Okay I Get It

Nobody reads my nonsense anymore, except my girlfriend, and she kind of has to. If she doesn't read it and tell me I am the funniest, handsomest, sexiest guy in the world I will pout and sit on the couch all day watching Fox news. (don't judge me)

I get it though. People are busy, and tired, and sick of the government jerking us around for no reason. We are all bored to death with Fox news and MSNBC and the Washington Post and the New York Times. Sick of wondering who will be insuring us and whether or not we will have a job tomorrow. Annoyed with the threat of global warming while we struggle to pay the heating bill through one of the coldest winters in recent history. We are fairly disgusted with the fact that so many of our young men and women in the military are stuck overseas because Iran and Isreal don't want to play nice with one another.

Tired of hearing about the stars in Hollywood getting married or divorced every 5 minutes and tired of thinking about who really gets to decide if LGBT couples should or should not be allowed to marry in whatever state.

Tired of reading and watching the same commercials on TV about who has the best cellular coverage or the coolest new phone on the planet, it's a phone...they all do pretty much the same thing. Reality TV has been done and re-done. From Pregnant at 16 to Teen Mom. (yes thats usually how it happens...duh) Fishing for crab in Alaska led us to fishing for Tuna in the northeast. Looking for gold under the frozen Bering sea led to looking for gold in the jungles of Guyana.

A semi toothless guy who catches nuisance turtles for a living led to a couple of guys in Florida who catch alligators for a living. That show led to a bunch of people in Louisiana who shoot alligators which led to a family in Loisiana who make duck calls. Now you can go to pretty much any sporting goods store or Wal-Mart and buy camoflauged shirts, cups, hats, jackets and a bunch of other crap to let the world know that you are indeed an idiot.

Toddlers and Tiaras spun out Honey Boo-Boo. (thanks for that) What else is there to see? Competitive arm wrestling? Yeah thats a show too. SNORE!

Yep the country isn't really doing shit right now it's all old news for the most part so take a few minutes off and visit some blogs. You may get a chuckle or two on an otherwise dull ordinary day. Write something interesting on your blogs for the rest of us to read too. I sure miss the old back-and-forth with my bleeps of yesteryear. We had fun! If nothing else just call or shoot me an e-mail once in awhile so I know you're all still alive! Take care Bleeps!

Don't Judge Me

My refridgerator had developed a funk. I wasn't sure what was causing the offensive odor so my plan was to empty it completely and do a sort of smell-as-I-go thing.

There it is...yet another evolutionary failure. (see old blog about evolutionary fails. "Evolution" 10/31/09) Why can't we just throw shit away when it has gone beyond it's "use by" date? Why do we assume that we are smarter than the people who make, and determine the shelf life of the food we eat?

So I tore into the offensive appliance with a vengeance. I vowed never again to let foodstuffs go even one day beyond the recommended "use by" date. I have a calendar...it's right on my phone, and computer, and newspaper and even on the T.V. No reason to ever let food go bad again right? WRONG. I am getting older and the smartasses who put the "use by" dates on food have begun hiding the dates in odd places on food packaging and using the smallest print known to man. Yeah thats really funny jackholes, and a program I saw recently said that 2000 people would die this year from food poisoning. (maybe it was 200...I forget)

Back to me. I emptied the fridge and physically examined every item in there. Looking, smelling, and occasionally tasting the contents. If you are inspired by my fridge cleaning adventure please take note, if you haven't seen it in a couple of weeks, and you don't remember buying or preparing it, DON'T TASTE IT yuck!

Okay, so as I was going along I came upon a tupperware-ish bowl half full of kidney beans. (delicious on a salad) I didn't know how long they had been in there so I gave them a sniff. MISTAKE! MISTAKE! ABORT MISSION...ABORT! I am so happy I hadn't eaten any breakfast yet. My gag reflex is pretty tuned in to foul smelling stuff. Yes I very nearly puked.

The beans and the bowl found their way to the trash bag which quickly found it's way to the trash bin outside. (sorry tash man, I will put some Sonic gift cards out with the trash Tuesday evening)

The only other real mystery I discovered in there was what I believe to be cantaloupe juice. The biggest part of the mystery was, how the hell would cantaloupe juice get under that drawer? And how long has it been since a cantaloupe was even in here? No worries, eventually I got it sparkling clean. All the out of date stuff went into the trash and I think I managed to finish before the rest of the food spoiled from being out of the fridge.

