Dean
Sara Jane Moore
John Glenn
Dick Martin
Scott Weiland
Farrah Fawcett
Ike Turner
Billy Graham
Chuck Berry
Kitty Carlisle
Don Herbert

Joel
Osama bin laden
Barack obama
Fidel castro
Dick clark
Walter Cronkite
Kirk Douglas
Lady Bird Johnson
Les Paul
Mike Wallace
JD Salinger

Justin
Billy Graham
Fidel Castro
Courtney Love (crossing fingers)
Kirk Douglas
Charlton Heston
B. B. King
Barbara Walters
Osama Bin Laden
Jerry Lewis
Dick Clark 

Kelly
billy graham
kirk douglas
Michael J Fox
Lady Bird Johnson
Axl Rose
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Bob Barker
Mickey Rooney
Farah Fawcett
BB King

Kevin
Fide Castro
Ariel Sharon
Jimmy Carter
Simon Cowell
Linday Lohan
Nancy Reagan
Muhammad Ali
Dave Chappelle
Teddy Kennedy
Robert Byrd

Matt
Fidel Castro
Courtney Love
Doyle Brunson
Ariel Sharon
Muhammad Ali
Bob Barker
Kim Jong-il
Lindsay Lohan
Dick Cheney
Betty Ford http://www.squeezeboxstudios.com/shop%20close/bettyford_girls.jpg

Each person makes a list of 10 people in the media that they think will unfortunately pass on in the coming year (Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2006).

If a person on your list happens to die for whatever reason (except for YOU killing them), then their age taken from 100 is the total points you earn. For example, if Jon Voight died today, your point total would be 27 (Jon is 73). http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/refarticle.aspx?refid=762507398

Whoever has the most points at the end of the year wins. Let’s commit to pay the winner $10 each to keep it fun.
 
KELLY:
Queen Elizabeth II
Ariel Sharon
Muhammed Ali
Nancy Reagan
Kirk Douglas
Michael J. Fox
Gerald Ford
Keith Richards
Billy Graham
Margaret Thatcher

KEVIN:
Michael Jackson
Ariel Sharon
Bill Clinton
Linday Lohan 
Osama Bin Laden
Nancy Reagan
Milton Friedman
Gerald Ford
Margaret Thatcher
Courtney Love

MATT:
Estelle Getty
Charlton Heston
Curtis James (50 Cent)
Whitney Houston
Bobby Brown
Alan Greenspan
Boris Yeltsin
Arial Sharon
Henry Kissinger
Walter Cronkite

JOEL:
Kirk Douglas
Doyle Brunson
Ed Mcmahon
Jerry Lewis
Andy Rooney
Mickey Rooney
Ariel Sharon
Margaret Thatcher
Nelson Mandela
Boris Yeltsin

JUSTIN:
Kirk Douglas
Ariel Sharon
Steve Irwin
Russell Johnson
Bob Barker
Jimmy Carter
Courtney Love
Jerry Lewis
Billy Graham
Charlton Heston

Today my twin nieces started the first day of their 18 year road of life in the public school system. So much experience to gain from school. WOW!

It got me thinking about all of those people I know and value from my school years:
 I met Zach in 2nd grade (should have thought twice about that  ), Heath in 5th grade, Bryan and Chad in 7th grade, Mandy in 7th grade, and LouAnn in high school. All of these people I have fairly regular contact with and call good friends. My nieces could meet someone today that could be in their lives forever. That alone is enough to contemplate a bit.
 
For the parent at the bus stop, my sister, I am sure the 5 years has just flown by. I am wondering myself where they have gone. But it will only get better now, because the ghouls will come home with stories, experiences, and begin to shape who they are of themselves. YES!
 
SO raise a carton of milk to my nieces. We wish you luck and many good experiences!

I am sure my parents wondered if I would make it out of my childhood. If I wasn't riding on the trunks of speeding cars through the neighborhood, I was getting into trouble with my next door neighbor Chad, who at the time was quite the influence on this impressionable mind (although I do have him to thank for a lot of fun memories and my first look at nudie magazines). But now that I am 28 and respectable, it has occurred to me that there is still much to do before I hit 30. I have decided to make a list of 5 things to do before I am 30, then when I hit 30 I can make a list of at least 10 things to do before 40 (one of which will be visit all 50 states). 5 is a fair number for 2 years, and considering my list, I think I will have no problem. With that here it is.

1. Trip to D.C with my father - My dad, a Vietnam vet, has never really shared his experiences during the war with anyone. I want to go with my dad to the Vietnam memorial and moreso just listen to what he has to say about his experiences and to let him continue to figure his own stuff out. I don't want to lose that part of our family history and I think a good father son trip is in order.
2. Learn to play the Peanuts song called "Linus and Lucy." You can do a search on MSN Music for this song and know exactly what I am talking about, you will definately know it when you hear it. I love this song, and hope that one day I can play it so well that I can walk up to a piano anywhere and bust it out! This song played all holiday season (for some reason) in the mall that I spent 10 of my years at. It makes me happy.
3. Ride a bull. It would make for a hell of a story.
4. River raft down the Colorado River, through the Grand Canyon. This looks like a next summer trip. I am hoping to get it all squared away in the coming fall.
5. WOW, where is my number 5. I thought I had one, more than likely I forgot what it is...At this point I am open for suggestions, at least until I remember what it was...(get married?)

