3.5: DONE!

3.1: Pitch Notes [06.27.16]

PITCH NOTES [COPA 100 Review]

1) Chile wins second straight Copa America; Messi announces international retirement

After a month of matches, the special edition Copa America Centenario concluded with a rematch of the 2015 Copa America Final:  Chile versus Argentina. And like 2015, Chile prevailed over Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste in penalties following another scoreless 120+ minutes of play. In fact, Chile almost prevailed by the same penalty shootout scoreline as the year before except Argentina managed to convert one additional penalty attempt, 4:2.

So, congratulations to Chile for winning the Copa America Centenario!

As for the second part of the preceding header, Lionel Messi shockingly announced his retirement from international competition during a post-match interview. From Grant Wahl, Sports Illustrated and FOX Sports contributor:

Messi: "The national team is over for me. It's not for me after 4 finals. The decision is taken, I believe." https://t.co/AaK94pq9xG

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) June 27, 2016

To be honest, many supporters of the beautiful game including myself hope that this is merely the emotions of the moment getting the best of Messi but if this is indeed the end for Messi with La Albiceleste, then:

Thank you to Lionel Messi for an amazing international career and for allowing us the opportunity to witness your remarkable skills and talent. The free kick you scored against the United States in the semifinal match of the Copa America Centenario was simply fantastic (or as Ray Hudson would say: magisterial).

2) USMNT falls to Colombia, again, in consolation match; finishes fourth at Copa 100

For the USMNT, Copa 100 ended in the same manner it started; losing to Colombia, 0:1. Following their four-goal dismantling at the feet of Messi and Argentina in the semifinal match, the USMNT looked to secure their highest finish in a major international competition. (Sorry Gold Cup) Unfortunately, I was unable to watch the match but the USMNT failed to rectify their loss from the opening match of the tournament.

In my opinion, the USMNT could (and should) count Copa 100 as a successful tournament. Yes, the USMNT did lose three matches by a combined scoreline of 0:7 but they also won three consecutive matches: Costa Rica (4:0), Paraguay (1:0), and Ecuador (2:1)--a combined scoreline of 7:1. On another note, the USMNT did finish the tournament having advanced further than any other CONCACAF side and by not being humiliated by seven goals in one match (See Mexico vs. Chile).

For the USMNT, the focus returns to World Cup qualifying with two matches in September: 09.02 at Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and 09.06 versus Trinidad and Tobago. At present, the USMNT sits in second place in Group 3 with seven points from four matches and lead third-place Guatemala by a single point.

Year 30 (Plus Three)

Today marks the start of a new year in my life (and subsequently, a new year of John Past 30) but before I begin this new year, allow me a moment to properly bid farewell to "Year 30+2":

2.362: Update [06/22/16]

1) The migration of John Past 30 to Tumblr is DEAD! (for now.)

I do enjoy Tumblr but the platform is too socially-driven for the purpose of this project. John Past 30 is a personal project I embarked upon to (1) document certain events in my life for future reference, (2) provide a platform from which I could vent my personal frustrations, and (3) allow me to express opinions on a wide-range of topics that interest me. John Past 30 is not meant for mass consumption because it is, quite frankly, terrible reading and it is not meant as something to be sought after but rather stumbled upon. And unfortunately, Tumblr is not that sort of platform. Now, I do have a Tumblr that goes by the same name but as of now; there is no longer anything posted to it. But, I may change that in the future too or I may cross-publish certain posts from here to there (and vice versa).

2) I am still clueless as to the status of the "regular columns" I had been drafting and publishing prior to my life becoming flipped, turned-over and upside-down.

In regards to John Past 30, that is all I have to share at the moment. In regards to life, I am still becoming accustomed to working overnight as evidence by the current time and the fact that I was off tonight. I have been feeling slightly annoyed by my new position but I hope to sort it all out sooner rather than later. This weekend is my birthday weekend and I intend of enjoying myself and not worrying about SecureStraps for the duration of the weekend. Anyways, that is all I have for now!

3.357: Update [06/17/16]

The past week of my life has been chaotic. Last Monday (06/06/16), I started my new position at a local medical manufacturing plant and since I started, I have logged about 65 hours of work though my paycheck reflects only 41.25 hours of work (an issue that I intend to have resolved quickly). So, much of my last week was graveyard-shift work and recovery. In fact, I did not have my first day off until Sunday (06/12/16) and even then, I was unable to relax because of issues involving the troll and now, his "ho". I know that I have said in the past that I would ignore the troll but when the issue of domestic violence rears its ugly head into the situation; one should act and I did (sort of). In truth, I should have called law enforcement but my mother would not permit me to do so despite the clearly terrified state of the troll's "ho" and the continued verbal threats being made by the troll in the direction of anyone in sight. At this point, I am done with the troll, his "ho", and my mother because I will not be party to any sort of physical abuse, especially, toward those weaker than the abuser. But, I will say that I affirmed what I already knew and that is that the troll is a scared, petulant brat. The troll is terrified at the prospect of going to prison (as any rational creature should be) but rather than tone down its behavior and rhetoric; it lashes out with comments about not being scared of anyone when it is actually the complete opposite. The troll's issue with the world at large does not stem from the lack of people ignorant enough to actually care about its self-inflicted plight but rather from the fact that it has warped sense that the world is out to "get it" that is most likely induced by drug use. Personally, I do not care--I tried to help in the past and all I got in return was this petulant creature that exists only to bring trouble to the people and things around it; so I must remove it from my presence.

Anyways, I went off on a tangent. As for work, I am confused and I am exhausted. I am confused as to my actual assignment at the plant and I am exhausted because I have been working an absurd amount of overtime for a new hire. Obviously, the dramatic shift in my internal clock has not helped matters but I can at least report that despite my bouts with drowsiness yesterday and Monday morning; I have been fairly alert while on duty. I will also say this about the position, it has definitely reinvigorated my desire to find another position expediently. I am not saying that the position is difficult or bad but (1) the overnight shift is NOT for me and (2) there are far too many I know that work at the plant already and I do not want to see them or let them see me during this difficult segment of my professional life.

In site-related news, I am very close to accepting the idea of posting all of my new content over to my Tumblr account. Now, I would still keep this site available for "archival" purposes but anything I write about or images I share would be posted to my Tumblr. I had tried this before but it fell flat even though I still like Tumblr as a blogging and social interaction platform. Of course, it could come to nothing but if I do decide to take the plunge, then it would start on the first day of Year 3. In other words, I only have a few days to decide. Anyways, I think that this is all for now--I have a resume and cover letter to compose!

2.346: The Insomnia Experiment

In an attempt to "reset" (or "adjust") my internal "clock", I am currently in the process of inducing insomnia.

My hope is that by refusing to sleep during the night, I will be able to (1) acclimate my body to my new employment schedule and (2) sleep for a long period of time during the day.

As of 23:50 EDT, I am already struggling.

Anyways, I hope to turn this experiment into a positive (and productive) experience by drafting additional posts for publishing and completing cover letters, resumes and applications for library positions.

So, keep an eye out for more posts and happenings!

2.345: Return to Normal?

I wish I could say that this was the post where I declare that everything was returning to normal but I cannot.

