Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
Our guide casting. I forget why he was doing this, but I took a picture of it.
Yes, they’re really that tan. You spend 8 hours a day on the Gulf and you would be too.
 | |
| see more Lolcats and funny pictures |
Texas dropped their requirement for Health Ed classes:
Health class will no longer be a state requirement for high school students this fall, making Texas one of the few states in the country with no required health education, officials said.
Education Commissioner Robert Scott announced the move in a recent letter to school districts, causing some to worry Texas students will miss out on critical topics like alcohol awareness, sex education and basic nutrition.
Sure, you could argue that Texas students are now going to miss out on a lot. Or not.
I remember my health class. It was the second semester of my freshman year, taught by a coach who made it fairly obvious that she wanted to be anywhere but teaching that class. I felt like the first hour of my morning was a waste.
Not that I had a problem with that, mind you. I’m not a morning person. The only real class I had first thing in the morning was Algebra II my junior year, and I almost failed it. But that might have been because math’s not my strong suit.
Oh well, I still say good riddance to a useless class!
(Unless it’s first period, that is.)
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
| You Are Nachos |
 You are carefree and light-hearted. You try to always make the best of things. While you enjoy being with other people, you also value your alone time. You like to reflect, think, and pick things apart. You like to study everything carefully. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
My cousin Michael caught himself a yellow-fin tuna…
…and then threw it back.
According to our guides, yellow-fin tuna are pretty much inedible, so there was no point in keeping him. We took the picture because that fish really fought him.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
| You Are the Bedroom |
 You know how to find peace in a crazy life. You are good at unplugging. You tend to be very private. You don't let just anyone in. You are also a romantic. When you have someone, you tend to be very couple oriented. |
If there’s anything in those results that’s blatantly wrong, it would be that I tend to be very “couple oriented,” whatever that means. A man needs his space!
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
There’s one of these hotels here… they now have the old Hilton.
see more Fail Blog
Just so, so wrong…
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
This, folks, is what the Gulf of Mexico looks like 20 miles out.
Which is a lot nicer looking than the ugly brown water right at the shore.
When I saw this, I automatically thought of someone and their dog.
They know who they are.
This video, of course, found on I Has A Hotdog!
Yesterday it hit 102 degrees here in Beaumont.
Not fun.
I swear, I’m going to blog about the fishing trip eventually.
Really, I mean it.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday Monday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
This posting on Monday wasn’t my fault. I’m one of the Blogger users affected by the buggy scheduled posting.
| You Are Snow |
 You have a pure, gentle spirit. People automatically trust you. You have a playful, adventurous spirit. You still feel like a kid. You are able to find the joy in any situation. You are blissful. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
I mentioned in my last batch of random thoughts that we the choir at church is preparing for an opera-themed dinner in September.
So, I decided I’d post some YouTube videos of a few of the songs we’re doing for y’all.
The first is Va, Pensiero, which is just incredibly beautiful:
This is the humming chorus from Madame Butterfly, which is just brutally high:
And the Neighbors Chorus from La jolie Parfumeuse:
We’ve got some other pieces, but these are the three that stick out in my mind.
Welcome to Friday Saturday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
As y’all know, I went fishing yesterday. Here’s our catch:
That’s eight kihgfish, two shark, and seven red snapper.
Full post coming in the next few days.
Blogging will be light today because I’m not leaning over the side of a charter fishing boat puking my guts into the Gulf of Mexico.
At least I hope I’m not.
My cousin invited me to go deep-sea fishing with some family that’s in town visiting from Corpus. Something I’ve never done before.
We’re going on a charter boat out of Galveston. In fact, if we’re not already in Galveston by the time this publishes, we’re probably very close.
I’m planning to take some motion sickness pills with me. Hopefully I don’t need them, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
I’m also holding off on Friday Photo this week so I can post some pictures from the trip. I’m bringing along my point-and-shoot digital camera for that purpose.
Regular blogging will resume tomorrow.
Today’s my 5th blogiversary. Not that it really means anything to me.
I was trading emails with @Falahime yesterday when she mentioned that she’d like to write a coherent blog post for once.
By the way, she writes Everything I Need To Know, I Learned From Anime, which I find interesting even though I know next to nothing about anime.
