drunkencomputing

I’ve been doing a lot of golfing lately, and have really noticed my game come together. Additionally, I’ve noticed Buddah and Don especially getting progressively better. Today was the exception: I sucked badly. But for once, I was upbeat and not frustrated, usually I golf bad and want to “set my bag on fire” (that’s a direct quote).

I bought a new putter that has been phenomenal, and a new wood that has given me 220+ yards with a tap. too bad my slice is the bane of my existence. Regardless, I’ve been contemplating buying new clubs…at least irons. I’ve had my current set for a season and half, and they were another buy-on-a-whim purchase. I didn’t know if they were the right flex, the right length, yaddah yaddah. I went and got fitted and found my game (at least in the test range) much improved. Now the question is: do I make the jump into the old-guy realm–custom clubs.

I golf more than anything in the summer–at least twice a week–and feel the purchase justified. But there’s this nagging thing in the back of my head. I FUCKING suck. Would a purchase of new clubs help, or only piss me off more when I suck? These are the things I deal with on a daily basis. thank Christ I don’t have anything really important to worry about.

Night golf has also brought about a new realm of golfing for me. it’s not really golfing as much as it is the old term “whack-fuck,” where you take a swing (“whack”) and then get pissed at the shitty hit (“fuck”). It’s a great time though, and chances are, you generally drink a lot, which is always a plus.

It’s amazing how much of golfers my friends and I have become. Chances are, if I’m not home, or i’m not answering my phone, I’m golfing. Every Friday, like clockwork, you can find me out golfing. I’ve golfed more courses than some old-timers have, but I don’t have the game to prove it.

Golfing is relaxing, even though my demeanor at times may indicate otherwise. I may throw a club (common practice), I may swear loudly and interrupt others’ games (less common) or I may simply threaten my inanimate golf clubs with a fiery death (very common but more subdued). no matter what, it’s just good to be out there with friends…and beer. Will I become a great golfer when i’m my dad’s age? After 5 years, I’ve improved enough to feel confident enough to “compete” in friendly scrimmages, but nothing more. I know that with the right players, I can rock the house at best ball…but will I ever feel confident to say I’m a \”good golfer?\” that is the great What If, but for once, I feel confident about something in my life not related to computers or drinking.

On a completely different note, Hodge, Joe, and I have been working hard to get the insanely popular DrunkenCamping back up and running. I guess “insanely” is relative compared to many other websites, but we recently noticed the amount of traffic the site has been getting, so have vowed to keep up with it. you can visit again for the first time by going to http://camp.drunkencomputing.com

In the meantime, let the good times keep rollin’.

Submitted by Richard:

yeah hi, it’s been awhile. i haven’t had anything remotely interesting to say (whatever i do have to say that IS remotely interesting is usually posted on this page,) so hence the no-update thing. however, while in the shower, i had a few things i decidedi could post about. and with that, the first entry into today’s post: the epiphany shower

if you have seen any of this season?s episodes of ?Scrubs? you will know that ?epiphany shower? is hardly original. i have stolen the idea from the show’s “ephiphany toilet,” in which The Janitor installs a toilet on the roof of the hospital so he can think. people soon discover it and have their own personal revelations on the toilet (including a great part by Michael J. Fox guest-starring.) that popped into mind today while i was in the shower…i had been thinking about something to blab about when suddenly, as i scrubbed my armpits, i realized: TELEVISION! then, a torrent of other ideas came: CRACK! and still more: GADGET LUST! and it didnt stop there, kiddies: GOLF!

exhausted, my mind poured over the new content labels and thought of funny/witty things to say about each topic. but before i could think of anything further, my shower ended and all the creative thinking dissapated down the drain. so now, i’m stuck to my own standard-issue, non-shower-ephiphanized brain to come up with content. sigh.

this is the first week i’ve spent without HBO. “The Sopranos” is over, and that is hell. no matter how bad the last two seasons have been, the show is still like crack. it’s forgotten much of its dramatic roots (Tony almost getting whacked, killing off major cast members to drum up more drama, etc.) but still manages to envoke some serious emotions, like wanting to see Chris M. die, wanting Janice to DIE DIE DIE, and that uneasy feeling you get in your stomach when Tony is about to whack Chris M. only “Sopranos” can do that to you. oh yeah, and the season finale made the ENTIRE season worth-while. so in all, it wasn’t a terrible 5th season. i still yearn for “Sopranos” to return. sometime in January 2005 i’m told is when i’ll have to wait. waiting is hell.

HBO usually offers up a second serving of sweet-ass TV shows with “Deadwood” right after “The Sopranos.” however, “Deadwood” as well came to an end. i fell in love with this show probably about two episodes into it (that twangy intro music is just so awesome) and after i got to know the main bad guy–Al Swearengen–i lusted for more each week. the show is just awesome–and the guy who plays Swearengen *will* get an Emmy, mark my words. thank god the show got renewed for a second season. the swearing (i counted Al Swearengen saying “fuck” 6 times JUST IN THE PREVIEW for next week’s ep) has turned a lot of people off (note: you PUSSIES! what were you expecting, sweet nice cowboys, ala Lonesome Dove? go fuck yourself) but the show still rivals “The Sopranos” viewing audiences.

now i’m without a Sunday addiction: “Alias” has ended as well, which aired on Sundays too. the third season pretty much sucked balls, with very few episodes standing out at me. i downloaded an episode of “Six Feet Under” and it kind of got me interested, but i don’t know if i’m a “fan” yet. however, i might already be, as i’m currently downloading the second episode of the season. i would hope that HBO hasn’t put subliminal messages into their shows that make us crave it night and day (“Band of Brothers” is a good example, who CAN’T stop watching that?!) because then i would be upset because they are letting shitty shitty Charter run my cable bill at $80 a month. but there is something magical about HBO programming. even the little-known TV show “The Wire” was awesome to watch (please put it on DVD!)

