A Horse is a Horse...Barbaro

It's a sad state of affairs when the American health care system is in the toilet, 46 Million or so Americans don't have health insurance, and suddenly, the attention of our country drifts to a dead horse who got better treatment than any of the rest of us....

Barbaro

(April 29, 2003 – January 29, 2007)

I wish I got this kind of attention from my doctor!

And I know there's a horse joke here somewhere, given our doctor's pose.... but it's a solemn moment in our nations history so...I'll just...let it...(grits teeth) go... s i g h.

Vote for my profile photo!

Which picture shall become my new featured blog, profile picture?

You, dear readers, will decide. Simply post a comment as to which photo you prefer:







The same old dog....

...The newest, latest dog

Or...neon Sign?

Or me standing under a 50's style neon sign somewhere in the dark mountain depths of Franklin, NC?

Top 5 Records, 2006

I couldn't think of ten that came out this year that were really worth a damn:

5. Dixie Chicks, yeah, you heard me, what of it? --Taking the Long Way

4. Johnny Cash--American V, a Hudred Highways

3. Tom Waits--Orphans (probably only as low as 3 because I haven't actually gone out and plunked down the 45 bucks yet)

2. Neko Case, Fox Confessor, Blah blah blah

1. Garden Ruin, Calexico

Engaged!

Dawn and I took a positive step forward toward the rest of our lives together this weekend.

On the lift hill of the world's greatest wooden roller coaster, I asked her if she might be interested in gettin' hitched up with me. I gave her the length of the ride to think about it, and at the end of the ride, she said yes, and then I gave her a ring.

We had a lovely trip into the Smoky Mountains. We enjoyed Dollywood, we rode the rides, saw the shows, including my favorite, "A Hokey Mountain Christmas" aka Randy Jackson's "A Very Pitchy Christmas."

On the way back yesterday, we went to the "lowest place on earth" Tallulah Gorge. It's actually the deepest Gorge East of the Mississippi. So our travels have now taken us to the ultimate geographic highs and lows. At least the ones in the Eastern U.S. , since last year we went to the "highest place on earth" or, Mt. Mitchell, NC, the highest peak east of the Missisippi.

Highs, lows, ups, downs, curves, dips, drops, loops.

More to come. I'm sure we'll handle them just fine.

Interstate Update, or cringe. Body?

The morning traffic reporter nonchalantly announced that there was a body in the road at I-75 this morning.

The body's condition was later upgraded to...alive. Last I heard, it was observed from the air that the body was, in fact, moving on the stretcher.

There was also a giant, hot air balloon floating over I-85 this morning.

This place is getting so very, very strange.

Interstate Update, or, Shop Vacs and Truck Fires

The newest item to add to the strange list of things seen in interestate highways comes from co-worker Cal, who had to avoid a shop vac on interstate 75 South of Atlanta.

I myself yesterday saw a full set of four fairly nice looking wicker chairs on the side of I-20 eastbound, and right next to those a wheel barrow.

I don't know what's up with the rash of fires on Atlanta's interstates. Clearly, most truck drivers can't drive worth a damn--some asshole truck driver cuts me off at least twice a day....

So lets hitch 'em up to something flammable to boot? Just this morning, a tanker truck caused lane closures on the downtown connector, which is essentially the heart that pumps Atlanta traffic. Last week, there was a bus fire, a shooting, and a grass fire that negatively impacted traffic well past the regular rush hour hours.

Let's just all stay home?

Or, better yet, let's get big trucks around the outside of the city and charge 'em to use 285?

Ban them between 6 am and 9 am, 3 pm to 6 pm?

Ten Songs I Never Need to Hear Again

Rock and Roll radio in the Atlanta area has changed and morphed in strange ways over the past 30 years. I can rely on the major FM radio stations in the area to play the same sort of stuff, and in some cases, the same stuff--over...and over...and over and over again.

99X--Atlanta's "alternative" radio. I think they have three CD's, and two of them are Red Hot Chili Peppers records. 99X reliably plays at least 7 Red Hot Chili Peppers songs an hour, 24/7. The other CD is some crappy emo compilation. Reliably plays alterna-rock from the same albums that were popular when I was in college, in spite of 14 new releases from bands like, say, Pearl Jam since then. Stop...playing...Ten.

Dave FM--Ok, a bit better--but its a bit as if I took all the "Greatest Hits" albums from my personal collection and made them into a giant playlist.

