Tryppin' on Thanksgivin'

The SIDs usually start off Thanksgiving by writing everything we are thankful for on a roll of receipt paper that reaches from the ceiling to the floor. In order to achieve that goal, we were thankful for very specific things : each finger, each spoke on our bicycles and every GI Joe and their weapons.

Before the children's children came into picture (pictured below), the parentals used to do family time capsules where we would all sit around the dinner table and talk into a tape recorder for about an hour giving an account of our year to this small device. I venture the real reason we stopped this tradition is because the employees at Best Buy are either too young now or so technologically savvy that they have no idea what a tape recorder is (true story, happened to me about 1 yr ago) OR that there are 7 grandkids now and we can't sit still long enough before the next lightsaber is ignited and a duel begins. i love entropy.
Such chaos led into an impromptu magic show. Here's how it happened. We were playing tag with the lights off in the garage and Jack figured out (perhaps with some help from Katie) that he could fit easily in the large tupperware container and close the lid. He couldn't get tagged! His cousins and siblings quickly noticed the immunity and multiple kids tried at the same time to fit in there. I had to do something to calm them down.
Magic was the answer. Note : No nieces or nephews were hurt in the performance of these acts.

Ok, so i don't have the video of the kids disappearing, but that's pretty cool magic right? Not as cool as a disappearing pencil, but cool nonetheless. We did cut robby in half though. He was just as surprised as everyone else to see his feet being pulled away from his body.
Yadda yadda, then a giant penguin came, Anne won the wishbone break by a mere quarter centimeter and we ate dinner and played christmas the day after, complete with present opening and pickle ornament finding.
A special thanks to the Fizz and all her magical costumes, for they bring joy to the children all over the world.
and a special thanks to my family for being completely awesome. i am truly grateful for you and all the entertainment and love you share with me and the other sentient beings of this planet.

You Oughta Know

You oughta know that i finally spent over $25 to see a concert. Previously i had spent only $23 for Aquabats concerts and i couldn't imagine needing to spend more $ for something that just wouldn't be as good as crowd surfing their children on inflatable dolphins during the 'pool party' song. But, i took Katie to see Alanis Morissette for her birthday last Friday night.

Here are the things i enjoyed most -
1. Alanis spun in circles for approximately 3.5 minutes, at least 105 complete circles. i counted. she recovered in under 15 seconds.
2. the drummer did some crazy thing with his drumstick while playing that looked like he was
waving a magic wand and casting killing curses. since i didn't know the words, i just shouted
killing curses.
3. alanis plays the harmonica. i did jigs, akin to those done by the jiggers of Zion, under
Aaroneous' and Howard's harmonies.
4. orpheum theater - sweet bldg and only 2 blocks away from Garfield tower and WC's camera.
5. average age of the concert goer was probably 36 yrs old. hmmm.
6. as soon as alanis started to sing, i lost katie and was left to myself to blurt what i remember from my freshman year of high school or risk looking the fool for not knowing every song - it's like rain on your wedding day... free rides, but already paid...buncha knives, but just want a spoon... 1 hand in my pocket, 1 smoking cigarette...thank you india. so i sang probably 12 words, but shouting the killing curses with every crazy wave from the drummer sure helped me 'fit in.'
7. katie's face in the above picture.

All in all, it was a pretty sweet concert, mostly because everyone, including the Rock, was so excited and jazzed to scream along with the songs. i give the evening 2 thumbs up ....who woulda thought...to figger.

this was just a cool photo that brings a chuckle - TomBombadil, Atom and the Fish after signing a treatise to uphold justice and fun with the Bat Winged Commander, leader of the Aquabats.

Bachelors & The Lean Mean Grilling Machine

I meant to post this a while ago and now I am a lone man in NZ and without The Grill and my heart yearns for the better days.

George Foremen didn't make it past the 8th round versus Ali, but let me tell you, George has gone much more than 15 rounds with my roommates and me. We, the members of 2464 (and yes, probably even Funk) hereby declare the George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine to the be the greatest device ever created for the mild-mannered Bachelor.
George the Heavyweight has sold over 80,000,000 grills, made over $150 million profit, satiated tens of millions of bellies and curiously slipped its way into pop culture :

Nelly - (2:20)

My mouth piece simply certified, a total package
Open up my mouth and you see more karats than a salad
My teeth are mind blowin givin' everybody chillz
Call me George Foreman cuz i'm sellin everybody grillz

In the heavens, i believe administering angels will cook on the this majestic and holy appliance.

Here are but some of the major uses we have found in this Telestial sphere for the Mighty Grilling Machine:

Pancakes - fluffier, happier, no flipping necessary (though you do have to tilt the grill backwards to avoid spilling) and can easily be divided into Pan-Sticks for the children or finger foods at parties.

Eggs - Gaston eats 2 dozen a day to be roughly the size of a barge. George ate whole chickens to become a champ. I eat only a few week and have never had a simpler time separating egg whites.

Grille a la Quesadilla - yeah, cheese, beans, salsa, even an egg in there. It even has the sweet grill that fast food joints artificially paint on their patties.


Bakin' Cookies - When I look at my oven and try to figure out how to get it to 345 degrees for 13 minutes, I simply cringe. With the GFG, you simply plug it in, place the cookie dough on the Teflon-coated heating surface, sit back and let it do the baking for you. Take it off when it looks like a cookie. so easy!

Warm your toes/feet while watching TV.
Wrap your feet in a thin cloth, insert into grill and... happy feet -

Insta' Face Steam - to make it look like you exercise for when chicks come over -

Ironing your shirts - Do you feel the pounds from your desk job adding on? Have you ever heard that vertical stripes suggest thinness and height? Well, the Grilling Machine from Mt Olympus provides you with just the subliminal vertical lining you need on any shirt. Simply heat, press and slide your shirt to feel thinner and achieve that Champ Physique you deserve.

Mouse Trap - Place a generous hunk of cheese on a warm GFG, allow the aroma to spread throughout & your rodent problems are guaranteed to vanish within hours.

% body fat tester - pinch and measure over how many fins in your GF your adipose rolls roll -

Bacon - it's every man's favorite treat and smell (see picture). Keep the aroma constant by placing 1 glorious strip on the grill every morning and let the scent of heaven waft about your apartment. I believe Michael from the office speaks to this use the best :

Michael: I enjoy having breakfast in bed. I like waking up to the smell of bacon ----- sue me -- and since I don’t have a butler, I have to do it myself. So most nights before I go to bed I will lay six strips of bacon out on my George Foreman Grill. Then I go to sleep. When I wake up, I plug in the grill. I go back to sleep again. Then I wake up to the smell of crackling bacon. It is delicious. It’s good for me. It’s the perfect way to start the day. Today I got up, I stepped onto the grill and it clamped down on my foot. That’s it. I don’t see what’s so hard to believe about that…

As I now embark onto the new realm of unbachelorhood, I want to thank GF's grill for keeping my alive, healthy, entertained and in general, studlier than i ever could have achieved on my own. Thanks Champ!

Who do you say I am?

I have been told numerous times that i look like one of the below persons. Let us settle it. Cast your vote, who looks the most like me?

1. Michael Phelps the swimmer and this years Halloween costume?

Erik Balfour, aka Milo from 24?



Rupert Everett from Best Friend's Wedding? (i got this a lot in high school, but still have never seen the movie)



or the beloved Woody from Toy Story?



5. Sid the sloth?

6. Rocky Balboa, the italian stallion?