Bamboozled

My quick thoughts of each band I saw last night.

Good Charlotte: They still have more ink visible than skin, and still rock like they did the first time I saw them all those years ago.

Third Eye Blind: Their flamer of a lead singer was barefoot, had a gold tipped microphone and a stupid douchey hat, to go along with that annoying voice. No wonder they haven't been relevant in over a decade. The guitar player from Dublin was by far the best thing about the band, but they were still fun nonetheless.

LMFAO: Everybody loves a dancing midget who looks like a mix between Pudge Rodriguez and Angel Salazar. They had amazing energy and a bunch of party rock songs that all sounded the same but got the crowd jumping like crazy....like a ridiculous version of Andrew W.K. I only had one question; how the hell did one of the lead singers get that fat jumping around on stage the way they do?

Boys Like Girls: Better in person than I expected. I definitely liked the Floyd-esque transition halfway through the set and the 744 guitar picks that made it into the crowd.

I had an absolute blast and got some great pictures and video of the bands as well as of us.

Oh, June...

OK I know I used this same pic last year when June rolled around, but I felt the need to use it again. She did a phenomenal job with the roll and I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for her character.

I can't believe Summer is less than three weeks away. I am excited and surprised all at the same time. While a lot of this year has seemed to drag on, it's also gone by very fast.

Oh Lord, Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Morning Music, 5-27-10

1. Tik Tok- Ke$ha.
I sure didn't feel much like P. Diddy when I woke up today....unless he is always sleep deprived and dreading the upcoming work day. Well, now that I think about it, maybe he does feel like that.

Aint got a care in world, but got plenty of beer
Aint got no money in my pocket, but I'm already here
Now, the dudes are lining up cause they hear we got swagger
But we kick em to the curb unless they look like Mick Jagger

I'm talkin' bout - everybody getting crunk, crunk
Boys tryna touch my junk, junk
Gonna smack him if he getting too drunk, drunk
Now, now - we goin' til they kick us out, out
Or the police shut us down, down
Police shut us down, down
Po-po shut us down

2. Midnight Confessions- Grass Roots.

The sound of your footsteps
Telling me that you're near
Your soft gentle motion, baby
Brings out the need in me that no-one can hear, except

In my midnight confessions
When I tell all the world that I love you
In my midnight confessions
When I say all the things that I want to
I love you

Staggering through the daytime
Your image on my mind
Passing so close beside you baby
Sometimes the feelings are so hard to hide, except

In my midnight confessions
When I tell all the world that I love you
In my midnight confessions
When I say all the things that I want to
I love you

3. To Where the River Flows- Collective Soul.

Give me a moment
Got to get this weight up off my chest
Don't feed me sorrow
Pain is a poison I digest

4. Even Flow- Pearl Jam.

Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh, he don't know so he chases them away-yeah
Oh, someday, yea, he'll begin his life again
Life again, Life again

5. Sex and Candy- Marcy Playground.

Hangin' round downtown by myself
And I had so much time
To sit and think about myself
And then there she was
Like double cherry pie
Yeah there she was
Like disco superfly
I smell sex and candy here
Who's that lounging in my chair
Who's that casting devious stares
In my direction
Mama this surely is a dream, yeah
Yeah, mama this surely is a dream
Dig it
MMMM, Cherry Pie
Hangin' round downtown by myself
And I had too much caffeine
And I was thinkin' 'bout myself
And then there she was
In platform double suede
Yeah there she was
Like disco lemonade

6. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood- Santa Esmeralda.
Being the classic rock purist that I am, I'd never have guessed that I would like this version of the song. It's probably good I didn't even know this version existed until a few years back when Kill Bill came out. Had I heard this too much before then I would have disregarded it all together or completely loathed it as I did with so many other classic rock covers when I was younger. It's definitely a good thing that I have grown even more open minded as I have gotten older.

Baby, sometimes I'm so carefree
With a joy that's hard to hide
And sometimes it seems that, all I have to do is worry
And then you're bound to see my other side

'Cause I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood

If I seem edgy
I want you to know
That I never meant to take it out on you
Life has its problems
And I got my share
And that's one thing I never meant to do
'Cause I love you

7. 4am- Our Lady Peace.

If I don't make it
Know that I've loved you all along
Just like sunny days that
We ignore because
We're all dumb and jaded
And I hope to God I figure out what's wrong

I walked around my room not thinking
Just sinking in this box
I blame myself for being too much
Like somebody else
I never thought I would just bend this way

8. Cruel Summer- Bananarama.

The city is crowded my friends are away and I'm on my own
It's too hot to handle so I gotta get up and go

It's a cruel ... cruel ... cruel summer
Leaving me here on my own
It's a cruel ... it's a cruel .. cruel summer
Now you've gone

9. Wild Horses- The Rolling Stones.
I always liked this song, but for some reason it never felt right when the Stones sang it. A few years back I heard Jewel cover this song and was amazed at how much she added to it with her voice and the way she sang it. To me Mick seems to just be singing these lyrics while Jewel seemed passionate about them. Just my thoughts.

Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them some day

10. Followed the Waves- Auf Der Maur.

Break my heart
The cards of fate
Seal the deal
My heart lies, my heart lies to you

I followed the waves to you,
I cannot see it through
But my heart lies to you
You’ll never have me true

Between my fire sighs and my burning eyes
My heart burns wildly in his eyes
He's just a drunken, gambling man
Dealing with the hand of desire's thing

I'm gonna shuffle his deck clean
I'm gonna shuffle his deck clean

OTA Link

Any NFL fan has heard the "uproar" the last few days over some veteran players missing their team's voluntary workouts. My stance has always been kind of, "Eh....what does it matter?"

For almost a decade I had season tickets for the Lions. Most of the Barry Sanders era was encompassed in those years. How many mandatory training camps did Barry ever go to? He held out ALL of preseason during his ROOKIE year....that year he was only the best rusher in the league, and even passed at a chance to go back into the final game of the year so he could win the rushing title over Christian Okoye, who was already done for the season. Barry finished a scant 10 yards behind the Nigerian Nightmare that season, and in accepting second when he could have led the league in rushing as a rookie showed a lot about his character. I mean, how many rookie RBs would do that same thing if given the chance? My money is on the under, no matter what that might be. Still, Barry never went to training camp.

I found this article about the OTA fury that has surfaced lately and thought it was worthy of a link. Check it out if you are at all interested.

More Random Dreams

Waking up throughout the night makes it easier to remember my dreams, and this week I have had a hard time sleeping through an entire REM cycle....so I have had a few more dreams stick to my memory.

