Last Song People

Love the hair...MH

SOTD - Waters Rising

When I first bought this album I listened to it all the way through once but when I went back to listen to it again I kept skipping this song for some reason. I recently stumbled across it and started kicking myself for not listening to it more sooner.



Don't let me drown...MH

twenty | one | pilots

I will make you queen of everything...MH

SOTD - All Ends Well

Finally new stuff from Alter Bridge!



There will be times of trouble...MH

Nice Job Guinness

Sometimes it ain't easy having pals...MH

SOTD - Over the Hills and Far Away

I live for my dream...MH

Fourth of July...JMH Style!

Fireworks and JMH, the two words go hand in hand.  Through the years, JMH has had numerous Fourth of July celebrations.   With today being that explosive holiday that happens once a year, what’s more fitting than an article on the TOP TEN JMH FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION MOMENTS?

Here we go…

NUMBER TEN

Matt’s addiction…Matt is a pyromaniac at heart.  I discovered this the first time I ever stopped at a firework stand with him.  We were coming back from a trip to Six Flags and we saw the classic Molly Brown Fireworks display.  Matt had an idea of buying a number of fireworks and having one of our classic shing digs for the Fourth of July.  I thought, why not?  We stopped and entered the tent.  I did not even know where to start.  It was endless rows of rockets, exploding boxes, spinaroonees, and sparklers.  I looked at Matt and I saw a fire in that boy’s eyes.  A fire that both intrigued and frightened me.  I remember Matt pointing out the sign above the entrance, “Buy ONE, get THREE free.”  I remember a lady asking if we would like a basket and I remember Matt shaking his head no and pointing to the corner of the tent.  “I’ll need one of those.”  It was a flatbed cart like you would find at Lowe’s to haul your carpentry materials to the check out.  Matt was like a Catholic during Good Friday at an all you can eat fish fry, tossing firework after firework onto the flatbed.  I remember telling him I didn’t know how much I could afford.  He looked at me and winked, “I got this PAL!”  I remember having to drag him out and him screaming the entire way, “But it’s buy ONE and get THREE free Jeremy!”  We did put a hell of a show on that year!

NUMBER NINE

The PUNK…After several years of our firework events, Matt and I were introduced to the PUNK, a stick that would burn slowly and you could use it to light numerous fireworks from a safer distance.  We had several of these lying around as they were given to us in bulk for free with our purchase.  While we were lighting fireworks, a friend of ours, Shane, decided he was going to light some sparklers.  Grabbing a stack of the PUNKS instead, Shane sat down with a lighter and began to light one.  After several minutes of complaining and yelling about duds, Matt and I walked over to see what the commotion was.  It was then that we broke the news to Shane that he was not holding a pile of sparklers but a pile of PUNKS.  PUNK became the running joke that Fourth of July. 

NUMBER EIGHT

Gross…One year when we purchased fireworks from the St. Louis area, they had a promotion.  For every $50 you spent, you received a GROSS of bottle rockets.  For those of you who don’t know how much a GROSS is, a GROSS is 144 of an item.  Well, Matt and I spent up into the triple digits that year and walked away with right under 1000 bottle rockets.  What does one do with a GROSS of bottle rockets?  Not much really, but we learned right away that setting one off at a time was not going to go over too well.  Now tying as many as you could together and setting them off simultaneously, that was much more entertaining.  That year’s record was about 20 bottle rockets if I remember correctly, and I bet if you check with Matt he still may have a GROSS or two bottle rockets left from that year.

NUMBER SEVEN

Indianapolis Drift…Coming back from Indianapolis and Lolapalooza, Metallica had played there that year, Matt and I saw a sign for a fireworks stand.  Not slowing down or taking the time to notify me of his quick witted decision, Matt decided to turn around in the interstate u turn lane.  With traffic right behind him and only  slowing down to about 55 mph, Matt moved into the left hand lane, jerked the wheel, and we slid into the u turn lane and drifted onto the other side of the interstate, heading  back into the direction of the stand.  Paul Havrilka was in a vehicle behind us following us home and tried to complete the same maneuver almost ditching his vehicle in the process.  Wow, what JMH will do for some killer fireworks.

NUMBER SIX

Black Cat Attack…Once, we hid a strip of about 5000 Black Cat fireworks on Matt’s mother’s clothesline.  While everyone was watching the show in front of them, I snuck around back and lit the fuse.  You should have seen everyone scatter as the fireworks went off!  Funny for us, but not so much for our viewers.  I remember having to watch my back for the rest of the night.  Several threats were being made of throwing me into the pool.  Yeah, never happened!

NUMBER FIVE

Misfire…One year, Matt and I were setting off fireworks in his field.  We had put all the fireworks in the bed of his truck and were taking them out of there as we went to shoot them off.  A stray Screaming Me Me decided to change its predetermined course as it flew out of a box and landed in the bed of the truck with the rest of the fireworks…and Matt and me.  As it exploded, Matt and I dove under the truck and covered our heads praying to God for our safety and the remainder of our show.  Luckily, the Screaming Me Me did not set any other fireworks off and our display was saved.  We finished our show that night vowing to never store our fireworks in the back of the truck so close to Ground Zero again.

NUMBER FOUR

Fireballs…After years of searching, Matt and I came across what we called the fireball firework.  Small, round, and with a long wick, this firework gave the most bang for the buck as it provided the image of a professional firework display.  The first time we bought some, we didn’t know what to expect.  I remember unwrapping the container and setting up the tube.  I laughed to Matt about the long wick and placed the ball into the tube.  I turned to Matt, “Why do you think the wick is so long?”  With that, I lit it.  It was the fastest fuse I had ever seen.  Picture cartoon gunpowder left on the ground as Wile E. Coyote leads a trail of it out of the cavern, lights it, and watches in excitement as the Road Runner is about to exploded to thousands of pieces.  That’s how fast it was.  I was barely able to pull my face back as the ball shot out of the tube with a deep “thunk” and exploded almost twenty feet into the night sky, a streak of red about ten feet across.  I turned to Matt.  “That,”  Matt said, “Would be why it has a long fuse!”

NUMBER THREE

Fireballs II…We had picked up some fireworks and loaded up on our favorites…the fireballs.  They were round with an extremely long wick and they came with a tube to launch them with.  Once propelled into the air, they would explode and really give off the appearance of a gigantic real professional firework.  They were very cool, and not really expensive compared to some of the other options out there.  Matt and I were setting some off and we were trying to time them simultaneously.   While Matt was setting his off, I was fumbling around trying to find my lighter.  In the process, I knocked over the tube and when I went to retrieve it, I grabbed an already used firework thinking it was the tube for the fireball.  I dropped the ball in and lit the fuse.  The ball shot up and out only about two feet with a “thunk” and then fell to the ground in front of us!  I ran at Matt yelling “Firework down!”  like a scene from a war movie and a dropped grenade.  I threw Matt to the ground just as the firework exploded.  Sparks flew everywhere all over the ground.  It was then that we noticed the warning on the pack stating to only use the tube provided for launching.  That night, I learned that fireworks are much more impressive in the night sky than on the grassy ground.

NUMBER TWO

The Dime…Matt and I were doing a fireworks display out of the back of his truck.  We didn’t have any matches or lighters so we were using his cigarette lighter to ignite the fireworks.  I pushed the lighter in and it popped out red hot.  I glanced into the console area and noticed something down in the hole that housed the lighter.  Inside appeared to be a dime!  I turned to Matt totally baffled and excited and said, “Matt, there is a dime stuck down in there!”  Without thinking and before Matt could stop me, I poked my finger down into the hole to fish out the coin.  The tip of my index finger encounter the hottest temperature I had ever experienced.  I screamed and pulled back.  There on the tip of my finger, was a perfectly singed portrait of President Roosevelt.  I remember putting my finger in the DQ cup that sat in the cup holder, the remainder of the grape Mister Misty soothing my pain a bit.  To this day, if you look hard enough, you can still make out the President on the tip of my finger. 

