Happy Halloween 2011!

Jay and I’s traditional pumpkin carving night got moved up one night, but despite the break with tradition Jay carved that awesome pumpkin to look like Naima. As you will see, my pumpkin carving skills are considerably less than Jay’s.

More Happy Halloween pictures:

I’m not sure what I will be publishing here next Friday. Although I’m finding my mode again, there is no telling what way I’ll go.

Valentine’s Day 2011

I also took an alternate picture for Valentine’s Day.

Last year I believe I republished the love letters that they were covering on Writer’s Almanac. This year I’ve decided just to quote my favorite line in my favorite love songs by my favorite musicians. The one notable exception being what I always consider to be the greatest love song ever written, Goofy’s Concern by the Butthole Surfers.

“Everything means nothing, if I ain’t got you.”

“’cause I’ve been in love before; And I found that love was more; than just holding hands.”

“I was born when I met you; Now I’m dying to forget you; And that is what I know.”

“Just like an angel off the page; You have appeared to my life; Feel like I’ll never be the same.”

“Ev’ry time that you’re near; All my cares disappear; Darling, you’re all that I’m living for.”

“Lately I’ve been running on faith; What else can a poor boy do? But my world will be right; When love comes over you.”

“He said, ‘Son why you got to sing that tune? Catch a Dylan song or some eclipse of the moon? Let an angel swing and make you swoon; Then you will see, you will see.’”

“Breathe out; So I could breathe you in; Hold you in.”

“She is everything I need that I never knew I wanted; She is everything that I want that I never knew I needed.”

“With every breath that I am worth; Here on Earth; I’m sending all my love to you.”

“I can’t direct the universe; I can’t pull off the road and take a rest; I can’t go on for evermore; I can’t refuse the weight of intellect; I can’t avoid the hands of time; I wish her touch was of a softer kind; and if the world decides to melt; there’s nothing I can do to change her mind.”

“We’ve all got our funny moods; I’ve got mine, woman you’ve got yours too; Just trust me like I trust in you.”

“I go out on a party; And look for a little fun; But I find a darkened corner; ‘Cause I still miss someone.”

“Tap on my window; knock on my door; I want to make you feel beautiful; I know I tend to get so insecure; It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“I’ve been a lot of places all around the way; I’ve seen a lot of joy, and I’ve seen a lot of pain; But I don’t want to write a love song for the world; I just want to write a song about a boy and a girl.”

“When I saw the break of day; I wished that I could fly away; Instead of kneeling in the sand; Catching teardrops in my hand.”

“These arms of mine; They are lonely; Lonely and blue; These arms of mine; They are yearning; Yearning from wanting you.”

“I seem to recognize your face; Haunting, familiar, yet I can’t seem to place it; Cannot find the candle of thought to light your name.”

“Though your hurt is gone, mines hanging on, inside; And I know it’s eating me through every night and day; I’m just waiting on your sign.”

“I don’t know how to make lots of money; I don’t know all the right things to do; I can’t say where we’ll go, but the one thing I know; Is how to be a good man to you; Until I die that’s what I’ll do.”

“I hear in my mind all these voices; I hear in my mind all these words; I hear in my mind all this music; And it breaks my heart.”

“And now if I should see you; Or call you on the phone; I wonder who’s that person; I could never call my own; Although I kind of like you; I’ll never understand; Why I got so excited; Each time we held hands.”

“A fish was made to swim in the ocean; A boat was made to sail on the sea; As sure as there are stars above; I know, I know you were made for me.”

“Red letter day and I’m in a blue mood; Wishing that blue would just carry me away; I’ve been talking to God; Don’t know if it’s helping or not; But surely something has got to got to give; Cause I can’t keep waiting to live.”

“Orpheus melted the heart of Persephone, but I never had yours; I followed you back to the end of the path, but I never found the door.”

“People talk and people stare; Tell me I won’t really care; This is the place I should be; And if they think its really strange; For a girl like you to be in love with someone like me; I want to tell them all to go to hell; That we’re doing very well.”

“And if a double-decker bus crashes into us; To die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die; And if a ten-ton truck kills the both of us; To die by your side; Well, the pleasure – the privilege is mine.”

“I’m scratching at the surface now; And I’m trying hard to work it out; So much has gone misunderstood; This mystery only leads to doubt; And I didn’t understand; When you reached out to take my hand; And if you have something to say; You’d better say it now.”

“I wanna sit you down and talk; I wanna pull back the veils and find out what it is I’ve done wrong; I wanna tear these curtains down; I want you to meet me somewhere; Tonight in this old tourist town.”

