Day 56: Stating The Obvious

As the title suggests, I am using this blog post to state the painfully obvious: I'm done with YDCoH for now.

Its not only because of school work...in fact I have much less homework then ever before. It actually has a lot to do with me spending a lot of time doing things other than...well...blogging! Its simple: senior year = a lot more involved social life. I'm pretty sure many of you would agree with me XD.

I hope y'all don't suffer during my absence, and I promise to come back eventually, but until now, this is HaufeCoffee signing off....*tear*

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 55: Peeta Bread

*Note: This blog post was initially written on time. Unfortunately, I finished it two days later. What can I say, I'm just lazy as hell XD.

Hey look, a saturday (*correction: monday*) post! These won't happen too often, but considering I've been leaving y'all in the dark for the past couple days, it was the best I could do...

This may be a first, but I have to blame my blogger procrastination this week on reading....FOR FUN. I'm really not sure about the last time I read for fun. It was probably when I read the Harry Potter series that I sort of....kind of....didn't....finish (don't kill me!). With the hectic nature of teenage life, pleasure reading (unless you're a bookworm....that's not an insult, a lot of my friends are awesome and cool bookworms) kind of loses its priority....

However, this summer, the word nerd (remember her???) recommended the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. A lot of my friends had read it in the past and they all loved it, so I thought I would give it a go. Originally, I thought that the book would end up along some chick literature plot track and end up like twilight did (young adult fiction tends to go that route, doesn't it).

However, "The Hunger Games" has to be the BEST book I've read for fun in the past few years, and here's why....

First of all, it's a dystopian action story, and considering my favorite two genres are dystopian fiction and action/adventure, I was very pleased. The sense of a ruined America (the action happens a few centuries after the demise of the United States) and a totalitarian society (ironically named the "republic of Panem") hits you dead on, and the story takes off from there.

It's about this sixteen year old girl named Katniss who must take the place of her twelve year old sister Prim as a tribute in "the Hunger Games". "The Hunger Games" is an event held every year in "the capitol" that features twenty four tributes ages twelve to eighteen from twelve districts (one boy and one girl from each district) who must fight to the death. These gruesome games are held to remind the poorer districts that rebellion is futile. Scary much?

So Katniss, an illegal hunter, and Peeta, a baker's son (hence the title pun) represent District 12 in this event that will test their strength, agility, wit, and ability to SURVIVE *dundundun*.

Anyways, it was an extremely exciting book and I would recommend it to anyone who either loves young adult fiction or loves adventure or dystopian fiction. Even the romance in this book wasn't too ghastly. Unlike twilight, I didn't vomit!!!

In other news, I have been meaning to mention that the word nerd has now switched most of her operations to her new blog, Bookworm Boulevard. Rather than taking my signature "random blogging" approach, her blog specializes in detailed book reviews in the young adult fiction genre. If you're a bookworm and have an obsession with young adult fiction, or you just like the word nerd's shenanigans, then check it out!

Due to immersing myself in a dystopian society this weekend, I haven't had the chance to discover any new music this weekend. However, I did practice the guitar a bit and learned a fantastic song from american female artist Anna Nalick. Her song "Wreck of the Day" has a nice, slow melody. It's probably a song you could enjoy before taking a nap or maybe while sitting in a dark room like a loner (For your sake, I sincerely hope its the former). "Wreck of the Day" is also /extremely/ easy to play on the guitar, and I like that ^.^

AP Chem test tomorrow. *dies*

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 54: Smells Like HaufeCoffee

Yeah, I'll agree, the title is a bit strange...just bear with me for a moment, I'll explain everything!

Some of you may know that I've decided to take up Guitar I this semester to fulfill that pesky art requirement. It's not good. It's not great either.

ITS AMAZING!!!!!

No lie, its probably the chillest class I've ever taken. Our Serbian teacher is not like any teacher I've met before. He's so laid back, and enjoys normal conversation like no one else. He also teaches us the songs we /want/ to play, not those quirky boring songs out of a beginner book.

So far I've learned to play (horribly I might add) two songs:

-Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana (aha, the explanation!)

-Stand By Me by Ben E. King

both are awesome, and I highly recommend them. They're easy to play too, so if you're a guitarist, or even a 5-day beginner like me, you can have a go at it!

Obviously this hasn't been a very exciting blog post, but there is more to come soon, I promise

oh, and I may or may not have my fingers crossed behind my back XD. It's hard to make promises at a teenager.....don't you agree?

I wonder how well I'll be able to shred by the end of the semester. Maybe I'll play for y'all someday ;)

G'nights Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

P.S.: Credit goes to XKCD for the picture. Have I done a blog on that yet?

