So keeping up with this is a bit harder than planned

Well, as you can tell I'm not doing too well at keeping this thing going. I just knew for sure that I would be able to write something every night...even if it was just "I'm sitting around watching the pool turn greener and greener". But it just ain't happening. So...what have I been up to...not much that's for sure. I finally left the house with my camera and came back with some pictures (Yay!). I have been taking the Canon with me but just haven't seemed to find anything that peaked my interest. I'm trying to get back into it but it's still somewhat difficult. I did find a great subject along the Mandeville lakefront. Well, I have actually been looking at this place for awhile and saying "I need to bring my camera down here". All talk no action. I finally took some action and visited an old iron fence that has been in shambles since Katrina. The house is long gone, the sidewalk is cracked, the fence is in pieces and in disrepair. There are vines growing in it and rust is everywhere. I'm not sure how long this thing has been there. 10 years? 50 years? Who knows. It sure does have a lot of character. It is topped by fleur de lis of various colors and varying conditions. Some are bent, some are missing, some look fairly new, and some are broken. But through all this I can picture how it must have looked when it was first installed in the earth on where it stands. I would venture to say that someone was very proud of this fence at one time. Maybe more than just one "someone". I'm not sure how much time and effort goes into making an iron fence, but nevertheless what was a shiny new fence that stood watch over what was probably a majestic home, now stands in ruins. The fence is still beautiful in its own way, watching over grass, clovers, and an abandoned cement slab. I spent about 30 minutes there walking from end to end. Thinking. Reflecting. Wondering. Questioning. I took a few pics and you can find them here on pages 5 and 6 of the gallery. I'm sure it's not going to be there forever so I'm glad I got to spend some time visiting. I only wish it could tell me some of its history before it becomes history itself. Oh, and when I saw all the cars lining up on the street behind me I thought I had become somewhat of a celebrity or I had ripped my pants right down the back for the world to see the tighty whiteys. Turns out they were waiting to pick up their kids from the school around the corner. Oh well, so much for thinking...

How about them Saints??!! I was a little worried about the game against the Patriots. I hope now they get the national respect they deserve. They just flat out dominated. Congratulations guys. Now if we can PLEASE make it to the Superbowl?? How awesome would that be?? Wow.

Another great quote: "Only those who are asleep make no mistakes". Now as much as I like that, there are a couple of mistakes than can be made while you are asleep:

- Driving off the road

- Forgetting to open the drain in the tub to let the water out

- Running over your foot with the lawnmower

- Peeing in the bed

- Kicking your better half where it hurts

- Elbowing your better half in the eye

- Elbowing yourself in the eye

- Slobbering on your pillow then sticking your ear in it

- The inability to run when your friend says "Hey ya'll watch this"

- Having your boss walk up behind you before you get your head off the keyboard

- Letting the grease on the stove get so hot it catches fire (sorry about that mom and dad I hope the medical bills for my burns weren't THAT bad and I learned my lesson)

"Girl" talk

So it's Wednesday night...otherwise knows as "steak night" around these parts. For the last few months my buddy Danny and I have met just about every Wednesday night for a great steak and great conversation. I mean, what could be more manly than a couple of guys having a few beers, steak, and fries and talking about Camaros, Harleys, trucks, football, grocery shopping, self pity, sex, what to cook for dinner, flowers, sex, advice, shopping, boobs, sex, coochy cream, sex, and hairstyles? We have no secrets...and no shame. What's funny is that we do talk about all those things and so much more...we call it "girl" talk because we do get into what goes on in our lives, relationships, and our feelings. We give each other straight up advice, take it or leave it, but it's there. We've had some friends and family join us on occassion and it's a great time for the guys just to talk about whatever is on everyone's mind and to get uncensored advice from each other. Most of the time it's just the two of us, but we always welcome anyone to join in as long as they can handle some "R" rated conversation.

