Friday, June 28, 2013

Let's Rewrite this...

From: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3036789/ns/msnbc-morning_joe/vp/52339334
State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth: If you combine the limitation on the number of facilities and then very purposefully constrain the number of doctors who would be capable of performing these services for women, you’ve created an environment in Texas where you’ve put women’s health at risk, and that’s the real issue here. Women’s health if this were to be put into law truly is put at risk and it’s a sad state of affairs that politicians like Governor Perry and Lt. Governor Dewhurst have decided that this intrusion on women’s personal individual decision making should be used as a political pawn for their own higher aspirations.

State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth: If you combine the limitation on the number of facilities and then very purposefully constrain the number of doctors who would be capable of killing babies, you’ve created an environment in Texas where you’ve put the baby that is growing inside of the woman, and that’s the issue we'll cloud the argument with to make everyone forget that when a woman walks into a room where her doctor is awaiting her, there are at least three people in the room: doctor, patient, baby, and after the abortion, there's only two: doctor and patient. A baby's health if this were to be put into law truly is put at risk and it’s fantastic that politicians like Governor Perry and Lt. Governor Dewhurst have decided that this baby that is alive and growing inside of the womb should be used as a political pawn for their own higher aspirations.

That's not Right


I agree with a lot of what this snip says. The last few years have seen a lot of change. The Supreme Court said the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. At the federal level, marriages can be defined as not only male / female but as male / male & male / female. Right now, some states, including Iowa, already have said that. So now, in the upcoming weeks, I expect to read more and more articles and see "news" about this ruling.


An example is when left-wing / progressive / Metallica fan Rachel Maddow jumped all over this ruling when she said on her 6/26/2013 show:
|
"You're married nationally, but you're not married in the state? How does that work? That does not work.
And then this hypothetical couple arriving in Utah and realizing this ridiculous situation, they will sue, they'll say, hey, we're not looking for a fight here, this does not make sense. We cannot be legally married and not legally married at the same time. It can't be the federal government and the state we came from and the state we got married say that we're legally married but now that we're here, it doesn't count, it doesn't work.
So they will sue. And you know what? They will win because of what happened today. "
--Rachel Maddow on the groundwork laid by the majority decision in the Supreme Court's DOMA ruling

And anyone who says differently? They will be accused of rejecting change.


Thursday, June 27, 2013

Obsession

I am obsessed with writing a macro. I've dealt with macros for years. I am not a programmer, though sometimes I wish I was just so I would know how to do what I want.

What I want is to write a macro to run in a doc that has all of our user guides inserted into it. For each heading, I want the macro to create a Word doc that only has the text that is under that section up to the point of the next heading. I’ve added a code to each paragraph to identify the client so I don’t get issues with files being named the same. Ultimately, using a Heading called “Registering Apples” as an example, I want a directory of docs like this:

Registering Apples – Client A.docx

Registering Apples – Client B.docx

Registering Apples – Client C.docx

After I get to that point, the next step is to analyze the content in each of those docs to end up with a single version of “Registering Apples” that can then be shared or referenced or “something” so that there’s not multiple versions floating around. That’s to be determined – may use Confluence or some other tool – don’t know. The analysis of the content I describe below has to be done regardless of the tool.

What we have now is in “Registering Apples – Client A.docx” the text may be this:
  1. Go here > there.
  2. Click that.
  3. Enter those things.
  4. Click Save.
In “Registering Apples – Client B.docx” the text may be this:
  1. Go here > there
  2. Click that
  3. Enter those things and click Save.
In “Registering Apples – Client C.docx” the text may be this:
  1. Go here
  2. Go there <=splits up the navigation that is only step 1 in Client A and Client B into two steps)
  3. Click that
  4. Enter those and click Save.
So, ultimately, I consolidate those and have:

Registering Apples
  1. Go here > there.
  2. Click that.
  3. Enter those things.
  4. Click Save.
And I write it once. And I use it in Client A, B, and C. And if there’s a change, I update it once and the update then goes to Client A, B, and C.

