Friday Fill In #96

1. My favorite food seasoning is pepper.
2. Tasty jazz is music to my ears.
3. Lucky is the name of that leprechaun on the cereal box.
4. Drum tuning is something I take very seriously.
5. Many people kid me about my obsessive drum tuning habit.
6. Winterizing window shrink film was the last thing I bought at the store.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to “trunk or treating with the kids, tomorrow my plans include sleeping late (but it hasn’t happened so far this entire vacation week),  and Sunday, I want to lunch at my Mom’s!

Vacation, Day #1

I’m taking a week off from the office. The goal is to use the time to get things around the house ready for winter. I need to put some plastic sheeting on the basement windows. I need to get the yard cleaned up. Today, with the help of Barry from the office, I was able to move a 6′ chest freezer out of my basement. It’s been down there for nigh on 10 years, and it never worked. (Note: if someone gives you a freezer that “probably” works, make sure you test it before you move it into the basement!) Today, though, it went to the dump. I also stopped by the office to do a few little things. Gina, since I’m not there, lunch at Kiwanis was chicken picata, rice, asparagus, and blueberry pie. (I ate every scrid!)

Paddy’s Harvest MI-5

1) If you could only pick one type of apple, which would it be?
Macs. I just dig ’em. I know all these new flavors are the rage, but I just can’t get in to them too much. I really don’t care for “mealy” apples. I know they’re the ones that are best for “out of hand” eating, but I don’t like the way they just fall apart in my mouth. Macs have a texture I like, and just the right amount of tartness.

2) If you could just have two kinds of greens in your garden, which ones would you grow?
Some kind of lettuce, for sure. I’d lean toward Romaine, but Boston Bibb would be fine too. I’m not sure what I’d pick for the other. I like spinach, especially raw or lightly cooked. But I also like collard greens. I don’t think they’re as versatile, though, so probably I’d go spinach.

3) What are your top three favorite root veggies and why?
I’m not really a fan of root veggies. Carrots and me don’t get along since an incident I had in childhood with boiled carrots. If they’re in a stew, though, or some otherwise flavorless preparation, I’m ok. Certainly not a favorite, though. I like potatoes. I also like onions, and they grow underground, so I’ll count them, even though they’re a bulb, not a root. Same with garlic.

4) Do you like squash? Name your four favorites, winter or summer varieties.
I like squash, but I’m not a fan of the real wet stuff. I prefer a firm variety, and I like it roasted. Susan and I have found that buttercup roasts the best, but acorn works ok too.

5) You are going to make a meal of grilled veggies … what five do you pick to grill tonight?
Red peppers, onions, portabello mushrooms, asparagus, cherry tomatoes. Susan and I make grilled veggies as a side dish when grilling outside, and she has this dressing made with coarse mustard that’s delish!

Friday Fill In #95

1. Right now, I’m feeling hungry.
2. Back in bed is where I want to be.
3. How does one change the variator weights in a 2007 Honda Metropolitan scooter to get better acceleration?
4. The calendar in my i-Pod Touch keeps me on track.
5. Please don’t worry about people stepping on your grass.
6. My family  fills me with joy.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to getting home from my gig, tomorrow my plans include something fun in the afternoon (I hope) and Sunday, I want to make it through!

My Cartoon Inspired MI-5

1) Johnny Quest meets his friend Hadji in India. Tell us about a friend you have/someone you met who is “far” away. (You determine what “far” is.)

I met Amy by way of Neurotic Fishbowl. The lady who ran that site–I think her name was Amy too–did something called the “Burn It.” She had this theme, and asked people to make a CD with songs that followed the theme. She then divided everyone who signed up into groups of four. You then made a CD, and sent it to those other three people. In return, those three would send you their CD. Amy was in my group. I still have her CD, too! Since then, she’s made several “friends” here in in Maine, but I don’t think she’s met any of them.

2) Scooby Doo and Shaggy are always hankerin’ for a snack. What have you got a craving for recently?

My wife let me indulge a craving for Twinkies recently. I hadn’t had one for some time, and Julia mentioned she wanted one. So at the grocery store on Saturday (I think), we grabbed a box. I had one last night. The kids like them so much, it may be the only one I get!
3) There are so many trains in “Thomas and Friends” I can’t keep track of them all! Is there a group of folks you’re involved in, and yet you don’t know everyone’s name (e.g. chruch group, business group, support group, etc.)? Can you tell us about it?

