Chronic Stupid

Ok, Here's my nerd rating...

2007-10-15T12:07:00.000-03:00

Whether Fox, Bear, or Wolf, it always bodes ill for the Rabbit

2007-10-04T22:10:00.000-03:00

Greetings My Fellow Blog-Anderthals!
I'm sorry but I do not have one cohesive thought or topic I want to discuss. I just wanted to throw a few things out there and let the world know I'm still here.
I guess I'll just let you in on a few things that I've been pondering lately.
The first question I've been thinking about is this: "For simplicity sake, Imagine a box. 3'x3'x3'. Now, Imagine that there was nothing inside this box, absolutely nothing. Lastly, Imagine that this box was the entire universe. Would time still go by? Could anything happen? Could anything come into being?
No, you say? Then how did you the universe begin?
Allow me to share another nugget with you. While working on my house this weekend (That's Sun, Mon, Tue, for me) I came across FOX sports radio. They had their resident college football expert on to dissect the past week of games. During the conversation he was asked "What can Georgia Tec do to improve their team?"
"Well" said the expert, "They need to recruit better players, and they can do this by lowering their academic requirements."
????????????????????
Hmmmm, Cute. That's sheer brilliance.
And finally, this little puzzle for you....Good luck.

World Wide Web Potpouri. (did i spell that right?)

2007-09-24T19:40:00.000-03:00

So, I've been tearing all over the internet today and have found a bunch of stuff I want to share with y'all.
First, check out the awesome cartoons I found...See if you can name the musical artists:If you want to see more of these check out this page
Also, You've got to check out this nasty little logic puzzle:
I spent WAY too much time trying to figure this one out. Let's see what else....Hmmm, Oh yeah, If you've got a strong stomach and like good writing, check out this blog. I've added this website to my list of links. I can't believe how eloquent these two kids are, and don't let their claims of nerdity fool you. You won't find two teenagers this cool anytime soon.
Finally, am I smoking crack? No, really, did I just read that Wal-Mart is going to request suppliers to report there carbon foot-print?!
Wow, yeah right, Like China's gonna' go for that.
Here's an idea: Let's request suppliers just start by paying employees a livable wage and stop using lead paint on kids toys!!!!!
I'm not even gonna go into the whole Machmood I'monthejohn speaking engagement.
Well, I hope you enjoy these little treasures.

They're Leavin' Me Behind...

2007-09-19T22:49:00.000-03:00

So, the team leaves for Ghana tomorrow, without me. Wow, has it been a year already?!
Dang! I decided to take this year off and let my body work out all the meds and parasites before I get another dose. Not to mention I wanted to use my vacation time with the family. So, as a result, the team leaves without me, and I am left here broken-hearted. Man, I love Africa. I love the people, I love the climate, I love the food, I love the Kids, Man! I wanna' go back. My biggest wish is to take my Wife and kids over there to share it with them. OH, well. I know, I'm all over the place here.
O.K. here's what I'll do, I'll post this video of my last trip. This is me on guitar and camera. (Except for the pictures of myself...)
I know it's a re-run.
Just back off, I like it.
Let me have my moment.

(Don't worry Mom, I'm not moving there. yet.)

Part 2

2007-09-14T22:28:00.000-03:00

Amazing painting from an artist I can't remember...

2007-09-13T23:05:00.000-03:00

Oh, wait, there's a website on the picture...

Reality Vs Perception.

2007-09-13T22:21:00.000-03:00

Perhaps you can help me out here.
I have a real problem with a certain, very popular, and (I believe ) over-used, philosophy.
This philosophy can be sum up thusly : "All that matters, is how you see yourself."
Now, I tend to be a real party-pooper. Any of my friends or family will attest to this. I get very upset when I hear what I believe to be shallow or meaningless encouragement. I know now, that 99 times out of 100 things like this are said with the best of intentions. I just get really agitated when I can tell, that people are trying hard to be warm and fuzzy!
Now, I know I am being cranky and petty.
So, since I am a firm believer in constant self-improvement, I am asking for your help. I really want to approach this objectively. So this is what I will do; First, let me state my views, and then I would like y'all to try to explain this load of crap to me.
Okay, Here's my side....
Let's face it, In the grand scheme of things your opinion don't amount to hill of poop.
You can believe all you want that you are a great...whatever...let's say car mechanic.
You may tell yourself you're the best thing since Mr Goodrich himself. And there is a very slim chance that you are, but more than likely you're bellow standard, mediocre at best. Despite the angry customers, the multiple lay-offs, the myriad of excuses you invent, you get up every day, look in the mirror puff out your chest, and say DANG, Hazmatt, you are just the Kittens Crapper!
You see, some of the greatest turning points in my life have been times of painful criticism. Moments when others lifted the veil from my eyes and revealed my flaws. This in turn, allowed me to make the needed changes to better my-self.
Now, before I let you talk, know this;
I know there are times when you need to have a tough skin and learn to ignore the scoffers. I'm thinking mainly of kids attacking each other, and those detractors who you know are truly idiots. So let's not get bogged down with the obvious, lets get right to the meat...
Ok, your turn....

Sam

2007-09-08T21:51:00.001-03:00

More Funnies Here:

Tales From the Trail.

2007-09-08T21:33:00.000-03:00

In July I went on six day trip into the mountains of Vermont. Here is the first part of the video chronicle...enjoy.

Once Again, the blog Beast arises...

2007-09-04T21:53:00.000-03:00

Yes, I'm alive...
Despite the rumors I am still among the oxygen users of this planet. I just had another tree fall on my house and this, in turn inspired me to return to the world of Blogging. I must say, I have missed this little outlet for venting and creative impulses, time however, seems to be the one thing in my life that I can lose faster than hair. My beloved Nikkon has died as well, leaving me with no way to post current photos of my little world. If any of you think that I used my blogging hiatus to further my dreams of internet radio stardom, be not deceived. No, even my radio show is suffering from a lack of time. Let's not discount the powerful pull that summer has over sun worshipers such as myself. Yeah, It's hard for me to think about blogging when there are lawns to mow, mountains to climb, and cucumbers to harvest. So, i did get some stuff accomplished. Tell ya what, I'll give a few pictures of my summer and one video I made and we can start a more serious conversation in a couple days...

This is why Mag-Lights are the Bomb!!!!

2007-04-18T18:49:00.000-03:00

So, I had a wee storm this week...
I Lost some Trees...I lost some roofing...My Basement Flooded...
And yet,
I have to keep things in perspective...
I could've been this guy...
Also gotta say, that I now know what love is,
Love is helping your neighbor patch his roof in the middle of night in a driving rain.
Now, How do I pay it forward?

No, He's not dead, just Hibernating....

2007-04-02T18:01:00.000-03:00

Well, Here it is, April.
I Love April for one reason...
Baseball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To put it more succinctly, YANKEES BASEBALL!!!!!
Ah, what a joy to unexpectedly catch my beloved Yank's on the ol' wireless radio this afternoon.
Life is good.
Why I am so obsessed with grown men swatting at a small, cork and rubber ball with wooden sticks, I have no idea, But I love it!
Another positive note is my radio show. I finally got it to a level of quality that I am comfortable with. This is why I have not been posting so much lately. Most of my computer time is spent working on the show. Researching, editing, recording, yadda, yadda, yadda.
So, now that I am not ashamed of my offspring, I'll give you the details....
Monday nights @ 8pm est
On 97three RFB you can hear my little trip into The English Language and Heavy Metal,
Autopsy.
Of course, all the shows on our station are looped so you can here it throughout the week. Or, you can download it right from the station. Your Choice.

2007-03-25T12:38:00.000-03:00

Click to Enlarge....

2007-03-25T12:12:00.000-03:00

Look, I ain't sayin' we should use them for a moral compass, but...

2007-03-13T21:40:00.000-03:00

In Greek mythology we find the story of Sisyphus. A once mighty king of Corinth, Sisyphus found himself the object of scorn and endless entertainment for the gods by simply trying to do his job as a father. Doomed to spend eternity pushing a great stone up a hill only to have said stone roll right back down, poor old Sis, was forced to face the futility of his human efforts. Well, I think that sums up my last couple weeks rather neatly.
In an effort to broaden my horizons and create a new creative outlet for myself, I have decided to record and produce a radio show on 97Three,
This is in addition to the show that I co-host on Friday nights. Since this show is pre-recorded, I've taken some time off from blogging and have set-up a mini recording studio in my basement. With copious amounts of help from MikeD, I have begun to teach myself the in and outs of Adobe Audition and the finer points of networking. Final count, I have logged almost 35 hours in my efforts to produce a show. The results? Well, I've killed one modem, Lost my Internet 5 times, Crashed my Imac twice, Lost all my passwords, Erased one website, and produced a show with such bad audio quality, it's barely tolerable. I mean Scary Bad!
Oh, well, I guess me and Sisyphus will just get back to it.

