Oh how time flies when you're not blogging. I was a regular blogger, until I left my old job and started school. Honestly, there was little to post, unless if you wanted to know about grammar and such. You may be better off buying yourself a Warriner's then, but Max Morenberg has a good grammar book. Yeppers, starting to look like a teacher has been here . . .

OK, well other news.

Joe Hartnett and Megan Kelly got married, and should be back from Aruba sometime soonish...

Got to meet Kris Kelly's husband Jeff at the wedding. The wedding was totally fun by the way.

Got to hang out with the Seybert Family (Josh, Jesse and Jake) last week.

Made $2.06 busking last Saturday.

Meredith is off to Minneapolis in a couple weeks. Gonna miss her, but she's got a great opportunity ahead of her there.

Jim has moved out, and Marty Connolly has moved in to the place.

Oh yeah . . . and the Hookah Bars in South Side are pretty friggin cool! At least the one I've been to is cool. H-Kan in the 2200 block of Carson St. two doors up from Lava Lounge is cool spot to hang out. Especially if you want to be out, but not necessarily in a bar. It's like the beehive but different. They'll have food soon, and I hope they expand their drink menu. Stay non-alcoholic, or BYOB rather, I'll pay my "corking fee" but you need to get more than four types of tea. I have more than four types of tea in my house, and I don't consider myself a tea drinker. Four kinds of coffee, well sure.

I'll cut them some slack though... They've been open for four months, maybe five now, they're mostly focused on renovations, and getting something like a restaurant started to compliment the smoke. So picture this: some middle eastern food, then sit and enjoy a post dinner smoke of say, rose and jasmine or lemon or caramel smoke. It's not pot... ok? So many people, er dweebles, or whatever, walk by outside, hey nice bong man... some people never fail to not impress me. Anyways, go check out the H-Kan, it's pretty chill. bring a friend, maybe some beers. The staff is way friendly, atmosphere is chill. And Curt, you can smoke your cloves there. I think you'd dig it.

Books I've read: The Golem, Gustav Meyrink; Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Lynne Truss; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K Dick.

A good weekend overall folks. Yes, good overall.

Friday: Played some soccer at the Cost Center on Campus. I'm a bit rusty, and in need of some better turf shoes (I just bought some cleats!!!), but they do have indoor soccer too! YAY!!! Went to a luau at Dave and Casey's new place in Swissvale, pretty swankity guys. The idea was to dress Hawaiian, prizes given for best costume and such. I borrowed a lei, a big fake butt and grass skirt from Meredith, donned a black haired wig.
I was NOT trying to go drag.
I was going for the long-haired Hawaiian-dude look. Are there such creatures? If so, everyone there was apparently unawares. I figured the hairy chest would be sufficient, but I won best dressed female, was given cardboard hula girl, and a coconut bra. anyways it was lots of fun if nothing else.

Saturday: Got some rusty spots on my car worked on, painted and stuff... I hope they hold. Next is to get the handles fixed. Like three of them. I remember Dave telling me about having troubles with his Passat.

Dave (LaRose?) from Jack had a BYI party with about ten of us showing up. I brought the accordion and mandolin.

Sunday (Fathers dAy): This was the first one without my Dad, but all said and done, it went alright. I do miss him.

I have my basic agenda worked out for the next year: school thi ssummer and fall part-time. work part-time. Student teach in the spring. Get the certification and hopefully land a teaching job next fall. huh . . . next fall.

In lighter news, here's a little about the culture of Dude

go away for a week, and what happens?

Ronald Reagan dies, then Ray Charles dies . . .

but, there is good news: Movies in the park have started again.

My weekend in Gallup, NM was lots of fun, and this past week in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic was way way way fun. You can go really cheaply, stay cheaply and eat and drink cheaply. The people are all pretty friendly, and the country is really quite beautiful. I got a pretty good tan, although I'm afraid it's fading already!!!

