Here Here

well then. i'm back on campus. totally loving the new dorms. quite busy with all my classes. and looky here, it's time for me to go to bed. this weekend i'll try to get a real update. suffice it to say that i'm still alive and kicking. be back with you soon!

Wedding

well my friends, i'm back from austin. my cousin keith got married (to a very sweet girl named brandi) and we were there to witness and congratulate him. mother dear is trying to start a videography business and is in need of experience. so she volunteered to video the wedding for free (also as a gift of course, to go along with a maaaarvelous set of towels...). after a couple more she thinks she will be ready to put out her business card and drum up some real-live-paying-non-family business. um... oh yes, as i was saying back in that first sentence, keith got married. we went to austin on thursday night, and spent the night at grandpa's house. then on friday we went to the park for some exercise and more than a little sun. afternoon we went shopping. for suits. i located a fine pin-striped specimen and found a good fit without too much trouble. evan was more difficult because his chest is about 2 inches smaller and we couldn't find his size anywhere. at the third store we met grandpa's next door neighbor walking out. as she left after a brief chat she said, "don't tell [her husband] that i was here. *in hushed tones* i just spent... (looks at her receipt) $400." i couldn't help but notice she was only holding one item. "hey madre!" i called "i found a half off rack of suits." i didn't notice the neiman marcus label. "this one is only, only... six... hundred. dollars. after. fifty percent. rebatenevermiii-iiiiiind." then we went to the rehearsal dinner and i wore jeans, an old faded shirt and flip-flops. the dinner was great. it was fajitas, mostly. and cheese cake. heavenly. we got to meet brandi's family and they were delightful. especially brad. "are all you guys christians?" he asked me, after our family had trooped in and we'd been talking for a few minutes. "yes we are." "oh good, then i don't have to witness to all of you." you make me grin brad. on saturday we 1) slept late 2) went shopping (without me) 3) went swimming with family. it was cold. shockingly cold. 4) freaked out because we might be late 5) went to the wedding. everything went superb, as best i could tell. there were two maids of honor and two best men. don't think i've seen that before. there were also about 5 or 6 additional groomsmen and bridesmaids, as well as two "junior bridesmaids." after the nuptuals, a gazillion pictures, etc. we went to the wedding party. being the sports fanatics that they are, it was only logical that the party be at dell diamond. it would also only be logical to serve hotdogs and hamburgers (with plenty of ketchup packages). then we ate and watched a slideshow of our new couple from wee ones to wed ones. after that it was pretty much nothing but dancing all night. we threw flower pedals on them instead of bird seed (i thought it should have been sunflower seeds, but i guess that's just me) and off they went in their A&M vehicle. funny how all those A&M graduates could come together in austin. can you tell i'm tired? spent the whole day in the sun. may have added a little pink on top of the brown. have to be at work by 6 in the moanin'. adios.

Geetars

there's really nothing new to report. no more egg plants have been defaced (or faced, as the case may be). and yes, it is burning hot. last week i believe it got up to 108 one day. today it was about 101-102. whew, chilly. because of the heat which necessitates running later in the evening to avoid... well... death i guess - i decided to run in the morning yesterday. therefore i woke up at 4:45 and made a big loop down highway 7, route 2112 and back up FM 2713. i drove it later in the evening and determined it to be 8.5 miles. i also learned that i have a great deal more energy at 4:45 than 15 hours later when i've been working all day. furthermore, i also noticed that certain savage dogs are only slightly less terrifying in the thin light of dawn than the dark of early night. now, something i've been meaning to get to for some time is guitar pictures. i wish i had more and better ones, but these will have to do for now. "more" will be easy enough to accomplish the next few times i work on it. "better" is yet to be seen. first will be the freshly-cut-out backs of both steve's and my guitars. we were just marking bracing patterns on the back.














this is my old hondo that i got from james. the neck was coming loose, so we repaired it and converted the instrument from 12 string to 6. the conversion was partly to make it a little easier on me as a new guitar player, as well as cutting the tension to keep the neck from moving or breaking again (it was poorly designed and all we did was re-glue it). i've gotten a few pointers from this guitar on what not to do when i build my own.














this is a fuzzy photo of the head of one of steve's guitars. the small rope is clamping down binding and perfling strips around the head. i should have taken a picture 10 minutes later when the whole thing was wrapped up...














behold, the nut.















last but not least is my back experiencing the chiropractic pleasure of the go-bar press. here you see the center brace being glued in place. i'm a poet and you didn't know it.

