ferdlings

Practice Post

2010-11-13T22:15:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted in a while. Actually, I haven't even seen this page since the last time I looked at it. I guess that makes since but I mean since my last post.

I am writing this to see if I remember how to do it and also to add an Amazon link so I can get 5 cents when people click through the link on my blog. That actually means I can get 5 cents when I buy stuff from the amazon. I don't expect anyone else will.

Another Post

2009-12-31T22:16:00.002-05:00

I thought that since the year was over, I'd add another post. I'm trying to build my numbers. Actually, I don't really blog anymore. I'm not sure why. I guess I just ran out of things to say or the dreaded Facebook took over or I took my wife seriously about spending too much time on the computer. All are true, of course.

It's been a great year. This time last year I was unemployed and starting to get worried. Now I have a great job and don't worry about much. Except everything having to do with my son. Funny, he couldn't be a healthier, smarter, more cool guy but I still worry.

I realize that I have a finite number of times left that I can rub his head and say "Good night, buddy. I love you" before I go to bed. Not for any morbid reason but just that sooner or later that would be weird.

I worry that if he has juice instead of organic juice, he'll end up in a bell tower with a rifle. I worry about when he realizes I'm not the greatest and far from it. I worry that when he picks up on "Daddy Juice" being beer all words of wisdom from me are gone.

I guess that stuff like that are typical dad stuff. I assume my Dad did it but I never thought much about how he felt until I had a son.

Anyway, so much for that. Happy New Year. Maybe I'll try and post more in the new year. And not worry so much.

They are Going to Take It!

2009-09-09T22:08:00.004-04:00

The Onion - September, 2008

NEW YORK—In a stunning reversal of their long-stated reluctance to take it, members of heavy-metal band Twisted Sister announced Monday that, after 24 years of fervent refusal, they are now willing to take it. "I acknowledge that we promised not to take it anymore, but things change. The world is a different place today, and with that in mind, we would like to go on record as saying that, starting right now, we are going to take it," read a statement released by the band's lead singer, Dee Snider. "To clarify, we would still prefer not to take it, but as of now, taking it is an option that we would be open to. That is all." Bassist Mark "the Animal" Mendoza also stated that, in regards to what he wants to do with his life, he no longer solely wants to rock, but would instead prefer doing other things, such as raising a family and working as a claims adjuster in Rye, NY.

Many props to Kyle for representing.

Captain TiVo and the TiVo Freak

2009-08-31T22:00:00.003-04:00

I ended up at Best Buy this weekend to inquire about HDTiVo. I was looking at it and reading through the paraphernalia, sort of boning up on what they had to say about it since I can't seem to find all the answers on TiVo.com.

I was chatting with the guy who was very nice but not overly helpful and I explained that I've had an HD TV for a while but can't really utilize it since I can't let go of TiVo and I had hoped the wonders of TiVo were as simple at they should be with HD as with the standard version and on and on and on.

I went into this soliloquy about how it is necessary, not for the guy who watches a lot of TV but for the guy who doesn't watch a lot of TV. I discussed in detail the merits of the product if you have a toddler (which if you have a toddler, TiVo or not, you know what I mean)

He said "You must really like TiVo...." I didn't think much of his statement at the time but thanked him and went on my way still wondering if converting would be as easy as it should be.

After I got home I saw myself in the mirror and realized I was wearing my TiVo shirt. I felt like one of those Trekkies that goes to Star Terk conventions dressed as Nurse Chapel.

I was feeling saucy when I got my first TiVo and added the t-shirt to the order and wear it a lot since it fits well (and goes with anything). I was slightly embarrassed but soon felt happy that the guy would have great story to tell for years to come. "Yeah, this TiVo freak comes in one day telling me all about how great he is having a TiVo and is ready to make the jump to hyperspace with an HD model...blah, blah, blah... I bet he sleeps in that shirt."

Toddler II

2009-05-14T21:48:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted in a while. I apologize to the fans. I've been too scared. Hopefully, this will jump start me and get me rolling again.

Last year I posted a pic of Samuel's class at school. I figured why not do it again.

That's my boy!

2009-03-16T22:38:00.003-04:00

Like any red-blooded American male, my son likes to watch TV and rock out to awesome rock stuff. I'll play different concerts or videos and see if anything catches his attention. Although the number one favorite is "Speed Racer" since it has cars in it, lately he's been asking for "man". It took me a while to figure out what TV show "man" was but after weeding out all the videos with cars in them and all the Pooh bear stuff I discovered he wanted Black Label Society featuring Zakk Wylde. Hmmm...

The Numbers

2009-03-04T20:37:00.008-05:00

I've been getting this phone call lately, as shown here:
Well, "getting this phone call lately" is like saying there are a few stars in the night sky. I get about 5 or 6 per day with the current record being 9 in one day:

It's really become quite bothersome. I was at first worried that someone was out to get me. Then after my first Google search of the number, I hoped that it was only 'someone' out to get me, not something else.

Maybe some of you noticed something about that phone number. Ring any bells? (so to speak) Turns out its "The Numbers" from the epic television series "LOST" - 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42.

Those numbers play quite a big roll in the series and bring good times as well as doom and destruction. (I guess they still do, I quit watching after season two.) I bet there are some folks out there that would really get freaked out about that. So why are they calling me?

After my second Google search, I learned that it's generated through a service called "prank dialer" and it's just animated laughter or guys making chicken sounds on the other end of the line. I wouldn't know, though, I'm too scared to answer.

41

2009-02-09T17:49:00.006-05:00

Today is my birthday. I'm 41. They say life begins at 40 so I'm saying 41 is the new 40. I made a few comments last year about turning 40 in this post. The feelings are pretty much the same. Turning 41 just doesn't much matter.

I did want to say that I'm always caught by my birthday being in print or hearing someone say it. "The committee meeting on whether it's a creek or a stream will be held this Monday, February 9th at 7pm". My immediate thought is 'that's my birthday'. I guess maybe everybody feels a little strange when they see their birthday somewhere. But today is my special day. A day just for me. A day that I share with, on average, one out of every 365 people on earth.

Amy MacDonald

2009-01-08T21:15:00.005-05:00

I have a music recommendation that I'd like to recommend: Amy MacDonald.

She's sort of an acoustic Cranberries meet Johnny Cash with, oddly enough, a little Coldplay thrown in to boot. It's very infectious, to me, with a tune or two playing in my head even when I'm not listening to it. Sort of like the first time you heard Twisted Sister's "Stay Hungry" album... (a few of you will know what I mean) You just love it the first time you hear it. Sadly, I fear, she may have a slight Pet Shop Boys theory of songsmithing where every song is just sort of the same song. But I love this song.

State Quarters

2008-12-29T22:56:00.005-05:00

About 10 years ago, I was at a local video store renting the video tape de jour. The place was called Moovies. "Moovies" was a cute place. They had a cow as a mascot... and well, that was about it, I guess, but I digress. Anyway, the guy behind the counter gave me my change and I noticed a strange thing. A goofy looking quarter with Delaware on it.

I said, "Hey, pal, what are trying to pull? You're messing with the wrong amigo, amigo!" And then I punched him in the neck. He asked me to relax and said it was a new quarter. They were doing a new one for each state over the next ten years. I said that I was going to check into that and if I found otherwise, I'd be back for him and his little dog too. Turns out he was right. I've saved each new state quarter that I got and as of this afternoon, thanks to Hawaii, I've completed the set. I wish now that I kept at least two so I'd have two sets but then I'd want three... and on and on and on.

