I run this joint. Don’t know where to start? Let me show you around:
No matter how frequent you train, running is a constant challenge. Last week, during one particularly sluggish run, I found inspiration to keep pushing myself from an unlikely comrade: an unfamiliar long-boarder approaching me from the opposite direction. Continue reading…
At E3 2009 in Los Angeles last week, I went for the games, but I ended up seeing two musical acts that I think are tops: The Beatles (specifically Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr), and DJ Shadow. Though at opposite ends of the musical spectrum, both artists were/are pioneers in the their own right.
I sat about 150 feet from both McCartney and Starr, as they unveiled the upcoming Beatles Rock Band game. “The game is good, the graphics are very good—we we’re great,” Starr said to roaring laughter. Since they quit touring in 1966, it was an honor to be in their presence. Continue reading…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2SSZA0CjdQ[/youtube]
I’m a teetotaler. But I can’t stop laughing at The Most Interesting Man in the World, the fictional celebrity endorser for Dos Equis beer (similar to Chuck Norris Facts). As usual, the new ad spots are proof positive that beer advertisers are the funniest in the world.
But I digress. I’m not here to talk about beer ads. I’m here to name the most interesting facts about The Most Interesting Man in the World. They are as follows, according to reputable researchers, top scholars, and his contemporaries: Continue reading…
While in San Diego recently, I went surfing for the first time. As my wife will tell you, I’m pretty proud of myself. Regrettably, I was unable to stand after two hours of riding. But I did get up on both knees a couple of times, so that was pretty cool. The score so far: Ocean 1, Blake 0. In any case, I’m totally taking up surfing as a hobby. Just need to find a nearby ocean.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_txF7iETX0[/youtube]
LOS ANGELES—Video games have finally grown up. As evidenced by this week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, the medium is no longer a boys-only club. And in an effort to appeal to all audiences, the race for a better user interface has officially overtaken the race for photorealistic graphics.
“The show was a bit of a turning point for games,” said George Jones, senior vice president at GamePro. “Games, products, and hardware are expanding like never before, and there was a lot of excitement for the future at this year’s show.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGBF6AHaaS0[/youtube]
I had the chance to play both DJ Hero and Beatles Rock Band this week. Fully. Awesome. While my interest in rhythm games has waned recently due to overexposure, these two tickled all the right spots to get me excited again. Cannot wait.
You can blame England—the inventors of the game—not America for the word.
As the U.S. Embassy in London explains, “Soccer’s etymology is not American but British. It comes from an abbreviation for Association Football, the official name of the sport. For obvious reasons, English newspapers in the 1880s couldn’t use the first three letters of Association as an abbreviation, so they took the next syllable, S-O-C. With the British penchant for adding ‘-er’ at the end of words—punter, footballer, copper, and rugger—the word ‘soccer’ was born, over a hundred years ago, in England, the home of soccer. Americans adopted it and kept using it because we have our own indigenous sport called football.”
Still don’t like the word soccer? You can file an official complaint with South Africa, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and a handful of others in addition to the U.S. who all refer to the sport as “soccer.”
See also
Lindsey and I are taking the girls to San Diego for a few days of sand and sun, after which I’m headed to Los Angeles for E3 through Thursday. I’ll stay offline if you do. Have a great week, readers. (photo)
This granulated and dark photo taken with my Blackberry doesn’t do the course justice, but even public golf courses in Utah are something to look at. It’s enough to make me pick up golf again. Taken on hole seven at Cascade Golf Center in Orem.
I regularly get 2-3 comments per month from first-time visitors calling me “Harold,” my blogging pseudonym. I expected this when launching the site in 2005. Before I explain why, let me remind you how I came up with the name:
I was good friends with a guy named Michael Komenda years ago while living in Brazil. He is like a skinning version of Chris Farley—very animated guy. Anyway, he had a band called Smooth Harold in high school. I asked him where he got the name, and he said he once saw a kid wearing a green shirt that read “Smooth Harold” on the back. By the time I started my blog, Komenda had stopped using the name for his band, so I took it for myself.
