So in the past 5 months I’ve had a lot of big changes in my life, that I’d rather not get into (If you actually know me, then you already know whats was up). Instead I want to talk about one of my favorite things in life,.. food. But this is not a ‘OMG.. this stuff rules’ type of post. Oh no, this is all about ‘WTF? why do they even make that’.

Let’s start with the food that sparked this post. The ‘Buttered Popcorn’ Jelly Belly jellybean.

Seriously, WTF? why do they make this flavor? I don’t think I know anyone who actually likes this jelly bean. It’s like the equivalent to grapefruit in fruit salad. If you eat it along with a handful of other, delicious jellybeans.. no dice. The nasty buttery flavor takes over and ruins the whole experience. Even worse is that it looks similar to the toasted marshmallow jellybean, so even if you pick out all the buttered popcorn, you have to check every 3rd one to make sure, thus subjecting yourself to the horribleness.

Next up.. I’ve never had this product, yet I dont think it needs any explanation why I wonder ‘WTF? why do they make this’.

It’s Chelada by Budweiser. Let me break this down for you. It’s Budweiser (or bud lite) mixed with Tomato Juice+Clam Juice. Yeah… I dont really wonder much, why I’ve only seen this product offered for $2.49 at Walmarts’ in New Hampshire. Jennifer Eblin at associated content, wrote up a good review of her attempt to drink one. read it here

So once again, Budweiser…WTF? I’d rather drink a budweiser + rockstar energy drink + champagne. Which my buddy Mike did on a dare (and won $100 from of me), and it is now offered at our bar with the name ‘the shithead dumbass’ (pronounced she-deed do-moss). And yes I have a bar in my apartment (Something I did during my absence and will surely be writing about).

Honestly I think that’s all I can stomach for the time being (oh the puns). also, I can’t think of anymore at the moment. But fear not I shall be back and I’m positive in the future there will be other eatable items I come across that make me say ‘WTF?.. why do they make that.’

Awaiting for me in the basement was a huge pile of junk:

Basement Junk

It was quite alot of stuff to go throu, but I had the whole day (and the new chickenfoot CD to listen too) to go throu it all.  As I started going throu it I started snapping some photos of items so that I could share some of my past with the internet. Because I know the internet wants to know all there is about michael miles.

First up, my trophy from the only year I played little league (have never been a big sports guy).

1993 F.L.B.L Peanut League

You might notice the bat is broken, that’s because I use to use this trophy for science experiments in my bedroom.  I would clip DC chargers from my remote control cars to it and plug them in, to see if I could electrify it? (I don’t know what I was trying to do, guess I’m lucky I never electrocuted myself).

Next up are the race cars I made in middle school shop class (7th grade & 8th grade).

race car 7th grade

race car 8th grade

I never got a change to race them, but I’m sure with my knack for engineering they would of each won. Speaking of middle school I also found my middle school year book.  Looked up my photo, I looked pretty geeky (I was still a wet rag on a coat hanger back then).  Also I found Jill’s photo (hilarious) but she wont let me post it.

FHS

Coming up next, some stuff that is pure badass.   First off are my dog tags from battleship cove, because what kid does not want their own pair of dog tags?

dog tags

To show you how much of a nerd I was am. This is what the dog tags say :

Mike D Miles
USS Matrix B77
Weapons Expert
Framingham MA

Next up is from when I took a trip with my friend Joe and his family to Six Flaggs New Jersey.  Joe and I got one of those olde time photos of us as western badasses.

Wild Wild West

Who at one point in their lives have not gotten an olde time photo?  I think its something everyone experiances once (ony once because after that you realize what a ripoff it is, like getting a characture).

OMG… I cant believe what I found, something my dad helped me put together… A bit of back story before I show the pics.  As a young boy growing up in the 90′s there were two action packed shows I loved.  One was the animated classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  The other.. you guessed it Power Rangers!!

Go, Go Power rangers, du nu nu nu na.

Go, Go Power Rangers, Du nu nu, nu na.

