75) Impact?

Recently reconnected with an old college friend on Facebook. After the pleasantries, he asked me if I still play music. I told him that I play guitar and bass when I get the chance. He informed me of a band he is currently in, called DOSS. They recently committed to their first show ever at a local music venue in Dallas called The Prophet Bar. His band had played together for about a year, but had not grown enough to play gigs. The lead singer, tired of their stagnant growth booked the show, thinking that if they were forced to play a show then they would get their act together and prepare themselves. So, the lead singer booked the show. A week later, the bassist quit.

My friend asked me if I would fill in on bass to play 7 songs. Because I am a nice guy I told him I would. I had precisely 2 weeks to prepare for the show, but learning their music on bass I felt confident I would not have any problems. However, showing up for my first practice with the lead singer and the drummer I learned something new. I learned that the lead singer had gotten another dude to play bass. So the trio asked me if I wanted to play lead guitar. Following is what transpired:

* I've not really been a lead guitarist before. As a result, I almost exclusively play the same licks over and over.
* I had 2 weeks to figure out the licks for this show.
* Check out my stage presence. I am not good enough on guitar to play without looking at what I am doing and concentrating. Also, so you know, I could not hear a good mix of the music. My amp pointed directly at my head and was much louder than the rest of the band. That is why I am almost always turning my instrument up and down.
* Doss plays a heavy style of music...a style that begs for a shredding lead guitarist.
* I play a more reserved style of music...a style that uses lead guitar to not really do anything important except add depth to the music.
* Know that there were about 25 people in the crowd. The place is about the size of a school gymnasium. Most of the 25 people were in the other bands scheduled to play that night.
* I am the dorky-looking guy on stage wearing a button up shirt. Actually, I think we are all sort of dorking looking.


Check out the below link for clips of the 7 songs we played. You must click the "see all" button to get all of the live versions of the songs to appear. I cannot vouch for the quality of the music. You will have to listen at your own risk. However, I think you will enjoy how awkward and lame we are on stage. And you will certainly enjoy watching me attempting to shred it on lead guitar!


http://www.youtube.com/user/DOSSBand#p/a/u/1/ADC8L_EGPL8


The question I have for my audience is: Did I make a positive impact on Doss?

74) Thoughts On Inspiration

Throughout history humans have accomplished many amazing feats. I am currently reading a book about the aqueducts of the Roman Empire and am amazed on many levels. I become thoroughly impressed anytime I think of the miracles of Space Travel, The Great Wall of China, Lasik surgery, GPS on my phone, the original Star Wars Trilogy, Indoor Plumbing, The Great Pyramids, The Internet, Cowboys Stadium. Not only do I like to think of these feats in and of themselves, but I also wonder what sort of inspiration led to such amazing accomplishments. Since I can only offer suitable insight into men, I will confine my discussion accordingly. However, I fully understand that women play huge roles into mankind's accomplishments and ultimately would love insight into what motivates and inspires women.

So, what inspires men to do the things they do? Without conducting surveys or utilizing any sort of proper research I can deduce that different things inspire different people. Some men are inspired by money. Others by women (and by women I really mean tail). Some men crave power over others. Some want fame. And there are those who simply want quiet contentment. Thinking on all of this has forced me to ask myself what inspires me.

While I am certainly motivated by money, tail and power, this exercise has allowed me to hone in on exactly what inspires me the most. Due to genetics, I am pre-wired with this itching, nagging feeling that resides primarily at the base of my neck. This itching and nagging keeps me from feeling relaxed. For some reason I cannot get this nagging to stop unless I accomplish something with my day. Can almost be anything. I can mow the yard or do a couple of loads of laundry. Or I can work out, or eat a completely vegetarian meal. If I sweep the floors and empty the dishwasher, that will help to dull that feeling. Another strange aspect to this is, my job does not count. If I have a hard day of work, I cannot simply come home and relax. I still have to accomplish something at home.

And while I am doing these things there really is only one thing that keeps me going with a positive attitude. That is: I cannot wait to sit on the couch with a glass of wine or a beer and watch tv/movie with my wife. I will gladly reinforce our rickety fence outside after scooping bagfuls of wiener dog poop if I know I will get to watch an episode of Trublood with L. later that evening. I realize this is somewhat of a lackluster inspiration, but that is what gets me through the tough times.

The takeaway from this post is: there is little chance I will create something monumental. I hate to think how little Thomas Edison would have accomplished if he was content sitting on the couch after sweeping his porch.

73) Bucket List (2011)

I anticipate my bucket list changing as I get older. Here is my list for 2011, in no particular order:

* Publish a novel or sell a screenplay. Either/Or.
* Teach L. how to play the guitar so we can write and record bad music.
* Read Tolstoy's War and Peace.
* Teach my college aged kids how to play hour of power while watching Lonesome Dove. Don't worry, I will cook the big dirty pizza for everyone.
* Run with the bulls at Pamplona.
* Retire and start a business with L. Not sure I care what sort of business. A vineyard, a boxing gym, a wiener dog farm. Doesn't matter because I look forward to the challenge.
* Teach L. how to play chess. This is going to be tougher than it sounds, as L. does not like playing games with me.
* Run L.'s campaign for her judgeship.
* See the US in a FIFA World Cup match with my wife and with my brother in a foreign country...preferably the finals.
* Learn how to play the piano.
* Visit the Japanese village my father spent the first 12 years of his life. I want my father and my wife there with me.
* Meet Tim O'Brien. Shouldn't be too hard because he teaches literature at a college here in Texas.
* Run a marathon (even though I am not sure my shins will let me do this)
* Grow a handlebar mustache. This may actually be more impossible for me than running a marathon.

