2/27/2006

"Wazza prollem occifer?"

A bit of advice from us here at The Nut (That's right. I am now reffering to me not only in the 3rd person these days but also in plural form... we here at The Nut hope you don't mind):
In the case that you ever do something (anything, use your imagination) that is seemingly innocent, and in the event that your seemingly innocent action(s) result in an officer of the law approaching you and asking for an explanation for said actions, and if in your explanation you conclude by saying "It seemed like a good idea at the time", and if after hearing your explanation he responds "Uh huh, does it still seem like a good idea?" Your response should not sound anything along the lines like "I don't see how you could possibly convince me it isn't"

Trust us on this one.

Raise Your Hand if...

Raise your hand if upon reflection you feel at any point you have revealed more than you are comfortable with about yourself in your blog. And ultimately was that a good thing or bad thing?

I have been stagnate lately regarding blog efforts. And I have noticed the same thing in close blogging friends too. I consider myself still somewhat new to this (it will be one year on March 10th) so I am observing this 'slacking off' tendency of mine as a new thing. I wonder if it is a short lived phase or a more long term thing. I certainly hope it will be the former. I have divulged details about myself at points where I wondered if I 'should' have. In the end I don't regret anything I've revealed and am probably a stronger person for it. And I certainly can think of items that I have yet to divulge about Bricotrout that I haven't yet summoned up the courage to.

Oh yeah: Tish, Janet, Os, Dan, Erik and femi... your CD's re done and will be shipped today.

2/26/2006

Barney Fife/ Ralph Furley R.I.P.


Though not entirely unexpected, Don Knott's passing yesterday really saddened us here at The Nut. Think I'll go out and rent a copy of The Apple Dumpling Gang.
If you have a favorite memory of Don from your youth, please share it with us. Mine was every time Mr. Furley would get in his karate chop stance with those serious pursed lips and try to be threatening.

2/24/2006

All Apologies (aka Another Game)

I have been a bad blogger buddy as of late. I haven't been visiting even my most regular of blog sites and I feel terrible. Some of yous come so regularly to The Nut and the depth of my appreciation is immeasurable.

Alas, this is the reason for my social stagnation. The evilness that is known as sudoku (SU-do-KU). Have you seen this? Let me warn you now: Unless you too want to have even less free time than you do now, read this post no further! This shit is addictive! The instructions above the box are all you need to know. Each column, row and 3 x 3 grid must have a 1-9 in it. It's just like a crossword in that as you fill in more of the blanks, further blanks become more evident. I'll start you off... notice how the middle left grid has no 4 in it. But the two grids to the right of it both have 4's in them (on the upper row and bottom row). And the grid below it has a 4 in the middle column. That leaves only one open spot where the 4 can go in this grid, on the left middle (between the 8 and 7).

The first of yous who comes back to me with the grid properly filled out will get a free CD compilation (genre your choice, songs selected by me).

edit: Os himself won this one. contest is over. congrats, now get yourself to sudoku detox ASAP!

2/23/2006

Ten Albums that Opened My Ears

I was first going to do My Ten Favorite Albums, but thats always changing and this list here seems to be a more 'permanent' tribute. Included in the list is my best guess as to the year I came across each album.

1- Johnny Cash - The Orange Blossom Special - 1974
2- Billy Joel - Glass Houses - 1979
3- Pretenders - (debut album) - 1981
4- Cheap Trick - In Color - 1981
5- Rush - Signals - 1982
6- The Clash - London Calling - 1982
7- The Ramones - End of the Century - 1983 (upon hearing this band all other music was instantly obsolete!)
8- U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky - 1984
9- The Cure - Head on the Door - 1984
10- The Grateful Dead - Europe '72 - 1989 (i had actually listened to them on and off for 9 years but it wasnt till this time when i really sat down and 'listened' to them. i finally got it)

what albums changed your life?

2/22/2006

Three Random Useless Bits o' National News

1- Supreme court to vote on constitutionality of a ban on partial birth abortions.
No exception for rape or incest. My question is: if it was rape or incest, why would the woman ever wait so late in the pregnancy to abort? Oponents say there should be an exception made for when the woman's health is in danger. The thing is there is no case documented where the mother's life was saved with a partial birth abortion when it couldn't have been saved with just an early forced delivery. If the goal is to save the woman's life, why kill the half born fetus/infant uneccessarily in the process?

