Highlights of tonight

An excellent turnout of some of my most favorite people in the world.

Good pizza even though my attempt to score a table at Piece was thwarted. Damn hipsters.

Loads of Against Me! playing at our alternate dinner location without my having requested it. Thanks, Santullos!

A WWF clock!!!! With talking action!!!! Three cheers for Reb!

Getting to tell everyone about this afternoon's experience at the Animal Care League.

Getting seated in The Pit which felt like a green room or a VIP section. Actually both. Cause we UChicago people create a Chill Zone wherever we go.

A cameo appearance by Rick Nielsen.

Listening to the Nirvana/Rick Astley mash-up.

Making up for last year's failed attempt at live band karaoke by getting to take the stage not once, but TWICE!

Learning that Journey is much easier to sing than Weezer. So easy that I was able to bust out an improvised run that I think actually sounded good at the end of their song.

High-fiving strangers wishing to congratulate me for my performance.

Getting asked by some dude what sorority I was in and replying, "I was never in a sorority. I went to art school!"

Getting greeted by the friendliest, most love-hungry puppy ever on the way back to Clarise and Adolfo's car.



Can you tell my early birthday celebration was a success? It was a much different animal than last year's karaoke extravaganza, but still very excellent in its own right.

And now I think it's time for bed.

My thoughts on the Scott Steiner/Bobby Lashley angle

Okay, so I know this is wrestling I'm watching. I know that the form dictates that any and all conflicts must be resolved through in-ring combat.

But after being brought up to speed on the feud between Bobby Lashley and Scott Steiner, I find myself questioning this logic.

Shall we review the facts?

They are as follows:

Scott Steiner decides that Bobby Lashley's wife Crystal is secretly in love with him.

With this in mind, he makes some suggestive comments, and some very aggressive, very creepy advances.

Crystal rejects those advances. She is very direct in voicing her lack of interest in having any kind of relationship with Steiner.

Steiner continues to harass Crystal. His aggressive advances get more aggressive, turning into intimidation and harassment.

Lashley attacks Steiner in his wife's defense.

Steiner refuses to relent. His actions turn stalkerish. He even goes so far as to break into the Lashley's hotel room, and while it was merely a ploy to draw Bobby close for an attack, his intentions toward Crystal were implicit.

Only at this point, do the two men arrange to formally resolve their issues through a match at Turning Point.



Now, knowing all of this, and knowing that wrestlers are extraordinarily macho, testosterone-driven creatures, are we as fans REALLY supposed to suspend our disbelief and accept that Bobby would simply allow all of this to occur without taking matter into his own hands? He'd just contain all his anger and frustration and desire to protect his family, and save those feelings for a pay-per-view performance? REALLY???? He'd just sit on his hands and wait to confront a man who all but raped his wife??? SERIOUSLY??????

Further, we're supposed to believe that the powers that be at TNA are willing to stand by and watch while one of their higher profile employees blatantly sexually harasses a woman? While he abducts her? While he boasts about his plans to make her a sexual conquest?

Sorry creative team, but that's not gonna work for me. I know angles that put a woman in the middle of two wrestlers are as old as the hills, but this one was not only poorly executed, it was also bordering on offensive.

Here's what I'd do if I held the book:

Crystal Lashley reaches a breaking point after one too many encounters with Steiner. She realizes that he is not going to take no for an answer, and that her husband is useless at coming to her defense, and so she hires a martial arts expert for some training and learns a bunch of self-defense techniques. Next time Steiner comes a calling, she stands up to him, and beats the shit out of him herself. Bobby is impressed, and begs Crystal to teach him her awesome moves, so that he may be more effective in the future. She beats the shit out of him as well for allowing things to reach the point that they did, and rides off into the sunset swearing she'll never get involved with wrestlers or the wrestling business again. Then, she becomes a ninja.

See? This is why someone from TNA or WWE needs to hire me. Jenny's ideas = ratings more than naked Mideon.

:)

In all seriousness though. Take away this abortion of a feud and the rest of the PPV was impressive. I might have to start following TNA more closely for reasons other than Alex Shelley and Christopher Daniels.