Weathering The Storm

My mood today mimics Atlanta's weather -- dark and stormy. I guess the statement that sums it up best is that I am full of piss and vinegar. Why? Eh, a myriad of reasons, most of which you can guess with little help necesssary.

I'll Be Happy To See The Back Side Of It
This is one of the Brit sayings I have picked up from BBC America. This saying, along with the word "wonky", are my favorite new expressions. "I'll be happy to see the back side of it" is used mostly with the selling of possessions. I am certainly happy to see the back side of March.

March which was to come in like a lion and leave like a lamb had other ideas. Perhaps these are the April showers that will bring May flowers? I dunno!

On Tuesday I saw the weather report for the remainder of the week and decided that a Wednesday off from work would accomplish two things

• Give me a day to fuck around and recharge my mental batteries in absofuckinglutely beautiful weather
• Catch up on some important chores which have been neglected

Striking Out, Not Just With Women Any Longer
Wake up early, 5:30am even when playing hooky! Nice...

What a better way to start the day than to post a Blogger entry! BUZZZ So sorry, Blogger.com is experiencing technical difficulties, try again later...

Hmm, my lawn sure could use a little attention. BUZZZ Nah, better to wait until afternoon when things are a little warmer.

Ok, how about making a trip up to the fancy new Target and Lowes. BUZZZ So sorry, road construction on Moreland made it unbearable to get to the new Edgewood Shopping District.

Well then, I should get my car washed so that I can put my roof rack on it for this weekend. DING, DING, DING Well played, but -10 for not thinking that the wash would be immediately counteracted by the emergence of pollen and the rain which is pelting us today. I made it up to Cactus Car Wash for a fancy wash, knowing that I could post a blog entry from there entitled "Waiting At The Car Wash" because they have free wireless. BUZZZ Haha, Blogger still down!

Some mental toughness returned as I didn't go out for lunch eventhough I could have used a La Fonda (no website -- BOO! HISS!) fix. Not eating out is a tick on the positive side of the ledger!

Let's keep things going while I have momentum by attaching the roof rack to my car. BUZZZ After over an hour of frustration and nearly chucking the damn thing like a javelin, I gave up and used my "phone a friend" to get it installed (more on this in a second).

Ok, settle, things could be worse. Let me take my bike out for a spin to confirm that it is ready for Saturday. BUZZZ Ooooh, all of that trainer riding corroded the rear brake cable, now I have no brakes. FUCK! Three days before a fifty mile ride in the mountains and now I've got to take my bike to get fixed?! Jesus Fucking Christ, why do I wait until the last Goddamn minute! Oh, and if I could have installed my bike rack I could have taken it somewhere to get fixed yesterday! AAAARGH!

Taxes? Today? BUZZZ Hell Fucking No! If I do my taxes today I am sure to make some sort of mistake that will cost me thousands of dollars! Let's put that off yet again!

Search for Happy Place.
Stay away from sharp objects.
Seek solace in that fact that I can go for a group run and beer later.
Unfortunately, Happy Place is usually found with food and beer, two things which I cannot let myself have until after running.

Have you a concept of Cranky Pants? My definition of Cranky Pants is a depressed state of mind from which I cannot escape. It's like walking around with a stick shoved up my ass. Sure, I know it could be worse. I could be Terry Schiavo; I could have joined Johnny Cochran; and I am not to the point where I am seeking Burger King's new 730 calorie and 47 grams of fat, new breakfast sandwich.

Cranky Pants ruined one of my favorite activities, the Wednesday night George's running and drinking fest. I did a (short) run fine, but socializing was just not happening. An early departure was in order and was followed by a failed attempt at watching Super Size Me. I awoke this morning to the sound of heavy rain and thunder. Out like a lamb my ass!

Thankfully today is not Monday, eventhough it feels like one to me. I've got that going for me, right?

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - It was a dark and stormy day...
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing The Jesus And Mary Chain -- "Happy When It Rains"
Website Of The Day - The Weather Channel

Blech!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Wait For It, Wait For It

Man, Blogger had its problems this morning. Unfortunately, their problems have capped my creativity.

Tune in tomorrow, it might be twice as good!

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - dull as a butter knife
Current Music - 790 The Zone Sports Radio
Website Of The Day - NUTTIN' TODAY

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

You Gonna Need A Ticket To Ride This Ride

I am a Million Miles Away (a twenty-two year old Plimsouls / "Valley Girl" reference) today.

Ticketmaster, Oh How I Hate You
Last Friday morning I tried in vain to get Weezer concert tickets. At exactly 10:00am Eastern I was on Ticketmaster's website as well as using my cell phone to call the local number. The goal was three tickets for a general admission show (ie no seat reservations) at The Tabernacle. Seems "doable", right? Somehow I only managed to secure one ticket. This whole ticket purchasing process sucks.

Indecisive Paulie, Oh How I Hate You As Well
This one falls directly on me. Yesterday I found out Muse is scheduled to play The Tabernacle on April 10th. After getting to the point of purchase on Ticketmaster's website I decide to bail. This morning I decided that I wanted to see the concert afterall. Yep, you guessed it, today the show is sold out.

And How The Fuck Do I Get A Ticket For A Show At Emory?
Cake, Gomez, and Robbers On The High Street are playing a show at Emory (I didn't even know they had a venue -- is this part of the Goiter Business School?) on April 12th. I've seen Cake before and would like to see them again and Gomez intrigues me as well, but how does one get a ticket for this show when you know zero Emroids? Shit, I'm old enough to be their daddy, and might not mind being a Splenda Daddy to a nice (legal) youngin' girl either.

Tuesday CD Drop Of The Day
Without a doubt the cd that drops today which exites me the most is Beck's new CD Guero. I admit that am a latecomer to the Beck bandwagon, but if this cd pleases the way that I think it will, I am ready to lie and say that I've been following Beck since day one.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - want to be elsewhere
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 26, playing Graham Coxon "Freakin' Out"
Website Of The Day - Pollstar: The best way to see which bands are coming to town.

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Easter Egg-Nog

Now that's a drink I could have gotten into drinking yesterday. Is Lent over already? Damn, it seems like just the other day I was trying to figure out what to give up, and now I've missed it. I hope I don't have the same brain fart with my taxes, the last thing I need right now is to do battle with the IRS.