2- Those eleven thousand (11,000!!!) trailers purchased by FEMA ($300 million!!) for Katrina victims that have been sitting in a muddy field in Hope, AK unused for 4 months are finally starting to get moved to New Orleans.
It takes 5 months to cut through red tape about trailers not being insurable in flood zones? Hmmm, maybe 'Brownie' wasn't the only one doing a "heck of a job" up there in DC.

3- The american beef industry admitted this week that they have routinely been injecting their prepackaged product with carbon monoxide.
This is done to keep the the meat looking red and fresh for longer than it would naturally. The industry is trying to combat millions of pounds of meat that needs to be destroyed anually because it doesnt sell by its 'fresh date'. Anyone having second thoughts about not being vegetarian?

2/21/2006

Ten Random Useless Bits o' Knowledge

1- Femi, Tish, Jan, Spaceman: I'm working on your CD's.
2- Dan: You also won a CD but have yet to notify me what genre you want or to where I should send it.
3- Finished my taxes today and it looks like the boat will happen this year!!
4- Aspen got her report card today. Femi's daughter may have to share that 'genious' status soon.
5- Tatt is not itching so much today. Another pic as requested will come when it is healed.
6- Word of wisdom: Refrain from using that Tag body spray on your back if you just got it tattooed.
7- No partaking (for the greater good) is in its 3rd week now. Only the first 2 days were even remotely challenging.
8- All desires to chew ice have but subsided ("Victory is mine!")
9- Previously anounced goal to cease and desist consumption of all beverages other than water, tea, milk and juice is on hold until the various 2 liter bottles of soda are expelled from my fridge.
10- Due to an unusually warm winter it would seem allergy season has begun early (ACK!!!)

2/18/2006

Ten Reasons I Love Being a Guy

Addict threw up this post the other day. I had to respond for the brotherhood.

1- Equal pay for equal work? Not yet
2- I can shave my head and not be shunned socially
3- All the magazine covers are geared for my pleasure
4- As a single parent I'm looked upon admirably rather than contemptuously by society
5- No glass ceilings
6- Shorter lines at the public restrooms
7- If I get angry no one labels me a 'bitch'
8- I'm not expected to know how to iron or mend clothes
9- I never have to worry if I'm going to finish first
10- One word: Urinals

edit: this started off being a fun post. now that i'm done i just feel like a chauvinist. funny that.

Ten Things I Learned about Addict that She Doesn't Want You to Know

Always the astute observer, I took several notes while on my visit. This stuff here is high level security clearance top brass access only info.
Do not reveal The Nut as your source under any circumstances...

1- She has a plan to mess with the homeless drunks who pee in her alley
2- She's a pushover when it comes to her own flesh and blood
3- She has a set of pool cues, pool balls, a pool cue rack, chalk, rack triangle... yet no pool table
4- She plays some kind of Tetris type game on her phone all the time
5- Shes afraid to drive
6- A parrot lives in her hair
7- She has been known to do donuts on a public street
8- She's a big softee
9- Her craft room has absolutley zero walking space in it
10- If you give her daughter diamond earings she'll give you a free tattoo

Ten Things I’m Thinking as I Watch Fellow Passengers Board my Flight

1- "Please tell me this guy with the berett and pony tail isn't seated next to me!"
2- "Yeah buddy, you're going to get THAT bag in the overhead compartment"
3- "Why didn't I request an aisle seat?"
4- "I don't think I've ever seen it this windy out before. Should be a fun takeoff"
5- "Ooh! The new Sky Mall catalog is out"
6- "Did I remember to order the vegetarian lunch?"
7- "Did our pilot's voice sound slurred just now?"
8- "Damn my back is sore, I better take 2 more Vicadin just to be safe"
9- "How on earth did this guy just fit his 500 pound frame into a coach size seat?!"
10- "Man, I really gotta use the bathroom!"

