My little sister

 

I guess we're not so differant.. wowsers.

demolition team

Conversations with the Red Sox

I woke up this morning and had a conversation with Mr. David Ortiz...aka...Big Papi.

Dat: Hey, Ortiz. Great game last night. What are you doing in my bedroom?
Ortiz: Thanks, why the hell is your window open. It's freezing in here.
Dat: I get really hot at night. What are you doing in my bedroom?
Ortiz: I need some advice.
Dat: Sure. What's up?
Ortiz: Well, a favor.
Dat: Anything for you man.
Ortiz: Can I be superman for a while. I know you got this whole motif going on, but last night when the fans were shouting MVP! MVP! MVP! as I walked to the plate...I felt like a Superman.
Dat: Dude, it's all yours.
Ortiz: Just until..you know..the unspeakable (knocks on my wooden dresser).
Dat: I understand.
Ortiz: You the man, Dat.
Dat: You the Superman, Ortiz.

(They do a complicated hand shake and hug. Johnny Damon enters through the window)

Damon: Yo, Ortiz. They named a plane after you.
Ortiz: No, shit!?
Damon: Oh yeah. Hey, Dat
Dat: huh
Damon: Sorry to interrupt, but we got to go.
Ortiz: Okie doke. Later Dat (Ortiz exits)
Dat: Yo Damon, how do you get all the ladies?
Damon: Just be yourself, man. Rock out.
Dat: Rock out?
Damon: Yeah, like rock out. Peace out, man (Damon Exits)
Dat: Rock out, yeah, rock out. (Runs to the window and yells) Yo, You guys better Rock the fuck out against the Yankees!!

End Scene

Joe Vesus the Volcano

I believe it is the most underrated movie of all time.

 

Some great qoutes:

 

When Joe leaves his job (wish it was me).

Joe Banks: You look terrible, Mr. Waturi. You look like a bag of shit stuffed in a cheap suit. Not that anyone could look good under these zombie lights. I, I, I, I can feel them sucking the juice out of my eyeball. Suck, suck, suck, SUCK...
[makes a sucking noise]
Joe Banks: For 300 bucks a week, that's the news. For 300 bucks a week, I've lived in this sink, this used rubber.
Mr. Waturi: You watch it, mister! There's a woman here!
Joe Banks: [shouting] Don't you think I know that, Frank? Don't you think I am aware there is a woman here? I can smell her, like, like a flower. I can taste her, like sugar on my tongue. When I'm 20 feet away I can hear the fabric of her dress when she moves in her chair!

 

When Joe meets Patricia:

Patricia: My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know. Everybody you see. Everybody you talk to. He says that only a few people are awake and they live in a state of constant total amazement.
 

When Joe meets Angelica:

Angelica: I have no response to that.

Let's go Sox. It's that time of year again. I better go low on the sodium and high on the workouts, cause the stress can get to ya. 

Adaptation

My favorite line from Adaptation (Nicolas Cage)

 

At a seminar, Charlie Kaufman has asked McKee for advice on his new screenplay in which 'nothing much happens']
Robert McKee: Nothing happens in the world? Are you out of your fucking mind? People are murdered every day. There's genocide, war, corruption. Every fucking day, somewhere in the world, somebody sacrifices his life to save someone else. Every fucking day, someone, somewhere makes a conscious decision to destroy someone else. People find love, people lose it. For Christ's sake, a child watches her mother beaten to death on the steps of a church. Someone goes hungry. Somebody else betrays his best friend for a woman. If you can't find that stuff in life, then you, my friend, don't know crap about life. And why the FUCK are you wasting my two precious hours with your movie? I don't have any use for it. I don't have any bloody use for it.
Charlie Kaufman: Ok, thank you.

 

I was just thinking about that qoute on my walk during lunch.

 

Seems like everyone has it out for me today.

 

First, I get to work late thanks to an unannounced delay on the Red Line. I wanted to throw a guy off the train for not giving up his seat to this old lady who was obviously struggling to stay standing. People are just sometime oblivious to the world around them.

