Corey DeGrandchamp > Writer’s Block

For those who are into such things, this might be the biggest party night of the year. Other people like to keep it a little more low key. How do you plan to ring in the New Year?

How else, but working at Starbucks, coming home to some WoW and some vino with Ang. In all seriousness though, I have to work at Starbucks until 10:30, by the time I get home tonight, it’ll be about 11:15 or so, and then I’ll just want to go to bed, but I promised Ang that we could drink some wine and play a bit of WoW tonight, so I’ll be doing that at some point for sure.

The day of the new year is the bigger day, I’m going to be taking Ang our for a nice day out on the town, a walk, perhaps some food, shopping, maybe ending the night with watching a movie inside.

Call it gym, P.E., recess, or pure hell, most people have participated in a class at school that focused on games and athletics. What sport or game did you hate the most when you were a kid? What sport or game was your favorite?

Well, I was never fond of Basketball, while I kind of enjoyed football, the real treat, for everybody, was DODGEBALL.

I don’t know how else you could possibly put it. It was our game of choice at recess, and the only thing they could take away from us.

We had gym class once a week in elementary school, and once a month, we got to play dodgeball. That was the fucking day. No doubt about it. If you ended up on a team with all girls, you’d do everything you can to silently slip away to the bathroom, and then come back on the other team.

Not much time to reminisce about things today, working at the drill. Actually… I have to go soon. Today consists of shopping for Ang’s last Christmas gift, possibly some Chrono Trigger DS, and work on the QuickPlay website?

The news is full of stories about people cutting back on their spending. What thrifty measures have you taken since the end of the economy as we know it?

Well, considering the fact that I just moved out, and into my first place on my own, just almost 2 months ago. (Wow, can’t believe it’s only been two months!) I’ve realized that cutting cost where I can is critical to living on your own. I know pleny of people who live with roomates, friends, whathaveyou, and they simply can’t make it. They don’t have money to go to school, they work to fill up their gas tank, hardly pay their bills, and go out and drink at a bar and waste most of their money.

That’s not the lifestyle I want to live. I’ve grocery shopping for items on sale, buying generic brands, and packing a lunch every single day. That doesn’t mean I don’t eat good food, because let me  tell you. Me and Ang can put together a mean stir-fry. We’re lucky we like to cook, and do it well. Every now and then we’ll treat ourselves to a dinner out at a resturant, but that’s a treat. We know we have to save for school. And Ang has been trying to pick up more and more hours at work, even with the labor cuts at $tarbucks. I went from having 35+ hours a week, to 20, if I’m lucky. Thankfully I work at Michigan Drill as well. If it wasn’t for me having two jobs right now… I think I’d really really be struggling to get by. I’m barely making tuition this semester… I know I will probably have to take out a $$LOAN$$$ next semester, but I’m okay with that.

I just hope I can keep working both of these jobs until the economy evens itself out. Until then, I’m going to be beat all the time, maybe even grumpy. But I can tell you one thing, I absolutely am NOT unhappy, even though these rough times with money and the economy, possible mass loss of jobs, I look on the bright side… there’s plenty of people who are feeling it worse than I am.

In fact, lets take my mother for example… She just got done having surgey, and just got out of the hospital yesterday… only to find out that her place of employment is closing their doors this month… she won’t even get to make it back to work (resting time, surgery, you know) so she is already effectively unemployed. THAT’S FUCKING SCARY. I’m sorry, perhaps if I were in that position I’d be freaking out and not loving life so much. I really wish I had the means to help her out though, after all, she did raise me and bring me up to be able to make it on my own. The least I could do is help her. She’s a strong woman though, and I know she’ll get through these tough times. She’s been though worse after-all…

If you could pick any TV show that has been off the air to come back for one more season, which show would you pick and why?

FREAKS AND GEEKS. Without a doubt one of the most under-appreciated shows ever created. The story is just… real, the characters are real, and not to mention the writers of this show must have had some of the best senses-of-humor EVER. Ang bought me the “complete series” not too long ago, but unfortunately it was only one series, that’s all that was ever made! We did watch every single episode though, and thoroughly enjoyed it, even all the special features. Thinking about this show makes me want to watch it all over again. It’s filled with great one-liners… I only wish I could share those quotes with more people, nearly nobody knows about this show…

I’m sure Ang will agree with me when I give my final reason.

NICK ANDOPOLIS

Quite possibly one of the greatest TV show characters ever. Simply hilarious.

I’d just like to be known (not famous) for being a part of a happy family… There’s really nothing I would love more to live out the entirety of my life with a wife, who is truly happy doing whatever she wants to do in life, w

ith me being right by her side, us supporting eachother every step of the way… And of course to have a child or two down the road, who is brought up and raised in the best way we could possibly do… A truly happy family, I’d love to be known in whatever community I end up living in for just that… being a part of a happy family. I don’t need fame, nor a monumental amount of cash. I’d prefer not to have too much media attention either, that would simply get annoying, and would [in the long run] most likely, prevent me from being a part of that ideal happy family.

P.S. - I can’t forget about Frankie, the black and brown doxon, who we will undoubtedly have someday!