AAAAARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you.

Gotta get the house clean today. My folks are coming for a visit, so we have to sterilize the place. That's just so we don't have to hear anything from my mother about a clean house. Do you watch Everybody Loves Raymond? First, understand that Ray and Debra...that's pretty much my wife and I. And then, Ray's mom...Yep. That's my mother. Only we're a lot less dysfunctional.

Then, my father-in-law is staying with us next week AND some good college buddies are going to be in town. I have no idea how we're gonna swing seeing everyone.

In other news, my beard is a shaggy 5 inches long. It'd be longer, but my facial hair has some curl to it. I've been letting it go because it, along with my hair, is apart of my Cowardly Lion costume for The Wizard of Oz. Tomorrow are the last two performances. We'll be done by 3pm and this beard will be gone by 4pm. I'm planning on taking picutres for what I am calling "Fun With Shaving." When I get a chance, I'll post a few. There will be facial hair in some fashion again, I just need to start anew and see what my chin looks like. It's been about 4 years since I've seen it.

Off to start cleaning!

What sucks*:
1) A close friend not responding to any attempts to connect and not knowing why.
2) News Anchors, not all of them, but most of them are jerkies.
3) Wondering if I'm being cut out.
4) The show closes this weekend.
5) Hypocrites and broken promises.

*not including the obvious stuff like terrorists and ignorance

What doesn't suck:
1) A good rain storm.
2) Lunch with the wife.
3) Watching movies like Young Guns 2, Tango & Cash and stuff like that and calling it work.
4) Guster and John Mayer concerts.
5) Road trips to see Guster and John Mayer all across Texas.
6) Being flirty.
7) Feeling like yourself.

Ok, this miagrane is kicking my ass. I thought it was gone this morning, but it's back with a vengance. So, you get the rest of the NYC trip: the Condensed Version:

-- Wife had a miagrane.
-- Discreetly took picture of what would be Peter Parker's Forest Hills home because the couple who lived there were just walking in their house when we got there...Also had to avoid the eldery neighbor...
-- Subways are not a great thing for a miagrane.
-- However, Subway sandwiches make a good lunch.
-- FAO Schwartz...ooo...more toys...more expensive toys...
-- Passing by the Ed Sullivan Theatre, guy with clip board asks if we want to see Letterman that night. We decline.
-- Mariott Marque for bathroom break.
-- Mariott Marque for bathroom break.
*Note that's not a typo.
-- I like books and bookstores, but I think too many books can be a bad thing... The Strand is a great book store. Shelf upon shelf filled with books. And the shelves are so full, there's book stacked on the ground. Great bookstore, but I have that much time to devout to exploring all those wonderful titles...
-- Brief rain storm.
-- Japanese Spider-man live action series on VHS.
-- NBC Primetime Fall Preview '65, '67, '68, '74 on VHS.
-- Dinner at the Westway Diner, a.k.a where "Seinfeld" was convieved (the TV series sickos...).
-- Neverwhere on VHS.
-- Miagranes O'Plenty as I start to develop mine.
-- Eventually, sleep.

Thursday, our flight left JFK at 9am Eastern. Jet Blue dropped us off in New Orleans at 10:40am Central, 40 minutes ahead of schedule. We go to my mother-in-law's house to take a nap before we drive 6 hours home to Houston.

The wife and I woke up somewhere between 7pm and 8pm, and left New Orleans for 9pm. Nice night for driving. Big, bright nearly-full moon. Arrive home at 3am and sleep again. The End.

*here's hoping a dark room and excedrin end my suffering...*

I am expecting this to be a long post about the trip to NYC. But, I also have a migrane right now, so I guess we'll see how much I'm up to doing...

We got really cheap-o airfare from Jet Blue to the tune of $380 for 2 people round trip. Jet Blue isn't in Houston, so we had to fly out of New Orleans, which is actually more convienent for us anyway. The airline had an arrival time in New York for 3:50pm. They got us there for 3:20pm. Can't complain about a nice flight that gets you there early AND gives you 24 channels of digital cable. Even with this beard that makes me look like the only Irish-American member of the Taliban (*Note to FBI - No, I'm not in the Taliban; I just look like it until the play is over...), we had no problems with security. Didn't even get a bag search. I was quite happy about that.