The Glorious Egg Head Adventure

this tasty morsel is a photo essay of the frolicksome life of marvin-the-eggplant. his life began one warm summer afternoon. it all started in the little square art room. two people had entirely too much time on their hands and one vulnerable vegetable. summoning a smidgen of creative energy sufficient to draw on productive talents ranging from connect-the-dot computer programs, to skillful crayola masterpieces, we created - marvin. please meet him. he's pretty good-natured, in spite of his occassionally unpleasant expressions. it's really all a bluff - he's quite soft around the edges. ladies and gentlemen... please welcome...! MAAAARVIN the EGG PLANT!!!! *and the crowd goes wild*

Hello Kitty

tonight it's just me and the kitty. i find myself in the company of no one other than this diminutive mammal because of our defective a/c. mom took the rest of the refugees to camp out at the fearings. i am currently sitting in 100* +. i've always said that cold was better than hot because you can keep putting clothes on, but you can only take so many off. ironically, as i looked through the slim pickings in the fridge for supper, i settled on chili. after barely beginning to nuke it, i opted instead for chilly chili, most of which is settling in a peculiar way at the very bottom of my stomache.

the most recent development in this two day heated saga is that i am no longer alone. owen startled me by bursting in the front door. fans galore have invaded our home. never did an occupying force meet such a joyful reception. last night courtney abandoned the sauna she was sharing with bethany and slept in my room. we'll see how many people join us there tonight... but the fans make a whirled of difference.

thomas joined me for running this evening. it was fun times. it was also completely dog-free. there's nothing like the joy of whisking through the wind with exactly zero canines (who are thinking bad thoughts) at your heel.

sweet dreams.

Run. Very Fast.

being half-naked and weaponless and two miles from home and pursued by snarling beasts in the dark, is not my cup of tea.


in the future i need to do my running earlier. at least while navigating a certain stretch of FM 2713 inhabited by unfriendly watch dogs "after hours."

"Good Morning"

"good morning, allied sign builders."

"ah yes, hi, is dale in?"

"i'm sorry, he's out of the office today. would you like me to give him a message?"

"i'd like to leave him a voice message."

"...okaaay...well i'd be happy to let him know whatever you have to say, just as soon as he gets in."

"no, i'd really rather leave a voice message."

*deep inward sigh* "ok, hang on just a second." *presses the hold button and hangs up* after a brief pause and a more overt sigh picks up the phone. in crisp even syllables, "hello, you have reached the office of allied sign builders incorporated. dale and georgia are out of the office right now, but if you will leave your name, phone number and a brief message we will get back with you as soon as possible. thanks, have a great day... *meeeeeeeep*"

*dictates message and hangs up*



georgia is a HOOT!!! and a smart hoot too.

Horrendous Doggy

you know, some dogs are just uglier than others. but did you know there really is some unfortuneate pooch that none other can match in hideousness? the most disgustingly horrifying canine who just happened to win the ugliest dog in the world contest. if you are brave enough to view this rather disturbing image, then just scroll down...






































AAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!



uh, would you like some tabasco to go with that leg?

Sweet Tea... and MORE

georgia came into the little vinyl/art room office, "good mornin'."

"mornin'," from john at the graphics station.

i sang, "good mooor-nin' to you!!!"

she gave a throaty chuckle and shook her head.

"i think he's been hittin' the crack pot again," john supplied. i ignored him and continued squeegieing (??) a vinyl pizza onto a piece of plastic. the smile slipped instantly from georgia's face and her hands found her hips.

"if you have been i'm gonna whoop yer ass boy!!!"

and she would have too. fortunately the closest i came to crack was the chicken express tea in the fridge. i wasn't asked to supply a urine sample. another day on the job - where workers sing for their breakfast and office managers kick butt.