Little Pink Houses for You and Me

Look at this monster, it's hard to believe the payment on this beast, nearly 2,000 square feet is only $615 per month. Putting it into perspective, I pay $550 per month for my 500 sq ft inner city ATX apartment. The final cost was near 75,000 with an abundance of furniture left behind.

6 big rooms, a huge backyard, 3 car garage, vaulted ceilings and wood floors are some of the nicities of this place. The place was built in 1925, so there is some updating that needs to be done, and eventually central air.

To all my city friends and 'ambitious' friends who think I'm an old pops and settling down, it's not the case. I will still retain residency in ATX. There are many family / logistical reasons for the purchase, and rest assured if I want to move to Istanbul one day, I'll still do it. How you may ask? Well, the old accounting analogy, when you have a leaky bucket, i.e. spending lots of money, you try to cover the leaks, and hence quit spending as much money. I really don't agree with plugging the leaks, my philosophy is to somehow get more water in the bucket. I suppose I'll have to get a 'real' job soon and sell my soul to the capitalist machine.

Bob and I are going to start doing random computer $hit under rockstar techies, the LLC we are going to set up -- in the main room of this crib, Saturdays only / and via email only. I really don't want some lady calling me at night asking me how to double click or something like that. I have two trips that I need to fund, one to Tel-Aviv in December, one to Japan next April.

House buying is a great feeling, a feeling of investment, and a nicer tax break, and a nice place where you can warm your bones beside the fire. Shiner is also a great place, great community and family.

I'll leave you with some pics of the place, feel free to come by and visit, I should be there at least 2 Saturday's a month, and I'm planning to have a monster party July 4th weekend.

Outside View

Upstairs Bedroom

Upstairs Bedroom 2

Kitchen

Bedroom

Hallway

Livingroom

Outside View / Corner Lot

Did anyone see the bada$$ retro furniture?

The Face of Misery

Folks, enter Tony, he's a buddy of mine, Abs's boyfriend, all around cool dude. Now I don't know about y'all, but he damn sure doesn't look like he's having a good time at this weeding, and most definately looks like a fish out of water.

What were y'all doin' dude, that crazy stuff where you dance around the bride and groom to 'their song'?

Tony and Abs are on this crazy a$$ diet in which they can't eat hardly anything. Abs was in a happy / hungry mood the other night, and all she could eat was strawberries and carrots. Tony said he wakes up every morning all light headed due to lack of food. I think they are crazy, come on folks, 4 words (eat less, exercise more), can't go wrong.

I had the distinct pleasure of hanging out Tony and Abs last Saturday. We watched the ring juggling championships, some interesting lookin' dudes on there. Met a chick that has bada$$ taste in music, records concerts (gave me Elvis Costello live @ ACL!), and someone I look forward to going to gigs with!

An Evening with Heritage

Tonight was an exquisite evening hanging out with Emanuel, his dad Kashmir (I think I spelled that right), and Ashley. Emanuel and his parents are in Texas for the next two weeks visiting, then back to a small town near Frankfurt. We partook in some jazz at the elephant room, where some dude was just rippin' up the standup bass.

Afterwards went to MoMo's Club and stumbled apon Warren Hood & The Hoodlums, MY GOD BRILLIANT STUFF!!! It's an every Sunday gig, and I plan on going back as soon as possible to catch them again. Strange enough, Marcia Ball was the 'tip jar girl,' which was extremely shocking. MoMo's also has a brilliant view of downtown.

Talk about Germans and their tolorence for beer, Emanuel was matching me pound for pound with the Stellas and Guinness. Great times, great company, damn the humidity though. I have to have something to complain about, right?

Remote Blogging --Geeky as Can Be

Well this is my first blog from a remote device, to be specific the Sony Ericsson S710 , a bitchin picture phone, bluetooth, infrared port, 128 smart card, 50 meg built in memory, mp3 player, EDGE technology, which makes surfing on wireless pretty damn fast, ummm, yea, tons of geeky features. OOO, Over-indulgence in vanities, a vacuous vice.

Took a picture with my nephew Kman, and blogged this entry, picture, post, text and all sitting in front of the tube watching Dora, or some other kid show.

