Leather, Alcohol, and Bears, Oh My!

What does one do at 2AM on a Saturday morning in Chicago when you're not quite ready to quit partying? Hit the leather bars of course! They remain open until 4AM.

We don't have any gay leather bars in Oklahoma City and they aren't the usual kinds of clubs I visit while traveling. Early Saturday morning we were feeling a little adventurous, most likely due to martinis at Marty's, and we had a tour guide in Jason that was willing to give us a quick run to a couple of leather bars in Chicago.


First stop Touché. It was so awesome that we came here as we know someone who was the runner up to a leather contest here many years ago.

What's really funny, to me, at all three leather bars we attacked was that they were all cavernous, dark places populated by big burly hairy men clad in leather while in the background was the biggest faggoty ass gay music I ever heard (and I really don't mean that in a derogatory way)!

Next up on the tour was JackHammer. No real distinction from Touché, maybe a little newer and cleaner but it was still populated by leather Daddies jamming out to some screaming queen music. What made JackHammer unique was the addition of a bar in the basement called The Hole.

"'The Hole' is a separate party space located below ground @ JackHammer with a strict leather/fetish dress code in effect on Friday and Saturday nights. Open late until 4AM (5AM on Sat.) and has an overall great mix of guys in jeans, military uniforms, leather & fetish gear."

Naturally we, the three Stooges, had to go down there. None of us was wearing leather. No problem, the price of admission ended up just being our shirts. So there we are, Jason, Dann, and myself mingling with an extreme group of gays without our shirts. If only my iPhone had a flash, I would have had blackmail material for life!

Basically the Hole was a small little bar with a side room and an open bathroom in the bar. This means when you're taking a piss you can view the rest of the entire bar. This would definitely be difficult for anyone who's pee shy. Fortunately I was a little drunk.

At one point in the evening a patron of the bar approached Jason and asked, "barebacking tonight?" Like it's just any other pick up line at any other bar! We joked about that encounter the entire rest of the trip and even had to explain to the girls the next night what the pick up line meant. Straight women, go figure.

On top of all this, I have to give a description of the small room in the basement I mentioned earlier. Originally Jason thought it was a bathroom when he proceeded to enter the little room around the corner. After he figured out what was going on he took great delight in taking Dann and I in there individually for our own assessment. Dragged by the arm by Jason it took me a moment to focus through the hazy mist of man sweat. There were dozens of men in several poses of dress and undress doing things that I'm sure are even illegal in Chicago! I could only think that I was living an episode of "Queer as Folk!"

Let's review. It's fun to do different things in the safety of friends. While these kinds of bars aren't really my thing, I had a great time and a couple of great stories to reminisce over for a long while. If you're in Chicago check out the leather bars but bring friends and maybe a pair of leather chaps!

Zelda Skyward Sword Wii E3 2011 Trailer

Speaking of video games, Nintendo released an updated trailer to The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword:



Graphically the game looks decent but I still think it's a little too cartoony, certainly more so than their last effort, The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess.

I'm really looking forward to experiencing the 1:1 ratio of sword play with the Wii controller. As you can see from the trailer certain enemies can only be defeated with specific thrusts from the controller. If done right it could be a unique gaming experience.

The game is scheduled to be released this holiday season.

Mutts Amazing Hot Dogs

Timmy treated me to Mutts Amazing Hot Dogs yesterday after we failed miserably to get an Ikea shelf hung on his study wall. Mutts is located near the intersection of NW 23rd St and N Douglas Ave. Unfortunately they don't have a website available online yet but from what I understand they are owned by the same people who brought us Big Truck Tacos.

What we sampled yesterday:

Tatonka: bison dog, green chili sauce, cilantro lime aioli, goat cheese.

Kung Fuey: chicken dog, Asian slaw, wasabi mayo, black and white sesame seeds.

Maui Waui: spam, grilled pineapple relish, spiced teriyaki aioli, poppy seed bun.

We also had an order of french fries that were fried in duck fat with truffle oil.

The new concept, at least one I haven't seen in Oklahoma City, was trendy and clean with delicious hot dogs. There's a variety of speciality dogs like the ones pictured above as well as the ability to create your own dog from many different kinds of meats and vegetables. The only downside I could find was that the wait for the food was a bit slow but I'm never really one that gets in a hurry when eating out.

The cost for a speciality dog ranges anywhere from four dollars to nine dollars if I remember correctly.

Check out Mutts Amazing Hot Dogs if you live in or are visiting the Oklahoma City area.

Edit: found their webpage after I made this posting. A full menu can be found there.

Animal Crossing 3DS: E3 2011 Trailer

Nintendo has released a new E3 trailer for latest edition of the Animal Crossing series on the 3DS. Basically Animal Crossing is a life simulation game, think the SIMS only Nintendo style. The series has been featured on the Nintendo GameCube, Wii, and DS.



Anyone else out there in the world looking forward to this game?

Art Institute of Chicago

I was lucky enough to have a little time Sunday morning to check out the Art Institute of Chicago. A friend of mine who lives in Chicago and works at the AIC hooked us up with some tickets to the museum, very generous.

An author once said that viewing art should be done in limited quantity. To try to make it through an entire museum and all the galleries is not only taxing but eventually the senses become dull and it's hard to appreciate the art that you're viewing. I think I subscribe to this philosophy. I enjoy trips to the museum but I don't have much of an eye for art, unfortunately. An hour or so hitting a couple of galleries is time well spent and easy on the eyes.

Two areas of the museum I wanted to see most were the Impressionism gallery and the Modern American Art gallery pre 1950.

A lot of the impressionists were represented in the first gallery. Monet (water lilies and hay stacks abound), Manet, Cézanne, Pissarro, and Renoir. I don't recall seeing anything by Degas. Of course what I wanted to see most was Un dimanche après-midi à l'Île de la Grande Jatte - 1884 by Georges Seurat. It didn't disappoint. Not only is the work as beautiful as I imagine and a great example of pointillism, it's also a very large painting.


The image above I took with my iPhone at the gallery. Apparently the AIC doesn't have an rules about photography. Indeed everyone was snapping pictures left and right and some with flashes. I found this very odd and surprising.

The next gallery I wanted to see was the modern American art pre 1950. This is where the story takes a turn into what I can only describe as an episode of Seinfeld. We tried to use the map to find the gallery, it was supposed to be somewhere on the second floor. After wandering through some horrific modern art wings (modern art isn't my cup of tea) it was time to break down and ask directions.

"Excuse me, can you tell me how to find the gallery that houses American Gothic?"

"Go back to the other end of the this gallery, go down the stairs, head toward the Asian gift store, make a left, go up the set of stairs and you should find it."

After going up the same sets of stairs and through an Asian gallery several times we were unsuccessful in finding our destination. We ask for directions again.

"Go back to the other end of the this gallery, go down the stairs, head toward the Asian gift store, make a left, go up the set of stairs and you should find it."

This scenario happens THREE MORE TIMES! By the last time I ask for directions my eye is twitching and I'm about to have a meltdown. Finally we find the Asian gift store which was masked due to it's close proximity to the Asian gallery. Finally, after all this time, and about a million stairs, we find what we're looking for...


I'm still not sure the picture of Grant Wood's wife and his dentist friend was worth it!

