My My, Hey Hey

 "Out of the blue, and into the black"

"It's better to burn out, than to fade"


And in this vein, of living as if I'm burning....... I'm gonna be gone for a few weeks. International. Travel. As this song plays through my mind.............

Wait for my return.

Don't tongue in cheek.

Don't swim with sharks at night.

Don't put your ladder in the back of your truck so you can get on the roof.

Don't put ice cream on funnel cake. The overpowering deliciousness can main or even kill a lesser snacker.

Don't bring a dog to your church unless it's a service dog.

Don't let a kid eat a marshmallow unattended, they are a choking hazard. If you're gonna feed them straight sugar and ignore them cut them into quarters. Says so right on the bag!

Don't wear voodoo skull beads from NOLA for "good luck."

Don't wear this when I go to Israel this Saturday.

Took the GRE this morning at 8am at the testing center in SDSU. I rode on two wheels as it is easier to park close and be sneaky and not pay for parking. What's the point in riding a motorcycle if you can't do things like this in urban areas?

Room full of people waiting to take the same test. Some of them going into it totally cold! No way is that a recipe for success! This is not an easy test. I was the only person who admitted to doing any sort of formal studying. One guy said he printed of a study guide from online, and one person said they got a book from a bookstore to help.

I totally think the Kaplan prep school was worth it. On my own I was scoring in the 30th percentile in the math portion and in the 60th percentile for the verbal part. After the Kaplan class I scored in the 72nd percentile for the verbal and and in the 62nd percentile for the math. Impressive gains and well worth the expense of the class to almost double part of my score.

Physician assistant is hard enough to get into, no need to have a poor GRE score due to being cheap or lazy.

My score on the new, revised GRE is about an 1,200 on the old GRE. I'm sure once my essays are graded that will only bump my score up as well. I'm pretty sure they are "5" level essays. So there ya go, of all the people trying to get into graduate school in the US, I am easily smarter than 60% of them.

Don't eat too much.

When you're hungry, you eat. A lot.

When you eat a lot, your clothes don't fit right. So you change into loose clothes, like just shorts.

When you're wearing just shorts you want to be outside. In the sun. In your yard.

When you are outside in the sun in your yard, you want to lay down and read. In the front yard. Shirtless.

When you are full, shirtless, in the front yard, in the sun, and reading you get sleepy.

When you get sleepy, you fall asleep. For around 30 minutes. With the neighbors watching.

Don't fall asleep at 3pm in your front yard, face down, shirtless. On fake grass no less.

(read this out loud like how the similar commercials are voiced)

ps-Yes, I really did do this Monday.

Truth on a Tuesday

What I've eaten: Oh wow, I was soooo full from yesterday's food I couldn't even eat my birthday cake until this morning. Cake is an accepted breakfast food right? Yesterday I ate 4 bowls of Honeycomb cereal. A mango slushie. A big bowl of Nalley's chili with 1/4 loaf of french bread. And dinner was lobster bisque, seared ahi and, fish and chips. No way was I able to then eat cake on top of that.

My breakfast of birthday cake was angel food cake with whip cream and strawberries btw. With some fresh pineapple as well. After all of this eating excess I think I am only going to have liquids for all of my meals each day but for dinner. Give my guts a rest and limit my calories a bit before I also go on vacation and most likely eat high calorie foods.

What I've watched: The indie movie with Jack Black, Bernie. It's about a super nice guy funeral director who hooks up with one of the little old widow ladies. Except she is a beast and he snaps and kills her. Though told in the typically funny A. Linkletter manner for any story in Texas. Hilarious. Rated R for swearing.

I speak Spanish OK. Enough to not be totally clueless and hold a basic, present tense conversation. So I enjoy watching the Mun2 spanish language television channel as lots of it is in english with spanish subtitles or the other way around. And unknowingly I'm into the two shows that in 2011 made huge waves.

Decisiones Extremas. This is like the wildest 'After School Special' you've ever seen! The Boston Herald called it 'The most outrageous show of 2011', and it is! Or was. These teenage kids all make the most horrible decisions and suffer the most horrible of consequences in the 1 hour show. Rape, murder, drug use, suicide, kidnapping. It covers them all. Extreme decisions indeed!

