This one is going to be brief...it is 3:30pm and I am still smarting from my second Birthday celebration.

I just wanted to thank everyone who has made this great, I really do. Almost everyone in my life, from family to friends, went out of there way to do something very cool for me. Next weekend, after moving a few others will get together and end it in my favorite place in LV.

To all of you I just wanted to say a heartfelt thanks and it was an amazing blur of drinks, live music, boxing, clubs and bars. I spent 11 dollars the whole weekend and last night. Now THAT is a good group of friends.

I was reminded in a big way of WHY I love this town...and the many people I have to stick around for...and the lesson was not lost on me. Despite the fact that I was lost in a sea of beer, vodka and neon.

Thank you!

People say they love truth, but in reality they want to believe that which they love is true. - Robert J. Ringer

Nothing Ventured Nothing Lost

I don't have much to say...or so it feels that way right now.

My first birthday weekend starts soon...and this is going to be great. I am fucking psyched. Concert, VIP drinking, and more drinks.

Next weekend, my second birthday weekend...the benefits of having your b'day in the middle of the week...should suck. I have a friend moving in, which is great, but moving fucking sucks...and helping this toolbox move his shit in 107 degree weather fucking BLOWS!!! The good is that the man will be buying me some heavy drinks. HEAVY drinks.

I have made a decision...and very good decision...I have turned down the job in Nashville Tennessee...and here I stay...in Las Vegas. I am happy. The money would have been nice, I won't lie...but I am sick. I am nuts. I am crazy. I love this town. I love this place. I want to stay and I want to keep on soaking up the great Las Vegas rays. This town is perfect for me right now, so I will stay. I am going to stay for at least 14 months. I will sign my next lease in the next week or so. I am moving, and that sucks...one month after my friend moves in...and I am not very good with all of this moving shit. I fucking hate it. Everyone hates moving, but I HATE moving.

Vegas is weird. It either repels you or it draws you in. I am addicted. So, I have pushed all of my chips in and I am hoping that it pays off. It is hard to look around this valley, see the 330 days of sun a year, and think that it is a bad thing. In the end, you need to be happy...you need to do what you think is right, what is best for you, what feels like the best decision. That is where I am. Physically, mentally and emotionally I have been very, very happy here. Why leave that to move to some hick town?

Writing is stalling, because of all of this shit, but I am back on it this weekend. I just don't know what is wrong with me.

Update: I was asked where I am in fantasy baseball...good question...8th place. I am getting fucking shit on right now...and that isn't going to change. I am losing my fantasy mojo.

My mom is sending Tastycakes to me...amen! The greatest food in the history of the world. Don't send money, don't send cards....send Tastycakes.


All mortals tend to turn into the things they are pretending to be. - C.S. Lewis.

Cesc la vie

What a great day...or night as it were.

Cesc Fabregas has decided to turn down a bid from Real Madrid, the Yankees of the soccer world, to stay with Arsenal for at least another year. Happy Days.

I am back from my brief trip to Nashville. Nashville is different. I would say this...Nashville is to Las Vegas as Beetlejuice is to Andre the Giant. It is so unbelievably different it is strange to think they are in the same country. Nashville is lush, green, humid and filled with hicks. It was total culture shock. Put it to you this way...there is not ONE modern rock station in ALL of Nashville. There is 152 country stations and two classic rock stations. The newest rock station I heard was AC/DC. It was crazy. The city is beautiful and the suburbs are very ritzy in an old southern kind of way. There are big houses out there. I saw Titan's stadium, which is RIGHT downtown. It was very cool. Oh...great BBQ...even in the airport!

I could kayfabe you all for what the fuck I was doing there, but I will tell you. I went for a job interview, a very good job, a VERY good job and VERY well paid. A big advance in my present career...and could be a good thing for my desired career. I have to be honest...I am not sure what I will do if they offer it to me...because I will tell you all something kind of crazy...I love Las Vegas, and I am not sure a very, very sizable offer to leave would actually get me out of here. I am one of those sick fucks that love Las Vegas. So many "locals" hate this city, but they came here, and many do stay. I want to stay, I just realize that in my industry and with the pay scale compared to the cost of living, it isn't the best place to be. That being said, this city is just too much fun to walk away from. If the offer was made to me, I am not sure what i would do. I really don't know. We will see...

Being a huge White Stripes mark as I am, this album review is necessary. Icky Thump could be the best album yet from a very good band. Jack and Meg have taken their bluesy rock sound and added some great twists. It is worth a listen if you are a fan. Good toe tapping, driving down the road singing to yourself type album.

