Travel, travel and more travel
Category: Life

OK, most of my travel has been for work....Carmel, Chicago, Philly and soon to be Omaha. 

But tonight I find myself in my "wish it was mine" rented motorhome.  We left Tuesday later than we wanted but earlier than was expected from New Richmond.  I had a goal of getting somewhere between Alexandria and Fargo.  Thanks to Ashlie being a dork in the co-pilot seat, I nade it to Fergus Falls by 1:30.  Amazing given the day I had and even more amazing since I overdosed on "put me to sleep" medicine (a.k.a. McDonald's) way back in Rogers.  I cannot believe I made it that far.

I got up and was motoring by 8 and through North Dakota, well situated tonight in Billings, MT.  845 miles from home and 667 miles traveled today.  We took an unexpected detour to Teddy Roosevelt National Park in ND which is similar to the SD Badlands but more green and apparently 50 million years older.  Very pretty landscapes.  One National Park down, 4 more to go!

Tomorrow we head 7-8 hours to Sandpoint, ID to catch Robert Earl Keen and Restless Kelly perform.  Friday will find us moving thorough the remaining 7 hours of travel to Elma, WA where grandma lives.

Now, let's pray.  Dear god.  Please let me win the lottery with the ticket I bought in MT so that I can buy one of these, retire and travel around the country.  This is the life. 

More to come this week.  I plan to post some pictures of the journey.

Lyle

11:26 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Good Book!
Category: Writing and Poetry

I just finished another book.  It was certainly not as good as the Brian Freeman books but it was a close second.  Remember, Lyle-boy (a.k.a. Big Sexy) is not much of a fiction reader.  He is, well - geeky or something and likes biographies, books about space travel (non-fiction), etc.  Lately, on a roll reading 3 consecutive works of fiction.

I loved the Freeman books so much that I asked at Borders what else would be like them.  The book mistress said there was another local author named Roger Stelljes that just released his first novel named The Saint Paul Conspiracy. 

This book is set, obviously in St. Paul.  That was a very cool feature being so familiar with that turf.  Even when he renamed a bar or eatery such as the "Grand Filet" you knew it was Tavern on Grand.  The only dissapointment was the lack of spins, turns and twists.  It was like sliding down a hill in winter.  You push off, you know you could hit a tree or a fence but ultimately, you go down hill.  This book was like that.  Now if our hero, Detective Mac stars in another edition, I'll be sure to pick it up.  The book was good and I would give it 4.5 stars out of 5.  I take a full point away for the lack of twists but since this was a first novel and the geographical and cultural references were spot on, I give .5 back.

Check out this book!  It is an easy read and you will like it!

8:34 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Gas Scam!
Category: Writing and Poetry

I know have not been blogging.  I know when I do it should be interesting.  This probably is not interesting!  I can't go without saying something.  I just wish it did more good than it ever possibly could....

I log on to startribune.com tonight and I see the lead story where flooding ins Kansas is to blame for gas prices going up.  The expected peak is $3.50 per gallon by the weekend up 50 cents per gallon in a week.  Flooding in Kansas THIS week, affecting the price of gas that was made months ago.  Someone hiccups in a refinery today and gas goes up $.75 tomorrow.  How is the hell is that possible?

This is the US of Frigging A.  I don't care what they have paid in Europe for the last 5 years.  I live here.  We are number 1.  We have the power.  We have resources.  Yet, somehow, I pay $3.50 a gallon for gas because some podunk factory in Kansas had a flood.  Does this little flood really warrant 50 cents more for every friggin gallon?  Why is it that Texas has cheap gas?  Is it because bastard ass bush is from there or because they have gas to spare?  If it is gas to spare, ship some to Minnefuckinsota so I don't have to pay $3.50 a gallon.

If some jackass comes out with a story that there might be a hurricane, gas goes up a quarter tomorrow.  If some hack reporter says we might have a drought, gas goes up a quarter tomorrow.  If some shit might go on in Nigeria, gas goes up a quarter tomorrow.

