PromoGuy dot Net

January 17, 2006

If I were to Podcast....

I think the podcasts I like best are those devoted to a TV show I watch. So, I'd have to say that is the type of Podcast I'd want to create.

I would have to have a co-host or three, to make it interesting. I really don't care for Podcasts that are just one guy or gal rambling on about something (though there are exceptions). I think the interaction and chemistry between the hosts are what works.

And it would have to be a great show. Since so many shows already have TONS of podcasts (such as Lost), it would have to be a new show or one no one is currently podcasting about.

Here's my imaginary podcast:

The Show: CBS's "The Amazing Race" and/or Fox's "24"

My co-hosts via Skype: to be determined

The schedule: posted 1-2 days after the show (for editing together)

Hmm. Might work.

January 13, 2006

I always wanted an "After" photo

Men's Health is trying to motivate us fellas into getting in shape for 2006.

While I am nowhere near carrying a "spare tire," I aint gots no "six pack" either.

I am seriously considering taking the challenge. It would be so much easier if I had a buddy to join in, but I'll see if I can go it alone.

I may even share my "Before" photo.

January 5, 2006

Get LOST

Here's a pic of your pal Promo and LOST star Matthew Fox!

Thought I'd dust off some old pics from my former career with Fox. At some point I will remove these, but for now....

December 15, 2005

Free Christmas Music

Did you know Amazon.com has TONS of free Christmas music MP3s for you to download?

You can build one heck of a nice Christmas CD or two in no time. I was going to list my choices, but there are SO MANY! I decided to just share the link instead (but do look out for "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" by Steve Laputa) .

Here's a HOT TIP: When you've found a song, click on the name of the Artist at the top of the Amazon.com page - this will show you a list of other MP3s from that artist. In many cases, they are also Christmas songs, so you will want to download those too.

Just to the Amazon Free Downloads, and start browsing through the "Recent Additions" and "Top Downloads" sections. You may even find some great non-Christmas music (like Marianne Pillsbury).

Seriously, this is an amazing find!

Yule thank me later!

December 13, 2005

My Website Idea For Our Troops

I don't want to post the ACTUAL idea here, in case it isn't a good one. But, if you are in the military, are married to someone in the service, or related to them or even a friend of one, or keep it touch with someone in the service who is not at home, please email me.

I want to collectively email the people that reply and get your feedback on this idea I have. Either leave a comment, or email me directly if you'd like to be part of my "Discovery" phase.

I would really value some input about this web idea from those connected with people in the service. If it seems good, then I will go about drafting (begging) other Bloggers to help with the implementation.

How about I collect names for about a week, then I will email you all with the idea and get your feedback. Sound OK? Let me know if you want to help.

Cable Execs Think We're Stupid

While I love the idea of picking and choosing cable channels, I doubt it will ever happen. Besides, now that iTunes is selling Battlestar Galactica, I don't need to worry about cable.

But now, Cable doesn't even want to give us the chance to pick our own stations. They think we can't handle choices. Dig this New York Times article (may require login):

Other executives, including Ken Solomon, the chief executive of the Tennis Channel, say that consumers will not want to choose a few channels from a list of hundreds and will end up choosing an existing package, just as they do now.

"If consumers had to sit down and choose the channels themselves, they would end up overwhelmed and be confused about the choices," he said.

Wow.

The ironic part is, he is speaking about the customers that are keeping his channel on the air now. Way to alienate your audience Ken.

December 12, 2005

Saddleback Church Services Wanted

If anyone reading this site happens to be a member of Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California please contact me.

I am no longer able to view their streaming church services, as they are now behind a passworded church-members-only web page. This used to be open to the public, and I have come to really enjoy the Saddleback sermons, especially when Rick gives them.

If you can help me out, please contact me via email. Thanks!

November 29, 2005

Doing Something & Blogging Maturity

You may have notice this blog has become much less of a "personal" blog of late.

Half intentional, half evolution.

When life was bad, all I wanted to do was b!tch and moan about it. But life is so good now, which makes for boring posts. My life isn't that interesting anymore. At least, the part I want to share with the world. Of which, there is less and less (and more and more "good stuff" in real life I want to keep to myself). Let's see...I have a colonoscopy coming up, but I blogged on my last one 3 years ago. Um. Nope. Not much going on worth blogging.

I can only blog about myself so much (and I think I did, for several years). It almost stopped being fun. I have a few things to say now and then, but it ain't like it was 6 years ago (and we can all appreciate "blogging maturity," can't we?).

Thankfully, I've found that I really enjoy posting about music used in TV commercials. I really like the "thrill of the hunt" as I try to find out who did what song.

That is why you see so many "Music Heard In..." posts. I like helping people. And I know these posts help. Not a world-changing kind of help. Just an "Ah-HA! Finally!" kind of help. And there is a place for that in the world.

Helping on a bigger scale? Well, I have some ideas. But I can't do them alone. I'll be needing the help of others for that. If you get an email from me, don't hit "delete" right away!

Anyways, I just thought I'd send out a personal note to you. I need to do that now and then. We need to stay connected.

Growing up is good, growing apart - not so much.

Contating Bidpay

I often use Bidpay.com to receive payments from E-bay auctions. They don't charge me a fee for accepting credit cards like PayPal does. But if you need to contact Bidpay, good luck! Nowhere on their site do they give you a phone number. All they offer is email support via a web-form.

Phooey!

I did some digging and found their Customer Service phone number. If you ever need it, just call: 1-800-350-5952.

Boo to companies who won't give out their support phone numbers!!!!

September 24, 2005

Hunkered Down

"Hunkered Down"

This has got to be the BEST buzzword ever! No disrespect to those in the path of Rita, but I can't get enough of news anchors like Diane Sawyer or Katie saying these words. You know the meaning? It means to take shelter, or to squat.

To see these professional news personalities using the oh-such slang "hunkered down" just brings a smile to my face.

But seriously, let's put a ban on news anchors like Matt Lauer saying "hunkered down." No one sounds good saying it unles they are from the south.

September 15, 2005

Outsider

Ah yeah, I know. I've become nothin' much more than a link blog lately. I hardly even know anything happening in the blog world anymore.

Really sorry about that, but my new job keeps me very busy. Life at home (night time) keeps me very busy. What little time I do have is spent doing with the family, doing church things, practicing art, reading, or watching the 4400 or Battlestar Galactica.

Seriously, that leaves me a microscopic amount of time for blogging.

On one hand I don't mind, because I know if I have something I need to say, I can come here and say it. On the other hand, I really don't like not communicating with you. It creates a distance that is hard to recover from.

I am glad you still check in, and I still love to write/blog, so there is no problem on the horizon. I just can't seem to get this blog thing very high on my priority list.

Does that make sense?

August 11, 2005

Mash-Up Love

Finally, mash-ups have come to the USA in a big way.

They have been huge in the UK, but America was slow to catch on. But finally (and probably due in some part to Adam Curry) they are hittin' it big time. (Yeah, they have been around a very long time, but not nearly as mainstream as now).

This is a great example of a Mash-up: "Hey Ladies Night" which puts "Hey Ladies" by the Beasite Boys in with "Ladies Night" by Kool and the Gang. I swear, you 'd think they had planned this!

(Here is what I want to do, fill my iPod with as many Beasite Boys Mash-ups as I can. Know of any I need to check out?)

DJ BC is amazing. Be sure to check out "Crazy 80s" and "The Beastles" which mixes BB with the Beatles. Amazing! Mash-ups are all over the net and file-sharing (but I don't do that anymore), poke around, you'll find some.

By the way, looking back, I realize the fisrt mash-up I heard (while not called one at the time) was "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel."

Do you like Mash-ups?

Further Listening:
MashupTown.com
Kymberlie's Mash-up Picks - Get 'em before they're gone!
Kleptones - "A Night At The Hip-Hopera"
Looking for "Hollaback Girl (Word Up Radio Edit)" ... it's out there somewhere...
What is a "Hollaback Girl?"

August 2, 2005

How to Kern in Photoshop

I think Lacy gave me this tip a while ago. but it always comes in handy.

Ever had text in Photoshop that needed to have the spacing adjusted? Or maybe an apostrophe needs to be nudged to the left a little? Then you need to KERN!

Kerning allows you to move a character left or right just a skosh (or a smidge if you prefer). You can also move up or down.

Put your cursor on the left or right of the character you want to move. On your keyboard hold down ALT and use the left or right arrow. Each tap of the arrow moves the character slighty. This can be defined, but I'm not getting into that. This does what I need. Maybe it will help you too!

As far as I know, this is only a keyboard shortcut, can't seem to find any point and click tools for Kerning.

So Kern, it does a paragraph good!

July 28, 2005

Sanitized for your viewing pleasure

I finally finished "sanitizing" Seabiscuit, and I am quite pleased with the results.

This challenge began because a friend of mine just loved Seabiscuit, but was alway uncomfortable showing it to his young son. I was inspired to "sanitize" it when I heard the phrase "It is a great family movie, except for...."

Man, how many times have we heard that?

He always felt a little uneasy about the movie due to some language, a brothel scene, and some violence. I took it as a challenge to "redo" the movie for the whole family. Sure there are places that will do it for you, but I like to do it myself. Anyway, with that finished, it got me to thinking.

What other movies would be great for the whole family, with a little bit of editing? I'd love to see other folks suggestions, and comments on what they'd edit.
I'll toss one in:

Back to the Future (Part 1) - A lot of fun when I was a kid, but now, I have to say, there is a lot of foul language in this movie. Also a lot of J.C.'s (that doesn't offend everyone, but I found it excessive). I need to re-watch it, but I think the scene with Marty and his (young) Mom commenting on his underwear and hitting on him might have to go.

KB Mentioned "Home Alone" which never crossed my mind.

So, anyone else have a movie they'd make changes to for family viewing? I need a project!

21st Century Man

Finally. After 4 months of "fasting," I finally have an internet connection at home. High speed cable internet!

I just don't know what to do with myself!

It's like bringing a starving man to Golden Corral!!!!

July 27, 2005

Dirty Little Secrets

Tuesday night on Letterman I walked in and heard Dave introduce a band from Oklahoma. Normally I don't watch the music part of Dave's show, but how could I pass up hearing a band from the state in which I live?

I am so glad I watched. The group is called "All American Rejects" and the song was called "Dirty Little Secrets." It was a great performance.

You can't see that performance, but an MTV video is online. I was pleasantly suprised to learn the video was inspired by "Post Secret" a web site where people send post cards with their deep, dark secrets (which are later published online).

The band has even created a form where fans can submit their own secrets, which are then put into a video of "Dirty Little Secrets." Man, now that is a GREAT idea! Check it out at this URL. The story of the video and making of it are on MTV.

On their web site, you can read about where to find several exclusive tracks (such as one at Wal-Mart.com and 2 at the Sony music site).

You can sample their music on their Media page. Yah OK, All American Rejects have been around a while, but I'd never heard of them, or their music. I like it, and their single could get BIG. So have a listen and lemme know whatcha think.

I wish their live performance on Dave was available to purcahse, it really sounded great!

July 25, 2005

Music Heard in Diet Coke Commercial

Looking for the music heard in the most recent Diet Coke commercials? PromoGuy is here to help!

The spot "Rollergirl," featuring a girl in a tank top rollerskating with bubbles everywhere, lyrics like "Dance all night to this DJ, seeing stars" and the tagline "Sparkle. It's a Diet Coke thing" is ....drumroll please.... "Starry Eyed Suprise" by Paul Oakenfold available on his 2002 Bunkka CD.

Word on the web is that the skater gal is actress Nicole Vicius. See the commercial on the Diet Coke website. See the music video on Yahoo! Music.

The commercial "Loft" with a guy dancing around getting dressed and jumping into his shoes is "I Like The Way" by The Bodyrockers.

Another commercial, called "Mural' where the guy is tanding next to a wall, green bubbles everywhere and has others grooving with him, is "Way of the Light" by Gift of Gab from the "4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up" CD.

The most popular spot is called "Tingle." You may know it from the Super Bowl. It features actress Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor, Underworld, VanHelsing) who causes many men to fall or jump into a swimming pool as she walks by. The song? "Tiptoe" by Goldfrapp from the CD "Black Cherry."

The spot called "Bounce" features actor Adrian Brody and the music "Callin' Out" by Lyrics Born from the CD "Later That Day...."

Hope this helps someone!

Further Reading:
More on "Bounce" and "Tingle" can be read here.

July 20, 2005

Few Things Are Worse Than Avoidable Infant Deaths

Ok, parents, this is very simple. If you are driving somewhere with your child, TAKE THE CHILD OUT OF THE CAR when you get there!

Twice, in less than a week, 2 deaths have resulted from Oklahoma parents forgetting that they left their child in the backseat of their cars!

Last week in Tulsa, an 8-week old infant died after being left in a van for 2 hours. Each parent thought the other had brought the child inside (see video clip).

This week, a mother forgot to drop off her 20-month-old son at daycare. Instead, she went to work at a pizza joint and found him 3 hours later. Heat inside the car was between 84-90 degrees.

This just breaks my heart. These poor children probably suffered. The deaths were 100% avoidable. And to think, the parents have to live with this guilt for the rest of their lives. I can not even imagine the pain and grief they must feel. I mean nothing anyone can say to them will even make them feel one less ounce of guilt.

The scary thing is, I have a feeling some laywers will put the blame on the daycare for not calling the parents when the child wan't dropped off (it's a law here).

I doubt that would really make anyone feel any better though.

Tragic, just tragic.

And it feels like 20 Years

This weekend marks my 20th Anniversary High School Reunion. Lacy mentions she is soon to attend her 10th, and ponders "It's been 10 years already?" I'd agree with her, 10 years isn't very long - which is one of the reasons I skipped my 10th. I felt like I hadn't accomplished that much, and not enough time had passed.

Now, 20 years later...well, it feels like 20 years later!

The Class of 1985 was a great time to be in high school. The music was great, and the clothes were fly (can you say Chess King, Oak Tree and Jeans West?). So no complaints there. As for the reunion....well, more on that next week.

Lest any classmates be reading this (dear me, I hope not), I will refrain from any rants until after this event.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to get in an 80's frame of mind. Maybe fire up my MP3 folder of the Footloose soundtrack and dust off the DVD.

Any suggestions on how to get back to the '81-'85 frame of mind?

July 18, 2005

Not So Harry

While the rest of the USA went into a frenzy over the new Harry Potter book, I didn't hear about much of that here in Oklahoma.

As a matter of fact, Saturday (the day of release) when I walked by Borders Books in the mall, they still had at least 7 cases of the book. Then on Sunday at "the Wal-Marts" right as you walked in, they had a BIG stack of the "Half-Blood Prince" novels just begging to be taken home. I think the price was $13.98 or thereabouts.

I've not read any of them (lack of interest), but I did most of one of the movies not sure which (with the girl ghost in the washroom) and found it might dark and scary (at least for the younger kids I know). Well made though. Didn't make me want to see the other movies or read the books. Of course, considering the subject matter they'd have to be dark. I guess you have to know your child to know if it is appropriate (kinda like Episode III).

Anyway, I digress...

Hope those of you with the book are loving it, but hope you didn't wait forever in line. When you can just waltz into Wally World a day later and grab it, kinda drains the fun out of the "midnight madess" event.

July 11, 2005

Waiting For A Star To Fall

NBC is taunting me. Saturday night they aired the 2-hour season 1 finale of Sci-Fi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica." They even aired a preview of the new season with clips from this Friday's premiere.

HEY NBC, I DON'T HAVE CABLE! Not nice, not nice at all.

Must they be so cruel?

At my previous employer, I had a fellow Galacica fan who would tape 3-4 episodes then loan me his tape. But when I left, that source was gone. So no joy for season 2.

I guess I will wait for 2006 and the Season 2 DVD. In the meantime, I can catch up on season 1 with the Battlestar Galactica DVD release on 7/27. I think I saw as far as episode 5 “You Can’t Go Home Again,” which leaves me with a big gap I've missed from there to the finale. I heard a rumor that the S1 DVD is a "Best Buy Exclusive" which is painful, considering I loathe Best Buy (appaerntly it is exclusive for only a few months). Plus, $49 isn't exactly cheap!

For anyone who missed it, Sci-Fi has made Hour 2 of the finale, plus deleted scenes available online for free. Sweet!

Still, after that awesome finale, I needs me some Season 2 Galactica. Maybe now I have justification for High Speed internet!

Further Reading:
Ron Moore's BSG Blog - This post answers some FAQs.

July 8, 2005

Efficient or Effective?

On the "Brain Storm!" Podcast, I heard this quote from Rick Warren who apparently learned this from Peter Drucker.

"There is a difference between 'Effectiveness' and 'Efficiency.' 'Efficiency' is doing things right. 'Effectiveness' is doing the right thing. Many Churches, not just churches, but businesses and other organizations are efficient, but they are not effective."

Let's take that down to a personal level. Is your life "Efficient" or "Effective?"

June 28, 2005

Wisdom from a Bar of Soap

For those who bathe with the IVORY brand bar of soap, did you notice the insightful messages that are printed on each of the paper wrappers?

I have no idea how long IVORY has been doing this, but each bar's wrapper contains a thoughtful message. Today, I unwrapped the bar of soap and excitedly turned the wrapper over ... OK, I wasn't actually excited, I was more aptly described as "dead to the world" but it sounds so much more literary to write "excitedly"....and here was my message:

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were big things."

Woah. Deep thoughts for so early in the morning!

But who am I to argue with a bar of soap? Now the walls, that is a different story. They get a little loud at night when they whisper to me, telling me what to do, who I need to follow the next day...

June 23, 2005

Puttin' On The Hits

Ignore the title, it doesn't refer to the cheesy music show where folks try to immitate their favorite band. No, this is about the train wreck that is "Hit Me Baby One More Time."

I don't have time to rant on this like I want. Just have to say that this show is a lot like a highway accident. You don't want to look, but you can't turn away.

If you have not seen it, this is yet another USA revamp of a UK program (can't we yanks think of anything new?). It is both sad and fascinating to see these 80's and 90's pop stars as they are today. Some are still in good shape, but most are a fright. The good news is, their looks don't matter, it is all about the music. These folks still have it (well, some do).

I wish I had started commenting on the performances earlier, but here are a few thoughts.

Tommy Tutone - Sounded awful, looked even worse. One hit wonder, minus the wonder. Must have partied his life and fortune away, because his voice is gone. His cover of Blink 182's "Small Things" was just sad.

The Knack - Holy cow! These guys still rock the house!! Man, they need to start a tour or something. They should have won that night, but the crowd was mostly younger so they were no match for...

Vanilla Ice - Who tore the roof down with his cover/re-imagining of "Survivor." However, he didn't attempt to sound like he used to. I'd heard him a few years ago do "Ice Ice Baby" and he just yells through it, like a heavy metal singer might. This was the same performance. I prefer the softer rap style of the original, but he is smart to give it a harder edge. Makes it fresh. He did great, but The Knack was much better. You can hear the new version on the "Screening Room" video player on the NBC site, look for the "sing with the audience" video.

Howard Jones - Where is his hair? Man, I was missing that puffy hair. He sang "No One Is To Blame" which I've always loved. He did the re-make version he made with Phil Collins, not his original version. Oddly, this was an edited version, much shorter, less chorus, less intro/outro. Good stuff, but I'd have rather heard "Things Can Only Get Better." He was on the UK version.

Tiffany - Only caught the end of that whole episode, so I didn't hear much. She can still sing, and looks pretty too. Though she should, she was so young when she hit it big on the mall-tour circuit. She won the UK version when she was on (not in the final ep though).

The Motels - I couldn't tell if the singer was the only member left, but she did a great job too. It was sad to see her reduces to doing dinner theater, but a gal's gotta eat.

Sophie B Hawkins - Ick. When did she get so weird? I like her voice, but she just bugs on stage. Sorry, bouncing around showing all your energy does not make for a good performance - you scare little children. Stop it. Now.

Wang Chung - Loved these guys. I was a bit upset that they used their backing tracks for the original single "Everybody Have Fun Tonight." Even the backup vocals were pre-recorded. OK, it is sad I know this song that well, but I do, and it was not played live. They sang live though, so that was great. Their cover was "Hot In Hrrrr"(?) by Nelly (?) and it was awesome. They still love to keep us guessing as to what "Wang Chung" means. It's been 20 years fellas, let's not have another Deep Throat here, just tell us!

Haddaway - Man, if it wasn't for the SNL skit with Chris Kataan and Jim Carrey (and Will Ferrell), would "What is Love" have had such a long life? I liked how his dances worked in the Roxbury head nod, and his version of "Toxic" was pretty good. Nothing outstanding though.

Cameo - Word Up! Glad to see they kept the Codpiece.

Final Thoughts:
* I do not like the shortened versions of the original songs the bands have to play. I am sure it is so all 5 groups can do 2 songs. How about less bands and the entire song?

* I hope we can look forward to a compilation CD at some point. Though unlike the UK version, I want them to put the cover versions on the CD as well as the orignal hits. A smarter network would make the songs downloadable on iTunes the next day.

* I want to see Rick Springfield perform "Affair of the Heart." Hey, check out his forthcoming CD-looks amazing!

The real shame of this show is we will never see Milli Vanilli.

June 17, 2005

Bruthas and Sistahs

Isn't it odd, that some brothers and sisters (or combination thereof) from the same parents look very much alike, and others look nothing alike? I mean, you can just look at two people and know they are related, and others, not a chance.

On the same thought, there are children (even grown) that look very much like their parents, and others, not so much.

Just a thought I had. Ponder it if you wish.

June 16, 2005

The Perils of LendingTree and Regulation B

Anyone who has considered using an online lending service, such as LendingTree.com, should read Mark's tale of trying to get his personal information deleted from their records.

Visit his InkBlots and read his post.

My realtor told me places like that can really mess things up at "closing time" and told a tale of one client that was mighty worrisome.

(for the LendingTree lawyers may one day scan Google, keep in mind I am expressing my opinion here, and please note Mark's views are not those of the management of this website, site host or domain provider, thank you)

As always, your mileage may vary....

When Digtal Photos Look "Too Good"

With the advent of affordable, megapixel cameras, photo print joints are having a hard time figuring out which photographs are professional and which are by ordinary Joes.

Why would they care? Copyright infringements. Professional photographs (such as Sears, JC Penny and such) can not be reprinted without permission. If you show up at the Wal-Marts to print a photo that looks "professional" in most cases, they will refuse to print it. Yep, even if you took it.

When Morgan's mother and a client recently took CDs with some of his shots to a printing lab, the photo technicians spurned them. They said that since the shots seemed to have been taken by a professional, printing the pictures might be a copyright violation.
AP story via Yahoo News

It has always been a weird concept - you pay a photographer to take your photo and you buy prints, but they still "own" the image of you. Not arguing with it, it is just a weird concept.

So be warned, don't be taking photos that are "too good" you might find yourself out of luck!

June 14, 2005

Kid Friendly, Parent Approved

At the moment, in my free time, since I don't have "the internets" at home, I am trying to learn how to edit a DVD movie. Or rather, re-edit a DVD movie.

Why? Because there are so many great movies, that with a few edits, would be so "kid-friendly."

Take, for example, "Back to the Future."

Within the first 15 minutes, there are several "sh!t" utterances, and quite a few J.C.'s too. Not to mention the Lybians gunning down Doc Brown. I just can't help but think if I could edit out some of that, it might be a great movie to show to anyone under 10.

It has been a while, but I am pretty sure "Sea Buscuit" needs a few minor edits. Otherwise, it would make for a great movie for children. Now, I know many parents don't worry about such words or violence, but I guss I am a little over-protective about those things.

So, I am looking at software that allows me to edit and re-build these DVDs. So far, I am just in the "reading about it" stage, but it looks possible. Once I have tried some programs and have it down pat, I will get a tutorial written up.

How about you? What movies, with a few minor edits, would make for great family viewing? What scenes would you edit? Let's get a lis going!

June 11, 2005

My Life Is A Blog Post

For those who feel that no matter what happens in their life, it seems to be perfect for a blog post, I give you this T-Shirt!

And a few others for those who fancy the ever popular Garden Gnome.

Things To Do In Salt Lake City

I've spent 2 weeks in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. So in case you may find yourself there, here are a few things to do.

Or more precisely, things I've done. There is a lot to do here, but this is only a list of things I have actually had time to do.

It is all about the food!

Two weeks (months apart mind you), and yeah, I know the places to eat pretty well.

Spice - A Vegan friendly, but not totally vegan, place to eat and hang, and listen to live music or open-mike poetry night. The Caramel Apple Pie is simple the best. Ever.

Art of Baking - A nice deli/bakery with great sandwiches and lots of sweets. Friednly folks there too.

Rumbi - An Island grill with excellent rice bowls filled with your favorite meats and/or veggies - don't miss the Calyspo Spinach Salad!

Big City Soup - Think the "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld. However, these folks are very nice, no yelling here. They have different soups daily, and great sandwiches. Go for the soup though, it is excellent. There is also a Lemonaide they have, which has a great spicy flavor. No, seriously, it is good, try it.

Samba Grill - All the meat you can eat! OK, its more than that, it is Brazillian Barbeque which means they will keep bringing you shishkabobs of different meats until you beg them to stop. It is a little pricey, ok $17.99, but hey, if you come hungry, it all breaks even.

Humphrey Yogart - Frozen Yogurt with your choice of mixed-ins, such as oreo, heath bar, fresh fruit and more.

You can tell by the way I walk ahm a Woman's Man, no time to talk!

I walked everywhere I went in downtown SLC. If you can, I recommend it. The streets are very clean and you won't feel the leat bit worried going out and about on foot at night.

I Get Around-Round Round, Yeah I Get Around

Gateway Mall - An nice open air mall, with tons of shops and places to eat. Don't miss it.

Mormon Temple Square - Regardless of your denomination, you should visit the temple area. Yes, the Sisters and Brothers will cheerfully encourage you to take the tour and watch their movies, but they will accept "no thanks" as an answer. Be sure to find out when the Tablernacle Chior is rehearsing, you can go for free and it is very lovely listening. Oh, and if you are into Geneology, be sure to bring some of your family tree. The archives they have there far exceed anything online. I forgot to bring mine, and I soerly regret it.

Delta Center - This is where the Utah Jazz play, and if you can catch a game, do it. I don't care for basketball, but I walked past the palce every day. They have a lot of nice rose gardens outside, so that was a nice diversion.

Give me a ticket for an aeroplane

Final thoughts before I send myself back to Oklahoma?

SLC is a nice place to visit, and yeah, I could live here. I loved looking out on the mountains every day.

The people here are very nice. Even the panhandlers. The real panhandlers, that is. They take "no" for an answer and thats fine. Now there are some fake panhandlers here that I just don't understand. Maybe not fake, but they are teen-something/tewenty-ish boys, walking around pretty well dressed and asking for money. They really don't look like they need it, and are kinda rude. I donn't know the story on them, but it is very queer and I don't know what it is all about.

Like I said the city is very clean, and thought all I've seen is downtown, I'd come again and visit some of the more "tourist-ey" sites.

All in all, a good trip.

Now, I am off to enjoy the heated pool and hot tub, while I can!

June 8, 2005

UnDriven

For all the raves, for all the hoopla, for all the good it has done, I have to admit something.

I really didn't care for Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life."

There, I said it.

I have read it, and I have been to two churches who have gone through the whole "40 Days of Purpose" and the "Purpose Driven Church" campaigns.

When it didn't gel with me the 1st time, I figured I'd give it another go. Nope.

I can't put my finger on it, but something about it doesn't "feel" right. Now if it has worked for you, or those you know, I am happy for you.

As for me, it just isn't working. Oh I tried to get with the program, and went through the "small group" classes even. It just doesn't fit.

Wish I could explain it. But when it seems like everyone you know can't stop talking about how great something is, and you don't feel it, you begin to wonder if it is me?

The Bible and prayer have moved me more, touched me more deeply, than that book ever could. Of course, no one said PDL should replace or even come close to the Word. But if you listen to some folks, you'd wonder...

Anyway, I will probably get slammed for this post. But so be it.

June 6, 2005

Salt Lake City - LIVE

I am in Salt Lake City this week. Hoo Boy.

Yo, I am online chat-wise this week, most nights. Fire up the IM and keep me company whydoncha?

May 27, 2005

Download Request

Heya!

I need a favor. Since I will be out of town, with no 'net access for a while, I need someone to do a weekly download for me.

If you can help, here are the instructions. The file changes every Monday, so that's why I need someone to grab it for me.

1 - Visit AcidPlanet.com for the next 2 Mondays.

2 - Look for the "8 Pack" of the week.

3 - Click on the ZIP file and save it to your hard drive.

4 - Email it to me @ promoguy AT gmail.com

That's it!

I appreciate the help. This here will be an "Unplugged" vacation, and much needed at that. Next time you hear from me I will be in Salt Lake City, and we'll catch up then!

May 9, 2005

Blame It On Enterpise

Finally, I give you the answer to the Milli Vanilli - Star Trek Connection!

So, what exactly is the connection? Diane Warren!

Who you say? Diane Warren is the songwriting genius behind such hits as Starship's "Nothing's Going To Stop Us Now," Debarge's "Rhythm Of The Night," Chicago's ""Look Away," and about 400 other hits. By now you must know where I'm headed with this...

Diane wote Milli Vanilli's smash hit, and best song, "Blame It On The Rain." Diane also wrote the theme song for "Star Trek: Enterprise."

3 Degrees of Vanilli...or somethinglikethat.

So now, you know!

May 7, 2005

Star Trek: The Milli Vanilli Connection

Pierce, you asked for a hint as to the conenction between Milli Vanilli and Star Trek.

And any hint I give you, would reveal the answer. So nope, sorry, I can't go for that (no, no can do).

However, I will produce the answer Monday, just so you don't have to go mental figuring it out.

May 6, 2005

A Cut of Passion

When I saw around Easter that Mel Gibson had recut "Passion of the Christ." I
kinda shrugged it off. It never was rated, as far as I could tell, and the
commercials never said anything about what "recut" meant. (I went to see "Sin
City" instead, which had more in commoin with "Passion" that one would think)

Today, admittedly I am behind the curve, I saw 2 articles on the release. One,
from the Jewish Press, felt the new cut would "cast a dark shadow on the late
pope`s unprecedented and enlightened policy of acceptance." Read it
here.

The other, was a "PRO & CON" point-of-view piece. Both are interesting, but
neither made me want to see "Passoin" again. Once was enough.

As for a movie about Christ, what I'd really like to see is one that shows His
love for the world and all the people within it. One that celebrates His glory,
His miracles, and His mission.

But that probably wouldn't sell any tickets.

April 29, 2005

Salt Lake City Is On

OK, the Power That Be have made it official.

I am indeed heading back to SLC the week of June 10th. Serioulsy, if anyone is gonna be in town at the same time, let me know.

I may need to give a shout- out to
"The Salt Lake City Weblogger Meetup Group" and see if they are doing anything around that time.

It gets old fast with 5 nights to kill and no one to do anything with. Gotta
have a plan this time around.

April 18, 2005

Eggs and Cheese, and Eggs, and Cheese

Is anyone else freaked out by the new Burger King commercials?

It was bad enough when the Burger King was in bed with another man, tempting him with Eggs and Cheese. But now, he just stands there, silly grin on his plastic face, and stares at us. The Burger King Stalker.

Man, just creepy!

Quaker is doing it too, did you see the commercials where the Quaker Man statue that is just like there, where all these people are? I don't get it. It is nearly as creepy as the Burger King Stalker.

How about the VanDeKamps (Vandecamps?) commercial where the fish is sitting in a swing at the park? As it appears to be silently pleading for help, the child goes up to touch it and the Mother fearfully yanks her back. "Afraid of Fish?" they ask? Um, YEAH! If it is a giant Catfish on playground equipment gasping for air, yeah, kinda scared of fish.

Good grief! Yeah it sets your ad apart from the others, and yeah I am talking about the ads, and the products. But does that make it effective? Am I buying more of it? Am I deciding to buy it whereas I wasn't before? NO!

It just amazes me.

Creepy Fish. A stoic Quaker. Freaky Burger King.

Thank you, but no.

April 11, 2005

Check-In

How much do I like my job? It is in direct opposite relation to how much I am blogging now.

I love the job, it keeps me very busy and challenged, and as such, I have little time to blog about my mental wanderings - because my mind wanders very little now!

ADD you are now my bitch!

So, I just wanted to check in, say I am OK and the personal life is awesome - I am totally focused on what is important in life: Getting to know God better, and making the family the center of my attention.

Blog posts will be scattered, but I hope to at least check in once a week. (Until I can figure out how to get MT to accept posts via email anyway).

Be sure to link to your blog in the comments here, I want to see what YOU are up to!

April 5, 2005

Blogger Backup

Arg, I have so much to say and no time to say it!

Ever since vowing to never blog at my new job, my posting have dropped to zilch.

I get home, and by the time I have time to blog, I am either too tired or have other things I need to do online that are of higher priority.

I don't see much of a change happening in this pattern. Especially if I decide to take more education classes.

I've also almost lost all interest in my Pocket PC device. Which is weird considering how much time I've spent on it and with it.

As a result, I have a backlog of things to write about in a mental log-jam. Very frustrating.

Very.

April 1, 2005

A Lake of Salt, Part 5

So, this is it, my last night in big Salt Lake City. So just how did I spend my day off?

I began by sleeping in, something I never get to do. I woke up at 9AM feeling a bit guilty for letting the morning slip away. I showered, made the crappy in-room coffee and ate the muffin I'd bought the night before (not all at once of course).

I debated on visiting Part City, but it came down to economics. A tour bus was risky since there was no garantee how much time I'd really have there. A cab would have been $55 there and $55 back. Hey, I just got a new job, I ain't made of money.

