e double in KS

I googled "e-double." The first search result is e double, a Kansas City-based rock band. Their music automatically plays when you visit their site. Check them out, and listen to a few tracks. e double strikes me as a cross between Hootie and the Blowfish and Counting Crows - mellow, yet pop-like and without cheeseball lyrics.

These guys sound legit, and have opened for artists such as Goo Goo Dolls, Maroon 5, Bob Schneider and Ryan Cabrera. You can listen to other tracks by going to the eTurnes section on the website. So far, I'm hooked on In the Drawer - track 1 from their Cold in May album.

Also, go to their merchandise section, and click on apparel... That's right(!!!), I *heart* ed.

Snap, Snap, Snap without the Z-formation

Tonight, when I removed my shoes in the hotel room, I felt like Mr. Rogers minus the cardigan sweater. As background, I rarely snap as I fear I may awake some inner gayness I feel I do not possess.

At any rate, tonight, when removing my shoes, I sung Mr. Rogers' "It's Such a Good Feeling." I knew most of the lyrics, and was frightened, but chalked it off to childhood conditioning.

I felt better after I snapped. I grinned. Is there a hidden power in snapping?

IT'S SUCH A GOOD FEELING
It's such a good feeling to know you're alive.
It's such a happy feeling; You're growing inside.

And when you wake up ready to say,
I think I'll make a snappy new day.
*snap* *snap*

It's such a good feeling, a very good feeling.

The feeling you know that I'll be back when the day is new.
And I'll have more ideas for you.
And you'll have things you'll want to talk about.
I will too.
It's such a good feeling, a very good feeling.
The feeling you know that we're friends.

I remember watching "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" as a child, and not answering Mr. Rogers' questions when he asked all the kids in TV Land to think of something. Even at the age of five I thought it was pointless to talk to a video image of someone on TV who could not hear you. "Mom, can Mr. Rogers hear me?" Mom showed me the light... "No, Shoti (my Chinese nickname, pronounced show-tee or shau-tee). Now turn off the TV!"

Now imagine if interactive TV was available in the late-70s and early-80s... "Sesame Street" and other PBS kids shows would have been an entirely different experience. I know I would have loved interactive TV for "3-2-1 Contact."

A New Medicine

Goodness, I can not escape... Today, I received the below from McGoo.

Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Tequila.

Tequila is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Tequila can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

*You will notice the benefits of Tequila almost immediately, and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.
*Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past, (well shyness anyway) and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Tequila.
*Tequila may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Tequila. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.

Tequila, leave shyness behind.

"Dream a little dream of me..."

Last night, I didn't sleep well. And I had another very, very odd and bizarre dream that involved a New York-based work buddy.

DREAM
The setting is a small company parking lot somewhere in a San Francisco Bay Area, California suburban town. Perhaps Sunnyvale, Santa Clara or south San Jose?

I arrived at my office location, driving The Commuter (see Four Vehicles I've Owned in "Memes Schmemes!"). Pulling into the parking lot, I saw KC step out of her car (a pristine condition early-80s dark brown Mercedes SD) as she arrived shortly before I did. I asked where she and husband BC commuted from. "Bakersfield." I was shocked - "Holy goodness! That is a long commute!" KC, very calmly said, "Yeah, Central California is where it's at... With the 2.5 hour drive each way (it's actually 4 hours each way), I sleep nearly 12 hours each day. BC does all the driving."

KC: "So that's the beater, 'eh?"

Me: "Yeah, it's been good to me."

SO
Very odd dream. Now what the heck does it mean? This morning, I told KC about my dream, and she found it interesting. But what does it mean?

Current iPod Playlist

Playlist created January 19, 2006

Let me know if you'd like a burned CD to enjoy privately.

1. A. Smithee - Strawberry Sunday
2. Andain - Beautiful Things (Gabriel & Dresden Radio Mix)
3. Natasha Bedingfield - These Words
4. Kaskade - Everything (Kaskade's Big Room Mix)
5. Annie - Heartbeat
6. Lenny B & Madison Park - More than This
7. Abstract Foundation - Slave to Love
8. Black Rock & Debra Andrew - Blue Water (Radio Version)
9. Deep Dish - Say Hello
10. Deep Dish - Dreams (Featuring Stevie Nicks)
11. The Pussycat Dolls & Busta Rhymes - Don't Cha (Kaskade Radio Edit)
12. Duccu - Midnight Run
13. Stigmato, Inc. - Reality Check
14. D'Nell - That's How I Know

SFO to JFK

Why are some travelers rude and oblivious to the rest of the world? There is just no reason, really.

Offender 1 - Seriously, you held up the line to check-in your baggage and did not have a clue what you were doing. Clueless in San Francisco International Airport Terminal 3!

Offender 2 - Seriously, you could not figure out how to stow your HUGE Tumi bag in the overhead compartment. You held-up traffic for more than five minutes desperately trying to stash your baggie. My advice: pack less, Ms. Prissy! And removing the 'tude may have earned you a helping hand. You 'tude... You lose.

