World Panderer

Superunknown

2006-07-07T08:44:00.000-05:00

I know I'm heading for the bottom, and I'm riding you all the way!

That is a brilliant line from Soundgarden's Superunknown. My brother found my copy in the garage recently, and it has been in constant rotation ever since.

Rock on!

Blasted by Langerhans

2006-07-07T07:52:00.000-05:00

Did you watch the Atlanta Braves game on Sunday (07/02)? If you did, you may have seen me get beaned in the face by a richochet home run from Ryan Langerhans. This line drive shot went over my shoulder in right field. When I looked back to see who caught it, I felt a mule kick right on the bridge of my nose.

Thankfully, the damage was minor.

Tags [Atlanta], [Ken Lay], [North Korea], [Putin], [Supernova], [Treasure Hunters]

Just had a thought...

2006-06-27T14:16:00.000-05:00

Just the thought of this makes me snicker.

"The George W. Bush Presidential Library"

To think that our non-newspaper reading president will have an entire building filled with books, documents, and papers filled with words...

I can see it now! The entire Spiderman Collection in the Marvel Comics Wing. The silence and serenity within the halls of the Graphic Classics.

Of course, Laura will have her "Abstinence Only" section dedicated to her loose (I mean lovely) daughters.

3 Drunks and a Giant Bottle

2006-06-26T14:20:00.000-05:00

100_1933
Originally uploaded by Jmonkey2000.

I figured I would throw in another picture from the beerfest. If anyone knows these three amigos. Please be sure to ridicule them at your next siting...

Weekend Update

2006-06-26T13:29:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon lil Panderers!

This was a pretty nice weekend! We took care of many an errand, including but not limited to:

Installed a ceiling fan in the bedroom (we have yet to swing from it)
Detailed the interior of T's car (no more sour milk smell)
Bought a new book, Getting Stoned with Savages : A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu by Maarten Troost. I read his first book about Tarawa, and his insight of the islands was very similar to my experiences on Saipan.
Drank some tasty Flying Dog Pale Ale at Katlanta's b-day event. This event also included some top-notch BBQ and my first foray into Peanut Butter stuffed Jalepenos.
Napped on Sunday in front of the Food Network.

Although this video is from February, I found some enjoyment when I loaded it on You Tube.

Rock on!

Tags [Atlanta], [Decatur], [Beans], [Peppy], [Strudel], [words]

Jokes and Jokes and Jokes

2006-06-23T10:28:00.000-05:00

Wow. I just realized that I post about once a month. If that doesn't inspire you to read my blog, then I don't know what will!

Here is a quick recap of the last couple weeks in order of importance.

T and I have reached the end of our first trimester! Knock on wood, T has been taking pregnancy on like a champ! This past Monday, we listened to the heartbeat of our lil lime within. Amazing Stuff.
T's sister, brother-in-law, and brood of 4 will be moving to the OTP within the next couple months. In order to get a jump on his new job, the B-I-L will be staying with us for a few weeks. It is going to interesting to see how they respond to living in the big city!
My brother recently moved to the DEC! He is working at the Angel, so pop in and give him some serious tips.
Work is going well... I won't provide any more details than that.. you cyber stalkers!
Creative Loafing's Beerfest was a great time! Some of the pictures on the site were taken by yours truly! Here is one of me on the mechanical bull!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Adding these words may help attract some traffic: The One Percent Doctrine Ron Susk..., Martin Taylor, Clay Aiken, World Cup, Myspace, Tamara Hoover, Singapore, Supernova

Kidney Bean and Other News

2006-05-22T14:29:00.000-05:00

This morning, my beautiful wife and I got our first view of our baby! The ultrasound gave us a terrific view of the body including its little heartbeat. What a wonderful gift we have been given.

For those keeping track and taking notes, we are 8 weeks 2 days in. The expected due date is December 30th. I few days earlier, and we have a Christmas baby. A couple days later, and we have a 2007 baby. How wild.

In an attempt to boost the visability of this blog, here are my comments on the top search terms on Technorati.

Lordi - My sister sent me the You Tube video to 'Rock and Roll Hallelujah". What a mess. I don't care if this Euro-Gwar won some competition. This is Green Jelly rediculous.

Da Vinci Code - T and I went to see the movie on Sat. I would give it an 8 of 10. I thought the story was interesting and the acting was pretty good. Really, how can you wrong with Ian Macellan, Audrey Tautou, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina, and the modern era Tom Hanks in the same film??

Macbook - I want one.

Ted Koppel - There really should be more foreign correspondents. I also want to see news from other countries aired on US networks. We ought to know what the rest of the world thinks about us.

Montenegro - Would you want to be on the tail end of "Serbia and .... ?"

Feedlounge - Come on... How many ways do we need to get content. RSS, OPML, Aggregators.

Talk-show Joe - I guess I need to tak the time to see what this even is...

Eurovision - If this show awards a band like Lordi, we should all be scared.

ROCK!