So I picked up the USA Today and saw the article on "Frank Miller's SIN CITY" and BINGO! I knew what I would be doing this morning.

I walked down to "The Gateway," wandered about for a while and got a cookie or two at "Ben's Cookies." (The Snickerdoodle was great, and the Cranberry-Hazelnut-Chocolate Chip I am saving for tonight).

"SIN CITY" was great, just amazing! I didn't even notice it was 2+ hours long. It was gory, sadistic, and a brutal assault on the senses - just like the comic book, erm, graphic novel.

By the time it was over, I had a hankerin' for lunch. I walked around and saw the IMAX and bought a ticket to the "T-REX" in 3-D for later. Stomach growling now, I really wanted to eat something different, something that made it feel like a vacation.

I found a place by the theater called "Samba Grill" which is a Brazilian Steakhouse. I soon found out, the Brazilian way of serving meat is to bring it out on a giant skewer, to your table, and slide it off (or slice it, depending) right at your table. You can have the meat ($15.99), salad bar ($13.99), or both ($17.99). Me? Meat, baby, it is all about the meat.

It was WONDERFUL! They just kept bringing the meat out, and for a while, I kept up with it. Eventually, I fell behind: top sirloin, garden pork, garden steak, pepper pork, pepper beef, prime rib, seasoned chicken legs, and on and ON!

Once I'd had my fill, I went over to "Humphrey Yogart's" for some sweet frozen yorgut with strawberrys mixed in.

To wrap things up, I took in the IMAX 3-D T-Rex movie. It was really good, more for kids, but the 3-D was great. I think it was the linticular kind, much better than the blue and red lenses.

At the hotel room I watched "Kill Bill, Vol. 1" for the first time. Hey, after SIN CITY, this movie was a walk in the park. I may even rent "Vol. 2" so I can see how it ends.

For the rest of the night, not really sure. I have to be up at 5:30 so I can make my flight out, so I won't be up partying. I may go get one more taste of that wonderful Caramel Apple Pie I liked so much, with a Cafe Mocha to top it off.

Tomorrow I am back in the good ol Sooner State. SLC has been fun, but Dorothy had it right, there's no place like home!

Utah On Foot

OK. I need a foot massage. And a shoulder massage! I need some attention!

The good news is, I've been hitting my 10,000 steps mark every day. Exceeding it even!

Monday: 6,619 (day I arrived, mostly sitting that day, airports, planes, etc)
Tuesday: 13,145
Wednesday: 13,577
Thursday: 11,857

Thank goodness I did get all that walking in, I have eaten so poorly. High fat, high calorie, rich foods. Today I had enough and had fruit and oatmeal for breakfast, had a bad lunch (bowtie pasta, red peppers, chicken and bolongna in a dark cream sauce), and a sensible dinner (BLT, soup, salad and fruit).

It is very hard to eat well when you travel. Thank goodness I've had to walk so much!

A Lake of Salt, Part 4

Well, just one day left. Guess what? Class is now over and I have an ENTIRE day to spend doing whatever I want in Salt Lake City.

Oh, great. This is juuuuuuust great.

I have had a nice time here, really I have.

Did I mention I saw some of "Pulp Fiction" last night? I don't get what was so great about that movie. Sorry, I just don't. OK, sorry, I digressed...

Today we had lunch at a great Itallian joint, much like the Olive Garden (minus the overrated salad and chewy breadsticks). It is called "Biaggi's" if you are in the area, I totally recommend it.

Our training finished up early, so I have quite a lot of time to kill now.

This is bad, really bad. For one thing, had I known, I'd be on a plane home right now. Heck, I'd even BE home right now!

I love traveling with someone, but this alone stuff, no thanks. A day or 2, fine, but 5? Only if I had someone with which to enjoy it.

Anyway, I am told I should see Park City. I found a Bus Tour that goes there and Olympic Stadium and other places, for $55. I guess I will just hang out with the old people and see the sights. Aw crap, it is only available in June.

Oh, ok then, they have an IMAX. Guess it is Movie Time!

Beats sitting alone in the Hotel all day. I hope.

March 31, 2005

A Lake of Salt, Part 3

Yesterday was so-so. My classes were great, but I now have oodles of sympathy for traveling salespeople.

I am honestly quite bored in Salt Lake City. No offense to the great people here, it is me, not them.

There is only so much a fella can do alone in this town. If that didn't sound right, nevermind, I am sure you know what I meant.

The highlight of the day was lunch, which was soup. Not any soup, but a cup from "Big City Soup!" I felt like I walked into an episode of Seinfeld.

A long line, big vats of different soups, menu made up daily, get your soup, move to the left, get your bread, pay. Actually there was no Soup Nazi, they were very nice and so friendly. They even offered free samples so you could better make up your mind. I also had a large cup of their Ginger-Lemonaide. Unusual flavor, but good. Highly recommended. Oh, and I had the Roasted Pepper Lobster Bisque. Umm!

At night, I walked up the street to the Mormon Temple. I visited with a nice old guy at a booth who filled me in on all things Mormon. He talked about all they had on their campus, which was just GI-normous. "This place is Fu*king HUGE" I said to him. He got kinda quiet, shut his sliding window and sent me on my way. (kidding!)

I met some of the "Sisters" who kindly greeted me and suggested I take the tour. I kindly declined but did mention how HAWT they looked and asked them if they were busy after the Temple closed. Hey if the Tabernacle is a rockin' don't come a knockin'!!!

(kidding again!)

OK, see what Hotel Life has done to me? I AM GOING MENTAL!!!

After that, I went to the Crossroads, which is a mall attached to the Mariott. It was OK, but we have better malls at home. Then I went back to the Hotel, and grabbed a carry out burger to eat in my room.

Extended durations of being alone is not good for the PromoGuy!

March 30, 2005

Snowball's Chance

We totally got cheated on snow this year in Oklahoma. So it is doubly cruel that while on my trip to Utah that it would snow, and I not be able to enjoy it with my household! No fair!!!

Regardless, it looks amazing and with the mountains behind, wow! Oklahoma is flat, flat, flat, so being able to see mountains is just a-mazing!

I don't have a way to get my photos to the web, but this webcam is pretty much identical to what I see outside my hotel window!

Who want to go sledding?!?!

March 29, 2005

A Lake Of Salt, Part 3

A good day of training, but a bad day to be without a hat or umbrella.

The weather here in Salt Lake City is weird, cloudy then sunny, then rain, then sun, then a snowstorm!

Tonight as I was eating ar "Spice" I looked up and saw what looked to be a rainstorm. Rain going diagonal and really hard. Then I looked again and it was sleet, then snow. A snowstorm appeared before my eyes!

BTW, "Spice" whose slogan is "The Art of Healthy Eating" is highly recommended if you are in SLC. They are Vegan and Vegetarian friendly (not that I need that), the coffee is great and their Caramel Apple Pie is great!

For my Birthday Dinner I had the Roasted Pepper Hummis for starters, followed by a chicken and shrimp grill, with grilled veggies, brown rice and roasted pepper sauce. It also came with some kind of beans that sounded really good if you like beans, which I don't.

It was a weird scene, I had to sit it out a while before I went back to the hotel. It was dead there though, which is sad, because I was feeling a tad lonely.

Eeenywayz, I am back in the room "gellin like a felon" waiting for something interesting to happen.

If you have an Instant Messenger and want to visit, email or leave your ID, I am majorly bored!!!!

Shower Stick - As Seen on TV

Hotel TV. Bored to tears, cable infomercials are more interesting than the shows. Like the "Shower Stick" european shower head.

I wonder, has anyone out there tried one? They look great, and only $29.95, but I am skeptical. The commercial makes it look more appealing than on the web page.

So how about it, is the Shower Stick the Ultimate Shower Experience?

March 28, 2005

A Lake of Salt, part 2

Wet. Cold. So, this is Salt Lake City eh?

As we flew in I saw mountains, from the top! Wow, they are amazing. I saw the snow capped peaks from above, never saw that before. Flying above the clouds, man, it was just awesomes.

Then we landed.

Ugh.

By Thursday it should be really nice, but now it is like 35 and drizzly.

Anyway, I am here in Salt Lake City and in a pretty nice hotel. They have a pool, hot tub and workout room I may mosey on down to in a bit.

Or I may go to a Poetry Open Mic Nite at a Vegan-Friendly Coffee Bar called "SPICE." Yes, they have Soy Latte, so do not fear. Never been to a poetry reading before. Not sure if I want to walk alone in the dark to get there though.

Not a whole lot to do being alone in a strange town, but I have 4 more nights to work on it!

So, got class all day tomorrow, gotta be alert. Guess I will catch up with you then!

STOP! Escher Time!

What do you get when you cross MC Hammer with MC Escher?

This one had me laughing out loud, for real!

Almost as funny as "PROMO TIME!" Yes?

Be sure to check out the entire "Worth 1000" thread. Great stuff!

March 26, 2005

A Lake of Salt

Guess who's gonna be in Salt Lake City next week?

Yeah, in Utah for a week of training for my new job. Wish I had someone there I knew, but maybe I can find something to do.

The hotel has a nice pool and whirlpool, so I can see myself there a few night. Love that hot tub! Relaxing is my favorite.

Never been there, I hear the mountains are beautiful. Hope training ends at a decent time so maybe I can see a few sights.

Good news is I will have a laptop with wireless internet, so I will probably be Blogging to kill some time most nights. May even get the Instant Messenger up, who knows?

I really hate the idea of being gone for a week, but I am excited the new job wants to invest in me to this degree!

But wanna know a secret. Flying in a plane, even for a mere 2 hours, freaks me out. Not terrorist freaky, just an "I can't believe I'm up this high in the air what if the engines quit" kind of freaky.

More to come after we touchdown.....

March 17, 2005

Jobly Goodness

Just an update: the new job is grrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!

The people are nice, they really respect my experience and I think it can be a very long-term situation with much opportunity to advance.

Plus, I get to dress up. YES! I love to dress sharp, wear ties and such. Even went and got a new sports coat to wear to work now and then. I honestly never really cared for "business casual." Nothing beats a sharp dressed man.

Thanks for the kind thoughts and well wishes.

And of course, all praise and glory goes to the Lord for this. He had a plan all along, and it isn't over yet. I can't wait to see what He has in store for me to do here for His kingdom.

One more post tonight then it may be a while again. Hope not too long!

March 11, 2005

Man At Work

Well, I don't have to tell you how happy I am to have a job to go to on Monday. But no one is happier than m'Lady. While having me here to help with the post-move chores has been welcomed, she is growing a little tired of so much "togetherness." It will be nice to get back into a routine, for both of us!

Which brings me to the topic of this blog. Y'see, this job is SO dang good, I am not gonna screw it up. Meaning, no way am I gonna be blogging while I am there. Nope. No way.

But, I don't see myself doing much blogging at night either, at least, not for a long while. Too much to do here, plus gotta adjust to my workload, and work in some rest here and there.

So I don't know what will become of this place. I hope to work in a post soon, to detail the job and how God brought it all together, as well as how things go my first week (I start on Monday).

Just don't know though. Not that I've blogged much recently, but hey, I had to find a job, and unpack a bah-jillion boxes!

Things will be sparse here for a bit, but check in now and then, I should find my groove soon.

PS - I can't wait to start my new job! Wa-hoooo!

February 28, 2005

Skong

This Is Not My Beautiful House!

Did I mention, that in addition to being "let go" from my job of nearly 6 years, that I was set to close on our new house just 3 days later?

Three days.

Yes, I lost my job a mere 3 days before I was to buy our new home.

Oh, and I had to sell the house we were living in as well. On the same day, of course, for the downpayment of the new home.

Guess what? The buyer bailed out the night before closing.

The Lord provided a way though, for the moment it is all ok.

So now, I am unemployed and I own TWO houses!

Am I the mack daddy or what?

I'm so happy I could just spit.

February 22, 2005

That's Just The Way It Is

February 17, 2005

The Journalistic "Blogger" Fad

In my previous post, I asked "Do you ever get the feeling that journalists use "Bloggers" as a generic excuse to get an article started?"

By that, I mean it just seems like the news media is getting this condescending attitude toward bloggers, getting all snooty about how amateur some of us are (that would be me), when most (you know who they are) are actually not, and are many times, more informed than the media would like. So, on the one hand, they thumb their nose at us, but have no problem at all using "bloggers" as a means to and end when composing a story. The reason I put quotes around "Bloggers" is because of the way they seem to think they "get" us, but they really don't. So they have this vision of what "Bloggers" are all about, just lazy hacks who moan and groan about things and have no life and just waste their time, when in reality, that is seldom the case (ok, it often is, but real bloggers don't read those blogs ::wink::). "But oh, you know I can always mention a blogger talks about this or that, and start in from that approach." Now who is lazy?

Just yesterday I heard a morning news show run a promo with this tease "Blogging isn't just for high-tech hacks, tomorrow meet an Oklahoma mother blah blah blah..."

Ok, you don't get it. So please stop. Just stop.

Thank you.

February 14, 2005

TurboTax Rebate Madness

Office Depot is making me MENTAL!!!!

I go in 2 weeks ago to buy TurboTax, as I do every year. Except this time, they raised the price of the State version. That kinda turned me off, but I saw that if you buy the Deluxe version of TT (there is a basic, Deluxe and Pro), you get the State version free (as a rebate). OK, fine. Ah, but I can also get Quicken Basic 2005 for free too (again with rebate). How about a free reem of paper? How about a paper shredder? Want a $10 store gift card too? Free E-filing, you got it. Want it? Sure, take it all baby!

Well fine, I guess I will. Final total was just over $100 I think. Once all the rebates come in, I think my final cost will be $10. Except have you ever tried to actually mail in these rebates? It will drive you MAD!

I am certain these companies try to make getting your money back as difficult as possible in hopes you will give up and not even mail it in. Or worse, you send it all in and you forgot to include one of the required UPC codes, or proof-of-purchase tabs, thus exempting you from your rebate. I must have ripped open sealed enveloped 2 times because I realized I forgot a copy of a receipt.

I kid you not, for the shredder I had to mail in 2 rebate forms, each for half of the price! WTF kind of sense does that make??? Both went to the same place, but to get paid for the full cost, I had to send in for half of the amount in one envelope, another for the rest.

Oh, the copies of the receipts! And the proofs! And the UPCS! UUUUGH! Just making sure you have enough copies of everything is major stress.

When I had completed this ginormous task, I had no less 10 envelopes to mail off.

CompUSA had an even bigger payload of freebies for purchasing TurboTax. A $270 upfront bill for you, with a $240 in rebates (you hope). I can not even imagine what kind of madness that must have been to redeem.

How about you? Any rebate tales of woe?

whyTunes

For some odd reason, there is one Free iTune Track that I just can NOT get to download!

"Street Official Mixtape vol. 4" (iTunes Link)

I always seem to get a message that reads : "There was an error downloading your purchased music. An unknown error occurred."

Drat! This caused me to miss out on the Vol. 3 Mixtape last month, and me not happy. Apparently vol 1 went up in November, 2 in December, both way before I heard about this offer.

What is odd is that other tracks download fine. Just this one never works. Let me know if you can download it, not that you can share it to me. I think iTunes doesn't allow for that. But if you could....

Anyway, let me know.

Further Downloading:
An active forum listing FREE iTunes while they last Explore the posts in this thread for even more links
"Mixed Tape" songs from Mercedes-Benz (can download all)
iPodLounge Free Tunes
This Week's FREE Music in 1 iMix

Finger it out

New research has proposed that measuring a person's fingers can determine their age.

Finally! I always wondererd why girls were wanting to measure my hands and fingers.

February 10, 2005

Wash 'n' Learn

Speaking of showers (see previous post), one thing I've wanted for years is a shower AM/FM radio, which could receive TV signals. I like to listen to the news, but seldom have time in the mornings. I thought it would be a simple thing to find, but so far I've only found a few models that weren't crazy expensive. Oh there are lots of shower radios, but with a TV signal? Not many.

Sony has one that sits on the floor of the shower, which seems like a bad idea. First, no one should be bending over in the shower (at least, not alone). Second, why? You have a shower head, just make them to hang it on that! The Sony ICF-S79V looks nice, but run a shocking $45! For as little as I'd use it (10-20 mins a day) it doesn't seem worth it. Others jam in a CD player, which is the last thing I'd care for. Most don't have pre-sets. Now tell me, who wants to be scrolling a dial in the morning in the shower. Nobody. We need pre-set buttons! Still others fit the price but just look like a cheap-o product.

Though not what I wanted, I thought it was interesting that this model by JWIN. looks almost exactly like the same model by Curtis found at Best Buy for $30 less. Hmmm, re-branding anyone?

Alas, my search was fruitless. I don't want to pay $45-$100 for this gizmo. $20 maybe, but it doesn't exist (of course, if I had company in the shower, who needs a radio!?!).

So, those who take showers, what entertainment do you enjoy in the shower?

Shower Up

Do you take baths or showers?

For me it is most always a shower in the morning. It always seems to help me wake up (even better than coffee). But I am thinking, don't most men take showers and most women prefer baths?

So, how 'bout it? Which do you prefer?

February 4, 2005

Who said what to me about...whatzit?

As mentioned last week, I exceeded my storage limit on this site (please Christine, bump me up a level!!!) and lost ALL the mail in my inbox.

I keep several messages in there to remind me to follow up with people I owe things (or who might be doing me a favor).

Other than the upcoming "Burn It Remix Edition" I don't think I owe anyone stuff. But if I do, even an email reply to a discussion, please let me know, ok?

As for anyone who was wanting to send me something...there were a couple in the inbox too. I think there was one where I was going to be sent these M&Ms that have caramel in them (actually, and other where someone from "Down Under" was going to send me some Salt & Vinegar Chips (I am kidding, actually, those were years ago, and never happened).

Anyway, if you've ever lost your inbox, maybe you can feel my pain. I really have NO IDEA what I've lost. So if you and I have any loose ends, please let me know!

February 1, 2005

Thank you, Jack Bauer, I now have 18 hours of my life back

I had been considering giving up on "24" for some time now. Last season, I gave in and watched only becuase Chloe was so fun to watch, and any time Sherry returns, you know fun will be had.

But after last week, I have made if official, I am done with "24."

At least, this go 'round.

I realize that the first 6 episodes were a red herring. That's not unusual for "24." And I can accept that Jack Bauer is INSANE and will do ANYthing to ANYone to get to his goal - the end justifies the means. But after last week's "reveal" that there was a more in CTU, well, I felt I had seen enough.

I tell ya, after Jack held up the gas station, then walked away scott-free I almost threw in the towel. But, hey, I accepted that Jack has already died and been brought back to life, so why should I fuss over a little thing like armed robbery and assaulting a police officer. But the mole in CTU, ok, we've done that. Twice I think. Even last season, when it was a fake-out, we had the mole character.

I was quite happy to hear this season was going to be different. That Jack wasn't working at CTU. And look, there he is BACK at CTU once again.

Yeah, let me know if I miss anything, maybe I will read a re-cap online. For now, I think this is one show I can let slip away.

Plus it never makes me feel good to realize at the end of the season that I spent a FULL DAY watching a TV show.

More Cowbell!

It seems that Blue Oyster Cult are fans of the Saturday Night Live Skit wherein Christopher Walken pleads for "More Cowbell" during the recording of "Don't Fear The Reaper."

I thought that this was a great skit, but I had no idea it had blossomed into internet wildfire. Plus, you have Walken, the patron saint of the cowbell.

Check out the article here, and there is even a link to a video of the skit (which you can download and save).

Say it with me "I've got a fever, and the only cure, is more cowbell!"

January 27, 2005

Shutdown

I exceeded the storage limit on my site. Thus, my site was showing a pretty white page with nothing on it today. Nice.

I am stumped. I don't know where the bulk of it is except for the archives (76MB), guess I need to consider MT3 and the dynamic archive option it has. Though I probably could to do some pruning in my images folder.

Worst part is that my entire INBOX was emptied. All 4 pages worth (I clean my inbox about 1x a month). Thank goodness I use FOLDERS so much, all those are still there. But man! I am so lazy, I know there are unresolved conversations in there.

Someone needs to Email me so I know it is working again.

Either I need more space, or I need to clean out my site.

Man, this sucks.

January 21, 2005

Weighty Issues

I've had weight loss and gain on my mind a bit this week. Talk with friends, and overheard chatter in the lunchroom.

And suddenly I am thinking "OK. Are there ANY women who don't feel they are overweight????"

So, imagine my suprise when my "Previously on..." Sidebar Section for "Jan 21, 2003" had a post on THIS VERY TOPIC!

Take a look at "Heaven Can Weight" ... I still stand by it.

Neverending

OK. So how come when The Olive Garden has their "Never-ending Pasta Bowl" the commercial says "for a limited time."

I mean hey, if it is never-ending, how can it be for a limited time?

Why is that?

I mean, hey, I really want to know?

Thanks folks, and don't forget to tip your waitress!

Get Your Workout On

Not sure where that slang came from. You know, "Go get your *fill-in-the-blank* on."

Is it just me or is it a little played out by now?

Anyway, I am digressing....This month's Nike Women Workout CD is online. I only discovered this in November, so I am sure I've missed out on a LOT of them. But they are always a good mix of artists I've never heard of before. And you don't have to A) be a woman or 2) wear Nike to download and enjoy the tune-age.

Just visit NikeWomen.com, find the "Workout" menu, then click "Get Music." You can listen to all the music online, download a track at a time, or get a big honkin' zip file of the entire mix. I'd link to it directly, but it is an annoying flash-based navigation system, so I gave up. But you can find it easily enough.

It changes monthly, so I am sure you will want to get this soon. Free music baby!

Burning Bush, Part Deux

As seen on a bumper sticker on the way home:

The last time someone listened to a Bush, folks wandered around the desert for 40 years!

Ha!

January 19, 2005

CD Blot

Man!

I went to grab an old MP3 for my iPod from my very first CD-ROM collection of songs (MP3s), and the dang thing is useless.

Back when I made it, I guess maybe the quaility of disks were poor. I don't know. But the top layer, you know, what you write upon, has a bubble under it. When you press on it from the top, on the underside you can see the silver moving around in this one area.

I had another CD-R in this notebook binder with these pockets to store them. When I went to remove it, I guess over time the plastic from the pockets got stuck to the top of the CD-R. Yep, you guessed it. Part of the top layer of the CD stayed with the binder plastic. UUUUGH! Another dead soldier.

I had hopes I could do a quick CDR-to-CDR copy of it, but even Nero can't recover this one. That's a shame. At least I have a catalog of what was on it, not that I can recover any of it now - what with it being illegal to download music. Plus, my iPod told me "Don't Steal Music." So, I must comply. Oh I am sure some of it can be bought from iTunes, but I collect rare remixes. Fat chance of those being for sale in digital format.

So, just a word of warning. If you have old, old CD-Rs of data or MP3s, you may want to check them for bubbles - and make a prompt backup!

It could really ruin your day.

:~(

January 12, 2005

MSN me

I don't instant message much. I used to, but those days are long gone.

However, I do have MSN Instant Messenger on while I am at work. Although I don't chat a lot to anyone, I like being able to see someone I know is out there. When I see a familiar contact pop online, I kinda smile. It makes me fell like I am not alone out there in the Matrix. Even if I don't chat them up, it is just nice to know you've got a friend online.

That's probably the most insane thing I've ever typed into this blog. Does that make sense to anyone?

Anyhow, if you use MSN IM, let me know your ID. I probably won't be much of a chatter, but I do like seeing a familiar name when I'm online.

Maybe you do too.

Teenage Wasteland

I was just checking one of my (many) HotMail accounts, when I saw this MSN article "10 Things Your Teenage Girl Won't Tell You ... but She Did Tell Me."

Uh oh, this is scary.

Some of the highlights:
* I think about sex -- a lot.
* I worry about my looks all the time.
* My bedroom is the seat of my soul.
* I want to be a star -- or at least be with a star!
* I take your cash flow for granted.

Jeepers!

Any teenage girls read this blog? If so, are these things dead-on? Parents, is this true?

Read the full article here, then get back to me on this!

January 5, 2005

Dusty Ghostbusters

[Click To View Larger Image]

December 22, 2004

Rededication Redux

It seems every few months I have to make some declaration that I am doing something different with my life. Well, here we go again.

This time, I am ready to focus back on my artwork.

What this will mean is that I must dedicate my free time to practice. Huh? Practice? Yeah, I was never any good at that. Which is probably why I was always second to last chair in Band (I played trumpet).

But I've realized if I ever want to produce any art at all, I need to get serious. For now, I am just goiing to concentrate on Chariacature work. I have a book now that I think will really help, and of course, I do draw fairly well - so I should be able to master it by Summer.

Setting attainable, little goals is the key. I tend to get GRAND and plot out my entire future with these BIG IDEAS of mine. Then I get too intimidated, afraid of failing, and do nothing. That. Must. Stop.

Plus, I just have this strong feeling that the Lord has a plan for me that involves artwork. I can't explain it, but I feel He wants me to get my skills into shape. He has a plan for my life, and something tells me, art is involved in some way.

As for the Blog, well, I have to write. I can't avoid it. So, you won't see much change here. The change will be inside me, as well as with how I spend my free time.

There is something about saying it out loud, telling you my plan, that makes it real. That makes me more motivated to follow through.

So, who knows? Maybe in a few months I will be asking you to send me your photos so I can practice drawing you.

I can't wait!!!

December 21, 2004

Purged

I had no choice but to purge all of the "subscriptions" to my posts.

Mostly, it was due to comment spam.

Any comment spam attempt made to old posts, would result in all of those subscribed to the post getting the spam. Even if MT-Blacklist blocked the actual comment from being posted, all the subscribers got a notification. In many cases, the spam-filled comment was blocked by your email filter and sent back to me. Also, many of the older "Monday Mission" posts had emails that no longer existed. Those MM's tended to get the most comment spam, and thus, loads of bounced mail back to me.

So, to save you the trouble of un-subscribing, and in an effort to stay off of the banned domains for spamming, I removed all of the email subscriptions to all of the posts here.

Now, do feel free to sign-up again for anything you want. I just had to purge because it was too much effort to manage the bounced mails.

Hope you understand.

Death of the VCR

Remember when you could find rows and rows of VCRs at nearly any retail chain? Those days are gone.

Our VCR went out, and there was no way to McGuyver it back to life.

Now, before you shame me for still owning a VCR rather than a TiVo, let me say this: there are still a lot of reasons to own a VCR. I have a lot og VHS tapes of TV specials and shows which are not yet on DVD (or may never be, like Max Headroom or "The Flash"). I have a lot of family movies, and if I want to share them with my family, I have to make VHS copies. As for recording, yes TiVo is easier. But I do not want to pay for the subscription, nor for the unit. Tapes work fine for me and my DVD player rocks.

Back to our story....

So, I went to Target to see what they had in the way of VHS machines. Two. Everything else was a DVD/VHS combo, or a stand-alone DVD player. Of the 2 they had, one was $80 and the other was a bare-bones mono unit. You see, I need a STEREO VCR. My many tapes are in stereo, I love watching shows in stereo, I need stereo. Most all the VCRs you find (if you find any) are mono. Ick.

Then I went to the Wal-Marts. Same story, except I found only one unit. One. Again, everything else was DVD/VCR combos. OK, I just bought a DVD player, and I like it. I do not need another DVD player sitting on top of my current one.

Oh well, Best Buy. For sure I can count on them. After all, a spokesperson said ''We'll will continue to sell them for the foreseeable future as long the market is there for them." Guess what? Two units. Two. One was $65 and the other was the same one from Target at $80. All the others were Combos.

Sears is the same way.

I see it coming. The days of the VHS are winding down. Just look at the shelves of your local Blockbuster. That says it all!

Thankfully, I did find a stereo VCR at another Wal-Marts for $49. But I can't really see investing much more than that in a dying technology. I sure won't miss wrinkled tapes and dirty (snowy) heads.

I need to transfer my VHS tapes to DVD. I know it. I suppose the best solution would be the VCR/DVD+Burner combo, tranfer all that I could, and let the VCR slowly fade away. Then I need a Digital Video Camera which would plug right in via Firewire for direct burning. Ugh. It makes me head spin!

First my Betamax, now this. *sniff, sniff*

Further Reading:
End of era: Adieu, VCR
R.I.P. VCR
Go Ahead, Toss Out Your VCR
VCR dies, mourned by Asian friends

December 16, 2004

Not Amazed

Tuesday on the Amazing Race 6, Jonathan's rage at his wife Victoria escalated throughout the episode. Then, he let loose the smackdown.

At the finish line, after making her carry his backpack (along with her own), he verbally berates her, humiliates her, then nearly pushes her over (image clip).

Even Phil was upset byJ's actions. Viewers are outraged at the shove, saying J should have been eliminated from the Race, or that CBS should have put up a disclaimer or followed up with information on domestic abuse. You can't balme CBS for Jonathon's actions. Should they have not show it? I think there would be more complaints if they'd left it out. Men like this are everywhere. That was the "reality" in reality TV.

Me? I just feel sorry for Victoria. Watching J on the race I think we all had a feeling he had the potential to explode. He nearly has several times (but seemed to be happy with reducing Victoria to tears). I saw her spoked of as a Trophy Wife. Why? Because she was Playboy's Miss January 1996?

Should we give Jonathan the benefit of the doubt? He claims it was a combination of stress, obession, medication and says he takes "full responsibly for my actions on screen." Then issues an apology on his Blog. But if you read carefully, he implies it was the show that conspired to make him look bad, a "storyline" and he is playing a character. That sounds like Denial 101 to me.

Acting? Split Personalities? Side Effects of Meds? Who knows, it isn't like I know much about this guy, his life off camera and whether his wife respects him (or he, her). All I know is what I see on the TV. Maybe they will get their own "Newlyweds" style reality show.

I don't know what to think. I've never met anyone like him (that I know of). Are there really guys like this? Should we be worried about Victoria? Or is it totally blown out of proportion?

Further Reading:
Television Without Pity - Sounding off on Jonathan & Victoria

Dads Shouldn't Talk Like That

Ok, seriously, Joe Simpson (father of Jessica and Ashlee) is creeping me out. From a GQ interview via the New York Post:

"Jessica never tries to be sexy. She just is sexy. If you put her in a T-shirt or you put her in a bustier, she's sexy in both. She's got double D's! You can't cover those suckers up!" Simpson also volunteered that he modified the part Ashlee will play in an upcoming movie, "Wannabe." In the original script, Ashlee's character was gay. "I changed it," Simpson says. "It doesn't work for her to be gay the first thing out. She said, 'But it's cool, it's edgy, it's different,' and of course the filmmakers were like, 'It's cool for a woman to be a lesbian,' and I'm like, 'That's true, but not her first role.' She's going to be a huge movie star. She's like Meg Ryan or Cameron Diaz, with probably more depth. When we're done, she'll play it all."

Ew.

Wow, is he ever proud of their boobs.

How about that last line:"She's going to be a huge movie star. She's like Meg Ryan or Cameron Diaz, with probably more depth." Ahem. "With more depth?" Oooh-kay.

It just wrong in sooooooo many ways for a Dad to talk, and appreciate, his daughter's breasts.

Daddy Joe is giving me the creeps.

December 14, 2004

Top of the Pops

Kinda slammed with work and real life this week, So since I won't have time to post very often, thought I'd give you some things to read.

Of all my posts here, these are they that get more comments than any others:

* Who was Parson Brown? - My research into why the young couple in "Winter Wonderland" named their snowman "Parson Brown."

* Power Player Super Joy Review - My review of the bootleg (and now illegal to sell) 76,000-in-One-Controller classic Nintendo game system (this was even Slashdotted).

* Solaris Trailer Music - I was captivated by the piano music used in the trailer for "Solaris" starring George Clooney (didn't much care for the actual movie though). I wound up writing four investigative posts on the music wherein I finally tracked down the actual source of the piece.

All of these posts are relatively old, but thanks to Google, I get hits on them quite often.

How about you, what are some of your most popular posts that still get hits/comments even today?

December 9, 2004

The Spirits Within

I really like to think of myself as an artist.

I paint, I draw, I sculpt.

But I am frustrated that I don't have the passion for it that others do. I recall reading about an artist who drew every day. Someone asked her "How can you draw each and every day?" Her reply was "I can't not draw."

Which makes me think, maybe art isn't my thing. I actually CAN not draw. A lot. I can not draw for weeks. Months even. So where then is my passion? What then is it, that I can't not do?

The answer would be "write."

Writing? That isn't supposed to be my thing! I am an artist! I draw. I create art! That is supposed to be what I do best!

If I am honest with myself though, I think I have to admit, I would much rather write something meaningful that draw.

The thing is, I don't think I write all that well. I have been told by a few readers that some of my posts here have made them cry. I think that means a lot to me. I want an emotional response to what I do. Art, while it is nice that I can do it, doesn't seem to get the response I want from others - or from me.

I really don't know if I am really good at writing, but it makes me feel good to do it. Especially when I can really convey emotions, mine or those of another.

Writing about my Grandmother's last days felt good. My extended diary of m'Lady's battle with Cancer did me good.

I want to sketch every day, I want to do drawings and portraits - I have that inner frustration. But when the rubber meets the road, I get more satisfaction from writing. Maybe that then is my "drawing."

Maybe it is time I embraced that.

December 2, 2004

Who de Hoodie

I just need a culture check.

When did people start calling Hooded Sweatshirts "Hoodies?"

I know I am pushing 40 and quite out of touch with the tweens & teens of today (though I do know what "tossed salad" is), but when did this happen?

"Hoodies!"

What? Was I sleeping?

December 1, 2004

The Wise Man Has The Power

Interesting.

The age-old debate between Evolution and Creationisim is heating up again.