In many ways, the life of Blake Snow is a rather boring one. He works from home. He’s married with kids. No alarms and no surprises really. It’s the life I want to lead, and one that makes me happy. But I realize it’s not a remarkable life. So I wanted my blog to be larger than Blake Snow. That’s why I blog under an admitted pseudonym.
Plus, Smooth Harold just sounds cooler.
So far, 2009 is shaping up to be a good year for new album releases. There’s been a new Phoenix album, a new Mat Kearney one, and new releases from Paolo Nutini, Eminem, and the Beastie Boys right around the corner. Still, there’s a handful of artists I listen to so much, I wish they had already released a new album. Here a five of my most-wanted: Continue reading…
I got the new Punch-Out for Wii today and have been reveling in the nostolgia and reliving the combos required to beat each opponent. Currently I’m stuck on that frackin’ Great Tiger, who uses tricky teleportation punches to win. Cheater. My older brother Brooks was always better at this game. Where’s a good wing man when you need one?
I uncharacteristically watched the PGA Player’s Championship last weekend. I usually find golf on TV to be dreadfully boring. But I actually enjoyed it this time. I even plan on watching more. But that’s not what I’m here to say. I’m here because I’ve got a bone to pick with the allowance of caddies in professional golf. Here’s why: Continue reading…
Lindsey and I are going to see Keane for the second time in Salt Lake tonight. In preparation, I can’t think of a more fitting time to name my top 10 Keane songs of all time, so here goes. Continue reading…
I have never believed in traditional retirement, the complete withdrawal from one’s occupation, business, or office near the end of one’s life. It’s a pipe dream. As millions of ex-retirees quickly realize after an uneventful year on the beach, idleness never was happiness.
But leisure and periodic breaks from work are an important part of life. When used properly, regular vacations can inspire and rejuvenate a willingness to work harder. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be rich or wait until the end of your life to vacation. Here’s how: Continue reading…
New Yorker
I just got done reading Malcolm Gladwell’s How David Beats Goliath: When underdogs break the rules. It’s brilliant. The most inspiring essay I’ve read in at least two years. Instead of getting in the way, I’m just going to point you there, admonish you to print the 7,000 words, and read it. Afterwhich, you should full court press, challenge conventional wisdom, and display chutzpah for the rest of your life.
In preparing for this story, I asked a friend who uses the internet much less than I do some questions. I couldn’t help but chuckle when I read the following addendum to his answers:
Things I hate about online people:
- Everyone thinks they are an expert or critic.
- People become increasingly aggressive when shielded by the blanket of anonymity online.
- Online folks are much more interesting within the confines of their computer than they are in real life.
Excluding short articles and blog posts not on Smooth Harold:
What do all those silly corporate titles really mean? Let’s find out.
According to Wikipedia, the Chairman (of the board) is pretty much the top dog. He elects the CEO and President who then elect the rest of the down line. The Chairman and the rest of the board are more concerned with governance while the CEO and President are more concerned with management. The distinction between governance and management allows for clear lines of authority with the aim being to prevent a conflict of interest and too much power being concentrated in the hands of one person.
The President can also be known as COO or chief operating officer, taking care of the day-to-day operations of the company while the CEO is more concerned with strategic management. The President or COO report directly to the CEO, and the CEO to the board.
These titles are generally used for large, public corporations, while partners (chair persons) and directors (managers) are typically used for smaller, private firms. There you have it.
Originally published Oct 21, 2005
I already told about my new hairdo, the “Reverse Cow Lick.” I haven’t cut it in a while, so the swirl is getting a little long. This morning, my wife looked at me awkwardly and said, “The back of your hair looks messed up, because you’re wearing a comb over. Your cowlick is all over the place!”
Ladies a gentleman, a new world record. First man with a full head of hair to rock a comb over.
See also: Overheard at the Snow’s house: “You look like a five year-old”
Never being good enough in real life, my brother and I would vicariously live the life of true skateboarders on finger boards. We could pop ollies and rail slide on real boards, and rode them often. But you should see how rad a kick flip I can land with this little guy. I used to play with several like him for hours as a child.
