Burger & Ghries

Leave Sarah Alone! Sniff.

2009-07-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

I don't have too much to say about today's CNN opinion piece by Matthew Continetti, "We'll be hearing from Palin for a long time."

I made the same prediction a while back, but I've never seen such a sniveling outburst in defense of a diva. Oh wait. Yes I have.

Time Out

2009-04-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

I'm retiring this blog for now. I post occasionally at Marketing Treads. I'm also @GradyT on twitter. In progress: my real-deal blog. Topics will inevitably include writing, politics, philosophy, ethics, random shit and social media. Much love.

My response to Jindal's response: Are you kidding?

2009-02-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

He doesn't seem to be kidding. In CNN's article on the topic, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said a couple of things that make me shake my head in disbelief... even more when I consider that some people probably take him seriously AND want him to run for president in 2012

"Democratic leaders say their legislation will grow the economy," Jindal said. "What it will do is grow the government, increase our taxes down the line, and saddle future generations with debt."

Does he realize which party has done most of the saddling? Future generations are already saddled, and I doubt that 12 trillion dollars will be repaid if only we "restrain spending in Washington, to empower individuals and small businesses..."

But you just gotta love his Hurricane Katrina Reference:

"Today in Washington, some are promising that [big government] will rescue us from the economic storms raging all around us. Those of us who lived through Hurricane Katrina -- we have our doubts."

Does he realize which big government failed to rescue New Orleans??? This guy... well, he had nice little caper to prominence, but I think Democrats will actually be in a good position of the Republicans nominate Jindal. Yay Jindal!

Never the Same Normal

2009-02-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

When gas prices went up last fall, enough people complained and the price went back down.

I wonder how many people are in the same mindset about the economy right now - how long will they pretend that things will go back to normal? Sorry, things are different now, and they will not go back.

Definitely Memories

2009-01-29T21:18:00.000-08:00

I wondered if I'll have time to create all the memories I want to have.

It was sunny the other day, and I have my answer: Yes.

A Blogging Anniversary

2009-01-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

Three days have passed since the 4th-year anniversary of my first blog post, and I'd like to take a bloggy stroll down memory lane.

The first was a simple poem I posted on Myspace on January 15, 2005, and it was followed by a series of 33 more between that date and August 8, 2007.

On Facebook, I've posted 34 notes between December 14, 2006 and December 7, 2008.

On a different personal blog, I made 39 posts between June 11, 2007 and March 5, 2008

This is my 24th post on this blog, which started in June of last year.

Not counting my contributions to other blogs, that is 131 posts, which I consider a fine accomplishment for someone who does other things with his life. Soon, my blogging will take on a more professional - albeit still whimsical - approach.

Here Lies Christmas Past...

2008-12-25T08:39:00.000-08:00

With my Google alerts primed for any mention of business ethics and bailouts, I caught this amusing article today: Santa Claus Demands Massive Bailout.

Christmas seems different this year. Claus appears to be as murderous as he is demanding. Christmas is seen as a warzone. Don't we have enough warzones already? If enough people call something a battle, I guess that makes it easier to sway diehards to their cause.

I wonder how we will remember this holiday 2008 in years to come - will it be regarded as the death knell for consumerism as we once knew it? Is it the eulogy for the retail dream of the past decade? It's tough to see the resiliency of the American spirit shining through when Americans are so anxious to divide themselves over such basic issues as the right to social equality.

It seems to me, based on the cultural climate, that we're off the beaten path for good.

How Cool!

2008-12-16T23:29:00.000-08:00

Let's move past the obvious: It is way, way too cold. Next topic.

As a newcomer to the marketing profession, I get easily excited. Imagine getting to meet a representative from a company you respect/admire - like if you have one of those Wii Fit systems everybody wants for Christmas, and you got a chance to talk to someone in senior management at Nintendo.

Well, that's what I get to do. Aside from meeting people at Nintendo, that is... But my company is a business to business seller, so the clients I talk to are often big organizations. They are also quite cool. A lot like the whether right now.

The forecast only has more in store, so I am looking forward to some awesome snowboarding!

What to write about after the election???

2008-12-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

I'll admit that it's a crisis on an existential level - what do I say to my audience of echoes now that the 2008 election is over?

For one thing, I will probably need to clean up my act. You know, go back through the lean archives and make sure everything I've said is compatible with my professional personality.

