Working on getting my blog back online.
The last version of my blog used a ColdFusion app (BlogFusion) that was pretty good before the guy sold it. The new owners leave much to be desired and consequently, I took my blog down. I am now using a different ColdFusion blogging app. I’m pretty optimistic so far.
More me to come soon…
"Hello, my friend, hello…" -N. Diamond
What a wonderful month it has been since my last posting! 
If you are wondering, yes, Lisa got on my case again about not posting, so here I am. I really have been meaning to post, but I have way too many distractions in my life that keep me tied up. That’s not exactly true. I really just have this one singularly sensational distraction in my life that has been taking up all my free time and then some. I’m not complaining though. In fact, just the opposite. I am happy, happy, happy (Happy happy joy joy happy happy joy…Everyone join in!). 
Since I don’t feel like being coy I will tell you directly. My happiness exudes towards and from one person, one wonderful, wonderful woman…my Corinne. I have been living a dream and riding a cloud these last few months. Yes, I know that sounds cheesy if not vaguely Tobias Fünke-like, but its all true, and yes, I am extremely comfortable with myself.
If you need a blatant illustration, then let me tell you about Valentines Day. Valentines Day was…she did…I felt…
No. I am not going to tell you about it here. It was perfect. It was that perfect that I am going to be selfish and keep this delightful tale of love, surprise, intrigue, breathtaking feet-sweeping offline. If you want to know then you will have to ask me. Even then, I may not tell…
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." -W. Shakespeare
All I will say to wrap up the day is that I have the most wonderful girlfriend in the world. Yes, I know that’s a sweepingly bold statement, but I will take the Pepsi challenge with any of you and defy you to prove me otherwise.
Yea…
Anyway, I need to get going (I am on my lunch break), so here are the current fun things to occupy your day away.
| You Have a Choleric Temperament |
|
I have also seen these spectral analyses around the web lately, so I thought I would jump on the bandwagon. I think you need a LiveJournal account (which I still do although I never post there).
 Get your own spectral analysis from Area 23® |
Purple. Who would have guessed?!?!?
Well that’s about it for now. I hope that satisfies your sense of proportion and right and wrong.
BTW, do any of you know what movie I am referencing in the title of this post? My darling Corinne is not allowed to guess.
Be seeing you…
Happy New Year!!!!!
Ok, it’s been the new year for a while, but I’ve been really really busy as of late. Seriously, most of my personal free time has been taken up by a couple of extremely important things; Corinne (my de-lovely girlfriend) and side work (work, work, work, hello boys I miss you!). I tried to post a few times here and there, but things just got in the way, but in a good way. 
You’ll notice that I am posting on a weekday which only means that it is currently my lunch break. Yea, gainful employment. Wheee.
BTW, before I forget, I am also posting because Lisa has been making fun of me as of late and I need to mention her here by name so that she will quit complaining about my lack of postings, at least for a few more days when she gets bored at work and decides to rattle my cage again.
heh heh
As the title suggests, things have been quite excellent as of late. The whole wonderfully fantastic girlfriend thing aside (sorry darling), the rest of my life is cruising along too. To do a quick recap:
There are probably more things that deserve *snaps* but my lunch break will be over in a little while.
Lest I forget, today’s quiz is “What Kind Of Kisser Are You”
| You’re a Romantic Kisser |
|
Wow, how interesting that these blog things are sometimes absolutely correct! Yes, I am a romantic kisser. I freely admit that and without any sort of shame or embarrassment. I don’t need to project a self-aggrandizing macho image. I think a real measure of a man is more of how well he can love and how wonderful the other person feels because of him. In that respect I am extremely comfortable with myself.
Yea…
Anyway, although I’ve never seen Brigadoon, I still like the song I referenced in the title as it is especially apropos for the moment.
“All the music of life seems to be (to be)
Like a bell that is ringing for me,
And from the way that I feel,
When the bell starts to peal,
I would swear I was falling,
I could swear I was falling,
It’s almost like…”
Be seeing you…
Life is swell. Life is actually better than swell. Life is positively good right now. That’s not quite true either. Life is more on the side of being absolutely grand right now.
Yea…
That’s more like it.
