Is it Friday yet?

Well... Tonight starts another season of American Idol. So of course, this means that the folks over at Vote For The Worst are gearing up for another great round of bashing the slop that judges inflict on us as finalists. The next few weeks are the most fun of any American Idol season... Seeing the idiots who think they can sing and the clueless look on their face when they are told they can't.... This is friggin cool! I want one of these in Houston! But instead, we just get this... I guess a year round water park is a good thing, but can you picture year round snow??? While thinking of things to do around Houston, there's always the Rodeo! Not that I'll be going, but some people seem to enjoy it... I went once after they moved out of the Astrodome, and decided that I will probably never go again. Reliant Arena just sucks... Anyway- Hope everybody is having a great Tuesday!

Monday Monday....

It was an interesting weekend. One that made me stop and think about where I hang out online. One that made me stop and think about why I started using Blog Explosion. I wanted traffic for my blog. Plain and simple. I wanted readers, and Blog Explosion did a great job of providing them. And I had a lot of fun there. New features came in all the time- The Battle of the Blogs, Blog Rocket, Forums, Knowledge, Shoutbox, Games... all kinds of things to make it so much more than just a basic traffic exchange. And I've had a blast being there and meeting the folks I've met. But today, I find myself asking why I am a member. And when you boil it all down- It's for the traffic. I blog so people can play voyeur on what's happening in my life. I like the little rush that I get when I see new comments on my page. I enjoy seeing what others are up to. It's entertaining. I like it when I win battles. I like most of the people who I have met in this journey. So today, I started thinking about how to get more traffic. I've been a member of a few other traffic exchanges for awhile, though I've never been very active at them. I was very comfortable with just hanging out at Blog Explosion. I still am, but I think it's time for me to branch out a bit and start seeing what else is out there for me.... So here are a few other traffic exchange places to visit: Blog Soldiers Blog Advance Blog Clicker BlogMad If you know of others, I'd love to know about them.... Now... how about something to play with? here's a site dedicated to ways you can Love your computer... Music past the 80's hasn't done much for me... and I think I figured out why. Where is the guitar in today's music? What is it's place? What ever happened to the guitar God? 100 Greatest Guitar Solos And one more thing.... I'm not a big coffee drinker. I think the existance of Starbucks is a sad look at life in the world today. But I might even hang out here... Kiss Coffeehouse

Sunday mornin'

I thought about a post for today.... I had all sorts of ideas... But then... I found this: Hooked on a feeling I don't think anything I say is going to top that, so consider this post finished.

Random thoughts on a Friday

First off... I want to discuss Blog Explosion's new chat box. They had an old Shoutbox that was a simple text based place that was fun to hang out in... They upgraded to a fully functional text/video/audio chat room. Great for them.... not so great for me. I enjoyed the old Shoutbox... I could slip in during work and chat... I could lurk and pop up when I felt like it.... It was set up in a way that i felt comfortable.... The new chat just doesn't do it for me. bells and whistles are great... And i know that progress is inevitable... But unfortunately, it just doesn't fit my current needs. So folks... I'm sorry, but I won't be as big of feature there as I once was... I hope everybody has fun with it. I'll pop in now and then to say howdy, but I just can't make it the home away from home it once was...... A little more about Blog Explosion.... Have you visited my new renter yet? It'd be great if you could go by and tell him guppy sent you. OK.... check this out... It's a replica of Space Mountain made with Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 (OK... I need this game now). Beauty and the Geek 2 started last night. It looks like it has potential to be a good season... It's too early to tell if it'll be as good as last time... we'll have to wait and see. If you missed it last night, they'll rerun it on Wednesdays so you can get caught up. OK... let's go in an entirely different direction... I posted awhile back about having squirrels in my attic... I haven't done anything yet to repair the damage they did to my soffet vents, but last Sunday when I was putting the Christmas decorations back up there, I decided to spread a box of mothballs around. I heard that they would drive them out, so I figured I'd try it out. The entire house smelled like mothballs after... On Monday or Tuesday, my wife informed me that there was a dead squirrel in the back yard. I wondered if he decided to eat a mothball and died? Either way... it's one less that can be in the attic, right? Good deal.... Well... there has been a smell for the last couple of days in the house.... a bad smell... Tonight I will be surveying the attic to find out who else has died- I know there is something dead up there... It is overpowering at this point... I was gagging this morning just smelling it. Who knew that a few mothballs would have my squirrel population dropping like flys? OMG it is nasty! Anyway... that's all I have for now... I hope everybody has a great weekend!

30 day challenge

Our local Christian radio station, KSBJ (they have a listen now link) issued a challenge at the first of the year... To listen to nothing but Christian music for 30 days.... I decided to take that challenge... 12 days in now and when I listen to music, It's been nothing but Christian... At work, in the car... at home... And you know what? They are right... I do feel better. It has made a positive difference in my life. All day long I am immersed in hearing about how great God is- how His love for me is non-stop, how He will be there for me no matter what, how He loves me just the way I am. I have been in a great mood so far this year. It's something worth trying- wether you are on fire for God or questioning your faith- Hearing about God's love so much can make your spirit soar... At least, it has mine.

It's my blog Birthday!!!!

Well... Wednesday is.... I started this place a year ago- just to see what all the fuss over blogs was.... Somehow, I got addicted... This is my 380th post and I've had 20,000 visitors in the last year. I've met a lot of fun people through their blogs and thru Blog Explosion... I got both my wife and my mother addicted to blogging... So now... On my birthday... I want all of you to give me a present.... I want you all to link to me and send me mass amounts of traffic. I want the most comments on any post I have ever done. So help me out folks! Send em all my way- show me some birthday lovin! I'll even throw something in it for you... try these links: Gotta get me one of these... The Virtual Air Guitar - No skill needed! Did you know I had my own country? I control the government, I make the decisions, I am in total control. Check it out here: The Free Land of Lesbocavy Steve, Don't eat it! - It's a twisted account of one man's journey to taste test some of the strange foods that are out there... so you don't have to.

