A word on Games and the weekend.

I hope most of you had a Happy Christmas.
I don't often talk about games on this site. Some times I think that is a pity. Other times I am lucid and realize that it would be a bad idea.
Anyways, this post is about two games that I have played over the last few days.

First off, Pictureka. We got it as a gift from Maxine's folks. We had such a freakin blast playing it! It is one of those games that is great for a variety of age groups and can be played in a relatively short amount of time. I loved it! (Jeff won, by the way.)

Second is Jam Legend. This is a browser based online game that equates to Guitar Hero. I participated in the demo a couple months back but it is in general release now. (And, best of all, its FREE!!!!!!!!) I love it. I freakin love it! It has a ton of different songs. Some I know, some I don't. If you love exploring music, check it out. It makes me remember how much I love Audiosurf. I may need to start playing that again...

Anyways, I will probably not post again this weekend. Today we say our goodbyes to Miss Stacy and tonight are the UFC fights. (Good fights tonight. I am stoked.)

To our secret santa(s)

You know who you are, even if I don't. (But I have my suspicions.)

You are the most awesometastic Christmas miracle!

The most perfect demonstration of the spirit of Christmas was placed lovingly on our doorstep. To give with no expectation of receiving. To do so anonymously without the expectation of recognition...

I have no words but Thank You. We are all appreciative and grateful to have such wonderful people in our lives.

12th Day of Christmas

At this wonderful time of year, keep your global perspective.

It's not just a song, its a message.

Merry Christmas everyone. I love you.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsqsiJRiCY0

11th Day of Christmas

For all you last minute shoppers. Need a great idea for a gift for that special someone?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhwbxEfy7fg

10th Day of Christmas

From Love Actually....

Maxine's #2 movie EVER. There is a part where he does this song naked but I couldn't find it.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcx8iA9dFUg

Miss Stacy Brunson

This morning we learned that Miss Stacy is no longer with us. There have been many tears around the house and we all have heavy hearts but I feel more complete as a human being having known her. The opportunities to have her in our house on her short visits and in my life have left me richer that you could ever possibly know. Anyone that spent any time with her could see she was masterful in her ability to brighten any room. Stacy proved to me that it is always possible to impact someone's life without ever having to speak to them. Maxine is convinced she is an angel. I cannot say I disagree. Although we are not blood relatives, I have thought of you as family for so very long.

My heart goes out to her family and we all offer our love and support.

9th Day of Christmas

Ok, Cerra and Lynne, this one is for you.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJD2ROYPPkc

8th Day of Christmas

What would Christmas be without Monty Python.

This has a ton of swears. Don't watch it. Unless you want to.

I warned you.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MfbR7JAzSo

Do NOT Eat Christmas Cookies This Year...

Every year, Grandma and her grandkids, Suzy, Jill, and Billy come stay with her over Christmas. And every Christmas Eve they would make a big bowl of cookie dough so they could make cookies on Christmas Day. And every time, the next morning the cookie dough would be gone. The grandma could never catch them, so this year she put metal bb's in the cookie dough. The next morning, the cookie dough was gone and soon Suzy came running downstairs.
''Grandma, I went to the bathroom to pee and bb's came out.''
"Suzy," Grandma said. "I know you've been eating cookie dough. Sit down." Then Jill came down and said ''Grandma, I went poo and there were bb's in it.''
"Jill, I know you've been eating cookie dough. Sit down." About five minutes later little Billy came.
''Grandma something terrible has happened, I was jerking off in the garage and I shot the cat!''

7th Day of Christmas

I have such a soft spot for Christina. No one can sing like her...

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XzPBWiKFSY

A Few Words on Neil Gaiman

I have mentioned before, and I will probably mention again, that Neil Gaiman is my favorite author. In fact, I When I list my top 10 books, his work is the vast majority of the list. Don't get me wrong, I read other authors, but most of the books on this list have been read, re-read, and read some more. In fact, #2, 3, and 4 are on at least the third copy of each. IT makes #10 for being the first book that terrified me as a kid, even if the movie was brutally bad. I tried to limit the Neil Gaiman books to a handful but a)they are too damn good, and b)I can't think of many books that are top 10 worthy.
Here is the top 10.