True story, except for the neck punching part, I dressed that up. At the very least, I've managed to save $12.50 over the last ten years. Not too shabby.

#2 Birthday

2008-12-11T01:09:00.005-05:00

Happy 2nd Birthday, Samuel. Two years... tick, tock... it goes pretty fast. Here a couple pics from Grandma's get together last Saturday.

Christmastime is Here

2008-12-08T22:16:00.007-05:00

I thought I'd jump in on the post your tree thread. I also submitted our tree to the "Is Your Tree Hot or Not" site and currently have a 8.5 rating! (I'm kidding)

Tom Joad

2008-11-25T19:12:00.005-05:00

I'd like to make a quick post about Bruce Springsteen's album "The Ghost of Tom Joad". I remember when it came out in 1995 and I wanted to hear it but knew it was an all acoustic album and I guess I was just never in the mood. Having been a fan of his acoustic "Nebraska" album, I figured I would get around to it sooner or later. Well, 13 years later, I got around to it. I can't seem to stop listening to it. It is a fantastic album and tells some wonderful, if not very sad, stories of the hardships of life. Funny how he has a way of moving you to caring about a guy who blows himself up cooking Meth.

The title, Tom Joad, comes from the novel "The Grapes of Wrath". Woodie Guthrie sang "The Ballad of Tom Joad" and here the Boss talks about issues of modern times with the same desperation of the dust bowl era. "Hunger is a powerful thing."

Anywho, I wonder if I had gotten it 13 years ago would it have impressed me as much. Probably not. Times change and people change. Then I would have let it go as another CD that was just OK. I wonder if some other CDs that I don't care much for would have greater impact on me at other times in my life. You know how they say if you didn't read "The Catcher in the Rye" when you were in High School, you just won't get it.? I guess I know what they mean.

I don't think of it as 13 years of not knowing this album. I'm glad I waited. I'm glad I have it now and will always have it as one of my favorites for years to come.

Meatheads Good Times

2008-11-18T22:19:00.006-05:00

A blog is born... I'd like to introduce you and send props out to a new blog: Meatheads Good Times

Meathead, aka Petie, Beatie and sometimes Justin, has been a good friend in good standing for sometime now. We used to work together until he flew off to his greener pastures. I can guarantee you will never "meat" and more genuine, honest and Shawshank Redemption lovin' guy. Let's all welcome Captain Meathead!

Finally something great on YouTube!

2008-11-08T22:11:00.002-05:00

I found this on Chuck's blog today and just had to steal it...

John Williams is the Man!

Check it, Rock Cat

2008-11-08T21:55:00.002-05:00

This guy gives good guitar players a bad name.... The 1:45 mark really gets my goat.

Love Puppy

2008-11-06T22:56:00.004-05:00

Look at this puppy. I love this puppy. "He's a gooooood boy... yes he is... yes he is." In fact, I'd say that I'm in love with this puppy. For many reasons... but mainly since he just sold on eBay for $153.

All Hallows Eve

2008-11-02T20:58:00.010-05:00

As you probably remember, Halloween was the other night. Our neighborhood does a parade for the kids with a firetruck and treats and general low-key Halloween festivities. It was a good time. We walked in the parade and then had treats at the clubhouse and then the low-key generalness at our house. Samuel was a sheriff. Even though it's technically an elected office, he ruled as the sheriff king.
Later that night, we all got naked, eat candy and played with toys.

Halloween Scariness-ness

2008-10-27T23:03:00.003-04:00

Following the lead of fellow blogger Kyle, I've been trying to beef up on my scary Halloween movies this season. I've gotten several under my belt including "The Ring" (awesome), "FearDotCom" (sucks), and other unfinished disasters. I hit the jackpot over the weekend, though. TiVo explained to me that a little known horror movie was playing and I might like to check it out. Little did Master TiVo know that it hit a nerve with it's suggestion of "The Beast Within."

I often talk about wormholes here and this is a good example. When I was about 13 I guess, this classic film was new. It was sold as horribly horrific and anyone who watched the last 30 minutes would instantly BURST INTO DEATH while sitting in the theater with their jeroboam of popcorn and Diet Coke spilling out all over the floor.

I didn't grow up watching any R-rated, booze filled gore fest sex romp on HBO that I wanted to so I had to take what I could get when I could get it. I actually don't think I ever saw it through in one sitting. All I remember was how horrifying the parts I saw were and how I think of that film as the definition of horror. Funny, because as it turns out, it was pretty stupid.

The IFC channel played it in its letterboxed, uncut entirety the other night and I watched it straight through early Saturday morning. It was about what I expected. Both fun and worthless. Ronny Cox sold me as the grieving Dad, though. What a guy. I actually sat next to him at a Thai restaurant in Nashville one night. But I digress.

The gruesome transformation scene, while certainly awesome, left a little to be desired in this day and age and the plot line was... well, not really there. But still it scratched an itch I've had for 27 years and I feel I'm the better for it. Thank you, Beast Within, for closing that door. Here's the trailer. Watch it... IF YOU DARE!!!

Well, I'm off to watch the 1981 David Cronenberg classic "Scanners." I hear the guys head blowing up scene will leave you shocked!

Foothills Trail

2008-10-07T22:54:00.003-04:00

This past weekend, my buddies Kyle & George and myself set out on an ambitious hike through the Chattooga section of the Foothills Trail. Actually, I thought we were setting out on a nice little walk through the woods. It became ambitious on its own. I learned something about myself over the course of the trip. I learned that I can now pretty much do anything and I learned that my foot hurts when I hike. Here I am at our first night campsite: We hiked just over 30 miles in three days. Yeah, I don't believe it either and if you told me I was going to do it I probably wouldn't have believed you. But we did. And I'm proud of it. George lead the way and Kyle kept us going with the comic relief. I needed them both or I would have probably been picked up by a giant hawk and carried away to be baby giant hawk food.

Do I romanticize the trip in my mind? Yes. Will I do it again? No... although, there is a part of you that recalls a strenuous experience that you survived with a desire to repeat it. So if I ever start talking about maybe wanting to do it again, just remind me that I can do anything and that my foot hurts when I hike.

Here's a little visual. Much like the trip, it has no ending.

Fridge

2008-09-19T22:22:00.005-04:00

Well, I've finally given into the fridge pic thing that has taken over our local blogosphere. I wanted to do it right off but I thought I'd re-do the fridge to make it funny (including cleaning off the top) but others have seemed to be honest about it... so here it is. Better late than never.
I had a cabinet get in my way of a good side corner shot so instead of any work, I just did two shots. And don't ask... I don't know what the weird stain is on the ice maker. I better go clean it.

Movie Quote

2008-09-03T19:53:00.000-04:00

Here's movie quote I love:

Old McDonald had a farm ee i ee i o. And on that farm he shot some guys. Badda boom badda bing bang boom.

The Horse Joke

2008-08-14T22:17:00.005-04:00

I told my favorite joke today. I've always thought "telling a joke" was a weird phrase. You tell a story, sure, but for some reason "telling" a joke just sounds odd to me. But I digress... It's my favorite because I seriously cannot tell it without smiling and it always makes me laugh. Most jokes work with misdirection or unexpected placement of the punch line but all of the classics work on delivery, which is why we sometimes hear "some people just can't tell a joke."

