Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Tuesdays

As far back as I can remember.... Us guys have been going out for wings on Tuesdays. Schmitty's Oar House, on the lake just outside of our old time stomping grounds of Fond du Lac Wisconsin. Rain or shine the only thing that kept us away was a bad schedule at work, or when one of us went off to college (of course there were always vacations). There's only one rule, “No Girls Allowed”. Like a tree house full of all you can eat chicken wings, beer, and hot sauce, our booth/table stands as a secret fort.

It didn't matter if you were a geek, jock, whether you had a hundred dollars in your wallet, or you walked in with a piggy bank and a hammer, when you were at Schmitty's on a Tuesdays with a basket of wings and a beer in front of you, you were part of the gang and may as well be a king.

The bar/restaurant is really nothing spectacular. A row of gambling machines complete with (for fun only) stickers line one wall. A big game hunter arcade game sits next to them. A large bar snakes along the other. Down the open walls, the seasons are visible through the windows as well as the lake. Booths line the outside of the eating area while tables make up the middle section. The only art is made of old 'Hamms' and 'Old Style' beer signs. A haze of thin smoke floats above the invisible thermocline flowing out from the bar stools.

Most of the time we're not carded, like Cheers everybody knows our names and what we want. We walk in sit down the waitress all of about twenty and never entirely ugly looking asks.

“Would anyone like anything other than wings?” She should ask.

We could all rename ourselves Norm while were there. Of course everyone has their choice of zest. Ranch, Hot, BBQ, whatever floats your boat. That's really all she has ask.

“What type of sauce?”

Aside from the usual bullshit conversations about work, annoying old girlfriends, the best type of sauce, the proper way to eat a wing, the babe of the day, and weekly life updates, there are few really worth while discussions. And that's exactly the way it's supposed to be.

/* It is just hitting me this is a far change from what going out for wings used to be remember. We've come a long way since hooters during senior year./*

Monday, July 06, 2009

Shiny Toy Guns @ Summerfest

Great time I went with Dan. Wish Carah was still with the band but here are some snippites from the great preformance.





In other news I am finally starting to get the writing itch again the book sorta burned me out for a while and I have been taking a needed break from writing and doing fun stuff before life kicks in again.

Friday, May 01, 2009

Hoked on Foniks workd for me.

It was second or third grade, one or the other, or most likely both. To be exactly specific I can't, my memories from that time period are a bit hazy, in retrospect I think did a little to much raspberry ICEE and froze my brain off back in those days.

The hard plastic of the 1970's vintage, multi colored, once size fits all kids chair felt cool against the skin of my short adorned legs. A small crack down the middle of the back restraint pinched my GI Joe t-shirt between is teeth while a bead of sweat rolled off my forehead.

“The next word is magazine, magazine
.”

Ok you can do this, sound it out like mom said, I thought to myself.

Mmm agg, maga, magazene. From deep inside my lungs a dull frustrated sigh leaves my mouth, maga, magazene, Yeah magazene. The dull point my No. 2 learners pencil moved over the double wide lines blue and red lines of my K-3 writing pad.

“Is everybody done? Raise your hand if you still need more time. Nobody? Ok then, the next word is pancake, pancake.

Pan, pankaa, pan, pankake. Yes, got another one no way I am going to have to stay after school learning my spelling words today.

The clock read 11:12, oh man if I can just make it through the rest of this stupid spelling test lunch I'm only two of the big numbers away, and then after lunch recess.

“The word is library, library.”


Libraire. Ha, done, come on teacher give me the hard ones. I so saw mom pack a pizza lunchable and Capri sun for my lunch this morning while I was getting ready. The other kids are going to be so jealous when I open my brand new official Batman lunch-box with pizza lunchable.

“Ambulance, Ambulance”
She said.

Ambulanse. This new Fonics thing is really working.

A few years later a new feature was added to a wide variety of word processors, the feature was f7 or spell check.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

In keeping secres of...

Having an extremely difficult day I only wish I could really understand what it is I keep on thinking about. Funny thing is I do understand, but do not have the courage to go through with what I have been thinking about. strangely enough a smile has been forming on my face for the past few hours. I am currently reading through some of my past entries and cringing at how terrible the english and grammar are. But this one is seconds away from being being well I don't even know, still this blog post I wrote some time ago has really hit home this afternoon.


