7 Things I Love That Most People Hate

POPS GUSTAV, Newark, NJ

1) Winter / Snow
I will take a blizzard over a day at the beach anytime.
2) Early dusk
I don’t like the bright sun. I get energized at dusk. I like the nighttime, baby.
3) Superman
Oh, sure, he’s the first, the quintessential, the most well-known superhero of all. But ask anyone with any interest in the medium of comics what they think of Superman, and most will express ambivalence our outright disdain. Which is fucking sad.
4) Cats
Even many people who watch cat videos… still hate cats. Me, I love the goddamn finicky creatures, and will always have at least two.
5) Cleaning
I’m neat and organized. I like to clean. Maybe I shoulda’ been a maid.
6) Being fully dressed
Trust me, the more I’m covered up, the better. I’m rarely shirtless, even in bed, and am even reluctant to take off my shoes when home plopped on the couch. The more clothes I can wear (temperature permitting), the more comfortable I am.
7) A lack of meaning to our existence
What most of humanity finds terrifying (so much that we created “God” to quell the fear), I find liberating. I believe that our existence is random chance, with no grand scheme nor ultimate judgment. So relax, decide what life means to YOU, and live that life.

2013 SEVEN, Pop Culture-Wise, Anyway...

POPS GUSTAV, Newark NJ

1) HANNIBAL
The best show on TV. There, I said it. If you’re not watching it, you’re an idiot. Okay, maybe that’s harsh, but c’mon… you really should be. The most visually arresting show since TWIN PEAKS, but way better written and acted (and I was a fan!).

2) Stephen Colbert’s “Get Lucky” Dance
My favorite pop culture moment of 2013. The always-brilliant Colbert turned lemons (booked band cancels appearance) into sheer lemonade ebullience. I’ve watched it over a dozen times, and it puts a mile-wide smile on my face every time.
3) Friends’ Bands
The Defibulators’ DEBT’LL GET ‘EM was my favorite side of the year, and they were hardly the only amazing band comprised of people I call friend: Nipsey, Désir Decir, The Wax Darts, Sarolea, the Tijuana Bibles, Life Eaters, Trio Agave, The Black Hollies, TV Sound, and Overlake are just a few names you should seek out.
4) Retro Comics
Despite a bitter taste regarding DC’s New 52, there are actually a handful of comic books that harken to days past that I’m buying: BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, THE FOX (and, while technically a 2014 release, Bob Fingerman’s MINIMUM WAGE reboot)!
5) BREAKING BAD
While the behavior of the Aryans felt at times a bit too Deus ex Machina, the final 8 episodes of maybe the second best drama of all time delivered an ending both satisfying and surprising. Bravo, Vince Gilligan.
6) ALEX TOTH: GENIUS, ILLUSTRATED
IDW’s second volume in its massive trilogy showcases my all-time favorite artist at his creative peak, while giving insight into lost projects and all the greatness that might have been.
7) Tie: KEY & PEELE / KROLL SHOW
While sitcoms continue to be mostly tired anachronisms, sketch comedy remains fertile, mostly on these two shows which—while admittedly hit or miss—have more than a handful of hilarious, eminently rewatchable moments that skirt brilliance.

And, while I have your attention:
This marks as many posts in 2014 as there were in all of 2013, and I honestly have no idea if it's going to be the same from here out. The irony is, as the Internet has become primarily a repository of lists, the impetus to add to this particular blog seems to have dwindled, perhaps in response. List overload? You tell me. If people send me good lists of 7, I'll be happy to add to the pot. Otherwise, I'll see you next January!

7 Reasons I Didn't Do Any 2012 Wrap-Ups

POPS GUSTAV, Newark NJ
1) My formerly favorite TV show had an absolutely horrible season.
2) My most-anticipated film turned out to be somewhat of a bloated letdown (even if it took me a while to admit it).
3) I bought exactly one rock CD that wasn’t made by friends of mine.
4) I didn’t really buy any comic books in 2012 either.
5) I was really busy.
6) Okay, I really liked THE AVENGERS, KEY & PEELE, MAD MEN, BREAKING BAD, THE ART OF DANIEL CLOWES, and a few other things.
7) ...But for the most part, 2012 was a year that can bite me.