2/16/2006

Thank You Addict and Addictions


Thursday was my last night in Portland enjoying the company of Audra and Addict. And to celebrate I endured 20 thousand + needle pricks into my upper back. I spent close to 2 hours at Addict's tattoo studio (aka torture dungeon, see this post) under the skillful hand of Brian who was Addict's recommended artist for the realistic piece I was looking for.
So thank you Addict and Brian for my first ink in 9 years (4th overall)!! For obvious reasons it will be my most cherished piece ever.
And thanks to Audra for keeping me company the whole time and for being the official event photographer. And thanks for a memorable week overall to you both. Those HNT pics that will never see the light of day...Great fun Great fun! (Eat it Kalani and Sissy B!)

edit: Kalani, Rory has your number and will look you up the next time she is in your state. You're welcome.

Best in Show



Meet 'Bootsie'


For the first 24 hours at Addict's lair I assumed the furry mesh in the corner was used rags. Then out of the clear blue, without looking in my direction, without moving actually, it sensed something. Perhaps me? It took him 24 hours to detect a stranger in the house? Regardless of whatever brought on his energy serge I was thrown back a bit to see a furry rag barking.
Actually the guy is pretty cute. He's about the least intimidating dog I've ever seen. And that's a good thing, cause the last thing I wanted to see upon arriving at Addict's was a pit bull with a spiked collar and a pension for fresh fish.

edit: yes, that is foamy drool collecting (or fermenting) under his permanently protruding tongue.
edit2: and he snores... loudly!


2/15/2006

Ten Pictures from the Last 24 Hours (for you Kalani)










2/14/2006

I Got an 'A'! ... for now


So, if you read my blog at all you know I have a pension for saying things before they get filtered through all the proper channels of my cranium (apparently my brain downloaded a backdoor trojan horse type virus at birth and a virus scan program still is yet to locate and quarantine it) which causes me to say stuff that simply shouldnt be said.
And if you read my blog at all you know I am about to face a serious grilling (I mean get aquainted session) with Addict any day now.
Well yesterday Addict was showing me her dungeon room (cleverly disguised to would be offspring suitors as a tattoo parlor) when I was faced with an unannounced little pop quiz.
Upon her drawer/cabinet where various long metal rods used to slowly enter victim's (what she'll claim are customers) flesh was a sticker that read "Does this piercing make me look fat?"
I had to really ponder the possible responses carefully. This wasn't going to be easy...
"Let me see it in some better light"... hmmmm, no, that response would only buy me time at best
"You mean fatter?"... that doesnt seem quite right either though I have been told that answering a question with a question is usually a good 'out'
"Well, more metal added to your body aint gonna help matters any"... nah, thats a long shot
"It doesn't matter, I loved you when you were thin and I love you now"... maybe. I'll hold onto that one for now. It mentions 'love'
"Maybe using a lighter shade of metal for the stud will help"... hmmm, constructive. That's good right?
But for some reason none of these seemed quite right. I was stumped.
Then, out of the blue, before I even knew what hit me, as if some kind of internal processing program picked the answer for me and cleared all the red tape to expediate its verbiage before mistakes could be made, I heard my mouth saying "Oh! The answer to that question is 'No!'"
There was a smattering of light applause. I was pleased... until I realized it was just me clapping.
And while I passed the first one, I have a feeling that this week is going to go like a spelling bee. Answering correctly only means you get to stick around for the next and more challenging question. And the questions keep coming until you slip up.

2/13/2006

Audra Quote #3

"Don't kiss it baby! You'll get an infection!"

This is what Audra says to me after she shows me a bug bite on her hip and I try to do the loving thing by kissing it to make it feel better.

p.s. if anyone has handy tips on how to get candlewax and goats blood out of hotel carpet, please let me know before checkout time tomorrow!

2/11/2006

Be Their Voice #3

Simply take a look at the picture below and come up with whatever you think these completely anonymous persons are thinking and leave it in the comments. If you have more than one idea then by all means come back and comment repeatedly.Let our creativity fly!


I'll be in Portland for the next week away from my computer so maybe Addict will be nice enough to let me guest post from her site in the meantime.

2/10/2006

Bricotrout's Parental Guidebook Ch 1

And so begins a new series at The Nut. I take the lessons that I have learned through my own trials and errors as a single parent and pass them on to you for the greater good. The advice forwarded in Bricotrout's Parental Guidebook is based solely on actual events.

