The Greatest Thing...

NATURE BOY

by Eden Ahbez

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me
"the greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"

"the greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPTpfIXfcOM&feature=related

(David Bowie and Massive Attack video of their performance of the song made famous by Nat King Cole and later featured in the Soundtrack of the movie Moulin Rogue )


David<~~~~~~~~~~~~I love this song!

birds singing and wind chimes

I was up early this morning walking Snooky at 5AM. The entire Apartment Complex was asleep and we had the whole place to ourselves. Really pleasant morning. So I decided that I was going to sit out on my balconey. I set up my fancy folding chair (it has a built in foot rest), turned on the porch light, wrapped myself and Snooky up in my MIZZOU fleece blanket, and settled in to read 'Tales Of Heresy' (the newest book from The Black Library about the Horus Heresy). So it's really quiet. No sounds except for the birds and the wind chimes. In college I had a class that started at 5am so we could study and identify different bird species by their calls. At 5am it is the Empire of the Birds. So I could hear dozens of different species calling to each other and filling the early morning with song. We also had a slight spring breeze and all the wind chimes in the Apartment Complex were adding in their music to the birds songs. I have 6 wind chimes, I really like how they sound. Three Asian Inspired ones (Temples bells, a large Gong, and a large Bell) and three standard wind chimes by Woodstock Chimes. This is my morning:

It's still and quiet, with birds singing, wind chimes playing in the breeze. A warm dog sleeping in my lap and I'm reading some excellent new Science Fiction. I have a good life...

THE BOXER by Paul Simon

I am just a poor boy,
though my story's seldom told
I have squandered my resistance
for a pocketful of mumbles,
such are promises
All lies and jest,
still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest (hmmmm....mmmm......)

When I left my home and my family,
I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers.....
In the quiet of the railway station, runnin' scared
Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters,
where the ragged people go
Looking for the places only they would know

(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li...)

Seeking only workman's wages,
I come looking for a job,
but I get no offers.....
Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
I do declare, there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there

(li la la, la, la la)

Now the years are rolling by me,
they are rockin' even me
I am older than I once was,
and younger than I'll be,
that's not unusual No it isn't strange,
after changes upon changes,
we are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same ...

(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li...)

And I'm laying out my winter clothes,
wishing I was gone, goin' home
Where the New York city winters aren't bleedin' me,
leadin' me to go home

In the clearing stands a boxer,
and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminder
of every glove that laid him down
or cut him 'Til he cried out
in his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving,
but the fighter still remains
Yes, he still remains ...

(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li...)
(Li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li...)
(Li la la la li la li)
(Li la li... li la la la li la li)

(Paul Simon is the reason I took up poetry)

I keep trying to talk my Mom into picking up some Vulturine Guinea Fowl

Last night I dreamed I found my buddy Paul

I'm off today and I'm sitting here on my couch...

SNOOKY is snoring and I have "Raging Bull" muted on my TV and I'm flipping through Adam Ant performances on YouTube. You have to listen to this. It's called "SURVIVAL OF THE FETISH" by Adam Ant. It's off of his unreleased CD: PERSUASION. I would sell your eldest child to have a copy of this CD, some excellent music, and I might never get to hear it all...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw8ubzQP_ZY

David<~~~~~~~~~HUGE Adam Ant fan!

(but you knew that already)

More Pics From Mom...

Here are the promised Emu Chick pictures...

The day I met Spiderman!

So I'm heading out to eat Lunch today in the middle of my closing shift and I decide to eat at Micky Dee's. I waltz into the the afore mentioned Fast Food joint and lo and behold there sits Spiderman. Not really Spiderman, but a Dad dressed as Spiderman entertaining the kids at his son's Birthday Party at McDonalds. He's all like "Mind your Mother" and "Be a good boy" to all the kids and the Moms are taking pictures of their kids posing with the guy dressed as Spiderman. So I saunter over to the counter and ask the cashier "When did Peter Parker start working here?" (aren't I a laugh riot?). A couple of the other employees look over at her and she looks confused and turns to the back counter and asks everyone "Is Peter here?" I cannot believe my ears, she does not get the reference. She asks again and some of the other people start laughing. Trying not to laugh, I tell her his last name is Parker. She asks "Is there a Peter Parker working here?" I let her off the hook and tell her that Peter Parker is the secret identity of Spiderman, and she shouldn't worry about it. She laughs and gets on to the other employees for not telling her who Peter Parker was. It's like a gag on Saturday Night Live or something...

