HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOEY!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to the littlest biggest Spidey fan I know!

The sequel that has replaced my other number one sequel

Spiderman 2 has replaced the Empire Strikes back as my number one sequel ever. I saw the midnite show and it was well worth the pain I will experience this morning when I try to get up...more later

WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!! It Stinkin' rocked!!! You didn't really think I was going to wait until Friday did you?

Monsters, Alien Abductions, and I know what you did last summer

I was coming home tonight and I decided to take the long way around the lakes. It's quiet and slow and a chance to feel like you are away from the city. So It's like 9:30 or so. It's getting dark and I cross over 394 and there are no streetlights turned on lining the parkway. Overhead trees and the lack of moonlight make it pretty dark back there.
Now, I have a pretty vivid imagination so I don't need any help concocting scary stories or thinking of wild scenarios whilst I drive through the wooded parkway. It was the perfect night for the baddies to get me, I left my cell phone at home and I was all alone.
I thought of Texas Chain Saw Massacre with Leatherface running out from the woods in front of the car, course he would have been hurting, because I wouldn't stop or swerve. There would be none of that "oh, lets stop and see if he's dead" stuff, I'll call 911 when I get home to see if he's dead.
Then I thought of the glowing light in the woods and the laughing children, you know that creepy giggle laugh they reserve for scary movies. When people hear that, why do they go and investigate? Why!?!
As you can tell I made it home safely, no aliens, no kids and no scary hooks on my car door.
Hold on a sec, did you hear that? I'll be right back....

What's red and blue and sticks to anything?

26 hours until the answer is revealed. Some people are such geeks.

3 Days for some, 48 hours for others and counting down.

Let's play Hangman. I have 4 coveted Gmail accounts to give out to the folks who can solve my hangman puzzle first.



_ _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ 2



Think you have it figured out? Contact me at riot27@gmail.com

Music and the “Joy in Repetition” (last Prince reference for a while)

I was on my way to work the other morning and some old school rap came on. The song actually pumped me up before I had to go in to the office.
It was LL Cool J’s “I’M Bad!” It had the beats, it had the rhymes, it had the old school bravado and no bling-bling. I have a few favorite lines from the song. “I’m notorious, I’ll crush you like a jelly bean!!”,and “Forget Oreos eat Cool J cookies!!! …. I’m Bad!!”
How could you not get pumped up by that!?!
This prompted me to think about music and the effect it has on you. Back in the day when I used a Pterodactyl as the needle on my made of stone Technics turntable, before we would hit the clubs, we would put on the latest 12”(an extended play vinyl record usually a remix of a really smooth cut. These were played at 33rpm) practice some moves and get hyped for the night. Yes kiddies, we had CD players, but the 12”s were DJ records, the type played at clubs.
Sade, good music for holding hands. (wink wink, see last month’s picture for how I feel about that.)
Back to PG13….
Music has been an important part of my life ever since I can remember. Growing up around my house you would hear Al Green, Aretha, Teddy Pendergrass, Isaac Hayes (the voice of Chef on South Park), and any major soul artist you can think of. Parties were nothing but music and laughter, holidays were the same. There are quite a few songs that will take me back to specific moments in time. There are songs that I use to help spark the memories, so I can look back in my mind and see my parents and relatives dancing and laughing, those that are still here and those that have left.
Most days I listen to music while I work. My tastes are all over the map and I like it that way. Some days will even get themes. High Pitched Airy or Whiny Brits Day, Old School Cuts day, Funk You Day and Misc. Mayhem Day just to name a few.
I dig music and I can see the role it plays in my everyday life. I guess I need to stop being a hypocrite in terms of music. It used to be when ever I heard that Celine Dion song from Titanic, you know the one with the line that goes “Near…. Far….Wherever you are blah blah blah blah” I would scowl and think to myself, “Who would listen to this drivel?” Now I try to remember this may be a memory spark for someone, I don’t have to like it, but I should think that 50 years from now someone is going to remember they held hands during that song and I will probably throw up in my mouth a little. Remember kids…Celine Dion is evil and we should never speak of her again.

