So, not too long ago, I submitted some photos of my favorite toys to the Tone Fiend blog’s Mutant Beauty Pageant. If you’d like to follow the saga at the Tone Fiend blog, check these posts out:
You can pick your 3 favorites, and list them in the comments here: Mutant Beauty Pageant: Choose the “Winner!” You can also email your votes if you’d like them to be anonymous. Of course, your 3 favorites could be for all 3 of my guitars, but… I do encourage you to vote for your actual favorites.
No prize was apparent at the time of my entry, but now I see a nifty little custom-built Uglyface stompbox is being offered up as booty. I certainly wouldn’t mind playing around with the little thing. At any rate, it was cool that people got to show off their weird guitars, and we can all share in our inherent oddness.
So, last night we went to the Hollywood Theater in Dormont to see A Christmas Story. It was a joint venture with In Person Productions, and they brought Ian Patrella(Randy) to the theater for a meet n’ greet & commentary. It was a great time, despite a few little quirks in the evening.
The Hollywood itself is a cool little theater, the first time my wife & I had gone there, we saw Inglourious Basterds, and we sat in the balcony. It was very cool to see that movie in a little local theater. Although we didn’t, we could walk there. Ha ha. It’s a great thing to have in your neighborhood.
Last night, there was a decidedly different atmosphere. Of course, Christmas decorations and attire were everywhere… it was quite festive. We arrived and were ushered in, and moved on to the concession stand. We decided on just a large Coke to share, and were greeted warmly & quickly, although the woman made sure to note that we had several scary movies coming up in December. Ha ha. Do I look scary, or like a horror fan? Maybe it’s the facial hair.
We got inside & chose some seats on the floor, near the middle in the back. There were quite a lot of people there already when we arrived, and many more flocked in behind us.
Before the movie, Mr. Bending form In Person Productions introduced a representative for local EMT’s, as they were benefiting from a Red Ryder B.B. Gun raffle, and then introduced Ian Patrella and a gave a little talk about how the evening was going to run.
Then, they trotted out Dormont’s mayor, Tom Lloyd, to present a key to the city to Mr. Patrella. Mayor Lloyd is a bit of a hot-button issue’round Dormont if you’ve been paying attention to the news. I know Mr. Lloyd has been pushing for revitalization of small businesses in Dormont… or at least that’s what his bio says, but there’s also been a quite public pissing contest (for lack of a better term) between the Mayor & the Police Chief, or maybe even two at this point. I know it has to do with GPS units in local police cars, who can use what door to go in & out of the municipal building, and who has the power to cancel parking and/or other traffic citations… and I think even who the fines should go to, if they’re local or state violations. Also, apparently who has the biggest cojones. My bet’s on Mr Lloyd’s, as they’re probably dragging on the floor at this point. Pardon my vulgarity, but really… I’ve gotten way to many impeach the mayor post cards in the mail, and too many letters to the editor in the local quarterly newsletter to take either side seriously at this point.
Speaking of point… I’m leading into the fact that Mr. Lloyd presenting a key to the city to Mr. Patrella may have not been a great decision at this point in time. The mayor was visibly physically in distress, and I know you’re not supposed to discriminate on age, but I found myself wondering aloud how he’s able to carry out official duties.
Also… upon presentation of the key to Mr. Patrella, he proceeded to tell him that he’s never seen the movie. Yes, we’re talking about A Christmas Story. Yes, Mayor Lloyd looks about 347 years old. Yes, they run A Christmas Story for 24 hours every Christmas on TBS or TNT or whatever channel. Yes, he actually told the actor from the movie that he’d never seen the movie. It was all very odd. Then, he very conspicuously ambled up the aisle after presenting the key… taking his 4-5 person entourage with him. So, apparently he couldn’t spare a few hours to watch the movie now? I found the whole ordeal quite disrespectful to Ian, In Person Productions, and the Hollywood Theater. Perhaps he has political or social ties to the FOHT, but they ought to reconsider letting him embarrass the city in the future.
Ian Patrella & Me
Mr. Patrella was going to provide commentary during the film, but they apparently had mic or PA issues, and he wasn’t able to really shout over the film. I hope they got the issues resolved for the rest of the showings this weekend. I did really appreciate the Q&A at the beginning of the evening. Ian is a great public speaker & Q&A guy, & seemed to be genuinely having a great time. He’s currently giving tours at the house used for the outdoor scenes which is now an A Christmas Story themed museum. He was very cool at the meet & greet after the movie, and took the time to pause with me for a photo and sign my DVD. I hope to make the road-trip out there some time soon! You can also win an all-inclusive package trip by reenacting a scene from the film at AChristmasStoryScene.com!
