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 |  I blog therefore I (r)am(ble). |
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Poems, Prose, and Promises. My name is
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Given to me by susanL  --- Created by kelly1202I write songs
I write poetry
I write short stories
I'm in love with susanL
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I have to offer a big "thank you" to femmedragon for her blog post, "Invalid Entry"  . Susan and I had a wonderful conversation after I read it to her. I find it funny how people are uptight about something that every couple who has ever had kids has done at least once. Sex.  SEX!  S-E-X!!!  When I was part of the cult, ministerial servants and elders, the supposed leaders of the congregation, actually made it a point to counsel people if they engaged in oral or anal sex. According to the cult, those things are disgusting to God and will make Jesus your enemy. Besides the whole ewwwwwww aspect of religious leaders concerned with what I and my wife were doing in our bedroom, even then, even when I was brainwashed and towing the cultish line, I thought it was more than a little disturbing. Grown men worried about what other grown men do to their grown wives in the privacy of their homes? But it isn't just the cult. Many state governments in the United States have laws against various sex acts between consenting adults. I'm completely in agreement that we need sex laws against such things as incest, exploitation of a minor, indecent exposure, child pornography and the like, but find it ludicrous, in this day and age that some states still have laws against anal, oral, and homosexual sex. And don't get me started about prostitution, which would make more sense to be regulated for the safety and benefits of the women rather than prohibited and transformed into a device for exploitation. When Susan and I were discussing this, she brought up a point that hit home. Before that, I couldn't quite put my finger on why our sex life was so rewarding and enjoyable. It's trust. Since we both trust each other implicitly, we are able to be ourselves and experiment with each other without fear of rejection or looking like a fool. Instead of worrying about what the other one will think, we can concentrate on how we can make each other feel amazing. It's very liberating. So, thank you femmedragon for planting the seeds for this conversation. |
| Your Quandary is Sitting on my Conundrum OK, I just finished reading Pia Veleno 's leader blog, "Invalid Entry" , and I'm torn -- should I write about how I didn't fit in as a kid or about my strong, metro-sexual identity? Hmmmm, how about both?Tommy Didn't Quite Fit In Other than the Heppleman twins, I was the smallest kid in my class. I was very,very shy too; I only made two friends during Kindergarten. From first to third grade, I managed to branch out a bit and make more, but during the summer before fourth grade, I had a huge setback. That was the year my parents got divorced. I didn't understand what was going on. I didn't understand why dad was moving out and why we were only going to see him on weekends. All I knew was that something I had come to trust in, to believe in, to depend on was being ripped to shreds and I was afraid that everything else I believed, trusted, and depended on would soon follow. I became horrified of being left alone and would go to any length to avoid it. One weekend when I was nine, my brother was at my dad's and both my mom and my sisters had dates. I don't remember where my little brother was, but I was going to be home alone that Saturday night. And it scared the be-jeesus out of me. So I called up my cousin Dean and asked him if he could stay over. His mom, Janelle, got on the phone and wanted to talk to my mom to make sure I had her approval. I didn't but I managed to convince her that I did. I sure got in a lot of trouble over that when the dust had settled but at least I didn't have to spend the evening alone. I eventually grew out of that irrational fear once fourth grade got underway and I became busy at school once again, but something inside of me had been permanently changed. Whereas before, I didn't fit in because I was shy, now I didn't fit in because I felt defective. My feelings of inferiority somehow drew me to the class troublemaker and we became pretty close friends. He was a genius at getting into trouble and I was just insecure enough to do whatever he suggested. Together we got into some doozies. We broke into and vandalized a storage building, albeit one that was fixing to be torn down. We put gum in a girl's hair during a school Christmas Pageant, and we stole matchbox cars from the local hardware store. At the beginning of Seventh grade, we moved to the