Close Shave
Saturday morning I removed the only thing which brought compliments my way this past Winter. Yep, with Spring in the air it was time to remove the beard. With a big fifty mile bike ride coming this weekend and the knowledge that I'll start getting some sun and don't want two-tone face later, its time, like the compliments that came with it, has come and gone.

This morning I was finally able to use that fancy electric razor that I bought back in November. Eh, I ain't so impressed. I'll have to see how patient I am before returning to my manual razor.

Now That's Why I Love Hashing
Saturday's Atlanta hash took place in College Park (think "right next to the airport"). This hash could have been labelled "Tour de Ghost Town" as we went through regions once inhabited, but apparently abandoned due to the noise of the airport. It was rather surreal, like and episode of The Twilight Show, to run down streets which had no houses and grass growing on them and then later through a flattened apartment complex. The coolest part was hashing through and old elementary/middle school. For some reason most of the outer walls had been blown out so we were able to enter and exit the building freely. Walking down its darkened hallway was spookier than any tunnel I have hashed through.

The Mean Streets Of East Atlanta
My current morning commute takes me through East Atlanta Village. The Village is currently undergoing a "streetskaping" project in which the sidewalks are widened and curb "bulb-outs" are being put in place. I am starting to wonder our street sanity. In the Olden Days of neighboorhood planning streets were made wide so that cars could park along them and emergency vehicles could get through with ease. Can ambulances and fire-trucks handle all of our new-fangled "traffic calming" mechanisms such as speed humps and bulb-outs? I guess time will tell.

Intown Retail Update
The Lowe's in the Edgewood Shopping District is having its Grand Opening soon. I guess that this is a good thing since the toilet that was "fixed" for me a month ago has once again gone on the fritz. It's "insert rod 'A' into slot 'B'", right? I can't remember since it has been a while since I did any plumbing.

Supposedly last week Glenwood Park announced what retail would be opening within its boundaries. I have not heard yet, and all attempts to do an internet search have failed. I just hope that whatever opens there isn't a further drain on the businesses in the Village. Stay tuned...

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - not sure yet
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 26, playing TV On The Radio "Staring At The Sun"
Website Of The Day - Glenwood Park

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Media Frenzy

I will be straight up with you, nary a book is mentioned below. Deal with it!

Stop Motion Animation
Last night I ventured out to the movies, alone even. Since I was headed to the Midtown Art Cinema I also used it as an excuse to eat and drink at The Highlander. My movie of choice was something for which I have been salivating since seeing its trailer -- The Animation Show 2005. A funny thing happened last night, my friend Glenn was also at the theater there to see the same movie, so apparently I wouldn't have had to go solo afterall.

And then a sad thing happened on my way to animation bliss; technical difficulties on the last night of the movie's run. DRAT! (which is an interjection) Luckily we were told that Midtown Art Cinema is planning on showing the movie for another week. Whew! (another interjection)

Before finding out that the movie was to be held over I kept cursing myself for not taking the offer to see the pre-screening last week. Being a man of integrity I had to turn down the offer to see it because I had already made plans to have dinner at another friend's house. Cancellation of offer one because of a later offer is weak people, don't do it...

Animation, Uncancelled
the family guy is returning to tv. What, you didn't hear me? I SAID THAT THE FAMILY GUY IS RETURNING TO TV!!!! Yes children, the Family Guy is returning to Fox on May 1st. Considering that my limited dvd collection contains both Family Guy boxsets you might correctly assume that I am excited!

Apparently someone is posting a bit of a blog on the Family Guy site, here is a humours excerpt from the latest entry

Alright, first things first. St. Patty's Day had its Irish way with me and if anyone finds my liver, please contact me here at the office. It was last seen boarding a bus headed to Atlanta. Thank you.

I've been looking everywhere for his liver. You never know, it could bring a handsome reward.

TV That I Wanted To Be Uncancelled
Last Fall I was watching a brilliantly crafted fake reality show called My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss on Fox. It was a spoof of The Apprentice, one of my other favorite mind-numbing television series. According to all accounts ten episodes were scheduled to be broadcast, however the series was pulled after five. Fuck You, you fucking fucks at Fox!

Well, low and behold my prayers were partially answered! Fox has been trickling out the remaining episodes once a week on the internet (thank you, Al Gore)! Not only that, each episode is thankfully commercial free (since it is streamed I'd be unable to skip them).

Oh and by the way, if you are really like me you'll also be happy to know that Fox has put up all episodes of last Summer's cancelled reality show Playing It Straight on the internet as well.

TV That Should Be Cancelled
Give up NBC. Stop making, er remaking, comedies that aired on the BBC. Last Fall you tried Coupling, it tanked, and now The Office? Before watching the only two minutes I could stomach of last night's pilot I already had it in my mind that I would hate it. I know, that's not very objective but I am not a (professional) TV critic, nor do I play one on TV. I was right. Steve Carell, sorry but you are no Ricky Gervais (who btw - once attempted to be a "rock star" go here to find out more about his band Seona Dancing).

Thank You Again, Al Gore
Today's Website Of The Day is an homage to what I believe is the best use of the Internet -- making fun of others. The link below was sent out by my friend, Trivia Mistress Amy, earlier in the week and I have been laughing ever since.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - wishing I took the day off for a bike ride
Current Music - Adam Curry's Daily Source Podcast from Mar 24, 2005
Website Of The Day - Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

It's Like Magic!

If you wonder what inspires this nonsense each day, let me tell you that I really don't even know.

It's Like Turning Wine Into Water?
In one of the rare instances that I watched TV commercials I saw a Home Depot commercial which mentioned a new ceiling paint from Glidden. The paint mentioned is bizarre; it's paint that is pink when wet and white when dry! Wow, that's fucked up! I sure could have used this technology when I painted the ceilings in my house. Go here for more information.

That Old Black Rock Magic
Pictures from last weekend's Black Sheep campout are starting to be published on the Atlanta Hash House Harrier's Album section. Holy Crap, I have seen better looking people living under the bridges near downtown Atlanta. And why am I smiling? Look at that horrendous hat hair (WARNING: small children and the easily frightened should not click on that last link)! Oh yeah, I was drunk. Good times. Good times. Oh, and in case your wondering about my camping skills, my tent is the one with the green ghetto rainfly squatting in Camp Wannahockalugie.

