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Salutations!

What up!?!!??!?
I am back at it. Christmas was LOVELY! The wife and I got to do the family thing with both sets, we got to hang out with our super-cool friend Scotty-D who prepares a MEAN fondue! The lovely wife has never had the opportunity to try fondue, and neither had I, and I must say that we were impressed. So much so, that I think I'm gonna go out and get a fondue set of my own. Now, I know that it will soon share the same fate as our electric waffle iron, our magic pizza chef, and our espresso machine that sit in the basement junk- uh... Storeroom, but-
No matter! I have the money to be wasted on impractical cooking gadgets, and waste money I will. Right now, a fondue set seems fun, and by God, if only for 10 minutes, fun is fun!
No really, If I can find one that is relatively inexpensive, then I may procure one. It would be fun to host a fondue party, and quite romantic for the wife and I to use alone.

We also got to hang with our friends Matt&Jess from Los Angeles. They are such a breath of fresh air, and we really had a good time with them. They accompanied us to a pretty good Thai restaurant, and hung out with us at the house. As usual, they gave us incredible insight in terms of our relationship, us as individuals, and married life. It was cool to receive as well as give food for thought to friends who we know will give what was said as much consideration as we will.

I've been missing my immediate family who lives in Florida this Holiday season. I want to see them, but I can wait till the sprout arrives. (Barely)

The sprout has still been kicking like Jackie Chan, the room is finished, except for some last minute cloud mobile things I decided to make out of poster board, cotton balls, and glitter. All I have to do is hang them from the ceiling, and I promise I will post photos of the sprout's room.

That's pretty much all I've got. Oh yeah, my favorite gift was a considerably less holed-up pair of long johns. (thermal underwear) I got to give 'em a test run this morning while walking the dogs, and I must say, they worked like a charm. The lovely wife knows that the fastest way to my heart is a warm set of breeches.
Feel free to tell me what your favorite gift was for the Holiday.
PEACE.

Interesting Stuff...

I think I'm just gonna give some shout outs and references to a couple websites tonite before I wish A Very Merry.
First and foremost, I was referred to a site by my favorite co-worker, (let's just call her WISCONSIN) called Tasvu. This website is a sort of link to all kinds of beautiful artistic strangeness. you can find super-cool euro clothing that is COMPLETELY out of my price range- $350 bucks for a winter vest, $400 smackers for a pair of jeans, etc. You can look at various illustrator's artwork, amazing photographers with photoshop manipulated works, and other photographs that contain colors so vivid, they almost look as if they've been rendered with day-glo paint. My favorite photo is from Nadege Meriau of a cat peering through a mouse hole. It's a really beautiful piece of art, and as sweet and cuddly as the cat's face looks, you know what's gonna happen to the mouse if this incredible hunter catches it. The photo is an expression of the duality of the cat's innocent outward appearance, and it's ferocious killer instincts.
There are vintage telephone books, and Glenn Sprecht has photos of nouveau pin-up dolls, that I must say are quite enchanting, and there are even old comic books.
I MUST recommend this website to anyone interested in avant art. I spent a good hour and a half browsing, and I did'nt even scratch the surface of what this site has to offer.
AND a good amount of the sites have LINKS to other sites.
Thanks a lot WISCONSIN for giving me yet another reason for spending hours at the computer.
No really, THANKS.
Second site is Live 365. It's an internet radio site, where you can download radio stations of every type. From Folk to Reggae, & Alternative, to International. You just type in a genre, a band, or musician in the search box, and you will be directed to various stations that frequently play the type of music, or the musician you searched for. The kicker is that this service is FREE! There are a few annoying commercials, but it is totally worth it. I have found tunes that I would NEVER have found had I not encountered this site. Some of my stations include Obscure 80's, Tiki/Polynesian, Surf, French Pop, Underground Hip-Hop, and Bluegrass. It is an Excellent find, and if you are a music fan, it is a MUST.
Well, it's pretty late, and I have to wrap my lovely wife's gifts before hitting the hay. I also have to be back at work in just a matter of hours, so-
PEACE, and Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas/ Happy (belated) Hanukkah/Happy Kwaanzaa, etc.
By the way, don't expect to hear from me for at least 4 days...
See Ya!

"He Aint Heavy..."

So there's this guy whom I've known longer than any of my peers, friends, girlfriends, and even my lovely wife. He and I have had some ups and downs, good times, and Real bad times. I have always loved the guy more than I'm sure I'll ever be able to tell him, (at the risk of sounding all sappy) and there were times when I hated everything he stood for. (I'm sure this was caused by our incredible rivalry) I'm grateful that despite the crummy times, we kept in mind that we were brothers, and moved beyond the petty rivalry bullshit.
I admire his stubbornness, his ability to stick up for himself, and his willingness to speak his mind. Those are qualities he inherited from his dad. He is a college graduate, and working in the field he majored in. (Archaeology-COOL!) I'm impressed by the fact that he develops and sustains relationships for YEARS. He has had some of the same friends for 3/4ths of his life. Wow.
You have to be an o.k. dude if folks are willing to be your friends for 20+ years...
What's interesting is, although he and I have known each other for 31 years, I really don't know who my brother really is. Don't get me wrong, I KNOW the guy, but there are THINGS I don't know about him. For instance, I don't know his favorite food, hip-hop song, or even the guy's favorite movie. You know, basic stuff. It's not that we don't talk, I just don't think we've had a simple conversation. Our conversations usually involve us speaking about specific things going on in our lives. He's been attempting to contact me more recently, and due to the season, and baby preparation, I haven't been able to stay in touch with him like I should. This year, I hope to see and converse with him more often, and I plan on getting to know just WHO my brother is.
Def Jeff, I want to let you know that I love you, and I am proud of you, and I look forward to finding out all about you my brother.
PEACE.

I Got Nothin...

Not too much to report...
Had a busy day at work.
Tomorrow I don't.
Going to see the baby doc tomorrow for a routine checkup and listen in on the sprout's ticker.
Got my hands on a super-cool magazine called Arthur.
Check it out online, or you can find it at your cooler coffeehouses, (Starbucks not included) record shops, and concert halls.
It's chock full of music reviews, interesting articles ranging from All-ages concerts, to why folks who live by the sword consider the AK-47 the weapon of choice.
And last, go to Dirtdirt for some neato daily polaroid photos. The guy has been doing this for a couple of years, and there are a boatload of photos to look at.
O.k. It's late, and I'm tired.
Tomorrow, I'm gonna post about my younger brother.
PEACE.

"Wow, I REALLY Am Pregnant..."

Aww, ain't she CUTE??!!??
This photo was taken tonight, and its quite evident that the lovely wife and the sprout are moving right along. The wife was surprised to see just how round her belly has gotten. I haven't told her this yet, but I want to make some video journals for the sprout so they can see just how excited we are right now at the advent of their arrival. I also want to take more photos of the wife. I'm glad there are just a few more days till santa gives us enough Best Buy gift cards to buy a good camera. The one we have is quite crummy. The photos are fuzzy, and we have to stand less than a foot away to get a clear shot. When we get a new one, I plan on taking copious amounts of images of the wife and her tummy.
(Get ready)
PEACE.

C'mon, Man- Just Turn It OFF...

O.k. Not EVEN two minutes ago, I'm chillin' on the couch watching t.v. (flipping channels) with my lovely "I'm not asleep" wife, and I happen upon the E!ntertainment! channel. There is a Squirly doctor being filmed, facing a woman's shall we say, lower torso in stirrups performing some kind of medical act behind the grayish-white censor fuzz. Being a guy about to sit in on a similar medical situation in about a month and a half, my ears perked. For about a split second, I thought it might be some kind of "Baby Story" type of reality show where they follow a pregnant couple around till the kid makes a guest appearance. Boy, was I wrong. There, on screen was one of those "Pop Up Video" captions with words I NEVER thought I would see on television-
much less the ACTUAL procedure. E!ntertainment! Dr. Beverly Hills LABIAPLASTY.

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The surgeon then went on to describe exactly what it was that he was doing and at the same time justified/patronized/capitalized on the incredible vanity/insanity/insecurity(?) of his client's wish to have a "more youthful looking vagina", and a refurbished virginity. But the cherry on top (Sorry ladies, I couldn't resist) of this short yarn is- the surgeon then had the BALLS to state, (while performing a SURGICAL PROCEDURE with the purpose of helping make the wife's area more appealing to her husband) with as much conviction as a slimy "Dr. Beverly Hills " surgeon could, that he was a FEMINIST.

...

If that ain't good old down home feminism, I don't know what is.
PEACE.
*Names of programs have been changed to keep my ass from being subpoenaed*

Helping The World Love Brazil

Bossa Nova is the music that they play in Heaven.
Not just Christian Heaven either.
All of them.
I believe that Heaven is a cocktail party that smells like
coconut
and
lime
and
cachaca
and the OCEAN
The heat dips just below 90
but the moist sand feels chilly to the soles of feet
everyone knows everyone
and at least one interesting thing about everyone
Ice cubes are endless
and not one drop spills from a glass

Listen to Caetano Veloso's and Gilberto Gil's version of "Aquarela Do Brasil" and you'll agree.
Check out Seu Jorge for a different sound of brazilian music, and see City of God for the Brazil you don't get to see.
Now go on out there and get you some Brazil!
PEACE.

...

Umm...
I happened upon this photo tonight...
Oh yeah, that reminds me of another thing that I thought was scary. If gory comedy horror films are up your alley, then rent this movie!!!
It was actually pretty good. There were sight gags and one-liners that made me laugh out loud. It had elements from all sorts of genres of horror films, but most prevalent was the borrowing from Zombie movies. And I don't know if you know, but I loves me some Zombie movies. (Almost as much as Film Noir/gangster flicks)
PEACE.

