Saturday, 5 March 2005: Well, it's over. Finally. Thankfully. [Insert any other emphatic adverb here]. Yes, that's right, I took my final exam in Managerial Accounting today.

How did I do, you might ask? Let's just say it's over and leave it at that.

Friday, 4 March 2005: I just realized that it has been one helluva long time since I've done an overhaul of the Recommendations box on the right of this screen. Well, today's that day. In addition to the new "Play Me" section that I added yesterday, I'm adding a new movie, new CD, and, well, not-so-new book. It's actually a book I read about six years ago. But I'm still in the midst of reading a book right now and it's taking me an awfully long time simply because I'm not in a reading zone right now. It's a good book, don't get me wrong. But finding the time to actually read has not proven to be an easy task.

So after nearly three months of the same old/same old recommendations in the "Read Me" and the "Watch Me" boxes, you are finally getting something new. Sorry it took so long.

Thursday, 3 March 2005: I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but FOX just saved my a$$. I forgot to tape the episode of The O.C. last week for Katie and I to watch. Just completely forgot to set the VCR. C'est la vie, eh?

Well, in a moment of grace and charity, FOX decided to rebroadcast that episode tonight. Yay!

So, I taped it while Katie and I went to the gym and we came home with what has become our new Thursday night tradition — salads from Applebee's — and watched our show. And all was good.

Before we went to the gym, though, Katie was napping and I decided to finally break out the new GameCube and play it. I am so hooked on Mario Kart: Double Dash. It's going to be a very dangerous thing. Too much fun for it to be entirely healthy.

Hmm... that gives me an idea. I'm gonna add a box for video games over in the Recommendations list.

Tuesday, 1 March 2005: And, since I seem to be on a bit of a tool kick right now, this is the perfect opportunity to announce the perfect gift for the man in your family. On May 10, the Discovery Channel and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will be releasing seasons 1 and 2 of their hit show American Chopper on DVD.

This may not seem like such a big deal to all of you considering the fact that, if you watch the show, you are offered the opportunity to purchase the complete seasons on DVD. And this option has been available for some months now. Well get this. The sets offered up at the end of the show run $75 to $100 for the first and second seasons, respectively. That's pretty damn steep in my opinion. These new sets, which will be available wherever you buy DVDs, will each be priced at $29.96.

How can you say no? I can't. Me want. I love this show and would likely watch it regularly considering I still tune in even to the repeat episodes.

For more information about the DVD release, check out TVShowsOnDVD.com.

Or, if you want to just go ahead and order it — and for only $20.97 each set, to boot — check out Amazon.com: Season 1 | Season 2. If you order $25 or more from Amazon (that would be covered by both of these sets), shipping is free. I'm all over this.

Monday, 28 February 2005: Katie and I welcomed a new toy to the family yesterday.

A few weeks ago, Katie decided that she wanted to start a "Tool of the Month" thing for me where I get a new tool, duh, each month. The purpose is so that we can start a good workbench and I can really learn how to use all this crap and get some work done around the house. Yesterday, we made our first purchase. It was a Ryobi starter set that includes a drill, reciprocal saw, circular saw, hand vacuum, flashlight, two rechargeable 18-volt batteries, and a charger. All this comes packaged in one big carry-along kit (why someone would want to actually "carry" it is beyond me as it weighs more than you really want to carry for any extended period of time.

We've already started having fun with this set as we had to rehang the shelves in our office. We decided to shift them all down about five inches because we're using a different unit as a TV stand and it made the old placement of the shelves quite awkward.

I really can't wait to get some more toys and use them to create something really nice. However, since this was a multi-tool kit, I think we may abstain for the next couple months from buying any new ones. But this set more than makes up for it.

Now we just need to tear down the shelving unit in our bedroom and...

Sunday, 27 February 2005: Random thoughts on tonight's Oscar ceremony...

Chris Rock... awesome. I have not laughed that hard ever during the Oscars. I'm glad the Academy stuck to their guns with regard to him hosting. Yes, he was quite vitriolic. No question about it. But would it be Chris Rock otherwise? Katie and I both hope he comes back.

Beyonce... I think there was only one song she didn't sing. But she was great. Even in French.

Sean Penn... I love ya as an actor, man; but lighten up.

Million Dollar Baby... way to go, Clint! And, no, Katie and I still haven't seen it. Aye aye aye.

Best Documentary Feature... no Super Size Me!?!? That was my biggest upset of the night.

Different awarding style for the not-so-prominent awards... definitely necessary. Yes, it may seem like these winners are having the wind sucked out of their sails, but, are the majority of TV viewers watching for them or for the people they know? That's what I thought. This is a TV program and should be treated as such. If you feel like you're being slighted, just talk to the Sci-Tech winners who get nothing more than a three-minute nod to their entire Oscar ceremony. Here's your McFlurry, now keep the line moving.

Laura Linney... what the hell was up with your hair? You looked like Pink on a bad-hair day. Yikes.

Commercials... oddly enough, they were better than Super Bowl ads.

Show length... three hours and ten minutes... not too bad. Isn't it usually about four hours? I like it better this way. I could handle it being even shorter to be honest with you.

My choices... no I didn't really think Thomas Haden Church would win, but if there was to be an upset in any acting category, it would have been that one. The other three acting categories were locks. However, I was right about Director, Actor, Actress, and Supporting Actress. I did terribly in the screenplay category. 0 for 2. I usually do pretty well with these.