Read a Ton

My new goal is to read the entire Affordable Care Act before it is struck down my the Supreme Court.

I wonder if I should read the provisions that might involve optometry first...

Sorry

Felt refreshed after coming back to work today. Still having some troubles in the breathing dept (stupid plants!) so my ability to exercise is limited. My problems are not that bad.

Kennedy asked a lot of questions regarding the individual mandate. Uh oh. Down goes the law? Down goes Frasier?

Wed is the third and final day of arguments. Only in the US Supreme Court is six hours of oral arguments a big deal. Clearly none of those bastards are married.

Sorry ladies

Got Alex registered for baseball. Picked up KFC for KJ so she didn't have to cook or do a dish during conferences. Read a ton.

Resting as a Necessary Evil

Supreme Court hears arguments as to why they should hear arguments against the Affordable Care Act, even though no one (as yet) has been injured by it. If someone is injured by it, at least they'll be covered by it.

For now

Left work at 9am and finished the most recent round of Kish edits. The book is basically done although I may continue re-writing and editing certain portions until next Feb because that's how I roll

very fucking slow

Sorry

Did a bunch of practical household management shit and tried to rest. Resting is a necessary evil. I am not totally fucked up from my allergies or whatever I've been stricken with as of late, but I feel the need to take it slow lest things get worse.

Kish Continues to be Finished

Finishing Kish. I'm really doing this. I'm really ready to admit what a half-assed person I am...in public. I wasn't even good at being bad.

Sad.

Kim and I stayed up late watching Mad Men. She said, "Not much happened in two hours."

No, no it din't.

Weird Going Forward

Dropped off the Rav at Illini Tire and walked home. Beautiful damned morning. I did not waste it. Worked on solo for Harvest Here. Not Dev, but not bad.

I am happy just to have the opportunity to play anywhere, believe me, this is not a bitch...but it is going to be weird playing without the Big D.

I'm just going to have to except the fact that things in general are just going to be weird going forward at this point in life. What're ya gonna do? Quit. Start acting like a fucking grown up?

I don't think so.

Confession, then Saturday 4:30pm Mass. Picked up Inbodens, did the Aldi shopiing and then enjoyed a delicious meal with my family. Bulls beat the Raptors in OT and then we all settled in for a late night Star Trek.

Cool

Practice and Second Guessing Begins

Thursday March 22

Spring sickness continues. For part of the day I left like ripping my face off and stomping on it. Took enough drugs to start practicing with OD for the May 12 gig. Now that sounds like the old me.


Friday March 23

Forgot the benefits of collaboration and it only took one practice to do it. I don't recognize the potential defects or problems with certain material when I play them myself. Sometimes all it takes is a look from Joe, Chris or D and I get a sense there is something in the material that isn't good, doesn't ring true or won't be interesting to an audience.

Most of the songs we will do with the GaH project will play but there is one in particular that deserves scrutiny and maybe replacement.

We live in a time and a place that says we should never second guess ourselves. I think that's stupid. When something is questionable, and that becomes obvious just by playing it once or twice with a trusted friend...there's nothing wrong with dumping it and replacing it with something (hopefully) better.

Sore, Not Sponsored

Sick - my springtime sickness has reared its ugly head and wrecked havoc on my...uh, ugly head. I hate having a red nose. I hate it even more when it is not because of whiskey.

Did not clean up the downstairs but Joe will understand.

Ate chicken soup and KJ roasted a delicious chicken. It was so flavorful it overcame my lack of taste buds. Fever. Took Advil.

Felt better.

This post, not sponsored by Advil. But thanks Advil.

Efficiency Machine

Wrote a bunch of shit about Romney, efficiency and what the Founders thought good government was...then I was too tired to copy it in the blog

St. Joseph's Day

Thank you Lord for the gift of Kimberly Jo in my life and in this world.

Iron Sushi

Friday March 16

Even though a pile of fucking work was sitting on my desk, I love coming back to the office after a day off. I just feel refreshed and renewed. I don't mind any problems under those conditions or angry phone calls or anything...

The birthday girl requested Once for Family Movie Night. It was a great choice. Even Alex ended up loving it.