Last night I had dinner with Amanda. Every time we sit down to talk it's hard for me to believe that I can actually have an adult conversation with her. Damn she is gowing up fast. I was watching videos of her recently from when she was almost 3 years old. I was just asking her questions to get her to talk, and she was rattling out the answers like a little chatter box. I sure do miss that. I'll never forget one time I was driving passed the Murphy Oil Refinery in Meraux and she said "I work there Daddy". I said "you do huh? what do you do there"? And she said "I make crawfish, pirates, and air blower motors". Absolulte God's honest truth that is what she said...and she was 3 years old. I almost drove right off the road I was laughing so hard.

So for years I had always come across a lot of churches that are a "First Baptist Church". And I always asked myself "is there a such thing as a Second Baptist Church"? Well, after years of searching I did indeed find a "Second Baptist Church". I was driving in Texas last weekend and there on side of I-10 was the place I had always wondered about. I almost feel let down in a way because I thougth about that question EVERY time I saw a sign for a First Baptist Church, and now I know the answer so what I am going to ask myself now? But alas, the natural progression of what question should be asked has come to mind...after the First, and the Second Baptist Church...you guessed it...does candy corn really taste like corn?

Another of my favorite quotes to live by:

"I was thinking one day and realized that if I just had somebody behind me all the way to motivate me I could make a big difference. Nobody came along like that so I just became that person for myself".

I'm baaaaaaaaack!!

So, OK, things didn't quite work out the way I planned with this blog. Let me just say this...and my buddy Danny can back me up...this year, 2009, has to be about the craziest year on record. He and I say that all the freakin time cause it seems like every time we turn around, something just happens. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I've seen it all. Some things I'm not ready to talk about just yet, but others I'll discuss in future posts. Some are minor, like why the hell am I letting my hair grow long? I haven't really found a good excuse for that other than "because I can" or "I'm growing it while I still have it". Some are major and have changed my life in a lot of ways. Most of those are not for public consumption quite yet. I will say that my daughter turned 16 (yes, that's her pic on the right), got her license, and a car last week. It's just hard for me to imagine my little girl driving something bigger than a Little Tykes Cozy Coupe. Like I need another reason for my hair to continue turning white. I will also finish the road trip posts. I was able to fulfill at least part of a dream; driving Route 66. I made it all the way across Texas and New Mexico. A special thanks goes to http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ for their research and motivation to do that. I plan on finishing the rest of the Illinois to California journey sometime before my hair is long enough to get caught in the garbage disposal. The road trip in February, along with some major events that have happened since then, have really made me dig deep for some soul searching. I think I lost sight of the basics in life and wound up doing and saying things that I'm not very proud of. Along the way I became unhappy with a lot of things, but mostly with myself. I lost the drive to do photography which had up till then been a passion, and escape, for me. I've had to "reset" and figure out what I want out of life. I realized that if I'm not happy with myself there is no one on this planet, or any other planet for that matter, that can make me happy. So I began a different journey of sorts; to find out how to make myself happy and accept and take responsibilities for the things that I have said and done. I'm at peace with myself now for passed mistakes. There is absolutely nothing I can do about anything that has already happened, I can only set myself up for a better future. I have found strength in a few things; quotes, music, friends, and now my photography again. One of the most motivational quotes for me right now is:

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending".

That pretty much sums up what I am working on now. I plan to do everything I can to be happy with myself. Also the music I listen to has become a huge part of who I am. I spend a few hours a day listening to music, of which probably 90% of is never played on the radio. When I get home from work I turn on the XM radio on DirecTV and let it play. Right now I'm listening to L'Acrobat by Ferry Tayle & Static blue. Trance and Progressive music just takes me to another place. I guess that's why they call it "trance" (wow, imagine that concept!).

