Happy New Year....

I'm cold and tired. Christmas went well. The kids loved it with nerf guns and plenty of playing with their cousin. Games, cars, darts and bakugauns were scattered throughout the house.  My mother made tamales. She makes less and less each year, but the flavor was there. The spicy pork and masa mix in the husk.  Hams wre baked and ate. Sides were prepared and ate. Even the dogs got new chew bones from santa.  I did my best to keep the kids happy and I think I did well.

 

The snow has made work long and tiring. With all the sonw brushing and plowing i'm physicly beat. 7 years of doing this is wearing on me. My hands hurt, my shulders are not getting better and this year I fell twice. So right now my knees and fore arms are sore.

 

Anyways I'm hoping that 2010 will be better than years past and we as a country turn things around. I think we will have to live with a 10 % unemployment as a norm. Companies will be lean and mean in how they operate. I pray for my friends that have been looking for work and for the rest of us for things to get better.

 

So heres to you and a bright 2010....

more on being a dad....

OK. I was having dinner the other day and my wife and the kids were in the living room. she  came in almost in tears from laughing so hard. She sat down and told me what my oldest son has asked her....."Mom, does dads head weigh allot" he asked.  "I don't know Ry, why do you ask" she responded.  "because mom I think it weighs allot because he had no neck"...... kids will say the truth if you let them..... Every one have a great Thanksgiving......

lies my father told me

Ok .. being a father is not easy for any one. You have to balance being their father/mentor and friend.   During the Summer my son Ry  and I were riding our bikes near the house. There was some road construction going on and ry very innocently asked me if there were cities underground like on TV. I told him that I was not sure , but there were most defiantly C.H.U.D. s underground...... I told him that stands for.... cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers and I then immediately called my friend Hector...... Last night after a long day of Church and going to the Health department for h1n1 shots Ry asked me about poor people living in the sewers. I told him not to worry , there were no poor people living in the sewers, The CHUD's eat them.... Again I immediately called Hector....  one day when he's older i'm sure that he'll kill me......

Psalm

I saw this on line while poking around. I wanted to put it up simply because I liked it.... Thank you.

 

 

Psalm

I prayed to the Lord for Guidance,
He asked me to follow Him.

I prayed to the Lord for Shelter,
He showed me the way to His house.

I prayed to the Lord for Sustenance,
He put me to work for Him.

I prayed to the Lord for Forgiveness,
He told me of my baptism.

I prayed to the Lord for my Soul,
He gave me Holy Communion.

I prayed to the Lord for Justice,
He moved my hand to write
and my lips to speak.

I prayed to the Lord for Peace,
He bade me play a song for Him.

I prayed to the Lord for Wisdom,
He sat my children upon my lap.

I prayed to the Lord for Strength,
My dearest friends held out their hands
and pulled me up from the ground.

I prayed to the Lord for Patience,
He sat down with me and held me close.

I prayed to the Lord for Hope,
We bowed our heads together.

I prayed to the Lord for Love,
He laid three nails in my hand
and told me I still had one great lesson yet to learn.

Me

wood 2

ok, wood can suprise you.....I have been working on my sons long bow and all was fine until it was strung and pulled back... I found a hairline crack. Ive been working gluing and re-setting it. And after re gluing I had to re set it..... It looks good. So far so good.

.... I just got my new long bow..... Its hand Mandy 5'6' hickory long bow with a 55 pound pull...I was dissatisfied with the ebay purchase..... it was as described, but her shipping and lack or email sucked....not a thing you want to do when you want to set your

....This Summer I also had a great chance to work with wood. I stripped, sanded and retained my kitchen table. Its oak and it weights a freaking ton. I sanded and sanded through 4 grits of paper . I finished with a 350 grit. Then I added poly in 4 coats again sanding between each coat. Did it need it? No, but with kids you need several layers of poly to keep the table from being damaged from spills....... I wish I had a few more tools and more space to work with wood. I would love to make youth long bows.... Lets see where this goes....

Peace.

working with wood..

**Its been a bit since I've posted , but I have been busy. I have been busy sanding and restoring a vintage long bow for my son. I found it in eBay and I thought it was agood deal.... if it does not snap on me. It's 48 inches long and made of hickory. I did som re search on the company that made it and I believe it was made in the late 40's early 50's. No warp on limbs and no deep marks. I spent about 5 hours in sanding and removing a lot of age from the bow. The next step was in smoothing. I sanded with a 100, 225 and 330 git papers in succession ubtil it was smooth with out taking off mass.

The next step was more complex ; making a finish for it. I could have used a varnish, shelac or urithane. I chose to be green about this; I made a wax finish out of bees wax and olive oil. It took me a while to get it right so the oil would get in to the wood and leave a good shine. All without being tacky to the touch..... Between thing and his new arrows he's set to shoot.... I'll post pics asap... I'm proud of this.... I just ordered a  flemish string so we should be shooting this week end.

growing older

Well - its official, I'm on the wrong side of 40.....It was my birthday yesterday and it was boring. I read a book, did laundry, cut arrows, took a long hot shower , a straight razor shave, ate hot wings and the kids gave me cupcakes. It was nice but it just seemed like it was missing something. I remember 18,19 ,20 and 21....So many years ago. Now the years just seem to blur together and not have any real defining moments in between. I believe the more you've seen the more you don't notice life  any more.

    5pm I took several arrows that I had as a kid and I cut them down to fit my son. I had them when I was older than he was and now they'll fit him. It's funny these arrows are near 5o years old. The lady I bought them from was a shooter in 1961. If I can get 4 year out of them' I'll be happy. I let my oldest help me in using a pipe cutter and a torch. I think he had a good time in cutting them with me. My next project for him is to modify his quiver in to a back quiver.

