Random Thoughts While Ghost Authoring JD Drew's Autobiography "JD Drew: The Two Out Rally Ends Here"

I'm on vacation. You need to know this, and be prepared for the fact that my mind, for the first time in 14 months, isn't on work, or school... for the next 11 days. You may actually get more than one post from me during this time... but don't hold your breath...

Meghan got me a Garmin GPS for my birthday. This is excellent. It took us 58 minutes to get to 18 Partridge Ln from the Westgate mall, at an average speed for 58 mph and a max speed of 79. I love knowing that. I'm very impressed an really excited about it! It would come in handy for vacation... if only we were going somewhere. But who can complain about knowing where your going when where you're going is the Cape, and the weather is perfect down here? Yeah, I'm happy. Did I mention I am on vacation?

Oh, and I got Madden too... way, way better than last year. I may have brought my 360 down just to play it. Not that that's necessary... but I'm just sayin'... I mean, I'm on vacation, right? So its cool. In fact, you're lucky I'm writing now instead of playing (although even though I'm 26 (eek... 26...) there's still a no-TV-while-the-sun-is-up rule in the O'Brien household... which I break liberally for the Red Sox, et al.

So I'm sitting in the back yard at the O'Briens. Perfect weather, in the shade, with the wireless going, sitting in an adirondack chair with a dc and Rhapsody playing. Laney would be proud, I'm playing a Rhapsody recommended playlist, specifically the one for: Rap/Hip-Hop --> Southern Rap/Hip-Hop --> ATL. Yeah, its pretty ghetto... but its fab. You know why? Because it is WAY better than work. Way, way, way better.

I'm not yet sold on this year's Madden soundtrack. I know, you probably don't understand this statement. But ever since the summer I moved to Manch and moved in with Laney and Vallone, the Madden soundtrack has been an integral part of my musical interests. That summer I was working for Autofair, so I had a lot of random weekdays off, or half days, and I played Madden more then than probably any other time in my life. It was GREAT. And back then you were able to play all sorts of drills while the soundtrack played in the background. So I heard all of the songs from Madden 04 about 5,000 times. It was probably the most influential soundtrack on my life since the American Pie soundtrack (don't ask...).

Even to this day I still have all of the songs from that year on my IPod and listen to them more than just about any other playlist. And each year I download all of the new songs and add them, but not since Madden 04 has a game had that good a soundtrack. Last year had a particularly depressing dearth of good songs, and this year seemed like a complete washout, however I'm starting to come around on a few (it really takes about 20 hours of messing with the rosters and other settings instead of playing the actual games to really "get" the sound for that years soundtrack).

So far I'm really big on Brother Ali's Watcha' Got. I don't usually like the the rap as much as the rock they have on the soundtrack, but each year I usually find one that I really really love. I'll break into the rock eventually.

The problem of course is this: this year I don't have to tinker with the roster. The Patriots are rediculously stacked. Its even worse in Madden than in real life, but either way you look at it, they are unbelievable this year.

Ok, well, I'm sure that's enough "fake" football for now, but I may still subject you to more later.

But on the subject of music (I'm starting to think this is a little less "random thoughts", a little more "my (correct) opinions on music), I'm really starting to wonder what's happening to my tastes in music.

Maybe Meghan is having a greater effect on me than I thought, but I'm really starting to like (new) country. This is one of the reasons I love Rhapsody, btw, becuase of the detail they go into for genres - I'm now on the Country --> Coutry Pop/Cosmopolitan --> New Country playlist. That's right... I'm listening to an all country playlist, and liking it.

But what is country these days? I was never (ever) a big fan of country until recently. But the new stuff is pretty good. Its less annoying than most pop music, and less loud than most of the rock that I like. It makes for a pleasant ride to the Cape, or Keene, or wherever we may go. Its easy to listen to while blogging. Ok, I'll just face the facts - I don't even know who I am anymore.

I have to say, as you may have guessed, this vacation thing is GREAT. I haven't thought about work at all today (though I did just text my boss, just in case they need my passwords for anything). But after working 50-60 hour weeks recently, I have to wonder what the people that will be doing my work will think:

a) wow, he does a really crappy job and covers it up real well... until he leaves and it all falls apart
or
b) wow, he does a really good job of holding this crap together
I hope its the second part. I really think it is at any rate.
But I'm not supposed to be thinking about that right now...

Well, I think I need to go purge that thought of work with a nice Gin and Tonic and a little sox and preseason pats.

Welcome to my vacation everyone. It's gonna be a fun, hazy ride.