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Ok. Blogger is on its last legs with me... I wish I wasn't being such a pussy about installing and configuring MT. I don't want to deal with this c-r-r-r-r-r-ap any more.

I often wonder how we evolved into a society where work begins so early each day. I think things would be so much easier if we all slept until our bodies naturally awakened and work just kinda happened later. A big, smooth transition into the whole work mode. What the hell is up with "hit the ground running"?

I wasn't satisfied with the post that was here... if you read it before I changed it, please swish it around in your mouth for 1 minute and the spit into this dish... rinse and repeat 3 times... then read this: Meet. Dinner. Drinks. Pesky guys that only know 3 songs. Drinks. Smokes. Drinks. Car. Denied. ATM. Success. Drinks. Boobies. Drinks. Humor. Drinks. Car. Denny's. Con strangers into giving us stuff. Car. Hotel. Sleep. The End.

What a crazy day this has been... but things are better now. I had a great time last night. I went to dinner at The Last Concert Cafe with Audra and Kim. The enchiladas were awesome. There was a band setting up and I was digging their sound checks, but we had to pick up Gil from the airport, so I couldn't stay. I think we hit every construction zone in Houston trying to get to Sherlock's on Westheimer to see Harry and Eric. Good times were had by all. I think I got in around 3:00 however, I managed to get up for my trek to S.A. today. That is when it all started going downhill. I took a cab to AVIS and the cab driver got lost and we ended up stopped on a dirt road surround by construction chaos. Orange barrels to the right and left, a bulldozer behind us, and some kind of cement breaking machine in front. "I don't know how I got us into this mess." Thanks man. When I finally arrive at AVIS, my corporate AMEX is declined. Motherfuck. What the hell is going on? I try to call American Express from their "customer service" phone, but I can navigate and/or bypass the menus because it's a fucking ROTARY PHONE. Who the hell has rotary phones these days? I'll tell you who... AVIS. I convince the lady at the desk to let me in the "employee only" area to use the phone that makes little beepy tones when you press a button instead of clackity-clackity-clackity-clack. After what seems like eternity on hold, I find out that a single charge from 4 months ago was still outstanding and my company hasn't paid it. I am positive it was expensed and approved... just a mistake in the system. When you work for a company as large as mine, mistake like that happen. It's no big deal. Of course I thought it strange that they still held charges on the card when they still get paid every month in full (even since that one charge that slipped through my employers accounting fingers). There is nothing I can do from AVIS, so I take a cab back to the house. I get a guy that doesn't speak English well and keeps piddling with the radio instead of watching the road. He misses a vital turn in the trek back to my place and slams on the brakes in the middle of Richmond... in traffic. I soon discover that he does say "I don't know what I could have been thinking!" quite well in English. It may be the only phrase he knows. He blocks traffic again while doubling back through a parking lot and then AGAIN when he has to make a 3 point turn in the center of the Richmond/Wesleyan intersection to U-turn. In utter amazement, I made it home safely. I pay the AMEX balance out of my pocket... electronically and immediately. Technology rocks. Of course, my company will probably give me the run around for 6 months before paying me back... if I get the money at all. Ok, third times the charm... I call Yellow Cab again. This time, the guy shows up in a minivan cab with all the openable windows down. As we take off down the road, he decides that A/C is the way to go, so he unbuckles and moves himself into the passenger seat... while keeping an outstretched leg over to the drivers side to foot the accelerator and an arm stretched over to steer. No one is in the driver's seat. We are driving... in traffic... in Houston. I live through that one too, but once he gets back in the traditional driving position, he starts flinging his arms out to the side in a snappy, rapid fashion. Apparently, he was trying to "crack" his elbows. The cab swerves with each attempt. Oy vey! I make it to AVIS again after a slight altercation about not paying him in cash. I explained calmly that the incompetent cocksucking bastards (otherwise known as Yellow Cab) already took all my cash. So, $30 or so bucks in cab fare later, I pick up the car and head out. I had to vent. The story of the flying circus was just too good to not share... sorry Erica. The drive was nice. Howlin' Wolf, Todd Lewis, Bob Marley, JB and KG, Rob Zombie, and Nina Simone kept me company as I baked in the Texas sun. The traffic leaving Houston was complete ass but I found a rabbit around Schulenburg, so I made up time. I have some more work to do this afternoon and in the morning and then it's back to the Houston office mañana. Work. Work. Work.

