searching for meaning

New York

2008-12-31T00:44:00.008-05:00

So here are a few pics that I took during my Christmas trip to NY. I'm learning a lot on these shoots.

Begin

2008-12-20T22:41:00.012-05:00

I figure that since it has been several months since I last posted, this blog is pretty much a private blog now...which kinda feels nice. Most people have probably heard about my search for a new career. It's just about the only thing I talk about. After having decided that I want to go into something more artistic and creative than engineering I realize that I need to start making a portfolio of art and creative work. So one night while talking to Tim at 2am I decided I would buy a camera and take him up on the offer to teach me everything he knows. I got a great deal on a Canon Rebel XSI and I'm really enjoying it so far. Now mind you I've taken hundreds of pictures so far and I really only have a handful of pictures which are even worth looking at. That's all part of the process of learning. Photography is a medium I have never explored and I'm excited to journey into it and throw it around. So here are a few pics from a beginning photographer. If you happen to get to this site via Tim's blog...be patient...and close one eye.

Central Park

First Snow - Lincoln, MA

Pedestrian tunnel under the train tracks - Belmont, MA

December snow storm - Lincoln, MA

Random portrait of my friend Natalie in NYC.

The nephews. I didn't even take this pick, my sister did, but it's too cute not to post.

Lamine

I don't have much to say except that I'll be doing a lot more photography.

A Future In Blogging

2008-07-12T01:51:00.002-04:00

There may be hope for me yet! I just got an iPhone and I'm blogging from it. Here's a chance for me to reenter the world of blogging.

It Takes a Moron

2008-03-27T00:24:00.005-04:00

So I was in NY the other week visiting my sister, her husband, and my ridiculously cute nephew who is now 2 and a half. For several months now there has been a group of 10-13 year old boys loitering in front of my families Tae Kwon Do studio. They run up the stairs and yell into the studio. They have set off fire-cracks, thrown in garbage and made a general nuisance of themselves. Well I left the studio to pick up some food and when I cam back there was a group of 7 or 8 young boys standing in the doorway and one of them was up the stairs getting ready to enter the studio and pull some kind of shenanigan. When I showed up they freaked out and the young man at the top of the stairs came bolting down. My arms were full of food and I tried to stop the boy but he got by me. My brother in law Malick (picture 4th degree black-belt from Mali West Africa, 6'1" 240lbs pure muscle) comes running down the stairs in his bare feet and Tae Kwon Do uniform, and tears out into the rainy street, at a full sprint. The boy who was trying to get away was about halfway down the block but didn't stand a chance. Malick catches him, picks him up, and literally drags him back down the steet. The kid has lost a shoe, at this point, and is so terrified that he pees his pants on the spot. Malick drags him up the stairs and sits him down in the office.

The little perps friend shows up with the lost shoe and we sit him down as well. Neither boy will give us the name or phone number of his parents, so we call the cops. One of the neighborhood kids got his own dad and brought him to the studio. This guy shakes his head when he sees the two boys and says he'll go get their parents. Over the next hour the cops and family members of the two boys show up. The parents are chewing the boys out, the boys are crying their eyes out, and the police supervisor decides to have the boys cuffed.

The two boys are standing, hand-cuffed with wet pants, in the studio when the main perp's Dad shows up. First thing he says to his son is, "You shouldn't be cryin!!!" The cops throw them in the van and take them down to the precinct.

A few hours later the dad came back with this son and gave us all his info and told us to call him if anything ever happened again.

Wow. Good times. All I have to say is, how big of a moron can you be? "Hey guys, lets go harass the Tae Kwon Do studio." Why wouldn't you harass the flower shop or the beauty salon?

Morning

2008-01-11T06:45:00.000-05:00

This morning I was up before 6am. Hallo!!!! After a night of compulsively watching the last half of season one of a teen TV drama that I don't care to mention, and sleeping for just a few hours, I hit the pavement. Me. It's a miracle. This week I haven't been out of my house before 10.

I have to say that I was amazed at the number of people out on the streets. What is wrong with you people? Is this normal or are you all feeling as strange as I am? People really get up early and grab a coffee and a paper on their way to work? I thought that was reserved for movies or special occasions, like a Saturday morning, in which case it all goes down after 10am.

Ah! The morning. Isn't it wonderful? Birds, darkness, alarm clocks, the advent of a new day. Well, la di freaking dah! Who cares? I surely don't. I hate my alarm clock. I hate the beginning of the day. I hate leaving my bed. I hate the bustle and hurry in the morning. Hate the traffic.

I'm trying to discover the deeper reasons for which I hate mornings. I can't find them. Maybe it's because it's before 7am right now? What I do know is that there exists in me a great dichotomy. At night, the man that goes to bed is full of aspirations, excitement, and convictions for the coming day. Yet, when I wake up in the morning, I'm not the same man that went to bed. Any noble or redeeming qualities have fled. The primitive man has emerged. Generally it takes me at least 30 minutes before I want to consider talking or acknowledging anyone.

That's all the energy or presence of mind I posses at this unnatural hour. I'm out.

Dance Off!

2008-01-09T23:17:00.001-05:00

Three amazing dancers. In order of seniority. Remember that some of the classic bits are latter in the videos. Who's your tops?

Michael

Usher

Justin

Free Advertising

2008-01-05T15:34:00.000-05:00

This is a boring post. A month or two ago, I received a recommendation from some old timers at work for a local fresh produce market. It's called A. Russo's & Sons. I'd been meaning to go for some time and finally made it today. Superb. The best way to describe it is a civilized Hay Market. It's all indoor. No shouting and yelling. Incredible selection including a lot of foreign novelty items. (ie. Golden Syrup...who sells Golden Syrup. That sweet syrup that takes me back to my british childhood.) The prices are higher than haymarket but cheaper than any local grocery store. They also have a wonderful selection of cheeses and breads. All I can say is that I think this place is a little gem. And it's only 10 min away, in Watertown.

West Wing

2008-01-03T15:21:00.000-05:00

This is in tribute to my favorite TV show of all time. Nothing rivals it for me. I own the first 4 seasons. I watch them periodically. Over the holidays DeEtte bought me season 3 so we went on a WW binge. Here is one of my favorite bits.

And here is another great one.

And one on Star Trek

Thoughtless

2007-12-19T04:55:00.000-05:00

My negligence in blogging reminds me of a quote from Thomas Paine. It's from The Crisis essay III. Honestly, I love the first three pages of it. It's smashing. I won't quote it all here because I don't wish to bore you all to death. I know what it's like to open a blog and see that the entry is 3 pages long. It's a serious time investment. But please indulge me by reading a couple of quotes.

"In the progress of politics, as in the the common occurrences of life, we are not only apt to forget the ground we have traveled over, but frequently neglect to gather up experience as we go. We expend, if I may so say, the knowledge of every day on the circumstances that produce it, and journey on in search of new matter and new refinements: But...it is pleasant, and sometimes useful, to look back, even to the first periods of infancy, and trace the turns and windings through which we have passed...

