cactus i.v.

By TY FREER
ty_freer@yahoo.com
July 2007 could be considered the worst month in the history of sports. At least as far as rosy, sit-on-grandpa’s-knee-and-have-him-talk-about-the-good-times sports topics are concerned.
For starters, Barry Bonds has (at the time of this writing) still not broken Hank Aaron’s all-time home run mark, meaning that we have been […]

By JAMES “TATTOO” CHAPRACKI
geocities.com/tattoospinstriping
If you know where the headline is from, you’re in good shape. If you know who painted this, you’re in better shape.

I wish I had some interesting stories to share with you this week, but I haven’t been doing anything besides refreshing TMZ.com to read about Lindsay Lohan.
First, she goes to turn herself in for a DUI. The next thing I know, she’s getting arrested for a laundry list of other offenses that should put her […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
Once the number of times I had seen The Starting Line had gotten into the double-digits, I stopped counting. I’ve seen TSL more than any other band [[and I saw them for the umpteenth time Warped Tour on Thursday]], and I’m extremely proud to say that.
I own every single album the band has […]

By DIZZ TATE
dizztate(at)hotmail.com
Does anyone here watch So You Think You Can Dance? Well, if not, I’ll paint you a picture. Imagine a pretty, blonde host {Cat Deeley} with this really cute nude-colored dress on, which is perfectly fashionable and great in every way, with a gold necklace and earrings {Pushing it a little, but they’re […]

By MICHELLE RICCARDI
mia8263(at)gmail.com
My dad called on Friday to ask if I wanted to get pizza in town. A minute into the phone call, shots were fired in the distance. We went silent until he asked, “Michelle? Where did you say you were?” I thought I would make light of the situation and answered, “Kuwait.”
I got […]

By BEN SZMANDA
I picked up Ian Speigelman’s “Everyone’s Burning,” fully expecting not to like it. There’s a reason I’m talking magical teenagers this week: Hype really irritates me. Hype of the “underground” — read: Niche market — variety is even worse. This one was waved in my face for a while, with […]

By SOOZ
yanxchick(at)gmail.com
I’m bringing back seven-card stud even if it’s just me, all by myself. I’ve taken such a liking to the game that I received two books for it on my birthday and have already begun tackling them. I am writing notes in the margin and getting in as much table time as possible.
Stud has […]

By LEYSA SIERZEGA
Leysa.CelebDish@gmail.com
For my first celebrity article, I was going to do as many men in Hollywood have done and dive right into Paris Hilton. Paris, though, has stayed low out of my radar this week with all the Lindsay Lohan news all over the place.
I am a Lindsay fan. Out of all the cracked […]

By ROXY RETAIL
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
I was cooking a lovely dinner for my bff, Jill (because, apparently, she’s still talking to me even after the smelly shoes article). I went to grab a pan out of the oven when it happened — I hit the top of the oven and my arm started to sizzle.
“Holy crap Jill,” I […]

By MICHELLE L.
satine81(at)aol.comZodiac (2007)
A murderer haunted the streets of California for several years in the 1970’s. This is the story of the men who became obsessed with his capture and how close they came to making it happen.
This film is a very in-depth account of the reign of Zodiac, a serial killer who loved […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
I don’t like to write personal narratives on cactus i.v. The reason? This is not my personal journal. But I do feel that my story merits a chance. It does, after all, fall under my “in the workplace” umbrella.
I feel as though I always promote “getting to know your coworkers.” My theory […]

By JIM MONTANA
jim.montana(at)hotmail.com
Last week in my column, I drafted a resignation speech for George W Bush. Little did I know that we would come so close to actually having Cheney as our President.
[[Ed.’s note: If you missed it, Vice-present Dick Cheney was acting president on Saturday while President Bush underwent a colonoscopy. Sounds like a […]

By MELODY
MyMelody4U(at)gmail.com
Recently on the news, there was a tragic story of a man from Long Island that tried desperately to get his girlfriend to not drive away from a party drunk. She unknowingly dragged him underneath the vehicle to his death. That story brought tears to my eyes because that one moment of stupidity changed […]

