…at my house….this is the saddest ever ya’ll….I thought I was going to be over this bug, but I’m not….my muscles are still weak and I’m hocking and sneezing and such….it sucks….every year events conspire to make my New Year suck….maybe tomorrow I’ll write about it, but for now I’m gonna drink some Southern Comfort and sulk….

About a week ago I was talking alot of junk about how I’d never get a flu shot. I was saying how they made your immune system weaker in the long run and a bunch of other blah, blah, blah, yackitty, smackitty.

Well the influenza virus has spent the past 3 days humbling the hell out of me. I should have known I was going to get it. Every time my mother gets it, I end up getting it. And did I ever get it! I was hallucinating and everything. I had some kind of dream about being a part owner of the Indiana Pacers. On top of everything else my Dad ended up getting it too!

At any rate that’s where I’ve been if anyone cared. I’m still not 100% or even 80% so I’m about to take a nap, after A Different World.

Yesterday I talked about the music of 2003. Today I’ll talk about Television (yeah I know I said yesterday I would talk about movies too, but I had a lot more to say about TV than I thought). Now I don’t watch too much network television, but I get the feeling that not too many people do nowadays. I do however catch alot of movies. With that being said let’s get to my opinion on this year.

Best Network TV Show: There aren’t too many shows I will go out of my way to watch on the “regular” channels. However, the first time I saw The Tracy Morgan Show I was hooked. I haven’t enjoyed a network non-reality show like this since the first season of The Bernie Mac show (of course I don’t watch that now….). CSI: Miami is pretty decent as well, if I happen to flip around and catch it I’ll watch it.

Best Reality Show: I watched a great deal of reality programming this year. Average Joe was good although I knew she wouldn’t pick the poor guy. Married By America suprised me. I even got caught up in the America’s Next Top Model mess thanks to Drea. All of that said, there is no doubt that MTV’s Making the Band was by FAR my favorite show on TV period this season. I hosted viewing parties for it. Hell I still follow “Da Band” and laugh at moments such as Fred’s bathtub scene in their most recent video. Making The Band made my week every year and made up for a piss poor Real World season.

Most Improved Show: Around The Horn on ESPN started out on a bad note for me. As many of you know, my old column in the Maroon Tiger was entitled Around the Horn, but I didn’t have the foresight to copywrite the name, so I was trying to hate the show when it started. But as time passed I started to really enjoy the little quirks on the show, like Woody Paige getting mistreated by Max Kellerman and J.A. Adende putting in work to make up for all of the shame that Jayson Blair put to black writers by winning the show at least once a week. Those of you sports fans who aren’t watching Around The Horn don’t know what you are missing, it’s right on the heels of PTI both literally and figuratively

Best Sitcom in Syndication: I just wanted a reason to mention A Different World.

Best Show That Might Not Come Back: If the NFL bigwigs, who have already shafted most cable subscribers with their facist Direct TV bias and black-out rules, have their way, Playmakers will not be back on ESPN. Maybe the NBA will pick up the ball if the NFL drops it (which seems likely) and let ESPN do season 2 about a Basketball team. The way the season ended, it would be a shame to leave such a promising show on the sidelines!

Biggest Drop Off in Quality: The Entire HBO Line-up once the Sopranos and Curb Your Enthusiasm ended their seasons completely fell off. Six Feet Under just didn’t have that certain something different it had in the previous season. Carnivale never really got a grip on me. The Wire never gained any momentum. I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come for the next seasons of Curb and Sopranos.

Best Reason To Subscribe to HBO: This is a three way tie between The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Da Ali G Show. The Sopranos just keeps on entertaining, although this season wasn’t QUITE as good as past seasons, elements like Ralphie’s death and Christopher’s intervention made it better than 99% of programming on all of television. Curb Your Enthusiam is laugh out loud funny every single episode! People missing the brand of humor that Seinfeld used to offer need look no further. Da Ali G Show is one of my personal quirks, many people hate it, I can’t get enough of it.

