Because I Can't Sleep...

1. Name something you lost or gave away that can never be replaced. A brown leather jacket I bought from a resale shop.
2. Name a totally useless possession and how you came to acquire it. A dagger that my parents took from me. It was given to me by one of my mentors. They took it because they found it stabbed in the middle of the family's den door. I've never seen it since.
3. List your bad habits and/or addictions and what you have tried to rid yourself of them. Being insensitive to how much people care for me. I've tried to be more suportive of the emotions I stir.
4. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be, and what would you do if later on you changed your mind? I don't believe in this question. It implys that I have not accepted myself completely which I have. I believe the combinations of negative and positive attributes are the key ingrediants that are essential to one maintaining ones identity. However, I have always believed we should never stop learning. I am smarter today than yesterday, and excited that I will be smarter tomorrow.
5. What are your religious beliefs? Have they changed, or have they always stayed the same? Although I do not believe in God I am a fan of religion. How can you fault an idea that is a blueprint for people being better people. Is it not unlike a child being good so Santa will give them lots of toys?
6. When was your last food craving, and what did you crave? I crave pizza daily.
7. Who was your first crush and what made them special? My first real crush was on a girl in high school. She was so beautiful and really hip in my eyes. I was like a puppy to her. I won her over with my charm and sense of humor, then I found out she was a lesbian.
8. Name your most cherished childhood memory. Any Christmas as a child. Having two brothers and one sister and my parents. I can't believe we all used to live together at one time. Christmas is just not the same as when your a child.
9. Turn to an entry in your journal or diary from a year or more ago. What has changed and what has stayed the same since then? Nothing has changed, I am as flawed now as I am then. And loving every minute of it...
10. What is one thing nobody knows about you because nobody ever cared to ask? I can't stand it when I feel people aren't listening to me. As the youngest child in the family my voice was always the smallest. So now as an adult, if I don't think I have your full attention I will stop talking. I do that when people are texting in front of me.
11. Robert Frost write a poem titled The Road Not Taken. Name a road you’ve always wanted to travel. Where do you hope it takes you, and what might you see on the way? This question is stupid.
12. Write about your first kiss. Was it everything you wished or hoped it would be? Junior high. It was and still is one of the smallest pleasures anyone can experience.
13. What was the worst mistake or decision you have ever made in life? What could you have done differently? Well, I've never killled anyone so I guess they're a bunch of small mistakes. Who's got time to worry about those.
14. What song was stuck in your head recently, and what were you doing at the time that made you think of it? Let it Grow- Eric Clapton. Just mucking about the flat.
15. Describe 5 things you want to see or do before it’s too late. I don't do bucket lists.
16. Write about something you now know that you wish you knew earlier in life. How could this knowledge have helped you? Don't be afraid to stand out, at least don't blend like sheep.
17. Name one thing you feel brings out the good in people. Acceptance. 
18. Describe a time in your life when everything turned out fine, despite the odds. Quiting my job in March with no backup plan. Best decision ever!
19. Write about the last time you spoke to your best friend. What did you talk about? I don't have friends. I have brothers and sisters. Everyone else is a stranger to me.
20. Describe a time you felt alone. I used to be left behind a lot as a kid. I would feel lonely often for no reason. I used to tell my mom. She would give me a hug. That feeling died when I realized being alone is the purest form of freedom you'll ever have. 
21. Name something you found; what was it and where did you find it? A few rocks. I go hiking sometimes and like unique looking rocks.
22. What is the most annoying sound you have ever heard? Hip-hop
23. What is the one thing you cannot live without? nothing, everything has it's time
24. Quote the nicest thing anyone has ever said about you. "I hope you do find God one day. Because when I die and go to Heaven I'd like to see you again."
25. Write about a recent adventure or travels. heh pick one
26. Who did you idolize growing up? My brother.
27. Name one thing you have always been good at doing. Making people laugh.
28. Have you ever seen a ghost? No but I saw a beast/wolfman/demon outside a bedroom window once as a child.
29. Do you believe that we are all here for a reason? What might the reason be? No, because if we were here for a reason, a lot of people aren't pulling their weight.
30. What comes to mind when someone uses the phrase prolonging the magic? Dance recital.
31. Have you ever done something just to feel the danger, or to feel alive? Ha ha...yeah.
32. What is the most amazing thing you have ever seen, heard, or experienced? You'll be the first one to know when it happens.
33. What 5 traits do people first notice when they meet you for the first time? I don't know, ask them.
34. Democracy, communism, or socialism? Defend your choice. Boring
35. Does Never Never Land really exist? Hell yeah it does, I'm proof.
36. Where is a great place to get breakfast? Austin Diner on Burnet, yule love it!

um....anybody...uh...want....an...update?