 

Then, I get to work to be harassed about projects to be done. Listen folks, give me your Form 4s, your closing binders, proof reading and they will get done. Just cause you are having a bad day doesn't mean you take it out on the little guy (I'm using that term figuratively, of course).

 

Lunch, Quizno's oven burns my sandwhich to a crispy dead turkey, the Oven rotation thing stops and everyone in line is looking at me like I did it!! I said, no worries, I don't really want the sandwhich anyway. I got to Subway and the line is freaking out the door. That's it!! At least it was a nice day. So I walked around, went to my favorite smoothie place where I proceeded to wait in line for another twenty minutes. I'm addicted to the Matcha green tea flavor.

 

So back at work, and digging away at license applications, and binders.

Classic picture

Another classic Lexi's Birthday, although this one left me without a serious or significant incident of my own (sweet), but I ask myself, is it cause i'm getting older? I do have to thank Arlyn for introducing me to Emily and Devon. "Hey, this is Dat. He use to have a vibrating tongue ring." I don't know who turned more red..them or me.

Other Lexi pictures from the weekend.

Lexi's 21st - That's when the girls burned down Alamo grill and I "met" Kristen for the first time in a by-the-book girl attack. Penis straws were involved in there somewhere.

Lexi's 22nd - That night ended up with me lying on the streets of Adam's morgan trying to hold up the not-so-sober one here. That may have been the 35 year-old lady night as well. Or was that the famous wingman manevour night when Ren-dog was still single?

Halcyon

Calm; quiet; peaceful; undisturbed; happy; as, "deep, halcyon repose."

I like this word.

Notre Dame

Charlie Weiss, You are a good man.

 

Article

The weekend recap

I made a funny.

BC beat Clemson, The Red Sox swept the Orioles, The Patriots had a come from behind victory against The Steelers and my football team won our second game in a row!!

Friday night I went to Kelly's Irish times to celebrate Lexi's birthday

Friday night: Kelly's Irish Times - Lexi's Birthday

Lexi: Hey, It's my Birthday! Sing me a song, Mr.Guitar player!

Guitar Player: I don't know that one. (Plays freebird)

Arlyn: Hmm..not drunk enough for the R-Dog, but getting there.

Lexi: I am queen of the macedonian liliputs!!

Seema: SHOTS!

Random girls at bar: Dat, you haven't learned your lesson.

Lexi: I'm soooo HAPPY!

Devon: TEXAS!

Liz and Fitzy: smooching sounds

Reiter: The gay men at the gay bar totally called me out for being straight.

Dat: Lexi needs another shot.

Lexi: Duck, duck, duck goose (and runs around the bar)

Scuba: I have no more bedroom.

And Saturday after doing some demolition with Craig

It was a crazy night in Adam's Morgan..again we began at Dan's Cafe

While sitting at a bar at Dan's Cafe

Dat: Jack and Coke

Dan, who only has one eye and is missing his two front teeth due to a bar fight back in 92, Hands Dat a half a pint of Jack Daniels, a bucket of ice and a can of Coke : Here you go.

Dat in awe: You are a great man.

Dan: I know. Now, go howl at the moon, fucker.

Dat: Thanks, Dan. (tears)

Responsible capitalism

"Auditing the poor to pay for Hurrican relief"

 

Does that not sound very republican? So the GOP wants to audit the poor so they can take money away from those who are not technically "poor," but perhaps close to it. Does this not seem grade school bullish? Granted, the GOP motto is "we're rich because we have worked hard for it," and I even agree, I also agree in personal responsibility, less governemnt, and more privatization, but where is the responsible capitalism?

 

What keeps me from embracing the GOP as much as I do the Democrats politically (cause I am so socially liberal) is their lack of compassion for the poor. In a way I'm glad Katrina has been politicalized becuase it forces Bush to deal with the poverty problem. I read a staggering statistic that said half of all minority children in Lousiana lived below the poverty line. This is a state at is 65 % black. This a group of people who have continually been marginalized in America - poor blacks. They are labeled, stamped as unimportant, catergorized as dispensible and uniformally ignored by popular america. Before Katrina, policy makes in DC were considering eliminating popular welfare programs like food stamps and work programs. Get rid of food stamps??