There are 2 cases in court about this. USA Today has an article on it. And Google News is full of stories on this.

Of course, don't you call it "Creationisim" anymore. The politically correct term is "Intelligent Design." This term coming from the idea that we humans are so complex in design that their must have been a designer at work. No one names the designer, so I guess it could be God or it could be Martians.

I saw some great comments on this News Hounds post, so go have a read.

Best quote of all of the articles: "I happen to believe both in God and evolution"

Ohhhhh-kayyyy.....

So. where do you stand on this issue?

Further Reading:
ACLU Endorses Ignorance in Pennsylvania
Case For A Creator
Bloggers commenting on Creationisim and Intelligent Design
Debating Christianity Forums

November 24, 2004

Wherein PromoGuy Answers His Email:

Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 23:14:04 -0800 (PST)
From: SomeTroll @ yahoo.com
To: Me
Subject: Blogs and IP

Hello there,

Is it possible to find someones IP adress if they host/post on a blog site like BlogSpot etc. I was just curious if its possible.

Thank You

If you have to ask then you don't need to know.

November 23, 2004

A Friday of Color

The badly named "Black Friday" is coming up this week. It refers to the Friday after Thanksgiving, where retailers give you the best deals of the year.

In the case of computers and technology, you really can get some good deals. Although, it usuallt involves camping outside the door at 4 am.

Anandtech's Hot Deals forum has several threads: here and here
BF04- the main page links to sub pages where you can choose by store or by category
DealTakers has a thread that mirrors a lot of the other postings

Wow, looks like you can finally get that Easy Bake Oven you've always wanted - for just $9.99 at TRU!

As for me, I have my eyes on the Gameboy Advance SP w/ Free Spiderman-2 Game at Target for $79.99. Oh Saaantaaaa, you reading this???

Can I Getta Foo-Yea

I left the comment below on Chris' post regarding correcting others when they pronounce a word wrong. Thought I'd repost it here too.

I recall reading an Ann Landers, or Dear Abby, years and years ago about a similar situation.

That said, even though I know "foyer" is pronounced "foo-yea," this self-respecting OKIE just can't bring himself to say it that way in public.

How about you, have you been in a similar situation, or just insist on saying a word incorrectly? Speak up y'all!

November 17, 2004

Whee-mail

Finally!

Hotmail has finally upgraded all of my email accounts to 250 MBs storage!

Free Storage increase to 250MB
FREE 250MB of storage capacity is coming to your MSN Hotmail e-mail account. We are increasing your online storage to 250MB—that’s over 100 times the storage you have now.

That’s not all we are also increasing your attachment size from 1MB to 10MB!

Sure, sure, I already have a G-mail account with 1gig of storage, but I don't use it much. My hotmail account is used more and really, I don't want to change it.

Also, Half.com is gearing up for their annual sale.

In the next few days, we'll send you the details of this special promotion. Don't delay and miss out on this fantastic savings opportunity! If your favorite Books, Music, Movies and Games aren't on your Wish List by Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at 11:59 PM EST, they won't qualify for this special promotion.

I think they have a deep discount for items on your "Wish List." So if you haven't already, go add some items so you can get in on the sale.

What A Wonderful World: Amazing Race 6

Last night The Amazing Race 6 began. I really wish I could get more people I know in real life to watch this show. I think it is so much more enjoyable than "Survivor" or any of the other reality shows.

That said, here is a promo that was running for a while before the premiere. They put the clips to a rockin' rendition of "What A Wonderful World" by, well I am not sure, but it could be "The Flaming Lips." I can't find a sample of them singing their version to verify it though.

Great clip but they all seem to be from the first episode spliced in with destinations that we've visited in previous "Races." In fact, I think I saw the very NOT scary tigers from way back in TAR 2. These tigers were supposed to be part of this challenge where the Racers had to go past them to get a clue. Except the tigers were so lethargic that the most scary thing they could do was yawn. In fact, I think that IS a yawn in the clip they keep using.

Eeeenywayz, you can see some clips from the show that weren't used on air on the Insider Video page.

Looks like some good teams this go round. "Hellboi" and shi girlfriend crack me up. I loved how another team said they'd look like little monkeys climbing the ice wall. And Blue-Hair? Hoo-boy, looks like we've found this episode's Colin! Lori and Bolo, oh man, I hope they stick around for a while - so funny!

Best line of the night: "I think my Implants are frozen!"

November 16, 2004

Kris Kross is not having anything today

I noticed that children as no longer asked to sit on the floor "Indian Style."

They are called to sit "Criss-Cross Applesauce."

I like it much better, plus it is probably more culture-sensitive.

Wherein PromoGuy Answers His Email: Big Booty

Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 11:16:25 -0800 (PST)
From: kristine [email removed to protect the innocent)
To: me
Subject: SEND MORE INFORMATION
I WANT A BIG BOOTY, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S FAKE OR NOT HOW DO I GET ONE .PLEASE HELP

McDonalds. Precisely, a daily diet of a Sausage McGriddle (550 calories, 33 grams fat) and a side of the very tasty five-piece McChicken Selects (630 calories, 33 grams of fat and 46 grams of carbohydrates).

As for me, I'll be with Jared at Subway.

Hope this helps!

Figure 8, Get it Straight

While those of us who grew up in the 70's are much more familiar with the soothing sounds of "Figure 8" as sung by Blossom Dearie, children today really had no "Schoolhouse Rock." Until now! Schoolhouse Rock returns to television thanks to TOON Disney!

Plus, we have all of the cartoons on DVD to keep our memories fresh and pass on a little bit of the past to the culture to come.

I always was able to remember song lyrics better than memorizing the multiplication tables. Even today I refer back to some of those songs. That's why when I found out about "Multiplication Hip Hop" I thought that was a pretty neat idea. Very old news, but hey, it was news to me.

You can listen to some of the songs here on NPR's Morning Edition. Can't say that I dig 'em that much, but hey anything that helps children learn basic math is a darn good thing! Probably other cuts on the CD are more hip-hoppin'. Then again, I just might never like anything as much as Multiplication Rock. I have the original LP from back in tha' day. Yeah, the actual LP. Gonna have to snap a photo of it for ya.

Further Reading:
-Washington Post article on De-U Records
-De-U Records
-"Schoolhouse Rap"
-GrammarMan
-R.I.P. Saturday morning cartoons
-Interview with MECO, the Disco Star Wars composer (yeah, totally unrelated but I had to put the link somewhere)

November 12, 2004

Oak Tree!

A man who looks way too much like Phil Keoghan from the Amazing Race, tries on about every ugly sweater ever made from the late 80's. Jeepers, I think I actually owned this one (the reg/grey one), or a close cousin of it.

Except, where are the wild ones from Chess King that had the leather swirls sewn on?

Or the one with the Big Dragon on the back from Oak Tree?

Well, some things are better left in the past. Like those parachute pants, zipper tie, and snap shoulder shirt and velcro shoes I once wore. Oh yes, let's not go back there!

Don't forget the Amazing Race 6 starts on Tuesday November 16th!!!

November 8, 2004

No Kick From Coffee

It has always bugged me that caffiene has never given me a buzz. Never.

OK, once.

There was that time where I blogged and drank 2 Starbuck's DoubleShots. That did give me a buzz.

But otherwise, coffee in the morning = nada. Nothing. Zip.

I feel left out. I wanna fit in. I want to crave coffee in the morning. I want to fix a pot at midnight when I need to pull an all-nighter.

Without Buzz am I.

Not that I don't enjoy a Mocha Frapp now and then, or a warm cuppa Joe now and then (with loads of cream and sugar, never black). It just doesn't make me hyper.

Y'all are lucky, I wish I was like you!

November 5, 2004

Weekend Tuneage

Our local progressive Christian Rock station, KOKF-FM, is playing a great song by new artist Kiliasm.

I am not even sure he has a label yet, but it probably won't be long. The song has topped their charts for 2 weeks, and will probably go longer. A Google search on "Kiliasm" didn't turn up much, so if you are here via Google, welcome! Stay a while and see the rest of the site!

Anyway, the song is called "Delila."

Now if you have never heard Christian Rap, you should take a moment and download the song. It is great rap, religous or not. Either way, the download is free, as are several of his other songs. Download "Delila" right here. Now if only I could understand all of the lyrics, man that guy raps FAST!

You're Not Wearing THAT Are You?

That's one phrase that will take the wind right out of the sails of a man.

I am sure the ladies never mean it to sting, but we guys like to at least think we can dress ourselves (even if we can't).

A few others:
"I'm really tired tonight"
"Oh thank you! Um, do you still have the receipt?"
"Did you want your hair cut like that"

Guys, got any lines that've cut you swift and deep?

Ladies, got any others?

November 3, 2004

Death Becomes Her

As expected, Mema passed away last night.

The cancer was too much for her body to fight.

It's hard to get over a tiny sense of guilt, because I was planning to go see her at lunch yesterday but decided not to go. I felt like I'd had my special moments with her last week, and in my mind I would be expecting that again. I didn't want to spoil the warm memory of that sweet smile she gave me. I didn't want to lose that mumbled "I love you too" in a memory of her newly weakened state. Yet, I felt selfish when I got the call. "She will be gone any minute" my Aunt told me when she called from the care facility last night. No, no, I had the chance to see her today but I didn't go!

Should I feel guilty? I could have gone to see her, it would have been my last chance. But I've seen someone die before my eyes. I really didn't care to see it again. That sounds selfish to me. But maybe it would have been more selfish to go see her "one last time." What would that have gained me? One last touch? One last look at her...alive? Can you even call that being alive?

I am thankful she's no longer in pain, because I know she was. Hospice is generous with the morphene, but you could just tell she was still uncomfortable.

Mema's in a better place already, with the Lord and Savior, whom she loved and had in her heart.

I am thankful to Him for giving me such tender moments with her before she passed away. I couldn't have asked for more.

I won't be around much in the next few days, as I will be trying to make myself available to my family.

Life is so sweet, but so short.

Be joyous and hug your children and wife/husband/partner.

And of course, enjoy every sandwich.

Beyond the Stars

I never got to see the new Sci-Fi channel mini-series for the new 2003 "Battlestar Galactica."

Now I see there is a series being made of it to debut January 2005.

Between this and the election, there are some times I really wish I had cable tv. If only you could order cable channels a la carte! I'd be all over Sci-Fi channel.

Wonder if the mini-series will be out on DVD or something. You'd think that would be a no-brainer. I am only a year behind, but I'd still like to see it! Someone told me I'd like Farscape too.

Who can I beg to tape/Tivo the new series for me next year????

Every Vote Counts, or is it Count Every Vote?

November 2, 2004

Church vs State vs Chad

Isn't it odd that so many voting facilities are located in local churches?

October 27, 2004

Oh so Smug

Does anyone love Pat O'Brien more than Pat O'Brien?

Man, that guy is so smug it just drives me nuts. Now he has his own show, an Entertainment Tonight spinoff called "The Insider."

I can't exactly figure out what it is, but I just can't stand that guy. The show isn't much better. And poor Lara Spencer. She left Good Morning America (Mexican Dip recipie) to be stuck up on a TV screen broadcasting from New York. I wager she gets dumped or brought in-studio before the season ends. If it survives. At least she has Antiques Roadshow to fall back on.

But back to Pat.

Dig the words of wisdom he signed off with on the weekend edition:

"Get out and vote. It doesn't matter who you vote for, you know that. Just vote. It's the new Hip."

Ugh.

October 25, 2004

No really, I saw it

No one believes me, but I swear I saw it on TV when I was little.

A commercial for this glass-cutting device that attached to glass soda pop bottles (yes kids, before plastic coke bottles, we had glass!). It would clamp on, and you would spin it around and around the bottle for a while. Eventually, the top third of the glass bottle would pop-off and you were left with a "charming and decorative glass tumbler." I never understood how you wouldn't cut your mouth on those. But imagine, serving your guests in lovely 7-UP and Pepsi tumblers!

It was probably a Ron-co or K-Tel gadget.

I think it was called the K-TEL Bottle and Jar Cutter Home Art Kit or something like that.

Oh, come on now. You remember it, don't you?

It was on at the same time you saw the Rhinestone& Stud Setter & Mister Microphone commercials "Hey good looking, we'll be back to pick ya up later!"

Ah, the commercials of the 70's, there's nuttin' like 'em for nostalgia!

Yeah, what they said

I don't really talk politics here. Other folks do it so much better than I....

Faith Gamber has "An Ethical Issue with John Kerry" and links to a very interesting video.

BlogsForBush.com has one heckuva Blogroll!

Tallglassofmilk posts on John Kerry and the UN Security Council.

Staci posts on Conservative vs Liberal and on visiting a church that used the phrase "Mother-Father God" a lot.

Michael asks "Which is greater?"

Anyone heard about FahrenHYPE 911? CBJ has reviewed it. With that movie on one side, Michael Moore's in the middle, then you'd need "Celsius 41.11" for the other bookend I suppose. The New York Times calls it "more thoughtful and accurate than Fahrenheit 9/11." I may avoid all three.

Disclaimer: Despite the title of this post, I am not saying I agree in part or in whole with any sites I link to. Or maybe I am. Or maybe I just like to stir things up.

September 25, 2004

Halloween Idea - Trick or Treat Bag cake

I can always tell when m'Lady is feeling better when she wants to do projects.

She had me look this "Trick or Treat bag" cake on Woman's Day Magazine's web site.

I thought it was pretty cool, so I wanted to pass it along. The original recipie appeared in the Nov. 1, 2000 issue - thank goodness for web archives!

View the recipie right here!

And if ya make one, send me a photo!

September 22, 2004

Spaced Out

Looks like I am about at my limit.

Last time I checked, I had less than 10 MB left on my alloted storage here. Most of the file size is taken up by my archived posts. I archive by category, monthly and individual posts.

I may blow out the individual posts, that might give me back some space. But man, that would totally ruin every link I have in Google's results. I'd hate to have to do that.

I am not really sure how to proceed here. I already removed the photo gallery, which was indeed a space hog. As well as some larger media files and unused folders.

Got any advice? How do you handle your post archives? What do you do when you get low on space? How do you decide what stays and what goes?

September 21, 2004

AngerSpam

Somehow my domain is being used to send Spam out, and my inbox is filled with nothing but bounced and non-delivered mail.

How unfair is it to see 19 new messages and to get your hopes up that suddenly people like you, only to see it is all bounced spam from some lowlife scumsucker.

Drat.

Now what am I supposed to do about all this?

September 14, 2004

Santa Mugs is Comin' To Town

Ho-ho-ho!

Lookit what I found in my Grandmother's attic!

SANTA MUGS!!!

And a Santa Punchbowl too! Are these totally retro-cool or what?

I've no idea how old they are, but they were packed in a newspaper from Aug. 2, 1974.

Kinda gets me in the mood for the Polar Express movie in November!

September 9, 2004

Gee, mail

So here I am with this great Gmail account, with 1 GB of storage.

And I don't use it.

The main reason is that I can't find a way to get my domain web mail into Gmail. It doesn't appear to support POP-3 and I really don't want to forward all my @promoguy.net email there.

Another reason was, there wasn't a way to be notified of new G-mail. Well, now Google has released the official "Gmail Notifier."

Nifty!!

Now if they could just get all my other mail (like Hotmail, domain mail, Y! mail) into the Gmail, I'd be set!

You can mail me there if you wanna, just zap it to promoguy AT gmail.com

Then I can say "Gee, mail!"

September 8, 2004

Backtrack

Disclaimer: This is a rant about certain Chiropractors. Though I may, I don't mean to generalize. If I do, realize I am not pointing at all Chiropractors. OK?

As m'Lady recovers from her whole tumor/cancer experience, she is thinking of seeing a Chiropractor for some back pain.

I don't really have a problem with this, but I am very suspicious of some Chiropractors. Some use fear as a tool to get patients, women especially, to use their services.

I remember last time she went for a consultation with this one chiropractor...on the initial visit he took some X-rays and talked to her. Set her up for a few visits then next week would discuss the results. This "visit" was free, but the services weren't. Hmmmm.

She went for a few treatments while the rays were being returned, and was feeling a little better. All the while, they were sending our insurance complany these expensive bills. She told the Dr they wouldn't pay but they insisted on billing anyway, never telling us what we would be charged. Only saying it would be covered in the follow-up.

OK, so now warning flags are up in our mind. How about that follow-up? Turns out the Dr. would not give her the results of the x-ray analysis unless I was present. Yeah, can you believe that? She wanted to come in for the follow-up, to see what he would suggest and he wouldn't meet with her to dicuss it without me present. When did we suddenly go back in time to where women aren't allowed to make up their own mind???

She called and told the nurse she wasn't interested in that, no thanks. Suddenly the Dr. gets on the phone and starts telling her she could be looking at an early death if she didn't pursue chiropractic treatment. No, seriously, this it for real! He goes on and on, so now she's not only worried, but angry too. She never went back and we had to fight them to get our portion of the bills reduced (since they jacked it up for the insurance company, which we told them wouldn't cover it).

The next Chiropractor she spoke to had a similar policy where he would only meet with the entire family, not just an individual. My guess is these guys think they can scare the woman so much that the man will step in and insist on the treatment. Whatever the logic, I find it odd that two Chiropractors were using a similar scare tactic.

Maybe this is just an odd occurrence, but it doesn't reflect well on the chiropractic community in my mind! Has this happened to you or anyone you know?

I think there are definite benefits from Chiropractic treatment. However based on these two experiences, I'm wondering about the ethics of some of these "free initial consultations." . Maybe it's time to pull back the curtain and expose these freaks. They seem more like sales pitches built on instilling fear in women.

On second though, maybe I'd better go along after all....

These are some of my favorite things

The other day I was thinking of the natural things in the world that just make me smile. Not things people do for me, not things I do myself, not even things I appreciate other people for accomplishing.

No, I am thinking of things that occour in the world, with no intervention by people, that make me glad to be here. Now, when you look at my list, it might suprise you that A) it is so brief, and B) that I chose what I did. Still, those are the things that do it for me. I can't explain why, but that's how God wired me up.

So here's my list. Give it some thought, and post a similar list on your site. Link to it in a comment here so we can all can come read it.

Natural Smiles: Things that happen in nature, in spite of mankind, that make me smile.

Overcast Days - Nothing makes me more comfortable that a day that has a nice cool breeze and overcast skies. You'd think it would be sunshine, but living in Oklahoma, I see plenty of that. I like the look of the grey clouds, the puffy way they clump together. I like the hint of sunlight that peeks through every now and then. I love the nice, cool breeze. Folks think I'm nuts, but an overcast day in the middle of summer is the best.

A Full Moon - I just love walking outside when the moon is full. The light is so bright sometimes you could almost read a book. If you look closely, you can even see some of the shadows cast by the moon's craters. It is just one of those things I find magnificient.

Canada Geese - We have them all over the place where I live, and I love to see them fly - especially in formation. The black neck makes them look so sleek. Whether in a pond, or sitting off in the grass, there is just something soothing to me about watching these geese. I can't explain it, but just looking at them is relaxing. Plus they look pretty darn snazzy.

Now, let's see your list!

September 4, 2004

Hung Out 2 Dry

Ummm.... it was squeaking when it ran...so I had to investigate...but...

Should my dryer look like this?

Jeepers, what have I gotten myself into?

August 31, 2004

Burning Bush

I am really suprised by how many in the online community are against the re-election of President Bush.

Or maybe it just seems that way.

It certainly seems that Hollywood is against Bush's re-election.

Maybe there is something that the Creative Community has against Bush that I am not picking up on. Then again maybe it isn't so much they are "Pro-Kerry," but more like "Anyone But Bush."

Having mass amounts of artists and creatives against you in an election isn't a good thing. It has, however sparked a LOT of creativity in pushing the anti-Bush sentiment.

So while I don't necessarily understand why so many bloggers, artists, actors, writers and the like are pushing against President Bush, I can certainly appreciate the creativity that the idea has generated.

August 23, 2004

Just Ask PromoGuy...

Wherein PromoGuy answers his e-mail.

Today's email comes from Shari.

Hi there,

God Bless,
Shari

Dearest Reader,

Always glad to help out a fellow Okie!

Shari, the song you are looking for is almost certainly "Jam On It" by Newcleus.

Just follow this link to Jam on This!: The Best of Newcleus and click on the song to hear a sample.

Wikki Wikki Wikki!

Shut Up!

Oh, also rapper and actor Mos Def recorded the song too. You can llisten to it here, on Mos' own site, and buy it here!

Hope this helps, and JAM ON IT!

August 6, 2004

Free iPod: Glam or Sham?

*UPDATED* 08/11/2004
(see end of post)

Late to the party as usual, I liked the excitement Christine gushed about regarding the Free i-Pod offer. Nothing like the word "Free" to knock ya out of your funky mood, right?

Some sort of "get 5 friends to do it too" thing.

She quickly scored the i-Pod, so of course I thought maybe I could do the same.

Simply put, you click on my link for the Free i-Pod, sign up for your own, then "complete 1 of the offers" they show you. You, in turn, ask 5 others to sign-up under you, so you can get one too. And so on.

Now, to me, it looks mostly harmless. You might wanna use a Hotmail or Yahoo account as email, because Spam will surely follow.

The "offers" aren't even a big deal - heck one of them is signing up for e-Bay and bidding on 1 item (not winning, bidding). Other offers include AOL's MusicNet (free if you cancel on time), Columbia House DVDs, GM credit card (free),Pet Care RX, BMG 12 CDs for 1, and a few others. I'd say the GM card and e-Bay would be the easiest, plus they are free. I did ebay, even though I have an ID there, you can have more than 1.

My new ID? diditforafreeipod of course!

So, no big deal, but if you wanna do the same for your blog, just follow my link, sign up, grab an offer, and link to your free i-Pod offer.

BONUS:
Oh, to sweeten the deal, anyone who signs up & completes the offer under me will get a link to their "sign-up" page (one I get all 5 competed). Now that may not seem like a huge value, but wait a few days and see where this site shows up when you Google "Free Ipod!"

UPDATE - 8/11/2004
1 person has completed their offer - Hurrah! 4 more!!

It seems the e-Bay offer vanished, but a new one has appeared: Sign up for a free 14-day Trial of "Real Rhapsody."
RealRhapsody
Burn more music and less money! All the songs you want –just 79 cents each with a FREE 14 day trial of RealRhapsodyTM No limits or restrictions on the largest legal digital collection in the world! Sign up for a 14 day free trial. You will be credited in 1-2 days

Doesn't say you have to buy any songs, so that is a good option! Keep in mind, the offers you see are probably targeted to your age and/or gender, thus you may see offers I don't and likewise, you may not see what I see.

Simply put, you click on my link for the Free i-Pod, sign up for your own, then "complete 1 of the offers" they show you. You, in turn, ask 5 others to sign-up under you, so you can get one too. And so on.

Now, to me, it looks mostly harmless. You might wanna use a Hotmail or Yahoo account as email, because Spam will surely follow.

The "offers" aren't even a big deal - heck one of them is signing up for e-Bay and bidding on 1 item (not winning, bidding). Other offers include AOL's MusicNet (free if you cancel on time), Columbia House DVDs, GM credit card (free),Pet Care RX, BMG 12 CDs for 1, and a few others. I'd say the GM card and e-Bay would be the easiest, plus they are free. I did ebay, even though I have an ID there, you can have more than 1.

My new ID? diditforafreeipod of course!

So, no big deal, but if you wanna do the same for your blog, just follow my link, sign up, grab an offer, and link to your free i-Pod offer.

BONUS:
Oh, to sweeten the deal, anyone who signs up & completes the offer under me will get a link to their "sign-up" page. Now that may not seem like a huge value, but wait a few days and see where this site shows up when you Google "Free Ipod!"

July 16, 2004

Whos Johnny? Whos Johnny?

Gah!

When a song get stick in your head, the only way to get it out is, sadly, to get it stuck in someone else's head. So forgive me, but it is for my on sanity that I do this...so I now give you "Who's Johnny" by El Debarge from the 1986 movie "Short Circuit" starring Ally Sheedy and Fisher Stevens.

Whos Johnny? she said
And smiled in her special way
Johnny she said
You know I love you
Whos Johnny? she said
And tried to look the other way
Her eyes gave her away

Especially annoying are the high pitched voices saying "Whooo eeees John-neeeeey?"

As if the cheesy 80's song wasn't bad enough, my brain is remixing it with Weird Al Yankovic's "Here's Johnny" - which makes for a pretty fun mash-up actually.

C'mon now, who didn't want their very own "Johnny Five" after they saw that movie????

If a DeBarge song must be stuck in my brain, why oh why couldn't it be "Rhythm of the Night." (Let's hear it for Bruce Leroy!)

Did You Know:
-That originally the robot had no name other than Number Five. The name was given to him once the rights to "Who's Johnny" were aquired for the movie (meaning the song wasn't inspired by the movie after all).
-There was never an official sountrack to the 1st movie?

Further Thought:
If the movie were made today, would Fisher Stevens' acting of East Indian character Ben Jabituya be considered politically incorrect?

Further Reading:
Johnny 5: The Untold Story
The Johnny Five Recreation Project
JohnnyFive.com
Worst Songs to Have Sex To (featuring "Who's Johnny)
One of the Worst Songs Ever? Aw now, that's just mean, we all know it was "We Built This City" by Jefferson-less Starship.
2002 Story about a real robot that escaped (to the parking lot) - Run Johnny, Run!
Gurdge Match: Bender vs. Johnny #5
"The Last Dragon" reviewd by Toastyfrog Jump ("Sho'Nuff!")

June 3, 2004

Gas Bubble

Price Check!

Just for fun, how much is a gallon of gasoline in your town? We're talkin' regular unleaded here, and be sure to mention where you live too!

(I just had to post something fun and interactive, since I won't be postin' anything m'sef' for a long while...and to get that last post to move down a bit)

May 4, 2004

DVD Differences

There is a link somewhere to a site that lists, in amazing detail, the differences between DVD releases among the various regions. Sadly, I can not locate that link or I'd share it. I think it is based in the UK though I am not sure what gives me that impression.

However, I did find this interesting commentary on the new things George Lucas added to the "Special Edition" of the Star Wars Trilogy.

DVDbeaver also has some great comparisons. Still isn't the one I am thinking of, but a great site.

If you know the site of which I speak, please link it in the comments.

Mind Junk

Got a some issues to deal with offline, so not that anyone's asked, but that's why I've not been updating. Trying to focus.

But, that said, I do have some links I want to bookmark, so I will be tossing them out here and there.

Plus, I've seen a few movies I need to write about. So, I've got lots of junk in my mental attic taking up space, I just need to find time to dump it out. Shouldn't be too long, things in RL should be resolved soon, in the meantime, expect a few pointless link lists.

April 22, 2004

Jazz'd

I gotta get outta here for a while.

The lights in the office are making me mental.

Think I'm gonna take my lunch to the park nearby.

I'll report back later, maybe with pics.

See ya laytah sweet pahtaytah!

April 13, 2004

PromoGuy's Topic of the Week

So, here's a topic for you to trackback and comment on: The Easter Bunny.

As parents, it is a good idea to encourage belief in the Easter Bunny? Have your children ever confronted you on the whether he/she's real? How did you handle it? What was it like when you figured it out? Did you connect the dots to the other childhood mysteries like the Tooth Fairy and you-know-who? For those who follow Jesus, isn't it a bit of a risk to ask kids to believe in a fantasy like the Easter Bunny while also asking them to believe in a figure like Christ? And is it me, or is the Easter Bunny costume at the mall just plain creepy?

We now return to our regularly scheduled program...

Still there?

I kinda wondered if anyone would stick around after that last post. I've somehow picked up a reputation for being a "God Blog" though I rarely make an issue of religion (mine, or anyone's) here in this journal. Or maybe I do and don't realize it.

Here's a quick True or False quiz for ya:

Funny thing about Faith and Religion. It isn't the sort of thing you like to read about in a blog unless it matches your point of view.

TRUE or FALSE?

April 6, 2004

Fear and Loathing

The nightmares are getting more frequent, and harder to escape from.

I am not sure if I need more sleep. Maybe I need less. Less sleep means I sleep harder, and don't remember the dreams.

I've not found a thread between the nights I have them that helps me pinpoint the cause (be it thoughts, movies, stress, food, what not).

Sunday night's was one of the worst. It must be bordering on Lucid dreaming. Because I know I am in the dream. I just can't get out.

Not the most violent or bloody, though I've had those for sure. But by far it was the worst, most terrifying, dream I've ever had. The most alone and helpless I've ever felt.

This one was just me in bed, in the dark, looking down the hall. A small child was walking up the hall to my room. The door was open. I thought I knew the child, but as she/he got closer the skin was pale blue and the hair was white as snow. A deathly cold look was in it's eyes.

I was terrified. I wanted out of the room, I wanted out now! It's a dream, I am sure of it! But I can't wake him up! WAKE UP! I can't do it. I need out of here. My heart was racing, I could feel my limp body not responding. Wait, I'm not alone in this bed outside the dream. I remember that she's next to me asleep. Maybe she could hear me? Maybe she would hear me call her name and wake me up. Save me. I call her name. I scream it! Over and over. But my body, what's wrong with my body? I hear myself talking. But I'm not talking. I'm whispering. Inside I am yelling her name, help me! Outside my body won't comply. It only whispers. She can't help me. I feel my mouth moving, I hear my voice whispering. And "it" is getting closer. It isn't who I think it is. Who is that? Or if it is that child, dear Lord, what has happened?? Get me out of here! I've got to shake this body awake. If I can jostle it, left and right. Jerk it suddenly, then maybe he'd wake up. Move! Left! Right! Back! Forth! Come on! Wake up!!! No! It's almost to me, almost touching me. Awake! Wake Up! My eyes pop open. I sit right up in bed. Looking around. She's still asleep beside me. Never heard a word I said. If I even said anything. Bedroom door is closed. No one came in. My heart! Beating so fast. Am I sweating? I am! I begin to pray. I pray for protection from attacks, I pray for forgiveness, I pray for peace of mind so I may sleep. I roll over next to her and put my arm arcoss her, touch her side. Somehow, touching someone makes it a little better. Somehow. I fall back to sleep, but it is far from a peaceful sleep. It is a cautious one. To Sleep, Perchance to Dream? I think not.

Dreams have never been my friend. Almost always they are bizarre. Almost always they are frightening. Usually I get lucky and don't remember them. Others get to dream of lovers past, of flying, of a giant snake wearing a vest. Not me.

That last dream was about the worst I can recall in a long time. I don't like dreams. Makes me wonder if that's why I stay up so late. So when I go to bed I am so tired, so worn out, that I just crash and sleep so hard I can't remember what happens.

But what of those dreams I can't remember? Are they like the one I just had? Are they worse because I am not even aware I am in one? If my body is that tired, and I'm in that dream, I am truly trapped. I can't get out because my body is too tired to be woken up. But I don't remember those do I? I am too tired. Do they even happen? Could they be happening, and my body pays the toll in stress and strain as I sleep? How will I know?

I think this week I shall try an experiment. In bed by 11PM, if not sooner. No exceptions. No TV shows or DVDs, no computer or anything associated with it. Can I do this? I've tried and it never lasts long.

I will try. Maybe keep a pad and pen to write down what happens. Or a micro-cassette recorder. Something. Anything.

This has to end. Some things have to change, others have to go away forever. If only I knew what. Or maybe I do.

You know what really, really worries me about that last dream?

Do you really want to know? Really?

I worry that it is what death feels like. Trapped inside your own body, fighting to get out. Everyone around you has no idea what's happening to you. Slowly you sink away, and are lost forever inside.

Makes me wonder...

April 2, 2004

Not the Geek I thought I was

Which is not to say I don't have my Geek tendencies. I do. Maybe too many.

But I think I am more of a Geek in spirit.

Because as much as I am fascinated by "costuming" I just don't do it anymore. I have made a few costumes over the years: Edward Scissorhands, The Shadow, The Invisible Man, Clark Kent, Fred Krueger, and a bad "Ghostbusters" outfit. I had a blast making them! Even though I had fun wearing them to the costume contests at work (usually only at Halloween). But you know, I think I liked the creativity of making them more than wearing them. I ever worked a few years in the March-of-Dimes sponsored Haunted House. That was WAY fun, getting to be the ALIENs Alien one night, Freddy the next, Dracula another.

Yet, I've never costumed up for a Sci-Fi or Comic Book convention. I don't attend them these days, but when I did, I loved to look at those creative costumes. Does that make me a Costume Voyeur? Star Trek conventions are interesting, because folks can't seem to leave the standard uniforms alone. They have to customize them with Kilts or Dreadlocks or something of their heritage. It worked for Worf, but some of the concepts I've seen don't.

However, Sci-Fi con's have some of the most outlandish costumers I've ever seen! I much prefer the costumes seen at DragonCon or MegaCon. Not that I've ever been (but I wanna). I probably would go to a few Cons, were I with someone who shared interest in that sort of thing. Heck there is even a chance I'd costume as well, if the right idea came along.

But for now, I just sit on the sidelines. An Armchair Costumer.

So, while I like to think of myself as being pretty geeky, a look at photo album's like RisingSun.net just go to show I am nowhere in their leauge. In fact I am so out of touch that I don't even know who 90% of these costumes are supposed to be. I think I need a Geek with experience, dedication, training and certification to help me go through these photos!

Links via SithVixen, who is a mighty fine costumer herself!

March 30, 2004

Gyp-py Pop

Out of nostalgia, we bought one of those Jiffy-Pop popcorns. You know the kind, where you rub it across the stove's burner, it pops into this huge aluminum cloud before your eyes. It sounded like so much fun! I had such fond memories and thought it would be a blast to re-kindle that feeling.

Bad idea.

