matt profile picture

matt

Seriously, Ohio is boring? Where are all the cool people?

About Me

I was born in '81. First damn baby in Olean. Actually, there was a big dispute over this, because some cat was born in Bradford a couple hours before me. My parents didn't care, but the hospitals did. The Times Herald sided with the Irving family. mainly because Bradford's in Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania sucks.My picture was in the paper a few years later. I was on my dad's shoulders at the fireworks. My parents told me it was because I was the first baby in 1981. They were lying. I've never trusted anyone since.I then had my picture in the paper again when I was a freshman. I was at a football game, but not on my dad's shoulders. He would have died because I was about 225 at that point. I was giving Pete D'apice a high five after the Huskies won at Rich Stadium.Two years later, my picture was in for the Olean-Bradford 100th Meeting, which was held at Rich stadium. I was the kicker. I look fat in the picture. I guess the main reason was because with my kicking technique I don't look thinner than the duece-and-a-half that I weighed.I went to Ball State and lost a bunch of weight.I got a job and gained it back.I joined a gym and started losing it again.I stopped going to the gym and gained some of it back.I started going to the gym again and started taking it back off.I had a big lunch today, so who knows.

My Interests

First of all, I am interested in a lot of things. I like talking about anything interesting. I like learning. I like talking about things I know nothing about. There are many of them. Some I don't even know exist, so how could I possibly name them. Here's what I don't like. Boring things. If it isn't interesting to you. Or it is only interesting to you, I probably don't care. However, if you've talked to someone else about your topic and they thought it was interesting and they aren't on the inside loop, then maybe I'd be interested. Well, I guess nothing is really boring. It might be, but I'd rather be bored by something than bored by nothing.I like sports, but don't keep track of every stat... unless it's mine.I still play baseball, flag football and try to play basketball whenever I am not threatened with a gun.I like Scrabble and word games. Crossword puzzles. Anything like that. When I go back to my parents, my brother, my sister and I play a lot of Scrabble. I think I'm the best and my sister even cheats.I like books but suck at reading. I've read some things, but I can't take a slow moving book. My mind jumps around too quickly. See books if you care. Articles usually are better for me.I also like Ron Popeil. People think I'm trying to be funny when I say this, but I really think he is great. There's a great piece on him on gladwell.com, (New Yorker Archive, October 2000, "The PitchMan").I like hating my job.I like comedy. Mitch Hedberg was a funny guy. Here's my other beef when it comes to comedy... People who think Jay Leno is funny. He isn't. He's an idiot and a terrible interviewer at that. Conan: Funny. Letterman: funny. Leno: Not funny.I guess the rest of the stuff I answer below... so follow me.

I'd like to meet:

interesting people, or ordinary people, or somewhere in between

Music:

Wilco, Flaming Lips, Old 97s, Tapes-n-Tapes, Eels, Elliott Smith, Marah, Belle & Sebastian, Andrew Bird, White Stripes, Sufjan Stevens, Uncle Tupelo, Raconteurs, Peter Bjorn & John, Magnetic Fields, Modest Mouse, Grandaddy, M. Ward, Lemon Jaw, Arcade Fire, Cold War Kids.

Movies:

Eternal Sunshine, Anything by Wes Anderson, Cohen Borthers, Amelie (call me gay, but it's a great film), Adaptation, Being John Malkovich, Rat Pack movies, I like a lot of witty indie flicks ... you know who you are.

Television:

Most of the shows I like are off the air or on their way off: Arrested Development, Seinfeld, Twilight Zone (It's really the only SciFi I can watch), 30 Rock, Scrubs, Family Guy, Studio 60, Daily Show, Letterman, Conan, Kimmel ... OR it's not TV, it's HBO: Rome, Extras, Curb, Entourage (though it's waining), Six Feet Under ... Also, History Channel, Discovery Channel, Comedy Central.

Books:

Right now: "Story" by Robert McKee ...I finished a book called "Freakonomics" by Levitt and Dubner a few months back. It was dope. I recommend to all with curious minds. Favorites include: Anything Dr. Suess. This isn't a joke. People always think I'm kidding or trying to get a laugh. I'm not. I think Dr. Suess is amazing. I love the creativity. He tells stories with made up words and 4 year-olds can understand. That's called genius ... ... Malcom Gladwell's books and articles from the New Yorker (gladwell.com), Thus Spoke Zarathustra....... ........ I also found out a various strange and interesting fact about myself recently. I apparently am known for doing a kick-ass Silas Marner impersonation. I might be the only person in the world that can whip out a Silas Marner impersonation.

Heroes:

People who are truly happy with their life.

My Blog

Round 2 Friend results/Round 3 match-ups

Art imitated life on one of the most boring weekends of friend tournament action in years. There was little excitement. Quite frankly, I could have had Simon Cowell right this intro I was so disgusted...
Posted by matt on Wed, 21 Mar 2007 09:45:00 PST

Round 1 results/Round 2 matchups.

Well, well. Round 1 is complete and you will notice a certain trend. Those people that were more entertaining advanced while those that acted cool, got dumped. And in a surprise, two contestants were ...
Posted by matt on Sat, 17 Mar 2007 10:21:00 PST

Tourney Time: Who is my best friend?

Well, it is that time of the year again. Tournament time. When one shimmering moment could be the difference between triumph and failure. When the strong can't turn their back for a second, without fe...
Posted by matt on Tue, 13 Mar 2007 09:06:00 PST

Me on Jimmy Kimmel

As some of you may or may not know, my band, The Cold War Kids has been getting really hot. So we were honored to play on Jimmy Kimmel the other night. Here is the clip for all of you who missed. As y...
Posted by matt on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 08:22:00 PST

Why I hate my life.

It's been a while since my last blog. Mostly because people in Ohio are really bad drivers. Worse than Pennsylvania, even.It is also because I've been fairly busy at my new job and sit at a desk with ...
Posted by matt on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 08:16:00 PST

More info on my new job...

Ok. I guess I was a little too vague in my last post, so here are some DETAILS.I will be working at an agency called TenUnited. They seem like some "good shits" over there, so I'm pretty excited. They...
Posted by matt on Sat, 23 Dec 2006 09:38:00 PST

I'm moving to Columbus...

I know. I know. But I have been offered a position at an agency I think is going to do really good work. And I'm ready to move on. (I hate cars.) It's kind of sad moving on, of course. There are a lot...
Posted by matt on Thu, 21 Dec 2006 09:42:00 PST

It happened.

It made me sad, but I had to do it. You will see the end result soon, but here are some pictures that document the journey:PS. I'm growing it back....
Posted by matt on Mon, 04 Dec 2006 02:13:00 PST

Beard or No Beard?

I've recieved various messages, had many conversations and listened to pleas from my mother about my facial hair. There has been support for the beard. A many number of people like it. They live vicar...
Posted by matt on Mon, 27 Nov 2006 01:29:00 PST

Bore-at.

Well, I haven't blogged in a while, but I'm just annoyed enough today to do so. I just got done watching "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." If you'v...
Posted by matt on Tue, 07 Nov 2006 02:19:00 PST