So did it work? I don't know yet. Thought I would give it a couple hours to cool back down and then check for any odd aromas inside.

I think I will be scheduling a regular fridge deep-clean every so often from now on. I'm not sure what the recommended time between fridge deep-cleanings is, but I think every couple months is probably sufficient.

Squirrels

If you have spent very much time in my presence you are aware of my squirrel issues. Love them, hate them, tastes like chicken....etc. My friend Willy calls them "tree-bacon".

First the squirrel pros:

1: Squirrels are cute. Don't lie, they are very cute with their furry selves running around acting crazy.

2: Squirrels are pretty smart. It's true. I have watched a squirrel "fake bury" a nut in my yard. I was curious so I looked it up. Apparently they fear another squirrel might dig up their stash so they fake it sometimes. They build nests high up in the trees and you can supposedly tell how much snow the winter will bring based on whether the nests are out far on the branches or nearer to a more substantial fork in the tree.

3: Squirrels are great climbers/acrobats. They run right up trees and poles. They fearlessly tightrope along power lines and high tree branches. They can jump a long way and land without killing themselves.

Now the cons.

1: Squirrels are not cute. They sit smugly staring at you with their beady little eyes that scream "Death to all humans". They throw nut hulls down at people and pets just because they can. If dogs and cats ever sprout wings, squirrels are fucked.

2: Squirrels are not very smart. They will walk right into a live trap baited with sunflower seeds even though there isn't a sunflower within 10 miles of my house. They will break into my garage and rip out the insulation and chew through the wiring. Apparently squirrel digestive tracts cannot handle fiberglass insulation too well... they eat it and die. Electricity is not a squirrels friend, a nibble into garage wiring will roast a squirrels ass in no time. In case of a really severe winter they will just move into my garage. Dumb idea squirrel, I have a gun and you know I will fire it inside the garage.

3: Squirrels are poor climbers/acrobats. Their little flat bodies on the street under trees and power lines are a testament to their clumsiness. I witnessed a squirrel fall from a tree once. It was actually kind of funny. No, it didn't kill him but it knocked the wind out of him pretty good...stupid squirrel.

Other odd squirrel behaviors:

I'm not sure why, but sometimes I see squirrels sitting on top of the railroad tracks until its almost too late. My best guess is that the vibration of a locomotive thundering along at 55 mph feels good on their nuts. (not the nuts they eat) I haven't tried it myself, yet, mostly because I'm a LOT slower than a squirrel.

I have noticed on more than one occasion that a squirrel will sit with his back to the wind and his tail raised high in the air. I'm not sure but I guess the chilly wind feels good blowing on their squirrel butt holes.

If in a fit of anger you throw a chunk of a 2x6 at a belligerent squirrel, he will run over and inspect the chunk...like I would really try to smack him with food.

Bottom line is this, I don't care much for squirrels. They have their place in nature but I am pretty sure that place isn't my garage. They accidentally plant trees sometimes because they forget where they buried their acorns, and planting trees is nice. They provide food for hawks and hunters and today they gave me a reason to write awhile. I guess they aren't so bad after all. HA HA Tree Bacon.

Starbucks-Shmarbucks

I have a new toy. Settle down pervs, it's an espresso machine.

I like my caramel mochas. I was so excited when McD's started making Starbuck-esque coffee drinks. Finally a fast food option for my addiction. No more waiting in line behind well heeled, soccer mom coffee snobs ordering who the hell knows what in their alien, caffeine stoked language only known to green aproned baristas with crazy dialated pupils!

So I rushed right out my front door and into the realm of disappointment. I soon found myself in line behind hungry yet indecisive working people trying to figure out how to improve their odds of a heart attack while spending the least amount of money. Someone should write a book, "How to Kill Yourself For 6 Bucks Or Less" Thank you dollar menu!

The problem with McD's making espresso drinks is simple...it isn't a coffee shop, it's a burger joint. About one in three coffee drinks I ordered from them came out as planned...the others, epic fails. Well a few ruined drinks are worth it because of the savings per cup right? WRONG. I was only saving about .50 per drink.

