Grand Unification Theory

New Start

2010-07-22T21:23:00.000-04:00

Several of my friends have begun to blog again due to major events in their lives. One friend had a baby and another lost his father. If you have read any of my previous posts you know that many entries dealt with the problems that I have doing this on a constant basis. As I get older and continue to become more fixed in my ways, I need to find ways to keep from becoming the hermit that I SO easily could become. This blog for me is one small part of that plan.

I have spent much of the summer (OK a few days) painting at both my parent's house and mine. I have to admit I really like painting walls because of the almost instant gratification you get and how good even a bad paint job can look (Not that I complete bad paint jobs). Besides these small changes in my surroundings, for the last year having been quiet, there have been many other changes. My cat of many years Katie died last year and right before she had passed I had brought a 3rd cat into my home who as it turns out has his own medical problems. I received a much deserved promotion at work. We hired 2 new fellows to my team at work and even tomorrow we all move to new desks. Throughout these small changes, those around me swirled with what seems like constant problems of one kind or another. While not a religious person I do say a small thanks to whomever keeps me out of that swirl.

Facebook has become quite a fascination as I find and connect with people from all parts of my life and family. I think this is a good thing and has also re-whetted my appetite for genealogy.

So long story short, I should have much to share with people on this blog and will once again strive to keep it updated.

hugs,

Yea Me!

2009-12-08T19:29:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow marks my 41st birthday. Next year is 20-10. Time flies and yes I seem to have no time to do what seems to need to be done. Last year I was in vegas aas this time. 2.5 weeks til X-mas. Friends are having babies and other friends children turn 18. Time....

WTF!

Holidays, Holidaze.

2009-11-26T17:45:00.003-05:00

Today is Thanksgiving, however we are doing the actual Thanksgiving thing in 2 days on Saturday.

I have begun to think more about blogging and have several ideas and maybe even series of topics to cover.

So please come back fair readers and I will see what I can do to bring a little more murkiness into your life... LOL

Last year at this time I was preparing to head to Vegas to bring in my 40th B-day, I did a nice job of reporting from Vegas daily.... let's see if I can find that excitment again.

hugs,

WIMP SLACKER LOSER!!!!!

2009-07-14T19:28:00.002-04:00

Good God man, my last post was in January. It's now mid-July. What a loser I am.

It's funny as I picked up the computer just now and decided to post a little something, I began to think about decisions we make, how we make them and why we make them. I am one to usually not think too much about decisions and because of this have created trouble for myself in the past because as much as I can preach about consequences and how you are responsible for your actions, when it comes to things that only affect me, my decision making system does not work as well as it should.

One of these is blogging. I consider myself a writer yet I don't write or read as much as I feel I should. The easiness of lounging and the easiness of doing nothing overcomes me daily. For example, I have a vacation week next week and have become to figure out what I can do around the house to make it better for me and the cats. Yet I bet you a dollar that at the end of the week I will have very little done. That is OK, but its the decisions I make and then later in the year when I am piled in junk around my house I can blame no one but myself.

There is no magic in these ideas. I have read similar rants from fellow bloggers, yet Shannon (I) do(es) nothing about it and continues to make the same bad decisions. Why? It is human nature? Is it laziness? Probably a bit of both. Another sample is I had little problem putting myself on a diet (thanks to Weight Watchers) and pretty quickly dropped 25 pounds, then stopped. Why? Laziness.... apathy.... why I have not gained back all the weight I liked the feel of loosing and the challenge it gave me...

So bottom line is, small steps and perhaps begin to make decisions like they are affecting more than just me and I might begin to make better decisions. Wish me luck.... and hey maybe I'll get my list of things done next week. I'll let you know.

Partial Posts

2009-01-25T21:00:00.003-05:00

Here are a few posts I started to write and never finished. Perhaps putting them out here in their uncompleted forms will guilt me into writing more:

Change is inevitable. The weather changes minute by minute as the pull of the moon changes as it moves around the earth and the earth changes place and moves around the sun. We grow older second by second in a dance that began when we born and we groove to the day that our heart changes and stops beating. Even seemingly constant things like mountains change as the waters of rivers grind them into valleys.

So with all this change why do we as humans seem so surprised when it happens to us? Perhaps its human nature to think that change won’t happen to us just like disease and death and other changes that can seem bad; they only happen to others. A mistaken though process is ever there was one.
The last few months have been full of change for me.

As the days of summer are way too quickly flying by, I have come to realize that for as fast as time seems to pass us by, that I really am a lucky guy in many, many ways. It started out about 39 years ago when I was born to parents who like most people of their generation wanted to give their children all the things that they themselves never had. Both of my parents were born in 1943 during WWII. By definition neither are baby boomers but they shared many of the characteristics that the Boomers have, including the one of spoiling their children with all the material gifts that they did not have. My mother still tells of getting maybe an orange and new dress for Christmas and not much else. I on the other hand always got every gift on my Christmas list and also almost anything else my little child heart desired. So overall I had a good childhood. There were rough patchs

For all of its faults the movie Threesome asked a question that I too have pondered at some points in my life. I just sat through most of it on the LOGO network. It has been years since I had seen it so I gave it a chance. For those who have not seen it the basic story line is set in college and goes girl loves gay guy, gay guy loved straight guy and straight guy love girl. They attempt to create some kind of “threesome” but eventually it falls apart as people move on. The great question comes near the end of the movie as one of the characters voiceover soliloquy tries to sum up the movie ala The Breakfast Club and so many teen angst movies of the 80’s attempted to do. He asks how someone can be such an important part of your life one day and then the next be gone.

This question came into play for me this summer as I received word of my upcoming 20th high school reunion. If my memory is in tact (which sometimes I question), for the most part, my high school days were spent in a few ways. The first was just hanging out by myself. This I figure is how I spent probably 50 percent of my time. Another 25 percent was spent in the company of fellow band, orchestra and youth symphony people. This may seem like a huge percentage but I was in the Jazz Band at school which I think practiced 2 days a week after school and in the local youth orchestra which practiced one night a week. The other 25 percent would have been spent split between my few best friends and the larger group (not made up of the smaller group) of people I hung out with.
My junior and senior years my best friends were Nina, a fellow classmate, her older sister Dianne and a guy one year my and Nina’s junior name Michael. Michael and I hung out the most closely followed by Nina

SURPRISE!

2009-01-17T19:33:00.001-05:00

I have had a week to soak in the love.

For those few of you who read by blog (and for some of those you may stumble into it here and there) starting in January of 2008 I began to plan a major trip to Las Vegas to trumpet in my 40th birthday which occurred in December 2008. As it turned out, due to any number of perfectly acceptable reasons (lack of time off, the economy), the only person who actually made it to Vegas to party (well, eat and gamble and see shows with) was Lynne.

Unbeknownst to me, a few of those that could not make it to Vegas began planning a surprise party for me to be held the weekend of Diana’s birthday (which gave them a perfect event to use as a smoke screen. I have come to find out that the planning actually started before I went to Vegas in early December.

So I received an evite from Diana telling of the party and Lynne called and said she was planning on coming into Cleveland for Di’s party (and to see her family).

I understand that there was an e-mail slip that almost gave it away, but luckily I did not figure it out but of the e-mails that flooded my friends’ in-boxes from each other as they came up with excuses and reasons why the e-mail was sent.

I, not knowing the party was actually for me, threw huge rocks into the clockwork of my friends planning by stating that because it was also my mother’s birthday close to Di’s party, might not be in town.

The e-mail flourishes have been shared with me regarding this go on for days after my “I might not be there” and caused the planners to contact my sister and mother to bring them into the cloaked fold.

The secrecy ran all the way to Anne flying in from Nashville for the party. Unfortunately due to a misunderstanding that I had used Priceline in the past to make travel arrangements, Anne found herself with a travel schedule that got her to Cleveland on Saturday night at 9 pm only to leave 8 hours later on Sunday morning at 6:00am. Luckily for me, she decided to treat it as an adventure and made the trip.

I am still somewhat godsmacked by the love my family and friends put into this party for me and am so blessed to have them all in my life.

Donny and Marie Pics

2008-12-28T18:35:00.001-05:00

I don't think I need to say much more!

Update and Happy Holidays

2008-12-23T21:10:00.003-05:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful.

It's freezing rain here in Cleveland at the moment. I'm not too worried though as it is supposed to warm up a bit overnight and by AM it should be just showers.

Prepared or not the holidays are here. Christmas is in 2 days and the new year rings in way to quickly.

I turned 40 2 weeks ago today and haven't really stopped to admire what that means. 40 is old. 40 is young. 40 is just right.

I have worked at my current job for over 1/4 of my life. I have known several of you who might be reading this (Jen, Lynne) for 1/2 my life. I have been in my house for 1/8 my life.

If I live to be 80 I am middle aged. If I live to be 60 my life is 2/3 over. If I die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take. What kind of bedtime scare tactic was that to lay on a child?

I spent a realizing evening last night with some friends from high school (and earlier really) I have kn own one of them for 2/3 of my life. I had not seen one for 1/2 my life until last night.

I have lived in Cleveland since 1995. I graduated high school in 1987. I graduated college in 1991 and grad school in 1993. These dates which for so long seem so important now only seem like a piece of history. Memories from years ago that become hazier and more distant as I march another year into my life.

So, happy holidays to you. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanzaa.

hugs from the old, young, middle-aged man, boy, human.

An oldie, but I still Love it!

2008-12-21T21:37:00.002-05:00

A Letter to Martha...

Dear Martha,

After watching your recent holiday special and seeing how easy it is to make 300 plum puddings for your closest friends and after seeing you decorate your entire house to appear like a scene right out Dicken's A Christmas Carol as it might have been staged by Currier and Ives, I decided to try my hand at a little "holiday magic."

First stop was my local super store where I picked up your 8 books on Christmas planning and decorating, 4 DVDs of yours teaching me how to make my house look like yours for the holidays, all the needed Martha Stewart brand decorations mentioned in the books (thanks for the pull off book cover with the shopping list) and even a copy of your CD "Relaxing Holiday Sounds."

Unfortunately, I was out of commission for the next week because I threw my back out trying to load all of my purchases into my car. (Total cost $1254.87 for the books and such and another $100.00 for the doctor and my prescriptions (how about a chapter in a future book on making your own pharmaceuticals?))

Once I was able to stand up straight again, I set out to make 300 plum puddings for all of my closest friends just as you suggest (although I wasn't quite sure what my friends were going to go with 60 plum puddings each).

Although I was beginning to panic as I was already a week behind the schedule set forth in your book.Next stop was my local grocery store where I spent $523.74 on the ingredients. I went home and began mixing up the batter. Of course, at the time I was living in a 1-bedroom apartment with a half-size stove and oven so I couldn't mix up all the batter at once like you show in your book, so I set out to make them one at a time. Each pudding took 1 hour to mix and bake, so 12 and a half days later I was done making the puddings.

Now I was three weeks behind the schedule of your book, and Christmas having passed 3 days earlier and with no other presents for my friends I ventured out singing the old wassail songs listed in Chapter 5 of your book. I learned them in the Middle English just like you suggested.Well Martha, here is where my question to you comes in.

During the almost 2 weeks of making and baking the puddings, I hadn't showered, so when I showed up at my 1st friend’s house with a wheelbarrow of 60 plum puddings, singing in an what sounded like an unknown language and smelling like an old gym sock, my friend called the police and had me arrested.

Since I had spent $523.74 on ingredients and another $1254.87 for your books and such (not to mention the $100.00 on the doctor) and since I hadn't been to work for the past month, I had no money for bail.

So dear Martha, do you have a book on how to pass the time in county jail (I am hoping your recent stint in prison will make it so) or at least some ideas on how to accessorize this orange jumpsuit?

Forever Faithful,

Shannon

Back to Normality

2008-12-14T10:06:00.002-05:00

It's Sunday. I spent the weekend at my Parent's (as I usually do every other weekend). It's been quite a departure from Vegas. I've been doing very little and sleeping a lot.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is only a week and a half away. The whole time I was in Vegas I knew it was December and there were some decorations here and here and often times the piped in music was Christmas related, it still was very easy to forget it was holiday time. I'm sure the next several weeks will rush by as they always do and the feelings that come with the holidays will be strong as ever if not stronger because of the ills that are hanging around our world these days. Yet everything will be OK and all things will work out in the end. It may be hard but I have to believe that we will all come out OK in the end.

So as I prepare to head back to Cleveland tonight and get ready to go back to the corporate grind tomorrow I greet the next few weeks of craziness with a smile and hope for the best!

Fairwell -- Vegas Day 8 and 9

2008-12-12T12:22:00.003-05:00

Sorry about not posting sooner, but I had bought a week's worth of internet access (yes the IP does not have free service) and it ran out on Wends.

Wends was a typical kind of slower day fr us in Vegas. Beoing that I had already lost most of my Vegas Stash I played the same money all day.

The highlight of the day however was walking through the Bellagio shops and Concervatory. They know how to do Christmas. Here are a few pics and I will be uploading all new Vegas pics to Flickr (shanmans) as soon as I can.

Thursday was coming home day. I slept in a bit (to 6:30 am LOL). Got up and had to drop off Lynne at the airport at about 7:45. I then went back to a local place pff strip we have found (called Blueberry Hill) for breakfast and then I headed to the Rio to wile away a few hours til I had to head to the airport. I then spent some time at the Hard Rock then headed to return the rental car.

The flight boarded little late and as I was closer to the front of the plane than the back when they finally called my I stood up and got in line. Soon a woman walked up behind me and was beng escorted by a Continental employee. She fell into line behind me so still being in Vegas mode where it's common to talk to strangers I turned to say hello and found I was talking to Jamie Lee Curtis! We chated for a few minutes as we were boarding. What a way to end a grand trip!

I can't beleive it's over but am so glad to be home. As stated before I will try my best to revisit many parts of the trip with additional details in future posts t help get us all through the rest of the long winter.

Happy 40th B-day to me -- Vegas Day 7

2008-12-10T04:07:00.002-05:00

It's late. 1 am and I've been up since 6am, so this one is short.

I had a great B-day. Played on the same money all day (well mostly lost a bit at craps 1st thing).

Donny and Marie were freaking fantastic!! They put so much energy into the performace! I got to meet them and get autographs and pics which i will scan when I get back home.

I also plan on reliving many moment sthorugh the blog over the next few months.

Night kids, and thanks to all who thought of me on this my special day!

Day 6 - Vegas -- Getting Tired.

2008-12-09T02:33:00.003-05:00

Today was a very floaty kind of day. No major plans so Lynne and I after moring craps, and breakfast headed out the the south end of the Strip to Luxor. We parked and then headed over to Excaliber and played a while. Then headed over to Mandalay Bay to play some more and for luch. I ran inot a fello New York Lifer at lunch, Virginia Coyle who was in town with her daughter, sister and neice. A nice surprise to run into them.

More playing after lunch and then swanky drinks at one of our fav places for food/drink -- Red Square.

Headed back to IP in late afternoon and played somemore. Overall not a productive gambling day but is still fun. I just love the comradery that exists amound people so different from each other bu race, nationality, gender etc.

I just got back from picking up a surprise b-day package sent by Kathy and Debbie from work. Such a sweet thought. Thanks gals!!

So off to bed, and tomorrow the actual big day which ends with Donny and Marie in concert (and meeting them after for a picture!!!!!!!!!)

Peace out!

Vegas Day 5- WOW!

2008-12-08T02:47:00.002-05:00

Today was a great day. The wetaher was cloudy and it was actually sprinking a few moments ago as I headed back to the IP to catch ou all up and then get some sleep.

I started a bit laer than Lynne this morning, I slept in until 6:10 (LOL). Played some craps at the IP and then we headed out the the Harrah's Buffet. This is one of my favs for breakfast. We then headed down to New York< New York. I had read that they had renovated the casino and wanted to see for myself. It was redesigned. Unfortunatly kit has lost some of that New Yorkness that made it kinda kewl. It's been made over in that geberal modern look ala Planet Hollywood and the Wynn (and also the Luxor).

Played craps though and did VERY well.

We then had a liht luch and headed back to IP to kill time before dinner.

At IP played Blackjack adn did VERY well.

Then we headed off to dinner at Spago in Caeser's Palace. Excellant food and service.

Then we went to Bette Midler's new show at the Colunmsium at Caeser's: The Showgirl Must Go On.

What a show!

So musch energy and love she showed the adoring audience!

Brava Miss. M!!!

Off to sleep now to perhaps to dream of Bette!

Day 4 Vegas Hits Hard

2008-12-07T03:03:00.003-05:00

Today I lost. It happens. It's not fun but it's part of Vegass. I still had much fun though, as always!

The clear highpoint of today was a trip 40 miles from Vegas to Primm Nevada to see Three Dog Night AND Herman's Hermits in concert! It was a blast. I always forgot how many hits Three Dog Night actually had and of course Herman's Hermits sings nothing but sing along songs!

Tomorrow night is Better Midler preceded by dinner at Spago!

What a great trip so far!

Well, it culd be better if I could win back some $$$$...

Peace out.

Vegas Day 3

2008-12-06T01:24:00.002-05:00

Today was one of those days that make me love and hate Vegas at the same time.

We started out with some craps at the IP, made a little money and ten headed off to Breakfast off Strip at a place called Blueberry hill on Flamingo Blvd.

