I am pretty sure that I will be the only person interested in what I have to say... I guess I am truly jealous of anyone that has their 15 minutes of fame (read: reality television shows), but I cannot be edited by big corporations to fit their story lines. I would say or sell their products, but maybe I can get a sponsor.
Saturday, January 29, 2005
No Ground Wire
There is a ground wire, but it is not quite long enough... also, no stinkin' 3/4 inch screws for my rhythm pickup. The decal that I made started fading in the water, didn't I coat it twice with bonding agent?
Let's go to Las Vegas. I have a lottery ticket from last Wednesday that I haven't checked. How about a little bit of chocolate?
Friends, tonight I saw my first UHL hockey game. These NHL guys are making life pretty tough on us. I appreciate the effort, but let me say it wasn't the best game I've seen. What was great was being with our friends Paul and Nichole. We zipped right down to Rockford after I got off of work. I never knew that there was more to that town that I had seen on I-39. It looks like a nice place, beautiful large houses too.
After the game (a loss to the Flint Generals), we went on over to the Outback Steakhouse. A lovely dinner with lovely company. The drive home was good too, although I have to say that I don't like driving home because that means that evening is coming to a close.
When we got back to Paul and Nichole's, I was ready to head home, so Dan started the car to warm it up. In the mean time, I went down to the basement to see a few things our friends wanted to show me...
...that's when the Mini-Rock Show started. Paul's band practices at his house, so we rocked out a bit. I must confess that I give Paul the business about being a girl and being able to rock. Probably more than I should at any rate. When we got home after 1:00am, there was a message from Paul asking if I could play the piano... not very well, unfortunately. I play the accordion better.
Well, I had to sand the headstock on the tele project. Too much polycrylic, that's why. Then I had to go and stain the headstock and the back of the neck AGAIN. I guess that means I will just be that much smarter about it next time. Next time, how about a Les Paul model? Yes, that's what it will be. Before I worry about that one, we'd better finish of the tele, right?
Friday night will find us in Rockford. Crazy stuff.
I must be a dork. I really like Blue Oyster Cult and April Wine. Certainly I wasn't old enough to enjoy these bands when they were at the height of their popularity and the fact that I like them isn't the only thing that makes me a dork.
Well, it seemed as though life was going to be very exciting around here, then it wasn't. Oddly enough, disappointment and relief can occupy the same space in my gut. I know that at least one other person besides myself is certainly relieved. It just wasn't meant to be right now. A friend told me that tonight. That's a better attitude than "it wasn't meant to be", because the "right now" part adds a bit of hope.
In other news, the telecaster is getting closer and closer to being done. I have a bit of work to do on the headstock. The polycrylic bubbled near the nut, not cool Grandma. See you next time, my Friend. I'm going to Green Bay to celebrate.
Hey Friends, sorry that I haven't kept up. Seems Big Mike was right. I am not doing a good job. At any rate, it's getting warmer and lighter around here. BONUS.
The Telecaster is nearly complete. A few more coats of polycrilic and we should should be set. I will also be customizing it with a homemade decal, it still should look pretty sharp.
Bucky takes on the Illini tonight. Get 'em Bucky. You long time Badger Fans can do the math on that one.
Ever had to tell someone something that was bittersweet? I had to last night. Painful, my Friends, painful. Really gets to me.
Well, my Friends -- it appears as though I have one loyal reader who is unhappy with the timeliness of my blog. I guess sometimes I don't update like I should, but sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day. He is sitting next to me as I write this and he probably thinks I am going to slam him on the blog. Well, I tell you what my Friend, this isn't a place for slamming. This is a place for extolling.
Mike is a good man, he brought us each a can of Schlitz. He also brought a cake, brownies and ice cream. Who could ask for more? So today's entry is for you, Mike. Thank you, my Friend. Can't wait for dessert, I might skip the Schlitz.
While it is true that I am a rocker at heart, I do have a soft spot for 80s synth pop. My sister-in-law and I are going to see Duran Duran in Milwaukee in March. We were going to see Siouxsie Sioux in September but that just didn't work out. So we are for sure going to do this.
Let me tell you a bit about my sister-in-law. She is awesome. She is a saint. She is the best. I don't know anyone quite like her. We are blessed to have her in our family. I am very fortunate. She is intelligent, kind and funny... She is a wonderful person to know.She has taught me a great deal about giving and selflessness. Thank you, my Friend.
That's right Friends, it's people like you that make it all happen. When life is at its worst -- not that it is right now -- friends are at their best. Certainly they are all of the time. It is a precious gift to know that I have people who have chosen me as a friend. That's something that makes us fortuanate. Not only do we have people who are in most ways "automatics", (read: family) but we also have people for chose us and people whom we choose back... second grade logic and language I know. But certainly, you could get stuck with "no tag backs." You rock, my friends.
Friends, I have a very large ring of shrimp that I will probably only get about 12 or so out of. You see, I purchased said ring of shrimp for New Year's Eve, but forgot to take the shrimp to Green Bay with us. Great -- shrimp for me. Wrong-o. This past Saturday I got a bit overzealous with the frozen foods. So then we take the ring of shrimp out of the freezer -- what a treat -- shrimp all week. Wrong-o. I keep forgetting about said ring of shrimp. Probably only one ramen noodle dish with those giant sea monkeys.
