Now living in the south there are few things I expect to see done very well as far as "SHOWS" go. There are too many passionate people in this town to let their "Shows" fall to mediocrity.
The Renaissance Fair, (you can put the "E" at the end if you like but around here they would just call it the Renaissance Fairy.) - Yes, the south has its share of Fantasy geeks and barbarian want to be's and believe it or not they put on a pretty good show although the Pan character always gives me the creeps. Horses charge, Lances break and Knights dismount from their steeds the hard way. This year we even saw a mighty Knight shed some tears when play time hit a little too hard. All and all it was a pretty good time, and I had a little extra fun counting how many "Modern Knight" comments my Ironman shirt was getting. Yes I did.
The State Fair- The rides I will never ride, the games I will rarely play, the crowd that is always there and the foods I could never imagine could be fried! AWESOME!
The Dixie Knife and Gun show.- YEEEEEE HAAAAAA!!!! I'm actually afraid of this one. But I hear it's the best.
The Fishing and Boat show- This show turns men into kids again, "Mamma, I want this un!" The amount of drooling that goes on at this show keeps the boat industry afloat. Very cool boats among other things that will bankrupt a family but keep them entertained for at least six months.
The Classic Car show- Usually, in a town like this a classic car show is a pretty good deal. I have been to some of the small town ones and there was a lot to look at. I figured The Classic Car Show at the Capital would certainly have to be the best......Right? I mean, all those small towns getting together with all of their cars to have a show at the capital? That HAS to be worth the Ten Bucks they want to see the "Hundreds of cars indoors..." , Wow, there were a bout a hundred cars lined up outside that I didn't have to pay to see, I can only imagine what inside must be like. My friends and I paid the ten dollars and looked down at the 60 of 70 cars strung between the 30 to 40 vendors took a few pictures and went back outside after about a half an hour feeling totally ripped off. Raleigh, you should be ashamed of yourself! I have seen Yankee towns put on a better classic car show, you should have your Redneck Card revoked! Shame on you..... Next year I will save my money so I can stay outside and argue with the angry Turkish vendor over the cost of an undercooked turkey leg.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
... to share one of my favorites.
This has always been a favorite of mine .
The Sound of One Hand Clapping-
There was a man,
a lonely man, sitting on the edge of a fountain.
He looked so very sad, so I went to him.
I asked him what was wrong.
He looked up at me and smiled,
“Nothing,” he said, “I just understand now.”
Then he vanished.
Later that evening I had a dream,
and I saw that man.
Surrounded by darkness, he was shivering.
“Do you know the sound of one hand clapping?”
I never saw or dreamt of that man again,
but I’ve carried his question with me throughout my life.
What is the sound of one hand clapping?
My life was once so secure, so simple.
I had a job, friends and even someone who loved me,
but no longer.
Now I sit on the edge of the fountain, alone and cold.
I hear the mans voice again,
“What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
I chuckle as a young boy comes and asks me what is wrong.
“Nothing,” I say, “ I just understand now.”
There was a man,
a lonely man, sitting on the edge of a fountain.
He looked so very sad, so I went to him.
I asked him what was wrong.
He looked up at me and smiled,
“Nothing,” he said, “I just understand now.”
Then he vanished.
Later that evening I had a dream,
and I saw that man.
Surrounded by darkness, he was shivering.
“Do you know the sound of one hand clapping?”
I never saw or dreamt of that man again,
but I’ve carried his question with me throughout my life.
What is the sound of one hand clapping?
My life was once so secure, so simple.
I had a job, friends and even someone who loved me,
but no longer.
Now I sit on the edge of the fountain, alone and cold.
I hear the mans voice again,
“What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
I chuckle as a young boy comes and asks me what is wrong.
“Nothing,” I say, “ I just understand now.”
Monday, August 16, 2010
...tease.
Have you ever just written for the sake of getting it all out? Well that's what happened today, It really was just a bunch of rubbish. Sorry but I deleted it.
Hang in there, I'll think of something!
Hang in there, I'll think of something!
Friday, August 13, 2010
... repeat myself.
This is an oldie but a goodie from a past blog of mine.
"How things work at a University" Enjoy,
Lets take a hypothetical situation: a carpenter needs to be hired to do a job over a weekend and needs keys.
The State must accept bids for the job and most of the time they choose the contractor that will cost the least. Once the University chooses the cheapie the ball starts rolling and committees are set up to discuss the work that needs to be done, this usually takes weeks. Once the planning is done they can start working.
Keep in mind that they are going to be working on saturday and that it is only 11:00 am thursday so there is a real need for keys to be cut and picked up. The contractor has known he will need keys for three weeks now but it must have slipped his mind.
Instead of submitting a key request to the lock shop and picking up the keys before the lock shop closes at 3:30pm --heres what he does:
Young Skippy the contractor, in a panic calls the construction manager assigned to the project and leaves a voicemail message stating that he needs keys or he cant get the job done and to call him back immediately.
After leaving the message he picks up his phone and calls his crew leader and tells him he doesn't think they are going to be able to get the job done because he doesn't have the keys yet.
Now heres where it gets tricky folks because while he is on the phone he is standing in the lab that needs the work done and the Prof. that wants the work done can hear him.
Meanwhile the Construction Manager (CM) has called the lock shop and we are cutting the keys now. the CM is told the keys will be ready by noon and Young Skippy must come before 3:30pm to pick them up or we will be closed.
The CM now calls the contractor to let him know whats up but is forced to leave a message because the contractor is on the phone.
Now! Remember the Prof? You know, the one who overheard that his work isn't going to get done? Well hold on folks it's gonna be a bumpy ride!