Think of some of the jokes that you love... in your minds eye you probably see the guy telling it with all the body language included that helps make it funny. Most good jokes need a little visual "ummph" to help make it work. Which is another reason I love this one... it's funny by itself. The listener can't help but create his own visual. So here it is... you be the judge.

Another year... tick, tock, tick, tock.

2008-08-01T20:18:00.005-04:00

I figured I should at least notice the one year anniversary of my blog like ol' George did. One year ago today I started blogging. I haven't been the same since. I have blogged from the north, I have blogged from the south. They have said of me "never have so many owed so much to so few". Each post has been better than the next.

Thank you! Thank you all for your support and generous contributions through PayPal.

Is it Just Me?

2008-07-31T22:24:00.003-04:00

Ok... I've been trying this joke for a week now. I have a prop and ask the unsuspecting viewer if they think it is funny or not. It's met with mixed results. So you be the judge... Is this funny? Do you get it? Is it just me? I still laugh when I think bout it.

Brush with a Tribute to Greatness

2008-07-30T21:43:00.003-04:00

As seen on a post by everyone's favorite porkoholic, Kyle, we saw a Journey tribute band the other night. I'll spare you the details of how great they were since it would take too long. They really were fantastic and I hope to see them again. I found the guitarist on Facebook and sent him a message and he wrote me back! Here's how the correspondence went down:

Me: Saw you guys in Greenville, SC the other night. We've been talking about it ever since. Great show! Loved the guitar at the end of Who's Crying Now. Paul (guy in DIO shirt) Reaves

Him: Thanks Paul! We had a great time in Greenville! Glad you liked the solo! The first couple of weeks I did it, some hard core Journey fans hated it! LOL! I figure, I play most of the solos pretty close, so I wanted to try some something different to set me apart! Good to hear that some people like it! Keep in touch and see ya next time! Peace, Kenny

That's about it, I guess. The ball is in my court now for developing the relationship. Here's a clip of some of the tunes. They sounded pretty much just like the real thing even if they were a little fast.

Rockband!

2008-07-23T23:13:00.004-04:00

My nephews, Ben and Daniel, have invited me up to their house to play and rock in their new Rockband. In my minds eye, I see this type of look...

Visit for Samuel

2008-07-18T22:09:00.004-04:00

This past week we got a visit from a few of our relatives. My wife was out of town so my Mom came up to stay and help out with Sam. She pretty much ran the show... thanks Mom! On Monday night, Sam got a visit from his Great Uncle (who is quite great indeed), his first cousin once removed and his second cousins. As with most times like that you all say we should do it more often or we should spend more time together... stuff like that. But I'm reminded of the times when I was very young and would see relatives. It was always very fun. A little awkward at first, but by the end, fast friends. It was interesting for me to see that with my son and his cousins. He was a little stand off-ish at first but quickly warmed up. Maybe the bubbles had something to do with it. Meredith and Christine: Sam still loves his bubble making machine. He knocks it over every day. We should do it more often!

One Minute a Year

2008-07-12T23:17:00.005-04:00

We've gotten into the habit of going to Edisto Beach each year for a week. We enjoy it tremendously and I have developed a personal fondness for the locale. In fact, we jokingly say (in all seriousness) that when we win the lottery, that's where you'll find us... if we want to be found.

Each year, on the last day, when we're leaving the beach, I pause a moment and think. I think about how thankful I am to be there. I think about how fast the year has been and how quickly life moves us along. I think about how the ocean doesn't care much about me... it's doing it's think right now whether I'm there or not. I think about the end of "The Time Machine" when the guy is on the shore and the sun has stopped moving and the Earth has died off. I think about the immensity of life before me and how I worry about the mortgage payment or whatever the crisis de jour is.

This year, I chronicled my goings on for the month before. As usual, it's too much long, too much stupid, too much embarrassing, too much... "too". Looking back, I see that all I really did was sweat and wait to get there. I guess I missed a lot of life waiting for one brief moment. It was a good one, though...

~~~

2008-06-28T20:29:00.004-04:00

The family and I are off to Edisto Beach for the week so I won't be posting. Not that I practice posting daily but... I didn't want you to think that I forgot about you. In lieu of anything amazing here in the coming week, I'll leave you with some cute pictures of Samuel.

The Shaving of the Beard

2008-06-09T19:58:00.003-04:00

Over the last 4 or 5 weeks I've grown a beard. I've done that once before, in college, and it didn't look very good. I've had a gotee a couple of times in my adult life and never felt it was really 'me' either. I was quite ready to let loose the mortal beard but thought since it was probably a one shot deal I should make it an event. It was no event, but here's how it went down:

Get up... and get your Grandma outta here.

2008-05-21T22:38:00.010-04:00

As a climax to Kyle's birthday celebration weekend extravaganza, we went to see Ace Frehley in concert with 518 of our closest friends. Frankly, I wasn't as enthusiastic as he was at seeing the guy but my "wormhole" nature kicked in and I was taken back to to a time when Kiss ruled the Earth. I have to say that I truly enjoyed it and my only complaint was that it wasn't loud enough. And by not loud enough, I mean if I had been at home, in my easy chair, 12 miles away, I would have turned it up a bit. My teeth were seriously swapping places.

Not knowing most of his solo tunes, I still found a lot to like and of course a lot of Kiss favorites were included. His band was great ( I think Nikki Sixx was on bass) and the crowd was quite eclectic, which always makes for a good time where ever you are. I'm very glad I had the opportunity to see an iconic rock legend such as the Ace. Funny how larger than life characters so far away when you're 15 years old still make the hardest of rock 15 feet from you 25 years later.

There was a camera rule stating that you couldn't have one or at least use it if you did but I was able to sneak a few pics, namely myself during a bathroom break.

(spelling error "toliet" brought to you by the Ace man himself)

Birthday Celebration

2008-05-17T21:40:00.005-04:00

We all celebrated Kyle's Birthday this evening. Dinner at a casual, if not swanky, Mexican restaurant with all the trimmings including a waitress wanting some of the birthday cake. Kyle seemed to enjoy his gifts. If not, he at least made us all think he did, and that's what counts.
I hope to celebrate many more celebratory celebrations with our local celebrity, Kyle. I was lucky enough to get a photo-op with my giant friend:
And Samuel, who really loves his Uncle Kyle, got a fun ride:

Happy Birthday!

2008-05-17T00:18:00.005-04:00

A big birthday shout out today to our good buddy and pal, Kyle.
57 years ago today you came into our lives and enriched us, every one. The day we met, I could have walked off thinking, "That guy... huh. Kiss fan" But no, there's more to ol' Kyle-o than that. And there are. There are certainly a few things more. Happy Birthday, Kyle.

Update for Nana

2008-05-08T21:23:00.011-04:00

Here's an update for Samuel's Nana celebrating some of his recent activities. First up, we have his first class picture (Sam's the one on the bottom right next to the little old man)

Block House Steeplechase

2008-04-21T20:18:00.006-04:00

This weekend, I learned the difference between a horse race and a Steeplechase. A horse race is a flat, oval track where horses race. A Steeplechase is a non-flat, non-oval track where... well, horses race. I also learned that the horses don't actually "race". The horses just go... the jockeys race. They race the horses but the horses aren't the ones racing... just the jockeys.

Here we are. (transportation provided by the Broad River Correctional Institute.)

Desert Island Discs

2008-04-11T21:59:00.005-04:00

Some magazine... Rolling Stone, I think, has (or had) a column where folks would submit their selections for albums to have with them if they found themselves stranded on a desert island... with a CD player.... and power supply, I imagine. I've thought about that lately and made a list. I discovered that I think my list would change over time. I only hope that when I get Fed-Exed to a remote paradise, I have a good list at the time. What 10 albums would you choose?

My List: (in no particular order)

Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory (an easy one)

Rich Mullins - A Liturgy, A Legacy, and a Ragamuffin band (another easy one)

Rush - Hold Your Fire ( rush would always make the list and I should choose a collection but I have to go with this one)

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper (I really wanted to put the Revolver album here to be cool but I just like this one better)

Bob Seger - Greatest Hits ( this is strange to me. no reason to include it except I listened to it on a trip last week and loved every second)

Bruce Springsteen - Greatest Hits ( I just wish it were longer)

David Wilcox - How Did You Find Me Here (like when you run across Shawshank Redemption or Jaws on cable TV you have to watch? same here)

DC Talk - Jesus Freak (love it, love what I remember when I hear it)

Pink Floyd - Pulse (hello... who wouldn't have it)

Simon & Garfunkle - Greatest Hits (would help if a babe were stranded with you)

Beverages to Go: The Sequel

2008-04-02T19:58:00.004-04:00

My buddy Greg passed through today on his way back from whatever conference it was he went to in Charleston, as first described in George post: Beverages to Go. Apparently, the crowd wasn't too into the beer they brought since he is toting it all back to Nashville.
Unfortunately for him, he doesn't really drink. Fortunately for me....

Post Card from the Edge

2008-03-24T21:01:00.004-04:00

Capital Sam got a post card from his Uncle Kyle who is in Arizona this week. He was happy. So happy, he wanted to eat it...

Thanks, Uncle Kyle!

A New Grill!

2008-03-23T21:52:00.003-04:00

The wife and I got a new grill this weekend. It's been quite the needed thing, provided we want to grill outside... which we do. I decided to document the assembly, poorly, and share it.

Good times. Here's the inaugural steaks:

Billy

2008-03-21T20:45:00.004-04:00

I spoke with a good friend of mine yesterday. We worked together when I first moved to Greenville in several incarnations of companies and he's since moved on to his greener pastures. I wish he were still around... I won't mention his name, since he wishes to remain unanimous, but click here for his FAVORITE GAME.

Welcome to the Palermo's La Famiglia!

2008-03-17T21:15:00.008-04:00

It's here! It's here! Everyone knows that the greatest frozen pizza on the earth is Palermo's. And if Palermo's pizza were a diamond ring, the sparkle on that ring would be the Primo Thin Supreme. So in support of this wonderful thing, I've joined the Palermo's La Famiglia (which in Italian means something to do with pizza, I'm guessing) So after joining, I've run to the mailbox everyday in the hopes that my welcome package would arrive. And it did!

Oh, I was as giddy as Ralphie getting his decoder ring... and just as satisfied. It's not the wonderment I had hoped it would be but it's still quite awesome. I got a welcome letter explaining that I should look out for emails with coupons (yes!), a fresh new coupon for 50 cents off the Palermo's of my choice and a Pizza puller/Kitchen ruler! The pizza puller/kitchen ruler even has a magnet on the end for easy fridge attachment. Awesome.

