þÿ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> <meta name="generator" content="RapidWeaver" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../styles.css" /><style type="text/css" media="all"></style><script type="text/javascript" src="../javascript.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript"></script> <title>Up Chucks</title> </head> <body class="blog-archive-background"> <div class="blog-archive-headings-wrapper"> <div class="blog-archive-month">Up Chucks</div> <div class="blog-archive-link"><a href="../index.html">Thoughtpukes </a></div> </div> <div class="blog-archive-entries-wrapper"> <div id="unique-entry-id-404" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Moving, Making & Doing Things</div><div class="blog-entry-date">03/11/10 10:02 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="da33a4fa35bbb4fd61c864ae3715af47-404.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">I should get used to quiet week days off since I don't have a two day weekend for the next 3 weeks. Thursday (today) was my day off this week, I used much of this day going through and discarding a lot of stuff that has built up over the busy winter. Being in retail I only had three or four days off from Thanksgiving day to New Years day and the days I did have off were crucial to resetting my physical and mental bearings. So things piled up. Things got left behind. Things got forgotten. Today I did a lot of things for and to these things.<br />With Jenni back to work after five weeks, due to breaking the 5th metatarsal (the one that attaches to her left little toe) I had this day off and the world Headquarters all to myself. Charlie the blind Rat Terrier would argue that I didn't, since I had to take him out three times before Jenni's return home, but still, as I am the only verbally capable bipedal, opposable thumbed being in this place I claim solitude as my house guest. <br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="self profile" width="217" height="237" src="page11_blog_entry404_1.jpg"/></div>I didn't get rid of as much stuff as I did address it, order it and re-groupe it with its like partner stuff, still I did fill a trash bag with the disposed carcasses if three month's daily pocket and mail leavings. Did this leave much more room in the rooms? Grander gallery to gaze upon? Sparkling sparse surfaces to inspire and surprise? Nope. <br />I will say that each small success was a pleasant result, and I didn't break one sweat in the process. <br />I also added more photos to my Facebook albums, became fans and friends with more people places and things and played in photoshop making a new profile picture illustration which I'm also sharing with you right now.. <br /><span style="font-size:18px; font-weight:bold; color:#642413;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2010</em></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-398" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Snooze Blues</div><div class="blog-entry-date">02/26/10 07:39 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="7d8835da6cc44e148b245de45d3122f2-398.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#050505;">They say that </span><s>breaking</s><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#050505;"> "waking" up is hard to do , well I know, I know it's true... <br />I reset the timer and pushed the snooze until I got I involved in an REM state and was having a great exposition dream during a 10 minute countdown snooze. Before the alarm alarmed me I was clawed and patted by Charlie telling me of his own particular alarm which we all wanted to go off outside. ... <br />I'm up. I'm Up! <br />Hey it's after 7:30! <br />Come on Charlie wait for me to get a coat on... <br />I gotta pull these boots on... <br /><br />...good boy here's a treat. Now where did I leave my brain, my consciousness, my billfold... <br />start the car to warm it up some... <br />finish post? nah there's not time for a post...maybe I'll just fluff this pillow on the couch with my head for a minute what harm could... <br />nope! ...yep, that cars running! see you soon!... off to Starbucks for sure then work, I suppose... </span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font:18px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#000f55;">zzzzz, wha? zzzChuck Pace &copy;2010<br /></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('2_2610');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('2_2610');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('2_2610');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('2_2610'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-397" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Attitude Latitudes</div><div class="blog-entry-date">02/24/10 10:05 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="25046770f87aec878bdcd99d8cb89ade-397.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="trophy_robot" width="530" height="412" src="page11_blog_entry397_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#0b0fff;"><em>Last years trophy-robot has been kegling on my mantle piece all alone for too long!</em></span><br />So yesterday on Facebook I declared February 24th optimism day, and gosh oh golly it was a swellistic day darn tootin'! Just about everything went right for me, and nothing bad found me hiding behind my smiles and cheer. <br />I got up and picked out great primary color clothing, bright and wonderful. Next, I decided to take US 40 into downtown Indy instead of hopping on the Interstate like I usually do, and the drive was smooth and hassle free, and I was listening to the new <strong><em>Pete Yorn -Scarlett Johannson </em></strong>CD<strong><em> "Break Up" </em></strong>and really enjoying it! <br />At work I heard horror stories from coworkers about their drives in on various highways and interstates about cars flipped on their sides and others off the highway 20 feet or more with people standing around gawking. I said I had no problems getting in and was enjoying a perfect cup of Starbucks coffee while hearing of their delays, detours and trials and tribulations. Later I enjoyed talking to the few brave shoppers that came out in spite of the latest <span style="color:#0f12ff;"><em>White Death Snow</em></span> show going on outside (although it wasn't sticking, and I think many drivers just forgot how to drive in Indiana winter weather after just three days dry warmer weather) and felt the satisfaction of helping them with camera issues and helping them select the right gear for their needs. <br />At lunchtime I walked to Ike and Jonsey's to have a favorite, (their awesome Patty Melt) and was able to finish two more chapters in the latest book I'm reading, <strong>Michael Crichton's </strong><strong><em>"Pirate Latitudes". </em></strong> It is getting to the first plateau and very exciting. <br />After Lunch I got to see some old Herron friends Brian and Mary, whom I haven't seen since MaryJane and Jody's garden party last year, and to help several more fledgling photographers. I also sold a few more cameras and got closer to my sales goals for February. <br /><br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="trophy" width="532" height="885" src="page11_blog_entry397_2.jpg"/><br />After work it was off to the Old Pointe Tavern on Mass Ave to meet up with more old Herron friends: Russell A., Rob and Marsha D., Jenny McG, and my Jenni and to meet Russell's new GF Dawn. While there I learned that my bowling team is now in 1st place in the Chatterbox league after 7 weeks. We started in 9th, dropped to 12th (last) and since have take all 8 points four times and taken 6 of 8 the other time in 7 weeks of kegling. I am understandably proud of my teammates Annelise, Roe and David as well as myself for putting up such strong numbers week after week. We need to stay on track for 5 more weeks and take home the big trophies! My one little trophy for highest scratch game in last springs Chatterbox Jazz League needs company!<br /><span style="font-size:18px; font-weight:bold; color:#04055b;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2010</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#04055b;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#c9a45e;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('2_2510');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('2_2510');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('2_2510');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('2_2510'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-396" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Excercise</div><div class="blog-entry-date">02/24/10 07:09 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="d8cf578588b7e814a6bc8c2479c8cff1-396.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="pensive cp" width="231" height="243" src="page11_blog_entry396_1.jpg"/></div>If you don't use it you lose it. That applies to everything. In the end it is all just an exercise in futility, but the trick is to prolong the exercise, to postpone or better yet to shape the inevitable futility to your will or whimsey. <br />I have been reluctant to talk in the blogosphere for awhile, unwilling to sum up my disappointment in the outcome of the superbowl, or to embellish on the remarkably winter-like winter for the laff and the gaff, and the reluctance has weakened my blogging brain muscles a bit. I need to get back on the proverbial horse and ride it to where ever it takes me, and I'm doing just that. when I fired up the old blog-wear at 7:00 this am I had no direction or idea what would roll off my grey matter and through my digits, and yet here is a whole bunch of words just being spewed onto the phosphors and LED's of the inter-webs. <br />To horribly paraphrase Mr. David Byrne:<br />I'm blogging, <br />I'm blogging again, <br />I'm blogging, <br />I'm blogging again, <br />I'm cleaning <br />I'm cleaning my brain<br />You cant see it <br />Until it's finished!