Wanna see something cool?

Check this out!

www.benjamingalland.com

I will update the site regularly and will keep you posted when I do. So, check back often. Have a great night.

Friday Foto

I took this one jsut this week. This is a single photo with minor photoshop corrections on color. I love the oaks in beautiful light.

Last work day of 2005! Finally! Next year prooves to be even better than before. I am very bsy at work, so I'm sorry posts have been slack lately... I promise to pick them up. Happy New Year!

It's all over

My wife went through withdrawal last night when she finally realized that Christmas was officially over. I tried to console her, informing her that It was perfectly OK with me if she wanted to buy me more presents so we could celebrate all over again this morning. But really, it is over. Is it sad? Yes, but really, this was probably my favorite Christmas (besides the year I got the rock tumbling kit... man, that thing was awesome). We had a very successful soiree. I recall it lasting for roughly 5.5 hours. That's pretty amazing, keeping everybody in the same little house for that long. We sustained injuries, except for a slap to the face of a goat. The house is still in one piece, except for a 'small' hole in the back deck. All in all, I conclude it was a success.

Sunday was perfect. Midnight mass was beautiful. Christmas morning was complete bliss. Nice and quiet, simplicity at it's best. I made out with some nice gifts. Even my puppy got a nice new collar.

Kelly and her dad are spending this week tiling our kitchen floor. Oh, how I wish I could help. He has to leave on Thursday, so they are going to get as much done as possible. If you have ever tiled, you know that tiling is the easy part. It's laying the grout that is a pain. That, will more than likely, fall under my job. It's all good though.

So what was your favorite Christmas memory/present this year? You have to answer both, so lets go! My favorite memory was initiating Christmas traditons with my wife that will now last a life time. My favorite gift was a pipe carving kit. Your turn.

The Waiting is Over, Merry Christmas

Now I sit. One of the hardest times I have found to stay awake is that time between Christmas Eve dinner and Midnight Mass. It's worth the waiting, but man is it hard. Sleep beckons with the aid of a full tummy, yet I wait, knowing I will soon don the traditional coat and tie, venturing once more out into the cold night air. Midnight Mass is a special thing though. In the midst of all holiday parties and presents and fellowship, it's nice to be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.

Last night we had our Holiday Soiree. My wife swears that she will never do it again, but come on, we all know she is lying. I have to say, it was a blast. I really appreciate all you guys, thanks for coming out and celebrating the holidays. See, to me that's what it's all about. I like to consider last night a celebration of our friendships that have held strong through the years. Some new friendships, some old. Some broken, some made-up. Some inter-mingled, some cross-referenced. Some weird, some perfectly fit. That's what the holidays are all about to me. Fellowship. Yeah, we may drink a little, party a little too hard sometimes, but when the day ends (i.e. morning begins) I know each and every one of you is still there. So thanks, from me and from Kelly.

Below is the link to the photos from last night's Holiday Soiree. Remember, if you like one of the photos and would wish to make a print of it, just email me the photo number, I'll send you the original. The one on the site is too low of a resolution to print out well. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. I know we will here on the ol' Galland front. Thanks to you all, for making last night really special.

Pictures from the Holiday Soiree: Part Deux

Winding Down...

Well, I just finished writing this nice long post and the power went off for a split second and I lost the whole thing...

But, I'll write again, I will. Who's ready for the Holiday Festivities to begin? After the success of our last party, we have decided to throw another... hence, The Holiday Soiree, part Deux. Of course, you are all invited. Tired of the transit strike in NY, NY? Come on down for a nice relaxing sit by the fire. Tired of the liberal front in Cali? Come on out for some politically incorrect redneck jokes. How 'bout you Mid-Westerners? Come on over, and well, get a life!

One bad thing about being married to a HS teacher is that you catch all the crap that's going around. I hate being sick. I have stuffed myself with so much medicine that my skin's turning blue. I am GOING to be chipper and full of holiday cheer(s) come Friday night, nothing is stopping me.

I am sorry that I haven't posted much in the past week or so. I have been trying to wind things up for the end of the year. However, I haven't forgotten about y'all. I have something nice in store for you as a little Christmas present... So stay tuned. I hope everybody has safe holiday travels. Ciao!

Perfection

As this weekend comes to a close I think about all that I did. Despite the rain, Kelly being sick, me beginning to catch whatever she had, I found perfection. We stayed a couple of nights at the Village Inn and Pub, a little hotel on St. Simons that doubles as a great place to get a drink. It's a gorgeous little place, very quaint and neat. I highly recommend it to anybody looking for a nice place to stay or drink. While Kelly shopped all day on Saturday, I spent the day installing new countertops in my house with my dad. Kelly was so surprised and loved them. She liked the pearls I gave her too. We had a great dinner at Georgia Sea Grill, although Kelly's cold was really getting to her. The rest of that evening was mostly spent with her sacked out and me playing with the iPod she got me for our anniversary.

Perfection is a funny thing though. This afternoon I was thinking about it. What makes something perfect? I used to think it was something without flaw, without imperfection. I disagree. I think perfection is a state of mind. This weekend it rained non-stop, Kelly was miserably sick for most of the time, and now I'm catching it... however, I classify this weekend as perfect. Perfection is achieved by learning how to deal with the imperfections that life brings us. It has taken me a long time to realize this, and I can't guarantee that I'll always remember. You see, rain happens. Plan and simple. So many people don't seem to realize that it will end, it always does. If we can stop worrying about how wet we'll get when it rains, and while it rains, we just might be able to enjoy it for awhile. Yeah, rain sucks... but don't you always take something from it?

Well, now that I have rambled on enough, I think I will go to bed. Not, however, before I mention that today is my one year wedding anniversary. I'll spare you all with the "I can't believe it's been a year" speech, and just say this. I have learned more about myself and my wife in the past year, then I did in the 4 years we dated. Has it been fun? Yeah. Has it been stressful? Yeah. Has it been all worth it? Yeah. I consider myself lucky to have enjoyed the rain and the sunshine thus far with Kelly by my side.

Friday Foto

Here's a straight out of the camera shot, no frills attached. This was taken down around the village on St. Simons Island. Just a little something that makes you feel all warm in side on this nice cold day. They say that a big cold nasty storm is passing through the South East these couple of days.... I haven't seen it.

I got a busy, but fun weekend ahead.... I can't wait to fill you all in on Monday, so be ready! I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Interesting

So, did you hear about that guy that was acquitted from first degree murder in Colorado? They have a law, dubbed the "Make my Day" law, that gives freedom to those who, in protecting their home/person, wound or kill someone else. Well, this one was a stretch, and the media thinks so too. In 2004 Gary Hill, 24, shot and killed John Knott, 19, after he and three others unwelcomely entered Hill's house and assaulted him. Now, if that was the whole story, no prob... however, the guys wasn't shot in the assaulted man's house, not even his yard. Apparently, after he was assaulted the 4 guys got into their car and drove off. Hill got his gun, ran out into the street and shot at the car, hitting the driver, Knott, and killing him as the car ran into a tree. After a year or so of litigation, the court has acquitted Hill of all charges claiming self-defense under the "Make My Day" law. Pretty interesting huh? If you want to read more about it, go here.

What do you think? I personally think justice acted correctly. Even though he fired from the street, not his personal property, I believe he was acting in self-defense... tricky though, I could definitely argue both sides pretty persuasively. Comments?

Favorite thing about Christmas...

Let's get some activity on the blog today. What is your favorite thing about Christmas. It can be anything... food, family, presents, trees, flannel underwear, etc. I would have to say one of my favorite things (because you can't pick just one really) is coffee cake. I've always had coffee cake, or crumb cake as I call it, in the morning while opening presents. My dad always makes it. This year I get to make it for Kelly and I. I am excited. It's life's little pleasures you know? So, comment below on you favorite thing about Christmas.

Man, I am so excited about this weekend. I've been looking forward to it for a while now. Not only is it my anniversary, but it marks the official countdown to Christmas! Friends start coming back in town, you can almost feel Christmas morning approaching! So, I've decided to give you guys some special treats between now and Christmas. I have now idea what they will be. Maybe some photos, maybe some funny jokes, maybe some original poems, maybe a good story, I don't know... but I'm doing this as a thanks to you out there, all my loyal and devoted readers. You make my heart warm!

So, I've officially decided I am going to help out with the local Boy Scout troop here on St. Simons. I am an Eagle scout and graduated from this troop that I helped start back in HS. It's kind of said, because I have heard that it is not what it used to be. I guess I gave myself a nice year to settle down and now I am getting into the black hole of volunteer work. I tell something though, one of the main reasons I am doing this is for the camping! I mean sure, I care about furthering the minds of young kids, teaching them morals and all that jazz, but just between you and me.... it's the camping. OK, and the S'Mores.