~~~

2008-03-17T21:13:00.003-04:00

Rock!

2008-03-11T23:11:00.003-04:00

My nephews, Ben & Daniel, came to see me this weekend. They're just off the road with AC/DC and my, oh my, the stories they told! They were glad to have a night to settle down with their uncle and just relax. Here they are hard at rock:

Moments in time...

2008-02-26T21:45:00.005-05:00

This moment may be brief, but it can be so bright...
Reflected in another source of light.
When the moment dies, the spark still flies...
Reflected in another pair of eyes.

I was sitting at a red light today. I was the first in line waiting to turn left. My mind was replaying the events of the day and what I needed to do once I got home. One of my favorite U2 songs came on the radio, "Where the Streets Have No Name." I turned it up and forgot about all I had going on in my world.

As the light changed for the other traffic at the intersection, I noticed a car turning to it's right on my left, heading the way I had just come from. It was a woman and as she was turning and passing by, I saw her mouth the words: "I want to run... I want to hide... I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside." I know that's what she was saying since it was the lyrics to the very song I was listening to.

The exact same experience at the exact same time... in two different worlds heading in opposite directions.

What do you make of that?

Write your own caption...

2008-02-17T21:42:00.001-05:00

Victor Wooten

2008-02-14T20:49:00.004-05:00

Good times last night with Kyle and Rob and the Victor Wooten show. I was truly amazed at the guy's ability as a bass player. He must have been born with the thing around his neck. In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that I tired a little of the continual progressive acid, "hey we all in different time" jazz type ballyhoo and Tom Foolery, however, the guy can play a bass. The whole band was superior on their instruments. Mr. Futureman drummer guy was even chewing gum! A no-no for drummers since it throws them off. Not Futerman man, though.

Here's a short clip:

Forty

2008-02-09T17:57:00.002-05:00

"I can see myself, it's a golden sunrise, young boy, open up your eyes. It's supposed to be your day… and somewhere on your path to glory you will write your story of a life." -Harry Chapin

I’m forty years old today. I feel blessed that my age is the only number in the English language that, spelled out, is in alphabetical order. That has to count for something. I don’t feel forty. I guess since when you are young, forty seems old and I don’t feel old. I feel like I did when I was 30... or 20. It stands to reason that when I’m 50 or 60 I’ll feel like I do now… and did then. That’s weird.

I have noticed some “old” signs popping up in my life. I think some young people are stupid. I don’t like “the new music.” I dress like its still 1992. Stuff like that.

Remember when you were young and Christmas couldn’t get here fast enough? Now I think if I only had a couple more weeks I could get everything done. Funny. Time has a way of moving very, very fast without really speeding up at all. In a blink of an eye I’ve gone from being young and immortal to older and needing to have tests done. Time watches us like a cat will watch a mouse.

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.

I've spent most of this week awaiting the impending doom of the proverbial 40 years old. But I think I'll change my tune. Billy Graham said to plan your life like you'll live forever but live it like you'll die tomorrow.

The "Tag, Your It!" Book Thing

2008-02-06T18:58:00.000-05:00

There's these posts floating around on monster blogs (such as George, Charlotte, Rick & Kyle's) about opening a book to a certain page and sentence and seeing what you get. I assume it has something to do with Synchronicity or Serendipity or something cool like that.

Here are the rules:

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. No cheating!
Find Page 123.
Find the first 5 sentences.
Post the next 3 sentences.
Tag 5 people.

I've broken two rules. I'm not tagging 5 people, since they are all here, and I cheated. Not on purpose, mind you, but the first book to my right is the "Adobe Acrobat 5 Bible" and page 123 is no good. A chapter heading for Chapter 4, I think. After a quick spin around hoping my eyes would fall on something cool I ended up at Michael Crichton's "The Andromeda Strain."

"Take up a harmless bacteria - such as the organism that causes pimples, or sore throats - and bring it back in a new form, virulent and unexpected. It might do anything. It might show a preference for the aqueous humor of the inner eye, and invade the eyeball."