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~now watching a movie called 'Ed Gein' (Google him)

(I snagged this picture off of the Internet, I did NOT take a picture of the dude in McDonalds)

Pictures sent by my Mom

PEACOCK IN FRONT OF HENHOUSE!

CONNER GETTING HIS 1ST SHOES!

CONNER TAKING A BATH!

The Herp Show was a blast

(this picture is from the Internet)
I only ended up staying about an hour, but I had a lot of fun. I wan't prepared to purchase any new frogs, so there wasn't any reason to dwaddle. I did see some NICE Asian Horned Frogs and Patrick brought some baby Solomen Island Eyelash Frogs. I also noticed some red color variations of Bearded Dragons and a BLUE Nile Monitor! They had Mata Mata for $300 but I am a LONG way off from being able to deal with an aquatic turtle (but I do have a lead on the set up!). LOL...

http://www.reptilestv.com/video/featured_manufacturers/waterland_tubs/01.htm


David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Froggie Daddy! (funny sidenote: when you do a search for 'Mata Mata Pictures' you also find an old topless photo of Mata Hari, just in case you needed to know)

STL Reptile Show!

Tomorrow I'm heading over to The Viking and I will be attending the STL Reptile Show. Good times and Herps to be had by all. Here is the link to the show...


http://www.saurian.net/htm05/reptileshow_main.html


David<~~~~NOT buying any new little faces!

ARRRG! Prepare to be boarded...

Tif and I might be heading to TX for Memorial Day!

I just got off the phone with my Dad. The gf and I are thinking about going to see the folks at the Ranch in Texas. We may fly, we may drive. I have not taken 'Deerslayer' to the Ranch yet, so we are leaning towards driving. That way Tif can WORK FROM HOME and do travel arrangements via her laptop and cell phone Internet hook-up all the way down. We'll see...

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~loves me some TEXAS!

Yesterday Tif and I went to the Zoo and to The Galleria. I bought her a pretty glass heart necklace that was very reminiscent of the poem I wrote (that is at the bottom right of this Journal page). She bought me some Nomad products, so I smells good...

HA, I snorted out loud when a friend from High School posted this picture on Facebook...

no comment

Here is an EXCELLENT Blog about East St. Louis IL, which is directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis MO. Lots of people love their city and lots of people tell about the horrors of East St. Louis. All are true...


http://www.pbase.com/cincyimages/east_st_louis_illinois


David<~~~~~has driven past ESL and wondered who is burning down the houses?

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!

I miss my Grandfather

My Mom called earlier today while I was at work and I didn't have time to talk to her, so I called her back as I drove home to find out what she wanted to talk about. I'm driving 'Deerslayer' and chatting with my Mom about our family. And I tell her that I miss Pap-pa. Pap-pa was her Dad and a very important person in my life. We are talking about him and I'm telling her stories that I know about Pap-pa and we both agree that Lewis Hoxworth was a great man. So I hang up with my Mom and it hits me. It feels like Pap-pa died just yesterday. So I'm driving in rush hour traffic on my way home and tears are rolling down my cheek. I miss my Grandfather.

(this picture is of Pap-pa and some of his buddies on the ship that is taking him to fight in WWII)

David<~~~~~~~~a better person because I knew Lewis Hoxworth!

I got an email from my Dad

And in it he tells me that the Emus on the Ranch have successfully hatched 4 of the 6 eggs the male was sitting on. You know what that means! David gets two more Emu eggs! I have also asked to see pictures of the baby chicks, and will post them as soon as I receive them from TX. Isn't that cute, cute little chicks that will grow up to be 5 ft tall stupid bipedal birds that can jump 6 foot tall fences and disembowel you. Not so cute now, and there will be 4 more of them, my parents are in TROUBLE!

