It's been a while...I know...

OK, so it's been...what...forever? I have been BUSY, ok? There has been so much going on, I don't even know where to start!

First off, it's the holiday season. The weather is cold, football season is in mid-climax, and the vacation days come rapid-fire. Thanksgiving was great. We had a bunch of family gathered around, eating ourselves silly, laughing and talking about old times. It was truly what I am thankful for.

Christmas...what can you say about Christmas that hasn't already been said? Yes, I know it has become way too commercialized, but it's still a happy time of year. People are in a giving mood, the music is cheery, family gets together, and we remember back when we were the kids ripping open those brightly-wrapped little mysteries, not knowing what we were getting...but we were pretty sure that the gift from Aunt Margaret was probably socks or underwear! Now, it's more about getting together, offering an extra hug, and never forgetting what it's all about--giving. Don't give me shit about being sappy. This will be my 40th Christmas, and I like to think that everyone else sees it like I do. Santa comes by and brings gifts, we all get together with friends and family to eat, drink and be merry, and when it's all over, we thank those who weren't fortunate enough to be with their family for the freedom to celebrate however we feel. So, without further adieu, THANK YOUR TROOPS AND YOUR VETERANS! I don't care if you support the war or whatever it is, but dammit...support those people! OK? OK!

Now, on to my Colts. They're 11 games in, standing at 9-2. The heartbreaking loss to New England and the hideously forgettable performance where they lost to San Diego. What the hell--SIX interceptions? Holy shit! But now we're getting back to health, and perhaps we'll be able to kick ass and take names in true Colts style. Super Bowl bound again this year? It looks good, but we'll have to wait and see. Dallas and Green Bay are the teams to beat in the NFC, and Indianapolis and New England in the AFC. If any of those four teams end up going to the Bowl, it's going to be a shootout the likes of which hasn't been seen in many years. So keep an eye on those guys, and perhaps we'll see another epic performance in the Super Bowl by my beloved Colts!

OK, so that's enough for now. Life is moving now at somewhat of a blistering pace. Work is fast and furious, personal life is a blink of an eye, and my daughter grows faster than Easter lilies in April. As Kenny Chesney puts it..."Don't blink..."

Have a safe and happy holiday season, and remember why you're here and those who got you here. Until next time....

4-0

It's Sunday night. The Colts played their 4th game today. In near-typical style, it was a blowout in the RCA Dome. Could this be a possible 2-fer for the much-maligned Colts team? Time will tell!

I don't get much time to write in this thing because it seems like I am always WORKING! However, I did finally get my MCSA and MCSE certificates from Microsoft, so the tests that I took over the summer and paid for with my blood, sweat and tears are finally scored and permanent--I am now officially a Microsoft Certified System Administrator/System Engineer. And it only took me...what, 15 years?! Meh...better late than never!

On another note, we have decided to visit with Lowe's and have our kitchen remodeled. In its era (the 1970's), I'm sure it was a fine kitchen; however, here in the 2000's, I would say that the brown ceramic tile floor and the dropped ceiling are well past their time. It's time for maple hardwoods, maple cabinets, and an antique tin ceiling with era-appropriate lighting...something besides the drop-in fluorescent crap we have now! Why Lowe's, you ask? Well, I have this wild notion of doing it myself. I fancy myself a 'fair-to-middlin' carpenter, and with pre-fab cabinets and a hammer, I believe I can make it all happen. Besides, my brother and my dad are quite accomplished in carpentry, so if I get in too deep, I just make a phone call, and they'll come at their convenience to mop up! :)

That's enough for now. With the shorter (and cooler) days, my sleeping habits should soon return to something more normal. Tonight would be one of those times. And if things seemed a bit disjointed--it's because I've had a very long week. Until next time...

NFL season begins once again

The Colts kick off the NFL season this year with a severe ass kicking handed to the New Orleans Saints, and I was there from kickoff to closing whistle. It appears as though the Colts of old are back and ready to kick ass. Mr. Joseph Addai stepped into some really big shoes left empty by Dominic Rhodes from last season--who, incidentally, has been suspended already for substance abuse in his new home. For those of you not "in the know", I am an die hard Colts fan, and that goes for the years when they went 2-14 to last year when they finally got their due and won the Super Bowl. I've been there all along, and win or lose, they're my boys! I can't wait until I've moved back to Indy, where snow and football go hand-in-hand.

