Today is my stinkin' birthday. It's off to work in a little while, and then the Jeanners and I are going out for my special birthday dinner. Someplace seafood-y.
Tomorrow we're going to drive down to the ocean for one last summer frolic.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Are the Seats in this Boat Warm or Cold?
Friday night, I just got home from work, and I'm glad to be home. Work is boring again. Training a bunch of new folks every week.
I have been listening to the Midlake CD very much. I like it very very much. It's not for everyone, but I think it's one of the most solid CD's I've heard in a long time. And the lyrics are strange. One song features the line, "The seats are cold in this boat," and a different song has the line, "The seats are warm in this boat." Well, Midlake, which is it? Are the two songs about two different boats? Anyway, enough about Midlake.
Our good friend Aimee came over last night for dinner and conversation. It's always good to catch up and find out what she's been up to. She said that when she reads my blog, she is unable to view the new sidebar with the random Flickr picture. Instead, the sidebar is now blank. Jeannie said that the same is true on her boss' computer. I asked my computer geek friend Patrick from work about it, and he said that it is most likely due to some sort of compatibility issue with the browser they're using to view the blog. I wonder how many others out there have problems enjoying the advanced features of this blog? Just for the record, I use Netscape to enjoy this blog as well as many other wonderful things on the Internet, which I'm told using Netscape is a very uncool thing to do. But I like it.
Alright, I'm going to enjoy some brief quality time with my wife (and maybe popcorn!) before I got to bed...
I have been listening to the Midlake CD very much. I like it very very much. It's not for everyone, but I think it's one of the most solid CD's I've heard in a long time. And the lyrics are strange. One song features the line, "The seats are cold in this boat," and a different song has the line, "The seats are warm in this boat." Well, Midlake, which is it? Are the two songs about two different boats? Anyway, enough about Midlake.
Our good friend Aimee came over last night for dinner and conversation. It's always good to catch up and find out what she's been up to. She said that when she reads my blog, she is unable to view the new sidebar with the random Flickr picture. Instead, the sidebar is now blank. Jeannie said that the same is true on her boss' computer. I asked my computer geek friend Patrick from work about it, and he said that it is most likely due to some sort of compatibility issue with the browser they're using to view the blog. I wonder how many others out there have problems enjoying the advanced features of this blog? Just for the record, I use Netscape to enjoy this blog as well as many other wonderful things on the Internet, which I'm told using Netscape is a very uncool thing to do. But I like it.
Alright, I'm going to enjoy some brief quality time with my wife (and maybe popcorn!) before I got to bed...
Thursday, August 10, 2006
The Music Report
1. Today I bought a CD by Midlake, called The Trials of Van Occupanther. I think I'm going to like it a lot. It's kinda strange, at times very pretty, and interesting. I would say it's a hybrid of Sufjan Stevens, Rufus Wainwright, and Fleetwood Mac. With maybe a little My Morning Jacket thrown in. But just a little.
2. Greg Brown has a new CD out as of yesterday. Saw it at the store, but haven't had a chance to listen to any of it yet.
2. Greg Brown has a new CD out as of yesterday. Saw it at the store, but haven't had a chance to listen to any of it yet.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Bacharach
Tonight I saw the Geico commercial with Burt Bacharach in it. He looked palsied or like he has had a stroke or something? Has Burt Bacharach had a stroke? The last time I saw him was in an Austin Powers movie, and he didn't look like he's had a stroke.
Another quiet night at home after a semi-long day of work. I'm wondering if this radio station plays jazz every night?
Tomorrow I'm running some errands with the Jeanners. Probably sell and buy some cd's. Gotta go get a key made for Elizabeth.
Also, since my bass is in Ohio with Rich, and my guitar is missing a string, perhaps it's a sign I should break out the keyboard and record some good, old fashioned, gay techno music.
Another quiet night at home after a semi-long day of work. I'm wondering if this radio station plays jazz every night?
Tomorrow I'm running some errands with the Jeanners. Probably sell and buy some cd's. Gotta go get a key made for Elizabeth.
Also, since my bass is in Ohio with Rich, and my guitar is missing a string, perhaps it's a sign I should break out the keyboard and record some good, old fashioned, gay techno music.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Stop Time
When I was little and used to picture what I thought my life should be like, I think I used to picture a night kind of like tonight. Jeannie is sitting reading a book, I've been sitting on a chair sipping a beer, and we're listening to some Louis Armstrong and other jazz stuff. Our apartment is looking and feeling just the way we want it, very calm and spacious and relaxed.
Last night after I got home from work we watched The Squid and the Whale, which was pretty interesting. It made me think a lot about what life was like as a kid and how much easier life is now than it used to be. How nice it is to grow up and find that there's very little in this world that truly matters. Strange to think that there was more bullshit in my life when I was 10 than there is now.
Long day at work today, but not too bad.
Last night after I got home from work we watched The Squid and the Whale, which was pretty interesting. It made me think a lot about what life was like as a kid and how much easier life is now than it used to be. How nice it is to grow up and find that there's very little in this world that truly matters. Strange to think that there was more bullshit in my life when I was 10 than there is now.
Long day at work today, but not too bad.
Friday, August 04, 2006
New Look, Same Great Blog Flavor!
I spent the morning doing some tweaking to the ol' blog template, so now as you read my innermost thoughts, feelings, desires, pet peeves, and lower GI workings, you can gaze upon pictures of my friends. A steaming-hot cup of visual nostalgia.
I figured I needed to spice up the blog a lil' bit since what I've been writing is boring trash. Image over content, that's what I always say...
If you don't ever see a picture of yourself here, it could mean one of 3 things:
1. I don't really like you.
2. I don't have any pictures of you.
3. I have reached my bandwidth limit for the month on Flickr and you will just have to wait until next month to see yourself displayed on this blog.
Which reminds me, if you see yourself on here in a picture that you would like me to take down, just let me know. The only exception to this is the one of Jen Schlueter fisting the turkey. Sorry, Jen, it won't be taken down.
Today's me day off, and life is pretty perfect.
I figured I needed to spice up the blog a lil' bit since what I've been writing is boring trash. Image over content, that's what I always say...
If you don't ever see a picture of yourself here, it could mean one of 3 things:
1. I don't really like you.
2. I don't have any pictures of you.
3. I have reached my bandwidth limit for the month on Flickr and you will just have to wait until next month to see yourself displayed on this blog.
Which reminds me, if you see yourself on here in a picture that you would like me to take down, just let me know. The only exception to this is the one of Jen Schlueter fisting the turkey. Sorry, Jen, it won't be taken down.
Today's me day off, and life is pretty perfect.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Busy at Work.
I had another whack dream last night, but I don't remember any of it, other than that it involved the Schlueterileymetz'. I've been trying to conjure a memory of what it might have been about, but I've had all day to forget about it.
I'm going to try and stop writing 'been busy at work.' Although it is true, I'm tired of writing it. Perhaps I shall invent a web-abbreviation for it, such as BBW? Also, since we bought a new camera a few months ago for our California trip, I have had to fight the urge to post pictures of our most banal daily activities. I am trying to put together a Flickr page with pictures from the California trip and the new apartment and some of our weekend trips, so I can send the link to my family and they can see what's been going on in our lives. Cause they don't get to read this here blog (and hopefuly they never will -- so everybody keep mum if you're ever talking to the more tech-savvy members of my family [i.e. anyone under the age of 45]}...
I like sentences that use multiple forms of punctuation all in a row, so that the sentence ends up looking more like a math equation than a sentence. Probably picked up from DFW.
Which, by the way, I am ever so pleased to announce that Pat Kilpatrick has started reading 'Infinite Jest.' He called the other day with some questions. Sounded like he was about 50 pages in. The next 100 pages or so will probably determine whether he sticks with it. Hang in there, Pat!
I'm going to try and stop writing 'been busy at work.' Although it is true, I'm tired of writing it. Perhaps I shall invent a web-abbreviation for it, such as BBW? Also, since we bought a new camera a few months ago for our California trip, I have had to fight the urge to post pictures of our most banal daily activities. I am trying to put together a Flickr page with pictures from the California trip and the new apartment and some of our weekend trips, so I can send the link to my family and they can see what's been going on in our lives. Cause they don't get to read this here blog (and hopefuly they never will -- so everybody keep mum if you're ever talking to the more tech-savvy members of my family [i.e. anyone under the age of 45]}...
I like sentences that use multiple forms of punctuation all in a row, so that the sentence ends up looking more like a math equation than a sentence. Probably picked up from DFW.
Which, by the way, I am ever so pleased to announce that Pat Kilpatrick has started reading 'Infinite Jest.' He called the other day with some questions. Sounded like he was about 50 pages in. The next 100 pages or so will probably determine whether he sticks with it. Hang in there, Pat!
Hot Like Oven
I had a crazy dream last night involving Eric Elz and a couple of people I haven't thought about in a decade or more, including Tim Bantle (from high school) and James Dutt (from middle school). Eric had a terrible haircut and was very strange in my dream. When I woke up, Jeannie asked me if I remembered being on my hands and knees on the bed during the night, which I didn't, and I don't even want to know what I was dreaming about while that was going on. She said she tried to talk to me but I wasn't making any sense, but eventually she was able to talk me into lying back down.
It's been hot here, as I guess it's been hot all over the damned country. If it isn't hot where you are, consider yourself lucky.
Been busy at work. Loving the new apartment. Blah, blah, blah. Same ol' b-crap.
It's been hot here, as I guess it's been hot all over the damned country. If it isn't hot where you are, consider yourself lucky.
Been busy at work. Loving the new apartment. Blah, blah, blah. Same ol' b-crap.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Wide-Open Day
How are Jeannie and I going to spend our Sunday? We've been oscillating between getting outside to do something adventurous or just staying at home and getting more unpacked in the apartment. Tonight, though, I am planning on BBQ-ing.
I wrote the above paragraph yesterday morning, Sunday, at around 10 in the morning. Then I couldn't think of anything else to write so I just saved it. Tonight, Monday evening, I can tell you exactly how events unfolded yesterday:
Jeannie skipped her yoga class, and she and I worked all day yesterday getting the apartment into shape, with good results. Our living room now looks like this:

