Christmas 2010

Setting up the Christmas display is a good workout.  I found this out last year when I tried to do it all in one day.  It was not possible.  I have quite a few pieces which need to come down from the attic, be checked out, set up and then placed in the yard.  I make changes each year as well.  I enjoy doing all this and had the time off to get it done.

Added to this year was decorating the tree by myself.  Not really a new thing for me.  What really set me back was the realization of spending the holiday alone.  The set back was only short term because I'm not really alone, just by myself.  And that's not a bad thing.

I was able to share my love of Christmas this year with an English couple from work.  They normally spend the holiday back in the UK but were not going this year.  The wife didn't know what to expect and they had very little decorations.  I happened to have an extra 6 foot spiral tree to lend them.  It had a stand and fit perfectly in their living room.  Yes it might seem cheesy but less so when you have nothing.  They loved it and I was glad to help.  It's what the season is all about.

Due to everyone's schedules this year, we had our family Christmas a few days early.  I was very happy we could all get together and my folks were too.  We had crab cakes, shrimp and lasagna for the main course.  I had been sick and throwing up just two days before.  Food tastes much better when it stays down.

Christmas Eve day was spent at Crabby's house.  She had a lovely meal prepared and spoils me.  Jack of Knives invited me over on Christmas Day for yet another nice meal.  Some Gloria Ferrer and figgy pudding.  Being by myself turned out to be a great gift.

Lunar Eclipse

The night sky always wins with the best light shows.  This year the display was more a lack of light.  Total eclipse of the the moon.

Sorry, that was a partial eclipse of Laura Dore.  She's got a lovely moon.

The winter solstice and a lunar eclipse coincide quite infrequently.  It's been over 300 years since the last.  The show began at 1:33am but I didn't go outside to look until 2:30am.  Lunar eclipses go so slow you can take your time and enjoy it.  Unless you don't like that sort of thing which means you probably didn't see it.  Did you see Laura above?

I didn't bother trying to take a photo so I grabbed one online.  You can see how the surface turns a reddish brown.  It was a beautiful sight hanging over the top of my house.  I could easily see it between the tree branches; I saw my breath just as easily.  The next 30 minutes brought a total eclipse before my tired eyes.  Well worth the price of admission.

Alter Bridge

My final concert of 2010 was a welcome surprise.  I thought Alter Bridge was gone from the music scene.  The singer has been opening for and joined Slash on his current tour.  The rest of the band are members of Creed which reunited together this year.

Imagine my surprise to find they released a new album.  Don't bother imaging - it really happened.  And then I found they had a few tour dates.  One of which landed in Jersey!  The real tour doesn't start until Spring but I wasn't going to miss the chance.

The crappy cell phone camera strikes again.

Yes, I get excited about my music.  The singer has an amazing voice.  The band is tight and really put on a great show.  Dueling guitars solos make me drool so it's good I had an empty cup from my Captain and Coke.  The crowd was great and even recognized the new stuff which was only a week old.

Standing room only so this old beast had an aching back by the show's end.  But a smile was firmly planted on my face.  Tip o' the hat to one of the openers - Taddy Porter.

Flying Through Wormholes

It's a year of 20th anniversaries.  My first Joe Satriani concert was in 1990 at the Tower Theater.  He released a new album titled Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards this year.  The CD didn't leave my player for a week.  There are so many enjoyable songs and I would just let it loop through to the start.

I preordered the album to get the CD, his autograph and a chance to buy presale show tickets.  You may think this is silly but I've had a relationship with his music for the same amount of time as my best friends.  He is also the only person I've ever waited for to get an autograph.  Now I have it.

As I sat in the Tower, I remembered back 20 years ago.  A college student took the L to 69th street.  His seat was on the opposite side from where I sat.  When the concert began, everyone stood and then sat down.  He couldn't contain himself to sit through the show so he moved to stand against the wall.  The music moved him.  No cares of the world were present.  He decided to wait outside afterwords to get an autograph.  Joe was never sighted but his Mom came out and waved as she got on the bus.  She told the small crowd not to do drugs. (She passed away a year ago)

In the present, I was very happy to sit through the show.  No cares of the world interfering.  The music still moves me and I was happy to hear Flying In A Blue Dream just as that kid did so long ago.  I finally had my autograph.  I wondered what I might tell that kid if I saw him at the Tower.  Nothing!  Let him figure out all this crap on his own.  Why should he have it any easier?

Iron (Pyrite) Chef

If you read the Thanksgiving post, you may be wondering how I made it this far in life with little cooking experience.  Maybe your thoughts didn't go that far but I'll illuminate you anyway.

