That'sChurch is DoublePlusGood

Okay, so a while back in the news there was this hugely popular local blog called PittGirl. She got in the news and stuff after some scandal involving the mayor, and apparently started a new blog elsewhere.

Anyway, I was looking through the other nominees in CBS Pittsburgh's MVB Contest. Anyway, this "everything else" portion has some great bloggers. Under my blog (Yay for having a 2 in the name of the blog!) I see this "That's Church" blog. I click about, and it turns out this PittGirl person is the same person as That's Church. Upon further inspection, it turns out that she also watched MONK!

Bottom line, the fact that a high school freshman (yay first day of school!) can be in the same contest with PittGirl, who has a hugely ridiculous local following... just shows the power of the internet.

DoublePlusGood is an expression as used in George Orwell's 1984 to describe something that is better than good, or excellent. Its all a part of this philosophy involving the 'Party' and some other philosophical content I wish not to bore my readers about.

This poster (at left) is a digitized version of my friend Clay Bodnar's poster for 1984. The "Doublethink" wording is in the same font as street signs (Inspired by Cherry Street [details later]). And the three party slogans "war is peace..." is in one of my new favourite fonts called "Typewriter from Hell". I love the internet.

To Read about the MVB and some other stuff click here.

Explaining the MVB, and the Beginning of a School Year.

Hello Followers and people visiting from CBSPittsburgh.com!

So this morning I get an email from CBS (as in Scott Pelley CBS and former VIACOM CBS) telling me that I am finalist for Pittsburgh's MVB (Most Valuable Blogger) contest in the category of "Everything Else".  What does this mean? It means that I am a nominee for something that I did!

Okay, so it basically means that I get to put a magic sticker on the side of my blog where you can click [or at the conveniently located sticker (look at the right!)] and vote for this blog once a day everyday until September 9th, when we see who wins this contest!

So what is the blog about? Well, its basically a conglomerate of thoughts and rants from this game we all call life. I am going to put some links at the bottom of this post for some good examples... but you can browse using the nice tags on the side.

Who am I? In short, I am a teenage web designer, boy scout, and a freelance media artist/writer. 

The Beginning of a School Year.
So now is the lovely point of the year after we inevitably change a schedule based on what we like and actually take those classes. I have already pestered with my eventual English teacher about something trivial. A new thing this year is the fact that I will be attending a bunch of football and basketball and other games filming for Carlynton's public access channel (28 locally for Verizon). This means that I get to go to the press box and stay there for the whole time, and then get my stuff PUT ON TELEVISION!!!!

Finally, freshman year means that some of the people that I have been with in gym classes, and other stuff are no longer going to be the same. Take for example lunch period.... my friends are split 1/2 and 1/2 between periods, meaning this year will be interesting....

Links To Some Good Posts (Note: The older ones are random....)

• Tally Hall, and, well, TALLY HALL!
• About John Green and Some Stuff
• Whining about Gym Class in 2009
• About Taking Over the World in 2010

Tally Hall, and, well, TALLY HALL!

So back in May, my friend Greg tells me about this band called "Tally Hall". I liked a song of theirs, and decided to learn some more. Then he tells me that they are coming to Pittsburgh in August.

Fast-forward to August, and I finally decide that I am going to go with Greg and Clay to see this band. So, a week before we see them, I decide (learning from the John Green accident) to look them up ahead of time to see what they are all about. Their harmony and style is unique, and just, well, great.

Tally Hall as seen from my vantage point... via a phone

Fast-forward to Sunday the 20th. The day we finally go to Mr. Small's Funhouse (its a theatre, not a strip club) and see Tally Hall live and in person. This is a nice little church-turned-music-theatre in scenic Millvale. I decide to update my tumblr live from the place. Heck, we were in the front row!

What you must realize is that the 'front row' of Mr. Small's is right up against a wooden barrier about four feet from the stage, extending in between the megaspeakers. So, in other words, we were right up there near tally hall.

For a sample of some of their made-of-awesome music, click the grooveshark sampler at the bottom of this post. Afterward, they signed my tour shirt... all five of them! Plus BORA, their manager. all of them were REALLY nice, and Rob Cantor (Yellow Tie) asked if I was Canadian (I was wearing my Canadia Shirt)

Listen to some Tally Hall now:

& from the album Good & Evil (I just plain Like this one)



Welcome To Tally Hall (their kinda Theme Song)

I Can't Believe I Have Never Blogged About Canada!

So I decided to reblog some random blog post from here, just to generate traffic to this site, and to show what I do in my spare time. [For the record this is for my tumblr]

In order to decide what to reblog, I plugged the word "Canada" into my sidebar search thing-a-ma-jig. Amazingly, that word has never appeared in my blog before. I don't hate you Canadians, its just that you occasionally slip my mind! So, here goes nothing (really):

Canadian Please
So recently I discovered a Canadian vlogger through watching Elmify on Youtube religiously. Anyway, he posted a music video about how basically Canadians are awesome. You should really go check it out if you get a chance, as well as my other Favourites on Youtube.

We're Going to Canada (in 2016)!!!
This past year, I talked to my friends about going to Canada just as a trip when we were all 19. The plan was to go to Toronto, and have fun in Canada. The only two issues came up with transportation. The first is a small expense called a Passport and the other being a vessel to hold eight people. So basically, a school bus, or maybe just two cars. Another idea was a subway boring straight to Toronto. How we'll surface? Heck if I know.

TRANSITION!

Finally, I am working on some new projects... but those won't be out for a while. I am going to post next about maybe Elmify, Meekakitty, Vlogbrothers, or someone else. Wanna suggest something? Comment or email me at the link under "contact webmaster" or whatever I put at the bottom.

Two Thousand Bloody Views and LapsingReality(CC)

So apparently [as far as all time views go] this website is more popular than my built-from-scratch troop site. Unfortunately, I've been working on analytics with this longer than the troop site. ENOUGH NERD TALKING!

So recently I have been focusing on television and off-the-internet projects (such as Bulletin Board Events) instead of my regular YouTube videos. However, the past two weeks have been quite the opposite.

On Saturday, my friend Clay (BBC Project, JSVH, Total Randomness) decided we should go up to the park. As always, I brought my HD camcorder. That is when the idea for LapsingReality came to us. We decided to take everyday things and speed them up.  [See Bottom Of This Post]

Finally, I filmed a collab video on August 4th. Due to things near my control, I am not posting that yet. Also in the works is a Total Randomness 4. Wow, four already.
 

Lapsing Reality:Park

Mainstreamed.

I guess the point of people being in social media, blogs, YouTube, whatever is popularity. Book authors tour around promoting their newest book so they can gain fame, money, and the surplus money that will allow them to keep touring. Pleasing the public is the twenty-first century average American dream.

People flaunt that they have X amount of followers, or friends or whatever, but why do we do this? Is it purely human nature, but is there an actual psychological reason, a purpose to this madness? For that, I guess the answer is the same as if you wanted to know why people watch Daytime Television or worship celebrities. To this, I turn to fellow Interneteur, MrXibar22 on Youtube.

He tells me that we follow celebrities because in our eyes, they are at the pinnacle of perfection, and that is what we strive to be---perfect.

But in this mess of people attempting to be popular, to be discovered, to be "Mainstreamed" if you will, there are the group of rebels.

So basically there are three types of people:

• The people wanting purely mainstreamed (Close-minded individuals who are exposed to only what society 'likes')
• The anti-mainstreamers who tolerate the pop culture (who prefer the alternative styles) 
• The Rebels who wish nothing but the underground. 

As for me, I am in between the first and second. I like what I like, and not what I don't. It'd be nice to be discovered, but its not what I am looking for. Oh, and here's something new for the sidebar:

Thoughts for a Monorail

So today we decided to go to the local pool because of the looming haze and 90 degree temps in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, once we get there it starts thundering, so I am forced to be outside of the pool, and talk to one of my neighbors.