NUMBER ONE

The Entrance… Our first fireworks display consisted of a grand entrance, we came barreling into the area in Matt’s Black Ford Ranger, Jimi Hendrix’s version of the Star Spangled Banner blaring over his speakers, and Matt and I hanging out the windows with Roman Candles in our hands shooting them off.  AWESOME visual, eh?  Classic moment in JMH history that I will never be able to get out of my mind.

As I stated earlier, fireworks and JMH go hand in hand.  As you strolled down memory lane with us this Fourth of July, ask yourself this question.  When JMH decides to bring back the firework celebration in 2014, will you be there?  I can guarantee, it will be something memorable!

Happy Fourth of July everyone.

That’s nice…JM.

It's Independence Day!

How many times in the last week or two have you been asked something like this - "what are you doing for the 4th" or "do you have plans for the 4th?" How many times have you said something similar?

We all know what people are talking when they say "the 4th," but name another holiday that we call by the date. Nobody routinely says hey what are you doing the 31st. It's Halloween. I can't wait until it's the 25th. It's Christmas. However, we say "the 4th." It's become the norm and people seem to feel funny or weird saying Independence Day. Now I know some of you think I've lost my mind, but I think it's important that we call it Independence Day. As Christians we denounce taking Christ out of Christmas and rightfully so, but we as Americans should also be concerned by taking Independence out of Independence Day.

We celebrate the 4th of July to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence,the day our Founding Fathers (not Founding Founders!) decided enough is enough and decided that freedom for the country was more important than their own safety. By declaring independence they would forever change the course of this country and the world. For further evidence of that please read The 5000 Year Leap, by W. Cleon Skousen. It is one of the best books on the Founding Fathers and the founding of the US. Ironically written by a Canadian.

Our freedoms are under attack, more so everyday. Recently, James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence was asked the following question in response to the revelation the NSA was collecting millions of telephone calls in the US. "Why do you need every telephone number?" His answer? "Well, you have to start some place." Catch that? Start! In other words collecting phone numbers was just the beginning of the infringement of our privacy. How about this for clarity, when asked to explain that his answer during a Senate hearing depended on what the meaning of "collect" is, Mr. Clapper clarified that he "responded in what" he "thought was the...least untruthful manner." Say what? And yet, these are the people we have entrusted to protect our freedoms.

President Obama once said “Generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties...It says what the states can’t do to you, says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf.” He's exactly right and it's why the Constitution has been so effective. The Constitution was intended to keep government at bay, not to put government in every aspect of our life.

Thomas Jefferson once said "Honor, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us." In other words, our brave ancestors fought way to darn hard and sacrificed too much and for us to just idly sit by and watch our freedoms be destroyed and our children deserve to enjoy those freedoms as well. Samuel Adams stated clearly that "it is our duty to defend them (liberties of our country and our Constitution) against all attacks."

We all have a part to play in defending our freedoms and our liberty. We have all been called to do our duty. Let's not become complacent, let's not be the generation to not leave our "innocent posterity" a less free country. It has been said that "Liberty is easily taken for granted when you have never had it taken from you." Let's not take it for granted and allow it to be taken from us. One of the simplest things we can do is respect what July 4th is, Independence Day. Isn't that the very least we can all do? Why should we feel weird saying it? People died so we could celebrate it! Say it proudly and with enthusiasm. Say it with a humble heart and do your part. It's Independence Day!

MH

SOTD - Stairway to Heaven Cover

It takes great talent and stones to get up in front of not just rock legends, but THE rock legends and perform one of their signature songs.



Obviously Ann and Nancy know how it's done and pulled it off flawlessly. Congratulations to both of them and their band on their recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (I will overlook for now what a sham the R&R Hall of Fame happens to be.)

Plus you have to love Jason's hat! John would be proud.

Time to put in the Celebration Day Blu-ray...MH

Thank You!

Thanks to all of you who have helped us achieve another milestone, 15,000 page views! We obviously couldn't do it without you. It's been a pleasure and we look forward to doubling it soon.

I'm thinking...that's nice

JMH

What Kind of Sale?

I've heard of a rummage sale, a yard sale, a fire sale and even a garage sale, but what the heck kind of sale is this?

Hooked on fonix werked for me...MH

TOTD...Metallica - The Unnamed Feeling (Official Music Video) - HD

Double dose in honor of Summer Vacation...JM

TOTD...John Denver - Looking For Space

Remember hearing this on Magnum PI so many years ago...JM

SOTD - Just Give Me A Reason

MH

SOTD - I Want Crazy

You can't undo a fall like this...MH

What is the Content of Your Prayers?

Seriously? The government wants to know the content of our prayers! Take a look at this video starting at about 2:17.



I pray for our country...MH

Ghost Town Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 





It was 7:10 when the van finally pulled out of the high school parking containing the eleven students.  Mr. Morris had brought his cousin Theodore to help with the field trip.  It was a dark and stormy night along the interstate.

 Mark had him boom box blaring playing the song, "Armageddon It" as everyone in the van sang along.  The ten hours of driving seemed like an hour after the students fell asleep.

 Even though they were to their destination, Mr. Morris let the students sleep.  He decided they would need their strength in the morning and decided the same for himself.  He nestled down in the driver's seat and went to sleep.

 *   *   *
 When Sheila woke, she was confused where she was until she noticed her friend lying beside her.  She jabbed her in the side causing her to let out a high pitched squeak waking everyone else.

 Jeremy and Matt both sat up and rubbed their eyes.  They looked out of the windows and saw nothing but an old dusty road which looked like it led no where.  Chris looked in the driver's seat where Mr. Morris was supposed to have been.  He was gone.  Everyone became worried, but Theo sat up and quickly calmed them down.  He told them Mr. Morris had gone out to use the bathroom.

 Michael, Mark, and Booger got up and began to through the bags out of the van.  After a few minutes, Charity spotted their teacher coming over the hill.  As he came closer, both Kims began to wonder where the ghost town actually was.

 "Well, the town is right over this hill, but you can't get the van through there.  Everyone get your stuff and start hiking."

 The students began to moan as they lifted up their bags and started the walk towards the town.  It was over 90 degrees and everyone was hot and sweating up a storm.  When they finally reached the top of the hill and looked over it, they saw the run down town about two miles in the distance.

 "I thought it was right over this hill," Booger said a little impatient.

 "It is right over this hill like I said it was.  I never said how close it was,"  Mr. Morris said laughing as he sat down on a rock to rest.

 Booger collapsed right on the trail from exhaustion.  Soon, the wear eleven students followed.  After five minutes of rest, their teacher motioned them to continue on.

 After another hour of vigorous hiking they had finally reached the town. It wasn't what everyone had expected.  There were boards lying everywhere and old bottles in the roads.  No one had been here for a long time.

 "This is worse than my room!"  Mark said.

 "I didn't say it was going to be paradise,"  Mr. Morris said as he began to collect some sticks.

 "Booger, Matt, Jeremy, and Mark, go look in that building over there.  Check to see if there is any wood we can use for a fire,"  Theo said.

 The four companions walked over to the rundown building Theo had pointed to.  It was an old run down saloon with swinging doors and a bar in good condition.  Booger stepped cautiously inside of the building followed by his four classmates.

 Jeremy walked around the bar looking for some wood while the others checked around the tables.  When the group found nothing, they noticed a  flight of stairs leading upwards.

 "Let's go up there,"  Booger said.