Apparently our stove burner scratches VERY easily. Yeah, all the rubbing back and forth of the "pan" scratched the heck out of that burner (the black coil kind). Probably if you had a glass-top stove you'd be fine.

Needless to say, it became a choice of either continuing to scratch the burner, or hold it above, or rub it across the burner sloooooly. Didn't work. The popcorn burned into a nasty shade of black, barely popped up the silver baloon, and stunk up the kitchen like you wouldn't believe!

So we were left with a scratched burner, burnt popcorn, a funky smell and very hungry tummies. Thank goodness we had microwave popcorn.

From now on, I stick to my trusty West Bend Stir Crazy! It's never let me down, and you can't beat the freshly melted butter dripping down from the top as the popcorn pops. Ummmm!

March 29, 2004

37 years ago today

It was an amazing day (or so I'm told), the day that I entered this world. My Grandmother tells me she'd never seen a more proud father, the way he excitedly ran around the waiting room that cold March morning. Telling everyone his wife was doing well after the delivery, and that his son was finally here.

Now, 37 years later I look back on my life. Funny thing about my Birthdays, they always cause me to set foot into reality (albeit, briefly). For example, if the calendar didn't say otherwise, I'd swear to you I was still 22! In my mind I still have that excitement, that energy and passion for life I had back then. Sadly, I don't have the same hairline. My pants have gone from a 29 waist to a 34. My coal black hair is powdered with white ones. My eyes can't bear to endure contact lenses for more than an hour. I've got the startings of a belly (but not a dun-lap). Yep, this is the one day each year I am forced to reconcile the fact that I am actually getting older. Not that I mind, it beats the alternative. But it is weird to see that your age is 37 when in your mind you see yourself much younger (I bet that is why the newspaper has obituaries for 95 year olds with a photo of that person at 25. Their spouse probably remembers them that way, and saw them that way, not the way the outside looked).

I was going to say I hope I've made my parents proud. But that isn't really true. I never pinned my worth on their opinions of me. Still, I get the impression that I did alright by them. I am not a rocket scientist. I didn't cure world hunger. I didn't cure the common cold. I didn't become president. I didn't become a millionaire. But I never had that kind of pressure. I always felt encouraged, not pressured.

What I've become is certainly not what I would have imagined I'd ever be. I dreamed of making movies. I dreamed of being a great painter/sculptor. I'd move away from this crazy town and never look back. Funny how things don't go quite the way you planned. Sometimes life turns out better.

Looking back on my life I wonder how many lives I may have impacted (for good or bad) and what kind of difference I've made. Like the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" I wonder what some tiny thing I've done may have resulted in some good outcomes as it ripples through life's grand pageant. Always wondering. I smile at the thought that someday, when "The Book of Life" is opened, I will get to find out.

My parents wanted to raise a son that was considerate, sweet, kind, loving, creative, smart, independent, resourceful and respectful. For the most part, I'd say that they did OK. I'm never all those things at the same time, but I do my best.

It isn't often that I "look back" on my life, mostly I am always looking ahead. Thinking about all the things I still want to do, and hoping I have the time to do them. But on this day, I do look back and for the most part, I like what I see. There are things I wish I'd done better.

And there are things I wish I'd never done. Not to mention the things I'd like to un-do. And things I'd like to do-over (and over).

But I think I'm doing good to have come this far and have very few regrets. Plus, there is so much more on the road ahead.

Thanks for being part of this crazy road-trip I've called life. But if you don't mind, roll down the window. I'd like to feel the wind in what's left of my coal black hair.

March 17, 2004

Pepsi Can, Pepsi Can't

Today's first post on Pepsi:

I just got this piece of FW:FW:FW:FW spam from a buddy of mine who should know better. I thought it was funny that folks were actually emailing this around.

Don't buy Pepsi in the new can.
Pepsi has a new "patriotic" can coming out with
pictures of the Empire State Bldg. and the Pledge of
Allegiance on them. But, Pepsi left out two little
words on the Pledge of Allegiance, "Under God". Pepsi
said they did not want to offend anyone. If this is
true then we do not want to offend anyone at the
Pepsi's corporate office by accepting payment in
dollar bills with the word's "Under God" on it. If we
do not buy any Pepsi products then they will not be
offended. Please pass this word to everyone you know
-- let your voices be heard. We want the words "Under
God" to be read by every person who buys a can. HOW
FAST CAN YOU FORWARD THIS ONE?

Any truth to this? I don't know, but as for me, I won't ever buy Pepsi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, you got me, I don't buy Pepsi, and anyway .... it is all wrong, and very outdated, just check out this page on Swopes!

But IF IT WERE TRUE, how would you react?

March 14, 2004

Geeks in Love

It was sweet.

As the semi-goth girl was asking the Wal-Marts associate to get "Black Beauty" DVD out of the case for her (at a bargain $5.55), her BF or DH (boy friend/dear husband) came up and passed in front of me. I was admiring the "Critic" and "Futurama" boxed sets and couldn't help but overhear his zeal.

"Look! Only $9.98!!" he gleefully says to her.

She eyes his hands holding up a DVD for "Labrynth."

"Oh, Cool!!!" she says, sharing his excitement.

I just stare at them in disbelief.

They both like the same geeky, fantasy, far-out, sci-fi movies! Can this be? She likes the same movies he likes? Is this possible?

And I think to myself, as I walk away in a jealous cloud of green envy, "He is a lucky man."

March 9, 2004

Six Flags Over Texas

For some odd reason I began thinking of "Six Flags Over Texas" today. Must be because of the nice weather and Sprink Break coming up.

I was lamenting all the changes they've made in the park since I was kid.

Pretty much, the whole "Six Flags" concept has been ditched. Used to be there was one area of the park dedicated to each of the Six Flags that flew over Texas (Spain, France, Mexico, Confederate, USA, and Texas). Now it is pretty much a jumble of Looney Tunes/Hanna-Barbera toon-themed rides and attractions.

Kinda sad really.

I was looking for a map of the park, circa 1970, the way it USED to be, back in tha' day.

Back when: they had a mascot called "Cyrus Cosmo" who "invented" all the cool rides; they had the "Chevy Show" a precursor to the IMAX shows of today; back when they had air-trams that went over the park on cables; back when they had "Skull Island;" back when they had 50-foot SLIDES coming off the big Orange Oil Derrek!

Yeah, those were the days.

As a kid, I remember waiting in the long, long lines to ride the "ShockWave," the first dual-loop coaster in the Midwest. The lines were so long, they had to build a spillover area for the lines to snake through. When it opened, the lines for the Big Bend went down, so I spent a lot of time there when Dad would drop me off for the day (yeah, that's right, me in Six Flags, alone, all day - wouldn't dare do that today). I went back to Six Flags Over Texas a year ago, and walked right up to the ShockWave, went to the front of the line and only had to wait one run to get on. It was very sad to see such a great coaster breathing it's last breath. But the ride sure was fun.

Lots of other rides are gone now - the Spinaker (a spinning wagon wheel, I think at one time moved to Fiesta Texas), Roto-Ridiculous/Roto-Disco, the Sky Hook, the Casa Magnetica (the crazy sideways crooked house where things rolled uphill); the Spindletop (circular room, it spins, floor drops, you get stuck to the wall) which I am darn sure is here in Oklahoma at Frontier City (who also owns Six Flags).

Oh, had a flashback to the 50 foot slide. You used burlap sacks to slide down these shiny metal slides. They had several bumps, but it went fast. I remember I lost control of the sack and slid the rest of the way down on my legs. I was wearing shorts and those metal slides were HOT. I also had several carpet burns as a result of that. Maybe all the memories aren't so great, eh?

Thankfully, there are a lot of others out there who not only appreciate the park as it was, but strive to preserve it!

Below I've listed several links I found, in the hopes it would inspire the site owners to keep the good fight and to help others be mindful that the past is never lost to those who remember.

Arlington, Texas Theme Park Memories....

Six Flags Over Texas:
ParkTimes - Amazing place to jog your memory.

Six Flags over Texas former employee contact page - This is Alan's old site, all of the photos are gone. He's moving to a new server (www.sfot.net), but there isn't any content there yet. But still, there are lots of good shared stories there. Check out the Removed Rides page for some good comments.

AmusementPark.com - man, this would have been an awesome resource, but apparently they've pulled all the Six Flags files. It used to have a great park history, and maps, and videos and lots of things. But not now. Thankfully, you can get most of the content from the WayBack Machine. Thank goodness they have that! I wish I'd been able to save the content (all images and media are gone) before they dumped it, but maybe someone out there has it. That would definitely have been a good candidate for HTTrack Website Copier. Phooey!

Seven Seas:
Brian's Seven Seas Page
Michael's Seven Seas Page
Six Flags' Spee-lunker's Cave A great ride now lost to corporate greed (Yosimite Sam took it over, thanks Dubba Bee). Here is am audio re-creation of the ride, just close your eyes and it all comes back to you.

Hawaii Kai:
Used to be some photos online, but I can't find them anymore. You know, I didn't realize that this park was the very same park as "Seven Seas." It was the same place, but when SS went bankrupt the sea park was re-named as Hawaii Kai. All they did was give it an island theme to boost attendance. It didn't work though. I went to both parks, years apart. Not living there, apparently I had no idea they re-named the place. Gotta love the internet!

Lion Country Safari:
I don't think I ever went to this park. But I remember the billboards for it. I think it was in Grand Prarie. Can't find a thing about this online. Anyone? Anyone?

Ripley's Believe It Or Not Wax Museum
It seems like this wasn't in Arlington, but I went several times. Maybe it wasn't even a Ripley's, but it seems like it. That place was creepy. I recall they had the actual car used in the Bonnie and Clyde movie with Warren Beatty- bullet holes and everything. There was also a section where they re-created some scenes from an execution (electric chair) and another where they re-created a decapitation. Funny thing about that was the "blood" pouring from the neck. There was a copper pipe sticking out, spewing a stream of blood like a water fountain, and it was landing in a funnel going back under the stage. Yeah, everyone bleeds into a funnel. Kinda ruined the effect, ya know?

Theme Park Maps and Brochures:
CoasterPhotos.com - Great collection, but they are very small images of the maps. I need a BIG map!
ThemeParkMaps.com - Another great resource, with lots and lots of materials!

March 4, 2004

Things are tough all over

So, you think you got it bad? Times are hard?

Get over yourself!

Until you've heard the sad, pitiful situation of one Diane Richie, you won't know suffering. According to this document on TheSmokingGun.com she simply must have $300,000 in monthly support payments:

Each month she spends $600 on hair, $250 on nails, $150 on electrolysis, $450 on facials, $500 for her trainer and $600 each on Pilates, massages, and therapy. Also included in her monthly expenses are $15,000 for clothing, shoes and accessories, $3,000 for "dermatology" and $1,000 for laser hair removal.

She says "(We) regularly spent in excess of $300,000 a month. We could comfortably afford to spend unlimited sums of money on everything and anything we chose. I had no limit on what I could spend."

Poor gal.

Maybe we should start a PayPal charity for her.

Found via CNN

March 2, 2004

Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute

As I was driving around town the other day I saw something that really shocked me.

Something had just flown out of the window of the van in front of me. There were about five car lengths between us, so as I got closer to where they were I saw what it was. It was a bag of wrappers and junk from McDonalds!

I couldn't believe it. I was slack-jawed. Did I really see what I think I saw???

What century is this? Do we need to call out the Native American on his horse to cry for America again?

Who still litters anymore?

But there it was, a sack, napkins, cups and who-knows-what-else just blowing past me, right into the fields of amber waving grain. A "Litter Bug" in action, before my very eyes!

Now of course, I see minor littering every day. At least once on the way home I see a Smoker throw their cigarette butt out of their car window. The other day I saw someone do this at a stop light, and the cig was still smoking! And this was right next to a housing edition with dry grass not four feet from the road.

Maybe Smokers feel some right to toss out their butts, maybe because they are so small they think no one will care or notice. But I am not a Smoker, so I can't speak for them or assume to know why it happens. Of course, I know not all Smokers toss out their butts, I am only speaking of those who do.

But I digress...

I just find it amazing, that now, in 2004, there are still folks who are so careless, so clueless that they would throw litter out of their car window. In front of other cars!

What is wrong with people?!?!?

March 1, 2004

Picked Up Tha Phone, Dropped in on tha Floor

Just in case you ever need it, and because you will NEVER find it on their website....

Here is the phone and fax number for Amazon.com:

Phone: (800) 201-7575
Fax: (206) 266-2950

And to quote Jimmy Fallon's Nick the Computer Guy skit:
"And uh, you're welcome!"

February 25, 2004

Hammer Time

By now, most of the churches that bought up all the tickets to "Passion" should be in the theaters (or will be in a few hours).

I probably won't go for a while. As I mentioned, my church bought up 4 nights of a local theater for members to bring our un-churched friends. All four nights sold out, so I wasn't able to go with them. Then, m'Lady decided the gore would be too much for her and backed out anyway. So I will have to go later, I am sure I will find someone (this one, I surely don't want to see alone).

It must be a Southern thing. Living in the buckle of the "Bible Belt" like I do, the churches here are going NUTS over this movie. They are selling out theaters, giving away tickets, handing things out at the movies, using it as a ministry tool. You name it.

I know the churches have their heart in the right place, but all this hoo-hah is sure to deter some folks from seeing the movie on their own. If I wasn't a Christian, I'd still be curious about "Passion." But I wouldn't want to go when I knew the churches would be there handing out fliers, trying to "save" me and casuing a commotion. I'd want to see it like any other movie, without all the fuss.

So while I am sure there will be other cities where you can walk up and get a ticket, here in Oklahoma, that won't happen for a while. Which is too bad, because by trying so hard to make this movie a hit and have it reach the unchurched, I fear that Churches are preventing the true audience from having the experience intended. Kinda like they are forcing their way to the front of the line, because they are Christians. Because they think they have to get the message out. But they are shoving those that Jesus loved most to the back of the line.

Then again, He did say "the first shall be last, and the last shall be first."

If you do see "The Passion of the Christ" please let me know. Post your review here, or link to your site. I can't wait to read what you thought, good or bad. When I see it, I will be sure to give you a full report.

February 17, 2004

Soul-ed Out

Our church sold out the three nights (next Wed/Thu/Fri) they booked for "The Passion of the Christ." Of course, Friday sold out first since they had child care (hey if if the movie is a downer, most couples would take the opportunity for a night out).

The tickets were $5, so the church gave the congregation a discount. Nifty eh? But we didn't make it in time, so we missed out. There was talk of a Saturday showing if there was enough interest, so we signed up. Honestly, I don't see us going on a date night to see "Passion" on our own, so if we don't go with the church we won't be going.

Our church is really pushing this as an opportunity for spreading the gospel. They are providing free tickets to any "un-churched" or "un-saved" friends or family we want to bring. I plan to bring my Mother if they add a night. Maybe my Aunt too. We'll see. I guess it could change the hearts of those who don't believe in Christ as the savior. I guess we'll find out, right?

Anyone else planning to see "Passion of the Christ?" Anyone opposed to it?

I'd like to hear your thoughts on it (see, there are times I miss the Monday Mission).

February 13, 2004

Ring Bell for Service

Looks like I'm going to be in the back stockroom for a while, so, ya know, if you like need me or something, let me know.

Why? Well, great news!! I've got a gig doing reviews for a Pocket PC dedicated website! Finally I have a chance to put my mouth where my money is and write - and get paid. I love writing, as can be witnessed from the 3+ years I've been at this. I love the Pocket PC. The chance to focus on both is awesome! So, that will be taking up some of my time.

Plus, I am going to make myself do some more artwork. Sculpting and drawing, and hopefully, watercolors someday. Of course, if I do get that artwork going, I will have to post it here. Which means I need to save for that scanner. You'd want to see it, right?

TV is a love/hate relationship. I love ALIAS, 24, ANGEL and COLD CASE, yet I never get to watch them when they air. I have to record them for later. And well, later is usually late night. And if I choose a tape, then I can't really be doing any art. Yet, I love those TV shows, so I am in a constant struggle there. Plus with Sweeps coming, I don't see an end in sight to this issue.

Also, I've kinda become bored with my PC in general. Other than putting up fleaBay stuff, I really don't have much desire to be online. Ferinstance, last night I was so bored I went to bed at 10:45. Yeah, I said TEN. Amazing, no? Now, I still get up at 6AM, so it wasn't like I got the best rest ever, but it should help. I need to do that more often, and surely, m'Lady will appreciate not having to talk to the back of my head all night.

So, just saying now that posts may be sparse around here. A rant now and then, a "Hit 'n' Run" on occasion. Maybe creative, emotional, from-the-heart post about something to which some of us can relate. Yeah, I tell ya, I just gotta write. Maybe I should save for a TABLET PC instead. Oh dear, what an expensive toy to get the "I wants" with....

As if I didn't loose 90% of my traffic when I dumped the Monday Mission. This surely won't help. But with RSS, at least your "feed reader" will tell you when I've updated. Probably a couple of times a week.

Yeah, this feels good.

I think I've finally hit the point for which I've been waiting ... maybe.

So if you need me, you can ring my bell.
(aw come on, you know you wanna sing it....)

February 11, 2004

Quiet out here

Interesting, didn't post a thing yesterday. Not that I wasn't busy, quite the opposite. Which kinda explains it.

May be that way again today, maybe not.

But just in case, here is something to keep you occupied.

I think I've finally found something creepier than the Quiznos commercials.

Don't blame me if you can't sleep after this....

February 6, 2004

Annoyances and other spam

Either I am just the lucky one, or there is a new kind of annoyance going around. It isn't quite spam, but it is on equal ground.

I am calling it "Conversation Spam." You know it when you see it. Your inbox in inundated by comments from people you are not familiar with. All of them on one post. As you read them you see that some sort of conversation is happening that it totally unrelated to the topic. Usually it is about nothing at all, just some bizzaro ramblings that would make a mental patient proud.

No spam URLs are present. No offending words. Nothing hateful. Usually those in the "Conversation" are from the same IP. Pure and simple: just someone out to annoy you.

Like the kid in school who would tap-tap-tap his pen on the desk to drive you crazy.

Combine this with actual comment spam and we have a pretty big problem.

I am about thiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to either adding an "approve before publish" method to all comments, or requiring registration.

Neither of which I want to do. But, it is really taking something I enjoy and ruining it.

Before I go that far, I need to look at the new MT release 2.66, which has this:

We've also added a measure to automatically ban an IP address based on an abnormal number of comments from the same address in a short period of time.

The next version of MT will integrate a registration option for comments. They are alpha testing soon if you want to apply.

Eventually I know I'll find a middle ground...

January 29, 2004

Things that defy explanation to a non-Geek

Last night I discovered a program that would allow me to rip audio tracks from a DVD to MP3.

I gleefuly plopped in my DVD of the remastered "Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense" concert movie. I knew the soundtrack by heart, but the movie had different versions of the same songs. I knew they cut 3 different concerts together for the movie, and figure the soundtrack just used the best performances of those three, not what was on-screen.

Jazzed about it all, I turned to m'Lady and said "You know, this is so cool, I can make MP3s from this DVD's audio tracks."

She looked at me and said "Why would you want to do that? Who'd want to listen to a DVD in their car?"

There. Right there, I knew any further explanation was futile.

I didn't have an answer to give her that would make sense in her non-Geek world.

Kinda the same situation as Blogging. Ever tried to explain it to someone who doesn't get it?

Pointless. You feel like a fool.

"Well I have a web page and write about my day, about this and that. And people read it and comment. And I read theirs and...."

That's when you begin to hear yourself through their ears, shut-up and try to gracefully climb your way out of the hole you've just dug.

Any attempt for me to explain why I'd want to hear the Talking Heads audio from the DVD in my CD player is either A) beyond my ability to explain or B) beyond her actual interest in understanding.

So my answer to her questions?

"Ahhhhhh, well...."

Honestly anything I said beyond that point didn't matter. I can't even recall what I said. It didn't matter. I just felt like the biggest geek blathering on in an attempt to break it down so she'd understand.

I just should have said "Because I can" and smiled. Could've saved myself about 5 minutes of wasted breath and avoided that "Lord I feel like such a Nerd" feeling.

But now I've got it figured out.

The answer to any "Why" question from a non-Geek to a Geek should always be "Because I can."

Because it's true.

January 23, 2004

Unbooked

Finally!

I finally finished reading a book.

Are you impressed?

As much as I love to read, I've realized it is terribly hard for me to focus my attention on a single book. That's why I like to read USAToday. Short news nuggets.

It wasn't even that the book was boring. It wasn't.

The book, Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book, was great. I learned many things about the early days of comic books (I used to collect them). But it shouldn't have taken me 7 weeks to read it!

Like I mentioned before, it is very hard for me to focus on one subject for very long. I get bored. I think of 5 other things I want to be doing. Plus, simply put, it is hard for me to sit still.

When I look at folks like Kymmie who can read one or two novels a week, I get crazy envy. I wish I could do that! But I can't. Drives me nuts!

That's why I'm looking forward to my next book, "Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross." Have you seen his work? You can browse his gallery of buy some original art on his site.

Alex's art is just amazing, so when I saw this book at B&N a month ago, I nabbed it (plus it was 30% off). This book is HUGE! A coffee table book is probably a better description. M'Lady just rolled her eyes at me when I bought it, but hey, it was my gift card so I got what I wanted. So there.

Anyway, point is, with a book full of pictures I feel great releif. I can look for a while and put it down. Plus, since I own it, I can take my own sweet time. Still, I have many other books I need to read. But probably won't.

One good thing about getting that Stan Lee book from the library, having a deadline and a .10 fine per day later, is good encouragement to finish. I did pretty good, only one day overdue. Good thing I can re-check it online.

January 21, 2004

Swiff It Good

OK, it has been out for a while now, so what do y'all think of "The Swiffer?" Anyone used it?

It has been hailed by some as the be-all end-all of cleaning accessories. The "killer app" for the kitchen. The "mop killer."

To me, it just looks like a wet paper towel pinned to a small push broom.

And aren't they kinda pricey?

There has been buzz about the house about getting a "Swiffer" and I am just looking for some real world feedback.

I mean, any product that hires DEVO to do their music is almost a sure thing in my book! Dig it right here.

Further Reading:
AdAge 10 Most Watched Commercials of 2003
Chandrasutra left me a comment on this Quiznos post with a link to her post - go read it!
Slate article on DEVO and Swiffer
completewasteoftime has a snippet from an AdAge article on the commercial
ClubDEVO
Epinions user reviews on Swiffer Wet Jet

January 20, 2004

Burdened

I have been trying to read a book for the last 6 weeks. Seriously!

It isn't that I don't like books, I do! More than anything it is the fact that I can't seem to choose to read over other things I like to do. Like watch TV shows and get on the computer.

So, I've rechecked this dog gone book three times already! I will be darned if I re-check it again though. I am determined to finish it this week.

It is a really good book, on the history of Comic Books and Stan Lee.

Thing is, for me, I need to be undisturbed when I read. I don't want to be talked to. I don't want a loud TV on in the background. I need peace - I don't like reading the same sentence 5 times!

So, finding that time is hard enough. When it comes, there are always other things to be done (as mentioned already). So it comes down to opportunity, then choice. I try to juggle all three but I never can find a happy medium. I can only seem to do one, because of my tendency to hyper-focus on what I am doing. So when I am done, there is little time left for the other things I want to do.

And it is getting worse.

In addition to this book, I have another one. This one, "How to become a Contagious Christian," is for my Wednesday night church study. So, I must read it every week to be current. So now I have 2 books hanging over my head.

STRESS!!!

Plus, I have this huge need to be Drawing and Sculpting again. Huge! So that need has to be constantly denied because I don't have enough time or energy every night to do all the things I want to do.

Drives. Me. CRAZY!

I know the answer is to do less, or choose one thing one night then another the next. But I can't, they are all competing for my attention at once.

Yeah, this is the twisted mental playground in which I live.

Come play, won't you?

Yeesh, well just had to rant/vent a little. It doesn't change anything, but I know finishing this book will be a great weight lifted.

But then, it will just be something else that takes its place...

Overheard

Overheard in the men's room yesterday:

"...so that's why I had to start drinking that damn DeCaff...."

There is a story here, but I choose not to let my imagination explore it.

January 15, 2004

Don't you know you're sleeping in a spotlight

I need more sleep. Really, I know I do. But I can't seem to do it.

Last night was rare, I got to bed by 11:30. But I know it made a difference because I had a dream or two. Or rather, I remembered them. They say we all dream every night, but don't always remember them. For me, the only time I remember dreams are when I get lots of sleep, or I wake up in a cold sweat from a frightening dream that I fought my way out of.

It is always the same:
* Do usual togetherness things each night (dinner, visit, few chores, etc.)
* House is asleep, get on computer or read book.
* Look at clock, time is 11:30.
* Go watch tape of some show that was on that night (24, Alias, whatever..)
* Watch next show or turn off tape, now 1:30 (or 12:30 is a one show night), make lunch for next day, set coffee pot, brush teeth, wash up and shut down house
* Go to bed, grumble
* Wake up @ 6am, 6:15, 6:30 finally get up, swear to never stay up that late again, what was I thinking, not gonna do that again
* Get home, repeat

I just need an extra hour or two that doesn't count toward my tiredness. A way to stop time, without losing my energy.

Feh.

It seems life as a grown up is all about concessions.

All about compromise.

Doesn't mean I have to like it. So maybe tonight will be the night I don't turn on the computer, just read and go to bed. I doubt it.

How come it is easier to do the things we don't want to do, but is harder to not do the things we want to do? I think Paul says it better than me:

...I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can't. I do what I don't want to do - what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But I can't help myself...
-Romans 7:15-17 TLB

Could sleep be a physical metaphor for something else in my life? Yeah, so it is a constant struggle. You'd think it would be easy. After all it is only sleep. And I am in control of my own body.

Still, I just can't seem to do what is best for myself. Maybe I'll wise up soon...

On the Wheels of Steel I am for Real

Last week something happened.

I did something I never thought I'd do.

I unhooked my turntable.

(GASP!)

Yes, I no longer command the wheel of steel.

I figured it was time. I hadn't used it in at least a year, if not longer. It had become nothing more than a place to store my many remote controls.

I had to let go. It wasn't easy. But if you could see my closet, filled with rows and rows of 12" Singles from the 80's, you might understand.

Sadly, other than club DJ's, the old turntable just doesn't have a place in modern society.

Just like the 8-track.

The Betamax.

The floppy drive.

The 45-single.

The cassette.

But I never found the time to convert all those remixes on vinyl to MP3. Plus, if you wait long enough, someone else usually has done it already.

So, I felt a little like I was shutting the door to a part of my past. As I placed the turntable into a plastic Wal-Mart sack, I looked sadly at the "Mixx-It" slip-mat. I remembered when I had so often used it to cue and start songs, letting go of the vinyl, the texture of it's rough edges as the record's edge ran across my fingertips and the feeling of satisfaction as needle hit the first note just a millisecond later.

Yet, the time had come. CDs and MP3s and Digital Media Players have entered my life and the convenience they offer is too strong to ignore.

So I pulled the plug and got it ready for storage.

I tied a knot in the top of the sack, pushed it under the bed and, for the last time, let my fingers slip across the wheel of steel.

Further Reading/Listening:
The Hip-Hop Timeline

Flash4Ever - A site dedicated to Grandmaster Flash

Grandmaster Caz and DJ Disco Wiz - Two of the most important men in the formation of Hip Hop.

Grandmaster Flash Quick Facts - Good stuff here, for example, I never knew Kurtis Blow was (briefly) a member of the Furious Five!

Afrika Bambaataa - "Godfather of Rap." Planet Rock was probably my first exposure to rap music. I still have that 12" single, played it to death.

The History of Rock Music: 1976-1989 - They mention "Art of Noise" for Beatbox, but not one word about Doug E Fresh and Slick Rick? Blasphemy!!!

January 13, 2004

Just Leave Me Alone

I am not so much a talker as I am a listener.

As you can probably tell on this blog, by the fact that I hardly ever talk about my life.

But I have a limit to my listening. I can only take so much. How much?

Put your thumb fingernail against your index fingernail. That much.

For the past month, I've been the only one my my office area and I've enjoyed the privacy. No one to bug me. I just do my work and don't bother anyone, they don't bother me.

But now I have company. And hooboy, does she like to talk. And ask questions. And on and on and on. Now, to anyone else, this shouldn't be a problem. But for me, I like to be left alone to do my work.

I am not social at work. I don't care for these people. I don't want to get to know them. I don't want to be their friend. Period.

Work is work. Nothing more.

That said, I like to be left to myself. Before when I shared an office, we talked when we needed to, worked on projects now and then. But for the most part, we didn't chit-chat, we didn't make idle conversation. It was nice.

Now he's gone, someone new is in and I am going MENTAL!

Maybe it stems from being an only child, but I am much more creative when I am left to myself. I am much more productive.

Call me anti-social if you want, but that only applies so far. Away from work, with friends or family, I am not like that. I like their company, and always miss it when they are away. At work, I am in a different mode. Another mindset.

If you know me in RL, you'd probably agree that I am friendly, funny and make a pretty good friend.

But at work, I don't want that. I don't want friends. I don't want to see anyone's family photos. I don't want to know what they did over the weekend. I don't want to get attatched.

Just. Leave. Me. Alone.

I even try putting on my headphones so I give the impression I am not to be disturbed. Doesn't work.

So, this week is an adjustment for me.

I am trying to not be rude. Trying to not come across as cold, and not friendly. But it is hard. I can only fake interest so much.

I am used to at least having the place to myself at lunch, an hour or so of time I can releax, eat at my desk and read the web. Nope. She won't leave. Doesn't go anywhere. Not even the breakroom.

Man! This is MY space!
Goway!
Shoo!
Skidoo!
Scat!

So I am tense. I am irritable. I am totally not productive. And I can't settle down.

Maybe it will get easier. Maybe she will leave now and then.

Being AADD it is hard enough for me to focus on one thing, but when you are constanly being disturbed it makes it nearly impossible!

I can't concentrate for sh!t.

I get so frustrated and tense and angry and rattled and and - it - is - making - me - CRAZY!

It has me so off-kilter that I can't even post here because I can't concentrate long enough to get a thought down.

Only reason you are getting this is because she had an errand to run.

Thank goodness the courier is out today!

So, I had to let loose on this. I am going nuts. Totally nuts-o.

The balance is off. I am no longer in the zone.

Can you say Anxiety? Maybe I have that Social Anxiety thing I've seen on TV. Probably not. But man! I can't take this much longer.

I can't stand it.

I probably sound like an anti-social whiner, but this is more than that. It is messing with my basic personality, the way I work and concentrate has been thrown in the blender.

I have to just end this post before everyone thinks I am some sort of freak.

Maybe someone understands. Knows what it is like. Identifies with what I am going through.

I need to take advantage of the time alone I have right now. Time to relax. Cool down. Downtime. Let it go.

I have no ending for this post. I'm gettin' a headache, I gotta go....

January 12, 2004

New Moon On Monday

I thought I might feel a wee bit o' sadness today, what with the MM being gone and not writing one and all.

But, oddly, I don't.

I feel .... free.

This weekend I only thought about the MM once, and when I did, it was with great relief when I realized I didn't have to concoct 7 questions the next day. Today I sat at the PC and felt like a huge weight was lifted. No longer did I feel a nagging obligation to post. No longer did I feel like there was an angry crowd wondering why the MM wasn't up yet. (not that there ever were, but in my mind, I created this reality)

Still, last week, when posting the last MM I did feel a little choked up. All the heartfelt farewells were really nice and meant a lot.

Now however, it is time to move forward. This is the good part. Kind of like a fresh start, leaving all the baggage behind.

Wish I had some grand plan for this site and blog, but I don't. Nothing new to promise you in 2K4.

How does "more of the same" sound? S.O.S as they say? Fine with you? Hope so, because that's all I got.

So, let's make like a baby .... and head out.

Where to?

First star to the left.....

January 6, 2004

Mail Gnashing

This week I'd planned to start using a tray-based IMAP mail client. IMAP is cooler than POP3 because when you delete/read email in IMAP it is gone/stays read when you check your mail from somewhere else. With POP3, if I delete or read domain mail at work and log in again at home, the deleted mail is still there. I gotta delete it/mark it read all over again. Thus the coolness of IMAP.

IMAP isn't offered by all web hosts, but mine, Blogomania happens to have it. The pre-installed "Horde" webmail client (located in our Control Panel) is IMAP-based, so when I use that either at home or work, mail stays deleted.

So imagine my suprise when suddenly my POP3 tray mail tool (ePrompter) couldn't connect to my mail account. Weird. Well, I think, good time to try the IMAP client. Guess what? Yup, you guessed it, it failed too.

I can only assume the MIS folks have decided to block a specific port on the server-side which prevents the mail protocol from passing through. An anti-spam measure? Who knows, and I can't exactly complain to them about it, y'know what I mean?

At least I can get to my domain mail via webmail, but I sure miss knowing I have comments right when they come in.

Further Reading:
SmarterMailMon - This was the POP3/IMAP tray mail tool I was going to use, but didn't get to test it out due to the above situation. Let me know if it works.
Hotmail Popper - Use your existing POP3 mail client to read and send via Hotmail, totally bypassing their web mail interface!
Yahoo! Pops - Does the same thing, but for Yahoo! mail.
Pegasus Mail - A freeware full-featured mail client. I used this years ago, so it is probably even better now. Not a tray app, but ran across it while searching for one.
ePrompter Forums - Hard to find on the actual site, link here in case you need it.

January 5, 2004

Back on the job

Everyone have a good holiday?

I sure did, and while it was nice to be away, it feels good to be back in a routine.

At the moment, I am crafting your final Monday Mission. Sort of a "Best Of" from all the years past. Should be fun.