96 Rock--Hm. The longest running radio station in its current format--blasting cock rock, metal, a lot of Southern rock and occasional songs from the list I intend to generate. I can go here when I need some good, reliable 3 chord rock for driving/reliving high school/ or for getting the catchy hook of the whiny Emo song I tried to listen on 99x as a means to "grow" in my appreciation for young artists out of my head, hopefully forever.

97.1. The River. Ok, before 92.9 changed formats and became Dave FM, they played the same 14 late 70's-early 90's songs--and the River was a great radio station, playing tuneful "oldies" (which brings me to the...what is an "oldie" anyway question?!?) from the 50's-70's. Need to hear "More than a Feeling" again? Give the River 10 minutes.

Yay for college radio. WREK out of Georgia Tech, the Georgia State radio station--both have good programming even if it proves a little noisy for my taste at times, it can be really fun.

and now...the list:


10. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by queen-play instead...well, anything really, except Boston, I want to continue to like listening to the best of queen so please stop playing it on the radio for ten, maybe 12 years--but if you have to play a Queen song, play "Fat Bottom Girls" 'cause it rocks.

9. "Fly Like an Eagle" Steve Miller--play instead "Take the Money and Run" clap clap clap clap clap.

8. "Hotel California" the Eagles-play instead "Ol' 55" at least they had enough taste to cover Tom Waits

7. "Cocaine" Eric Clapton--play instead "Spanish Castle Magic" Jimi Hendrix--a better guitarist that doesn't get nearly as much play.

6. "Another Brick in the Wall" Pink Floyd--play instead "Shine on you Crazy Diamond"

5. "Stairway to Heaven" Led Zeppelin--play instead the longest, most guitar dripping, drum solo laden live version of "I Can't Quit You Baby" possible.

4. "Money for Nothing" Dire Straits--play instead..."Romeo and Juliet-Live"

3. "Foreplay/Long Time" Boston--play instead "Watch the Sunrise" by Big Star--tuneful, poppy, but tough and well, it doesn't have that grinding prefab silicon "I'm an MIT student" sound.

2. "Peace of Mind" Boston--play instead "Let my Love Open the Door" by Pete Townsend--for some reason, they stopped playing that song.

1. "More than a Feeling" Boston--play instead "the Seeker" by the Who

I want classic rock to wear out the Who the way they have been wearing out Boston for what seems like an eternity. They were a much better, more rockin', more intelligent band. I'm quite sure that the Who could beat up Boston, and well, pretty much any other American band.

As far as American bands go, Creedence is arguably the greatest American band of the sixties. play more of their songs--"Bad Moon Rising" and "Proud Mary" are great songs, but how fantastic are "Midnight Special" and "Cotton Fields?"

Please Mr. Radio Clear Channel conservative guy, stop making them play the same ten songs from the same four records. Please?

Honorable mention:
Black Crowes-"She Talks to Angels"--play instead "Hard to Handle"

Bob Seger-"Turn the Page"--play instead "Nutbush City Limits (live)"

Aerosmith--"Dream On"--play instead "Big Ten Inch Record"

Deep Purple--"Smoke on the Water"--play instead "Cinnamon Girl" by Neil Young

Yes--"Roundabout"--play instead "When the Heart Rules the Mind" by, well, Yes, but, GTR

See, I don't even have to work in extreme obscurities to get some mix in the mix.

Ok, I'm stopping now.

Rant over. I could go on. and on. done.

fin.

Robert Altman, 1925-2006

Bonanza Episodes, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Maverick
He forged his trademark style and brought unique storylines and style to television

M*A*S*H, Nashville, McCabe and Mrs. Miller
He cut genre wide open, and established himself as one of the world's best

Tom Waits, Lyle Lovett, Lily Tomlin, Sally Kellerman, Bud Cort
He developed an ensemble and blended our best actors, comedians, and musicians with harmonic grace.

The Player, Short Cuts, Gosford Park
For the second decade in his life, he made three films of a quality that most directors strive to achive just once in a lifetime.

Robert Altman, you've earned your rest.

Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely....time

Sorry dear readers, it's been awhile. I've a had a lot on my plate as the new job has finally moved into full swing. I really dig it, even the travel--though I'm still at that stage with a job where there are good weeks and bad weeks, and any time you are putting yourself out there the way you do when you train, you are bound to run into a buzz saw or three from time to time.

There are the "I'm going to ask you this, just to see if you know people."

There are the angry "I haven't taken any of the pre-requisites for this class, but why doesn't what you are presenting make sense to me?" people.