Day 53: School: ITS SUPER EFFECTIVE

Yeah, you know you like that pokemon reference there ;)

The bad news is, the title is so true. School really has critically damaged my blogger HP (ok, I swear I'll stop the nerdy pokemon references here!). Its not even the schoolwork that's getting in my way anymore, its just the realization that senior year is COMPLETELY different from last year. Can you other seniors agree? There's just more socialization involved. The interwebs has just been fading from my daily routine.

But I haven't given hope yet! I'm just going to have change my blogging approach. I'm temporarily moving the Friday post to Thursday, because I realized I'll most likely be busy doing something particularly crazy, stupid, or both on that day (nothing illegal, by the way, I'm not /that/ crazystupid). Blog posts will also become slightly shorter than the past few days, and they'll probably involve more of my shenanigans than anything else (anyone else love that word?).

So, as an apology for completely blowing off Friday's post, y'all get MULTIPLE song recs! They're all from the same artist though, so if you have some sort of grudge on Alanis Morisette, you're just going to have a considerably boring and silent Monday night....

As I was saying, these songs are all from Alanis Morisette, perhaps one of my favorite female artists of the 90's. I love the 90's, and I miss them dearly, but luckily I have these songs to take me back to those days when Playground Politics ruled my (and probably your) world. Check these out:

-Head Over Feet

-Ironic

-Hand In My Pocket

-You Oughta Know

I'm really craving a sprite right now....

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 52: Sliding Down the YouTube

It's Wednesday, and that means I'm back at boarding school....

....oh why did you have to leave summer ;(.

On the contrary though, I'm actually excited be back. True, school sucks...its a fact that hasn't changed in the past millennium or so, but seeing familiar faces and meeting up with people after so long is totally worth it.

...well, almost worth it, I'm really not looking to schoolwork (wait, what's schoolwork? XD).

Anyway, I guess this is where the real challenge starts. Will I be able to keep up with the random rantings on YDCoH? Only time will tell....

In the meantime, lets talk about YouTube. Probably the most diverse and interesting site on the internet, YouTube is a haven for comedians, vloggers, and people who just want to look completely ridiculous on camera for the whole world to see (and that is TRUE). Some of these YouTubers are a little strange, and some make you question why they even have an account in the first place, but a lucky few are well respected and admired by the internet community. Here are some of my favorites:

"nerimon": Remember on Day 51 when I was ranting about Halo and I posted those video game songs by Alex Day? Well, Alex Day is also a brilliant comedian on YouTube! "nerimon" (his secret identity on YouTube) produces two series of videos that might just make you cry from so much laughter (by the way, this has never happened to me................................................*awkward silence*.....). His first series, titled "Alex Reads Twilight" is self explanatory...he reads twilight, but puts in his own two cents along the way. If you despise twilight and are sane enough to know that Edward is not sexy but SO CREEPY, then check them out (*has some cursing*). In addition, Alex has a few videos on dissecting lyrics from today's most ridiculous songs, like "Telephone" by Lady Gaga (according to him, its the first UK number one hit based on bad phone reception...who woulda thought?).

"charlieissocoollike": Alex Day must have the power to radiate comedy, because his roomate, Charlie, has an equally entertaining YouTube channel. "charlieissocoollike" is most famous for his series "Challenge Charlie", where he does wacky things that bored people come up with. For example, Charile has dyed his hair red, colored his skin purple, has eaten fish with custard, and read twilight (perhaps the largest challenge of all), all in order to please his fans. I don't know about you, but thats commitment right there...

Charles Trippy: Am I being very unpatriotic for recommending these British comedians? How about you check out Florida native Charles Trippy? Charles Trippy actually has two channels: one that showcases his comedic skits, and another that documents his life, every day, 365 days a year. While the comedic skits on his original channel are a must see, I actually find his vlogging channel a bit more interesting. It's weird seeing someone else's life from a video camera, and it kind of gives you the feeling of being omniscient, which is something we don't normally experience.....or maybe I'm just being a weird stalker who stalks everything and everyone...

...INCLUDING YOU (thats right, I can see you through the computer screen O.O).

But seriously, check this guy out. He's a cool guy.

Surprise, surprise, today's song recommendation is also YouTube related....sort of. The song is called "Fireflies (Ikea)", and it was written and performed by Singer/Songwriter/YouTuber Dave Days. As you may have already guessed, this song is a parody of the smash single "Fireflies" by Owl City. If you have no idea what "IKEA" is, then you'll be totally lost and you might as well give up understanding the lyrics right now. However, if you do know what IKEA is and you have been there....this song just might make your day ^.^. Either way, check it out.....its funny....y'all want funny, right?

And with that, I'd like to leave with this statement:

I am officially a senior.

WAIT, WHAT, I'M A SENIOR ALREADY!?!?!

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

P.S.: In case you didn't get the memo a couple of days ago, anyone can now post comments on the blog. If you don't have a blogger account, click "anonymous" to post.