CHAPTER 1
NEVER leave one of those little tiny seemingly harmless tubes of crazy glue on the middle of a dining room table. Even though your two year old has only recently started getting around at more than a snail's pace and despite the fact that there is no possible way on god's green earth that her 2 1/2' frame with her dainty arm reach of no more than 12 inches could reach the center of a dining room table, when you are not looking your child WILL morph into both The Flash and Stretch Armstrong with no warning. And she WILL seek out that tiny, forgetable, uninteresting tube of satan juice of which there was no feasible way for her to have seen on my table first place. She WILL then proceed to open up said tube and liberally aply its contents onto the lid of her eye. And in a nano second later she WILL blink... one time.
Furthermore, she WILL Not enjoy it as you attempt to remove the tube which has been permanently melded to her palm. She WILL kick and scream when she is turned upside down as you put her head under running water in the kitchen sink... no matter what temperature you get the water to. She WILL NOT like you rubbing cotton balls soaked with olive oil every 30 seconds onto her eyelid as poison control advised through muffled laughs "I know she didnt ingest it but certainly this falls into your realm of experetise!!". And you WILL be shaky as hell as you delicately take cuticle scissors (my ex left them when she moved out) and clip off her eyelashes being extremely careful not puncture her tear duct while she naps so that her eye can finally open again.

CHAPTER 1 review:

1- What should you do with a tube of crazy glue when you are done with it if you have a two year old in the house?
2- What supposedly fictional superheroes will your two year old channel when you are not looking?
3- What would Bricotrout never purchase on his own but may be in possesion of anyway as a result of a divorce?
4- What cooking product actually removes crazy glue from flesh if applied by cottonball repeatedly for several hours?

"Shah! As if!"

Ah, the suspense was killing some of you eh? You just couldn't wait for the answer. Some of you even begged for the answer to be texted. Actually I think it would be pretty cool for somebody else to do this same thing. I want to try my hand at it! Anybody? Anybody?
Okay, before revealing the answer let me start off by saying that it is NOT Emimem. I know that must break some of your hearts and offend others. Thankyou to Kalani for coming to my rescue. I think M&M's rep preceedes him a bit and a bit inaccurately. Alot of his songs are negative and all of it is angry. While I discard any music that is negative, anger in music serves its place in limited doses. Case in point: Bob Marley's Exodus. That is an angry tune. But it aint neagtive. In fact it is extremely empowering and motivating. The same goes with alot of M's tunes. He is innovative, particularly with his rhyme schemes. Now I discard almost all rap because it is so full of hatered and disrespect. I find it serves little social constructive purpose. It may be strong on rhythm but generally lacks melody and harmony. M's compostitions break all those generalizations. He's not the only one in his genre of course but I suppose I'll find others in time.


Having said that I'll move on. Here are the artists listed along with a tune of each that is in my ipod...

1- Allanis Morisette (Unsent) *hi bug!, sorry michelle, ale8one, kristy*
2- Bing Crosby (White Christmas) *outstanding insight femi!!!*
3- Carly Simon (You're so Vain) *sorry dale, wendy and summer {damn! i was so close to getting summer's address!}*
4- Charlie Daniel's Band ( ) *congrats to tish, dan, jan and erik!*
5- Duran Duran (Ordinary World) *sorry molly and just thinking*
6- Elvis Presley (In the Ghetto) *M was going for the blacksheep. Im glad you played! ;)*
7- Eminem (Lose Yourself) *babbs, sissy b, jenny, sweet p, melina, katehopeeden, ocl, im sure i didnt convince you but i hope i didnt lose you*
8- Guns & Roses (Sweet Child O' Mine) *good try K and Deb, its the only 'metal' band aside from Metallica that i felt was really talented*
9- Met Torme (The Christmas Song) *your logic was right on track femi but you forgot Mel does holiday tunes too. im still pretty impressed! nice try bug and jax*
10- Stan Getz (Girl from Iponema) *dawn, hes only one of THE jazz masters! right bug? sorry roxi hon*

For those of you who won, email me your mailing address and your favored genre and I'll get you your personally customized CD as soon as I return from my trip.
femi, you get a CD too for such an incredible sleuthing attempt and for recalling that I love classic x-mas tunes.
And thanks to everyone for playing!

