I have been hoping for a better wordpress app for some time. well it’s finally here. no longer will I be obligated to sit at home to bang out rants and reviews…
who am I kidding, this updating from anywhere is super neat!
we spent nearly six months waiting for the rescheduled comedy event to occur and there was no way to let this experience pass without marking it as our own.
to label this as unforgettable would be an overstatement, but entertainment often arrives in unpredictable ways. Alabama House Bill 373 was signed into law May 22, 2009 - allowing the alcohol content of beer to be raised from 6% to 13.9%. five days later these “high gravity” beers began appearing in birmingham. this is something that seemed to completely slip my mind when dining out before the show. always one to try new local selections dutton found himself strangely sea-legged as we departed the diner.
next stop, the martini bar - BJCC Concert Hall. it gave off the distinct impression of a fraternity reunion party, complete with plastic cups & old people. horror! upon ordering a mojito and being handed a bottle of Smirnoff ice i was stricken of masculinity. all i needed now was a straw and tampon. i was greatly appreciative when the bar noticed my expression and handed me an over-sized cup to conceal my shame. dutton, never to be outdone selected a long island ice tea which was mixed on the spot. i knew our night was turning when she continued to pour overfilling the glass.
after chatting that delightful phrase, “i’m feeling great” was blurted out mid-sentence. i think it’s time to find out seats. nearly half an hour had passed before our conversation turned to the plants on stage, in retrospect this was a secondary sign of the evenings events. let us continue our discussion of topiaries with the superior company of speakeasy patrons. true, only two other persons were at the bar, but eventually the crowd grew stronger. we slowly became oblivious to our surroundings, save the attractiveness of our attentive bar maid. Foosball! and WATER, but foosball as well! the rest of the night was spent skipping around downtown and hugging… hugging everything, including parking meters. yes that is the plural form. eventually finding ourselves back home with cigars and water to relax. alas work was looming some four hours away.
napping shortly i jolted to life with the taste of hops in my belly. my clothes smelt of smoke and strangely, citrus. staggering to the shower, the note was scrolled on rotten paper and took some time to decipher. “hey bro, sorry i got sick last night. i’ll clean it up in the morning.” now, nothing quite sobers you like pulsating electric blue lights in the rear-view mirror. a close second is the image of someone’s sick in countless bathroom hiding places. my imagination went into overdrive. after several minutes of searching, my fears were put to pass by a clean bathtub and toilet. it was then i noticed the full toilet roll spool had been replaced by an empty tube, and a half used roll was propped on the floor.
after work i returned home to an empty home and the strong scent of pine-sol, the apartment was spotless.
our adventure took us from the northern extreme of Seattle, south to the Stout redwood grove of northern California. we found ourselves encountering arch rock, caverns, and the west coast sunset. perhaps the more adventuresome side came calling earlier than anticipated, but we had one last hike to the top of “The Watchman.” this 8,025 ft peak on the Mt. Mazama caldera towers over the neighboring areas. in retrospect this may have been the cause.
finding ourselves refreshed from the descent of switchbacks, a glance at the watch had us snapping into our silver rental and hauling ass back toward Portland. “Eric assured me it was a four hour drive,” we now had just over four and one half hours to maneuver mountain roads, narrow bridges, and over 270 miles of unknown terrain.
a magic mix of ass hauling & curiously quick detours had us arriving at PDX sparing no less than 15 minutes before departure. a quick joyous celebration of chest bumping was followed by luggage being tossed onto the pavement. i then strode with confidence that we had accomplished the impossible.
Delta has the reputation for superior service and quality. this was illustrated by the registration host who stumbled over the counter, quickly recovering to assist me with the automated kiosk. “we’ve partnered with Alaskan air for this flight, they’re just down the terminal.” making my way toward the other counter i noticed the slight shin throbbing that was inflamed by the intense use of toe muscles to maintain sandal adherence… but i digress.
greeting the Alaskan ticket troll she asked if i was flying to Seattle tonight. “no mam I’m headed to Birmingham via Los Angeles.” turning over my itinerary her sneer quickly turned into a snarl, “this flight has already left.”