Go, Go Power Rangers you mighty morphing power rangers!

Sorry a bit of nostalgia crept up on me. So yeah I loved the power ranges. Watched them every saturday morning, had the action figures and the trading cards.  Which leads me to my next discovery. ready?

Its my Mint Condition Complete first edition Power Rangers trading card collection (including all the foil cards)!!

Power Rangers!

mint condition

Quick to ebay! Ok after searching ebay I found that this collection is only worth about $15.00 .  I’m sure their value will appreciate in time.

Next up I came across my highschool year book.  The class of 2004.  Highschool not the greatest time in my life (again I’m a nerd and that equals not poular in high school).  But I did have some good time with my friends, speaking of which my friend Janelle was the only one to sign my year book, but I think its a great entry.

FHS

Janelle yearbook sign

For those of you that dont know I was involved with some less then legal co-curricular activities with my firends.  Which was the case when this was written.  If you cant read it it says (children cover your eyes!)

Yo, I dont no what makes you so damn funny but all I know is I laugh so fucking hard wen u talk. AHHHH too many words. MY leg is vibrating.

- Janelle (June 1st 2004)

Although I’ve always been a funny guy, and could make my friend laugh at any point (I almost got Janelle to pee her pants, I’ve also gotten Jill to almost pee her pants)

The summer I graduated high school, was the first summer Jill and I started dating.  For some fun summer activities we held a MGA tournament (Miniture Golf Association).  We tried to go to as many miniature golf courss as possible, and at the end of the summer the winner would get a golden putter. (What ever Jill tells you, really I’m the one who won, its not about points its about style.)

MGA

This next guy is a monkey Jill won for me our first year of college when I came to visit her in Springfield and we took a trip to six flaggs.

green monkey

He’s also featured in one of my all time favorite photos of Jill.  I took it while we were driving back to her dorm.

(When I find the photo I’m talking about I’ll upload it here)

Nothing much more worht writting about.  I went through alot of my books (again, big nerd, big reader).  Here is a shot of about half of them.

books

A box of krusty-o’s I got from 7-11 when the Simpsons movie came out. (they are just really bland frut loops)

KrustyO's

At the end of the day.  I went from that huge pile of junk (See first photo) to this:

cleaned

I was able to relive alot of great memories, get rid of alot of junk, and listen to some great tunes (again check out the chickenfoot cd if you get a chance).

Transformers 2

The plot is a bit weak, but what would you expect from a sequel of a movie thats based on a cartoon series which was created only to promote some of the greatest toys known to man (next to Legos).  But even with it’s weak plot the crowd (myself included) cheered, laughed and sighed with the autobots throughout the whole film.

Plot aside, the action… awesome.  More robot fights, bigger badder desepticons (and some smaller ones).  Funnier more talkative autobots and of course Optimus Prime!  We get to learn a bit about the history of the transformers as well as their pervious encounters with the human race.

Might I also add, Rain Wilson has a funny cameo in the film as Sams astrology proffessor (for the 15min Sam actually attended class).  Also The widwicky (sp?) parents are in the sequal as well, with lightly bigger, more comedic roles.

All in all, I think it was a great film (but take into account I’m someone who owns the entire super troppers trilogy).  It’s deffinetly a must see summer blockbuster. I plan on going again (maybe to IMAX) this weekend, since I got one of the last seats in the edge of the front row, my vision was a bit scewed.

I’ve been riding my bike to work for the last 2 weeks, and I plan on doing so for the summer, its faster then the T, and hey the weather is nice. As some of you may know I live on a hill, so every morning my bike ride starts out with a ride down St.Alphonsus st.

st_alphonsus

Usually this is a good start to my ride.  I apply my brakes so I dont go too fast, and head down the hill.  This morning however, I was running a bit late so I said ‘screw the brakes’ and flew down the hill at full speed.

At the end of the hill there is a major intesection, and all the cars were stopped at a red light.  Coming down I thought I would be able to squeeze past the last stopped car and the cars parked on the street, but at the last minute I realized I couldnt and slammed on my brakes.