Last night/this morning I had a dream about planning a trip to Vegas. Not strange in and of itself, but the fact that I was planning to drive there, and it wasn't a really long trip, is very strange. I think I also estimated the drive time to be somewhere between 8-12 hours....I only wish Vegas were that close. Probably a good thing that it's not.

At one point in the dream I remember suggesting we drive to Texas instead because looking at the map, Texas was a lot closer. And by that I mean it was closer than Vegas and closer than it actually is in reality. I thing the panhandle extended up to where southern Indiana would normally be when I looked at the dream map. And as opposed to Vegas, I am kinda happy that Texas, or more accurately the Texans who reside in Texas, is as far away as it is.

The next dream I remember is shorter and less detailed. I was driving home from work, and when I got to Chase and Hemlock I saw a HUGE tornado on the east side of chase moving west toward the area where my house is. Somehow my truck disappeared from under me and I was suddenly walking, although that didn't seem the slightest bit abnormal to me in the dream. With the tornado changing course a few times and looking like it might come toward me, I ended up looking for cover but finding nothing but an open field. The tornado moved on without hitting me, nor destroying anything anywhere it actually traveled, but it was still pretty intense nonetheless.

The Only Exception

I have really liked Paramore since I first heard them. This song has been on my radio a lot lately, and I pretty much love it.

When I was younger
I saw my daddy cry
And curse at the wind
He broke his own heart
And I watched
As he tried to reassemble it

And my momma swore that
She would never let herself forget
And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love
If it does not exist

But darling,
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

Maybe I know, somewhere
Deep in my soul
That love never lasts
And we've got to find other ways
To make it alone
Keep a straight face

And I've always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable, distance
And up until now
I had sworn to myself that I'm
Content with loneliness

Because none of it was ever worth the risk

Well, You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

I've got a tight grip on reality
But I can't
Let go of what's in front of me here
I know you're leaving
In the morning, when you wake up
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream

Ohh---

You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

And I'm on my way to believing
Oh, And I'm on my way to believing

Miss USA

So this year's Miss USA is from my hometown. Glad to see that the country has finally realized something about Dearborn girls that I have known for about 20 years....they are pretty effing hot. I mean, why else would I still live only 6 houses from where I grew up?

Unfortunately, in this day and age, the minute you win something prestigious like the Miss USA title, EVERYONE starts digging through your dirty laundry like you are running for president or something. So instead of being able to completely enjoy being crowned Miss USA, which is something I am sure at least 90% of girls dream about at one time or another in their lives, Rima Fakih now has to deal with people digging up old photos and videos and plastering them all over the internet with eye-catching headlines about "Stripper Poles" and "Raunchy" videos.

Now of course there is talk that she may have to forfeit her crown because of these past "transgressions", which I think is a load of BS. Personally I don't think they'd take it away from her, but you never know. And it'd be terribly hypocritical for the pageant to take away her win for these photos or video considering the promo shots they used of her seemed more "raunchy" to me than the one being slung around now. Just take a look at these two pics:

I don't see how they could justify using these shots to promote their show, AND take away her crown for the material that came out yesterday....especially when she shows a LOT more skin in these two pics than in the "controversial" material. Truth be told, those pictures aren't even worthy of a post on this blog. They were kinda dumb, to be honest. These on the other hand....they were good enough to bend my 1 picture per post rule. :-)

According to Doyle

"Grief is like a disease, a worm that eats on you from the inside out. It's something you can feel, but can't quite see. You're just not the same as you were before that worm started in on you."

~Doyle Brunson

From "The Godfather of Poker"

I am nearly finished with this book, and of all the things in the book that struck me....this one just seemed to stick. Doyle is an intelligent, insightful man. I am very happy I picked up this book and was able to see some of his non-poker wisdom in print.

There Will be Moustaches

File this one under "I have no idea where this came from."

Over the last few nights, my dreams have had one strange thing in common....middle aged dudes with mustaches. And I think the funniest thing of all is that none of them were my father.

Of the dreams, only one really sticks out in my mind and that is the one that had someone in it who looked an awful lot like Daniel Day-Lewis from There Will be Blood. Long story short, the guy too a special interest in me and my life and was watching me. Kinda stalker-ish, but hey....I'm used to a little bit of stalking here and there anyway, right?

Well, at one point it got really creepy because he wanted to watch everything I did. EVERYTHING. Just my morning routine alone would be horrible to share with anyone....much less other various things throughout the day. He ended up offering me money, but I just couldn't handle it.

One of the few positives about not sleeping well lately is that I tend to remember more dreams now than when I do sleep well.

How to Destroy Angels

04 from How To Destroy Angels on Vimeo.

Time to Go....

Obvious statement number 47; I am someone who avoids funeral homes.

Yesterday was my first visit to one in almost 2 years, when my cousin Danny died. I didn't want to be at that one either, but Danny was only a month older than me and we were really close friends as kids, even playing football together for a year on a city rec team. Seeing him in his casket just reaffirmed one of the things I dislike so much about funerals. My last memory of him wasn't anything spectacular, it was just Danny being himself at a family party. We didn't talk much, and hadn't talked much at all in years. Our lives went in different directions, and that was basically it.

When I think about Danny, it's generally memories of us doing things as kids. Throwing each other, and anyone else unfortunate enough to be near us, around inside a moonwalk at a railroad picnic, ragging on him whenever we'd meet girls and he would clam up and not say a word, or avoiding contact drills with each other during football practice. We were always about the same size, but at that time I was much stronger than Danny, I would often play OL/DL and he was strictly a WR/DB, so lining up against each other in practice would have just led to humiliation for him when I ran him over, or even MORE humiliation for me if he ran me over. The coaches understood that, and since we were both really good players they let it slide to help maintain our egos.

Almost all of my memories of him are things like that. A smiling, happy-go-lucky kid. Not the guy I saw laying in that box. That's the one thing I would have liked to have changed about being at his funeral. I was going to go to that one no matter what, but wished it would have been handled a little different.

Danny's was one of only three funerals in the last 10 years that I really felt a need to go to. Shunta' and my uncle Dennis were the other two. Shunta' had a closed casket, and my uncle was cremated so I didn't deal with that at either of their funerals. All three were very close to me in one way or another, and all three left this existence suddenly and too damn early. That had a lot to do with my desire to be there, and wasn't just family obligation like last night.

There are plenty of reasons to avoid funeral homes, but to me I think the biggest thing is seeing people I really care about in a state of grief when someone close to them dies. I handle those situations MUCH better one on one, but there is always the mass effect to deal with in the funeral home. I often counter that by finding one or two people to talk to someplace other than the main viewing area. Last night it was the lounges. One downstairs where I could find a bottle of water, the other at the top of those stairs, right by this oh-so-lovely wall clock. Of the 4 hours we were there, I spent about 90 minutes combined in these two areas, and most of that was in the upper lounge talking one-on-one with a cousin.

