Bloggin' It Up

The Anti-Return of the Blogger

2006-09-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

I call it an anti-return because the firm I work at has blocked all web-based e-mail and all blogs. That's like cutting off an arm, or something. Jerks! And all in the name of "productivity"...well, pish-posh to productivity. Nah, it's not a bad idea, I guess.

(actually, i'm just saying that it's not a bad idea in case they are spying on me now. i'm hiding underneath the 12 bananas i bought for a dollar at the farmer's market. it's a terrible idea!)

So, I guess a few posts ago, which was actually like six months or so ago, I made some post about baseball. If you didn't know, I am baseball-obsessed. I think the obsession has actually grown with the advent of blogs. (And if you haven't read any comprehensive Twins blogs, I highly suggest http://www.aarongleeman.com and http://www.bat-girl.com immediately.) I am going to the Twins playoff games in the first round. I have a non-sexual man crush on Johan Santana. I get to live vicariously through him as he lives my dream of being a dominant ace pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. (Except that he's left-handed, and from Venezuala, and all that.) Look at him, though:

That is HOT.

Just bring it, Yankees/A's!

p.s. Dear Harry, Thank you for letting the Twins take two out of three from Baltimore last weekend.

meeting celebrities

2006-06-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

That's right, I met Al Franken last night. It was the most awkward celebrity meeting of all time, with Amy introducing me to him and him saying "Oh, uh, hi Mark, nice to meet you" and then staring at his feet. Then Amy told him an embarrassing story in front of everybody and Al said "Wow, Amy, I thought you were smarter than that!" And everybody laughed. Yeah, Al Franken made fun of my friend in front of a bunch of people.

Then, last night, I had a dream that my car got smashed up, including a flat tire. And I went into my trunk to find a spare, but all I had there was a pesky square tire. You can't drive with a square tire!

And now, in five days, I am leaving for Paris.

I SMELL A BLOGGY FOR THE BLOGULATOR!

2006-05-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

Let's just say that The Blogulator got a little bit of extra traffic today...

...because it was featured on CityPages.com as the "Minnesota Blog of the Day"...featuring this blurb:

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Check out Chris and Qualler's Pop Culture Blogulator before it jumps the shark - oh, too late!

I can only imagine the Bloggies we're gonna sweep up for this one, suckas!

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2006/05/511_morning_com.asp

another post

2006-05-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

I think I might move.

To a different apartment. In the building I live in.

Maybe, maybe not, but if I do, it might be at the end of May.

Unabashed Political Crap

2006-05-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

So I reached into my mailbox today and found a letter from the Republican National Committee, "urging" me to stop the Democrats' "plan for 2006 (to). . . take the House and Senate, and impeach the President." First off, I'm supposed to be unhappy that they plan on trying to get more legislators in office? Secondly, just because a bunch of D.C. people "haven't ruled out" the possibility of impeachment doesn't mean they're gonna actually do it. Third, how did I get on the Republican National Committee's mailing list in the first place? I guess that's what happens when you work in public accounting.

What is much more fascinating to me than the incessantly annoying bickering at in Washington DC is the Minnesota legislation. Today, the (Democrat-controlled) Senate passed three stadium bills, which, in general, are giving the entire Metro area a sales tax (I don't know how much it is exactly), and additionally tacking on some much-needed transportation bills for the Metro area. The Senate bills differ considerably from the ones passed by the House, but instead of both sides saying that they're going to be deadlocked and not pass anything, they're actually going to go to a conference committee and work out their differences. Wow, it's amazing what can happen when two sides agree to work things out, isn't it? Granted, Minnesota legislators are far from completely cooperative with each other, but it's still encouraging to see that they're willing to work out issues that both sides agree are important.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out who to call to get my name immediately stricken from the Republican National Committee mailing list.

UPDATE: I just looked at the "Support Reply" suggesting I donate $35 so I can receive their "exclusive 'I am proud Bush is my President' mouse pad." This letter also, while having my correct name above my address, starts with "Dear Ken,". . . who's Ken?

UPDATE II: I just tried removing my name from their mailing list on the GOP web site, and when I did it, it said, "Sorry, an error has occurred." NOW THEY AREN'T LETTING ME GO!

I hope they like studying for the CPA exam

2006-05-02T06:50:00.000-07:00

My car got broken into last night on a well-lit street while I was watching 24 at Joe's place last night some time between 8:10 and 9:00 pm. They smashed the passenger-side window and took my bag which contained, of all things, my CPA review book for the BEC section of the exam. Luckily nothing else of value was in my car. Now I have to get my damn window replaced, and, additionally, get a new copy of the book.

