Shh...the monkeys will hear you laughing

Just when I was sure things couldn't get any crazier, someone goes and throws in a monkey. Hmph...

Writing has again taken the backseat as music and art battle it out for my attention. Damn monkeys.

Oh! Oh, oh! Anyone out there that reads this and has celiac disease like me: Stay away from LifeWater. Bad, bad, bad for your already tortured stomach. Actually, I'm not sure if its the celiac that LifeWater doesn't agree with or another possible allergy of mine but either way...I will never drink it again. Lesson learned. Hmph...gimpy stomach and them damn monkeys.

I've been searching for a video camera that is compatible with my lovely iMac. I don't want anything outrageously expensive really, just something that I can use to catch the monkey's that surround me at highly comedic, less than flattering moments. Oh, and to record videos to put with the music I am making. Okay, so the second reason is the real reason, but don't think I'm not watching. Damn monkeys....

Don't let them damn monkeys steal your banana's...or your pillow, or you cereal, or your damn socks for that matter.

Damn monkey's.

Creating

So cabin fever is killing me but it has also been productive. I'm learning my new iMac and loving it. Garage Band rocks. And iMovie...nice. And in learning to use the two...I came up with this video.

Yes, that is me on vocals and guitar. Now remember, I said I was learning. Next time, voice goes on separate track. Anyway...me singing The Runaways - Wait For Me.

Speed

Winter is dreadful. I promise I will never claim winter as being my favorite season for as long as I live.

With that said, yes...it is another gloomy day in Northeast Georgia. I really, really need to escape. Really. It would be so nice to smell the ocean. To hear the waves crashing. To feel the spray against my face. I would love to be able to see the sun for more than an hour and actually be able to feel the heat from it. God! I miss my tan, dammit.

I'm hoping that once winter is over, I will be able to find myself again.

In other news, I think I might have found my motorcycle. Its a 2005 GSX-R 600. Its a little smaller than I wanted but the price is right. Now I just have the difficult task of convincing J to turn her head when I buy it. She really doesn't want me to get one and has warned me that she will never ride it with me. I think I can deal with that but I can't deal with making her worry. My solution to that is to just show her that I know how to ride and promise her that I will be safe. I'm sorry, but that will have to be enough. Besides, the roads around here are much safer than Florida's.

She still is trying to talk me out of it. She even went as far as to tell me that she would be more than happy to let me get a drag bike and start racing again. That made me question her sanity. In my mind, a drag bike is much more dangerous than a street bike. Her point was...the safety equipment required for drag bike racing makes the sport safe. Hmph...

Either way, I will be getting a bike. Either way, I will have to get a license for it. Now I just have to decide if I want to ride whenever I want or whenever the track is open. I think the street bike is going to win.

Phases

Wow...what a negative mood I have been in for the past few days. Sadly, I didn't realize it until I read what I wrote here and a few other places. Its just real hard to stay positive in this house.

Screw that...no excuses.

I decided to get out of the house yesterday. I needed a different environment. The weather cooperated (finally) and I took a walk. I didn't really get far...the end of the driveway was all. BUT the driveway is a quarter mile long.

My solitude seemed to be just what I needed.

Yeah, my head seems to be clear. Maybe now I can get back to writing the good stuff.

Happening

I started really editing today. Its one of the first books I wrote a few years ago. I figured that I would start with my oldest stories and work my way forward. It turns out that it is a great idea because the story isn't so fresh in my head and its like I'm reading for the first time. Kind of. I suck at explaining things sometimes.

I remember the characters and I know what happens but figuring out how I got to that point is a bit fuzzy. And that fuzziness is just what I need to get a fresh look at the entire story.

J and I have been looking for a vehicle. I think she is pretty much set on getting a Tahoe. Me, well...I would rather have something more fuel efficient. I loved my '07 Civic and wouldn't mind having another one. But she loved my '03 Tahoe more.