He is actually a second cousin, and closer to my dad's age than my own, but we had quite a good talk for a lot longer than either of us expected, and he decided to impart upon me some wisdom from his life experience. I guess I'd be expected to divulge that now, but I am gonna keep that all to myself.

Going to the funeral home yesterday did solidify my wishes for after I die though. I have pretty much always wanted to be cremated, but I am obviously very anti-funeral home. I'd much prefer a Marktoberfest style party over some quiet, stuffy service. Hell, it'd be the one time I'd lift any of my three party rules....but only the one about the kids. If any douchebags or guys with popped collars show up to that, I will haunt them for all eternity. I'll have the time.

More Wings

So the Wings lost last night, but played pretty well for most of the game. Take away that minute and a half where SJ scored three goals, and it's a dominating performance for the winged wheels....but it's not like you can do that in sports. Sometimes dominating for 59 or 60 minutes will not get you the win, and as a veteran team the Wings should know that.

Anyway, I meant to put this pic up yesterday but got sidetracked (I know that's a shock, right?) somehow and forgot to post it. Well here it is. It's not from a recent game, but it's a great moment after a goal....especially if you look to the left of Lidstrom and check out the classy Chicago fan saluting our goal scorer.
(Click on picture to enlarge)

NHL Playoffs 2010, Round 2, Part 2

And here's a little something I just read on the Detroit Free Press site that makes the schedule for this upcoming round just that much more inconvenient.

"Apparently the Red Wings knew the way to San Jose, they just didn’t know about the curfew at the airport.

It seems the Norman Mineta San Jose International Airport bans airplanes from landing or taking off between 11:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.

The Wings, who eliminated the Coyotes from the playoffs with a 6-1 victory Tuesday night, flew in from Phoenix after the game and landed at 12:19 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Wings are subject to a $2,500 fine.

Game 1 of the Wings-Sharks Western Conference semifinal series begins at 9 tonight."

I know a $2500 fine isn't going to bother the team in the least, but what happens when they want to fly home after game 2 and/or 5? Game 2 starts at 5pm in San Jose, so there shouldn't be any problem getting out of there before 11:30 unless the game goes into OT. Game 5 however would start at 7pm local time, and the team would have to rush out the door to get to the airport in time to leave before the curfew.

Now I assume the planes are required by the FAA to get clearance from the tower at each airport before take off. Would this ban completely stop them from taking off until 6:30am? Cause I gotta figure that sitting on a plane, no matter how nice the plane is, for up to 7 hours after playing an NHL playoff game might just take it's toll on some players.

I know I am dealing with "what ifs" here, but I could see this becoming a real issue if the bitter San Jose fans working at the airport don't handle these situations with tact.

NHL Playoffs 2010, Round 2

Last night as I laid down for bed, I still hadn't heard what the schedule was going to be like for the second round match-up between Detroit and San Jose. I thought that I came up with a pretty good schedule myself, and thought that there was a good chance that it would be very much like I had expected it to be. The one detail I forgot was that this was the NHL we are talking about....logic doesn't mean a thing to them when it comes to scheduling. So I am still trying to figure out how this makes sense.

Game 1: Thursday, April 29 at San Jose, 9:00 p.m.
Game 2: Sunday, May 2 at San Jose, 8:00 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, May 4 at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: Thursday, May 6 at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Game 5: Saturday, May 8 at San Jose, 10:00 p.m.
Game 6: Monday, May 10 at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Game 7: Wednesday, May 12 at San Jose, TBD

There are so many things I could question here, but the biggest thing to me is the quick turnaround after travel days for each venue change other than between games 6 & 7. I guess it could be worse....Chicago and Vancouver play every other day throughout their series, and the travel time between those two cities is almost as bad.

Whatever. The scheduling must be harder to figure out than I think, right? But no matter what, it can't be as hard as it's going to be for the SJ defenders to figure out how this....

turns into this....

in the blink of an eye.

McPhotos

I'm not going to turn this into a Redskins blog or anything, but seeing this photo made me kinda giddy. Since I've been a fan, the Redskins haven't had a quarterback that I like nearly as much as I like Donovan....and he was an Eagle until recently, so it's pretty amazing that I liked him as much as I did before the trade. There are the concerns about his age and durability to worry about, especially if Rex Grossman ends up being the second QB over Colt Brennan now that Campbell is gone, but I am comfortable with the risk for the reward. With Shanahan running things and three talented, albeit a little older, RBs to choose from, I think the running game will be what carries this team....something McNabb never had with the Eagles.

No matter what, I am already more excited for this coming season than I have been for any approaching season in years. I have mentioned more than once that I felt a change in myself pretty much right after my crash. Well, lately I have seen a lot more of my old self shining through and looking forward to the upcoming season is another good example....but that is an entirely different blog post.

Both of these photos are courtesy of Getty Images, and are just a part of the recent photo shoot they did with Donovan. Click on either of them to get a nice hi-res version.

Round 1 of the 2010 NFL Draft; My Thoughts and Observations

The NFL draft has been one of those "can't miss" events for me for more than a decade. Mark and I started a tradition of going to BW3 for the draft quite by accident. One year in the mid to late 90s we were up at CMU visiting some friends for the weekend and decided we wanted to watch the draft, but didn't want to hold their TV hostage all day (the house we were staying in was occupied by four girls) and we really didn't want to watch it on a tiny TV anyway. One of the girls, either Kelley or Angela I believe, suggested BW3 when we asked if there was a sports bar or something similar that might be open for the draft. We had never heard of the place before, even though we drove right by it every time we came to visit them....which was pretty damn often.

So we went there, had some food and some pop while we watched the draft and really enjoyed ourselves. I know it was only pop, even though Mark pretty much HAS to have beer when he watches anything sports related, because it was the 1997 draft or earlier and we wouldn't have been 21 yet. Because of some unfortunate events brought up myself by sheer stupidity, I missed most of the 1998 draft after trying my damndest to suck it up and make it through at least the first round. That didn't happen, and when I was told that the Lions drafted Terry Fair in the first round, I felt even sicker that when I had left BW3.

This year marked a HUGE change in the draft plans for us. Instead of meeting up at BW3 for an all day event on Saturday, the NFL decided it would be a good idea to have the first round in prime time this year....on a THURSDAY night. As if I don't have trouble finding time to sleep as it is. Thanks Commish.