The other interesting part of the evening was a little troll that sat behind us during the film, mouthing off how incredibly bored he was not only at the pre-film ceremonies, but during the actual film viewing itself. He continued to ramble & talk about totally unrelated things. After a while, my wife had enough, turned around, and asked him to please be quiet. He mumbled inaudibly as he was scolded by the woman he was with and giggled-at by the couple they were with. Then the big shot said “I asked ‘what is she gonna make me?'” Yes. This was a grown man. I was turning to look as he asked “Is he gonna make me? I raised up slightly in my seat, as he slouched in his. He didn’t say one more word for the entire duration of the film. Apparently I do look scary. We saw the little guy afterward, and he was just under 5 feet tall. Apparently he had something that he though he needed to prove, then decided it wasn’t that important. I’d love to know out of a theater full of people, why people like this seem to gravitate towards wherever I’m sitting.
All in all though, the idea & the execution of the evening was great as far as the Hollywood, In Person Productions, & Mr. Patrella went. I’d like to catch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation there later in December. I also cant wait to see who In Person brings around in the future. I shot off an email when we got home to let the Hollywood & In Person Productions know what a great time we had, and Mr. Bendig from In Person wrote back very quickly, with another message to follow. I look forward to some of the movies and personalities that they’re looking to bring to the Hollywood. (Did somebody say…Monster Squad?)
“Someday” if I ever get the time, energy, & resources… I’d like to record a CD of some of my favorite songs with whatever kind of band I can pull together, or maybe even a varied assortment of musician friends. Some of them are by bigger bands, some by locals, some by bands I’ve been in.
I’m sure there are more I’d want to include. There’s no real reason to this, other than I think they’re all solid songs and it would be all kinds of fun. Well, add any of the songs from my Ramones/Misfits/related bands list, really.
If anyone has better audio links for any of these… or any link at all for ones that aren’t click-able, I’d really appreciate your sharing of such things.
(I’d actually like to re-record most of the AiXeLsyD & Gasoline Dion catalogs, just because I think a little more attention to production could really polish some of that stuff. – Reunion gig or 2 anyone? Ha ha.)
What songs do you dig enough to cover? Any of these? Ever hear of any of these? Ha ha. What would be on your album were you to do the same thing?
This Facebook status seemed quite popular. Thought I’d blog about it, and get some more input. There are 2 points here that seem to universally annoy us… People talking loudly (or at all) on cell phones in public places, and people that talk about disgusting things when you’re trying to eat.
So I'm sitting at Chick-fil-A...
The original text…
So, I’m sitting at Chick-fil-A tonight, trying to enjoy some chicken nuggets and some chicken noodle soup… and some crazy Yinzer lady is about 4 booths away screaming into her cell phone, talking about infections, site-wounds, dialysis, and MRSA.
Besides it just being rude to be on your phone there in a public place…
Really? Everyone around is trying to eat. I wish I could pass gas on demand. I would have made several runs (pardon the pun) past her table.
Image via Wikipedia
Click the pic above to magnify the first wave of comments, and if you want check out this old post for reference: Excuse me, I’m eating.
So, what’s your take on disgusting topics during meals, public cell phone users, and the unholy intersection of the two?
Let’s express gratitude for our prosperity while ravaging a beheaded fowl carcass.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I mean, Happy Thanksgiving!
Let’s all celebrate much like we should on Columbus Day. Go to your neighbor’s house, call them heathens, kick them out, and claim it as your own. Make them teach you how to plant corn first.
I’m thankful that I can tell my wife to get in the kitchen and make me a sandwich, and she laughs & knows I’m not sexist. It’s even better when I do something like this in the grocery store in front of elderly people.
I’m thankful that I’m not the person who bags giblets at the turkey factory, then shoves them in the turkey’s nether-regions. (My apologies to those who are that person.)
OK, I do a lot of goofy stuff here on the blog. I tend to rant about things, as this forum lends itself easily to that. Hopefully those of you that know me IRL know I’m not always a grumbly curmudgeon. I use ranting as humor, not as a way of life.
Tonight as this posts, we’ll be cleaning up the clutter, we’ve already chopped the bread for stuffing, and we’re probably prepping the turkey… but let’s not forget what’s important this time of year; It’s a great time to take stock of things, and be thankful for all that we have. You can thank a higher power, karma, yourself, or other people in your life who have helped or influenced you. When I think about it, I have a lot of things to be thankful for. As you get ready for the holiday crunch, anticipated gatherings, getting the place clean or packing the car for a road trip… think about what you’re thankful for. Pardon my foray into the mushy.
