World's Coolest Urinal

How to keep your 16 y/o out of the mall.

http://soloround.blogspot.com/

The other blog.

http://backyard-bistro.blogspot.com/

RIght Now

Outside my window…crisp and cool
I am thinking…that this is a cheap way to post
I am thankful for…my wife and child
From the kitchen…homemade applesauce
I am wearing…the stained baggy cargo pants
I am creating…apple sauce tarts
I am going…to bed soon
I am reading…2010 Old Farmers Almanac (still).
I am hoping…that I become normal soon
I am hearing…the rustlings of homework
Around the house…peace
One of my favorite things…pasta with cheese
A few plans…sell the old guitar and get new one

Right Now

Outside my window…it’s dark and damp.
I am thinking…that it's almost bed time.
I am thankful for…life.
From the kitchen…ginger ale.
I am wearing…pj bottom + t-shirt.
I am creating…a dry crawl space.
I am going…to work tomorrow ~sigh~
I am reading…2010 Old Farmers Almanac (still).
I am hoping…that I don't smoke tomorrow.
I am hearing…piano boy
Around the house…too many lights on.
One of my favorite things…grilled cheese and soup.
A few plans…boys party weekend!!!!!!!!!!

RIGHT NOW!

Outside my window…it’s dark and about to rain.
I am thinking…how tired I am.
I am thankful for…the weekend.
From the kitchen…ham and cheese sam-itches.
I am wearing…cargo pants and a button down.
I am creating…tilt top tables.
I am going…to the high school football game.
I am reading…2010 Old Farmers Almanac.
I am hoping…that I don't smoke tomorrow.
I am hearing…the computer fan.
Around the house…deadly silent.
One of my favorite things…crisp fall days.
A few plans…football, KISS tickets, TV, yardwork.
A picture to share...flashlight exposure pix.

1964 Epiphone Sorrento

buy me!

1964 Epiphone Sorrento cont'd

One, two, three, four............

I declare war against the sock drawer!!!!!!

2009 Scleroderma Fundraiser

-----------------------> today

today I will play outside

because tomorrow

I might not be able

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brain dump

last post = may 30 + last cigarette = may 31

6 weeks + 20 added pounds later

go figure more space time energy = less posting

who cares? who reads?

maybe I need a facebook page

vacation was good

new england is beautiful

life is wonderful

yard work and grilling are the favorites

can you get paid for that?

i hate the cravings

but I am happy that you are happy for me

First Solo Flight

I wish I could say this was from me but it came from a friend.

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Yesterday, I made my first Solo Flight as Pilot in Command, and thought I would share the Experience.

It started out as a normal day, unaware that I was going to solo. Though I knew it was going to be soon. The weather was good and well above VFR minimums. I met with my Flight Instructor and was briefed. ‘We’ll just do a few Touch and Go’s Today, he said. At that point I became a little suspicious because Gene always gives a detailed preflight. Anyway, I began the preflight of the airplane and then called Karen to let her know I might solo today. But she was in a meeting, so I left a message.

We taxied off and did a few touch and go’s and then headed back to the west ramp. My instructor then told me to stop the plane. He asked for my log book and student pilot cert. I curiously handed them to him. As he endorsed them, he said ‘it’s your airplane’. I thought to myself, ok now what? He said nothing more, so I asked him. What am I supposed to do?
His reply was, exactly as we just did. I have a hand held if you need to contact me’. He then shook my hand and walked away. Reality had just set in!

I jumped back into the airplane, fastened my seat belt, cleared the area and started the engine. I turned on the nav/comm and got a quick terminal information briefing on ATIS and then contacted ground that I was ready to taxi for closed traffic with the option. They quickly cleared me to taxi to 20R. The nerves were building... As I was taxing, ground asked me if I wanted a Run-up. Although not necessary since we just flew the plane, I replied yes and headed to the run-up area for 20R. The run-up checked out. I contacted ground with run-up complete and they cleared me to hold short 20R and contact Tower. I tuned to tower and headed to 20R.

As I was holding short on 20R, I noticed there was a lot of traffic with a jet on final, one taking off and several in the pattern. So I just sat there and waited for the traffic to clear and for tower to clear me. The anticipation and anxiety was building. I started to sweat a little. But then over the radio I heard ‘N109PH cleared for right traffic 20R’. The moment has come! I taxied onto the runway and lined myself up with the centerline. My heart was beating fast, almost a distraction. I did a quick pre-takeoff check and then applied full power. All the training over the last several months had come to this. The plane accelerated down the runway quickly, more than I was used too, and I then realized it was because I was minus my 235 pound instructor. Just as quickly as that, I rotated the controls and was airborne. At that point as I was climbing, I looked over to my right – no Instructor. But all my nervousness and anxiety went away as I started to climb out. I quickly reached 500’ and began my crosswind turn. My airspeed was good and all seemed ok. I then made my downwind turn and reached pattern altitude shortly thereafter. I reduced the power and held pattern altitude to about midfield when tower came over the radio and cleared me to land 20R with the option.