Monday, Monday

Ahhh, what a nice weekend I had. I finished up my Christmas shopping on Saturday and went kayaking on Sunday. I was supposed to go kayaking with another guy, but he cancelled out and I was about to do the same... But, I went, and it was worth it. I put in at 12th street on East Beach and kayaked to Village Creek landing. Exactly five miles. It's amazing what you accomplish in five miles of paddling 6 inches off the water. I was sitting there just thinking of all this and that that I needed to do when I got back, this coming week, before the end of the year in order to get my life nice and in order. Then it came to me. I spend so much time trying to figure out what I can do to make it so I'm finally living my life that I haven't realized that I am living my life. Make sense? I think that sometimes I get caught up in trying to have this life that I think I am supposed to have, that I loose sight of the fact that I am currently living it. Their will always be things that need to get done. If I tried to do all the things that need to be done, looking for that time when I can just sit back and relax, I would be waiting a long time.

Man, I'm excited about this upcoming weekend. It will be my one year wedding anniversary... lots of plans in store. Sunday marked my one year out of college anniversary. Pretty crazy. Been out of school for more than a year. Have a great week!

Friday Foto

And here you are. This one I took last Friday down in the village. I was riding my bike through the are the day before and noticed the sun was perfect. I went back the next day with my equipment and snapped several shots. I got a couple real nice ones. I really like this one.

I'm dragging today, with the lack of sleep I got last night. I was awake for about 3 hours after blogging. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Christmas is getting closer, yeah!

Not again

So, I thought that since I was tired and fell asleep so fast that I would actually have a good night's sleep... Wrong! I can't sleep.

So we went to this Oyster Roast tonight hosted out on Altama Plantation. This is about 20 miles north of St. Simons Island, some property owned by the Jones family, the same family that owns Sea Island. I love this place. As a kid in the Boy Scouts we used to go camping out there a lot. If you ever get a chance to make it out there, you really should, it is an awesome place. What makes it so cool? Only the several hundred acres of nothing. There's a house on it, a bee farm, several ponds with loads of fish, and nothing else but woods to explore. It's awesome.

So, I got some new music for you. Ever heard of Jamie Cullum? He's a pianist from England. He plays with a jazzy, funky style that I really like. He's got attitude, in his music and in his lyrics... but he can because he's good. The song "Get Your Way" off his new CD Catching Tails has been getting a lot of play on the radio waves lately, you may have heard it. His music is very piano driven, but nothing like Ben Folds Five (another contemporary piano driven band). I urge you to check him out, if nothing but to broaden your horizon.

A little aside... Turner, took your advice on the nightcap to aid in sleep. Did nothing but make it harder to type... perhaps a bigger one next time? Good night.

Surprise for the readers!

I thought I would surprise you all with a photo! After a long last wait by some, here is our Christmas tree. We are very proud of it, being our first tree and all. Just for the record, "A Christmas Story" is the best movie ever! I would give anything for a Red Rider BB gun! Too bad those things couldn't put a hole through a Coke can from point blank. Ahhhh... Merry Christmas to all... I'm pumped about the season.

Insomnia attack

So the past couple of nights I haven't been able to sleep. Oh yes, I have been tired, but no sleep has come. So, I stay up watching the TV, reading, or surfin' the net. Tonight, I decided to share it with y'all. So, what's happening? I'm ready for the holidays. I can't wait for Christmas. However, before that I get to celebrate my one year anniversary. I'm really stoked about that. I have a lot planned for the weekend, and will fill all you in after the weekend. It's weird, it feels like ages since I left my last job with The Darien News. When you are unhappy, time seems to last forever. When I think about my wedding though, it seems like yesterday.

So, what's everybody getting for Christmas? How about giving? Anything you are getting someone that you are really excited about? This Friday I'm going to see The Chronicles of Narnia movie. If you haven't ever read any C.S. Lewis, you really should. He has an unbelievable way of describing the complexities of religion via the written word. My personal favorite is The Screwtape Letters. It is a very interesting take on religion. The book is a collection of letters written to and from Satan and another devil named Screwtape. Screwtape is assigned to a human on earth, much like guardian angels, but trys to make them sin. He writes to Satan about how he is doing, and Satan writes back with advice, pointers and precautions. It's marvelously written and really opens ones eyes to how Satan acts.

Good night.

Fun with themes

Prompted by an earlier email, I thought I would engage you readers in some conversation. So, we are throwing another Holiday Soiree. "Holiday Soiree II: The Return of the Sticky Chicken", if you will. How about giving the party a theme? One suggestion was really tacky Christmas sweaters for guys and long denim skirts with cowboy boots and/or bikinis for girls. Who's in for that one? My suggestion? Dress up like your favorite appetizer... I would definitely be a pig in a blanket. Man, can anything be better than little wieners wrapped in oven-toasted bread? Let the comments fly! Props to Bum for the idea!

Rainy days and Mondays

They're both bad, but when they collide it's something quite un-harmonious. I had a good weekend. Had a nice dinner Friday night with some friends, went and got a couple (said lightly) drinks afterwards and turned in before 1. Saturday was an almost perfect day. The weather was so beautiful... the only thing making it not perfect was the temperature; it could have been colder. We went Christmas tree shopping. I though this was going to be an easy, painless task. I grew up working at a Christmas tree farm every year, so I would consider myself a semi-professional when it comes to the ole' tree. Little did I know that since this was our first Christmas tree, it had to be perfect. Lucky for me we found one... after looking at EVERY tree that Home Depot had (you think I'm kidding?). I had other husbands giving me the I-feel-for-you look, and their wives patting me on the shoulder telling me to have a little Christmas spirit. I have plenty of xmas spirit, but this 6-7 foot Fraser Fir looks just like the last 15. But, we wound up finding the perfect one, and we were both happy. Plus, God had pity on me and I found 20 bucks on the ground, so no more complaining from me. Saturday night we decorated the tree. I'll attach a picture later in the week. It really is gorgeous.

So, who has been following the Saddam trial. I usually would follow something with that much importance, but I'm not... and that brings me to my next topic. I'm not following the trial because I feel he has no chance. The media is so saturated with negativity towards Saddam, I doubt he can possibly get a fair trial (not that he deserves one... go ahead Goat). I think they are just giving him this trial out of procedure. Thoughts? Views? I'd love to hear them.

Friday Foto

I reached back into the archives for this Friday Foto. I was thinking about it all week, something from this era in my life. My buddy just back from Argentina and he had me thinking about the time I lived in Florence, Italy. This picture was taken while on a trip to Cinque Terre. I actually know the girl in the photo. She was traveling with us and had been sunbathing on the rocks . It was bright outside and that led to great backlighting as seen in this photo. I took this with 35mm black and white film. I later scanned it into my computer. This photo was taken in 2002, around March perhaps.

I hope you all have a great weekend. It's supposed to be gorgeous down here, hope everybody can get outside for some play time.

Quantum Leap

Man, did anybody used to watch that show besides me? That was the best show EVER. I used to love staying home from school "sick". I would sit in the recliner and watch Quantum Leap, then The Hulk, then my favorite show of all times, McGuyver. Then, you stop for a nice lunch of cereal, and back to the TV... Unfortunately afternoon TV watching sucks. It's filled with soaps.

So, some scientists in Austria have invented the quantum byte. I don't know much about quantums or whatever it is called, but the must the US has every been able to make is six bytes, not eight. Apparently, an eight byte structure of some sort is wicked fast... like the super computer in "Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" that can compute the meaning of life. Wow... but can it wipe your ass? That's what truly matters. HA! Who cares about quantums?

Momentary Memories

So I'm feeling slightly nostalgic tonight, and seeing as how we haven't had a good ole' heart-to-heart in awhile, I thought it would be nice to chew the fat.

Tonight I went to this dinner party thing out in Brantly County. It was a Cane-Grinding Party. They make cane syrup out there and were making some and invited people over for breakfast food, with fresh cane syrup. Well, that stuff is very different from Aunt Jamima's I can tell you that much. Very bitter, sweet and thick. A lot like molasses. The food was great though. It got me to thinking. See, whenever I get the chance to be in an environment like that, I go crazy. It's like sunlight for Superman. It rejuvenates my soul. This place was a 1,000 acre plantation with old barns and sheds and lots of open land. It seems to always remind me of childhood.