big city where I didn't know a single person. Getting away from my trouble-making friend was a blessing but I still was too shy and too insecure to make more than a handful of friends. The summer before tenth grade, we moved again. Once again I found myself making just a handful of friends and flying as low as I could beneath the radar. Then came graduation, the army, a failed marriage, the cult, another failed marriage, and finally, acceptance. That's right, it took me nearly thirty years to get over the negative feelings I'd bottled up from my parents divorce. I don't blame them, because they did need to separate. Their constant fighting wasn't doing anyone any good. I just wish I would have realized sooner that their splitting up did not in any way mean I was defective. Metro Me One good thing that came out of my Byzantine route to self-acceptance is that I have completely ditched the need for pretense. People know who I am, what I stand for, and what they can expect of me almost as soon as they meet me. Or shortly thereafter. This means that I don't have trouble telling someone I love them. I don't have trouble offering a hug if I feel it's necessary. I'm not opposed to offering someone praise if I feel it's warranted, and I'm not afraid to stand toe to toe and tell someone being a bully that they are one. Basically, what you see is what you get. Often times, I've heard people refer to me as metro-sexual. Wikipedia defines metro-sexual as a neologism generally applied to heterosexual men with a strong concern for their appearance, or whose lifestyles display attributes stereotypically seen among gay men. I think that's an accurate description. I have a very strong sense of fashion. I write poetry and songs and I share them with those I love. I have a keen eye for home decor and I'm one-hundred percent secure in my manhood. I believe all this is possible because I know myself very well, the good and the bad, and overall, I love more of me than I hate. Sometimes I wonder what I would have been like if my parents wouldn't have gotten divorced or if I wouldn't have suffered from a lack of self-esteem as a result. I wonder if I would have ever married two women who I wasn't compatible with, joined the army, joined a cult, or suffered any or all of the various distressing experiences in my life. But then I wonder too, if those other things would have been different, would I have met Susan? Would I have recognized her as my soul's mate? Would I have fallen in love with writing? Would I have had the courage to have taken so many of the life's less traveled roads? Would I have ended up so grounded and so sure of myself? Not knowing the answer to any of these questions causes me to be thankful for where my life has lead me and to be grateful for what I have, both the positive and the negative. |
Erika  's blog entry regarding "Invalid Entry" really got me thinking. She writes about helping troubled students understand they have more choices then they may realize. I laud her hard work and sensibility. And I found a principle or two I can apply in my own life.No matter what situation I find myself in, I always have choices, I always have options. Sometimes it might be wiser to keep my mouth shut, like when someone is maliciously trying to get a rise out of me. Other times, the wise choice is to speak up and make my viewpoints known to those involved. When I was younger, I would almost always choose the quiet route. I generally respect other people's opinions and I found it easier just to let sleeping dogs lie. But as I get older, I'm realizing that there are definitely times when you have to speak up for yourself. Like last night for instance. I was at our monthly poetry meeting, showing the group the cover and layout for our new chapbook. As president of the group, I've taken the lead in bringing the project from the early planning stages, through the poetry collection stage and the page layout phase, to where we are now, approving the final document. Since this will be the final chance to update before our State convention next month, I wanted to make sure that everyone who was involved in the project had their say and approved of how everything looked. Everybody was impressed with how it came out except for one person. Throughout the night she let me know that she didn't like the table of contents, the color of the title, the layout of the poems, the wording of the dedication, and what an unprofessional mess the whole project was. Interestingly enough she wasn't there the night I proposed the project. She wasn't there when I sent out the call for poets to submit their work (even though she got the email from two separate groups). She wasn't there when we had the meeting to discuss how we wanted to organize the poems and she was completely absent through all of the work. This was not a time I was going to keep my mouth shut. I didn't raise my voice but I let her know in no uncertain terms that I didn't appreciate her slew of negative comments and that I was not planning on taking them into advisement in the least. Now, I may sound like I'm being unreasonable, but if the only reason someone shows up to a meeting is to tear apart a project that they had ample opportunity to participate in and chose instead to boycott, then they shouldn't be surprised when their opinions on the project are rejected.  |