Offender 3 - Seriously, on the plane, you took two seats. Seat 37A housed your bum, upper body and aged highlight job accented with pretentious celebrity sunglasses that look oh so 2002. Seat 37B was delighted with your feet, your multi-colored, fake-looking Louis Vuitton bag and your 'tude. Beeyotch! I didn't want to sit next to you anyway, and hear you talk with your pal about his wallpaper project for 20 minutes prior to lift off.

Offender 4 - Seriously, you twitched and turned so much in your seat (35B) I was ready to give you $150 to upgrade to business class. All the movement disrupted my sleep.

"I hear the secrets that you keep... When you're talking in your sleep."

So I talked in my sleep again last night. "Fionnbharr (pronounced fin-bar)... Where are you Fionnbharr?" Odd. I do not recall Fionnbharr in my dream(s) last night. Actually, I do not remember what I dreamt about.

Either way, apparently I'm at it again with talking while in my slumber. I really need to figure out my dreams, and the connection, if any, to what is occurring in my every day life.

FYI, Fionnbharr is ThumbSucker's cat.

If you doubt, then the answer is yes

Person (31, gay, San Francisco, CA): Am I too old to wear Diesel?

Me: Yes.

Person: Don't say that.

Me: You asked me for my thought. Ask yourself this question - what is the difference between a 35-year-old Castro queen who wears a blaring Abercrombie & Fitch-logo shirt and a 35-year-old Castro queen who wears Diesel?

Person: What?

Me: Nothing. Nothing at all. You may as wear a shirt with a huge Tommy Hillfiger logo.

Person: ...

Me: As with everything in life, you hope to graduate to another level. You can't wear Abercrombie & Fitch when you're 45-years-old, right?

Person: *shudder*

Me: I'm glad I put things in perspective.

Tequila is te-yuc-ky!

So exactly two weeks and one day has passed since I vowed to never drink tequila again. Why? Well, Carmen, McGoo and a few others can explain how I looked Wednesday, January 11, 2006. Horrible. Like crap! "Absolut Terrible!"

But they didn't know how I felt. I felt like premium-grade doo doo! I tried my best to maintain that day. I was a class act. Really, I was... Not!

Goodness, what was I thinking when I consumed a six-ounce shot of Herradurra (after having a few drinks of mandarin tonic and scotch)? It had been some time since I felt so horrible. Actually, that day was the worst I ever felt from drinking.

So that was my first night in Times Square. My thoughts? I love the Whiskey Bar at the W Hotel. Very mellow, and a great place to spill your guts. But I never, ever, want to smell tequila again, seriously! I do not care how snazzy the place is.

I thank Carmen and McGoo for babysitting me, and escorting me to a restaurant in New York's Time Square for a well-done burger (without cheese) and lots and lots of iced tea with plenty of sugar. It helped tremendously.

But that day a couple weeks ago ended well. I had my first slice of New York-style pizza at Penn Station! That was damn tasty! After the slice of pizza, I was ready to take on the world. Well, at least I was ready to ride the train from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma in Long Island.

At any rate, I can't believe I had the shot of Patron tonight. I point the finger at peer pressure from work buddies! (That's my story. I'm sticking to it.)

It's not as if I'm still 25-years-old, and going to The Cafe for what The Guyyys and I called "Tequila Thursday." Sloppy times. Very sloppy times.

Next week I travel again to New York. I look forward to it... I'm excited.

Thumbsucker

Last night, I watched Thumbsucker with ThumbSucker. Having been with a "thumb sucker," I can say that the lead character in the movie did a poor job in enacting the true thumb-sucking habits of a thumb sucker. It just didn't look natural... Aside from that, the movie could have used some serious editing.

Memes Schmemes!

I guess I’m it… I was tagged by Carmen to continue this meme. So I hope you learn something new about me, just as I hope to learn something new about you!

THE FOUR THINGS MEME

Four Jobs I've Had
· Working for my mother when I was 12 and 13-years-old. My mother had a restaurant, I’d did everything from making sandwiches, cooking hamburgers, brewing coffee, stocking shelves and operating the cash register.
· Selling house wares at Crate & Barrel for a few months during college. It was a great place to stock on home essentials.
· Selling web hosting, co-location web servers and dedicated Internet connectivity. And I worked with web developers to host their clients’ websites.
· Public relations “professional” representing companies in the wireless industry.

Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over
· Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
· The Goonies
· My Life as a Dog
· Weird Science

Four Places I've Lived
· several track houses in San Jose, California – thanks mom, thanks dad
· an apartment on the border of San Jose and Saratoga, California with my first guy
· a two-story townhouse in San Francisco, California’s Presidio neighborhood – this place is a 5-minute walk to Baker Beach, a 3-minute drive to the Golden Gate Bridge, and had amazing views of the Pacific Ocean; I awoke and fell asleep to the sound of crashing waves
· currently in three locations – a couple days/nights in San Francisco, California’s Potrero Hill neighborhood with ThumbSucker, a couple nights at my mother’s house in San Jose, California to minimize the amount of commuting, and at “The LC,” Lake County (Kelseyville, California to be exact) a few days/nights to get away from everyone