Fun times ahead, I got this device b/c we are planning a drive out to California and I plan to blog from the car. Hmmmm, perhaps I should unplug for a while and get a life?

Republic of Texas Bike Rally

Well there is about a billion bikes downtown this weekend, and it seems like all the local bars are tooled to play Skynayrd, REO Speedwagon, and other music to draw in the sun fried biker chicks.

It's amazing to see all the bikes and such, there's 1 million pounds of chrome downtown, congress is closed off, as well as sixth street and many other roads. It's more crowded downtown than for the SWSX music festival, and the crowd looks pretty intimidating

Here's Brad lookin all mean, we were going to take a picture of one of us acting like we were pissing on a bike, but both of us were too scared. The next picture would have been me holding my teeth in my had after getting punched by a Harley Davidson lookin dude.

No trip anywhere can be complete without seeing Austin's Leslie workin it. Man he's got freckles on his ass, whew!

Vallej-blow (I mean Vallejo), The Burdon Brothers and others played on the corner of 6th and Congress. Here's a video of some rednecks going crazy listening to the band cover Crazy Train.

Kicka$$ Night to be Alive

Tonight, as the rockabilly band (2 Hoots and a Holler) at Ego's said, it's a kickass night to be alive. Expecting to head down to first Thursday and have a decent time, turned into the most fun I've had since SXSW. For all you people who don't know, every first Thursday of the month Austin throws a big shindig down on South Congress, and the entertainment only seems to get better and better. I counted 11 bands playing out on the street or on rooftops or in some other tight little location that begs the question 'How the hell did they think of playing there'

First stop as usual is Guero's for a nice rita and blues. Quentin Tarentino supposedly does some movie recording at this place. It's got stellar Tex-Mex, some of the best in town hands down.

Next stop brought us to Ego's, and little did we know that's where we would stay, and little did we know how rambunctious the evening would get, Pictured is Mike D, John, Ashley, Toshi, and Yasu.

Well Toshi has never danced here in Austin, or possibly in his life, I didn't get the story, but Ashley is such a great dancer, she talked Toshi into dancing and he did a fantastic job. He had to chug a few Miller Lights to get the courage, but it was awesome! Toshi got really hammered, and thank god we didn't have to take him to the hospital this time!!!

Speaking of having a lot to drink, Ashley took it apon herself to help out the band and pass the tip jar around, damn that was funny too. Mike D and I were the good fellas on the evening and avoided a lot of drinking to make work not miserable in the morning.

Then out of the blue I get a text from the wonderful C-Dog saying him and Nate were at Trophy's down the road, so I told them to high tail it over to Ego's for some group fun. C-Dog and I always try to push the limit of what we can do with pictures, so here's him with his fabio / Al Bundy pose.

Then there's the Nate-Dogg, he is also a great dancer, he has his own style. When we were in Scotland, he was dancing with a scottish gal and she told me Nate danced like an arraingitang, or however you spell that, I hope y'all know what I mean.

Finally, introducing Yasu. Toshi is leaving back to Japan in August, I will be very sad, but I told him he had to find me a Japanese replacement to hang out with once he's gone, so enter Yasu. A brilliant fun guy, who's going to my alma mater, marketing major, and aspiring guitar player. Damn Toshi, nice pick for the replacement! At any rate, look forward to hanging with him more in the future.

This weekend, pull out the wife beater and head downtown for the motorcycle rally!

CD RUN - 010101010 - splendid

Well tonight went shopping at my favorite place in Austin, Waterloo Records, picked up a few bada$$ cd's that I've been wanting forever. They are as follows:

Team America World Police Soundtrack - This is supposed to be a funny ass movie -- One of the songs on it is called "America, Fuck Yea", it is the funniest shit I've heard in a long time. This movie pokes a lot of fun at American Foriegn Policy.

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Soundtrack - Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy does the main score for the movie 'So Long & Thanks for All the Fish' , gotta support Neil. One of these days I want to see this movie, maybe with a nephew or something.

Lyrics Born - Same !@#$ Different Day -- Quality Stuff, nuff said. I've been in a huge Blackalicious mood lately, therefore checking out the cheap cd / dvd combo. Great lyrics -- 'Ain't no love in your life, that's some sad a$$ shit'

James - The Best Of -- Something I had ages ago, just in the mood for it again, every song on the CD is stellar.