Yacking on the Man in Black

2006-04-24T13:36:00.000-05:00

There I was sitting in class…
Watching the clock as minutes amass…
Into the room walks the man in black…
Looking as though he had just been attacked…

Flushed is his face, damp are his eyes…
His words were soft in hope of disguise…
Reached for his bag, struggled to hold…
No one knew the drama about to unfold…

Shades of pink and the arrival of smell…
Slowly we gazed and were able to tell…
That the man in black was covered in yack…
And leaving was his first order…

Was he sick?
Had he caught the flu?
Neither correct…
As I shall soon inform you…

A man of the streets had demanded some change…
He was tattered, broken and hairless with mange…
Only some change was his minimal need…
Providing him none was the unwise deed…

Up from his belly a caustic brew…
From top to bottom, soaking straight through…
The man in black learned something powerful that day…
Always carry change, or make a faster getaway…

Top News Story Via MS Paint

2006-02-03T13:11:00.000-05:00

Egyption ferry sinks while crossing the Red Sea.

Perhaps....

2006-01-31T14:17:00.000-05:00

Maybe, just maybe... when I open my eyes Samuel Alito will not be a newly appointed Supreme Court Justice....

DAMN IT!!!!

Cut Away...

2006-01-13T10:27:00.000-05:00

I want to share my condolences with the ladies of the world who can no longer count on my friend being their “Baby Daddy”. Satisfied with the spawning of two great lil men, today he cuts the ties to future fatherhood. GOD SPEED my friend.

Today, T and I rejoice the upcoming three day weekend. We are going to watch the movies finally delivered by the USPS. My reviews will follow.

Sunday, we’ll celebrate the first birthday of the G-G twins. It amazes me how much these kids have grown, and how quickly they took to running, playing, and smacking their pandering uncle.

Work remains work, and my upcoming Silver Springs trip dances on the horizon. Next Wednesday, I fly into the greater DC area for three days of phone/email transition meetings. Thrills and expletives! Hopefully, I make some time to visit the National Museum of the American Indian, and the United States Holocaust Museum.

Have I mentioned how disappointed the James Frey revelations made me? I sped through this book in a couple days, and the tales of “true-life” horror electrified me. To learn of the liberties of exaggeration taken by the author leaves me feeling angry. I doubt you will find me buying “My Friend Leonard” anytime soon.

Have a great weekend, and let me hear you ROCK!

No New Gig 4 Me

2006-01-10T11:17:00.000-05:00

After waiting (and perhaps lamenting) through the holidays, my employer offered the Web Master position to an external candidate with more years of ~~position~~ experience. What can I do? If I continue to work hard, increase my visibility, and maintain a positive outlook something good will happen.

Classes started last night! Upon review of the syllabi, two of the three classes require group projects. I cannot stand group projects. Group members either do no work or the work they provide sucks. The same can often be said for business, but at least you are paid to put up with the misgivings of others. The International Business project involves the creation of a country profile on India. I can't say I'm thrilled....

The season premier of THE SHIELD airs tonight on FX.
The postman probably dropped the Constant Gardner and the Wedding Crashers on my doorstep.
Idiot inaccurately defines Marcus Vick. Maybe THUG works better.

Mo Betta Wednesday!

New Year... #1 Post

2006-01-09T12:55:00.000-05:00

We are into the second full week of the new year, and I am getting to my first post.

School is set to begin tonight! I am looking forward to once again surrendering a couple of my weeknights to learn more about the global economy and how to communicate properly.

This semester I am taking 2 full courses, and one mini-mester course. My load should be considerably lighter after I finish the 7-week course. No Finance this time around, so I may (hopefully) have an easier time than last semester.

Yesterday, I went to check out the carnival that is the “JC music dungeon”. Never in my life have I seen so many records, cds, tapes and 8-tracks in one person's home. It seemed that around every corner, another stash was revealed. We listened to his Magnaplaner speakers, which alone required special attention. He also gave me rummage privileges to his plethora of bootlegs. In an attempt to help him free up some space, I walked away with tons of Ryan Adams, Whiskeytown, and Morphine.

The rest of the weekend involved the Piedmont Dog Park, NFL Playoffs, Terrapin Cream Ale, Sleep and Athens Pizza.

We also have houseguests this week. Miss Madame Fannie and the King Elvis Ellerman are staying with us while their parents are woot wooting it in Arizona.

The Eve of the Eve...

2005-12-23T16:33:00.000-05:00

Today T and I got out of dodge early to have lunch and finish up some last X-mas gift shopping... We had some fantastic Mexican at Zapata in Norcross. I had some fantastic Mole Enchiladas. Mole! Mole! Mole!....

Then it was on to the FORUM on Peachtree Parkway to spend the last of my greenbacks. Alarmingly, someone was having a heart attack outside of Barnes and Noble. Very scary! It seemed like the EMTs were able to stabilize her, but when we first came up they were performing CPR. Not the image you want to link with the Holiday Season.

Now I am plotting out my afternoon nap!

Look Out... It's Christmas Time!

2005-12-21T10:36:00.000-05:00

I’m back
I’m back in the saddle again
I’m back
I’m back in the saddle again

Who missed me? Where have I been? What have I been doing?
It's been a month since my last post, and I have been biting at the bit to get back into the swing-a-ling of things.

Of course no one reads this, so it doesn't remotely matter where I've been :)

I hope everyone has a very merry christmas and a happy new year! T and I will be staying in Atlanta and celebrating on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning will be spent at my mom's house with the rest of the gang!

Since this is the time of lists... Here are my top 5 albums for 2005....

1. My Morning Jacket - Z
2. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl
3. System of a Down - Hypnotize
4. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - Cold Roses
5. Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze

And to all a good FIGHT!