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** My Little Brother My little brother is anything but little. He's warm, generous, helpful, kind to animals, extremely creative, a brilliant debater, and a treasure in my life. I'm not sure whether he recognizes his true worth, but he's been a positive in my world many, many times over. I'm not saying we've never had our tough moments, but overall the positive has far outweighed the negative. I was eight years old, when my brother, Ron entered the world and by then, I had pretty much mastered all the skills that being the youngest required. I was a natural ham, could be cute on demand, and had turned snuggling into an allowance-stretching art form. I was on track for taking home the "Most Adorable in the Family" trophy for my eighth year running when out of nowhere, Ron showed up and changed all the rules. Needless to say, I didn't fully appreciate having a new, little brother at first. Luckily my older brother, Jeff, didn't feel threatened by the new addition to our family and ran interference against the un-brotherly attention I showed Ron. Let's face it, I was down right mean for a few years. The fact that my little brother survived infancy is a testament to the amazing resiliency of babies. I Missed Out When I Moved Out When I left for the army in 1986, Ron rode with us to the Twin Cities to drop me off. I can still remember how he looked that day. A little pudgy with dirty blond hair and a yellow t-shirt. He didn't seem to change much when I lived in the same house with him, but boy did he change over the years as I'd come home to visit during the holidays. Before long, he was no longer a young boy but a man. He graduated from Mayo High School in 1993. I wasn't there for that. In fact, for the 18 years between 1986 and 2004, I missed out on a lot of his important moments. I can only imagine what I missed by being away. During that time, Ron wrote a song about me. It was very beautiful and touching and he gave it to me for Christmas '96. He sang it for me too. Unfortunately, I lost the paper he'd written it on during one of my many moves. Probably the one from Mexico. He Carries His Burdens with Dignity Everyone on the planet has burdens to carry. Ron has dealt with his share too. One of the most frustrating for him has been his fight with Bipolar Disorder (BD). As anyone who's dealt with the disease knows, life can be very difficult before they determine the right combination of meds and therapy. And there isn't a perfect amount for all or even most people. Everyone's an individual and finding out what works best for each person takes time, patience, and some experimentation. Through his suffering, however, Ron has developed a very caring and warm personality. He's become a tad introverted from all the issues involving his disease, but he still has a very sharp and very quick sense of humor. He's also learned to play the guitar and can do a pretty mean Van Morrison, his favorite musician. I'm glad to have my brother Ron in my life. Leading Entry for "Follow the Leader" |
| In his blog, alfred booth, wanbli ska introduced us to a poetic form from Cambodia called the Pathya Vat. I followed his instructions and this is what I came up with: The Argument We had a fight the other day at a cafe it blew my mind I walked away she stayed behind hoping to find the peace we'd sought She robbed the place where we had fought but then got caught I shook my head It seems to me she could have fled but now she's dead maybe for spite. Check out his entry, "Invalid Entry" , to learn how to create one too.Note: This poem is 100 percent fictional. |
| Leave it to Frangipani to post the first hard difficult to follow leader blog: "Invalid Entry" . I can't even begin to imagine what kind of post I'll be able to erect build in response. If I'm lucky, maybe I can snatch grab something from another blog that will do the trick job. Something tells me, though, that I'm just going to have to wang wing it. Knowing my luck, I'll put my schlong foot in my mouth, and say something so whacked far out that I look like a total doink boob bum idiot. |