If you're ever in Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago is worth the $18.00 admission fee and even better when a friend can smuggle you in for free. As a casual art observer the museum was more than I expected and I look forward to exploring more of it in future trips. Beware trying to find the modern American art wing!

Chicago Rematch!

Headed back to Chicago tomorrow. I'm so excited I can't see straight! It's been nearly eight months since I've been home...

Thunder Founder, Season Ends

Well it was a good ride while it lasted! The Oklahoma City Thunder ended their NBA playoff run last night with a crushing defeat to the dreaded Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. I know we over achieved again this year and everyone keeps talking about our bright future but I'm still a little bummed nonetheless.

Thus begins a long cold winter, in summer, for sports, at least for me. I'm sure I'll continue to watch the NBA Finals, go Heat, but I'll be in sports hibernation until college football kicks off in the fall. What is there to root for in the summer? The WNBA? No. Baseball? Baseball is a decent sport to watch live maybe but on television I think gnats fucking is more interesting.

So, congratulations Thunder on a season well played, we'll advance to the Finals next year, hopefully! I can't wait until tip-off in October. Now it's time for my summer sports nap...

Things I Miss

Being able to play Phantasy Star Online. I literally spent hundreds of hours on this game on the Nintendo GameCube back in the day and I miss every minute of it!

My blue jacket I loaned to Matt and he subsequently loaned, and lost, to someone else. I loved that jacket! I did originally steal the jacket from Timmy but that's beside the point.

Soylent Red, what we called the ketchup and salsa sauce used on the Elvis burgers at the now defunct Sidecar bar. The Sidecar has since been replaced and remodeled as the Drunken Fry, an emo hangout of much douchebaggery...

Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Snapping into a Slim Jim will never be the same.

Leslie's Painted Desert Cafe. Awesome restaurant and watering hole on North Shartel that has been closed for a while now. So the food wasn't really that great but I loved going in there for the two for one beer draft beer specials. Iron Starr Urban Barbeque now resides in Leslie's location. Not bad. Not great.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, not only the best of all five Star Trek series, but one of the best television shows to air in the '90's.

Pontiac cars! I've owned three in my life, though the last one was a '92 Firebird. How can civilization get along without the mighty Trans AM muscle car?

Cheap jukeboxes. Remember the good 'ole days when you could get four songs for a dollar at your local watering hole? Today it can cost an arm and a leg if the mood strikes you for some music at a bar. Usually the selection is pretty shitty so you have to pay extra to download a song online and if that isn't bad enough you usually have to select the "play next" option for additional credits so you won't have to wait through other shitty music to get to yours!

Giant Chewy Sweet Tarts! I know, they can be found on occasion but damn if they aren't hard to find. There's only a couple of stores in the Oklahoma City area that carry the delicious candy. What's up with that?

My cell phone which sleeps with the fishes, presumably. I misplaced it last week at the bar and naturally no one turned it in. I blame my niece, she forced me to consume seven Chimay Bleues at The Melting Pot last week. Just another reason to hate that fondue monstrosity!

The Picture of Dorian Gray

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" (245 pages) is an interesting look at 19th Century literature from Oscar Wilde who rejected Victorian norms and seems to have been influenced by the Aesthetic Movement. "Art for art's sake" or in the case of Wilde, "beauty for beauty's sake." From Goodreads:

"Oscar Wilde's story of a fashionable young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty is one of his most popular works. Written in Wilde's characteristically dazzling manner, full of stinging epigrams and shrewd observations, the tale of Dorian Gray's moral disintegration caused something of a scandal when it first appeared in 1890. Wilde was attacked for his decadence and corrupting influence, and a few years later the book and the aesthetic/moral dilemma it presented became issues in the trials occasioned by Wilde's homosexual liaisons, trials that resulted in his imprisonment. Of the book's value as autobiography, Wilde noted in a letter, 'Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps.'"

Modern would be amateur critics, at least some that I've read online, find the only novel by Wilde to be slow moving and over flowery in it's language. But wasn't that the point given the subject of the novel, "casting his conscience aside, Dorian Gray seeks pleasure and eternal youth, while his aging portrait reveals to him the horror of his self-indulgent crimes." Not often have I found characters as loathsome as Gray, Lord Henry, and Hallward in literature but I couldn't help but feel sorry for each of them at the culmination of the story.

Highly recommended. Reading this novel can appear a little taxing at first but ends very satisfactorily. An annotated edition of the work would probably be helpful as well with some of the language of the late 19th Century.

"To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable."

Wild Day in Oklahoma

Nearly six years ago the first blog post I ever made was a list stating "you know you're from Oklahoma if". Among the list was this:

"A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and look for a funnel."

While this this almost always true, yesterday was an exception to the rule, for me anyways. There were so many storms in the metro area yesterday that I felt compelled to travel to my parents house who have an underground shelter. Several tornados were reported to touch down in areas around Oklahoma City killing several people and injuring many more. Luckily the storms didn't hit any heavily populated areas. Still it was a little scary and reminiscent of the May 3rd tornados of 1999.

I once had a friend who lives in another part of the country ask my how we can deal with this kind of weather during the spring with the potential of such a destructive force sometimes out of the blue. Most Oklahomans have dealt with the threat of tornados their whole lives and we're accustom to watching the weather particularly during the spring, not to mention we have a state of the art early warning system and a weather news force that just loves to break in to TV and radio programming, sometimes it seems when it isn't necessary.

It wasn't so long ago that early warning systems weren't very reliable or science didn't understand how tornados worked. My father tells me that when he was a child people believed that his town of Woodward, Oklahoma couldn't be hit easily by this kind of weather because a river was so close to town and everyone knew a tornado couldn't cross water! He and his family was fortunate to survive the Woodward tornado of 1947 while they attended the theatre downtown. 107 people lost their lives that night in this one town alone with a destruction of 100 city blocks.

If you think about it, though, all areas of the country have their dangers. In the far north and northeast the winters can be bitterly cold. In the far south and southeast one has to contend with hurricanes from time to time. In the west an earthquake can be quite a scary experience I would imagine. Most areas also have times when they are subject to extreme flooding, ice or snow storms, and drought.

What I'd like to hear back from any readers out there is what is your most harrowing encounter with Mother Nature or a natural disaster? Luckily for me the worst I've ever experienced is the threat of an impending tornado but I was always fortunate enough to miss the storm or be in close proximity to a basement or shelter.

The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, Part 3

Hey, I'm on time today! From Sunday Stealing.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

31. What is your absolute favorite dessert?
I'm not really a dessert person but I do like ice cream.

32. What can someone do to make you smile, no matter what?
Nothing! I AM NOT AMUSED!!

33. What do the hip people think of you?
Umm excuse me, I am one of the hip people.

34. What was the last gift you bought someone?
I bought my friend a shirt that I kept and wore for six months.

35. What was your favorite class in high school?
History, Government, or Biology.

36. How many spouses would be about right?
72 as long as they are all virgins.

37. What would you say was the most embarrassing moment of your life?
There's too many to pick just one!

38. Have you ever donate money to charity?
I have.

39. Has porn ever had a positive place in a current or recent relationship?
Sure, porn is a wonderful thing, the Internet is for porn!

40. Would you ever dump the one you're with for someone who makes an obvious play and is MUCH hotter?
Of course, it's like a new car, you have to trade it in every now and then.