Tomorrow Tif & I are taking a Roadtrip!

Tif came up with the idea of taking her laptop with her and she and I taking a roadtrip to Columbia MO. I'm like...OK! She is actually going to 'work from home' as we drive down there and when we are in the car. She is a Travel Agent with a Grocery Store Chain and does the travel arrangements for their Home Office. She recently got the thingamabob that allows you to access the Internet via Cell Phone technology. So she can do her work during the 1 1/2 drive down and back... I love going to visit Columbia. If I had my druthers I would own a Comic Book/Gaming Shop in Columbia, live on property that backs up on Rock Bridge State Park and attend all the MIZZOU home games. OK, time to knock the mud off...


David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ROADTRIP!

Here is an old poem of mine...

poem for today

the day is short
the day is long
my time is now
my time is gone
I see before me
I see behind
I'm out of chances
I'm out of time
I turn to see it
I turn away
I look tomorrow
I look today
to find my love
to find my heart
it's time to quit
it's time to start
so say hello
or say goodbye
I'll never quit
I'll always try


DAS


David<~~never kissed 'The Blarney Stone' when I was at the Castle (not that you could tell)

two of the most important people in my life...

I'm kidding, Winston Churchill was an important STATESMAN, and Steve Martin is a funny actor/writer, but they aren't the two important people in my life...

My family is important to my life.

My girlfriend is important to my life.

My work is important to my life.

My dog is important to my life.

Everything else is Entertainment.

Weird Commute

Weird. That is the only way to describe the drive home from work today. Two things you have to know about me. ONE: I'm very polite, especially to people that work Retail. It's something I picked up from my Father, and from my long career working in Retail. TWO: I have been known to embarrass people that I ride with. I tend to sing along with the radio (I can't change pitch, I just change volume), head bob, play the drums on the steering wheel and all around dance while sitting down. OK, now on to my unusual commute.

I pull into a gas station to fill up with. I run inside because I needed some soda and potato chips to go along with the grinder my ASM brought me from Amighetti's. I walk into the station and circle to the left because I want to see what kind of hot dogs they have on their warmers. There is a Clerk working in that part of the store talking to a guy by the slushie machine. She looks up at me and shouts 'WHAT?' I look around assuming she is talking to someone else, but no it's me. She turns around and ignores me and continues talking to the 'Slushie Guy', then as I pass by her, she looks me straight in the eye and says, "All I ask is that when I bend over you don't hit me on the back of my head". Then she leans over to fill something next to the hot dog warmer. I'm thinking she must be kidding, then realize something is really wrong with this lady. I scuttle over to the check out with my Doritos and Diet Dr. Pepper to pay. The Clerk runs over to the other register and shouts for the 'Slushie Guy' to come to her register to check out and then has a complete conversation with him that made no sense and I cannot even tell you what she said because I don't even think she was speaking English. I take my Doritos and Diet Dr. Pepper and flee...

As I'm driving home I end up behind a guy that lives in the same apartment complex that I do. He has the music in his car GOING FULL BLAST. He is "Head Banging" so hard that I alternate between looking at the back of his head and the top of his head. Then I realize he has a tambourine in his right hand and is accompanying himself as he drives. At about that moment I notice that he is looking at me in his side mirror. I can see his full face, he is staring right at me and not at the road. He's not embarrassed, he is almost "in your face" about his singing along with the music and playing his tambourine. I'm about 4 miles away from home and he is driving the car right in front of me the WHOLE way looking at me in the side mirror, singing at the top of his voice, 'Head Banging', and shaking his tambourine. As we pull into the apartment complex I start to think, does he know I live here, or does he think I'm following him. So as he drives past my apartment I pull into my parking place and sit in the car for a while trying NOT to make eye contact with him just in case he has something else in the car besides a tambourine. That is how my commute went today. Weird...


David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Crazy Clerk Attracting Rocking Out Tambourine Player Follower!