 

So the money has to come from somewhere, right? We don't live in a socialists society (which I don't think would ever work). How about auditing the rich? Big corporations? Get rid of tax loop holes? Cut back on the number of countries the US military is occupying (and i don't mean Iraq, cause we should finish what we started...or else you are screwing a lot of people over. My family is from and is in South Vietnam so we know what that's like).

 

Anyway, just blogging around.

MUSAK

Some Musak I've been getting excited about:

 

Blackalicious' new CD The Craft is released next week!

 

Fiona Apple's new CD Extraordinary Machine is released the week after!

 

 

Been Listening to some chill Reggae - Abdel Wright's self titled CD - Some good shit. Make me wish I still smoked...well, as often as I use too...wait. what?

beautiful girls

I watchd this movie a while ago and this speech always seemed to resonate in my head. I would rewrite it, but there is something essentially perfect in it. The Movie is "Beautiful Girls" a Drama about a bunch of guys in their early thirties who own a share in a construction/snow plowing business. It's their high school reunion coming up and they are dealing with the disappointments in their lives. Anyway, great movie.

(MIchael Rappaport) Paul: Supermodels are beautiful girls, Will. A beautiful girl can make you dizzy, like you've been drinking Jack and Coke all morning. She can make you feel high with the single greatest commodity known to man--promise. Promise of a better day. Promise of a greater hope. Promise of a new tomorrow. This particular aura can be found in the gaze of a beautiful girl. In her smile, in her soul, how she makes every rotten little thing about life seem like it's going to be okay. The supermodels are bottled promise. A beautiful girl is all powerful, and that's as good as love.

Hypotheticals

So say today was your last day on Earth?

 

I would write a letter to my parents thanking them for every meal they cooked, every sacrafice they made and every day they have lived. I would write a letter to my sister telling her how smart and beautiful she is.

 

I would throw a huge going away party on a warm beach. I would invite every positive influence in my life including the 2004 Red Sox baseball team (include Nomar). We would play Beach volley ball, beach whiffle ball. We would Roast a pig, Have drinks out of coconuts and race jet skis. My night would be spent on that beach looking for shooting stars and listening to jazz by a small fire with the girl who can value the times in between as well as the times itself.

 

So say I got a dog?

 

I would get two big black labs.

 

So say You were to lose your sense of taste tomorrow?

 

I would eat strawberries for breakfast. Kiss a girl wearing coconut lip gloss. Drink Vietnamese coffee directly from my Aunt's shop in Vietnam. Have warm mango stick rice. Drink a green tea smoothie with soy milk. Eat slow roasted lamb with yogurt sauce. Eat black berries freshly picked from naushon island. Have a fruit tart and a canolli from the northend of Boston. Have truffles from godiva and have a coconut/coffee icecream with roasted almonds cone at Tasty licks in dupont.

 

So say you lost sight tomorrow?

 

I would want to watch the Sun rise over the Pacific. See the CO rockies. See all the babies, dogs and mothers walking through Central park in NYC. See Venice and Florence and the French Riviera. And spend the night looking for shooting stars on a beach, by a small fire.

Last Day of Summer

Today is the last day of summer! It is my favorite time of year, but I'm grateful for the changing of seasons. Last days always gives one a chance to reflect, and on reflecting on this past summer, it was a season for changes big and small. I also tend to get nostalgic about stuff, but that is the way human nature is. We try to construct stories, make patterns and come to conclusions that make sense to us.

 

The biggest change in my life this summer was the whole law school thing. I began the summer thinking law school, studying for the LSATS, but after a certain happy hour in June, I realized that being an attorney just doesn't sit well with my nature. I was walking to work one morning and saw three guys all wearing a shoulder messenger bags, a blue stripped shirt and listing to an MP3 player and there I was, the fourth guy doing the same thing. I don't want to fall into that!! I want my own business, do things my way and be my own boss.

