Riding with Rickey

This is where Rickey posts recommendations of noteworthy consumables, practices, and pastimes that have been deemed invaluable for the reader’s betterment. All products and advice listed herein have been Rickey tested and approved. Enjoy this week's installment of:

RICKEY RECOMMENDS:

Not shaving on the weekends. Seriously, why bother? They’ll never admit it, but the ladies like stubble. Plus, after a glorious weekend of not shaving, that Monday morning shave is quite effortless, leaving you smooth and aerodynamic once again.

Crackdown. A futuristic "Grand Theft Auto" clone with the added thrill of hurling 10 ton buses and jumping from rooftop to rooftop like a crazed mutant kangaroo. Did we mention that the disc includes the soon to be released Halo 3 Beta?

Visiting your local library. Hey, you might as well see what your taxes are going towards, right? Think of a trip to the library as a safari through a zoo for the elderly and incontinent (complete with urine smell). Plus, in recent years, many library directors, drunk on power, have decided to spend 75% of their annual budgets on DVDs. Free movie rentals anyone?

The musical stylings of "The Caesars." Weird, quirky, and exuberantly Swedish, this alt/pop rock bank defies conventional description. So Rickey won’t even bother. They’re men of proud Nordic descent and that’s all you need to know. Just give ‘em a listening to sometime, will you? "From the Bughouse" is far and away their best song.

Battlestar Galactica. Believe it or not, you actually now have a reason to watch the SciFi channel. Forget the fact that we’re in the midst of Season 3. Hop on itunes and snag the free download, "The Story so Far" for a recap. The best part of this gritty space opera? It stars James Edward Olmos. That and the repeated use of the word "frakking," which is evidently a curse in futurespeak.

And while we’re on the subject of imaginary curse words, Rickey also recommends familiarizing yourself with the fantastically creative language of Captain Haddock. For the uninitiated, Captain Haddock is the salty sea dog character from Herge’s "Tintin" books. Look for a full blown 10,000 word "Tintin" essay in the near future. It’s been a slow week around here.

Moe’s. Think of it as an upscale Taco Bell. Their "Homewrecker Burrito" is not to be missed. Just don’t make plans to do much of anything after partaking in the messianic awesomeness. Rickey regrets nothing.

Enjoying "Seinfeld" reruns. It doesn’t matter that you’ve seen every single episode 500 times. Sitting down and watching "Seinfeld" is like welcoming an old friend into your house. (It doesn’t hurt that this old friend also happens to be the undisputed greatest sitcom of all time).

The writings of Augusten Burroughs. Yes, when he’s not clad in a diaper and wielding a mallet, Rickey actually does sit down and read occasionally. And when he does, it is usually something quirky and offbeat. Augusten Burroughs' books certainly fit the bill. Look him up.

Watching British Parliament. Forgotten what it is like to see political leaders conduct themselves in an intelligent manner? Tune in to this live webcast from time to time--it'll restore your faith in mankind's ability to govern itself. Constitutional Monarchies rock.