There are the "Hmm, what if I need to know this obscure and useless detail, let me ask hoooaahhahaha" people.

Largely, however, this job brings me to good people who I enjoy working with.

So that's enough about the job.

In other news, I've started playing drums with a little alt-country music band with a few friends in Atlanta. I'm feeling pretty lost with it at this point, but it's been a pretty fun Sunday afternoon activity for me lately. I know I'm a mediocre drummer, but Troy, Mike, and Aaron have been supportive and kind to let me play along.

I'm excited about the holidays. Thanksgiving is just in a few short days, and I'm looking forward to a fun and restful couple of days of cooking with mom, dad, and Dawn, seeing family, and of course, eating the goods!

Then we're off on a road trip through the lower midwest and into Chicago for the Christmas holidays.

Fun in the car.

We discovered our local public library branch this week. They have lots of CD's and books on tape, so, that'll help with the long trip into the great big open flat 0f Indiana and Illinois.

And that's about it for now. I appreciate your patience. I've made road trips to Raleigh, NC and Johnson City, TN since you heard from me last on the Travelblogue, so look for more there soon.

Good Songs...

Deliciously poppy:

"Girl, Inform Me"--the Shins
"You Get What You Give"--New Radicals
"It's Only Natural"--Crowded House


Completely badass:

"Have Love, Will Travel" the Blue Van AND the Black Keys
"Seven Nation Army" the White Stripes
"Girlfriend" Matthew Sweet (counts in both catagories)

Discuss.

Classical Thunder

Overheard piano player crankin' on Ozzy's "Crazy Train" in the highest classical style on the second floor of the Atlanta Airport near the USO.

It took me awhile to figure out what it was. I recognized it, but it just wasn't...quite right. I was both impressed with myself and had a snazzy giggle after that one.

Peeling Grapes

I haven't the foggiest notion about what I'm going to write about, but I've decided to write for a few minutes. I generally try not to let myself into the blog unless I have something definite to consider or well, something to bitch about, but here I am. It seems an endless day and I intend to waste a bit of it.

Peeling grapes. I looked up at a picture of us with a cider bottle on the table. That made me think of apples, and I thought of my mom and dad, who went to Georgia's apple capital this week, Ellijay, to fetch more apples for eating, drying, storing, etc. I thought of how they'd be peeling them, and then I thought about other things that get peeled. Then I thought of how its supposed to be a sign of great honor, love, respect, etc. etc. if someone peels a grape for you--since they're little and slimy-ish--not the easiest fruit to peel.

"There's an appealing fellow...there..a-...peelin' him off the sidewalk!"

There was an amazingly powerful fall thunderstorm that took hold of the Atlanta metro area last night. We were just relaxing and suddenly noticed that the power was out, and sirens were wailing all over the place. We found batteries for a little radio Dawn had stashed and we were finally, around tired rhetoric from some conservative AM Radio talk show host, able to get a weather update.

A couple of tornado warnings, some even louder sirens, and some amazing steel blue clouds with serious lightning later, the power came back on, and temperatures fell radically as a cold front pushed through.

Ok, that's all I've got. If I think of anything else interesting, I'll come back and tell you.

As for now, consider your grape peeled.

Relaxing?

Not even close to a theater near me any time soon

I'm intrigued by the forthcoming film, Shortbus.

http://www.shortbusthemovie.com/


It was conceived, written, and directed by John Cameron Mitchell, of Hedwig and the Angry Itch
fame.

Apparently, there's some sex involved.

Random Thoughts about Traffic, Baseball, and Intellectuals

First of all, if you're driving down the highway smoking, I'd ask that you please use your ashtray instead of flicking. When you flick, random sparky looking things spread across the road in front of the car behind you, and this can induce panic, especially when you just dropped $360 bucks on new tires.

I post a lot about driving, but this is random, I just finished driving, and it's what's on my mind.

Secondly, shovels are the new ladders. I've heard a couple of "shovels in the hov lane" comments on the traffic report lately.

Third, we should start barcoding individual nails, staples, tacks--anything sharp--so that I can trace it back to the source and charge them for tire repairs--twice in the past 3 months I've had to repair or replace tires.

That's enough about the whole driving thing. It's my choice to commute, but still, have some manners.

It's all a big corporate conspiracy. The automotive industry and the auto repair industry are linked up with the construction, nail, tack, and shovel industries in order to create road hazards, increase the number of repairs people have to have, and the rapidity with which people have to replace their cars.

