*The Once Demure Stranger Became Vengeful*

Became Bright & Strong

*-------------And The People Stirred--------------*

*----------Out Came An Amazing Sight-----------*

Someday, everything is gonna be smooth like a rhapsody

*Hopefully the link works, tried to get around AllMusic's crappy login*
16 Songs written by Bob Dylan, performed by various country artists. This record is surprisingly a very good listen... given to me, thanks, Jay

Over The River...Story Driven By Pictures

This bridge has more of a history than my bridge.
"Local men would prove their bravery to their fiancees by jumping into the river before their wedding."

Popper!

Man, the internet just doesn't get any better than this.

Thanks to whomever made it

My First Car

1979 Mercury Cougar XR7
Circa 1993
Complete with missing hubcap and dingleballs
Can't see here, but in this car I came to the conclusion that fuzzy dice were both very cool and essential in any driving expirience.
I tried to name it "Garbanza", feminine side of garbonzo bean, but it wasn't natural... the name was forced so it didn't stick
I'm sporting an Ohio Bowl cut, and my older sister is proudly displaying the Ohio Perm. I make no appologises for the style or being so delectably shirtless.
I bought this car for $300, talked down from $400... Well, not really. The guy wouldn't take 300, I said I'd be back in a month if it didn't sell, it didn't. I came back and he took my money.
With this car I learned the delicate technique of "Econo Drive". 1. Extremely slow acceleration for the sake of better gas mileage 2. Using the brakes as little as possible, for the sake of better gas mileage. Damn would I hit train tracks fast with this baby.
Sometime after this and sitting for 1.5 years, I sold it for $100 to some people at college who were in desperate need of another vehicle for a round trip to Maine. Yes, this horse made it.
This guy liked his Cougar
Stay tuned for more of the shitty but lovable cars I've owned in my life...
1. My First Vehicle
2. My Second Vehicle*
3. My Third Vehicle

Happy 28th Birthday Ugly!

You still have 81.666667% of your life to live

While I have about 31%
Ugly's Hutch

Crash Bucket

Ok, I know badminton can't be the favorite topic for most, but it's been on the tip of my mind of late. Till recently, my only exerise has been walking, to work up the ladder to the Epic variety. Don't care if you chuckle, badminton is a sport and has it's advantages, one being no inbreed jock sorts.
Tonight only one other guy showed up. Fresh from China, Bejing 2 weeks removed. The dude kicked my ass over and over. 5 games to 15 over an hour and a half. The most I scored was 5, the least 2. So much for feeling invincable. Man, I think I get good enough at nearly every sport that I've every played to just suck. But I'll plod on; badminton is gonna be integral in my journey to quit cigarettes. I forget who said it, Red Skelton maybe, probably copped from a Woody Allen movie, "Quitting smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I've done it a 1000 times."
Has anyone seen the movie "Sleeper"? There is this great scene with Woody Allen and Diane Keaton acting out the climactic scene in "Streetcar Named Desire" with sex roles reversed. W.A. doing Blanche Debuah(sp???) and D.K. taking Brando's lines. If you know "Streetcar" watch "Sleeper" and let me know if I am crazy for thinking it is great...oh, I think it also has the Orgasmatron. "Sweet and Lowdown", with Sean Penn, is awesome too. It is amazing how things we enjoy get locked away so easily and reassert themselves with equal effort.