Which is fine by us.
One thing I like about our new apartment is that the stereo sounds really good and I can listen to it with no guilt because there's no one living beneath our living room. Right now I'm jamming to some Curtis Mayfield.
We caught a mouse yesterday morning. Unfortunately, he chose the mean trap rather than the happy trap. Sorry, Mr. Mouse.
Jeannie might be quitting her architecture job today. I'll have to find out how it went when she gets home.
Last night after we finished working, we walked down to Rocky Run for some drinks, and I drank a very large stout that tasted exactly like a very large glass of cold coffee, but better. Anyway, it was a nice little date. All in all a very good day.
I wrote the above paragraph yesterday morning, Sunday, at around 10 in the morning. Then I couldn't think of anything else to write so I just saved it. Tonight, Monday evening, I can tell you exactly how events unfolded yesterday:
Jeannie skipped her yoga class, and she and I worked all day yesterday getting the apartment into shape, with good results. Our living room now looks like this:

Which is fine by us.
One thing I like about our new apartment is that the stereo sounds really good and I can listen to it with no guilt because there's no one living beneath our living room. Right now I'm jamming to some Curtis Mayfield.
We caught a mouse yesterday morning. Unfortunately, he chose the mean trap rather than the happy trap. Sorry, Mr. Mouse.
Jeannie might be quitting her architecture job today. I'll have to find out how it went when she gets home.
Last night after we finished working, we walked down to Rocky Run for some drinks, and I drank a very large stout that tasted exactly like a very large glass of cold coffee, but better. Anyway, it was a nice little date. All in all a very good day.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Long and Boring.
Long and boring is how the last few days have been. At work anyway. At home, Jeannie and I have been taking walks in the late evenings after I get home, enjoying the new apartment and the new neighborhood. At some point we should have people over for beers, conversation, and maybe games.
Been thinking lately about maybe eventually working on some more music. Not sure what it should sound like. The two songs that lately I have been wishing I had written and recorded:
1. Maps, by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
2. Another Day on Earth, by Brian Eno.
I don't know what it would sound like if those two songs had a baby, but that's probably what I would want my new songs to sound like.
Also been missing my weekly lunches with the Beej. I hope that his summer is continuing nicely in the Missouri.
Been thinking lately about maybe eventually working on some more music. Not sure what it should sound like. The two songs that lately I have been wishing I had written and recorded:
1. Maps, by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
2. Another Day on Earth, by Brian Eno.
I don't know what it would sound like if those two songs had a baby, but that's probably what I would want my new songs to sound like.
Also been missing my weekly lunches with the Beej. I hope that his summer is continuing nicely in the Missouri.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
CSC
Spent the day in at CSC packing stuff up and throwing things away, getting ready for a junk sale on Saturday that will be taking place before CSC moves to a new space in August.
I spent a lot of the day thinking about CSC, about how just when I can be all ready to quit doing theatre stuff once and for all I go in and have a good, fun day like today and it ropes me in for another season. As I was thinking, I came to the conclusions that it's really just the large-group activites that I don't like. I tend to like the smaller shows, the smaller group meetings that are less planned and more intimate. And I like puttering around by myself and moving stuff around. So now that things are settling down again at work and at the new apartment, I feel a bit more comfortable about working on the shows this year. I guess it's all a matter of balancing work and home and CSC and free time.
Also, Ian told me that he read the blog the other day, so this evening I reread through a lot of old blog posts to see if I'd said anything bad in the past...surprisingly the only negative stuff I found were some un-stellar reviews of past shows. But nothing that I think was unaccurate or mean, so I didn't have to erase them from the blog or anything, ha ha.
Today I found on Rich's secret blog a link to the Steinmetz Family Rhymin'. Holy Jeez, it's good. Holy Jeez.
Tonight Jeannie and I have some un-planned hang-out time. What shall we do? I'm predicting that no matter what we do, some ice-cream eating will take place. Probably from cones.
At the moment I'm kinda sticky-sweaty from working at CSC and I need a shit and a shower. For the last few days I've been picturing myself doing some recording, which means that in a few weeks I might break out all the equipment and see what happens.
I make the stinky gas!
I spent a lot of the day thinking about CSC, about how just when I can be all ready to quit doing theatre stuff once and for all I go in and have a good, fun day like today and it ropes me in for another season. As I was thinking, I came to the conclusions that it's really just the large-group activites that I don't like. I tend to like the smaller shows, the smaller group meetings that are less planned and more intimate. And I like puttering around by myself and moving stuff around. So now that things are settling down again at work and at the new apartment, I feel a bit more comfortable about working on the shows this year. I guess it's all a matter of balancing work and home and CSC and free time.
Also, Ian told me that he read the blog the other day, so this evening I reread through a lot of old blog posts to see if I'd said anything bad in the past...surprisingly the only negative stuff I found were some un-stellar reviews of past shows. But nothing that I think was unaccurate or mean, so I didn't have to erase them from the blog or anything, ha ha.
Today I found on Rich's secret blog a link to the Steinmetz Family Rhymin'. Holy Jeez, it's good. Holy Jeez.
Tonight Jeannie and I have some un-planned hang-out time. What shall we do? I'm predicting that no matter what we do, some ice-cream eating will take place. Probably from cones.
At the moment I'm kinda sticky-sweaty from working at CSC and I need a shit and a shower. For the last few days I've been picturing myself doing some recording, which means that in a few weeks I might break out all the equipment and see what happens.
I make the stinky gas!
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Patrick Kayak Pork
The last few days have been b oth eventful and uneventful. The fun started on Saturday night when Patrick C. left his keys at the B&N and was forced to spend the night at our place. Stupid Patrick! So we popped some corn and watched a bad SNL.
Then on Sunday (after taking P-rick to retrieve his keys) Jeannie and I wanted to get outside on our day off, so we decided to go to Gunpowder Falls State Park and rent a kayak. So we headed out (it's only about 20 minutes away, which is nice) and rented a kayak for a little while and paddled around. Then watched people learning how to windsurf on a day with very little wind.
Then a brief trip to Target and the grocery store where we bought some fixin's for a nice dinner, then brought them home, stuck our camping grill out on the roof and had us a nice little barbeque.
Yesterday was all about going to work. The crazies kinda drove me nuts last night.
Today is also all about going to work. ANd then tomorrow I'm going down to CSC to help get ready for the office-move.
Then on Sunday (after taking P-rick to retrieve his keys) Jeannie and I wanted to get outside on our day off, so we decided to go to Gunpowder Falls State Park and rent a kayak. So we headed out (it's only about 20 minutes away, which is nice) and rented a kayak for a little while and paddled around. Then watched people learning how to windsurf on a day with very little wind.
Then a brief trip to Target and the grocery store where we bought some fixin's for a nice dinner, then brought them home, stuck our camping grill out on the roof and had us a nice little barbeque.
Yesterday was all about going to work. The crazies kinda drove me nuts last night.
Today is also all about going to work. ANd then tomorrow I'm going down to CSC to help get ready for the office-move.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Rocks.
The Jeanners and I went to Rocks State Park yesterday on our day off, it's one of our favorite summertime swimmin' spots. The water was pretty low, and it's a pretty, um, rocky place, so we didn't stay too long, but it was a good time.