By C.D. Allen
cdavidallen(at)gmail.com
About three months ago I acquired a new obsession – star notes. Being a collector by nature (as I think most people are to some degree), I can’t help myself. I now compulsively check all the money I handle. I’ve showed them to the people at the stores I frequent […]

By JAMES “TATTOO” CHAPRACKI
geocities.com/tattoospinstriping
Back to the drawing board…

By TY FREER
ty_freer(at)yahoo.com
This past weekend, I took a cross-one-third-of-the-country road trip to North Dakota with my girlfriend, Kim, to attend her friend’s wedding (in which Kim played the bridesmaid role). That’s Indiana to North Dakota. By car. 1000 miles each way. 34 total hours of driving. Plus one flat tire.
Needless to say, we had some […]

Some day, I am going to go back to editor’s notes that contain useful information about the way of the world.
Today is not one of those days.
Today, we have a new staffer. It’s like they’re growing on trees, and I’m just here for the picking.
Leysa Sierzega comes direct to us from the world of radio […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
So here’s my tale about Genesis that you’ve all been waiting for (and by that, I mean, the people who read my last column and actually committed it to memory).
My mom is a Genesis fan — or maybe was is a better word there. Now that she’s discovered American Idol, she isn’t too […]

By DIZZ TATE
dizztate(at)hotmail.com
Okay, so let’s get down to it. Nowadays, with Hybrid cars looming around every corner, and peace slogans and campaigns everywhere you look, and even the ole two finger peace sign making a fierce comeback, appearing on TV and myspace alike, fashion is not only a way to look cool, but to […]

By MICHELLE RICCARDI
mia8263(at)gmail.com
My new favorite commercial is for Febreze. A lady is walking around spraying clothes, and she picks up a face mask after spraying it and wears it, making her look like she’s robbing the house. She walks by the window and her neighbor, who is watering plants drops, the hose in fear. At […]

By BEN SZMANDA
In my review of Elizabeth Inness-Brown’s book of short stories, here, I noted that she seemed to lean heavily on the 1st person narrative. There were three exceptions, the strongest was The Surgeon, which followed a doctor as his wife died of cancer. Inness-Brown’s debut novel “Burning Marguerite” approaches one […]

By SOOZ
yanxchick(at)gmail.com
The World Series of Poker final has lived up to its name this year. In the final table of nine players, five were from foreign countries with four from the United States. After a grueling 11-day event and outlasting 6,357 other players, Jerry Yang took home $8.25 million and was crowned the WSOP champion. […]

By ROXY RETAIL
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
First, I want to give a big thanks to Rheyn. I say thank, my bank account, well, it says something different.
Rheyn, like my lovely Internet angel, found the Chucks that Jordan was talking about that I had dubbed imaginary. I guess Jordan does know what she’s talking about — sometimes.
The same week as […]

By MICHELLE L.
satine81(at)aol.com
Official tagline: “First came love…then came Reverend Frank.”
My revision: “First came a good trailer…then came a lousy movie.”
I know that I usually review films on DVD, but I finally got around to going to the movie theater this weekend. I chose to see License to Wed because I am a big […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
You’re sitting at your desk and you scratch your head. Then you think you are just going plain mad. I mean, one minute you are staring at your phone book, and the next minute, it’s gone. Did the phone book just grow legs and walk away? Sounds like something you […]

By JIM MONTANA
jameswilliams1973(at)hotmail.com
[[Ed.’s note: Welcome back Jim Montana, our sort-of new sports reporter turned political and current events writer. You may not agree with everything he writes, but that’s why there’s a comment section. I may not agree with everything he writes, but that’s why there’s a disclaimer. But, other than that, enjoy!]]
In his farewell […]

By MIKE M.
“You can do better than me.”
Raise your hand if you’ve ever said that before. Go ahead. Raise your hand — unless you’re reading this in a fairly public place. In that case, just think about raising your hand. Now, everyone that raised his or her hand, we’re going to […]

By C.D. ALLEN
cdavidallen(at)gmail.com
Still with me?
I’m not exactly sure how old I was but I remember being taught the difference between concrete and abstract ideas at a very early age. I think it was English class and was the first time I had ever even considered that something could be both real and unreal. […]

By JAMES “TATTOO” CHAPRACKI
geocities.com/tattoospinstriping
It’s amazing what some people can do with watercolors.

