The Evolution of the Pineapple Hobo

Pineapple Hobo has been seized by the U.S. government for being too awesome.

However it has led to something even better. Please, check out www.weirdcooldumb.com!

Top 10 Movies I'm Looking Forward to in 2012

It has been over a year since my last blog post here, and I'm sure y'all have been checking back daily for updates. Well, here it is. Finally. Here are the top ten movies, yet to be released, that I'm looking forward to seeing this year (ranked by release date).

#1) 'The Raid: Redemption' [March 23, 2012]

'The Raid' is a balls-to-the-wall action movie. It has been described as a, "non-stop crowd-pleaser". I'm hoping this low-budget movie will do for me what 'Attack the Block' did last year. 

#2) 'The Avengers' [May 4, 2012]

"Mega-superhero-mashup" + "Joss Whedon" = "CAN'T WAIT!" The amount of planning behind this movie is overwhelming. 

#3) 'Moonrise Kingdom' [May 16, 2012]

Wes Anderson can do no wrong. This all-star cast (Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray...) is sure to deliver the quirkiness Anderson fans have come to expect.

#4) 'Brave' [June 22, 2012]

Forget 'Cars 1 & 2'. 'Brave' will be a return to form for Pixar.

#5) 'The Dark Knight Rises' [July 20, 2012]

This movie will be battling 'The Avengers' for best superhero flick of the year (or ever). My money is on Nolan's Batman finale.

#6) 'ParaNorman' [August 17, 2012]

I'm a sucker for stop-motion animation. Also, this director's previous film, 'Coraline', was a personal favorite. Not to mention, it's what I saw on my first date with Kerri. I wonder what this film will lead to?

#7) 'Looper' [September 28, 2012]

Rian Johnson is the super talented director behind 'The Brothers Bloom'. In his newest film, he explores time travel and throws in Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt for good measure. 


#8) 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' [December 14, 2012]

Peter Jackson is back in Middle-earth! In my mind, there is no way this will be anything short of amazing.

#9) 'This is 40' [December 21, 2012]

'Knocked Up' is my favorite comedy OF ALL TIME! I don't know much about this sequel/spin-off, but I'm sure it will be enjoyable.

#10 'Django Unchained' [December 25, 2012]

Tarantino's latest film has an incredible cast and superb script. "Inglorious" was a blast and I can't wait for Quentin's next masterpiece.


There it is. I can't wait to see all of these (and more) in theaters this year. The following are some movies that barely missed the list (in no apparent order): 'The Cabin in the Woods', 'Lincoln', 'John Dies at the End', 'Jeff Who Lives at Home', 'Safety Not Guaranteed', 'Gangster Squad', 'Gravity', 'Wreck-It Ralph', 'Argo', and 'Life of Pi'.

Let me know what you think of the list, and what movies you are looking forward to this year.

questions

Why do we devote our attention to meaningless things when there are so many amazing things going on in this world? We are on a spinning ball of rock in the middle of a gigantic universe, we know hardly anything about! The infinite nature of the universe is too complex for us to ever fully understand. How can we put these amazing things aside and just take them for granted?

Why do the majority of people spend their time worrying about Tiger Woods, who’s wearing what, and whether so-and-so cheated on whomever? Aren’t there so many more amazing things to spend brain power on?

With today's media and technology it is easy to distract ourselves from what is important. Our brains are becoming weaker because, all too often the modern person is putting aside reality and deep thinking, in exchange for useless and unintelligent entertainment.

I, of all people, know the value of entertainment and media. I’m not questioning the value and enjoyment of movies, TV shows, video games, books, or surfing the internet. I AM questioning the choice of WHAT movies, TV shows, video games, books, and online entertainment people are spending their time on.

We have evolved into a society that is so caught up in the latest fashion/gossip/whatever, that the majority of our population doesn't know (or care to know) about what is actually going on in the world.

The average modern adult spends an insane amount of time in school and/or work. What good is this doing? The idea behind school and college education is to gain knowledge and life experiences that will be beneficial in getting a job. However, if it’s knowledge and wisdom we desire, aren’t there better ways of getting that? Universities rely on an antiquated system of constant quizzes, homework, and tests to determine if you learned enough. Aren’t there better ways to learn?

The problem is that most people go primarily for the job part and not the knowledge (myself included). So, what are we really doing? Universities have turned into a system that prepares you to work for someone else and have someone else tell you what to do. Isn’t there a better way to be successful in life than spending four (or more) years and countless amounts of money at in school?

That’s not the end of it either. What the heck is up with spending 30+ years behind a desk or working a boring job? I understand that money is necessary to take care of a family and such, but why do we put ourselves in these sometimes dreadful situations as an initial plan of action. Why spend so much time with work and school and miss what life is really about?

WAIT. . . what IS life about?

I don’t have the answer to that, but I can guarantee that, for most people, what they’re doing doesn’t mesh with what life is all about. All of these things (school, job, etc.) consume our minds and time, and all of the sudden people don't have imaginations, they don't want to have fun, they’re uptight, they don't sit and marvel at how amazing nature is, they don't have time to think about what life really is. . . The important things get crowded out when you have to wake up at 5 in the morning, fight traffic on the way to work, walk into the office where work is piled up from the day before, go home, and repeat the cycle. Our busy lives get cluttered and 20 years go by and we forget that our existence isn’t purely about eating, sleeping, and making money. This life on earth is incredibly bizarre and fascinating yet many people don't appreciate or contemplate it enough.

