Building a Website.

That's what I'm up to these days--building a website to attract deaf clients to my massage practice. As I'd never done anything of the sort, beyond some primitive html adventures here on blogspot, I built the first model out of toothpicks. I was quite proud of the look, but it never would load. At all. So I did the smart thing, and moved on to sugarcubes. It gave me a lovely minimalist look, all in shades of white, but again, sadly, it would never load, no matter how emphatically I gestured.
So today I tried using software. I must confess that in some ways it was much easier. Some ways. More on this adventure later.

SHAME!! Another Random Image Post? Get Real!!

So, what we have today......a very old picture of me, hence the short hair, with the late Star kitty.........next up is a portrait of Brian I did many moons ago.......David Bowie as the Goblin King (the original source of my interest in contact juggling was this movie).......we have a spooky wee person peering out of a door--how can something so wee seem so menacing, I ask you......and we have evidence that tigers get really pissed when encountering underwater paparazzi.
I really suck at keeping track of where I gank my pictures from.

My Image Hoard

I have an embarassing number of pictures saved on my hard drive. I see something on the web, and I add it to my picture file. I save pictures for a variety of reasons, but the important point is my reluctance to part with an image once it's been "save to"'d.
Thats a rambling, cowardly, overly verbose, avoidant, stalling,silly,foolish, rapidly growing tiresome way of introducing a "Random Images From My Picture File" post that mostly gets me out of having to compose anything coherant. Or correctly spelled.
Above we have a card for playing "Hipster Bingo" with --win valuable prizes (in Austin it's like fish in a barrel)......."Pickman's Model" from the Night Gallery television series--a childhood favorite..........there's a drawer overflowing with cat (I disaprove--you should always fold your kitty neatly before putting it in the drawer)(just kiddding--really--it's a sick joke, don't hurt me, Kurt)......also pictured is an evil horrifying robot, similar to the one that made my first christmas so traumatically memorable (twitch).....and then we have the H.R. Giger as Norman Rockwell (or versa visa). I have some nice pictures in my collection, too.

Just call me "South Park"

I received the name 山市 (Shan Shi) in 2003 when I took refuge and became a buddhist. I only just became curious as to the meaning. After following various translation threads (I still haven't heard back from the gent with the same name that I e-mailed), I found a site that translated the characters thusly:
山 (shan) mountain, hill, peak,rising
市 (shi) town, market, city, fair
so, "Mountain town" would be a fair choice......as in "redneck mountain town" of the song in "South Park-Bigger,Longer, Uncut". Suits me better than "rising market", "peak market" or
"hill fair".
I kinda suspect I was given the name because Austin is a very hilly town. These things are supposed to be humbling, BTW.

Going To The Movies With Amber

Amber called me to see if I wanted to go see UnderWorld:Evolution with her. I said "yes", because
A: It's Amber
and
B: I like badass female heroes
So we (me and Amber and Justin) all went to the Alamo, because
A: It's in our neighborhood
and
B: They serve food and wine and stuff.

So here's what I think:
A: the movie was really noisey. There was stuff blowing up all over the place
B: the movie was really messy. The people who made the movie took lots of showers after they got home from work, I bet. Often, I wished I was able to offer Kate Beckinsale a tissue, or a wet nap.
C: Kate Beckinsale kicks ass. She is a real sport, as they got her really messy lots, as well as wet, and squished into an uncomfortable rubber corset. Also, she had to wear these dental prosthetics, and contact lenses.
D: The script allowed for a greater range of emotional expression for the heroine. In the first movie, she is all business, with a few subtle variations on the peeved and serious look. In the sequal, she was allowed a small half smile and a full on grieving breakdown (sort of)
E: Eating a yummy pizza during a confusing movie can both add to and detract from the experience. That's because sometimes you have to look at your food, and something will happen on screen that you miss. But it's ok, because you have a yummy pizza, and Amber plans on us getting the DVD and watching it until we understand it. So it's all good.
In conclusion, I think you will enjoy this movie if you go see it with Amber. If you can't go with Amber, try to find someone really really cool to see it with. That way, if you don't enjoy the movie itself, you have your cool friend to enjoy hanging out with. Either that, or get really drunk.

A Year of Existence for Other People

Other People have been in Existence for one year now. We are glad about that.
We get most of our hard news from OPE. Kurt writes good, but that may be because he has Todd to bring him coffee. Kurt writes, like, every day just about, and he brings us all the important news about space exploration, Brittany Spears, and pet costuming.
Here's to another year of hard hitting stories from a great American satirist.

Oh, The Horror! Oh, The Candy!!

This photo of a small boy, dressed as the grim reaper and swinging at a human shaped pinata puts me in mind of the story of the first pinata.......