Saturday March 17

Birthday girl wanted Alex and I to take her to Mike Ditka's in Oak Brook so we did. Met her parents there. Everybody had a steak or some sort of chop. Me? I had the sushi. What would Da Coach say? What would Samari Mike think? Ok I may be skirting dangerously close to being in trouble with some or all of the anti-defamation leagues.

Suffice it to say I hiked up my skirt and enjoyed my sushi with a Bloody Mike.

They were delicious.

Alex stayed up super late reading the Hunger Games. I will probably never read the books but glad to see he's found a book that has drawn him in this way.

Sunday March 18

Mass @ 8a. Came home for coffee, editing and a little Hit and Run in the background. I am getting excited for baseball even though it is very possible that the SOX have too many ?'s to be taken seriously by anyone other than a fool who loves them.

like me

They could control the AL Central if the Tigers have major injuries, the Royals get no starting pitching, Justin Morneau's head falls off and the Indians stay about the same.

All those things are possibly, but not too fucking likely.

Oh well.

Bike ride. Then more editing as I walked around Afton.

Drove out to Aldi but forgot the damned $$$!!!! What would Grandma Marge say? Had to run to Schnucks before taking the boy to trumpet lessons.

Editing late. Alex stayed up late reading the Hunger Games. He's reading a book for everyone and I'm writing another no one will probably ever read. At least the boy seems happy.

Hooky Bitches

Played hooky today - actually scheduled 6hrs off because I've been banging through a shitload of boxes. When we, as a company, try to get caught up on some things it leaves me and the repair dept desperately behind.

But today was beautiful. Mailed the tax return and kept a receipt with tracking info on it. It's not that I don't trust my country or the post office, it's just...

I don't know what it is.

Post office, ran to HyVee then golfed Worked on Kish (the book part) and edited an entry entitled, "Brewskies" which proves I was as much of an asshole back then as I am today. Somethings never change.

And Bruce Hornsby still sucks.

Put tubes in my Fender Deluxe Reverb amp. It's like having an old friend back. Thanks and much love to a dear friend for giving me this beauty, all those years ago.

Thrush

More testing and checking and shipping. Poor Alex stayed home from school today. He's got some weird fever thing and a throat infection. He looked better by the time I got home.

Weird All the Time

Great news! I just learned that Thursday is officially 'The Day After Pi Day, Cake Day' at work. It's for people who don't like pie or math. Very egalitarian that.

Tons of shit came from our friends in MN. I was all about receiving logs, Fed Ex boxes, saying "check" and "test" and stamping and copying invoices. My job can be techie and old timey at the same time, and weird all the time.

Floating Notes

I was reading the Communist Manifesto, but then I cheated and looked at the end of the book. The bourgeois did it.

Maybe Das Capital has more intrigue but I doubt it. Considering those books together, for someone like me is even less thoughtful than the time OD and I watched the Postman to see if it helped make sense of Waterworld.

Don't worry, it didn't.

Played Oak Crest tonight. Floats and Notes. Kim and Alex handed out the root beer floats while I manned the accordion and was in charge of the notes.

I rocked the hizzouz!

Ok, I did not rock the hizzouz.

It's Not My Default

Friday March 9

"Greek debt swap" isn't as dirty as it sounds.

It's dirtier.


Saturday and Sunday March 10 - 11

Busy, so busy that I don't have time to write about any of it. It was fun. It was frustrating. I managed to stay sober even tho I drank a bottle of white wine at a dinner thing.

Someday, I want to go here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthiessen_State_Park

Stupid Magic, Stupid Heat

Gotta remember to break down my boxes. Long story. Just a reminder to myself.

Went to Sugar Grove. Picked up an amp for OD to use at my place. We may start practicing as early as next week. Excited and nervous about trying to put something together for a live show. It won't be the same without D but at least it is something. I am lost without having a music project.

This will probably not become something more permanent and I am fine with that. I love these guys and none of my musical ideas are worth being a dick or worthy of me being bitter in any way.

Good to see Chris and Eli. That guy is just babbling and babbling and stringing a bunch of cool sounds together - amazing to see his growth. Eli is doing fine as well. Seriously, Chris is a great daddy and it looks like fatherhood agrees with him.

Came home and had a late dinner with my crew. The boy and I watched the Bulls lose to Orlando. Stupid Magic and stupid Dwight Howard for not wanting to come and play for the Bulls. Fine, ya big jerk. The Bulls don't need yer ass!

