If there's ever an answer, it's more love
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: The Chicks' 'Home' still
Both today's entry and yesterday's entry in the fabulous This Book Will Change Your Life festivities have been posted. It's "Debut Novel Day" and "Fantasy Day"!

Okay people... pick a number! Someone IM me (andybear1278 on AIM) with a random number between 1 and 300. This'll determine which CD I review first. If you want to cheat, here's a master list (in Excel format) of what's what. Can't review until somebody picks one number!

School's back tomorrow! Biology! Algebra! Intro to Education! It's like the old days, but with Intro to Education! There will likely be a livejournal entry on the subject, since I'm neglectful of that nowadays (not as much as some people... who I'm just picking at, don't hit me!).

The guy who we know as Mr. Bean will be starring as Lord Voldemort in the next Harry Potter movie. This scares me a little.

That's kinda funny... this guy's whole apartment was wrapped in aluminum foil, not excluding his toilet, spare change, and books (pictures in the link).

In 2030, a box of Krispy Kremes will cost $13. Yikes! It's all going up!

I promise. I have nothing to do with this.

Yay, a new funny Get Your War On!

And now, check out my new t-shirt! Yay! We have the front:

And the back:

And a random picture that I like that I think is really good, which probably means it's really crappy:

19 Good Songs To Download Immediately!
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: 'Call and Answer' by Barenaked Ladies
Here's a totally random, out-of-nowhere feature. I haven't made it to a music review for two reasons:

A) I'm lazy.

B) It gives me less to talk about in person! I found this out when I was about to talk about books and got "Yeah, I read that on your website" twice. Boo! No talk makes Andy sad! Sad Andy!

But yeah, there will be music reviews eventually. For now though, here's nineteen songs that I highly recommend you listen to right now, at least once. Download 'em. Buy 'em. I'll tell you where to find 'em and why I like 'em. Some are styles you probably never listen to. Some are probably styles you would probably never expect me to listen to, depending on who you are. They're here, alphabetically by artist. Nineteen songs I've listened to A LOT lately (I've listened to a lot of music lately... still not as much of my new stuff as I should for this, though). Don't be offended if people you'd expect (Nickel Creek, Nick Cave, U2, and other Andy favorites) don't appear... these are the songs I've been into recently. Doesn't mean I don't like others!

AUDIOSLAVE - Seven Nation Army (live cover)
Yeah, I've heard Audioslave before and kinda liked what I heard. Then I heard them cover a White Stripes song. Mooooore...

THE BEATLES - Here Comes The Sun (Album: Abbey Road)
This song has been a constant since December '02. I've loved it since the moment I heard it. It's the first Beatles song I was into. It's my favorite. It's beautiful.

THE BEATLES - Golden Slumbers (Album: Abbey Road)
What a nice little lullaby!

THE BEATLES - Let It Be (Album: Let It Be... Naked)
This would be the "naked" version, and I like it. "Let It Be" has been a great song since I first really paid attention to it, and this changes that feeling 0%.

BEN FOLDS - Champagne Supernova (live cover)
Ben Folds is awesome. Where else can you get a version of an Oasis song (one that I like, even more, which isn't possible a lot with Oasis) sung with twang in a way that beats the original?

BEYONCE featuring JAY-Z - Crazy In Love (Album: Dangerously in Love)
Okay, okay. So I like a Beyonce song. The girl can sing!

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Rosalita (Album: Essential Bruce Springsteen)
From a three-CD set that I haven't fully explored yet, but will. My favorite Springsteen song. I blame YOU. You know who you are.

THE CORRS featuring BONO - When The Stars Go Blue (Album: Live in Dublin)
It doesn't get much better than this. Who knews? The original Ryan Adams version is almost as good.