41. Have you ever disowned one of your relatives?
No, I reserve that honor for my friends.

42. Would you think it's OK to cheat on someone if they've already cheated on you?
Why not.

43. Did you ever consider becoming a teacher?
Not really, if I did it would have to be teaching adults, I loathe children.

44. Would you ever give a hitch-hiker a ride somewhere?
Maybe, if he was cute.

45. Would you ever try fasting for a whole week?
No, the only people who do that are protesting conditions in prison or they're religious nuts.

The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, Part 2

Always a day late, huh? Real life has been in the way. From Sunday Stealing again.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

16. What was the last thing you did that was totally selfish, yet you feel no guilt?
I have no clue, I'm pretty selfish all the time so it's kind of a daily thing!

17. Tell us about a film fave of yours that we probably have not seen.
Rope by Alfred Hitchcock. About the Leopold and Loeb murder in Chicago in the 1920's. It's interesting that Hitchcock filmed the movie in one continuous scene, or as least until film ran out, so it's kind of like watching a screen version of a play.

18. When was the last time you kissed someone that you shouldn't have on the lips?
Can't remember, I was probably drunk at the time.

19. When was the last time you cooked something for someone not in your family?
It's been a while. I usually just cook for myself which isn't often.

20. When was the last time you danced like a crazy person?
In Tulsa a few weeks ago. They don't know me there thank Shiva...

21. When was the last time you just wanted to be invisible?
I don't know. I can be invisible when necessary, I am a rock.

22. When was the last time you got a gift you absolutely hated?
I can't say that I have. If if I'm not fond of a gift I still appreciate the thought.

23. When was the last time you got into a physical fight? (If NEVER, let us know about a time that you got close to a fight.)
A couple of years back, in Colorado. Best jail I've been in so far.

24. When was the last time you had to sleep with a light on?
Does daylight count?

25. When was the last time you were under some serious stress?
That too has been a while, probably working in a restaurant. You have to tell yourself it's only food and nothing earth shattering.

26. When was the last time you watched your favorite movie?
I watch many of my favorites all the time. I would be hard pressed to name only one.

27. What song did you most recently downloaded?
A Guide to Grammar. I think the last song I downloaded was by Edie Brickell.

28. What would you say is your favorite hobby?
Traveling.

29. What is your favorite thing to do when you hang out with friends?
Just get together and shoot the shit. The larger the group the better.

30. What would you rather do: shower or bathe with that celebrity that you are crushing on?
Shower. I find bathes unclean.

Water for Elephants

I've been wanting to read "Water for Elephants" (421 pages) by Sara Gruen for quite some time. Lucky for me my friend Kim brought a copy of the book with her on a trip we took last weekend to Louisian. I shamelessly stole her book for the long drive home yesterday through Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, well you get the point... From Goodreads:

"Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive 'ship of fools'. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival."

"Water for Elephants" is a lovely book on many levels. The circus, the Depression era of the story, and the wide variety of characters certainly made it an interesting read if for no other reason. I think it would have been wild to experience a circus or carnival in the 1920's and 1930's. This isn't usually the kind of novel I would go for in general but the love story and bond between the very different three major characters captivated me well enough to read the book in a day.

There's not really much more I can add from the book's description above. Highly recommended. The only minor complaint I would have is that some of the characters could have been fleshed out a little more, especially August and Marlena, but I'm probably just being a little too greedy. I guess now I should go see the movie.

The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, Part 1

Once again from Sunday Stealing and once again a day late. I got home late last night from a trip to Lake Pontchartrain and I didn't have the energy to do this from my phone.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Which state do you consider to be the most boring state?
Kansas with Oklahoma a strong second.

2. If any chef from the Food Network (or any well known chef) could cater your wedding, who would it be?
Tom Colicchio?

3. What's the last thing you ate that was red?
Had some Skittles yesterday afternoon.

4. Have you ever questioned the sexuality orientation of a close friend?
All the time, usually just messing with people.

5. Everyone loses a friend after some big fight. Tell us about one.
A few over the years but nothing too significant to report on.

6. Have you ever washed an iPod or mp3 player in the washing machine?
Not yet! I'm pretty good about emptying my pockets first thing when I arrive home.

7. Have you ever screamed / yelled angrily at a boss?
Yes but it's been many years since I crossed over at work.

8. Have you ever cried yourself to sleep?
Every night!

9. Have you ever regretted being in a relationship with someone?
I haven't regretted being with someone but maybe with the way the relationship ended.

10. Have you ever acted like you understood something when you didn't have a clue?
I'm sure I have, hasn't everyone?

11. Have you ever thought someone must have been insane? If yes, tell us something about the person.
I've known a lot of people like this, usually it involves drinking.

12. Have you ever pretended to be younger than what you are?
No, people usually assume that I'm younger than I really am.

13. Back in the day, did you ever cry because you were turned down for a date?
No.

14. Have you ever (or your significant other) had a pregnancy scare?
I thought I was pregnant once but it turned out I was just constipated.

15. Have you ever pretended to like someone when you didn't?
On occasion to pacify other friends.

Yay May

I can't believe it's already May, this year certainly seems to be flying by! Usually April showers bring May flowers but I think we've had more rain three days in to May than we did all of April. A good thing too, my yard was starting to look like a scene from a Mad Max movie. Here's what's on tap for May:

May 8th: Your mom's day. I remember when I was very young asking my Grandmother why there wasn't a kid's day. She responded by saying that everyday was kid's day!

May 11th: Kim's birthday. My bestie will be turing the ripe old age of 28. I hate that bitch...

May 28th - May 30th: 35th Annual Paseo Arts Festival! One of the best spring events in Oklahoma City! In fact the only piece of original art I've ever bought at an arts festival was at this one. Well, actually my mommy bought it for me but why haggle over semantics. The framed photograph has its place of honor on my fireplace mantle and has survived five moves throughout the Oklahoma City metro area, a feat that most of my possessions can't claim over the years.

May 30th: Memorial Day. A holiday for all you 9 to 5ers. I remember several Memorial Days accompanying my Grandmother to lay flowers on the graves of the long dead. Does anyone do this anymore? Is this a tradition lost to my generation?

I guess May must remind me of my Grandmother on my fathers side!

In site related news, for some reason last month saw the highest hit count ever in the almost six year history of this blog! I actually find this kind of sad since "Dave's World" has been limping along since the first of the year, unless all these readers are interested in memes and book impressions. In any event thanks to all the readers out there and the interest in my little corner of the web.

Finally I'm going to try to clean up the main page a little and add more blogs and links that I read daily and remove the ones that are dead or inactive.

Have a great May everyone! What is everyone else doing this glorious spring month?

Devon Tower Progress

I love architecture, just ask anyone who has hung out with me in downtown Chicago. More times than not my head is facing upwards toward the colossal towers of all shapes and sizes from many different eras. Even in smaller cities, say Tulsa, I always want to take a walking tour downtown to admire the buildings. Growing up in a small town in western Oklahoma I never had the opportunity to watch a skyscraper climb up into the clouds, I think that's why I'm so mesmerized by the construction of the Devon World Headquarters Tower. It's been my only opportunity to see a construction of this magnitude first hand on a daily basis.

I took the photos below a week ago on a birthday trip with my parents to the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.