1. American Gods - Neil Gaiman
2. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
3. Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
4. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
5. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman (Incidentally, that is what I am reading now. Blast me for not buying it. The library wants it back.)
6. Fragile Things - Neil Gaiman
7. Coraline - Neil Gaiman (Have I mentioned today that the movie comes out in February?)
8. Stardust - Neil Gaiman
9. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
10. IT - Stephen King

6th Day of Christmas

We sped things up yesterday, lets slow them down again today....

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdFZDKGO-A8

Christmas Videos that makes me giggles...

Nothing to say but HAHAHAHAHAHA

EMO Christmas (Song) - watch more funny videos

Thug Christmas - watch more funny videos

Jeff Dunham's Road Kill Christmas Pop-Up Video - watch more funny videos

5th Day of Christmas

Let's speed things up a little, shall we?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8rjrPIGZ5U

Poker in the rear....

Awww yeah! I loves me some poker. Specifically, I love Hold 'Em.

 

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

The WBCOOP is an online Poker tournament open to all Bloggers.

Registration code: 668959

 

Jealous much?

Five Guys-Once you go all the way, there is no other way.

I love to eat. I love food. That probably explains why I carry around so much more of myself than I did a few years ago.

Anyways, a little while back I posted about Five Guys burgers. I really think they spoiled me from ever enjoying another fast food burger.

I was thinking about it yesterday while trying to choose something for lunch. Now, in my life, there are homemade burgers, Five Guys burgers, and everything else. The everything else category is meh. 

If you haven't gone yet, get off your ass and go.

I suggest you order a "Cheeseburger all the way." Oh, and order a regular order of cajun fries. It's enough to share with that special someone.

They have locations all over the country. GO ALREADY!

4th Day of Christmas

Tee Hee. Are you bored yet?

I am struggling trying to find non-traditional stuff to post.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQAmwRM-vXU

3rd Day of Christmas

Yummy. This is just a yummy song.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RengWX0P5KA

Writing like a writer sometimes means not writing...

Have I ever mentioned that I suck?

Like, lemon juice on a papercut suck.

Or finally getting to kiss that hot girl in high school but not realizing that she puked 5 minutes ago suck.

Yeah. So. I want to be a writer. Anyone that has known me for any length of time knows that.

In the past month, I have written, rewritten, and scrapped so many story ideas.

Now that it is December I don't have the mental capacity to focus on writing so I am storing up more ideas for the new year. (And wiping them out almost as fast as I come up with new ones.)

It used to come so easy. When I was an angst filled teen, with no real responsibility other than worrying about where my next meal would come from,  I could write and write and write.

Now, not so much. I have tried writing comedy based on my life experiences but they always come out bitter and a bit nasty. (Which is wierd because I don't feel bitter or nasty.)

Anyways, I am not writing this for your sympathy or well-wishing. I am just getting it out of my brain so that some awesome ideas can have room to wiggle.

2nd Day of Christmas

Did you notice yesterday? I posted a music video about Christmas.

On the first day of Christmas...

I am doing the 12 days of Christmas set to music.

Ok, technically the 12th day will be Christmas eve, but I don't plan to post much on Christmas.

Here is today's tidbit!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzMeZI7fNJg

Christmas is coming

I am starting to get excited for Christmas!!!! (Finally)

Here is a little cheer for you!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MwdEzYkT8c

Coraline...again?

Do you think it strange that I am excited about Coraline? (Coming Feb. 2009)

It is, I suppose, a children's novel afterall. But I was a child once. (And, some may say, still a child in many ways)

I was also excited about Stardust when it came out. I think I am more excited for Coraline. Check out the website, and if you are lucky or smart, I will tell you the "Otherworld"ly password to get in to it.

It is going to be awesome.

That's so the drama...

Being an NFL household, we all have our teams that we cheer for. Of course, the Chicago Bears are mine, and Maxine cheers for the Washington Redskins. Jeff has decided that the New England Patriots are his team and Andrew claims the New York Giants. Regin cheers for Miley Cyrus.
So, as it stands, I try to keep up on all four teams so I know what is going on and can answer the questions of "How are (insert team name) doing?" Usually with much more detail than they care about. I think I do fairly well with the exception of Miley Cyrus. (I even had to google to get the spelling.) I don't watch as much football as I would like, mostly because I get fidgety sitting in front of the TV that long, so I make it up be doing ALOT of reading.