We have a section in one of our UGs that is included in 10 user guides. If there is an update to it, the update to the section is written once, then it gets copied / pasted into the 10 user guides. If there’s another change, that process is repeated. To paraphrase someone we both know “There must be a better way.” Doing what I want to do is impossible today, but if it could be done, it would radically change the way my job is performed. I had a 1:1 meeting with my manager and got the green light to make this happen, which is way cool!

Here’s the macro I’m running:

|

Sub Howard()

    Dim i As Integer, nSplits As Integer, nParas As Integer

    Dim BlockStarts() As Long  ' stores character positions where doc is to be split

    Dim CurOutputDoc As Document

    Dim CurBlock As Range

    Dim DocNames() As String     ' <---

    Dim Para As Paragraph

    Dim FilePath        As String

    Dim FileName()      As String

    With ActiveDocument

        nParas = .Paragraphs.Count

        ReDim BlockStarts(nParas)

        ReDim DocNames(nParas)   ' <---

        ' <--- Omit line here
        BlockStarts(0) = 0  ' Set lower boundary of first text block


        ' Set another split point at the start of each para with

        ' a Heading style (H1, H2, ..., H5)

        nSplits = 0

        For Each Para In .Paragraphs

            For i = 1 To 5

                If Para.Range.Start > 0 Then   ' Prevents re-processing first para

                    If Para.Style = "Heading " & i Then

                        nSplits = nSplits + 1

                        BlockStarts(nSplits) = Para.Range.Start

                        DocNames(nSplits) = Left(Para.Range.Text, Len(Para.Range.Text) - 1)   '<---

                        Exit For

                    End If

                End If

            Next i

        Next

  


        If nSplits = 0 Then

            MsgBox "Document contains no headings of the specified type"

       Else

            For i = 1 To nSplits

                ' Copy the text block between successive split points

                Set CurBlock = .Range(BlockStarts(i - 1), BlockStarts(i))

                CurBlock.Copy
                ' Paste into new doc, save & close
                Set CurOutputDoc = Documents.Add

                With CurOutputDoc

                    .Range.Paste

                    .SaveAs DocNames(i) & ".docx"   ' <---

                    .Close

                End With

            Next

        End If

    End With

End Sub

BUT it's not doing what I want!! I'm obsessed with figuring it out.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Slayer Follow Up

Slayer, with only two original members, are forging on in to the future. Here's three videos of the new lineup.




Ding Dong!

At 1 AM, the doorbell rings. Dumb asses. If you have something to say to me, say it.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Getting Help

Big news for Kataklysm!
  • Per this article, "drummer Max Duhamel announced on April 8 that he was taking a break from KATAKLYSM to deal with issues related to alcohol abuse." Sorry, I missed that. I will pray for his return to the band.
  • The band also announced that they recorded a "top notch" of Sacred Reich's "The American Way" during the sessions for their upcoming Waiting For The End To Come release, which is tentatively due in October. Since Sacred Reich is *criminally* overlooked as a great thrash metal band, here's my favorite song by them:

    • And here are the lyrics
      • I've taken you for granted, I've known you since I was born.
        And all of a sudden, you've been taken, now your gone.
        There's so much, for me to say.
        I'm afraid It's much too late, you've been taken away.

        I wanted you, to see me succeed.
        To make you proud, and have you close to me.
        But now that you're gone, it brings tears to my eyes.
        I miss you so much, I never said goodbye.

        I never said goodbye.

        Your memory lives on, your close to my heart.
        I think of you, and we're not apart.
        There's so much, for me to say.
        I'm afraid it's much to late, you've been taken away.

        I wanted you, to see me succeed.
        To make you proud, and have you close to me.
        But now that you're gone, it brings tears to my eyes.
        I miss you so much, I never said goodbye.