I'll have more about my favorite quotes, music, trips, photography, the effect of coastal errosion, what "vegimite" is, and why I laugh when someone says "hot dog" later. I'll be posting every night (yes, I know you've hear that before and here we are now 9 months and 17 seconds later). But this is part of my healing and therapy; just talking about whateva! So like General Motors and their "reinventing" themselves, we'll see if I can do the same thing. Good night to all!

Road trip day 4, miles 1571 to...1571, Durango CO

Saturday, February 22nd. I woke up this morning with a rash around my waist. I was in and out the truck so much taking pictures yesterday that my paints rubbed me raw. Ain't that nice.

The whole reason for this trip is because of today. I rode the "photographer's special" train from Durango to Cascade Canyon. The crew dropped us off at specific places along the route so we can get shots of the train doing a "drive-by". The scenery is stunning. I also realized I had forgotton something else...my knit hat. My freakin head was frozen from riding in the open air car. Near the end of the trip, I was trying to climb up for a higher vantage point and slipped. The result...a nice little gash on my right leg. Just after that someone next to me moved and sent some rocks down below where some others were standing. One of them hit a guy on the head, knocked him to the ground, and cut his head open. If I would have known that this was going to be a full-contact sport I would have worn a helmet and pads. But then again after being chased by dogs and cows nothing should surprise me. The train ride was rough, and after the day was done I had trouble walking and laying down. I felt like I had sea sickness...or too much to drink.

As for my fellow photographers on this train...well I don't want to offend anyone but damn...some of these guys must have crawled out from underneath their rocks just for this trip. Some people didn't care whether or not they got in front of you after you set up...if I was not such a nice guy they would have been eating snow. This one weird guy had me thinking that the only other time he got out of his basement was when his mom yelled down to him "go get me some cigarettes and a National Enquirer". I mean he was so homely...and probably about 50 years old. He was talking to someone and I overheard him say that he didn't have any friends. I had already drawn that conclusion from the first time I saw him. The "bachelor pad" down in his basement probably was not a chick magnet, as I'm sure the posters of David Hasslehoff would probably be a turn-off. And that is if anyone could get passed his mother.

I took the frame with me, but didn't take it out of my jacket pocket because I didn't want to take the title of "weirdest person on the train" from Mr. momma's boy.

So I took a ton of pictures and when I got back to my room I had to get all of the soot out of my nose and ears. I was exhausted from getting on and off the train so I took a shower and crashed. Other than that, it was a pretty uneventful day. Not much else to talk about.

I did find what I believe to be the last of the notes from my wife. See, we have this ritual when one of us leaves to go out of town the one not going will hide little notes in various places. They might say "thinking of you" or simply "I love you". I found them in my camera bag, computer bag, etc. It's a nice little surprise when you are miles from home. Now if she would have packed away a sexy picture of her in my bag...

Tomorrow I'm heading to Monument Valley in Utah and Arizona. The girls will be happy to get out of this freezing weather and get into some warmer climates. I told them there will be plenty of sand...they think we're going to the beach...

Random thought for Sunday February 22nd. There are some websites out there that say the San Francisco cable-cars are the only moveable national monuments. Not so! The St. Charles streetcars (the green ones) also fall into this category. Now you know the truth! Knowledge is power.

Road trip day 3, miles 1174 to 1571, Texline TX to Durango CO

OK first of all I have not had internet service for the last few days, but I have been writing all this stuff down. Sorry to disappoint my millions of fans with a delay, but hey I'm too cheap to buy an air card. They want $60.00 a month for service. Not gonna do it. So without further delay, here is day 3 as written at the end.