I was doing my Redskins homework this morning and came across an article from ESPN about Clinton Portis and Jim Zorn. It is never a good thing to call out your coach. It is especially bad when that coach is making something great happen for your team. Even though they are in a bit of a skid, they have a very promising future ahead of them. I just wonder if Clinton Portis is worried that the future will not include him. He is putting up some pretty great numbers this year, but I think it has become obvious that Jason Campbell will be their future star. He is fantastic and getting better all the time. I have mad respect for Portis and the work he does. (And has done during his career) I would love to see him stay a Redskin and put up monster numbers.
I want to see the Redskins vs. the Bears in the NFC championship every year. It won't happen, but we can wish, can't we?

Eating cheap when money counts

While tromping around the interwebbies looking for new and exciting recipes to add to my arsenal, (Imagine the groaning of my kids at that statement) I came across Better Budgeting.com. It is a site devoted saving money without living like a miser. I am in no way affiliated with, or a paid endorser for, Michelle but I think the site has a lot of great information. (And some pretty tasty recipes too.) I would encourage you to check it out.
Even those of us that are not struggling through the economy as badly as others could do with a few cost saving techniques. (And it is never a bad idea to read up on some new perspectives.)

We have tried some exciting and yummy recipes over the past few months. I haven't decided if I am going to post some of them or not. I may give them their own blog. Its still up in the air.

Horoscopes and you...

Have you ever had a day where your horoscope was DEAD ON!
Man, it kind of creeps me out sometimes.

Here is mine from today:
You have a strong sense of the future and even know how you can be successful. But today can become difficult when you run into an unexpected obstacle. Handling the problem may not be easy, yet it's crucial that you don't just ignore it. Instead of going for the quick and easy fix now, set your mind on finding a long-term solution.

My horoscopes have been freaking me out for a couple of weeks. I wonder if tomorrow it will say...You will go grocery shopping and buy milk.

Eerie.

Prop 8 is a bunch of BS

Sometimes I am glad I am not a Californian. Oh wait, I live in Utah...

Ideas for writing THAT book.

Right now I have several story ideas floating around in my notebooks. Some are good, some are mediocre, and some seemed really great when I wrote them down and now when I read them I am really confused.

It has long been my habit to sit on an idea for several weeks before working on it or discarding it.

Come to think of it, that is probably why I mostly wrote poetry and lyrics in my younger days. There has never been much of a time commitment to it.

Anyways, the question I pose to you is this....

Do you prefer, as a reader, novels or collections of short stories?

It is an interesting question to me. When I was young, and had far fewer responsibilities and much more time, I consumed as many different books on as wide a variety of topics as I could find. I would often pick up the longest books I could find, knowing it might be a few days before I could get something new. Now that time is precious, I have found that I prefer collected short stories. It could take me a couple of weeks to read a novel. Short stories can be done in an evening.

So, dear reader and future consumer, what do you prefer? Novels or short stories?

Site stats

This post is neither interesting nor is it humorous.

It is simply a recording of new milestones for this blog.

On November 26, we shattered the previous record by having 45 unique visitors to the blog! That was followed up on the 29th with 39 unique hits.

I have some content ideas kicking around in my noggin. Stay tuned.

Tis the season

Cerra reminded me (via her blog) about ElfYourself.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

And who says the Thompson men can't dance?

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

And in case you ever wonder what we do on Satrday night...

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

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Have a great day!

Oh, me thinks you funny.

The guys over at LoadingReadyRun are damn funny.
I don't think I have ever posted one of their videos before because I don't know that their humor translates to general audiences. (Although it is clean for the most part)
They are currently doing a charity event. If you want to check out their website, check out their website.
Here is one of their videos...

And this one is too good to pass up.

Coming Soon...but not soon enough

Tee hee! I am a geek. I think everyone knows this.

Now I just have to way for May.

Enjoy.

Things happen. Deal with it.

This is a therapy post. You have been warned.

Do you ever get that feeling that things just aren't working the way they are supposed to?
I am going through my annual "look back" period as I get ready for my birthday. My dad used to tell me that time goes faster as you get older. I never believed him until I got older. Funny thing about little pearls of wisdom like that. They are always funny until you realize that they are true.

