack, and actually did a full seach of the backpack. (Which, I found out, wasn't even protocol- zipping open the backpack and showing it to them was, not a full search.) His face fell when he realized that he wasn't going to bust me. Then Chris asked me, "Why is your breath so minty?" I slurred back, "I just really like mints, man." I left, partied my ass off at APD, then the next morning, at 2 p.m. I picked up the rest of my beer from my teammates. Erica was like, "I thought you meant you'd be back at like 2 a.m." Jena was like, "See, I TOLD you he meant 2 in the afternoon." LOL. Drinking just wasn't quite as fun as it was when you were under 21 and it was technically off-limits and you had to sneak around for it.

Yeah, that was my one bitch about the chart. Otherwise, it's pretty damn accurate- I started hanging out around hipsters in 2007, and the 2007, 2008, and 2009 hipsters look pretty spot-on. The tattoo sleeve on the hipster girl is a great touch. I'm kinda surprised that you know about the whole hipster deal though, Tim. You don't strike me as someone who would hang out with them. You strike me more as a "country club in the suburbs" type, not a hipster bar goer.

Weezer's Blue Album was released 20 years ago on May 10th, 1994. To celebrate, I'm posting my favorite tunes by them. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. " 7. " 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Hipsters were to the 2000's what the yuppies were to the 1980's- the defining archtype to the decade that were endlessly mockable. Someone came up with an "Evolution of the Hipster" timeline at the end of 2009. I can see Stefan recoiling in horror at the 2008-2009 hipsters. LOL.

Kitt and Mark, back in the late 1970's/early 1980's when you only had to be 18 to drink, was there a bit less of that "need to binge-drink" culture with you and your peers? I always imagined that binge-drinking was bourne out of the fact the bulk of college kids can't legally drink, so they feel a need to drink as much as they can while they have access in front of it. (Back in 1983-1984, there was a push to raise the drinking age from 18 to 21. States that didn't participate would have their highway funds taken away. I had a camp counselor that was born in December 1965, and she told us that for December 1983, she could legally drink in Delaware, as the 21 age limit didn't take effect until January 1984. Kitt and Mark would have been one of the last cohorts of people that got to legally drink in the United States when they and their peers turned 18 circa 1976-1982.) One funny carding story I had was when I was 24, and I was buying from a P.A. state beer place. (You can't buy hard liquor and beer in the same place in P.A. for some crazy reason.) The lady ran my license through the scanner three times, then kept looking at me, and finally said, "You just don't look that old." She finally relented, but it still pissed me off. Another time, when I was about 25, because I had an out-of-state license with me and they didn't have a computer scanning system set up, the bartender made me sign a waiver saying that I was legally of age- the kicking is that the piece of paper I had to sign was so old that it had a 19(blank) for their year! As for the pressure...yeah. It's huge. I didn't get anywhere close to 21 shots for my 21st birthday, but I did manage to have a Hard Lemonade, a Three Wisemen shot, A Four Horseman Shot, three to four beers, and a Screwdriver as my night cap. I passed out on the bathroom of a bar, got kicked out, and then walked over to another bar to have my night cap Screwdriver. LOL. There was one guy with us who had a fake I.D., but it was like a fake "state i.d." instead of a license, so he got into this long-ass explanation about it to the bartender. He got kicked out, and I swiped the rest of his beer. LOL. Do you remember your 21st birthday shots, Blue?

Yeah. I've used that one already.

Yeah. Well, I can't hit it every time. LOL. I just picked club songs popular in 2002.

Thank you Mark for having Josh look like James Maslow from Big Time Rush: GAWD, he is HAWT. He was pretty as a twink, but the bulked up bod and shorter hair is seriously hot on him.

I liked Josh saying that he was talking the "outdated 1980's bar into the new millenium"- this would be right around the time when people started treating 1980's architecture like hideous things that needed to get updated. A couple of years after this, circa 2005, I'd watch homegoers on "House Hunters" bitch about the "1980's decor" of their houses...now they bitch about 90's decor. Of course. LOL. The bit about the fake I.D.'s was funny, and rang very true. People Matt's age(those who were in high school in the mid/late 1990's) had a MUCH easier time getting fake I.D.'s...by the time people Will's age (those who were in high school in the early/mid-00's) were in high school, I.D.'s were becoming much more specialized (holograms became the norm) so you had to up the faking game. Nowadays, I imagine it's almost impossible to get into a club if you're underage with the computer scanners that are around. I did meet one guy in 2012 though who said that his I.D. actually worked with the scanners, so I imagine that must have been one damn good fake. Finally...I really would like to be able to go to a bar or a club and NOT get carded, as I'm pushing 30 and it feels ridiculous and annoying to have to pull out my license. If I were still sub-25, it'd be one thing, but GEEZ. Alas, I'll probably be carded until I'm 35. Young faces run in my family, save for one sister.