So, I've been unemployed now since the end of the sxsw festival

which was in March

this is the first I've written about it

no excuses, I just did not like the job

I was burned out of the tv biz I guess

plus, that place is going under

I just walked out on them

without really planning anything out

but I was alright because money just kept coming to me

income tax, a few checks from UHV in Victoria for some reason

and a little money here and there

so I've been ok for my bills for April and May

but when I pay rent this month things are gonna get  a little tight

I just now started looking for work

I've got that tv experience and some killer customer service exp

but as I was updating my resume and going through the ads I just got bored

I've lived that customer service life

and I'm burned out on tv too

I need to take my own advise

and have some fun

it's time for something different

so now let's go back to Jan of this year

I volunteered for the Tough Mudder event

I worked at the registration tent

I checked the racers in and checked their id's to make sure they were over 21 for the drink wristbands

I told them good luck and have fun

I also roamed around and helped out wherever they needed me

I had a blast and worked my ass off

now fast foward to this month

I'm looking at gigs on craigslist I see an ad for event staff

it's from an agency that provides all kinds of staff for all these crazy events around Austin

so I sent them an email and told them all about Tough Mudder

they also worked that event and the main guy called me and I got the gig

I'm not a volunteer

I'm an employee

and the cool thing is, if I want to stay on they will call me and I'll help them around town with other events

 thanks to the Tough Mudder for the new experience that got me this gig

and some might be in the know, but if you're like me you're not

anyway, this is the first event this Friday that I'll be working


well, who knows what happens after this

it's only a part time job so I'll need to find something else

but until then, excuse me while I have some fun...

The Problem with Power

So after Mania Paulie and I are at Walmart

I forget why

but we're in the toy aisle dickin around

I put on an Ironman mask (it's not unusual for me to put on a superhero's mask in Wally world)

Paulie snaps a few pics

I liked the mask so much I bought it

Paulie pointed out that I needed the Arc

you know that glowing thingy in Ironman's chest that keeps him alive

(out of all this crap, not pictured is the arc)

so I decided I was gonna pay for the mask and steal the arc

only thing is, it kept going off in my pocket

I figured if it went off when checking out I would pretend that it's my cell phone and answer it

yes, answer the arc

with a straight face hold it up to my face and say "hello?"

so fast foward a few days and I have the mask and arc in my truck

I'm picking Swagger up downtown

I put the mask behind me in the truck but I forget about the arc

Swagger gets in and a little bit later he hits the arc and it goes off

He asks, "What's that noise?"

he reaches down and picks up the arc

while driving I tell him, "I didn't want you to find out this way."

I reach behind me and pull out the mask

I slowly put it on and say, "I'm Ironman."

later we're going to a bar and I decide to wear the arc in

it's dead center on my chest

we walk in and both go to the bathroom

while pissing Swagger reaches over and hits the arc

it goes off

I slap his hand and say, "Hey! That thing's keeping me alive!"

we go up to the bar and I order my drink

the lady stares at the arc and then goes to make our drinks

when she comes back she reaches over the bar and touches the arc

I pull back and yell, "Hey! That's keeping me alive! What's with you people?"

she appologizes

now onto the pic

apparently a friend of a friend of Paulie's has taken a liking to this guy wearing an Ironman mask

she's a comic fan

and became smitten with this pic

she asked Paulie for a pic of me without the mask

Paulie called me to see what I thought about that

I told him, "What's wrong with you people? Do you not know the concept of a secret identity? She must not be that big of a comic fan!"

besides it'll never work

she'd only love the mask not the man

anyway I'm sure Batman gets hit on all the time too, but you don't see him taking off his cowl for every Tom, Dick, and Lucinda

but just to show you how good a sport I am, here's a pic of Paulie and me that same night sans mask

What the World is Watching

Wow I haven't posted anything in a while

sorry bout that folks

but this one should more than make up for it

hope you don't have to go anywhere soon

so, for those of you that aren't in the know, this past week and a half was a little thing called "South by South West"

it's a film, music and interactive (tech) festival here in Austin, TX

the biggest portion of this thing is the music side

all of the world it seems like, gathers here in the Capitol city

the amount of bands that play here is beyond ridiculous

just to give you an idead this is a tiny fragment of the bands that played:

A-Trak,Abigail Washburn,Above All,AC and DELL,Aceyalone,Acrylics,Adai,Adam & Alma,Adam,Arcuragi & The Lupine Chorale Society,Adanowsky,Adebisi Shank,Admiral Fallow,Adrian Lux,Adrian Younge Sound Orchestra,Adventure,Afrojack,Agalloch,Agent Ribbons,AgesandAges,Agnes Obel,The Airborne Toxic Event,Aislyn,Akina Adderley & The Vintage Playboys,Albert,The Albertans,Alcoholic Faith Mission,Alessi's Ark,Alex Highton,Alex Khoury,Alex Koll,Alex Skolnick Trio,Alex Winston,Alexander,Alexis Foxe,All Tiny Creatures,Allie Moss,Allstar Tribute Jam for Gary Claxton,The Almost,Alpha Consumer,Alpha Rev,ALTAAR,AM & Shawn Lee,Amanda Shires,The Ambassador,Amber Asylum,Amber Digby & Midnight Flyer,Amen Dunes,American Fangs,American Music Club,American Scarecrows,The American Secrets,The Amity Affliction,Amplified Heat,Amusement Parks on Fire,Amy LaVere,Amy Schumer,Amy Speace,An Horse,An-Ten-Nae,Analog Rebellion,Anamanaguchi,Ancient Astronauts,Ancient VVisdom,And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead,Andrew Allen,Andrew Belle,Andrew Nafziger,Andreya Triana,Andy Clockwise,Andy Grammer,Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys of OMD,Andy Pratt,Anika (DJ Set),Animals as Leaders,Anna Nalick,ANR,The Answering Machine,The Antlers,Antonia Bennett,The Apache Relay,Apex Manor,Aphasia,Apollo 18,The Appleseed Cast,AraabMUZIK,Arabrot,Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti,Arms,Army Navy,Arson Anthem,Art vs Science,Artifacts,Asher Roth & Nottz,Asking Alexandria,Asobi Seksu,Astronautalis,Asura and Anenon,The Atlas Moth,Atomic Tom,Augustana,Austin Hartley-Leonard,Austra,Automatic Loveletter,The Autumn Defense,Ava Luna,Awesome Tapes from Africa,AWOLNATION,Azealia Banks

these are just the bands that start with A

the point of me posting that is to give you an idea how these bands take over the city

every corner is a venue

and the whole city is an audience

this year was the first time I participated in it

Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man - The Woman

This one's gonna be a quickie

So, I'm out with my brother last night

we hit up a couple of spots

during the last one I break away because I'm more hungry for food than booze

I hadn't eaten all day

so I sneak out while they're still in the club

I go and get me some street pizza

I walk around 6th street and lean against a wall eating my pizza

then I hear what sounds like someone dragging a cinder block against the pavement

but it's actually the voice of a woman sitting in a little window next to a bar

she says, "how come you ain't got no beads"

then I realize it's fat Tuesday and see that everyone is wearing beads

so I get off the wall and face her

she looks like she's made out of leather

she's holding a beer and is surrounded by beads that she's selling

so it's a booth not unlike a fireworks stand but instead she's selling beads

I look at her wares and say, "well I guess my luck just picked up."

and she did that laugh that was more of a cough and held up a fist full of beads and said, "5 dollars"

it's at this time that her co-worker Harley Davidson came around the corner to see what's up

somehow I took a mental picture and it actually manifested into a real one

so here is the macho Harley Davidson and the elusive Marlboro Man the Woman:

Ladies and Gentlemen...

Ok so I'm a little worried because you guys hyped this up too much

my bad

IT'S REAL TO ME DAMMIT!

so anyway, the weekend director took a job with CNN in Hotlanta

and my dear close personal friend, and biggest supporter at KEYE, Adrienne has been promoted to weekend director

so I'm going to take over Adrienne's Mon-Fri gig

so after all the headaches I put the station through, the fines, and the writeup I'm finally off on weekends

again

do you guys remember how much fun I had with my weekends off?

that means road trips, movies, concerts, stunts, no sleep Fridays, binders, PPV's

wait I do that anyway

but the bottom line is now I can do this crap on my own time without floating or crawling into work the next day

also with Adrienne gone that makes me the senior master control operator

My first speech to the new hires is gonna be "Don't worry, everything will be alright." (takes one last drag from the cig and flings it away)

A Series of Incidents

-THE ABBA INCIDENT-

So I was at a bar with my brother, Rube

it was karaoke night

my brother wanted to sing

we grabbed the book, and as usual it was taking forever to pick just the right one

while looking at the songs, my brother asked me," what about an Abba song?"

he wanted to do "Take a Chance on Me"

I'd be lying if I told you I didn't know Abba

and sorta know that song

after all I am his brother

actually not only have I heard that song

I was there back in the day that Erasure did a cover

so I reluctantly said yes

what the hell, I can sing back up and the words are on the screen

so as the night went on, my brother had signed up for a few songs before that one

so he and I went up there here and there

now came time for the Abba song