So... there it is.

Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds

2008-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

I remember when I was young, maybe 12 to 14 years old, my Mom ended up with a bunch of 8-tracks from her cousin Ricky. Among the various selections including things I didn't know then or now was one titled: Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds. I was immediately drawn to the cover depicting the Martian tripod blasting it's Heat Ray upon the battleship Thunderchild. Bows and arrows against the lightning was all Thunderchild could muster.

It was the H.G. Wells classic story set to music and I loved it. I ended up with the LP version for Christmas one year. That was great. I guess I still have it, somewhere. Flash forward to college and I remember telling my buddy George about it. He got the CD and we enjoyed it again. Flash forward to last weekend and the same buddy George gave it to me for my birthday.

Over the past several days I've been listening to it and oh how it has brought me back to that time when I first heard it. Regular readers of this blog, both of you, know that I often mention wormholes. Well, this was a good one. Thanks buddy George!

I figured why not look it up on the internet, expecting to find nothing much but used copies. Turns out it's going through a remake right now. The guy Jeff Wayne, who apparently hasn't done much else, had it on a stage tour last year overseas. They have a website. There's even a DVD release of the live show, which I wouldn't mind having. Funny: 8-track, LP, CD, DVD.... what's next? Maybe I'll share it with my son in what ever format comes next. Here's a clip:

Talk to Yourself

2008-01-19T23:14:00.001-05:00

I learned a valuable truth this afternoon: If you're weird, people will leave you alone. We've all been walking through a mall or a grocery store or some event and seen the guy that is weird. You know the guy... something tells you that you just want this guy to keep on walking.

I was in the grocery store this afternoon and was confronted by this guy. I spied him coming up the aisle and knew he was the guy. I pretended to be calculating the price per ounce of powered Gatorade versus Powerade when he accosted me. "Looks like we're in for some weather this evening, huh", he said. I considered explaining that we always have weather whether it's good or bad but I let it slide. "Yeah, they can put a man on the moon but they can't stop this white stuff from falling out of the sky." (a line I lifted from an episode of Family Ties) As he was thinking, I Michael Johnson-ed myself to the chip aisle.

I then realized that maybe if I where that guy, people would leave me alone. So I started talking to myself as a little experiment. And it worked! I was mumbling about work and sometimes pretended to have a baby in my cart and people avoided me like the plague. It was awesome.

I was so into it that I found myself doing it at the check out. The lady said "I'm sorry, sir, were you talking to me?" "No," I said, "I was just talking to myself. I do it all the time."

Evening Out

2008-01-18T00:25:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time... well, tonight, actually... three fellow bloggers got together for a good times dinner and concert. Couple of burgers and an order of wings later, we all got to look at Howard Jones for a while. A fine show. We got to listen to the man play his hits, his new tunes and tell stories. Many stories. More so than songs. Ol' HoJo is quite the chatter box, it seems. He met with the fans, and us, signed important documents like CD covers and candy wrappers and gave us all a good time memory.

Fan Response

2008-01-16T19:09:00.000-05:00

I've now had two requests to enlarge this picture. Never let it be said that this blog isn't for the fans, by the fans.

A Blog is Born

2008-01-11T21:35:00.000-05:00

Public Service Announcement: My sister has started a blog! Drop by her place and mix things up, why don't ya: creevedog.blogspot.com

Pronounced "Cree-Vedo-Gee", the blog tells tales of her exploits in the Caspian Sea, the Andes, and the lesser known Eastminster Abbey where she has won various awards and prizes for spearing pigs.

ROCK!

2008-01-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

I got my KISS shirt, I got my devil eyes... what else do I need? Nothing... that's what. Except maybe this shoe. That's all!

I'm going to rock n roll all nite and party everyday. I'll drive you wild and I'll drive you crazy.

I'm the lord of the wastelands. A modern day man of steel. I gather darkness to please me and I command you to kneel.

Don't let 'em tell you that there's too much noise. They're too old to really understand. You'll still get rowdy with the girls and boys 'cause it's time for you to take a stand, yeah, yeah.

Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud. You got to have a party! Oh YEAH!

Update

2008-01-08T23:31:00.000-05:00

My blog hasn't been updated in a while. So, here you go.

Mulberry Street

2007-12-29T17:07:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to visit PetLand and take advantage of their year end close out sale on huge puppies.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

2007-12-28T18:59:00.000-05:00

We took our Christmas tree down tonight. Tomorrow I'll remove the wreaths from the windows and the candles from the window sills. We'll box it all up, poorly, and toss it in the attic with no particular order or reference. Much like the Grinch unloading Whoville.

Funny, putting the Christmas tree up is a joy in our house. It signals the season and we listen to Christmas music and talk about ornaments and joy is experienced by all. Taking it down is another story. It ends the season and we watch the news and toss ornaments in boxes and pretty much hose ourselves off of joy.

"After this, therefore because of this." An argument could be made that the hectic experience of taking the tree down is caused by putting the tree up. Makes sense, I guess. If we never put a living tree in our house, we would never experience the arboreus nightmare of removing said tree.

But they say that phrase itself is a 'logical fallacy'. Maybe there is more to it. Maybe the tree has nothing to do with it at all. Maybe we're just sad the Christmas season is over and the great, gray beast of winter is creeping in as we start a year all over again knowing we now have one less Christmas to enjoy. Maybe. Maybe not.

I think the hardship of cleaning up after Christmas is innate. I think that we want to hold on to that joy so hard and so long that we forget we can have it all year long. I know I do. Christmas joy doesn't fill me up in March or in August when it's 115 degrees but it can and it should. So next July, ask me about it. I'll probably say, "huh?". But remind me that I don't need a tree in my house to be filled with the Holy Christmas spirit.

Christmas Eve

2007-12-24T22:29:00.000-05:00

In the space of the beginning was the living Word of Light.
When this Word was clearly spoken all that came to be was right.

All creation had a language, words to say what must be said.
All day long the heavens whispered, signing words in scarlet red.

Some have failed to understand it, so God spoke His final Word.
On a silent night in Judah's hills a baby's cry was heard.

Glory! sang the angel chorus. Glory! echoed back the night.
Love has come to walk among us. Christ the Lord is born this night

All creation sing His praises. Earth and heaven praise His name.
All who live come join the chorus. Find the words His love proclaim.

Find the words His love proclaim.

--- "Anthem for Christmas" (Michael W. Smith / Gloria Gaither)

Concerts

2007-12-21T19:34:00.000-05:00

My buddy Kyle-o posted about concerts seen and unseen and it got me thinking. I wish I had kept an accurate record of all shows I've seen. It would be interesting to know that I saw Hootie & The Blowfish at a frat house in college only to see them get huge in the years to come. Here's a list of concerts I've seen that I gathered from the ticket stubs I've kept. I've added opening acts if I could remember and if they mattered. The number after the show is how many times I've seen them.

