It's April HNT!

It's finally April! My favorite month of the year! Lots of things to look forward to:

• April is Jazz Appreciation Month.
• Nine (well, ten) of my favorite bloggers have birthdays this month! (plus an additional five within the first week of May!) And another handful of real-life friends!
  
• The National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C runs through April 12th.
• The Masters starts up next week!
• Easter Sunday is less than two weeks away.
• The 113th Boston Marathon happens on April 20th
• Earth Day is on April 22nd.
• Arbor Day is on April 24th.

Of course, there's dozens of meaningless things that are celebrated in April, but the good things all stand out. And in Montana, that means that spring is just around the corner!

I have always loved this month. When I was teaching it was the most intense time of year for the various musical groups I had (festival time). It was also the light at the end of the tunnel. The weather starts to get nicer, the birds start coming back, the days are getting noticeably longer, and people are coming out of their winter funk.

Of course, one has to start out the month with April Fool's Day! Hope you weren't pranked too badly during the day. From one fool to another...

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Unfortunately, this isn't an April Fool's joke... I've got no Mystery Guest for you this week. If you've been one in the past, you're more than welcome to be one again! And for you newer ones, feel free to ask to be one!! No one is ever turned down, but I can't guarantee specific dates. I'm set for the next two weeks, but it's wide open after that!

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"...the Other HNT". Wow. Three years ago I was chatting with a couple of different bloggers, who had taken HNTs that they didn't feel comfortable posting on their own sites. This was back in the day when HNT was still a bit more tame than it's become. After hearing the same thing from different people, I posed the question to the masses--"was there interest in a separate anonymous site where they could post pictures that they wouldn't post on their own site?" Obviously, the response was positive enough to give it a shot.

OHNT was born. It started slowly, but steadily. And some people decided that they liked it enough that they'd take an extra shot while doing their HNTs, just for this new site. And people started to take note of it. Over the years, I don't think that there's ever been less than 3 participants in a week, and I believe the most ever has been about 20 (until this week).

The styles of pictures has evolved over the three years, too. I've only censored one picture in the three years, but it would fit in just fine with the current style today. As is true with HNT, I think that the participants have somewhat policed themselves quite well. Boundaries are constantly expanded, and if it's too far, then they get pulled back. I think that's a great thing.

Some people consider OHNT as porn. Some people look at it as a chance to put out a picture that's outrageous for them. Some people continue to provide quite artistic pictures. And that's the beauty of it. It may not be for everyone, but the opportunity is available for those who want to use it.

I'll end this by reposting the general terms for OHNT:

• This site is intended to showcase anonymous pictures from those who would rather not post HNTs on their own sites, or regular HNTers who would like to do something a little more risqué.
• This site is not intended to become a porn site of any kind!
• As the success of this site is dependent upon anonymity, if you should recognize someone, please keep it to yourself!

Congratulations to everyone who has participated. Those who have sent in one picture, and those who have sent in 77 or 67 (the current individual high numbers!). And to all of you who secretly sneak in over there to take a quick peek (individual high day was 12,000+ hits!). You've all shaped it into what it currently is. I'll keep things going as long as you want to keep it going!

This week we got almost 30 participants (including one who participated in the very first one!), and most of them are definitely NSFW. I think some of you notched things up a level for the occasion! They'll post at 12:01 MDT, and they all have the same posting time, so I have no idea which will come up first. Be aware that you might be greeted with something quite explicit! Thanks all!

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Look for a post, probably on Friday, updating you on my dad. I got the phone call from Mom this afternoon--"FYI, your father's in the hospital again..." Yeah, I'm thinking he should rent a room there. Not life-threatening, but he'll be there for a couple of days. More on Friday!

What I Bought at WalMart

I braved the snow and the cold yesterday and went to WalMart (eeeek!). Didn't find what I was there for, but then I saw this album which was released Tuesday. Get thee to a store and buy it! It may not be your regular cup of tea, but she is the most sensual singer I've ever heard. I've thought that for years. And this albums features Brazilian music, which is about as sensual as you can get. Put the two together, and, well, if you can't get laid while it's playing, you're hopeless...
Diana Krall--"Quiet Nights"--Buy it today!

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While you're at it, why not submit something to OHNT this week (even if you've never done it before!) Three years of naughtiness is quite a feat!

Other stuff, and TMI Tuesday #180

Seeing some old, familiar faces (well, not faces) joining in for the OHNT anniversary celebration. If you're interested in participating, please send something in before Wednesday morning! No special theme--just looking for numbers this week!

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I forgot to mention yesterday about the great movie lineup that AMC had on Saturday night. "Airport", "Airport '75", "Airport '77" and "The Concorde: Airport '79". Omigod. Does it get any better than this? One of the truly great things that happened in the 70s was the disaster movie. The "Airport" series. "The Towering Inferno". "The Poseidon Adventure". "Earthquake". The list goes on. All of them starred a variety of stars who were too 'big' for "The Love Boat" (truly, another disaster...). Bad scripts, predictable subplots, poor cinematography. Damn, I miss the 70s...

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Just as I got through bitching about the children's concert, I've come to realize that rehearsals start this Thursday for our last concert of the season in less than three weeks! For the past 5 years, we've offered an opera, but sparse in its design. Sometimes nothing more than props. This year, we're doing a full staging of Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro". Thank God Mozart was smart enough not to include trombones for this one! And the staging isn't part of my duties, so really, this will be a breeze of a concert for me. But rehearsals (which I still have to set up) start on Thursday.

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1. Have you ever sent or recieved a sext message? - Based on the variety of definitions found at the link, yes, I have received a sext message. More than once.
2. Have you ever made or recieved a booty call? - No. I've mentioned this before--I was born about 20 years too early. While I love the concept, I was brought up in a different time. I don't know that I could really 'do' a booty call.
3. Have you ever added or edited a word/entry to Wikipedia or Urban Dictionary or any other online reference? - I've never added/edited anything, but recently found that HNT can be found in Urban Dictionary!
4. At what age did you have your first consensual sexual experience? - I'm assuming something beyond kissing/fondling/experimenting... I believe I was probably about 15 or 16.
5. What has been the greatest age difference between you a consensual sexual partner? - Hmmm.... I'd have to say 10 years. Oops...nope...20 years. Hoping to do better... :-0

Bonus (as in optional): Why do you blog? - Started out as an excuse to actually write some things down. Now it's a vital social tool for me. Though I'd like to get back to some of the writing style I had in the early days.

Be sure to check out the rest of the TMIers!

Mish-Mash

Not a great weekend. Nothing bad really, other than the 6-8" of new wet snow that fell all day Sunday. Or the temps that aren't supposed to see 45° all week. We did have a family gathering (two, actually) to celebrate my youngest niece's 16th birthday. That was pretty good.

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I didn't mention last week that we had another performance on Friday. We put on a free children's concert for the district's 4th/5th graders. I'm all for putting on these concerts, as it very well may be the only time they'll ever hear a symphony orchestra. And many kids are inspired to play a musical instrument. In my mind, I know it's a good thing. BUT... I had to take a day off from work (no sort of personal leave or vacation), as well as leave early on Thursday to set the stage. Actually, I don't mind that. It's the programming that left me pretty uninspired.