There I was. Sad, and still looking for the illusive delicious, affordable caramel mocha. I'm not a giver-upper by nature and so decided there must be a better way. Eureka! I could make my very own drinks at home for half the cost of commercial drinks!

First step...I needed an espresso machine, easy right? WRONG. Searching the internet for espresso machines is kind of like shoe shopping, THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY OPTIONS!! (yes shoe shopping is on my list of things she should do when I'm not home.) So I began to read reviews on different machines and get price comparisons and color options and different features available blah blah blah! It was exhausting. I just want my mocha!

My local coffee roaster/seller (Thanks Dennis and Leah) took pity on me cause they are AWESOME and sent me a guy's information (Thanks Sam) who had done a crap load of research into the tangled web of information that is the home espresso machine. His research coupled with my research led me to the Breville Barista Express machine. Good reviews, nice features, affordable (compared to other machines) and available at a local(sort of) store.

There are a lot of little things to learn about making espresso at home. temperature, grind size, tamp pressure, whole or reduced fat milk, syrup flavors, etc. Yes its a learning thing but I am pleased to announce that I can now make my very own delicious caramel/white chocolate mochas at home! (insert happy dance).

Teach Your Children Well...

School is back in session. I drove Sweety-Pie to class the other day because she was running late and didnt want to look for parking. It seems to me that some parents are clearly wasting their hard earned dollars by sending their kids away to college. The money would be better spent sending them to some sort of remedial kindergarten. Here are a few notes to go over with the kids before sending them off to pretty much anywhere.

#1 Walking in the street is dangerous. Part of your parents money pays for those empty sidewalks. They were put there for you, use them.

#2 You are not special. Look around, there are bunches of others just like you.

#3 Thats a "back" pack...wearing it in the front, covering your field of vision will possibly injure you and will positively make you look like an idiot.

#4 Winter in Kansas is cold. Wear a coat. Ladies, coats are clunky and they cover up your new college outfits but remember from #2 nobody is looking at you anyway. Guys, frostbite doesnt make you look tough. Its pretty gross actually. And guys, no females are gonna be interested in kissing you while you are nursing a nasty, mid-winter, coughy, boogery, phlegmy cold. Wear a coat.

#5 Look before you cross the street. Dont assume that "pedestrians have the right of way". A 3000lb car travelling at 30mph will fucking ruin your day. (yes, I was hit by a car once. I wasnt hurt bad but my bicycle was pretty much trashed)

#6 This is an important one... The people you are pissing off with your juvenile antics today, (me), are the same ones you will be expecting to give you a tip when you serve them dinner tomorrow.

Dont get me wrong, I really like young people. I just think they sometimes forget the basics when they go off to college. So, Mom and Dad, Go over some basic rules of survival with your college bound kids and send them on their way with a hug, a kiss and their mittens securely safety pinned to their coats.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to you all!! Been very busy in Kansas but all is well. Sorry I havent stayed in touch but I think of you all often.

Farewell My Friend

   I am losing a good friend. My beloved cat Denali has been battling cancer for quite some time. Vet visits, surgery, and long nights have taken their toll on him. His time has come and I hope he knows that he will be missed. Denali has been a part of my family for nearly 14 years and saying goodbye is not easy. I vowed early on that I wouldn't let him suffer and today I intend to honor that vow.

 I have heard it said that a good friend doesn't judge you or expect anything from you...not true. My friend expected a lot from me and if ever I failed or came up short on his expectations he was quick to let me know. He demanded attention and sulked whenever he didn't get his way. He did pretty much what he wanted to do and on his own time schedule. He would stand and whine for as long as it took to get whatever it was he wanted. He decided for a while that he needed to be watched while he was eating, and so would whine until someone followed him to his food bowl. He would decide when he wanted to play and when he wanted to be left alone regardless of what I or anyone else may have going on at the time. When he was young he would often hide and grab at me from his secret locations.  Sometimes the hide and grab game would end up with me in the bathroom cleaning a wound. I don't think he really intend to hurt anyone but those claws were sharp.