J is kind of...hmm....strange I guess. I understand her concerns on safety when it comes to cars but she seems to take it to another level. (I have so lost the argument about getting a motorcycle. She would rather me get a dirt bike.) For instance, she once was told that Jeeps flip easy. Since the person didn't specify which Jeep they were talking about, she honestly believes that it is all Jeeps. I tried to explain that it was the early versions of the Wrangler, but she won't hear it. So the really nice Cherokee Sport that I found is out of the question.

There were several cars that I found. Like a nice Pontiac G6 with very low miles and a decent price. She wouldn't even look twice at it. Instead, she shows me these Tahoe's and Yukon's with over a hundred thousand miles that are more expensive than the newer cars with lower miles that will be much cheaper on gas.

She's driving me nuts with it all. Today I told her that if she was interested in a gas guzzler, then I might as well go back to my '09 Chevy 3500 Silverado Dually. Out of all the vehicles I have ever owned (excluding my '71 Cutlass), that one was my favorite. I should have kept that thing instead of selling it with the business.

Maybe I will just sneak off and buy that damn GSXR I saw in the paper and just let her buy whatever the hell she wants. Except, I know if she buys a piece of shit, it will be me that is out there working on it (I used to build race cars and such) and I'd rather not get grease under my nails anymore. I left that part of my life down there in Florida.

Samhain

Happy Samhain everyone. Happy Halloween for the rest of ya.

I hope you all have a festive, wonderful, scary, and safe night.

***CLC note***
All of you better stay at Starr's tonight. No drinking and driving. And thank you for all of your anniversary wishes. We both LYMY guys too.

Blessed be all you restless souls. Pictures will follow.

I'm awake (not really)

I think I finally found something that I hate. I HATE being sick! I have been in and out of consciousness for the past three days (I think) and I'm finding it hard to believe its Monday. WTF?

We were supposed to be going to a hayride and corn maze this weekend but I think I slept through it. I have no idea what I have been writing in here or anywhere else for that matter. J should know better than to leave me alone with the computer when I'm out of it...lol.

I'm feeling a bit better today. Me and Brody (little dog) watched Hackers this morning while everyone else slept. Brody really does watch TV. She has all the right reactions at all the right spots too. She is a mutt, so maybe she's part human too.

Now I sound crazy.

Days of J should start tonight...if I'm awake.

Germs: Stay away

The last twenty-four hours have been...cold, crazy busy, and a little on the "I don't wanna get sick" side.

We got a phone call -yesterday, I think. It was after we went to sleep Tuesday - from one of J's aunts at a little after 3am asking us if we could help take Granny to the hospital (she asked J but I couldn't let her go alone). Of course we both jumped up and rummaged for clothes, a little groggy but really, we had just went to sleep. We spent all freezing morning into mid afternoon at the hospital. Granny is going to be fine -she's sick with a bad cold- but they did keep her. Said she wasn't breathing too good. She should be out Friday.

(Yeah Starr...I was at the ER and it wasn't for me. Shocker, huh.)

J's other aunt -who would have been the one that took Granny to the ER- had to go to the doctor herself yesterday. Seems she has pneumonia.

Now I'm repeating this in my head: "I am healthy. My immune system is strong."

I really do not want to get sick. I did that pneumonia thing last year and it hurt like hell.

And due to my zombie-like coma yesterday, I owe this blog an extra post. So -fair warning- I will be back and maybe even with a Back Then post.

PS...another warning: Next week expect "Days of J" week. Its our ninth anniversary on the 30th. And yes, I will be explaining the "Mayonaise" song. It will be mushy!

In the Starr's

My horoscope for the week:

Sagittarius, you're usually the most optimistic person on the block, but when the Moon in your sector of daily activities squares your ruler, Jupiter, on Tuesday, you'll be uncharacteristically downbeat and cynical. You'll begin to look at life with a jaundiced eye as you realize that serious issues are part and parcel of your daily journey. On Friday wise Mercury enters your zone of hopes and wishes and you'll look for the rainbow behind every cloud again. You'll count all your blessings as your ability to put a positive spin on your life returns.