The Halls Are Decked

I don't have to be at work until noon today, (which is very unnerving- being the holiday season and all) so I decided to write early. Last night the lovely wife and I decorated the Christmas tree. We had been busy with shopping, and doctor's appointments, and getting the baby's room ready, and lamaze class, and stuff like that, so we really had no time to do so prior to this evening.
But last night was the night. We put on our favorite holiday tunes, (Charlie Brown Christmas, Jackson 5 Christmas, Classic Christmas songs, etc.) and got to work. It was fun, but the wife has been sore lately, so all that moving around was hard for her, although she did not admit it. She kept on going till the end so as not to spoil the mood. Bless her for being a trooper and sticking it out to the end...
The tree looks mighty fine I must say. We were able to put all our favorite Cristopher Radko ornaments. His website doesn't give you the full scope of the many various types of ornaments his company makes so check here to see all the intricate hand blown ornaments we love. Now I admit, the guy is pretty cheesy-looking, but once you receive an ornament as a gift, or buy your own, you are pretty much hooked. (Thanks Scott for helping us along to the poor house.)
I included some photos of the tree, and a few of our favorite ornaments.
PEACE.

Synopsis Of The Third Kind...

Today there is just too much to write about. If I were to attempt to describe all the recent goings on within the household, the size of this post would be similar to that of "War and Peace." So, I'm just gonna give the highlights.
1. I saw the baby move while relaxing in the tub with the lovely wife. Now when I say "move" I mean her belly jumped three times, pushing out about three inches from where it normally is! That was very unnerving, but not what made me want to spring from the tub to avoid the alien which I felt would soon burst from her. A SOFTBALL sized oval shape was what protruded thrice from within my wife!!! What the HELL was that? I asked, half joking/half freaked. "It's your baby" the wife said. "We'll see" I thought. I know there's no ALIEN inside her, but what kind of kid head-butts his/her mom from the inside at just 33 weeks? Methinks we are going to have a VERY active lil' sprout...
2. We had Lamaze class yesterday. EIGHT HOURS OF IT. I nearly didn't make it through the first four hours though. (More on that in number 3.) I was tired- I only got about 3-4 good hours of sleep, it was very toasty in the room, and I had a bit of a hangover. (Again, number 3.) Not a huge one mind you, but enough to make me very groggy, and gurgly in the gut. There was quite a bit of info. pertaining to what we as expectant parents should be expecting on the big day. Stuff like breathing and relaxing techniques, on down to just what types of snacks we should pack. the class was very informative, and I especially enjoyed learning various ways to help alleviate pain the lovely wife will most likely feel during her contractions. Those actually kept my mind off my hangover, AND helped me feel at least 80% back to normal. It's amazing what controlled breathing, and relaxation can do for what ails ya. It's a good thing too cuz I don't think I would've done too well during the Cesarian birth video hung over...
3. Knowing full well that I had a lamaze class the next day, I decided to go out with some of my co-workers for drinks on saturday night. DUMMY. It was decided earlier that week that we meet out for a bar hop, something that they do every blue moon, and they feel it's kinda important to get together and bond and just hang outside of the workplace. I must admit that initially I had not planned on going. Then I realized that pretty much every time they go out, they ask if I'll join and I usually give some lame excuse for not going. It's not that I don't like like hanging out- they are a real fun bunch to go out with. It's just most of the time, all I really want to do is stay home with the wife, or watch a weird movie, or veg out on the couch for the evening. That- dear reader, is exactly what I SHOULD have done saturday evening. But noooo, I HAD to meet with my friends for drinks. I HAD to down three Bombay sapphires with splashes of tonic and a beer. (I just remembered the beer) I HAD to dance and sing along to 80's tunes we programmed into the jukebox. I HAD to flirt with the bartender thinking I'd get stronger drinks. It worked. (Or was it the tips?) And I HAD to join one of my co-workers in the women's restroom to watch her cut an ex co-worker's hair. (don't ask why she carries scissors on her person) All this I did in the pursuit of a good time, rather than stay home and behave responsibly. And it was completely worth it! I haven't really allowed myself to just completely let my hair down and cut loose for a while, and it was refreshing to do so. I guess the saying goes, "Smoke em' while you got em'" right? The opportunity to just hang out at the slightest whim is drawing to a close, and I guess I was a little worried that if I didn't go out saturday, there might not be another chance to do so...
This synopsis was pretty long, but believe me, it was certainly abridged.
I know I've sung this song before, but I really do plan on trying to write on a daily basis between monday and friday. I guess I have to juggle all the crap going on during the evenings a little better huh?
PEACE.

Weekend Activities Pt. 3

This weekend was one that was chock full of activities. (hence the title) I happened upon two blogs that cracked me up. They are kinda juvenile at times, and can also have a slight chauvinistic slant. But ya know what? they are funny. And I like low brow humor occasionally. The first is, Skattershooting, and From Alpha to Omega As I said , they are both funny. Check 'em out...

One of our dogs got sick this weekend from eating a weird palm tree in our room. I guess the plant got lodged in his system and he had crazy diarrhea. He was feeling crappy, and the wife wanted to take him to the vet. I figured it was something he ate and suggested we hold off for a bit. Good thing we did because about an hour before his doc visit, the poor guy had another case of the "blow-outs". But this time he returned to the house with something protruding from his butt. upon further investigation, (do not ask) we/I realized that he had a palm leaf stuck half in and out of him. So, I donned a pair of rubber gloves and went to town. after pulling out a leaf which was about 3/4ths foot long the little guy started feeling better.
Pretty gross, but I'm sure I will see things far more terrifying than that when we have the kid...

And finally, we got a Christmas tree this weekend. It took going to two lots, and enduring Jack Frost's incessant nipping, but we found the PERFECT tree. It happens to be a weird tree that's round and stout, and teardrop shaped. We have some pretty heavy ornaments, and the branches are really strong. What is strange about the tree is that it is producing pine cones all over it. There are small fuzzy white flower bud type things shooting from the ends of each branch like small appendages. I don't know, it's hard to describe, so i'll include a photo. We plan to decorate it on saturday and I can't wait to have some hot chocolate and cookies and decorate with the wife...

Well, that just about sums up the super busy weekend I had. I hope this weekend is the antithesis of this past weekend. I need some rest.
PEACE.

Weekend Activities Pt. 2

So this weekend was pretty busy. I found that having a weird cold/throat thing produced an aversion to the sweet nectar known as Jameson's Irish Whiskey. I had planned on taking a few swigs here and there to help break up the congestion in my chest, (not to mention the nice warm feeling it produces on cold wintery days) But I only made it to one small nip. Once the golden liquid made it past my lips the burn was incredible! My throat was being scraped with shards of broken glass while boiling acid simultaneously poured down into my stomach. Needless to say, after a sharp explicative shot from my gib I realized it would be foolish to consume more of the whiskey. Damn. It was cold as the arctic outside, and in some rooms inside, (the wife has been hot these past 32 weeks, and prefers the heat to be kept at around 65 degrees) and I could take none of my "medicine" to help warm me up and ward off the effects of winter.
BUT-
I feel much better now, and it IS quite cold out tonight...

On monday the lovely wife and I had a visit with the baby doc. Everything is cool. The doc said that all the wife's numbers and measurements were perfect. We got to hear the sprout's heartbeat again, and all is strong and well. The wife expressed concerns about sore hips and crampy feelings, and the doc explained that as time progresses, the uterus begins to expand, making more room for the sprout, and also providing him/her with an easier exit. The doc told the wife that those two symptoms are pretty common in the 32nd(!) week. She then told us what to expect on the night we go to the hospital, how to contact her when the time arrives, and some general info. on what physical evidence should prompt us to motor to the hospital, like contractions, water breaking, and serious cramping.
Just when I had settled in and become comfortable with the inevitable, the doc has to give me New things to worry about...

Sunday at about 2p.m., the lovely wife and I went to visit her parents in order to participate in the annual anniversary dinner/decking of the in-laws halls. For as long as I have known my lovely wife, we have joined my sister and brother-in law at my mother and father-in law's house to decorate for Christmas. They would rather we join them for dinner and decorating than receive gifts for their anniversary. This is all fine and good, but they have about 50 plastic bins (the 10 gallon type) full of christmas crap they have accumulated over the years from all sorts of people. And they pretty much want it ALL crammed into the living room. Now each of the in-law's kids feel obligated to carry out this impossible task, because it makes their parents happy, and it happens to be their anniversary gift. All that is fine and dandy, but all the stuff contained within the bins just aint gonna fit in that one room without looking kinda- well, tacky.
I mean, there are wax and wood nativity scenes, (Jesus Houses as I called them and was quickly corrected) ornaments from what? 1974 (Literally), tiny villages, stuffed animals, a saxophone playing dancing Santa (Bill Clinton Claus), 200 candles, pine cones, about 10 trees, and all manner of Ohio State Buckeye Christmas decorations (C'mon!) which happen to be the worst of them all in my eyes. I cannot properly describe the breadth of the ornaments/decorations contained within those bins, but I can honestly say that there are at nearly 2000 items Expected to be used to decorate for Christmas at the in-laws. Let's just say that Christmas fanatical pack rats are definitely NOT the types you want to spend time decorating for/with during the holidays.
O.k. O.k.- You got me. I MAY have embellished a bit, and I know that Christmas IS their favorite holiday, AND it really isn't the pain in the rear that I make it out to be. I'm just a smart ass by nature, and I just don't want to actually ADMIT to liking corny traditions. Although it IS kinda neat to hear and see them admire how nice and Christmasy their house looks when we've finished...

Until tomorrow for the third and final part of the weekends activities.
Sick dog
christmas tree purchasing
funny blogs
PEACE.