So, in short, I hope that the robbers in Minneapolis like studying for the CPA exam.

Tax Day = More Blogging Time

2006-04-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

That's right...the charge hours are a bit low today because everything's done and everybody's sitting around waiting to get free alcohol in the afternoon. Woo, comics about taxes! I'm probably the only one who will be amused by these:

I had a dream...

2006-04-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

Last night, I had a dream that I was sitting around talking about TV shows, and I brought up my idea for a Six Feet Under mix CD interspersing dialogue from the show with songs. Then Chris goes "I hate Six Feet Under, it sucks." I was like, "Whoa, Chris, I thought you at least liked the first two seasons!" Chris then says, "No, I hate them all! Nate's a jerk!" Then he walked away.

That was the second upsetting dream I've had this week. The first was when I was sitting around somewhere and my boss, dressed in a gorilla costume, came up to me, touched the back of my head and telepathically told me some new stuff about work. Wait, I guess that one wasn't really upsetting.

Also, welcome to blogging, Brigitte! Got your hand!

sportswriters who aren't bloggers who cover their home teams are jackasses.

2006-04-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

Just read some quotes from national writers about the Minnesota Twins:

"Consider them the best fourth-place team in baseball, if that's any consolation to Minnesota partisans."
--Fox Sports

Seriously. Behind the TIGERS?! THE TIGERS?!? Oh wait, Magglio Ordonez is magically going to not be injured, and Jeremy Bonderman is going to magically stop being erratic. Please.

"’m assuming Kyle Lohse and Carlos Silva are using compromising photos of someone in the Twins organization as leverage to keep their spots in the rotation."
--bullz-eye.com

"Juan Rincon RP Quality stuff but erratic command. A future closer."
--ESPN.com

Erratic command? Future closer? laskjflasdkfjawrlw.

Yes, because Carlos Silva's sub-4.00 ERA and excellent command of the strike zone just plain suck. Jackasses.

I'd keep going but it's obvious that writers who are paid to write on big sites don't actually watch any games.

Opening day -- two days away. My baseball obsession has reached new heights.

PIZZA PARTY

2006-03-30T13:42:00.000-08:00

Someone at work just randomly brought in a bunch of pizza to work at 3 pm today. Imprompteau pizza parties are the best thing ever.

On a semi-related pizza party note, am I the only one who played the "Pizza Party" board game as a child? And remembers the cool commercial where they sing "paaaar-tay! a-pizza parrrr-tay! (come on!)?" That game was awesome.

On a semi-related childhood memory note, I noticed that Joe recently put Garfield and Friends on his Netflix queue. I declare we have a Saturday morning cartoons marathon at his place when he gets it. (Joe, I suppose you would have the final say in that.)

alright, alright

2006-03-28T11:13:00.000-08:00

Who's THUNDER and why is THUNDER writing avant-poetry about me?!

http://yat.ch/tcc/tcblog/archives/000601.html

Goodbye Kirby

2006-03-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

NOTE: This was on the Blogulator for a while, and now that an appropriate amount of time has passed, I'm moving this to my personal blog, as it is of a more personal nature, and we don't want those Nick Hexum Gay Rumor mongers to get confused about what the Blogulator is all about. Enjoy.

I know this is a Pop Culture blog and all, but sports have a way of interweaving with pop culture in their own way (hello, anybody ever heard of a great movie series called Major League?!) Anyway, I'm sure you've all heard by now that former Minnesota Twins centerfielder Kirby Puckett passed away today. Seeing that he had a profound effect on my childhood and my life, I thought I should give him some blogulator love.

For all you Wisconsin readers out there, Kirby Puckett is to Minnesota what Brett Favre is to Wisconsin. Throughout my childhood, from my earliest memories, the Twins and, most specifically, Kirby, were everything. Everybody loved Kirby Puckett.

Some of my earliest memories involve me, as a four year old, around the time the Twins won their first World Series. I didn't really know why I was excited, but I knew that it was something good. For Christmas, 1987, Santa brought us a Nintendo and a "Twins Win!" video, recapping the 1987 World Series season. The Nintendo is sadly long gone, but I still have the video sitting right to the left of me.

I remember going to baseball games at the Metrodome and getting ridiculously excited to hear the late Bob Casey announce his name ("Kirbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Puckett!) It was obvious that his name was synonymous with the Twins, and Minnesota in general.