These things are designed to introduce instruments, orchestral music, and the kids like to see their music teachers playing in the orchestra. The conductor and the music teachers work up lesson plans and play recordings of the pieces we're playing, so they've got a clue going in of what they're going to hear. Over the past two years, we've rented a pre-written production that's part drama, part music. While I can appreciate the use of actors, this piece of garbage that we did last week has soured me on doing any more in the future. No details about it, but during a 3 1/2 hour rehearsal Thursday night, a 90-minute run-through on Friday morning and the 75-minute performance, I played a TOTAL of perhaps 15 minutes. The tuba played minimally more than I did. A considerable waste of my time. Yes, we were paid a little bit of money (didn't make up for the lost day of work), and it's for a good cause, but it certainly put me in a lousy frame of mind for the weekend.

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Not all was bad. I got to spend some time receiving some lovely drunk texts. That was fun!

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Also had a nice long chat with a new-ish friend. That was fun, too!

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Big news...OHNT will be celebrating its 3rd anniversary this week. Not going to make a big deal out of it like I did with HNT's celebration last year, but if any of you are interested in sending in something, I'm hoping to get a zillion people this week! Or close to it, anyway.

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Did you know that if you use a hard boiled egg instead of a raw egg in a brownie recipe, they don't turn out quite right? Or...so I've heard...

Injury Report HNT

One doesn't expect injuries from the actual playing of a musical instrument. Sure, violinists often have to cut short their career due to the gross contortions their left arm has to endure to play, though proper training in their youth should be able to prevent that. Many a brass player has heard horror stories of marching band practices where someone zigged when they should have zagged, and they end up with a mouth full of mouthpiece, resulting in split lips, or even worse, missing teeth! Guitarists and violinists are always at risk of a string breaking in mid-performance, with the offending string snapping up and cutting some flesh, or maybe poking out an eye. There's many other similar situations, but not really due to normal playing circumstances.

I, myself, have gotten muscle cramps from playing bass guitar without warming up. Not something you think you'd have to do, but muscles are muscles. My fingertips have developed calluses from guitar strings (but that's a good thing). I've even split my lip wide open from getting hit by a rogue music stand (it's sort of a gross picture, so consider yourself warned...).

But as I mentioned in my last post, something happened to me for the first time in about 40 years of playing brass instruments. During intermission, I noticed that I had developed a blister on my upper lip! I've never done that! Not during 5-hr long gigs. Not during weekend-long chamber music orgies. And certainly not during a concert! But there was no mistake. I had a monster blister, right where my mouthpiece sits. Bernstein did it to me! I still had a second half of a concert to play, but it wasn't terribly taxing, so I suffered through it. I still hadn't seen it in a mirror, but I could feel it growing, even after the concert, knowing that it wasn't long before it would engulf my entire lip.

Know how, if you get a small grain of sand in your shoe, or a sesame seed stuck between your teeth, it always feels so much bigger than what it actually is? Well, same thing here. It may not look like much, but damn, it hurt like a bugger! You may not be able to see it well here, so click it to big it! And don't judge me--from MY side of things, it was HUGE!!!

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"50 years: here's a time when you have to separate yourself from what other people expect of you, and do what you love. Because if you find yourself 50 years old and you aren't doing what you love, then what's the point?"

~Jim Carrey

This week's Mystery Guest is celebrating her birthday (which should cut down on your guesses). If you don't know her already, she'll be revealed here Thursday afternoon!
Gotta reveal early here today. Our birthday girl is Evening! Stop by to wish her a Happy Birthday (and check out her birthday suit!) She's private, but you can click here to request an invite.

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Some good pictures over at "...the Other HNT" this week, as usual (don't forget--NSFW!). Next week will be the 3rd anniversary of OHNT, so if you'd like to celebrate by sending in something for over there, feel free! I hope to have the biggest turn-out yet next week!

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I've mulled it over, and decided NOT to do an Easter theme. The ideas for a theme were universally messy...

A Bunch of Stuff and TMI Tuesday #179

Concert went pretty well, overall. The biggest hassle was having to reset the entire stage set-up for each rehearsal, as well as the performance. It was a logistical nightmare. And it had to be switched out in 20 minutes or less so that there was no unscheduled downtime during rehearsals. Took 35 minutes the first time, but we didn't know exactly how we were doing things. Got it down to less than 15 for the performance, so I was happy with that. As for the performance, I didn't come away thinking it was our best effort of all time, but there were some great moments. Possibly my mind was soured by the fact that my stage crew (two guys) bailed on me late Sat. afternoon. Too late to find anyone else, so I had to tear down the stage by myself. Not really all that bad, except for the risers, which are a bitch on a good day. Got home around 1AM. Sliced my thumb open and bled like a stuck pig (I really have no idea what that means--but there's drops of my blood all over the stage). And something happened to me for the first time in over 40 years of playing brass instruments. But I'll save that for later...

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Some of you might have heard about the private plane crashing into the cemetery in Butte on Sunday, killing 14 people (7 kids). I've been asked if that was nearby. Butte is 60 miles south of here, but I know the area quite well. In fact, many of my dad's relatives are buried in that particular cemetery. Quite sad.

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Heard the words 'discharge', 'seepage', and 'drainage' this weekend. All in different conversations, and referring to different situations. Thank God none of them involved bodily processes.

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Speaking of bodily processes...why is it that grown men don't flush the urinal after using it?? In my area at work, there are maybe five of us that use the upstairs bathroom (one guy at least twice an hour). The youngest of us is 45. More often than not, it's not flushed. Do these guys do the same at home??? I may live somewhat like a bachelor, and I wouldn't eat off the bathroom floor, but I always flush. Do these guys wait for their wives to come in and do it for them? Or blame the kids? I don't get it...

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I don't understand how Burger King continues to get away with some of their commercials. Have you seen the one for the new BK Burger Shots? Those mini-burgers? The one with the "farmer of tiny stature"? I'm not sure if I should appreciate the concept, or be offended by the stereotype. Doesn't really matter. It hasn't gotten me to go try one.

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I remember a post I wrote in October about how generations of people don't know how to really pop popcorn (not microwaved, or in the hot air poppers). I whipped up a batch of popcorn (Orville Redenbacher's) about a week ago. I may never buy a box of the microwave stuff ever again.

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Mulling over the possibility of an Easter theme for HNT. Trying to work out the sacrilege of such a thing. You'll find out on Thursday what I decide.

