Hieronymus Bosch

No, not the painter.  If anyone reads my currently reccomends list on the sidebar you'll see a lot of books by Micahel Connelly there.  They are detective stories, police procedules, about a L.A. detective named Hieronymus Bosch.  I read one of this novels a few years back and didnt'care for it that much.  About a month ago I was at my parents and picked up one of his novels that my Dad had read.  I was hooked this time.  I don't know what it is, sometimes I won't take to a book and than later when I try it I love it.  This happened the first time I tried to read Gore Vidal's Lincoln.  I couldn't get past the first chapter   A year or so later I picked it up to try again.  I loved it, it's one of my favorite books now.  I ended up going out and reading all of Vidal's American History novels.  It also got me interested in Henry Adams and John Hay, going out and buying some non fiction books about them, one of them the Five of Hearts a great book itself.  Ok, this is getting off the topic, but after I read the book of my Dads, City of Bones, I was hooked.  I love when I find a new series that I haven't read that I like.  The last time it happened with a character that has been published for years was from a book I picked up from my Dad again, Faye Kellerman's novel of Peter Decker.  So now I've been reading all the Harry Bosch's novels.  I've only got two more left to read I think.  No, make that three, he just published a new one recently.  It's great when I have a whole series to read, it's like discovering a new friend, finding out their likes and dislikes, everything about them.  I'm reading the first one now, The Black Echo.  It's kind of weird reading them out of order, I already now what happens to a lot of the characters in the first novel, their future history.  If anyone enjoys mysteries or detective novels, I suggest you pick one of Michael Connelly's novels up, they are some of the best.

The Longest Yard

Just got back from seeing the remake of The Longest Yard.  The original is good and the remake was pretty good too.  I enjoyed it.  It followed the original pretty close, mtving it up some, but they didn't get crazy and make it a stupid remake.  It was funny and when you thought it was just a comedy they go and do something pretty drastic in it that you don't see coming.  I recommend it.

I want a Laptop...eh, what do they call them now, a Notebook!

Yes, I do.  I really don't need one.  My excuse is that maybe I'll write more if I have one.  I can use it in the living room or any room of the house.  I can go to the local cafe and sit out in the open and write.  (Yeah, yeah, I know I can do all this and a lot cheaper with a pen and a notebook.)   But lately the bug has been there and I really want one.  Today as a break from the hospital I went brousing laptops, eh I mean notebooks.  When did they go from being called laptops to notebooks?  I figure that I want one in the thousand dollar range or cheaper.  I want one with a big memory for the harddrive and fast.  I found one at CompUSA that had an 80 gb memory and was 3.2 ghz processor.  I think it was last years model, cause it was on managers special.  For the same price, the same company offered one with a 2.0 ghz processor.  So what I want anyone reading this to tell me is what should I look for in a notebook.  Any suggestions on some good ones, remembering the price limit.  Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Austin City Limits Festival

Larry (Larry is a friend from work and you might remember him from some of my Jazzfest writings, he's also into a lot of the same music I am) and I are talking about going to the Austin City Limits Festival in Sept.  It's towards the end of Sept.  It lasts for three days and has some great musical guests.  Wilco will be there (this will be the third time this year I've seen them), Lucinda Williams (one of my favorites that I haven't seen in concert yet), Dave Alvin and a lot more that I can't remember right now.  This will be the third fest I'll have gone to this year, with Jazzfest and Bonnaroo before it.  If I win the lottery I know how I can spend my money, just travel from music fest to music fest.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Today's been a long day.  Thursday my Dad had his tube taken out of his stomach, this is the tube that is basically taking his waste products out of his body.  He was started on solid food, solid being soup and jello, but it was a step forward.  He was also taken out of bed and was able to walk some.  On the wall of his hospital room is a chalkboard where the nurses write down information, one the things they always write is what the goal is for my Dad for the day.  At first it was things like Breathing, Sit up.  After thursday the goal they wrote was Home.  Yesterday though was a set back.  Seems his stomach isn't digesting the food.  They had to put the tube back in him.  He didnt' sleep much last night.  I don't know if it's the pain medicine or what, but at night he hallucinates.  He said he was talking to his sister last night, she was sitting in the chair by his bed.  She's in New Jersey.  The nurse ended up sitting up with him most of the night.  Today he kept drifting in and out.  He'd be talking and than just fall asleep.  He couldn't talk well, the tube goes down his throat.  It was obvious he was in a lot of discomfort and pain.  So not a good day.