<br />Again I apologize the the Talking Heads and Mr. Byrne, who's writing prowess and imagination leave me paled and in the shade by comparison. <br />Here we are at the beginning of the 8th hump day of 2010, and I'm feeling optimistic. The weather is "maybe" starting to mellow, my bowling team is doing quite well and I'm involved in the organizing of another <strong><em>Herron When It Was Cool </em></strong>reunion party for mid year! And I'm putting some laps on my blogging muscles just to limber them up a bit. What could be more better? Well other than real content in my blog, but it's a rebirth, soon spring will be upon us and I will be sprouting seeds of ideation as mother nature is sprouting seeds of growth and renewal. Hot Damn! It feels good in here!<br /><span style="font-size:18px; font-weight:bold; color:#596585;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2010</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#596585;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#c9a45e;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('2_2410');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('2_2410');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('2_2410');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('2_2410'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-394" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Getting Back on the Highway</div><div class="blog-entry-date">01/26/10 06:34 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="8e8084eb9aef0b6dbb3ebb699949e3e9-394.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">True, I haven't blogged in quite some time. In fact it was December 12th when I put my last ether-borne thoughts in the Gorified Webways. So much has transpired since: <br /><strong>Funerals:</strong> My Aunt Carolyn's', and just a couple of days later my best friends father was taken in a fatal car crash. <br /><strong>Automotive woes:</strong> The fuel system on the truck and the arctic weather have sidelined one of our primary means of transportation; Alternator failures sidelined the 'Vert' for a week and a half too, and I've been forced to drive the Frankenstein in the salty winter muck even though it's not technically ready, body or mechanically to be a daily drive, (although the restoration project has been going well, there is so much yet to do). <br /><strong>December Retail:</strong> Another grueling December, the retail push, the lack of days off, and the over time all mixed with the gloomy grey days of sunlight shortened winter takes a physical and psychological tolls on the body and spirit, yet it is again survived. <br /><strong>Physical Tolls indeed:</strong> Jenni breaks her foot while walking and has surgery, and crutches and a cane and time off, though she is doing remarkably well considering. She was back to work in just a week, and the stitches come out this week. <br /><strong>Bowling:</strong> The winter league continues and our team languishes near the back; the Chatterbowling league ends and another starts in mid January and the first couple of weeks are tough. <br /><strong>Television:</strong> The holiday schedule pre-empts much of the family mainstay programs, then the Late Night TV wars and their lunacy grabs the american psyche, meanwhile our "Pop-icon american Idol-style President" promises not to pre-empt or blackout "American Idol" or "Lost" in his upcoming State of the Union Address. <br /><br /><strong>World Events:</strong> The devastating earthquakes in Haiti, the toll of human life and the astonishing compassion of the world communities, especially of the American People. The ongoing relief and rebuilding. <br /><strong>Sports:</strong> The Amazing Run the Indianapolis Colts are on and the NFL Championship parring of the two #1 seeds in the conferences to be played in less than two weeks. <br />All of this and other things like Terrorism (which is a dirty word to the administration, and is never spoken aloud), economic collapse, unwanted political intervention into our daily lives and suppressed news; the Political scene in turmoil and the will of the American people ignored in both houses, but not at the voting booths. <br /><br />Yes, have been absent but not hiding, just surviving. I sit ready to get on the on-ramp and start driving my thoughts again, but the process may be slow and intermittent and the flows and rush-hours of reality dictate. Don't honk, I'm going as fast as the traffic will allow. <br /><span style="font-size:18px; font-weight:bold; color:#596585;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2010</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#596585;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#c9a45e;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('1_2610');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('1_2610');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('1_2610');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('1_2610'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-393" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Eulogy</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/12/09 03:18 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="c3f4f2e43c4cbd8fcb1b7b76fe5562a1-393.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">I went to bed very early last night, the strain of the week, the job and especially the day's news were all factors. I got to work on Friday just before 9:00 AM, from a pocket I heard my phone ringing as I was taking off my winter weather barriers. The ring was in a tone reserved just for my parents and daughter. <br />With one arm out of a coat sleeve I took a call from my folks, my father was on the other end, "I have some bad news about your Aunt," he started and my mind immediately jumped to my Aunt Jo who has been ill and is over 80. So when he continued with, "Carolyn died this morning," I was unprepared for that statement. It was too unbelievable to be a shock moment, I still was processing the Jo thought so I only said, "What?" He repeated the news. He told me of some of the specifics. He told me Erika, her daughter, my cousin, was holding her hand as she passed. That the night before, Erika tried to cheer up her mom and Carol said don't joke Erika pray for me instead. I can hear that statement in her voice in my head as clear as a bell, that was Carolyn. <br />Carolyn was born on September 11th 1949, the youngest of the several children of Lloyd and Violet Martin, 10 years younger than her nearest sibling, my mother Madge. <br />I remember her room at my grandparents house in Marion. I remember the beads and bright decorations, the Bobby Sherman and David Cassidy posters, the Partridge family album and record player. I remember Carolyn as a teenager, as an older playmate and as a babysitter. Carolyn was less than eleven years older than me. Carolyn used to come and stay with us occasionally when we were in grade school and my parents were both working, she was our house and baby sitter. I remember cousin Cathy staying for a day or two as well and we all walked to the IGA in tiny Swayzee to get candy and treats, and Carolyn bought with her baby sitting money. <br />Both of her parents were gone before she was much more than twenty. After her parents passed she moved around between her older siblings Mona and Jim's places and took odd jobs and managed to care for herself. <br />At around her 25th or 26th year Carolyn met a man named John Vaughn, a man with a checkered past, and questionable moral fiber, a man who had spent a bit of time incarcerated. Carolyn , a woman of deep religious faith and belief, saw John as a man repented, as a man changed and in the true spirit of her Christian faith as a man redeemed. <br />John proposed, she fell in love and they married and moved to Delphi Indiana. John was driving delivery trucks for a seed company, making stops at grain elevators and farms and they head a nice little place in an old house near downtown Delphi. I spent a week there on summer break just after my 16th birthday. <br />Within a year Carolyn was pregnant and John was gone. Carolyn was back in Marion and on public assistance, and soon her daughter Erika was born. I don't believe Erika would have benefited from having her father around and he never attempted to see his child or supported either of them with any support or childcare money, John's absence may have been a blessing, and Erika was definitely a gift and blessing to Carolyn who, through struggle and hard times raised her daughter in a house full of love. <br />The last few years Carolyn has been living in Arkansas near her niece Cathy's family and her sister Mona and her family. I have missed seeing all of them, and watching Erika's children growing up. I still remember all the Thanksgiving dinners and the Christmas gift exchanges, and will miss them. I will miss the humor and caring, I will miss, teasing and sharing, I will miss the affectionate hugs. I will miss my Aunt Carolyn very much. <br /><span style="font-size:18px; font-weight:bold; color:#586484;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#586484;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#c8a35e;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12_129');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('12_129');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('12_129');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('12_129'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-388" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Another Round, or Let's watch Mobius Strip!