Twisted Penny Day Weekend

It’s hard to say when my weekends went from, personal expression of enjoyment to hey so and so is doing great.  Not that I don’t get some sort of satisfaction from watching Hotel Transylvania, but it’s not my go to ya feel me?

We went to the $2 theater as a family and I think the best commentary on the movie would be my daughter who decided about a 3rd of the way through she would rather grab a bite to eat then watch the rest of the movie.  We waited till after they got together, and then promptly left to miss traffic. 

So I know I’m late to this one but the movie was okay, glad I didn’t pay full price to see it.  It had its comedic moments but really just a flop.

Again to remind me of whom I’ve become I guess, I picked up the movie Ted, hoping it would be funny.  But, this is definitely a stoner movie, and smokings bad mmmkay kids!

So when did I become the grumpy old man?  Meh who knows who cares… I enjoy it just need a lawn so I can tell the kids to get the hell off it.  Or turn on the sprinklers and flip them the bird… while doing Tai Chi to Dream a little Dream.  (oh teen angst movie with old people what?)

Beyond that we are thinking of entering my daughter into a board breaking competition.  She’s 5 and would enjoy the trophy but we are not sure she can break the boards yet… Eh who knows?

On a personal note I want to enter a 5k, there are quite a few coming up.  The only problem I see at the moment is my plate is full we have TKD competition coming up in May, not sure the specific date at the moment.  So right now that takes president over other things especially since I want to spar in it.  Then there is the next belt test which should be late April sometime.  The board breaking is next month.  So might have to wait for end of the year run or maybe next season. 

I can run the 3.1 miles that’s not an issue really.  My times are getting better as well.  My last one was an 11:32, 10:50, 10:20.  My long term goal is to get into the high 9 minute mark with at least a 9:50 which might be slow but it’s an individual goal.  My other running goal is to one day do a 10k or a 10 mile race but not sure I want to put my body through that.  But that’s what the future is for to see how far I advanced. 

Oh I need new running shoes, anyone have any good info on these?  I have basic cross trainers but they are breaking quickly, I read a little bit and I know that addias has a new shoe.  I also saw a road runner shoe but mostly I just get the hype… I want to know if anyone has any good vs bad thoughts on shoes?

Back to TKD tonight is sparring class, get ready to bounce.  I need to stretch; ugh it hurts in a good way.  Last night I could barely touch the ground… Blah muscles don’t want to go that far.

So this among other more boring chores was my weekend… Anyway…

On a last note I am catching up with the story for those that are reading it, I’ll likely have something today if you’re lucky.  It might be late, as I’ve got lots of notes but pulling it all together is taking a little time… Patrick and Jack will finally meet well kind of.

It’ll be interesting to see what people think… I want to hear from all of you!

John

It’s a twisted day in the neighborhood

I didn’t like the question of the day for the past two days, and I’m looking at expanding a little… a schedule of sorts.  Just attempting to find the right mix for myself, and any regular readers I might have.  I have a wide variety of interests… and stories and what not.  So you’ll have to forgive me if I seem random at times, it is not intentional it’s more attempting to find the perfect fit.  I am a perfectionist after all.

Its days like today at work that I and reminded of what I would rather be doing… instead of the monotonous sitting behind a computer desk and doing office work… I mean anything right now would be better than being stuck in this rut… 

Reading, Writing, Music, Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Health, Fitness, Running, Working Out… and so much more…

One thing I’ve always been into doing a lot of research, one of my first attempts at college life was to become a paralegal… I was going to go from there to law school… then I decided I didn’t really want to be a lawyer…

Things I’ve looked up today aka – Research

Fitness stuff:

Stretching the hamstrings, this is the worst area of my flexibility… to make it sound perverted… my legs don’t spread wide…

LSD (long slow distance) cardio workouts – did you know there might be a link to a decrease in immune function and lower testosterone lvls?

Vit D may improve bone density?

I found this interesting fact about Spicy Mustard, can as contain zero fat and zero carbs, and the spicier varieties of mustard can also help burn fat?

