Over the past few months (or more depending on who you talk to), I have become an avid fan of both MySpace and Facebook. For those of you not in the know, these are sites on which you can make a page and keep in touch with old friends, acquaintances, bands, actors/actresses, etc.
I first got on MySpace, which I think I still prefer, a few years ago when my friend, Chris, told me about his band Pax Astra's page. After burning up his page and listening to his songs over and over (love the music, truly!!) I decided to get a page of my own...then, to make a long story short, Facebook came along and a lot of my MySpace friends and others that I knew and wanted to reconnect with seemed to make the move to Facebook.
I succumbed.
I try to limit myself to people I know, and not accept people just trying to "make new friends" because that's kinda silly, I think. I will admit to a few caveats to that rule...I have a few bands, and such...don't judge me!!
It seems that recently, I've been getting friend requests from people I knew, but not really. People that I wasn't friends with, or even friendly with for that matter. I'm sure some people have accepted me on the basis of "I'll accept him, because I knew of him," but I really try to only ask people to be my friend, if I thought they were my friend...
So, the question is, what is the etiquette on this? Just ignore them? Accept them?? I think I will Ignore for now, until someone makes me feel bad about it, then I'll open the flood gates. I just can't justify it...what do you guys think??
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
To Honk, or Not To Honk
Sometime in the modern era, it became a known practice to honk your horn if the car in front of you doesn't go when the traffic light switches from red to green. You all know what I'm talking about, right? Give the driver a little courtesy honk?
Anyway, it's a known practice.
The other day, as Becky and I rounded the corner, we came to a red light with one car in front of us. As the light turned to green, the car in front of us didn't move. I wanted to give the courtesy honk, but I was scared. You see, my friends, the car in front of me was a police officer.
Becky: "Honk the horn!"
Me: "No way, man, it's a cop!"
Becky: "So, just do it!"
Me: "No way, he's gonna arrest me or something!"
Becky: "For what? Telling him the light is green?"
Me: "Well, disturbing the peace or something, you never know!"
Becky: *shifts impatiently
Me: *starting to reach for the horn..."I can't, I just can't!"
The police car starts to go through the light, ending our ordeal after what seemed like forever, but in reality was only about 10 seconds.
Me: "Would you have honked?"
Becky: "I don't know, probably not."
Me: *sideways glance. followed by eye roll.
The question is, good friends, would YOU have honked? I bet not...
Anyway, it's a known practice.
The other day, as Becky and I rounded the corner, we came to a red light with one car in front of us. As the light turned to green, the car in front of us didn't move. I wanted to give the courtesy honk, but I was scared. You see, my friends, the car in front of me was a police officer.
Becky: "Honk the horn!"
Me: "No way, man, it's a cop!"
Becky: "So, just do it!"
Me: "No way, he's gonna arrest me or something!"
Becky: "For what? Telling him the light is green?"
Me: "Well, disturbing the peace or something, you never know!"
Becky: *shifts impatiently
Me: *starting to reach for the horn..."I can't, I just can't!"
The police car starts to go through the light, ending our ordeal after what seemed like forever, but in reality was only about 10 seconds.
Me: "Would you have honked?"
Becky: "I don't know, probably not."
Me: *sideways glance. followed by eye roll.
The question is, good friends, would YOU have honked? I bet not...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Thumb: An Update
At 4 weeks post-break, I was confident the doctor would pull the pin from my broken thumb. I was ready to get that stupid thing out, bend my thumb a few times, and get ready for the upcoming co-ed volleyball season.
If only it were that easy.
The doctor threw the first curve ball at that very 4 week visit, saying he wanted to wait one more long, agonizing week before he would take the pin out. I was frustrated, but in the grand scheme, it was probably for the best. After all, a re-injury would have put me on the shelf for the whole co-ed season, and that couldn't happen.
After the 7 days, I returned and steeled my nerves for the pin removal. I was expecting a shot to numb, and then a highly specific tool to come in and slide the pin from my thumb using the yellow ball on the tip as the main gripping point. Quick, easy, painless.
Little did I know, it wasn't going to be quick, easy or painless.
I sat, worrying about the removal for about a half hour before the doctor came in. It was time, he said, reaching into a cabinet for that highly specific tool I spoke of...only it wasn't a highly specific tool. It was a pair of pliers.
A PAIR OF PLIERS!!
He unscrewed the yellow ball from the pin, which was my second surprise, but not the worst surprise, which was about to come. He started coming towards me with the pliers.
"Wait a minute, doc...no numbing shot?" I nervously asked.
"Oh, no. You won't need that." he smiled.
"This is going to hurt, isn't it?" my nerves began to show, I began to sweat.
"Nah, I do this all the time on little kids, and they never mind the feeling." he reassured me.
He locked onto the pin and began sliding and twisting the pin out. I felt woozy. When he got the the last quarter inch, he yanked the pin free. I nearly fell off the table. Did it hurt? Oh yeah. Not really bad, I guess, it was just an odd pinching, suction type feeling of a PIN SLIDING OUT OF MY BONE BY THE USE OF PLIERS!!
