I got tagged, and now I'm complying to the rules

So, I was 'tagged' by a good friend of mine to post 10 random things about myself ... so, here goes.

10 Random Facts~ I was tagged!

The Rules: Once you are tagged you must post a blog of your own stating 10 random facts/weird habits/general things about yourself. Then you must choose 5 people to tag and at the end of your blog you must list their names and the reasons why you chose them. And finally, you must comment those 5 people with a message that they have been tagged and instruct them to read your blog. Get it? Good! Now, off you go.

1: I have a scar on my head from when I was two years old. I got it the very same day that Elvis died. When my hair is shaggy enough, you can see it.
2: As a kid, my parents had two pet ducks. I didn't like either one of them. They laid eggs, and would stink up the backyard if they wereren't removed fast enough in the summer.
3: I have film director Kevin Smith's (a.k.a. Silent Bob) personal home telephone number. I interviewed him in college and we had trouble touching base with each other. Finally, his agent gave me his home phone number. I called it, but he was busy, so, in nice guy Kevin Smith form, he took my number down and called back about ten minutes later. I doubt the number still works.
4. I've seen Widespread Panic 21 times, in five different states. I even got engaged on a Widespread Panic trip to Colorado.
5. I hate sand. We live near Lake Michigan, but I hate sand. It gets everywhere and until you live near a beach, really live by it. You won't realize how sand really does get everywhere. Bed sheets, underwear, couch pillows ... ick.
6. In college, my apartment was cited by the city for being a health hazard. No shit. I didn't know they handed those things out to personal residences.
7. I had perfect attendance in elementary school until the week before Christmas break of my fifth grade year. My Christmas break was EXTRA long that year.
8. I was one of two bass players in a band called "LumberJackKerouac" We played one show, then realized how bad we were - but our name was totally bitchin'.
9. I love the Carpenters. They are my favorite 'terrible' band of all time. Sure, Ringo Starr and Phil Collins play drums and sing, but their voices were never as sweet as little Miss Carpenter.
10. I'm scared of manmade heights, but in a weird way. I don't like roller coasters but I can ride them if I'm not pressured into it. I love the skydeck at the Sears Tower, but you can't joke with me about falling off or pushing me. If I feel in control, I'm fine. Now, as for natural heights .. i.e. Grand Canyon, I love poking my head over the edge. I was given the evil-eye and stare down when standing on a cliff in Hawaii during high winds. It was cool though.


So, there you have it. Ten random things. Some are known more than others, but there they are.
Now, will I post this and expect five people to do the same? I'm not sure ... I may do that later.
But for now, I'll pick my five people of ..
Heather: It's been so long since I've heard much about you, I need to know some random things.
Jill: What can be more random than an inside joke about a purple box? Fill me in MizzD
Steve: I know a lot about you from the past five years, especially during my No. 4 random thing.
Ryan: I gotta know more about my future neighbor. You never can be too safe, even if he is a cop.
Jason: Either one. One of the Jason's is an old friend from high school, the other a newer friend in St. Louis. I gotta know more about either.
-DJr.-

I 'heart' Feb. 14

Being that today is Valentine's Day, I'd like to ask, is it necessary for roses and chocolates, jewels and metals, tattoos and scarring?
What about elaborate gifts of balloons and teddy bears? Not in our house.
Today, for Valentine's Day - April got a day off of work due to snow, and two cabinets completely finished in our working kitchen project.
A happier girl you will not find today.
Would I buy her roses? Yes, if all of our cash wasn't going to new flooring and countertops.
Would I tattoo her name on my arm? Sure, if I could handle any kind of pain beyond a stubbed toe.
Would I buy her balloons and teddy bears? You betcha, but the balloons would be shredded by the cats and the the teddy bears destroyed by the three hooligan greyhounds.
Instead, I go about being myself on a daily basis. Reminding her why I love her so ... and occasionally finishing a long-ago started house project.

-DJr-

On the Road again ...

Preparing the family for travel is almost more hecitc than it's worth.

By the family, I mean April and our three dogs. The cats stay at home -thank God.

First they recognize the travel bag. That alone gets them excited. Then, if I'm lucky, I can pack without getting white hair all over whatever it is I'm packing. If I don't scream at some four-legged friend more than five times, that as well is as good as a victory.

Then comes packing the dogs. Two cups of food per dog, times three dogs eating twice a day for three days while we're gone .. holy crap, I have to do math as well?!? What the F'?? Most who know me know that is far from my strongest point. Packing 36 cups of food into a double lined plastic bag that I"m sure will rip and I'm also sure that when it comes time to feed them, they won't want to eat. Just whipmer later when they realize they're hungry.
Fold down the seats in the Saturn, load in a dog bed and some blankets. Get the bags situated so it creates a barrier between the front seats and the cargo area, set the iPod two bottles of water, April's purse our coats and we're ready for the hell to really begin.