 "The stairs don't really look safe," Mark stated.

 "Let Matt, Mark, and I go first, then Booger in case the stairs on sturdy," Jeremy said.

 Everyone agreed with the idea and Jeremy led the group up the stairs.  After they reached the top, they called down to Booger to climb up.  Just as he reached the sixth stair, the whole staircase collapsed.  Mark, Matt, and Jeremy nearly rolled over laughing at the sight.

 "We'll go on back to check things out.  Don't leave," Matt said as the three disappeared from Booger's sight.

 The trio walked down a long hallway and looked into the first room.  Nothing.  They came to a second door which was closed.  Matt opened it and nearly had a heart attack.  As soon as he opened the door, a dead male body fell landing in his arms.  The trio quickly ran out of the hallway and jumped over the remaining staircase.  They ran right past Booger who was trying to ask what was going on.

 The students ran up to Mr. Morris and began their story.  "There's a bbbbbody in the saloon!"  Jeremy yelled.

 "Yes, Mr. Morris, let's go home," Mark pleaded.

 By now the rest of the students began to gather around listening to the tale. After Jeremy told what had happened, Mr. Morris and Theo were led to the site by Matt.  They soon came back.

 "Everyone grab your stuff.  We are getting out of this place," Morris said as he and Theo grabbed their equipment.

 The group hiked hurriedly to the van in silence.  No complaining or breaks this time around.  When they reached the van, everyone nearly fainted at what they saw.  Another body lay by the van and the wheels of the van were gone!

 "Looks like someone wants us to stay pretty badly,"  Michael said.

 Chris shook his head in agreement.  "This vacation has turned out to be a slaughter party!"

 Mr. Morris calmed everyone down.  "I'll just call for help on the radio."  Mr. Morris began to dig in the van.  After a few minutes of searching, he pulled out three mangled pieces of metal.

 "What is that?" Kim McDermott asked.

 "This,"  Mr. Morris said throwing the metal to the ground, "Was the radio!

TOTD

Classic...

TOTD

In honor of Opening Day...GO CARDS!!!

Hot For Teacher - Avery Molek

If you grew up on VH like I did then you certainly know what the drums mean to that song. Yes, I know, VH is typically known for Eddie's guitar work, but Hot for Teacher was power driven by Alex's drums. With that being said, first just listen to this video and then open your eyes and watch it again. There's nothing I can do to describe it that would be better than just watching 6 year old Avery do his thing.



And just in case you thought it was a fluke:



Avery even has the dress of a good drummer down. Right Lars? MH

Now We Wait for October...

Today was the day. I wore my zombie shirt, took my kids out to shoot their zombie blow guns at their zombie targets, ate my zombie chocolate Easter bunny, drank out of my "I HEART Zombies" glass, and sat down to turn in for The Walking Dead Season Finale. After all this build up today...I am feeling as though my intestines have been gutted by a Walker. What the heck was that? They are pulling an early April Fools Day trick on us and we have another episode left right? WRONG...

Now don't get me wrong, I did like SOME things about the episode...

1. The Governor going psycho on his remaining "ARMY" and taking them out himself. This showed his TRUE color here and now we are seeing the REAL Governor. This actually makes me excited to see what is in store for his character next season. Where can this guy go from here?

2. "In this life you kill or you die, or you die and you kill." This was said by The Governor when he stabs Milton and leaves him to kill Andrea...One way or another. Again, brilliant and creative writing here. This adds even more to the evil character. They were pulling out all of the stops to get him over as the true heel character he is.

3. Carl shooting the young man in the woods. WOW! Where do they go with Carl in Season 4? This boy has some serious issues. He has put down his mother's lover/father figure while his father was absent and his own mother in the last two seasons. What next? Let's hope they have brought a counselor back with them in that bus of refugees! Carl is going to need it!

4. Tyreese...I love this character. I hope TWD writers develop and invest in this guy during Season 4. Love the way he stood up to The Governor. Rick and his band of misfits are going to need this guy around!

5. Maggie and Glenn getting all badass in the prison fight. It was good to see these two go toe to toe with The Governor and his army and not back down. I am liking these two fighting side by side!

6. Andrea...She dies! Finally!

Now...What I didn't like...

1. The lack of the true Daryl moment...This guy just STABBED his own brother repeatedly in the head last time we saw him. They really didn't touch base on this. Shouldn't it have been more of a life changing moment than this?

2. The prison battle itself...We waited for this. They were going to WAR! When the show started with the actual battle, I thought to myself, "If this is happening this early, what is the rest of the episode going to be about?" As soon as it started, BAM, it was over.  Now I understand the reasoning behind it. These people were NOT meant for a war. The Governor suckered a group of rag tag people to be his soldiers. But come on! Really? I waited ALL season for the FIVE MINUTE war scene? Hell, the commercial breaks were longer!

3. The ominous approach of a closed door. They did this last season with Sophia. Now with Andrea? It was well done with the Sophia situation, not so with Andrea. Please writers, no more set ups like this. We know now that someone will be either Walkified or close to being Walkified if the door is shut. Be more creative!

4. The lack of Morgan. BRING THIS MAN BACK! He makes the show THAT MUCH BETTER! ONE EPISODE? That's all we got of the man? Come on!

5. Andrea...She dies! But the way it happens...I felt NOTHING! The reveal was too obvious! What was the point of killing Milton and Andrea? Neither one survives? Why? I would have rather SEEN the event that took place than the "behind the door" style shot.

6. The episode as a whole...MEH...I really felt cheated! No cliffhanger. No real surprises. No real mouth hanging moments. I really thought we were going to see Maggie, Glenn, or Rick shot in the head during a few of the scenes. I waited...Waited...Nothing.

7. And NO Governor/Rick huge one on one brawl. This HAS to happen right?

TWD finale was average at best. Fans I think expect more with what this series has offered before. They really didn't deliver this time around. Hearing all sorts of things about the finale, I expected so much. I did not expect what we got. Which was basically a middle of the season mediocre episode at best. Not FINALE potential.

So where do we go from here? Does The Governor fade next season to return later in Season 5 or halfway through Season 4? How do we devote enough time to all of the NEW characters entering the prison family? Now that Rick appears to be mentally stable again, how do we get Morgan and Carl there?

And just WHO IS MOWING ALL THE LAWNS?

So many questions...So many possibilities...

October is a LONG way away!

JM

TOTD

So fitting for today...BLARE IT!!! JM

TOTD

Listen...and THINK! JM

TOTD

How can you not be moved by this song.  So powerful!

Who's It Gonna Be?

As we are just DAYS away from The Walking Dead's Season Three finale, the anxiety and the questions begin to set in.  Where do they go from here?  What is going to happen next?  Most importantly...Who is going to become Zombie Chow?

First, let me tell you who I think it is NOT going to be...

1.  Rick-He is the CENTER point of the whole series.  If this was the SERIES finale, then I could see him making some sort of ultimate sacrifice and saving the group and going down in a blaze of glory.  But it's not.  And AMC has already announced production of Season 4 beginning this May.  Is Rick safe?  ABSOLUTELY!

2.  Carl-Even though the little booger is annoying as hell and seems to get the group in the most trouble...Hey, let me go shoot at this here Walker, let him live, and then lead him back to the farm...He is not going anywhere.  Also, think about the way if would affect Rick.  He has already been down the dark road with the death of Lori this season.  Folks, Carl may wander off somewhere, but not from the set of the show.  He is safe.

3.  Daryl-Undoubtedly the MOST popular character of the show, the producers would NOT dare kill him off yet.  We have so much more to get from Daryl, especially after the man had to take down his own zombified brother last week.  If you have seen the shirts, "If Daryl dies, we riot", I believe fans would do such.  I don't think AMC wants millions and millions of fans storming their corporate offices with crossbows in hand.  Nope...Daryl will live to see Season 4.