“I don’t know you, but I want you; All the more for that; Words fall through me and always fool me; And I can’t react.”

“Hello; I’ve had you on my mind; For hours there’s no doubt; And there’s no use wasting time.”

“You have gone and made me such a fool; I’m so lost in you’re love; And oh, we belong together; Won’t you believe in my song.”

Feel free to leave some of your favorite lyrics in the comments section of this Journal entry.

These negatives are in pretty bad shape, so take this for what it is worth.

Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894 after a number of Americans were murdered by the military during the Pullman Strike. After the massacre, President Grover Cleveland made reconciliation with unions a top political priority. Making Labor Day a national holiday was his form of reconciliation.

I celebrated Grover Cleveland’s political savvy and everything unions have done for this country and the memory of the 13 strikers murdered during the Pullman Strike by having the family over for a barbecue. Here are a few pictures:

Hope your Labor Day was as joyous as mine.

I had a pretty awesome Memorial Day Weekend and saw all of the right people. Plus, my grill got quite the workout.

The weekend started with FNSC at my humble abode. The group core was there, plus Jesse and Dawn. Jesse, Willy and I hung by the fire pit until about 2 in the morning.

On Saturday morning I got up early to go to the bank with Mom and Teresa to sign some legal documents involving a safety deposit box.

After that exercise I hit up Salon 908 where I put up a new 20×30 picture in the salon to replace the one that had been sold. While you are waiting for a haircut at Salon 908 now you can stare admiringly at this picture:

I also got a sheering. Now I look borderline presentable. Even though I declined the eyebrow waxing that was offered.

I went home to clean up the kitchen best that I could. I had a Chef coming over to use it that afternoon and while I know that he looks down on my pathetic assortment of kitchen utensils, I wanted the area to be clean while he made magic.

After the kitchen cleaning, I went to Reiman’s Music to take pictures of a white piano for that week’s RWPE.

Next was a trip down to Beaverdale to pick up Sara. Although the Sara pickup also involved taking out her old air conditioner and putting a new air conditioner in her house. This ended up being a more painful process than I wanted it to be, but despite having to remove a nest from her window sill, the air condition finally found its home in her window.

Then was Todd and Peggy’s wedding. They got married on a golf course in Pleasant Hill. It was an impressive affair that included a free round of miniature golf, a photo booth and fireworks.

After the wedding Sara and I went to a bridge overlooking 235 so that I could work on a Personal Photo Project that will be published on July 9. It was from this experience I learned that another criteria that I should look for in photo assistants is the ability to turn a blind eye if I want to do something that is slightly illegal or dangerous. Sara doesn’t like it when she perceives me to be in “danger”. Of course, I already knew this from Personal Photo Project No. 16.

After dropping Sara back off in Beaverdale and doing some final tweaks on her air conditioner installation I voyaged back to Boone. A trip that takes quite a bit longer now that the Highway 17 bridge over the Des Moines River is closed until August.

I was hoping to make it back to Boone to hit the tail end of Nate’s birthday bash at The South Side, marking my triumphant return to the Boone Bar scene for the first time since 2008. However, I pulled back into Boone at roughly 1:40 and decided that it wasn’t worth it to go for 5 minutes. So instead I returned home to the Clockwork Couch and watched the tele.

Shortly after I got home Nate and Bethany returned home. They were both staying with me for the weekend and we talked briefly before they both crashed.

I got up early on Sunday morning and went to church. After church I grilled out with Nate after he returned from a poor round of golf with his friend Ryan. Earlier in the morning I had inadvertently interrupted Ryan’s vomiting efforts. It must have been quite the party that I missed.

Tim had bought a Nate a birthday cake with Nate’s 3rd or 4th grade picture on it. Most of Nate’s picture remained, except Nate’s face. Apparently Ryan had eaten Nate’s face the night before. After we were done grilling, I had some of Nate’s cake.

Later Nate proclaimed that the chicken wings he had made in my kitchen on the previous day were the best that he had ever made. This was a bold proclamation. Just ask Corey Faust if you doubt the veracity of that statement. Nate is going to make these legendary wings next time I go to Minnesota. Looks like I might have to cash in on that when I go see The Swell Season at the end of July!!

After resting from the grill, Jill came over and picked me up. We hit Jen and Derrick’s for a barbecue. Derrick grilled up bratwurst with pineapple in them. It was decided that these brats tasted slightly breakfasty. Even though Webster doesn’t consider breakfasty to be a word. They were still tasty. Plus any chance to eat burgers made with Derrick’s super secret burger recipe is always a great time.