The whole thing kinda soured me about our plans for the draft this year until, through a series of events at work, I found out I would be going in late on Friday morning. After that, I was cool with staying out late enough for the first round to be completed....especially when I found out Mike was willing to drive to the Dearborn BW3 for it.

Anyway, here's just some random thoughts I had about the draft.

Ndamukong Suh was not the first overall pick in the draft, Sam Bradford was, which pleased my inner Lion fan. Well, that part of me wasn't 100% pleased until Roger Goodell officially announced Suh as the second overall pick. The Bucs didn't do anything surprising at number 3 and took Gerald McCoy like everyone expected. Then it was time for my Skins to pick....and that's where the first surprise of the draft hit.

The pick itself did not surprise any of us, I had even told Mike who we'd pick just a few minutes before. It's not a flashy pick at all, but it's the perfect fit for the team needs as seen by Mike Shanahan. The surprise was how Goodell announced the pick saying, "Trent 'Silverback' Williams" when he read the card. Williams explained it all later on, saying that he jokingly asked the commissioner to use his nickname when he was announced as a pick. He didn't expect it, but he seemed very happy about it and gave Goodell a big hug.


Speaking of....did anyone else notice that Mr. Commissioner was kind of lovey dovey with a bunch of these guys last night? If I didn't know any better, I'd say Roger was about 4-5 fingers in by the time the draft started.

"How YOU doin?"

After the 4th pick, my level of interest dropped a bit since my two favorite teams had already picked for the night, but there were still a few things I'd like to go over....unfortunately I have run out of time for this post. It's amazing how much longer it takes to write this garbage of mine when there are a bunch of pics involved. Hopefully I'll get a chance to finish this up on Monday.

Happy Earth Day

Save the owls. :-)

You Spin My Head Right Round

I feel as if my head is spinning lately. It's spinning so fast that nothing has a chance of attaching itself to my brain right now. Add on to that the fact that insomnia decided to pay me a visit again last night, and I am gonna be a God-damned train wreck come later tonight....when I have two major tests to take in one class. Fun.

My thoughts and words seem to be failing me of late. For someone that fancies himself extremely adept at both, it's rather disconcerting. I don't seem to know what to say or even think most of the time right now. Even writing this is a struggle for me. My thoughts used to funnel into the same place, and while there was a lot to sift through....they were always there.

I understand that the changes I have looming overhead are adding some stress to my life, especially since I have no idea how to plan for school at the moment. My work schedule is definitely changing....but no one has any idea what my new schedule will look like, other than the fact that I will most likely be working Saturdays and Sundays when everything gets ironed out.

My work schedule now is one big cluster-eff as it is. With all the changes coming, they want to make sure everything is set up as best as it can be, and they have been having my switch back and forth between shifts all week. My start times are all over the place. Last week I started at 6am one day, 5:30am the next, 10am the next, back to 5:30 the following day, then finished off with an 11am start. Normally I have my alarm set for the same time every single day I work, but that had to change last week....which in turn affect me this week.

Sunday night was going to be a short night for me in terms of sleep, but I am used to that. I usually am up a little later on Saturdays, so when I sleep in on Sunday it makes it hard for me to fall asleep Sunday night. I set my alarm at about 10pm, when I was wide awake, and was laying down by about 11:15. I didn't actually fall asleep til about 2am, when I remember thinking, "at least I'll get a little more than three hours in." Well, I should have been thinking a little more than TWO hours. But I had set my alarm for a full hour later than normal, and never realized that until after I was up for about 10 minutes. I was tired. I was late. I was stinky. Thank you clouded brain.

Is it bad that I am already looking forward to laying down later tonight? I have a lot to do between now and then, but nothing is easier to focus on right now than laying down for bed later, and how happy I'll be to crawl under that blanket. :-D

Tigers Drop Game 2 in 11th Inning

With two outs in the top of the 9th, Miguel Cabrera tagged the right field foul pole last night in Kansas City to tie up the game 1-1 and eventually send it into extra innings. The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 11th, but the Royals ended up scoring two of their own in the bottom of the inning for the win. Both teams are now 1-1.

These two teams will meet again for the third and final game of this series today at 2:10pm before the Tigers fly home for tomorrow's home opener against Cleveland.

I Was About 5, So It Was More Like....

This is the busiest week I have had in a while....this week is already rife with change. And it's only Wednesday. There is a lot going on around me, and a little going on with me, the specifics of which are really hard to discuss....in part because I don't know all of what is happening at this point. I can say, at least, that the changes I see happening now and in the near future are for the better. Some may be hard to handle, but eventually that too shall pass.

It's unfortunate that I don't have any details to share, because I am in somewhat of a babbling mood this morning and need a subject to go on about. Well when all else fails, I turn to sports....so how about them Tigers? And speaking of Tigers....how deft was that move by Tiger Woods on Monday? Holding a press conference on such a busy sports day. Kudos to his management team.

Monday was also the first game of the season for the Tigers, beating the Royals 8-4 in Kansas City and scoring 6 of those 8 runs in the 7th inning. I didn't watch one bit of the game, which is how it'll probably be for most of the season, but I did note the score. Their second game of the year is tonight, still in KC, at 8:00 pm and the home opener against Cleveland is this Friday.

The NCAA Championship game was Monday as well. Duke won....but barely.

The biggest news in sports the last few days has been the trade of Donovan McNabb from the Eagles to the Redskins. After 11 seasons with him as our bitter rival, it seems we are now hanging our immediate future on him. A lot of people are rushing to compare him to John Elway since it was Mike Shanahan who brought him in. While I must admit the numbers for both QBs up until Shanahan became their coach are eerily similar, with McNabb's being slightly better, I am going to just wait and see and be optimistic. I honestly don't see the same competetive fire in Donovan as I saw in John Elway....but only time will tell I guess.

~

Another note on my Skins; Albert Haynesworth seems to be on his way out. Shanahan tried to give him to Philly in the McNabb deal, but they didn't want him or that salary, and it seems that Haynesworth is destined for Shanahan's doghouse for as long as he is with the team. I'd hate to see the Skins/Haynesworth relationship end like this. He really is a rare talent that could be the key to Washington having a top 10 or top 5 defense the next 2-3 years, but if he does in fact get traded, I will REALLY believe that Dan Snyder is serious about keeping his hands off the team in an effort to win. It's really hard to believe he wants to let his prized catch go so easily.

....Out Like a Lamb

Farewell March....it's hard to believe you are already gone.