Walnuts help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase (good) cholesterol
 
Writing stuff:
 
Vegas rules for employees flirting with customers

Reading other blogs… found a few interesting ones…
 
Running:
 
Womensrunning.competitors.com this is a running online magazine focused on the women’s side of things but I did find a few cool articles… and I shared the link with my wife.
 
Don’t worry this doesn’t cut into my work time, I get breaks and lunch… it’s not in-depth research… just surface dwelling mostly…
 
So beyond that I really want to be writing right now.  I have the next chapter of the book which will be posted tomorrow. 

Keep smiling and have a great day

John

Oh I almost forgot… I’m not a great drawler but I thought of some cover art for my book… I did my best to put it down on paper here it is… Ugh its taken the wrong way and I can’t fix it here…

~Whiskey and a Naked Lady

Writer’s Digest: Traci Brimhall: Poet Interview

Writer’s Digest: Traci Brimhall: Poet Interview. http://goo.gl/mag/fwsua9v I read this poem and found it moving… The interview is insightful… Slightly um manuscripted. But I enjoyed it non the less… THE VISITATION In the new dream, we search for a sacrifice, put our fingers in our own wounds, wake with our hands over each other’s mouths. Boys return from war as men who know two languages. We learn three so we will know the message when we hear it. The street prophet says, If God is your enemy, rejoice, for the darkness remembers you. In the old dream, we readied our stainless altar, but a wolf stole our offering. We were lucky enough to sing the song once, but we couldn’t bring the dead any joy. Men ask to borrow our sadness so they won’t have to feel their own. Yes, we said and kissed their arms. Yes, trees cover us with shadows. We give the prophet money to save something we’ll never see. In the first dream, men accept a new ecstasy. Our breath shows itself to us and disappears. As we enter the woods, the astonished wolf lifts its mouth from the lamb.

~Whiskey and a Naked Lady

Literary Agent Michelle Johnson of Inklings Literary Seeks Writers | WritersDigest.com

I was looking online and found this interesting article… Well really interview with an agent, I’d suggest it as a good read! http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/literary-agent-interview-michelle-johnson-of-inklings-literary-agency Hope everyone is having a great day, John

~Whiskey and a Naked Lady

Musical Moments

I remember the first time my musical taste was expanded beyond the pop charts and pushed into the outer reaches of a whole lotta love.  I was about eight years old and at a Christian camp (Camp Owanga) of all things… I was one of the younger kids of the group and one of the older boys who somehow (can’t remember how) had a lot of pull around the camp and a group of us were hanging out.  He pulled out the vinyl of Led Zeppelin II and put it over the PA system in the dining area.  We listened to that record till someone came in and told us we were done.

I was done from that moment on, music wasn’t the same.  I always wanted something more, something different.  It went from rock to rap to old time country and oldies (thanks to my mom for the last two). 

Over time and me being so young, my interest turned to sports and girls and just having fun.  Music took a back seat to soccer, baseball, riding my bike, being the unknown stuntman… (That’s another story for another time). 

So what the next trigger you might ask yourself?  Ahh it must be camp (this one time at band camp) or something… of course it wasn’t really band camp.  It was a camp to teach brilliant young bastards to study and learn and fall into society.  I can’t remember the name of this camp unfortunately.  I only went once and it was on a college campus and I had a lot of free range.  Of course I did at home too… but anyway. 

I was bunked with an older boy, who had been through this a few times as I was introduced to him.  I in my polo and jeans, he was in black jeans and a black t-shirt with led zeppelin on the front and don’t mention the multiple piercings in the ears.  We became friends despite the age gap… music was back in my life even if for a brief moment.  Can you guess…? I heard “Going to California” for the first time.  Ahh Led Zeppelin my old friend. 

From that day on music has always been a part of my life, from the early days…

When I reached the tender age of 14 or 15, I was moved from my comfort zone in Ocean Beach, (San Diego, CA) and relocated to Imperial Beach, CA.  This turned to my teen angst years and I turned to Hardcore Punk…

It was The Germs, Circle Jerks and Suicidal Tendencies among many more… I was still considered a good kid to most… I had my dark side… but this is about music influence and not social disorder.  Combat boots and torn jeans and a t-shirt that had a skeleton finger on it… was the costume of the moment

Well I must say I still have an affinity towards hardcore, from punk to metal to alcohol… lol I haven’t lost that question authority edge.   Music I listen to now?  As I stated in an earlier post it all ranges from Celtic folk that fills the soul to Hardcore punk that fills the mosh pit… even if it’s a little tamer than it used to be.