Happy Birthday? Harry Houdini
As if Harry Houdini's life wasn't shroudded in enough mystery, no one really knows the date of his birth. Out of the blue the name Harry Houdini popped into my mind and I decided to find out when he was born. To my astonishment my timing was pretty good. Some "experts" say that Houdini was born on March 24th 1874, while others claim the date was April 7th 1874. One thing is fairly certain however, he passed away on Halloween in 1926 due to a ruptured appendix supposedly caused by an unexpected punch to the abdomen that was given to him two weeks prior to his death. I wonder if any of Houdini's birthday cakes had those candles that re-light themselves after you think you have blown them out?

Speaking Of The Dead, Or Not, Check Out Today's W-O-T-D
Abe Vigoda, known mostly for his role as Fish in Barney Miller has a website which lets you know his current living status. I am not sure why this humors me as much as it does.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - straightjacketted, needing to bust out
Current Music - Adam Curry's Daily Source Podcast from Mar 23, 2005
Website Of The Day - Abe Vigoda's Website

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Return To High Fidelity

In case you haven't seen the movie, here is the imdb link to it. My question today is "Am I Rob (John Cusack) or Dick (Todd Louiso)?" This thought popped into my mind as I stood in Ella Guru, a fine used CD store located in the mammoth Toco Hills Shopping Center, clutching a copy of Charlie Sexton's "Pictures For Pleasure".

And Now For A Little History Lesson
In 1985 as my love for music was taking a radical turn toward this thing called "alternative", a new magazine named Spin hit the newsstands. Spin, along with Interview were the magazines to read if you wanted to one-up your friends about the music scene back in the 1980s. It was through Spin that I found out about a sixteen-year old child-prodigy guitar player from Texas named Charlie Sexton. Master Sexton was due to release a solo record called "Pictures For Pleasure".

Now what may be the hardest thing to remember is that in 1985 we all didn't have CD players (nevermind portable ones), instead we had cassette players. So, when I went to my record store of choice (either Peaches, Camelot, Turtles, or Musicland) I purchased the cassette. I have been looking for the CD for nearly fifteen years and thought that I would never find it.

That Was Until Monday
When I mentioned how excited I was to finally find "Pictures For Pleasure" on CD it started a five minute long conversation between myself and the two guys behind the counter. The conversation threads ran from the making of "Pictures For Pleasure", Charlie Sexton's other bands, the members of those bands who came from other prominent bands, all the way through and including an article one of the guys had written about the last Bob Dylan concert in Atlanta and the email he received from Charlie Sexton about it. High Fidelity indeed.

List Your "Top 5 Favorite Used CD Stores In Atlanta"
Here are mine.

• Wax N Facts
• Ella Guru
• Decatur CD
• Criminal Records
• Full Moon Records

Believe it or not, but there is more to my High Fidelity lifestyle, but I'll leave that for another episode.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - Curiously Strong, just like Altoids
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, playing The Postal Service -- "We Will Become Silhouttes"
Website Of The Day - Artist Direct, formerly Underground Band List

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Walking Around With Your Head In The Clouds, It Makes No Sense At All

I called my hour-long walk prior to securing our table for team trivia at Taco Mac in the Highlands exercise. It's a tiny step in the right direction at least.

House Of Hot Sauce
There is a house in the Highlands that I walked by last night that really caught my eye. It's a typical Craftsman style abode where either the front porch has been converted into a room, or large windows have been installed replacing smaller ones.

As I walked by I noticed hot sauce. Originally I thought that the room was wallpapered in tacky paper (think also "golf or bass fishing" themes). To my astonishment, the walls were not covered in paper, but rather with shelves filled with bottles of hot sauce! Crazy! Even if I had my camera on me I am not sure that I would have felt comfortable enough to shoot a shot of the insides of someone's house.

I'm Not Supposed To Be Here Tonight
My walk also surprised me last night when I stumbled onto Monday night's hash trail. I called the Hash's Hot Line to hear last night's starting point and it turned out that the start was the Home Depot on Ponce de Leon. Knowing that tidbit of information I made the assumption that I was walking the trail backwards. At the next check I kicked it back to where I had just been and then turned around to see how far I could follow the trail. I guess I must have covered about half of the trail when it didn't turn in the direction I needed it to, so I am really not sure where it ended.

Subject Matter Expert, My Ass!
Seven o'clock saw me arrive at Taco Mac. I'm like fucking clockwork, Mister Predictable, Captain Pattern. I'm sure that there is a name for what ever condition I have that drives me to be early, and care whether or not the table is large enough for all; I just don't know what it is.

I've mentioned before that I my contributions to the team is mostly sports knowledge. To my surprise and embarrassment I missed BOTH sports questions last night. Here they are (the answers are "hidden", use your mouse to highlight them).

Q: Which team has appeared on Monday Night Football the most?
A: Miami Dolphins
Q: Which 41 year-old Detroit Red Wing was the oldest man to score 100 points in the NHL?
A: Gordie Howe

Man, did I ever feel stupid last night.

Happy (Belated) Birthday
Crap, I missed Ebay's tenth birthday (anniversary) yesterday.

Tuesday's Toy Of The Day
I finally found something that I feel is worthy of drooling over, although I cannot get my grubby little hands on it just yet. Today's toy is the Sony Playstation Portable, aka the "PSP" which is due out in United States stores on Thursday. I have but two problems with this toy. First, I wanted the price to be $199 and not $249. Second, I still have my doubts about the battery life for this beast. It's supposed to be portable, the last thing I want to do is to lug around extra batteries or a AC adapter.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - not so bright
Current Music - Adam Curry's "Daily Sourcecode Podcast" from Mar 21, 2005
Website Of The Day - Atlanta Gas Prices

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Welcome to D-Day

Campfire Logic
What a beautiful weekend in the mountains of Northeast Georgia. There were many cameras around camp so I am assuming some of you notified the papparazzi, no? I kept searching for a Campfire Girl to snuggle with in my sleeping bag, but no targets were present. No worries, especially since I have sworn off women for a while.