 

To the Keggers at Craigers, Dr. Dremo's, my day at the zoo and museams, Tubing down in Harper's Ferry, Dave Mathews, Baseball games, BBQs, laying out by the pool, Roof top parties, Man day, playing softball, lunches, parties at Kevin's, the fourth of July, memorial day BBQs and Labor day fun, trip to NYC, Family BBQs and the fun with the homies in Boston, and long runs at night.

 

To my summer fling, the gorgeous Ashlee: Thanks for the baseball games, the sunday dinners, the fourth of July Bar crawl, the day we stole away for Baltimore, the Margarita pitcher, the Indian food, Lasanga, The sugar water festival (that was really fun), the new music, the old music, The ghetto Soul picnic (Excuse me, we have Kids missing!) and the Dupont walk, the dancing and the fun in the sun.

 

So, until next summer where things are going to be very differant!

Being stuck

 

"The problem is if you are stuck, and you are like the proverbial frog in the pot slowly boiling to death, not only are you in your own comfort zone, you are literally shriveling without knowing it. "

 

I think I overanalyze to the point of paralysis. Sometimes I think that if I can work it out in my head before I do it, there will be a less chance of disappointment. And then in my head I'm picturing all the possible disappointments and then I drop it and wait until another idea catches my mind and the whole process starts over again. I have made one definite decision, and that is to move back to the Dolph in February. Boston, here I come. I haven't thought about it much, and I haven't even thought about what I will do there, but I trust that I will do well there.

A few things to do this fall

Latin Dim Sum at Cafe Atlantico

405 8th Street, NW

 

Brunch at Cafe Luna

17th and P NW

 

Andy Warhol Exhibit at the Corcoran

500 17th Street NW

 

Catch one more Nats Game and one more Orioles Game (hopefully with the Sox)

 

First Friday Dupont Gallery Walks

 

See the play After Ashley

 

See Les Miserables - It's coming to DC and I've been waiting forever to see it since reading the book back in 10th grade.

 

Leela James Oct 20th at the Black Cat or Atmosphere Oct 18th at 9:30 club (It's a toss up)

 

 

Repenting - Anthony Falbo

I ran across this painting while browsing Falbo's website and found it striking, devestatingly sad. It is the type of hopelessness one feels about young people dying, wasted youth, senseless. The type of sadness that makes you wonder if there is a God.

It also reminds me of I think the greatest love story of Greek Mythology - Orpheus and Eurydice.

Here is the son of Apollo who convinced the Gods of his love for his young wife, Eurydice, who was killed by a bite on the heel by a serpant. He was devestated. He was allowed to go into the underworld, Hades, and pass through certain challenges inorder to bring her back on one condition, that he would not look back on her before they reached the outside.

This picture captures that feeling of lost youth, vitality and I think, love.

Love

Believe in Love,
Act in Love,
Allow Love,
Make Love,
Miss Love,
Be Loved.

Intense

If life is a highway, this weekend I was in the fast lane.

 

I need to unplug this coming weekend and simply veg. It wasn't so much that I had a lot to do, it was the intensity of what was done that got me moving on all cylinders.

 

I have to say Wednesday Softball was intense. There is an actually Umpire in this league and the pitches can count as strikes. I played the hot pocket at third. Got an RBI double and had a few sweet tag outs and caught a line drive for an out. It's much better then playing in the outfield (got to get new contacts).

 

Friday night- Beer Pong. Fantastic. I love this game. It's the socialization over a table, twenty cups and beer. It was a completly testostroned man-night. And no more Bud Ice, please.

 

Saturday morning - Hung over demolition! You do not understand how theraputic demolition is, until you have taken a sledge hammer to a second floor bathroom. My very first swing, I put a hole right through the tiled bathroom floor, knocking down not only the tile, but also the ceiling to the first floor. that was suppose to happen. My shoulder is still really sore from it. I need one of those deep tissue massages, I think.