To be honest, what is normal? My posting schedule has always been erratic and it is much more common for me to allow for long periods of time to pass between posts than it is for me to post daily.

I am not saying that I am giving up on providing consistent content but I find myself at yet another crossroad about what I want from this blog (or journal or web site or whatever I want to call this thing).

Of course, I tend to get this way around the end of another online anniversary because I feel as though I am not accomplishing what I want to accomplish (even though I have no clue as to what it is I wish to accomplish).

Anyways, pardon my externalized internal conflict. There have been a lot of things happening in my life at the moment and I'm not sure of anything at the moment.

2.344: A New Day

In just a few short hours, it will have been a week since my grandfather passed away.

At this time last week, I was likely seated beside my grandfather watching a United States men's national team match--clueless about what was to come. And in about an hour or so, it will mark the approximate time in which I last stood within the presence of my grandfather while he was alive. At 12:12 AM EDT on Sunday, May 29, 2016, my grandfather left this world.

To be honest, I do not have many regrets about the final days and weeks of my grandfather's life except one: I regret having not said good bye to him as I left to return home that night. Despite understanding the gravity of the situation concerning his declining health, I still took for granted the time he had left in this world. In my mind, I would be back the next day to seat by his side and that by some miracle, he would muster the strength needed to recover long enough for him to say that he refused to die at this moment and that he wanted to live but I realize that this was not likely.

Immediately following his passing, I decided that I could not become emotional and that I needed to remain an apathetic and resolute stalwart for my family and yet, all I did was become isolated and withdrawn. In some part, it was my own laziness that prevented me from taking a larger role in the preparation of the nearly week-long funeral ceremonies and in other parts; it was my unwillingness to expose myself to the reality that we were about to cremate my grandfather and that he would no longer be among us anymore--forever.

In truth, I'm not certain if anybody in my family has really considered the effects the passing of my grandfather will have on our family because everyone involved has been so preoccupied with hosting, prepping, and cleaning for the past week. But now, everything is done and all we have now is a future in which my grandfather is gone. Undoubtedly, the individual that his passing will effect the most is his daughter--my aunt--because she has dedicated the better part of the past decade or so to caring for him and now: an empty room and bed that her father--my grandfather--once occupied and incredible amount of medical products and equipment with no purpose. Of course, it is not just her that will be effected by my grandfather's passing. I could go on and on about the details involving my family's dynamics with one another but I don't feel as though that would serve any purpose.

As for me, I will finally start my new job Monday. One of the more odd things to come out of this situation is that I managed to find myself in a new position with a higher pay rate without having worked a single minute. Perhaps, it is some sort of blessing but more likely, it was coincidence--a coincidence that I see no reason to question at this point. Of course, I want to still work in a library at some point down the line but I feel like that goal is becoming more unrealistic with each passing day. It is a new day for my family and I and while I want to believe it will be a better day; I remain cautious.

2.341: Update [6.1]

At the moment, I am procrastinating. Rather than prepare a eulogy for my grandfather's funeral service tomorrow (6/2), I am drafting this post.

Before I continue, I should say that my grandfather passed away on Sunday (5/29) morning at approximately 00:12 EDT; he was 85 years old.

In the days following my grandfather's passing, our family has been swept up in endless activities which is customary for Buddhist households of Lao and/or Thai decent.

Anyways, I'm going to keep this update short since I really need to focus on drafting this eulogy.

2.337: Update [05.28]

At the moment, I am attempting to watch the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid [Los Blancos have just scored @ 15:04 EDT]. Meanwhile, my grandfather is at the hospital laying on what will presumably become his "death bed". On Wednesday, the decision was made to discontinue treatment of his various ailments and he was transferred from the Intensive Care Unit of Northeast Georgia Medical Center's North Tower to a basic patient room in the facility's South Tower. From my perspective, it is clear that my grandfather has no intention of going "gently into that good night" as he has continued to "rage, rage against the dying of the light." I apologize for my selfish and, most likely, incorrect use of Dylan Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night" but those two lines have resonated heavily upon me during this period. This weekend was meant to be a joyous and celebratory weekend in which my younger cousin would be married. Instead, it has become a somber Memorial Day weekend filled with the anxiety that comes from not knowing when a loved one will pass on.

Personally, I am in professional purgatory as I await what comes in regards to my grandfather's being. I was scheduled to begin my new job on Tuesday (May 31) but I have now postponed my start date in response to my grandfather's situation. As for my previous (or current) position, I informed my colleague and supervisor that he should refrain from scheduling me for the foreseeable future until I am better acquainted with my employment situation. In other words, I am without a job while actually in two jobs. To be honest, it is an odd situation to be in given my recent struggles with unemployment.

In regards to my grandfather, I find his situation to be rather disturbing. As far as I can tell, the hospital is starving him to death as he has not eaten anything of any particular substance in well over a week--his only source of nutrients coming via an IV drip while he was quartered in the North Tower of NGMC. In my opinion, the hospital has given up on my grandfather and they have manipulated my family by using their authoritative position. I feel that if we had requested a transfer to one of Metro Atlanta's larger medical facilities (e.g. Emory or Grady Memorial), then my grandfather would have a greater chance of surviving. SERIOUSLY, AT LEAST GIVE THE MAN HIS DIALYSIS TREATMENT!

Perhaps, I am working my way through the various stages of grief but I cannot fathom a world in which my grandfather is no longer in it. Anyways, that is where I am at now and it is where I will be for the foreseeable future.

2.329: Talking Politics at DG

Allow me to begin my first stating that I am a terrible storyteller and now, with that out of the way allow me to share with you a couple of anecdotes from working as a Sales Associate at Dollar General:

On Monday evening, I was working at the primary checkout lane at the store when an utterly white trash couple came barreling into the store engaged in what was sure to be an intellectually-stimulating conversation about the wife's preference for using hot dog buns for sandwiches (as oppose to you know, sandwich bread). Regardless, the husband (or boyfriend or baby's daddy or whatever) headed in the direction of the restrooms while the female portion of the duo sought out her hot dog buns. Personally, I tried not to pay them any mind since I actually had customers to tend to. Anyways, at some point, the male approached the counter while I was checking another customer out and asked (what I am sure he felt was a topical and surely humorous) question about whether or not he would be permitted to use the women's restroom because he was going to "cut off his dick and call himself a woman". To which, I responded:  "I don't care." Clearly thrown off-guard by my lack of laughter at his "witty" comment, the man went into defense mode state that he was merely joking.  My reply: "That's fine though I'm sure there are some that may your comments offensive." It was at this point that the female half of this duo (who had made her way into the line) interjected by saying I should learn to take a joke and that she knows "transvestites" that would have laughed at the joke. At this point, I (1) thought her transgender "friends" would have loved to have been called "transvestites" and (2) proceeded to enter full on ignore mode since I was in the process of checking out another customer. I suppose the woman carried on and finally became so flustered by my unwillingness to laugh at a "joke" I did not find humorous in the slightest that she forced her male companion to leave the store (by the way, the man was still in the process of trying to explain himself and his joke to me) without having purchased her hot dog buns; stating that they would never shop at a store with rude individual unwilling to laugh at their unfunny and offensive jokes. Oh well, good riddance!