Other that the much-anticipated kickoff of the NFL season, life is beginning to smooth out a bit. I have finally retained a position doing what I do best with a crew of people that give and receive respect equally well. My boss is the best a guy could ask for (actually ORDERED me not to work past 6:00 last Thursday so I wouldn't miss the Colts kickoff!), and the pay isn't too shabby, either. I won't divulge the firm I work for, but since they're not a LARGE company, it wouldn't matter anyway. Perhaps when I finish their new website, I'll give a little more insight as to my new employer. Or maybe not.

Now that the consecutive 100º days have past, I am in the "cold weather" mode now, waiting for the temperatures to drop and the leaves to drop. Give me COLD weather anytime! That just puts me in a damn good mood. Hell yes.

Until next time...

The heat wave is finally broken...

OK, so it was over 100º for 8-9 days straight. In fact, there were a couple of days where it was as high as 108º. What is up with that? What did we do to deserve Satan's playground? I hate this place! The only solace I take from this is that up in Indiana (my future home), it was running in the mid 90's at the same time...so, although it wasn't as hot as it was here, it was still HOT. We missed the 100 mark today by just a couple of degrees, and tomorrow, it's supposed to be just a couple of degrees below that. It's about damn TIME! The air conditioner has been running 22+ hours a day just trying to keep up with this heat, and I know Entergy is going to LOVE me come the end of the month. Bastards.

OK, so that's all I want to talk about now. There are some really serious matters taking place right now, but I'm not at liberty to discuss them. Perhaps I will discuss them after everything has 'settled down'. OK? OK! Until next time...

Dear Jesse and Al...

Nothing more needs to be said...if only I could find that genie in the lamp...

Summer arrives with a vengeance

So here I was, thinking we were going to get through an entire summer without burning the hell up. Boy, was I wrong! The past two days, it has been 100º, and the prediction for the next SEVEN days is more of the same--100º, dry and humid. So we were lulled into complacency with the mild summer through June and July, only to be slapped broadside by August and the deadly hot temperatures. Have I mentioned how much I hate this place?

There is a lot going on in life right now, but nothing I can divulge at this time. My employment situation is about to change for the BETTER, but my personal life has taken a pretty extreme downward turn. I won't go into details for personal reasons, but suffice to say, it really sucks. I'll leave it at that and move on for now.

The Little Rock School District has to be the most incompetent school district in the world. I mean, my daughter transfers in to LRSD at the beginning of the 4th nine weeks last school year. When we go to enroll her into LR Central (yes, THAT Central), they don't have any record of her being a student, nor do they have her schedule. How damn stupid can a group of people be? It's no wonder that they're ranked so low--they couldn't find their ass with both hands and a road map! I have never been and advocate for the LRSD, nor will I ever be. I will, however, do what I can to get my child educated and out of that God-forsaken shithole. Is it just me, or are all of the Arkansas school districts full of a bunch of ass clowns that don't know what the hell they're doing? I worked for a district where the only person that had a clue about how to run the school got chased off because of her inability to be a "yes-man" (not to mention how they treated ME), then moved to another district where incompetent wanna-be's played more of a part than education, and now the LRSD shows their ass by losing my daughter. What a bunch of fucktards.

I can't wait to get out of this crapstack called Arkansas and move to where people don't drag their knuckles when they walk, and they can actually maintain more than 7 teeth at a time. Where is that, you ask? Indiana. My birthplace, my dream place, and my permanent residence--eventually. Four complete seasons, a great pro football team (GO COLTS!), a family that is an absolute dream to be with, and an education system that makes Arkansas look like a badly-choreographed Head Start program.

I've had enough. I'll just go now before I get pissed. Until next time...

Goodbye, old friend

Although today is officially a "holiday", I had to do something this morning that anyone with a soul would never enjoy. Our dog, Amore, left us this morning just a few minutes before 7:00am. Her departure was very unexpected and traumatic, and I can't begin to describe the empty space her absence has left. She did have the life of a king the last couple of years, spending 20 hours a day sleeping, mixed with 3-4 hours of scratching and petting, with a meal or two thrown in for good measure. It's been a long time since I've lost a pet, and now I remember why--I'm not good with the empty space left afterwards.

