Bedrooms are small for bands.

There's the new soundboard mixer on my computer tower.  

Reverse Duathlon - my favorite race.

I just competed in the Flora-Bama Hot to Trot Reverse Duathlon . Aside from many-a speed skating meet from years back, this was my favorite race. It was cold (low ‘50’s) and wiiiinnnnnndy.

The race was 9.2 miles of biking to a lake, 5.6 miles around the lake, and returned for the remaining 9.2 miles on the bike. In triathlons and duathlons, bike drafting is not allowed. However, since the race was a reverse duathlon and started on the bike, they allowed for 1 mile of open riding (drafting allowed). Until this point, I hadn’t understood why my bike computer’s mile readout was to the thousandth place. I drafted until .996 miles. I don’t know what .004 miles looks like, but I figured that was a decent point to start passing. The rules are very specific as far as only taking 15 seconds to pass other cyclists.

The wind was very significant. On the way out, my average speed was around 24 mph. Even knowing that the tailwind was strong, I thought that most of that 24 mph fast pace was me feeling strong.

The run was delightful. I don’t mind running but I surely don’t love it like I do biking. There was hardly any traffic, the lake that we ran around was beautiful (though undesirably big), and I actually controlled my pace. Running, I usually let my druthers take over and expend too much energy too soon.

The bike back….ugh! The now-headwind learned me that it wasn’t my feel-good-status on the way out, it was simply the strength of the wind that pushed me at 24 mph. Returning, I had a tough time maintaining 17 mph. As it turned out, my bike times differed by 8 minutes! My calves cramped up big time on the last ½ mile of the ride. I gave it the ‘ol college try.

Looking at the linked race results (also off of www.runresults.net, where all my local race results have been), you can see how this is an Old Man’s Game. It was refreshing to see a 45 year old win the race. The 14 people that beat me were all older. And during the after party, I gave some young adults my free beer tickets. As it turned out, those ‘young adults’ were all in their 40’s! My judge of age at the race was way off. It’s reassuring though, that if I keep exercising, I’ll look younger, longer.
In fact, I got passed by only 1 person on the run. When he passed me, HE MADE CONVERSATION!!! I later found out that he is 52! I was maintaining a sub-7 minute mile (I think) and he ran by me like I was walking backwards. Too cool.

I won a sweet mug for winning my age group.

I was going to write about an accident I had in the porta-potty, but no one wants to read about that crap.

Mr. Rainier

I long for this state, this mountain, this lifestyle, yadda yadda yadda! 

Mobius..Mobious...Mo-bee-us...dunno.

 

Dillinger Escape Plan

You've read my raves... These guys totally pound. I have a wannabe Dillinger-esque song in the recording cue. Honestly though, I ain't shit. Just look at these crazy bastards! I appreciate the 'I-don't-give-a-damn-how-short-my-shorts-are' shorts shortness of the bassists...well...shorts. Comfort = priority. They kind of remind me of Beavis & Butthead's short shorts. 

Penis Song - Monty Python (Lyrics and Chords)

Thanks to my Old Man for sending me this link. You just know that I'm going to learn this Penis Song ASAP.

Penn Station

Good place. 

Truck Beds/Fuel Conservations/Stupid Myths Based on Nothing:

Do you think that having your tailgate down on your Redneckmobile conserves gas? Sure you do. ‘With the tailgate down, the wind just blows over the flat tailgate and into the wideopen. With the tailgate latched, the wind butts up against the inside, which is resistance and equates to more engine power and therefore more gas consumption.’

Prove it to me.

Kyle (see link to the right) first brought this to my attention. I then walked into a wall for being so fatuous. As you learned in your aerodynamics/fluids class, the closed tailgate forms a box, your truck bed. This box fills with air and acts as a cushion for the flowing air (air from the speed that you drive, which isn’t fast enough) to smoothly pass over and THEN into the wideopen. So yes, initially wind butts against the inside of your tailgate. That resistance is instantaneous and constant so long as you’re moving in that P.O.S. you call transportation. Resistance-wise, the eddies and turbulance created by the shape of your open box and extended tailgate outweigh the resistance caused by the eddies and turbulance caused by flowing air aft of the closed tailgate.

You want to save gas, sell the hunk and by a hybrid. Live in the now, Chet.

