March 29, 2006
 
Last weekend we hosted our local Ratebeer tasting.  It was great to meet so many like-minded beer snobs who live in the area, and lots of good (super rare for Alabama) beer was had by all.  Since it went over so well, we'll probably be hosting more events like this in the future...we just need to stock up on good, out-of-state beers first.
 
Don't forget the showing at the Willis Gray Gallery in Decatur tomorrow night.  Meet me, have wine, get tipsy, buy my wonderful photographs (which will still be just as wonderful in the morning when you're not as tipsy, I promise). 
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  We Are Scientists - Lousy Reputation
 
 
 
March 22, 2006
 
Stuff galore!  First off, enjoy a picture I took in New Hampshire last summer.
 
This coming weekend we're hosting a RateBeer tasting gathering.  If you're in the Huntsville area this Saturday, please RSVP and we'd be happy to give you directions to the event of the season.  We've been saving good beers from various trips since October, so it'll a good time of beer ratings, meeting new people, and having fun.  Plus, there will be a special guest local brewer who will be in attendance.  I guess this means we sorta kinda mebbe need to clean the apartment. 
 
Oh!  If you also happen to be in the Northern Alabama area on Thursday, March 30, please stop by the Willis Gray Gallery in Decatur for their spring event: a showcase of local artists.  Not only will you be able to meet me, but you'll also be able to purchase some of my prominently-displayed photographs (so everyone wins!).  The fun begins at 7pm.
 
Last weekend, after we left Hobby Lobby (had to stock up on painting canvasses!) we went across the street to a small antique store with a "Store closing! 60-75% off!" sign out front.  After talking to the owner, it turns out that he and his wife bought the store 11 years ago, not because it was an antique store crammed full of antiques, but they got it for the building and the land.  They ended up deciding to run it as an antique store, but they're going to be 70 this year and want to retire so they're having a year-long closing sale to get rid of everything and then they'll sell the building and move away. 
 
After poking around the store for a few minutes it turned out to be more like a scene from Needful Things because Kari found something she's wanted so desperately since she was in middle school.  An accordion.  Not only is it an antique, but it's in perfect condition.  Heh, now we can start that TMBG-esque band we've been talking about.    
 
You know, normally I don't like Prince (at all), but his new cd, 3121, is pretty darn good.
 
Agent D has completed the SUPER SECRET mission perfectly.  Now, armed with photos and more information, we can proceed with our SUPER SECRET PROJECT.  W00t!
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  The Mighty Lemon Drops - Rollercoaster  
 
 
 
March 16, 2006
 
I answered the phone at work and the person on the other end said "Fuckin' moo!  I'm a mad cow!"  It was a guy I worked with from my last hotel who just had to call after hearing that a cow in Alabama was found to have mad cow disease.  Speaking of which, the cover of the local paper said something along the lines of, "Mad cow disease: not so bad after all."
 
Progress on the SUPER SECRET PROJECT is progressing slowly, but moving in the right direction nonetheless.  I have enlisted the aid of Super Secret Agent "D" to do some super secret work related to the project.  All is going according to plan. 
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  The Von Bondies - Tell Me What You See   
 
 
 
March 15, 2006
 
I'm full of goals.  Oodles and poodles of them.  Last Saturday I pictured where I wanted to be (location, personally, and professionally) ten years from now.  I then made a set of goals going from the immediate (0-6 months), short-term (6 months to 2 years), mid-term (2 to five years), and long-term (5 to 10 years) that would act as a road map to get me from where I am right now to exactly where I want to be in a decade.  Pretty spiffy.
 
Oh, so last Friday, after my director of sales and I had returned to Nashville from our trip to Detroit, we stopped at a Backyard Burger for lunch.  In the parking lot I saw something funny that I am kicking myself now for not taking a picture of: five big, brown, UPS trucks in a row, sandwiching in a small, yellow, DHL van.  I thought it was a pretty funny site until we went inside and saw five big guys wearing the brown UPS uniforms sitting at the same table with a single small guy wearing a yellow DHL uniform.  This is why I need to take my camera everywhere.
 
Speaking of which, I did not take any pictures in Detroit.  I was really hoping to snap one of this area in the Detroit Airport, but apparently that is in a different, much newer terminal than the one I was in.  Other than that, I honestly didn't see anything worth taking pictures of (and I tried, believe me).       
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  Iron Maiden - Caught Somewhere In Time 
 
 
 
March 11, 2006
 
I'm back from Detroit.  I should say I'm glad to be back from Detroit.  Maybe it was the ever-present dismal clouds perpetually raining away, maybe it was the deep-set gloom and hopelessness created by countless abandoned buildings, or maybe it was me being annoyed because I was hoping to see snow and there wasn't any.  In any case, it can be summed up as, Detroit:  No sir, I didn't like it.
 
Kind of a funny thing happened.  There was a group of 10 of us in a sports bar.  We just had dinner and were hanging out talking and having a drink when one of the guys in our group wanted a sundae.  He called out to our waitress, Laqueesha (sp?) and said, "I'm really in the mood for a sundae.  Can I get one?"
 