But I honestly think (hope) a professional personality can blend with a personal personality. I really do. So yes, I will try to steer my topics away from politically, religiously, sports teamly or otherwise unseemly potentially divisive topics and more toward two directions:

1) Things that will be relevant to family, friends; loved ones.
2) Things that deal with my interests - politics, ethics, religion, philosophy, marketing, communication, rhetoric, music, snowboarding et al.

The gist: I basically just said I will continue to say the same things I've said before. Oh well. Candidly: I will try to be a little more objective and neutral in my observations. A little. That's all I can promise.

Palin's Future

2008-11-13T12:30:00.000-08:00

I've dedicated far too much space in this blog to discuss Sarah Palin. I just want to make my prediction:

Palin will be a thorn in our side for years to come. Years.

The Modern American Military

2008-11-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

I just had my online news browsing come to an eye-gouging stop as I found this on AlterNet:

Women in the military are twice as likely to be raped as their civilian counterparts. In fact, "women serving in the U.S. military today are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq," Congresswoman Jane Harman, D-Calif., told the House Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs in May.

Let me say, first of all, that I could not be more honored and humbled by the sacrifices my country's military men and women have made. I will follow that, however, by saying that the conduct of some soldiers and officers - and the prejudices that drive some parts of military culture - is appalling and disappointing.

Military service should be something noble, as I see it. Military service should be a way for citizens to earn distinguishment and dignity through commitment to a cause. Unfortunately, the path to dignified military service has been clogged for those of racial, gender and religious minorities, in particular. I don't see why it has to be this way - how patriotic camaraderie can be overshadowed by such petty categorizations is beyond me.

That article leaves me aghast. When you are more likely to be hurt by your own team than by the other, something has gone terribly wrong with your team.

Post-election Thoughts

2008-11-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

(From Facebook)

Allow me a rare political sentiment: If you are not proud and excited to be an American right now, go watch John McCain's concession speech, followed directly by Barack Obama's acceptance speech.

I have trouble believing that the vote was so close, especially after the Bush Republicans dragged our country naked through the barbed wire for eight years, but I am ready for an eloquent leader who can inspire us and the world.

There are a lot of very patriotic people on both sides of the party line. I love this country. I believe in this country. But I would have to be in denial if I thought we haven't been at risk of losing track of what this country stands for, and I sincerely believe that Barack Obama is the best candidate to restore the hope that every American, regardless of circumstances, deserves to have: a chance to live a life where freedom, justice and opportunity thrive.

America has spoken, and we believe that Obama is the leader we need to not only get us out of this darkness, but to move us toward a bright future ahead.

Responding to allegations that Obama is not a United States citizen:

Trust me, I'm not the biggest fan of either of the former candidates. McCain seemed like a remarkable guy (although his conduct in the campaign season cost him a lot of friends and respect), and I think that his concession speech showed that his good qualities only deserted him temporarily.

As for Obama, I think he has accomplished a remarkable thing, but I am not awed by his character. I am particularly disappointed in some of the negative things he let happen during his campaign, and he needs to have a little more spine if he's really going to shake things up in Washington. All the same, I am much more happy to share my national identity with Obama than I am with, say, Bush.

I appreciate your attention to detail, your desire to uphold our Constitution and your willingness to let someone change your mind - these are all qualities to be proud of - but my suspicion is that you may have lost a little perspective when you focused on the citizenship issue. Obama has enough to criticize :)

150 Grand is a Lot...

2008-10-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, the McCain campaign has spent around $150,000 on Sarah Palin & family's wardrobes so far. At the time the figure was released, that amounted to over $2500 per day.

Now, I understand how difficult it is for women in public positions to dress well compared with men - as they say, a guy just needs a tie and a shave, while women are much more prone to criticism for even the slightest cosmetic glitch. I also understand that many people object to what they feel is undue criticism of Mrs. Palin.

But $2500/day is a LOT of money. If I may simply scratch the surface here - I could buy a Traben John Moyer Signature Havoc 5-string bass ($699) , or a Warwick Corvette Double Buck 5-string ($1900), an Ampeg 8x10" cabinet ($999) and head ($599), a Boss multi-effects pedal ($499)...