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The following evening, I found myself once again working the primary register when a Latino family  attempted to pay for a portion of their bill with an EBT (or food stamp) card and the remainder of the bill in cash. Anyways, their first attempt failed because (and I am only speculating) they accidentally pressed the "EBT Cash" option as opposed to the "EBT Food" option. Apparently, this minor delay in the processing of their payment was enough to upset the elderly white woman behind the family because upon her approach to the counter (and without any prompting from me) she made a comment about how she was paying for her items with "her own" money. In this instance, I held my tongue and proceeded to complete the transaction but her comment remained at the forefront of my thoughts as the next few customers following her (all white) also used EBT cards. Would she have made this comment had the family been white? My guess is most likely not but I can clearly guess who she will be voting for in November.

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I know that neither of these stories was humorous to anyone other than me but given my political leanings I find it funny that I am forced into a position in which I must be courteous and mindful of their ignorant positions and that either instance could have easily led to me getting reprimanded for merely disagreeing with their viewpoints. I understand that individuals have differing viewpoints but I also know when and where to express those viewpoints. Anyways, have a good day!

2.328: Quick Blurbs 009

BLURB 1:  Blake Lively

In all honesty, who is seriously offended by her comments? And I mean seriously offended? Because we live in a society in which white police officers receive little to no punishment for gunning down young black men and this is what people choose to be offended by. GTFO!

BLURB 2:  Star Trek

I have always stated that I was more of a Trekkie than a Star Wars fan because Star Trek was far more accessible than Star Wars. So, I am looking forward to watching the new series (on Netflix or DVR).

BLURB 3:  Die Antwoord

I have never of Die Antwoord nor have I ever listen to any of their albums but I suppose anything related to Kanye West will earn a "trending" designation. Come on Facebook curators, you need to do better than this rubbish.

BLURB 4:  Blade, Ghost Rider and Moon Knight

I love the Marvel Cinematic universe and I have loved what I have seen from Netflix in regards to original Marvel series (though I have only seen the first two episodes of the first season of Daredevil--what can I say? I'm squeamish.) So, I should only expect good things to come out of these three series is they are made. Also, Marvel and Netflix will have the opportunity to introduce to new heroes of ethnic decent:  Blade, who is black, and the Robbie Reyes (Mexican-American) version of Ghost Rider (though they will likely opt for the Johnny Blaze version).

BLURB 5:  Sports Authority

Well, there isn't a Sports Authority within "reasonable" driving distance around my area so this is not relevant to me.

2.325: Another Brief Update

I am overwhelmed!

At work (Dollar General), I find myself in the uncomfortable situation of having to ask my supervisor/friend to reduce my hours because I am being asked to work full-time hours for part-time pay with no benefits. Also, there is the matter of having only one day off a week. Normally, I would have little issue with the extra time but it is incredibly discouraging to work a full-time schedule and then receive a paycheck of less than $200.

Meanwhile, the position with Kelly Services at a local medical manufacturing plant remains in limbo because of a delay with my local criminal background check, which is made even more frustrating by the fact that they have already received my national background check. While I may not be looking forward to the overnight shift, I really need this better paying position.

Also, I am scrambling to complete a standout cover letter and resume for a library position in the a library system that is at least two hours away.

And all of this is simply the tip of the iceberg because (1) my grandfather is back in the hospital because of a persistent, hacking cough and built up fluids in his lungs and (2) the troll managed to blow out the power to its cave as well as one wall of my mother's bedroom and is now running an extension cord through my mother's bedroom window.

Anyways, my life is out of control and I have been unable to publish posts as often as I would like but maybe I will be able to get things back in order soon.

2.321: Quick Blurbs 008

BLURB 1:  Calvin Klein

Yes, I have seen the photograph and to be honest, I would not have never known about this photograph had it not been because of this "controversy". Again, being frank, I have seen far worse and yet, it is only now that we begin to hear about the problems such photography present. My stance on this situation is as follows: if the model was okay with the shot, then I am fine with the shot. Photography is a form of art and it appears as though the ones complaining most about such art are (1) simply looking for something to complain about and (2) too lazy to inform their children about the differences between right and wrong.

BLURB 2:  Harry Potter

In the interest of full disclosure, I am completely clueless about Harry Potter but these four names seem rather dumbed down or perhaps, less elegant? To be honest, I am uncertain of the exact term or phrase I wish to use in describing the supposed house names but they do have a very American vibe to them.

BLURB 3:  Gwyneth Paltrow

I suppose this is trending because "oh no, someone is talking about S-E-X". Look, people need to stop handling sex with kids gloves and realize that sex exists, it occurs, and if done right, is pleasant. Ignoring sex is not only stupid, it's dangerous.

BLURB 4:  George Zimmerman

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN IS GARBAGE! How this man continues to work freely amongst us is beyond comprehension and speaks loudly (and poorly) of the broken American justice system. I wish nothing but terrible things on this terrible person.

BLURB 5:  Voltron Legendary Defender

Finally, a topic I actually care about! For a person my age, Voltron was the sh-t! And I look forward to seeing Netflix's take on the series.

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NOTE:  Apparently, drafting a post and then posting it at approximately 00:01 EDT and then drafting another post and publishing that post at 23:59 EDT means you have posted two posts in one day as opposed to two posts in two days.  Anyways, I corrected the numbering on the two preceding posts to accurately reflect the day it was written on.

Also, I was iffy about using Facebook Trending Topics for awhile now but given the recent controversy surrounding Facebook's alleged suppression of conservative topics, I have determined that I will be sticking with Facebook as the source of topics for this column.

2.319B: Quick Civil War Review

It is late and I have only a few minutes before midnight but here are a few thoughts on Captain America:  Civil War:

1) Overall, the movie was great! Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, and the Russo brothers did an incredible job with the movie. It was filled with action, it was fun, and most importantly to me, it was definitely worth the price of admission.

2) Black Panther, Spider-Man, and Aunt May (as portrayed by Marisa Tomei) are great new additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chadwick Boseman was dignified yet raw as the Black Panther while Tom Holland portrayed Spider-Man in a manner that has been lacking in previous portrayals of the beloved hero:  as an immature, wise-cracking high schooler. As for Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, let's just say that she has a lot going on for her.

Anyways, go and see the movie!

2.319A: My Lao New Year Weekend

I believe I have exhausted the Blog Post Idea Generator because I have just spent the past fifteen minutes generating topics for today's "Random Topics" and I did not come across a single new topic. I figured that things were headed in this direction last week when I was forced to use another random topic generator to complete last week's "Random Topics" but I thought I would give it another attempt this week and see if anything changed; it did not. And to be honest, it is disappointing considering I only wrote about a handful of posts. So, what will happen with "Random Topics"? I do not know but I will most likely move on to another topic generator though that will not start this week. Instead, I thought I would simply write about something I wanted to discuss:  my weekend (or more accurately, the weekend of May 6-8).