72) Can't Live Without

The following is a list of the things in this world I cannot live without:

* First and foremost I cannot live without my wife. Without her my life does not work right. I can't settle down enough to know what to do with myself. I don't sleep well. I can't make myself eat right and ultimately I am slowly overwhelmed with a feeling of being lost. In fact, I am often actually lost without her because I literally do not know where I am going most of the time.

To a much lesser degree:

* Pizza, preferably with pepperoni and jalapenos
* A good bottle of red wine
* FIFA World Cup, especially when it involves watching multiple games with my friends and family at all hours of the night
* L.'s red sauce (it is so good...)
* Disney Pixar movies (not including Cars 2)
* My DVRs (I need both of them)
* L.'s impersonations (usually of me, but also include her mom, Polly, Doodle and many others)
* My Ipod
* My dog
* Traveling with L.
* My industrial strength hair dryer...

71) Music Listography

While shopping at the mall L. and I stumbled upon a concept journal titled Music Listography. The journal outlines and asks for lists to be completed around specific ideas. For instance: Favorite love songs, Top songs from 90's, Songs that remind you of best friends. L. and I thought this would be a fun exercise to go through, especially considering how much she and I appreciate music. Our idea is to have 1 book where we include our own lists for each assignment the journal asks. A husband/wife musical history so to speak.

Want to hear something crazy? We bought 2 books. We bought 1 book for us. And then we bought 1 book for our first born child (who is yet to be conceived, BTW). Crazy, huh!? Before you go calling my mom and causing a huge raucous, I must say that we are not preggers, and do not intend to be soon. However, I can say that buying this journal illustrates that a step has been taken. I think it is a small step, but it is definitely a step. In order to ensure that it is a small step, we have packed the book away into a box and stored it securely in the deepest part of our attic.

If there included a page within this journal that asks about my favorite bands from:

20 years ago: Rush, Styx, Boston, Yes

10 years ago: Pearl Jam, Blind Melon, Pink Floyd, Tool/A Perfect Circle

Today: Coldplay, The Police, Jethro Tull

70) Man-Love

Over the years I have developed man-crushes for different men for various reasons. Following is a list of those man-crushes that have had a lasting affect on me throughout my life:























Bill Doran: Bill Doran played second base for the Houston Astros when I was a kid, and I idolized him. Like him, I wore the number 19. He was the first athlete I loved in a long line of athletic man-crushes. I am pretty sure the writers for Major League also loved Bill Doran.




















Ernest Givins: Who can forget the electric slide?




















Arnold: When I was a kid you either loved Arnold or Sylvester. I loved Arnold. Seriously, what are you gonna like better: Running Man, Total Recall, The Terminator or Rambo, Judge Dred, Cobra? This one is not even close.

























Dennis Deyoung: Had a huge man-crush on Dennis Deyoung. Not sure if this qualifies, as Dennis is awfully theatrical to be considered a man.

























Chevy Chase: Of course I loved Chevy Chase. Of that generation (including but not limited to Dan Akroyd, Steve Martin, Bill Murray etc) he was without a doubt my favorite. However, now I must say that Bill Murray is my favorite.





















Bo Jackson: Along with every other boy during this time period I had a huge crush on Bo Jackson. Loved watching him play football more than baseball, but thought it was so cool that he played both so well.































Hakeem Olajuwon: I grew up in Houston and was in high school when Hakeem was dream shakin the Rockets to back to back NBA Championships.





















Eddie Vedder: This one comes as no surprise to anyone. Not sure I like the album where he is only playing a eukelele. But there are few who can compare to the passionate Pearl Jam singer who dominated my music listening for at least a decade, if not more.























Coen Brothers: In college I discovered the greatness that is the Coen Brothers. Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski, O'Brother, Fargo, Intolerable Cruelty, True Grit. I can watch any Coen Brother movie at any given time.




























Kurt Vonnegut: I discovered Kurt Vonnegut when I was in college. I read Timequake and was blown away by his style of writing. I quickly purchased almost every available Vonnegut book and read within a couple of months: Bluebeard, Mother Night, Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse Five, Galapagos, Dead Eye Dick, Sirens of Titan. I realized that I was approaching the end of the Vonnegut catalog, so I stopped reading them in order to pace myself. Because of Vonnegut I dedicated many hours to writing. Still trying to write at least one sentence as interesting as any of his...




























Christopher Nolan: My man-crush for Christopher Nolan could not be any healthier. He is putting out great work, including the New Batman movies, The Prestige, Memento, Inception. I look forward to his films above all others coming out these days. If he continues like this he will easily be in the Coen Brothers class.





















Stewart Copeland: I rediscovered The Police recently and have connected with their music primarily because of their drummer. One of the few drummers that can dominate the sound so much so that I do not even hear what else is going on in the music. As a result I bought a drum set and have been trying to teach myself how to play.































Dirk: Not sure that I even need to explain this one. I love me some Dirk!

