Aaaaaaaand DONE.

I signed up for NaBloPoMo because I wanted to get back into the swing of blogging. I had a slow September and October, and this was just the thing to get me back on my blogging feet. Plus, there's the opportunity to win prizes.

But what I didn't consider is that the only thing that's not fun for me about blogging is the occasional sense of obligation. Feeling obliged to post, to post a certain way, to not post about this or that, etc. Blogging is most fun when it's on my terms. For much of the month, I was posting because I said I was going to, not because I wanted to. So in hindsight, I'm not sure what I was thinking.

Plus, because of time constraints and such, I didn't get to reply to many comments left here. Worse yet, I didn't have as much time as I had hoped to comment at other sites (particularly Cadiz, Jon, Sarah, and RaJ, fellow NaBloPoMo participants). While I was posting every day, I actually feel more detached from the blog world than I did before I started.

In spite of all the complaining, there were some good things about the month. As a lover of numbers and blog stats, I was excited by the number of comments and visitors from November. There were more than twice as many comments received here in November than in October. The hit count went up more in November than it did in September and October combined. And, with the exception of the part where you guys left me for dead and rationed out my material possessions, the quality of comments has been fantastic, so it's not just about numbers.

Anyway, I'll be taking a much needed weekend off from posting. That is, unless I find out on Sunday that I won one of the NaBloPoMo prizes. Have a good one.

Fin.

Posted by omar at 8:12 PM | Read entire post | Comments (17)

29 - Consecutive number of days I've managed to put something on this blog, a new record.

5 - The old record for consecutive days with a new post, before this month.

12 - Estimated maximum number of days in any given month that I really have something to say that's worth blogging about.

19 - Number of days into the month before I felt compelled to create a new post category, called "Phoning it In." Though really, I phoned it in a few times before day 19.

328 - Number of comments received here during NaBloPoMo.

20 - Number of people who got to my site by searching for "space pen" during NaBloPoMo.

2 - Number of times I shut down my computer and headed for bed before I realized I hadn't yet posted for the day.

2 - Number of times NaBloPoMo made me mad.

0 - Number of times I expect to participate in NaBloPoMo next year. More on that tomorrow.

Posted by omar at 9:35 PM | Read entire post | Comments (13)

I sat looking at this "Hazardous Materials" tape, and I wondered: was it put backwards intentionally because there aren't really hazardous materials in the area, but it's the only "caution" tape they had? Or are there actually hazardous materials back there, and someone just wasn't paying attention when they put it on? As I was wondering, it occurred to me that there is a large room with a glass wall on the other side of that tape. As in, the tape could be seen from the other side of the glass. Maybe it was meant for them to read, and I was the one in the midst of hazard?

So I took a few pictures, just in case any lawsuits stem from this. Luckily, I made it out OK.

Posted by omar at 10:21 PM | Read entire post | Comments (17)

Remember how a while ago, when I went to watch the boy's swim class, I kept getting hit on by all the moms of other kids? Well, we're doing swim class again. The only difference this time is that I'm the one going in the water with him. And I can't help but wonder if I'm getting hit on less now because I'm not wearing a shirt while I'm there.

Nah, it's probably because the wife is up there threatening anyone who looks my way.

OK, maybe it's 60% wife, 40% no shirt.

40% wife, 60% no shirt?

Posted by omar at 9:58 PM | Read entire post | Comments (8)

One day a few weeks ago when I went to work, I got to my desk to find a small bag of M&Ms sitting there. They weren't mine. It's not uncommon for someone else to sit at my desk when I'm not there, though it IS uncommon for college students to leave behind candy. The FIRST thing that went through my mind was that I shouldn't touch it, because there's probably some hidden camera watching me from a show called, "How Fat is This Guy?" Then I imagined how the show puts candy and other fatty foods where a person will find it, then there's a little clock in the corner of the screen that's counting how long it takes the person to eat the food, in spite of the fact that they have no idea why the food is there. So instead of enjoying some free M&Ms, I put them over in the usual "free food" spot. Someone else snatched them up and ate them. And you know what? There was no camera.

