The outline in my head for today's blog says that I have three major things to discuss today. We'll see how that all works out.

Last night was the Leann Rimes/Kenny Chesney concert at CMAC in Canandaigua. If you've never been, the venue is beautiful. The sound is amazing. The architecture is appealing. The food is Dinosaur Bar B Que. No, I'm not kidding. (If you've never been to the Dino, you seriously need to get there.) I bought lawn seats and did not have the benefit of the cover, which proved to be an issue when it began to torrential downpour. What is it with rain and concerts this summer? Last week at John Mayer I got soaked, but was at least under cover. Anyway, I stayed for the show and it was pretty awesome.

I noticed at the John Mayer concert that I got really caught up in getting pictures and video and started to do something similar at the Chesney concert. At some point I realized that I just needed to be in the moment and enjoy the music, the rain that was soaking through my jeans, and all of the drunken idiots around me. So I tried. And for the most part I would say that I did pretty well. It stuns me how drunk people still get in public, and although I was never quite that bad I am glad that I am past that "stage." There were several girls who were wet, wearing short mini skirts, drunk, and rolling down the hill in the mud. One girl was so drunk she was laying in a ball in the mud yakking her guts out. How is that fun? And how about the middle aged guy who was taking advantage of a grab and touch on her wherever he could? Eventually, she did get up and continue to drink. Thank God. She could have become seriously dehydrated or something.

At the end of the show, Kenny played "She Thinks My Tractors Sexy," which is apparently a big time bra throwing song. Something like seven bras landed on the stage. The first three he picked up, showed to the audience and put over a microphone stand with a bunch of other bras from previous shows (I assume). The last four he just let lay on the stage, which I am sure disappointed the girls whose ta-ta's were now flapping around. Now I get that Kenny is in damn good shape and is looking as fine as ever (as long as he leaves his hat on), but seriously, ladies...what do you think throwing your bra on teh stage is going to get you?

Here was my thought on the drive home: "What happens to all of those bras her gets on stage?" Wouldn't it be great if he had them cleaned and donated them to a domestic violence shelter or something? Maybe I need to suggest this to him. What's the point of carrying around random bras when they could be put to use by women who need them? Bras aren't cheap, Kenny. Pay it forward!

My last point...I spent a lot of time trying to figure out if Kenny had shaved and/or waxed his armpits. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and would throw his hands in the air and all that jazz and since I couldn't actually see him I had to watch him on the big screens, which gave me a clearer view of the armpits. I've always been a little skeeved out by men's armpit hair, so I did notice that Kenny's wasn't all bushy and gnarly. But, then I started thinking about the new manscaping revolution that seems to be happening. I was relieved to see that Kenny had not actually removed all pit hair, but apparently just trimmed up and called it a day, which made me wonder if he manscpaes everywhere? When did it become so popular for men to shave *ahem* down there? I'm just wondering. Can someone else make a judgment as to whether or not the guy has pit hair?


Anyway, that's the daily report. Now I'm gonna sit right here and have another beer in Mexico.

Rant

Has anyone else in the world besides me read the book "Rant"? The author is Chuck Palahniuk, who also happens to be the writer of "Fight Club." Granted, Fight Club was pretty f'ed up, but I wasn't expecting Rant to be quite so odd. Admittedly, I chose the book based on the artwork on the cover, which is how I often choose what to read.

Rant is the oral history of Buster "Rant" Casey as told by those closest to him, since Rant is no longer actually alive. Rant is an odd character, to say the least and I can't seem to shake the story from my mind. Every time someone mentions something about rabies, snakes, spiders, or erections (yes, I said "Erections") I think of Rant. He spends his days plastering boogers to the wall and sticking his arms into unknown holes in the ground waiting for rabbits, snakes, spiders, and whatever else lives in the ground to bite him. He makes the odd association of coming to age with being bitten by a spider, so every time he is with his girlfriend he has to wait to be bitten by a spider before he can perform. I personally think Bob Dole had the right idea by just taking a pill, but then again, I am not a man who gets off on spiders, snakes, and other varmints.

Anyway, Rant eventually contracts rabies and begins a super epidemic where people brag and link themselves to him as the source of their infection. They become almost vampire-like and attempt to bite each other. Rant dies by going down in a flame of glory in a car crash, seeking immortality in order to go back and influence history so that he can continue in his quest to make himself a superspecies of sorts. I know. It's bizarre. Normally, I would never haver read this kind of book since I am no fan of sci-fi, but once you get so far into a book you have to finish it. That will teach me to pick solely based on covers for a while. I am glad it's over, but I can't get it out of my head....even with the new book I am reading.

A few nights ago I started "The Art of Racing in the Rain," narrated by Enzo the dog. Don't start thinking that I am a complete weirdo. It's actually an interesting perspective since Enzo watches the wife become ill, but is unable to let them know that she is becoming more ill. I'm not ready to write about this book just quite yet, but I can say that last night Enzo discribed a scene where the wife had left him in the house for three days with no food and water. He does what any dog would do who is left alone for that long and shreds the baby's stuffed animals. When his owner, Denny realizes that he has trashed the baby's room he lands a blow to the side of Enzo's head. That really kind of shook me and I've been thinking a little differently in terms of how I am speaking to Belle. I don't care if it is a work of fiction. Dogs have feelings, too, and I love Belle so why should I yell at her at the top of my lungs for grabbing the sandwich off the counter and bolting? Isn't she working on instinct. I'll give it to you that it's not right and it drives me incredibly crazy, but she doesn't deserve to have me freak out on her.