My current costume?  Well when I can get away with it… its’ still the torn jeans and something with a skull.  On those professional days, it’s slacks and a button up.  Always staying true to my roots through I have a skull someplace… anyway I’m starting to ramble I’ll let you all go… have a great day!

John

Tweet by lifehackorg on Twitter

Are You Making Dumbass Writing Mistakes? Here’s How to Avoid Them http://t.co/dXQeNDwV #lifehack by @MiladyDewinter This is a very cool article please enjoy, I always love a refresher course… Which this is. Basically saying don’t forget the foundation. John

~Whiskey and a Naked Lady

Busy day at the office

Even busier weekend, at some point I lost track of time and didn’t write more of the story, luckily for all you suckers I had chapter 9 mostly done. 

Saturday it was a birthday party for my wife’s friend.  At a tiki bar called the Tacoma Cabana, It is a great place with friendly staff and a drink called the zombie (pictured).  I also had a Hemingway Daiquiri (couldn’t help it).  Both drink were outstanding.

Sunday well it was a party.  We did crap I just can’t remember what we did… Mostly I guess chores.

The party was cool enough, I had fun… How do I explain this.  I think I’ve changed, I’m not the go out and get drunk off my ass all for a good time.  I’d much rather spend some time just relaxing and talking while sipping on a liquid refreshment of my choice.  Maybe play pool and just listen to music. 

To much noise to many people… To many drinking games, to much fuck all.  Fuck I’m getting old. 

This isn’t a bad thing its just the realization that sometimes slow and steady is just as much fun as pounding it hard and fast.  Running with the devil is great when you are young and you recover quickly, but this body takes a lot of abuse as it is.

Right at the moment my thought is sitting in the back of a bar with pen and paper (or a laptop…) And writing.  Write a crappy poem to tip the waitress, write the love poem to my wife, write the exploits of my life. 

Such as life.

So I posted a book review, I hope you all enjoyed that.  I might do mire of those.  To include pics of the book and such.  Make it a regular thing. 

Check it out and let me know what you all thought. 

I have another chapters, watch for chapter 9, which I’ll post soon.  Just finishing up some minor edits.  Attempting to not confuse anyone, especially myself with story lines.

Back to the grind…

John

~Whiskey and a Naked Lady

Born Fighting

A book written by Jim Webb – United States Senator. 

I don’t care about his political leanings to much, I wanted to read the book.  The full total of it is

Born Fighting – How The Scots-Irish Shaped America

It is quite an interesting read, I woukd recommended it for history buffs and those interested in the Scot/Irish culture.

There are quite a few other authors out there that have delved into this peice of history, and I will say this is one of the better ones. 

I do feel like he might make some assumption about certain things but most historians do… For we have no specific knowledge beyond our own existence.  But those assumption do not overshadow the book and are at least educated guesses, rather then just wild theory.

One of my favorite parts is actually a header of part seven section three

“You can’t stomp us out and you can’t make us run – Cause we’re them old boys raised on shotguns.

We say grace, we say ma’am

And if you ain’t into that we don’t give a damn.  Accredited to Hank Williams, JR.”

Now I’m by no means a country boy, infact far from it, but somehow this still brings a smile to my face.

Well I’d say it is well worth the read… Don’t look at the political line, just at the history and beauty of a dying culture.

John

~Whiskey and a Naked Lady

Lifetime of travel in a month

When I was 21 (if I’m remembering right) maybe 22.  I decided to take a trip, on the greyhound.  Back then greyhound offered a ticket you could buy that would allow you to go anywhere for a month as many buses as you wanted. 

So living in San Diego I hopped the bus for the first leg of my trip, I ended up going to Dallas, TX… through some friends I was informed of a huge renaissance faire.  Called the Scarborough Renaissance Faire.  I didn’t realize how huge this faire would really be.  But I so enjoyed the company and getting my freak on in period costume.