La Reina del Sur. Evidently this show crushed all other shows, often even mainstream english programming, in the ratings. It is fantastical and filled with crazy characters. Go ahead, Google it, you'll find all sorts of fan information. Basically it is about a woman's rise through the international drug trade. This show was huge! I'm enjoying its many twists and turns. Really, a super telenovela. And if you hate TV, you can always read the book by the same title on which the show is based.

What I've said: So I started with, "I'm gonna ask Oliva (my housekeeper) about my favorite show, see what she thinks."

To which Super D replied, "What makes you think she watches those kinds of trashy shows?"

My reply, "Have you seen her much younger boyfriend? Anyone who dates guys that much younger than her is totally the type to watch these shows. She's like a Mexican cougar. Er, well I guess that would maker her a puma technically."

What I look like as I officially become "old":

I can't sing, but THEY sure can!!

The above is a one of a kind song, commissioned just for my birthday. Performed by Bobtown!!! Thanks SuperD for the incredibly imaginative gift!

Secondly, my sister's kids called and sung an especially spirited version of the Happy Birthday song to my voicemail and again for me to hear.

The beautiful gift of song! Thank you!

A Rowdy life recollected....

As today is my birthday, notice the cute baby pics one post down, I thought I would reflect on the things that I have done in life, or that have happened to me, that equal living a 'rowdy' life. My rowdy life.

-Driving a Porsche 911 around Laguna Seca.
-Traveling to over 16 foreign countries. Travel has been a huge rowdy life blessing.
-Being in a war. Getting shot at and such.
-Swimming with sharks. In and out of the cage.
-Enjoying a variety of extreme sports by mountain biking, snowboarding, rock climbing, wake boarding, surfing and motorcycles.
-Running a half marathon with no training. In under 2 hours.
-Surviving 10 surgeries.
-Graduating from college later in life.
-Owning over 200 good books at any one time.
-Various motorcycle/police chases all ending in my favor.
-Touching historical and cultural icons over 2,000 years old.
-Speaking to people in another language.
-Learning as a kid how to camp, shoot a gun, fish, hunt, cook over fire, tie knots, read a map.
-Skydiving. Bungee jumping. Check. I've even piloted a plane a few times.
-4 broken bones. 4 concussions.
-Having something published. Even if only on the local independent level.
-All the amazing natural wonders I've seen. Too many to list.
-Divorce, bankruptcy, unemployment, addiction. All of them overcome.

May 21st

Happy Birthday to me! May 21st.

rowdy style

can you guess what i've been up to?

Q. What's the first thing they see?

Answer. Your face! Alright guys, there are some things you need to start doing, right now. Now these tips aren't all about your face but they are all important.

-Regular dental care. Fear of the dentist is almost universal among men. I was once one myself. Not a dentist, but fearful of them. But you can beat the dentist. And live longer. Make everything better that happens which involves your mouth. Namely, brush and floss and use mouthwash daily. Brush your gums, tongue, roof of your mouth and your teeth. The old adage from dental hygiene school is true, "Only floss the teeth you want to keep." Flossing daily is a sure way to sit in the dentist's chair as little as possible. Guys, do it.

-Trim your claws. You notice the details in a great sports play? Know exactly when your truck needs an oil change? This is that type of detail you need to pay attention to as well. And that high protein diet you're on is gonna make this even more of a necessity. And you probably wear flip flops, it is summer time. I'm not telling you to file them round, push back your cuticles or anything like that. Just trim your finger and toe nails short. All of them, weekly. No reason ever to have long nails.

-Strays. Even Albert Einstien would have been smarter with his extra ear, nose and eyebrow hair trimmed. You notice if your favorite girl doesn't shave her armpits right? You can be dang sure she notices the forest your face. Would you spend an hour on Saturday taking care of the yard but leave weeds growing around the edge? No way! So don't do that to your face.

-Soap and water. Let's be frank. Every time you go to the bathroom wash your hands with soap and water. Every time you work out, wash your body with soap and water. Almost every time you are "sick" from eating something, have a tummy ache or the "24 hour flu" it is because you ingested the remnants of someone else's bathroom trip. Yeah, you just read that. So wash your freaking hands and keep everyone else healthy along with yourself.

-Sunscreen. Skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer. But happily it is preventable. Your skin cells divide more rapidly than any other cell in your body. Any screw up in the DNA of your skill cells will be quickly replicated. Cancer. Just say that word again to yourself the next time you think about not using it.