We then headed off to the Hard Rock Casino which is one of my favs in Vegas. The craps crews at the Hard Rock have always been super fun and they also catch on quickly to Lynne and my not normal betting structure. Long story short, I won big on Craps at Hard Rock but gave it all back to Blackjack.

Lunch was at Lowry's (yes the seasoned salt maker). Last trip with Lynne and Jim we saw the Prime Rib resteraunt Lowry's as we drove around and thought we would go and figured it could't be too fancy as they only make seasoned salt after all.... well it was a very fancy place with excellant food. Lunch is new at Lowry's but was excellan and not so formal.

Afternoon was spend winning and loosing (more loosing than winning) at Blackjack all along the Strip.

No more pics yet, may start doing more tourist like things over the weekend to try to curb the slow bleed of money.

Vegas Day 2

2008-12-05T00:28:00.002-05:00

I've written in this blog before that one of the best parts of Vegas for this introvert is that it's OK to talk to people in Vegas. I had one of those experiences last night. As I was playing Blackjack, I met this Canadian guy who has been living in Hong Kong for 4 years. I ran into him later in he evening and we spent like 2 hours just talking about the world. It was very kewl.

Today started out at 4:30 AM after only aout 4 hours of sleep for me. Lynne and I had breakfast at the carnegie Deli in the Mirage and then headed over to our fav early morning spot to gamble at Treasure Island (TI). We stayed and gambled there until about 1pm. We then went back to the IP and napped and then went to lunch at the Flamingo. Then gambled the afternoon away after picking up out ticks for Donny and Marie next Tues.

It's now 9:30 and I am heading to sleepy bye land soon. I did not burn through all my money for yesterday and today so I will start tomorrow ahead of budget which it a good thing!

That is unless I go back down and try to find Travis so we can talk some more... LOL

Vegas B-Day Trip Day 1, Wend, Dec 3

2008-12-03T19:28:00.003-05:00

I got up at 6 this AM to prepare myself for the trip to the airport. A fellow New York lifer was gracious enough to give me a ride to the airport. Arrived at airport at about 7:30 made my way through checking in (no line) and security (about 15 minutes to get through). I grabbed a nice cup of coffee and made my way to the gate. Plan boarded on time, took off on time and landed on time. Clear skies most of the trip so I got to glance down at the brown and greenish fields of the Midwest turn into the white capped mountains of the Rockies and then into the red tinged desert before we landed. Total sunshine and about 60 degrees! Love it. Met up with Lynne at Baggage area and then we boarded the bud to the car rental facility. For those of you who ave been to Vegas but not to recently, McCarrin airport created a central local for all rental car agencies a few years ago. So much nicer than all those buses running people to 10 different locals to pick up and drop of cars. I got a great deal through hotwire on a car rental. I got a full size car for the entire 9 days (!!!!) we are here for less than 200 bucks!. We ended up with a Toyota Sienna minivan so for all those who couldn't make it I really would have been a soccer mom (maybe even with lipstick) as I drove you all around in the minivan. After we checked into the Imperial Palace (for those who know or don't know the IP is on the strip across from Caesar's Palace. It really is not the best place but it's great location and cheap price keeps me staying here (after all how much time does one spend in their room in Vegas!!)) we went to lunch at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville (our typical 1st meal stop). We then headed back to the IP, played some craps, blackjack and then Lynne went to take a nap. I played BJ a little longer, played a few slots and then cam back to the room, signed up for internet access and wrote these few lines for my adoring masses. Sorry for no paragraph breaks but whenever I hit enter nothing happens. I will upload pics to Flickr as I upload them and will try to put some here, but can not right now so check Flickr.com (seach for person named shanmans) and check Vegas Dec 2008 folder! Later peeps!

Bad Blogging....

2008-11-24T21:01:00.003-05:00

How difficult is it to take a few minutes out of each day and wrote a few words of drivel for the hopes that one day that drivel will turn poetic or profound or even pretty? Obvioulsy very difficult.

But I promise you my few readers that I will attempt to keep you all updated daily during my 40th B-day Vegas excursion which begins in 8 days. Pics and daily accounts and maybe more. It will be the next best thing to being in Vegas with me. Or at least I'm gonna try to make it so!

I have also been tagged for my 7 favorite albums of all time. This is one tought assignment and truthfully I'm not sure I can answer it. I think therefore I will morph it into 7 of my fav songs and will wrote about them soon.

[title of show]

2008-10-08T20:41:00.004-04:00

If you haven't found this crazy wonderful broadway show, check out their webpage [title of show].com. I am very sad that I can not get to see the show live before it closes in a very short time.

It's a musical story of two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical.

It also is the best examples I have found recently of doing what you want to do and being the best "you" you can be.

You must must must listen to the song "Nine People's Favorite Thing". It's a life changing story that calms my soul in these turbulant times!

To set you you for one of my new obsessions:

2008-09-26T21:57:00.001-04:00

A story by David Moser...

This Is the Title of This Story, Which Is Also Found Several Times in the Story Itself

This is the first sentence of this story. This is the second sentence. This is the title of this story, which is also found several times in the story itself. This sentence is questioning the intrinsic value of the first two sentences. This sentence is to inform you, in case you haven't already realized it, that this is a self-referential story, that is, a story containing sentences that refer to their own structure and function. This is a sentence that provides an ending to the first paragraph.
This is the first sentence of a new paragraph in a self-referential story. This sentence is introducing you to the protagonist of the story, a young boy named Billy. This sentence is telling you that Billy is blond and blue-eyed and American and twelve years old and strangling his mother. This sentence comments on the awkward nature of the self- referential narrative form while recognizing the strange and playful detachment it affords the writer. As if illustrating the point made by the last sentence, this sentence reminds us, with no trace of facetiousness, that children are a precious gift from God and that the world is a better place when graced by the unique joys and delights they bring to it.
This sentence describes Billy's mother's bulging eyes and protruding tongue and makes reference to the unpleasant choking and gagging noises she's making. This sentence makes the observation that these are uncertain and difficult times, and that relationships, even seemingly deep-rooted and permanent ones, do have a tendency to break down.
Introduces, in this paragraph, the device of sentence fragments. A sentence fragment. Another. Good device. Will be used more later.
This is actually the last sentence of the story but has been placed here by mistake. This is the title of this story, which is also found several times in the story itself. As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself in his bed transformed into a gigantic insect. This sentence informs you that the preceding sentence is from another story entirely (a much better one, it must be noted) and has no place at all in this particular narrative. Despite claims of the preceding sentence, this sentence feels compelled to inform you that the story you are reading is in actuality "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka, and that the sentence referred to by the preceding sentence is the only sentence which does indeed belong in this story. This sentence overrides the preceding sentence by informing the reader (poor, confused wretch) that this piece of literature is actually the Declaration of Independence, but that the author, in a show of extreme negligence (if not malicious sabotage), has so far failed to include even one single sentence from that stirring document, although he has condescended to use a small sentence fragment, namely, "When in the course of human events", embedded in quotation marks near the end of a sentence. Showing a keen awareness of the boredom and downright hostility of the average reader with regard to the pointless conceptual games indulged in by the preceding sentences, this sentence returns us at last to the scenario of the story by asking the question, "Why is Billy strangling his mother?" This sentence attempts to shed some light on the question posed by the preceding sentence but fails. This sentence, however, succeeds, in that it suggests a possible incestuous relationship between Billy and his mother and alludes to the concomitant Freudian complications any astute reader will immediately envision. Incest. The unspeakable taboo. The universal prohibition. Incest. And notice the sentence fragments? Good literary device. Will be used more later.
This is the first sentence in a new paragraph. This is the last sentence in a new paragraph.
This sentence can serve as either the beginning of the paragraph or end, depending on its placement. This is the title of this story, which is also found several times in the story itself. This sentence raises a serious objection to the entire class of self-referential sentences that merely comment on their own function or placement within the story e.g., the preceding four sentences), on the grounds that they are monotonously predictable, unforgivably self- indulgent, and merely serve to distract the reader from the real subject of this story, which at this point seems to concern strangulation and incest and who knows what other delightful topics. The purpose of this sentence is to point out that the preceding sentence, while not itself a member of the class of self-referential sentences it objects to, nevertheless also serves merely to distract the reader from the real subject of this story, which actually concerns Gregor Samsa's inexplicable transformation into a gigantic insect (despite the vociferous counterclaims of other well- meaning although misinformed sentences). This sentence can serve as either the beginning of the paragraph or end, depending on its placement.
This is the title of this story, which is also found several times in the story itself. This is almost the title of the story, which is found only once in the story itself. This sentence regretfully states that up to this point the self-referential mode of narrative has had a paralyzing effect on the actual progress of the story itself -- that is, these sentences have been so concerned with analyzing themselves and their role in the story that they have failed by and large to perform their function as communicators of events and ideas that one hopes coalesce into a plot, character development, etc. -- in short, the very raisons d'etre of any respectable, hardworking sentence in the midst of a piece of compelling prose fiction. This sentence in addition points out the obvious analogy between the plight of these agonizingly self-aware sentences and similarly afflicted human beings, and it points out the analogous paralyzing effects wrought by excessive and tortured self- examination.
The purpose of this sentence (which can also serve as a paragraph) is to speculate that if the Declaration of Independence had been worded and structured as lackadaisically and incoherently as this story has been so far, there's no telling what kind of warped libertine society we'd be living in now or to what depths of decadence the inhabitants of this country might have sunk, even to the point of deranged and debased writers constructing irritatingly cumbersome and needlessly prolix sentences that sometimes possess the questionable if not downright undesirable quality of referring to themselves and they sometimes even become run-on sentences or exhibit other signs of inexcusably sloppy grammar like unneeded superfluous redundancies that almost certainly would have insidious effects on the lifestyle and morals of our impressionable youth, leading them to commit incest or even murder and maybe that's why Billy is strangling his mother, because of sentences just like this one, which have no discernible goals or perspicuous purpose and just end up anywhere, even in mid
Bizarre. A sentence fragment. Another fragment. Twelve years old. This is a sentence that. Fragmented. And strangling his mother. Sorry, sorry. Bizarre. This. More fragments. This is it. Fragments. The title of this story, which. Blond. Sorry, sorry. Fragment after frag- ment. Harder. This is a sentence that. Fragments. Damn good device.
The purpose of this sentence is threefold: (1) to apologize for the unfortunate and inexplicable lapse exhibited by the preceding paragraph; (2) to assure you, the reader, that it will not happen again; and (3) to reiterate the point that these are uncertain and difficult times and that aspects of language, even seemingly stable and deeply rooted ones such as syntax and meaning, do break down. This sentence adds nothing substantial to the sentiments of the preceding sentence but merely provides a concluding sentence to this paragraph, which otherwise might not have one.
This sentence, in a sudden and courageous burst of altruism, tries to abandon the self-referential mode but fails. This sentence tries again, but the attempt is doomed from the start.
This sentence, in a last-ditch attempt to infuse some iota of story line into this paralyzed prose piece, quickly alludes to Billy's frantic cover-up attempts, followed by a lyrical, touching, and beautifully written passage wherein Billy is reconciled with his father (thus resolving the subliminal Freudian conflicts obvious to any astute reader) and a final exciting police chase scene during which Billy is accidentally shot and killed by a panicky rookie policeman who is coincidentally named Billy. This sentence, although basically in complete sympathy with the laudable efforts of the preceding action-packed sentence, reminds the reader that such allusions to a story that doesn't, in fact, yet exist are no substitute for the real thing and therefore will not get the author (indolent goof-off that he is) off the proverbial hook.
Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph. Paragraph.
The purpose. Of this paragraph. Is to apologize. For its gratuitous use. Of. Sentence fragments. Sorry.
The purpose of this sentence is to apologize for the pointless and silly adolescent games indulged in by the preceding two paragraphs, and to express regret on the part of us, the more mature sentences, that the entire tone of this story is such that it can't seem to communicate a simple, albeit sordid, scenario.
This sentence wishes to apologize for all the needless apologies found in this story (this one included), which, although placed here ostensibly for the benefit of the more vexed readers, merely delay in a maddeningly recursive way the continuation of the by-now nearly forgotten story line.
This sentence is bursting at the punctuation marks with news of the dire import of self-reference as applied to sentences, a practice that could prove to be a veritable Pandora's box of potential havoc, for if a sentence can refer or allude to itself, why not a lowly subordinate clause, perhaps this very clause? Or this sentence fragment? Or three words? Two words? One?
Perhaps it is appropriate that this sentence gently and with no trace of condescension reminds us that these are indeed difficult and uncertain times and that in general people just aren't nice enough to each other, and perhaps we, whether sentient human beings or sentient sentences, should just try harder. I mean, there is such a thing as free will, there has to be, and this sentence is proof of it! Neither this sentence nor you, the reader, is completely helpless in the face of all the pitiless forces at work in the universe. We should stand our ground, face facts, take Mother Nature by the throat and just try harder.
By the throat. Harder. Harder, harder.
Sorry.
This is the title of this story, which is also found several times in the story itself.
This is the last sentence of the story. This is the last sentence of the story. This is the last sentence of the story. This is.
Sorry.

Sad

2008-08-13T20:24:00.004-04:00

With all the deaths of famous people over the past few days, I want to send my thoughts out to Sandy Allen who passed yesterday. For those of you who may not recognize the name she was the world's tallest woman. I have seen a few interviews with her over the years and I was also amazed by how she took something that might break most people and turned it into such a postive teaching method for all of us and especially children.

I will miss you Ms. Allen.

Big Ass Rock

2008-08-07T22:17:00.003-04:00

One of the perks of my new car is a year's worth of Sirius Satellite Radio and my new fav radio thing: Channel 77 Broadway!!!

How have I missed this song from The Full Monty musical version?

The Full Monty Musical Lyrics
Big-Ass Rock Lyrics
Jerry:

Let's find a rock
I mean a big-ass rock
Or maybe something like
A cinder block is better
I'll hoist it up
And drop it on your face, my buddy
And just before the lights go out
You'll see my smile and you'll know
You've got a friend
With a rock
Who cares
I mean a big-ass rock

Dave:

Or ropeI got some quality rope
Made for a man who's devoid of hope
Like you are, my buddy Michael -

Malcolm:

Unh, that's Malcolm.Dave

Dave:

Malcolm. Right!
And I won't leave you swinging there
Twitching like a fish while you claw the air
I'll grab your feetAnd pal o' mine
I'll pull real hard
And snap your spinal cord

Jerry:

The world is cold when you're alone and
They ignore you
But don't kill yourself

Jerry & Dave:

We'll do it for you
You've got a friend

Dave:

You know, I asked a guy once if he'd mind putting me in a barrel and sending me over the falls. You know what the son of a bitch said? "Drop dead, asshole."

Jerry:

People are pricks. I asked this guy to take his air compressor and drill me with a six-inch nail right through the eye...

Dave:

What he say?

Jerry:

"I'm low on nails."

Dave:

People are selfish pricks.

Jerry:

Another time, now get this, I just lay down in front of a steam roller and asked the guy just to proceed, you know, business as usual, and just squash me like a bug.

Dave:

That's a good way to go, Jer, the ol' bug squash. We could tie a plastic laundry bag over his head.

Jerry:

Naw, that's such a wimp suicide.

Malcolm:

I stuck my finger in a socket once. It hurt real bad...but it didn't kill me.

Jerry:

Malcolm, stay out of this.

Malcolm:

I've got a friend
Like Carole King
Or was it Carly Simon
Used to sing?
I always get those two confused
But anyway -I turned around
And suddenlyI'm not alone
It ain't just me
I'm like a player on the team
I'm part of the gang...
A member of the club

Jerry & Dave:

Player on our team
Part of the gang
Welcome to the club

Dave:

Oo ... let's get a club

Jerry:

I like the big-ass rock

Dave:

Naw, one good swing andI'll clean his clock forever

Jerry:

Let gravity do the work!

Dave:

It's a man's way to die, Mikey.

Jerry and Malcolm!:

You got friends
Oo...I've got friends
Oo...

Dave & Jerry:

Friends who will
Love you like a maniac
And lead you like a lamb
To the railroad track
And tie you down
Or tickle your wrist
With a single-edge razor
Or buy you a beer with
A Draino chaser
Or dump you in theRiver with a rock

Malcolm:

A big-ass rock

Jerry:

Here's a nice one right over here

Dave:

Can I give you a hand with that? It looks heavy.

Jerry:

No DaveIt's ain't heavy...he's my friend

Dave:Come on, group hug.

FIND THIS SONG NOW AND LISTEN TO IT. IT WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH TIL YOU PEE YOU PANTS (CAUSE IT HAPPENS TO YOU ALL SOME TIME)

Yeah Me!

2008-07-21T19:22:00.005-04:00

In these uncertain times, I did the one thing that I for a while have been thinking about but thought I would wait a bit longer. I bought a new car. I bought a 2008 Dodge Caliber. It is ultra cool and I love it! For those who care, it does get a decent mileage of 23 City and 27 Highway. The old car was still OK but I could sense that it's 10 year old self would start to nickel and dime me to death. That and the fact that I am traveling more and more with my young nieces made me want to get something safer.