Okay. I think that's the end of my rant (so to speak) for today. I should be heading to the Kenny Chesney concert tonight in Canandaigua, but it's been raining all day, so I need to make a decision as to whether or not I am going. I guess I might as well. What else do I have to do? Pack you say?

Long time, no see!

Wow. It's really been since February that I posted a blog? That's crazy...

I am determined to resurrect the blog. There was a lot going on and I am not sure why I wasn't keeping up, but I am back at it! 2006 is gone, so I may need to change the title of the blog...

Anyway, a quick update:
1. I am now addicted to Vitamin Water. Yum.
2. Belle is now 13 months old. I can't believe it!
3. Martine has gone back to Norway. I still miss her and suspect that I always will.
4. In my true summer routine, I will once again be moving. This time to Geneva NY.

That might be it for now....look for new posts in the future!

2 pieces of history....All in one week!!

Okay. NutriSystem update. It's gross. G.R.O.S.S. It is slimy and full of fish gelatin. Do I need to say more?

The coolest song in a really long time has emerged. What is it, you ask? Well. Some of you may know that a remake of "Thriller" has/is being done. For the fourth straight time in a row I am listening to my Johnny (John Mayer for those of you living under a rock) rock it out to "Beat It" with Fall Out Boy. How freakin' cool is that? You can listen here. You know you want to!! (I am on to time five)

The other cool little piece of history is that I got to meet LuLu Westbrooks Griffin. You can check out a little about her here, but for those of you who are little too tired to click the link, she is one of the students who were involved with the Civil Rights Movement in 1963. She has a documentary out called "LuLu and the Girls." She will be coming to our after school program in South Seneca to teach a module about civil rights, tolerance, and her experience of being locked up for 45 days for doing what she thought was right.

Okay. Back to work. Go listen to Beat It again. I'm sure gonna.

It's always something, isn't it?

So I know it has been a really long time since I've blogged...I guess just before I went on the Mayercraft Carrier? I can't remember exactly. In any case, I am really going to try to start blogging again because it was so helpful the last time I really tried to lose weight. You guessed it. I am back at it. This time I am trying Nutrisystem. I seem to not have enough time in my day to really prepare good food or find the right balance of nutrition, so I am giving it a whirl. PLus, since it is considered "health and wellness" my benefits through work pay for it. Currently, I am sitting at my desk trying to gag down split pea soup. It looks disgusting, it doesn't taste quite so bad, but I am trying to get the ingredient of "fish gelatin" out of my head. I didn't mean to look. Really, I didn't. It just sprung up in front of my eyes as I was turning the carton. At this point I am literally just taking a big spoonful and swallowing it as quickly as possible, followed by a water chaser. Yuck. The good news is that I don't have to eat it again because I can tell them not to include it in my order. Thank God. If I could just open my throat and dump it down, I totally would. So enough of that for now...

How about some pictures from the cruise and my boy Johnny Mayer?
This is John and David Ryan Harris on the Lido Deck. We got an acoustic set Sunday afternoon that was amazing. David Ryan Harris is an awesome artist himself, but regularly plays guitar for John. I also met him (DRH) in the elevator on the cruise!















Again on the Lido Deck.










This is during his Friday night show. I am thinking this was during "Gravity"?

















Someone screwed up and gave me a ticket to the Q&A session for his Local-83 members (fan club). I wasn't a member then, but you can bet your ass I am now!

I don't feel like being introspective!

I can't find the inspiration to write about 2007, so I am just going to skip it and launch straight into 2008!

What's going on? Well....a lot!

First, we have been saddened by the passing of Martine's grandmother in Norway. Martine flew out on Tuesday for the funeral and will return on Monday. It is quiet around the house and the animals are confused.

Belle was spayed this week. She was pretty stoned when she came home Tuesday night, but she is bouncing back quickly. We had a cat chase attempt yesterday, but I put a halt to that fairly quickly. She is such a pretty girl.

Classes started last night and I am so jazzed about my first class. Qualitative Research Methods. I get to go observe someplace public for at least an hour four times throughout the semester. We can pretty much choose any place we want, but it can't be observing kids and we can't observe our own employees. I went round and round about where I wanted to go. This morning I decided. I will do my observations at the Dinosaur BBQ in Rochester during their blues performances. Specifically, I will be studying the behaviors of those in the blues culture. How jealous are you, Dad? :)

And finally....I am on countdown to the big departure day for the Mayercraft Carrier. That's right. The Mayercraft Carrier. I will be going on a cruise with John Mayer and 12 other musicians at the beginning of January to the Bahamas! John is playing two headlining shows and one on the Lido deck. The other artists are interspersed throughout the cruise in the nightclubs on board. How rockin' is that going to be?

I have also started running again. Doing pretty good but class last night threw off my entire schedule. Argh.

Okay. Back to work. Yuck.

Please check back soon

I am working on a "Remembering 2007" post. Please keep checking back because I will be posting again. Be patient! It was another rough year.