USCG - Top Shelf Organization.

TIME Magazine -- How The Coast Guard Gets It Right

I ate up this article, from start to finish, every paragraph. Here's a teaser:

"In Katrina's aftermath, the Coast Guard rescued or evacuated more than 33,500 people, six times as many as it saved in all of 2004. The Coast Guard was saving lives before any other federal agency--despite the fact that almost half the local Coast Guard personnel lost their own homes in the hurricane."

Obtain this song:

'Sleep To Dream Her' by Dave Mathews Band. The 12/8 verse is majestic.

BTW, the Pensacola Civic Concert Band has a song in 7/8. 7/8 is my new favorite time feel. It's 1 2 1 2 123 feeling is bouncy and continuous.

We want your opinion:

Kyle's Blog has a question I want answered. See his 10.17.05 post. I've always said the exact same members except switching Dimebag for Trey Spruance, Wes Borlin, or Zakk Wylde.

Henry Rollins and Jim Cooley.

He's known to immediately put the bad-ass face on as soon as someone asks, 'May I have a picture taken with you?' Mine was no exception. I'm smiling, buuuuttttt I'mmmm neeerrrrvous! 

Meeting One’s Idol.

I had this weekend open up so….Two Weeks Ago:

Made it through a hellish week of class and a tricky emer effing test. Flew to Miami on no sleep. The dark cloud of study-apprehension hung over my head the whole flight. Flying over Miami is great, especially with these 20/10 PRK’d eyes I’ve got. You can count the lights. It was gorgeous.

After breakfast the next morning, Sarah and I sun-bathed on South Beach. Before long, it was a fast drive up to Sarah’s residency in Naples. We tried to collaborate a bit on a new song we’re working on. Dinner. Breakfast. Drove up to Orlando.

We were rushed! The show started early at the House of Blues, a favorite venue of both of ours. Prior to the show, we rushed to get the makings of a sign. See, rumor had it, of which we later confirmed to be true, Henry Rollins went to NAPS (Naval Academy Prep School). I’m not for sure if he left during NAPS, between NAPS and USNA, or if he left while attending Annapolis. No matter, Sarah conceived a very clever sign, which we thought would steal the attention for a bit and maybe have some NAPS stories told during Henry’s spoken word performance. Sarah’s sign read, ‘NAPS 1-1’ and on the other panel, ‘I LEFT TOO.’

At the show, the lighting and our audience-positioning was not conducive for him to see the sign. Slightly bummed, we stood fast throughout the VERY ENTERTAINING show.

During the show, Henry mentioned a story that involved him going to the back door by his bus to sign his fans’ stuff. Additionally, Sarah knew exactly where the bus gate was. Sure as day, we waited with the other ~45 people to meet Henry.

As soon as Henry came into view, I got nervous. I’m talking, 8th grade saxophone adjudication – short speed skating trials – first interview with the House of Rep’s board member for USNA appointment nervous. High heart rate. Fumbling brain. Nervous.

In response to one man’s request for a personalized signature, Henry claimed, ‘I don’t do that, I just like to write my name.’ Curious how Henry would respond, the game plan was to hand Henry the sign such that only ‘NAPS 1-1’ was visible and if he wanted to flip it over…yadda yadda… Sarah handed him the sign and sweetly asked, ‘Would you please write down your platoon?’ Henry read the sign and silently paused. His facial expression was that of confusion and/or distaste.
‘My platoon?!…’ he asked.
‘Yeah! Just write down what platoon you were in.’
‘I wasn’t in a platoon. When did I loose my mind and join the military? I was never in a platoon.’
The small hovering group around us chuckled at this response and I immediately felt embarrassed for giving Sarah bad info.
‘Just make one up then!’
‘How ‘bout the luuuvvv platoon?!’
‘Sure.’
With Sarah’s red marker, Henry writes. I noticed that he was writing more than he did for most people, especially with his former comment about not individualizing people’s signatures. He wrote:

IT’S OLD
(then in cursive) Henry Rollins
From the !@$%& Platoon?!

