Conan needed a better contract attorney.

I know it's a bit of old news, but it looks like it may be wrapping up with Conan taking $32.5 million and getting another $7.5 for his staff. And really, I don't normally side with people who make shit-tons of money... but in this case, I think Conan needs a better attorney.

Sure, there's the side of it that says NBC can schedule their programs any-which-way they want, and Conan should honor his contract if "The Tonight Show" was moved back. But I'm with him. That's not "The Tonight Show" anymore. When he signed on, he was supposed to get the same Tonight Show that's been playing for decades, in the same time slot. He picked up his family, staff, etc. and MOVED across the country. And seven months later, they're breaking his contract.

Think of it as a nurse who moves across the country, packs up the kids, house, etc, for the promise of a day shift at a hospital, so she can be home when her kids get home from school. Then the hospital after seven months says "If you want a job, you have to work nights." I'd imagine the union would have something to say about it. Granted, the nurse makes less than Conan, and has other concerns, but shitty move NBC.

I think this deal is not enough, I think that NBC should have to pay Conan what they would have paid him for the next five years, and that he should be allowed to host whatever the f%*& he feels like and not have NBC's check be cut down by other monies he makes. NBC should suck it, they f&*%ed him over and they should feel the consequences. The end.

Alright, now that that rant is over with... and anger is abated, I'm off to buy a Team Conan shirt... and never watch Jay Leno again. What a schmuck.

Where have all the inexpensive books gone?

I'm a big fan of reading. I will read pretty much anything set in front of me. I probably get through 2 or 3 books a week depending on what I'm reading. But what makes me angry is that books are so freaking expensive. On amazon.com, I can purchase many of the computers games I would like cheaper than the books I would like, (both being under the used category). This may be because I am picky and want a book in somewhat decent quality, with the cover attached, but go figure.

At most of my favorite used book stores I've been seeing an increase in price as well. Which really befuddles me, I should not have to pay $12 for a used book that was $16 at new retail. That's not really a bargain at all, I could probably get the book NEW with a coupon that would take as much off at Barnes & Noble or Borders.

Speaking of the two major booksellers. If going in there isn't bad enough, then there's all sorts of expensive coffee and candy that tempts me while I am there as well. So aside from the Border's clearance rack (which is fabulous for cook books) ... I am making a commitment to stay out of large booksellers.

On of my favorite resources to turn to is www.paperbackswap.com ... if you're not a member yet, I suggest it. Also, you should write me as your recommending member, user name = maeno83, because I am awesome! And it will get me extra credits, which will get me extra books, which you should do for me, because again, I am awesome. Anyway, getting back on track. If you register 10 paperbacks with them, you get 2 free credits. A credit gets you a free paperback from anything you can find amongst their listings on the site. The catch is, when someone requests one of your books, you have to send it off and pay for postage for it to get to them, BUT when this happen, you get another credit, and another free book! Yay! My one downside with this is that I hate giving up books, so I only list crap books which I would be ashamed to have in my impressive library one day, and the problem with these crap books is that few other people want them either. Therefore, my stash of credits has dried up.

I do find amazon.com and half.com useful for used book as well, because sometimes you can find good books for around $1. The problem is, the shipping makes them ridiculous, unless you order a pile from the same shipper, which is usually what I try to do. Plus then I eventually get a big old pile of books at my door, which makes me happy.

I also joined the Double Day book club online ... you know, get 5 books for $0.99, and you have to pay for 4 books and shipping over the next 2 years. Well I bought one of those books with my 5 cheap ones, because it came at half price, and I have 3 more to get over the next 2 years. I plan on waiting a bit more for different stuff to go on clearance (about $5 on the site) so I only have to spend $20ish (including shipping) on my next 3 books. This scored me 9 books for about $40, which I think is ok.

Does anyone else have any suggestions for places to locate cheap/inexpensive books. I miss SUNY Oswego's last day of the library sale, where you could load a giant paper bag with books for $5. There should be something like that in the Capital District.

Resolutions Update

So... I've started the diet. I'm not really good at sticking to it everyday. But I would say I ate healthy for 13 out of 15 meals this week. I did not really do any exercise, because I have also sucked at the getting out of bed earlier department... so let's see

Today = weight: 178 lbs (still gross);
toned muscles: still none;
time I got out of bed 8:00 a.m. (not a huge difference, I know);
money I put aside this paycheck $0 (small check this week, planning more next week);
positivity - pretty good today
nails bitten recently? - yes today (I have NO willpower)

I have also resolved to stop biting my nails. Making that #6 ... but I totally suck at that, because I chew them when I'm not even thinking about it. In fact, I'm pretty sure I bit at a nail today. Again, I have no willpower. Ah well, we will see where this goes.

Hot new technology: No more privacy.

So with today's new Smart Phones and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter... you can assure that everything you do these days can be broadcast to the world instantaneously.

From getting married to giving birth. Now to the couple that updated their facebook relationship statuses and tweeted about their new married state at the altar. I'm not sure that's the correct time and place for smart phones and twitter. It might be, if say you were drunk, and in Vegas. Then yes, the marriage is not sacred and not profound. It is Britney Spears, and tweeting makes sense. However, you appear to have been married in a church, in front of friends, family and God... and I feel like you might have wanted to take that a little bit more seriously. The guy's YouTube page makes some statement about how they aren't all that internet obsessed, they merely wanted to share with friends and family who were out of town. Seriously dude? If these people are that close to you, they KNOW you're getting married, you can show them wedding and honeymoon photos later.

I have friends from college, who are having their second child, and keep us all updated on facebook. I'm very much less offended by this. The miracle of birth is something that should be celebrated by friends and family, and many of them will not be allowed in the hospital with you as hospital staffs have better things to do than try to find space for the 50 odd people that would love to be with you. Tweeting about birth makes a given amount of sense to me. Of course, when your child is 14 ... it may scar him, but maybe at that age our children will be used to having been on facebook their whole lives long. Of course, this will make it that much harder for any kid that was ever picked for anything to ever live it down, because there on facebook will be pictures his parents took of whatever embarrassing story/incident/time of life it was, because to Mom and Dad those stories are cute, not ones that are going to ruin your high school social life.

Then there's the dead scandal of all the politicians facebooking/twittering/playing solitaire when really, they should be using the public's money to do something productive. I just wonder if we haven't gone a bit too far with wanting everyone to share in every moment of our lives. (Or in the case of politicians & celebs ... know that we're doing something important every second of our very important lives) . Frankly, I don't care to check in with Paris Hilton ten times a day to see what she's been doing. She hasn't been interesting since the sex tape.

Now I don't want to go the way of Miley Cyrus or John Mayer and swear that we've become dependent on the internet and we shouldn't use it as often. Because, really, that's kind of stupid. We've become dependent on toliets and forks, I think Cyrus and Mayer should go without those for a week and then get back to us.

But I feel that while social networks are fun, and keep us entertained, especially on boring train rides or that slow hour at the office, I still feel like somethings should be private and respected. There won't be any live social networking at any of my major life events. Y'all will either have to be there, or be subjected to the thousands of pictures afterwards. The good old fashioned way, in a facebook album.