So, Lauren and I spent some of Presidents' Day Weekend in Tucson, visiting my folks. I did do some work over the weekend -- that's the curse and blessing of working for a website like Grab.com!

Our weekend was action-packed, believe you me. We saw Kevin Eubanks (of "Tonight Show" fame) performing with his jazz quartet, and we saw a music that hopes (in vain, methinks) to hit Broadway: "Bombay Dreams." And we ate. A lot.

And we visited the Desert Museum.

And we ate.

And now, as we sit in the airport (our return flight, like the one that got us here, is delayed), we've discovered a modern airport wonder:

Free WiFi.

Meaning, we can surf the Internet -- posting on our blogs and the message boards and checking our email and whatnot -- while we wait for the plane! Woohoo!

I was about to type, "Since that's the case, the plane can take as long as it wants." But then I remembered the best part about going home: CHARLIE! We'll see you soon, buddy! And since when can dogs surf the Internet?

Remember "Project Awesome"?

That was that special page Grab put up where you could tell someone he or she was awesome:

http://www.grab.com/awesome/Lex/Friedman
http://www.grab.com/awesome/George/Clooney
http://www.grab.com/awesome/Captain/Nemo

It's fun, and worth sending to friends.

Well, these days, if you're into that sort of thing, you can share Project Awesome with your friends via some other sites, too -- brothers and sisters of Grab.com:

http://www.madblast.com/awesome/William/Jefferson/Clinton
http://www.blesstheday.com/awesome/The/Pope
http://www.flowgo.com/awesome/Goofy

Just thought I'd share!

I know I've blogged about this before, but it's my blog, and I'll blog about what I want to blog about, so there!

I have gray hairs.  I don't have a lot; I'm not salt and pepper.  Yet.

But there's a gray hair in the front, and a couple on the side. 

All told, probably fewer than ten.  Probably closer to five. 

Unless the entire back of my head has grayed and no one has told me.  Checking... Nope, that doesn't seem to be the case.

I have decided that officially I Don't Care about going gray.  That is, I won't allow it to bring me down.  I don't feel a need to dye my hair.  Yet.

No, I don't think I would ever get to that point, unless I go completely gray before I'm 30.  That'd be rough.

But it does seem strange to be graying -- even if only just slightly -- at 25.  Graying is for old people.  And old, in my book, is defined as "older than Lex Friedman."

See, this year for Hannukah, one of my gifts to Lauren was a Nintendo GameCube.  (No, this was not a bowling ball engraved with the name Homer. Lauren and I both enjoy casual video gaming. We always go with older systems -- and always Nintendo -- because the used games are considerably cheaper, and we don't feel the need to break the bank on our video gaming fun.)

But video games -- those make me feel young.  When Lauren-as-Luigi frees his mansion from its ghosts, or I as Donovan McNabb make a game-saving 12-yard touchdown scramble, or when the two of us zip around Rainbow Road in Mario Kart -- I feel young.  At heart.

Mostly.

Except sometimes, I feel like an old gray-haired guy refusing to grow up.

That's when I decide to cheer up.  So I eat an entire bag of cheetos and make fart noises with my mouth.

Didja miss me?  I know you did.

The vay-cay was great.  Our first and last days in Jersey were very, bitterly cold, but the days in between were actually pretty mild.  But we all know the best part about seeing family for the holidays:

PRESENTS!

Hahaha.

But seriously, I am getting boatloads of presents.  From my sisters, my parents, my in-laws, and -- of course -- my wife.  We're a family that enjoys gift-giving.  Of course, I've gotten Bull[censored], Bull[censored], and more Bull[censored] -- but that's because I asked for it :)

I am drowning -- in a good way -- in new DVDs and books.  Me likey!

You've got mail, and maybe gonorrhea.

Glockgirl has a great game over on her blog. You'll see a movie still with pieces from two different movies in it, combined to make one new title -- and you have to guess what it is!

Here's an example from her:

This shot has Albert Brooks from "Defending Your Life," and Kevin Kline in "Life as a House."  So the combined title -- and the answer! -- is "Defending Your Life as a House."

My images aren't nearly as good as hers, but I'll share anyway.  Guess away!

 

#1:

The Importance of Being Ernest Goes to Camp,
guessed by Deuce

#2:

The King Kong and I,
guessed by marnie78

#3:

Plan 9 From Outer Spaceballs
Almost correctly guessed in person by several people.

#4:

The Little Shop of Horrors Around the Corner,
correctly guessed by deuce

#5:

Dirty Harry and the Hendersons,
correctly guessed -- surprise! -- by deuce

#6:
 
Cast Away We Were,
correctly guessed by taffy70

Dear rubber pig,

I know I've written to you as part of my "office toy conglomerate" already. But today, I wanted to single you out and remind you to mind your bidness.

See, you -- as you know -- are propped up against a picture frame holding a photo of my lovely wife Lauren. But sometimes, it almost looks as if you're hugging her.  I can't say I blame you -- she's quite huggable.

But it can look shady.

And those eyes!  Those black, painted-on eyes!  You sure are looking up adoringly at her charming visage.

So I'm gonna say this, and I'm gonna say this just once:

NO FUNNY BUSINESS.

Thank you.

From Yahoo! news:

Yet another feature by popular request:

You asked for it, and now we are excited to deliver! Show your Grab pride with the shirts you wear, the coffee you drink, and the clock you... tell time with.