The Final Countdown

2005-11-21T16:56:00.000-05:00

If your first thoughts are of the hair-metal band EUROPE, you get 50 points.

The real countdown, the only one that matters in Atlanta... is the number of days until the new Georgia Aquarium smells like PEE. My statistics-free analysis predicts that the smell of 1000's of children peeing will permeate the entire place within two weeks. Because how much of that $200 million dollars was spent on air fresheners? Probably not nearly enough...

Does that mean I won't be checking out the whale sharks, and big boy belugas? OH Hells No! I will be there probably after the place has taken on its new smell...

ECK!

Thursday is the new Friday...

2005-11-10T08:57:00.000-05:00

With Veteran's Day being observed tomorrow, my work week is slowing down to a crawl. It is fitting that my grandfather's funeral is being held this weekend, seeing as how he served in WWII and the Korean War. There will definately be some military representation in the services.

I cannot go on with all serious subject matter. I do have to throw out some things of amusement. Like the Panthers cheerleaders that were arrested for not only for performing sexual acts in a public restroom, but for also punching someone out. No link supplied, as I am sure you have all read about it by now.

Today on FARK, I read that 4 students were kicked out of ROTC and suspended from school for having sex on a school trip. Back when my parents were telling me about ROTC in high school, I had no idea this is what was going on. I thought it had more to do with making pyramids out of people, and putting them on leashes. Thanks to Lynndie England for being the supreme follower IDIOT.

William E. Swetnam - My Grandpa

2005-11-06T16:12:00.000-05:00

The past week has been tragic and emotionally taxing far beyond anything I have lived through previously. Saturday morning (11/05), my grandfather [William E. Swetnam] passed away at the age of 88 in Asheville, NC due to complications from his recent surgury. He died from a pulmonary embolism in each of his lungs.

The memorial services are this Saturday (11/12) in Franklin, NC. Services will also be held in Beaufort, SC on Saturday (11/19). Donations in my grandfathers name can be made to:

St. Agnes Episcopal Church, Franklin, NC
Diocese: Western North Carolina
Office Address:
84 Church Street
Franklin , NC 28734
The Rev. Claude Y. Stewart - Interim Priest-in-Charge
cystewart@earthlink.net
Primary Phone: (828) 524-4910

Is Friday Night Allright 4 Fighting Too?!?

2005-11-04T09:16:00.000-05:00

The weekend is nearly upon us! Only a short work day away from planting myself face first into a pile of nonsense.

Tonight the mrs. and I are having dinner at 2 Urban Licks. I took a look at the menu online and everything looks tasty… If anyone has any recommendations, let me know!

Tomorrow is the Dick-hater Whino Festival! I am looking forward to tasting some FARKING MERLOT! Down with the PINOT.

Then there will be some hungover cahooting at Lenny's Bar where we'll be checking out Sovus Radio. If they suck, there will only be one person to blame.

Sunday is all about Finance... Exam coming up, so I need to be solving some problems and memorizing some formulas.

Maybe just maybe, I will squeeze in the Falcons/Dolphins game....

Busted....

2005-11-01T11:58:00.000-05:00

Trick-o-Treat was a complete bust last night. We hurried home and dumped all the candy into a big pail only to have 10 kids come the whole night. Completely disappointing! Now I have enough candy at the house to last a year. The next time you see me, it will be on Springer, and they will be cutting down the walls of the house to get me out.

I have an important Green Lantern update to make!!! He has new teeth! So not only are veneers for PWT (via Extreme Makeover) and celebrities, they are now also for image-obsessed coworkers.

In Recovery...

2005-10-31T13:48:00.000-05:00

Just got word that my grandfather made it through his surgery today. Turns out that he had two cancerous growths in his intestines. We won't find out until Wednesday whether or not it spread into his lymph nodes.

I am relieved to some degree, but we still have that uncertainty...eck...

Happy Halloween...

2005-10-31T09:05:00.000-05:00

It seems like the folks at Exxon Mobile underestimated the Trick portion of "Trick or Treat". Over 1000 employees were inoculated with purified water rather than the flu shot.

This weekend T and I kept it pretty low key. After complaining about our lack of Halloween plans, we grabbed some Mexican and watched The Amityville Horror. I have never seen the original, but this one was pretty creepy.

In between the hours of studying Saturday, I went to the Eggleston Children’s Hospital to volunteer for a Halloween art activity. That was a blast. It was hard to see some of the children hooked up to all the machinery, but being able to put smiles on their faces was amazing.

Saturday night we watched some great football games. UCLA over Stanford was awesome.

Yesterday I had to venture down to school to work on a group project. I absolutely hate them, because I end up doing all the work and have to explain simple shtuff to the idiots J

T&K came over for dinner and Desperate Housewives last night. Just a mere three or four weeks into the season, and they are already airing re-runs… What the hell is that about??? Instead we laughed hysterically through episodes of Family Guy and American Dad.

Skrewel...

2005-10-27T08:06:00.000-05:00

So last night I had to make the choice between staying in class or going to see Neil Diamond... Of course I stayed in class. A coworker of mine ended up with 18 free tickets, so there was a mass trip to see them "Come to America". I am sure it was a lot of laughs, but I like to keep my dinner down..

OUCH!....