This morning we walked to the farmers market to pick up some tasty vegetables. On the way home got a call from my good buddy Chris Bosco, who I have not talked to in a damned long time. Reminded me that I still need to send out an e-mail with our new address and phone number....
Off to work.


This morning we walked to the farmers market to pick up some tasty vegetables. On the way home got a call from my good buddy Chris Bosco, who I have not talked to in a damned long time. Reminded me that I still need to send out an e-mail with our new address and phone number....
Off to work.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Surprise
I have been really enjoying Paul Simon's latest cd, Surprise, which was half-produced by Brian Eno. It's a very interesting combination.
Also, saw Pink on Letterman tonight, and was expecting to not like her. But I ended up liking the song.
Tomorrow I'm playing with me wife all day.
Also, saw Pink on Letterman tonight, and was expecting to not like her. But I ended up liking the song.
Tomorrow I'm playing with me wife all day.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Certi-mofo-fiable!
The music department passed the big ISO certification yesterday, which means I can stop stressing out over all the bullshit now. Woo-Hoo!
Not too much else has been going on, except for me stressing out. The apartment is starting to come together, the books are up on the bookshelves, and now we just need to figure out how to work Jeannie's painting area, and how much of my recording junk we want to set up. I'm kind of leaning towards just setting up the recording stuff for the couple-day periods that I seem to record in and then taking it all down and storing it when I'm not using it. We'll see. That might be a big pain in the johnson.
I was very happy to hear that Henry's surgery went well, and also glad to hear that Jen Schlueter's play went very well and that she got some offers to stage it from a few different theatre festivals. Nice work, Schluets!
We finally have the stereo set up in our living room and it sounds really good. I'm glad there's no one living below us because now I can listen to music guilt-free. Also, we get PBS in our new place! Now I can watch all the British mystery shows that the centenarians who come into the B&N are always looking for. By the way, Jen Schlueter, centenarian means someone who is 100 years old. And I'm glad I looked it up in the dictionary because it turns out that I was originally spelling it way wrong and you would have publicly shamed me for it, I'm sure.
Can anyone out there tell me how to get Jeannie to stop hitting me?
Not too much else has been going on, except for me stressing out. The apartment is starting to come together, the books are up on the bookshelves, and now we just need to figure out how to work Jeannie's painting area, and how much of my recording junk we want to set up. I'm kind of leaning towards just setting up the recording stuff for the couple-day periods that I seem to record in and then taking it all down and storing it when I'm not using it. We'll see. That might be a big pain in the johnson.
I was very happy to hear that Henry's surgery went well, and also glad to hear that Jen Schlueter's play went very well and that she got some offers to stage it from a few different theatre festivals. Nice work, Schluets!
We finally have the stereo set up in our living room and it sounds really good. I'm glad there's no one living below us because now I can listen to music guilt-free. Also, we get PBS in our new place! Now I can watch all the British mystery shows that the centenarians who come into the B&N are always looking for. By the way, Jen Schlueter, centenarian means someone who is 100 years old. And I'm glad I looked it up in the dictionary because it turns out that I was originally spelling it way wrong and you would have publicly shamed me for it, I'm sure.
Can anyone out there tell me how to get Jeannie to stop hitting me?
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
French Onions
Tonight when I got home from inventory I couldn't find a place to park on our street, so I parked on Calvert and walked a block to the house. Here's some things I encountered on the way:
1. A bumper sticker that said, "My cat didn't make the honor roll."
2. A strange french onion dip smell. I think it was just garbage.
Inventory went fine, I got home around 2:30 and found an e-mail from my old grade-school buddy Mike Zahra, who I keep in very very loose contact with. He just moved to Miami, where he is in his like 30th year of training to be a doctor. He was the drummer in my first band, the Sons of Cain, which consisted of myself, him, and Doug Krey on bass. We weren't very good, but it was fun. And his parents were kind enough to let us use their basement.
Off to bed.
1. A bumper sticker that said, "My cat didn't make the honor roll."
2. A strange french onion dip smell. I think it was just garbage.
Inventory went fine, I got home around 2:30 and found an e-mail from my old grade-school buddy Mike Zahra, who I keep in very very loose contact with. He just moved to Miami, where he is in his like 30th year of training to be a doctor. He was the drummer in my first band, the Sons of Cain, which consisted of myself, him, and Doug Krey on bass. We weren't very good, but it was fun. And his parents were kind enough to let us use their basement.
Off to bed.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
ISO!
Hmmm. Got an inventory at work tonight and ISO certification tomorrow. Which I know means nothing to most people out there, but to me it means stress and stomach-knots. Yuck.
I'll be glad when tomorrow's over.
The apartment is starting to shape up. We had a little bit of a shelf-building fiasco, but when all the dust settled we were left with two lovely IKEA-bought bookshelves.
Friday Jeannie and I get to play together. Maybe swimming?
I'll be glad when tomorrow's over.
The apartment is starting to shape up. We had a little bit of a shelf-building fiasco, but when all the dust settled we were left with two lovely IKEA-bought bookshelves.
Friday Jeannie and I get to play together. Maybe swimming?
Saturday, July 15, 2006
High Fidelity
Last night as I was sitting in front of the computer, writing, I was trying to remember what it was I wanted to write about. Today at work I finally remembered what it was: on Wednesday night I went over to Pat and BJ's to play some geek cards, and Pat was a little bit late getting home, so BJ and I watched the movie HIGH FIDELITY while we waited for Pat to get home. I had seen that movie before, a couple of times, and I like it. As I watched it again, I was more aware of the parts that I didn't like, but I was also very aware that the movie helps me put my job in perspective, helps me not care too much about it, and helps me remember that maybe I'm not going to work at B&N for the rest of my life. So I need to get a copy of that movie so I can watch it when things get rough.
Today I did a bunch of laundry at the laundromat a couple blocks down the street. Tomorrow I'm gonna do more.
Today and tonight Jen Schlueter's play is being performed in Columbus. I hope everything goes well, and I hope the music works. I expect a full report of how it all goes down...
Today I did a bunch of laundry at the laundromat a couple blocks down the street. Tomorrow I'm gonna do more.
Today and tonight Jen Schlueter's play is being performed in Columbus. I hope everything goes well, and I hope the music works. I expect a full report of how it all goes down...
Friday, July 14, 2006
Pink Eye.
Not a bad day at work today. Got a lot done, and it wasn't super busy. I'm getting settled back into the routine of things.
Unfortunately, the apartment still isn't very settled. Jeannie and I haven't had a chance to do any major unpacking yet. So the plan is to do some work on Sunday, when we both have the day off. We also want to do something fun, maybe swimming in the rapids at Rocks State Park.
Jeannie thinks she has pink eye. I hope I don't get it.
Hmm. That's it for now. Tonight's BJ's last night in Baltimore for the summer. He and I went to Pete's Grille for breakfast this morning, but it was closed.
Unfortunately, the apartment still isn't very settled. Jeannie and I haven't had a chance to do any major unpacking yet. So the plan is to do some work on Sunday, when we both have the day off. We also want to do something fun, maybe swimming in the rapids at Rocks State Park.
Jeannie thinks she has pink eye. I hope I don't get it.
Hmm. That's it for now. Tonight's BJ's last night in Baltimore for the summer. He and I went to Pete's Grille for breakfast this morning, but it was closed.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Out and About
We're back from California, the land of zero humidity.
What a wonderful trip it was. We got to meet some really cool new people, and reconnect with friends we haven't seen in awhile. It was especially good to see Dr. Witz, who has been reprimanded for not updating his blog.
Since it's been pretty much universally agreed that pictures can be sold for nearly 1000 times the value of words, here is a painfully brief recap of what happened on the trip:

The Jeanners and I arrive in California. We drive north from San Jose and set out on Highway 1, which is painfully too curvy. We abandon Highway 1 for the more boring but less motion-sickness-causing highway 101.


These are pictures of where we stayed. It's a 5 bedroom house named Crane Dance located right on the beach just north of Mendecino, CA. Lots of people stayed there, which brought it down to an affordable price range. The top picture is of one of the doors (there seemed to be lots of doors), and the bottom picture is Dr. Witz (left) and Kevin Lowry watching the sun set from inside the living room.

This is the happy couple, John (K-Torr) and Christmas. The wedding was very beautiful. Perhaps some of the hippies I met this trip will have rubbed off on me and I will be filled with more peace and love. I am actually not joking about this. Not entirely, anyway.

The whole gang, on the beach. The beach was interesting. We walked from the zen house where John and Christmas were staying, through a section of desert-like sand dunes, then down onto the beach. The water was paralyzingly cold. Seriously. I honestly and no joke thought that my brain was frozen when I got out of the water. It was fun, though. The Pacific is very different than the Atlantic.

Jeannie and I in wine country. After a lot of folks left, Jeannie and I went wine-tasting with Jeff, Casey, Jessie, and Rema. I forgot to set the timer on my camera, otherwise the rest of them would be in this photo, too. I was probably trashed.
Well, that's all for now. Eventually, once we get all the pictures uploaded I'll post a link in case anyone who was on the trip wants to download or print any.
It was really an amazing thing to get to hang out with such fun and interesting people. Sunday-night club, I hope you all made it to your flight safely.
DO NOT want to got to work tomorrow. Ugh.
What a wonderful trip it was. We got to meet some really cool new people, and reconnect with friends we haven't seen in awhile. It was especially good to see Dr. Witz, who has been reprimanded for not updating his blog.
Since it's been pretty much universally agreed that pictures can be sold for nearly 1000 times the value of words, here is a painfully brief recap of what happened on the trip:

The Jeanners and I arrive in California. We drive north from San Jose and set out on Highway 1, which is painfully too curvy. We abandon Highway 1 for the more boring but less motion-sickness-causing highway 101.