By TY FREER
ty_freer@yahoo.com
Everyone thinks that they are underpaid. However, most people are terrified at the idea of going to their boss and asking for a raise, fearing a response like, “A raise? You want a raise? Well, funny you should mention that… we have been hoping for a while that you […]

I went on vacation during the first week of July, and I’m pretty sure it’ll come up in future posts, so I don’t want to give away any secrets about it.
I do, however, want to take a quick editor’s note to thank my entire staff for being accommodating. Everyone was under a very early deadline […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
I’ve never understood the fascination with Nirvana. Everything about the band is written as if Nirvana was the Beatles of grunge music.
Kurt Cobain blew his brains out when I was 13, so I was just never old enough to understand the band’s impact, I guess.
I owned “In Utero” and “Nevermind,” but only because […]

By MICHELLE RICCARDI
mia8263(at)gmail.com
Two weeks ago, my friends threw me a party just to make me smile.
I got the pictures back from that day on Friday. Man oh man, I apologize to those that saw me that day because lord did I look miserable. There is one picture where I am on the phone and “smiling” […]

by DIZZ TATE
dizztate(at)hotmail.com
LILY ALLEN! I LOVE YOU.
Oh good, well, now that’s out of the way…
Anyway, Lily Allen, I have to say, is probably the coolest celebrity fashion icon this summer, even after reigning all through spring. It looked like Amy Winehouse might overthrow the throne for a while there, but I think that Lily has […]

By BEN SZMANDA
I was never one for fantasy books. This isn’t snobbishness talking: I love my share of genre stuff, and as far as I’m concerned, all voters have the sacred right to engage in as much escapism as possible. Fantasy just always seemed excessive, though, because it felt like there was no […]

By ROXY RETAIL
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
Today, my column is dedicated to the goth kids.
You know them. The ones who dress in full black — black pants, black long-sleeved shirts, even in the summer — accented with black hats, black melts and black mesh gloves (if Hot Topic is carrying them this season).
Bondage pants, though, they used to be […]

By MICHELLE L.
satine81(at)aol.com
The meaning of life, the inevitability of death, and love everlasting is too much for this one film to tackle.
From what I got from the trailer for The Fountain (2006), this film is about two people whose love spans through space and time. It seemed like science fiction, and I’ve been known […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
Some people call it jet lag. When you fly to a different time zone, then get back into your own, it takes your body a few days to adjust into its regular schedule.
You wake up later [[or earlier]], eat at funny times and usually end up completely forgetting what time it is, was […]

By Melody
MyMelody4U(at)gmail.com
My favorite thing in the world is laughing. I’m a goof ball with a loud personality. I have a hard time finding someone who can keep up with my antics. I rely on a close-nit circle of friends to let lose with. My best friend J is just as cocky and free as myself. […]

By C.D. ALLEN
cdavidallen(at)gmail.com
Two weeks ago, before Independence Day, I wrote that I wanted to write more about time but had run out of room. For all you lucky people that have been waiting anxiously for me to continue – Here we go…
All of our ideas about our selves, our environment and also about our […]

By JAMES “TATTOO” CHAPRACKI
geocities.com/tattoospinstriping
Does anyone need a purse?

By TY FREER
ty_freer(at)yahoo.com
It’s creeping closer to mid-July, which means two things: one) We have reached the midway point of the baseball season and, thus, the All-Star festivities have arrived and two) my birthday has just recently passed (but don’t worry, I am still accepting presents and well-wishes if you happened to overlook it).
This season, the […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
One of my favorite parts about MySpace is the fact that you can add a song to your page. Sure, artists only make certain songs available, but that makes sense. The band wants to promote its single.
But, can you tell me why The Used only wants me to put 41 seconds of its […]

We’ve got fresh meat here at the cactus.
As you know by now, Laura’s on the DL. She might make a guest appearance every now and then, but, for the most part, consider her retired.
She’s one of the original staff members, so it wasn’t easy to replace her [[paging Jim Montana]]. But we pass the baton […]

By MICHELLE RICCARDI
mia8263(at)gmail.com
Rachael Ray has a show called $40 A Day where she goes to different cities and eats from the best foods from that city — and only spends $40. I thought it would be fun to go to my favorite places to eat in my hometown and only spend $40. I did this […]

By DIZZ TATE
dizztate(at)hotmail.com
What says summer fashion more than anything else? Fun! Eliza Johnson certainly captures the essence of this, simply by wearing the brightest clothes available! Dressed in a really short fuchsia skirt with black buttons to do it up and an emerald t-shirt, with at least ten, different colored bracelets and bangles dotted up […]

By BEN SZMANDA
Keeping with the theme of persecuted writers, let’s take a look at Nobel Prize Winner Orhan Pamuk’s lovely book “Snow.” Pamuk faced jail time for the utterly ridiculous charge of “insulting Turkishness.” Why? Because he had to gall to mention that the Turks took the lives of over a million […]

By MICHELLE L.
satine81(at)aol.com
When you use your imagination, you can achieve anything.
Beatrix Potter is best known for publishing The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902, a beloved children’s book that still sells today. A child obsessed with nature, Beatrix always found solace among animals, seeing them as friends and imagining their inner thoughts. From her imagination […]

By ROXY RETAIL
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
According to my pal Jordan (you know, ex-S&R Jordan), my buddy Chuck has put out some new shoes.
“They are pretty hot, I must say,” Jordan raved.
New Chucks? And I missed them? Say it ain’t so!
Well, I think I’m in the clear.
Jordan was pumping up these Chucks that “look just like the old ones […]

We all have to do it. Unless working from home, most don’t have access to their very own break room or cafeteria. This is all shared space. 
What I’m talking about is how some people treat their lunchrooms like their local McDonalds. You walk over to the microwave and are amazed how incredibly dirty it […]

By Melody
MyMelody4U(at)gmail.com
The 3-month rule can make or break a relationship. In case you have not heard of the 3-month rule, I’ll fill ya in. When you start dating someone, there are a lot of times when people will alter their personalities to fit in with their partners. Whether it is dealing with some quirky […]

By LAURA SIMON
laura.m.simon(at)gmail.com
Hello again cactus i.v. readers!! I’m back one last time for my “farewell” column, of sorts. I’ll probably make the occassional guest appearance during the fall, but for now, this is it for me at the cactus.
As I said before, I am in grad school right now to get my masters […]

C.D. Allen
cdavidallen(at)gmail.com
A very wise and very American man once said, “Freedom is free of the need to be free.”
This year, today, is the 231st anniversary of America’s independence from Great Britain.  This is the day that over two centuries ago the founders of this country signed the Declaration of Independence.  They decided they would be […]

By JAMES “TATTOO” CHAPRACKI
geocities.com/tattoospinstriping
Somehow this didn’t make it to Lisa for Valentine’s.

The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday.
I usually say my birthday is my favorite holiday — don’t we all? — but I really love July 4th more than anything on the calendar.
The fireworks, oh gosh. I’m like a little kid, staring at the sky, waiting for the grand finale because it’s great, but hoping […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
[[Editor’s note: I wrote this entry for my work blog. I figured it would be an interesting read here, especially since I can’t get FATA’s lead singer, Francis Mark, out of my head. Seriously. Francis — CALL ME. We’ll do an interview over lunch.]]
I was standing above the stage at Tinks Entertainment Complex, […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
Remember a few months ago, when I was gushing about how great my iPod was. Yeah, that was before iTunes upgraded to version 7.0.crap.
Every time I opened iTunes, it would tell me to upgrade to 7.0.1. It got annoying, like the ex-boyfriend who just won’t leave you alone. I get it. You miss […]