Together we (with my chief engineering) came up with an idea that would cut back on emissions, gas prices, and the multiple car crashes that are caused by so many cars.

Can guess what I am talking about (see title)

Okay, so the thought is to eliminate at least one lane in each direction of every major highway and replace it with a monorail line. Monorails were first used in the 1950's, and have been put on the backburner for being considered an actual mode of transportation for the same reason that Amtrak is not used so much anymore. Basically, it runs on tracks.

The question I have is that if you run a high-powered monorail system between larger cities (IE, Pittsburgh-Philly-NYC) and charge based on the length of the trip, then it should pay for itself within 10 years?

While I am thinking of this, the government wants to split spending thirty-seven different ways based on need. Well, if my thought works out the way I think it will, you'll save on DOT costs... and all you really need to maintain is track and cars. As is, some cities like Seattle have adopted monorails, and others like NYC already have subways. Standardize some stuff, and we could save the country money, and have a pretty cool way of getting around.

The pool had to close, and we never got to swim, but we did have a pretty good idea in our heads.

#TheBabyIsMakingOctopusSounds and A Little Bit Of OCD

Okay, first off, I would like to say this is post 94. For post 100 (If I can last that long) I will probably make a vlog. It will be unsuccessful, but it will be here nevertheless. It is kind of a long-running thing with me. First the journalism, then websites, then videos, and now into this mode of not really caring where things go anymore.

So, I attended my first "End Of The Year" Party. It basically was this: going to a friends house, swimming, listening to music, beating each other with plastic things, and then watching a terrible old movie. Honestly, what better do we have to do on a Thursday in June? This party was attended by all of my creative friends (DavidWov, Mistaecco, Clay!), (Minus Youtube's MrXigbar22) and we talked about a little bit of everything. That is where the "#TheBabyIsMakingOctopusSounds" tag came from. It was really a combination of two ideas: hashtagging, and naming folders.

On an almost unrelated note, I have been scrolling the YouTubes Lately with the obsessive VlogBrothering thing and I have also discovered "Elmify". She is a person from a place that is mildly entertaining. She rants about stuff in a way that is slightly boring yet entertaining at the same time. Well, I will be back eventually.
Yours,
Alex.
PS: I shouldn't sign blog posts.

Complete and Unadulterated Randomness

I have been listening more recently to a song called "Iridescent" by Linkin Park. Besides the minor fact that it is used for the Transformers Franchise, it is quite good. Hmm, to think about it, I don't know much about the Transformers Franchise to rant about it *googles, Clicks Wikipedia*.

So it turns out the Film Franchise is directed/produced/made awesome by Stephen Speilberg, and distributed by, you guessed it, Dreamworks and Paramount (VIACOM companies).

As my quick Wikipedia sums up, we can basically link everything to something else. We can all find some sort of origin, a common thread. Almost every Wikipedia article has at least one link. From my brief but extensive experience with wiki-ing (word?) that is quite easy to find a common thread, and to link from one place to another.

So recently I was able to take a ride on a bike trail literally five miles away from my house. I never knew it was there, but I soon learned that it existed, and learned the story of a railroad converted into a walk/bike trail. Every quarter mile or so, there was a bench. On a good percentage of those benches within the first four miles of trail had a plaque from an eagle project. Just going to show how everything is connected.

It seems that if we stop for thirty seconds and smell the flowers growing beside a highway, or the railroad that became a bike trail, we can learn so much more, and make our test of humanity almost studied for. I leave you with the commencement speech that new CBS anchor gave last year:

Pont Champlain, Light Boxes, and My New Life.

In my own new fashion, I will start with a quote from Adrianna Flack:

Life= live it fricking epicly

It is an interesting way of putting it, but it is true. I am now addicted to music. I have recently been listening to this song Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars. Now, my ex-lover (do I even have one?) isn't dead, but its a great song. It mentions capturing a taxi and driving across Pont Champlain. I decided to look into this Pont Champlain, and was disappointed to realize that my limited French couldn't tell me that "Pont" really means "bridge". So, Pont Champlain is just the Champlain Bridge in Montreal Canada (yeah!)

I believe that life is kind of like an interstate (Oh, here he goes again), and our adventures are like bridges. I decided to take the one that goes to Canada, and meet some awesome people (See The List) and did some interesting things. In the past month I have:

  - Operated Sound for a talent show
  - Ran for SPL in a boy scouting troop
  - Went to a dance
  - Slow Danced with Two Girls
  - Listened to music
  - Got a combined total of about 20 service hours
  - Decided who I am
  - created The Carlynton Project (In Crystal Clear 1080p High Def!)
  - Ticked some people off (ha)
  - operated lights for a choral concert
  - went at least 10 miles on a track and on a bike
  - Rode a trolley
  - got commended by my superintendent
  - and turned 14.

Now, what have you done? Heck, I have done about 90 times that, but that is what I put in.

Someone once told me to join the band. I did. A year later I quit. That was probably what got me where I am. I love music, I just can't play an instrument worth my life. I got into journalism, web design, video production, people, and high school.

And this is just the beginning. Well, Good luck. I am crossing my bridge, find yours.

Why a Vlog Fails and the Carlynton Project.

I begin with a quote from myself....

It seems that the story of Carlynton's creation hasn't been told. With the proposed consolidation of the two elementary schools, may be a generation that does not see a Crafton Elementary and a Carnegie Elementary.

That is why I did the Carlynton Project, to look at the one unified district that the three towns had in mind. A simple 5-minute video project detailing the general history that everyone knows. Easy project right?

I should know by now that nothing is easy. Relationships, Politics, Baseball, and Carlynton Project all have at least one thing in common: It's Complicated. In order to pull off something as simple as a video project I fought off speed limit signs, woods, black-draped posters, and the web that is the streets of Crafton and Rosslyn Farms. It took months of research, planning, and scripting and at least three hours of editing to get to where it ended up. In the end, I have a 7-minute DVD in HD (So I can't watch it myself) and apparently a GATE project.

So, I submit three copies: One to my adviser, one to my supervisor, and the third to my uncle. My supervisor watched it a week after I submitted it with her daughter (who is a film major) and "loved it".  My adviser, well it took him about three weeks to figure out what it was.

Then, in front of the 7th grade teaching staff, he decides then to premier it. It received the best reviews for a video that I have ever made. He decided the next day to deliver it to the PR director for the district... who is also the secretary for the school district.

She decides to premier the project in front of the whole school board the next day. I have no knowledge there was even a board meeting. The following day, today, the superintendent walks over to me at lunch and asks for a copy for the district. He apparently liked it... a lot.

So this is how a project snowballs. Not through YouTube, but through word-of-mouth. Not through 99 cents per click, but through giving a DVD to your world cultures teacher (yes, the marine) and seeing what happens. Vlogging fails because the story gets told but never gets seen. This is the story, the story to be continued.

It's March, Doctors, and I should stop writing long titles to rant about

Yeah, the title sums it up. I am terrible at writing titles. I saw a doctor today that didn't want to creep me, stab me with needles, or write long prescriptions. He is nice, and I think I have finally found a happy end of the medical spectrum.

So you go to some doctor's office and see little yellow stickers everywhere on the scales and height thingys and other things used for measuring small people, right? Ok, I am going to need to vlog this story. To come soon!
Thanks!
Alex Popichak

Peoples, Klondike, and Awesome People!

Ok, I decided to make a page to acknowledge and thank some really awesome people. This is in light of the recent Klondike incident. Due to legal issues, I wish not discuss details or names. What I am allowed to say is pushing James around in a sled (That is permanently installed with wheels) is NOT FUN. Also, if you think it might be about me attacking someone with a sled, that isn't true... at least as far as here goes.

Oh, and a PSA from Dennis Land:

Facebook will be closed for maintenance from February 29 to 31!! Facebook wants YOU to Share this message with at least 15 of your friends for the best chance of alerting everyone. Many people will try to login from February 29 to 31, just to find the site closed down for those days with no warning. HELP YOUR FACEBOOK FAMILY -- REPOST THIS!!