-Shave!

-Smoking. Stop it. This kinda goes into the overall health and hygiene thing. If you smoke, you are a willful moron.

There ya go! All things every guy should be doing. None of them are tough to do, none take more than 2 minutes. None of them are over the top, metro or less your masculinity.  All of them will improve your health, your looks and be appreciated by your friends and lovers.

Just when you think....

The US

visited 18 states (36%)


The world
 
visited 22 states (9.77%)

I look at my passport and it feels like I've been all over the world. I have a big paper map in my laundry room with pins in every major city in the world I've visited. It too makes it look as if I've been all over.

But when I look at it in the maps above, I've only been to 1/3 of the US. And I've only seen 1/10th of the world. I haven't even been below the equator! Malaysia being 4^ above the equator. I still have 3 of the 7 continents to get to before I die.


I mean, I'm going to have to replace my passport before it expires due to the level of my international travel. So just when I think I've been all over, I realize I have much left to see.

You know....

You know you live with a musician when.....
-you find guitar pics doing the laundry. More than once.
-you find a tuning fork in your bed.
-you have at least 4 instruments in your house. I can see that many just from where I sit right now with two guitars, a ukelele and a djimbe drum.

You know you can save lots of water by....
-shaving in the sink, not the shower. I did the math and that's 100 gallons a month different.
-setting your dishwasher to quick wash, 33 minutes instead of 105 minutes on my machine. Just as good.
-washing your clothes in cold water only and on quick wash as well. 29 minutes versus 55 minutes a load. Crank it up when your clothes are actually soiled, not just 'cause you wore them.

You know you have lived in San Diego a while when.....
-you think a hoodie is a real coat for cold weather.
-you have more flip flops or sandals than any other shoe. When is the last time you wore socks?
-the idea of Taco Bell is repulsive to you. You know good Mexican eatin'.
-"the" comes before or instead of saying  "freeway" for road names. "The 8", "the 5", "the 52" and so on.

Duh!

Yes, that is me reaching out of the cage to 'pet' a shark. And I did it more than once.

How could you doubt it? ROWDY!

11th Dimension

I now know another dimension of heartache. I think I'm going to learn them all in this life. And in that, I am not unique. Which gives me comfort, strangely. Everyone has sorrow. Sadness. Loss. Emptiness.

This song. plays constantly in my head right now.....

These lyrics jump out at me initially "your faith has got to be greater than your fear" and "forgive them, even if they are not sorry" For a euro pop song, very poignant.

I feel similar to these times;
-the first time someone I cared for told me the hated me
-the first time I got divorced
-the one time I've been fired from a job
-when a girlfriend told me "you have no idea how many times I cheated on you"
-when I had to have surgery with no health insurance my last year of college with the strong possibility of not graduating
-facing one of my friends after being the reason he was arrested
-being in the hospital and having J,K,M move far away from me
-when I left for Iraq
-when I woke up with my guts outside of my body and a bag hanging off me to collect it
-getting the first contact from my biological father

Happy Birthday to me!

My motorcycle got ordered today and should arrive right near my birthday! Soo stoked. A modern version of the classic, a 2012 Triumph Bonneville SE in this navy and white scheme.

A super fun bike for "just riding around." I've had dirt bikes, scooters, supermotos, sportbikes by the dozen but this is my first standard or retro bike.

I think it is going to be tons of fun to just take it easy and enjoy the ride. Fun in a pure sense. And with less danger in adding to my horrible speeding ticket history.

Enjoy it with me.

Not totally Mother's Day....

I must be her favorite child, along with of course being the FIRST, because my mom is going to be at my house for Mother's Day. So that means I am the best kid!

But you know who doesn't get their own day? Nieces and nephews. I love my nieces and nephews. All of them. When ever I visit they all yell my name and are happy to see me. When I am sick they send me get well letters and such. Sometimes they have even sent me their own toys, to cheer me up when I've been in the hospital. Great kids!

Remember my nephew who is afraid of the 'bad chicken'? Well at one time I sent him a huge, plush, stuffed shark. A great white shark. Carcharodon Carcharias is its latin name. Which is funny, as my nephew calls this shark "CeeCee" because he lives under the sea. Or maybe he is a child shark genius and knows that latin name.