2/09/2006

"Party on Brico!" "Party on Garth!"

In the comments to the previous post Kristy suggested that my music range wasn't diverse enough. So, I came up with this liitle game:
Of the following ten artists, nine of them are featured in my ipod. The tenth is not in there at all.
Everyone who has guessed correctly by midnight Thursday EST as to which artist listed below is not in my ipod will get a music cd compilation sent to their door *genre will be your choice, artists and tunes will be mine*

1- Alanis Morissette
2- Bing Crosby
3- Carly Simon
4- Charlie Daniel's Band
5- Duran Duran
6- Elvis Presley
7- Eminem
8- Guns & Roses
9- Mel Torme
10- Stan Getz

sorry, you only get one guess. make it count.
and just so's i don't end up having to send out 500 cd's to strangers, to be elligible you have to have commented on my site in the last 90 days. 'anonymous' doesn't count!

"Okay, okay. Excellent, excellent!"

2/08/2006

Ten Songwriters that Flip My Lid

I recently covered the guitarists that move and groove me so I thought it only fitting to tip my hat to those songwriters that seem to have an endless creative streak in putting pen to paper and leave us with unbelievably good tunes to enjoy for evermore.

1- Pete Townsend (wont get fooled again, baba o'riley, love reign o'er me... and thats just one album!)
2- Bernie Taupin/Elton John (mona lisas & mad hatters, levon, captain fantastic...)
3- Robert Hunter (the other genious behind the grateful dead)
4- Bob Dylan (she belongs to me, maggies farm, tom thumbs blues, tangled up in blue...)
5- Bruce Springsteen (the rising gives me goose bumps every time)
6- Keith Richards/Mick Jagger (lets pretend that super bowl performance never happened)
7- Paul Mcartney (don't forget his catalog with the wings)
8- Tim Reynolds/Dave Matthews (jimmy thing, ants marching, dont drink the water)
9- Dicky Betts (should have been included in the 10 guitarists list too)
10- and of course... Jimmy Buffett (180 tunes in my ipod. NO OTHER artist comes close to that)

2/07/2006

Coo Coo for Cocoa (its the best title i could come up with on the spot)

Edit: Sissy B sent me the audio link to the very story i heard!! I don't know what kind of search guru she is but when i went to NPR and typed in 'nestle' and 'child slavery' for stories over the last week, i came up with nothing! Thank you so much Sissy!!

While listening to NPR today I learned of a class action suit filed against 3 chocolate companies. Nestlé® being the most recognized of the names.
Now I am the worst Googler in the world. I tried to find an updated link on this story and couldn't. I even looked on NPR's site and found nothing about this story even though I had turned the radio off no more than 10 minutes prior to sitting down to the keyboard. I did find some articles on it from July 2004 when the suit was filed but I'll be damned if I'm going to post a dated link like that. You all come here for current events, not ancient history... right?
So, you'll just have to take my word for it. Nestlé® is being sued on behalf of 5,000 child slaves from Africa's Ivory Coast where it seems most of the world's cocoa is grown. These children are bought by the cocoa farms and are worked seven days a week (sigh... "allegedly"!) with no monetary compensation. If they try to escape they "allegedly" will be beaten to death.
While Nestlé® does not own any of these cocoa farms they are one of the main purchasers of cocoa from these farms.
These are some of the products that Nestlé® brings to you on a daily basis: Butter Finger, Nestea, Hot Cocoa, 100 Grand, Baby Ruth, Bit-O-Honey, Chunky, Goobers, Raisinettes, Meyers ice cream and, yes, I'm sorry to say it... Stouffers Chocolates.
I'll let you all catch your breath for a minute. The good news is that Hershey® was not named in the suit. These are some of the products that apparently are not made by the hands of 7 year olds who are terrified of getting beaten to death for wanting money for working some 90 hours a week: Heath, Mounds, Kit Kat, Reeses, Jolly Ranchers, York Patties, Twizzlers, and Pay Day.
I know right now alot of you are saying "Damn you Brico! As long as I didnt know, I was safe from guilt! And right before Valentines Day too! You bastard!" But heres the bright side: The more Hershey® chocolate you eat, the more their profits will go up. The more Nestlé® sees their competitor's net worth rise the more they will be pressured to change their buying policies.
So eat up ladies! The enslaved children of The Ivory coast implore you to eat as much Hershey® chocolate as possible. Consider it your humanitarian duty! Go! Before it's too late!

