My Birthday... Steelers!

The Steelers did it. I turn 33... the Superbowl turns 40.... and The Bus probably retires...as the Pittsburgh Steelers win.
The best thing about watching the game was having my God-daughter (who is celebrating her 8 month birthday today) lying on my stomach looking at me as the time clicked down to 0.

It was a fantastic day. My wife is an amazing person... she handled all the things that needed to be handles to make sure a get together goes well and let me watch the game.

I'm tired.
I'm happy.
I'm 33.

My Birthday Week Fun - Day 6 - "Tired and Happy"

Last night my wife and I went to a Walt Wilkins show at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos. If you’re not aware of Walt Wilkins’ music… or talent as a songwriter… Here’s a link to his site.. make yourself aware - Wilkins’ Web Site. If my recommendation doesn’t do it for you.. maybe you’ll be persuaded when you hear that George Strait is recording one of his tunes.

Anyhow, Wilkins invited two friends to sit in with him at Cheatham – Ryan James and Sam Baker. Very good…

Anyhow.. I had my camera with me, as I often do and I snapped a few (OK about 70) photos… here’s one of the gang…


Next time you hear from me about Walt, It’ll likely be an interview.

I’m a little tired today, but I’m wearing my Steelers jersey and ready for tomorrow. I’m wearing my Neil O'Donnell jersey today to remind myself that anything can happen in the Superbowl… and because I don’t want to be wearing it tomorrow.

Tomorrow I’ll either wear my Claes jersey (Number 73 after my birth year) or my Terry Bradshaw one. Yes, I have way too many jerseys… I’ve got a polo and 2 t-shirts as well… and a terrible towel and koozie…bobblehead doll… a custom-made table and a whole lot of other things. I’m not some come-lately Steelers fan… just in case you were wondering.

Tomorrow is my birthday. Yeah me.

Birthday Week.. Day 5 - Time-wasting survey time.

Since it is my birthday week, I've decided to blog all those things I'd be annoyed about if someone else blogged them... surveys, forwards, and stuff like that... yes, this is my week of SPAM. Please bear with me.
Thank you.
- Sean


Take this survey about your High School memories:

1) where did you graduate from and what year?
United High School (Laredo, Texas) Class of 1991! GO LONGHORNS!!!

2) did you have school pride?
I was voted most spirited Senior

3) was your prom a night to remember?
Growing up in Laredo...people would go to the prom to take the photo, then head to Mexico to drink. I don't rightly remember my Senior prom. I think I had a good time. I remember my date (which was just a friend) had curled her hair so tight that it looked like a curly fry.

4) do you own all 4 yearbooks?
I do. I worked on the Yearbook staff for my Senior Year... Yeah, I can't believe I admitted that either.

5) what was the worst trouble you ever got into?
My lawyer advises me not to talk about this.
Actually, I guess the worst one was being sent to detention for smoking. The really bad stuff I did, I was too smart to get caught for.

6) what kind of people did you hang out with?
There were the "Nerds," "Preppies," "Jocks," "Cheerleaders," "Lowriders," and "Headbangers." I hung with the headbangers and the nerds... but was never really accepted into either group.

7) what was your number 1 choice of college in HS?
The only one outside of Laredo I thought about applying for was University of Texas. I missed the deadline for applying when I was ready (after graduating from Community College because I figured why pay big bucks for the same "credits" you can get at a CC), and I applied and was accepted into Southwest Texas State University... the best move of my life.

8) what radio station did you jam out to in high school?
94.9 was a rock station in Laredo until about 1992, then it became country..now I think it's tejano...or oldies. I'll bet the number is still 723-R-O-C-K though.

9) were you involved in any organizations or clubs?
I was the co-editor of the school newspaper, and worked on the yearbook. I did debate (poorly) in 9th and 10th.

10) what were your favorite classes in high school?
Newspaper, biology (but not the numbers part)

11) who were your biggest crushes in high school?
I had a big crush on the girl I went to my senior prom with... I told her one night in a drunken diatribe... and then we acted like it never happened for years... then bad things happened...so we closed that chapter.

12) would you say you've changed a lot since highschool?
I'm much more sure of myself... or am I?

13) What do u miss most about high school?
Not having to go to meetings, out of town for business and the subject changing a few times a day.

14) your worst memory of HS?
One of my friends was killed in a drunk driving accident... I was at the same place he was the night he died... working with MADD.

15) Did you have a car?
1979 green Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight - THE TANK

16) what were your school colors?
Orange and White (we were the Longhorns..get it.. how original)

17) who was your fav. teacher?
Beverly Herrera - Newspaper.