Day 51: I ROCK! (Guitar Hero Said So...)

It's Monday, which means you need all the YDCoH you can get!

If you just logged on to my magical domain, you may have noticed a few minor changes, which include:

-A new search bar, so you can locate that funny page you read the other day...

-A list of the latest music recommendations, which hyperlink to youtube or the website that has it (no viruses at the non-youtube sites, I promise!)

-A new weekly poll with a question about something awesome (or un-awesome...depending on your preference). The results will be discussed (or scrutinized) every Friday!

-At the bottom, there are links to the three latest posts...although its probably completely unnecessary...

-Also at the bottom, there is an "I power Blogger" logo. This is also unnecessary, but in the end it makes me feel very powerful ^.^

-Finally, the copyright statement at the bottom now starts with "Published by HaufeCoffee".....in case you forgot....

There may be more additions in the future, but for now those are the only changes. And now, I shall explain the reason why I rock...

It's simple, Guitar Hero told me so :D. Over the summer, my addiction for Guitar Hero came back full force, and I just couldn't resist taking my fake "electronic axe" for a spin (my friend Foggy Dew says "electronic axe" means electric guitar...have y'all heard that before?). After years of playing on medium (what can I say? I'm a gaming noob), I decided to try out Hard. If you have ever played Guitar Hero, you must know that Hard (and expert) utilizes the fifth fret on the guitar, the orange fret. Let me just be blatantly clear now that the orange fret IS SO HARD TO USE!!!! You have to slide you hand down the frets to use it and it completely messes up your hand-eye coordination. Does anyone else think the orange fret is ridiculously hard to use?

Regardless, I've actually been adjusting to Hard mode quite well, and I advise anyone stuck on medium to take a leap of faith and try out hard. It's scary, but its actually quite fun!

Since we're on the topic of video games, I might as well talk about the video game that everyone seems to love: Halo. Ever since middle school, my friends have been bludgeoning me over the head about the wonders of this game. I can see where they're coming from...I mean the graphics are great (at least in the latest versions), and the weapons and vehicles you can use look pretty state of the art, even in the futuristic setting. I'm sure the plot of the game is well-done too, but I wouldn't know...all I know about the games is that they fight on a weird halo looking planet...thing.

Unfortunately, there is one thing keeping me from playing this game: I SUCK at it. Like actually, I just cannot do anything right. I can't work the weapons quickly, I can't kill anyone important, I keep accidentally committing suicide running a banshee into a cliff-wall. You name it, I mess it up in Halo. This was proven to be painfully true when I joined a wonderful LAN game with my friend Foggy Dew, his brother "Immelman", and the two local Italian brothers. I really did try, but try as I might, Immelman was always there to run me over with some ridiculous looking tank/jeep/thing. Foggy Dew and the Italian Brother known as "M" were supportive, and tried to give me some tips, but in the end I died nearly 100 times at the hands of Immelman (yeah, he didn't care much for the mercy rule XD).

The point I'm trying to get at is, if you aren't a die hard gamer, single-player adventure games are so difficult to beat these days. With the advances in technology, your reaction time has to be quicker, your strategy databank has to be larger, and you can't be a noob....or you will die. I found this out the hard way....

Or you know what, maybe its just me sucking at video games (except Guitar Hero...the only game I've beaten to date, woo!). What do you think?

Since I've been so gung-ho (I've been dying to use that word in a sentence, no lie) over video games today, I might as well recommend you some video game-esque music :). The following songs were all written and performed by British singer/songwriter Alex Day. Although a lot Alex Day's life is based in music, he obviously has a lot of time on his hands to play the "classics", like Sonic, Pokemon, and Mario Kart. It's no wonder he wrote these songs:

-I Hate Mario Kart Wii *some cursing*

-Pokemon, What Happened to You?

-Sonic Doesn't Need A Story

Alex Day is also a popular comedian on YouTube under the alias "nermion". I would include a link, but I'm planning to talk YouTube in a few days, so you can get one then ;)

YOU ROCK! (HaufeCoffee Said So...)

G'night Interwebs!!!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 50: Celebration!

Hmm, what should I blog about today?

The Weather?

Nah, you guys are probably sick of Hurricane Earl by now (I know I am...)

Games?

Psh, I did that two days ago!

Your Mom?

I probably shouldn't go there...

Oh wait, that's right, TODAY IS DAY FIFTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YDCOH MILESTONE FTW!!!!

That's right, today is officially day 50, which means we are actually halfway to our original target day of day 100, a target set back in January...

...and now its August. Fail much?

Oh, what am I saying!? As long as we made it, its not an epic fail...is it? I mean, we're only 183 days behind schedule....that's not so bad ;).

Anyways, to celebrate this momentous occasion, you may see a number of new gadget features added to the blog throughout the weekend. Check back between now and Monday and you may see stuff that's remotely interesting (other than my blog of perpetual interest)!