</div><div class="blog-entry-date">11/27/09 06:49 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="0eb42f078b089ffb4e70135b63120017-388.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="indexouroboros" width="150" height="150" src="page11_blog_entry388_1.jpg"/></div>Just like summer gives way to fall, and fall gives way to winter, Thanksgiving gives way to the shopping holiday rush. Like many previous years the economy is a factor, and people are concerned about finances, and like many years the camera industry is less affected then many others industries. The reason? People still take vacations and have kids and pets and milestone moments in their lives that need validation and remembering. Kids still graduate, (though maybe not as smart as in the past) people still get married, babies are still being born, and memories are still being remembered with the help of silver halide chemical emulsions (thought not as common as in the past) or in the form of pixels and memory cards, CD's and DVD's. Newer technologies evolve and push the older ones out of the way faster than Darwin could have ever dreamed. Ordinary people strive to be near the leading edge of the those emergent technologies. For proof just look at cellphones and computers as other "today's hot ticket, yesterday's news" segments that are eating themselves like the Ouroborus, Socratic snake. <br />The cycle and the circle are unbroken, everything is cyclical; morning, afternoon ,evening, night..., summer, fall, winter spring, summer..., climate..., birth, life, death..., the tides, the rotations of planets, stars, galaxies and the Cosmos. Truly what comes around goes around, and simple man is not in control or capable of controlling the forces of nature and time. <br />Have a great post Thanksgiving Holiday season, and we'll all meet here again after another 365 more rotations of the planet and another rotation of the sun and do it all over again. Really. I promise.<br /><span style="font-size:20px; font-weight:bold; color:#1e2e7c;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#234956;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="mobius" width="97" height="40" src="page11_blog_entry388_2.jpg"/></strong><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#3f3f3f;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('11_279');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('11_279');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('11_279');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('11_279'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-385" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Monday, Monday</div><div class="blog-entry-date">10/07/09 06:55 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="97d8ffb4de5367a1f7d20375e3302abd-385.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">First day back at work after Vacation. It was good to be back, I did a lot of stuff during the break. Work was just like I remembered it, and after work was the traditional visit to the Chatterbox before heading to the bowling alley for week 4 of 12 in the Chatterbox League.<br />Joining me at the Box were Mike Wilson and Rich Culy (along with the Commish, Deanne, Rick H. (the Judge) and the background noise of Bill Brooks and Jack and Joan), <strong><em>Listening to ''A Ghost In The House'', by Red Light Driver (Play Count: 2)<br /></em></strong>I had a decent night in the Kegling Arena (157,189,157), as did my team collectively (we took all three games and the 8 points that comes along with that kind of thing). We moved up from 11th place to 5th while team Four of Five plummeted further into last place. After that contest was decided several of the Kegler crew headed to Rockets to launch spheres at each other in a contests of pool. My teammate Kristi Wright came along as did Rich Culy , Jill Ewing, Chris West, Davie Sherry and David Andrichik (the Commish). The whole time I was a bit distracted, in the trunk of the 'Vert was a box of BMW parts from Bavarian Autosports to continue the augmentation of the Blue Frankenstein, and I knew that by the time I finished the pool games and watching Brett Favre take apart his old team I wouldn't have time to tear into the priority project. What was the priority project? Putting the two tiny gears back into the odometer of the Bimmer so that the miles could once again go rolling by as I enjoyed the ever improving company of my project car. <strong><em><br /></em></strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="gear gear, wait" width="532" height="349" src="page11_blog_entry385_1.jpg"/><br /><strong><em>I've waited over two years to put these guys into the instrument cluster above, I guess one more day won't kill me. <br /><br />Listening to ''Drive She Said'', by Stan Ridgeway (Play Count: 1)<br /></em></strong><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#1e2e7c;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#234956;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#3f3f3f;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('10_79');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('10_79');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('10_79');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('10_79'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-378" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Missing. Inaction</div><div class="blog-entry-date">09/17/09 11:22 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="30f15a1566a8757c18e5d1c24f3227bb-378.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">Over two months? Really? Where has the time gone? If you have been following my blogs, then you have been bored for a bit. If you do follow then you will see a blog dated 8/6/09 which I wrote on that date and saved but never uploaded, primarily because I was running out of time and had missed a day of work due to the migraine attack the is referenced in that very post. Today I added the image and uploaded that post. <br /><br />Today I have been extremely productive and busy as well. I have been working on my BMW again, getting power window issues resolved, and sunroof issues resolved, and sanding down more dings and body flaws. As I write (3:33PM) I am on a break from working on driver seat issued since I had to come in to wash up enough to go buy some metric sockets to continue working on the seat. I thought I would give an updated account of my trials and tribulations. <br /><br />End of part one:<br />coming soon...part Two; Frankensteins Makeover<br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#234956;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#234956;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#3f3f3f;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('9_179');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('9_179');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('9_179');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('9_179'); </script></a><br /></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-376" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Lasterdays</div><div class="blog-entry-date">07/31/09 07:11 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="941a88550d4c7b6dc10d1ed7e57d6430-376.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">So ends another month, they sure fly by. So much has happened in this one that it is hard to recap. Lets look at Chatterbowling for example. That league started as a 10 week league but we got 12 teams together, so it was expanded to 12 weeks. Then there was a sub-pool that saw lots of action but timing in the summer is bad even for subs the league had to take one week off near the end because 11 additional subs were needed, and there weren't 11 available. We also took the Memorial day Monday off to give many a 3 day weekend.<br />The end of the league saw the usual suspects near the front, and my team shamefully in 10th place, we had a run in he middle where we lost all the points three weeks in a row, that turned out to be an insurmountable obstacle for team glory. <br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#234956;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#234956;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#3f3f3f;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('7_319');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('7_319');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('7_319');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('7_319'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-374" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Always On is On. On and Off isn't.</div><div class="blog-entry-date">07/30/09 03:27 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="99c5993f399e78e39f62ec8e0344baae-374.