69) Hate Is A Strong Word

You can tell much about a person by what they hate. Hate is a strong word, and I try not to hate things. However, there are things in this world that bother me. Following is a small list of things I hate:

* I hate driving in traffic.
* Crappy reality TV shows like Kardashians, Real World etc. Pretty much all of them.
Snakes and wasps.
* My cats rubbing their teeth on me.
* Mowing the yard.
* When our electric bill arrives in the summer.
* When I wake up 8 minutes before my alarm is about to go off.
* When my dog eats cat throw up and then tries to lick my face.
* When I eat too much at a meal, even though there is no way to stop myself.
* A really bad headache.
* The parental argument "Because I said so." Though if my kids are as annoying as I was I can easily imagine me using this go to argument.
* Having to use a public restroom for #2.
* When I sweep the living room or vacuum any rug and 5 minutes later the floor is full of cat fur and/or stuffed animal guts.
* When I go to the wrong conference room for a meeting and sit there by myself for few minutes before realizing I am in the wrong place. And then showing up at the correct place late.
* When working professionals do not have a signature in their email so it is difficult to find their phone number.
* When people I care about are unhappy and there is nothing I can do about it.
* Cats. Even though much of my life I have loved cats. Living with them for 10 years has a way of changing perspective.
* When I buy a new shirt and realize someone at my office has the same shirt. This also applies to parties while in college, especially if that other person is an extremely dorking looking girl.

I am sure there are more that belong in this list. If you can think of anything else, feel free to share it in the comments.

68) My Life In Song

The following is a list of songs that comprise the story of my life. This is My Life In Song:

Best of my Love: When I was in elementary school I found a bag of tapes stuffed in a cabinet in our living room. The first one I grabbed was The Eagles. First album I listened to start to finish.

Come Sail Away: Craig introduced me to Styx on a bus to camp in junior high. He brought a walkman and we took turns listening to three songs each. On this trip I listened to Yaz, Styx and The Judies. Obviously I gravitated toward Styx. Come Sail Away was a favorite for many years. Unfortunately it makes me laugh now. But I still love it.

YYZ: Craig introduced me to RUSH, and when I heard the trio jam on YYZ I learned that a song didn't even need lyrics to rock. RUSH was my first concert ever, and I have seen them now each time they have come to Texas. And you can bet I will be there again next time they come.

Amanda: The first song I learned on guitar. For the most part I still know how to play it. And I remember Wally teaching me how to play a bar chord and me being completely amazed by Tom Shultz for writing a song with such a difficult bar chord in it.

Survival: I discovered Yes sometime during high school, and can honestly say this is the strangest band I have connected with. Their music is high brow, overly complicated and dramatically theatrical. However, for a year or more of my life I fell asleep to Survival playing on my stereo. Not a huge Yes fan these days, but I truly love this song.

Immortality: Immortality is the gateway to love of Pearl Jam. I remember one night driving home from a party riding in Dugat's bouncy Jeep. He had a discman velcroed to his dash with Vitalogy in it. I was drunk and tired. I lay in the backseat repeatedly asking Dugat to play Immortality again. Trust me, it is good enough to hear over and over, even if you aren't a high school student on the verge of passing out.

Closer: Freshman year of college consisted of three albums: Oasis (What's The Story Morning Glory), Pearl Jam (Vs) and NIN (Downward Spiral). I am sure all the kids lucky enough to be on our hall know the songs on these three albums. Closer was the song I looked forward to the most of all of the songs. Champagne Supernova was second.

In My Tree: I lived in Houston my sophomore year of college. Probably the worst year of my life. I enjoyed much of Houston's traffic while commuting to U of H. I listened exclusively to Pearl Jam's No Code. In My Tree still brings me back to that year and remembering sitting in my car in our dirt driveway in the heights finishing that song before going inside.

All Mixed Up: I moved back to Waco and lived with Chris and Dugat. Chris introduced me to 311. We threw so many darts and drank so much scotch to 311 it gives me a hangover to think about it. Dugat used to say: All mixed up, don't know what to do. Next thing you turn around and find a booger in your shoe. In fact, he probably still says that if you bring up 311.

Indifference: At some point during college we started singing terrible versions of this song at 3 in the morning. I remember laying behind the back tires of a car singing this until the neighbors threatened to call the cops.

Open: In my final year of school I was introduced to The Cure. I hesitated giving the band a chance. Then I discovered this song. True it has a 3 minute intro, but I used to listen to this song every morning driving to campus from my apartment. The Cure is L.'s favorite band and I cannot hear Robert Smith's voice without thinking of her.

Do It Again: I do not like Steely Dan, but while living in Tyler Guitar Hero came into my life. I played the crap out of this game. As I explored the difficult setting I came across Do It Again. One night I must have played through this song at least 100 times trying to pass it. Poor L. She had to listen to this song over and over, and she had to see me at my most determined. Plus, I ended up drinking lots of whiskey and coke. Sometime in the middle of the night I passed the song and then passed out.

Driven To Tears: We moved back to Dallas and I decided to buy the entire catalog produced by The Police. Not sure what motivated me to do this, but I did it. And it turned out to be a great decision. I discovered that I truly like their music. I also discovered that there is a drummer out there whose style is so strange and mesmerizing that I was inspired to buy a drum set.

New Day Yesterday: For the past 8 months or so I have been in this huge Jethro Tull funk. Not sure why, but I have been listening to their pre-Aqualung albums and have really connected with Benefit and Stand Up.

This list is getting long, so I will stop now.

67) When The Bird Has Flown

Through the years many individuals are responsible for making me the person I am today. And these same individuals have helped me get through the tough times I have encountered. I know this memorial does not do them justice. But it is a start.