Midnight Train to Georgia or Fort Snelling

My friends from Arkansas came to visit this weekend. We spent time at the Dome for Twin’s Fest getting autographed bats and balls for his collection. The players were very nice and accommodating. Probably a little nicer than I will be when I am famous…signed head shots will be at least $30 dollars a pop. Anyway, after all the signing was done we hopped on the new light rail transit for the free Inaugural ride. It was pretty cool. I hope we get those cool train stuffers like they have in Japan to push the maximum amount of people into the train. Can you see Minnesota nice then? “ Holy jeez dere, ya just crushed my casserole!” “Oh, pardon me I didn’t mean to invade your personal space.” We might have to actually talk to strangers. I hope the light rail works out. We need the Airport and MOA links to open and then I think people will take the train more. One major drawback I already see is the availability of Park and Ride. The Minneapolis leg does not have any near the terminals, but you can drive to a designated Park and Ride, grab the bus and it will take you to the train. So you still have to drive somewhere, park, get on a bus and then transfer to the train, hmn... that makes me wonder if people will change their habits.

Now it's time to get serious!

First things first. I forgot the most important part about being a super villain. The Minion!
Faithful, obedient, and ready to steal all the cake I command him/her to get. They get to wear a T-shirt that says "Thug 1" or color coordinated super villain underroos. Three squares a day and a spacious warehouse to live in and all they have to do is my evil bidding.

Tonight I saw a movie that should be nominated for the Academy award. I think I could easily say it is the FEEL GOOD hit of the summer! I cried, I laughed, I was really moved.
I think we can all relate to being the underdog at one time or another. You feel like you don't have a chance and people are looking at you and saying the same. You feel like you can't get up! Like there is no way you'll ever get through it, whatever "it" may be.
It's the story of a band of misfits brought together by a common cause, a like minded goal, a chance to beat the odds. The movie I am talking about is Dodgeball.
I recommend you see it! Go with someone who needs a good laugh or with whom you can enjoy the type of humor such a movie would bring about. Nuff Said!!

Maturity.
The quality or state of being mature; especially : full development

Now that we got that out of the way. Let me recommend a some of cartoons for your viewing pleasure. Cartoon Network has a block of time called Adult Swim. In that block there are a few that I like.
The First being Aqua Teen Hunger Force. A group of Fast food superheroes. Frylock:the brains of the operation, who just happens to be a supersized fry with a goatee. Master Shake:the smart alec of the bunch and yes he is pretty much a big frosty. The last member of the group is Meatwad:a piece of some kind of meat that can transform himself into different shapes like a hotdog or an igloo. They have a neighbor named Carl who they manage to kill quite a bit. It's very funny show.
The next one is Sealab 2021. It's a 70's cartoon that really sucked, but the folks at Cartoon Network stripped the cartoon and took the characters and added new scripts which are pretty good. One episode dealt with a character who, when her alarm clock went off woke up screaming "MUST HAVE A BABY!! GOTTA HAVE A BABY!" Then she interviewed all the men on Sealab to see who would be the best father. It's funnier if you see the show.
The last one is Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law. He takes the legal cases of super heroes and cartoon characters. One example would be Apache Chief from the SuperFriends. Apache Chief's power is the ability to grow super big and tall, he lost that power because he was feeling inadequate (in other words he couldn't...um..well..grow large anymore)So the SuperFriends fired him and he decided to sue them for discrimination. It was pretty funny especially when they had him talk to Black Vulcan another Superfriend 2nd stringer.
Well enough blabbering for tonight.

Hey, a big shout out to my hugger from across the pond!! Right back at ya!!

RASSAFRASSA stinking %^#^%*7 ARRGGHHHHH!!!!!