Morning Music, 3-29-10

1. Over My Head (Cable Car)- The Fray.

Everyone knows I'm in
Over my head
Over my head
With eight seconds left in overtime
She's on your mind
She's on your mind

2. Love Her Madly- The Doors.

Don't ya love her madly
Don't ya need her badly
Don't ya love her ways
Tell me what you say

Don't ya love her madly
Wanna be her daddy
Don't ya love her face
Don't ya love her as she's walkin' out the door
Like she did one thousand times before

3. Mess of Me- Switchfoot.

I am my own affliction
I am my own disease
There ain't no drug that they could sell
Ah, there ain't no drugs to make me well

There ain't no drugs
There ain't no drugs
There ain't no drugs
It's not enough
The sickness is myself

I made a mess of me
I wanna get back the rest of me
I've made a mess of me
I wanna spend the rest of my life alive

We lock our souls in cages
We hide inside our shells
It's hard to feed to the ones you love
Oh, when you can't forgive yourself
Yeah, forgive yourself

4. Creep- Radiohead.

You're just like an angel,
Your skin makes me cry

You float like a feather
In a beautiful world
I wish I was special
You're so fuckin' special

But I'm a creep,
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doin' here?
I don't belong here

I don't care if it hurts,
I wanna have control
I want a perfect body
I want a perfect soul

I want you to notice
when I'm not around
You're so fuckin' special
I wish I was special

5. Starlight- Muse.

Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms

My life
You electrify my life
Let's conspire to ignite
All the souls that would die just to feel alive

I'll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away
Never fade away

6. Just Breathe- Pearl Jam.

I'm a lucky man to count on both hands
The ones I love...

Some folks just have one
Others they got none, aw huh...

Stay with me
Let's just breathe

Practiced are my sins
Never gonna let me win, aw huh...
Under everything, just another human being, aw huh...
Yea, I don't wanna hurt, there's so much in this world
To make me bleed.

Nothing you would take
Everything you gave
Hold me 'till I die
Meet you on the other side

7. Animal- Neon Trees.

Here we go again
I kinda wanna be more then friends
So take it easy on me
I'm afraid you're never satisfied

Here we go again,
We're sick like animals we play pretend
You're just a cannibal and I'm afraid I won't get out alive
No I won't sleep tonight

Oh oh I want some more
Oh oh what are you waiting for
Take a bite of my heart tonight

8. You & Me- Dave Matthews Band.

Wanna pack your bags
Something small
Take what you need and we disappear
without a trace we'll be gone, gone
moon and the stars will follow the car
And then when we get to the ocean
Gonna take a boat to the end of the world
all the way to the end of the world

Oh when the kids are old enough
we gon' teach them to fly

You and me together
we could do anything, baby
you and me together yes, yes
you and me together
we could do anything, baby
you and me together yes, yes

you and i were not tied to the ground
not falling but rising like rolling around
eyes closed above the rooftops
eyes closed were gonna spin through the stars
Our arms wide as the sky we gon ride the blue
all the way to the end of the world
to the end of the world

Oh when the kids are old enough
we gon teach them to fly

You and me together
we could do anything, baby
you and me together yes, yes
you and me together
we could do anything, baby
you and me together yes, yes

we can always look back on what we did
always memory of you and me baby
right now its you and me forever girl
you know we could do better than
anything that we did
you know that you and me
we could do anything

you and me together
we could do anything, baby
you and me together yes,yes
the two of us together
we could do anything baby
you and me together yes, yes
two of us together, yes, yes
two of us together
we could do anything baby

9. Devil on My Shoulder- Billy Talent.

I dug a hole so deep
I'm gonna drown in my mistakes
can't even sell my soul
'Cause it ain't worth shit to take

I got the devil on my shoulder (over and over)
And I just can't sink any lower (lower and lower)
The hounds of hell are getting closer (closer and closer)
I got the devil on my shoulder (over and over)

Follow the rainbow, my lucky omen
There ain't no pot of gold, just copper tokens
I found the key to life, the lock was broken
All my accomplishments, are best left unspoken

10. How Soon is Now?- Smiths

I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

Swing Life Away

Am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up?
Am I still your charm, or am I just bad luck?
Are we getting closer, or are we just getting more lost?

I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words

We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand

I've been here so long, I think that it's time to move
The winter's so cold, summer's over too soon
Let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow

I've got some friends, some that I hardly know
But we've had some times, I wouldn't trade for the world
We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go

We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand....until you hold my hand

I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words

We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand

Post Goals

Early this year I decided to make sure I wouldn't neglect this here blog at all throughout 2010. So I set a personal goal of 2-3 posts per week, with a total of 10-15 as a minimum for each month. At first I thought about not considering my playlist posts in this, since there isn't much writing involved, but sometimes the words I choose from these songs can really describe how I feel about something, somewhere, or someone better than any of my own words could. There is a reason a lot of these songs are hits, and many of my favorites have lyrics that will stand the test of time. Just look at how some of Dylan's lyrics apply as well to today as they did back when he first wrote them.

I have decided to up my goals for writing. One of the bloggers I follow makes sure to write every day for at least 10-20 minutes, no matter the subject. He might not share it with everyone on his blog, but if it's something he likes he'll post it. I've decided to try the same thing on MOST days. There may be times where work and school keep me from being creative (wow, that sounds kinda sad now that I think about it) and I'll have to skip a day here or there.

This new goal may or may not increase my post totals, since I am not sure that I'll have anything I want to share come out of my head when I sit down to write. Plus I have other places I write besides this blog, so it may not be written here to share anyway. The posting matters not. What does matter is that I'll keep my creative tools busy and sharpened for when I really need to use them or, better yet, when I WANT to use them.

Morning Music, 3-18-10

1. Us- Regina Spektor.

We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
We're living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious

2. Fix You- The Offspring.

She wakes up
Rage and grace
Pulling me closer
Pushing away
And me the sharpest thorn on your vine
Twisting and turning, we're all intertwined

I wish I could heal you
And mend where you are broken
I wish I could heal you
And I wish you could heal me

3. Push it- Garbage.

This is the noise that keeps me awake
My head explodes and my body aches

4. Dani California- Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Black bandanna, sweet Louisiana
robbin' on a bank in the state of Indiana
She's a runner, rebel and a stunner
On her merry way sayin; baby whatcha gonna

California rest in peace
Simultaneous release
California show your teeth
She's my priestess, I'm your priest

She's a lover baby and a fighter
Shoulda seen it coming when it got a little brighter

5. You Can't Always Get What You Want- The Rolling Stones.

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you just might find
You get what you need

6. Dreams- The Cranberries.

Oh, my life is changing everyday,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it's never quite as it seems,
Never quite as it seems.

I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,
Because it came from you.
And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,
A different way to be.