My Numbers

Whoa, the building I work in had some free health expo thing today. Even though I knew most of this stuff and much more from a recent major workover from my doctor, it was kinda fun. Didn't know my body fat % and how crooked my spine is, according to the friendly neighborhood chiropractor.
The Good:
Glucose 103mg/dl
Blood Pressure 110/70
Body Fat 6.3%
The Bad:
I tilt to the left and am in need of urgent chiropractic care that I flattly refused
My combined cholesterol is over 200 (according to my real doctor, I have an abnormally high ratio of HDL to LDL... some, but not much consolation)
Don't worry, I won't run down the 2pages of blood tests I'd gotten 3 months ago. I guess I'm probably healthier than my complaints belie.
Bonus: my platelets are on the low end of the normal spectrum, so please don't cut me

Ping Pong Badminton Dodgeball

***Please Give Additions if Known***

A. Ping Pong/ Table Tennis in Seattle:
1. Roanoke Park Place Tavern
2409 10th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 324-5882
***2 Ping Pong tables on back deck… haven’t been there but fairly close to where I live, should check it out
2. Jillians
***You rent tables by the hour, $3 or 4... meatneck place but good pong setup
3. Green Lake Community Center
4. Swansea Coffee House: sad sad world. still haven't gotten over this places closure last winter. Was 5 blocks from my apt... coffee and pong... so sweet, no more

B. Badminton Locations in Seattle:
Badminton Locations
***Attention to Miller Community Center… Listed as costing $2, but is FREE

C. Dodgeball
Dodgeball Thursdays In Ballard

Kick Myself In The Head

damn damn damn damn
Since my stint as a young boy, I've held the belief that leaving any sporting event before it's conclusion was sheer blasphemously. This ethic has caused me many more times than I can remember to sit through blowouts and duldrums till the final out, horn, whistle, or point was had. Last night was different. Went to the Seattle Mariner's game against the Boston Red Sox. The Mariner's suck this year, jetisened half the team that started the season and have pulled up and traded for a ton of young guys. Expectations are very low right now so when losing 2 to 4 going into the 9th inning, it seemed a little dirty but acceptable to slide out early and pick up something to eat back in Capital Hill. I'll be damned if 2 solo home runs don't tie it in the 9th and then the game is subsequently won by a grandslam in the 11th.
the newspaper today said, "Mariner's fans are rewarded with the most exciting game of the year."
There are rules for a reason, don't leave a game early, you just may miss the climax... afterall, the greatest incentive for watching a game is that rush of adreneline... damn, I missed the monkey.

Comments Welcome

If you post a comment, I'll put a link to your Bloggg or Website on my Bloggg. That is if you're not opposed to it. Think of all the free exposure. I'd appreciate movie suggestions... free activities... tips... pointers... and the like

Peanuts

I just bought the fist book of 25 that chronicals the entire history of the Peanuts comic strip. Now I know many of you have the impression from the newspapers that Peanuts is a stupid strip, this is fair given what is immediately accessable. The early ones are not only funny but insightful and very creative.
I remember being driven up to my grandmother's house in Detroit and spending many hours in her basement. Now you may think that my relatives "encouraged" me to go down there, but rather they often stood on the top stairs and pled with my sisters, cousins, and myself to surface and share our joy with them. Without flinching, we'd plod forward with our games, maddness, and dizzying activities. We'd throw what we could, play cards, various versions of tag, word twists, make noises, rifle through and play act with our long passed grandfather's mahoganey pipes, AND read through many many many old peanuts paperback comic books.
Over the years, starting about 2 ago, I started picking up copies of peanuts books wherever I could find them, thrift stores, used books stores, garage sales. Every once in a while I see a peanuts cartoon on tv, they are really funny. Everyone should be familiar with the Christmas special, remember how they all dance? That is pretty much the baseline for how I move when the tunes are popping.
Well, I finally got the first book of Peanuts reissues. From the 1st strip on... holy crap is this book great. Consider buying it

Badminton Hysteria

Badminton finally happened!
Damn... 18 to 20 people showed up
Mostly techno geeks and Indians, no pretense whatsoever
As you may or may not know, I am socially handicapped.  I often say the wrong things and frequently act the wrong way.  The badminton folk were a welcome change and very friendly in spite of slight visible disappointment when I answered the question, "So are you in software?" with a "No."
Apparently this was a particularly well attended session, only doubles action was played on the 3 courts.  Still, it proved to be great exercise although singles enduces twice the exaustion and a million tiny fissures of sweat perfect for watering the shrubbery that line the front of any apt building. 
This makes 2 days in a row of extreme physical activity; you would not believe how sore my entire body is.  Each step produces a sensation that simulates what I imagine it would feel like to have a dog gnaw on my calf.
I am gonna walk downtown now and buy a book with a gift card.  If you are a woman with oiled hands and see a skinny guy walking with a stiff, looping coordination,  please massage him.  He is in pain.