For the record, if you don't get it, you deserve to be taken off the awesome list. And, if you want to see this, the list is here.

Otherwise, check out the list. I decided that anyone that screams at me, slanders, or otherwise destroys me or my projects are not in the list.

I have to start working on this list now, so bye!

Oh, and listen to "Waiting for the End" by Linkin Park... its good. THANKS MATT!

The Legend of Mr. Blue Sky

The idea of creating a video is simple: a one-take possibly scripted capture of time. The idea of a movie for the internet is complex: an organized collection of videos, graphics, and music. It is, as Remi Gailliard says, what we do that makes us who we are. Now, Remi does semi-illegal things, but get beat up for them.

Where am I going with this? I have a plea for Nerdfighers, Pittsburghers, and Youtubers. It is because of claims by Sony, EMI, Viacom(Columbia), and Epic Records that videos on Youtube get removed. Now, I got the following Message from Sony:

It basically says "Sony decided that 20+ countries including Sweden, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe can't view your hard work". How special.

I am asking for someone, anyone, to record a song, give me permission to basically promote you. I am really desperate here. I have great concepts, great actors, actresses, writers, but I need a score. If you want a break, consider this your golden ticket.

It is because of great songs like Mr. Blue Sky being written to large companies that the agents of these groups don't want to give permission for a mere youtube that maybe fourteen people will see. If you want to actually give me permission, or an MP3, or even want to be recorded by us in our studios, shoot Easysites an e-mail: easysitesmultimedia@gmail.com.

Post EIGHTY and Some Randomness

Well, first off, I would like to acknowledge that Marie Popichak (aunt that I rarely talk about) decided to write about my John Green obsession, and that this is post EIGHTY since I started. You can read her post: Just Click Here. I rarely acknowledge that other websites exist, except mine (of course, does a painter acknowledge other works?), but hers is truly something to check out. Never have I seen such a website that had just about as much randomness on it as I do here, so check it out.

Ok, I promised randomness. I want to add a few things to two posts ago (the post before last): it turns out that Canadians, Justin Bieber, and Italians have one thing in common: BAD arguments.

Justin Bieber, regretfully for me, hails from Canada. I wish I could pull up a transcript from my fight with Lindsey, but it basically went like this:

I tell her my master plan about Canada, sneaking in a part about finding a nice Canadian girl to hide in the woods from the US government... harmless, right? Well, I guess not. I say some stupid things, and next thing I know Cristy (LONG STORY) is telling me that apparently Justin Beiber is the middle of our fight. Well, news for you Cristy: IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JUSTIN BEIBER.

Anyway, it appears that "Beiber" isn't a word (ha) according to FireFox, so I saw those red squiggles underneath the word "Beiber." Also, I decided that the part of Canada that Beiber is from is NO LONGER part of Canada, because Canada is too awesome to be a

Oh, the newest in Easysites Videos is here: office WORKER starring clay BODNAR. I am tired of embedding and re-doing Youtube Videos, so click here:
>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Rb8mCdFOM& <<<

Well, the next one I think might have to do with Butterscotch the bird, mirrors, and Frank Sinatra. 

Questions and ideas in the Doobly-doo!

Moving Day

No, I didn't decide to move into that box underneath I-79. I finally, after about a year and a half, built myself a desk. It wasn't an easy task, heck it took me about three hours, and the help of my father to get the thing finally built.x

So you get these things from Wal-Mart or Target or Wherever in this nice compact, maybe 2x4x6 box thing that weighs about 100 pounds. The fun part is picking it up from the back of the store, and wheeling it around the labyrinth of aisles of clothing, and the people that drive around cluelessly with their carts as you are trying to wheel this awkward 100 pound box around tight corners in something meant for moving construction equipment.

So eventually you take this thing into your house, and try to build it. It's never simple. I was forcing these little things into holes just a tad too small for that specialty part when my dad says "that is the easiest part." NOT a good sign for a thirteen year old clearly in over his head with building something simple.

Well, after forcing screws, tacks, and other thingamajigs, it turns out that you spent about three hours of building a desk. This was about the time that both my father and I discovered that we put some things on backward. Oops. Anyway, it was built completely and (almost) right about 4 hours after opening it.

I will save the ranting about getting the thing upstairs for you. Anyway, you have this new desk, and about six boxes of things that you want in a desk. Needless to say, there is about two boxes still full upstairs. Either way, I am done for now. Questions? Please, by all means, COMMENT! I run out of material easily, so help me out!

All Roads Lead Home.

I don't know why I decided to make that the title, but anyway, its a good song. Listen to it, its by "Golden State" if you watched  [Deadliest Catch] recently, its going to be familiar.

One of the things I absolutely hate about doing a blog is the fact that I need to UPDATE it. I mean, I love ranting, but I hate typing. I will work on something for hours, and only write a few pages. Either way, I didn't know what to write, but I decided to write something.

In a nutshell this is the past week: Lindsey get mad, Lindsey consults maple syrup friend (HE WANTS ME TO build a house in Canada out of MAPLE SYRUP!!!!!), Alex befriends maple syrup friend, Lindsey makes Alex mad, Alex breaks up, Lindsey gets mad again, and Maple Syrup friend disappears. Couldn't see that coming? Well, you obviously don't know me.

One of the most interesting things that I have found over the past week is somewhat of a meaning. I attended a conference of basically, well, they call themselves "nerdfighters." Think of a room full of people ranging in age from 13-40 EXACTLY LIKE ME. It's scary, yet at the same time intriguing. This was all for a guy named John Green (who[m] I will talk about later). I found that I like these people, and they are nice.

Future plans include: starting a video blog (vlog) and starting, finally project 559 with Dave, Clay, John, and a bunch of other people I have up my sleeve.

Viacom Wigga Wigga and other Randomness

Ok, Viacom. Of all of those mega-companies, I think this is the one I like the most. However, there is one evil element to its happy and shinyness (is it a word?). It is known as simply "The Wigga-Wigga Logo."

SEE IT HERE:

Ok, I promised randomness. Apparently I have changed over the period of about a month. Quite frankly, I never noticed anything, but apparently Calee does (see last note in post before closing)...

Also, I am "in a relationship" as far as FaceBook is concerned. I don't know how long it will last that way, but I can tell you this: after about a year of chasing Lindsey, she is finally my (girl)friend. However, putting it into terms such as that means that I, in turn, have to act all "boyfriend-ly" (new term described as: "The act of one showing affection towards another 'one ' in a boyfriend like manner" [hey, I am not merriam-webster]).
What does this entail? This is exactly what I have found out: apparently all of those "awkward" things become acceptable. Interesting.

Ok, final bit of randomness: If you run into an adult when you are under 18, they will almost certainly (unless you're around teenagers or something) try to boss you around. The reason: They are the adult, you are the child (even if you are 15, you are the 'child'). So, my master plan here is to turn 18, walk over to some small child, repeat that line (I am the adult, you are the child, you listen to ME), and then run away. Yes, I now realize what Calee meant: I am insane.

Well, with much confusion, well-wishing, and some love,
Alex Popichak, Director, Easysites Multimedia Productions, Inc. Writer, the 2015 Blogger.

Project 559: A Casting Call

Well, that is a question I wish to answer. Really, I want ideas. I am not wishing to disclose information, but bottom line, WE NEED ACTORS/ACTRESSES.
My Master Plan: Get the funniest people I know to write scripts to my project. This means that I want people like Clay Bodnar, Dave Wovchko, and John Grabowski on this scripting team. However, it needs a face.
Generally, I tended to go with male actors, but really no female presence. I have one new actress on hand, a new music dept, and at least two script writers on hand. However, I need people. If you want to join, shoot me an e-mail. Don't wanna act, but still be a part of it? Tell me in one sentence what you watch on YouTube, Dailmotion, Vimeo, Myspace, or wherever you get videos at. Comment, e-mail, shoot us ideas.