So now that I have left the hotel in Texline, can I tell you that was a pain in the butt? OK so I was tired as hell and decided to stay there instead of driving to Clayton, NM which was only 10 miles further. This hotel only had one car in the parking lot (I should have taken that as a sign) so I figured I would have no problem getting a room. This is one of those places where the owners live in the office. That in itself is not an issue, I've stayed in many like that before. So Mr. owner, I'll call him "Juan" asks for my drivers license and proceeds to take almost 10 minutes to copy my name and address onto a card. I was nearly at the point of walking out with or without my license. I didn't care at that point. So THEN, he peeks around the wall behind him and asks his wife "you want to come do this for me?" I'm thinking, "do what?" I hear a voice from behind the wall say "well, yeah if you will get in here and help me". So then Juan disappears behind the wall. Since my credit card was on the counter behind the bullet-proof glass (gee I wonder why they have that), I was stuck at that point. Now, what I am about to say is in no way, shape, or form meant to talk bad about someone in a wheelchair. It was not her fault, but it had become painfully apparent that only she could run the credit card. So the way the place is set up, she cannot turn left into the office from the direction she was coming from. She had to go past the doorway into another room. You know, kinda like if you realize you should have made a left turn and you can make three right turns to get back where you wanted to go? Well that's how it was. So then, the doorway must not have had an inch to spare. He took another five minutes trying to get her in the office. I'm thinking at this point, if a bus load of Jehova Witnesses or something pulls in after I'm gone they won't get checked in until 10:00 the next morning. So that was 20 minutes of my life that I'll never get back. And I won't stay there with Mr. Juan anymore. Oh Mr. Juan in case you read this blog, my name is not Charles Isbell... it's Jay Thompson.
The day started out with a very cold wind and the temperature in the truck read 20 degrees. I took off just before sunrise hoping that Mr. Juan didn't need any more information from me before I left. I could just see him chasing me down in his 1984 Grand Marquis yelling "I forgot to write down how tall you were...please come back". I passed Clayton, NM and thought "I should have kept to my plan and slept here last night". Oh well, no sense in crying over spilled milk. I broke off the familiar route and took a portion of the Dry Cimarron Scenic Byway. Route 72 takes me on top of Johnson Mesa. This place looks like it could be a desert in west Texas, but it is on top of a butte way above the valley floor. The temperature has now dropped to 11 degrees, and the entire place is covered in snow. I read that people once lived here, but because of the harsh winters no one stays here permanently any more. There are some old barns and an old church still standing, but not a soul around. So I'm stopping to take pictures and the girls want to go play in the snow. I try to talk them out of it because it is so cold outside and I worry about them, but no they must have their way. Have you every tried to argue with 5 females. So I give in and...disaster. The frame broke in two! It was not my fault! I didn't do it! OK so maybe it was my fault. If you are familiar with snow, often times the top layer will start to melt in the middle of the day, then freeze over when the temperature drops making for a hard icy layer on top of the soft stuff. I put the frame in the snow to take a picture and...oh well. Sorry for undoing what you did Pam. Or should I call you Whammy? Can you every forgive me? I'll fix it before the next victim gets it. Oops, did I say that out loud?
So after that fantastic drive I hit Colorado. Awesome! I stop in Trinidad to get some more ice and that is when I find the next disaster. My roast beef, ham, turkey, and bread have all been infiltrated with water. So much for those Glad containers that are supposed to be sealed. Now, I might have been able to save the meat, but it developed some type of slime or some coating on it that didn't sit well with me. Dammit! That was Armond's roast beef too. Only second to Bear's roast beef. So I bow my head, say a few words, then dump it all in the garbage can. Looks like we are eating out girls because I am not going to Wal-Mart again.
I hit Walsenburg then head out west on Highway 160 to Durango. Along the way, I pass the San Juan valley. I've read that this is the #1 hotspot for UFO's in America, and seen the TV shows that have the cows with the insides ripped out and stuff. That is happening here. So I tell the girls to be on the lookout, but I know that if I really did see one I would be changing my underwear much sooner than planned. So no excitement there, just beautiful scenery and one strange fellow hitchhiking. Could he be an alien? I ain't taking no chances. With all the freaky stuff going on with the cows, I decide to eat a chicken sandwhich from Wendy's. I don't want a radioactive hamburger. All kidding aside, this is a gorgeous area and I'll have pictures posted soon. Blanca peak dominates the skyline at over 14,000 feet.
The drive to Durango is absolutely gorgeous. There are a few mountain passes that give you awesome views all around. If you ever head that way, I highly recommend it.
I noticed something in Monte Vista and it is something I wish I'd see more often. There was an ambulance coming down the main street in the middle of town. Not only did everyone on BOTH sides the street pull over, they all stopped. Of course I did the same. I've seen this, along with the same respect for funerals in other places but not so much back home. I think ambulances should have a front-end loader to push people out that way that won't move. How many times have you seen an ambulance with sirens blaring trying to get through traffic? Probably way too often as I have.
So I arrive in Durango. My GPS (thanks Lynn!!) takes me right to the front door of the hotel, which is a block away from the train station. I make it in time to join the "night shoot" at the roundhouse. They pulled two old steam engines out for photographers to take pictures of. This was great. I also walked around inside the shop and took pics. Unknown to me, however, was that I was NOT supposed to be in there. I got busted, but the guy was nice and I had taken all the shots I wanted anyway. I ate at some hole-in-the wall pizza place. Y'all know me. I love my pizza, but this stuff should have been ground up and used for crab bait.
So I'm back at the hotel room anticipating the ride tomorrow. That is the whole reason I came on this trip anyway. The girls are all tucked in and each has been given a kiss goodnight, although I was leary about Margarita because I didn't want her to take it the wrong way. I explained that Lynn is the love of my life. I believe she took it well. Then I went to sleep, wondering why on earth I'm talking to a picture frame. I've been on the road too long already. Stay tuned for day 4.