AC/DC, Aerosmith, Amy Grant 2, Autograph, Billy Joel 3, Blind Boys of Alabama, Bob Dylan, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bon Jovi, Buddy Guy, Charlie Peacock, Cinderella, The Cult, David Wilcox, DC Talk, Def Leppard, Dick Dale, Don McLean, Dream Theater, Drivin' & Cryin', Elton John, Every Mothers Nightmare, Firehouse, Foreigner, Giant, Guiffera, Indigenous, Indigo Girls, James Taylor, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Nettles Band, Joe Satriani, John Denver, John Hayes, John Mellencamp, Journey 3, Junior Brown 3, Kenny Wayne Shepard, KISS 3, Kris Kristofferson, Kristen Hall 2, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Melissa Ethridge, Metallica, Michael W. Smith 2, Mothers Finest, Mr. Big 2, Mylon & Broken Heart, Neil Diamond, Pearl Jam, Petra, Poco, Poison, Quiet Riot, Rage Against the Machine, Ratt 2, Red Elvises, Rich Mullins, Ricky Martin, Robert Earl Keen 4, Rush 6, Russ Taff, Sarah Brightman, Seven Nations 3, Skid Row, Steve Taylor, Stryper, Ted Nugent 4, Tom Petty, U2, Usher, Van Halen 2, Wes King, White Cross, WhiteHeart, Willie Nelson, ZZ Top 2.If anyone out there has any that they know I've missed, I'd like to know.

Various & Sundry

2007-12-19T23:01:00.001-05:00

Yeah I come from a long line of frontiersmen and outdoor types.

College. In the 80's. Write your own joke.

Man, I love cutting grass. I mean, heck, we all do,
but it means more to me.

Can't get enough of Utah. It's still the right place.

Samuel

2007-12-11T19:45:00.000-05:00

Happy 1st Birthday Sam!

You've been toting us around for a year now. I hope you've enjoyed it. I know we have. A year ago today you were no bigger than the size of my forearm and weighed 7 pounds. Today you're twice the size of my forearm and weigh 21 pounds. If this keeps up, when you're my age you'll be 39 feet tall and weigh 819 pounds.

Here you are enjoying your party with some fat guy wearing a dad mask.

The wonderment of the Birthday cake.

That's the guy! He's the one that what tried and took my cake!

Dad wins the birthday javelin catching contest.

Christmas Time is Here!

2007-12-03T22:36:00.001-05:00

The Pick of Destiny

2007-11-30T20:42:00.001-05:00

Well it looks like we're getting the band back together (insert joke here). I'd planned to put up a pic or two of me and the guys, and I probably will, but I pulled out my guitar tonight and tooled around for a while. I have this old dip can that I kept picks in in my guitar case. I spent several minutes just looking at them and playing a bit. A lot came rushing back to me. More than I can explain here. They are old. Like me.

These were my favorites. I was a tried and true Fender Thin man, the Fender Pink being my pick of choice, but I rotated in some heavies for the power chords of rock and to feel like Yngwie. The two on the bottom are interesting since the purple one is two feet thick and the other is made of steel... for heavy metal. Get it? I didn't use it much.Here are some of my professional guys picks. The two Journey/Neil Schon picks were obtained at the show. I was so close I could have hit him with his own pick. (thanks, Kyle, for scooping them up for me) . The Dann Huff pick was from a show they did in Nashville at the Ace of Clubs. We were just sitting at a table and it was there. A coup for me. I got the Steve Via pick at a clam bake and the Alex Lifeson either came from a private lesson with him or came in a deluxe edition DVD set. I forget.

R.I.P. -- Kevin DuBrow

2007-11-26T19:41:00.000-05:00

So there I was... it was the summer of 1983. I had just finished my freshman year of high school and I had discovered that I was a metal head. Not the drug induced, beating up old ladies metal head, just the innocuous, parents not really worried type of head banger. I went to summer camp at Camp Pee Dee for the last time that year. Several of my friends were there... my "metal" friends, one of which being Buddy Williams. He had a new 'tape' of a band called Quiet Riot.

It was easily the most metal thing I had heard to date. An argument could be made that now it's laughable but at the time it was almost frightening. The cover had an insane guy on it who had obviously just broken out of an asylum and was coming to get me. Jason Vorhees mask... straight jacket... it was pretty dark. I loved what I heard. I remember thinking how cool I would be when I got my cassette of this masterpiece. The guitar was awesome and the lead singer, Kevin DuBrow, just wailed. What a great album and a great time in my life. I was coming of age. Finding myself. How was I to know that in just three short years, I'd be in college and hooked on REM and other alternative, acoustic rock.

I saw Quiet Riot a couple of years ago with my brother-in-law. It was the "Rock Never Stops" tour (ironic, isn't it). As we were leaving, Kevin and couple other guys were walking through the hall. I was within 10 feet of him. I didn't stop. Didn't yell out. Just said... "there he is". The 15 year old me would have lost his mind. Oh well, times change, people change.

Kevin DuBrow died yesterday at the ripe old age of 52. I don't know yet how but it makes me sad. Thank you, Kevin Dubrow, your music and spandex clad antics made me happy and I'll never forget it. Well... I'm off to iTunes get some Quiet Riot.

Thanksgiving Day

2007-11-22T21:28:00.000-05:00

We had a great Thanksgiving. We were all thankful for family and health. In celebration of this holiday, Uncle Kyle lovingly cuddled and then fried up the Thanksgiving Dog.

Mulberry Street

2007-11-21T19:32:00.000-05:00

I'm following in line with George's random pics in the "Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street" vain. Here's a truck I saw today. It's a Dodge. Doug's Dodge.

Thanksgiving Eve

2007-11-21T15:01:00.000-05:00

I remember quite clearly the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 1990 when I was in Nashville. Most of us were going home for the weekend and George, Jolly and I left late, about 6 or 6:30 that night. We caravanned with George and myself in my car and Jolly in his. We took turns leading the way, always giving the “thumbs up” or “double pistols” sign as we passed one another. We stopped, as we always did, at Exit 417 on I-40 to gas up and I guess just to be there. That seemed to be a magic location while I was in Nashville.

The band White Heart had just put out their “Powerhouse” cd so we listened to that the whole way. I think Jolly didn’t know we had it and we gave it to him at the stop as a surprise. He quickly passed us with an “OK-rock on” hand gesture. I think about that when I hear the album and think of him.

We got into Columbia, waved goodbye to Jolly as he exited to his home and his world, and got to George’s home about 1:00 am. His dad, George the 2nd, known to most as ‘Buddy’, was waiting up for us. (I never called him Buddy but always wanted to) They asked me to spend the night since it had been a long trip but I had gotten my second wind and was ready to press on.

I pulled out about 1:30, I guess, and headed for Florence. Michael W. Smith had a Christmas CD out then that, at the time, I didn’t think much of but for some reason I thought why not pop it in. So there I was… on the last leg of a 9 hour trip, 2:00 am, wide awake and wide alive. I loved hearing the album as I drove and couldn’t get it loud enough. I even rolled down the windows a little to feel the cold air rush over me as the music seemed to usher in the Christmas season. I play it every year when we put our Christmas tree up. It always reminds me of that trip.

“Glory!” sang the angel chorus. “Glory!” echoed back the night.

Love has come to walk among us.Christ the Lord is born this night.

I got home about 3:00 am. Mom and Dad were asleep but left lights on for me and some food out. I quickly killed the food and the lights and quietly went upstairs to bed. I remember lying there feeling good… in my bed… in my room… home. My being wired from the driving soon gave way to sleep and the next thing I knew it was morning and my Mom was sitting on the edge of my bed hugging me. Maybe hiding a tear, I’m not sure. I said, “I’m home. She said, “I know. I’m glad”. “Me too”, I said. And I was.