Anywho, as I mentioned, I have been spending a lot of time reflecting on the last year and how I have grown and what I did and did not accomplish. I won't go in to specifics because they are personal and you are too nosy.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about my mother in the last few months. As I get closer to the age she was when she died, it kind of freaks me out. I know she made a lot of dubious choices in her life but it would have been kind of nice to have known her. Or at the very least to know the medical history of that side of the family to know what to watch out for. I find myself wishing I had pictures, or some kind of good memories of her, but it is too late for all of that.
I am usually excited for my birthday. Its always right around Thanksgiving. (Because the entire country celebrates, and devoted a day to give thanks that I was born, of course.)
This year will be the first time in life that I have gone to work on my birthday. Normally, as I mentioned, I get excited. Not in anticipation of gifts or parties, but because I have always seen birthdays as a celebration of life. (And I have had a freakin' awesome life)
This year, I am just not that excited. I don't know why.

In the shower this morning, it dawned on me that Christmas is only a month away. I haven't even started to get excited for Christmas yet. I need to get into my holiday spirit!

I think my year boils down to this:
Things happen. Deal with it.

I have my goals for next year. (Don't ask, nosy nellie!)
I *WILL* be excited for the holidays!

YOU WILL BE NICE TO PEOPLE TODAY!

Coraline coming soon...

As some of you know, and some of you don't, Neil Gaiman is my favorite author. One of his books, Coraline, will be released in movie form in February.
Here is the wicked awesome trailer:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuXZ8l4j8Ag

Incidentally, he also wrote Stardust, which was a pretty good movie, but the book was better. (Isn't that always the way?)
He is the author or co-author on most of my favorite books.

I strongly recommend you check him out.

A meeting of the minds.

On of my earliest, and fondest, memories is of watching Star Trek with my dad as we ate dinner. (This is before he got married, so TV trays and dinner ala Star Trek were still ok)
In my "more adult" days, I have grown fond of Monty Python.
Imagine my glee when Wil Wheaton posted this wonderful YouTube video.

Mmmm, tasty.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luVjkTEIoJc

Dick Cheney Indicted

As you know, I *never* post anything political on this blog.
I also have a strong, warm-fuzzy feeling when it comes to the current administration.

Those things aside, after hearing about Dick Cheney's indictment last night on the news, I was intrigued. (Not enough to actually watch the news report, but whatever.)

I have read a few sources and think this is total bs. I may not agree with the man, but he appears to be the target of a vindictive DA that is on his way out.
Here is the New York Times article.

Things I am going to miss.

Like this:
Dick Cheney walks into the Oval Office and sees The President whooping and hollering.
"What's the matter, Mr. President?" The Vice President inquired.
"Nothing at all, boss. I just done finished a jigsaw puzzle in record time!" The President beamed.
"How long did it take you?"
"Well, the box said '3 to 5 Years' but I did it in a month!"

Or how about this:
Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; it's conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom?

Or maybe:
Q: What's George Bush's position on Roe v. Wade?
A: He really doesn't care how people get out of New Orleans.

And, of course, this:
Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed."
"OH NO!" the President exclaims. "That's terrible!"
His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the President sits, head in hands.
Finally, the President looks up and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"

The topper:
[caption id="attachment_83" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I wish I could write captions for the news."][/caption]

Have a good day everyone!

Are we different or are we the same?

I was thinking again. That always leads to trouble.

Are you the same person you were 15 years ago? Aside from all the "personal growth" stuff and maturity and all of that. Are you even similar?
Maxine and I are pushing up on 15 years this March and I have spent a lot of time thinking about our journey so far.

If the "then me" were to meet the "now me," would I recognize me? Usually when people think about things like this, it leads to the question, "Would the young me like the old me?"
I think that question is complete BS.
As I look back at the things I was doing 15-20 years ago...man, I was a dumbass.
It's amazing that I am not dead, in jail, or diseased. I have always been incredibly impulsive and lived for the moment. Most of my choices when I was younger reflect that.

That is why I met Maxine when I did. The universe has its way of bringing complimentary forces together.
Where I am impulsive, she is meticulous.
Where I am arrogant, she is humble.
When I am passionate and emotional about a topic, she is a thoughtful and level headed.
When she is passionate and emotional about a topic, I am thoughtful and level headed.
Where I am sometimes creative in my answers, she is honest in all she does. (I prefer being called a master of spin, thank you very much. It is a great skill to be able to twist the truth without having to lie.)
I love being able to watch a show with her and we can have a perfectly calm discussion on our very different views. It doesn't matter what subject. If we disagree, we can discuss it. (Although on most topics our views are fairly close. I think religion is the biggest gap.)

While it is pretty cliche to call your spouse your best friend, I think it is pretty obvious with anyone that knows us. When it comes to Maxine, I am pretty much a stalker with a healthy obsession. There are so many things she is good at, so many reasons why I love her. I won't bore you all with the details. (And believe me, I could go on for some time...)