Concerts.....

I spent my youth at concerts... Large outdoor stadium performances- small intimate clubs- parking lots- everything in between.... Live music was the thing that did it for me.... So I thought I'd give ya'll a small sampling of some of my thoughts on some of the bands... Here's the ones I actually remember seeing... There are quite a few that I know I went to, but can't think of who was playing.... Enjoy! AC/DC - Put on a great show, even if I had to sit through Brian Johnson's awful voice... Angus went out into the crowd and everything.... Alice Cooper - One of the best stage shows ever! Did you know he's a born again Christian now? Anthrax- Multiple times... All great shows and excellent pits. Beach Boys - Yawn Beastie Boys - Saw them a lallapalooza one year... Good time, but the only thing i really remember was jumping up and down and almost breaking some girls ankle... Sorry to whoever you are... Black Crowes - Saw them twice- both for free. Camped out for free ticekts the first time... great time in line... great shows... Black Sabbath - Tony Iommi's crappy dream to keep that band going... I walked out they sucked so badly. Bo Diddley - On a side stage at the rodeo one year, then again at mardi Gras... Bo can play. C.O.C. - I think they opened for Slayer... pretty boring actually Charlie Daniels - Play that fiddle! Charlie rocked! Chicago - I almost fell asleep during this one... The Beach boys opened for them... it should have been the other way around. Clint Black - Opened for Willie... had no clue who he was, and still have no clue... Yawn D.R.I. - Great show... great pit... Had a blast! Dangerous Toys - No memory, but I know I was there must have bored me Dead horse - A local houston hardcore band... I saw them way too many times to count. I have some great memories from Dead horse shows... Def Lepard - A girlfriend bought my ticket- I rode up with some friends- she rode up with another date??? I spent my evening with the guys with the thai sticks... Excellent laser show... I was too stoned to care at the time. Eddie Money - Saw him at a Fourth of july concert one year... Exhorder - had no clue who they were- had no clue what pit ball was... but somehow got a football in my hands in the middle of the pit. then I found the pit on top of me trying to get the ball.... Ouch! Fight - Rob Halford found a band that really fit him... I liked Fight better than Priest. Frank Black - Opened for The Ramones... Wish I showed up late... Frehley's Comet - Opened for somebody... Sucked royaly. George Clinton - Another lollapallooza treat... Glen Fry - Another 4th of July concert... Glen sucked, But When Joe Walsh walked out... it was worth it. Great White - Good show, but I don't remember too much of it Hank Williams Jr. - Saw hank a few times at the rodeo... Heart - Saw at Astroworld... Some girl bought my ticket- I was young and clueless and ended up picking up her friend.... oops.... Iron Maiden - They blew up Eddie at the end of that one.... Those guys ran non stop from the time they hit the stage... Great show. Joe Walsh - See Glen Fry... Johnny Winter - Spent the evening puking my guts out... missed most of the show... Judas Priest - 5 bands- Not bad, but not too great either... L7 - I think I saw them at the Warped Tour... Strange crowd, but free tickets.. Lynard Skynard - Another rodeo concert... Glad I got to see em... Megadeth - Good show... The line to get in was the most entertaining though... we had a huge party in the parking lot... Metal Church - A great band to walk the halls during.... Metallica - Opened for Ozzy (Master of Puppets) - I didn't know who they were when i walked in.... I left a Metallica fan (and i stayed one until Cliff died shortly after) Morbid Angel - Kinda funny... singer looked like he should be in a hair band, but had one hell of a growl... Good show... Morbid Scream - Broke my nose during their set... The singer actually came out to check on me after... got a free tape... Jumped back in the pit during the next band.... Motorhead - Saw them twice... The first time was in an arena with horrible sound- The second was in a club with huge sound... made it on stage and shook Lemmy's hand. Motley Crue - Decent show... My "date" had another date- her girlfriend... I had no clue before hand- kinda strange experience... (and no... it didn't go there) Ozzy - Saw Ozzy like 7 times... some really good,,, some really awful. Page & Plant - I always wanted to see Zeppelin- saw the next best thing I guess... Great show- they still jammed! Prince - My first actual concert... My mother took me... Ramones - I had a blast at this one...right up until I dove from the stage and had the bouncer slamed my foot into the guard rail.... Retarded Elf - Another band I saw too many times to count... Local band out of Austin... Great fun... Rigormortis - Were a great band... I saw them after the fact... they had a different singer... they kinda sucked.... Sheila E. - Opened for prince... what can i say? Slayer - Intense pit! Steppenwolf - Another 4th of july show... Way too hot, but a lot of fun... Steve Miller - Killer laser show at the rodeo... Ted Nugent - Odd evening.... I won tickets and then drove 2 hours by myself through a tropical storm to get there.... Had a radio DJ chick chewing on my ear and scaring the crap out of me.... Tesla - Opened for Def Lepard... Good stuff Uncle Slam - Opened for DRI... Good pit Veruca Salt - Good chick band... Warrant - Opener for somebody... time to walk the halls White Lion - Same as Warrant White Zombie - Saw em a few times... Good painful pit.... Willie Nelson - Worst rodeo performance ever... He seemed like he was there for the paycheck and nothing else.... ZZ Top - Twice at the rodeo... neither time impressed me....

A moment in time.....

Why is it that such a beautiful moment..... Can suddenly turn so vicious..... But either way.... it's tasty! If you could see what all that chocolate did to the dress.... But it was worth it to pick it out of her cleavage.... Fun memories from such a great day of my life.....