Tonight, I went out to the bookstore to look for a Christmas gift. As I was browsing, a lady who worked there came up and stood right next to me, counting something on the shelf out loud. I casually moved over, and she moved right along with me, as though she was just waiting for me to get out of the way. She never acknowledged me. I stood my ground for a few seconds, then I moved to another area of the same section. Not a minute later, there she was again, right next to me. All I could think about was that MTV show, "Boiling Points." I don't even know if it's still on the air, I haven't seen it in years. So this time I stood there, because I thought I was going to win $100. And you know what? I didn't win $100, even though I said NOTHING. AND they didn't have the book I was looking for, so it was like I lost TWICE.

This happens to me constantly, where I get the feeling I'm on some sort of candid TV show. Does this happen to anyone else? Anyone?

Posted by omar at 9:14 PM | Read entire post | Comments (9)

Over the past few months, I've been knee-deep in a couple of non-blog website projects. Details are boring, but I will say that some additions to omarphillips.net over the past few months happened indirectly because of these projects (cool points and customized referrer messages are the only two visible changes).

One of the projects, which is for work, will be "going live" this week. Consequently, I've been a bit preoccupied with it over these past few days (this explains my good score on that quiz I mentioned yesterday). It's bad enough where I actually had a crazy dream a few nights ago where I got a call from someone who was from a government agency. He was calling me specifically for assistance with PHP code, and in much greater detail, he said it was a matter of national security. So of course I didn't hesitate to produce some code to do what he wanted. After I gave him the code, I was admittedly a little suspicious, because the thing he asked me to do involved pretty basic PHP. You'd think I'd be suspicious because he was calling ME for help, but no. That seemed perfectly natural to me at the time, I guess. Anyway, the FBI came to my door a few days later to put me under arrest because I had been in contact with known criminals who were using my code to steal millions of dollars. I woke up as they were preparing to cuff me.

This means two things: 1) I need to take a break from PHP; and 2) I need to take a break from watching that new NBC show, Chuck.

Posted by omar at 9:31 PM | Read entire post | Comments (6)

Clearly I do not have 30 straight days worth of stuff to say. At least I made it more than halfway through the month before I created the "Phoning it in" category. I'll be back to actually writing stuff soon. In the interim, enjoy a quiz.

53

Posted by omar at 10:32 PM | Read entire post | Comments (12)

(originals here)

I'm sorry. Blame NaBloPoMo.

Posted by omar at 10:02 PM | Read entire post | Comments (11)

I'm a dad. I'm a husband. I'm a son and a son-in-law. I'm a brother and a brother-in-law. I'm an uncle. I'm a grandson, cousin, nephew, and great-nephew. I'm a friend.

I'm happy. And I'm thankful for all of that.

Posted by omar at 9:53 PM | Read entire post

For my previous pumpkin pies, I had used frozen pie crusts. There was a time when I would have been too ashamed to admit that, but that time is not now. I'm not even sorry. If I needed a car, I wouldn't mold the tires, would I? Of course not.

But after two years and four successful pumpkin pies, I decided to be brave and avoid my grocer's frozen food section. Before you applaud me, I should note that instead, I hit the grocer's refrigerated food section. So yeah, I wasn't that brave. But it's progress. I even made a charming little pattern around the edges of the crust, as seen in the picture below:

Also, aside from the extra experience, the refrigerated crust had the extra benefit of providing a little bit of "extra" crust. And because I always have a little extra filling left, I made a mini pie to go along with the big pie:

Sadly, as you may have noticed in the second photo, my charming crust pattern disappeared. And as you can see in the finished product below, the boring-looking crust was a tad over-baked. But it was NOT under-tasted! (That one sounded better in my head.)

I thought it tasted great, though I wouldn't call it perfect. I let the boy have part of the mini pie, and he asked for seconds. Considering he doesn't eat anything, this is a big deal. And I'm sure it had nothing to do with the Cool Whip.