Good old Holden would call me a phony for sure for describing life as “grand” just now, but that’s just the chance I am going to have to take. Besides, he had issues too… 
Overall December has been a very good month. Kudos goes out to life for taking what started out as a not so good year and turning it into a very good one after all. Life is funny like that. As the t-shirt says, sometimes life’s a b*tch. Although that is the case, sometimes life is really freaking awesome too. Maybe I should make a shirt that says that. I wonder if anyone would buy them…
In other news, things are going extremely well with Corinne (my girlfriend and the cutie in my photo section). We have so much in common and she is an absolute joy to spend time with. She really is so many things, so many great, wonderful, amazing things that I cannot list them all here due to space limitations. If you have talked to me at any time in the last two weeks, especially the last couple of days, you will be able to quickly tell just how happy I am.
Yea…
It’s not all lollipops and moonbeams though. She is also the reason I am very bubbly/giddy and use words like “grand” and “delightful”. You take the good with the bad I guess.
Before I forget, here is tonight’s quiz. What is your seduction style?
| Your Seduction Style: The Charmer |
 You’re a master at intimate conversation and verbal enticement.You seduce with words, by getting people to open up to you. By establishing this deep connection quickly, people feel under your power. And then you’ve got them exactly where you want them! |
I am not quite sure how to respond to that. On the one hand it could be considered incredibly poignant and spot on. On the other hand, it could be complete hogwash. I actually know the real answer and I am not sharing. You can ask the love of my life but I bet she won’t tell you either. Well, she might tell you but she is decidedly a little biased in my favor… 
BTW, have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head that you can’t get rid of? That’s happening to me right now. For some reason, Sinatra’s “Come Fly With Me” has been going through my head, over and over and over since this weekend. It’s a great song and has very real sentimental meaning for me, but it keeps repeating over and over and over. I suppose there are much worse things to complain about, but right now with as happy as I am, this is pretty much it.
Gimme a break. I am really happy right now. I am so gosh darn happy that I can’t stop clapping my hands.
Yea…
Be seeing you…
Just a quick post before bedtime…
I am doing fantastically well after a most wonderful weekend!
In case you don’t know or hadn’t noticed, there is a new picture in my photo section. It is of me with my girlfriend Corinne. Corinne is this really great girl I met and we’ve been dating for about a month. She is absolutely wonderful and I can say that I am very happy right now. It’s been kind of a rough 2 years and this is the first time that I actually both go to bed and wake up smiling. You’ll start seeing her name crop up more and more, but for now just a quick introduction is all I am giving. Oh yea, she is also a Sweet Adeline! If you know nothing else about her, that should be enough for you to know how wonderful she is.
Anyway, its late and I have to go to work in the morning. I need to climb down from my cloud and go to bed…
Be seeing you…
Winter is upon us. Well, maybe not the full blown freeze your patootie off type of winter, but there is snow and snow = winter which = brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I was born and raised in IL and lived in IA for a few years, but I still dislike the cold. I don’t hate it enough to want to pack my bags and go anywhere. I just dislike it enough to want to complain about it.
However, in the spirit of the cold, I have added a new feature to the site (I’m trying to be more fun, remember…). If you direct your attention to the left side bar you will notice the Yeti Sports section directly under the archives (unless I move it later). They have a lot more games at their website, but these three are strangely addictive. Yes, I do believe abusing penguins is wrong, but if you listen carefully, I think they are all having fun playing together (turn up the volume). So far, my best tonight is:
Penguin Batting: 283.7 (worst is 0, swing and a miss!)
Orca Slap: 60.9 (worst is 0, I missed…a lot)
Seal Bounce: Best: 278.25 (worst is 0, I tossed him down in the water)
If you have any issues, make sure you read the directions. I was doing it wrong on the Orca Slap for a while.
I also saw this quiz on this really cool person’s blog and thought I’d post it here.
You’re a purple squirrel. The rarest of them all.
You’re an individual and have your own way of
squirrel life. You know what you like and
aren’t afraid to show it. While the other
squirrels are packing away muffins…your
chowing on a cinnamon bun. “Life’s a
game, and there’s no reason to get angry over a
game.” That’s your wicked sick motto.
If you were a squirrel, what color would you be?
brought to you by Quizilla
Purple is my color. If I had a lightsaber, it would be purple. Oprah was on Letterman tonight and do you know which color they were promoting all night? Purple. Favorite Kool-Aid flavor? Purple (I know, purple is a color, not a flavor…ok, in that case give me orange!) In fact here is a Purple Profile I just found online from the Passion for Purple Page.
My favorite shade of Purple is Violet which means I am:
“Self-assured and dependable, you have a strong sense of character, and you possess a playful streak that makes you an amusing companion.”
I do think that they both describe me somewhat. 