The Prof now storms out of the lab and proceeds across the brick yard towards his office to call the Dean of his department and complain. While on the brickyard he bumps into another Prof and starts venting (very loudly, I might add) to him about how the work is not going to get done. The venting is overheard by Little Timmy who is on his way to class but since he was running a bit early decided to stop and listen to the brickyard Preacher who was giving a sermon entitled "The Devil is in The Details". Timmy gets bored and leaves to continue to class. On the way Timmy bumps into his buddy Bob who just happens to share a class with Timmy which is also taught by Angry Prof. Timmy tells Bob that the lab Angry Prof was planning for next week may be cancelled because the work wont be done in time and then continues on to class. Bob walks over to the atrium where he meets his mom for lunch because well hey he IS a student and will take any opportunity for a free lunch that he can. Bob tells his mom who just happens to bump into her co-worker Stella on the way back to the office. Bob's Mom tells Stella what happened as they pass by the Hot Dog vendor that is always out there on Hills street with his cart and his always faithful little dog by his side.
Meanwhile the Angry Prof. (after not getting an answer on the phone because it is lunch time) storms into the Dean's office where he is met by the secretary (Paula) sitting behind her desk working on what is left of her lunch which consists of a half of ham sandwich and one of the largest dill pickles you have ever seen. Un- amused, the Secretary tells the Angry Prof. (who by the way has been the biggest pain in the butt she has ever had the honor of meeting) that she will forward his tragic story to the Dean when he returns from his seminar on how to deal with difficult people.
At the very same moment, the hotdog man's trusty companion leaves to rid himself of some excess bladder pressure. On the way back the dog meets the local stray cat, they both stop for a bit and smell each others butt then continue on their merry way.
The Dean makes it back to his office, gets his messages from the Pickle Packing Paula, swears a bit and states "I wish that old fart would just retire already", then storms into his office to contact the Lock Shop Supervisor who tells him that the keys have been ready for over an hour. The Dean walks over to his office door and kindly waits for Paula to finish off Picklezilla and askes her to contact Angry Prof and let him know everything is on track. Paula belts out a hearty "no problem" and smiles as she thinks "Forget that Idiot, he can wait!". Angry Prof never gets the message.
By this time the old Stray Cat has strolled all the way down Hills street to the Cup 'O Joe,( a local hangout where all the trendy beatnics and coffee lovers like to go and order their triple fudge double light frothy grande mocha lattes and tell each other how cool they are to be hanging out in such a place) and is currently rubbing on the leg of a grad student and part time pet psychic Carl Montez. At that very moment Carl could sense that something was really bothering that old stray so he bent down , picked the stray up and looked him straight in the eyes, Thats where he got the whole story. You see, it may have looked like the dog was just smelling the cat's butt but they were actually communicating. With every little twich of the dog's whiskers on the cat's tiny hiney hole the dog told him what he had just heard in the conversation between Bob's mom and her co-worker Stella, very much like morse code. Carl made his way back to the Vet School and on his way in he told the receptionist about the work that was not getting done on main campus because they couldn't get keys and she in turn called her husband who was out golfing with the Nephew of the Vice President of The United States (who has nothing to do with this story by the way). The husband called the asst Director for the Dining services who then remembered that the Director for Facilities Operations was in the main dining area having a late lunch and went out and told him what he learned. the Director went back to his office and called the Assistant to the assistant, assistant director of Repairs and Reconstruction, who in turn calls the Lock shop Supervisor and is told that the keys were cut two and a half hours ago.
It is now 2:30pm and the keys have not been picked up.
Angry Prof, not being a patient man, Can't stand it anymore. He has waited to hear something back from the Dean, and Young Skippy, the contractor is nowhere to be found. He decides to call the lock shop himself and is told "yes the keys are ready, but it's 3:00pm and we close in half an hour so if they want these keys they better hurry, they've been ready all day!"
3:30pm comes and goes and everyone leaves except for the On-Call guy who has to stay till 5pm.
At 4pm the on-call guy arrives back at the shop to find a CM guy banging on the door, Upon seeing the locksmith he rushes over and says that the contractor is on his way and is there any way possible to pick up the keys now, he is just down the street. The locksmith says sure no problem.
The contractor doesn't show up for another hour...........
............ The next day............
..............................The keys are lost............................
And on monday the Lock Shop starts work on re-keying.......
.................................The whole Building!!!!!!!!
Hypothetically, that is.
"How things work at a University" Enjoy,
Lets take a hypothetical situation: a carpenter needs to be hired to do a job over a weekend and needs keys.
The State must accept bids for the job and most of the time they choose the contractor that will cost the least. Once the University chooses the cheapie the ball starts rolling and committees are set up to discuss the work that needs to be done, this usually takes weeks. Once the planning is done they can start working.
Keep in mind that they are going to be working on saturday and that it is only 11:00 am thursday so there is a real need for keys to be cut and picked up. The contractor has known he will need keys for three weeks now but it must have slipped his mind.
Instead of submitting a key request to the lock shop and picking up the keys before the lock shop closes at 3:30pm --heres what he does:
Young Skippy the contractor, in a panic calls the construction manager assigned to the project and leaves a voicemail message stating that he needs keys or he cant get the job done and to call him back immediately.
After leaving the message he picks up his phone and calls his crew leader and tells him he doesn't think they are going to be able to get the job done because he doesn't have the keys yet.
Now heres where it gets tricky folks because while he is on the phone he is standing in the lab that needs the work done and the Prof. that wants the work done can hear him.
Meanwhile the Construction Manager (CM) has called the lock shop and we are cutting the keys now. the CM is told the keys will be ready by noon and Young Skippy must come before 3:30pm to pick them up or we will be closed.
The CM now calls the contractor to let him know whats up but is forced to leave a message because the contractor is on the phone.
Now! Remember the Prof? You know, the one who overheard that his work isn't going to get done? Well hold on folks it's gonna be a bumpy ride!