I did help my Mom in the kitchen as a kid.  It wasn't much but at Christmas I would help decorate the cookies.  I learned how to make scrambled eggs and pop popcorn on the stove.  Yes, before there were microwaves we would make popcorn in a pan on the stove.  Beyond that, Mom took care of the rest.

I went off to college.  Two words - meal plan.  There was always food available and I would keep heat and eat type things in my room.  The dorm had a full kitchen but I had no clue what to do with it.  During my last year in the dorms, I paid a guy down the hall to buy groceries and make dinner.  He got to eat for free and I had to clean up afterwards.  It was a great deal.  He treated me to cornish game hens.

My final year, I moved out of the dorms and in with a friend.  He had more cooking ability than I but we still ate prepared meals that required little real cooking.  My grocery shopping didn't include actual ingredients.

I started dating the girl I would eventually marry.  She happened to be a gourmet cook and would bring over her own supplies.  This is when I was first introduced to heavy cream.  I put on 35 pounds from her meals.  Those who knew me at the time would agree I needed the extra weight.  A 31 inch waist on my 6 foot height will give you some idea.  Her cooking was one of the reasons I married her.

When the marriage ended, I was back to eating prepared food.  The small apartment I moved to did not have a full kitchen but I did my best.  I started with chili and meat loaf.  I learned to make bacon and pancakes.  This came in especially handy for those mornings I didn't wake up alone.  I still wasn't really cooking.

She who shall not be named came along and we would eat at restaurants mostly.  Moving in together didn't change much.  She wasn't much of a cook either.  The quality of prepared meals has gotten better but these still aren't very good for you.

Back to me!  Chili is back on the menu now that I'm single but I was told it needs to be made with fresh ingredients.  I was amazed at the taste difference using real vegetables and pieces of beef rather than ground.

So I'm on my way to being a real cook.  I just slow roasted a salmon steak and it turned out great.  Pulled pork is next.  Yes, I'm bragging.

Farewell Mr Peeps

Crabby and Mr Crabby lost their beloved bandersnatch this week.  My heart goes out to them for their loss.

When I first met Mr Peepers I had to laugh at the irony for giving a blind cat such as name.  Of course, he wasn't always blind and he used to have a waist.  But Crabby spoils her pets as much as she spoils me.  They would even leave the radio on if they were both out so he didn't feel alone.  He knew he had it good and was a very happy beast.

Farewell Mr Peeps, you are missed.

Black Friday 2010

No, this post is not about fighting through crowds to get some crappy bargain.

Five years ago, I was introduced to a Pink Floyd tribute band named The Machine.  Every Black Friday they do a show at the Keswick theater.  It's become a sort of tradition.

I missed seeing them earlier this year so I got tickets for this show right as they went on sale.  The seats were only a short distance from the stage.  You read correctly, I said seats.  I did buy two.  At the time, I did not have anyone particular in mind but I left the option open.

The band plays all different eras of Floyd.  I've come to appreciate much more of the music after seeing The Machine over the years.  I've never seen Floyd in any incarnation so I'm glad this band is around.

My friend Handygirl was gracious enough to attend with me.  I owed her for giving me a place to hideout when I didn't want to be in my house.  This was her chance to get away from being a single mom for a night.  We both enjoyed the show but not as much as the crazy woman at the end of our row.  She REALLY enjoyed it.  I think she had some outside assistance.  I look forward to next year's show.

Thanksgiving 2010

If you believe retailers, Thanksgiving is merely a speed bump on the way from Halloween to Christmas.  I find this sad.  This is the one day of the year to focus on the positive.  Wallow in it even.  Yes, I'm imaging myself in a bathtub sized gravy boat filled with gooey happiness.

I have plenty for which I'm thankful.  I could fill up this blog and totally bore you.  I'm not trying to be a braggart, just stating my case.  Top of my list is family and friends.  We've shared the laughs and tears, the bitching and beers.  My life would be less rich and not as interesting without them.

When I found out that Thanksgiving would just be with my parents, I decided to have them to my place.  I planned on ordering a cooked dinner from one of the many stores nearby.  Previous experience with this was very good.  But I changed my mind and decided to challenge myself with doing the cooking.  Yes, I do have fire extinguishers handy.

I got my recipes together and asked for some advice from others.  The menu was a 6 lb turkey breast, mashed potatoes, rolls and cranberry sauce.  Mom brought brussels sprouts, a salad and a pumpkin pie.  I outsourced an apple pie from a friend.  Realize that I've made it this far in life without ever making any of these items before.  Sure, I've helped in the kitchen but this time was all me.  I wonder why the cats are hiding?

