Carb Happy

I love having a big backyard. With my acre-sized yard, I can plant a 40 x 40 foot vegetable garden, iris, and assorted plants and enjoy my two dogs running amuck after rabbits and ground squirrels. Sure it gets hot in the summer, but having a large space to entertain is worth the upkeep.

Part of the upkeep is the routine mowing and weed whacking every two weeks or so. One of my expectations is to have the garden tools work as expected when needed. Turning the key or pulling on the starter cord on gas-powered machines is a real joy. But it's a big frustration pill when that doesn't happen!

My lawn mower this year has been sputtering and hard to start. Yes, it is a pain when the right rear tire habitually goes flat and I have to lift the rear end up on a plastic milk crate to position the tire back on the rim.

What really gets my goat is when the grass is tall and the mower won't start. If I had the money to toss away or was stupid rich, I would go buy a new lawn mower. It's like saying "I am so tired of spending fifty bucks a month on car maintenance, that I am going to buy a new car instead!" ($400 plus car note for five years?)

My neighbor Frank is really adept at fixing mowers. In this part of Nashville, Frank is known as the lawn mower man. He finds old and discarded mowers, gets this running and sells them at a reasonable price. In fact we can tell when spring as officially arrived when Frank has a lawn mower for sale in the front yard on Bresslyn Road. Unfortunately Frank didn't have any $350 riding mowers. Ten years ago, I gave up the self-propelled push mower - why walk when one can ride?

This weekend, the grass was mighty tall. With Frank’s knowledge and tenacity to get it done, we took apart the carburetor and cleaned it with carb cleaner, air pressure and an $8.00 kit from Chilton’s, a parts supply house. I stunk like gas, my hair got greasy, and I was stressed when the three hours spent in the hot humidity Saturday failed to get the mower running.

Sunday, Frank took a air compressor and blew all of the dirt and grime from the aging rubber gas line clogging the free flow of gas. After putting the tiny springs and rubber gaskets back in place, we were in business! The mower started right up, purring like a brand new country cadillac 42" mower should.

I am a blessed man – I just cut my front and back yard in three hours on a like new mower that is running perfectly. Frank was quick to mention that I saved myself a thousand bucks (that I didn’t have) by rebuilding the carburetor. Amen to that! and Amen for great neighbors like Frank.

New Project with My Kids!

This Sunday morning, I woke up to a site that has absolutely inspired me to revisit my kid's photos!

Back in my day, I remember maybe 6 photos of myself at best; with my kids, I've got shoeboxes full of photos. Gary and Megan, I'll see you in June for some fun photos.

Basically, you recreate imitating an old childhood photo.



Check out colorwar2008 for all of the great submissions...

Work is FUN with a MacBook

You know what I'm talking about - Runs Windows too using Parallels...



or like my friend Michael says - "MacEye for the PC Guy"

Wired: I'm a Geek Cover Boy

Old timers like me back in high school will remember Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show's novelty song "The Cover Of The Rolling Stone" written by Shel Silverstein.

Whether it was tongue-in-cheek, brilliant marketing, honoring a bet or a dare, the group made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine three months later on March 29, 1973. The text next to their picture read: "What's Their Names Make The Cover."

The Cover Of The Rolling Stone

Well we're big rock singers we got golden fingers
And we're loved everywhere we go
We sing about beauty and we sing about truth
At ten thousand dollars a show
We take all kinda pills that give us all kinda thrills
But the thrill we never know
Is the thrill that'll gitcha when ya get your picture
On the cover of the Rolling Stone

Chorus:
Gonna see my picture on the cover
Gonna buy five copies for my mother
Gonna see my smilin' face
On the cover of the Rolling Stone

Later that same year, Todd Rundren's album "A Wizard, A True Star" came with a postcard asking for your name. Bearsville Records (Warner Bros) created a poster with all the names sent in. The poster was included in the record release of "Todd" - a 2' x 3' b/w head shot of Todd Rundgren himself, made with the names who sent in their postcard! My name is somewhere on his lower right jaw line. One day, I'll find the poster which is somewhere in my attic in a box underneath other boxes.