Dearly Beloved, We've gathered here Today, To beat our heads against the WALL!!!

2007-02-28T20:46:00.000-04:00

There are three things I want to talk about today. Work, media, and MultiVi's.
These three little items have got me feeling a little confused right now.
Let's start with work first.
Well, I started a new job recently and I love it. It's challenging, always different, and requires lots of class time and research. All in all, a nice change from construction. My co-workers however, hate it. I mean hate it with vengence usually reserved for root canals and murderers. They believe they are worked to hard and are underpaid. I on the other hand, disagree. I have never made so much money and had to physically, work so little. I also happen to like my boss. (Brown Noser)
I know, I can hear it being said. The fact is however, He's decent guy, he's human like all of us, but still, He seems O.K. to me. Here is the dilema, When the boss asks me if I think we all need more money what do I say? Should I lie, just to get everyone more dough, or be say what I think and make my life with my co-workers a living?...Well, you get the idea.
Second, Media.
You see I asked a friend for some music suggestion for my radio show and boy did he deliver, handing me a huge pile of burned C.D.'s hastily scribbed in sharpie and just barley legible. The one stand out so far has been "The Hold Steady". Now, the confusion here arises from the music itself. Very gritty, very Boozey, Very , well , I don't know. That's it, I don't know what to make of it. I can't say I don't like it, I can't stop listening to it! But I can't say I esspecialy enjoy it. The guy sounds like Bruce Springsteen on cocaine reading the memoirs of Andy Warhol. Yeah, it's that weird. Try it, you might learn to need it.
Third and last, Vitamins! or MultiVis as my friends in Africa would say. Well a new study out of Germany says that daily use of Vitamins may actually shorten your life span!!!!
That's right SHORTEN YOUR LIFE!!!!!
Great, I guess it's not long before we find out water causes Cancer.

2007-02-20T18:11:00.000-04:00

2007-02-19T18:25:00.000-04:00

So, there I was. On the verge of poetic when...Poop! I fell.

2007-02-17T17:36:00.000-04:00

I commited a crime yesterday...I took a sick day.
I never do this, I feel,(as idotic as it sounds) that this is sign of weakness. I know, old school stubborness. After 2 days of shoveling with a bad cold, I'm beat. There is an upside however. I get a chance to read, which in-turn, kickstarts my brain back into action. It's true. Most of the time my brain is to busy dealing with work, family and everyday type stuff. Somewhere in between the cough syrup, snot, vitamin C, and unfinished low brow sci-fi books, my brain begins to tackle the big issues of our generation. And what, pray-tell are these great issues?
Canned fruit.

Yup, Canned fruit. While I was eating one of these truly appetizing dishes i began to wonder. "Is it possible that there is any nutritional value at all left to these pathetic little globules of fruit?"
I can't accept the notion that these are taken right from the tree, chopped up and packaged by happy little elves into these delightful little cups. No, I believe they are the product of a far more sinister and demented proccess. I bet these are the scraps found in the machinery after mass producing various other items needing fruit pulp. More than likely they are left in large vats that will drain their remaining color and syrup through simple osmosis. Then the evil men at the "Giant Bad Food Coglomerate" inject them with fake food coloring and high frutcose corn syrup. You see this is just the kind of thing the "MAN" would try to pull on us! Take a complete snow job and re-package it as some kind of wholesome treat straight from the bossom of Mother Nature. This is the kind of subtlety that will tear-apart the very fabric of AMERICA!!!!!
So, once again, I ask, "Is there any nutritional value left in this?!"
Maybe I should lay off the cough syrup....

Feb 14th is for Snowflakes and Sickos!

2007-02-16T13:53:00.000-04:00

Quick and simple post. This valentines day will be remenbered as the day the Atkins men all got sick and the Skies opened up....

A dish for ye...

2007-02-11T18:55:00.000-04:00

Beatbox
Uploaded by loranger

Little ol' Me?

2007-02-04T12:07:00.000-04:00

Okay, I knew sooner or later I would be asked to do this. I would not blame anyone if they leave half way through this could turn-out to be quite boring. Well, enough talk. Here goes nothing.
100 Hundred things about Hazmatt

1. I have a big immediate family.
2. growing up I had a very small extended family.
3. I married my best friend.
4. I think She did too. :)
5. I have 2 boys and 1 daughter.
6. I have a grave fear of extension ladders.
7. I am an electrician.
8. I use extension ladders all day long.
9. I still feel like I am 18 years old. Insecurities, dreams, desires, and all.
10. I can carry on a simple conversation in French, German, English,Spanish, Eway, and Twee.
11. When I was younger I vowed to never drive a minivan.
12. Yup, I now own one. The worst part is that I love it!. Yeah, It's real cushy.
13. I have seen the sun set over the Sahhara.
14. I LOVE baseball, but rarely get to watch a game.
15. I would rather work outside in any weather than be inside for any reason.
16. I have serious memory problems. Just ask my wife........Esther, yeah that's her name.
17. I have been to Africa but never Canada.
18. I live less than 80 miles from the Canadian border.
19. I never thought I would live past the age of 27. (I don't know why...)
20. I sleep naked. :)
21. I once had a pet Iguana named Ceasar.
22. I hated math in school.
23. I am very good at and love Math now.
24. I am most at piece in the mountains.
25. I enjoy the prospect of being an old man someday. ( again, I don't know why..)
26. Music is one of my greatest passions.
27. I can't sing my way out of a paper bag!
28. I can play the guitar, piano, and a little banjo.
29. My left nipple is pierced.....Ha! Just Kidding Mom!!!!
30. 2 years ago I contracted Malaria.
31. I am more comfortable around Africans than I am around most Americans.(Well off, jet-set, yuppie, types.)
32. Paul was wrong, I am the Chief of sinners.
33. I am that guy who gives his opinion when no one wants it. For that I am sorry.
34. More and more I tend to avoid crowds.
35. My grandmother gave me the idea of being an electrician.
36. She also inspired my love of nature.
37. I plan to continue to visit Africa until I die.
38. I have no plans or intrest in visiting Canada.
39. I believe that the Christian community wastes too much time lobbying for their rights.
40. I have been working full-time since I was 14.
41. My closest confidant growing-up was my dog Scout.
42. I cried when he died, I was 22.
43. This is one of only three times in my adult life that I have cried in sorrow.
44. I once ate lunch with a Voodoo priest in Ghana.
45. I hate goat meat. It's gross!
46. I have had plastic surgery.
47. I have owned six vehcles in a seven year period.
48. 3 maroon, 2 black, and one orange.
49. I am a licensed Fire alarm Inspector.
50. I detest cooked vegtables.
51. I have worked at and been proficent in the folling trades.
Electrical
Steel work
Farming
Chef
Bagger and stock boy
Carpentry
and Concrete worker.
52. I regret working so much as a kid.
53. I have been shot at twice. (No, it was not in Africa.)
54. I talk too much. Hence # 53
55. I love to read.
56. I love foriegn films
57. I hate comedy films.
58. My favorite band of all time is U2. Shut-up, I like them.
59. I have never seen any of my favorite bands in concert.
60. I once hit 60mph on level ground on my bike.
70. I have had more car accidents than I have cars. Hmm...Maybe I should have stuck with the bikes...
71. When the twin towers fell my first reaction was laughter. This troubles me deeply. It was not till days later that I reached an understanding of what had happened. I then cried until my eyes hurt.
72. I never felt angry about it.
73. I love LEGOs.
74. I do not own a cell phone.
75. I do not have a T.V. in my living room.
76. I will refuse to get cable.
78. I love techno gadgets. Go figure..
79. I can't swim
80. I want to be a rock star.
81. I have been caught in a sand storm while walking in Africa.
82. I listen to Public Radio.
83. I am a staunch Republican with eviromentalist leanings.
84. I intend on getting a tattoo someday.
85. I have slept on the floor of grand central station.
86. I own over two thousand baseball cards.
87. I have seen more moose in the woods than most people I know. I think I must smell good to them.
88. The same goes for Turkeys and Bobcats.
89. I have never been on a passenger on a train.
90. I have driven several.
91. I am a real bad speller.
92. I hate self-help books. They bore me.
93. I have seen a man fall 3 stories and land on his feet.
94. I don't drink.
95. I love beer.
96. I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Bible is true.
97. I have good friends in Ghana, Germany, Peru, Canada, Belgum and Poland.
98. I have been hit with 277 volts before.
99. I have seen a man healed before my eyes.
100. I did not post 100 items.