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">There. Another attempt. power<br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Give Me Power, Or give me dark! Ummm, just power </em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>please. </em></span><strong><em>Please. </em></strong><span style="font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Please</em></span><br />... as I was saying, I left off on the 13th thinking I'd be posting again in a day or two, but man life can sure get hectic. <br />I have every other Thursday off, so I'm off right now (insert predictable comment here) enjoying a pretty morning and getting back in the blogging. <br />My last Thursday off, the 16th didn't really go as planned, I had a big bonus on my check and I had options on how to stimulate the economy. I also had a few legitimate errands to run, one was to the Mac Experience where I hoped to get my iPhone debugged since it would not communicate with my Macs anymore since the last Mac iTunes firmware update. I talked to David Wainscott there and he got me back in the flow with their more modern and powerful computers. I considered bringing one home, then declined. <br />Before I left the house I paid my ATT bill and saw that I could update to the newer iPhone 3G or 3Gs, contemplated that move but thought it best to get the current iPhone back in contact with the mothership iTunes software first. Good call. <br />After lunch and that visit with the Mac Experience fellows, I drove back home and stood in the back yard contemplating the patio/deck. I could add on. I had the truck and time and I had money for treated lumber. While in the yard I decided I'd water the garden as I contemplated yet other valuable uses of my time and efforts and well the center of the hose bib for the garden hose stripped out, I thought well maybe I'm going to office depot to get a new hose bib assembly instead of lumber. I unmounted it from the wall, saw where the pipe goes into the bib and took my pipe wrenches to those to disconnect it, instead of a successful quick and easy plumbing task I got troubles for my trouble. The poor grade copper pipes from the builders and contractors who assembled our home for us 17 years prior twisted in two making a simple job impossible for my plumbing skill set. <br /><em>Here is where I have to mention that a several years ago the single knob faucet in the guest bathroom shower and tub started leaking into the tub. My father (a veritable renaissance man and jack of all trades) offered to assist me in replacing the failing unit (we were in Florida at the time it was offered, and he had not seen the unit first hand). Time passes, more water under the tap (bridge just doesn't work here) and the problem gets worse. Finally a year ago Mom and Dad are up visiting and a unit is purchased to replace the failing constant-runner. Upon further review, dad was reluctant to tackle the project, since the wall would have to be cut through from the backside. Not only that but pipes would need to be cut and fitted and brazed back together too. I didn't have the torch and tools at the time to make that happen nor the budget to get them. <br /></em>Back to the day of concern, Thursday the 16th it was still early in the day around 12:30 and I had turned the water off inside the house to keep a bad situation from getting out of hand totally. Next step Dial-One, and within an hour a Benjamin Franklin Punctual Plumber was pulling up in front of the house, I told him of the problems I had had with my bib (without getting any one me) and he said no problem money can't fix (in completely different phrases, but that was the gist), next I walked him into the secondary bathing area and explained the situation there, he thought the guts could be replaced and quoted me the flat rate total for both jobs. Just under $500. I said have a good time and stayed out of his way. The hose bib was project one and took a goodly piece of time (but it was not an hourly deal, flat rate quote and all), that job done on to the bath. Here he came to the inevitable conclusion that the piece in there was also cheap-ass crap and could not be repaired, therefore replacement would be the only way. I brought him the unit we had purchased and asked if he could install that, he said it would save money and proceeded. That took a long time too but finally the job was done, Jenni had been home for over an hour, the water was back on and not trickling when the tap was off and Michael the plumber was leaving at 7:45. The bill with the cutting brazing and install was more ( $908) than a simple parts replacement and I was able to spend all of my bonus pay for a hard month of sales on one days efforts. I didn't get to buy toys bit it was worth it, and had to be done, and my water bills are going to shrink! <br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#3f3f3f;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#3f3f3f;"><em>&nbsp;<br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('7_309');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('7_309');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('7_309');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('7_309'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-372" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Ten. I did not intend at ten to jump in again.</div><div class="blog-entry-date">07/13/09 06:54 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="b3d7628f5a5a32f0e19068b9e07dd002-372.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="P7042797" width="217" height="267" src="page11_blog_entry372_1.jpg"/></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Funny how time slips away. <br />Distractions distract, routine fails to hold sway. <br />Until the old routine is discarded and a new pattern takes the day!<br />It's not like I haven't done things to talk about or been places to mention or failed to do anything interesting along the way.<br />My last post was on July 3rd, and on that day I already had grand plans for the next day, plans that should yield a spectacular post too I might say!<br /><br /><br />It was all about Jenni, she loves Chi-town but hasn't been there in years, <br />I've been on day trips to Sox games and such and even an autoshow but she stayed home (in tears). <br />So on the second I got up on the 2nd I was already spinning my mental gears, <br />a day off can give you the time that you lacked to address such problems horribly in arrears. <br />The solution to this, a wonderful a weekend trip with Jenni to Chicago for sight seeing and fireworks cheers!<br /><br />The Holiday already had me off for the day.<br />So on the third I told Jenni it's your time to play.<br />Call the Priceline negotiator, and arrange a double day stay. <br />She was bowled over, and flabbergasted and hardly knew what to say. <br /><br />The room would be ready for check-in at three.<br />Ninety-nine dollars at the Hilton for two days, we were getting one free <br />And in the attached garage parking was cheaper too, a most reasonable fee. <br />We would walk around in the rain for hours, taking photos and talking, hardly holding our glee.<br />To see Jenni so happy and sunny and excited and joyful was really more like a present for me. <br /><br />Taste of Chicago was on in Millennium Park<br />A lucky coincidence for an impromptu trip taken on a lark<br />A day spent walking and smiling and completely hitting the mark <br />Would only get better when the skies turned to dark, <br />And the band-shell concert was turned over for a quarter hour display of firework spark. <br /><p style="text-align:center;" ><img class="imageStyle" alt="P7042824" width="528" height="660" src="page11_blog_entry372_2.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#6c1212;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#6c1212;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('7_139');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('7_139');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('7_139');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('7_139'); </script></a><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-369" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Migraine Theater</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/24/09 07:49 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="ed34a3539c3e6b49e98f78abff23ef84-369.