"Truly, may we say, that never did man grow old in so short a time! We have crowded the business of an age into the compass of a few months, and have been driven through such a rapid succession of things, that, for the want of leisure to think, we unavoidably wasted knowledge as we came, and have left nearly as much behind us as we brought with us: But the road is yet rich with the fragments, and , before we fully lose sight of them, will repay us for the trouble of stopping to pick them up."

I think that sums it up well. I really don't take time to meditate and learn from my experiences. I expend the knowledge of every day on the circumstances that produce it. I don't take the time to learn from what I experience.

Honestly, blogging and writing in journals, I think, is a powerful way to learn from experiences. So I'm going to begin to think more. I'm going to attempt to pick up the fragments which litter the road.

For those of you who got this far and have a little more patience, here is another little gem from Thomas: "There are certain circumstances, which, at the time of their happening, are kind of riddles, and as every riddle is to be followed by its answer, so those kind of circumstances will be followed by their events, and those events are always the true solution. A considerable space of time may lapse between, and unless we continue our observations from the one to the other, the harmony of them will pass away unnoticed: But the misfortune is, that partly from the pressing necessity of some instant things, and partly form the impatience of our own tempers, we are frequently in such a hurry to make out the meaning of every thing as fast as it happens, that we thereby never truly understand it; and not only start new difficulties to ourselves by so doing, but, as it were, embarrass Providence in her good designs."

Good Old Roger

2007-09-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of quotes for today:

"In heaven when they said brains I thought they said trains, and I hid behind the door"

"I'm willing to offer my summer cabin in Vermont for a honeymoon, should you be exchanging marital vows."

You Look Like

2007-09-10T14:42:00.000-04:00

So I after have a discussion with DeEtte about who looked like who, I decided to consult the experts. I went to several sites but this one seemed a little more legit, and besides it creates these cool collages. So here is Number One. Decided I'd start with a good picture. You know, an angsty one. Results:

Not bad, Sting, Tom Cruise, Van Dam, and some how also Brandon Lee (koo koo), and an Asian woman...Kyoko Fukada! I look so much like an Asian woman. Hard to tell us apart. When I was in Japan everyone thought I was a native. "Nice kimono." This is, of course, until I spoke. Blast!

Next I decided to mix things up a little and try a more normal picture. Whoa!

Oh Yeah! Now this is more like it. Andre Agassi, I know who that is. Vicente Fox....ok, I'm like half Mexican and I do have a little facial hair. Brendan Fraser, we do both have some scruff. And wait, Alexander Lukashenko! Nice. The caught the facial hair and the receding hair-line. This is sophisticated stuff! Other dudes...not sure who you are...wait, isn't Bruno Ganz the dude who played Hitler! They nailed me. I'm a dead ringer for Hitler. After all, we share the same birthday. Uncanny. Ok, lets take this to the next level.

Sweet Baby James! 2 men and 6 women. Not bad. They are batting a 250. That's respectable. J-Lo...they must have known about my ghetto booty. Tim Curry, I don't have facial hair this time, tough match but they found it. And my all time favorite, I look like Sally Struthers!!!!!

Now I decided to test this stuff by putting a real celebrity in there and seeing if it could match. I have to give them credit for the first 2 matches, but the rest have sent me into hysterics for the past hour.

I can't decide which I like better, Ariel Sharon or Pharrell Williams? Robbie Coltrane is pretty great and don't forget about Al Pacino, after all they are both black and white photos. Actually Carlos Santana may be the closest match. Dang there's just no getting it past these pros.

Pavarotti

2007-09-06T10:24:00.000-04:00

A few years ago I started to get into the music of Luciano Pavarotti. I decided that one of my life goals would be to see him in concert. To help me out, a few of my friends got me two tickets to see Luciano in concert, in DC, for his final farewell concert.

I traveled to DC on the date of the concert with my friend Marie. We were so excited. I'll never forget coming out of the metro at the Verizon Center and seeing the sign on the doors saying that the concert was cancelled.

Since then there has been talk of rescheduling but it just hasn't happened. He has struggled with pancreatic cancer and last night he died.

No piece of music has ever moved me the way that Nessun Dorma does when being performed by Pavarotti. I believe this is one of the greatest musical performances I've ever heard. I get goose-bumps every time, without fail.

Deadlines

2007-08-28T16:42:00.001-04:00

So I've nearly hit the 2 month mark since my last blog. Grounds for total dismissal from any link list. So I thought I'd blog a little. But fact of the matter is, I don't really have any funny stories, deep thoughts, bizarre encounters or otherwise noteworthy anecdotes to share. Life is life right now, and I have little desire to expound on the depths of my shallow mind. So having pissed off my readership again with a short and totally unenlightened blog, which is almost worse than no blog, I'll end this little exposé.

England I

2007-06-29T20:16:00.000-04:00

Ok, I didn't even bring a camera on this trip. I'm not big into that. I feel like we spend more time trying to document a moment that never really happens because we are trying to document it. It cuts into the real experience. Another reason that I didn't bring one is that I'm on my own and I tend to think that what makes pictures special is the people. Now I'm narcissistic so I'm not into pictures of just me. And lastly, I don't own a camera. So I've taken a few pics on my phone and those will have to suffice.

So far I've seen an array of London sights but here are a couple of highlight events:

1 - Wedding
My friends wedding was beautiful and the sealing was...no word to describe...I don't want to trivialize it by using words like 'special' or 'moving'.

2 - Lincoln
This is where I lived as a kid and stayed with my grandparents for a whole summer when I was 12. I was surprised how well I remembered the place. And the Lincoln Cathedral is beautiful. Then there were the family visits. Way better than I expected. This bit of the trip is really worth a whole blog. Might do that later.

3 - Wimbledon
That's right. Wimbledon. I saw several matches and ate strawberries and cream. I even got on Centre Court to see Nadal (number 2 seed) play. It was magical. After it all I met a family friend, 90 year old Dennis. We went and ate at a pub.

4 - Wicked
Yeah I was really surprised by this. I was kinda like...there's a decently priced ticket...people rave...not too excited about musicals right now...I'll go. It was amazing!!! So worth it. The girl who played the wicked witch of the west was so rock amazing. Drew you right in. You loved her right from the start. She brought down the house with her voice. Gave me goose-bumps like 3 or 4 times. Yeah. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it.

Much more to come. I've still got 3 more days in London but I think that Wimbledon and Wicked will be hard to beat. Not to mention Westminster and St. Paul's.

Life Lesson # 4,392,671

2007-06-22T18:55:00.000-04:00

Ok. I'm in England right. And I'm helping my friend get ready for his wedding. Not doing much. I've had chips and gravy once, KFC twice, and McDonald's 3 times. These english people love american crap. Well last night my friend's finance and her best friend were deciding best how to get home. Well they each had a car and were deciding whether to take one or the other, or both. It was a big dilemma where if they took one then the other would have to get up early and come back into town with them. Course if they took 2 then both had to drive. It went on for 20 minutes. Twenty. After they left I said to my friend, "How long does it take to figure out how to get home!?" Now's where I begin to feel like a blackguard.