As I was abeam the runway, I reduced power and added flaps. Opps, I forgot to do the pre-landing checklist! I thought of my instructor always nagging me like a nagging wife (no offense Karen) and it paid off. PRE-LANDING CHECKLIST!, I heard. I then turned base, reduced power and applied more flaps. Tower informed me a jet was on 5 mile final, so I rounded my turn to avoid encroaching on the parallel runway - don’t want to collide with a jet on final, would make for a bad scene... Here we go! I executed a perfect turn and began setting up for landing (an area I struggled with). But I felt I had worked hard to get it down and was confident I could execute a good landing. On final, I applied the remaining flaps and reduced power. I was drifting off course but quickly corrected. As I was about 100’ feet off the runway I reduced power to idle. My approach airspeed was good, (60-65 knots) and I was coordinated.

I made the go-no go-decision to land. The plane started to descend quickly and I started to level off just past the runway threshold. The runway came up fast. I was now in the flare and could feel the plane sinking. I started pulling back on the yoke. I heard the stall horn. And then just like that, she touched down as smoothly as can be. I had landed, and it was a good one! As I taxied back to the runway, I could see the flight school guys and gals waving their hands. It put a big grin on my face. I did it, my first solo!

The next two takeoffs and landings were good. The second landing had a little bounce but I recovered quickly. As I taxied back to parking, the flight school guys and gals were all there to greet me. It was a great moment! A sense of accomplishment at one point I wasn’t sure I would achieve. I then called Karen but again... she was in a meeting. So I left her another message and said “I just Soloed and I love you”.


Thanks for sharing my experience.

TOP 10 CIGARETTES

10. On a long road trip

09. Last thing before bed

08. After a big meal

07. After coffee

06. On the beach

05. During sunset

04. In front of the campfire

03. After Beer

02. After sex

01. After beer and sex on the beach in front of the campfire during sunset.

The Stigma and the Stigmata

We all know now that smoking is not cool anymore. Maybe once upon a time smoking was the fashionable way to go but in reality that's nothing more than marketing. Gee whiz, how hard could it be to market an addictive product anyway?

Bottom line.......smoking sucks and is nothing more than a social stigma.

Below the bottom line.....nothing sucks more than smoking except trying to quit!

Yes, I am trying to quit smoking by taking Chantix and it's simply not fun. However between the dizzy spells, puking and wild sex dreams, I have managed to cut down by at least half or better. Most of the time I don't even feel like having a cigarette but only do it because the habit says it's time to smoke. There is supposed to be a "quit date" where you stop smoking for real but I'm dragging it out a little past the normal schedule because I happen to like being high all the time and having a tingling head. (As much as like puking.)

To have invented a great system for keeping track of my progress as well. I simply write the daily smoke count on my hand using a large black marker. By the end of the day, my hand is a black scribble of numbers and smudge but I like to pretend it's my version of the stigmata where I can offer up my suffering to a higher power.

Here's the stats so from the first week of medicine.

Friday = 17 (nearly passed out dizzy at work)

Saturday before Mother's Day = 16

Mother's Day = 6

Monday = 10

Tuesday = 10.5

Wednesday = 10

Thursday = 9 (puked up the morning coffee)

Friday = 8

Saturday = 6

Sunday = 3

I'm about ready to drop them altogether but will wait for next weekend.

Third Row Seats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post Cards from the North.

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Ahhhhhh......New England.

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Western Massachusetts to be precise.

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If you want to know where I came from

and what stirs my memories then please

check out

Jeanne's pictures

of the Pioneer Valley.

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http://jeanne-project365-2009.blogspot.com/

A month and a day.........

...........since my last post.


If anyone still reads, I'm still here.

Had some computer issues and discovered a whole new "man-hobby."

Blogging may be better than the new hobby, haven't decided yet, but details later.

Hey, what's on TV?

Here's what's on TV tonight.

1. People selling a house.
2. People buying a house.
3. People playing cards.
4. People training their dog.
5. People changing the tile in their bathroom.
6. People changing the plants in their garden.
7. Wasted people getting arrested.
8. People cleaning out grease tanks at a factory.
9. People playing golf.
10. People getting yelled at because they cook badly.
11. People who need to change their wardrobe.
12. People who need to remove clutter from their house.

I am going to mop the kitchen floor tomorrow. The day after that I'm changing light bulbs and the batteries in the smoke detectors. If I have enough time that night, I will attempt to clean the oven as well. You are all invited to come over and watch.

Forty years ago tomorrow.

Allegedly during the winter of 1968 I was a contended 4-year old thrilled with the prospect of having a baby sister in the new year.
























When March 8th rolled around all the boys were forced to take refuge in a local bar while we waited for mom to deliver on her promise.

Apparently upon hearing the news, I hid under the table and cried that I didn't want a sister.

I still have occasion to go to bars and hide under the table and cry. And I tell you my friends, it ain't cause I have a baby sister.