In other news, I am starting school next week on Wednesday, which means I can put the blog to the test. I'll continue with the Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule for the next two weeks and see how it works with the new school schedule. If it works out, I might just make YDCOH daily again! If not, well, I'll make sure the blog continues. The show must go on! (and preferably without month-long breaks in between).

Today's music recommendation is a special treat, from one of America's most popular alternative group: The Killers. I've recommended at least a dozen of their songs already, but I came across this one only a few months ago and I just have to spread it to the interwebs! The song is called "All These Things That I've Done", and it is awesome, and you will be happy, and thats great because we're celebrating aren't we?!?!

Sorry for another short blog post, but Monday will most certainly make up for it with an action-packed insight into video games....HaufeCoffee style.

And one final thing

THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR READING MY BLOG!!! IT MEANS MORE TO ME THAN YOU KNOW!!!!

So yeah, thanks :D

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 49: You're Waiting for a Train...

It's Wednesday, and time for yet another cup of HaufeCoffee ;)

Today's broadcast (er, blogcast?) is coming to you live (-ish) from the ancient city of Williamsburg, Virginia. You may be wondering why I'm randomly here on a Wednesday. Well, after participating for 36 hours in the driving class from hell, and a few weeks of extreme boredom, my family and I have decided to go to BUSCH GARDENS EUROPE!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY :D.

As jealous as you might be right now, I really hope you stick around to read this relatively small blog post (compared to the last few days which were ridiculously lengthy). You may remain confused about my blog title, because chances are you are not waiting for a train and are in fact safe in your home (not that train stations are unsafe..........actually I take that back, some are really sketchy, especially in the southern United States).

The title is actually a quote from the best movie in 2010 in my humble opinion: INCEPTION.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page star in this psychological action thriller that dives into the world of dreams. The basic premise is that in the future, certain people can perform a task called "extraction", in which they go into someone's dream and steal secrets from their mind. Leonardo DiCaprio's character is one of these "extractors". It's a pretty cool job, until he is framed for a crime he did not commit and separated from his family. Desperate to get back to his family, DiCaprio takes an offer from a high-ranking business executive to perform a task known as "inception". "Inception" is very similar to "extraction", except instead of taking an idea, you are planting one...

I'm not going to lie, the first 45 minutes were EXTREMELY confusing. They try to explain the method of inception in a scientific manner, and the words kind of sizzle in your brain with no meaning at all. However, the remaining hour and half more than makes up for it. Everything is explained through the most exciting scenes of the movie...they don't even have to literally explain it, the answers are just there. Your mind will be in awe of the genius that went into this movie, and the twist at the end will leave you breathless. I won't give anything more away, but I must tell you THAT YOU HAVEN'T LIVED UNTIL YOU HAVE SEEN THIS FILM!!!

Yeah, its that good. Oh, and by the way, the blog title is VERY important in the movie. Keep an eye out for it...

Today's music recommendation was actually meant for Monday, but reviewing the mind-nomming flash games....ate my brain XD. The song is "Obstacle 1" by the New York indie group Interpol. I actually discovered this playing Guitar Hero IV, and I'm shocked that I hadn't discovered this song sooner. Not only is it charming to play on guitar (yes, my guitar hero controller is a musical instrument in my world), but its a really nice addition to any indie playlist. Take a listen and tell me what you think about it ;)

Get pumped for Friday, because we all have something to celebrate! (if you're confused, take a peek on what day we're on............ahhhh, now you get it, don't you?).

Guess what Busch Gardens? THE HAUFECOFFEE IS HERE

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 48: Mind-Nomming Flash Games

Oh look! A blog post that's actually ON TIME :D

Now, as much fun as this summer may have been, there were probably times where you just had absolutely NOTHING to do. You might have attempted to thwart this boredom by reading a book (but not for school...you had to keep your procrastination streak in check), or playing with your dog (or cat, or hamster, or cockatoo.....yes, a cockatoo is a pet, my Aunt owns one).

You may have even attempted to keep up your blog (something I /definitely/ did over the summer....).

However, if you are a computer-loving teenager like I am, you most likely spent countless hours playing mind-nomming flash games on the Interwebs.

Following my adventure in Germany (and France...see Day 47), I was stuck with a few weeks of monotonous downtime. Sure, I did my work...most of it anyway...but I also spent a good amount of time finding the best flash games on the internet. Here are some of my favorites!:

The Impossible Quiz: The Impossible Quiz was a game that was actually recommended to me back in the fall of 2009. When it says impossible, it really means "frustratingly tedious and a catalyst for mental breakdowns". Basically, the quiz asks you a number of ridiculous questions that actually have no trivia value whatsoever. Each question is, theoretically, a puzzle in which you have to outsmart the creator with a creative answer. It takes ages to accelerate through the quiz, and I only made it as far as question 89 (losing after question 60 produces feelings that may resemble someone having a stroke). The nice thing about the game though, is that it rewards you with a "skip" after answering ten questions. These come in handy with the most mundane questions....but be warned, they may come of use later....