Appearance: 3/5
Taste: 4/5
Sub Total: 7/10
Mini-Pie Bonus: 2

Total: 9/10

Posted by omar at 10:16 PM | Read entire post | Comments (9)

I did make the pumpkin pie tonight, but some stuff came up that prevented me from having time to gather pictures and write up a good post about it. Will do that tomorrow.

Quick story, just so that I'm not posting to say I couldn't post:

As I was sitting on the floor, the boy walked up behind me with his blanket. He bundled it up, put it on my head, and told me I look like a pirate. This part is pretty normal, we've made pretend pirate hats before. So I ask him, "What do pirates say?"

He replies, with a gritty pirate voice, "HOLAAAAAaaa!"

Watch out for those friendly Spanish-speaking pirates, folks.

Posted by omar at 9:48 PM | Read entire post | Comments (8)

Loosen the ol' belt. Skip dinner. Put on your "eating" shirt. You don't have one? GET ONE. Then put it on, and get you favorite eating fork. Seriously? You don't have one of those either?! Amateur!

Today is the official start of Pie Season.

For the omarphillips.net newbies, I like pie. (I actually have a tattoo saying just that, bring it up next time we see each other and I'll show it to you.) Roughly two years ago, I decided that I wanted a pumpkin pie. So I made one. Over the next several months, I made a bunch more. I hung up my... pie plate (?) in mid '06, primarily because I discovered that I suck at making pies.

Or rather, I suck at making most pies. My pecan pie was very good. I'd make it again, except that I'm the only one in my house who would eat it, and I need to eat an entire pecan pie like I need a Pretty Pretty Princess board game for Christmas. And don't even suggest giving it away. You gotz to be crazy if you think I'm going through the effort of making a pie, just to give it all away. And you can't give away half of a pie, can you?

Luckily, my pumpkin pie is usually good also, and the boy will eat it with me. Sure, the boy will eat like 1/8th of it, but that's good enough for my conscience. I'll be making the pie Tuesday evening. I'm mentioning it a day early because I wanted to give you all time to get mentally prepared.

Posted by omar at 9:44 PM | Read entire post | Comments (11)

Posted by omar at 10:08 PM | Read entire post | Comments (11)

Remember that hockey game I shot not so long ago, with Britney Spears as one of the linesmen? I submitted a few images to local papers and such at the time. Hadn't heard back, so I didn't expect anything. But then this one got printed in a tiny local (free) paper!

FYI: In print, it was larger than this.

Posted by omar at 8:26 PM | Read entire post | Comments (11)

Pet Peeve #1: Screen touchers

Let's say there was a rude cell phone user who doesn't open doors. And let's say he told me a story about a basketball player he met at the libary who scored the game-winning touchdown in the Stanley Cup finals. In spite of all his violations, he would not leave me as peeved as would the guy who puts his greasy finger on my computer screen. There is no need for anyone to ever touch my computer screen.

I don't think it's malicious. And I'm not saying I get mad at people who do it. But I don't think people realize, it hurts me when they do it. It hurts. I do a fair amount of design-type work, where I'm asking for people's opinions on stuff that's on my screen. I say, "Hey, what do you think of those colors?" And he says, "I like the top part, but this part..." and I don't even hear words anymore, because all I see is his finger leaving his side and approaching my screen. And inside, I'm saying, "For the love of god, man! Put your finger down!!" But the finger keeps going. Then I'm like, "Gah!! There are only three parts to what I'm showing you, why do you even need to point? Just use words!!" All the while, the finger is getting closer. Then the finger stops, barely an inch from the screen. Relieved, I start paying attention to him again.

"...but if you swapped this color with that one..." and before I know it, his finger has made contact with my screen, and is [gasp] dragging from one spot to another. It doesn't matter what I was doing on the computer, it's over. From the moment contact was made, all I saw was a smudge mark on my screen.

And this isn't like hearing "libary," which only happens once in a while. This happens all the time. Several times per week. Each time, I want to sit the person down and say, "What's the matter with you? You wouldn't press your finger on someone else's glasses, would you?" But I don't, because I haven't yet prepared a good response in the event that someone answers "yes."