Thirty four years later, for a techno geek like myself, I responded to a Wired Magazine and Xerox subscriber inquiry to upload a jpeg for a custom July issue mailed directly to my mailbox:



This integrated marketing campaign was in response to Wired's July cover story on the future of personalization. All I had to do was submit my photo in time to be one of the first 5,000 Wired subscribers to participate.

Unfortunately, I can't buy five copies for my mother, but standing at the intersection of narcissism, staying humble, digital technology and interactive marketing, I can say with all due respect "I now know the thrill that'll gitcha when ya get your picture on the cover of Wired Magazine."

(I'll throw this in a box and look for it thiry four years later!)

For more, see NY Times article

Exclusive! Gary & Nora wedding photos!

Here are some Access Hollywood behind the scene style photos of Gary's and Nora's wedding done up West Nashville style brought to you exclusively by WonderDawg...

Backstage at St. Ann's in the kindergarden classroom:


Gary in deep thoughts...


Pin the boutonniere on the groom...


The band of brothers...


Pre wedding photo shoot...


Baby - it is slow broil H O T outside...


Dee the photographer...


Momma with Gary...

View the complete set at the WonderDawg Flickr page

Texas Treat!

I haven't seen my baby sister Sally in a number of years with my bud Ronnie and their two grown up men Jared and Brent. Awesome how weddings bring family together!


Jared is the ladies man, Ronnie "FlexDawg" Huggins and Brent (who is a Texas HS all-star reciever)


Baby sister Sally


Megan, Becky & Sally


Cousins!

---

Living in Dallas, they hate the Cowboys as much as I dislike the Redskins, thus a little football smack talk is good...



So much to catch up on in a short amount of time...



...considering we're feeling sluggish on too much Maggiano's italian leftovers, much needed naps and outside, dang it is H O T Tennessee slow broil heat.

Time to slap on the tux, comb my hair, put on my girdle and go pose...

View the complete set at the WonderDawg Flickr page

The Almighty Woo - Bennett Wedding Rehearsal

The Five Choir Boys - Brandon, Mike, Best Man Harp; Blake and Josh (f)


Father Breen of St. Ann's explains how to pull the trigger on a proper entrance...


Walking into the outstretched arms of Jesus; thanks Lord for your kindness that leads to repentance...


Father of the Bride... Harvey & Nora...


The stellar lineup...


Carolyn, Megan and Katherine strike a pose...


Daughter Megan & Mrs. WonderDawg share a moment...


Laughter is good medicine for the bones...


Maggiano's - bring the entrees on!

View the complete set at the WonderDawg Flickr page

The big wedding day countdown...

I'm so proud of my son Gary marrying Nora tomorrow!



We've taken to Elijah seen here at a Easter egg hunt with Nora to the right..

We've been at it with lots of preparations, although being parents of the groom hasn't been as demanding as what the parents of the bride deal with logistics wise - since we're focused mainly on the rehearsal dinner side of things. Nonetheless, the emotions, activities and demands placed compounded along with my job loss have been a challenge... but that can be dealt with on Monday.

We're here to celebrate the grace of God and His kindness for our children - for that, we are blessed to see Gary and Nora united in holy matrimony.

---

Meanwhile, liveblogging the tux fittings:


Elijah doing the Vegas thing...


Mrs. WonderDawg and Harp the Best Man chillin' or gellin'


Maybe wearing a tux will help me land that non startup job...


Brandon with the coolness...


Gary, checking the fit...

Off to the rehearsal and dinner tonight...
More later...

View the complete set at the WonderDawg Flickr page

Jim 'N Nicks... 'N the other guy

After a day of reviewing and writing legal language, I needed to dezone from lawyer talk by visiting the Green Hills library and later settling down with some take out beef brisket, Brunswick Stew and sweet tea from Jim 'N Nicks BBQ restaurant just down the street from the abode in West Nashville.

