Skrambled Ramblings

Another Quick Post

2009-03-23T23:12:00.003-04:00

Okay, so I said I was back, then disappeared. I think you (the Royal You), may expect to see me here from time to time, but only as time and life allows, which may be few and far between, or obnoxiously often. Time will tell.

Went to NYC this past weekend, had to use up a plane ticket credit before it expired in April. May I just advise you, reader, wherever you are: DO NOT FLY INTO OR OUT OF LA GUARDIA AIRPORT!!! It is the most run-down, dilapidated, dirty, disgusting, poorly-located airport I have ever seen or can imagine.

In looking at the Cold War-era architecture, with ancient rusty hangars with broken windows sprawling across a huge area, I was reminded of Mad Max, Beyond Thunderdome (the silly one with Tina Turner). Everything remains in disrepair. To understand what it looks like today, imagine the skeletal insides of the Air Traffic Control Tower below being exposed, with nearly every hanger and terminal looking like their about to fall down:

That shiny white tower is nearly gone, left with merely iron bones which will soon be sent to China to be melted down and re-s0ld to America as Steel. Such is the way of the world, I suppose.

Ah Hell

2009-03-12T22:37:00.002-04:00

Things are not as I remembered. Perhaps some things are better left in the past to rot.

But then, as I've learned with my newfound passion--homebrewing--patience is the key. Sometimes things need to ferment, and then be conditioned over time to perform at their best.

I have a green barleywine, just bottled, which is now flat and boring, but will knock my socks off in several weeks (or months). All good things in all good time...

The Photogenic Kitty

2009-03-11T23:33:00.002-04:00

Child #3: The Ever-Alluring Smokey Bear

2009-03-11T23:30:00.003-04:00

Child #2, Sweet Little Zooey

2009-03-11T23:24:00.002-04:00

My angel...

Child #1, The Short Man

2009-03-11T23:21:00.001-04:00

I Am, Again...

2009-03-10T21:30:00.004-04:00

Oh how long it has been. Do I dare to start this once again? I feel I must, to see things in a new light, to visit long-lost friends not forgotten, to reflect upon the good old days, and to move forward despite all that's changed. Many edits need to be made, but all good things in all good time. Old links to forgotten blogs still mean something to me, if no one else.

I had intended to keep Re-Inventing The Wheel on life support, but that didn't work out. I left the blogosphere to recreate myself, and that is exactly what I did. For my friends of old, know now that since I last posted I fell in love, got married, got a good job, and recently was promoted (though the pay could certainly be better, I'm happy to have a job in this economy). Life is good. I have a dog and two cats, a loving wife, and perhaps a child on the way someday soon...

Oh so much to talk about, but that will come later. I just found out that an old friend is gone--for damn near three years now--sweet Jenn See--and that she has been gone since shortly after I left this place. I'm sorry I wasn't there for my friends during that time of loss. Loss is something I understand, and I wish I were there to offer some words of comfort, whatever the value, to Mysfit, Old Ben, and Jenn's family. I'm still agnostic, but somehow, I feel her presence here as I think upon her. May her soul rest in peace, and may her friends know that she made a difference in this world.

I shall return, but for old times sake I thought I'd post a poem to enjoy (not one of my own, of course, but one for the ages). The Hollow Men, by TS Eliot

MISTAH KURTZ -- HE DEAD.
A penny for the Old Guy

I

We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar

Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;

Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom
Remember us--if at all--not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.

II

Eyes I dare not meet in dreams
In death's dream kingdom
These do not appear:
There, the eyes are
Sunlight on a broken column
There, is a tree swinging
And voices are
In the wind's singing
More distant and more solemn
Than a fading star.

Let me be no nearer
In death's dream kingdom
Let me also wear
Such deliberate disguises
Rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves
In a field
Behaving as the wind behaves
No nearer--

Not that final meeting
In the twilight kingdom

III

This is the dead land
This is cactus land
Here the stone images
Are raised, here they receive
The supplication of a dead man's hand
Under the twinkle of a fading star.

Is it like this
In death's other kingdom
Waking alone
At the hour when we are
Trembling with tenderness
Lips that would kiss
Form prayers to broken stone.

IV

The eyes are not here
There are no eyes here
In this valley of dying stars
In this hollow valley
This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms

In this last of meeting places
We grope together
and avoid speech
Gathered on this beach of the tumid river

Sightless, unless
The eyes reappear
As the perpetual star
Multifoliate rose
Of death's twilight kingdom
The hope only
Of empty men.

V

Here we go round the prickly pear
Prickly pear prickly pear
Here we go round the prickly pear
At five o'clock in the morning.

Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom

Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Falls the Shadow
Life is very long

Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
and the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom

For thine is
Life is
For Thine is the

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

Image Host

2006-03-22T19:08:00.000-05:00

"Death is Not the Worst of Evils"

2006-03-10T21:02:00.000-05:00

--found here.

G'night, and Cheers, my Brethren.

Final Post

2005-12-28T18:32:00.000-05:00

Regretfully, this will be my last Skrambled Ramblings post. The decision is final, so I ask that my friends understand and accept this (don't worry, I won't delete the blog). I may start another blog someday, but it shall be a new creation altogether. Re-Inventing the Wheel will be kept alive on life support, with random signs of life from time to time. Also, a certain apparition may appear on comment pages from time to time. . .

This blog has had a huge effect on my life, through all of the wonderful people I've met and come to know on very personal level. I don't want to leave anyone out, so I won't start off on a list, but I never would have thought it possible to feel so close to people through blogging. We've shared our thoughts, feelings, dreams, and opened ourselves up to each other on a cosmic level. I love you all.

I've enjoyed sharing a piece of my life with all of you. I shall ever be grateful to my blogdom friends for sharing parts of your lives with me. We human beings, in different cultures, throughout the world have far more in common with one another than we have differences. What I've learned more than anything is this: Humanity does not want War, it's Power that does, but ulitmately Peace will prevail (either that or We Are All Fucked!!!).

It's time for me to Skram. I'll leave you all with a poem and a picture. XOXOXOXOXOXO--The Skrambled One

The World is Too Much With Us
-by William Wordsworth

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.—Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

Too, Way Too, Many Boats

2005-12-16T17:16:00.000-05:00

I'm posting this in place of a previous post, which shall not be mentioned heretofore by anyone who may have seen it (though perhaps Google had time to cache it. Damn Irretrievability of Electronic Communication). I've become a sort of blog ghost, occasionally haunting this realm with my presence. Perhaps that shall be the new Me. Hmmm...