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="the blur" width="532" height="397" src="page11_blog_entry369_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#3f3523;"><em>This was in my camera, I think it is the story of my day compressed into 10.2 million pixels. Looks familiar. </em></span><br /><strong><em>Prolog:</em></strong> Yesterday started like so many others. There didn't seem to be anything unusual or different at the starting gun. Just another day out of the blocks, in the rat race, and on a very familiar track. The drive into work? Unremarkable. De-caf coffee and sammich at S-Bux predictable. Just a small headache nibbling in the background almost unnoticed until undistracted. <br /><strong><em>Act One: </em></strong>The first hour of work, productive. The second hour the head started to ache, the hands started to tremble. By eleven it was obvious what was going on. I 'borrowed' three ibuprofen from a coworker knowing full well that it was not going to help much. I could feel the pulse of my enraged heart pounding in my wrists, chest and temples. The trembling hand told me that the jungle beat in my chest was building up a hyper-tension episode like one or two previous episodes I have barely survived. Jenni shows up for lunch and I am in throes of it. I decide to go eat and see if I can calm the raging beast in my chest and quiet the sanitarium of screaming maniacs in my cranium. It was the right call, and the wrong one all at the same time. Eating in a darkened Ikes with a hat on and sunglasses, taking deep slow breaths, and drinking about a half -gallon of water probably brought down the blood pressure a lot. Still I had to wait for the wife. I had to get to the Doctors office for the next act to play out. <br /><strong><em>Act Two: </em></strong>I'm sitting in exam room 3 (I think) the hat is pulled down, the sunglasses are on, the lights are off, the shade drawn over the window. Nurse Sheryl is wrapping my biceps with a velcro bag, pumping it up and getting a reading. The high end of my blood-pressure is two ticks under 160. (I 'normally' run between 120 and 125). I am doing the long deep breath thing and sitting easily in the chair. Time passes. The Doctor finishes with his scheduled patient, comes in and we discuss my occasional Migraines, the severity and the frequency. He takes another blood pressure reading, down to 154, an improvement, a plan is reached and he steps back out. <br />Sheryl returns with a needle for my 'hip' Toradol (sic). Loosen pants, slide slide down waist band, cool alcohol on upper buttock (hip) the sting. The injection brings a remarkable sensation. Nettles injected under the flesh, expanding nettles, or is it bee stings, lost of bee stings. I am asked to lay down for a bit in another room just to see if I don't die. Finally Jenni is led back to where I am in stupor. The nurse, Sheryl again says, We have something that belongs to you to Jenni. They laugh, nervous twitch makes my lips work a smile from an insane asylum and I start to sit up. One more blood pressure check, 146 and I'm released to the payment window. I pay in cash, they talk. I'm holding my receipt, and don't realize it. I'm waiting for a receipt I already have. eventually it dawns on me and I'm led squinting into a super-nova sunlight orgasm. <br /><strong><em>Act Three:</em></strong> I lay down in a very dark bedroom at home, I leave my sunglasses on anyway. It's 2:35 PM. <br />It's 5:45 PM I take off the glasses, and roll onto my side a pillow under my ribcage, Jenni came in to check on me. <br />It's 8:28 PM, I'm trying to get my regular glasses out of the case next to the bed. The head is dull and the room is soft-focus in the background watching me. I sit up. I'm better. I'm hungry. <br />Its 9:16 PM, I've eaten a bowl of cereal I'm back in bed. I turn on AMC, its after midnight Jenni is coming to bed, the TV is off. <br />It's 5:50 AM first alarm. I'm alive. Awake, and I have a foam rubber head the size of a medicine ball. Everything is dull, reactions, sensations, perceptions. I sleepwalk through the morning routine. I post an update. I post photos and I decide to do a blog, since I have something different to decry. <br /><strong><em>Epilog: </em></strong> 7:49 AM I'm finishing up the post and going to work, I will see if the sun is as bright as my memory of it yesterday. I am better, but the skin on my head feels like patchwork quilting applied with short staples. I'm better.<br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#000000;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#000000;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('6_249');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('6_249');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('6_249');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('6_249'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-368" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Three Times in a Month</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/15/09 07:54 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="fbfc1bfc5479674aa68856a712b60dda-368.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="White house is blu" width="536" height="365" src="page11_blog_entry368_1.jpg"/><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Two Art Fair days shots of the houses I lived in at Herron. <br /></em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Above n the White House, (now Blue), <br />Below the Yellow House, now red.</em></span> <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="YEllow house gets red" width="536" height="396" src="page11_blog_entry368_2.jpg"/>Man, memory lane is getting crowded. I have been pulling in friends in facebook from all over the big blue marble, and because of the melancholy memory musings I have been up to the old campus twice for recon and to post photos, then yesterday I made another visit to the street where I lived, crossed walked, rode, run and stumbled during my college years. Yesterday was the Talbot Street Art Fair, I haven't been to one of those in at least 15 years, it is huge now. I went because I was offered free art from one of my Roberts camera store customers who I have been helping get her technical photography skills up to par so she can increase her sales and reach. I was only on the street for about a half hour, saw another Herron friend and a couple more Roberts customers too. But had to get back to the world-headquarters and mow since it looked as though rain would ruin my parade. Now my time, like my patience is limited, so I off to work will go, hi ho. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="crabs" width="536" height="403" src="page11_blog_entry368_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#164dd2;"><em>Here's the one I chose. Thanks to Susan Semenick<br />www. suesemenick.com</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#164dd2;"><em><br />Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#164dd2;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('6_159');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('6_159');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('6_159');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('6_159'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-367" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Reasons to be Cheerful, part 4.</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/13/09 07:49 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="fe0fe5183236c0682f33dd0986f9e2cf-367.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="ring" width="536" height="375" src="page11_blog_entry367_1.jpg"/><br />Me with a Superbowl ring, Awesome #1.<br />It is awesome how social networking thing has enriched my life. I've found a bunch of long gone if not forgotten friends from college and even high-school, and one deluded soul who claims we went to elementary school together (I was the only one there other than Jeff Shane, I'm sure). If a tree fall in a forest and nobody I went to grade school is there to get clobbered by it did they really exist? <br />That's why I post, to cover the really tough philosophical questions of perception and existentialism, oh, and covered bridges and cars. <br />Also Ron Meeks is gone, but Howard Mudd and Tom Moore are back onboard with the Colts. yea!<br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="coach" width="536" height="593" src="page11_blog_entry367_2.jpg"/><br />Coach Mudd was in the store yesterday so I got it straight from the O-lines mouth!<br />Time to rush off to Nikon Day at Roberts! Have a great day, come see me and I'll put a Nikon in your hand and a smile on your face.<br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#164dd2;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#164dd2;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('6_139');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('6_139');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('6_139');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('6_139'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-362" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Pre-Derby Report</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/01/09 08:17 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="3c20961cf02f7a6051a100d175251aac-362.