 

Saturday afternoon, I took a trip to the mall with Rendog. I hate the mall. It's such a bizarre airconditioned, world of cookie cutter consumerism. But it's always fun people watching. It was actually the most fun i've had in a while just playing around in differant stores. I've realized as I have gotten older, that my fascination for certain stores ahs diminished and my love of other stores have grown...basically I'm saying sporting good stores have become my new toy stores. Of course I need to check out new bats, and jump ropes. I went from looking at new GI Joe action figures to checking out the new yoga mats and running shoes. The highlight was stopping by Build-a-bear so Rennie can pick out a Tighty-whitty wearing monkey named Chip that speaks, wears Ugz and a Safari hat for Viviana's birthday.

 

Saturday night - Dan's Cafe in Adam's Morgan... I was not prepared. I orderd a Vodka Tonic. for $10!! The guy hands me a half pint cup of Vodka, a small bottle of tonic and a bucket of ice with a few Limes. I almost peed in my pants. The Juke box has nothing over 1985 and we got a good amount of people bumping to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl." They have to serve shots in a see through Ketchup bottle. I was a deer caught in headlights at the whole thing. The night once again ended up with me falling asleep on a bus to SS and going to Rite Aid for the biggest gatorade available at 4am.

 

Sunday morning (8am) - my alarm goes off. I'm still dressed in my clothes of the previous night. I look at my football as say, "oh, shit." Shower. Get down to the mall, play an hour of intense football. I got a fifteen yard sack! Almost an interception. And we won!! It was an intense game. I hate it when people swear. It's just a game. The dude blocking me was a little intense. I just smiled and ran right in each time. Once I tried a spin move and my head hit his and he went down hard. I brushed myself off and tried to help him up. Thought I had killed up. But he was just shaken up. See, no need to mean when you are winning.

 

Throw in some notable College and NFL Football games (BC - come on Eagles, Nortre Dame vs. Michigan state, Eagles, Poor playing Patriots, way to lie down Ravens, Go BROWNS!!, etc.) and that was more or less my weekend.

 

So I got a bit of a bruise on my head, bent glasses, a really sore shoulder, and another softball game tomorrow night.

 

 

Cool

Daniel Chester 1923 The Corcoran Museam - Washington, DC

"The Sons of God and the Daughters of Men"

 

In Genesis 6:1-4 the "sons of God" are captivated by the beauty of the "daughters of men." They subsequently marry them and produce an offspring of giants known as the Nephilim. Genesis goes on to say that these Nephilim were "mighty men" and "men of renown."

Funny...ha..ha

 

By the way, I did see that movie Funny...ha..ha about a 20-something girl in Boston figuring out her love life and career, etc. It's supposeto be a movie for our generation, but I would say it's aimed more towards a group of the now new 28-30ties. I likes it for its attempt at realism, but hated the apathetic main charecter. She irked me, a lot.

Analyze this

"Hey guys! look at me in my blue stripped shirt about to get in a zip car!"

I really cannot explain this situation well enough to do it justice. It was the end of my night at the Kegs for Katrina party and I was getting a ride home. Although, home ended up being Fado's Irish Pub and getting to bed took a bus ride, McDonalds, two wicked cool Hondoran dudes, a sweet old lady and a lonely walk at 4am. I believe I may have been singing "Fly Me to The Moon". God, I love Sinatra.

But check out that smile. I am geniunly happy to be getting into a Zipcar. Not only are they a cool idea, they got a cool name. And look at that little Honda Element! Who wouldn't be happy to get into that bundle of joy in a box. It was a fun night. Look at that casual lean into the car. Secretly, I may be thinking, "thank, God this car is here to hold me up." Is that a summer glow or an asian glow? I think it is just a happy jolly glow. So here is to Zip Cars and Keggers at Craigers.

Some Happenings This Weekend

Tomorrow night your's truly will be playing for CarrAmerica in their fall softball game. My co-worker, David and I got recruited for their team! I'm pysched!

 

Thursday is a shoulders workout. Friday I may try out a new yoga studio or find a place to sharpen the beer pong skillz.

 

Saturday I be doing demolition at Arlyn's. For those who do not have plans Saturday..check it http://www.artsonfoot.org/

 

Sunday is playing football for the Suspension Rules! I'm so excited. Very first play of the game, I got an interception. I Can't wait to tear up the field again.

