Now Ur a Man

Omg I can't believe this video. I said I wouldn't discuss the specifics of what we did on the weekend. This video doesn't show what happened or what it was like, but I think anyone who was there, with a little sense of humor, might appreciate this video. It brings out a little of the ideas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vl7jBY-owE&feature=email I don't know if that link will work, I'll fix it later. You can just search YouTube for "dvda man song" or some such.

Disclaimer: I'm not making fun of people named Maynard. Your name might be Maynard and it might not. What I mean to say is, don't get offended, lighten up, and yes I still do take it seriously.

Speaking of YouTube, when I first heard of YouTube (this is going back a number of years) I thought it would be spelled utube or utoob or even you2b. That was how they named everything in those dotcom days. But they actually spelled it out. Whodathunk

In other random news, this spell checker doesn't respect caps. So when I misspell a word that started with a cap and then click the right spelling, it replaces the word with an all lower version and I have to fix the cap. If you're reading this, Firefox people, here's a project for you.

Oh as for all that talk of plans, well, I woke up late. Missed the museum trip (which actually ended up being a NY Auto Show trip), missed the golf, but I caught the guys after the game and we chilled so that was good. I'm not much into golf anyway. I texted a buncha folks. Did call the LA guy in Florida, plan to meet up when he gets back. Went to the gym (did I mention my disappointment when I went on Sunday and found them closed for Easter? I think I did), but it was a short weak workout. My ipod battery dying in the middle didn't help any. Still, something is better than nothing, and it'll hopefully keep me conditioned enough to do a better workout tomorrow.

Oh, remember J from that circuit party? He finally answered me on socialnetworkplace. His boyfriend was hurt and sad about the whole thing, anyway too much drugs make you crazy (kids, just say no! Actually, I'm not one to talk. I said no to drugs, and look where it's gotten me ;) But the good news is he still wants to stay friends. Yay! Lol I'd basically given up even hearing from him anymore.

My menu has gone from whole wheat bread, eggs, tuna fish, bran cereal with milk, etc. to matzo, tongue, crumb cake, stuffed cabbage, nuts, and coconut macaroons. It's a little ridiculous.

I've been playing with a new toy all night. The Archos 5 media player. 160GB for roughly the price of a 16GB iPod Touch. The Archos is bigger (plus for larger screen, minus for added bulk), nice responsive touch screen

I decided I want to direct movies. Add that to the list after acting and singing and drawing. Actually, put it before those. But after writing.

Is it just me, or does more happen when I'm on vacation? Jai Ho!

Give Him a Call

Got something on your mind? Got nothing on your mind? Call Ryan.



I'd love to do this myself, but I just can't right now. If I got a second cell phone for these calls, I would. Keep up the good work! (I hope it is good work. You can never *really* know, but it seems like good work.)

Tribute to the King

How much more than ever now do we need a man like Martin Luther King Jr. today: A man of integrity, a man of learning, a fantastic speaker; a man who uses his talents to foster peace, and one who refuses to foment violence as too many of his fellows have unfortunately done.

In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force...

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Hamas accused by Fatah of plans to assassinate PA president Abbas (story at BBC). Interesting that the BBC calls the plot "murder" instead of "assassination"; I wonder what this means.

Nuevo Riche Victoria Beckham aka Posh Spice spends big in 90210 (story here).

California woman dies of water intoxication after radio drinking contest to win a Nintendo Wii gaming system (story).

YouTube is great for sampling international music. Incidentally, did you know YouTube founder was recently knighted by the Queen? Freakish.