just thinkin...

was listening to XM the other day when someone brought up a good point...somebody like Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles would never be a star today. Wouldnt even get a sniff...and thats sad.

... and after having to wait in line at Walmart the other night, I still gotta wonder why there are people who still write checks. I know their are times it would be warranted, but....

my car is missed. At least i miss it. It was supposed to take 4 days to get it fixed. took it in last Monday morn, got a Chevy Cobalt. Boy...there is a car for you. This car shouts "rental". about the only thing this car has going for it is that it has that automatic light option, where your lights come on automatically... and off too. I never even touch the light switch. might have to investigate that option on my next vehicle. i think my tartget for the jetta is 200,000 miles.

The twins birthday was yesterday, and so began the birthday/xmas toy o rama. But i am struck more about the fact that some people had the nerve to imply that our kids wouldnt make it that far 8 or so years ago. I will always remember the people who talked of what of the kids, etc as if they would meet doom and gloom. Instead, Disney reps are asking to take pictures of my daughter at Disney on Ice in her Cinderella outfit... i dont know ...whatever...and to those of you who doubted...tsk tsk...like I said back then. the good ship Happy set sail, and those who were on board have had a good time. those who chose not to be on board have either been left behind in their own sad worlds, or have been playin catchup ever since... yeah i know, some of you are probably saying something like "let it go" or whatever. In this case...I dont think so.

more random stuff

Does anyone play tennis anymore? and perhaps more profound...does anyone care?

Been getting to sleep a little earlier recently, and it certainly feels better in the morning.

With the impending delivery of bikes from Santa to the twins, look s like Jessica and I will have to get our bicycles down from their hanging perches in the garage. Which will be a good thing.

Its a Barack Star!!!!!

cheapest Nintendo Wii i see for sale right now are at $400.00 and that is ...uh... a tad ridiculous. it sells for 249.00 but you cant find one in a store...ANYWHERE.

Ryles posing again

While getting ready for our Xmas card picture thingy, Ryles thought she would mug for the camera.

Just for the heck of it...

I think sometimes I get too bogged down with lighting, etc. when trying to take pictures and sometimes simply just dont take the picture. but some pictures arent meant to be hung up in a gallery, but i thought that I-man might find this one interesting one day in the future. he's wearing my Peppers #90 Carolina Panther jersey....

sigh...

got into a car accident. got rear-ended by a 77 year old man. messed up the right rear corner or my bumber. not really that bad, fortunately and the card is drivable. No frame damage but about $1700.00 in damage. takin the jet into the bodyshop on Monday. get a rental and all that and the guy says it will take him a week. Thank goodness it was the old mans fault, and his insurance is forkin tha bill... should be good as new..well...good as a five year old car soon...

still wonderin how police keep shootin and killin black people and seemingly nothing happens to them.... how can these guys justify shooting those guys in New York 50 times? how many shots does it take to kill somebody? i mean, one officer completely unloaded his pistol into the guys, and... RELOADED and started shooting again. and people wonder why i have such a low opinion of the police. and dont give me that "they rammed the police van" crap...New York police policy is to only shot at moving vehicles if they are being shot at themselves. And there were no guns on the guys, and they werent shootin. New York police are trained to aquire, identify and fire twice, then evaluate. what?!?!...i guess after the second shot, the guys weren't down on the ground enough? had to put bullets in the bottom of their feet? (holes were found there)... and people wonder why i have such a low opinion of the police. Most of the people reading this, if they get pulled over by the police, they are thinkin, "frak, gotta pay a ticket for speeding". If i was to get pulled over, i would be thinking "is this just a traffic deal, or are they going to pull me out of the car, beat me down, search my car, beat me some more" and i have to hope somebody captures in on tape. Think about this. how many tapes have we seen of police putting a beat down on people.? you would think the police would know they might be filmed. Ever wonder how many times this actually happens and we dont see it on Foxnews? and people wonder why i have such a low opinion of the police... oh, the cops in new York will probably get off, as well as the police in Atlanta that killed the 92 year old black woman in her own home after busting through her door. . Oh and those guards in florida too.... and in a year, we'll see it happen again... and nothing will be done about it.... and people wonder why i have such a low opinion of the police.