Mom: What can I say about my mom? She was there for me throughout all points in my life. Not matter what the issue, she was there to listen and offer her advice. In fact, she often offered her advice without me asking her. She is a strong-willed individual who helped me into this world, and has helped me ever since.























Dad: Through genetics and parenthood my father passed down to me my natural inclination toward music, my sense of value (some call it cheapness) and my overall competitive nature. When I was very young 4 states separated our homes. Each summer we drove 16 hours so I could visit him for a month. He realized how little he was able to be in my life with this set up and he uprooted his family in order to move closer to me. He doesn't realize how much I have thought about that sacrifice over the years and how appreciative I am that he made the effort to be in my life. He doesn't realize this, but he taught me to be independent and strong. He taught how to take care of myself. And I will never forget that. On a different note, doesn't my dad look straight out of a spaghetti western from the 60's? Sort of like pre-Deathwish Bronson?



















Joe: Joe married my mother when I was 3 or 4 year old and has been in my life ever sense. He taught me the value of education and encouraged the many interests I had growing up. He took it upon himself to raise me as one of his own, and I am happy to have him as an active part in my life today.


















L.: I cannot say enough about L. at this point. One of her true strengths is her ability to help someone when they are in trouble. She makes other's problems a personal responsibility and will stop at nothing to make sure those she cares about are taken care of. She is also responsible for my growth from college into adulthood. And now she struggles pushing me from adulthood into responsible adulthood. It is an ongoing process and one she is committed to undergo. And I love her for that.


















Stephen: Stephen helps me with spontaneity. I am a planner, almost to a detriment. Stephen is spontaneous. Because of him I often find myself out of my comfort zone. For instance, on multiple occasions he has called me while on his way to Dallas to let me know that he is picking me up and taking me to a sporting event or concert. Together we have seen The Red Hot Chili Peppers, A Perfect Circle, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, and the pinnacle of all spontaneous events Game 6 of last years ALCS. Yes, that is the game the Rangers defeated the Yankees to go to the World Series. This turned out to be the most impressive sporting event I have ever witnessed live, and a moment I will never forget.
















Chris: Chris and I have known each other since elementary school. He has been one of my closest friends through adolescence, and is personally responsible for undoing all he could of what my father has instilled in me as it pertains to value (cheapness). He has also taught me how to drink scotch and has helped me develop my love for wine. He worked tirelessly to ween me off of classic rock in favor of alternative rock, and together we explored many ventures that include: writing, painting, music, hockey, bad movies, cats, acting, dealing with naive baylor students, the A-Hole Olympics, just to name a handful. He has been instrumental in tempering the craziness that occurs when I get bored, and that is no easy task.



















Craig: Craig has been a close friend of mine since 6th grade and is responsible for my education as it pertains to girls. So now L. can understand why I was so unpolished when she met me in college. The first time I asked a girl to be my girlfriend, Craig and Chris were there to comfort me when she said no. Of course, I am pretty sure it was their encouragement that led me to that phone call to begin with. Craig also introduced me into the world of working, where I got my first job at Discovery Zone. I later repaid the favor by getting him a job working with Johnson and Ned at TxDoT. Craig started me on Classic Rock and was with me when I went to see Rush for my first concert ever. Later, he and I tried to see Kansas and Styx, but that did not work out so well. Over the years Craig and I played roles into our introduction into real life, marriage and eventually he will play a large role into my first experience with children. I know he is looking forward to that because he is going to get a lot of phone calls from me asking how he has been able to do it.














Dugat: Dugat is another friend of mine dating back to 6th grade. His first contributions into my development as a young person came in the form of getting in trouble. His antics allowed me to learn on a weekly basis how to deal with after school detention. And he taught me early on how to be prepared, forcing me to bring several pens to class so that I would have something to write with after he stole the ink from my pens. Later in our scholastic career our friendship led me into writing and music. Before I knew Michael I thought Dennis Deyoung was a quality lyric writer! Later in our friendship Dugat helped me to understand and appreciate sports. His insight into basketball and football has made my experience of these sports the last decade much more meaningful and enjoyable. And as life has happened to me, I have found Michael a consistent and reliable source of quality support, whether it be about my career or my personal life. I am just glad no jobs give after work detentions, otherwise I might think differently.























Britt: I met Britt working at Casa Ole in Waco. He taught me accountability. And toughness. And how to drink. Like Liz, Britt is at his best when helping others with their problems. These problems range from car issues to relationship issues. He is a great listener who will take what you have to say, combine it with his superior common sense and give you a strategic course of action that will likely lead you to the outcome you desire. He is good at giving bad news and is one of the easiest people to talk to. Over the years we have butted heads on many issues, and I would not trade that for anything. He has challenged me to become better in all facets of life and for that I am appreciative. Not only is he good at helping others get out of the trouble they get into, but he is also good at getting himself into trouble. The many strange situations he has somehow gotten himself into have made my life infinitely more rewarding.

66) Coddling Kidd

I became a Mavs fan while living in Waco and going to Baylor. I moved into an apartment complex 10 miles away from campus because it was new and much nicer than anything you could get near campus. Included in the niceness was the workout room. At least four nights a week I carried a handheld CD player into the workout room to lift weights, listen to music and run on the elliptical machine. During football season I discovered I could turn the TV on any game and I would get a better workout. For whatever reason sports inspired me and made the workout something I looked forward to instead of something I forced myself to do.