I have a weird dog

Ok, I have to admit, Buffy is a little strange.  Whenever I go to take a shower, she goes bannas.  Buffy will follow me into the bathroom, she has a habit of following me whenever I move from one room to the other.  I'll start the shower and than she'll run into the living room and grab one of her toys.  The shower means it's time to play.  I have to go out in the living room and chase her around for a few minutes before I can take a shower.  Like I said, a very weird dog.

Venting

As I start to write this I don't have a title for this post.  I'm not even sure what I'm going to write about.  This week has been hectic.  Work has been very busy.  Customers are worse than normal.  Most customers are nice and come in without looking for a fight  But than there are some that come in with a chip on their shoulders and figure that since we have to wait on them that they can treat us like dirt.  I hate the customer that walks in and the first worlds out of her mouth (like today) is "I'm in a hurry, can we rush this up?"  If you're in such a rush, don't stop to shop.  Do what you've got to do.  We don't sell anything that you need to live, so you don't need to be here shopping if you are in that big a rush.

 

I'm tired.  More than just physically.  I think with my Dad coming out from the sugergy, everything looks good so far.  (He started walking today and they took him off the feeding tube and he actually is eating solid food.)  But it's like an emotional roller coaster.  I think my car is just going down the loop, I feel drained. 

 

I want to do something, but don't know what.  I want to start writing, but it seems like I never can find the time.  I know it's not a matter of finding the time, it's a matter of making the time.  When I used to write I always found the time.  I felt guilty if I didn't write something everyday.  Now I think about what I want to write, but that's about as far as it goes.   I just can't find the energy to sit down and put words to paper. 

 

I feel like I'm waiting for something to happen in my life, but I dont' know what it is. 

 

Ok, I just found the title for this post.  Sorry to come across as down in this post.  I'm ususally a fairly happy person that takes life as it comes, but every now and than I guess I just need to vent a little.  Dont' worry, I'll be back to normal soon. 

Quote of the Day

"As God is my witness I thought chickens could fly."

                                                     - Les Nesman

Season Endings

Well 24 and Lost have ended for the seasons.  This seems to be my week of disapointment though.  24 was good, but it wasn't the ending expected.  Meaning it wasn't the unexpected.  24 always throws a curve at the almot last minute.   The last episode this season was basically just a set up for next season.   It was kind of a let down, they ended up shooting the missle down and the head bad guy was actually the head bad guy and he ends up jumping off a building and killing himself to escape capture.  I kept waiting for Jack to discover there was someone pulling Mauone's strings.

 

Lost was a different problem.  As in individual episode (actually two since it was two hours) it was great.  It added more secrets and weird things going on in the show.  But the creators had said that they were going to answer some questions in the finale.  Now I know they can't answer all the questions, than the show would be over, or at least not as suspensful.  But I really didn't see any answers in the two parter.  Just more questions.  Like I said, it was a great two episodes...Walt getting kidnapped, blowing the hatch open and that final shot as the camera just pans down the tunnel and the ladder until it fades out.....Reall good, just not any answers.

Everything You Know Is Wrong

 

Found a great new site called Disinfo.net.  I added a link to it on my sidebar, it's the devilgirl next to the tv without pity.  I'll let them explain the purpose behind this site:

Launched on September 13, 1996, Disinformation was designed to be the search service of choice for individuals looking for information on current affairs, politics, new science and the "hidden information" that seldom seems to slip through the cracks of the corporate-owned media conglomerates. Ironically, it was funded by one of the largest media companies in the world (TeleCommunications, Inc. (TCI), now part of Comcast), who paid for placement on Netscape's then ubiquitous search page. The site drew immediate attention and (usually) applause from the very same news media that it was criticizing as being under the influence of both government and big business, but the honeymoon was short. Some three weeks after launch the CEO of TCI learned of Disinformation and immediately ordered it closed down. Needless to say, site founder Richard Metzger and a few loyal members of his team managed to keep the site going and it has evolved into the largest and most popular alternative news and underground culture destination on the Web. At the height of the dotcom boom The Disinformation Company was acquired by one of the high fliers of the so-called "New Economy", Razorfish; when the bubble burst so did Razorfish and today The Disinformation Company is owned and operated by Metzger and business partner Gary Baddeley, with offices in New York and Los Angeles. In addition to this site, The Disinformation Company also has thriving publishing, television and home video divisions and is developing its first feature film. The political bias of our staff just happens to be 'liberal' or 'progressive' but that doesn't mean we close our minds to ideas that are deemed conservative; far from it. How can someone be truly well informed with only half the story? In the years since we launched the site in 1996 it has gone through several design and editorial changes, evolving from a specialized Web search directory to an original content (text and video) destination to the current format of the most important daily news and information links carefully selected from the "noise" that clutters up the web. The site also has a deep archive of opinion and editorial articles featuring original Disinformation interviews and reporting, plus community areas for users to find other users (a/k/a the personals), post comments and chat about the issues presented on the site and other topics of importance to our community. We also welcome your feedback and of course encourage you to load up on Disinformation goodies in our store. The above is copyright by The Disinformation Company, Ltd.

