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I sometimes wonder if I would like myself if I got to meet the person I was a few years ago. I think going on tour with “Jesus Christ Superstar” and living in Branson with “The Twelve Irish Tenors” has changed who I am immeasurably. Sure, it’s evident physically (I weigh less now) but have I changed as a person?

My bank account would argue that I have… but to find out a little more about myself and how I’ve changed, I had to look no further than this blog.

I’ve found my opinions on things from as little as three years ago don’t necessarily match up with the ones that I have now.

For example:

Casey Affleck can’t act. I guess it runs in the family. Although, I’ll give Ben his due props for “Hollywoodland.”

Regardless of the fact that I really can’t even remember “Hollywoodland” (apart from a vague awareness of the experience of going to see it), Casey’s performance in “Gone Baby Gone” was so amazing that it’s stayed with me in the year-plus that it’s been since I’ve seen it.

Perhaps just opinions on actors isn’t deep enough to delve into who I was fundamentally?

So, thanks to Playbill.com, I just heard two songs from the upcoming Broadway musical High Fidelity. I’m starting to lose faith in my chosen profession.

I’ll admit it now, I’ve tracked down the score from “High Fidelity” and “My Desert Island All-Time Top Five Break Ups” is one of my favorite songs to sing in the bedroom.

So that means my taste in film and music have changed.

Chipotle = God.

Okay, maybe I wouldn’t go so severe with my comparisons these days… but the sentiment remains the same.

So, I’m not 100% different. I mean, I’d probably recognize myself or pick myself out of a lineup… but I don’t think I’d really be able to hang out with myself anymore (unless, of course, we’re eating Chipotle).

I wonder what else has really changed about me, and if I’ll even be aware enough to realize when I’m changing again. I think I’m doing that “maturing” thing that I’d read so much… and I think I’m caving. I think I like it.

So, I was extremely stoked to buy an external hard drive last week, and was even more excited when I found out that the SeaGate FreeAgent Desk was on sale at Best Buy for about $20 off. A thousand Gigs of storage for under $150?!? Unheard of!

So I purchased it.

I have to admit, it felt like one of those really adult purchases. It made me happy in a way far greater than the thrill I used to get tearing the clingwrap off a new DVD years ago when I wasted most of my money from my first job at Starbucks. On the contrary, an external hard drive is something almost permanent, something that will probably outlive both my desktop and my laptop computers.

I was even happier when I migrated some of my data onto the external. I’d say I had about 200GB loaded on there before the light switched off and the drive failed to communicate with my computers. Panicked, I rushed to Best Buy to return the defective product for a new one. Although some of my data had been lost forever, I still had a large chunk of it I wanted to back up.

That one lasted a day.

I’m pissed about it.

This is a warning for you, whatever technologically-inclined reader happens to accidentally stumble across my humble blog from whatever corners of the interweb you came.

The SeaGate FreeAgent Desk is a piece of shit!

Hopefully, I’ll find a new one to bring me some peace.

Although Joss Whedon meant for his independently-created project, “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” to be available without purchase on the internet for a few short days, it’s been available streaming (and gratis) from the NBC/Fox venture Hulu since its premiere on the internet.

Remember, if you love it, buy it from iTunes for about four bucks or get a physical copy on DVD from Amazon.

It seems like it wasn’t all that long ago that I attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. I remember the experience like it was yesterday… because… well, let’s face it, it was practically yesterday. I mean, hell, I still haven’t had the chance to even really begin paying off my student loan debt. Unfortunately, New York City is not a woman who is overly sentimental, and not even my love of the nostalgic will stop her from changing more rapidly every day.

While I was away during the course of the past year (working to try and pay off some of that aforementioned student loan debt), I was saddened to learn that The Grand Saloon (on 23rd b/w Lex & 3rd) was being closed for good, and I wouldn’t even get the chance to have one last drink there. I mean, Grand Saloon was part of my development at The Academy. Relationships were forged there, relationships were damaged there, my opinions of people were forever changed (both for the good and the bad), money was spent, cigarettes were smoked (outside, of course), and plenty a night was wasted in the nearly-almost-empty-unless-an-AADA-alumni-threw-a-fundraiser-party dive bar… and I’ll never get to revisit that establishment for one last pint of Stella.