Dammit. It IS Monday. I am about to shut down my computer... I walk over to my office door to swing it closed so that I can change into my commute-wear without having sexual harassment complaints filed against me for nudity in the workplace... I glance down and what do I see? A flat fucking tire. My patch didn't hold. I thought that it might be troublesome because it was on a seam. It looks like I'll just replace the tube. Ahhh!

"Yolanda, I thought you were gonna be cool. When you yell at me, it makes me nervous. When I get nervous, I get scared. And when motherfuckers get scared, that's when motherfuckers get accidentally shot." - Jules (Pulp Fiction)
I went to the gym at lunch... for the first time in a very long time. I had forgotten the situations I used to deal with when working out was a 4 or 5 time a week thing. Afterwards, when I went to shower, I had to use shelves and rails in the shower to provide a counter force to support my arms so that I could lift them high enough to soap my shoulders and under my arms. A good workout... that is going to suck tomorrow. It always takes me a day to get sore. Another one that I don't think I'm in danger of experiencing anytime soon is when you work your legs so hard that you have to stop to go throw up. It's amazing what a major muscle group like that takes out of your body to function when pushed. I am a firm believer in absolutely proper form and perfect technique... only once that is just right can one move to more weight. I can barely lift half of what I was lifting when I stopped. It doesn't take long for the body to atrophy from lack of use. Of course, it doesn't take long for the body to get in shape either... it's truly an amazing machine. Your body will always respond to what you put into it... just amazing. Anyhoo, so far this Monday has been typical. First the flat, then problems at the office, and now time has stopped. Yes, the day will never end. Yay for Mondays! Yippie! I hate Monday.

Now here is a woman that makes me proud. You go girl!

"You can fuck me in the ass. You can cum on my face. Just keep it out of my hair. I just washed it." - Sera (Leaving Las Vegas)
I may be going to Vegas in October... probably not to drink myself to death though... but still. I had a flat on the way to work today. Yes, flat tire number 4 since I've started commuting on bicycle. I am rapidly discovering the weakest points on my bike are the tubes. I don't think it's a puncture (the others were not as well). I think it's a pinch between the rim and tire. Maybe I ride too aggressively? Thanks to Lou and Sam (my mountain bike gurus), I have all the necessary bits of goodies to handle situations like this... pump, patches, tools, etc... all in my pack. However, this happened about 3/4 of a mile outside downtown and the decision of pulling the tube out of my tire and patching it on the side of Allen Parkway in the morning sun or doing it in my cool, air conditioned office was an easy one to make. I walked it. How frustrating! I was planning on my next bike upgrade to be clipless pedals, but I am thinking it may be worth it to save up for tubeless wheels/tires. This is beginning to be a nuisance. So, back to Vegas... Sam is planning a Vegas trip and I am trying to figure out if I can make it during the dates he wants to go. I would so dig Vegas (I think). "Look at me... I'm a prickly pear."

"If you hold back anything, I'll kill ya. If you bend the truth or I think your bending the truth, I'll kill ya. If you forget anything I'll kill ya. In fact, you're gonna have to work very hard to stay alive, Nick. Now do you understand everything I've said? Because if you don't, I'll kill ya." - Rory Breaker (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels)
Lupe Tortilla has incredible fajitas... in an American sorta way. My tummy is smiling. I think I'm going to open a bottle of wine, put on a movie, and pretend the weekend isn't over. If you believe it... it is so.