| Jenn 's blog, "Invalid Entry" , made me laugh. It also made me think. I'm pretty sure that she and I would get along well at least on one point --- using our writer's block to our advantage. Two of my favorite poems came about due to writer's block. Battling Writer's Block I know the words are still inside, but I just can’t get them out I want to put all my thoughts down – but only crap I spout The lofty secrets I could share, would surely change the world But as it is, they’re wrapped up tight – not to be unfurled I’ve gone through times like this before – this isn’t something new I’ve suffered hard to write my lines – I’ve overcome it’s true But even though I know this spell of dryness has to end Into a sea of anxious mire I feel myself descend I know not where the answer lies – I know not what will work I know not how I can escape before I go berserk With sadness clawing at my soul and my head so full of grief The act of writing seems too hard and offers no relief But even though I’ve lost my hope and everything looks black Even though my words are scarce and I feel like I’m a hack Even though the crap I write makes even me feel sick I have to force the words to come until at last they click Because I am a writer now and will be forever more I have to write when I enjoy it and when it’s a chore So even though my heart is broke and my mind just wants to quit I push myself to write my words – and not a single one omit ~-~-~-~AND~-~-~-~ I Believe In You There’s no such thing as writer’s block. Muses don’t exist. Water boils when you watch the clock. Nothing lost is missed. It’s better not to love or lose. Time’s not medicine. Saxophones don’t cure the blues. Beauty’s not just skin. I don’t believe in any myth. Legends are not true. But if you want to know my pith, I believe in you. But it isn't just poetry. Last year during NaNoWriMo, I became blocked about three or four days in. I didn't really like where I'd been going with the story and the main character, a mafioso who didn't realize he was one, didn't seem to have any pizazz or verve. So, instead of getting frustrated and giving up, I decided to include my frustration into the plot. My clueless mafioso decided to take a break at a local eatery that ended up being attacked by a group of homicidal gerbils with assault weapons. That craziness brought me right through my dry spell and into a plot-line that carried me to the end of the book. What I've learned from my writer's block is that it really doesn't exist. I run into times when I don't care to write any more on a story or when I don't believe I'm as clever as I wish I was and thus feel discouraged, but I always have the ability to pull something weird, strange, cute, or all three out of my brain and get back writing. |
| Susannah Deschain 's going through some tough times. In her blog, "Invalid Entry" she says: "For the second week in a row, we have no money. Last Sunday we found out there wasn't even enough money in the bank to cover the rent check that hadn't been cashed yet. Now tonight Austin comes home and tells me we have $80 in the bank--yet he still came home with his beer. Is anyone not convinced that we are living through some very precarious, economic times? I've yet to talk to anyone who hasn't changed jobs that is making more, living better, and seeing their savings rise from one, two, or even five years ago. Gasoline, off its high by about 40 cents a gallon, is still over twice what it cost just two and one half years ago. Milk is closing in on $3.00 a gallon, that's nearly a fifty percent increase in two years. Eggs have nearly doubled from 75 cents a dozen to almost $1.50 today. Yet those in charge, tell us we aren't in a recession and inflation is under control. Somewhere along the way, somebody came up with a plan to place more of our country's financial burden on those of us who have the least amount of disposable income. And for the most part, they've gotten away with it. The big oil companies, making record profits for more than two years now, are still not considered part of the problem by those in charge. Am I alone in seeing this catastrophic disconnect? Our president, our vice president, the secretary of state, the president's closest advisor (Carl Rove), as well as many others in the center of our nations's government have strong ties to the oil industry. Do we really deserve to have a lower quality of life so that those in charge can make a killing? We deserver better. And we're not going to have better as long as we let people like Carl Rove determine who's in charge of this country. Currently, Mr. Rove is a behind-the-scenes advisor on John McCain's campaign. Doesn't it bother you that the man who's been behind eight years of Bush's feed the rich policies is also working hard to elect John McCain? If McCain really is offering something different than what we're currently getting from Bush, why is he using Bush's closest advisor to direct his steps? I don't know about you, but I don't trust any man who promises change and yet relies on the chief opponent of it for advice. I'm saying "No" to Bush, Rove, and McCain by voting for Obama in November. I invite anyone who would like to see big business and big oil brought to task for their fiscal abuses to do the same. |