I got to watch the Gorshe Baby Ultrasound for the third time. I still have no clue about the sex of Baby Gorshe, but I enjoy watching the video nonetheless.

After a lengthy discussion about the greatness of Daniel Tosh, we left while Derrick napped on the loveseat.

The next morning I slept in until 9:30. That is a late morning for me, except on the occasional work day. Nate, Bethany and I grilled out for lunch. By this time, my grill was definitely entering the danger area that cause the fire during the 2009 Road Trip Planning Barbecue, but it made it through another meal without incident.

After the meal Nate and Bethany packed up and I burned Bethany a copy of Strict Joy for their car trip home.

I then grabbed my camera and took a few pictures.

After taking pictures I went to the cemetery. At the cemetery I ran into Carla. We walked around the cemetery for about an hour. Then I went home and prepared the house for an impromptu family barbecue.

I didn’t clean the grill, but it did manage to make it through yet one more meal without erupting into flames. I should clean that at some point.

After the family went home I rested on the Clockwork Couch and watched Wooden Shoes. A movie made my a fellow computer miner by the name of Scotland Thompson. If you want a review of the movie, too bad, but I will loan my copy out.

I would like to report to interested parties that do not know yet…

Willy did finish his 100 Mile Race this past weekend.

Willy knocked out 100 miles in La Grange, Wisconsin as part of the weekend of Kettle 100 Endurance Runs.

He ran 100 miles in an official time of 28 hours 24 minutes 29 seconds.

I know, pretty insane!

I was dreadfully unprepared for this year’s Halloween. Including not buying pumpkins and candy until Saturday morning, not running firmware updates on my Blu-Ray player until Saturday night and not doing any decorating at all. Truth is that the lack of decorating was a conscious decision that I plan on repeating for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although I have a feeling that a Christmas tree is going to show up in my house when I am not home.

Although if I do ending up holding a Friendsmas-Thanksmas-Christgiving celebration between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is possible that a small amount of decorating might transpire. But that is a pretty big if at this point in time. Mostly because I still need to convince myself that I won’t blow up the house while frying a turkey.

Despite the lack of preparation, Halloween went just fine.

I ended up with 46 trick-or-treaters. I think I would have been able to breach 60, but Jay turned off the light for about 15 minutes, causing a loss of who knows how many trick-or-treaters.

Despite getting a couple of garbage pumpkins, Jay still made two spectacular jack-o-lanterns.

A few pictures from the night…

Jay cleaning out a pumpkin.

The Davis Family. Holden was awesome in the respect that after every picture, he would come over and want to see it. Good thing I wasn’t using film.

Austin was not a fan of the hood part of his sweet giraffe costume.

Holden was a big fan of my front stoop. If he makes it to my birthday barbecue next year, I anticipate I will find him sitting in that exact spot on multiple occasions.

Austin was happier without the hood.

A Howard paying homage to a CBS television show?!?!? Shocker! Saydie is not wearing a wig. Taylan as Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Jay working on a pumpkin for my mom.

Jay’s 2009 Masterpiece!

I think I will have to schedule my social calendar lightly next October, so I can get into the spirit of things and maybe even visit a pumpkin patch. I didn’t get a chance to do that this year.

When I posted the picture below, I promised more information on Alligator Shirt Day.

Jill on the day that Alligator Shirt Day was invented.

The truth is that it isn’t much of a story.

A couple of years ago my mom went to Florida to visit some family. Of all of the places that they visited, I think that her favorite was St. Augustine. While she was in St. Augustine, she picked me up a souvenir. A black t-shirt with an alligator on its front.

If you can claim to know me at all, you know I am a fan of alligators. You also know that I have a severe weakness for monster movies.

When I was a small child I watched a movie called Alligator. Very few movies have influenced the man that I have become like Alligator. (Shaft, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Cannibal Ferox, Zardoz, Smokey and the Bandit, Every Which Way But Loose and The Duel to name a few.)

The basic premise of Alligator is that a little kid gets a baby alligator as a pet at a fair of some kind. The kid’s dad is a big jerk and flushes the baby gator down the toilet. The baby alligator lives in the sewers of a major city. Then after 20 years the gator busts through a city street and crashes a wedding among other venues. It is basically Jaws with an alligator instead of a shark. It is not anywhere as well made, but that is part of its charm.

I watched this movie with my dad when we still lived on West 15th Street.

When we lived on West 15th Street, we had an aquarium in the kitchen. Well, where else would you put an aquarium?

Occasionally we would put newts in this aquarium. The interesting thing about newts is that they have no problem escaping aquariums. This freaked my mom out.

