Idle Ramblings of a Slightly Mad Man

Yep, still here. 

So yesterday a few co-workers and I strolled through the city.  We started out walking through the neighborhood of Chelsea.  My co-worker J was curious about all of the blind people walking around with their canes and was inquisitive enough to ask the waitress in the diner we ate in “Are there really a lot of blind people here?”  To which I quickly countered, “This in New York, they are not really blind people, they are just creating the next new wave of style and chic.”

The waitress laughed and walked away leaving J without her answer.  When we left the diner, I had noticed that after we turned the corner, across the street was a Blind Center.  I pointed it out to J who, being very skeptical of anything I tell her (long story but she does have a good reason), asked how did I know that was the blind center.  I pointed out that it was the only building without windows so it had to be for the blind because what do they need windows for?  They can’t see anything.  I then pointed to the small sign that stated it was a blind center.

From Chelsea we walked down through the Village and Soho.  I love walking through the city on a nice day.  Everyone comes out and makes for great people watching. 

In New York, you will find people wearing the most…………………………….um…………………………….. interesting clothing.  They range from the very colorful to the barely there to the very bold.  Everyone was out and about yesterday.  I was thoroughly entertained and enjoyed the leisurely stroll.

I had a Corporate meeting out in Queens last night so a group and I made our way out there.  Since I had a car I was the driver for a lot of my fellow co-workers.  My job was to welcome some of the others and there was not a better way to greet everyone then to head to the bar and start a tab on someone else’s account.  That’s right!  I started a bar tab for 30 people on my boss’s boss tab.  We all were very social by the time dinner rolled around. 

After the meet and greet we headed to the conference room for dinner.  After working all week in NYC and having to work through the weekend, I felt the need to drink.  And drink I did.  I was not the only one that was interested in having a good time. 

After dinner and the meeting there was about a dozen of us that wandered back to the bar and what was on the TV but the Philadelphia Flyers beating the Montreal Canadians.  And how does any proud Philadelphian celebrate the Flyers  winning the series?  Yep!  Celebratory  beers.   A lot of beers. 

Our group dwindled down to about 4 by the time last call was called.  Not realizing that it was so late I tried to excuse myself so I could go to bed.  You see, I had to drive out to the Hamptons by 10 AM this morning.  That only left me to about 5 hours of sleep and 5 hours to sober up before starting work.  Needless to say, I felt like crap all day today and all I want to do is go to bed. 

So now that I have given another Rambling update, I can head to bed.

G’night all. 

I have completed my Best Of series last week and I have to say that it seemed to have gone well.  I was really impressed by the comments.  I was also pleased by some of the requests for some past posts.  It was interesting to see what a few of you thought were your favorites.  Thanks for the input.

Maybe the same time next year I will do it again, if I remember. 

This stupid blog is 1 year old and I just passed the 10,000 views mark.  Two big milestones at the same time. 

I never figured that I would continue with this blog past a few months, let alone for a year.  It was supposed to be an experiment.  I have found that I enjoy the experience and some of the bonds I have made with a few of my readers.  I have found that I have enjoyed the outlet because it allows me to vent, ramble, journal and it serves as a reminder to me of events that I might otherwise forget. 

I’ll continue through with this silly little blog.  I’ll experiment here and there with different things, like I did with the Best Of.  Some will work, some won’t but I’ll continue to write and entertain myself and maybe a few others while I am at it.

Thanks for being here.

I have moved on to the next thing to grow in my Aerogarden.  I pulled out the lettuce and cleaned out the machine/growing center/doohickey/thingamabob.  I had read, online, many other reviews that mentioned how difficult and/or time consuming it was to clean out all the roots in the basin but I was pleasantly pleased to find that I had no such issues. 

I was prepared for the task to be arduous and time consuming and found that in seconds, my Aeorgarden was cleaned out of the old and ready for the new.  All told, the turn around time was about 5 minutes. 

I stopped growing the lettuce.  Not because its life cycle was over, no, my lettuce was still very healthy and very much bountiful.  My family and I had many great salads with that lettuce since Christmas.  But I was bored with the lettuce and eager to move on and try something else. 

I began the Herbs.  They have begun to grow quite well.  There is, though, a slight problem with the Aerogarden and the growing of the herbs.  It is not a problem that complaining to Aerogarden is going to do any good.  Aerogarden will not be able to help.  The problem is cats.  Specifically, my cats.  Suddenly, my two cats have a strong appetite for fresh herbs. 

One day, I was watching TV when the one cat hopped up on my lap and began licking my face and I caught a strong scent of onion from her.  It was very unusual and peculiar.  I did not put two and two together until I saw her nibbling on my herbs in my Aerogarden. 