A wife that puts up with my shenanigans. We can be goofy together, and it makes life fun. We have different points of view on pretty much everything, so we’re always (OK, most of the time) looking at things from more than one perspective. She supports my Batman and Star Wars obsessions, and I hate to say I’ve learned to like Glee. That’s how we roll.
A big family. I’m an only child, but I’m always surrounded by & get along well with my extended family… now extended to my wife’s family since they’re all also close-knit. I’m thankful that things like Facebook exist to keep us all in contact. I’m not a phone person, but I can do FB to keep tabs on the fam. I’m thankful that when we get together at Grandma’s this year, we’ll be throwing dinner rolls across the dining room at each other, and discussing wildly inappropriate things at the dinner table.
A band that is pretty ridiculous. It’s cool to have a band that’s relaxed, and seems to get things done. I have fun playing, and I hope people have fun listening and watching. For me, it’s a creative outlet that can’t be matched. To have the opportunity to write stuff, gig out, and now to get an “actual” album pressed & produced is a big deal to me. When I say relaxed, I don’t meant to convey that a lot of effort doesn’t go into what we do… it’s just that we don’t stress about it. It’s difficult to find a group of people on compatible levels of taste, work ethic, stage presence, talent, and most of all personality. I think we have this one right.
Friends for the long-haul. I know a lot of cool people. I’ve met them through camp, church, rocking out with various bands, jobs, and all even these things that we used to call “message boards” back in the 1900’s. There are friends I see often, some I see less so, but I think we’re all solid on where we stand, no matter the time interval that passes between hanging out & catching up. You know who you are.
That’s just a few of the plethora of things I have to be thankful for… without even getting into material possessions, and resisting the urge to be a smart-ass.
Maybe I’ll add some more in the comments or another blog later.
What are you thankful for? (Real sentiments and smart-assedness encouraged.)
Google’s Chat or G-talk is integrated into the mail inbox, over to the left. It’s in about the same spot with Google+.
Yahoo‘s chat/messenger is integrated into their mail service &the only chat/add requests I ever get are super spammy. (They’re also annoyingly getting rid of the “Updates” tab/pages which I’m sure not many will miss… but it was a way for me to read Facebook & Twitter at the same time.)
The latest Facebook outlet puts the chat right on up there. I have my chat status set to away or always off or whatever it is… but it’s easily fat-fingered back into “hey chat with me” mode.
When I set up Ubuntu on a laptop, I setup something that acts like an instant messenger with tweets that are “@” me, and I think I can Tweet or Update Facebook from it. It was cool for about 5 minutes.
I don’t want to chat.
We can talk back & forth via our Facebook pages, email, Twitter, or even a text message if urgency is required… but we don’t need to chat or IM each other.
I don’t have the need to instant message anyone.
If I’m at Yahoo or Google, I’m checking my email. I’m trying to read something, I don’t need my focus pulled away. I already have a miniscule attention span.
I’m not tryin’ to hate. I’m just sayin’. I mean, my wife picked me up using AIM. She was all up on me like “lol“, “🙂“, “send n00dz“. OK, maybe not that last one. But she did make plans with me to go to Ritter’s.
Instant messaging is fine, I just have no interest in it while I’m doing other things. There are plenty of viable ways to say hello to me, or ask me questions. I can’t think of any purposed served by instant messaging at this point in life.
Why is it forced upon me by every email carrier, social network, & rogue open-source operating system? (OK, the last one is my own fault.)
Even some websites have built-in creepers now. “Hello, I can see you’re looking at several different widgets on our site. Our knowledgeable associate Peter Parker is available to help, type your question below to chat now.”
NO! Let me browse. (I do the same thing anytime a salesperson approaches IRL.)
Quit it. I already have enough browser windows open at once. I don’t need a chat going on. I realize that I’ve reached the point of being obsolete. I didn’t think I’d ever be the type of person that rails against change. I don’t know if I’m railing against it here, or just not rolling with it.
So, please don’t take offense if this one time fan of Trillian doesn’t want to IM any more. Maybe we can Skype some time. Or not.