That is me, always looking for that damn rainbow. For the first time in a long time, I'm looking forward to Friday. Ha! (Not really though. Starr will be leaving me then :( and I don't want her to go.)

She summed up our weekend but just a hint on how drunk she was...we were there Saturday and Sunday night. I think she is still drunk. And bikers are so much fun to party with. Funny, I can't remember the name of the bar either. Everything is fuzzy. So fuzzy that if Starr hadn't mentioned it, I might have been thinking that it was just a figment of my imagination.

I slept great last night. I always sleep better when I can hold somebody and last night, I had J on one side and Starr on the other. Heaven. Starr was so warm and J is always cold (there's an entry somewhere about her cold feet and hands). So if I got too cold holding J, all I had to do was warm up to Starr. It was perfect. And J is still sleeping. I think Starr is trying to find coffee somewhere.

Dimes and Candy...those mornings you woke up with me were our secrets. You told Starr! Just kidding. I wish you grrls were here. All of you. Just so you grrls know, Octoberfest is on until the first week of November. You all should come up here for me and J's anniversary (October 30th). *hint hint*

And there is a chance you will get to see Sim*** Psy****** back together again and live! We are still working out the details.

About my minor meltdown...I don't wanna talk about it...hmph!

CLC message

Starr's phone doesn't get signal up here and I cannot find mine so...

CLC...Starr is here and safe and updates will be coming soon...

Until then...

Soggy

Just some pictures from around the area. I didn't take any of them and I'm not sure who did. Some were J's friends and others came from the news.




This is Pitts Park. Its not too far from where I'm at.







The Soque River is supposed to be way in the back of this picture. J said that from where the photographer is standing you shouldn't be able to see the river at all.

Good thing this stuff is bolted down.

This was the road one of J's friends lived on.







I was told this was Mableton, GA. It might be near Atlanta.




Sadly, they are finding cars that were washed away with their drivers still inside.

Can you see the horses back there? Crazy. Well, I hope everyone is safe. It looks like the worst of the rain might be over. The weather man said that there will be some scattered stuff for a while but they fear there might be more down pours for the weekend.

Wasted

I almost forgot...

I changed the song order on the play list over there <----.

The song that should be playing is "Wasted" by L.P. Some people might recognize the song from The-N TV show, South of Nowhere. It was a pretty cool show but, unfortunately its no longer on. (How hot was Ashley!)

I actually stumbled across this song while I was doing research for a book I was writing. I instantly fell in love with it and its one of the many songs I play live. Its fun to play, great to sing, and the lyrics...just listen.

L.P. (not Linkin Park thank God), she is a very talented musician with some crazy ass hair. And here is the video for the song:
L.P. on Myspace

Hmph...

...J pissed me off so I sent her to her grandmother's. I don't know what was wrong with her but she was acting all grumpy and mean. So I picked her up and carried her to the front door, gripped her shirt when I let her down and told her, "Go to your grandma's, drink some damn coffee, and don't come home until you are in a better mood."

**Just to let you know, I was laughing the entire time. I wasn't being mean at all.

So you know what she tells me? "I'm in a good mood 95% of the time, so...."
So I told her, "Well, spend that 5% of "other mood" with your grandma. I bet she'll send you back here when she has had enough of you."

Okay, we were joking around but she really was in a bad mood and acting weird.

Other news: The new book I'm hard at work writing is coming along great. The main character kind of reminds me of me a few years back. That just sounds strange.

I still haven't started the art project I have been thinking about but only because the weather has been rainy. All the equipment is out in the building but its so packed, I can't actually do the work in there. So I have to wait for the drier weather, which means it will probably be cooler and I'm not quite ready for the cooler weather yet.

So be it.