Anyway, this is what I replied:
My blog is five years old tomorrow. I still don't think I've written a coherent post...
So, now I have a goal for my blog.
Sometime in the next five years, I will write a coherent post.
I’m not setting the bar too high, am I?
This one did give me a laugh:
see more Political Pictures
I’m throwing a link Houston Keys’ way because I think his post on his visit to the Mustangs of Las Colinas is funny as hell.
So, check out the post.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
Well, that’s what this dog says anyway:
see more dog and puppy pictures
Yea, I know. I need to do more real blogging.
I will.
Eventually.
I’ve fallen in love with the internet again. This time for the recipes I’ve found on there.
Last night I fixed pork chops with apple stuffing from a recipe I found on cooks.com.
In one word: awesome.
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
This, another photo that was featured before when the format was smaller, had to be my favorite picture from when it snowed back in December:
There’s just something about snow on palm trees that’s really cool.
Poor kitteh!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
| You Are the Sense of Smell |
 You notice subtle changes just as they happen. You're the first one to know if the seasons are changing or if the cookies are done. You love new environments, and you can recall all the places you've been. You have a sharp memory, and you are often nostalgic for the past. You enjoy traveling internationally. You have an easy time taking in a new place. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
Ever since I adopted this new, wider template I always find myself wanting to show off old pictures, many of them ones I’ve featured before, that the smaller size really didn’t do justice.
I guess that’s a good thing.
This is a shot from about a year ago:
When I featured this shot a year ago, I cropped down the shot so y’all would be able to get a better look at the bluebird sitting on the fence, this is the full frame.
I shot this with my Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom lens zoomed in all the way at f/8 for 1/500th of a second.
If you’re wondering, those orange-ish things in the background serve as a barrier to keep boats from getting too close to the hydroelectric plant that the lake feeds.
I’m not dead y’all. I promise.
I think I’ll leave y’all with some random thoughts. I haven’t done that in forever.
So… what’s going on in the world?
That’s all I got.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
| You Would Win Best Costume Design |
 You can picture entire movies in your head. You are incredibly visual. As long as you can remember, you've always had a flare for fashion. You like to experiment with looks. You like dressing up in costumes and outfits. And not just for Halloween! |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
I wouldn’t call this a FAIL, it’s definitely a WIN in my book!
see more Fail Blog
Hate mail, as always, can be sent to DontCareWhatYouThink@Seriously.com
(How many spambots are going to send junk to that address now?)
Now I kinda feel bad for dogs living up north:
see more dog and puppy pictures
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
I know of at least one person that would disagree with these results:
| Your Ego is Medium |
 You have high self esteem, but you don't think too highly of yourself. You believe in yourself, but you are also able to believe in others. You know how to put your ego in check and let someone else take the reins. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
It’s… *gasp* a hockey photo!
I have no idea who the player is, but I do know that this one is from warmups before the Pink in the Rink game they did last year.
(H/T: Tater Tots for the Masses)
You know those re-useable grocery bags? They’re bad for you:
Oh you people, with your cheap little eco-friendly grocery bags, smiling smugly at the shameful people exiting the supermarket with paper and plastic single-use bags! Did you know that your reusable bags are crawling with disease, bacteria and hideous little creepies that may poison you?
It's true! A new study proves it!
Swab-testing by two independent laboratories found unacceptably high levels of bacteria, yeast, mold and coliform counts in the reusable bags.Ugh, gross. It turns out that hippie grocery bags are no less filthy than the hippie foods that people put into them. And what you end up with is a wet, dirty pocket of disease that you proudly tote your uncooked meats in. You might as well cart your food around in a toilet.
You have been warned.
My grandmother does the sign at church. I told her yesterday to never do this:
see more Fail Blog
After all, she did put up
HURRICANE IKE
STAY AWAY
the week Ike hit.
I told her that day that putting that was a mistake.
I have to wonder what the first-responders were thinking after the storm when they drove by our church…
(Note to the locals: I’m throwing in the background info for all my non-local readers)
On April 30, Kevin LaDay died after passing out in police custody.
LaDay’s family and Houston’s own Quanell X, the leader of the New Black Panthers, went to Lumberton and held a protest, claiming that LaDay was beaten by the Lumberton P.D.