18) did you own a cell phone in highschool?
I had a pager... *beep beep beep* My code when I called people was ###-#### *36

19) did you leave campus for lunch?
I had a "newspaper pass" that made me the king of "I can get you out if you buy."

20) if so, where was your fav. place to go eat?
Dairy Queen

21) were u late to class?
I was probably late... but not often

22) did you ever have to stay for saturday school ?
Like in The Breakfast Club? Um.. no. Our detention ran concurrently with the day.

23) did you ever ditch?
Heck Yeah. My house was about a mile from the school...and we had a pool.

24) when it comes time for the reunion will you be there?
When my 10 year reunion came by I went.. but I wasn't there... I had a fever of like 103 and the world was spinning. One of those sudden sicknesses. I'll be at the 15th (whoa.. that'd be this year) if we have one and certainly at the 20th. We had like 500 in our senior class..so I only remember a few. I talk to only one of them though.

25) do you wish you were still in high school?
I don't live in the past.

My Forecaster is a rat from Punxsutawney

Birthday week... day 4... GROUNDHOG DAY!
Verdict?

Phil Says Six More Weeks of Winter!

Phil's official forecast as read 2/2/06 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob:

It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Around the country there are many imitators of me.

In Harrisburg there is Gus who appears on TV
working for the lottery.

Then all around town,
Cute groundhog statues abound.
They all look like me, I found.

Today on the Knob as I'm doing my job,
I don't like this likeness of me.

It's my shadow I see. Six more weeks of mild winter there will be.

(From: http://www.groundhog.org/prediction/)

--------
OK...Fun with names:

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet and current street name)
Cubby Sampson

2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on mother's side first name, favorite candy)
Pete Grand

3. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
Scla

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite animal, name of high school)
Tiger United

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
William Berea

6. YOUR OPPOSITE SEX NAME: (name of dad/mom, cell phone Company you use)
Dolores Sprint

7. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name)
Clascejoe

8. YOUR PORN STAR NAME: (middle name, and the first street you lived on)
William Western

Brokebacken Record...

For my birthday post..day three I have a thought.

People who watched Brokeback Mountain don't bother me. People who are against seeing Brokeback Mountain don't bother me. People who call the people who are against seeing Brokeback Mountain "homophobic" don't bother me.

The people who bother me are the ones who go to great lengths to explain why people who call those who won't see the movie "homophobic" are wrong.

Richard Cheese - Dome!

Probably one of the funnies little animations that has crossed my computer screen. For my birthday week - Day Two I give you RICHARD CHEESE!

Warning... there are numerous swear words on this..so not safe around children...or co-workers for that matter...so I provided a link to it and didn't post it to be "live" on here.


Richard Cheese - Do Me



Richard Cheese: You can dome in the morning
You can dome in the night
You can dome when you wanna dome
You can dome-
Sound Technician: Hold on hold on. It's not dome, it's do me.


Link from: Newgrounds.
Photo from: http://cynicalsmirk.com/

Musical Roulette & Guitar Shred Show!

It's my birthday week! This is Day one of a week of no-reason just for fun Blogs. You're welcome.
Part 1
Musical Roulette aka What’s on YOUR player

1. Open up the music player on your computer.
2. Set it to play your entire music collection.
3. Hit the shuffle command.
4. Tell us the title of the next ten songs that show up (with their musicians), no matter how embarrassing. That's right, no skipping that Carpenters tune that will totally destroy your hip credibility. It's time for total musical honesty. Write it up in your blog or journal and link back to at least a couple of the other sites where you saw this.
5. If you get the same artist twice, you may skip the second (or third, or etc.) occurrences. You don't have to, but since randomness could mean you end up with a list of ten song with five artists, you can if you'd like.

1. Brandon Rhyder - Let The Good Times Roll
2. Matt The Electrician - $100 Bill
3. Guy Forsyth - Patients Blues
4. Los Lobos – Will The Wolf Survive
5. Nooner – Friday Night
6. Ray Charles – Cry
7. Brand New Sin – Another Reason
8. Travis Tritt – I'm Gonna Be Somebody
9. Red Leaves – 33
10. The Offspring – Pretty Fly For A White Guy

Bonus: This popped up, but this band is defunct…(and AWESOME) and there is no mention I can find of them on the Internet… the funniest punk-rockabilly-wear-a-tweety-head-and-dance-around band ever.
11. Loblolly – Crawlin’ Pappy



Part 2
Get your learn on...