Every year I was a kid, I looked forward to Christmas time, naturally. About 4 days or so before Christmas, my family and several others would get a big dump truck and fill it with hay. We'd all party at someone's house until dark, and then about 20 of us would pile into the back of this truck and we would ride around St. Simons Christmas caroling. I pity the soul who has never had the opportunity to go on a hayride. That smell of hay still brings back the strongest memories. I can remember clear as day my aunt's fighting over the words to such popular titles as "Deck the Halls" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". I still know every single word to "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" because we were always forced to end each house with another loud and out-of-tune rendition of the "closing song". The best part of the night came at the end however. Seeing as how we were in a dump truck, we discovered early on that with a slight push of the lever we could fancy a rather nice slide ending into a big pile of hay.

It's been several years now since I've been on a hayride. I vote we start the tradition back up. Who's with me? I have an idea where we can find a dump truck big enough. I got first dibs on the slide!

Last day of November

Is it just me or has the year flown by? This month too. I can't believe tomorrow is December. That's cool by me. I love December; the weather, the end of the year, Christmas.

So, I don't follow Stem-cell research at all, so I don't claim to know a lick about it. However, I was reading this article the other day about something very interesting. Have you ever heard of people saving the blood drawn from an umbilical cord when a child is born? Yeah, me neither. Here's the deal... Parents will save this blood, because it is rich in elastic stem-cells (something that is good when trying to duplicate the cells) in preparation of later needs in life. For instance, let's say when you are 35 you are diagnosed with a cancer and your bone marrow is deteriorating. Bone marrow transplants are very hard to do and harder to find someone with the same kind. If your parents saved that blood when you were born, doctors could go and "grow" more marrow for you. Pretty interesting huh? What about if you have a sibling that has a problem? When your born, your parents might save that blood in order to possible help your bro or sis in the future. It's pretty expensive though. A $10k set-up fee and about $100 a year. It may be expensive, but more than 100k people have done it in the US so far. However, saying all that, I still don't know where I stand on Stem-cell research... pretty interesting though. Just some food for though. Have a good day.

Turkey sandwiches for a week!

Possibly the best thing about Thanksgiving is having turkey sandwiches for weeks to come. It's funny, you know we can cook a turkey any day of the year, but no one seems to do that except on Thanksgiving and (some) on Christmas.

So, my Thanksgiving was good. The stomach bug disabled me from consuming mass quantities of tryptophane, so I made out OK. The Holiday Soiree we threw was a blast. I slow-cooked a Boston Butt and man was it tasty. I was very proud of what was coined, my smoky butt.

You know why I like Thanksgiving so much? It is a time in which people can look past their differences and past and come together. Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience that this Thanksgiving. It takes a certain level of maturity to participate in such acts. Oh well, my heart is always open.

So who wants to see pictures of the Holiday Soiree? Oh, I know you do. Come on, beg for it... OK, here they are! Enjoy! Happy Monday.

One day away, still not feeling right

Why oh why does my stomach ache? Is it all in my mind? I'm not as bad off as Kelly was, but things still aren't sitting right inside the ole' intestines. It better get better by tomorrow, because I'm eaten whether I keep it down or not. See, you always got to think about the two players in the eating game: your taste buds and your stomach. Your taste buds will always win, unless you are sick. You either have no desire to eat but are very hungry, or stuffed but still want more (at least, those are the extremes). The heavens align and harmonious chords chime when both are tuned-in just right to reach maximum eating capacity. Needless to say, if my stomach keeps up with this game it's playing, I will be playing favorites tomorrow to the taste buds!

The weather has now reached perfection. Bright blue sky and crisp cold air. You cannot really get any better than this. I'm off of work on Thursday and Friday, so man am I looking forward to the break. I will try to get something fun for you all to read. Hey, you know what? I might even post a photo album of pics from the Holiday Soiree we are hosting on Friday! How would you like that?! I don't know how it will turn out, but we might need a disclaimer for explicit content on the photo album... Good times all around! Have a Happy (early) Thanksgiving!

It's a sad day...

Poor ole Sam is dead. I really liked him. May he rest in peace... At least their are no "sons of sam." HA!

Which One?

Below are two photos I took last night as the front moved across the marsh on St. Simons. The rainbow appeared for about 6 minutes, and then was gone... I timed it right I guess. The horizontal photo is three different photos, combined. The vertical photo is a straight-up shot. Which one do you like better?

All weeks should be short weeks

Can I get an Amen?! Although, it really doesn't feel like a short week. You know how short weeks always feel better on Mondays, like you have something to look forward to. Now, I have plenty to look forward to, but for some reason I just can't get too excited yet. Maybe it's the weather that's dragging me down. It's rather gloomy outside, but at least it is cold. I hope it's not the beginning of the same sickness that my wife has (she even stayed home from work today). I doubt it is, I have a pretty good immune system.

OK, so what is your favorite Thanksgiving food? It's hard to beat fried turkey, but I must say I really like cranberry sauce. Call me crazy, but you just can't beat Ocean Spray's canned Cranberry sauce (with the lines in it from the can and all). Now, I am a big fan of sides. I usually start with the Oyster Dressing and fried turkey, and then build around that with assorted sides. Their are two types of eaters in the world. Those that let food touch, and those that do not. If these were federations, consider me the Charlton Heston of the Let Food Touch Federation. I even have a catchy slogan: "It touches in your tummy, so mix it up on your plate for all the more yummy."After laying the foundation for my Thanksgiving day plate masterpiece, I like to go all Picasso on it with an egg beater. Mix that up. The corn with the potatoes, the bread swimming in gravy, not to mention the turkey being smothered by mounds upon mounds of cottage cheese (OK, that was a Joke, who eats Cottage Cheese really?). So, anybody grossed out yet? Well, then you haven't even seen the dessert plate have you. That's one thing my family does right. Lot's of dessert. By the time I have acquired "samples" of each dessert, I have what would appear, to that of a Non-toucher, to be a rather large Indian burial mound upon my plate. Awww.... but I am Eatsmixedfood, son of Kicking Bird and Crying Wolf, I can eat all.

Happy Monday.

dry heaves are the worst

My wife had all these wonderful plans this weekend. She was going to go shopping for Christmas decorations for our house and begin planning our holiday soiree. Then the bug came. She got sick in the middle of the night Friday and stayed in bed all day Saturday. I wound up taking her to the clinic and they hooked her up to an IV. It took them FOUR times to find decent vein because she was so dehydrated. She's on medicine now, and seems to be doing a little bit better, but I imagine she is starving.

Of course in the time I've known her she has been sick before, but never like this. It really shakes you up. Seeing the person you love in so much pain, dry heaving and getting stuck with needle after needle in a vain attempt to find a vein (you like that one?!)... it really scared me. But what can I do really? I mean, pain and suffering are a part of life you know? I can attempt to prevent illness for my (future)family, but that only goes so far. You can't prevent the unexpectable and inevitable.

In other news, the Oyster Roast was fun. Kelly was knocked out on drugs, so I went... on her OK of course. I took a friend and we had a good time. We ate so much food, definitely giving a lot of those brown-nosers a run for their money on the oysters. I think in 15 minutes we cleared a bushel easy! Snagged several commemorative cups as well. All in all, a good haul. Happy Sunday to you.

Friday Foto, etc.

Self Portrait

Today's picture is a little on the creative side. I was photographing the sunset the other day and as I was turning around I saw my reflection in the window of my jeep. It took awhile to get all the detail in the shot and it was very hard to focus, but I think it came out rather cool. I'm open to comments on this one as well.

Man, I'm glad it's Friday. Who's with me? The following week has much in store, and I am really looking forward to it. Tonight, of course, is the release of the newest Harry Potter movie. Yes, I like HP. Am I as obsessed as "some" people I know? No. But the books are really good, and definitely not just for children. The fourth movie should be good. As I wrote earlier, Saturday is a big oyster roast that I get to go to. I am uber-excited about that one. Next week will be filled with holiday spirit, being Thanksgiving. Friends will be coming in to town and some people will leave town. Thanksgiving will be wonderful, although the absent of my family warrants a grade of less than perfect. They are going up to the cabin in the mountains to have Thanksgiving. To me, the Holiday season is at home. Never really liked spending the holidays away.

My buddy from Annapolis is coming into town. I always look forward to seeing him, and we always wind up getting into some sort of trouble. I seem to remember many occasions in which he is hurt, and I am dying with laughter. Ah yes, and after Thanksgiving.... the soiree. Kelly and I are throwing a Holiday Soiree. I'm pumped. See, according to tests during pre-marital counseling, I'm an extrovert. Go figure! That means I get pumped up when a lot is going on, among people, doing things. Kelly's not that way, holding true to the age old saying "opposites attract". Anyway, it should be a blast, needless to say, I'm excited. Oh, and did I mention it's cold outside? HA!