7 TV Shows Canceled Too Soon

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ 
1) Journeyman 
2) The Chicago Code
3) Firefly
4) Swingtown
5) The Sarah Silverman Program
6) The Legion of Super Heroes
7) Star Trek

Facebook Good / Facebook Bad

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

Let's face it; Facebook haters are as annoying and stubbornly Quixotic as those people who decried television as the bane of society's existence. Facebook is merely a communications medium, and like any medium, it's got its merits and disadvantages. At its best, it can be a powerful tool for social and political change, a virtual gathering place in times of need or a fascinating educator. At its worst, it can be an insipid time waster, a proselytizing bigot or a permanent record of how people have really shitty taste and don't know grammar at all.

The rules of Facebook are simple. Or at least they should be. The problem with social media's instantaneous spontaneity is that people don't take a moment to second guess their status updates and posts. And a lot of the time, they really should. Here are 14 simple dos and don'ts for adding to the Book of Face.

7 USUALLY ENTERTAINING FACEBOOK STATUS UPDATES
1) Funny comedy gag based on political or social event
2) Link to interesting news story along with your comment on said tale
3) Photo of a completed creative project (can include a meal you made)
4) Amusing one-liners, preferably original
5) Pop culture non-sequiturs that challenge the reader to note the origin
6) Link to cool, obscure pop culture clip of some sort
7) Genuinely interesting personal updates from far-away friends and family (the key here is “interesting”… remember, kids, if you wouldn't bother saying it in person, why would you bother typing it?

7 TRULY TIRESOME FACEBOOK STATUS UPDATES
1) Photo of your lunch (seriously, not one person cares)
2) Inspirational words or wisdom jpeg (usually ugly, to boot)
3) Weather status update (we have Siri for that, thank you)
4) Exclamations without explanations (“Godammit!” does not suffice)
5) Insincere, train-jumping celebrity memorials (so sad about that guy who was in that thing)
6) Compliment-fishing photos of the beautiful people (We get it, you’re purty)
7) Talking about your workout / how sore you are after your workout (Let’s arm wrestle)

Please note I carefully avoided mentioning photos and videos of your kids. Everyone loves every single one that you post… Every. Single. One.

7 Suggested New Slogans for Hoboken NJ

POPS GUSTAV*, Jersey City NJ
1) Hoboken NJ: What’s Your Fuckin' Problem, Bro?
2) Hoboken NJ: Draining Trust Funds Since 1996
3) Hoboken NJ: Corruption, Schmorruption! We’ve got the Cake Boss!
4) Hoboken NJ: Come for the Bars, Stay for the Date Rape!
5) Hoboken NJ: Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Wish to Park
6) Hoboken NJ: Shots! Shots! Shots!
7) Hoboken NJ: So Close to NYC and Yet So Far

*#1 courtesy of Mitch Cady and John Feuerbach

7 Guys Who Would Make Those 1800 “Whatever Happened to…” Commercials Much Less Douchey (Sorry, Michael Imperioli)

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ
In case you haven't seen the offending commercials, go here... I agree with almost every sentiment expressed in these ads, but Michael Imperioli—whom I like, mind you—is a poor choice of spokesperson. Here are some suggestions for guys who can evoke a retro sensibility without seeming like they would really rather just smash that bottle over your head (avoiding the obvious choices, being Clooney and any MAD MEN cast member):

1. Paul F. Tompkins
2. Patrick Warburton
3. Elvis Costello
4. Leonard Nimoy
5. Stephen Colbert
6. Terry O’Quinn
7. Bruce Campbell

7 Tee-Vee Show Drinking Games

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ
1) PAWN STARS: Any time someone says, “Back in the day…” do a shot of whiskey.
2) HARDBALL: Whenever Chris Matthews drools, spits or farts, you have to drink a full bottle of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA by pouring it into your mouth from 12 inches above your head.
3) HAWAII FIVE-0: Pound a Jell-O shot and a full can of SPAM every time an anorexic girl comes onscreen.
4) FACE OFF: Whenever someone says, “Throw (pronoun) under the bus,” drink a shot of Goldschlager from the hollowed out skull of a hamster.
5) ALCATRAZ: Any time a character reacts without shock to seeing someone who just traveled 50 years in time, down five Old Fashioneds.
6) TOP CHEF: Drink a shot of chilled asparagus gin with a dash of artisinal cumquat bitters and a topping of bacon foam whenever a contestant uses the term, “flavor profile.”
7) PORTLANDIA: Any time you’re not sure if Carrie and Fred are mocking someone or think that they’re really cool, drink something brewed at home by your friend who really loves Deerhoof and just bought some new bow ties.