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">So Saturday was a mega-busy day for me. I got up at 7:45 in the AM and started game planning my day which coincidentally included games at the end. By 9AM I had already driven to get breakfast ate it. I came home and stared up at the trees and the damage that their limbs had done to the shingles at the front of the garage. Wind, weather and rapid arboreal advancement had done a number of numbers on the roof. I pulled out my trusty tool, decided there was no time for that and then went to the garage and grabbed my tree-trimming pole with curved blade and rope activated cutting blade. Within 45 minutes I had four giant limbs down, and was hacking them to bits with my electric chain-saw (the heat inside my leather-face mask was intense I wanna tell ya) then smaller devices designed to take apart finger sized arboreal appendages came into play. By 11:00 there was no evidence of my nefarious activities, and I was whacking weeds with my new Homelite dual feed electric trimmer/edger. By 12:30 the yard was mowed, the chairs back in a friendly grouping around the paver patio I built 4 years ago and I was contemplating lunch. Jenni, who had been at work since I awoke, said she would be home soon and I decided to crash until she arrived. Soon took something in the neighborhood of 2 hours but before 3 I had my fill of Taco Bell combo #1 and a beef meximelt kicker and was ready to clean up for some NRG action at the State Fairgrounds. <br />Upon arriving at the gates I was charged 3 smackers and told the lot where my cohorts were tailgating was full and I would have to park out beyond the cattle barns. The walk was not exactly refreshing, as I had to knee and elbow my way through the graduating class of Fishers spilling and milling from the Pepsi Coliseum. I don't think it was the senior class I think the entire town of Fishers Graduated, to what I don't really know, but I can tell you that manners weren't high on the requirements list. Finally I arrived at the blessed Toyota Pavilion lot which was far from full, found what I thought might me my party since some to the partiers were indeed friends. I walked into their presence and was presented a present of a Blue Moon by Mr. Onassis hisownself; Christian Brown. <br />Two small swigs gone a Police officer in his car stopped in front of us and ordered us to dump out the beers on the ground as he watched. So far the start of the fun part of the day was not going all bang-up grand. Christian pointed out the availability of adequate parking <div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="skate" width="185" height="211" src="page11_blog_entry362_1.jpg"/></div>and I agreed that I might not want to walk half-way to Speedway to retrieve my ride after the double header that was rapidly approaching its start time. To my unmitigated joy the same human speed-bumps that had the sidewalks blocked before were now bumper to bumper trying to exit out the two available exits which were still between me and my enjoyment of something more than crowds, heat and law enforcement. By the time I re-arrived and parked most of the denizens of the derby were heading inside. That's where I too was headed, having failed to find the tail-gate party or any of my friends I had come looking for. I was alone in a crowd of hundreds. <br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#ba0606;"><em><br /></em></span><p style="text-align:right;" ><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align:center;" ><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#ba0606;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#ba0606;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('6_019');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('6_019');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('6_019');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('6_019'); </script></a></p></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-359" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Dipping into the vast well (of absurdity).</div><div class="blog-entry-date">05/28/09 07:52 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="1f4130033162ae25feb158a8dc13c875-359.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="gravity gets fed" width="533" height="400" src="page11_blog_entry359_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The Earth drinking it's share of sweet, wet gravity from a gravity feeder.</em></span><br />It happens to each and everyone of us at some point (or many points) , we all get fed up from time to time. Well I'm here to tell you that that is not always the case in nature. The photo above is of a gravity feeder. Gravity too has a hunger that must be fed, but it gets fed down. Without these gravity feeders placed strategically around the globe might we all just one day drift off into space? Watch your step you never know when it might be your last on good ol' Terra Firma.<br />To all you fans of Anti-Gravity out there a quick note, The Earth and I are pro-gravity and I'm sticking to it!<br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#6e504e;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#800d0b;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('5_289');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('5_289');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('5_289');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('5_289'); </script></a><br /></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-354" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">The Harder it Gets, the Easier it Gets</div><div class="blog-entry-date">05/23/09 07:12 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="6747c7076408d42f94e22b3d64560171-354.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">It seems like the longer you go without something the harder it is to get back to it. If you exercise daily for three months then something like a vacation stops you from the routine, it is too easy to just stop. The justifications are :I didn't yesterday and I'm o.k" or even worse you begin to establish new routines, like hitting the snooze button instead of the weights. <br />Well that is true of a lot of things, like posting pithy or insightful information about your otherwise boring life on the internet proper. Before the social networking craze invaded my life and household I was a blogger. Now I have friends who are evading the social network thing and still look for content here in the chuckosphere. I've let everyone down including myself, and I want to, nay, need to do better. <br />At work I am supposed to be responsible for three blogs a week too, but once again, along came a spider named vacation, and another one named customer (a multi-headed amorphous blob with questions and needs and desires). With one less regular coworker and the new no overtime policy it is a bit more difficult to carve out a 40 minute window to add images and information of any relevance to the every growing stream of internet interdependence, so the store blogs suffer. Most days I'm spread thinner than the tarter sauce at the miracle of loaves and fishes event. <br />Monday at work I started another store blog, and got called into action, got to work on the images on Tuesday, sat down on Wednesday and imported the images and wrote some before the inevitable needed-ness clawed into the sanctum and drug me back to retail endeavors, and then tried in vain on Friday to polish it from its rough hewn exterior into a jewel. Still it sits like a lump as I didn't even get three uninterrupted minutes to concentrate on it's inner beauty. <br />So here I am trying to get a routine reestablished and blogging at home. I hope my once loyal cadre of viewers hasn't dwindled to just one or two hopefuls. Word will get out if I get the words out I thing and soon I will have an army of tens even dozens beating the virtual door down to see if I have more to do with my brain than puns. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="P5140388" width="539" height="719" src="page11_blog_entry354_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>King Crawdaddy in Stuart Florida</em></span><br />Picture if the Day. Well not so much unless I follow through, Todays picture. <br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#1f73ff;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#1f73ff;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('5_239');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('5_239');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('5_239');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('5_239'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-353" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Beer Club Roadtrip</div><div class="blog-entry-date">05/05/09 05:49 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="a35abb099bae7b6353e9a9e0b5169d6c-353.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="ibcfm_CU" width="532" height="296" src="page11_blog_entry353_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The IBCFM team at home in the Upland Brewery.</em></span><br />This last weekend the IBCFM boys went to the Upland Brewing Company in Bloomington after meeting at a prearranged staging area. I was pleased to drive the Vert down to the staging area with nothing but air and sky caressing my prepared pate. <div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Maibock" width="168" height="212" src="page11_blog_entry353_2.jpg"/></div> <br />At the Brewery, our seventet tried and mutually agreed that Upland's seasonal brew, the Maibock was pretty tasty. Rich also sampled and was pleased with the Ard Ri seasonal offering. We passed on their cuisine, because we had dinner plans back at the staging area, but did take a tour of the brewery itself under the guidance of their guide Kevin. <br />We started in the grain room, saw the various individual steps of the process of making grain into something more special, and learned about their "green" water treatments for both heating and cooling the beer batches throughout their genesis. 70% of the energy comes from solar water heating panels on the roof of the facility. That is an impressive number so we were all duly and appropriately impressed. After the tour, the caravan returned to the staging area at an undisclosed super secret location. Meals were prepared, canines cavorted, games and conversations were addressed, and a general feeling of well being overcame the entire group. At 8PM I again saddled the white horse and drove the steed back to the World Headquarters, the air licking my had was redirected by a new Upland Brewery ball cap. Outside chilled air was no match for heat exchanged and radiated air from the V-6 heart of my steed.