So I originally had wanted a burnt orange color that Dodge offers but the dealer could not find one with the options that I wanted so I opted for a color called Surf Blue Pearl. Below is a pic as taken in my parents drive-way. (Another reason I decided to get a new car was that my parents also just last week got a new Caliber in Red):

Also here is a pic taken from the Dodge website of the color.

I give you the 2nd pic so that you can make the decision for yourself.

As I arrived at work today and was telling my team mates about my new purchase and trying to give them an idea of the color I was looking around the office to see if I could find something the match the color. My eyes laid upon a row of 1 inch by 1 inch magnets posted along the shelf of one of my co=workers. The magnets were our company logo:

Yes that's right, subconsciously I chose a car the exact color of my New York Life's Logo. I OWN A CAR THAT IS NEW YORK LIFE BLUE!!!!

Oi Vay!!!!

Another Vegas Trip...

2008-05-11T19:38:00.009-04:00

Yep... imagine that I wook a short 4 days trip to Vegas a few weeks back. So looking forward to Dec though anf the big blow-out for my 40th. So Much fun!!!!!

Here are some pics from the recent trip.

We stayed at the TI, nice but the room was surprisingly small.

Here I am in the middle of the desert at Red Rock Canyon.

I love this sign out in Red Rock.

Scary Clowns at Circus Circus, where my friend Jim wanted to go and couldn't wait to leave.

My date with Dwayne.

New Couch and Chair....

2008-03-19T20:52:00.002-04:00

sometimes I feel like such an adult....

Reality Check (for what it's worth)

2008-03-17T21:28:00.002-04:00

OK, once again I have let too much time go between blog entries. I will try to be a better blooger.

Over the weekend I made a purchase of a new couch and matching chair. They will be delivered on Wend of this week. As of right now I'm not sure I like what I purchased. THis is why I bought a new couch in that soon after the purchase of my last couch some 8 years ago I never really liked my couch. I've been talking aboujt getting a new couch for a few years...

I will let you know.

And imagine these are the only worries/concerns that I have in my life right now.... kinda kewl and good at the same time!

Happy St. Pat's day from half my full name,

Shannon!

Time

2008-01-09T18:41:00.000-05:00

Why is it that with Christmas a fortnight and a day ago, it feels as long ago as my last trip to Vegas yet when I'm sitting at my parent's next Thanksgiving watching the Macy's parade it will feel like I had just watched the last year's parade a few days ago?

My Christmas (A Story)

2007-12-26T21:45:00.000-05:00

Over all, my Christmas was good. That is until the emotions of the day reached a boiling point and came flooding over the rim of my mind and out my eyes.

My two nieces were sick on Christmas. Nothing major but running temps which made my 3 year niece K. feels chilled and be just cranky enough to put everyone a bit on edge.

After all had opened presents and after dinner, my sister told K she could spend the night with Poppi and Grandma (my parents), this made K very happy.

My sister then realized that there was a person (still not quite sure who this person is/was that K had to go see so she tried to convince K to go home with her. K wanted nothing to do with this and she became more and more agitated and crying. This made my mother upset and started to get to me.

I reached my boiling point when after my mother had told my sister to just take K and go because no matter what K was going to cry and be very upset, my sister just sat there so I took things into my own hands and took K to the car, her screaming the whole time. I put her in the booster seat and tried to close the door but she would not let go of my hand and arm. At this point I started to bawl like a baby myself. After K let go I ran into the house about the time my sister and her boyfriend were yelling at each other.

Long story long, they decided at that moment to let K stay at my parents house. My sister then started to cry like a baby because she had upset K and my mother and I.

AH, I love the holidays!

Merry merry!

But all turned out OK and so far I have not come down with what the nieces had.... although with the stress from the holiday and work, I think it's only a mater of time.

So if you had a quiet day like a few of my friends did, lucky you... but hey I did get the digital camera I wanted and as said before it was a nice weekend and Christmas until the boiling point and at least I have family even if they drive me crazy every now and then.

Thanks for being my family people in my family, and for those of you in my extended family I thank you as well. I love all of you and can't wait to spend some boiling points with you!

OK maybe not boiling points but time and fun things together!

Sondheim on Acid!!!

2007-12-21T22:44:00.000-05:00

I just got back from seeing the new Tim Burton take on Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

I give it two big bloody thumbs up!

While I miss the Chorus and a few minor songs, the visual bleakness of Burton's London and the most excellant acting of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter and the brillent casting of Alan Rickman as the evil Judge Turpin (you actually end up rooting for Sweeney to kill him!) all make for a wild blood filled ride of the darkest kind.

Can't wait to go see it again!

Sometimes....

2007-12-19T19:50:00.000-05:00

you just wanna punch a co-worker in the face. How can the senior person on my team who has been doing what I do for a hell of a lot longer make so many mistakes and try to blame them on me???

WATCH OUT BITCH!

Holidaze...

2007-12-18T21:53:00.000-05:00

It's funny how your moods and temperments wane and wax in December as the holidays go one and on. As some loved ones get into the spirit I move in and out almost minute to minute. From wanting to crawl into a hole one moment to sing some carol at the top of my lungs and giggling the next, I wonder how crazy I really am.

I try to remember that even in the most non-religious way the holidays are really about giving and spening time with loved ones but then again I get caught up in the monetary gifts that I want to give others becasue I think it will make them happy and I know that it makes me happy to see them happy..... nothing wrong there I guess.

Of course it doesn't help maters that my work becomes the caziest this time of year and I am expecdted to put in many extra hours which are just so short to come by this special time of year. But it will be over in a few short days and then we will move on into a new year with new hopes and et ceteras.

Mindless Musings about Mormons

2007-12-13T19:59:00.000-05:00

Not since my Sects and Cults class in college have I heard so many musings about Mormons. I myself think that the Chursh of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) is nothing more than a christian sect. Maybe not a full blown cult but there are many things about LDS that do not sit right with me.

If you don't know much about LSD do a bit of web surfing and read about the history of the beleifs. It's almost as entertaining as the Scientology.

I love the part about LDS is that the leader of the church is a profit of Jesus.

If I believed in a god, why would I think that just because a person is elected as head of a church that it makes you right hand person to Jesus.

Bring It On.....

2007-12-12T20:37:00.000-05:00

The fall has come and gone. Winter officially begins next week which means the daylight will once again grow longer until the flowers break the cold ground and our lives will be filled with nature.

Lots of changes have happened. People moving away, people making changes, people changing themselves and people being people and making changes all shake my world and reshape it into something that hopefully will be, like The Six Million Dollar Man, stronger, better and faster.

As the change engulfs us I strive to remember how lucky I am and those around me are. We have our health, we have people who love us and we all have the means to live lives of little strife.

The holidays and winter are often times troubling for many people and I think it almost normal to be ill prepared for all the emotions and hecticness that has become the Holidays of a modern world. I do what I can and will get the shopping done and hopefully spend some time with those family/friends who help make me a whole person. The spring will come and then the summer then fall and winter again...

Time for some hot chocalate and perhaps a bit of on-line poker while wathcing the end of "Pushing Up Daisies."

Happy Happy and Merry Merry to you all and to all a good night!

Recollections about memories..

2007-09-05T20:17:00.000-04:00

Once again I found myself thrown down the memory road this evening.

My friend Nina and I finally got together for dinner. Joining us were Nina’s mom and her husband. Nina’s mother remembered a concert that she and I attended some time when I was in high school. She says it was a local symphony concert of one of Mahler’s symphonies. She remembers us being dressed up and heads turning as we walked in, a young high school boy with a middle age woman on his arm. I kinda remember this but beyond a faint memory there is nothing else there. That brain cell is long gone. Funny how that end of memory can be as fractured as the parts that you remember.

Back at Christmas time, my family and I were watching videos of past Christmases and we reached one from the Christmas right after my parents had renovated their house and my grandmother had died. I sat there amazed as I saw myself on the TV screen and had NO memory of having been through the actions I was watching.

I suppose in many ways that the feeling of non I felt might be like those felt by people with dementia or Alzheimer’s who know that they are slipping away. I just hope that if these horrible diseases are in my future that I am one of the lucky ones who have no idea I am sick and just exist moment to moment.

Newspaper Column #2

2007-08-30T18:17:00.000-04:00

Again from a prior life of mine:

Q. Regarding the term, "in it deeper than whale shit." How deep is whale shit?
A. After sending the crack research staff out to the White Water Gorge to look for a whale to defecate into a measuring cup, they returned empty handed. But alas, I determined that they should return empty handed.
The reason, you may ask. Simply, whale excrement is largely liquid, made up of little substance, much like the Clinton Crime Bill.
It seems that whales poop around 2% of their body weight a day. As an example, the Blue whale, one of the smallest whales we could find, rids itself of about 3 tons of mostly liquid excrement a day.

Q. After a hard day of classes the other day, I was sitting in my room, meditating to Nirvana CDs and was struck by the question, "What does Teen Spirit smell like?" -- Billy Stines
A. This one was a tough one. While visiting Mrs. Marie, the psychic advisor, and trying to contact Curt in the after-life, I began to receive an intense sensation of smells. After asking Mrs. Marie if she could smell these odorific olfactory experiences.
She replied, "No."
It hit me then that these must be the smells of Teen Spirit drifting over that great and boundless plain between this world and that of the great beyond.
But then I realized that Mrs. Marie was not only a psychic advisor, but also a retail seller of Teen Spirit underarm deodorant for adolescent women. So the smells enticing my nostrils were not from Curt but from B.O. fighters for teenagers. What a bummer!
So, what does Teen Spirit smell like? It comes in 5 yummy fragrances. These include: Baby Powder Soft, fine if you want to smell like a baby's butt; Romantic Rose, an air freshener if there ever was one; California Breeze which smelled faintly like a Blue Dolphin Drink; Caribbean Cool, "Bubble Yum" at its finest; and Totally Fresh, a fragrance I can not quite place.
Curt, we love you and thanks for the smells.

Q. Are the squirrels on campus edible? -- Chris Collins
A. After an extensive search (running all over campus trying to catch one), I have determined that squirrels are not edible. If they were edible, then they would be easier to catch, like a cow.

Q. Is it true what They say about Earlham College?
A. Yes, it is!

Q. Who are They?
A. The answer to this question is steeped in the mire of many centuries of logic and chance. We have all heard of the infamous "They" but has anyone met them and asked why They do all the stuff that They do?
At long last I think that I have found the only known person to have met They. After a brief interview over lunch in Morrison's where this person works. H.D., as I will call him, described They to me in this way: about 6 feet tall with a striking cleft in Their chin. Nice to know that there are answers to the unanswerable questions of life.

Have you a question that you have often pondered, yet were unable to find an answer for. This is where "Shannon's Simple Rhyme and Reason" will help. Write down your answer (on paper please) and place it in drawer 23. I will then attempt to answer questions each week with the help of my extensive reference staff. Simple, huh?

Old Writings (but fun!)

2007-08-29T18:30:00.000-04:00

When I worked at Earlham College (in Richmond IN) as a dorm director (actually 2 dorms) I was asked if I wanted to write a column for the campus paper by one of the students in my building who was the editor. Here is the 1st column I wrote:

Headline: One Billion Jumping Chinese and Other Folly

By: Shannon Salser

Name of Column: Simple Rhyme and Reason

Welcome to an almost new innovation in entertainment. While the idea is not mine, I hope to share my insights of the world with you, the attentive and inquisitive member of the greater Earlham community.

The idea and actually the questions and parts of the answers for this column come from Cecil Adams and his column, titled "The Straight Dope." But in order for this venture to continue, I need your help.

Q. What would happen if every person in China were to stand on a chair and en mass jump off? Would the resulting blow knock the Earth out of it's orbit?

A. In trying to answer this question, I found out the most important piece of reference hunting knowledge: China will not return voice mail messages! After extensive calls asking if the Peking government would consent to having all 1 billion 27 million people stand on chairs and simultaneously jump off, I determined that the Chinese government was not yet willing to help me for the sake of scientific betterment.

However, as a stab at answering such a staggering question, the U.N. claims that China is still, in the global picture, a poor country. Needless to say, finding over a billion chairs in China is a logistical problem left to the writers of the Clinton Crime Bill. You can just forget finding that many chairs, let alone chairs of a uniform height needed for such a ground-breaking (or is that shaking) experiment.

There are those of you that might suggest taking one person and letting him or her jump off of a chair, measuring the force on the earth and multiplying it by 1 billion 27 million. Even I and my two non-math degrees can figure out that the margin of error in such a study would make it useless and therefore not even worth trying.

But putting aside the logistics for a moment, I figure that even if it were possible to get the Chinese government to return my voice mail messages, Newton's law of equal and opposite forces would save us all from hurtling into the sun by means of a big sweaty blood-curdling roller-coaster ride from hell.

All those chairs with people on them have to exert a force against the ground with the ground exerting just as much force back at the legs of the chairs. So when we have a billion weightless Chinese people for just a fraction of a second, the earth would be moving to join them roughly half way, thus negating the force.

Of course, what if we could materialize (beam them, for those of us who watch Star Trek) all those people onto their chairs and then they jumped. By my calculations (rough, let me tell you), the force would be equal to only 500 tons of TNT. By no means is this enough to move the 6 sextillion 588 quintillion pounds of matter that make up this little old place we call the Earth.

Next week (if I don't get any better questions), regarding the term, "in it deeper than whale shit." How deep is whale shit?

Gambling Terms

2007-08-28T19:45:00.000-04:00

As I was looking around the website for Seneca Allegany Casino where it look slike I will be going to this weekend for a nice overnight trip, I ran accross this nice list of gambling terms I wish to share with anyone out there who wants to learn more about casino gambling:

Action – The amount of money wagered by a player during the playing session.
Ante – The initial bet before you receive your cards in Stud Poker.
Banker – In card games, the dealer. In some card games, each player becomes a banker.
Bet – To wager.
Betting Limits – The minimum and maximum amounts of money that a player can wager on one bet in a table game. You cannot wager less than the minimum or more than the maximum amount posted.
Blackjack – Table game where a winning hand must be higher than the dealer’s without going over 21.
Buy-In – Converting cash into chips.
Caribbean Stud Poker – The challenge of Poker with an easier-to-play format, plus the first-ever progressive play jackpot offered at a table game!
Chips – Round tokens used in gaming in lieu of cash. They are purchased at the gaming tables and exchanged at the cashier’s booth or cage.
Color Up – When a player exchanges smaller denomination chips for larger denomination chips.
Comps – Complimentary gifts given by the Casino rewarding people for gaming loyalty. Typical comps can include complimentary meals, beverages or promotional items.
Deal – To give out the cards during a table game.
Doubling Down – A betting option in Blackjack where the player’s opening two-card hand is dealt face-up and player’s original wager is doubled. The player is then dealt one additional card only, to complete the hand. In the event that the player beats the dealer’s hand or the dealer busts, the player wins twice the amount of their original wager.
Even Money Bet – A bet that pays back the same amount that you wagered, plus your original wager.
Hand – Refers to the cards that you hold.
Hit – In Blackjack, to take another card.
House – The casino or gambling facility.
Inside Bets – A Roulette bet placed on any number, or small combination of numbers.
Insurance – In Blackjack, a side bet that the dealer has a natural. Insurance is offered only when the dealer’s up card is an ace. The insurance bet wins double if the dealer has a natural, but loses if the dealer does not.
Jackpot – A big win on a slot machine.
Jacks or Better – In some video Poker games, when you get a pair of Jacks or a higher ranking, you win. You don’t win anything on a pair of tens or lower.
Natural – In Blackjack, a natural is a two-card hand of 21 points. In Baccarat a natural is a two-card total of eight or nine.
Odds – Ratio of probabilities. The fraction by which the casino offers to multiply a bettor’s stake.
Outside Bets – Roulette bets located on the outside part of the layout. They involve betting 12 or 18 numbers (such as red or black) with one chip.
Payback Percentage – The percent of each dollar played in a slot machine that the machine is programmed to return to the player. Payback percentage is 100 percent minus the house edge.
Payline – The line on a slot machine window on which the symbols from each reel must line up. Slot machines can have as many as 20 paylines, although most have only one.
Payout Table – A posting somewhere on the front of a slot or video Poker machine that tells you what each winning hand will pay for the number of coins played.
Pit – An area of a casino in which a group of table games are arranged. The center area is restricted to dealers and other casino personnel.
Progressive – A slot machine whose potential jackpot increases with each coin that is played.
Push – A round of play where neither the player nor the dealer wins.
Reel-Spinning Slot Machines – These traditional slot machines are operated by pushing a button or pulling a handle to initiate individually spinning “reels.” Seneca Allegany Casino and Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel have the only reel-spinning slot machines in New York State.
Roulette – Game where bets are placed on numbers (1-36) or combinations of numbers.
Shoe – Device used for holding and dispensing playing cards to be dealt.
Suit – Any one of the four types of cards: clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades.
Video Slot Machines – These popular machines are operated by pushing a button, pulling a handle, or touching a monitor screen to initiate computerized “action.” Video slot machines often feature a variety of animation and special effects, including exciting bonus board screens.
Wager – Any bet.
Wild Card – A joker or other card that can be used as any other card to complete your hand in card games.

Dreams and memories...