---------------
Those who feel the breath of sadness
Sit down next to me
Those who find they’re touched by madness
Sit down next to me
Those who find themselves ridiculous
Sit down next to me -- James (Sit Down)

Help This Guy Find A Job

Folks this is my friend Ian, Ian is Cool, Ian needs a job. He's a very resourceful person, works with me at the Austin Music Foundation doing all kinds of stuff. He was the dude who helped me make the beer run for the mayor a few weeks back. He's also AMF metal king, although the queen of AMF metal still holds the trump card.

So here we are sitting at Crown and Anchor looking like pretentious coffee people with our dual laptops. Just to let everyone know that there is a website Work In Texas that is a great place to start.

On other notes, went to a posh sushi place this evening with Jenny K and Toshi. It was Jenny's first experience with sushi, as was mine back in December. She struggled with the chopsticks for a bit, but managed like a pro after a bit. Popped into Amy's Ice Cream afterwards, it was funny b/c Jenny was wearing an Amy's IceCream Shirt, which she was trying to hide as we walked in.

Another successful evening -- Help Ian find a job, he's currently working at a restaurant, albiet with hot chicks and free beer, but something doesn't want to make a permanent gig. Damn what are you thinking Ian? Wanna come work for the state with us kronies or hot chicks and free beer?!

PS -- One of the many reasons that Crown is the Coolest Bar ever is that there is a wireless network connection called 'Tesla' bleeding into the place.!

Through these fields of Destruction, Baptisms of Fire

Sunday was the good ol church picnic in Shiner. Usually it's 1 million degrees outside, but a nice rain made the weather bearable. The Biergarten was packed to the rafters, and low and behold I see Ryan and Chad behind the counter serving beer. Ryan is rockin' and cussin' at the church picnic listening to 80's cheese rock! Totally bada$$! Look at those two meatheads!! hahahahaah

Ran into Jill Kovalcik, who I haven't seen in ages! It was lovely running into her and catching up, until she had to run into the pouring rain to move the car. She's doing well, married and has a beautiful daughter, living in Edna. She truly is a star of track and field, and she probably feels the city air running past her body as she runs, as in the Belle and Sebastian song. Jill was the first girl to put an arrow thru my heart and my soul, and everytime I listen to Dire Straits I think of her, hence the Dire Straits references. Everyone do themselves a favor and pick up that greatest hits album. We tried this picture 3 times and didn't turn out any of the times!

And of course no picnic can be complete without me having to babysit Mandy's drunk a$$. At least this year she didn't eat a crispito and throw up on her carpet! She has a bad time repeating herself when she's had a few too many. Second year in a row this has happened, what gives!? Ahhh, the life of a budding accounting guru --

Always a pretty dry weekend in Shiner, but the people make the place shine.

---------------
'No I cannot forget where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me' -- John Cougar Mellencamp

"I think I'm more grounded, you know, and I know what I want out of life and I'm, you know, my morals are really, you know, strong and I have major beliefs about certain things and I think that has helped me, you know, from being, you know, coming from a really small town." - Britney Spears

God Bless Britney Spears!

Piazza New York Catcher and Shiner Baseball

Well Shiner High School baseball team was eliminted in the state semifinals this weekend, suffering a 7-2 Game 3 loss to Thorndale. Speaking of teams, I snapped a picture of the nutorious basketball team that owns the SHS basketball team. I hope you were enjoying that Beck's Ryan! Marty, Julie, Ryan, Ashley and I, man I just love pulling up for 3 and draining it on someone!

Spent the majority of the day working on a church website. Kinda sucks when you are expected to bake a cake, but you aren't supplied flour, batter, eggs, icing, etc. I think that's how you build cakes, right?

Later in the eve drank some stiff cocktails with OOO-Mandy and some some old school Greenday, man I love that song Pulling Teeth.

SHS Graduation 2005

Insert your favorite cheesy graduation song, an emotional salutatorian, loads of family, and a beer or two, and you get SHS graduation 2005.

Ashton was looking all happy and smiley, and composed, as she knows life doesn't end, unlike someone of those emotional saps. Here's a picture with Ashton, G-Man (my brotha, not a brotha, but a brotha, you know), and myself.