4.  Michonne-Again, besides Daryl, she is the MOST popular and exciting character TWD has to offer.  We have a great deal of untapped storyline with her still available and she has now just really become a part of the group.  No my friends, Michonne will be swinging that blade for a bit longer. 

So who will IT be...

1.  Hershel-Sad to say, but AMC is just keeping this guy warm for the zombies to chow down on.  Yes, he is a solid staple to the show, but we all know the old man role, see Dale, becomes dispensable.  Part of me thinks if they went through the trouble to cut the poor guy's leg off, they have to keep him around for awhile, right?  Wrong.  Especially if they are hitting the road again.  He becomes a hazard to the group.  Also, Hershel has stated he will do "anything" to keep his daughters safe.  And with Glenn stepping in as the "man" role of his family, it makes it even more apparent that he could be going bye, bye soon.  Could Hershel be the one to sacrifice himself to destroy all of the Governor's men so the others can get away?  Strong possibility.

2.  Glenn-I really don't want to say his name, but it's a strong possibility.  His tenure on the show is running quite lengthy, and if they want to go for the heart punch, killing him off to save Maggie right before they get a chance to marry is pretty hard hitting.  However, my strongest doubt with this is Hershel.  If Hershel dies, Glenn is safe.  Also, the producers have already traveled down this road with Lori and Rick.  Glenn has come a long way since his debut, is that a reason to get rid of him?

3.  Andrea-She is in quite the pickle and her fan base has gone downhill.  Yes, Andrea could be a casualty this season, and frankly, would we miss her?  Even though she is a prime candidate, I think she will make it.  I think Andrea will escape, with the help of Milton.  I even think Andrea could be the person that takes over for The Governor at the end of the season.  But, until we see that for sure, Andrea beat the odds in last season's finale, maybe not so this time around.

4.  Judith-I know what you are thinking.  Really?  How can you go there?  But if you have read the comics, Judith does die along with Lori in the siege of the prison.  Could AMC really go there?  Andrew Lincoln, Rick, has stated several times that the finale this season even shocked him and that the prison family will be greatly affected by a loss.  How more affected can you be but by the death of an infant?  Seeing that Rick already suffered a huge loss at the hands of Lori and killing Judith would lessen Lori's own death and sacrifice, I don't see Little Ass Kicker being a victim here.

What of The Governor?  I think he is a goner anyway.  The storyline must end this season and you can't have this guy continue on after everything he has done to Rick and the others.  But, who does it?  Rick?  Andrea?  Daryl?  Glenn?  Michonne?

I think The Governor dies at the hands of the people of Woodsboro.  Everyone dies at the prison, either by a huge onslaught of Walkers or the return of Morgan and some cleverly placed booby traps.  The Governor returns to get more help, only to be met by Andrea  who has been saved by Milton.  Both expose The Governor for who and what he is.  The townspeople, angry and upset over the unnecessary sacrifices of their own, turn on The Governor and kill him.  Andrea and Milton become the new leaders as Rick and crew ride off into the sunset looking for new adventures.  Down one character...HERSHEL.

Pretty good huh?  Well, a few days left and we shall see what AMC has in store for us.

Stay hungry my zombified friends!

   

TOTD

Always loved Phil Collins and Genesis.  Classic one here.

Ghost Town Chapter 1

The alarm went off slicing through the silence like a knife through warm butter.  Booger quickly jumped up and shut the beeping sound off.  He sat on the edge of his bed and began to rub his eyes.

 He immediately thought of one thing.  The only way he was going to survive this Monday morning was with breakfast.  He could taste the simmering eggs and that tall glass of milk!  Ah...How he loved food!

 Booger quickly through on some clothes on his body and ran down to the kitchen.  He whipped up a batch of his marvelous eggs and sat down.  He actually was a very good cook.

 After he had finished his meal, he went out to wait for the bus.  When the bus got there, it was around 7:30 and he quickly hopped on.  During the bus ride, he teased Kim McDermott a few times and knocked a few heads together.  Finally, the bus reached its destination, Woodlawn High School.

 The day was just like any other day, a few stabbings, fights, and killings at Jim's, Jeremy Mays got an A+ on his science test, and the usual other boring stuff.  Before Booger knew it, it was 7th Period...World History time!

 Mr. Morris gave out the same boring sheets as everyone sat down to work.  Something odd was going on with Mr. Morris.  The whole class noticed it too.  He seemed strangely happy for some reason.

 Soon, the bell rang and everyone got up to go home.  Mr. Morris motioned everyone to sit back down.  He then spoke.  "I need to see these people...Mark, Kim Langa, Kim McDermott, Natalie, Sheila, Jeremy, Charity, Chris, Matt, Booger, and Michael."

 Everyone else bolted out of the door.  As soon as the last of the other students had disappeared, Morris spoke again.  "You guys aren't in any trouble so lighten up."

 The eleven became relieved to hear this.  "What are we here for then?"  Booger asked.

 "Well, Bryan,"  Bryan Phelps was Booger's real name, "I'm going to take you guys on a field trip.  We will be gone about a week."

 Everyone broke out into side conversations.  Mr. Morris quickly quieted them down so he could finish.

 "We are going to do some historical research at an old ghost town in Texas.  We will be gone about a week.  It will be school related and reports will have to be turned in."

 "Of course he has to ruin it with homework," Chris Edwards quipped.

 "So why did you pick us?"  Matt Hails asked curiously.

 "I picked you eleven because I trust you and know you will work for the information.  Well, maybe most of you,"  Mr. Morris gave a quick head nod to Chris.

 "When do we leave?"  Natalie Tinsley asked.

 "Actually tonight.  I have already cleared everything with your families.  You need to be here in my classroom at 7:00 sharp."  Mr. Morris motioned for them to leave.

 "This is going to be a blast!" Kim McDermott said as she walked out of the door.

 "Don't forget to bring some of your music, Mark!"  Jeremy yelled.

 "I'll bring my machine, but someone needs to bring the tapes!"  Mark Fuller said.

 "Ah, a week vacation from school!"  Michael exclaimed as he started towards the door.

 Little did this group know that they were going to encounter the most horrible weekend of their lives...

TOTD

Still one of the most powerful Van Halen songs EVER!

SOTD - If I Didn't Have You

This life would kill me if I didn't have you...MH

SOTD - Hey Pretty Girl

You can bet you make this ol' boys day...MH

SOTD - Changed

I know it's been awhile since I've posted a new SOTD, but this song had to be done.



MH

Twenty-five Years in the Making

There comes a time in our lives, that fate and destiny step in. They take over. This was such the case in August of 1988. I remember sitting at a desk, at Woodlawn High School in Woodlawn, Illinois, staring down at a blank sheet of paper. All sorts of people were around me. Some I knew, some I had yet to get to know. I sat there and wondered. Questioned. What if... I then chose to put pen to paper. Using my fellow classmates around me as characters, I plotted a story. A story that gave me a place and a purpose as a lonely high school freshman. A story that gave birth to four additional tales in the same time and world. A story that changed my life as it proved to me that I could do something powerful... I could WRITE! As this year is the 25th Anniversary of this novel, I have decided to share with you this masterpiece. Is it perfect? No. This tale is being transcribed just as it was written 25 years ago from the perspective and the mind of a fourteen year old boy. Does that make it any less fantastic? Not to me... Those of you who were a part of the original journey 25 years ago, I hope you take the time to enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere that this hopefully creates for you. I loved this story then, and I love it now. Not just for the exciting plot, but for the characters that I loved...Who in actuality were the people that I loved during that time and still do to this day. So watch for the chapters ahead. Watch for the historical walk down memory lane. Watch for the cheesefest that only the mind of a fourteen year old boy can create. Watch for... GHOST TOWN! Actual photos of the original document:

She Ain't Metallica!