This was a great time, I spent a few nights with a friend I had meet there and explored a bit of Dallas, my next stop had to be Boston through New York as it were.  I didn’t get to spend much time in either place. 

On the way we went through Tennessee, and a few other interesting spots but I didn’t stick around to visit.  From what I had heard… It was mostly dead. 

But hey I almost forgot about the slight interruption… In the trip, we had left Dallas and ended up getting pulled over by boarder patrol.  It was actually an interesting even to watch heavily armed gunmen come on board with German Sheppards and look through passports and ask people questions.  I had been to Tijuana plenty of times so I was used to the questions.  They left with two individuals and we were on our way. 

In Boston I was supposed to meet up with a friend I had meet online and who was supposed to show me around.  Well that didn’t workout.  So back up plan I spent 2 days at a youth hostile and hung out with some dudes from Australia.

My new best friend, went to a few spots and had some fun times.  But I didn’t get to go were I wanted which was MIT seeing that’s the college my grandfather had graduated from and had a sailing pavilion named after him. 

So on to my next spot, I was a bit worried about this but it worked out for the best, I went into Toronto I had heard it was a great metropolitan city like New York.  I was just worried about crossing the broader because I didn’t have a passport, but back then it seemed to be perfectly okay as long as you had a driver’s licence.

I loved the big city feel you got there… But I was just having fun.  Nothing to serious and honestly they didn’t have the travel channel like they have now.  Either that or I was more interested in just roaming ended up, somehow in Ontario, were I had made new friends. 

I was stopped from kicking a dude’s ass for slapping a girl, pimp and one of his girls… As bubba the huge 7ft tall dude next to him was the enforcer.  They moved on and I was given a shot of JD… The next day I went to a six flags amusement park.  Unfortunately I can’t remember the name, but they had an awesome Batman ride where your feet hung and a wooden rollercoaster which was awesome. 

From there it was down to Colorado and over to a few more spots… Mostly just stopping long enough to grab a drink and move on… Till I got back to California. 

This part of the trip was the best… We stopped at a old gas station which looked abandoned and picked up a couple who sat in the way back near the rest of us crazies and well let’s just say the hooligans had plenty of fun.

It was a great time, I learned so much about different cultures and places.  I would recommend a trip of this nature to anyone… Unfortunately this was back when I was young and didn’t think about pictures or that sort of thing.  I also didn’t think beyond just having fun… If I could do it again I’d plan it much more and get into the local districts more.

Well anyway… Have a good night and good luck for those who have to work tomorrow.

~Whiskey and a Naked Lady

Let’s talk

So yesterday I had a bad day, as you can clearly see… and of course this is my struggle.  Well one of them, I again want to find a balance (focus for the year).  This time it’s the focus between my desire to be a blogger/published writer and my personal life.  Or maybe it would be better to say my outward persona vs. my private one.  I’m a private person for the most part, anyone that knows me in person knows I am not one that shares a lot of inner details about myself…
 
How to describe this for understanding purposes… I can tell you I read a book and that I liked it, but I will not mention the emotional impact that it had on me.
 
But with that in mind, I’ve got a clear goal, to get published, to get my book published, to get my stories out there for people to read.  I am not looking to get rich beyond my wildest dreams; I am not looking to write the bible… just looking to share my art with the world, and hopefully make a living at it.
 
Meh off that subject, grrr sorry just doing a lot of thinking lately… maybe to much… focus on the page and not man behind the green door… (the old perverts out there might get this reference). 
 
Subject change
 
What do you like to see in a blog?  I’d create an informal poll but I want your personal take on the matter.   How do you connect with a blogger?  I’ve read a lot of blogs and maybe it’s just me but some I think over-share, others I find I’d like to follow, have been dead for years.  I want to reach a wide audience, as stated above my clear goal is to get published.  So I want to ask you my audience what you look for?
 
Is it personal stories from the past?
Is it a day to day life?
The struggles of being a writer?
What inspires the creativity?
Do you want the emotional impact that they all have?
Say there’s an article I find interesting… would you rather a link or a repost of the article?  Of course I would include my thoughts on the article either way.
 
This is just an informal request for info… lets interact so I can get to know you my audience as well.