<br /> <img class="imageStyle" alt="beer collage" width="533" height="539" src="page11_blog_entry353_3.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="kettles" width="532" height="673" src="page11_blog_entry353_4.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#1f73ff;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#1f73ff;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('5_059');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('5_059');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('5_059');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('5_059'); </script></a><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; "><br /></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Was is all a grand fantasy, did it really happen? </em></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="pipe_dream" width="73" height="52" src="page11_blog_entry353_5.jpg"/></div><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; "><em><br />Or was this some crazy pipe dream?</em></span><br /></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-352" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Of Mice and Men</div><div class="blog-entry-date">05/02/09 08:01 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="72263841652a870db7f82c7aa92f4b2b-352.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">As <strong><em>Robert Burns</em></strong> 224 year old poem <span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>"To A Mouse on Turning Her Up in Her Nest, With a A Plough" </em></span>suggests, the best laid schemes of Mice and Men often go awry. While my disappointment and tragedy are not as terrible as those of John Steinbeck's Lennie Small and George Milton's, I am none the less a bit disconsolate about the dashing of our vacation plans on the rocks of industry. <br />Jenni and I were to be driving down to Florida in the convertible next week to visit with my parents and spend the greater part of Mother's Day with my beloved mother, and then add three or four days of vacation visitation with our daughter Meredith further down on the Atlantic side. The dates were requested and approved at both places of employment, the plans began to take form in our minds. In Florida, time was requested by the daughter at her end. Weeks go by and a problem comes knocking on vacation's door. Anthem is making changes and Jenni is involved. There will be a ten day training session and it falls inconveniently enough on the week I can not change, and Jenni cannot leave. The only thing I can do is go it alone. <br />I plan on coming home from work next Saturday and going to be, if I can sleep until 12 or so I will get as much or more sleep than I normally do. This would put me south of Nashville at sunrise, and at my parent's house around 2:00PM on Mother's Day. I plan on spending the most of next day in Old Town on the Suwanee River as well, and then the 5 hour drive to Port St. Lucie for three days and nights and part of a fourth then back to Old Town for a night and the 13 hour drive back home. I will be alone with my iPod, my camera gear, my GPS with Arnold S. giving directions, and my thoughts. Yep my dangerous mind will be unfettered, I'm going to buy a mini-digital recorder to comment into as I travel the lonely roads of Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. Maybe I'll come back through Georgia, but it is a long, boring drive through that tall state.<br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#711534;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#711534;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('5_0299');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('5_0299');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('5_0299');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('5_0299'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-351" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Old Guy Thanks</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/15/09 07:31 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="267b925e46e5bb024c7831c2619feccd-351.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">Thanks to all who sent me greetings on my birthday, e-mails, text messages, phone calls and the ton of Facebook comments. I hope I can return each and every one of your wishes on your next birth anniversary. Thanks specially to Melissa Shoffner, Travis DiNicola, David Andrichik and DeAnne Roth for the nice preamble to dinner and the other Deanne, the waitress at Lone*Star for amazing Chocolate Stampede Dessert after dinner surprise. <br />I was overwhelmed (as was my Herron buddy Gabe all the way down in Puerto Rico), I felt it and I thank you all. <br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#711534;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#711534;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('4_1599');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('4_1599');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('4_1599');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('4_1599'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-350" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Two very different Saturdays</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/12/09 08:54 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="f8fda29809400dab6a5273341474a4aa-350.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Mass_Alabama" width="537" height="357" src="page11_blog_entry350_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>I've been photographing this corner since 1980.</em></span><em> It has changed alot.</em> <br /><br />While I was enjoying a nice day of photo-safari weather Jenni was driving to Tennessee to see the new nephew. My day went much better, even though I had to head down town to get the battery charger for my new camera. When my new camera arrived at the store on Thursday I immediately started charging the battery in the office where I also do sensor cleanings for customers. So naturally I forgot to bring it home that night, or the next night. So on Saturday, since I was downtown anyway picking up my charger I headed over to Mass Avenue to update a recurring photo I've been taking since 1980. Plus I got off a few more good ones with the new gear. <br /><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="suitor_bird" width="187" height="134" src="page11_blog_entry350_2.jpg"/></div>Speaking of the new camera and gear, as Jenni was getting ready to pull out of the driveway this Saturday at 8:00 we witnessed some of our bird population in courtship rituals at our garage attic vent. I ran in and got the 300mm lens from my new camera gear and went to work snapping the determined male trying to convince a disinterested "chick" while two other suitors waited in a nearby tree (sounds an awfully lot like my entire High School experience).<img class="imageStyle" alt="Burd_Sects" width="535" height="395" src="page11_blog_entry350_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>What part of no do you not understand, fluffy!<br /></em></span>I mentioned that Jenni's adventures were more grueling than my own. I puttered and sputtered around the house after she left before heading out for the charger. So I was in line at the Hardee's for Sausage & Egg Biscuits (2 for $2.22) when she called. Our old 87 Dodge Ram pickup has had carburetor issues since we got it, we've even had a rebuilt carb put on recently, and tuned and tuned again. So I get a call while in line at Hardee's the truck won't start, and the butterfly valve is stuck open. She's at the last Indiana rest stop about 30 miles north of Louisville. She thinks maybe it will fix itself if she lets it sit awhile. We agree to wait. Now I'm almost to Roberts when I get blinged with a new text message, so I pull over at Conseco by 'my' Starbucks. She's still there. I call and offer to drive to the rest stop (90 minutes to 2 hours each way) and trade vehicles. She says she would call AAA first, or see if anybody at the rest stop can help. Eventually a traveler from Samaria came upon our wary traveler and suggested the float may be stuck, and striking thus awoke he the butterfly release spring, and lo the vehicle started. <br />A little later she called again in a near panic (this time as I was taking my final photos on Mass avenue). "Something else has happened, it smells like there's wires burning!" This next part of the Saga happened in Middle Kentucky between Elizabethtown and Munfordville where had Jenni struck some road bumps or potholes hard enough to make the shocks bottom out in the towers and shake loose a fuse or wiring and fried the CD/Radio in the dash. I suggested continuing driving but cracking the windows, the smell subsided and she continued with only the hum of the motor and her worries to keep her company. <br />Later, still in Kentucky some 30 to 40 miles from the Tennessee border the new again Aunt again fell victim to the truck carburetor problem, this time the Samaritan appeared in the guise of a truck driver and assisted our struggling wayfarer. Jenni tole me that she was back on the road, still with plenty of gas and only 70 miles from here destination beside a crib gushing over the newest and smallest Mr. Evans.