2007-08-27T18:29:00.000-04:00

Memories are funny things. It can take a shaft of light hitting a leaf the right way, or a smell of cleanser as you scrub the bathtub, or a slight taste of nutmeg in the cookie that someone gave you at work. With just a touch of any of these factors, your mind sparks and that memory trapped in the tiny recesses of some part of your brain fires up and the memory floods your mind and makes you stop what you are doing and stretch your hand out to try to pull it more into the light of your conscious. My memories have also recently begun to suffice in my dreams. One of my friends at work thinks it’s my synapses cleaning themselves for new memories. I think its more like my mind bringing the memory to the surface so that it is not lost but given a new place to store for the next few years. These dreams started a few years ago and continue every now and then. Even before I had knowledge of my 20th high school reunion some of the dreams I can remember involved people from high school not thought of it a long time. What was my hand going on Jason Boyd’s cock? He and I did share a room when I went to Canada my senior year of high school. Perhaps some unknown crush on him at that point left the synapse and shot forward to a new memory.

Ron Mueck

2007-08-22T18:18:00.000-04:00

Ran accross this guys artwork... quite amazing... here is a link to a video about his time at the National Gallery in London. Worth the watch!

Ron Mueck

Las Vegas, Again!

2007-08-09T17:58:00.000-04:00

I am back from having spent another week in the incredible city of Las Vegas. Lynne, Jim and I saw Spamalot and for anyone out there who has a even a small like of Monty Python, you must see this musical. I laughed long and hard. And for those of you who take your musical theater a little too seriously, you should also see it as it makes grand fun of the whole musical theater tradition. (Not to mention you get to see Sir Galahad’s (GAY!!!!!) rhinestone studded codpiece!

The three of us also had an excellent meal at the signature restaurant of the Wynn – Tableau. At first I felt out of place at suck a fancy place, but that soon went away as I tasted splendor and realized I do deserve to be treated like a king (maybe queen) every now and then.

Yet once again I was reminded of one of the main reason I love Vegas (second only to that feeling of winning at gambling). Today having been back from Vegas for less than 2 days, I tripped to the grocery store and as I was waiting in line at the deli, the man in front of me apologized for taking so long with his choices and I quipped back that is was OK because I had just gotten back from Vegas and was still relaxed. Which not only made him turn to talk to me about Vegas but also when it was my turn to order got the clerk talking to me about Vegas. In the normal world this idle chitchat does not happen. But in Vegas, and obviously just invoking the name of Vegas, breaks down all barriers and allows one the freedom to converse with perfect strangers and feel good about it.

I love sitting at a table in Vegas and chatting with complete strangers about their trip and what shows they might have seen. And on a dirty old man side, I love the drunken young cuties that will chat me up.

Overall the trip was excellent. As usual my last day was kind of a bust but alas that allows Jim and Lynne to end on a high note (ask them for the story some time).

Jim and I also saw Hans Klok, a magician from the Netherlands, who was assisted by none other than Pamela Anderson. She is quirt stunning in person and I can see why the straight boys love her (read that as huge breasts). We had great seats for both shows but the seats for this show allowed me to see some bruises on Pam’s legs (I assume from the magic (tricks) she assisted with!)

So as I begin to count the days to the next trip, I bid farewell to Sin City and wish once again there was something that I did there that could stay there….

Update and a little more...

2007-07-31T20:58:00.000-04:00

Well, long story short I went to my 20th high school reunion. Had a blast, can't wait for the 25th.

I am off to Vegas tomorrow for a full week of shows, eating and gambling. Wish me luck and hopefully I'll have a good update and will perhaps write more about the reunion (with some pics).

HHmmmmm...

2007-07-09T23:49:00.000-04:00

OK, a weird dichotomy has crept its way into my life the last couple of weeks. I am not a person who enjoys a crowd of people I don’t know. I don’t put myself into situations where I don’t know people very often and on the few occasions when it is a must-do I find a quiet corner and people watch almost the whole time only talking to those who might start up a conversation with me.

But aghast of all aghasts, my 20th high school reunion is quickly approaching in 2 weeks. My 1st gut call was to say no. Why would I put myself into a situation with people the vast majority of whom I have not heard from in over 15 years.

While my high school years were not without fun I spent them in the closet. A gay, fat teenage, geeky boy who had an OK time in high school. I had friends and hung out with several of them a lot so I was not lonely in any way.

So what is making second guess myself and wonder if I shouldn’t go to the reunion? I find myself wondering about people from high school and what they are up to these days. I have contacted a few people through e-mail whom I wondered the most about.

I will probably not end up going but am I missing out on seeing people who I haven’t seen in at least 20 years? I don’t know.

I’ll see how it goes over the next week.

3 weeks til Vegas….

Me and Paris Hilton

2007-06-08T18:56:00.000-04:00

Summer is here. Well the calendar says June 6 but the 55-degree nights and 65-degree days this week sure make me wonder if it is summer. Summer for me has always been a season of dualities. The warm weather brings out the partially nude men that makes it so fun. As a good friend of mine once said (Where are you Chris Collette?), “Oh to be a bicycle seat in summer.” But on the other side I have to wear less to keep cool. I am not a skinny person and never have been. That’s OK. I applaud my friends Jen, Lynne and Andi who have all taken it upon their selves to rework their bodies into sexy, sleek females. I contemplate the change but as of now still think about it with little or no action.

As those who read this know I am a huge TV fan. So it would seem that summer would, with the end of 1st run shows and the barrage of summer re-runs, give me a chance to break out and see the greater world again. But those sneaky TV execs have created summer series and specials that keep me glued. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for Kyle XY this summer.

However I am trekking out this weekend to Akron to see Kathy Griffin live. Kathy is so funny and like me she is fascinated with pop culture yet finds it all strange and evil at the same time. It reminds me of the old can’t take your eyes from the accident idea.

America’s utter attraction to and obsession with stars and those who act like stars is something that fascinates me and many of my friends. Many around me claim that this obsession is ruining our society. I don’t think so. This obsession has been around for as long as there have been those whose destiny it is to entertain the greater masses.

Just look to the recent past and the Beatles. What would my friends have said to the screaming, fainting mass of young women who flocked to wherever the Fab 4 were located. Put yourself in the “normal” mindframe of the early 1960’s and I think you would have thought this hysteria as indicative of the ruin of America and even the world.

Or perhaps we should step back a few more years to a young singer named Jennie Lind, a Swedish opera singer from the 1800’s who every move and relationships were splashed across the newspapers. If the internet had existed in 1850 I’m sure that MSNBC online would be showing us what she was wearing at the Paris Opera.
Well’ that’s about it for now, off to play some poker with some friends. Wish me luck!

He hast gone home to his Maker.

2007-05-16T17:17:00.000-04:00

I am an evil person. Some explanation may be in order. A few years ago (Ok, maybe more than a few) I decided that I was going to be gay. Just woke up one morning and said to myself, “Hey self. You know what I don’t think there are enough people in the world or are hated and maligned. So let’s go gay and give them one more person to hate.”

Well a few years later I decided that I just wasn’t evil enough. It was at that point I can up with my great plan to seek revenge on a city I had only visited once in my life. It was full of evil people like myself so I guess it was OK when I ran a couple of planes into the tallest buildings there and killed over 3000 people.

I am an evil person. Well, I am according to a nice gentleman named Jerry Falwell. He has gone on record that the events of Sept 11, 2001 were results of God attempting to tell humanity that he is unhappy about gay people and what they do in the privacy of their bedrooms.

But alas Jerry is dead. ‘Nuff said….

Life update for those who might care...

2007-05-08T20:11:00.000-04:00

First, I must say that Pondfest makes me spend money. Last year after Pondfest I bought an IPOD and this year...... read on...

OK, I don't know if I got PPD (Post Pond Fest Depression) but I definitely had a bad start to my week. As talked about around the muck, I went out Monday after work with Jim to but a new lawn mower. After quite a time comparing and fretting I decided to take the plunge and fork out 450.00 for a Honda Duel Cut self-propelled model with a nice bagger.

I get it home in time to mow my tiny front yard and after using the mower for no more than 10 minutes my back is hurting something fierce and I have determined that I don't like my new mower. It's heavy to back-it up and heavy to push without the power assist and when self-propelled I feel like I am fighting with it every inch of mowing (more later in e-mail).

So I go in side not in the best of moods and head to the bathroom to do some business and upon stepping into my bathroom find my socked feet soaked as there is at least an inch of water covering most of my bathroom floor.

It seems that as I left the bathroom that morning it stopped up, not enough to overflow but enough that as it seems my toilet runs a bit all the time therefore over about 12 hours it overflowed the tank and sopped the floor.

After cleaning up the water and convincing myself there was not an actual leak I went back to the couch with Jim to watch TV.

About 45 minutes later I ask Jim what am I hearing as it sounded like it was raining in my kitchen, Jim said it was just probably rain hitting the side of the house. But alas no it was raining in my kitchen; water was pouring from the light fixture. So a few pots under the drips later and several trips to the bathroom, I once again convinced myself (mostly) that there wasn't a leak and that the rain in the kitchen was from the water that had set upon the bathroom floor for so many hours.

So the ceiling is dry at end of week and I think I have convinced myself that once I get used to the clutch on the mower and practice a bit that I will live and maybe even love my new Honda.

And of course coming home today and finding a package on my porch was a wonderful surprise. I hurriedly opened the box and began to scoop out the packing peanuts and smelled long before I saw my new.... left blank in case others haven't received theirs yet (if we all got the same)...

so THANK YOU A, H and M for the gift and I can't wait to come be part of your family again.

Update, as of tonight I am liking my mower a bit more and after mowing my front and part of my back my back is not killing me.

And talk of spending money... my Dryer is dying so I purchased a new one ON-LINE tonight... I will let all know about the experience.

And on another buying mode, my friend Jim purchased a new car this past weekend (I'm SO jealous). Here is a PIC of his new 2008 Dodge Avenger.

Yes, this in in my Driveway so you can see a little bit of my house.

Pond Fest Update in a few days....

Coming Soon

2007-05-04T22:45:00.000-04:00

Has been quite a week. Coming back from Pondfest 2007 led me into a week of water through my kitchen ceiling and spending money on a lawn mower I don't like... more will come with pics after I gain some contral over my life again... but 1st a weekend at my parents, taking my neice to Chuck-E-Cheese becaue whe is potty trained now...

Ick!

2007-04-09T12:36:00.000-04:00

Another week has begun in Cleveland.

After having spent a nice weekend in Mansfield with my family where it snowed all weekend but never really stayed on the ground, I returned to Cleveland last night, Easter night, to about 3 feet of snow in Cleveland. Lucky for me a neighborhood girl cam quickly and offered to shovel. I happily gave her 20 bucks and headed back to the couch to cuddle with my cat Katie. After she was done the city cam and plowed the street thus clogging the end of my driveway with a couple feet of slushy snow. So like the adult I pretend to be I headed out and spent about 20 minutes clearing out the rest of the driveway so I would be able to make it to work this morning.

I need to break for a moment and say that I have had a slight headache since last Wednesday and various aches and pains that never really manifested into a specific illness. I felt just bad enough to not want to do much and therefore didn’t.

So this morning as I wake up a bit before the alarm clock I realize I feel even worse and therefore call into work saying I will not be there. It is now a little after noon. I just got out of bed, Katie is here beside me on the couch and this is the start to a touch week.

But I will survive (HOW GAY!) and look forward to the warming sun to return to Cleveland.

Perhaps....

2007-03-16T22:29:00.000-04:00

As I was thinking today, in what moments of calmness I could muster as I slaved away trying to catch up with the piles of paper that engulfed my desk this week, I was still thinking about my liaise-faire attitude that I generally have about my life and the world in general.

When I was younger I was a worrier. My grandmother Salser was a worrier so I learned it honestly. I remember saying my own kind of mantra as I was trying to go to sleep as it was storming outside or as my parents were fighting. The worry actually got so bad at a few points that I actually would break out in hives the size of your adult hand all over my body.

I have no idea how I moved beyond this worriness and into my laid backness but in many ways I am happy that I lean on this side of the fence than the other. It definitely makes life a little easier to take and keep the waters of reality pretty calm as I continue to navigate my way through.

I am...

2007-03-15T18:04:00.000-04:00

What has come of the days, not to long ago, where as I would awaken, I would be filled with excitement as to what that day was going to bring? As I began my morning ablutions I would wonder what lie around that corner I would traverse later that morning, where would I find myself later that evening? Oh who am I kidding, I was never that boy or even man who was excited by the expectations of the day. I have always been laid back enough to drone on day by day. I don’t mean this in a harmful or hurting way, it’s a fact of who I am and have always been happy to be this way. It makes me a cheap date in that I am so easily amused by whatever I am doing. I don’t get bored and seldom in my life do I worry about my place in the greater good or even reality. I am. Yet sometimes I think this is wrong and I should be more attentive to my feelings and musings. I feel that I should want to go on a spiritual journey and make myself a better person not only for the world but for myself. But…. I don’t. I have great fondness for those who do though. I wish them the best and ask how I can help or at least not hinder their travels. But I will be here, sitting on my couch, perhaps making a short physical trip to my beloved Las Vegas, visiting my blood and non-blood families and generally just being me. Few worries and even fewer regrets. Lucky aren’t I?

Mea Culpa

2007-03-14T19:37:00.000-04:00

Well, once again I have let the art of blogging go for a month without making it a part of me. In that month I have made another trip to Las Vegas with my friend’s Lynne and Jim. I have received a rather nice bonus and raise from my place of employment and have jumped through hoops in order to get a promotion at work. A friend’s mother has been labeled terminal and is losing her battle with cancer. The weather has been from zero degrees to over 60 degrees (within a few days of each other). The slight hint of spring has come and is quickly going. My sister found out that the baby she is carrying and with all luck will deliver in July is another girl. My niece had her 3rd birthday party. A few of my friends have had metaphysical turmoils and continue to examine their shadows. One friend is re envisioning her eating habits and looks great because of it. Yet in all of this I couldn’t find the time to stop for a few minutes and write about any of this on this blog.

Once again, I wonder if I am really that lazy….

Altissimo Snow

2007-02-14T17:00:00.000-05:00

Well today there was no easiness of winter.  Just ask my muscles after shoveling for several hours to still not make it out to go to work.  Too much snow.

But oh well:  here is another poem.

Icy Branches

Icy  branches break off
and catch in the hair of my head.
Reaching my numbed fingers up
to grap the cold wood dyed
in colors of night and rest,
I pull the stem gently
from its nest of hair and drop
it to the ground,
like a child with a newly
purchased pet fish
and a glass globe,
my fish a branch,
my globe full of fallen
brush and decayed
undergrowth. I shiver
delicate snowflakes
and sigh as the woody chip
joins the forest floor in a song
of the easiness of winter.

A New Poem

2007-02-05T19:13:00.000-05:00

Sometimes late at night,
even as the cat slumbers
at my feet, I lie awake
struggling to remember
the exact color of Robert's eyes.
Were they the color of the pebbles
we collected at the shore summer
before last or more like the antique
linen we bought that time in Montreal?
My brain tries the colors in the void
of his eye sockets in the unfinished
picture I hold up to the light in my mind.
I think I have discovered the color
but realize that it is gone like the working
knowledge of calculus that in my younger
days came easy as the cat’s slumber.
What other memories have I lost
like the cat beginning to shed her winter
coat on a warm April day? Can I dare to sleep
for fear of a synapse searing and releasing
yet another memory that will lie on the carpet
until picked up and throw away like the balls of matted hair.

Message Received

2007-02-03T16:46:00.000-05:00

Message Received

Two thoughts snap in his
mind as he picks his
way through the field,
large and  full in late
summer. It is night.
The grass touches his ears,
nose and he sneezes. Lost
in the darkness, his
progress along the wall of
foliage, dense as the night, stops.
Moonlight enters
his eyes, wide and big as
an owl. Fireflies, not one
or even two, but a group
just right in number on this night,
in this field, flick  to each
other, to him. What are you doing
here, he asks. They twinkle an answer,
translated by the reeds.
The two thoughts return to him,
seeping into his mind with the
message of the tiny lights.
I'm alone, was one, the other,
how dark it seems. He turns
and runs into the grass.

A Fable

2007-01-20T19:08:00.000-05:00

I once watched a spider building its web. It was not long ago, in a place I love to go to, where water and sky meet. The spider was working between two branches overhanging the water. I watched for a long time as it spun, round and round, creating a beautiful trap in order to feed itself. After finishing the web the spider hurried away to a hidden part of the web and began to wait. After a bit I noticed a dark low cloud out over the water swiftly moving toward me. At first I thought it was a flock of birds until I realized the mass was much closer than birds could have been as the mass was close yet still seemed to be made of small animals. As they reached me, I realized it was a small swam of flying insects, dragonflies of all things. As I realized they could not hurt me, the web I had been watching caught my attention as the first dragonfly flew into it. The spider quickly dropped from its hiding place and bit the struggling dragonfly. Soon the dragonfly was still and the spider was wrapping it up to be eaten later. Suddenly there were two more dragonflies caught in the web. The spider moved to bite one of them and as the spider was wrapping the dragonfly and moving onto the third dragonfly, five more dragonflies hit the web and stuck. The dragonflies all struggled to release themselves and the web began to give way under the wriggling, straining bodies. As three more dragonflies hit the web, it broke away from the branch and fell, dragonflies and spider into the water. I watched as the spider, no doubt surprised by going from feast to sure death in the matter of moments, beat its legs against the water to try to swim in a vain attempt at saving itself. As he spider began to stop moving I swatted at a dragonfly that had attempted to land on my cheek and began to move back away from the water.