I haven't sworn off beer, however. Once the car was parked for the weekend, the two-person tent was set up in Shantyville, the beer started flowing.

The drinking was only interrupted by a "run" (more of a brutal hike) in the woods, followed by a cool shower. One of my newest toys, a solar shower, didn't receive nearly the amount of sunlight necessary to warm its contents, so the water was cold, but I was happy to be clean.

It only took thirty-six hours of near-continual drinking for my campadres (get it?) to realize that I was funny. Shit, a career in comedy is going to ruin my liver.

Please Don't Feed The Animals
"20 by 40" ain't happening. I'm not stupid, I know that I have been eating and drinking too much, and not exercising enough. Today, all that changes. I can't stand the concept of dieting eventhough I have done it before, but I know that can't stand being at my current weight even more. Please wish me well and humor me when this space becomes a bit bitter (he he, I typed 'butter' at first -- Freudian slip).

Such A Small Cookie, Such A Wise Cookie
I am not sure how many of you read the finer print along the right galley, but lately I have been posting the fortune of the last fortune cookie I have eaten. Stay tuned because this blurb will change often as Chinese food is one of my favorite meals. At the end of the roller coaster week two weekends ago I mentioned that I had to eat food from China King instead of Salsa. Well on that night I received two cookies (did I really order that much food?). Last night I ate the second of the two cookies. Apparently last night's cookie was the one I was to open first because here is the fortune that was included

Although it feels like a roller coaster now, life will calm down.

Damn, that's some spooky shit.

Sleeping Bag Training
As you may know, I am a couch sleeper. Since my last long-term relationship ended many moons ago I have reverted to bachelor living, falling asleep on the couch while watching tv. I was amused this morning with a sensation of dejá vu when woke up and thought I had done so in my sleeping bag.

Trash Talking
My current office is located along the north fork of Peachtree Creek. It's rather amusing to watch the water level rise and fall, and also more than a little saddening to see the trash rush down the river when we get rain. A couple of weeks ago when we received a few days of rain some brush and logs lodged themselves against a sewer pipe which spans the creek and have become an organic trash screen. The trash gathered is starting to grow quickly. On every drive into work I expect to see Iron Eyes Cody, the indian from the 1970's anti-littering public service announcement, standing by the creek.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - clean; ankle attempting to re-recover from Saturday's hash
Current Music - Adam Curry's "Daily Sourcecode Podcast" from Mar 18, 2005
Website Of The Day - Fortune Cookie Fortunes

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Scenes From A Coffee Shop

Today's entry was to be blogged from Joe's, the "urban hipster's" coffee shop. That's right, it's another Friday off Inside The Perimeter because I am once again wandering into the scary land known as Outside The Perimeter. And, as I do almost every non-working Friday I planned on visiting the folks at Joe's. Eh, with all of the streetscaping work being done in the Village I'm not in the mood to fight for a parking space and then lug the laptop into the coffee shop, so I'll pound this one out on my aging desktop instead. Fear not, it will have the same quality as always. ;)

A Camping Wee Will Go
Today marks my first camping trip of the year. If you want to send the papparazzi searching for me, try sending them to Black Rock Mountain State Park up in Northeast Georgia. I'll be up there for the fourth annual Black Sheep Hash Campout at Black Rock. Can you say five kegs of beer and two smoked pigs? Hell fuckin' yeah!

So Where Did I Go Last Night?
The idea of spending St. Patty's Day at a Mexican bar (and vice-versa for Cinco de Mayo) was stolen from my friend Sandy. My co-workers and I dropped in to Cafe Jalapeno for some beverages after work. A dive you say? Well yeah, those are the best types of Mexican establishments.

While driving to the bar I couldn't miss the emptiness that once was the K-Mart shopping center on Piedmont and Sidney Marcus. It's surreal to see all of that crap gone -- soon to be replaced by "mixed-used" development.

From my caustic comments about the Edgewood Shopping District, and my volunteer work with Trees Atlanta you may think that I am completely anti-development. This Sembler project (.pdf) is the exception to that theory. Given the fact that it will replace aging retail and provide high density housing across the street from a Marta station, I wholly approve of this development. I know that Sembler sleeps better at night when I give my endorsement.

I've Been Everywhere Man, Well Not Really
A few weeks ago I was once again criticized for never having travelled outside the United States. I shall not defend my actions here, but let's just say that I hate travelling alone and I have been alone most of my adult life.

Yesterday my friend Glenn posted a link to this website that helps you show where you have been within the fifty states. Here are my results. Play along at home if you wish...

bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now...

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C /

Check out today's Website Of The Day to look for reasons to visit the states you have missed.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - ankle @ 90%; FRIDAY!!!!!!!
Current Music - Dido -- "Thank You" spooled from iTunes
Website Of The Day - Roadside America

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Green With Envy

When all is "Right" with the world (read "I am hooked up"), St. Patrick's Day is third on my list of favorite days (following only my birthday and Christmas). When all is not "Right" with the world it leap frogs those two all the way to Number One! Today is so far my favorite Day O' The Year.

If It Was A Weekend
I might have started today off with a not-so-traditional bowl of Lucky Charms swimming in Harp (because Smithwicks and Guinness are just too dark for cereal) perhaps followed with a nice cup of Irish coffee. But seeing how today is a work day, breakfast, if I choose to eat it at all, will be a bagel.

The South, With The Exception Of Savannah, Doesn't Know Shit About This Holiday
When I was a wee lad in New York St. Patrick's Day was celebrated. Maybe it was because I am half Irish, maybe not. Cities in the North (my North) had parades, houses were decorated with tacky four-leafed clovers, people wore green and were pinched if they didn't, and they had sex without condoms (ok, those were just the Irish Catholics). Why don't people in the South understand? Why not celebrate? Are you worried about being penalized for excessive celebration? And yes we'd also celebrate Columbus Day. You Gotta A Problem Wit Dat?

Give Me Corned Beef Or Give Me Death
Welcome To Vicklanta had a great entry on the misery of finding a decent corned beef sammie in Atlanta. Go ahead, follow that link I posted, I know you'll be back to finish the rest of this entry.