   At about 6 pm I took off everything. Rings, necklace and crucifix and took a long hot shower. 30-40 minutes of relaxing water. I then lathered up with my new boar bristle brush and shaved with my straight razor. That took me about 20 minutes. The prep time took me longer; 20 minutes of sanding old rust spots off the blade, 10 minuted of sharpening on a whetstone and 5 minutes of honing. I could have cleaved an electron off an atom if I wanted to. My oldest watched me shave with it. I showed him how to lather and how to hold it. It will be years until he does but at least he's got a good base of knowledge for it.

 

Pax Humana

Lessons Learned

This weekend we had a kids birthday party for my 2 boys. Their birthdays are close together so we have a combined party for school friends and family. This year we were racing against the rain so we set up the piñata a bit early. My Dad brought in a nice hand made piñata of a donkey. I say hand made because most are just pre punched boxes with paper wrapped outside. This was an old school one made from news paper and glue... So the kids knock the bejesus out of it and there is candy and a couple bucks of change all over the yard... My dad gets the idea for my oldest son  to get  the head of the donkey and give it to him. He cleans it out and my son puts it on his head. I found out later that the kids were hitting my boy or as they called him the piñata. I cant fault them , its what you do to a piñata.  He was smacked around a bit but hes OK. So lesson learned kids , the Piñata is in the top 10 worse ideas for a Halloween costume. Or a really good one if you want your ass kicked.

--

9/11 + 8

Wow, its been 8 years since that horrible day. Now its a holiday. Not a happy holiday , but a true holy day.  3000+ people died in those 2 towers, Flight 19 took more lives and the pentagon hot took even more.  It was a very sad day for all of us.

     I remember sitting on the floor in my house and feeling sick to my stomach. I watched tv for close to 13 hours that day, watching the towers fall again and again. I knew it was that start of something bad and I expected a war. I expected a war in the traditional sense. With clear cut bad guys and the American as good guys. This enemy was much worse. They hide among the regular people - they are the regular people. This made me very sour with all mid eastern people.  I clearly remember children cheering and that damn lady in black giving them candy to celebrate.  Eight years later I still carry hate in my heart and if I express it I am considered a racist. 

   Where is the condemnation from the imans? We still have not seen any thing like that from any mid eastern country. We still are in bed with Saudi Arabia. A country who's people still hate us.  Some where in the back of my head I still want to burn that entire part of the country to the ground and remove a generation from the earth. 

   What was the impact of "shock and awe?" What did we do there? Why are we still there? ......

 

Anyways with this hate in my heart it makes it hard to have a cohesive though this morning.

summertime 2009

Where does the summer go? Its been a weird on this year. The Temps have been so cold all through August and very rainy..... I did get to do a few things that I wanted to do this year and a couple more.... We did get a chance to camp out at my father in laws house downstate. We set up a tent and the boys and I bunked down by 8pm and got up at about 6am...It was a cold night but a fun night.  I don't know what prompted me but I wanted to go fishing this year. I already a 2 poles and some gear but I wanted to do more than just throw a hook in to the water. I spent time studying knots , bait and lures. I got a book about local fish and what the eat. I bought about 30 bucks in gear and a 25 dollar rod and reel combo. Nothing fancy. We started by the house and just had fun with it. We have been fishing just about every other day. Its been fun watching them really get in to it so much that they ask me to go when I get home from work. We have caught loads of bluegills, bull heads and yesterday the boys caught an 18" and 12" silver carp. Id say 5 and 7 pounds..... It was a nice fight on the line for them.... It's funny we have the best luck with a kids micky mouse set and my old style cane pole.... My cane pole cost me $4.50 and the kids pole was $12 .... that and some hooks, bobbers and worms = a fun day.....

 

Now summers over, kids are in school and I don't have my weekday fishing partners..... We only have time for Sunday after church....

 

PS if you want to catch carp..... use a can of corn and bread balls.   Chum the water with the corn and bread crusts..... give it time ----15-20 min  and they will roll in.They hit hard and they have dead eyes. Like a dolls eyes.... .. Some guys said if you add tuna juice from a can of tuna in oil in to the bread it works best..... I'll try that next week.....

10 things I hate about me.

A few days ago a lady customer told me that she did not like me. That I spoke to her like I was her father. ... She was ...how do you say ...a Jewish American Princess but aged to a spoiled age of 55. I told her to follow a certain drive route and she just did not like it. Whatever. ..Since she did not like me I'll put up what I don't like about me. I'd invite her to do the same, but most Jews are self hating anyways.

 

1. My weight. A source of health and esteem problems for years.
2. My shoulders and knees. This is just me getting older- aches and pains.
3. My Race and skin. Since the age of 5 I have never been welcomed in this country.
4. Me being tired all the time. It takes time away from my boys and family.
5. Me getting sick in 1995. **nothing to say about this.
6. Always having to work - I'd love more time off to do nothing.
7. Only knowing 2 languages - I'd love to take French, Chinese, Latin, Urdu
8. Being unsure of my self in most ways.
9. Not knowing my grandparents. I feel disconnected from the past.
10. *****Add your own here.....

Peace and Love.

Its not fair, but good

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of "The Plain Dealer"
Newspaper", in Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught
me.. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

My odometer rolled over to 90, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and
parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their
journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God
never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful..

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It's never too late to have a happy childhood... But the second
one is up to you and no one    else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no
for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.
Don't save it for a special            occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years,
will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you
did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show  up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day.. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's
we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Its estimated 93% won't forward this. If you are one of the 7% who
will, forward this with the title '7%'.

I'm in the 7%.

Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves. Because we
already have great families!

Gallup poll....

Prudes.........cloning wrong? death penalty? divorce? fur? - I'm hard
pressed to consider mant acts wrong. However you hurt a child and you have
a whole world of hurt about to happen.....