To be honest, nothing truly extraordinary occurred but I just wanted to talk about what has been happening in my life. As of now, I am still an employee at Dollar General and I am still waiting to be contacted by my Kelly Services recruiter about an actual start date for my new position. The representative had contacted me last week about wishing to set a start date of yesterday (5/9) but I told that was not possible because I was still employed by my friend, the store manager at the Dollar General where I work, and I would need to at least give him a week's notice. Of course, the recruiters lapse in memory regarding my current employment status was just the tip of the iceberg of the oddities that have engulfed this process but I will save that for another time (maybe). On a related note, I have decided to pursue a position in a library system that is almost two hours away from me because that is how badly (1) this hiring process has been and (2) I want to work in a library. I have an acquaintance that works in the system and perhaps, she could lend a favorable hand though my track record of library employment has been less than stellar.

Anyways, I have become sidetracked and gone off topic. This past weekend was the designated weekend for one of the two Lao Buddhist temples in my area to celebrate the Lao New Year and the performer for this celebration is an old acquaintance of my father. So, I spent my Friday traveling to Hartfield-Jackson to pick the performer; his flight was scheduled to arrive at 15:20 EDT. If you know anything about traffic in Atlanta (traffic in general), then you know that I was caught in traffic for a significant duration of the trip down (which caused us, my father and I, to arrive a few minutes late) and the trip back. My father had the great idea of treating his friend to dinner at a sushi bar he enjoys but that did not occur because his friend (from San Diego) does not like sushi. Instead, we had dinner at the Saigon Cafe in Buford because the performer and his wife wanted pho (or McDonald's but there was no way my father was going to settle for a Big Mac). Personally, I do not like pho because I had it so much as a child that I simply became tired of eating it plus a lot of the actual pleasure of pho comes from seasoning your own broth--a skill that I lack. So, I settled for "Thai fried rice" with beef, chicken, and shrimp--the rice set heavy in my belly for the remainder of the evening and that is not a good thing.

Saturday was my day and I made the most of it after I got off of work at noon. As insinuated by my post for the day (5/7), I celebrated Free Comic Book Day by visiting three different comic shops (in order of visit): Galactic Quest in Buford, Rock Shop Music & Comics in Buford, and Oxford Comics in Atlanta. When we arrived at Galactic Quest, there was a band performing outside the shop but aside from them; it appeared as though we missed out on the majority of the scheduled events. There was still a good crowd inside the shop but given the relative ease I had in finding parking in comparison to last year; the crowd had certainly died down. Regardless, my friend and I picked up a few of the free books on offer and we were on our way. At Rock Shop, we picked up a few more free books and I purchased a book (I would have picked up more since they were on sale but they did not have any of the issues I wanted). I also witnessed a dance battle between two Deadpool cosplayers to determine fourth place in the shop's costume contest. At this point, we had moved so quickly between the two shops that we decided to swing by Oxford Comics to see if we could find the one FCBD book we both wanted but could not find at either of the first two shops we visited. Oxford Comics was unsurprisingly busy and while I was unable to locate the elusive FCBD book, I did purchase a couple more books to fill out my collection. Also, I got to see another former library coworker. From there, we made our way back to Gainesville to meet up with another friend for dinner and then Captain America:  Civil War. Unfortunately, there was a mix up between my friend and I and he missed out on Uncle Maddio's but he did arrive to see the movie, which I will review in a future post. And that was it for Saturday.

Nothing much occurred on Sunday--I looked over my grandfather while my aunt, his primary caretaker, went to the Lao New Year celebration to see if she could find some food to purchase for my grandfather. She was not away for more than hour before she returned home to resume her duties and allowing me to stop by the house before going into work. Anyways, I went to work and that was it for my weekend. As I said, nothing special occurred but sometimes you just want to write about it.

2.318: Pitch Notes 5/9

Champions League Fate Lies in United's Hand

As we head into the final matchday of the Premier League campaign, Manchester United finds itself on the precipice of grasping the fourth and final Champions League position from the clutches of its noisy neighbors. The tide turned for Manchester United over the course of the past weekend when Juan Mata scored the lone goal in the Red Devils' victory against Norwich City while United's crosstown rivals in blue failed to hold its goal advantage twice against Arsenal thus resulting in two dropped points.

As it stands, Manchester City sits in the coveted fourth position with a single-point lead over Manchester United BUT the fate came to rest in the hands of the Red Devils because they have an extra match to be played while City has only its match at the weekend remaining. To put the situation in the simplest terms possible: if Manchester United wins its remaining matches, then they will be playing in the Champions League next campaign while Pep and Manchester City will be left lamenting the error of making Manuel Pellegrini a lame duck manager halfway through the campaign.

Of course, nothing is as easy as it should be and this race for the final Champions League position is no different. First off, Manchester United must travel to London to face off against seventh-place West Ham United in what will be the Irons' final match at The Boleyn Ground so emotions will be running high for West Ham to close the grounds with a positive result. It should also be noted that (1) Manchester United, only a few weeks ago, went to Upton Park and knocked the Hammers out of The FA Cup quarterfinal round meaning West Ham will be anxious to return the favor and (2) West Ham are in the midst of its own battle to earn a berth in a European competition for its next campaign at its new stadium. With all of this being said, supporters for both sides will be antsy during tomorrow's match while the neutrals should be treated to a spirited (and hopefully, entertaining) affair.

As for the weekend finale, Manchester United will look to secure its place in the Champions League as it hosts AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford. Bournemouth, who currently sit safely in the sixteenth position, will have little more to play for aside being a spoiler to Manchester United's European aspirations but the Red Devils of Louis Van Gaal are not the Red Devils of Sir Alex Ferguson and they are prone to play down to its competition thus leaving itself open to the possibility of being spoiled.

Anyways, the final week of the Premier League season should be an exciting one for Manchester United supporters as we have been gifted with TWO critical matches to watch:

• Tomorrow (5/10), Manchester United are away to West Ham United in the final match at The Boleyn Ground with kickoff scheduled for 14:45 EDT.
• On Sunday (5/15), Manchester United closes the 2015/16 Premier League campaign by hosting Bournemouth in a match that will hopefully lead to the Red Devils claiming a spot in the Champions League next campaign. Kickoff for the match (and all other matches on the final matchday of the season) is at 10:00 EDT.

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Sporting's Struggles Continue, Fall 2:0 in Houston

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), I was unable to watch the match but judging by the score; it was probably for the best. Sporting Kansas City has struggled since opening the season with three wins having earned only five points in their last eight matches. To be honest, I wish I had some idea as to what may be the issue but I have only seen a handful of these matches and even if I had seen all eight matches; it would not make much of difference since I would not have a clue as to what to say. From some, they will say injuries combined with national team call-ups could have affected the first few negative results but Matt Besler, Benny Feilhaber, and Graham Zusi have been available for the last few matches and wins have still eluded Kansas City. For others, a lack of team chemistry and cohesion could be at the root of the problem and they may have a point. As of now, Peter Vermes looks to be still trying to figure out how to use his best XI players. Hopefully, Vermes will have it figured out soon as the week ahead does not provide Kansas City with any sort of break (playing the Dynamo should have been that) as they travel to Commerce City, Colorado to face off against the surprising Colorado Rapids, who currently sit first in the Supporters Shield table. It will be only about a month since the two sides' last meeting at Children's Mercy Park and in that match, the Rapids defeated Kansas City, 1:2, and the Rapids did it without US men's national team player Jermaine Jones, who had yet to sign or just signed with the club. During this match, Kansas City should expect the German-born American international to play a part in what will be a difficult away fixture.