Grant was getting a little insubordinate in the stands, so I had to put him in his place, so hence, I put him in the sleeper hold, and he was knocked out pretty quickly after that.

Here is a pic of Brea, Juan, Josh and Allyn, Shiner's one and only punk rock band, The Nowhere Heroes, all of the cept Josh are graduating, don't know what's going to happen to them after they graduation.

The evening could not be complete without the grand march, and the electric slide, as pictured below. I used to enjoy The American Legion Hall when I was a young lad, now it just kinda feels like the twilight zone.

Had a great night, saw my brother Derwin and his twins Katie and Corey who I haven't seen in ages. He's fixing up a '72 Vette Stingray right now, hopefully I can sport it around sooner than later.

Rather be in Tokyo -- Rather Listen to Thin Lizzy-0h

Well tonight was a focus on that damn overhead of life stuff. Getting geared up for a weekend down home, as my niece Ashton graduates high school. Big time congrats for her being the second Bruns to win the prestigious Walter's Scholarship, 18 grand for anywhere you want to go to get your learn on.

A big congrats to Bob Cowan, who will now be a co-worker at the DPS. Thank god another soul in there with practical knowledge and common sense.

Jenny came by tonight for a bike ride, came sportin her 'Mind the Gap' shirt, strange coincidence that I was sportin my 'Waterloo' shirt, so I had to remember how to do the fancy camera timing thing.

Life is good when you are on a bike, even if your on Mike P's Mongoose, with a rock hard seat, and a clatter that doesn't go away.

The sites and sounds are awesome, I'll leave you with some HG Wells and Belle and Sebastian.

When I see an adult on a bicycle,
I do not despair for the future of the human race. ~H.G. Wells

------------------------------
Roy Walker Lyrics

'// Like a fresh manifestation of an old phenomenon
// A breeze whips through the trees
// The rustling leaves and branches bend together
// They're cued to sway
// Forever by the forces of the Lord's choreography'
-----------------------------

Autechre / Deutsch / Hair Appointment

11:30 PM - Autechre takes the stage. All the lights go out, bizarro beats start dropping, and the lights were never to return. Not a strobe light, not a discoball, notta damn thing! I could hear visions of KID A in the beats, offbeat rhythms, and an underlying depression, kinda gave me an uncomfortable feeling. Big time rave music, guess if I was all about the X or other speed alternative, I may have been groovin pretty hard.

Like Ben Folds says:
\\ Visions of Pills that put you in a lovely trance,
\\ that make it possible for all white boys to dance

Well that's exactly what I would have needed to tear the floor up, considering my 'hair appointment' at 3:15 in the afternoon. The hot mom that was burning the hair off my chest said I have a high tolerance for pain, so she jacked the settings up about 3 notches, therefore making it much more painful than my first outing. The put about 1/2 centimeter of cold a$$ gel on you, and then just go to town with the lazer. Quite painful around the chest area, back not so bad. But I sure did feel like I just came out of a prize fight after that, smelling slight charred from the heat.

Somewhere in the middle of that was the first German II class given by Frau Kaminska, which I had to skip out early for to catch the show.

Thanks Emanuel and Mike D for the company -- Look forward to hanging out with you in Germany sometime next year when Franzi's wedding happens. For all of you who know Franzi, she's pregnant and getting married. - Yowzers -

Believe In Happy Endings - Even If There Isn't One

-----
Believe In Happy Endings - Even If There Isn't One

For all my buddies, to people who read this -- please pardon my temporary departure from humor for a brief bit of introspection.

For the past few weeks I've been contemplating a very simple question, but a question that plagues me. The question is 'How Do Relationships Work, and how do you begin them?' Simple to you guys who have figured it out, but gruelingly complicated for us 'lost souls' floating about, ever so painfully searching for perspective. For all you floaters, as I try to get down to the heart of it all, I find that it's all about balance, and the balance being between want and need.