My stupid links worked at one point and now they don't. I am too tired tonight too fix it.
Maybe, I will just become a supervillain instead.
They get to laugh maniacally, Wear big funky hats( not the same ones 70's pimps get to wear), say things like MU AH AH AH! or "When I have completed my plan, all the JELLO in the world will be mine all MINE!!!!!" Yeah, I may be a tad crabby.
Nothing in my early evening made me crabby, good food and a good walk.
Dang it!, Where's my hat!?!

Ok, maybe not real crabby just edgy.

2 points of fun news.
1. SpaceShipOne became the first privately funded manned craft to fly in space Monday, rocketing 62 miles above Earth.
2. The ship runs on HTPB (tire rubber) and Nitrous Oxide, so if it springs a leak instead of blowing up, the pilot just giggles a lot.

I will fix the links tomorrow and add more, but in the mean time entertain yourself by going to this site.
http://www.stupidvideos.com/
Look for Happy Doughboy.

Second Chances......"Let's Do it Again" - The Staple Singers - 70's Soul

"We read that we ought to forgive our enemies; but we do not read that we ought to forgive our friends."
- Sir Francis Bacon

When does someone deserve a second chance? I used to think I was pretty forgiving. Now I am not so sure. I question the motives of others for transgressions against me or people they care about. When I say transgressions, I mean acts against the rules of friendships or relationships.
I am a pretty tough customer when it comes to friends. :)
I expect and demand a lot. I expect honesty, trust, loyalty and respect. Not a whole lot to ask. I will give those to you in return. If I do something wrong I expect you to call me on it and you should expect the same from me. Pretty simple list of demands I think.
So back to the main topic. When do people deserve a second chance? What are your limits? When do you say enough is enough?
For me, enough is enough when the drama gets too deep. When the time spent together is more detrimental than fun. I still don't know when a second chance is deserved. I guess I would like to have a second chance in certain instances. I know it's a personal judgment call, but I am becoming a curmudgeon. A few more years and I will be yelling at kids to stay off the dadgumit grass!
This is a real wandering post today. I think it may be the mood I am in. I drank some of that Coke2 stuff, not bad. So I may be a little cranky because of it. Please weigh in with your comments about forgiveness and second chances. I am anxious to hear what people have to say.

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You, too? Thought I was the only one."
- C.S. Lewis

Partied Like it was 1999? and other Prince themes

I saw Prince for the Wednesday night show. The man is a musical genius. Whether you like him or not(Shut up already..Damn!) you have to admit he is an accomplished musician. He played for about two and half hours. His new back up band is very tight. He has an amazing drummer, an exciting horn section, a nerdy looking keyboardist(most of the good ones are) a hypnotizing slap bass player(got to like the funk)If you don't know what slap bass is think 70's porno flick, I will demonstrate listen closely.
Ding Dong!!
Girl 1: "That must be the pizza boy!!"
Girl 2: "We don't have any money to pay him!"
Girl 1: "I have an Idea...I hope he's cute."
Girls open door and you hear the music come in..here's the music, "a wonka a wonka" with a little "baum chicka baum baum" get the idea?

Anyway, Prince tore the roof off the mutha scratcher! He opened with Musicology the title track off his new album and then played Let's Go Crazy. During that song they dropped confetti from the ceiling and then used the lights to make it look like another world!! I was in a suite for the show, but I would recommend being down in the crowd for shows like this. The crowd gets a little wilder. Maceo Parker (Sax) was amazing as well and he's got to be at least 110 years old if he's a day. All in all I really liked the show. Can't say enough.
Last thing I will say about his show. It was the loudest crowd I have even been in!! Louder than any Vikes game I have ever been too.

A (Dirty) Mind is a terrible thing to waste....
I learned to add links to my Blog last night. I am very proud of myself. I got it right the first time even. I also moved some title tags(?) around. Soon I will rule the world with my knowledge. Mu Ah Ah Ah !!!!!! I can't wait to cause more destruction. Don't worry, the rest of you will be added soon. I used all the brainpower I allotted for this evening adding the first two.