The Devon Tower is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2012 or 2013. At 50 stories and 850 feet, once complete the structure will be the tallest in Oklahoma, if it isn't already (currently the BOK Tower in Tulsa is the tallest). At a cost of 750 million dollars it has to be the single most costly building venture in Oklahoma in some time. Rumor has it that a restaurant will be situated at the top floor upon completion. I can't wait to see a view of Oklahoma City and the surrounding area from that vantage! I predict a lot of flat land.

Oh My God! Nintendo Shoes!

Chuck Taylor Super Mario Converse hi-tops! I must have a pair or two...







It looks like the shoe drops in July in Japan only! Why does Japan get all the cool Nintendo shit?

White or black?

Fox Doing What it Does Best!

I ran across this image at I Should Be Laughing. Check out this blog, it's a great daily read on a variety of subjects. I only wish I could write half as well as the material found there.

Osama Bin Laden is Dead!

Unless you've been living under a rock or in a cave, with the rest of the Taliban, this news shouldn't come as a surprise after the Presidential address and all the celebrating last night. Bin Laden's death evoked a lot of funny responses around the web, here are some the funniest ones I saw last night:

"White House contacts former President Bush to ask to borrow 'Mission Accomplished' banner."

"President Obama apologized for taking so long to get his birth certificate released, he was too busy killing Osama Bin Laden."

"Donald Trump takes credit for the killing of Bin Laden."

"Sarah Palin shoots Bin Laden from a view from her house."

"Donald Trump demands long form death certificate of Bin Laden."

In all seriousness, May 1st, 2011 will go down as a date that I'll always remember what I was doing and what happened, joining four other dates branded in my memory:

June 17th, 1994: The O.J. Simpson Bronco chase. I caught this at home on television in Enid, Oklahoma hanging out with my boyfriend and his cousin at the time. I also remember hearing Simpson's acquittal on the radio driving home for lunch but I don't remember the exact date.

April 19th, 1995: The Murrah Federal Building bombing in downtown Oklahoma City. I heard the news break over the radio while I was working in Enid, Oklahoma. Our idiot Governor blamed the explosion on a gas leak initially!

August 31st, 1997: The death of Princess Diana. This news broke through an Oklahoma State football game I was listening to on the radio on a drive home from Lake Tenkiller.

September 11th, 2001: The World Trade Center attacks, and others, on America. I was getting ready for my late morning shift at work when I watched the drama unfold on NBC's morning broadcast.

I'm certainly glad that Bin Laden has been brought to "justice" but I'm not sure how I feel about all the celebrating last night in New York and Washington D.C. I'm not sure the raucous events of last night are a dignified way for Americans to behave toward any one death regardless of the circumstances. This will be one of the things on my mind in the days ahead. The events of 9/11 were not only tragic in the loss of life and destruction but also in the fundamental change to our country literally over night. A change not for the better in the long run unfortunately.

Thoughts or comments?

The "18 Questionable Questions" Meme

Happy May Day everyone! Today's meme from Sunday Stealing is a little lame but I feel compelled to participate anyway since I didn't last week.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?
I would cut that bitch!

2. If you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?
Winning the powerball of course.

3. What is the one thing most hated by you?
I'm not sure I could pick just one thing! Conservative hypocrites and religious fanatics comes to mind. I'm also not a fan of people in general.

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
I've answered this before: a mink track suit, my own personal Zamboni, and lots of unnecessary surgery. (Borrowed from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels the Musical)

5. Could you fall in love with your best friend?
No, my best friend is a stinky girl.

6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Probably loving someone but I think they both can be a curse, not a blessing.

7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you really love?
525,600 minutes.

8. If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?
I would secretly subvert their relationship, right?

9. If you'd like to act (movies, stage) with someone, who would it be?
Carol Channing.

10. What do you expect of your loved one?
Nothing, my expectations are really, really low when it comes to people.

11. How would you see yourself in ten years time?
48.

12. What’s your fear?
Answered this kind of question before: dying in a plan crash on the way to my vacation destination.

13. Would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?
Single and rich, then I could buy all the "love" I need.

14. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Check my phone.

15. Do you ever hold back in a relationship?
What's a relationship? It's been too long to remember.

16. If you fell in love with two people simultaneously, how would you pick?
This would never happen, I've only been in love with two people in my entire life.

17. Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?
I would forgive. An elephant never forgets... to kill!!

18. What are your three most important expectations in love?
Space, compatibility, and humor.

The Swan Thieves

Elizabeth Kostova's second novel "The Swan Thieves" (561 pages) is a wonderful sophomore effort after her acclaimed first work, "The Historian." From the cover of the book:

"This richly told, beautifully imagined novel takes us on a journey into the lives of the woman left behind by the renowned painter Robert Oliver.

After attacking a canvas in the National Gallery of Art, Oliver maintains a stubborn silence, prompting his psychiatrist, Andrew Marlow, to embark on an unconventional pursuit of the answers his patient won't provide. As Marlow is pulled deeper within Oliver's troubled mind, he uncovers a tale of love, betrayal, and artistic obsession, and finds surprising possibilities in a package of nineteenth-century lover letters. Does the key to unlocking Robert Oliver's mystery lie in a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism?

Across centuries and continents, from young love to last love, Elizabeth Kostova deftly explores the painter's universe - passion, creativity, secrets, madness - and conjures a world that lingers long after the final page has turned."

An absolutely beautiful read and at two bucks, one of the best values in a book that I've ever ran across (RIP Borders, you will be missed). Kostova weaves four stories of love and sometimes loss that all come together magically toward the heartfelt conclusion of the story. The final pieces of the puzzle coming together as the novel unfolds truly left a little lump in my throat.

Beyond the compelling story is Kostova's ability to bring her love of art to a level that I, knowing very little of art and less of Impressionism, could understand and appreciate just through her gift of description. After reading the rich novel I'm compelled to view works by Manet, Monet, Pissarro, or Sisley. Unfortunately living in Oklahoma does not give me this option on a day to day basis.

The best work of fiction I've read so far this year. Highly recommended.

Shared Birthday

Just found out that Channing Tatum shares this glorious day of birth with me. With this post he will be the first two time recipient of the "eye candy" tag!

38!

As in that's how old I am today. I'm really quite surprised I've lived this long. Fortunately only the good die young...

In 1973...

Richard M. Nixon was President of the U.S.

Gas was $.39 a gallon!

A first class postage stamp cost $.08. And you had to lick them, ewww!

The average new house price was $35,500.

Milk was $.68 for a half gallon.

The number one movie of the year was "The Sting."

The top rated television show was "All in the Family."

The number one song of the year was "Tie a Yellow Ribbon." Really?

Now the Oklahoma House is Hard at Work

From koco.com:

"OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma House has named 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' as the official gospel song of the state.

The House voted 89-0 Monday to approve the bill by Rep. Jabar Shumate of Tulsa designating the song. It now goes to Gov. Mary Fallin to be signed into law.
'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' was written in Indian Territory in 1862 by a Choctaw Freedman named Wallis Willis. The Red River reminded Willis of the Jordan River and the song was loosely based on the passage in the Bible that speaks of the Prophet Elijah being taken to heaven in a chariot.

The song was adopted by England Rugby Union fans during the last match of the 1988 season and recorded by the band UB40 for the team's performance at the World Cup."