My friend explained that his fiance's best friend has MS. This means she doesn't have much strength and so she was worried about having to get up early if she didn't drive home. He went on to explain that she and her husband are also really poor. So she didn't want to have to spend extra money on gas to get home.

How senseless of me?How unkind?How ungenerous? How critical? How presumptuous? I am absolutely ashamed of myself. So often I am quick to judge. Quick to place blame. Quick to categorize. Quick to write off. I'm so quick to think that I understand the situation and that I am smarter than they because I've got it all figured out already. I need to step back and give the benefit of the doubt, seek to understand, and seek to be humble.

The Scientist

2007-06-14T15:41:00.000-04:00

This is the song that converted me to Coldplay. I love this video. But you have to watch it all the way through for it to be good. So if you are bored and wish to spend 4:24 on some good music then click here. If you don't have the patience...wait for Idaho Part II.

Idaho Part I

2007-06-06T16:02:00.000-04:00

So Idaho….Most of you know that there is not a lot of love in my heart for Idaho. It's just not a place I would choose to be. I often wonder why people voluntarily live there. So this last weekend I traveled there under somewhat unfavorable circumstances, but it turned out to be quite valuable. I really don’t feel like delving into the more grave matters so I’ll stick to a couple of lighter ones.

Before I drove the Esperanza:

I drove this:

A 1988 Ford F150, like this one but white and blue with no tailgate and not as shiny. It was a good truck. 170K miles and going strong. It was a standard transmission and had a stick shift that was about 2.5 feet long and had the bench seat so that you could have your girl ride center and put your arm around her. Amazing. The body was almost without blemish until I let my girlfriend borrow it to run errands :). It got about 10 miles to the gallon but was totally reliable.

When it came time to move out to Boston, I decided I needed to move on to a more fuel efficient and compact car. So I sold it to my old man as a favor for 500 bucks. I miss that truck.

This weekend we were doing a lot of home improvement and so we used the old Ford and I got to drive it. Oh, nostalgia. Malick and I drove it out to the old house I grew up in, to get some carpet one night. She still purrs. Once we got the truck loaded up with all the carpet we stopped for a moment to look at the stars. The old house is out in the boonies and the skies are so clear. The stars are brilliant out in Idaho where there are no people to detract from it with artificial lights. We just stood and stared into the night sky for 5 minutes and soaked it in. Maybe there are some things that I love about Idaho. I certainly love that old truck.

Boredom Ahead

2007-06-01T11:16:00.000-04:00

Ok, I know that there are many of you out there (cough, a;llias;dJulieakdli, cough) that aren't too keen on blogs that have to do with my area's of interest such as my posts about art and dancing (ie. "I must point out that copying and pasting someone else's work is still not a sufficient blog. We want to hear from you.") Many of you prefer to be informed about me and my life and meanderings. You enjoy blogs like the last one I posted. Ones that seem personal. Well let me tell you, there is only boredom and frustration ahead for you people.

Yesterday I was so bored at work that somewhere in the depths of my mind, a memory surfaced. It was a memory from a year or 2 ago when I went to an exhibition at the MET. An artist/sculptor/architect named Santiago Calatrava. He makes beautiful works of art and sculpture and then sometimes uses them in his architecture. Here's an example. He enjoys studying the human body and how it is built. He looks at how the head or rib cage is suspended off the spine through the complex system of ligaments, tendons and muscles.

Some of these studies lead too sculptures. Some of the sculptures have inspired his architecture, like this apartment complex in Sweden.

Or this apartment complex being built next to the Brooklyn Bridge.

I wish that I was thoughtful enough and knowledgeable enough to be able to delve into the theory and history of architecture. But ultimately I’m a bit of an ignoramus and all I can tell you is what I enjoy. I wish that I could inspire you by expounding ideas about the value, methodology, and psychology of architecture and it’s connection to the human race. But at this point I can barely postulate what seems inspiring to me. Architecture interacts with me and I with it. Humanity has the desire and power to manipulate its surroundings. From the earliest stages, man has sought to build and create.

From Giza to the Freedom tower, what drives us? Is it worth paying a few extra million so that we aren't just building another concrete box. Or is it worth a few extra million to build a concrete box and call it "modern"? Do the man made portions of our environment matter to us? Do they affect us? Do we value functionality, beauty, or perhaps an ideal? What makes something beautiful? Would I be as likely to go to the ICA if it was still in it's original nasty firehouse? Would the Boston skyline be as beautiful with out the Zakim bridge? What if the bridges in Cambridge, over the Charles, looked like the ones over the canals in Idaho? Would I be as excited to stroll down Mem Drive on that sunny Sunday afternoon? What about the NYC skyline? Does the absence of the WTC towers change something? Why do people love the Brooklyn Bridge? Would they love it as much if it was built like the Tri-borough bridge? And what about Paris? What value does the Eiffel tower hold? It serves no functional purpose. It was not built for business or for housing or for any practical purpose. What about the Colosseum? What feelings were evoked in those who saw it for the first time, thousands of years ago? The Parthenon? Do the buildings really matter? Do the aesthetics? Do the locations? They do to me.

I know that I wish Government center weren't so damned ugly. I know that I love visiting the ICA and gazing out over Boston from a glass corridor. I know I love walking the river Charles on a Sunday afternoon and appreciate the bridges and buildings. I know that I get excited when I go to the Getty, Guggenheim, or the JFK, if for no other reason than I love the buildings. I know I love being inside the Frank Lloyd Wright room in the MET. I know that I love Tim's night pictures of the Zakim bridge. I know that in 2 weeks I'm going to be chilling with Big Ben and Westminster Cathedral and I'm stoked.

So what's it worth to us? Is it all worth millions? Is it worth paying 12 or more billion to make a freedom tower that is not only functional, but inspiring and beautiful. Are the arts worth patronizing and supporting? Do we really give enough attention and appreciation? Does society show that it values art in more than it's words?

Well here are a few that inspire me:

Pantheon - Rome

Falling Water - Frank Lloyd Wright

Entrance to the Louvre - I.M. Pei

Tenerife Opera House - Calatrava

Alamillo Bridge in Seville - Calatrava

Chicago Spire - Calatrava (should be finished by 2009, click to enlarge)

So maybe I wasn't very personal in this blog. But maybe, just maybe, you'll find that even though I'm not baring my soul, you are actually learning more about me. Lucky you. Read on reader.

NYC

2007-05-29T13:54:00.000-04:00

I haven't been to NY since February and my nephew Lamine is getting big. So I headed down for Memorial Day. My family met me at the bus stop. Lamine came running up to me saying, "Uncle Seth (pronounced - sef). Uncle Seth." He is a such a great little kid. I love him. So here are some pictures. They date from the time he was a few months until today, when he is almost 2.

