I feel like we should have a conversation with my Celtics fans out there. Seriously, how do you feel today? I want to be there for you?

Sometimes you just run out of space in a newspaper, but that's the beauty of The Internets...no boundaries. I had to cut down my conversation with Michael Ian Black for today's paper, but here's the DVD extra's version.

It should never be a surprise when people find out that sex offenders and other general deviants (criminal and otherwise) use the World Wide Web for just plain icky purposes.

Though we here at NXT strive to keep an eye on all things local (and funky), sometimes the news rises to a level where even we can’t help but say, "huh?"

Seriously, what are skateboarders supposed to do in this town? If you’re a skateboarder in Portland right now, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much does it stink not having a dedicated place to skate?
Oh, 11 you say? That much?

How is it possible someone just recently thought of the idea of beer on a stick? Maybe this idea doesn’t seem so strange to me because I come from Minnesota, where we are notorious for putting anything and everything on a stick at the Minnesota State Fair.

You think I’m joking?

But frozen beer on a stick, that seems like an idea whose time has come. In a world of hard lemonades, wine coolers and other mysterious hybrid-booze, why not beer on a stick?

Ever wonder who was the first person to start throwing around the phrase Brain Drain? Seriously, how much does that phrase get used, and is it as overused as “synergy,” “like” or “ninja?”

(Then again, can you ever really over-use ninja?)

Sure, repaying student loans stinks, but it could be worse…you could be facing criminal charges for trying to go to college.

Let’s look at the strange case of people trying to fake it through college – and I’m not talking about slacking off or cheating in classes. We’re talking about the students who aren’t exactly paying tuition, but still attend classes and have a place to sleep at night.

If I was a gambling man – and my strict adherence to $10 blackjack tables rules that out – I could have bet that a column on ideas from young people to attract their peers to the paper would quickly turn into a conversation about what’s wrong with the Old Gray Mare, or Gray Lady. Actually, I don’t know if the Press Herald/Telegram has a nickname (or at least a printable one).

A journalist can only take so many late hours, leftover chicken salad wraps and unreturned phone calls before he needs a break.

The thing is, not everyone’s parents are going to be able to get them to the museum, music practice or theater group after school. Like most folks (or as older people like to say, “grown ups”) young people’s lives can be busy and complicated by things like working to support themselves and their families and taking care of siblings.

Looks like the Hilton Prison watch is technically over – at least in the sense that she would be eating processed food and rocking prison issue clothes instead of the designer wear she's accustomed to. Hopefully, for the sake of her fellow inmates, she remembered to wear underwear.

I figured I'd try my best to distract all of the nation from Hilton Jail Watch Day 1 (or is it Day 2?) for as long as possible, which I suppose means as long as it takes you to read this blog.

First off I have to admit that I was a little puzzled by what exactly a "mid-level professional" is. Is this the same as a young professional? And for that matter what does "professional" mean? Does it mean having your own desk or cube? Business cards? Sensible shoes?

The problem with coming off a long holiday weekend is that the following weekend always feels like it comes up short. You end up feeling cheated almost that you have to go to work the following Monday.
Then again the advantage of the three-day weekend is that you end up getting to the following weekend sooner. Thank the gods for four day workweeks.