2005-10-24T11:29:00.000-05:00

That's what I call "Sneaking one through the guard".
Obviously, the one not being pummelled recorded the victory...

The Space Between...

2005-10-24T09:32:00.000-05:00

Loose adaptation of a DMB song

The Space Between
My recent posts...
Is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The Space Between
The times I write...
And hope to keep safe from the pain

This weekend flew by in a flicker of light! I didn't get to any school work, but I managed to watch DiG! on Friday, and 200 Cigarettes on Sat. DiG! is a documentary that traces seven years of friendly/rivalry between the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols. Heroin is bitch, is all I can say...

I got this great pic of my Papichu this weekend.... He is reverting back to his 1980's cowboy days!

Care to explain?

2005-10-19T09:07:00.000-05:00

Why do I need to know what is going on? Why do I need to track down the source? I am not a reporter, or a very good researcher for that matter. When it comes to what is happening in the office I am on the case. I will make calls, send emails, or pop into a colleague’s office to get the scoop. When I get what I am after, what do I do? Nothing. I don’t spread the word or propagate the info. I just sit with the knowledge and stew until the next light bulb flips on…

Covering all the bases...

2005-10-18T13:01:00.000-05:00

So I am thinking of how I am going to avoid getting sick this winter. I have already been supplied with a seaon's worth of Hands 2 Go. This is an alcohol-free hand foam that wipes away 99.9% of germs on contact. I have also decided to do a saline nasal-flush once a day. I know the latter sounds pretty disgusting, but it works! When you are sneezing and hacking, take a second to think of me dumping saltwater up my nose :)

Last night T had a good birthday. We went to Little Bangkok for a Tom Yum hot pot, and a couple chicken dishes. We retired for the evening with an episode of Medium and some MNF.

In a random event, I had the building fire alarm go off just as I was set to give a presentation on the new call center. It wasn't a "get out of jail free card" though, as we got back into the building with time to spare. ACK.

Looking for more new music! I have been listening to the last couple Ryan Adams cds...

Bells and Whistles... Hootin and Hollerin!

2005-10-17T09:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Tracy, the love of my life, my beautiful bride. I hope your day is fantastical! You are hereby formally welcomed into your late-20s :)

Bluesday...

2005-10-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Oooh, this is classic! Our pal in goth, Marilyn Manson, is releasing his own fragrance line! That ought to be good. I bet it is a mix of cardamom and leather bondage-suit sweat.

So what do you all think about that 65-year old dude getting beat down in Louisiana by 4 white cops? Excessive force? Me thinks so. Hopefully, this will be a case where they come down hard on these officers in order to get other officers out of this violent mindset. I am sure they are stressed to the max., but they still have a duty to serve and protect. I don’t remember seeing “Lay the smack down on an old dude’s ass” in the police credo.

Was it just me who noticed the local news teaser over the weekend that stated, “Thousands die in earthquake, and USHER does his part to support the Katrina victims.” Tell me those two events don’t have a similar level of impact!?! Tell me that what USHER does isn’t as important as a natural disaster that devastated a region!?! But our need to follow celebrities from morning to night will continue to gain headlines as long as we know the name Kevin Federline, or what TOMKAT stands for.

ROCK This shituff outta my way!

Happy Birthday Wishers....

2005-10-10T17:47:00.000-05:00

There are two big b-day shout outs to give today.

The first is for our friend Mr. Ellerman. I welcome him to another year of growing long in the tooth.

The second meltdown is for our friend/coworker/neighbor/board member Ms. Shanklin. Happy Birthday to you.

Now I completely expect to have some birthday-blog come February.

Happy Gérard Depardieu Day

2005-10-10T11:54:00.000-05:00

I mean happy Columbus Day. Our good pal Gérard played the famous Spaniard in the film 1492: Conquest of Paradise. I will admit that I have not seen the complete film, but it's the only Columbus flick I can recall. For whatever reason, I have the day off to give thanks to the European invasion of the Americas.

The weekend was rather enjoyable. We actually made it through 3 films from Netflix! This is an absolute miracle in our house, because generally it takes us weeks. Friday, we watched Layer Cake. It was given good reviews from our friends, but I didn't find it to be all that great. I thought it was a B-reel of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. I don't think a film has to have 27 plot twists in order to be enjoyable. Saturday we ventured back to 1999 and watched the Talented Mr. Ripley. Again, I was less that satisfied. The snail pacing drove me to tears. Finally, I watched Papillon yesterday. This movie was made in 1973, but I think it still holds up well today. McQueen and Hoffman were amazing in this tortured prison tale.

I am sorry for all the links to IMDB, but at least I am taking you to a good site.

Sat. night, T and I went up to my madre's house to visit with my brother. He is in town from NM through today. I sure hope he is happy out there. We had made plans to visit a friend up in Marietta, but family comes first. Sorry Schuman!

Yesterday, we relaxed, watch some Falcons, and gorged ourselves through 18 innings of the Bravos at T&K's aboad.

Rock on!

Asleep at the Wheel

2005-10-07T12:24:00.000-05:00

I am beat today..Tropical Storm "Pain in my Rear" caused a 2-hour delay in my brother's flight from Chicago last night, meaning I didn't home and to sleep until 2AM. 2AM!!! This was after work and a home owners association meeting. I am still unsure why I let my wife and friend/neighbor/coworker talk me into being on the board. We sit there and discuss the same stuff for months on end.