The hole began to leak blood, but neither the doctor or nurse seemed to care, so I held my thumb over the carpet and waited for it to drip down. The nurse caught it before it did, barely. The doctor said goodbye, and left. I had to ask for a band-aid to stem the blood flow.
They sent me over to Physical Therapy, where I desperately tried to bend my thumb, but could not. Not even a little. Nothing. I guess it was pinned straight for a month.
Co-ed season began a few weeks later, and I was sidelined. One match, two matches, three matches. I was exploding inside. My team was holding it down, only losing 1 of 9, so I couldn't complain, but I wanted to play. I returned to the doctor, and he said:
"I would like to wait another 5 weeks (12 weeks total)."
Me: *jaw dropping silence
Doc: "If this was your profession, we would get you out there quicker, but since it's just recreation, I think you should wait at least 10 weeks."
Me: "Recreation?? You obviously don't know how important this is, and you've obviously never seen me play!"
Doc: "Well, the break has healed really well, but if you get jammed one time on the tip, it could re-break before the 12 weeks, when it should be fully healed."
Me: *grinding teeth to avoid cussing
Doc: "Since it looks good, maybe 8 to 10 weeks..."
Me: *stern look at doc
Doc: "...Or whatever you feel comfortable with. It does look good, just be careful."
I chose 7 1/2 weeks to return. It felt comfortable. I played only back row the first game, and three quarters of the second game. I couldn't resist playing the whole third game, however.
I made a conscious effort to not think about the thumb. I set a few balls, took a few serves with my hands, and even dove for a few. No prob. I was a bit sheepish when I would jump to block, once I even jumped with only my right hand...guess I'm still a bit gun shy.
We won all three that night, and all three the next match. Tonight, we play Big Country, the man who broke my thumb, and his team. I am not scared*.
(*who am I kidding?!? I AM scared!)
The thumb feels great, and I'm ready to continue on. Hopefully, the break will fully heal, making the chance of re-injury "next to impossible" the doctor said.
"Sounds like a challenge," Big Country said.
Have mercy!!
If only it were that easy.
The doctor threw the first curve ball at that very 4 week visit, saying he wanted to wait one more long, agonizing week before he would take the pin out. I was frustrated, but in the grand scheme, it was probably for the best. After all, a re-injury would have put me on the shelf for the whole co-ed season, and that couldn't happen.
After the 7 days, I returned and steeled my nerves for the pin removal. I was expecting a shot to numb, and then a highly specific tool to come in and slide the pin from my thumb using the yellow ball on the tip as the main gripping point. Quick, easy, painless.
Little did I know, it wasn't going to be quick, easy or painless.
I sat, worrying about the removal for about a half hour before the doctor came in. It was time, he said, reaching into a cabinet for that highly specific tool I spoke of...only it wasn't a highly specific tool. It was a pair of pliers.
A PAIR OF PLIERS!!
He unscrewed the yellow ball from the pin, which was my second surprise, but not the worst surprise, which was about to come. He started coming towards me with the pliers.
"Wait a minute, doc...no numbing shot?" I nervously asked.
"Oh, no. You won't need that." he smiled.
"This is going to hurt, isn't it?" my nerves began to show, I began to sweat.
"Nah, I do this all the time on little kids, and they never mind the feeling." he reassured me.
He locked onto the pin and began sliding and twisting the pin out. I felt woozy. When he got the the last quarter inch, he yanked the pin free. I nearly fell off the table. Did it hurt? Oh yeah. Not really bad, I guess, it was just an odd pinching, suction type feeling of a PIN SLIDING OUT OF MY BONE BY THE USE OF PLIERS!!
The hole began to leak blood, but neither the doctor or nurse seemed to care, so I held my thumb over the carpet and waited for it to drip down. The nurse caught it before it did, barely. The doctor said goodbye, and left. I had to ask for a band-aid to stem the blood flow.
They sent me over to Physical Therapy, where I desperately tried to bend my thumb, but could not. Not even a little. Nothing. I guess it was pinned straight for a month.
Co-ed season began a few weeks later, and I was sidelined. One match, two matches, three matches. I was exploding inside. My team was holding it down, only losing 1 of 9, so I couldn't complain, but I wanted to play. I returned to the doctor, and he said:
"I would like to wait another 5 weeks (12 weeks total)."
Me: *jaw dropping silence
Doc: "If this was your profession, we would get you out there quicker, but since it's just recreation, I think you should wait at least 10 weeks."
Me: "Recreation?? You obviously don't know how important this is, and you've obviously never seen me play!"
Doc: "Well, the break has healed really well, but if you get jammed one time on the tip, it could re-break before the 12 weeks, when it should be fully healed."
Me: *grinding teeth to avoid cussing
Doc: "Since it looks good, maybe 8 to 10 weeks..."
Me: *stern look at doc
Doc: "...Or whatever you feel comfortable with. It does look good, just be careful."
I chose 7 1/2 weeks to return. It felt comfortable. I played only back row the first game, and three quarters of the second game. I couldn't resist playing the whole third game, however.