Are you wearing your windbreaker?

2007-01-14T09:38:00.000-05:00

As the winds of change and uncertainty swirl around those I love, and the cold air has returned to northern Ohio, I find myself thankful that I live a relatively simple life as a single happy gay man.

Often time the biggest decision in my life is what to have for dinner or what movie to go see. One day the winds will catch up with me and sometime I wonder how will I manage them. I hope that I will handle them with the presence of mind and power of thought that some of my friends handle them. I hope I will be able to use their experiences to help me though whatever the winds may blow my way.

So as I prepare for a lazy Sunday of seeing a movie with Jim, sitting here on the couch with Katie my cat, watching a little TV and checking out the internet, I hope that these winds soon die down and the sun of contentment comes out to warm all and especially my friends who forgot to button their windbreakers all the way up.

A New Day?

2007-01-08T22:44:00.000-05:00

Often time, when reading blogs or just wondering about wondering, I feel that for as smart as I believe myself to be, I am not smart as those around me. Other blogs talk eloquently about different topics and often about the blogger him/herself yet when I sit to write about my thoughts I end up in some trivial diatribe about TV or gambling or some other thing that that in the greater scheme of things really isn’t that important.

But then again, I’m almost certain that my brain is not wired like most people’s and that the worries of the world that many others search answers for by writing and contemplating just don’t really matter in my simplistic world. Now this isn’t to say I’m just a flighty nancy boy who doesn’t worry about the world and how I fit into it. I think on the other hand I spend more time enjoying the world and experiencing things there are to experience and not thinking about how these experiences need to be shared with others and how these experiences can help change me to do something great in this world of ours.

I leave that to the great thinkers and doers around me. There are many of you out there who are doing a great job in making the world a better place for all and I say thank you and keep up the great work. In the meantime I will watch TV, play a little poker and plan my next trip to Sin City USA.

On a completely different topic, I realized a few days ago what I want to do when I grow up, but unfortunately it would not pay the bills and keep me in the lifestyle in which I have become comfortable. Live theater is what I have always loved. Whenever I have been involved in some production, whether it was playing the Cello for a musical or an opera or making costumes or just seating people at the local playhouse, I love the theater and all that it stands for. There are probably a few dozen theaters in the Cleveland area and I plan on taking in more of their shows and perhaps even finding one or two and getting involved. Want to join me sometime in viewing or helping out? I hope so because it’s always more fun with a group!

LOL

Day of Adventure - Final Entry

2007-01-01T09:44:00.000-05:00

OK OK, my one and only New Years resolution: to try mighty hard to write on this blog more than one a quarter.

I still haven’t even finished the day of adventure series yet and there is so much more to share.

After The Maritime Museum, we headed off to Lorain OH to try to go to the lighthouse there. After wandering around for a bit following the computer generated directions we discovered that one can not drive to the lighthouse and to this day I’m not sure you can even visit it (a New Years quest I need to Google).
So Jim and I headed backwards a few miles to this wonderful public park in Lorain. Actually a this point I can’t remember what it’s name is but here are some pics. Jim took a nap in the grass while I sat and took pics.

Day of Adventure - Inland Seas Maritime Museum

2006-11-04T13:49:00.000-05:00

So after spending some time with dinosaurs in a forest Jim and I headed back towards Cleveland… only 3 more planned stops in the day of Adventure.

By this time is was early afternoon so I decided that we were going to stop for lunch in Castalia. Castalia is the home of the infamous Blue Hole. A quick internet search will show and tell you lots about this great area attraction that closed a few years back. But as luck would have it I found that the Fish Conservancy in Castalia, which is located next door to the area formally open as the Blue Hole, had discovered another “Blue Hole” on there property and people could stop by.

So after a quick lunch in a small greasy spoon in Downtown Castalia (made by what Jim and would have to say was a small small man, we headed to the Fish Conservancy, which we found was closed!

So sad.

So we headed to our next stop of Vermillion where we were going to visit the Inland Seas Maritime Museum. If you’ve never been to Vermillion it is a quaint little village that is absolutely lovely in the summer.

Here are some pics of the museum that tells all about all the ships that have ever sailed the great lakes.

Day of Adventure - Prehistoric Forest

2006-11-01T17:27:00.000-05:00

My last post started with a comment about me being lax…. Well if I was lax then all I can call myself today is LAZY with a capital L and a “Y” that can’t be answered.

SO after we left what little there was of Mystery Hill, Jim and I entered a fake stryofoam cave into the beginning of the Prehistoric Forest. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves:

Day of Adventure - Mystery Hill

2006-09-10T10:27:00.000-04:00

OK, OK I have been lax… know this and with Vegas and Lynne’s 40th just a week away I must complete the Day of Adventure series so I can write about Vegas when I get back.

As I stated earlier in the series on one of the few family outings I had as a child my parents took me to the Blue Hole in Castalia OH (more later) and then up to Marblehead to a place called Mystery Hill. This would have been probably the late 70s early 80s. I remembered being awed by one thing at Mystery Hill and quickly in a geeky kind of way had the rest figured out before we had left the parking lot.

So I wanted to experience Mystery Hill again. Jim and pulled into the parking lot and bought went in and bought our tickets for the Hill and the Prehistoric Forest (which in the earlier trip had been a separate attraction and even though I wanted to go my parents said no). Within a few minutes the Mystery Hill tour started. Directed by a teenage girl who clearly had had enough tour guiding for the day, she claimed something about the strange powers of the area and directed us to two cinder blocks sitting on the ground. The produced a 6 foot level and proved that the blocks were level. She then asked for two people of similar heights to stand on the blocks and then change places. Sure enough the people appeared to change size. Here is a postcard I bought showing the sequence:

This is one one thing at Mystery Hill I still cannot explain.

Nest we went through the “House” where we saw water and a ball run uphill, saw a pendulum swing unevenly from side to side and where able to sit in a chair at quite an angle without falling over. Here is another postcard showing another mystery:

The whole experience was over in like 8 minutes. How did I remember this for 30 years?

We then moved to the mouth of a great concrete and stucco case for the start of the Prehistoric Forrest.

Day of Adventure, Side Note

2006-08-08T15:31:00.000-04:00

Did you ever play the game where you list the states of license plates you see on the cars on a long road trip? Well jim and I played it on our Day of Adventure. the states we saw were:

(IN ORDER)

OH
NJ
MI
PA
IN
MD
NY
IL
MO
WI
WV
NC
AL
IA
TX
MN
CA

and we also saw Nova Scotia Canada.

Not bad for not traveling more than 100 miles from Cleveland.

Day of Adventure Part 4

2006-08-02T17:23:00.000-04:00

I have been very lax in posting the last few weeks, sorry to those who actually read this and thanks to people searching for the Hoover Potato Digger and finding me...who knew!?

So after we left Milan we headed up to Marblehead OH. I remember as a kid going on one of our family vacations to The Blue Hole (more later) and as an added treat we went to Mystery Hill located just outside Marblehead. I have always wanted to go back and then also visit the Prehistoric Forrest next door (for some reason my parents didn't take me there and I've been bitter ever since (LOL). Here is a sign we passed along the way:

And a shot of crossing over the Thomas A Edison bridge over part of Lake Erie:

Next entry Mystery Hill!!!!!

Day of Adventure - Part 3

2006-07-19T18:42:00.000-04:00

The potato digger was envisioned by Isaac W. Hoover of Avery, in Milan Township, when he submitted a model to the Federal Patent Bureau in 1885. His patent granted, he began manufacturing diggers in a shed on Strecker & Kelly Roads. The first ones were sold to waiting neighbor farmers, but they attracted the attention of farmers all over the country. They revolutionized the gathering of potatoes all over the country. They easily separated earth and weeds from the potatoes and could be used on hilly as well as level ground, allowing a man with a team of horses to dig as much as 500 bushels a day.
Soon a very profitable company formed and in 1916 the extensive plant covered 4 acres, producing 5000 machines per year, shipped to every civilized country in the world. In 1926, the company merged with John Deere Plow Company, and I.W. Hoover retired from the business. The operations moved from Milan Township the following year. The plant was located where CertainTeed Corporation is today, about two miles north of Milan.
Isaac Hoover continued to be creative and resourceful, refining his digger, producing planters, cutters, bag holders, weighing devices, and a potato garden capable of one hundred bushels an hour. His potato sorter was patented when he was 92 years old.

How ‘bout that!

Day of Adventure, Part 2

2006-07-18T17:37:00.000-04:00

Just a few feet from the sign announcing the Edison Birthplace as a national registered building (see previous post for pic) there was a sign about the Milan Canal Basin. Now from almost the moment we had entered Milan we learned that when the Huron Canal was built in the 1840, little Milan, landlocked Milan, quickly became one of the largest grain ports in the world, second only to Odessa Russia. Of course there was a sign right behind the one pictured here that forbid up from even seeing the Canal Basin, as it is not open to visitors.

A quick few blocks from the Basin and the Edison birthplace was the Milan Historical Museum, a collection of buildings ranging from an old blacksmith ship to the Edna Roe Newton Memorial Building built in 1969 in the memory of the wife of one of the founding members of the Milan Historical Society. Here are some pictures of a 4 seasons garden and a plaque for Milan's Japanese sister city.

Perhaps the most exciting discovery of the day was the Hoover Potato Digger.

I will do the next entry on this miraculous invention.

After we had toured the Newton building, the lady who was hostess took us to one of the other buildings and after Jim and I quickly walked through (by this time we had been Milaned out) we tried to escape to our car but the hostess of the Newton Building was standing out front of it and tried, unsuccessfully, to get us back into the building we had missed. We politely said we were hungry and quickly got back into my car and headed out to Marblehead.

Day of Adventure Part One

2006-07-09T20:48:00.000-04:00

After an endless number of weekends where Jim and I would ask each other to do something fun and we would undoubtedly end up at a movie or watching videos, I decided to plan an actual “Day of Adventure.” The day started out driving from Cleveland to Milan, Ohio, the birthplace of Thomas Alva Edison.

Edison’s father built the house around 1841. Thomas was born in the bedroom right off the Parlor (I saw the room) in 1847. The young woman who was giving us the tour claimed to be a relative of Edison’s, although I am sure Thomas Alva would have had problems with her hippy dippy dress and flip flops. It became painfully clear about halfway through the tour that the house was more of a memory for Edison’s daughter because there were many more artifacts from her life then from her fathers in the house.

I have no pictures from inside the house because it was forbidden, but here are some pics from the Milan town square and of the house itself. There is also some pics of a cool empty Victorian house just off the square that was empty and in need of a nice gay couple to buy and fix up into a bed and breakfast.

(Funny moment number one: As we were standing in the basement kitchen of the Edison birthplace house, the tour guide in one breath completed her last fact and then stated the tour was over.)

Change (or lack there of)...

2006-06-29T20:05:00.000-04:00

The time has come for a change.  The problem being I don’t know what kind of change or even what part of my life the change might be in.  For a few months now I have been going about the daily events of my life and being happy.  I’m always kinda happy and seldom sad.  But more and more lately I have found myself melancholy and just kinda blah.

My job is OK.  Same ole shit different day in the corporate world but I feel I make a good paycheck and the other benefits are great…especially the vacation I get… almost 6 weeks a year.  But then again doing the same ole shit day after day can get a bit boring, but eventually something will change to make it exciting again.

I have always been heavy.  From the time I was 6-7 I began to plump out.  But for the last several years I have been about the same weight, but that has changed recently and I have began to put on a few more pounds.  I also have become more of a couch potato than ever (although I don’t blame TV and the media, I blame myself).  I need to become more active.  The problem is I can’t be active without a reason (and unfortunately just for good heath sake isn’t one that works for me.)  I am working on a plan and will share more as it become real.

I love being a homeowner but find that the things that need to be done get away from me sometimes.  This is where I yearn to be anal-retentive and bale to make a schedule and stick to it for house cleaning and such.  The couch potatoness I speak of above also keeps me from getting things done. I have a plan in the works for this as well when it comes to housework.  Just need to flush it out as well.

But tomorrow is another day and a long weekend begins tomorrow after work…

Storm Patrol

2006-06-21T22:34:00.000-04:00

A wondrous thunderstorm just moved through the area.  Flash after flash of lighting from all sides and loud boisterous thunder even had my even-tempered cat, Katie, on edge.  It probably dumped a few inches of rain in a few minutes.  A new problem with my eaves might have reared its ugly head (more on that later.)

I really do like and find the beauty in storms now that I am older.  However when I was younger, I was deathly afraid of storms and tornados.  There really is no reason why I should have feared them as much as I used to.  I think my grandmother Salser who was a worrier herself and whom I spent a great deal of time with in my formative years might have feed my fears.

Then when I was about 8 or so my family and I took one of our family vacations to Geauga Lake and Seaworld in here in Ohio.  While we were at Seaworld a horrible storm hit and I still remember seeing a tornado slowly make its way along the horizon.  My fears were cemented and for the next several years I was petrified by storms.

It was probably my collage days that began to change my outlook on storms.  Once I came out and began to take life a little less seriously so I could begin to enjoy my surroundings, I could begin to see the wonder in the storm.

There is still a few storms I remember from my college days.  One I wrote a poem about.  I spent the summers between my college years working for the school I attended.  A few friends of mine and I had gone hiking along a local river and was forced back to the dorm we were staying in by an approaching storm.  The sky was wild with color and the clouds were stacked like I had never seen before.  Somewhere nearby there must have been a tornado sighting as the alarm siren in the small town went off with the series of honks that indicated a tornado warning.

I survived and from then on I became a storm junky.  While deep inside I still tremble a bit when I see the skies darken, there is a larger part of me that can’t wait for the light show and noise.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina, A Small Tribute

2006-06-19T17:55:00.000-04:00

The Outer Banks of North Carolina have become part of me. My friends, in various configurations, and I have vacationed on the Outer Banks 4 times. Jen and her family went there for many times when she was a young one and not so young.

Once I became a gambler and fell in love with as Vegas, the Atlantic Ocean took a back seat. However I saw some commercial last week that had to be filmed on the Outer Banks and it set my heart aflutter for that feeling of being at the beach.

Here is a house I found that would be perfect. So I think I will try to get some to go next year. If not NC then perhaps I’ll hit Rehoboth Beach in DE. My friend Jim has been there and says it’s a nice place (and gay friendly too).

Part of what I like about vacationing I have determined is planning for them. To some extent when I take on cruise director mode for Vegas, it annoys the people I go with a bit. There fore when you are planning for a week (or more) on the outer banks, there is lots of planning to do and it must start almost a year in advance.

I do miss that salt air and the laid back attitude one gets as you are out about whether its on the beach or at some food place. And sitting in the hot tub watvhing the waves crash on the beach is also very nice.

Wanna go?

Random Thoughts a la Shannon

2006-06-15T22:22:00.000-04:00

Since weeds seem to grow at a rate that is just astounding, why can’t scientists take the genes that grow a weed a foot a day and put it in corn?

If people hate TV and movie stars so much why do they continue to talk about them?

Did you see where Congress gave itself a “cost of living” wage increase this week? Yet the troops in a quagmire of a war can’t get the body armor and helmets they need in order to save their lives. Sometimes I just wanna move to Canada.

By the way funniest headline of the past week: Cher demands better helmets for troops. Maybe she should donate some of her headdresses from the Sonny and Cher show. Might not stop a bullet but the enemy may laugh so hard they can’t shoot straight.

I saw a video on-line tonight that shows a guy who has invented a machine that uses water as a fuel for a blowtorch. It breaks the H2O of the water down into HHO which is highly flammable. It looked and felt like a real newscast, I will need to investigate a bit more to see if it is real. Here is the link to the story.

Holy Hormones Batman

2006-06-13T21:12:00.000-04:00

Holy Hormones Batman. For whatever reason, cool weather, full moon, bad luck, I have been very moody this week. I feel like sleeping and doing little more. Then I hear from Lynne who tells me that her house was broken into AGAIN! Luckily it seems only some alcohol was taken but still… the fear and loathing that must go on when your HOME has been intruded upon. Makes me what to lock all the windows and doors at all time and forget about the miraculous weather we have been having the last few days.

SO forgive me for not writing more, I am off to bed at 9pm on a Tuesday night in some of the nicest weather I’ve seen for June in Cleveland… for a lark though, Google yourself and see where you are out their in the netherworld.

2006-06-06T20:56:00.000-04:00

I am back. After 2.5 days in Nashville, visiting with friends and seeing the sights and gambling a bit, I am home.

Lynne and I left last Friday afternoon at about 5:30 for a trip to Nashville to visit with Anne and Mike (and their daughter H.). The plan was, in order to prepare the newbies for a weekend in Vegas in September, we were to road trip to Evansville, Indiana and make a day visit to Casino Aztar.

Unfortunately on the timing side of things, Anne made the brave decision to stop smoking 2 weeks ago (way to go Anne!!!) and therefore was a bit worried that the noise and clamor of the casino (let alone the smoking and drinking that takes place) and that it might set her on edge so she bowed out of the road trip. So Saturday morning Lynne, Mike and I headed off for the 2.5 hours drive.