I see the Oklahoma legislature is still hard at work this term. Anything going on with job creation or growth? Discuss.

Bring Out Your Dead!

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy zombie Jesus day!

Saturday Night Minutes

Someone (I think Kim) decided to start the minutes on Saturday night after midnight. It was too late as we had already been laughing our asses off from searching through some definitions at Urban Dictionary, but that's another post...

Here's what I found crumpled up in my shirt pocket Sunday morning:

12:20AM - Meg - "Rape the puppy every night now."
12:24AM - "He likes it when I sit on his face for 3 hours."
12:25AM - "The muffin man lives on Drury Lane."
12:31AM - "Excuse me! I'm sorry... my shoe is calling. Shoe phone."
12:37AM - "Who can get too deep?"
12:42AM - DB - "If I want that I can fuck a four year old."
12:51AM - DB - "Dude you smell like tuna!"
12:51AM - Meg - "Dude, I can't help it! She was nice."
12:54AM - DB - "The Moose Shuffle."
12:56AM - Kim (with quarters) - "Make it rain bitches!"
01:07AM - Cris (in response to Ryan's tongue) - "Wait! I can't let go of your hand yet!"
01:11AM - DB (raising a glass) - "To our last night on the south side!"
01:11AM - Meg - "Bite!!"
01:16AM - Kim - "I don't feel like I had nine."
01:16AM - Cris - "But you look like you had nine."
01:17AM - "Why is DB doing kegels????"
01:19AM - Kim - "I don't think I should, I haven't shaved it in a while."
01:22AM - "OMG, Meagan just spit up!"
01:22AM - "Dave told me not to dress like a skeeze."
01:29AM - Meg to David - "Boob smacked!"

The 65 Questions Meme

Once again from Sunday Stealing and once again a day late...

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Tell us who the last person that you took a shower with.
I have no clue, I live alone and I'm usually not in the habit of showering with people.

2. Tell us about your favorite tee-shirt. Extra points if you show a pic. (We know. What can you do with freakin' extra points?)
It's my Sunday Funday shirt that my friend Kim got me one year for my birthday.



3. Has anyone ever hit on you even though they knew you were taken?
Yeah, this is pretty common in the homosexual underworld.

4. Do you plan what to wear the next day?
Not usually unless I'm traveling.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? Why?
Tired. I woke up recently and I didn't sleep very well, there's some sort of construction going on in the hood.

6. What's the closest thing to you that's black?
My trick from last night. Just kidding, a pair of boots.

7. Tell me about an interesting dream you remember having.
I never remember my dreams for very long after waking.

8. Did you or might you meet anybody new today?
I just might.

9. If you could be doing anything right now (or perhaps after you finish this ridiculous meme) what would it be?
I'd really like to be kicking at the pool but it's not quite warm enough yet.

10. Can you think of a meme question that's never been asked?
As many memes as I've done over the past year nothing comes to mind.

11. What comes to mind when I say China?
Debt.

12. Are you overly emotional?
Not when I'm sober!

13. If you could listen to just one rock album (CD, vinyl or mp3) which one would you pick?
Probably "We Are Pilots" by Shiny Toy Guns.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
I'm both a biter and a licker.

15. Do you like your car?
It gets me where I'm going.

16. Do you like yourself?
Some of the time.

17. Would you go out to eat with Charlie Sheen?
It could be a hoot. He's paying for the drugs though.

18. What was the last song that you listened to?
"Nobody Knows It But Me," it was on the radio.

19. Are (or were) your parents strict?
I'm not a parent and mine were never really strict.

20. Have you ever wondered what attending a wild orgy (if only to watch or...) would be like?
I don't need to wonder depending on how many people constitutes an orgy.

21. I say cottage cheese. You say: With fruit cocktail?

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
Not really unless you count a couple of local politicians.

23. What was the last movie that you watched at home?
Zombieland, yesterday afternoon.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
Just the shiny disco ball hanging from the ceiling.

25. What countries have you visited?
Germany, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

26. Have you ever made a phone call while you were drunk that you've regretted? If yes, do tell.
Not that I can remember, I'm more of a drunk texter and I've regretted more of those than I can count.

27. Where were you going the last time that you were on a train?
West Berlin.

28. Bacon or sausage?
Neither.

29. How long have you had a cell-phone?
Since 1999.

30. What other memes do you do regularly?
Only Sunday Stealing.

31. Who is the craziest meme host?
I don't know since I just steal them from a site that steals them.

32. Who invented chop sticks?
My money would be on an Asian.

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
Just with myself.

34. Are you too forgiving?
I don't think that adjective has ever been used when describing me.

35. When was the last time that you were in love?
Many years ago.

36. Tell us about your best friend.
She's a devil woman.

37. What was the stupidest thing you learned in high school?
How to maxi pad a car.

38. What was the last thing that you cried about?
It was over some spilled milk!

39. What was the last question you asked?
Why am I participating in this insanely long meme?

40. Favorite thing to do this time of the year?
Patio Sunday Funday, go to the Arts Festival, birthdays.

41. If you had to get a (or another) tattoo, what would it be?
I don't have a tattoo and I keep vacillating on what to get. Lately I've been thinking about getting a 1-UP mushroom from Super Mario Brothers.

42. How would your best friend describe you?
Evil.

43. Have you ever seen all three Twilight films?
I've never seen one of them, I'm not a thirteen year old girl.

44. Ever walked into a glass door?
In fact I have but luckily it didn't break.

45. Favorite color on that person that you are attracted to?
This is what I'm talking about. This meme could be a whole lot shorter with questions like this omitted.

46. Have you ever slapped someone?
Yes but they had it coming.

47. What hair style (for you) would you like to see return?
The mullet! Oh wait, it never went away in Oklahoma.

48. What was the last CD you bought?
An entire CD? I have no clue, probably something by Shiny Toy Guns.

49. Do looks matter to you?
Is the Pope a pedophile?

50. Could you ever forgive a liar?
Probably depending on the lie.

51. What's the hardest bill to pay every month?
None of them, I don't physically pay them myself.

52. Do you like your life right now?
Meh...

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
Often since I usually fall asleep on the sofa.

54. Can you handle the truth?
I can! I ordered the "code red."

55. Do you have good vision?
I do when I'm wearing my contacts or glasses.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
Oh yes indeed.

57. How often do you talk on the phone?
As little as I have to, mostly to my mother.

58. What celeb would you like to come home to?
Chris Pine.

59. What are you wearing?
Pajama pants and a tee shirt.

60. What is your favorite wild animal?
The Tasmanian Devil.

61. Where was your facebook picture taken?
At a baseball game.

62. Can you waltz?
I can it's my favorite kind of dance.

63. Do you have a job?
I'm in the business of kicking ass and business is good.

64. What was the most recent thing you stole?
Either a pen or a lighter.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
I have and I'm about to again to escape this meme.

The Fountainhead

I've owned "The Fountainhead" (727 pages) by Ayn Rand since 1994. It's about time I finally read the damn thing even though I'm still scarred from "Atlas Shrugged."

