Thoughts on…punctuation?

I wish there was a form of punctuation in between a period and an exclamation point in level of excitement.

This is not just some random ridiculous thought of mine. I have come to realize that exclamation points are too flamboyant for me in my everyday life. If at the end of an e-mail, for example, I want to say “I hope you have a great weekend,” I only have these options:

I hope you have a great weekend. (dull)

I hope you have a great weekend! (overexcited)

I need something with more life than a period, but with less exuberance than an exclamation point. As I browse my keyboard the ~ key stands out as a nice option. It has a lively flow to it and no one knows what the hell it’s for anyway.

I hope you have a great weekend~

It almost works. Looks a little lame though. As I continue to write, I am beginning to realize that this is, in fact, a random ridiculous post. But if just one person out in life’s blogosphere understands what I am talking about, maybe it will all be worth it. Have a great weekend!

State of the Union Address

In case you missed it, the following is my attempted transcription of President Bush’s State of the Union Address. For any portions of the speech that I might have missed while daydreaming or shutting off the television, here is a more “official” transcript care of CNN.com.

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap… clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap. “Members of Congress, I have the high privilage and the distinct honor of presenting to you the President of the United States.” Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap… clap clap clap clap. “Seven years have passed… We’ve faced a lot… Gas prices have gone up…blah blah… American families have to balance their budget. So should the government.” Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap… “We must confront the epidemic of junk medical lawsuits… etc. etc.” Clap clap clap [went in my room]

I did not do a very good job with that and I apologize. Honestly, I would rather read a transcript myself rather than sit through all the clapping. I’ll save that read-through for tomorrow… or for never. Let me make this up to you with a profound statement:

Our country faces challenging times. Throughout this important election year, as we listen to presidential debates and challenge the political beliefs of our friends and relatives, let us remember how lucky we are to live in a country where debate holds meaning. If America did not have the inherent free will of a democratic nation, debate over what is right and what is wrong would be irrelevant. We represent the varying beliefs of a nation that respects our varying beliefs. For this reason, and despite our grievances, we should be forever proud to be Americans.

clap clap clap clap clap

I really am proud to be an American. And although many seem to agree that major changes are needed, the people of America are blessed to have the ability to make change when it’s called for.

“The secret of our strength, the miracle of America, is that our greatness lies not in our government, but in the spirit and determination of our people… By trusting the people, succeeding generations transformed our fragile young democracy into the most powerful nation on earth and a beacon of hope for millions. And so long as we continue to trust the people, our nation will prosper, our liberty will be secure and the state of our union will remain strong.” – George W. Bush’s speech writers

The greatest Super Bowl matchup of all Tynes

“Good Tynes!” – ESPN.com

“It’s About Tynes” – Fox Sports

“Third Tynes a Charm” – Yahoo! Sports

Thank God Tynes hit that last field goal – not just because it gave the Giants the win, but because 3 misses in a row would have given the Giants linemen probable cause to jump him, rip his leg off, and devour it like a pride of hungry lions. Now he’s a hero to Giants fans and to headline writers who love that his name sounds so much like “times.”

It is thrilling, to say the least, that the New York Giants, my absolute favorite team in my absolute third favorite sport, are going for their ELEVENTH straight road victory against the New England Patriots in SuperBowl 42 (for those of you who can’t read Roman).

I imagine most Giants fans were hoping that the Patriots would be ousted by the Chargers, but where’s the excitement in a Giants-Chargers Super Bowl?

This is where it’s at. This is the pinnacle of football entertainment. This is like a Yankees-Red Sox World Series. If a Yankees-Red Sox World Series was even POSSIBLE.

It’s a New York team attempting to ruin the undefeated season of a Boston-area team when it matters most. It has the potential to be a Super Bowl we will remember forever. The day the Giants stunned the unbeaten Patriots. The day the Patriots completed their perfect season. The stage is set. February 3rd, 2008. Football fan or not, mark your calendars.

Alright, I’m done promoting the nation’s most watched sporting event.