I think it all sums up to one statement.

We are perfect for each other.

I love my Bears.

But I love my family more.

That means I stopped watching today's game at halftime. Its probably a good thing.
Holy shit, it was BAD! After we got home from running a few errands, I commented to Maxine that at least I got to see the highlights before we left.
(That would be the one field goal that they managed to score and Brian Urlacher's interception)

I have been a Bears fan for my entire memorable life. Good years, bad years, in between years, all of them. There was a few years in there that I didn't follow them closely, but that is ok because they REALLY REALLY sucked during that period and I was not paying attention to any sports.

I have had so many highs and lows based on their performance. Its really an odd phenomenon. I heard someone on the radio mention once that sports fans lack perspective. They (the fans) need to realize that they care more than the athletes that participate. That person was specifically referring to NBA players but I think it holds true in all sports to some extent.
That being as it may, I will continue to spend my hard earned cash on merchandise commemorating my favorite teams. I may never go to their games for a variety of reasons but I support them however I can. (Mostly with unheard cheers, screams, and obscenities.)

I love the NFL and I enjoy watching many other sports. (Except hockey, soccer, and car racing. I don't understand any of those.) My newfound enjoyment of MMA fighting has expanded my horizons somewhat but it is still nowhere near my love of the NFL. I thought about doing a post on why I think football is the perfect sport but this post is already long enough. Maybe someday.

Oddities abound

I've been in a strange mood again lately.
I have redesigned the site a bunch of times, posted almost no real content, and haven't really thought much. I realize that music videos are fun for some, boring as hell for others. I have been in the mood to watch them lately and have shared a few that "took me back."

I also realized today that it is pretty boring that I haven't posted anything else.
Content comes! I promise!
In fact, If you read this backwards, like everyone else does, you already read my post about the Bears. See! I told you!

Ode to the preferencial

Have I ever mentioned that I am a pig?

Sir Mix-A-Lot - New Music - More Music Videos

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKKONgfNONU

Sisqó - New Music - More Music Videos

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-UVL4qnI8M

Black Eyed Peas - New Music - More Music Videos

This was going to be part of the last post...

But then I realized how much I used to FREAKIN LOVE KID 'N PLAY!

They get their own showcase.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-uh9KgdqM0

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l4Nfg_zSyI

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOlY4C63ghA

If yous don't like this, then yous a busta!

Flashbacks rock!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21z67UBUxPk

Boyz II Men - New Music - More Music Videos

House of Pain - New Music - More Music Videos

Time to bring back the flava

It's a throw down!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7l250E5uM4


Uh! Yeah!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwb4LzEjROs

Am I the only one that appreciates this stuff?
I hope not!

When I Die...

So Maxine and I are sitting around talking, which is our favorite past time.
I came up with a great idea.

When I die, I want to be cremated.
Then, I want the urn buried in a hole.
My tombstone should read:
Here lies Mark,
The ash-hole.

Damn, I think that is sooo funny.

These are a few of my favorite things.

Sing it in your best Julie Andrews voice...You know you want to.

Anywho, Maxine posting Paramore got me to thinking. I haven't posted enough music videos lately.
Here are a couple from two of my favorite bands. **OK, only one for now. I gotta go to work**

Watch more Godsmack videos on AOL Video

This is Godsmack. They are badassical.

Oi! It's all about the poll!

[caption id="attachment_51" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Mommy sells snow shovels"][/caption]

Ok, I said poll, not pole.
Maxine and I will be posting polls occasionally on the sidebar. (Right hand side of the page)
Please participate! They are a silly diversion and are pretty pointless.

Dangerously close to a rant....but not quite.

Kimi posted this.

Prop 8 in California was a crock. A huge steaming pile of shit that everyone should be ashamed of. (D'OH! Sorry)
I did not post about it because I can not talk about it without losing control and dropping more "f-bombs" than is healthy. It is taking all the self-restraint that I have to not rant right now.
Suffice it to say, I agree with the gentleman on the video that Kim posted.
I
Can't
Say
Anything
Else...

ARGGGGGGGGG!

Decode video

Paramoe is a pretty kick ass rock band. Chick singer has cool hair all the time. I think they are even better now that they are on the twilight soundtrack. Here is their video for Decode their song from said soundtrack.  ENJOY!!!!