If you do go, I recommend taking the Outback Safari Tours. Well worth the $$$ because you see a lot, learn a lot and have lots of fun. Our tour guide and driver, Greg and Sosa respectively, were awesome! I think it's standard on the tour to get served rum and 7 Up and/or some beers.

Getting ready to travel to Punta Cana, Domincan Republic.

Got my new swimming trunks, sunblock, aloe gel for sundried skin, clothes packed up, pretty much set to go.

I'll have some pics, keep your fingers crossed for more sun than rain. Right now it's looking like the other way around...

Visit the anagram page, and discover new stuff in your name:

Half of this is GIBBERISH, but Here are some cool ones for Matthew Dunegan -

A WANTED GENT HUM
A WANTED MEN THUG (Better look out!)
A WANED TENTH MUG
A WANED TENTH GUM
A TANDEM WET HUNG
A MANNED WET THUG
A GNAWED TENT HUM
A WANTED GEM HUNT
A WANTED MEG HUNT
A WANTED GENT HUM
A WANTED THEN MUG
A DAG THEN WENT MU
A DAG THEN NEWT MU
A DANG WHEEN MUTT (what did you call me?)
A HAD TEN WENT MUG
A HAD TEN WENT GUM
A HAD TEN NEWT MUG
A HAD TEN NEWT GUM
A HAD TENT NEW MUG
A HAD TENT NEW GUM
A HAND NUTMEG WET
A HADNT GWEN MUTE
A HADNT GET NEW MU
A WHATD GUNMEN ET
A WHATD NUTMEG NE
A WHATD NUGENT EM
A WHATD NUGENT ME
A MAD NUGENT WHET
A WHATD EM TEN GUN
A WHATD ME NET GUN
A MAD GENT HEW NUT
A MAD GENT NEW HUT
A MAD GENT WET HUN
A MAD GENT WE HUNT (paranoid much?)
A MAD GET WENT HUN
A MAD GET NEWT HUN
A MAD GET NEW HUNT
A MAD THEN NEW GUT
A MAD THEN NEW TUG
A MAD THEN WET GUN
A MAD THEN WE TUNG
A MAD TENTH WE GUN
A MAD HEWN TEN GUT
A MAD HEWN TEN TUG
A MAD HEWN NET GUT
A MAD HEWN NET TUG
A MAD TENT WE HUNG (Camping)
A DAM THEN WET GNU
A DAM THEN WET GUN
A DAM THEN WE TUNG
A DAM TEN WENT UGH
A DAM NET WENT UGH
A DAMN HEWETT GNU
A DAMN HEWETT GUN
A DAMN TWEEN THUG
A DAMN TWEET HUNG (penis size ? )
A DAMN GET WET HUN
A DAMN HE WENT GUT
A DAMN THE NEW GUT (mad about getting fat!)
A DAMN THE NEW TUG
A DAMN THE WET GNU
A DAMN THE WET GUN
A DAMN TENT WE HUG (lonely campers)
A WAND THEME TUNG
A WAND THE MEN TUG (masturbation)
A TAD WHEN MEN TUG
A WAD THEN MEN TUG (masturbation)
A TANGENT DEW HUM
A ANTHEM DUNG WET (Diarrhea song)
A HANG MUTED WENT
A HANG MUTED NEWT
A HANG MUD TENT WE
A WHANG NUTTED ME
A GUNMAN WHETTED
A TANG UNWED THEM (the girl that caused the divorce)
A GNAT MUTED WHEN
A GNAT UNWED THEM (or was it a bug?)
A WANG MUTED THEN (divorced men not getting any ... )
A WANG TUNED THEM (magical musical manhood)
A TAG WED MEN HUNT (label whores ... )
A HAM END NEWT GUT
A HAM END NEWT TUG
A HAM NUTTED GWEN (But she liked jim anyways ... )
A MATH NUDGE NEWT (always needed help with math... )
A MATH UNWED GENT (never did like artihmetic much ... )
A WHAM NEEDNT GUT (Some Advice)
A WHAM NEEDNT TUG ( " " )
A WHAM NEEDNT GUT ( " " )
A WHAM NEEDNT TUG ( " " )
A WHAM DUNG TENET (Shitty Philosophy)
A HAT DUNG ME WENT (drunken mistake)
A MAN DEW THEN TUG (
A MAN WED THEN GUT
A MAN WED THEN TUG
A MAW HUNTED GENT
A WANTED MEN THUG (again, best lookout for me)
HEADMAN WENT GUT
HEADMAN WENT TUG
HEADMAN NEWT GUT
HEADMAN NEWT TUG
HEADMAN WET TUNG
MAGNATE DEW HUNT
MEGAWATT HED NUN (Electric Sisters!)
WET HANGMAN DUET
HANGMAN DU TWEET (Bathroom Graffiti)
HANGMAN DU ET WET (Bumper sticker)
NATHAN TWEED MUG
NATHAN DE WET MUG
NATHAN DE WET GUM
NATHAN WED ME GUT
NATHAN DUG EM WET
NATHAN DUG ME WET
AD ANTHEM WET GUN
AD MEANT WENT HUG
AD TEAM WENT HUNG
AD MEAT WHEN TUNG
AD MEAT WENT HUNG
THE WET GUNMAN AD
THE NEW MAN GUT AD
THE NEW MAN TUG AD
TEAMED WANG HUNT (Bachelorette party)
EGAD WHAT MEN NUT
AGED MUTANT WHEN
AGED ANT WENT HUM
AGED WANT THEM NU (may december relations??)
MUTANT WE HANGED
HANGED TAUNT MEW
MUTE WANT HANGED
HANGED WATT MENU
GNAWED AT MEN HUT (Sounds gay ... )
WAGED AMENT HUNT (helped madge find her future hubby)
WAGED HUMAN TENT
THE NUT WAGED MAN (my current job)
ME HAUNTED TWANG (ghostly country songs)
DEATH TWANG MENU
DEATH WANG UNMET
DEATH MAN WET GUN
DEATH MAN WE TUNG
DEATH WANT ME GUN