He took great pride in having peed on the bed and then pooed in the tub, all while Malick and I were trying to give him a bath. So we put him in the sink while we cleaned up.

Winter Gear.

New Year's Eve 2005.

Fishing in Idaho in May of 2006. (Me, Josh (older brother), Mom, Rozalyn (youngest sister), Malick (my brother-in-law)).

Lamine wants to help Josh with the fish.

I call this picture "Li'l Pimp."

Looking sharp!

This was in Central Park on Sunday. He loves water ('gee' in Malick's home language). It was a beautiful day. This is shortly after he threw up.

This is a guy we saw in Central Park. There was a big African Drumming crew behind him, complete with a token white guy trying to dance. Hilarious. I took this guy's picture for proof. Amazing isn't it?

So on Sunday night, we got home from Central Park about 7pm and had lunch. That's right, lunch. Malick is a real night owl. Then we chilled in the apartment and I played with Lamine till midnight. Malick and I decided to make a cheese cake around 1am. After that I fell asleep on the couch as Malick started cooking dinner. Then I woke up around 4am when dinner was ready and Malick and I ate some delicious lamb. Somewhere around 5am we decided to have desert. The cheese cake was bomb diggity.

So anyway, it was a great weekend and I love my nephew.

The End

Schleep

2007-05-15T13:08:00.000-04:00

So why is it that I can NOT get up in the mornings. Doesn't much matter how much sleep I've had. I just can't get up. My condolences to my patient roommate Tim, who has to listen to me hitting snooze about 10 times on 2 alarms, each morning. But can you blame me? After all I have a super comfy King Bed and it loves me. Ok, a little Seth Sleep History.

Ages 0-7: Don't remember.

Ages 8-13: Parents made us go to bed at 8pm every night. 8! Waking up was tough, especially for family scripture study, but it wasn't too bad.

Ages 14-19: This is best described by an example. I'd come home late at night from some activity. I'd turn on the light to my bedroom, drop my book bag, and fall onto my bed face first. I was asleep before my body touched the bed. Seriously. I'd wake up at 7:10 the next morning in my shoes, Levis, and coat. I'd change into a new shirt, grab a piece of bread and then cut through several of my neighbors back yards to catch the bus because I'd already missed it at my stop.

Mission: Well it goes without saying that I had regular sleep. It's just lucky that companionship study was after an hour of personal study. I don't like to talk in the mornings.

College: I think I averaged 4-5 hours of sleep a night, for most of my college career. Except when it was finals, in which case I averaged 2. My last 3 weeks of college I slept about 8 hours a week and became a connoisseur of energy drinks.

Now that I'm a working Professional: I can't go to be before midnight. It is utterly impossible. I generally get 6-8 hours of sleep. Thanks or no-thanks to my flexible work schedule, I rarely get to work before 9:30am.

Side Notes:

1. I can sleep anytime and anywhere.

(That's me on the bottom row. I fell asleep in the gym while on tour at BYU-Hawaii. Everybody lined up for the picture and a good laugh.)

2. I am an incredibly heavy sleeper. I wake for no man. I once fell asleep at a 4th of July city fair in the middle of a crowd of people.

3. I don't like to talk when I wake up. I'm super cranky. Give me a good 1-2 hours to get going.

You light sleepers are blessed.

Guau!

2007-05-09T13:10:00.000-04:00

Ok people. This will give you an insight into one of my loves and passions. There are few things to enjoy in life that can compare with amazing dancing. I tend to get cravings at times. Hankerings. I just feel famished for a spot of amazing dancing. So I'm glad to have discoved that I can get thousands of amazing dance videos on youTube. Resolution is low, and tapped is never as good as live, but this still rocks. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. If you ever come to a dance competition with me (planning to go to one in NYC over the summer) I'll get you hooked.

I've seen this couple a few times at competitions. They were 3rd or 4th in the world when this was recorded.

I Love You

2007-04-16T13:01:00.000-04:00

Ok. Not the best picture, I know. But it's a live one. I was only like 5 people away from her. And she was rockin' me. I went to Joss Stone back in February with DeEtte at a tiny little venue in NYC. She only did 2 promotional shows before the release of her new album, and I went to one of them. This venue could not have held more than a few hundred people. Joss has an incredible mix of innocence and sultry stage presence. It's rather disarming and intriguing.

She had a 11 piece band. It consisted of 3 backup singers (the sista's - and yes he is also a sista), bass guitar, lead and backup guitar, pianist, keyboardist, trumpet, alto sax, and drummer (300 pounds of blinging, low riding, rhythm). The band kicked some serious trash. Joss came out and rocked her new single 'Tell Me About It'. Then she began to groove us with her neo-soul pipes. This 18 year old 6 foot British beauty (bit of an oxymoron) has the voice of a mature Harlem soul singer.

In my entranced and grooving state, I new I had to make contact with her. I waited for one of those moments of quite pause provided when the singer is prepping the audience for the next song. I found my moment and yelled out, "I love you Joss." She looked down in her shy and sexy way and said, "Thanks." Recognition. That's right. Everyone around me stared at me and said, "You just got recognition man. That's special." Dang straight.

We danced and grooved till she left the stage and then clamored until she came back for an encore. She came back with a dozen white roses. She started into a love ballad and then threw out a single rose. Being 6'3" has to count for something but destiny was on my side as I jumped and snagged the flor from the aire.

Joss and I have a special connection. But honestly the best part of the whole show was when she sang 'Right To Be Wrong'. She was rocking the song and we were all loving it. Then right close to when the song usually ends she sings, "Got a right to be wrong..." and she pauses. Everyone is just screaming and shouting. She waits till is starts to quiet and then sings again "Got a right to be wrong..." The crowd goes wild again and she waits for them to quiet down. Guys keep cat calling her so she finally puts her index finger on her lips and the crowd falls deathly silent. Then in her innocent yet provocative way she lightly sings but nearly speaks, "So just leave me.....alone." Then the band breaks back in and Joss starts wailing! They wail on for another 3 minutes of reprise improvey goodness.

mm.

She is going to be in Boston at the Avalon on June 11th. I'm going.

Art?

2007-04-12T22:06:00.000-04:00

Banksy - Graffiti Artist

Wall between Israel and the West Bank:

Banksy's manifesto. May not seem to make much sense but think about it a little:

An extract from the diary of Lieutenant Colonel Mervin Willett Gonin DSO who was among the first British soldiers to liberate Bergen-Belsen in 1945.