When I got a dog, instead of being jealous and petty, Denali decided that he would claim his title of King of the house. Sometimes I referred to him as "His Majesty the Cat", a fitting moniker that stuck with him for years. At 75 lbs the dog was much larger than Denali but that didn't seem to even enter into the mind of the King. Sometimes he would deliberately agitate the dog to start a confrontation. Ultimately the dog would get bit on the ear and cry while Denali casually strolled away the clear victor. I believe they liked each other though, because when they thought no one was watching they would occasionally lie down together for a nap.

   He first came to me as little more than a ball of blonde fluff that easily fit in my palm. He grew up to be a very large and dominating fellow. At one point he weighed in at around 26 lbs which I understand is quite large for a regular cat He had long blonde hair that I was constantly cleaning off of the furniture. He loved to sleep in my bed. He would get nervous during thunderstorms and needed to be very close to me...I always told him it would be okay and that he was safe and sound then we were both off to sleep. He snored like a bear but instead of an annoyance I chose to think of it as sort of soothing.

Despite all his demands and whining, he was a good friend. He was always around to listen when I spoke to him and he seemed like he understood some of what I was telling him. If he thought I was lonely or not feeling well, he would come sit with me and try to "pet" my face. Yes, the claws were a problem sometimes but he meant well so I never got upset.

   He won't be with me here in this place much longer, but I will carry him in my heart and in my thoughts until it's time for me to go. Who knows, maybe sometime I will see him again in a better place with more secret hiding places and no scary weather.


   Goodbye my friend, I love you.  

Candy is Dandy

Hey blogbuds...it's really me! I have missed you all and I had an idea for a post so here I am!

I LOVE Smarties. You know the little candies popular around Halloween? Small round things wrapped in plastic? Not to be confused with the Canadian Smarties which are more like a Skittles and come in a box. I may be addicted to Smarties. They are my crack, or heroin, or whatever the latest kick is. I love their look, their ease of packing into my grip (a grip is a bag carried by railroad types) and I even love the crinkly sound the empty wrappers make, but I have to admit it also means there are none left so it's kind of sad too.

There are a lot of reasons to love Smarties. The way they crunch in my mouth and the deliciousness of their processed sugary selves...mmm! And they are multi colored but pretty much all taste the same...good! There are exactly 15 Smarties in each little wrapper and to my surprise there are 15 Smarties pictured on each little wrapper.(truth in advertising) Because there are always 15 in a wrapper, I have found that there are a number of ways to enjoy my Smarties. I can have them 1 at a time, I can have them in 5 groups of 3, I can have them in 3 groups of 5 or, what has become my very favorite way to eat them, I can have them 1...2...3...4...5! Delicious and fun to eat! (I do recall a guy eating the whole package at once but I cant recommend it) I suppose there are several more ways to group the Smarties for eating but I don't want to do math tonight.

 I saw a package of giant Smarties at a candy store once and decided to give them a try but sadly they just weren't the same. The size was off as was the flavor. They tasted more like a Sweet-Tart but in a giant size. Boring! I'm not exactly sure about the calories and carbs and other nutritional info of a package of Smarties but I am pretty sure you can eat all of them you want and not die or get super fat. I hope not anyway because I eat the hell out of them.

 Thats my post...I love Smarties and I am not ashamed to admit it. In other news, I am still in Kansas and still work on the railroad. His Majesty the cat is alive and well after a bout with cancer and a 900 dollar vet bill. My girlfriend has moved in with her 2 cats who do not get along with His Majesty. Her cats are females and young like teenagers. Full of energy,cute, playful and curious. My cat is a grumpy old man who has very little interest in anything that involves him getting off the sofa. Wow our pets really do become like us!! I hope to start putting my nonsense on here for you all to yawn at again and I look forward to catching up on all of your posts as well. Glad to be back (maybe) and hugs to you all!

 Okay, I previewed this post and there are no margins or paragraphs or anything...wtf?

My New Tattoo

New tattoo that I got today. The inspiration for the tattoo was a photo titled "Weathered". (Thank you Tim and Jessica)

This tree has seen a lot during it's time here on Earth. It has seen scorching heat and bitter cold. It has been ravaged by time, floods, drought, and wind. This tree has seen much and it still stands strong. I have endured my fair share of "weather". Time, death, and divorce among others. I find myself today, still standing despite these setbacks. Weathered but still here. With any luck perhaps this old tree and I will have a few more years here on this rock we call Earth. Years to spend pondering one anothers existence and enjoying the company of someone or something that through our similar experiences are somehow connected in the grand scheme of things.