Do we get our gas from every mickeyfricken refinery in the world?  How can EVERY one that has a flood, a civil war, a drought or a hurricane cause a raise at the pumps here?  Better yet, how can the threat of a flood, a civil war, a drought or a hurricane cause my gas to go up $1?

Don't even get me started on how much the oil companies are making.  Record profits.  Someone is screwing America.  Is it Bushy?  Is it the oil companies?  Is it all of the above?

When will we as Americans stand up to this bullshit and not take it anymore? 

Ok....that's it.

Lyle

8:15 PM - 1 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment

BOOK!! Must read!!
Current mood: sleepy

Wanna great book?  Did I mention in a previous blog about the book I read by Brian Freeman? The first book of his that I read was actually his second book but I did not know that.  I just finished his first book and WOW....they are both really good.  Book one is called IMMORAL.  Book 2 is called STRIPPED! 

They are both very well written, set in Duluth, MN and Las Vegas, NV.  GOD there are twists that you don't see coming.  Anyway - I highly suggest reading these.  Coming from someone that prefers biographies and dorky books like "Popping Up Across America" (has nothing to do with getting a boner Andre before you even suggest it).   anyway - coming from someone that likes that kind of book, I really really really liked these.

OLD FRIENDS:  I was in Fleet Farm the other night and I heard a voice.  I knew the person before I even saw him.  I sang with this guy at UMD in choir on 2 tours.  He played drums also and played bongo on "Keep Your Lamps" which is a great spiritual.  So after all these years, he lives in New Richmond like me.  It is truly an odd, strange yet small world. (But I wouldn't want to paint it ---Steven Wright)

2 weeks ago, I went to Aitkin for my HS Choir Directors retirement party.  It was very cool - so many people from 40 years of teaching.  He was a great conductor and set me up to succeed in college choir and be able to tour in Europe, sing in Carnegie Hall, etc.  I saw some old flames and some that I wish were old flames.  I received my senior yearbook from one of them that I have never had in my posession - just 18 years after graduation.  Shit...I am old.  Sure was fun to get the yearbook and see what some wrote!  Rachel Kellerman had the hots for me.  VALUABLE information 18 years ago.  Has the Statute of Limitations run out on that yet?

OK - enough for tonight.

Adios~
Lyle

10:00 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Billy Joel at 58
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

Well, blazed home from NY on Wednesday to get to the Billy Joel concert.  6th time for me and never gets old.  Speaking of getting older, it was Billy's 58th birthday too.  We all sang Happy Birthday to him.  He was so happy he flipped off his band with both fingers!!

Overall, not the best Billy Joel ever but always better than seeing some loser like Chris Daughtry.

SETLIST

1. Prelude: Angry Young Man

2. My Life

3. Everybody Loves You Now

4. The Entertainer (his not Joplin's)

5. Ballad of Billy The Kid

6. Allentown

7. Zanzibar - great Flugel Horn!!

8. New York State of Mind - Lyle's highlight #1

9. Maple Leaf Rag / Root Beer Rag - Absolutely worth the price of admission.  I have been trying to learn Root Beer Rag for 6 years and have only dreamed of hearing him play it. 

10. Movin' Out

11. An Innocent Man

12. Don't Ask Me Why

13. She's Always a Woman

14. Keeping The Faith

15. The River of Dreams

16. Highway to Hell (Chainsaw sang it - guitar roadie - excellent)

17. We Didn't Start The Fire

18. Big Shot - done Eminem / Rapper style with a Twins hat on backwards - classic!

19. It's Still Rock & Roll To Me

20. You May Be Right

Encore 1

Song 1.  Scenes From an Italian Restaurant - another highlight!

Encore 2

Song 1. Only The Good Die Young

Song 2. Piano Man

He interjected funnies - slipped songs in, pretended to be Bob Dylan.  Overall - another great Billy Joel performance.  I wish he toured every year!!

That's it for now~

Lyle

3:02 PM - 5 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Blackout this!!