She said "We got one of those machines where you put a quarter in it and you can get a hand full of M&M's."
 
Undeterred, he pressed on, "No, no, no.  I really want a nice chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream on it.  Do you have anything like that?" 
 
"We've got brownies, but no ice cream."
 
"The thing is I really want the chocolate and the vanilla together.  I can't have one without the other."
 
She made an odd face, as if something clicked in her head and was overcome by a deep realization, "Are you talkin' about me?"
 
The guy in our group, having realized that she thinks he's hitting on her, waved his wedding ringed hand prominently, "No, no, no, NO!  All I want is a sundae!"  She came back a few minutes later with a brownie covered in whipped cream.  He still quietly grumbled to himself that there was no ice cream on it. 
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  The Appleseed Cast - Innocent Vigilent Ordinary
 
 
 
March 6, 2006
 
Kari's been in South Carolina visiting her mom since last Thursday and because my car is a lot more fun to drive on longer trips, she took the Saturn, which left me with her Ford Focus wagon.  Yup, the one with the cassette player.  Since I'm not too fond of the "selection" of radio stations in Northern Alabama, I dug out the big bag full of my old mixed tapes from high school and college, and have been happily listening to cool songs that I haven't heard in years.  I only wish I had a way to copy them into my computer as mp3s. 
 
On Wednesday I leave to go on a short business trip to balmy Detroit.  Wooo!  I'm probably going to have a few hours to kill Wednesday night, so I've been doing some research on the city...but all I'm finding is how rich the city is with abandoned buildings.  I did discover that 8 Mile is really 20 miles long.  Then again, all I know about it is that's where Eminem was born, or learned to write on his hand, or something.  Oh!  This website tells me to "Discover the NEW Detroit," which I'm guessing is Windsor, Ontario.  I'd better bring my passport, just in case.
 
I sometimes think that Pandora just plays whatever it feels like.  For those who don't know what Pandora is, you put in a song or band name and it'll play music that's similar to it.  It's really a stunningly awesome way to hear lots of cool new music that you'll most likely like.  Well, tonight I wanted to hear more trip-hop music, so I put in the band Massive Attack.  It played a few good ones only then to have a strange row of songs by Pink Floyd, Yes, and Rick frickin' Springfield.  WTF?           
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  Autour de Lucie - Vide
 
 
 
March 5, 2006
 
Yesterday I finally got a chance to go to the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville.  I've wanted to go ever since we first arrived here six months ago, but one thing or another prevented me from going (usually it was the weather, since I mainly wanted to go and take pictures).  This place has always annoyed me because you can see the giant Saturn V rocket from everywhere in the city, and when I first moved here it was my sole point of reference to help me find my way when I would get lost.  I've seen it every day, and, heck, I'm even writing a science fiction book, yet I hadn't gotten around to going there yet.
 
I know Space Camp is located there and all, but geez, there were a hell of a lot of kids running around every whichway.  It was interesting to see all of the engineer-type adults there, who are most likely in town on business, enjoying a sunny day off from the tedious task of designing more efficient rocket-based weapons for the military. 
 
Speaking of which, I thought the section of military stuff seemed to be more like a recruiting play area than part of a museum.  It was full of computer simulations where you got to blow stuff up, tv screens every few feet showing missiles blowing shit up, all the while parabolic dishes in the ceiling blasted dramatic, triumphant music.      
 
I spent an hour walking around and looking at the exhibits and their space-based artifacts before going to the IMAX to see Magnificent Desolation.  I was a little taken back by how downright creepy Tom Hanks looked in the introduction he filmed for the Space & Rocket Center, but that uneasiness faded as he went away and the move got underway.  Maybe it's just me, but I always feel unsafe in IMAX theaters...like when I stand up, I'm going to tip forward and have a horrific fall down the insanely steep slope of the stadium seating.    
 
Afterwards, I walked around outside and spent an hour taking pictures of the rockets, the space shuttle, and more rockets. 
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  Bright Eyes - Road To Joy
          
 
 
March 4, 2006
 
Yay!  I got a care package from New England today...full of beer!  Not like the shitty macro beer you find living in a 6% state in the South, but honest-to-goodness GOOD beer like these one, two, three beers from Milly's Tavern in Manchester, NH, and the Smuttynose's Wheat Wine.  Did I mention that Kari got me a Smuttynose hat?  I'm not a hat person, but I've wanted this for well over a year now and she got it for me a few weeks ago.  I sometimes wear it around the house because I'm cool like that...or something.     
 
Wow, check this out (give it a minute to load).  Or, if you prefer a similar panoramic with labels, look at this one.
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  Guster - Happier 
 
 
 
March 2, 2006
 
A real-life Simpsons intro.
 
 
What I'm listening to right now:  Republica - Wrapp
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

                                                                    © 2006 Eric Nixon.  All rights reserved.