I soon realized that football only guaranteed me two solid workout days (back then games were only on Sundays and Monday Nights). Instead of listening to music I flipped through the stations looking for something else to watch. Fate brought me to NBA basketball. I grew up in Houston watching the Rockets. I was in high school when they won back to back championships. In Waco, however, they tune in to Mavericks basketball.

The year was 2000 and it was Dirk's first year as a consistent starter and contributor to the team. He was partnered with a young and energetic Steve Nash and the stud of the team Michael Findley. Thus the Mavs entered my life. Over the next couple of seasons I found myself working out almost everyday hoping to see the Mavs play again and again.

L. and I moved to Dallas in 2003 and for our first year of life together we decided to get Maverick's Season tickets. This was the year the big 3 were joined by Antawn Jamison and Antoine Walker. Our seats were high up in the arena, but we loved them. And for the next 8 years I watched every single Mav game I could.

Needless to say, I was broken hearted in 2006 when the Heat (and the refs) tore out our hearts in the NBA finals. But the 2011 Championship run for the Dallas Mavericks has been amazing and rewarding. Before they could win the championship the Mavericks swept the hated Lakers. And then they met Kevin Durant in the Western Conference Finals. After staging one of the most impressive comebacks in NBA playoff history, the Mavs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games. I watched as the celebration commenced at the end of the game and was forced to pause the TV when I noticed Durant embracing Jason Kidd. Durant's hands are so big it appears as though Durant is coddling a baby.

Each time I see this image it makes me laugh, and it makes me excited to know the Mavs won their championship!

65) Little Black Book

Been married now for 8 years. It is amazing to think that much time has passed since I first met my wife and started building the relationship we have today. I am not sure I can pinpoint the moment I knew we would be married (probably the moment she said yes) but I remember when I discovered she was the girl for me.


In college I wanted to be a professional writer. I wrote short stories and at some point decided I needed to write my first novel. I had not been through this process before and so did not know best practices for writing a novel. My writing teacher explained to us that chapters need to represent a story within the story and that they should be written with a clear beginning, middle and end. So this is how I decided to organize my first novel. I saved each chapter as its own file on my computer and worked on them individually, not necessarily concerned early on how they flowed together. I got 120 pages into the project, far and away more pages than I had ever written on one project before, when my computer crashed. And by crashed, I mean completely stopped working.

I was devastated. I still remember the anger and frustration I felt in our crappy apartment off of MLK blvd. When L. saw the devastation she immediately took my computer to a friend of hers who worked for the Baylor computer lab. He could not save the computer, but he was able to extract all the files and print all the pages for me. L. then took me to Best Buy where she used her money to help me purchase a laptop. I had not made a big purchase like this on my own yet, and I come from a long line of thrifty (cheap) Japanese tradition and spending this much money on one item made me extremely nervous. She answered my anxiety by saying, "You want to be a writer, right? Well, you need something to write on."

It seemed so simple when she said it like that, however it was not such a simple thing. The issue was courage. I did not have courage or confidence to spend money based on the simple idea I wanted to be a writer. L. not only had the courage to step up, but she had enough confidence in me to purchase the laptop.

My birthday approached a couple of weeks later and L. bought me a leather bound notebook. The inscription explained that this notebook is to be used to jot down all ideas I have for current and future writing projects. I still use the notebook to this day. Can you imagine how many wonderful ideas are amassed within it's leather binding? Let me just tell you there are many. Obviously the present was thoughtful. But it was much more than that. It demonstrated qualities like confidence, support and love. These are qualities worth building a future around.

I now have my little black book sitting next to my bed waiting for me to fill it with ideas. And each time I see it I think to myself how lucky I am for finding someone willing to take this journey with me, even if it means she has to read a bunch of crappy stories I write.

64) Trading Places

Question: If you could trade places with someone for one day, who would it be?
Answer: After careful consideration I would trade places with one of the Astronauts currently assigned to the International Space Station. There are several modules used to research our planet and other celestial objects, but the one that stands out to me is the Cupola. The Cupola is a dome-shaped window structure that gives astronauts and cosmonauts a valuable work area with great visibility of our planet, solar system and galaxy. The day I would trade would not include the launching out of or the re-entering into the Earth's atmosphere. These two parts of the process frighten me above all others, and I can do without those experiences. The rest would be invaluable.






















Or perhaps I would trade one day with Eddie Vedder so that I could spend one night crooning my favorite songs to a screaming crowd of slightly aging fans.

63) Tear Down The Wall!

A favorite recent memory I have (that I have a picture for) would have to be seeing Roger Waters perform The Wall at the AAC. Pink Floyd is one of those bands that made me sad I did not grow up in the 70's. I truly love their music. I am happy to say L. loves Pink Floyd as much as I do and over the years we listen to select albums during long drives to Houston.

Roger Waters and David Gilmour make up the heart and soul of Pink Floyd. Both are key song writers and singers throughout most of Pink Floyd's catalog. I have always been partial to Gilmour. L. has been partial to Roger Waters.

Last year we learned Roger Waters was performing The Wall at the AAC (without Gilmour) and there was no denying us. I was certainly happy to see 1/2 of the band that I love, though part of me wished Gilmour would have shown up. However, when the show started I was completely blown away. As Roger sang through the first part of the album their crew set up giant white bricks on the front of the stage. As they did this images were projected on the bricks communicating the various themes and motifs of the show.