The taxi ride from JFK to our friend's house we'd be staying at was quiet. The wife doesn't travel well and took some dramamine. So she was asleep for most of the cab ride. Our friend lives in Forest Hills. Comic-book fans should realize that's where Peter Parker/Spiderman would reside. So, after relaxing, we all started on a hike through Forest Hills to find some supper and look around for the actual address Peter Parker has in the comics.

We had real Italian pizza at Nick's Pizza. For toppings, we got pepperoni as thick as your big toe and garlic slices that were big enough to look like almond slices. It was possibly the best pizza I have ever had. And while the price was high, it was well worth it.

Full on pizza, we walked around some more, partly to walk off the pizza, but also to find Peter Parker's place. And we did, but we didn't have a camera. So we made plans to get a camera and return before going home.

The next day, we headed towards the subway around 10:30am and we were in Manhattan - Times Square - for 11:15am. We talked about trying to get stand-by tickets for Letterman and the Late Show, so we walked over to the Ed Sullivan Theater. They would be giving out tickets at Noon.

We walked around for a while and ended up at Toys -R- Us in Times Square. That place is so big, there's a ferris wheel inside the store. We ended up buying some really cheap Spider-Man toys for the kids. Marked down to $2.90 from $6.99. And we also got a couple of Wonka Bars because we have yet to find any in this area.

Back at the Ed Sullivan Theater, we were just walking by and some guy with a clip board asked us if we wanted to see the Late Show that night. Sure, why not. Heh heh. The guy said we had to answer a Late Show Trivia question because it was only fair to give tickets to actual fans of the show. Whatever, I think we got our questions wrong and we still ended up with tickets. I think they must be having problems getting an audience these days. They told us to be back to get our tickets at 3:45pm.

So, we walked over the the Jeckel and Hyde Club for some lunch. The Club has a great idea - a spooky/scary theme restaurant - but it lacks in actual delivery of spookiness. They had a pyschic, who reminded us of Professor Quills and Lord Voldermort, who comes up to you and says "You have a shining aura." End the Spookiness there. And the $10 hamburger was not very good...Overall the food wasn't good. A great idea gone sour.

Back again at Ed Sullivan, we got the tickets and were told to be back for precisely 4:45pm. Precisely 4:45 pm because, in the words of the Late Show intern, "We're stupid and don't want to get confused." So we walked around some more and stopped in the Marriot Marquis (as we would several times) to use the bathroom. Walked some more and saw some of the different theaters and the marquees. Mama Mia is now playing where Cats used to be.

Anyway, we got to see Letterman tape at 5:30pm. It wasn't a very good show. Watching them tape was interesting, but the actual show just sucked. They didn't even do a Top Ten. Ellen Degeneras and Al Franken were the guests. They were fun, but it was still lacking. One of the things they did on the show was hit golf balls off of Studio 54. They were trying to break windows in the Late Show Office. I think there's something funny about the lesbian being the one to come closest to actually breaking a window. They did manage to hit a cop car though.

After Letterman, we had dinner at a diner. The Cafe Edison, and in one corner is supposed where all great Broadway deals are sealed. The big producers and directors come there to eat, drink, and get rich.

On to Studio 54 and Cabaret. We had seats front and center in the mezzanine. Really great seats considering the orchestra section had no incline so you could see over the people in front of you. The ambiance was great though. The place was jazzed up make you feel like you were attending a cabaret performance at the Kit Kat Club, not just a play. The chorus girls came out early and did their stretches. And since they were supposed to be whores, they took some shlub's money and kissed each other at his request.

Then the show started, and we were enthralled with, yes, John Stamos. Don't laugh. He was very good and was looking good, too. Jane Leeves was a good Sally Bowes, too, though I wish I could have seen Gina Gershon instead. Jane is just too bony for a corset. At the end of the first Act, the Emcee moons the audience and there it was. John Stamos' flabby butt. He needs to work on that a little. Not a bad tushy though.