Please. Pretty please, with sugar on top. Point, don't touch.

5. Incorrect sports terminology
4. People who don't hold doors
3. "Libary"
2. People who answer their cell phones when they're busy
1. Screen touchers

Posted by omar at 9:52 PM | Read entire post | Comments (13)

Pet Peeve #2: People who answer their cell phones when they're busy

Yeah, you knew it was coming. I've documented my feelings on cell phones several times over the few years I've been blogging. It's because time and time again, I've seen cell phones turn good people into rude people. But I've softened my stance over the past year; and if I do say so myself, I've come a long way. After all, I didn't say "ALL cell phone users," I chose a specific subset.

Let's say I call you on your cell phone, just to chat. Note that I wouldn't do this, because I don't talk. This is hypothetical. I call you, and you answer your phone. I assume that because you answered the phone, you're available to talk. Maybe it's my fault for assuming this, I don't know. But you know it's me, because you can see the caller ID, and because you assigned Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back" as the ringtone for when I call. Then when you answer the phone, you say, "Hey, can I give you a call back in 10?" I'm uncomfortable because you just made me feel like I interrupted something.

So now let's say we're having a conversation in person. Again, this is hypothetical. Then someone else calls you on your cell phone. You pause mid-sentence to look at the caller ID, then you stop what you were saying and let me know who's calling. You say, "One sec," then answer the phone. Then you proceed to ask that person if you can call him/her back in 10. First I'm annoyed, because you could have just sent the call to voicemail if you didn't have intent to talk to the person. Then I start to get insecure, because I wonder if you did that as a way out of our conversation, and you were just putting me on notice that our time to talk is limited. Then I get mad, because it's natural to get mad after feeling insecure.

If you're busy and I call you (and you're not expecting my call), don't answer. If it's important, I'll keep calling. Otherwise, just enjoy that 30 second clip of "Sexy Back" and call me when you're free.

5. Incorrect sports terminology
4. People who don't hold doors
3. "Libary"
2. People who answer their cell phones when they're busy
1.

Posted by omar at 9:51 PM | Read entire post | Comments (9)

Pet Peeve #3: "Libary"

I ain't no expert in the English language. I've been known to use bad grammar now and then and though I love the comma I sometimes overcompensate and under-punctuate my sentences as to make them not seem so casual or conversational. I never learned to not split infinitives. Oh, and if you're playing Scrabble, I'm not the one you want to rely on.

And I'm as guilty as anyone of making typical mistakes, like saying "all of the sudden." I've said "biweekly" when I meant "semi-weekly." I always have to think about it to avoid saying "Daylight Savings Time."

Because I'm aware of my own limited grasp of the language, I'm typically very forgiving of other people's mistakes. But one thing I cannot forgive is when people say "libary." When I hear someone say this, it makes me want to go to each of his/her former teachers, take all their money, and give it back to the school districts in which they were employed. It makes me cringe. I can never not cringe when I hear it, no matter how hard I try. Come to think of it, maybe this should have been #2...

5. Incorrect sports terminology
4. People who don't hold doors
3. "Libary"
2.
1.

Posted by omar at 10:00 PM | Read entire post | Comments (20)

Pet Peeve #4: People who don't hold doors

If you're within a couple of steps of a door I just pulled open to walk through, at the very least, I'll give the door an extra push open so that you can pass through without also having to pull the door open. This is not because I'm nice. (I'm really not that nice. Remember how in my last post, I called people illiterate?) It's because it's what you do when someone's behind you when you're walking through a door. You give a quick glance, and if someone's there, you give the door a little push.

But if you don't give a quick glance, if you don't give a little push, and you open the door just wide enough for you to fit through it and then let go, it makes me wish I could shoot lasers from my eyes at you. Not fatal, but potentially harmful. Or maybe the lasers will make you itchy. Do they make itch-inducing lasers?