Where we stand
Ninety-two percent of Americans who responded to a recent Gallup poll say
having an affair is morally wrong, more than any of these other deeds:

Divorce: 30 percent say it's wrong

The death penalty: 30 percent

Buying and wearing clothing made of animal fur: 35 percent

Gambling: 36 percent

Medical research using stem cells from human embryos: 36 percent

Medical testing on animals: 36 percent

Sex between an unmarried man and woman: 40 percent

Having a baby outside of marriage: 45 percent

Gay or lesbian relations: 47 percent

Doctor-assisted suicide: 56 percent

Abortion: 56 percent

Cloning animals: 63 percent

Suicide: 80 percent

Cloning humans: 88 percent

Polygamy: 91 percent

Married men and women having an affair: 92 percent

Rain rain go away...

This May and June in Chicago have felt like April. It either rains every other day or its just grey outside. I have taken the kids to the pool only once so far this year. I'm not a fan of Summer weather, no heavy jacket to hide behind , but I do miss the blue skies and sunshine.  This year I am going camping even if I have to go my self. I am planning on a local site at first then with hope we will get farther and farther from home. I want to do a couple of days away fron civilization and rough it. Thats  kinda hard to do with the kids and near impossible to do with jelly stone - they have pools and wi-fi at all locations. ....... Anyways I just need a full week of crystal clear skies to make me feel better.....Peace

One Adam 12.....

I woke up because of the voices. They were of what I thought was 2-3 men outside across the street from my house drinking and talking. I thought it was no big deal.  A few guys just chilling and having a beer or two. My wife woke me up much later near 4 am and  the talking grew to yelling. I decided that enough was enough....I called the police. Question...why am I the only guy that calls the cops?  Any ways I as I'm the phone with the police I hear the voices get louder and louder until they became screaming. A fight breaks out and I see at least one guy on the ground. Then I heard the pop of a bear bottle hitting someones head. The cops rolled in about 30 seconds after that. In all there were 5 guys and all were drunk and two wound up in hospital. The 2 were carted away on streatchers.  6 squads , 4 ambulances and 2 fire engines in total were called in. It looked like a war zone ouside. I could see neighbors peeking through their windows. A few came outside to gawk at the light show...The fire engines were brought in to throw light on the house and yard. The cops stayed there for the better part of an hour and left well after sun up, near 5:45 am. At that time my phone rang and I spent the next 10 minutes speaking with an officer to round out any thing I saw from my window. Of course it was dark, raining and I have a tree in my front yard.....He could see what I was talking about as we chatted.

    I don't thing they were able to charge any one with any more than obstruction of justice and public drunkenness....But who has not been charged like that before????

In the morning after the kids went to school I went outside and swept up the broken modello glass that was in the street.

   Lesson learned kids....drinking after 3am is never a good idea, drinking outside after 12 midnight is never a good idea and please handle your beer or liquor. Don't let it handle you, t never works well....Very few things ouside of sex happen after 4am that are good. Most end up with the police being involved.....

Peace.

news and silence.

Swine flu- h1n1 and other things have just been spinning around on the news every day. I just don't feel like watching the news any more. Now today it will nothing but Drew peterson for weeks on end...I just don't care. The only thing I want to know is who will be the next as Supreme court justice. I've only been watching a little TV as I get home and then only cartoons and some on demand TV. Family guy-king of the hill, mythbusters, Warriors and deadliest warrior has only been on my screen in the last month. The news seems to be the same story day after day. Kids being shot, ecomomy in the toilet and some one trying to bash obama.  Before the swine thing I don't remember the main story.....probaly GM failing..... The truth is that I have not been listening to the radio either. I have been burrying my self in books and dvds. Most car ride have been in silence and with my own sound track in my head....I have been finishing a book a week. Some times I read in to the small hours of the night. My eyes will be tearing up and I will fight to stay awake for teh last 10 pages..... as a kid I used to do the same thing. Read in a still house with one bulb on....

Tracking the zombie plague.....

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/04/27/us/20090427-flu-update-graphic.html

If you get the chance Plz read PATIENT ZERO .....zombie virus +
bioterrorism!!!!!

piggy piggy

Wow... It just wont end will it? I was watching the daily show and it made me laugh that they said that god just does not like us. Tsunami, earthquake , bad economy and now a new strain of swine flu. Why not just move it to the full on zombie plague....or is it like the STAND.... how about the new British TV special the Survivors.
Personally I'm now worried about the flu. In 1968 we had a pandemic called the hong Kong flue that killed about 1, 000,000 people. Before that the Spanish flu of 1918 killed many million more. So far the swine flu has a very low lethality. Flus and viri are measured by several factors; how they spread, how quickly and how lethal they are. For a brief second in the mid 1990's they feared that HIV would or could go airborne. That would be very bad....The new flu has a high transmission rate but if you treat it correctly. Rest, drink fluids, take some med etc. Use common sense - wash your hands........

Now this made me laugh......The Jews and Muslims want the name of this flu changed because it offends them to be associated with swine....Come on .... Enough is enough. .......

not just a headache...

The other day I felt as if I was going blind in my right eye. Its
usually an indicator that a migraine is about to happen. Stress? Weather?
Blood pressure? I hate when they happen; my vision collapses in to a tight
tunnel and fuzzy. The pressure starts and just does not stop. I'm some
cases I have started to slur my words.
Usually a good night of sleep in total darkness with 100% silence will
make it degenerate in to a tension headache. My Dr was amazed when I went
in for am update for a specific medication. Its not a pain reliever, but a
vasodialator. It opens up the veins to allow for better blood flow and
relieves internal pressure. I don't want a pain reliever. I can deal with
the pain. I need to keep a clear head with the kids at home. I think he was
impressed that I was avoiding a pain medication like ocy or vicodin from
him.
I grown scared that one day I will have a vein pop in my head. Its
what killed my uncle and I...I just have this fear that that will kill me
too. The loss of brain matter in that way is frightening. To lose who you
are in seconds in horrible. .....Maybe I'm just reading too much in to
another migraine...

Adult film star Marilyn Chambers dies at 56

---- From the AP....I will remove if asked.