These are pictures of where we stayed. It's a 5 bedroom house named Crane Dance located right on the beach just north of Mendecino, CA. Lots of people stayed there, which brought it down to an affordable price range. The top picture is of one of the doors (there seemed to be lots of doors), and the bottom picture is Dr. Witz (left) and Kevin Lowry watching the sun set from inside the living room.

This is the happy couple, John (K-Torr) and Christmas. The wedding was very beautiful. Perhaps some of the hippies I met this trip will have rubbed off on me and I will be filled with more peace and love. I am actually not joking about this. Not entirely, anyway.

The whole gang, on the beach. The beach was interesting. We walked from the zen house where John and Christmas were staying, through a section of desert-like sand dunes, then down onto the beach. The water was paralyzingly cold. Seriously. I honestly and no joke thought that my brain was frozen when I got out of the water. It was fun, though. The Pacific is very different than the Atlantic.

Jeannie and I in wine country. After a lot of folks left, Jeannie and I went wine-tasting with Jeff, Casey, Jessie, and Rema. I forgot to set the timer on my camera, otherwise the rest of them would be in this photo, too. I was probably trashed.
Well, that's all for now. Eventually, once we get all the pictures uploaded I'll post a link in case anyone who was on the trip wants to download or print any.
It was really an amazing thing to get to hang out with such fun and interesting people. Sunday-night club, I hope you all made it to your flight safely.
DO NOT want to got to work tomorrow. Ugh.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
A quickie 4th.
It's been a long time, due to the fact that we don't have internet access at the new place yet. Here is a quick recap of the Schlueterileymetz' visit, in pictures:

Rich at Sandy Point beach.

Henry at the beach.

Scattergories.

We just finished watching fireworks from the CSC building downtown. Time to head home to get Henry in bed. Probably won't get to write again until Jeannie and I get back from California on the 12th.
Drew, loved the preview video. Can't wait to see the real thing...

Rich at Sandy Point beach.

Henry at the beach.

Scattergories.