Weekend Activities Pt. 1

What up?!!? I just want to say that it is good to be back...
Last week all that sinus/sore throat/stuffy nose madness was killing me. It is finally gone, and good riddance!
Saturday was when I began to feel back to normal, and it was the beginning of a crazy busy weekend. After work on Sat. the lovely wife and I hung out around the house watching the OSU men's basketball game. It was pretty good, and the new kid Oden played. He has been out because of an injury till that game, and with a bum right hand he was still pretty effective racking up a bunch of rebounds and blocks. Look at me- talking like I actually know something about sports...
Anyway, the wife and I eventually agreed that it was time to eat. We also agreed that we wanted something GOOD for dinner, usually meaning something BAD for us. We then came to the conclusion that we wanted barbecue. There is a place on Lockborne & Whittier called H Johnson restaurant and Dairy which sells Beef ribs. (the only kind I will eat) The lovely wife wanted a brisket sandwich, so I set out on my journey to the 'hood to pick up our dinner. Once there, I placed my order, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that they sold greens without pork. My lucky day. While waiting for my order, I hung out with a guy I'm sure many folks wouldn't want to see in a dark alley, much less a bright one. He was a monster of a guy physically. After about a minute of just sitting in the cramped waiting area, I ended up asking the cat about his Thanksgiving. From there we ended up conversing about the game, kids- his three, and my sprout living inside the wife. Before the guy left, he offered his hand out for a handshake, and offered some advice about keeping my wife happy, and myself out of trouble during the remainder of her pregnancy.
Swell guy.
I was glad I consciously did not allow myself to fall into the usual routine of being shy which leads to antisocial behavior, because I got to talk to a real cool dude and got some pretty good advice to boot.
By the way, the ribs were o.k., and my greens were'nt in the bag when I got home.
Damn.
I ended up popping the ribs we did not eat that night into the crock pot (after doctoring them up) and letting them simmer all day. I then chopped the beef up and we had some pretty damn good brisket sandwiches for dinner tonight.
Oh yeah, on friday, I went to see JAMNESIA for their last show of the year. It was pretty funky. My neighbor plays the MOOG keyboard in the band, and each time I happen upon a show, I am always impressed by how tight the band is. They played a couple of Funkadelic tunes, a Gil Scott Heron joint, and even a Radiohead(?) song. When was the last time you heard a funk band play Radiohead? They play all around town, so go out and support the band. It was a pretty Funky affair, and I'm glad I went. I didn't even mind being hit on by some guy in drag. Yeah, that's no typo. I just brandished the wedding ring, smiled politely and thanked hi-her for the compliment and all was good. Oh well, I guess I should be thankful that SOMEBODY thought I was interesting. Being a married guy, you gotta take ego boosts when and where you can get em'. So, thanks for umm, noticing uhh- lady. Well, it's pretty late, and I still have to renew some soon to be overdue books online.
I'll scribe more about this crazy busy weekend tomorrow.
Up next:
Prenatal hiccups
whiskey aversion
In-law anniversary fiasco
PEACE.

It Aint Easy being Green...

Hey y'all! I'm back! I have been as sick as a dog these past few days, and not feeling any blog activity. But I have been slamming copious amounts of Vitamin C, and Echinacea, and I am back on track baby! I still feel a little crappy, (my throat is kinda scratchy) but Otherwise I would say that I am at about 75%.
I will be hitting the blog hard on monday with a ton of crap to talk about like, baby calistenics, whiskey aversion, and Jamnesia tunes.
See ya Monday.
PEACE.

SICK DAY

Sorry no post yesterday...
Very VERY sick...
This is pretty much the extent of what I'll be writing today...
Battling evil germs passed on to me by EVIL sick clients that know they shouldn't come in for their appointments when they are under the weather...
Hopefully "Airbourne" lives up to it's claim to fame...
PEACE.

UPDATE

Hiccups
Backache
Sleepless Nights
"Name Calling"
Bedroom Painting
Uncomfortably Hot/Cold
These are the things that have been going on with the lovely wife and I this week so far...
The sprout has been hiccuping off and on for the past week/week and a half? It's really weird, because you can feel each little twitch on the surface of the wife's stomach. What's even weirder is the fact that the sprout even HAS hiccups. I thought they were caused by air becoming trapped in the lungs. How can air become trapped when 1. The baby is submersed in amniotic fluid and 2. If said baby is submersed in said fluid, wouldn't LIQUID fill the lungs when their mouth was opened, or if the sprout inhaled? So the question we need answered is, how does air even get to the lungs? I guess we'll have to ask the doc.
The wife is suffering from backaches and it is not fun for her. She has a job where she stands all day, and I think that's wearing on her more and more as the baby grows inside her. I have been trying to get her to just sit and take it easy, but she's pretty independent and doesn't seem to want to give the impression that she can't pull her own weight. I guess I have to finagle some way to get her to not stress about seeming slack.
This weekend I slept on the couch a couple of times till pretty early the next morning so as to help the wife stretch out and be more comfy while in bed. She hasn't had a good night's sleep for quite a few weeks because basically, she's COMPLETELY UNCOMFORTABLE. She isn't able to sleep on her back, which would be the most comfortable for her. Sleeping this way is frowned upon by the doc, because it could potentially harm the baby. So, she must sleep on her side which hurts her back, and hips. I really feel for her, so sleeping downstairs isn't so bad. (Plus- I got to watch whatever action movies I wanted, eat whatever annoyingly crunchy foods I wanted, and stretch out as much as I wanted without hearing bed hogging complaints)
The only drawback to sleeping on the couch is the dogs. One is about 50lbs., and the other is 75, and they BOTH try and squeeze onto a couch which, when unfolded is about the size of a twin bed.
INCONCEIVABLE.
Still looking for boy's names...
We have one, and we have two, maybe three solid girl's names, but we are gonna sit on those till the sprout's birthday.
Each of us has made the mistake of telling various people some of the monikers we had been kicking around, and they were met with crazy scrutiny. so we have discontinued telling the names we may stick the kid with. We have some good ones, but we want to have at least two or three for each gender on standby. That way, when we see the baby we can name he of she accordingly based on their appearance, and demeanor.
We spent a total of about 6 hours (not consecutively) painting bees, and flowers in the sprout's room this weekend. there are quite a few bumble bees (A few folks said they were symbols of good luck), and their stripes are a pain in the posterior. There are some really thin lines, and staying within the lines are next to impossible. Ah, what the hey, it will all be worth it when the room is finished.
and finally, the wife is pretty much ALWAYS hot, and I seem to be cold all the time...
I HATE being cold.
Winter is coming.
I HATE winter.
We will soon fight about the temperature on the thermostat. (I love that word-I mean, c'mon how often does one say "thermostat"?)
I'm sure I will bite my tongue and the bullet and just put on a million layers, and a couple of blankets when sitting around the house. Lord knows you do not want to be in the same room with an uncomfortable pregnant lady.
I'm sure I'll get it for that one...

Well, hopefully my oral diarrhea wasn't too boring, but I need to keep some important people abreast of all the crazy crap going on with the wife the sprout and I.
PEACE.

RIOT!!!

I am currently sitting at the receptionist's desk greeting people as they enter the building, fielding questions/concerns, and booking appointments for various co-workers. Basically what I am doing is busy work, AND IT IS FRIGGIN' KILLING ME!!!
Why am I at work??? It's the day after Thanksgiving for Chrissakes! Work is the last place people should be today! What with all the sales going on, the dissipating ozone induced unseasonably warm weather 56 degrees(!!???!!), and the slow emergence from the turkey comas we are all going through, people forced to work today have every ounce of my sympathy.
Which brings me to my point. This is a call to arms! Everyone forced to work today should revolt in their own personal manner, whether it be taking 10 extra minutes for lunch, passing out anonymous copies of your butt around the office, or simply leaving, only to return on monday. Do it I say! Show the man the power we wield as the people who keep his companies going! With Solidarity, we can all feel a little better about being stuck in the workplace when the more fortunate are out and about enjoying their short weeks/long weekends! Anarchy in the workplace!!! The degree is your perrogative! Help yourself to some personal vindication before your day ends!
Me? I have had 8 cups of coffee so far, and I plan to talk incessantly due to my caffeine buzz- thus getting on all who enter my vicinity's nerves. This will undoubtedly keep everyone away from me, and I will be able to relax and do things like write riot inducing words on this blog.
PEACE, and enjoy your weekend, be it long or short.

"What Am I, Chopped Liver?"

Today at work someone said to me that they were sure that the sprout would be a beautiful baby.
I must say that I was quite bothered by the remark the individual made. Well, it wasn't the remark, but WHY they felt that way is what bothered me. Under normal circumstances, I would have been extremely proud to hear how beautiful my kid will more than likely be, but this comment was made AFTER seeing a photo of my wife. There have been many opportunities for the person to tell me how they felt, based on just my appearance, but because this person waited until seeing my wife to make the comment, my feelings were initially kinda bruised. Now I know that I'm not gonna make People Magazine's most sexy list, (although some of the entries are kinda suspect) but I also know I am NOT the hardest individual to look at. I guess I felt I deserved some of the credit for making a nice looking kid.
Ego aside, the fact that this person waited to pay their idea of a compliment after seeing my wife wasn't what Really bothered me either. It was what they said next. "Interracial couples always make the MOST beautiful babies. They seem to get the best qualities from each race."
WHAT???
O.k.- maybe I SHOULD have let them know how offensive it was to me, but the only response I could muster up was "thanks" and a half-smile as I walked away.
Maybe I SHOULD have explained that their "compliment" left me feeling that in their eyes, my relationship with someone who shared their cultural and biological makeup was the only thing that gave me validity.
Maybe I SHOULD have said "Yeah, the sprout will be one heckuva good looking kid, but not because I happen to be a brown guy, and my wife is a few shades fairer than I. Our kid will be beautiful because of the confidence, the honor, the love, the consideration for others, the sense and knowledge of self, and the strengths of our ancestors that we will express to and instill in them."
Oh yeah, my great smile will help too.
PEACE.

Nighty Night...