Oh my God...I guess it happens to the people we watch on the TV as well.
Savanah, John Holmes and so many others.... At the very least they had
people worship their good looks when they were young. ....

BREAKING NEWS

updated 1 hour, 9 minutes ago
LOS ANGELES - A friend of adult film star Marilyn Chambers says the actress
has been found dead at her home in northern Los Angeles County.

Peggy McGinn says the 56-year-old Chambers was found by her 17-year-old
daughter Sunday night and the cause of death has not been determined.

Chambers starred in the 1972 film "Behind the Green Door," which was more
widely distributed and attracted a more mainstream audience than the usual
adult fare.

Chambers, whose given name was Marilyn Briggs, was once a model for Ivory
Snow. She was among the first porn superstars when the stag films of the
1940s through 1960s gave way to the more polished sex films of the 1970s.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

turn it down ....

some days I just want to be alone. Today was one of them. All I wanted was
to roll up in a big comforter and stay in bed. I'm tired of being tired.
Maybe get up and have a cup of coffee, watch the news and go back to bed
until the afternoon. wake up and have some Chinese food. Get back on the
sofa and perhaps nap until 3pm. Get up and then decide to catch a movie at
the cheep show. read a horror novel and go back to bed by 9 pm. Its not too
much to ask. Just a day with out having to interact with people.
I almost feel like the old guy from the twilight zone. All he wanted to
to be alone. The a nuke hits and he is alone with time to read, but with
anything there are prices to pay. His was that his thick glasses broke and
he could no longer read......
Maybe its just an overload of sounds from work, telephones, people,
machines with their constant whirring and of course the cars.... I just
want the one quiet day. Its to the point that I drive with out the radio
just to maintain a good noise level....
I know I whine about this about once or twice a year but that all I
really want is the the quiet. Maybe to roam a deserted beach with only the
sound of the sea to keep me company. Me and my internal monogouge....
Perhaps All I need to do is just learn to still my brain and turn the know
down to zero... to go all zen like and stop the internal noises.

old toys and memories......

Marbles
wooden tops
pitching pennies
slingshots
cardboard sleds
skitching
Nerf football
tag
ghost in the grave yard
click clacks
burning ants with a magnifying glass
setting fire to army men
building models
being on a swing
climbing trees
pulling up rocks to find bugs
dropping leaves in running water
jumping ramps with your bikes
red light green light
Simon says
snowball fights
flying a kite
watching clouds
telling ghost stories
creature feature
peanut butter and jelly
kool aide (red)
popping caps with rocks
rhyming songs
greasy grimy gopher guts. chopped up monkey meat , ????
am radio
Schwinn stingrays w/ the banana seats
playing chess and checkers
Chinese checkers
hopscotch with number in to the 20's
war (card game)
uno
-----------------------------
I wanted to take 5 minutes put down a quick list of what I loved as a kid

daydreaming at work....

Wow I'm going on seven years here at work. Seven years. My last job I was there about a year + , the one before 5 + years. Some times I look at papers I put away for a some reason or another and I ask my self -"why did I hold on to that for?" What was so special about this note, scrap of paper, advertisement or coupon and why did I place it here?
I was going through my file cabinet here at work and pitched a stack of papers that I just don't need and I saved for some reason, but the reason is lost.

Sometime the brain acts in the same way. You sit, think and daydream when floods of old memories come in to you. An old birthday party, a visit to the zoo, a sandwich, a pretty smile, pop tops from beer cans, the old foil wrappers on ho hos, pumping gas in the rain, a gold bug shining in the sun, the taste of pencils, the way your dads hair smells, salt, an old commercial w/ bob roarman, a song , meat sizzling on a grill, copper wire, a cut on your hand .....

I wonder if something is wrong with my brain that its firing off old neurons just to keep its self alive a bit longer, Like a fish gasping for air in a algae covered pond. Even my dream have no direction, they are mashed blurs of my family, friends, lovers, school and places I have not been to.  Sequences that make no sense no matter how you unwrap them.  I don't remember my dreams any more , I kinda sleep like the dead so I suppose that even a jumbled dream has value.

 

missed foods

 

This weekend the Russians are sealing up 5 cosmonauts in a simulated flight to Mars. This will last 105 days, with the same people , breathing recycled air and drinking recycled water. The food will be prepared in the same way as a space station. Next year they will re do this experiment for the full 502 days. A full manned flight to Mars takes 502 days. After thinking for a bit this is just a small list of foods that I will miss. This does not include the turkey thanksgiving meal and Christmas cookies. This is just off the top of my head in 2 minutes..... Again no drinks in this list.

Italian beefs
thin crust pizza
egg rolls
sweet and sour pork
my moms tacos
pinto beans
Italian sausage in red gravy
pork fried rice
garlic lemon shrimp
pho
chicken kung pao
tostadas
crab cakes
salsa
deviled eggs
orange chicken
BBQ pork and hot links
cherry pie
turkey pot pies
tandoori chicken
red curried potatoes
fish sticks
pirogi

 

dumplings
honey baked ham

 

grateful for

Now that I have gotten some things that I miss in rough economic times on
my blog. This is a list of what I am grateful for.Things that give me
comfort.Things that make me well me..Again in no order.

My kids
kites
bikes
my health
my wife
pinto beans
literacy
books and the library
meatloaf and mashed potatoes
mac and cheese
blue jeans
the dollar menu
Spanish rice
torrent downloads
my dogs
sunshine
a warm blanket
silence
a hot dog in a flour tortilla
health insurance
zero cavities in my sons teeth
new shoelaces
the radio
the archery range by my house
a hand made cake
fish sticks
homemade pizza
my moms salsa
dad teaching me old skills
Family guy
kool aide - red flavor is best
pita bread
a cold beer
hot wings
my cars running well
good friends
old friends
my nephew
old pictures
black and white movies
used book stores - good luck trying to find one
the INTERNET
working for a good company
401k
stocks
prayers that work
laughter
pickled jalapeño
pancakes with jelly on them
warm tea
having my back scratched
the last frost
putting on a freshly pressed pair of pants
new socks
an unexpected email from a friend
camping
watching the stars
catching fireflies
cicadas
archera on the grill
my sister.
my mom
Mexico
speaking in Spanish
polish food
Indian tandoori
Italian beefs
corned beef
pho
kung bao chicken
egg rolls
a fresh shave
......Thanks all for now...Peace

miss

Money is tight everywhere across the world. Everyone makes choices on what
to spend on and what not to spend on. This is a list of things that I miss
in the economic rough times. Things that either can not afford, now use
seldom or just want to want. So in no particular order.