And that's all i care to look at . . .

Here's a pretty cool video for teh song, Come Together.

And speaking of which, it was pretty cool to get together with Curt out in Gallup, NM.

Got to visit the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest (which is in the same huge park). Saw El Morro, which is a big bluff with some cool carvings on the sides, and some Indian ruins (Anasazi and Navajo?) on the top.

For those of you who dig fleamarkets, there;s a cool one in Gallup on Saturdays if yer ever out there.

Curt and Ann have a pretty sweet house, very colorful (Ro would be proud . . . ), with a deck out in the back, some swanky new furniture. The sad part of the trip was learning that poor ol' Buddha, probably the most chill cat I ever met, has since passed. He was much loved.

Some figures to think about in the formation of the west:

Geronimo, Quanah Parker, and Chief Manuelito.

Update from Gallup, NM

Flights in: ok. and good. always nice to have your sense of hearing once you land.

It's true.... it is a desert out here. I've seen cactuses. for really real.

and salsa

and some rocks.

No for real, toallay having funhere i gallup. it's awesome to hang with curt again. tooo bad ann isn't her. at least she's in italy though

oh yeah,i guess what can you use butt paste for? more than you'd imagine!

Courtesy . . . is it pase' these days?

What ever happened to replying to your friend's emails? Understandable if you won't respond to SPAMMERS, but what about your friends?
Your silence is equivalent to saying, "I'll email you when I am hard up for an erection, when I need to enlarge my breasts, or when I need a get-out-of-debt service."

Let me give you an example: This past January a 'friend' (notice the quotes?) sends me an email around the same time that my father passed away. They are of course oblivious to what's just happened in my life. "How are you? what's been going on? It's been a while, and it'd be great to talk with you, can't wait to hear all about the things you've been doing!" writes this person. So I respond with my news: My father's just passed, going through a lot but making it OK. How are you?"