 

Got to catch and hold on to the tail coats of summer somehow.

The Fiber Challege

I had to post this. Thanks, Lauren.

While eating Kellogg's Mini-Wheats, I recently noticed a new "Two-Week Fiber Challenge" advertised on the box. The "challenge," if you can call it that, was to eat Mini-Wheats every day for two weeks, then to "see if you feel a difference." Personally, I think a challenge is to launch a live donkey into space, or genetically engineer a self-replicating bologna. But maybe the marketing people at Kellogg's have lower standards.

What incensed me is that they don't actually talk about the one real benefit of fiber. Granted, I don't want to read about sitting on the bowl while I'm eating from a bowl, but that's beside the point. They say "people who increased their fiber intake felt less tired." Well, maybe they felt less tired because they were sitting on the bowl all day.

This kind of opportunity was too good to, ah, pass, so I made the following prank call to Kellogg's.


KELLOGG'S: This is Betsy, how can I help you?

JOHN HARGRAVE: I was eating some Mini-Wheats, and I read about the Fiber Challenge, you know, where you challenge people to eat your cereal for two weeks?

KELLOGG'S: Yes.

JH: I started eating it regularly, and I noticed a difference all right.

KELLOGG'S: [Long pause]

JH: Do you know what it was?

KELLOGG'S: As far as what, sir?

JH: Do you know what happens when you eat a lot of fiber?

KELLOGG'S: No.

JH: You don't know the benefit of eating a lot of fiber?

KELLOGG'S: I mean, yes. It, uh, it regulates you.

JH: I'll say. I have been on the commode for six solid hours. And when I say "solid," I use that term loosely. Do you get my meaning?

KELLOGG'S: Yes, sir. I do apologize about that.

JH: I haven't seen this much brown since I visited the UPS headquarters.

KELLOGG'S: I'm sorry to hear about this. Now, ah, how much cereal did you consume?

JH: A box a day, just like you suggested.

KELLOGG'S: An entire box?

JH: In the morning, sure. Then a couple of bowls of All-Bran in the afternoon.

KELLOGG'S: Sir, we recommend one bowl per day.

JH: What? No, it says box. Hang on. I've got it here ... oh. Oh, no. Oh boy.

KELLOGG'S: We encourage people to have a bowl a day.

JH: Well, what if the bowl is big? Like a mixing bowl?

KELLOGG'S: Let me go ahead and get your name.

JH: You know, you guys really should be more clear about this. "Box" looks an awful lot like "bowl."

KELLOGG'S: I'll be happy to pass your comments along, if I can just get your contact information.

JH: My Lord. It's like a smoked ham exploded in here. Can I send you pictures, so you can see what do to your customers?

KELLOGG'S: It's up to your discretion.

JH: It looks like a Yule log. You should call yourself YULElogg's, not Kellogg's.

KELLOGG'S: I do apologize for that, sir.

JH: Look, I'm worried. What should I do? I can't even get off the toilet here. I'm afraid I'll frisbee out another platter of bun fudge.

KELLOGG'S: Well Mr. Hargrave, all I can suggest is for you to contact your physician. The challenge is to eat a bowl a day, not a box.

JH: How is that a challenge?

KELLOGG'S: Uh, it's not really, a challenge, it just makes you feel better.

JH: Why do you call it a challenge, then?

KELLOGG'S: All I can suggest is for you not to consume any more of it.

JH: Why?! Am I going to get cancer?

KELLOGG'S: I'd suggest you call your physician.

JH: Are you guys going to reimburse me for a plumber?

KELLOGG'S: I've never heard of, uh, anything like this, but I can pass your comments along and see what they say.

JH: [Long sigh, followed by gasping and mild choking] Can I ... [hacking] ... can I at least get some free cereal?

KELLOGG'S: We typically don't give out free cereal, sir.

JH: Give me a break. I've got to deal with Stool and the Gang here.

KELLOGG'S: Again, I will be happy to forward along your comments.

JH: OK, one second. [Loud flushing noise] Oh boy. I'm going to have to use a spatula on this.