Roger Waters was completely amazing. The show was incredible. And at the end they played L.'s favorite part known as the Trial. It is melodramatic, overly English and completely awesome. The show climaxed into a complete destruction of the Wall. Tear Down The Wall!

62) Night Games

A perfect evening for me would involve playing games with my friends. Looks strange written out like this, but it is true. I like to play games. Over the years, the games I like to play have changed. Following is an exploration of the games that have filled the various times in my life.

Elementary School: I played Parcheesi and Connect 4 with my parents. Sometimes we played Chinese Checkers, but that game really frustrated me.

Junior High: Played Life and Monopoly. We use to extend Monopoly out by allowing credit outside the mortgages on the backs of the property cards. We just tallied up bills. At the lake house we played Scattegories and Pictionary, my two favorite games for a long time.

High School: Risk became a key game during this part of my life. Games would last all night, and oftentimes into the next day. Risk had a way of ending with a board clearing sweep by a losing player. If I remember correctly, Craig had the most board clearing endings. I remember we would find Risk pieces on his living room floor for days. We also played a lot of BS and a poker game called Challenge.

Freshman Year of College: We played Chess almost every night at Common Grounds. I remember I did not have any money and would have to accept a free Dr. Pepper or coffee from Chris, who felt bad seeing me out there for hours without something to drink. Other than that, there were not a lot of games played in the dorms.

Rest of College: Played a ridiculous amount of drinking games including P&A, Categories, Up the River, Pyramid, Circle of Death, High/Low, Egyptian Rat Screw, Quarters, Chasers and Beer Pong. L., Jill and I went through a serious Dr. Mario phase during college that was odd.

Just After College: We held onto a lot of the drinking games for several years, staying mainly with P&A. We also played a game called Settlers of Catan. We started playing Texas Hold Em as well. It was during this period that Scene It had a brief appearance in our evenings until people got frustrated with how much movie knowledge me and Katrina seemed to have. Every Christmas Eve we played Uno.

Tyler: In Tyler we played Texas Hold Em a few times, but mainly we played Pictionary and Guitar Hero. Man, we played some serious Guitar Hero. I was addicted and could play the same three songs over and over. And with Pictionary, L. gets so competitive. Her teammate is guaranteed to get yelled at, which can be intimidating to new members. However, her team always wins. She is very good.

Back in Dallas: Since being back in Dallas we mostly play Apples to Apples. The last game evening we had there were two games we played that were fun, but I cannot remember what they were. I cannot seem to find anyone to play Risk with me.

61) Japan: Adventures In Food

On our trip to Japan it was important for me to be openminded about the food I ate. I wanted to try everything at least once and I wanted to learn what Japanese people ate on a regular basis. If forced to choose a favorite Japanese meal I would have to choose between Okonomyaki or Yakituri. Okonomyaki are weird meat pancakes that you cook on a griddle in front of you. The ingredients include batter, an assortment of meat, vegetables and a raw egg. You mix the batter and cook like a pancake. In the middle of the process you crack the egg and place on top of the pancake. Once the thing is done you drizzle your pancake with a Japanese BBQ sauce. It was interesting and tasted better than the more traditional Japanese meals we ate.

Yakituri consists of skewered meat basted with different spices and sauces, then grilled. I enjoyed our Yakituri meal immensely. It likely would have won my favorite Japanese meal award, except that I like the Okonomyaki photo better.

L. and I are huge sushi fans and one would think sushi might have been considered for this coveted award since it originated in Japan. Our one sushi experience at the Skiji fish market, while interesting and fun, proved to be disappointing as far as the food was concerned. First of all, our chef was sick and he constantly coughed and sneezed on our fish. We like sashimi best, but at the restaurant we chose on the outskirts of the market the sick chef cut such large pieces I felt like I was eating a raw fish corndog. Did not feel the same as the delicate sashimi we get here in the states.

We also enjoyed a traditional Japanese meal with a group of friends we met. The meal consisted of several courses that included shrimp that still had the heads and tails attached. The worst thing I ate in Japan was from this meal. It was a squid fresh out of the water. I am not even positive it was dead. The thing was squishy, clammy and much too big to be eaten as one bite. I put the squid in my mouth and when I started chewing it felt like I bit into slimy entrails. Not a good experience.

When visiting with my aunt, we ate Oden. My family insisted on us trying it and I must say it was not good. If forced to describe it I would say it was similar to muchy beef sticks with a strange flavor. Tasted overly processed but with a displeasing consistency. I ate everything in this picture, and had to force myself to smile when my relatives asked me if I liked it.























On a side note, we saw the two young women in the below picture at the Okonomyaki restaurant. We noticed many of the Japanese youth to be dressed like dolls or characters out of the Nutcracker. We asked friends and family members about these young people and they informed us this fashion is in style at the moment. I thought to myself, "Man, these kids today are weird." And then I realized I sounded like my dad when he saw me wearing Jams and a t-shirt.

60) Longtime Friend

Question: Who is the person you have been friends with the longest and still keep in touch with?
Answer: Chris White

Here are some fun facts about me and Chris. Hope his dad does not read this.