'Honey I'm Home,' a typical Leave it to Beaver reference, said by many people around the world everyday. Well what happens when you 'Honey I'm Home', and no one is home? Its human nature to be insecure and insecurities drive a desire to find an echo to the simple question. Insecurity can bind us to people, people who we possibly know in our hearts to be not right for us, but rather simple and convenient. Insecurities potentially make us compromise the very fundamental things which are most important to our human existence, our body and soul. Insecurities have the nature to develop habit out of time and create understanding thru apathy. Insecurity protects you from leading an introspective life. Loneliness and uncertainty swell when you embrace your insecurity and not let it control your existence.

The other side of need / insecurity lays want / passion. This too can be a consuming factor, which causes things to not be balanced in a relationship. To be cheesy for a moment, what happens when you want something so badly it hurts? How can one sift through desire and see objectivity. How do you calm your passions and understand that there are 3.2 billion members of the opposite sex out there, and go on your merry way in finding other suitors to be passionate about. Is intensity a good thing or a bad thing, especially if you can't master your passions? Is passion more fulfilling, or is that the 57% of Americans that get divorced every year? Is there a thin line between love and hate when fueled by passion? My thoughts are yes. Passion is what drives the wrestless heart.

Balance is Unity. When there is mastery of want and need, a wonderful bond is formed. At any point in this rambling, just acknowledge that I'm a 28 year old computer geek that is far from having it figured out. I sat in college and heard of the benefits of teamwork and how effective teams are what drive successful endeavors. That big-time implies to relationships and life as we know it. Apon achieving balance of want and need, I, Robert, going out with Sally Smith, who I love and care for, is not in the slightest bit tempted even when my dream girl, Fiona Apple comes on strong. I say, sorry Fiona, but f*ck off, I have all I want and need in Sally. Balance says honey I don't give a damn if we pull weeds in the flower bed today or go see Def Leppard tonight. Balance conceives a genuine interest in what the other person is doing, thinking, feeling, and you hurt when that person is not around to give you what you need and want. Unity is inspiration, hope, love, courage, facing difficult adult situations with a smile.

How does this apply to me? For the most part, I like to think I check my genitals and insecurities at the door. I listen to 'good' music, good music comes from people that have tortured souls and from individuals most have never even heard of, not Justin Timberlake. I hear these individuals crafty, clever sentiments on love, and the intelligence of it all doesn't allow me to come up with an answer, but definitely lets me admire the question. I'm consumed by the passion of it all; notice all the questions in the passion paragraph. Big Bubock Ulcak once introduced me to a friend saying, 'this is Robert, he's turned down more chicks than I can even dream of.' Well Bubba is right about me turning down girls, but I don't know if its been that many. I'm very particular; therefore it's hard for me to strike a balance between want and need. On the need side, I don't take care of myself, I eat at 7-11 every other night, my apartment is a cluttered, haven’t' washed clothes in ages, I don't allow myself time to watch trashy shows like American Idol, all this equals to not being able to chill out and also not being able to accomplish what I refer to as 'the overhead of life.' On the want side, I can tell you that I 100% of the time overlook girls I meet that are 70-80% 'compatible' with me. Why? I'm a perfectionists, I want better, and I know it’s not abstract, and it’s out there, I've seen it. What happens when I'm going out with Ms. 70% and Ms. 90% rolls around, well I'm in a pickle if I settle for 70% when I'm not really happy. Someone once told me the sniffer test is 96% accurate, I agree entirely.

To let everyone in on a secret, and I'm sure family who reads this, if they've made it to this point in the blog piece, think I've totally lost my mind, I have signed up on match.com, why? To find mrs 90% or above. Hell it's easy to do a global search for belle and sebastian, and see what comes up. I'm light on my feet, I'm a dreamer, I'm a hopeless romantic, so if the stars align and I find the ideal person in Istanbul Turkey, well hell I hope there is a market for Portal / Biztalk developers there. So what do I want in a relationship, that's one of the questions asked? I want someone who not only 'completes me' as it pertains to the insecurities, but also someone who I can ride the 'slow boat to China' with, enjoying every moment all to ourselves. I want someone to challenge me, motivate me, inspire me, suggest things to me, and help me to look at life constantly from different angles. Isn't that the most fulfilling? I want someone that is high strung, ready to approach life with a complicated vigor, and do it with dignity. I want someone who will poke me in the ass on Saturday morning and say, hey lazy wake up, we got life to live, that's why we're here. I don't want to be put on a shelf in the sense that when I become the lucky one and find that girl or the girl finds me, there will never be an 'as a matter of fact' attitude. I know I will have and be with the girl that in my mind is the best freakin thing on the planet, and I'm going to show and tell the world how proud I am, and how humbled I am that she's with me, I'm going to be her cheerleader till my legs fall off. On the same token, she's going to acknowledge that she's with a bada$$ mofo, worthy of serious bragging rights of her own. I want to be touched, I want to feel the passion in my heart, I want to be completed.