I now have to keep one eye on the Aerogarden to watch for pesky cats until the makers of the Aerogarden come out with a cat proof version. 

In looking in the instructions that Aerogarden sends with the herbs, there were a few interesting recipes that I am going to have to try in a few weeks.  They were very simple recipes and could be prepared quickly and something that a family on the go (like mine)  would enjoy.

I’ll  keep you readers posted as I continue to explore the Aerogarden.      

The Philadelphia Soul is an AFL Football team, for those that may not know.  I am a season ticket holder.  I have been now for a few years.  My wife and I go and have a great time.  We don’t get many dates out together much and this is one thing we both look forward to.

So we went to yesterday’s game and while in the main concourse we were stopped by a gentleman asking if we would be interested in “upgrading” our tickets.  I was skeptical at first, one because it seemed like an odd question and two, I really like where my season tickets are located.

The guy started to explain that we would be sitting down behind the end zone.  Again, I was reluctant because I have sat in end zone sections and I am not a big fan watching the game from those end zone seats because of the net and uprights that can be in your line of sight.  Then as the guy went through his explanation, I started to put two and two together and realized, before he even said the words, that he was talking about the two recliner seats that are part of the Aarons Lucky Dog seats that are in the end zone, below the uprights and the netting.  These seats are almost like sitting on the field. 

Of course my wife and I said yes and before the game started we were led down under the Wachovia Center and guided to the seats.  We then were introduced to Melissa (one of the game hosts) and briefed as to what will happen when she speaks to us and we are presented to the crowd.  My wife was nervous.  She is not someone that enjoys all eyes on her.  After our promo appearance we were able to relax and enjoy the game. 

I have to say that I always wondered what one had to do to win those seats and now I know that it is totally random and being lucky.  What a great way to watch a game. 

From those seats we saw tons of action, got close to the players and action on the field.  At the end of the game, for the last 3 minutes of the game, Soulman (the team mascot) sat with us and cheered on the Soul as the won their 5 game in a row this season. 

Rewatching the game (I DVR’d it) and putting it in perspective, it was not a very interesting game, it was a rather dull game.  Many penalties by both teams, Moten and Mance did not play well defensively for the Soul, in my opinion, and on field action was rather tame.  But being down there in those seats made it one of the best games I have ever attended. 

Thanks to the Soul for such a great promotion and giving to average fans the best seats in the house. 

This weekend the family and I went down to Chincoteague Virginia and searched out possible places to rent during the week of Pony Penning.

For those of you that don’t know what Pony Penning is, it is when the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department round up the wild ponies on Assateague Island, which is right across the water, and swim them across to Chincoteague where they will auction them off. This is for thinning the herd and for the fire department to raise money.

I have been going to Chincoteague for about 30 years now and I really have not been back for Pony Penning in nearly 10 years. I have been avoiding all the tourists. But now that my own family is coming of age, I want them to experience the event.  It really is something that everyone should experience at least once.

I have to say that I am looking forward to it. Like I said, I have not been there during a swim in years and I want to pass this down to my kids. My parents took us down there almost every year. My aunt and uncle have a place down there and we would all crash there. Then as more and more of us went, their house filled up and we had to find other places to rent.

The island is filled with history and character and there are little quaint shops and there is always something to do.  It is nice going down when there are no events happening on the island.  I know that their main source of income is tourism but there is something spectacular about going down when it is the off season.

One day, I am going to buy a house down there.

I love it. It is my second home.

I can’t wait for July.

Hey, this is a fun one! Heddy over at When Life Hands You Lemons… tagged me with a meme that involves rocking to your ipod.  So, I have my iPod classic on shuffle, here goes!

The Rules:
1. Put your iTunes/ music player on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER WHAT(this is in capital letters, so it is very serious. No hiding your showtunes, folks!)

After you’ve answered all of the questions, tag 5 other people and then let them know they’ve been tagged to do the meme themselves!

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Love Her Madly - The Doors

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
With A Little Help From My Friends - The Beatles

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
All Shook UP - Elvis Presley

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Just What The Doctor Ordered - Ted Nugent

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - The Beatles

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Champange Supernova - Oasis

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crue

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Beverly Hills - Weezer

WHAT IS 2+2?
Touch Me - The Doors

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
At This Moment - Bille Vera and the Beaters

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night - Bon Jovi

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Heaven Laughs - The Hooters

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Wild Side - Motley Crue

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Even the Losers - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Bing Crosby

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Icky Thump - The White Stripes

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Work This Out - High School Musical 2

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Scooby Doo - Kidz Bop Kids

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

Here There and Everywhere - The Beatles

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

Birdman - The Hooters

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?

That’s All - Genesis

So, now to tag….