I think I can speak for any Minnesotan when I say that everybody remembers where they were during Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. I was surrounded by friends and family, finally old enough to at least grasp the basics of the game and know that Kirby was really, really good. Kirby wasn't having a great series, and reportedly, before the game, as the Twins were against the walls, one game away from being eliminated, he told the team to "climb on my back." Not only did he make one of the most memorable baseball catches of all time, not only did he hit a run-scoring triple early in the game to set the tone, he, of course, hit the walk off homer that told us all that we'd "see ya tomorrow night." That World Series, and specifically that game, is one of those memories that will stick with me for the rest of my life. As I continue to obsess over Minnesota sports teams, I don't see how anything will ever top that moment.

When Kirby retired in 1996, it was like the Twins lost their magic. The Twins without Kirby was the Twins without excitement. I only went to one game between 1996 and 2001, and the Metrodome went from being a practically mystical building to a cement hole. Only when the Twins started playing well again did I regain interest in the game, and even then, the giant banner showing his retired number dwarfed the new generation of players. Even in their new, good years, it's as if they are missing that magical ingredient, and that ingredient is very clearly Kirby.

As the scandal surrounding his court case and unraveling marriage came to light, I felt like my childhood idol was being exposed as a fraud. I was hurt, and I was angry. But in a way, it showed that we're all human, and that nobody is perfect. Sadly, he was ushered away from the Twins after that, never returning to any type of role with the team.

However, none of that will diminish what he meant to me. I was lucky to have had somebody like that as a role model growing up, somebody who was that unflinchingly optimistic and happy, somebody who gave his all in everything he did. And I was just a fan; the countless things he did for people in need will certainly be the biggest part of his legacy. For so many years, Kirby Puckett was my home state's icon, and I will always have fond memories of what he meant to me growing up.

Goodbye, old friend. I'm sure you're in Heaven right now with Bob Casey, with your name echoing through great baseball stadium in the sky.

Kirby Puckett
1960-2006

Other good reads on #34:
Bat Girl's tribute
Jim Souhan
Patrick Reusse
Sid Hartman

goals!

2006-03-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

So I just went for a run/weight-lifting in my apartment building and realized the only way I ever run regularly is if I have some sort of goal in mind. And since I haven't run in a 5k since high school, I signed up for a 5k in Minneapolis right after running before I had a chance to talk myself out of it.

You should sign up for it too, fools!

because Christine said so

2006-03-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

I'm keepin the marqualler going. Thanks for the prod, Stine. I appreciate it.

So, my life, in a nutshell these days. No, not literally in a nutshell, but whatever. Here we go.

It is the middle of the "busy season" here at the office (to see where I work, read the post lower down in this blog), and it's real busy right about now. I don't want to get into any type of depth as to what I'm working on, but let's just say that a whole lot of people and businesses have tax returns that are complicated as crap, and taxes are due soon. Needless to say, this week, I will be logging 60+ hours in the office. The trade-off is that this summer, I will be working a lot less, I get four weeks of vacation that I can take whenever (that is not busy season), and I'll be going to Paris again to pick up Brigitte. Meanwhile, the trade-off to the trade-off is that I'll be taking CPA review classes all summer, starting on April 24, and taking parts of the CPA exam all the way through October. It's hard out here for a CPA when you're trying to get the money for the rent-eee-ehhh.

Also, this weekend, I don't know what I'll be doing tonight or Saturday, but I know on Sunday, I'm totally going to the Kirby Puckett memorial service at the dome. I'll be bringing all my Homer Hankies. And I will post pictures here. Kirby, you 'da man.

And that reminds me, my weekend starts in only one day. Hurray for one day weekends. Puke.

The good news is that The Sopranos starts up again this weekend, meaning I can download the new episodes the day after they air since I don't have HBO. Also, I'm now addicted to yet another HBO series, Carnivale. And Nip/Tuck is also brilliant. Yes, at work, I have a reputation now -- as the guy who likes all the "cool" TV shows and eats homemade food and likes spicy food and listens to weird music. I guess it's not too hard to stand out in an accounting firm.

another day, another update

2006-02-24T08:27:00.000-08:00

Is it a trend or is it an aberration?

Man, that word, abberation, is hilarious.

Speaking of hilarious, for some reason, yesterday, because I put my glass in the dishwasher during dinner, I got a coupon for a free Caribou Coffee, which I used about an hour ago. Work, man. work. (Said in the way the guy says, "People, man. People." in the overrated movie Crash.)

So it's come to this...

2006-02-23T11:15:00.000-08:00

...blogging at work about a weird message on my voicemail about getting recruited to work at other places. But I'm working here, people!

Also, welcome back to my blog. Or, goodbye forever again? Who really knows.

2006-01-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

I just pushed the "Blog this!" button on Picasa, a part of the Google Pack of software. Man, Google is awesome. And Paris with Brigitte was awesome, too.

we're back.

2005-11-22T12:07:00.000-08:00

BOOM!

new things.