I'm very fortunate in that I took these pictures just three days ago, not having a clue of what was to come. She is in her "natural" state--on the couch like she's the queen of the world. It hurts, and I don't care who knows. I just want to sit here and wait for it to stop hurting so much. Goodbye, Amore...you were truly the best dog a person could ask for.

40 years old

Holy shit...what just happened? Today, I turn 40. Yes, that's FORTY...ten more than 30. I can still remember high school graduation--22 years ago. Where did it go? I have teenage children, and my parents are well into their 60s. It wasn't supposed to happen this fast! I had so many things I wanted to accomplish by the time I reached 40, and so few of them have actually happened. I have seen many foreign countries (check that off)...I have been on a cruise (check)...I have been married and had kids (check). Also, sadly enough, I have lived to see my four grandparents die, as well as my step-grands and grand-in-laws.

Never again will I see the days of staying up all night and sleeping all day. Gone are the days of knocking off a 12 pack and then still being able to function. The music isn't as loud, and the car isn't as fast. I also look back on previous relationships and wonder where it all went. Best friends, girlfriends, party buddies, Army buddies, high school and college acquaintances. Man, there were a bunch, weren't there? Now, we're down to a small handful of friends and the memories of good times past.

I guess as long as I continue to see the top side of the grass, I should be grateful. I just see other 40 year olds and wonder if they have the same dreams and wishes that I have. As I begin to see "mid-life" as a reality, I vow not to become one of those guys who buys a closet full of Hawaiian shirts and buys a hot rod convertible just to try to relive the past. I already own a closet full of T-shirts, which I will continue to wear, and as for the car...give me a Tiburon any day!

I'm about to head out to the local jazz club and have a few beers while I listen to some smooth sax, remembering the days when hair bands ruled the world and I thought I was bulletproof. Funny how things change so much in such a short time. Until next time...

What is wrong with people?!

Anna Nicole Smith...Paris Hilton...Nicole Ritchie...Lindsay Lohan...I have seen all of these names pop up at the TOP of the CNN and MSNBC websites over the past several months. They've been drinking and driving, passing out at parties, falling over themselves, and in the case of Ms. Smith, dying. As tragic as this may seem to some, let's have a nice tall glass of reality.

Iraq...Iran...Afghanistan...these are all countries we have heard some about in the past few years. Ask someone before September 11 where Baghdad is, and they'd simply shrug and say, "I have no idea."

Now, that's not the case. We all know where Baghdad is. We all know where Afghanistan is. We all know where Iran is. And we've all seen the many faces of the towel-headed freaks that act as if they're some kind of god. My opinion? Kill them all and let God sort them out! The whole point is, why are Paris Hilton and Anna Nicole Smith so important that they get headline news on CNN, MSNBC, Fox and any other news channel, but the soldiers who give their lives to see that we have the freedom to horde information about these damn celebrities don't even qualify for more than a blip showing "another soldier dies in Iraq today..." and nothing more is said. These soldiers have families--children, spouses, mothers, fathers--who are all deeply saddened by the death of their loved one. At the same time, these people at least can hold their head up because their loved one died to liberate freedom for us.

My brother-in-law recently completed his second tour in the Middle East. A tour in Afghanistan and a tour in Iraq flying Apache helicopters. Think he wasn't a prime target? He was shot at numerous times, but was fortunate enough to get out with his ass still intact. Now I have a nephew headed to Iraq as an infantryman. In case you didn't know, these guys are more like the pawns on a chess board. They are the front-line defense in the approach to hot spots, and are typically the first ones to put their ass on the line. There is a good chance he'll come home alive and well, but the odds of him being injured or worse are also too high for comfort. If he gets injured or killed, will that death warrant a headline on CNN? I can answer that--NO. He will be another one lumped in with the sub-headline "Another soldier dies in Iraq." No names...no families...just a small blip.

For those who have lost family members in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Korea, Germany, the Philippines, and any other foreign land that the US occupies--I remember them, and I thank you. You are all important, and your loved one did not die in vain. As for these celebrities getting all of the attention, you are all welcome to die in a fire. These people are dying for YOUR freedom. Who are you to think you're better than any one of them?