So now that you have read about the "The New York Corned Beef Society of Atlanta" expect to see me a Twain's on a Sunday sometime in the near future. Sure I'll have to skip a Sunday morning run or two, but the sammie and beer will be worth it! Or maybe I convince them to do a Decatur run ending at Twain's? Who's with me on this one?

In My Glory Days Of Buckhead
When I was old enough to know better my buddies and I would leave work early, head to Buckhead, and wait in line to get into Fado. Maybe I thought I'd get lucky? Play Hide The Shillelagh with a hottie? Who knows. All I got was drunk, and luckily never a DUI. Good Times, Dumb Times...

Where I Won't Be Seen Today
I can't take the crowds of amateur drinkers anymore. Here is a short-list of places that you will not see my Ugly Mug today

• Fado
• Limerick Junction
• Padriack's
• Meehan's
• James Joyce Pub
• Ri O'Bravo (are they still in business?)

Don't get me wrong, I like these places (except for the last one which was tossed in as a joke), I will just avoid them today. Look for me to be at one of them on Cinco de Mayo.

Erin Go Braless
I tried to give this as a hash name a girl named Erin a few years ago. This has little to do with anything, I really just wanted to type Erin Go Braless. It's humor people.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - ankle @ 80%; waiting for tomorrow
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing The Moldy Peaches -- "Lucky Charms"
Website Of The Day - St. Patrick's Day Dot Com

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Incredible? Not Yet. Amazing? I'm In!

Sometimes I wonder about my common sense. (Hmmm, I also said that yesterday. There must be an echo in here.) I pre-ordered "The Incredibles" from an online retailer and now I have to wait for it to arrive. Why didn't I just wait until yesterday when the dvd hit every freaking store in the city? Hell, I could have watched the damn movie last night if I had!

Simply Amazing!
It has taken six previous iterations of Amazing Race for me to finally jump on the bandwagon. I think the final straw was this season's inclusion of Rob and Amber from Survivor. Being an on-and-off Survivor viewer since its inception the sight familiar faces, combined with the enjoyment of watch Rob scheme his way through Amazing Race has drawn me in. So far I am loving ths show and am wondering why it has taken me this long to get with the program.

Open Says Me
Trying to "keep it local" on Sunday night I thought that I would eat at one of the new establishments at the corner of Moreland Av and Ormewood Av. In the mood for a cuisine that I haven't eaten recently I chose Salsa: Havana Bistro. Apparently, "Salsa: Havana Bistro" is Spanish for "closed on Sunday." Dammit, dammit all to Hell! Not being in the mood for counter-order Italian I skipped trying the new Lil Azio and drove down to take-out Chinese at China King. I could have made a return the curious hut known as Buffalo China, but apparently "Buffalo China" is Chinese for "closed on Sunday." That doesn't bother me much however, since I think that China King's food is far superior to Buffalo China's. Now if only Super Fried Rice was still open...

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - recovering sore ankle; blah; waiting for Friday
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing The Thermals -- "How We Know"

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Somewhere Between Cairo And Paris

A funny thing happened on the way to perfection last night, we missed it. Tired of the hatin' that was being displayed to Meet The Hashers at Taco Mac, we decided to make a pizza trip to Johnny's last night. Actually, we decided to try a different venue, Oakhurst Grille, but we could not find any information about this place on Team Trivia's web site. Glenn finally did the leg work of calling them only to find out that they were no longer a Team Trivia venue, so Johnny's it was.

Like Shooting Fish In A Barrel
My team is really smart, so smart they were able to fend of my bonehead suggestions for answers, including those I provided for sports questions -- my specialty. We've played and crushed others at Johnny's before and last night seemed to be more of the same. With the exception of a "one hit wonder" impromptu bonus question the host threw out there, we answered every question corrrectly -- and then came the final question. The category was geography, which meant that I would be no help, and the question was "Put the following four countries in order of population from highest to lowest"

• France
• Brazil
• Egypt
• Mexico

Feeling cocky, we bet all our points -- and lost. We transposed the final two countries. Oops! (btw, I think the order is Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, France)

To Boycott Or Not To Boycott, That Is The Question
I was and still am to some degree, an opponent to the Edgewood Retail District on Moreland Avenue. Mark my words, once all the stores in that center are open I think traffic in and around that area will be heinous for years to come. Having said that, I admit to shopping at the Target there the other night.

Being a fan of Target ("Target Beats K-Mart", "K-Mart Beats Wal-Mart", "Wal-Mart Beats NOTHING") I wanted to see the Target while it was still clean. My neighborhood, East Atlanta, and the surrounding neighborhoods do not have a great history of keeping things tidy, so I think that it is only a matter of time before the stores and parking lot in that center will become dirty. My opinion, your mileage may vary.

What humors me is that when the subject of Target arose at trivia last night four out of the six of us had already visited it. I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised since last night's team consisted of two East Atlanta residents, two Old Fourth Ward residents, one Midtown resident, and one Capital View resident.

Survey Says!
Fess up, which Family Feud host did you think of first?

• Richard Dawson
• Ray Combs
• Louie Anderson
• Richard Karn

It happened again today. The best looking woman that I saw on my drive in was driving a VW. In a completely unscientific study I find about three-fourths of the women I see driving VWs (Jettas, Passats, Beetles) to be very attractive. This is not to say that I cannot find women in other types of cars attractive. In recent history I have been attracted to drivers of Jeeps, Chevys, Subarus and others as well.

If you are keeping score at home, since I started noticing the "cute girl car trend" the cars of choice have been Saturns, Hondas (mostly Civics) and now VWs. Yes, I know that I am a sad, pathetic male...

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - continuing sore ankle; empty, darkening heart; looking forward to day off on Friday
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Primal Scream -- "Swastika Eyes"

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

New Week, Same Story

Boring details of a misspent weekend...

Hmm, this was certainly not the way to start the new week. After successfully dropping my car off for maintenance and then making it into work early, I accidently pulled the power cord on my pc, corrupting my browser, therefore losing all of my profile information (bookmarks, extensions, etc). Must think positive thoughts. Must think positive thoughts...

From The "I Should Have Known Better" File
Last Friday night I did something I hadn't done in six years -- go hashing on a Friday night. Eventhough I knew I was having a shitty week it was March 11th, also known as Founder's Day for the Black Sheep Hash. How could I pass that up?