        I never said goodbye.

        Your memory lives on, your close to my heart.
        I think of you, and we're not apart.
        There's so much, for me to say.
        I'm afraid it's much to late, you've been taken away, yeah.

        I wanted you, to see me succeed.
        To make you proud, and have you close to me.
        But now that you're gone, it brings tears to my eyes.
        I miss you so much, I never said goodbye.

        I never said goodbye.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Ah... What better way to spend a Sunday than...

Slayer Continues

Here's an article about Slayer and its remaining members, Tom Araya & Kerry King, continuing the band without the recently deceased "guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died on May 2 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver, a result of a lifetime of drinking," per the article

Why Men Don't Get Married

Why Men Don't Get Married

Scary Robots Rehearsal Recap

After two weeks without a rehearsal, Scary Robots rehearsed in my basement on Friday. Songs we did at rehearsal - though not in order:
  1. Lonely Boy
  2. Saturday Night
  3. Break Up Song
  4. For What It's Worth
  5. Sunshine of Your Love
  6. Big River
  7. Cheap Sunglasses
  8. What I Like About You
  9. Stuck in the Middle
  10. Sweet Jane
  11. Hey Joe
  12. Foghat

  13. Songs we didn't do that are on our list:
  14. American Girl
  15. Dead Flowers
  16. Rocking in the Free World
  17. Key to the Highway
We talked about maybe trying Green Day's "Basket Case" at rehearsal on 6/28.

There are some internal discussions happening now about something but it is too early to say anything - even a hint.

Editor's Note: as of 7/1/2013, the working title of our band is Lou's Classic Ride.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Win 1, Lose 1

Nearly 2 PM and the double header is over. First game was a victory and second game was a loss.

Rumor is we are going to Riverside Casino later. Hope the blackjack table is ready for me!

77 = 77 or 77

Louis' 77th birthday was yesterday. We went to Texas Roadhouse for supper - Alex likes the rolls. I had a BBQ chicken sandwich with cheese and bacon. It was brought to me without cheese and bacon so the waiter brought cheese and bacon to me separately. It wasn't the best sandwich I've had - there or anywhere.

After that, we played 7 games of euchre and Lou and I won 5 out of 7. I was happy to only make a couple of minor mistakes. This was my partner.




















Today is Alex's doubleheader baseball games at 10 and noon. I hope the rain holds off.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Keeping Pace

e:\music has 58348 File(s) in it!

Why I Became a Drummer

In my awesome discussion yesterday with the stranger in the waiting room, I talked about why I became a drummer. It made me want to find the following videos as I tell people that these two songs were what made me want to play drums. It wasn't the Beatles or Van Halen or even AC/DC. It was a song about "living in sin / at the Holiday Inn" and a song about a "tunnel of love" that I heard as an impressionable youngster.

I distinctly remember hearing the songs below. This was on a 8 track player in the basement of the first house I lived in on Red Bud Road in Cedar Rapids. This was back when I thought there was a band inside the stereo and I'd lift up the flap that went up when the 8 track was inserted to see if I could see the band that was playing the songs. I had no concept of how music was stored or written on the tape.

It was these songs and, honestly, listening to them over and over, and playing along to them the best that I could on the makeshift drumset I had created that helped me decide that I wanted to be a drummer. This was in spite of being very young and not really having parents 'into' music. I recalled yesterday that when I was very young, my parents bought a pair of drumsticks - one for me, one for my brother - because we were supposed to "share." How do you share a pair of drumsticks? The worst part about it was that the sticks were way too big for the makeshift drumset I had created. 