Oh yes, in honor of the post I removed, here are some Bob Dylan lyrics:

I ain't lookin' to compete with you,
Beat or cheat or mistreat you,
Simplify you, classify you,
Deny, defy or crucify you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

No, and I ain't lookin' to fight with you,
Frighten you or uptighten you,
Drag you down or drain you down,
Chain you down or bring you down.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

I ain't lookin' to block you up
Shock or knock or lock you up,
Analyze you, categorize you,
Finalize you or advertise you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

I don't want to straight-face you,
Race or chase you, track or trace you,
Or disgrace you or displace you,
Or define you or confine you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

I don't want to meet your kin,
Make you spin or do you in,
Or select you or dissect you,
Or inspect you or reject you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

I don't want to fake you out,
Take or shake or forsake you out,
I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me,
See like me or be like me.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.

So, I'll just leave it at that. I'm off to obtain blogghost.blogspot if possible.

The Sun Also Rises (or, Unoriginal Title, Meh)

2005-12-11T14:13:00.000-05:00

--Portsmouth Harbor, Saturday, December 10

Ouch

2005-11-25T20:48:00.000-05:00

No time for posting (I have to hang out with my bro' while he's still up), but there is always time for Penises in the News. The UPI site that this links to has some stringent rules on republishing their stories, but I think I'm allowed (FAIR USE) to post the first sentence, which says it all:

FREMONT, Calif., Nov. 23 (UPI) -- The Grandmaster of Iron Crotch, Tu Jin-Sheng, strapped his penis to a rental truck and twice pulled it across a Fremont, Calif., parking lot.

Apparently the man is a follower of Qigong, which is part of Chinese medicine, and focuses on breathing techniques. For a well-written description, see this Wiki entry. At any rate, I'm off to see the bro'. I may return tonight, but who knows.

Was There Ever Any Doubt?

2005-11-20T21:15:00.000-05:00

See this story: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/20/torture/index.html .

Try Not to Look Away

2005-11-16T19:52:00.000-05:00

Uh oh, the "T" word is coming. Torture is back in the news, and even CNN, part of the sleeping, lazy corporate media machine, has quite a few stories. See this link from CNN, and especially the video section "Allegations of Abuse" (also see previous rants by me).

Humanity can be an ugly word, in certain contexts--simply disgusting. God bless America, and, while You're at it, please guide those who use this phrase to justify such treatment of Human Beings. Allah, please forgive--or punish as you see fit--the actions of certain leaders, and blame not an unwilling populace. (Should both God and Allah be dead, please consult Jehova, Buddha, Vishnu, or The Deep Dark Nothing.) Mankind wants Peace, Power wants Power. Let's just hope we win, my friends. I haven't lost faith. . .yet.

Day Five

2005-11-14T22:52:00.000-05:00

I've managed to remain relatively sane after five days of non-smoking. I'll be on the patch for a few weeks, so I'm not going through the physical withdrawal right now, but the habit is the hardest thing to break. I do feel much healthier though. I had been a non-smoker for three years prior to starting again nine months ago (approx.), so I still have a clear memory of what the life of the non-smoker is. I guess what I'm saying is that the transition isn't as hard for me as it would be for someone who had smoked for many years without trying to quit.

However, I must digress, as this isn't my smoking-recovery web page, so I'll move on to something else. Work has been going well, steadily, for the most part, with moments of utter stress, chaos, and--most of all--stupidity. I love my job, but there are times when I suddenly realize that I'm performing an exercise in futility (just on certain projects, not on a general basis).

I'm really happy with the way things are going with the job at the moment, but I want to be making more money--a lot more money--and sooner rather than later. I've conveyed these feelings to them in the most diplomatic terms I'm capable of, and we've come to a comfortable understanding, provided that I continue to work my ass off.

Around the same time that basically asked for a raise, there was another incident in which I dangerously rocked the boat (not to be written about here), and was ultimately given what I had understood to be mine. At any rate, Danger is my middle name, *heh* (sidenote: I used to work with a guy who was given the option of choosing his son's middle name, as his mother chose his first name, so he picked "Trouble," just so he could tell people that the kid screwed up because his middle name was Trouble).

I said I was going to start blogging more often, and haven't, but apparently I'm still capable of writing a few 'graphs. Work has been oh so draining lately. The days seem so much longer now that I'm not taking any cigarette breaks. I should just get up and go for a walk periodically. I don't think anyone would even say anything if I just walked out. Unless I didn't come back, that is. . .

I think I'll go out at lunch and try to get some pictures to post tomorrow. The republican party is doing a pretty good job falling on its face right now, so I feel okay about taking a break from political rants. People in America are finally coming to see the true nature of the beast we call Policy. Bush is a snake oil salesman, nothing more, and phony patriotic rhetoric and jingoism can only get him so far.

Okay, I said I wasn't going to rant. I'm off to bed soon. G'night all.

The Time Has Come

2005-11-10T19:16:00.000-05:00

Yes, my friends, today is The Day. I have officially quit smoking (for about the tenth time or so). I made it past the Worst Part of the Worst Day Ever: The First Morning. Why am I capitalizing random words you ask? Good question, but if you'll stop interrupting me I'll actually be able to get to the heart of the matter. Okay, great, thanks. :-P I'm currently listening to a song called "Where is My Mind", by Pixies, which really suits my nicotine deprived state of mind. Work was a nightmare, of course, because nothing is ever easy, but I won't even get into that shit in this here post.

(By the way, for those who don't know, the band is not called "The Pixies", it's just "Pixies", and since the members of the band aren't fairylike or elfin creatures, calling them the Pixies is wholly inaccurate.)

I happen to be the type of smoker who opens his eyes in the morning and needs to be smoking within thirty seconds or so. Some people who smoke can't imagine having one until at least late morning. I'm not one of those people. When I smoke cigarettes, I smoke a shit-load of cigarettes. As I've said before, there is no middle ground for me. Either I smoke, or I don't. Henceforth (I hope), I Don't.

I'll probably start writing a lot more, to fill the spaces of time held by enjoying luscious, delicious breaths of smoke, *drool*. . .

I'm just kidding, of course. I'm using the nicotine patch, so it's really just the habit that's driving me to want to smoke. I came home to my apartment and noticed the stench of tobacco smoke for the first time. I have some serious cleaning and deodorizing to do. My roommate has agreed to smoke next to the fan near the window, which should help.

At any rate, this is getting boring. Sorry 'bout that. I'll return later with something much more exciting. Perhaps a good rant, or something involving the penis. Hmmm. . .