Got this email from FAAN, thought I’d share. This is your call to action:
From: Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) To: <me> Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 3:40 PM Subject: Ask Your Senator to Support the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act
The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
Dear Eric,The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN™) has been working with U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) on federal legislation that would encourage states to adopt laws requiring schools to have on hand “stock” epinephrine auto-injectors – meaning epinephrine that is not prescribed specifically to a single student but can be used for any student and staff member in an anaphylactic emergency.
Today this bill (S. 1884), the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, was introduced in the Senate.
Sen. Kirk with Brianna and Rhonda Adkins, and FAAN CEO Maria Acebal on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Nov. 15.
Earlier this week, FAAN CEO Maria L. Acebal, joined by Rhonda Adkins, wife of country music superstar and Celebrity Ambassador Who Cares Trace Adkins, and Adkins’s young daughter Brianna, visited lawmakers on Capitol Hill to urge them to support this lifesaving legislation.
Now we need your help to get your senators’ support! Please download our sample letter of support, personalize it, and send it to their senators.
In addition to protecting those whose epinephrine auto-injector isn’t immediately accessible during a reaction, this legislation will help save the lives of those who experience an anaphylactic reaction and don’t have a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector. Data shows that up to 25% of all epinephrine administrations that occur in the school setting involve students and adult staffers whose allergy was unknown at the time of the event.
Only a handful of states have laws related to stock epinephrine. S. 1884, however, will provide an incentive for states to enact their own laws allowing school personnel to keep and administer a non-student specific epinephrine auto-injector in case of an emergency. (The state laws would be similar to the ones enacted in Illinois and Georgia in 2011.)
Thank you for your help gathering support for S. 1884. We will keep you posted as FAAN continues to work to secure passage of this important legislation. Together, we can save the lives of those with potentially life-threatening food allergies.
MODEL Letter of Support for the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act
Note: Please paraphrase. It is important that Senators do not receive duplicates of the same letter from different individuals. You can look up your local senators at www.senate.gov.
The Honorable (insert Senator’s name)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator (insert name):
I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor S. 1884, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, introduced by Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk. I am the parent of a child with severe food allergies. (Personalize here by inserting a brief description of your child’s allergies.)
Children with food allergies are at risk for anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death. To prevent death, anaphylaxis must be treated promptly with an injection of epinephrine. The Durbin-Kirk bill would encourage states to ensure that epinephrine is available in schools and that school personnel are trained to administer it in an emergency. Epinephrine is safe and easy to administer. Children are able to self-administer the medication, and any adult working in a school would be capable of learning how to administer epinephrine in a matter of minutes.
Nearly 6 million American children have potentially life-threatening food allergies. Schools need to be prepared to treat allergic reactions in the event a student’s personal epinephrine auto-injector isn’t available or the student is having a reaction for the first time.
The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act is not a controversial bill. It is endorsed by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Association of School Nurses. On average it will cost a school just over $100 to have epinephrine available to prevent a fatality from anaphylaxis. This is a small price to pay to save the life of a child.
I hope you will co-sponsor the Durbin-Kirk bill and work to assure passage of this legislation. Thank you for considering my views.
At first, I thought this was someone mistaking me for McDonald’s(or another food place) again, then I thought it’s most likely spam. At any rate, I’m having some fun at some scammer’s expense. I don’t think English is their first language…
From: john simson <jsimson02983@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 17, 2011
Subject: Attn-My Mom Birthday Party (Chicken Caesar Salad)
To:
Hello My name is John Simson and I would like to order for individual Chicken Caesar Salad Individual wrap in your restaurant for 150 people on 29th November and pick up time is 3pm and it’s for my Mom’s Birthday Party and it will be picked up by my courier agent and I am ready to pay the full payment with my credit card so get to me with the following information below……
Pickup Address:
Personal cell #:
Total cost for the food:
Type of credit card:
Best Regards,
John Simson
Always eager to help, I wrote back.
From: Waldo Lunar <world.and.lunar.domination@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 17, 2011
Subject: Re: Attn-My Mom Birthday Party (Chicken Caesar Salad)
To: john simson
Hello Mr. Simson,
It would be my pleasure to prepare your “individual Chicken Cæsar Salad Individual wrap” order for 150 people! Can I ask where you found my company’s contact information? We believe in strong kick-backs & discounts for referrals!
Would you like 150 wraps, or 200 or so …in case people want seconds? I’m somewhat unclear on your wording… perhaps you would like one giant individual chicken cæsar salad wrap that can feed 150 people?
Your mom is a lucky lady! To not only know 150 people, but to have a son like you that’s putting together such a grand event (with super-fine dining to boot) is an incredible thing. Perhaps you can up your count to 151 and I’ll hand deliver? I don’t have many friends, but I do like parties!