Anyway, I just finished some very light cleaning and think I should mosey into bed. I’ve had kind of a rough week but am feeling quite a bit better now. Tomorrow (well, today actually) is Friday which means this week is ALMOST OVER! Wheeeee!
Sorry for the silliness tonight. It happens.
Be seeing you…
“Good day, Sunshine…”
It seems that I am never going to get myself back into a regular posting routine. I guess all of you in internet-land will just have to copus and dealus (thats pseudo-latin for cope and deal). I find that actually going to my blog and starting to type is the first step. The rest of it just kind of pours out in a series of jumbled, thrown together sentences and thought phrases. The result is a mixture between sometimes moments of clarity and other times not so much. Anyway, on with the show…
First off, I just found out that everyone’s most loved sensei Mr. Miyagi (aka Pat Morita) passed away the other day. I usually read CNN on a daily basis and I don’t remember seeing anything on there about him. That is pretty annoying. The man was so ingrained into our 80’s pop culture growing up and I am a little sad at his passing. I don’t know how many people called me “Daniel-San” over the years, in fact, some still do. The Karate Kid was such a great 80’s film of coming of age and standing up for yourself, and Mr. Miyagi was our Yoda. We will miss you Pat.
In other news, things are generally going pretty well. I am happy, healthy, and there is a noticeable bounce to my step. I even feel like singing again. If I get ambitious, I may try and visit one of my old chapters to see about singing with them. I don’t want to put the cart before the horse (or the lead before the bass, heh heh), but we’ll see. Ask me this moment, this second, and I will tell you that life is good. Tomorrow may be another day, but right now I am smiling, cause when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you…
I also went to see “Walk The Line” last night, which is the new Johnny Cash biopic. I would have liked to have heard some more of his hit songs, but on the whole, it was a very good movie. Joaquin did an excellent job as the venerable Mr. Cash and Reese Witherspoon was fantastic as June Carter. It gave a lot of insight into how he got started and how he fell in love with June. I liked it and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some Oscar nominations for both Joaquin and Reese. They even had them singing a Bob Dylan song as a duet (It Ain’t Me Babe), so right there you know that it was a good movie! BTW, for the generally uninformed (certainly not any of MY friends I’m sure), the title refers to one of his songs, coincidentally titled “I Walk The Line”.
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
I find it very, very easy to be true
I find myself alone when each day is through
Yes, I’ll admit that I’m a fool for you
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
As sure as night is dark and day is light
I keep you on my mind both day and night
And happiness I’ve known proves that it’s right
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
You’ve got a way to keep me on your side
You give me cause for love that I can’t hide
For you I know I’d even try to turn the tide
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
This is a great song that is still ringing true for me today. It also helps that it is in my vocal range! If I get adventurous enough, and with enough encouragement, I may get up and attempt to sing it sometime, but not without more practice!
Anyway, I REALLY need to do some coding today. I also need to laundry, eat lunch, and go to the gym. What’s that you say?!?! Go to the gym?!?!? YES. I even have a personal trainer. So far he is kicking my arse, but he’s a pretty nice guy. I’ve only actually been there twice starting last Sunday, but I DO plan on going weekly, multiple times a week. I have found that I have pretty good leg strength but my arms…not so much. Hopefully that will all change. In the spirit of having an open mind and putting my best foot forward, I even got some workout clothes, a new pair of tennis shoes, and a gym bag. I am a walking Nike ad! To my credit, it was all on sale and at least the shoes are pretty comfortable. I have a pair of New Balance sneakers which hurt my feet too much. I think I will be giving those too Goodwill at some point.
Finally, in a new effort to add some more fun to the site, I am giving in and will be attempting to add some silly quizzes, features, etc. Today’s choice? What is your pimp name!
| Your Pimp Name Is… |
 |
Maestro Glider. Yea, I like that!
Be seeing you…
Good morning and Happy Sunday. Although I use those five words all the time in various combinations, I don’t think I have ever strung them together quite like that before. I don’t usually get up too early on Sundays, but for some reason I woke up at 7am and couldn’t get back to sleep. I had a wonderful night last night and couldn’t get to sleep until after 2 or 3am or so. I’m a little surprised to be as awake as I am. Although conscious and surprisingly coherent, I really didn’t want to actually get up and do anything yet, so I compromised a little. I ended up laying back down and watched the remake of Shaft. I caught the beginning of it on TV the other week and decided that maybe I really did want to watch it all again. Since I have it on DVD…
Samuel L. Jackson is one Bad Mother F…ummm, BFM. It’s true, he has a wallet that says so. Actually, come to think of it, he also has a purple light saber that says that too. heh heh
Yes, I have a plethora of useless knowledge and trivia available on command whenever the need warrants it. (Jefe, what is a plethora?) Bonus points if you know which movie that’s from.