(you cannot make this stuff up)

I am off my schedule

Every since The Watchmen premier I have been messed up. Not sleeping well and discombobulated. When I try and sleep to get back on my schedule I get a phone call from work and I have to deal with the issue and I'm still not on my normal schedule, I'm really tired and can't sleep.

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~sleepy!

3:49am and the Movie is over...

GOOD NEWS: It didn't SUCK!

BAD NEWS: It wasn't just like the Comic Book...

If I had to give it a grade it would have to be a B+

I'm going to go see it again probably tomorrow

Lots of boobs and computer generated penis

VERY violent movie

All in all, good movie.

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~happy!

This Is It (Bugs Bunny Overture)

Overture, curtains, lights,

This is it, the night of nights

No more rehearsing and nursing a part

We know every part by heart

Overture, curtains, lights

This is it, you'll hit the heights

And oh what heights we'll hit

On with the show this is it

Tonight what heights we'll hit

On with the show this is it

THAT IS HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW,

I CAN'T WAIT TILL MIDNIGHT!

::dances in top hat and tails across the stage::

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NERD!

"At Midnight All The Agents..."

That quote is the name of the very first chapter in The Watchmen. If you already knew that then you have failed 'a nerd test'. I have dug out my original RORSCHACH t-shirt from my closet and am going to wear in to the Premier tomorrow night. It is an XL and I currently wear a XXXT size, but I'm not going to let a little think like fashion sense slow me down. I am a NERD, and I wear the colors proudly. The guy pictured above is Alan Moore, he wrote The Watchmen and to quote the lads from across the pond "He is a right nutter" But he writes good stuff. You should read some of this other work: 1983's Swamp Thing, V For Vendetta, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell, Tom Strong, just to name a few. OK, time to fold laundry and daydream of what will happen tomorrow evening at Midnight...

Is it my imagination?

I watch the pettiness of the Republican Party at this time in America and it is no wonder that they have no message nor spokesperson except a divisive Radio Entertainer with an addiction to pain medication. The Republican Party had to trot out a little-known Governor to give the rebuttal to Obama's speech just so he could be heard over the nationwide shouts of 'HYPOCRITES!' Here is a message to the Republicans that read this post: "Business as usual will get you the same results that you have right now" The American People will punish The Republican Party with more Election losses if they continue with the same old tired retoric. Wake Up, you are making this too easy...


David<~~~~~~~~~~~Proud Democrat!

I just watched THE LAST LECTURE again...

David<~~~~~~~bawling like a baby

Today is Tuesday, tomorrow is Wednesday, and the day after that is the PREMIER of The Watchmen!

Ladies and Gentlemen. Mr. Dave Gibbons, the artist of note for THE WATCHMEN!


(did I mention that I'm a HUGE fan?)


David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~UBER excited!

Today is Tuesday, tomorrow is Wednedsay, and the day after that is the PREMIER of The Watchmen!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Dave Gibbons, the artist of THE WATCHMEN!





(did I mention that I am a HUGE fan of the movie?)



David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~UBER excited!

Countdown to Watchmen!

OK, let me explain to you what I think about The Watchmen. Hands down, it is the best comic book ever written. That says a lot... Maus won a Pulitzer Prize. Swamp Thing/Hellblazer started a whole comic book line. The Dark Knight revitalized a tired character. Kingdom Come featured some of the best artwork ever painted. The Authority stretched the boundaries of storytelling. Hellboy rocks the house. There are SO MANY wonderful comic books. And The Watchmen is the best one of them all. I have been waiting 25 years for this movie to come out. Today at the Store, the Digital Graphic Novel arrived (it goes on sale tomorrow), along with the Soundtrack and the Score. I may purchase the music if the Movie goes well. I will probably buy the Digital Graphic Novel and two of the Movie tie-in books (that is the way I'm wired). I'm also half afraid that the Movie will not do justice to the comic. This comic book was published in 12 issues. Once a month we got to see the next installment, it was excruciating. I will be at the Movie Theater 12:01am on Friday morning to see The Watchmen at the earliest possible moment with some of my buddies. I Can Not Wait.

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FAN!