That's right -- we're selling a veritable slew of merchandise through our new CafePress store: http://www.cafepress.com/grabdotcom/

So hurry over there to score some hip Grab t-shirts, mugs, baby clothes, clocks, calendars, and more! As always, we would love to know what you think, so add your comments here!

 

I was tagged by kxgen!

1. Ten years ago - In high school.

2. Five years ago - One month away from starting to date Lauren in college. She's now, of course, my wife.

3. One year ago - Toiling away on the "new" Grab.com in the Grab "war room."

4. Yesterday - Worked nearly 12 hours in the office, and then a few more at home.

5. Today - Work, of course, and a going-away party for a friend this evening.

6. Tomorrow - Work again! We're a little busy. And then hanging with some friends to watch a movie in the evening.

7. Five snacks I enjoy - chocolate peanut butter ice cream, potato chips with cream cheese, Reese's peanut butter cups, pistachios, movie theater popcorn.

8. Five bands (or singers??) I know the lyrics of most of their songs - They Might Be Giants, Weird Al Yankovic, Barenaked Ladies, Moxy Fruvous, Michael Jackson.

9. Five things I would do with $100,000,000 - Buy a huge home, take care of family and close friends, cruise around the world, pursue a career as a television writer, buy several new Mac computers.

10. Five locations I’d like to run away to - Australia. Hawaii. Vegas. Paris. Monaco.

11. Five Bad Habits - Letting the house get too messy. Staying at work too late too often. Not getting haircuts frequently enough. Don't put my keys on the hook, so I can't find them later. Neglect to recharge cordless phones.

12. Five things I like doing - Eating, watching television, reading books, reading blogs, writing.

13. Five T.V. shows I like - JUST FIVE??!?! Arrested Development. Lost. Boston Legal. The Simpsons. The West Wing.

14. Famous People I’d like to meet - Weird Al Yankovic (again). Tom Hanks. Will Ferrell. Lorne Michaels. Steve Martin.

15. Biggest joys at the moment - Lauren and Charlie.

16. Favorite toys - TiVo, iBook, Charlie.

17. Five people to tag - LaurenPretzel, Wemmick, Sroth, HellyKwee, Abigail.

No, really, it's not. 

I work with a lot of fun people here at Grab HQ.

Among them is Deuce. You may remember him from his numerous message board and blog postings.  He's a popular guy here on Grab.com, and I tend to say frequently: Everybody loves Deuce.

Today, we have a special affection for Deuce.  Because he has now twice made me into a winner.  How so?

Well, my first "win" was yesterday. I lunched with Deuce and Conrad across the street.  I made a reference to the hit 80s tune "One Way or Another."  There was some debate as to the original performer of that tune.  I said Blondie, Deuce said the Pretenders, and Conrad went with Pat Benatar.  Deuce and I made it interesting, to the tune of $5.

The Internet on my cell phone proved me right, and Deuce treated me to lunch. Win #1.

And the second win is less materialistic -- it's health-related.  Deuce has started doing wheat grass shots a few days a week, which he'd mentioned to me.  2.5 pounds of green vegetables in a single plastic cup.  He inspired me to join him today, so we both choked back a glass of grass this morning -- with me admittedly more nervous about the experience than he.  (It was my second-ever wheat grass shot; the first was a few years ago in college.)

Let me say this: It's awful.  Wheat grass tastes like grass only worse.  And you burp grass for hours, and feel it in your bones.

I can't wait to do it again tomorrow.

All I can say is, this crap better be healthy.  But so long as it is -- I win again.  Hooray!

In case any of you read my blog here and don't read Deuce's, I wouldn't want you to miss this post, which I consider his funniest blog post -- and perhaps story -- ever.

I have a friend named Seth. Seth is one of the funniest people on the planet, and a few months ago, he and I wrote a song celebrating Martha Stewart's hosting of "The Apprentice."

It's to the tune of the "Copa-Cabana."

The Martha Cabana
by Seth Brown and Lex Friedman

Her name was Martha
She was a mogul
She had a famous magazine,
Taught folks how to cook and clean

She could use pine cones
To stuff a turkey
Although her voice sounds like a man's,
Her clothing line has many fans

Except for in Beijing
Where kids do her sewing
Earning 14 cents an hour
Which is not much bling!

Now she's hosting...
The new Apprentice
Like Trump's hair, it's truly momentous

Yes she's hosting
The new Apprentice
We won't get tired
Of hearing "You're fired"
Since she's hosting...
On your TV.

His name was Donald
He hired Martha
He didn't care she broke the law,
Since she could make a mean foie gras

'Though she was locked up
Her arts were crafty
She didn't even find it hard
To garden in the prison yard

And now they've set her free
So she's back on TV
Hosting this season of Apprentice
That's on NBC!

Trump and Martha
On the Apprentice
Together, they're both quite stupendous
Trump and Martha
On the Apprentice...
They lead in the ratings,
Cause they're dominating
Trump and Martha....
On your TV!

If I were stranded on a deserted island, with plenty of food to eat and water to drink, the four things I'd most like to have with me would be:

(I'm skipping answers like "a yacht" or "a cellphone," which aren't really in the spirit of the question!)

1. Lauren and Charlie (as "my family," this counts as one thing -- I made the Blog Idea of the Day, my rules!)

2. A TiVo and Sattelite-Equipped television

3. A great pillow

4. An endless supply of multi-ply toilet paper.