Needing a change of scenery

Silly….

2011-12-16T08:52:00.001-05:00

I’m kind of into these guys….

Avett Brothers - Where Have All the Average People Gone

Glad that I’m actually having time to come out from under the rock that I have needed to live under for the last couple of years.

Always…

2011-03-20T19:06:00.001-04:00

Putting my money on the wrong horse.

Hi

2010-11-01T21:34:00.001-04:00

Did I mention I still hate the Laundromat?

Ugh

2010-09-10T19:42:00.001-04:00

Friday night and library bound once again....

Hey

2010-06-17T18:35:00.001-04:00

Haven’t posted in a crazy long time.

There, I have posted.

I think...

2010-03-12T19:25:00.001-05:00

Even if they had expiration dates stamped on their foreheads, I still wouldn't be able to figure out how old they are.

It's an understatment...

2009-11-24T09:47:00.000-05:00

HUGE fan!

Just....

2009-11-20T07:02:00.000-05:00

...effortless.

Completely bummed...

2009-10-30T08:52:00.001-04:00

...that you can't see the forest through the trees.

Today...

2009-10-24T14:15:00.001-04:00

Having a really tough time putting on the game face.

I Shall Be...

2009-10-20T08:01:00.000-04:00

Token old dude.

I disappear soon...

2009-10-14T14:50:00.002-04:00

Got into a graduate program... oh so many questions floating around in my head.

1) Will I have free time for the next 27 months.
2) Oy, cost
3) Will I return to Burlington (that of course is the intent)

Simple questions I suppose but I really won't have an answer for a couple of months.

Anyway, it should be an interesting journey!

On-line dating

2009-09-25T12:51:00.005-04:00

"I like walks on the beach."
"I like to travel and my favorite hot-spot is someplace warm."
"I like to be outside and my kids are my world."

Hate to break this to you but this is EVERY profile... well, the kid part is optional (but just substitute dog for kids).

I would just LOVE it if someone would post a profile that is completely honest (granted, I know this to be true... but I am talking about honesty from the female profiles): "I, like every other female on the planet, always fall for the flashy jackass." Just a hint, there is always an awesome guy in the wings.

Acadia 2009

2009-09-22T17:34:00.001-04:00

This is just a sample.... the pictures pretty much speak for themselves.

Bucket List

2009-09-17T08:14:00.001-04:00

Note to self: Add the item "Create Bucket List" to my Bucket List.

What is this?

2009-09-13T19:35:00.001-04:00

I think I'd rather have nothing than unreliable something.

Interesting

2009-09-13T06:12:00.000-04:00

Little did I know... you are just a raincloud.

Frustrated...

2009-09-08T22:23:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure if anyone reads this garbage but if you do, maybe you can provide some insight.

I've been playing guitar on and off since the age of 6. In all honesty, I wasn't all that great to begin with but I was certainly wasn't horrible. Not really studio musician but I could handle the basics and if I had spent a bit more time practicing I wouldn't have been all that bad.

Now I guess it's time to get to the meat of the debate... after surgery, I found that some things were a challenge and one of those things happened to be playing the guitar. Left hand works fine but the right... well.... I have no problem with strumming down... up is another issue and finger-picking... it just doesn't happen at any level.

Do I just say "screw it" and scrap years of playing and sell of the guitars *OR* do I spend what will likely be a long time trying to get back to where I can see the light at the end of the tunnel?

Trying hard not to dwell on the limitations but this one is a tough one at best.

Feh!

2009-08-31T07:26:00.001-04:00

What the hell, what do I have to lose?

Normally....

2009-08-31T02:09:00.003-04:00

baseline state: just a blip... current state: bit of a speed bump.

Health.

2009-08-07T14:34:00.001-04:00

Feeling my head coming home.

Bleah.

2009-06-24T23:29:00.000-04:00

I don't mind the hearing loss too much. The numbness around the scar is a mere inconvenience... but the smile.... I really wish that could come back.

Skull Base

2009-06-23T23:34:00.002-04:00

Granted I'm blogging about.... well, let's just say I'm a bit late.

Went in for my annual follow up (no growth by the way) and my Neurosurgeon invited me in to observe a similar case to mine.

While I could have done without the part were the nurse said "You might want to put on safety glasses because there will be bone flying around in just a moment"; it was pretty amazing to watch.

The doc was all scrubbed in and focused on what he was doing when took a break and looked up and noticed I was in the room. He introduced me around and invited me to look through the microscope. He proceeded to point out structures and what he was doing. To be honest, it seemed that he was just picking away at a pink blob... guess that's probably why he makes the big bucks.

