Sunday Ink #13

I was at North By Northwest eating good food and drinking fantastic beer (They have this black ale aged in bourbon casks) and being waited on by this absolutely adorable girl named "D". She's a mixture of Irish, German and Spanish so she has beautiful skin with a little spray of freckles and eyes that can melt a man down to nothing.

She also has ink, which I noticed when she bent over to clear a table near us. I have to say, the the whole sexy waitress in an apron thing...

I may have to eat there more often.

Serving Miners

Game Day, was yesterday.

OK, I screwed up.

Yesterday in Greenville

The Pirates stomped up on

The University of Texas El Paso

and it was a...

First Down...

PIRATES!

53-21 pirates final.

Paint this one purple!

Next week is the conference championship.

Who Are You Calling A Turkey?

Happy Thanksgiving all. This year I am doing nothing... Well, nothing much.

Jack and I went for a morning run, spent some time at the dog park and then came down to the pub for a pint of Guinness and a bowl of water.

What better place to be than among friends, with good food, good alcohol and great fellowship?

God bless each of you. Have a safe and happy day.

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm...

Unbearable, A 100 Word Story

It was nearing the Christmas season in the great white north. The caribou galloped and pranced on the tundra. Further north the ice floes sparkled and created a prism of colors on the snow.
Randy could hardly stand it. He moped around his territory grumpy and grouchy. He was far more surly than normal. Even the seal he had for dinner didn’t seem to be as tasty. He was a solitary animal anyway, but this time of year it was worse. “The damn grizzlies have it easy”, he thought to himself.
The Holidays are always rough for a bi-polar bear.

Sunday Ink #12

First time I laid eyes on "Red" she was standing in the foyer at Eddie V's Edgewater Grill on 5th St.

I've always been a sucker for a redhead, so you can just work out how it all satrted from there... Redhead, Irish, Celtic, tattoos...

Her milky Irish complexion was complimented by her sea blue eyes and hair that runs from a deep red to a strawberry blonde and was broken only by a few freckles and a little ink.

How I got the picture, I'll just leave to your imagination...

Alabama Saturday Night

Game Day, Freebooters!

Coming off a loss

Our very own ECU Pirates

Travel to Birmingham, Alabama

To face UAB's Blazers

Blazers? Really?

Your team is named after a sport coat?

OK.

Tonight at 7:00 pm eastern

It will be a...

First Down...

PIRATES!

17-13 ECU final!

Paint this one purple!

My Boy

I went out last night for a drink and a bite... I left Jack alone in the house. Usually when I'm at work he spends his days in the backyard keeping squirrels out of the birdfeeder. I used to worry that he was bored all day long, but the well worn trails of dead grass in the back let me know he is more than active...

Anyway, when I got home, in the very center of my bed was a running shoe and a tennis ball. He is always moving my shoes around. He never chews them or even slobbers on them as far as I can tell, he just moves them. The shoe was for comfort (He still has a little separation issue from his shelter experience) and the tennis ball was to play with.

This morning I awoke in the dark grey light of early dawn lying on my back with his head on my shoulder. Content and still, two things I never thought he'd be when I got him. I was adamant when he first came to live with me that he would not be allowed on the furniture, and definitely not in the bed. I have to say though, it's kind of nice. It's reassuring to hear his steady breathing and feel the warmth of him there.

It's still a little disconcerting to turn around in the shower and see him peeking in though.

Reel Lines (34)

Jake Holman: I was home. What happened? What the Hell happened?

Sunday Ink #11

This sexy waif caught my eye not because of her ink, but because of her hair. It was PURPLE! Not some pale lavender, but hard core East Carolina purple. That'll take your attention off the Sunday funnies.

"C" is a tiny little thing, cute as the dickens (Depending on how you feel about facial piercings) and wouldn't be a hundred pounds soaking wet carrying an anvil. I was so intent on making sure I got the picture I completely missed the fact that her ink was Tank Girl. I then buried myself deeper by bringing up the movie rather than the comic. Lost more than a few cool points there. Oh well.

All Things Being Eagle

Game Day, Privateers!

Today In Hattiesburg, Mississippi

At 3:00 eastern

The famed Pirates of East Carolina

Face off against the Golden Eagles

Southern Miss is favored by 3

for the life of me I can't figure out why

We have a better record

We're #1 in CUSA east

We're gonna get a

First Down...

PIRATES!

Well, sombody knows something...

7-3 S. Miss at the half

21-3 final

Sometimes I wonder.

Death Throes Of The Real Man

This isn't a new subject. I've mentioned it before. A few years ago I mentioned the resurgence of what the girls at the pub called the retrosexual, the comeback of the real man. Well, I misjudged. It's not going to happen. I don't think it can happen.

There are a few of us left. Real men. There aren't very many, and our numbers will shrink until the last real man will be on display in the Smithsonian... A stark reminder of when we thought for ourselves, and did what was right, not because it was expected, but because it was right.

The resurgence I mentioned failed. Why? It failed for lack of role models. It failed because women these days don't understand us enough to appreciate us and boys don't know how to become us.

Real men have been replaced by the male sheeple... It's all postureing and posing, or they have been replaced by the thug... Trying too hard to be tough to think about anyone but themselves.
Who am I to judge, you may well ask. Well I'll tell you.

Am I a real man because I have steel toed boots and a leather Jacket? Because I ride around in a Jeep with the top off and rode motorcycles for years? Because I can handle myself in any fight? Because I know guns and can shoot? Because I think a glass of good bourbon and a great cigar are proof that there's a God?

No.

Nor do I believe I am a real man because I like good wine, own a tuxedo, like theater and the ballet, can cook and sew, shine my shoes and like fine art.

I am a real man because of how I think, and how it translates into how I act.

Am I a caveman on occasion? Yes. Brutally honest and loud about it.

Am I too shy sometimes? Sure. I've missed more than a few opportunities because I didn't speak up in time.

I am a real man because of the middle ground. I am a real man because I will fight when I have to... and walk away when I need to. Because when I do something right I expect no praise, and when I do something wrong I accept the consequences.

Men today have been treated to do-overs and taught the blame game so much they don't understand personal responsibility anymore, and women are drawn either to these shiny, shallow empty husks with egos, or to the brutal neanderthal with no thought but sex and food.

The real man has no place in the modern world anymore. We are a dying breed, and we will be reformed and reeducated and replaced.

We already have been.

Walking Man

It gets dark early this time of year in Texas. By six the sun is all but a memory. In the summer months I was rushing home so I could get in a good four miles and take Jack to the dog park so he could run and I could look at pretty women before dark. Now it's dark before I get off work, so I go a little later.

It's kind of nice... Just me and Jack, the moon and the river. In between the songs in my ipod the crunch of my shoes on the gravel.

I've upped the distances. It started last week, but as of yesterday I made it my new plan. 7.5 daily M-F, depending on social life. 7.5 on Sunday morning. I was going to up Sunday to 12, and I may yet, but not just now.

Because I walk late, no one is at the dog park when we get there, so Jack has a quick swim and we're off again. If we really hump it we can do that loop in an hour forty-five.

It seems my thoughts run a little faster in the dark too. I suppose because there's less visual input. That's both good and bad. I dream less because my brain processes more crap, but I remember thoughts and memories now whereas the dreams would fade. It'll work out eventually I'm sure.

Moving in silent desperation

Keeping an eye on the holy land

A hypothetical destination

Say, who is this walking man?

Well, the leaves have come to turning

And the goose has gone to fly

And bridges are for buning

So dont you let that yearning

Pass you by

Walking man, walking man walks

Well, any other man stops and talks

But the walking man walks

Well the frost is on the pumpkin

And the hay is in the barn

An pappy's come to rambling on

Stumbling around drunk

Down on the farm

And the walking man walks

Doesn't know nothing at all

Any other man stops and talks

But the walking man walks on by

Walk on by

Most everybody's got seed to sow

It ain't always easy for a weed to grow, oh no

So he don't hoe the row for no one

Oh for sure he's always missing

And something is never quite right

Ah, but who would want to listen to you

Kissing his existence good night

Walking man walk on by my door

Well, any other man stops and talks

But not the walking man

He's the walking man

Born to walk

Walk on walking man

Well now, would he have wings to fly

Would he be free

Golden wings against the sky

Walking man, walk on by

So long, walking man, so long

-James Taylor

For Our Fighting Men

IWIWAL

There is a long story behind why this is stuck in my head....
Nevermind, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.

I wish I was a lesbian, and not a hetero.
I wouldn't have to mess with men and all their come and go,
And all that awful facial hair and yucky machis'mo!
I wish I was a lesbian and not a hetero!

I wish I was a lesbian and that I wasn't straight.
I would sleep with women only. Man, it would be great.
I could throw away my diaphragm, I wouldn't want to mate.
I wish I was a lesbian, and that I wasn't straight!

I wish I was a lesbian, I'd like to be a dyke.
I'd hang with k.d. lang. Mel Gibson, take a hike!
I think it would be nice to love someone who was alike.
I wish I was a lesbian, I'd like to be a dyke!

I wish I was a lesbian, that's why this song is sung.
It shouldn't have to matter how somebody is hung.
Other things are more important- like how you use your tongue!
I wish I was a lesbian, that's why this song is sung!

I DARE Casey Kasem to play this!

I wish I was a lesbian, I know it's sad but true.
But, maybe I might understand you guys and all you do.
But if I was a lesbian, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO!
I wish I was a lesbian, I know it's sad but true.

I wish I was a lesbian, and not a hetero.
I wouldn't have to deal with men and all their come and go,
And all that awful facial hair and yucky machis'mo (I hate that machis'mo!) I wish I was a lesbian and not a hetero!
Loudon Wainwright III

Sunday Ink # 10

Last week's ink was from Opal Divine's on 6th, as is this week's. In fact these two beautiful women were together... And were with two other beautiful women who didn't have any ink showing. God, I love doing this.

This is "M", a very lovely blonde who along with her friends made me think some very bad thoughts.

Come fly with me, Let's fly away... - Frank Sinatra

Bunch Of Perverts

I'm pretty sure the numbers don't have anything to do with my Game Day post.

Thinning The Herd

Game Day, Salty Dogs!

Today our boys in purple

Go up against

Marshall, Marshall, Marshall...

2:30pm eastern at

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium

No 1 and No 2 CUSA east

ECU 5-3 (3-1 conf)

Marshall 4-4 (3-1 conf)

Should be a Hell of a game

and it should be a

First Down...

PIRATES!

13-3 East Carolina at the half

19-16 Pirates in OT!

Paint this conference game Purple!

Bou Hoo Hoo

OK, if you've been paying attention to the world around you, you know we have a new president elect... One whom I would have bet would never get elected... In fact I did bet he would never be elected with Bou of Boudicca's voice, here.

I lost... As did most everyone else in this country. The thing is, I have to pay off a little faster than everyone else and I already know I lost.

Fair warning... This isn't gonna be pretty...

I would say not safe for work, but this isn't safe for anywhere. Ever.

I think I may need to up my gym time a little... And a tanning booth wouldn't hurt.

A Democracy

...cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: 'From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.

-Alexander Fraser Tytler (1747–1813)

I make no great secret of my contempt for most of my fellow man. Sheeple I call them. I like individuals... I really don't like people very much.

In a Democracy, the people get the government they deserve

- Alexis de Tocqueville

Well congratulations, you are going to get what you deserve... And most likely more. What pisses me off, is that thanks to you, I'm going to get it too.

Bou, The picture will be up Friday.

Up Chukker

Yesterday I spent a rah-thur pleasant afternoon at the Austin Polo club. There were several of my friends there. We had a wide variety of beer, snacks, real food, and mimosas. We lounged under a small tent, ate, drank and were quite merry.

Between matches we went out onto the pitch and stomped divots. It was all quite civilized.

After it was over a couple of us stayed late, drinking champagne and discussing polo, among other things, with the lovely woman who arranged the whole thing.

*A chukker is a period of polo play lasting 7.5 minutes.

Knight Time

Game Day, me Jack Tars!

Today in sultry Orlando, Fla.

East Carolina will square up against

UCF's Golden Knights!

8:00pm eastern time

I'll have to find myself a sports bar

I'll raise a glass or two because

It will be a

First Down...

PIRATES!

13-10 ECU final!

Paint this conference Game Purple!

Sunday Ink #9

We have a twofer this week. Jack and I were sitting at Opal Divine's on 6th St. Drinking milk and eating banana pancakes, flirting with the wait staff as usual when four very attractive women came up and sat at the table right across from us.

A couple were showing ink and since I wasn't getting a lot of love from the cute little blonde waitress anymore I decided to do some research.

This is "R". A striking blonde, she was showing a two half sleeves and a few pieces of smaller art including a Gil Montie.

I don't know about you, but it makes me just want to stand up and salute.