Following the midweek fixture, Sporting Kansas City returns home to Children's Mercy Park on Sunday to host Orlando City SC (OCSC), the fifth-place side in the Eastern Conference, in another nationally-televised match that will be broadcast on ESPN starting at 15:30 EDT. In OCSC's last five matches, they have earned three points--drawing three times against New England (twice) and New York Red Bulls--but will look to be the next side to create another crack in the facade of Sporting Kansas City's home-field "advantage". So far this campaign, Kansas City has already lost twice in their five matches at Children's Mercy Park and they have not won a match at home since March.

Anyways, Sporting Kansas City will look to get back on track this week as they play two matches (one away and one home):

• Wednesday (5/11), Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, 19:00 EDT
• Sunday (5/15), Orlando City at Children's Mercy Park, 15:30 EDT

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My Countdown to Atlanta United Kickoff 2017 "Officially" Begins

On a personal (yet soccer-related) note, I placed my deposit for season tickets to Atlanta United's inaugural season. It was a bit of a struggle financially but my friend Josh and I managed to piece it together and are now only six payments away from being a part of Atlanta soccer history. Our seats will be in the lower bowl behind the goal but not in the supporters section because (1) I am much too old to be standing for the duration of a match and (2) Josh is bringing his son along did not want his view (too) obstructed. Anyways, my account representative, Carlos, was real chill throughout the process and worked with me to ensure that we (1) got good seats and (2) did not stress too hard over making our deposit. It goes without saying that I am incredibly thrilled by this situation and I look forward to supporting Atlanta United against every team except Sporting Kansas City (I know Atlanta is my "hometown" but Kansas City is my first MLS love).

2.317: You Did This Nelly!

I was going to write a review of the latest Captain America film but on the way home from work this evening, I heard a song from Nelly titled "Die a Happy Man" (apparently, it is a cover of a country song from an artist named Thomas Rhett) and it got me thinking about just how much I disagree with the lyrics of this song. In case you are unfamiliar with the song, you can listen to the original version of it below:

Before I proceed with the point of this post, I just want to say that I do not have an actual problem with the song; I simply disagree with its intention (I'm not sure if that is the word I wanted to use but I'm going to use it anyways). And perhaps, I disagree with being able to find satisfying happiness in another individual because I am single and have been for the majority of my life but I would like to say that I disagree with the notion put forth by this song because I believe one would be doing oneself a grave injustice by simply being satisfied with what you have and never trying to experience anything new. At moments like this, the phrase "bucket list" often comes to mind and for me, personally, the notion of having a bucket list is about as ridiculous as holding out hope that you and your favorite celebrity crush will one day meet and they will fall in love with you. Regardless, it is something that many people have including me and I thought I would share with you some of the items from my bucket list:

1) Visit Japan - I know that this may be the wrong reason for going but I love anime and I would to visit the birthplace of anime and experience the Japanese otaku lifestyle.

2) Watch a Manchester United match at Old Trafford - It would be a dream fulfilled to have the chance to see Manchester United live at the Theater of Dreams.

3) Attend San Diego Comic Con - Look, I know that SDCC is not the fan-oriented experience it once was but in terms of these sorts of events, SDCC remains near the pinnacle.

Well, that is all for now but there are plenty of other items on my bucket list that would easily top any sort of happiness I could find in another individual. I realize that what I just said sounds incredible selfish but it is what it is.

2.316: #FCBD2016

TODAY IS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

NOTE:  For a better and more articulate explanation of Free Comic Book Day, be sure and visit www.freecomicbookday.com.

What is Free Comic Book Day (FCBD)?

Well, FCBD is only one of the best days of the year. In my opinion, FCBD is right up there with your birthday, Christmas (or Hanukah or Kwanzaa or Festivus or whatever specially named day you use to celebrate the winter solstice). It's the one day of the year where people are encouraged to go to local (participating) comic book shops and pick up issues of comics for FREE! Of course, only certain books are free but the books that are available are still pretty awesome. For instance, you can pick up the prequel to Marvel's newest, universe-altering crossover event, Civil War II, or you can pick up a special FCBD Suicide Squad book to get you ready for this summer's Suicide Squad movie from Warner Bros./DC Comics. This year's FCBD will see FIFTY special edition books created primarily for FCBD that will be free on a first come, first serve basis.

So what's the holdup? Go to the site linked above, find out where your nearest participating comic book shop is located, and get yourself some free comics (and if you are so inclined, purchase a few books as well because most participating shops will also be offering tremendous deals on books that are on sale).

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The preceding was a public service announcement from a simple comic book fan wishing to share his love for comic books with others. The writer has no connection to any comic publishing company, comic book distributor, or comic book shop (but if you are interested in hiring such a guy, then maybe we can talk). Anyways, go out and support your local comic book shop!

2.315: Smash the Stash! 006

Wonder Woman, Volume 6:  Bones

Brian Azzarello, Writer

Cliff Chiang, Artist

The volume contains Issues 30-35 of Wonder Woman (Volume IV)

I was going to act as though I knew what I was talking about by name-dropping Azzarello and Chiang and mentioning the fact that this volume was the finale of their run on Wonder Woman but I who would I be fooling? I will say that this volume did conclude the "First Born" story arc (that is what I am calling the arc). So, how was the finale of my first-ever Wonder Woman story? To be frank, it was good. Apparently, the arch ret-conned Wonder Woman's origin and turned the princess of the Amazons of Paradise Island into the God of War but I can live with it. Having never read a Wonder Woman book prior to picking up this run, I have little to no standing to make any argument in opposition to the direction Azzarello took with Wonder Woman. All I know is the following: Wonder Woman and the Gods of Olympus were portrayed in an unfamiliar manner that managed to capture my attention and entertain me and isn't that all one can ask of a comic book series?

As for this volume, in particular, I will say that some time has passed since I read the previous volumes of the series so I cannot make any direct comparisons to those volumes but I will say that this volume was a good read in that it wrapped an overall solid story arc. Yes, it had its weak moments (e.g. the First Born seeking to make Wonder Woman his own and sharing the world with her) but its strong moments (e.g. the remaining Gods of Olympus coming together to defend Themyscira from the forces of the First Born) definitely outweighed its weaknesses. Of course, I cannot recommend this volume alone because you will need to story arc in its entirety to understand what is occurring (which is often the case for most finales) but I do recommend picking up this run of the Wonder Woman series.

2.314: Quick Blurbs 007

BLURB 1: Jenna Dewan Tatum

It's great that she and her husband, Channing, have such a love-filled marriage but why is this trending in my news feed? Also, their Lip Sync Battle was amazing and you should go check it out.

BLURB 2: Spalding County, Georgia

It's not often when a "local" story appears in my Trending topics but when it does occur, it is typically over something absurd. It's funny how these individuals are blaming Snapchat for the irresponsibility of another individual but if I had to guess, these same individuals would are the sort that would say that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". (And yes, I took this topic in a whole other direction but given the location and the areas politics; I am inclined to make such a statement as an example of why I believe this lawsuit is frivolous and an indicator of the hypocrisy of certain people. Also, I know that I am well beyond my self-imposed 50-word limit but this is a local trend and it is not too often that this occurs.)