KELLOGG'S: Can I do anything else for you, sir?

JH: Believe me, you and your cereal have done enough.

KELLOGG'S: Thank you for calling Kellogg's.

JH: [Flushing]

Dreamgirl

Your top was untied
And I thought how nice
It'd be to follow the sweat down your spine

I found the most beautiful girl in the world!

Okay, so it's Chelsea Cooley and she's a Red Sox fan and she is hanging out with the Bruins!  She is also Ms. USA and I have no chance, but there is something about girls wearing Red Sox gear that makes her 100 time hotter. And yes, it's a Johnny Damon jersey (I really hope his shoulder is okay). I definetly just filled my one sketchy post qouta.

At work

I'm deathly bored. They are having me draft minutes to a board meeting. Let me tell you, it is story writing taken down to it's most card board level. Kind of like eating Grape-Nuts' cereal straight from the box.

I feel like The 37th chapter of Les Miserables. Once Jean ValJean and the Inspector have died, Corsette has married Marius, the scene switches to Dat sitting at his desk rubbing his computer glared sore eyes. He looks at his plants that offer him comfort and starts talking to one of them. "You are very cheery today, Ms. Ficcus tree." He continues typing minutes to a board meeting he has never been to. Suits walk in an out of his office. One of them throws a peanut at his mouth and says, "good, paralegal."

He opens his desk draw and looks at a picture of a tropical paradise on a Caribbean island. AS He dreams and lets out a few awkward sighs, a bird flys into his office and drops a dupper of a shit on his head. The horror in Dat's face ignites, he turns red and raises his hands clasp together up towards the florescent lights of his office and says, "BY JOVE, It's a sign!"

Jazz Fest

Silver Spring Jazz fest is tomorrow! Sweetness. I just found out we also have a Farmer's Market early Saturday mornings.

 

http://www.jazztimes.com/columnS_and_features/news/detail.cfm?article=10531

 

Although it's kinda nice and very convienent, Downtown Silver Spring is very commercialized. I always knew that was the direction Silver Spring was moving in when I moved here a year ago, but there is something very 1984 about it. When they put in the artificial grass last week, I got very spooked. I was looking around for the android robotic humans and there artificially grown, test-tube babies.

 

At least Jazz will always be Jazz.

He had a bulge growing out of the side of his head. his face was distored and his left hand was all bandaged up. His rough brown skin was broken up with patches of scars, bubbles and patches of scabs.

"Hello. Are you a doctor?" he asked me.

"No, maybe a lawyer," I said.

"I thought those were medical books. They are thick."

"Yeah, they are. They are LSAT books. I'm taking the test tomorrow," I said.

He takes a sip of his Starbucks. His bandaged hand carefully cups the brown stripped wrapped around the fat hippie known as the Starbucks trademark lady.

I go back to my thick, but surprisingly light LSAT study book and try to figure out if Andy has to sit across from Beth when Dave is sitting in a position adjacent to George and his gay friend Harry. I take a sip of my ice coffee.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" he asks, scratching his head, to the left of his bulge.

No studying is getting done today. I didn't want to be a lawyer anyway.

"I love this weather," I say.

"This is what it is like in Jordan."

We watch the sea of people moving up and down the street, with wives, husbands, kids, teens making idle chatter and people with dogs licking melted ice cream off the street.

"Does it get cold?" I ask.

"In Jordan, we have everything. The mountains have snow. The beach is warm. We have deserts. It's nice. We have seasons too."

"How long have you been here?"

"A few months. I'm here for surgery." He holds out his bandages hand and points to the bulge on his hand and make a masking motion over his face. "The doctors say they can fix this. I was in an accident, but I am lucky to be alive."


To be continued

Hey DC

The DC Armory is taking in hurricane evacuees- they are looking for volunteers. It is run by Red Cross.

 

The number to call is 301-650-7110. It is a message machine- leave your name and number and which shift/day you want to volunteer for.

 

The shifts are in blocks and they need volunteers around the clock every day the time blocks are as follows:

 

5:30 am to 2:30 pm

2:00 pm to 6:30 pm

6:00 pm to 11:00 pm

10:30 pm to 6:00 am

 

If you are interested or have any time just another way to help.

