Friday, April 15, 2011

Blogging Award

I'm About as Versatile as...Johnny Depp


(Just kidding! Depp dwarfs me in that department. I mean the guy's done every conceivable role: Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Willy Wonka, Gilbert Grape, Donnie Brasco, Raoul Duke, George Jung, John Dillinger etc. etc...He's a damn good chameleon).

      Excluding my latest quasi-digression, I do have some personal news to report. Much to my delightful surprise, Tara Tyler has awarded me with the "Versatile Blogger Award." I'm not about to unleash a long-winded acceptance speech (I'll spare you all). I just want to say that I am extremely thankful and flattered. Tara! You rock! 

The requirements for officially receiving/earning this award are:

#1. Link back to your awarder: Tara Tyler!
#2. Unearth 7 things about yourself (see below).
#3. Award 15 recently discovered bloggers. I'm going to tinker with this part a little, and give it to the 15 people I feel are the most deserving. Let's hope they don't revoke my award for bending the rules a little :)
#4. Once I name you as a recipient, just come back to my blog and pick up your award (oh, and Congratulations)!!
 Seven Things About Me 
(The Versatile Award says I must spill out some details).

Trying to channel that effortless James Dean cool

On our way to Virginia Beach (Me=Front Left)
  1. For starters, I used to ride a motorcycle (sold it at the end of last summer). All my close friends ride bikes, so it was a peer pressure thing. Anyway, two summers ago, I rode it to Virginia Beach (it took over 9+ hours to get there in what seemed like 100 degree weather). There were seven total riders, plus 6 others in cars. We thought of it as our American Pie 2 style, big-end-of-summer vacation. We rented a house by the water and lived the good life. Our timing was so atrocious that we got sidelined by Hurricane Bill on the ride home. We tried riding through the tsunami in Northern VA, and then Downtown DC, but the rain was just too furious and wasn't stopping anytime soon. It should have only taken 8-9 hours. Instead, it took us a day and 1/2. We stayed in an Arlington VA hotel for the night and met the coolest receptionist.
  2. My freshman year of college was spent at the University of Connecticut (then I transferred to NYU). And what a year 2004 was! Both the Men's and Women's basketball teams won the National Championship. Needless to say, I didn't make it to class the next day. Even still, I notched a 4.0 during that spring semester.
  3. My creed: Party hard, study harder. 
  4. Speaking of living, I recently moved out of my post-college, "fraternity"-style house. Me and five of my good friends all lived together, in what we termed the "Man House"—why? Because most of us were single, with superficial and inflated self-worth's (just kidding, we're not that bad). Great times. Lived with them for 2 and 1/2 years before the mass exodus began. Only three of the original six guys still remain. Now one of them is a Cop. Though I can't count on him being a corrupt one like Sullivan in The Departed or McCluskey in The Godfather.
  5. I am a fanatic sports fan, thus the Bill Simmons reference in my "About My Site" section. My favorite teams are the Yankees, Knicks/Orlando Magic, and the Detroit Lions/New England Patriots. Football is my favorite sport to watch and basketball is my favorite sport to play. Last year, I sprained my wrist, in a losing effort no less, during a pick-up game against a bunch of teenagers (oh by-the-way, my team was full of 20-year olds). What a joke. I was out of commission for a month. No sports. No gym. My buddy, Mikey wound up injuring his ankle. Because of those kids, I have a tarnished opinion of my own physical prowess (jk). I ran track and played tennis in High School. Basketball was my recreational sport of choice.
  6. I drive a BMW. Vroom vroom. Who doesn't love cars!?
  7. I like to think I'm a pretty good dancer, at least when I'm in the mood to shake my groove thang. This is no delusion. I've been told I could move it like Travolta in Saturday Night Fever—though a much more modernized rendition. Incidentally, my favorite type of music is techno/trance, but I have an eclectic appreciation for almost all other genres.
Hope you guy's and girls don't think anything less of me now :)

      21 comments:

      1. Thanks Matthew, the nod is much appreciated. Congratulations on your award too, you certainly deserve it!

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      2. I LOVE YOU, MAN. By which I mean, thanks for the award! And congratulations on yours! Awesome that you had a motorcycle--even if it went through a traumatic experience! And I think I'd pay money to see you do Travolta's ten minute strut at the end of Stayin' Alive.

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      3. Matt, thank you so much for the nod! That's so cool, man! I truly appreciate it!

        Congrats on winning the award!

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      4. Thanks, Matt. That's cool. I just got done passing on the torch so to speak with my Versatile Blogger Awards over on my site.

        Though, I didn't put you as one of the 15 since it felt too much like re-gifting for me to do that. However, still gave you a mention in there and returned the link-love. ;)

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      5. Matty, thank you so much for the award, and also congrats - you're the most versatile blogger of us all, and you truly deserve this award.