I am a germphobe. I wash my hands more than normal, I can't touch door handles without wondering what I am picking up (any door handles, not just bathroom ones), and I will take any opportunity to avoid food or beverage if I have the slightest inclination that it has been tainted, either by something or someone. Anyone who knows me can attest to this being the case.

Which is why it might seem a little weird for you to be reading a blog entry about poop. Yep, poop. Poop is a very dirty thing. It is nothing but waste. But I am fascinated by it. Not really the object poop but more of the action of taking a poop. So many thoughts and questions, let's see if I can get some of them down. Prepare yourself, this might get ugly.

Why is it called taking a poop when you are actually leaving something behind? Is the only comparison that makes any sense to people when they ask "what is it like to have a baby?" is "it's like taking a big poop." Is it just me, or do you feel on top of the world after a big poop, like you just got a rush of endorphins through your body after getting it all out? I was feeling real bad just this last Sunday, then I took a good poop and was the cat's meow! Why is the word poop so damned funny? How come my poop changes colors after I eat Indian food? Do they make deeper toilet bowls for that occasional splash back on my bum when poop hits the water? And speaking of water, I think the reason there is even water in the toilet is to surround the poop so that it does not stink. Do the air fresheners in a bathroom really cover up the poop smell (I think not)? Not that they cover up the pee smell either, but pee is for another blog entry I should think. I think that Triumph the Insult Comic dog is SO funny. His catch phrase is "...for me to poop on!" Ever try to imagine your friends and co workers pooping? Man that is good fun. Nothing gets me through a boring meeting better than that! I love to tell people I have to poop. I usually excuse myself with an "I'll be right back, I have to poop." I think it is well received, people know about how long I am going to be. And when people excuse themselves, I try to ask if they went #1 or #2, and if they washed their hands. I try to spread the hand washing thing whenever possible.

I can totally go on. I think I got the majority of my present thoughts on the solid formerly known excrement out of my head and pooped onto this blog entry. I am interested to know if I am the only one, so make this your time to add a comment.

Since my last posting, I have been up to a lot! First off, my friend Mandy had her baby! 6 lbs 6 ounces, the baby girl came early, just a day after her mothers birthday on June 10th. Plans to go see the new family with Amelia as the new addition are set for this weekend. New babies are always good, lots of the fun, and you hand them back to mom when they start to cry. They are the best form of birth cotnrol I tell ya! 

I also took a trip to Canada for my Uncle Rob's 50th 'surprise' birthday dinner! He is my favorite uncle and to not show would have been bad. This weekend did give me the opportunity to hang out with all of my dad's siblings in some way or another. My uncles are prtty cool people, each with their own personalities, but all sharing the same underlying sense of family and togetherness that I really have not seen from them. I am sure it was there, I just am in the place to look now I guess. Randy, who lives in Custer just before the Canadian border, was very happy to see us when we swing into his place. He gave us the tour since some of us had not been there. Randy and Lori are just closing down their coy buisness, but still had a TON of fishes. 3 big Japanese coy were the sight to see. Rob, ever so funny, bestowed upon me the best paint brush known to man after hearing that I would have to paint my new place to make it tolerable for any incoming renters (bright pink does nothing for sellability!). Just to be sure I was still deserving, he tested me on how to cut in when painting edges. I passed with no issue, it is in my blood. Ryan, who has been more family than ever in the past 6 months, made us soup at his place on the way home. We spent good quailty time my cousins, playing Halo2 and jumping on the trampoline. Next trip up there is a computer reinstall for Sam's computer (seriously, who buys XP home when you can get pro!!!!). The computer is pretty much hosed, so my magic hands will have to do some good work on it.   I also had a chance to stop in Bellingham to see a dear friend of mine from college, Jenny. She is such good times and I have NO idea how we ever spent so much time away from each other. She represents a part of my life that I forgot about, not that she isn't a cool gal too though!

Finishing up this weekend was the first BBQ at the new house. Decent turn out, not that I cared who showed though. Such a long weekend that I didn't care who showed! But alas the shows out numbered the no shows and I think everyone had a good enough time. Food and visiting, good times to be had by all.

Tonight we celebrate the last day of Bryan at the SOC. His year contract is up, so we lift a glass to him at the Red Robin in Crossroads. Anyone reading this is more than invited to show and drink with the rest of us. Cheers to the man. The only one who is extraordinarily happy for Bryan's time off is George, who is hoping to see Bryan more often than now!

Aren't weekly ships grand? Posting (ed) a few new pics of the Oregon shop. Finalizing the sale soon hopefully. The place is really looking good. I am not sure what will happen first, ownership of the building or the birth of my friend Mandy's baby. Today is her birthday, she was trying to push the kid out today just for convenience, but I don't think it will happen. Back to work with all of you.