The tiny village of Armargosa, now a ghost town in deep south Texas, was once a modest community in northern Mexico. The villagers were poor, and everyone looked out for everyone else. Life was hard, but by pulling together and sharing equally, they managed to survive with some dignity. The one flaw in the glass was Omar Pinata.Omar Pinata existed to serve as a horrible example. Parents would warn their children to behave, lest they turn out like the village disgrace. Omar pushed the bounderies of civic tolerence time after time, and the long suffering townspeople came to view him as a burden from the heavens, to be bourne with grace. Until one day.The tiny village was regionally famous for the statue of the virgin, donated by a wealthy tourist who was saved from savage indians by the village priest. The priest and the local tribe had an understanding--whenever tourists happened by, they would be "kidnapped" by the tribe, and then "rescued' by the brave man of god. This planned had a 100% success rate--it worked both times a tourist arrived in the tiny village. The first time resulted in the awe inspiring statue; the second time involved a travelling theatre troupe, so the village received a mild epidemic of venereal diseases. Anyway--the village's beloved image of la virgin was in need of a new mantle and robe. The poor but proud townspeople dug deep into their meager coffers, and gave all they could. When the collection plate passed in front of Omar, he grabbed it and ran out of the church, to the dismayed cries of his fellow citizens. Omar had become over confident of the town's tolerence of his antisocial behavior. As a body, the enraged townsfolk pursued the laughing Omar Pinata to the town square, where he was captured and immediately lynched by the furious congregation. Seeing Omar swinging from the one tree in the sqaure was not enough for the disgusted people, who gathered sticks and tools, and set upon the swinging corpse, beating it until the pockets burst, and all the stolen money spilled out into the town square.When the townspeople saw the happy faces of the laughing children, diving after the loose change and peppermints that had been in Omar's pockets, they realized that Omar had given them a great gift. In his memory they lynched a villager every year and stuffed their pockets, but when this started to have a negative effect on village morale the change was made to papier mache'. Just don't ask about the donkey shaped part. Horrible beyond the telling......

It Would Be Funny.........

Silver lining to the declining literacy cloud: you could quite likely convince your young alienated musician relative to name their band "Night Soil".

Pork Loin Au Taarzaan

Start with a nice pork loin roast. Now overspice the hell out of it by cooking it in your slow cooker with 2 cans of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, when 1 is really enough. Now that you have the nuclear pig meat (fatal to most humans that aren't me), thin slice it into pleasant bits.
Saute' the bits in much butter, with fennel seed and basil. Once saute'd to your liking, add heavy cream to just cover the whole mess, and simmer to reduce, blending the butter, spices and lingering pepper sauce (can be added to taste).

Birthday Bash Recap

Well, ya'll--the birthday piss up at Amber's was a resounding success (much thanks to Delta for his transatlantic mojo blessing--no hangover).
In attendance were (pictured) the incredible Amber (natch), the fabulous Dawn, the charming Alexis,the mysterious and deadly Nikki, as well as (not yet pictured) the totally astounding Vaia (profile in fabulousness to come), along with their mere mortal boyfriends and such. Amber's boytoy, the contentious and amusing Justin concocted his infamous party punch, besides springing for a keg. Jayzuz! Justin's sister, Jade (badass grrrrrrl extrordinaire) was in attendance, with her consort Scott, who demonstrated his prowess at liquid dance--ever so graceful, even in his cups!
My apologies to everyone I failed to mention-- it was quite a crowd, and so well behaved for as much ETOH that was available. I must now pour more coffee down my neck, and get ready to take Amber to her favorite dining establishment for a crab leg feast.
Upon reviewing this article, I admit to feeling a bit like a gossip columnist of old. huh.

BlogDay--We Turn 1!!

It's been a year now--thanks to all who've made this an enriching experience, as opposed to what I thought it would be--autistic self stimulation. I've made friends, learned some stuff, and had a great time venting ire, making jokes, and cheerleading. Here's to another year, and more regular updates.
The central photo is a still from my favorite movie The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra.http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thelostskeletonofcadavra/index.html

The fabulous and mysterious Nikki, pictured at right, had some good news for me-she tells me that "45 is the new 30". Look into those eyes, and tell me you have the stones to contradict a fabulous babe with a license to kill.

Happy 21rst, Nikki! Please use your newfound godlike power with discretion and taste, and remember--NEVER in the house!