I can give no adequate description of the Horror Camp in which my men and myself were to spend the next month of our lives. It was just a barren wilderness, as bare as a chicken run. Corpses lay everywhere, some in huge piles, sometimes they lay singly or in pairs where they had fallen. It took a little time to get used to seeing men women and children collapse as you walked by them and to restrain oneself from going to their assistance. One had to get used early to the idea that the individual just did not count. One knew that five hundred a day were dying and that five hundred a day were going on dying for weeks before anything we could do would have the slightest effect. It was, however, not easy to watch a child choking to death from diptheria when you knew a tracheotomy and nursing would save it, one saw women drowning in their own vomit because they were too weak to turn over, and men eating worms as they clutched a half loaf of bread purely because they had to eat worms to live and now could scarcely tell the difference. Piles of corpses, naked and obscene, with a woman too weak to stand proping herself against them as she cooked the food we had given her over an open fire; men and women crouching down just anywhere in the open relieving themselves of the dysentary which was scouring their bowels, a woman standing stark naked washing herself with some issue soap in water from a tank in which the remains of a child floated. It was shortly after the British Red Cross arrived, though it may have no connection, that a very large quantity of lipstick arrived. This was not at all what we men wanted, we were screaming for hundreds and thousands of other things and I don't know who asked for lipstick. I wish so much that I could discover who did it, it was the action of genius, sheer unadulterated brilliance. I believe nothing did more for these internees than the lipstick. Women lay in bed with no sheets and no nightie but with scarlet red lips, you saw them wandering about with nothing but a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet red lips. I saw a woman dead on the post mortem table and clutched in her hand was a piece of lipstick. At last someone had done something to make them individuals again, they were someone, no longer merely the number tatooed on the arm. At last they could take an interest in their appearance. That lipstick started to give them back their humanity.

Source: Imperial War museum

www.banksy.co.uk

MBA

2007-03-29T16:13:00.000-04:00

I've always wondered what those MBA graduates are up to. I mean, besides coming up with corporate jargon like "synergy" and getting paid a lot more than me. Well here is what the MBA's at Raytheon are up to.

"The Raytheon red is evolving this year. The new red reinvigorates the Raytheon brand and provides additional richness and boldness that helps further distinguish our marketing and communication materials and our messaging from that of our competitors."

Wow that's exactly what I thought when I saw the new logo.

Here are the new guidelines:

PMS: 186
CMYK: 0,100,81,4
RGB 206,17,38

This is serious. Enjoy the logo:

He Was Injured

2007-03-28T13:05:00.000-04:00

CHAROLLAIS (Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France · Goat-P)

2007-03-12T23:28:00.000-04:00

I've dined at some of the finest restaurants in Philadelphia including, Fogo de Chao, Ruth's Chris, Cuba Libre, Brasserie Perrier, and Striped Bass. I've been using the wonderful benefits I receive from Uncle Ray to help me out. And while I've had some amazing and expensive culinary experiences (including the second and third best beef I've ever tasted) I found that for only 20 dollars, I could be filled with more delight. "Tria". It's a wine cheese and beer cafe, of sorts. It's got more of an old pub feel with none of the frat party. They are open late (1:15am - I freaking love you already) and have the finest of simple pleasures. I started with a cheese called "CHAROLLAIS (Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France · Goat-P) Dense, rich pate center with a crinkly almond colored rind—tart, intense, and beautiful." It was served on a little wooden platter with honey and some bread. As I took in this wonderful cheese I listened to Keane, U2, traditional Celtic music, and Jimmy Hendrix. Could life get better. It did. For my meal I had a 3 cheese and sun dried tomato toasted-panino along with Reed's Apple Cider Ginger Brew. After weeks of living in Philadelphia, I found my slice. It was a warm night tonight and it hints of Spring, my favorite time of year. I smiled the whole 2 blocks back to my hotel. Haven't done that in a while. It's been one month, and it still sucks.

Loss

2007-02-13T00:12:00.000-05:00

It sucks to loose your best friend.

I Thought We Were Watching For The Commercials

2007-02-05T14:10:00.000-05:00

I thought commercials were the real reason that we watched the superbowl. I certainly didn't watch it to see Peyton Manning getting his panties in bunch every time his mother wasn't around to protect him. Well this superbowl was a real let down on the commercials. Sprint had one for their broadband internet cell cards called "Connectile Dysfunction". But here is a commercial that I kinda liked and it reminded me of Tobias.

I Triple Dog Dare You

2007-01-14T16:02:00.000-05:00

So DeEtte and I have this strange tradition. It was borne of sleep deprivation, an overload of school credits and caffeine. It involved a trip to the 711 and a dare. Since then (ocationally) when we are at a 711 we each buy the other the most disgusting thing we can find in the store. We've eaten everything from spicy vienna sausages to pig skins. This time we took things to a new low. Sardines in olive oil and "Fancy Feast" chicken and liver cat food. I ate the sardines and DeEtte ate the cat food. It was far worse than we thought. Click picture to watch.

Racist Rain Man

2007-01-12T21:08:00.000-05:00

So there are a number of interesting characters down here in NJ. The other day I went to the break room to get a snack. A medium sized ubiquitous looking guy was busy talking to himself when I'm came in. He was getting ready to eat 3 little boxes of Wheaties all at once. So he was an older man, wearing a blue lab coat (like most of the blue collar workers here). Ok, not funny. See the trouble with being at the top is that people tend to think you are pretentious. Anyway, so he begins talking about a sports player he likes. Now I don't know sports so we will call him Bill. "So I...I...I really like Billy, see, billy is great see, billy is great...yeah. He, he knows how to play. yeah. he's a white guy. I like hi.m. That's why I bought my wheaties...yeah...cause he's on them. Yeah...I like him because he's a white guy. You don't get many white guys anymore....yeah. I used to like (insert name of some famous player) tooo...yeah...he was a white guy..... He was really good. " No joke.

Hot In My CD Player

2006-12-27T23:49:00.000-05:00

I found a new love and I had to share it with the world. Seriously, I love this album. John has really outdone himself. You feel glad just to be sad.

"When you're dreamin' with a broken heart, the wakin' up is the hardest part. You roll out of bed and down on your knees and for a moment you can hardly breath. Wondering was she really here? Is she standin' in my room? No she's not, cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone."

Glorious misery.

My Step-Mother's Garter

2006-11-27T21:33:00.000-05:00

I'd totally forgotten about this story. It's a gem. I don't know that my writing skills are up to par with my story telling skills. So if you don't enjoy this, ask me for a retelling in person.

So back in...May?....I think, my Dad got married for the third time. This time he decided to forgo creating six kids himself and opted to have them included in the package. Now lets put this all into perspective. My dad is 60. His new love - 42. His six new children are ages 6-18. Even now, almost half a year later, my eyes grow wide just thinking about it.

H'anyway, so all of my father's children attended the wedding in little old Idaho. That's 12 kids....12. Now somehow my father and the bride missed the memo on remarriages, so they decided that they wanted a traditional wedding. That's right. It was held in a cultural hall complete with a tacky backdrop, aile, ring bearer, boutinears, corsages, luncheon, reception, book signing, tux, white dress, and marching music.