Opening the closet door where the leashes are kept. Holy crapola, this is like unleashing of the bulls in Bareclona. These dogs can run, but on wood floors, they slide like monkeys on ice skates. Someone fails, cries the others jump, one is pacing like an expectant father. The getting of the leashes on is like a release of tension only equatable to the end of school. The world is lifted and the vacation can begin.
A three hour car ride with occasional growling because someone touched someone, or invaded their space followed by lots of 'Grandparent' spoiling and playing with other dogs. A worthy headache? I'm not sure, but I guess it's a good primer for kids.

-DJr-

Speechless, but not without words

Watching Sunday's Super Bowl of the Colts vs.Bears, April and I found ourselves atan odd moment ... our team was about to win a major championship. The RedSox winning the pennant in '04 was amazing, and hit me strong, but ... there'ssomething about your hometown team winning it all. Purdue won a share ofthe Big Ten in 2000 - that was awesome too, but it was just a share and theyfollowed that with a Rose Bowl loss to Washington.

Now, please remember,the Bears have been my team since before I could walk, and it really hurtto root against them. The Colts ... there is something special about a teamof professional athletes that, if we had children, I wouldn't mind our childrenlooking up to any of them.
That being said, isn't it odd that any more,it's a rarity to be true? Professional athletes are supposed to be that -professional. Act like you've earned to be where you are.

The touchdowndances are fun, the tossing of the ball into the crowd is great. But goingnuts because you got a routine first down, or tipped a lobbed ball .. notcool in my book.

That's why we love these Colts. Their coach is agood man, they have stars, but the stars aren't searching the spotlight.They do the job, they do it well .. and are respected for it.

So on the Monday post Super Bowl XLI, Go Colts, Go Bears. Everyone's a winner, but only one team holds the trophy.

-DJr.-

Super Bowl Hustle?

How many updates of the Super Bowl Shuffle can there be? Who knows, but we'll find out this weekend if it's all warranted.
I did hear the Ides of March doing some gawd awful 'Midway Monsters' that made me think, so, this is what oldies musicians do when they REALLY lose their talent.
Kanye West and Common, two of the only modern day rappers that I'll really listen to, did an update.
It's pretty darned good, in my opinion.
"Southside SuperBowl" talks about how they're rappin with Urlacher and Thomas Jones, how Marvin Harrison's gonna need a genie and the sort.
It's available as an mp3 download here:
http://www.metrochicago.com/blog/southside_superbowl.mp3
It's worth the minute and a half just to hear how far Super Bowl shufflin has come since the '85/'86 Shuffle ...
Which, for those that wish to be reunited with the Punky QB known as McMahan, you can downloaded the original here: http://www.metrochicago.com/blog/superbowl_shuffle.mp3
Thanks to the Metro for posting these.
Sunday, I'll be sticking to my 51 percent Colts fan with an upbringing of Bears holding on to the remaining 49 percent.
All I ask for is a good game and plenty of commercials with monkeys in them. Oh, and if Manning got a ring, that wouldn't be too bad of a thing either.

Go Horse, Bear Down
Amen

-DJr-

Lake effect?

We went to Oak Park today to visit my friends Chris and Anita. They just welcomed their first child, Karthik, into the world. He's a cutie.

The weird thing though, is there was no snow and it was sunny on our trip through downtown -we took the scenic route to see the Bears decorations, of which, there were few to be seen, minus the indians on S. Michigan. We got on the Dan Ryan, shot through the tollway, and crossed into Indiana. About ten minutes later, it was near white-out conditions. Crazy snow and even crazier spinouts. We were fine, but lake effect snow is just a weird thing. We got home and had about six inches on the ground. I love snow, and don't even mind shovelling it. The dogs love playing in it, and it's fun to throw at April. So, all in all, a good day.

-DJr-

California Dreamin'

Coachella festival lineup has been announced and the only bad thing about the entire lineup is that it's in California and I don't think I'll be making it.

Biggest news out of the festival is that political angry rocker Zach deLaRocha has apparently made nice with the other members of his band and reformed Rage Against the Machine. Granted it's for one night only, but one night is more than never again.

Also reuniting for the show are fuzzy shoe gazers Jesus and Mary Chain. This may force me to repurchase Honey's Dead. An old standard almost 15 years ago.

Lots of shows poking up that I'm tempted to hit as well. The Hold Steady at the Music Mill in Indy is a likely definite. They played in Chicago a few weeks ago and I missed that one due to the ticket being $40. This is a short drive on a Friday night and a ticket that's 75 percent cheaper makes it a no brainer.

The Decemberists have two nights in Chicago at the Riv. I'll try to hit one of them. I firmly believe that this band is on the verge of being annoyingly everywhere and I'd like to catch them before they're on commercials and every damn station on the face of the planet.

Speaking of commercials, I found it funny today to hear "We're not gonna take it" by Twisted Sister being used in an ad for cramp relief pills.
Also, UPS, a household favorite come NASCAR season, has picked up The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" in one of their new commercials. Dang. This song is so good it's been used twice. Once by M&M's as a cover by Iron and Wine and now the original.
Whatever. I just wish they'd credit the bands in the commercials so I'd know who to look for.

-DJr-