single father buddhist vegetarian lover of the outdoors 39 "just a good guy with some bad habits" - jimmy buffett "a compassionate being who just doesn't give a shit" - me
| The Rusty Nut is shutting down for an undetermined amount of time. We wish you all the very best with your lives, families and writings. We at The Nut are taking a hiatus from the net (aside from email and weather). Everything is peaceful. You've all been supportive and informative beyond compare. Take care. Brico |
| Seems there's a plethera of potentially good movies on the immediate horizon. 1- Doubt (Phillip Seymore Hoffman rocks!) 2- Frost/Nixon (another addition to 6 degrees of Kevin bacon) 3- Valkyrie (Cruise is still a brainwashed deuge!) 4- Slumdog Millionaire (!) 5- The Reader (!) 6- Seven Pounds (Will Smith in a rare movie without monsters) 7- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (even though there is no naked Jennifer Aniston in it) 8- Rock n Rolla (has Guy Ritchie made a bad movie? other than his private bedroom collection I mean) |
 Aspen leaves on Saturday for AZ to be with her mom older brother and younger sister for the holidays.That will allow me to do my x-mas shopping after the holiday when the real deals appear. Thanks for all the recommendations on the facial junk stuff. I still am petrified that without a significant female presence in her life as the teen years approach, she will be an awkward outcast who doesn't know a... uh... um... well, I dunno, some-kind-of-item-that-only-a-woman-would-know-what-it-is from some-other-item-that-only-a-woman-would-be-able-to-identify-which-is-completely-opposite-in-appearance-and-has-a-very-different-function-as-well. See?! See?! I'm going to end up raising the main character in 'Carrie' for Christ's sake!! I don't want to die of a heart attack beside a bathtub in an old run-down house while trying to put my child out of her misery!!* I can raise a child and teach him/her values and math and how to floss but I have no business trying to raise a pre-teen girl into womanhood. That would be criminal. Anyway, I was able to ignore all those red flags long enough to trek up to Denver last night with Sean (Colorado version of Miguel) at the last minute to go The Black Crowes show. It was my first concert since moving out west. It was somehow karma's reward for my having to sell my BC tix I had waited in line for back in Charlotte many months ago. Although, Karma had me drive home at 1am in a snowstorm for an hour.  Speaking of snowstorms: Aspen absolutely loves the snow. She never got to see much of it in the south. She got her first snowboard for her birthday and looks forward to going out and getting good at it. That I can help her with. *in case my ex tries to use this 'confession' in a future court case citing my tendencies of homicidal thoughts in order to regain custody... that was a joke and was meant for entertainment purposes only! |
 Today Aspen turns a decade old.I am a better person thanks to your presence in my life. Thank you for all you have taught me. Kissees for my Snugums!! I love you, Daddy p.s. And stop growing already! Shoes and clothes aint free! |
At work!! But it's all good. I'm on the fast-track to a promotion... the optimistic side of me would think.My mentor had someone who has more time on the job than me shadow me on Friday to give him pointers. That would be a good sign, right? And what's more is I kinda like the job. I defininately like the people I work with and the company itself seems fairly dedicated to it's employees. I'm way ahead in all the marked areas of  expectations for someone in my tenure. But I don't want to get too cocky or sound like I'm blowing my own horn... Heh heh, hey Kalani! I said 'blow'. Where else have I been? Aside from buying X-mas gifts at Sears at 5 in the a.m. on Black Friday, you mean? Then I have been preparing for Aspen's best-friend (Natalie)'s and step-dad's visit for her B-day. They flew in from SC on Friday and leave Monday. Today we had Aspen's party at a bowling alley... And might I take a moment to preach that 'RSVP' means 'Respond So Very Promptly'. And that's whether you plan on coming or not! Party planners need a head count, folks! If you get an invitation that says 'RSVP' then YOU FUCKING RESPOND, people! You pick up your god damned phone and call the number and say 'Thank you, yes we will be delighted to attend.' or 'No, regrettably we will be unable to attend this year."  This is one of my pet-fucking-peaves! there is absolutely no excuse in the world to not be curteous enough to respond to an 'RSVP'.So Aspen was able to invite 3 friends (other than her best-friend visiting from SC). One was ethical enough to let us know she could make it. The others... never said a word and didn't bother showing up. So, we could have invited 2 others in their absence IF THEY HAD BOTHERED TO CALL!! There, I'm off my soapbox... until next year, I reckon. Tomorrow we take our guests on a tour of Garden of the Gods then head up to Denver to Casa Bonita (the restaurant that is cool enough to have a South Park episode based on it). Fortunately, it snowed 3 inches the day before our guests landed and over the weekend it is 55 degrees.  Perfect. |