You know, sometimes things just piss you off.  Tonight....I wanna watch the Twins home opener.  (RIP Herb Carneal....)...anyway, I see that ESPN2 has it in HD.  Remember what I said about HD being a curse?  Well, I want to watch in HD!!!  HD was made for sports!  The ESPN HD feed was blacked out in my area because lame ass "My 29" WFTC Channel 29 had the game on locally.  Fine - let me support local announcers and local advertising....but give it to me in HD.  I tried - I really tried to watch in lame-o 480p but I could not do it.  Is this how it is gonna be all year?  Letdowns except when the Twins are the once in 100 games "sunday night game of the week"?

OK - enough ranting. 

Vacation - let's talk about that.  We are headed to Seattle (Elma) in August to see my grandma.  As long as we are out there, we are going to stay in the area, see Seattle, see a Twins/Mariners game which coincidentally happens when we are there (which is nothing short of a miracle given the unbalanced MLB scheduling system) and head down into Oregon.  We plan on seeing Mt. St. Helens on the way to Crater Lake National Park.  Then, probably onto the Redswoods National Forest in northern CA.  So where to fly out of?  Sacramento?  (boring) or Reno (YEAH!).  But if I fly from Reno, I have to fly through Salt Lake on puddle jumper Delta planes and Jess will probably puke on the CRJs.  But...gotta see Reno!  Vegas is too far - although it would be worth the drive.  It has been 2 years since we have been to Vegas.  SERIOUS withdrawl.  Last year, went on the LTCG Destination Excellence trip to Puerto Rico and this year, built a home theater with the April trip money.  So, Reno for a couple of days sounds like a nice alternative.

NOW....to my faithful blog readers....yes, both of you.

WHAT....should we see?  What is great in the NW between northern CA and Seattle?  I am relying on you....

tAtA4now!

Lyle

8:32 PM - 3 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Where does time go?

You know - I really had higher intentions for this blogging thing.  I really do have a ton to say.  Just stop my at work, or on the street or at lunch...plenty....to say.

So - since then.....For the first time in many years, we decided against a spring vacation and put our tax money to work on a new home theater.  I may never leave home again.  92" in HD with 7 channel surround does that to a man.  No Andre, I have not watched porn on it yet.  I did as Jessa wanted and hid all of the "ugly black boxes" a.k.a. components that make it all work in the cedar closet.  It is all controlled with one RF remote.  Wires are all hidden - it is beautiful.

What else?  Jake has had 2 rounds of "hydrocele".  Look it up.  Ouch.

I missed a full week of work with pneumonia.  Wow.  Kicked my arse big time!  I have not missed 5 days of work ever.  2 at the most.

Reading...well, I read "Here's What We'll Say" which was written by Reichen Lehmkuhl and was about being in the US Air Force Academy and being gay.  Not my usual book but he was on Howard Stern and it sounded good.  It was a decent read.  It solidified my hunch that I have no business in the military - not because of my sexuality (no matter how I write this, it comes out wrong) but because of the tear you down, torture you, beat the hell out of you bullshit that he wrote about.  I don't know how it is healthy.  I am nearly finished with Brian Freeman's second book called STRIPPED which is the rare diversion into fiction for me.  It is good - I cannot wait to find out the conclusion.  Even without finishing, I would highly suggest reading this book.

Well - now we sit and wait - wait for spring.  I am so sick of winter.  It has to end soon or I will need to be medicated.

Ta ta for now.

Lyle

9:25 PM - 3 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Movie Review!
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

I should have posted this sooner!  Friday night, we went and saw Eragon.  This was a fantastic movie!  My daughter read both books that are out at this time and was leary that at 99 minutes, it would leave too much out.  As expected, the book is better according to her but from my point of view having not read the books, this was fantastic. 

We saw it at the Marcus Oakdale Cinema which has an "Ultrascreen".  This is about 3 times larger than a normal movie screen and the sound was meticulously balanced (albeit a little loud) but the impact was outstanding.

About movie theaters....while if I had a choice, I'd go to a small-town, one screen theater (like the Rialto in Aitkin, MN), or even the local New Richmond theater.  For big city megaplexes, which do you like?  Carmike, AMC, Kerasotes, Marcus?  Maybe this is best decided by category.