The Prof now storms out of the lab and proceeds across the brick yard towards his office to call the Dean of his department and complain. While on the brickyard he bumps into another Prof and starts venting (very loudly, I might add) to him about how the work is not going to get done. The venting is overheard by Little Timmy who is on his way to class but since he was running a bit early decided to stop and listen to the brickyard Preacher who was giving a sermon entitled "The Devil is in The Details". Timmy gets bored and leaves to continue to class. On the way Timmy bumps into his buddy Bob who just happens to share a class with Timmy which is also taught by Angry Prof. Timmy tells Bob that the lab Angry Prof was planning for next week may be cancelled because the work wont be done in time and then continues on to class. Bob walks over to the atrium where he meets his mom for lunch because well hey he IS a student and will take any opportunity for a free lunch that he can. Bob tells his mom who just happens to bump into her co-worker Stella on the way back to the office. Bob's Mom tells Stella what happened as they pass by the Hot Dog vendor that is always out there on Hills street with his cart and his always faithful little dog by his side.
Meanwhile the Angry Prof. (after not getting an answer on the phone because it is lunch time) storms into the Dean's office where he is met by the secretary (Paula) sitting behind her desk working on what is left of her lunch which consists of a half of ham sandwich and one of the largest dill pickles you have ever seen. Un- amused, the Secretary tells the Angry Prof. (who by the way has been the biggest pain in the butt she has ever had the honor of meeting) that she will forward his tragic story to the Dean when he returns from his seminar on how to deal with difficult people.
At the very same moment, the hotdog man's trusty companion leaves to rid himself of some excess bladder pressure. On the way back the dog meets the local stray cat, they both stop for a bit and smell each others butt then continue on their merry way.
The Dean makes it back to his office, gets his messages from the Pickle Packing Paula, swears a bit and states "I wish that old fart would just retire already", then storms into his office to contact the Lock Shop Supervisor who tells him that the keys have been ready for over an hour. The Dean walks over to his office door and kindly waits for Paula to finish off Picklezilla and askes her to contact Angry Prof and let him know everything is on track. Paula belts out a hearty "no problem" and smiles as she thinks "Forget that Idiot, he can wait!". Angry Prof never gets the message.
By this time the old Stray Cat has strolled all the way down Hills street to the Cup 'O Joe,( a local hangout where all the trendy beatnics and coffee lovers like to go and order their triple fudge double light frothy grande mocha lattes and tell each other how cool they are to be hanging out in such a place) and is currently rubbing on the leg of a grad student and part time pet psychic Carl Montez. At that very moment Carl could sense that something was really bothering that old stray so he bent down , picked the stray up and looked him straight in the eyes, Thats where he got the whole story. You see, it may have looked like the dog was just smelling the cat's butt but they were actually communicating. With every little twich of the dog's whiskers on the cat's tiny hiney hole the dog told him what he had just heard in the conversation between Bob's mom and her co-worker Stella, very much like morse code. Carl made his way back to the Vet School and on his way in he told the receptionist about the work that was not getting done on main campus because they couldn't get keys and she in turn called her husband who was out golfing with the Nephew of the Vice President of The United States (who has nothing to do with this story by the way). The husband called the asst Director for the Dining services who then remembered that the Director for Facilities Operations was in the main dining area having a late lunch and went out and told him what he learned. the Director went back to his office and called the Assistant to the assistant, assistant director of Repairs and Reconstruction, who in turn calls the Lock shop Supervisor and is told that the keys were cut two and a half hours ago.
It is now 2:30pm and the keys have not been picked up.
Angry Prof, not being a patient man, Can't stand it anymore. He has waited to hear something back from the Dean, and Young Skippy, the contractor is nowhere to be found. He decides to call the lock shop himself and is told "yes the keys are ready, but it's 3:00pm and we close in half an hour so if they want these keys they better hurry, they've been ready all day!"
3:30pm comes and goes and everyone leaves except for the On-Call guy who has to stay till 5pm.
At 4pm the on-call guy arrives back at the shop to find a CM guy banging on the door, Upon seeing the locksmith he rushes over and says that the contractor is on his way and is there any way possible to pick up the keys now, he is just down the street. The locksmith says sure no problem.
The contractor doesn't show up for another hour...........
............ The next day............
..............................The keys are lost............................
And on monday the Lock Shop starts work on re-keying.......
.................................The whole Building!!!!!!!!
Hypothetically, that is.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
...vent about cakes.
Last night I stumbled across a television show that featured three high end bakeries in New York and a few of the custom cakes they were making. I know, this is nothing new, there's at least five other shows out there that cover the same thing. Well, I have a problem with them all.
First of all, Food Service shows kind of give me the creeps. The one last night had about fifteen pairs of hands on one "cake" and there was not a single glove on any of them. They could at least show the people washing their hands on a regular basis. They don't seem to have any issues showing folks running their hands through their hair or putting their hands up to their mouths in horror when something breaks and then diving back into the "cake" for repairs. Maybe fondant is germ resistant.
How much actual cake has to be in these crazy creations before they are not considered cakes any more? I know if I paid four hundred dollars for a cake and I bite into it it better be cake! Rice crispy treat is NOT cake. Great big wads of fondant or modeling chocolate is NOT cake. Wires, wood, Styrofoam, flame throwers, lasers and smoke machine........NOT CAKE.
When did it become a requirement for bakers to have experience in Carpentry and a degree in Electrical Engineering? As cool as all of that stuff looks, I'm still not sure I WANT a robotic cake that has the ability to get up and run away. Next thing you know cakes will be self aware and we wont be allowed to eat them because they will be considered a new life form. When cakes rise up and take over mankind and create human looking cakes to infiltrate the human resistance then we have gone too far!
First of all, Food Service shows kind of give me the creeps. The one last night had about fifteen pairs of hands on one "cake" and there was not a single glove on any of them. They could at least show the people washing their hands on a regular basis. They don't seem to have any issues showing folks running their hands through their hair or putting their hands up to their mouths in horror when something breaks and then diving back into the "cake" for repairs. Maybe fondant is germ resistant.
How much actual cake has to be in these crazy creations before they are not considered cakes any more? I know if I paid four hundred dollars for a cake and I bite into it it better be cake! Rice crispy treat is NOT cake. Great big wads of fondant or modeling chocolate is NOT cake. Wires, wood, Styrofoam, flame throwers, lasers and smoke machine........NOT CAKE.
When did it become a requirement for bakers to have experience in Carpentry and a degree in Electrical Engineering? As cool as all of that stuff looks, I'm still not sure I WANT a robotic cake that has the ability to get up and run away. Next thing you know cakes will be self aware and we wont be allowed to eat them because they will be considered a new life form. When cakes rise up and take over mankind and create human looking cakes to infiltrate the human resistance then we have gone too far!
Monday, August 9, 2010
...wax poetic.
- The Prisoner -
There is a pause, and then movement,
another pause, then movement again.
All within a split second, over and over.
The pounding rings loudly in my ears,
and the prisoner cries out for freedom.
The prisoner has been trapped far too long,
but…
can the prisoner live without it’s stone walls and shackles?
It has found freedom in the past,
and has come running back begging
for the safety of the stone walls
and the security of the steel door
which it is desperately pounding on now.
Upon it’s last return to it’s cell I became angry
and cast the key into the vast desert outside the prison walls.
As time passed, a path appeared in that desert,
and the prisoner stood in it’s cell, day by day,
staring at that path through a tiny window.
Then…
one day, along that path, a woman appeared,
and with her she had her own prisoner.
They were both beautiful.
Suddenly, the woman stopped to pick something up,
as she did a gleam of light hit the object
and the prisoner in the cell became frantic.
From the tiny window the prisoner could see that the woman now
held the key to it’s freedom.
The prisoner’s cries had not gone unheard
and as the woman stood on her path staring at the window,
the prisoner wondered,
would she use that key?
There is a pause, and then movement,
another pause, then movement again.
All within a split second, over and over.
The pounding rings loudly in my ears,
and the prisoner cries out for freedom.
The prisoner has been trapped far too long,
but…
can the prisoner live without it’s stone walls and shackles?
It has found freedom in the past,
and has come running back begging
for the safety of the stone walls
and the security of the steel door
which it is desperately pounding on now.
Upon it’s last return to it’s cell I became angry
and cast the key into the vast desert outside the prison walls.
As time passed, a path appeared in that desert,
and the prisoner stood in it’s cell, day by day,
staring at that path through a tiny window.
Then…
one day, along that path, a woman appeared,
and with her she had her own prisoner.
They were both beautiful.
Suddenly, the woman stopped to pick something up,
as she did a gleam of light hit the object
and the prisoner in the cell became frantic.
From the tiny window the prisoner could see that the woman now
held the key to it’s freedom.
The prisoner’s cries had not gone unheard
and as the woman stood on her path staring at the window,
the prisoner wondered,
would she use that key?
...shed some light on ADHD.
A couple of friends have asked for more info on ADHD so Here we go.
This is a pretty good site to read about the symptoms.
www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-symptoms
I will also include a test or list of questions that helped diagnose ADHD with me. Mind you this was not why I initially sought counselling, I was having anger issues and depression. I couldn't explain why I was always angry, my self esteem was shot, I was constantly second guessing my decisions, depression overtook me and twisted in with my frustration to even make the simplest of decisions I became more and more angry and frustrated with myself and others around me. It took my wife and some friends sitting me down to say, "You are getting pretty scary, something is wrong." to get me to seek help.
After a couple of sessions, the counsellor mentioned that he noticed I was easily distracted by the window and would only focus if he had the blinds shut. He asked a few questions and I came to realize that I would "daydream" a lot. and he then asked me if I have any hobbies, "Sure, I'm interested in a lot of things." to which he asked, "But do you ever come up with an end product with any of your hobbies?". Of course I don't, that's just crazy talk, my garage is full of half projects and unfinished ideas.
He stood up, pulled a book from the shelf and began to ask questions, I was amazed at how many I answered yes to. try them out for yourself.
http://psychcentral.com/addquiz.htm
Knowing what is wrong and getting the proper treatment has turned my life around and made my relationship with my wife, my son and myself so much better.
This is a pretty good site to read about the symptoms.
www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-symptoms
I will also include a test or list of questions that helped diagnose ADHD with me. Mind you this was not why I initially sought counselling, I was having anger issues and depression. I couldn't explain why I was always angry, my self esteem was shot, I was constantly second guessing my decisions, depression overtook me and twisted in with my frustration to even make the simplest of decisions I became more and more angry and frustrated with myself and others around me. It took my wife and some friends sitting me down to say, "You are getting pretty scary, something is wrong." to get me to seek help.
After a couple of sessions, the counsellor mentioned that he noticed I was easily distracted by the window and would only focus if he had the blinds shut. He asked a few questions and I came to realize that I would "daydream" a lot. and he then asked me if I have any hobbies, "Sure, I'm interested in a lot of things." to which he asked, "But do you ever come up with an end product with any of your hobbies?". Of course I don't, that's just crazy talk, my garage is full of half projects and unfinished ideas.
He stood up, pulled a book from the shelf and began to ask questions, I was amazed at how many I answered yes to. try them out for yourself.
http://psychcentral.com/addquiz.htm
Knowing what is wrong and getting the proper treatment has turned my life around and made my relationship with my wife, my son and myself so much better.
...."Whip - It"
The wooden floor within the wide open room smelled of age. We pass by the silent sentinels of entertainment from an era when triangles hunted massive digital rocks and Italian plumbers were locked in mortal combat with a giant misnamed gorilla to save a princess and collect a bit of coin. The center of the room is lined with tape in an oval pattern and the crowd is beginning to form just outside the largest of the ovals, "Eighteen and younger must sit at least three feet behing the yellow tape." Announces the disembodied voice of the announcer.
The oval comes alive with the sound of wheels to wood as Joan Jett hates herself for loving you over the loud speaker. Warriors clad in fishnet stockings, spandex miniskirts, gold lamay leopard print panties and hot pink leg warmers thunder around the oval tweaking the individuality of their uniforms as they warm up for the days battle.
The creativity and individuality continues further than the apparel, with Pseudonyms like Hellen Wheels, Alice in Thunderland, Molly Hatchet and Killer Karla, they rival any denizen of the dance pole but that creativity is about as far as the comparison goes. With their anonymity secure they play out their roles so well the line is drawn and only an insane person who has no love of his own teeth would wave a dollar at one of these girls and yell "Take it off, baby!".
Scanning the crowd, I noticed that this is not just a sporting event but more of a subculture. The fans consisted of only what I could describe as Other Teams, Wannabes, Used to bes, and families. It was a whole subculture unto itself. I did get a glimpse of what regular folks feel when they are dragged to a Sci-fi convention. Oh The Cheetah face painted guy who was the mascot for one of the teams bears mentioning just for the entertainment factor. Every time his team scored he runs full speed around the track waving a huge flag. Yes it was amusing to see how slowly he would run as the match went on.
If you haven't guessed by now I am talking about Roller Derby. I have to confess, It was not as exciting as I thought it would be. It held my sons attention for a whole seven minutes before he was distracted by popcorn and I have to say if it wasn't for some of the skimpy outfits on the track and in the crowd I would have had my own bag of popcorn to distract me.
In my honest opinion, the roller derby was as flat as the track they were racing on. If I find a banked track roller derby I might give it another try, but for now I'll stick to car shows.
The oval comes alive with the sound of wheels to wood as Joan Jett hates herself for loving you over the loud speaker. Warriors clad in fishnet stockings, spandex miniskirts, gold lamay leopard print panties and hot pink leg warmers thunder around the oval tweaking the individuality of their uniforms as they warm up for the days battle.
The creativity and individuality continues further than the apparel, with Pseudonyms like Hellen Wheels, Alice in Thunderland, Molly Hatchet and Killer Karla, they rival any denizen of the dance pole but that creativity is about as far as the comparison goes. With their anonymity secure they play out their roles so well the line is drawn and only an insane person who has no love of his own teeth would wave a dollar at one of these girls and yell "Take it off, baby!".
Scanning the crowd, I noticed that this is not just a sporting event but more of a subculture. The fans consisted of only what I could describe as Other Teams, Wannabes, Used to bes, and families. It was a whole subculture unto itself. I did get a glimpse of what regular folks feel when they are dragged to a Sci-fi convention. Oh The Cheetah face painted guy who was the mascot for one of the teams bears mentioning just for the entertainment factor. Every time his team scored he runs full speed around the track waving a huge flag. Yes it was amusing to see how slowly he would run as the match went on.
If you haven't guessed by now I am talking about Roller Derby. I have to confess, It was not as exciting as I thought it would be. It held my sons attention for a whole seven minutes before he was distracted by popcorn and I have to say if it wasn't for some of the skimpy outfits on the track and in the crowd I would have had my own bag of popcorn to distract me.
In my honest opinion, the roller derby was as flat as the track they were racing on. If I find a banked track roller derby I might give it another try, but for now I'll stick to car shows.
Friday, August 6, 2010
...notice human nature.
Working on a University campus, I have noticed that for the most part people Don't like to read signs. Hey I'll even take it a step further and just say as humans, we don't really pay attention to anything. But if you try really really hard to sit in a busy area you will see a lot of amusing things happening.
I was going toward the elevators in one of our buildings and I saw this (engraved) sign on the door, "The elevator is out of order, please use an alternate route." If you have been keeping up with past posts then you already know that my brain just fired off in several different directions at once. Why did they word it like that? Did someone get paid by the letter to make this sign? Why didn't they just say "...use stairs"? Now it makes me wonder if the building even HAS stairs. That's strange, I didn't recall seeing ropes or scaffolding hanging from the side of the building. Did I miss a Jet-Pack rental station?
Now to make my point about people not paying attention I will add that while I was walking away from the Sign (which was Bright red and posted directly over the call buttons) two people walked up and pressed the call buttons and waited.
It doesn't matter how big the sign is it will always be overlooked. People are in so much of a hurry these days or so wrapped up in themselves that they don't take in their surroundings anymore. Want proof? Why is a wet floor sign so bright in color and usually stuck out in the middle of the floor?
Just for fun, if you find a door that is locked and has a "please use other door" sign on it, take a seat, watch how many people try the door. Not only will they try the door, they will then try again before they resort to shaking the door and then FINALLY they will actually look at the door and see the sign.
If you continue to pay attention you will notice that we are lazy as well. People would rather step over the guy working on the door rather than open the next available door. (I usually wait till they have one leg in the air over me then I stand. "Oh I am so sorry, I did not see you there.")
Then there are the "Work Harders". These are the people who would rather walk through grass dirt and sometimes mud to go to the other side of the building because that door is always open and they don't have to use their key like they would in the door they parked 10 feet away from.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone and afterward someone asks what it was about and you have no idea?