Although I have my doubts that she watched very much of Alligator, it left enough of an impression on her that she was always worried that these escaped newts were living under the house (it didn’t really have a basement, more of a cellar) and growing to monstrous proportions.

Maybe this is where you can measure the greatest distance between me and my mom. She was afraid that there were giant newts living in our cellar. I was hoping that there were giant newts living in our cellar.

That house isn’t there any longer and I never read any newspaper article claiming that giant newts went on a rampage in west Boone after being discovered under a demolished house.

Although the odds are against it, I like to think that the giant newts moved on after we moved out and are living in the woods just outside of Boone. Waiting. Just waiting.

I never wear the alligator shirt. Perhaps it is because when you have something that cherry, you live in a constant fear that if you take the shirt out of the closet something bad will happen to it. A sweet and sour sauce accident at Chinese Homestyle Cooking. A barbecue sauce accident at Battle’s. A bloomin’ onion sauce accident at Wallaby’s.

This brings me to the day of the picture above.

Jill and I were going to go cruising around in her car. But as it turned out it rained that day. This sudden unexpected rainfall was caused by Jill washing her car. She has those kind of powers. We still cruised the car, but with the top up.

We ended up at Jen and Derrick’s.

While we were conversing with Derrick, Jill brought up that their dad had brought her back 3 new shirts from his latest Boy Scout camping trip. 1 of these shirts had an alligator on it. She seemed less than impressed with this shirt.

I brought up the fact that I also had an awesome alligator shirt, but I never have a special enough occasion to wear it.

We struck a deal that we would declare one of the days of next year’s The Road Trip to be Alligator Shirt Day and we would wear our shirts.

When I returned home that evening I looked through my closet and found my alligator shirt. I looked at it and thought, “You will get to leave the closet in about one more year.”

A couple of days later I was wandering the shafts of the Computer Mine, when I ran into Coreen. She was sporting a shirt with a crocodile on it that came from the Vacation Bible School that she ran this Summer.

I commented on how I admired her crocodile shirt and I told her about my alligator shirt and the deal that Jill and I had brokered.

She pointed out that if I wore my shirt to work, she would also wear her shirt and we could have Alligator Shirt Day at work.

It seemed like a magnificent idea. So magnificent we had our picture taken to remember the day.

Alligator Shirt Day was such a success that Coreen and I decided to declare September 2 to forever be Alligator Shirt Day. In fact, if there is a 2010 Photography 139 Calendar, you can bet dollars to donuts that when you flip to September, you will see Alligator Shirt Day staring back at you on the 2nd.

I don’t know that this new holiday that I have invented will take off, but I have a good feeling about it.

Plus, how great is 2010 going to be? There will be not 1, but 2 Alligator Shirt Days!!

By the way, this is journal entry #2 of 5 that are about groups I am in that have matching shirts. The Knocker Walkers, The Alligator Shirt People…

I hate to go back to touch base with Christmas, but I should point out that I got many a sweet Christmas present. I don’t want to talk about any of them because I don’t wish to make any of you jealous, with one exception.

My sister Teresa crocheted me a sweet cardinal and gold ISU scarf.

It is almost too sweet of a scarf to wear.

On New Year’s Day, between the Outback Bowl and the Rose Bowl, I went over to check out the ACTORS building in Ames with Becky, Terra and Geri. Geri is actually the President or Chairman of ACTORS.

Some pictures.

Geri

Shoes

Becky & Terra

Rubber Chicken

Ham

Geri and I

Dressing Room

It was an interesting experience.

I thought about waxing philosophical on how indifferent I am to New Year’s Eve and all of it trappings, but as it turns out I’m to apathetic to even write about it.

However, I am now intrigued by the concept of waxing philosophical. I know this is an old timey phrase that dates back to when the word wax mostly meant to grow. Such as a waxing moon. As opposed to a waning moon.

But, I still want to invent a product called Philosopher’s Wax. I’m quite certain that it could be used on both a convertible and a finely groomed mustache. A mustache like that kid at Subway has that Willy admires from a distance.

I’m told that New Year’s is a time for new beginnings, but it seems to me that to arbitrarily wait for one certain point in Earth’s orbit around the sun to make drastic or necessary changes in one’s life is silly, but not in a good way like the putty. Make those changes when you realize they need to be made and one certainly shouldn’t wait an entire year to reflect on their life.

So to New Year’s and all of its trappings, I say “Bah! It is a humbug!” Besides the time with family and friends. The day off from work. All the good food and football.

I thought I would throw out the picture for September while I was at it.

This is a picture of a moonflower.