***EDIT BY MARK***
Since this was pulled by YouTube, I found another one. This one from AOL Videos. Enjoy.

Watch more MTVM videos on AOL Video

My favorite song when I was little(r)

Man. When I was a wee laddie I loved the Muppets.
The Muppet movie had one of my all time favorite songs.

How about Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. It freakin takes me back.

And now for something completely different...

I like crude humor. Didn't you already know that? Proceed at your own risk. And yes, this is an all time low for this blog. But hey, it's 2am and I can't think of anything better to do.
These are crude and some may not enjoy them. Please skip them if you are feeling sensitive.

From Dirty Love, a hella funny but under appreciated movie...


And a couple random YouTubes




If you have made it this far, what is wrong with you? This last one is offensive, crude, and contains nudity. It is also one of my favorite scenes from Dirty Love. Please do not watch it in the company of sensitive people, young people, or people that are humor-impaired.

The perfect Christmas gift.

I can't watch this without laughing hysterically.

A word on censorship...

There have been several topics I have wanted to post about recently. Based on the responses to my last rant, I have opted not to. I only say this so that you will know that I value the opinions and feelings of many of you that read this. In the interest of remaining PC, I will try to keep things light and humorous in future posts. Of course, I will not promise not to rant on occasion. I feel very strongly about some things and need to vent on occasion. I guess ultimately it means I will listen more closely to Maxine's wise counsel.

On that note, Al Franken is running for congress in Minnesota. I have been a fan of his since SNL.
I think he's good enough, he's smart enough, and doggone it, people like him!
Read about it here?

A Short Sabbatical

Well,

I will be taking a short sabbatical to focus on some writing projects. I will probably not have many, if any, posts for the next couple of weeks.

Stay with me. I won't be long.

Wait for it.....wait for it.....

The parade of joy tumbles headlong into the abyss...

Have you ever wondered why waffles need to have all those little squares?
And what makes them so much better than pancakes?
Some people think that the squares are designed to hold syrup and that is what makes them better.
That may be so. It sounds like a good theory to me.
It could also have something to do with the fact that there is more sugar in the batter.
But the real reason is all the cool stuff you can build with them.
Think about the movie 50 First Dates.
I planned to put up some really cool pictures of waffle creations but I couldn't find any. Blasted Google Images...you failed me.

Mega-bonus drooly points for anyone that finds some and posts them to the comments!

...and I approve this message

Too damn funny. Ok, not really. It's only moderately funny.

Primary Reasons

It's Sunday.

I only watched about 10 minutes of football today. A rare thing but not totally unheard of. Especially with the funk I have been in lately. I couldn't even tell you who played who or who won.

Regin was in a church program today so we went to support her. She seems to be enjoying going to church and who knows if she will keep going now that the program is over. It's completely her choice and I try to keep my comments to a minimum. (Although I wasn't all that successful today during the program) Oh man, I feel a rant coming on. I...will...try...to...suppress...it...

Fail. (If you plan to be offended, please stop reading now. Otherwise, I can make no promises.)

Ok, so I am all for people going to church. To each their own and all that. But having children take the stage to parrot lines that they do not comprehend irritates the @#$@! out of me. I approve of Regin going to church because she makes the conscious decision to do so. I approved of her participation in the program today because she understood her lines and exactly what they meant. (I personally didn't agree with them but it is for her to decide, not me.) But to see small children reading off lines to make their parents look good to their neighbors...ARGGG! And the cherry on top is the kids that are not old enough to read being whispered their lines by an adult (not their parent) and them butchering the words to the amusement of everyone in the congregation.
I struggle with the belief that any human being can "know" anything is true. When an adult tells me their particular church is true and they "know" it (regardless of the religion) I may disagree but they can decide for themselves. They have the mental capacity and maturity to delude themselves however they want to. When someone that can't even get themselves dressed in the morning says they "know" their church is true or they testify to anything it tells me something entirely different.
To me, it means they are not being raised to think for themselves.

*Disclaimer inspired by Maxine*
I know this is incredibly unpopular amongst many of the people that read this. My goal was not to offend anyone. What is right for my family may not be right for your family. I prefer to leave important decisions like this to my kids when they are old enough to make the intelligent decision for themselves. There is no "one way" that is right or better than any other. I love you all, and puppies and kittens, and flowers...

Best....Burger....Ever!