7 things you may not know you’re not supposed to do in a bar.

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

DO NOT…
1) …plop your coat / bag on the bar and leave ‘em there. This is a workspace. You are creating an impediment.
2) …help yourself to anything out of the garnish tray. If you desire another lime, ask for it. If you want a snack, order something off the menu. The olives are not all for you.
3) …assume that your drink will still be there if you wander off for more than five minutes and don’t say anything or give some sign (like the ol’ bevnap on the glass) that you’re coming back. I’ve had people leave a drink on the bar, then return a half an hour later asking where it is.
4) …think that the straws / stirrers are your own personal stash of chew sticks.
5) …assume that your spilled drink will be replaced at no charge. If you drive a car off the lot and crash it two blocks away, do you get another car for free? The bartender might cut you a break, but then again, he might not.
6) …leave a giant tip right off the bat. It makes the drinkslinger uncomfortable because the implication is that you’re now expecting special treatment (and a good bartender doesn’t show anyone special treatment).
7) … assume—especially if it’s busy—that the bartender remembers which tab is yours. It’s not too hard to just say “The tab is under [last name here].”

Thanks for your attention. Oh, and don’t ever call Jameson “Jaymo.”

7 Classic Elements I'd Like to See in Modern Genre Reboots

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

1) James Bond flirt with Miss Moneypenny (Olivia Williams, perhaps?)
2) Spider-Man say, “Whallopin’ Websnappers!”
3) Captain Kirk fight a Gorn.
4) Clark Kent say, “This looks like a job… for Superman!”
5) Catwoman describe something as being “purr-fect”
6) Andorians
7) RED GODDAMN SHORTS!

Pops' Twenty-Eleven Seven

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ
2011 was an odd year, pop culturally… almost nothing moved me to the point of “love” outside of things to which I was personally attached (see #1). None of the four superhero films in ’11 were great, some of my favorite TV shows let me down and as for comics, well… So, rather than post a list of seven “best” things from the last year, here’s a list of my seven “big” pop culture events.

1) BIG LAKE
My NSO (that’s notarized significant other) spent much of 2011 writing and recording her debut EP as Big Lake, a personal passion project that I’d think was great if I weren’t living with the artist. Beautifully evocative, it begs for close listening and portends a great future for my new favorite band (aw).
2) HABIBI by Craig Thompson
Craig Thompson freaks me out. He may well be the greatest living cartoonist today (not just of his generation). His sense of storytelling, design and his lush, intuitive brushwork are all the works of a true master. HABIBI is another amazing accomplishment in an already legendary career.
3) DC COMICS' NEW 52 Reboot
On the other end of the comics spectrum, the much ballyhooed relaunch of the DC Comics Universe was, to my mind, a short-sighted, ill-advised attempt to draw new readers while shitting on a vast (admittedly mixed) 75 year legacy. And I’m not just saying that because I’m a purist who misses Superman’s red shorts. Initial strong sales are one thing, but I’ll be shocked if they can maintain the momentum. For me, it’s not even the same world anymore.
4) DEXTER Disappoints
Since I discovered DEXTER after the second season, Showtime’s serial killer drama has been my favorite show. This past season promised to be a doozy, with Dexter dealing with a religious fanatic and his own crisis of (lack of) faith, but the writers seemed too scared to truly tackle such a hot button issue as religion. In addition, too many unbelievable character turns and a lot of loose plot threads just left the whole season feeling like a pale shell of a once great program. Even the enormous shock at the end of the finale seems like a bad idea.
5) X’s LOS ANGELES Tour
One of my favorite rock bands of all time toured in celebration of the 30th anniversary of its first LP, and the shows proved that its groundbreaking, incendiary punk poetry is as vital and exciting as ever. I saw two of the shows, in Asbury Park at the Stone Pony and in Hoboken at Maxwell’s, and was in punk rock heaven both nights. My only regret is that I didn’t see them again.
6) THE CHICAGO CODE
Easily my favorite show of the year couldn’t garner enough viewers to get renewed, despite a hearty online effort to save it. Alderman Roland Gibbons languishes forever in a holding cell, waiting for a trial that will never come...! Boo.
7) My Stuff
In a year where I couldn’t afford to do a lot of consuming (this is within context), I actually had a lovely time obsessing over my collections… remaking DVD covers, reorganizing bookshelves, consolidating, compiling, re-reading, re-viewing and all that stuff that makes my ilk full of nerdy joy. And if all goes as planned, hopefully a year from now, you’ll all get what I mean.