So imagine the nostalgic punch to the face after spotting one at the toy store on Friday, while shopping for the girls. I had no idea they still sold them. With Lindsey teasing at my side, reminding me that I will turn 30 this summer, I excitedly considered all available options. I decided an a gnarly Alien Workshop miniature.
Best $3 I’ve ever spent in my adult life. Interchangeable wheels, stickers, and screw driver included in the set!
The rascal you see pictured above is my 1 and a half year old, Maddie. Lindsey and I often call her “The Destructor,” because she’s so rambunctious.
She also teases her elder sister Sadie—quite frequently.
I first noticed Maddie’s habit several months ago. If the girls are ever meant to share something, Maddie will usually dangle it in front of her sister, then rip it away at the last minute with a cute little chuckle grunt. Like her mother, Sadie would never do something like this, nor does she find pleasure in doing so.
I finished reading The Kite Runner a couple of weeks ago. Here are my postmortem thoughts:
In an effort to grow a handful of consumer websites that I publish, I’m seeking the help of a business manager (independent or otherwise) to hawk ad inventory for me. The biggest property, pictured above, generates 85,000 unique visitors per month and reaches 13,000 RSS subscribers. I also have a handful of other properties I’d like to monetize. If you or someone you know might be able to help, please email blake@griffio.com so we can chew the fat. Thanks! Now back to regularly scheduled programming.
Two years ago, I launched the Smooth Harold Helpdesk and Open Lunch Invitations (see sidebar). In that time I’ve met with more than a dozen individuals I previously didn’t know, fielded upwards of 50 email inquires—ranging from typography design to how to make a pregnant wife happy—and rekindled relationships with countless friends, colleagues, and associates. To say the program has broadened my horizons and created new opportunities would be a gross understatement.
“If you have a specific question you think I might be able to answer (business, web, personal, etc), don’t hesitate to ask via email or in person over lunch,” I wrote at the time. “If I don’t know the answer, chances are I can refer you to someone who does. And no, this isn’t ‘you scratch my back I scratch yours.’ It’s just a genuine attempt to share the little that I’ve learned from talking with people smarter than me, reading good books, and seeing what sticks.”
Which beast would win in a tournament of mortal combat: the king of the jungle, a ferocious striped feline, or a godless marauding killing machine (aka bear)? In other words, who is the ultimate carnivore? In the spirit of the recent NCAA basketball tournament, let’s find out.
I think every hard-working individual who desires should be able to live in the United States. Unfortunately, that’s not as easy as it should be for people trying to get in by the book, because illegal immigration is so rampant. Call it the emigrant’s plight: they want to get into the country, but our system is so broken, they either abandon (or postpone) the American Dream or risk deportation by going undocumented.
The British had it right at one time. During the 19th century, their culture viewed stocks and securities exchange as a less than noble venture, according to the writings of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens—like how you and I look upon multi-level marketing companies today. Appropriately, the stock market was widely known then as “speculation.” A theory. A guess. An unverifiable promise or conclusion.
At some point, investment sharks (don’t call ’em bankers) hijacked the accurate description of “speculation” to mean “investments,” “stock market,” and “Wall Street”—prestigious terms that sound nothing like the conjecture they represent. Smart people made money on changes in the fickle market, giving hope to uninformed individuals, who blindly followed and still lose the majority, if not all their money, every few decades. Some are lucky. Most are not.
“What is art?” is perhaps the most futile question ever asked. It’s like trying to argue what the best color is.
But I think I’ve found what the definition of great art is: a visible, audible, or experiential creation that gets people talking. Yes, that includes shock artists that insipidly use controversy to attract publicity. And no, art doesn’t have to be properly marketed or seen by lots of people to make it great. But if an original creation, whether accidental or intended, doesn’t make a lasting impression on at least one beholder, it can’t be great art. Am I wrong?
Panting by Jonathan Janson, a Vermeer impressionist
If these ominous clouds clear up, I’m scheduled to play my first game of old man’s baseball tonight. I play right field for the 26 and older Cubs.
Last year, our team made the switch to pinstripes, identical to the ones you see an angry Lou Piniella wearing above. I hate pinstripes. Their outdated. And they make you look like a husky douche. Two years ago, we wore gray pants and blue tops. I wish we still did.