The INTERNET at home. (I loved just hitting stumble upon for hours)
Crab legs.
Good English beers. (at 10.99 a six I enjoy them every now and then)
Car Washes. (this one I don't mind, I have the kids help me outside)
4/$9.00 12 packs of coke....The price of corn syrup drove the price up.
buying tools..(this is just a guy thing,you buy a tool hoping that you'll
use it soon).
magazines. (god I would buy magazines by the dozens and read non stop for a
day)
Comic books. (See above, but at $3.00 a pop this got expensive quick)
Premium cable channels. (I really don't watch TV. I work way too much, but
I still miss it) - Basic works fine.)
Imported English cheeses. My god where I used to work I would get these
for free. Brie, Shropshire, Roquefort, Stilton....
Shrimp.
A bottle of Silver Oak. Alexander.
The smell of roses in the house.
Name brand Oreos.
Scotch
Concerts. - I think this is just a time factor.
Days off.
Waiting lists at work.
Strip clubs. (thats just throwing money away)
Buying shoes that are not on sale.
Massages
Manicures
an obersweiss milk shake. this is more to keep me smaller.
I would live to buy a 60" TV
just ordering out of catalogs

Granted this list is just based off of want instead of need....peace.

From the WHite house....

Dear XXXX XXXX:

Thank you for your recent note, and for sharing your thoughts
with me. Your kind words echo the messages of millions of
Americans who have welcomed me and my family to the White
House with an outpouring of goodwill.

On January 20th, Americans spoke with one voice, choosing
hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. Our
Nation faces serious challenges, but we will overcome them if
our imagination is joined to common purpose.

Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring
spirit, and choose our better history. With your help, we will
renew our Nation's promise to carry forth the great gift of
freedom to future generations, as our forebears have delivered it
to us.


Sincerely,

Barack Obama


*** After the election www.whitehouse.gov was soo transfermed by his staff. I signed up and sent him a note of thanks knowing very well that the odds of him reading it were 1,000,000 to 1. I got this automated letter back... Even though he didn't pen this to me personaly it was nice.

Buzzzzz.....

The crowd was cheering us; the 15 students 4 dads, 1 mom, 5 teachers (2
were female)and one principal. All agreed to have our hair clipped for a
good cause. The school it's self raised $11,000 for the St. Baldricks
foundation. Its all to fund pediatric cancer research. The kids started it
up by having their tiny heads shaved. The crowed roared SHAVE IT < SHAVE
IT! I my self was in the second round to be clipped and I actually giggled
when the clippers hit my scalp. I felt the wind blow against bare skin and
I knew it was well beyond the point of just a short hair cut. It more of a
shearing. The girls who cut the hair were from a local Sports cut and one
or two made it look like a hootchie show. Their skirts and boots just did
not fit in well at a grade school. .. I have more hair than money right now
and it all went to a good cause...... It just seems every time I cut it it
grows back with more and more gray....At least it grows back!!!
I was asked why I did it and in many ways its too much to number. My
own family was touched with cancer several time and many of my friends are
in the same boat as me. This was the very lease I can do to support a good
cause.
Maybe it was the Sun on my scalp but afterward I felt kinda ill and
needed to nap for about an hour. Could be the lack of hair like Sampson or
just a food bug, but it was kinda weird.... When I close my eyes I still
hear the clippers.......

Peace.....

It depends when you are...

In New York, it's 2009.
In Chicago, it's 2008.
In Minnesota, it's 2004.
In Ohio, it's 1986.
In Mexico, it's 1979.
In Alabama, it's 1966.
In Russia, it's 1949.
In South Africa, it's 1833.
In Saudi Arabia, it's 805.
In Tokyo, it's 2014
In Tel Aviv, it's 5769.

Remembering the wind...

The Sun is slowly coming back to us. Here it is 5:50 pm and as I stare out of my window at work the Sun is still hanging on. This weekend we will swing time back an hour and there will be Sun at 7pm..... The night gets a touch smaller from this point on. The wind stirs the spirit and we feel better after the long freeze. The Springtime mud and grey is on us now. Old gray mountains of dirty snow still hide where the Sun can't touch them, but for the most part its done......I am beginning to feel better in my old bones. My left arm is slowly healing from a torn ligament (or pulled). It still hurts is I grab something with an open hand. If I reach for the top of a cup of coffee it hurts.
My bicycle is ready to turn its first mile in 2009 and with some luck and will power I will be able to rack up 250 miles - 300 miles this year. While not a world record by any stretch of the imagination its the most I have done in a long long time. I am rigging a 12 volt light system to be seen in the dark.
My kids are ready to break out the kites. This year I think they are ready for them....My dad and I used to fly kites together. Its one of the only good times I remember with my dad as a kid. No worries or yelling; just the wind , my dad and the kite...The park has long since closed but if I can look in to the sky and think really hard I can sometime see my dads old kite.