Is this ROCKTOBER OR WHAT?!?

Where do you get your news?

2005-10-04T08:33:00.000-05:00

I learned about this news site during an Effective Web and Application Design Course offered through HFI. I think the class itself was kind of a waste because in three days we didn't tap very far beneath the surface.

I have learned that the passing of Ben Govendo was very likely alcohol related. It is also being reported that he may have been involved in a hit and run accident shortly before running his vehicle off the cliff.

I learned that FedEX has a same-day shipping option. It's expensive, but if you need to get something someplace quick.... I guess you have options.

Last night T and I hosted a dance party in our home office. We alternated songs from our respective catalogs for an hour and a half. GOOD Times. I even managed to work in a Priest song.

Now that is ROCKIN!

When Bad News Rains.... It Pours

2005-10-03T07:34:00.000-05:00

SAIPAN TRIBUNE Monday, October 03, 2005

A son of Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo died after the vehicle he was driving fell into a ravine by the Thousand Curve in Puerto Rico before dawn Saturday.

Police sources said the mishap claimed the life of Ben Govendo, whose sports utility vehicle fell into the ravine by the roadside of southbound Middle Road, just past the intersection leading to Capitol Hill.

The accident reportedly happened at about 3am. Police sources said the site of the accident, which is also known as Fatality Curve, has been called as such due to the high number of fatalities from vehicular mishaps that had occurred in the area.

The curve requires motorists to make a sharp turn, and the roadside has no fence separating it from the several-feet-deep ravine.

Motorists who passed by the vicinity said emergency responders-police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel-were still blocking the outer southbound lane at around 4am.

Until Saturday afternoon, motorists said police continued to block the outer southbound lane, while a crane was salvaging the vehicle from the ravine.

Police are investigating the case, but the Department of Public Safety has yet to release an official statement regarding the accident. DPS spokesman Catherine Sheu could not be reached for interview over the weekend.

I haven't seen Ben in over 12 years, but the loss of another young life is a terrible thing. I believe I was with Ben when I tried betelnut for the first time on the NMC campus.

Thanks to my Papi for sharing this news.

Good Show...

2005-10-01T14:21:00.000-05:00

The "Can Can Man" and I went to the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) show last night at The Loft. As of yesterday morning, I hadn't heard any of their stuff. I was very impressed with their musical talent and the wall of sound they could create as a three piece. The sound reminded me at times of John Spencer Blues Explosion and Fu Manchu. The links to Dylan were very obvious, especially in the first couple acoustic tracks.

Today I am chilling back, drinking some brew and watching the MSU-UM. As I type, they are heading to overtime.

ROCK!

Scary Times

2005-09-29T10:14:00.000-05:00

I just got word that my grandfather (86 yo) has a small cancerous growth in his colon. I think they caught it early enough to have a good prognosis, but anytime someone of that age has to have surgery it's not a good thing. What amazed me, in talking to my grandmother, is that Medicare will only pay for one colonoscopy every 10 years. I think that is entirely insufficient. Had my grandfather's doctor not made the executive decision, they may not have found the cancer until it was too late. My grandpa is a tough ex-marine, and he will pull through this just fine!

To read more about colorectal cancer check out CDC | Cancer.gov | Yahoo Health

With this news and the recent heart surgery of my friend's father, I am nervous for our future. Facing the realities of surgery, cancer, and death is too much for me to handle... Paxil only takes care of so much.

Love your family. Love your friends. Love your body because it's the only one we'll ever get!

BLOCK ROCKIN BEATS!

I'm Running Free, Yeah, I'm Running Free!

2005-09-25T16:51:00.000-05:00

Listening to Bruce Dickinson fire up the crowd at the Long Beach Arena, circa 1985, on Maiden's Live After Death just got me nostalgic. That was probably my fav record growing up a skater on the streets of downtown Phoenix. I would skate all around downtown including Encanto Park (Spanish for enchanted), parking garages, and the most vert "launch ramp" I had seen at that age (thanks to my fathers handy work). I never exceled at skating, but it made for a good mode of transportation. I think all those summer days of hitting the pavement explain why my brain fucntions the way it does.

This weekend, T and I set up in our normal spot for the Duluth Fall Festival parade. As usual, the parade was lined with kids, marching bands, surgically enhanced women from Wild Bills, Elvis, and tractors. I commented to T that the tractors weren't nearly as clean as they were last year. Some of them still had weeds and dirt clumps hanging from the bottom. We ate our fill of candy, boiled peanuts, and BBQ pork sandwiches before heading home. I love a good tradition, especially when it involves food. The afternoon was filled with studying Corp. Finance, shopping for mixing bowls, and picking up stuff for dinner. I couldn't find the exact recipe, but essentially I made Nachos with black beans and goat cheese. GOOD Stuff.

Bottlle Neck in Houston

2005-09-22T13:53:00.000-05:00

Thankfully, folks are making an early evacuation out of the gulf coast of Texas while RITA is breathing her CAT-5 halitosis down their necks. I hope that that this storm disapates before landfall, but it doesn't look that way. According to mainstream media (isn't it all?), the early response being taken in the soon to be affected areas has been much improved in the aftermath of Katrina. It is so unfortunate that our emergency response lessons have to come at the hands of over 1,000 dead.