I was curious to find out how fast the drive-thru would move as normally the service inside takes 10 to 20 minutes from the previous times I've been there. No sooner than I drove up to the menu board, the speaker box was ready to take my order. $21.85 for a Beef Brisket platter with two sides, 2 orders of Brunswick Stew and a big cup of sweet tea (with crunched ice!) would be a nice change of dinner fare from our routine of salads and pasta since it was nearly 7:15 pm and too late to cook up anything at home.

So I'm settling down at the dinner table and "O crap - they forgot the sides!"

So I pick up the phone resigned to the fact that it could be a case of (a) tough luck, (b) drive back, or (c) next time I'm in, speak to the manager and he'll work out something. Preprogramed responses from a history of oops - that stinks for you - customer service.

To my surprise, the voice on the phone (on the first ring) apologized and ask if I could hold to speak to the manager Eric. Eric jumped on the line, and quickly stated, "We need to make this right... where do you live? We can run it by your house - I just need your address and zip code so that I can MapQuest the address."

"What???"

"For an order of fries and apples?"

"Sure! We need to make this right!"



Ten minutes later, Taylor (with his permission to be photographed) brings the missing side items and more!



This is amazing customer service. Turns out Eric the manager at Jim 'N Nicks is Eric the owner. Now I know why I always get stellar service and food - everything rises and falls on leadership.

Next time I go back to eat at Jim 'N Nicks, not only will I tell everybody about my experience, but I will always think of the restaurant as Jim, Eric 'N Nicks like Manny, Moe and Jack - the Pep Boys.

Jim 'N Nicks
7004 Charlotte Pike | Nashville, TN | 37209
Phone: (615) 352-5777

A reason to celebrate today!

Pack Rat Day
When: Always on May 17th

Do's and Don't's:

Don't clean your room, basement, garage or any other area today.
Don't discard anything today...It may be valuable.
Don't even empty the trash today. You might have accidentally thrown out something useful.
Do keep an eye out for useful stuff being discarded by others.
Do go to garage and rummage sales. They can be pack rat goldmines.
Do look around your belongings and be thankful for what you have.
Do spend time thinking of uses for your things. Justification for saving is satisfying.

Big hat tip to SunyDazy!

Revived and refreshed after lunch

I've been struggling with the sleepies after eating lunch... after a good meal, I sit back at the desk in front of the PC and then my eyelids get heavy... yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking (not everybody is round eyed), but when the sun starts beating in through the windows and I hear the clickity clack of the trains on the tracks blowing its lonesome whistle, it's all I can do to keep my head from smacking the wooden desk.

Getting up and walking around seems to help - so today, I thought I would eat a Smart Meal, and head outside with my camera to do a little photoblogging. The wind was blowing hard and I was watching these guys struggling to place these banners up....



One banner flew off the pole to the parking lot below, and being a good guy, I asked if I could go fetch it for him.

"Dude, if you go get it, you can have it... There's no way I'm walking down there to get it!"

He was right - it was the equivalent of walking four long blocks to retrive the banner, although we we looking straight down at it.

Anyhoo, I have a CMA Fest banner to throw in my garage. Might fetch ten cents in my estate sale fifty years from now.

Feeling energized of trotting four long blocks retrieving a CMA Fest banner made me feel... GOOD.

The kicker is, I had another forty minutes or so on my lunch break, so I headed toward the Frist Center for the Visual Arts toward Broadway when I saw another banner: "First Tennessee Free Day at the Frist"

First Tennessee Bank was offering free admission!



My mind was blown, as I took in some Matisse, Picasso, and the School of Paris. Upstairs in another gallery: Brushed with Light: Masters of American Watercolor from the Brooklyn Museum and my favorite:



Hiraki Sawa - Going Places Sitting Down.

I was memerized as I saturated my mind with brushstrokes from the masters and totally unplugged from the internet. A big smile and a warm glow filled my spirit as I simply felt creativity flow through my brain as I physically sat and enjoyed every minute I spent at the Frist.

When I got back to the office, I felt refreshed and energized. I found my solution to the lunchtime sleepies: eat semi-light (I'm working on it!), walk, shoot a few photos and enjoy some art and unplug from the internet.

Cool. Very cool.