| Let me introduce you to a photographic genius. His name is Kevin Horsman and he has one of the most brilliant eyes for composition I have ever met. To properly showcase his work, I'm going to include a number of links. I hope you find the time to check them out. You won't be disappointed. But first, here are two of his photos that I have permission to share: ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Notice how beautifully framed this texturally rich sunset is. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I watched Kevin personally work his magic to create this beautiful still. One of Kevin's personal favorites is a nightime scene set in downtown Rochester, Minnesota, called the Peace Plaza. The lit fountain in the foreground combines deliciously with the Rochester Marriott (right), Kahler Grand Hotel (left), and Mayo Clinic Gonda Building (center). It's perfectly capped with a gorgeous blue crown. http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=19778578... I've long been a fan of old, disheveled buildings. Whenever I run across one, I instantly frame it in my head and picture it in my photo collection. There's something about a building that should have long ago fallen down that refuses to give up that inspires me to no end. Here's one that Kevin has taken. http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=19778578... Although Kevin is brilliant with still-life composition, he also has a knack for portraits as well. He can look at a person and see what their best angle is. Then, he locates an interesting backdrop and frames them brilliantly. Here's a photo he took of a young lady named Jayna at the Olmsted County Fair in Rochester. Notice how well the background and Jayna work together. http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=19778578... Currently, Kevin is doing his photography as a part-time gig. From what I've seen, however, I don't have any doubt that not only will he be doing this as his primary profession before too long, but he will be lauded for his keen and artistic eye. |
In her blog, Prosperous Snow celebrating  talks about something that touches me deeply -- "Coffee and Chocolate" . She details how she was first introduced to the two. Precious memories indeed. Unfortunately, I don't remember my first experience with either so I'm just going to write a tribute to both.Coffee caffeine intensely sensual perking, steaming, scintillating gigantic mugs of goodness Ahhhhh! Chocolate candy richly sweet melting, thrilling, fulfilling tasty drops of flavor YUM! |
| Twin Thoughts Reading spidey 's journal entry, "Don't go" , two strong memories came to mind: The first, when I left for boot camp after joining the army in 1986 and the second was the opening scene of one of my favorite movies, The Family Man(1).Flashback - 1986 I had signed up for the army that February, but due to the delayed enlistment program, I didn't have to report for duty until July 26. My fiancé's birthday was the day before and she cried most of the drive to the MEPS(2) drop-off point in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She didn't actually tell me, "Don't go," but I knew she wasn't totally behind me joining the army either. When we first got engaged, I was working as a night stock-person at a 24 hour drug store for around a dollar over minimum wage. I didn't hate the job, per se, but I didn't see any future in it either -- especially if we were to have kids. Since I'd already dropped out of college, I needed something that could help me support a family. Enter, the military. Without telling her, I went to visit a recruiter. He scheduled me a trip to MEPS so I could take the ASVAB(3) and get a physical. I informed her about the trip, but told her I was just going to see what my options were. While I was there, without discussing it with my fiancé, I signed up for a three year term. She was quite disappointed when I made it back the next day and informed her of my decision. Our relationship never fully recovered. From Wall Street to Elm Street "Don't go, Jack," Kate Reynolds (Téa Leoni) pleads with her boyfriend (Nicholas Cage) at the airport. He's ready to fly to London and start a residency as broker and she's headed for law school. "If you get on that plane, I'm afraid I'll never see you again," she says through tears. He rejects her suggestion and, leaving her shocked and numb, turns and walks to the gate. The movie picks up