Worst Attempt at Trying to be HBO: If it wasn’t bad enough that Showtime’s boxing and movie selections are worse than HBO, they had to try to come up with some “original programming” that was trying to hard to be HBO. Every single show can be described as an HBO knockoff in some way or another. If it weren’t for the occassional Tyson fight there’d be no reason to watch Showtime HBOlite.

Best Cable Channel: VH1 made a serious push, and MTV is always dependable, but it really comes down to two channels. ESPN and HBO are neck and neck. Both have quality original programming, but still manage to stay true to their orignal intents. In a pinch I’d have to choose HBO because I think it alone is worth the price of cable. Seriously, no one who owns cable should pass up on a chance to get HBO in their programming deal, it’s worth it!

That’s it for today, tomorrow we will go to the movies.

All told 2003 has been a good year for me. No one in my family died. For the most part everyone is in good health and good spirits. Money is an issue, but it’s been that way for everyone.

Anyway I figure what I’ll do this week is just highlight some of the things I enjoyed this year. Today is all about music this year. To be honest it hasn’t been the best y

Song of 2003: I thought long and hard about this one. Alicia Key’s “You Don’t Know My Name” is so recent that it stands out in my mind. Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” has been everywhere. Let’s not even mention any 50 Cent songs. I like EVERY song on The Love Below, so I couldn’t point out just one. I’d have to give this one to Miss Keys, because the instant I heard it I wanted to hear it again.

Most Danceable Song: I had to make up this catagory JUST for Andre 3000’s “Hey Ya”. I’m not one to dance at all, but every time I hear it I want to break out in one of those dances that the Love Haters were doing in the video.

Best Producer: Kanye West has jumped from “dopest producer that most people hadn’t heard of” to “the guy that speeds up the vocals from old songs”. A year from now I will be sick of it I’m sure (like the Neptunes), but for now he’s running the show.

Best Skit: Most people probably haven’t heard it, but on Gangstarr’s 2003 release “The Ownerz” there is a parody of the song “Grindin” by the Clipse, they call it “Heiney”. I died laughing and put it on repeat several times. Give it a listen. Honorable Mention to the skits on The Love Below (I’m going somewhere with this).

Video of the Year: Nelly has made a fan out of me with his “Tip Drill” video. Words cannot express how great it is. Now if only I could find an “uncut” version of my favorite video on BET Uncut.

Biggest Disappointment: Erykah Badu’s “Worldwide Underground” was a BUST. After Mama’s Gun and Baduizm and the lead in of Love of My Life I guess there was no way this album would have satisfied me. She didn’t come close.

Album of the Year: Outkast’s “Speakerboxxx/the Love Below”. I didn’t think they could do it. They not only did it, they did it so well no one will be able to do it again. Big Boi and Andre 3000 managed to make a “Jim Crow/seperate but equal” album. 5 Albums and counting, with NO garbage produced. What a track record.

Tomorrow I’ll talk about TV and Movies. Mom wants her phone line back!

Welp, this Christmas will go down as a very good one.

I woke up around 8 or so and got dressed to go to Cousin Genelle and Doc’s house for brunch. Mom wasn’t feeling well, she has the flu I think, so she stayed home. I ate myself silly over there.

Usually we have dinner over at Uncle Ron and Aunt Carmen’s house but this year we had it here. Bryan’s little boys Malik and Deandre were playing how me and Bryan used to back in the day. They made me think back to many a happy childhood christmas.

Now things are different. I wouldn’t care if I didn’t get a thing, I’d rather GIVE someone something they enjoy at this point. Now I enjoy spending time with the people I love and making new memories. I did get the one thing I kinda needed….AN LARGE FAMILY SIZE FOREMAN GRILL!!!….yes I’m a little more excited than I should be about it, but I really wanted it! And I got some throwbacks from Bryan (Payton, L.T., and Bradshaw). I also talked to my little cousins who used to live here, but now live in Mississippi. They are growing up so much!

I even found my favorite hat today. And after getting MOLLYWHOPPED three times by Bryan I FINALLY beat him on a TWO POINT CONVERSION NO LESS! My dad is in the other room sleeping, life is good right about now!

I feel like George Bailey at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life. Matter of fact I’m about to pop that DVD in!

