My backpack of cologne

As has been made abundantly clear, I like (Syracuse) Orange. Many months ago I saw this beautiful backpack on sale at LL Bean’s website and I could not resist. It is, quite frankly, the love of my life.

We have had some good times together. And the bag has received many, what I will call, "compliments." Yes, everyone loves it. Why wouldn’t they?

Several months ago I packed the backpack for an excursion into New York City. In the bag went clothes, iPod, camera, and my toiletries, including a bottle of cologne. But maybe I’ve said too much already.

As usual, things were going great with me and my bag. He held stuff securely as we had fun, looking so fresh & so clean the entire time. On my last day in New York City I had some time on my own before catching my bus ride home, so I decided to walk across town. Just me and my bag and an insatiable curiosity!

But as I made my way down the streets of NYC, I noticed that everyone passing by me was wearing a lot of cologne. No, not just a lot. It seemed all the men in NYC bathed in cologne. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 guys walked by me, all seemingly drenched in some strongly scented perfume. “Why,” I thought, “do so many men in New York wear so much damn cologne?”

And then finally it hit me. On a street corner (probably next to one of 150 H&Ms in NYC), I unpacked my bag to confirm my fears. I found an open bottle and a pool of cologne at the bottom of the bag.

Right there I cleaned the bag the best I could. I repacked it and made my way home, stowing it in the undercarriage of the bus. The smell held strong the whole bus ride. I hoped airing it out over time would do the trick. On my body the cologne usually loses its scent by the end of the day. Over a few weeks the odor on the bag did not relent. Since then I have soaked it in Woolight. I have thrown the bag in the washing machine. The scent has only faded slightly, but it will not leave. In fact, on a long car ride today I noticed the scent return with a new vengeance as it sat in the window, baking in the sun.

I like my cologne. It took me awhile to find a scent I was comfortable with and this one is perfect when used in moderation. But this stench that has grabbed hold of my bag is something completely different.

So I turn to you, Voters. What do I do? How do I send this uninvited guest home? What can I do to return my bag to its untainted and scent free existence?

All Day I Dream About Orange

I'm obsessed with the color orange, I'm willing to admit that (not that anyone would believe me if I tried to deny it). So when I found some bright orange sneakers on sale, my heart skipped a beat and I couldn't resist.
But boy are they bright. So bright that I've noticed people looking, no, staring at my feet as they pass me. My orange shoes shuffle by and all eyes are just following their every step.

Hello, people! Eye contact, ever heard of it? My eyes are up here! Show me a little respect, please. What, am I just a nice pair of orange shoes to you?! Did you not hear about my "glorious ass" you should be staring at too? Or maybe, just maybe, you could talk to me instead of treating me like nothing more than an expertly dyed combination of leather, nylon and rubber.

This has been an epiphany. I want to apologize to all women for years of trying to secretly stare at places my line of sight should not be venturing. I realize now how disrespectful and humiliating this can be. And I promise to never stare at your chest or other various body parts again. Unless they are swathed in orange, in which case I have absolutely no control on how my eyes react.

Help Me Name My Cock

My new cock.


Isn't he beautiful?


He followed me home from the metro today and now he's watching over my apartment from my kitchen table. I'm not allowed to have pets in my apartment, but this guy's pretty quiet, so I think I can get away with keeping him a secret.

He doesn't have a name yet though. Help me name him. But first, I'll help you get to know him.

I noticed immediately that he's quite proud (as he should be. look at those beautiful feathers!).


But he can be sweet and demure when he wants to be.


And yet you definitely won't forget this face if you cross him in a dark alley.

Gives me shivers!

Coincidentally, he loves the Syracuse Orange, just like I do.


And he's already making friends with Chia Scooby.

This really says a lot because Chia Scooby picks his friends very carefully (him and the Beatles DO NOT get along. Long story for another time).

But don't forget the bling! He prefers his bling to be white and fuzzy.


So what's the perfect name for a bling wearing, orange crazed, proud, yet menacing and demure at the same time rooster who lives on my kitchen table? I'm open to all ideas. But be nice, because he's got his eye on you!