The trip was fool of nice scenery and some fun music as I had taken my 3900 song I-Pod along with us. We listened to a random sampling of some of my tunes and only saw a bit of hail as we drove back.

The Casino was fun. Well, it was fun until I began to lose. I went though my stash and part of by “back-up” stash before we headed home. My timing was off for the day as I stepped away from the craps table before it got hot and missed the opportunity that Lynne had and she ended the day up. And as for blackjack I could not catch a break. You know it’s bad when you tip you last 5 dollars as you leave a table and the dealer says something like Thanks but I don’t deserve this. And that was said to me 3 times that day!

Mike was another story though. I don’t know Mike that well (And actually don’t really know Anne that well but hope to further my friendship with them both in the future), but was greatly amused at his reaction to the casino and Lynne and I gambling. He studied the people and watched a lot. He eventually played a bit of blackjack but I would still like to know his assessment of the socio-economic patterns that he saw.

One of the main differences between gambling at a place like Evansville or Detroit is the socio-economic diversity that one sees. In Vegas the majority of people are there to gamble so you don’t often see people who look like they shouldn’t be gambling gambling. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the new crop of casinos that have cropped up in cities that are a bit downtrodden. On more than a few occasions I have wanted to stop people from loosing money that I am almost certain the person gambling could not afford to loose.

I think this lack of having to view people doing something they shouldn’t be doing is another reason I enjoy going to Las Vegas. This may sound selfish and I guess it is but there is a part of me that still cares for the greater good and sometimes you don’t see the good in gambling when those who probably shouldn’t be gambling are doing just that.

Sunday was a lazy day of seeing some sights in Nashville then dinner out and a nice German place across from the new Titan stadium.

But we did practiced our blackjack and craps at Anne and Mike’s and I think have convinced them that Vegas will be fun (I think I will start on a publicity blitz this summer for them.)

Oh and then on Sunday we almost got sucked into attending Duke's Fest (Dukes of Hazzard fans fest) becasue we ended up at the fair grounds and got directed rght into the parking lot... we escaped.

It was a very nice somewhat relaxing weekend that has me re-charged for a bit as I head into a busy time at work.

Big Weekend of Fun ...

2006-06-01T21:35:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow Lynne and I are off for some big weekend fun.  We fly to Nashville (see earlier post on Pond Cleaning 2006) to visit with Anne and Mike and sometime during the weekend we are all car-pooling to Evansville IN to visit and gamble at Casino Aztar.

I also get a chance to see more of Nashville than the airport that didn’t happen last visit as I was picking scum from the side of the pond. I look forward in seeing some of the sites and winning a few bucks (I hope) in the casino.

Part of the reason of this trip it to introduce Anne and Mike to the gambling lifestyle and to prepare them for (I hope) the big “Vegas 2006 September for Lynne’s 40th Birthday (and Jim’s B-day Too) Bash-O-Rama in 3-D.”

Lynne created a document for them to prepare them for the trip this weekend that I think is good for anyone who might want a bit of information about casino gambling.  So here is:
Lynne’s Things to Remember…

General Gambling Comments

In terms of either a per-game or per-day basis, define your personal potential losses. Decide before you play how much you are willing to lose. Try as often as possible to stick with that decision.

Related to the previous point, don’t chase your losses. Some people think that they’re due for a lucky streak after losing a wad of cash so they’ll pull out another wad of cash. This is how people lose they’re houses. The reason is …

… All games in a casino are meant, in the long run, to gain the money for the casino.

In spite of the above, there is a possibility that one can win money. To guard against losing the winnings, I recommend defining winning “limits”, as well. For example, some people will walk away from a game if they double their money. Some people put money in their pockets or off to the side. If you don’t have a system of retaining the winnings, then, in the long run, you will give it all back to the casino.

All gamblers (including myself) are full of advice. Take it with a grain of salt and reflect upon it. As you become familiar with the games, you will begin to have an understanding as to whether or not the advice is relevant to your way of betting.

Gamble in any way that you comfortable. If everyone at the table is gambling more money and in riskier ways than you, then you should feel no compulsion to match them if you don’t want to do so. If you ever do feel uncomfortable, then walk away.

Tipping your dealers: Just as in any service profession, tips mean a lot to the service providers. If you are winning, a good tip should be given. If you are losing, dealers don’t expect a big tip, but I do like to give them a little something just to be courteous. There are different ways to give them tips. You can give them a chip or two, or you can make a bet for them (and, if it wins, they get the bet that you placed for them plus the winnings). If you don’t know which to do, you can ask the dealer which one they prefer. (Some dealers don’t like to gamble; they’d rather just take the chip.) In any case, if you’ve had a dealer who has been extremely helpful to you in some way, give them a tip.

General Table Comments

All the tables that are open for play will have a plaque on them. This plaque will state the game and the minimum-maximum bets that one can make at that table.

When you do decide to sit at a table and play, place you money on the table in a non-betting area (these are usually very clearly defined on the top of the table). It’s also a good idea to say the words “change only”. This makes it very clear that you’re not placing a bet before you are ready to do so. Note that you place the money on the table. No cash is exchanged from your hand into the dealer’s hand.

Once the dealer has your cash, s/he will spread it out on the table to count it. This is all done for the sake of the cameras above the table. They want to count the money, too. After counting your money, chips will be counted and pushed to you. These chips are now yours with which to play.

Games such as Blackjack will consist of one or more decks of cards which are played out to a certain degree and not shuffled between hands. For etiquette’s sake, ask the other players whether or not you can join the game when they are playing mid-deck. Once there is a shuffle and all cards are back in play, you need not ask.

If you have any questions about a game, ask the dealer. They’re there to explain it all to you. From the dealer’s point of view, they might get tipped if they are helpful. From the casino’s point of view, you might play if you understand the game, and that’s another opportunity for them to get your cash. So, if you ever have questions, don’t be embarrassed to ask.

When you play a particular game for the first time and feel that you will have a lot of questions, look for an empty table that has a dealer who looks bored. Just as any employee doing any job, working makes the day go quicker. If a dealer isn’t doing anything, s/he will be more than willing to explain things in the hope that you’ll play and make their day go quicker (and probably get a tip).

Craps Comments

Table plaques on a Craps table will list min/max (as above) but will also state the maximum odds bet that can be made. Standard references are “2X” or maybe even “3, 4, 5X”.

-- “2X” = Given the amount of money one puts down on a Pass Line bet or Come bet, the maximum amount one can put down as Odds is two times that initial bet.
-- “3, 4, 5X” = This can be slightly more confusing at the beginning. The 4 & 10 have a 3X Odds maximum. The 5 & 9 have a 4X Odds maximum. The 6 & 8 have a 5X Odds maximum. Although this scenario seems somewhat odd at first, it’s actual very convenient for the dealers; given the same minimum bet with maximum odds, all the winning bets get paid the same amount of money. Once you become familiar with the payouts, this will make sense.

When changing cash into chips, the words “change only” become a little more important. Almost every place one can place their cash is a betting area. Make sure that the dealers know that you are not placing a bet.

Before reaching beyond the chip racks and onto the table, note where the dice are located. If they are in front of the stickman, feel free to reach onto the table to change money or to gather chips. If the dice have moved to the shooter (“dice are out”), then wait until after the dice have been thrown.

When another shooter has the dice, keep your hands from reaching and/or dangling onto the table.

When you are the shooter, you will be given a choice of two among six dice. Pick up your two dice with one hand and one hand only. If you want to change throwing hands, place the dice on the table and then pick them up with the other hand. Never move the dice from one hand directly into the other hand.

Throw the dice from your end of the table down to the other end of the table. They are supposed to hit the wall at the other end. Some leeway is given if the dice don’t hit the other wall. However, if you are given a warning that you need to hit the wall, you need to hit the wall. Otherwise, the house might move the dice to the next shooter.

If you throw the dice off the table, don’t worry too much about it. It is embarrassing at first, but everyone does it at times. You won’t get into trouble for that.

If someone else throws the dice off the table, and you are near the dice, think quickly before leaving the table to get them. It was always my first compulsion to be polite and retrieve the dice. However, if the dice aren’t really near you, and you don’t have friends around you at the table to watch your chips, then you’re taking a risk by leaving your money unattended. Try to remember that it is not your duty to retrieve those dice; the house will pick them up. What’s important to you is that you don’t lose your chips needlessly to a potential thief.

Bets you place directly in the appropriate betting area: Pass (Don’t Pass) Line and Odds, Come Bet, Field Bet, Big 6, Big 8 (the last two are definite Do Not Play bets).

Bets you tell the dealer at your end of the table to make: Odds on your Come Bet, Place Bets. Just toss your chips in the general vicinity of the Come Bet area and state your betting wishes. Watch your chips just to make sure they are put where you want them to be put.

Bets the stickman makes for you: All proposition bets in the middle of the table. These include the Hard Ways and things like that. Throw your dice into the middle of the table and yell out what you want. Again, watch your chips to make sure that they go where you want them to go.

Craps can be confusing due to all this “throwing chips” and “yelling out” business. However, your bets will always be placed in the same general area for any given betting area. Once you realize where your placement is within all the other bets, you’ll be able to keep track of your bet(s). Focus on that aspect first before you notice how other people are betting.

Gambling comfortably becomes an imperative at the Craps table. There are so many bets one can make and so many ways to play (“systems”) that there may be times when one feels they are not correct in the way they play. To reiterate a point noted above, don’t bet a different way if you are not comfortable doing it.

Craps dealers are some of the most helpful dealers in the whole casino. They are used to explaining things to new players. If the table is extremely busy, then they might not have time to go into detail, but, at a slower table, they’ll take as much time as they can. Additionally, if you’re nice, courteous, and a tipper (regardless of how busy the table is), they’ll make sure that your bets are right; they’ll care of you. They’ll remind you immediately that you need one more dollar on that Odds bet to get the best payout. They’ll become familiar with the way you bet and then remind you or ask you if you want to maintain that.

A lot to read but excellent advise for any beginner. But keep in mind that these are Lynne’s ideas with my support not a bible to gambling….

Bathroom Re-do..

2006-05-22T18:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks in huge part to my friend Jim W. I completed the task of redecorating my bathroom yesterday. It got a new paint job on the walls and ceiling, a new light fixture and some other small comedic things to make the whole thing look nice. These included painting the metallic part of my medicine cabinet (under the lights) and new handles for the cabinet under the sink. The silver towel rods, etc., were already in the bathroom.

The “artwork” are collages I put together from magazine pics. The bathroom is one of the few places I feel I can get away with such a “gay” theme. They really look nice against the gray walls now. And it’s always nice to have good looking men smile at you as you complete your grooming and showering… <snicker>

I am very happy at the result even though it was a lot of work… here are some pics:

Spring has arrived....

2006-05-20T12:05:00.000-04:00

As the cool rain hits the parched earth, and the mighty seedlings yearn for the warmth of the sun yet rejoice in the liquid of life, I watch from my window wondering when I will have to mow the yard again and would you look at those new weeds back in the corner of my yard by the peony?

Spring in Cleveland is a mixed bag.  From days of beauteous weather to weeks of cool rain to 8 inches of April snow, the old saying of if you don’t like the weather just wait 5 minutes as so true.

And inside the house, the want of nice weather becomes so strong that I refuse to turn the furnace back on and believe it or not yearn to clean my windows and perhaps the carpet.  Spring is a time of renewal and part of my soul’s renewal lie in cleaning and organizing. I have always wanted to be anal-retentive and strive to join the likes of some of my friends but always arrive a day late and a bit shy of a 1st down.

I just completed the small task of putting some large patches of gray paint on 2 walls on my bathroom in order to make sure that I like the color.  I do like it so tomorrow I plan on painting the entire bathroom. Pics to follow.

I find the urge to be active so strong that it overwhelms me to the point of in-activity.  When I get these feelings I can almost understand the people whom you hear about who live in fear and their phobias freeze them in time and space.

But then I regain my senses and complete some small task to prove to myself that I am in deed in charge of my life and myself and can complete a task without melting back into my couch.

So off to water the plants then perhaps off to have my oil changed then off to pick up Lynne and we are off to Twinsburg to play cards with Sam and Wendy.

Off course the WPT (World Poker Tour) is coming on TV as I type on this Saturday early afternoon, so maybe a few minutes of watching are in order….

GUT: An overview...

2006-05-15T15:54:00.000-04:00

A theory that ties all forces of nature together, from the micro to the macro, this is the basic definition of the Grand Unified Theory.  But I think it may go far beyond physics and gravity and the speed of light.

I have been called a Hindu on more that one occasion. I don’t like to pigeon-hole myself with too many labels and since I don’t believe in any kinds of deity, I like this idea of the Grand Unified Theory as “religion.”  It all starts with the “Golden Rule” of treating others as you would like to be treated.  From there it bubbles up through a layer of what you do today will impact something or someone somewhere at some time.

Now don’t get the idea that I sit and worry about a decision and wonder how it will affect the amount of the blueberry crop in North Carolina this year, but I do believe that if I decide to say hello to someone I pass on the street that I have affected that person in a positive way and who knows maybe they will do something good in the future in part due to my salutation.

I think where my theory might fail though is I don’t as easily follow it through to the negative end.  That same person I don’t say hello too may end up doing something bad because I didn’t give them that moment of my day.

So where does this leave us in the grand unified theory of EVERYTHING.  Not sure but I will still say hello to a stranger and hold the door open for the person behind me and throw a few  extra bucks into the pot when out with dinner with friends because I never know when that person might be beside me at a blackjack table and they take they 10 that would have busted me and instead I get the 9 which gives me 21 and wins me a bit of money.

Why I Gamble....

2006-05-11T21:37:00.000-04:00

There is something about sitting or standing around a gaming table in a casino, making bets, winning and losing, that is so unique that I can understand why one can become addicted to it.

Besides the obvious feeling of winning money, there is a feeling of comradery that until you actually experience it you will just say something like, yea right.  I have found myself in conversations with perfect strangers, sitting at a blackjack table, that I would either be afraid to talk to or who I wouldn’t give a second glance to in real life.  Sometimes the conversations are superficial but more often then not you get to learn about someone and their wants, desire, loves and yes even deviations.

You also find yourself cheering each other on and when someone wins others at the table are happy for them and sometimes even cheer.

Sometimes these cheers become weird.  Last time I was in Vegas back in February I sat down at a “Wheel of Fortune” quarter slot machine and on my 2nd spin hit a combination of 2 white 7’s and a wild that multiplied the spin by 4.  AS the credits began to accumulate, several people near by, both the young woman playing the slots and their hunky husbands watching, begin to count off the hundreds of dollars as the counter climbed up.

The counter stopped at 1600 (400 dollars) and as I stood up I was surrounded by several of the hunky husbands/boyfriends who began to touch my arm and back while I heard several of them say something like touch him and get some of his luck.

It was at this point that the dirty part of me should have just stayed calm and enjoy the attention, but I began to panic as one of the guys said “Rub his nipples for luck.”  Now in hindsight I should have enjoyed this and played it up and who knows maybe I would have gotten some Vegas nookie, but no I ran away like a little girl….

This type of thing only happens in a casino and yes I was OK with it if not a bit freaked out…some sort of inferiority complex I’m sure… what hunky guy wants to rub my nipples?  LOL

This sense of comradery is something that I think I enjoy right below winning money (after all, if one didn’t have a chance to “hit it big” would we still gamble for just the comradery?).

Makes you wanna experience it for yourself don’t it?

Home Update and More Woes (to watch out for)...

2006-05-11T19:07:00.000-04:00

After another estimate, I had my fascia problem fixed this past Monday for $650.00. But as I watched the guys finish up that job, I began to look around the outside of my house and started to see all the things that will soon enough have to be done. Oh, well, gives me a reason to keep going to Vegas so I can win money for home repairs…

A friend of mine’s house was broken into earlier this week. While luckily not a lot was stolen, it’s been a headache for her, as she has to deal with all the clean up, both literal and psychological. One of the shows I enjoy watching is “It Takes a Thief” on Discovery. For those who haven’t seen it here is the description straight from the website:

You lock every door and window in your house. But they know every trick in the book. Two expert thieves size up, break into and rip off real homes. And unless you know how they get in, you don't have a chance of keeping them out.

According to the FBI, in 2003 there were more than 2.1 million reported burglaries in the United States — that's 740 burglaries per 100,000 inhabitants. The majority of those offenses — 66 percent — were residential, with the thief taking away an average $1,600 in goods and cash from a home like yours.

So how safe is your house?

Enter It Takes a Thief, a unique new Discovery Channel series that offers viewers something they've never seen before: a home burglary performed by convicted former thieves that is taped as it happens, followed by a lesson in what steps to take to prevent such a violation from occurring again.

Hosted by reformed ex-cons Matt Johnston and Jon Douglas Rainey, It Takes a Thief exposes home-security flaws by unleashing these two uniquely qualified experts onto the properties of people interested in learning just how vulnerable their houses are, if at all. Watch along with the homeowners themselves as the burglars size up, break in, and ransack the home in search of valuables. And in so doing, discover what items are attractive — and why — to a burglar.
Then, sit back as our experts give the property a full home-security makeover, reworking everything from locks to landscaping. How foolproof will these new measures be? Homeowners and viewers alike will find out when Matt and Jon pay an unannounced visit some weeks later to test them.