thirteen years later. Jack's running a successful Merger and Acquisitions business called PK Lassiter. Kate's nothing more than an old girlfriend. On the verge of scoring a multi-billion dollar merger, he has everything he could possibly want: success, riches, cars, girls -- the good life. He's not lacking anything. Or is he? On his way home that night, Christmas Eve, he stops at a corner store to buy some eggnog. While he's bringing his purchase to the cash register, a confrontation breaks out between the cashier and a derelict (Don Cheadle) with a "winning" lottery ticket. The cashier accuses the bum of doctoring the ticket and asks him to leave. Instead of leaving, though, he pulls a gun on the cashier. Seeing a chance to make an additional profit, Jack intervenes. He offers to buy the $250 ticket from the derelict for $200. That way both of them win. He makes a profit of fifty bucks and the bum gets his money. That's when the story starts to twist. The derelict says he's very impressed with Jack's character and offers him a glimpse into what is life would have been had he stayed with Kate instead. Jack doesn't realize what's going on though, and simply finds himself awakened Christmas morning by two kids and a dog. His journey through the land of what-if turns out equally as hilarious as it is touching. Why Does There Have To Be A Conclusion? In conclusion, I highly recommend talking over major, life-changing decisions with significant others and watching the movie The Family Man -- In that order. (1) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218967/ (2) Military Entry Processing Station (3) Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery |
| If You Write It, They Will Fawn According to Robert Waltz  's blog entry, "Waltz Is Great Day" , someone needs a reminder of how cool they are, how funny they are, and how appreciated they are here at WDC. Apparently, they are also fond of testing out axioms. Like "ask and you shall receive," for example. In keeping with all the above, I humbly and with a very, very brown nose, offer the following:Robert Waltz writer sardonic wit teasing, quipping, joking always leaves them laughing humorist His Sheeeeet Don't Stank Have you heard of a writer named Waltzy? It's been rumored he doesn't have faultsies. So if you see him make, any kind of mistake, pretty please, keep it locked in your vaultsy. |
| ...the most amazing person, woman, mother, friend, lover, and partner I know. She touches me with her honesty. She caresses me with her caring. She surrounds me with her wonderfully freeing support. I love her more than I can properly express. This entry is dedicated to her, susanL . Susan lady precious gem giving, living, loving owner of my heart soulmate Susan Sweet and cute and Unbelievable. Sexy and lovely and Amazing too. Nobody can compare. I love you Susan.  Thank you for sharing your world with me. Thank you for sharing your passion for life and your love of words. I'm a better man that I know you and I look forward to traversing life's valleys, mountains, streams, and rivers by your side.  |
| You Bet Your Classes After the amazing Woodtick Poetry Retreat and the inspiring poetry class by Linda Back McKay(1), Visually Literal - Literally Visual, susanL and I are yearning for more learning. So last night, we signed up for two more classes:Mystery Writing is Murder on September 27 and Heart and Craft - A Poetry Writing Intensive on November 1. Both offered by Crossings at Carnegie(2) in Zumbrota, Minnesota.Mystery Writing is Murder The secret to writing mysteries escapes me. I'm sure I would enjoy the genre more if I understood more of what makes them tick. So I'm really looking forward to this class by celebrated mystery writer, Ellen Hart(3). She's the author of twenty-four books in two separate series, a five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery, and a three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award for Best Popular Fiction. She's also a regular instructor at The Loft(4). We will be discussing:  "The Hook" in crime fiction to outline or not to outline basic premise finding your way into the story dramatic structure how to build strong, believable characters.Heart and Craft - A Poetry Writing Intensive Inspiration can come from almost anything. When something inspires us, moves us, and touches our very essence, we write about it on a level that goes beyond mere description. We write with our hearts instead of our heads. In this class, Linda Back McKay is going to show us how to write with both. She's going to show us how to take the words and verses that emanate from our heart and apply solid rules of craft to make them truly shine. (1) http://www.visi.com/~lbmckay/ (2) http://www.crossingsatcarnegie.com (3) http://www.ellenhart.com/ (4) http://www.loft.org |