Star Wars

I saw the new Star Wars movie last night.  I was suprised how small the crowd was there.  I doubt there was three dozen people there.  I know the first couple days the movie broke all the box office records, but I think that was to be expected.  Everyone was waiting on this movie.  It was the birth of Darth Vader.

 

So how did I like it?   All I can say is that it was better than the first two, but not as good as the original three.  I think the basic problem with it was the character of Anikin Skywalker.  He was just an unlikable character.  The movie was supposed to show his change from the good to the dark side.  But he was always a jerk as far as I was concered.  He was always arrogant and selfish.  There was no real tragedy when he became Darth Vader.  The auidence should have felt the pain of his tranformation to the dark side.  But it felt like he was always had one foot in the dark, so when he became Darth Vader it didn't feel tragic. 

Fiction Post

Following this post will be a post of a work in progress.  It's something I wrote awhile back and have not finished.   If you feel like commenting on it, please do so, pro or con.  

My Dad

This is my Dad. 

Thanks

I forgot in my last post.  I want to thank everyone that has offered good wishes for my Dad the last week or two.  It's meant a lot.  I started this blog for fun, but it's become more than that.  I've "met" some really great people on here and like to think made some friendships.  Everyone's good thoughts for my Dad are appreciated more than I can say.  I just want to thank all of you.

GOOD NEWS!

Ok, I want to get it out first, so no one thinks I'm trying to leave the outcome to the end of the post.  The surgery was today and everything went great.  The doctor said it went as good as it could go.  The tumor was about the size of a quarter and they got it all out he said.  Everything went good...I know I've probably said that already, but it's a relief. 

 

It's been a long day.  Spent it just sittting around waiting on word.  We went in around eight and we got word around four.

 

As good as it went it still was unsettling to see him after the surgery.  He kept shaking, they said it was an aftereffect of the surgery.  He was thirsty, but couldn't have anything to drink.  The nurse would wet a sponge on the end of stick and mositen his lips with it, but that was as much as he could have they said.  His stomach was bloated from gas. 

 

But you know what, it doesn't matter.  Everything went good!

Thursday

Ok, tommorrow is the day my Dad goes in for surgery and we find out how bad it is.  Or hopefully how good it is.  Not much more to say than that.

Joan of Arcadia

I just read that CBS cancled Joan today.   I was somewhat surprised.  I knew that the ratings weren't there, but it had a fairly loyal fan base and it was the type of show that networks liked to point to and let people know they are making.   I was surprised that I liked the show.  I'm not a fan of shows like Touched by An Angel and Highway to Heaven.  But I thought Joan was very good.  It never got too preachy.  I'm sorry to see Joan go, I wish CBS had given it another chance.  The first year Joan was a surprise hit, the second year it dropped in the ratings.  You would have thought CBS might have tried it at least one more year, to see if it could recapture those first year numbers. 

Star Wars Is Coming

This week is the third installement (or the sixth in reality) of the Star Wars saga.  Now I am of the age that grew up with Star Wars.  I remember going to see the first Star Wars (sorry I can't call it A New Hope) at the movie house at Oakwood Mall.  The theatre no long exsists.  It wasn't the palace type, with the stadium seats and the state of the art sound and whatever other bells and whistles the theatres have now.  But there was magic there that day when I saw Star Wars.  Now I was a geek back than (ok, ok, I'm still a geek), I had already read a ton about Star Wars and if memory serves me right, the first issue or two (maybe more) of the comic book was already out and I had read them.  I now the later movies Lucas was super secretive about letting any comic or book out before the movie, but I think they were trying to get a push for the first movie, no one knew it would explode like it did, so I'm pretty sure the book and comic were out before the movie.  But I knew what Star Wars was and I was a science fiction fan, that was most of what I read at the time.  I remember sitting in that theatre, leaving back in the chair as the words scrolled across the screen, and than that monster of a space ship.   Wow!  That one word captures it all.

 

When the second one came out me, Mark and Sal were at the theatre hours (and I mean hours) before the movie opened.  We were the first in line.  By the time the movie opened the line wrapped around the building.  

 

Those first three movies were filled with magic and awe.  I'm not saying they are the best movies ever made, there are a lot of movies I can claim to think are better and even that I like more.  But there was, and is, something special about those movies.

 

I have never seen the new editions of the three movies.  I did break down and buy the three movies when they came out on DVD, but I haven't watched them yet.  I will, but I wish Lucas had put the old versions on the DVDs too.  I loved those movies, even if they aren't as special effected as the newer versions that he reedited them as. 