And.... to all you vegan-scrooge's out there... Christmas is here. The local radio station 103.3 has been playing non-stop Christmas music since Monday, so their. If TBS and Sunny 103.3 aren't good enough, well than what is?

A little more brains please

You probably need to be pretty smart to counterfeit money. Acquiring the special paper, ink, plates, etc. Not to mention how hard it would be to launder a large wad of cash like that (not that I have given this any thought). What happens when your printer breaks? Well, you do like the guys in Arizona did... you send it back. However, I recommend taking OUT the jammed counterfeit bills BEFORE sending it back. Idiots, gosh!

It really, never stops!

And just when you think it can't get any worse, introducing Pee & Poo. This furthers my theory that the only think good that comes from Sweden is their meatballs. Man, give me a toothpick and I'll go to town! I personally think 'Poo' looks like a meatball? Any takers?

So how is everybody doing today? I am feeling much more energized and pumped up then usual. Who wants to run around the block? So guess what? Tomorrow it is supposed to get colder out! Man, I am excited. My wife and are I going to the St. Simons Island Land Trust Annual Oyster Roast this weekend. It's going to be a blast, and I am pumped... did I mention free cocktails? Maybe they'll have 'poo' on toothpick (swedish meatballs)....

HA! Eat it Sony!

So has anybody heard what Sony did awhile back? I'll break it up into laymen's terms for ya. They sold CD's with a technology called XCP that basically installed itself (without asking) onto your computer if you tried to copy or download the CD. Once you buy the CD, I feel you own the rights to it. A lot of people out there buy CD's for collectibles, make copies to listen to, and archive the actual original. Sony got a lot of heat from this, rightfully so, and has backed down now. They are now offering anyone who purchased one of the estimated 2 million XCP CD's a regular CD in return for the other. That's gotta hurt Sony just a little. Serves them (and the RIAA) right for trying to mess with our music rights! Booyah!

Mixed nothings from the heart

I'm tired, slightly buzzed and worn out. It is said this is when I speak (or in this case, write) the best. The real reason for this blog? So that people may ultimately understand me the way I try to understand them. I grew up thinking I was differant because I cared more about others than I do myself. My ultimate happiness is derived from your happiness. I'm a caring person, but it has bit me in the ass a time or two, even from those dearest. Some would call me spineless, others, wonderful. I am who I am, and sometimes it hurts. I don't get mad. I can remember two or three times I've ever gotten really mad, and God save the soul of the next guy who pushes me over that line. I'm passive, but not unpassionate. My dog makes me laugh, and we have deep discussions on a regular basis.

I'm going through this phase in where I am trying to condition myself to be the person I want to be, not because I feel I need to, but because I want to. This is hard.

I want to be a photographer. I want to take photos for a living. Not for a Newspaper (tried that and hated it), maybe free-lance, but really art photography. You know how people say, "Find what you really want to do with your life and do it"? Well I have, but they seem to leave out the part in that story about how you get there.

Don't you hate that feeling that you always have something looming over your head? Like, you can never relax because there's something else you should be doing. The problem is, I often forget what that "something" is.

See, this is what the blog is for. A virtual mind-dump if you will, that I can empty my thoughts onto allowing all to read and critique my life. Why? Because I care for you all. Maybe, just maybe one person will learn something significant that will somehow change his/her life and make this all worth the while. Bonne notte.

Happy Monday (is that possible?)

How was everybody's weekend? Man, I couldn't have asked for a better one (well, I guess it could have been colder outside). I went for a little boat excursion on Saturday with some friends. Despite forgetting to fill the gas tank up and almost swamping the boat, it was rather fun. Wound up cooking lunch in Neptune park all ghetto style. What did I do Saturday night you ask? Sat on the floor in my living room and played Scrabble. Man, I love Scrabble. I almost won.

So what about Terrell Owens? Serves him right! These big sports hot-shots think they are untouchable, so they bitch about the rest of their team, and what does the team do? They bench him for the remainder of the season. He's lucky they don't sew some elastic to his big ears and make him the community jock-strap. It's much like the MLB teams when they striked several years back. You get paid to play sports... Stop yer bitchin'!!! Serves them right, MLB is never what it used to be. Of course, T. Owens now has Jessie Jackson on his side... ummm, let me guess Jessie... Is this just another way the man's trying to keep the brother down?

As much as that infuriates me, the nation's favorite atheist (said with barrel's of sarcasm) is at it again. My guess, and call me crazy, but this guy doesn't care a lick about what he's actually fighting for... He's just looking for a little fame. See what happens when you store your treasures else where? HA!

Friday Foto

Mercier Lake panorama
November 5, 2005
9 different images combined

Bourbon Street, Epworth, GA
November 5, 2005

Surprise! Today is Friday Foto and I thought, to get you into the fall mood (since xmas music doesn't work on half of you!) I would post a couple of the photos that I took last weekend in the north Georgia mountains. I'm rewarding you with two because you have been so good in the amount of comments that have been posted lately in regards to our debate on creationism v. evolutionism.

On to the photos... the first one is a merge of nine photos. Three pictures at three different exposures (to catch all the colors perfectly) at three different angles (left, middle, right) in order to create a panorama scene. Pretty neat huh? The second one was taken down the road to my cabin. After crappin' around in town for half the morning on Saturday, we all went back to the cabin, only for everyone to nap... except me. See, I have an unnatural energy source that I can't control, so I got in my Jeep and drove around all the mountains photographing. The best thing about having a GPS (yes, they are the greatest things EVER) is I didn't have to worry about where I was going. I just kept on driving... see a cool road over there, go down it. No worries in trying to keep course. It's very liberating. Kind of like going to work without underwear on..... So, when I was done, I just set the GPS to take me back to the cabin, and tada, I'm back!

So, I keep my fingers crossed, but I think it's cooling of here for the weekend (hopefully longer). We'll see. Ok, my favorite Christmas album, well I have two. The first one is definitely Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's Once Upon a Christmas. A close second is the Carpenter's Christmas album. I have three favorite Christmas movies, all though all of them are great. The first has to be A Smoky Mountain Christmas (yes the one with Dolly Parton). The second is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and the third is Elf. The best scene in National Lampoon's is definitely when Snots the dog makes his appearance. I laugh just thinking about it. Elf is the newest addition, and rightfully so. Will Ferrell cracks me up. Who's got a favorite? Have a great weekend!

Slow it down a little

So, I knew a question like the last post would work up some folk. Here's what I have to say about the whole thing. Obviously I believe in creation. I have a very conservative mind-frame when it comes to religion. However, saying that, I am open to ANY ones take on the matter. I consider myself a very open-minded person. I say this meaning, I will listen (and not argue) to anyone. Will they change my beliefs? Possibly, if their argument is good, but not by there words alone. What really bothers me are those who are as close minded as they come. They pass it off calling it 'passion'. "I'm sorry I fought with you on that matter, I'm just so passionate about abortion." No, that is not passion. I am a very passionate person. My heart is in the things I do, and I am libel to cry if it all goes to hell. A passionate person can be open-minded because of the nature of compassion. You are passionate about something because you feel a deep connection with it. You understand the relationship of one's heart to a subject. Therefore, you have the ability to be open-minded. It annoys me that people pass off there hotheadedness and closed-mindedness on any given subject because they are "just passionate". I'm passionate, yet I can completely understand why some of our previous commenters think they way they do. Do agree with them? Not by a long shot. However, I would listen to them until they were done talking about it. Why? Because being passionate about something, among other things, means understanding (or attempting to) all sides of the issue.

Will it ever stop?

Now there is a lipstick MP3 Player.... may God save us all. Now, if they made a chapstick MP3 player, I'd be sold.

So, here's a question... my boss just told me that evolution is the way. Creation is horse-shit. He said if creation was legit, then it would be perfect and we wouldn't have a tail-bone. Any takers on this discussion? My two-sense... It's a matter of faith, period. Science may provide a lot of interesting ideas and views, but when it comes down to it, if you are christian, it is faith. The end. I await many posts.

Slow goes it

Today is dragging... Anybody got anything they want to talk about? I wish the weather would cool off again. I hate that it is close to 80 outside. Has anybody ever had a Chai Latte? Man, they are amazing. I know, it sounds like something only hippie vegans would indulge in, but no... the are very tasty.

So, what's up with kids these days. When I was in High School I don't remember things like this happening often. I know HS students engage in sexual activities, they have been since Grease, but come on! In school, between classes? "Man, my sandwich is boring, let's go have sex." Yeah, I can almost hear it now. My wife teaches and she tells me weekly of students' comments regarding "it".