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On to TMI:

1. Ever Googled a date, a potential date or an ex? - The last time I had a date, or a potential date, the internet hadn't been invented, let alone Google (sadly, I'm almost serious here...). However, I've Googled every ex I've ever had (I'm on good terms with all). And I've been known to Google the potential dates of some friends...
2. Do you gossip? - I think we all gossip. It's a matter of degree. Unfortunately, I'll say that I do enjoy getting the 'goods' on people. But I also like gathering information. I've often been the 'go to' guy when someone wants to know some little bit of info on somebody. I'm a hit at the class reunions! Generally though, I can filter what should or shouldn't be passed on. In my case, there's a big difference between gossip and secrets, and I think I do a pretty good (but not perfect) job in that area.
3. How many people do you completely trust? - This is a tough one. Trust involves far more than just telling someone a secret. It also involves the actions and reactions of one person with another. I've been burned many a time. Fault #1 of mine is that I'm too trusting. I have trusted a number of people, though I don't think any one person knows all there is to know. I would say that if I had to give a number to those I'd trust with secrets, it would be 3. Unfortunately, those who think they're one of those three, probably aren't, and those who don't realize it, are. If we're talking about trusting someone who will be there through thick and thin, who will stand by you without judgment, who will do what they say and say what they do--there's probably more.
4. Have you ever had sex in car? - Really? Who hasn't? Mind you, it's been a long time, but yeah,, I have. Not in a moving one though (not even as a passenger). Do buses count? There was this one time, on the way to band camp...
5. What is your best flirting technique: innuendo, telling a dirty joke, talking about sex life, or physical contact? - None of the above? What ever happened to honest chit-chat and discussion? That's been the only real 'technique' I've ever needed. Either that or getting the girl drunk as a skunk (j/k...).

Bonus (as in optional): How many times is the most you have ever had sex in a 24 hour period? - I should avoid any "with another person?" jokes. I would have absolutely no idea. Probably more than three, and way less than ten. Really, who counts these things?

Be sure to check out the rest of the TMIers!

Wish us luck!

The third part (of three) of Bernstein's "Symphonic Dances". I might get around to surf, but no promises. Chatting and emails pretty much on hold until Sunday (except for you, you, and possibly you...).

The Day After HNT

It started at O'Toole's at 8:00 in the morning. I told myself I'd limit things to 2 green beers and one shot of whiskey (Jameson's). After all, I had to go to work later on, and then go to a symphony sectional rehearsal (I'll go to work a little lit, but not rehearsal!). Well, the two beers and a shot took me up to about 8:15. I ended up leaving the bar shortly after 10:00. You can do the interpolation as to about how much I consumed.

I'm happy to say that I made it through work, some bloggy stuff, and the rehearsal. The green beer does a number on one's digestive system, I can tell you that. All the way up to my eyeballs! Not sure who gave me the beads. I don't think I did the Mardi Gras thing to get them though. But one never knows...

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"For every wound, a balm.
For every sorrow, cheer.
For every storm, a calm.
For every thirst, a beer."

~Author Unknown

This lovely lass is all for sharing everything, except her identity. Instead, enjoy a Guinness!

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Some newer "faces" over at "...the Other HNT" this week. Still NSFW, but take a chance and visit your HNT friends over there!

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Sort of a lame HNT this week because of the immense amount of work I'm doing right now. Feeling much better about my personal playing, but the rest of the orchestra makes the trombones nervous, and I won't even get into the stage set-up nightmare. I'll be scarce until Sunday. Have a great weekend! I leave you with the second part of the "Symphonic Dances" (my favorite part of the piece!).

Not Today...

No TMI today. Too many secrets....

No new post today. Too many green beers this morning...

Busyness Abounds

It's going to be a busy, busy week! I know I've been looking forward to this concert all season. It's difficult. It involves a complete stage change between the first and second halves (including the last three rehearsals, too). All these things point to a very busy symphony week, yet it didn't occur to me until last night that this is THAT week! I've got rehearsals every night except Wednesday (when I'll be hunched over my computer with HNTs). I've got to organize my work crews and the homeless guys who help me do part of the loading. Basically, I'm caught by surprise this week. I'll try to get around as much as I can...

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The NCAA brackets have been announced and everyone is already speculating. Me? Don't care in the least. Don't come here if you're looking for thoughts or recaps!

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Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day. Due to the above-mentioned busyness, I'm not going to do much in the way of celebration. Though I will be down at O'Toole's when they open their doors at 8AM and get the first green beer out of their tap. I had a 15+ year streak of getting that first green beer that was interrupted these past two because of, you guessed it, symphony rehearsals (I'll go to work inebriated, but not a reherasal!). You can go back in the archives from 2005 to see the fun from years past.

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Today is St. Urho Day. It's celebrated heavily in Butte (as well as the more popular St. Patrick's Day). To all my Finnish fans, Happy St. Urho Day!

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There's probably more stuff to write about, but I'm busy. I'll leave you with the first part of three videos of Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story". It's the most difficult piece we'll be doing. I'll do the other two parts later this week. Watch how much fun Bernstein has when he's doing this!

Ta-daa!

For your entertainment. Not for the squeamish. Enjoy!

Springtime in the Rockies HNT

There have been many of you, particularly in Texas or the southeast, extolling virtues of the lovely spring-like weather you're enjoying. Make no doubt about it--we have it up here too!

Record breaking temperatures - Just in the opposite direction that some of you have been experiencing.
Blue, sunny skies - For those who haven't experienced it, -3°F in full sunshine is much warmer than -3° under cloudy skies.
Nice, gentle breezes - Which makes the -3°F feel more like -20°F or colder. With or without sunshine.
Low humidity - Which makes the snow that falls impossible to clump together (no snowmen, snow angels or snowball fights). It is powdery, and blows all over the place. Fueled by the "nice, gentle breezes".
Occasional showers - Which means just enough snow to keep everything white. The benefit of the "low humidity" is that the streets actually stay fairly bare and dry.
That fresh, spring smell - Around here, that would be the car exhaust from the cars running for 10 minutes to warm up before even thinking of driving. No other smells are possible because the snot has frozen in your nostrils.
Birds chirping and flowers blooming - I'm not sure where the birds hang out in this weather, but the grass, trees and flowers don't even consider blooming until the end of April, if we're lucky. But the last of the remaining dead leaves falling on the accumulated snow makes for a nice contrast.

So enjoy your spring-like conditions. Revel in them. Enjoy them. Remember what they were like come this August!

This was taken Tuesday night around midnight. The flash obliterates one's breath, but with a little playing, you still get the idea. Yes, I was almost that blue.

Temperature: -9°F.
Winds: Calm.
Moon: Almost Full.
Standing basically naked on your balcony taking a series of pictures to make a point: Priceless.

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"The human body has two ends on it: one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of the pants."

~~Roger Von Oech

"Youth is like spring, an over praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes. Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits."

~~Samuel Butler

This Mystery Guest will be revealed on Thursday afternoon. Be sure to stop back to see who it is!
This lovely curve belongs to Autumn! Some of you might have caught that already on her site. If not, go check her out! She'll be moving to new digs soon!

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Apparently the wait for Spring is wearing thin on some. "...the Other HNT" is full of people who have shed their layers, unable to take it any more! Fewer in number than the past few weeks, but it's quality, not quantity! Most definitely NSFW this week! Stop by and leave a few comments around!

TMI Tuesday #177

Some of you mentioned you wanted to see some pics of the explosion. Click here to get to the Bozeman newspaper's website. Down a ways on the left sidebar is a slideshow of pictures. They are in reverse chronological order, so the pictures from Thursday are at the end. Some pretty interesting pictures! And to answer the question...Bozeman is about 90 miles southwest of here.