Tonight my daughter and my wife are seeing Taylor Swift in concert at the Scott Trade Center in St. Louis.  This reminds me of the time JMH was at the Trade Center with Metallica!  This isn't our video, but it does show some of the concert footage we were a part of.  Look closely...You just might see JMH in action!

Twitter!

Get your up to the minute JMH entertainment news, rants, and opinions...Check us out! JMH @jmhrants

TOTD

In honor of that white stuff falling from the sky today!!!

Tweet This

So we have joined the world known as Twitter. Follow us at JMH@jmhrants! Another outlet for spontaneous spewage!

I'm thinking...JM

SOTD - Just A Fool

MH

SOTD - I Miss You

To see you when I wake up...MH

God Made A Farmer

This commercial speaks for itself.



Nobody will ever be able to match the delivery of words quite like Paul Harvey.

Good day...MH

TOTD

SOTD - What Would I Do Without You

Thanks HIMYM



I will never make it if I'm on my own...MH

SOTD - X Kid

Billy Joe is out of rehab!!!



Did you wake up late one day and discover that you're not so young...MH

SOTD - Escapade

Now?...MH

American Let Down...

American Horror Story…Season One was phenomenal. Ground breaking. Intriguing. Fabulous writing. Exemplary acting. When they announced a second season, I was ecstatic. Then, I found out the premise…An Asylum in 1964. I mean seriously, what could go wrong?


EVERYTHING! Now, when the season began, it started off strong. Just enough darkness and storyline to keep one interested. Then, as the season progressed, the train derailed. Too many storylines and characters pulling into too many different directions. Alien abductions. Possessions. A serial killer. Nazis. Mutant cannibals in the woods. A lunatic Santa Claus. A nun with a drinking problem. A reporter wrongfully committed. So on and so on.

Just as with Season One, I expected all of the storylines to link back somehow and somewhere. In the end, I was let down. It wasn’t the characters or storylines that ended up driving the season, but just the location. How disappointing to find out that the only reason we had all of these people experiencing all of these things was simply because they happened to be in the same location!

And the finale…Really? That was the best they could do? I honestly checked my DVR to make sure I had not missed an episode between number 12 and the finale. That couldn’t be it! Did some other writer pop in to give us the bland season finale scenario…And this is what happened to our characters later? Apparently.

So much potential…Such a big let down. American Horror Story: Asylum is a classic example of what looks good on paper, may not necessarily transfer well onto the screen. This is unfortunate. I went into this season expecting big things. Now they are already discussing Season Three…

I think that concept just might be HORRIFIC enough for America…

That’s nice…JM

Drift

While traveling to Colorado during Spring  Break 2000 to visit my sister and her husband, I was snowed in by some freakish spring snow storm.  The interstates were shut down and I was forced off the well traveled roads to some unfamiliar back woods territory in search of a place to stay.  Finally finding an overpriced, sleazy motel in Salinas, Kansas, the seeds to a novel began planted in my imagination.  What follows below is the first chapter of that novel...DRIFT...Not revisited since the summer of 2000...

Chapter 1

Mark Sherich had to piss. He had to piss with a passion. He glanced down at the illuminated clock that graced the dashboard of his rented Honda Civic. 3:13. He knew he really didn’t have time for a pit stop. Salina, Kansas, his destination, wasn’t but another 30 miles up the road. 30 miles was nothing. Was nothing anyway, as long as you didn’t have urine leaking from the corners of your eyes!

Mark shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He tried to find a satisfying position, one that might allow him to endure the pressure on his bladder for another 30 miles. After a few seconds of exploring, he gave up. It was useless. “When nature calls, you have to answer,” his grandmother had always told him. She always made sure everyone went to the bathroom before they climbed into the vehicle with her. It didn’t matter if you had to go or not, whether the trip was to the grocery store five minutes away or to visit relatives 300 miles away; she always made you use the bathroom before you got into the car. Mark laughed to himself as he reminisced.

“Nature’s not calling Grandma, it’s screaming!” he said to himself. The leather of the driver’s seat groaned as he shifted his position again. It was no use. He couldn’t ignore the inevitable. He had to pull over.

Another green sign greeted him in the darkness and flew past. Salina, 27 miles. That was enough motivation for him. He put his right turn signal on and slowly drifted to the shoulder. No close exit, no rest area, Mark had to make use of his natural surroundings.

He put the Civic in park and unbuckled his seatbelt. Reaching for the keys to shut the engine off, he pulled his hands back and thought better of it. He made a quick glance to the rear view mirror. Nothing was behind him. “That’s what’s good about this state. Kansas, home of Dorothy and Toto and land so flat you can see traffic for miles.”

Mark reached for the handle of the door and pulled. The cool night breeze penetrated the warmth he had created in the car. He shivered a little. Even though his 5 foot 8 inch 280 pound frame was well insulated with body fat, the wind was freezing. As he brought his legs over and planted them onto the concrete of the Interstate 70 shoulder, he suddenly had second thoughts.

“Hope nothing freezes and falls off,” he said chuckling to himself. Not that anyone would notice. At 35 years of age, Mark had only been laid one time, and that was by someone he had to pay for. Mark just didn’t have time for relationships. Relationships were too expensive, both in dollar amounts and in the sense of time. Besides, he had his job. That was the most important thing. “My job,” Mark said snapping back to reality and becoming focused again on his purpose.

It was now 3:20 am. He had a business meeting in Salina at 8:00, just less than 5 hours away. With all luck in his favor, he could relieve himself here and then travel the additional 27, 28 miles to Salina and his reserved hotel room. Hell, he’d even have time for a few hours sleep if he wanted them. Sleep was just like relationships to Mark, a waste of time.

He pushed himself up and out of the car. He stuck his arm out and caught the upper part of the door to balance himself. He swayed a little. Mark didn’t know if this was from being stuck in the car for the last eleven hours straight, or the fact the only thing he had put in his enormous cavern of a stomach was a few cups of coffee. It didn’t matter. He had his balance now, time to take care of business.

He looked back up the Interstate again for any fellow travelers. He saw nothing but the night up the road. “Not a great deal of traffic at 3 in the morning around here huh,” he spoke to himself, a habit of his that he had long decided to break, but never accomplished in doing.

Mark walked towards the back of the vehicle and around the trunk to the edge of the shoulder. He looked out into the darkness ahead of him. He couldn’t make out much. Not a great deal of light was around due to the absence of the moon. Mark glanced in the sky trying to locate the friendly object. Again he saw nothing but emptiness.

“Must be covered by the clouds from that storm system moving in.” Mark had listened to forecast after forecast dealing with the weather in that area. A great many people had warned him back home in St. Louis to be careful in that area in the month of March. The weather was pretty unpredictable. It hadn’t bothered Mark one bit. One long day in Salina and he would be home anyway. Back in good ole St. Louie.

Mark faced the edge of the shoulder. Unzipping his Dockers, he took a deep breath. A gust of wind blew just as he revealed himself. He stumbled over his breath, caught off guard by the chill that ran through his body.

“Damn!” he cursed as he tried to urinate onto the hard frozen grass below him. Nothing came.

“Damn!” he cursed again under his breath. He hated when this happened. It was sort of a curse of his. Sometimes it was hard to perform under pressure. He wasn’t sure if that was the fact he was peeing on the side of the Interstate or the extreme cold. Maybe it was a little of both. Mark knew he had to piss, he just had to relax. He glanced back up the Interstate again. No sign of anyone in either direction. Just him and the empty night air. Good, he would just close his eyes and……………

The warm stream exited his body. “Ahhhhhh!” he moaned as the sound of the urine splattering on the ground seemed to echo in the still surrounding area. Mark kept his eyes closed as the remnants of 4 cups of coffee left his system.