The Orange Will Keep Me Warm

Sarah understands my love of all things Syracuse Orange and has been known to surprise me with Syracuse Orange gifts.

And just as the weather is about to take a turn for the cold, Sarah surprised me with this Syracuse Orange knitted hat

It's impossible not to look good in this thing. It looks good when I'm just chillin', watching my Syracuse Orange play:

It would look good if I tried to wear it while solving crime:

It even looks good when I'm getting all fanciful up in this piece:

And it's not just me that looks fresh in this thing.

My stuffed animal Blizzard is quite jealous of my new chapeau:

but he did point out that it doesn't match his sweater and he's already embarassed enough to not be wearing any pants...

Although Jigga might not admit it, he too wants to don this winter hat:

Ch-ch-ch-chia pets may be fun to grow, but Chia Scooby told me he'd much rather be wearing this hat than his mane of green chia hair:

"Yo quiero this Syracuse Orange hat!"

But to their collective dismay, the hat is for me to wear and wear it I will, proudly. Thank you Sarah for helping me show my Syracuse Orange pride.

Big East Champions

2005 Men's Basketball Big East Tournament Champions, indeed.

Just The Orange

Just "The Orange"
The Syracuse Orange. It sounds so weird. But apparently, as a fan I just have to get used to it. As long as they don't get rid of Otto I'll be okay.

I do find the following quote funny though.

We are the only school in the country with orange as its primary (official) color. You can identify some other schools that have orange as a color, but it’s not their primary (only) color and we want to accentuate that we are the only school with orange as its main (only) color.

No, you're totally right. I can't think of even one school that has orange as its primary color. Seriously, there are no other schools.


I guess this means I'm buying a new hat. Wow, look at all that orange on the hat. It's almost blinding.

Watching the Washington Bullets

With my sister I recently bought 7 Washington Wizards (who will from now on be referred to by me as the Washington Bullets because "wizards" is just a lame name) tickets for 100 level seats. Yesterday we saw the Bullets get beat up on by the New York Knicks. Sad.

But a few highlights from the game:
• This was our view. It's the first time I've been able to watch the game with my own eyes rather than look at the giant screen hanging from the center of the arena. Most of the upcoming games I'm going to will have this view, which is basically just on the opposite side of the floor.
  
  
• I got a Washington Bullets lunch box just for coming to the game. Yes, at my new job I do plan on bringing all my lunches in this lunch box.
  
  I know you're straining to see what's written on the side of the lunch box so I'll go ahead and answer that for you: This lunch box is sponsored by Hebrew National, once again giving support to the stereotype that Jews run the sporting world (What do you mean you haven't heard that stereotype? The stereotypes go like this: we control all the banks and the media, we're amazing in bed and we control the sporting world. What do you mean you haven't heard the last 2 before? No I'm not making those up, but they must come from somewhere. Oh yeah, that's right ladies.) In addition, while I will be bringing all my lunches in this box, I won't be bringing turkey and cheese sandwiches or shrimp kabobs.

• I snagged this ultra hip DC Lottery hat. And I actually did "snag" the hat - it fell from the roof of the MCI Center while attached to this DC Lottery mini-parachute. Note on the mini-parachute: my roommate's cat likes to wander around our apartment's balcony but we always worry she might get stuck and plummet to the ground. This parachute might be the solution we have been looking for.
  
  
• I got to see Syracuse alum Etan Thomas score 8 points, grab 5 rebounds and block 2 shots. He's a star!
  
  
• Quote of the Game: "Put the Passion of Christ on the floor!" No, the Bullets didn't just pick Jesus up off of waivers. That's former Duke star Christian Laettner. Stay back ladies, he's married.

I completed my end of the deal - I paid for 30 issues of "Sports Illustrated" (at less than $1 an issue. That's 7844576% off the cover price!) and now it is mine...

...the commemorative Syracuse Orangemen 2003 National Champions miniball.