I know I've been away a while, but I am back now, so let the Blogging begin!

January 2, 2004

Silent Morning

If you didn't notice, I've been on vacation for the past 2 weeks. So, updates have been few.

I will be back to it on Monday though, so don't give up on me yet.

In the meantime, tell me what you've been up to!

December 24, 2003

Merry Christmas to All

...and to all, a good night.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

-Luke 2:8-14 (NIV)

December 23, 2003

Just Give Me Your Extra Time

Some folks know how to kiss and some don't.

You probably take for granted those who know how to kiss, but come up against someone who doesn't, and you know it. Woe to those who marry a poor kisser, 'cause it won't get any better. I think few are willing to tell someone they are a bad kisser, especially a spouse.

* How To Kiss A Woman
* How To French Kiss - When it is good, it is very good, but I don't like to think about the mechanics of it. Because reading this makes it sound very gross.
* The Proper Execution Of The First Kiss (for men)
* Kissing School
* What If She Says: "I Don't Kiss on the First Date?"
* Great Date, Bad Kiss: Every man should know how to kiss a woman right - Guys, are you a "Jabber?"
* Give us a kiss pardner - To describe it would only bring me unwanted Google hits.
* "I Kissed A Girl" Lyrics - By Jill Sobule
* "I Kissed a Drunk Girl" lyrics - By Something Corporate

Oddly, there were hardly any articles telling a woman how to kiss a man.

Go figure.

Put a little love in your heart

I know the song is a classic, but the first time I ever heard "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" was on the "Scrooged" soundtrack. It was by Annie Lennox and Al Green. Now, ever since then, I've always associated that song with Christmas.

When I made my series of Christmas music "mix" CDs last year [archive link to be added later], people would wonder why I included it. All I could say was "it reminds me of Christmas," and it did.

Apparently "The Gap" agrees, they've produced 3 commercials using a rendition of that song by Kelly Rowland, Ginuwine, Melissa Etheridge and once again, Al Green.

I don't think a song has to mention Santa or have sleigh bells in the background to be "Christmas" music.

Are there any non-traditional songs that remind you of Christmas?

December 22, 2003

Thankful

I am so thankful for good health.

After being sick with the pseudo-flu a few weeks, back, and before that a sinus infection from hell, I can't tell you how thankful I am to be healthy. And that my family is healthy.

I take good health for granted so much, that I really must stop and think about how lucky I am. How lucky my family is to be healthy.

But I am not really speaking in terms of the flu, I mean in the sense of major health conditions. When I read about how others are enduring chemo treatments, recovering from operations, are in physical therapy, those caring for children with special needs, those in nursing homes with no family to visit them... It makes me just stop and almost brings me to tears when I consider the pain they endure, their struggles I will never know, the will and determination they possess that I can only dream of having.

The wife of Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church is currently battling cancer. Warren, known for his "Purpose Driven Life" books, sent out an email this week updating the church on his wife's condition. In it, he included the text from a plaque on the wall in the wing of the hospital in which she is staying.

It touched me and I wanted to pass it along.

Of course, you could easily replace the word "Cancer" with the name of any other struggle. My respect goes out to all those dealing with difficult circumstances this holiday season.

I am indeed thankful.

December 18, 2003

TechWeird

Monday Chirs P announced that he would be returning to Tech TV, but only to promote his book.

I was bummed because I don't have cable, but thank goodness you can count on the "Gnomies" to save the day.

While cruising the comments to his post, I found this link to a low-fi video clip of his segment. (it may vanish someday, so don't blame me)

After watching it, I am left speechless. Not type-less though. So, on one hand, I kinda wanna know just what the heck is going on here, and on the other hand, it's none of my beeswax. Then again, maybe it is an early April Fool's Day stunt.

Hmm...

The Wal-Marts

I don't know about where you live, but in Oklahoma when speaking about Wal-Mart, it is always preceded with "the" and it is always plural.

Example: "After lunch we went over to the Wal-Marts to get some ammo for the kid's rifle."

See, isn't it fun to talk like a hick?

Erm, but I digress....

Bargain Alert: Many of the Wal-Marts here have a large selection of discounted, discontinued software and DVDs. The software, while pretty old, had a few goodies in it. I picked up a copy of "Black & White" for a mere $4.77, and they had quite a few kids' games and some "Sim" type knockoff games (like Roller Coaster Tycoon). I saw "Platoon" and a "Farscape" game, several online RPGs, some Baribie 3-in-1 packs, some Blue's Clues, some WWII games. Not great stuff, but if you want a cheap diversion, then you might want to head over and see if your Wal-Marts has any. They were getting pretty picked over, but you never know.

They also have a very big, very deep bin of DVDs. All priced at $5.77 (what is it with the odd prices), they had a neat selection of unusual movies and TV shows. I was interested in all the Abbott & Costello shows, and also the Andy Griffith and Barney DVDs. I didn't buy them, but it was tempting. What I really wanted, and I dug deep for it, was a collection of 1980's Music Videos. They had like 5 of them, Rock, Country, and so on. I wanted the Pop Music DVD, but it was not to be. Maybe I didn't dig deep enough, but if I had leaned over any further I would be showing my plumber's quarter slot, and really, no one needs to see that.

Anyway, if you have $10 bucks to blow, head over to your Wal-Marts and get a DVD and a game. Be sure to let me know what you found.

December 17, 2003

Flixy

So, has anyone out there been using NetFlix? I am a DVD nut and it just sounds like a great thing.

I am fed up with being too busy to visit the Video Store and rent DVDs, or the ones I want being gone.

"With Netflix you can rent as many DVDs as you want for just $20 a month. You keep a revolving library of up to 3 DVDs at a time and can exchange them for new available DVDs as often as you like."

How can I resist a 1 month free trial!

Maybe I should wait til January? If I join now I would only get a few weeks of the free month, right? Or is it like your cell phone where the day you join is the start of your cycle?

Lookie here! If I sign up through this website, I will get a free Crest SpinBrush Pro (link at bottom of page). If that isn't for you, there are several NetFlix offers to be found on this FreeGiftPlus.com page, like getting a free Venus razor by Gillette.

I read that Netflix offers several rental plans, but not one spec of information on their site. This page has a breakdown of them, but I wonder how current it is.

Interesting, Wal-Mart offers a similar DVD rental service for $15.55/month.

"Rent as many per month as you want. You can keep up to 3 titles out at a time. Choose from low-cost plans that offer 2, 3, or 4 DVDs out at one time, each with unlimited monthly rentals and no late fees or shipping charges."

But they don't give ANY details on the other plans! WhatUpWitDat?

A few other places rent online too: DVDbarn (kinda expensive, never heard of em, looks shoddy) and DVDRentalCentral.com (no prices anywhere - screw that, dude).

My best bet is probably Netflix, after reading the Top 10 Reasons Netflix is best, it is hard to argue.

So tell me about Netflix. Do you love it? Would I love it?

Further Reading:
For Netflix, it's so far, so good - USAtoday

What can Brown do for you?

One of the things I've always hoped that my blog could do, and do well, is to be a good source of information on obscure things.

Even thought ADD drives me to do it, I am usually pleased when I do a post that looks like a research paper. Because, in a way, it is.

So you can imagine how happy it makes me that my page on "Parson Brown" is getting pounded this month. If you "Google" Parson Brown, guess who is #1? ME!!!

As you can see from the Comments page, there are a lot of folks wondering who this snowman named Parson Brown is supposed to be. I did a lot of research last year, and finally, folks are getting some use out of it.

From my ref logs, I can tell that there are tons more folks visiting the page than are leaving comments. That's cool, I just really wanted to "do some good."

Another area where I've taken an obscure topic and become a top source of information (according to Google) is on the music used in the trailer for the movie "Solaris." I didn't much care for the movie, but the trailer had me hooked. Ever hear some music that just haunts you and you just have to have it? That music did it for me. And a lot of other folks too. Even though the movie came out in 2002 and is now on DVD/VHS, folks are still looking for the music in the trailers. Sadly that trailer wasn't on the DVD, and the music is not for sale to the public. *sigh*

But the most unusual topic that I wrote on that gets me hits in the archives is when I wrote about "Oprah's Favorite Things" show. You know, the one where she surprises the audience and gives them thousands of dollars worth of things she loves (an iPod was on the list the time I wrote about it). In my post, I was just thinking it would be fun to have been there, even though, as a Manly Man, I don't watch Oprah.

But for some reason, I get all these posts from clueless, and I mean CLUE-LESS, readers who have no idea how the internet works. They seem to think *I* have some sort of say about who gets into the show. Aye yi-yi. Even worse, they leave their name and address there for the world to see. Hell-oooooo, McFly! That is what makes the show so exciting, NOBODY in the audience knows when the "Favorite Things" shows will happen. Otherwise, it would be pure insanity with folks trying to get tickets. You know, in a way, I feel sorry for the folks who wind up on my page. They are obviously older ladies, and just don't understand the 'Net.

So that would be the downside of Google, it tends to mislead folks. On the other hand, when it gets it right, it can be quite a powerful tool.

One last item - Shabba-doo. Remember the movie "Breakin'" from the 80's? I wrote a post on that a while back and you guessed it, I got a lot of hits from Google. Mostly, these folks were trying to contact the man known as Shabba-Doo, Adolfo Quinones. They've left him messages, and it appears that Shabba-Doo himself once stopped by to respond.

So, while a lot of bloggers exclude Google from indexing their site, I allow it. You just never know when a random post will help answer a question someone has had for a lifetime.
Heh. Hope posting this doesn't screw up future Google searches!

December 16, 2003

Eat Hot Death, my friend

If you like UNO, then you should check out these variants of the game. In a nutshell, they are new cards that you add to the regular UNO deck.

Just imagine the fun if during a game of UNO you drew a card like:
Quitter - Next player is out of the game
Spreader - Force every player around the table to draw two cards
Glasnost - A player laying the Glasnost card makes the player of his choice lay all his cards down face up on the table for everyone to see

Sounds downright nasty...and fun. Check it out:

* Hot Death Uno
* Eat Hot Death - java version
* Hot Death Uno - Pocket PC version

The Most Dangerous Game

Did you ever have to read that story in College or High School? "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell is a short story and though it is pretty tame by today's standards, it makes for a good read. A modern equivalent would be the old movie "The Running Man." It also was the first thing I thought of when I read about this new game called "Manhunt."

It has already been banned in New Zealand and who knows what country will be next? Reminds me of "Postal" and "Carmageddon" when those came out. But still, even those didn't quite bother me as much as when I read about "Manhunt" in my copy of GamePro magazine. Here are some snippets:

Playing into this gameplay facet is Manhunt's biggest gimmick: executions that vary in brutality depending on how long you remain poised behind a potential victim before striking. Successful slayings are presented via grainy, handheld footage reminiscent of a sn_ff film. Yes, this is all very gory, grisly, and absolutely not for kids or anyone with a weak stomach as people are decapitated, disemboweled, perforated, shot, and chainsawed all to the cackling delight of your offscreen savior (brilliantly voiced by Brian Cox) who relishes each kill.
-GamePro PSX review

The Director suggests ways to kill off your hunters always in a gruesome fashion while he films every step you take. The better the kill, the better the rating you get.
....As an enemy walks past you, you must sneak up behind him and, when in range, perform a hideous and bloody attack for the camera using objects like glass shards, machetes, and bats. With multiple ways of decapitating victims using more than 20 weapons, you can expect the camera lens to be fully stained with blood by the end of your ordeal.
-GamePro PSX Preview

In the first few minutes of the game, you help Cash smother enemies with plastic bags, slit throats with shards of glass and crack skulls with clubs. Cash gets more civilized later, adding guns and knives to his arsenal.

If "Manhunt" were a movie, the Motion Picture Association of America would not grant it an R-rating, appropriate for audiences aged 17 and up. It would be rated NC-17 -- or even X.
-Japan Times

Take note, because the things you have heard are correct. Manhunt is bloody, violent and sick. It's M rated because of its graphic depictions of decapitations -- death by crowbar to the face, wire chokes and machete hackings. But also because it reaches into the wasteland of human life and returns with a quivering piece of rotting meat and makes you taste it. You may have seen this kind of thing in movies, anime or the like, but no videogames to date have gone as far as Rockstar's Manhunt.....It's one thing to talk about wires and machetes. It's another thing to see the animated cutscenes of a gang member wheezing, choking and sputtering blood while his head is hacked off in three thick-sounding strikes of the meat cleaver. It's a visceral experience, and even the most hardened gamer will squint their eyes or grit their teeth as they watch these grisly deaths.
-IGN Review

You can use a machete to hack people's heads off and then use them as projectiles or creep up behind someone and stick a knife in their shoulder, and there are more swear words than in an episode of The Osbournes. It's enough to make Grand Theft Auto and State of Emergency look like Disney cartoons....It's hard to believe that there's a genuinely well thought out game under all the blasphemy and entrails....It may be morally dubious to enjoy hacking people up, but the fantastic use of sound makes it distinctly engaging.
-GameAsylum Review

Now, I am not against shoot-em-up games like Quake, Doom and Halo. But isn't a game like this going too far? I admit I've never played it or even seen it, so I probably shouldn't judge it yet. So I will stop short of calling it "sick and perverted" but the whole concept makes my stomach turn. Most worrisome to me however, is that you know kids will be playing this game, regardless of the warnings and content ratings.

Banning the game isn't the answer. Anytime anything was banned from me as a teenager, I wanted it even more and found a way to get it. The game is aimed at adults, plain and simple. Considering it is from the folks that brought us "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" it is probably a most excellent game. I've nothing against the GTA series and there is a place for adult themed games.

Still, isn't a game like this just asking for trouble?

Further Reading:
IGN Reader Reviews of Manhunt - They love it (of course), but makes you wonder how old they are.
"Want the game? Show some ID" - CNNmoney
"Are game ratings as relevant as they need to be? 'Manhunt' makes you wonder" - CNNmoney
Chicago Tribune - "It's telling kids how to kill someone, and it uses vicious, sadistic and cruel methods to kill"
Chicago Tribune - "'Manhunt' is easily the most violent game ever made"
Ferrago Review - "Manhunt is a great game, and though the subject matter is questionable, it comes highly recommended if you can stomach what are unarguably the grimmest moments in videogame history"
Studying the violent games we play: Could being bad be good for us? - SunSpot.net
Watch a Video Review of Manhunt @ GameSpot (free registration required)

December 15, 2003

Monday Mission 3.50

The countdown is in progress, the last Monday Mission will be on January 5th, 2003. As I mentioned before, I think it is time to put it to rest.

I'd considered allowing other Bloggers to take it for one month each, but I changed my mind. It would still be a hassle, and still wouldn't be much fun for me. Plus, if someone in September dropped the ball or wasn't online anymore, what then? See, just too much hassle. Like I said, when something that should be fun becomes a chore, then it is time to quit.

PromoGuy's Monday Mission 3.50

1. What in your life used to be fun, but eventually just became a chore that you didn't enjoy?

2. This weekend, US Troops captured Saddam Hussein and now have him in custody. How did you feel when you heard the news? Did it change your mind about the War in Iraq? Did it change your opinion of President Bush?

3. Regarding the capture of Saddam, I saw one "man on the street" interview where a man grumbled that "they should have just killed Saddam. I don't know why they bothered taking him alive." What do you think, should US Troops have taken Saddam alive or just killed him when they found him? What would be the pros and cons of either?

4. What kind of things at Christmas time just scream "tacky" and "White Trash" when you seem them?

5. Suppose you had a dear friend who calls you in tears because her boyfriend had just left her. They'd been together for nearly 5 years, and one day he announces to her that he is leaving because she had gained too much weight. They were in love, or so she thought, and then out of the blue, he bails and blames it on her weight. What would you say to her about this man?

6. Suppose this same friend of yours still thinks she and her ex have a future. She says that she wants another chance, that if he will make some changes, she will to. She really does love him, and assures you that he loves her, even though he wants to "take a break and see other people, but if we were meant to be together we will be." There is even a hint of marriage in their future if they get back together. What advice would you give her?

7. Have you ever had to tell a lie to get out of a date or when you were breaking up with someone? What did you tell them and how did they take it? Did they ever find out the truth?

BONUS: Where are you Christmas?

Today's Comment Question: Write a caption for this photo!

...

Cover Me

A few issues of this week's Time Magazine went out with a cover other than the one with Saddam you've seen all over the place. Originally, the cover story was about the so-called "Lost Gospels" - "recently discovered ancient texts that never made it into the bible."

I think the old cover had an image of Jesus on it, though I've not seen a copy in person. Anyone have an image of it?

Hey, didja know....

Saddam has been on the cover of Time Magazine more times than Jesus?

Interesting.

Further Reading:
Time Magazine's Year In Pictures 2003

December 11, 2003

How Christmas Works

Today I was researching the 12 Days of Christmas for an upcoming Guest Blogger post in Cordles Blue Hole (ok, now that just sounds nasty!).

I will be writing on Day 4, Four Calling Birds.

In addition to finding out that the 12 Days are the days that separate Christmas day on December 25 from Epiphany, which is celebrated January 6, I also found this cool page.

How Christmas Works answers all the questions you've had about Christmas, and even a few you hadn't thought of yet.

Be sure to check it out.

I also found this page which details the religious meanings behind each of the 12 Days. Sounds kinda hokey to me. Just about as silly as the True Meaning of the Candy Cane. I am fine with the religious aspects, I just don't like it when folks shove them onto things where they don't belong. Seriously, these both sound so forced that it isn't even that cute.

Seems that on both accounts, I am not alone.

December 9, 2003

"Figgy" or "Piggy" Pudding?

Figgy Pudding or Piggy Pudding?

Well, since I am #1 in Google for searches on "Parson Brown" (and have a ton of comments this month alone to prove it), I thought I would tackle another Christmas song with confusing lyrics.

This time it is "We Wish You A Merry Christmas."

Well, for the record, it is FIGGY:

We want some figgy pudding
We want some figgy pudding
We want some figgy pudding
Please bring it right here!
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for Christmas
And a happy New Year!

We won't go until we get some
We won't go until we get some
We won't go until we get some
So bring it out here!
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for Christmas
And a happy New Year!

Dang, it must be good if those folks won't go until they get some. Hm, come to think of it, I've often felt the same way, but ah, that's another topic...heh...

You may recall that in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" Mary Cratchit serves her family "Figgy Pudding" on Christmas for dessert.

However, this recipie is definitely for a "Piggy Pudding!"

Test your Christmas knowledge with the "Great American Christmas Quiz."

Further Baking:
Figgy Pudding
Figgy Pudding
Figgy Pudding
Figgy Pudding
Figgy Pudding
Figgy Pudding
Figgy Pudding
Figgy Pudding
Figgy Pudding

December 8, 2003

Monday Mission 3.49

So, all good things come to an end. After this one, there are only four more Monday Missions to go.

You may have missed it, but as I explained in this post, the Monday Mission as we know it will be ending January 5th, 2003.

Did you realize that the Monday Mission also just turned Two? Yeah, last week as a matter of fact. So, that was a pretty major accomplishment I'm thinking!

Anyway, let the countdown begin...

PromoGuy's Monday Mission 3.49

2. When do you do most of your blogging? During the day, at work, at home, at night?

3. What tends to keep you from blogging more? Or could it be that you blog too much and should do less?

4. Do you like dressing up and/or "role playing?"

5. When choosing a mate, there are some things you can overlook (boob size, hairy backs, beer belly, bad teeth, hair lip, etc.) and some things you just can't (see previous list). What are some of thing things you can live with when picking your partner, and what are the things that are a "must have?"

6. My neck and back are in a constant state of tension. In fact, on the rare occasion that someone gives me a neck/back-rub, I am so tense that it hurts when they work out the kinks. I am just more used to being tense than not. I think I need help. Have you ever had a professional massage or ever been to a Chiropractor?

7. Inspired by the Amazing P3nis Patch.... Does size really matter? Yeah you know exactly what I mean too. Men, what have you been told and what do you know to be true? Girls, what is the real story and is that what you tell the guys? Have you ever been scared of one that was too big? For both: why do you think this debate is still going on?

BONUS: Do they know it's Christmas time at all?

Today's Comment Question: You still gonna come by and comment once the Monday Mission goes away? What? Me insecure? Naaaah....

Upgrade with a Patch

Apparently there is a new patch out that a lot men need to upgrade their hard drives. Heh.

Yes, announcements for the amazing P3nis Patch are flooding inboxes everywhere!

Honestly, if there really were a patch for men to put on their "members" to add inches, the makers wouldn't need to be flooding our inboxes about it. Word would get out and the "amazing p3nis patch" would be sold out before you can say "when you wish upon a star!"

I mean, come on. One television ad during a football playoff game is all it would take. Or just the word of mouth for one fella that it worked for would do the trick.

P0rn is probably to blame. Because if it weren't for Ron Jeremy, I am not sure why else we men even care about the length. Or maybe it is society. Everything has to be bigger and better than the other guy.

Women don't help the matter any. Generally speaking, of course, not meaning you. It is just for every gal who says size doesn't matter, there are two others who admit that it really does. Thanks a lot for the confusion. This one is going into the Monday Mission for sure!

Of course, the harsh reality of it is, even if there were a patch that could add inches to little Elvis, the guy still has to find a girl to go out with him. The mere fact of having a long duck dong does not send out a silent alert to women everywhere and have them suddenly be attracted to you (does it? never seemed to work for me). Unless the gal is wondering if you have a "kielbasa in your pocket," you still have to work the charm, romance and develop a true connection before you get to show off the results of the "Amazing P3nis Patch" - but if you are on Spring Break in Daytona Beach, then all bets are off (after all, those girls have gone wild).

So, it is such that this is the world in which we live. That inboxes will eternally be filled to the brim with pills, creams, patches and devices that offer to add inches where none can be added.

Not that I would need to buy it. Heh.

December 3, 2003

Share Your OPML

Wouldn't it be neat if people could share their OPML (RSS feeds you are reading) file with others? It seems like it would be a great way to discover some new blogs, news sources, and other sites folks may not have ever known about.

In Feed Demon, you can select a group and then chooses "Export" to save the OPML file. Others could then open that file, look at what you are reading and select which sites to add to their own RSS reads.

Now, if I have had this idea it probably means someone else is already doing this. So if that is the case, point me there.

But if not, maybe I can come up with some sort of OPML repository where people can submit their lists. Could sort by category, or user or who knows what.

Or could be no one has a clue what I am taking about and this makes no sense whatsoever.

But if it does make sense, let me know your thoughts.

(and if you want to link to your OPML files to get things started, please do)

December 1, 2003

Undercover

One of my fondest childhood memories was when my Dad would take me exploring.

Back in the day, we would visit old railroad tracks and pick up spikes to take home. Climb all over the old trains and even go inside. One time we found an old amusement park! It was called "Wedgewood Village" and it was in Oklahoma City. We always went in the daytime, I can't imagine how scary that place might have been at night (ruh-roh Raggy). Today, I don't think you could get away with the that sort of trespassing, but back then, we did.

Maybe that is why I find abandoned structures so fascinating to this day. I probably will never go into one, but I sure do relish the web sites that post detailed photos of such adventures.

Here now is an incomplete list of some "Urban Archeology" sites I've come across.

Modern Ruins by Phillip Buehler - The '64 Worlds Fair section is great but also quite sad.

DefunctParks - Offers a clickable map of the USA and all the now defunct amusement park within. Some even have then and now photos such as "Chippewa Lake Park" in Ohio.

What Ever Happened to Idora Park? A loving look at another of Ohio's favorite parks. Has some great shots of the ballroom before it caught fire. Also available with other photos at DefunctParks.com. Just found this link to S&P Idora Park page. Wow, that is a lot of tribute pages, this must have been a very special park.

Forgotten Ohio - Ohio seems to pop up a lot, wonder why? The important thing is there are lots and lots of photos from the inside of buildings, which is what you wanna see right? Doesn't matter where they are does it?

Ohio Valley Abandoned - Again with Ohio! What, does no one live there anymore???

Freedomland, USA - One of New York's parks.

Infiltration has a lot of abandoned sites, so go poke around the site. One that I thought was funny, is called "Taking the Plunge." It is more or less an experiment so see how many hotel pools you can sneak into without actually staying at the hotel.

Deathrock Ruins & Urban Exploration - A great Link List that you will want to bookmark. Many more sites than I could ever list here.

Hudson Valley Ruins links - Hosted at Georgetown, the author has now graduated and the pages are slowly vanishing. Of note, is this extensive link list of Abandoned Buildings. Worth saving to your PC and browsing later.

November 26, 2003

Turkey

Guess what? I'm sick.

What, you already knew that? No, no. Sick like in a cold or sinus infection.

At this point, not sure which. It is probably Viral, since I've had the chills on and off all day and night.

Last night, literally, my teeth were chattering I was so cold. I have some amoixicillin, but I doubt it will help with a virus.

I'm just hoping it clears up before Thanksgiving tomorrow. Lots of rest. Yeah, rest should do it.

Hope y'all have a great Thanksgiving - see you on Monday!

November 25, 2003

...and one to grow on

This week marks the Three Year Anniversary of PromoGuy dot Net!

Blogiversary, Blog Birthday, call it what you want, I am just glad to still be going!

Amazing! Three full years of blogging goodness. It hardly seems possible. Yet in November of 2000 I made my first blog post. It was rather boring, about some cool Windows NT tool. But, like they said in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, "I got better."

It all started with a simple Blogger.com account, that I soon outgrew. It doesn't take long before you want a good commenting system and features that allow you to do more with your blog. From there I moved to GreyMatter and from there to MovableType. I learned a lot in that whole process, and I am still learning even today.

(interestingly, the earliest post I could find in the archives is numbered 318, so I have a feeling it wasn't really my first post. I think somewhere in the migration process my early posts were lost, so I will always wonder)

I didn't know much about blogging, but I knew I wanted in on it. While I can't exactly say that one single blog that inspired me, I do know that I could not have made it this far without the help and friendship of Christine, Jennifer and Robyn in those early days. A lot has changed in everyone's lives since then and I am not in contact with them like days of old, but I still count each of them as great friends who have given a lot to the blogging community. I couldn't have made it this far without them, my thanks to each of you.

Then there is the Monday Mission. It began shortly after my Blog started, and it also went through some growing pains. It too has been going for nearly three years, and has given me the chance to meet some wonderful people and make some great friends.

There have been a few minor flame wars here (anyone remember the whole Cordle vs Hootress in the Hooters/Tipping controversy?), but nothing major. Regulars have come and gone, and comment spam has increased (that means I'm popular, right?).

Design changes have been minimal, interestingly enough. While I do consider myself an artist and designer, I've never really fancied doing much with this site design-wise. I just like to write, and think, and come up with ideas, and the look comes second (as you can see by my current generic MT template design generously snazzed up by Lacy's logo banner).

I've wondered just what my "special purpose" is with this blog. I don't really use it to make the world a better place. I don't use it to spread the word about my faith and bring other to Christ. I don't provide any advice or create any snazzy scripts. I don't detail the inner workings of my personal life. I don't blogroll and am not a member of any "rings." I don't sell anything. I don't take any political stands. I don't write page long essays that get people talking for weeks. I just write....stuff. Nothing special. Come to think of it, why DO you read my blog anyway?

For those of you who've been around since the early days, thanks for sticking with me. For those who are new, don't run away screaming, I'm harmless (and sometimes, entertaining). It has been a wild ride and I can promise more of the same. With blogs closing down left and right, I am happy to say I have no intention of shutting the doors (but never say never).

Thanks for sticking with me. If I've made you smile then it has been worth my while.

PromoGuy dot Net turns 3, and I wanted to say thanks! Pings are unrelated to your post, but I wanted to let you know.

November 24, 2003

Reach out and smack someone

So, I am in the middle of getting a better phone for my other wireless plan.

Since today enables us to take our number to any cell carrier out there, I hoped carriers would be a little more willing to bend. Well, yes and no.

For example, with my "Current Carrier" (to remain nameless) I am off contract and on a month-to-month billing cycle. So, to get a better phone for free, I ask about my options. They tell me I can have an older Nokia 2260 for free but I have to pay a $15 upgrade fee (WHAT?) plus $9.99 for shipping. I mention the great deal I have at T-mobile on their basic plan and that I just might move over there. For $19.99, T-mobile gives me a free Nokia 3595 color/polyphonic phone, 500 weekend mins and 75 anytime mins (normally 60, but I have "loyalty minutes" woo-hoo) and no shipping, sooooo it sounds little bit better. Only downside is the $35 activation fee.

Then the Current Carrier rep does some digging and comes back with the new Nokia 3560 phone for $74.99 but offers me a $100 credit to cover the phone, the shipping and the upgrade fee. He also offers to double the minutes of the plan for a total of 120 per month. A 1-year renewal is required but hey, it sounds pretty good. Weekend minutes aren't a concern since that phone is hardly used other than during the week.

I tell the guy to notate it all in the account notes and I will call back once I am sure that's the way I want to go. He said he would, and that was that.

Wanna guess what happened when I called back? Yep, got a different person (as expected) but she can't give me the same deal. Apparently, not all that he offered me was mentioned in his notes. Thanks a lot, guy. In fact, most of what he offered me was totally not valid for my plan. Great. So they can't give it to me.

To be fair, the lady on my second call (happening now) is very polite and helpful, but we had to escalate the call to a "Resolution Specialist." So we will see where that goes.

Total call time at this point: 30:05

Still on hold.

Total call time at this point: 38:50

OK, so she came back and offered me the $100 rebate for the phone and extra charges, but can't offer the double minutes. So now I get to talk to the specialist myself. Oh joy.

Total call time at this point: 42:10

Around and around we go, but they remained firm - no way will they double the minutes like the other rep said. I am so mad that I didn't take the other offer! Dog gone it, I totally blew it. [beats head against wall]

How did it end? I didn't really want to pay $35 to activate with T-mobile. Yes, that one time fee would have given me 15 extra minutes a month, but I really don't have $35 to just toss in the wind.

I took the crappy second offer, like an angry child grumbling and pouting the whole way through. Was this whole exercise worth it? Probably not. My personal time spent on this call is probably worth more to me than $35. So, things were supposed to be easier huh? Not for me.

In the end, I have 30 days to cancel and go with someone else. Of course, the $100 credit goes away so then I am stuck with the $15 and $9.99 fees once I return the phone. Ugh. Is there an oven I can take a nap in? I've had it with this.

Well, maybe in a year I can get something better. I've had enough of this for now. Time for lunch.

Total call time: 61:00

Monday Mission 3.47

Getting a little bit earlier every week...

PromoGuy's Monday Mission 3.47

1. It is a lovely 21 degrees here in Oklahoma, and since walking in from the parking lot, I can't seem to warm up. I've got the coffee to my right and the space heater to the left and the non-functional central heat blowing above me. What do you do to get warm when you are very cold?

2. What is the first thing you do in the morning after you get up?

3. I mentioned earlier in the week that Sub Hunt was one of the first arcade games I ever remember playing. Many years later I would become equally entranced by the Atatri 2600 (ugh, I am showing my age now, aren't I?). Do you remember the very first video game you ever played (arcade, handheld, console, etc.)? What do you remember about that experience?

4. Do you have a good memory or do you find that you need to write things down to remember them?

5. I am currently really getting a kick out of the Citibank Citicard commercials about Identity theft, to the point of quoting them out loud (which no one gets, I really need new some geeky-er friends). What are some of your all-time favorite television commercials?

6. Since Thanksgiving is this week, I felt like I just had to throw in the obligatory food question, so here goes. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving food that is made by one person, and no one makes it better? If not, then what is your favorite food to eat at Thanksgiving? (Those who don't celebrate Thanksgiving feel free to insert your favorite fall food)

7. Wireless telephone companies will now let you move your cell number to another carrier, or move your land line number to your cell. Not only is this incredibly convenient, it forces cell phone companies to be more competitive. Are you planning to switch cell phone companies as a result of this new law, or possibly pit two companies against each other for a better deal?

BONUS: Where?

Today's Comment Question: What should be free, but isn't?

November 21, 2003

Hit 'n' Run, 11/21/2003

Another dump of the links crowding my tabbed browser this week....

FlyGuy - This is one amazing Flash time waster. No kidding, it goes on forever, but man is it ever fascinating!

****

Ipaqsoft.net - A long list of Pocket PC freeware

****

JavaSnow - Known as "Real Snow" this totally free java applet will add snowflakes to any image on your web page.

****

FunkUpYourPhone - My new phone will play Java games, so I scouted out a few sites so I can be ready when it arrives.

****

42" iMac - You think the new 20" iMac monitor is something? Ha! Wait til you see this!

****

Barney Channels Tupac - Oh now this is THE FUNNIEST thing I've seen online in weeks! Dedicated to GnomeGilr for the AfroMan post that made my day.

****

eBaum's World - Source of the link above, has a great video and flash archive that I can't view at work!

****

Retro Junk is dedicated to helping you remember your childhood. Like the Nintendo Power Glove! Lots of great galleries and pics to look through. Link via Ultimate Insult.

****

Pimadelic Wonderland is a "Technicolored tour of the decades most bewildering celluloid artifacts." Again, link via Ultimate Insult.

****

The G4 CubeQuarium - Yes, turning a computer into an aquarium is nothing new. Still, being a fan of the Betta, I just had to link to Gil and his snazzy home. Link via Boing Boing.

****

Japanese Super Hero images - Not sure how to describe it, but if you get a kick out of bad Japanese television Superheroes (think "Ultraman"), then you might find this entertaining. Link again via Boing Boing.

****

Heather - A photo every day, each captivating and impressive.

****

Hamilton Likes To Draw - Featured here before, but I worth another mention. I would love to be able to draw in this style. He also does portraits if you need an image for your site or an icon.