Questions? Contact A. Popichak, Director, Easysites Multimedia Productions at: EasysitesMultimedia@gmail.com

2011, Communications, and Yelling

Ok, welcome to the 2011 year! Wow, I haven't posted here in a while.
What has changed? Well, not much. I am in the midst of the CarLynTon, BBC, and Project 559 projects. I am also in the midst of redoing ESMP. I am also in the midst of midterms, a confusing ideology, and a troop communications nightmare.
Communications is an interesting concept. It is the idea of communicating ideas, information, and thoughts to a broad group. In other words, broadcasting with text and pictures rather than words, sounds, and a camera. When I signed up to be e-mail guy for Troop 831, I had no idea what I was getting into. At least now they have a working calendar (which I need to update now) and website.
However, information needs to be kept up-to-date, and ideas are ever-changing. A schedule one minute can be changed in fractions of that. Oh well, there is the trade I am in.

One of my new favorite catch phrases is "If I do something, I will get yelled at for it!" Which really holds true for most things. Take today for example:
Troop calendar needs updated, and e-mailed NOW! I don't have my computer on, I get yelled at.
Girl named Cathryn starts a texting conversation (which I am not good at to start with) and apparently her boyfriend gets angry with me... Heck, I am getting Indianonians angry with me!
I am on the computer too long updating my blog... goodnight universe!

Relationship Statuses and Wal*Mart (Part One)

It seems to be a groundbreaking issue when someone changes their relationship status or, for that matter, anything else on Facebook. GET OVER IT AMERICA, Facebook isn't gospel. The most obnoxious comments come from the people that have 30 people listed as their sibling. I drew the line at calling Clay my "Romanian Cousin" there. To a certain degree, that holds truth. That is a short story, but I won't put that here....

The reason, I guess, that I decided to title this the way it is, is that the past 72 hours really accomplished a lot... I got a major portion of my research regarding the CarLynTon project, and I now have a job as a docent there on Saturdays... and I suggest no one ask for me directly, as I won't start for a while.

I also add this post for the reason of probably the first Project 559 production: Wal*Mart. I think that as a whole, the company needs to be shut down. The man at the Electronics Dept. didn't even ask me if I wanted to keep my Gift card. He just tossed it away like day old banana peel. I was overall offended. Next, the guy charged me about $14 for a few audio adapters! Wing-chow, the usual suspect. "Designed in the US, and Manufactured in China" my left foot! The rest of the trauma will be posted later... besides, the Star in Wal*Mart doesn't need to be a star, it should really be a dot or dash. They aren't all American like originally, or so I am told (It's been Chinese since I was little)!

Back to Journalism

Quite frankly, I haven't written anything regarding journalism for about two years. That was the Web Gazette, and that was probably the defining moment of where I am now. I reversed roles, from being the editor to the writer. I decided, since it won't be reproduced, to present to you my whack at it:

PITTSBURGH, PA ,--- On December 9, selected CHS 7^th and 8^th graders enjoyed the opportunity to go to the Consol Energy Center to watch the Penguins Open Practice. The event featured appearances by star Pens including Sydney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury. Eighth-grader Samantha Y said that she “enjoyed seeing the Penguins players… I thought [the Consol Center] was nice. Not elegant, but nice.”

The Consol Energy Center is the Penguins new state-of-the-art arena which easily held the more than 10,000 students from the area in attendance. Eighth-grader Samantha Youngblood spoke to the Cougar Chronicle about the event.

"I enjoyed seeing the Pittsburgh Penguins Players" Samantha said, "We were three rows from the ice!"

Eight grader Olivia K commented on the seats of the new arena, "They had soft and fuzzy seats," Olivia said, clearly pleased with the trip.

The students were picked based on behavior, grades, and overall positivity both in the classroom and out. Two hundred students from CHS attended the event, and got front-row seats to the Penguins drills, exercises, and of course, the running of the Zambonis.

-Alexander Popichak, Staff Writer, The Cougar Chronicle

So there, I am a journalist again. Now for the kicker... while all had two weeks to put their relatively 'fluff' articles together, I threw that not-so-hard-hitting story together in one night.

Might I also mention, yet again, that I haven't written anything like that for TWO YEARS. Thank you Carnegie Web Gazette.

Project 559, or Another PlotLine Project

The Following is an Official Announcement from Easysites Multimedia and 2015Blogger:

PlotLine is the codename of all of the videos that are to be produced in 2011. The main launch/Promo MIGHT, if I can get proper permission, will be CarLynTon. Details are WAY to early to determine, but it will be a documentary created and produced by me.

Another PlotLine Project will be a series of videos called Project 559. This will be my long-awaited Vlog Series, with a twist that only Easysites and AK Productions can bring. Yes, I am teaming up with David Wovchko in bringing a series of creative vlogs and short videos to be produced soon.

Finally, unofficially, I am announcing two things that are already in production. BBC 2 1/2 is slated to get a sequel within the next month. Also, Total Randomness is now a series, officially. Simply stated, we are going to re-format and re-produce Total Randomness with at least ONE new video by July of 2011.

Christmas Lights

"Oh, Christmas Lights, Keep Shining On!" The words to one of my favorite bands, Coldplay, 's Christmas song. Not exactly the next group version on Bing Crosby, but a good song nevertheless. The title to the song is "Christmas Lights" which is what I really wanted to blog about, not the song.

For the past few years, I have been spearheading the decorating and maintaining the outdoor decorations for the front of our house. This is a long process, and it starts in October, with Halloween. However, I will spare the time, and explain the process of Christmas.

What eventually happens is that I start sketching general outlines of my house, and start with the basics: electrical laying. Keep in mind, my father and mother DO NOT ALLOW me to start ANYTHING until the day after Thanksgiving. This year, I started what is outside now the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

What's Lighted, What's Not (as of 12/4/2010)

Then I lay what needs to be out, or what is "required" that includes my father's "Snoopy on a doghouse" and the haybale, courtesy of Halloween leftovers. From there, I add and subtract what I need, and decide what needs thrown away.

As for the inside, you would think I would go all out in my bedroom, right?I have the following: one sting of garland. It drapes over my dry-erase board, and the multipurpose board. And a string and one half over my pinewood plaques and shelf.

Back to that song. I decided to put it at the top of the website. Click Play if you wish, right under the logo.

Questions, I like that! Post in the comments, or just comment.

My Views

I have tried posting for a while, and I have deleted each terrible idea. Hopefully, I decide to keep this one.

I took a whirlwind tour of Oakland's various churches/temples I was at: a Jewish synagogue, a Presbyterian church, a Byzantine-rite Catholic church, an Episcopalian church, a Roman Catholic church, a Lutheran church, a Scientist church (NOT scientology, that is different!), a Latter-Day Saints church, a Greek Or...thodox church, and a non-denominational church. Nine hours, ten houses of worship.

I learned a few things. At the time, I felt relatively comfortable everywhere I went except for at the Scientist and LDS church. I couldn't immediately put my finger on it, but it hit me today why, and how I am comfortable with it now.

What I guess confused me was with the LDS church how they have prophets and apostles on earth now. My very incompetent mind wasn't able to make the connection --- to a certain degree, this is the same as the Catholic Faith, just with different names and uses. I may be wrong, but Cardinals are much like the LDS Apostles, as the Pope is much like the Prophet in the LDS church. I finally got my mind wrapped around the concept, and understood finally what I had been confused about.


Back to the Scientist church. What confused me was how they related science to the Bible. I also was confused with how they are a religion rather than a thought movement, much like the Tea Party and the Republican Party. I understood that science was how they explained biblical events, and how they interpreted ideas. I still don't understand how they are a religion. 


Ok, here's what I should have started with:
I am an Orthodox Christian, and I am of no voting party, as I can't vote. I believe in the values of the scout law, and try to live by them. I believe what I believe. I respect all, and are a friend to most. 