I had a service call when I was working in the dorms the students desk light wouldn't work. When I got there he had the fixture beautifully laid out across the desk like an exploded view straight out of a service manual right down to the last tiny little screw. He explained that he changed the bulb, the starter, checked the ballast and the wiring, He just didn't understand. I told him How impressed I was that he was able to break it down like that and asked if he thought he could put it all back together to which he said, "Of course, I'm an engineering student." I smile and told him I would return in 10 minutes. When I returned I was able to school the Engineering student on the value of electricity and the need to plug the fixture in. It happened at least once a year, Different student of course.
I was going toward the elevators in one of our buildings and I saw this (engraved) sign on the door, "The elevator is out of order, please use an alternate route." If you have been keeping up with past posts then you already know that my brain just fired off in several different directions at once. Why did they word it like that? Did someone get paid by the letter to make this sign? Why didn't they just say "...use stairs"? Now it makes me wonder if the building even HAS stairs. That's strange, I didn't recall seeing ropes or scaffolding hanging from the side of the building. Did I miss a Jet-Pack rental station?
Now to make my point about people not paying attention I will add that while I was walking away from the Sign (which was Bright red and posted directly over the call buttons) two people walked up and pressed the call buttons and waited.
It doesn't matter how big the sign is it will always be overlooked. People are in so much of a hurry these days or so wrapped up in themselves that they don't take in their surroundings anymore. Want proof? Why is a wet floor sign so bright in color and usually stuck out in the middle of the floor?
Just for fun, if you find a door that is locked and has a "please use other door" sign on it, take a seat, watch how many people try the door. Not only will they try the door, they will then try again before they resort to shaking the door and then FINALLY they will actually look at the door and see the sign.
If you continue to pay attention you will notice that we are lazy as well. People would rather step over the guy working on the door rather than open the next available door. (I usually wait till they have one leg in the air over me then I stand. "Oh I am so sorry, I did not see you there.")
Then there are the "Work Harders". These are the people who would rather walk through grass dirt and sometimes mud to go to the other side of the building because that door is always open and they don't have to use their key like they would in the door they parked 10 feet away from.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone and afterward someone asks what it was about and you have no idea?
I had a service call when I was working in the dorms the students desk light wouldn't work. When I got there he had the fixture beautifully laid out across the desk like an exploded view straight out of a service manual right down to the last tiny little screw. He explained that he changed the bulb, the starter, checked the ballast and the wiring, He just didn't understand. I told him How impressed I was that he was able to break it down like that and asked if he thought he could put it all back together to which he said, "Of course, I'm an engineering student." I smile and told him I would return in 10 minutes. When I returned I was able to school the Engineering student on the value of electricity and the need to plug the fixture in. It happened at least once a year, Different student of course.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
...continue with ADHD.
It is a "Hard to focus" day for me today, I have those every now and again. Trying to tune into a single thing is very difficult when it's like this. Every single little noise is amplified and draws my attention away.
Even now there is someone on the other side of the shop, I can tell he is pacing and even though I can't see him I know exactly who it is by the sound of his keys and I know exactly what he is doing. He is trying to make sense of the work order he just received and after a while he will come in here and ask me about it to see if he truly understands it.
Days like this also bring the ticking of the clock to the foreground, the hard drive clicking in the computer and the creaking of my bosses chair in his office. I hear it all, and I have to tune it out by turning on two fans in my office area.
It's kind of like my own little super power except it also comes with it's own version of Kryptonite. From the living room, with the TV on I can hear my son get up upstairs and go to the bathroom. It's almost like I tune into the sounds that are out of place to me. This is why I hear them.
The problem is sometimes that is all I hear. Just ask my wife, it drives her nuts. If I tune in on a sound and it is steady enough or just barely audible I can stand there for a long time trying to pinpoint what it is and where it's coming from.
Sounds are not the only things that can distract me, my own thoughts can do it as well. The other day I was in a hardware store and shovel caught my eye. Instantly my mind opened up and went off in several different directions. I thought about digging up the tree in the front yard, I wonder if my chainsaw will start, I hope the neighbor doesn't try to talk to me about the apple tree, I really hate bamboo, I wish the dog would dig up the moles, I wish the dog wasn't such a picky eater, stupid cats, I think I should clean the gutters, do we need batteries? and on and on. I don't know how long I was standing there but I'm glad a sales person asked me if I was finding everything I needed.
It isn't as bad or as frequent as it sounds, and I have figured out I function better with distractions from my distractions. Loud heavy music, fans on, a tv in the background and a lot of repetition of tasks. Making order out of chaos.
In the car I really don't have any problems with the safety aspect of the driving but I do have to prepare myself if I am going somewhere new, I do tend to miss turns or get lost more if I'm by myself. I have been KNOWN to leave my beautiful, kind and understanding wife waiting at the airport or out side of work because I missed a turn and ended up two towns away. The GPS is a great tool, except for the fact that it never seems to be in MY car.
The final super power attributed to my ADHD it Hyper-focusing. It sounds great right? HYPER - FOCUS!!!! You would think I could get a lot done with this one. The problem it it never rears it's ugly little head when I could use it to my advantage. Most of the time it shows up when I'm already in the middle of something and I notice something else that can truly be done later but I HAVE to get it done now. My son lost a nut to his High Hat for his drum kit and I went to every music store and hardware store I could think of and refused to give up. Could I have contacted the company and asked then to send me another one? Sure I could, but that wouldn't get it fixed right now would it?
The bonus to Hyperfocusing is if I can't find the part can't be found It drives me to create something that will work instead. Of course, that doesn't get my garage straightened out.
It took me till my thirties to figure out why my mind worked the way it does, but now that I understand what it is I can live a little easier with it.
It's like Rumpelstiltskin, I know it's name now, I can embrace it now.
Even now there is someone on the other side of the shop, I can tell he is pacing and even though I can't see him I know exactly who it is by the sound of his keys and I know exactly what he is doing. He is trying to make sense of the work order he just received and after a while he will come in here and ask me about it to see if he truly understands it.