Birthday report

Thanks to everyone for the kind wishes. I had a lovely day, start to finish, and there will be a party at Amber's home this weekend. At my repeated request, we are planning to have a pinata--nothing says "Happy Birthday" better than a blindfolded person swinging a stick at a paper mache donkey or such. Instead of the traditional filling of candy and small toys, we intend to fill ours with birdseed. The birds will enjoy it the next day, and imagine the surprised expressions from those expecting candy. That was my third choice of fillings--my second was cooked macaroni and cheese--also unexpected, not to mention messy for the person who actually bursts the pinata. Neither of these, however, can hold a candle to my original idea-- that was to fill the pinata with tiny winged pianos, that would fly out, all playing a different melody. At first, it would be a horrid, discordant noise--but as they disperse, it would be rather pleasant--unless one got stuck in your house, playing that tune you hate so much, over and over, like a cricket chirping under the fridge, crossed with having a tune stuck in your head. But something like that takes a bit more than a week to pull off, so birdseed it is.

.........ok, I know I have that idea around here, somewhere..........that brilliant idea I had for a post--you remember. When you said that thing, that thing that made me think of that other thing, and then my brain tied them together or something........jesus, I HAVE to organize this bloody place......I straightened up the house, I can do the same with the contents of my head, you would think.......aha! Here it is--no, damnit........let's see........vote for Mariana and Kurt, covered..........W sucks, covered.........groovy stuff I made,check........groovy stuff people gave me, check........erm......whatever that thought fragment I wrote when I should have been sleeping, double check............AHAH!!! HERE IT IS!! "Why I Only Blog When I Absolutely Have Something To Say". bugger

Yes, I DO answer to "Peter Pan", Thank you.....

I turn 45 this monday, January 9. This blog turns 1 year old 3 days later (that's the 12th--put your shoes back on). The fabulous Mariana--of blogdom's Gatochy's Blog--sent me this groovy little guy for my anniversary of being born. He came with his own little hatbox-like case. He totally rocks! Mega thanks, M!!
OK, now go vote!! Remember--Mariana for best European Blog, and Kurt for Best U.S. blog. The rest you must decide for yourself. http://2006.bloggies.com/
If you are getting tired of me stumping for these two, go freakin' vote already!!

http://2006.bloggies.com/

Congratulations to Mariana and Kurt!!

Our dear friends Mariana(Gatochy's Blog) and Kurt (Other People Exist) have been nominated for Bloggies! Mariana is up for Best European Blog (among others) and Kurt is Nominated for Best American Blog (and other categories as well). Please drop by http://2006.bloggies.com/
and put in your 2 cents worth--every vote actually counts, unlike a presidential election in the U.S.--but I digress into editorializing. Don't let stop you from clicking the link and showing your support for two of blogdom's best and brightest. What are doing still reading this? Go--vote!

Rube Goldberg Time in my Brain: I F***ing HATE the Film Sideways (which I've never seen)

Ok, convoluted logic ahead, fasten your safety harness.
You know about Rube Goldberg? I'll wait while you Google him if you don't.
Ok.
So.
I've spent most of today cleaning up after the messy death of a spoiled bottle of merlot. Looked and smelt a bit like someone maimed a small pig with an oversized chainsaw. All the hell over the livingroom I spent the last days of 2005 cleaning and rearranging. All except for this 4 foot square area atop the armoire. Fucking Achilles heel, that was.
So, I got up this morning, got caffeinated, and noticed that the door drape was hanging a bit crooked. Easy to fix, just get on the other side, and tug gently until it evens out. Yeah.
In the process, I caused the string of lights festooning my walls to fall, knocking over the forgotten bottle of merlot from it's hiding place atop the armoire.
Broken glass and spoiled red wine from one side to the other, on the walls, ceiling, computer, furnishings and my coffee mug. Me cursing with shock, disbelief and the kind of rage that mothers feel when you track across a nice clean floor that was only just mopped. I think I actually morphed into a childhood memory of my Ma. I wish I'd have thought to use the steam coming out of my ears to clean with.
So, here's why I hate the stupid wine snob movie Sideways:
All of a sudden, people who didn't give a fuck before are ashamed to drink merlot, because of some stupid lines delivered by some stupid character played by some funny looking actor. For fuck's sake.
A certain 20 something uber babe couldn't find the wine she likes, so she got some merlot, and SWORE me to silence, stating that I would certainly perish if I EVER told of her shameful indiscretion. At the end of the night, she hid her unfinished verbotten vintage atop my armoire. The rest of the story you know.
Silver lining: I now HAVE TO repaint the livingroom, so I'm going to do something cool. The carpet could stand to be replaced, too. They were both an unfortunate light shade of neutral off white mushroom--specially designed to show every micron of dirt. I fatally wounded the carpet about this time last year, when I opened my long neglected bass case. The revenge of the Yamaha-- the foam padding had decayed, and it dropped clumps of sticky black gunk that permanently discoloured all that it touched. Feh.
Oh, look--there's a spot I missed.

Welcome Baby 2006

Looks like it should be a very interesting year