Things to do this coming weekend:

Make our 4th pilgrimage to the Duluth Fall Festival. I will be screaming "candy, candy, candy" and in years past, and taking pot shots at the KOOL-AID man.

Study, Study, Study

News You Can Use...

2005-09-20T11:57:00.000-05:00

My friend's father pulled through what ended up being quadruple bypass yesterday. I guess if the bad guys of inner city Detroit couldn't bring him down while he was "serving and protecting", heart surgury didn't stand a chance.

No doubt about it...

2005-09-19T09:29:00.000-05:00

Here is an important thing to remember as you pass through life.

Buzz Martin paved the way for other muy muy macho mission statements like, "Thou who wears a Speedo, must not be modest" and "Where there is an H2, there is lies a man with a small package. "

Positive Thoughts...

2005-09-19T07:58:00.000-05:00

Today my best friend's father is having triple bypass surgury. I hope that all goes extremely well and he is quick to recover. It scares me to think of my parents having to face such things, and it frightens me even more to have to think about facing those things myself.

A couple years ago, I had a spell of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) that lasted six months. It was terrible. I had CAT Scans and MRIs before I was finally sent to an ENT who performed the Epley Manuever. That has been my biggest health concern in the past 15 years, so thinking of something far worse gets my blood pressure skyrocketing. Of course being a hypochondriac doesn't help matters. After reading the definition, maybe I am not a hypo- in the truest sense.

The work week is back upon us, and I have lots of odds and ends to do... So ROCK OUT MAIDEN style.

Strutting East Atlanta at 6:30 in the A.M.

2005-09-18T10:27:00.000-05:00

No I have not started moonlighting as a "hustler". For one I don't know if there is a market for it in East Atlanta, and secondly I am not an early bird. I was there to volunteer for the East Atlanta Strut from 6:30 to 10:30. My super-duper-top-secret role was to direct the artists to their proper booth locations for the Artist Market on Flat Shoals Rd. I had a good time and met some nice people.

I will have to do it up again next year.

Numerators and Dominators...

2005-09-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

Tops and Bottoms... is the best way to start this Friday off right. The weekend is hours away, and I am ready to blast out.

Nothing all too exciting to report other than finally downloading Rancid's ...And Out Come the Wolves last night. That disk completely reminds me of my years in Seattle (94–97). Mr. Christian (Mr... not Sister) and I would blast that disc as we were on our way up to the mountains to snowboard, or cruising through the U-district. Good times back then for sure.

New season of Survivor started last night. I think that will be the only tv show I will have time for this fall. Instead I will be filling my time with T, the booshkas, school, family, volunteering, football and the like...

Looking for a pic of me and the happy Mrs.? Look no further. This was taken at Famous Pub in Toco Hills. We were seeing off our friend Mr. Schuman.

Have a rockin weekend all!

Family Fued

2005-09-14T10:04:00.000-05:00

I am sure everyone has their moments of family stress... My moment came this morning. After listening to a sibling go on about something that happened 3 months ago, they asked me if T or I were harboring any ill will... Huh? I thought I was going to have to send a sonic bitch slap through the phone. Another one of my siblings (age 19) is "moving" to San Diego this week. Only a couple catches.... Hasn't worked in a couple months (so no $), No place lined up to live, no car, and not a whole lot of common sense. I imagine this will quickly turn into a one- or two-week bum style vacation. The third of said siblings is also out west living a life of luxury in NM.

Yesterday, I failed to mention that the Green Lantern was wearing suspenders. I couldn't believe that I was seeing a man in his early 30s in a business casual environment... wearing suspenders! I kept hoping that his arch-enemies would knock him down and give him a proper blanket party.

Looks like the inside info I had the other day proved to have no long lasting harm. Some people's ego are big enough to allow psychos to roll in and roll out like the tide.

ROCK, ROCKIN IT...

Deslizadizo Cuando Es Mojado

2005-09-13T08:34:00.000-05:00

I am not sure why the title for this post is "Slippery When Wet" in Spanish. Perhaps I am paying homage to the hardest working guys in New Jersey, or maybe I am lending support to Aqua Net Pink. Regardless, I have no idea where I am going with this... so I hereby end it.

Last night was filled with highs and lows. Highs came at the hands (or paws) of a young pugglesworth named Riley. He came over for a play date with the good doctor. They ran and ran until Peppy woke up...The low was watching my Aussie grill fall to the fate of the elements. First one of the handles rusted within the stem making it impossible to turn on one side of the burner, and the other side was flaming erratically. With these latest developments and the impending doom of feisty home owner’s association rules, I will soon be forced into the world of charcoal.

For a week now, I have been thinking about the UPS commercial and wondering “What Can Brown do for You?” Well we finally got our answer yesterday. The fool realized that he had nowhere to go but down, so he resigned. I guess he can always go back to working with Arabian horses… Wait a minute….NO, He Can’t…..

The Atlanta Falcons won last night 14-10 over the Eagles. Once again I barely made it into the 3rd quarter of a night game. Where is the stamina these days???

Keep on ROCKIN!

Weekend Warrior Sometimes...