Feeling bad that I possibly embarrassed Sarah, I handed him both of our tickets for a signature. Did I mention I was nervous?
‘I saw you in Seattle last year.’
‘The Moore Theatre!’
‘Yeah, and also before that at….ugh…with Black Flag for the ………..benefit sho…. Can I get my picture with you?’
‘Yes.’
Picture.
‘Seattle’s always a great place to tour through.’
Now, what I meant to say was, ‘I saw you in Seattle. It was a great show especially during the campaign year and given your shared liberal views with most of us Seattleites. I also saw you a few months prior at The Showbox with The Rollins Band playing all Black Flag songs for the benefit West Memphis Three tour. Do remember the opening act, The New Mexicans? They pounded and I’m now a fan. You should check them out if you haven’t already. Well, it was great meeting you Mr. Rollins. See you soon!’

Walking away, I read Sarah’s poster. Hmmm, ‘It’s ‘ol Henry Rollins from the Luuuuuvvvv Platoon.’ That’s funny that he wrote all that and called him self ‘old.’

We speculated that maybe he didn’t attend NAPS. Maybe he did and something happened. Maybe he’s ashamed. ‘I’ve never paid to get scolded before,’ Sarah humorously interjected.

It wasn’t until the next morning that Sarah pointed out how much of a blind moron I am. When he signed her poster, he wrote ‘IT’S OLD,’ paused, looked at her for their secret moment and her acknowledgment, then he continued with his signature (which was not in capital, bold letters like ‘IT’S OLD’ was). DUH JAMES! Simply, him going to NAPS, yeah, it’s old. I think that he was just telling us to get over it; it was 26 years ago. He also probably didn’t want to mention it or have to explain it in front of the remaining fans that were still loitering about. So, sorry Hank, didn’t know it was a freaking sore subject!

The show was great. I could tell you all his stories but my writing wouldn’t do him justice. Check him out – a show, a CD, a DVD, a book, the band…whatever, it’s all good. His spoken word shows test the elasticity of your emotions. You leave his shows feeling intellectually rejuvenated and motivated.

I made my flight out of Orlando by exactly 2.5 minutes. I waited, I ran, I waited and ran some more (and I’m talking FULL ON SPRINT running!), boarded, checked my watch, and 2.5 minutes later, the door was shut. Phew!

After an hour’s worth of mail-opening and study-cramming, I landed and ran through the airport with 2 backpacks, ran across the street to where I freely ($) park my truck on the PJC campus, hauled over to Mobile, AL by 25 mph + over the speed limit (via I-10), played a concert, hauled back to Milton (boooo!), studied, and started another hellish week. There was 0 transition between the august weekend and the bustling week.

I sadly post this exactly 2 weeks (almost to the hour) after meeting an idol of mine.

Cedar Point

I want one in my backyard. 

Exfoliation

(Written on dooty, 9/21).

We’re into exfoliation at our house.

Keith got David and I into soap with grains engrained within. Dave and I share a bathroom (which is why I know that) he has a pumas stone. None of us have had to use facial cleaner since puberty but down here, in the humidity, facial cleaner is necessary to not look 14 years old again. I own this face cleanser that contains grains of sand. It kind of hurts to rub in, but like toothpaste with baking soda, it feels good.

We’re into exfoliation.

My Father is So Smart:

(Written on duty, 9/21)...and I don't have time to proofread...

After our flawless Labor Day Weekend in Boston, Mark and Sarah complimented my father’s smartness. When I hear, ‘s/he’s smart,’ I think, s/he knows many things and has a decent dose of intelligence. Pops is that, by definition. First off, Erin and I have always thanked him for handing us the musical genes. Wild Ann took care of our other jeans…so it evened out…badum bum.

Pops is one of the most intelligent (IQ) people I know. That, coupled with his intense introversion, breads knowledge influx like a sponge. After arriving home from work, he reads, and reads, AND READS. Often times, the sun will have risen and he’s still reading. He only learned how to use the ‘net in early 2003, so it always used to be books and magazines. He once told me that when he dies, he’ll still have not read all of his books. You should see our basement, it’s truly unreal. What’s more, the layperson WOULD NOT be able to find any publication in particular. His library is organized completely autobiographical (yes, like in Hi Fidelity).

Now that he has the WWW at his fingertips, wow! Sometimes he gets these interests or questions and find out everything there is to know about the topic. And usually, that new topic sparks yet another interest. He’s how smart he is:

-ask him ANYTHING about trains.

-Ask him ANYTHING about roller coasters.