5. Incorrect sports terminology
4. People who don't hold doors
3.
2.
1.

Posted by omar at 8:56 PM | Read entire post | Comments (13)

This week, I will highlight 5 of my biggest pet peeves. I do understand that by putting these up on this site, I'm inviting people to use them to annoy me. But I'm willing to take the risk, because I strongly believe that 1) fellow bloggers would not be so mean as to do that; and 2) the college students working for me are illiterate, so they won't even notice.

Pet Peeve #5: Incorrect sports terminology

I don't care if you don't like sports. That's your prerogative. I don't like... line dancing. Consequently, if someone came up to me and asked me about boot scootin', you know what I'd do? I'd gracefully say, "I'm a black man from New York." I'd pause for dramatic effect, then continue. "What on earth would make you think I'd know about boot scootin'?" My point is that I wouldn't fake it. I wouldn't pretend like I know what boot scootin' is, when clearly I do not.

If you don't like baseball, that's fine. But don't chime in on a baseball conversation and ask how many points the Red Sox made last night. Baseball teams don't "make points." I can think of a hundred other examples, but I don't want to type them out, because it will just make me mad. It's OK if you don't like sports. I may not agree with you, but at least we can respectfully disagree. But if you shout "home run" during a football game, I'm sorry, but I can no longer say that I "respectfully" disagree with you.

5. Incorrect sports terminology
4.
3.
2.
1.

Posted by omar at 9:30 PM | Read entire post | Comments (12)

A few of you who are linked on the sidebar seem to have noticed that your "cool point" values have decreased a bit. This is the result of a change I made a couple of weeks ago, to make the number indicate the number of posts commented on rather than the total number of comments.

So I'll pretend like this is a democracy and let the masses vote. Should the numbers indicate total number of comments, or total number of posts commented on?

Posted by omar at 8:00 PM | Read entire post | Comments (19)

Posted by omar at 9:25 PM | Read entire post | Comments (14)

Big day today, I've got nothing for you. Though some might argue that I've had nothing for several days now.

Now pardon me, it's almost cake time.

Posted by omar at 4:39 PM | Read entire post | Comments (9)

I saw this at NCS' Mas Cowbell (then also at Tori's), and decided to play along. Rules: Let others know a little more about yourself, repost this as your name followed by "ology."

MOUTHOLOGY

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Burger King. It would be Taco Bell, except I feel the need to demote them to the #2 spot because they add a new menu item every 10 minutes, but their posted menu at the drive thru still shows the same stuff it did 5 years ago. Hopefully this public complaint will get them to change their ways, at which point, I will consider promoting them to the #1 spot.

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
A: I don't really get sick of foods. Two weeks is nothing. Any food I like, I could eat for two weeks. I could eat it every meal for two weeks. But because I'm supposed to pick one, I'll pick pancakes.

Q.What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. Pepperoni OR onion. I always got pepperoni, but because my brother and his family are all vegetarians, they usually get onion. I've grown to like it. I don't like my pizza to have a lot of toppings, though. More meats make it too greasy, more vegetables make it too vegetably.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. What is currently on your computer wallpaper?
A: A picture of my kid reading a "Learning SQL" book. It's one of my favorite pictures of him, and he nerds I work with really get a kick out of it.

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A: 2 plus a computer with a TV tuner that is used in emergency situations.

BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right-handed

Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. Not sure exactly, probably 3-ish years ago?

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. Only by an anesthesiologist. But I put up a good fight first.

OTHEROLOGY

Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
A. The color of the clothes that smell the best on any given day. Black, maybe? I dunno.

Q. Have you ever saved someone's life?
A. Not knowingly...

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. Not knowingly...

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: My cell phone.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: I've never seen it.

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A: 2002. I remember it far too well.

LASTOLOGY

Q: Last person who called you?
A: The wife, if you don't count support calls for work.

Q: Last Person you hugged?
A: The boy

FAVORITOLOGY

Q: Number?
A: 11

Q: Season?
A: Spring. Really I just like the first week or so of warm weather in the spring. It's one of few times of the year where I actually enjoy the outdoors.