Batdance...not to be confused with the Bat-tussi..
The posts are coming. You know which ones. The ones about COH and proof that I am the funkiest geek you know. Soon all the whispers and talk will be replaced with actual facts. The will be some PC game talk, I may have to speak about comic books and I'll make you eat wheat bread...oooooh nooooo.
Plus details about my new job.....here's a hint

Holy Guesss Who's Taking over the City Batman!! 

It's Time for Weekend Update! With your anchorman......

This one may be a big one.

"Man I ate a Turkey sandwich at 2:00 A.M!" -- DM
Friday night I went to Solera. A restaurant in downtown Minneapolis that serves Tapas style food. Tapas are mini, no wait, micro portions of exotic foods. You are best to order them in several courses, 3 - 4 Tapas at a time. Some of the things we ordered included Octopus, Smoked Salmon with Trout Rho(trout eggs), something we affectionately called Shrimp Poppers and Patates Bravas(Spicy Potatoes with the rock salt left over from last winter's road deicing campaign). From the words I am using you might get the idea that I didn't like the place. I liked it a lot and the company was really good. I would suggest going in a group and taking your wallet. We had five people and we were able to try a variety of items. I don't think I would go again but, it was pretty cool for a one time thing. We were there from about 7:30 to 12:30/1:00. There is a chance you will be hungry at the end of a long night, hence the title of this section and what I did next. I had a cookie when I got home. :)

Dut dut duta duta dut dut dut dut dut!
I had cake Saturday night, oh and there was this going away party thing. Seriously, Marleta and Dain's going away party was a good time. Did I mention there was cake( I ordered it from Mrs.Rich's Bakery)? Quite a few people showed up and there was lots of story telling, good conversation and good jokes.
Marleta's sister organized the whole thing so big ups to her. I did get over the smoke inhalation.
I will post some pictures as soon as the bird in my Flintstone-matic gets through chipping the rocks. I have not made the leap to digi-pics yet. So I am old school like RUN-DMC.
There was some Dance Dance Revolution going on, Josh Travolta and Marleta Spears were tearing up the pads. I was doing my best Kool Moe Dee impersonation. I decided that I would just dance instead of trying to follow the arrows about 2/3 of the way through my song...way more fun and a lot easier. :)
I also got to use one of my lines, not a pick up line, but a line I use when I am trying to change the subject in a funny way or if someone says they did something spectacular. Not to minimize what they did, just to show that I did nothing, a little self deprecation never hurt anyone...much. If you have been around me long enough you understand what I mean. I whipped out the old "I bought socks at Target" line. Sometimes I substitute the word "Today" for the word "Target". It depends on the subject matter. In either case it causes a chuckle and I am all about the funny.
The night was topped of with an hour in the Jacuzzi and then picking up the party fun droppings. I am getting a jacuzzi before I die!

At the risk of sounding corny, cherish your friends and the good times had. Make each memory special. I think in my old age (crusty) I am becoming more introspective and I think about trying to enjoy as many good times and good friends as possible.
I think it translates to me trying to see life through the eyes of a child again. Play until you fall down and scrape your knee then get up and do it again. I want to be amazed by things and inspired. I want to try and shed the restraints that get put on you by others. Yep, you guessed it. I am packing up and moving to the woods for my mid life crisis. To experience life without restraint. Hunh? There's no running water and no cable? Maybe I will do that moving to the woods thing later.

Hit the Road Jack!! 1930 - 2004
Ray Charles passed away this weekend from liver disease. R.I.P. In the last two decades he was known as the gun toting shop owner in the Blues Brothers movie and the Pepsi pitchman, "You got the right one baby!! Un Huh!! His music and career go way deeper than that. "Hit the Road Jack" and "Georgia" are two of my favorite songs by Ray. I was hoping to get to see him if he came back to town last few years. The last time I saw him was at the Mall of America in 1992. For the grand opening celebration they hired a large number of different performers to come and entertain for evening. The "invites" were $75.00 a pop. My buddy Vic was performing, so I pulled the "I'm with the band" and carried in some equipment and got in free to the festivities. Awww yeah!! Free food and schmoozing. Aretha, the Queen of Soul was there, but I missed her singing. Ray played a few songs and then he was done. Ray was the man! If you want to hear him just ask me and I will loan you the compilation CD. It offers a good taste of Ray.