Mossy

2005-11-05T16:54:00.000-05:00

Misty, Rocky Shores of New Hampshire

2005-11-05T16:49:00.000-05:00

Bunson and Beaker

2005-10-31T21:28:00.001-05:00

T-Rex

2005-10-31T21:28:00.000-05:00

A Goat in Market Square

2005-10-31T21:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-31T21:21:00.000-05:00

I hope all of you were out egging houses, saran-wrapping vehichles, and toilet-papering houses like I was. (Kidding, of course.) Went downtown for the annual Halloween parade. I'm just going to post a few of my favorite pics.

Shark in Wave? (see previous post)

2005-10-30T12:29:00.000-05:00

I was just looking at the previous picture that I posted, and I thought I saw a shark in the wave. Am I hallucinating?

Doh!

2005-10-30T12:24:00.000-05:00

391st Post in 365 Days

2005-10-30T11:30:00.000-05:00

As I sit writing this, the legs of my pants are still wet with salty ocean water, and the unique fragrance of beaches, salt marshes, and woods still clings to my clothes and skin. Today being Daylight Savings Time, I took advantage of the extra hour and the beautiful weather and headed out to Odiorne.

The weather on each of the last few weekends has been rainy and crappy, so I had to get out to snag some pictures (sunlight is crucial for good, full-color pictures, of course), and to try to catch a fish at the Jetty. Through a combination of inland flooding and tidal surge from the hurricanes, the tide was especially high. The normally easy-to-access jetty had waves washing over it, and at certain points I was straddling boulders with waves crashing over me, just to get to the next dry section.

Certain rocks were dry and seemed safe, so I stood and watched the rip-curling-seven-foot waves crashing on the breakers in the distance, but I knew that the water would be heading straight for the jetty I stood upon. I meditated, prayed, became one with the universe, and did whatever other unnameable spiritual things I seem to ascribe to. I started to worry that I might be swallowed up by one of these waves. I saw the awesome power of the Ocean (and the Earth) and was afraid, but another unseen force gave me strength, and guided me, and gave me Courage. For a short time, all the crises of my life faded, and I submitted myself to the Will of the Universe. . .

I didn't end up fishing at all, since the jetty was too dangerous, but I did catch some great pictures. I will be posting pics on Re-Inventing the Wheel throughout the day, as time allows (first pic may not appear for a few hours), and stopping by to visit some blogfriends. I have a lot of catching up to do.

PS--Crap, I just realized that I missed my own blog birthday. Perhaps I'll create a post and back-date it to display on my birthday.

PPS--I just witnessed the absurdity of Blogger's spell-check. It doesn't even have the word "blog" in its dictionary.

-From 1984, Chapter One

2005-10-28T19:48:00.000-04:00

The Ministry of Love was the really frightening one. There were no windows in it at all. Winston had never been inside the Ministry of Love, nor within half a kilometre of it. It was a place impossible to enter except on official business, and then only by penetrating through a maze of barbed-wire entanglements, steel doors, and hidden machine-gun nests. Even the streets leading up to its outer barriers were roamed by gorilla-faced guards in black uniforms, armed with jointed truncheons.

It's been a while since I've read 1984, but the previous post brought it back to my mind. I read and saw this particular paragraph in a different context than was intended (or perhaps, not, I don't really know). It could be that he meant these lines to be as (anti-) erotic as they are.

Bah ha ha ha!!!!

2005-10-28T18:35:00.000-04:00

Oh man, it is ever so hard not to look at a train-wreck--or rather, a train going off the rails. The first sitting White House official to come under indictment in over 130 years, Good Old Scooter, could be looking at 30 years behind bars. This is only the begining, my friends.

From the Bloomberg article: Bush said Libby "sacrificed much'' in service to the country.

I thought to myself, "Ummm...yeah. . .like his integrity, his dignity, his sense of honor and decency, his loyalty to America. . ."

The Bush Junta has repeatedly demonstrated that they'll go to any means, however low and cruel, to attain and hold on to power. But this story is about much more than a vindictive (and treasonous) leak of an undercover agent's identity. This goes to the heart of the Bush Junta's argument for invading Iraq.

Ambassador Joe Wilson, the wife of the exposed agent, was becoming an increasingly vocal critic of the Bushies claims of weapons of mass destruction, so they took care of him mafia-style, in the shamelessly corrupt and deceptive ways they do everything.

By doing this sort of thing, they can control the headlines. They changed the headline from "Is the Adminstration Lying About Iraq WMD's?", to "Critic of Administration is married to a CIA Agent". The year is 1984 my friends, and this administration's version of "Freedom" truly is Slavery.

At any rate, I need to stop ranting. G'night all, and please enjoy the lovely trainwreck. Feel free to rubber-neck.

What Were the Reasons Again?

2005-10-26T00:23:00.000-04:00

Yesterday marked the 2,000th official death of a U.S. soldier. See this story. Who knows what the real number is, or the number of maimed or wounded or permantly, mentally scarred, or the number of innocent Iraqis, or the number who will continue to die for decades of civil strife--if the world lasts for that much longer.

A few members of my family served in the military, and I have a lot of respect for our brothers and sisters who continue to die for a really big lie. They are good men and women who do their job, which means following orders. It is the job of We, the People, to hold our leaders to account for this mess they created. We failed to do so in the last election, but there is still hope. They may end up sinking their own ship.

While we musn't forget all the other people that died, let us pause for a moment to remember the 2,000 American soldiers, most of whom were fighting for a cause they believed in.

Do you know what 2,000 human beings looks like? Allow me to demonstrate:

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New Quote

2005-10-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

I've changed the quote again in my profile. It's not that I'm a huge fan of Carrey. I think he's okay, but this particular interview with him was amazing. Truly inspirational.

Perhaps I'll write up an original profile description one of these days, but I kind of like doing it this way. We shall have to see.

It's raining again today, so I may be stuck indoors. I'll return later with something or other.

Jarhead

2005-10-20T07:50:00.000-04:00

I just saw a preview for the movie, "Jarhead", starring Jamie Foxx, and I had to comment quickly. Maybe it'll be a good movie, but I'm quite bothered by the "Jesus Walks" song by Kanye West playing in all the previews. It sort of goes along with the whole crusade or holy war theme of the war in Iraq and the War on Terr-urr.

To anyone in the Muslim world who sees this preview, or this movie, please allow me, the Skrambled One, to assure you that most Americans do not see ourselves as a Christian nation waging a crusade against Moslems. Most of us have read the Davinci Code and are no longer seeking the holy grail.

Here is some recommended reading (found via Buzzflash). It appears that the administrations ship is sinking. . .

"How Did I Get Here?"