Mid-way through the hash Speedy McSpeed-A-Lot, decided to kick his running up a notch in order to catch up to the people ahead of him. Failing to see the rut in the mud created by a truck, I proceeded to roll the shit out my right ankle. After a minute or two of cursing every Power in the Universe at the top of my lungs, I managed to hobble in to the end. There wasn't enough beer in the Zuma (no, not Zima) brewery to heal my hurting.

From The "Fool Me Once - Shame On Me, Fool Me Twice - Won't Get Fooled Again" File
So what does one do when one can't run a hash and the weather is perfect? Bimbo the hash, of course! What little common sense I possess convinced me not to further damage my swollen ankle by running on Saturday. But, having no 'Plan B' ('Plan A' was to go hashing) and no "SO" to spend the day with, I decided to spend the beautiful day at the hash. Green (Budweiser) beer, yuck.

Did Someone Mention Common Sense?
Sunday's weather was even better than Saturday's! Our Sunday Morning Running (and eating) group was meeting a mere mile-and-a-half from my house. How convenient! Oh yeah, the ankle still hurt. Well, again having no 'Plan B' I decided to ride my bike to the group so that my fat ass would get a little bit of exercise. I guess also packing my running shoes was a bad idea. That competitive streak which caused the injury in the first place reared its ugly head and convinced me that five miles around the neighborhood could do not harm. Did I ever say that I was smart? I think not!

*** SOAPBOX WARNING! SOAPBOX WARNING! ***
The ATL made World News last Friday when some asshole decided to take the law into his own hands. He killed four people, ruined the lives of their families, and interrupted the lives of thousands more. This 'man' was captured when he surrendered to authorities. I believe in the concepts which founded this country "Innocent Until Proven Guilty" and "A Fair Trial By One's Peers", however even this bleeding heart Democrat/Liberal thinks that this man deserves no time in jail. If we know he is responsible for what transpired, then he should he should be held responsible for his actions. Capital Punishment may not irradicate violent crime, but if it can stop more incidents such as this, then it needs to be used.

*** stepping down from soapbox ***

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - sore ankle, empty heart, looking forward to camping this weekend
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing LCD Soundsystem -- "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House"

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

The Weak That Was

Home Boy
I did exactly what I said I would last night -- stayed at home. It was me, a bottle of Sweetwater 420, and Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus on my PS2.

The only downside of my keeping my indoor voice all night was that I knew that I had two tickets to a concert that could have been kind of fun -- VHS or Beta, and Ambulance Ltd. at The EARL. However, given the events that transpired this week, Captain Optimist (did you read that I had two tickets?) decided it best to stay home. At least I saved some money, right?

Return Of The Inner Nerd
Having once again sworn off women (second only to swearing off beer), I have decided to unlease my inner nerd again. Today I am going to start scouring the Internet for ideas on building a small pc (think Mac Mini size) to use in my Grand Unification of Media Distribution Theory in my house. *slides glasses back up nose* It might confuse many of you, especially the non-techies, but this shit makes me happy and has been a good way to pay the bills over the last fourteen years.

That's Incredible
Yippee! The Incredibles dvd comes out next week! Any of you who have been here since November know that I always wanted to see it in the theaters, but never did. Assuming my pre-ordered copy comes with the swift delivery promised back in January, I should have the dvd in hand next week. Warm up the projector baby, this one needs to be seen on the big screen!!!

Websites Of Distinction
When you've got time and a wireless internet connection, why not surf to your heart's content for content?

• Escher For Real - Make some models to blow your mind
• Takeshi's Castle Online - Read about the show that inspired "Most Extreme Elimination Challenge"
• Heavy.com's "Office Friends" Spoof - "Office Space" Meets "Super Friends", nuff said!

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - [this space for rent]
Current Music - Chris Isaak's "Forever Blue" (read nothing into this, it's a great cd!)
Current Read - should I remove this? :)

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Late, Late, I'm So Late!!!

Gonna have to crank out another short one kids. I have but fifteen minutes until a training class.

Thanks!
To all of you who took time out to drop me an email yesterday. I've determined that this is one of those rollercoaster weeks. Hopefully the crummy part is over and all that remains is the exciting ride to the finish.

Nice Guys Finish Last
Apparently, yesterday's blog reference wasn't enough stress for one week.

I'm catsitting for friends this week. I like cats, I've done this for them before, no big deal. Right? That was until I couldn't get their alarm system to shut off last night; standing in their house, alarm blaring, trying to work with a security company who doesn't know me from Adam.

• Password? - Don't know it, like I said, I've done this before so I didn't think I needed it.
• Contact them? - I tried, but they are out of the country; don't know if their phones work there.
• People on their contacts list with their complete phone number? - I gave all the names I knew, none worked, and who knows people's phone number these days?
• Friends? - Called the only two I have in my *cough* "new" cellphone. The one I was able to get a hold of gave me the same security code I punched in.

WHAT TO DO? After getting irate with the security company, I sat and waited for the police. Nice guy, gave him the story, showed him the key which he proceeded to use to verify its correctness. He tried the number, didn't work for him either (made me feel a little better). My cell phone rang -- it was the homeowner! Yippee!!! Apparently their number pad is a little finicky in colder weather. The number I punched in was correct all along! Oh bother.....

Some might think that an ideal night ends in handcuffs. I certainly don't and am rather glad that mine didn't last night.

Tonight I will sit at home, all alone. If the phone rings, I shan't answer it. If someone knocks on the door, I shall ignore it. Solitary confinement; it sounds good to me tonight. I'll put the rollercoaster's shoulder harness on tomorrow and prepare for the rest of the ride that this weekend ushers in.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - harried
Current Music - nuttin'
Current Read - more nuttin'

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

btw - Comments are back on, comment away...

So Hot And Then So Cold, And I Don't Mean The Weather

Howdy!
Talk?
Sure.
Huh?
I see.
Bye.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - confused, empty, biting lip
Current Music - Anything except Vanilla Sky soundtrack, searching for Foreigner's "Head Games"
Current Read - looking at the Magic 8-ball smashed into a million pieces, lying on the floor

Fuck it all,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

ps - Yes, I have turned commenting off for this entry. Drop me a direct email if you have something to say.