I wish not to talk about politics or religion, and this will be one of the last posts that I talk about religion. Have a question? Post it into the comments.

Natalie

Natalie is one of those characters that cannot be described. She is a person that, much like me, has a blog (although not that impressive). On this blog, she has started a series called Carlynton Is Crazy which is basically a knock-off of my series: The Chronicles of Jr. High: The Marine, Gym Class and Some Randomness. I take it as a compliment, and at the same time an insult. You see, Natalie is one of the people that. for no apparent reason, everything she says annoys me. It's not that she is a bad person, she just plain old gets on my nerves.

Now onto my blog. I have recently added a new "legal" page to the top bar. This was put in place at the advice of my legal adviser. This is an effort to have further 'incidents' regarding this blog stopped. So, that's admin stuff.


Gym Class:
Ok, much like Ms. Thomas, I wish to also rant about gym class. So, to save me the grief, I will copy-paste her words, and add my own comments. <Source: http://natsrandomsite.blogspot.com/2010/11/first-of-many.html >

So today we had gym. It was Fitness Day! Basically we all get numbers (1-7) and are told to go to different 'Fitness Stations' according to the number. Obviously people get their numbers and then ignore them and go with friends, as with any non-surprise of the teenage world.

Pull Ups: I failed. Hah. This can't come as much of a surprise to my blog readers, for I am much out-of-shape, and a failure to humanity as a whole.

Step Ups: Ok, this is a pointless event. You step up onto a bleacher, and then back onto the floor.

Jump Rope: I once again failed, as Clay made a mockery of me, without a surprise

Planks: You are supposed to lay flat then hold yourself up with your arms in an awkward position. Pointless. Painful.

Push Ups: This might be the only 'normal event' of the whole day.
Wall Sits: I don't know why Ms. Thomas omitted this portion, I guess she just forgot. Anyway, you basically lean on a wall, and keep your feet in a sitting position. Greg made the comment that 'this is the one thing that I could do all day!' which basically means that he mastered the art of weight distribution.

I want to talk next about 'nerd-con' as Natalie called it, but I will call it by its real name (SciTech). Thanks a lot Natalie. We are all reading, and we are a captive audience.

A Change of Wind

To often, I rant and ramble about things that are either wrong or a shortcoming. Today, I want to discuss two shortcomings that now have a better ending. That's enough of an intro, right?

It was Wednesday, and I had just finished a week of reading a book that quite frankly didn't make that much sense to me. Anyway, I took the AR test, or essentially the did-you-really-read-this-book-test test. Well, I decided to pick one of the computers that are spastic. Needless to say, I bombed the test, for anywhere I clicked, it would take the answer closest to cursor and submit immediately.
To add to the madness, the one teacher that could tell me how to handle getting the AR points I needed was out for the day. So, I went with plan B, on a different computer, and it worked.

The next story starts that day after school. I used to LOVE going to Damon's grill for their shrimp. I mean, this place was awesome. It had TV's, a bar, in-restaurant gameshows, and so much more. They closed a year ago, and I was sad.
After a re-organization, they re-opened, and all is wonderful, right??? Wrong. The one thing that was off of their menu was that greatest-shrimp-in-the-world. Needless to say, I made the subtle comment to the waitress, and ordered something else. Then comes over another waitress. She says that the cook said that he can make shrimp for me, because I came there just for that. So, next time you are at Damon's in Robinson, ask for the fried shrimp, maybe we can start a revolution or something!

So there, I decided to write something nice. I have started a notebook for just the purpose of blogging. Once a week, I shall write something from there. I feel bad that I don't have the time to write as much as I want to.

Halloween

I decided to even out the blog posts currently on here. As of today, this post that you are reading is #70! Anyway, I was passing out candy to small children. After a while, I got bored between people, so I started tallying them up.

This was another "Social Experiment" because the news always says what kids will be wearing... and I decided to prove, at least KeenObservers.com wrong!

K.O. Said:
-AVATAR (James Cameron) is popular
Popular:

• True Blood
• Twilight’s Edward and Bella
• Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland
• Jersey Shore’s Snooki (SERIOUSLY!!!! COME ON!)
• Harry Potter and the gang
• The Office
• Toy Story 3
• Super Mario and Luigi
• Batman
• Super-Man
• Darth Vader

 Well, Here are some of the actual popular costumes (2+ people, or unique)

• Witch (9)
• Princess(4)
• Spiderman (3)
• Pirate(2)
• The Incredible Hulk (2)
• Thing 1 or 2 (1 each)
• Dinosaur (2)

      I just plain liked these:

• Military Dude
• Fat Guy
• Horseman from some Apocalypse movie
• Ski-Masked Sombrero-Wearing Low-Budget Ninja (ok, that was me...)

I did, mind you, see Batman, Superman, Luigi, and Lady Gaga. However, to my pleasure, I didn't see SNOOKI or Twilight or any of that whole TEAM Jacob or TEAM Edward crap.

That ends Halloween, and now onto Thanksgiving and Christmas!


An After Note: I didn't see many people that I knew... I didn't see Clay or Andrew or Jeff, but I did see my friend's cousin Ivan!

Polio, CarLynTon, Halloween, and other stuff

Please note: this post will be written over a period of time!

I'd like to thank all of you for your continued support with everything. My blog is a mishmash of me ranting abou everyday things. My next question: Why must High School come with some much drama?

I was recently approached by my pretty good friend about a video contest. It is concerning Polio, and how it affected life as we know it. I am going into this as my first real video project. I am going to start over. That DnC Show was a great concept, the JSVH a great temporary success, and Total Randomness: COME ON! I only have so many blooper reels. So, with my good friend, I am going into this. I prefer not to talk about it, but I can give only some information. However, I am going to have people with music, stories, and a not-so-professional writer!

Halloween. One of my least favorite holidays. Sure, I put on that whole, "I love Halloween" act. Honestly, it is the one day out of the year where people are given an excuse to act something that they aren't. So, you are telling me that you want to portray SNOOKIE or something like FREDDY CROUTON! Anyway, people, myself included, act like something that they are not all of the time. I can quite frankly be schizophrenic... angry at one point, and break down laughing the next.

CarLynTon: a story of how things became what they are today. My next great project, and the one that may have any potential this year. Yes, I contemplated going onto the "BBC 2 1/2 Forever" mode, but that is just illogical. Much like Disney, I can only hold onto an audience for long. Well, more details to come.

Desktop Rants and Raves

Lately, all I have been doing is ranting about my life quite cryptically. I realize that I have shortcomings, and messups, as I am only human.

Every day, and at least once an hour, I get an idea to write here. My ideas are normally ranting, political, whining, or fiction. I normally forget this almost immediately.

On the off chance that the fiction gets retained, I will file it under my new and currently being tested category "Creative Writings." 90% of the time, it will involve a more exciting variation of either me or one of those around me. Don't expect an explanation, for this is all that I will give. Cryptic, and at the same time, not-so-hard to crack.

This was a short rant, but it is desktop material.

The Man with the White Bag

In the alley, it seemed out of nowhere, appeared the pudgy man with the denim. He was wearing a jean-jacket and jeans as it was the average October day. He was quick in his manner, and seemed to passersby to be in somewhat of a hurry.

He preferred the alleyways and sidestreets to deal with the deed and the task presented. He carried protectively the peculiar white garbage bag, not tied at the top. As he walked, he was careful his purpose to be known.

Up the street he went, passing a dog by a golf course, and the quickly-setting sun over the horizon of his final destination. He launched the bag into the trailer. His deed was done.

It Appears That There is a Problem

It turns out that there are people who actually read this blog. There was a recent comment on my Facebook page. It was mentioned that I don't post here, to the naysayer (Natalie), I say, I will post as I feel like and think of stuff!