September is full of birthdays for me. I think I should just buy a damn Hallmark store. J's was on the 1st. My grandma and a close friends was on the 8th. My cousin had hers on the 14th. Mom and my littlest little sister's is this weekend. My niece is on the 21st. And my step-mom's is at the end of the month. Of course you can't forget that Joan Jett's birthday is this month too. I know I'm missing a few...of J's family, I think (there's 3 if I'm right). And they are all women! And you know what kind of hell I hear if I miss one of them.
There are two guy friends (both named Steve) that have birthday's this month too.

Calgon, take me away! (That shows my age, doesn't it.) Virgo's = hmph!

I wanted to add a huge CONGRATS! for my friend JENOPHOBIC on making it to her ONE year. Its a big deal, and I want her to know I'm proud of her!

Learning

Things I've learned since I've been back in Ft. Lauderdale...

I have the greatest friends and Mom and Step-dad in the world!
Foot surgery...sucks.
Passing out in front of your mom and having her try to catch you before your head smacks the concrete and her failing because you out weigh her and she breaks her fingernail off in your arm is quite painful.
Never go to the courthouse if you are on crutches because its pretty much guaranteed that you will have to walk about three miles to get to the room you need to be in and the crutches will give you blood blisters on each hand and make you feel like you have the shoulders of a football player.
No matter what the mood is of the people that surround me, its a given that I will make them laugh somehow and that will change their mood for the rest of the day for the better.
Taking a shower with your right leg in a cast is NOT easy! (Unless you are a ballerina...lol...which I'm not.)
Its nearly impossible to find a comfortable position to sleep with ten pillows under your heavy, casted leg and your toes keep going numb.
It is totally impossible to have a great morning stretch with a cast and god-only-knows-how-many stitches under that cast. (You wake up real fast!)

I am such an independent person. Mom knows this and is always the first to point it out to me. So this cast thing is driving me nuts. I can't go in the kitchen and fend for myself because, with the crutches, I can't carry anything. Moving around the house is getting a bit easier. Mom has been pretty inventive and has came up with a few good ideas to help me out when I'm at the house by myself. My favorite so far is her filling up water bottles with super sweet crack tea and leaving them in the fridge. I can easily stuff a bottle in my pocket and take it around with me where ever I go. Two thumbs up on that one because I was getting tired of drinking water.

In other news...my incarcerated brother got sprung yesterday. We went to his bond hearing. Man, the state attorney was hell bent on getting any possible money she could out of us to get him out. It was a surprise to all of us when my bro's attorney called my mom up as a witness or something. Mom handled it like a pro and the judge let my bro go without us having to pay a dime. Mom rocks...I just hope my brother starts to appreciate her for all she has done for us.

I had a talk with him last night. He made all kinds of promises that I've heard from his mouth at least a million times. I can only pray that he means them this time. I did point out to him that what he has been doing is slowly killing our mother. I mean, God, she has to take all kinds of medications now...for her nerves, for stress, for sleep. It sucks and I know its because my brother makes her worry so fucking much. I don't know...I'll just keep my fingers crossed that he will change his ways and Mom will get back to good.

My buddy, my pal, KC has been hanging out with me whenever she can. Its really great the way we picked up our friendship like we weren't out of touch for 16 years. I didn't realize how much I missed her friendship until I actually saw her again. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't let that happen again.

Last but not least...The CLC girls.
Star, Walker, Bruiser, Peace, Dimes, and Candy...you gals are fucking hilarious. Thank you, thank you very much for such a great time last night. It was so great to see Ash and Candy sober. Lani, WELCOME to the circus! Fair warning though...you hurt my girl Dimes and I break your arms...lol. Hey...I think Lani earned a nickname last night...Animal. It suits her.

I absolutely and completely miss J. I swear its like I'm missing a vital organ or something. Kind of like I'm lost in the dark too. Crazy.

Pictures and wild and crazy stories will soon be posted.

Trip Home

Looks like I'll be heading back to Florida in a few weeks. The worst part, I will down there for a little over a month and J isn't going to be with me.