* We met in 2nd grade. I was in Miss Leverman's class. He was in Miss Brannock's (or something like that).
* Chris had a slumber party at his house one year and we thought it would be a good idea to have a boxing tournament. I got hit in the face and started crying. I threatened to go home because they weren't boxing fairly. I got as far as getting my shoes on before Chris convinced me to stay. He promised me no one else would punch me in the face.
* I broke my arm in his front yard attempting to do a bicycle kick we saw in the Sylvester Stallone movie Victory. Uncle Eric had to pick me up and take me home.
* While playing laser tag at the mall Chris accidentally punched a girl with his laser gun. She bled all over the mall. After that all guns became attached to the vest they make you wear.
* While playing football together for the SBJH B-Team Chris had a game where he caused a fumble, recovered a fumble, sacked the QB and had a handful of tackles. On the morning announcements I was recognized as a standout player, though I am not sure I even did anything in that game.
* The first girl Chris asked out was named Robin. He called her and asked her out on my kitchen rotary phone.
* In high school Chris put on an Ewok mask and dove down his stairs. Later that night he cleaned up at least three different places in his house where I had violently thrown up.
* Throughout high school Chris was the voice of reason. He fought with me endlessly on how far we would take the activities we participated in. I kept trying to stretch his comfort zone to include morally questionable, potentially illegal behavior while he tried to keep me reeled in to reality. It was this push/pull relationship that most likely kept me out of serious trouble.
* For the longest time Chris's dad thought we were gay. Not sure if he still does.
* We took guitar lessons together with a guy named Wally. I farted once at our lesson and Wally scolded me saying, "Man, don't do that. I like to sniff that chair after my 6 o'clock lesson". I don't think he was kidding.
* Chris and I bought and built hockey goals using PVC pipe. We played after school everyday and managed to get some of our school's most attractive girls to play hockey with us. When Chris was ready to sit he would let his feet roll out from under him and he would land harshly on his butt. He looked funny doing that.
* Chris is talented at doing the twist. Once Craig played Lorelei (from Styx) and danced in Chris's face. Chris broke out a hard core twist that sent Craig unexpectedly backward.
* Chris can open jars better than anyone I know.
* One summer we started a lawn mowing business. We made and distributed flyers and managed to get 1 steady client. We tried to undercut the competition with our $18 package deal.
* Growing up Chris had an unnatural affinity toward Ted Nugent. I had an unnatural affinity toward the Swedish Chef.

59) Ten Facts

Been challenged to reengage my blog with 30 posts in 60 days. Wish me luck. Here are 10 facts about me:

1) I have the ability to stay up as late as the last person in any given evening. However, once I climb into bed I fall asleep within seconds.

2) I have slightly webbed toes and cannot move them individually. And this has not made me a faster swimmer.

3) I do not wear deodorant and I do not have BO problems.

4) I cringe each time my work phone rings.

5) I use the same voice to impersonate everything: people, animals and inanimate objects. Strangely, my impersonation fits my mother spot on.

6) On a Saturday afternoon if forced to choose between writing on a novel, playing music with a band, or playing a sport, I would most likely choose playing a sport. Almost doesn't matter the sport.

7) I can watch long, boring movies better than most people. I can also watch crappy 80's movies better than most people. However, I have a difficult time with modern day crappy movies.

8) Things I love more than any dude should: disney movies, jasmine vanilla aromatherapy hand lotion, wine, my puppy, playing pictionary, movies about gladiators, chocolate chip cookies, painting weiner dogs, TruBlood, cooking with our home grown peppers, shopping online

9) Things I love as much as any dude should: Dirk, pizza, whiskey, playing ping pong, the original Star Wars Trilogy, being at the lake house, movies about Scottish revolutionaries from the 1200's, The Most Interesting Man in the World commercials

10) Of all things, I am most proud of my 8-year marriage. I certainly did a superb job choosing and wooing a beautiful and intelligent girl. But also, we have done a great job of growing together and moving our lives in a forward direction. Our relationship has kept me emotionally and intellectually engaged, and has enabled me to keep a positive attitude in all other aspects of my life. And our relationship has kept me entertained (you should see her argue with the dog...it is very entertaining).

58) Obsessive Courtesy Flushers

We have a couple of people here at my office who are obsessive courtesy flushers. That is to say, as they are going #2 they flush every 3-5 seconds, or each time something drips/falls/plops/splashes into the toilet...whichever happens more frequently. Part of me is annoyed by the Obsessive Courtesy Flusher because I feel like they are wasting a lot of water. I am also slightly annoyed because I sit within earshot of the bathroom, so I can hear each time an Obsessive Courtesy Flusher is dropping a load, and I do not like my day interrupted at all by the thought of someone else dropping a load. However, part of me feels like maybe I am the A-Hole that is pissing everyone off by only courtesy flushing when I deem necessary.

Maybe this is the problem. We need to, as a society, develop a universal definition as to the appropriate and necessary times to utilize the courtesy flush. Should we flush each time something exits the bunghole, or should we stop being so sensitive and wait until the entire process is done before considering to flush? And should there be other factors that need to be considered? For instance, if someone is hungover should they flush more. Or if someone ate Taco Bell for their last meal, should they be forced to flush more than someone who last ate Cafe Express? And what are adequate punishments for not adhering to the Universal Courtesy Flush Mandate? As a society we have a lot to consider.

Or perhaps I have spent entirely too much time on this subject already. Nothing like a little bathroom discussion on a Friday afternoon.

57) 2011 Resolutions

The year cannot properly start without resolutions. Generally when setting goals, I like to review my last goal and see how well I may or may not have achieved that goal. I do not want to do that here. Resolutions are designed to allow us to move forward, and that is fully what I intend to do. So, no examining how shitty I was at my 2010 resolutions.