OK kids, thats about it for now.....peace.

and the Oscar goes to...all on a Sunday

I watched what I could of the Oscars in between doing laundry and putting
up Spackle. They show was nice - it seemed that they tried to bring back
glamor and an actual show instead of just reading names off and giving
awards away. I had seen most of the big movies that were on the list well
2 of 5 but I had seen a bit more here and there. My choices were picked
sometimes and other were not. Thats the fun of it, who are you rooting for?
The my own joy was seeing both Danny Boyle and Slum dog get awards. I
truly enjoyed slum dog and the hope it brings in to the world. I guess its
a Cinderella story for the 21st century (with guns and a bollywood dance
number).
******
My father came over this Sunday to help me install a new bathroom
exhaust and re-spackle a hole we had in the ceiling in the kitchen. I hated
doing it while we were doing it, but felt so good to see your Handy work
afterward... He also took some time and taught me how to solder wires for
minor electrical work. So that one thing off my list. The next would be
soldering copper pipe. Little by little I'm still picking up skills needed
to maintain a home. It was nice seeing him and my mom. We had our fill of
delivered pizza while working on the multiple projects in the house.....

The last snow???

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salt and arrows.....

I think it hit me today that I hate the salt. The rock salt in the ground,
in my shoes and in my rug. Its in my garage , on my car, on my pants and in
the ground. The white ring on the cuff of my pants make me crindge....I
hate the weight of the bags as I take them from my trunk. 40-50 and 80
pounds. I hate the cold and wet as I spread the salt on my drive way. I
hate the ice that it takes away....
I'm tired of the long hard winter. The temps this year made me feel like I
got beat up. In under 3 weeks we went from -20 air temp to 62...What wrong
with me. Its an 80 degree swing.... I know I pulled an arm ligament either
shoveling or helping a friend move. Either way it still hurts- bleachhhh.

OK OK thats my end of winter rant.....

I went archery shooting about a week or so ago. I had a blast, granted my
equipment is antique - from 1962 or so. It still is pristine , but quite
old. My arrows need to be re-fletched and my target arrows are a bit too
short. The arrows for my compound bow were fine except for the rubber
fletchings. They crumbled in to dust....The last time I spent any time
shooting I was 18 years old...It didn't seem that long ago...I would like
to go and get new ones made for my arm length. I just don't have the extra
$cratch right now. I did find a free range by my house that I can shoot at
during my lunch time. Even if I shoot once or twice a week I think it would
help my shoulders a great deal......

.....
I'm glad that g-cast worked and has worked for you. I'll post that way when
I can. It's kinda hard with out a script or coherent thought in mind. When
I write it starts as a random though that blossoms and congeals in to some
kind of post..... OK thats enough for today.

1%

You ever meet some one that within 2 seconds you want to hit them? I had
dealt with one such person this last day or two. I really don't know what
it is with people who come in with a chip on their shoulder. They came in
to my house with an attitude. At one point he yelled "do you want to make a
sale or not?" So I replied ... Not if your going to be rude. I think I had
caught him by surprise by saying that yes a sale would be nice, but no it
not as important as being proper. It was a verbal wake up to him. With in
three minutes he has realized that he was an a$$ and took some of my
advice.
99% of the people who come in to see me are nice. Some of those people
are overly nice, but all it take is that one jerk to make me think that a
night in jail may not be so bad if I teach him a lesson. 10 years ago I
think I would have wound up with a jail record with that guy....Things are
different now. I have much more to lose if I do go to jail.
All I ask when you come in is that you shake my hand, look me in the
eye and let me know how I can help you. Thats it. Its funny to read body
language of people who come in. Men especially do not know how to hide
fear. They always come in with both hand in their pockets. They have no
clue on what to do with the hands. I can read that inside of one second.
The converse is to be loud...How can you help me?? I know everything? ....
these guys are usually that have busted credit or are trying to show of for
their wife or girlfriend. I usually cut that to the quick.
--------------------------------------------------

Thanks to thee oh Lord

Dear God,
Thank you for the warm weather in the middle of February! The Sun on my
skin felt wonderful. It felt like you were recharging my batteries. During
my work day I paused and just enjoyed the weather. I went from wearing 5+
layers to just two. My dogs loved the weather too. When they came inside
they sat on the steps and just soaked in the sunshine for about an hour.
Please let it last until the Spring. It was a hard winter for every one.
Its been near 10 years since we had a snow fall like this and near 16 years
since it got that cold outside. We tried to be good stewards to some of
your creatures during the cold. My sons put out bird seed and old bread to
keep them fed and healthy during the cold. I know we are still out from
Spring by about six weeks , but please can you keep it mild?
I know you get many many prayers for things in so many places. I just
really wanted to say Thank you for the beautiful weekend. Again thanks in
advance your humble servant.

Wats Neu?

I am trying something different soon. Actually several something different;
The first one and the one that is attached with this page is a podcast
through a company called gcast. I am in the process of testing it for
myself to see how well it works. It will give voice to my text based
rantings.I'll be able to call in and post to site my rants views and shout
outs.... The second is yoga...yes you heard right yoga. My back is shot due
to falling down stone cold drunk down 2 flights of stairs. I have a
partially crushed vertebrae in my spine that has given me trough since
1988. Now I need to free it up a bit... #3 I guess is I'm learning how to
change brake pads from a friend here at work. This will happen once it gets
warmer and once I buy 2 hand tools to do it...#4 is teaching my self
guitar. My Son got an actual kids size electric guitar from his uncle and I
don't play so now I have to learn at least one song to show him its not
tooooo hard. I see smoke on the water as a start....


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bad dream???...

I had a very disturbing dream the other night. But the just of it goes that
one friend had killed another friend and I was trying to help him get away.
It was not a murder but some sort of accident. (details are sketchy). I had
to help him drive out of state and through the south west all the time I
was trying to get the full story out of him. I don't remember great detail
and full locations but I remember hospitals, canyons, elevators and a lot
of driving with bad pop music on the radio.......I hope you are all OK and
this is not some weird glimpse in to the future....night everybody.