Your Check Is In The Mail

The recent ChoicePoint ("Smarter Decisions. Safer World.", my ass!) fiasco started me wondering about identity theft again. The first time I thought about this was when my wallet was stolen last year, and my driver's license had my social security number on it (now that was brilliant!)

Don't Leave The Restaurant Without It
My chances of identity theft may be lessened if I would stop doing things like leaving my credit card at restaurants. Luckily for me I called the restaurant and they had my card. In a heartwarming ceremony card holder and card were reunited last night.

I'm Sorry, But What Year Is This?
Last week I had to write out checks and mail them. Let's assume that the Internet is, let's say "commonplace", these days. Why must I still write checks? Why can't I pay everything via the Internet using a credit card or bank draft? Come on people, let's get with it! (now before you tell me that I could easily take my business to other vendors, Itell you that one of these dinosaurs is my mortgage company).

Now This Sounds Fishy
Let me give you a scenario to ponder. I'll give you a piece of paper worth $15 in exchange for your signature and bank account number. Would you do it? Sound like one of those Nigerian "get rich quick" scams?

We used to do this all of the time (and probably still do) when cancelled checks were returned to their originator. Scary, huh? I certainly think so. Sometimes it's fun to be old enough to remember "The Good Old Days."

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - cold and tingly
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Snow Patrol - "Spitting Games"
Current Read - shaking that Magic 8-ball like a Polaroid picture

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Monday? Already?

Mondays are far more palatable when the weekend was enjoyable. When I can spend a weekend with great friends, beer and exercise, all during great weather, I certainly have nothing to complain about.

Ok, Maybe One Thing
I hate it when "Maraoke" (karaoke at Mary's in East Atlanta) turns into "Atlanta Idol". The singers at Saturday night's karaoke at Mary's were good. That's not the way karaoke was intended to be played out. Karaoke, which I think means "couldn't carry a tune even if it had a handle on it" in Japanese, was invented so that drunk people could laugh at other drunk people who should only be singing in their cars. Once you add talent to this equation it all goes to hell in a handbasket.

Ok, Maybe More One Thing
I spent one day out of the office and holy crap do I have a lot of email to read! I am somewhat overwhelmed by this right now.

Spring Can't Spring Upon Me Soon Enough
Bring on the pollen. Bring on the rain. Bring it all on, as long as it is accompanied by warm weather. I am sure that March has at least one more nutbuster of a cold snap planned for us, but the sooner that is over, the better.

Really do have to run...

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - warm and tingly
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Radiohead - "There There"
Current Read - a Magic 8-ball to determine my future

Monday Morning Weigh-In
Starting weight - (approx since I didn't have a scale) 198 lbs
Target weight - 178 lbs
Current weight - 197 lbs (maybe I should add 20 pounds by 40?)

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

GA - one_hour - culture + cheap_beer = AL;

Last night a coworker and I jumped into the Jackmobile and headed down I85 to Auburn, Alabama. We are here today doing on-campus interviewing at Auburn University.

Sweet Home Alabama
My ass! I spent three years in Huntsville, Alabama. When I moved to Atlanta ten years ago I was so ready to leave. I come back to this state for work and recreation only.

However, I do find the college town life somewhat agreeable. That $5 pint of beer at McCray's cost me $3.75, and the second one cost $2.75 at this crazy thing called Happy Hour. And, I didn't have to pay for parking. Maybe we can learn something from these people...

Ahh Crap, I Forgot Everything Is On An Hour Earlier
For some reason, maybe it was because I travelled across the Great Central Time Zone marker, I was tired early (an hour earlier than normally?). All of those grand plans to drink all night whooping it up like I was twenty-one again fell apart. I returned to the hotel to settle in, check some email (love free wireless), and watch a little television. Oops, I forgot that whole Central Time Zone thing and by the time I turned on the television, I had missed everything I wanted to see. Thankfully I own one of the new-fangled DVR devices, and if all is right in the world, my "stories" have been recorded.

I Left My Toothpaste, In Boston Mass
(did you sing that like Tony Bennett?) Last night I realized that this is the first trip that I have taken since my trip to Boston for New Year's. When it was time for me to go to sleep I realized that I had no toothbrush or toothpaste. Either I managed to leave it in Boston, or it is in my other suitcase. Huh? Of course I got replacements! Luckily for me the Holiday Inn Express provides such conveniences at the front desk, so I put on my pants and went down bare-footed dressed in jeans and a white undershirt. I looked like Alabama Royalty!

This Thing You Call A 'Bed', How Do You Manage To Sleep In It?
If this room had a couch, I swear I would have been in it. I tossed and turned all night long! I woke up no fewer than four times! I can think of a lot of good uses for beds, but right now 'sleeping in it' is not one of them.

(Virtual) Happy Birthday
Today would have been my father's 82nd birthday. He passed away eight years ago, and for some reason I missed noting the date of his passing back in January. Today's entry was to be about him, but I don't feel like writing much about it today. Don't get me wrong, I loved the man and hold him partially responsible for molding me into what I am today. I miss you dad.

And on a side note, last Monday would have been my parent's 57th (I think) wedding anniversary. To this day I have yet to figure out how to cheer my mother up on these two days...

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - wide awake because my body thinks it is 7am
Current Music - nothing
Current Read - resumes

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Go! Dog! Go!

I just realized that this should have been yesterday's title, as yesterday was the 101st anniversary of Dr. Seuss' birth.

iPoop
Yesterday I was all set to listen to my vast collection of music that I meticulously ripped to mp3, imported into iTunes and then copied to my iPod. One problem, the battery in my iPod was extremely low so I couldn't use it. WTF!?! I certainly hadn't listened to it that much since my last re-charge! I am wondering if my iPod is an iPoop. Apple, don't do this to me again! I want to love you so.....

Looks Like I've Gone And Gotten High Again
I like the High Museum, with the caveat that I know as museums go it ain't all that. However, being a man of culture and one who wishes to support the arts, I renewed my museum membership yesterday. To my shock and awe the High has raised the price of my membership level by $25! That's a 20% increase in price! Huh? Do they understand that by raising prices that fewer people will become members? Does anyone over there have a Business degree? I understand that there is a brand new building which will house more artwork, but I think someone over there has some 'splaining to do.