And Sean Hannity is doing this big GM giveaway, so I'm sure that rat bastard is involved, too.

Ok, ok, enough already.

Fall weather is on its way back today. That makes me really happy. It was almost 90 yesterday, so 76 today and woo hoo! upper 40's this evening (with a trip to Six Flags for Fright Fest planned) really makes my day. I'm looking forward to cool and exhilirating night time rides and being attacked by random out of work actors dressed as zombies.

Will I eat the cockroach to get upsies in line? I'll let you know, dear readers.

I've found a new pop culture addiction. I rented the first 4 episodes of the HBO series "Rome." Wow. I only allowed myself to watch the first one, but ...wow. I'm no ancient Roman historian, but I've read a lot about the series and it lived up to my expectations in a big way. The production team worked very hard to get every color, fabric, and building to be as authentic as possible. It is all just explosive with color. So many first episodes of a show bore you with tiresome exposition--not this one--the action moves from the first moment, and the dialogue is snappy, fresh, and believeable--there's no LACK of exposition though. It's very well written and the first episode (and at least a few others) beautifully directed by Michael Apted (Coal Miner's Daughter). There's sex and violence and blood and manpipulation & intrigue. I can't wait to re-watch the first episode and move on from there.

The baseball playoffs hold little interest for me this year. It seems the teams I'd like to win are incapable of it, except maybe the Detroit Tigers. They won a great game against the Yankees yesterday to send the series to Detroit knotted at a game a piece. The Dodgers, Twins, and Padres seem incapable of beating the Mets, A's, and Cardinals respectively though. I've watched bits and pieces of games--and even though I hate the Mets I enjoyed watching former Brave Tom Glavine pitch such a wonderful game yesterday. I usually hate watching him pitch, but now that he's with the Mets he throws more strikes and he comes inside occasionally, making him a more interesting pitcher.

That's a pretty hefty paragraph about something that holds "little interest" for me, but if there were teams in I liked better or could get behind, I'd be a little more intrigued and watching a good deal more.

I've gone on and on about baseball before. My profession sometimes has a bit of snobbery about sports--and I do, too sometimes. Sports, like music or movies, is a part of our culture and popular culture. Whether or not its "good" or "bad"--it brings people together. I find it intriguing that some of the best respected artists and liberals in the world are interviewed at baseball games' or are shown on the broadcast--John Cusak loves his Cubs. Woody Allen and Spike Lee are often at Nicks games; Jack and his beloved LA Lakers, Jimmy Carter and the Braves; true well-rounded American intellectuals have an appreciation for a game well-played.

The Shape I'm In

"Out of nine lives, I spent seven
Now, how in the world do you get to Heaven?
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in"
                -the Band

So it's fall and the Southern air is breathable again, though Indian Summer seems to be
taking hold this week, highs are thrusting back into the upper 80's again. I'm trying hard to be creative and productive at work this week.

So far,so good--so I decided to take a break to write a little something or other here,
though I'm not quite sure what.

I went for a longish walk yesterday down at the park, yep, the one with the ducks.
A long time quest to get an ipod finally came to an end earlier this year. One of the biggest factors in my getting that was inspiration to exercise more.

I forgot it yesterday when I left for my walk.

I did well, though, even without it. I pushed myself to keep doing more, and I even jogged hard through the whole last lap of my excursion. Go me. Sometimes, sweat feels good.

I entertained deep thoughts about the world yesterday, sans ipod. Looking into the water at the ducks and fish, I decided the world's creepy. Then I pulled back from that decision a little bit, and decided that the we're making the world creepy.

In a week that presented one of our most genteel communities with ugliness and death, and our most harsh political arena with, well, at least twisted and inappropriately directed perversion--it's hard to have faith in humanity.

There were lots of moms and kids out walking.

I began to think how they must grow to fear and distrust every person as a potential threat. It made me sad and less like smiling and saying hello. I hate the idea of making anyone
feel uncomfortable, and it seems like in today's society, that's just the way it's going to be. Parents must naturally distrust every stranger they come into contact with.

Then I pondered my own childhood and how safe it always felt, generally, in small town Georgia growing up.

Maybe parents and children in small town Douglasville feel that way. I hope they do, at least in most situations.

Congress. These are the people we elect, but never trust. I'm honestly not at all surprised.

The Amish. Peaceful isolation disrupted. Somehow, more scary.

Mild domestic disturbance, right outside the bedroom window this morning.