Movies I Saw This Past Week and a Half

1. Fishing With John: I saw episodes 1 & 2.  The first had John Lurie taking Jim Jarmusch out to hunt shark was 15ft better of the other.  The second,  John and Tom Waits in Jamaica, we witness the singer whine a lot and work hard to be weird.  This is an unusual tv program, apparently it's enjoyed some popularity in Japan; it is a fishing show, of sorts.  Jim Jarmusch is a fantastic director, please watch all of the movies he's made.  His being from Akron, Ohio just heightens my like for him.  Tom Waits doesn't do a whole lot for me.   John Lorie is a great actor, watch his movies before this.
2. Welcome To The Dollhouse: whoa, rough time in Jr High.  Great Movie... several "subplots" compliment the story to make this at least an 8/10
Todd Solondz directed this picture... have Happiness waiting to be watched...
3. Barton Fink: For those of you who aren't familiar with the The Coen Brothers, become familiar.  Really good, really entertaining... just can't figure out what the hell the fire scene was all about.
4. Lone Star: Hot damn was this good.  Watch it through the last minute, quite an ending. As good as #2... Where #2 is exaggerated and schizophrenic, Lone Star is subtle with momentum.

If You See This Piece

Boycott Him

Blueberry Boat

The Fiery Furnaces have released their new album. Currently in the middle of my second listen. Come on people, buy this thing. It is huge, more than I can hold. All I can saw is that this band has been my favorite since seeing them live for the first time in January. This is originality... Listen to them... The Fiery Furnaces
Reviews

Movies I Saw Last Week

1. Election: as it turned out, I'd already seen this one... enjoyed it but forgetable
2. Mean Girls: $3 theater, looked stupid but had gotten some good reviews... I must admit that this movie was well done and very funny. The crowd really got into it and was laughing like hell
3. Eternal Sunshine Of A Spotless Mind: I feel some shame in admitting that I'm glad I saw this movie. Historically Jim Carrey has bugged the crap out of me. His cartoonish humor is just not funny to me, but this is no comedy though you'll likely laugh in places throughout. In spite of some unneeded sappiness, the movie more than survives as quality entertainment.
4. Masked and Anonymous: again... ok, I've probably seen this movie more times than is healthy. I put it on so someone who hadn't seen it could. Co-written by Bob Dylan and Larry Charles, directitorial debut for Larry Charles. Highly Highly Highly recomend this film. I give caution, though, don't watch it with any sort of expectations... more specifically, expectations of plot or movie structure. The closest description would be akin to a cinimatic version of Bob Dylan's song, Desolation Row. Watch it, it won't be like anything you've ever seen. A lot of people don't like it. That's fine. A lot of people think it is a bad movie. They are rock solid wrong.

Warts

3 warts got killed today, frozen. No need to mourn them, they were parasites. I'd never gone through this before; a mystery person last week told me it would hurt. It did momentarily, and then I dropped my mind into oblivian and felt no pain. The dermatologist functioned and spoke very quickly. In 5 minutes time she froze 3 warts and stabbed me twice with cortizone giving me a neck that bled. Apparently some people are very allergic to cortizone, my father once had a severe reaction to it. I'd never had it before but didn't tell her, figured it was worth the risk.
wow
I was gonna attach a picture of a wart onto this, the only ones I could find, though, are freakish, huge, and *dry gag*. I guess my warts won't be put into a medical book. Imagine a circle 1/4cm wide, split into quadrants with a little black speck in the center of each... kinda like tiny, ugly flowers.