Still basking in the glow of my book title being free. That has really reinvigorated me. My novel writing has been slow, it has been labored, and it hasn't been fun. That has really changed for me. I read and edited much of what I have done on the trip...and I liked it. It is slightly disjointed and needs some rewrites...but it is something I am proud of...and that is nice. I am going to start writing again with a renewed vigor.

Despite requests the story of July 4th ends with what I wrote last.

"Burn Notice" is very disappointing. USA network has one writer and he writes series after series after series about someone who is wacky in the law profession. Detective Monk, psychics, and now spies. The show could have been a dark, funny, action packed series in the vein of Sopranos and The Shield. A spy gets fired, is pissed, and is trying to find out what happened, who did it and a way to get back in...that could be really good. Add an alcoholic ex-spy who still kind of works with the feds. A former spy girlfriend. A fucked up mother. A dead abusive father. Yet to be seen brother. that could have been good. Now it is some wacky, idiotic bunch of family friendly crap.

Big events in plan this weekend...another great LV weekend...

Absence diminishes commonplace passions and enhances great ones. - French Proverb

Because I know a pimp...

...I was able to see two movies this week for free. So here is my view from the retarded isle...

1) Live Free or Die Hard - I went into this movie with absolutely no expectations whatsoever...if it sucked...who cares...but if it was good...great. Well, for 90% of the movie it was excellent, and I mean EXCELLENT! Now I will qualify "excellent" as a great mindless summer action movie. To put it in better perspective I thought that Die Hard 2 was horrible and Die Hard 3 was virtually unwatchable. This installment of Die Hard was more like the first one. Very good story (if you don't think too hard), excellent action, good acting, good humor. Two big problems:
a) The ending almost ruins the movie. I won't blow it for you...but F-15 vs. John McClain in an 18 wheeler...and the truck wins. What the fuck???
b) The story with his daughter was a little flimsy.
All in all, if you want to go see a good old fashioned 80's style summer adult action film...this is a good one...now...for a bad one...

2) Transformers - As a child of the 80's...I LOVED the Transformers. From a child all the way into High School...many a great afternoon, later on usually high with my cousin Rich, I watched the Transformers. The Decepticons vs. Autobots was a fucking great storyline. Even in cartoons the show and the storyline was rather dark. Megatron. Optimus Prime. Bonecrusher. Bumble Bee. Fucking great times. I know what you are thinking...Transformers + CGI = Thy name is Heaven...only if your idea of Heaven is really, really, really, low.
The movie is shit. For many reasons...such as:
a) First and foremost the movie doesn't know what it wants to be. Does it want to be a kids movie or a movie for us 30 year olds who watched the show as a kid? It is conflicted and it really hurts the film. One one hand they say "shit" a few times and they have a girl who is so hot it makes a straight man's brain boil running around in cute little outfits. On the other hand, the violence is boring cartoonish type violence, the story line is light and fluffy, and there are too many characters brought in for comic relief and just seem idiotic, not funny.
b) Again, the characters. They turn the Secretary of Defense into a buffoon. They have a top secret government agent (played by the great John Turturro), who was a fucking idiot...not funny, not interesting, not necessary to the plot, and was a TOTAL FUCKING JACKASS! It was a piss poor attempt at levity and wackiness to appeal to kids. It made no sense and was just ridiculous.
c) All of the Decepticons get killed way too easy. The movie negates the power of Megatron..not to get all Star Wars geek on you...but I am blogging so how cool can I be...but Megatron was a fucking bad ass in the cartoon and the movie he was a big giant bitch.
d) The action was boring. I turned to my friend in the middle and said..."is it just me or is this boring..." It was too light and fluffy. It was Superman 2 type violence.
e) One last point about the story. Superman Returns, Batman Begins, and all the Spiderman movies have ushered in an age of taking comic books seriously in films. It is the reason why Fantastic 4 doesn't work...it is too childish. This is the same problem. It is designed for kids...and it doesn't work. One comic book movie, Batman with Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton walked that edge between cartoonish and dark...but that is the rare exception...look at the rest of the horrible Batman movies...it can't be replicated.

There is one plus. The two female leads of the Transformers are RIDICULOUSLY hot. Holy shit are they amazing. Two of the most beautiful women I have seen in a long time. Also, the budding romantic story worked better than the action part...which is HORRIBLE to say about an action movie.

More...

Good news...the new title for my first book...IS AVAILABLE!!! I am so thrilled I can't begin to explain it. I know have a title for 2 of the 4 books. Which makes me so happy I can't describe it. This is a good thing...a great thing.

