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Introduction To The House of Carr
Introduction To The House of Carr

100 Things

Emily is killing her list of things to do before she turns thirty. In light of that, notice that today's Enquirer offers up a list of 100 things to do in Cincinnati before you die. While some of them are just lame ["have your picture taken in front of the "Florence Y'all water tower"] I think I've done over half of them. The one thing I think I really need to do is see Jimmy Buffett at Riverbend. Never have.

I could add my own smart-alec ones like, "Make crystal-meth in a trailer in Morrow," but I'll refrain.

So-Social Networking

Although I like to think I'm relevant, sometimes I'm resistant to change. In college, the fashion statement that is sandals reemerged [well, at least men wearing them too] and I held out as long as I could. Just didn't want to go there, exposed toes and all, thinking it would be a passing fad. I bought yet another pair a couple of weeks ago.

Same thing with web trends. I knew about Myspace for awhile and wanted nothing to do with it. Although I still sorta hate, I check it out four or five times a week.  And I've known about Facebook, even writing about it last September. I predicted that going public to non-college students would be its end. What do I know, anyway?

So now that Facebook is on the rise, it seems everyone is ready to make the switch over. In my longing to realize the "if-everyone-else-jumps-off-a-bridge" reality I decided it was Facebook time.

But within some parameters.

You see, when I finally entered the social networking realm, I started a Myspace for Echo as well. But I soon realized that I sucked at keeping up-to-date with the Echo account. To look at it I would have to sign-out of my personal account, log-in, then remember to log-out and log back in to my personal account [I know, I sound like a whiner here, but how many of you are ticked when you have to continually log into webpages you frequent?]. In addition to all my other web exploits, this was way too much work.

So this is where I am: maintaining a personal Myspace page while creating a new Echo Church Facebook. This way I can streamline my efforts and enjoy life. Who knew making friends was so much frickin' work.

So if you're into this kind of thing, go ahead and befriend us at the Echo Church Facebook page. And if anyone wants to give me advice on how to bling out the Facebook for maximum effect, I'd appreciate it.

Regardless of whatever trends come and go, I vow that I will never wear Crocs. Ever.

Still Another Reason Why The NCAA Sucks

The NCAA and I aren't BFF; I've made no secret of it. So whenever they do something really dumb, I feel obligated to make sure everyone I know recognizes it. A reporter for the Louisville Courier Journal had his press credentials revoked for live-blogging a regional championship baseball game. Realize what the NCAA is trying to do here: they want to monopolize the decimation of their games, controlling not only television and radio, but internet game casts. So they have a policy prohibiting live internet updates from venues of championship events. That's why they kicked the blogging journalist out.

The paper's attorney explains this situation rather well, "Once a player hits a home run, that's a fact. It's on TV. Everybody sees it. (The NCAA) can't copyright that fact. The blog wasn't a simulcast or a recreation of the game. It was an analysis."

Think about that statement. It's not intellectual property that is being stolen here; it's the reporting of an occurrence. Who else thinks that they can control the reporting of facts?

The real issue here is that the NCAA is oblivious to the changing world around them. The internet affords them an ally to help promote their sports but they just don't get it. While they're worried that they're losing pocket change with people not purchasing their internet gamecasts, they forget that these blogs are actually promoting their product. How much money do those gamecasts really make anyway? It's not like it's Major League baseball, which is struggling itself. It's freakin' regional college baseball. They need all the help they can get. What does this prove?

This is a 1st ammendment issue that the NCAA will lose. Why they choose to continually embarrass themselves like this is beyond me.

H-O-M-E-S-C-H-O-O-L-E-D?

Yeah, I went there. Here's a CNN interview for you that explains that title. So please, wonderful friends who lovingly homeschool your blessed children, I have two requests: 1) understand that I'm not ripping on you, however, 2) do not, under any circumstances, let your kids end up like this kid. Normally it would be wrong to laugh at a kid like this but he did win the National Spelling Bee, meaning that he will probably go on to attend M.I.T college, design software that will take over the world, and force me into indentured servitude.

So he'll get the last laugh.