I feel obligated to write about this news story mainly because no national news agency has reported on this other than NPR as far as I can tell. I heard it on the way into work this morning. You too can hear the story by going here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4647602. This is a must listen story in order to understand what I am talking about, but worth every freaking second of this 3:24 story.

Sportsmanship in a game? By an American? Without having been told by a referee or a sports official? All by himself? Are you sure he is American? Wait, you mean he is not doing steroids AND he is honest?

I actually can quite easily apply this to my personal life. Although top seated tennis stars are somewhat below me and my dodge ball skill, I can see that people really do have a hard time being sportsmen and women. More so men actually, but I don't see too many women in the hard game of dodge ball. At any rate, it is dodge ball people, let it go. Even with the simplest of rules, people still find ways to cheat. Good thing we are such a good team that it doesn't matter.

In closing, I'd like to see more people out there, especially in the professional arena making calls about themselves if it was mishandled by the officials. Imagine seeing an NBA star arguing that he DID foul someone when it was not called, or a 2nd baseman calling a runner safe when the umpire calls him out. Amazing story though. Especially considering that after making a call against himself that would win the match and a lot of money, Andy Roddick makes a call against himself and goes on to lose the match in the Rome Masters.

Scratch being homeless of my list of things to do. Next up is score some blow from a hooker and actually have a story that begins with "So there I was: 12 feet of rope in one hand, a live chicken in the other..."

Enough about my life though for once. I think it is about time to write an opinion piece. Feel free to give me some ideas about what to write about, I assure you it will have some entertainment value. But for now, I'd like to discuss war. Not the war in Iraq. I served as a fighter pilot in the air fare wars of the 80's. I lost a spleen actually. After that I turned into a mercenary and fought in several other wars and skirmishes as a soldier of fortune. A gun for hire! It wasn't long after that I joined the Salivation Army in their fight against Old Navy. I lost my spleen in a battle there. Then I moved on to fight in the Browser Wars. We all regretted dropping the Dot Com BOOM, but it had to be done, many more would have perished had it not been for that.

Enough about my service though, let's take a second to shout out those armed services that make it possible for me to live and exist in this wonderful country. I am especially reminded of how much their service means to this country when I drive by the trailer parks and see the wife beaters earning their names, the pimps upkeeping their stable, and the panhandlers on every off ramp asking for my spare change (God Bless!).

And another thing about panhandlers, the next time I see one with the surprisingly honest "Why lie? Want to get drunk" type message, I might just get out of my car and give him the choice of the hairy or non hairy side of my hand to slap him across the face with. Show me a nicely dressed (maybe even a suit) professional looking person standing at the off ramp holding a sign that says "401K taking a dump, please help! God Bless!" sign, and I will show you 20 quick bucks for that poor bastard. THAT is true desperation.

Yes it is that time, time for me to move into my house. Seems like just last week I was moving out of my other house, partly because I was. Profits transfered from the sale of the old house, loan funded for the purchase of the new house, all that is left is occupation. I have felt pretty liberated to be living without the specific knowledge of when and how I was going to move to. I have learned a ton about myself. That has been worth the ride, for sure. I think that there is plenty more out there to discover about myself, I am hoping it will be easier in the future, but am knowing it will not. On list of things to do: 1) move all of my sh*t out of my parents house, my sisters house, and my girlfriends place, oh and my car and my parent's van 2) recover dog from kennel (eventually, sorry dog) 3) settle into house for about 4 minutes before making my plan to get out of the house. Tell me why I did this again?

Well I did it! I finally got all of my things out of the house. The title officially got recorded today and I have sold my house. I got the rest of my stuff out this morning (save for the oven cleaner, have fun with that dude!). I was amazed at how easy it is to vaccuum a place without any furniture. It was hard to go a little bit, leaving behind ahouse where so much emotion was tied to. Plans of marriage and family included that house. Later, good single times, including poker night and the occasional 'special guest' dealer among other things. I have morphed into a different person since moving there 2 years ago. I know much more about who I am than I probably have wanted to, especially considering the circumstances that got me to this self actualized point. But I am a better person, and I have that house to thank. So that is what I did. I thanked the house for being there for me. I thanked it for standing strong when I couldn't, for protecting the fragile me when nothing else could. I thanked it for holding the memories of the good times, the bad times, and wished it well for the future memories that someone else would create. Most of all though, I thanked it for being the constant in my life. It will be an important part of my past.

Looking forward I am eager to get into the property that I bought. Also, the Oregon shop is having its grand opening this weekend! I am not going down for that, but am eager to make a trip south to discuss the purchase of the building that houses the business. The future looks bright, but there is still plenty of work ahead.

The best lesson learned is one taught to you by this man:

http://www.ifilm.com/WMPPlaylist.asx?ifilmId=2667017&bandwidth=300

I found a place. Yay! No more worring about where to go. Not sure when I will be in it, but I guess that is the next thing to figure out! I am happy with the place, conveniently located about 100 yards from the very house I grew up in :O  Parents are happy that I am moving south. I am guessing living there will motivate me to move, but not before I put on 10 pounds from the food I will be eating free of charge:)  I must work to maintain my boyish figure. Pics posted.