Total: For about $4000, or two campaign days, I could fully equip myself with all the bass gear I need. If I were feeling even more extravagant I could use a 3rd day's campaign money, but I can't see myself spending more than $7,500 on personal music gear even if I had that cash.

Or, I could purchase a Burton Mayhem snowboard ($399), Saloman Brigade boots ($119), Flow bindings ($110), Spy goggles ($65) and the rest of the gear I'd need to carve the slopes in style.

Total: For around $1000 I could fulfill my heart's desires for boarding gear. With a McCain campaign's daily outfitting budget, I could gear up and have enough money left over for three year's worth of season passes... with one day's worth.

So maybe I'm bitter, but despite my sympathy for a woman's plight as a criticism-magnet in the public eye, I don't believe $150,000 is excusable. Especially for "hockey moms."

...The End of the Housing Hunt?

2008-10-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

As much as I enjoy Portland, I have discovered an interesting factoid. It seems the categories of "relatively normal" and "soliciting an available room on Craigslist" are mutually exclusive in this town - and perhaps as a general rule.

Take yesterday, for example. I transported myself directly from work to a room offer I wanted to investigate - a room located in the right part of town, within the right price range, and occupied, apparently, by someone less than half a dozen decades old.
So I went to check out the place, and met my potential new roommate: a woman close to my age, but less than five feet tall, slightly tubby and with nudist inclinations. I wish I could say that was my strangest offer to date, but not so. Just the other day I investigated a house full of 50-or-older hippie, vegan men. Somehow these Craigslist ads don't adequately capture the theme of the dwelling.

You can imagine, then, my leaping joy when my friend Barry announced that he was interested in moving to Portland. I can't say he wasn't responding to incentives - I offered my help in seeking suitable employ, I offered a brace of lively friends, and I even offered to introduce him to at least one cute girl - but I was happy and relieved nonetheless. Barry has been one of my closest and most trusted friends since high school, and we get along royally. Next weekend the plan is simple: hang out, party and hunt for apartments and work. And I think it's a great plan, because in all honesty this is the wrong time of year for nudity.

Serious?

2008-10-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Obviously, I find it difficult to get serious about some parts of my life. I'm very thankful for that fact. Too much seriousness can get boring - you can't just watch Saving Private Ryan over and over again; sometimes a little Rush Hour is important.

However, there are many things that I do take extremely seriously. High on that list is my commitment to my company, and my company's reputation. For that reason, I will never mention its name again on this blog. My opinions are, I think, valid, and I believe very strongly in everybody's right to the freedom of expressing ideas. On the other hand, I don't want my company to be linked to my opinions (especially when my opinions can be very strong, rather mean, and quite partisan). Even if I state very pointedly that my perspective is mine alone, potential readers may get the wrong impression.

With that in mind, I intend to keep the blog - it's much to fun and silly to let go - but I'll refrain from any possible indirect link between its content and the organization I work for. To any of my fellow employees who may visit this page: come visit me in my cubicle now! I'll tell you why the Ducks kick the Beavers' collective buttocks.

Note: This is also the last time I'll delete content from my blog. I'm unapologetic about my opinions, but I'm more concerned about the wellbeing of my company than about preserving two mediocre opinion blurbs.

... Be back shortly

2008-10-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

Issues need resolving...

Stop lying!

2008-09-15T17:41:00.001-07:00

Even Karl Rove thinks the McCain campaign has crossed the line with all the blatant lies. Oh I'm sorry, I should use Fox News' version of the word "lie:" they said McCain's aides "incorrectly reported" on Palin's travels. That's not a lie, right?

As CNN reported yesterday,

"McCain has gone in some of his ads -- similarly gone one step too far," he told Fox News, "and sort of attributing to Obama things that are, you know, beyond the '100 percent truth' test."

Of course, Fox News didn't dwell on that story for long. I think we should. Come on, John, if you win this race you're setting a precedent for future candidates!!! Two of my favorite bloggers tackled this topic yesterday, and I strongly suggest reading what they had to say.

Jim McPherson is a professor at Whitworth University. His "Media & Politics" blog is very insightful to me, as Jim seems to check in with every news source under the sun on a daily basis. In his September 13th post he said he doubts McCain and Palin can "lie their way to the White House. But a part of me fears that too many voters don’t care about the lying even if they recognize it."