Four TV Shows I Love to Watch
I rarely watch TV these days. Kill your TV! However, when I do watch TV, I tune into…
· The Apprentice
· Saturday Night Live
· The Simpsons
· 80s shows I watched when I was a kid such as 21 Jump Street, The A-Team, CHiPs, Dukes of Hazzard, MacGyver, Quantum Leap and Three’s Company

Four Places I've Been on Vacation
I have not been on many vacations. And I seriously hope this will change. A few places I’ve been to are…
· Orlando, Florida (to Disney World when I was 7-years-old)
· Seattle, Washington
· Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
· Yosemite

Four Blogs You Visit Daily
· Overmatter
· Chip’s the good the bad and the obvious… (on Friendster)
· Squished Frog
· Moxilicious

Four of Your Favorite Foods
How about types of foods?
· Cheese – I have a difficult time with people who will not break cheese with me
· Pizza – all the food groups in a handy, convenient package
· Indian – you can’t go wrong with saag paneer, chicken tiki masala and garlic naan; Bombay Garden restaurant in downtown San Mateo, California is damn tasty
· Thai – spice and more spice makes everything nice; I make a point to order pad kee mao (a.k.a. drunken noodles) at every Thai restaurant I visit; Thai B.B.Q. Restaurant in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood is very inexpensive and damn tasty

Four Places You'd Rather Be
· On top of Half Dome in Yosemite – you feel like you’re on top of the world
· On “the cliff” in Sea Bright Beach in Santa Cruz, California
· On a drive along Highway 1
· Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – it’s beautiful up there

Four Albums You Can't Live Without
· Duncan Shiek – Duncan Shiek
· Fleetwood Mac – Greatest Hits
· Styx - Greatest Hits
· Tears for Fears – Tears Roll Down: Greatest Hits 82-92

Four Vehicles I've Owned
I’ll give you a few more than four…
· 1989 4-door Honda Civic that I modified into a rice rocket – someone set this car on fire
· 1996 2-door Honda Civic – I made some mods to the car, but eventually gave it up for the super suburban Volvo
· 1994 Volvo Turbo wagon, a.k.a. The Shaggin’ Wagon – fast and furious… And so was the wagon
· 1999 Audi A4 Avant (wagon) – continued the wagon fetish with this zippy wagon, but didn’t keep it for long as I went back to school
· 1992 Mazda Miata – before you think this is a wussy car, I’ll have you know that it had modifications to boost the testosterone factor, thank you – this car lasted three months with me as it just was not practical; you can only do so much in and with a 2-seater; I miss the roll bar because you could swing on it
· 1990 Nissan Pathfinder, a.k.a. Bohemian Mobile – this SUV carried the legacy of The Shaggin’ Wagon but also served as a great camping vehicle; this was my first experience with transmission failure
· 1998 Honda Accord – the very practical car that I racked up miles commuting; it never let me down
· 1991 Mercedes Benz 190E, a.k.a. The Commuter – this is my current daily driver; it’s solid and old-school with H&R sport springs, Bilstein shocks and mid-90s CLK stock wheels; it works well with the exception of the rubbing from the front tires
· 2000 Mercedes Benz C230 Kompressor, a.k.a. Mom’s Church Car – this car currently sits most days at my mother’s house, and is driven one or two days a week; like The Commuter, Mom’s Church Car H&R sport springs and Bilstein shocks; it makes driving highway 280 more enjoyable

Four Tagees
Call my a rule-breaker, I have five!
· Ant – I’ve known this guy since the second grade! (feel free to respond in the comment section)
· Chip (feel free to respond in the comment section)
· D-Sheezy (feel free to respond in the comment section)
· Happyrock (feel free to respond in the comment section)
· McGoo (feel free to respond in the comment section)

Sweet Dreams are not made of these

Lately, I've had very, very odd dreams.

The other night, I dreamt that a former colleague and I attended the grand opening of an outdoor shopping center. We heard of a bomb threat, and rushed away from the main area. I do not recall if there was an explosion.

And yesterday, I was told I talked in my sleep the previous night. "... The beer is in my car. The beer is in my car. Hey, the beer is in my car!"

What does it all mean?

Going forward, I plan to write about my dreams in an attempt to determine any patterns, or link the dreams with what is going on in my life (during my conscious time, of course). Stay tuned. I'm sure I'll have more bizzaro dreams to share.

Electric Company

Lately, I realized a few years has passed since I was held or spooned while in bed. I guess I didn't miss it, but lately I must.

Over the weekend, I met Rachel, who said that she needs to find a new male friend to keep her warm in bed since she broke up with her former guy. This made me think - for the last three years, I've been "the spooner," and g'dammit, I want a change. I want to be the spoonee. I want to be warmed. I want to face away from someone, and know that they're behind me. However, I think hell will freeze before this happens with ThumbSucker.

In the end, if you're not alone in a bed, you benefit from the other's heat regardless of which direction your face or position you hold. I now realize, or perhaps now want, to be in front, facing away. In reminiscing, I think of my more balanced relationships. I think of how we were more equals, and took turns warming the other. With a former guy, I remember saying and acting in some child-like way, "I'm a human blanket... I'm a human blanket." And he would do the same. For that reason alone, he's missed company.