The wedding rolled ok and things were, for the most part, smooth. That is except for the ring being dropped three times during the ceremony by the poor little 6-year-old ring bearer. The reception, however, turned out to be a bit of a disaster. Besides having one of my siblings break down into tears and disappear, along with the others who went to find her, there were some other choice moments. First, having stayed up late the night before, the three eldest children (My older sister, along with her husband & child, my older brother, and I) oversleep our afternoon nap. We rolled into the reception post receiving line and cake cutting and were pleased to receive the scowls of our new step-mother. The reception continued to head towards its climax with a newlyweds dance that turned into a 6th grade snowball (you know where every 20-30 seconds you split and find a new partner). After that pleasent affair there was the bouquet toss followed by every man's favorite: the garter toss. The GARTER toss! You're 60!

When all of the eligible bachelors at the reception were rounded up to the center of the floor there were only three. Just three. My two brothers and me. We stood arm in arm trying not to watch as our father started the dig required to retrieve the abominable hidden treasure. While my father held up the gatter like an archeologist that just uncovered the treasures of Giza, my older brother and I began making our solemn pacts and vows, "Daniel (our younger brother) gets the garter. No matter what, Daniel gets the garter." The moment of truth arrived and my father shot the garter over his shoulder like discarded beer can. The garter hooked south in a low glide off to my right. There was nothing I could do. My other brothers were out of reach. It was going to be my catch. My mind began racing. What do I do? I can't just watch it hit the ground, that would bring the old man to tears. But I couldn't catch it. Maybe I could make a token effort. Perhaps I would act like I was trying but just miss it. The decision was made. The old man's emotions must be protected. I gave a small token effort and began reaching out toward the garter. From out of nowhere, my six year old ring-bearing step brother comes sliding in on his knees and snags the garter! Safe! Safe! Touchdown! It was all I could do to not throw my hands up like a referee and declare the field goal good. I was hugging my brothers and almost crying. "We made it boys. We made it."

Billy

2006-10-26T16:25:00.000-04:00

So I have an incredible friend. We were roomates once. He is one of the most passionate, loving, charitable people I know. Course you don't want to get on his bad side. You better watch out for the passion then. But he has the ability to really love people. Charity. We were talking the other night, after a long hiatus, and he said something that really hit me.

"We judge our relationships on their utility."

Just think about it for a minute. I think this is often true. I know that some of you are like Billy, but I'm not one of those. I think most of my relationships are based on their utility. They are based on what I can get out of them. If I meet someone and they don't particularly interest me or they annoy me, I just ignore that relationship. If on the other hand I meet someone and they make me laugh or think, I keep them around. How selfish. I have a long way to go to understand true charity.

Bloggers Block

2006-10-23T12:12:00.000-04:00

Here's the hitch. You want to blog something that involves a somebody that just might have 3 degrees of separation or less from your blog. Danger Ranger! So you think....ok...I'll just post it on my private blog. No good! You know you want some of your peeps to have access. So then you think, I should just tell them. But just telling them robs you of that wonderful illusion the blog creates for you that you are a writer. "I deserve to be a columnist", you think to yourself. You loose that moment of triumph to be found when you click the Publish Post button and think, "I'm sooo witty." So what to do in this dire dilemma. Just write a blog complaining that you can't write a blog.

better than the weekend

2006-10-09T10:52:00.000-04:00

Ok, so on a Wednesday a couple of weeks ago I had an unexpectedly brilliant day. Like so many wonderful days, to mearely describe it would trivialize the brilliance of such an experience. So suffice it to say that on a new moon, with starlight cutting through the dark night, I spent time with some wonderful friends. We ate indian food, were graced by the performance of jazz legends, explored abandoned buildings by breaking the law, and made our necks sore by star gazing in some famer's field.

Osama Bin Laden Family Guy

2006-10-04T16:33:00.000-04:00


So this is my first video blog. Cool. I think this is hilarious.

Stupidity Reigns

2006-09-14T10:38:00.000-04:00

Pet Peeve #2: Beauty Pageants

Just what are they? Let's think for a moment about where they come from and why we have them. After extensive research (Wikipedia) I have found the answers. First and foremost, pageants were designed and created as a marketing tool. The first “bathing beauty pageant" took place as part of a summer festival to promote business in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in 1880. Beauty pageants became more widely accepted during WWII when beauty queens were used to sell bonds and entertain troops. Pageants became popular during the 50's when they were used to promote county fairs and local products. What is at work here? It's one of the oldest marketing tools in the book: sex appeal.

Sadly enough, thousands of women sign up each year to compete with one another for the laud and honor of a nation. Laud and honor of a nation?! How crazy are you? You compete merely to appease the appetites of a few dirty old goats. The men in attendance are only waiting to ogle you while you parade around in a swim suit. Only heaven knows why there are women there. It sure isn't for the talent show because there is better talent to be had at your little sister's piano recital.

Pageants have been the bane of the feminist movement. They tear down all that our fore-mothers burned their bras for. They are a place where the skewed perceptions and pressures of a warped society objectify emaciated young women under the pretense of beauty, or worse yet, a scholarship. What would you do for a little money? If you win, you hope to navigate your future by filling your sails with the stagnant winds of popularity, praise and a penny in your pocket.

“So the Miss America "Scholarship" Pageant is on tonight”, your roommate says. Oh, there's a real winner. I could listen to somebody regurgitate platitudes about community service, helping the needy and world peace. Don't we see what is really going on here? It's all about motives. There are three parties whose motives must be examined.

First, the contestants. Why are they doing this? Possible motives:

Fame
Praise
The stamp of society that says they are beautiful
Ego or a lack there of
Money
Being on TV
Make Mom or Dad happy
Show the mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all
Beat Marsha at her own game
Low self esteem
Other reasons not readily ascertainable

Second, the audience. Why are they there? Possible reasons:

Titillate their sexual appetites
Support someone they know
Dream about the day when they will compete
Remember the time they competed
They have nothing better to do

Third, the organizers. Why would you do this?

Money. Plain and simple. Money makes the world go round. Why do we have TV show's? Money. Why do we have movies? Money. It's all about money. Somebody, one day, found that if he got some women to parade about in swimsuits, people would come watch. In fact they would pay to watch. Not only that, they would be in a particular location for a particular amount of time, which can be used to boost sales and market products.

So why are young women still voluntarily signing up to be the marketing tools for a few greedy and debauched old men?

"Doobee Doobee Doo"

2006-08-24T15:51:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I've decided to be honest: I hate my work. Ok, maybe I don't hate it per say, but I don't really enjoy it. Ok, ok. I know. It's my attitude, isn't it? Yes, it is. Attitude is everything. I go through Attitude undulations. I'll have a good attitude and after a few months it will begin to morph into a terrible attitude. Then I'll have a moment of reawakening and completely turn around. Hey! It's a beautiful day at work again! Give it a few months and I'll be improving the wrinkles in my furrowed brow.

The past month has been full of brow furrowing, until a couple of days ago. I walked into the nasty and never appetizing Raytheon Cafeteria. Everything looked disgusting and I was resigned to staring at the grill menu. My brow furrowed. The worker on the other side of the glass gazed at me in amusement. I finally said, "I'll take a hotdog." "Wow," came the reply. "The human body is an amazing thing! So many expressions. For a while there I couldn't tell if you were angry or upset. All right! One hotdog coming up." The cafeteria worker is a man in his forties. He reminds me of a pirate due to his black bandana, gold hoop earring, scruffy goatee, and missing right front tooth. "Doobee doobee doo.....," he begins to sing as he throws my hotdog on the grill. "Strangers in the night," my mind fills in.