Here is my nephew and CC, at home and play.

I miss all my little friends! (and some are not so little now...) Thank for making it fun to be an uncle. 'Cause both my uncles were super fun, so I have a legacy to maintain!

Zero

I have zero musical talent. This might as well be what I am hearing and seeing the two different times I tried to learn the guitar.


The above clib is from a show that was on BBC3 a while ago. If you watched the later seasons of the IT Crowd, you'll get it. It is called Snuff Box. IT Crowd=cute, funny, nerdy humor. Good fun. Snuff Box= ribald, crude, dark humor. Not family suitable. Be forewarned. And if either of those suit you then I really suggest heading off to The Mighty Boosh.

Depending on your choice in "entertainment", you can't go wrong checking them out on Netflix. The Snuff Box theme song is an ear worm if you ask me. I watched the only 6 episodes and I still can bring it to mind.

Thank me later. I'm expanding your mind after all.

Bring it on.

If you play any of the official Scrabble games online, I have a real profile now through the EA/Origin portal. I'm playing on a nook tablet, but it works across platforms.

My name is 'rowdstar' or you can search the email 'rowdystyle@gmail.com' and find me.

I'm tired of beating everyone else online and need a new challenge. So bring it on!

Losses and Gains

Jeweled Malicious Barbie is now Jeweled Malicious Witch and will probably end up in China.

Killer is leaving for Korea in one week exactly. He'll probably stay over there for a while as well.

M Knight is plunging head first into enlisting in the Marines.

Everyone is growing, going and doing their own thing. It's hard to stay connected. To develop. It is too late for me to regret anything I've done. Have to live with it now.

I wish them all the best.

My neighbors have got to be kidding!

Their life style: Two gay dudes in their 50's, living together. Not 99% of people out there.

Their house: Having a $700,000 house with that landscaping, solarium, statuary and outdoor gas fire place is not the home of the 99%.

Their cars: Two brand new shiny sedans. Honda and Cadillac. Any one at Occupy roll up in a new car?

Their jobs: Both of them have degrees and both are Nurse Anesthetists. The US Department of Labor says that job makes about $180,000 per year in California. So being DINKs (double income, no kids) that gives them a gross household income of $360,000. Guess what, anything above $320,000 makes you one of the freaking 1%.

Their garbage can: Has big stickers on it i saying "We Are The 99%", as well as in the back window of each brand new car.

How delusional do you have to be to think you are part of the 99% when you meet all of the criteria of being a 1%-er?? You can still be part of the 1% and be loving, kind, decent, charitable and an overall boon to humanity. The noble poor is as silly and outdated an idea as the noble savage.

Accept what you are and use your position for the benefit and good of the world, your family and others. Like I heard on Gilligan's Island with Harold Heckubah, "There's just one little thing you out to do, to thine own self be true!"

Oh my gosh, photography is my life!

Hahaha, kidding. I bought an entry level DSLR, have no idea how to use it and about 10% of what I take pictures of turns out OK. Not good, just OK.

Here are some pics from last night's bonfire at Fiesta Island.

WARNING TMI--or--You Know You Have A Problem When...

The most embarrassing thing ever happened yesterday. But it was somewhat of a "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound?" So could it really be that embarrassing if no one was there? Well, about 104 of you are about to be there in your mind's eye. If you keep reading........



You've been warned........




Long time readers will know I have a thing for candy. Not really sweets, but sugary, gummy candy. Hot Tamales, licorice, sour gummy, cinnamon bears, Charleston Chews and so on.

When I went to "the bathroom" yesterday, aka #2, guess what I found? Yep, that's right! You're an amazing guesser.

A chunk of candy wrapper.

Somehow, someway, sometime I had been soo wild and ravenous in my candy consumption I consumed part of a wrapper as well..........And pooped it out, thankfully. All for you dear readers. I do it all for you.

10% of What Not To Wear

When I lived in Modesto the only place to eat lunch during work was in the breakroom. As a guy I was terribly out numbered and never able to pick the lunchtime TV show.

For 18 months I watched either the Maurey Povich or What Not to Wear. In WNTW, people with horrible clothes sense are nominated by their friends and given $5,000 to replace their old wardrobe. Because the hosts basically throw everything they own away.