From Goodreads: "The Fountainhead has become an enduring piece of literature, more popular now than when published in 1943. It studies the conflict between artistic genius and social convention, a theme Ayn Rand later developed into the idealistic philosophy knows as Objectivism. Rand's hero is Howard Roark, a brilliant young architect who won't compromise his integrity, especially in the unconventional buildings he designs. Roark is engaged in ideological warfare with a society that despises him, an architectural community that doesn't understand him, and a woman who loves him but wants to destroy him. His struggle raises questions about society's attitude toward revolutionaries. The book addresses a number of universal themes: the strength of the individual, the tug between good and evil, the threat of fascism."

I'm really not sure how to write this particular book entry. By no mean am I detractor of Rand's work nor could I ever be one of her slavish devotees either. I guess what I've come to find from Ayn Rand is an opinion somewhere in the middle. I can agree with some of the philosophy she puts forth and dismiss the rest.

Some random thoughts on the reading:

Contrary to many of Rand's harshest critics, I do not find her writing style amateurish or hard to read. Indeed I had no problems stylistically with the novel at all. There are a few chapters, especially toward to latter part of the book, where a character goes into a multi-page monologue but even this was tolerable. Roark's courtroom closing comes to mind.

As much as I hate to admit, I actually like the story of "The Fountainhead" and was generally interested in the conclusion. Unfortunately I can't say the same for any character in the novel. Rand paints everyone in such complete black and white terms with zero growth. None. It was highly frustrating to comprehend. I don't believe that people and their motivations would be so rigid over a 20 year span in the novel, regardless of their philosophies. Life, I believe, isn't so clear cut and does venture over to a grey palette at least once in a while.

Along the same lines, I got tired of the gushing narration that seemed necessary over Howard Roark, from the author and the perspective of multiple characters in the novel. Yes, we get it, he's the heroic model of the perfect man, a force of nature that those who share some of the same qualities can recognize. The sledgehammer approach wasn't necessary.

I do have to give credit to Rand for writing a strong, independent female character which was probably not the norm during the 1930's and 40's. Having said that, was it necessary to reduce said character to an object to serve our hero and to a willing rape victim! I understand what Dominique's motivations were in the infamous rape scene but it still left a sour taste in my mouth. Page 223, 1994 Plume addition.

Howard Roark has red hair. Totally unbelievable that a ginger could be a hero of anything. Just ask Eric Cartman or Patti Stanger.

Just once I was begging the author to give Peter Keating a spine! The opportunities were there but didn't materialize. Especially frustrating was the scene where Peter pretty much pimps out his wife Dominique to media tycoon Gail Wynand. Another sour note in the novel.

On the flip side, Howard Roark could have been given just a sliver of emotion or humanity anywhere in the story. He was a smug, arrogant, ass hat with an ego almost the size of the entire novel. This, I might point out, was one of his defining and "heroic" qualities.

The only thing that would have made Ellsworth Toohey a more complete villain would have been a long mustache for him to twirl while he planned his socialistic take over of the world. He manipulated the mob for his gain and power by deciding for them their opinions through his influence and proxies. I found Toohey to be revolting; however, he's an example of Rand's attack on collectivism, socialism, and her perception of communism. Not everyone who believes in some forms of social justice or charity are socialists.

Though most of my comments may seem negative, I am impressed and do agree with some points that Rand put forth in the novel and in later writings. I do believe in strong individualism where integrity is blazing a path for yourself regardless of what society may think is moral. Too many people today, and apparently back then, seek self esteem through the perception of others when they should only care about their own opinion.

"The Fountainhead" and Ayn Rand for me is a mixed bag. In typical libertarian fashion she takes some nice individualistic views and moves them very far to the right. This is an author who helped in the McCarthy era witch hunts and decried the social safety net of the government. If you can get past the heavy handed lessons that Rand tries to preach in this novel, there is some good to be found here. A very readable novel that had me interested to the end in spite of some very heavy eye rolling throughout.

I would be really curious to hear any opinions from others who have read this novel.

The 5000 Question Meme, The Final Part

It looks like Sunday Stealing is only doing the first 100 questions of this meme. Thank goodness, I was starting to get worried.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

76. Do you prefer Disney or Warner Brothers?
Disney! I especially love the old animated classics before computer animation.

77. What is the first animal you would run to see if you went to the zoo?
Unsure, I seem to never go in the same direction at the Oklahoma City zoo. When I visited the Lincoln Park zoo in Chicago I pretty much went just to see the polar bear.

78. Would you consider yourself to be romantic?
Not really and I think most would agree.

79. If the earth stopped rotating would we all fly off?
I don't know. I don't seem to recall everyone flying off the world when Superman reversed the rotation of the earth.

80. What is the one thing that you love to do so much that you would make sacrifices to be able to do it?
Traveling. Unfortunately doing this is a sacrifice.

81. If you (and everyone) had to lose one right or freedom, but you could pick which one everyone had to lose, what would you pick?
I couldn't and wouldn't want to pick one. We've lost enough freedoms recently on the "war on terror" that it disgusts me.

82. If you had to choose would you live on the equator or at the North Pole?
The equator, there are better drinks available.

83. Would you rather give up listening to music or watching television?
Definitely watching TV though I would really miss football and basketball.

84. What do you think makes someone a hero?
The only real heroes in this world are the protagonists in any Rand novel, just ask any libertarian.

85. What cartoon would you like to be a character in?
None, this is a retarded question.

86. Name one thing that turns your stomach: politics.

87. What was the last thing you paid for?
A delicious chocolate malt.

88. Are you a coupon clipper?
Nope.

89. Get anything good in the mail recently?
I never get anything good in the mail! The amount of junk mail delivered to my house is unreal, it's destroying the environment.

90. Which would you rather take as a gym class...dancing, sailing, karate, or bowling?
Sailing sounds cool. Do I have to bring my own boat?

91. In Star Trek people 'beam' back and forth between different places. What this means is they stand in a little tube and their molecules are deconstructed and sent to another tube somewhere else where they are reassembled. Only problem is when the molecules are deconstructed the person is dead. When they are put back together it is only a clone that has all the dead person's memories. Is the person who gets beamed the same person on both ends?
How do we know for sure the disassembled person is dead?

92. What insects are you afraid of?
None.

93. If you could print any phrase on a T-shirt, what would it say?
Dance 10 looks 3.

94. What's the most eccentric thing you have ever worn?
Shorts over sweats? It was the thing to do back in the '80's.

95. If you could pick one food that you could eat all you wanted but it would have no effect on how much you weigh, what food would it be?
Ice cream.

96. What are your parents interested in?
Nagging.

97. Have you ever caught an insect and kept it as a pet?
Not that I recall.

Have you ever caught and tamed a wild animal?
Crawdads or maybe a turtle when I was a kid.

98. What is more helpful to you, wishes or plans?
Plans that I constantly break.

99. When do you feel your life energy the strongest?
At all times since I don't believe in a life energy.

100. You are spending the night alone in the woods and may bring only 3 items with you.
A tent, matches, and your mom.

April in Oklahoma...

... means 90 degree weather. What the hell? I'm all for warmer weather but not this warm this early in the season!


At this rate it's gonna be too warm for tornados!

On tap for my favorite month of the year:

All month: warmer weather means the return of the best season for Sunday Funday, patio brunches and patio bar crawling!

9th - 10th: 29th Annual Redbud Classic. This involves running, walking or biking. I'm out!

16th: NBA playoffs begin. Thunder up!!