So, when should one start listening to Christmas music? Most say after Thanksgiving. Department stores and my wife start November 1st. I have to admit, I love Christmas music. It does the perfect job of putting me in the mood. That and cookies, fresh baked cookies. The best thing about Thanksgiving is fried turkey. Forget oven-roasted, grilled, micro-waved, etc. The only way to cook turkey is fry it. If you never have had it, email me and I'll email you back a sample. Seriously though, it is incredible.

Commandment 11: No Blogging

A Roman Catholic School in Newark, N.J. has ordered the students to stop blogging. A lot of the kids in the High School keep online journals, much like the one you are reading. The head of school has ordered a cease and desist on the blogs, quoting "protection" versus "censorship". Their claim is that they are trying to protect the students from cybercrimes. They further claim that this has been a rule in their institute for close to five years but they are just now enforcing it. Right, and they new that blogging was going to be a school-wide issue in 2000.

I personally think this is an outrage. A huge hit on freedom of speech. It is not the same case as the censorship of Milblogging (military blogging). A lot of soldiers in Iraq have set up blogs to record their dailey routines and to keep in touch with loved ones. Some have blogged pretty secret stuff and have been ordered to cease and desist for fear of dischargment. Understandable... war time equals keep-your-mouth-shut time.

Friday Foto

Fall on the Altamaha
Canon 10D, 28-135 EF USM IS
Shot bracketed with 1-stop intervals at ISO 100

I neglected you all last week for the Friday Foto, and so to make it up, I give you this little piece of candy. I have to admit, I really like this one. Last Friday I took a boat trip on the Altamaha River (which is around Darien, GA). I went with a group of friends. It was a bit cold, but we hung in there. We stopped to have lunch on Lewis Island (On Lewis Creek, which runs off of the Altamaha). I love Lewis Island... it's one of my favorite places on earth. Anyway, this tree must have just fallen, because all the leaves were still bright with color. No manipulation was done to this photo to brighten up colors. The technique I used is called HDR Generation. You simply take three photos of the exact same thing (needs a tripod). One is correctly exposed, one is under exposed, and one is over exposed. You then combine them and, after a little tweaking to get some things right, there you have it.

I'm leaving this afternoon and going up to my cabin in Blueridge, GA again. Man, I just can't get enough of that place. I heard that the leaves should be just right for some really good photos. If I get some good ones, and you all behave, maybe we'll have a little viewing via the blog. How would like that? Have a great weekend!

Guess who?

This is just disturbing... they can't be this old!

Man gets clued to toilet seat, no music

A Colorado man fell ransom to a prank when he sat on the can in a Denver Home Depot (serves him right for using public restrooms). Some hooligans spread glue all over the toilet seat, and there he sat for quite some time. His calls of distress to the Home Depot staff merely came off as hoaxes. They hold true to their motto, "You can do it, we can help." I guess they were just seeing him through, making sure he did his business.

Unfortunately the man was recovering from heart bypass surgery, and thought he was having a heart attack (must of had a big lunch). He is now suing Home Depot, not because of the glue, but because they waited nearly 30 minutes to respond to his cries. To tell you the truth, if their was an old man screaming from a stall, I would have waited at least 30 minutes... Come on! The store manager at the time was kicking himself, "We should have installed those musical toilet seats, then he would have no reason to cry... Hell, I'd sit in there on my break if we had those."

Did you ever stop and wonder the meaning of the word "toilet"? One would assume the root word is "toil"... think about it.

In other news, this is my 100th post! Chips and dip all around! Ohh, and maybe some yogurt covered raisins too, I love those things.

Redneck Dream

So a man in Arkansas killed a 5-point Buck in his home with his bare hands. What the deer was doing in his home is confusing to me. I bet the guy had a wet dream sitting there watching QVC when a 5-pointer ran across the living room. He broke the deer's neck and now has it chopped up in the freezer. No lie... only in Arkansas. He did all this with a Milwaukie's Best in his hand.

On another note, I had a good friend in college who was a janitor. One morning he told me to go look in the back of his truck. Laying there I saw a nice 7-point Buck. I said, "Donald, where'd you get that, it's not Deer season yet?" He replied that he got it just off the side of the road at the front of the campus. Someone hit it early that morning and it was still warm. A rare find in his mind. Man, who's up for some Bambi Burgers?

Sub $400 laptop

Wal-Mart has teamed up with HP and is introducing a laptop for $398. If you feel like standing in line for the whole day on Black Friday, feel free. See, I expect more out of my computer than they are offering, but hey, it's not a piece of junk. It's OK on speed, decent amount of space, and a 15" screen. Now that I think about it, it might be nice to have. I have a Mac and need a PC to run all my GPS gizmos. Christmas might come early this year.

Does anyone realize how big Wal-Mart is? They control the retail market, literally. Starting in 2006 they are going to stop carrying all VHS tapes, blanks and movies, to make shelf space for DVDs. This is huge. Mark my words, this will speed-up the demise of VHS as we know it.

Mixed Bag

I've never been big on Halloween. I don't know why, I love candy. I liked dressing up, going around with friends and getting loads of candy and eating it 'til you puke, but for some reason, I don't get all excited about it like I do others. I think it has to do with the over all holiday itself. For me, Halloween was just like any other day... except you got lots of candy and got to stay out late. No relatives came in town, no big dinners, no days off school/work, no warm, fuzzy feelings. All the things that seem to make up holidays are absent in Halloween. Don't get me wrong, I love some free candy, but it's just not Easter, or Thanksgiving, or Christmas.

You know what I love? Being older. I love being out of high school. Granted, their are times that I wish I could go back to the simplistic life of a teenager, but all in all being older is so much better. Their are many reasons why I think this, but I'm going to only talk about one right now.

After I sit here and think about the fun I had this weekend, I can't help but think how happy I am that we have all matured. I am still friends with people I knew in high school, some that I wasn't that great of friends with at all back then. I think we all tend to flock towards the people that are as mature as us, or those who's maturity we desire. Stop and think about it. I'm glad
to be a part of a mature group of friends (for the most part) whose company I enjoy and trust I desire. I think what it boils down to is this. I expect a lot from my friends. Why should one not? If you are willing to go balls-to-the-wall for a compadre, shouldn't you at least feel that that love is reciprocated? This is a rarity in high school. It took me a while to relies this. I expected to much from my friends then. They weren't mature enough. Does that mean that I was? I don't know. I know what I wanted, but who knows if even I could have provided that.

I guess one of the things I'm trying to point out is this. The older that I get, the clearer it gets to me who my real friends are, versus those that I call friends simply because we ran in the same crowd in high school. It seems like I have been waiting a long time to finally have people of great caliber that I joyfully call friends in my life. To you all... thanks.

Whew!

What a nice, long weekend! Having taken Friday off, it seemed like it lasted for ever. I am not complaining though. I feel like I neglected you guys over the weekend, and for that I apologize. I had all intentions of sending a blog post along with picture from my phone on Friday when I was on the Altamaha River, but ran into technology issues. I'm sad to see the weekend go, but sure am glad to reclaim the island for the locals.

Let's start with a Monday morning filibuster! Is anyone keeping up with Bush's nomination process for Supreme Court Judge? Here's the easy dirty lowdown. Justice Sandra Day O'Conner retired a couple weeks back. When this happens, the president gets to nominate a new candidate. He did this once already when he nominated White House attorney Harriet Miers. She withdrew her nomination and now he has another chance. He is expected to nominate U.S. appeals court judge Samuel Alito this morning in a press conference. Why does this all matter? Because the 9 judges on the panel have the final say-so in very important matters (although the President can veto if he sees fit). Alito is a conservative. He will add a very right-winged weight to the court... can anybody say, overturn Roe v. Wade?

What a fantastic idea!

I've talked about boobs with music, and when I think it can't get any better... It's time to poop to music! That's right, you heard me folks. They now make toilet seat mp3 players. I've heard of talking on the phone, reading, eating... why not crank some tunes to pass the time and day's vittles? Great idea. And just think, the music will 'wipe' out and other ambient sounds! (couldn't resist)

Nothing says fall like football

Now let me start by saying that I am not what you would call a sports fanatic. I know a little bit about a handful of sports, I played in various little league teams, but never worshipped it like most men. I was the one taking piano lessons while the others were away on soccer trips. Is there any regret? Absolutely not. I mean, I wish I could have played HS football, I think I would have gotten a lot of aggression out, some that may be still here today... But, that's what college intramural football teams are for, right? Man, I pulled those flags so hard, wishing I could have sacked everybody out there. I was only invited once to play tackle when it rained... I wonder why.