At the same time, my other favorite blogger wrote about campaign lies as an important campaign issue. Alonzo Fyfe's "Atheist Ethicist" blog is updated every day with a topic of ethical relevance. In his September 13th post, Alonzo wrote that Americans face many threatening issues, "However, one of the threats that they face is the threat of having a political process hijacked by the use of lies, manipulative distortions, and distractions." I wholeheartedly agree that the McCain campaign is helping Americans believe that, if you lie, you win. The electorate really needs to pressure McCain - Democrats and Republicans - to stop the distortions and the reckless disregard for truth.

The post concludes, "This problem is, perhaps, one of the most deadly and costly problems facing America today because it stands in the way of us solving any of the other problems."

There should be no reward for deceit. Truth and justice should be the American way. Let's give Michelle Obama a reason to be proud, eh?

On Offshore Drilling

2008-09-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

I published this post on Facebook last Thursday, but I think it bears repeating here:

People who favor offshore drilling often claim that Americans will get an immediate relief in energy prices as the supply of oil increases.

From what I understand, there will be no immediate relief - if oil from offshore drilling helps, it will only be 7-15 years from now. It takes that long for companies to acquire permits, do the necessary research/mapping, set up shop and begin retrieving the oil. Republican presidential candidate John McCain has been lying to people whenever he tells them offshore drilling will help them in the near future.

Many people are concerned about the environmental impact offshore drilling might have. As far as I know, recent developments have helped oil drilling projects make less environmental impact. Let me be clear here - I appreciate the beauty, the majesty and the warm fuzzies of the environment as much as anybody else, but it is only worth preserving insomuch as it benefits human beings. That is not to say that people should abuse nature for simple pleasures; however, if eight seabirds get killed in an oil spill and in return an underprivileged person can afford the gas to drive to college and get an education, I say screw the birds. People matter more.

Those in favor of offshore drilling seem to think that America's reliance on foreign oil will decrease. However, many offshore drilling companies are international. They will sell the oil they produce to the highest bidder, which is not necessarily the US. Besides, offshore drilling can only produce a small amount of oil. American dependence on foreign oil might decrease if we kept all that oil, but that would only be a slight decrease. We would still rely heavily on oil from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela (which just kicked out the American ambassador today, by the way), Russia and other countries that hate our guts.

A good friend of mine, who traditionally casts his lot with the Republicans (although he is an economic conservative, which means the current Bush administration is not his friend) suggested that offshore drilling might provide America with a buffer zone that will give us time to develop alternative energy sources. However, I think the only way to get Americans to turn to alternative energy is to make sure oil prices remain high. If the prices drop, we'll just keep doing the same thing. Keep prices high and people will demand change.

The verdict: The loudest argument against opening up offshore drilling is that it will hurt the environment. That argument is worthless if offshore drilling will truly help human beings in need.

I'm still against it. From my perspective, offshore drilling will simply allow international companies to sell more oil to those who can afford it - billionaire Americans in private jets, huge consumers like China - so it will not be helpful to the needy, and in return it will cause unnecessary harm to the environment. I don't like the idea of greedy people walking all over America's environment just because John McCain can make an emotional appeal to Americans who want to believe an empty promise.

That's the way I see it.

One Big Joke?

2008-09-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

Looking at the fluctuations in the polls, I have to wonder if the American people are leading major news organizations around in a big joke. The polls swing back and forth - are the undecided people leaning one direction and then switching to go the other way? Are adults completely reversing their political ideologies?

It would be absolutely hilarious if we found out that Americans are just playing a big practical joke on the media. I know it's not true, but... just imagine.

My life: Just to keep friends, family and loved ones up to date, I am now working as a marketing analyst in Portland. For those unfamiliar with the Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) side of business, my company offers a comprehensive management tool that can combine more detailed incident intake data with a fully customizable implementation program, enabling organizations to better assess their risks and take a more proactive approach to the way they do business.

It's really neat. Of course, since I don't have any readers yet, I won't go into any further details at this point.

Pinheads and a good laugh

2008-09-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

I was watching Jon Stewart's Daily Show yesterday and wanted to share one of his jokes. When discussing Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin's pregnant teenage daughter Bristol, Stewart played a clip from Bill O'Reilly:

On the pinhead front, 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant... Now most teens are pinheads in some ways. But here the blame falls primarily on the parents of the girl, who obviously have little control over her...