That was pretty much our first full day in NYC. I think I'll stop now and give you the second day later. This is long enough as it is, and my headache is not doing well...

Back safely from New York City...I'll give more details later, but here are the highlights or lowlights.

1) John Stamos was wonderful as the Emcee in Cabaret, but he has a saggy butt.
2) Fly JetBlue. Left on time and got us there 1/2 hour early, both ways.
3) Letterman. Eh...
4) Saw what would be Peter Parker's House (and believe it or not, The Parker's live there).
5) Had real Italian Pizza.
6) Ate a 10 buck hamburger.
7) Found VHS copy of BBC procuded mini-series based on "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman.

And now for more sleep as we didn't get back to Houston until 3am.

Just letting you know...This place will be not be updated for about a week.....VACATION TIME!! Woo-HOO!!!

*pop culture reference ahead*

We're going see Uncle Jesse as Joel Grey in Cabaret. NYC here we come....but not ground zero...just not us...sorry...

Well, another set of plans were cancelled yesterday. A friend was going to com eup and see our shows, but couldn't find a babysitter. Nevermind, we've been planning this weekend for about 2 months. It just seems like they waited until the last minute to find out about babysitters. But, what can you do? Not much....Ah well, at least the house is clean. Hopefully, next weekend's visitor won't have to cancel because of work.

It just really sucks - for lack of a better word - because it seems we NEVER get visitors. We always seem to go out of our way to meet up with our friends. But, for some reason, it's like we're black-balled as people to visit. Actually, we do have several different people coming to town in the next few weeks. We'll see if they actually make good. Well, its family, so they should....but family is exempt from this rant. I mean, their family -- they are coming to see us...

Was it last week? A good friend told us he was going to be in Galveston for a week and that we should go see him. Haven't seen him in at least 6 months. We would have but we have jobs and a kid, so it's a little hard for us to go out during the week at night. We got a call from him while he was in Humble wanting to know how to get to our house from there. Apparently, they couldn't go from Galveston to Humble and back, but can't take a 20 minute trip West on I-10 to stop and see us. That's just a little too far.....whatever...

Grrr...you want some cheese with this whine?

This is kinda scary...Now you can see anyone's Drivers License on the Internet, including your own!

Is this really necessary? I don't think this is a good idea at all. There's so many ways that the information on your driver's license can be misused. What's really disturbing to me is that, recently, I've been having dreams where my identity is stolen by someone I thought I could trust. I can just imagine what a hacker or stalker or evil-doer could do with this information. Maybe we should all write our Congressmen and Senators to demand an end to this...

Quick, go check this out. Look for yours, I guarantee you'll find it...

Scary isn't it...

Things I'm thinking right now:

1) Wine is good, but it makes you think too much when you're alone.
2) Why haven't I heard from you?
3) When did Ross become such an ubergeek. I mean, he was always geeky, but a cool geek. Now, he's just pathetic geek.
4) A clean house makes me a happy boy.
5) Houston is big, but not so big that you can't come over for a movie.
6) Guster and John Mayer are on tour together. Please let them still be on tour together when they get here.
7) Goodnight.

The label on this wonderful bottle of Vendange (Von-donj) Merlot says "this bottle contains 5 five-ounce glasses of wine. If recorked securely, it may be enjoyed up to a week."

Yeah, like it's got a chance in hell of lasting a day....

The best part is that it's only $4.99 with your Kroger's card.

This was in my inbox:

hey
i have a favor. sarah peppers rents are going out of town tomorrow night and
staying in the city...therefore she is staying by herself. i was just
wondering if oyu could find a buyer to get us like 1 12 pack of bud light
and then a couple packs of smirnoff? i can pay you everything. then just
meet lauren mcdaniel and i somewhere and give it to us...we'll go straight
to saras so we wont get caught. if you could, we would really appriciate it
:):) thanks dude. call me


later,
christie

My reply:

A) Do I know you?

B) Do I know Sarah Peppers or her 'rents?

C) Do I know Lauren McDaniel?

D) If you want people to commit a crime (because I'm assuming you're minors), at least pick a good beer.

And I really wanted to add something like, "how can I call you if you don't give me you're number?" but that's a bit pedophilish...