On the recommendation of a co-worker (Thanks Lourine!) I went to Five Guys Burgers and Fries for lunch yesterday.
I can easily say it was the best burger I have EVER eaten. (And believe me, I have eaten a lot of burgers.)

It was loud, it was fun, the counter staff was incredibly friendly, the fries were mmmmm, the burger, oh the burger was fanfreakintasticamazazingly good. The menu is simple. They have burgers, cheeseburgers, bacon burgers, and bacon cheeseburgers. (And smaller versions of the same.) Their strength comes in their execution. The burger was perfectly cooked and juicy. The bun was wonderfully soft. The cold toppings were crisp and (*gasp*) actually cold! The warm toppings (mushrooms and onions for me) were hot and perfect. They had a sign up telling the customer that today's fries come from potatoes grown in Burley, Idaho. I opted for the cajun fries. (An order of fries works for two people.) They were spicy but not overdone. The fries are real fries. Not the pressed, packed garbage available at most fast food places. They were a little bit underdone but still quite scrumptious.

I was worried when I first walked in. The place was packed and had a HUGE line. The efficiency with which they serve their customers is commendable. I was in line for only a quick minute or two and, as I mentioned before, the counter staff was incredibly friendly even though they were very, very busy. (And yes, I have to say counter staff because, me being me, I talked to more than one of them.)

I don't normally recommend places on my blog but I really hope you will check these guys out. I think I am going back today.

Here is the link again:
Five Guys

You have to go there or risk eternal damnation. When you go, get a Cheeseburger All the Way!

Stupid Halloween...

It infects everything.

14 Counts can't be wrong.

I haven't had much of a sense of humor lately. Hence, not a lot of posts.

I've been thinking about a lot of things lately and most of them just aren't funny.

But today is Friday. At least we have that.

Here, nibble on this:

''''My God! What happened to you?'''' the bartender asked Kelly as he hobbled in on a crutch, one arm in a cast.

''''I got in a tiff with Riley.''''

''''Riley? He''s just a wee fellow,'''' the barkeep said, surprised. ''''He must have had something in his hand.''''

''''That he did,'''' Kelly said. ''''A shovel it was.''''

''''Dear Lord. Didn''t you have anything in your hand?''''

''''Aye, that I did -- Mrs. Riley''s left boob.'''' Kelly said. ''''And a beautiful thing it was, but not much use in a fight.''''

Financial Crisis Hits Home

Funny story.

We have an account with Intermountain Credit Union. We got a letter a few days ago letting us know they are trying to merge with America First Credit Union.

I went to the credit union yesterday to make a cash withdrawal. As I was walking out of the branch, this lady pops out from behind a magazine rack. (The branch we go to is inside Maceys, the local grocery store) She said she was with one of the local news channels. (I don't remember which one) and wanted to ask me a couple of questions. I politely declined and got one of the most incredulous looks I have ever received in my life. It was awesome.

Anyways, we use Intermountain Credit Union because a) its convenient, b) the people are fantastic, and c) its a little credit union that is local and the people know me. I don't know if we will continue on when they merge or if we will close the account and just use the ones we have with Bank of America. Time will tell.

This is a tragic story and more evidence of Bush's War of Terror. Ok, that is not fair. It is not entirely his fault but he is easy to blame. His total disregard for small business in the face of a plummeting economy is sickening.

Here is the news aritcle from KUTV if you want to read it.

2 Utah credit unions may merge

Write Much?

Well, as I posted yesterday, I have been looking for some paying writing gigs. I have a couple of things ready to send off to publishers, and I will anxiously await their rejection letters.

I am also about to start a paid writing gig for a certain website to remain nameless for now. (We are still working out contract details.) Assuming we don't get too caught up in the $$DETAILS$$ it should start soon.

The pay is peanuts but it will be a great addition (or beginning) to my portfolio.

Thanks everyone for sending me your good Karma. I would like to say it was easy to find this gig but that would be a lie. I have spent the better part of the last few weeks trying to figure out *how* to do this and most of the last 4 days actually trying to do it.

Its definitely not easy but hopefully it will be worth it. Livin' the dream... at all costs...

Blogger pisses me off.

I have spent way too much time today on the great blog move.

Since Blogger doesn't want people to leave, they make it VERY difficult to move your posts over.

So, instead of moving the posts over to our server, we will leave them there to hog their space.

Here is the link if you want to refer back

Inane Dribble....

I moved it.

Please bear with me. I moved the blog off of blogger and now it is self contained.

I am working on getting the old posts moved over