The usual girl/clothes drama ensues. A few posts ago I mentioned needing help with my fashion sense for the Norway part of my upcoming vacation. No one offered to help. HAHAHA. So I read about some men's 2012 fashion trends, looked at clothing retailer websites and just went out and shopped today.

No way could I spend five grand, but I was able to spend almost $400 at J Crew, H&M, Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. In that I got some pieces that will mix with some stuff I already have and really updated my 'look'.

I'm not a model, though I have modeled, so you get pictures of the clothes on the floor. Without too much of my toes peeking into the picture either.

Pair of rough twill/canvas shoes, white jeans, gray and brown chinos, striped t-shirts and a couple madras print shirts.

What do you think?

Happy "Don'ts"

I'm happy I don't look my age.

I'm happy I don't drink/need coffee, tea, alcohol of any kind, caffeine anything. I'm soooo happy I don't need something to get me going each morning or to make my day. (other than air)

I'm happy I don't smoke. Anything. Why anyone would choose to smoke, knowing what is known now, is beyond my comprehension

I'm happy I don't have the tattoos I wanted when younger.

I'm happy my pant's don't have a waist size bigger than the inseam size.

I'm happy I don't have an empty passport.

I'm happy I don't have a criminal record. (Though I did at one time have a significant speeding ticket problem. Losing my license twice)

I'm happy I don't eat fast food but maybe twice a month.

I'm happy I don't need glasses.

I'm happy I don't have to ask the questions about "life", I already have the answers.

I'm happy I don't like trashy TV.

I'm happy I don't have to wear a uniform at work. I have guidelines, but can dress how I want.

Actual Rowdy Style

Ok, so upcoming vacation and I need some new clothes for the Norway part. I have Israel covered clothes wise with what I have now. But Norway requires a little more class and style than the desert does.

I can do desert. I can not do Scandinavian, 5 star hotel, modern cool.

Help me fashionable readers pick out two pants, one pair shoes and 4 tops that will make me look good in Europe, travel well and I'll be able to wear here and not look.... well no other word than 'gay'.

My only idea is to just go to Banana, Gap or J Crew and just buy what I see on a mannequin. Can you help me do better?

Love

Love is the most powerful force in the world. And of the many different types of love, I think the most powerful one is the love of man towards his fellow man.

The type of love that overcomes suspicion and prejudice.

The type of love where you help a stranger.

The type of love that takes you out of your comfort zone.

Serving your fellow man, helping others.

When this comes into play, I feel that anything could happen and there is hope in the world.

The greatest power in the world is LOVE.

The 3 best cheeses

#1 Gruyere
#2 Manchego
#3 Monterey Jack

It's like riding a bike...

Actually, it IS riding a bike. But as fast as you can. Over jumps. With other people. BMX racing that is.....

Like a lot of kids I got a bicycle when I was 5 or 6. Unlike a lot of kids I didn't learn to ride it until about a year later. Riding a bike really should only take about 2 weeks to learn, so I guess I was a slow learner or didn't get much help in the process.

I had the normal young kid on a bike experiences of building ramps, crashing an riding home bloody and so on. Nothing special.

Later on I got a ten speed style bike, I can't remember if it was new or new-to-me, but I remember riding it around at age 14. Goofing off with friends and on my paper route. About this time my brother raced bmx a bit and he even built a wooden half pipe in our back yard! We weren't little skate or bike punks, but we did like them.

For my graduation gift to myself from high school I pooled all of my money and bought a mountain bike. This lead to a few beginner mountain bike races and a string of better mountain bikes through the years. Heck, I even got a second job at a bike shop for a few years, right before college.

After college I had the money to buy my first really nice mountain bike. Two years later it was stolen. And then I just didn't ride really. Until a few years ago I got a mountain bike as a Valentines gift. A bit of 'just riding around' lead to getting better bikes, which lead to racing again for two years, which lead to working at a bike shop again for almost two years.

If I think hard, my bike ownership goes roughly like this:
-1st bike
-ten speed
-Trek 8200, my HS graduation gift
-Specilaized Rock Hopper -Barracuda somethingorother -GT Avalanche/Zaskar -Specialized Stumpjumper M4 -Giant Reign 1
-Trek Remedy 9.8 -Trek Session 8 -Redline and Intense bmx

Can you tell bikes have been a part of most of my life? But I'm not really a cyclist. It was always just a part of life, never really my only focus. One year I did OK in my racing season, but that was it.