Two days before Thanksgiving, I made the cranberry sauce and rolls.  I couldn't believe how easy real cranberry sauce is to make.  I was even feeling confident enough to add raisins to the mix.  It was a little sweet but good.  Making the rolls was more of a challenge.  I have fond memories of my bread maker.  The recipe detailed making shapes out of the dough so I gave those a try too.  In for a pound as they say.  Once done and cooled, I wrapped them and froze them.  I guess the fire blanket wasn't needed this time.

The confidence of my successes carried me through to Thanksgiving morning.  First, I had to put on my glasses to make sure the snow falling wasn't just my sleepy eyes.  It wasn't much and the temp kept it from laying.  I don't what type of omen this was but I didn't have time to think about it.  Bring on the bird!

Facing off against the turkey breast, I was prepared for a fight.  Rosemary, garlic, butter and paprika were to go between the skin and the meat.  The skin had to be pulled away to make that happen.  A very odd experience but I got the hang of it.  My mistake was not drying the bird.  Trying to apply a butter mix to a wet bird didn't fly.  (no wings)  My instructions were for slow roasting.  This means it cooks at 500 degrees for 30 mins and then 250 for about 2 hours.  It browns nicely and all the juices stay inside.

The mashed potatoes were easy as well.  I made a horseradish and parsley butter to go with it.  The butter tasted good on everything.  Now I own a ricer.  Yes, I had to look it up on the net.  I also checked out vids on chopping parsley and rosemary.  Laugh all you want but this geek knows his limitations.

I was so happy it all worked.  My folks showed up and we had a great time together.  I cancelled the reservation at the 'backup plan' and we stuffed ourselves silly.  My reward was a Victory Monkey on the Moon - half Golden Monkey and half Moonglow.  I sure am thankful.  -wallow-

Let's Dig A Little Deeper

"In another time and place he would have been called prophet."

The quote above is on Sam Kinison's gravesite.  He was 38 and recently remarried when he was killed by a drunk driver.  He had finally kicked the drugs and alcohol himself.  Sam would have found immense humor in all this.

I was in college when my sister gave me a copy of Kinison's stand up.  Who knew the effect it would have on me.  It was my first exposure to shock comedy.  No topic was off limits.  Just when you thought it was done, he would "dig a little deeper" to find that next level down.  I'd find myself laughing at homosexual necrophilia.  "Even after you're dead they keep fcuking you in the ass."

I was going through some crap at the time and somehow listening to Sam made it better.  I didn't feel alone.  Someone else had experienced hurt, was able to laugh about it and make other people laugh as well.  Little did I know what was in store for me in life.  Sam's voice has always been there making me smile.  He screams right along with me.  I don't know if I ever thanked my sister for that tape - so if you are reading this, THANKS!

Now you know what helped form my cynical side and why I can take things too far.  I had a good teacher.

Here's one of Sam's songs.  I've used it a few times in my life.  It's dedicated to one of his old girlfriends.  I remember giving a copy to a girl I broke up with in college after I found she cheated on me.

You lying whore

you used me

you never loved me

I hope you slide under a gas truck

and taste your own blood

die! die! die!

I want my records back!

Sam, I miss you.

Et Tu, Honda?

Another commercial caught my eye.  Actually it caught my ear because I was in another room at the time.

Honda is the latest to commit sacrilege with their use of  Judas Priest to sell a minivan. (see similar previous post)  They purchased the rights to "The Hellion" to promote their yuppie minivan.  Yes it did the job of capturing my attention and then my ire.  Damn you Honda!  [gnashing of teeth]

For those who do not know the wonder of Priest, mainly Crabby, they were part of my teenage rebellion.  You cannot mention Heavymetal without saying their name.  We're talking long hair, leather, dual guitar solos, explosions and motorcycles.  Now take a look at this crap....

This putz wouldn't know metal if he had braces with attached headgear, matching leg supports and pins holding his spine together.  The Marshall stack and flames don't do much to appease the Metal Gods either.  It's a minivan dude!  You will still be a putz driving it.

I can understand why they didn't use something more appropriate like "Turbo Lover".  The poor thing doesn't have turbo.  But why not "Free Wheel Burning"?  Ok, again it's a minivan so you are not likely to be blown away by driving it.

So Hellion was the choice but wait... it's an instrumental intro to "Electric Eye".  That song is about an evil satellite force spying on everyone to make sure we do the right thing. Did you notice the minivan has a GPS?  And cameras?  I see where this is going.  You should do the right thing and buy one or else.

Yes you were a rebel but now it's time to play nice... OR ELSE!

All Hail Honda!