COUNTING CROWS - Round Here (Album: Films About Ghosts)
The first of many, many Counting Crows songs I've been stuck on. Out of everything I've either bought or been given, their greatest hits CD has been the constant in my CD player (and that includes the new live DMB and Dixie Chicks sets!). "Round Here" was the Crows song that, after "Mrs. Jones" bugging me so much at first, made me like them despite not really wanting to like 'em.

COUNTING CROWS - A Long December (Album: Films About Ghosts)
Probably my favorite song at the moment. The CD is in my car and this is the first song I go to (followed by "Friend of the Devil," which I'll be at in a minute). What a song.

COUNTING CROWS - Friend of the Devil (Album: Films About Ghosts)
I was first introduced to the Lyle Lovett version, which at first I kinda liked but grew on me more and more when I listened to it (which was more than thought). The Counting Crows version blows that one away to me.

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND - Crush (live) (Album: Live in Central Park
FINALLY, a live version of my favorite song ever! One that's almost twelve minutes! *melt*

THE FLAMING LIPS - Can't Get You Out Of My Head (Album: alright, I don't have the name right here... an EP)
What a brilliant move... a Flaming Lips cover of a Kylie Minogue song!

JOHNNY CASH - A Singer of Songs (Album: Unearthed)
One of many last songs from the post-death collection of the "Man in Black." Also recommended, but cut for time reasons, from the same set, would be his cover of "Redemption Day" and "Cindy" featuring Nick Cave.

JOSS STONE - Fell In Love With A Boy (Album: Soul Sessions)
This white girl's got some serious soul! Even more than me! What a great response to a White Stripes song.

LOUIS ARMSTRONG - What A Wonderful World (Album: The Best of Louis Armstrong)
I love Louis Armstrong.

OUTKAST / ANDRE 3000 - Hey Ya! (Album: The Love Below from the The Love Below/Speakerboxx combo)
Wow. This is, by far, my pick for song of the year (again, leaving anything by freakin' Dave Matthews in the distance!). What a song. And if you haven't seen the video, that's the best way to hear it first. What a video! Most videos these days are pretty crappy, but this is, again, probably my favorite video from the last few years (beating DMB's "Everyday" hugfest and Christopher Walken dancing!).

RYAN ADAMS - Wonderwall (Album: Love is Hell, Pt. One)
Best Oasis cover ever! Ryan takes a good song and makes it infinitely more sad and more cool.

RYAN ADAMS - Answering Bell (Album: Gold)
Wasn't into it when it was a single. Very into it now.

Mmm... donuts
Monday's Day Five This Book Will Change Your Life task is up! Up tomorrow, Day Six and Day Seven!

Until then, just to pass the time, here's a picture of my favorite endcap I've ever made.

And also my new favorite Weekly World News headline...

Love Shack, baby that's where it's at
Now Playing: 'Scrapple From The Apple' by Chris Thile
Today's Book Will Change Your Life task is up! Check out my fine coloring skills in "World Coloring-In Day."

You know, I feel a major livejournal entry coming on, but it's just not there yet. Lots of school thoughts, and a few work thoughts... and as usual, an Andy thought or two. Maybe tomorrow.

Britney Spears got married! Granted, she's going for a 24-hour later annulment, but there ya go.

Smart kid... he climbed into a claw game with the stuffed animals. That'll increase his odds! Look at 'em in there... so cute and stuck.

OutKast continues their dominance of the charts, with their album at #1 and my favorite song and video of the year, "Hey Ya!" ruling the singles charts.

Willie has debuted a new anti-war song. Yay Willie!

It works!

Mmm... water.

"The Book" entries officially just got more interesting, thanks to the digital camera world.

Rain delay
Mood:  quizzical
Today's entry in the official This Book Will Change Andy's Life blog is postponed up! It's "Trash Day"!

Never in the car...
Mood:  caffeinated
You know, our presidential race is boring. You know which candidates are more exciting? Russia's candidates! Meet the newest presidential candidates... everyone's favorite Russian teenage lesbians T.A.T.U.!

God has been found naked.

Crikey! A dingo almost ate me baby! That wacky Crocodile Hunter.