Endorsement

2007-11-19T23:40:00.000-05:00

(not the candidate, just the ad)

A Walk to Remember

2007-11-18T20:16:00.001-05:00

I took my son on a walk through the woods this morning. Just the two of us. Good times.

Education Scheducation

2007-11-17T23:32:00.000-05:00

I found this of interest in the morning paper. It was an article about Clemson football and their big game tonight with Boston College. It spoke of seniors and their last home game and the journey they had. Linebacker Nick Watkins, shaking his signature locks, they reported, was focused upon:

“Watkins readily admits to a distain for the disruption education causes for a college football player, yet there’s a sense of pride in the fact that he survived the system and could walk away with a diploma in spite of himself.”

Disruption? Ok. So here’s a guy thats been a fine member of the Clemson football team (aka: the tigers). He’s done his job well from what I understand and will certainly look back on his college career with fondness. However, he hasn’t thought much of what he’s really gained during his time at the institution. One would say “why is youth wasted on the young” or “if I knew then what I know now”. Poor Nick.

I heard a guy on the radio say once “It’s hard to sell life insurance with a spider tattooed on your face”. I guess that about sums it up but I’m still sorry his learning something interfered with football. I hope he gets over it.

(P.S. Clemson just lost in dramatic fashion. Time to hit the books, Nick.)

~~~

2007-11-16T20:23:00.000-05:00

Look at this jackass...

240-Robert

2007-11-11T19:47:00.000-05:00

Over most of my adult life, whenever I've been in a conversation about old TV shows that were great but never stood the test of time, I've usually mentioned "240-Robert". I've always been met with blinking eyes and the sound of crickets chirping. No one, and I mean no one, has ever remembered it. This has happened enough in my life, today in fact, that I've begun to think maybe I'm just crazy. I've never looked it up on the internet because frankly, I've never thought about doing so.

Well, the die is cast. A few keystrokes later and I've proven to the world (but mainly to me) that I'm not a loon. It was real. It happened. And I was there. Thank you, most wonderful internet and Superstu's website, for helping me live another day in sanity.

"240-Robert was a television show that originally aired in 1979 on ABC-TV. It featured the heroic rescues of the Emergency Services Detail of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. 240-Robert originally starred John Bennett Perry (Matthew Perry's father), Mark Harmon and Joanna Cassidy."

Samuel

2007-11-11T19:17:00.001-05:00

Happy Eleven Month B-Day, Sam!
You da proverbial man

~~~

2007-11-09T23:47:00.001-05:00

Me and my buddy Kyle-o at a recent Korn concert.

Pungent Words

2007-11-06T20:40:00.000-05:00

My son said the most interesting thing to me this evening during his bath. We were talking about Christmas and how glad I was that he's here and so on and so forth and thus and so.

He said: "Baaaaa, Ba, Ba, Da, Da, Ack." And I thought... you know that just nails it. It's what we're all feeling but afraid to say. Not to put too strong a point on it, but it's time we realized this. He concluded his great lesson by crapping in the tub.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T20:21:00.000-04:00

Samuel enjoyed his first Halloween. He fulfilled his lifelong ambition of being a dog and was downtrodden when some lady called him a mouse (and a 'girl') but that's another blog entry.

Planned Chance Encounter

2007-10-30T00:06:00.000-04:00

Two of my best buddies met today for what seemed like the first time. Utilizing the internet and it's blog power, they found a common ground and may become friends, as I am with each of them. I'd like to take credit for this but I can't. They each have their own direction and have enjoyed the blogs of the other. There was talk of Tom Wopat meeting them but he didn't show. Turns out, he was just a little late.Wait... what I'm I saying, I can take credit for it since they were both in my wedding for crying out loud. But I digress.(incidentally, the guy in the black circle is currently in the 'where does he blog now' file)

Family Visit

2007-10-26T20:53:00.001-04:00

My Uncle Clyde and Aunt Ann came down from North Carolina this afternoon to see us and and meet Samuel. (ok... so they just came to meet Sam, but we were there too) They didn't stay very long, about an hour or so, but as they drove off, I couldn't help but be reminded of how peoples lives circle into one another.It's funny, there are some people in your life that you seldom see but when you do you seem to pick up right where you left off. Like you were already in the middle of a conversation. We move through this life... we worry, we try, we press on... and every now and again (get ready for it, here it comes, you know I'm going to say it) we meet a wormhole. I remember Uncle Clyde from when I was very young and now here he is with my son. Maybe I'll meet my nephew's son one day... I hope his Dad is as happy and proud as I was.

Oh, and if Samuel has half the sense of humor as Clyde, he'll have a good head start.

The Paomnnehal Pweor of the Hmuan Mnid

2007-10-25T21:02:00.000-04:00

Aoccdrnig to a rscheeartch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig.

(No, I didn't think that up, write it, or type it myself but I lvoe pzzia)

Samuel

2007-10-22T20:24:00.000-04:00

Call off the dogs:
The question as to whether or not Sam will
be a "Mama's boy" or not has been answered.

It's yes. Right now, I'm just background noise. I think to combat this I'll get him a Gene Simmons Axe bass or a Red Ryder BB gun or a bear or something. Wish me luck...

Blog, Blog, Blog...

2007-10-19T22:46:00.000-04:00

To blog or not to blog, that is the question; whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous blogs, or to take arms against a sea of blogs, and by opposing, end them.
---Shakespeare (sort of)

I've realized lately that I have a blog and I don't blog about anything. How can I have a blog and not blog? In todays world of effecting politics or getting films like "Snakes on a Plane" made, blogs can be pretty useful. All I do is put up stuff only I think is funny and then sit back and think... "is it 'affect' or 'effect' politics?"

Sure every now and again I'll think of something meaningful, like that driving around bit I stuck on YouTube, that seemed to be a hit. But mostly it's just "I Wendy, I Wanda, I wonder.." and nothing ever gets said. My buddy George lit the fire under me when he was talking about Christian Democrats. So I think I'll just stand here until I think of something pertinent to say.

Behind the Scenes

2007-10-13T22:32:00.000-04:00

Tarrah 01Tarrah 02

Endorsement

2007-10-13T21:42:00.000-04:00

"There's a song that I'd rather forget...

But I don't think I've shaken it yet."
---Kevin Moore

My brother-in-law gave me this CD a while back and now thanks to the magical wonder of the iPod shuffle setting, I literally can't get another tune in my head. So instead of distancing myself from so I can enjoy it for a longer period of time, I've decided to endorse it, play it over and over and get it out of my system. Enjoy...

HIM
"Wings of a Butterfly"

Bath Time

2007-10-11T20:20:00.000-04:00

Here's my son and a few of his favorite toys in the tub.

Samuel

2007-10-11T18:43:00.001-04:00

Happy 10 Month B-Day, Sam!

We have a fun tradition of singing while he takes a bath. He seems to enjoy story songs (heck, who doesn't?) and lately, he's really gotten into Bruce Springsteen's "Johnny 99". He could do a lot worse and seems to really like the line about waving his gun around.

Worm Hole

2007-10-03T23:14:00.000-04:00

Same two guys. Same location. Same event.

9 years apart.

Walking with Sam

2007-09-28T23:39:00.000-04:00

A day in the life... moments in time.