1) My most important resolution centers around my career. I am forever working toward something (no matter what realm of life we are talking about). For the longest time I was not certain exactly what I wanted my career to be (big picture). Now I have a good 5-year goal, which will hopefully set up the rest of my career. I work for an ad agency and have been working the past year and a half on a new client, building them from the ground up. The process has been tough, but rewarding. My resolution for 2011 centers around strengthening my position within the agency as it relates to the growth of this client. I wish to be an integral part of developing the relationship between the agency and the client, while at the same time developing the processes by which the agency executes this clients business. My goal: to be someone within the agency that pitches new business opportunities and moves from client to client in 5 year windows setting up the team within the agency, making it viable and self-serving before moving to a new business opportunity. For 2011 specifically, I want to move myself into the position of running our media team. It is going to be hard, and it is going to take many things happening at the same time. And it is going to take some luck. But I think I am up for it.

2) I started a small writing project a year and a half ago (before I started my job) and I would like to finish it. I have not written in a couple of years, but feel like I have a project I am interested in completing. I am 20-30 pages in and am liking the style in which I am writing. This style is much different than any of my previous projects. I would like to finish this novel/novella in 2011.

3) For my birthday I got an electronic drum set. I have been playing on average 4-5 days a week, 20-40 minutes per session. I have definitely improved, but I wish to be good enough to play in a band within the next 3 years. I need to improve drastically to make this happen.

4) I would like to learn how to make Scotch. For Christmas I got a home Scotch making kit. I have mixed the ingredients and have my first attempt resting in a tiny oak barrel. I am pretty sure it is going to taste like complete shit, but I am interested in learning this year how to not make it taste like complete shit. In fact, I would like to make it taste decent, maybe even good. Just so you know, I am not taking the barley and rye and distilling my own alcohol using the standard 3 year and 1 day required by Scottish law to make Scotch. However, I am taking the pre-distilled liquor, mixing it with pre-provided mash, adding a few of my own ingredients and then letting it mature in a tiny oak barrel in my house. This is not a professional endeavor, purely a recreational one. I feel strongly that any endeavor that yields alcohol is a good one, unless that alcohol tastes like complete shit. Which leads me back to my 4th resolution.

5) I would like to eat more blueberries and spinach. These are power foods that are extremely healthy. Blueberries are known to increase brain health. This is important to me, as my family is predisposed to Alzheimer's. Included with this is my need to address my cholesterol. I was recently tested for insurance purposes and my levels are higher than optimal. I am not in the danger area yet. I do not need to be on medication. However, I do need to seriously consider addressing my behavior so that I do not ever reach dangerous levels of cholesterol. Basically, I want to ensure that my body lives long enough to see my mind go crazy...

56) 2010 Year In Review

Spent some time last week thinking about New Year's Resolutions. My mind kept returning to 2010 and how great it was for me. The following is an impromptu list of things I experienced in 2010, and how I would like to work toward making 2011 be just as great.

* Vacations: New York City and Mexico. I've never been good at going on vacations as I am too cheap to spend money and not particular fond of flying. We went to New York early in the year. I went to Yankee Stadium and Ground Zero. We ate at a couple of New York's finest restaurants, as well as eating from the infamous street vendors. We went to the Museum of Modern Art and McSorley's, one of the oldest and most interesting pubs I have ever visited. The Mexican vacation was an all inclusive that involved a lot of lounging on the beach, eating at the different restaurants and drinking lots of whiskey. A truly fancy resort.

* Sporting Events: I love sporting events and I cannot imagine a better year than my 2010. I saw several Mavericks games from a suite and 2 courtside (hard to watch a game any other way after sitting courtside). The last couple of games I got to walk to the long media table where I know one of the best local sports writers covering the mavs. Felt good telling the high class suite that I was leaving to discuss latest Mavs news with an insider during the game. I saw a Cowboy game in the new Cowboy stadium, also in a suite on the Star level. Not kidding, our parking space was 15 yards from one of the entrances. We were so close they searched our car for bombs using a special bomb canine. I already mentioned Yankee Stadium, which was impressive. My most impressive experience occurred when my brother surprised me with Game 6 tickets to see the Rangers defeat the Yankees to go to the World Series.

* Concerts: I also love music and got to see some great shows in 2010. I saw Rush for the 4th time with Craig and Mark. Always a great time seeing three of the most talented musicians tear it up on stage, even if Craig is off dancing with a wooden fence at the back of the venue. We saw Roger Waters perform The Wall in all its musical and theatrical glory. We saw Better Than Ezra for the 5th time, or was it 6th? Always a good show, and always fun being 10 feet from the stage. And how can I forget JookaBox, the band that describes itself as: Messy, Zombie Punk that will take Metal back to hell!

* Weddings: Stephen and Meghan had a beautiful wedding in Houston that brought the family together for a fun and important weekend.

* Job: Made huge strides developing our client and building them from a start up brand to one we hope to be a household name within 5 years. As I look to 2011 I would like to devote time and energy into strengthening our client, developing our team within the agency and making our agency more successful than 2010. This will be hard, but rewarding when we are successful.

* Music: I got a drum set and am in the process of learning how to play. I did a good job in 2010 practicing each week and I have definitely made progress. My goal is to be good enough within 3 years to play in a band as a drummer. I have 2 1/2 years left to fulfill this goal.

* Kids: We have done a good job in 2010 fending off family and friends from pressuring us into having kids. I am confident we will be just as successful in 2011, though I fully anticipate a more vigorous effort from them.