BLURB 3:  Caitlyn Jenner

NO! Simply no! Sports Illustrated needs to cease and desist with the continual promotion of Caitlyn Jenner as a spokesperson for the transgendered community, especially, given her continued support of the GOP and their stances that run counter to the stances of the LGBT community.

BLURB 4:  Interview with the Vampire

I personally don't care for vampire films of any sort and I have no interest in this film.

BLURB 5:  Sarah Jessica Parker

Fashion is one of the many things I don't care about and that hasn't changed.

2.312B: Pitch Notes 5/2(+1)

All Hail the Foxes!

I know that this space is usually reserved for news and opinions concerning Manchester United, Sporting Kansas City, or the national teams (men and women) of the United States of America but I could not overlook one of the most remarkable underdog stories of my lifetime:  Leicester City winning the Barclays Premier League.

As a sports fanatic, I enjoy three things:  (1) my favorite clubs/teams winning, (2) my rival clubs/teams losing, and (3) a good underdog story. Of course, Leicester City's achievement falls into the category of a good fantastic underdog story because no one could have (or would have) predicted the club's achievement (unless you were a die-hard Leicester City supporter or a wild risk taker) at the start of the campaign. But Leicester City was able to overcome the odds and win the Premier League title through a combination of a lot of hard work and a bit of good luck. Of course, the pundits will say that this achievement is an aberration and that Leicester City's success was due to the faltering performances of the Premier League's "giants" and they could be correct but this does not diminish the Foxes' feat in any way. So, congratulations to the Foxes of Leicester City for demonstrating that a team of cast offs and no names can overcome the odds and win the Premier League (enjoy the pizza and Vegas vacation)!

2.312A: Random Topics 008

NOTE:  Sorry, but there will be no screencaps of this week's random topics so you will have to take me at my word that these topics were genuinely (and randomly) generated.

Topic I:  Top Ten Three Examples of Beautiful...Things in Life (in no particular order)

When Your Favorite Sports Team(s) Win - As I a sports fanatic, I have an inherent desire to be successful at everything. But as an unathletic nerd, I rarely win anything. Therefore, I live vicariously through my favorite teams. When they win, I win and when they lose, I lose. Personally, winning equals happiness and success. On the other hand, losing equals failure and sadness and I have a general disdain for both feelings.

When Your Plans Work Out - In life, we are taught to "expect the unexpected" and to "live in the moment" but both of these adages run in contrast to my personal mannerisms. I am a creature of habit and (despite the appearance of my workspace [i.e. my bedroom]) I am a creature of order. Is it too much to ask for my plans to go off in accordance with my plans? This is why I find it beautiful when a plan comes together because (1) it happens rarely and (2) I know how to optimize my own happiness.

Schadenfreude - This is self-explanatory but in case you are ignorant of the meaning of this term, it means:  "pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune". I realize how bad this sounds but that is because it is a bad thing but I find an incredible amount of pleasure from the failures of my enemies because I know that (1) the feeling is reciprocated and (2) they deserved it.

Topic II:  How do you think the world will end? (NOTE: This question was generated using another generator:  Conversation Starters.)

In my opinion, the world will end when the Sun engulfs Earth as it progresses through its life cycle. Of course, scientists predict that such an event is billions of years from now. As for humanity and its relationship with Earth, I believe its end will come eventually. It will not be billions of years from now but it will be much sooner. Now, I am not saying that humanity will cease to exist but I am saying that human life on Earth will cease to exist as the planet will become inhospitable either because of man-made causes (e.g. global warming, war, etc.) or naturally-occurring causes and humans are forced to move onto other worlds. In other words, humans will thrive but it will not be on Earth but that time is in a far distant future.

Topic III:  If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I have thought about this for only a few minutes but I would say tacos because tacos can be made with many different fillers: meat, vegetables, dairy (cheese), or grains. In my opinion, tacos are the ideal vehicle for ensuring I continue to eat a balanced diet filled with the essential nutrients I require. And yes, I realize that this response is a cop out answer but I play by my own rules--LIKE A BOSS!

2.303: Status Update

So, I started my part-time position at Dollar General over three weeks and during this time, I have come to learn that the position is more physical and strenuous than I had initially believed. In my opinion, the amount of labor and effort required to effectively fulfill the position are certainly worth more than the $7.50 per hour I (and my other part-time coworkers) are paid. *** For a company that saw $20.3 BILLION in revenue in 2015, the fact that much of its in-store associates are paid just over minimum wage is shameful but I digress. *** In my three weeks as a part-time sales associate, I have noticed a significant decline in (1) the number of prompt updates and (2) the number of total updates to John Past 30. I am not going to apologize (an action I have a tendency to take in regards to manners such as this) and I am not to make promises that I will likely be unable to keep because I know that my personal and professional life are only going to become more difficult over the next few weeks and months. But, I will say the following:

I have not and will not give up on John Past 30 as I have other projects in the past but I know that my inability to balance my personal and professional lives will continue to make it more difficult for me to draft posts on a consistent basis.

Professionally, I am working again and I felt as though I had an opportunity to move quickly into a full-time, temporary position at a local medical manufacturing plant but I have heard nothing from the staffing agency in over a week since my "interview" and I worry that I may have been hurt by my overconfidence, lack of manufacturing experience, and abrupt interview with the on-site hiring coordinator (we ran out of time). As for my career goal of returning to the library profession, there is a new opportunity that has arisen at the local technical college. It is a part-time position that promises 29 hours a week and wage of $9 per hour, it is not the ideal situation but (1) it is a position at a library, (2) the library's schedule (it is only open Monday through Thursday) would allow me to continue to pursue additional employment or remain at Dollar General alongside my colleague, and (3) it would give me my weekends and potentially a pathway towards attending Dragon Con and Anime Weekend Atlanta. On the other hand, the position is only part-time, offers no benefits, and pays poorly in comparison to the full-time position at the medical manufacturing plant (I would have to work every day of the week at both the library and Dollar General in order to make close to what I would make in two weeks at the plant). Then again, the work shifts at the library and Dollar General would be more manageable than the likely shift of 19:00 to 07:00 at the plant and with the position at the plant, I am not guaranteed my ideal shift thus meaning I could miss out on both, Dragon Con and Anime Weekend Atlanta. And then, there are the outstanding applications and resumes that I have already submitted. In short, my professional life is an extraordinary mess.

But, not to be outdone, my personal life is not much better. I will start with the positive, my grandfather is out of the hospital but he did have another episode a few days after being discharged. As of now, he is mending at home (slowly). And that is pretty much it for the positives. I am still stressed by the troll and now, it has grown its presence to include a troll ho (I do not know what you call a female troll but this rhymes and I like it). The troll and its ho spends much of its days in its troll cave (our former storage house) and only enters the house when I am not around and while this brings some joy to me; I know that this is only temporary and the result of me failing to block its Internet access (which causes me distress because I am uncertain of what it is planning using our family's Internet access). Meanwhile, the troll's ho has managed to cause me stress and I have not even met it (nor do I want to). It has managed this feat by continuously parking its vehicle behind my family's house rather than park it on the road like any normal (and non-suspicious) individual because that is not suspicious in any way. In truth, I have come to hate being at the house because their presence turns my stomach and causes me intense stress. I know my life would improve vastly if the troll and its ho would simply leave and never return and if there is ANY justice in this world, the criminal justice system will do that for me soon by sentencing the troll to prison. Of course, such an action would mean that something has gone right in my life and we know that this cannot happen because nothing good happens in my life.