This tree is located about an hour North of my home. It stands very close to a river just off the highway in a protected parkland area. I was told by a park sevice officer who stopped me as I was leaving the area, that under no circumstances was I allowed in the area and that I was not allowed to park along a limited access hiway for the purpose of taking pictures of trees. He was pretty cool though and didn't write me a crap load of tickets. I got my shot and my tattoo artist, (Thank You Johnny T. at Flesh Art Tattoo) was able to create a beautiful work of art. I am positive that the tree would approve.

The pain? Excruciating! 3 hours in the chair and about a gazillion needle pokes...yeah it was painful. I love the tat and I hope you like it too! See ya!!

Catch Up...or Ketchup...Catsup?

Yeah this post has nothing to do with condiments.

Hi to anyone who still reads this blog. I realize I have been slacking, I would love to tell you it isn't my fault, my computer broke, my fingers went missing, or something else, but that would be a lie. I totally knew where my fingers were at the whole time. I have been lazy, and quite busy, and really not feeling very bloggy lately.

The truth is I still don't feel much like writing but I felt obligated to post something since I do in fact take up space on your internet. I realize that pretty much everything is taking up space on the internet but still I was feeling guilty.

What has been keeping me so busy? Well, nothing...that was a lie too. I dont think a lie inside of the truth is as bad as an outright lie though. Example: I didnt come in to work today(truth)because I was stricken temporarily blind(lie)and couldnt find any clean socks to wear(truth). This story also illustrates how laundry will not do itself, science is cool.

"You're fired", illustrates how a boss might sound if he had no sense of humor and was missing an important member of his team due to the science of laundry and or temporary blindness.

I really haven't got any good excuse for my absence in blogville other than I just wasn't feeling it lately. I do want to say hello to my blogbuds though and let them know I think of them often. So, if any of you reading this would be so kind as to pass along a message for me....yeah I kind of thought not. Had to try it.

Anyway I love you all, take care of one another and I will write when I can. Did someone just mumble "Dude you never could"? Not nice...not nice at all.

PS I'm not really fired...I hope :)

My Letter To Blatz Beer

Ok I recently sent an e-mail letter to the Blatz Brewery and my friend thought it was funny....yep, they have yet to respond...


To: Blatz Brewery,
I'm writing this letter to request a tour of your brewing facility and purchase 2 cases of your fine beer for a
nostalgic fishing trip with an old and dear friend.

First a little history:
My good friend Mike and I graduated from Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg Kansas in 1983. Mike and I were
great friends and partners in crime. (The fact is we never committed any real crimes but the cliche seems appropriate)
As is too often the case, shortly after graduation life started happening and Mike and I lost touch for several years. He
moved to Arkansas, and I relocated to Missouri. Sometime around 1989 I had returned to Pittsburg and Mike and I crossed
paths once again and discovered we still had a strong friendship and many similar interests. 2 of our favorite things in life
were fishing and drinking Blatz beer. Mike would show up ringing my doorbell most weekends with a tackle box and a case
or 2 of Blatz longnecks. Life truly was good and we savored our afternoons fishing, drinking, and telling lies. We had a saying
back then that if the fish weren't biting...the beer certainly would be. We stayed loyal to your brand for our expeditions and
endured many a painful hangover thanks to your brewing expertise. We introduced many of our friends to Blatz and I like to
think that they are better people for having sampled your beer.

In 1991 I again relocated, this time to Anchorage Alaska and what was, as far as I could see, a Blatz free zone. I couldn't buy
it anywhere and often longed for its unique deliciousness. Mike and I again lost touch for a number of years, however our legendary
fishing trips were never forgotten. Flat tires, swamped boats, mosquitoes, rain and the blazing heat of an August afternoon were
never a problem as long as we had our sense of humor and a few bottles of Blatz beer.

Recently Mike and I ran into one another and our friendship is as strong as ever. We have resumed our fishing and lie telling trips,
sans one key element, that key element is Blatz beer. I have searched high and low for Blatz even enlisting the help of a friend who
owns a liquor store but sadly according to your website there are no distributors in Kansas or in any adjacent neighboring states
who can provide us with that which eludes us...we need Blatz beer, and we are willing to go the extra mile to get some.