 

Now by the time the next two movies came out a lot had changed.  I was a lot older.  Dare I say a little more cynical?  I saw the first movie, but after it had been out for awhile.  I wasn't that impressed.   The second movie I saw but I don't even remember when I saw it.  I don't remember seeing it at the theatres, I think I saw it on TV, the DVD or on HBO or whatever channel showed it.   But I think telling you that I can't remember where I saw it tells you a lot of what I thought of it.    I can tell you where I saw all three of the first ones.  I remember when we left after seeing Empire Yvonne and her brother were in line to see the next showing. I only mention this cause I had such a crush on Yvonne at the time.

 

But all that is prelude.   The new one is coming.  From what I've read it will bring the magic back to the series.  This is the birth of Darth Vader.  This is where everything in all five movies come together.  (If that makes sense when the first three actually take place after this one, but it does make sense.)  All the reviews have been favorable so far.  From everything I've seen or read or heard....I'm hoping...I'll be there to see it as soon as I can.

24

Two more episodes to go and the season is over.   If there ever was a cliff hanger it was tonight.  The missle is launched, how do they stop it?  Where is it going?  Jack has his hands full.  Who's going to die?  I've read that two more characters on the show are supposed to die before the season is up.  One from what I've read is a pretty good bet to be Michelle.  Who is the other?  Could it actually be Jack?  Rumors float every year it seems that they are going to kill Jack and bring someone else in.  But I just don't think the show would be the same without Jack.  He brings a certain intensity to his role.   Well, we'll see in the next two weeks.

Television Without Pity

On the right side of here should be a new flashing icon for a site called Television Without Pity. Go to it, it's cool. It lists recaps of some of the neat shows on tv right now. It's a cool site, check it out.

My Dad

Just general thoughts on my Dad:

 

I remember when I was a kid, pretty young, and seeing my Dad without a shirt on.  He had chest hair.  And a lot of it.  I have always associated chest hair with being an adult (well, an adult man at least).  My chest stayed bald until I was probably sixteen or even older.  I got a few little hairs, in the center, but it just wasn't the same.  I always thought I should have more.  Now I do...and the hair just wants to take over my entire body, but that's a blog for a different type of entry.

 

Robert Heinlien writes science fiction.   He wrote a lot of classics in the field, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, well I could go on and on with the classics he wrote.  The point is that in most of his stories the main character was the Competent Man.  The Man that could do just about anything that was needed to be done.  In his stories the main character could take an engine apart, cook a meal, rescue the world, whatever needed to be done.   In my life that man was my Dad.  He seemed to be able to do anything.  He could work on a car, he could fix the plumping, he could cook,  he could build just about anything out of wood, it just seemed that if something needed doing he could do it.  

 

I know now that there was a lot of insecurity in my Dad.  He never finished high school and  I don't think he considered himself a success in many ways the world assigns success.  He never thought he was that intelligent.  When he retired from the Navy he wouldn't look for jobs I thought he should have, he thought they were beyond his grasp.  But he was the biggest success I know.  He created a family, he made a partnership with my Mom, he did so many things right.

 

I got my love of reading from my Dad.  He reads almost as much as I do.  (I say almost cause I think no one reads as much as me.) 

 

Before I had ever heard of feminism I had an example of it at home.  He and my Mom had a partnership.  They both worked long and hard hours.  Whichever one got home first made the meal.   He washed the dishes.  He helped clean the house.  (I'm not saying that they had a perfect partnership and didn't argue.  My parents could fight, oh boy, could they fight.  But that's not the point of this post.)

 

As kids my brother and I never wanted for anything.  Yeah, we may not have got the designer clothes, the hip sneakers (actually I think that was before sneakers were hip), the hottest toys every year, but we always were dressed good, we always had presents at Christmas, we always went on vacation every summer...to DisneyWorld, to Six Flags, to the beach, to somewhere.

 

One of the biggest achievments my Dad accomplished I never realized till I was grown and moved out.  My Dad came from an abusive family.  Not just a little abusive, his Dad would beat him.   The day my Dad joined the Navy his father had beat him and broken a rib.  That was what made my Dad finally leave and join the Navy at the age of 17.   And my Dad did not pass it on.   Sons of abusive parents are inclined to be abusive themselves.   My Dad never beat us.  Yes, we got whippings.  Yes, we got yelled at.  But we were never abused.  We were never given broken bones or bruised skin.   And growing up we never knew our Grand Dad was like that.  We would visit his parents in New Jersey now and than, but we didnt' see that side of our Grand Dad.  As we got older we could tell Dad didnt' always get along with his Father, but we never knew why. 