I've said enough. I need to go find something patriotic to do. My soldiers depend on it. Until next time...

**CRASH!!**

It really sucks when you try to do something simple and it ends up wreaking havoc in so many ways. You see, I was simply adding some drive space to my server--simple, right? NOT!

Eight days later, I have had to completely rebuild my server, do an emergency data recovery to pull the hundreds of gigabytes of data that was LOST in failed RAID arrays, and rebuild the email server and the web server that service my website clients. What a pain in the ass! On the good side (if there is one), the server has been moved to a bigger case made for a server, filled with 10 hard drives, 12 cooling fans, and several cool blue fans and neon lights. It is a bad ass machine, but damn, it's a bitch to rebuild! I now have about 1.5 terabytes of drive space to store all of my "stuff", and it's not showing any errors!

In layman's terms, the server is happy and no data was lost. Only a true computer geek would comprehend and appreciate the amount of work involved. The everyday Joe just says, "Oh, that's nice."

So, I'm outta here until next time. I need some sleep. Until next time...

A note about "The Pontiff of Rock 'N Roll", Michael P

After my previous post about the passing of the infamous Michael P. Langley ("Michael P" to Magic 105 listeners), I received an email from his sister that made me feel much better about his last years.

I would like to comment on your piece about Michael P. Just to let you know, he did not die "alone". He was living with me (his sister) and my family in Lafayette, LA. He was also in the hospital when he passed. He was my big brother and I loved him immensely. He had even visited with our younger brothers and our mother and spent time with all of them. We all appreciate the time that we had with him over the last year. He did become somewhat a recluse while living in Little Rock due to some back and heart problems. Since he moved in with me, he became the old Michael that everyone knew. He was even thinking about looking for another radio job down here. He got out and about more in the last 9 months than he did in the last 2 years living in Little Rock. One thing that he was proud of was his love for his listeners. I think that everyone in Little Rock, and maybe even in Arkansas, knew his voice and his name. He always tried to give back to the friends and loyal listeners he had and he never met a stranger. He could put everyone at ease and make everyone feel that they had known each other for years. I have received a lot of calls and cards from his friends and each and everyone expressed a great sadness that he had passed. I may be prejudiced, but there will only be one Michael P. Langley. He was our big brother and we will miss him very much. I appreciate you remembering him and hope that everyone will remember him as the "consummate professional" that he was.

Sincerely,

Renee Langley
(Michael P's sister)

Some things begin...others come to an end

OK, so I go outside this morning to head to my new employment. I'm feeling good, it's been a good week, and everything just seems to be clicking. I've been at this job for all of a week, and already I got a $2/hour raise! How much of a difference is that in layman's terms? Let me lay it out for you--estimate 2000 hours per year. Take that figure, multiply by $2. You get $4000. That's a lot of cabbage! I won't go into details about my exact wages (contract conditions), but I can say that this raise equaled out to 10% of my previous wage. You math whiz kids can figure out the rest, can't you? And if you went to school in Mississippi, you'll have to remove your shoes to count that high.

Back to my original gripe...I get outside, and what do I see? The trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, and my damn car is YELLOW from all of the pollen! If the damn trees would stop fucking, we might be able to alleviate this little annual problem! My car is yellow...the streets are yellow...my roof is yellow...EVERYTHING is yellow! GAAAHHHH! Have you ever wondered what this crap that you're inhaling LOOKS like? Check out this picture--this shit is nasty! Imagine sucking up broken glass, sand and dirt. This is the same thing, only it's smaller. And MUCH more prolific. I hate it all. Damn pollen. But enough about that crap!

As I watch the news about the war in Iraq/Afghanistan/Pakistan/wherever, I wonder why we're still there. Yes, I have been a supporter of 'W' since Day 1; however, the time has come for us to make our withdrawl. Enough people have died, enough bombs have been bursting in air, and enough money has been spent. You won't hear me badmouthing our President. I think if you feel the need to speak badly of our President, our country or our flag, you need to take your ass out of that country, away from that flag, and outside of the freedom of that elected President. I am so sick of these pansy-assed do-gooders who think they know everything. Truth be known, they couldn't handle the job of the President for even one week. So suck it, libs...this war will end, and then we'll find someone else that's pissing us off, and we'll go over there and attack them, too. That won't happen on 'W's watch, though!