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1. Are you pro-marriage? Why or why not? - Count me as old-fashioned. I'm very much pro-marriage. In spite of the fact that I doubt I'll ever get to experience it. My family has a history of strong marriages, with only one divorce through all the generations of both sides of my parent's families, including the cousins and all. It's just something that has never been a contentious or bad thing. I'm not really qualified to pontificate (say it ain't so!), but today's culture is that of immediate gratification, disposable goods, and lack of accountability. I think the institution of marriage has suffered because of it. Do I think that "test-driving" a relationship by living together is OK? Absolutely. Do I think it should be a federal law that no person may be married before the age of 30? Without exception!!!
2. Have you ever invented or thought you invented a sexual position? - Only the ones that resulted from a sudden charlie horse or a cramp. Those result in all sorts of new positions!
3. Do you like to be tied up? Always or sometimes? - Not really overly experienced in this, but I think it would be fun from time to time, depending on the experience. I think the first time it was really abused, I'd never do it again.
4. Do you consider online cybering adultery? - Again, I might be a bit old-fashioned, but yes. But the moral pendulum has swung way over to accepting that sort of thing these days. I think if it's something that both partners are OK with, then maybe it isn't. But I think that if you're participating in sex with someone who is not your partner, it's adultery, even if it's "just online". Sort of in the same way that kids justify that they're not having sex if they've never had intercourse. After all, the President said it's not sex... Yeah. Right.
5. Do you prefer masturbation over real sex? - Well, seeing as how that's the only 'real sex' I'm getting these days, then I'd say yes...
6. Do you want sex more times a day than your partner? - These days, I'm my own partner, so the question doesn't quite work. But I'll answer this by going back to the old days. Oh, hell yeah.
7. Do you get offended when you partner openly flirts with others or are you okay with it? - This is a toughie. I do have a bit of a possessive streak in me, so getting jealous of that can/has happened. On the other hand, I've had partners that I'd go to parties with that would head one way and I the other, to flirt with everyone else. We often wouldn't meet up again until we were at the door to leave. Drove people nuts. It worked for us though. We both knew that we'd be goig home together when we left.
8. Do you think you're flirty by nature? - Absolutely. You should see some of the things that were scribbled in my junior high yearbook pages. I have a long, long history of being a flirt. With the exception of about 10 years where I rarely spoke to a woman. Long story--won't go into it. Some of you know that story. But I'd say that I definitely have my mojo back!

Be sure to check out the other TMIers!

I'm Fab!

My blog has been deemed Fabulous by the equally fabulous Britni! I've been reading her for close to four years now. Though she's not a regular HNTer, she was one of the early-day participants, and has the distinction of a couple of "firsts" in HNT history! You really should check her out on a regular basis. Funny, open, unabashed, intelligent, and someone I definitely plan to meet when OsTour hits Florida (might have to make that a month-long excursion--there's alot of you down there!). Anyway, here's what I have to do: 1) I must list my five addictions, and 2) I must pass this on to 5 fabulous blogs. I haven't decided on that second part yet. Guess I will before I post! In no particular order:

1. M*A*S*H - I never watch network TV anymore. Couldn't even tell you what's on. But you can be sure to find M*A*S*H reruns somewhere during the day. I think I've seen every episode. At least 5 times. Probably 10. I can generally tell within the first 15-20 seconds of the episode what the story line is, who any guests are, and then recite the script. I'm glad to say that I'm cutting back, though. House and N.C.I.S. reruns are taking me away...
   
2. Apple - I'm a Mac guy down to the core. I don't understand why anyone still bothers with PCs anymore. Apple has always had the cool "must-have" gadgets, and I've got them, even if I don't need them (except the iPhone--no AT&T up here). I look forward to the conventions, and the roll-outs of new toys. I like reading the rumors and sneak-peeks. I LOVE reading criticisms from PC users who have never actually played around on a Mac, and the praises from PC users who have switched.
   
3. Diet Coke w/lime - On a normal day, I can put down at least 4 cans, and often a full six-pack. Currently trying to cut back, but it ain't easy!
   
4. Chocolate milk - While I won't make a special trip to the store for it, it is ALWAYS in my cart when I'm grocery shopping. If I could only drink one thing for the rest of my life, this would be it. And that beats out beer, too!
   
5. Mom's potato salad - I have mentioned in earlier posts that no one makes potato salad as good as my mom's (her mom's came in a close second). I could (and have) eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
   

There you have it. Not going to pass it on. All of you have fabulous blogs! Though I reserve the right to change my mind later today...

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The ever pixie-ish Rachel batted her big brown cyber-eyes at me and asked that I mention a petition she's got on her site and to get people over there to sign it. It's the blinking link at the top of her sidebar.

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Short turn-around for symphony. We already have another rehearsal tonight. As much as I'm looking forward to this concert musically, it's going to be hell logistically. Too many musicians, too little space. I'm sure I'll be voicing my opinions as we go!

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Lots of excitement at the end of the week last week. On Thursday morning, over a half of a city block in downtown (Main Street) Bozeman was destroyed due to explosion from a gas leak. Two bars, a restaurant and another business were totally destroyed (one of the bars was a fixture for the college crowd back in the day--not that I would know about that...). The explosion was at 8:10AM, before the real bustle of the day, so no one was even injured, though one woman is reported as missing. Then on Friday, just 60 miles to the west, an explosion ripped through a couple of businesses in Whitehall (where I used to teach!). Again, no one was injured, though the real damage came from the fire afterwards, rather than the explosion. There was a 4.2 earthquake centered about 2 miles south of town, though it's not known if that was related to the later explosion. Lots of excitement though!

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In spite of switching to Daylight Saving Time, spring is still a distant mirage around here. It's cold, windy and a little bit snowy. Not like other parts of the state that got over a foot of snow over the weekend, but still. Can't wait to get to April!

A Return HNT

I don't think that my HNT this week will generate the same reactions as last week's smoking/non-smoking one!

In a prior life (pre-blogging), I used to do some part-time teaching at Carroll College here. Nice, small, Catholic school with a great reputation. And a terrific football team over the past 8 years. The basketball team has made it to the national tournament for the past couple of years, too. I used to teach a little music theory, and I resurrected a small pep band for football and basketball games. In fact, that's how I came to know Moose! Anyway, after over 10 years of doing that, I left for a couple of reasons. Interestingly, since leaving, I really haven't had much to do with Carroll. Other than follow the football team.

There have been 3 people who have been leading the band since I left. All former students of mine from the band who have graduated. The current one is a trumpet player who has been doing it for 2 years. She's actually been much more 'into' it than I was. Where I was involved in finding new music, and writing and polishing it, she has actually raised some money during her tenure and bought some much-needed equipment, etc. She texted me over the weekend and asked if I'd be willing to sit in to play bass with the band during their last game of the year (playoffs, ya know). It will be only the second time I'll have actually heard the band since leaving. I know most of the music will be the same, but there's some new stuff, I'm sure. So Thursday night, I'll be sightreading some charts, and playing Betsy, my bass (for newbies--yes, I name my musical instruments). It's been too long. I'll be dressed a little more than I am here, though...

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"The basic Female body comes with the following accessories: garter belt, panti-girdle, crinoline, camisole, bustle, brassiere, stomacher, chemise, virgin zone, spike heels, nose ring, veil, kid gloves, fishnet stockings, fichu, bandeau, Merry Widow, weepers, chokers, barrettes, bangles, beads, lorgnette, feather boa, basic black, compact, Lycra stretch one-piece with modesty panel, designer peignoir, flannel nightie, lace teddy, bed, head."