2/06/2006

So... why is this funny?



So... Muslims around the world are offended by a cartoon that associates Islam with violence, and in response they riot and burn embassies and neighborhoods to voice their outrage?

I'll be honest. I'm trying hard to keep in mind that Islam is a peaceful religion. That the events that have been associated with some of its followers over the last 30 years do not accurately depict the faith's true message. That militants and radicals exist within the walls of every world religion and have throughout history. That my country's foreign policy has been marred with greed and self servance in every corner of the world long before we were a global power. That to act out in anger when you feel you have been wronged seems to be human nature.

But I am confused how the very same extremists who demand that all western civilians leave the middle east or risk death for threatening their holy land's sovernty feel justified in threatening France's sovernty when it passes a bill to ban scarves that are worn to cover the faces of Muslim women in public.

Or how the very agitators who routinely burn the flags of other nations and shout death to it's leaders can be offended when something or someone they deem sacred is treated in a less than respectful manner.

Noone gets it both ways. No country gets to muscle other countries for cheap labor or unfair trade practices and not face growing unrest from its peoples which eventually turns into terrorism. And no religion gets to defend its ideals with violence against innocent people of the world and not face increasing criticism and generalizations.

I guess that's all I wanted to say.

2/05/2006

I'm Getting Smart(ER)

Last night my sweety and I were on the phone again. This time I saw the road blocks and warning flares...

Audra "Baby, my brother's sister made this cool dress but its size 26 waist. Do you think it would fit me?"
Me *brow furrowed, head lowered, eyes darting back & forth* (dead silence)

Now I know there were better options on my end than saying absolutley nothing but at least I didn't go skipping daintily into the abyss this time. Fortunately that little part of my brain that still functions in emergency situations woke up in time and said "Hmmm, this all seems vaguely familiar. Something about this doesn't feel quite right. I better shut off auto pilot right now and try to steer through this one manually."

I won't be having to go to Jareds... unlike Jenny's husband. Poor bastard. He should have made The Nut part of his daily reading. He might have been able to avoid it.
Anyway... High five for the little functioning part of my brain!!

Ten Reasons Super Bowl XXXII was the Best Super Bowl Ever

When all was said and done The Denver Broncos were victorious over The Green Bay Packers. Seasoned sports affecianados began talking. A general opinion formed that Super Bowl XXXII could arguably be considered the best ever. And who am I to not be argumentative? Here are my reasons supporting that position.

1- Elway vs Favre (two hall of famers head to head)
2- The Broncos were only the second wild card team ever to win a Super Bowl
3- The Broncos were a 14 point underdog
4- The outcome wasn't decided until the last 30 seconds of the game
5- The lead changed 4 times throughout the game
6- The Packers were the NFL defending champions
7- John Elway was the sentimental favorite by football fans everywhere
8- Elway's defining moment 'The Dive' is one of the great Super Bowl moments ever
9- After 12 years in the NFL and 3 previous Super Bowl visits, John Elway finally got his ring
10- It brought an end to the NFC 13 year domination streak