Today, LaDay’s autopsy came out, listing the cause of death as a drug overdose:
KFDM News has learned the final autopsy report in the death of Kevin LaDay shows his death was an accident and due to PCP toxicity with nothing listed in the report to indicate he'd been beaten, Justice of the Peace Vi McGinnis tells KFDM News.
(emphasis theirs)
Quanell’s conveniently ignoring the facts:
“Those findings are very suspicious to me. […] I don't trust county medical examiners. We know there was a scuffle, an altercation, a fight. If they say that had nothing to do with it, are they saying he would not have died if he hadn't come into contact with Lumberton Police?”
And he ain’t apologizing… at least not yet:
"It's extremely too early to offer an apology," said Quanell X. "I would never apologize unless we determine his death is due to natural causes. We've always seen medical examiners go along with police officers time and time again. White folks in America have never apologized to blacks for slavery. What the hell would I look like as a black man for apologizing for the death of a black man under what I call very suspicious circumstances? When whites apologize to African American people, then we can talk about a mutual apology."
What happened to this “post-racial America” thing I’ve been hearing about?
You were wrong. Be a man. Admit it and move on.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
| You Follow Your Heart |
 You tend to fall in (and out of) love very quickly. Some may call you fickle, but you can't help where your emotions take you. You've definitely broken a few hearts, but you're not a heartbreaker by nature. Your intentions are always good, even if they change with the wind |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
I know I posted this two months ago, but I thought that, with the much wider template, it deserved a repost.
I really do think this is an awesome shot of Taffy:
THAT is why I went through the trouble of modifying the template.
So, earlier today I tweeted:
@AbbyNormal Should I type up my tater-tot casserole recipe?
By popular demand, I bring you tater tot casserole:
Ingredients:
What you do:
I leave out the onions just because I’m not a huge fan of them, so whether or not you include them is up to you.
For Moter’s Day I sent my grandmother a link to this:
The sad thing about it is that I didn’t get the Psycho reference. Now I’m going to have to go find it on DVD somewhere.
I’m glad the news waited until now to get out:
A case of the H1N1 "swine" flu was confirmed Sunday in Port Arthur, said Yoshi Alexander, director of Health Services for the Port Arthur Health Department.
Alexander could not provide details concerning the resident's age or sex, but she said the person has already recovered from the virus.
Seriously, i’m glad this came out after all the crazy panic died down.
I mentioned earlier today that I’d trimmed down the sidebar thinking that I might switch to a two-column template.
As you can see, I’ve now done that.
What you probably don’t know is that I had to do some coding and image work to spit this out. I had to produce a few custom images and edit the code of the default Rounders template to give myself the wider area for blog posts that I wanted. This way I don’t feel so squeezed when I’m trying to post images or videos. The old template got a little claustrophobic in that regard.
I’m happy with the results… for now, at least.
If you haven’t noticed, I’ve made some changes to the sidebars.
I figured there were some things I could get rid of in order to make the sidebars leaner.
I’m considering going back to a two-column version of this layout, so cleaning up the current widgets is a must.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
| You Are Dare |
 You are all about taking risks and pushing limits. You love the rush of doing something forbidden. Like most daring people, you are highly intelligent and creative. That's why you get bored so easily. You need a lot of stimulation and novelty in your life. You aren't satisfied with the mundane. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
OK. so there wasn’t any grief counseling or a test at the Bunny Run, but there was cake:
I never actually got a piece of it though. Oh well, it’s not like I need it anyway.
It has become apparent to me through recent media coverage that we’re not supposed to call it the swine flu anymore, but H1N1. I’m sorry for offending.
I do, however, have a question:
Why is “swine flu” not used anymore?
Inquiring minds want to know…
My aunt’s a nurse, so usually my grandmother listens to her when anything involving medicine is involved.
Well, this time she didn’t.
My aunt asked her what she was doing about swine flu, and my grandmother responded “nothing.”
You would have thought my grandmother had admitted to being on the grassy knoll.
My aunt told her things like “don’t go to church,” “wear a mask,” and “don’t hug anybody.”
My grandmother, being the woman she is, went to church the next day without a mask on and walked up to a guy that knows my aunt, said “my daughter says for me to not hug people” then gave him a really big hug.