 

I've always thought of my Dad as a big man.  When I picture him in my mind he stands over me.  But he isn't.  He's short, something my brother and I like to kid him about.  But in my mind he is a giant.

 

The only time I see him as his normal size is when he is with his grand kids, my brother's kids.   They both love him and think he is the greatest thing in the world.  When I see him with them I picture him as a little old man walking along with them, happy and content in the world.

 

The last few years have been some of the best for my Mom and Dad.  They are both retired, living out in the country, doing whatever they want with their lives now.  It's something I'm glad has come about, it's something they both deserve.

Music on Here?

Just a question to anyone reading this, if you could please leave a response. Does anyone hear the music when they come on my site? It's supposed to be Bob Dylan's Visions of Johanna. My computer is screwed up, so sometimes I hear it and sometimes I don't. Right now it's playing. But Heather mentioned to me that she never hears anything when she comes on here, so I was wondering if it played at all.

Diebold #1 (second printing)

This is the cover to the second printing of Diebold #1. We sold out of our first printing and went back to a second printing Not big numbers, but for today they'd be even better. The first printing cover was by Sam Kieth (of The Maxx fame) and on the back cover we had this one by Mike Zeck (of Punisher fame). For the second printing we just flipped them.

Buffy Sleeping

This isn't a great picture, but I had to take it in the dark and with my camera phone. I just wanted to show how spoiled Buffy is, she has to have a blanket to sleep under. I didn't start this, my parents did when I would leave her over with them.

Gas Prices

Wow, I feel so lucky.  I got gas for under two dollars a gallon.  With my Sam's card discount it was $1.96 a gallon.  And you know the worst part?  I was happy about it!

Pimp Name

Just got this from Laure Lee, eh, I mean Devious Honey Lee Large's site.  My pimp name is Mastastic John Skillz.  Check out what your pimp name is at http://www.playerappreciate.com/pimphandle.asp

My Concerts

I've started saving the ticket stubs (on now the entire ticket since most places just scan the ticket and give it back to you) from concerts I've been to. Unfortuantely I only started this in the last year or so. I wish I had did this from the beginning. I would love to just look back at all the concerts I've been to. A friend suggested that I should make a list of all the concerts I've been to. Now I don't claim to have went to that many concerts. I go through phases. I won't see a concert in years and than within a year I'll go to a dozen or two. Right now I'm in the go to a dozen or two phase. But I would like to look at all the concerts I've been to. I think I'll start a list and whenever I can think of a batch I'll share them with everyone on here. So this could go on for awhile. I'm going to try and think of some of the early ones first and than probably I'll skip ahead to more recent ones.

• Foghat (the first concert I went to, in the old Warehouse in downtown NewOrleans.)
• Irma Thomas
• Van Halen
• Sammy Hagar
• Ted Nugent
• Blue Oyster Cult
• Heart
• Boston
• Cheap Trick (at least three times)
• Foreigner
• Styx
• Eagles
• Christopher Cross
• Charlie Daniels
• Pat Benatar
• Who
• Kansas
• Police

These were all the first concerts I went to. Van Halen and Sammy Hagar I saw at the first day of Rock and Roll in the Superdome. This was so long ago, both of these acts were at the bottom of the line up, the first acts up. Heart was the headliner for the show. It was one of those shows that started at noon and was supposed to be over by midnight, but I don't think Heart came out till after two in the morning. This is just the start of the list, I'll keep updating.

3 Doors Down

Last night I went to see 3 Doors Down with Heather. It was a good concert. They had three opening acts. The first two were pretty short, only about twenty minutes apiece...Sabatoge and Silvertone. They were ok, neither all that great I thought. One thing I did like was that lead singer of Silvertone went out in the auidence, walked all the way across the floor, climbed up in the seats and took a seat across from the stage and talked to the crowd. That was pretty cool. The final opening act was Breaking Benjimens. They were ok. 3 Doors Down had a huge stage, set with these huge gears that moved around. They had it set up where fire would errupt from the stage during certain songs. They were really good. I enjoyed them.

I hope Heather doesn't think I was upset or something during the concert. I wasn't. I was just occupied, Wednesday was the day my Dad was supposed to find more out and when he would have surgery. I kept trying to call, but for some reason I couldn't get any reception in the areana. The phone would just ring and ring. Once someone picked up and I could barely hear my Dad, I kept yelling "Hello!" but he couldnt' hear me. Today he said he could hear me but it sounded like I was whispering. So I was kind of low key during the concert, I enjoyed it, but at the same time my mind wasn't completely on it.

