Early on in my JU experience, I wrote a blog on hate, and how I refuse to hate. The Emperor of Ice Cream rebutted me, saying that we all hate, and that I should embrace it (rough, ROUGH paraphrase!). As with many of Emp's views, it was cynical, but had a ring of truth to it. Because if you believe in an absolute good and an absolute evil, then there are things that it is virtuous to hate. I try to define myself as a man of peace for many reasons. I've seen more conflict than most, and I've se...

I marvel at the definition too many people have of hard work. They look at the construction worker, the roofer, the plumber, mostly blue collar trades. And to so many others, they turn their nose up at what they're doing. Doctors, lawyers, and white collar workers are often loathed because people see the fine trappings (the nice clothes, houses, cars) as evidence of a life of leisure, a life they somehow didn't earn. And don't get me started on the attitude towards our athletes. Yet, who work...

OK, despite the fact that I am not convinced that mankind (especially in the United States) is the significant cause of global warming, I am among those who take environmental stewardship seriously. So I decided to check out yahoo!'s new "green" category, and take their little carbon footprint calculator ( http://green.yahoo.com/?q=calcResults ). What a load of baloney that was. In the first place, I've taken other, better carbon footprint calculators, and the difference between theirs and ya...

(should be posted in "Writing", but nobody actually READS those posts!). Backstory: My song "Easy Annie" opened up the floodgates. I put together three songs in the last 24 hours. These are still "baby songs"; they ain't learned to walk yet, but I'm proud of them. This is the third of that series (I'll post the second if this actually gets read). For those who don't know, Okemah, Oklahoma was Woody Guthrie's birthplace: I was just 18 years old On a hot and dry Kansas road Carrying a heav...

This one needs a little background: A friend of mine came over to see the Woody Guthrie Center. It's been a great week on the creative front, being able to work together on artistic ideas. We collaborate well together, which is something I have needed for a long time. Someone to drive me musically, to feed my muse. The other night we headed out for drinks. Being how yet another friend was buying, we drank red bar (which, we decided, only needed cheese to suffice as "liquid pizza"), and san...

OK, I'm tired of this. Sometime ago I was challenged by a certain individual on the text of the second amendment. I contend that it reads as follows: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. This particular individual contends that it is much longer, and that all texts available on the Internet are wrong and that we have been duped by a government that will not allow us access to o...

Last October, when we re-upped our cell phone contract, we opted for the emergency roadside assistance on one of our phones. We figured that it was worth it to have that extra safety net when we are on the road. This past weekend, we went to Okemah, Oklahoma, and the big Woody Guthrie Festival there. On the way home, we were stricken with a case of car-wouldn't start-itis. First in OKC, but as we lumbered out, the alternator was working, albeit intermittently. We were hoping it would be just ...

For those of you who don't know, I went back to school last fall to get my Associate's in Computer Technology. My long range goals are to get my Bachelor's in Business Administration, then head on to law school. Well, the first summer semester's out of the way, and I have no classes scheduled for summer 2. I'm going to knock out a few certificates over the "down" weeks (for me, there are NEVER "down" weeks...I'll also be working up the October Woody Guthrie tribute, so the devil won't have an...

(Note: The following is work product that I may or may not use at a future time) Over the years, I've worn many hats. I've been (in no particular order): a groundskeeper for a cemetary, an office assistant, a dishwasher, a bus boy, a fry cook, a factory worker for a fireworks company, a printer, a fast food restaurant attendant, a car wash attendant, a factory worker for a crutch factory, manager of group homes, stockboy at a WalMart, an underground miner, a plumber, a paperboy, a suppor...

<a href=" http://bbspot.com/News/2003/01/os_quiz.php"><img src=" http://www.bbspot.com/Images/News_Features/2003/01/os_quiz/os2_warp.jpg " width="300" height="90" border="0" alt="You are OS2-Warp. You're plagued by feelings of abandonment and disgust for your backstabbing step-brother.  Oh, what might have been."><br>Which OS are You?</a> "

As the headlines of the sports sections around the country focus on Barry Bonds' chase for the AMERICAN home run record (Japanese baseball fans do not need to ask why the word "American" is in caps!), it is only natural for people to have a sour feeling towards professional sports. After all, Bonds has been cast, rightly or wrongly, as the epitome of the selfish athlete, and there are many who do not want to see Hank Aaron's record fall. And so, it is even more stunning, more beautiful when w...

It has sat there on the shelf for allmost ten years. Since before I played guitar, long before Texas. It has haunted me, jeering at me in my creative hours, begging to be finished, begging to be made whole so that it can be the masterpiece it was meant to be. "It" is a song I started years back. A song based on a fantasy of a chance meeting with an old folksinger (a la Woody Guthrie/Bob Dylan). Onlly in my song, the old folk singer has given in to the ravages of alcoholism and age, and the ch...

Tonight was our Friday night jam session. For those who've kept up this week, I put together song lyrics I'm pretty proud of ( Link ), and when I went in to the jam session, I pulled a couple of friend aside. I've never really written music before and needed a little help. As I sang the song a capella, we decided that it works best in the key of "G". We put together some rough tablature, with a little trial and error. The chorus begins in "C", and the arrangement is pretty simple. I decided ...

I don't put my poetry out much, but this one I think you'll like. It's a song lyric, really, and it works with the tune I have in mind. It's a rough draft, but the basic idea's there (and the chorus is done): Superman Sleeps with Winnie-the-Pooh Superman in his caped pajamas Is running through our hall He can leap over tall buildings Though he’s only two feet tall When the night is late He falls asleep in my hands He’s not afraid of the big T. Rex But he’s afraid of the boogeyman ...

This week in our free time, my friends and I have been sorting through our haul from last Saturday's auction. Things were off to a good start when a high number of items had a good resale listing price on half.com. Even better on Sunday when our first sale came through. Followed by another on Monday. Then three today. In three days' time, we have nearly doubled what we spent at auction (although gas must be accounted for), from the sale of five books. Five books, it must be noted, out of TWELVE ...