Nice Weather & Other Things

Saturday - A and I road our bikes today in almost 3, maybe 4 years. We road for 15 to 20 minutes up to Coldstone Creamery. We both had the Oreo Overload. If you don't know what that is, then you need to look it up. Delicious! Some neighborhood kids (I prefer to call them punks) or maybe adults (in today's world you never know) broke out two panes on our 4 pane yard lamp post. I will show them. I purchased Plexiglas, cut out 4 panes, painted them to match the originals and installed them today. They wont be able to break those out. I also liked the experience of working with cutting Plexiglas. It can only help in my furniture and decorating endeavors. Perhaps I will make a stained glass window or incorporate glass into a furniture piece. On the left are my pieces, to the right: the broken ones. They're not all that, but on the posts you can hardly tell the difference.

I have been in a somber mood lately. This mainly has to do with the tragic events in Virginia and with the very sudden passing of a very good person that I had the pleasure of working with. I won't say much here, just that you don't meet too many real gentlemen these days. Lloyd was one. He was also a military man and a firefighter. I will miss him. My heart goes out to the victims' families and to Lloyd's loved ones.

Finally, I did a little yard work today on Sunday. A and I grilled out.
I have been watching the Sopranos, Season 6, part 1 on DVD. The whole Vito gay storyline threw me for a loop, but I am very pleased with this character. I haven't seen the ending yet, so I hope Vito makes it okay and keeps living.
It was very windy today; the wind almost blew our screen door off. I ate way too much and am now stuffed. But overall, I am seeing improvements to my body since I started running and working out.
Well, that is enough for now. Will talk to you later.

Reading the Sign

Can you believe that no one has changed this sign in almost one month? This is a sign from the gas station I sometimes go to down the street on Halsted.

After a week hiatus to visit the family in Indy for Easter, I am glad to be back with my loyal and growing viewers. Please stay tuned as there will be a lot of improvements, changes and evolving coming our way.

Singing the Blues

A. and I just came back from that Reign Over Me movie with Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler.
This is a poem I wrote some years ago. And the painting I did some several lifetimes ago. Like most of my possessions from that time, I lost the painting in a relationship divorce. I guess they didn't want to take the poetry. Anyway, both of my creations seem to fit each other and matches my mood tonight. I gotta get home soon, I'm missing my family and any real friends or relationships I ever had.
Hey, every post on here can't be upbeat.

Blue

Blue is the color formed before my eyes most often.

Turquoise, slate-gray or green blue…

Ocean blue, sky blue, deep sea water blue.

My eyes are brown most often, but lately, with what they have witnessed,

these eyes are changing a color more blue than often noticed.

Hues of blue both felt and seen…more than often.

Tears not clear, but tinged with blue, cloudless blue, blackened blue,

undeniably blue.

I blew a kiss to the one I longed to love and it was not returned.

Now I remain, most often and more times than not,

blue…

Black Man in the Middle

As I was setting up my visitor counter today, I realized that no one besides myself and a select few friends and family members know that I am out there. Meaning no hits. Meaning no wide audience. Of course, I understand this, I just started this thing. So, to take a cue from The Secret, I know that my audience awaits me. I started checking out some of my favorite blog sites. You know, the ones where all the people are shirtless, cut-up and most times without pants. Anyway, I can't do a post like that everyday (however much I might want to.) So I have decided (because that is what sells and because I am curious) that I will occasionally feature some cut-up brothas. But of course I have to come correct and put my slightly strange twist on the norm already out there.
While browsing through music cds at the library the other day, the cover for Blink 182's 1999 release: Enema of the State caught my eye. Now this is not the type of music that I listen to, but I had heard of the group. The cd insert with photography by David Goldman shows a bunch of Caucasian high school? guys in line to get what appears to be some type of physical examination by the overly eager, made up and sexed up school nurse.

Upon my own closer examination I noticed that out of about 20 white guys, there is only one cut-up brother in line. I was like... where did he come from?!! In case you missed him, he is the black man in the middle.

The 3 Best Teams to bet on

The Amazing Race: All-Stars on CBS

I don't want everyone out there to think that all I do is watch tv after my last post on the office. Actually I hardly watch that much television as a whole, but I do have my favorite shows. I must confess that I have been a junkie to the reality tv craze since The Real World debuted back in 1992. One of my favorite reality shows is The Amazing Race. Below are my favorite teams for the 11th season that I think will win...from left to right: Uchenna & Joyce, Oswald & Danny and Joe & Bill. Learn more about these racers at the official website on CBS and catch clips of these interesting contestants below.
View Uchenna & Joyce on innertube now
View Oswald & Danny on innertube now
View Joe & Bill on innertube now

Discover This!

The Office


This show is so subtle and hilarious. I am currently watching the first season on dvd. The second season is also on dvd and new episodes are airing on nbc. Steve Carell is great as the boss without a clue. But check out the love triangle between sales rep Jim Halpert, portrayed by the clever John Krasinski and office receptionist Pam Beesly portrayed with tender self-humiliation by Jenna Fischer and her (in my opinion) louse of a boyfriend/fiancé Roy Anderson, brillantly portrayed by David Denman. Roy works in the office warehouse and doesn't quite appreciate what he has found in Pam.
Some of the best moments come from Pam and John quietly reserving their real feelings for each other while capturing that longing with their eyes and expressions played to the camera and us as the audience, but hardly ever to one another. You want to yell Kiss Already! (Stay tuned to Season 2) but they are such lovable characters, you can't help but to cheer them on.
Also the series boasts as diverse an ensemble as you are likely to see on network tv. There is the gay Mexican Oscar Nunez portrayed by Oscar Martinez who has to put up with every hispanic stereotype and the African-American sales rep Stanley Hudson, portrayed with satirical nonchalantness by Chicago native Leslie David Baker. This series, based on an original BBC series, is a winner from start to finish. Check out the link "The Office" above and catch new episodes Thursdays on nbc.

The Daybed

I know everyone is probably sick of hearing about this daybed I made, but I thought I should include a completed pic of the finished results. I plan to add more big over-sized pillows. The wall behind the daybed will be painted or covered with a huge painted art canvas, something very colorful since all the walls are currently white. Plus, I was able to finally get my studio arranged and set up. I have been trying to declutter my life. It is so freeing to be able to let go of items that no longer hold a significance that they once held or never revealed the possibilities that you had hoped they would. Things seem to be falling into place. May the coming spring bring wonderful blessings to fill those empty spaces created by letting some things go.