7 Commonly Adored Things That I Do Not Particularly Appreciate and Thus Can Make Me Feel Like a Social Pariah or at Least a Little Uncomfortable in Certain Public Situations.

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

1) Dogs
2) Summer
3) Sports
4) the Beach
5) Babies
6) God
7) STAR WARS

7 Video Moments That Always* Make Me Cry

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

1) Superman (“A friend.”)
2) It’s a Wonderful Life (“To my big brother, George… the richest man in town!”)
3) Rushmore (“Ah, I didn’t get hurt that bad.”)
4) A Charlie Brown Christmas (“Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!”)
5) The Sopranos, “Employee of the Month” (“No.”)
6) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (“Of all the souls I’ve encountered in my travels, his was the most… human.”)
7) The Iron Giant (“Soooooperrrrrmaaaaannnnn”)

*Okay, maybe not always, but usually.

7 Favorite Celebrity Atheists

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ
1) George Carlin
2) Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
3) Bill Maher
4) Ricky Gervais
5) Patton Oswalt
6) Neil deGrasse Tyson
7) TIE: Gene Roddenberry / Ron Reagan Jr.

7 Things I’m Looking Forward to About Autumn

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ
1) It not being summer any more.
2) DEXTER Season 6
3) Wearing long pants again (see #1)
4) BATMAN: YEAR ONE animated movie
5) Falling leaves and an early dusk (see #1)
6) Either moving or redoing the living room
7) The chili cook-off / Jeep-camping in VT

7 Old Tee-Vee Things That Pops Remembers

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

1) When bra commercials could only use mannequins as models
2) Watching LAUGH-IN and having a vague idea that there was some reason it was naughty
3) Being mad that the Watergate hearings pre-empted my afternoon cartoons
4) UHF / VHF, rabbit ears and no remote control
5) Walter Cronkite and Huntley / Brinkley (my folks didn’t do ABC News)
6) Wee Willie Weber’s Colorful Cartoon Club (see #3) on WPHL-17
7) Knowing I was up too late if I heard THE TONIGHT SHOW theme coming from my parents’ bedroom.

7 More Blondie Songs for the Rapture Besides "Rapture"

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

1. Die Young, Stay Pretty
2. Fade Away and Radiate
3. Will Anything Happen?
4. In the Sun
5. Rip Her to Shreds
6. Just Go Away
7. Living in the Real World

7 Great Ethnic Title Characters from 70s TV

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

1. Petrocelli
2. Delvecchio
3. Szysznyk
4. Banacek
5. Kojak
6. Starsky
7. Baretta

7 Searched Phrases That Somehow Led People to My Sites

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ
1. antique porn movies
2. miller genuine draft gay toast commercial
3. boiled boobs
4. kinky amazon
5. guys with sexy jaw lines
6. sin was as black as could be
7. duggars wtf

7 Things a Bartender Hates to Hear

POPS GUSTAV, Jersey City NJ

1. “Yo!”
2. “I’ll get ya next time.”
3. “Jaymo”
4. “Nah, just run it.”
5. “What kinda shots can you make?”
6. “What’s your name?”
7. “Stella!!!!!”