CURRENTOLOGY

Q: Mood?
A: Is "tired" a mood?

Q: Listening to?
A: Alex Trebec.

Q: Watching?
A: Jeopardy!

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Of things that are not too personal AND likely to happen? I can't wait to go back to Penn State for a football game. Oh, or go to Yankee Stadium next year for a game.

Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A: Toy Story. The boy just started learning about Buzz Lightyear.

Q: Do you smile often?
A: Not as often as I used to, but I still smile a fair amount.

--
(On a related note, if there's anything you guys want to know, any questions, please feel free to ask in a comment or via email. I'm not yet to the point of begging for material, but I've already used 4 of the 8 things I had planned to write about over the 30 days of NaBloPoMo. Help a brother out.)

Posted by omar at 7:23 PM | Read entire post | Comments (10)

Last weekend, I photographed a local hockey game. It was pretty fun, I got a handful of good shots, and the good guys won the game. But that's not much of a blog post, is it? No.

I thought one of the linesmen in the game kind of looked like a girl, partially because while he passed at high speeds, it looked like he was wearing mascara. Or do I mean eyeliner? Whatever, I thought he was wearing make-up. Anyway, it wasn't until a face-off near the area where I was sitting that I got to zoom close enough to notice that it wasn't make-up, it was a black eye.

When I was going back through the pictures at the end of the night, I scrolled quickly past that image, and the face looked very familiar:

I know they don't look exactly alike or anything. But I had Britney's "Toxic" in my head that whole night, and now I think I know why.

Posted by omar at 8:22 PM | Read entire post | Comments (10)

A few weeks ago, while visiting my parents' house, whatever TV program was on mentioned something about someone having a "baby brother or sister." My mom, who couldn't pass up such an opportunity, asked my boy if he wanted a little brother or sister. While he responded that he wants a baby sister, I shot daggers out of my eyes at my mom. I think she chose not to notice.

A few days later, I was driving with the boy in the car, and he mentioned something again about a sister. So I asked him, "you really think you want a baby sister? Why do you want a baby sister?"

He replied, "So I can play with it."

Just as I thought I was going to have to suppress some emotions, he continued.

"And frow it."

"... I'm sorry, did you say 'throw it'?"

"Yes."

This is one of many many times where I've found myself having to hide laughter while discussing something that is supposed to be serious.

"Listen, you don't throw babies. Babies are not for throwing." What else was I supposed to say? "You can play with babies, though. And help them learn how to do things. But you don't throw babies, OK?"

"Ok daddy," he agreed.

--

Tonight, the boy picked a story at bedtime that I don't normally read to him, and one the wife hasn't read to him in quite a while. It's called "More More More Said the Baby." I don't love the book, but whatever, I let him choose. So I started reading it. The first part is about a baby boy and his dad who were playing together. They were playing some little game of chase, and after the dad caught the boy, it said something like, "and Little Guy's daddy threw that baby high in the air..."

I paused. And then I burst out laughing. At least we now know his desire to have a baby sister so he can throw it isn't malicious.

Posted by omar at 10:01 PM | Read entire post | Comments (10)

For Christmas last year, the wife got me a Fisher Space Pen. Since then, it's been in my pocket all but two days (I thought I had lost it, but it was in my golf bag). In the past 10+ months, I've been trying to use some of its advertised features. For example, one of the easy ones was to make sure it can write at any angle, "even upside down." It passed that with flying colors, I was able to complete a sudoku puzzle while laying on my back. I tried the same test with one of my old Dr. Grip pens, it stopped writing within a minute or two. Fisher also claims that the pen can write "through grease." I tested this the first time I ordered a pizza, and again, it passed.

One of the things I hadn't tried, however, was writing underwater. Let me give you some Omar trivia: I hate water. If it's raining, I'm trying to get out of the rain. When there's a pool party, I'm on the deck sipping a cold beverage. And when I'm in the shower, I don't have a pocket in which I can put my pen. There are no normal circumstances under which I'd have opportunity to write on a surface that is in water.