Next Thursday

My Dad's surgery is scheduled for next Thursday.  The doctors seem optmistic about what they're going to find, but you never know for sure until you go in and look.

Diebold #1

This is the cover to the first issue of Diebold I wrote and published. About ten years ago...wow, it doesn't seem that long ago and than again it seems even longer. There's one more issue in the series and than the artist and I called it quits. This is also about the time I gave up the trying to bang my head against the wall and make a living as a writer. I've done almost nothing since. I think I want to try and give it a try again. Call me stupid, but I think I'll make another go of it. I think I'll post some of the covers to the different comics I've done and tell you about what went into creating the comic and anything else that comes to mind.I'll talk more about Diebold later after I post the second issue cover.

Fall Out Boy

I love the song titles on Fall Out Boy's new cd:

 

Our lawyer made us change the name of this song so we wouldn't be sued

 

I've got a dark alley and a bad idea that says you should shut your mouth

 

Sophmore slump or comeback of the year

 

Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends

 

I slept with someone in Fall Out Boy and all I got was this stupid song written about me

 

A little less sixteen candles, a little more "touch me"

 

Get busy living or get busy dying

Happy Mother's Day

You know, sometimes Moms can be the most infruitating people in the world. Especially after you're grown and wanting to be treated like an adult and they say something that just makes you feel like you're three feet tall and still having to ask for permission to stay up late to watch tv. But if too much time passes with them acting like you're the adult you pretend to be you secretly wish for that "Mother" in them to come out and scold you for something stupid and make you feel like a kid again.

I see some people that address their Mom by their given name. Now there's nothing wrong with that, but I just can't do it. My Mom is Mom, not Nell. She's Nell to my Dad or her sisters or her friends. To me she'll always be Mom. And that's the way I like it.

My Mom was the one that always paid the bills. My Dad came home and gave her his check and she did all the money stuff with it. I don't think my Dad would know how to pay a bill. She's never been late with a bill in her life. Me, I'm the complete opposite, if I'm on time with a bill it's a miracle. Sometimes my brother and I might think my Mom was kind of tight with a dollar. There are times when she seems to be too concerned with the dollars and cents but than out of the blue she'll go out and spend more money on a present than she should.

At Christmas my Mom always makes sure she spends pretty much the same amount on presents for all of us. I know when we were younger, my brother and I were only a year and a half apart, if one of us got what we thought was less than the other the aggrevied party would throw a fit. But now we've went and got all grown we don't count how many presents the other gets (at least too often) but my Mom wants to make sure we get treated equally.

She worked all her life. I never thought she would retire. I was really happy when she finally retired about ten years ago. With their retirement and social security my parents are doing better than ever, they have fewer expenses but they live a good life. They have been happier than ever. My mom works in her yard, they go shopping, they build things, they just enjoy life and it's something that she deserves.

So all this ruminations about my mom leads to one thought....Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Doc Ford

Just finished reading the newest book from Randy Wayne White, actually not his newest one - that's out in hardback, this is his newest one in paperback.  I actually started it awhile back and for some reason put it down and didn't pick it up again.  I finally did pick it up the other night and got lost in the story and finished it tonight.   If anyone is the heir to John McDonald's Tavis McGee it's Randy White's Doc Ford.   And you don't get much better than Travis McGee.  

Nothing New

Dad went to the doctor yesterday, got the catscan and than brought it to another doctor.  This doctor told him he'd let him know more this wednesday.  Dad said they seemed pretty postive about it so far, like they thought they caught it early enough.  I hope so.   I wasn't a lot of fun at work yesterday, too much on my mind, I was walking around mostly in a fog I think.

 

Been playing around with this blog today, it keeps my mind off other things.  Added a lot of new stuff and figured out how to do somethings I've been wanting to do.  I still don't know everything I want to know but I'm getting better.

Confused

I don't even know what emotion to say I am at the moment. One of my best friends is going through so much crap right now and I can't really do anything for her, if there was I would in a minute. And than there is this thing with my Dad....I don't even want to think about that but it's about all I can think of. We don't know how bad it is yet, he went to get a catscan today. The first doctor said he wanted to schedule surgery as soon as possible, so hopefully we'll know a little more by the end of today. I don't like feeling helpless, but with everything going on at the moment that's how I feel...I just want to help someone.

Dad

I just found out my Dad has cancer. They found a growth on his colon and it is cancerous. He has to go have a catscan tommorrow and than they said they wanted to operate as soon as possible. Sorry I'm not in a mood to write a lot more right now.