My brush with greatness

During lunch today I wasn't feeling particularly hungry knowing that later in the evening I was going to a birthday boy Chinese buffet king's feast with crablegs, shrimp and my thing with eating lots of jello.

So I head out walking up Broadway from the Frist Museum to the Nashville Arena with my trusty camera, experimenting with taking lots of artsy angled shots from a kid's point of view.



On the way back, I'm trying out some perspective shots on the porch of Cummins Station with the repetition of the lamps and signage...



After I'm done, back to work inside I go when the opposite door opens at the same time. Out of the corner of my eye, I do a double take...

"Would it be cool to take a photo, unless it's your day off..." I asked.

"No problem man."



Class act that Steve McNair.

On my birthday too.

New Work, New Woo

I'm going to ask if I can post a blurb to all where I'm working now here on this blog - many, many of you have been very gracious and supportive during my transition and just know I that am deeply grateful for your support and kindness.

Off to downtown I must go!

I do like being in close proximity to the Frist Museum - for a visual person like me, it's like strolling through the park on my lunch hour....

Any downtown Nashville workers up for a potential lunch?

Happy happy joy joy

Happy happy joy joy
Happy happy joy joy
Happy happy joy joy

What a great weekend!

My son Gary dropped in from McChord AFB in Washington state (whom we haven't seen in over a year) since he joined the Air Force to serve our USA where all of us participated at a delightful cookout with our future daughter in law Nora, her parents, family and friends... Chris (our future son in law) and Megan joined in as well... Yup, we have TWO weddings going on this year and...

And on some great news on the home front - which I'll share April 30th - under a non disclosure agreement for now. Let's just say I won't be working from home no mo. Looking for work is hard work, but I'm going to be around some very smart people who are passionate about what they do that will not only take advantage of my skill sets but stretch me as well...

There's a great line that jumped out at me on page 135 of The Blind Side by Michael Lewis; "She [Leigh Anne Tuohy] had watched her own penniless husband turn his athletic triumps into business success and, indeed, a happy life. But there was nothing inevitable about the process; you need to know how to translate one narrow kind of success into another, much broader kind."

I'll have that platform now.

I met up with some new and old blogger friends Saturday who asked how things were moving on the transistion front; and along the way I've received nice emails and phone calls of wisdom and encouragement, letting me that prayers were overflowing on my family's behalf.

Thank you so much - while I've been at times failing personally to do what 1 Peter 5:7 instructs - "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully..." you were there for me.

I am truly a man who is blessed by the company he keeps and by a wonderful wife of 27 years who has endureth much.

Happy happy joy joy indeed.

A Blessing Indeed - Art in Motion

I was heading home tonight after getting a haircut to prep for some meetings and potential job interviews for Wednesday. A whole lot was on my mind as I was driving down West End Avenue when to my right in the shadows of a strip mall I saw a lady painting away with her easel set up on the sidewalk.

Curious, I made the long six around the block loop to check it out. I'm glad I did, as I met Peggy Ann Snow putting the final touches on her painting of Vandyland a "counter-and-booth sweet shop near Vanderbilt University". which I think is out of business - not sure.

Nonetheless, Ms. Snow was absolutely gracious in letting me take photos as she was finishing her painting. She showed me a photo of a painting of a house on Acklen Avenue....



and was anticipating having her paintings on exhibit soon at the Tin Angel Restaurant down the street.

I asked for permission to blog about meeting her and after swapping business cards, she blessed me with a print of the old Jackson Building where Walgreens now sits at the corner of Blakemore and West End.

She definately added some culture to West End Avenue and I enjoyed the conversation - it was precisely what I needed to lift my spirits while enjoying the company of a stranger - or maybe I was being entertained by an angel.

Some beatbox - just add rhythm!

Beatbox Fame Game
Uploaded by loranger

Hat tip to Judie for the link

Show Me the Gift Cars (the money !)

Originally published for GearDiary.com as part of the writing team.
Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating.

_____

The love of gift cards is the root of all that is evil with money… or so say shopping purists who frown on those who purchase gift cards as lazy or lacking in the “social skills” to find the perfect gift for a friend or loved one.