****

Amazing "Guess How Much I Love You" wall mural - For a baby's bedroom, it doesn't get much cuter than this.

****

System 16: The Arcade Museum has many interesting galleries of old arcade cabinet games. Kinda like this one for Moto Cross - grrr, baby.

****

Arcade PC - I still daydream about turning an old PC into an arcade game system. Things I'd need might be a Keyboard to arcade controls translator, or maybe some arcade controllers for a PC, or just get the real thing.

****

70's Artists In The News - Glad to know someone is keeping tabs on these Oldies but Goodies.

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Cartooning in Flash Tutorial - I've always wondered how it was done, now step-by-step we can see for ourselves.

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Triumph, the Comic Insult Dog, on NPR - Fresh Air to be exact.

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Punched Out - An unofficial sequel to the old "Punch Out Game" in Flash.

****

Sea Devil - Ah, one of my first arcade game memories, around 1970.

****

Marvin's Mechanical Museum - It is incredible! I'd love to have this site on CD-ROM. Wow, I could spend all day surfing this site. Better yet, I'd like to actually go there.

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Blambot Free Fonts - Some great free fonts, probably a few you don't have yet, you Fontaholic you!

****

...OK kids, that should keep you busy. And for the record, I am nowhere near being done with my links, but I had to stop somewhere. More next week.

A Flyin' Shame

So, they flattened Dr. Romano like a pancake last night on E.R. Before that, the morons on Survivor kicked off Rupert. What a lousy Thursday!

Well, at least on Survivor it made sense. Rupe was the biggest threat to all of them. But enough about that.

Now, on ER, even if you hadn't read the spoilers (which I had, months ago on AICN), you probably knew it would be Romano. What with the helicopter crash in the promos, and his previous encounter with one.

In my opinion, he made the show worth watching. Sure he was abrasive and a jerk, but he was one of those "love to hate" him kind of characters. Other that Weaver, I really don't find any of them that interesting anymore. Granted, I am in the minority.

And these are merely my opinions (have to say that before the ER possie comes to flame me again). Plus, I admit to not being a hard-core watcher, I just watch now and then. But that was then.

From here on out, I am done with ER.

I don't care for Puke-a. Carter, when he is on, is just boring. The Doc with the goatee (don't know his name) is probably the only other character with any personality, other than the big male guys in the nurse's station. Abby is tolerable, now that her family crisis storyline is over. The new med students are OK, but really, do you see any of them being stand-outs?

I am sure ER had their reasons for killing off Romano. Maybe the actor wanted out to be able to do other projects. Maybe the producers wanted a "sweeps event" of some sort. It was certainly promoted like one.

Having the muzak version of "Free falling" play in the elevator was a little heavy handed, but hey, it worked. The special effects were good too (looked like a combination of miniatures and computer animation).

Did anyone else expect to see Romano's robot hand lying in a gutter somewhere as Abby walked by? Or under the helicopter just like the Terminator? Feh, woulda been cool. After so much emphasis on his hand (and in the "previously on..." montage), I expected some sort of hand symbolism at the end. Seriously, there was so much foreshadowing you almost wonder if something like that was filmed and removed at the last minute (maybe they wanted to leave some doubt).

However, the fact that none of the other character missed him or even cared to check on him says how little anyone cared for him.

But from my point of view, there isn't anything on ER to keep me watching. Again, no big loss since it wasn't my favorite, but Romano was.

As for Survivor, Rupe was a great personality. But Jon is the "love to hate" him character. I have this feeling he does something and it backfires on him in a big, big way. Maybe he makes it to the final two and his lies catch up with him.

Hmm.

By the way, "Sweeps" ends next Wednesday. Prepare yourself for a lot of re-runs.

November 20, 2003

Simon Says

Remember this past Monday when I said I was looking for an old Simon game? Well, I still am.

You DO remember SIMON don't you?

With the flashing lights and the sounds you have to match?

They were all the rage in 1978!

Here is a shot of all the table top SIMONS through the years. Look familiar?

Well, turns out eBay is a treasure trove of these things. That's the good news. The bad news is everyone seems to want one, and snipes me at the end of the auction. Creeps!

But I know sooner or later, I will get lucky. I really like the "clear" one the best.

Funny thing is, I remember playing this a lot as a kid (that and "Connect 4" and "Tri-ominoes" were my favorite), but I don't recall ever owning one. Maybe one of my many step-siblings had one and let me play.

Oh, did you know last weekend there was a nationwide SIMON Competition? Your boy Donny Osmond was the host
.
"Joel Berger, age 14, of Leawood, Kansas, was crowned "World's Best Simon2 Player" and set a Guinness World Record during the SIMON 25th Anniversary Championship Playoff at Hasbro Games in East Longmeadow, Mass. With today's win, Joel will go down in Guinness World Record history for playing the longest game of SIMON ever recorded - 14 SIMON sequences. "

Way to go, Joel!

Maybe once I get mine I will be able to catch up with him.

Further Playing:
Flash-based SIMON games
One - Best!
Two - Offical M-B version, based on Simon2, not as good if you ask me...
Three
Four - World's Smallest Simon Game

By the way, if you use "Flash Movie Extract Pilot" you can grab these from your cache, save the games to your PC (or Pocket PC) and play them offline.

Pocket PC based SIMON clone
Here

Further Reading:
The Story of SIMON
The Original patent for SIMON (then called "Follow Me") # 4207087
Read many other interesting stories at Classic Console Center

Off Topic:
Bush or Chimp - for Pocket PC (preview it here). Hmm, mighty convincing!
PocketPCFlash.net has other great flash shows for the Pocket PC - like Stick Figure Death Match!

Back in the Hat

"Cat In The Hat" a movie to see,
Everyone wants to go to it but me.
I think it looks deadful, a train wreck on screen,
and Meyers looks scary, sorry to be mean.

It will probably make millions, a lot not a few,
But it almost looks worse than the first Scooby-Doo.
I wanted to like, it was a sure fire hit.
But from what I've seen it looks just like...a miss.

We get a cat that won't rhyme and talks just like Rosie,
8 bucks for this, from the theater I'll mosey.
My rhyme is annoying, yes that is not news,
but you know others will do it in their reviews.

So, I'll see this cat, the one in the hat,
And I'll come right here and talk about that.
If you go be sure to buy some ten dollar snacks,
Then report to me with comments or trackbacks.

Further Reading:
Rotten Tomatoes reviews say this is a great movie...for your kitty to poop on!

November 17, 2003

Busy Beavers

I tell ya, there are some busy Spamsters out there.

I wonder how much they get paid to sit at their PC and enter comments on my site.

Sure I get the random comment spam-bot now and then (Sunday night to be exact), but more often than not, it is a person who leaves a comment like:

Name: L0lit@
Email Address: suckhole@eatit.com
URL: http://www.i.loveto.spamyou.not/l0lit@/l0lit@a.html

Nice Site! Great post. Maybe you can visit my site some time [SPAM LINK HERE], and I bet you'd like this site too [SPAM LINK HERE]!!!

I don't think the spam bothers me so much, that is easy to remove with mt-blacklist. No, I think what annoys me more than anything is that I get excited that I have a new comment and it turns out to be spam.

See, I just love getting feedback on my posts, and when I see one in my Inbox I get excited. But then when you open it and it is just some luh-hoo-suh-hurr entering fake comments, it just chaps my hide (and we all know how painful that can be).

I suppose I just have to take it, it comes with the territory after all. Still, it really is a bummer to be "faked out" like that.

November 14, 2003

Dead Or Alive

Um, I've been told that when you leave a comment you get some wild error as a result of my using mt-blacklist. Something is messed up in there and I need to just re-install it.

So, I made some changes and hopefully things are OK now.

If you tried to leave a comment, sorry to say it didn't stick.

Let's give it one more try.

If things are still not working, send me an email with the error and I will try to troubleshoot it.

But I can't do anything about it until late tonight. So feel free to mail your comments directly to me, or wait patiently.

Thanks....

grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble-grumble....

Do you remember the night we met?

Do you remember when HBO used to actually show movies?

I think it was back when MTV used to show music videos.

One of the few "perks" of travel (and there are very few) is that I get to watch cable TV in the Hotels (for those new to this saga, I don't have pay TV). So when the night comes, I am always looking forward to seeing a movie on HBO.

But WTF?

Where are the movies anymore????

In the three nights I was there, there was maybe 1 movie on at night. One! I don't get it. Every time I get a chance to see HBO (usually in Hotels), there are never any movies on in the 7-11PM time slot.

HBO = Home Box Office. They key words being "Box Office" as in a movie theater. As in MOVIES!!!

In the old days, HBO was all about movies. Sure, they showed "The Pirate Movie" 12 hours a day, but at least they showed movies. Now? You are lucky to find any.

And aren't there like 13 HBO's now? How do you even keep up with them all? One of them must show movies.

See? This is why I don't have cable TV.

Now I am not knocking their "Original Programming" because I know they are just rolling in awards for them. But aren't they forgetting their core business?

Seriously, maybe it is just me. Maybe I am "out of the loop" or still living in the 80's.

Is it just me are have they just given up on movies? Come on HBO, where's the cream filling?

November 7, 2003

Don't forget me when I'm gone

..or
Monday Missing 1.0

OK, well, as of Sunday I am winging my way west. California Dreamin' for sure.

Sooooo I've decided to delay the Monday Mission until next Thursday, so I will be able to work on it in Anaheim while I am gone.

It's been ages since I've been offline that long. Hm, maybe it will be good for me - and you. Let's hope I return with a new zeal for blogging, I think it's been getting sluggish 'round here.

See you next week!

headline courtesy of Glass Tiger

November 6, 2003

Goin' Back to Cali

Starting Sunday, I will be "out of pocket" for a while. That's Southern for "away." But y'all knew that.

And rather than hack together a Monday Mission before I leave, I figured I'd be better off doing in on the trip. Then I will post it Thursday when I return.

Sadly, I have no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi card for my Pocket PC, so I won't be blogging out in Anaheim (unless there is a free net connection kiosk somewhere). But I will be blogging "offline" and uploading it when I return.

I will also be testing a few of the "on screen" keyboards while I am there, since I don't have an external one for the Pocket PC.

Should I take my Digital Camera? I am not sure what or who I will really have to see and do.

Do you think this Okie is ready for Cally-forney? Better yet, are they ready for me?

November 5, 2003

Thing to do in Anaheim when you're (not) dead

OK, sorry that was bad. But there was this movie and I just had it in my mind, so I changed Dever to Anaheim.

Looks like there is a LOT to do but really the only free time I have will be Sunday when I arrive.

Muppet Vision 3D
I've wanted to see this since an ex-girlfriend went years ago when it opened (she even stole the glasses). Now they have it at California Adventure. Looks like a lot of fun, if I am able to have time I will see this.

To get into either Disneyland® park and Disney's California Adventure park for one day I gotta drop $47. Or 2 parks for 2 day at $99. Sheesh. This is gonna hurt.

Since this isn't actually a vacation, I only have Sunday afternoon to sight-see (and each evening after the conference).

Well, Downtown Disney is free.

And Rick suggested the Crystal Cathedral. Heck, I might even make it to a Sunday evening service. Then again, my fleshly ways are interested in the hot tub at the pool and the night life....ahhhrg, the struggle!

DOES IT SOUND LIKE I AM ANXIOUS?????

Yeah, a little. Totally unfocussed, in this post and in Real Life.

Allow me this detour, I will be back to normal next week sometime.

Ugh. What am I going to DO with myself?

November 3, 2003

Not there

Maybe it is the impeding trip to California next Monday, but I am just not feeling like myself today. Business trips are like that. They throw off your daily patterns and generally mess with your mind. Vacations are different. But this isn't a vacation, even if I will be in Anaheim. Sure I plan to have some fun and kick back, but it isn't like you have the freedom of a vacation. It is work-related and that tends to be a dark cloud over what would otherwise be a helluva trip.

So I am just very blah.

Much on my mind and not really anyone to tell it to (or actually that phrase would be "dump it on"). Not bad things, mind you, just stuff. Not sad nor depressed. It leaves me ... just ... blah.

Thus, I don't think I am going to be able to give you a very good Monday Mission. Oh, I will post one before the day is up, I but right up front I am telling you it won't be much good.

Maybe it is the thought of writing two Monday Missions this week - since I will be offline from the Matrix on Monday next week.

I think I need a new Gadget to cheer me up. Hmm, wonder what I'd like.....

October 29, 2003

We on a grind y'all, uh-huh, uh-huh

So, just WHO is that "Grinder Girl" seen on "Late Show with David Letterman?

She's been on "Will It Float?" and "Is This Anything" among other skits, so who is she????

Her name is Kiva Kahl and you can read all about her on GrinderGirl.com.

And it would just be bad manners of me to not mention the "Late Show Hula Girl." Her name is Anna Jack and she also has her own website.

See, I am just here to help.

Seriously, what would you do without me?

October 28, 2003

Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane

So now it is a done deal. The hotel room is reserved, the plane tickets have been charged.

In two weeks I will be in Anaheim for the first time.

Hopefully I will get to see Disney (never been to one, ever). Even though it is a business trip I will have my evenings free. Then again, it may too expensive to just pop in one night. We'll see.

Don't know anyone there, but maybe I will be able to make some friends and get out and see the town.

If nothing else, you can catch me in the hot tub warmin' my bones.

You know, I haven't flown since before 9/11. So this whole new Airport security deal will be a new experience for me. Maybe I can scrape enough cash together to get a Gameboy SP or something to take along, it is going to be a long flight. And me with no Wi-Fi or laptop or anything.

Really looking forward to the trip, just wish I wasn't going it alone. Feh. Who knows, maybe I will run into a fellow Blogger at the ESPNzone or better yet ,the House of Blues!

Jinkies!

Just for fun, you may want to visit "The Many Faces of Velma."

The site documents the various voice actors who portrayed Velma Dinkley, as well as the many changes her character has undergone over the years.

BTW, I kept my promise - I have never seen the live action Scooby-Doo movie. Sadly, ugh, "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed" is now in production for release next spring. Maybe this one will be good.

Fun Facts:

Did you notice the "new" Velma? She has some mega-platform shoes and is thinner than her older incarnations, probably based on the live-action version.

Did you know "Mindy Cohn" from "The Facts of Life" was the voice of Velma for the 2002 series "What's New Scooby-Doo?"

Did you know that Don Messik, the voice of Scooby, passed away in 1997?

Did you realize that Casey Kasem didn't do Shaggy in many of the direct to video Scooby Movies?

Did you know both Shaggy and Scooby were voiced by the same person? (Scott Innes)?

Did you know Scott was replaced in the new KidsWB series by Shaggy originator Casey Kasem, and by Frank Welker doing BOTH the voice of Scooby-Doo and Fred?

Did you know Billy West (Futurama) also played Shaggy in "Zombie Island"?

***

OK, I know he isn't Scooby...but is there anything as funny as a Dog Wearin' Pants????

Further Reading:
Construction photos of the "Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle" ride "coming soon" to Paramount Kings Island
Fred, Velma & Daphne's Tribute Page - In appreciation of the most underappreciated members of Mystery Inc
Cathy, the real life Velma
VelmaDinkley.com - Just what it says
Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine Model Kit
Hanna-Barberra animation art for sale
Interview with Scott Innes
Casey Kasem speaks out on the Shaggy/refer issue
One of the few photos of Heather North, voice of Daphne
Am I Velma or Not - Rate the Velmas on their Velma-ness
IMDB page on Scott Innes
A very detailed history of the creation of Scooby and details on all the Scooby-Doo series
On the set of Scooby-Too and cast interviews from JoBlo.com and the Yahoo!Movies synopsis

October 23, 2003

How can I explain when there are few words I can choose

Trapped. That is what it feels like.

And I find a noose with a nice fit.

- - - - -

This work of fiction was created for Raspil's weekly literary meme, Fragment.

As she describes it:
Every Saturday, I will offer three fragments of a sentence for you to fit into a bit of fiction/stream of consciousness/what-have-you.

You can join in too, just visit Fragment to begin your journey and follow others.

October 22, 2003

Do not stand at my grave and weep

When I was a kid, maybe thirteen, I remember reading the "Question and Answer" section of the local newspaper's weekly TV Guide (not the "real" TV Guide, but that's what we called it anyway). Someone wrote in asking about a poem they heard read on a TV show at a character's funeral. I don't recall the show, but I always remembered the poem. Well, part of it: "do not stand at my grave and weep, for I am not there." I thought that was a beautiful line, and the entire poem was great. But I didn't think to cut it out and always wished I had. Even if I had, there is little chance it would have survived up to now.

Then a few weeks ago, on the 2nd episode of "Third Watch" (Oct. 6th 2003 episode "My Opening Farewell"), a song was featured that had many lines in it that were similar to the poem I remembered. I learned this later since I don't watch "Third Watch." But lots of other people do and were touched by that music and, more importantly, the poem. As I was going through my usual morning reads, I quite randomly happened upon a post at Tank's Grrl where she mentioned that episode, the pretty song and the poem that inspired the song. She posted a link to the poem used in the song and when I read it, I knew my search was finally over!

Ever have something in the back of your mind, nagging you for years, that you need resolved? Finally, I have got rid of one. Sure there are still many others bouncing around my head, but this one has been there since I was a kid!

Then it crossed my mind that there might be others looking for this, or if not, others who would appreciate the poem and the song. So I took it upon myself to find out more. After a good bit of Google-ing, here is what I've learned:

The poem is "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep" and so far I've found three versions - one by Mary Frye, her revision, and one by Wilbur Skeels (also on the Mary Frye link previous). BusinessBalls.com has a wonderful essay detailing the history of this poem.

Turns out, the song from "Third Watch" that uses this poem is called "The Prayer" by Lizzie West from her "Holy Road: Freedom Songs" CD. "The Prayer" was also featured at the funeral for Dixon's wife on "Alias" Episode 20: Countdown (and probably on a lot of other TV shows too). Too bad Amazon doesn't offer a sample of the song to listen to, I'd really like to hear it!

As usual, I am not re-purposing the poems here. I didn't write them, and I don't feel right cutting and pasting someone's work into mine. Lucky for you though, other folks don't mind at all. So I've provided the links and hopefully you can copy them to your hard drive in case the sites vanish someday.

Why do I like this? Do I want it read at my funeral? Am I being morbid? What's up with all the poetry? Because. No. No. I have no answers. It is what it is, I am what I yam.

Since the poem is believed to be in the public domain,I am reprinting it here. There are 2 versions, I like parts of both of them.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.

I just hope this helps anyone looking for this, and also, I hope someone out there finds this poem as moving and touching as I.

Further Reading:
A 9/11 Memorial featuring the same poem (with a download-able audio file)
A Prayer for My Son
To My Grown Up Son by Janell Sanders
A Collection of Inspirational Stories and Poems

Desi-i-i-i-rrrrr-re

Here is yet another case of me being late to the party.

Apparently this work of prose called "Desiderata" (Latin for "Things to be Desired") is quite popular. It was written by Max Ehrmann in 1927.

Yet, once again, I am clueless and had never heard of it.

It is quite good however.

It reminds me a lot of the Baz Luhrmann song "Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen)" (aka "The Sunscreen Song") which was inspired by Mary Schmich's 1997 article "Wear Sunscreen" (which was NOT written by Kurt Vonnegut, and was NOT given as the commencement speech to the MIT graduating class of '97 as the internet urban legend says). Could this have been inspired by "Desiderata?"

Further Reading:
...about "Sunscreen"
Baz talks about the "Sunscreen" song and how it came to be.
Mary explains how she found out she was Kurt Vonnegut
The Sunscreen Song FAQ (sort of)
If you want to hear this song (and I can't imagine that anyone hasn't after all this time) you can find it online many places, just visit Google and go from there...

...about "Desiderata"
A Washington Post article on "Desiderata" and why "Old St. Paul's church, A.D. 1692" usually gets Ehrmann's credit
The confusion over whether "Desiderata" is in the Public Domain or Copyrighted
"A Prayer" by Max Ehrmann

...and other things
"Your Children" by Kahlil Gibran
"After a while" by Veronica Shoffstall

By the way, if you like these, I suggest you copy them to a text file. Many of these are on personal home pages which are notorious for vanishing without a trace.

October 21, 2003

Supah Troopah

I am a ditz sometimes.

Honestly, before Operation Iraqi Freedom, I never knew what a "troop" was.

I always heard "troops were sent in" and "troops were deployed" and "troops invaded" and so on. I always thought a "troop" was like a hundred soldiers or some such amount.

Nope.

1 Soldier = 1 Troop

I never knew! No one ever told me! Still, "2,000 troops" does sound more intimidating. Maybe that's why they call them that, it "sounds" like more. Beats me. Doesn't make much sense, maybe someone with military ties can explain it.

But still, all this time I was thinking one thing and it was totally another.

Sheesh, I am so embarrassed.

October 20, 2003

Monday Mission 3.42

What? Didn't we just do one of these????

PromoGuy's Monday Mission 3.42

1. What is the most expensive car repair you'd have to pay for?

2. I did some traveling this weekend. Not too far, just about two hours in the car. What is the longest time you've ever spent riding/driving in a car?

3. Fall seems to be a pretty busy time of year: football, school starting, Halloween, thanksgiving, traveling, family functions. Are the next few weeks going to be busy for you? What do you have going on?

4. Changing seasons usually also means changing clothing. Do you have a routine to switch clothing around in your closet or dressers? Do you look forward to the chance to wear some different clothes for a change?

5. Here in Oklahoma, we don't have a lot you can do in the fall except take hayrides and maybe visit a pumpkin patch. What I'd really like to do is go pick apples on an orchard. Have you ever been to pick apples or visit a farm in the fall? Is that something you (would) enjoy?

6. A friend of mine from long ago used to make Apple Butter. It was amazing and I've never been able to find any I liked as well. It is a taste that just says "fall." Are there any tastes or smells that once you've taken them in, you just know fall is really here?

7. Isn't there something you've been meaning to do for a while? You know, that thing? Yeah. So, what's the holdup?

BONUS: Why are there so many songs about rainbows?

Today's Comment Question: Regardless of whether it is possible or it even exists, what would you like to have installed in your car?

October 17, 2003

Hit 'n' Run, 10/17/2003

So, what IS "Hit 'n' Run" anyway? Just a collection of links crowing my tabbed browser for the week. I am just putting them here in a HNR for the world to see.

PLEASE JOIN IN!

Lacy was interested in putting HNR on her site to share links, and of course I thought it was a great idea. So everyone, please feel free to do the same. Ping me or leave a comment to your weekly Hit 'n' Run because I want to see them.

HNR is not like the Monday Mission. You post it whenever you want, weekly, monthly, whatever. Commentary is always good, but not required. There need be no theme, rhyme or reason to the links. Just things you've found and want to dump in one place. All I ask is that you link back to this site and be sure to let me see your HNR list - we all need fresh links.

So here we go!

Accessing the Outlook

I recently had to export a database of emails into Outlook. What I really wanted to do was link the database to outlook so that any updates to the database would be reflected in Outlook. I wasn't able to do that.

But in the interest of helping, here are the links I found useful:

Access to Outlook exports

Linking to your address book in Access

Outlook DataLink - Transfer or Synchronize your Outlook Data with Other Systems

Outlook Automation Access 2000 add-in - Lots of code here for export and import

Use Outlook contacts in Access

...Life, the Universe, and Everything

DS_Store cleaner - Freeware that cleans up files on Windows machines left by Macs

Enable Database Access and Updates Through Exchange and Any E-mail Client

Mariann and her Green Discovery - He's so cute!

Wizbang! - Found this site when looking to speed up MT-Blacklist. They were hit by the DOS attack too, as were many, many, many bloggers.

Loobylu now has her Christmas cards available for purchase. They are adorable, be sure to buy lots and send me one in December.

DarthCynthia is one of my new reads. I also have began reading Candace's Live Journal.

Real Live Preacher's essay on Love is just amazing. If you ever needed proof that bloggers can be incredible writers, then look no further. Really, don't miss this one!

Dooce is a site by Heather. Her writing style is right on target. If you get a kick out of her "How To Annoy Me" section then I think you will find yourself becoming a regular reader instantly.

RetroGames is a nearly daily announcement list of all the emulator and classic gaming news. It led me to discover RetroGaming Radio - a great monthly show by folks who love classic games. Give it a listen!

RetroGaming Times makes for a nice companion to RetroGaming Radio (no relation however).

PocketPC Freewares - Daily free programs for your Pocket PC - like PacFun.

PocketAtari and PocketVCS let you play old Atari games on your Pocket PC

THERE! Tabbed browser all clean, many tabs now closed, only 7 open now. I feel MUCH better now. Ahhh.......

Kermie, Kermie

Yog made a post containing the lyrics to "Rainbow Connection" since the Monday Mission didn't make it out on Monday.

It reminded me of the awful skit on SNL with Justin Timberlake and a bad Kermit puppet. The skit was pretty lame, but I began to hear the lyrics in a new way. A cynical way.

As I posted in Yog's comments:

Great tune, but when I heard it again recently (on SNL, bad skit), I began to hear it as a cynical song. Like Kermie is down on those who beleive in rainbows and that we need a reality check.

I think the second verse is what makes me think that.

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it, and look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers, and me.

What do you think?

October 15, 2003

Our Story So Far...

So, a lot has happened since I last blogged. What was it, a week ago?

First, there is no Monday Mission yet. I know, I know! Here it is almost FRIDAY and I've not done it. But then again, I haven't got one email complaining that it wasn't posted. So either everyone is really understanding, or no one cared. Either way, my goal is to get it online Friday.

Next, where I've been? Well, mostly in the Message Boards. Actually, like a dork I deleted the wrong mySQL database over the weekend and had to wait for it to be restored. That happened yesterday afternoon, and last night I re-entered all the posts that were lost (about a week's worth). All is good again. I've missed posting, so it will be nice to get back on the wagon.

Let this be a lesson to you - back up your site and your databases. My "Contol Panel" has an option to download a TAR file (like a ZIP file) of my entire site - and so I did, uncompressed it and burned it to a CD. I need to do this Monthly. FYI, your Databases are not usually in this backup - be sure to find them in your control panel and back those up as well. Trust me, it makes life much easier!

Lastly, I am feeling better. 18 days later, my Sinus infection is mostly gone. I still have a cough that is nagging me, but otherwise I am all better. So many of you have asked about that and I wanted to thank you and let you know I am much better now.

Real life is mighty busy and taking a lot of my time, so I can't say you can expect many posts this week. But I do read your comments and emails, and usually get back to you quickly.

Eventually PG dot Net will be back to full force. In the meantime, help me breathe some life into the Message Boards.

Thank you for sticking with me during this rocky time.

October 10, 2003

Dip Toe In Stream

I hate to admit it, but I really am starting to like NPR, National Public Radio.

I must be getting older, erm, more mature.

The morning goofballs on the local stations are just annoying to me now. And since this IS Oklahoma, we don't get Howard Stern. So usually I will listen to a pre-recorded sermon, but after a while, Id had enough of that. Then I found out we have 2 college stations that carry NPR. Hm. News and some entertaining stories, no commercials. This could work.

Well, it does work. I find it makes the "drive at five" much more tolerable than punching around trying to find something to listen to besides commercials. I noticed that I prefer "All Things Considered" over the "Morning Edition."

And now I am hooked. I am also now totally out of touch with new music. Unless it comes on the television or I accidentally hit the Hit Radio station button, I don't listen to any music on the radio (except KLOVE now and then). I am officially boring.

I thought it would be great to be able to take some of the shows with me on the Pocket PC to play in the car. Turns out there is a program called Replay Radio that seems like it would do exactly what I want - record audio streams and save then to MP3. Something like this could be used to get shows like "Loveline" or "Car Talk" too. I've seen some great reviews for Replay Radio, so I may have to get this. I know Audible.com lets you subscribe to NPR and other radio shows, but I'd rather just pay once for something like this that I can use for several radio programs.

Now if only Howard Stern would stream his show...

Further Viewing & Listening:
WJSE - Loveline @ 10PM ET
Streamripper32 - Windows version of Streamripper, which grabs shoutcast streams and IDs and splits the tracks into MP3s.
Neuros Digital Audio Computer - $199 for a 20GB media player may not seem like a great deal, but it can do some things I've not seen any other portable do.
PublicRadioFan - "program listings for hundreds of public radio stations around the world"
On the Go Software and Accessories - from PocketPC magazine

Funny Face

I am thinking I need to lean some new drawing techniques.

Caricatures have always fascinated me.

I've checked this book, "Learn to Draw Caricatures," out from the library. So being able to draw should give me an edge up.

There are also a few web sites I need to check out.

Learn to Draw Caricatures Step-by-Step
Big Head, Little Body (what a great domain name!)
Caricature Connection
Caricature Zone
The Nose
The National Caricaturist Network

If it seems like something I am good at, I will post some drawings eventually. Can't you just see me at the local kids amusement park sketching some snot-nosed brats for $10 a drawing? Me neither.

But I think the key here is to be brave and just do it. I judge my artwork too harshly and compare it to those I wish I could draw like and feel inferior. I gotta work on that.

Further Reading:
I really like the work of C. F. Payne, usually seen on the back cover of Reader's Digest. He also has illustrated several John Lithgow CD and book covers. More can be seen here, here, and here.

Photo Cartoonist

Cadillac Men

Have you ever noticed male spokesmen never know quite what to do with their hands?

The funniest example is the local commercials for used car lots. Usually you get a local DJ or some retired news anchor, walking across a mile of cars, talking fast and waving at this car and that. They just flair their arms everywhere. Like they are so glad to just be on TV that they can't control their limbs.

The worst though, has to be the Sales Manager or Lot Owner. You know the ones. Where the car lot owner (or manager) insists on being on camera. He will usually work his wife, children and grandchildren in before the commercial is over. But watch them as they talk.

They just stand there, trying to make hand gestures that just don't seem natural at all. I saw one where the guy made the Bill Clinton fists (you know, where you point with the thumb so it isn't rude like pointing with your finger - this was his signature move). But this guy on TC kept both fists by his chest, not moving them. So it looked like he was giving "two thumbs up" through the entire spot.

Usually the men just stand still and don't move their arms. This isn't any better. Then again, the men who try to move their arms in natural gestures seem just as fake.

Watch TV tonight during the local news and tell me what you think! It can't just be the Oklahoma personalities who are bad at this.

Female speakers almost always seem natural. Unless it is the rare case of the female Lot Owner, most local female TV commercial personalities come off looking quite natural. But the men just do not know what to do with their hands. Maybe the men should just hold a puppy or a baby. It would give their hands something to do and we could at least be distracted by the cuteness.

October 9, 2003

Is it raining with you?

Nothing but rain.

It has rained all night. It is still raining now.

Not the hard driving kind of rain. No, it is the soft kind. No thunder. No ligntning.

The kind of rain that can soothe you to sleep.

The kind of rain you can listen to in the middle of the night as you watch your lover sleep.

The kind of rain that makes you want to stand on the patio in the dark and listen to the pit pat of the raindrops.

The kind of rain that is perfect for dancing in.

The kind of rain that reminds you of absent friends.

The kind of rain that wraps around your dreams and transports you to a soothing slumber, like none you've ever known.

You'd like this rain. I wish you could share it with me. Maybe we'd sit on the lawn furniture under the covered patio. Look out over the yard as the rain made puddles in the low spots. Not saying much. Just relaxing, listening to the patterns of the raindrops. Watching the stream rise from our mugs of coffee. No need to dress, jammies are fine. It's a rainy day, who cares?

Maybe you can turn on the radio. Care to dance?

Slip off your shoes. Spin and twirl as your toes splash in the cool puddles.

The cool breeze makes contact with wet skin. Are those goosebumps?

For a moment, time stands still. The world steps aside and give us this to share. To remember.

No stress. No troubles. No cares. No fear. No worries. No hurt. No lies. No one but us and...

Nothing but rain.

Nothing but rain.

October 8, 2003

With these hands

Isn't it fun to see grown-ups dessing up for halloween?

I was looking through Google to see if other folks had done an Edward Scissorhands costume kinda like mine (from long ago). I found a few, and some others. So here are the links, in no order whatsoever:

Britta has some amazing costumes.

Pete's Earthlink 1999 Halloween costume contest

Ed Wood Scissorhands (notice the sweater) and other images from Costume Con 15, don't miss all the other years as well.

Depp in his Edward costume

Victor's Photogallery of costumes (Edward is about halfway down)

...and finally the DragonCon 2003 Costume contest - be sure to check out the other photo galleries too.

So what are you dressing up as this year? Got any costume pics of yourself that you can share?

It's a beauty way to go

I know the kids in the audience just don't get it, but how cool is it that the personalities of Bob and Doug McKenzie are embodied in the two Moose in the "Brother Bear" movie trailer? Actually, Disney seems to have picked up on the Moose appeal and is using them in a lot of their promotion of the movie.

What's great about it is that even though the children have no idea who these Moose are, they are cracking up laughing at them anyway!

Could this mean another McKenzie brothers movie may be in our future? One can only hope. The "Strange Brew" DVD has a trailer for a proposed animated series - you can view it here. As far as I can tell, it was just a one time deal. Maybe Spike TV can pick it up and make a real show out of it.

You remember Bob and Doug McKenzie don't you? Waaaay back in the 80's Rick Moranis & Dave Thomas (from Second City TV) taught us Americans what Canadians in the Great White North were really like. Now the actors are appearing as the two Moose Tuke & Rutt in the Disney film "Brother Bear." I know Tuke is an homage to the "touques" that the brothers wore in the SCTV skits, but not sure what Rutt is all about.

There is also news that SCTV will be making it to DVD. No word if Bob & Doug's skits will be included, but it is hard to imagine a "Best of SCTV" without them.

