Thanks HIMYM
I will never make it if I'm on my own...MH
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
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
Did you wake up late one day and discover that you're not so young...MH
Friday, January 25, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
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
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
Monday, January 21, 2013
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...
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...
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...
Thursday, January 17, 2013
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
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
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
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
“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
Friday, January 11, 2013
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
I know you had a strange dream last night...MH
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
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
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
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
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
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
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
Friday, January 4, 2013
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
I've been called persistent adjacent before...MH
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
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
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
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
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