And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me.
You're what I couldn't find.
A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;
You're everything to me.

7. Love Me Two Times- The Doors.

Love me one time
I could not speak
Love me one time, baby
Yeah, my knees got weak
But love me two times, girl
Last me all through the week
Love me two times
I'm goin' away

8. Don't Look Back in Anger- Oasis.

Slip inside the eye of your mind
Don't you know you might find
A better place to play
You said that you'd never been
But all the things that you've seen
Will slowly fade away

Step outside the summertime's in bloom
Stand up beside the fireplace
Take that look from off your face
You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out

Her soul slides away, but don't look back in anger
I heard you say

Take me to the place where you go
Where nobody knows, if it's night or day.

9. The Gift- Angels and Airwaves.

And suddenly
You’ve done it all
You won me over
In no time at all

And now I’ll stop the storm if it rains
I’ll light a path far from here
I’ll make your fear melt away
And the world we know disappear

10. Hurt- Johnny Cash.

I focus on the pain,
the only thing that's real.

Try to kill it all away,
but I remember everything.

I will let you down,
I will make you hurt.

I wear this crown of thorns,
upon my liar's chair.
Full of broken thoughts,
I cannot repair.
Beneath the stains of time,
the feelings disappear.

If I could start again,
a million miles away.
I would keep myself.
I would find a way.

13

Prospective job #13 = FAIL

I wonder how many I can rack up before I lose it....

Happy St Patrick's Day

Morning Music, 3-16-10

1. Forever- Papa Roach.

In the brightest hour
Of my darkest day
I realized
What is wrong with me

Because days! Come and go!
But my feelings for you are forever

2. Machinehead- Bush.

I felt you like electric light

3. Have Faith in Me- A Day to Remember.

So we'll pretend it's alright
and stay in for the night, what a world.
I'll keep you safe here with me.

4. Gimme Some Lovin'- Spencer Davis Group.

It's been a hard day
And nothing went too good
Now I'm gonna relax
Like everybody should

And I'm
So glad we made it
So glad we made it
You gotta
Gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin' everyday.

5. Dirty Little Secret- All-American Rejects.

When we live such fragile lives,
It's the best way we survive,
I go around a time or two,
Just to waste my time with you,

Tell me all that you've thrown away,
find out games you don't wanna play,
you are the only one that needs to know---

I'll keep you my dirty little secret,
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret,
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret.

6. I Don't Want to Wait- The Veronicas.

Everytime you stay (every time you stay)
The world starts making sense to me
And when you go away (when you go away)
I wanna scream till you see...

7. Breathe- Angels and Airwaves.

My hands shake clasped with fear, as you come near.
To say goodnight, just like a dove, a peaceful sign.
To help us by, as you come in, let this begin.
Stars fall like dust, our lips will touch, we speak to much.

Did you know, that I love you?
Come and lay with me, I love you.
And on this day, I will love you.
You make me feel alive, and I'll love you,
until the end of time.

I've got a lot to say, if you will let me.
It's always hard, when you're around me.
But here right now, there's interest in your eyes.
So hear me out, and hear this the first time.

8. Just Like Heaven- The Cure.

Spinning on that dizzy edge
I kissed her face and kissed her head
And dreamed of all the different ways i had
To make her glow

9. Classic Cars- Bright Eyes.

You can go right out of your mind trying to escape
From the panicked paradox of day to day

Never trust a heart that is so bent it can’t break

10. Don't Trust Me- 3OH!3.

Shush girl, shut your lips
Do the Helen Keller, and talk with your hips

Fear
And panic in the air
I want to be free
From desolation and despair
And I feel
Like everything I saw
Is being swept away
When I refuse to let you go

I can't get it right
Get it right
Since I met you

Loneliness be over
When will this loneliness be over?

Life
Will flash before my eyes
So scattered and lost
I want to touch the other side
And no one
Thinks they are to blame
Why can't we see
That when we bleed we bleed the same?

I can't get it right
Get it right
Since I met you

Loneliness be over
When will this Loneliness be over?

Loneliness be over
When will this Loneliness be over?

Silence

The silence is worth
More than a thousand lives,
This freedom worth
More than all the empires on earth.
To glimpse that truth within yourself,
For even just a moment, is worth
More than all heavens, all worlds,
All this, and all that.

-Rumi

`

Not much to say lately. I usually have a great number of things running through my head at any given time, but lately it's been the same thoughts about the same handful of things....over and over again.

`

My creativity is gone. I don't write. At all. I don't even think about writing. I can barely read right now. I'm just here. I've done all I can think to do, and now I just need to wait for the answers.

`

Sometimes, somehow....that waiting turns to dread.

Morning Music, 3-3-10

1. Low- Flo Rida.

Apple Bottom Jeans [Jeans]
Boots with the fur [With the fur]
The whole club was lookin at her
She hit the flo [She hit the flo]
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low low low low low

Them baggy sweat pants
And the Reeboks with the straps [With the straps]
She turned around and gave that big booty a slap RAWR

2. Sympathy- Goo Goo Dolls.

It's hard to lead the life you choose
All I wanted
When all your luck's run out on you
All I wanted
You can't see when all your dreams are coming true

Oh yeah it's easy to forget yeah
You choke on the regrets yeah
Who the hell did I think I was

And I wasn't all the things
I tried to make believe I was

3. Addiced- Saving Abel.

I'm so addicted to
All the things you do
When you're going down on me
In between the sheets
All the sounds you make
With every breath you take
It's unlike anything
when you're loving me
MMM...Getting warm in here
4. Dancing in the Dark- Bruce Springsteen.

You sit around getting older
there's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
come on baby this laugh's on me

5. Falling for You- Colbie Caillat

I've been spending all my..time
Just thinking about ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for you
:-D
I've been waiting all my.. life
and now i found ya
I dont know what to do
I think I'm falling for you...
I'm falling for you...
:-*
6. Better- Regina Spektor.

If you never say your name out loud to anyone
They can never ever call you by it

You're getting sadder, getting sadder, getting sadder, getting sadder
And I don't understand, and I don't understand
But if I kiss you where it's sore
If I kiss you where it's sore
Will you feel better, better, better?
Will you feel anything at all?

7. Thinking About You- Norah Jones.

Yesterday I saw the sun shinin',
And the leaves were fallin' down softly,
My cold hands needed a warm, warm touch,
And I was thinkin' about you.