"There you are!" Said the Evil one...

2007-01-30T18:41:00.000-04:00

What an interesting week. Well, not realy, quite boring actualy. Aside from my brother going to the hospital for viral menengitis('hope I spelled that right) nothing of note has realy happened lately, hence the dirth of posts.
Being as how it is winter and all, I have been kicking words around again(This is sort of a yearly cycle for me) and have come up with a couple phrases. Please give me your thoughts..
First. Anti-Miracle.
An event so unlikely, so ill-timed, and so bad it can only be the result of darker, more hideous forces. Like a tax audit, or a gas attack during an interview, or, say, someone having a birthday part on YOUR day off.
Second.
Illuminothinged
The moment when someone reveals to you a new, as of yet uncharted level of stupidity. Such as "Wow, after that riveting explanation, I feel like I've reached a state of Illuminothinged!." Well, tell me what you think my new phrases.

A question For Ya'

2007-01-22T20:25:00.000-04:00

So, there I was, (every story should start this way) watching the Patriots play the Colts for the AFC championship. Despite being one of the best games i've seen in a long time, the first half was pretty boring. I foolishly told m daughter that I wished Indy would at least try to make a game of it. (I am a Patriots fan, unless Green Bay is playing) Well, I guess I got my wish. Oh well, that's not the point of my story. During the game the camera zoomed in on a Colts cheerleader, on her face even...go figure...but anyways, she had an earpiece. What does she need an earpiece for?
"Okay Girls, Let's do that Look Happy thing!!!"
" On my mark...Now, Shake!"
Or, do they have someone on the sidelines explaining the game to them.
"That was a touchdown Blondie, ...That means they scored...Yeah, So start cheering!!!"
Just a Question.

Oh, That Blogosphere...Hmmm?

2007-01-21T18:15:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry Guys. I forgot about you. Yup, that's right, I forgot. I have reasons. Like always it's life. Job, Kids, Church, all those things just seem to eat up my computer time lately. Mainly though it's the radio show. I have been devoting most of my computer time to working on the radio show. I would realy like to get this show sponsored and increase our listenership. I just don't know how to do it. When confronted with a task that I'm unsure of I usaualy just do some research and teach myself. Washing machine repairs, plumbing, playing guitar. The problem is with stuff like popularity, ratings, and success there is no established, concrete, reliable data. It's not like learning to wire a house. So, any ideas? I want to try writing some companies to see if I can get some sponsors. But as far as increasing our listener base....well... I don't know?
The least you could do though is tell your friends, I would be grateful.

Don't tell me about your Sickness!!!!

2007-01-10T21:39:00.000-04:00

Halloo !!!!
Sorry for the abscence. I have just gotten over one of the worst colds of my life. I havn't been this sick since the time I got malaria in 04.
Coughin'
Hackin'
Sweatin'
Barfin'
Well, you get the gist.
This cold was about three weeks in the making but it didn't really take hold until this past week. Then on tuesday, it was as though my body just decided to be well all of a sudden. Very bizzare. Monday, I was ready to die. Tuesday, I was ready to climb a mountain again. Hey, I ain't complainin' none.
Today was a day of catchin' up. Makin' calls, geting in touch with all the people I've been neglecting, yes that includes my readers....if i still have any..
Well, sorry this is not more informitive or thought provoking, but hey! get over it! I'm sick!!!
PLEASE, PLEASE, Listen to my show this week. I feel that this will be a gerat one. I've got a lot of catching up to do and can feel the creative juices flowin'!
SO BE DARE, OR BE SQAURE!

So, Saddam, Ford and James Brown were all in a waiting room...

2007-01-03T21:06:00.000-04:00

My year in review, three days late. I have an awful memory so, this could be difficult. I don't rember the year with much clarity, so it's hard for me to sit back and evaluate purely on events and specific times. Dragon's post got me thinking about how I've changed this year.
Well, let's start with the negatives, that way we can work our way up to a happy ending for this post. I feel older. Stop laughing. I know I'm only 28, but I do feel much older this year. My body pays a higher toll for physical action these days. You want to feel old? Try following your 3 and 4 year-old boys as they run, jump abd pummell eachother with rotten tommatoes. Or, try sliding down the steps with them. I garauntee, you'll be in traction for 6 months.
Secondly, I believe my brain has started to harden into an imovable stone. I find that I am less apt to readily accept change of any kind.
And last, I think that I have lost some of my edge. I am not so determined to prove myself anymore. This in turn can lead to laziness pretty dern' quick Homie Klaus.
Now for the good stuff. I feel that on many levels I have changed for the better this year. Many of the positive are just the flip-side of the negatives.
First, I feel older. Much of my insecurities have left. I find that I have much more confidence and am less likely to doubt myself.
Second, I think my brain is hardening. Many of the issues that would cloud my mind have reached a certain clarity. Much of the background noise has faded. I am left with some pretty solid beliefs about God, Family, and morality. I just had to put them to test for a couple years.
Third, I've lost some of my edge. I have learned how to be a better friend and not be so, well, prickly. I am learning the meaning of such phrases as "Pick your battle" or "Is this a hill worth dying on?".
Fourth, I have found my creative release. This year I started blogging, started doing a radio show, discovered a love of photography, and re-dicovered a passion for the guitar.
Fifth, I done' got me a daughter!!! Nuff Said.
Things to work on for 07?..
Well, I could stand to be a little more romantic with my wife. I also think I could learn to not talk so much!

Peace by the numbers

2006-12-28T20:27:00.000-04:00

Well, after much hemin' and hawin' I decided it was time to express myself on the subject of peace. I tend to avoid writing about this sort of thing. I feel that these sort of posts tend to read like some un-realistic, hippie pipe dream, with no basis in reality. All dream and fantasy with no acknowledgement of the reality of human nature. The subject however is to important for me to ignore anymore. So, let me start by saying, I believe that peace is within our reach.
First, let's get our terms straight. When I say "peace" I'm talking about International, world peace. There will always be violence, it's part of human nature. We will always need police to deal with the crimanal element of society. No, what I'm talking about is world peace, peaceful relations between nations.
All that is needed is an agrement. An agrement between countries to not beat the crap outta' each other. We get rid of the U.N. and come to consensus on a few simple rules of behavior. Rule One: All goverments Must protect the rights of humans within their borders. Rule Two: All goverments Must protect the enviroment within their borders. Rule Three: All people party to a goverment found to be in violation must be brought to court. Rule Four:When one member fails to tow the line, there is no debate, everyone must act. There must be swift, decisive, action. Rule Five: No nation may have dealings with a goverment found to be in violation.
Unrealistic? I don't think so. By my count there are 193 soveriegn nations listed in the C.I.A. factbook.Only about 90 of those countries are involved in conflicts right now. All of these countries have a central figurehead with the authority to start or stop a war.
So, can we get 90 people to agree to peace?
You tell me...

Call Jesse Jackson, Quick!