~~Margaret Atwood

This week's Mystery Guest is working on that list...
Come back Thursday afternoon to find out who she is!

Our nicely accessorized MG is M from "Rumblings and Bumblings"! She's gone private for right now, but email her for an invite if you need one. If you're already in, be sure to stop by and say hi!

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"...the Other HNT" is a little more NSFW this week, but not too terribly bad. Come check out your fellow HNTers, if you dare! (then let us know you visited!)

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My complaints with Haloscan are well documented here (and by many of you!). Less problematic has been Blogrolling.com, though they've basically been functionally unavailable for months after they were hacked. Rather than come back with just patched bugs, they've completely rebuilt things from scratch. They've brought things back online this week, though there's still a glitch or two. If you check out my blogroll in my sidebar, you'll see a new look. No longer alphabetical, but apparently listed in the order that they were added. Which is certainly a revelation! Ignoring the fact that I have to look for specific links, I've found that there are dozens of sites that I haven't visited literally in years! Case in point...a woman in her late 40s who did HNT. She was suffering from a rare, but rapidly fatal case of brain cancer. She quit HNT in May 2007, and her regular blog's last entry was late July 2007. Makes one wonder if her family knew about either blog. It's an interesting history of the development and participation in HNT. There's 611 links under the HNT roll. If I hadn't cleaned up many dead links about a year ago, it would be closer to 900. The top links are those who got things going around here. Most of whom you wouldn't recognize. But there's a few that you might! And there's alot of old friends up there that I need to go back and reconnect with. I do hope that they fix the alphabetical part soon though...

Enjoy

Sometimes you just run across a site by accident, and through fate, or whatever reason, it continues to come back to haunt you over and over. Enjoy.

TMI Tuesday #176

1. Is there a sexual act/position/practice that you were sure in advance you would hate (or never try) and then discovered to your surprise you loved? - None that I'm aware of.
2. Is there a sexual act/position/practice that proved a lot less interesting in practice than you thought it would be beforehand? - None that I'm aware of.
3. How do you let your significant other know you're in the mood? How do you let a new person in your life know? - Similar answer to one from a few weeks ago---I'm breathing?
4. How does your significant other let you know he/she is in the mood? - Still trying to figure that one out.
5. Is there one that got away - a sexual opportunity you didn't realize was one at the time, or weren't ready for and regret missing ever since? - Well, there's a whole string of those from high school. And what's made it worse is that the ladies in question have made it known to me that the opportunities were there. Hindsight is much better than 20/20. Since then, there's probably been a few. Definitely think there have been a couple opportunities within the past year...

In spite of my lame answers, be sure that you check out everyone else who TMIed! I can almost guarantee that there's better answers out there!

Willie Wonka Would Be Impressed/Weekend Stuff

I always imagined that Willie Wonka must have had some sort of machine that could spray chocolate. Go spray a rabbit to make chocolate Easter bunnies. Or go out to the forest and spray some chocolate Christmas trees. A wonderfully spectacular machine. Ladies and gentlemen--I am that machine. I have been up most of the night running to the bathroom on an eerily regular basis. Something I ate last night certainly hasn't agreed with me. My apologies to those who came here as the result of a Google search...

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I had planned to go to bed early-ish last night (unrelated to what was going to be happening), but I got the wild idea of checking something out on YouTube. What a mistake THAT was! I've mentioned before that I don't really hang out there, but when I do, I end up clicking on all the other related videos, and soon have 10 windows of videos waiting for me, all with their own related video links, and so on and so forth... I won't bore you with all that I saw, but I keep forgetting what a truly talentless hack I am when I see some of the talent that is out there.

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Big news from my departed beer drinkin' buddies. Rachel had a birthday on Friday. She's getting old(er). It's nice to have company! Moose damned near killed herself in a vehicle rollover on Saturday morning. She's OK (no injuries, anyway), but the prognosis isn't very good for the car.

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Symphony concert went...OK. Maybe less than OK. From the standpoint of the trombones, it was a good concert. We played well. But there were some MAJOR mistakes made by some of the principal players--solos botched, solos missing, getting lost...you name it, it happened. I don't know if it was a matter of fatigue, or unfamiliarity with the music, or what the excuses were. Regardless, it certainly wasn't our best outing of the season. That's not to say that there weren't any special moments, because at times, it was outstanding. I just hope that we fare much better in our next concert (Bernstein!).

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I need a Mystery Guest for this week. First one to email me and tells me they want to be it, the position is yours!

Happy Birthday, and Grrr.....

Go wish Rachel a Happy Birthday!!

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If comments don't appear, it's not my fault... Haloscan is being pissy once again. Actually their new company is. And it's not just my site. How hard can it be, really???

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This should not be allowed during the winter months...

Despondex

Is there anyone that you can think of who might benefit from this?? (miss ya, Smiley!)


FDA Approves Depressant Drug For The Annoyingly Cheerful

Marlboro Man HNT

"It was a d*rk and st*rmy night..." (I don't want that to show up on searches...). I was hunched over my laptop on Saturday night, getting a little frustrated with HTML and templates, etc., when I looked up at the TV. I wasn't watching it...it was a nice, dull distraction, keeping the melodies from two long rehearsals from playing over and over in my head. I don't know what the movie was, but it was an older one in black and white. The scene that I saw was of a crusty novelist hunched over his typewriter, pecking out word after word, with only the pause to return the carriage (for those of you who have never used a real manual typewriter before, you have no idea how automatic that becomes when you hear "the bell"!). In the dark. Unshaven face, disheveled hair. With a glass of sour mash by his hand, and a cigarette dangling from his lip. And cheesy music. An inspiration was born!

So I went out that night and did something for the very first time in my life--I bought a pack of cigarettes. Marlboros (ah, what a lasting effect those old Marlboro Man ads have...). I wanted to recreate this same scene, but modernize it a bit. Couldn't do the hair, and I spaced out the booze, but I was still hunched over my laptop! I lit up, and started taking pictures...

That's what my initial HNT inspiration was. What it really came to was this...how do smokers do this??? I am not going to go into an anti-smoking rant here. We're all old enough that it's not going to make any difference. Either you do and know you shouldn't, or you don't, and can't imagine ever starting. I spent $4.55 on a pack of cigarettes. I "smoked" two of them ("I didn't inhale," he said in his best Clinton-esque voice). My apartment smelled for two days. I showered before going to bed, and my fingers still smelled the next morning. I found cigarette ashes on my keyboard and around the general area. Smoke burned my eyes. I had a nasty case of dragon breath all night. I'm not sure, but I think I was a little woozy the next day. There was not a single pleasant thing associated with the entire experience.

I grew up with half of the family smoking. Both my grandfathers smoked (but it's not what caused their deaths). I seem to remember my mother's mom smoking too, but only when I was pretty young. Dad smoked cigarettes until an unexplained (to us) switch to a pipe (mmm....Borkum Riff....) when I was in junior high. Second hand smoke never really has bothered me. However...to my parents--my eternal gratitude for striking me with the fear of God if they were to ever catch me lighting one up!