Notice in the above narrative that I never had a bmx bike as a kid. I never raced any kind of bike as a kid. I didn't learn how to ride a bike until 7 years old. So here I am as an adult novice with that kind of history, surrounded by 6 year olds who have been racing for 2 years already. Fifteen year old kids who are experts and have been racing for almost 10 years. Or dads at the track who used to be one of those kids.

HA! I really am a true novice at this but am also the only one. So when people at the track tell me, "Oh, you'll get it. It's just like when you were a kid", they don't know I had zero experience at this as a kid! A bike is not a bike is not a bike. Especially when you are trying to race them!

What's the point you say? I don't know if there is one. All I know is it is fun to learn something new that has elements of speed, competition, danger and with the possibility of a trophy at some point. My ego can take the beating through this process. But it sure would be nice to race against people like myself. Last night my class was me, a Novice, mixed in with two teenage Experts and one Intermediate guy my age.

I never had a chance. But my dna has a 'two wheels' section, so I'm going to keep coming back!!

really? OR overheard at class last night

By now you know I am taking a prep course to get the best score I can on a test called the GRE. This is an entrance exam for graduate school. You know, after your baccalaureate degree. The test is half mathematical logic and reasoning, the other half reading comprehension and vocabulary.

So I assume a certain level of intelligence from my fellow class members but am continually let down, often in the most humorous manner.

Pretty girl with vacant eyes to skinny dude in scrubs, "Are you a doctor or something?"
REALLY? The kid is a veterinary tech and still finishing his bachelors degree at SDSU. First, did she not listen to everyone's introductions? Secondly, why in the heck would someone who is a doctor be taking the GRE? I don't think it was a come on or flirty, she apparently is that dumb.

One of the middle eastern guys who thinks shouting increases the likelihood of a correct answer, "What if I write the one true answer but it does not match the one in the book?" (italics mine) REALLY? Just 'cause you think you follow the One True God does not mean the same zeal for the wrong answer that originated within you makes it right.

Teacher asking the question, "Who knows the formula for solving quadratic equations?" One of the girls in full head covering, including facial veil raises her hand. (I will give her some credit. This same girl just started answering questions and is the only one to do so. She is more often correct than not) She says, "I know it."

To which the teacher replies, "OK, tell us it." Her reply, "Oh, I know it, I just can't say it." REALLY? This is as silly as people saying 'I'm a bad test taker' and thinking that absolves them of getting crappy test scores. You either know something, have made the information yours, or you do not. Recognition that results in a vague recollection and confused mutterings is not knowing something. It is being wrong. Don't say you know something you don't, just to save face.

REALLY??

(this now makes me want to go into a tirade about how the thinking of 'everyone is a winner' is absolute crap and the effect it truly has had on society)

Cockatrice OR The big bad uncle strikes again!

Do you remember my gopro video of throwing my niece and nephew in the pool? It was pretty funny, so you should. If not, I can repost it for you.

This is the same nephew who I have converted into loving sharks. He does have a thing for animals. Especially for what he calls "the bad chicken".

When my little nephew and the rest of his family lived with their parents a pheasant was often in the back yard. For some reason the little guy was terribly afraid of it, calling the pheasant "the bad chicken". So you could scare him into not going in the basement or whatever by telling him that's where the bad chicken was or that it was going to GET HIM!

After they moved out of our parent's house, but only a few blocks away, it seemed as if the pheasant followed them to their new house. At least that is how they tell the story.

So being the kindly uncle I am, I am mailing my little nephew this letter tomorrow, "Dear B****, I miss you. Love, the Bad Chicken". I will write that text around this picture:

He's gonna love it!

Beat Up

I'm feeling pretty beat up today. So I think I'm gonna go to a 10am yoga class and then see what happens. Either play Forza 4 and study my math some more or go and work on a photography project. Guess I could do all of them....

Either way, I still have class at 6pm till 9pm. Gotta be rowdy in the 8 hours I do have!

Laundry 9am

Yoga 10am

Math review noon

Photography 2pm

Forza 4pm

GRE class 6pm.

Yeah, that should work. Anyone else have a similarly planned day?