I have been doing laundry and miscellaneous odds and ends all afternoon. I watched Le Goût des Autres at home instead of going out. It was... well, typical French cinema. Eclair went to play with friends and go swimming. I have been craving a dry merlot all day. This is on my agenda for the evening. As I was cleaning, I ran across my passport and told myself I needed more stamps. RealLife™ keeps interfering with my plans to travel. If I can find a microphone in the piles of crap that make up my office, I'll record a rather funny voice mail I received yesterday afternoon from a guy I used to work with a couple years ago. It's quite entertaining. I am price-shopping for 128MB Smart Media cards. I can't seem to find them locally.

"Gorecki" (Lamb)
If I should die this very moment
I wouldn't fear
For I've never known completeness
Like being here
Wrapped in the warmth of you
Loving every breath of you
Still in my heart this moment
Or it might burst
Could we stay right here
Until the end of time until the earth stops turning
Wanna love you until the seas run dry
I've found the one I've waited for

All this time I've loved you
And never known your face
All this time I've missed you
And searched this human race
Here is true peace
Here my heart knows calm
Safe in your soul
Bathed in your sighs
Wanna stay right here
Until the end of time
'Til the earth stops turning
Gonna love you until the seas run dry
I've found the one I've waited for

The one I've waited for

All I've known
All I've done
All I've felt was leading to this
All I've known
All I've done
All I've felt was leading to this
Wanna stay right here
'Til the end of time 'till the earth stops turning
I'm gonna love you till the seas run dry
I've found the one I've waited for
The one I've waited for
The one I've waited for

Wanna stay right here
'Til the end of time 'till the earth stops turning
I'm gonna love you till the seas run dry
I've found the one I've waited for
The one I've waited for
The one I've waited for
______________

It is H - O - T out there... I just got in from riding. I think I did about 10 miles, but I didn't really pay attention. I was going over to Rockin' Robin to drool all over their guitars, but I found some cool streets and trails and got caught up in the day. It's so nice outside.

Bella Martha, Full Frontal, Lucía y el Sexo, The Good Girl, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Tadpole... which will I see today? I am a little confused about what Landmark is doing by pushing the release date for Ma Femme est une Actrice here in Houston back every week. I was able to go to the premiere showing and see it early, but I have friends that would love this movie and they are changing the opening date every week to a week further out. Coo-Coo! Coo-Coo! Since I'm talking about dates and times and things I'm doing: the Houston Blues Society hosts is monthly open jam (with me) at The Big Easy on August 29th, Guy Forsyth (and me) will be at The Fabulous Satellite Lounge on August 30th, the Burden Brothers (and me) play the Deep Ellum Music Festival in Dallas on Sept. 7th, at Lucy's in San Marcos on the 13th (with me) after an in-store appearance at CD Warehouse (with me) and before playing the Executive Surf Club (with me) in Corpus Christi on Sept. 14th (which I think is a special day for a completely different reason, Beth), the Asylum Street Spankers are playing McGonigel's Mucky Duck on Sept. 20th (with me)... I'm sure there are many more band dates scattered in there, but those are the ones I remember off the top of my head. Greg is flying in from Indiana the afternoon of the 20th for the Spankers' show and staying through the following week, so that should be nice. I haven't seen him since 1992 or 1993... but we're still the great friends we always were. Oh well, I have to go get started doing absolutely nothing. Ciao.

I had a great time tonight. The show was really good. The Derailers have a good sound and stage presence... and Erica did an awesome job getting seats for us. We all had dinner at the Red Onion before heading over to McGonigel's Mucky Duck. I remember Erica telling me about this place back when Camron was visiting me. I wanted to take Camron, but we never found the time and I guess I just forgot about it until now. The food was great (and reasonably priced), so I'll definitely go back soon. Despite my lazy afternoon, I am really tired right now. I'm going to bed.

I laid around on the couch... leftover pizza and a couple of movies. Today was a me day. This is what days off should be about. No plans. No pressure. No schedule. I rode over to the village to tan and stopped at that little new place down the street for a manicure. I few nice espressos and playing in the grass while looking at the blue sky and cloud shapes finished up an afternoon of pampering Clayton. I'm meeting Katie, Chris, Erica, and JC for dinner before the Derailers' show at The Mucky Duck. It feels good to be off again.