Now that I’m back, I find another part of my AADA experience fading into the past. During my first year at the school, I stayed in the New Yorker Hotel along with other freshman students (part of an agreement made through AADA and a company specializing in Student Housing). While this might sound kind of cool, you need to realize that the New Yorker is on the intersection of 34th St. and 8th. Avenue (which, for the uninformed, is the epicenter of hell). 34th Street, while being home to Macy’s department store, is also where some of the filth that was chased from Times Square ended up. In fact, 34th Street is the only place in the city I’ve ever almost been pickpocketed. 8th Avenue, on the other hand, is somewhere that I don’t ever want to find myself. It’s just plain dirty… and, apart from needing to visit rehearsal studios around 8th, I’d never go there.

Back in my first year of school, I didn’t know any better. I hadn’t traveled the city (apart from the walk to and from school), didn’t give myself the time to, and knew that 8th Avenue was the only thing that separated me from the magnificent Times Square.

Like I said, I didn’t know any better.

Anyhow, my first year of The Academy was also when I experienced my first drink (which, for the record, was Georgi vodka and room temperature Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi — is it any wonder I don’t like drinking?), and thus, the first time I was intoxicated. I vividly remember sitting in Zoe’s room on many a night slipping into a stupid happy state of semi-consciousness. Now, I’m a drunk who likes his food… and I rarely ever did food shopping for my New Yorker shoebox (this wasn’t for a lack of grocery stores, I just didn’t know they were there; in fact, I only shopped at the K-Mart on 34th, because it was on the way to school). Because of this, I needed a source of food… preferably cheap food that was available very late at night.

Just around the corner was this establishment… “Halal Bakery & Pizza.” The only thing worth touching was the pizza, and by “worth touching”, I mean that the pizza was incredibly cheap. Now, it didn’t taste like pizza… but when you were as drunk as I was, it didn’t really matter. I still remember the almost cardboard texture of the tasteless imitation pizza hitting my tongue… and then how it felt again shortly thereafter as I threw it up on the pavement.

Yet now, I discover, it’s to be torn down to create something new… true to form to that Chameleon-like state that New York constantly finds itself in. Again, it’s not the food that I’ll miss — on the contrary, the food was terrible — it’s the memories. Passing that red awning reminded me of living in the New Yorker, stressing far too much about being kicked out of school — my mind far, far away from worrying about continual employment or repaying student loans. I’m afraid that without that disgusting food being so readily available, it’ll be harder for me to remember being woken up late nights by my drunk classmates Joey and Maggie knocking on my door; of excitedly rehearsing repetition work sitting on the carpet; or of shoes strewn on my floor after a hazy night walking back from the Grand Saloon.

Perhaps those memories will fade without any landmark to remind me of their existance… or perhaps they’ll come blowing back to me with the breeze one night when I surprisingly don’t find myself angry walking through Times Square, and I remember how I felt as I excitedly walked down 8th Avenue on my way to hang around Toys “R” Us, passing the Halal Bakery & Pizza joint as I left the New Yorker.

I guess all I wanted to write was…

Thanks for the memories.

So, I’ve been a proponent of Flight of the Conchords, and the self-titled HBO show the group stars in alongside Rhys Darby. The first season is currently available on DVD and the second season is about to premiere on HBO in a couple of weeks. Well, now, thanks to FunnyOrDie.com and HBO, you can watch the first episode of the second season online! Right here!

Season 2 Online Premiere - Flight of the Conchords (US Only) - watch more funny videos

I’ll admit, I gave Katy Perry a chance when she first got my attention last year. Her two novelty songs, “I Kissed A Girl” and “Ur So Gay” caught my attention and won her my favor early on (not that that matters). I was looking forward to her performance of a Madonna classic at the Video Music Awards, but her rendition of “Like A Virgin” was… well… flat. In fact, if I’m remembering correctly, MTV cut to a commercial in the middle of the performance. Ouch.