**** Things get a bit fuzzy here ****

I slammed my rear brakes and my back tire causes my bike to swerve sideways, I start to recover but my momentum causes my body to be gin to flip over my bike.  I try to swerve my bike to the side again.  The appropt stop causes my to fly sideways (forwards down the hill) and SLAM I hit face first into the rear bumper of the stopped SUV.(According to Jill) I bolted straight up and then fell down.

Jill starts yelling ‘Oh my god Michael are you ok?????’ and as I get up I say ‘yeah I’m fine’, but then Jill see’s the huge bloody gash across my left cheek.

bike_accident

*** This part is really fuzzy ***

The guy get’s out of his SUV, a bystander calls 911, and I am in a daze. Jill says we need to go to the emergency room, I agree and the guy I hit offers to take us.  So we lockup our bikes to a nearby fence.  The guy has his kid get out of the car (he must of been driving him to school at the bottom of the hill, bet that kid had a cool story to tell his friends), Jill and I get in.  He hands me some napkins to apply to my face. The photo above is in the ER after I wiped most of the blood away with the napkins)

On the way to the ER I have Jill call my work to inform them that I’ll be late, they seem very understanding from their response ( from what Jill tells their response was ‘No shit!! I hope he’s ok, if he needs a ride let us know’).

In the ER I tell the nurse behind the desk (and everyone who asked me what happened) that I face planted into the back of a truck.  They take me into a room, ask me some medical questions, insurance provider, if I can remember dates, ect…  Then the take me back into the ER and place me in a room.  Jill told me they told her she couldn’t come with me becuase they had to ask me if I had been abused at my home (aka if she had done this to me).

As I’m waiting things become less fuzzy, and as my body comes out of shock the pain starts creeping up on me.  Obviously my face starts killing, but so does my hand, that’s when I notice the huge gash on my pinky finger.  Both arms are scrped up and so are my knees.

The doctor comes in takes a look, asks me what happened and says it looks like i’ll need some stitches.  First he wants me to go get a CAT scan to make sure I didnt break my cheek bone.  He says it’ll be a few minutes, gives me some gauze pads and lets me wait.

15 minutes later a nurse comes in and gives me some pain killers, and leave me to wait some more. After another 20 minutes another nurse finally comes and takes me to get my CAT scan.  I get the scan, the operater asks me if I’m missing any classes (becuase I’m wearing my WIT sweatshirt) and I’m brought back to my room.

**** things get cool here ****

A camera guy comes into my room.  Apperently ABC is doing a documentary on the hospital and/or the doctor who is treating me, and he wants to know if I wouldnt mind being on camera.  A chance to be on TV? hell yeah, I dont care how hurt I am.  So I sign the waiver, and get interviewed quickly by the camera guy about what happened.

The doctor comes back, with good news, No bones are broken in my face.  Bad news, I’ll have to get a few stitches and a tetanus shot.

Jill is allowed to come back to see me, She had gone and gotten our bikes and brought them home.  So she comes back to watch me get stitched up.

The doctor comes with back with the the sature cart and camera guy.  He begins by telling me this is going to be the worst part.  They need to inject a nerve blocker (aka anateshia) into the area, but… they have to go in through my mouth.  That’s right, he took a needle and from my upper gums injected the nerve blocker into my cheek. That part sucked.

He then did a test with a needle to see how numb the area was, but I could still feel it.  So he injected some more, once again through my mouth.  I laid down, he put some covering over my face and prepped the area.  He was talking alot and explaining everything(I think this was more for the camera than it was for me).  He asked me if I could feel him poking, and I said a little bit.  He told me that the nerve blocker must of been working, or else I would  of  been in extreme pain.

He asked jill if she could move a light over to him and turn it on, and after he did that he says to her ‘Ok now I’ll just need you to make four stitches across here for me, jokingly.  Of course Jill answers ‘Sur eno thing, give me the tools’.  I had to intervene and tell him not to let her, if given the chance she would of attempted it.