People gravitate towards the stupid stuff because it is easy to absorb and understand. People like quick fixes and easy answers. There is something about people where they don't even want to try to understand the big picture. It is easier for them to live in their own little world, where their worries consist of what new clothes they’re going to buy or what restaurant they're going to eat at. Those self-imposed problems are a lot easier to deal with than trying to understand the big picture and taking action.

When was the last time you heard someone talking about the meaning of life or the idea of infinity? There are so many questions. What are we?  Why were we born? How do we know we are the only intelligent beings?

In Industrial Engineering they teach us that our job with whatever company hires us, is to use our skills to help that company reach their goal, which is making money. That is our sole purpose; to find the things that need fixing, make things more efficient, and suggest plans of action that lead the company in a good direction.

We need to apply this way of thinking to our personal lives. We need to determine what our GOAL in life is and then take action to assure we are efficiently heading in that direction.

Our lives on earth are a dot of ink in the letter of a word of an infinitely long song. Why don't we try to do something meaningful?

Sure, it's much easier to sit around, watch TV, and get fat, but why not expand ourselves through curiosity, questions, adventure, and a yearning for information?

The world would be a more satisfying and peaceful place, if everyone took the time to appreciate what they have, honestly discuss meaningful ideas, and worked on pursuing their dreams.

The EVEning before Christmas

I apologize to all my faithful readers who have been checking back daily hoping to see an updated Pineapple Hobo. It didn't take long before my taxing life as a hobo, the pressures of school, and 'Halo: Reach' all took presidence over this blog.

FAST FORWARD!!!

I'm recovering from a stomach bug and have been playing 'Super Meat Boy' all day with my brothers. It has been a great Christmas Eve and will most likely culminate with board games and elf assembly work once the younger kids go to bed.

I'm going to go for now, but the plan is to update Pineapple Hobo regularly once school starts back up in the spring. I won't be sleeping in my car anymore, but I'll still be a hobo at heart. Merry Christmas!!!

Why Hobo?

This blog is called Pineapple Hobo. But why? I'm going to skip the "pineapple" part and talk about "hobo".

"A hobo is a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless. The term originated in the western United States during the last decade of the 19th century" -- Wikipedia



Homeless sounds about right, but migratory? No. Vagabond? Nope. Worker? Ha, not currently.

So what are the other options?

Tramps: Only work when they're forced to.
Bums:   Don't work at all.
Vagabonds: Drift and wander.

Technically speaking, I'm not any of these. The reason I chose the title, "hobo" is for no
other reason than I like the sound of it. I don't have a job at the moment, but that might change.

This morning, I filled out an application to be a part-time evening security guard at a church. If I end up getting the job, I'll have considerably less time for other ventures, but I'll be that much closer to the true description of a hobo.

So, in anticipation of this I'm going to brush up on my hobo lingo:

• Barnacle: a person who sticks to one job a year or more
• Bullets: beans
• Glad Rags: one's best clothes
• Chuck a dummy: pretend to faint
• Cover with the moon: sleep out in the open

Time for me to go cover with the moon. ADIOS!

Results May Vary

Pineapple Hobo has been neglected lately, but I have some good excuses so listen up.

#1. I Tricked the Prettiest Girl in the World Into Marrying Me

I have been extremely busy with all of the proposal shenanigans and have not felt at all like a hobo. Sometimes, even as a hobo, you have to splurge, but there is no situation in which you should pay over a month's worth of living expenses for a single meal. It was the best meal I have ever had and completely worth it, but it has taken a week to feel like a hobo again. 

WARNING!!! RESULTS MAY VARY. BECOMING A HOBO DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPANY OF A PRETTY GIRL.

 #2. School is Not Fun and it Takes Up All Your Time

So far, being an engineering student AND a hobo hasn't made my studies any more difficult, but difficulty isn't something they struggle with. I spend less time on schoolwork than I should and it is still too much.

One class in particular, electrical engineering, is the most frustrating. The professor is a 127 year old Polish woman who speaks jumbled english in a high pitched voice and goes through examples faster than any normal human can follow. Not to mention, she gives out an average of four assignments a week. All of my other classes are fine and I quite enjoy industrial engineering and linear algebra.

I love learning and reading, but I hate school. I'd rather do it on my own. I love challenges, but hate exams. School is not for me. I'll be beyond excited when I graduate in a year and a half.     

#3. School Sucks the Fun Out of Life

Same as above.

So, that pretty much sums up why I haven't been updating Pineapple Hobo. My busy schedule isn't likely to improve anytime soon, but I am going to try my best to post new entries as much as possible.

Also, to clarify everything above, my life is great and I love every second of it. I just hate school and wish I had more time for other things.

Until next time. . . ADIOS!

Car Seats And Street Lights

The last few nights in my car have been interesting. I have been startled by people stumbling home at three in the morning, momentarily confused when garbage trucks rumble by at ungodly times, and woken up by the patter of early morning runners. This may sound unpleasant, but truthfully, I've been loving it. The cooler weather has made sleeping in my car really comfortable. It has the feel of camping, with my car replacing the tent and the street lights replacing the stars.

Today, I stocked up on a few hobo essentials. I went by Wal-mart and bought a windshield cover, a Ciesta Mask and a package of Hearos. I swear half the stuff at Wal-mart sounds like it is striaght from Mexico. Regardless, I can now cover up my windshield, block out any light with my Ciesta mask, plug my ears with Hearos, and sleep in peace.

I have a test in the morning so I better get going, but keep checking back for more updates and be on the lookout for the first set of pictures.

ADIOS!