Roger Haak Writes A Letter to his 1999 Self!

Here's the premise: "2010 is around the corner! Imagine a time machine that will allow you to send a letter to your 1999 self!" I'll tag a few friends, and I hope to maybe read your letters too!

Dear Roger,

You have no idea what's lies ahead. I don't mean to sound scary or insulting, but you lack the understanding of "the future" and live in your own silly world. Then again, you are 11. Just know the next ten years of your life will be challenging and shape you in unimaginable ways.

Your idea of a family will become radically different. Your personal strengths and weaknesses will fluctuate with every hardship. Your understanding of the world will constantly be redefined as each day passes. Your country will change. Your morals and faith will be tested. You will fall into the darkest depths of sorrow and stand tall with some of the greatest joys and triumphs.

Trust me. Nothing in the coming years will be easy whether they be good times or bad times, but in all honesty, that's the point. If you keep up being true to yourself, you will be rewarded, and you'll be thankful. Keep in mind when you feel like you're at the lowest, someone out there is proud of you. Someone is looking to you to do and be better. You'll break through each hardship stronger than before and ready to handle the next battle.

If I have any advice, it would be remember what Dad always said. "There's no such thing as a bad day." "Pain builds character." "It's up to you." You'll need every little bit of his advice and laughter. Stick true to your gut feeling, and don't pass up any opportunity, no matter how small. Keep every friend close to your heart, and be absolutely honest with them. Don't take everything too seriously, especially if and when your guy friends poke fun at you. Wise up and poke fun back. You will do and say embarrassing things. Get over it. Stop worrying about girls because that will take care of itself within good time.

And most importantly, never pass a chance to tell someone "I love you." They are the most important words in the English language, and you will soon come to realize this fact. You might not hear those words as much as you'd like, but you can't ever say it enough. Think of it this way, if you feel you don't hear "I love you's" enough, it means other people don't hear it enough either.

Try to smile. Try to be as positive as possible. You'll do great, and most importantly, you'll survive. Just remember, it's all up to you.

Best Wishes,
Roger Haak from 2009

(If you were wondering, got the idea from this link: http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/ajci3/letter_to_my_1999_self/)

Roger Haak Tells Corny Jokes!

(I take no credit for this. Found it from a long, long time ago)

My first job was working in an orange juice factory, but I got canned because I couldn't concentrate.
Then I worked in the woods as a lumberjack, but I just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe.
After that I tried to be a tailor, but I just wasn't suited for it.
The job was only so-so anyhow.
Next I tried working in a muffler factory, but that was exhausting.
I wanted to be a barber, but I just couldn't cut it.
I attempted to be a deli worker, but any way I sliced it, I couldn't cut the mustard.
My best job was being a musician, but eventually I found I wasn't note worthy.
I studied a long time to become a doctor, but I didn't have any patience.
Next was a job in a shoe factory; I tried, but I just didn't fit in.
I became a professional fisherman, but discovered that I couldn't live on my net income.
I thought about becoming a witch, so I tried that for a spell.
I managed to get a good job working for a pool maintenance company, but the work was just too draining.
My last job was working at Starbucks, but I had to quit, because it was always the same old grind.
After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as a historian, until I realized there was no future in it

Roger Sees Paul McCartney, Presidents, and... Thrid Eye Blind

Concert life has been a blast! I've definitely been spoiled.

Paul McCartney

Monday, August 17th I drove to Tulsa to see Paul McCartney play in the BOK Center for the venue's one year anniversary (Last year on that same day I saw The Eagles play there). Then Wednesday, August 19th I drove to Dallas, TX to see none other than Paul McCartney (and my great friend Will Stroud of course) play at the new Cowboys stadium!

Talk about fulfilling! Each night was pretty special. At the BOK Center, I sat in the balcony, which I find to be enjoyable. Instead of being blasted by the speakers, you can sit back and absorb the visuals and really take in the musical experience.