In Kiwanis, we try very hard to get around to each member of the group, shake hands, and say “Hi.” And, as the bulletin editor, I really need to know everyone’s name. Still, it can be hard. I’m also on the Advisory Board for the local Salvation Army. I’ve been a member of that board for a little over a year, I think. In that time, there are some members who are on the board, but I haven’t met them yet. If they come to a meeting, it must be the ones I have to miss!
4) Bill Cosby was only a regular on “The Electric Company” for one season before he left. What job have you held for the shortest period of time?

I had two jobs that didn’t last very long. My first real job was pumping gas at South End Exxon. I think I had maybe five months in that one–January through May. I left when they insisted that I come to work, even on my days off, just to “check in and see how things are going.” I also had a job for a short time as receiving clerk at our local Fashion Bug. It was my job to unpack clothes, and hang them on rolling carts for “the girls” to put on the sales floor. I never worked the sales floor, and I didn’t learn to run their register. I just stayed in my little room out back, and listened to CDs, and unpacked clothes.
5) Speaking of Bill Cosby, “The Junkyard Gang” from Fat Albert made instruments out of old junk. Do you have something in your house that’s old junk that you’ve turned into something useful? If not, tell us about something that’s junky, but that you just can’t get rid of.

I have a white marine pearl drum shell that I use as a trash can down in my basement.  Just put a trash bag in, and Walla Walla Washington, it’s a trash can.

Friday Fill In #94

1. Follow the red line on the map until you hit the blue line. Then you’re there!
2. A little extra cash is something I always take with me on vacation.
3. To achieve your goals, you must work at it.
4. “I like Halloween” is something I’d like you to know about me.
5. I have a local gig tonight. If you’re in Rockland, c’mon down to the Black Bull.
6. Float rope floats. (Sink rope doesn’t.)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to coming home from my gig, tomorrow my plans include going to a winterizing workshop, and Sunday, I want to give it all I’ve got!

Interseting Epitaph

I was searching for some new, somewhat macabre desktop today (as many of you know, I have a bit of penchant for the dreary), and I came across this epitaph. Sally Pond died in 1774 at age 31, and was buried beside two daughters (one died at 20 years, the other at 21 days). Sally’s epitaph reads (in my somewhat modern translation):

Under this stone confined doth lie
Three subjects of Death’s tyranny.
The mother who in this close tomb
Sleeps with the offspring of her womb
Whereby we see Death’s cruelty
In cutting of both fruit and tree
Yet all his malice will prove vain
Both tree and fruit will spring again.

A “rubbing” of her stone is here. I dig it!

Ringo Wants Peace and Love, and No More Fan Mail

Check out Mr. Starr here.

Does Ringo owe his fans anything? No. Does he have the right to stop signing things? Absolutely. Did his announcement make him come off as a total jerk? Um, Mr. Starr, there’s a Mr. Rich asking for you on line #2…

Ringo, man, stop with the whole “Peace and love” bit. It only sounds that much more insincere, especially couched in your announcement to “toss” requests for an autograph. While you have a right not to be hounded by fans, your request makes you sound like a pompous, well, you know.

I’m not an autograph type of person. I have one autograph, and that’s from Toy Caldwell after my band opened up for him in Camden 15 years ago. I have never written to a star for an autograph, and never plan too. But Mr. Starr, your video really made me change my view on who I thought you were.

Now, what’s Charlie Watt’s address?

Friday Fill In #93

1. One of the best concerts/plays/movies I ever saw that I really didn’t think I’d like was Bed of Roses.

2. Turkey pizza with roasted red peppers and pesto is a recipe I recently made that was delicious!

3. It’s time for bed, little mouse, little mouse–darkness is falling all over the house.

4. Italian lemon creme cake is quite refreshing.

5. If I never hear the word “Play some Bob Seger” again, it’ll be too soon.

6. To one side of the curving road was a smoking wreck, and on the other was an ambulance.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to bed, tomorrow my plans include going to a church meeting, and Sunday, I want to do something interesting, but I don’t know what!

The Scooter Contest

Yesterday, Jim thought he saw my scoot parked at Wasses Hot Dog Wagon. It wasn’t me! Someone in town apparently has a blue Honda Metropolitan just like mine! I’ve been thinking I need to Billy Rhythm-ize the scoot, and now I know I have to do it. But how? Skulls? Flames? Wire wheels? I’ve been thinking some kind of sticker might be in order. So here’s the contest: find the perfect accessory for my scoot, so everyone will know “That’s Billy Rhythm.” Leave me a comment, or email me, a link to the product. If you’re the winner, I’ll accessorize the scoot with your idea, AND you’ll win a prize. Cool?