I Find The World To Be A Confusing Place

Every time I go on a rant or story about the Boy Scouts, I get immediately put back in my place. They tell me "What if I don't care about your stupid adventures with the boy scouts.... because I don't want to hear about it!" What I do find interesting is that as not being a member of the band, I am constantly bombarded with rants and rambles about the band. Personally, I don't care about them, but I listen politely. Why can't someone, anyone listen for twelve seconds, nod their head, and just listen.

I realize that I was put on this Earth to listen, and to try and understand. I have also learned that I am to understand, not too be understood. Now that I have that out of my system, I will now rant about more crap that no one cares about!  

Campaganza 2010: Over the weekend of the 24th of September, there was an event that at least I will be talking about for years.
I am currently working on a video project to document that... three days of scouting, camping, and bad puns.

Today, I went on a hike through the Slippery Rock Creek Gorge. Six miles, and there was nothing to do but think, and try not slipping into the creek. It was great, and there was nothing to think about... I had a great time. If you ever get a chance, go there!

Well, I feel like in that movie "UP" with the whole "squirrel" thing... but that's it for now...

Ranting about nothing

I haven't written here for a while. It has gotten to the point that I no longer rant here, but to my closest people. The ones I idolize and find the most in common with. You see, life is a funny thing. We think something is worth chasing, and once you get there, it turns out to be just another jersey barrier in the interstate of life.
I have also realized that this whole "drama" thing just plain is annoying. I am tired of hearing problems that I can't do anything about. Why can't we focus on something we can change? Sure, we talk big, but when it comes down to pitching the tent, no one is there to extend a helping hand. The world we live in today just doesn't have people willing to help with the simplest of tasks.
I had the opportunity to go for a weekend long trip to discover the (in my opinion) greatest organization on the planet: the Boy Scouts. Sadly, even there we see the loss of manners, and that golden hand.
So, my message to you is do something nice. Extend that helping hand to someone—anyone. Friends, family. Just do something nice. Make the world a better place for someone else....

The Point of the Business Name

Quite frankly, if you look around, you see a million company names. All different, all unique. I read the local paper one day (a rare occurrence) and saw an article about technology company names. The overall theme was that, there is no real rhyme or reason as to what names are made up of.

Take Google for example. It is just a rip-off of the number Gogol. Granted, it is catchy, but still, what is the point? There isn't one.

Now, most websites are using a period after their names. Until this stops, I am putting one on the end of my site's header. There was, of course the whole "i" phase, and the "e" idea. Both of those were before my time. Anyway, that is just one protest against humanity, or at least the business end.

Interesting Day

Ok, this will be a long post, and most of it boring to the average Joe (I don't care if your name is Steve, or Bob).

Let me start at the beginning. I get to my bus stop and I see among Luke and Jeff, two seventh graders. Both I have known, and both were in/are in scouts. I say hi, and the bus appears like magic.

We get to Raphy's stop, and she passes up my seat. This isn't normal, but I don't think much of it, for she is Raphy.

I eventually get to school, and who do I see first but Adrian. I have had a locker two down from this guy for about two years, but today was the day that I decided to forget his name. We simply say hi, and are on our way to first period.

I am the first into the locker room, and I put my stuff into my locker like normal. Next to walk in was Donovan. I have known Donovan for, well, forever. He decides to hand me his chocolate bars for safe keeping in my locker.

Fast-forward to gym. The teachers inform us that first, you were to have had changed before the bell. He later informs us that we will be jogging a total of three-quarters of a mile. Our target:get it under seven minutes. Again, I say total. Now if there is one class I hate the subject matter, that would be it. I can play dodge ball as well as the next guy, but I can't do track or field worth crap. Anyway, I get to the finish line six seconds after the target time! That ticked me off. Anyway, it goes on, and by the time I finish, I am slapping hands with people yelling FAIL!!!! I liked that part. I didn't like the kid that puked, but I liked that people slapped my hand.

Fast-Forward to HR-PD2 Switch. That was when I saw for the first time in four days Lindsey. Now, with no way to contact her, there was literally nothing I could do... but that is my personal problem... not my valiant readers'.

Fast-Forward to WC-8. I sit down next to Clay, and Natale decides to sit behind me. Then came one of her most interesting comments:
"Alex, why are you nice on Facebook, but mean in real life?"
The simple answer is that I don't know. But I do, and I won't put that here, for it will bore the readers. My teacher then, at the end of class starts to read a sheet of useless trivia. I mean, really useless (his words, not mine). He starts on this 20-minute rant, and can't stop.

Fast-Forward to Lunch. The last periods' teacher decides to hover over our teacher (yes, the Marine). That, in and of itself was creepy, but what can you do? It is interesting to solve the world's (and imaginary world's) problems. Today's topic was my family. I compared and contrasted my aunts, uncles, and cousins with those of Clay's family. I have an uncle that lives in Alaska. He has an uncle that no one is to ever see or enter his house.


Fast-Forward to part of the reason I wrote this post. This evening, I had the privilege to attend a meeting regarding something close to my heart: Campaganza 2010. Together, we unpacked, inventoried, and re-packed the troop trailer. Now if you know anything about Troop 831, you know that is a group of teenagers that try to accomplish simple tasks by "boy leadership." I'll give an example: JUST TO BACK THE SUV TO THE TRAILER, it took six guys three tries to get it to the point where it was able to be lowered onto the trailer hitch. Anyway, I ended up being the one that wrote inventory, organized who was to do what, and how. This shows that something in the leadership program is working for me. It motivates me more.

Now, keep in mind that I am only 13, keep in mind that I am only SECOND CLASS RANK. Finally, keep in mind two things: I am somewhat of a leader, and I have wasted a lot of website space!

I will probably add a second part later!

Web Design for Dummies

What I do every day isn't rocket science. People get paid hundreds of dollars to do something like the Holy Ghost Website (See the link under "Noted Works"). If you are going to be a professional company, you should have a good idea of what the heck web design and web-friendly colors are. I am talking about a company called KielyNet Web Design. If you visit their home page, you see their portfolio. Granted, my portfolio is crap (Exhibit A), but it at least has websites listed that don't look bad. KielyNet has sites listed like this: http://www.marinereefhabitat.com/.

Ok, a day after I wrote this, before I published this, I was given the following comment:
"You will have your own portfolio at the age of 13, and you are complaining about a company"

Either way, if you want my services, let me know. Just another rant.

The Anatomy of an Average Week for Me, and The Marine... Again???

Ok, I'll start by apologizing for two things: number one, the lateness of this post, and second the crappy design changes over the past week. Now, to the real part. I will start with part two of the original title of this post.

The Marine. A feature of my blog for a few weeks in 2009. Well, I get my schedule in the mail and I see fourth name down: NAME REMOVED UNTIL DECEMBER 2011Yes, the marine. The one teacher that scared me the most, yet I liked the most. So, there might be more here pending the controversy of this blog. Now, to the second part.

Most of my life, I feel like a talk show host and a director. I try to get every angle, and narrate it all in my head. What you see on the screen was what I saw, only different. My week is very crazy, and my schedule consists of long hours on a computer, school, church, and other random stuff. Here is a typical week:

• Sunday: Church (Maybe reading, maybe serving). Boy Scout Meeting (Two Hours of Leading, pep talks, and training (for what? I don't know YET)
• Monday: Get up at 6:30AM, and go to school. Work sound for morning announcements. Lug around 20-25 lbs of books and binders. Come home, do homework, play with LAP. Ride bike, check communications for Troop.
• Tuesday:Get up at 6:30AM, and go to school. Go to gym, and try to make it to homeroom on time. Lug around 20-25 lbs of books and binders. Come home, do homework, play with LAP. Ride bike, check communications for Troop. Try to schedule JSVH Meeting, Try to Schedule BBC 2½ Film Session
• Wednesday: Repeat Monday, minus LAP or bike ride
• Thursday: Repeat Tuesday
• Friday:Get up at 6:30AM, and go to school. Survive combined chorus. Work sound for morning announcements. Lug around 20-25 lbs of books and binders. Come home, do homework, play with LAP. Ride bike, check communications for Troop.
• Saturday: Do whatever comes up in the past week, and maybe do a scout outing... e-mail Troop stuff (I normally forget).