She says she hasn’t had the flu since she retired from teaching, so she’s not worried about this one.
If only more people were like that.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
| You Are CURVES AHEAD |
 You deal with stress well. You take things as they come, and you don't panic. In fact, you often enjoy challenging situations. Difficulty makes you feel alive. You are alert and observant. You notice every twist and turn in the road. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
GO THE HORSE WITH THE COOLEST NAME!
That’s all I’ve got.
Alright, so I’ll tell you which I think has the coolest name.
I would have gone with I Want Revenge, but it was scratched this morning.
So, in it’s place, I must dub Chocolate Candy as having the best name.
And now I have a craving for chocolate.
And really, who names a race horse Hold Me Back? That doesn't make sense…
There will never again be a storm named Ike:
Three hurricane names in the Atlantic and one in the eastern North Pacific were retired from the official name rotation by the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) hurricane committee because of the deaths and damage they caused in 2008.
The names Gustav, Ike and Paloma in the Atlantic and Alma in the North Pacific will not be used again. Those names would have been used again in 2014. In their place will be Gonzalo, Isaias and Paulette in the Atlantic and Amanda in the North Pacific. The committee issues the list of potential names for tropical cyclones to be used every six years for both the Atlantic basin and eastern North Pacific basin.
Since they’ve retired the name, I think I’ll retire the button I made up too.
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
I took the digital camera my mom gave me to the Astros game I caught two weeks ago and took a bunch of shots with the intention of stitching them together.
This is actually eight photos stitched together with Windows Live Photo Gallery:
I’d say we had decent seats…
(Anybody think I should put together a post on how I plan out and execute stitched photos?)
I’m afraid to leave the house.
No, I’m not afraid of catching Swine Flu, I figure that if it happens then it happens.
I’m afraid of something much scarier: the “Swine Flu stare of death.”
My allergies have been acting up, probably due to all the rain we’ve had lately, and they’ve left me with a cough.
I figure I’m going to get a lot of looks, especially while I’m in Houston tomorrow for an eye doctor’s appointment, since a Mexico City boy in Houston for treatment died yesterday.
I’m thinking I might do good to wear one of these…
The scene near the end of this week’s episode of 24 between Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) and Janis (Janeane Gerafalo) made the episode worth watching…
Check the video out over at Blogs4Bauer since I can’t ever get Hulu embeds to work.
Ok, I admit it, I just liked seeing Gerafalo getting yelled at.
Seriously, the scene made having to see Gerafalo’s ugly mug all season worth it.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
Occasionally I take a quiz directed towards women. This is one of those times:
| You Are A Bad Date! |
 At least, not unless the guy is a dead ringer for Brad Pitt (with more money) You just don't spend enough time wondering if he's having fun... And newsflash - he probably isn't! |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
After we got back from the run to San Leon, we set up an easter egg patch for the kids…
We’d originally planned to do this in San Leon, but the folks in San Leon decided they didn’t want their kids around bikers or something like that.
That’s really not bad quality for a cell phone pic…
@TheUnusualsNYC posted a link to this before Tuesday night’s episode as a promo:
If this peaks your interest, you can watch the four episodes that have aired on ABC.com.
At church we’re starting a new tradition this year. On Mother’s Day, we’re doing an anthem as a men’s chorus, and the women will be doing the same on Father’s Day.
When our director told us about her plan to do this, I got pretty excited. My senior year of high school, I sang with the school’s men’s chorus. I’ve been wanting to perform in one again, but haven’t had a chance until now.
When competition time came around, one of the songs we did was Be Thou My Vision, which has an awesome men’s arrangement that we used.
It turned out that our choir director (who also directs at a local high school) picked Be Thou My Vision for the piece we’re doing.
As you can imagine, I’m pretty pumped.
If you’re curious, here’s a video with the arrangement that we’re doing, by a pretty awesome-sounding college choir:
I can’t wait!
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
| You Are a Vanilla Cupcake |
 You are drawn to those stronger personalities. You get along with powerful people. You are like a cupcake because you appeal to almost every type of person. You are friendly and accepting. You bring out other people's best qualities. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
I’ll be live-tweeting tonight’s Astros-Reds game, since I’m there and all.
You can read my tweets here.
Used to be I only watched two shows: House and 24.