Days like this also bring the ticking of the clock to the foreground, the hard drive clicking in the computer and the creaking of my bosses chair in his office. I hear it all, and I have to tune it out by turning on two fans in my office area.
It's kind of like my own little super power except it also comes with it's own version of Kryptonite. From the living room, with the TV on I can hear my son get up upstairs and go to the bathroom. It's almost like I tune into the sounds that are out of place to me. This is why I hear them.
The problem is sometimes that is all I hear. Just ask my wife, it drives her nuts. If I tune in on a sound and it is steady enough or just barely audible I can stand there for a long time trying to pinpoint what it is and where it's coming from.
Sounds are not the only things that can distract me, my own thoughts can do it as well. The other day I was in a hardware store and shovel caught my eye. Instantly my mind opened up and went off in several different directions. I thought about digging up the tree in the front yard, I wonder if my chainsaw will start, I hope the neighbor doesn't try to talk to me about the apple tree, I really hate bamboo, I wish the dog would dig up the moles, I wish the dog wasn't such a picky eater, stupid cats, I think I should clean the gutters, do we need batteries? and on and on. I don't know how long I was standing there but I'm glad a sales person asked me if I was finding everything I needed.
It isn't as bad or as frequent as it sounds, and I have figured out I function better with distractions from my distractions. Loud heavy music, fans on, a tv in the background and a lot of repetition of tasks. Making order out of chaos.
In the car I really don't have any problems with the safety aspect of the driving but I do have to prepare myself if I am going somewhere new, I do tend to miss turns or get lost more if I'm by myself. I have been KNOWN to leave my beautiful, kind and understanding wife waiting at the airport or out side of work because I missed a turn and ended up two towns away. The GPS is a great tool, except for the fact that it never seems to be in MY car.
The final super power attributed to my ADHD it Hyper-focusing. It sounds great right? HYPER - FOCUS!!!! You would think I could get a lot done with this one. The problem it it never rears it's ugly little head when I could use it to my advantage. Most of the time it shows up when I'm already in the middle of something and I notice something else that can truly be done later but I HAVE to get it done now. My son lost a nut to his High Hat for his drum kit and I went to every music store and hardware store I could think of and refused to give up. Could I have contacted the company and asked then to send me another one? Sure I could, but that wouldn't get it fixed right now would it?
The bonus to Hyperfocusing is if I can't find the part can't be found It drives me to create something that will work instead. Of course, that doesn't get my garage straightened out.
It took me till my thirties to figure out why my mind worked the way it does, but now that I understand what it is I can live a little easier with it.
It's like Rumpelstiltskin, I know it's name now, I can embrace it now.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
...question my self worth.
I am really new to this whole Blog world and I find that I have a lot of questions.....
Who sees my blog? This Blog, the one you are currently reading. Are you reading this? Hey leave a comment........
I feel like the guy that stands up on the stage tapping the microphone saying, "Hello? Is this thing on?" How does this thing called a blog REALLY work? Is the rhetoric I'm spewing really go anywhere where there is a small chance that someone may stumble across it and actually enjoy what I'm saying enough to return another day? Is that it? Am I just a big hill of snow just waiting anxiously for that one little ball of snow to begin rolling downward? Or must I self promote with giant "READ MY BLOG!!!" posts plastered throughout all of the social networks in this vast Web that is apparently World Wide. FaceBook is ok, but should I really subject my friends to the real me? What if they don't "Like" what I say and they un - "Friend" me? Could I really handle the unfriendliness of it all? MySpace? Please, MY opinion was never really well received. Maybe I could go to Twitter, Hmmm. I feel like a TWIT just saying the word "Tweet."
If I continue on with this blog and no one reads it do I still exist? Or am I just another tree fallen in the forest? Will it even make a difference to me if people DO read what I write, Will it change how I feel about myself if I know someone is out there listening to me? Man, this is a real problem. Are there truly people out in the world whose lives have changed because they blog and KNOW people read them? Would it drive a person mad just knowing that throughout the years of blogging their anonymity has slowly dwindled away, that there are strangers out in the world that know them better than their own families know them? Think about it.
Do I really want to do this? If I do, will it make me a better person, or not?
Who sees my blog? This Blog, the one you are currently reading. Are you reading this? Hey leave a comment........
I feel like the guy that stands up on the stage tapping the microphone saying, "Hello? Is this thing on?" How does this thing called a blog REALLY work? Is the rhetoric I'm spewing really go anywhere where there is a small chance that someone may stumble across it and actually enjoy what I'm saying enough to return another day? Is that it? Am I just a big hill of snow just waiting anxiously for that one little ball of snow to begin rolling downward? Or must I self promote with giant "READ MY BLOG!!!" posts plastered throughout all of the social networks in this vast Web that is apparently World Wide. FaceBook is ok, but should I really subject my friends to the real me? What if they don't "Like" what I say and they un - "Friend" me? Could I really handle the unfriendliness of it all? MySpace? Please, MY opinion was never really well received. Maybe I could go to Twitter, Hmmm. I feel like a TWIT just saying the word "Tweet."
If I continue on with this blog and no one reads it do I still exist? Or am I just another tree fallen in the forest? Will it even make a difference to me if people DO read what I write, Will it change how I feel about myself if I know someone is out there listening to me? Man, this is a real problem. Are there truly people out in the world whose lives have changed because they blog and KNOW people read them? Would it drive a person mad just knowing that throughout the years of blogging their anonymity has slowly dwindled away, that there are strangers out in the world that know them better than their own families know them? Think about it.
Do I really want to do this? If I do, will it make me a better person, or not?
...Babble for a while.