Can I get a witness?
See all: Baseball-related posts
Author’s note: This is the piece I pitched to the Miami Herald and DJ Times after our stay in Fort Lauderdale. The Herald said it was too “trade specific” and the Times said it was too “Stanton specific,” so I’m publishing it here so it can see the light of day. Enjoy.
HOLLYWOOD, Fl. — Despite three decades of newer technology, vinyl records are still crackling. In fact, vinyl sales grew last year, doubling to almost two million in the U.S., according to Nielsen Media Research—the highest they’ve been since 1991.
“Though vinyl’s popularity waned with the emergence of cassettes and CDs in the late 1980s, records continue to hold a niche in the music marketplace, especially among audiophiles and DJs,” says Joshua Friedlander, vice president of research for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Helping to boost last year’s total is a growing number of teens who prefer the collectible nature and warmer sound of vinyl—comparable to listening to a “live” self-playing piano, as opposed to flat MP3s, which are often forgotten as quickly as they are downloaded.
Excluding short news articles and blog posts:
A message—whether an email, voice-mail, sticky note, or blog post—is just a mini presentation. It’s a way of conveying information to an audience. To effectively do so, I try to adhere to the following 3 principles.
If you are brief, detailed, and structured when conveying information to an audience, your message will be loud and clear. Just be sure you have something important to say…
If you look closely at the above picture—through the flash glare—you’ll see a little white spot on my fingernail. For as long as I can remember, I get one every few months or so. It’s called Leukonychia Punctata, the most common form of random white spots on fingernails. It is usually caused by a deficiency of zinc in one’s diet or mild trauma to the nail, doctors say.
I’m not sure what causes mine. But thanks to an insatiably curiosity and my ninja Google skills, I finally have a proper diagnosis. Ahhh. That feels better. Anybody else get spots on their fingernails?
At the recommendation of a long-time Smooth Harold reader (thanks, Nic), I finished Robinson Crusoe over the weekend. Regarded as the first novel written in English and first published in 1719, it’s a story about high-sea adventure, shipwrecks, castaways, gratitude, hard work, and international intrigue.
What I like most about the book is Defoe’s poetic commentary on human behavior. For example, after Robinson nearly drowned at sea for the first time, he quickly swore off his selfish ways and committed himself to God, before changing his mind after disaster had been averted: Continue reading…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XRwGKtlHc[/youtube]
If you have a DS, please head to your nearest Wii, game store, or DS kiosk to download a free demo of Rhythm Heaven. The above video does a better job explaining the game than I ever could, but in short, you tap, flick, hold, and slide the DS stilus in rhythm with the music to produce a desired effect… say building robots on an assembly line. It’s as crazy as it sounds, but also a lot of fun. I haven’t played a game that made me smile this much since World of Goo. The full version comes out April 6.
My wife and I have been reading classic literature this year. She finished Jane Eyre last week before starting Great Expectations, and I tackled Out of Africa and Old Man and the Sea before moving to Robinson Crusoe. We both agree: it’s inspiring stuff—and much better than junk food reading.
We also agree that those wordy, overblown, or otherwise melodramatic introductions by semi-popular modern authors are lame. I understand it’s a marketing ploy to sell more re-released books, and you can always skip ’em. But they get in the way of great literature. I have yet to read an author introduction that I enjoyed. Let me get to the book already, or at least call the thing an “author retrospective” and put it in the back of the book.
Dumb.
I played football for three years from 6th through 8th grade. I was a running back, and I loved hitting people while holding the ball—lower your head and boom! On the other hand, I hated being blindsided. And one drill is the mother of all blind side tackles: Bull in the Ring.
For a pansy example of the drill, watch this video at minute 4:45. Now for the reality as a youngling playing in the deep South. First, just about everyone who plays football hates Bull in the Ring, except those crazy jacked up players that aren’t quite right in the head. As its name implies, one player is encircled by the entire team. In my case, it was around 18 players usually. So 17 vs. 1. Nice odds, eh?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8[/youtube]
Newscast from 2006. You can’t make this stuff up, can you, Nicholas?