We just finished watching fireworks from the CSC building downtown. Time to head home to get Henry in bed. Probably won't get to write again until Jeannie and I get back from California on the 12th.
Drew, loved the preview video. Can't wait to see the real thing...
Thursday, June 29, 2006
A Sort of Homecoming.
Well, Jeannie picked up the keys to the new place tonight at around 5, and started painting the bedrrom. After I got off work at 8, I came home to our current place, cleaned out the refridgerator, and took down an air conditioner to take to the new place. So we unpacked a little bit of stuff out of the car and hooked up the air conditioner at the new place (so it won't be beastly hot when we're movin' stuff in). Then we headed up to the roof for a beer. The view is beautiful. Everything I could have asked for in rooftop access. A nice place to have a beer and chat with the wife.
The new place is a bit rougher around the edges than it seemed when we last looked at it 2 months ago, but I think it's going to be great. The two big reliefs of the day are:
A) The closets are much bigger than we thought. We're going from an apartment with 5 closets into an apartment with 2 closets, so the fact that the new closets are twice as large as we thought helps a lot.
B) We have nice friends who are going to help us move. A million thanks!
Big, busy day tomorrow. Time for bed...
The new place is a bit rougher around the edges than it seemed when we last looked at it 2 months ago, but I think it's going to be great. The two big reliefs of the day are:
A) The closets are much bigger than we thought. We're going from an apartment with 5 closets into an apartment with 2 closets, so the fact that the new closets are twice as large as we thought helps a lot.
B) We have nice friends who are going to help us move. A million thanks!
Big, busy day tomorrow. Time for bed...
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Demon!
Jeannie has finally made contact with a rental agent at Star Management, and they have cleared us to pick up the keys on Thursday night and move in on Friday, which is awesome becasue then we should be moved in by the time our friends from Ohio (the worst state I've been to) arrive on (hopefully) Friday night. Woo-Hoo!
So here's a thanks in advance to the folks who are going to help us move.
Work has been fine lately. Some days I get really stressed out, though. I have to not let myself get stressed out about that damned place.
An interesting anecdote: on Sunday as we were packing our stuff up, we found a journal that Jeannie had to keep for one of her classes at the beginning of her freshman year in college. She said I could read it, and I discovered some new things about that time, and rediscovered a few things, too. We both had a good laugh about how absolutely insane we were then.
Also, today at the B&N I got/had to throw an insane person out of the store. It was about 9:30 this morning and I heard someone yelling a bunch of stuff about Galileo. And this person kept yelling and eventually made his way over to the music department, and I asked him if he was ok, and he said he was. Then he started yelling about Galileo again, and then started yelling about the movie NARNIA, and I again asked him if he needed any help. He asked if I was going to stab him in the back, and I said, "No, but I might have to ask you to leave if you keep yelling." Then he yelled at me and said I was a demon. Then he said, "You look very attractive with a shaved head, did you salute Hitler this morning?" And as I was escorting him out of the building, he was either goose-stepping up the escalator or just stomping his feet in anger, I couldn't tell which. Anyway, he was whack. I am not a demon.
So here's a thanks in advance to the folks who are going to help us move.
Work has been fine lately. Some days I get really stressed out, though. I have to not let myself get stressed out about that damned place.
An interesting anecdote: on Sunday as we were packing our stuff up, we found a journal that Jeannie had to keep for one of her classes at the beginning of her freshman year in college. She said I could read it, and I discovered some new things about that time, and rediscovered a few things, too. We both had a good laugh about how absolutely insane we were then.
Also, today at the B&N I got/had to throw an insane person out of the store. It was about 9:30 this morning and I heard someone yelling a bunch of stuff about Galileo. And this person kept yelling and eventually made his way over to the music department, and I asked him if he was ok, and he said he was. Then he started yelling about Galileo again, and then started yelling about the movie NARNIA, and I again asked him if he needed any help. He asked if I was going to stab him in the back, and I said, "No, but I might have to ask you to leave if you keep yelling." Then he yelled at me and said I was a demon. Then he said, "You look very attractive with a shaved head, did you salute Hitler this morning?" And as I was escorting him out of the building, he was either goose-stepping up the escalator or just stomping his feet in anger, I couldn't tell which. Anyway, he was whack. I am not a demon.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Star Management
Today the lovely folks at Star Management and Development (the company that we'll be renting our new apartment from) made me frustrated. They don't seem to be able to tell us when we can move our shit, and they're not good about returning phone calls. Anyway, they buggin' me.
Work today was good, maybe I'm starting to stress about the job a little less. And I'm comfortably busy so the time goes by quickly.
Highlight of the day: coming home from work and eating cheesecake, drinking a G&T, and watching a FRESH PRINCE rerun with the J-dog. Guest starring Robin Givens!
Work today was good, maybe I'm starting to stress about the job a little less. And I'm comfortably busy so the time goes by quickly.
Highlight of the day: coming home from work and eating cheesecake, drinking a G&T, and watching a FRESH PRINCE rerun with the J-dog. Guest starring Robin Givens!
Friday, June 23, 2006
Tired Mired.
Hmmm. Just got home from work a little while ago. Jeannie's asleep, and I'm here again on the new futon. A little sweaty in here cause ain't got no air on. If this seems like a repeat of last night's post, it's becuase the past few days have all been very similar, and they go something like this: wake up, work on some music for Schlueter, get everything uploaded to the internet, take a shower, eat some hotdogs, and go to work. I'm guessing tomorrow will be about the same. Saturday should be different, though, because instead of working on music I'll get to hang with the Jeanners.
