Completely Conspicuous Episode 17: All Apologies

Just in time for New Year's Eve, I got the last podcast of 2006 done under the wire. If you're not subscribed to the show, you can download it directly here (right click and save as).

Here be the show notes:

Topics:
- Resolving to make New Year's resolutions
- 2006: Year of the mea culpa
- A tribute to James Brown
- The value of all-star games
- Pinhead of the Week

Music:
- Tom Vek - I Ain't Saying My Goodbyes
- James Brown - Gutbucket

Completely Conspicuous is now available through the iTunes, Podcast Pickle, and Yahoo podcast directories. Subscribe and write a review!
Find out more about Tom Vek here. Find out more about James Brown here. Find out more about the Podsafe Music Network here.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his Internet home page. And the incidental music used in the show was "Clibopb (Fosco Groove)" by Me and Boris the Bull. Find out more about Me and Boris the Bull here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Happy New Year!

Completely Conspicuous Episode 16: The Heartwarming Holiday Show

Fresh out of the podcast oven, with no audio drops or coughing fits. Booyah! Download the show directly here (right click and save as).

Show notes:

Topics:

• Handicapping the '08 Presidential race
• Pop culture phenomena
• Embracing year-end lists
• Exercise addiction (thanks to Phedippidations Episode 70 for the idea)
• Pinhead of the Week

Music:

• Tom Waits - How's It Gonna End?
• Twisted Sister - O Come All Ye Faithful
  

Completely Conspicuous is now available through the iTunes, Podcast Pickle, and Yahoo podcast directories. Subscribe and write a review!

Find out more about Tom Waits here. Find out more about Twisted Sister here. Find out more about the Podsafe Music Network here.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling here. And the incidental music used in the show was "Clibopb (Fosco Groove)" by Me and Boris the Bull. Find out more about Me and Boris the Bull here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Happy holidays!

Completely Conspicuous Episode 15: Couldn't Stand the Weather

After a couple of slack-off weeks, the podcast is back. If you're not subscribed, download it here (right click and save as). There's a weird thing happening around the seventh minute or so where the audio drops out for about a minute. I don't know why, because I didn't do or change anything, but it's there. I thought about re-recording it, but it was late and I was tired. I've got some ideas for next time, so hopefully it's just a freak incident.

Show notes

Topics:

• Whither the weather?
• Talk show talk
• Holiday music overdrive
• Baseball's spending spree
• Pinhead of the Week
  

Music:

• The Black Angels - Bloodhounds on My Trail
• Death Cab for Cutie - Title and Registration
  

Completely Conspicuous is now available through the iTunes, Podcast Pickle, and Yahoo podcast directories.

Find out more about The Black Angels here. Find out more about Death Cab for Cutie here. Find out more about the Podshow Music Network here.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling here. And the incidental music used in the show was "Clibopb (Fosco Groove)" by Me and Boris the Bull. Find out more about Me and Boris the Bull here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production.

Completely Conspicuous 14: More Stuffing, Please

Just in time for Thanksgiving. Check it out here (right click and save as).

Show Notes

Topics:

• The robots are taking over
• OJ Simpson (Slight Return)
• NOW That's What I Call Crap
• Thanksgiving and football
• Pinhead of the Week

Music:

• My Morning Jacket - O Is the One That Is Real
• Danko Jones - Baby Hates Me
  

Completely Conspicuous is now available through the iTunes, Podcast Pickle, and Yahoo podcast directories.

Find out more about My Morning Jacket here. Find out more about Danko Jones here. Find out more about the Podshow Music Network here.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling here. And the incidental music used in the show was "Clibopb (Fosco Groove)" by Me and Boris the Bull. Find out more about Me and Boris the Bull here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production.

Completely Conspicuous 13: Sleepwalking

Lucky number 13 is here. Check it out here (right click and save as).

Show notes

Topics:

• Sleep deprivation
• The glut of computer-animated kids' movies
• What's the deal with Van Halen?
• Soccer: Ignored in America
• Pinhead of the Week

Music:

• Jets To Brazil - Perfecting Loneliness
• Nada Surf - Do It Again

Completely Conspicuous is now available through the iTunes, Podcast Pickle, and Yahoo podcast directories.

Find out more about Jets to Brazil here. Find out more about Nada Surf here.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling here. And the incidental music used in the show was "Clibopb (Fosco Groove)" by Me and Boris the Bull. Find out more about Me and Boris the Bull here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production.

Completely Conspicuous 12: Slinging Mud

Another busy week, another late episode. You can download another episode here (right click and save as).

Here be the show notes:

Episode 12

Topics:

• Political attack ads
• The new wave of gory movies
• Musicians going Vegas
• Do the Olympics matter anymore?
• Pinhead of the Week

Music:

• They Might Be Giants - Am I Awake?
• Dirty on Purpose - Light Pollution

Completely Conspicuous is now available through the iTunes, Podcast Pickle, Pod-Planet, and Yahoo podcast directories.