Uh, unless they want to beat the Heat.

Stupid Heat.

Potato Chips

These poindexters in Batavia trying to find the Higgs boson particle claim that once they find it, we will understand why things in the universe have mass. I don't know about the universe but I know why things have mass in America -

Potato chips.

Returning to Super Tuesday (not travelling through space in time like high speed particles but just like a guy writing in a blog)...even though I find Ron Paul to be a silly little twit, I thought it was kind of punk rock that while all the action was happening in Ohio or Georgia or wherever, that little shitstain was dribbling his empty paean to "no government" in Alaska. Cute.

I couldn't tell if the audience was chanting: "Ron Paul! Ron Paul! Ron Paul!"...or: "It's cold! It's cold! It's cold!"

Maybe it was a little of both.

Ended the day with Alex on the couch watching D Rose put on a Popeye face after nailing a game winning shot with 0.00's on the clock against the hapless Bucks. Poor Skiles. Here's hoping the next team that hires him has some hap.

Super Tuesday and Shit

Super Tuesday is in the books and Mitt eked out a win in the only big state in question - Ohio. Even if Santorum managed to get Ohio Catholics, undecideds, and Newt-Romney haters (sorry Michele Bachmann fans) to coalesce behind his sagging campaign he wasn't properly registered in key counties to secure enough delegates from the state to help him win the nomination.

Even if the poor bastard won he wouldn't have won.

In his last big Ohio speech before Super Tuesday, Ricky (I call him Ricky) said, "This race won't be won with money."

That's exactly why the poor bastard is losing.

Saw NK after work. We are actually going to mail the tax return this year to deal with my one little exception. It's easier that way.

Sent my life insurance payment. Kim is next. Hopefully she is not planning some Double Indemnity shit on me. If she is, Edward G. Robinson will nail her ass!

I was born to be worth more dead than alive.

Dewey Defeats Putin

Russian election results are in. I guess I'll have to throw away my early edition of the Chicago Tribune that says: "Dewey Defeats Putin"

Boy they've got a shitty correspondent over there. The reason? One word: vodka.

Sorry. That's my reason.

Actually I don't drink vodka since I've become a less dangerous drunk. Bully for me. I suck

Finished organizing my oh so exotic tax papers and called NK. Hopefully we can get together tomorrow

NOT THAT YOU SICK BASTARDS!

If my tax guy can't deduct it, he's not interested.

A Dick on Good Behavior

Friday March 2

Worked late and did not do the Aldi shopping. Everything was sloppy and snowing and just yuck. I am not complaining about the weather but it was a great excuse to stay home, chill out and do some writing before Family Movie Night. All good.


Saturday March 3

Alex and I visited my parents in Lockport and Kim made everyone a big dinner @ Al and Judi's. Kim and I did a lot of grousing at each other this weekend. It was mostly my fault. I am the head grouse...and a total dick.

I was a dick on good behavior though. Al offered me a Manhattan and I said, "Well, I told your daughter I would give up the brown liquor during Lent."

Then he asked, "So, do you want a Martini?"

Hilarious


Sunday March 4

Kim went swimming at 6am, came back up and got us all up in time for 8am Mass. My lady rocks. Drank three glasses of wine last night along with the mosta and lasagna soup. Feeling a little blubby this morning. Damn.

Alex and I had our feast as we watched the Knicks and the Celts play their meaningless little game. I love D Rose and the Bulls, but unless something drastic happens it is all about the Heat in the East. Stupid Heat.

Alex had friends over and I did a ton of editing. Mrs. P kept the house humming right along. She is really in a good place, kicking ass and taking names. And getting a lot of laundry done...

Trumpet lessons with Garth. He's giving a recital on Tuesday at 8pm. I really want to take the boy but he has ISATs this week. They encourage the children to go to be at a decent hour. The problem at my house?

There is no decent hour.

Quiet Night, Good Night

More editing on the beginning of TINaM which is now and hereafter Kish. I'm sticking with the name, the new beginning works and that's all I have to say about that...for now.

KJ had book club so Alex and I hung out and watched Nova and Frontline with Cookie.

Quiet night
Good night