On the other end of the spectrum, I sat on the floor of the Cowboys Stadium, which in iteself is pretty amazing. When you watch a Cowboys game, I was sitting about where the number 10 is on the field. I have to say, there's nothing like seeing not one, but TWO 60-yard HDTVs hanging above. Makes you say, "Boy I love being an American" in a to yourself, kind of selfish way. Then you start feeling guilty about not giving more to charities and to the community, and you start telling yourself how you'll do more good in the world than the person funding the construction of an unnecessary stadium.

Then Sir Paul McCartney takes stage, and you forget about all those things because you're a mere 100 yards away from the genius! Quite possibly the closest you will ever be to him in your entire life! He played some great tunes like Drive My Car, Live and Let Die, Calico Skies, I'm Down, and new ones I hadn't heard from his new Fireman album. What made the Dallas show so special was him playing "It's so Easy to Fall in Love," which was quite the treat.

Presidents of the United States of America

Drove to Tulsa to see Presidents of the United States of America at the Hard Rock Hotel. Quite the humbling experience after seeing Paul McCartney, but it was still a blast! I had never seen a stage on top of a bar before, much less have I ever stood in line to be admitted into a club before, that is a club inside of a casino inside of a hotel.

America is such a strange place.

Being it was the first time inside a casino made it pretty cool. David and I had trouble figuring out where we were supposed to find PUSA and walked all over the place. Then whilist standing in line, about the only interesting thing to do was stare at these overweight, mostly retired casino go-ers while they threw their money away into these machines. Couldn't say they were the prettiest of people. Reminded me that I live in the south. I do have to say it was pretty entertaining watching the cougars with plastic surgery and botox getting their drink on. It got less entertaining when one of them started eyeing me.

Sorry. I just prefer a girl that can make facial expressions that resemble her emotions. Oh, and maybe someone closer to my age whom hasn't been divorced twice with three kids.

Just puttin that out there... Ladies... ::finger pistols and winks::

Anyway, PUSA! They were incredible, at least when I finally got into the club. The venue felt like a waste though. They could do so much better in a place like George's Majestic Lounge and make more money too! They played their greats like Lump, Kitty, Peaches, and Backporch along with some newer, lesser known songs like Rot in the Sun and Love Everybody. I hadn't felt so much rock 'n roll since The Toadies (hope they come to Fayetteville again soon!).

What made the trip especially worth it was getting the traditional t-shirt but more importantly a signed album! I spent more money than I wanted, but it was completely worth it!

Third Eye Blind...

It wasn't anything special. Sorry. Maybe if I knew the band better than it's few popular songs. Maybe if the lighting was better (Seriously. You could barely see the band on stage) or the staging wasn't so plain. Maybe if the sound set up wasn't so piss poor (it's called adjusting your buying some speakers to actually fill up the space with sound! Get with it people!). Maybe if they were a more talented group in general (I will say the drummer wasn't too shabby, but I've heard better). Maybe if they didn't have such cheesy stage presence. Maybe if I wasn't so spoiled and used to great stadium shows.

The stadium was filled with the stench of cigarette smoke, marijuana, and empty seats. Disappointing in ways. It was fun however hanging out with my friends John, Lacy, and MBB. That's the most important aspect of these concerts. We laughed at the hard to understand words and danced to songs we didn't know. Good memories.

That will probably be the extent of my live concerts for a while. I hope in the near future to see Death Cab for Cutie, Weezer, Colin Hay, and see Coldplay and James Taylor again.

Roger Haak Lives in a Haunted Townhouse

Haven't updated in a while, which makes me feel pretty silly. I have plenty of stories to tell, but I haven't had much time to tell them.

We'll blame it on being "busy." I'll see if I can quickly bring people up to speed, but instead of one long, tl;dr blog post, I'll make a few posts based on subject.

I've recently moved into a townhouse with my good pal Mike. We have a sweet set up with combining out gadgets, sound systems, and living literally on top of the bike trail! Though what you have to understand is Mike has a lot of good luck, and I have an equal amount of bad luck.

Good luck: Mike finds the super sweet, perfect situation bachelor pad.