i’m also forced to keep my digital cable until i hear otherwise on the status of the new < href=“http://www.herald-dispatch.com/2004/June/20/LFedge2.htm” target=“_blank”>Hanks/Spielberg collaboration. it’s supposed to be similar to “Band of Brothers” which means it will rock. i also notice it’s going to be on HBO…hrm…the plot thickens.

changing subject, on a whim the other day i bought XM Satellite radio. the receiver was on sale with a bunch of discounts, so i decided “what the hell.” i never EVER listen to the radio, usually just opting to keep the “Puddle of Mudd” shit-hole crap noise and “Britney Spears” happy-crap noise out of my life for good. the commercials also drive me up the goddamn wall too. i understand that radio needs to make their money, but c’mon…9 commercials in a row?! if i want that, i’ll watch the Home Shopping Network. at least i’ll be slightly entertained when some guy biffs it while demonstrating a new safety ladder. so far, i’m pretty happy with XM radio…i can always find something to listen to, and that’s bad. because i can’t drive and flip thru the 180+ channels of XM radio, i end up being consolidated to one channel until a stop light. that’s bad, in the fact that XM radio is becoming more expensive than predicted: it’s getting me into rap. dirty, nasty rap like Jay-Z and 50 Cent. i even bought the Jay-Z album. what’s going on here, usually i despise rap. is HBO infecting the airwaves now?! or maybe i’m just an impressionable, consumer-whore, like all those people i make fun of.

lastly, let me speak to the subject of golf. i bought new clubs, and they have NOT improved my game, but i do feel much better with them. i love my new clubs, and they love me, because they haven’t mistreated me by loosing any balls…but they haven’t improved any of my hits or drives either. my clubs and i don’t see eye-to-eye on what “straight down the fairway” is, but that’s OK because my new putter does know what “straight” is at least. my 3-wood enjoys playing a funny joke on me, by cranking my golf ball about 230+ yards no matter how i swing, and my just absurdly large 1-wood thinks it’s funny to replace my slice with a hook. but my pitching wedge and i get along fine, being able to land a nice chipshot on the green no problem. there’s still a few bumps in the road that i have to go with my new clubs, but i’m sure we will get thru it together.

viva friday fish fry. last friday, Don, Buddah, Swendo, and Rachael went to eat some deliciously deep-fried walleye like we always do after golf. the night got a little out of hand, as Don decided to slam one after another Gin & Sprites. even Swendo got a little “stumbly” (as he refers to it) and i got properly juiced up as well. but the whole point is: while sitting there, getting our eat and drink on in the club house, the most perfect evening i had ever seen was taking place on the golf course. frogs chirped, the sun was setting–lighting the sky pinkish-orange, and the weather was a nice comfy non-humid 68 degrees. i thought to myself, how awesome it was to live in this area on the rare occasion we get a day like this. i smiled to myself, then drank the rest of my Guinness. the night continued on simply because of wonderful weather. and lotsa beer.

well thats all for now. a big pile of laundry says i have shit to do. so with that, i’m off.

so now that the leaves have turned and my balls
turn blue when i walk outside, fall is
indeed in the air. that being said, the
golf season has officially been declared
as “done” for us thisyear. the only
thing that is left it getting drunk and
playing “cross country” golf in which we
hit balls at random locations around the
course. i thought now would be a good
time to reminisce a bit and remember
some of the more entertaining highlights
of the season.

for one, there will be my garbage-can
shot. this was on a par 4, 230 yard
hold. in front of the tee box, down a
hill was a large steel garbage can.
miraculously, my drive shot right into
the garbage can, made a loud KLANG and
shot directly back out the garbage can
into the woods, never to be seen again.
a rare feat indeed.

there was also

Hodge‘s 15 yard chip shot on that
very same hole that went directly into
the cup. too bad it took him like 8
strokes to get to there.

the most vivid memory for me,
however, is a girl who shows up at the
course every now and then almost killing

Buddah. a little intoxicated, Don
and Buddah decided to ride a cart with
this girl to the next hole. however,
only TWO people can fix on a golf cart.
to my horror, i watched as the golf cart
barreled down the hill towards me at top
speed and spilled Buddah out of it–head
over heels–as it cruised a long.
surely, i suspected, that Buddah’s weak,
frail body would be snapped by the
turbulent stumble. but alas, he was not.
rising to his feet laughing, he still
had a beer in his hand with not a drop
spilled. he took a swig, nervously
laughed the incident off, and never sat
on the golf cart again.

golfing has always been a great way
for me to relax and drink, and it’s
always a sign of the season when that
time is over. there will be next season,
of course, and frequent trips to the
golf dome in between. but for the time
being, i must find something to relax
and do in the winter. maybe ice fishing.
or maybe throwing snowballs at little
neighborhood kids.

i just got done watching “Saturday
Night Live” with Justin Timberlake as
the host. while i can’t stand his music
(will his songs EVER fucking end?!) i
must say i was pleasantly surprised with
his performances. his portrayal of
ashton kutcher was right on the money.
this isn’t the first time i’ve took some
joy in watching Justin Timberlake:
(words i would never thought i would
utter) the MTV Movie Awards spoof of
“The Matrix Reloaded” was fantastic. so
if you get a chance, check him out doing
his acting thing…but for chrissake run
the fuck away if he starts singing.

i’ve said my bit. i think it’s time
to turn in for the night. i’ve beat
“Halo” for the PC now, so there is
really little for me to do (maybe
housework!) except sleep. that sounds
good. i can pretend i’m going to see
“Kill Bill” again. mmm…