*Comes to the stage and begins to speak into the mic*

Excuse my delusions right now. Indulge me for a few minutes. Sorry that I've been on a Ryan Adams kick lately. Maybe a little too much....but you know what? It's not enough for me yet....So please indulge my fantasies and musings...

*The band begins to play*

Everybody wants you to be special.
And everybody wants you to be high.
They throw you down a rope when you're in trouble, baby, screaming "save me."
Then, they charge you with the rescue blues.

Ah, the Rescue Blues. Oh Ah ah...aw...

And everybody wants to see you suffer.
They know that you need the pain so much.
They throw you up a rope when you're too high to cruise, baby.
Lord, you lose lady.
Then they charge you with the rescue blues.

Aw...The Rescue Blues...Oh Ah aw...

And everybody wants to see you fall.
That's why they always love to get you high.
And everybody knows you need the pain so much, lady.
Well, keep in touch, baby.
Just don't charge me with your rescue blues.

*the chorus girls sing and the band jams. The lights fade to black.*

Thank you. Good night.

Reading Clayton's latest post, I am reminded why I don't like my office area....I have no windows. No view. No access to the outside world, except when I occasionally leave the building for lunch. Just a cubicle, horrible florescent lighting, and a few of my personal things.

That got me thinking....I can't think of what to search for to see if there is a sight like this...but wouldn't this be a great idea? A website that gives you a view. An office window in a pop-up box. *Filing this under business ideas* I'd imagine it would just be a bunch of webcams set-up at scenic areas. Visitors could come to the site, click on a view and a wonderous scenic view would pop-up.

This is the view from my old office, 28 stories up in the World Trade Center in New Orleans. Ok, well not exactly. Turn the camera about 30 degrees to the left and that was my view. Actually, I believe this cam is on the top of the WTC in New Orleans.

I had a great view of the Mississippi River and French Quarter. My old station used to have a webcam up at their website that was exactly the view from my office, but its apparently no longer there....I must keep up with the rumors from the old office...

Nothing is more frustrating to me than trying to write a song when the magic ain't happening. I've been feeling like a song is just about to pop outta my skull, but it has yet to materialize on a page.

So in the mean time, I offer the music gods this little ditty. The melody is in my head; think a pop-punk sound with a fuzzy guitar and crushing drums that break down into a funky groove over the chorus. At the same time, imagine Barenaked Ladies are playing this (I can just hear Steven Page wailing this out).

The tentative title is "Get Off." Enjoy!

---

Is it wrong to think that we could possibly be something more than all you ever wished for?
What if it is nothing more than boredom with responsibility? Take it from me�

Don�t believe in polygamy.
But I�m bored with monogamy
And nothing says infidelity takes three.

I hope that you can understand the difference between lust and love is passion and experience.
But straddling the way we do, we�ve got a perfect view across the fence�We�re not innocent.

Do I sound like a hypocrite?
I don�t think I�ll get over it
Until I�m under, above, around and spent

Chorus
Everyone jump up and down.
Everybody turn around.
Everyone flip upside down.
Everybody must get off.

Is it wrong to think that while we lie in silence things won�t be exactly how they used to be?
The pleasure of the moment�s past and I don�t have the heart to ask, but would you please leave.

And now that the story�s done
I should say, �Thanks, that was fun.�
Don�t forget no regrets* �til the sun sets.

Chorus
Everyone jump up and down.
Everybody turn around.
Everyone flip upside down.
Everybody must get off.


-- Copyright 2002.

* BNL reference

My favorite Light Bulb joke:

How many surrealist painters does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Fish.


*backs away from the mic*

Helping me break a funk:

1) Singing along with Ryan Adams.
2) Having 3 kids tell me today The Lion was their favorite character.
3) Talking on the phone to a good friend.
4) Incense.
5) Having some brews after the show with other cast masts.
6) Quality father-son time.

Not helping break a funk:

1) Not hearing from a friend.
2) Southern Comfort and Coke (didn't work last night).
3) Realizing it's a stupid conversation to be listening in on.
4) Not writing a song or not playing guitar.
5) Being unable to attend funeral services to say goodbye.