Whoever thought to put this 30 seconds of sheer awesomeness together is genius. And now every time we hear this song, we will think there's more than one way to do the chicken dance. Thank you Beyonce.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Quote of the Day
"A less-than dream job can help you find your dreams."
-Kaite Couric, American Newscaster
Friday, June 26, 2015
Caption That!
Here's a new type of post I will be doing that I think will be fun. Caption That. It's simple. Just comment something (hopefully funny), that the shown GIF or picture could be about. Because everyone sees something different.
Sound off in the comments section below!
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Pounce!
Today I want to introduce a game I learned last weekend courtesy of my second cousins, Hanna and her father Paul (this family loves playing card and board games together and it's admirable), and I wanted to share it with you.
If you get creative you can even use this as a drinking game.
So this is a very fast paced game, and the more players you can fit at the table, the faster and more fun it is. You may or may not have an upper hand at this if you are good at multitasking. It's basically a multiplayer solitaire.
The picture above shows how this game is laid out and played, and really helps in explaining it as it gives a visual. As you read, refer to this as much as possible.
Each player needs their own full deck of cards with a different back/design; if the back is the same use a black marker to mark a large dot or something on one of the identical decks. You do this because many of each players cards end up in what is shown as the common area.
So you set up your hand has shown above like in player A,B, & C's tableau.
Count out 10 cards from the top of your deck and put those face up in your nerts pile. Each card in this pile counts as -2 pts. The object of the game is to get rid of this pile, and once a player has done so, they call POUNCE and it stops the game (If the first player who finishes does not wish to call Pounce right away, and wants to keep playing to earn more points they can and call Pounce when they feel.
Then flip 1 by 1, 4 cards over to form the work pile. This is where you can move cards around to help better your play. These piles work very similar as solitaire. View above, you can put the next card lower of a different color on top of the card that is there in order to move cards quicker, and also this helps move cards from the nerts pile. The left over cards become your stock pile.
Next there is the Common area. This is where the game play happens and where you rack up points. Every card that you have counts as +1 point for you. The common area starts with no cards in it, but quickly fills up as players first throw their showing Aces in, and built on top of those by placing the 2, 3, 4, etc of the same suit. You can throw your building card on top of another players in the common area (for example you can put your 2 of hearts on their Ace of hearts, or your 5 of clubs on their 4 of clubs). You can also put them on top of your own card in the common area as well (your 2 of spades on your Ace of spades for example. Be quick though, because if two of you are going to the same pile at the same time, whoevers card is placed first (underneath) is who gets the point. Like I said, more players, more fun, faster game; there are more potential Aces and piles and opportunities to get your cards into the common area. Card that go in the common area can come from the top(showing) cards from your work pile (cannot take the 7 of diamond because the 6 of spades is on top of it, much like solitaire, have to work your way to that card), directly from the top card of your nerts pile, or from your waste pile.
As you play, you are emptying your work piles, but should always have 4, so as one is empty you move a card over from your nerts pile to fill that slot and continue playing. When you have no potential moves left, you count out 3 from your stock pile and flip them, and those 3 cards turn into your waste pile. You can only use the top card from your waste pile. If you still have no move you repeat this process (count out 3 and flip) until the stock pile is gone, and shuffle the waste pile and it becomes your stock pile again, and continue play.
You do this until someone calls Pounce. At which point everyone else counts how many cards they have in their nerts pile, and takes that number x2 (again, because each of those cards is worth -2 points) Then you flip over and separate by deck all cards in the common area and return them to the players to count out how many they had, and this is your + score for the game. Add that number to the number (x2) from your remaining nerts pile cards and you have your score for the round, and yes, often times it can start out as negative.
For example, if I have 10 cards in the common area, but 6 cards in my nerts pile it goes 10 + (-12) = -2, and I have -2 points for the round, but say I had 14 cards in the common area instead it would be 14 + (-12) = +2. (I know we can all do math but just making it clear here).
If you play as a drinking game + points can be give drinks, and - points can be take.
You can play till a player hits what ever number you choose, we like to play to 50 or 100, because the rounds go pretty fast and scores can go up rather quickly.
It's a great game, give it a try.