To conclude this gory, convoluted tale of introspection, I'm not seeking sympathy, just tired of being so damn lonely, but I will not compromise for anything but the best. I'm ruled by passion, not insecurity, otherwise I'd pick me up one of the many 70%'ers I know to engage in a honey I'm home scenario with. The great philosophers ask, cheap happiness or sublime suffering.....until the right person comes along, I choose sublime suffering everyday and twice on Sunday. My sentiments on employing this train of thought only lead me to believe that greater introspection only leads to more to offer for a person who is currently doing the same, bam we meet, stars align, everything is complete ---- BOOYAH!

Stars of Basketball and Tennis are Beautiful People

Well damn, tonight was a night of athetic rigor, which brought on two different sports.

First -- Basketball

I must say that I'm tired as sin, not really knowing what to expect rolling up to the park in good ol Shi-Town. Rolled up and saw Marty, Ryan, Julie and Ashley. We proceded to play 5 on 5 with many of the members of the SHS High School Basketball team, full court killer sh*t. Well Julie was swatting their stuff left and right (she's good), Ashley was hitting some killer pullup shots, and Marty, Ryan and I, um , well we were agressive? We did take a game off their a$$es, but considering they were 1-16 on the season, not really a bragging right. Mental note to never play basketball in KSWISS ever again for my toe is all jacked up, blood under that nail and such.

Second -- Tennis

Wanted to relive the old glory days of tennis playing with the roomies, so we strolled over to the tennis courts. We almost got a set in, but Marty said the wife had some fish cooking, smoked samon to be exact, and I think Ryan had a baby or something to attend to? At any rate, Ash and I worked em over the time we did play. Ryan did ace me one time though, may have been out?

Anyway, Marty is a great friend / avid reader of this blog, so he wanted some recognition. To recall the college days, Marty was acting cool with his shirt off playing tennis one time at the SWT courts, and had 'Thug Life' written on his belly, I thought it was little strange b/c at the time I didn't know Tupac or whatever, but anyway, this is what Marty looked like with his shirt off that day, except without the abs, the gun, the middle finger and a little bit whiter.....OK, maybe it wasn't Marty --

Bidets / General Water Fun

Ft. Worth, a lovely town definately worth the visit. We went to the Cowgirl Museum to cool off, it was so damn hot, just coming out of the horse races. We participated in some crazy antics!

Here Mike D is having a Bidet, notice the double peace signs!

Here Toshi is literally head first in the water, looks pretty painful if you ask me, but didn't seem to bother him.

Here's Manuel grinning his a$$ off as I run thru the water. Notice the kids behind us laughing. It was funny we basically kicked them out of the way so we could play! hahahahaha

Good fun, and nice to cool off. We had to ride in the back of the truck on the way home, b/c Manuelabor didn't want to get the interior of the MT wet.

Yee Old Bull and Bush

That night, toasted with sunburn, even though I sported my brand new Boston Red Socks hat at Target, the Boddingtons was great, and the banter was spot on.

John, a bada$$ graphics artists / biznessman, founder of Creative Fuel sportin his Christ-Pose with a beer in each hand, a Boddingtons in one hand, and a Lone Star in the other, what a combo!

On the way out we saw a 'Nut Truck', so we decided to take a nutty picture. If you are wondering what I'm doing, I'm tickling John's underarm. I also regained my good ol grey Travis shirt that I thought was lost, but Manuel had it safely tucked away for me.

Went to a ton of bars on the evening, took tons of pictures, the weekend was exhausting, the Stella was strong. Here's the rest of the pics if anyone is interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59134211@N00/15170142/

Thanks for the fun / accommodation Manuelabor / Lacinator -- Cheers

Horse Races - DFW

Talk about a hot SOB, the horse races were pitiful, fun, cool, yet just unbearable for being outside. Check out this intense condensation on my head after a mere 5 minutes of being outside.