In closing, I received some very sad news yesterday. For those who grew up in central Arkansas in the 80s and 90s, you would know the voice of Michael P from Magic 105--the 'Pontiff of Rock 'n Roll'. Michael P. Langley died alone in his home yesterday at the age of 51. He had never been married and had no children. I knew this man when I first started dealing with Magic 105 back in the early 90s while I was at World Lynx. He was 'the man' when it came to setting up the website for the station, but he was also the one who was instrumental in getting my name known at the station. He was terminated one year before me for the very same reason--downsizing. He was never able to work full time again after that, and he became more and more reclusive as the years passed. He finally moved away to Louisiana to be with what little family he had, and that is where he spent the last days of his life. Rest in peace, my friend...and godspeed.

With that said, I leave you as always...until next time...

Colts win the Super Bowl--and other anomalies

Well, I gotta say that I'm so proud THE COLTS WON THE SUPER BOWL! It was indeed a great day for the household, as I have somewhat converted my spouse into a Colts fan, and she was able to celebrate with us. We had a great party with lots of food and lots of people, and a good time was had by all. Oh, and did I mention THE COLTS WON THE SUPER BOWL!

In other news, the new wheels/tires for my car finally arrived after those that were on the car were damaged in an accident on 12/26 last year as I was leaving town for work. The car was damaged on both sides in a freak accident caused by a 78 year old man not paying attention (read: not my fault!). The car looks great--thanks to A & J Collision Repair, whom I have been using for about 10 years now. The guys did a great job on the car, and $5000 later, we have most of the car repainted and a full set of new tires and Tempo R wheels to go with them!

I have also finally re-established a relationship with my soon-to-be 17 year old son, although he still is very much lacking in the responsibility department. He likes to act like he knows what is going on, but in actuality, he knows very little. He totaled his mom's car a couple of months ago acting like an idiot (aren't most 16 year olds?), and now he's still unemployed and acting like he is, in his words, a "caublasian"...1/3 caucasian, 1/3 black and 1/3 asian. I don't know what that's all about, but I smell some pretty deep bullshit. Welcome to my life.

Other than that, not much else has changed. We saw a very LIGHT snowfall last week, but being in Arkansas, it actually amounted to two days out of school for the 'school people', as it was actually two separate "storms", either one resulting in a whopping 1" of snow on the ground. Of course there was a bit of ice, too...but for the most part, it was all bark and no bite. Welcome to Arkansas.

Well, that's enough for now. I'm so happy my Colts made it thru the Super Bowl, and once I have all of my Super Bowl XLI commemorative memorabilia in (newspapers, Sports Illustrated, autographed helmet, etc.), I'll post photos for all of the haters out there! Until next time....

Colts finally make the Super Bowl

For anyone that has known me at all, you know that Sunday, February 4, 2007, is going to be a day that will live in infamy--at least for me! The Colts will finally make their first Super Bowl appearance since they moved to Indianapolis. You can bet your sweet ass that I will be posted dead center in front of the big screen in the living room, beer in one hand, Doritos in the other. To hell with eating healthy--it's the Colts! HOLY SHIT!

We have placed all of my Colts memorabilia around the house, including a full size Colts flag in front with a couple of smaller garden flags at the side of the house. There are Colts signs, photos, jerseys and T-shirts scattered about on the walls, and my lovely bride has even gotten into the spirit by allowing me to "decorate" in such a male fashion. Damn, I love that woman! :-)

Not a lot else to report. Things they are a-changin', but I dare not speak of these changes just yet. When the time is right, you'll know. There are plenty of people who feel the need to spout off to me via email about this or that. I welcome all comments, and if I like them (or I can make fun of them), I will even post them in here! Yeah, I know..."YIPPEE!"

OK, I'm outta here. Be sure you listen to "Blue Sunday" on the opening page. There is a really cool video that WISH-TV in Indianapolis made for it. You can see it at www.wishtv.com. Check it out!

Until after the Super Bowl...