19th: this date marks the 16th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Though this date marks a time of remembrance for Oklahomans and indeed the rest of the nation, any day of any month is a good time to visit this fantastic and sad memorial.

21st: Matt's birthday. One of my besties though he even isn't sure how old he'll be (it's a long story).

26th - May 1st: Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts. One of the best outdoor events to be held yearly in Oklahoma City. Great food, drinks, and art! It also coincides with my birthday every year.

26th: Davemas!! Number 38.

29th - May 1st: Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. Once again, too much exercise for me. I'm sticking with the 12 ounce curls.

I love this month and this time of year! What's everyone else doing for the glorious month of April?

When Harry Met Sally 2

When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren from Billy Crystal

I would definitely pay money to see this movie!

Division Champs!!

Thunder fans knew it was only a matter of time but it's still amazing what this team has accomplished after only three years in Oklahoma City. Now let's close the gap with Dallas and get that third playoff seed in the Western Conference. Woot woot!

Get the Northwest Division title shirts here.

The Reapers

I found "The Reapers" (351 pages) by John Connolly in my stacks of books at home which was fortunate since I'm in dire need of a trip to the bookstore. From the dust cover:

"As a small boy, Louis witnessed an unspeakable crime that takes the life of a member of his small, southern community. He grows up and moves on, but he is forever changed by the cruel and brutal nature of the act. It lights a fire deep within him that burns white and cold, a quiet flame just waiting to ignite. Now, years later, the sins of his life are reaching into his present, bringing with them the buried secrets and half-forgotten acts of his past.

Someone is hunting him, targeting his home, his business, and his partner Angel. The instrument of revenge is Bliss, a killer of killers, the most feared of assassins. Bliss is a Reaper, a lethal tool to be applied toward the ultimate end, but he is also a man with a personal vendetta.

Both hardened by their pasts, Louis and Angel decide to strike back, and although they form a camaraderie that brings them solace, it offers them no shelter from the fate that stalks them. When they mysteriously disappear, their friends are forced to band together to find them. They are led by private detective Charlie Parker, a killer himself, a Reaper in waiting.

Connolly's triumphant prose and unerring rendering of his tortured characters mesmerizes and chills. He creates a world where everyone is corrupt and murderers go unpunished, but betrayals are always avenged. Yet another masterpiece from a proven talent, The Reapers will terrify and transfix."

Apparently "The Reapers" is a middle book in a series of novels by Connolly that mostly center around detective Charlie Parker. Had I known this before I began reading the book I would have skipped it altogether. I'd rather read books based on the recurrence of one character or characters from the beginning. Fortunately this novel focuses on Louis and Angel, two side characters from the novels, so it was fairly easy to get through the story without knowing what had followed previously.

I found Connolly's writing style somewhat sophisticated for a novel in this genre and I thought the story mostly satisfying although it does get a little predictable toward the end. My greatest surprise, besides many typos (who edited this novel?), was that the main characters, Louis and Angel, were a gay couple. That's definitely new to me in a novel that promotes itself as a thriller. Times they are a changing.

Again, an enjoyable read, particularly the exploration of Louis' past and how he came to be the kind of person he is. The writing is nice and smooth and easily followed even though it comes in the middle of a series of novels. I'll definitely have to check out some of the other novels in the Charlie Parker series. Recommended to fans of mysteries or thrillers.

The 5000 Question Meme, Part Three

I'm a couple of days behind thanks to a weekend trip to Tulsa, America. Courtesy of Sunday Stealing again...

Cheers to all of us thieves!

51. Make up a definition for the following silly words...

Fruitgoogle: I think this was the replacement site for ManHunt.

Ambytime: The time of day one takes Ambien.

Asscactus: I had this ailment but it was nothing a little penicillin and shaving couldn't cure.

52. What was the last thing you made with your own hands?
I have no clue, I'm more of a hire it done kind of boy.

53. What was your favorite toy as a child?
That's a tough one. Either Star Wars figures or Legos.

54. How many TV’s are in your house?
Only one beat up Sony.

55. What is your favorite thing to do outside?
Sit on a patio for brunch? I used to really enjoy golf quite a bit in my other life.

56. How do you feel when you see a rainbow?
Poor. I never can find that pot of gold!

57. Have you ever dreamt a dream that came true?
Nope.

58. Have you ever been to a psychic/tarot reader?
No but it sounds it could be a fun thing to do.

59. What is your idea of paradise?
Anywhere that doesn't end in lahoma.

60. Do you believe in god and if so what is he/she/it like?
I do not believe in god, fortunately I have been spared that particular mental illness.

61. Do you believe in Hell?
See above.

62. What one thing have you done that most people haven't?
Not sure. Whored on Craigslist? Is that a common occurrence?

63. What is the kindest thing you have ever done?
Nothing, I'm a taker remember?

64. Have you gone to WTIT's facebook page and hit "like" yet? If not, why not? (No pressure.)
I only friend or like people I personally know.

65. What holiday should exist but doesn't?
Davemas.

66. What holiday shouldn't exist but does?
Easter.

67. What's the best joke you ever heard?
The one about the two gay judges. They tried each other.

68. Where is the most fun place you have EVER been?
Chicago, Germany, or Mexico would be in my top three.

69. Is your hair natural or dyed?
Natural brown with the exception of that one grey hair.

70. Do you have any deep dark secrets or are you pretty much up front?
I have a few of them but I usually end up sharing them with my peeps.

71. What is under your bed right now?
Probably some dust bunnies.

72. If you were in the Land of Oz would you want to live there or go home?
I think Oz could be kind of fun provided I didn't live in Munchkinland.

73. If you drive do you frequently speed?
Almost always.

74. What is the world's best song to dance to?
"Lonely Little Petunia In An Onion Patch."

75. What song was on the last time you danced with someone?
Unsure even though it was this weekend. I know for sure I danced to some Shiny Toy Guns but it wasn't the last song.

The Camel Club

Not usually the kind of books I read, "The Camel Club" (593 pages) by David Baldacci turned out to be a pretty good recommendation from my mom. From the book:

"Welcome to the Camel Club. Existing at the fringes of Washington, D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man known as "Oliver Stone," they study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions. Their efforts bear little fruit - until the group witnesses a shocking murder... and they become embroiled in an astounding, far-reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a Secret Service agent to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil - an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. And all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes."

Though a few years outdated, "The Camel Club" is still an interesting look into American foreign policy and the supposed war on terror. Through his writing it's clear that Baldacci leans a little to the left politically, a nice surprise for me with this kind of fiction. I don't want to give up more of the plot than I have to but I will say that the book is well written and easily finished in spite of the myriad of characters and plots that move wildly from chapter to chapter. The only other major complaint was the wild and somewhat unbelievable turn the book took toward the ending. In spite of this I enjoyed the novel well enough to recommend it and to check out the three other novels in the Camel Club series.

Thunder Clinch!

Not that this is big news or anything since it was expected but I'm still stoked the Thunder have officially clinched a playoff berth for the second year in a row! Most likely they'll win the Northwest Division shortly in the Western Conference as well. Unless something unlikely happens Oklahoma City will host the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. Thunder up!

The 5000 Question Meme, Part Two

Tried to post this yesterday but I was having some issues, that's what I get for downloading IE 9...

I've had a hard time getting motivated to blog lately, today is no exception. From Sunday Stealing:

Cheers to all of us thieves!