Heh. I still have the "Great White North" album in my extra closet (but no need to hook the turntable up to the computer, I can download it instead).

Take off, eh?

September 30, 2003

Oh yeah, I guess I gotta buy it

Not that I'd wear it, but there is something terribly cool about the simplicity of this Biohazard shirt. Just the symbol on white. I like it.

If these Horses Ass salt and pepper shakers had been Coffee Mugs instead, they would have SO been mine!

Sometimes a princess is just a princess. But there is something about this Princess costume that leads me to believe sometimes a princess can be quite a hottie! Grrr baby, this is giving me a few new ideas.....

(note: these are eBay links and will expire in 90 days, so don't bug me if they are gone and you've found this via Google 6 months from now)

In your letter, you said you couldn't face me

Stop it.

Please, just stop it.

That's what I'd love to say to my relatives.

Stop forwarding me emails that you think are cute, funny or touching. Just stop.

I don't read them. I don't open them. I don't want them.

Regardless of who it is from, if I see >>> or FWD: in the subject line, I'll just tick the little box next to the message and click the delete button.

But, I can't bring myself to tell them. So I just smile at the thought that they care enough about me to forward the message.

Then I delete it.

September 26, 2003

They come runnin' just as fast as they can

You know what bugs me? Clothes.

Mine especially. When I worked in retail, I was a clothes magnet. If it was new and sharp, I bought it with my employee discount. It was nice. Inexpensive clothes and always lookin' snazz. It always makes me feel more self-confident to be dressed up.

But now, I am a Dockers and knit shirt kinda guy. And I think it has impacted my job happiness. I blame the current "business casual" mentality. Call me unusual, but I actually LIKE dressing up for work. But if I were to ever dress up, or worse, wear a tie, oh let me tell you, you never hear the end of it. Mostly it's all the not-at-all-funny comments like "Got an interview today, eh?" Who needs all that? So, I just went with the flow and dress down. I don't like it, but I see no reason to "Dress to Impress" if it has the exact opposite effect.

One of the things that gets me these days is how different clothes look in your house as opposed to the real world. For example, when I got dressed yesterday, these socks seemed to match my pants.

But noooooo. The socks are totally white and the pants are more like a "wheat" color. Great. Maybe I can moonwalk to the copy machine. Ah-hee-hee-hee.

Then dig the pants. Now, truly, I know Dockers are like the biggest joke in men's fashion since "Member's Only" jackets, but they are inexpensive and Old Navy is just a bit too young for me to wear anymore. But look:

What matches "wheat?" I must have hit a sale when I got these, because nothing matches them. But at home, they looked like darker khaki. I think it worked out OK (see photo in "Millennium" a few posts back), but today wasn't any better.

In a color that can only be described as "chocolate" I was once again screwed by the home light vs. real world light disparity. The shirt seemed to match, but once I got outside..

... it was scary how off it all was. I didn't have time to go change, but then again, no one really notices me here. At least I got the socks right.

Anyway, I bet I could make a meeeellion dollars if I could create some light bulb for closets that mimics outside light. Or if its a reality, then I need one.

I probably need to hire a fashion consultant. "Wanted fashion expert who can clothe in a 'Structure' style on a 'Wal-Mart' budget."

Or maybe I just should go into work bare-ass naked. Think I'd get a raise?

Nah, no one would notice anyway.

And I'd still have socks that didn't match!

September 25, 2003

Millennium

This is it!

According to the MovableType login screen, this post is number 2000!

TWO-THOUSAND!!!

OK, even I can't believe that I could have made 2,000 posts. But there it is!

When I started this blog in October of 2000 (oooh, symbolic!) I only had a handful of readers. And for thankfully, they have stuck with me through and through. Honestly, without their support of this site and the Monday Mission, you would probably not even be reading this right now. So for being there at the start (or shortly thereafter) many thanks to Christine, Jennifer, Robyn, and Christy and...and...and...

I had no plan when began this Blog (please don't read my achives for 2000-2001, uuugh). I just knew that as a web developer, it was nuts for me to not have my own site. So, taking my Delphi Forums username, I set out to get a domain. Ever wonder why this is PromoGuy dot Net? Well, the "dot com" was taken! But now, I am glad it was. I wouldn't change a thing now. I like being a dot Net guy. I started out with Blogger.com, using the then basic, free account on a free web server (VirtualAve.net). I got to blogging and set out to make some friends. Eventually I got some readers and they told me the pop-up ads were driving them crazy so I went to get a "real" web host.

I kissed a few (server) frogs, but finally I was on a "real" server (and eventually would wind up with the ever awesome Blogomania). And Blogger.com just didn't do it for me anymore. It didn't support comments, unless you used a 3rd party server, and they were totally unreliable. Plain and simple, I outgrew it. So I moved on to GrayMatter. I converted my blog to GM and things got better and better. I learned A LOT! I delved into the wild world of cgi-bin and SSI. Then I kept hearing about something called MovableType. It was getting a lot of buzz, and GM was no longer being developed. But man, what a steep learning curve. Well, it wasn't so bad and I learned EVEN MORE!

All the while building my site, making new friends and becoming a part of something bigger.

If I was asked why folks read this site I'd have to admit that I just don't know. But I've learned not to question a good thing, so if you're happy I'm happy.

To celebrate this milestone, I am tossin' up a couple of pics just to remind ya who the man behind the curtain is.

(take your pick, I prefer without glasses, but it's your call)

Thank you, yes you, for making this post, number 2,000, possible. I couldn't, and wouldn't, do it without you!

September 23, 2003

Head games, always you and me, baby

This is for the ladies out there, mostly.

When I was a kid, I remember my cousin Shelly had this big Baribie head (well it was big then, probably since I was a wee lad). Do any of you gals remember those? I think they are called "Make Me Pretty Barbie" now. (Interestingly, I could find no online gallery of the Barbie Styling heads. I think that would be interesting. I just may start one up.)

I know they still make them, so I went looking for one of these for my little cousin and had a hard time finding something simple. They are just so FUNKY now. What I remember is a very simple Barbie head that my cousin would play with for hours. She'd wash and curl and brush her hair, put make-up on her, put on jewelry and such. I think it had a large base with a tray of some sort. She really loved it. I also remember how her brother and I would tease her mercilessly and do awful things to the Barbie Head to upset her when she wasn't looking.

But now these Baribe heads have all these wild hair weaves and extensions and talk and do this and that.

Excuse me while I rant: Why do these new Barbie heads have to TALK??? What ever happened to something called IMAGINATION? MAKE-BELIEVE??? It reminds me of a few years ago when we went looking for a stick horse and every stinkin' one of them made sounds! Why? Can't we just give children a stick horse and let them add the sounds themselves? What has become of these little minds now that every toy has to come with its own soundtrack???

OK, rant over.

It is wearing me out. Isn't anything simple anymore? You don't even have to put make-up on her now. They use that weird hot water/cool water voodoo now. What? Is actual make-up dangerous now? Was there a lawsuit somewhere and now little girls can't put actual make-up on Barbie?

Heck, why even bother with the Barbie head? Why not just put it on the computer. Ugh, I don't believe it - they did!

Feel free to post your Baribie Styling Head memories here, and be sure to let me know if my rant is without merit.

Further Viewing:
Ken in his Totally 80's parachute pants!
Pimp Daddy Ken!

September 22, 2003

Monday Mission 3.38

Ahh, another week, another Monday. Is it me, or are the weeks going by faster now that fall is near?

Had to wait for the lunch hour to prepare your Mission, mighty busy today. Thank you to everyone who participates. The MM has been going for a long time, and has had its ups and downs, but thankfully you keep coming back. Even though it is winding toward the end, there is still time for new folks to join in. So if you are a "first timer" be sure and let us know!

Did you notice the new layout? Yeah, it is one of the boring MovableType default templates. But I tried to add a few plug-ins and more additions will come as I have time. Many thanks to Lacy for the awesome Graphic at the top of the main page, I think it just totally makes the site work!

So, let's get the party started with...

PromoGuy's Monday Mission 3.38

2.We've had a lot of cooler weather here in Oklahoma, it reminds me so much of Fall. Even though it isn't Autumn, I find myself thinking of fires in the fireplace, taking walks and having a cold nose, and stopping for a flavored coffee on the way in to work. What are some of the best things about Fall?

3. I saw an episode of Dr. Phil recently where this good ol' boy was just breaking his wife down left and right by making fun of her weight and the size of her rear end. I am amazed that men like this exist and are able to remain married. Why do some women put up with men who constantly insult them and/or abuse them?

4. Speaking of that, obviously making fun of a woman's weight is something that men should know not to ever do. Still, many of us are clueless. What are some things men should never say to women?

5. I was cleaning out my closet recently and realized I had way too many shoes. There are some I never even wear anymore, but just keep because I have some memory attached to them, kind of silly really. How many pairs of shoes do you have? Is that too many or not enough? Do you keep shoes you know you will never wear again?

6. Another thing I have too many of is Photo Albums. They are everywhere! All shapes and sizes too. But as many as I have, I enjoy looking at other peoples photo albums more. Especially those found by the couch at my grandparent's house. Every time we'd get together for Thanksgiving or Christmas, we grandkids would pull them out and spend hours laughing and remembering. Did your family keep a lot of photo albums around? Do you like looking at family photo albums?

7. I've finally got a Friday night off to go out to a movie. You're coming with, right? Great! I am leaving it all up to you though, you make the plans, who's going, where to eat, the movie, whatever else later. I'll be by a 7 to get you, so what's the plan?

BONUS: Come on baby, where's your guts?

Today's Comment Question: Write a caption for this photo!

September 17, 2003

Culture Club

One thing I noticed in the awful series "The Restaurant" was the odd phrase "in the weeds."

Before that show, I'd never heard this phrase. From the general way it was used ("Are you in the weeds?" "I am so in the weeds") I gather it means you are in a bad situation.

But where did this phrase come from? Is it new? It is used other places or is it mostly a New York thing?

And here in the Midwest to pay for groceries we wait "in" line, but I've noticed other areas say you wait "on" line.

Y'all talk funny, y'know?

September 16, 2003

It's only natural

I had a TiVo once.

I won it from TiVo actually. Three years ago I wrote an essay on how amazing the TiVo is and how it would change my life.

Then I sold it on flEa-Bay for some ungodly amount of money.

You see, the thing is, I just couldn't pay the service fee. $20 a month was insane for a device that would do most of what a VCR would do. Now, if I had cable, then sure! But all I have is free TV, and paying to watch that, even with all the TiVo could (then) do, wasn't making a lot of sense. (I know it does more than a VCR, but that wasn't my point) If I had $20 a month to spare, I would rather join Netflix or get the basic tier of cable. Don't even get me started on the lifetime service fee.

Now, years later, the word "TiVoed" is a commonly used verb. Yet I still have neither cable TV or a TiVo. Do I regret selling it? Maybe a little.

My fellow Bloggers have certainly won me over to the value of the device. God Bless them and their TiVo! I can't tell you how many of my "Cable TV Calls for Help" were answered by my online pals who joyfully Tivoed shows for me on cable.

So it is for them that I offer this link to a great post on the need for TiVo Therapy.

Enjoy...and I will be contacting you soon to get another cable show TiVoed!

Buy, Buy, Buy

He heeee!

I put a pair of my old boxer shorts up on flEa-Bay.

And last night somebody BOUGHT THEM! For 13 bucks!!!

I just love the Internet!

September 15, 2003

Drawing a Blank

Tonight we are painting the living room - white over white. Boring? Yes.

But it needs to be done. Maybe our next house will be prettier. No, I take that back. It can't help but be prettier.

If I have energy I really want to draw (pencil on paper) something. I don't have a scanner anymore (thanks to XP not liking it), so I won't be able to show you.

(note to self: find a used scanner)

Assuming I even do it. Which isn't probably likely since I will be tired and clean-up takes a while, then moving furniture and such. I'm worn out just thinking about it.

Crap.

And this is my Big Red Dog....

It really is sad that John Ritter passed away. He had some great acting roles, and though I knew him more from "Three's Company" than anything else, I also fondly remember his short-lived series "Hooperman."

Of course, commenting on his acting legacy really sounds shallow since he leaves behind so many loved ones.

But it did cross my mind that he was also the voice of "Clifford" on PBS. Interesting that he'd found a whole new generation of television viewers, and such a sharp contrast to the randy sitcom of the 70's.

Children probably don't need to know about his death. With "Clifford" reruns they will still hear his voice and I would wager it would only confuse them into thinking Clifford has died. And in cartoons, voice actors are easy to replace without children knowing (witness the replacement of the classic voices of Tigger and Pooh with most of us none the wiser).

On a related note, Jaclyn Linetsky, the Canadian actress who voiced PBS' lead character "Caillou" was tragically killed in a car accident last week. Even though "Caillou" has been out of production for years, she will be missed by fans from all over.

Further Info:
Linetsky was the English-language voice of Caillou, for episodes 66 through 98.

Caillou is a popular animated show for young children that's produced in English and French by the Montreal-based film company Cinar.

September 12, 2003

Sunrise early in the dawn, slips away, then it's gone

And of course Warren earlier this week.

A very rough week for the entertainment industry.

September 11, 2003

Stop Playin' Games With My Heart

I must love to torture myself.

Why else would I keep going into the Used Game Shop to drool over games for systems I don't even own? I think if I had the means, I would choose a PS2 and/or a GameCube.

I mean, I almost plopped down $5 for the GameCube Demo CD with the Star Wars Arcade game on it. Just to have it in case I ever get a GameCube. Isn't that nuts? Sure I would love to have the original Atari Arcade game (which is free on the demo CD), but what was I thinking? It would be taunting me from the DVD shelf, saying "you can not have me, you want to play me but you can not have me..." So I passed on it.

Then I see the used game systems folks have traded in. Traded in! I haven't even had my first time with these and these kids are already bored with them!

You see, I never even had an N64. There were maybe 2 or 3 games for it I would have even owned (Mario 64, Goldeneye, Yoshi). So now that the old N64 is selling for around $29, I considered buying one. But woah, the games are still way too expensive! When the cost of 2 games is more than the system, and it is a dead system, something is wrong, wrong, wrong! Wish I had a cousin who was bored with his or something.

So anyway, I didn't buy anything.

Just for the record, here are the prices of used game systems as of yesterday:
PSone - $39
N64 $29
GameCube $99 (refurb)
PS2 $149
Dreamcast $29
GameBoy Advance (not SP) $49

Further Reading:
Classic Gaming Forum @ GameSpot

August 27, 2003

Not quite 100 yet

This is to be added to my 100 things about me list. This post will be moved later tonight.

UPDATE:

The contents of this post have been moved to the woefully ignored "7 x 14 + 2 = 100 Things Aboot Me" post.

Three new groups of Seven added tonight! This is HUGE for me since the thing was started almost a year ago and never finished!!!

Read and be amazed (said dripping with sarcasm).

POP life

Well my email issues are still not totally resolved.

It may be that I am low on server space (11MB free) but I am working on deleting a few things so that won't be an issue for long.

I am still using my temp email address "PromoGuyROCKS AT Yahoo.com" so if you need a reply be sure to mail me there for now.

You can still comment, and those go to my Inbox. I just can't get to them in a reliable manner. But I will read them when the mail server lets me in.

BTW, here is a little tip for you.

How to Avoid More SPAM when posting to Blogs:

Ever wondered why when I comment on your blog I leave my email as "PromoGuy AT *nospam*promoguy.net"?

What is up with the *nospam*promoguy.net?

Well here is the deal. Spammers have these 'bots that cull the interenet looking for email addresses. The go through Google and through blogs and message boards.

Eventually, if the 'bots see your email address, guess what? They pull it out and add it to their list. Many blogs will display your email address when you leave a comment. Most (like me) won't unless you leave the URL box blank. So you are taking a risk by entering an active email address. It might show up in the comments page, and a 'bot might find it and add you to the list to get Spam mail. Might not, but I don't wanna risk it.

By placing the *nospam* before my domain name, that causes any mail sent there to be returned.

So why not just make the email say PromoGuy*nospam* AT promoguy.net?

Because there is a chance it could still be routed to my domain inbox. For most web hosts, anything before the "@" in an email, will come to your inbox. You could probably make anything up before the "@" and it would still come to you.

So why put it after the "@"???

Because there is not a single domain name with a * in it. Not one. Thus, any mail sent to promoguy AT *nospam*promoguy.net fails.

And hoepfully, you being the saavy Netizen you are, know to remove the *nospam* before you reply to me.

So far, this method has worked quite well.

I still have a few that get through but SPAMassasin catches most of those.

Just thought you might like to know why I do some of the things I do.

August 26, 2003

Lost in the Abyss

Yesterday about 4:30 pm was the last time I was able to regularly access my email account associated with this site.

Around 7 pm, the interface seemed slow (Horde webmail) and I noticed some bounced and returned mail messages that I didn't send in my inbox, with some .PIF as an attachment that I didn't send either. Later in the night, I couldn't get into my email at all. Same sitch now as well.

Sites like Mail2Web.com can't get to it, neither can POP3 mail checkers.

Other aspects of the site seem to work fine. Disk space was a little low, but that shouldn't be a problem for email.

SOOOOOO I can't get any comments from this site. Now that really blows right after a Monday Mission.

I've sent in a "trouble ticket" with my host, so we will see what they say.

I have a feeling this SoBig Mo'Fo' virus spoofed my domain based on my address being in someone's address book. Thus bringing my inbox to its virtual knees.

So feel free to leave a comment, but if you want me to be able to read it, E-Mail me directly at this temporary Yahoo address I just created --- PromoGuyRocks AT Yahoo.com.

If you have any advice or know of something going round, I'd appreciate a heads up.

Not having email is like being cut off from the world, you know?

Temp Email: PromoGuyRocks AT Yahoo.com

August 25, 2003

Freak-a-holic

Um, gee, I post one rant about the Olsen twins and suddenly I am seen as someone who can get messages directly to them.

Notice the following email I got over the weekend:

Subj: to the olsen twins
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 21:05:36 +0000
From: ". ."
----------------------------------------------------------------
If this actually reaches the Olsen Twins i would just like them to know that
i would just like to ask them a question, this has not got anything to do
with their personal lives or anything like that. I would just like their
opinion on something. I choose you as I look up to you and like your films
etc (you are exactly 2 years and 3 days older than me) and i believe that
you could help me with a problem ive got. Email me using [removed to protect the innocent].
p.s. i live in the UK

But in the meantime, why not bookmark OldenTwinsCountdown.com and check it daily. As of this posting it says "292 days, 15 hours, 52 minutes, and 13 seconds until The Olsen Twins are legal."

August 20, 2003

Sooner than Later

I wish I liked football.

I mean, I really wish I did.

I see everyone around me getting SO excited about the Sooners and the new football season, and I am just so...I dunno. I really feel like I am missing out.

I atteneded UCO in Oklahoma, and though they have a football team, they are not in the same classification as OU and OSU. Plus, since UCO (then CSU) is mainly a "commuter college" there isn't just a swelling of pride about the football team among the students.

Maybe it is because my parents didn't watch a lot of sports. My friend, an OU maniac, began "conditioning" his daughter to share his passion for football right after she was born. That is probably the best method. She, now 5, really loves the games and hoopla, and it is probably a nice bond they will always share. Start 'em young I guess, or you miss that window of opportunity.

I love it when OU wins. For that matter, I love it when OSU wins too. I just like for Oklahoma to win. Anything. If I had to choose a team to be "my team" I would pick OU. Mainly because I spent a lot of time ushering at the games when I was in Boy Scouts (the Scouts take folks to their seats, then later get to stay for the game for free). I also really like their band, the Pride of Oklahoma. When they play "Boomer Sooner" and "Oklahoma" I get all goosebumpy, and I didn't even attend that school.

But as hard as I try, I can't get "into" football. When I watch it, I don't understand it.

During the holidays, at family gatherings, all the menfolk (and some ladies too) sit around the tube to watch "the game." Each time I've tried to watch I just stare at the TV wondering what a "Down" is and why they don't kick a field goal every time.

Plus I am too embarased to admit I don't have a clue as to what that is going on and am just too afraid to ask ("they're all gonna laugh at you").

So once again, I will sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else revel in the excitment of the coming season.

Looks like fun.

Further Reading:
Big 12 Fight Songs in MP3 format

August 15, 2003

Fish Police

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions on the care and feeding of Betta fish (see "Fishy, Fishy, Fishy Fish").

From all you told me, I think next time I must be sure to let the water set out for a 24 hours before I put the next fishy in.

I may go a step further and just buy distilled water to put him in, just to be safe.

Maybe this weekend we can get another and hope for the best.

I may even post a picture, though they seldom seem to turn out well when shooting at a fishtank (even with the flash off).

But thanks again, y'all came through for me, just like always.

It is great to have friends in your time of need, even if one is just mourning the loss of a silly $3 fish.

Have a great weekend!

August 12, 2003

Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls

Can men and women be "just friends?"

I don't think so.

I think we'd all like to believe it. It is a great concept that gives you a sense of peace, and a nice warm fuzzy feeling but I don't think it is ever really possible. I am not speaking of couple who've broken up and are trying to be "just friends." I don't mean the casual office aquaintance type of relationship. No, I mean when a man and a woman with no romantic relationship with each other attempt to be simply friends with nothing more happening.

Now of course, I am speaking of relationships where the man and the woman are both straight. In High School there were plenty of gay fellas with great "just friends" relationships with the girls who hung around them ( we called the girls "f@g hags," but that was 1982 and we didn't know how to be politically correct, so no offense meant). I base my point of view (and it is merely my own opinion) on personal experience and my observations of people's behavior in the workplace.

One of the two is always thinking there might be a chance at something more. Usually the guy. Hoping against hope that there will be that one moment where the girl "friend" will suddenly ask if he want to do the "wild thang."

I think the one exception to this rule has to be the Online world. I believe that online is the only place where a guy and a girl can be "just friends." The internet provides an unusual barrier (albiet not a very sturdy one) that prevents things from going deeper. That is, untill the two people meet. Then things change. There is just something about person-to-person contact that changes the equation. Now I do believe Married couples can have this "just friends" type of relationship with other couples, but not a married man and a married woman alone. Same goes for when just one is single and the other is married.

Plus, at work when a man and a woman go out to lunch together, people talk. Doesn't matter if they are both married to someone else, or are single or whatever. It just doesn't look right and people will talk. It is just better to take a third person to make it on the up and up.

Men and women can't be "just friends."

I know several women who've thought they had a guy who was a great "friend" only to find him putting the moves on them when he thought he had a shot.

Now you might say to me that this isn't so, that these pure friendships exist. But do you truly know what the other person is thinking? Are you sure? I say in every single guy-girl "just friends" relationship that deep deep down there is always a splinter of hope of something more in the mind of one of them.

You are welcome to tell me I am wrong, but I would be more impressed if someone had the guts to tell me I am right.

Because I am.

August 4, 2003

Bouncing off the walls

Odd.

I've had a HUGE amount of "bounces" this week on the Monday Mission Mailer.

I wonder if the MMM account has been tagged as a spammer. Shouldn't be, since everyone on it had to sign up for it themselves.

I think the Mailer program removes bounced e-mail addresses. Or at least I hope it does.

I don't want to wade though the notifications again next week, nor do I want to be on a spammer list.

So if you didn't get an e-mail and you think you should have, well, maybe that is why. Most likely you were removed for excessive bounces.

Humbug!

This must be the only time I've ever said "excessive bouncing" was a bad thing!

July 30, 2003

Back here at home there's nothin' to do

For the next few days, I will be on Vacation (had to get away).

I shall return on Monday, refreshed and revived for the Mission. You'll be here too, won't you?

Feel free to check on the place while I am gone. Let the plants out. Water the dog....wait, reverse that.

If you need anything, please leave a message and I will get back to ya.

Otherwise ... have a great week, y'all!!!!

July 21, 2003

I wanna go south an' get me some more

Best news I've heard all year!

And on an unrelated note.....

EWWW!

July 17, 2003

(not) My G-g-g-g-generation

Times change.

So do talk shows.

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" could certainly never have been produced as it is back when Johnny Carson hosted it.

I am sure the Tonight Show is very representative of the times, and of the viewing public. It always wins in the ratings.

But, I just don't care for Leno the Talk Show host.

Now, Leno the Comic, back when he was "David Letterman's favorite comedian," was one of the best. His TV Guide bits and dumb newspaper clippings were some of the funniest bits on TV.

These days though, I just think Leno is going a little too far with his humor.

Sure Carson pushed the limits now and then, but he was seldom as crude and randy as Leno. In fact, Leno acts like such a horn-dog that I wonder what has become of the Tonight Show.

I only need to see a few minutes of the "Best of Carson" info-mercial to appreciate his style of hosting, as well as his amazing sense of comic timing. I think Conan has it. Dave, for sure, has it. Kilby doesn't. Kimmel doesn't. Leno does, but he just seems to not remember how to use it.

I was young when Carson was on, and surely didn't appreciate his skill. But I can now.

Those days are long gone. Time to pass the torch to a new generation.

Still, I don't have to like it.

Further Reading:
Inspired by Tom Shales aticle "Yakety Yak"

July 11, 2003

Written Off

(note to self - go back and add links to this post)

Jake commented on this post wondering why anyone would want an external blogging tool.

Well, I can't speak for others, but I will say why I use a Stand Alone Blogging Tool (SABT) instead of a WBBT (Web Based Blogging Tool).

First off, since I do this at work in-between projects, I don't want to keep going to my website. I really don't need my blog showing up in their Server Reports. I honestly don't know how they filter things or how they discern what's going where or even if they capture clear text. All I know is the less my personal site shows up, the better.

So, when you consider I have to go to my site (1 hit), log-in (2 hits), go to new posts (3 hits), compose and post (4 hits), then maybe make another post (5 hits), you can see where this could be a problem.

Depending on the software you use (w.Bloggar and Zempt being my choices for now), it logs in once to check your posts (1 hit) and again with every post to the blog. Certainly less than via a web browser.

Ideally, I'd like to make posts all day and batch upload/post them all at once. So far, none of them will do that. But when they do, I will be quite happy.

Another reason I like a non-web tool is the spell-check tool.

Now sure, I could write all day and save the text or HTML in a file, copy and past it into MT. Or compose the posts in Front Page, but why bother? A program like Zempt, wBloggar and SharpMT do nearly everything Front Page can (as far as a basic blog post goes). Plus no cutting and pasting. Plus it posts right from the program. No opening a browser or another window.

There is also the SAVE option. I can't tell you how many times I've lost posts simply due to a browser hang-up or a cgi-bin slowdown. Composing in the browser is a risk. I know you can save drafts in WBBTs, but the same risk is present. Yes, Notepad and Front Page can save locally, so this isn't a big point for the SABTs. But then again, you can re-open it and post from the SABT, so there's that for a plus.

Some of the SABTs let you edit previous posts (although not comments). Sure most WBBT will do the same, but you almost always need to open another browser page. In Zempt & wBloggar, you select the post from a drop-down list that is right there in the window. Fast and efficient!

Also, each SABT has other nice features that I don't have time to go into.

July 10, 2003

A whole lotta lovin' is what we'll be bringin'

For every stubborn child blog out there (see previous post), I am sure there are 6 enjoyable ones I've missed.

To be honest, there are several blogs I always check in on. And I know they check in on me. We don't leave each other comments much*, but that's because we agree so much it isn't worth it. They've said it already, who needs to see a "me too" comment.

*(if you got a ping from me on one of your post that is unrelated to this, it is because I read your Blog a lot but never comment - consider this my confession)

So, I am going to try to get back into reading blogs, if not visiting more often, then at least using a RSS Reader.

Thing is, I need some new, interesting, HAPPY (!!!) blogs to read. Maybe yours? Maybe one you read that you think others should know about?

Do me a flava, on this very post, leave the RSS/XML feed link (URL) of your blog or that of someone else's that you think qualifies as friendly, uplifting, interesting, link-filled or geeky. If you'd like a new reader (me!) or two (other folks who read this post), now is your chance.

Don't know about the XML? No worries, just leave your site's URL and I can figure it out.

What do I mean about "HAPPY?" Does that mean no gripes or moans? Heck no! Hey we all rant. I am all for that, so don't think it has to be all Butterflies and Unicorns every day. That isn't what I mean (and you know it). But instead of me linking to the Grumpy Pants out there feeding the fire, I'd rather spread the goodness and give us all a break from it.

None of us all read the same Blogs, so this is really a good chance to see some new sites.

I don't promise much in the way of comments, but I will add each of them to my RSS feed channel and read them (as best I can, and if they qualify). Plus, I do often link to posts that I find interesting. In most cases, I make a post rather than leave a comment.

BOTTOM LINE: I just want to be exposed to some new and FRIENDLY blogs for a change! Don't you?

Leave your suggestions here, and at some point I will make them into a link list. Spread the word, let's get a huge list going!

I read the news today....hooo boy

July 9, 2003

I'm the one who said just grab 'em in the biscuits

So, next Monday I will be on a Mission of a different sort.

Yep, I've finally scheduled my Colonoscopy.

ugh.

If you are wondering why someone my mid-30's age would be getting one of these, you would be justified. Normally I wouldn't, but since my Dad died of Colon Cancer, I was told it would be a good idea.

So, I go in every 3-5 years as a preventitive measure.

This will be my second one so far.

The last one didn't go so well. Even thought I did all the prep work, drank all the Lax and spend a day and a half on the stool, I still wasn't "clean" enough for him to see everything.

Hard to believe, I was sure there was nothing left inside me. It sure looked like it was nothing but fluids going out at that point.

This time I am making double-sure.

I am only drinking clear liquids. Period.

Last time I was told I could have Ensure, but I have a feeling that wasn't a good idea.

Anyway.

The Monday Mission is the least of my concerns at this point, so it may go up early, or may go up late or...

At least they will knock me out for the procedure. Unlike Katie Couric, I am not to keen on watching my procedure.

I don't have a laptop, so I can't exactly blog this whole event. Like you'd really want to know I typed a post while sitting on the crapper!

But if nothing else, I can write a little before and after stuff about it.

Maybe it will encourage some other men to have one done.

Considering all you have to lose (your hair, your life, your family), there just is no good reason to put it off a routine Colonoscopy.

Trust me, the worst part is the prep work.

More on that soon.

Like you really wanna know!

July 7, 2003

Times are Hard, but I'm Harder

Well, well.

Mister Auto Guy told me this morning that to fix the A/C on my car would run about $450. That would be exactly $450 more than I have.

Dang.

I really was hoping I wouldn't have to auction off the autographed scripts, animation cells and Macross/Robotech robots for a while. I hate to let them go, but in the end, when I am gone, they will probably wind up in an estate sale for a quarter. Best to live off it now I guess.

Can you tell I am trying to justify this to myself?

There really isn't any other way to get the extra money, and I carry enough credit card debt as it is. It would be a lot easier if I was planning on going to Gnomedex, DragonCon or the (now over) Starbase21 Trek conventions. That way I could just cancel and use that saved up money. Drat.

Still, I am holding off on selling the X-Files & DS9 autographed scripts until the bitter end...

July 6, 2003

Target: Summer

Get yourself to Target!

Heeya, all their "I Scream for Summer" goods are 50% off!!!!!!!!!

Ice coolers with wheels? Nine bucks!

Mesh fold-away rafts? Eight bucks!

Towels, beach toys, folding chairs, plastic drinkware, picnic blankets and baskets, bug boxes for kids, garden gloves, baseball bats and bases kits, pinwheels, ALL of IT, HALF-OFF! All that and sooooooooooooo much more!!!

I don't know if this is nation-wide, but I'd wager it is. There are some amazing bargains to be had and we've got LOTS of summer left!

Personally, I think Target is nuts, but hey, if they wanna almost give it away, fine by me!

Don't wait for the prices to drop to 75%, the good stuff will be all gone.

We went tonight and loaded up, and I still wanted more!

So this is your chance to score big!

Be sure to let me know what you found, k?

And don't forget the fella that's always thinking of you.

Your pal Promo, that's who.

June 26, 2003

Grandfather Clause

I am looking for a Closed Caption decoder box for my Grandfather's TV. Although he isn't deaf, his hearing isn't as good as it was, and my Grandmother would probably appreciate it if he'd turn down the volume.

Granddad has a nice television, but it was made before Closed Caption decoders were required to be included within the TV.

I am hopeful that I can find a used one for not too much money. Why? Well, from what I've read, the only decoders that will work anymore are the "Telecaption 4000" Closed Caption System. And even those are being phased out. No one makes them anymore.

I am pursing them on flEa-Bay, but so far they have exceeded what he is willing to spend on them. And the unused ones I've seen online are in the $100 range, which is silly because you could just buy a new TV for that much.

So, I am just putting the word out.

If anyone has an old CC decoder box that they'd like to let go of, post a comment or e-mail me. We can work something out I'm sure.

June 25, 2003

Can you hear them, they're talkin' 'bout Us

Overheard at work:

- Twenty-something party-gal speaking about a guy she began dating -

"...and well, he's in his late thirties, so he's no spring chicken..."

Ouch!

June 6, 2003

Just What Is Pentacost Sunday, Anyway?

My friend is having her son baptised this Sunday. The little fella is about 8 months old and she was anxious about having waited so long.

I decided this was not a good time to get into my feelings about baptism of children and salvation. She probably wouldn't appreciate it. Something tells me Presbyterians and Southern Baptists don't see eye to eye on this (oh yeah, lets SO not go there).

But yes, she and her hubby are joining this Presbyterian church this Sunday too, which also happens to be Pentacost Sunday. She said in her note dress was casual this week and everyone would be wearing red.

Hm.

This is new to me. I still think of myself as a "baby Christian" and there are a lot of things that are new to me. Most of the rituals of the Catholic church are not part of my denomination, Pentacost Sunday being one of them.