Find out more about They Might Be Giants here. Find out more about Dirty on Purpose here.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling here. And the incidental music used in the show was "Clibopb (Fosco Groove)" by Me and Boris the Bull. Find out more about Me and Boris the Bull here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production.

Completely Conspicuous 11: Dance, You Fools!

This one was a little late in coming because of the long weekend in Chi-town. I'm planning to do another show over the coming weekend.

You can download the episode directly here (right click and save as).

Here are the show notes:

Episode 11

Topics:

• Caffeine addiction
• Dancing With the Stars
• Posthumous recording careers
• Expanding your waistline in college
• Pinhead of the Week

Music:

• Kathy Valentine - Retouch Me
• What Made Milwaukee Famous - Sweet Lady

Completely Conspicuous is now available through the iTunes and Yahoo podcast directories.
Find out more about Kathy Valentine here. Find out more about What Made Milwaukee Famous here.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling here. And the incidental music used in the show was "Clibopb (Fosco Groove)" by Me and Boris the Bull. Find out more about Me and Boris the Bull here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production.

#10

Episode 10 of Completely Conspicuous is available here (right click and save as). Here are the show notes:

Topics:

• Space travel
• Menudo's back
• Tower Records, R.I.P.
• The Tigers win the pennant!
• Pinhead of the Week

Music:

• The Supersuckers - Bubblegum and Beer
• The Walkmen - Rue the Day

Completely Conspicuous is now available through the iTunes and Yahoo podcast directories.

Find out more about the Supersuckers here. Find out more about the Walkmen here.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling here. And the incidental music used in the show was "Clibopb (Fosco Groove)" by Me and Boris the Bull. Find out more about Me and Boris the Bull here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production.

Completely Conspicuous

It's so nice to be sitting here and not sweating. After a brutal H&H stretch where temps ventured into the 100s, we finally have some relief tonight. It's a comfortable 75 right now. It was so hot that I actually brought the AC unit up from the basement and set it up in our guest room; we hadn't used that thing since the summer of '02, when Hannah was a baby. We actually slept in the guest room the last two nights because it was unbearable in our bedroom upstairs on the third floor of our house.

I took tomorrow off from work so we can drive back down to New Jersey. The River to Sea Relay is Saturday; we're heading to my bro-in-law Matt's place in northern Jersey, and then he and I will drive down to Clinton, where we'll meet our four teammates and stay in a hotel. The start of the 92-mile race is in nearby Milford. The race is for seven-person teams, but our seventh (and fastest) runner had to bail because of a family obligation, so two of our runners will run three stages. I checked the forecast today and it's supposed to be in the mid- to high 80s and sunny, but it shouldn't be as humid as it has been, so that will help a little. The longest stage is 9.65 miles; I'll be doing runs of 8 and 5.4 miles. Wish us luck. Full report next week when we get back.

So I haven't posted all week because I've been working on something: a podcast. Yep, after talking and thinking about it for more than a year, I finally just did it. The show is called Completely Conspicuous and will be a weekly (hopefully, if I can get my act together) discussion of things that interest me in news, music, pop culture and sports. I actually structured the show with different segments and spent a few days writing it, so it's not like I just sat in front of the microphone and talked off the top of my head. I used Castblaster software and published it through the Podshow Delivery Network, which provides free hosting and other tools. The first episode is 15 minutes long and is not perfect by any means, but I wanted to get it out this week before I left just to prove I could do it. I had hoped to add music from the Podsafe Music Network, but I didn't quite master the process so I went without this week. But I expect to have a few songs mixed in next week. Do me a favor and download it if you have the time and/or inclination, and let me know what you think. It was recorded last night in 90 degree heat; I had to close the window to reduce traffic noise and the door to not pick up Deb on the phone in the living room. I probably need to project a little better. I probably need to do a lot of things better. But it's a start.

Mind the gap:

• Another year, another Blue Jays third place finish. They've been within striking distance of the Sox and Yankees all season, getting as close as 2.5 games out a few weeks ago. But they went into Yankee Stadium this week and got swept, putting them 8.5 behind the division-leading Yanks. The starting pitching has been abysmal; after perennial Cy Young candidate Roy Halladay, nobody else has stepped up. Big-bucks free agent signing A.J. Burnett has been woefully inconsistent, with only two wins on the season. Urgh.
• It was good see the ol' Webnoize crew at Dr. Doobs' house out in Shrewsbury. The kids and the adults all had a good time. In an email exchange after the fact, we noted that none of us gets together with a certain group of friends more than the five of us do. I guess working for a failed dotcom was worth it, after all.