Now for these, I mean anything; dates, construction, locations, names, engineering, style, personal memories….

-Bridges – style, construction of, dates, stats.

-LED lights, namely traffic lights

-Hybrids. (My mother got a Prius (which they call their ‘Primus.’) and since my old man researched hybrids’ engineering, he stumbled upon animal hybrids (goats + horses = mules).

-Church steeples. The steeples style, arcitecture, and time period.

-Pipe organ music.

-Rock music, especially from the Baby Boomer youth era.

-Mountains. Rock climbing, summit altitudes throughout the world, rock types, formation of, success stories on K2, hiking trails.

-Geology. Trees.

-Eminem lyrics.

-Reliability of the K Car.

- Enamel

Bloodhound Gang

'Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo' is great. If you don't get it, ask me.

DKNY Men's Leather Pants I Unfortunately Own

This link probably has a timer, so I included the description and picture from ebay. Public humor is fantastic.


DKNY Men's Leather Pants I Unfortunately Own
You are bidding on a mistake.
We all make mistakes. We date the wrong people for too long. We chew gum with our mouths open. We say inappropriate things in front of grandma.
And we buy leather pants.
I can explain these pants and why they are in my possession. I bought them many, many years ago under the spell of a woman whom I believed to have taste. She suggested I try them on. I did. She said they looked good. I wanted to have a relationship of sorts with her. I’m stupid and prone to impulsive decisions. I bought the pants.
The relationship, probably for better, never materialized. The girl, whose name I can’t even recall, is a distant memory. I think she was short.
Ultimately the pants were placed in the closet where they have remained, unworn, for nearly a decade. I would like to emphasize that: Aside from trying these pants on, they have never, ever been worn. In public or private.
I have not worn these leather pants for the following reasons:
I am not a member of Queen.I do not like motorcycles.I am not Rod Stewart.I am not French.I do not cruise for transvestites in an expensive sports car.
These were not cheap leather pants. They are Donna Karan leather pants. They’re for men. Brave men, I would think. Perhaps tattooed, pierced men. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say you either have to be very tough, very gay, or very famous to wear these pants and get away with it.
Again, they’re men’s pants, but they’d probably look great on the right lady. Ladies can get away with leather pants much more often than men can. It’s a sad fact that men who own leather pants will have to come to terms with.
They are size 34x34. I am no longer size 34x34, so even were I to suddenly decide I was a famous gay biker I would not be able to wear these pants. These pants are destined for someone else. For reasons unknown - perhaps to keep my options open, in case I wanted to become a pirate - I have shuffled these unworn pants from house to house, closet to closet. Alas, it is now time to part ways so that I may use the extra room for any rhinestone-studded jeans I may purchase in the future.
These pants are in excellent condition. They were never taken on pirate expeditions. They weren’t worn onstage. They didn’t straddle a Harley, or a guy named Harley. They just hung there, sad and ignored, for a few presidencies.
Someone, somewhere, will look great in these pants. I’m hoping that someone is you, or that you can be suckered into buying them by a girl you’re trying to bed.
Please buy these leather pants.

 

I heart The Muppets

I don't know why this is in my Picasa picture tray. I just found it. Picasa is my picture-uploading program. I like these guys, so here they are, OVER. 

My Competitive Nature is Forcing Me Into This:

Songwriting Contest

I like individual sports. I have only myself to blame/congratulate. Any individual sport I've ever participated in has been cut-&-dry. You get a score, a time, or perform to a specific standard. This....whoa! Subjective!

Here's how they adjudicate:
Songs are judged equally on originality, lyrics, melody and composition. Songs may be in any language (with English translation if possible). Quality of performance and production will not be considered.

My new mp3 folder: 'New Favourites' It has my fav's for that week or so....the ones that die off after the 87th consecutive listen but rock again a y

ear later.


Rachmaninov's Sonata for Cello & Piano in G minor, Op. 19 - 3 Andante

FLORA-BAMA'S HOT TO TROT REVERSE DUATHLON

Hoo-ahhhhh!

Weekends avec Sarah-with-an-h are weekends of bliss. 

Met a hero

I met Henry Rollins a mere 3 nights ago.

Atlanta Starbucks Obtuseness

YES!!! Another post!