8. Burn it to the Ground- Nickelback.

We're screaming like demons, swinging from the ceiling
I got a fist full of fifties, tequila just hit me

Ticking like a time bomb, drinking till the night's gone
Well get you hands off of this glass, last call my ass
Well no chains, no lock, and this train won't stop
We got no fear, no doubt, all in balls out

We're going off tonight
To kick out every light
Take anything we want
Drink everything in sight
We'll go until the world stops turning

9. A-Punk- Vampire Weekend.

Johanna drove slowly into the city
The Hudson River all filled with snow
She spied the ring on His Honor's finger
Oh-oh-oh
Yeah, I have no clue what that means....just like singing it.
10. Your Body is a Wonderland- John Mayer
And where else would I want to be?
One mile to every inch of
Your skin like porcelain
One pair of candy lips and
Your bubblegum tongue
OH....MY....
Something 'bout the way the hair falls in your face
I love the shape you take when crawling towards the pillowcase
You tell me where to go and
Though I might leave to find it
I'll never let your head hit the bed
Without my hand behind it
:-*

Why Bother?

I've been overcome by a "why bother?" attitude today. Actually, I guess in some ways it has been there a lot longer. My hair is a great example. I want to have it longer than it's been the last few years, but I have not had it cut in a few months and it's starting to look a little rough. But why bother cutting it?

My weight is another example. I have recently started to watch what I eat again, but you can definitely tell that I haven't cared too much about it in the last few years at all. Even carrying extra weight, I was always still relatively healthy....so why bother?

Today it seems to have crept into my career and school outlook. I have an exam today that I haven't studied for at all, a homework assignment due at the beginning of class today that I haven't touched, and a lab tonight that I need to prepare for....and all I can think is, "why bother?"

I know I went into detail on here not too long ago about the whole job thing and what's bothering me about that, so I won't rehash too much....but just thinking about the amount of time I've been stuck in one place has really gotten to me. It's not the place so much as the position. In the last few years I have watched so many people come and go, most going on to bigger and better things, as I sat in the same chair. Watching friends and colleagues earn better things for themselves is always nice, and I'd never begrudge them what they deserve....but am I out of line for thinking I deserve something other than a pat on the back every now and again?

I honestly believe there is no one that performs their job better than I perform my own. Many people do just as well, but I don't believe anyone could ever outwork me. Couple that with my intelligence and ability to pick up anything quickly, and I truly believe that I am a great candidate for any job....much less the jobs that I've been applying for which I definitely qualify for. And all I ask is for a fair shake....a little balance. I want the same opportunity that anyone else gets, yet I don't think I have....and am beginning to really think that I never will if I continue to sit in the same chair those 8 hours a day M-F. Yet, everything I've tried to get away from that chair has ended in a resounding thud....some worse than others. And I am surrounded by constant reminders.

Of course, me being me, I can't leave it at that. So I begin to question even more. Why? What are the reasons behind all this? There is only one place I can rightfully point my finger....and that is at myself. Maybe it all comes down to me being wrong about everything I just said. And the more I think about it, the more evidence there is to support that. Maybe I am just fooling myself, and all these things I pride myself on aren't accurate.

I know it's very hard to look at ourselves objectively, but I always thought I was very good at it. Maybe I am wrong about that too, but I think my overwhelming sense of self-doubt lately supports my claim....at least a little.

In putting all this together, I seem to come back to the same conclusion over and over again; I am wrong. In the end, I must not be seeing myself as well as others do. And it's really shaking my foundation to think that I am not the employee/prospective employee that I always thought I was....and, therefore, not the man I think myself to be either.

In Like a Lion....

March is finally upon us, and with it comes a great sense of "Spring is on the way". Or at least that's what it seems like so far. A lot of people, myself included, are very encouraged to see our snowy February come to an end.

Of course we could still have a bunch of snow in March, this IS Michigan after all, but January and February are generally the hardest months to deal with, so that mental block is gone now and we can all focus on the fact that we survived the worst, and it's just going to get better from now on.

Just Lose It

So I am preparing, yet again, to start another "get back in shape" routine. Last summer, when my heart was set on it, it was pretty damn easy to drop the weight I did, and as quickly as I did it. Hitting the gym 5-6 times a week and eating right definitely agreed with me....whereas, not going to the gym and eating crap all day, every day, has not.

I've ballooned back up to 240 lbs. It's still not as bad as last summer, when I weighed in at an all-time high of 245 lbs just before I changed my lifestyle, but still....being in the 240s is kinda scary. I'm not exactly tall at 5'10". I'm not exactly young at 33. I'm not exactly muscular anymore either.

I won't officially start my diet/exercise program until Monday, but I have been making small strides here and there in preparation of it. I can do things like this cold-turkey, but I'd much rather ease into it. So a lot of my snacks have been healthy choices lately. I am back to having one low-sodium V8 per day, even though I still wince every time I down it. Juice instead of pop as my sugary drink of the day at work. Saying no, or at least postponing, the bad cravings. Example; I bought a Milky Way at lunch yesterday because I had a STRONG craving for it. I never ate it. I will eat it sooner or later, I am sure, but I denied myself that craving for a while. If I only act on them every other time, I'm doing twice as well as I normally would.

Postponing those indulgences has another upside for me. Doing stuff like that often drives Mark crazy. He and I like a lot of the same things, so when I buy a candy bar or cookies or something that we both like, only to put it on top of the fridge for a few days, or even weeks in some cases, he notices it right away....but can't dig in to whatever is there without asking me first. And when he finally does ask, I always get a kick out of it.

While that is always funny, I think my favorite one wasn't even him asking me about it....it was him TELLING me about it. I don't remember exactly what I had put on top of the fridge, or how long it had been there, but it must have been around Christmas time last year....because I am sure it was a gift. Now that I think about it, I am pretty sure it was an assortment of Godiva chocolates. It was Friday night, and I had a class on Friday nights until 9pm during that semester. I walked in from class, completely worn down from a full week of school and a full week of work and just wanted to grab my laptop and chill out for a while on the couch or in bed. Mark had a different idea.

"Ok. The statute of limitations has run out. I am having some of that chocolate, with or without you....", quoth the Shark.

I pondered that for a second, then simply said, "Alright....let's see what we've got."

I think we spent the next couple hours eating candy and playing Xbox, but that isn't what matters. The greatest thing about that was the look he had on his face when he was telling me about the statute of limitations. He had this fiendish desperation behind his "stern" words about taking the chocolate one way or the other. I've known the guy my whole life, and I have seen that look more than a few times....but that one really sticks out.

SO, back from that tangent now. The real reason I started this post was Lose It! It's an app for iPhones and iPods that helps you track your diet and exercise. You make a little profile of yourself (age, gender, weight, weight loss goal) and it plots out your target caloric intake for each day to lose the weight at the pace you set. I have always done very well when I kept a food journal and/or a daily weigh in log. This will remind me to weigh in every day and, since I ALWAYS have my iPod on me wherever I go, this will be much easier to do every time I have a meal, or even a snack, than a food journal would be.