2006-12-17T13:55:00.000-04:00

What a mess!
My #2 son was sick today, so I being the lovin' pops voluntered to stay home from church with him today. So, we ate our breakfast, played with robots for an hour or so and then went down-stairs to watch Rudolph.
Dude, I must not have been paying attention to this film when I was younger, what a mess!
Dad is ashamed of his son, Santa is ashamed of the dad for fathering a freak. The Elf boss publicly humiliates Hermie!? What a mess. Then, we are led into a happy ending where the only reasons we put-up with you is because we found a use for you. Lovely, Just lovely!
Sorry folks, I couldn't help myself. I realy could care less, I just figured since it was christmas I would make a fuss over something. It seems to be the thing to do.
Well, seeing as how the end of 06 is coming, I thought I would start my year-end lists. Today I will begin with the "Books I liked" list. So without further ado (whatever ado is?) :
1. "Rolling Nowhere" by Ted Conover
Odd book. Tells the true story of Conover travelling as a hobo across America. If you are looking for a heart-warming tale of cute adorable, story book hobos, riding the rails in search of paradise, keep moving. Perhaps you can find something in the kids section. Conover's book can be pretty gritty and disturbing at times. Not distubing because of the content but more because of what his story tells about our picture perfect America. Read it! You know you want to.
2. "Between a rock and a hard place" by Aron Ralston
Man gets stuck in canyon, cuts off own arm with leatherman.True story. What more do you need to know?
By the way, He's a real good story teller as well.
3. "Thinner" by Stephen King
Scarry, Bizzare, great ending. That's it.
4."The Iron Lance" by Stephen Lawhead
This is the first in a trilogy by Lawhead concerning the celtic crusades. Lawhead did his research on this one. The amount of detail and historical info that was crammed seamlesly into this story makes the book worth a mention on it's own. The reason I listed this one though is because of the description of the invasion and subsequent slaughter of Jerusalem. Once again, READ IT!!!
5. "Genesis" by Moses
Good stories, lots of action, sex, and some unexpected heroes, not to mention some powerful truth.
Also, Please check out my other Blog.
Here I will post links and articles that I find interesting. I invite you all to please comment. If I get some good ones, I will add them to the article. My hope is to create so wild conversation.

Me and My Guitar...

2006-12-10T16:25:00.000-04:00

Jesus and the Donkey are on Vacation.

2006-12-05T21:02:00.000-04:00

Wow, I forgot how much time newborns take-up. As you can see, I am not the prolific blogger I once was. I hope y'all found other stuff to read on-line. Today, I am thinking about trains. You like my picture? I took this the other night behind my house. That's right holmes, I live in the Bad part of town. 'Just me and the crack-heads partyin' like 1986! I spent the day loading and moving rail-cars. My boss believes this will somehow make me a better electrician, I'm not sure how, But hey, the checks still clear!
My son informed me today that Jesus and the donkey had gone on vacation. He was playing with the little nativity statues on the bookshelf. Well, that's all I got today, sorry. Oh, I am planning on another 5-day hike this summer. I will keep y'all posted on that.

De-railed once again...

2006-11-26T20:29:00.000-04:00

I was all set to write my post.
I had it all figured out in my head.
Then POOF!
I got de-railed.
Let me start at the begining.
Last night I spent a few moments reading some random blogs. Some were good, others just plain stupid, and quite a few were real angry. It seems that a large number of people are angry about Thanksgiving and it's history. I wanted to get on here and tell everyone to shut-up and stop sniveling about the past. I believe we should examine our mstakes and crimes but at some point you need to stop stirring up trouble. If you are bringing these things up so that we can talk about them and make changes and prevent a repeat, well rock on! But, more than likely you are just some up-tight, hates-the- world, bored ottua' your skull teen-ager, who just started paying attention in history class and now believes you're smarter than all them dummies!!!
Go soak your head!
Well, that's what I wanted to post.
But, Instead, I decided to watch the Jets game. Good game, if you like the Jets. But,I digress, What I wanted to mention was how much it aggrevates me when sports casters say the following: "He's a good kid Boomer, surprisingly well-spoken..."
AHHHHH!!!!
Why?
Why is it so suprising?!
Is it so strange that the black athlete can speak so well!!!??????
That's like when they talk about a white player, they say:"Yeah, He can be suprisingly quick!"
That's the kind of crap that ticks me off!!!
I'm going to go soak my head now.

Give it up for "Holiday Stress" Y'all!!!

2006-11-22T20:17:00.000-04:00

New Shtuff

2006-11-20T21:51:00.000-04:00

My brain hurts. I spent the lions' share of today trying to absorb information. I started my new job today. This involved endless meetings and paperwork. This was followed by a tour of the factory. And finaly I was asigned my desk, tools, and toolbox. Tuesday I will be attending 8 hours of safety meetings. Whoa! Simma' Down Now! It's all good though. The pay is good, the benes are good, and the work is exciting. Not to mention it's close to home. (Big ol' honkin' grin)
Oh, Did I mention my neighbors, yeah, they like christmas...ALOT....

My Weekend in Pictures...

2006-11-20T21:34:00.000-04:00

So, here is my weekend in Groton. Very warm and Loverly.

The Mountains? Well, that's In the fine print.

2006-11-16T17:19:00.000-04:00

Ok, so maybe my week didn't go as planned. I guess after re-reading "Into Thin Air" I had visions of a return to the hills. Man braves elements, against all odds, Because it's their Holmes!!!! You know, all that crazy feel good hype. That was my plan for the week.
Well, as I've said before, God obviously don't read my day planner. Haggie called it when she predicted that I would be rushing my wife to the hospital this week instead. Sunday morning, 5am to be exact. I've been through this twice before, so I figured, No Problem. No need to panic because you're Hazmatt and you are the man!
You can imagine how faulty that thinking was. Yup, number three was just as nail-bittingly crazy as 1 and 2. So, this week has been pretty much filled-up with baby related stuff. I'm okay with that though. I love Me the Babies!
I may not have conqured the world but I did get alot of buisness done though. Transfer loans, cancel credit cards, get insurance quotes, try to locate prospective tennants, all that good stuff that I try to avoid. A VERY good week indeed.
Also, Me and my boys have been hard at work in the basement building a radio out of license plates and coffe cans. Yes, that's what I said.
Oh, by the way, All those crazy, tree-hugging, granola-eating, burlap-wearing, Subaru drivers, who say that birth is beautiful, obviously have never seen it!
Don't get me wrong, The baby is beautiful, My wife is a beauty, even the people who help are a beauty, but the BIRTH!! That's just NASTY! EWWWW!!! Yuck! Gross!

Just as we feared doctor, They Are Replicating!!!

2006-11-14T14:31:00.001-04:00

Meet Gianna Catherine. She entered the world at 7:38am Nov. 12 2006. If you're wondering why I haven't been posting latley, this would be it. I have a daughter, dude, this should be interesting...
I'm sure this will provid PLENTY of blog fodder.

The End of an Era...

2006-11-09T22:56:00.000-04:00

No!
This is not about the election. It's about me.
Today was my last day at work.
My last day in construction.
My last day of driving 74 miles just to get to work!
I got a job close to home as a factory maintnence electrician.
When I say close, I mean like real close, like 8 miles away!!!!!
Did I mention that I will be making more money as well?
(Big Grin)
I don't need to bring any tools to my new job, as they will be provided by my new employer.
So, tonight I brought mine home and gave them a nice quiet retirement home in the basement.
I now have a nice workshop full of tools. Each one in it's place and resting peacefuly.
For some bizzare reason though, I found this very hard to do. I felt like I was betraying trusted friends. Like putting grandma in the retirement home.
Well, not to fear, my house is very old and constantly in need of repair. So, maybe, just maybe I will find a use for the High Voltage cable cutters and the 1" Titanium drill bits.
I don't start my new job till the 20th, so I may get a chance to do some, dare I say, relaxing?!
Naaaaa!!!
I'll probably wind up climbing a mountain, spelunking, burping a baby, or trying to clip my toe-nails with a pair of realy big cable cutters!

So what I thought I would do, I did not

2006-11-06T21:15:00.000-04:00

So, after reading the Dragon blog I thought maybe I would pick-up his idea and run with it. So I reached for the nearest book and came up with Jon Krakauer's opus: "Into Thin Air". After searching for the proper page and trying to find the right sentence, and then deciding that it did not pack enough punch, I realized something; I LOVE this book. I read a huge volume of books a year. All types, Sci-Fi, mystery, Bios, Travel, history, non-fiction, religon, heck, even science text books. This is a constant though, I keep coming back to this one. Being somewhat of a mountain goat myself, I think this one just hits a little to close to home. This story scares the crap outta' me every time. I find myself always checking the epilouge, just maybe the ending changed...
Even if you don't climb mountains I would guess that this story will grab you. I have read this story so many times that I feel like I know the people who climbed that mountain ten years ago.
I was seventeen when this happened, and I was just begining to discover the allure of the mountains. It started with an obsesion for mountain biking, wich in-turn lead to rock climbing, wich lead to (don't ask how..) climbing big mountains in the winter at midnight!!!
I know, stupid right.
I have alway had an appetite for deadly hobbies. Maybe that's why I'm an electrician. Well, Hey, It's safer than the steel work I was doing before that....
Anyways, I think thats what scared me about this book. I know who these people are. Oh, I did not know them personaly, but I know who they are, they are Me...
So, here are two passages from "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer.....