I’ve been an avid BlackBerry user since 2006. I think they’re great if you can moderate their use. (You don’t want to be the loser in the room who plays with their phone all night, right?) But I would also like to see some changes for the better. And becoming an iPhone is not one of them.
I teach Sunday School once a month to a small group of boys. Last week, I taught a subject that is dear to my heart: using time wisely. Spiritual advice aside, the lesson also included some excellent secular counsel, in the form of the following short story: Continue reading…
I was 15 the first time I read Ernest Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea. I remember thinking when discovering it: “Really? A Pulitzer Prize book that’s only 127 pages? I can do that!” And I did.
I liked it. It was an easy read. I felt for the man, and it was inspiring. Last week, I finished it for the second time, some 14 years after I first read it. My feelings haven’t changed much, but I appreciate Hemingway’s metaphors more so this time than the last. Some updated thoughts:
Now before any dreamy eyed Obama voters get offended by the timing of this, I’m in no way calling our nascent President a failure. I’m still hopeful. But as an American, I want answers, which is what good reporting should be seeking anyway. So why haven’t these questions been asked (or maybe I missed them)? Continue reading…
By recommendation, I finished reading Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen last month. Though hardly a page-turner, I have a stronger appreciation for Africa after reading this book than by reading or seeing any other material on the subject. It’s a true story about a Danish transplant and her experience running a farm in east Africa.
It’s not the easiest read. I lost interest from time to time for a page and a half. But a compelling short-story is always within reach, making the effort worth it. For example, consider this little gem of an observation:
“Native [Africans] dislike speed, as we dislike noise, it is to them, at the best, hard to bear. They are also on friendly terms with time, and the plan of beguiling or killing it does not come in to their heads. In fact the more time you can give them, the happier they are, and if you commission a Kikuyu [Kenya’s most populous ethnic group] to hold your horse while you make a visit, you can see by his face that he hopes you will be a long, long time about it. He does not try to pass the time, but sits down and lives it.”
Lovely reading. And a great book if you want to improve your writing.
I was told the following story with an Indian boy and rattlesnake growing up, but the principle is just as poetic. From Wikipedia:
The Scorpion and the Frog is a fable of unknown author, often mis-attributed to Aesop. The story is about a scorpion asking a frog to carry him across a river. The frog is afraid of being stung, but the scorpion reassures him that if it stung the frog, the frog would sink and the scorpion would drown as well. The frog then agrees; nevertheless, in mid-river, the scorpion stings him, dooming the two of them. When asked why, the scorpion explains, “I’m a scorpion; it’s my nature.”
In other words, “You knew what I was when you picked me up.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jETv3NURwLc[/youtube]
I stumbled upon this clever commentary by Louis C.K. after it was published to the internet ages ago (aka two weeks ago). Thanks, Josh.
They can take away my representation, but that can’t take away my purchasing power.
I’ve said it before, but it’s been frustrating to watch the ballooning growth of our national debt, after eight years of unprecedented ballooning. For a long time, it seemed as if I was powerlessness to what was going on—like I couldn’t fight back.
Not anymore.
I received the below reader email Thursday, inquiring about the best way to highlight text within a paragraph.
I’m a design student working on a book layout and wanted to add some texture to my text, but not if it impedes readability. One of your articles deplored in-line bolding, but what about italicizing? And if that’s acceptable, are the commas, quotation marks, and the speaker’s name (“______,” says Mr. X, “_______.”) also italicized? — Jo
Thanks for reaching out, Jo. I’m in no way the authority on typography design, but I don’t think italics are the readable friendly design answer. Continue reading…
Is it possible to have an identity complex a year before turning 30? After changing my hair two weeks ago, I decided to wear high socks with shorts today (I need new pants, plus the weather is nice, okay?). Excited about my throw back to ’90s sock fashion, I asked Lindsey what she thought. “You look like a five year-old,” she proclaimed. Maybe so, but I’m tired of anklet socks. Besides, it’s kind of fun to be different, and who do I need to impress? (I’m married.)