Last update for this weekend
SCTV has a five disc DVD set coming out! More Edith Prickly, Johnny LaRue and Guy Caballero than you can shake a stick at.

Salsa Dancing Muy! Rhoho! Caliente!!!

I went out Salsa dancing and let me just say, it was hot hot hot! The music, the women, the club. First Avenue was in it's glory with the thumping rhythms and the screens full of nonsense. If you have ever been to First Ave you know what I am talking about. It's late( grammar and structure disclaimer) and I should be in bed instead of posting but I had to say something about the dancing. I think I may get some lessons. I watched a couple that put everyone to shame. He was moving her around like she was just an extension of his body. It was fluid and I couldn't help but stare. They danced together like peanut butter and jelly...they were just meant to be.
I have not been out to the clubs in some time. I used to go up to five times a week all around the Twin Cities. Dancing my butt off, practicing moves with my cousin and meeting the ladies. :) Awww Yeah!!! There was enough Ricky to go around. Being that I am not too old and crusty yet, it may be time to hit the clubs and do a little more dancing, I don't really care to meet anybody there unless they want to be dance partners, the clubs can produce some unwanted side effects...psychos. It was a lot of fun tonight watching the "sharks". I had forgotten about the them. They are the predators of the club, moving in slow and just when she thought it was safe to put down her drink....GOTCHA!!! They move in and strike in a blinding flash of light, so quick her blocker friends don't get a chance to run interference. Another one bites the dust...
I really should be in bed. Instead of the shark, I like to consider myself the noble and fun loving Dolphin. I am here to have a good time and see if you'll get in the water and play with me. Who doesn't like the Dolphin? Plus I smell really nice.
I am going to be hurting today.....
Hey! The Stepford Wives starts today. I remember how the old one freaked me out as kid. When that women gets stabbed in the kitchen and keeps chopping the celery and you find out she's a robot, woooooo really scary! Does anyone remember Count Floyd, Willy Tobias Jr or Dr. Tongue's 3-D theater? Please tell me someone remembers how things "Blowed up real good!! Yeah real good!" - SCTV
Ok kids, I really am going to bed now, I really shouldn't P.W.T(Post while Tired). The internet police may get me.
Anyway, Salsa dance, you won't regret it.

Always listen to your mom

Anybody who has met my family knows we are crazy. Look at the picture above and see the sweet motherly figure, the loving father and adoring son. You might think to yourself, "What a fine looking family". This family holds a secret..... Fast forward from that picture to Monday night.
We joke a lot, we kid each other and play practical jokes. My dad came home from the hospital in 95', he was born without one of the valves in his heart, so the docs decided to put one in before there would be any problems. Anyway, he was home for about a week and I was hanging out with him when he decides to scare me. He was pretending to take a nap in his chair (which he's always done), he takes a deep breath and then kind of slumps over. Being that he was only home from the hospital for a short period of time, this causes his son to stand up and yell "Dad!?!". He thought that was pretty funny and likes to describe the look on my face. This describes the nature of our family. Laughing and joking about the things that make you scared or uncomfortable. The family survival mechanism. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Back to the title of this diatribe, "Always listen to your mom".
"Don't leave your shoes in the middle of the floor"
My mom always used to tell us kids to stop wrestling and rough housing. Childhood friends will recall this as the "Bumping and Jumping" scream from downstairs.
It went something like this. The wrestling would start and we would hear "STOP ALL THAT BUMPING AND JUMPING!!!!!" You are by now asking youself "Where is this all going?" Be patient.
So mom and I are rough housing just a bit as we are prone to do.... it keeps her young.
She turns to get away from me and stumbles over my shoes and goes down. Don't get excited, she's fine and actually she started laughing before I did. I was pretty freaked out. I thought for sure I killed her. She even followed the rule "If you fall make it funny". In all seriousness mom is fine and maybe the rough housing will have to stop for a while. Lesson learned.