My last blog garnered me a lot of responses. Funny responses and I thank you for that. Too funny. I was half out of my mind when I wrote it, and I am glad that I did. It was so bizarre because I don't remember virtually any of my dreams, but that was so fucking clear. I will announce to everyone, I will not tell anyone who X was in my dream...it doesn't really matter. The story was the most important thing. Thank you all for the messages...some wild stuff.

I fly off to Nashville for a couple days this week. Looking forward to it. Beer always tastes a little better on vacation. Country music makes me physically sick.

Celebrated the 4th of July in style...the birth of this wonderful country was consecrated with the SICKEST backyard fireworks show I have ever seen. The whole neighborhood was blocked off...kegs...12 different grills making different food...fun...friends...and great fireworks. It was one of the best Independence Day's ever.

July 5th I cursed the day everything was born...the country, me, Ethel Merman...never mind...but my hangover...as monumental as it was...really was worth it. A lot of strange events I am not going to type here...but I will say this to one of you who are reading this...I know you are pissed...but it is all your fault and if she is upset about me giving her a fake number...you deal with it...just tell her I was still drunk. I only wanted a ride home...that was it...

Oh, Arsenal Gunners...life without Henry starts this season...but the great Arsen Wenger singed Eduardo da Silva...another brilliant off the radar signing. Reports are Wenger will resign this week, and we will get some help in the right/centerback position. Need to make some free money, bet right now that Arsenal is in the top 3 of the premiership.


Knowing sorrow well, I learn to succor the distressed. - Virgil

Me, my brothers and Jennifer Aniston are on a road trip...

on a road trip. The craziest fucking road trip you have ever seen. Road trip to where, who cares? Banners, beers, bong hits, old trucks and supped up up buses. Eventually a few of my fraternity brothers, Jennifer Aniston, a stranger and me are in a honky tonk bar and motel. In a small back room, not much bigger than a walk in closet is a bar and the "smoking section." The front was a sleazy lounge with bad chairs and dirty couches. Large windows with no shades or blinds. The windows have a great view of the road. No one who works the lounge area seem to be around. It is late, very late. The only worker is in the bar section.
Jennifer Aniston, me, the stranger and a frat brother are hanging out. The other brothers are in the smoking section getting drunk. Aniston is clearly with my frat brother. They are hooking up while the stranger and I smoke a joint. Everyone is making small talk. The stranger asks my brother if he can make out with Jennifer. Strangely, with a sad look on his face he said ok. I laughed and said that is fucked up. They start to make out. I can't stop looking at my brother, call him X. X was heart broken. The two of them go at it for minutes. I finish the joint and walk for the bar. Disgusted. I laugh and have a good time for a while with the boys. I keep looking back and see the stranger taking more and more liberties with Jennifer Aniston.
The guys are laughing and having fun. I don't tell them about what is happening and they don't seem to notice. They notice our other brothers driving past the bar/motel with their huge banners and crazy antics. Crazy shit. I see the stranger and Aniston dry humping. I can't take it anymore. I walk out to the lounge and stare down at them. The stranger laughs. He asks X if he can "fuck the whore" in one of the rooms. X just nods. No fight. No craziness. They get up and I am stunned. I want to smash my beer bottle across his head. My blood is boiling. I turn to her and beg her not to go. She seems resigned that if X isn't going to say no, she won't either. Stranger is laughing. He is the only one.
I am furious with X so I go back to the smoking lounge and buy a pack of reds and a shot. Time passes. X disappears. I have no idea where he went and no desire to find out. I move out into the lounge. Tired of pretending like I am having fun. X shows up and sits across the lounge, which is huge. He won't be near me, he won't look at anyone. He is facing the wall. Fucking coward.
The rusty bell on side door to the motel makes a noise. Jennifer Aniston walks in. She is wearing a black hoodie with the hood up. I walk over towards her and she has tears in her eyes. "I should have listened to you," she repeated several times.
"Yeah, but don't worry about it. Out of all our 'whores on the road' stories yours is our favorite." She cries. I wonder if I should mention that I didn't tell anyone. Nah, too great of a line. She walks over towards him....then....

I WAKE UP! I am fucking sweating out this horrible fever and THIS is what my mind pushes out. What the fuck? Jennifer Aniston (mid-Friends, not now)??? My frat brothers circa 1994??? A sexually charged stranger??? Dingy hick, southern, seedy motel/bar???

If I wasn't tired and not feeling so well I would have written more.