Then the sound came. Mark startled so quickly that he jerked and a small bit of urine splattered on his shoes. He cursed again as he redirected his aim and flipped his foot to wipe his shoe on the grass.

A twig snapped somewhere in front of him.

“Hello?” Mark’s voice boomed. He quickly shook off the last bit of urine and zipped his pants up. “Nothing like getting caught with your pants down.” He joked. He strained his eyes. He saw nothing. Nothing replied to his call.

He turned his head and cocked his right ear in the direction where he had heard the sound. Silence. Mark shrugged his shoulders as he turned to go back to his car. Suddenly, something slammed hard into his back forcing him to hit the trunk of the Civic and fall to the shoulder of the Interstate. Even though he was a little obese, Mark found the energy and quickness to roll completely over and jump to his feet. He brought his hands up to his chest in a defensive formation and prepared himself for whatever had made contact with him. He wasn’t prepared for what he saw. His eyes widened in fear at what he encountered.

Within an arms length of him stood a woman. At least what was left of one. Her body was covered with some sort of red substance. Mark immediately assumed it was blood. Her eyes were glazed over and wide open, maybe in fear or shock. One hand was held across her throat, clutching it. Mark looked as he saw streams of the red substance flowing from her neck, between her fingers, and down the front of her shirt. Her other hand was out stretched, reaching out for Mark. Out for help. Her mouth opened and closed as if she was trying to communicate with him, but no sound emitted from her vocal chords. Mark backed up and pressed his body against his vehicle.

“MMMMMam, are you oooookay?” he asked not realizing the stupidity of his question. She continued to advance slowly towards him with her arm stretched out, reaching for his body.

“Achhhh, welcccccc.” Sounds finally came from her mouth as did more liquid. Mark knew now for sure it was blood as it spewed forth from her throat, and now flowing freely from her mouth as she tried to speak. It was a dark color. Dark, crimson red.

She latched onto his right arm and squeezed. Mark tried to pull away, but her grip was too strong. Her nails embedded themselves into his flesh. He too tried to scream or yell or speak, but nothing came out. She pulled herself close to him. Her eyes were almost on the same level with his. He could see the helplessness in them. Could see the life oozing out. He felt the blood begin to drip on his arm. Again he tried to jerk free.

Another blow came from behind and knocked him forward. The lady’s grip was broken. Mark’s face rubbed the asphalt of the shoulder and he cried out in pain. Wind knocked out of him, he tried to quickly roll over again as he had done earlier, but only managed to get to one knee. He glanced up.

He met the gaze of the woman’s eyes as she lay a few feet in front of him. He could only make her out from the neck up. Some black form or object was mounted on top of her, blocking the rest of the view. The form was very large, very dark, and very hairy. A smell penetrated Mark’s olfactory canals as he had to turn his nose away for fear of vomiting. His ears were the organs that picked up the most detail from the activity before him. He seemed to be hearing a slow, soft, wet sucking sound. Mark began to shiver as he forced himself to turn back to the woman and the dark form.

When he built up enough courage to look, the woman remained, but the thing atop her was gone. Mark looked closely at the lady. Her neck was a chewed up grotesque mess. Blood and other unfamiliar liquidous material flowed freely from the deep gash. Mark looked at her eyes. They were tilted back up to the night sky, lifeless.

Mark was awakened by something. Sheer panic or simply the reality of his own mortality. He pivoted his body and turned for the car. Even though it was a few feet away, it appeared as if miles of distance separated himself from its leathery interior. His muscles worked together as he propelled his body forward, what to Mark seemed as if in slow motion. He focused his eyes on the steering wheel and the light of the cab. He would not turn around. Would not look back at the darkness, or the woman on the road.

Each footstep took an eternity as he got closer and closer to his destination. He reached for the door and for safety. Just as he felt the cool metal of the Civic, Mark was thrown to the ground again. He rolled and rolled heading for the center of the Interstate. His back hit one of the reflector strips and he came to a stop and rested in the center of the two lanes.

His head spinning, Mark looked up expecting the creature to be upon him. There was nothing but the night sky. Mark let out a deep breath and looked about. Again he saw nothing threatening. To the right of him was the Interstate median. To the left was his vehicle and the remains of the woman he had encountered earlier. That was it, no menacing creature in view.

Mark began to laugh. He wasn’t sure why, but he laughed a deep, guttural laugh. He rolled about on the Interstate in hysterics not wanting to stand, just soaking all of the experience in. Tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. He dropped his head back against the cement of the Interstate and took another deep breath. Then the growl came.

He quickly turned his head to the rental car parked on the shoulder. An enormous black mass was resting on the roof of the Civic. The thing was growling at him, watching him, watching him with giant red eyes. Mark looked as the beast opened its mouth revealing several large, pointed teeth. Mark began to cry. He closed his eyes and prepared for his fate.

Seconds past. He still heard the low grumbling of the creature, but the attack never came. Mark, shaking in fear, opened his eyes to see what prevented his demise. The beast still was perched on the top of the vehicle glaring at him. Its eyes glistened with anticipation. Mark didn’t understand.

“What’s the deal?” he screamed. “Are you lazy?”

The beast just looked.

“Come get me you dumb son of a bitch!” Mark yelled. He was tired. Tired of being the victim here. Confused and terrified, he jumped to his feet. The beast watched him as if he was entertained by its prey’s sudden burst of energy

“I said come and get me! I am right here! Right here!” Mark took a few steps towards the creature. He expected it to jump down from its perch and attack. To rip his throat out as it had done to the lady on the side of the road. Instead, it just sat there.

Confused, Mark began to back away from the beast. He began to think he could get away. Maybe this thing was full and bored with him now. Maybe it would leave him alone. Maybe…….

Mark looked to see the beast turn its head, looking up the Interstate. Curious, he followed the creature’s gaze.

All Mark saw was the extreme close up of a semi truck’s headlights...

What You Say?

Do you and any of your friends have those things called inside or personal jokes? You know the ones that only you and they understand? And when you say certain phrases or words and crack up hysterically, people around you look as if you are crazy and stupid? If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, then you would get along tremendously with us. Inside jokes are JMH’s specialty!


Play on words and JMH often go hand in hand. One set in particular that stands out in my mind…Matt always traveled with me to Eastern Illinois University at the end of each semester to help me turn in my books. Why? The books were heavy and I was a big baby and didn’t want to do it alone. Pretty simple huh?

Well, Matt and I were walking around campus discussing some of our great adventures I’m sure. It was during this time that Matt and I were talking about a weekend a few weeks past. I had told my parents that I was hanging out at Matt’s all night and had actually stopped by to see my girlfriend at the time. Now mind you, I did not lie totally, but I was not with Matt the ENTIRE time. Matt was teasing me about this.

“I’m going to tell your parents!” Matt began teasing.

“That’s blackmail Matt! I thought you were my friend.”

“Blackmail! Blackmail! Blackmail!” Matt began chanting and actually dancing around.

That’s when I heard someone clear his or her throat…Intentionally with volume. I turned to see one of the biggest African Americans on our Panther football team. His arms were crossed, eyebrows raised, and his lips were turned into a scowl.

“Just what do you have against BLACK MALES?” His voice boomed.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I started to say something, but I could not seem to find the words. I turned to Matt for help.

Matt was gone…Up the quad and not looking back. I knew he was laughing.

I turned back to the man in front of me and shrugged my shoulders…Then took off as fast as I could after Matt.