2005-11-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

Now that the Legends blog is up and running, this here blog has become solely a "Hey, this is my day in life" today. This might be the first time in history that I actually tried to do something sincere on the internet. Man, am I lame.

So, on December 21, I am leaving the country to go to Paris and visit Brigitte. It's going to be awesome. I'll be there over Christmas and New Years with her, which will be amazing. Things are going well. Word.

Also, for a very comprehensive overview of the situation in France, read this.

The death knell.

2005-10-30T19:40:00.000-08:00

That's all, folks. Daunte is (likely) out for the rest of the year with a badly sprained knee (and maybe torn ligaments). See you next season, I guess. At least my Fantasy Football team is looking up now. Eek.

come on, knock on our door. we've been waiting for you.

2005-10-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

Last night was a Hallowen party at Amy's place. Jess, Chris and I were Three's Company -- I was Janet (far left), Jess was Jack (middle), and Chris was Chrissy (far right). It was sweet. I made a mix CD featuring the "Three's Company" theme song -- 40 times in a row. I think track 17 was the best. Good times, indeed.

Now it's time to watch the Vikings. Can they pull it together at all today? Probably not, but you never know.

I'm all growed up. Plus, baseball.

2005-10-25T21:54:00.000-07:00

So today I took a big step toward being a real life adult: I signed an offer letter for full-time employment. I signed on with LarsonAllen, which is an as-of-now regional accounting firm based in Minneapolis. Their Minneapolis office, which is located in the US Bank Plaza in downtown Minneapolis, is also the largest accounting office in all of Minnesota (around 400 people), including those of the Big Four. Other firms that are in that building include Ernst & Young and Grant Thornton. My position is as a Tax Staff Accountant. If somebody would have told me coming into the Carlson School as a Freshman that at the end of a 4 1/2 year education, after amassing 150 credit hours to qualify for sitting for the CPA exam, I would be accepting a job doing individual and corporate taxes, I would have probably punched you in the balls and said "you're a dirty liar, you lying liar!" Yeah, it's weird, but it feels good. I had a second interview with PricewaterhouseCoopers that I thought went well, but they inexplicibly passed on giving me an offer. The firm that I have been working at for the past year, Simma Flottemesch & Orenstein, also gave me an offer, but ultimately I went with LarsonAllen because of their size, their potentially bigger career opportunities, and their expanding base in offices. That, and I also like big tall buildings and stuff.

And man, this World Series has actually been good, and I have actually been (sort of) rooting for the hated Bitch Sox. However, now that the Astros are the home team, I've got to pull for them to win -- I'm a sucker for seeing the home team win in World Series games. That, and I want to see Fatty McFatso (Bobby Jenks) blow another save. And who could forget this priceless moment from last season?

Ah, yes, Torii. Please provide more moments like that one this year, if you're still with us...

Stupid Yankees.

ah, life intersections

2005-10-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

That's right, life intersections. Right on up right about here, here be a huge one, foo's. (And with that type of sentence structure, I should be well prepared for them, eh?)

Anyway, I got my first of what should be at least two job offers today. Totally weird experience to realize that a)I'll be out of college and book learnin' forever in a few months, b)they're dangling a whole lot of money at me that I totally don't feel old enough or prepared enough for, c)I dunno what else, but it's crazy, man. CRAZY!

I don't know what else to say, other than that this is now the official place to hear about Qualler's life. There's no real reason to care, I guess. But whatever, you're the sucker who clicked on the link! Ha. Ha. Ha.

Man, I'm tired.

album recommendation #1

2005-08-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

A new conduit for creative internet output? Or another annoying place for self-actualization, cultural snobbery, and mindless internet chatter? You decide.

This will come up in the as-yet-unstarted blog from Polley and I, but let me be the first in this capacity (between Polley and I) to announce that Canadian indie label Arts&Crafts has put out this year's Arcade Fire-esque album in The Most Serene Republic's debut album, Underwater Cinematographer. It's pretty much what I wish the new Death Cab album would sound like (I have yet to hear that one, as I am waiting on its arrival to the K and subsequent review to listen to it). Singer sounds like Ben Gibbard, if Ben Gibbard were a voice-modulated robot. (In a good way.) Exquisite piano, infectious group yelling/sing-alongs, and heavy synth and electronic drums hover just slightly above the grounded guitar and bass. And the best part of all of this is...(in the words of the rubber sled song from the Fear of Pop album by Ben Folds)....IT'S FREE! (On the internet, that is.)

CHECK IT OUT. Click on the Music menu item here'>http://www.arts-crafts.ca/themostserenerepublic/index2.html">here.