tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88418957803833674022024-02-20T07:45:49.462-08:00The Island of Misfit ToysMarcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-53971030367949834762010-08-02T22:44:00.000-07:002010-08-02T23:09:05.187-07:00Back on the Beach...it's been awhile since i've been here.man do i have some stories to tell....worked a lot. learned a lot. stressed a lot. smoked a lot.met a girl.was offered a job. took it.thought about it. walked away from it.now i'm sitting in a half-boxed-up apartment which gives you no idea if i'm coming or going.the very picture of transition.the chance for true change.an opportunity for re-invention. think Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-7094296696944572682009-07-03T13:20:00.001-07:002009-07-03T13:20:46.772-07:00waiting for (economic) independence daythe frustration i've had is that american economics has recently been discussed as a zero-sum game. it's either capitalism or socialism...no ifs, ands or buts. and while a purely socialist economic system & government has been proven repeatedly not to be optimal, the idea that we can cling to capitalism as it currently exists is naive.at some point, the cycles of boom and bust that we've Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-90497167973205480192009-05-24T13:17:00.000-07:002009-05-25T08:25:36.693-07:00my blue heavenact like you've been there before.that's what's commonly said about athletes who perform exaggerated celebrations after routine accomplishments. don't pose and preen after a scoring a touchdown, hitting a home run or burying a 3-point shot. it's a part of your job - you've done it previously, you expect to do it and you'll do it again. no big whoop.but what if you've really never been there Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-4797701447287172682009-05-14T22:51:00.000-07:002009-05-25T08:25:51.545-07:00i ain't mad at 'chai was having a discussion with a friend recently. not an actual discussion...just a series of text messages, the whole of which constitute the average 21st century discussion. but i digress.the topic was performance enhancing drugs and the men who love them. he was partially filled with moderate indignation that a whole generation of players could cheat the game.i didn't care.he said they only Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-63257425032219487062009-05-11T08:44:00.000-07:002009-05-11T10:10:22.304-07:00dog peoplei spent a portion of yesterday at the beach enjoying the sun and hanging out at the los angeles bbq fest.good times, by the way. it was the second year, hopefully they begin to invest in some advertising. sounds like most people either heard about it through word of mouth or just by seeing the tents set up near the beach.but during Marcas' Day Out, i was reminded of how much people love their Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-3590829201281719242009-04-30T14:11:00.000-07:002009-05-03T22:55:56.401-07:00what the hell is wrong with me? what's missing? i have a job. i have an apartment. i have friends. but i feel like there's something wrong. i don't know what it is. it's empty. not from hunger. but it doesn't feel like a lack of fulfillment. it is it anxiety? is it fear? i don't know. and it bothers me. i want to fix the problem. i want to know that i'm okay. and i don't. Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-87781604401914665462009-04-27T09:13:00.001-07:002009-04-27T22:45:16.035-07:00playing hardballlast week i was asked to run for public office.this isn't the setup to a joke.a friend called me to say that a municipal public official was not running for re-election and to his knowledge there was no one running for that seat and that i'd be the perfect candidate.said aloud, the idea sounds perfectly ridiculous. the last campaign of any sort that i was involved in was my victory for Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-53584274556440434872009-04-24T12:04:00.000-07:002009-04-24T12:11:40.711-07:00back to the beachafter an extended hiatus, i'm back.at first, i chalked up the break to the rigors and stresses of moving. packing, unpacking, settling in...all that good stuff.turns out, i was just lazy.so here's to fighting lethargy. a nice bowl of oatmeal, a hot cup of mate and tom & jerry on the tube.it's good to be home.Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-37654019460901097392009-03-07T10:39:00.000-08:002009-03-07T15:35:28.098-08:00when the angels play the padres, who does god cheer for?we've seen and heard it plenty of times. an athlete succeeds at something - sets a record, wins a big game, takes home a trophy - then thanks god.it's a practice that rankles people for various reasons. some people find it disingenuous. others believe in the separation of church and State College. still others just wonder if god really picks a side and if he helped your team, was he going againstMarcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-50236455575638471392009-03-02T10:45:00.000-08:002009-03-02T11:43:19.140-08:00an open letter...to: shaquille o'nealdavid stern, nba commissionerjohn fahey, world anti-doping agency, commissionerassorted physiciansparents of impressionable young athletesto all concerned parties,recently, the issue of steroids has gripped american sports like at no other time. with stories of performance enhancing drugs running rampant through major league baseball clubhouses. myriad positive drug tests Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-39475651344616252932009-02-27T08:00:00.000-08:002009-02-27T08:23:00.061-08:00back to the islandpardon my absence...nothing will turn your life upside down like moving. and while this move was less painful than many others i've endured (is it bad that i've already experienced many moves?) it still threw off my routine and kept me away from my beloved Island for an extended period of time.in the interim, we've had the oscars, the (not) state of the union address, a republican response Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-11460997817826436702009-02-11T21:11:00.001-08:002009-02-12T06:36:25.519-08:00god bless charles darwini've always believed that there are three topics that can start an argument in a crowded room - sports, politics & religion. i've touched on two of them, here goes the third...if he were still alive today - and presumably pumped full of living water/voodoo magic/elfin dust - charles darwin would be turning 200 years old on thursday.walk into most churches in america and mention the theory of Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-23657055461086555222009-02-10T22:09:00.000-08:002009-02-10T22:43:41.261-08:00a cry for helpFROM TEH DESK OF THE CHAIRMANATTENTION FRIEND,I AM THE CHAIRMAIN OF THE MARCAS GRANT ENTERTAINEMT FUND (MGEF) AND I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT OUR FOUNDATION HAS DISCOVERED AN ERRORS THAT MUST DELIVER TO YOU $3 MILLION. SOME IN OUR ORGANIZATION HAVE BELIEVED THAT TUMULTUOUS TIMES CALL FOR THE RIGHT TO IGNORE SUCH MISTAKES. BUT IT IS BETTER FOR ONE TO DIE POOR AND HONEST THAN TO LIVE A RICH Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-627968987944048112009-02-09T22:51:00.000-08:002009-02-09T23:06:58.917-08:00the art of storytellingmy dad always told me that you could watch a baseball game every day for the rest of your life and you'd more than likely see something you've never seen before.i once worked with someone who said the reason he loved sports was because you never really knew how it was going to end. while most television shows and movies try to include twists and plot devices, more often than not you have a prettyMarcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-91355883218445620322009-02-07T20:32:00.000-08:002009-02-12T06:37:02.996-08:00a-rod's on roids....so what?!?the world of sports has stopped to bring you a breaking non-story.alex rodriguez reportedly tested positive for steroids in 2003.every news organization leading with this story will give any number of reasons that this is earth shattering information.a-rod is baseball's biggest star playing on the biggest stage for the game's biggest team.a-rod has led us to believe that he was clean.a-rod is Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-36850710102634439252009-02-05T12:52:00.000-08:002009-02-05T13:48:14.059-08:00the man who knew too muchi love the internet. really, what's not to like?everything you'd ever want is right at your fingertips. religious, secular, artful, obscene, geeky and athletic alike. many things claim to have something for everyone, but it's truly the case on the InterWeb.by the way, information superhighway, while a clever, high-tech sounding nickname, probably isn't the best description. i'd go with Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-74187039579505460692009-02-04T13:31:00.000-08:002009-02-04T15:42:37.462-08:00why signing day is overratedfebruary 4 is National Letter of Intent Day and as a fan of college football, i guess i should be rejoicing.but i'm not.actually, i'm filled with a heapin' helpin' of whogivesacrap.for the uninitiated, National Letter of Intent Day or Signing Day as it's more commonly called, is the first day of the rest of a high school athlete's life when he or she signs a scholarship letter from the college ofMarcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-36682328159542446072009-02-03T22:14:00.000-08:002009-02-04T12:47:58.007-08:00random thoughts for a tuesdayi began my day by wondering if anyone in the government actually pays their taxes. i ended it by wondering exactly how large the world of underground hip-hop really is. afterward i wondered if there was a connection. maybe it's another offshoot of having a black president. after all, doesn't congress need to try and prove some "street cred" to get in good with the White House?we'll see if Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-27843727401782143352009-02-02T22:16:00.000-08:002009-02-02T22:22:19.055-08:00and the Oscar goes to...The awards season is upon us. Let the arguments begin...Some people are lobbying that Philip Seymour Hoffman was perfect as a possibly pedophiliac priest. Others love Mickey Rourke as a broken down beefcake brawler. Still others are posthumously giving love to Heath Ledger as the Caped Crusader's criminally crazed clown counteragent.***SPOILER ALERT!!!***I'm going to tell you right now who the Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-58832640865620024432009-01-31T23:42:00.000-08:002009-02-01T01:14:28.993-08:00presenting...The Scrappies!as a self-proclaimed geek and cartoon junkie, i had the boomerang network on while making lunch a couple of days ago.if you're ever wondering where a lot of the cool cartoons went....check out boomerang. it's awesome!i noticed then that jabberjaw might be one of the most annoying characters ever created. you know jabberjaw...stupid, wisecracking shark that somehow played in a rock band and went Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-14928707745952259672009-01-30T00:51:00.000-08:002009-01-30T01:04:41.233-08:00night owls in orange countyit's nearly one o'clock in the morning and i'm absolutely exhausted. outside of the apartment there are noises. people still milling around, doing who knows what. the immediate answer would be that they're up to no good. after all, nothing good happens after midnight, right? chances are, however, that it's the innocent movement of night owls in orange county. could have been the title of a warrenMarcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-40903659731296565302009-01-28T23:27:00.000-08:002009-01-29T00:29:09.466-08:00we don't need no thought controlwhen it routinely takes 45 minutes to get home from work, it's amazing the types of things that cross your mind.from the mundane...what am i having for breakfast tomorrow?to the sublime...i think we should scrap money and go back to the barter system. to the just plain stupid.the only people who don't like kissing are people with no lips. weekdays are the anti-snowflakes. on the surface, they Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-40048511133352855862009-01-22T21:54:00.000-08:002009-01-22T22:10:04.555-08:00....sitting and staring at a blank screen, you realize how easily and often you think about nothing.so many times people have asked me what i'm thinking about.so many times i've said, "nothing."and most of the time i don't think people believed me. but it's these moments that i realize that i really was thinking nothing. or if there were thoughts, they were fleeting. nothing lasting, nothing heavy. Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-60195969980330200932009-01-21T19:55:00.000-08:002009-01-21T22:49:16.018-08:00biting the hand that feeds mei love sports.what's not to love? it really is reality television - or at least the closest thing that passes for reality on television. watch it daily and you never know how it ends and there's a good chance you'll see something you've never seen before.i'm sure you can say the same for rock of love - bus tour, but i mean in a good way.what i don't love is sports media.probably not the best Marcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841895780383367402.post-30715661521925312102009-01-20T22:29:00.000-08:002009-01-20T23:09:31.600-08:00the part of No we should all understandas inauguration day comes to a close in the pacific time zone, i was struck by one question...how is this not a national holiday?i don't ask strictly because of the historic nature of today's inauguration, but because of the significance of all inaugurations. we continually preach to the world that our democratic system is what all nations should strive for. we remark constantly about our abilityMarcas Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140748703852442540noreply@blogger.com4