Today is the greatest day of my life.

from the Button Maker

Jim Boeheim, basketball coach of the Syracuse Orangemen, was a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman last night. I sat in front of the TV watching it, giddy like a little school girl. I laughed at his jokes, I smiled proudly when he talked about the National Championship and I even clapped and giggled when they showed Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara offstage in the Late Show green room.

And it seems that Boeheim and some of the Orangemen players are going on a whirlwind tour of New York State. From ringing the NYSE Opening Bell to the Letterman gig and even to the Governor's Mansion for lunch.

And by Boeheim's side through all of this is his wife Juli. Oh, Juli Boeheim. As Tony Kornheiser might say, she still gets it done. So beautiful and somehow married to this, a man 20 years her senior. I'm told he's a very charming fellow.

But I'm getting off topic. Clearly, I am here right now to praise the Syracuse Orangemen. Juli Boeheim, I love you! Orangemen fans have been waiting so long for this moment So beautiful and this team has made so many people happy. Juli, I could make you happy It's only appropriate that they get their recognition. please Juli, run away with me But make sure you enjoy this moment because an opportunity like this may never come again. Marry me!

In summary, I love Juli Boeheim. Oh...umh...and the Syracuse Orangemen basketball team.

The Syracuse Orangemen are the 2003 NCAA Basketball National Champions. Unranked to start the season and ending it as the top team in the country. The color orange is back in style. Wear it proudly.

Carmelo Anthony has to be one of the best college freshman ever. Without a doubt. And only the second freshman in NCAA history to lead his team to a national title. But with that said, my favorite moment has to be seeing Hakim Warrick come out of no where to block the possible game tieing three point shot. Wide open, lined up, plenty of time and suddenly here comes Warrick flying through the air getting his entire hand on the ball and swatting it out of bounds. I'm tearing up a bit right now just thinking about it, although that might have more to do with the Raid we just sprayed in our office than the sentimental value.

Anyway, so we can all enjoy this moment together, here it is, captured in photo.



Syracuse: National Champions. I'll be reminding myself, and everyone else, about this for a long time to come.

I've been somewhat unbloggie lately. this time, it's not because I'm lazy. No, now that I've got the blog rolling again (still having problems with the archives - that's mostly due to laziness) I feel like every post has to be golden. Sure, I know none of the new posts to date have really been any good, but I put a lot of thought into them at the very least.

But with this, "Everything has to be perfect" policy, a lot of important things go unmentioned. So I thought I would recap what has happened over the last week or so and then give you my current favorite link.

Recap of Adam's Last Week or So
1. My girlfriend thinks I'm gay, but I'm not. I'm just a sensitive guy who enjoys watching "Trading Spaces" and "American Idol"
2. Kristen and I have been together for 2 years. Two wonderful years that have left me loving her very much. Although I'd be even more crazy about her if she'd get off my back about this "being gay" thing.
3. The "America" that is watching "American Idol" came very close to eliminating one of the most talented people on the show. How could Trenyce be in the bottom 2? The people responsible for this are probably the same people who think "God Bless the USA" is a great song. Sometimes I hate the world we live in.
4. Kit Kat's Big Kat is one of the best new candy bars in many years. Very underrated because I think it is too often thought of as just a big Kit Kat. Don't fall into this trap. Unlike a regular Kit Kat, the Big Kat has a perfect "chocolate to wafer crisp" ratio making it chocolately and refreshing. Put aside any preconceived thoughts and give one try. Pleaes, I urge you.
5. The Syracuse Orangemen have made a run to the championship game of the NCAA Tournament. Absolutely amazing. This has put a huge smile on my face all weekend whenever I think about it. The big game is tonight and for goodluck I've got on my boxers with oranges on them as well as an old blue and orange tie (I've also got on pants, a shirt and shoes, but they aren't Syracuse related). So watch the game and root for the 'Cuse as they face Kansas University tonight.

And this leads right in to my current favorite link. Syracuse beat Texas to get into the championship game. As he often does, during the game Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick had a huge dunk that got the crowd fired up. Unfortunately for Texas, the photo could be seen as a little embarassing, at least that's the way this Syracuse fan interpreted it. "How you say, 'Tea Bag?'"