Family Circus style driving, part 3

A: About where she works
B: Where my daughter's doctor's office is
C: About where she was when she called me to say she lost her way
D: Where she told me she was when she called me (Lake Street is different than Lake Road)
E: Where she ended up 2 and a half hours after leaving work and I surprised her by suggesting she get tickets for the Cubs game next week as she was two miles from Wrigley Field and had no idea she was there.

Since my wife could not get there even though she went to the office many times, I had to be there when my daughter got a shot. Shortly after seeing the needle go into her skin, I got woozy and blacked out. After fifteen minutes, I was ok to drive home.

I admit, I am a wimp

Since they had a blood drive at my work, I have been donating to Lifesource pretty regularly for the past couple of years. Not knowing one person away from my work who donates (mostly because they can't) makes me feel obligated to donate. However donating over the past 18 months have become increasingly difficult as a combination of nerves, pain, and problems with me being heavy has turned the donating process from something that is no big deal to something I worry about days before it happens.

Why can I only donate on a Saturday? They do not want caffeine in the blood as it makes it more difficult. Therefore I am only able to donate early on Saturday or any other day I am not at work.

I have problems with needles. Twice I passed out from them. Once when hearing the fluid rush into my shoulder and once when I had to be with my daughter when she got a shot. (Why was I with her? You will nee next week.) When my best friend gives herself an injection for her diabetes, she warns me.

Why does it hurt? Not sure but it usually does. Knowing what ailments have caused what discomforts for me in the past, I probably have a low tolerance of pain. I am also wondering if the pain is caused by them not getting the needle in the proper place.

My size has made it difficult to find the correct place to put a needle in my arm. By the time they have their discussion and consultation about where to do it, I am ready to crawl under the table or take everything out and run out the door screaming. Though the idea of losing weight is simple, (less intake, more output) living with it is not.

Sunday brunch

What is a TMI filter? It is a feature installed on my computer that removes a lot of boring superfluous information from posts and charts when I start to ramble on about a subject I feel strongly about like the Dolphins who removed by TMI filter

un"pleasant" fact

What is Marscon? It is a sci-fi convention held in the Twin Cities of Minnesota around the first weekend of March. In 2004, seven of us squeezed into a van since Dr. Demento was a guest of honor and had a great time. Due to the popularity of that and under the guidance of the great Luke Ski, Marscon became the place to see the best dementia artists perform and now people fly in from both coasts and all points between for a weekend that has the atmosphere of a family reunion. (with cheese whiz and whipped cream)

Since I know of people in the Chicago area who do not have an easy way to get there, I decided to start renting a large van to take people there since 2005 and it has become the best way to get to the con. Named the "dementia bus" (from a couple of songs) and called the USS Blindwolf (named after a DJ who passed away) it allows the con to start earlier and last longer for those who ride in it. We have even casted music and conversation live while driving to and from there. Other people in the Midwest have driven 300 miles to my place and parked their car in my parking space to ride with us. With a drawing made by the great Luke Ski we had shirts made with those who were on it. Though it costs more money than by driving my own car, it is worth it for me. (at least from the time the van leaves my house until the time it gets back)

Who is the 2009 Marscon music Guest of Honor (GOH) Wally Pleasant? He has been doing music for a while appearing on the Dr Demento Show over 40 times from 1992 to 2005 (along with three times since April) getting one song twice as the 5th most requested song of the week in 1997. He did get a song on a Dr Demento disc compilation in 2000. Personally, I do not have anything against him. The only song I know I have heard before from him was the one on the compilation CD.

Since the dementia track at Marscon was started by a visit by Dr Demento, it would make sense to me for their GOH to be someone who has achieved something within the genre of Dementia. Though Wally Pleasant is not horrible, I know there is one artist who will be there who did something on the Dr Demento show that only two others did and another one who did something something that had not been done since 1981 when someone named Weird Al had the number one and number two songs of the year. Both of them have to arrange and pay for their own transportation. Fortunately, the proceeds from the Marscon fundraiser CD available at http://marscondementia.com/ will cover much of the lodging costs.

In February, the people who run Marscon 2010 will decide on their music GOH. Hopefully, their choice will be less controversial or at least someone who had a song played on the Dr Demento show within the previous 33 months.

P.S. No, not me. Though the fan GOH would be a possibility. I can host panels talking about the "bus" and show pics I have taken the past years. (would probably happen only in the less weird dreams I have had)

Evolution of The Mall Santa

Before I heard of someone named Weird Al Yankovic in 1980, I would make fun of songs by changing words in them and the songs that were the most fun to do were those from the holiday season since they would always be there unlike contemporary songs which change each year. Usually they would last one or two verses and they were not finished pieces as the joke was there up front.

As I got older a pattern developed in many of those songs as diagrammed here:



Shortly after my daughter was born in 2000, I met a bunch of people who appreciate the same music that I like and even create it themselves and eventually I started going to sci-fi conventions where they performed it.

Once of the fans, Carrie Dahlby, became by best friend after meeting her in March '04. She is a trained classical performed with a degree in music theory and was able to provide female voices and vocal help to songs by other people most noticeably to the great Luke Ski who also became one of my best friends as I would help him out at cons with selling and moving merchandise and props. Occasionally they would ask me to help them on stage with a song as mostly a prop and one time in a song where they found a part that suited my tone deaf lack of singing ability.

In the summer of 2006, Carrie wanted to create her own album as she had ideas of her own. Knowing what I did with holiday music she asked me to tell her all my song parodies and then she would decide what was best to pursue. After rejecting songs like "I Saw Mommy, Dad, and Santa Claus (underneath the Christmas tree last night)", "Get a Ho", and "Terror on Santa Claus Lane" (I had that idea before Weird Al did "The Night Santa Went Crazy", She decided on Santa Claus Pulled His Pants Down. (Note: since it would not apply with her singing, I did not suggest "I Came Upon a Midnight Queer".)

As I was trying to figure out lyrics for a complete song instead of the two verses I had and after seeing the Boondocks holiday episode where Riley attacked a mall Santa the previous December, I decided to make it "the mall Santa" since I felt a human being acting that way is more plausible than Santa himself and then put in a line about him not taking his medication to explain why he was acting that way.

Wanting to add something to it, I decided it would be cool for me to do the voice of the perverted mall Santa and added those lines and then added lines for my wife and daughter for the song and then with a midi file I found on line, recorded me trying to sing to it for Carrie to analyze. I did pay someone to master a good version of the backing track.

After a month of her and I changing lines and ideas and putting in sounds of Riley's attack at Dragon*con '06 on Labor Day weekend, Carrie with Luke Ski's help recorded the song for an extended play CD for that weekend. Later with better recording equipment, everything was rerecorded for the album version.

With my wife and daughter and Luke as "Riley", we performed a live version of the song at a con in November 06 and with just Carrie, Luke and I at a con near St. Louis in 07. To our surprise Dr Demento decided to play it each of the last two years on his show and I have Carrie and Luke to thank for that.

Last year Carrie wanted me to come up with another holiday song idea. Unfortunately I thought of it too late for the holiday season and it was not done. Per another suggestion from her, I also came up with a non holiday possibility but there has not been the time to get it done.

Actually, that is what inspired me to create My Not So Normal World in the first place since I can get my thoughts out there without needing help.

no bladder of steel

I was planning on playing the "endless setlist 2" from the game on Saturday. However, after playing with people at my house on Friday night and with people from my Xbox friends list on line Saturday, my plans have been postponed.

Bonus list

I was going to do his last Wednesday but basically forgot to do so

My top 13 who wore the number 13

13. Ken Riley, defensive back, Cincinnati Bengals. First person I ever saw wear that number in a ball game. Back when he played in the early 1970s, the concept of numbering players based on their position was not established.

12. Steve Nash, guard, Phoenix Suns. When googling to see if I missed anyone, his name appeared and belongs on the list.

11. Ralph Branca, pitcher, Brooklyn Dodgers. Gave up home run to Bobby Thompson to win 1951 National League pennant. (the Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!) When he was the mystery guest on a sports trivia show I was watching in the 70s, I found out he changed his uniform number after that.

10. Dr. Remy Hadley, Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. When her character applied for an internship on the tv show House M.D., she wore the number 13. After getting hired, because of her guarded personal life, she is still referred most of the time as "number 13".

9. Tiznow, 2000 Breeders Cup Classic. Though other horses have won big races with the number 13, this one stands out since I won money on it.

8. Kurt Warner, quarterback, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals. Two time NFL MVP and Super Bowl XXXIV MVP. His very open religious beliefs prevent me from placing him higher on my list.

7. Alex Rodriguez, 3B-SS, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees. Will probably finish his career with the most total home runs in the major leagues even though I do not believe he will ever be an active player on a championship ball club.

6. Wilt Chamberlain, center, Harlem Globetrotters, Philadelphia Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Dominated the game being that much larger and more talented than all but one center of his area. Holds scoring records that would be very unlikely to beat.

5. Kenny Mc Cormick, South Park Cows. Wore number 13 and got killed by opposing team in football episode from first season.

4. Dan Marino, quarterback, Miami Dolphins. Not a misprint. Hall of Fame QB who retired with most games, touchdowns, and yards. (since passed by Bret Farve) Was winning QB in "game #18" for 1972 Dolphins as they beat undefeated Bears in 1985 but never won a title.

3. Pipe Wrench Guy, Take on Me Video, A-Ha 1985. 'nuff said

2. Ozzie Guillen, ss, manager, Chicago White Sox. Brought long awaited title to well deserving fans before the team from the north side did.

1. Jake Scott, safety, Miami Dolphins. Holds team record for most career interceptions. Super Bowl VII MVP of 1972 season 17-0 team with two interceptions. After being traded from Dolphins late in his career, he does not participate in any team reunion.

Sorry

My plans were to make a Windycon related chart on Sunday based on how I spent my time at the convention after I got home from it. However, once I got home Sunday about 5:30 PM, I was in no shape to do that and really do not feel like doing one at 4AM Monday.

Instead here is a pic I took there. Sometimes one can be in the right place at the right time.

Better late than never?

While figuring this out, I started to think, where were these women 20 years ago when I was in my early 20s, thin and single? Then I realized I did not see them because they were NOT at the football field, golf course, bowling alley, race track or riverboat casino.

Why I am a registered Republican

Since the Republican primary decides the winner in all local elections, registering Democratic does not really do much. When I lived in Democratic Chicago, I was a Democrat.

Family Circus style driving, part 2

Granted this happened in 1999 shortly after we moved and she was pregnant at the time. I did not find out about this adventure until she got home.

Like women have shoes

When trying to figure out how many I have worn in 2008 for this chart, I was shocked to discover it was 48.

Best damn vengence

What is a Scud robot assassin you may ask? This video by the great Luke Ski can explain it better than I can: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYIILDp-VaM

Yes, having 74 people on the list might be considered extreme.

We rock?

Actually, this is the best game I have ever purchased as all three of us can play together (until we start arguing like a real band)

Playoff time

The Cubs are the best team in the NL and in spite of my White Sox affiliations, I would not be really upset if the Sox don't win in the playoffs and the Cubs make the series.

With the American League much better, the champion deserves to be from it.

Family circus style driving, part 1

I love my wife very much but she has a tendency to get lost on the road even when I tell her how to get somewhere. I have considered getting her a GPS device but am worried that she would turn into a house or drive off the road since they are not 100% accurate.

Return to the land of evil

start

I was able to get the account set up once I recovered my old password. I Will be posting my graphs and charts shortly.