Zach and Miri

Dear god did I need a new laugh and Zach and Miri deliver. I had the
oportunity to watch a copy of Z&M and I laughed from the first laugh to the
end. It is Raunchy, funny and breathes new life to the new breed of
slacker 30 year old generation. 40 year old virgin, forgetting sarah m,
pineapple express and more.... I can't get into too many things but it is
one long dirty joke with some tugging at the heart strings. If you get a
chance throw this one in after the kids are well asleep......

and the Nominees are.....

Reprinted from the Nytimes 1/22/09 without permission. I'll be happy to
removed if asked.

January 22, 2009, 8:53 am
And the Nominees Are:
By The Bagger

BEST PICTURE

* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* "Frost/Nixon" (Universal)
* "Milk" (Focus Features)
* "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company)
* "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight)

BEST ACTOR

* Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor" (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon" (Universal)
* Sean Penn in "Milk" (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner
Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler" (Fox Searchlight)

BEST ACTRESS

* Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married" (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Angelina Jolie in "Changeling" (Universal)
* Melissa Leo in "Frozen River" (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Meryl Streep in "Doubt" (Miramax)
* Kate Winslet in "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

* Josh Brolin in "Milk" (Focus Features)
* Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder" (DreamWorks, Distributed by
DreamWorks/Paramount)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt" (Miramax)
* Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.)
* Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road" (DreamWorks, Distributed by
Paramount Vantage)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

* Amy Adams in "Doubt" (Miramax)
* Penélope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (The Weinstein Company)
* Viola Davis in "Doubt" (Miramax)
* Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and
Warner Bros.)
* Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler" (Fox Searchlight)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

* "Bolt" (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
* "Kung Fu Panda" (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John
Stevenson and Mark Osborne
* "WALL-E" (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton

BEST ART DIRECTION

* "Changeling" (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set
Decoration: Gary Fettis
* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art
Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
* "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set
Decoration: Peter Lando
* "The Duchess" (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction:
Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
* "Revolutionary Road" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art
Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

* "Changeling" (Universal), Tom Stern
* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.),
Claudio Miranda
* "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
* "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
* "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

* "Australia" (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.),
Jacqueline West
* "The Duchess" (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O'Connor
* "Milk" (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
* "Revolutionary Road" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage),
Albert Wolsky

BEST DIRECTOR

* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David
Fincher
* "Frost/Nixon" (Universal), Ron Howard
* "Milk" (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
* "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
* "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

* "The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)" (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production,
Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
* "Encounters at the End of the World" (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment),
A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
* "The Garden" A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
* "Man on Wire" (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh
and Simon Chinn
* "Trouble the Water" (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia
Lessin and Carl Deal

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

* "The Conscience of Nhem En" A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
* "The Final Inch" A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and
Tom Grant
* "Smile Pinki" A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
* "The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306" A Rock Paper Scissors
Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde

BEST FILM EDITING

* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk
Baxter and Angus Wall
* "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
* "Frost/Nixon" (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
* "Milk" (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
* "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

* "The Baader Meinhof Complex" A Constantin Film Production, Germany
* "The Class" (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
* "Departures" (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production,
Japan
* "Revanche" (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
* "Waltz with Bashir" (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang
Production, Israel

BEST MAKEUP

* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg
Cannom
* "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan
* "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner
Bros.),Alexandre Desplat
* "Defiance" (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
* "Milk" (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
* "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
* "WALL-E" (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

* "Down to Earth" from "WALL-E" (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and
Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
* "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R.
Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
* "O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by
A.R. Rahman andMaya Arulpragasam

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

* "La Maison en Petits Cubes" A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
* "Lavatory - Lovestory" A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company
Production, Konstantin Bronzit
* "Oktapodi" (Talantis Films) A Gobelins, L'école de l'image Production,
Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
* "Presto" (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug
Sweetland
* "This Way Up", A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

* "Auf der Strecke (On the Line)" (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of
Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
* "Manon on the Asphalt" (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production,
Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
* "New Boy" (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production,
Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
* "The Pig" An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
* "Spielzeugland (Toyland)" A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander
Freydank

BEST SOUND EDITING

* "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.), Richard King
* "Iron Man" (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and
Christopher Boyes
* "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers
* "WALL-E" (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
* "Wanted" (Universal),Wylie Stateman

BEST SOUND MIXING

* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David
Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
* "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed
Novick
* "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and
Resul Pookutty
* "WALL-E" (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
* "Wanted" (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric
Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
* "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber
and Paul Franklin
* "Iron Man" (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow,
Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

* "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.),
Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
* "Doubt" (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
* "Frost/Nixon" (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
* "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
* "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

* "Frozen River" (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
* "Happy-Go-Lucky" (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
* "In Bruges" (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
* "Milk" (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
* "WALL-E" (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon,
Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

Brave new world.

Obama was sworn in today. I watched what I could because I was working. I
felt good about it, not because he's the first black president, but because
I feel he can transcend politics. I feel he can use both the democrats and
Republicans to full potential. Maybe he can stop all the in-fighting
between parties and work for a unified America.
I know the race thing was important to many many people as well as
the rest of the world. Skin color did not have any pull for me either way.
Granted I would love to see this trend continue; Presidents descended from
immigrants, Mexican, Indian, Asian or even a lady President. There is
nothing wrong for a white man to be in office, but America has many faces.
I voted with my heart and head in this race. I could have voted for McCain.
I liked him as a person , but he seemed to be the puppet of the current
regime. Asking Sarah Palin to be on board with you did not help matters
with me either.
Some people are falling over them selves as if Obama is the messiah. I
think he has so much to do that its a daunting job for anyone. Hes got 2
wars, the economy, unemployment, the auto industry, housing, gay marriage
and every terrorist to deal with. He is going to be under the microscope
every moment he is President and beyond.
I pray for the future, I pray for my kids and I pray for him....Funny I
did not cry with Regan was shot or died, nor did I do this with the pope
but I might with him....Were in uncharted waters now kids. Pick the second
staron the right then straight on til morning.....

Oscars, globes and critics choice....