The Record Club? I love that I can respond in the negatory on the web to the featured selection of the month. If only I would do so on a regular basis. It is painful to write out a check for two double albums in a row... Led Zeppelin (I guarantee I already own every song on that set) and ZZ Top (while I enjoy ZZ Top I guarantee I only enjoy about half of the songs on that set.) Rock On, Milwaukee!
www.weather.commap This is winter in Wisconsin... not as bad as North Dakota, I know. Today the peak temperature was 3 Farenheit. Right now it is 1 Farenheit. According to weather.com, there is no windchill factor. I live in the very southern part of the state of Wisconsin about 5 miles from the Illinois border, about 90 miles northwest of Chicago and 50 miles southwest of Milwwaukee. Mind you, last week it was warm enough for us to have about 4 or 5 inches of rain and the week before that, we had about 8 inches of snow. I say it every year, so I will say it again. This is the last winter I spend in Wisconsin.
So, this morning I was confirmed. Last year, in May I was doing that inventory thing. I had been going to church for a number of months and then realized that there was something missing. So in June I started one-on-one confirmation class with the Pastor at the church that Dan and I had been attending. I was probably done in October, but today it was made official -- and Dan and I both became members of the church that we have been attending. I feel very good about it all.
Today is going to be a big day for me. I will explain later on. I have to let it happen first. It is a very positive thing, but I feel it must happen first.
I'd really love a certain type of doughnut right now, a powder sugar dougnut filled with chocolate cream icing, we used to get them from Mr. Doughnut (I don't think they exist anymore) on 92nd Street and Beloit Avenue in Milwaukee. Anyway, they were called chocolate angels. They also had had iced doughnuts on a stick! I loved them!
Well Friends, I must admit that I have a thing or two to learn about wood and how it responds to chemical and/or mechanical change. Let's just say that we'll be purchasing a lot of 60 grade sandpaper on Wednesday. That's the drawback. The bonus is that I will get the look that I envisioned when we first started on this project. Now I wish I had one of those camera phones or a digital camera, then you could see how we are progressing. If D. Banjo and I buy a house, I'll need a guitar workshop... and a planer.
If you NHL clowns don't care, then neither do I. You're killing the sport in the US, you know. Nobody cares, nobody is talking about it... they don't even care in Chicago, an Original Six city... Criminey, the flagship radio station doesn't even talk about it. So you know what? I am locking the NHL out, how about those apples? No NHL, No ANN, my friends. Remember how bad baseball had it when they came back? Attendance is just this year peaking... Guess what Bettman, guess what Goodenow? You ain't America's past time, you are Canada's past time, and you have to take in revenue is CAD and pay out is USD, not a good business deal. You don't have TV and you don't have merchandise... now you are losing the small, yet loyal audience of fans. Thanks for nothing, NHL.
Well Friends, it would appear that I am still sick. This began on November 6th... my ailment and I have spent two months and three major holidays together. It seems that my symptoms return almost immediately after presrciptions run out and OTC medicine is discontinued. I have to find a way out of this! I usually rely on things like hot sauce, pepperoncinis, garlic and other stinky foods, but even they cannot knock out this incorrigible germ!
In other news, I will be picking out the finish for the telecaster today. Wish me lots of blues at the store. I am thinking about a burst finish, we'll see what sorts of things I can find to achieve said finish. I can't wait to put this thing together.
It's like my birthday all over again! My cool new telecaster pickguard arrived today! That's part number one, waiting for the knobs and the guitar I guess too, right? I'm looking very carefully for pickups. I really would like to get a humbucker that fits a single coil opening... with a chrome cover or white plastic. It needs to look slick and a bit retro. I am really excited. Can't wait to put this thing together and plunk away! I'm not a very good guitar player, Eddie Van Halen I am not. But it sure is a fun thing to do and I am good at having fun. Can't wait to get started.
As excited as I was yesterday, I am a bit weary today. You know that I can vacillate between worry and happiness. I will try to worry less this year. Note that I said worry less, not stop entirely -- that would be stretching it a bit. I think the key is to make good, well thought decisions. Often I find myself questioning myself -- did I make the right decision? Will it be hurtful or helpful? I can't do that. I can only be responsible for my actions. I can't be responsible for how others react or behave. It is taking me a long time to learn that. When your behavior has consequences, how do you justify not having responsibility for how others react? This is how I think when my mind is not involved or occupied with other activities.
Well, here we are my Friend, 2005. Pretty unreal, isn't it? I am excited for the new year and all that it holds for Dan and I. What makes it fantastic is that I started it off right. What I want to be sure to do this year is to be thankful for what I have. I think it is in my nature to think more about what I don't have rather than what I do have. I'll tell you my Friend, I am very fortunate. I am very lucky. I am very blessed. I will try to be more gracious, I will try to be more understanding. I will try to be more supportive. I will try to be more to myself and more to the people who I love. As Dan said earlier today, "Comin' alive in 2005!" It isn't as catchy as "Be a hero in the double zero," but it works. Thank you, my Friend.