26. Who has done something today to show they care about you?
My neighbor came over earlier and asked to borrow some money. Does that count?

27. Do you have a lot to learn?
I'm not sure how to respond to this.

28. If you could learn how to do three things just by wishing and not by working what would they be?
A foreign language. To play the piano. The ability to pick winning lottery tickets.

29. Which do you remember the longest: what other people say, what other people do or how other people make you feel?
Definitely how people make me feel.

30. What are the key ingredients to having a good relationship?
A water bed?

31. What 3 things do you want to do before you die?
(1) Travel more, especially to southeast Asia and South America.
(2) Punch Dane Cook in the face.
(3) Move away from Oklahoma.

32. What three things would you want to die to avoid doing?
Nothing comes to mind, today is not a good day to die.

33. Is there a cause you believe in more than any other cause?
Nothing really stands out above others though I am passionate for certain causes.

34. What does each decade make you think of:
Getting older.

35. Which decade do you feel the most special connection to and why?
Probably the '80's since this is when I came of age.

36. What is your favorite oldie/classic rock song?
Too many to pick a favorite but I really dig "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac.

37. What country do you live in and who is the leader of that country?
The good old US of A. Our leader is that one guy, what's his name? The Muslim one.

If you could say any sentence to the current leader of your country what would it be?
Dude, really?

38. What's your favorite TV channel to watch in the middle of the night?
Without question Cartoon Network.

39. What Disney villain are you the most like and why?
Maleficent. She's quite evil.

40. Have you ever been a girl scout/boy scout?
No and I loathe the boy scouts as an organization. I like the girl scout cookies.

41. If you were traveling to another continent would you rather fly or take a boat?
Either would be fine. A boat adventure would be cool but it would have to have a bar and maybe a casino.

42. Why is the sky blue during the day and black at night?
Because your mamma told you so.

43. What does your name mean?
Beloved and it's true! Though it should mean modest.

44. Would you rather explore the deeps of the ocean or outer space?
The ocean. “Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence.”

45. Word association

What is the first word that comes to mind when you see the word:

Air: Head.

Meat: Head.

Different: Strokes.

Pink: Is the new black.

Deserve: Moose.

White: Album.

Elvis: Toilet.

Magic: The Gathering.

Heart: Ache.

Clash: London Calling.

Pulp: Orange juice.

46. If you could meet any person in the world who is dead who would you want it to be?
The Cryptkeeper.

47. What if you could meet anyone who is alive?
It would be cool to go tanning with John Boehner.

48. Is there a movie that you love so much you could watch it everyday?
No there isn't though I do have some favorites but too much of a good thing isn't.

49. You are going to be stuck alone in an elevator for a week. What do you bring to do?
An e-reader and lots of food.

50. Have you ever saved someone's life or had your life saved?
I was saved from getting crushed by an elevator when I was 16.

Imperial Bedrooms

Bret Easton Ellis never seems to change. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I think a little of both in his sequel to "Less Than Zero" 25 years later with "Imperial Bedrooms" (169 pages). From the cover:

"Bret Easton Ellis's debut, Less Than Zero, is one of the signal novels of the last thirty years, and he now follows those infamous teenagers into an even more desperate middle age.

Clay, a successful screenwriter, has returned from New York to Los Angeles to help cast his new movie, and he's soon drifting through a long-familiar circle. Blair, his former girlfriend, is married to Trent, an influential manager who's still a bisexual philanderer, and their Beverly Hills parties attract various levels of fame, fortune and power. Then there's Clay's childhood friend Julian, a recovering addict, and their old dealer, Rip, face-lifted beyond recognition and seemingly even more sinister than in his notorious past.

But Clay's own demons emerge once he meets a gorgeous young actress determined to win a role in his movie. And when his life careens completely out of control, he has no choice but to plumb the darkest recesses of his character and come to terms with his proclivity for betrayal.

A genuine literary event."

As I stated above this is typical Ellis and the gang's all here from 25 years ago, the same vapid and disgusting gang. In a nutshell people who take human nature to the extreme, people we all know in real life. What makes this novel so different from "Less Than Zero," other than the advance of time, is that there's an actual plot this time around scattered with some conspiracy elements from "Glamorama" and a chapter involving a couple of prostitutes that makes one think of Patrick Bateman from "American Psycho."

Obviously the satire, violence, sexual gratuity, and reoccurring themes from all his novels are what keep Ellis fan coming back for more. Again, I enjoyed this novel for these reasons but one has to wonder what more Ellis can do. A worthy read for fans, maybe not so for the uninitiated. If you haven't read anything by Bret Easton Ellis, start with "Less Than Zero" or "American Psycho" to see what I believe was his best work.

Apparently the movie "Less Than Zero" should be skipped. It's obvious in this novel the disdain Ellis has for the big screen adaptation of his work.

"Disappear here." Again.

Crime and Punishment

"If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be punishment-as well as the prison."

From the dust cover of the Modern Library version of "Crime and Punishment" (629 pages) by Fyodor Dostoevsky:

"'Crime and Punishment has upon most readers an impact as immediate and obvious and full as the news of murder next door,' wrote critic R.P. Blackmur. 'One almost participates in the crime... it is the murder that only by some saving accident we did not ourselves commit.' In the whole literature of the ambivalent relationship between man and the crimes of which he is capable, Crime and Punishment stands supreme for its insight, compassion, and psychological fidelity. The story of the murder committed by Raskolnikov and his guilt and atonement is without a doubt the most gripping and illuminating account ever written of a crime of repugnance and despair and the consequences that inevitably arise from it. 'Dostoevsky's novels... leap out of their historical situation and confront us as if they had not yet spoken their final word,' said award-winning Russian translator Richard Pevear. And the Washington Post Book World deemed Dostoevksy 'the most compulsively readable of novelists we continue to regard as great.'"

This is my third reading of "Crime and Punishment" over the last twenty years. The novel made a profound impression upon me during my first reading in High School. Maybe the biggest literary impact of my life with maybe the exception of Shakespeare. In any event I would definitely classify the classic in my top five novels of all time.

Simply put the story mostly follows Raskolnikov through his brutal act of murder of an old pawnbroker and her sister, through his guilt and paranoia of the crime, to his ultimate redemption and spiritual rebirth. The story is also filled with numerous memorable characters and their own stories that all seemingly come together to shape Raskolnikov and the eventual outcome. What was so powerful about the story, for me at least, was the torment that the reader can't help but feel with Raskolnikov as he struggles with his crime and guilt. I literally writhed and wrung my hands along with the protagonist, truly a credit to the narrative skills of Dostoevsky.

Another interesting aspect put forth in the novel is Raskolnikov's theory of the ordinary man versus the extraordinary man. He asserts that the extraordinary man through his superiority is not responsible to the same rules of society as the ordinary man. Indeed the act of even murder can be justified for the extraordinary man if his actions will benefit a larger group of society and culture as a whole. What happens when one who thinks they fall into the extraordinary group finds through guilt and regret that he is only ordinary?

A novel I would highly recommend to any reader. The story is dark and can have a profound impact on the reader, probably it's biggest strength. On the downside, the translation and narrative from the mid 1800's can be challenging. The Russian character names and similarities between some of them could also be an impediment to the enjoyment of the story.