Screen/Picture
Between the Marcus Ultrascreen and the new DLP projection found at the Carmike, I think the picture is way better at the Carmike.  The large screen was good for the action scenes but was not as bright as the DLP.

Sound
I will have to give this to the Marcus.  Best sound mix that I have heard in a while althought it could have been the movie that made it so good,

Lobby/Ticketing/Service
Again, here the Marcus wins.  The Carmike staff could care less about serving you in a timely manner.  Marcus kicked their ass big time.

Concessions - Variety
Marcus wins again.  Everything was availalable from pizza to mini-doughnuts.  Popcorn was good and they have the flavor options for you like Carmike does which is a huge plus.  Gotta have that white cheddar on mine now!

Obviously, my comparison is between Carmike and Marcus because they are the closest theaters to us in the city.  Past experience with Kerasotes makes me think they are not any better. 

So, find the nearest Marcus theater and go see Eragon now! 

Byefornow,
The Orracle

10:11 PM - 1 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment

Some musicians....

Most of the people that might read this will say Robert Who?  Merry what?  I just don't care what you think!! 

BUT....the other day on my super fantastic only way to go in the world Sirius Radio, a Robert Earl Keen song came on.  It was Merry Christmas From The Family.  Great tune!  Then after it was over, I moved from Outlaw 63 to Roadhouse 62 and saw the same title.  This time by Montgomery Gentry.  Horrible remake of a song that DOES NOT NEED TO BE REMADE! 

What the hell is it with bands that cannot come up with something original on their own?  A cover here and there is OK but not when the song is perfect as it is!  Remakes should be reserved for cases when "Artist A" messes up a tune and/or does not release it.  Take Shameless by Garth Brooks.  Billy Joel wrote it, recorded it on Stormfront but never released it.  He did not do a great job recording it.  Garth, saw it, seized it and ran with it!  #1 hit and a great recording.

Now that I feel better, on to one more thing....

Today, after driving by it for 6 years, I stopped at Peter's Billiard's.  Drool came first, then I did.  Seriously, this was better than porn.  Games, pool. shuffleboard, home theater, poker and bars.  What else do you need in life? (besides your wife and family that might be reading this and would think I was a jerk if I put these things before them...).

All I need is lottery proceeds to fully shop that place where nothing (besides shuffleboard wax) is below $6,000.  Oh well, we can dream!

Sincerely,
The Orracle

1:55 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Happy Birthday To Me!

YOU SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY?

Yep - officially on the dark side of my 30s.  No worries though.  Had a great birthday and weekend though.  Friday went to lunch with a bunch of co-workers to Naar which is a Mediterranean place in EP which was quite good.  Friday night, had the XXL Slab o Ribs at Famous Daves.  Then, we went to Fleet Farm (The Man's Mall) and bought a 9' indoor shuffleboard table.  Technically not my birthday present but I think I am on the hook for something equivalent for Jessa's 36th next summer!  Went home, assembled it and played it.  Kids love it too!

Saturday was the official start of Christmas.  Bought a beautiful Scotch Pine (I'd rather have a Scotch Egg) that was the most lopsided thing behind the needles which required us to go buy a new tree stand to keep it from tipping.  A few f-bombs were let out while trying to stand this stupid thing!!  Jessa decorated it and it is stunning! 

Sunday was my day to catch up with laundry I was behind - yes, I am obessive about it - I know.  If there is more than a load waiting to be done I get edgy.  But by end of day, I had everything done including sheets and rugs.  I made Jessa and Ashlie my (in)famous eggs with the carmelized dijon onion and mushroom topping which makes me happy.  As much as I hated cooking at the resort, I sure love it now!  Sunday night we swam in the pool which was a little overheated (90 degrees) with the warmer outside temps!

Now, I begin the final run of December where I work short weeks to burn the extra week of vacation (I know Andre, you could care less) so I only will have the week to carry over.  Yes, that is right - as of now, still 85 hours of vacation this year for me.

This weekend watched Popeye with the kids (Robin Williams movie), National Lampoon's Going the Distance which was pretty damn funny and boxing with Jessa.  It was the perfect weekend!

8:39 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment