from: Richissin
from:
The Day Fun Died
A special guest post by Matthew T. Richissin, commemorating the loss of yet another youth recreation destination in the Boston metropolitan area. I went to Fun Land once, and it rained. That’s just the kind of place Fun Land was. All I can say is GOD SAVE CANOBIE LAKE.
My name is Matthew T. Richissin, I am a 23 year old college student. Though I’m not a religious man, I do believe in heaven; as it is a place that I have already frequented. Dictionary.com defines “heaven” as “An eternal state of communion with God; everlasting bliss” and that is just what Fun Land was. Eternal Bliss.
For those who are unfamiliar with Fun Land, let me summarize it for you. Fun Land would be the amusement park you would’ve created at the age of 7 if you had a limited budget and had to build it in Tewksbury, MA. Go Karts that could accommodate a person of any age (provided said person was under 90 pounds), batting cages with pitching machines that weren’t afraid to brush you off the plate, and a mini golf course with obstacles featuring all of your favorite childhood plush toys, such as the Ninja Turtle hole.
Inside, an arcade with all your favorite videogames: NBA Jam, Aerosmith: Revolution and Cruisin’ USA (note: If you were hoping it had San Fransisco Rush, do yourself a favor and throw yourself off the highest building you can find). This was all surrounded by a chain fence topped off with barbed wire. The owners made their point clear, “If you don’t want to have fun, stay the fuck out.”
This is why the news of May 7th came as such a shock to me, as it is a day that will always be known as “The Day Fun Died.” In my opinion, when it is all said and done, the closing of Fun Land will be known as the single greatest national tragedy of the new millennium. I, nor any other great writer, could possibly describe all of the emotions I felt upon hearing the news. I can, however, provide you with images of what I believe this world will look without Fun Land:
I leave you now with the powerful words of the female vocalist Avril Lavigne (you can also watch a video of this fine gent singing it)
So Far Away, Wish You Were Here
Before its too late this could all disappear
Before the doors close and it comes to an end
With you by my side I’ll fight and defend.
I’ll fight and defend
Keep Holding On, cuz I’ll make it through, make it through.
Just Stay Strong, cuz u know I’m here for you, here for you.
There’s nothing you can say.
There’s nothing you can do.
There’s no other way when it comes to the truth
Keep Holding on.
Interview Tips for MBAs
It’s May and people are graduating, which means sacrificing the first of many summers to an air conditioned office. That is, if you have a job lined up. If you aren’t, you could benefit from these interview tips.
In case you thought group projects and the inevitable videos died in middle school high school college, my brother Brian is here with classmates (colleagues?) from the Kenan-Flager Business School at UNC Chapel Hill.
Some humorous parts in here. Skip to the 6 minute mark for Brian, or, like all good videos, skip to the very end for a montage.
For more fun, check out Brian’s former attempts at becoming an online video celebrity.
You thought the iTunes visualizer was sweet before?
via MBA Baracus
Crack Commando Marketing Student
Brian officially became the second brother to start a blog (the others will fall someday).
As usual he was a bit wiser, by a) starting it when not working full time and b) choosing a discernible topic to cover. M.B.A. Baracus is off to a great start, including a Bank of America cover of U2’s “One”. Another song ruined by a lame corporation while authentically creative works are deleted or sued.
P.S. the title refers to Mr. T’s character on the A-Team, Seargant Bosco “B.A.” Baracus
P.P.S. I should note that Sister Lauren also has a blog, but I can’t find it and I’m willing to bet she’s left it for dead. Lauren, if you’re reading this, prove me wrong.
Wake Up Barry
The trailer for season two of Matthew T. Richissin’s tv show, Wake Up Barry, featuring Mike “I’ll drive 3 hours to be an extra at a party” Chandler, pictured below in the backwards neon green hat.
Liberate the People’s Republic of Cambridge
From: Justin
Justin’s birthday gift to me was better late than never, and actually pretty sweet. He got me two shirts from a company called Brandwashed. The company prints all of its invoices, etc. on looseleaf paper, and sent along about 20 stickers of other shirt designs in a fresh-scented “sanitary napkin” bag. Below are some of the more entertaining t-shirts available. They also have a few other cities available, in case you’re not from metropolitan Boston.
Justin got me this one:
and it also came with this one free:
Other fun shirts:
FIRED
Cool by association?
It’s getting to the point where even if I haven’t done anything all that screamingly cool with my life, at least I know people who have. Or know people who know people that have.
One example is my coworker Jason’s friend, who got fired from a play by Woody Allen (I’m pretty sure he told her she “looked retarded”) and managed to parlay it into what looks to be an entertaining film that features David Cross, Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick, and other comedians. It also explores the nature of downsizing and the culture of firing in the U.S.
This is the really cool thing about the age we’re living in. For all its excesses and lame reality TV stars, there are also smart, creative people who turn getting canned into a big success.
Anyway, check it out: FIRED
You’re the person of the year. Now do something with your life.
I guess no one told at Time filled in their sponsor, Chrysler, who was going to win Person of the Year, because their ad starts with “You might not be the Person of the Year” and then links to a cover story titled: Time’s Person of the Year: You. Chrysler’s folly aside, Time’s pick was pretty weak.
I buy a lot of the hype about how the Internet has revolutionized life as we know it and will continue to do so (especially the worlds of politics and traditional media), but I gotta say that Time’s stunt is just that: a trick to sell magazines. It might be clever if this was the first time they messed with the idea that it normally goes to an individual, but they just gave it to “the American soldier” in 2003. Even that wasn’t new, seeing as they gave it to “the American fighting man” in 1950. Plus, they already gave it to the computer in 1982. I guess that didn’t include people who use computers, and now they’re making up for it? Oh, and George W. Bush has won it twice, in 1990 with his father and on his own in 2004. Hat trick, anyone?
From: Justin
Anyway, Justin looks at CollegeHumor more than anyone I know, despite being like three years out of college, but he found a good video honoring those Time deemed worthy of its highest honor.
Guitar Zero
From: Brian
Subject: You cannot make this stuff up
The Detroit Tigers got worried about the performance of their star reliever Joel Zumaya during the American League Championship Series when he was afflicted with wrist and forearm inflammation, until they learned it did not come from his pitching motion but from playing too many hours of Guitar Hero.
NYT