Paris In Captivity

A quick search of my Wordpress archives showed that I've only written the words "Paris Hilton" once and that was in a post pleading for people to stop consuming these non-newsworthy news items. But seeing as CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and heck, even the Cincinnati Enquirer all list her re-incarceration as the top news story of the afternoon, I thought I should chime in about the situation. What good is nailing her prosecuting her to the fullest extent of the law helping the general public? I'm pretty sure that all the controversy surrounding this trial/incarceration has cost tax payers much more than Paris' punishment is worth. Do you actually think that Paris will spend any prison time among the general population? Doubtful. It's just too much cost for not enough return, especially considering that Los Angeles is notorious for releasing non-violent criminals from prison without serving their full terms.

Look, I'm not saying that she doesn't deserve to be punished, but all this is doing is creating a media frenzy and, additionally, perpetuating Paris' unearned fame. You know Mark Burnett already has the reality series drawn up for Spring 2008: Celebrity Big-House with your host Paris Hilton. It would have to be on Fox.

Actually, house confinement would've been a perfect solution. They could've extended it to make up for the comforts of home. But now we'll have to endure a month and a half of updates about this crap. Thanks, LA.

May I never have to type "Paris Hilton" again.

I'm Evil

Thanks to the heads-up from DG we had the chance to hit a preview of Evan Almighty last night. Kelly did a great run-down of it over on her blog, but I just have to make a sad confession: I don't like being in public with large Christian groups.

Last night, the theatre [British spelling] was packed and it was teeming with awkward we're-in-public-but-we're-around-Christian-people-so-it's just-an-extension-of-Sunday-School actions last night.

For instance, in what other setting would you see people in their 40's hurling popcorn at people three rows away [true, Tye?]? Where else would you find a group of people who decided to order a pizza in a theater [American spelling] and ask the person in charge to make sure they would personally seek them out to get it delivered? In what public gathering would you witness people reserving huge blocks of seats? And who else would attend a free screening of a film that won't be released for another few weeks but want to get their $2 parking validated?

And although the movie was rather entertaining, there's no way that it would elicit those kinds of boisterous laughs among a more secular audience.  It was all somewhat . . . embarrassing.

After an experience like this you can fully understand those churches that stress relevance and being cool as a number one priority. They too have been in such a setting and want to make sure their friends don't think Christianity is lame [is it still hip to say "lame"?] so they start a church that has a rockin' band, slammin' video, and totally rad relevant sermon.

So are our choices as Christians between hipster shallowness and nerdy insightfulness?

I don't think so, but I really wanted to write that sentence.

Let's just make a deal [or for hardcore Biblical believers, a covenant]: next time you're out in a crowd with a large group of Christians, let's all remember that there's more to a good witness than a KJV Bible, Stryper t-shirt, and WWJD bracelet.

Just play it cool, boy . . . real cool.

Happy _________

I know much in my mind. I remember a slew of phone numbers, passwords, and security alarms stored in my cranium. For instance: 24-16-22. If you can figure out where to put that, you would gain access to man yriches.

I have countless musical lyrics committed to memory, such as one I was able to recite tonight during class: "With the lights out, it's less dangerous, here we are now, entertain us."

I've memorized many pointless sports statistics, including the fact that Terry Steinbach of the Oakland A's was MVP of the 1988 MLB All-Star Game. Additionally, it's the only All-Star game in 20+ years in which the Home Run Derby was cancelled due to rain.

And, I usually remember all the important family dates on our calendar.

Well, except for two.

June brings two days that I just can't seem to keep straight. My parents were married 37 years ago today while, tomorrow, my brother Chris will celebrate his 34th birthday. I had to ask Kelly yesterday which one was which. At least I remember that it's one of these two dates.

So Happy Birthday/Anniversary Chris/Mom&Dad, regardless of what day it is.

A Force To Be Reckoned With

In an effort to know everything that happens around the city, we subscribe to Cincinnati Magazine. I forgot to mention that this month's issue highlighted 10 best places to live in the city and Walnut Hills made this list. It's like I've been telling you, the Walnut Hills is on the upswing. Notable that also making the list was Maineville, where we lived before moving to the city. Perhaps it's like I've always believed: anywhere we move to automatically becomes a great place in which to live.

How Lo[Can You]Go?

This kind of story happens all the time, you just need to switch out the event and the money amount. They just unveiled the logo for the 2012 Olympic games in London. Check it out here.

Yep, pretty dumb. And Londoners are quite angry.

Exacerbating the issue is that it cost over three-quarters of a million dollars to design.

The President of the Olympic Committee said, "This is a truly innovative brand logo that graphically captures the essence of the London 2012 Olympic Games — namely, to inspire young people around the world through sport and Olympic values."