It’s Christmas Eve! I could NEVER sleep when I was a kid, even after I knew the truth about the big guy in the red suit. I was always anticipating my gifts, I always got something I wasn’t expecting.

TNT has started their annual 24 hours of The Christmas Story and Nina, Che, and I watched it and laughed several times. Now Jim Carrey’s version of “The Grinch” is on, and I’m waiting for this party Nina has hyped up about them throwing rocks at the Grinch. I know one thing, these Who’s are UGLY!. Someone should throw rocks at them!!

Last night I got together at the bar at Ruby Tuesday’s with my boys Nile, John, and Rashard and tossed back a few drinks. Then Nile and I went to go see our friends Nicole and Nature at Nicole’s house (yeah, she’s a home owner…she’s got it together!). It was cool catching up with them, I hadn’t seen them in almost 2 years. I’m looking forward to the New Years Eve party at Nicole’s house. I’m sure I’ll see a bunch of people I haven’t seen in a long time.

Anyway I want to wish a Merry Christmas to a whole lot of people. I know I’m going to forget someone so I’m not going to mention EVERYONE by name. But especially Saleemah, Ramblin’, Andrea, Karima, Erica, and everyone else who sent me a card/Christmas wish. If I know your name belonged in that list and it wasn’t, an extra special Merry Christmas. One day I will gather myself to send a bunch of cards or something.

Anyway, I’m going to go and spend some time with my family, but once again, MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone, even the Grinches who don’t celebrate it!

My hosting company had to physically move the servers that host my site last night so this site was down for a while last night. It pissed me off because I had a BUNCH to say.

Sunday, my mom ended up treating me and Che to dinner at Longhorn Steaks. Then we went to the Barnes and Nobles in the same complex. They have really built up that area. Just two years ago it was all woods and rabbits, now they have 11ty billion stores and such and IT’S STILL GROWING.

My cousin Radiance is looking over my shoulder as I type this. She asked me, “Why do you do this?”. Now she’s saying I have to put “Everything she said, because when we get old and look back on this I don’t wanna look like a negative person, cuz I did say it was a good thing”.

I am still trying to really answer that though. Why do I do this? Radiance has a funny way of coming by and throwing a wrench in what I do and making me step back and think. She doesn’t do it on purpose I don’t think. I think I do this because I LOVE writing and I like looking back on old times.

Argh, anyway, back on track. I haven’t been doing ANYTHING except being taken to overtime by my sister Che in Madden (she ws pretty good, but yes I’m THAT bad also) and playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Of course my allergies are tearing me a new one yet again.

Easily, the highlight of chilling at home was last night though. Nina came running down the stairs talking about, “Turn to Fox 5, turn to Fox 5!!!”. So Che and I turn from the end of Nikita’s Blues (which I HAVE to talk about as well) and see some girl walking into my old high school, Westlake. Turns out it’s show called Classmates, where usually people try to hookup with someone from their high schools. However on this episode some girl I can’t remember named Kelly was trying to get “revenge” on this girl named Miracle (yes that’s her name). Miracle was a friend of my cousin Bryan, but when I saw her I didn’t recognize her, she looked completely different.

Well apparently Miracle and Kelly fell out about 5 years ago because Miracle’s husband Lamar (who also went to Westlake apparently) slept with Kelly according to this other dude named Bryan (who I hear still plays the drums at the Lake at age 32….no additional comment). At any rate, that show was hilarious. We had to call Bryan who couldn’t stop laughing. They basically did the whole show in the bandroom at the Lake. I thought that was fitting.

As an aside, the episode of A Different World being shown now is the “Shaza Zulu writes a book” episode. Whitley is dressed like a dude in a suit and Dwayne just mentioned her “caboose”. It’s great.

My mom was just on the roof for some odd reason. In a second I have to go hold the ladder for her while she gets on the roof on another part of the house.