Bad luck: After I sign the lease, the landlady tells me the person who lived in my room last committed suicide with a shotgun in that very room. Then I notice the slight stain in the carpet, and it definitely helped that I saw Paranormal Activity the week before.

I fear the use of UV lights and Ouija boards.

We'll see how it unfolds...

Roger Haak is Not My Lover! (Coldplay Concert 2009)

Coldplay singing Billie Jean
Originally uploaded by roomforart

So yes. I of course saw Coldplay again. I had to see them when they came through again though this time it took a 5 and a half hour drive to get there. Talk about dedication! At least I wasn't alone. Mike, Jason, and Suzanne tagged along and made the drive bearable, which isn't to say the Coldplay anticipation wasn't fulfilling. You just have to have friends to share these experiences with, or otherwise it's meaningless.

We were one of the last 8 shows in the American tour where Coldplay did their Michael Jackson tribute song. I grabbed Suzanne's hand and ran to lawn area where Coldplay was performing. The video gives a good idea of how far away we were from them, which was about 30 feet or closer. It was pretty surreal and just as special as last year at OKC when they were unexpectedly below us!

Coldplay performed Green Eyes, Death Shall Never Conquer, and Billie Jean. Chris forgot to share the microphone with Will on the harmonies, and they both laughed about it. I loved watching them enjoy themselves. Great concert fellows! See you again next time around!

Roger Haak Needs to Update More Often

I find myself wanting to blog, but I typically have a hard time figuring what to talk about at times. I suppose I shouldn’t have so much trouble with how “coincidental” my life is, or so I’m told. Even still, I can’t find much to blog about at the moment.

I have noticed how summer is already halfway finished, and I’m not sure what to make of it. I do have to say I’m excited about starting school, but I’d like to hold on to summer while I can.

In recognition of this, Mike, Madison, Jeremiah, and I celebrated summer in the most appropriate fashion possible: National Ice Cream Day. We swung by Coldstone, and I had my fair fill of ice cream.

I’m an awful funny guy like that with all my celebrations of silly holidays. National Ice Cream Day, National Flip Flop Day, and the ever occurring Taco Tuesday and Follow Friday are only a few on the top of my head right now.

It’s so much easier to update with a story to tell. Right now I feel like a boring Mcborington from Boringville. Maybe that’s my cue to hit the sack. Still, this week is very promising of stories to tell, though now I do realize I haven’t told my “Roger’s Phone Gets Brok’d” story. I’ll save it for next time.

Roger Haak Writes His Adv. Comp Paper!

Now that I officially have Internet in my apartment (4 whole months later), I'm going to attempt and update this silly blog of my silly adventures and happenings.

This one is a fairly short musing, but I feel it memorable. I had to take a 90 minute essay exam to test out of Advanced Composition, and boy I really don't want to take it. I find the English classes I find myself in are way too basic. If you're going to ask me, and by all means please do, the blame for short hand creations such as "lol" and "brb" and misuse of punctuation should be aimed at our English education system. Even at the college level, it's absolutely disgusting.

I digress. I was writing this argumentative essay over reality television being a positive or negetive in our culture, and to make matters worse, the two essays explaining either side were both poorly written and without much concrete substance. Not only do I have to argue about something that doesn't hold a role in my life as mundane as reality television, but what I have to work with was utterly disappointing. I mean, at least I knew if I could write an essay better than the ones given to me, surely I'd pass the test.

Of course I nailed both authors as incompetent on the subject matter, in turn implying how I thought the entire prompt was a waste of my time. I did base my entire argument for reality television around this one sentence, and I write this blog simply for helping me remember the line.

"Instead of blaming reality television for it's affects on society, blame should really go for the networks producing these shows. It's not guns that kill people. It's guns owned by people with psychological and emotional disorders, mothers whom didn't love them enough growing up, a father whom walked out at an early age, siblings whom shunned them from existence, and drug disorders that kill people. MTV just wants to make a reality show of it."

Pretty sure I tested out of Advanced Comp.

At least I pray to God I did.