2005-10-19T21:49:00.000-04:00

Life has been somewhat crazy of late, so I've had little time to write for pleasure, rather than the pain induced by strictly writing marketing materials for the last couple of weeks. I think the results are pretty good though. If so, I'll have much more work in dealing with responses to what I wrote, but at least I won't be bored.

I've decided to dedicate Re-Inventing the Wheel to posting photos, as I'm growing concerned that Skrambled Ramblings is turning into a photoblog. I need to dedicate Skrambled to thoughts and words and tales of random adventures--and, oh yes, and incessant ranting. Nothing beats a good rant, and I'm sure I'll have one coming to this page soon. My point is, a picture can be worth a thousand words, but too many can be detrimental.

I need another creative outlet in order to preserve Skrambled for what it was designed for--releasing some positive or negative energy through words and (some) pictures and quotes and thoughts and dreams and tales of random adventures. I think the new page will help keep me focused on writing, and things will work out better this way. I'll still post photos here, but only the ones I like the most.

In recent days I've been going through a weird transitional phase in my life, in many good ways, but also in many mind-blowingly stressful ways. I rocked the boat a little at work last week, so I think they've had their RADAR on me. I've been working extra hard, and I think everything is cool now. I love the job, and life is good, but they're both really fucking hard sometimes.

On a positive note, I am officially declaring that I am no longer under the spell of any woman. I know this to be true, because I have become permanently disillusioned, irreparably so, by the one who last fucked up my world. She knows who she is, and perhaps she knows of the hundreds of times that she has hurt or disappointed me as a friend. I'm no angel, but I try to be a good friend, especially when it's their birthday or they're in an urgent time of need.

She can't spare thirty seconds of her busy life (she is, after all, the center of the universe), to check out my blog, so she probably won't see this for a while. But she probably will see it at some point. For my own sake, for memory's sake, I'm going repeat what I said to her. I hope she doesn't get too pissed: "(insert her name), I just want you to know that I am over you. I'm just trying very hard not to go beyond that and get to the point where I don't like you as a person anymore."

We've maintained our friendship all this time, but things have just gotten to the point that she doesn't respect me, and criticizes, and treats me like shit. I've taken enough abuse, and our relationship as friends is only going to deteriorate if things don't change. I feel awake now, and aware, and it feels really good. That's all I'm saying 'bout that.

If you've read for this long (if anyone still comes by here, at any rate), congratulations! I kind of started to go off on a few tangents there. Once again, a reminder, please stop by Re-Inventing the Wheel. I may be updating that more frequently than this page, but only with pictures. And by the way, I'm coming up on my first Blog Birthday, which is kind of cool. At any rate, I'm off to bed soon.

Harbor Islands

2005-10-17T07:42:00.000-04:00

Ahhh. . .

2005-10-17T07:40:00.000-04:00

The Edge

2005-10-17T07:38:00.000-04:00

The View from Atop Cadillac Mountain, Acadia

2005-10-17T07:24:00.000-04:00

A House in the Distance

2005-10-17T07:19:00.000-04:00

--Taken at Boothbay Harbor, en route to Bar Harbor

The Hump

2005-10-16T22:57:00.000-04:00

Rest In Peace

2005-10-16T22:53:00.000-04:00

Thank You Mr. Mather

2005-10-16T22:33:00.000-04:00

Road Trip

2005-10-16T22:18:00.000-04:00

"Located on the rugged coast of Maine, Acadia National Park encompasses over 47,000 acres of granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds, and ocean shoreline. Such diverse habitats create striking scenery and make the park a haven for wildlife and plants.

Entwined with the natural diversity of Acadia is the story of people. Evidence suggests native people first lived here at least 5,000 years ago. Subsequent centuries brought explorers from far lands, settlers of European descent, and, arising directly from the beauty of the landscape, tourism and preservation."----abstract from this website.

It was an unfulfilled goal of mine to get to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, Maine, this past summer (it's about four hours away, which makes it a tough day-trip). Today I finally got there on my first real test-drive of the new car, and despite the clouds, the scenery absolutely blew my mind.

I have work-related stuff I need to get to, so no time for writing. I'm going to start posting pics as time allows. I have many.

Raging Sea with Surfer

2005-10-15T17:11:00.000-04:00

Adrift

2005-10-15T16:59:00.000-04:00

Rough Seas

2005-10-15T16:56:00.000-04:00

It's rainy and crappy out, as it's been for a week, but I tried to get outside to get some pics. I wanted to go for a long drive in my new car, but the weather just sucks.

"The Sky is Crying"

2005-10-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

--taken at gorge on Kancamagus Highway, Oct. 1st, 2005.

“I feel like a sailor—no, a fisherman—washed upon the shore. I still sleep for five hours at a time, work for twelve hours, then nap for four hours, and then fret or work for three hours and 59.999999 minutes—and the cycle continues. . What sort of life is this?.”—Unknown (circa 1910)

Que Sera, Sera. . .

2005-10-14T23:06:00.000-04:00

Wow, what a crazy week. It really, really sucks to be car-less (unless you live in NYC or another cool city, of course). I'll be picking up the car in the morning, and driving all day. It's been raining every single day since my car died, perhaps an omen. . .

I remember saying in a comment to either Livewire or Jennsee&Mysfit that, for me, things tend to become increasingly frantic as the moon waxes, and that the best and worst things tend happen right around the full moon (which is on Monday). What follows is the denouement, positive or negative. The moon controls the tides, so why wouldn't it have an effect on humans, who are 75% water in composition? At any rate, it sucks to have your car die in the middle of nowhere, 75 miles from home.

I've had a lot of other problems to deal with this week, work- and finanacial-related, but I won't delve too deeply into those items. Both were resolved, above and beyond my expectations.

So, life is hard, but it is Good, god damn it. I was pushed to the breaking point this week, but I didn't snap. To go along with the cliched title, I'll close with this: "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

**Oh yes, one more thing. I've donated my dead Camry to MARE, INC. I was going to try to sell some of the new parts, but it just isn't worth the trouble to me. I hope the car goes to good use with this charity.

My Sexy New Bitch

2005-10-14T08:10:00.000-04:00

I'll be picking up this sexy little machine tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I have been car-less for three days, and bumming rides. No time to post, my ride to work should be here soon. More to come this weekend.

Alas, to be Buried Again

2005-10-09T23:50:00.000-04:00

Sure, it can survive 40 inches of snow, but a little heat?!

"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"

2005-10-09T23:45:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in a recent post that my recently deceased car was baby blue, but that I got the car from my parents and hated the color, but loved the car. At any rate, these Bob Dylan lyrics are dedicated to the memory of my wonderful, baby blue Camry.