The new Dave Matthews video for "Save Me" is available now on the DMB website. Dave is on the cover of the new Rolling Stone, too.

Day two of my adventures with "The Book" are now available.

I don't think you ready for this jelly
Mood:  lazy
Scene from work today:

Andy in office, counting deposit and singing to self: "I don't think you ready for this... 'cause my body's too bootylicious for ya baby"

That's right, I was singing "Bootylicious" in the office. Didn't even realize it until I hit the end of the song. That and when I hear the backroom door shut and quickly shut myself up. I find myself singing to myself a lot, actually. Every once in a while somebody else notices it, only when it's a really bad song like "Milkshake" or "Bootylicious" (which is actually a really good song). Oops. I also quote really bad songs a lot.

The "This Book Will Change Your Life" activities will get their own page. I'll promote that tomorrow when it's updated with day two's activities.

I'm also trying to pick an album for reviewing. I have three randomly picked, but couldn't get it narrowed down (some people...). So I'll review the three first. You'll get those soon! I'll probably pump the first out tomorrow night (sounds painful).

Limp Bizkit and Creed have been named to the worst bands of the year list. Well duh.

Tony Blair didn't want to seem like America's poodle when appearing on The Simpsons.

I'll be back tomorrow with "The Book" and day two, which is "The Love of Your Life." Don't worry, it's not going to be nearly as bad as it sounds. It's funny, actually. I'm set to do it and will report back with the details tomorrow on the page it belongs on.

The Book - day one
Mood:  not sure
Back about a month ago, I bought the book This Book Will Change Your Life. It's a "humor" book with 365 activities, one a day (minus leap day). I thought, "Hey! This'll be a good thing for the new Andy Online! And when my digital camera is working, I can use it!" So here we go... a daily dose of fun. You're more than welcome - actually, please do! - to follow along and post your adventures as well. On occasion, there will be some I just can't do. You'll see those when we come to them.

DAY ONE: Warm-up

Today's task is simple. There's a list of little things and you choose one to do. I choose "Bookmark a new website," and the site chosen was Engrish.com.

Other choices I could've gone with: "Say 'yo' instead of 'hello.'" I do this sometimes anyway with coworkers. "Leave work five minutes early." If I wasn't closing, I so would. "Decide which one of your toes is the prettiest." None right now, but you'd be surprised.

Tomorrow will be Day 2: "The Love of Your Life."

Site updates and linkage
UPDATE: On the sidebar, I have added the music reviews link. Check out the general guidelines. Here's a sneak peak at the master list of possible review albums, in Microsoft Excel format. Pick one will be selected tonight by one of you!

Album reviews are coming in the next few days. I'm going to grade, in a natural educational way, on the A/B/C/D/F/Incomplete level. I'll give you all of the info on how I'm choosing albums in the next few days. You can also contribute any album, whether it be Tom Jones, Britney Spears, or Sesame Street Live, by loaning me a copy or making me a copy and I'll review it ASAP as time, school, and work allows. In the times I'm not given stuff to review, I'm reviewing what I have one by one by one.

Also, if anybody out there is feeling the urge to contribute, you can be a part of this site! Want to contribute an album review? A book review? Your thoughts in general? I can open the doorway where you can openly post on the site when you want. Just let me know!

Kinda sad to see that "Wilson" of Home Improvement fame passed away. He was the best part, usually.

Of note: the planet known as Saturn, home of local Saturnians, is as close to Earth now as it has been in thirty years. Jump back now!

Be warned now! A woman is suing Starbucks because she spilled hot coffee on herself and it burned her. I spill coffee all over myself in the cafe on a daily basis and I'm still here... I don't even notice anymore. Oh, and lady... COFFEE IS HOT.

For those of us paid biweekly, we get an extra paycheck in 2004. Right on!

Abraham Lincoln has been arrested for biting his ex-girlfriend and running off with her cellphone.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!