Corrections (keep me honest)
Shrek is not Shreck, but Shrek...Big ups to my lab mate for pointing this out.

Towing the line is actually toeing the line. I like using it both ways. Toeing the line implies that you are putting your toes across the line in the face of the company by going against or challenging the rules. Towing the line as I was using it means picking up the company line and carrying it.

Last but not least...Gadfly
In another friend's Blog, he referred to me as a Gadlfy. " I was talking with two colleagues last night about blogging. One has recently taken the plunge, and is doing a great job so far with amusing cultural references (he's something of a gadfly in that respect, in a nice way). "
I was a little taken aback by what he said, but I did a little research and came up with a piece by Plato called
The Apology of Socrates. Here is something that I think describes what he was referring to.
....you will not easily find a successor to me, who, if I may use such a ludicrous figure of speech, am a sort of gadfly, given to the state by God; and the state is a great and noble steed who is tardy in his motions owing to his very size, and requires to be stirred into life. I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading and reproaching you. You will not easily find another like me...I dare say that you may feel out of temper (like a person who is suddenly awakened from sleep), and you think that you might easily strike me dead... and then you would sleep on for the remainder of your lives, unless God in his care of you sent you another gadfly.
'Nuff said

Chillin' 

"Say Rick, How did you get such a manly figure?"

I mentioned cake in my tagline under the title of this blog. Now it's time for cake!
There are two rules about cake that you must follow:
1. When you eat cake you have to have theme music. Every good hero has theme music and it's a good thing and eating cake should too!
My theme music for eating cake is the music from the circus, you know it...everybody does, it goes dut dut dut dut duta dut dut dut dut, dut dut dut dut duta dut dut dut dut duta. If you don't get it, buy me a piece of cake and I will hum it for you.

2. You can not be sad and eat cake.
Try it. It won't work. Oh, you may start out sad, but you'll have smiles for everyone when you are finished. Plus think about me humming the circus theme, gets em everytime.

The best cake in the Twin Cities (besides my grandmother's butter cake with chocolate frosting, rest her soul) Is at Cafe Latte. http://www.cafelatte.com/framestart.htm
How could this place have ever been a secret to me? Everybody knows I like cake, why didn't somebody tell me?
Anyway, they have cake there that you will want to rub all over your body...uh sorry about that. You should just eat it and food should only be on your body if you drop it in your lap by accident.
This weekend will have to include a trip to Cafe Latte. I promised the manager that I would not put the cake on my body in the restaurant again. They have a Mint Chocolate cake that is in my top ten pieces of cake.
Another type of cake I enjoy is Wedding Cake. Forget the happy couple and the toasts and singing the Love Boat theme to make them kiss. Bring on the cake!! The cakes with Butter cream frosting are the best. So ladies, if you are looking for some free cake, let's go and taste cakes for our "wedding". Ask your married friends. You can go around the city and sample cake for free, just by saying you are shopping for wedding cake. So let's give it a shot.
The last cake thought I will leave you with is a secret place to get some very tasty cake. The Mall of America. Tucked inside of Camp Snoopy is Mrs.Rich's Bakery. My Niece purchased a cake there for her birthday that turned me into a ravening dog.
So there is my first cake posting, it won't be the last. You have been warned.

Sad News from the Air Show

Thanks to those of you who sent me information on the pilot. The pilot's name was Don Hinz and he was on the board of the Red Tail Project. A project dedicated to preserving the history of African Americans who served during WWII.

The following is a link to a StarTribune article that reports what happened at the air show.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1557/4803260.html

Here is a link to the Red Tail Project:
http://redtail.org/index1.shtml



Here is a Tuskegee Airmen history link:
http://nasaui.ited.uidaho.edu/nasaspark/safety/history/tusk.html