I am probably the only person in my boy scout troop that can write HTML language like this: http://www.holyghostorthodoxchurch.org/. I am the only person in my class that understands the difference between HTML, CSS, and Javascript without Googling it. I am the only one in the world that understands why I write this blog... Until then,
Alex Popichak

Artist For Hire...

Okay, so recently I have working on Re-designing websites. Project #1 was the troop website, and honestly, now, after hours of work, weeks of obsessing, it was done. In Retrospect, I should have kept it the way it was. HOWEVER, I re-designed my father's website, and it is THE BEST DESIGN I HAVE MADE MYSELF. Before, it was an unappealing array of greens and yellows. I'll give you the sneak-peak here, because no one is ever reading this. Well, Here Goes Nothing:

Before

After

Ok, So It will be available soon on the website at the top of the "before" Picture( holyghostorthodoxchurch.org). So, that explains the title of this post. If you want me to re-design your site, e-mail me at one of the many links to the left and right. Well, I guess that is it for now... (sorry, I've been busy.... ERIE, CAMP, and more are coming... Promise)

Visits, Rants, and Behind-The-Scenes

Honestly, there isn't much put into writing a blog like this. Sign up, pick an address, and rant all you want. Anyone can do this, but not anyone can get an audience. Since late 2009, I have been tracking all of my visits across the world (See spinning globe on the right). Please click to see where people are from, and who has visited us.

In the world that we live in today, there are many ways to communicate... E-mail, Facebook, Twitter, The US Postal Service, and my new favorite... the telephone! Within the past week, I have been able to talk to my good friends Greg, Clay, and Lindsey (See my Catchup Article). I enjoy catching up with friends, and occasionally inviting them over (Clay and GREG!!!!)

STILL WRITING HERE!

A Stalker, and Erie.

Panorama of the Sheraton and Bicentennial tower...

Those within my inner circle (and Facebook Friends!) already know that I had the opportunity to visit Erie, Pennsylvania. It was wonderful: Waldameer, The Beach, and the realization that Pittsburgh's News stations are TEN TIMES BETTER THAT ERIE'S (Shout out to Aunt Marie who works at KDKA). Anyway, I had a great time in Erie. See a picture above ^
That Second Part That I put into the Title
I put very little thought into the posts here. Most of the time, I'd write the title, body, and then realize that it is all crap, and deserves no more than to be deleted. This second part is just that.
 Natalie Thomas: Previously noted in the "Spring Queen" portion of the Catchup Article, decided that it would be funny to play a trick on me about this blog. It involved a fake blog and e-mail address, and of course, yours truly. Check it out for yourself...
Thanks!
Alexander Popichak

Fourth of July and Some More Ranting...

Ok, so Carnegie just has to be crazy and have their fireworks on either the 3rd or 5th of July. NEVER the fourth, that would be normal... and we don't want that! Anyway, I will be putting together various snippings of that and the Scott Township fireworks into a video.

However, I need ideas for the soundtrack. If you would be so kind as to give an idea in the comment link below, and send an e-mail to me with your bank account number, and social security number. Ok, that was a joke, but if you feel like giving me money, go right ahead...

Ok, so I guess that is it. Feel free to comment, say hi on Facebook, or shoot me an e-mail. Thanks for stopping by!

Take a Look...

Site Stats (Click For a Larger Pic)

The Making Of The JSVH...

I don't normally post twice in one day, but today is an exception. In the following post, I will detail two things, ok, detail two, say one more.

First off, There is a video Floating around YouTube featuring two 'Hetalia' Characters. It is to the tune of Spongebob (The most annoying cartoon on TV)'s F.U.N. Song. If you click on the link, you can see the funny part, as if it was made to go with this video vs. the Spongebob video.

Second, I wanted to detail about the making of the JSVH. Alternatively, it could be called "A Day In The Life Of A Video Producer."

• A Few Weeks Before Premier: Get in contact with Jeff and Clay, see when we can get together and meet about the upcoming show. Also, update FB Page/Blog.
• A Few Days Before Premier: Jeff finally gets back to me and we choose a date.
• The Week Of The Premier: Film EVERYTHING: Bloopers, Real Content, Video Games, etc. (You Never Know What You Will Need)
• Two Days Before Premier: Edit like crazy, download music, and post continuously on Facebook. Also, update the blog.
• Hours Before Premier: Convert Video, and Upload to YouTube.
• Day After YouTube Premier: Upload to Dailymotion and Reap the Benefits.

Well, that is what I do with my SPARE time. Did I mention that I have to keep three blogs up-to-date and I am in the process of re-doing another one?

I once was asked why I never update my own website (alexpopichak.com). I will be honest with you, and my family can vouch for this, I am on my computer for hours at a time. 90% of the time, I am doing something worthwhile, other times I am watching pointless videos like Hetalia and Trololo. One of my new favorite quotes is one by film director James Cameron.

"Are you excessively obsessive? If there is such a thing," Safer asked.

"Obsessively obsessive? Excessively obsessive? Clinically? Never been diagnosed. I'm sure it's a, I think it's in the job description for directors in general," Cameron said.

 Well, I guess that is it for now...

Back to the Drawing Board OR My Current Medical State

When I edit a website, I normally do it from top to bottom. Due to the fact that some pages are endless, I never finish. If something does not work, I take it to the dry-erase board in my bedroom and re-sketch the thing, top to bottom. You can see it in full by clicking on the image to the right of this text. This, of course is a proposed idea for the Troop site, and it didn't win. Anyway, I'll spend hours on my laptop just to fix something as simple as a calendar. Then, I'll abandon the idea, wasting six hours of work. In the end, well, you can see it right here.

Now comes that part that my mom has been dreading all day, the part where I tell you about my Friday Morning. Well, My bizarre doctor decided that they needed to test my blood. However, before I start that, I will go back about two months ago, when my other doctor decided to cut off part of my toenail. That was a fun experience that included getting jabbed twice with a needle to my entire right leg.

Fast-forward to the week of finals, when my dermatologist decides to burn off part of my hand, to remove a wart that isn't gone.

Zip by to today. My doctor, as previously stated, decided that I needed to be tested in my blood for exciting things like cholesterol and anemia. Anyway, we go to the first place at around 10 in the morning. And we wait, and wait for close to twenty minutes. Then, we go in and find out that the wonderful people at our health insurance decided to limit them to a select 2,000 or so doctors-none of them are mine.

Next place it was the same story, whacky insurance, and a doctor under a certain plan. By then it was somewhere close to 10:45. Oh, and did I mention that in order to get these tests done, I couldn't have breakfast.

Finally, we found a place that would take us, and the only catch was waiting until 11:30 to get THREE VIALS OF BLOOD. Thank you Mr. Greedy Insurance Executive.

The Moral to the rant: Find a doctor that will be accepted at a place nearby, not someplace bizarre under the Parkway East.

Post Number 50!!!

To buy myself time, this technically is the 50th post since I began. HOWEVER, I deleted some of the pointless nonsense so I could rant before my real post fifty. So, in reality, this is post 48, again. Confusing, but I think I know what I will have on the REAL 50th post.

Well, It has certainly been a while since I have updated my own blog. Let's see what is new, and what I can elaborate on.


Spring Queen 2010

On May 15th, I went to spring queen with my best friend Clay who escorted his (girl)friend Natalie. As for me, I went with my very good friend Lindsey. One of the more interesting stories is that I was unofficially 30 minutes late. I was in the parking lot 15 minutes or so early, but Lindsey didn't show up. The doors opened, and everyone but I went in. Little did I know that Lindsey was inside the whole time. As ticked off as I was, I was caught off guard by what was to happen later. I had danced with Lindsey (I CANNOT dance), and ended up with at least 5 death threats from my assorted group of friends. I guess I deserved it, but still....