"Andy was a large man over six feet tall and 200 pounds, who spoke with a sharp Kiwi lilt; Martin was at least six inches shorter, weighed maybe 130 pounds, and spoke in a thick Texas drawl. How had I made such an egregious mistake? Was I really so debilitated that I had stared into the face of a near stranger and mistaken him for a friend with whom I'd spent the previous six weeks? And if Andy had never arrived at Camp Four after reaching the summit, what in the name of God had happened to him?"
My Mom will like this one...

"There were many, many fine reasons not to go, but attempting to climb Everest is an intrinsically irrational act-a triumph of desire over sensibility. Any person who would seriously consider it is almost by definition beyond the sway of reasoned argument."

Dude...

2006-11-05T21:01:00.000-04:00

I can't believe this.
I just got the National Geograpic Christmas..Oopps! (holiday for all you pagans) Catalog.
They had Ghanaian talking drums in there for 58 dollars!!!!
This is one I bought for about 80 thousand cidis or roughly 5 bucks, and I actually watched it being made!
Dude, I wonder what the other fobbles are worth?
I came back with alot of stuff, paintings, masks, jewelry, you name it.

DA SHOOOOOOOW!!!!!

2006-11-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

Yo! Peeps, check out the show tonight. We will start broadcasting @ 9pm est.(hopefully)
Tmer and I will be alone in the studio tonight, so with any luck we can figure out all the equipment.
Just so you know, technology routinely kicks my buttocks.

When Did My Kids Learn Bad Puns????

2006-10-30T22:40:00.000-04:00

My wife was fed-up!
The boys were eating yogurt with their hands again.
"You must use a spoon!" She said. "Whether it's yogurt, soup, or cereal...why are you laughing?"
Isaac replies,"Mommy, you said Super-Cereal!"
That evening I got home to find my kids running around with capes around their necks shouting "Supa-See-a-wheel!"
Oh, and here is me in the radio studio...Playing my soon-to-be-smash-hit...."Daddy Just Said Duty!"

What ME? Thrash upon my Axe???

2006-10-30T20:27:00.000-04:00

So, There have been some rumors that I've been thrashin' upon me Axe, as of late.
I ain't sayin' these rumors are true, but I did put together this slideshow so I could share some of my music with ya'

A Little Fun in Ghana...

2006-10-28T22:46:00.000-03:00

Hey, we can't always be working.
(I'm the one behind the camera)

A Few Folks...(No Wounds)

2006-10-27T19:06:00.000-03:00

Look, I promise to actualy sit down write something soon.
Please don't loose faith in me. I have been real busy lately. Lame excuse I know, but it is what it is.
Please check out my show tonight @ 9pm est.
Just Click on the big "Friday Night Meltdown" Logo on the side of the blog.

Oh, my Elephantisis!

2006-10-23T22:51:00.000-03:00

Some African Fauna

2006-10-22T12:07:00.000-03:00

Ain't Nuthin' but a Boil

2006-10-19T23:00:00.000-03:00

A Day in Ghana

2006-10-18T21:11:00.000-03:00

5:00 am-Wake up. Shower (don't get water in eyes!) Dress. Apply deet and sunscreen.
5:30 am-Walk to river for a little quite time, read bible, pray, watch the fishermen.
6:30 am-Head back to room grab water and satchel and head out to stagging area to await bus.
7:15 am-Load bus and head to breakfast.
7:30 am-Breakfast at Dr Pious' house. Brief time of group prayer and bible study. Dave, Bobby, and Myself hash out who goes where and does what for the day.
8:00 am- Load bus. drive out to village.
9:00 am- KuhRazy!!! Set-up clinic. Redirect confused docs. Find translators, quick prayer meeting.
9:30 am - 12:00pm Register people to see Docs. Keep Docs supplied, Move paitients through lines. Calm un-ruly crowds. Pray for dying child (not easy) "Are you Drinking your water!?" good, move on. Bring Robo Nurse an order of "The Usual", One dose of antibiotics.
12:00 - Load up bus and head to lunch. Eat! Take a quick survey of personel, "How's it going ou there?" "Do you have what you need?" "Are yo feeling O.K.?" "You don't look to good." "Doc, come take a look at Bobby." "Did everyone hit the toilet? Good. Get on the bus!"
1:30 - 4:30pm Back to work!!! Move more people through the "Machine" More prayer, more supplies for Robo Nurse. "You! I'm gonna take your stethescope if you don't drink more water!" Smile, must remember to smile, the kids think I'm scary. Find more seriously ill kids. Register more people. Politely tell this young man to wait in line like all the rest. Play futbol with the kids. "How 'we doin' Doc? Okay, I'll see if I can get you one." Stop, drink water, good, keep moving.
4:30 pm - Meet for prayer and get the stats for the day. "Load UP Kiddies!" Head back for dinner.
5:30 pm EAT. Chill, relax. Trade stories, swap gross pictures, cry, PRAY, sing, sleep.
6:30 pm "Alright Folks, Get on the Bus!" Head to hotel. Grab key from Dave. Shower, apply deet. Head over to Cafe and check e-mail. Write in journal.
9:30 pm Sleep!

But Seriously Folks,

2006-10-17T20:18:00.000-03:00

So, what can I tell you about Ghana, Hmm, well, I just don't know where to start. Before I left I was feeling creatively spent. I had nothing to share. I guess if you can think of this blog as our little cosmic conversation, then it was time for listening. Listening to God, others and myself, yes those crazy little voices in my skull. So after much listening and 2 weeks in a foreign country, I'm ready to talk. The only problem is that I now have to much to say. Aaahhhh!!!!
Okay, let's start simple:
"So there I was, waiting to board a plane...."
On Oct. 28th I traveled to the African nation of Ghana with a team of medical Personel. Our objective was to provide free medical and spiritual help to the people of the Lower Volta region. While this region is in fairly close proximity to some major urban areas, it is still quite rural and very poor. My job was "Logistics". This is just a fancy term that means I move boxes, organize the lines of people, make sure the Docs are drinking water, assist the nurses, stuff like that. I was basicaly a hospital manager. Finding criticaly ill paitents was another one of my tasks. Those with high fevers, open wounds, that kind of thing. I am an electrician by trade but I do have some very rudimentary medical training. During their stay in the clinic we took the opportunity to tell the paitents about our faith in Christ. Some of the people were not interested in hearing, they just simply wanted to see a doctor, and that was fine. Any help we can offer, be it physical or spiritual, we were happy to provide. Many however, expressed a genuine interest in our faith and we all did our best to try to explain and answer questions.
Well, that's all for tonight. Tomorrow I will walk you through my typical day in Ghana.

And this little Piggy, had to get all sewed up!

2006-10-17T19:47:00.000-03:00

Here I am Roughing it in Africa

2006-10-15T19:00:00.000-03:00

Meet Dr Sadistic!

2006-10-15T18:52:00.000-03:00

"I will crush you!!!!"
Carefull Folks, this guy is just looking for something to lance,cut, pull or just plain mangle.

Did Someome call a Taxi?

2006-10-15T18:02:00.000-03:00

A stick is our Friend!

2006-10-15T17:45:00.000-03:00

Here's Bobby.
With a wave of his magic stick Bobby can conjure up a storm.

I'm Baaaaack!

2006-10-15T08:41:00.000-03:00

HEY, HEY, HEY,!!!!
The Chronic Stupidity is Back!
I'll Post Some Pics and Write later Today!

I fear that I'm lost...

2006-09-20T20:45:00.000-03:00

Wow!
I think I've lost the touch. I feel that I am in a creative wasteland. I just don't have any more stories or pictures in me. Lately, I just have not been able to get any good photos. Nothing. These stupid pictures are all I've got to offer.
Sad, I know...
So, I will be taking the next several weeks off.
What!
Yes, I feel that this is the best approach. You can still hear me on my radio show, and I will be checking my comments. I just think I need to devote more time to my upcoming trip and less time to the 'puter. Never Fear though! I will be back in October.

That would be the cosmic smackdown, Grasshopper.