I made a conscious effort to not think about the thumb. I set a few balls, took a few serves with my hands, and even dove for a few. No prob. I was a bit sheepish when I would jump to block, once I even jumped with only my right hand...guess I'm still a bit gun shy.
We won all three that night, and all three the next match. Tonight, we play Big Country, the man who broke my thumb, and his team. I am not scared*.
(*who am I kidding?!? I AM scared!)
The thumb feels great, and I'm ready to continue on. Hopefully, the break will fully heal, making the chance of re-injury "next to impossible" the doctor said.
"Sounds like a challenge," Big Country said.
Have mercy!!
Quick Shout Out: Danke, Ich Liebe Dich Aller!!
Before I start my next blog, I have to say welcome to my many German friends! I was shocked to see I am nearly as visited there, as I am in my own country!! (193 US visitors, 141 German visitors out of the last 500 page views.) More shocking is this factoid:
Last 500 views: (# of visits, Percentage of total, State/Country)
43 8.60% Nordrhein-westfalen Germany
25 5.00% Baden-wurttemberg Germany
23 4.60% Oberosterreich Austria
22 4.40% Bayern Germany
21 4.20% California United States
19 3.80% Illinois United States
19 3.80% Rheinland-pfalz Germany
17 3.40% Wien Austria
17 3.40% Hessen Germany
16 3.20% Staden Kobenhavn Denmark
13 2.60% New York United States
11 2.20% Indiana United States
Yes, that's right, folks...11 places visit my site more than my own state, Indiana. The state where a large majority of my family and friends live. Bummer. But still, I am happy people stop and look, and I really appreciate the 11 Indiana fans, as well...I know who some of you are, and I thank you.
---------------------
Last 500 views: (# of visits, Percentage of total, State/Country)
43 8.60% Nordrhein-westfalen Germany
25 5.00% Baden-wurttemberg Germany
23 4.60% Oberosterreich Austria
22 4.40% Bayern Germany
21 4.20% California United States
19 3.80% Illinois United States
19 3.80% Rheinland-pfalz Germany
17 3.40% Wien Austria
17 3.40% Hessen Germany
16 3.20% Staden Kobenhavn Denmark
13 2.60% New York United States
11 2.20% Indiana United States
Yes, that's right, folks...11 places visit my site more than my own state, Indiana. The state where a large majority of my family and friends live. Bummer. But still, I am happy people stop and look, and I really appreciate the 11 Indiana fans, as well...I know who some of you are, and I thank you.
---------------------
Monday, January 05, 2009
2009
Hello there, friends...
It's 2009 and I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year's. With the new year, there always come promises of weight loss, less spending, more connecting with friends, and (usually in my case) more blogs. Having looked at the past several years, I noticed my posts have gone down, but I like to think the content has improved.
Ok, that content business is crap, and I know it.
But, I want you all to know my intentions are good, and the blog will be higher on my mind this year. Special thanks to all the returning readers...I know you are out there, even if you don't always comment on blogs (Hank and Sue, of course, withstanding.)
A few notes on this, my first blog of 2009:
1. This is my 300th blog!! Wow, 300...pretty impressive, don't cha think?
2. I've had over 3,000 clicks on the site...I'm thrilled over that! 600 last week alone!
3. Of my last 500 visits, 47% came from the United States...seems I'm big in Germany (9%...44 of 500) so, in your face Hasselhoff! (just kinding...I would never dream of hassling the Hoff!)
4. I've had viewers from Cyprus, Sudan, several from Poland, Italy, UK, etc, etc...I love it.
On that note, I must say thanks, and shoot me a comment friends! Would love to hear from you.
Let's make 2009 a great year...
COMING SOON...
Thumb Update
Pictures of Hendrix (just for you Aunt Mary Ann...I love you guys, and miss you much!)
Mucho more! (for my spanish speaking friends!!)
'09...oh yeah!!
It's 2009 and I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year's. With the new year, there always come promises of weight loss, less spending, more connecting with friends, and (usually in my case) more blogs. Having looked at the past several years, I noticed my posts have gone down, but I like to think the content has improved.
Ok, that content business is crap, and I know it.
But, I want you all to know my intentions are good, and the blog will be higher on my mind this year. Special thanks to all the returning readers...I know you are out there, even if you don't always comment on blogs (Hank and Sue, of course, withstanding.)
A few notes on this, my first blog of 2009:
1. This is my 300th blog!! Wow, 300...pretty impressive, don't cha think?
2. I've had over 3,000 clicks on the site...I'm thrilled over that! 600 last week alone!
3. Of my last 500 visits, 47% came from the United States...seems I'm big in Germany (9%...44 of 500) so, in your face Hasselhoff! (just kinding...I would never dream of hassling the Hoff!)
4. I've had viewers from Cyprus, Sudan, several from Poland, Italy, UK, etc, etc...I love it.
On that note, I must say thanks, and shoot me a comment friends! Would love to hear from you.
Let's make 2009 a great year...
COMING SOON...
Thumb Update
Pictures of Hendrix (just for you Aunt Mary Ann...I love you guys, and miss you much!)
Mucho more! (for my spanish speaking friends!!)
'09...oh yeah!!
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