 Aspen and I did our annual T-Day tradition of putting up the holiday tree and trimming it. She has been quick to note that it has been snowing on and off every day since.She got her first sled yesterday and we took it out at 7am this morning while the rest of the city slept. how come she never gets up that early on a school day? We went to the San Diego Ballet's production of Nutcracker today and Aspen and I agreed that it blew chunks compared to the Charlotte Ballet's version (which we have attended faithfully for the last 6 years). Aspen's step-dad and her best friend from Charlotte come out for her b-day this Friday. She is very excited. On Sunday we shall go up to Denver to Casa Bonita. If you are unfamiliar with this place then check out the South Park episode that is centered around it. Coolest restaurant ever. New job is going well. Am looking to graduate 'training academy' faster than anyone in recent memory. Does that mean I'll get fired faster than anyone in recent memory too? I had managed to save up enough hours so far that I was able to get Friday off and enjoyed a 4 day weekend. Sadly, we were just notified that the company will likely move to another location in town down the road. No big deal... except right now work is only 1.5 miles from home and right next door to Aspen's school. I went from shelling out $600/month on gas to $120. Hope we don't move too far away. Aspen's mom brought up the details of her going down to AZ for the x-mas holiday season. Somehow she got the idea that it would be okay for Aspen to fly out of DIA. That's in Denver. We live in Colorado Springs. I don't think so. I immediately looked up direct flights from the Springs to AZ and found a flight on the agreed upon dates for $197 after all taxes and fees. Am I the only one who thinks that isn't an unreasonable price? I emailed her the flight number and suggest she look into it. Havn't heard back from her yet. On that subject: Aspen came to me crying the other week. She was upset that her mom had told her she had no idea why we moved out to Colorado Springs. Aspen was already well aware that her mom had been emailing me prior to the move encouraging us to move out here. That it would be easier for her current husband to get a job out here than it would be for him to get a job in Charlotte. Aspen knew this because I let her read her mom's emails to me on this topic a few months ago. I have very strong opinions about Aspen's mom. Not very positive ones at that. But I have always held my tongue, wanting Aspen to form her own opinions about her rather than simply listening to me. However, in this case I did confirm her suspicions that her mom tends to lie by encouraging her to ask her grandfather, her brother and her step-father about their experiences with her. I think it important that Aspen not feel she is the only one with whom her mother is less than honest. I watched Aspen's mom destroy her relationship with her son by lieing through her teeth to him as her relationship to her 4th husband fell apart in the midst of her infidelity. Now I start to see the entire process repeat itself with my daughter as well. It reminds me to be as honest as I possibly can with her and to never make false promises. I think she is starting to see that I can be entirely trusted... even if I do keep forgetting that I am no longer allowed to walk into her bathroom while she's in the tub anymore. Speaking of Aspen's brother, Ed, he has enlisted into the Army reserve. He goes to boot camp after the holidays then starts college classes. I hope he will join ROTC while in school so that when he graduates he will be a commissioned officer rather than enlisted. Doesn't make a difference nohow though. The Mayan calendar ends in December 2112. In other news, I got up at 5am on black Friday and grabbed myself one of them newfangled digital picture frames from Sears for my desk at work for $37. I never thought I would own one of those monstrocities of art but when you have limited space, they're rather practical. Finally, thanks to all those who commented with advice on the last post. Witch Hazel it is... and whatever book it is that Sissy B recommended; obviously it doesn't have a chapter on birth-control. |
| Aspen turns 10 in 2 weeks. No longer a hemoginous child she somehow has become a woman in waiting. And seeing that I have never been able to make heads or tails of the female species, I fret for what kind of woman she will end up growing into on my watch. With no mom in her daily life to teach her about all the essential 'female' knowledge I can't help but think she will be a boat without a rudder in ever increasingly dagerous waters. Forget the obvious 'chick' products that are just around the corner. It goes without saying I'm not a beacon of light for her in that arena. What is of more concern for me is teaching her about behavior. 'Signals', for one thing. Again, I am completely illiterate when it comes to reading dames. Seeing that it does not come naturally to me to read signals, I am presuming that it doesn't come naturally to someone to give them off... or more importantly, to refrain from giving them off! She is a very trusting being at this point. Perhaps just a bit shy and a tad unsure of herself socially. But alarmingly, I have seen her in certain settings where she will attach herself to a stranger's side (a male stranger... an older male stranger). The recent time was when we took the dog to a fenced dog run. Right away she struck up a conversation with one of the dog owners about his pet. 15 minutes later I noticed she was sitting on a bench still talking to the guy. Nothing against the guy. He was just being nice, I'm confident. But we all know there are times when a guy is going to not only misread but will take action on such social cues. This is just the tip of the iceberg as to what I fear I might either innocently neglect to instruct my daughter on or not even be aware of the fact that there is something I should be instructing her on. On a lighter, but not totally dissimilar note, Aspen got her first 'makeover' yesterday. At a Clinique counter. Apparently she has skin type 1. There are different skin types? See? See what she's up against with me at the helm? So she is no longer to use soap on her face. She is to use a 'cleanser'. Okay... since when isn't soap a 'cleanser' anymore? And there is a difference between a 'lotion' and 'moisturizer'? Can't she just use alcohol wipes to clean her face like I did when I was young? Does anyone want to recommend a 'cleanser' and 'moisturizer' that doesn't require a layaway plan for a 2.5 ounce bottle? |