Got a lot of important stuff done at work, then read some e-mails that told me that there's going to be lots of other important stuff happening over the next few weeks. Oh goody.
It's been trying to storm outside for the last hour or so, lightning flashing every couple of seconds, and the rain has just started to fall.
My current hope is this: that by August I'll be thoroughly settled into the new job, pleasantly settled into the new apartment, and that life will be smooth sailing and lots of sitting on the roof with Jeannie, reading ROLLING STONE and sipping lemonade.
Got a lot of important stuff done at work, then read some e-mails that told me that there's going to be lots of other important stuff happening over the next few weeks. Oh goody.
It's been trying to storm outside for the last hour or so, lightning flashing every couple of seconds, and the rain has just started to fall.
My current hope is this: that by August I'll be thoroughly settled into the new job, pleasantly settled into the new apartment, and that life will be smooth sailing and lots of sitting on the roof with Jeannie, reading ROLLING STONE and sipping lemonade.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
A mess.
Well, it's about 1 in the morning, and I got home from work a little while ago. Jeannie's in bed, and I'm sitting on the futon (still awesome!) uploading some songs for the play to my Yahoo! briefcase so Schlueter can download them and check them out. I've spent the last 45 minutes or so reading old posts from Drew's blog. I like reading Drew's blog, because I can very much hear him in the way that he writes. I guess that's why I like reading blogs in general.
Our living room is a mess. There's boxes that are full and packed and boxes that are half packed and piles of shit waiting to be put in boxes. I'll be oh so glad when the move is over...
Work was fine tonight. I was steadily busy all day, and I got at least some stuff done, and I should have time tomorrow to get done everything that needs to get done by the end of the week. My old boss came by tonight because he needed to pick up a check and some other stuff. It was good to see him. I'm glad that whole situation has worked out for everyone.
Yesterday I was able to go to lunch with the BJ, and we played a couple of games of spades as we sipped water on the back 'patio' of the Rec Room. One thing that I will remember fondly about this summer is the weekly lunches with the Beej.
So much is happening in a few weeks! It's exciting. Can't wait for our visit from the Schlueterileymetz'.
Our living room is a mess. There's boxes that are full and packed and boxes that are half packed and piles of shit waiting to be put in boxes. I'll be oh so glad when the move is over...
Work was fine tonight. I was steadily busy all day, and I got at least some stuff done, and I should have time tomorrow to get done everything that needs to get done by the end of the week. My old boss came by tonight because he needed to pick up a check and some other stuff. It was good to see him. I'm glad that whole situation has worked out for everyone.
Yesterday I was able to go to lunch with the BJ, and we played a couple of games of spades as we sipped water on the back 'patio' of the Rec Room. One thing that I will remember fondly about this summer is the weekly lunches with the Beej.
So much is happening in a few weeks! It's exciting. Can't wait for our visit from the Schlueterileymetz'.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Futon!
Will work keep me this stressed from here on out? I hope not. It's made my stomach feel a little twisted and my poop funny ever since I started the new job. Hopefully thst will go away as things get caught up and I understand how some of this shit is supposed to work....nevertheless, I have a day off tomorrow which I will spend eating hamburgers, drinking gin and tonics, and playing spades with one BJ Gailey, and then for the majority of the afternoon I will have my nose to the grindstone for Jen Schlueter, working some more on improving the french song and then maybe working on some more instrumental pieces.
The big news of the last few days is that Jeannie and I started packing up our shit for the move, including getting rid of some stuff, which is always nice, and buying a used futon. Futon is a word that has always conjured up somewhat unpleasant images for me, as I usually picture the beat-up, broken piece of crap that was in Big Daddy's apartment above Sparks Cleaners. But this futon meets all of my awesome-couch criteria:
1. It looks nice, and is well made and sturdy.
2. It's comfortable to sit on.
3. It's long enough for me to lay on.
4. It turns into a bed. Magically.
5. It was cheap.
6. We can launder the cover when I drunkenly urinate all over it.
All-in-all, I'm very excited and pleased with this purchase. I hope that everyone can come visit and sleep on the futon.
Tonight I got to go hang out with Pat and BJ for the first time since BJ has been in town. We got to play our geek game, and meet our monthly quota of trash talk and farting.
Is anyone else amazed at how much Flippy has imprinted himself on the psyche of America's celebrities? I smell a "Flippy the Magnificent Show" in the works...
The big news of the last few days is that Jeannie and I started packing up our shit for the move, including getting rid of some stuff, which is always nice, and buying a used futon. Futon is a word that has always conjured up somewhat unpleasant images for me, as I usually picture the beat-up, broken piece of crap that was in Big Daddy's apartment above Sparks Cleaners. But this futon meets all of my awesome-couch criteria:
1. It looks nice, and is well made and sturdy.
2. It's comfortable to sit on.
3. It's long enough for me to lay on.
4. It turns into a bed. Magically.
5. It was cheap.
6. We can launder the cover when I drunkenly urinate all over it.
All-in-all, I'm very excited and pleased with this purchase. I hope that everyone can come visit and sleep on the futon.
Tonight I got to go hang out with Pat and BJ for the first time since BJ has been in town. We got to play our geek game, and meet our monthly quota of trash talk and farting.
Is anyone else amazed at how much Flippy has imprinted himself on the psyche of America's celebrities? I smell a "Flippy the Magnificent Show" in the works...
Friday, June 16, 2006
Psycho Beach Party.

