Plank is Back... and so is Conan

I haven't posted anything new in the last two years, and a big part of it is simple... I'm lazy. Blogging seems to be a fun thing to do, but I was turning it into too much of a project. The entries were turning into lengthy essays, with research and re-writes. I'd sometimes spend a couple hours carefully crafting a single entry, trying to ensure that everything was worded perfectly. But recently, I started reading other blogs and came to the realization that it's really not that hard. Write what you know and let the words spill out. So Plank is back... until I get lazy again.

Given my work schedule, I don't get to watch a lot of late night television. I'll record "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" and catch up with them on the weekend. And when the opportunity would present itself, I'd stay up on watch Conan. With so much hype on his ascending to "The Tonight Show", I thought I would take a peek. His final "Late Night" was funny and bittersweet, and hopes were high with the new gig.

I finally got to watch it Tuesday afternoon, and I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I know that the reviews have been mixed, so this is just another to add to the pile. First, I'm very happy to see Andy Richter back on the show, although it seems to be in a limited role. He now stands at a podium and I'm not sure whether he's announcing the show or seating a table of four. Hopefully that's one aspect that gets ironed out.

The criticism against those that knocked the show was that the reviewer just didn't get Conan's edgy humor. Unfortunately I would have to disagree with that statement because it seemed the writers played it safe. The filmed pieces were hit-or-miss. The opening piece wasn't laugh-out-loud funny, but I enjoyed it. The tram piece seemed to miss some promising opportunities, while the bit about the Tauras was just lame. And given the amount of preparation time, I guess I expected more. However, Conan seemed a little nervous during the opening, which would seem natural given what's riding on the show. On the plus side, Will Ferrel, as usual, brought the funny, although it took a lengthy time to bring him out. Pearl Jam also rocked the house even though I'll never understand what Eddie Vedder is singing.

I think it's a promising start to what I hope will be a long run for Conan. I'm sure he's going to ease into the time slot, with the edge coming back to the forefront. I hope that the big name bands isn't the norm as I enjoyed many of the lesser known bands often featured. So best to you Conan, and thanks for finally knocking Jay out of that time slot.

Five things I digging right now:

1) Breaking Bad. The season just ended and it was a wild ride.
2) Spoon "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga". Listening to it as I write.
3) The local Humane Society. If you're adopting a pet, go there first.
4) Point Beer. A friend brought me a six and it was delicious.
5) Guitar Hero. I'm not very good, but I could spend hours playing.