When's the last time a logo inspired you to do anything? Personally, it was that time I was driving down the street, saw a Jiffy Lube sign burst into tears. I could plainly see that it was a metaphor for my life and realized it was time to change direction. I promptly enrolled in Bible College and entered the ministry. Thanks, Jiffy Lube logo!

Logo design is never easy; you're always going to have someone hate it. But if you're going to lay an egg like this, it's best not to spend that much money on it.

Odds are, it'll be different before those games roll around.

Think Red

So here we are in Reds land, still looking forward to the fall when this season will mercifully come to an end. Every time we think the teams has this thing back on track, they blow a six run lead, offering the tie in the notorious eighth inning, only to lose it in extra innings. So what to look forward to now? Two words:

Homer Bailey.

The young starting pitcher, the promised Messiah of Reds Nation, appears ready to be called up from Louisville to finally join the Major League club. We've been waiting for this for over a year now and, finally, when there's no way he can help the club out, they're going to bring him up.

That's fine. But when should they do this?

Business smarts would suggest to do it on a weeknight when they're playing a sucky team so they could increase the potential for ticket sales. Heck, I'd pay to go see this guy pitch his first game. But as it appears now, they'll bring him up this weekend when they're playing against Cleveland, a series that usually sells out here, without the appearance of the club's Savior.

This is where I'm at: I still have hope in the Castellini group to turn things around here in Cincy, but this season has me doubting.

Last Night You Missed . . .

. . . one of the greatest athletic performances of the past decade. Maybe even longer. Lebron James single-handedly defeated the Pistons last night, scoring 29 of his team's finally 30 points. It was like it didn't matter that there were four other guys on the court with him. I watched Jordan lead his teams to championships but I really don't think he's had a late-game performance quite like that.

And he's only 22 year old.

If Cavs management could just surround him with a couple more capable players, they could possibly develop a Celtic-like dynasty.

I'd love to hear Tim's take on it because he's a consistent NBA watcher and a huge Pistons fan. What's it like to witness a feat like that when it's done to your team?

S-M-R-T . . . I mean, S-M-A-R-T

 [If you didn't no wear the title came from]

 Yes, we use the television as background noise while we work at night. Maybe that's hickish, but its nice two take a breather every few seconds two look up and sea something besides the glow of the laptop screen.

Tonight Kelli made the choice to have the National Spelling Be on. They're erring it prime-time on ABC this year; not sure if its erred on network television before. One things for shore: it's just not as interesting without Laurence Fishburne.

I'm all for riveting television, but is it really wise to use these kids for entertainment purposes? I would rather not have two watch some kids heart break because they slip up once after years of dedicating themselves to learning the dictionary. And do we have to here Robin Roberts go, "Ohhhhhhhh" every thyme a kid gets rung out? And I really could do without awl the sports metaphors. ABC owns ESPN butt why did they feel obligated two treat this as if it was a sporting event? No joke: the following analogies and sports references were made sew far:

  • A speller compared to Steve Nash, of the Phoenix Sons.
  • Mention of hockey great Mark Messier
  • Spelling compared to hitting a three foot putt at the Masters.

They even have Stewart Scott doing post-loss interviews. Fortunately, he has yet to give us a "Boo-Yah!"

That being said, were still watching. Still hoping for E-U-O-N-Y-M though.

I'm done. And spell Czech said eye didn't misspell a word. Iraq.

Wanted: Valet

Class is going well. Thanks for asking. I'm reading a lot of weird, wacky stuff. Thus far, there is only one problem that I have:

I'm parking two zipcodes away.

Now don't get me wrong: I'm all in favor of a healthy walk. I'm always take the stairs when I get the opportunity. And when I used to do hospital calls for church [not that I've stopped doing them; I just need more people to get sick at Echo] I would park further away for the extra exercise. But when you get out of class just before 10pm, you aren't thinking about the extra cardio, you just want to get in your car and go home.

And I can't do that. First, I have to get my sherpa, gather the appropriate supplies, and then make the trek back to my vehicle. Fortunately I live only a couple minutes from campus. Otherwise I would make it home in time for breakfast.

I know there has to be a better place to park. So if you're familiar with Xavier, I have class in Alter Hall. And I'm currently parking by the Cintas. Show me the way and let me know where I should leave my Ford Exploder.