Ya Know,
I really like where I am in life right now. There are still things I could change about it that may make my quality of life better. Like, maybe I could get rid of the beer belly, which is funny because it's more like an I like cookies too much and sit on my butt in an office all day and it's too hot to exercise outside but I feel silly running on a treadmill while my son watches and by the time he goes to bed its time to watch my show on tv and eat more cookies....Belly. But that is my fault.
I also wonder if my life would be better without the two cats and one dog. I mean sure, it would save lots of money, never having to board a dog when we go out of town. He whines so loudly and frequently on trips that he drives you to speed to get where you are going faster just so you can get him out of the car so he will finally stop that high pitched squeal he does that just drives you mad. Sometimes Boarding the dog costs more than some of the hotels we stay in. Going back a bit in my train of thought I feel I should mention the Police will not accept "I was speeding because my dog was whining." as a valid excuse for speeding. Ah yes the joys of having an anti-social dog with a tendency not to trust anyone he meets, whines when we have to get in the car to go visit family and can barely make it around the block without panting so badly his tongue drags across the ground.....uh....Whew!, I had to re-read that, thought I was talking about myself for a minute. The cats, absolutely hate me, at least one of them does. The Old Lady as we call her used to like to sit on my pillow all day long and lick her butt. There is nothing worse after a long hard day that to come home and lay your tired head right into a sopping puddle of cat butt. To answer your next question YES it was always and only my pillow. The other cat, part Maine Coon, seems to think he is too big for the litter box. After we realized he was standing in the litterbox but pooping over the edge we went to the hardware store and bought a cement mixing tub and started to use that. It seems to work well so far.
I warned you I would babble.... Needless to say, these things all add character to the journey that is my life and as easy as it may be without them I wouldn't change a thing........well.....Maybe the cats could scoop their own sand.
I really like where I am in life right now. There are still things I could change about it that may make my quality of life better. Like, maybe I could get rid of the beer belly, which is funny because it's more like an I like cookies too much and sit on my butt in an office all day and it's too hot to exercise outside but I feel silly running on a treadmill while my son watches and by the time he goes to bed its time to watch my show on tv and eat more cookies....Belly. But that is my fault.
I also wonder if my life would be better without the two cats and one dog. I mean sure, it would save lots of money, never having to board a dog when we go out of town. He whines so loudly and frequently on trips that he drives you to speed to get where you are going faster just so you can get him out of the car so he will finally stop that high pitched squeal he does that just drives you mad. Sometimes Boarding the dog costs more than some of the hotels we stay in. Going back a bit in my train of thought I feel I should mention the Police will not accept "I was speeding because my dog was whining." as a valid excuse for speeding. Ah yes the joys of having an anti-social dog with a tendency not to trust anyone he meets, whines when we have to get in the car to go visit family and can barely make it around the block without panting so badly his tongue drags across the ground.....uh....Whew!, I had to re-read that, thought I was talking about myself for a minute. The cats, absolutely hate me, at least one of them does. The Old Lady as we call her used to like to sit on my pillow all day long and lick her butt. There is nothing worse after a long hard day that to come home and lay your tired head right into a sopping puddle of cat butt. To answer your next question YES it was always and only my pillow. The other cat, part Maine Coon, seems to think he is too big for the litter box. After we realized he was standing in the litterbox but pooping over the edge we went to the hardware store and bought a cement mixing tub and started to use that. It seems to work well so far.
I warned you I would babble.... Needless to say, these things all add character to the journey that is my life and as easy as it may be without them I wouldn't change a thing........well.....Maybe the cats could scoop their own sand.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
...introduce myself.
Hi, I am Tom.
I could end it there but that's not fair to you, you already knew I was Tom. It says so in my profile. I will try to let you in on a few things you may not know. Just keep in mind, some of the names may be changed to protect the innocent.
Before I get into anything I feel like I need to say I find the world around me very amusing, I see things differently than others. My loving wife likes to say I lost the filter between my brain and my mouth. I'm not sure if the filter also works my fingers so I'm warning you now. You may take offense to some of the things I may say. If you do, I am sorry in advance but know that there was no malice intended.
I have ADHD, I can't sit still and my brain doesnt allow me to focus very long on one thing at a time, I usually have four or five things bouncing around at once and my writing may reflect it. I am also inconsistent in my writing, usually writing when I NEED to get it out.
I have a beautiful wife and a very entertaining son, two cats (ugh) and a dog. We live in a smaller town but work on a college campus. I can tell you there is nothing much that can surprise me these days. I am a grump and an introvert. I am not a writer but I do write, there is a reason I say that. (Later) I always have a soda in my hand, I can never pass a hot dog stand, and I think it is really fun to look at other peoples "junk" at the flea market.
I guess that is enough for now, you will know me more as time goes by.
Cheers!
I could end it there but that's not fair to you, you already knew I was Tom. It says so in my profile. I will try to let you in on a few things you may not know. Just keep in mind, some of the names may be changed to protect the innocent.
Before I get into anything I feel like I need to say I find the world around me very amusing, I see things differently than others. My loving wife likes to say I lost the filter between my brain and my mouth. I'm not sure if the filter also works my fingers so I'm warning you now. You may take offense to some of the things I may say. If you do, I am sorry in advance but know that there was no malice intended.
I have ADHD, I can't sit still and my brain doesnt allow me to focus very long on one thing at a time, I usually have four or five things bouncing around at once and my writing may reflect it. I am also inconsistent in my writing, usually writing when I NEED to get it out.
I have a beautiful wife and a very entertaining son, two cats (ugh) and a dog. We live in a smaller town but work on a college campus. I can tell you there is nothing much that can surprise me these days. I am a grump and an introvert. I am not a writer but I do write, there is a reason I say that. (Later) I always have a soda in my hand, I can never pass a hot dog stand, and I think it is really fun to look at other peoples "junk" at the flea market.
I guess that is enough for now, you will know me more as time goes by.
Cheers!
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