I experience brief moments where I never want to leave the house again. Order in groceries--I hear that's getting cheaper. Telecommute. Lock the doors.

S i g h.

B+ Test

The personality test I utilized can be found at:
http://www.blogthings.com/doyouhaveatypeapersonalityquiz/

B+

Since Max falsely accused me of having a type A personality, I had to find a most likely inaccurate and totally invalid personality test to validate me....or to invalidate Max. I'm not quite sure which.

Anyway. I scored a B+. yay.

***You Have A Type B+ Personality***


You're a pro at going with the flow
You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer
A total joy to be around, people crave your stability.

While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity.
Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done
You're passionate - just selective about your passions

Damn straight.

New travel post, New Orleans, LA

New Orleans

tralalog.blogspot.com/2006/09/new-orleans-la.html

Safety

Here's a word that's been tossed around a lot the last few days, mostly in the form of a yes/no question. A yes/no question is about the most useless way to probe for information in our culture, right up there with the alien anal probe.

"Are we safer now than we were five years ago?"

Yeah. I can't answer that with a yes or a no. Maybe? Sometimes?

By virtue of about 10,000 changes in the way I get on an airplane, I'm safer than I was five years ago when I fly.

However, I'm still not completely safe. "Safe" to me, would mean that any exterior threat to my safety was removed. We are never "safe."

Being Safer, at this point, requires real imagination.

We've locked the cockpit doors, not just anyone can wander into the airport concourse, we're all more alert to danger, and most recently, our toothpaste has been banned from the cabin.

And that's just the airport. Given the fact that the airport is one of the few places I can not only feel secure, but sense security. I'd venture to say--if required to answer a yes/no question--no. We're not safer than we were five years ago.

I get queasy when I drive by unguarded water filtration facilities that serve major cities like Atlanta or Savannah.

In Savannah, down by the river, boats pour goods in from around the world. Not a lot of security or screening there either.

Lonely border patrols, illegal immigrants, and "patriots" converge in the sparse desert in frightful night scenes. Shadows slip through.

Men of Middle Eastern descent film their children on a roller coaster in an amusement park and I profile them in my mind.

Dark figures, wisps in rocky darkness, willing to die in order to kill. We don't know their names, we don't understand their motivation...and they don't line up in trenches and tanks as targets for us to shoot down.

The targets, I'm afraid, remain on our backs.

Sweetwater Creek

We came upon a woman on the Factory Ruins trail, a trail marked in red. We were orienting ourselves to a rougher, rockier section of the hike we'd planned--past the ruins of the old textile mill left vacant since Sherman's March to the Sea and somewhere between "overlook" and the "falls overlook"--when she came out of the woods nervously.

"Do you have a phone?"

Immediately, I sense danger and disater and look back to Dawn for her cell phone.

"There's a guy back there with a gun. I think he's committed suicide."



I got no signal on the phone and immediately began to climb the hill next to the trail. I saw two bars popping in and out on the phone screen and dialed 911. I got an operator and nervously described what I'd been told.

I wasn't able to complete the call, but I had their attention and gave them some basic information. A start.

Dawn felt a scary vibe from the woman and the situation. Good to be suspicious in retrospect.

When I came back down the hill, I knew that at some point the 911 operator would call me back. We started to steam out of the trail, we were probably in 1.5 miles or so.
I was walking so fast over the rock and dirt with a great sense of urgency and insecurity, but at the same time--my footing was very sure and strong even without paying that much attention to where I was going.

Dawn had seen the man's legs lying there. I hadn't.

"Pressure.....coming down on me, coming down on me..." Dawn's Queen ringtone. Appropriate.

Just past the ruins again I was able to get back on the phone with 911 and they were sending rescuers and police into the trail. We were to meet them on their way in.

As we came near to the end of the trail, we saw uniforms and atv's, badges and guns, a backboard.

We stopped and talked with the Park Ranger, and African man of stature who was clearly disturbed, but cleanly focused. He asked us a few questions then asked us to wait at the visitor center.

We waited. And got curious. Reflected, wondered.

Eventually we wandered out to get more to drink from the car, and Dawn, who has handled situations like this and worse before in her residence life career, began asking questions.

"We're 80 percent sure its a suicide," said the sherriff's department investigator.

Why here? it's certainly beautiful...isolated. I puzzled over the location--right along the trail. Maybe he wanted to be found. Maybe it as a special spot for him--from his youth, with a love he'd lost...


And I wonder why I want to know.