2005-09-12T07:54:00.000-05:00

So T and I completed our first volunteer effort over the weekend. We manned (and womanned) the phones at the Salvation Army Hurricane Command Center for a few hours, and then we helped pack boxes and unload cars. It was a satisfying time spent. Everyone seemed so positive and energized by the assistance they were providing. My personal "mission statement" is to continue these efforts going forward. Not just for my own conciense, but also for the memory of Steve Lotti, and all those that lost everything in the Gulf Coast region.

Yesterday was not just the 4th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but it was also our one year anniversary (common-law birthday) for Beansies In Betweensies, MD. We helped him celebrate by filling up his KONG with liver paste and treating him with a new stuffed monkey. He has been an amazing addition to our family, and I couldn't imagine not having his fur-face around.

Now as I settle in to do some work, I want to remind each and every one of my two faithful readers that I love you all.... and you just keep on ROCKIN!!!

-JW

Unwanted Knowledge

2005-09-09T13:16:00.000-05:00

Do you ever know something about someone that you really don't want to know, although you are curious to know? I didn't think so. Any how...I came to find out something before the person it affected found out. Kinda sucks sitting on that kind of knowledge... Shows to go you that there are some extremely self involved people out there that have some growing up to do. Thankfully, I don't have anyone like that within my close circle.

During lunch today, I ran by Target and picked up some school supplies to donate to a student displaced by Hurricanrana Katrina. I really enjoyed picking out the little scissors, markers, crayons and such. My favorite part was the sweet Spiderman backpack that some kid will get to sport. I can't wait to do that for my own lil booshaka some day. No pressure T :)

Weekend is almost upon me! T and I are going to chomp down on some sushi tonight, and then tomorrow is the volunteer day for Salvation Army. I am totally charged up for that.

I just read that my boy Brown (FEMA) has been recalled to Washington, DC. Day late and a dollar short, but this guy had to go...

PATS continued their winning ways last night...

Green Lantern must be out carrousing with his Justice League at the Pink Pony, because I have not had one siting today :)

Welcome Back My Friend...

2005-09-08T14:47:00.000-05:00

NFL Football starts up tonight with Patriots and Raiders. I can't wait to plant myself on the couch for the first half and snuggle up with T in bed for the second.

I am a little disappointed that I won't have the NFL Ticket this year, but what was I to do? We don't have a clear view of the southern sky! But we do have INDemand. What a waste that is... I always seem to knock myself out of an episode about midway through. Why can't everything in life have the TIVO interface. SIMPLICITY is Bliss.

Kadooc, Kadooc and I just fast forwarded commercials
Kadooc, Kadooc and I just recorded Glengarry Glenn Ross.
If given the chance, I would Kadooc, Kadooc about half my day...

Only one Green Lantern siting today. Passing through in a suit and some silky-looking open neck shirt thing. You gotta wonder where these super geeks get their fashion sense.

Gotta run... Gotta get to the gym... or couch... or floor....

Hilarity Persued...

2005-09-07T08:38:00.000-05:00

There is not anything hilarious to report this morning, other than the images of dunking the Green Lantern in Lake Pontchartrain running through my head. Once again, he is strutting around here like a peacock and making sure everyone can hear him talking shop.

Last night was a busy, busy, busy. From work to the DeKalb Farmer's Market. Then home to walk the Booshkas before whipping up some dinner. The menu consisted of...Jungle Curry and Tom Yum Goon. After that was all done, minus the cleaning which I left for T (sorry), I was off to skrewel...

Speaking of T... She and I are going to volunteer at the Salvation Army this Saturday. We will be packing up boxes that will be making their way to NOLA and the Gulf Coast. I am sad that it has taken a national disaster and the passing of a friend to motivate me to help others. I guess everyone has a different kick in the pants. We are getting involved through Hands on Atlanta, which seems to be a great way to find volunteer opportunties in the area.

I still want to:

See The Constant Gardner
Listen to a Sultans cd
Lose some Weight

Here is a funny line from Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO:
New Rule: Tulips aren't flowers. They're some kind of gay onion.

Mad Ups.

2005-09-06T11:51:00.000-05:00

So I totally stole this story from FARK.com. With all the bad news happening in the world:

Hurricane Katrina
War in Iraq
Gas Prices

it is nice to have a good story to read.

Laboring through the day of the same name...

2005-09-05T18:35:00.000-05:00

The end of a long three day weekend is upon me. Don't all the long ones (and short ones for that matter) seem to pass too quickly? I still have a good 4~7 naps in me if given the opportunity to lounge with Dr. Beans and the Pep Sharoop.

This weekend T & I:

built a basketball hoop upon which I will never play.
watched Dirty Pretty Things with Audrey Tautou. I would give it an 7.5/10.
Swam, dove and people watched at the Emory Pool. I wish I could go back in time and save my eyes from the beast in the lime green.
Studied finance until I had a headache.
Put a decent dent in a Corona 12-pack

Things on the Gulf Coast are still looking bad. The W-monkey is nominating Roberts for Chief Justice the day after Renquist passes on. I thought you had to already be on the Supreme Court before you could be the Big Shot Chief...tell me if i'm wrong...

Football is back with us this weekend with shocking upsets to Oklahoma and Auburn. The Beeg's Domers looked good, and my Radio-coached Huskies stunk up the joint against Air Force.

I haven't read any good celebrity juice this week. I did like Kanye West's comments at the telethon. Props to Mr. West for not reading the teleprompter.