Van Halen

2007-09-27T20:36:00.000-04:00

Well, here we go... strap yourselves in because this could get bumpy. It's probably a fair statement to say that when I get to heaven and get to ask all the questions I'd like to know like "how many miles did I drive" or "how close was I to a snake and not known it", they'll tell me that the band that has brought me the most pleasure and the most disdain in life was Van Halen.

When I was in High School, I had photos of those guys cut out of magazines tacked up over an entire wall. Literally. My Mom had the room repainted a while back and I bet she had to pay extra for all the caulk it took to fill the holes in. I can actually remember telling my Dad that I can not imagine a time when I did not listen to Van Halen. I knew everything about them and said things I heard David Lee Roth say, even if I didn't get it. Eddie was king rock god to me. When 1984 hit and I got to see them in Columbia, SC (February 17th, 1984) I thought I reached my final goal and could die in peace (even though the tickets were marked "obstructed view"). I even bought into the Van Hagar years with enthusiasm. It a nutshell, it was just good stuff. That was then. This is now.

I've spent many years defending Eddie Van Halen as the only sane one in the bunch. An artist with no outlet. But I'm done.

They starting a new tour with Dave. Do I want to go? Yes. But not for any reason I would have thought of 23 years ago. I want to go for the same reason I wanted to see "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" or like those people who watched Princess Diana's funeral, they got up at 5:00 am to see her get married, they felt they should go it again.

We want to find a wormhole back to when everything was easy. When things made sense. We move through this life... and find those very brief, very obscure moments when we can connect with who we were. Why? I need to find out who I am.
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I started this post about a month ago and never finished. They are playing their first show tonight in Charlotte. Right now, actually, as I type. Am I there, no. Am I following the "goings on" on their fan site, yes. Will I download a bootleg as soon as it is available, absolutely. My Mom even gave me money for a ticket which means the world to me. I'm not making a statement by not going (it sold out in like nineteen hundred eighty four seconds) but I've decided to be happy with who I am and not need to look back. Maybe I'll see them again, who knows. I hope so. But I think it's a good step forward for me to not worry about it now. Good luck guys, knock 'em out.

Samuel

2007-09-24T21:42:00.000-04:00

My son... the little tike is plum tuckered out from banging his head.
(note the head bang, not photoshopped)

The Right Stuff

2007-09-22T01:13:00.000-04:00

A special friend... on his special day.

Driving around... singing

2007-09-18T00:39:00.000-04:00

Here I am. Driving around singing. Just like you...

Where in the world is George?

2007-09-15T18:31:00.001-04:00

Samuel

2007-09-11T20:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Nine Month Birthday, Sam!

You know, son, I remember what I was doing six years ago today. I was on the phone with Michael that morning and he asked if I heard that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I said no but figured if it were so, then it was one of those guys trying to fly between them like the fellows that fly under the St. Louis Arch. Idiot, I thought. But I thought enough about it to call your Mom to ask if she had heard anything, since the CNN website seemed to be shut down. She said yes and that another plane had hit the other tower.

Information came slow. Your Uncle Kyle told me a tower had fallen (he was cutting grass that day). I called your Mom again and she said yes and that the other tower had fallen as well. We heard from a Fed-Ex delivery guy that the Pentagon had been hit. A bomb, he said. We had no TV in the office so I went home about 11:00am and watched what was going on. I had drive thru from Steak & Shake on the way back to work. We didn't get much done that day.

That evening I met your Uncle Kyle and a couple of guys for dinner and while sitting in the parking lot of the Roadhouse Grill learned that Building 7 had fallen. We had quite the evening watching TV and talking discussing it. Little did we know that as the events unfolded over the next month or so and during the past 6 years that we knew and know nothing. Oh, we can talk about how we felt and we can give details about the day, like knowing that we had a cheeseburger for lunch, but we don't know what it was like to experience it.

I was conceived during the "Summer of Love" and born in 1968. A turbulent year in our history. But you and I were born in very different worlds. Your generation will probably never understand what "post 9/11" means. Just like I don't understand what 1968 meant. It'll be a page or two in your history book. You'll read about it and see images but just like us, you won't get it. That's both good and bad, I think. Our generation seems to be losing it's way and I pray that you will not have to live in a "post" anything era.

Daniel

2007-09-07T21:45:00.000-04:00

One of my nephews, Daniel, had his first soccer game the other day. Go Daniel! He's the one with the ball charging against the opposing player. The fellow in the foreground, Chad, right wing, was held back a year for basketball but decided soccer was his calling.

Samuel

2007-09-06T23:41:00.000-04:00

Goodnight, my angel, now it's time to dream. And dream how wonderful your life will be. Someday your child may cry and if you sing this lullabye then in your heart there will always be a part of me. Someday we'll all be gone but lullabyes go on and on... they never die. That's how you and I will be.

Pandas in the Mist

2007-09-05T22:07:00.001-04:00

My buddy George (right)

Breakfast of Champions

2007-09-05T21:45:00.000-04:00

I've seen a couple posts out there lately about breakfast and how, being the most important meal of the day, it takes some thought and we are usually left dissatisfied. This morning, I too had my dilemma: egg rolls or chicken wings. I had both.

Watch Still Ticking on a Dead Man's Wrist

2007-09-05T19:58:00.000-04:00

The other day at work a Door's song came on the radio. "Light my Fire". One of the guys went nuts. Oh, The Door's are the greatest band! Listen to the way the so and so syncopates with the other so and so and you don't understand what Jim Morrison meant to rock and roll, he's the American Poet, and no one knows if he's dead or not, and Ray Manzarek, the keyboard player says he's not and blah, blah, blah. This guy might be all of 19 years old. But I'm not judging him. I too went through my Door's phase. I think everybody does, or should. But I broke on through to the other side and have decided how sad it must have been to be Jim Morrison.

I kept my mouth shut. Resisting the temptation to jump into the one-sided discussion with my tidbits of "did you kow his headstone was stolen in 1990?" I just thought: have I come so far in life that I just don't care? I know now that our beloved Lizard King was just a casualty to drugs with charisma. He's the American Poet, alright, dead at 27. It's been said that the greatest career move one can make is to die. Janis Joplin, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis... on and on... Kurt Cobain? The poet of my generation? I don't think so. "Oh well, whatever, nevermind" is not my anthem. All these guys are just Keith Richards with a lifespan.

But I can't help but remember those feelings I once had about The Door's and how, in a way, I wish I could have it back. But we move through this life... we turn pages... we worry over mortgages, kids, life and suddenly Jimi Hendrix choking to death on his own vomit doesn't move us like it used to.

And the bottom line of this reader-skimmed blog entry is what happens eternally to these people? I'm reminded of a great tune by Steve Taylor:

I stay driven 'cause there's nowhere to park. I can't shut my eyes--I'm afraid of the dark. I lie awake, that stone left me chilled to the bone. Sound the alarm before it's done: find Jim Morrison. Come away to Paris, let him see another day. Let him fade out slowly, only fools burn away. Let a true love show him what a heart can become. Somebody find Jim Morrison. Find Jim Morrison's grave. I get weary, Lord, I don't understand, how does a seed get strangled in the heart of a man? When the music covers like an evening mist, like a watch still ticking on a dead man's wrist... tick away.

My 15 Minutes with Jon Bon Jovi

2007-09-04T22:40:00.000-04:00

Time Magazine has a feature called "10 Questions" where readers can submit a question to whoever the guy of the week is. I got my Bon Jovi question on the internet!

(click pic to enlarge)