I mentioned a while back that I tend to have some pretty weird dreams...
This weekend, I had a dream where it was night, and warm out-I'm guessing it was warm because I didn't FEEL cold, and I did not have on any winter clothing. So anyway, I'm standing in the middle of some kind of junkyard, and then I find myself being picked up by the back of my shirt by an index finger and a thumb. (I didn't see them, I just knew they were there) Then I am tossed into a car compactor, and the damn thing starts up! I am going nuts. I know this, because my heart feels like it's gonna bust out of my chest, and when I woke up, my chest still was kinda tight. So the compactor comes to life, making a rusty, whiney, noise, and I just know my goose is cooked. My heart is pounding, and the compactor is closing in on me. I then look up at the opening which is becoming slimmer by the second, and I see these Cherubs. Not the traditional baby kind, but these are Adults. Four guys that are overweight, and hairy. Yeah, pretty gross/weird. They are held in the air by small wings, and are covered in some kind of gauze. They just flit around in the air, (I can hear their wings- they're kind of sound like wasps) and look down on me. They are NOT helping me, they just keep looking down on me and smiling like big, fat, angel bastards. So as the compactor closes completely shut, I strangely did not feel any pain aside from my constricted chest. After it's job is complete, it slowly begins to retract back to it's ready position. I am still alive mind you. There is something totally wrong though. All my bones have been pulverized, but I am otherwise still intact. Liquified, but still intact.
My body has become the same consistency of warm wax. The BLOB if you will. I then begin to ooze out of the machines rusty cracks, and holes, and then spread out over the ground. I am unable to control myself, I guess I became a human puddle. I could still see those big cherubs flying above me smiling. I remember cursing them at the top of my liquified lungs, using some of the worst words I have ever used in some kind of bubbling, gurgling, slobbery voice. And that's pretty much all I think happened. I guess that's when I woke up.
Stay tuned for more creepy, weirdo, crackpot, and disturbing dreams cooked up in my noggin' while I slumber.
PEACE.

Synopsis the second

Not too much to say today...
Sorry about the lack of writing that I'm doing...
My dogs are doing that "play" fighting thing, rolling around on the floor, snapping at each other, and barking a LOT!
It is killing me to stay put in this chair and continue scribing-when what I really want to do is banish them from our room, and close the door-but I know they will bark all nite long until we let them back in...
The lovely wife is on the bed reading a book written by Jenny McCarthy- "Baby Laughs" about all the funny stuff involved in being a mother. No doubt it's chock full of poop and pee jokes and various other types of toilet humor...
(And it's right up our alley)
The dogs are now taking turns "playing piggyback"...
Yusef Lateef's "Poor Butterfly" is lulling me to sleep...
I had to respond "I-O" to three "O-H's" today. People are really getting kinda crazy about the Ohio State/Michigan game...
The dogs are still raising one Hell of a ruckus, so out they go...
Thanksgiving is only 7 days away! Turkey Day Baby!!!
I Seriously can't wait...
The Daily Show is on, and it sounds pretty funny...
One dog is barking at the closed door of our room...
The other is intermittently growling...
The wife is chuckling at the Daily Show, and when she laughs out loud, it has GOT to be funny...
Right now, they are doing a review of crazy inventors. Folks who invented Snap on hair, (Plugs are grafted to the scalp, and the toupee is then snapped on), a SCARY men's chastity belt, (Adverse effects can be Ball Stretching), and the "straight" creator of the Gaydar, a device which helps gay men and women to detect each other...
Although he is a dancer, interior designer, wedding photographer, theater student, and singer with a girlfriend, he maintains that he is straight when Stephen Colbert asks if he's gay several times after reviewing his interests.
Umm, I guess it can be possible...
Uhh- Go Bucks I guess...
Alright, I'm missing the show, and I am really getting tired of the boys growling and barking at the door...
PEACE.

Goddamn Cat Had My Tongue...

I encountered a woman today who quite regularly visits my place of employment whom I routinely ask how her mom is doing.
And as tears welled, she then explained that her mother had developed leukemia and wasn't doing so well.
Her mom had been within the throes of an all consuming depression, on a gradual downward spiral for the last two years. She was unable- or unwilling to smile and carry on a conversation, and was becoming an empty husk. There had been no change in her condition until the day her daughter made an appointment to see me. During her appointment, I cracked jokes, inquired about her family, and background, and the things which made her appreciate being alive.
The conversation was great, and she willingly offered up tidbits about herself that folks are normally not too keen about divulging to strangers.
The daughter later informed me that her mom had been prompting conversations similar to the one we had with she and her sister. At last! a glimmer of hope! When the daughter told me this, you wouldn't believe how good that made me feel. I had played a part in someone's recovery from depression man!
But alas, that notion was nothing but folly.
Now mom was doing worse than ever, and steadily on the decline. She doesn't expect her to be around for much longer, because it seems as if she's simply shutting down. She does not eat, she goes days without performing basic personal hygiene rituals, and she speaks less and less.
After hearing all this, and seeing how bad the daughter was hurting, I racked my brain trying to come up with some uplifting words I could tell this woman who seemed to want to hear SOMETHING that would/could make all the crap she has been dealing with seem a little less crummy-

But I had nothing...
Life can really SUCK sometimes man.

PEACE.

Why Am I doing this?

The lovely wife has provided me with the subject for this evening's writing. She pretty much asked me what the appeal of Blogging was. She asked if I had ever kept a diary before. (men keep JOURNALS my dear) My response was "no". She also asked the reason why I almost religiously log on daily and check out what people are writing.
My knee-jerk response was, " because I'm nosy".
Now that may be the truth, but it's only the surface reason. I AM nosy, but I am very interested in reading what people who share my sense of humor, musical tastes, quirky personality, and love for writing have to say. Honestly, it's IMPORTANT to me. If I can encounter and interact with like-minded individuals on a daily basis, then it makes me feel a little more normal. Heaven forbid I appear as conformist-Lord knows I do all I can to prevent this, but I do want to experience some semblance of normalcy-
even if it IS among the fringe of society.
I think MY main reason for providing a window for any and everyone to peer through is simply because I want to be heard.
And I believe that's why everyone that dedicates time, energy, and brain power to spilling their guts online does so.
I appreciate the individuals who express themselves on a daily basis and the wonderful food for thought they provide.
PEACE.

Bruce Lee?

I'm starting to worry about who might be inside my lovely wife. What I mean is, I think there may be a chinese karate master currently living inside her belly. Every time I go to feel the lovely wife's stomach, I feel a THUMP! Not just a bump mind you, but a World Wrestling Federation worthy shoulder block type thing. What worries me most about our active little sprout is the fact that he/she may be particularly athletic.
Because I, dear readers-am NOT.
Now, I Am actually Extremely coordinated- I truly have "cat-like reflexes" (This fact I always point out to my wife), and I have a good sense of balance, but it's the hand eye coordination of the "traditional" sports that gets me. I could easily scale a rock-climbing wall, and I'm pretty good at Muy Thai Kickboxing according to my ex-trainer, (I had to quit because of my work schedule) and I was/am a pretty fast runner, But I seem to have problems with launching a basketball and getting it to successfully pass thru a hoop on even a slightly consistent basis. I can't seem to catch a football, (I think my hands, chest, and arms are made of rubber) and you can forget about me having a respectable batting average.
The lovely wife was good at baseball, my brother was a good football player, and my dad was good at basketball. So honestly, I really do hope the kid IS good at "traditional" sports. She/he will give those guys someone to live vicariously through. And maybe, just maybe the kid will turn out to have "sweet Muy Thai skills", and "cat-like reflexes" like their dear old dad. I look forward to climbing faux mountains, and giving evil-doers an extended front kick with you kiddo!
Peace.

I've Returned- And I Come Bearing Gifts...

Well, I have travelled far and wide across the huge scape of weblogs, and I have found a number of blogs and sites that are intelligent, informative, insightful, and just plain funny as hell. (Not to mention COOL.)
Check em' out, see what ya think, and feel free to give me your thoughts on the ones you like and don't.
Brazilian Muse, Fuse #8,
Properly Chilled, Argle Bargle!, Phil Yanov, Rex L. Camino, Matthew Jenkins Adult Swim, Geeky Mom, Sarah and the Goon Squad, Because I'm Your Father, Under Construction, Zany Mothering, and Music and Culture
Enjoy.
PEACE.

Twist Party Pt. 2

Went to see Los Straitjackets Friday, and it was great! The Twist Party was rockin' (even though I didn't twist).
The Jackets were VERY tight, and they even helped with vocals!
Kaiser George sang a lot more than he did last time we saw them, and he was also much better.
And then theres the Famous Pontani Sisters. How can I possibly describe the burlesque-y goodness that each of their swaying, twisting hips provided.
Unfortunately my camera was on the fritz, because there were loads of photos to be taken. Not just of the concert either. There were a ton of Greasers there clad in white tees with cigarette boxes rolled in the sleeves, gas station attendant jumpers, and slicked back hair. There were also lots of cool looking pseudo-Betty Pages, all in different getups, but that was pretty much the extent of their differences. The real standout was a blonde number who looked like she just stepped out of a time machine. This doll was straight out of the 50's! She had on a leopard print pencil skirt, and a black angora sweater. Va-Va-Voooom! The lovely wife and our partner in crime Scotty-D had a lot of fun, and whenever Los Straitjackets are in town, go see them by any means necessary!
PEACE.
Oh yeah, get out and vote tomorrow!

TWIST PARTY!!!

LOS STRAITJACKETS
TONIGHT
BABY!!!!
THEY WILL BE DOING SONGS FROM THEIR NEW CD "TWIST PARTY"
I WILL BE WRITING ABOUT THEM TOMORROW!
THESE PICS ARE FROM THE LAST SHOW WE ATTENDED (OBVIOUSLY A CHRISTMAS SHOW)
FEATURING THE PONTANI SISTERS DOING THE GO-GO VOODOO THAT THEY DO SO WELL, AND KAISER GEORGE ON VOCALS DADDY-O!

YAWNNNN...

Still searching for interesting blogs to tell about. I've found 4 noteworthy ones, but I want to read more entries before I scribe any kudos.
It's late and I'm tired.
PEACE.