Have fun!!
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Cell Phones
This post was bound to happen sooner or later, so why not sooner; and it hits close to home for everyone.
Cell Phones. I have very strong opinions about this topic, and when cell phone use is and isn't appropriate.
Cell phones are great, they make communicating and keeping in touch with distant friends and relative so much easier. However there are times where they can be abused. This is broken down into 3 categories; which are cell phone use while....
- with Friends
- with Family
- at Work
Friends
I tread carefully with this one, as I'm somewhat of a hypocrite with this category of cell phone use. That being said, casual cell phone use while with friends is OK. Such as when you are just lounging watching TV, to have the phone out is fine. However, if you are doing an engaged activity with them, such as a pregame, out at a bar, or other activity or event cell phone use should be at a minimum, because the people you have to text are probably with you anyway, so put the phone away and enjoy their company. If you are out to eat, or having dinner together, just keep the phone away entirely; I mean, how long does that dinner last, a whole 45 minutes max that you can't keep your phone away and really engage, have an actual conversation, and really connect? Sometimes we all like to put our cell phones on top of one another if we are out to dinner, and see who can last the longest without actually touching their phone (it's supposed to go first person to touch his or her phone pays for the meal, but that never happens). I love this because it puts everyone on the same level and keeps everyone honest, and it's kind of fun to see when someones phone goes off how much they want to just check the phone to see who it is. Again, who else do you need to talk to at that moment at dinner besides the group you are with? Sometimes I want to do this when we pregame or people are over at the house, and put all of our phones in a basket until it's time to go (especially mine as I am one of the worst offenders).
This is a perfect segue into my next category of cell phone use. Use while you're with...
Family
This category is a bit different, because usually when you are on your phone you are communicating with friends. That said, put the phone away, it's your family, and time spent with them should actually be spent with them. I probably spend more time with my family than most given my job, I see my dad grandfather and uncles 40+ hours during the week.
Usually, the times that we get together with our families are over a holiday, for a special occasion or sometimes even just a dinner. Spend that time with your family, not with your phone, because when you actually talk and connect with family, and get to know them; it can be the great.
Put the phone away and engage in a group activity, a game of cards maybe.. we like to play Italian cards - Scopa- and lately another game I learned this past weekend that I will go into and explain during another post, called Pounce (keep an eye out for it). Often times at dinner you look around the table, and most have their phones out, maybe not during dinner, but even after during desert while conversation is going on. Last week we had relatives from Australia visiting, and were playing a game of Scopa, my younger brother has his phone out the entire game, texting and checking fantasy sports. A round of the game lasts all of 5 minutes, check your phone while someone else is shuffling if you have to. That's something that you will remember for years to come, playing a traditional game of Italian cards with your father/brother/grandfather/uncle/cousin. Small things like that are what's important, and are what you don't get to do often enough.
I'm not picking on him specifically, just a recent example, there's always someone or someones that isolate themselves from the family while being on their phones and don't even realize it.
PUT IT AWAY AND ENGAGE. Strike up a conversation that is important to you, share your view points on other topics, debate, laugh, joke, tell stories!
It's amazing what what we can learn about your families and their history if you listen and pay attention to the stories from our parents and grandparents.
As important as friends are, you talk to them all week long. they can wait till you go home; you're with your family now, make the best use of that time as possible. Think about how much time you have spent on the phone in the past that you could have been spending with a loved one who is no longer with you. I bet you wish you kept the phone away now and spent that extra time with them, even if it was just 5 or 10 minutes...
So it should go, when you go into a family gathering, I feel as though all phones should be collected, from young and old alike; our parents can be just as bad as we are when it comes to phone usage.
So when it comes to being with family and friends, I feel as though phone usage should be moderated, so you can connect with them, and truly enjoy your time together. That said, I am about to go an entirely different direction with this category, may even turn into a rant. and that's phone usage during work.
Work
I 100% disagree with no cell phones while at work, unless you are have a manual labor job where the phone can distract you from your phone and result in injury, or a sales type job where you are dealing directly with the customer. In which case, the phone should be silent and away and they should have your undivided attention. For a job like mine, and many of my peers, where we sit behind a desk, phone use shouldn't be as big as an issue.