Decisions

We have a new store opening, probably early next year. It's opening in Alexandria, about four to five hours from here. Our district manager asked for anyone who was interested in the store director position to put their name in a few months ago. What she does than is goes through this list and whittles it down and than interviews whoever is left. I put my name in. I wasn't really sure if I wanted to move but I figured I wanted to at least throw my name in the hat. I would love to just stay here and take over the store, but I think I'd have to hire a hitman on Darryl, he doesn't have any plans on going anywhere anytime soon. Well Darryl told me that there's only three names left on the list, a guy from Baton Rouge, me and Steve. Steve is another manger from the store I work in now. Steve is a good guy and I think would make a great store director also. I wouldn't feel bad if he got it over me. Today he told me he's pretty much taken his name out of the running. His wife is pregnant and he'd end up having to spend the months just before she is due traveling and training at the other stores and than when the baby is born he'd be setting up the store and getting it ready for opening. He decided he'd rather wait for another store, and spend this time with his wife and baby.

So it's going to be down to me and this other guy. Unless someone else puts their name in. The problem is that I'm not sure how bad I want this store. I really don't want to move. I like it here in Slidell. My parents and brother are fairly close, my friends are here. And I just don't want to move. Alexandria is in the middle of nowhere. It's a small town, which I don't mind. I like the fact that Slidell is a small town, but it's within an hours drive of New Orleans, so when I want to go to a big city I can without a long drive.

I'm not sure what the pay increase would be either. I really don't want to take on the added pressure of running a store without a good pay bump. From what I've heard it's not that big a raise. I can't see uprooting my life and moving and taking on all the extra work and pressure for a small raise.

I like where I'm at now. I am in a position where I work all days with every Saturday off. I've never worked a schedule like this as long as I've been in retail, which is all my working life. I enjoy what I'm doing and I love the hours.

Now I wouldn't mind running my own store again. I liked being a store manger when I was with Service Merchandise. I actually do like the pressure of "having" my own store. I like taking ownership of my own store.

I'm jumping the gun here of course. I might not even be offered the store. But this is all things I need to thing about and decide before it gets down to the wire. I don't want to get offered the store and than say no thanks. If I go that far I should be ready to take it if it's offered me. The district manager wants to make a decision by the middle of the summer so she can get the new store director training with all the other store directors in the district.

I guess I'm thinking more about it right now cause Steve told me about his decision today. I just have to do some heavy thinking. (Another factor is my Father is going to the doctor next week, he's been having some problems and will have to have surgery soon, but they're not sure on all the final details yet. That could help make my mind up, depending on how sick he is.)

Well at least I have some more time to decide....

Brian W 1

Brian Wilson

Brian W 2

Brian greeting the crowd

Brian W 3

Brian putting his shades on

Brian W 4

Brian singing

Brian W 5

Brian's back up singer

Brian W 7

Brian playing guitar

Brian W 6

Brian and his band

Brian W 8

Brian at the end of his set

Brian W 9

Brian dancing

Dr John 1

Mac Rebbenck

Dr John 2

The Night Tripper

Dr John 3

Dr John

G Love 1

Charlie Musslewhite

G Love 2

G Love and Charlie Musslewhite

G Love 3

G Love playing

G Love 4

G Love getting his harmonica ready to blow

Jon 1

Jon Cleary

Jon 2

Jon Cleary

Update Jazzfest Day Three

Ok, it's finally here, the final update on jazzfest. If I don't get this done now I'm going to forget everything that happened.

Sunday was supposed to be a lot cooler than the previous two days. I decided to wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt over a t shirt. Plus I really didn't want the sun to touch my body again, I was pretty sunburned. I met Larry at the store and we set off for the last day of the first weekend. It was pretty chilly outside too, so I was feeling pretty smart with my choice of clothes.

We got to the site with no problem, parked in his great parking spot and was waiting outside the gate with two hours to spare. It's actually pretty fun, we set up our chairs and before long there's a group of people with us. Most of these people come to Jazzfest every year and they know each other. One guy came up and asked the people working on the other side of the gate if they wanted anything to eat and than proceeded to go get them some breakfast sandwiches.

Today we would not be at the Sprint stage. The first two days most of our time was spent at the Sprint stage. Today we headed towards the Acura stage. This was the biggest stage area at the site. It had a huge screen on the side for the people way in the back to watch the show.

First up was a group called 007. We set up our chairs and then headed out while they played. We made the rounds. Ended up at the Live Fest tent, where they were selling cds of acts that have performed from the previous two days. Some of the shows were taped and transfered to cd and sold within hours of their performance. I asked the guy working the table how they picked which act to record. He said at the start they got the list of whoever was going to be at the Fest and sent them a letter telling them what they do and asking if they wanted to be recorded. Than if the act said yes they contacted their record company and got permission. They said Wilco said yes, but their record company said no, so there was no live recording of their show. They said that was probably the most requested show so far. I ended up buying the Meters show. Buddy Guy was recorded either or I would have bought it.