"I'm made of metal, my circuits gleam.  I am perpetual I keep the country clean."

Halloween 2010

My evil eye pumpkin did not make it to Halloween.  The warm weather brought on decay.  Unfortunately it didn't make the eye look more evil, just droopy.  Thanks to Crabby, I had more to choose from.

It was time to slice up a couple more squash.  I like to cut the bottoms out instead of the top.  I find it easier to clean them and get to the candle if necessary.  I get my patterns online.

You can see in the top picture I don't use candles much any more.  I put a couple glow sticks in to make an  eerie, green glow.  I did them that day so there was no time to do anything fancy.  Evil grinning faces are great for this holiday.

I added a few other decorations and thought I was ready.  Crabby came over to help out because she doesn't get many kids in her neighborhood these days.  Last year, about 30 showed up so I prepared for that many and had extra candy.  Thank the Great Pumpkin I had extra because 52 kids showed up at my door!  I know I don't have that many breeders in my hood so these must have been bused in.  This beast got to do some scaring (not scarring) when he heard one little girl walking up to the door saying "it's ok, nothing is jumping out."  Who can resist that?  She screamed when I jumped out but didn't run away.  The smell of candy kept her feet planted.  It was a good night.

Oak Tree's Demise

While I have many oak trees on my property, the oldest one in the front was my favorite. The tree grew straight and tall with a solid base. It was probably older than the house.

Last year I noticed half the tree top was dead. I get more than my share of lightening strikes here so I thought that could be the cause. I've lost at least two trees to electric discharge. By the end of the year, the rest of the tree had died. I was quite sad at the loss.

I tried getting my regular guy to come out to take down this majestic beauty. For reasons unknown, he never scheduled with me. I found a local guy who offered a good price. He ran screaming after climbing the mighty oak. His concerns were around not being able to take down the large branches without dropping them on the road or power lines. In the months and weeks all this took place, I had to reassure the neighbors of the trees strength even in death.
When the wind storm hit earlier this year, they all had trees fall. My oak stood proud and tall. It didn't even lose a branch. The benefit to me was finding out who everyone else used to cut up their downed trees.

The third tree company actually showed up and took the job. They were professional and took care of my tree. I happened to be home when the crane showed up. Enjoy the pictures but know my tree is not forgotten.

The neighbors weren't even home to be happy about the tree being taken down.  They probably wouldn't have been happy anyway because the crane closed off the road.

See how much of the tree is above the tie off point?  That part swung down and almost took out the guy up there cutting.

Now that's how it's down.  And gently laid on the ground for pick up.

 No need to cut it up further, they can do that elsewhere.

Am I the only one with chainsaw envy?  Ladies, I believe he's single.

Sho' Nuff XX

My concert week continued with The Black Crowes playing two nights close to me. I was so excited I would get this big grin on my face whenever I thought about it. I even took Friday off to really enjoy my time.

The first show was in Upper Darby at the Tower Theater. I've been to the venue many times in the last 20 years. Coincidentally, this tour celebrates 20 years of the Crowes music but it was not the first place I saw them.

My preference is to attend these shows alone because of previous bad experiences. I took a chance this time and agreed to go with my friend Tofu Girl. She's a fan but hadn't seen the band live in 15 years. Thankfully we both had a good time. She had to leave before the end to get home but I texted her the last songs in the set. Ain't technology great?

I also knew a couple other people there and was able to chat with a former coworker. He's doing well although the job market blows. We were able to commiserate and I enjoyed catching up with him.

Back to the show! They began with an acoustic set. No opening band meant it was 3 hours of pure enjoyment for me. The set list was great because they played songs I haven't heard in long time. The sound was not as good unfortunately. We were also a bit far away. I left quite satisfied and happy to see them the next night.

The next show was in Atlantic City at the Borgata. Because I had two tickets for the first show, I bought a second for the next show. I knew I was pressing my luck but I'm a glutton for punishment sometimes. I offered the ticket to a few folks but no one was able to make the show. Yay!  I even sold the ticket just before showtime and get most of my money for it.  Double yay!

The Borgata holds less people so the space is more intimate. I was eight rows back with a great view. The sound was amazing. I was directly in front of the stack which meant Rich's guitar was coming right at me. (remember, guitar whore here) This set had no acoustic and was only 2 hours. They ended exactly and almost hurriedly at 11pm. The focus was on just playing the hits. Again a good night but made better by seeing both shows.

I look forward to seeing them again whenever they get back around. Too much is never enough!