Rock On!

Gotta Ante Up!

2005-09-01T09:12:00.000-05:00

In case you are wondering, I did make it back from MI without a scratch...even though I was imported and exported through Flint. I had a good time, but I did have the impending doom of Hurricane Katrina on my mind.

As we are four days into the aftermath, I am still amazed with the images I have seen on tv and online. I cannnot imagine how scared these people must have been. On the Today Show this morning, they showed footage of the storm surge ripping through a Gulfport, MS Holiday Inn. The carnage caused by water and wind was mindblowing.

Make Cash Donations to the American Red Cross for the Hurricane Kristina Relief.

Yesterday was the memorial service for Steve Lotti and his mother Sherra Hambrick Young. It was beautiful, and all those that knew and loved them were in attendence. T and I were amazed with how broad their love and influence had reached.

Memorial Donations can be made through the Peace Corps. Help out Bolivia, where Steve had spent the last two years of his life.

The Gas Saga of Atlanta 2005 also took place yesterday. Upon driving around for 40 minutes, and passing through one sold-out gas station after another, we were finally able to fuel up the blue beast to the tune of $45. HUH?!?

There is so much going on right now that it is tough to wrap my mind around one thing for more than a couple minutes...

Michigan Night Sweats...

2005-08-26T08:42:00.000-05:00

So I am heading out and up to Lansing, Michigan this weekend for some fantasy football, beer, cigars, and clown mockery. The cita will be there in all of his glory so I expect to see some grilling take place.

After the untimely passing of our friend Steve Lotti, I can use some of the mindless fun that being around friends can bring. My only hope is that people can learn from Steve's life and try to be a bit more selfless and giving.

Right Angle, Wrong Angle?

2005-08-07T14:48:00.000-05:00

I am in the frustrating process of nailing in the quarter-round along our laminate flooring. I started the process by buying the quarter-round itself at Floor & Decor at ~$10.00 per 9 ft. This morning, I rented a Dewalt Cordless Finishing Nailer. Where I started off completely wrong, was when I thought I could use a hand saw and a plastic miter box to cut the necessary angles. After cutting approximately 2 1/2 45 degree angles, I decided to up the ante and purchase a real miter saw. Another trip out to Lowes, and I came home with a Delta Miter saw for about $100. I hate spending the additional dollars, but my sanity is worth a lot more....

T is spending the day slapping a layer of primer on the kitchen cabinets. Sometimes, I think we bite off more than we can chew, but in the end, isn't that what home ownership is all about?

As a follow-up, I headed back out to Floor & Decor to get more quarter-round yesterday afteroon. As it turns out the "wood expert" undercalculated how many boards I would need by almost 50 ft. It seems like every time I go there, it is raining. Since all their carts are outside, I am left drying the darned thing with paper towels. What a ~~hastle~~ hassle.

Flip Flops and Gun Drops

2005-07-29T07:48:00.000-05:00

So I finally caught up on some zzzz's and some TIVO last night. After gorging my self on some spicy crunchy salmon and rainbow rolls, T and I settled into last week's episodes of Six Feet Under and Hell's Kitchen.

I can't believe we got sucked into a FOX reality series, but I think this one is pretty entertaining. Instead of Real World's "Who's Boofing Who", HK is all about the cooking. It is a mix of the Iron Chef and your drunk uncle with Tourette's. My only gripe is that there were only a couple chefs that really had the chops, and of course they landed in the final spots. I guess it makes for good television to see helpless FOOD Network geeks flounder in the kitchen.

Six Feet has reeled me back in as a viewer. It is not happy television by any stretch, but is a strong affirmation that family's can be the most junked up things on earth.

The weekend is again upon us, and will be catching some more Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Freakonomics

2005-07-08T08:13:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Freakonomics. It raises some interesting issues, but none more so that the crime drop of the 1990s was due largely in part to the legalization of abortions via Roe v. Wade.
It claims that by legalizing abortions, there were far fewer "potential" criminals on the streets. I find that to be a believable argument, but when I was discussing it with folks in my office, I was greeted with looks of horror and disgust. I guess not everyone shares my views.

It is FRIDAY!! The weekend is upon me and I can't wait to get out of the office.

London Calling....911

2005-07-07T08:12:00.000-05:00

There has been a terrorist attack in London. The underground commuter trains and a double-decker bus were targeted. This is yet another tragedy in the "war on terror". As terrible as it sounds, I find myself becoming desensitized to these attacks. I think I am a compassionate person, but why don't I feel more when these things happen?

In other news... Katie Holmes isn't quite ready to wed.. WTF?!? Who Cares!

Kun James Prophecy

2005-07-06T15:13:00.000-05:00

So... We have just ended a glorious visit with Kun James. He is a guru of sorts and a father to all. His teachings fall into the rhelm of beer, cigars, parenting and zen buddhism. We miss him and his wonderful sidekick, RUNG! Wherever they are, what ever they are doing, I hope all is well!

Spare Change or Change for a Fifty?

2005-07-05T15:10:00.000-05:00

Anyone out there got my back? Does anyone have some cheeze to float?

Well this will be another attempt at writing a proactive undecipherable blog. I will place some kinder thoughts on polo-tics and rescue pups. I will suspend my disbelief in all things pulp and pop, in order to blabber about it incessantly.