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"A person is disposed to an act of choice by an angel in two ways. Sometimes, a man's understanding is enlightened by an angel to know what is good, but it is not instructed as to the reason why. But sometimes he is instructed by angelic illumination, both that this act is good and as to the reason why it is good."

~St. Thomas Aquinas

This angel will be revealed late Thursday afternoon!
If you didn't already figure it out...this angelic MG is Angel, from "Secret Desires"! Stop by and say hi!

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"...the Other HNT" is NSFW, but still worth a look! Be sure to leave some comment loving for your fellow HNTers!

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More symphony stuff coming up from now through the weekend. Of course, the weather gods took note of that and I got to load the equipment truck in the snow and the wind. It'll be cold and windy during all of my loading/unloading. And I never found my keys...

Ugh...I've got nothing...

Spent most of the day looking for some keys I 'lost' on Monday. The frustrating part is that I know exactly when I last used them (Monday afternoon), and I was only in my car, my apt., and the equipment truck between the time I used them and when I realized they were missing. Not a major thing, but I'll have to replace a padlock, and ask someone for a key to a church closet where we store some equipment. And you know I'll find them after all is said and done...

Got home very late after rehearsal Monday night. Had rehearsal in a different venue, which means I had to supply everything for the rehearsal. Chairs, stands, percussion...the whole nine yards. Which also meant loading it all back up in the truck afterwards (good news--the truck is running fine right now. woohoo!). By the time I got home (late), I checked emails and went to bed. Took a look at TMI, but I couldn't come up with any sort of answers--too much thinking required.

And now you get this lame post. The good news is that I took my HNT over the weekend (and did something for the very first time in my life!). But the focus of what my motivation was has changed, and the post will follow a different tangent. That happens at times...

Things...

Have you ever noticed that in the movies, when a person is pushed or falling from a building, they almost always land dead center on the roof or windshield of an unlucky car? I assume this is done for the best movie effect, but wouldn't it be so much better if the body fell a bit off-center, allowing for far more gore and damage?

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I heard a new GEICO ad on the radio where the guy rented himself a 'studio audience' for the weekend with the money he saved. Properly cued to laugh at all the right times. I was thinking it would be wonderful to have even more of that sort of thing in real life. Appropriate music to forewarn us of impending danger, cartoon-ish sound effects for daily pratfalls, and of course, a variety of rimshots to accentuate the punchline of your favorite joke! (cue the audience!) Sounds like some new applications that need to be written for the iPhone...

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The tulips from Moose opened up, died, and the petals fell--all in the span of 24 hours over the weekend. It was really amazing to watch! Still looked good for the week that they were here though!

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Academy Awards were on tonight. Does anybody really care anymore?

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It's seven weeks until Easter, and I've already had my first Cadbury's Egg! Did you know that when you get one this early, they're not sticky or stale or anything? MMMmmmm! On top of that, it's Girl Scout cookie season! Does it get any better than that??

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Spent some time this weekend working on a blog template. I prefer getting into the HTML side of things, and always learn something new when I do that. Turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself (though there's some tweaking left to do). No, not this blog.

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Started symphony week this past Friday with a couple of rehearsals over the weekend. I went in fairly unprepared, and uninitiated, though my attitude improved after a couple of rehearsals. We're playing Mahler's 9th Symphony, which is a glorious work, but quite intense in its music. I'm not a big fan of Mahler (as a brass player, I should be ashamed of that), but there's stretches of this symphony where I'll struggle to keep my eyes open... Of course, those are offset by flashy brassy sections where we'll shine, but still... Anyway, I'll be in and out of the blogs all week.

Be My Valentine HNT

While running through a zillion ideas or so for this week, I found myself with an idea that brought out the following video. You don't have to watch the entire video. Just the first 40 seconds. It pretty much sets up my HNT.


I wasn't a recipient of any Valentines in the mail this year. I used to get one from my mom every year when they spent their winters in Hawaii. They don't do that anymore, so nothing from her. I did get the tulips from Moose, but they came early, and I don't think were specifically for VDay. I did get a couple of nice e-cards (thanks, ladies!), and a number of texts. However, I'm not complaining. It's been this way for a long time, and I'm used to it. And I DO feel the love from many of you on a regular basis, and isn't that what it's all about? Still...a card would have been nice...

(click here to see my SFW HNT--note the pouty lip...)

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"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow
of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath
borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how
abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims at
it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know
not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your
gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment,
that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one
now, to mock your own grinning? quite chap-fallen?
Now get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, let
her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must
come; make her laugh at that."

Shakespeare - "Hamlet"

This week's MG is the skull-loving cutie (and long-time HNTer) Robyn. Stop by and say hi!

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"...the Other HNT" continues to bring out the friskier HNTers! Be sure to check them all out! And be generous with your comments!

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Stop by the OsShirt site to read the latest adventures (ok, lastest as of 2 years ago...). New post went up tonight! If you're new to the site, start from the bottom and work your way to the top!

A Rant

I had an experience this weekend (actually, starting on Friday the 13th) that has completely opened my eyes to greed and corruption that I hadn't realized existed. Purchasing concert tickets. If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that I have usually had pretty good luck with purchasing concert tickets. Row 2 for Chicago, row 1 for Leanne Rimes, row 4 for James Taylor, row 6 for Blue Man Group, .... the list goes on. Until the "Great Elton John Ticket Fiasco". And his return concert. I've only tried to buy concert tickets once since then. But I had NO idea how bad things have gotten.

I have a friend that asked me to help her out with getting tickets to a particular show. A show that she promised her daughter that she'd get tickets for. A show that the daughter was elated beyond words to go see. The friend wouldn't have computer access, but I could be online before leaving for work. Sure. Great. No problem. She said she had tried with a pre-sale the day before, but they had all been sold out by the time she tried. No problem. I got on to Ticketmaster to familiarize myself with the concert, prices and times. I noted that there were about 5 or 6 different pre-sale promotions for this concert, it was in (what the business would call) a small venue, and the priciest ticket was $49.50 (not including fees...), so I'm figuring about $60 each. No problem. To include some friends, she wanted me to order 6 tickets. No problem.

Friday morning rolls around, it's seconds before 9:00 AM, and I'm feeling pretty good. At the stroke of 9, I'm logged in. I request 6 tickets, best seating, any price. I do the incredibly illegible captcha thing. It's "looking" for tickets. And I get the dreaded "we cannot find tickets to match your request" window. Fuck. I immediately go back and change to 4 tickets. Same thing. For 20 minutes this went on. I even went as far as to try just 2 tickets. Nope. I have failed. But here's where it gets worse.

I call my friend to let her know the bad news. She's distraught, and I'm feeling bad because I've let her down. "Go check eBay. Go check StubHub." I found tickets. Lots of tickets. Lots of sites with tickets to sell. There's plenty of tickets for this show. If you wanted to pay. We communicated back and forth, and she reluctantly said to try for the best I could do. And only order 2 tickets. The friends can fend for themselves. So I got online, and found that the prices were rising by the minute. There's plenty of story to tell, but for the sake of keeping it short...the final tally for TWO tickets that were advertised at $49.50 apiece--$388.00! And change. WTF???