Cash from Grandma on a birthday or a check as a graduation gift to many seems appropriate and a acceptable gift. I strongly prefer a Christmas bonus from an employer rather than a frozen turkey, box of chocolates or a dinner. Once I won a $200.00 Home Depot gift card in a belt sander race that went toward a new kitchen back door. Cash or a gift card is always good !

The National Retail Federation (NRF), ranked gift cards as the third most desirable category on consumers' wish list after CDs/DVDs and clothing. Source: Money.CNN

So why the pushback on gift cards? Slate columnist Dan Gross offers up his take on how the cards are both a blessing and a curse for retailers and consumers via a NPR broadcast. or his Slate article.

Says Dan:

“Retailers love gift cards most of all. They're high-margin, low-maintenance sales that can be easily conducted online. They stimulate much-wanted traffic in the post-holiday season doldrums of January and February, especially at restaurants.”

“And gift cards frequently carry a price for their recipients. Walking into a store with free money in your pocket is like walking into an all-you-can-eat buffet after fasting—you'll feel psychologically impelled and entitled to consume more than usual, because the short-term cost will seem lower.”

From my viewpoint, I’ve received a Visa gift card in the form of a Cingular $50.00 rebate check. The trouble is what do I do with the leftover $3.26 before the card expires? Did I just benefit a Cingular shareholder by adding $3.26 to the bottom line? And I don’t like trying to find something to purchase like several pounds of bananas at the local Wal-Mart just to redeem the balance on the gift card.

Once I received a Starbucks card for $40.00 that took me over two years to redeem; over that period of time, my conversion as a non-frequenter transformed me into a semi-regular customer one venti coffee at a time.

Virtually every retailer (and restaurant) produces a gift card or at least, offers a paper gift certificate. Target has taken the business of gift cards to a high standard as a marketing tool to brand their store as a shopping destination by featuring Bullseye and a manufacturer's cross merchandising in collaborative branding.


Gift cards featuring Bullseye - a Bull Terrier and trademark of Target Brands, a subsidiary of Target Corporation. The Puppy Pine Air Freshener comes in cellophane wrapped envelope!


Several examples of the diversity of gift card designs; some are 3-D, glow-in-the-dark, molded rubber, embossed and oversized.

Last Christmas, I noticed unique gift cards from Target promoting the Wii, PlayStation 3 and XBox 360 among their other unique designs - which sparked my curiosity to later begin collecting their gift cards as a hobby.


The XBox 360 giftcard emits a sound; PlayStation 3 reflects a spectrum of light; Christmas tree rapidly blinks with red lights; record and playback in a Chip Munk voice and see life through the eyes of a fly in Fly-O-Vision!

I contacted the corporate office of Target about this article. The response? “Thanks for writing about Target GiftCards. Many organizations make such requests. I’m sorry for any disappointment, but we must decline these opportunities. Information about our Target GiftCard business is considered proprietary or confidential. Thanks for shopping with us. We'll see you again soon at Target.”

A Wikipedia on Target states: “The Target GiftCard is the retailing division's stored-value card or gift card. Target sells more gift cards than any other retailer in the world. The unique designs of their cards contribute to their higher sales. Past and current designs include "scratch and sniff" (such as peppermint during the Christmas season), glow in the dark, LED light-up, a gift card on the side of a bubble blower, a gift card that can function as a CD-ROM, and even a gift card that allows the sender to record a voice message.”


I have become quite smitten of Target GiftCards as collectable items and a fun hobby. Just recently, I acquired thirty-nine! new designs.

Chris and Ketzra from Maryland, USA are reputed to have the most complete collection of Target GiftCards with 778 to date. Visit their gallery... They also have a trade list available.

Here are some of my favorites:


Tickle Elmo via a button and hear Elmo LOL...


Press the start button for the blue LEDs on all four sides...


Inside of a Wii giftcard with the LED lights...


And the latest - a plastic vase that holds water for a flower and a Hello Kitty mini change purse - both examples of "outside the box thinking" of standard sized credit card sized gift cards!

Anybody else collecting gift cards from Target or other retailers ?