I should mention that although I did see the show alone, I did not make the trip alone. Crabby joined me for the ride so she could gamble. The Borgata is her favorite place in AC and she was quite excited to be going. I picked her up in the afternoon to be sure we had time to make a few wagers. Unfortunately neither one of us came out ahead. I don't know what she lost but I was out $100. I should have quit while I was ahead. Craps was good to me... until it wasn't.

Heavymetal poisoning

This is a fun week of entertainment for me.  Three concerts in four days.  Third concert wasn't planned but was a fortunate reading of an email.  Devin Townsend was booked just a short drive away at The Note in West Chester, Bam Margera's club.  In case you don't know, Bam is part of the Jackass crew and Devin is... well... just Devin.

I had not been to The Note before last night.  It's a decent place but small.  The crowd was good and full of characters.  I know I got more than a few looks for not only my age but conservative dress.  The drinks and ticket were cheap so I only spent $21 on the evening.  Yes, I went alone.  It occurred to me at the show, I don't mind being alone because I listen to the music by myself.  It would be almost weird to have someone there other than strangers because I don't know many who have my taste.  I doubt this post will create any new fans.

Periphery was the second of two openers.  I missed TesseracT.  Now I am a self professed guitar whore but even I was a little concerned seeing three guitarists on stage.  This is not chamber music people, it's heavy.  Then one of the guys said it would be an instrumental night because the singer was sick.  Let the trashing begin.  And it did.  A mini mosh pit appeared up front on more than a few tunes.  The kids weren't bad and they played really well together.  The bass was totally lacking but I didn't know if that was the mix or the acoustics.  Their music was good but was missing the lyrics.  Not a bad start.

After the set change, the man of the evening came out.  Devin is quite tall with a shaved head and dressed in a shiny, purple suit.  He called out and pointed to his 'nerds' in the crowd.  He said you know they're nerds if they have jobs.  Then during a pause in his first song, he said 'let's go play Dungeons and Dragons."

My phone camera doesn't do so well in low light but you get the idea.  Devin is famous for creating a wall of sound.  It's what my mother would call noise.  Within that cacophony is a passion and playfulness you don't often find.  He was playful on stage and interacted with the crowd.  He also gets this look on his face at times that's down right scary.  There was no holding back and he played songs from his entire collection.  I'm so glad I went and I'd happily see him again.

For those not familiar (probably the majority), here's the lyrics to a song he played titled "Life".

My life is all that I've known
And it's all that keeps me here
My time is all that I own
So I won't let it slip away...

How long can this life go on
Who we are, what we are...
I'll see you on the other side

Wouldn't you rather live it on your own
Even when it bends you over
So when it comes time to go home
You don't let them fade away...

How long can this all go on?
How long till it's over?
And how long till it all comes down?

[spoken]

In death, not only are the mightiest and the most humble brought down to the same level, but we're no different from any other organism.

Slicing Squash

I really enjoy carving pumpkins this time of year.  Don't ask me why because it seems pointless.  They don't last very long especially in this warmer weather.  I guess it's just a creative outlet for me.

Crabby invited me to her sister's pumpkin carving party.  Last year was fun so I was happy to go again.  They have good food, all the pumpkins you can carve and a hayride.  Last time I carved two pumpkins but cleaned out four or five.  No one likes touching the gooey bits.  I don't mind gooey things and I really like toasting the seeds.

Let the slashing begin!

I chose to do a single but more complex pumpkin this year.  The carving kits out there make this much easier than using a kitchen knife.  I was able to do all that detail work without swearing in front of the kids or cutting my own limbs off.  (limbs of others beware)  It did take a couple hours to complete but I was well fed the entire time.  We had dogs, chili, finger foods, pulled pork, melted caramel over apples and hot cider.  Plenty of sugary treats for afterwards too.

Because they live out in the country, we could actually do a hayride through the fields.  Ok so not actually in the fields but right beside them.  All aboard!  And don't forget to grab a beer.

Nifty setup huh?  We needed coats and blankets because the day was cooling off.  This was the second hayride of the day.  I was busy earlier as you can see above.  Off we went across the country side.  The tractor gave a couple fits as we went but all seemed well.  We got to enjoy the fresh air and see homes decorated for the season.

Night began to fall and a beautiful moon rose in the sky.  My phone camera is limited so just trust me that it was beautiful.  As we admired the scenery, we noticed that we weren't moving fast if at all.  The tractor seemed to have trouble going up hills and eventually it stopped going altogether.  We'd make it about 50 feet and then the engine sounded like it would stop.  A thinking man in our group (not me) used his GPS app to find out we were 2 miles from home if we had to walk.  The driver was doing his best but ended up calling for help.  Crabby's sister showed up to save the night with a pickup which could pull the wagon.  By then, full night had fallen and it was a very cold drive back.  At least we didn't have to walk!  I should have brought more beers because one just didn't cut it.