You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last.
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast.
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun,
Crying like a fire in the sun.
Look out the saints are comin' through
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense.
Take what you have gathered from coincidence.
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets.
This sky, too, is folding under you
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home.
All your reindeer armies, are all going home.
The lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all his blankets from the floor.
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you.
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you.
The vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore.
Strike another match, go start anew
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

They've Still Got It!

2005-10-09T12:45:00.000-04:00

--Taken on camera phone. U2 stage as seen from our lovely seats in the last row of the upper upper level behind the stage. We actually loved our seats though. The sound was good and we were right above the band. Bono spent most of the night running around the outer circle. The show was awesome.

BREAKING NEWSALL PENDING TALES HAVE BEEN PRE-EMPTED**

2005-10-09T10:52:00.000-04:00

So, yesterday was one of the worst days I've ever had. I wish I could say it was the worst, but I've been through Hell (Mordor, even) before. I could go on a long rant, but I'll try to tell the short version of the story.

In New Hampshire, you have to pass a vigorous inspection of your car in order to get an inspection sticker that allows you to have the vehicle on the road. I spent over $700 making repairs to my car this week, and then it died. Yesterday. Grrrrr.... If I hadn't spent all that money, I wouldn't be so annoyed, as the car just hit 200,000 miles, and I was ready for sudden death at any moment. I have to think that it's more than coincidence that the day after I pick my car up from the mechanic it dies, due to causes completely unrelated to work they did. I need to figure out if they caused it to die.

I was driving down to CT to visit the parents, and was on schedule to be there at noon. At around 10:00am, I was hungry and decided to get off an exit to go to a Dunkin' Donuts. My car stalled, and I saw that the temperature gauge on the dashboard was beyond the red zone. I stopped for a while at a gas station, let the engine cool off, and then added coolant and water.

Anyone who's ever opened the hood of a car has seen the note on the radiator cap that says: "Caution! Do Not Open When Engine is Hot". My friends, I urge you to heed this advice. After I got back on the highway, the car started to overheat again. I tried to get to the next exit, but I had to pull off to the side of the highway. I let the car cool down again, or so I thought.

I grabbed a tee-shirt (thank God), put it over the cap to the radiator and began to turn it. As I did so, steam began to rush out of the radiator. Sensing what was happening, I dove backwards, avoiding most of the spray from the 30-foot high volcanic eruption of rusty brown, boiling-hot anti-freeze. The image of that shit spraying out of my beloved car will forever be engrained in my brain.

I had it all over my clothes, but was lucky enough to avoid being burned by the toxic sludge. There was a pond of toxic brown coolant surrounding my car. I've heard that cats are attracted to anti-freeze/coolant, and often lap it up and die. See this story. I was thinking that there is probably a pile of dead animals--several deer, coyotes, bears, squirels, etc.--surrounding the area where my car was. I found it disturbingly amusing to think about.

So, I had AAA pick me up and bring me to the nearest, open repair shop. This happened on a Saturday, when most garages are closed, and on a "holiday" weekend when almost every garage is closed on Monday. Did I mention that it was pouring rain throughout this ordeal? They towed me to Acton Toyota, where I learned that my engine is FUBAR'D. They tell me the engine is dead.

I got a good deal on a rental, but I don't know what the fuck I'm going to do about getting a new car. I may not post again until I get this resolved, but who knows. As I told Hansy, I had to change my profile picture, as it reminded me too much of my now deceased automobile. Perhaps I shall return later to vent and cool off a little (pun intended). We'll see.

Evil One, R.I.P.

2005-10-09T02:12:00.000-04:00

The Evil One has been deleted, due to the following discovery:

Either the guy who had the satan baby costume is a sick fucker, or someone hacked his site. At any rate, this dude is just too twisted for me. Satan is dead. Praise Jesus.

New Header

2005-10-08T13:38:00.000-04:00

I seem to have lost my previous egg picture on the top. I think the site I was stealing the image from went down. I like the new one, but I'll eventually cook up some eggs of my own, take a picture, and use that for the header. I hope this one is good enough for my wonderful blogfriends.

Stranded

2005-10-08T13:26:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted, and I have much to write about. However, I am currently stranded at a Toyota dealership in the middle of MA after my car overheated. It's a really cool dealership, with laptops available for customers to use (plug: Acton Toyota). This just about ruined my day. I'm waiting to see if I can get it fixed today, a Saturday when they close early, and on a holiday weekend. This really REALLY sucks.

Last night I saw comedian Lewis Black perform, and it was freaking awesome. More to come on this when I get home and can write more.

Also, I finally got to see U2 in concert on Monday night. It was seriously the best show I've ever been to. More on this later.

Okay, I'm off to the waiting room.

Ahhhhh. . .

2005-10-02T20:07:00.000-04:00

Ahead of Schedule

2005-10-02T20:05:00.000-04:00

Sorry Guys

2005-10-02T19:00:00.000-04:00

I had to start using the "word verification" option for comments after a deluge of spamments. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Alas, the Old Man is No More

2005-10-02T17:34:00.000-04:00

The Old Man BEFORE crumbling to the ground in May of 2003:

What it looks like now:

Cathedral Ledge

2005-10-02T17:22:00.000-04:00

White Horse Ledge, Seen From Cathedral

2005-10-02T17:18:00.000-04:00

Another View

2005-10-02T17:16:00.000-04:00

View From Cathedral Ledge

2005-10-02T17:14:00.000-04:00

Looking Down

2005-10-02T17:10:00.000-04:00

What Are You Looking At?!

2005-10-02T16:57:00.001-04:00

Locust on Granite State Granite

2005-10-02T16:53:00.000-04:00

Life Is Good----Sometimes. . .

2005-10-02T16:48:00.000-04:00

I just got back from my camping trip in the White Mountains. We didn't attempt to do a serious hike, such as the one I mentioned in the previous posts, but we drove around to several shorter nature trails where we could hike to scenic vistas.

I'm too tired to write, but I'm going to be throwing images up throughout the night. I'll start things of with a lovely insect photo. At first we thought he was a grasshopper, but now I'm thinking he's a locust.

The Destination. . .

2005-09-30T22:59:00.000-04:00

Chocorua

I'm off to conquer this mountain, or perhaps another nearby, early in the morning. The weather looks great, so I should have about a hundred pics to post.