"They're Coming To Get You Barbara"...

Halloween rambling...
I was a bandito at work today, complete with a cool sombrero, and a HOT ASS poncho. But because I wanted to stay true to the game, I kept the damn thing on all day. Before work, I went to K-Mart and Target to find cowboy pistols and holsters, but it was to no avail. Gone are the days of playing "cowboys and indians" with colt .45 cap guns with plastic "ivory" handles and silvery polished finishes. We have become a society where it is not kosher to let our kids carry, conceal, and brandish toy guns. Sneaking up on unsuspecting individuals and either demanding money, or popping caps at them, seem to have fallen by the wayside.
(Sigh)

Tonite for Halloween we popped corn, drank hot apple cider, ate large amounts of miniature candy bars, and watched Dawn of the Dead. It was pretty fun to hang with the lovely wife and shovel goodies while sitting in the dark watching a SCARY movie.
I don't know, that movie- zombie movies in general scare the crap out of me. I think it's the fact that they eat people alive.
That, coupled with the fact that they never give up when chasing you. They will chase you to the end of the earth to get a taste of your flesh. That is the stuff of nightmares.

Work was crummy today. (That's about all I can say about it right now)

Although the sprout has been flipping and flopping inside the lovely wife, we haven't seen any more body parts protruding from her belly. (see Leg Bone Connected To The... post)

We didn't give out candy to the trick or treaters tonite. I feel bad.

I think I am going to dedicate a day where I write about the weirdest dream I have each week. I tend to dream every nite, and they are usually some doozies. I'm sure I will dream about Zombies chasing me tonite. It won't be the first.

Happy Halloween children of the night! (to be spoken with a spooky Bela Lugosi accent)
PEACE.

The Leg Bone Connected To The...

Today, while in her prenatal yoga class, the lovely wife felt our little one's arm or leg. She said she was stretching, in some kind of unnatural yoga sort of way I'm sure, and she was told to put her hands on her belly. She said she then felt something weird. Upon further investigation, she realized it was an appendage she was feeling. Long and slender, with a hard bump on the end. (A heel?) Who knows. Almost as suddenly as she felt the mysterious body part, and after a change in position, the sprout must have moved, and the lovely wife could no longer feel the baby. I wish I could have been there...
Well probably not, cuz I'm sure I would have raised a heckuva ruckus.
It's GREAT that the wife is bonding with the sprout, and forming a relationship with our kid before he/she even gets here, and hearing her express her anticipation/excitement makes me feel very lucky to have her with me as a partner in our new roles as parents.
Wow man, the sprout is gonna spring VERRRRRRRRYYYYY soon!
And we are ready baby!!!
PEACE.

Tonight I'm gonna be looking at other blogs floating around on the internet in order to be nosy and see if there are any others as Pathetic as I am. When I see any blogs of note, I will post their names, making them available for perusal.
So needless to say, I won't be writing much.
But I do want to say that Los Straitjackets will be arriving in columbus on November 3rd!!! I really am excited about seeing them again. They normally play surf rock, but this time around they have a "twist" album they will be playing songs from.
check out their site at Los Straitjackets.com. I've raved about them in previous writings, and I think they are worth a look. Equally interesting are the Pontani sisters found at Pontani Sisters.com
I will let you know all about the interesting blogs in the upcoming posts.
PEACE.

Synopsis...

ABSO-F'IN-LOUTELY NOTHING INTERESTING HAPPENED TO ME YESTERDAY.

The wife made lasagna for dinner 2nite cuz she didn't have to work till later. She asked me to stick it in the oven for her so it would be ready when she returns. I have been salivating for at least an HOUR! It's the real deal y'all! She puts EVERYTHING that is considered italian in it except pork. Now before all you doubting T's go flappin' your gums about authenticity, know this: For every pork product in existence, there is an equal and opposite turkey product that tastes the same. Trust me. and besides, a real chef can use roadkill and it will turn out tasty. Can you dig it? Last time I checked, cheese and sauce was dripping from the dutch oven it's cooking in. God- it's KILLING me!

I am making a mix tape for a co-worker, and she told me to put anything and everything in that I like. She's in for it man. I know she realizes that I listen to everything, but I don't think she has an idea of how varied this tape (c.d.) will be. I put Funk, Old School Soul and Hip-Hop, Tejano, African, New Wave, Bluegrass, Whiskey Drinkin' Country, Classic Rock, and Baroque tunes in there. Boy is she in for an auditory awakening!

Oh oh, the wife is here, and I've gotta go eat...
Peace!

Look At Us! Were All Shiny!!!

The lovely wife and I were invited by our closest friend to the "Bling Ball" this weekend, held at the Wexner Center for the Arts. The Bling Ball was a party which was thrown to commemorate the opening of the "Shiny" exhibit at the Wexner Center's main gallery. For the ball, we had to get all gussied up in swanky, fashionista-type apparel. Being a bit of a clothing peacock, I was extremely game. For the event, I donned an old-school electric blue sharkskin jacket, a pink ruffled tuxedo shirt, and smooth black slacks. LOUNGE LIZARD BABY! I could have been Sammy Davis' stunt double back in 50's Las Vegas. Ultra COOL Daddy-O! The wife wore a black cocktail dress, midnight black hose, a long black scarf tied around her curly lil' head, and a pair of heels that made her legs look 8 feet long. In those shoes, she developed a walk that I have never seen her do, and MAN, was it a walk! What a WOMAN!!!
Unfortunately, the next day her feet paid for the footwear selection.
Our friend wore an awesomely groovy black shirt with multiple vertical stripes of various colors. Cool tones, mind you, I don't want to give the impression that my homeboy was looking like a rainbow! He also wore a pair of black slacks, and a pair of blindingly shiny black patent leather shoes. Bling-bling indeed. Needless to say, we all looked impeccable.
So we get to the joint, and in order to enter the space where the festivities were being held, we had to descend a flight of red carpeted stairs. As we made our way down stairs, we were greeted by a-
How can I say this diplomatically?
We were greeted by a FULL figured Drag Queen who was equipped with a loud voice AND a microphone. We were also followed down the stairs by the eye of a video camera so as to make us feel like celebrities. (Maybe embarrassed "C" list celebrities, but celebrities none the less.) After our two seconds of fame, we quickly got drink tickets and the evening was under way.
Once the three of us got our beverages, my friend and I noticed how stiff they were. (It was sure to be a wonderful evening) We then made our way to the newly remodeled bookstore. There were books of all sorts, and we milled around browsing for a good 15 min. There was a particular book that caught my eye, as it was conceptual art from the old t.v. show "Battle of the Planets", or "Gatchaman" as it was known in Japan. Great artwork that brought back some fond memories. From there, we checked out the exhibit.
As I said, the exhibit was titled Shiny, and it consisted of works by various artists, and if you look here you can see all the who, what when, where, and why.
Outstanding among the works were, a photograph of Michael Jackson and Bubbles, VERY detailed miniature crockery (?) sculptures, two 6 foot (I think) mounted glass Rorschach images, and a HUGE blue steel sculpture of a balloon dog which is so intricate, it even has a knot at the end of it's nose and knotting where the balloon would have been twisted to form the sculpture. By all means go to the Wexner to see the exhibit, if not only to see the magnificent big blue dog.
After viewing the exhibit, we stepped in the auditorium to see the live band named Bling Kong from Brooklyn. They were kinda Lame, but at least I got to hear Prince's "Erotic City" before the set.
The event was kinda cool, but the highlights, aside from the art were the individuals in attendance. I saw another guy in a sharkskin jacket,(almost as cool as mine) a woman who I knew in a very pretty cocktail dress which was one piece of material completely held together, and in place by staples, and electrical tape. Cool. I also saw a guy who had some serious Serious BLING. The guy was a loud englishman who had a big ass gold pig sculpture around his neck. There was an amazon beauty who was in a silver bodysuit, TALL boots, and a big russian military winter fur hat thing, with an old-school hip-hop name buckle. "Sarah" was pretty tight. and then there was an asian woman who had on the most beautiful silk jacket I have ever seen. It was obviously asian influenced, and was made slightly askew. It was a bright, shiny metallic white with yellow designs all over it. I cannot do the jacket justice in my description, but believe me, it was NICE. All in all, the evening was a pretty big to-do, and was pretty fun. It was decent getting out and about, and even nicer getting all dressed up to do so.
Go to the Wexner and see this exhibit! It's free, and very interesting, and there is surely something for all artistic palettes.
PEACE.

Fizzle...

Well, my fearless co-workers and I apparently are NOT going to visit any spooky attractions this weekend. (See Boo entry)
No one has said anything in support of doing so today, and this weekend will be our last opportunity as a group. Despite my attempts to get folks hyped up about the idea, the plan just sort of sputtered out. Earlier this week, I asked everyone what they wanted to do, and all the people who were keen on the idea still sounded enthused. As the week progressed, I asked around again, and the majority of responses were pretty luke warm. From that point, I just decided to step over the dead horse as opposed to periodically nudging it in the hopes that there would be some glimmer of life. Oh well, I guess I know how Linus feels each year when he continuously misses the Great Pumpkin. (Each year I plan on going to some scary haunted house kind of thing, but end up being the only one still wanting to go in the end) Like Linus, my faith will be steadfast. Next year, I WILL be sufficiently scared (nearly to death), properly ushering in the Spooky Halloween Holiday Happenings!!!
BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!
Again, Rest In Peace.

Be Afraid...

I made a promise to not post any political views, so as not to wear my partisanship on my sleeve but, when I saw this...
I don't know, but man I am getting NERVOUS. It's a little unnerving when there is a chance that the group of people TEX wants to police has NUCLEAR weapons, AND a guy in charge who is just as (insert your word/s of choice) as TEX is- then my passport finger seems to get a bit itchy. How does the first bar of "Oh Canada" go?
Even scarier is the continued destruction of the english language thanks to TEX. Grammatical errors run rampant whenever this man speaks.
For the record, Comparatively speaking on a global level, the U.S. is the most appealing place to live and I am appreciative of all that I am afforded as a citizen, but news of this sort doesn't bode well for my morale or my confidence in those who are supposedly running the show.
Check out the article, and come to your own conclusions.
PEACE. (please?)

