Wednesday, January 29, 2014

142) Times, They Are A'Changin'

Visited Houston last week and stayed with a friend.  Before heading to the bar, I showered in the upstairs bathroom.  While enjoying the wonderful fragrance of their vanilla jasmine body wash, I heard a strange sound coming from the bedroom next door.  Sounded like an alarm.  I knew I was the only one upstairs and wondered why an alarm would be set.  But the noise continued for several minutes, making me wonder if I had accidentally set an alarm on my phone for some reason.

I finished my shower, exited the bathroom and discovered no sound whatsoever emanating from anything upstairs.  I was confused.  And naked.  So I dressed, put stuff in my hair to give it the messy look I go for these days and left for the bar with my friend, where we heard his wife perform with her country music band.  At the bar I asked my friend if he had any alarms set upstairs, or if his a/c unit had an alert that went off to change filters or something.  He told me he knew nothing of an alarm upstairs, and was as confused as I was.

The next day we sat on his couch, fighting off two rambunctious dogs while trying to enjoy coffee when I heard the strange alarm again.  It went off, radiating clearly throughout the entire house.  I looked curiously over to my friend and said, "Hey, that's the sound I heard!  What is that?"

He said, "That's my telephone ringing..."

Monday, January 27, 2014

141) New Year's Resolutions

2014 is all about positive energy!  Following is a small list of things I will accomplish throughout the next year:

  • Complete my first 3 book series and making them available for download on Kindles and Nooks.  Of course I would like to make millions from it.  And I want it to be an HBO series starring Kate Winslet, Mila Kunis and Christina Ricci! 
  • Help Cody complete his first sci-fi story.
  • Fix the outdoor lights in our backyard.  This may take me as long as writing the 3 book series.
  • Actually complete my work with Spartacus.
  • Learn how to make Pad-Thai.
  • See my dad more than 2 times a year, each time lasting about an hour or so.
  • Help David get moved out of the house.
  • Teach mom how to properly use FB.  Will probably be easier helping David get moved out.
  • Find The Cure's Wish on vinyl.
  • Learn how to successfully use social media to promote the books I write.  
  • Go to Dirk's home town, which is really far away from Africa.
  • Learn to use the vitamix without having to read a recipe.
  • Use Beverly's christmas basket successfully!
I think that's it...

Friday, January 17, 2014

140) 2014 Year In Review


2013 was a strange year for me.  Many great moments.  Many bad moments.  Here is a year in review straight from memory, which is probably not the best way to do this, since I can't remember a damn thing without checking FB.  And I do not want this account being simply a recount of FB:


  • Year of wine.  L. discovered that she actually likes wine, and now we are two of the snobbiest wine drinkers in Texas.  The bottle that did it was a 201 Proeza blend she found at Bolsa.  Caravan is currently her favorite, and may lead to her passed out on the doggie bed.
  • Le Creuset has been introduced to our kitchen.  And now we rarely cook with anything else.  This means dishwashing has taken the place of weightlifting for my daily workouts.  Needless to say, our meals have become way more fancy.
  • Year of concerts.  This year I saw 6 shows:
    • Tame Impala (Feb, Granada) -Aussie band with a couple of good albums.  The venue sounded pinched and too bright.  Pierced my ears.
    • BTE (Aug 30, House of Blues) - We see these guys each time they come to Dallas.  This particular show we went with The Barts and got a photo with the drummer afterward.  He was the best musician on the stage.  If you had gone, you would have heard me say it a dozen times or more.
    • Mumford & Sons (Sept 18, Gexa) - L. and I found a great place to stand at Gexa if you show up 3 minutes after the music starts to a sold out show.  Lauren danced with us while we drank several big beers.  They did not play my two favorite songs, and I won't forget that!
    • Alt-J (Sept 29, House of Blues) - The concert I looked forward to the most.  We were right on the stage and this is a band that has had a profound effect on L. and I.  Pearl Jam/Pink Floyd level effect.  I drank many shots and many beers in the parking lot before the show.  L. loves Alt-J above all others.   
    • Franz Ferdinand (Oct 5, House of Blues) - Again, drank many shots and beers in the parking lot.  This was the best show of the year.  They are high energy, they have great music and their drummer is freakin amazing.  We bought Ume shirts, and an Ume vinyl.  The chick lead singer was right there, and she was sort of hot.  We couldn't resist.  The lead singer plays the exact same guitar that I do!
    • Pearl Jam (Nov 15, AA Center) - Always great to be in the same room with one of the defining artists of my lifetime.  They sounded amazing.  It was one of their first shows on the Lightning Bolt tour.  They were energetic and youthful, and it was their first show in Dallas since 2003 when they were booed at Gexa.  I was at that show too, and was pissed they were being booed.  Vedder singing Indifference at the end of the night with the lights on was a moment I will never forget.  So beautiful.  
  • 10 Year Reunion.  I have been married more than 10 years!  Truly amazing and the finest accomplishment of my life.  The crazy part is this: our marriage is better in year 10 than it was in year 1.  Or year 2.  Or year 3.  We continue to grow together and enjoy new adventures.  Looking forward to the next 10 years. 
  • The Year of Cody.  Cody moved to Dallas and has been doing laundry at our house almost every week.  Its been great because I am developing a good relationship with him during a pivotal time in his life...the time when he must learn to grow up and live on his own.  I remember when I was having to grow up, and it would have been much better if I'd had a bossy older brother telling me what's what.  
  • Vinyl.  Got the record player working and have become hooked!  I love making people listen to old Rush and Styx records.  So much fun and sounds SO GOOD!!!  I make L. listen and she does not mind NIN, Alt-J, The Cure and Margot & the Nuclear So and Sos.
  • Vox Guitar.  I got a new guitar this year and have spent much time composing new music to impress my friends.  And I think they are really impressed because the music is way better than what I used to show them.  And all of it is really awesome!
  • Thailand and Cambodia.  Too much to say about Thailand and Cambodia, so I will make this short and sweet:  Thai food, Baby Ha-Ha, Chompoo, Floating Villages, Charlie Chaplin's favorite hotel, Savage Fish Massage, Temple of the Dawn, Chang Mai Night Market, Regulator Rooster, Buddhas out my goat ass, overgrown jungle temples, headless statues, Angkor Wat, Reclining Buddha, wicker soccer game with the workers, Aussie travelers, tuk-tuk drivers, Sunday Market
  • Savannah was born
  • Sonder.  Made great original music with a close friend of mine.  Hope to continue this, as it is a great way to express beauty and emotion.
  • Alanadale.  Made great cover music with other close friends of mine.  Hope to continue this, as it is a great way to express beauty and humor.  More beauty than humor, I think.
  • Wine Country.  Went to Willamette Valley and Napa Valley.  The country and the weather was beautiful.  Great places to spend time.  So much so, that we considered moving. When we went to Napa, we saw The America's Cup.  First sailboat race I had ever seen, and it was a huge event.  Much bigger than I would have ever imagined.  
  • Drank Chris's stout which tasted better than Guinness or St. Arnold's Stout.  I was no help racking the fermentor valve.  
  • Won 2nd place in our FF league.  Dugat did most of the work, but it was a fun way to win a few extra dollars.  
  • Wiener dog races.  Polly won her heat, then got second in the semis.  Was funny watching her sprint her happy little ass off!  This year we are going to train more vigorously.
  • Katrina's wedding. They drank from huge beer mugs all night and danced with all the beautiful women of the family.  Feel lucky to have connected with Jason and his family.