Random thought for Saturday, February 21st: I found out about the Dry Cimarron Byway and did a lot of research on Route 66 at www.legendsofamerica.com. They have a great site on the old west, scenic byways, and Route 66 from end to end. I go check it out often. You should too. After you check out my site.

Road trip day 2, miles 641 to 1174, Henrietta TX to Texline, TX

OK so this town does not have enough cell phone signal strength for me to send pics from my Blackberry to an e-mail account to upload here (I warned you about my run-on sentences). So I will edit this post with some pics tomorrow.
I got up at 6 and hit the road. The girls were complaining, but I made sure they knew who was boss. I said "Lynn Pam Melissa Ineeda Margarita" and that was it. Not a peep out of them. Before lunch time I made it to Route 66 in Shamrock, TX. I was very excited about it (you have to know me to understand). But since I had made such good time I decided to detour north to near Canadian, TX. I went to the crossroads and the Arlington Ranch that was featured in the beginning and ending of the movie "Castaway". It was just one of those things that I had to do. I took some pics of the frame standing in the same spot as Tom Hanks when he was deciding which way to go. As I said before, yes, I am a nerd.
I made my way back south to Shamrock and picked up Route 66 heading west towards Amarillo. It was exciting, yet sad in some ways. There were more empty buildings, houses, cars, etc. than I could have imagined. I know it is a cliche, but I kept thinking "if this place could talk...". Some towns have no inhabitants except these old abandoned places. Some have few residents, but I believe that in most places dogs outnumber people. Since there is not much traffic I guess that every time someone passes the dogs come out to greet them...with rabid barking and lots of chasing. Man these things are mean! I had to watch where I got out to take pictures. I have been chased by dogs before when doing photography. It's not much fun. I knew I'd be OK, I was just worried that they would get in my truck and steal the frame. I've always been intruged by Route 66, but after spending half my day on it my curiousity has only grown.
Speaking of being chased, apparently dogs aren't the only ones with the "chase" genes in their bodies. What you are about to read is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I like to joke around, but I'm being serious about this. There is a section of the old alignment of Route 66 (1930's or so) that is dirt and gravel. Parts of it also go on to what is now private property. This section (called Jericho Gap) is well known because some of the original travelers would get stuck in the mud and the locals would make money pulling them out. I didn't have any problem getting stuck, but I did find myself on someone's ranch so I decided to turn around and go back to catch the interstate. As I started back I could see the cows to my left coming at me in a full sprint, with all of their eyes locked on me. I looked in the side mirror and could see more coming at me with the same determination as those closer to the road. I could not believe my eyes. I was so surprised that I didn't even pick up my camera. I thought "what they hell is in the water around here?!". After sweating it out for a minute I laughed it off and came to the conclusion that it must have been one of these things:

1. The rancher must have the same color truck as me, and they wanted to show their appreciation for him sending them to be future McDonalds hamburgers.
2. They were all female and thought I would be a nice catch.
3. They were all males and they wanted to get that frame with the hot chicks. Maybe even some females might have wanted to get to it.
4. The rancher had them trained to attack any oncoming traffic to get them off his land.
5. They were all robots and I was on candid camera.
6. They were trained killers like the dogs in the abandoned towns.
7. They read my blog and thought a road trip might be fun.
8. They were just trying to tell me to "Eat More Chicken".
9. They know I don't drink milk.

In any case, it sure was a lot funnier after I got out of there. As the sun went down I caught a beautiful sunset (took plenty of pictures). I couldn't stand myself anymore as I was dusty, tired, and ready for a shower. I'm a rock's throw from the New Mexico border and will be hitting the Dry Cimarron Scenic Byway tomorrow. Then I'll be in Colorado! I'll get some pics of the frame here as soon as I can. I'll also have my high-res pics on my website when I get back home.

Random thought for 2/20: Another great movie speech is in "Good Will Hunting". The part when Robin Williams and Matt Damon are sitting on the bench is brilliant! If you haven't seen it I suggest you do it immediately if not sooner.

Road trip day 1 part b, mile 0 to mile 641 Henrietta, Tx

OK so I didn't have internet service last night...because I slept in my truck. I have no shame. So I'm finishing the update now...
So day one was exciting. No sooner did I leave the house when I started going through everything in my head to make sure I didn't forget anything. Cameras, check. Water, check. Beef jerky, check. Sour Skittles, check. Toothpaste......awww dammit! I forgot! I just knew at some point on this trip that I would have to go to Wal-Mart. But man, on the first day! Dammit! I didn't want to go in Wally World and leave all my valuables in the truck. I just couldn't bear the thought of someone stealing my stuff. My god, if something happened to that picture frame I don't know what I would do! It was nearly lost forever when it broke, but with Pam's loving care it was craftfully restored to it's original luster. Thank you Pam! So I decided to wait until almost midnight and parked as close to the hire-a-cop that was sleeping in his car as I could get.

Every time I pass the sign for Grosse Tete I have to laugh. I can just imagine Little Johnny saying "Farmer Jones had to put his cow down because she had a Grosse Tete". I know it's not pronounced like that, but I can help myself.

There have been cops EVERYWHERE. I can't recall a trip where I noticed so many people pulled over. On every interstate and in nearly every town. I did hear that they were heading to the greater Houston area in search of a silver Toyota pickup...would you know anything about that Jay?

I was jamming to my iPod and the beat was kickin'...then I put it on shuffle and...Steve Wariner's song "Like A River To The Sea" came on...aaaawwwww dammit again! That is one of my favorites, and a great love song. I started missing Lynn even more than when I was listening to "She Ain't Got The Boom Like I Do". I love you and miss you!!

I think Margarita winked at me today. I just pretended that I didn't see and kept my eyes on the road.

My uneventful day ended with a late-night Wal-Mart raid, and then a night spent in a rest-area. I couldn't see spending money on a hotel when I was planning on getting up early anyway. So I tucked the girls away in the back seat and slept in the uncomfortable front seat. Aren't I a gentleman? I gave them the best spot in the truck. I will say that I don't ever remember a time in my life where I could see so many stars. It was absolutely incredible. Almost like a dream.