Teeni, Kara, Rusty, Red, and Calamity

I spent another day wandering around Seattle.  This morning I took in the Pike Place Market.  It truly is a unique place.  I have been to many Markets but none compared to this place.  I spent the better part of the morning taking it all in.  The variety of merchants is overwhelming.  Also mixed throughout is the musicians.  They are scattered throughout the market playing piano, guitar, violin, and clarinet to name a few.  Of course the experience is not complete until you witness the fish throwing.  While you are so focused on the guys tossing yard long fish they somehow slyly slip and overthrow into the unsuspecting crowd causing people to scream and/or leap out of the way of what turns out to be just a stuffed hammerhead shark.  I do have to admit that I was on the receiving end of this fish throw prank.  It did surprise me and no I did not scream.  I did catch it and as it was coming at me the thought that cats would be following me all the rest of the day did enter my mind. 

After the Market I traveled across town to Pioneer Square to take the Underground Tour.  This was a very interesting tour of the city below the city.  Long story short, they built the city, had a fire and rebuilt the city over the ruins.    Underground you can find the original entryways into the city buildings.  It was very educational and entertaining.  The tour guides give the history of Seattle and how it grew into the city it is today. 

Some of the other things I have taken in today is the Umbrella Statue and the first Starbucks.  Unfortunately, I will not have much time the rest of the week to play since I have to work so I am fortunate that I had the opportunity today to cram in as much as I can.  

I am tired and I am worn out but I am much better for taking in as much of this beautiful city as I can. 

I took some time today to visit Seattle and my first stop was to the Space Needle.  While the weather was not the greatest to where I could see Mt Raineir, I did have wonderful views from the top.  I was able to look out over the Puget Sound and the city of Seattle at a height of 605 feet.  The one thing that amazed me was the stability of the Needle.  I have been to the top of several tall buildings like the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Empire State Building in NYC and in almost all of them you could feel the building sway.  Today was a pretty windy day and I did not feel any sway whatsoever. 

There is something amazing about being able to see a city from up high.  There is a certain peace that seems to befall the cities when viewing from above.  A person can almost feel godlike as they witness the activities of the people below who go about their daily routines not knowing or realizing that they are being watched over from above. 

After I came down from the Space Needle I took a walk around the area and as I was walking along the water I was directed by a local that the houseboat out on the water was the same one that was in the movie Sleepless in Seattle.  I tried to act interested and appreciative of his pointing out this local fact but in reality I have never watched this chick flick to know if he was telling the truth or pulling my leg.  I guess now I will have to watch the movie to find out the truth. 

Speaking of Sleepless, I woke up at 4:30 am local time since I am not yet used to the time change.  My body thought it was 7:30 am Eastern still.  Even in Seattle, there is not much going on at 4:30 am. 

I have hit 100 Posts on this blog experiment.  I have gone through my last 99 posts and it was interesting to read through this journey, this experiment of mine.  When I first started I was not sure what I would write about and how this would blog would progress.  Interestingly enough, material seems to present itself in most cases.

In my 100 posts I have found some interesting friends/readers. 

I went back and found that I wrote some pretty funny things.  I crack myself up.  I guess that I am easy to amuse.  I hope you all have found some enjoyment from this little blog.  What a long strange trip it has been.

Here is to looking forward to the next 100 posts. 

Search engine terms.  This is a stat that WordPress keeps for you on your Dashboard page.  Reading the search engine terms that draw traffic to my blog is at times very amusing.  Below is a listing of several in the past few weeks that have drawn people over to my blog.   I was inspired by a few others I read regularly who have posted their search engine terms recently.

“How to control Mad Man” - if this is an issue of yours then you need the police, not Google

“What rhymes with squirrel” - Good question.  Karnack I am not.

“Where does cereal come from” - A cereal box idiot!!!!  Everyone knows that!

I get tons of hits from scabs and several about teabagging and teabaggers, go figure.

There seems to be a lot of folks confused about toilet paper.  Here are several of the more humorous search engine terms used….

“How to put Toilet Paper on Toilet Parer Roll” - you can use a computer but you can’t put a roll of TP on the holder? 

“Replace Toilet Paper” - another genius

“Toilet Ramblings” - is this really someones issue?  I thought I had issues

“Using toilet paper off the floor” - Toilet Ramblings is looking less astonishing right about now.  Why would you even want to consider using TP off the floor?  Get a fresh one off the roll.

This one surprised me - “Polish Black Slur” - WTF?  When have I ever come close to this?

“How does a shower work?” - I have a scary feeling that this one, even though they can use a computer and work the Internet, has never taken a shower. 

“How do I know my moles are normal” - You don’t.  People go to school a very long time for this.  They are called DOCTORS!

The Internet never ceases to amaze me.