We got our food and drinks and headed back in time to catch the end of 007's act. They were pretty good. We found out later their keyboard player was the drummer for G Love & Special Sauce.

The next act was Jon Cleary. I had saw him perform with Snooks Eaglin from the first day, but today he was playing his own material. Jon is a transplated Englishman. He lives in New Orleans now and is a local landmark in the music world here. His show was really good.

After Jon was G Love & Special Sauce playing hip hop blues. He plays blues music and raps over it. He brought with him his own fans. He was good, maybe not exactly something I get crazy over, but I enjoyed it. I had heard some of his stuff before, I actually have one of his cds. Larry had never heard of him and was pleasantly surprised. One nice thing during his set was he brought out Charlie Musselwhite, the great hamonica player to play a song with him.

Next up was Dr John. What can be said about the Night Tripper? This is my fourth time I've been able to see Dr John. The last time was a few years ago and he seemed to be in poor health. Today he looked and sounded great.

The final act was Brian Wilson. The genius behind the Beach Boys. This was a show I really was looking forward to. It was packed by the time Brian came on. A girl, she couldn't have been more than twenty if she was that old, came pushing up from behind us. She made her way in front of me and than Larry. She turned to Larry and told him that she had been waiting all her life to see Brian Wilson and she was crying. Crying like in the old films you see of girls in the audience for Beatle shows. She stayed up front for three or four songs and every now and than she turned back to look at her boyfriend in the back and she was in tears all the time. It would be easy to make fun, but I think it was wonderful. She loved his music so much that it moved her to tears. It most be nice to be so moved by something.

Brian had a keyboard set up in front of him, but he never played it. Sometimes he looked a little lost on stage, but he sang great. One point he was introducing a song and forgot the name of it....his first song he ever wrote, Surfer Girl. Can you imagine your first song you write is a song of the quality of Surfer Girl. It might not be Good Vibrations, or California Girls, but it still is a classic. He was such a genius and it's such a shame.

When they finished playing his back up singer came over and took him by the arm and lead him off stage. But they were back in a few minutes to do a few more songs. He even put a guitar on and played a few chords.

Listening to him was something special. So many of his songs are classics and have become part of our everyday life that hearing them come from the creator was awesome. Only a few times have I felt like this, with people like John Fogerty. You just hear a few chords and your whole body tingles and you know what's coming. It's special and almost enough to even bring me to tears.

I hated to see the day end. I wasn't going to be able to make it to the next weekend, I had to work. But end it did. It was a great day and a great weekend.

My Top Five

I just found a site that lets you list your top five in different catergories. The link to it is on the sidebar, right below the weather girl. Now it's hard for me to pick my top five, and my top five is always changing. I should probably say that these are some of my favorite five in these catergories. I've tried to pick things that I keep going back to, books I've read more than once, tv shows I watch whenever I get a chance, singers whose newest cd I'll pick up as soon as it comes out. Even so there's a lot of favorites that didn't make the list. And some may make you wonder, I list John McDonald as one of my top five writers but I don't list a book by him. It was too hard to pick one book by Mr. McDonald. He's the writer of the great Travis McGee series and anyone of these books could make the list. Every few years I'll re read the entire McGee series, starting from the first book and going through them all to the last one. And he's written a bunch more great books that aren't part of any series. So I couldn't pick just one book, even though he's one of my top five writers. The same for Stephen King. I think my favorite thing by him is his Dark Tower series, but it's more than one book. Some catergories were really hard, it was hard to pick my top five movies, I kept thinking of ones that should make the list, this list could change daily. Top Five tv shows might have included Angel, but I figured Buffy kind of took care of that, I may have listed only her, but I look as them as being together. Well, I could go on and on about different subjects, but it's interesting to try and think of your five favorites in the different areas. Try it.

Out Now!

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals newest cd, Cold Roses, is out now! Good news.

Day Off

I want a day off that I do nothing but get out of bed, stumble to the couch, get comfortable and pick up a book and read it. And that's it...my entire day. Unfortunately I haven't had a day like that in too long awhile.

New Comic Purchases

Went to the comic store today and bought some new comics. The titles I got were: Invincible #0, The Walking Dead #17 and 18, Stray Bullets #37, Supreme Powers #16, Ex Machina #10, Ultimates #5, Young Avengers #3, New Avengers #5 and Daredevil #72. Seems like I've started reading more superhero comics than I used to. I had pretty much given up on the superhero comic, but in the last year or so I've slowly started reading them again. Not that all are superhero comics. I still like the black and white comics, the offbeat, the odd...