Fw:

Monday, June 30, 2008

I typically avoid forwarded emails (like the plague), however, this one was from my "butters!" If you feel so inspired, copy and paste your answers as comments... enjoy responsibly!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:15am
2. How do you like your steak? Medium
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4. What is your favorite TV show? Battlestar Galactica (for now...)
5. What is your middle name? Arthur
6. What is your favorite food? Italian
7. What foods do you dislike? Butternut Squash
8. What is your favorite chip? Ranch
9. Favorite dressing? Ranch
10. What kind of vehicle do you drive? Toyota FJ Cruiser
11. What are your favorite clothes? None
12. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation? Italy
13. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Full
14. Retire to? College Town, USA
15. Favorite time of the day? Nap time
16. Where were you born? Erie, PA
17. What is your favorite sport to watch? Soccer
18. Who do you think will not send this back? Not important
19. Person you expect to send it back first? Again, not important
20. Pepsi or Coke? or
21. Are you a morning person or night person? Morning
22. Do you have any pets? Dog
23. Any new and exciting news you would like to share? +6 is rapidly approaching!
24. What did you want to be when you were little? An archaeologist
25. What is your best childhood memory? Camping with Grandma & Grandpa Bailey
26. How many siblings? Two... that I know of.
27. Always wear your seat belt? Yes
28. Been in a car accident? Yes
29. Favorite day of the week? Friday
30. Favorite restaurant? Smoothie King
31. Favorite flower? Venus Fly Trap
32. Favorite Ice Cream? Ben & Jerry's Cake Batter
33. Favorite fast food restaurants? McDonald's
34. How many times did you fail your driver's test? 2
35. From whom did you get your last email? MLS.com
36. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Rita's Italian Ice
37. Bedtime? Bedtime?
38. You most curious about their response to this? Anyone
39. Last person you went out to dinner with? Lyssee
40. What is your favorite color? White
41. What do you want to be when you grow up? King of the World
42. How many are you sending this email to? Everyone
43. What time did you finish this email? Posted on 8:57am
44. Coffee Drinker? Addict
45. Who sent this to you? Butters

Alpha Septaton

Thursday, June 26, 2008



HA! The guy in the lower left looks familiar...

Minneapolis: Diversity, Morbidity, "Mall of America"-ity

Wow! That picture is poor... oh well. You see that super tall building in the middle of the skyline... apartments. Judging by my own close up inspection of the age/condition of the building... not an enjoyable place to live.

Tangent: No free wifi at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport... dumb.

So, I was in Minneapolis on "assignment." I do have to go back the week of July 7th, therefore, if anyone would like to paint Minneapolis RED, let me know.

Anywho, I found myself not finding anything particularly appealing about Minneapolis. Sad, I know. Maybe I just did not get out, enough. I think, next time, I am going to look up The Mall of America (still the largest in America).

Tangent: Did you know that if you, as an attorney, give an oral argument in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Antonin Scalia requires that you do not use contractions. Sorry, Mr. (or Ms. or Mrs.) apostrophe creator.

One thing that did stand out about Minneapolis was the magnitude of African and Middle Eastern immigrants who call the city home. Additionally, Minneapolis is home to a very large Muslim population. Hijabs a plenty. It is enlightening, really, not many Charlotte(land) area Muslim women willing to wear their hajibs, in public, for fear of persecution... sad.

It was not until my bro-han Richard "I can run Erieblogs.com just fine sans Dennis" Zmijewski brought it to my attention that Minneapolis was home to the 35W bridge collapse (over the Mississippi) tragedy that I realized Minneapolis does have some tragic notoriety. Thanks Rich, I was perfectly fine traversing the bridges of Minneapolis until you "rang the bell." Needless to say, I'm asking TomTom to plan my routes sans bridges.

Final Tangent: bad ruling, today, by the U.S. Supreme Court... guns are for the defense of the state via militias not to be in the hands of the "people" (historical context: militias = people apart from the federal government i.e. states. people does not = individuals)... dumb.