“Guitar Shred Show” (http://www.guitarshredshow.com/)is an entertaining and educational Internet site for guitar players, musicians and casual music lovers. The basic idea for the programme was to combine educational guitar lessons with fictional, animated cartoon characters and environments. In traditional instructional videos well known musicians sit down to share playing tips and teach techniques on the instrument. With interactive media, this kind of educating can be taken to new levels.

“Guitar Shred Show” contains one guitar lesson, which is a combination of two modes: the actual in-class lesson and the musical jam. The teacher, Mr. Fastfinger acts like a puppet or a game character, which plays the guitar as you push the keyboard keys, real-time. If you play the guitar, you can take your own instrument and try the licks yourself, by reading the notated guitar tablatures. In addition to learning, you get to see amazing choreographies.

After a hard lesson, you can move on to jam mode. This mode is a short, interactive story, where you bump into a musical battle. During the jam the user can hear and test out how the lesson’s licks and techniques work with actual musical background. As if you were playing live in front of an audience!

Busy week... and Randomness

I've had a hell of a week. Between meetings with my full-time job, deadline for INsite, deadline for the community newsletter (yes I'm the editor and designer of my subdivision's newsletter), dealing with the Keystone Cop-esque phone company, and an interview that couldn't happen until last night...it's been a stretch-me-as-far-as-I-go week. But we're at the end of the "work" week and I send the newsletter to press in a few minutes...so I'm breathing a little... thanks for your concern.

So.. these are my random thoughts...

- Sometimes I chew my gum and listen to the chewing while intensly looking at someone who is talking. For all practical purposes I should be really paying attention because what they are saying is really important...but I chew...

- The word "numb" is extremely difficult to say when you have a mouth full of novocane. That's just wrong.

- On that note.. who was the genius that came up with the word "dyslexic?"

- I've got a co-worker that tries to use 25¢ words.. and fails many times. Example... "collaburting" for collaborating, "plundering" for intensly considering something, and "refernance" for "reference." It's not a slip up.. he says the words more than once... Kind of like that commercial for Fed-Ex or something... "It's the leaning tower of Pisa.. not Pizza."

- A few days ago I received a box of bracelets, pins, and cards from http://www.tclane.org/. TC Lane was one of my best friends little brothers. His story is tragic. Young guy with everything in the world going for him (Political Science major in a good school, interned with a Congressman, really good head on his shoulders) until he was killed by a drunk driver. The bracelet reads "Make A Difference" and has the Website address. I'm handing them to people who I believe have made a difference in my life... and will make a difference in the world. If you see a baby-blue and purple-swirl bracelet on my wrist...or someone elses.. that is the meaning.

- It's Friday.. I'm the proud owner (thanks to a Craig's List posting) of the most obnoxious Hawaiian Shirt EVER! yes...it is metallic gold. Look and be proud to know me.


You know how some people are so full of themselves that they take a picture of themself looking all sexy and stuff with mood lighting and they think they look sexy and they really don't and people just kind of make fun of them behind their backs?
OK.. I did that last night before my interview with Nooner. I rule.


Have a fantastic weekend.

It will be a happy birthday!

February 5, 2006.. I turn 33..and my favorite football team will be on TV.
Hooray.

Wilson Pickett...and a naked Austinite

The first time I ever sang in front of a crowd with a band bahind me, I was at my sister's wedding reception in Boston at Fenway Park... I somehow talked my way into singing "Mustang Sally." I was told I did a great job. I was just glad my sister and her new husband weren't embarrased. I mention this because the song was a fantastic hit by one of my favorite R&B singers - Wilson Pickett. Well...Wilson Pickett died yesterday. Man... a heart attack at 64. Rest in peace Mr. Pickett. Thanks for the music.

On a lighter note... Guy Forsyth is naked in my kitchen.

My parents are about to come into town and visit and I've decided to hang up my Naked calendar. What is this.. you might ask? Austin photographers donated their talent and local musicians donated their time and shed their clothing for Naked, a 2006 Calendar put together by Spike Gillespie (http://www.spikeg.com/) to benefit the Willie Graham/Legg Perthes Fund. The fund is named for Jon Dee Graham's son, and benefits the family to help pay for medical bills. The musicians include the likes of Guy Forsyth, Tosca, Eliza Gilkyson, Matt The Electrician, and Patricia Vaughan.

Guy Forsyth is January. I'm kind of looking forward to February... no offense Guy.

Have a good weekend.