The makeshift drumset was a a black iron stove. I assembled a drumset, more or less, with a small red Indian drum, a canister of Lincoln Logs, and a canister of Tinker Toys. The Indian drum was my "snare" while the Lincoln Logs canister, with its green plastic lid, was my tom. The canister of Tinker Toys had a metal lid so that was, essentially, a cymbal. I used the purple sticks that had come in the Tinker Toy canister as my drum sticks. The purple ones were preferred because they were the longest available. The green sticks were next longest and I quickly began to use them because I broke the purple sticks because I was slamming away on this "drum set" and there was no 'give' for the metal.

Listening to these songs now makes me smile.

Living in Sin


Tunnel of Love

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Chances

Today, I took Alex to a doctor appointment.

While sitting in the waiting room, I talked to a mom. She had brought her child in and when he left the waiting room to go in, she started looking at his MP3 player. I had no idea that taking the chance on starting a conversation and saying, "Does he have good music?" would start a most wonderful conversation.

We talked about music and how music can take someone from a dark place to a brighter place. Shine Down sings that in these lyrics "The darkest part of the night / is just before the dawn." I believe music allows you to do that. There are so many stories about musicians who used music to get out of a dark place and find their way back. I talked to her about Shine Down's lead singer, who had done that. I wrote about that recently, how he was mistaken for Meat Loaf and then decided to give up his vices - booze, drugs - and to eat better and work out. Music, in my opinion, gives people the ability to do more than they thought was possible.

I talked about Jason Newsted at the Metallica convert in 1993 and how it was just after Iowa Hawkeye basketball player Chris Street had died  in a car crash. Newsted started his bass solo by saying that he knew that "we" - the audience - had been going through a tough time but that sometimes "you" just needed to get it out. I remarked how the concert had gotten loud after that.

I also talked about my own history with music and playing drums, that listening to the Gene Simmons (KISS) solo album had made me want to play drums when I heard the song "Living in Sin" and "Tunnel of Love." Around this point in the conversation, she mentioned that I didn't look like I would like heavy metal music.

I get that a lot. I don't look like a Metallica fan or someone that likes heavy metal. I know that. 

I also talked about playing drums in church and the Scary Robots gig on August 24. I mentioned there is a difference between playing drums in church and drums in a rock and roll setting.

Overall, the time waiting for Alex went so quickly. It was an awesome conversation, the kind I wish I had a recording of just so I wouldn't forget it.

Editor's Note: as of 7/1/2013, the working title of our band is Lou's Classic Ride.

I Do Not Kiill People - that is my least favorite thing to do...

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Metallica / Orion Festival Recap

There was an article about a double amputee teen that came from England to see Metallica at the Orion Festival last weekend in Detroit. There are a lot of 'tour recap' videos of Metallica available, but this one is worth watching. It shows one of my drumming heroes, Lars Ulrich, talking to the teen and inviting him onstage during their set. Ulrich really gets a lot of flack about Napster, about the sound of his drums on Metallica's St. Anger release and such, but this shows him as a human being. In a world that has a lot of craziness and unrest, Ulrich talking to this teen makes me smile. A lot.

Unlock the Truth

Phillip Smith sent me a link to the Brooklyn, NY, band Unlocking the Truth. VERY COOL! Phil has awesome taste in music.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Mayhem in the AM Hosts Fired

I don't typically listen to the "Free Beer and Hot Wings" show that is broadcast on KRNA, but I had it on this AM. The hosts started talking about these three radio hosts on an Atlanta sports station who had (my emphasis) a morning show called "Mayhem in the AM." They were fired yesterday. They did a segment about a New Orleans Saint football player who has ALS and they tried to be funny about it. For their humor, they were fired.

Were the jokes tasteless? Of course. Was it funny? To me, no.

Was their right to do the segment protected by the First Amendment? I don't know.

I do know I don't like the infusion of opinion in this snip from the second link below:
790 The Zone in Atlanta has announced that the “three individuals” involved in a bizarre and unfunny bit involving former Saints defensive back Steve Gleason have been fired.
Who is this author to decide the bit was "bizarre and unfunny"? Why couldn't the author have written this:
790 The Zone in Atlanta has announced that the “three individuals” involved in a bit involving former Saints defensive back Steve Gleason have been fired.
Be that as it may, three people with families now no longer have jobs. Read the comments link (bottom one) as there are some interesting ideas expressed.