Chapter 19 -When the group meets Josh, who outlines his plan for bringing the outdated 1980's club into the new millenium, and Matt has an idea about where he's having his apartment. "Point of View" by DB Boulevard If there's one thing I don't know, it would be 2002 gay club music as I was a sheltered 16-year old who didn't party until I was 19, so I hope I came up with something heard that sounds like it fits the place and time. LOL. -When Matt and Will get ready for their night of clubbing. "Come On Down" by Crystal Waters

It's not a massive movement, in any event. But it does seem like it's gaining interest. I'm ambivalent about this, and even then I think it's pretty interesting. Wildlife IS possible, though:

So, on Throwback Thursdays, people can post things that are throwbacks to earlier eras. Here's my Throwback Selection....a look at the Jersey Shore, Circa 1994: [media] [media] If I remember correctly, the Shore was a much sketchier place back then. And yeah, these people are sketchy as hell. LOL. It's just funny to watch this and remember that back in the early/mid-90's, clothing like this seemed normal and much more sensible than the crazy clothes of the 1980's. Also, my 12 and 13-year old sisters spent the summer of 1995 at the Jersey Shore, around Point Pleasant/Belmar/Seaside Heights, with just an old family friend as supervision, and I really wonder what they got into. LOL.

Well, the idea seems to be removing the concrete on the bottom, and then replacing the concrete bank with terraced steps, so that it'll keep its flood control ability but look more attractive and let wildlife grow there again:

LOL. It's all about perspective. I grew up in Suburban Delaware, so I like greenery. We only really have pockets of greenery around here- it's all mainly about the cookie-cutter housing and retail developments here. Anyway, to change it up... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6CaKX9O8kY I really wish I could've been around to see the Sherman Oaks Galleria in its Hey Day and original form...it was probably the ultimate hang-out space for the 80's mallrat. Fast Times At Ridgemont High made it look so damn cool. I was also obsessed with Valley Girl...I mean, the movie wasn't actually FILMED at the Galleria, but it did take place there. Outdoor malls are fine, but I miss the old-school, 1980's indoor malls full of neon colors. Though it does look like they did a good job of updating it. Although you apparently have to pay for parking. Paying for parking at a mall doesn't compute with me. I thought the whole point of a mall was that you ddn't have to pay for parking. LOL.

Hey though Blue...check out this Friends of the Los Angeles River Promo: I mean, doesn't this make you feel warm and fuzzy inside? It really is strange to me how ambivalent this makes me feel. I think 20-year old Jeremy would have jumped up and on this "Revive the River!" deal, but 28-year old me...half really thinks it's an awesome idea, the other half thinks it's going to be a boondoggle and disaster for the city of Los Angeles. Here's a mini, 12-minute doc on Los Angeles River kayakers: Do you kayak, Blue? That does kind of look fun. It seems like the ability to kayak was the reason why L.A. River was declared a navigable waterway.

I'm just saying that St. Louis has stopped bleeding population- they've settled in at the 300k mark after decades of massive population losses. Very true about the Pittsburgh skyline, Mark...it really is magic at night: I think the varied topography of Pittsburgh really adds to the magic of their skyline.

Chapter 18 -When Brad goes to New York City to get Robbie's rings and finally, deep-down accepts that Robbie is really and truly gone. "Gymnopedie No. 1" by Erik Satie

60's/70's public buildings. Ugh. I hate that cement brutalist style so much. I'm glad that shit is often getting torn down. St. Louis seems to have stabilized itself...not quite as well as Pittsburgh has, but they seem to have stopped the bleeding out. I think Pittsburgh has the win for the better skyline if we're going to do a "Battle of the Rustbelt Cities With Populations Currently in the 300k Range", though:

It really is a conversation that people of Los Angeles need to have. There is a dedicated movement going on, and there is significant investment going on, with a lot more likely to follow, even if neither the 453 million or 1 billion plan don't go through. This could either turn into a major turning point for the city into a more "Green" city, or it could become a major boondoogle with consequences that will be felt for decades.

Their album Disintergration turned 25 today. To celebrate, I'm going to make a playlist of my favorite tunes by them. The Cure Playlist 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Pictures of You

Disintegration by The Cure turned 25 today, so I'm posting this: