32 No More

I'll be 33 tomorrow and thought I'd post one more time while I'm 32.

33...nothing too special about that number for me. Just another birthday. I'm glad I've reached it though. Hopefully there will be many more. But if not, it's been a good run.

I remember when I was younger and seeing people who were in their 30s and thinking, "Dang, they are old and seem so grown up." Now that I am in the position of "thirty-something", I think to myself, "Dang, I'm old and I'm not grown up." I wonder if those same people back when I was younger, that were in their 30s then, thought the same thing about themselves? Probably not...they didn't have XBOX!!

On another note, I've got the big concert (Judas Priest and Queensryche) coming up tomorrow night. I'm going to post something special for the occasion tomorrow so stay tuned. Here's some current pictures of the two bands.

Judas Priest

Queensryche

Leather is cool. Maybe I should've asked for some leather chaps for my birthday! And a Harley! HA HA HAAA!!

For those who aren't familiar with Queensryche, they came out with the album Operation Mindcrime back in 1988. It was a concept album. Here's a very quick look at what the story was about, broken up into the individual songs on the album:

6:00 P.M.

Our friend Nikki, charged with several counts of murder involving members of this city's political and religious leaders, has been committed to State Hospital under heavy security. London-born nurse, Debbie, seems determined to administer the tranquilizer and give us her personal feelings regarding her patient. Hmm? Injection completed, Nikki listens to his favorite tape and retraces his past.

I Remember Now

[page]: "Dr. Davis, telephone please Dr. Davis, telephone please Dr. Blair, Dr. Blair, Dr. J. Hamilton, Dr. J. Hamilton" News Broadcast: "...the Soviets... In other news the bizarre murders of political and religious leaders that have shocked this city over the last month seemed to have ended as suddenly as they began. No terrorist groups ... responsibility for the slayings, but police have a suspect in custody under observation in a state hospital. His identity is being withheld pending further investigation. Sports and weather next..." Nurse: "It's ten minutes past curfew, why are you still up? Hello? Hello? Perhaps you need another shot. Ah, that should do it. Sweet Dreams, you bastard." Nikki: "I remember now, I remember how it started. I can't remember yesterday, I just remember doing what they told me…told me...told me...told me."

Anarchy-X

Weeks ago in Occidental Park, hundreds of people gathered for a political rally. There was a man shouting above all the others: "Do we have freedom? Do we have equality? This country's changing! It is no longer for all of the people! It is for some of the people!" The man's name? "Dr. X."

Revolution Calling

....Ring!...Ring! The phone hasn't stopped ringing since the hypnotic meeting with Dr. X. His plan is brilliant in its simplicity: assassination and replacement. He calls it, "Operation: Mindcrime," and Nikki is the key player. Nikki has a weakness. He likes the needle. Dr. X makes sure Nikki feels good so he can do a good job. The chosen "Death Angel" is then easily manipulated through subliminal suggestion over the telephone. The password into Nikki's brain is "mindcrime."

Operation: Mindcrime

Nikki was a loser. A street kid, left to fend for himself at a young age. He was independent, and unpredictable, but harmless. Except now he had a philosophy, and that made him dangerous. "Revolution!" was the word on his lips as he stood in the streets and screamed, "Hey, listen to me!"

Speak

Mary worked the S&M shows in Times Square. At seventeen she met Father William, who arranged her cloister with "Our Lady of Immaculate Pain." A new life. A different way of living. Except for her debt with him, which was expected to be paid in full, weekly, "...on the altar. Like a sacrifice." When she was eighteen, Father William introduced her to a man named Dr. X. Now she works for him.

Spreading the Disease

Nikki spends quite a lot of time these days in his room; drawing gruesome, detailed depictions of his victims' deaths upon the dingy white walls. Drowning in guilt, he sees Sister Mary as his only means to salvation. He lights another candle and flips through the TV channels one by one. The familiar face of Father William appears. Is it wrong? Is it right? ....Ring!...Ring!....."mindcrime!!" Decision made. News Broadcast: "...informing Washington, a technical violation of the 1972 ABM Treaty..." Preacher: "...I'm asking for hands to be uplifted in just a moment. God the Holy Ghost is calling out to embrace you. I want you to reach deep into your hearts and your pocketbooks and take his hand. Nikki: "Bless me father for I have sinned" Preacher: "Some of you are in a state of rebellion right now you're saying..."

The Mission

A long, satin black sedan slides to a stop in front of Nikki. The rain, beading on the dark, tinted windows, distorts his reflection. Bemused by his melting facial features, he's startled as the electric window descends revealing the smiling face of Dr. X. "Kill her," he said. "and get the priest as well." "Kill Mary?," asks Nikki.

Suite Sister Mary

Father William lay crumpled on the stairs leading to the sanctuary. Mary watches in disgust as her lover Nikki's troubled face dissolves into the leering, drooling face of the priest huffing and puffing above her. "...Altar...sacrifice..." something snaps inside her head. Nikki feels the coldness overtake her. He pulls away, vowing to kill Dr. X and set them both free of their master's manipulations. Pulling closed the huge door behind him, he stumbles into the rainy night to keep his appointment with his "maker."

The Needle Lies

After Nikki leaves, Mary is plagued by the vision of Nikki turning into Father William. As they made love on the altar, the memories came flooding back. Years filled with men who has used her, degraded and beaten her, and driven their hatred and coldness into her heart. Once, she thought Nikki was her hope. But now he seemed like all the rest. She hated him. She hated men. She hated life. "Anybody home?" Unable to shake his addiction, and feeling beaten in his confrontation with Dr. X, Nikki returns. "Mary?" He finds her dead in her room.

Electric Requiem

Unable to accept Mary's death, Nikki runs like a raving madman through the streets calling her name. Everywhere he looks he sees her face.

Breaking The Silence

The police arrest Nikki. The charges are: disorderly conduct, carrying a concealed weapon without a license, and resisting arrest. They know he's a junkie because of the tracks on his arms. His weapon also matches the one used in a string of recent killings. Nikki isn't making much sense now, babbling on about perverted priests, some kind of covert operation, and not believing in love.

I Don't Believe In Love / Waiting For 22

Left alone, Nikki thinks of Mary; of the night she died, and why. He wonders about his future. Who will be there to care for him and be his friend?

My Empty Room

Charged with several murders, Nikki is committed to State Hospital to overcome his addiction. Awaiting trial, he suffers insomnia and is delirious. Searching through his past, he tries to find reasons for his actions and his weaknesses. Staring into the mirror, he sees a stranger.

Eyes of a Stranger

[page]: "Dr. Davis, telephone please. Dr. Davis Dr. Blair, Dr. Blair, Dr. J. Hamilton, Dr. J. Hamilton"

6:01 P.M.

"I remember now."

TO BE CONTINUED...2006!!

http://www.queensryche.com/releases/operation-mindcrime-2/index.html

Kick Axe!!

Dude, this is just freakin' cool! Rock on, man!!
http://www.koreus.com/files/200502/double-guitar.html

Homeward Bound

We just got the news today that starting August 1st we'll be able to start working from home full time instead of just Fridays. Way cool!

Thought For The Day

Some people are like Slinkies. They're really good for nothing. But they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.

(A friend sent that to me today.)

Bush-fire!

So now something political in nature...

I got grumpy yesterday hearing about how Bush is pushing for more nuclear power plants and for cutting public broadcasting funding by 25%. I don't have all the facts from both sides about these issues but what I heard ticked me off. I've really gotten irked about Bush's lack of environmental friendliness since he's been in office. Like all that land up in Alaska and all that crap. He's a weenie.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day all you fathers out there! Hope your sorry ass kids remembered to wish you a happy Father's Day. If not, it's time to take them back to the hospital and get a refund. Allana sent me a cute little card which she thought was just hilarious when she picked it out. That was pretty cool of her.

Today we're going up to Cripple Creek to have dinner at the Steak House. Yum!! It is so freakin' good and so freakin' for free! Christin's mom and step-dad go up there to gamble and get all these coupons which you can use for free food. It's one of them fancy places that cost a lot; otherwise we wouldn't be going because I'm a cheap bastage. : )

Friday night Christin and I went out to a place called Classics in the Springs and played foosball with our friends Jody (Cupcake) and Daniel (Big "D"). OK, I played foosball and she talked to her friend Donya. There was a good band there called...I don't remember what they were called but they were good nonetheless. It's been a couple months since I've played so I was a bit rusty but started getting back into it later in the night. Jody and Daniel are always very good though so it's hard to keep up. Luckily we found a fourth person at the bar who wasn't too bad and I could score some goals on.

We had a raging D&D game Saturday. I'm happy to say that we've got a pretty good darn group going, which is a rare thing. It's unfortunate that a lot of morons play the game giving it a bad name. No, I'M not a moron! No, we don't dress up and wave wooden swords around in the air. No, we don't worship Satan. Yes, every chick that our characters in the game meet are hot with "huge tracks of land." That's just the way it goes.

Here's some freakin' cool news! For my birthday, me and my friend, Jody, (and Jerry and his sister but they are going by themselves) are going to the Coors Amphitheatre up near Denver to see Judas Priest and Queensryche in concert! I am so freakin' excited!! Judas Freakin' Priest...they are like classic, dudes!! And of course I love Queensryche, which I've seen four times in concert already but can't wait until June 29th, my birthday, to see them again! "Breaking the law, breaking the law!" It's going to be sweet!! I'll have a special post on my blog about that event!

Viva Las Nateus!

So I was sitting here at my desk listening to a new CD and just working away when I came across a song that I thought was pretty cool. I said, "Hey, Christin. Check this song out ," and I started playing it for her. She said, "Oh, my god! Is that Cher?" I said, "What?! It's ZZ Top!" I was listening to their Greatest Hits CD, the song Viva Las Vegas. She's a cracky!

Coming Out of the Closet

Unbeknownst to my mother, I recently came out of the closet...I came out straight...with straight hair that is. Ha, ha! : ) After almost 33 years of having curly hair I straightened my hair last Saturday. I went to my hair dresser, Ben, and I told him I wanted something different. Well, it's definitely different! I'm getting used to it. Kind of weird still, though. It won't last long though since my hair grows pretty fast but it's fun.

Note: To those who are not familiar with a blog, you can make comments by clicking the "comments" button below the posts. Someone I recently talked with didn't know this so I thought I'd post it just in case.

The Little Kitty, the Beotch, and the Furniture (and Some Little Brats Thrown In for Fun!)

Just recently I finished the seven book series The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I remember starting to read them way back in early elementary school and not understanding them at all so I stopped. This time I was very pleased by what I read. It's a great story! Being a fan of fantasy I loved all the imagination that was put into it. I can't wait until the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe comes out December 9, 2005! It looks sweet! http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia/index.html

At Home/Degree

Christin and I just found out today that we get to work one day a week at home now. This will be very cool! We only have to drive up the mountain (Ute Pass) four times a week. Yea!

My good friend, Scott, earned his degree in Human Exceptionality recently and is having a party for his achievement this Saturday. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend but we did talk on the phone this evening. I, for one, think he is an exceptional human for working with "people that have disabilities" (not "disabled people" as he taught me; people first, disabilities second). I've had a greater awareness and more compassion for people with disabilities ever since my son Jaron was born and then died. It just hit home with me with all the disabilities that he had. Though he wasn't around for very long, I learned a great deal about a great many things. I think it's pretty interesting how things that can be so hard in life can teach me so many things and I love and appreciate the experiences that I have.