Update

2005-09-30T00:25:00.000-04:00

I just updated my ever-changing profile. The quote is from a 60 Minutes interview with Jim Carrey that was amazing to watch. That's a long article that's attached in the link in my profile, so I thought I'd offer another good quote from the report for the lazy. ;-) Here 'tis:

Now, he draws his strength from the spiritual side of his life. And despite a rare Los Angeles downpour, he insisted on taking Kroft to his secret spot where he goes to shut out the rest of the world. It took a five-minute climb up a trail on his property to reach his destination.

"This is my spot. This is the center of the universe," says Carrey. "This is where I hang out with Buddha and Krishna and you know, all those guys."

Is he a Buddhist? "Jesus. I'm a Buddhist, I'm a Muslim, I'm a Christian. I'm whatever you want me to be," says Carrey. "It all comes down to the same thing. … You are either in a loving place, or you are in an unloving place. If you are with me right now, you cannot be unhappy. It’s not possible, just try."

Grrrrrrr......

2005-09-29T19:49:00.000-04:00

Well, well, well. Blogger is down for “Planned Maintenance” again.

Since I don’t feel like saying something I shouldn’t, such as “GOD DAMN YOU BLOGGER!!!”, I’ll take the mature approach and say that, first of all, if this was planned maintenance, then why the fuck didn’t they bother sending out an email to users? Second of all, it is now 6:00pm (PST). Grrrrrr…..

Sorry, I’m a bit annoyed that at the moment I am unable to view the comments recently left on this page, and I was in the mood to post something. I win this round though. I’m writing this on Word, to be pasted in when Blogger gets its act together. (UPDATE: Things seem to be working now.)

I’m taking a break from political rants for a little while, unless something really gets me going. Lately I’ve found that I feel much better if I come home and listen to music instead of spending hours reading political news on various websites and watching television. (If you're interested, I recommend visiting the links on the Buzzflash headlines in the right margin of this page. The headlines are somewhat seditious, but they link to well-respected news sites, but also to sites presenting sides of the story you won’t see in the mainstream media. Some links go to sites that require you to register with a user name, including the NY Times, but it’s quick and easy to do. Just create a free email account (hotmail, yahoo, etc.) and use that (they send an e-mail to confirm it, and you have to click a link in the email).

At the moment I’m listening to a random U2 mix I burned this morning. The current song is In the Name of Love. My roommate (L.) and I are going to see U2 in concert on Monday night. I am so fired up for it. I’ve been wanting to see them perform since I first saw the video for Sunday Bloody Sundy, when I was probably about nine or ten years old. My seats suck, but I intend to sneak into a better location. It isn’t that hard, and at least L. will have the balls (figuratively) to accompany me on some shenanigans.

I have big plans for the weekend, and the weather looks good. I should have some glorious images to post. Tomorrow night I’m going to see a band play with L. and a bunch of her friends, and then I’ll be hiking and camping in the White Mountains with one of the girls I work and some of her friends. Hmmmm. . .as I write this I begin to wonder if she intends to seduce me. . .oh well, I have needs, I probably won’t put up much of a fight. *grin*

This may be the last post until Sunday. Have a great weekend my friends.

Tops

2005-09-28T20:23:00.000-04:00

Beyond all those clouds is an incredible view, I swear. You'll just have to take my word for it.

I worked an extra hour and a half to finish writing up a couple of marketing mailers for properties we have for sale. I'm a bit written-out for the day. The way this job is going, I think I'll just be posting long stuff on the weekends from now on, and visiting blogfriends during the week. I haven't stopped by any blogs for a few weeks, so I have a bit of catching up to do. Especially with my friends I love the most (I won't name names, but you know who you are ;-)

The Path to Rivendell

2005-09-26T20:27:00.000-04:00

I Think This is Where the Elves Live

2005-09-26T20:25:00.000-04:00

Rocky Road to the Top

2005-09-26T20:21:00.000-04:00

Summit Trail

2005-09-26T20:14:00.000-04:00

The One Break in the Clouds

2005-09-26T20:13:00.000-04:00

Looking Down from the Summit Platform

2005-09-26T20:07:00.000-04:00

Cloudy, Foggy, Misty

2005-09-26T19:59:00.000-04:00

The views would be spectacular if it weren't so cloudy. There were but a few rain drops, so I didn't mind. The fog and mist blowing through the trails on the way down had a mystical quality, though. As I sat at the summit, I took deep breaths, and I suddenly found myself in a perfect state of peace and tranquility. I needed that. . .

Mossy

2005-09-26T19:56:00.000-04:00

Pixelated Closeup

2005-09-26T19:06:00.000-04:00

Seal Closeup

2005-09-26T19:05:00.000-04:00

From a Distance

2005-09-26T18:58:00.000-04:00

Note the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in the background, which was recently saved from being shut down (which would have destroyed the local economy as well) by the BRAC decisions.

The Seal Sighting

2005-09-26T18:39:00.000-04:00

I have a lot to write about, but no time. And it's driving me nuts. At any rate, I'll post some pics from my excursion yesterday. It began with seeing a harbor seal in the Piscatequa River, about 10 feet away from me as I fished from shore (of course, I didn't get any pictures of him while he was close, but that's okay).

I've been praying to get a chance to see one of these creatures since I moved here. He was amazing. My hands were shaking from the adrenaline, so the pictures look a little bit like those Lochness Monster "photos", but you get the general idea. The White Mountain pictures should be much prettier.

I made a goal, half-jokingly, to see both a seal and a moose in the same day. I was so fired up from seeing the seal that I set north, and drove for about an hour and a half to the White Mountains. This was certainly moose country, but I wasn't having any luck. I decided to take a gondola ride to the top of Wildcat Mountain, and hiked down. If you look at the map in the previous link, I followed the black diamond trail on the right (your right, as you're looking at it), and stayed on the outside right trails all the way down.

My legs are killing me from the hike down. It was steep and brutal, but well worth it. I'll load pictures as time allows.

Image Thingy Isn't Working

2005-09-25T23:08:00.000-04:00

I have pictures, and tales to tell, but goddamn blogger won't let me post pictures right now. I'll try Hello if I have to, because I have a ton of photos from today. I've had a great weekend. I won't even get into yesterday at the moment, because today was so amazing.

I woke up early, and just felt like I had to get out of the house. I was in the living room at around 7:30 am blasting music (I think it was the Shins, if I'm not mistaken). I had no idea that my roommate was home, and trying to sleep. She must have gotten home around 3am, and I was well passed out. She came flying out of the room screaming, "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?" I felt horrible. I thought she was staying with a friend for the night. I've never seen her so pissed off. At any rate, I bought her a twelve pack of beer and four-pack Recies (sp?!) peanut butter cups. Once she realized that I didn't know she was home, she relaxed a little, and then all was good.