Mike D and Laci place some 2 dollar bets, Laci won $3.60 on her two dollars. 1 dollar to get in, and free Dr. Peppers, how could you go wrong! 'Must a had me like 15 Dr Peppers'

Kissenger CD Release Party

Tonight Kissenger's CD Release party at Emo's. Kissenger won the Austin Music Foundation 's Incubator contest for best rock category. They are all very nice guys and it would be great if y'all all go support them.

It was a good show, although I could only stay for 3 songs, b/c it started at 1.20am, I was tired, so I went home. I just remember Emo's being so damn hot inside with all this record heat, I could literally feel my a$$ sweating.

Sith Happens

Last night was the overhyped primier of Star Wars Revenge of the Sith. A pretty good movie, great effects.

There is some very cheesy dialogue in this movie, I mean why hire a dude like Samuel L. Jackson and make him talk like a monotone jedi? It was pretty cool to see the flaming limbless torso though.

The company of geeks was brilliant --, Paul, Mike D, Mike P, Dale, Frank, Nick, Wilton.

Brad I owe you big time for dogging you out, and Jenny, I sincerely hope you won't be mad at me forever.

Geek Road Trip

Today we went on a road trip to Dallas to the SQL Server 2005 Roadshow, some intense hardcore geeky stuff. The morning talked of enhanced log files for debugging, and the afternoon was xQuery for XML, stuff big time over my head so I glazed over and went to Happy Land.

Here's a picture of the group, Mike P, Wilton, myself, Lon, and Garth. Lots of database guru's, lots of geek talk everywhere! Taken by Mike P's Treo 600.

After the show, hauled ass home, pushing the Department of Public Safety van at up to speeds of 85 mph to catch the 7pm showing of Star Wars.

Ahhh the blurry life of an over-urgent individual.

Bloggin' Bout Bob's Bada$$ BBQ (alliteration)

Whenever the Spurs are playing in the playoffs, as well as other times, Bob is firing up the grill with some steaks, sausage, etc. Afterall, we are at the top of the food chain, so why not pig out on nice juicy steak. Creamy italian dressing usually is the maranade, and the stuff just melts in your mouth.

Bob also has a 52 inch TV that kicks ass, it's big, roughly the size of, ummmm, well, roughly the width of my VW.

Anyway, love that BOB BBQ --

Mando Diao and Friends

After City Hall we went to Emo's for the Mando Diao show. Who do you ask? Of course the constants Toshi and I. We have been looking forward to the show for a few months now, and the day finally came, started at 10:45, which is pretty damn late for a Monday night show!

Three of Toshi's wonderful Japanese friends also joined us. They were all wonderful and beautiful. Don't I look like such a pimp with these three lovely ladies?

The opening band was Danko Jones, who was really good. He had a tongue that was all over the place, one that could rival Gene Simmons. Out of the blue, Gordi Johnson, the lead singer / guitar player for Grady comes out. I spoke with him for a while, said Danko and him were buds, and Danko played a song and dedicated it to Gordi. Here's a picture of Gordi and I, y'all should go check him out one day, he plays at the Continental Club frequently.

To end the night, Toshi and his friends expressions say it all. An excellent evening had by all. It was great to see Toshi and his friends jamming in front of the stage all excited!

In my opinion, Mando sounds much much better on the album, but all around a quality show, some quality songs, and for 10 buckeroos, you can't beat it!

'And we never cut the hope
'Cause we never cut the rope '
Mando Diao

All You People Up There In City Hall

Today we went to City Hall, probably saw some important people that I didn't know, and had some good food / good music. The new City Hall is an amazing building, and it still has the new smell to it, which is great. Here is a picture from the top, you can see Town Lake and the wonderful jogging trail. It's a really great view from up there.

The place has many tiers, here's a picture looking down from one tier to the other. Down there was good ol Taco Deli catering, and Rachel Loy providing the entertainment. She won one of the categories of the Austin Music Foundation Incubator competition.

Didn't meet the mayor, and didn't even get to hear him talk b/c Ian and I had to make a beer run. Beer run for City Hall, now that's pretty damn nifty!