Even with the tractor problems, a good time was had by all.  My pumpkin even made it home in one piece.  Here's hoping it lasts until Halloween!

Bicycle

I know it's October but we've actually been getting some nice weather.  Working outside has been enjoyable.  I know it will be getting cold soon but this good weather has been great.  After doing my regular clean up outside, I really felt like riding my bike.  The Cheerleader told me she's been enjoying the Chester Valley Trail.  It's paved and fairly level.  Currently there's about 4 miles of trail but they have plans to make it longer.

It would have been safer to stop and take the picture.  With my helmet on I was pretty safe if the action shot didn't work.  Texting and riding probably isn't smart either but I did it.  No children or animals were hurt during this production.

I was a bit rushed because of the fading daylight.  I did make it to the 'end' which is right across from the new Wegman's.  It's too bad the weather and light are fading, I'd like to do this again.

Cuz Yer My Breast Friend

A good friend of mine was an Eagles cheerleader at one point in her life.  This year her pom pom skills were needed again.  Not to cheer on the boys but to raise money for boobs.  Boys like boobs so it all works together.  Sort of the brassiere of life.  Ok, enough with the bad jokes.  Have a look at what five decades of cheerleaders can do in the link below.

They need to reach a goal of 1 million views of this video and United Healthcare will donate $100,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, so please click often and spread the link.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfRSDbV8Adw

 

Go Team Ra-Ras!

The 3-Day for the Cure is happening in Philadelphia this weekend if you are interested in doing more than just clicking a link.

Tricksy Hobbitses

When comparing New York City to the backdrop of Lord of the Rings, the place seems more like Mordor than any other location in Middle Earth.  Not that anyone does this but me. (wink)  Tolkien did model Mordor on the London of his times.

Why do I even bring this up?  Because the Colonel invited me to NYC to see The Two Towers at Radio City Music Hall.  The second movie of the trilogy would be shown on the screen while a full orchestra and chorus provided all the music.  The sound doesn't get much better than that.  Forget your 5.1 or 7.2 surround systems.  This was live and done wonderfully.  I got so into the movie this way I had to keep reminding myself that I was hearing it live.  I'm not saying I have the score memorized but I have lost count of the number of times I've watched the movie.

That's a huge amount of people on stage for a movie.  It gives you some idea of the amount of work spent on this movie score.

Our journey to the city was almost like traveling to Mordor. (just go with me on this)  We didn't have orcs on our tail but the minutes were ticking away.  Our sense of dread growing as showtime approached and we still were not in our seats.  Leaving our state wasn't bad.  Once we crossed into the wilds of Jersey, our challenges began.  The traffic grew more than we anticipated.  The simple act of stopping for fuel brought on delay.  Why did I have to choose Jersey with it's full service pumps?  The Colonel brought us new provisions and we set off again.

Fighting our way through traffic and another toll booth, we were suddenly brought down from three lanes to two.  Thankfully my choice to change lanes may have saved our quest.  The outer lane was closed ahead.  As we waited I was commenting on the lack of notice for the roadwork when I saw a gray pickup coming up fast in the outer lane.  I no sooner said something to the Colonel when the driver noticed we were all stopped and slammed on his brakes.  White smoke bellowed forth and I failed my fear saving throw.  The pickup looked like it was going to lose control and then he decided to move onto the median as he flew by us.  Again he was in danger of flipping over while we held our breath.  Thankfully no one was hurt and we could continue on our way.  I needed to buy new shorts once we hit the city.

Our plan was to stay in Jersey next to the Lincoln Tunnel and catch a taxi across.  Finding the tiny path to the parking area was a challenge but we succeeded.  The city was within our sight; no taxis were there however.  The Colonel asked a passerby and she recommended the ferry.  I can't imagine how long it would have taken a taxi to get through all the traffic in the tunnel.  We didn't have enough time for that.

A quick sail across the river brought us to shore safely.  We hailed a taxi and were quickly stuck in another line of traffic.  The Colonel was able to speak some Russian to our driver and get him moving again.  We left the cab in the traffic about a block away from Radio City.  With just enough time to grab a slice and eat it as we moved.  No time to buy those new shorts either.  The Colonel went to relieve himself and I got in line for a drink.  Soon I found out they decided not to serve any alcohol at this show. (due to all ages?)  I walked away with some sweets and tried to chat up a tattooed redhead.  She apparently considered me too beastly so I moved along.

Our quest complete, we sat back and enjoyed the show.  No, we didn't get to fly on eagles for our journey back.  The trip home was much less eventful.