But because I'm so thorough, and because I signed up for this NaBloPoMo thing and needed something to write about, I decided to test it. So I grabbed the first thing I could find that would withstand being written on while underwater (a Linens-N-Things coupon), some water, my pen, and I went to work:

Next time, I'll be testing the "writes in 250˚F" claim.

Posted by omar at 8:49 PM | Read entire post | Comments (16)

The boy and I went out in search of a new winter coat for him. Not surprisingly, he wasn't really all that into trying on a bunch of coats. Consequently, I wasn't that thrilled about being there either. So for the sake of time, once I found the rack with coats his size, I started flipping through price tags to look for potentials. Not far along, I came across this Sean John price tag:

For that price, I could buy him four of the coats that are actually in my price range, fifteen crunchy tacos, a pumpkin muffin from Dunkin Donuts, a few songs from the iTunes music store, and two more coats that are so cheap that I'd question the quality of their assembly, yet I'd still get them just for the sake of increasing the quantity of items (particularly coats) that I can get for the cost of a toddler-sized coat that is obscenely expensive just because it has P. Diddy's name on it.

(Once I made my point though, I'd probably take five of those coats back to the store.)

Posted by omar at 8:59 PM | Read entire post | Comments (15)

Posted by omar at 1:17 PM | Read entire post | Comments (10)

For my first job after college, I had to wear a tie every day. I worked there for 14 months.

I've worn a tie to dozens of Easter Sunday church services, baptisms, weddings, and funerals in my life.

I have been on more job interviews than I care to think about, and have worn a tie to each and every one. You could throw a couple of job fairs in there also.

I can think of two or three formal family portraits I've been in where I had to wear a tie.

I have lived on this planet for 30 years, six months, and some change. I've worn lots of ties. All along, I was under the impression I was tying a half-Windsor knot. I just found out that I'm wrong. I've been using a crooked variation of the four-in-hand knot all along.

I feel embarrassed. Lied to. Mad. My pedestrian fashion awareness is not news, but this is tying a tie. Tying a tie is like a rite of passage, a skill necessary to go from boy to man. And I've been doing it wrong.

Sometimes, I can't believe I'm someone's dad. Thank goodness I haven't had the "how to tie a tie" talk with my boy yet.

Posted by omar at 6:00 AM | Read entire post | Comments (17)

122 - Number of trick-or-treaters that came by my house last night.

7 - Number of trick-or-treaters, by my count, that came by who made no effort to wear a costume.

25 - Approximate percentage of kids wearing Spider-Man costumes, which were apparently very popular this year.

8 - Number of strangers who hollered out to me, "Only in America!!" as a result of the Don King wig I wore to work yesterday.

1 - Number of things Don King has ever said that people apparently remember. Or maybe people figure "Only in America" is better to say on its own than things like, "Rumble in the Jungle," or "Thrilla in Manila."

12-15 - Approximate number of young kids who said, "That man has funny hair," as a result of the same Don King wig.

22 - Approximate minimum age of people that have any idea who Don King is, based on reactions to the same Don King wig.

0 - Number of photos of me wearing a Don King wig you'll find on this website.

2 - Number of pumpkins I carved this year, pictured below (I couldn't manage to get a mustache or beard on that one with the face).

Posted by omar at 6:22 AM | Read entire post | Comments (18)

I have, as a few others in my same circle of blog have, signed up to participate in National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo, for short). It's a commitment to post every day for the month of November. At first it didn't seem like it would be too hard, but when you put it in perspective, you can really see how much of an endurance trial it is. See the following comparison chart:

See what I mean? Especially when I consider that it has taken just over 3 months for me to create my last 30 posts, the thought of 30 in 30 days makes me a bit nervous. Your support is appreciated. Also, if you bought me an iPhone, that would be appreciated too. I could post from anywhere, so I bet 30 in 30 would be no problem. I'm just saying.

Posted by omar at 9:12 PM | Read entire post | Comments (19)