My dog is now done and being dressed. "Onions?” he asks. "Yeah, sautéed onions please." “I do have raw onions." "No. Sautéed." "Ahhhhhh. I see, still want to keep your friends. Good choice. There you are sir. Next, please. Talk to me ma'am!"

And away I went....in awe. In total awe. Here I am, 27, nice job, good pay and I'm complaining?! And here is this man in his forties, working in a cafeteria and he is happier than I am! What is wrong with me?! Talk about ungrateful! It's all about attitude. It's about approach. Most jobs are more boring than otherwise. "It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue (or build a radar, or flip a burger), and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look. To affect the quality of the day - that is the highest of arts." (HDT)

R Wilde

2006-08-17T10:25:00.000-04:00

More lines from my favorite old townie:

"But that's a little outside your belly wick."

"I've done 47 years of a 50 year life sentence at this company. For what they are paying me and the work that I actually do, I'd have more respect for myself if I walked across the street to the bank and stuck a gun in their faces."

"Don't get me wrong. I think he's a nice guy, but he's got the personality of a flat beer."

"I get my exercise at night, ma' boy."

420 dude

2006-08-16T12:48:00.000-04:00

So I've decided to rant about one of my pet peeves. Evites. I think I'll just take an excerpt from a chat that Mary and I were having. (If you don't know Mary you should). I happened to find out a few things about Mary I really shouldn't share. But you guys can keep it on the DL I'm sure. H'enyway:

......

Webster: oh hey I gotta go
me: What is it 4:20, or something?
Oh, it is 4:20. How crazy is that. Only 2 more hours of work. Wait....
Webster: blush
me: I've heard rumors about you lately.
Webster: oh really? in regards to?
me: 4:20
Webster: not true
completely unfounded
me: Ok?
Webster: hee hee
me: So it's true??????? :)
Webster: aye me not sure how to respond
me: Ok. No need to. Akward.
Webster: hahahaaa! no!
me: cricket cricket
Webster: hahahaaaa! no it's just that I.....
me: Ahhhhh
Webster: but i don't want anyone to know, you know?
me: I do. I do. That's probably for the best.
Webster: yeah
me: Ok....so....mental note....don't go with Mary to the Bob Marley revival she invited me to.... Got it.
Webster: you would love it
me: ;)
Webster: who is andrew jeans?
me: ???
Webster: i just got an evite from him dunno him
me: Me neither. ps. I have a pet peeve with evites.
Webster: actually, i'm not sure. he appears to live in NH. Rural NH. what's the peeve?
me: The fact that they know EVERYTHING.
Webster: hahaaaa!
me: First they know that you got the email with the evite. Then they know if you opened the email with the evite.
Webster: lol
me: Then they know if you opened the email and clicked on the link to the evite. And they know if you checked who's coming. And they know if you respond or not.
Webster: it's a little big brother, i feel ya
me: It's never ending.
Webster: evite was originally created for the FBI
me: "So why haven't you opened my evite?"
"So why didn't you respond to my evite?"
Webster: i'm hearing seinfeld use this
me: He should. Maybe I should email him....
Webster: def initely

The Bachelor Pad

2006-08-14T13:39:00.000-04:00

So Tim and I have a foosball table which we stole from the church. It is a great addition to the pad. It was broken for a while so we hadn't played on it yet. On Sunday it was finally working and we had a few friends over for dinner. We started a friendly Sunday afternoon game. Mary and I played against Mooney and Kylee. It was Mary's debut game playing foosball. Out of control. Not only did she defend but she screamed, shouted, shook uncontrollably, jumped, high-fived, and kicked ass.

After all the peeps had left Tim and I played a game. I made a marvelous showing by scoring 6 consecutive goals on myself and loosing in a near shut-out. After the game was over, I looked at Tim and said, "That is the worst game of Ping-Pong I've ever played."

I Love That Dirty Water

2006-08-10T18:48:00.000-04:00

Raaaar! Last night was absolutely amazing. Amazing. Thanks to my wonderful friends Ju and Carri (and of course Claudio) I went sailing. One of my favorite things about sailing is how quiet it is. No motors or splashing water. Just the sound of the boat skimming over the water, the wind in your face, and the other 7 people riding with you.

We went out to watch the moon rise. By 8:30 we were a little antsy so we started texting google to find out when the moon would rise. No luck, but the texting google thing is really cool. You should try it.

It was the perfect time of night. It's that point where the sun has gone down but there is still enough light to make the sky-scrapers look like they are glowing. Still, it is dark enough that the glow of the city lights is strong. That's when it came. The moon that is. It rose right between the sky-scrapers of Boston and Back Bay. It was enormous and yellow. It was a truly ethereal experience.

Mm!

For pictures go to Ju's blog.

BOSTON!

Go Sox

2006-08-01T13:58:00.000-04:00

This here little blog is actually just a compilation of a couple of emails I've sent out in the past. For most of you this is just a rehash. So don't even bother reading. H'enyways, here goes.

So many of you have heard the stories of Roger. Yes, yes. My 67 year old co-worker. A total Boston townie. He hates the Red Sox and loves the Yankees. If you ask him why he'll say, " 'Cause I got tired a loosin' my lunch money on the Red Sox." People love to give him a hard time. The latest thing was this picture. Someone hung it in his office. Train a child up in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Hah. I love Boston. I love Fenway. Go Sox!

The following is an email I sent to my family (all yankees fans) after a great Sox game:

While I know that the following my cause me to be ostracized from a family full of blind and belligerent Yankees fans, I do have to shout the proverbial Boston chant, "Yankees Suck!" I went to a game at Fenway Park last night. I sat center field, on a warm and calm summer evening, while we spanked the Devil Rays. Every time I go to Fenway it reaffirms the fact that I love the Red Sox. Red Sox for life! You can have your gargantuan, cold, and impersonal Yankee Stadium bought by the sellouts of the past century. I'll stick to the Green Monster and "Sweet Caroline" in the 8th. "But I love that dirty water; Oh, Boston, you're my home." Here's to the greatest underdogs of the past century.

Quick Quote

2006-07-26T08:47:00.000-04:00

I heard this quote from Bishop Haight:

"Character is the ability to stick with a decision, after the emotion is gone."

daily lines from the old man

2006-07-24T09:12:00.000-04:00

A couple of lines from Roger this morning (to be read with a Boston townie accent):

"This year I'm takin' every friday off. Next year I'm gonna take fridays and mondays. I mean wha-do-I have to worry about. As long as you are here I know my stocks will continue to soar. You're on the cuttin' edge of technology ma' boy."

"How are things with the ladies ma' boy? You're too nice, that's the probelm. They're takin' advantage of ya. You gotta stop this, put your foot down, dig in your heals. The women like it when you're nasty."