Would you like to stamp your mother’s name along with a happy birthday message on the outside of the wrap(s)? Advertising with printing directly on the wraps is standard for us, so it’s no big deal & not much of an extra charge for us to add a custom message. We feel that we must seize every opportunity to advertise.
Currently we’re working on exciting “edible” advertisements that will pass through your system and remind you of our catering services upon their exit. They always come out (well, usually always), but they’re not always readable. We need to work on a smooth non-stick or oily surface that always floats. We hope to be a leader in defecation-marketing!
I don’t have a personal cell phone, as I mentioned before… I don’t have many friends. I would prefer cash since I can deliver in person. Then you won’t need to worry about my address… and I’m not sure why you’re asking for a type of credit card when you’re the one paying me.
I can get back to you with the total cost once you tell me if you desire the custom birthday message, how many wraps exactly, and if you’ll need any side orders. May I reccomend the potato chips? They’re homemade, and each one is designed like a tasty business card! Also, I have a discount for friends, pending the party invitation. Maybe your courier agent and I can hang out? I like bicycles.
Looking forward to your business!
-Waldo Lunar
Reasonable enough questions, right?
From: John Simson <jsimson01@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 17, 2011
Subject: Re: Attn-My Mom Birthday Party (Chicken Caesar Salad)
To: Waldo Lunar <world.and.lunar.domination@gmail.com>
Thanks for the email,I want you to understand that am hearing impaired so the best way for me to communicate with you is via email and i can only make payment via my credit card.Thanks
WHAT? Heh. Sorry, that was tasteless. I still don’t know how they’re going to scam me by providing their credit card information. I don’t want to be baited into taking it either.
From: Waldo Lunar <world.and.lunar.domination@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 17, 2011
Subject: Re: Attn-My Mom Birthday Party (Chicken Caesar Salad)
To: John Simson <jsimson01@yahoo.com>
Thanks again Mr. Simson,
We can do that then, no problem. I abhor the phone. See? We’re already forming the bonds of friendship! How is your mother? I hope she is well. Sorry it took so long for me to reply, I’m up to my eyeballs in turkey dinner preparation. I think there must be a holiday next week, we’ve had a big rush for individual turkey wraps.
I am uncomfortable taking credit information via email. Any type of card is acceptable. Would you be able to pay upon pickup or delivery? I can perhaps get one of those gadgets that connects to my work cell phone and swipes credit cards. I hear that Nigerian scams abound out there on the internet… people phishing for personal details, and what-not. They are indeed the scourge of the modern age, my friend. They prey upon the naive, and the kind-hearted like you and me.
May I ask, why you were inquiring about a type of card if you’re the one paying… and why about a personal cell phone if you’re hearing impaired? Is it to text? Have you looked into a TDD system?
Also, as far as the pickup address, which location would you prefer for a pickup?
If you could please answer the questions from my last email, it would help move things along. I also forgot to ask (silly me!) what the date of the party is?
I’m thinking cost-wise, we’ll be anywhere from $7 to $14 per person, depending on side options, possible drinks, portion sizes, and pending the custom matronly birthday wishes. I realize that it’s a steep price, but my individual chicken Cæsar wraps are the best in the tri-state area. “For real, son.” …as they said in the streets a few years ago. I joke, because I feel we will be great friends, John.
As soon as you answer all my questions, we’ll be good to go! What kind of dress is the party? I don’t want to show up in my tux if we’re all supposed to be in jeans! Or is there a theme? I went to a party one time where we all wore Hawaiian shirts. It was very exotic! Maybe with a chicken Cæsar theme, we could do a toga party? Or, if everyone wore flowered sheets, a Hawaiian toga party? Rome meets Maui! I could put pineapple rings on the wraps to decorate. I was also thinking if you’d like to attach a photo of your mother, we could also perhaps print that on the individual wraps? Do you have a ukulele? Maybe we can look up some Roman songs.
Please, respond at your earliest convenience my friend! You should practice this to impress your mother: “Donec mater grata luau in honore tuo! Sit amicus recens Waldo.” Google Translate is quite fun!
Malama pono salutem plurimam,
-Waldo
Your move, “Mr. Simson”!
Image by Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr
And really though… Toga Luau? How awesome would that be? And the advertisements in poop? It’s coming. Right after they start printing on the wraps themselves. Why advertise on just the paper wrapper itself?
World (and Lunar) Domination 