You can find the Impossible Quiz here. Want more? Play the sequel!

I don't even: "I don't even" is a flash game based on the internet meme "What is this? I don't even", which is a phrase used to convey speechlessness in a forum or internet community. The game comes with no instructions and you just...well...go for it! The reason why its called "I don't even" is apparent after the first 3 to 4 screens. The challenges are ridiculous, random, and occasionally really difficult to attempt. It takes several attempts in order to understand what you have to look for, but once you complete it you get this overwhelming sense of accomplishment....I KNOW I DID!!!!!

...does that mean I'm crazy?

...anyway, you can play I don't even here. (also note that the game is entirely written in the language of the lulz.....enjoy).

Obey The Game: Obey The Game is one of a series of "elephant flash games" from Armor Games, a popular contributor to addictinggames.com (I really hope for your sake that you've been to that website...did it define your middle school life too?). The premise of Obey The Game is rather simple....you obey the game ^.^

You control an elephant through a series of levels in which you complete the action of the word in the background. However, if the screen flashes the word "DISOBEY" before the start of the level, you must do the opposite of the word states. For instance, if "DISOBEY" flashes before your level, and the word in the background of your level reads "Suicide", then I would advise you not to jump into the deadly spikes of terror located to your left.

The levels get faster and faster and eventually it becomes physically impossible to survive...*in movie trailer voice* "WILL YOU SURVIVE?"

Also note that the game constantly blares techno music at you, so if you don't want to end up bashing your computer to bits in a move of sudden rage...I'd advise you to mute it. You can play Obey The Game here.

This is the only level: Here is the second of the three "elephant flash games" up for review today on YDCoH. This one is a little less intense than Obey The Game, but it certainty challenges your puzzle-solving abilities. Each stage of the level (and yes, there is actually only one level), has a certain title, and you have to complete that stage using the title as a hint. For instance, if the title of the stage is something like "backwards", you must realize that the controls are now backwards, and you use this knowledge to successfully complete the stage. The stages are easier than they look, so don't repeatedly murder your elephant and rage quit...sometimes the answers are right there! You can play This is the only level here. Want more? Try This is the only level too.

Achievement Unlocked 2: Hey, look! I saved the most frustrating yet mind-nomming flash game for last! Yet another "elephant flash game", this game will make achieve...things. 250 things to be exact. Some of these "achievements" require no thought at all, such as pressing the start button or visiting the main menu before actually playing the game. However, some achievements cover the most tedious tasks such as playing ode to joy on the piano and pooping pastries (yes, elephants from Armor Games have some mild digestive problems). About 80 percent of the achievements can be achieved in ten minutes or so, but the last 20 can take upwards of an /hour/ to complete. If this isn't the definition of mind-nomming...I have no clue what is. You may play it at your own risk, but be warned...

....NEVER....

...EEEEEEEEVER...

...PRESS THE BACKSPACE BUTTON AT ANY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It might make you lose all your achievements after completing ninety percent of the game. It happened to me. My heart died a little inside. Do you want your heart to die a little inside? I didn't think so...

Aside from the dangers of the backspace button, the game really is a great way to cure even the worst case of boredom, so I stamp it with the seal HaufeCoffee of Approval (Yeah, its just another Chiquita sticker....). You can play Achievement Unlocked 2 here. Want to see where it all began? Play Achievement Unlocked 1!

Unfortunately, as summer comes to a close, these games will fall behind in our lives as summer boredom ceases to be an issue. However, YDCoH has something that will never die...music! (Wouldn't it be tragic if the story told in American Pie by Don McLean actually happened? D:)

Today's recommendation comes from the alternative-rock band Paramore. Paramore is most famous for their hit sophomore album "Riot", which featured a fast paced punk-rock sound. Their new album, "brandneweyes", goes in a different direction, however. The sound is a bit more mellow, and its a sign of how the band is growing up. This is best shown in Paramore's recent hit "The Only Exception". Yeah, sure, the lyrics may be a bit cheesy, but her voice and the acoustic guitar really make a great combo. Check it out!

Have you been dying to comment on my delightful posts? Are you a normal teenager who is too lazy get a blogger account? Well worry no longer! I have recently adjusted the settings so that anyone can comment on any post under the title "Anonymous". Just remember, any hateful comments will be burned in a vat of acid...

...nah, I'll just delete them. Do you have any idea how much toxic waste costs nowadays?

I've rambled on long enough, G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 47: C'est La Vie? C'est Penible!