        Thanks for sharing these 7 fascinating things about you. Now, we like you even more :)

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      6. Congrats on the award! Thanks for passing it along to me.

        I can't believe you were basically riding through Hurricane Bill on a motorcycle! That must have been some ride home...

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      7. I guess living with a cop means you always have handcuffs ready for any purpose :))


        Congrats on getting the well deserved award, you hunk, and thanks for passing it to your favourite HOLLYWOOD SPY. I shall display the award in my award page for everyone to see it and get green from envy :))

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      8. Congratulation, bro! and Thank for sharing the award with us :)
        Those are really nice trivia of you and riding motorcycle through Hurricane Bill, that's badass! :)

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      9. THANK YOU!!!! You totally rock! Congrats to you on receiving this as you are quite the versatile blogger and why I love coming here. I shall display this loud and proud on my blog.

        I love that you had a motorcycle. What kind was it? I have my Harley all picked out and intend to get it as soon as I reach a modicum of writerly financial success. A vintage look Heritage Softtail...Sorry, having a Mel's so sexy cool fantasy. Riding through a hurricane? Points for being a badass even if it wasn't the smartest thing. And yeah, I'm with M, I'd pay money to see you do the Manero strut in a white disco suit and do the collar flip.

        Thanks again for the award, my friend.

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      10. Think LESS of you? A guy who can dance? No way. There's a '70s club downtown here... I'd invite you, but I really wanted to show up on the back of a motorcycle.

        - allison writes

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      11. haha! Wow. Thanks. This is such a good idea. You get to share blogs that you follow with new people. I'll definitely fill this out and link back to your journal by the end of this weekend. Thanks again! :) I'm a terrible dancer so I give credit to anyone who is good at it!

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      12. @ Brent

        You're welcome pal and thanks!

        @ M.

        Haha, thanks. The motorcycle ride was a blessing and curse. I'll never forget getting bombarded by a monstrous wave on the highway cuz some douchebag truck driver decided to speed up along side of me.

        Haha, depends if there is some alcohol involved.

        And you're welcome!

        @ Rachel

        You're welcome. You deserve it! And thanks as well.

        @ JL

        Haha, like they say in Seinfeld, regifting is only permitted if met by an act of degifting.

        Thanks, and your welcome!

        @ Nebular

        Ha, thanks so much homie! You're the man. Glad I didn't agitate you with my little personal nuggets.

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      13. @ Liz

        You're welcome. Your to A-Z challenge posts have been marvelous.

        Yes, it was an experienced that I'll never forget, but never repeat. Riding that long is just too damn uncomfortable. Not to mention mother nature's fury.

        @ Dezmond

        Haha, your a funny guy (says Joe Pesci)!

        You're welcome. I love your blog. Your information is timely, unique, and spot-on! And thanks!

        @ Jaccstev

        You're welcome! Your blog is fantastic.

        Badass or dumb. Either way, I'll always remember the fact that my friend—who was our guide to VA beach—took us through some random ass route through Delaware. We ended up getting stuck at traffic lights in 100 degree weather. My undershirt was painted on my body once we got to the house. We should of just took 95 the whole way up. Lesson learned.

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      14. @ Melissa

        You're welcome and thank you!

        I had a '09 Ninja zx6r. That's awesome that you're planning on getting a Harley. Rock on out. I figure, when I get my next bike, I'm going the cruiser route. No more crotch rockets for me.

        Lol, as for the Saturday Night dance rendition, you'll just have to wait and see.

        @ allison

        Haha, that's a tempting offer. Might have to go buy back my bike or invest in that cruiser. I know where the guy lives. But thank you!

        @ Laura

        Thank you! Your blog is insightful and terrific. And you're very welcome!

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      15. Hey many congrats Matt.!!! Keep up the good work!

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      16. Thanks! You as well. Your musings are hilarious and sharp-witted!

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      17. You are sooo awesome!! Thank you so much for the award and congratulations to you! I just posted about it!!

        I loved reading the 07 facts about you! A 4.0 GPA (WHAT!) and I thought I was cool with a 3.8. haha. Motorcycles are so badass but they scare the crap out of me. Although that is kind of the excitement of a bike it can be such an adrenaline rush. It must be sad to living without it now.

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      18. Oh I almost forgot! I just gave you an award on my site as well!!

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      19. No, you're awesome, lol. Thanks for returning the blogging love. Much obliged!

        Shear work ethic explains the GPA. As for motorcycles, I'm incredibly distressed about not seeing it in my garage. The weather is finally warming, and I see my friends gearing up for the biking season without me. It's a harsh reality.

        Thanks again! I'll write up a short post about it shortly!

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      20. Thank you so much for the award! I am honored! I am a novice at all this - so in the interests of staying on time in the challenge I'm holding off on trying to install it - but will come back soon to claim! Cheers!

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      21. You're welcome. Keep up the fantastic work at your blog. Your insights into film and your anecdotal accounts are interesting and informative!

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