2/04/2006

Another Hand for The Charlotte Police



So tonite I am filling up my tank, which thanks to Exxon's record profits this last quarter now costs me some $45 plus, when an interesting occurrence unfolds before my eyes. A brown pickup truck is parked beside a Suburban. In that brown pickup is a uniformed officer. Walking back out to his Suburban is a grey haired man. Grey haired man falls as he approaches his driver door. In doing so he slams against the pickup and folds in the passenger side mirror. As he slowly gets up annoyed uniformed officer gets out of his pickup and walks around to unfold his mirror. In doing so he gives grey haired man a nasty scowl but says nothing to him. Meanwhile grey haired man stands against his door fumbling with the key as he rocks back and forth trying to maintain balance. Once back in his pickup, uniformed officer scowls once again at grey haired man then drives away. I stare in utter disbelief. I honk at uniformed officer as he passes in front of my jeep which has now sucked up another $30 worth of the worlds resources and even lay on my horn trying to get his attention so that I can give him the biggest "WHAT THE FUCK! slash YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" that anybody has ever given anyone ever. Of course he is oblivious to anything other than his box of donuts that must have been screaming his name from his passenger seat.
As uniformed officer makes his way toward anywhere other than where his duties require I look back at grey haired man who has fallen down beside his truck again. Dropping his bag of goodies in the process. A white car (see picture) has pulled up next to his Suburban by this point so noone around other than me witnesses his stumble.
Then I notice that the car next to me that is also draining the world of a few pennies worth of black gold is owned and being driven by yet another uniformed officer (I shall call him uniformed officer #2). I walk right over to uniformed officer #2 (after making sure that I don't have a joint hanging out of my lips. I rarely have one hanging from my lips but checking first before approaching an officer of the law just makes good sense! And even though I rarely have a dead hooker in my back seat, for some reason I don't feel the need to check for those before approaching Barney fife... interesting...) and bring his attention to the ongoing spectacle that is the grey haired man. His response without any further prodding or convincing from me: "Oh, this should be fun. Thanks."
uniformed officer #2 walks right over to grey haired man who is now on the ground for a 3rd time and helps two other ladies in helping him back up for a 3rd time. I watch intently for several minutes and take a photo of the goings ons (see photo) while grey haired man tries to explain his follies as being diabetically induced.
Long story short, after giving grey haired man a quick breathalizer test he turns toward my vehicle and gives me a thumbs up.
I just feel sorry for whatever crime ridden block uniform officer #1 is in charge of patrolling tonite.

2/03/2006

Name This Blogger Friend

Thursday I got an email with the following statement...

"I can't find my phone. I was going to text you but I couldn't find my phone. And it's on vibrate so it makes it that much more difficult to find. So yeah if you have the time give me a few rings and help me find my phone... cause I'm a dork. thanks"

So, like a good blogger friend I called and after 2 rings this was the statement I heard on the other end: "It's okay, I got it. It was behind my box of Crunch and Munch®."

Just hearing the words Crunch and Munch® cracked me up! Does anyone care to guess who this mystery blogger friend was?

2/02/2006

Ten Guitarists that Freak my Bean

I appreciate good music more than a good glass of crushed ice. And what I really groove to is a good guitarist. One who is truly capable of converting his energy into sound on the spot right before your ears. Here is a list of ten guitarists of whom you may or may not have ever heard. If you appreciate good music and want to expand your listening ear just a tad then check these guys out. They'll flip your lid.

1- Steve Kimock (featured in the castpost above)
2- Fareed Haque (classical, jazz, spanish, world... he covers it all)
3- Trey Anastasio (not for those with weak hearts)
4- Michael Kang (mandolin and guitar maestro)
5- Carlos Santana (speaks for himself)
6- John Scofield (has performed with countless legends including miles davis)
7- David Gilmour (never a flawless note)
8- Neil Young (the grandfather of grundge)
9- Todd Park Mohr (easily comparable to clapton)
10- and of course... Jerry Garcia (that was a sad sad day)

note: this is a list of 'guitarists' that i appreciate; it does not reflect my opinion of their respective bands. for example: trey anastasio is of phish. im not a huge phish fan, too much incoherent noodling that goes nowhere in my opinion. but trey's handy work itself is aural perfection.

2/01/2006

Changes a Comin'

A few of you are a bit more familiar with the goings-ons in my life than others. So you will understand what's behind this post. If you don't know why I am making this declaration (keep reading) and your curiosity has got the better of you feel free to email me and I'll send out an email explaining things.

As of 4 days ago I made the comitment to refrain from partaking for an indefinate period of time. This in itself isnt such as big deal for me as the reason itself. And I wouldn't normally give it a third thought but what with me no longer chawing on ice, downing the occasional spirit and my having just sworn off all liquids that arent water, milk (for cereal), 100% juice, or tea this might be a bit of a nail biter. The benefits of putting it away for the time being FAR FAR FAR outweigh the potential negative outcome(s) if I don't.
Sooo... wish me luck. All I got left is gum now... sugarless gum of course. sigh.

Raise Your Hand if...

Raise your hand if you have reread a previous post of yours and thought "I would not post something like this today." And if so, which post was it and why not?