He stitched me up, bandaged me up and then took a look at my finger.  It was a nice big cut but it wasent deep so he just cleaned it and bandaged it up.  As the doctor was cleaning up Jill said ‘Thank god he was wearing his helmet’.  And the doctor agreed.  He said from the way it sound how I hit the car.  If I hadent been wearing my helmet it would of been a completly different situation.  We’re talking about more then likely severe brain damage, broken skull, ect..

Just about when I thought I was done a nurse came in to give me a tetanus shot. Damn, I forgot about that.  So she gives me the shot, and as she pulls out the needle blood comes squirting out my arm. Whoops, I guess I had too much.

I come out of the ER only to be greeted by my mother and grandmother.  Jill, in her slightly freaked out state had called just about everyone to tell them what happened.

Now I’m relaxing at home, with a slight headache and a continually swelling face.  But good thing I was wearing my helmet, or it would of been alot worse.

Ok, time to rest.

cleaned_up

**** UPDATE: DAY 2 ***

Bonus pics from day 2.

My swollen face:

swelling

My pinky gash

pinky

Marley and Me

But I also got something for myself.  Today was the release of Jim Gaffigans new CD/DVD ‘King Baby’.  If you have never seen or herd Jim Gaffigan then I feel bad because you don’t know what you are missing.  Check out this clip, of his classic Hot Pocket routine:

His newest comedy special deals with more edgy topics such as Bacon, pillows and  Waffle House.  If you want to see it with out buying it, it’ll be on comedy central again tonight at 10pm.  I highly suggest you watch it.

King Baby

I also took some time today to clean up my desk.  After working from home for the past 2 weeks it has gotten a bit messy. Here are the before and After photos.

Before and After I cleaned my desk

Despite getting A and B+’s in all my english classes (highschool and college) I have never been a strong writer (often leaving reports to the last minute and just writing non stop).  I’m not a strong and confident writer.  Its probably becuase I dont really know how to write, just how to ramble (as I am doing now).

I found it very helpful when I came across this post by Sonia Simone.  In this post she outlines her 5 secerets from being an editior to strong writing.  It’s inspired me to imporve my writting skills, therefore increasing my ability to write about what I want.

So expect in the future to see some strong better writing on my part, and if you need help I recomend checking out the post.

Quantum of Solace

And if your a gamer I say you should checkout the Quantum of Solace videogame, I picked it up a few months ago for $20 for xbox360.  Not a very in-depth game but it does cover both quantum and casino royale.  The game play is quick and fun, as is the multiplayer (very Golden Eye like).

Role Models

If you haven’t seen Role Models it’s a hilarious movie, highly recommended.

I also got my copy of ‘object-oriented PHP’. Not that I don’t already know OOPHP, but it’s always great to get a new reference (pick up more tricks).

OOP PHP

And finally if the weather stays nice I can get out my bike and take it for a ride around the city.

Damn, I am lame.

Take this guy for example. Every day when I’m heading to catch the train home, he is there playing his guitar. And I do mean everyday, even during snow storms I’ve seen him there. So every evening for a few minutes I get to listen to some classical Spanish guitar, and it really brightens my day.

This guy puts it out in the open, hes not playing to earn a living (thou I’m sure he makes a few bucks) He is playing for the enjoyment, and that’s a humble quality not many people show.

So next time you travel to Boston, go to one of the T stations (most notably government center, park street, south station) and listen to the real performers of the city.

I dont usually carry cash, but I think tomorrow I’ll have to bring some for that performer ( he plays a great guitar, and he let me take his photo)

Now, well now like many adults I dispise snow days for 2 major reasons.

1. Unless its an absolute snow emergency most offices (including mine) do not have snow days, which means I have to walk in the snow to work.
2. Since Jill (my girlfriend) is an afterschool teacher and works at a school, she does get snow days.

Take today for example, I woke up with the snow falling at around 1inch per hour.  While I’m getting ready for wrok, Jill watches the news as her school comes up. Woo no work for her! but still for me.

Oh well, thats the price you pay for getting older I guess.