So no new pics to add as of yet. But, tomorrow I will be driving Route 66! I can't wait!

Road trip day 1, part a, mile 0, Abita Springs, La

OK. So I worked 1/2 day today and now I'm leaving to head west. Since my wife was unable to join me, I was looking at 9 days on the road with no one to talk to. But alas, thanks to Pam and Melissa I have this great picture of them two, plus my wife Lynn, in this fantastic frame that I can only describe as a "work of art". We all know that the term "art" can be interpreted in many different ways. Some people think throwing poop on a canvas is "art". Well, more on the origins of the frame will be forthcoming. I decided that I needed to give the two kissing doves some much needed names. That way when I need something, they will know who I'm talking to. Since it is much more fun for me to think that these kissing doves are female, I named them "Ineeda" and "Margarita". I will chronicle their travels and hopefully be able to post something every night. So Lynn, Pam, Melissa, and Ineeda-Margarita are ready to hit the road. As you can see from the pic, I always think "safety first". They are buckled up and brimming with excitement. To bad you can't see their faces just yet, but trust me they are smiling. When it is safe for me to remove the seat belt you will see that I am speaking the truth. Stay tuned for our great adventure!

Random thought for 2/19: I think the American Indians got screwed!!!

Let's get this party started!

Well, before I get started there are a few things you should know about me:

1. Although at times I'll be writing "serious" things, don't take me too serious. I have a dry sense of humor and love to spread it around. My wife doesn't get it sometimes, but I keep trying.
2. I was not an English major and have not attended an English class since college...about 20 years ago. So chances are you will find grmmatical errorrrs, commas, where, they, should, not be, or just plain run on sentences that just keep going on and on like there is no tomorrow and might get quite boring and...you get the point.
3. I love traveling and taking pictures. I also love to write, I just have not done a lot of it in the last few years. I plan to share my travel adventures and perhaps some history or stories behind what I find. My goal is to take traveling, photography, and writing to another level. I figure I'll get started here.
4. To me, any experience whether good or bad is worth sharing with others. You never know who has the same interests as you. Hence, I'm putting all this out on the web for a kagillion people to see instead of in a notebook that someone may find after I die.
5. There are so many things I wished that I had written down. Especially in the months following Hurricane Katrina. I can't remember much of that now. Heck, I can't remember to take out the garbage most of the time.
6. From here on out, I'll try to post something every day. This blog is an outlet for me.
7. I'll always end each posting with a personal opinion, recommendation, diss, or whatever. It may be a restaurant, movie recommendation, favorite website, or who knows what.

Since I am leaving Thursday (2/19) for my road trip out west with my "special guests" (no, it's not Mr. & Mrs. Claus - inside joke to my friends) I'm going to really kick things off then. Unfortunately, I don't know if I'll have internet service where I'm staying along the way, but rest assured I'll have some things to post for each day. I know that each of you are sitting on the edge of your chair just waiting for me to post something. There there, it will be alright. I will whet your appetite in due time.

Random thought for 2/17: I'm not sure why I love the movie "Cast Away" so much, but if you don't want to sit through a couple of hours watching a guy stuck on an island I highly recommend the last 15 minutes or so. Tom Hanks gives a great speech about never giving up hope when things seem hopeless. The words didn't really sink in until the second or third time I watched it. I consider it to be one of the best speeches I've ever heard in any way, shape, or form. I also like the area of Texas where the first and last scenes were filmed. The ranch house is actually a working bed & breakfast, and the "crossroads" where he stands is in the Texas panhandle just south of Canadian, TX. Yes...I am a nerd.

Welcome to my blog!

Hello world. Welcome to my world...as I see it. From my daily activities, to my travel adventures, to tracking down the "gag gifts" that change hands amongst friends (more on that later), you can find it all here. I'll try to update this blog daily, but hey, I'm a busy man so...gotta go for now, but much much more to come later.