YES, I lip-synced, so sue me
Over SIX (YES SIX) people have asked me today, "What was it like to be on the radio?" (Referring to our Dave and Huna two hour free-for-all on KSTP AM 1500.) Let me tell you, it was kind of surreal. You're thinking about so many things -- is the microphone in the right spot, how much time is left before we have to go to a break, make sure to give out the phone number, quickly scribbling notes to Dave to suggest a sound effect or a new twist, wondering if the topic is going to last long enough or do we need to stretch it out, deciding which caller to fit in at a certain time, counting the number of security guards that we would need to take out to commandeer the station... I didn't really have the brain cycles available to get all heated up about anything.

Plus it was weird doing it on a warm Sunday afternoon when I think 75% of the listeners were nice old folks who just had the radio on while woodworking. Hard to decide how controversial to get, and hard to react to the calls.

Having never been even near a radio studio before, it got to the point where we didn't even really remember what we had just said -- we were just trying to push on with the show and avoid the proverbial "train wreck." BUT we felt a lot better in the second hour, and I'm sure with more work we could become smoooooth as silk (and more spirited). Will we get a chance to do "more work?" Well, who knows...
03.07.05 @ 06:20 PM CDT [link]

So what was it LIKE to be on the radio?
Over SIX (YES SIX) people have asked me today, "What was it like to be on the radio?" Let me tell you, it was kind of surreal. You're thinking about so many things -- is the microphone in the right spot, how much time is left before we have to go to a break, make sure to give out the phone number, quickly scribbling notes to Dave to suggest a sound effect or a new twist, wondering if the topic is going to last long enough or do we need to stretch it out, deciding which caller to fit in at a certain time, counting the number of security guards that we would need to take out to commandeer the station...

Having never been even near a radio studio before, it got to the point where we didn't even really remember what we had just said -- we were just trying to push on with the show and avoid the proverbial "train wreck." BUT we felt a lot better in the second hour, and I'm sure with more work we could become smoooooth as silk. Will we get a chance to do "more work?" Well, who knows...
03.07.05 @ 06:16 PM CDT [link]

Dave and Huna on 1500
Well, we got our big radio chance. The Dave and The Huna got two hours of possible train wreck talk radio as part of the KSTP AM 1500 Next Big Thing contest. I might post some audio clips once I get a copy of the show. We originally sent in a demo a couple years ago, and finally there is a format that allows them to put guys like us on the air without looking like desperate college radio station programmers.

We started out with some awkwardness, but from people who have given us feedback, we seem to have hit a decent stride for the second hour. It's hard to connect with an audience when even your friends decide to work outside on a super-warm day instead of listen to the show.

Unfortunately, it turns out I blew my blog invention joke. I said Thomas JEFFERSON invented the blog instead of Thomas EDISON. Doofus. DOOFus. DOOFUS.

The producer dude was a young guy who helped us out a lot, although he didn't have any prizes to give away to everybody who was bored enough to call our show (all dozen of them). Boo for that. Hah!

My parents (back in Wisconny) listened over high-speed Internet at a friend's house. Good thing there was no Packer intra-squad scrimmage or anything going on.

03.07.05 @ 04:06 PM CDT [link]

Disney World
No posts for a long time. I was busy planning for Disney World, going to Disney World, and recovering from Disney World. Now I am ready for the election. I am voting for Aladdin, I think.
11.02.04 @ 11:39 AM CDT [link]

Uno!
We played Uno the other night. I won the first six hands, for a total of.... 42 stinkin' points. That was pathetic. I think there may have been cheating involved.
10.04.04 @ 04:04 PM CDT [link]

Neil Peart look out (not)
Got meself a drum kit, mate. Getting the band back together and all that. Not a 5-piece '69 Slingerland, as Dada would suggest, but in my book it's better. Nice slightly used Pacific CX 5-piece with the cheapest cymbals I could find. BOY is the thing loud. Shakes the family room floor. Makes it impossible to watch TV or do anything, really. Time to soundproof a basement music room. Here is a pic.

09.08.04 @ 03:48 PM CDT [link]

IKEAnnot wait to get out of here!!
We went to the IKEA in Bloomington Saturday evening. We figured if we got there about 6:30, the crowds would start to go down. Turns out they did go down a bit, but the congestion changed only from "state fair on the busiest day" down to "Ridgedale on Dec. 24."
The Exterior
When they put in the Plymouth Home Depot, I mourned the tree-lined stretch that was cruelly replaced with a garish bright orange devil box. Now I have seen an eyesore that exceeds the Home Depot, perhaps only because of sheer size and not color. The immense solid blue monolith with bright yellow signage (with one "K" already burned out) is a nightmare that will cause even astronauts to squint with disgust.
The Layout
They designed the thing to herd you down their tiny aisles throughout the whole store no matter where you want to go, so it can take 10 minutes to get back to the cashier. And that's WITHOUT huge crowds. The woefully inadequate map doesn't give you enough detail or perspective to move efficiently through the store. It doesn't even have enough detail for you to find all the products. We were like rats in a maze without being able to smell the cheese. Horrible.
The Food
I liked the food! I had meatballs and apple cake and super-sweet berry punch. Plus a kid's meal of mac and cheese and a tiny drink for 99 cents. Can't beat that. Plus we had 99 cent frozen yogurt cones on the way out.
The Product
Product is mostly awesome (we only really looked at tables and desks). For office/computer type stuff, I will never buy Sauder (et al) pressed wood junk furniture again. They should just take that section of Best Buy and burn it for heat this winter. No offense, Cheryl, I'm sure Sauder is the best of the glue wood brands.
Procuring Said Product
Boo. Because it was somewhat busy (or because they are doofs?), we had to wait 45 minutes after checking out for the dudes to wheel out my tiny table from the warehouse. Some of the stuff you can pick yourself from the big shelves in the store, but tons of it has to be picked from the warehouse.
Conclusion
We'll go back, but not with this type of crowd. Yikes. Cecchi went Sunday morning, and he said it was even worse. He said people were starting to lose it and people were packed in like sardines. Check out his Cecchette blog for details: Cecchette IKEA post And I'm glad I don't have to drive by that gross blue box everyday.

09.07.04 @ 03:09 PM CDT [link]

Official DVR of the 2004 Huna TV Olympics
We have been TiVo'ing the Olympics and staying up until 1:00-1:30 every night. We are Olympiholics!! I am now a polished commentator for the following sports:
badminton
water polo
shot put
swimming
beach volleyball
indoor volleyball
gymnastics

FYI, the following sports should NOT be in the Olympics:
air rifle
rhythmic gymnastics
synchronized diving
kayaking
table tennis
08.19.04 @ 03:42 PM CDT [link]

What a deal!
I Love All Access is refunding a major portion of the Van Halen ticket price because there was no sound check. Enough to where it might be enough money to drive and see them in Omaha (with a regular ticket). Very tempting!!!

Also, I forgot to mention that I got an Eddie guitar pick at the concert. I will put it with my Neal Schon pick from years past. Speaking of, check this out: Classic rock cruise. That would be worth it just to hang out with Neal. Awesome.
07.26.04 @ 03:53 PM CDT [link]