2006-09-09T21:45:00.000-03:00

So there I was, Thinkin' I was all that and a bag o' chips. I was so proud of myself! The boss gave me this fairly complicated relay control box to wire up. Crazy stuff, time delay relay, latching circuits, even a laser! Oh yeah, I was da' shizzle! I got it all right on my first try! So, as you can guess, my head began to swell. Never a good sign.
That was last Monday, enter the weekend....
Routine side job. wire up garage door opener, simple, 3 wires, hot, nuetral, ground, easy, right? Oh, not so. Well let me just say, when the smoke cleared and the screaming stoped, I found I had put 2 wires in the wrong spots. Yes, that's bad.
So needless to say, this week has been a great lesson in humilty.
Oh, by the way, I finally finished reading the Killing Angels.
WOW! Great book! It realy puts you in the field of battle with it's detail and believability. I know it's a true story, but they way the characters come alive (warts and all) is just realy profound. I grew up around the Army, war and military life, but this book told a story about war in a way I'd never heard before. I highly recomend this book. I am know reading about the crusades, (odd stuff indeed) and will have another review for you later.

NEW SHOW TONIGHT!!!

2006-09-08T21:12:00.000-03:00

HEY! GO TO MY RADIO SHOW NOW!!!
WE GO ON THE AIR @ 9:00 PM ET

Here I am fasting real slow

2006-09-04T19:33:00.000-03:00

So, Why do the call it fasting when it takes so long!!!
I realize that to go for 30 hours without food would be no big deal for most of the world, but for me it's big doins'. I was waiting for the sky to part, angels to descend, a blinding light, God to present me with a burning scroll, and then to pass out in a cold sweat and to awaken the next day with a complete understanding of life....Yeah so, that's not quite what happened.
I just got real hungry.
No, there was some goodness there.
I did spend quite a bit of time praying and reading scripture. Not to mention I now have a better understanding of people who are starving. Now add that to the malaria, well shoot, I fell down-right African.
Let's see, what else,
Oh, my son.
Yeah so #2 son gave me a start.
"Dad, 'You want to hear the chink-a-monks?"
"WHAT!"
"The Chink-a-Monks Dad!"
"Uuuuuuhhhhh dahhhh...?"
"Yeah, Albin, Dimon, and Deodore!"
"Oh, right! the Chipmunks!"
"Yup, I said that daddy!"
"Right, my bad"
Dang, I gotta stop listening to NPR.

Daddy, I have a secret...

2006-08-31T22:30:00.000-03:00

So, my son scared the junk right-outa-me the other day.
It was early,
real early.
I was getting ready to go to work, 4:30 am or so.
My son was getting up to go potty.
He came over to me as I was putting on my boots.
Messy hair,
race car 'jammies,
blankie on shoulder and fingers in mouth,
the absolute picture of boyhood.
He looks at me and says, " Dad, I don't think I want to be a little boy anymore."
WHAT!?
My mind started to go into convulsions, 900 miles an hour!
"What do I say?"
"I don't have time for this conversation!"
"What do I tell him!"
"Have I failed as a father?"
"Have I been abusive?"
"Should I become Abusive?"
"Why isn't my wife awake!?"
"WHY GOD!!!"
So, I took a deep breath, and calmly asked him, "Oh, ok, so what do you want to be?"
I screwed my eyes shut, and prepared for the worst.
It felt like a million years before he finaly said,"I think, ..um..I want to be a Grizzly Bear"
"Oh, a grizzly huh? That's cool, alright then! "
"Okay Dad! I'm going to bed now. Have a good day at work!"
"Yeah, right, 'Love you, big man.Uh err, grizzly."
"daaaaad!"
Crisis over. I'm okay. Now to work...

So where's your big train now Mr Bubby? HUH?!

2006-08-27T22:19:00.000-03:00

Ha! my Bride is cooler than yours!

2006-08-27T15:48:00.000-03:00

Okay, so let me splain'. My wife is 7 months pregnant. She thought it would be fun to go camping this weekend! How cool is that?!
You know cold ground, no toilet, lousy food, the works! Now, you can always get me into the woods, but my wife, pregnant! Oh, I tell you, after 10 years, this girl still wows me. So, I was just thinking about how easy my wife is to live with, and how incredibly rare girls like this are.
You must understand how nutty I can be sometimes, well, it's just crazy. This girl just keeps dealing with it and never tries to change my pyschotic brain.
I tend to come off a bit rude, blunt and careless sometimes, not to mention very absent-minded. Also, I have not mastered the art of tact. My wife just rolls with it though and near as I can tell, she still realy, likes me!
Monday I am going to get a new apprentice, a girl....Uh-oh. I have a feeling she won't be as nearly tolerant of my rude and direct manner as my bride. This could be real bad. Well, I'll have an update later.
Saturday I am going to fast. Yup, thats right holmes, fast. I have never done this before and am a little worried. I eat alot of food. No, you don't understand, I EAT ALOT of food. At work I am known as the human garbage disposal. So, fasting for a day scares me. Maybe I'll just go up into the woods were I can be alone and pray,(and not bite anyones head of!)
Well, that's what my week looks like. Check out the new "Fun Link" and do stop by the Dragon. Also, Please check out my radio show!

The Council

2006-08-21T21:23:00.000-03:00

Pics Homie!

2006-08-21T20:58:00.000-03:00

I took some more photos Sunday.
Here they is...

Yet again, I've disgraced The Family Name

2006-08-20T13:24:00.000-03:00

Recorded another show last night.
PLEASE CHECK IT OUT!!!
Lotta' changes,
New equipment,
New guests,
New name,
New, New, New.
All these changes did create some chaos in the studio though.
Well check it out, but I warn you, it got a little crazy and out of hand.

Hurray! one less EPA superfund site!

2006-08-20T12:58:00.000-03:00

So, I did it!
No longer will my backyard smell of garbage. No longer will I walk through my backyard trying to avoid eye-contact with my dumpster! Free at last! Free at last! Hot wasabi, I'm free at last!!!!!
Okay, let me start at the begining. About three years ago, I had some awful tennants. They would throw loose garbage in my "dumpster". My dumpster is just a large wooden box that I keep my trash bags in until I go to the dump. They left about two feet of loose garbage at the bottom. I have been actively avoiding a clean-up. You see, no-one can see the trash, and it makes getting the bags out easier. Lame I know, but it's all I got. Of course this just made my problem worse, it started to smell this summer, well you can imagine the horror. So with the help of my awesome brother-in-law, I tackled this monster yesterday.
Now, please don't get the wrong idea. I do not keep my house or my yard in this kind of condition. Thanks in large part to my wife, I have actualy a very nice home. No one knew about my little box of horrors. Naturaly , this got me wondering , what other little horrors do we hide? I won't bore you by overworking this analogy, but it does get you thinking....
What else... Oh yeah,
Books, I am currently reading two books right now, Black Rood by Stephen Lawhead, and Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. I will give you review later.

Yes! There is hope for him doctor...

2006-08-17T23:00:00.000-03:00

The greatest thing happened today, I failed!
Yes, I failed!
You see, I tend to take my job a little too serious.
When a day at work does not go well, it ruins my day.
I guess I'm kind of like a spolied kid.
When I make goals for the day, I reach them.
When I don't.....not pretty,
Lots of yelling,
heads rolling,
self-loathing,
bad, bad, bad.
But....Today was different!
Today everything I touched, turned brown and died,
but that's okay.
I never lost my cool,
It did not ruin my good mood,
Time did not end,
The world is still here,
and most of all...I am at peace!!!!
Thank you lord!
(my wife and kids thak you too!)

Duh......

2006-08-16T22:15:00.000-03:00

Wow, I don't know what to say. Just check this out and send me your thoughts....odd blog

I guess even evil people get old

2006-08-14T22:10:00.000-03:00

So, a funny thing happened at the doctors last week. I had to take one of my sons to the doctor on Thursday. While he was seeing the doc, I thought I'd go for a walk around the hospital. I came upon the cutest scene: two little old ladies, walking hand in hand. They were perfect! Little hats, hand bags, knitting needles, whte gloves, etc. I thought to myself, "How sweet! This is just sooo cute and cozy! These are the kind of women I want in my family." As I got close, I could tell they were laughing at some private joke. I caught a brief snippet of their conversation. It went something like this: "AH HA HA! Yeah, the @#!% Negroes did it!!!"
Uhhhhh.... oh well,
I guess even evil people get old...

More of my stupid Photos...

2006-08-12T15:07:00.000-03:00

So, Here's some more photos from the other night. I have two possible working titles for this montage'.
1. looking at an ugly spider under a full moon
or
2. MY BIG FAT HEAD IS OUT OF FOCUS!!!!
I am currently taking votes. :)

Behold My Moon!