Anyways, that is my life--what I have been doing, why I have not been posting regularly, and how I have somehow pissed off some universal force that has the power to heap incredible amounts of negativity on my life.

2.301: Thoughts on Prince

I am not a devout Prince fanatic—I never attended a live show, I only know his most popular songs, the only Prince album I own is Musicology, and my fondest memory of Prince comes from Dave Chappelle—but this does not mean that I do not understand his contributions to the world. Prince was a truly unique and incredible individual with a talent that appeared to be far too much for a mere man to possess and yet, he not only possessed the talent; he mastered it and shared it with the world. My first experience with Prince came from a compilation CD of popular hits of the day and his contribution to the album was “1999”. For me, “1999” represented a far-off period of time in which people would celebrate with great exuberance and joy—a time in which we would party. Of course, I was only 16 years old in 1999 and my introverted, socially awkward personality meant that I spent the turn of the century alone wondering if the Y2K bug would bring about the doomsday scenario predicted by the media. Fortunately, I did become familiar with more songs from Prince: “Raspberry Beret”, “Purple Rain”, “When Doves Cry”, “Diamonds and Pearls”, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”, “Let’s Go Crazy”, “Kiss”, “Batdance”, and so many more.

It is somewhat humorous that as I draft this post, I find myself awestruck at the number of songs I can recall and the fact that I am able to recall of these songs stands as an example of the immense reach his music possessed. To be honest, I am uncertain of how many other artists I could repeat this feat with. Undoubtedly, Prince’s longevity plays a significant role in why I am able to recollect so many incredible tracks but it also speaks to his transcendent nature that throughout the course of his career; he was still able to produce music that could resonate with the ever-changing faces of music fans. Anyways, I think I will leave here and end this post by saying:  RIP Prince.

2.298B: (Not So) Random Topics 007

This week's Random Topics will not feature any topics generated by the Blog Post Ideas Generator instead this week's column will feature a (not so) random topic that I want to touch on (very) briefly:

Political Discourse

I know that people are tired of hearing or reading about the dwindling state of current political discourse but I felt the need to express a few thoughts on the matter.

(1) The negative rhetoric amongst campaigns is nothing new but the quality of the debates has diminished. Let's face the following fact: Donald Trump's "plain speak" is nothing more than personal ignorance and condescension toward the electorate. When I hear an individual making a statement about how he (and I use the pronoun "he" in this instance because let's face another fact: the vast majority of Trump supporters are male) is able to better relate to Trump because Trump speaks in the same manner he speaks, all I hear is the following:

"Donald Trump speaks to me like a child because Trump believes that he is superior to me because he has his name plastered along the sides of tall buildings and he is on television."

To be honest, I find this apprehension towards speaking at a level higher than grade school to be rather disheartening. I have never understood why people insist on having leaders that are relatable and/or on par with them intellectually. Personally, I want a leader to be better than me because I know that (1) I am not as intelligent as I believe to be the case and (2) other world leaders are not as ignorant as I am as well. Possessing a greater intellect and utilizing a higher degree of discourse are not things to be shunned but rather things to be possessed by a leader. Why would I follow a leader that is no smarter than me?

(2) There is a difference between political devotion and political obsession. You will these sort of individuals amongst the ranks of every political campaign; the supporter that is annoyingly abrasive toward any sort of perceived slight against his/her candidate of choice. A particularly good example of this sort of brash behavior can be seen amongst "Bern Bros" that have come to the basic conclusion that any sort of negative action against Sen. Sanders is either (1) a part of an elaborately-designed conspiracy orchestrated to hinder his campaign or (2) the result of an individual being ignorant or out-of-touch (e.g., the attacks on Rep. John Lewis following his endorsement of Hillary Clinton).

I firmly believe that if we are able to accept the notion that political discourse should be of an elevated status as well as informed, then we may be able to push beyond our current state of juvenile-level discourse.

2.298A: Pitch Notes (4.18)+1

RESULTS (11 April - 17 April 2016):

Wednesday, 13 April

West Ham United 1:2 MANCHESTER UNITED

The FA Cup - Quarterfinal Round | Upton Park

Sporting Kansas City 1:2 COLORADO RAPIDS

Major League Soccer | Children's Mercy Park

Saturday, 16 April

MANCHESTER UNITED 1:0 Aston Villa

Barclays Premier League | Old Trafford

Sunday, 17 April

FC DALLAS 2:1 Sporting Kansas City

Major League Soccer | Toyota Stadium

NOTES:

For Manchester United, the preceding week could not have gone much better. The Red Devils advanced to the semifinal round of The FA Cup and defeated Aston Villa in the Premier League (consequently, Manchester United's victory against Aston Villa "officially" relegated "The Villans" to the Football League Championship). Meanwhile, Sporting Kansas City (SKC) endured a week that would best be forgotten.

In other football-related news, Atlanta United announced its plan for a state-of-the-art training facility in Cobb County that comes with an estimated price tag of $60 million!

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Before I conclude this edition of "Pitch Notes", I wanted to take a moment to say that I am truly sorry for the poor quality of this particular series. When the idea originally came to mind, I thought that I was going to be able to post insightful and thought-provoking editorials about the beautiful game as it pertained to me but that has not happened. Instead, this column has become nothing more than a rehashing of information one could find anywhere else. Of course, all of the issues I have with this column is the result of my own personal neglect. I know that as a commentator on the beautiful game, I fall way behind others in terms of actual football knowledge since I have never played the game but I sincerely believed that my passion for my clubs, my national team, and the game would at least permit me a rational opinion; I was wrong. I was wrong to believe that I had the focus to remain passionate at the level required to provide an informed opinion and because of this shortcoming, "Pitch Notes" has been an utter load of rubbish. So, I am left with a few choices to make over the next few days and weeks as it concerns "Pitch Notes" but for now; I appreciate those willing to put up with this dribble up to now.

2.296: Happy Thoughts

I write a lot about the things that irk me so today I am going to write about a few of the things that bring a smile to my face.

Attending Conventions

Earlier today, a friend and I attended the Atlanta Comic Convention and while I was unable to find any deals, I did get a cool new tee shirt as well as the satisfaction of helping a friend reacquire his lost childhood collection. I love attending conventions--anime conventions, comic conventions, science-fiction conventions, and more. One will rarely find me happier than when I am at a convention. I love the costumes, the panels, the musical concerts, the dealers room, and most of all, I love being surrounded by my fellow fans. I could genuinely write an entire post dedicated to conventions but I will not because I have other things to discuss.