After that, many cool things happened. I went fishing early in morning in New Castle, which is really just part of Portsmouth, but it is a world in itself. I was using clams for bait, but wasn't getting any bites. It was such a beautiful morning though, so I really didn't care if I caught anything or not. Then, something really cool happened.

Perhaps my clam bait drew him near, but as I looked fifteen feet to my left, at the mouth of a tidal stream, there was a huge harbor seal head sticking up out of the water. His head was a little smaller than a bowling ball, and he had those crazy wiskers. I was in awe of his presence. He suddenly rolled over and did a corkscrew, going deep underwater, and he popped up a short distance away. From being so close to him when he rolled, I'd say he was about 6 - 7 feet long. I later saw him hanging out with one of his buddies, but I couldn't get any good pics.

I'm going to try to post pictures of the seal, but it resembles one of those "loch ness monster" pictures, all blurry. My adrenaline was pumping, so it was hard to get a clear shot. I'll post one pic from a distance, and one zoomed in on him.

PS--Following this experience, I took a trip up to the White Mountains in search of a moose. When I first moved here I set a goal to see a seal and a moose in the same day (I think that was the goal, but the goal may really been to just have an opportunity to see either of these beautiful animals. I have many pics from the White Mountain trip, but I haven't even had a chance to look at those yet, so those pictures and that story will have to wait.

UPDATE:

PPS--Goddamn Hello is working either, so no pictures tonight. Many to come. . .

Correction

2005-09-25T23:05:00.000-04:00

I just realized that the Pink Floyd song that I practically guaranteed would freak any dog out was the wrong song. The correct song is "Seamus", on the albumn Meddle. See link for correction.

Penises in the News.

2005-09-24T21:31:00.000-04:00

This story leaves me a bit speechless, so I'll just post the link. . .

Another Musselly Day

2005-09-24T18:41:00.000-04:00

I wonder why there are so many mussel shells around. Could it be because of the Red Tide Poisoning? Hmmm. . .

. . .they clank together like metal as you walk through them, like swords striking one another. . .

Return of the Mussel Remains (Fun with Negatives, Part II)

2005-09-24T18:15:00.000-04:00

Fun with Negatives

2005-09-24T15:53:00.000-04:00

Apalling

2005-09-24T15:25:00.000-04:00

I hope that even after being desensitized to the whole torture thing, most people will indeed be apalled by this Time story (found via Buzzflash): The following is Time's headline:

Patern of Abuse-by By ADAM ZAGORIN
A decorated Army officer reveals new allegations of detainee mistreatment in Iraq and Afghanistan. Did the military ignore his charges?

Here is the summary of the new reports of widespread prisoner abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan (found via a link in the Time story). It's a long read, but worth going through. How the fuck do we, as Americans, -- as human beings -- stand for this shit? Where is the outrage?!? Aaaagaggghhh!!!!

Okay, I'm done freaking out.

Finders, Keepers

2005-09-24T10:49:00.000-04:00

Some idiot neighbor of mine threw this thing out (well, actually, they left it standing up against the dumpster, so it wasn't technically dumpster diving). It's about 42 inches across, and the print is beautiful.

(the pic is a bit crooked, but the framed print on my wall is crooked as well, so I guess it's appropriate...I shall have to straighten that out...)

Not Dogs--Seamus (CORRECTION: PLEASE READ)

2005-09-24T10:09:00.000-04:00

UPDATE--9/25/05--I originally thought the Pink Floyd song was "Dogs", on the albumn Animals, but I was incorrect. The correct song is "Seamus", on the albumn Meddle. As such, I have edited the original post to include the correct song.

I know, it's been a while since I've posted. Crazy week at work. I don't have time to write at the moment, but I should tonight. While I'm thinking about it, I have to share this little trick I learned several years ago. I remembered as I was listening to an albumn called Animals, by Pink Floyd.

I share the following information with you (the reader) in the hopes that you have a dog, or know someone who does, and that you have, or can get a hold of, a copy of *Meddle* by Pink Floyd. If you're the downloading type, just download the song "Seamus", on the albumn Meddle.

There is one part of this song when the band plays a spaced out jam, with the recorded sound of dogs howling in the background. Every single dog (and I mean EVERY SINGLE DOG)I have played this song for has started howling and barking, and just generally going crazy. I've seen this happen with at least a dozen dogs. They start howling like wolves. I have reason to believe that this song will work on any dog.

That's it for now kids. I hope to come back tonight with a nice, long screed about all the crap clogging up my brain. I should have some nice pictures from today as well, it's supposed to be a beautiful day.

Mussel Graveyard

2005-09-18T21:31:00.000-04:00

Uh Oh, I Think Autumn May Be Upon Us

2005-09-18T21:27:00.000-04:00

Quickie

2005-09-17T15:08:00.000-04:00

No time, but three things I've seen today:

A huge deer in the driveway of my condo complex.
A minivan on the highway in Massachusetts with a bumper sticker that said: "Live Free, Be Naked", in huge letters. I pulled up next to it and saw a fat, naked guy driving it (well, shirtless at any rate, but we can only assume that he wasn't wearing pants either).
A gigantic coyote in my parent's backyard in CT. My grandmother was yelling, "Skram, there's a dog in the yard!" I came to look, and saw this huge carnivore right in the backyard. He looked like a huge German Shepherd, or a wolf, or something. I didn't think they got that big around here, but apparently they do. They run in packs, so I'm sure there are more of them around. Hope the neighbors bring their cats inside.

Machine Gun

2005-09-17T01:28:00.000-04:00

Written by Jimi Hendrix for Vietnam, appropo today with the situation in Iraq (er, um, situation, um, sure, yeah). I'm listening to Band of Gypsys right now. This song blows my mind, but the lyrics stand well on their own (btw, in case you've been living in a cave for most of your life, the axe he's talking about is actually a guitar).