???

some thoughts

Went to the last informational for the Frat tonight. weird seeing how young those kids are. as i was driving back, I was thinking about all the alumni I saw yesterday...Danny and Sara, Kevin and Holly, Andrea and Will, Spacholtz, Tariq, Crowell, Claire, Melanie Muldrow, Chris Sloan among many. But i was also pondering others like i have said before. Kim and Jeremy had to miss the game due toa last second change of plans, and i really missed getting to see them. And Wyatt and i werent able to sync plans either. But sometimes things happen and you gotta roll with it. And that is only from that era of friends for me. certainly hope that Lynn realizes that I kinda ponder what shes doing too, as well as the whole high school crew. man...time is smoking along, isnt it?

Turkey Day!

Thanksgiving saw my family come into town for a visit. It was indeed good to see all again. Ryles has shown an ability to wipe out a drumstick of any size.

Playing

Seems like any trip to the grandparents (or in this case, great grandparent) means an endless supply of tos readily available

I-Man starting to wind down after a long day of crochet and driving bigwheels..

Jessica's side o' tha family

I posted this picture unedited or anything because while the lighting isnt great, there are some subtle things abt this picture that I feel gives it a different quality. Some one once said "a picture is worth a thousand words" or something like that.. I was looking for a specific effecr once the lighting got a little darker than I wanted for the original. i thing I was able to get it with the wide angle at its longest length. Of course, Ellen was all freaked out because she felt the camera was too close to her or something....

Ryles

Ryles in her Cheerleader outfit at USC game

I-Man

he's a little ticked about having to leave

I-Man at his talent show

I-man at his Talent show... taken with my Treo.

oh, and another thing...

So Brown's boy from NY wants to bring back the draft, huh? smooth move, bruh.... real smooth. Keep floatin that stuff out there and we'll see the majority swing right back where it came from... real smooth, Rangel.

The holidays, they are a comin....

Aunt Ellen was in town for a job interview... went to a Talent show at I-Man and Ryles school on Friday night. They sang "This little light of mine...I'm goin to let it shine" with the lights out and little flash lights making lights on the ceiling. in case you are new to this, I-man and Ryles attend the little catholic school that could, and attend Mass once a week, dressed in white shirt/blue pants/black Dickies boots (for I-man) or White blouse, Blue skirt, white tights and blue mary janes ( for Ryles). what...somebody asked me what they wear, so I figured I'd describe it...

Saturday saw a failed attempt at a last soccer match, where the Clemson team didnt bother to show up..IN CLEMSON!!!!. So we then shopped around in Clemson, got Ryles a Clemson cheerleader outfit and a couple of other x-mas gifts for people. Came back, blew some leaves off the driveway, watched part of the Ohio State/Michigan game then went to dinner with Jamie, Ben Aunt Ellen, the Twins and Jessica. Went to Fatz where I ate 47 of those little rolls they have. Afterward, ellen stayed with the kids while Clemons, Ben, me and Jessica went and saw Casino Royale and I ate some buttered popcorn. Actually, it was double buttered. It was pretty good eats and the movie was above average, except for the lovey, dovey stuff towards the end for about 20 minues...

Turkey day events will include my mother and brother here on thursday, Columbia on Friday for jessica's family, hopefully back here to meet up with Wyatt Friday evening/night...then going to USC game and meeting up with Kim and Jeremy and maybe hanging with them a little afterward, depending upon schedules.

just kinda wonderin....

we have this small space heater i used to use at work. i placed it downstairs and the damn thing is pretty much warming the entire downstairs. go figure....

...running some errands today and went to skins for 3 chili dawgs...noticed a couple of horses standing in a couple of parking spots and one cowboy/marlboro man lookin dude holding them while another younger woman was talking to him. What struck me is why is it everytime (well, its pretty rare now) i see some people with some horses, the chicks all seem to be some version ( larger, smaller, taller, shorter, older, younger) of Lynn... kinda strange.

I-Mans last soccer match of the Fall on Saturday. Will break out the videocam and will try to post a small clip perhaps...

makin a cd.... here is something that i thought profound, after hearing all the talk about O.J. today....

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some
Oh, but just for everyone.

Ugh

Usc game at Noon. oh boy... want a spot atthe brooks center. gotta be there by 9am is my guess...