While researching synonyms for a client looking for another word for news, I discovered that “poop” is slang for current inside information. As in: She gave me all the poop on the company party. This also leads to the phrases “hot poop” and “poop sheet,” which formerly had only bathroom-related associations in my mind.

I guess you learn something new every day. Though I doubt I’ll be recommending that particular synonym.

You just can’t make this stuff up. A husband in Hawaii was giving his wife driving lessons when she overcompensated to avoid another car and crashed the SUV into a pool.

The picture is just classic, the kind of thing you’d expect to see in a commercial.
(link via kottke.org)

Tomorrow’s my birthday. I’ll be turning old. The big 2-5. The last official milestone, a drop in the car insurance and the ability to rent a car without paying outrageous fees.

Actually it’s not that big of a deal. But since I’m self employed and set my own schedule, I’m finding myself thinking of all the free stuff available on your birthday. Where can I go to get the best free stuff on my birthday? I think places like Chili’s and TGI Fridays give you free dessert, but you have to endure that damn singing. I don’t know if it’s worth that.

Yesterday became a very early birthday as my wife let my open my presents. We now have a GameCube. And four controllers. And money to spend on games. Apparently we couldn’t wait to take advantage of the video action — that and friends are moving this weekend and we can take advantage of sales at Best Buy. But I’m not complaining.

So I need to decide what games to buy. Mario Kart seems like an obvious choice, though I’ve played it a lot recently and have beaten 98% of the races. Then again it’s a racing game and always has a life of its own (proven last night by the awesome three and four player gaming). Super Smash Bros. Melee also looks good. I remember playing it on the N-64 and it’s a great multiplayer game. We rented Simpsons Hit & Run tonight, which is basically a Simpsons version of Grand Theft Auto without all the senseless violence. It’s a fun game, but I don’t know if it’s a must own. Only a small portion of the game is multiplayer, so that’s disappointing.

I’m also going to have to get my share of racing games. Burn Out 2 looks good (I’ve played the original), and I’d also love to get a realistic racer like NASCAR Heat 2: Dirty to Daytona, which covers NASCAR from dirt tracks to modifies to the truck series to the full blown pros. Of course NASCAR 2005: Chase For the Cup sounds pretty sweet.

There’s a few other games I have my eye on, like F-Zero (great racing game on the SNES), Medal of Honor (I’ve played on the computer, though I’m curious if a console version would be any good), and the various James Bond and Lord of the Rings games. I also just checked out the web site for Custom Robo — that looks way cool: build a robot and then fight with it. Looks like lots of multiplayer action.

Thankfully GameCube games get pretty cheap when they’ve been out for a while. Several of these games are available for under $20. Bonus. Does anybody have any recommendations for good games?

I mentioned the other day that I’m thinking about getting a Nintendo. I’ve been pretty anti-Nintendo in the past few years, at least when it comes to owning one. I know myself, and I have a tendency to become addicted to video games. It happened a number of times in college, and by midway through my sophomore year I learned to stay away.

My roommates have fond memories of playing a game called Worms. I have fond memories of righteously refusing to play for fear of becoming addicted.

But it’s also one of those things you need to learn to overcome. Sometimes you want some sort of quasi-disengaged stress reliever. I just need to learn when not to play it, especially since I work at home. That makes it difficult.

I’m just finding myself intrigued by video games. They’re so much cooler nowadays. It’s not dots on a screen anymore, but entire virtual worlds. The video game industry is a $9.4 billion business, which is bigger than the box office (though I think Hollywood as a whole would have to be larger).

And as a volunteer with my youth group, a game system seems like required material. It sounds stupid, but a video game system is the common denominator among guys. I don’t know a single guy in our group who would say no to a night of video games. While basketball, paintball, a concert, or any other event will draw plenty of guys, I don’t think any of them would get the total response video games seem to. Maybe that says something depressing about teen guys, but I won’t think about that now. I certainly realize video games aren’t the best way to spend time with guys, but it does open a door. I recognize if that’s all you ever do you’re in trouble.

Par for the course when being tempted by a new electronic goodie, I have my doubts. I’m leaning toward the GameCube for all the Nintendo-exclusive games, like Mario Cart and Super Smash Brothers. I realize the PS2 and X-Box might be better systems, but the GameCube is also cheaper. Though that does make me wonder how long until the GameCube is relegated to the pile of oldies like the NES, SNES, and N64. Only a matter of time (to which I want to respond, “So buy now! Buy now!”).

Sometimes I think too much.

After yesterday’s realization about my recurring dreams, I had more freaky dreams last night. This time I had my glasses and I wasn’t back in high school, so they weren’t recurring. But they were freaky.

Dream 1: Ford Motor Company reneged on my dad’s retirement and forced him and half his co-workers to return to work in Connecticut. So much for retirement in Kansas. To top things off, my parents announced they were pregnant.

Dream 2: The whole cancelled retirement quickly turned into some strange coastal village inhabited by the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At one point I was desperately trying to jab the handle of a wooden spoon into a vampire, only to score a number of bruises and minor puncture wounds. Apparently you either need the strength of the slayer or a sharpened stake. I’m not even sure which characters were present, though I vaguely remember seeing Buffy, Willow, Spike, possibly Drusilla, and my wife. I’m not sure I was playing myself, but it’s possible I was either Buffy or Zander. Though I did suck at the vamp staking, so I was probably Zander.

Tonight Abby and I got rock and roll hair cuts and watched School of Rock. Nice combo.

Update: Left Behind hottie Kirk Cameron has rocketed into second place in Lark News’ “Sexiest Man Alive in Christ” poll, pushing Franklin Graham back down to fourth. Franklin really needs to rally if he hopes to pull this one off. I recommend a mention in the BGEA e-list and a homepage highlight.

Lark News is holding a “Sexiest Man Alive in Christ” poll (bottom of the page, left column). So far “That Blond Guy from DC Talk” (Kevin Max) is really cleaning up, with Michael W. Smith in second. But I think the current third place candidate is really the man for the title: Franklin Graham.
(thanks to Knightopia for the link)

Other quality Lark News articles include:

Pastor’s wife sends body double to sit pleasantly on front pew:
Unbeknownst to her husband or congregation, Trudy Smith has been avoiding church for two years, sending a look-alike in her place.

Teen seeks missions assignment where women don’t wear clothes:
He adds that if teen boys could work in a place where they were surrounded by “tons and tons of boobs” the ranks of missionaries would swell.

Church halts nursery expansion, opts for condoms:
The condoms are supplied by Holy Sheath, Inc., a Christian condom company based in Blacksburg, Va. Each condom is printed with a verse, such as, “May her breasts satisfy you always – Proverbs 5:19.”

And from the homefronts…

Accountability groups classified as gangs in Detroit:
“On Monday morning, the guys in my group were waiting for me in the parking lot at my workplace with brass knuckles and family-edition Bibles. They worked me over pretty good, and said they’d pray for me.”

Students start ministry to men with ponytails:
“We consider them a distinct unreached people group,” says Bart Nkomo, 23, from St. Paul Bible College. “That ponytail is really a cry for help.”