Will they get in this time?

I watch it and still wonder how safe am I. I don’t really want to answer that here as that would be a bad idea, but now with the recent burgler to my friend, I need to begin to think more about the topic and I think any homeowner out there should as well.

OUCH....

2006-05-05T15:51:00.000-04:00

The joys and pains of home ownership are many. I bought my house in the fall of 2002. It is a 3 bedroom colonial on the Westside of Cleveland. It was built in 1917. Some of the joys are the sense of ownership and home that I get when I work on making it more mine. It came with new windows, new siding, a new front porch, updated kitchen and bath… a whole bunch of nice stuff for suck an old house.

The house still has its original slate roof and that’s OK because there seem to be no leaks and the roof is very stable. However it seems when the previous owner had all the updates done, which included new gutters, they or whomever they had complete he work didn’t do such a great job.

It seems that the flashing that should have been put under the edge of the slate rook to held lead water off the rook and into the gutters is missing on about ¾ of the sides of my house.

What this has done in the time I have lived in my house is allow water to get to the fascia boards that the gutters are attached to. This fascia board attached to the end of the rafters and helps to enclose the attic. Wet fascia boards leads to rotting which leads to the boards pulling away from the rafters that leads to more leaking and possible water in the attic. You get the downward spiral picture.

So I took another half-day vacation today and hade Mr. Handyman out to see how bad it was and how much it will call to fix. I have 2 more calls into companies that do roof/home repair. That should tell you that the picture ain’t pretty. The 1st estimate is about $1500 to $2000 and as little as I know about home repair that sounds about right. My only chance is if I can get the labor cheaper with another company.

Oh well… at least I can play my stereo loud and walk to the washer in my underwear!

A Story....

2006-05-03T17:57:00.000-04:00

Here’s a story… not sure where it ends or what lesson you may learn, but here it is.

A few years back at a routine physical I commented on a bump behind my right ear.  The doctor took a look and said it was most likely a fatty tumor (quite common, like a boil) and that Ishouldn’t worry unless it started getting larger.  So over the next few years as I was to the doctor for this minor ailment or that sickness the doctor would take a look and note the tumors size.  After about 2 years it had not grown but due to a new pair of eyeglasses I was noticing the mass more and more so my HMO said I could have it removed and scheduled me for minor surgery.

I arrived at the medical facility and checked in with the surgeon, disrobed and lay on the table waiting for the doctor to perform the minor outpatient surgery.  Doc came in and quickly said, “That’s not a tumor, it’s an enlarged Lymph Node (quite common).”  I asked how the other 3-4 doctors who had seen it over the last few years had not realized what it was.  I was never given a clear answer.  So I got dressed and went home, no cutting, no pain.  I still have that enlarged Lymph node behind my ear.

Next stop on our journey begins one fall as after walking at lunchtime for a few weeks (after all the doctor had been after me for years to loose a some weight and begin to exercise) I began to notice a strange feeling in my lower right leg. I at first attributed it to the exercise and rubbed some Bengay into it.  But the pain began to get worse and worse.  So I went to the doctor who told me he thought I had what he descried as a “cold” in my leg and it should get better with time.

After a few more weeks of it getting worse to the point of constant pain and walking hunched over, the doctor prescribed a minor muscle relaxer and a minor pain pill and signed me up for 8 weeks of physical therapy.

After 8 weeks of therapy and more pain, the doctor finally decided it was time for an MRI.

After the MRI my pain began to lesson and by the time I found out I have 2 herniated discs in my lower back (hence all the therapy and drugs were useless), the pain began to lesson and go away.  I honestly believe that the final knowledge of knowing I wasn’t crazy and having to lie perfectly still in the MRI machine for 30 minutes helped the discs to reverse course and not swell any more.

The 3rd act starts in 1999 when I went to Optometrist who tells me that the Glaucoma test (the puff of air test) reading s borderline high for my right eye but everything looks OK.  After another 2 tests since then until this past February, the readings were the same but the Eye Doc suggests I see an Ophthalmologist to rule out any early stages of Glaucoma.  So I call my HMO and make an appointment (this was late Feb.).

At my appointment today, the Doc says that the pressure in my eyes is normal and everything looks good.  I ask him about the puff test and am told that it is frequently wrong.

Chapter 4 is a short one wherein my grandmother lives to be 93 after smoking for some 75 years of that time and drinking and eating whatever she wanted.

So, where does this leave me?  Maybe I’m just unlucky with doctors and such, but I am beginning to think that perhaps the docs aren’t as smart I have given them credit for over the years.  Yes I am overweight and maybe too much so, but so are the nurses who tell me I have to loose weight not to mention I see them out in front of the building smoking (I work in the same building as my primary Doctor and HMO office).  I don’t smoke and never have.

Should I continue to listen to the Docs…. yea but I’m gonna be much more skeptical in the future.  No use wasting my time and money on things that aren’t really wrong with me.

My New Guest Bedroom...

2006-04-26T18:19:00.000-04:00

OK, I've been in my house for over 3 years now and I just now actually got together to create a Guest Bedroom in one of the 3 bedrooms I have...

I find this very exciting, so any of you out there who want to come visit now have a place to sleep when you come.....

Here are some pics:

Ignore the mess in the ahll and in the room accross from the hall (that;s my bedroom...always a disaster!!)

Yes, I'm still out here....

2006-04-17T17:50:00.000-04:00

It’s been a while… Have been pretty busy since coming back from Nashville. Had something to do every weekend (play cards with friends, see a great concert and then head off to the ‘rents for Easter and my niece fix.)

So today I came home from work, weather still rather windy and chilly but wanted to mow the grass. Love that smell of cut grass. But in mowing realized how out of shape I have become. Even more so than normal I think. Need to build back up at least being able to mow without back and leg pain and sweating like a pig.

Also need to get reading for a test I have signed up for at work.

So I will try to eek out a few blogs here and there over the next few weeks.

But excitement looms in the future!!!

I will be making my and Jim W’s reservations for Vegas tonight.

Lynne turns 40 in September and has invited everyone to Vegas to CELEBRATE! So if you can be in Vegas sometime between Sept. 19th and the 25th let me know and I will meet you for a cold confection (WONDERFUL gelato at the Venetian! that's it in the pic above)

I also bought an IPod as a result of playing with Ann’s IPod in Nashville. I currently have 3000 songs on it (and 1000 pics). Love listening to a random sample. On the way home from my ‘rents yesterday I went from Heart to Rocky Horror to bluegrass…. Only in my IPod!

Oh that's another project I need to finish, importing the rest of my CD collection...

Later…

Pond Cleaning 2006

2006-03-27T18:15:00.000-05:00

We’ll get back to the history of my musical memories later for now I want to tell you about my weekend.

I and Jen and Lynne of traveled to Nashville TN to help my friend Jen’s sister, Anne, and her husband, Mike, clean their goldfish pond.

I came away from the weekend with several positives some known and some surprising to me.

One of the non-surprising things is how much fun I had… my extended “family” is full of fun, smart, witty people who always have fun when we get together. Whether it’s just chatting in the AM when we got up (OK maybe discussing abortion at 6 am on a Saturday morning is a bit much) or adding to the running joke pile or laughing at yet another version of “Heard it Through the Grapevine” came on in the 276 song mix that Anne (Jen’s sister) had made with her music and many of my own mixes.

Another plus of the weekend was just seeing Anne and her husband Mike and their daughter. Anne and I were on opposite fringes of a group of friends in college so I knew her a bit and our paths had crossed a few times in the past so it was nice to spend quality time in their ultra-comfortable home.

Then there were the animals… puppies and a dog and a couple of cats and the fish…. What more could you want.

I think for me the most surprising thing I came away with was a feeling I got on Saturday afternoon, sitting outside in the chilly air watching everyone mill around some stoking the fire in the chiminea, some snacking on the voluminous munchies and others just watching the leaves move in the trees…

A feeling of peace and happiness filled me and thoughts of community and family made me feel less chilly. I usually don’t do well in a group of about more that 5 people but as I sat and watching the milling and the animals and the chaos of the afternoon I realized I liked it and wished it could last. This is the 1st time I had, in a long time, really felt that it would be nice to be part of a large family/friend group, living communally with lots of nature and love to keep us all nourished.

So thank you Anne and Mike for once again helping me feel those long lost feelings.

Here is a link to the pics I took uploaded to Flickr.

2006-03-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

As I head out to Nashville for the annual pond cleaning (as quickly as I can, the sister of Jen, Anne and her husband have a fish pond that needs to be cleaned out every spring and therefore Jen and Lynne have gone down to help and I join in this year (a reason to see friends and hang out and party (with some wet work thrown in)) I have been making some mix CDs and that leads to a topic that I have been wanting to Blog on for a while… Music.

The earliest memories I have of music involve country music and 8 track tapes that my parents had. They also had a number of albums of country music. A few of my favs at that time were Johnny Cash and Donna Fargo.

While I don’t remember this, my mother says that I would listen to Johnny Cash’s Cry, Cry, Cry over and over again and sing along like there was no tomorrow.

What I do remember is really liking Ring of Fire and I Walk the Line and it wasn’t until I saw the recent biographical movie Walk the Line that I realized what I really liked about Johnny’s music. In one scene of the movie June Carter asks Johnny how he came up with that sound, that freight train drive in his music. That’s what I like about his music!!

When I was in first grade I asked for and received for Christmas Shaun Cassidy’s 1st album. He was all the rage with the girls at school and I wanted that album. (Not to mention that in hindsight I had a huge crush on him). I must have listened to that album hundreds of times hence cementing in my psyche a love for young good looking “boy” singers with mediocre talent. By the way my favorite song was his remake of Da Doo Ron Ron. Here is the scary part… I think it was the same year, I would go over to this girl Jill’s house and we would practice a dance routine to the song that we were planning on performing at a talent assembly at school (which I don’t even think our school had). And yet is took me to age 18 to come out of the closet!!

Throughout elementary school whenever we had “open gym” which meant we could do any activity we wanted, there was a group of girls who would listen to music on an old phonograph set up in the corner of the gym’s stage. The album that was most listened to was the soundtrack to Grease (obviously the teachers and parents couldn’t really understand John Travolta as he sang about tits and creaming) and the girls would dance along as I would I.

My next musical memory is sketchy but I think important yet involves some set-up. As I’ve noted on here before I have played the Cello since I was 8 years old. Throughout elementary school and middle school I was a member of a group called “Little Mozarts.” It was a group of musical children who got together once a month to listen to a speaker on some aspect of classical music and then a few students would perform. During these formative years because I was a classical musician I didn’t listen to popular music (I think this came from my private music teacher who had quite a disdain for popular music) and really only hear county music in my parents’ cars. At one of the “Little Mozarts” meeting as an icebreaker we were asked who are favorite “rock” person or group was. I didn’t want to be embarrassed as having no idea so I just copied what an earlier person had said and answered Styx. In hindsight I find this funny.

The next memory is at Maria Schreiber’s birthday party and once again the topic of music came up… this time it’s what we wanted to listen to and almost everyone voted for Kiss and so it was put on. I had no idea what I was listening too and really not sure if I liked it.

This took me to high school….

Tagged....

2006-03-15T17:16:00.000-05:00

I was tagged. So I guess doing this list is better than being spray painted with graffiti.

Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18 and find line 4
"I'm not that hungry," Jesse told her. "I'll just have a glass of water."

War Against the Animals by Paul Russell

Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, what do you find?

A Lava Lamp and a picture of me and my Grandma from when I was 8

What is the last thing you watched on TV?

When do I not watch TV?

Without looking, guess what time it is.

4:50 pm

Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?

4:53 PM (I sit looking at a clock and always have the laptop on my lap and with the TV on I almost always know what time it is.

With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

Sounds of Poker chips on TV

When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

10 minutes ago just got home from work.

Before you started this survey, what did you look at?

Jen's Blog

What are you wearing?

Black from head to toe. "Hello my name is Johnny Cash."

Did you dream last night?

YEP! Last night was me being invited back to Denison U (Alma Mater) to take part of an experimental "Alumni College" and they wanted me to internship at a flower store.

When did you last laugh?

As I was leaving the parking garage at work. The person in front of me was being idiotic.

What is on the walls of the room you are in?

Starting in nearest corner: A hand colored page picturing an old building from Anitoch (Yellow Springs OH) College that I bought on the Outer Banks NC. A collection of pictures framed in gold frames (On my dusty green accent wall). Pictures are 2 that I bought on the Montrealon montreal my senihighschool highschool. I mirror I bought at Old Time Pottery, 2 Egytian paprias cards send to me by one of the insurance agents I work with. And 2 fake oil paintings. oN wall by TV is the clock mentioned above and 2 B &W photos I got in college when I was one of the editors of college literary magazine. At bottem of stairs is a print that hung in my grandmother's house. Right inside the front door is a small watercolor I picked up at a flea market a few years ago and on the wall behind me is a painting I picked up at one of those "Starving Artists" sale last year and "Appalation Spring," a performance of the Copeland piece for 13 instruments and ballet that I was part of when I worked at Earlham College in Indiana.

Seen anything weird lately?

I look in the mirror every morning.

What do you think of this quiz?

So far so good.

What is the last film you saw?

DVD of Mysterious Skin by Greg Araki

If you turned into a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?

I know I should be more magnanomous (which I'm sure I would be) but my 1st thought is "is it enough money to buy a casino?"

Tell me something about you that I don't know.

I have a fear of large dogs.

If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt and politics, what would you do?

Make it OK to be gay in everyone's eyes.

Do you like to Dance?

I used to, but think I have outgrown it.

George Bush.

I think it's unfair to compare him to a monkey (unfair for the monkey that is).

Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

Considering I think I need to be able to take care of myself before I scan even entertain the idea of caring for another. But it would be nice to name her after my Grandma; but what little girl wants to be named Hattie?

Imagine your first child is a boy, what would you call him?

If my sister had been a boy she would be Kyle Addison... I still like that name

Would you ever consider living abroad?

Once my parents are gone who knows.

What would you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?

Mozart and Elvis and putting on a concert at 3pm today.

4 people who must also do this theme in their journal.

Dunno.

Lists...

2006-03-09T20:49:00.000-05:00

This is not so much a list of pet peeves but a list of me not like so much things. An idea that came to me driving home from work the other day.

People who are in the wrong lane when driving and rush ahead and try to squeeze in.

Gummy smiles.

When there are two TV shows on at the same time and I want to watch both.

The cats that keep getting into my garbage.

Keeping my house at 60 degrees this winter and still getting natural gas bills that are outrageous.

Seeing the same Party Poker commercial 5 times in a half hour portion of the World Poker Tour.

Close-minded people.

Doing dishes.

When the Full Tilt Poker website is down.

When my boss tries to convince me that I'm not working hard enough.

Now I few things I like much.

1. Gambling.

Television.

My cat.

My friends.

Being first in the euchre league.

My family.

Being an Uncle, both real and almost real.

Las Vegas.

A few things you may not know about me.

1. I've played the cello for 30 years.

My cello was made in Germany in 1978 by Hans Wagner.

I hate shaving.

I have a complete set of Superman the movie Trading Cards (also Superman II, Superman and 3 Superman IV trading cards).

I graduated seventh in my high school class.

I am probably more Native American than any other nationality.

I talk to 11 semesters of Latin in high school and college.

My private music teacher chose my college for me.

Have a good day.

Death, Vegas and Poo...

2006-03-01T18:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday (or today depending on which way you go) would have been the birthday of a college friend of mine. His birthday was actually Feb 29 so he only had a “real” birthday every 4 years.

While in college he frustrated me to no end because he always had an excuse as to why he didn’t do something, whether it was for a class or something he was to do for the college gay and lesbian group we were part of (2 of the 3 out gay me on a campus of 2000).

After he graduated (a year ahead of me) he went off to Boston to try his hand at arts management. After a troubling year he returned home to Lorain OH and killed himself.

I wish that I still had David to be frustrated at. Happy Birthday David.

Back from Vegas…. Gambled a lot but did OK and came home with money. Here are a few shots I took…

Here are a few shots of bathroom stalls (if you know me you know I always have to go and so spent a lot of time in bathrooms in Vegas (LOL))

Vegas or Bust...

2006-02-19T11:15:00.000-05:00

Just the title of this entry cracks me up. So many different ways to take it {sic!!!}.

I head off to Vegas TOMORROW with my friend Lynne.

So dear reader {sic!} you may not hear from me for a few days (unless I find a nice internet cafe to post from).

Here is a very cool site I found that shows birds eyes views of Vegas.

See if you can find the Imperial Palace (our home away from home and work place of DeeDee the cutest (yes I even think she's cute) Craps dealer you will ever see).