Tickets: 2 x $161.00
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Discount: [3.00%] - $9.66
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SubTotal: $312.34
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Service Fee 2 x $30.59
Delivery: Standard Delivery $15.00
========== ==========
Total: $388.52
(Note: Total does not include any applicable state or local sales taxes.)

Where to begin?? The 300+% markup in the price of tickets? The whopping 3% discount (which I'm not sure why I was eligible)? The $76.18 tacked on for delivery and service fees?? I don't blame my friend for spending the money. Personally, I wouldn't do it. I don't need to go to a concert that badly, and have missed out on many for the same reason. But I'm not a parent. I'm sure that there's plenty of them out there who would do the same. What is truly nauseating are the actions of the ticket brokers. How can they get their hands on these tickets before the general public? Why should I have any problems getting online at the stroke of the hour and still not get tickets? I read an online article from the local newspaper that indicated that there were no actual tickets to be sold by the time they opened up to the general public. I don't know if that's true, but it certainly seems to be!

My friend will get to go to this concert, and she'll be there with her daughter. It will be a great mommy/daughter bonding thing. The daughter will have no idea nor care in the world about how her mother had to fork out big bucks. She'll probably want a t-shirt or something too. And my friend will climb the stairs to the second to last row (but dead center-ish), enjoy the concert with her daughter, and swap stories with the other parents around her who also forked out almost $400 (or more) for the experience. Ticket brokers are now, officially, the lowest form of scum in my book (well, just above Blogger commenting trolls, but that's still plenty low...).

Edit: I just did a quick online check for similar tickets for this concert...up to $190 each for poor seats, and into 4 figures for better ones. It's a crime.

OsShirt and TMI Tuesday #174

Did a little work on the OsShirt site. I'm about 18 months behind, but hope to get caught up soon. If you haven't read any of the posts, start from the bottom and work your way up! I've got everyone taken care of, right up to the mysterious disappearance of the original OsShirt. Enjoy!

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1. What is your favorite charity? - Do you you give your time or just money to that charity? I send money to the American Cancer Society (primarily due to Boobiethon). If you're talking about non-profits, as opposed to charities, then most of my time and money go to the symphony. Some goes to alumni associations (hard to think of them as non-profits, though...).
2. Describe your bed. What side do you sleep on? - Full-size, nothing fancy bed. Same headboard as from junior high (no, I haven't only had that one. just the one I'm using right now). I sleep somewhere between center and the right side, generally on my right side.
3. How important is a partners kissing ability? - I have always seemed to adapt to whatever kissing situation comes up, so I guess I'd say their ability isn't all that important. Now I have to go back and re-evaluate...
4. Have you ever "taken advantage" of a person under the influence of alcohol? Have you ever been "taken advantage" of while under the influence of alcohol? - I've never done that, I'm proud to say, though I've had ample opportunity. Same with being under the influence of prescription drugs...I was a good boy. I don't believe I've been taken advantage of (other than making me pay for all the drinks or food, or leaving a 50% tip in a restaurant...).
5. Ever tried to replay the famous scene from From Here to Eternity? How was it? - Never tried to do it on purpose, but it's happened once or twice. Turned out more like the end of Summer School (Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley rolling around with the dog trying to get in on the action).

Bonus (as in optional): What kind of birth control do you use? - Celibacy seems to be working pretty good right now.

Be sure to check out the other TMIers!

Doing my part to help...

I ran across this article titled "An eyeful a day keeps the doctor away". I'm happy that HNT is doing whatever it can to help men live longer lives!

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Sort of a lazy VDay weekend. Found myself being domestic. Sort of a pre-spring-cleaning thing. I did, however, treat myself to a king crab leg/sirloin steak dinner. Why should couples be the only ones to do a fancy VDay dinner?? Washed down with chocolate milk and Boston cream pie. Damn, I do love myself!

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Didn't mention over the past week or two that the symphony equipment truck died (once again...). The truck belongs to a gentleman whose furniture business has closed, it is parked at a construction company's lot (used for on-site storage when necessary), and we get free use of it as a donation. The short story--the symphony has finally authorized some repair money (maintenance is sort of a gray area here) to get the thing running semi-decently. Hopefully you won't hear me bitch about it anymore (but doubtful :-P ).

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Spent some of my weekend watching AMC. They're running their Oscar-winning movies all month, so there's no real ringers in the line-up (other than "An Officer and a Gentleman"--what a piece of trash THAT is/was!). Watched the first two "Godfather" movies (great VDay fare!), "Casino", "Fiddler on the Roof", and "Caddyshack" last night. Sprinkle in "Star Wars I & II" on Spike, and I was a happy camper. In between bouts of domesticity, of course.

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Surprisingly, my tulips are taking their sweet time in opening up.

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Fourth anniversary of HNT is coming up soon. Trying to come up with something to at least match last year's celebration. Email me if you have any great ideas...

She Rocks My World

In response to question #5, from this week's TMI.

Moose. She's a keeper!
(and she gives foot rubs!)

Things I Have to Go Thru For a Haircut HNT

Dana's most recent post regarding public humiliation was highly interesting. While her personal story, and the stories of those she mentioned, would seem elicit the more appropriate behavior ("don't do that anymore!"), it got me to thinking about if it would have a similar effect on me. And I came to the conclusion that it probably wouldn't.

I have had one major embarrassment in my life. I have alluded to some jail time in previous posts. No details on that, and ignoring the fact that I shouldn't have been there in the first place, there's nothing like having your name splashed in the headlines of the local newspaper (and subsequently, statewide...) to make one mind their 'p's and 'q's. However, beyond that, I don't embarrass. I tend to be proactive in that respect. Beat someone to the laugh at your expense, and the situation isn't so bad. I think that comes from years and years of being a performer. I have no problems at all making a complete and utter fool of myself in front of others. I don't take myself too seriously--neither should anyone else.

So I knew it was time to shave the head again. I went to see my favorite barber. A woman a few years older than me who has been cutting it for years, and is also a long-time volunteer for the symphony. I heard that she had a birthday last week, so I opted to give her a fun bday present. It's actually something she does anyway. Since all my hair was going to be coming off, I allowed her to play. Do whatever she wanted to do. What I didn't anticipate was that there was going to be an audience. All I could do was sit and take it. And be sure that she took pictures. Even when she cut and colored the VDay hearts in the side of my head. Here's the 'before', click for the 'after', and go here to check out the 'during'...

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Definition: A note or character of time, equivalent to two semibreves or four minims.

Definition: Any writ or precept under seal, issued out of any court.

Definition: A curved mark used commonly to indicate the short quantity of a vowel.

Definition: The great ant thrush of Sumatra (Pitta gigas), which has a very short tail.

Definition: Espresso made with half and half.

Our Mystery Guest will be revealed on Thursday afternoon. Be sure to check back then!
Well, if you haven't been by her site this afternoon, you might not know, but this week's MG is Breve! All the definitions above refer to her name. Stop by her site for another extra treat (you know how to find it!).

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We have a nice group of participants (including the return of two long-lost participants!) over at "...the Other HNT" this week. Still NSFW, but stop by anyway and support your fellow HNTers! Lot's o' commments, please!

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Got an email today with a link to a story about David, the kid in the video down below. If you haven't seen the video, be sure to do that, then check out the story. Thanks, Ella!

