Hop's Thoughts

When I woke up this morning, I immediately had this sick feeling in my stomach that the right-wing rag, aka The New York Post would have some obnoxious headline that read "Cuomo's Homos" or some other derogatory statement such as "We Pledge Allegiance To The Fag."  Listen, this is a paper that had Tiger Woods on the cover for something like 41 days straight, surpassing Michael Jackson's 30 plus, in the midst of a war and a recession.  I don't know what the actual headline was, but I'm sure it appealed to the masses of mental midgets out there who were for or against.  As I lay in bed, I started thinking about how boring most weddings are and how same sex weddings may actually be more fun.  I started listing the reasons in my mind of how this new law will enhance the typical wedding. Gay men have more style, so goodbye traditional penguin suit, hello pastels in June! Two Brides - hot! Trying to pick up that girl at the wedding and it's not w...

In a year that will include the date 9/11/11, a date that will stir up emotions that most won't be able to contain, we now have a date of happiness.  The date 6/24/11 will be a very important date in New York State's history.  It will be remembered as the day, when we recognized that two men or two women can love each other and commit to each other in the same ways that a man and a woman can.  Religious affiliation aside, this is a huge milestone and one that has been long coming.  I applaud those few who were brave enough to cross their parties lines to make this happen.  It's a huge achievement and you should be proud. I realize that not everyone is happy about this.  I realize that some people's faith will not allow them to believe this is just.  To those people, I ask only that you respect anyone's wishes to get married, regardless of their differences or, in this case, their similarities. We truly are a melting pot and over the last few wee...

Due to a trade at 6PM.  I made some adjustments.  Here is the updated draft.  The Bucks got absolutely screwed on this deal.  Picking up lesser players and than they gave up and now they have the 19th pick instead of Chris Singleton. I will be the first to admit that I know nothing about the NBA.  It's a horrible league, with sub par performers and the game has lost it's luster.  There are no good shooters anymore and if you can't do windmill dunks, nobody cares.  The games all have a feeling of being fixed, especially in the playoffs and miraculously the big market teams have dominated for years.  That being said, I live for college basketball and know it better than most.  So here's my first round picks with some minor comments.   1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke - huge mistake. Derrick Williams is the best player. 2. Minnesota Timberwolves - (trade to Atlanta) Enes Kantner, C, Kentucky - Minn gets ...

In the last week and a half, I have written blogs about the best movies of each decade.  I had started this last year, but never followed up.  I broke down, reverse chronological order every decade from 2000-2009 to the 1930's.  Only one film before 1930 would have received 5-stars and that was F.W. Marnau's Nosferatu.  The first real Dracula movie.  Still resonates today and in my opinion is still the best vampire movie ever made.  Sorry Twilight fans.  The only one that even comes close is the Swedish picture Let The Right One In, which was remade in America as Let Me In, which is magnificent in its own right and probably #3 on my list of Vampire films.  The Japanese film, Thirst should also be noted, as nobody I know has seen it, and it's very interesting. To make my ultimate top ten list I looked over all of the decade lists and started to narrow them down.  Out of the eighty-one films to make my list, I easily cut it down to thirty-sev...

You ever thing about day to day activities as a lifetime?  My guess is no and I'd like to think there is a reason why.  We don't really want to know.  Some things we do in life are documented, like student loans, car payments and health insurance.  Some we just pay, month in and month out for years.  Have you ever thought about those items? Take buying lunch in a deli.  Over the past twenty years I would say, on average, I have bought lunch in a deli three times a week.  Obviously prices have changed over the years, so let's give a nice low estimate, say $6.  That comes to just shy of $19,000 and a little less than a grand a year. What about cell phones?  When I started paying for mine, it was $70 a month, now it's $110.  I've had a cell phone for about seven years, so splitting the difference, we'll say $90 a month for 84 months. $7500+ to talk on the phone.  A little over $1000 a year.  Add Internet and TV and it's p...

As I've mentioned on past blogs I do not own a home or have an area in which to BBQ, but I love to cook.  I would not say I'm a great cook, but I can hold my own.  I tend to like things heavily seasoned and sometimes I go a little overboard.  I've watched friends make burgers and see them take the ground beef, make a patty and place onto the grill or into a pan.  I cringe, I cry inside, I want to grab them and strangle them.  When I make a burger, I dice onions and garlic and add it to the meat.  I add a nice splash of Worcestershire sauce, usually a little Sriracha, and then salt, pepper and some cumin.  Sometimes I add oregano or a combo of Italian seasonings for some aromatics.  I place my burger in a hot pan, sear both sides and either finish in the pan if thin or stick it under the broiler for maybe a minute.  I like mine rare/medium-rare so the process goes quickly.  I take the burger and place it on a plate and let it sit for at l...

Summer seems to be most people's favorite time of year.  Kids are out of school, young adults have what amounts to seven day weekends and for most adults they receive their vacation time.  They pack up their families and head to distant or not so distant lands.  Pretty much, as long as there is a beach, it's a happy getaway.  Maybe it's my age or my situation at this age, but I never really look forward to summer anymore. Don't get me wrong, I love the occasional BBQ, but the reality is, it's always been my least favorite season.  For one, I don't like hot weather.  Pretty much anything over 72 degrees I consider hot.  I don't like the ridiculous amounts of traffic on the road either.  Everyone is in slow down mode and it makes getting from A to B a nightmare.  I also don't like fireworks, so the beginning of the summer is very frustrating to me.  Not only the incessant noise, but the litter that is left behind by these one second...