Anyway, nothing sums fall football up like the college game, and to be more specific, The University of Georgia v. University of Florida. The Dawgs and Gators (respectfully, for all you lost souls) have been rivals forever. I know every team has their rivals, so maybe mine is not as important as any other. But, on Halloween weekend every year, it sure feels different.

The last weekend in October finds St. Simons Island more crowded than a KFC after a Baptist church service. We are located only 80 miles from Jacksonville, where the game is held. Every Dawg fan seems to make their way down and crash on the island, being the real last haven until the Florida border. Most of the fans rent charter buses for the hour and a half drive down to the game, enabling them to take part in extra pre-game activities. You get there, and tail-gaitin' starts. Red and black and orange and blue everywhere. See, you would think that everybody goes to the game right? Wrong. Most people just come to St. Simons for the weekend. Georgia has their fall break the Thursday and Friday before the game, so the island becomes a breading ground for red and black sorority bops. All the frat boys come down in their red pants hoping to get a piece of "gator-tail" (no, not the reptile), but in all realty, wind up passed out before the game begins.

What do I like so much about GA/FLA? I didn't go to either school. I don't love football as much as some. So why do I care? It's a symbol. It is one of the chapters that would have to be written about in the book on St. Simons. It's a mark of the fall; time to see friends, have partys, cookouts, fires. It's more than a football game.

Now it's time to share favorite memories! Whose in? The memory can be related to GA/FLA or not. Perhaps you have a different fall memory you'd like to share. Whatever it may be, post it below so we can all enjoy.

Hush that fuss.

It's horrible how modern media can distort our perception of history. Last night Rosa Parks died at 92. Unfortunately, whenever I hear that name I immediately start grindin' to Outkast. I don't think about the icon she was, nor do I give recollection to the movement she started and participated in. I am not incoherent to what she stood for, it's just not the first thing that pops into my head. Did you know that a while back Outkast was being sued over that song Rosa Parks (LaFace Records v. Parks)? Yeah, the suit claimed it defiled her name. I don't remember what happened... Maybe someone can look it up and find out.

FINALLY!

Finally I get a chance to blog. Finally I get a chance to sit down. Finally I have my first fire in my fireplace. FINALLY it's cold outside! With a high of only 60 today I could not have been more happier. So what it rained a little today. So what I got a little wet on my 7 o'clock scooter ride to work. So what that I'm stressed out right now with work. The point is, I'm content for this moment. I'm content sitting here next to my fire with hot cocoa (yes) and writing to you. My house smells like candles, cooking and fire. The windows are open and the breeze is ever so gentle. My stress is temporarily on vacation (or at least until I am done writing). The point is, right now, I am perfect.

Don't you just love moments like this? Moments when you are so content, that the only thing that could make you happier would be the knowledge that it would last forever. However, I don't think I would like this feeling to last forever. Why? Because then it wouldn't be so special. For me, the rarity of contentment, in essence, is a tort of it's definition. For me, contentment is rare. I am always searching for the better... And no, this is not good. I need to work on that.

But for now, I will leave you with this. Whether you live your life in total contentment or sporadic contentment never loose sight on what it is that makes it good for you. For me, it's the peace. It's the knowledge and feeling that I get from that moment of time when I feel that hand of God holding me up and the forsight to see that everything will actually be OK... And yes, maybe a little cold weather helps too.

Wanna laugh?

I love comedy. Improve and stand-up are two of my favorite genres. Mix this together, add some interesting places and talented comedians, and you got Prangstrup. These guys are hilarious. They perform comedy sketches in the most bizarre places, like bathroom stalls. My favorite of the ones I have watched is "Lecture Musical". A couple of the kids start a musical performance right in the middle of a college lecture. It's great.

Russia controls the weather

I'm not one for conspiracy theories. I would rather just live a peaceful life and not worry how big "big brother" is. My wife and her mother have been going on and on about a new theory (read: take this with a bag of salt). They think the Russian's are controlling the weather. Their theory is this. Russians control the weather and brought all the hurricanes to America to drive the price of oil way up. Apparently the Russians have a big hold in the oil market. Here's an interesting link.

My thoughts? I think the Russians just want to make every place as cold as Russia, so we all have to wear those great hats!

Friday Foto

Fightingtown Creek
Canon 10D
1.5s @ f4.5, 100 ISO

Last week I got the opportunity to spend a night up in Blueridge, GA at our family cabin. I'm not one to sleep in and enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature. I prefer to get up at the crack of dawn and actually experience it. This photo (and others) is the product of such experience. The camera shutter was left open just enough to capture the movement (is that an oxymoron?) of the stream, still allowing for correct exposure.

Dragging...

Man, today is lasting for ever! I am ready for this week to be over. No plans on tap for this weekend, just going to take it easy.

Next weekend is GA/FLA weekend. Coming soon will be a great post on everything that is, relating to the GA/FLA extravaganza.

I'm bored... Do you know what an ellipses is? A series of dots (...) following a break in a sentence. My pet peeve is when people use them wrong. You're supposed to use only three dots (...). Now you know, and knowing is half the battle....................... (not like that!)

Who wants to have a cookout this weekend? So, you live in NY, I don't care, come on down. I hope the weather is conducive for outdoor evening activities this weekend. Wilma better not screw things up. Talk about outta left field that one. TS Wilma turned into a Cat. 5 hurricane over night, breaking records for the lowest barometric pressure ever recorded... in the 800's.

Alright, I'm going home for lunch to my ummmmm tasty ham sandwich and two rowdy dogs. Wow, an interesting day. I fancy a bike ride later, we'll see.

Momentary Memories

I have this love for the outdoors. Everything outdoors. Things that I've never even done, like ice climbing, I still love. I fantasize about getting trapped on a desert island and having to survive (I would be fine until my chapstick ran out). One of my earliest memories is camping. I went to Laurel S. Walker State Park (Georgia) and I was probably 4. I had the coolest felt Indian Jones style hat with a green down vest to complete my ensemble. It was winter time which meant fire time. Their is something ingrained in all boys, carrying through adulthood might I add, that totally infatuates us with fire. Man, my favorite thing to do was light a stick on fire and spell my name in the air with smoke. Oh, or light little mini-fires all around only to get yelled at for almost starting a forrest fire. Fire was great, but it never beat out the S'mores. I was king of S'mores (and you could tell).

As I grew up my love for camping didn't die, just the opportunity to go did. Don't get me wrong, I still make it outdoors as often as I can, but somethings just change. Don't you just wish sometimes that you could go back to that time when you were learning things still? Learning how to light a lantern, or start a fire, or pitch a tent (refrain from the jokes please), or chop firewood? I did, but then I found something that kind of cured it... teaching others.

The first time I took my wife (then my girlfriend) camping was an experience to say the least. I don't think she understood that blow dryers and jewelry weren't proper camping equipment. "Yes, you can cook baked beans right from the can." "Yes, you use the bathroom right there." "No, there is nothing outside the tent." But, in her defense, she is a great camper now. Teaching her how to do all the things I once was taught gave me one of the greatest satisfactions I've known. Despite the number of times we've slept in the tiny car, as opposed to the big tent because, "Something moved outside" ("No shit, this is the woods!"), she is great to camp with.

I guess the point I am feebly attempting to make here is this. Often times we find ourselves yearning for the past. A taste of it, or maybe to relive "the good ole' times". Instead of reminiscing, you should relate; relate your experiences, lessons learned, to those around you. Give others a piece of what you cherish so much. In an essence, spread the memory. By spreading it, you preserve it.

More to further my habit

I like beer... a connoisseur of it, not a drink-till-I-can't-pee-standing-up kind of way. This invention is wonderful... I might be making one this weekend if I get some time. It is a beer cooler that holds a pilsner and keeps you beer nice and cold. Combine a coaster with a frig and tada!

Also, if you like Vodka, but can't afford that high price of Grey Goose, check this out. I've read about a lot of people who filter cheap vodka and get much better quality out of it. It's basically a glorified Brita filter. It might be worth a shot (no pun intended).

I promise, I'm not obsessed with drinking.

Hump Day

Good morning readers. Today is already Wednesday. I seem to be having a quick week so far... is it just me? I have a lot of friends traveling out of town this week, so maybe so. If you are interested, their is a company now making a three-headed tap with a foot pump for kegs. Get yours today!

