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.