From the vault:
Hail Drops are falling on my head
Saturday, March 19, 2005

Saturday evening Bruce, Sheila, Kim and I decided to go on a double date. The plan was, go out to dinner together and from there the split up and go do whatever it was each us wanted. We took both cars in order to ensure maximum distance and secrecy from the falcon-like eyes of the elders after dinner. I found myself right at home in the Texas based steak house Bruce and Sheila choose BJ

After a brief joke session and the appetizer, which was actually big enough to be a four course meal, I swore to myself and my stomach I was never going to eat again. A seemingly short time later as our waiter brought the salads and soups I wondered if stomach pumps were included as a complementary service for customers. By the time the main course (a 16oz steak) came to the table Mr. Tummy and I were on the verge of a digestive tract breakdown. “Oh lord where are the Tums”. At least I saved some room for the dessert the “ChocTanic.” And oh yes we brought home the doggy bags.

Following our dinner fit for the Hulk, Bruce and Sheila gave us some driving directions to a club entitled Jillians. Not a far drive, Jillians, according to their research it was supposed to be quite the place to hang out. So Kim and I hoped into out sleek Bullet Red…….”Family…….Mini,,,Van””Yeah..”. And headed off, what we did not know was that a very interesting night of laughing, tanning, sitting, and pondering was in order.

Arriving at this Jullians our initial impression was one of good nature. Valet Parking, Neon lights, water fountains, bouncers, tons of clubs, even a live band playing right outside (pretty good might I add) filled the entire area. However our initial impressions were soon filled with feelings of curiosity. Yes there were lots of teenaged kids, but none not a college student was to be seen. And right along intertwined with them were old people. I mean the median age must have been about 40 (as I am sure not a single 40 year old adorned the streets that night). The streets were filled with both the munchkin land-like ambiance of High School kids, and the formaldehyde smell of old people.

A strange place. Kim and I walked around hoping to find a group of college kids and follow them in the shadows to a secret college spot that only college students knew about, but were unsuccessfully disappointed. However along our walk I did get a sun tan from the flamingly bright, as I honestly believe that every guy with a compass that didn’t point to north was out (a.k.a. not straight PPL). It was about that time that Kim and I realized where we were. A perfect place for kids between the ages of 14 and 17, and the grandparents that brought them. Most of the clubs read you must be 21 to enter and the ones that did not require the age were totally filled with ankle biters. We then retreated to the relative safety of Borders to see on the off chance if they had Wil Wheaton's other book “Dancing Barefoot”. Nope guess it’s more of a specialty item. We found a group of street performers and enjoyed their tunes until we decided it would be time enough such that the parents would not wonder why we were home so earyly.

At this point Kim and I both dazed and confused, decided we would be better suited back at home watching a movie of our own choosing. Where we could snuggle without wide eyed staring kids just waiting to yell our “OOOOOOOOhhhhOOOOOO” or the criticism of old people who thought that anything more than holding hands in public is a sin. We drove back in the family mini van over the next fourty minutes to her parents house while made fun of the various weird evening events that had taken place.

Arriving back home we watched “The Rock”and some other movies I really can't remember even watching. The most wonderful 64 hours of my life happened over that weekend, my how I miss them.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Temba Goes on Sale


After months of writing, the first printing of Temba is now available for purchase. There are two ways to get it, first head on over to my lulu store front. There you will see Temba, you have the choice of either ordering the physical book, or downloading a pdf version. There is no difference between the two, only that the download is cheaper and it is just that, a download. It may not be the next Harry Potter, but hope you all enjoy it none the less. I've had really fun times and also some very somber moments writing this book but in the end it doesn't even matter.

Now, I think I am going to have a Scotch and Cigar to celebrate.

P.S. Look for an audio book option in the future.

I'd like to thank everyone who helped me so much in the writing, editing and brainstorming for this baby without everyone's help I can't imagine what would have become of this idea without you all.

Now lets just hope the printed version comes out right.

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