2006-08-10T09:37:00.000-03:00

Online Magazine!?!?
What an Ididot I am. So let me start at the begining. Last night I went out to take some pictures of the moon. Well, after getting a few good shots I decided to ask people if I could take their pictures. In my strange, mental, deranged way, the only thing I coud think to say was.."Hi, my name is Matt. I'm a photographer for an online magazine. Could I take your picture?".
Photographer?!, Online magazine!? What is wrong with me?!! Well, I did get some cool shots though. And I must say all the people I asked were very nice. (they probably thought I was real photographer.) As embarrasing as this is, It did get me thinking. Why not do a magazine? I don't how that's any different than a blog but from now on, I will call this my (use big anouncer voice here) "Magazine". I mean while I'm putting on airs, why not call it a magazine? I'll post more of these photos later..in my magazine.

Let me tell ya'

2006-08-09T21:11:00.000-03:00

I got a lot to say but it's all so random, I don't think I could make it into a coherent entry. So I think the best approach is to make a couple of lists.
Let's start with things that have happened and things I've done latley....
1. I shaved! Yes, gone is the bizzare handle-bar mustache. (along with the "are you gay?" questions.)
2. I washed my car! trust me, this is a big event. It's dirty now though...
3.My wife threw a surprise party for me. To celebrate electrical license. ( I was supposed to get it two years ago)
4.My brother-in-law blew up the engine in his car.
5.The town tore up my road again. They actualy never pave it, they just tear it up every couple of months.
6. My wife painted the dinning room.
Okay, Here's some random questions that have been on my mind lately...
1. What do fish think about?
2.What makes an athiest get up and go to work everyday?
3.How do you get people to read your blog?
4.What does my fish think about?
5.Could we use the oceans as giant batteries?
6.Can a beta fish kill people?
7.What is the next great invetion?
8.How would the public react if we were to harvest stem cells from monkey embryos?
9.Does my fish think about killing me?
Well, that's what's kicking around in my head.
Hey here's new fun link...

Family Camp '06

2006-08-05T08:44:00.000-03:00

So here's some pics of Family Camp. Sorry about the quality, my camera was not set up right. I think the exposure was to long. Oh well, as you can see it was a nice weekend. I have tons more pics that I will put up later. There is a new radio show up at DjmikeD. Check it out. I think this was the show that I finally cracked. You'll see what I mean...

These Guys are just plain nuts!

2006-08-01T19:06:00.000-03:00

Hey, Look, sorry I'ts taken me so long to post, Lots to do lately, camping, work, find new tennants, blah, blah, blah. Anyways lets talk about cititzens. Lets talk about Cuban, Lebanesse, and American citizens. There has been a lot of talk and debate and midless yammering about the failure of government figures during hurricane Katrina. Who failed? the President, the mayor, FEMA, Who? Well, I propose this, I think the citizens of New Orleans failed. Their behavior was reprehensible. Looting, murder, executing senior citizens, shooting at military choppers. Disgusting. After 9/11 did New Yorkers panic? Did they crowd into Yankee Stadium and wait for the government to save them? Did they engage in mass looting and murder? Not bloody likely!! No, they had a civic duty to help, and help they did. They knew they had to reclaim their community.
Now, Lebanon. Again lots'a talk, lots'a blame, lots'a debate, blah, blah, blah! All I have to say is this. If you don't want bombs dropped in your town, don't harbor terrorists. Israel is taking alot of heat for their actions right now, bombing towns and villages, killing civilians etc, what would you do? No, really, how would you respond to an enemy that hides among civilians and is to cowardly to wear a uniform? How should we feel about people who allow terrorists to thrive in their communities? If Lebanon wants real peace, freedom from foriegn invasion, and respect they need to run these reprobates and warmongers out of their country and hang them from a high tree!
Now Cuba. News came out last night that Fidel Castro is very ill. When the news broke in Miami, thousands of Cubans took to the streets and celebrated. They had to shut down many streets. Nearly 500 thousand Cuban live in Miami alone, just waiting for the government to change hands before they go home. One simple question for you. Don't you think half-a-million cubans could affect a great change in Cuba if they all went home, instead of hidding from the problem?
Well that's enough polotics for today... There is a new "Fun Link Of The Week" up.

Nothing new for awhile...

2006-07-28T06:23:00.000-03:00

'Going campining this weekend, so I won't be posting for afew days..
But check-out this cool painting...

TOGA! TOGA!

2006-07-24T19:36:00.000-03:00

Hey, here's some pics of Aiden and Sammys party...OH! and be sure to check out the fun link of the week!

Grizzly Man

2006-07-21T23:09:00.000-03:00

I just saw a really disturbing movie, Grizzly Man. The movie was the stroy of Timothy Treadwell, a fairly well known bear activist. I won't say to much about it(So much has been said already) except that when it was over I had the strangest, most hollow feeling in my gut. The movie itself was outstanding, every thing about the film was just breathtaking and the story moved so fast that you forgot that it was a documentary. No, it was Treadwell himself that creeped me out. Treadwell loved his bears and was very genuine about protecting them and even though his methods were total lunacy and many times illegal, he truly meant well. Make no mistake though, this man was no saint. It's quite obvious he had some serious mental battles going on up there. Timothy was toying with the darkness. What creeped me out though was how much I felt a connection with him. Yup, that's right. Without going into too much detail (that might take a whole new blog!) let's just say " There, but for the grace of God, go I." To learn more check out these links...
Photos
Wiki
Movie Review (Please note: I saw the movie on T.V. so there may be language if you rent.)

Waste time with me...

2006-07-17T22:35:00.000-03:00

Summer is for wating time. I've been wasting my time working. Yup, I should be out doing important things like, napping, camping, fishing, and eating bad food but no, I have to work! My boys haven't worn a stich of clothing in weeks. Since the warm weather came they've been living like two wild bushmen. War paint and all.(it's true). Covered in dirt, twigs in the hair,no schedule, yes, I'm jealous.Their days are spent digging in the dirt, riding bikes, and finding new bugs. Well at least the state of Vermont has been using their time wisely. This month they've decided to tackle the big issues facing Vermonters. Yup, they renamed a mountain "Brokeback Mountain" and passed a bill that provides protection in the workplace for cross-dressers.:) That's right Kids! Oh well, At least my kids are doing the important stuff.

I must show you this...

2006-07-08T23:32:00.000-03:00

So, Nothing to say, 'just thought I'd post some more of my photos...
Don't worry...We let the frog go.

Wow! I'm a Troll!

2006-07-07T20:04:00.000-03:00

Hey check this out...Lukery. Dude! I really ticked them off. I Love It!
Let's see they attack my spelling, attack my country, call me a troll, a moron, and oh, let's see... oh, yeah, there it is, a "rightwingnut" wow I Love It. This is great!!! Wow, I'm all those things just because my grammar is bad and I don't like people tearing down my country. That's sad. Maybe if I swore more and believed everything I see on T.V. I would be as bright as them. Oh well, This troll is goin' back to to the cave!

Did You Know...

2006-07-06T22:30:00.000-03:00

Did you know you can buy jeans with holes already in them!?!Yes, It's true! I've heard rumors for years, but yesterday I ACTUALY SAW SOME!!!! That is so strange. I am always tearing my clothes at work. It's been the baine of my existence. I HATE having holes in my clothes and now I find out people are paying for it! Think about it: You're paying extra for something with a truncated life. Thats like paying more for a car with rust on it, fruit with bruises, or a house with termites. Travis tells me "But It's Cool!"
Yup, okay, keep telling yourself that. In seven years of construction not one single person has said "Wow Cool blow-out! boxers?"Oh well, hey check-out my photots of the 4th. Nothing says "Happy Birthday America!" like atrip to the burn center!!!

More Of Ghana 05

2006-07-06T18:43:00.000-03:00

Hey, here's some more pictures from my last
trip to Ghana. How do you like my shades?

Every Office Should Have These..

2006-07-01T23:35:00.000-03:00

Want to see more...Try this...

So this is what I do and do tell, what is this?

2006-06-29T21:59:00.000-03:00

Well, If your wondering what kind of things I wire up at work, well this is pretty close. It's basically a very low power particle accelerator, neat huh? I don't do these all the time, but most of my work is kind'a like this. Oh! And can somebody tell me what kind of bug this is. My son found it on the porch. It looks like a cross between a Mantis and a yellow jacket. Okay here are some cool lnks... Dave Barry
and crazy almonds

I'm Back!