| Aaron Rogers has something to prove. After three years sitting on Green Bay's bench, waiting for the celebrated Brett Favre to need backup, he's eager to show the world that he's worth celebrating too. He's ready for his first game as a starter and he's salivating about his first win. What could make both of them even sweeter? If they were both to come during a nationally televised Monday Night Football game against the Packers biggest rival, the Minnesota Vikings. After the excellent showing Brett Favre had Sunday against his team's ex-quarterback, Chad Pennington, you can bet Aaron feels an even stronger spotlight. The questions will certainly abound if Brett continues to prove he had (at least) one more stellar year inside him and Aaron fails to bring home the W's. But Aaron Rogers isn't the only one with something to prove. The Vikings, possesors of the hottest one two, running back punch in the league and the #1 defense against the run have a few new pieces and some improve old pieces to showcase. Last year, Minnesota was dead last against the pass. Partly because teams couldn't run against them and were forced to throw, but partly because when they found themselves forced to throw against the Vikings, they found it wasn't very difficult. Enter Jared Allen. Pro Bowler Jared Allen, last year's leader in sacks, is especially effective against the pass. He joins the Williams boys (Kevin and Pat), Darren Sharper, Antoine Winfield, EJ Henderson, Chad Greenway, Cedric Greenway, and the rest to form an imposing defensive line. Add Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Steve Hutchinson, Matt Birk, Visanthe Shiancoe, Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian, Marcus Johnson, and Tavaris Jackson to the mix, and Minnesota is looking to be a team that can defend well and score high. Aaron Rogers has something to prove, but so does Tavaris Jackson and the revitalized 2008 Minnesota Vikings. The dogs have been out. The pundits have had their say. Tonight we find out once and for all if Green Bay is Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and if the Minnesota Vikings are as exciting on the field as they are in the stat sheets. |
| Atlanta Rising What happened in Atlanta during the off-season? Holy cows! Last year, due to the fallout from Michael Vick's, ummm, issues, The Falcons succeeded at being as horrible as everyone expected them to be. It sure looks like they've moved on, though, as they zoomed to a 21 to nothing lead over a better than they've been in years, Detroit Lions. Not Over Yet Brett Jet Green Bay may or may not have made a good decision by Jettisoning Brett Favre. We'll have to see how Aaron Rodgers does Monday night against Minnesota and then how both of them do the rest of the season, but from what I've seen so far, the all-time NFL passing leader isn't out of whack in his Packerless existence. |
| When two adults come together, they usually have so much combined stuff that they have to decide what to keep, what to put in storage, and what to toss. Well, that's not always the case. Because of our unique circumstances, Susan and I had almost no available furniture when we moved into our three bedroom townhouse together. We didn't even have a lamp for the living room. And since neither of us had a large bankroll to go shopping with, we've had to furnish our new home slowly and deliberately. We have. Our first weekend, we bought a lamp for the living room, a plastic entertainment center from Walmart, and three book cases. My mom gave us a chair, a book case, and an old table we're using to eat on. We went to the salvation army and found a wonderful easy chair, a gorgeous sofa, and four wooden dining room chairs. Last week, a guy from work sold me a dresser and gave me a real dining room table. Then, this morning, while we were driving around looking at garage sales, we came across a family who were giving away two end tables and a place rug. They said we could have all of them as long as we promised to "pay it forward" when we were able. That will not be a problem. So, now we have a fully furnished living room and dining room. I totaled up the cost of all the stuff we've purchased so far. The living room came in at a whopping $65.00 and the dining area put us back a cool $20.00. Oh yeah, it isn't easy starting out as a new couple without many furnishings to speak of, but if you're patient and have an eye for bargains, as well as some generous friends and family, you can build a lovely home together. |