Outta-Sites!!!

O.k., o.k., I know the title is crummy, but I have a few sites that crack me up, make me feel artsy-fartsy, and generally keep me feeling that although not in the LOOP, I am at the very least, in the OVAL.
The first, is Urban Drive-In. It's a movie guide/blog for films that play downtown and outside. Kind of a cool concept.
Second, Peekvid has Jpegs of animation, sports, t.v. shows ("Heroes" is awesome!), independent t.v.shows, and Japanese programming.
Allmusic is a new music website that's pretty good for music fans of pretty much every genre. Pretty slick.
The guy who's responsible for all the incessant rambling I subject my readers (All 3) to daily, has a blog titled
Under Construction. Witty writing, by a really smart dude. Check out "20 Questions Tuesday".
Awright, just a few more.
Providing hours of entertainment is, Make your own bush speech it's fun as hell making up your own crap to have bush speak.
Los Straitjackets are a Surf music band that visits columbus about once or twice a year, with a group of Go-Go dancers (not strippers- HUGE difference) called the Pontani sisters. They are living Pin-up dolls that do dance routines to the band's music. Va-va-voom! (look 'em up in the link section)
and last but not least is, Dirt dirt. This is a site where a guy has been taking a polaroid photo of one interesting object each day for the past few years I believe. Scroll back to see just how this guy sees the world he lives in. Try the dirt dirt.com home page for different photos
Have fun spending boatloads of time with these sites as I have, and if you have any particularly good ones, tell me about them.
Peace.

Almost Ready For The New Tenant...

This evening was pretty cool. We decided to do the sprouts room in a "honey I Shrunk The Kids" sort of theme, with big bees and flowers and various types of bugs sprinkled here and there. We have gotten busy, and are nearly complete!!! All that remains is getting a rocker, having an electrician install a neat SUN light fixture, and painting the various bees which fly about on our little ones walls. They are large and small, and they're flying toward a big honeycomb in the center of the room. (which we also have to paint) The lovely wife and I moved the dresser into the room, put a HUGE almost 5 foot (including stem) LEAF shaped canopy over the crib, and got the bed as ready as the materials on hand allowed. We added a jade plant, (soon to add lots of other types) a green weird euro toy holder hanging from the ceiling thing, and I installed a sweet Diaper and baby knickknack holder...
(KNICKKNACK?!?)
I have just now come to the realization that my days of being "cool" have officially come to an end. I just used the word Sweet when describing a baby diaper and knickknack(?!?) holder! WHO says knickknack? I mean aside from Martha Stewart, and she is certainly not COOL. Ah well, to quote the ever illustrious, debonaire, and distinguished Flavor Flav- "That's the way the ball bounces, Gee." But it's o.k., because it's FUN. It was fun doing stuff to prepare for the lil' guy/gal's appearance!
P.S., Thanx for all the good ideas and advice in terms of the room my LOVELY lovely, you are the queen of keeping us on point! XOXOXXOOOOXXXXOXO!
PEACE.

BRRRR... GRRRR!!!

The Hawk is out!
Jack Frost is nipping EVERY extremity exposed.
It is COLD out.
Fall has not made an appearance this year, and Winter weather has been dropped on us seemingly without warning.
I AM NOT HAPPY.
I HATE WINTER. I hate the fact that no matter how many articles of clothing that I put on between the months of October and May I am continuously cold. Thank God I got a week of hot weather while in Florida visiting Mom&Dad. The week of 90 degree weather heated my innards enough to make this week not so bad, but I'm starting to cool down already. It SNOWED on thursday for Chrissakes! Oh well, at least I have Halloween and Thanksgiving (my favorite holidays) to look forward to. I know it's only gonna get worse, and that I should just pull up my boot straps, hunker down, and just grin and bear the crummy season that's approaching, but it is gonna be HARD. So please bear with me, because I know I am going to be complaining from now until July.
PEACE.

BOO!

It's Halloween time again folks!!!!
Time again for stressing out about who/what you will be for the big nite, Sugar Comas, Tricks or Treaters, and of course, HAUNTED HOUSES & FORESTS, baby!!!! This year, I will NOT be stuck at home when all sorts of SCARY stuff is going on in remote areas and fields here in Ohio! The lovely wife informed me last year that she would not be joining me, so I duped- er, convinced some co-workers to head out to some spooky ass haunted attraction, wait in line for about an hour (in the cold), and then pay 10 smackers to be scared out of our wits. (We hope) I am now in the process of researching all the haunted attractions within a 15-20 mile radius to find the best, and then I will submit my findings to my Fellow Fright Fans. Hopefully we can agree on a particularly fear inducing place to visit. Because we only have about two weekends left, we really need to get a move on. Haunted Hoochie, Terror Park, and the Haunted Hospital seem to have pretty good reps, but as I said, I'm gonna do some research. With luck, we'll all be needing a change of underwear by the end of the nite. I CAN'T WAIT!!!
Rest In Peace.

Real Hip-Hop Will NEVER Die! Thanks To These Individuals...

Yo yo yo! I am going to be a blogging fool y'all! Now that I've figured out how to post photos, and link websites.
So, that's exactly what I will be doing. Tonite is once again dedicated to (real) Hip-Hop in it's various forms such as Graffiti, performance art, music, and photography. First off, I bought a book while on vacation called "Yes yes, y'all!" Written by Jim Fricke, and Charles Ahearn. This book documents the 1st decade of hip-hop by way of old photos and the dialogue of the rappers, artists, and D.j.s that emerged during that time. Check it out if you want to know what hip-hop is Really about.
I also want to give some info. about the WPS1 radio show "Yes yes, y'all!" it features Charlie Ahern conducting interviews and playing the music of some of hip-hop's most influential individuals, like RAMMELLZEE, a Very creative innovator of early graffiti based on a font he claims has mathematical origins, a musician, (some of his rhymes are heard in the interview, not very good... But give a listen to RAMMELLZEE vs. K-Rob if you can find it. It's an early hip-hop GEM!) and a sculptor. He has also created robotic Samurai exo-armor made from speakers, garbage, and model rockets.
And last, there is the site of one of the greatest Graffiti artists ever! Doze
or you can check him out here . His work is Amazing, and he's been going strong since the early 80's.
Long Live True Hip-Hop!!!
Peace.

Testing, Testing, One, Two...

Today I don't have any clients until this afternoon, so I'm going in to work later. That gives me time to finish all the crap I didn't get to finish this weekend. One of the things I meant to do was experiment with this blog in order to get the most out of it. (And also make it a little more interesting to myself, and anyone who happens to read it.)
first, I want to see if I can post some photos. Here goes...
With luck, you can see my two favorite furry boys in the world.
I also want to see if I can link to another site.
Alright. Check it out.
if my link to the Avengers comic website doesn't work, it will be back to the drawing board... just click the highlighted word Avengers and it SHOULD redirect you to the corresponding site.
With luck, my efforts will be successful, and my future writings will be much more entertaining.
PEACE.

Mmm, donuts...

Today we had a staff meeting which took place on the opposite side of town, and by opposite, I mean OPPOSITE. I had to travel on no less than Three Freeways (71/70/&270) to reach my destination. (I guess living 5 min. from work has kind of spoiled me) To make matters worse, it was a day off. Not cool, considering how little free time baby preparation affords me these days. Coincidentally, that lack of free time is also the reason I've slacked in my writing, and "keeping in touch with friendly folks" responsibilities. (Sorry Mrs. Cole, Ms. Green, Mr. & MIZ(smile) Olmon, Mr. Dunbar, Mr. SRH, and mr. Jam) So, the staff meeting began at 11:00 a.m., and was scheduled to go until 2:00 p.m. Three hours?!? Are you kidding me? I embark on my journey kinda heated under the collar. For the first Couple of Freeways I am Cussing. Although it's under my breath, and there is no fluctuation of vocal tone or volume, I'm still cussing. That is until I draw nearer to Resche's Bakery. Each time I am on the far East side of town, I must carry out THREE rituals.
1. I MUST stop at the aforementioned bakery for one dozen donuts. (6 glazed/6 stick) They have the BEST, and I'm really not kidding-stick doughnut I have ever tasted. It's like a moist cake inside, and slightly crunchy and sweet on the outside with just ENOUGH icing, not drowning in it like Krispy Kreme donuts. (Honestly, I don't understand why people go ape over those) Back in the day, my brother and I would save the money given us to use for our wonderfully nutritious and tasty school lunches and spend it on donuts to be enjoyed on our bus ride home. (We rode the public bus to and from school at the time) The lovely wife has also become a fan, so she now gets just as excited as I do when I bring them home. While waiting in line I (as I always do) began to salivate and my words became jumbled in my excitement to place my order. I hope the $5 wasn't too sweaty because my palms were wet I'm sure. Damn, I had to have me some donuts man!
Upon leaving, I quickly popped open the box which contained my sugary treasures. I kid you not, I finished a stick before I even reached the car.
On the road to my meeting, I took care of rituals 2&3.
2. I Must stop by Manfeld Drive to see my Second favorite house in my Favorite old neighborhood. I always check to see if any old friends and neighbors are still there, (hello arnie, mamie, john, and craig) and if the current owners of "my house" are taking care of it. (not really)
3. I MUST stop by my Favorite house in my Second favorite neighborhood on Critchfield Road for the same reasons stated
in 2. (this house looks great, as does the 'hood)
All that nostalgia made my meeting not so bad and the trip well worth the drive.
And besides, I had another awesome stick donut waiting for me when the meeting was over.
PEACE.

Great Vacation, Bad News...