The Jeanners and I made it down to Rehoboth Beach today, and as is our tradition, we got our pictures taken in a photo booth. It was an absolutely perfect day of laying in the sun and frolicking in some nut-chilling water.
Then we made it to see LEAR tonight, and it wasn't great, it wasn't terrible. There were moments that were good, and there were some moments that were bad, and there were a lot of moments that just were. I'm looking forward to seeing SHREW, either on Sunday or when the Schlueterrileymetz' are in town.
Don't really feel like going to work tomorrow, but I've got a lot to do so the day will probably go by fast...
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Seriously.
Seriously, I've eaten like a whole jar of dill spears in the last 3 days. What is the deal? This brings to mind a semi-unrelated thought: for the last few months, in my head, when I come across a song that is a good song, a song that is strange in a way that you wouldn't want to listen to it all the time but is so good that whenever you listen to it it seems satisfying even though you weren't really sure what type of song you were in the mood for, I call it a "pickle." The Fiona Apple song "Get Him Back" is a pickle. Lots of solo David Byrne songs are pickles. That's a little peek into the blissfully vacant brain of one Daniel P. O'B...
Flippy and Regis....together...with Billy Bush (perhaps the most annoying person...ever?)....leopard print robe and loincloth.....Drew with his half-embarassed/ half-proud face on....
If I didn't know better I would say that I had a milkshake before bed last night and it was all just a really whack dream, but no, it's all real. And surely a sign of the capital-A Apocolypse. Check out Drew's blog if you don't know what I'm talking about...
Things at work have calmed down a little bit, although it's still been keeping me busy. Today I do some chores and take care of some of the music work that I have been neglecting. Tomorrow the plan is to drive to the beach early in the morning (hopefully my wife will play hookie and join me), then come back in the evening and go see KING LEAR. Ugh. I don't know that I'm up for LEAR, but perhaps it's a good thing to go in with low expectations and then be pleasantly surprised?
Flippy and Regis....together...with Billy Bush (perhaps the most annoying person...ever?)....leopard print robe and loincloth.....Drew with his half-embarassed/ half-proud face on....
If I didn't know better I would say that I had a milkshake before bed last night and it was all just a really whack dream, but no, it's all real. And surely a sign of the capital-A Apocolypse. Check out Drew's blog if you don't know what I'm talking about...
Things at work have calmed down a little bit, although it's still been keeping me busy. Today I do some chores and take care of some of the music work that I have been neglecting. Tomorrow the plan is to drive to the beach early in the morning (hopefully my wife will play hookie and join me), then come back in the evening and go see KING LEAR. Ugh. I don't know that I'm up for LEAR, but perhaps it's a good thing to go in with low expectations and then be pleasantly surprised?
Monday, June 12, 2006
Dill Spears
Do you ever start eating pickles and feel like you just can't stop? What a tasty summertime treat...
Work, work, work today. I'm tired tonight. Need to sit down and listen to the french tape that I got from Schlueter.
Work, work, work today. I'm tired tonight. Need to sit down and listen to the french tape that I got from Schlueter.
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