And they wrote back: Nothing. Nada. Zippo. Zilch.

Now, to this person's credit, three months later, I got an e-birthday-card from said person. It read nothing more than 'happy birthday,' with a picture of a teddy bear holding some balloons or something. In January I suppose that person didn't know how to respond, what to say, etc.

But really, they should know.
Everybody should know (but especially someone who has also lost someone close, as they did. These are the people who surprised me the most . . . ).

When somebody has a significant life change, be it a birth, graduation, vacation, engagement, marriage, or death or whatever, you SAY SOMETHING to acknowledge said event, even if it sounds trite:
"Great to hear about your new kid!"
"Congrats on your graduation!"
"Good luck on the game show!"
"Hope all goes well with yer wedding plans!"
"I wish you the best in life together with your new spouse!"
"So sorry to hear about your Dad."

And when someone acknowledges this event/thing/whatever, you respond in kind, usually by saying "thank you."

When someone gives you a gift or a present, you say "Thank you" as well.

For the sake of these people who are consistently lacking in their manners and courtesy, I shall not list their crimes against courtesy nor shall I name them. Nor do I beg clemency from these misdemeanors. I am just reminding you, as I am reminded myself.

It is simple common courtesy.

*******************************************

On a lighter note, let me introduce you to Gunther. Listen to his song, and watch his video

Happy Birthday, Mr. T !!!

I went to the hardware store with Jim Hee last week, and vaguely recall seeing a short blonde chick and rocker type guy crossing the street as Jim was hitting the ATM on 18th and Carson. Ok, a not too uncommon sight in South Side, though eh? True enough, but Jim thought that she looked a lot like Drew Barrymore, and sounded kinda like her. He thought, nahhh couldn't be. Apparently the Strokes were in town last Thursday night, and apparently that guy who drums for them (who probably dresses like a rocker?) is dating Drew Barrymore. And after the concert, they went to Dee's. I helped Danielle take down the stuff set up in Art Space 303 last night and then went out to Pipers for beers.

In other news: Just one more reason why you should never do crack . . .

Every quadreplegic should have a monkey . . . I mean that with all due respect, but I'd think the breed of monkey is most important.

I'm getting stoked about travel plans,but a little worried that being away may hurt me in the job search. Keep yer fingers crossed for me . . . !

In the mean time, don't let yer kid leave his bike by the elephants

Starbucks has created an official entertainment position. My job search at the university is plodding along, although more slowly than I'd like it...

In more important news, are girls wearing sweaters around the hips a lot (ass sweaters)? or is this a Canadian thing? I haven't noticed it, but again it's almost summery out now!

this weekend was pretty cool. got some tix booked for my two vacay trips: Gallup, NM and Punta Cana, DR (Dominican Republic). friday night, i saw neko case at the world, and she rocked the house. what a voice, what... a ... voice...! Saturday, i went ot see Gabby and Autumn do their last show (how many last shows can people do? i thought only the Crawling Low Band did every show as their last show ... ) at the Gemini Theater. Sunday softball was excellent. And I watched The Whole Nine Yards last night after getting my first chocolate malt for the season from the Page Dairy Mart.

Today is Sea Monkey Apreciation Day! and how I wish I had known that yesterday, cuz we were talking a lot about sea monkeys...

This is the story of the cat with hands . . .

Apparently Blogger has been buys over the weekend.

Everybody is glad it's spring, and some folks are feeling their sap rising, so to speak. This is fine and natural, sometimes pleasant even. What is unpleasant is when people ignore boundaries. like the guy who accosted me this morning.