Lynne and I also going to see An Evening at La Cage... how gay! LOL

BBM Grocery List

2006-02-17T18:30:00.000-05:00

Wish I had written this but alas, it’s an e-mail find:

Brokeback Mountain Weekly Grocery Listsfor Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, Summer, 1963

WEEK ONE
* Beans
* Bacon
* Coffee
* Whiskey

WEEK TWO
* Beans
* Ham
* Coffee
* Whiskey

WEEK THREE
* Beans al fresca
* Thin-sliced Bacon
* Hazelnut Coffee
* Sky vodka & Tanqueray gin
* K-Y gel

WEEK FOUR
* Beans en salade
* Pancetta*
Coffee (espresso grind)
* 5-6 bottles best Chardonnay
* 2 tubes K-Y gel

WEEK FIVE
* Fresh Fava beans
* Jasmine rice
* Prosciutto, approx. 8 ounces, thinly sliced
* Medallions of veal
* Porcini mushrooms
* 1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream
* 1 Cub Scout uniform, size 42 long
* 5-6 bottles French Bordeaux (Estate Reserve)
* 1 extra large bottle Astro-glide

WEEK SIX
* Yukon Gold potatoes
* Heavy whipping cream
* Asparagus (very thin)
* Organic Eggs
* Spanish Lemons
* Gruyere cheese (well aged)
* Crushed Walnuts
* Arugula
* Clarified Butter
* Extra Virgin Olive oil
* Pure Balsamic vinegar
* 6 yards white silk organdy
* 6 yards pale ivory taffeta
* 3 Cases of Dom Perignon Masters Reserve
* Large tin Crisco

It's a cartoon after all....

2006-02-08T19:29:00.000-05:00

From AOL.com:

The cartoons were first published by a Danish newspaper in September, then reprinted by a Norwegian newspaper last month, setting off violent protests against the two countries across the Muslim world. The cartoons have subsequently been reprinted in other media, mostly in Europe.
The protest in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar was the largest to date in that Muslim country against the prophet drawings. There were no reports of violence.

Chief Minister Akram Durrani, the province's top elected official who led the rally, demanded the cartoonists "be punished like a terrorist."

"Islam is a religion of peace. It insists that all other religions and faiths should be respected," he told the crowd. "Nobody has the right to insult Islam and hurt the feelings of Muslims."

A religion of peace? 11 dead aleady over a cartoon. I don’t think Snoopy would approve.

And people wonder why I’m not religious. Nuff said!!

A Poem for You til I Finish my Mull...

2006-02-06T20:45:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of J Brunsetter @ aol.com.

As I read other friend’s blogs today, it got me thinking about the world and why we allow it to be the way it is. I am still mulling over some ides for a future blog write, so to give you something to read today here is a poem from my college Honor’s Project Highway and Hindsight

Amish Mystery

Night coming on fast,
in the Ohio February way,
winter rain, beating
to get in the car,
slaps the windshield
as loudly as the wipers.
Once more I was driving
north on 661. Reflecting off
the damp air, my headlights
illuminate little,
except the reflective triangle
on the Amish buggy up ahead.
Homer, the sign reads in green.
I slow to the next sign's forty-five,
turn my head to see why the buggy
is stopped, strain to see, perhaps
sickness, the rain too hard for horses?
As the father waits under the buggy's
canopy, a girl, his daughter, stands feeding
coins into a red and white Coke machine.

A good example of my stilted line I talked about in yesterday’s post.

And of course here’s the poser (an Jim P called him) Jake Jyllenhall waiting for me in the door of my bedroom….

Winter Sunday...

2006-02-05T18:56:00.000-05:00

The last few times I sat down to write for this blog, the entry ended up somewhere far off the mark I had set for it. This has always seemed to happen to me when I would write. This is the soul reason I think I became somewhat of a poet in my younger days.

I could set off for one point of a journey yet end up someplace quite different and that was excellent for the muse. My somewhat stilted writing style could also shine on the page, as I would write the complex lines of my poems.

The weather turned blustery again last night, as did my mood. Without going into some detail let’s just say that there is a reason I don’t drink and I think some others of my extended family should jump on that wagon.

I woke up this morning with a slight sore throat and it has been chilly the whole day. It’s on days such as this that I (yes the eternal single man and happy with it) wish there was someone who would baby me and make me soup, make sure I am warm and just be there.

But then I regain my senses and realize that I am happy alone and have enough friends and family to turn too when the time comes. And I think ahead two weeks to the Vegas Trip Lynne and I are taking and I make it though another slight melancholy moment.

And now for something completely different (and gay of course):

A few days ago I wrote about the Gay Pimp, Jonny McGovern. Here is a link to another song his called Soccer Practice.

A little more "family" friendly but funny as hell I think.

Making Yourself Happy...

2006-02-02T18:05:00.000-05:00

When all the world is dark, where do you turn for a slight brightening of your small slice of reality? I turn to what some may consider mundane and maybe even a bit evil. I turn the television and on-line poker.

No matter how bad of a day I’ve had, watching TV always seems to make it better. At first I would say it’s the easiness of watching TV that draws me there when I need entertainment. I did grow up with that square box babysitter after all. But I take another slant on the worldly view of TV as evil and mindless. For me it stimulates my mind as I see all the different things that I may never have seen if it weren’t for that invention of Mr. John Logie Baird (what did we do before the internet?).

I do enjoy a drama or comedy but most of my time is spent watching nature, home fix-up, gardening and history shows.

One of my current favs is Mythbusters. For years my friend Lynne and I have been the guardians of truth as people send us urban legend after urban legend in e-mail or in story form from our friends, family and co-workers.

Snopes.com defines Urban Legend like this:

"Myth vs. Legend

Though these two terms are often used interchangeably, they have separate and specific meanings to folklorists. Both myths and legends are stories with casts of characters and plotlines followed to their conclusions, yet their core elements are different. Myths are tales about the acts of godlike or supernatural beings and/or magical animals which serve to explain the creation of the world or how certain elements of our world came to be (e.g., how the raccoon got its mask) and take place in the far reaches of time (often expressed as "In the days when the world was new"). By contrast, legends are accounts of purported incidents involving ordinary people in more recent times. Although both types of stories are told as true, they are not necessarily believed to be literal truth by either the tellers or their audiences.

· Urban legends are a specific class of legend, differentiated from "ordinary" legends by their being provided and believed as accounts of actual incidents that befell or were witnessed by someone the teller almost knows (e.g., his sister's hairdresser's mechanic). These tales are told as true, local, and recent occurrences, and often contain names of places or entities located within the teller's neighborhood or surrounding region. Urban legends are narratives which put our fears and concerns into the form of stories or are tales which we use to confirm the rightness of our world view. As cautionary tales they warn us against engaging in risky behaviors by pointing out what has supposedly happened to others who did what we might be tempted to try. Other legends confirm our belief that it's a big, bad world out there, one awash with crazed killers, lurking terrorists, unscrupulous companies out to make a buck at any cost, and a government that doesn't give a damn. Folks commonly equate 'urban legend' with 'false' (i.e., "Oh, that's an urban legend!"). Though the vast majority of such tales are pure invention, a handful do turn out to be based on real incidents, and whether or not something actually happened has no bearing on its status as an urban legend. What lifts true tales of this type out of the world of news and into the genre of contemporary lore is the blurring of details and multiplicity of claims that the events happened locally, alterations which take place as the stories are passed through countless hands. Though there might indeed have been an original actual event, it clearly did not happen to as many people or in as many places as the various recountings of it would have us believe. "

Before discovering Snopes.com which tracks Urban Legends and is a quick reference for anyone wanting to see if that e-mail Aunt Judy just sent you about why you should boycott Wal-mart is true or not, Lynne had turned me on to the books of Jan Harold Brunvand which are collections of some of the classic Urban Legends and de-bunked them.

Mythbusters takes it one step farther and actually tries to prove the claims of these same Urban Legends. If you like good TV and have a wondering (and maybe wandering) mind then you need to catch this show on The Discovery Channel.

Ok you thought I would be able to write a post without some gay content, but alas another reason I watch Mythbusters is to gaze with lust on two of the regulars GRANT IMAHARA and TORY BELLECI.

And check out Dirty Jobs and the hunky Mike Rowe:

The Gay Pimp

2006-02-01T21:23:00.000-05:00

A few months back I ran across a song. The singer of the song is named Jonny McGovern. His stage name is the Gay Pimp.

The song goes like this:

I know what you do,
and I say to you,
I heard what you say,
on the radio everyday.
And I’m pissed to see,
say you want to hurt me,
now your making me,
make this my gay pimp destiny –

You picked the wrong fag to fuck with.
You picked the wrong queen, bitch!
I’m here to let all my little fags know
They got a daddy whose gonna take care of business.

Hard enough for kids to grow up gay
Without some fake hard-core bitch
Why you so scared
Maybe you think you’re gay
Do you feel bad for sucking me off the other day?

You picked the wrong fag to fuck with.
You picked the wrong queen, bitch!
I’m here to let all my little fags know
They got a daddy whose gonna take care of business.

(Spoken):
(Gay Pimp): That’s right God Damn it, you picked the wrong fag to fuck with.
I’m looking out for my little gay babies, and you be messing with them.

(Unknown White Rapper): What ya gonna do about it gay pimp?

(Gay Pimp): I’ll tell ya what I’m gonna do, I’ll make you act all faggy. Watch out!

(Unknown White Rapper): Damn that’s gay.

(Gay Pimp): Oooo…

(Gay Pimp): MMM…

(Gay Pimp): Ha, who’s the fag now?

I’m mad. I’m bad, I’m sick of you messing with my fags
Gonna slap your ass down to the ground
Take you to the class, make you my clown
I’m sick of all this hard-core shit
Don’t mess the the gansta pimp!
Cause I will fuck you, if you don’t realize that
You picked the wrong fag to fuck with.
You picked the wrong queen, bitch!
I’m here to let all my little fags know
They got a daddy whose gonna take care of business.

LOVE IT!! If you get a change listen to this song.

I didn’t think a song like this could change the world much until I was telling a woman I work with about it and she stated that she had heard her 11 year old son singing it to himself.

(No comments as to why an 11 year old would have heard this song and be using this language)

Yet if kids are going to by subjected to the inherent homophobia of Eminem, then I am tickled pink that some 11 year old boy in Ohio has heard this song and even though he may not realize what a political statement he is making by singing it with his friends, what a wave it makes!

Metaphysical Musings....

2006-01-26T20:39:00.000-05:00

So many times during a typical week, I stop to wonder if I am happy. Am I doing something useful with my life? Should I be living differently? Am I doing enough for the wider world?

About 99% of the time the answers are: Yes, I am happy. Some days I am happier than others but yes, I am happy and content most of the time.

Useful? Well, I never saw myself working in an office behind a desk as a career, but I must remember that someone has to do what I do so it might as well be me.

Perhaps I should be living differently, saving more for the future, giving more to charity, seeing more live music, performing more in some capacity, reading more, exercising more, eating better, watching less TV, being more creative, working more on my house, designing my garden for the spring, cleaning out my basement, organizing my house and therefore my life. Yet even with all these shoulds, I am content and happy to watch TV, play poker on-line and dream.

Wider world… this is the one that troubles me the most. With the US media’s affection for all things bad, we see way too much violence in its uncountable forms. There should be something that one fat, gay mid-west guy can do. I give to the United Way and pledge money to Public Radio but always think there is more that I should be doing.

Yet after working 40 hours a week (many times more) and fulfilling my own food, sleep, chill-time and poker needs there isn’t much time left for the wider world.

But if thoughts and worries can change anything then slap a dhoti on me and call me Gandhi.

And now for something completely differnent: Sexy men!! enjoy!!!

Yes that's the boys from Brokeback Mountain.... sigh....

Intense Heat....

2006-01-20T19:50:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid we never took family vacations. A few times we went on an overnight trip to Sea World Ohio and then the next day would go to Geauga Lake. So for years I wanted to go somewhere cool.

For as long as I can remember my dad had always been a gambler, telling stories of his poker playing and craps. He taught me to play craps when I was like 4 years old and my mom still likes to tell that I beat my dad the 1st time.

So I often dropped hints when I was a kid that we should go to Las Vegas and say at Circus Circus so there would be gambling for my parents and the Circus for me. (Little did I realize that one of the reasons we never went on a vacation was we couldn’t afford it).

As I began into my adult years I have been fortunate to be able to vacation somewhere almost every year. From Wisconsin to North Carolina to Maine.

About 2 years ago I made my 1st trip to Vegas (only 30 years after I dropped hints to my parents) and fell in love with the glitz (and gambling).

I have been back to Vegas every 6 months since then and plan on my 5th trip next month.

One of my favorite things is the Fountains of Bellagio. Somehow those dancing waters make my gay soul dance. I know it’s crazy and weird but something about Vegas calms me (until I start losing money, but just keep within your limits (soapbox moment #1).

Waking up at like 5 am and going down to the casino to play some Blackjack or Let It Ride until its time to catch a little breakfast. Walking out into the intense heat (for years people had always told me that even though it was 120 degrees it was “different” because of the low humidity and I would say they were crazy because you cook things at 120 degrees, but alas I find the 120 degrees quite nice for short periods of time) and walking along Las Vegas Blvd. Finding a nice place to play some table games.

MMMMM….

Think I might have a problem….. lol

Music and Me...

2006-01-19T20:30:00.000-05:00

Why does one want to learn to play a musical instrument?

For many children it’s a duty pushed on them by parents whom I guess think they are doing a good deed and “giving” their child some artistic nature that they themselves wished they had. Then there are the children who somehow magically know that they are going to become a great musician and therefore start lessons early in there life.

For me it was the “Star Wars” theme. In forth grade the string teacher came into class one day and demonstrated the different string instruments that we could attempt at that year. (Band instruments started in 5th grade).

After the violin and viola the teacher (Mr. Berhardt who was concertmaster of the Mansfield Symphony) pulled out the biggest thing I had ever seen. He sat down and placed it on the floor between his legs and began to play. “Star Wars” is what came out.

Da Da, Da ta da Ta Da…

This was 1977 after all and Star Wars was a part of all boys’ souls that year. I was in love. Many children wanted to play cello that year but all the others were talked out of it and I was chosen! I later found out that they thought my little fat body was the only one big enough to carry such and instrument back and forth to school.

So I started lessons at school. After the school year was up I started taking lessons from Mrs Lang. I studied with her until I graduated highs school and continue to play until now some 30 years after I first picked up that big hunk of wood.

Welcome 2006....

2006-01-05T11:50:00.000-05:00

So many thoughts fill my mind this week. I am no writer. People around me can so much better weave woods into pictures. I am a good poet. The line is my friend. With that said, my friends’ blogs for the last few days have been filled with beautiful eulogies for the miners killed in WV this week.

I too feel sad for these men and their families but for some reason (maybe my little bit of pessimism that I hold) my mind went elsewhere. I was curious to see some crime statistics so went to the government. Did you know that there were 1.8 million violent crimes committed in the US last year. (Surprised me to be so great, and also was good to see that yes this number is going down year to year.)

So yes I mourn in some way for these men, but still worry more about a world where (just in the US) 1.8 million VIOLENT crimes can occur, where some people would rather see me dead than kiss another man, where I am unable to marry the person I may love and where I could lie on my deathbed and the man I love would legally be kept from seeing me.

Yes these are selfish things but I do have to look out for number 1, don’t I.

So this takes me to Brokeback Mountain. I had the honor of seeing this movie earlier this week.

For those of you looking for a love story that will tug at your heartstrings SEE THIS MOVIE. A love story that goes beyond gender and sexual orientation, SEE THIS MOVIE. For those of you who love beautiful scenery and secretly long to ride the mountains and live in nature, SEE THIS MOVIE. For those of you who like to flip off the mainstream SEE THIS MOVIE. For those of you who want to see a miraculous acting job by hunky Heath Ledger SEE THIS MOVIE. For those of you that just need a good cry, SEE THIS MOVIE.

So SEE THIS MOVIE.

I think it may help change the world in some small way.

I Love Lucy and The Bible....

2005-12-16T18:49:00.000-05:00

SO much to learn...

Driving home, listening to The World on on PRI (NPR's sister) I heard a story that caught my attention and took me to several continents and times.

It seems that tomorrow is St Lazarus day in the Catholic lexicon. The story was broadcast from Cuba where there is a huge shine to St. Lazarus that people to flock to, many on their hands and knees (in someway to honor him (some even tie concrete to their legs to make it harder to crawl.))

This led to a discussion of Babalu who is an African god broght to Cuba who many believ was Lazarus (yes the same one brought back to Life By Jesus Christ and imortalized in a song by Cuban in the 30's, "Babalu" (the name of the spirit/god).

Of course middle America became aware of this spirt by watching "I Love Lucy" in the 50s and watching Ricky sing the now infamous "Babalu."

The story is worth a read a listen.

What a series of useless information I have now!

A Slight X-mas Poem (written on the cuff)...

2005-12-14T22:39:00.000-05:00

Twas the week (and a few days) before Christmas,
and all through the web,
all kinds of ideas were stirring,
many of shear dread.

Too many things to do
and not enough time for it all,
people's moans and complaints
were starting to call.

Yet once in while,
all one has to do,
is take a short moment
or maybe a few

And think oh how lucky,
we really most are,
that our dreams are not
really that far.

So when you feel stress
and are ready to yell,
drink yourself some nog
and grab your handy cell

And phone a friend or two
and talk about some things
that make you quite happy
as in the new year rings.

So Santa if you're out there
and listening to me
(kinda like Jesus)
(off to hell I'll flee,

for that last comment
or hence sometimes I fear)
Bring us peace and perhaps just maybe
some cold confections for the New Year!