Susan and I had the evening to ourselves. The kids are visiting friends in the Quad Cities and so we wanted to take advantage of the time alone. No! We didn't do that! Sickos!!!  Well, we didn't JUST do that.Anyway, back to the topic. We decided to go out for dinner and take in a show at the local comedy club, Goonies(1). A friend of mine, whom I met doing stand-up comedy at open mic night, was the featured comic. His name is Ted Vincent(2) and he's hilarious. The meal was fantastic and the comedy was even better. During dinner, Mark, the owner of Goonies, stopped by our table to ask when I was going to perform at his open mic night again. I guess he must like my act. That made me feel good. And of course Susan wants to see me perform there as well. But this blog is about the comics that do this for a living. Ted Vincent was the Featured Comic and Floyd J. Phillips(3) was the Headliner. They both did an excellent job. Ted's a natural story teller and has a wide range of material. One of my favorite of his bits is the one where he got pulled over for singing in his car. It wasn't the singing so much but accompanying his singing with his air instruments. He says that he can play any one of the guitar, drums, saxophone, or tuba but if he tries to play more than one at a time, it looks like he needs medical assistance. I can't do the joke justice, so you'll have to go see him live or purchase his CD when it comes out. The headliner was very funny too. He came on stage and said, "My name is Floyd J. Phillips. The J stands for genius. I guess not all of us can be one." He did a wide range of material too. He was very excited about coming to Rochester and getting to see Caucasians in their natural habitat. I thoroughly enjoyed both shows. After it was over, we talked for a bit with Ted and then drove home to an empty house. Well, not an empty house, but a childless one -- we still have chicken dog, Buddy and his feline sister, Pumpkin. It was a wonderful evening and yet it didn't end there. But you don't want to read about the rest of it. Do you? Ewww gross! Gawd! Give us a little privacy will ya? (1) http://www.gooniescomedy.com (2) http://www.tedvincent.com/ (3) http://www.myspace.com/floydj |
I've been impressed with Kåre Enga in Montana  's blog "Enga mellom fjella" for some time now. His skill with words amazes and humbles me. Other than complimenting him in his blog, and offering an occasional merit badge, I wasn't sure how to properly honor him. A couple days ago, alfred booth, wanbli ska started commenting here, in my journal. His words, friendly and wise, impressed me and I had to check out his blog, "Invalid Item" , as well. I read his latest post and then perused his blog's description. That's when I stumbled across the perfect way to honor Kåre Enga in Montana -- write a poem in his honor.Kåre Enga adventurer clever, itinerant seeking, noting, writing verses of rhythmic pleasure Poet © 2008 Thomas Harper |
| If you read susanL 's blog, then you already know that the two of us are taking part in mood indigo 's "Invalid Item" contest. We both had to write five short stories based on prompts provided by the five contestants. Yesterday we completed the final one. Here are the prompts and the stories Susan and I created from them. Go ahead and take a look if one of them catches your eye. First Prompt: Noun: stranger Character: a middle-aged woman with hair pulled back into an elegant chignon, pearls and a tight-lipped mouth painted red Sentence: "The silence of the house was broken by an urgent staccato knocking on the front door." Susan's story: "Invalid Item" My story: "Invalid Item" Second Prompt: Noun: glory Character: a man at the crossroads of life, wondering how he can escape the drudgery of middle class and break out the way he once dreamed when he was young...he's a little self centered, a little vain, and a lot bored with the world at large Sentence: "Escape was a concept he always considered but never equated as something feasible." Susan's story: "Invalid Item" My story: "Invalid Item" Third Prompt: Noun: outhouse Character: a black-haired redneck who harbors a secret and wears a heart-shaped locket on a leather necklace Sentence: "There were four of them but only one caught his eye." Susan's story: "Invalid Item" My story: "Invalid Item" Fourth Prompt: Noun: placebo Character: a man not quite yet beyond his childhood, but with bright blue eyes and dark, unruly hair, definitely someone worth noticing Sentence: "With fingers curled through the fence as if we could squeeze past if we tried hard enough, we watched the scene unfold from the outside looking in." Susan's story: "Invalid Item" My story: "Invalid Item" Fifth Prompt: Noun: Monterrey Character: short and plump, like an office chair with straggly hair, proud of its brushless heritage, that wends down his shoulder like the knotted roots of an ancient oak tree Sentence: "Seventeen steps stood vigil between the first floor and the second." Susan's story: "Invalid Item" My story: "Invalid Item" |
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