Our thinking, skewed as it may be, is that a journey of a couple thousand miles for 2 cases of beer will not only satisfy our
thirst for Blatz, but, may also rocket us up the coolness scale like 100%. (I am recently divorced and a coolness bump can't hurt my
dating game right?) We figure as long as we are making the trip anyway we may as well try to tour the brewery where the beer that
got us through some otherwise useless fishing trips, is made. Our plan is to purchase the 2 cases of beer, and then sneak out to what
is now private property, (our old fishing hole) and re-live a piece of our youth. All the while ignoring the "no trespassing" signs,and evading
whatever sort of law enforcement may be present that day.You hold the key to recapturing our youth. Turn that key...unlock the door to the past.

In closing I wish to thank you for taking the time to read this rather lengthy letter and for considering our request for a brewery tour. In
any case we will make the trip, get the beer, and enjoy a fishing trip and a brief glance into our colorful past...fishing, drinking, telling lies
and remembering the good old days.

Warmest regards,
Mark Price

Carnival, You're Running a Circus

Has it been a month since i posted anything? WOW. Heres the deal, I got separated from lovely and have been seeing someone else and have been working and blah blah blah...sue me. I really didn't have much to say until I went on a cruise recently. Some time back I wrote a post or two called "Grind My Gears" based loosely on a Family Guy episode that I thought was pretty damn funny. The thing is this was going to be a "Grind My Gears" post as well but I felt the seriousness of the gear grinding warranted a more direct approach.

My cruise with Carnival was how shall we say, less than perfect. Prior to cruising on the Fun Ship I had been exposed to cruising with Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Carribbean Cruise Lines so the bar was set pretty high.

I believe there are 2 sides to almost every story so I will begin with the good stuff...
Number 1...The ports of call were really nice. (Montego Bay Jamaica, Grand Cayman C.I., and Cozumel Mexico)
Number 2...My stateroom steward was the SHIZ!! Lovin ya Tio!
Number 3...Ariel in the dining room you really went above and beyond!

Now that those 3 things are out of the way lets get down to the crappy stuff.
Number 1, the food...Really a cruise is supposed to be about eating way too much rich food and basically making a complete pig of onesself right? 7 days 7 pounds is the generally accepted weight gain for a trip. OK did the website mention that between the hours of like 3pm to 6pm that the only food available is pizza(unimaginably greasy), Hamburgers hotdogs or chicken strips (am I on a cruise or at a county fair?), or a deli sammich (really? I have lunch meat at home.)? No the website didnt mention that little tidbit and it was an unpleasant surprise.

Number 2, service...OK The 2 persons mentioned above are not included in this section of my review. YOU ALL SUCK! There are about 2000 people to serve food and drinks to on a cruise ship, thats a lot but didnt they tell you that when you hired on? A smile or a friendly excuse me would have likely killed the service staff on this trip. Angry, bitter servers, pissed off bartenders (when you could get them to take your order at all) and grumpy ass cleaning persons do not make me feel like coming back with a huge pile of money next vacation.

Number 3, revenue...I realize that cruise lines need to make money to survive in todays world. I went on the trip expecting to get ass raped every time i pulled out my sign and sail card...but HELLOOOOO Everything shouldnt be about fleecing the guests, its irritating. We did pony up some money to be here.

Number 4, photographers...I get it, photos are a money maker for a cruise line. People want to take the memories home and rub their friends noses in it but I think I counted 22 different photographers on the ship. Each one acting like a fool trying to take a photo that you just had taken 3 feet away. Different background screens yes, but all the same poses. It was like running the gauntlet to get through them all. Hey, NO MEANS NO!

Number 5, entertainment...The magician was OK, the comedians were funny, and thats all I have to say about that. World class? no. (I saw the acrobats from China perform on a different cruise...thats world class entertainment)

I dont want you all to think that I am one of those people who is never satisfied and just loves to bitch about stuff, it really was a dissappointment. I think maybe the persons in charge of training the crews mentioned above should go on a trip with a different cruise line and see how the guests like to be treated. Go enjoy the trip, take notes, and bring back something worthwhile to teach the next bunch of servers and bartenders and photographers, etc... I thought perhaps I was being too picky so I asked around to see if anyone else shared my views of Carnival...guess what, I wasnt alone, not by a long shot!

The trip was fun, I got to spend time with a lovely young lady, we did some fun things in port and got hammered at least once. (yep Mexico) So I don't count the trip as a complete waste of time and money. Thanks for listening to me whine...

Back to you Tom!

About Last Night

OK the trip to Dallas was a huge success. Both bands were amazing. I actually was unfamiliar with 30 Seconds To Mars but they did an awesome job keeping us entertained. The opening act was called Middle Class Rut. They are a 2 piece band and I really couldnt believe the amount of rock they produced. (I had to get their CD) OUTSTANDING!

The venue was the House Of Blues and everything about it is cool. Spent some time there after the show and had a few beers. Super nice people, good food and a huge beer selection.

The hotel I stayed at was nice. We had a room on the 12th floor looking out over downtown Dallas. Yes but would you stay there again?? NO. Way over priced, not that I mind paying for good service and accomodations but 80 bucks for breakfast room service is a little stupid. No free wifi in the rooms, and for 500 bucks a night I think wifi should be a given. Wealthy people probably like it there because they never stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. LOL...ya, it Was nice to be only 2 blocks from the venue but Im positive a cab ride wouldnt have set me back the extra 300 bucks.

Another successful trip under my belt, logged just over 1000 miles round trip and finished in less than 48 hours. Yay, gotta love a midlife crisis right? Cousin had a good time too. Nobody got killed or arrested so everybody wins!

Have a good day bleeps!

Im Gonna Do It!

Ok my mind is made up. Im getting a tattoo. I know some of you are like "so what I have dozens of tats". Well I do not. I have been pondering the idea for a couple of years (ok like 5 years) so I feel like I have sufficiently pondered it and now its time to do it. I must admit I am still a little nervous...what if the guy screws it up?, its permanent, no looking back, will it hurt a lot? Ok the will it hurt is a minor concern I am much more worried about how it looks finished. I may smack down the artist if he wrecks it, nah I trust him he is an old friend. I hope it looks awesome.

I am getting a tattoo of my sons hands with a celtic pendant called "circle of life".

When Jake was alive we used to tell each other that we were like a triangle. The three of us represented the three sides of a triangle. The triangle is a unique shape, very strong with each side supporting the other two.
Our triangle wasn't strong enough though and now lies broken in ruins. I will not forget though that it held strong for many years and the tattoo will remind me that we did indeed have something very special, and I will treasure those memories for the rest of my life.

Son it will soon be a year since you left this place to go home to God. A lot has happened since you left. One day we will talk about it, but right now I want you to know that I miss you and I love you.

Happy New Year

Hi friends!
Tonight is the night that I, for one, have been waiting for. Sometimes patiently other times not so much. 2010 Has been a less than wonderful year at my house for the most part. I lost two people from my life that I loved deeply. I would like to take this opportunity to say in this semi-public forum...goodbye 2010 and fuck you!
No, the use of vulgar language isn't entirely necessary, but I think it helps make my point.

I hope that 2011 is a better year. Filled with new beginnings. New Years resolutions really arent my thing but I think this coming year I am going to make an honest effort to be a better person. Kinder and less judgemental toward others. I may even stay in shape for a few months, drink less, and pay attention while changing lanes in traffic. (ok yeah that probably won't happen)

Bleeps/Friends, please be safe this season and I look forward to hearing from you all next year. Peace, Love, and all that stuff!
Mark.

Happy Holidays/Solstice Bleeps!

Hey Bleeps I had a free few minutes and thought I should catch up on your posts. Fun!! I usually wont leave you a comment if your post was from like a week ago because I figure you probably dont read over the comments section of them after a couple of days anyway.

I didn't stay up for the lunar eclipse last night. I figure if I really want to see a shadow on the moon I will pull my pants up. I know it was a rare thing and maybe I will never have an opportunity to see it again but I was really tired and I assume there will probably be pictures available somewhere.

All that aside I want to wish you all a very happy holiday season! If in fact you are not a holiday season person, then just have a good 2 weeks! See how political correctness can screw up pretty much anything? I will be celebrating Christmas either in a hotel room in the city (work, not hookers...well maybe? Surely not. But still...) or at my Dad's house with my Brother and Sister-in-law. In any case im certain it will be a good day.