Links
http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/22612566/mayhem-in-the-am-hosts-suspended-after-cruel-comments
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/17/790-the-zone-fires-mayhem-in-the-a-m-crew-for-gleason-comments/related/
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/17/790-the-zone-fires-mayhem-in-the-a-m-crew-for-gleason-comments/#comments

Silly but Fun

Scary Robots have a gig on Saturday, 8/24, for the Courage Ride 2013. We are performing:
  • either
    • at North English (11:30 or 12:00 until whenever you want to end) 
  • or 
    • at Iowa Mennonite School (1:30 until end of your set)  
I haven't had a 'rock band' gig since 1992 but now, there's one on the calendar. I am giddy when I think about it.

Editor's Note: as of 7/1/2013, the working title of our band is Lou's Classic Ride.

Moooowwwinng

Last night, I took the kids to their eye doctor appointment. Karen hasn't felt good for almost a week and had cancelled her part of the eye doctor excursion. My eyes changed only slightly but because insurance helps pay for new glasses - it may even be 100% - I ordered new ones. I refused to allow them to drop numbing drops in my eyes - the mere writing of the phrase "drops in my eyes" makes my eyes water.

There was a Culver's that was built, literally, next door to the eye doctor. Karen had said to stop and get the kids something to eat afterwards so we went to Culver's. I really, truly, enjoyed spending time with the kids. We laughed a lot and it was authentically a good time. The kids bartered for where Megan is going to sleep when Lou and Jean come down. My drums are set up in the basement for Scary Robots rehearsal on Friday so they are directly in front of where the pull-out couch is. Alex has his man cave, essentially, in the basement with his video games and doesn't mind sleeping on an air mattress so I told them to make a deal. The deal was that Alex would empty the dishwasher, by himself, 6 times. It was fun to listen to them negotiate.

Alex is fighting a cold so he did not go to his basketball workout at Iowa City West from 7 - 830.

When we got home, I remembered seeing a forecast like this and realized it was in my best interest to mow. I mowed the front, Megan and Alex did rock paper scissors so Megan mowed the back. I really enjoy mowing. I know it sounds strange but, normally, I put my MP3 player on and listen to good music like Count the Stars or Bayside or Adelitas Way and it makes time go very quickly.
After I finished mowing, I retreated to the bedroom to watch WWE Raw. I turned it off prior to the advertised main event of CM Punk v. Alberto Del Rio, but read about the results here.

Alex has a game tonight (Tuesday) and Wednesday and a double-header on Saturday at 10 and noon. I hope the weather cooperates. It looks like the games on Saturday are in jeopardy already if the rainy weather is in the AM.

Editor's Note: as of 7/1/2013, the working title of our band is Lou's Classic Ride.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Quick Status on the Conversion from CD to MP3

My Music folder now has 58290 music files! I am hoping to invest some time in this project over the next few nights.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Father's Day 2013

Life is good as a father when you get the new Black Sabbath release "13", a awesome chair to use around the campfire, and a golf glove. I am happy.

This weekend was good as well.

Perhaps the only downside was that I neglected to bring my journal with me to Elkader. I am on page 35 of 96 in my assigned section of my 200 page 5 subject notebook and I should have been on page 48 yesterday if I would adhere to a 'half of the month = half of the section' kind of target. I am hoping that this week allows for some time at night for writing.

Of course, this week is busy. Megan is working 27 hours this week, there's baseball games and... well, here:
  • Monday
    • Eye appointments
  • Tuesday
    • Megan - works @ 6 AM!
    • Alex - baseball game
  • Wednesday
    • Alex - baseball game
  • Thursday
    • Not sure
  • Friday
    • Scary Robots rehearsal!
    • Riverside Casino @ night for Louie's birthday?
  • Saturday
    • Alex - double header baseball game
    • Everyone but Megan - 5:15 Mass?
  • Sunday
    • Megan - 11 AM Mass
And then the whole cycle resumes...