Well this last week I had a great chance to view several movies that have huge Oscar potential ..... blah blah blagh....  lets just say it they were good movies.  I have seen Slumdog millionaire, seven pounds, the wrestler, grand torino and the start of Benjamin button.....All different all unique all with something to say.......

 When I was younger I used to go to the movies quite a bit. My uncle and I would often go to theaters that no longer exist. They have been swallowed up by giant multi plexes or simply closed their doors. As I grew up we would almost go to the movies every week when we were teens. Watching all sorts of crap b and even c movies. We would even go to the drive in during the summer months.  Its funny how if you think hard enough you can remember who you saw what movie with and when. I can remember Rambo 3 was a drive in flick for me, deadly friend was at the hillside theater and lost boys was with a group of new college friends.  I fell asleep during vision quest, I was in the front row for ferris billers day off and I went with Ron dubee and his dad to see Star wars.  Many many memories are tied in to going to the movies with friends. For the most part a whole evening was involved some sort of food either before or after and of course the time well spent with friends. From holding hands with a girlfriend to being as high as a kite with friends.

     As I  have gotten older and in theory wiser, I have selected Way movies I want to go see. I have developed my own rating system over time that a few of my own friends follow them selves. 

1. Pay full price (Friday night)
2. Matinée price (Sunday afternoon)
3. Cheep show (middle of the week  and for under $3.00)
4. Rental (This is pre net flicks)
5. Cable TV  (HBO, Showtime etc.)
6. Cable TV (Spike , TNT, AMC. This has commercials)
7. Regular broad cast TV (just having the TV on for background noise)

This not only reflects how much I'll pay for a show but the time commitment to the movie as well. With Net flix and INTERNET downloads things have changed a bit. Now with the kids I have to be more selective with movies. I also thing that allot of the old school b movies have become straight to video movies. I think these would be fun to watch at the theater at the old midnight show for a couple of bucks.... Times change , but movies always have the ability to take you for 2 hours......... FOCUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fish stomach sauce???

I had a horrible dream last night, I has a dream that I wholly blame on the
TV in fact I blame it on Andrew Zimmer and bazaar foods. I had dreamed that
some one offered me fish stomach sauce tea. I could see it like coffee in a
white cup. When I drank it my brain told me that it was salty like a strong
soy sauce. - The bad part was that I had watched the show where they made a
fish stomach sauce in Thailand for restaurants. A kind of highly salted
sauce that goes in to the most basic of dishes. -- Sounds nasty.......I
know I have watched way too much TV if thats leaking in to my head at
night.

I hope your dreams are at least more flavorful than mine were.....blech...

Movie review: Slumdog.

I had the opportunity to watch <b>Slumdog Millionaire<b/> last night.I
have to say it was a beautiful movie that inspired dreams of hope and of
love. Many times through this movie I had to wince at the life of this kid
who had to grow up way too quickly in an ultra corrupt country. The entire
underclass was shown from pimps, freak makers, whores, gangsters, crooked
police and even game show hosts. You had to figure for your self how much
corruption is tolerable? It showed that sometimes it is ok to steal a loaf
of bread to feed your family.
The movie also shows you how hard life can be and how to enjoy what you
have. It shows that both love and hope are out there and even in the
bleakest of times they still thrive.

I want...2009

It's getting to feel like I do this once a week; putting out a list of what I'd like to do in the up coming year. This is not a resolution list , its just a list of should have and could haves.....
hmmmm let put the ink to paper then;

I want to .......

• ....Lose weight. Go from 290 to 250...
• ....Spend more time with my kids....(OK ok I did not do that bad with that this year)
• ....Learn more things. That is always a challenge based on time available. I'd love to learn a 3rd language, finish a degree or something useful.
• ...work on the house. That is always money and time dependent. There are some things I'd like to do and some things I have to do .
• ..take a vacation.
• ..dig out the damn root thats in my back yard....
• ... go camping with my kids. I want to go to Starved rock. I'd like to go fishing with them and actually catch something outside of just weeds.
• ... sleep for a day with out end.
• .... work out more....I need to make time for that. No ones going to make time but me.
• .....get a new camera or even an old digital camera. Mine bit the dust and I want to catch my kids before they grow old.
• .... fly a kite.Just pick a day and go fly a kite.
• ....for the umpteenth year I want a new tattoo
• .... get drunk.
• ......read more books. (I read about 20 in the last year, but more is better)
• ..... write a book...(about what I have no Idea..)
• ..... ride 200 miles on my bicycle this year.
• ..... get my motorcycle up and running. (I need a new battery and carbs cleaned)
• ...ride 500 miles on a motorcycle.
• .....finish my motorcycle tech class.
• ..... eat healthier.
• .....fast once a month.
• ...... get back in to meditating
• ....to get away from everything for a week
• ....to cook a banquet for friends
• ....to brew my own beer
• ...to go to the movies more.
• ....to learn how to weld or solder copper pipe
• .....to make a potato gun
• .....have my back looked at by a professional
• ...get a straight razor shave.
• ....to have some one fine me attractive.
• ....to win 25 million dollars.
• ....to sleep with a beautiful stranger.
• .....write down my dreams again.
• .....get back in to the bow and arrow.
• ...build a pinewood derby.
• ....buy a lever action rifle.
• .....go hunting for whitetail deer.
• .....make an award winning chili
• .....help the homeless.
• ....drive on rt 66 from end to end.
• .....to back to Quaker Steak and Lube.
• ....buy a rolex.
• ....upgrade my cars.
• ....buy my parents a new home.
• ....cry and feel good while doing it.
• .....laugh ntil I cry.
• ....paint the garage.
• ....watch battlestar galactica.
• .....do so many things befor my time runs out.
• ....go to India.
• ...go to Antarticia.
• ...go to Spain.
• ...go to Japan.
• ...Place a bet in the Kentucky Derby.

 

Thanks for letting me ramble on and on about could have, would haves and things that should never be.....