*Note: This blog post, believe it or not, was written on time. It is being posted a day late due to technical difficulties. The picture above depicts a "Fail" on the French flag. Why? Read and find out...

Bonjour fellow readers (and that about covers my mastery of the French Language XD).

Why all French all the sudden? It’s simple really...Air France screwed me over this summer, so now I get to rant about it ONLINE :D

But first, a little background info. In case you weren't aware, I was in Germany for most of the summer living with a native family in a small village about 50 kilometers north of Berlin (that’s about 30 miles for all you guys stateside). The trip was life-altering, and I made a number of good friends, a number of unforgettable experiences, and a little more progress mastering the German language (Aber jetzt, ich muss mein Deutsch mehr ueben).

The five week adventure was a wonderful vacation indeed...until I had to leave. The tearful goodbye at Berlin's Tegel Airport was hard enough, but I had no idea what lay ahead of me in terms of getting back home as a sane teenage blogger....(yes, I realize I am already insane, but thats not the point...)

My flight (Air France) was supposed to connect in Paris for the Mid-Atlantic, but mother nature said "HEY NOW, WHERE YOU GOIN BOY!?! Nah-ah, you ain't goin nowhere near Paris...you gonna go be stranded in Lyon son." (Mother nature has a southern accent? Conspiracy....).

Anyways, in case that didn't make sense, my plane was diverted to Lyon (on the other side of France mind you) because of bad weather in Paris. We were grounded in Lyon for three and a half hours, and during that time I was trapped on the plane...(we wouldn't be allowed back on the plane if we left to get fresh air!!!). Worried about what to do when I would miss my connection in Paris, I asked the flight attendant about what to do....and you know what he did? He laughed at me!!!! Me, HaufeCoffee, ruler of YDCoH. How dare he do such a thing? XD.

But seriously, he didn't care for me much at all, and that was really distressing. Luckily, a German woman sitting next to me (I love the German people!) stood up for me and told him how much of a jerk he was for laughing at a stranded teenager whose home was more than 4,000 miles away. Thanks to this kind woman, the attendant apologized and finally helped me with some /useful/ information (instead of the usual "you're stuck in France man...sucks for you.").

Kudos to that German woman...she wins the HaufeCoffee award for "Total Awesomeness in the midst of an International Travel Fiasco".

I finally made it to Paris...and missed my flight by four hours. I was able to make it to the service counter, and after waiting in a DMV style line (I know you all love those), I was able to sort everything out. The next flight would be the following morning, and I'd get a voucher for a free dinner at the airport, a ticket for a hotel stay, and a free breakfast. Things couldn't get much worse right? WRONG!

First of all, the directions to the hotel were small and vague (and conveniently in French), so it took me about 30 minutes to make it there. I walked into the hotel to check in, but the guy there just shook his head and told me: "sorry sir, you're at the Ibis hotel Charles De Gaulle....you want the Ibis hotel /Roissy/."

Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmnit

So then, after catching a second bus taking me about 5 miles from the Airport, I made it to my real hotel, which was (naturally) more sketchy and not as nice as the original hotel. I checked in, got to my room, made an emergency Skype call to the folks to sort out the situation, and before I knew it, it was 10pm.

And I forgot to eat dinner >.<

The free dinner voucher I had received was only valid for the airport, and since the airport was further away from the hotel than I thought it would be....it was a lost cause at this point.

The hotel had a French buffet set up until 10:30, so I went down quickly to get some grub. The buffet consisted of fancy meat loaf and mashed potatoes....yummy :P.

While I was eating, I noticed that the waitress and one of the cooks were looking at me funny, and I got really nervous (I'm stranded in the middle of a foreign country alone, I don't speak the language, and now the natives are staring at me...eeek!). Eventually, the cook came up to me and started rambling about something in French and of course I was completely lost. "Parlez Anglais? (Speak English.)", was the only thing I could squeak out, and I guess he realized I was yet another American, because he left. Next to ramble at me in French was the waitress, and at this point I decided the blank stare would give them the answer they needed (the answer being: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL Y'ALL WANT!!!!). Finally, the waitress pointed at the dessert portion of the buffet and said in broken english "eat dessert?" "No," I firmly replied, and they finally left me alone.....sheesh.

I got up to pay, and suprise suprise, my meal of fancy meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and water cost 19 euros (25 dollars). 19!?!?! I could get a meal like that at KFC for 4 /dollars/. But at the end of the day, I didn't care anymore, and I left as a poorer stranded American. (Lucky for me, I did not eat the dessert....it would have been five euros extra :P).

Thankfully, the night was uneventful, and I woke up the next morning on time and was ready to go. I actually enjoyed the free breakfast I had (sure it didn’t have the good ol' eggs and bacon, but it did feature some delicious Quiche). Maybe I wouldn't have anymore troubles...right?