Editor's Note: as of 7/1/2013, the working title of our band is Lou's Classic Ride.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Shower if You Stink

Earlier today, Alex mowed Dave & Cindy Downes' lawn and when I heard from Megan that he was going to take a shower once we were in Elkader, I called him. I said, "Take a shower. I don't want to sit in the car with you for two hours if you stink." I think he reluctantly agreed to do so. I hope so!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Rough

Yesterday was a rough day. What was my issue? I really don't know. I was really tired. My co-worker Peter said that was because I am getting old to which I stated that I preferred that to the alternative! I tried to rationalize how I felt. I didn't really go to bed later than normal on Tuesday (11:30). I've done that before but wow, something was wrong.

After picking Karen up from work and getting home, Karen was going to go get groceries for the weekend. I laid down, set my alarm, and slept soundly for a solid hour and a half. It was the kind of deep slumber I wished would go on for several more hours.

When I got up, we had supper and got some miscellaneous tasks done. There were reruns of Duck Dynasty so Alex, Karen, and I watched that. Of course, once I discovered "The Shawshank Redemption" was also on, I had to toggle between the two. After Karen went to bed, I nearly fell asleep on the couch. The finale of the Real World - Portland season was on and it was a struggle to stay awake. Then the reunion show came on and Anastasia confessed she had a crush on Jordan. I am glad I recorded it as I cashed in and did not see all of that show. I went to bed at 11:30 (again).

This morning, I woke up at 5:30. I got to work at 6:30 and feel much *much* more alert today. Something was making my day rough yesterday and I certainly hope today is smoother.

A decision needs to be made about Megan and going on the Iowa Ambassadors of Music trip to Europe next summer. A deposit of $600 is due on 6/15/13 so the time for a decision is upon us. I do not know the decision that will be made, but it needs to be made soon. Very soon.

Other than that, Alex has been working on arranging his pictures and videos and MP3s. Last night, he asked how to delete multiple files and I showed him how to hold the Ctrl key and select multiple files, and then press Delete. I made his night. For what it's worth, my count today is 58320 File.

Tuesday night, I had planned to do some work in the den on the MP3 conversion when I came upstairs. The movie Spaceballs was on TV. Karen, Alex, and I watched it. Karen was not impressed with the humor. I dared her to post on Facebook: "Watching the dumbest movie ever - Spaceballs." but she wouldn't.



Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Focus

Sometimes, it is easy for me to lose focus on what is important.

I need to work on that.

Better

Thanks to the 10 CDs I got from Slacker's, my number looks better after working on the project last night (58343) but work remains. Lots of it.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Converting Nothing Lately...

I didn't fire up the PC last night. We got home from Alex's game after 9 and by the time I read the Sunday paper and got situated, it was time to go to sleep. I worked from 6:30 AM - 4:30 PM yesterday and, frankly, that's my limit.
As a result, I did not make any progress on the conversions last night. The current count for e:\music:
58236 File(s) 452,791,990,347 bytes

Today, I had a dentist appointment at 8 AM to fill a cavity. Prior to leaving the house, I sat down at the Yamaha set and played about 30 minutes to the songs Scary Robots is playing on my MP3 player:

What I like About You
Lonely Boy
Break Up Song
Sunshine

Then, I went to the dentist and then, I came to work. Lots to do today - time to get busy!

Monday, June 10, 2013

Orion

Metallica's Orion Festival was held over the weekend in Detroit and guess what? Metallica played a "secret" set and played the "Kill 'Em All" release in its entirety.

Damn.

DAmn.

DAMn.

DAMN!

I will seriously consider purchasing that show from livemetallica.com...  