When The Greedy Get Greedier, Part II
If you've read my nonsense of the past few weeks, you'll know that I have gotten back into the habit of buying music -- on the cd. I don't download music from any of the major sellers because frankly I think that the quality of a 128kbps song stinks. 99.9% of the songs (that I couldn't hear yesterday) on my iPod are ripped at a 160kbps data rate, this is a low as I will go.

This week I read that the major "record" labels wanted a larger share (dollarwise) of the "legal music download" market. Do you think that Apple, et al will allow more of the $1/download go to the labels, or that prices will rise?

I know that these people have Business degrees, why don't they see that their image is already in the shitter and this will only convince people to *cough* "borrow" their friends' music again?

And It Looks Like I'm Going Back To Hell
My running is finally starting to come along (now if I could figure out that weight-loss thing). I actually ran with a bit of pace, and once or twice, a burst of (what I refer to as) speed! *gasp* At George's, the start and end point of the Wednesday night running/drinking, I admitted that I was considering returning to Hell (Michigan) to attempt Dances With Dirt. Dances With Dirt is my running NEMESIS!

Five years ago two of my hashing friends and I travelled to Hell to attempt the 50k (that's 31 miles) trail run. For two of us (Suzanna and me) this would be the longest run of our lives; for Little Easy it was merely another run in the park. That year I was no more than five miles from the finish when I reinjured my knee, forcing me to walk to the end.

When I returned in 2001 I was woefully out of shape. Combine this with getting stuck waist-deep in a bog, and spending forty-five minutes looking for a trail which had been sabotaged by horse riders, you can image that my time was none-to-impressive.

I have not been back since... Satan, I will see you in September!!!

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - ready for a road trip
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Modest Mouse - "The World At Large"
Current Read - Georgia state map

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

beer + food != weight_loss;

Umm, Paulie, this is your Blog speaking, STOP PUTTING STUFF IN YOUR PIE HOLE!

And Where Were You Last Night?
Last night a co-worker Chris, my friend Bill, and I met up in a new drinking establishment (at least for me), McCray's 6th Street Tavern. In looking for it's website, and there appears to be none, I found out that this used to be (at least in part) Backstreet. Yep, you read that right, I never ventured to Backstreet when it was open, so this is news to me. That whole area has changed drastically since I first landed in Atlanta ten years ago. Gone are Backstreet, the Stein Club, the French Quarter Food Market, Frijoleros, that ugly hotel, and a shitload of crummy housing. Who would have thunk it?

McCray's is alright, the food was fine, the "crowd" was attractive, but I am starting to grow weary of the $5+ pint of beer. I can buy six bottles of the same beer in a grocery store for $8, why must one pint cost $5 or more (before tip, I might add)? It all makes for an expensive night out, especially for a Tuesday night.

These Boots Were Made For Parking
One the other things that frustrates me about midtown Atlanta is the lack of street parking. Last night I coughed up $5 (one Beer Unit) to park in a lot across the street from McCray's. As I arrived I watched someone have a "boot" removed from their car. I wonder how many Beer Units his parking wound up costing at night's end?

Rock, Paper, Lint
Since I gave up wearing clothes with lint for Lent I had to de-lint my sweater with my new Supa Dupa Lint Brush. I ran into one seemingly large problem. How does one remove the lint from the the Supa Dupa Lint Brush? Enter Old Skool Lint Brush -- masking tape. Apparently the pecking order is "Brush Beats Lint, Tape Beats Brush, Lint Beats Tape."

An Unsual Happy Birthday
We are reaching the ten year birthdays of the seminal DotComs. Today, at least according to their records, marks the tenth birthday of Yahoo. If you are old enough to remember the "old days" of the internet, go to their website and follow the link to a replication of their website circa 1995. Damn, I could have done that!

This birthday makes me wonder how many more of the DotCom'ers will be making it to their tenth birthdays? Amazon? Ebay? Shit, 1995 seems soooo looooong ago.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - bloated, stumped
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing The Flaming Lips - "Race For The Prize"
Current Read - McCray's beer list and menu

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]

3/1 - Turn Your Calendars..... NOW!

Don't make me come to your office and be that dickhead who reminds you that you have not changed your calendar to March. Do it, Do it. There, do you feel better? I certainly do.

It's Official, Black History Month Is Over!
And it was probably the best Black History Month I've had in years! And I'm not even Black! Luckily, I got the last of my BHM cards written out and mailed in time so that they would reach their intended recipients before the month ended. If you have yet to receive one that's because you either didn't make the list, or The Man (aka The Post Office) is keeping you down.

Boy Howdy, I cannot wait for "Asian Pacific American History Month" [May], Hispanic Heritage Month [9/15-10/15] (wtf?), and of course "Caucasian American Male Day" [Dec 21] (Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year -- because we deserve the least amount of recognition).

Welcome To Women's History Month!
The month which "Comes in like a lion, and leaves like a lamb" is also host to Women's History Month. Funny, most of the women in my relationships came in like a lambs and left like a lions. **covers groin**

Keep Your Hands Off My Pocky
To celebrate the last day of Black History Month some coworkers and I ate a Japanese restaurant (this was before I knew I was supposed to wait until May to eat Asian Pacific food). Besides, I can't make it down to Gladys Knight & Ron Winan's Chicken and Waffles in an hour's lunch break. Geez! Anyway, I had an awesome Katsu Curry before we walked into the accompanying grocery store, oddly name "Tomato."

I love grocery stores targeted for "other" cultures. Yesterday I was able to buy some Pocky, but not just any Pocky, Men's Pocky (I'm am told that it is "men's" because the chocholate is more bitter), and some Suntory Boss Coffee (yesterday's flavor of choice was "Super Blend"). Even if you don't read Japanese (I sure don't) follow those links to see some fun web sites. The packaging of the products in these stores just cracks me up! If I had enough money I'd buy products that I would never intend to open, just to have the packaging.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...
Current Mood - refreshed
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - "Little Dawn" [a song that is way too long]
Current Read - did I forget? yep.

Cheers!
Paulie [eatl/ga]