Multitasking for our generation comes second nature, so being on the phone and doing work at the same time doesn't take much if any away at all. In fact, we have been trained to work that way; many of us made our way through college while online or watching tv or movies while completing our assignments.
I've worked in supermarkets, and restaurants growing up (as well as here). All 3 I understand the 'no phone' argument. At the supermarket you have a line of customers and are constantly busy with them, phone would directly take away from that, plus it's rude to have them wait while you sit on your phone. Every now and then though, you could sneak a phone check or a text when it slowed down. At the restaurant when it wasn't busy you could also sneak a peek at your phone in the back, or in the bathroom, so long as a manager wasn't around or you weren't out around the customers. And even here, years ago, I was operating machinery, I digress here, I wanted headphones, didn't use the phone much. Even still, usage of headphones or a cell phones could have directly resulted in my injury; if the cord from the headphones got caught in the machine, or I was looking at my phone while the machine was running I could have lost a finger. I'm a clutz as it is and am prone to injury anyway, no need to increase that risk. Even at my 'behind the desk' internship, I could sneak the phone more often than the other jobs.
And I'm not the only one guilty of sneaking it at work, everyone does it!
So I get docked often for being on my phone (then again it's family, but even still); I'm more than likely texting someone else who is at work that works that behind the desk job who can text. So I figure why can't I. I'm not directly distracted from my work by it. In fact, most days my work is complete well before 5 o'clock. So where is the problem? I figure that at most other places the boss isn't on you because all they care about is that your work is finished and on time. Here is where I go off on a tangent and vent a bit - many of my friends have the opportunity of working from home; I get snapchats of movies being watched and sites being browsed often as they work from home. None of that matters because their work gets done! Again - this generation multitasks and does it well. This brings me back to my point of if the work is complete what different does it make what you do throughout the process, results are what's important in the work force right?
Now, that all being said, if cell phone use at this type of job is directly taking away from your work and you are constantly late or behind on work then don't use your phone. Otherwise I don't see what the problem is with some phone use while you are getting your work done.
So that's my view on cell phone use. While phones are great, they are a double edged sword. They make communicating easier, but take away from connecting with one another. We are all guilty of using them when we probably shouldn't be.
Check this out.
Key in on the comments section below.
Usually, the times that we get together with our families are over a holiday, for a special occasion or sometimes even just a dinner. Spend that time with your family, not with your phone, because when you actually talk and connect with family, and get to know them; it can be the great.
Put the phone away and engage in a group activity, a game of cards maybe.. we like to play Italian cards - Scopa- and lately another game I learned this past weekend that I will go into and explain during another post, called Pounce (keep an eye out for it). Often times at dinner you look around the table, and most have their phones out, maybe not during dinner, but even after during desert while conversation is going on. Last week we had relatives from Australia visiting, and were playing a game of Scopa, my younger brother has his phone out the entire game, texting and checking fantasy sports. A round of the game lasts all of 5 minutes, check your phone while someone else is shuffling if you have to. That's something that you will remember for years to come, playing a traditional game of Italian cards with your father/brother/grandfather/uncle/cousin. Small things like that are what's important, and are what you don't get to do often enough.
I'm not picking on him specifically, just a recent example, there's always someone or someones that isolate themselves from the family while being on their phones and don't even realize it.
PUT IT AWAY AND ENGAGE. Strike up a conversation that is important to you, share your view points on other topics, debate, laugh, joke, tell stories!
It's amazing what what we can learn about your families and their history if you listen and pay attention to the stories from our parents and grandparents.
As important as friends are, you talk to them all week long. they can wait till you go home; you're with your family now, make the best use of that time as possible. Think about how much time you have spent on the phone in the past that you could have been spending with a loved one who is no longer with you. I bet you wish you kept the phone away now and spent that extra time with them, even if it was just 5 or 10 minutes...
So it should go, when you go into a family gathering, I feel as though all phones should be collected, from young and old alike; our parents can be just as bad as we are when it comes to phone usage.
So when it comes to being with family and friends, I feel as though phone usage should be moderated, so you can connect with them, and truly enjoy your time together. That said, I am about to go an entirely different direction with this category, may even turn into a rant. and that's phone usage during work.