Here's a female's poem:
I Want a man that's handsome, smart and strong
One who loves to listen long,
One who thinks before he speaks,
One who'll call, not wait for weeks.
I want him to be gainfully employed,
And when I spend his cash, he not be annoyed.
Pulls out my chair and opens my door,
Massages my back and begs to do more.
Oh! For a man that makes love to my mind, and knows what
to answer to "how big is my behind?" I want this man to love me to no end, And always be my very best friend.

Here's a male's poem:
I want a deaf-mute nymphomaniac with huge boobs who owns a Liquor store and a bass boat. I know this doesn't rhyme and I don't give a shit.

Intellectual conversation starter

Here's something I have been interested in for a long time: Intellectual Property Rights. Now, I'll start with a quick definition. Intellectual property is a legal entitlement which sometimes attaches to the expressed form of an idea, or to some other intangible subject matter; an idea, a theory, a concept, a design, a piece of property that someone has put time and effort into that is not tangible. Examples are logos, movies, songs, articles and a lot more. Why is it interesting? Think of it this way... Some one comes to me and asks me to design a brochure for their new company. I brainstorm and come up with this great brochure. A couple of months later someone else comes up and wants a brochure. Do I use the same layout? Does the previous client own that layout? Does he own any part of it? Sure, he provided me with the text (maybe) and the content, but I made it. So, who owns it? Who gets the rights to it? A musician writes a couple of songs and a record company picks her up and cuts a record deal and spends thousands on marketing her new album. Who owns the music? Yeah, she wrote the song, but if it wasn't for the record company, she wouldn't have made it.

Last week Apple released the new iPod that plays video. Along with it they released a new version of iTunes that can download TV Shows as well for 2 bucks a pop. Many shows, like The Desperate Housewives can be downloaded and played on your iPod now. Cast members, like Teri Hatcher and Eva Longoria are pissed. ABC and Apple are making all the money from this business venture on the behalf of the hard working actors and actresses. They all get cuts from the DVD sales, why not downloads as well?

Due to the digital age, intellectual property rights has become a huge concern to many people and industries. It is the force driving the RIAA and MPAA lawsuits. They both say that they own the rights to the music and movies. If you buy a CD legitimately, shouldn't you be allowed to burn copies of it? The RIAA goes as far as to say that when you buy a CD you only have the right to listen to the music, not your friends. You can not digitize it (put it on your computer). If you buy a DVD, you can not burn a copy and send it to your friend... even though you bought it. Is this right? You paid your dues... you own that.

Just something to think about... allow your brain to work a bit. You'd be amazed what will happen (and hurt).

Spoiled brats get what they deserve

It's about time someone puts a stop to the spoiled pastimes of the stuck-up wealthy. A HS principal in New York canceled prom because he was just fed up with all the money that was put into it for post and pre-game parties by the students (read: spoiling parents). $20, 000 for a room after the dance? Come on! Whatever happened to the Relax Inn? $35 for a heart-shape bed with mirrors everywhere... now that's style!

Actually, I don't agree entirely with the principals decision. He could have taken action a different way.

My Morning

Good morning! What do you wake up to? Me, I wake up to this. I thought I'd rub it in a little bit. I took the day off and left Thursday for Nashville, Tennessee for the Vanderbilt/Georgia game (my brother-in-law plays for Vandy). We stopped over night at my family cabin in the North Georgia mountains. I always have a hard time deciding if I am most content on St. Simons or in the mountains. I absolutely love the mountains, and if I had my way I would live in a cabin in the mountains in the middle of nowhere... yeah, and an ocean view. Have a great weekend.

Friday Fact (sort of): The Jiffy

Ahhh, the Jiffy. If you are from St. Simons Island, you know what I am talking about. Non-natives, read on... because we will not cease from calling all gas station, convenience stores and quickmarts "The Jiffy". Food from a Jiffy is "Jiffy Food." It's so easier than saying, "Honey, I need to run up to Bubba's Quick Mart Circle K for a gallon of milk." We have all been there. You go away for college for the first time and your hanging out with all of your new college friends. You casually drop how you need to stop by a Jiffy and get some gas. See, they all understand what you are talking about, but have never heard it called that. This is the reason "Jiffy" is here to stay.

I have done a little research on this matter, and have close to nothing to show for it. The Jiffy-Huntly Food Store was on St. Simons until the earl 90's. There was one across from Brogen's North, and maybe another, but I can't remember. I remember walking from my childhood home in Glynn Haven with 50 cents and so much built-up excitement about what kind of candy I was going to get. It took me close to 15 minutes each time to decide (usually the redhots or lemon drops). Did you know that kids growing up still call it The Jiffy? Freshmen in HS, born before there was a Jiffy, call it Jiffy. This is great. The name and legend lives on!

This saddens me. I can't seem to find anything substantial on the Jiffy. I know there is one somewhere in Alabama.... road trip anyone? We must preserve the memory of the Jiffy. Please, adopt this name if you haven't already. I promise, it's much easier on the palette than my wife's spinach souffle. See you at the Jiffy!

Boobs that play music

Really, what could be better? Boobs that play music. What will they think of next? It's a good idea. If something, like silicon, is going to be permanently implanted into a human, why not give it another function besides cosmetic? How about motors that make them move? Lightbulbs so your headlights really would shine? How about guns like in Austin Powers... "She's got smoke coming from her Jibblies!" Ohh, I know... a mini-freezer implant for breast-feeding mothers so their "milk-shake would better than yours!".

Apple's new Duds, again

So yesterday Apple released even more equipment. 5 Weeks ago they released the iPod Nano and sold 1 million units in the first week. Yesterday Apple released a new iPod, the normal size one. This one is the coolest I think. It plays music, photos and videos. It is thinner and has more memory, for the same price. They're getting better and better.

They also released the new iMac. This is their basic computer, but not basic at all. It is a power house. Very nice systems. If you are looking into getting a new computer soon, strongly consider a Mac. Things have changed now and you no longer have to really worry about the Windows/Mac compatibility issues.

Momentary Memories

I remember sitting on a plane waiting to take off for the British Virgin Islands reading with tears in my eyes. It was The Beloved Invader by Eugenia Price that grabbed my heart and broke it. The second story in the St. Simons Trilogy; it's hardly just about our little island. A tale of love, coming of age and death all wrapped up into a literary tale based on the history of our island.

The tree was 200 years old. It saw the rebuild of Christ Church. Maybe it saw the desecration of it. How many weddings, how many funerals, how many baptisms? It fell Friday afternoon due to the rain caused by TS Tammy. I can not let this tree go to chips. Two afternoons were spent chopping and collecting it's fallen wood. The memories and spirits will live on in bonfires, cookouts and cold winter days in my hearth.

It wasn't just a tree. It was a Water Oak. Very similar to Live Oaks, they dominate our island and have provided wood for houses, food, boats, furniture, etc. for centuries. Many memories are still to come from our fallen friend.

Harry Potter in the real world, vol. 2

The magic clock found in the Weasley's house in the famous Harry Potter books is now becoming a reality. The clock "magically" tells where each member of the house is at any given time. Microsoft is building a clock that does the same thing, but instead of using spells, it uses GPS tracking and cellphone service.

Cell insurance sucks

The BIGGEST waste of money on the market for 90% of cellphone users. The insurance you buy when you get a cell phone. The UK seems to believe so as well. It's only good for people who have very high-end cells. Basically, they make you pay a very high deductible and aren't required to give you the exact same phone in return, just something of equal value. BS, I claimed one once and got back a lesser quality phone. I remember being with Cellular One in high school (I had a phone in HS, but didn't ride my bike while talking!). I lost my phone once and called them. They overnighted me the exact same phone and I received it the next day... for NO charge. Where is service like that nowadays?

Bye Bye Blackberry?

NTP, a company that helped develop the email program that Research In Motion (RIM) uses on their Blackberrys just won a lawsuit that might cripple the email service for thousands of Blackberry users nation-wide. The 'Crackberry' is a device that many business folk use to send and receive email while away from there desk. It is also a cellphone, personal organizer and web browser. This might be a huge problem for many companies, like Sea Island who buy all of there execs one. I just have to laugh at this... HA! Modern Tech: 1, Sea Island: 0

Attempted (and failed) Theology

For the past six months I have been picking my way through the Old Testament in an attempt to reread the bible, being of an age that I feel more adept to understand it. I keep coming across the same question in my mind and with each turn of the page, hope to find the answer. Why is the God of the Old Testament so different than that of the New Testament?

If you too have ever pondered this question, don't get excited. I don't know. All I have is some ideas. I unfortunately never took a course in theology during school, but I would like to think that one does not need that sort of training to answer questions raised by The Bible.