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For those of you who celebrate it--HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! For those who don't--have a good weekend!

The Fountain of Youth

For years I've had people underestimate my age, in spite of the gray hair. I've attributed that to my perky attitude, my healthy habits, and my rosy outlook on life. Now I find that it might be something completely different...

Divorce, Antidepressants, or Weight Gain/Loss Can Add Years to Your Face

It's a question surely as old as vanity itself: how can you look young forever? A forthcoming study in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery offers one surprising idea: as you age, don't be afraid to put on a few pounds. Fat, it turns out, can significantly smooth out wrinkles and give you a younger-looking face. (Read more...)

TMI Tuesday #173 (and some other stuff)

Not much going on to write about lately. Did absolutely nothing over the weekend, which was nice. Still having above average temperatures, so I'm not complaining there!

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Ooh! I baked cookies on Sunday. I haven't done that in longer than I can remember! Nothing like warm cookies from the oven!

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The thing I was waiting for in the mail last week finally showed. Woohoo! I love it when a plan comes together!

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Gas prices have gone up by a quarter in the past week. I think we bottomed out at $1.42, and are up to $1.68 now. Funny how we can complain about that, yet six months ago we were happy to find it at $3.50!

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Really wish I was more exciting this week...

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OH! Using a new Haloscan template! Not what I really want, but I think it'll work easier for you. It appears that you still have to type in your URL. Still a pain in the butt, but at least you won't be making the ridiculous typos from typing blind!

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1. What do you think is the un-sexiest part of the body? - If we're talking the male body, then it's (I'm sorry, ladies), the penis. It is the goofiest, dorkiest looking part of the male body, regardless of its state. Another proof that God has a sense of humor. As for the female body, I don't think there's a single part that I'd consider "unsexy". Honestly. Perhaps elbow skin is less sexy than other parts, but that's only if pressured to find something.
2. Toilet paper: over, under, or what the hell are you talking about? - Over. Period. End of discussion.
3. Have you ever called in sick to stay in bed with a sexual partner? - Never. Though I have been late to work due to similar circumstances.
4. Did your parents have a "birds & bees" talk with you? If so, at what age? - Mom had some sort of "talk" with me, probably when I was 11 or 12. I think there was a book involved, and she pointed at my crotch once. No naming of parts, or discussion of how some parts interacted with others. Sex ed in the Catholic school didn't do a very good job of that either. Dad, on the other hand, avoided the subject completely until I was 21, and I informed him that the 'girl du jour' and I were going to spend the night up at the cabin. He looked at me and said, "Be careful". And he wasn't talking about the bears...
5. What is one thing a someone could do to you to rock your world? - If it's a gift, I'm much more happy with something from the heart than I am with something glitzy and expensive. But I also love getting flowers. Hasn't happened too often. If we're talking about non-material things...ooh, I just read the question again. "To" me, not "for" me... Give me a good foot rub, and I'm yours forever!

Bonus (as in optional): What does sex mean to you? - Sorry. Wimping out on this one.

Be sure to check out the others at TMI!

David After Dentist

Some of you might have seen this video around already... How many of us can say we aren't somewhat familiar with what he's experiencing??

Randomness Abounds HNT

Going with a bullet list of diversely random stuff that has nothing to do with my HNT...

• If you're driving in a parking lot, and the cars are all pointed the wrong way, and the drivers coming at you give you nasty looks, wouldn't that be a clear sign that you're driving the wrong way? Your blank "lost" stare doesn't help your cause...
• Temperatures have become springlike around here, with nothing to imply that they won't continue for awhile. That puts a smile on my face!
• Does anyone else find the Hillshire Farms "go, meat!" commercials just a tad creepy? Not like Burger King creepy, but more like a WTF creepy?
• I do like the hulu.com commercial though. Looks like a great time-waster!
  
• I have a zit that grew this weekend on the tip of my nose. Not the top, not the bridge, but the tip. The kind that makes my profile just a little bit longer. What's up with that?
• Speaking of the weekend--the concert was great. The marimba is finally out of my hands. But the equipment truck is throwing a tantrum. Hasn't started since Saturday night.
• Had two VERY vivid dreams last night. In the first one, Summer was selling "Naked For Obama" calendars, and was a national phenomenon. Newspapers, TV, magazines--the whole nine yards. The other was a dream about the concert hall where we play being gutted by fire. I distinctly remember directing one person to make arrangements for the only other decent auditorium before everyone else did. I also distinctly remember worrying about those with reserved seating, and how we'd deal with them. The demolition of the entire building happened before we could get inside, and all our instruments were destroyed. Anyone want to take a stab at either of those? I didn't even eat anything weird before going to bed!
• I've been watching alot of N.C.I.S. reruns. I'm particularly liking the character of Ducky, played by David McCallum. I've missed him since his role as Illya Kuryakin!
• It was asked of me earlier this week... No, there is no specific theme for Valentine's Day this year.
• Ever had to wait for something really good to come in the mail that you know should be coming, yet it never does? Currently dealing with that...
• Went back through my archives, and found that this January is the first in five that I haven't been laid up with a cold/flu/cough/hack. Maybe it's my healthy eating habits...

Didn't find the inspiration to take new HNT pics (last week really did take alot out of me), so I resorted to "cheating". Got a local artist to sketch me (don't ask why I'm wearing a skirt), and a local company liked it enough to paint it on a wall!

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I look at you all see the love there thats sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps
I dont know why nobody told you how to unfold your love
I dont know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold you.

I look at the world and I notice its turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps
I dont know how you were diverted
You were perverted too
I dont know how you were inverted
No one alerted you.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - George Harrison

Our rockstar MG is Cowgirl! Stop by and get a smooch over at her site!

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A little bit tamer over at "...the Other HNT" this week, but still NSFW. Be sure to stop by and leave some comments for your fellow HNTers!

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Still don't know what the 'thumbs up' means in Urban Dictionary, but I think that the more, the better! Stop by the HNT entry and click on the 'thumbs up' in the upper right!

TMI Tuesday #172

I've got nothing of interest to blog about. Thank God for TMI!


1. When you sleep with someone, how much or how little contact do you like to have? - I believe I was more of a cuddler, and it's probably still true. Though I think that separation tends to happen with familiarity.
2. Do you think there is a appropriate amount of time for a divorced parent to date before introducing the kids to the "new" "special" person in their life? - Such a hard question for a bachelor... I think there's nothing wrong with meeting the new person fairly soon. Though I do think that a certain amount of time should pass before they meet the new person at 6AM in the kitchen drinking OJ. Age of the kids has a huge amount to do with this, too, I would think.
3. Which ONE do you wish you had more of in bed... romance, experimentation or foreplay? - How about "sleep"? I can never get too much of that.
4. What do you thinks makes a kiss great? - The wisp of a warm breath. The taste of another's lips. The quiver of anticipation. The surprise of spontaneity.
5. Describe your sex life in two words. - Pleasant memory.
Bonus (as in optional): Do you remember a time when you were having sex that you smile or even laugh about now? Do tell.... - The first time with Volcano Girl will always make me smile. If you don't know who that is, go digging through my archives!

Be sure to stop by the TMI site to see who else is sharing today!