Work
I 100% disagree with no cell phones while at work, unless you are have a manual labor job where the phone can distract you from your phone and result in injury, or a sales type job where you are dealing directly with the customer. In which case, the phone should be silent and away and they should have your undivided attention. For a job like mine, and many of my peers, where we sit behind a desk, phone use shouldn't be as big as an issue.
Multitasking for our generation comes second nature, so being on the phone and doing work at the same time doesn't take much if any away at all. In fact, we have been trained to work that way; many of us made our way through college while online or watching tv or movies while completing our assignments.
I've worked in supermarkets, and restaurants growing up (as well as here). All 3 I understand the 'no phone' argument. At the supermarket you have a line of customers and are constantly busy with them, phone would directly take away from that, plus it's rude to have them wait while you sit on your phone. Every now and then though, you could sneak a phone check or a text when it slowed down. At the restaurant when it wasn't busy you could also sneak a peek at your phone in the back, or in the bathroom, so long as a manager wasn't around or you weren't out around the customers. And even here, years ago, I was operating machinery, I digress here, I wanted headphones, didn't use the phone much. Even still, usage of headphones or a cell phones could have directly resulted in my injury; if the cord from the headphones got caught in the machine, or I was looking at my phone while the machine was running I could have lost a finger. I'm a clutz as it is and am prone to injury anyway, no need to increase that risk. Even at my 'behind the desk' internship, I could sneak the phone more often than the other jobs.
And I'm not the only one guilty of sneaking it at work, everyone does it!
So I get docked often for being on my phone (then again it's family, but even still); I'm more than likely texting someone else who is at work that works that behind the desk job who can text. So I figure why can't I. I'm not directly distracted from my work by it. In fact, most days my work is complete well before 5 o'clock. So where is the problem? I figure that at most other places the boss isn't on you because all they care about is that your work is finished and on time. Here is where I go off on a tangent and vent a bit - many of my friends have the opportunity of working from home; I get snapchats of movies being watched and sites being browsed often as they work from home. None of that matters because their work gets done! Again - this generation multitasks and does it well. This brings me back to my point of if the work is complete what different does it make what you do throughout the process, results are what's important in the work force right?
Now, that all being said, if cell phone use at this type of job is directly taking away from your work and you are constantly late or behind on work then don't use your phone. Otherwise I don't see what the problem is with some phone use while you are getting your work done.
So that's my view on cell phone use. While phones are great, they are a double edged sword. They make communicating easier, but take away from connecting with one another. We are all guilty of using them when we probably shouldn't be.
Check this out.
Key in on the comments section below.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Once Upon a Time 1x01: Pilot
This will be my first of many Once Upon a Time related posts. I will be doing a post per episode, and as they reach their 100th episode this upcoming season, I have a bit of catch up to do. These blog posts will be titled "Once Upon a Time (Season x Episode #) : Episode Title". These posts will also include my opinions, reactions, experiences, etc. based on the episode given. Also I'll throw in a quote of the episode, because there's some really good/inspirational material written in there. While I'm at it why not a photo and/or clip from the episode too.
Now, the concept after viewing and seeing it play out was awesome to me. All the stories I knew and grew up with mashed together in one plot; I loved it. It's essentially what the Avengers does with super hero's but in Disney form; or movies that have multiple story lines that all come together in the end such as Valentines Day, Think Like a Man, and New Years Eve. And as the series continues more and more characters get added. On top of that, there are two plot lines going on at the same time, present day and flashback.
It's ironic, because I originally had no intention of watching this show. Usually what happens is I see a preview for something and I'm all about it until it airs or is released in theatres such as Pitch Perfect 2, Maleficent, or Think Like a Man 2, whichever. Can't say that I remember ever seeing a trailer for this show, or even hearing about it before the night it aired.
My C6 housemates Kevin and Jimmy, along with our friend Maria are to blame for my obsession with this show.