Quiet

When quiet comes,
I try to fend it off.

Turn on a TV.
Put on some music.
Make idle chatter.
Give me the ambient noise of the air conditioner.

Quiet is realizing you are alone.
Naked.. might as well.

I am sure love will make quiet quite comfortable in my heart.

Very interesting weekend

I had a lot of Dat time. Anyway, go see "Constant Gardener." I can't say I liked it better than "City of God," but you forgive a director a little when he is hired to do a main stream US movie. It definetly is one of the few good movies I've seen in a while...well, I did watch "Bubble Boy" this weekend. That movie is AWESOME!

Committed

"Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless idea and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occured. A whole stream of events issues from decisions, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and materials assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect of one of Goeths's couplets: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it/ Boldness had genius, power, and magic in it"

W.H. Murra

You are f*cking up big time

Dear President Bush,

 

You are fucking up majorly. It is four days after the hurricane and there are people dying on the streets of our free land from lack of food, water and security. And now there are reports that you are sending "mixed signals" to foreign countries!?!? WTF?

Foriegn Aid Article

 

Greet these nations with open arms. Praise them for their generosity. I have to agree with Mr. Hugo Chavez on this one who said, Mr. Bush is a "Cowboy" and the "king of vacations." You took 390 days of vacation in the five years you've been in office, Mr. Bush!! I don't even think my family combined have taken that many days off from work! Yes, I said Mr. Bush, because a real president would have been in New Orleans the day after Katrina coordinating with the mayor, governor and rescue teams to help the sick, stranded and dying people of our country.

 

The looting, killing and raping is inexcusable, but you take desperate people and put them in a desperate situation, they will take desperate measures. They are fighting for food and water! FOOD AND WATER! A bed, a clean place to sleep, a ticket out! They have no idea what is going on in the outside world. Many of them think they have been left to die, forgotten about.

 

And so today you are going to tour the battered Gulf town. How fucking noble of you. Is New Orleans too black for you? I have to ask that question, cause honestly if that type of disaster happened to a city like Boston, I think the response would be far more proactive and less of this skirting around. If you can get one Bus into that city to get people out, why can't you deliver 1,000 buses. If you can land one helicopter, why can't the biggest military force in the world land 500 helicopters.

 

Are you sure that budget cuts to the Army Corps of Engineers was the smartest thing your administration has chronically done each year, including two key New Orleans' projects?"

 

What have I done to help? I gave cash to the Red Cross because apparently, that is all I can do.

Places to donate to

 

And hooray for Craig and the boys of 1818 who are collecting money at their Kegger this weekend. So open up your heart and your wallet you old fart.

 

I'm pissed.

Thoughts on my way to work

I tend to write after my cup of tea in the mornings hence the usual 10-11am hour of posting.

 

1. Why do I write.

 

I honestly don't know who reads this and why. You remain completely anonymous. It scares and encourages me every time someone says, "I read your blog."

 

I write because I have this desire to communicate, to inform,

create, release into this world a mess of

thoughts, dreams, desires,

musings of triumphs and tragedies.

 

I give you a window into my mind,

and sometimes into my soul.

 

So, look around anonymous and take what you like.

 

2. New Orleans is a mess.

 

I think my friend  Matt is hanging out in Baton Rouge now, but I haven't been able to talk to him.

 

This newscaster the other night was talking about how this is a microcosmic look into the way people behave. Obviously there are bigger issues at hand, but in these extreme events, how people behave is really a definition of their character. The looting, robbing and gun fire will always be there, but we have also witnessed charity, heroics, and a bringing of people together. The news, I think, focuses too much on this looting and chaos, why? Because deep down we are all fascinated by it. We love the drama and tugs at this rare emotion of chaos. It's like punching a wall, yelling out loud or ripping down signs (insert look of guilt here). However, we all look for heroes. I'm fascinated by them. Their whole sense of self sacrifice for another comes from something divinely great.

 

I'm spent and should get back to work.