BTW, here is a cool link courtesy of my friend Bill Byrd.
Crank up the volume and enjoy the show!
Anyway, I was invited to go up to Lake Zurich to watch the Bear game today. I admittedly know very little about the Bears this year or really about football in general, but I haven’t been up to my buddy’s new house yet and since I am still riding this happy mood feeling, I thought I would go up there and hang out.
As mentioned before, I had a wonderfully fantastic time last night. I shan’t go into details here, but as the title references, it was thoroughly De-lovely. Somebody cue the music…
I understand the reason why
You’re sentimental, ’cause so am I
It’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s de-lovely
You can tell at a glance what a swell night this is for romance
You can hear, dear Mother Nature murmuring low “Let yourself go”
So please be sweet, my chickadee
And when I kiss ya, just say to me
“It’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s delectable, it’s delirious,
It’s dilemma, it’s de limit, it’s deluxe, it’s de-lovely”
You can tell at a glance what a swell night this is for romance
You can hear dear Mother Nature murmuring low “Let yourself go”
So please be sweet, my chickadee
And when I kiss ya, just say to me
“It’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s delectable, it’s delirious,
It’s dilemma, it’s de limit, it’s deluxe, it’s de-lovely”
Be seeing you…
“And there we were all in one place…” -D. McLean
It’s been a little while since I’ve updated and for that I thoroughly apologize. The month of October has come and gone and we are now pushing through to December. The biggest news that happened, of course, is that the White Sox had won the World Series in a 4 game sweep. I had the honor of again singing at Sox Park this year (check out the picture of me in front of Reinsdorf’s office) and I am very happy for them. Other than that, October has pretty much been a whole lot of the same old same old.
My writing ambitions have quickly become non-existent, but I haven’t given up hope just yet. The first step is to keep blogging here and there and then we’ll see. I must say that I am in a pretty good mood tonight and have had a pretty good day overall. I got a haircut, ran some errands, and saw a Sweet Adeline show. The ladies were fantastic and I really enjoyed the evening. I haven’t had a really good day for a while and I am still smiling because of it. I’ll have to figure out what alignment of stars or what not caused it and see what I can do about having a lot more of them.
BTW, I was going to add an entry a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t quite get to it. I got as far as the subject but then got distracted with something else. By the time I realized it I was already in bed and didn’t feel like getting back up. I of course promptly put it out of my mind and so here we are.
One thing I have been enjoying recently is television. There are some really good shows on right now. I know I mentioned the shows in an earlier post, but here is what I am watching and enjoying now, mostly by day showing:
The West Wing - this season has really picked up and the show is pretty good right now.
Family Guy - Guilty pleasure. Stewie is awesome.
Arrested Development - Not as funny as season 1, but funnier than season 2. Bob Lobloblaw. LMAO
How I Met Your Mother - I’m really digging this show. Good characters, good actors.
Kitchen Confidential - Still seeing how its going, but it does make me laugh.
Prison Break - Started watching it, stopped, started again after catching a marathon. Decent show.
Two And A Half Men - Laugh out loud funny at times. I also like reading the vanity cards at the end.
Out Of Practice - Waiting and seeing. Still enjoying it.
My Name Is Earl - Funny, funny, funny! Quickly becoming a favorite show.
The Office - Didn’t like it at first, am liking it better now.
Boston Legal - Spader and Shatner are pure TV Gold.
Apprentice Martha Stewart - Still watching, usually fast forward through a lot of it.
Drawn Together - Second guilty pleasure. This show is wrong on so many levels, yet I am drawn to watch it.
Joey - Fun and Funny. Still liking it.
Apprentice Trump - Still the best reality show out there.
ER - I miss Noah Wiley, but the show is still good (at least Maura Tierney is still there, rowr)
Monk - Didn’t used to watch it, but I am starting to get hooked. I empathize with him at times.
Saturday Night Live - Still love watching the Weekend Update segments (Tina Fey, rowr)
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - Still funny. Stopped watching for a while. Starting to watch again.