I was suprised at how much web research I had to do to find out what Pentacost Sunday was all about, and why one would wear red (I assumed it had something to do with the blood of Christ, but I wasn't sure).

Keep in mind, this info is gleaned from the 'net and may not be totally accurate (and I didn't do spell-check either, so there). Feel free to add your corrections/suggestions. This is not intended to be the Ultimate resource for Pentecost/Pentacost Sunday. But considering my rankings in Google, it will surely lead many people here. If it does, be sure an leave a comment and let me know if this helped. But remember, I had a hard time finding these answers.

Pentecost Sunday is a remembrance of what is considered to be the "birth" of the Christian Church. After Christ ascended into the heavens, the 11 disciples met to celebrate Pentacost (spelling of Pentacost varies, sometimes using an "e" instead of an "a"). The Feast of Pentecost was already an ancient holiday, celebrated by the Jews long before Christ as an offering of the first fruits of the land and as a commemoration of the giving of the Law. But on this first Pentecost after Christ's death and resurrection, something amazing and frightening happened. (Acts 1:-26)

During this meeting, they took what we know as communion as they did every week in remembrance of the Lord. They elected a 12th disciple (Matthias) by drawing lots.

Then "there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, 3 which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim."(Acts 2: 1-4)

It was at this point that Holy Spirit arrived and annointed the apostles with fire and empowered the spread the Good News of Christ. It was then that the Church of Jesus Christ was considered to have been born. It was at this point the men were no longer Disciples (those who learn) but became Apostles (those who teach).

Pentacost means "Fiftieth Day" and takes place on the seventh Sunday after Easter (in the bible it was the 50th day after the Sabbath of Passover week). The church remember the event that occurred to the disciples 50 days after the Passover where Jesus was crucified and 10 days after they watched Jesus physically ascend into the clouds. I believe that church attendees are asked to wear red commemorate the "spirit of fire" of the first Pentecost (or blood of Christ, depending on your source).

So, now you know!

Further Reading
Pentacost
More on Pentacost
Pentacost Sermon
Another Pentacost Sermon
A Tale of Rock & Roll Pentacost

June 5, 2003

It isn't Friday yet?

This has been, the LONGEST week ever! First everyone at home gets strep throat (but me thankfully), then immediately after get a stomach virus that involves vomiting and diarrhea. Yeah, it was sure a lot of fun. You can just image how wonderful the place smells. Especially when someone doesn't quite make it to the bathroom in time. There is nothing quite like cleaning sour vomit from the carpet at 3AM.

So in addition to lack of sleep, I begin to get body aches which make me think I am getting some virus too. But I think it is just stress and lack of sleep. I am so worn out.

So to go home last night with it "feeling" like it is a theorist night it disappointing in two way. One, that the Amazing Race wasn't on, and Two, that today wouldn't be Friday. Even when I woke up, I still had high hopes it would be Friday. But no. No no no. Noooooooooooooooooooo.

Fine.

Thursday it is. That gives me TAR (The Amazing Race) to look forward to, payday tomorrow, and sleeping in (to at least 7:30am) on Saturday.

Why can't the weekends seem as long as the weekdays do sometimes?

June 3, 2003

Cat in the STAT

So, here's one for you folks in the medical field!

I am resisting the urge to "Google" this, so I hope you will too.

I've asked my Aunt and Cousin, who both work at a Hospital, and they don't know the answer.

So here's the deal: I remember hearing as a wee lad that the hospital term "STAT" is actually an acronym. I even knew what it stood for, but I've since forgotten. Maybe you know?

What do the letters in S.T.A.T stand for? How did your discover this? Why don't your peers know this?

May 23, 2003

He works hard for the money

I just can't imagine what it would be like.

To be 18 years old, and suddenly have $90 million from Nike. LeBron hasn't played in a single College game, let alone an NBA game. But apparently he has the goods. But $90 mil? Heck, Mr. Air Jordan himself only got $2.5 when he signed with Nike in '84. Inflation, you know.

I was about to ask "what does that teach him about life in the real world" but then I realized, he won't ever have to live in the real world.

Congratulations LeBron, don't spend it all in one place.

May 15, 2003

If I Only Had The Nerve

"An act of courage isn't necessarily done by those who feel brave when they do it. True courage is he who feels fear, yet does it anyway."

From Ray Comfort's Sermon found here.

What is one of the cardinal rules of blogging? Never talk about religion!

That is a rule I break now and then. In fact, I was told that my site has become a little to "Christian-y." Cool! (or was that meant as a complaint?) Another one of the other comments I heard was folks didn't read me as much because this site had become much less personal (meaning I post hardly anything about me, my life, my struggles, etc.). Well, I just wanted to mention that I will be using those comments as motivation to break the cardinal Blog rule a lot more often.

So, this is gonna become one of those GodBlogs now isn't it?

Pffft, oh please! You should know me better than that. Like I want you to run screaming from my site to never return again!

No, but from time to time I will be posting more interesting sermons, articles and other resources that I find on Christianity. Nothing drastic will change, but just expect it to pop up more often that it did before, that's all. Although I've made no secret of my faith, I've never been one to shove it down anyone's throat. That will still be the case, but I am going to be more blatant about it. Considering the popularity of this site, it would be foolish of me to not utilize that to spread "the word." See, I told you I was chaning my priorities.

What if we disagree?

I don't mind a few comments back and forth here about such things, but I won't be getting into finger pointing. That isn't the point. I won't be telling everyone they are going to hell if they don't belive in Christ as their savior, because when I was in college someone used that on me. It didn't work. In fact it drove me further away from the truth and probably kept me away from the church longer than I would have been. I don't want to argue about reincarnation, evolution and salvation, there are plenty of other sites for such things.

So you think what I believe is wrong?

It is not my place to convict anyone of anything. Who am I to judge? I live in a lovely glass house you know.

My feeling is, I will point to "the way" and let the Spirit do the rest.

If I am asked questions in sincereity, I will do my best to answer them.

What I believe is what I believe, and everyone else is welcome to their own views. But it is foolish of me to not speak about my faith when things are on my mind.

All I hope to do, as has been my motto since my first Blog, is to make you go "Hmmmmmm."

Further Reading:
Ray Comfort sermons in Real Media
I've yet to see the "Jesus Film" but hope to one day. You can see it all online if you have a fast connection.
There is a Jesus Film for Children which is also available online.
Archaeological evidence that dinosaur and man once co-existed

May 6, 2003

Something's Got To Give

So it has all come down to this then? PromoGuy dot net has become little more than a daily link list and a weekly meme generator?

Well, pretty much, yeah.

And who knows how much longer that will even last.

As you've no doubt noticed, there has been hardly any "personal" content here is a while. No rants about society, no insight into my thinking, nothing about dealing with ADD, things I want to learn, art that I've been working on, none of that.

It wasn't really an active decision, it just sorta happened. It isn't due to lack of content, hoo-boy, if I were to let loose on all the behind-the-scenes in my life, this place would be better than a soap opera. And it isn't due to lack of desire. I really would love to blog more about things that matter. But the things that matter are not the sort of things anyone wants to read about in this blog.

So what matters most? My Faith and my Family. Sadly the two things that matter most have been getting the least attention for some time now. Part of it can be credited to this site, but ultimately, all the blame lands firmly on my aching shoulders. Me and Atlas, we need a massage.

For the past year and a half, I've had to make some changes. The biggest change was stepping back from the online culture and the virtual life I led there. I've only got so many free hours for my real life after work, and I just can't afford to neglect it. As much as I love to write/journal/blog/chat/webcam, faith and family must come first. So for several years it has been "faith/family" vs. "computer/blog" in a constant battle; one pushing the other out of the top spot, back and forth. Honestly, it can't go on like that. *I* can't go on like that. It isn't good. It isn't healthy (mentally or physically). And it isn't fait to m'Lady or the family. It should be so crystal clear, yet I can't kill the beast.

That means I have to make some changes inside. For me, it is always easier to keep doing what I am doing and never make any changes. Changes are hard, and self-discipline is just not fun. But for me to be the person I want to be, something's got to give.

So where does that leave us? I am not sure. But a few ideas are:

* I'd like to see PromoGuy's Monday Mission move to its own blog on its own domain (which I can't afford right now), and open it up to a group of dedicated, rotating writers who take turns each week authoring and publishing the questions. Maybe I'd be the editor-in-chief at first then I'd eventually let it go free.

* Give this site a fresh coat of paint, skinning it, and accepting skin submissions from visitors. Anyone want to take on the task of setting up the technical aspect to prepare for "Skins?" I know I will never get around to it if it is left to me.

* Shutting down the areas of this site that are no longer relevant (like the message boards, webcam page, etc)

* Posting mostly "Hit n Run" type posts and moving myself "off-stage" so to speak.

The vain part of me hates this idea. Considering the years I've spent blogging and building awareness of this site, to just let it fade into the background, means giving up a lot. But what is it really I am losing personally? I am by no means an "A" list blogger, or blog celebrity, by any stretch of the imagination. In my wee little mind I visualize myself to be much more important that I am in the Blog world. I may have some top-of-mind "name recognition" but where does that get me in the big picture? Nowhere.

Because in real-life, no one knows about this so called "fame." I don't tell my friends about the site, because I worry they will learn things about me that I might be ashamed of. And that goes double for my family! Church? Heck no, no way would I want them to see my site. So while I have limited pride of what this site has become, I can't share it with anyone. How messed up is that?

The lady in my life has utter hatred for the computer and all things related. She's never seen this site and has no interest to do so. She knows about it, but to her it represents everything about my personality that scares her. Obsessive-ness, flirtation, vanity, to name a few. And I can't blame her. My track record speaks the truth and she has every reason to feel that way.

In many things (ok, almost all) I am not unlike a drug addict. I can't just have a little, because it leads to more, and more, and more. So I have to go cold turkey. One sip of the good stuff and I am off the wagon (another reason I need to focus on my faith, I am just not able to do this alone).

Yeah, I have a few things to deal with. Which means this site is going to become less of a priority, which means less attention as time goes by.

So what it all comes down to is that I am not taking a "blog break" or even a "blog vacation," I am just stepping out of the so-called spotlight.

Should you care? I dunno. I know I've lost a lot of regular readers lately due to the lack of personal content, which bums me out. But I can't expect you to hang around for stuff you can find in metafilter, metapop, blogdex, daypop, RSS search engines and a bah-jillion other Bloggers who do it better. I'd love it if you still stopped by like you do now, but you know, everything changes.

This isn't the end, it isn't goodbye and it isn't even a new beginning. Just a change in focus. Mostly from here on, I post things that are interesting, and you hopefully will comment now and then. We'll see how that goes.

That's all I have to give.

April 30, 2003

What's all this then?

I just got an interesting PayPal policy update:

After June 12, 2003, PayPal will no
longer process transactions for adult items through the Mature
Audiences category on eBay.com.

PayPal strives to find the right balance between serving our
community and minimizing our financial risk. We feel that exiting
the Mature Audiences category with a clear and consistent policy for
all adult items best achieves this balance.

Makes me wonder what happened to prompt such a change? I actually didn't even know there was such a category on flEa-bay. And I can't imagine even bidding on something of that nature, let alone sending payment for it!

But there must be something that freaked them out, because I find it highly unusual that they would exclude a single category for online payment.

April 24, 2003

There's no "there" there

First off, I am sorry that this blog has been devoid of much real substance.

For a while now it has been mostly a collection of links, geeky raves about trailers and the latest cool software find. I know, I know, there is no "me" here these days. That will change, things are just hectic at work and at home I am just not on the PC much. Sad excuses I know, but if you don't mind, I will eventually work something of value into this blog again.

I want it to be worth reading beyond the Monday Mission, but I can tell that lately is just isn't. How?

No comments. Sure I get loads of them from the weekly MM, but as for the rest of the post, maybe one comment for every five posts. Those aren't good odds.

Nor are they encouraging numbers. Actually, it just makes me realize that there isn't a lot here of late that sparks much thought, debate or conversation (although I really DID appreciate the tips on coffee pots).

But the numbers don't lie (click counter, site stats). Many come to visit, lots of folks even click on the links, but few stay and play.

So if nothing else, I am motivated to make more interesting posts. Or at least posts that are little more than regurgitated links.

I will still do the MM, and I will still do Hit 'N' Run. Heck I may even post a "Thursday Threarch" today. But for the most part, I thin k today will be the last day I post the same old crap you can find everywhere else.

So maybe you can help me out. Tell me what you liked about this site in the past, what motivates you to comment, what you don't care for, the things you skim over, the things I post that make you go "hmmm." I'd like to make this blog better, for you and for myself.

Hopefully, in the end, that will make this site worth your while, inspire feedback and make the world a better place. Well, I'd settle for two out of three.

April 15, 2003

People are people So why should it be

Is the phrase "you people" a racial slur?

Apparently, it is.

Are folks too sensitive or are others not sensitive enough?

April 7, 2003

Letters, we get letters...

Time to open up the ol' PromoGuy mailbag!

Dear Promo Guy,
My name is ReaderX and I came across your website during a search to find model resumes for people working in the television promotions field. I found several parallels in your bio that that were similar to my current situation. I have been employed by a NetworkX affiliate in HometownX for the last X years and am now finding myself looking to relocate and move into another field. So far, my resume indicates that I too am a TV "promo guy". You mentioned you needed employers to see that you had marketable skills that could be applied in other business fields. I am struggling to do just that. I have applied to more than 40+ employers over the last 4 months, but have nothing to show for it but a long list of "thank you for applying, but..." form letters. Do you have any advice on how to better approach this change from your experience or could you demonstrate what you have done with your resume?


Thank you for your time,
ReaderX

Gentile Reader,

Well, it appears you are already taking what would have been my first nugget of advice - the hell out of Broadcasting! Don't even bother applying for jobs at other stations. It will be tempting because that is what you are used to, but do yourself a favor, stay away. Broadcasting is so unstable, and so cut-throat that if you ever hope for any stability, you just have to find a way out. For me it was easy, after 6+ years in broadcast television, I was fired. I would have never left otherwise, but in retrospect, it was the best thing to ever happen to me.

The first thing I did was file unemployment. More as a way to stick it to my former employer than as a benefit to myself. The weekly check is pretty low, and you do have do things to get it. But it is there for your taking (and you did pay into it), so you might as well get something. It helped too since I only got 2 weeks severance (and they weren't even required to do that- so I was thankful for even that nugget).

After hitting dead ends for a few weeks, I went to a professional resume service who worked quite intensely with me to produce a great resume. I filled out surveys and listed all my accomplishments and they broke it down into the core skills that could be used within any company.

If you are hitting a brick wall, I would recommend looking for a company that does this. They also taught me a dynamite way to write cover letter that cut through the usual garbage. If your resume and cover letter don't make an impression, you won't get past the secretary opening the envelopes. I'd advise against an internet service and go meet with someone face to face.

If you choose not to, then at the very least I'd recommend you purge your resume of television-based achievements and boil them down to the core skills. For example, I didn't say I had the station co-sponsor a 4th of July event to promote the anchors, and had a bunch of interns helping me. Instead, I said I had managed a staff of over 30 people that succeeded in raising awareness of our company and increased attendance 85%. I had thought ahead to get attendance from the previous year, and also after our participation.

Little things like that. Sell yourself and your skills, and how they can apply to any company.

And by all means, keep it to one page!

So you've only been at it 4 months? Can't give you much sympathy, it took me nearly NINE months to get someone to give me a chance. Consider the job market, employers can afford to be picky - you can't. Just as you want employers to see your TV skills can be used in the corporate world, you may also need to look at yourself and re-think who you are approaching and how that may be limiting your potential job opportunities. You may have to take a position you don't want, like customer service. Then plot your way out and up the corporate food chain.

I can't speak of Monster.com or any of those services. I didn't want to move from here so I didn't bother. It may work if you want to move out of state, but that wasn't an option for me.

Another bit of advice: get yourself to a "temp service" today and get in their pool. If you've worked in Promotions then you can probably work a PC pretty well. I'd imagine you can type fairly fast too (last minute copy changes, new scripts for the talent). Go in and take their MS Office suite, typing skills and internet proficiency tests. You will get called for work in no time.

Again, it won't be what you want, having a purpose for getting up in the morning does wonders for your confidence. It is a great way to pass the time between the Sundays (where you find the most job listings in the paper). And very often, you will have a chance to meet the decision-makers in a company where you wouldn't normally get past the receptionist. That allows you to nose around for the job you really want. Most of the time, if you do a good job a temp assignment will turn into a full-time position. Anything could happen, so be sure to look into temping.

My last thought is that if you are a member of a faith, then pull close to your deity of choice and your spiritual friends and family. I wasn't a Christian when I lost my job, but I sure wish I had been. Knowing the faith and fellowship I know now, it would have made things so much easier - and would probably have ended my search much sooner. This isn't a "Christian" site and I'm not even suggesting you become a follower of Christ (although I highly recommend it!). What I am saying is that being unemployed often leads to long periods of depression and self-loathing, and if you have a family of faith to support you, it never has to get that bad.

Folks don't often ask for my advice, so when they do they get it in spades. This doesn't even scratch the surface of my experience in job-hunting. Seriously, I could write a book. But for now, I hope this is of some use to you, and anyone else who may be between jobs. I think it can be applied to any field of employment, not just broadcasting.

Be sure to let me know how things turn out. Best of luck to you in your transition!

-PG

March 30, 2003

Day of Rest

Thank you everyone for the Birthday wishes and the great presents!

I've kinda taken the weekend off but will be here tomorrow to talk more about my B-day and the snazzy gifts everyone sent.

See you tomorrow!

March 19, 2003

Back Once Again

...is the incredible PromoGuy!

Whew. It was nice to get away, but there is a lot to be said for the stability of being back home. Something just feels weird about being on vacation and then learning that in 24 hours the President might declare war.

Not that being at home makes you any more safe. But I'd rather be at home than at a major theme park (which is where I was), more on that later.

Kinda getting back into the groove of work, the net, life, whatnot (oops, sorry, life is not whatnot).

I just downed a bottled Mocha Frappuccino and I am feeling more like me. I noticed the Quickie Mart had a DeCaf Mocha Frapp, to which I say...why bother? Oh well, I know folks need decaf for a myriad of reasons, it just seems to me that you loose the fun of the drink without it. Kinda like Gatoraid without the "Gator."

Anywhey, I am glad to be back. I am so glad you found the Monday Mission. I had to post it ahead of time and didn't get to send out the announcement this week. But I came back to an inbox with 76 messages, so I guess you knew what to do. So I have a lot of reading to do here and on everyone else's blogs.

Gonna be a busy day, but it is good to be back!

March 12, 2003

All or Nothing, Girl Let It Be

I am just worhtless this week as a Blogger. Oh the shame! Oh the humanity!

Work is kicking my butt this week, deadlines that loom ahead are getting closer. And my vacation request was granted contingient on the completion of those projects, so yeah, I guess I have motivation.

So other than a random post here or there, and the Monday Mission 3.11, I won't be in full Blog mode until at least next Wednesday.

But this would be a great chance for all the "lurkers" to de-cloak and say "hello!" I know there are lots of folks who stop by and have never posted a comment. Maybe you felt you didn't have anything to add, or were just plain shy.

Well, this is me calling you out and inviting you to post a commen. Need a topic?
* Link to your site so I can come see your Blog.
* Leave an encouraging note to an over-worked PromoGuy.
* Introduce yourself, tell a little bit about you.
* How long have you been reading this site?
* How did you happen upon PromoGuy dot Net? Isn't the web a wonderful way to wind up somewhere new?
* Post a webcam pic and hold up a sign! (there is a name for those but it escapes me)

Ah whatever, just have fun. It will be a while before I can post much, but it would sure be nice to hear from you while I toil away in the coal mines.

Read ya later!

March 7, 2003

Might as well Jump

So, can we all agree that the term "Jump The Shark" has, in fact, actually jumped the shark?

The freaks are on the floor now

I totally agree with Dick, and said the same thing to myself last night. Bush is horrible at giving speeches without a script!

When he has a Tele-Prompter, he rocks. I may not like what he says, but he does a great job. He is convincing and appears very strong. But without a prepared speech, he looks worse than some of my classmates and I in Voice and Diction class. I always got slammed because I pronounce "for" as "fer" and "color" as "collar." The way Bush pronounces "terror" is just maddening. Humph, "Tara." Is he talking about the end of the world or "Gone with the Wind?"

His constant "Um" and "Ah" after every question was just plain unsettling. His briefing made me feel less confident in him actually.

And how about how every journalist out there now tosses around Bush's term "weapons of mass destruction" (WOMD)? Everytime I hear it, I just cringe. I don't know why it bugs me so much, maybe because it is a "buzzword" sounding phrase intended to scare the jeebus out of you but really doesn't describe anything.

Last night's speech would have been a lot more fun if I had printed out Bush's State of the Union Drinking Game. I would have been toasted by the time he answered the third question.

March 6, 2003

DarkenED Angel

So why didn't someone tell me last night was Wednesday? I thought it was Tuesday and I totally missed "Angel" and "Ed!"

I feel like such a doof. I was home, could have easily taped them, and just never even looked at the TV Schedule.

Just so dog-gone mad about that. All through sweeps I didn't miss any shows, and now, I just totally blew it.

Bad thing is, on "Angel" this was the start of a three-part storyline arc. And with "Ed" NBC will probably pull it and not show re-runs when the show wraps up later this month.

Yeah, this is totally crap-tacular!

February 24, 2003

Define "Celebrity" please...

Nothing on TV right now could be worse that "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here."

Well, unless the infomercial for the "Wonder Walker" is on.

First off, the term "Celebrity" must be a pretty loose one, because I am not sure how Chris Judd qualifies as a celebrity. I'd wager more folks know who "Stuttering John" is than Chris Judd.

ABC claims it will run the show for 15 straight days. Yeah right. I bet once the ratings come in, that plan goes in the trash heap. Can't wait to see that.

So, we've had "Surreal Life," "Celebrity Mole" and now the crappy "IACGMOOH." And they've all sucked. Why? Because no matter how they try, no one who is a "celebrity" will ever be able to make us relate to them. It can't happen. There is no way I can have real pathos for someone who will get off a TV show and into a Limo. People don't really want to see DownTown Julie Brown without make-up. Really, we don't. Please get her some make-up, for the love of all that's holy! Either she's had some plastic surgery gone bad, or she's got some magic mojo makup. Yikes.

No, we don't so much want our celebrities to suffer in the jungle, or be forced to put up with Emmanuel Lewis' laugh, or endure Kathy Griffin's witty banter. Because deep in our minds we know this is just TV. And their lives after this show are not the same as ours. Their pennance is only fiction. They go back to the High Life and we are still where we were before the show started airing.

No, we don't want our celebrities to suffer in a "reality" show. We want our celebrities to suffer in real life.

It is much more entertaining to see a star fall from grace because maybe for one fleeting moment, they will know what it is like to be a "real" person. No TV show adventure can give us that. We don't need to see Robin Leach in sandals. We need to see some Hollywood star in a scandal.

This is why these "celebrity" reality shows will never work in the long run.

On the "Amazing Race" when people bicker and fight, and work it out, it is really real. You believe it. You root for some to win and some to lose.

On TV reality shows, we could care less which "celebrity" wins. Because even the least of these so-called stars lead a life more charmed than most of ours. Kinda hard to feel sympathy and empathy for them.

Aaah, but show me how hard they fall from grace, now that's entertainment!

February 18, 2003

Where do you dare me to draw the line

There is an old (so-called) joke:

A guy walks up to a pretty girl in a bar and asks her if she'll spend the night with him for a million bucks. With no hesitation, she says yes. The guy then pauses and asks her if she would spend the night with him for five bucks. She immediately says no.

"We've already established that," the man replied, "what we're doing now is haggling over the price."

Pardon the sexist nature of the above, but I use it to illustrate a point.

My Mom used that joke to make a point to me: "Everyone has their price." I never really knew what that meant, but as I have grown I understand that is means that at some point there will be an amount of money where you will consider sacrificing your values.

Thankfully, I've not ever had that opportunity. Actually I have, but it wasn't money I was tempted with. But that is for another day.

Last December, the Salvation Army in Florida was in just this situation.

You see, the SalArmy does not accept donations derived from Gambling. Being a religion-based organization, that makes sense. When I was a Methodist (now simply a Christian), our pastor would talk about the evils of gambling and when it was up for a statewide vote we were encouraged to vote '"NO." Other than that, I don't recall where in the bible it speaks out against gambling. I just know that for me, I don't care to gamble in Vega$ or on a lottery. But to each his own. (Oddly, the Methodist Church would preach more about things like that than Salvation through Christ - and speak of the Holy Ghost? Forget it, that was never mentioned.)

So when the SalArmy was presented with a check for $100,000 by the winner of the lottery, they returned it. The man who donated the money had just won $14.3 million.

Now, to refuse that when your organization is in fincancial trouble, takes strong values. I can certainly respect the SalArmy for that.

And their rejection of the money does not diminish the gesture of the winner in any way. The winner made a noble gesture. I think it would have been a far more noble gesture if he had made the donation anonymously. Not because the SalArmy would probably had accepted the donation, but by making a spectacle out of the donation, the man was essentially bringing the focus on himself and not the donation.

Of course, lottery winners making donations is nothing new. Andrew "Jack" Whittaker, winner of $314.9 million in the Powerball, announced he would tithe ten percent of his winnings. Whittaker went with the lump-sum payment of $170 million, meaning about $17 million of his lump settlement would go to ministers and churches in West Virginia and California. He said his donations would go to three churches: C.T. Mathews of the Tabernacle of Praise in Hurricane, Cecil Welch of a Church of God congregation in Hinton, W.Va., & Gerald Abreu, pastor of Abundant Life Church of God in Torrance, CA. Interestingly, the Church of God is against gambling, but that didn't stop Pastor Abreu from accepting the donation.

So what are values and convictions really worth? Millions? Hundreds? The amount matters little, because when you cave in, you've lost more than you have gained.

And then we wind up "haggling over the price" of those convitions.

Futher Reading:
USA Today
Why some Christians Oppose Gambling
Why Allah has forbidden gambling
$315 Million Powerball Winner To Give To Churches
Sean Gallager's take on Lottery Donations
Renaissance Grouch on the other side of the coin
Christ dot org
NYTimes on churches accepting lottery money (registration required)
Oklahoma Gov says Lottery is Public Shcool's Only Hope
Gov. Henry Pushes Oklahoma Lottery Vote

February 14, 2003

Dancing on the Valentine

Who hates Valentine's Day?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Tell me why you HATE Valentine's Day. Because you are alone? Because it is too commercial? Because your heart was crushed? Tell, share, we can all join in and tell the truth about this Hallmark Holiday!

February 11, 2003

Hung Juror

Sorry for the MP3 post, but it is all I have time for.

Download PromoGuy's Jury Journal
(720kb)

Or try this attempt at streaming.

Tomorrow night, probably another MP3. See you then.

February 10, 2003

Judge Not, Lest Ye Be Judged

It will be a quiet week here at PGdotN.

I have jury duty this week. First day is today, and nope, I won't be blogging from the courtroom.

But I may post an MP3 commentary if I have a chance to rant, which I am sure I will. An audibleBlog if you will (kinda like I did here).

So if it is unusually silent here this week, you know why. But keep checking back!

January 29, 2003

Note to Self....um, nevermind

Have you ever jotted yourself a note and then gone back and found that it made no sense?

I am sitting here staring at a list of things I need to order at work and I am stumped by one of the items. WTF was I wanting?

I used my own home-brew shorthand (complete with abbreviations) and when I look at it now I have no idea what I meant.

Just as bad is when I can't read my own handwriting.

Honestly, I type much better and faster than I can ever write with a pen and paper. Too bad I can't just type everything. Hmm, virtual keyboards would be great. I can see it as maybe a laser light display in front of you, just hovering in the air. You can just call it forth whenever you want to type something, type it in mid-air and when you hit enter the text is transferred to a Virtual KB enabled Post-It pad or Notebook.

Of course, knowing me, it would still make no sense unless it came with Spell Check.

January 22, 2003

Yes, even you can flEa-Bay

Look, it is SO damn easy to e-Bay.

People will buy ANYTHING!!!!!!

I've sold a used bathrobe fercryinoutloud!

Go to the garage, get in the box of stuff you've been meaning to donate and put some of it on flEa-Bay!

I mean, if THIS can get bids, then there is hope for everyone!

Ex-Men

I was in Borders yesterday and saw they had a comic book rack. I gave up collecting comic books about 6 years ago, mostly due to space but money was a concern also (I collected way too many different titles).

Of course, the X-Men line-up looks nothing like it did then. I didn't know any of the characters so I put it back. Spider-Man looked like a deformed cartoon character and not a Super Hero. Superman was supposed to marry Lois Lane but I've no idea if he ever did. But he looks very dark and brooding, more like Batman than Superman. And then there is Batman. Ah, good ol' Batman. No matter how many weird things the writers do (like break his back, kill his partners) he always is the same guy. No super powers. No mutant genes. Just a billionaire and "those wonderful toys." A detective with a cape. "The Dark Knight." I can always count on Batman.

I almost bought one too.

Then I saw the price!

$2.25!!! For a comic book???

Forget it. I'd much rather use that money for something a little more sensible. I guess my age is showing.

I am The Dork Knight.

January 20, 2003

MLK Day

I have not seen many photos that truly pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., but this one does. Photographer Paul Joseph Brown has captured the man, his memory and his dream in one snapshot.

Photo Credit: Paul Joseph Brown/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

©1996-2003 Seattle Post-Intelligencer

View the larger image here at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

January 17, 2003

20 People I Can Do Without!

Here is a list of "20 People I Can Do Without!"

1. Men who say "Hidee" as you walk by.
2. Cashiers who say "There ya go" when handing me my purchase instead of "Thank You."
3. The guy at the StarMart who say "Hey, Guy" when I walk in the door.
4. The kid behind the register at Hollywood Video that offers his unsolicited opinion of the movie I'm renting.
5. Men who pull up to the urinal next to me and want to have a conversation.
6. Men who take a dump in the men's room at work and open the exit door without having washed their hands.
7. The people who snap their neck backwards as a response to "Good Morning."
8. The jerk at the gas station who won't give me a "wave" when I let him pull out in front of me in traffic.
9. The person in front of me at the bank drive-through who does nothing until they get to the front and then decide to fill out their deposit slips.
10. People who don't bathe.
11. The Redneck neighbor who's four pick-up trucks have contributed more oil to our street than you'd see from a oil tanker spill.
12. Department stores that put up Valentine's Day merchandise the day after Christmas.
13. The Ass Clown in front of me at Mc Donald's drive-through that has three special orders and refuses to "pull forward" and wait.
14. News Anchors who loose their jobs and wind up selling used cars or hearing aids on television.
15. Ministers that spit in the middle of a sermon.
16. Parents that let their kids play in the front yard and never check on them.
17. People who seldom speak to you but are happy to invite you to a Pampered Chef or Discovery Toys party.
18. People that try to guess what nationality I am (they're never right).
19. Folks that leave a store in front of me and feel they have to keep their hands on the door and hold it open until I am there to catch it.
20. The father who ignored his daughter's pleas of "Daddy watch me do jim-nax-ticks" to instead check his e-mail on his BlackBerry pager.

January 15, 2003

Lovely Spam

Jennifer was going through the inbox of her mind and has some keen observations on "Spam."

She brings up a good topic, "does ANYONE actually buy the stuff they sell via SPAM?"

No joke. Who do you know that has ever bought "replacement ink jet cartridges" thanks to a email promising "lowest prices ever?"

Let's stroll through my Hotmail account. Or rather, my former hotmail account. It gets so much spam I had to abandon it last year, but every so often I get a domain renewal notice so I keep it active. So, first off I see I have 99 new messages. Whee! Somebody loves me!

Jennifer and I have done this topic once before, so I guess it is time to revisit what we like to call....

If Spam were true:

• I could "Stop Smoking in only 7 Days!" (if I smoked that is)
• They'd "Reduce you Debt in 15 seconds!"
• Gotta get me a "Pasta Pro - The Better Pasta Pot."
• "this will help ctrtkcc" - Say what?
• "that will help wfakxs" - Que?
• "Viagra, Phentermine, Xenical & many others" - Oh goody, they finally revised the title for "Beyond Jennifer and Jason, Madison and Montana: What to Name Your Baby Now"
• Ah there's the deal I was hoping for: Printer Cartridges - Save up to 80% - No Cost...
• I so wanna "Try our 30-day total body makeover"
• Oh lookie "Free Motorola Phone with Unlimited Weekends" - I'd like 2003 to be just unlimited weekends, no weekdays please.
• Ok who told them I need to be "Be Bigger and Better in Bed"
• I could "Get PAID To Take Surveys Online" - didn't that go away when we got bored with iWon.com?
• "black blue and red" - Is that like "what is black and white and red all over?"
• If there was a way to "Enlarge your Pen1s safely and naturally" don't you think every guy in the world would know it by now?
• I could "Attract Men or Women FAST" - gee, thanks for giving me multiple choice!
• We could all "Own a Dollar Store for less than a dollar"
• Good news: Your date is waiting!
• There may be "CheapTrips Airfares: Lowest Prices Guaranteed" but I'll stick with a travel agent
• And just because there are "New, Lower Mortgage Rates - Act Now and Save!" do I really want to refinance online?
• "I did my research twh" - Gee, did that include learning to use spell check?
• "excisa nerozresim promoguy f-r-e-e" - Is this some sort of Voodoo curse?
• "Enlargement System! Laboratory Tested" - No thanks, my nose is big enough as it is.
• "This is great bcxmhb" - What is? Falling asleep at the keys apparently