Anyway before I go, I have to talk about Nikita Blues. Man that movie was so terrible it was funny. Nina and Che love it. They made me watch it. I’ll sum it up in a few lines. Nikita (Essence Atkins) steals clothes from the store she works in and sells them at school. She also has a “school girl crush” on her teacher (some BET Arabesque actor) and kisses him a few times. She gets snitched on by some girl she works with (some young future porn star actress) and then tries to seduce her teacher after he gets hit over the head with a bottle. She gets caught by his fiancee (Mari Morrow in her B-Movie best!!!) who is also the principal. And gets chased into an oncoming car by her mama who was played by one of the sisters from Amen. Yes, it’s as bad as it sounds.

Now I have to help my mom get on the roof. Peace for now!

I’m in the A-TOWN! WOOOOOOOO! (sorry had to get that out!)

I don’t think it’s quite hit me that Christmas is Thursday. Right now I’m just happy that class is over. Of course I have some studying to do over the break.

But not right now! Right now I am watching all of the football I can stand on Direct TV.

Yesterday, I went over the homie Eulus’s house for dinner. I didn’t know until he got there that his girlfriend Calandra was also in town. She was really nice, the homie Eulus has done good for himself. She even has the right kind of sense of humor. She gets the official Killa Cal seal of approval! (And I’m not just saying that because she reads this site….). Anyway Eulus’s mom made a huge dinner and cooked my absolute favorite thing of all fried shrimp! She used to cook me fried shrimp for my birthday when I was younger, I used to love it. I was very satisfied.

Today I probably won’t do anything but harrass Che and her friend Sheena. I’m sure I’ll be all over town the rest of the week, but today will be my day of rest.

First semester of Sophomore year of Medical School is officially OVER! I’m still alive!

Later on today I will be headed back down to the good ole ATL. But tonight I ate, drank, and was merry! It felt good to let go once again, I probably will have 2 other times in the next six to eight months to relax and have fun like I did tonight, the SNMA National Convention (although I’ll be hella stressed too) and after I take my Step. I’m going to live it up as best I can over this break, because it’s going to be the last real break for a while.

In other news, my homeless look is OVER. Before I took my subject board I went and got a haircut. I kept portions on the beard but my hair is low and the way I like it.

Anyway it’s late and I’m still at school. I haven’t packed either! I see throwing things in a laundry bag and rushing to pack my PS2 and some books early tomorrow morning in my future! Next time ya’ll hear from me I’ll be in the A-town!

Things aren’t so bad right about now. Nope, they are actually pretty good all things considered. I did pretty good (by my standards at least) on my Microbiology comprehensive final and now all that stands in my way is the Subject Board.

Last night I was thinking about something. I still have my little blogger over at blogspot. I think I’m going to start writing sports news and notes there. Something like a mix of The Sports Guy and Gregg Easterbrook with a touch of Dr. Z and the character of Peter King, all with a hip hop twist (doesn’t that sound like something contrived by a marketing firm!). Who knows, maybe I can parlay that into free lance writing. I think that’s how the Sports Guy got started.

On a completely unrelated note I’m drinking a Dr. Pepper and it reminds me of a story from my youth. Up until around my sophomore year of college my mothers side of the family would always end up going to Mississippi for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. Usually I would ride with my mom and sisters, but as I got older I found myself riding with my Aunt Carmen, Uncle Ron, Bryan, and Radiance. One time we stopped at a McDonalds in Tuscaloosa or Leeds or some other part of Alabama. I ordered a double quarter pounder value meal with a Dr. Pepper (my usual staple at Mickey D’s). For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to leave my drink unattended and go to the bathroom. When I came back, I noticed that my drink tasted a little different, and my aunt was trying her best to contain laughter, but it didn’t taste THAT much different so I kept drinking it.

We got into the car and I sipped more and more (I’m a notoriously slow drinker. I have been working on this particular drink for about an hour and a half!). The more I sipped the worst it tasted. Finally I exclaimed, “This junk tastes TERRIBLE!!!” and tried to throw my cup out of the window. Bryan, Radiance, and Aunt Carmen started cracking up (I don’t think Uncle Ron was in on it….though I wouldn’t put it past him). Turns out Bryan and/or Radiance had poured salt into my soda. They later remarked that they were surprised I drank as much as I did. Apparently they put alot in there.

To this day I won’t leave a drink unattended around them. Anyway now I gotta see if this password still works over at blogspot. Until next time, I’m still the Killa!