One of the things I like the most about this app is that it has the caloric value for pretty much anything I would eat already stored. I have NO idea how many calories a McDonald's Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit has in it....but by adding that to my Lose it! profile this morning, I see that I had 887 calories in those 2 biscuits this morning, my last trip to McDonald's for a while, and that I washed it down with another 150 calories in that can of Pepsi I had. In a few minutes I will be adding my daily V8 to the list, as well as my mid-morning snack.

I haven't looked that far into it yet, but I think there is a way to sync Lose It! with twitter and blogs....might be that I can get in a post every few days without even trying.

Dealing With Snow

As the end of February draws near, the snow totals for the area continue to climb. It's nothing like the east coast of course, but it's still no fun to deal with. It seems that we've been getting most of our snowfall in the late night/early morning hours, and always on a day that I have to be up for work. I get up early enough as it is....I don't need mother nature forcing me to set my alarm even earlier than it already is.

Then I have to leave the house. It's annoying to walk out into the snow and be the only set of footprints. I'd love to leave in the morning and have the snow look undisturbed, but my ninja training is not yet complete....so it might be a while before I know how to do that. By that time, I probably won't care anymore anyway.

Tuesday's snowfall started while Denise and I were in class. It wasn't so much a snowFALL as it was a light dusting of powder....on top of the melted snow (aka water) from earlier in the day, which had frozen over in many areas, including roads and parking lots. As we walked to the car after class I mentioned something to Denise about how slippery it was, and for her to be careful not to fall. As usual, I didn't take my own advice. Thankfully I didn't hit the ground, but my foot flew out from under me as I bent to sit in the car, and ended up in the seat a little quicker than I expected. I laughed hard enough to turn bright red....for the second time that night.

Earlier, while in the lab portion of our class, Denise and I were talking with one of our lab partners. The girl seemed shy the first couple of classes, then again who DOESN'T seem shy next to Denise and I, but at one point early in the semester the girl took quite a liking to Denise, and is more than fine sharing all types of stuff with us now. Our lab work saw us doing some things that were very easy to make less than appropriate comments about. Once that started, it just snowballed and turned into a discussion about some "taboo" things that people do. We were laughing so much that the instructor stopped talking to the class at one point to tell us how red we actually were....he seemed disappointed that he wasn't part of it, like usual.

Driving that night was slow. Ice and accidents everywhere. Why is it that cars not too far in front of me are always attracted to median walls like a magnet? I didn't think the road was quite so slippery myself, but then again....I know how to drive.

Last night's snow wasn't so bad really, but it was too warm to actually be snow when it started....so there was a kind of mist that preceded the snow. I heard the roads were slippery, but didn't experience any of that myself, again maybe because I know how to drive, and the worst part of the morning was cleaning off my car. Before I got it the car, I had no idea there was ice under the snow....and didn't really notice it when I brushed off the car. I didn't really notice it until I got a block away actually when I drove under a street light and my windshield started glowing. It was cool....except for the whole not being able to see thing. I stopped under the next streetlight and cleaned off the car yet again.

Looks like we have some more snow coming too. The next few days all have at least some flurries forecasted. The first day without a snowflake in the 10-day forecast is March 1st. Just in time for the month to make it's appearance "like a lion". RAWR!

Morning Music, 2-25-10

1. Everything- Buckcherry.

Buried way beneath the sheets,
I think she's having a meltdown.
Finding it hard to fall asleep,
she won't let anyone help her.

The look on her face a waste of time,
she won't let go gonna roll the dice.
Losing her grace starts to cry,
I feel her pain when I look in her eyes.

I wanna be,
I want everything,
I want everything.

Your eyes,
never close your eyes,
open up your mind,
and you can have everything.

2. From Yesterday- 30 Seconds to Mars.

He's a stranger to some
And a vision to none
He can never get enough,
Get enough of the one

3. Sound of Madness- Shinedown.

Quicksand's got no sense of humor.

The darkest hour never comes in the night.

4. Halfway Gone- Lifehouse.

Talk, talk is cheap
Give me a word you can keep

5. Just Like a Pill- Pink.

Run just as fast as I can
To the middle of nowhere
To the middle of my frustrated fears
And I swear you're just like a pill
Instead of makin' me better, you keep makin' me ill

6. I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes- Dierks Bentley

Girl I've been waitin on this long hard day to get over
So i can rest my head right here on your shoulder
I just wanna lay here and feel you breathe
Listen to the rhythm of your heartbeat
And see where it leads...

We're wide awake but girl I wanna make you close your eyes
And say my name like only you can say it and hold me tight
All I need is only you and me alone tonight
I wanna make you close your eyes

I wanna take you somewhere...out there...
'Til the world fades out of sight

7. In Your Eyes- Peter Gabriel. (NOT the live version)

love I get so lost, sometimes
days pass and this emptiness fills my heart
when I want to run away
I drive off in my car
but whichever way I go
I come back to the place you are

all my instincts, they return
and the grand facade, so soon will burn
without a noise, without my pride
I reach out from the inside

(In your eyes)
the light the heat
(In your eyes)
I am complete
(In your eyes)
I see the doorway to a thousand churches
(In your eyes)
the resolution of all the fruitless searches
(In your eyes)
Oh, I see the light and the heat
in your eyes
oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light
the heat I see in your eyes

love, I don't like to see so much pain
so much wasted and this moment keeps slipping away
I get so tired of working so hard for our survival
I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive

8. I Kissed a Girl- Katy Perry.

I got so brave, drink in hand
Lost my discretion

I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
Mmmm, Chapstick
9. Within a Mile of Home- Flogging Molly.

His empty frame cannot explain, there's nothing left inside
So sing to me a song from yesterday
When laughter filled the tears that we now make

10. Black Dog- Led Zeppelin.

Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move,
Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove.
Ah, ah, child, way you shake that thing,
Gonna make you burn, gonna make you sting.
Hey, hey, baby, when you walk that way,
Watch your honey drip, can't keep away.

Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh, oh, oh
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh, oh, oh

I gotta walk, can't stand still,
Got a flamin' heart, can't get my fill,
Eyes that shine burning red,
Dreams of you all through my head.
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah...

Hey baby, oh baby, pretty baby,
Tell me would you do me now.
Hey baby, oh baby, pretty baby,
Move me while you groove me now

Today's January Jones Pic

Better late than never I guess....Just making sure I kept my word.