We have returned! Though slightly crispy, we made it back unscathed. Florida was great! The weather was unseasonably warm (90 degrees), the beach was completely unoccupied, we saw manta rays "fly" out of the ocean, my family is well, we made a HUGE batch of chocolate chip cookies, mom&dad gave us a boatload of baby stuff (thanks!), we ate at Long John Silver's (I know, I know, all that FRESH seafood around, and we ate LJS... Blasphemy!) we got a 1 liter beer mug from our favorite Irish pub, my brother drank a liter of beer! (My hero), the wife and I learned how to play Texas Hold 'Em, and we had an AWESOME fish fry. All in all, our small vacation was a success.
Unfortunately, when we returned home, there was a message on our answering machine.
Bad news.
A woman who I've had the extreme pleasure of knowing and conversing with passed on to the next plane that morning.
She was a woman who was originally from France that upon meeting her husband during WWII, got married and moved back to the States with him after the War. This woman hipped me to so much in terms of how the world outside my own works. She was able to give me a broader world view than I had at the time. I won't go so far as to say I was an "ugly american", but at the time, I had specific ideas of how I expected to be treated abroad based on the fact that I was American. Foolish Boy.
Well, she set me straight, helping me relax on all that Entitlement bullshit. She also provided me with a working knowledge of
The Black Venus herself, Josephine Baker. (Thanks for that one)
She embraced me each and every time we met, and made me feel slightly more worldly when she would greet me in "typical french fashion".
I truly loved this woman for all the things she did to help me emerge from the bubble I shared with so many other
Ohioans/Americans, and for sharing all the pain she lived through during the War, the insecurity she experienced being a young woman in the states with a slight working knowledge of the english language-and the comedy that was also a direct result of that language barrier, the eventual grasp of the language, and the staunch refusal to lose her thick accent (Mrs. Clouseau, is what I used to call her in my best Inspector Clouseau accent), the emptiness within her heart after losing a husband, and the overwhelming joy of just being able to maintain a life and an outlook filled with positivity and love for everyone she encountered.
My Petit Pomme, you will surely be missed.

Hmmm... Did I Get Everything?

Well, in just 14 hours the lovely wife and I will be flying to Florida to see my parents and my brother for 5 days. Man, did I NEED this. I have finally finished packing, and I'm as tired as a fat guy after four flights of stairs. It's now 12:44 a.m. and I have to go to work at 9:00...
Yeah-I want to know what the Hell I'm doing up so late too.
Honestly, I believe I must have conflicting cases of Attention Deficit Disorder, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. You would think they cancel each other out, but sadly, that is not the case. Once those two disorders go to work, it's all over y'all.
I first become CONSUMED by the desire to not forget anything, so I make ten lists which continue growing until I leave the house. And that is exactly the other problem. While trying to stick to the list I'm currently working on, my mind and body bounces around like a pinball, coming up with new items to not forget, and simultaneously rushing to collect those items before I forget them. Can you imagine how long it takes me to get totally packed? Don't try unless you're partial to headaches.
All that disorderly organization sounds Nuts huh? Yeah, I think so too.
But eventually I get all my crap packed, and it's all good from then on.
Before I think of any more stuff I don't want to forget, I'm going to hit the hay.
Peace till I return to my computer.

Comin' Off The Top Of The Dome...

Just a bit of stream of consciousness here... Not too much went on today, so I'm just gonna pull something out of my posterior. Oh yeah, I met a lady today who was very wise and worldly despite the fact that she had never really left her hometown of Canton Ohio. She told me all sorts of things about what to expect in the near future concerning my relationship with my wife when the sprout arrives. She also divulged ways to keep the relationship fresh and (somewhat) exciting when there is a kid present.
We have to complete a living will, and it's one of the weirdest, and unsettling things I have had to ponder. I mean, a LOT of thought has to go into a living will. Things like who we want our kids' guardian to be if we both croak, how we want our remains to be dealt with when we croak, and who we want to get all our crap when we croak have to be considered and discussed before we set it on paper. I'm gonna hate it, but what's gotta be done, gotta be done, right?
The weather's starting to get colder and I'm NOT happy. I'm just not a fan of winter. (Actually I HATE winter) It seems the older I get, the more I hate it...
Which reminds me that it's a day closer to our FLORIDA trip baby!
Fish fry
White Sand
The Ocean
Sunshine
Mom&Dad
My Brother is in town (Didn't think that would be the case)
I'm about to read to my lovely wife and the baby (Island of the Blue Dolphins), it went well last night although the wife conked out on me 1/2 in to the second chapter. But I know you listened intently sprout. Mom will just miss a great novel.
I just watched a clip on The Daily Show where Jason Jones did a report on investigative reporting and the lows reporters go to for a story. I guess this guy named Carl Monday out of Cleveland spent weeks on a report concerning some guy who was caught masturbating in the library. Again, I said WEEKS. He followed the guy around, went to his house, and even followed him to the mall. Well, Jones did a stereotypical investigation of Monday, and posing as his biggest fan, he grilled him in the same unrelenting way monday grilled the guy in the library. Pretty damn funny stuff, but I guess you had to be there. Watch the Daily Show so you can see some funny stuff of your own.
O.k., It's 11:26, and I still have to read a couple of chapters to my lovely wife's stomach.
Peace.

Books, books, and more books...

So after a while of indecision, I've decided to read The Island of Blue Dolphins (Scott O'Dell) to the baby each nite, so he/she can become aware of my voice while in the womb. I know, at first it sounds kinda hokey, but according to several books and our doctor, the sprout is able to hear our voices right now. And in order to bond earlier, and easier with the baby, I guess it's recommended that the father speak to him/her directly. So, what I've chosen to do is read. I enjoy doing it, so why not just do it out loud? Island of Blue Dolphins was and remains to be one of the many books that I have enjoyed immensely, and the lovely wife never got to read it, so hopefully I can create two more fans of the book.
I have also been re-reading the Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien). It has become a totally different book for me now that I am an adult.
Subjects like self-doubt, acceptance of differing individuals, progression toward maturity, reliability, and responsibility pretty much took a back seat to the action, and material to be used as inspiration for my Dungeon Master duties. (What's up fellow D&D geeks!) All in all, it has become much more than the novel it was previously, and I'm glad I picked it up again. Next up will be Life of Pi (Yann Martel). I've been told it's pretty good. But not until I get back from Florida, so I've got to finish The Hobbit quick. (I'm 1/2 way there)
For Florida I'm taking a novel that a guy I know told me about, and keeps getting on me about finishing. I'ts called "A White Merc With Fins"(James Hawes). It's about a slacker, a latin chef, a female getaway driver, a guy with a Reservoir Dogs fetish, and a bank heist.
This winter, I plan on reading the speeches of Thomas Paine to get me all hyped up, Player Piano (Kurt Vonnegut) to appease my science fiction bug, ALL my comic boo- er, Graphic Novels (see Avengers assemble entry), and I will try to get through Titus Andronicus (William Shakespeare) because the sheer brutality that occurs within the book is intriguing. (Yeah, I like that kind of stuff)
Well hopefully, that should keep me away from the t.v., and it's hypnotic glow for a while. Stay tuned for the inevitable reviews of each.
Peace.

Hey Maaaaaa!!!!

The countdown has officially begun. Only a matter of days until the lovely wife and I will be Florida bound! White sand beaches, the wife in a swimsuit, hot ass weather, a fish fry (hint-hint), and most importantly, we get to see my parents! I haven't seen my parents in a little while, and so I'm pretty excited. I'm also pretty amped about my parents seeing the lovely wife's baby bump, but I'm MOST excited about seeing my mom. Don't get me wrong, seeing my dad is pretty up there on the list, but nobody treats you as well as your mom can treat you. My mom is EXTREMELY attentive, and we NEVER want for anything when we are in her company. She's the kind of lady that can hit you with a buttery smooth "Are you hungry? Have you eaten yet? Let me fix you something to eat. I'm just gonna pop this TURKEY in the oven, and then I'll whip you up some dressing, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and a pumpkin pie for a snack till dinner."
Seriously. she would do all that if you let her.
She's pretty much THAT selfless.
By the way, can you tell I'm ready for Thanksgiving?
(It's my favorite holiday, and as it approaches I'm sure I will write all about why it happens to be my favorite)
Anyway, my mom is a very special lady and I can't wait to see her. It's weird-we have many of the same personality traits and get along like clones probably do. The only thing I have to remember is to EXPRESS my appreciation for all that she does for me/us while in her presence. I have a tendency to try to act all hardcore, like I'm not fazed by all the Super-cool things she does to make sure that there is absolutely nothing we need. It's great that she does all this, but sometimes I feel guilty accepting all the hospitality that she offers. So I tell her not to worry, and not do the things that she seems to want to do to make us (her house guests) comfortable during our stay. I think I can relate to how she feels about being hospitable. Whenever we have guests over, I make sure that EVERYTHING is taken care of for each and every visitor in order to keep them entertained and happy, while often sacrificing my own needs until theirs are met. Hey that's the mark of a good entertainer, and if they're happy, then so am I.
Given how my mom feels about folks visiting her home, and how she makes them feel cozy and most important, I'm looking forward to basking in her sunshine for at least a little bit while down in Florida.
See you soon mom!
Love You, and Peace.

Comfort Doesn't Feel So Good...