Tired but Wiser For the Time (10-10-10)

The time leading up to this date was much sadder than I expected.  I've been through my closure and got the answers I was looking for even if I had to do that on my own.  Now the proposed date has come and I hope I can stop thinking about all this crap.  I'm much better off without having a false person around.

(I'm just going to ramble so feel free to move on.  This post is more for me than you dear reader.)

Looking back I can see the red flags that paved the way to get to this point.  I can also see where I comprised once again.  I know relationships have compromise to work but there are some important areas to which this doesn't apply.  Compromise in these areas will lead to the relationship falling apart.  Doesn't matter how much love you have in your heart.

(blah blah blah)

As funny as it sounds, this was the best relationship I've had.  I really enjoyed being together and the things that we did.  I am happy with the way I conducted myself.  I put up with quite a bit including OCD issues, sense of entitlement, and lack of forgiveness.  She'd be happy to tell you I'd be paying for Valentine's day every year after our first one.  I thought she was doing something nice for us but found out she thought I should have offered to pay part of it.  Not that this was mentioned until much later.  It's crazy to think she held onto this after all I did for her and paid for throughout our time together. 

It would have been nice to get a heads up that she wasn't as happy.  But I've come to understand that women swing from tree to tree. (does this prove evolution?)  She wasn't going to leave this one until the next one was lined up.  If she shook the tree by telling the truth, she might have fallen out of it.  Of course I'm not the only one left out, she hasn't told her family or most of her 'friends' either.  I wonder when she'll tell them she's shacked up with grandpa?

So after all this I'm not even left with a friendship which is quite disappointing.  That was the final disrespect paid to me.  I am mature enough to handle going our separate ways and I could enjoy her finding happiness.  My wishes for her now are less than gallant.

(are you done yet?)

Yes, I am dating again and I remember what fun I had being single.  Meeting new people, seeing if there's any interest and then seeing how things progress.  Putting down the red flags as they show up and deciding if it's worth continuing.  I used to think this was too much trouble but I kind of enjoy it.  There's always hope of finding some good.  Meanwhile the rest of my social life has really picked up which has been fun and interesting.  I'll be probably be documenting it here.

(Finally!  Now let's see what tomorrow brings.  Right, now who's up for marching up the down the square?*)


*kudos and geek badge for those who get the reference

Hit Me With Your Best... OW!

Getting up at dawn, driving for almost two hours, running around in the woods all day and paying for the privilege to do so.  Yes, I do enjoy paintball enough to do this twice a year.

I was introduced to a guy who organizes a large group to go to Skirmish in the Spring and Fall.  This is the third year I've been going and it's always a good time.  Here's a pic of my paintball gun.  It's not the fanciest out there but it's consistent and takes a beating.

 

I do expect to be tired and sore when I'm done for the day.  And I usually have a few perfectly round bruises in many places.  Hopefully I've taken out one or two people along the way.  Unfortunately during my most recent game, I got hit in the neck.  This is one of the more painful shots and I took it on my bare skin.  It drew blood.

The picture was from the next day after I had a chance to clean it up.  At the time I just kept playing.  What?  I still had air and paint enough for another round.  Besides, chicks dig scars.

Party like it's 1699

Every year the Colonel has a themed party at his place.  It began as a Medival Feast but this year he decided the theme would be American colonial.  I must admit to not being one to go in costume to these sorts of things but they got me into a toga earlier this year so.... WTH.

Jekyll was going to hook me up with some duds because this isn't the sort of thing I have lying around.  The Colonel went and had his coat custom made which shows you how behind the curve I am.  But I was happy for the offer.  Unfortunately, Jekyll got so into theme that he decided to catch the Consumption just before the feast.  So we dug through the Colonel's extras and came up with a ninja outfit and a kilt.  The kilt wasn't completely unperiod so I went with that.  Although I still want to be a ninja.  Anyone remember the show The Master with Lee Van Cleef?

Here's the Colonel with his smashing new coat and the Jack-o-Knives being the pirate he is at heart.

Not everyone dressed up but you don't have to.

We were able to do some axe throwing once the target was fixed.  No, we did not use duct tape thought it was offered.

Father and son doing a little boff sword fighting.  Don't call the cops, this is all in fun.

We ended the night in front of a fire.  I changed out of the kilt by then because it got rather chilly.

Only one person asked what was going on under my kilt.  I think he just couldn't help himself.  No one else asked because they really didn't want to know.  And that's a good thing because a gentleman never tells what's is or isn't under his kilt.  Of course I'm not really a gentleman.... thus no one asked.