Nope, the French had one more thing in store for me. I decided to wait for the bus inside the hotel, because waiting at the bus stop alone was a little sketchy. Unfortunately, when the bus approached the empty stop, the driver assumed it was ok to drive right past it. NOT COOL. I bolted through the lobby with my luggage and spun my way through the rotating doors. By the time I was outside, the bus was already pulling way. It took me sprinting down the road, yelling and waving my arms, for the bus to finally stop and pick me up. It was probably the most ridiculous thing I had done in a very long time (and if you know me, that means a /lot/), but in the end I made it, and from there on out I had no troubles. The flight to the Mid-Atlantic was on time, and before I knew it I was back stateside eating a chick-fil-a biscuit...

Just to clarify, I have no hatred toward the French people...in fact, I think their culture is a rather interesting one. However, due to travel inconvenience and a language barrier, my stay in France was most certainly not a fun one. At least it makes for a good story....and blog post :D.

This post has lasted way longer than the norm, so I'm going to leave music recommendations for next time. I hope you enjoyed my French fiasco story...

and remember...

...fly Royal Dutch Airlines or Lufthansa if possible ;).

G'night Interwebs!!!

--HaufeCoffee

P.S.: C'est La Vie? C'est Penible! = That's Life? That's Annoying!

Aber jetzt, ich muss mein Deutsch mehr ueben. = But now, I must practice my German more.

Day 46: Rebirth

Greetings everyone, and welcome to the newly redesigned "Your Daily Cup of HaufeCoffee"!!!

It's not exactly bigger (its actually quite smaller after some archive renovation), or necessarily better (although I sincerely hope you think otherwise), but its definitely a nice change from the long hiatus that has stood since mid-march. I've made a number of changes in order to get the blog back in the right direction.

First off, we're all back to the Day system, because that seemed to work out the first time around. For the first few weeks, blog posts will be updated on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. However, once we all get into the groove of things (and I come up with enough material to entertain y'all in the most splendid way possible), posts will become daily again. True, the blog's namesake is being cheated a little, but we all like to bend the rules now and then, don't we?

Secondly, all blog posts from April, May, and June have been deleted. They all seemed to stray away from the general purpose on the blog, and about half of the text consisted of apology after apology for my ignorance (I know right? I'm such a horrible person XD). If you would like to see these posts, however, I have copied and pasted them into a word document for your convienence. Just shoot me an email at heidelberg28@gmail.com, and I'll be sure to send it your way.

Lastly, although I am the supreme ruler of this virtual kingdom, I am in desperate need of your assistance. If you are a skilled blogger, and you know your way around programming blogs with widgets and gadgets and anything else that would make YDCoH totally rock, could you help me? Any tips on what I could do to make this place more interesting would be greatly appreciated ^.^

So, with the business out of the way, let's get on to more pressing matters, like MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS

In the past few weeks I've discovered a ton of new music that I've been itching to post on the interwebs. I'll get most of these to you in the weeks to come, but today I want to focus on one amazing artist: Regina Spektor

Seriously, this woman is one of the most talented singers I've ever come across. Her voice can cover octaves and stretch notes like no other musician, and her songwriting skills are some of the best I've seen. Her songs are uplifting and hard to resist. Even her tragic songs are enjoyable to listen to...her music just cannot disappoint.

Hard to believe? Well why don't you listen for yourself?:

-Laughing With

-On the Radio

-Apres Moi

-Eet

-Dance Anthem of the 80's

-Edit

-Better

-The Calculation

Those are just a few of my favorites, but if you're really interested, you should check out more of her works, especially from her latest album "Far".

I know y'all want more that just posts filled with nothing but music recs, and I promise, that is not going to happen. I have a plan...and it involves a french fiasco, a demon with the brain of a puppy, a word of caution regarding siblings with "I'm with stupid" T-shirts, edible Asians, Chinese food with /no/ relation to gravy, and reasons why Achievement Unlocked 2 is one of the most frustrating flash games EVER made.

Have no idea what the hell I'm rambling about? Well stay tuned ;)

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 45: I Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Day 45 was a Sunday. I usually detest these days...I mean who would want the weekend to end so soon? I don't want to fill out more APUS journals thank you very much...

Lucky for me, its Spring Break, so Sunday played out quite nicely. I got to see another drama about a mental institution (I've been seeing a lot of these lately....I wonder if this says something about me <.< >.>) and I discovered a classic song that you guys are bound to enjoy, but first, let's take a trip over the cuckoo's nest...

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was originally a novel written by Ken Kesey in 1962. Eventually, director Milos Forman made a film out of it in 1975, starring a young Jack Nicholson as the lead character. It was the second film in history to win all five major Academy Awards in the same year (a feat that would not be matched until 1991's "Silence of the Lambs"). It's considered by many critics as one of the greatest films in American cinema. Is that enough incentive to make you go see it? (Ok, maybe I got that information from Wikipedia, but if its the general public writing these articles, doesn't that mean they favor this movie over all others?).