There is no 13th floor in our building... SERIOUSLY!

Friday, June 13, 2008

I'm not buying it. I have no qualms with the number 13. 13 is cool in my book. In fact it marked the beginning of my teens (good times!).

Also, if I went to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and ordered a dozen doughnuts, and they accidently put 13 in there... THATS A GREAT DAY!

Apparently, my boy Mikey "eskiMO-PIE" Sheakley has done a bit of research on this phenomena.

News flash to all of you on the 14th floor... you are doomed. 13 will find you some day.

SHOUT OUT: Go see "The Happening." M. Knight needs you to! I think I am the only M. Knight fan in "Amurica... heyheyhey." No seriously, I have not seen an M. Knight movie I did not enjoy. As opposed to Nic "I'm a freaking Coppola and I named my son after Superman" Cage, for shame Mr. Cage, for shame.

"Indeed" Paraphrasations of the Day

Thursday, June 12, 2008

The single most "statistically effective" decrease in crime during the 20th Century can be attributed to Roe v. Wade.

-- Freakonomics, Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

If you filed an income tax return in the last decade (regardless of your accountant or accounting firm), your tax return was likely prepared in Bangalore, India.

-- The World is Flat, Thomas L. Friedman

SummerSummerSummer Tiiiiiiiiime!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The scorching temps are almost over... phew! It was like people soup at the pool this weekend. Ew.

Speaking of wearing little or no clothes, I am a fan of the art of tattoo. I technically have 5 but only 4 are visible. I would consider getting another, but I, first, would want to brighten the ones I have.

Anywho, what to get? I have been mulling around two ideas or themes: Alyssa and/or Christianity. I beleieve that tattoos should represent the tattooed's life experiences. I am not a big fan of people who get tattoos to get tattoos. LET IT MEAN SOMETHING, PEOPLE!

Again, anywho, I was thinking of either "alyssa." across my shoulder blades or (my preference) a 1950s style pin-up model (naughty secretary... I know, scandalous) of Lyss.

My other idea was The Sacred Heart in the middle of my chest or perhaps on my left pectoral. Speaking of Christian tattoos, my favorite tattoo can be found on this man:



He was a guest on the TLC show "LA Ink." He is also a pastor in Atlanta, GA. This tattoo is an interpretation of Carvaggio's "Conversion of St. Paul." It is a beautiful representation. I particularly enjoy this tattoo as an allegory for my own life. Sometimes God comes into our lives with a whisper and sometimes he comes in with some good ol' shock and awe!

Indeed.

The Wii Fit has given mii a complex!

Monday, June 9, 2008

What did we do Sunday? Why we out-smarted the thralls of teeming Wii-thirsty droves and delightfully purchased a Wii Fit of our very own. We had the inside scoop regarding the location of a newly opened Best Buy off the radar of most of the inhabitants of the Charlotte metropolitan area (first time referred to here as "Charlotteland")

Apparently, this "game" was all the rage in Japan (not really known for having an epidemic of obesity). My wife and I, fit Americans (by our standards) thought, "why not."

Well let me tell you something, BROTHER, once I flipped the power button to the Wii balance board into the "ON" position, there was no turning back.

After answering a few questions during my personal biometric interview, it turns out that I am OVERWEIGHT WITH A BMI OVER 25 (pay no attention to that last line, Liberty Mutual Term Life Insurance representatives).

This is a disturbing measurement by my own calculated standards (I consider myself pretty fit, ,but apparently I considered incorrectly). To make matters worse, while I was convincing myself that these measurements were ridiculous, Alyssa did her biometric interview and rocked an amazing BMI of 22 (industry standard for healthy people)!

Needless to say, after working out a goal and Wii Fit routine, this game purports to have the ability to get my BMI below 22 (via virtual skiing, heading soccer balls, and working out with my virtual trainer). Well, Mr. Wii, it appears the gauntlet has been laid.

LET"S DO THIS, BROTHER!

"Indeed" of the day.

"The Sermon on the Mount was so radical, I doubt our Justice Department would survive its application."

-- The Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama