Mt Fuji

This is rather tacky to keep talking about me and my birthday, but how often does one turn 50? Not too many times. Tonight we had the big celbration, dinner at My Fuji. It's a Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse. The views up there are incredible (especially with Autumn creeping in) as is the food and the show/presentation. The tables seat 12 people in a sort or square U shape with the chef cooking in the middle. He has a few knives and spatulas that he flings around with the precision of a Ninja. He also does some tricks like flinging the tails of the shrimp that he cut off into the top of his chef's hat. My Mom and Aunt Grace have never seen anything like it so it was a treat for them. Ealier in the day, Grif wasn't real keen on going there last night. He just wanted to hang with his cousin. He was grinning ear to ear once the cooking started. Not only is the food prepared as a show, it is also very tasty. They had combinations of chicken with shrimp and/or filet mignon. They use all fresh veggies in the dishes too.

I got this great gift from my brother. BOSE Around the Ear Headphones to use with my iPod. These have incredible sound and are also noise canceling. They run around $150. I can also use them with my guitar amp so I can play anytime without bothering anyone if I decide to crank it up.

Today I gave Dylan a big surprise. I was coming back from town after picking Dylan and his bike up from town. I normally don't do that, I figure if he rode there he can ride back but since we were going out for dinner he needed the ride so we wouldn't be late. We put the bike in the trunk and drove home. We live on a private road which translates into "a dirt road". We stopped at the bottom of our street and I asked Dylan to get the mail. I then asked him if he wanted to drive the car. His eyes bugged out of his head and he said "YES". So we switched sides and I gave him the quick rundown of the brake and gas pedals and how to out it in gear. He started off jerky but he went down the road pretty well. It's only about 1/8 of a mile but he really did quite well. His turn into our driveway could have been better but at least he didn't hit the garage or anything. He said how it was a little harder than he thought it might be. There is a feel one has to aquire in for working the gas and brake. I've let Grif sit on my lap and steer a few times and I has wanted to let Dylan try his hand at it. He was reallt thrilled to have done it, he was all giddy. We'll see how tomorrow goes but Dylan was talking a lot more than he usually does with me and I think I blew him away with my offer. It's not something that he will do often but what the hell, I want him to remember having a good relationship with me. He's at a influential age too (almost 14) so any bonding I can do with him is good I think.
Well, it's late. After 2 am. I think I'm done with this entry.

The Most Remarkable Thing Happened...

I had to got to DMV today (Division of Motor Vehicles) to renew my driver's license. Of course I waited until the deadline to do it, partly because I needed to get an eye exam and I never got around to going to my own eye doctor so I thought that I'd let the state test my eyes. I got up there at around 9:30 armed with my iPod, The New Yorker magazine and lots of patience. On previous visits to the DMV office, I've had to wait close to an hour or found out that the 15 pieces of ID were not enough to renew my license or register my car. So I get there, grab number ( they have a number system where you select what you need to get done i.e. license, permit, transfer from another state, etc.) and proceed to sit down along with the other 12 or so people who were already seated. No sooner did my butt hit the bench and my number was called. I had downloaded and filled out the form at home so all I had to do was hand them the form, have a new photo taken (it could not be worse than my old one) and hand over $51. The license if $50 and there is a $1 donation for organ donor stuff. I told tham they could have any parts of me that were woth saving (if there even are any). I was in and out of there in under 5 minutes. I called Dana when I got out and it took 5 mintues of trying to convince her that I was really done.

I took the whole day off of work today. I needed to get the license thing done plus my friend sent one of his pool guys over to help me close my pool. Stan, the pool man, is a riot. He's a real nice friendly guy who goes out of his way to help out. He has wonderful teeth too, both of them. He looks like a Jack-o-lantern in a way and one eye looks north while the other one looks south but he is a nice guy and has always been the man who helps me with the pool. He did just find out that he has some sort of spot on one of his lungs. He's afraid to find out more but I tried to stress how inmportant it is to catch whatever this is early. Hopefully it's nothing. So, long story short(er), my pool is closed for the season. We got a lot of use out of it. The warmest we got it to was 87 this year. Dana even got her butt in there a few times and Grif and I lived in it. Dylan and his friends (and I) had a bunch of great volleyball games in there too. Last, but not least, my car got the best present of all. $800 worth of presents. A catalitic converter, a few belts, some of this and some of that but now it's inspected and good for year and hopefully more as far as parts go.

Dana's got a gig tonight at the Bethel arts Center (where Woodstock was back in 1969). It's a really nice state of the art theater. She is doing a private party for a college and it playing the violin. It's a decent gig. Tomorrow we celebrate with a nice dinner

Who Says You Can't Get Anything Good For a Buck

In keeping with the wierd and wacky, look what I got for a buck! We have different vendors who come to work and sell their wares. I've gotten everything from cool guitar neckties to fresh baked amish pies to Douche Bonnets. This is perfect for a shower after enjoying some cock soup. One of our all time favorites. It's served best with meatballs.

Happy Early Birthday (to me)

The volume goes up to 12, that's one more than Spinal Taps amps

I got my present from Dana a few days early. I wouldn't shut up about wanting to buy a better amp. All I have are these little amps, so she got me this Fender Blues Junior amp. It lists for about $650, I've seen them for $450, but she got it for $300 because of her discount from one of the music stores she teachers at. The amp is only 15W, but it's a tube amp (instead of solid state electronics) so it has the punch of a 40 or 50W amp. I was floored when she gave it to me. This is the big 50 coming at me. I feel a little obnoxious talking bout my own birthday but being in the position that I am, with the cancer and all, a few years ago I didn't think I'd see this day. Well, I really haven't seen it because it's not till Friday. I still have time to bite the bullet.

Most of you regulars probably know this, but last week I was back in SK for a procedure this time. They had missed a tumor last March when they did the 4th operation, so they decided that they could get thisone by sticking a needle into my lung and heat it up and fry it. It was a success. I was in and out in about 24 hours. Much better than my usual 12-14 day stay that I usually have. I'm still on the weekly chemo, it is taking it's toll on me, I am tired a lot. I still work though so that's in my favor. After I take all my meds, I generally feel OK.

I have slowed down blogging, even slower at visiting blogs. I know it's not good manners to do that but that's how it goes.

A Drink for the Ladies

What is her plate if she Divorces?

Mist Morning

Some Photos

The Hearst Building - 57th Street


Central Park


Sunrise in NY State

Keep her on it all night

Embarrassed about your penls size?
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The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
-Alvin Toffler

These spam e-mails crack me up. This one made it through though, I was surprised. I don't have too many male readers but I really don't think that this a problem with us guys. Another thing, I don't know if I want her on it all night as the spam says. I need some sleep for Christ's sake. The thing that impressed me the most was the Alvin Toffler quote.
I guess why not educate the small dicked dudes...