It was Sunday October 23rd, 2011; senior year of college. I was up in my room writing a paper - the kind of writing I had nodded to in my first post that I don't enjoy doing, assigned writing. Anyway, I was upstairs writing the paper and I get called down by these three to watch the show with them (bet they wish now that they hadn't done that). I said "it sounds so dumb, I don't want to watch this, I need to write my paper". They told me to sit down with my friends and enjoy a TV night with them and to write my paper while I watch the show.
So the show starts, and we're watching, I'm confused as to who's who, they had to lay it all out during the commercials for me.
Now, the concept after viewing and seeing it play out was awesome to me. All the stories I knew and grew up with mashed together in one plot; I loved it. It's essentially what the Avengers does with super hero's but in Disney form; or movies that have multiple story lines that all come together in the end such as Valentines Day, Think Like a Man, and New Years Eve. And as the series continues more and more characters get added. On top of that, there are two plot lines going on at the same time, present day and flashback.
Quote of the episode: "Mary Margaret: What do you think these stories are for? These stories - the classics. There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense."
Not only was it those stories put together, but it was also the fact that it was a continuation of these stories, the "What happens after 'The End'?" question is answered, along with giving each of these characters an even more complex background than we originally know them to have. It shows how they became the way they are ("evil isn't born, it's made", not everything is as black and white as we know it, and that there are two or more sides to every story), how different relationships are formed, and I love and hate the fact that basically every character is part of the same family or related in some way shape or form.
What's funny is I'm watching this first episode with my friends thinking it was a movie. So when it had ended. I was flipping out. I said "What!? You can't end a movie like that!" (there was a cliffhanger, as every episode to follow has). They said "Toine...it's a series" I'm like "and..." they replied "so its on again next week..and the week after that..every week.." I was just like "Yes!! This is awesome!"
I've never followed a show from Pilot to finish before and 5 seasons in I'm still as into it and intrigued as I was from the first day.
So this post didn't go into so much about what the episode was about, the theme, or anything specific like that as other posts will be, but it's more of the story of how I got sucked into it, that experience, and that every episode to follow has a theme that I can relate to, all of these components to the show are why I love it
I've never followed a show from Pilot to finish before and 5 seasons in I'm still as into it and intrigued as I was from the first day.
So this post didn't go into so much about what the episode was about, the theme, or anything specific like that as other posts will be, but it's more of the story of how I got sucked into it, that experience, and that every episode to follow has a theme that I can relate to, all of these components to the show are why I love it
Joke of the Day
This joke goes out per request of the newlywed Nick. It's one I heard when one of my Aussie cousins was here visiting last week.
The judge says 'Okay, then I will give you 6 days in jail'.
Before the judge could pronounce the punishment, the woman's husband stands and asks to speak on behalf of his wife. The judge grants him permission.
"Her husband says 'your honor, she also stole a can of peas.'
Intro to My Blog
My name is Anthony (but most friends call me Toine), and this will be my first blog post. Not entirely sure what to write here, so I'll just let it flow.
Once I start writing about specific topics I guess it will be much easier to let my thoughts and opinions out.
Those will come from
Once I start writing about specific topics I guess it will be much easier to let my thoughts and opinions out.
Those will come from
- my random thoughts
- experiences past and present
- drawn from
- timehop
- the day's events
- pictures
- videos
- friends
- family
- articles and current events I come across
- opinions about
- tv
- movies
- music
- travel
- etc
- YOU - the reader
- is there something you want to hear about? Let me know!
- just leave me a comment in any one of my posts
and lastly
- Once upon a Time
I mean...my blog is titled Once Upon a Toine, would obviously have many posts relating to that show, be that thoughts or reviews on scenes or entire episodes, actors, story line, or many just relating the episodes to my life experiences. One of my best friends just gave me that idea, as a great start and blog idea - going episode by episode and relating it to an experience of mine. I mean, there is a reason this show hits home for me, and this blog will give me a chance to explore that along with many other things.
As I'm writing all this, I'm realizing I actually do like to write, but on my own terms. I wasn't a fan of writing assignments throughout school; writing because you have to. This is writing because I want to, an opportunity to express myself and write about what I feel like writing about, when I feel like writing it. Probably should have started this blog sooner, seems like a great outlet for me.
Well that should do it for a quick intro. Time to get back to work. Until my next post...
Toine
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