On the way home from church (yes, I'm a Christian, deal with it), I encountered a classic 80's hit that I just /needed/ to recommend for the blog. It's called "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman. Hopefully that sounds familiar to you. If not, you need to take a listen...this song has been on the radio for as long as I can remember, and I have yet to become tired of it.

Yes, I know this entry sucked. There just hasn't been a lot going on lately....and the fact that my mind has turned into the equivalent of an obese couch-potato undergoing a midlife-crisis hasn't helped. Not to worry though, I'm taking a rather exciting holiday soon...one that might interest many of you. More on that later :)

My wings are tired and I can't find the damn Cuckoo's Nest. I guess we'll just have to try and find it tomorrow....

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 44: The Bird And The Worm

Ok, so I lied about 6:30, but I have a really good reason for that...

...

...

haha, I just lied to you again! wow, you're so gullible...

Day 44 was a Saturday with a very very dismal morning: SCHOOL :'(.

In the end though, it wasn't that bad, and before I knew it I was on Spring Break...in early March...how epic is that?

My Spring Break started off with a trip to the movies...not a voluntary trip mind you; I had to take my brother and sister to see Alice in Wonderland. Contrary to what I was thinking prior to entering the theater ("Great, Disney is going to remake a classic film that doesn't need to be remade and its gonna end up as a crappy contemporary-themed film that'll end up suffocating me in my chair"), I thought that the film turned out nicely. It's very different from the original Disney classic, so it can't be specifically classified as a remake (a good thing in my opinion), but it still retains that Disney charm it has 50 years ago (give or take a decade). If you're cool and open about going to see Disney movies in theaters, you should check out Alice in Wonderland.

I made an interesting musical discovery a couple days ago. I was watching the trailer for the new Clash of the Titans movie (its gonna be a sick movie) and I noticed that the instrumental music accompanying the trailer was a pretty decent alternative jam. I decided to research the song on youtube and I came across the song "The Bird and the Worm" by The Used. However, as I scrolled down the search results, I realized that Owl City also has a song called "The Bird and the Worm". Naturally I decided to listen to both....and I almost died laughing. The juxtaposition of these songs is hilarious. One minute you're spitting metal and screams from the Used version, and then you're suddenly a happy-go lucky synth playing artist from Minnesota. What comparison could be more ridiculous? Take a listen to both, and see what I mean...

I know I promised a marathon, but quite frankly my brain is fried (perhaps it was because I was looking up the dynamics of an atomic bomb on wikipedia right before writing this....why you ask?...I really have no clue). I'll attempt to catch up tomorrow...

maybe ;)

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 43: HaufeCoffee Marathon!

So, I've been slacking off lately, but who can blame me? It's spring break, I'm tired, and I just wanna sleep the weekend away. However, I still have an obligation to serve you guys entertainment on a daily basis, so today I'm posting four blog entries in a row to catch up to Day 46. Let's see if I can pull it off...

Day 43 was a Friday I believe, and unlike most Friday's, this one sucked...completely. I actually had to do work because we had school the next day. Work!?!?! on a Friday night!?!?!...heresy!

*sigh* gotta love boarding school...

Friday's recommendation I discovered from this really trippy video about fractals and the Mandelbrot set (ring any bells from good ol' pre-cal?). It's called "Take A Bow" by Muse. Keep in mind while you're listening to it that all of us here at YDCoH do not wish for you to burn in hell, contrary to what the song might tell you....

1 down, 3 to go...the next update should be around 6:30

G'afternoon Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee

Day 42: A Placeholder for the OCD

It's day 42!!! (Don't Panic!!!)

You may be expecting an exciting and enthusiastic blog entry considering the number 42 is the answer to everything and anything of the universe (It's in the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy...look it up), but alas this entry is merely a placeholder since I'm a day behind and I'm reasonably OCD about having the same number of blog entries as days (if that ever gets messed up, I might just vomit on the spot....not really, because that would be rather disgusting and unsanitary, but you get the idea).

Tonight's recommendation is a special one, especially since its going to be recommended on the 42nd blog entry (can you tell I like the number 42?). I recommend "Spaceman" from the Killers' new album "Day & Age". Spaceman has a strange collection of lyrics (it tells the story of a man being abducted by aliens), but it still retains the signature style of the Killers...a style we all love and enjoy. Also:

"Spaceman" = Earthians in outer space = Arthur Dent in outer space = Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy = 42...or the answer to everything and anything of the universe :). Name anything, and I'll guarantee it relates to 42 in some bizarre, stretched way. Everything also relates to cake, but thats another story for a later blog entry...

Ah, I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow.......oh wait....

SATURDAY SCHOOL :'(

G'night Interwebs!

--HaufeCoffee