Kernels of wisdom...

2009-05-05T18:44:00.001-04:00

In a phone conversation my sister pointed out what should have been painfully obvious but I hadn't figured this out until now. She said to me, "Just because they didn't wear makeup didn't mean they weren't high maintenance."

Almost 40 and this nugget of wisdom eluded me until now.

And so...

2009-05-04T22:27:00.001-04:00

the great experiment begins.

Update

2009-04-21T13:59:00.001-04:00

I have finally jumped the shark.

New Look...

2009-01-13T09:50:00.001-05:00

Howdy All,

Decided New Year... may as well do a new look.

We're supposed to get a snap of really unpleasantly cold weather. If I remember, I'll try to send a few pictures of how silly miserable it will be.

Hope the New Year is treating you well...(when can I officially stop saying that?).

Hello 2009!

2009-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

You will be a wonderful year. As of right now, you are perfect and unblemished. 2009 shall stay that way!

Goodbye 2008!

2008-12-31T23:59:00.000-05:00

Title says it all... good riddance!

You know...

2008-12-30T18:04:00.001-05:00

I should have take some pictures while I was there. The annual trek to my sister's place. Always nice to walk around the property... of course, it wasn't quite spring time.

Happy Holidays to all!

Slushy and cold

2008-12-19T13:44:00.001-05:00

...and you may ask yourself, "My God, what have I done?"

Top five random thoughts of the day.

2008-12-15T20:09:00.002-05:00

I am inspired to write this blog by another event in my life. A friend challenged me to write 25 random thoughts, goals, etc. Keep in mind, there was no mention of these thoughts being original in any way. I have decided to set this particular blog to include completely random memories that have had others involved but I am likely the only one to remember the odd associations I have with these events.

If there were any justice in this world, that place would have burned down that night
Do you have any idea why I pulled you over?
"Are we any good?" you ask. We are friggin' huge!
Pants
That will be $40...

Hey, I didn't say any of this would make sense to anyone.

2009

2008-12-07T12:40:00.001-05:00

I think 2009 will have fantastic events... Year 2009, I'm giving a whole 365 days to comply!

Must Buy Tiny House!

2008-12-06T09:49:00.003-05:00

www.tumbleweedhouses.com

Enough with life's curve balls already

2008-10-05T21:39:00.001-04:00

Really needing for life to throw me a nice meaty, fast ball right over the plate...

Seems as if it is about time....

Random thought....

2008-09-22T14:11:00.001-04:00

She was my home, the love of my life...

Going back to her would only be a convenience...

Not that I have much to do but I really wouldn't go back...

Perhaps the healing phase is finally over.

Bugs

2008-08-15T13:31:00.001-04:00

Went for a quick ride last night on the motorcycle. Nice weather, bit cool, full moon, plenty of bugs. I would travel near farmland and every meadow... bugs would fill the stream of the headlight. It was almost as if it was snowing. Fortunately, I was moving fast enough that bugs didn't settle and bite. Still a nice way to spend an evening!

E-Stim

2008-07-09T23:19:00.003-04:00

Electronic Stimulation (E-stim) is just the newest journey in the recovery from the ugly blot that was removed from the base of my brain. As I have blogged before, I have a bit of facial paralysis. I don't have any facial droop but it seems on the right side that my face is locked in neutral.

I recently started a new therapy to potentially have some effect. Daily I hook up some electrodes to a couple of locations on my face for 30 minutes a day. The effect is somewhat similar to putting my tongue on a 9-volt battery but for a half an hour.

It seems to be making a bit of difference even after a few days of treatments. From what I can understand, the electrical signal that is produced makes the muscle contract. I attempt to send signals to that portion of my face to stimulate the nerves from my end. Since the muscle is contracted I apparently send feedback to my brain and my nerves/brain 'learn" this is what I'm trying to do... I have no idea how it works but if it makes a difference.....

Maybe I should hook this up to my belly and get a 6-pack as a bonus.

Yet another ride

2008-06-16T12:59:00.004-04:00

I find upstate New York to be a really nice place to explore. Not too much traffic, really well maintained roads and fantastic scenery; it's really hard to go wrong.

Spent the day riding by Mt. Philo, on the shorelines of Lake Champlain through Vergennes, and across the lake using the Champlain Bridge.

Now I can't take any credit for the pictures in this particular blog as I found all these images on the Internet but I can give some of the links (and more importantly... I'm probably not riding mid-winter with ice on the lake).