Maybe the God of the OT represented the Logos of God. Logos is the word for 'word'... but more than just 'word', it's more of an image, standard, law, etc. There had to be a stern, strict, disciplining God of the OT for there to be a New Testament. The Lord of the New Testament is kind, loving, caring... and seems less strict and stern compared to that of the OT (not saying He wasn't kind, loving, caring in the OT). The OT God built the premise of law and what was right and wrong, and to do that one has to be stern at times.

This is something just to ponder on. Chew on it for awhile. I personally just confused myself even more. I guess I'm looking for a distinct point of difference between the God of the OT and that of the NT. But then, that would mean God would have had to change... And that doesn't happen does it.

This just in...

I've heard several rumors lately of new business coming to the Golden Isles area and I thought I would share the extent of what I know with you all. Keep in mind that they are rumors, so don't get mad if you still have to leave the island for waffle fries.

Yes, I've heard Chick-Fil-A is coming. Between the Waffle House and CVS. In the Winn-Dixie parking lot rumor has it that we are getting a Starbucks, Quiznos Subs, Cold Stone Creamery and Moes. At the end of the causeway we are getting a Caraba's Italian restaurant. At the foot of the new Jekyll Island bridge apparently a whole shopping complex, much like the new one in Jacksonville at St. John's. I've also heard maybe a Wendy's on the Island. We'll see...

I'm definitely most excited about the Chick-Fil-A. That place is going to do great on the island. Any others y'all might know? Post them below.

School system flooded with bad ideas

I just heard that they canceled school today at Glynn Academy because of the rain from TS Tammy. Big damn deal! When we went to HS we got wet. Who cares if it's raining? If it was going to rain, I put my duck boots on and brought my raincoat. OK, not everybody has a rain coat, I understand. A trash bag with a hole for you head works just as well. The admin wonders why these kids are so behind. You take them out of school at the drop of a hat. Perdue will cancel school if he gets gas and the Glynn County School System will cancel if some yells at a teacher.... "Oh no, terroristic threat!" Simply ridiculous!

Say Cheese!

Canon has developed this new software that they are going to be building into their digital cameras called Smile Shot. The camera will only take a picture of a person if they are smiling. Something in it recognizes a smile and only allows it to take the photo when that happens. This sounds like a BAD idea. Expect to smile a lot more some time next year.

Pardon my slackness...

With the rain and moving into a new office islandprofilin' has been suffering a bit. I promise to have some good stuff coming your way next week, including the return of LOST recaps and the Friday Fact. Thank you all again for wasting your time here. Good day to you all.

Friday Foto

Coozies
March 24, 2005
10 sec. @ f-3 @ ISO 200

It's funny how a picture can induce memories. Coozies, or Village Creek Landing as some call it, is one of my favorite places on St. Simons. I have been through a lot out there, from fights to kisses, from good boating times to BAD boating times. There is always a breeze and the smell of the marsh is as pungent as anyplace I know. Coozies' plays host to a number of weekend warriors come Saturday morning, me being one of them.

This photo was taken on a full moon back in March. I set my tripod up, opened the shutter and then ran around into the frame, sat on the bench and fired my flash.

Old School Freight Train

Who is your current favorite artist/band/duo? I have been hooked on Old School Freight Train. Odd name, I know. It is not jam-band. They have all the instruments of a bluegrass group, but are not bluegrass. Imagine folk mixed with Paris-style street jazz and this is what you get. They just released their new CD Run. I really like their rendition of Stevie Wonder's hit, "Superstition". I strongly recommend trying to get your hands on this (anyway you can) because it is a great listen. If I wasn't given this CD, I would have probably bought it. There, I said it... See, I do buy music on occasion!

Post your current favorite artist/band/duo and give a brief description of the genre. New music is like a breath of fresh air!

Daryl and John had it right

I was driving to work this morning and on came "Rich Girl" by Hall and Oats on the radio. Man, did they hit that song right on the nose. Not only is it a great song, musically, harmoniously and catchy... it rings home to so many girls (and guys) that I know. It's basically about a girl that is spoiled beyond the point of worry. Their view on reality is warped. They treat others bad because they can't feel pain because 'daddy' spoils them. Daddy isn't necessarily her father, just the spoiler, perhaps a husband. Never heard of the song, go download it (ha!).

Rich Girl, words and music by Daryl Hall and John Oats
You're a rich girl, and you've gone too far 'Cause you know it don't matter anyway You can rely on the old man's money You can rely on the old man's money It's a bitch girl but it's gone too far 'Cause you know it don't matter anyway Say money but it won't get you too far, Get you too far

And don't you know, don't you know That it's wrong to take what is given you So far gone, on your own You can get along if you try to be strong But you'll never be strong

'Cause You're a rich girl, and you've gone too far 'Cause you know it don't matter anyway You can rely on the old man's money You can rely on the old man's money It's a bitch girl and it's gone too far 'Cause you know it don't matter anyway Say money but it won't get you too far, Get you too far

High and dry, out of the rain It's so easy to hurt others when you can't feel pain And don't you know that a love can't grow 'Cause there's too much to give, 'cause you'd rather live For the thrill of it all, oh

You're a rich girl, and you've gone too far 'Cause you know it don't matter anyway You can rely on the old man's money You can rely on the old man's money It's a bitch girl and it's gone too far 'Cause you know it don't matter anyway Say money but it won't get you too far, Say money but it won't get you too far, Say money but it won't get you too far, Get you too far And you say You can rely on the old man's money You can rely on the old man's money You're a rich girl, a rich girl Oh, you're a rich bitch girl yeah Say money but it won't get you too far, Oh, get ya too far

True Love

Now, I love gadgets... all kinds, especially ones that are aesthetically pleasing... like the iPod. However, I have been feeling guilty lately by my friend's, beyond platonic, obsession with her new iPod. I helped her install the whole shebang and it was true love shortly after. I told her how to get music from other people to fill that 20 gigabytes worth of space... (anything to help beat the system!). This, I have done. But what I haven't done is traveled all over the state in search of music... It's like she's on a music fix.... must have more mp3's! I certainly commend you my friend. If only we all had the same love for current technology, this would be a happier world.

Citizen Reported Media

Thanks to blogs and podcasts, now you too can be a journalist, really. A new epidemic is out there and it's called Citizen Reported Media. It is exactly that. People with or without any formal journalistic training reporting on things that happen or they find interesting. CNN is already pushing this. Think of it this way. Who better to report what was happening in New Orleans than the people that were there? The Janet Jackson Nipple-slip was written about on blogs the minute after it happened. Someone Ti-Vo'd the clip and posted it almost immediately and BAM!, instant exposure (no pun intended). When the bombs went off in London a couple of months ago, how do you think the media got information that fast? Pictures were taken from camera phones and posted on the web. People wrote blog entries almost immediately after that happened. Do you think a newsroom works that fast? They have so much red-tape to go through before publishing. Sites like Cyber Journalist really showcase what's going on. If you think that's neat, you'll really like ComVu's Pocket Caster. This little baby enables you to shoot video and broadcast it right to the internet all from the palm of your hand. Talk about creepy. You will never know if someone is filming you for, say, a what not to wear special for posting on their blog later that night. Better dress nice!

Something else I hate

16 year-olds that drive nicer cars than most adults. Man, this really fumes me. I think it is absolutely ridiculous when a parent buys a new car for a 16-year-old driver. Give them a hand me down, or buy them an old '89 Ford Bronco, but come on... why buy them a 40k dollar BWM to only watch it tear up from learning to drive, High School parking lots and bitch attacks from the girl you just pissed off. If you have the ability to buy your kid a nice car, by all means, do it. Just wait until they graduate. At least at 18 they have two years of driving under their belt and are a little bit more responsible.

Unfortunately, my words won't hit the streets of St. Simons and the rest of the country, and even if they did, it wouldn't change the rides that roll in with the each batch of 16 year-olds. I'll admit, I wanted a nice car when I turned 16. But in retrospect, I am glad I didn't get one. It helps me appreciate that nicety... when ever it comes.

So, if you do buy your kid a super nice car at the ripe old age of 16, the least you can do is tell them a couple things.

1. The diesel fuel pump doesn't fit in your Audi fuel tank for a reason.
2. Park doesn't work that great when your car is moving.
3. The radio is for the enjoyment of those in your car, not those in the car behind, beside and in front of you.
4. Stickers are tasteful in moderation...
5. That button in the middle of the steering wheel is not a musical instrument.

Hungry?

Just piss off Beverly Lee Cambell. Only in Smyrna, Georgia do people use chicken wings as weapons. That's a perfectly good waste of some hot wings. At least give the cop some ranch sauce.