7

2006-07-20T17:15:00.000-04:00

So I'm a little late on the 7's sceen. Here it is loves.

7 things i want to do before i die
1 backpack europe
2 see pavarotti in concert before he dies
3 drive a ferrari (and not around the block or like your grandmother would)
4 skinny dip in walden pond with my wife
5 play the guitar well
6 be well read
7 be of service to the world

7 things i cannot do
1 play the piano
2 live in idaho or utah
3 drive slow
4 eat olives
5 get addicted to tv shows (except the west wing)
6 talk to illogical people
7 have a pet

7 things i say often
1 bloody hell
2 grrrrrr - usually accompanied by the weak wrist shake
3 sweet as
4 true story
5 lets be honest
6 you know
7 whats the latest

7 movies i could watch over and over
1 rudy
2 last samuri
3 hero
4 youve got mail
5 three amigos
6 so i married an axe murder
7 west wing (i know its not a movie)

7 songs i could listen to over and over
1 when we dance - sting
2 at last - etta james
3 under my skin - frank sinatra
4 warning sign - coldplay
5 seven days to change your life - jamie cullum
6 jupiter - from holsts the plantes
7 nessun durma - as performed by pavarotti

7 things that attract me to my best friends
1 witty
2 passionate
3 spontaneous
4 honest
5 chill
6 non-judgemental
7 kind hearted

7 people i think should do 7's
1 most of you have already done it
2 c s lewis
3 joseph smith
4 my mom
5 the red dragon
6 mary webster
7 the parry

Roger

2006-07-17T10:05:00.000-04:00

So many of you have heard the stories of Roger. Yes, yes. My 67 year old co-worker. A total Boston townie. He hates the Red Sox and loves the Yankees. If you ask him why he'll say, " 'Cause I got tired a loosin' my lunch money on the Red Sox." He's maybe 5' tall and has one hell of a "Milwakie Special" (beer belly...just in case you were wondering) gained through hard work and thousands of dollars. I've decided to begin a compilation of some of the great Roger quotes and stories. Be forewarned that they can be a little crass at times. I don't put the truly vulgar ones.

"Did you ever ride a jack-ass? No? Hope on yourself."
"She was lookin' homelier than a hedgehog."
"They'd be all over that like a duck on a june-bug."
"When you see your old man, give him a big back-hand. Tell him it's from Roger in Boston."
"Single women try harder."
"Three Rings of Marriage: the engagement ring, the wedding ring, and the suffering."
"So you wanna be a lawyer, 'eh kid? I could see dat, I could see dat. You'd be tits at that job ma' boy!"
"Why do I like the Yankees? 'Cause I got tired a loosing my lunch money on the Red Sox."
(If the Red Sox beat the Yankees) "You know what they call that ma' boy? Chumming the waters."
(Speaking of Red Sox fans, from whom he generally wins 2k a year in bets) "How stupid are these people. It's like walking down the street and finding a dollar. How hard is that. I don't even have to bet that the yankees will win!"
"You wanna bet? Huh? Huh?!"
"You're like an empty pool table. Ya' got no balls."
"You're a credit to this company ma' boy. Pretty soon your going straight to the top. What are the paying you now? Whatever it is, it sure as hell ain't enough. I'll tell ya dat."
"I've done 47 years of a life sentance." (Roger has been at the company for 47 years)
Soon to come: The story of the mother in law. My favorite.
Also the audacious display of toenails.
And the moment when I was shown a picture of Roger's girl.

And my favorite quote of all time:

"At my age there's not much left in life except for a good meal and a good shit."

Laugh a Little

2006-07-12T10:58:00.000-04:00

Due to the great repore these videos have recieved (especially from my friend KMT) I am posting them here.

This one was voted best commercial in Europe.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3218225083863857496&q=use+condoms

This one I watched after learning that Pavarotti had cancelled his concerts for the rest of the year.

http://www.rathergood.com/elephants/

Enjoy!

Boston. Boston. Boston

2006-07-05T18:38:00.000-04:00

Mmmmmmm. Yesterday was the best 4th of July I have ever had. Amazing. I love this city.

Bullshit

2006-07-05T13:02:00.000-04:00

Ok. So I promise I won't start all my blogs with a crass word. But this one just has to be "Bullshit." So I have this brother, older brother, who is not a member of the LDS church. He's a bit of an Idahoan red neck with one hell of a smoker’s voice and a history of doing socially acceptable things that would make a Mormon shudder. Incidentally, he has decided to quite smoking. He quit for one week. Being single he has sown his wild oats and now has 2 kids. Becoming a dad has settled him down quite a bit. Anyway, on with the story.

I decided to take my shotgun shooting, dirt bike riding brother to a dance competition in NY with me. Actually he was hounding me about it for weeks (I've got him hooked). So we went. Beautiful dancers were ogled and good dancing was enjoyed by all. After the competition, we went to an after party. This is where all the professional dancers get together and drink their narcissistic little hearts out. My brother and I began chatting with one such beautiful professional dancer. By the end of the conversation her lack of sobriety and lustful intentions were quite clear. I quickly ended the conversation and my brother and I left.

Now this when my perception of my brother changed. On the subway ride home, my bother began to chat about the evening as well as the drunken girl that wanted someone to warm up her lonely bed. I figured that the only reason my brother hadn't jumped on that pony and ridden was because of me. To my chagrin, I found that his position was quite on the contrary. While trying to stay awake, sitting on the hard NY metro benches, my older brother began to pass on his nuggets of wisdom to me, the naive younger brother. Like the dews from heaven...ok maybe I'm going a little too far. While nothing he said seemed truly novel to me, it was a testament to the veracity of the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He began by telling me that he knew what our drunken little dancer acquaintance was after and that he was not at all interested. "I don't do that anymore. I've had one night stands and they are not worth it." He explained that he desired to have the emotional connections with a deserving and wonderful woman. He went on to explain that none of it matters. "Family is all that matters...and the rest of the bullshit is...bullshit."

At 2am in the morning, on the red line headed for Harlem, my brother shared his testimony of one of the great truths taught in the gospel. I guess this was interesting to me, because it is great to see how values that we are given in the gospel are a grand recipe for happiness and based on truth. We may not understand all the reasons for the law of chastity, but my brother has figured out of few of them by trial and error. The gospel of Christ is true for all. I feel blessed to know the truth instead of having to figure it out blindly.

What the hell?!

2006-06-27T15:37:00.000-04:00

Ok. So I have loads of friends who blog. And I read their blogs. And during an especially boring day at work, I have decided to find out why so many people do this blog thing. My blog will start out as a secret. Only I will read it. And maybe, just maybe, one day if this thing is interesting enough, I will open it to the hoi polloi.

The tough thing about blogging is that you actually have to come up with something to write. I have a hard enough time writing emails to known persons, let alone writing to the vast enigmatic electronic universe.

So this is it. This is me. What the hell am I doing?