now i might describe her posturing, eye movement, and other end-of shift symptoms, but this woman was a real horrid monster. mam, the scheduled departure time is 8:55, the status board reports flight 9091 as ON-TIME, meaning i still have 12 minutes before departure.” now i didn’t necessarily yell at the delinquently tempered counter agent, but there was a definite tone to my dialogue. she responded very simply with, “your not getting on this plane.” her posturing was matter-of-fact with no argument available.
in times of solidarity one has limited options for rebellion. perhaps not so much rebellion, but i sure as shit was going to annoy the piss out of this circus cunt. now i find that profanity used in moderation can be quite a release. asking for a supervisor and causing a scene as i attacked this woman’s fertility was another matter. as the stream of profanity flowed from my lips i found myself surrounded by some rather stern looking gentlemen in blue shirts. no one could explain how the TSA has jurisdiction over unconfirmed passengers, but the message was clear… i was NOT departing Portland that night.
later, in the distance, shouts of: slut of a whore, circus cunt, troll fuck, and other marvelous expletives (far too creative to capture here) were audible, somewhere near the taxi paddock.
i did get a flight the next day, and i did manage to enjoy the red eye back to my city… i say that I’m in Phoenix finishing the first 3 hour layover, i may write again.
finally able to exact my specter i can’t imagine what the thoughts would be like without the company.
what might the morning say? i can’t stop this feeling…
it can be frustrating to have two sets of direction without clarity. the decision seemed quite clear, company provided clear & concise direction and we were to execute it.
over thinking such things ensures a drop in productivity. i have a problem fitting 412 feet of merchandise into 200 feet of counter. the research provides a set of footage available and actual, a timeline, and the points of execution. i find it frustrating that we are not going to follow this mandate. why? this requires change that one person is unwilling to adapt…
i’m the operator & will complete this futile exercise, no matter how frustrating.
ah birmingham, that which i now call home. the place i reside and find comforting to return there nightly. my work is good, the neighbors are great, and the night life is second to the coastal cities. i have an endless amount of activities and unique experiences at my fingertips, yet i question the next step.
i’ve set commitments and goals in my mind for this career. doing so has served me well in the past. i’ve yet to attain my ultimate position with this company and am reluctant to move down a path that doesn’t directly contribute to that goal.
this struggle surfaces from the opportunity to bring into a more harmonious balance of work/life. the company delivers this line often, and without loosing sight of the business we are able to pursue life outside of the store. i have the option to continue my career in a store i’ve worked in some 5 years ago. this will allow me to spend every off-day with my daughter. the town is enjoyable, but has far fewer amenities than the current city. do i choose the 5-hour round trip for the next few years, or do i option to see my child always.
it is with this i struggle.
of recent i’ve been managing to maintain an exciting & entertaining weekend. our adventure began with Othello, then domino’s, and ended with the game of world domination imported from the French… RISK. we don’t simply play the game we act it out with snacks & tasty beverages. she held her own for nearly half-an-hour before the rolls simply kept falling on my favor. now that i rule the world i can’t imagine how much more fun the game would be if she actually had some sort of strategy.
with comedic names this big how can you go so wrong?
g-force takes what was obviously intended as a G rated movie and twists it into an all too predictable plot designed to entertain with special effects. the problem here might be the lack of improvisation from the cast. this may not be the case, but nothing comes out as spontaneous through out the movie.
mid-way though the movie i found myself dozing off with no real desire to maintain focus. my lack of consciousness mid-movie might have impacted the overall comprehension, but after a quick quiz to the 7-year old it seemed nothing was missed.
i hope to never see this flick again, and can’t imagine why i spent matinee money on such an obviously summer movie.
never expect the delights of impulse. that which has brought me inspiration was seen on this day. after some four months with an absence of photography i now have one shining spark of delight. i’m pleased and happy to recall what matters most, passion.
the sketchbook is kept on the 3rd shelf. its contents cover six years of design ideas. each thought carried out and published at some time.
a recent visit to the bookstore provided a new edition to our library. ‘Guerilla Art - Keri Smith’ has tons of ideas for public urban expression.
soon enough i’ll find time to reassemble these sketches into an organized site. for now i’ll keep sketching.