Also I want to wish you all a happy Solstice!!! Yay, tomorrow the days will begin to get longer and the coming of spring will seem not so distant. I get really excited about winter solstice...is that weird?

2010 has been a tough year in my world and I will not be sorry to see it pass. My hope is that 2011 and the years that follow will bring health, happiness, and prosperity to all of us who seek them. Please keep writing and posting and sharing tiny glimpses into your lives with me via the blogosphere.

Have a lovely day friends!

Next Roadtrip

Okay, I did a mini road trip last week but nothing really cool happened and it was only 1700 miles. That may seem like a lot but really it isnt bad for only touching 4 states. Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Iowa. Now I have another destination in mind...Texas! Yep me and my crazy cousin are going to a concert in Dallas next month. I can hardly wait. We may get arrested in which case I will be calling you all for bail money. We may get matching tattoos commemorating our journey. We may end up in Mexico or Alabama or who knows where. Bottom line shes as crazy as me and we are gonna party like rock stars, or not because I am old and need my rest...Just kidding!! Cuz, if youre reading this you better have your party hat on. I will surely blog about our adventures with some names changed to protect the alleged innocent so stop by often and especially around the end of January. Oh and watch the news too. I havent been on the news yet but theres always hope right? Any of you who live near Dallas are welcome to attend the after-party at the W hotel in Dallas. Please bring a lawn statue or an exotic animal. What? Never been to a theme party before? Have a great day Bleeps!

Things I've Learned As A Bachelor

Since becoming a household of 1 (and a very large cat) I have discovered a few things.

1: The dishes in the sink when you go to work are always waiting for you when you get home.

2: The small pile of socks in front of my recliner wont walk themselves up to the washer.

3: If you leave a shirt in the dryer for more than a couple of days the wrinkles will never come out...just wash it again. And this time hang it up when its done drying, the dryer is not a closet.

4: Hardees, McDonalds, Applebys, Taco Bell, etc.. are not the grocery store.

5: Houseplants, like humans, need water to live.

6: The telephone, and the front door will almost never answer themselves.

7: The trash man comes on Wednesday morning...don't bother calling cause he wont come back on Thursday.

8: Every light on in the house at once doesnt make finding your car keys any easier.

9: If you fall asleep in your favorite chair that is where you will wake up the next day, sore and not rested at all with the TV still on.

10: Being a bachelor kind of sucks sometimes.

Have a great day Bleeps hope your holiday went well.

Out of sight?

Well there seem to be 2 entirely different schools of thought on this one. Which is correct?

"Out of sight, out of mind"

Or

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder"

Im not entirely sure on this one, either because I never had to worry about it before or because I am slightly over or under medicated and have a hard time focusing my thoughts.

What do you all think?

Choices

I found this handwritten post lying on my desk today. I remember writing it shortly before setting off on my roadtrip. I was in a very different place when I wrote it but it seems like a pretty good message. Here it is.

Yesterday evening I was driving down the highway going due South. I noticed that in the sky to the West was one of the most beautiful evening sunsets that I had ever seen. Brilliant yellows and glowing orange with every shade of blue from almost white through the entire spectrum to almost black, it was really lovely. To the East were dark clouds threatning storms and bad weather. Right at that moment it occurred to me that I was at a crossroads in my life and the evening sky represented choices that lay ahead of me. It really caused me to think. Think about where I wanted to be. What sort of life was I destined to lead. Recently hurt, anger, and frustration had become my norm. I sometimes felt it was easier to just be hurt and angry. Just go with the norm. And yet...I longed for the more pleasant side. The beautiful sunset represented peace, calm, and warmth. I warm body to to hold on to, a lover to share intimate moments and a friend to laugh with.

I have seen many paintings and photos and it occurs to me that turbulence and storms are more easily captured in artists works than is the magic of a perfect sunset. Perhaps the same is true of living our lives on the gentler more understanding side. It sometimes seems that although it may take more effort to capture that beauty and magic, the moments that we are able to capture it are worth the extra hard work.

There will always be storms. I am trying my very best to remember that after the storms the dark clouds will move on for the night and leave behind a breathtaking sunset.

Have a good Monday Bleeps!!