I figured maybe it was a fluke. After all, it was her first foray to the Video Music Awards, and having eagerly awaited the distribution of the moon men on many a September’s Thursday night during my middle school years, I understood how important that moment could be.. and being nervous is only human. With this in mind, I opened myself to the possibility of her performance on Carson Daly’s New Years’ Show this year. That’s when I learned that her VMA performance, was not, in fact a fluke. Nor was it due to the fact that she wasn’t performing her own material.

She just isn’t good live. Performing HER OWN song. Somehow, she managed to look worse than the Jonas Brothers. Watch her yell (sometimes on pitch) below:

So, a while ago, I blogged about trying to lose weight. Since then, I haven’t really written a word about it… which (as a reader) I would interpret as a complete abandonment of said eating plan. On the contrary, however, I have not completely abandoned my new eating lifestyle… which is surprising (even to me). In fact, since I started losing weight on tour, I have dropped from 207 lbs to just under 194.

I lost all this weight with the basic concept of portion control. After calculating how many calories my body can naturally burn using a Calorie Intake Calculator, I started to track the number of calories that I intake during the day. This journaling showed me how excessively I was eating, and showed me where I could easily fix my problem.

I’m not done, though… I still feel like I can keep losing pounds this summer. I’m taking my diet to the next step using the Abs Diet. Written by the editor of Men’s Health and the best-selling book “Eat This, Not That!”, the Abs Diet seems (upon first glance) like a fad diet that promises ridiculous results in little-to-no time. While it does seem ot promise rapid weight loss in six weeks, it’s a sensible eating plan and exercise combo that would only logically contribute to weight loss. I urge you, pick up a copy of the book — even if you don’t start the diet itself, the valuable knowledge you gain about what you are eating is indispensable.

I’ll keep you all posted on my progress throughout the summer… and I’m thinking I’m going to get to a place where I’m comfortable with my weight very soon!

So, occasionally I like to use this space to promote products that I think are exceptional. The last one that I profiled like this was the book “Eat This, Not That!” by Steve Zinczenko, which I started using to help me lose weight while stuck eating fast food on the road. Around this same time, I also started experimenting with Special K2O Protein Water.

From what I know about protein, having more of it couldn’t possibly be a bad thing. Additionally, there are 5 grams of fiber per serving… and as we, as a nation, are starting to get on a fiber kick (as evidenced by an influx of new products and television ads) I figured that couldn’t be a bad thing.

I really enjoy these little powder packets. The combination of the fiber and the protein help satisfy hunger when you’re in the mood to snack. Additionally, I think it tastes pretty good too. Unfortunately, some of the flavors smell weird. The Iced Tea flavor, in particular, smells pretty horrible… and that imposes upon how enjoyable the drink is (despite the fact that, if you ignore the smell, tastes like Iced Tea).

I really like the Pink Lemonade or the Strawberry Kiwi flavors, especially in this hot, disgusting weather. Pick some up at a grocery store near you… you’ll be glad you did!

THERE’S A MOE’S IN NEW YORK CITY!!!

If you would have told me this months ago when I left for Superstar, not only would I have called you a liar (it didn’t exist until a month ago) but I wouldn’t have known what the hell you were talking about. See, I didn’t get the traditional college experience, having attended a two-year conservatory… and apparently, Moe’s Southwest Grill is something that pops up in lots of college towns. The burritos are cheap, the nachos are free (and bottomless) and it’s a great place to grab a beer or two while you’re studying. Think Chipotle, but with free (and better) nachos and a delicious, delicious queso dip.

Fortunately, there’s now one on the East Side of Manhattan. Definitely try it if you never have! I’m sure that this establishment will be taking a great deal of money from me and only contributing inches to my seemingly ever-expanding waistline.

Get directions (via Hopstop)

Even though the month’s almost over, I wanted to premiere a new blog feature that I’ll be running at least once a month, Movies I’m (Actually) Looking Forward To. Here, I’ll judge movies I haven’t seen yet based on their trailers and promotional material and pass my judgment long before I’ve purchased my ticket. Here’s my pick for this week:

Step Brothers - Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star in this R-rated comedy about two middle aged slackers thrust upon each other when their single parents get married. The previews for this one were funny, but the commercials and the red band trailer really get me. This one’s going to be hysterical.