Champlain Bridge

Google Link to Crown Point Bridge

Crown Point Lighthouse

Crown Point

Passed through Port Henry, Westport, Whallonsberg, and 'ended' the ride by taking the Essex-Charlotte Ferry home. Nice calm lake with a glass like surface, sunshine and geese flying North in their telltale 'V' just above the water. What a great way to spend a day!

Isle La Motte

2008-06-09T19:16:00.002-04:00

Just took the motorcycle for a ride to Isle La Motte. Took a video at the quarry hoping to capture some of the sounds of nature but wasn't able to get a good recording and the various pictures wouldn't have done the scenery the proper justice. Although it was a bit of a hot day, it still was a refreshing ride. The sound I was trying to capture was a mix of frogs, birds, crickets and the absence of man.

I'll include a pic of the quarry pulled from the Vermont Geological Survey.

Roadside Marine

2008-06-04T10:01:00.001-04:00

Okay, I've blogged about the motorcycle before. I forgot to mention the place of purchase. Picked the bike up from Roadside Marine. I normally wouldn't mention this but I would have to say the customer service has been great.

Long story short:

Used bike purchased in January with a 30 day warranty from Roadside Marine (which doesn't carry Suzuki)
About 6 weeks ago, I noticed a slight smell of gas and just wrote it off as just a motorcycle thing
Paint bubbled and tank showed a small leak
Checked the web for easy solutions... aren't any
Went back to the shop thinking I was alone.
Chris (that sold me the bike) told me to head to service and they would help me out.
Spoke with Dan and we talked about a few options.
Brought the bike in
Service acid washed the leak
Acid made the leak worse
Dan informed me that Roadside would not be happy with the results and ordered a new tank
Picked up the bike a bit later with a new tank.
Cost of new tank through Suzuki dealership: $ 700+
Cost of new tank from Roadside: $ 0
Didn't cost me a penny

If you didn't bother to read the above bullet points here is the summary... If you are going to buy a motorcycle, ATV, boat, etc. give Roadside a shot. Roadside Marine

My Head Needs This

2008-06-01T16:37:00.003-04:00

With the price of gas, I really should be playing on the pedal bike but the motorcycle is just a new way to explore. As the title states, "My Head Needs This". I have heard it said (jokingly of course) that the only good thing about Vermont is the view of the Adirondacks. While I won't agree that is the ONLY thing good about Vermont; it does have pretty amazing views.

As promised in a previous blog, here are the pictures. Enjoy!

This pic is of a sunset from a while back but it's just a hint of the views

Just a map of the travels

Started in Burlington (and or course, ended in Burlington) by heading south on Route 7. Where is the wind coming from... felt as if I was buffeted by weather all day long. Took the Charlotte Ferry to Essex, NY. Headed north on various parts of 22 and finished the day by taking the Port Kent Ferry back to Burlington. Managed to miss the rain but as you'll see from the photos... it was raining somewhere.

Don't know what it is about motorcycles... but they are a great way to explore and a great conversation starter.

As always, enjoy!

Burlington Bike Polo

2008-05-31T20:51:00.002-04:00

News spot from a LONG time ago. Hoping to play again soon!

'93 Suzuki GS 500

2008-05-31T19:51:00.002-04:00

Here is the new toy. I've ridden it just a few hundred miles. Now that the weather is starting to cooperate, I'm hoping to ride a bit more often. I spent a few hours just riding around Chittenden County with the ultimate plan of taking the ferry across Lake Champlain and taking a few pics of the ride as I know the area to be pretty scenic. Stopped at a friends house and noticed the sky to be a bit dark to bet on the fact I could get a few more miles in. Ended up not taking any photos (next ride I suppose). I did, however, take a few pics of the bike.

As I had mentioned, I'll bring the camera on the next trip. Should have some nice pics.

Acadia and then some in May of 2008

2008-05-31T16:34:00.002-04:00

Sunset pics in a random harbor on the coast near Acadia National Park

Another of the same harbor

Incredibly hard to get a decent photo of an animal that just won't sit still AND really dislikes cameras (or at least being the subject trapped in the lens... kinda like his dad)

This view is near Bubble Rock (you'll understand with the next photo)

Bubble Rock

Ocean Park in the Winter

2008-05-31T16:21:00.002-04:00

Signs of 'home'

Soda Fountain and Variety Store

Temple entrance

Another Temple view

Ahhhh Ocean Park... always home, nice sand beach, familiar faces, nice wooded areas, warm Summer thoughts. No matter how much the rest of the world changes it seems OP is on its own time.

Thank you Brent for the photos!