To most Republicans, Palin appears to be blameless. I guess there are pinheads everywhere - they elected Bush and now they've had his example to follow for the better (or worse, rather) part of a decade. I sincerely hope the next four years are nothing like the last eight.

Republicans choose Ann Coulter... oops, I mean Sarah Palin... as McCain's VP

2008-09-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Last week John McCain met Sarah Palin for the second time ever and chose her as his presumptive vice president. With even a cursory glance I couldn't help but draw some similarities between Palin and conservative columnist Ann Coulter.

Coulter, I should mention, once said that she would campaign for Hillary Clinton if McCain got the Republican nomination - she says Clinton is more conservative than McCain.

That, I believe, is why McCain chose Palin: she is enough like Coulter that more radical Republicans will love her.

First, the obvious: they're both women, and they're controversial. Both are strong, independent women who have found favor with social conservatives. Palin was "born again" at age 12 or 13 and attends a non-denominational pentecostal-style church; Coulter once said, "I don't care about anything else: Christ died for my sins and nothing else matters." Palin and Coulter are both outspokenly pro-life. Palin does not believe global climate change can be attributed to human activity; Coulter describes the theory of evolution as "bogus science."

Palin has been a member of the NRA her whole life and does not seem to oppose drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She embodies the Republican ideal that so many people I know admire, and I believe she appeals to those social conservatives for the same reasons Coulter does. Incidentally, Coulter is one of the few people on this planet who I find truly repulsive. Having heard some of her comments and seen the implications of her worldview, my reaction to Coulter usually borders on nausea. As Palin receives more national attention, I wonder if my reaction to her will start following the same path.

What's in Store

2008-08-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Special announcement: As I read interesting books on various topics, I want to share my thoughts on this blog. Typically, that might be my response to a quote or my understanding of an idea. Look for my book postings on weekends. In the spirit of the Beijing Olympics, I might start with some Confucian philosophy next weekend (but no guarantees).

Beijing Summer Olympics 2008 Opening Ceremony

2008-08-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

I was mesmerized.

The numbers were staggering: 15,000 people performing for an audience of 91,000.

The pyrotechnics were stupendous. The technology was stupefying. Many people have life-changing events that shape the course of their existence. In Beijing, the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, August 8, was a world-changing event.

As I watched, awestruck, I realized that I was witnessing the last time one civilization would gaze upon the splendor of another and realize that a new world had just opened up.

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to figure out what I need to do to learn Chinese.

It just ain't natural

2008-08-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I passed a car that proudly flaunted a bumper sticker reading, "The natural choice is LIFE."

As the reader, I was forced to agree with at least one side of the double meaning. Certainly abortion does not take place in a natural state - to the best of my knowledge, humans are unique among animals in their ability to abort their young.

The bumper sticker had a double meaning, though. It was correct about the first meaning of the phrase, but it was also trying to tell me that "life" is "proper to the circumstances of the case (thank you, dictionary)." The bumper sticker identified "life" as a solution that rises easily; naturally, to the mind.

And that was the point. The bumper sticker wanted people to make the connection between what happens in nature, and what is proper.

I often look for solutions that are "proper to the circumstances of the case," however, and when I do that I rarely look for the "natural choice." For example, I had a few teeth broken out last year, and I found a very unnatural solution - I went to the dentist. My brother got sick during the spring, and instead of curling up miserably to die, as a typical animal would, he took the radically unnatural step of visiting a doctor.

Of course, I thought all these things in the time it took me to cruise past the stickered car. The man driving it needed a reminder that, while a natural solution might seem like a good idea, sometimes we have to advance. I like to think our species is becoming smart enough to recognize that. In the meantime, I just shook my head at this guy - did he ever consider the "natural choice" in getting to work? It sure as hell isn't driving, you hypocrite.

Mom is putting on a show!

2008-07-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

For those who didn't know, my mom is back from Morocco!

And, of course, she's putting on a show. Tentatively, it is set for August 16th and will be performed in Central Oregon. It should be a rewarding opportunity for any audience that appreciates song and theatre, and certainly for anyone interested in the interaction between Christianity and Islam in the Muslim world.

Stay tuned for more!

Hancock: Great PR for Public Relations

2008-07-07T00:55:00.000-07:00

One good way to send a message to billions of people internationally is to draw it on the moon. I can actually think of a better one: use a box office hit movie instead.