Nice Guys Shouldn't Marry

I'd like to share something I've been reading about recently called Marriage Strike.  It's a men's movement that has been going on for awhile now.  I realize this topic could cause some offense, alienation from my friends, questions about my sexual preference, accusations of heartbreak backlash and would break my mother's heart. (let's not tell her)  I am curious to see the discussions that come from this post.

Mom is already disappointed that she won't get any grandkids from me.  That decision I made long ago and don't plan on changing.  This new decision not to get married is sitting well with me too.  You may have read my previous post on romance but understand that this decision doesn't change things.  I would still enjoy a partner to share in life's journey but she has to accept it won't lead to marriage.

Marriage is not what it used to be and is a far cry from what kept my parents together for 60 years.  Today's marriage has been put in the hands of the state and left men with the short end of the stick.  The divorce rate is incredibly high which means there's a 50% chance I could lose 50% or more of what's mine.  That's how the courts work.  Because I've been responsible in keeping my debt low and savings high, that's potentially a big loss for me at this age.  It would be difficult to rebound and even harder depending on how long I would have to pay alimony.  So it's a bad contract which I won't sign.

(Read more here)

I am not hating on women.  I love women and have some cool friends of the fairer sex whom I value.  I also wish the best for those of you who are married or will be. I just have no incentive to marry even if I give my heart to someone.  Even cohabiting can be a tricky situation to get out of as I recently found out.  I had to as nice as possible to avoid any false accusations which could have landed me in jail or kicked out of my own house.  Yes, women will do this to get their way and the law is on their side.  I once spent a very long night at the hospital which ended at the police station with me writing a statement of the night's events.  She fell down the stairs because she was drunk yet she told the police at the hospital I had pushed her.  This a someone I stood by when she left me, cheated on me twice and I supported fully when she quit her job.  Yes, I was much too nice.  I've remedied some of that but I am still a nice guy who won't be marrying.

So now I made some of you mad, some uncomfortable, some sad and my therapist is probably going to call me to schedule an appointment.  But I commend you for reading this far and I'd enjoy your thoughts.

Same old Fair

The York Fair is America's oldest running fair.  It's something that my family has been going to for decades.  My grandmother used to enter some of the contests/showings they have.  She had quite a few ribbons on her wall.  My parents wanted to go this year so my sister and I were their escorts.

It was a cloudy, drizzly day but at least the rain held off so we could move around outside.  This also kept the crowd size down.  The fair has all sorts of entertainment depending on the day as well as the regular fair stuff.  I am like my father with respect to wanting all the junk food I see.  But who doesn't?

My first victim was a red devil's food whoopie pie.  I already have an addiction to regular whoopie pies but these I cannot resist.  The name sounds like evil fun and they leave your mouth stained blood red.  We'll call this my second breakfast.

Sure you can go to the stand which sells fries, dogs, burgers, sausage, steaks, etc for lunch.  But why do that when you can get BBQ beef from a stand which specializes in it?  I added some horseradish and sauce to my sandwich and thoroughly enjoyed lunch.  Beasts like to eat meat.

We found a display celebrating Ringling Bros circus.  These modelers had collected or created figures relating to the circus and put them on display.  The display pictured above had moving characters as well.  There were some very threatening senior citizens in the room to make sure no one touched the models.  I'm sure I could have handled them separately but not if they ganged up on me so I kept my claws to myself.

Right next door was an actual circus!  It only had one ring and eight people total but it was a circus.  I don't have pictures because those same senior citizens were there making sure no one took any.  The show was fun and campy.

The fair is great for people watching too.  You can consider York county as the gateway to Pennsyltucky and it doesn't disappoint.  I enjoyed seeing the skinny father of two with a spider web tattoo under one eye and his round, multi-pierced baby momma following behind.  Then there was the girl with whisker implants in her upper lip, the bored teenie boppers and assorted other 'rural' folks who probably don't get out much other than for tractor pulls.  Don't get me wrong, I love to see all these people because it keeps things interesting.  And I freely admit to hanging a pair of handcuffs from the rear view mirror of my first car.  I also had a nude air freshner hanging as well.... which I bought at the York fair!  Ah the mammaries.

There were too many temptations.  How could I pass up a s'more on a stick?  I didn't!  It was tasty and I'm pretty sure it was nutritious.

They say size doesn't matter but don't believe it.  The big ones get the ribbons.  If it's green and wrinkly as well then it gets a ribbon too.  This room was like a vegetable freak show.

Just as my sugar high was wearing off, we stopped for a funnel cake.  I didn't get a picture of that because it went fast between the four of us.  Don't worry, we stopped for real food on the way home.