As I said friday, I found myself in the dog house. The primary reason was because nothing new was going on between the wife and I in terms of our relationship. Complacency had reared it's ugly parasitic head YET AGAIN. This time it decided to suck the life out of our communication. By using a host of factors like:
Television...
umm...
television and-
Hmmm.
I'm starting to notice a trend with the t.v. (see Duhhhhhhh... entry)
Usually after work we come home, whip up something to eat, gulp it down in about five minutes, (We almost never take our time and enjoy our meals like we know we should. We realize that that time can be used to wind down, and catch up with each other in terms of what went on that day. But the wife and I have the same occupations and within them, you have to EAT FAST when you get a chance, otherwise, your lunch is gonna be cold and nasty by the time you get to it. Lunch breaks simply do not exist in our field. Because of this, we seem to have developed a reflex where, whenever food is placed in front of us, we feel we have to eat it fast. What's weird, is, we know we can just heat it back up, but we don't, because for some reason it just doesn't seem as appealing.
More on that in another entry.
Anyway, we would blaze through our dinners, then head right for the t.v. Once we sat down and got comfortable, t.v. became an exit from what went on outside it's fuzzy gaze. We would sit quietly, blurting out 1 to 2 word questions and answers.
"Tired?" "Uh-huh."
"Hungry?" "Nah."
"Going upstairs?" "Yup."
Zombies.
When t.v. time came to an end, we'd go upstairs and go to bed, only to get up and relive the previous day.
Now don't get me wrong, we've had some good interactions over the past couple of weeks, but for the most part, we pretty much have fallen into the same nightly routine. The wife was the first to realize how crummy this habit had become, and made me aware of how important it was to discontinue the lack of interaction between us. I never realized how routine can actually deteriorate a relationship. Fortunately, my lovely wife mentioned her dissatisfaction, and because of this, we have consciously taken steps this evening to keep from falling into this habit again or at least for the time being. We spent less time in front of the t.v., meditated together (and liked it), consciously slowed down and talked AND listened to each other during dinner. We plan to repeat these steps every night, because we have interacted with each other more this evening than we have the whole of last week. I have faith that this plan, if carried out diligently can prevent or at least keep routine down to a minimum.
Meditation. Me? Who'd a thunk it?
Huh.

In Jail Without The Bail

Not too much to write about today. I'm in the dog house for being inconsiderate, AND forgetting about dinner plans for tomorrow. Now I've got to contact the cat I planned on hanging out with for a coupla' drinks with and cancel. I also have to fink out on my neighbor who invited me to check out his band later tomorrow night.
Damn.
I've chosen not to divulge what it was I did to piss the lovely wife off, but let's just say she didn't appreciate it one bit. I truly am sorry, but I guess my response and attitude concerning her feelings was flippant. That's what earned me the silent treatment. She then found the reminder I'd written to myself about tomorrows plans and then came to me mad as a wet cat and asked if I'd forgotten about dinner. I had. She then told me that dinner wasn't THAT important, and that it was no big deal if I went out with my friends.
I know I will be dead meat if I do.
So, Mr. SRH, I am sorry about the short notice, but I must postpone our evening of drunken debauchery. It is with extreme embarrassment that I must forsake that beer you owe me, (Oh, I haven't forgotten) and hopefully the offer stands. You, my friend are also a married man, and therefore I know you know what it is like to share the cold company of a woman scorned, and I trust you understand the conundrum I'm facing, and the safest solution.
To my lovely wife, I really am sorry, and hopefully when you read this, I will have apologized fifty times for my inconsideration, and if not, expect to hear fifty apologies.

Ready for Freddy (or Frannie)

My lovely wife and I were sitting in front of the television just about an hour ago, and she guides my hand underneath the shirt, and the yoga pants that she has on. (!) She then tells me to sit very still for a moment. So I sit. After about twenty to thirty seconds, I respond by saying, "You wanted me to feel your stomach gurgling? Do you need to go to the bathroom? (Thanks to me, there is a lot of toilet humor that exists within our household. Heh-heh.) Not amused, (she seldom is) the wife responds by asking if I ALWAYS have to make with the toilet jokes. I then realized it was time to be serious. She explained that the "gurgling" I was feeling was in fact, our little sprout moving about inside her. (?!!!?!!) I then waited for the next little flicker, and what do you know, not another minute passed, and there was another light twitch.
WOW.
I mean, WOW.
I am seriously in disbelief.
I can actually FEEL evidence of the baby flipping around inside my wife.
This is nuts! The way I am feeling right now is incredible. Again, I'm reminded of the fact that I will soon be a father. What I need to do is log this memory in the "never forget this file" along with all my other important and life altering experiences. This evening certainly has a place within that file.
as a result of this wonderful occurrence, my level of impatience is growing exponentially. We had decided early on that we wouldn't find out what we are having, but the wait is just so hard. Excruciating in fact. I'm the person who as a kid, went snooping for Christmas presents in July. I know the surprise will totally be worth the wait, but I'm ready to see what the person we've created looks like. I'm ready to see my kid come into the world. I'm ready to carry my baby in my arms and sing soft songs in it's ear. I'm ready to read the sprout bedtime stories, making up different voices for each and every character's speaking part. And I'm ready to pass on all my corny toilet humor to someone who won't think I'm mentally challenged.
I'm READY, baby!

Bang-up Weekend pt. 3

As I said in last night's post, the wife and I went to the Columbus Museum of Art to see the Kehinde Wiley exhibit, and happened upon the Richard Avedon photographic exhibit. We were lucky, because it was it's last day. Stark photos of drifters, oil workers, miners, slaughterhouse workers, physical therapists, truck drivers, bee keepers, and ranch hands stared out from the walls and into our souls, making each beautiful portrait slightly disturbing. Each photo was taken with black and white film, and every single detail, wrinkle, or scar was evident on each person's face. Whether beaten down by the sun, age, or life, all that each subject had experienced seemed etched on their faces by an old blunt razor. There were photos of beautifully hardened women with soft endearing eyes, (Charlene Van Tightem, Physical Therapist) Grizzled drifters with an air of distinction despite their dirty clothing, (Clarence Lippard, Drifter) handsome and unstable looking characters with roguish faces, (Roberto Lopez, Oil Field Worker) and a ghostly bee keeper covered in bees which contrast his hairless pasty white skin (The Beekeeper, 1985).
The exhibit was scary, ugly, beautiful, and sensual, and appealed to many aspects of the psyche.
Check out Richard Avedon's photo anthology In The American West online, or get it from your local library. It's not to be missed.
Peace.

Bang-up Weekend pt. 2

We went to see the Kehinde Wiley: Columbus exhibit at the Columbus Museum of Art this weekend, and we were treated to a surprise. I had forgotten that the Richard Avedon photographic exhibit was still there. Come to think of it, it was the last day of that installation. But, back to Kehinde Wiley. (I will dedicate tomorrow's post to Richard Avedon) As we approached the exhibit, we saw a video monitor which showed the work Wiley and his assistants did to prepare the models, and it also showed preliminary sketches done with graphite. When we entered the ornately decorated room where the paintings were, we were hit by multiple blasts of varying shades of pink, green, blue, orange, and red jumping off each of the 8 foot canvases. Images of black males (all inhabitants of Columbus, Ohio) in curious poses evoked thoughts of B-Boy stances, and Hip-Hop bravado, while each individual was clothed in bright and colorful garb, showing off name brands, and expensive jewelry, expressing their importance, and affluence. (Bling, if you will) Each painting's subject was surrounded by expressive flowers and designs which were reminiscent of paintings which are centuries old, adding to the over the top feeling/attitude of the Bling subculture. What was interesting was, all these paintings were reinterpretations of Renaissance and Baroque paintings. The originals were paintings of significant, affluent, and historical people (the titles of each reinterpretation are the names of the individuals in the original portraits) holding the poses Wiley chose to place HIS subjects in. Nearly all the individuals within the old school paintings were dressed in finery and had jewelry, and expensive accessories which expressed THEIR social standing and affluence. It was cool to see elements of Hip-Hop and Renaissance culture blur and overlap, making for a very interesting dichotomy.
Check out Kehinde Wiley's work at the Columbus Museum of Art, or just do a web search at KehindeWiley.com, and Kehinde Wiley Columbus.
It is well worth the time, and you just may learn something about Hip-Hop, and the Baroque era of painting.
Peace.

Bang-Up Weekend pt. 1

On saturday night the lovely wife, our homeboy, and I went to El Arepazo for dinner. It has got to be one of the best and most authentic latin restaurants I have been to in town. The joint is great! They offer food hailing from Venezuela, Argentina, and Cuba. I must say, the cuisine and the service are impeccable. The wife and I have hit them up every so often since they opened, and I feel they have trimmed all the fat from the early days. (Although there wasn't much to begin with) The interior is more inviting, and the level of efficiency has increased. In short, El Arepazo is located on Gay street in Pearl alley downtown, and they are seriously on point. Check 'em out so they stay open!
Anyway, we were headed to the restaurant, and while walking we saw lots of people hanging out, and there was a d.j./m.c. combo called the LabRats. (Avant Hip-Hop) They sounded decent, and I was glad to finally get to hear them. I had been hearing about their shows around town, and I had a desire to see them, but the fates deemed it not the right time prior to now. We had to inch past a B-Boy break dancing, and I ran into a really cool client of mine who d.j's and produces hip-hop music. We stopped and chatted for a while and because he was apparently hip to what was going on, he filled us in. Basically, the ROY G. BIV gallery, and Greater Columbus Arts Council produced the idea of Edmund Gaisie. This idea was an art festival called Streetspace. Gaisie, along with other artists (Ashley Puckett, Steph Davidson, Craig Dransfield, Klutch, and Ali Calis) intent on promoting urban growth, and cultural enrichment here in the city participated in the installation of a graffiti/sculptural mural in Pearl Alley. The project began last week and the unveiling was tonight. The mural was part of a festival of art and urban culture that went on all day saturday. (12-10p.m.) As I said, the Lab Rats were there, but earlier the Rackets, Brainbow, Camu and Flip The Early Riser performed differing genres of music made to shake the ass of the savage beast. I feel very privileged to have been able to experience Streetspace, and look forward to the next festival/installation in the (I hope) near future.
Just a few reminders:
Check out El Arapazo
Look up the Lab Rats and Edmund Gaisie
And finally, log on to Streetspace.com (and don't forget the links)
I did, and I am now a much much better person for it...
Awright, that may be pushing it, but I can say that because of my research, I honestly feel I'm getting back in the cultural/artistic loop.
More on my weekend activities tomorrow.
Peace.