And finally, one of my new favorite shows…
The Colbert Report - Funny, funny, funny! It’s also very clever. Pronounced like Coal-bear Ray poor. Why? “Because its French, B*tch!” - S. Colbert
As you can see, I do keep myself busy with TV, but surprisingly enough, these are all shows on expanded basic cable. Who needs digital cable?!?! Ok, I will once the Sopranos start again, but for the most part, I am very entertained with the current offerings. It’s like TV is getting good again. It wasn’t for a while.
So anyway, to mention the title, as is a theme with all my postings, that is a favorite song of mine. I’ve liked it since I was a teenager. Time, time, time, see what’s become of me? Well, time is rolling along and I am still doing ok. For the uninformed and the uninitiated, I am referencing “Hazy Shade of Winter” by Simon & Garfunkel. Lyrics below:
Time, time, time, see what’s become of me
While I looked around
For my possibilities
I was so hard to please
But look around, leaves are brown
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter
Hear the salvation army band
Down by the riverside, it’s bound to be a better ride
Than what you’ve got planned
Carry your cup in your hand
And look around, leaves are brown now
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter
Hang on to your hopes, my friend
That’s an easy thing to say, but if your hopes should pass away
Simply pretend
That you can build them again
Look around, the grass is high
The fields are ripe, it’s the springtime of my life
Ahhh, seasons change with the scenery
Weaving time in a tapestry
Won’t you stop and remember me
At any convenient time
Funny how my memory slips while looking over manuscripts
Of unpublished rhyme
Drinking my vodka and lime
But look around, leaves are brown now
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter
Look around, leaves are brown
There’s a patch of snow on the ground…
Some people may look at that and think it’s a sad, depressing song. I choose to look at it as a song of hope. Yes, sometimes life knocks you down but that’s ok. You cannot truly appreciate the highs without experiencing the lows.
So, another novella come and gone. It’s not the first and it won’t be the last. I’m just happy I made the time to post again. It’s after 2am Saturday night/Sunday morning and I am still Mr. Happy Guy right now. I think I’ll head to bed soon and get a good nights sleep. Tomorrow is a coding day.
Be seeing you…
What a month. I’m glad its almost over. As you can tell by more lapse in postings that I have been pretty busy/wrapped up in things this month. I know that it doesn’t really take much to blog every few days or so, but dang it, sometimes I just don’t think about it. Since some of you have been complaining about my lack of posts, I decided I’d better get on the ball (yes, there are people that read this blog).
To use a simplistic imagery, the fog is slowly lifting. I’m not running at full speed just yet (mind not the comparison, its just more simplistic imagery), but I am making some headway. I even dusted off the old history books and have resigned myself to start reading them. I’m actually a pretty avid reader, but for some reason, these have been hanging over me like Damocles Sword (I try to also educate while I entertain you people). I’ve read a dozen books this year, some of them very quickly (just read Casino in three days), but I think there is a more deep-rooted issue here. I won’t elaborate, but I am working my through it.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, the new fall lineup is here! I have been patiently waiting all summer for the return of some of my favorite shows. I have also been pleasantly surprised with some new ones too. Here’s what my Tivo has been up to lately.
Sundays: West Wing, Family Guy
Mondays: Arrested Development, How I Met Your Mother, Kitchen Confidential, 2 and a Half Men, Out Of Practice, Just Legal (I know shows conflict, I actually have to watch some in realtime)
Tuesdays: My Name Is Earl, Boston Legal, Nip/Tuck, Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Wednesdays: The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
Thursdays: Joey, The Apprentice (Trump), ER
Fridays: None yet
Saturdays: Bosom Buddies (its on very early on TBS), Saturday Night Live
On hiatus: Rescue Me, The Shield, 30 Days, American Idol, The 4400, Minding The Store, Hogan Knows Best, Sopranos (if I decide to get HBO for the last season)
I know I probably watch too much TV but its cheaper than going out to the movies. Anyway, this week is going to be a pretty full one too as my barbershop contest is this weekend, which always means its a long weekend. I am really hoping that October is going to be a lot better than September.
Oh yea, before I forget, I just turned 29 on September 15th. Happy fricking Birthday to me. < -- It helps to say it like Jack Nicholson would.
To explain this posts subject, I am feeling particularly strong today. I broke not 1, but 2 ice cube trays today without even trying. In both cases, I was simply trying to bend out the ice from the tray and SNAP, broke it in two. I thought the first one was unimportant, but the second got me wondering if there is a trend starting. BTW, to elaborate too, I broke them at 2 different places, unrelated circumstances. He-Man has nothing on me today. “Oooooo, yeaaaaa!!!” < -- figure that quote out, heh heh
Be seeing you…