I'm not liking the idea of being apart for so long. It's really going to suck. Hell, we both freaked when I went to North Carolina for less than a week.

But I have to go. It is possible that I will be able to come home after two weeks but...its only a possibility. Sometimes...business sucks!

The only upside to any of it is that I will be able to see a lot of my old friends from high school.

I'll still be updating...didn't think I would neglect this blog, did ya?
I can't really...its like an addiction.

Glubble, a family site

Day four of this headache...but today it kicked up a notch. It finally turned into a full fledged migraine.

Today I got an email from my sister-in-law. She told me that my nieces, Silly, Boo, and Monster, are getting old enough to where they are learning to use the computer. She said that she has even seen them do searches on Google for things like butterflies and such. The girls are 9, 8, and 3.

She made a good point, one misspelled word could lead them to a porn site or something so she signed up for this thing called Glubble. Its a browser for kids and it protects them from accidentally clicking on a site that is not suitable for them. From what I can tell, it gives the kids a list of suitable sites it can pick from to find the information they are looking for. It's a family site, so the only people that can see my nieces and what they are doing is family. There's no instant messaging but we can leave messages on a wall - similar to facebook - but only the family can see that wall. The coolest part is that the adults can see what the kids are actually doing online. For instance, when I signed in today I saw that Boo was looking up information on horses (her favorite animal) and Silly was looking up how to spell a word.

She also wrote this:
What you see when you sign onto Glubble, is not what the kids see. When they sign on, the entire browser "blows up", and they are in a "protected zone". What they see is a completely different browser. So while we can navigate the Glubble page in Internet Explorer, or Firefox, it just looks like any other website to us. For them, Glubble IS their browser. Glubble for them is what IE or Firefox is to us. They have hundreds upon hundreds of pre-approved sites that have been reviewed by the Glubble team, that the kids can search and explore. Also, I can add sites Ive approved myself for them to view, that Glubble may not have found yet. In addition to that, I can remove any site that is in the site library (the library is where the pre-approved sites are). You can actually do this too. If the kids try and view a site NOT approved, they are prompted for a password, which they do not have. The kids can not leave this "Glubble browser" without this password either.

I commend the creator of Glubble. I recommend this site to anyone who has young children.

Tah Dah!

Adjusting is coming along. But boredom is a major obstacle.
J and her dad started a garden. I've helped plant onions, brussel sprouts, and potatoes so far. From what I have been told, we will be growing corn, tomatoes, and green beans too but its not time to plant them yet. I'm obviously clueless about all this and they make sure to pick on me about it whenever they can.

Yesterday, I was educated (the hard way) on briar's. We have two dogs. An 80 pound pit bull named Aspen and a 20 pound mutt named Brody. We took them out for a walk and decided to just let them run around freely. Big mistake. Aspen took off up the mountain and Brody, her little follower, went after her. I ran up the path they took and was attacked by these briar's. I look like Freddy Kruger's plaything. Brody came back when we called her but Aspen, the most stubborn dog I've ever owned, made me look for her. Of course, these briar's are everywhere. It wasn't fun.

There's not much for work around these parts. I'm not desperate to find a job, just bored really. I've been writing a lot and I'm about to start working on my art stuff again, but still, I'd like a little something to get me out of the house every now and then.
So I talked with J's brother, Rock. I used to do tattoo work many years ago. Mostly my friends, really. But its something that still interests me. So, Rock offered to call one of his friends that owns one of the tattoo shops in town. The guy told me that if I get a portfolio together of work I've done and a few of my sketches gathered up, he'd take a look at me. If he likes my stuff, he'll give me a sort of apprenticeship at his shop. What could be better than a job I know I will love? Okay, besides winning the lottery. Ha!

Since I read a lot and I mean A LOT, I was thinking that I would mention my favorite books in this blog. Like a review sort of thing. I'll showcase them on the left side in the Amazon box and if anyone who reads this likes my review, they can buy it from there.

And that's all folks!