 Tonight at dinner:"Daddy, what do you think is more important in a wedding ring, the band or the shape of the stone?" Daddy: "Um, I dunno... the band I guess." Aspen: "No wait, the size of the stone is the most important!" "Is there something you're wanting to tell me?!" Labels: aspen quotes |
 My longtime friend, disc golf partner and Republican soapboxer's son has a band of whom I volunteered to some photography and design work for so they had some halfway decent promo poster for their local 'gigs' (like that? I may be 40 but I still show my hipness by using 'bad' terms like 'gig'... and 'bad'). This was the result of a 1 hour photo shoot and 2 hours of playing around on photoshop. I had nothing else to post so... enjoy. |
| When my grandchildren grow up and look on their on 6th grade wall to see the pictures of all the U.S. Presidents in a row, they will see names like Washington, Lincoln, Jackson, Jefferson, Kennedy and Reagan. They will then see the name Bush; And beside the name 'George Bush' will be a name different sounding than all those prior to it on that wall. And with that name there will be a face distinctly different in appearance to all those that came before it. And my grandchildren, in their wisdom and curiosity and insight will inquire "What transpired in that previous administration's term that caused voters to make such a radical change from over 200 years of 'tradition'?" Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, what answers do you think my grandchildren will uncover to that question? |
| For the last couple of weeks I have been parking at work close to a car that has a bumper sticker which reads 'Thank You George Bush'. The first time I saw it I got the joke and laughed and laughed and clapped and wanted to meet the person(s) who had found this obvious sarcastic bumper sticker. Then, a moment later, I saw the McCain bumper sticker next to it. They were serious?! They're really actually thanking W?! Did I miss something over the last eight years? Or did they miss everything? |
 Aspen and her grandmother worked this week to create a Pocahontas outfit for Friday evening's activities. She stayed over at her new best friend's house as I went out to celebrate being over-the-hill. What did I do?I went home and was asleep by 10pm. But I was up by 5am! Just like the old saying goes. |
| Halfway done with this ride we call 'life'. Time to start the annual colon exams. Time to take care of the joints and focus on low impact exercise. Time to stop looking at the 22 year old hotties and thinking 'mmmmm'. Time to focus on retirement funds. Time to stop watching Family Guy religuously. Time to get life insurance. Time to get to bed... it's 9:30 already. |
| One of you has run one of the most pathetic campaign's in recent U.S. history. Your opponent has significantly less experience than you. Your opponent has spent close to 7 times as much as you on his campaign. Your opponent has had some significant uphill battles to climb regarding prejudices (regrettably). He has run probably the most brilliant campaigns in the last 100 yrs and unarguably is the darling of the 'liberal' press. Thanks to how the current President has destroyed your party, by all accounts you should have been washed up in this race 3 months ago. Yet, you remain only a few points down in key states. Here's the thing: There are enough undecided voters out there to put you over the top this Tuesday. But you're not talking to them!! You go from campaign stop to campaign stop spouting off the same old rhetoric and soundbites that gets your fans to cheer for you and boo your opponent but completely fails to address those thoughtful and cautious would-be voters who you need in order to win the office which you seek. Who is running your campaign? Why on earth do you feel it is better to continue to placate to your base? You already have their votes!! Figure out why the undecideds have yet to make up their minds for once! They are not being swayed by the months of your name calling and half-truths. If they haven't moved to your opponent's side yet then they are obviously giving you a chance to sway them to your political philosophy. So, why do you insist on believing they will buy your rhetoric if they hear it just one more time?! I am a fan of democracy. I want every citizen to have their vote. And I want each voter to be educated on the issues and know the candidates in detail. You're insulting the populace by assuming the undecideds can't handle a real discussion on where you stand on the issues or you don't have any real platforms and you're trying to fool everyone else. Please, for the good of yourself, the country and for the well being of democracy itself: Stop the meaningless 10 second soundbites and talk in detail about how you will do things differently than the current administration and your opponent! How you will pay for the tax cuts you propose? Why is it economically sound to give tax cuts to those you propose? How will you encourage energy companies and auto manufacturers to increase the availability and usage of renewable fuels? What will you do to build back the U.S.'s standing in the world community's eyes? Why do you still think the invasion of Iraq was the right thing to do even though we now realize all the reasons we had been given were entirely fabricated? Answer these questions honestly and candidly and you might win over the undecided voters rather than turning them off. |