Video Projects and Other Assorted Things Like That
I must have ranted thousands of times about video projects in the past. However, whenever Jeffrey quit, I thought that was the worst I have seen. I was sadly wrong. After at least three tries at another project, I had to pull out of it. I had created a train without brakes, and I couldn't go any further. Soon after, the project (I guess) manager decided to work further on this project. To this date, I have not been able to find common ground with him or his production group.
JSVH: The Second Season
Ok, so about two days after pulling out of the trainwrecked project, I got a call from my other good friend Jeffrey. He wanted to know if we could do the second JSVH season. Something we had been talking about thousands of times before. I happily agreed, and soon after, so did Clay. We plan on meeting about this sometime during next week.

BSA Troop 831 in Carnegie

I have been working tirelessly on working on the troop831carnegie project by means of everything free. I have been using e-mail nonstop. I have been everything from blogger to Google Calendar and Facebook. But That is another story. Anyway, I am FINALLY Second Class, and working on First Class. Once I am First Class, I can do everything scouting has to offer. This is my true goal in life at this point. I attended an Eagle Court Of Honor on Sunday, and I heard nothing but good things about the scouting program, and that already I am one of the 17% of boys in the US that stick with scouts.
Over the next few weeks, I will redesign their website. Just another thing on my list.

The Future of This Blog and Website
Well, I now have a permanent domain at alexpopichak.com. I will have to work on that also. Until then, That's the way it is:
Alexander Popichak

For my 49th Post...

Well, I have been thinking. The DnC thing may work. This seems like we have a real plan, and it may last more that 5 episodes. I think we will have a blast. If you want to participate in this project, drop me a line by commenting, or sending me an e-mail.

Also, I think that the webshow business needs a monopoly. That, or a superpower. If I join forces with the greatest minds of the universe, I could have something. Then, I could have LIVE broadcasts. And maybe even show curling! And, there will be NO boring shows, or paid programming. There will be a "commercial show block." More of my master plan on taking over the world.

NOTE: This is purely for entertainment, not as an actual plot to take over the world.

I think I should reveal my master plan on taking over the world. I have nothing against the world, I just want to take it over. First, I will join with Clay and buy a novelty company. After about 30 years, we will invest our company's money into stock in Google. Then, after gaining 51% of the stock, we will run Google, and its $2 Billion Plus in annual sales. This will in turn, allow me to take over the world. So you are asking me, "Why won't the IRS notice this website and stop my master plan?" In all reality, I still have some bugs to work out, like, how will the tax collectors dismiss a $200,000 check to myself? Anyway, it is just a master plan.

This is the 48th Post...

So, I was thinking, "What Should I Do For Post Number Fifty?" and I came up with a huge list of miscellaneous rants, lists, and ideas to do something wonderful. Then, I went to school.
Whenever I am working on a project, there is always a list of 500 things that need to be done ASAP. I would go to check voice-mail on my cell phone, and find three things to do for Dave's Wiki. Then I get four e-mails about something to send out to the troop. Then, I see that I have six pages of homework. Finally, I get an e-mail about needing to Blog on this site. If anyone has ever headed a project, they know that at least one thing doesn't get done at the end of the day. This website was that thing that doesn't get done. In all reality, who cares? I write this just for the heck of it not to answer to someone, not to impress viewers, or to get any information out.

There is a great website, that kind of sets itself off like a stalker. However, it has remained after seven years. asdfjkl;.com is a useless website, but a very successful one. It is not maintained, but doesn't need to be. It has no information, but asks that of you. Ingenious. So, that is my short post for # 48, now for 49... then 49 1/2.... then 49 3/4....

Post # 47...

So, yes this is post #47, fast approaching 50. Anyway, every time I post something here, it goes to my Gmail's Google Buzz thing. If you follow me (stalkers) you will get these updates. It's kinda like, Twitter for Google. anyway, back to what I really wanted to talk about.
When someone is writing a book, or in my case a blog, the question is how to introduce a character. There are many ways to go about this. One would be just flat out describing them. Another would be to describe their personality. Then there is one of my favorites: introduce them in conversation, having the reader guess what the heck you are talking about. I can only look at one of my own posts to see what I do.
So I go over this list of things I want to talk about in my next blog post. I can't bore people with stories of how Dave asks about the wiki. Neither can I talk about how I wish to have a domain name but are too cheap to get one. I can't talk about how I lose a math paper in a copying machine, having to re-do it, and then having my brother pull it out of the copy machine the second that I finish re-doing it. Bottom line, I have a rather anticlimactic and boring life. I have thousands of stupid stories like these, and you'd think I would share them on a place like this, but I don't. So, I need to go back to doing basically nothing that is worth mentioning, i.e. work on a website, or work on the Troop Communications system. I plan on writing my own program to solve the world's computer problems. Until then, that's life.

So... What have you been up to?

It seems that I completely forget I even have this website, but then at about the time I am editing That Dave n' Clay show's blog, I remember. Anyway, back to the stories
It is amazing what you can talk to the person that is cutting your hair about. On Saturday, I decided that I would just sit and think while the lady is cutting my hair. Next thing I know, I am talking about the school year so far and what is going on in my world. To be honest, there is a lot going on. Dave is trying to do a "We are the World" video with 7th and 8th graders. So far, we have me, Dave, Clay, and a gilr named Raphael. I have known Raphael since 4th grade, but it wasn't until this year that I really got to know her. She knows about the blog, and knows Dave. On Google Chat (Awesome by the way) Dave thought that Raphael would not agree to this, I thought otherwise, I was right. So we have a girl singing in the group, it's a start. So the total people # is about six. I don't know if it will work out, but if it does, it will be fun.
Speaking of Dave, he has been working non-stop on the wiki, and has been contacting me just as much about it, so I have a lot to do with.
I guess that is it, and I have to go anyway. Thanks for reading, Alex

So... we are approaching 50 posts.

Ok, so I have been keeping this blog for about 6 months. This is our 46th post, and we will probably have 50 posts by the end of this month. However, it should be earlier. In all reality, I have been neglecting this blog for a major project. I have been working over the past weekend and three snow days on something called a wiki.
Dave has been working REALLY hard alongside me om that Dave n' Clay show's wiki. Please feel free to check it out:
http://davenclay.wikia.com/wiki/That_Dave_n%27_Clay_Show_Wiki
Everyone has heard of "Wikipedia-The free encyclopedia." Now, just for kicks, I have created a wikipedia page for myself. Within one night, It has been nominated for deletion. That is fine, I don't need one. But within about 30 minutes of that comment by the admins at Wikipedia, some person deleted 90% of the information and added:

"fail"and later "haha he failsssssssssssssss"

so, they will delete a page, but let someone trash it without any contest. So, that's Wikipedia.
After that episode, I decided to create my own version of wikipedia. There, I have the administrator power, so anyone can edit or add an article if you have one of the free accounts:
http://ultimateguidetotheuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Alex%27s_Ultimate_Guide_to_the_Universe_Wiki

So By The Way...

OK, so I haven't dropped completely off the earth, but I certainly feel like it. For some odd reason, we had a pep rally. So we are huddled together, the entire JR high, on the bleachers of this auxiliary gym above the locker rooms. I sit like this:
------BBBIIIGGGG SPACE-----Andrew  Clay   Alex   Lindsey
Then J'Quay shoves himself next to Lindsey, so we attempt to move down. Andrew refuses to move. Then Dave showed up he attempts to sit next to me:
------BBBIIIGGGG SPACE-----Andrew ClayAlexDaveLindseyJ'Quay SPACE
So Dave, being a gentleman, offered to move poor squished Lindsey down a row, so I was squished between Clay and Dave in a room where I didn't know why I was in it. Next thing I knew, the assembly was over.
The even better part to all of this is that the teachers didn't even know about this until the end of first period. Honestly, I kind of enjoyed the shortened classes. That was my Tuesday.
FYI this is the 45th post since I have began, obviously I did something right.