Now I’ve got a few more shows I catch:
Lie to Me: I think the whole detecting lies thing is what interests me the most about the show. Each show has, for lack of a better word, “mysteries” that Cal Lightman and his team solve.
The show is a bit like House, but that’s ok.
The Unusuals: It’s part cop drama, and part comedy.
I’ve always known that cops have an interesting sense of humor, and this show touches on that. Through the two episodes I’ve seen so far, I’ve really dug the stories. and I’m interested to see where it’s going.
UPDATE: The Unusuals is on Twitter at @TheUnusualsNYC. From what I can tell, it’s run by people actually affiliated with the show, so it’s legit.
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
This is from the Bunny Run last Saturday in Houston.
The bunny run is an annual motorcycle run that traditionally delivers Easter baskets to Shriners Hospital in Galveston.
This year the run wasn’t to Shriners because they still haven’t opened back up since Ike hit, so instead the run was down to San Leon, a small town along Galveston bay that was hit hard by Ike, and delivered the baskets there.
I’ve got more pictures from my cell and I’ll post some of them over the next few weeks.
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
Apparently not…
| You Are Country |
 You can appreciate the simple things in life, and it doesn't take much for you to feel content. While you appreciate the many opportunities of the city, you see them as too much of a good thing. You love living a peaceful life. It's important that you can hear yourself think. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
Welcome to a special edition of Stupid Quiz Sunday. It’s special because it’s Wednesday. And my birthday. So this is appropriate:
| Your Birthday Predicts You're Influential |
 You have a superstar personality. You are charming and fascinating. You believe in hard work and persistence. You know how to make your big dreams a reality. You are demanding, but your standards are reasonable. And you demand the most from yourself. |
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
PPD:
It's Opening Day for most of Major League Baseball on Monday. Mother Nature apparently isn't a baseball fan, however.
The Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox both had their openers postponed because of inclement weather in the local forecasts.
Can we finally institute the “no roof rule” that Laurence has been pushing for for years?
Welcome to Stupid Quiz Sunday, in which I'll take an online quiz that may or may not be stupid and post the results.
2,696,400Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating
Have you taken this quiz? Have a quiz you want me to take? Leave a link in the comments.
I’m sick of people that have nothing better to do than come to me when they have a problem and lay it at my feet like it’s mine too.
People that expect me to quiver to their every want and need or help them when they fuck up, but piss and moan when things don’t happen their way.
People who weren’t there for you for years, but now think that they can insert themselves into your life and act like they always were.
Those people need to just get the fuck out of my life.
If they won’t, I’ll be glad to show them the door.
That is all.
Welcome to Friday Photo, a new feature where I share photos that I've taken with the world.
Roy Oswalt squaring up to bunt:
Apparently, “The Google” wants to be cool…
That, I’d assume, is why they’re reportedly trying to acquire Twitter:
Here’s a heck of a rumor that we’ve sourced from two separate people close to the negotiations: Google is in late stage negotiations to acquire Twitter. We don’t know the price but can assume its well, well north of the $250 million valuation that they saw in their recent funding.
As a Twitter-er, I’d welcome Google. I remember what they did with Blogger. When I got on Blogger, it was just as Google was really starting to get itself wrapped up in Blogger and making it better. There were some growing pains along the way, but Google made Blogger into what it is today.
Soon enough, Google will own us all… and I wouldn’t necessarily call that a bad thing.
It seems that now everybody has been jumping on the Twitter bandwagon.
Two local TV stations (@KBMTNews and @KFDMNews), the local paper (@BmtEnterprise), and even the Beaumont District of TxDOT (@TxDOTBeaumont) are on Twitter now.
Twitter is now, apparently, “cool.”
I’m thinking it’s about time that Twitter veterans unite and scream something:
WE WERE ON TWITTER BEFORE IT WAS COOL!
I need to make up a badge or something…
It is with a heavy heart that I am today announcing that I am leaving blogging.
It was a very tough decision to make, but I realized that I simply won't have the time for it with my new career in the male strip club industry.
It's been a great ride, with a lot of great people I've met along the way.
I'm really going to miss y'all.
Oh, and...
APRIL FOOLS!!!
You're not getting rid of me that easily.
(For those of y’all that don’t remember, I did this same gag two years ago)