On Saturday night I found out why Hancock was the top movie over the 4th of July weekend - what with the monumental special effects, the Will Smith/Charlize Theron/Jason Bateman starpower and the foul-mouthed-devil-may-care protagonist who cleans up his act. Everybody loves character development.

The last thing I expected was a positive pitch for public relations. Ray Embrey (Bateman) is a public relations... guy. (In various movie reviews he's called a "public-relations man," "PR whiz," "public relations guy" and "public relations executive," not to mention "a publicist," so I'm not even sure if his character had any idea what he did for a living).

Bateman's character really stole the show for me. Well, I was nothing short of awed to witness such a strong positive take on public relations - Embrey is a kind-hearted, almost angelic family man whose primary (or only?) project is promoting his "All Heart" logo, which recognizes large corporations that give away products for free to those in need. He pays attention to his son. He treats others professionally and disarmingly charmingly, and he takes it upon himself to give Hancock (Smith) a much-needed public image makeover after Hancock saves Embrey from being flattened by an oncoming train.

The Embrey character is, quite literally, flawless. Brave, loving, forgiving, always using words when others would resort to fists... and he is a career PR guy. As an aspiring PR whiz myself, I paid close attention to the most positive portrayal of the public relations field I've ever witnessed.

Frankly, I think it's awesome. There are good journalists and bad journalists, good politicians and bad politicians. It's about time people started to realize that there are good public relations guys out there as well as bad ones. In fact, I have every intention of being one of the good guys myself. Enough about PR "machines" and twisting the truth - if there's a sweetheart PR executive on the movie screen, it can happen in real life, right?

For more thorough reviews of the movie Hancock, visit any of the links in the third paragraph. This post is about my perspective on the story.

You can be as funny as John McCain!

2008-06-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

What a happy happenstance! I happened across a link to the website 23/6 (Some of the news, most of the time), and they have a hilarious little joke-o-tron that lets you make McCain-esque inappropriate remarks. Try it for yourself here.

A Prominent Logo

2008-06-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

The other day I noticed that the "Ford" symbol on all the automaker's new cars is much larger and more prominent than it used to be, especially on the bigger vehicles. It's almost like they are proud to associate their company with gas-guzzling pickup trucks and SUVs. Ford has been more successful outside the US recently with the "supermini" Fiesta, which had little success in the States (figures, doesn't it?) - although apparently it will return in 2009.

As an update on my life - I've started looking up local advertising/design/public relations agencies in the Central Oregon area. During the summer, I hope to snag a job or internship with a local company. In the fall, I have my eye on Portland, Oregon.

If I have the attention of my dear family members and family friends, you have my most sincere thanks for your graduation gifts. Please expect a more detailed thank-you note in the mail soon, and I love you all! Drop by every now and then to see if I have anything entertaining for you to read!

PS: Visit Monica's blog about her adventures in Morocco. http://mjlocklear.blogspot.com/

Welcome!

2008-06-19T04:30:00.000-07:00

I regularly travel at 67,000 miles per hour, I am almost entirely empty space, and at one point I kept a rubberband collection in my pocket. I am Grady Locklear.

Whenever I read the title of this blog, my mind trips over the "gh," and I don't think of "fries" at all. Instead, I think about all the obvious things about life that require a second glance to understand. The world is very interesting, and my perspective on it can be both funny and insightful - if you believe either of those statements, check back here once in a while for something new!

You must have noticed that the title of this blog is a little unusual. Here is the story: During spring break 2007, my good friend Alan and I took a jaunt from Spokane to Seattle to visit our friend Hannah. We played a game of "phonetic Scrabble" after dinner one evening with Hannah and her mother - in "phonetic Scrabble" words can be spelled as they sound, rather than strictly as they appear in the dictionary - and I played the word "ghried," to the uproar of the rest of the table. We sure know how to party.

At any rate, the other day I pondered how to name my blog. I am writing about my life and the little things that make my inner monologue a running laugh track, and the idea was almost immediate. Burger and Ghries. Staple of the American diet. Familiar, but a little bit... weird. Ghamiliar, even, as it turns out. With that, welcome to the blog!

I love comments, discussions, jokes and anecdotes. Contribute as you feel comfortable!