I'm on my way to work, almost to my building and i see this tall middle-aged guy, combover with glasses in a suit and tie approaching the other way. He looks like someone I know from the business school, so i nod to him, ahhh but then he speaks and I know it's not the guy I know from the business school. the dialog went something like this:

Strange man: "hey how are ya?"
Me: "Hi, I'm fine thanks..." and nod.
Strange Man: "You look really nice today, very spring-like ... "
Me (somewhat befuddled): "thanks... "
Strange Man: "how'd ya come to wear that outfit?"
thinking better of saying what immediately came to mind, Oh, my mother dresses me each morning, i simply said,
"I got up and got dressed, like i do every day."
Strange Man: "well you look so nice, like you'd cheer anybody up on a dreary day like today."
Me: "hhmmm ... "
Strange Man: "Where you off to?"
Me: "Work. I work right there." (I point to my building)
Strange Man: "Where do you live? here inPittsburgh?"
Me: "Yes"
strange Man: "Did you grow up here?"
Me: "Yes."
Strange Man: "Oh, really? Wherebouts?"
ME: "South Hills"
SM: " I know the South Hills, where?"
Me (I'm becoming a bit uncomfortable): "Mt. Lebanon" (I start feeling like i've given out way too much information to a stranger)
SM: "Oh it's very nice there. Did you go to High School there?'
Me (now definitely uncomfortable): "Yes."
SM: "Well, you look like must've graduated about 10 years ago. what are you, say 28 or 30?"
Me (Now quite uncomfortable): "Sure... something like that."
SM: "Say what's that you've got in your pocket? (Indicating my left pants pocket) Your wallet? your cell phone?" (And then he reaches over and tap-tap-taps the box of cigarettes n my pocket).
Me: "Cigarettes." (this, to my great joy, seemed to disgust him)

And at this point i've become so very uncomfortable, not only with the whole conversation but even just being near said Strange Man, and tell him:
Me: "I'm going to work now. Goodbye." And walked away.
Strange Man: "It was nice to meet you." and I continue walking nod and smile and dash across the street and into my building.

Let me be clear: I do not hate people who are old, gay, or Jewish (he was wearing a Yamuka (sp?) ). But I do feel awkward, flattered or not, when another man hits on me. Especially so when he gets in my personal space, and very very awkward when he reaches to touch me anywhere near my mid-section/crotch areas. I dont have a problem with walking away from an uncomfortable situation. I did not slug him, though I had thought about it.

My advice is two-fold . . .

1. Be polite, but don't be afraid to ask someone who suddenly asks you questions, tons of 'em, why they want to know so much about you. I should've asked him that, but i think I knew the answer already.

2. if you're trying to flirt with someone or pick them up, it's better to say something about yourself in additon to your barrage of Questions, rather than to interrogate them. Interrogation tends to make people feel like they're being interrogated, and like your up to something. If you feel like your being interogaed, feel free to ask, "What are you up to?" or "What's the point of all this?" If you're trying to pick someone up, dont get in their personal space, and DO NOT touch them, especially anywhere remotely near a personal zone. You're destined for failure and perhaps a black eye, broken nose or lawsuit . . .

A Dutch website dedicated to Air Guitar . . .

Hey, I'm looking to take some time off at the end of May, something like an extendo weekend . . . any suggestions for a trip? any takers on a road trip maybe? anybody want to go with? drop me a line and let me know what you think . . . .

So apparently rules #1 and #2 have been broken, but there is a Girl's Fight Club

What is this? Starbucks is bucking up to responsibility?

"Hey, Bob, working this flight undercover again? Let's hope it's a nice flight, eh?"

Open mic night at the Rex was kinda quiet, but it was cool to hang out with Marty and Madge and Renee and some of the regulars from down there. Not sure what was up with my guitar, cuz it sounded pretty jive, and the vocals allsounded mushed, and well not be a whiner but it sucks when the sound guy does sound for a bit ... and then leaves before you come up to play.

i'm not really sure what they're saying beyond say, some city names, but it's kinda funny. I'm not even sure why. It's just Japanese, after all.