Play on words…Yep…

JM

Burst Your Bubble

“I knock!”


“What? You ain’t got no PAD HAND!”

These famous lines grace the classic movie Stand by Me, one of the BEST Stephen King adaptations if not one of the BEST movies in cinema history. These famous lines also hold a special place in the hearts of JMH.

Countless New Year’s Eve parties, weekend get togethers, and just simple texting and phone conversations…These words are used. Why? Not really sure. All I remember is that at one get together, Matt and I were playing cards. I suddenly had the image of the Stand by Me boys in my head and I rapped the table with my knuckles.

“I knock!”

Without hesitation or thinking, Matt instantaneously replied the proper way, “You ain’t got no PAD HAND!”

Then we both erupted in laughter and another JMH classic saying was created.

One night, Matt and I were playing cards. It could have been Rummy 2000, Spades, Phase 10, or Uno for that matter, but we were playing cards. I looked at my hand and then up at Matt. He was looking through his cards trying to keep his best Poker face, but it was obvious he had a good hand. He was grinning from ear to ear and salivating a little. I decided to distract him…

I rapped the table with my knuckles…

“I knock.”

When I looked up at Matt for the return, I got something else.

Matt had a cold. He had been sneezing and coughing all night long. I knew this, but I didn’t expect to see what I saw.

Matt looked right at me and opened his mouth, obviously to give the candid reply. Instead, when he opened his mouth, he sneezed a little. It was this sneeze that caused the EVENT.

A snot bubble, the size of the TITANIC or Kirstie Alley before the weight loss programs, expanded out of his nose. It expanded and then deflated in one quick movement without popping. It actually was quite the sight to see.

Matt’s eyes met mine. We both erupted in laughter. No one else in the room had seen it, but us. And I really don’t think anyone else would have considered it to be as humorous as us.

To this day I relate those famous lines from Stand by Me, with Matt’s infamous snot bubble…A classic moment in JMH history!

“I knock!”

JM

SOTD - Break My Stride

Only the 80's could give you a song where you needed not one, not two, but three keyboards!



I know you had a strange dream last night...MH

TOTD

Makes me think of my beautiful wife!!!

TOTD

Need some FUEL to get through this week...JM

I Said How 'Bout A Revolution!

You can't watch the first 3 or 4 minutes of this video and think you know the song. This is one that you have to watch all the way through to grasp. I have listened to probably 6 different versions of this song and they are all amazing. It's one of those rare 10 minute songs that you wish they would've made just a little bit longer.

Just a word of warning, if you want to download this song do not get the studio version. It's good, but after hearing the live version you will be disappointed. The Rain or Shine version is one of my favs and is available for download.

Enough talk, who's up for a crazy game of poker?



Don't you ever quit, don't you ever stop, may God be with me...MH

Hit the LIGHTS!

Have you ever been to a magic show? Maybe a hypnotist or a palm reader? Ever wonder, “How in the heck did they do that?” Then there is a movie you should check out.


Over break, my wife and I rented a great deal of movies. We watched some good ones, some great ones, and ones that made us state, “Well that’s (insert time of movie) of my life that I will never get back. One movie in particular that stood out during our moviethon was a flick that I had never even heard of. It flew under the radar and it is a shame, because it really was a refreshing flick. The movie was called RED LIGHTS.

Starring Cillian Murphy (The Scarecrow from Batman Begins), Robert De Niro, and Sigourney Weaver, the film is filled with acting talent. The story centers around paranormal research work as both Murphy and Weaver work together to try and prove or disprove its existence. De Niro’s character Simon Silver soon comes into play as the ultimate example of the paranormal. Murphy’s character wants to seek out Silver, while Weaver’s character warns of the dangers of seeking out Silver having a rocky past experience with the man. Not to give anything away, the film is filled with twists and turns.

The most satisfying aspect of this film is the ending. Most films that advertise the great twist and surprise ending, never truly deliver. You usually catch it ten minutes into the film and are left hoping that you haven’t discovered the twist and find by the end you have, leaving you disappointed. RED LIGHTS delivers in the twist ending aspect.

So if you have rented everything out there and you are searching for a great, refreshing flick you may not have been aware of, check out RED LIGHTS. Awesome actors, a well written plot, and a fantastic ending…You will not be disappointed.   That's Nice...JM  

Christmas Vacation is OVER :( TOTD

Is it too late to start the vacation over again?

Memorable Concert Moments

On December 10th, 2007 the surviving members of Led Zeppelin reunited for one show only at the O2 Arena in London with Jason Bonham, son of the late John Bonham, their original drummer. The show was commemorated with a three-disc Blu-ray set entitled Celebration Day. Recently I received my copy and as I put it in to play I started to wonder what it must have been like to be in the audience that night. What a memorable moment it must have been to see them come out on stage at a concert most had decided would never happen. It was at this point I decided to write about the most memorable concert moments JMH has had. Not necessarily the best concerts or the best memories at a concert, but the most memorable moments we've had on our way, during or after a concert. Some of them have been documented previously on this blog, but have never been listed out. Below is that list, hope you enjoy:

5. "Let's bend him over, we want Bob" - I'm not even sure how to explain this moment, but I will give it a try. JM and I had taken a large group of friends over to Riverport to see Aerosmith and were out on the lawn. After the concert the crowd started filing out JM and I noticed that there was a circle of people that weren't moving towards the steps. Now this wasn't unusual, JM and I had hung out on the lawn before to let the crowd disperse and just soak up the atmosphere as long as we could. However this circle of people seemed to have a different agenda.

I could hear them saying something, but wasn't able to make it out. I turned to JM and pointed to the circle and said something to the effect of "hey, let's go check this out." Always up for adventure we worked our way closer to the group. As we got closer I could tell they were chanting something, but still wasn't able to make it out. I was getting more and more intrigued the closer we got. Finally we were right behind them, it was a fairly large circle of people, I'm estimating about 40 - 50 people in a circle at least two rows deep, they had their arms around each other and were chanting over and over. We listened intently as they chanted "Let's bend him over, we want Bob." JM and I both heard it at the same time, looked at each other and bolted. Nothing needed to be said, we both knew it was time to leave these wackadoo's alone. To this day I have no idea what that means (just a word of caution, do not Google that phrase), but I knew at the time that it would be best not to stick around and find out.

4. First Mosh - "Moshing" or what was once called "slamdancing" is where concert-goers push or slam into each other, usually while moving in a circle. It started with punk concerts, but now is a staple for any hard or heavy concert as well. It's a form of expression, although some would say it's a form of "sanctioned" or "accepted" violence. I'm here to tell you that that sentiment couldn't be further from the intent of moshing, however in most all of the pits that I've seen or been involved in there's always one or two clowns that try to ruin it for the others, by being overly aggressive. Usually they are quickly identified and shunned from the group though. Most of the time it's just a large somewhat controlled chaos that can be loads of fun.

Our first experience was at a Metallica concert. We were high on the lawn (towards the top, not the other high!)and saw that a mosh circle or pit had formed lower on the grassy field during one of the opening acts. We watched for several minutes not sure if we wanted to join or not. If you aren't experienced, from afar it looks like a sure-fire disaster waiting to happen. It looks like you're just asking for a bloody-face and broken bones. Now, who in their right mind voluntarily goes looking for that? But the draw was just too great, we had to see why so many people went looking for this experience.

As we approached you could just feel the excitement building or was it fear? Maybe a little of both. We got to the outside of the circle where there is a weird dichotomy. An area of eerie calm, right against a world of wild frenzy. The circle of moshing was moving fast and furious, like a tornado of people. JM and I took one last look at each other and then stepped closer, we were right on the edge, the point of no return.

JM was the first one in and in a blink was gone, swallowed up by the crowd, I tried to follow quickly, but we were already separated. Once in the circle it was amazing how quiet and surreal it gets, while still being so loud and frantic all at the same time. Now the grass had been mostly torn away already by the all of the action, so traction wasn't the greatest and I remember slipping and falling face first to the ground. I was on the ground in a sea of people running in a circle slamming into each other. I quickly had thoughts that much like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, this was where all of my fears were going to come true, I was going to get killed in this mess.

I felt feet running across my back (afterwards you could see the individual shoe impressions on the back of my white shirt), one after the other, but what I didn't expect was the number of hands I felt on my arms, grabbing me and helping me up. It was then that I realized how wrong my initial thoughts of moshing were. It wasn't about violence, it was about sharing the excitement of the moment. It was about becoming a concert family. It's hard to explain unless you have been in one, but it was definitely an eye opener for me and one of those moments in life that helped me to realize some things have to be tried to be appreciated.

3. Meeting Metallica - In February of '97' JM and I had the privilege of going back stage before a Metallica stadium concert to meet the guys. We were just two in a group of about 20 people that were invited to meet them. We were escorted deep into the back of the stadium to a meeting room filled with snacks and beverages. Shortly after arriving one by one Jason, James and Kirk started filing into the meeting area. Lars was a no-show, personal issues we were told, but it didn't take away from the fact that the others were there.

What was so memorable about this event was that they weren't seated behind a table or corded off by a rope and protected by body guards, they simply came into the room and started mingling. They each took time to talk and take pictures and ask questions. They were certainly down to earth and seemed to enjoy the quiet before the storm. It gave this concert a much different feeling than all the other Metallica concerts we've been to before and since.

2. Saved by the Dukes of Hazzard - This story has already been well documented by an earlier post, so I won't go through it again, but this is certainly a moment I will never forget.

1. Page & Plant - In 1994 Robert Plant and Jimmy Page released an acoustic album of Led Zeppelin tunes and in support of that album reunited in 1995 for quasi LZ reunion albeit without John Paul Jones and with a huge accompanying band. I think they were trying to separate themselves from the original line-up of LZ as possible while still trying to be as true to the band as they could. JM and I were able to get tickets as these concerts quickly sold out. Most realized that this was the closest they were ever going to get to a full out LZ reunion. LZ, the greatest rock band of all time, had disbanded in 1980 after the death of John Bonham.

Now, this concert is still the most electric concert I've ever been to. Ironic considered it was in support of an acoustic album, but let me explain. Each concert has a different feel to it. You can start feeling the "vibe" of the crowd when you first arrive. Upon arrival to the Page & Plant concert it was the most intense, electric feeling I've ever felt. There was a buzz in the crowd. People were so excited that nobody was sitting, which isn't unusual at the start of each concert, but this was different as people were all standing and the house lights were still on!

But this post isn't about the concert, that's a blog for a different day. This is about that first moment when Page and Plant first took the stage. This was rock royalty, the greatest music making duo in the history of rock music and they were on stage about to perform and I was in the audience to witness it. It was time to just enjoy and I did and I will never forget that moment when I knew I was about to live a dream.

Honorable mentions in this category are:

1. Seeing a tshirt scalper get tackled off his moped by a cop on the street after a concert.

2. The incident simply known as the Metallica brawl.

3. Nearly getting attacked by 90 year old woman because JM's cowboy hat was too big and blocking her view.

There are so many more that I could write a post a day for the next year about these moments and I might someday. It was so hard to narrow it down. Hope you enjoy.

Bonus moment! JM is infamous for his small bladder. Many of time we have had to stop to find a bathroom at the most inopportune time. This is probably the most talked about bathroom story in JMH history and there wasn't even a bathroom involved.

We were on our way to a concert in Saint Louis with a group of friends in my mothers navy blue Cadillac. We were in the heart of STL when JM informs us that he has to urinate and there is no way he's going to be able to make it until we got to the venue. We hadn't ever had this problem before, we were past our regular stopping point, so I took the next exit that had a sign for a gas station and proceeded to pull up to the building.

Now the first thing I noticed was that this gas station had seen it's better days. It was old and run down, but hey, we were guys right, how bad could the bathroom be for us?

We got out leaving several friends in the car and started to walk up to the door. It was at this moment that I noticed that there were bars on the door. Hmmm, that's odd. Wait, there's no handle on the door, how do we get in? I tried to push the door, it wouldn't budge, then JM took a turn. Nothing. I looked around and started thinking that this must have been the place that inspired the scene in National Lampoon's Vacation where the Griswold family had all of the hubcaps on the family truckster stolen.

About this time there was a window next to the door again with bars on it. One of the workers knocked at the window, looking at us with us curiosity quickly identifying us as "not from around here" and asked "can I help ya with somethin'." We were like yeah, we need to use the bathroom. He answered "nah, man...ain't got none." He barely had the words out when I had realized that we needed to leave and leave quickly. However, JM had a different plan. He HAD to go!

He started walking around the side of the building. I was like...uhhh, what are you doing? Going to the bathroom, he replied. But there wasn't a bathroom for us to use anywhere close. I just knew this was going to be the end of the line for us, but I followed him anyways. We walked to the back of the building, down an alley and behind an old abandoned building.

So many thoughts. How far is he going? Why did I choose this exit? How are the kids back in the car doing? Are they still alive? Mom's car!!! I could hear Clint Eastwood's voice in my head saying "Clyde, strip the caddy!" How was I going to explain this one?

About this time JM was turning to face the building and I knew what was happening. Well, due to all of the excitement I had to go to, no time or opportunity like the present at this point, so I faced the building and well, you get the picture. When were finished we took off towards the car. I'm telling you a fat kid has never run that fast without chocolate cake being involved! As we finished the second block back to the car we turned the corner and spotted the car, it was still there and intact, but there seemed to be a growing number of "onlookers" surrounding the car. I knew we had to get out here quick.

JM and I started running faster, this would've been an awesome time to do a Bo Duke hood slide but I thought better of it. As we approached the car I started hollering, I thought distraction might serve as well. JM started whooping some sort of war cry. I wanted to stop and ask him where that came from, but decided now was the time for discussing such trivial matters, besides it was working. The crowd start looking around befuddled. We both hopped into the car and which thankfully someone inside had thought to start for us to save some time. Once in we were gone in a flash!

Needless to say the friends inside the car were none to happy with us, but all JM and I could do was laugh. Laughing out of thrill and relief. For those that are slow, I will stop and let that last sentence sink in.

Here's hoping you have some thrill and relief in all of your days...MH

TOTD

Here's to a Damn Yankees reunion in 2013!

TOTD

For the TRIPS, YO!

SOTD - Like I Am

Some people say I sleep too much, I just sleep 'til I can 'til I have to get up:



I've been called persistent adjacent before...MH

TOTD

Better Bring Some Breath Mints!  JM

SOTD - If I Had A Million Dollars

Haven't you always wanted a monkey...MH

TOTD

Anyone remember this classic?

SOTD - Particle Man

When you're under water do you get wet? MH

New Year's Tradition

You want to have good luck and be prosperous in 2013? Then break out a good old bowl of BEANS!

My grandmothers had this tradition. My wife's grandmothers had this tradition. There has to be some sort of weight behind it, right?

Grab a bowl and some beans! There is still time!

Gas'n up for 2013!

That's nice...JM

SOTD - Send The Pain Below

If you haven't heard the brothers from Grayslake, IL you really should give them a try. Here's Chevelle:



I liked having hurt, so send the pain below where I need it...MH

New Years Kiss

I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night...MH

Happy New Year!!!

"When I die, I want people to play my music, go wild and freak out and do anything they want to do." Jimi Hendrix

Consider it done...MH