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

It is time to say "CONGRATULATIONS!" once again...

I think every time I read about any person, whether it is someone who is taking control of their life from a vice - like drugs, alcohol, or anything else - I am going to post about them. I had this idea when I read about former Pantera vocalist "Philip Anselmo." From an article on Blabbermouth.net, I read this:

Steppin' Out: Listening to you speak makes me happy. This is the first time I've spoken to you since you got straight. How did you finally get clean?

Anselmo: It takes a lot of distancing yourself from the source of the problem. Also nipping the source of the problem in the bud. I was going through tremendous amounts of... physical pain and I addressed that by having major back surgery and that's no walk in the park. I think once you embrace the physical rehabilitation part of it, and you really really buy into the program... only good things can come of it. Once the body feels better, then the mind feels better — if that makes any sense.

Steppin' Out: Of course.

Anselmo: That goes hand in hand. Then there's other factors like divorce, which was definitely needed, because I needed to get away from that particular person to move on. Then I also have a fantastic new woman... not really "new" — we've been together eleven f'ing years now. Her support is unending and undying and unwavering. To have this positive influence in my life is such a great thing. It's up to the individual. If you put in the work and the time, and you really want your life back... then it's there to be had. It doesn't matter what level of life you're on, or where you live, or what you do. You can f'ing do it if you put your mind to it.

Steppin' Out: You mentioned "get with the program." Is that a reference to a 12-step program, or did you do it on your own?

Anselmo: No, I actually did it on my own, but I can't say that that's the right way for everybody. I did on my own because I needed it. Put it this way... when I look back at old interviews and I'm slurring words and I'm about to fall asleep in front of the f'ing camera, it's embarrassing. It sucked. And it still sucks. I use that shit as a beacon of sorts of where not to ever go again in my life.I felt like I was shortchanging myself, therefore short changing anyone that was ever a fan of my music. It's bullshit. There's always a better way. With a clear mind, you can get more work done, you can get more personal work done, and then you can extend yourself to other people in a more rational way. Even if it's a dinner date or producing a record. Every walk of life that you take, you can at least be a reliable human being, which is a very tough thing to come by in a lot of cases. I pride myself on being that guy.

The Return to Greatness

When I was growing up in Cedar Rapids, the Five Seasons Center / US Cellular Center on First Avenue was the hub for concerts. So many great bands came through town (in no specific order):
  • KISS / Great White / Trixter
  • Pantera / White Zombie / EYEHATEGOD / Morbid Angel
  • the Clash of the Titans tour with Alice in Chains / Anthrax / Slayer / Megadeth (I didn't see this show, but damn, I should have!)
  • Sevendust / other bands - was too drunk to remember thanks to drinking at Kurtz before the show and not eating - thanks to Travis B for driving me home!
  • Metallica / the Cult (when I met Scott Golden)
  • Metallica (1991)
  • Def Leppard / Dokken
  • Motley Crue / Cheap Trick
  • Mötley Crüe / Whitesnake
  • Quiet Riot / Whitesnake
  • Loverboy / Dokken

So many great memories.

Now, the opportunity to create another presents itself with a concert on Sunday, August 25, 2013. 
From: http://www.concertboom.com/carnival-of-madness/tour-dates/:
Founded in 2010, Carnival of Madness is a concert tour performed by alternative and gothic rock bands.This year’s Carnival of Madness tour will feature
  • Shine Down
  • Papa Roach
  • Skillet
  • In This Moment
  • We as Human
I'm SOOOO in!

Monday, June 3, 2013

Disgraceful

When the 7th game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals is being played, the score should never ever be 92 - 68 with less than 4 minutes left in the game. It should be a close game, with the teams trading buckets.

Better luck next year Indiana Pacers. I will cheer for you again.

The Result of Pruning

I pruned a lot of duplicates which reduced my count to:
56833 File(s) 426,397,985,819 bytes