Hanging Out with Friends

I do not have many friends and most of my friends are typically preoccupied with other responsibilities:  families, significant others, jobs, and so on. But on the few occasions I have to simply hang out and relax with them, I savor it and try to make it last for as long as possible. My friends have this misconception about me. They have a tendency to think that in order for us to hang out, we need to have money (or spend money). Yes, I do appreciate when my friends chip in for fuel but it is not necessary. If all we do is stand in a parking lot and have a conversation with one another, then I am happy. I simply long for companionship.

Money

I know that there are plenty of euphemisms and sayings about the negatives of money but it is a vital (if not, essential) part of our existence. When I have money or more accurately, disposable income, I am happy. In truth, what can make one any happier than knowing they do not have to worry about paying the next bill. Sure, money can bring about its own issues but it sure makes life much easier when you have it.

Anyways, these are just a few of the things that make me happy.

2.295: Anime Queue Crush 003

In this edition of Anime Queue Crush, I discuss the third most popular anime series on Crunchyroll: The Asterisk War.

To be honest, the basic premise of The Asterisk War feel too familiar but this is not a condemnation of the series. If anything, it is a statement about the difficulties of developing an original or unique idea within the entertainment industry. As for The Asterisk War, it is series set in a rebuilt post-apocalyptic world in which gifted beings are divided amongst various academies and then encouraged to participate in battles amongst themselves in an exercise devised to exhibit superiority of a particular academy/multinational government conglomerate. Of course, the school-based drama features many of the common tropes associated with the genre: a new and mysterious transfer with an untapped source of power and skill, a potential harem composed of the mischievous and unabashed pursuer, the childhood friend, and the aloof tsundere that will eventually come to realize her "true" feelings for the male protagonist, gratuitous lingerie scenes, and many more overused tropes. Personally, I am not entirely sure if I will find particular satisfaction from finishing the series but my inability to simply drop a series will keep me watching. I suppose I could stand to find out more about our mysterious male and female leads as well as what the class president is scheming.

2.294: Smash the Stash! 005

Y: The Last Man Deluxe Edition, Volume I

Brian K. Vaughan

Pia Guerra

Jose Marzan, Jr.

After some time, I finally got around to reading Y: The Last Man. And my initial impression is that is a promising book that definitely leaves the reader wanting more. But given the hype around the title (developed primarily by a former coworker during the course of my three years in the library system), I was expecting more from the start of the series (as though the deaths of every man on the planet were not enough). Along with its "slow" start, I was frequently annoyed by the actions and attitude of the book's lead protagonist, Yorick. Of course, I am far from certain about how I would behave and react if I were in his position. Regardless, I am intrigued to learn more about what caused the catastrophe and whether or not Yorick and his cohorts are able to allude those that would prefer to see the last man on Earth dead long enough to restore some semblance of normalcy to the world.

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Black Panther #1 (2016-Present)

Ta'Nehisi Coates

Brian Stelfreeze

I am wholly unfamiliar with the Black Panther of the Marvel Universe aside from the hype surrounding the character's debut within the MCU in the upcoming Captain America:  Civil War. In truth, I am more familiar with the writer of the series, Ta'Nehisi Coates. Coates's Between the World and Me is a beautifully written book describing the modern black struggle in the form of a letter written by a concerned father to his teenage son. Anyways, it was Coates's manner of expressing the modern struggle of blacks in America that piqued my curiosity about his take on Marvel Comic's most prominent black character. After reading this initial issue of the series, I am left to wonder about whether or not I should have read more about the Black Panther prior to reading this issue because I felt lost at times while reading the issues. Of course, my inclination towards being confused by comics and graphic novels did not detract from my appreciation of the issue and my anticipation for the next issue of the series.

2.293: Quick Blurbs 006

Spider-Man

Spider-Man:  Homecoming? I see that Sony is hell-bent on making sure audiences know that Spider-Man is a teenager. I cannot wait to see the crazy antics Peter Parker gets into as he struggles with the angst of trying to find a date while still learning to be a superpowered vigilante.

C-3PO

What a cheap yet clever ploy from Disney/Marvel? Want to know why an iconic droid suddenly has a new arm in the latest Star Wars film? Buy the comic! Honestly, I don’t care that much about it but I was always more of a Trekkie anyways.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Not content with allowing their more talented younger sister, Elizabeth, take the spotlight, Mary-Kate and Ashley decided to get “trending” by posting a promotional “first public selfie” for Sephora. I guess that’s good for them and it’s nice to know that they are still around but do I really care? No.

Justin Bieber

OMG, the Biebs can color within the lines! I was half-expecting him to urinate on the page and then hurl it at an elderly couple as he sped by them in a residential neighborhood. Okay, that was mean spirited but come on now—a kindergartener could do better.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams is in the upcoming Doctor Strange film but I thought we knew that already. The big question is what character is she portraying. If you can answer that for me, then go for you. Anyways, the teaser looked good and I’m anxious to see the film.

2.292C: Random Topics 006

To be honest, I did not have an opportunity to know and learn from the majority of my grandparents. My paternal grandparents lived in Laos and Thailand and passed away many years ago. On my maternal side, my grandmother, who took care of me during my infant years, passed away when I was in second grade and she resided in Virginia. So, if I were to learn anything from any of my grandparents, then it would have to be from my mother's father (or my grandfather) since he is the only grandparent that I know closely. In fact, he is the grandfather that I have been keeping an eye out on for the past week.

So, what, if anything, have I learned from my grandfather? Not much. I wish I could say that my grandfather and I have held meaningful conversations but there remains a language barrier between the two of us. But this feels like a cop out reply so I will say that I learned to be appreciative of others around me.

---------- || J+30 || ----------

I am going to call it an evening here since I am growing tired and it is almost "Day 293".

2.292B: Pitch Notes (4.11)+2

So, I could be flipping channels between Kobe Bryant's final game and the Golden State Warriors historic pursuit of 73 WINS in a single season but I have decided to draft my second post of the day:

First, I want to say that I really need to change this header for Pitch Notes. I know that this only the fifth(?) installment of this column but I have never been a fan of this banner. (I'm just saying.)

RESULTS:

Wednesday, 6 April 2016

UNITED STATES 7:0 Colombia

Women's International Friendly | Pratt & Whitney Stadium (Hartford, CT)

Saturday, 9 April 2016

New York Red Bulls 0:2 SPORTING KANSAS CITY

Major League Soccer | Red Bull Arena (Harrison, NJ)

Sunday, 10 April 2016

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3:0 Manchester United

Barclays Premier League | White Hart Lane (London, England, UK)

UNITED STATES 3:0 Colombia

Women's International Friendly | Talen Energy Stadium (Chester, PA)

NOTES:

It was mixed bag of results this week as the United States Women's National Team (USWNT) continued to make their case for equal pay by dominating their Colombian counterparts twice and by a combined score line of 10:0 meanwhile Sporting Kansas City (SKC) reclaimed the top spot in the Western Conference following a 0:2 road result against the defending Supporters' Shield winners. On the other hand, Manchester United were soundly defeated by title-contenders, Tottenham Hotspur. The defeat means that United now trails its "noisy neighbors", Manchester City, by four points for the fourth and final UEFA Champions League spot.

I was going to include this evening's results in this edition of Pitch Notes but I decided to try and preserve some of this columns integrity by waiting until the next column.