Machine Gun

-by Jimi Hendrix

Machine gun
Tearing my body all apart

Machine gun, yeah
Tearing my body all apart

Evil man make me kill ya
Evil man make you kill me
Evil man make me kill you
Even though we’re only families apart

Well I pick up my axe and fight like a bomber
(you know what I mean)
Hey! and your bullets keep knocking me down

Hey, I pick up my axe and fight like a bomber now
Yeah, but you still blast me down to the ground

The same way you shoot me down, baby
You’ll be going just the same
Three times the pain,
And your own self to blame
Hey, machine gun

I ain’t afraid of your mess no more, babe
I ain’t afraid no more
After a while, your, your cheap talk don’t even cause me pain,
So let your bullets fly like rain

’cause I know all the time you’re wrong baby
And you’ll be going just the same
Yeah, machine gun
Tearing my family apart
Yeah, yeah, alright
Tearing my family apart

(don’t you shoot him down)
(he’s ’bout to leave here)
(don’t you shoot him down)
(he’s got to stay here)
(he ain’t going nowhere)
(he’s been shot down to the ground)
(oh where he can’t survive, no, no)

Yeah, that’s what we don’t wanna hear anymore, alright?
(no bullets)
At least here, huh huh
(no guns, no bombs)
Huh huh
(no nothin’, just let’s all live and live)
(you know, instead of killin’)

May this be
Love or just
Confusion born out of
Frustration wracked
Feelings - of not
Being able to
Make true physical
Love to the
Universal gypsy queen
True, free expressed music
Darling guitar please
Rest. amen

What Have I Done?

2005-09-16T22:46:00.000-04:00

It seems I've turned Skrambled Ramblings into a photo blog. I just haven't had time to write anything significant, but at least I'm posting something. If I were able to convey to you, the reader, what the last couple of weeks has been like, it would make your head explode. Too much to write about. So, I think I'll use this bullet point option for the first time to mention some of the things I've learnd:

Falling asleep at your desk at work is not an acceptable thing to do, and repeatedly getting caught doing so may lead to some awkward meetings with management (no worries, after explaining that it was due to some side effects from some necessary meds that I was adjusting to, all was understood).
Some people don't understand that friends have responsibilities to one another, especially on their birthdays. It's not their fault that they're that way, but it is a personal fault nonetheless.
I've learned that nothing heals the soul more than forgiveness. I was raised Catholic, but am currently a follower of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. At any rate, I still believe that we should strive to live as Jesus did, and that means forgiving those who have wronged us. It is one of the hardest things for a person to do.
If you accidentally drop your check book in a puddle after arriving late to work, the pages tend to get stuck together and the checks tend to get ruined. Oy vey.

Okay, that's enough with the bullet points. I'll try to write more this weekend, but I'll be running all over the place, and may not have much time. The camera shall accompany me on my adventures.

Birthday Cake with a Couple of My Favorite People

2005-09-16T22:42:00.000-04:00

The Bald(win) Brothers

2005-09-16T22:40:00.000-04:00

Sure, he was the first one to shave his head, but that doesn't mean I was copying him. He's been doing it for years. He may be a little better looking than I, but I'm smarter goddamnit.

No, No, You've Got it All Wrong

2005-09-15T22:42:00.000-04:00

I discovered this evidence in my ash tray. I'm pretty sure it was my roommate who lit the wrong end of her cigarette, because I sure as hell don't remember that happening. Then again, this was from my birthday celebration on Tuesday, so it's possible that I just don't remember. . . nah, it was she who smoked the filter.

I haven't updated verbally in a while, so I'm not sure if I mentioned that it was my 29th on Tues. One more year and I'll be thirty. I hear it doesn't feel any different. At any rate, I had an okay birthday. I had one "friend" really piss me off, and I was annoyed for much of the day, but at night I went to the Rusty Hammer with my roommate and a girl I used to work with. We had some surprisingly good (and cheap) food, and I made my roomie do a couple of Lemon Drop shots with me. The shot glasses were huge, so the two probably worked out to about six normal shots. We had a great time at the bar, but I never quite shook that pissed off feeling from earlier in the day (don't worry, I won't let this post turn into a venom-spewing rant against said "friend"). I'll conclude this memory by saying one thing: Birthdays Are Over-rated, and They Suck.

Now, let's rewind a few days back from there.

I went down to CT for the weekend, had a great time. The whole family was over, including all the brothers, wives, adorable kids, and their equally adorable great-grandmother. I got some good dress clothes for work, which was all I wanted. After that party, my brother (the one who's 30 yrs old) and I went to a housewarming party with our friend Meredyth, whom we've known for over fifteen years. We've lost touch in recent years, so it was great to do some catching up. My old friend Kathy was there too (I think I mentioned her in a recent post, will link to it if I have time). She pissed me off on my birthday a couple of years back (coincidentally), and I cut her out of my life ever since. It was so great to hang out with her and re-connect. It was, all in all, one of the best days I've had in recent memory.

So, things are good. Work is hard, but going well for the most part. I'm exhausted and am off to bed soon. Good night all.

Hotel Lobby Orchid

2005-09-12T20:03:00.000-04:00

Skrambled Ramblings

Another Quick Post

Ah Hell

The Photogenic Kitty

Child #3: The Ever-Alluring Smokey Bear

Child #2, Sweet Little Zooey

Child #1, The Short Man

I Am, Again...

Image Host

"Death is Not the Worst of Evils"

Final Post

Too, Way Too, Many Boats

The Sun Also Rises (or, Unoriginal Title, Meh)

Ouch

Was There Ever Any Doubt?

Try Not to Look Away

Day Five

The Time Has Come

Mossy

Misty, Rocky Shores of New Hampshire

Bunson and Beaker

T-Rex

A Goat in Market Square

Happy Halloween!

Shark in Wave? (see previous post)

Doh!

391st Post in 365 Days

-From 1984, Chapter One

Bah ha ha ha!!!!

What Were the Reasons Again?

New Quote

Jarhead

"How Did I Get Here?"

Harbor Islands

Ahhh. . .

The Edge

The View from Atop Cadillac Mountain, Acadia

A House in the Distance

The Hump

Rest In Peace

Thank You Mr. Mather

Road Trip

Raging Sea with Surfer

Adrift

Rough Seas

"The Sky is Crying"

Que Sera, Sera. . .

My Sexy New Bitch

Alas, to be Buried Again

"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"

They've Still Got It!

**BREAKING NEWS**ALL PENDING TALES HAVE BEEN PRE-EMPTED**

Evil One, R.I.P.

New Header

Stranded

*Ahhhhh. . .*

Ahead of Schedule

Sorry Guys

Alas, the Old Man is No More

Cathedral Ledge

White Horse Ledge, Seen From Cathedral

Another View

View From Cathedral Ledge

Looking Down

What Are You Looking At?!

Locust on Granite State Granite

Life Is Good----Sometimes. . .

The Destination. . .

Update

Grrrrrrr......

Tops

The Path to Rivendell

I Think This is Where the Elves Live

Rocky Road to the Top

Summit Trail

The One Break in the Clouds

Looking Down from the Summit Platform

Cloudy, Foggy, Misty

Mossy

Pixelated Closeup

BREAKING NEWSALL PENDING TALES HAVE BEEN PRE-EMPTED**

Ahhhhh. . .