Sasquatch's Underdwelling Information Bananza

How could I have forgotten who went on the Cross Country roadtrip and played 4-square at Niagra Falls...stupid me!

1 turtle... 

2 turtle. My sis's, Bocephus, is now living with a Buffalo turtle; not to be confused with the Elk turtle or the Rhinoturtle...but seriously folks... 

Workout Regime:

Do you care? …no.

Should you care? …hell no!

Since about mid-summer (night’s dream), I’ve been veering away from the gym and have either been swimming, running, or biking. Obviously, this is triathlon training. I only have one more race this fall, a reverse duathlon (bike, run, bike). I can’t wait.

I’ve been trying to loose weight – both fat and muscle. While swimming and running especially, I could tell that I was just weighing myself down. So far, so good.

My plan, however, is to use up that large-ass bin of protein before I move in June/July (so I don’t have to move it, duh). After the duathlon, minimal cardio and bulk up for the winter. If I get fat, who cares, more m1v1 for the ski slopes!

(If you don’t know what m1v1 is:
1. Be ashamed of yourself (KIDDING!).
2. Inform Kyle (link to the right) so he can properly scold you.)

Common Threads With Heros:

...written a couple weeks ago (busy right now, deal with it)...


1. I’m on my 4th cup of sugar with coffee and cream. I’m on dooty (12 hour watch answering phones like the cadet days). I brought my cadet laptop that only starts in Safe Mode. I lost my Winders 98 cd and this Winders 95 cd won’t install. Word works, so this blog posting is written on punchy caffeine.


2. Walking around, entirely bored and tired, I stumbled upon a plaque and certificate signed and sent from Bruce Melnick, a hero of mine. Now CDR Melnick was the first Coastie to fly into space. I just learned that he was in VT-2, the Doerbird Squadron, the one (of 3 total) that I’m in. CDR Melnick obtained his Master’s Degree while in flight school. I don’t know in what. I looked into the autumn term at UWF for a Master’s in something musical. A. There isn’t any here and B. I’m playing hockey this season.

3. Sarah and I are seeing Henry Rollins in Orlando on the Sunday of Columbus Day Weekend. He’s the other famous idol of mine. (I just misspelled ‘idol’ as ‘idle.’ I don’t even think those words are pronounced the same).

Tragic story on Lake George:

21 die after tour boat capsizes in New York lake

The irony of me posting the picture below turns my stomach.

I recall riding the Ethan Allen a year and a half ago with my parents. Yes, very glass-enclosed. I know first-hand how disorienting an upside-down, underwater craft can be.

Here's to those and their families.

Busy Week:

This week:
- SHIT LOAD OF TEDIOUS HOMEWORK and God-forsaken computer courseware. The ‘puter stuff is time-consuming and…well…terrible.
- All day in the classroom all week.
- HOCKEY!!!!! WOOOOOOO! My first time playing since college.
- Band rehearsal.
- More homework, classroom time, and hockey.
- Tests.
- Flight to Miami.
- Another radical weekend with the woman. Henry Rollins will join us this time.
- Plane lands here, perform a concert in Mobile.
- Then my life, as I know it, ends with simulators. Simulator is brothers with Skeletor, by the way.

Rolling Stones Opening Acts are Unreal!:

"The "Rolling Stones: Onstage" World Tour is bringing its fans the hottest opening acts around including the Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, Pearl Jam, John Mayer Trio, The Tragically Hip, and Les Trois Accords with more to follow. The Black Eyed Peas will warm up for the Stones at Fenway Park in Boston, August 21st and 23rd. Maroon 5 will open shows at Rentschler Stadium/Hartford on August 26th and Comerica Park/Detroit on August 31st. Les Trois Accords will play at the Frank Clair Stadium/Ottawa on August 28th. The Tragically Hip, Maroon 5 and Les Trois Accords will perform at Magnetic Hill/Moncton, Canada on September 3rd. Pearl Jam will appear at PNC Park/Pittsburgh on September 28th and John Mayer Trio will open at the MCI Center/Washington, DC on October 3rd and at the Wachovia Center/Philadelphia on October 10th. The Stones have always had a roster of great opening acts for their tours including such talented artists/performers as Stevie Wonder, Van Halen and Dave Mathews."

Metallica is the Opener of all Openers. When the above was written, 'tallica wasn't on the bill yet. Read this link.