2006-06-24T22:10:00.000-03:00

Hey Look, Here's some pictures of my trip to Ghana. I tell ya, summer is realy bad for blogging. There's just to much to do. I have also been busy preparing for next trip to Africa. Lets see, what else,... oh yeah! check out Djmiked.com. There's 2 new shows up! Also check out www.ghoghana.blogspot.com. This is going to be the offical blog for our missions trip.

Ewwwwwwwww!

2006-06-07T21:00:00.000-03:00

So i thought this was just the coolest....
A junebug died on my kitchen floor during the night. Before I discovered the body my resident ants did. I spent maybe, 30 minutes just watching them and snaping pictures before I realized that I should probably clean this up. But then I thought, "How do I clean this up?" It didn't seem right to just throw them all in the trash and I couldn't flush them down the toilet. Thankfuly, my wife solved this dilema buy tossing the whole mess outside while i was still pondering the situation.

Ok Here We Go..

2006-06-03T00:49:00.000-03:00

Ok, So Now the radio feed is Working. Check it out!
Here are pics of this weeks show....
Go to Djmiked.com!
Click on the slow speed audio as this is the only one working right now.
We had some not so family friendly moments this week, but i brought in George Bush, he cracked some heads, and the whole thing got sorted out!
Next week I promise it will be more Family friendly!

My Radio Show.

2006-05-23T20:14:00.000-03:00

So I have a secret... I've been in the studio recording a raido show.

Go to DjMiked.com and check it out. Please be kind, we are very new at this. The shows are fairly low brow but it's alot of fun.

Cross Your Rubicon

2006-05-17T22:59:00.000-03:00

'Been thinking alot this week. About Love, life choices and doing the tough stuff as well as the effect of the media on our perception of the moment. I wanted to write these thoughts down earlier this week, but I just couldn't organize all these disparate threads, until Tuesday. I was driving home while deep in disscusion with my friend about the idea of "Tough Love". During our conversation a song by Rich Price came on about "Crossing the Rubicon". It wasn't a really profound moment, but it got me thinking in the right direction. Way back in the day, Julius Ceasar was looking to take control of Rome. He gathered a large army and prepared to attack. It was reported that he told his troops that once they crossed the Rubicon, there was no turning back. It was an irreversable step, hence the phrase was born. My friend had to tell his wife some really hard stuff in order to mantain true, honest, selfless love. And in my life, I've been mulling over the pain and joy that comes with the care and raising of my 2 sons. Today i heard a snippet of a poem that really touched me. It was about the seemingly thankless job of being a parent, as seen from a now grown child. "What I didn't know then, of the cold, austere. and lonely offices of love." This quote conjured up the image of Jesus, waiting in Heaven for us, waiting for the call of gratitude that too often never comes. "The Cold Offices of Love" I wanted to pull all these thoughts together into one, cohesive piece, but alas, this was just not possible. The best I can offer is this; Getting married, being a parent, and chosing to love, Dying on the cross, these are all in one form or another a crossing of the Rubicon. Once those soldiers followed Ceasar across the river they were guilty of treason. Whether they fought or not was irrelevent, they would forever live with that choice. Once I became a father I would always be one. There is no escaping it. The same goes for being a husband, whether our spouse dies, leaves, or we screw-up, we will always have that mark on our soul. The Creator joins us into one flesh. One person! I mean really sit down and think about that! I hope this post hasn't been too Insane, I just, like usual, have to get this junk out of my head. Oh and speaking of the "pain" of fatherhood, check out Isaac's eye. He fell on a milk crate. Well thats all from the crazy ward for today!

Crazy Aiden and Fun in Graveyards.

2006-05-09T22:12:00.000-03:00

Took more pictures last night, 2 are my son Aiden and the others are from a cemetery near my house. I was hoping to capture the beautiful statues against the moonight.

Another Parade?!

2006-05-07T19:29:00.000-03:00

Yup, I took my boys to another parade. This one was much better, marching bands, mini monsters, fire trucks, CANDY!, all that good stuff. The boys were a little dissapointed that the shriners didn't bring out the camels. Come to think of it, I didn't see the double ended car either. As you can see i took some pictures, i always take pictures. In fact i think I take too many pictures. I don't know why I take so many. I guess I'm looking for "The Picture". That's Probably the same reason I make so many posts to my blog. Sometimes I feel like I am "creatively constipated". I have so much junk in my head and no way to get it out. I haven't found any one art form that i'm really good at, one that I feel gets the point across. I have songs in my head, but I can't sing, paintings, I can't draw, Music, I cant play that well, ....you get the idea. Writing and taking pictures are very cheap and easy for me so this my newest attempt at sillencing the voices. On a different note, Isaac has started listening to baseball on the radio. I didn't realize that my 4yr old could hear the radio in the kitchen from his room. Friday night when I was tucking him in he asked me if the Yankees were going to be playing that night. Just tonight he asked me about their schedule and what days this week they would be playing. Well... I don't think I'm in the middle of writing "The Post" so I will close.

More Pics...

2006-05-03T19:48:00.000-03:00

I realize these are odd pics, but I like it that way:)

2006-05-03T00:15:00.000-03:00

2006-05-03T00:10:00.000-03:00

2006-05-03T00:07:00.000-03:00

Some Questions...

2006-05-02T23:17:00.000-03:00

Not much to say today. I had a job interview today at 11. I had to take the day off which gave me time to do several things. The first was listening to the radio. I must have heard every kind of pundit give every kind of view on everything. This just reinforced two of my very strong opinions. One: All politicians are clinically insane, period, enough said. And secondly, too many people try to look at logistical problems and issues along certain party lines. I see this at work all the time. I have absolutely no interest in proving myself to anyone else right or wrong. My belief is that we must attack all issues with the sole goal of finding the perfect solution. This solution must One: address the immediate need and secondly: it must be feasible for the long term. Then, after a history of fixing problems and fighting battles, we can sit back in our rockers and compare records. I still don't know where my allegiance lies politically. After 60 years of voting, I promise I’ll go back and review my record, and then maybe I'll have a better idea. I do though; have some questions about the current world Issues that I'd like you to consider.
1. What defines a "group" as it relates to civil rights and how broad are we willing to take it?
i.e. law breakers, pediphiles, and animals?
2.Why do we place so much pressure on Iran over the nuclear issue? Isn't Korea and China just as much of a danger?
3. Why must we be tolerante of other religions (even if they promote oppresive behavior...) but it's okay disscriminate against governments? Arn't they both basically a set of values and ideals?
4.If global warming is really happening, and the oceans are rising, why aren't costal cities being prepared? and if they do flood, will President Bush be blamed?
5. If taxpayers help pay for the majority of ballparks around the country, whats wrong with congress doing an investigation into steroid use?
6. What is going on in Mexico that people feel the need to sneak across the border?
And Why doesn't America take Mexico task on this?
7. Why is it so hard for Canadians and Mexicans to get citizenship when Cubans just have to set foot on American soil?
Well I hope those made you think or even made you mad. I don't really care about your feelings, I just hope you start coming up with answers with me. The other thing I got to do today was take pictures. They are the ones up top.

Thou Heretic!

2006-04-29T16:58:00.000-03:00

Okay, so I wasn't able to get the link to work. Just go to marketplace.org and type "the Rich Pay More" in the search box. Then listen to the show about Bush's tax cuts. Basicaly, what they say is that his tax cuts did benefit the rich but that in turn helped boost our economy. Wow! imagine that, maybe, just maybe the President knew what he was doing. For NPR to air this is tantimount to heresy. I just took my children to a parade. I just realized what a confusing ordeal this must be for kids. I mean, they get to take candy from strangers! Not to mention we let them play in the street. We also show them that it's okay to be in a moving vehicle without some kind of restraint. As far as hand-outs go, this one was rather strange. They were giving out breath mints and birdhouses. I mean i'm sure there is some kind of secret freudian message here, but it escapes me. Oh, by the way I will try to post that video some day. Well here is my weird link for the day...Here

I'm Working On It!!!!!

2006-04-28T20:13:00.000-03:00

Please Bear with me as I try to work out the bugs in my links. I realize that the video and Audio links did not work.

This Is Insane!?

2006-04-26T22:50:00.000-03:00

Not much to say today. I just wanted to share this audio clip with you. I heard this on N.P.R of all places! I couldn't believe that they were admitting this, but hey, you've got to hear it for yourself...Listen