<br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="tree_St.Marks" width="534" height="673" src="page11_blog_entry350_4.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#711835;"><em>One of the flowering trees at St.Marks on New Jersey St.@ Vermont St. </em></span><br />Meanwhile in Indianapolis, my photo-safari done I headed home to play with photos and as it turned out take a 90 minute nap, which was only once interrupted by a call saying that she made it to Pleasant View and was even then slurping a Cherry Limeade from Sonic and only 7 miles from the meeting with micro-Mason Evans. <br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#1a712a;"><em>HAPPY EASTER!</em></span><span style="color:#1b712b;"> </span>See you soon.<br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#711534;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#711534;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('4_1199');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('4_1199');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('4_1199');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('4_1199'); </script></a><br />Next Post! Garden Of Heathen Roller Derby and much more!!!<br /></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-349" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Giddy as a Little School Girl!</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/10/09 07:49 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="ca43cea68dd7b6ba3978141c4b4b691d-349.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="spring_mass" width="532" height="368" src="page11_blog_entry349_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Spring, attempting to come out of hiding in Indiana. </em></span><br />Several months ago, when we still had an Olympus rep who visited Roberts there was these contests, see. Well my labors bore fruits yesterday. I received my reward for selling over a dozen Olympus DSLR's in a two month period. There for awhile I was worried, since our rep disappeared like magic, and the company who owed me my reward was restructuring. Well worry you not my little me, you shall have your cake and take pictures with it too! <br />It is arrived (pronounced arrive-ED) and I spent a mini-fortune adding to the prize. The camera and lens, an Olympus E-520 DSLR were the prize, I bought a used lens from our used department, and a new Macro for my garden hounding exercises, and filters and memory, and that was almost as much a s the camera would have cost. Then the heinous part of the story. I had to wait to get off work to play with it! I finally got to shoot some snaps! I met Jenni and "boss" at the Old Pointe, then ventured to Luna and the Box. <br /><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="small_mag_high caliber" width="182" height="178" src="page11_blog_entry349_2.jpg"/></div>Maggie was in and I captured a small part of her soul with my magical ways, then there was Chris West who got a little tongue tied at my good fortune, and Crystal Rehder and her Wunder-Hound. Next I walked to Outword Bound to get NRG tix for Saturday, and back past the Fire Station on Mass Ave. On the way back I got a shot of some Mass FD fellows enjoying nice weather and not having to save houses, kittens in trees or any of the such. And Lo, I saw that spring is trying ever so hard to return to Mass Avenue and Indiana.<br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="west_tonguetied" width="532" height="364" src="page11_blog_entry349_3.jpg"/><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em><br />Mr. West speechifying or tryin'!</em></span><strong><br /></strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="Rehder_rover" width="532" height="653" src="page11_blog_entry349_4.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Crystal and her companion on Mass Ave.</em></span> <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="IFD_onbreak" width="532" height="343" src="page11_blog_entry349_5.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>A deserved break.<br /></em></span>Wish me and the Roller Girls luck, and dry, warm camera weather. <br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#17349f;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#17349f;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('4_1099');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('4_1099');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('4_1099');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('4_1099'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-346" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Our Hours Change</div><div class="blog-entry-date">03/09/09 06:42 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="330f284e74ff376c5b6fc333fcdb225c-346.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">Times are getting tougher, our change is arriving just as hour change arrives. Yesterday started an hour earlier by the biological clock that governs my system. Today my work week starts 15 minutes later due to the financial system that governs my freedom. In an effort to avoid payroll problems, the store is having its employees come in 15 minutes later each day. Other cutbacks will be made too to eliminate over-time. This is on the personal level. Without overtime, which has been about 20% of my take-home for two decades, it is all going to be personal.<br />On a larger scale.<br />Many personal habits will be affected, lifestyles will change. More lunches from home means less revenues for restaurants in the downtown area. Higher cost of survival will mean less disposable income. The taken for granted niceties, will be replaced by the necessities. Jobs will be lost, taxpayer bases will dwindle, the 40 something percent of wage earners that actually contribute into the system will dwindle and true tax revenues will fall. <br />When you first go on a diet the body will actually start storing more reserves in fat. As the calorie intake goes down, the internal government that is biological thinks the body is starving, that the system is going to starve and thus tries to fill it's reserve banks. Eventually the system feeds off itself as the change in intake has to be regulated by the stored reserves and the body gets leaner. This is only desirable when it is a choice and an option. Sickness can show much more rapid changes in body mass, an inability to sustain the intake body, and a lack of usable reserves and the body will feed off itself, eventually shutting down systems in order to keep the brain and heart alive. Then there is collapse, coma, catatonia and eventual death. <br />You can't borrow food from the future to eat it now, you can't borrow money from the future to pay for programs that are already failing now. You can't create jobs without having capital and you can't get capital by devaluing the dollar printing more money or borrowing from the uncertain future. <br />Now go out and have a great day. I dare you.<br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#be6830;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#be6830;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('3_099');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('3_099');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('3_099');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('3_099'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-335" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Der Sturm</div><div class="blog-entry-date">02/11/09 11:50 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="68b84aee3869e9438defa120f379418b-335.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">The night sky was dark, angry clouds raced over barren leafless trees. An obscured moon lent just enough reflection to make clashing, overlapping clouds look like grey puzzle pieces floating on swiftly moving black water. The wind howled and pushed against the house. Inside curtains moved as if from a gentle breeze even though the windows were closed and locked. Ceiling rafters tapped morse code cadences and inside doors and walls creaked like the decks of old sailing ships.<br />I lay in bed not about to fall asleep, covers thrown off, wearing Corona lounge pants and no shirt. I lay listening to the night. The night had a lot to say. A half minute long barrage on the windows less than two feet from my supine form made me think that the storm glass and window pane just might be shattering soon and slicing those lounge pants and flesh to ribbons.&nbsp; <div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="DerSturm" width="192" height="196" src="page11_blog_entry335_1.jpg"/></div>After the sound, like an out of balance clothes dryer drum abated I sat up on the edge of bed facing the curtains. Watching the curtains undulating like seaweed in low tide.<br />&ldquo;You know, I&rsquo;m not really sleepy yet,&rdquo; I confided to myself. A quick look at an iPhone app told me what I already knew, Windy. The details revealed steady 27 mph winds gusting up to 50, with bursts up to 65 mph. I though it unfair that wind could go faster than the cars heading west on the on the Interstate tonight. I got up, using just the iPhone screen to negotiate to the bedroom door, leaving Jenni to sleep since she has to work Thursday and I have it off.<br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="reddysmall" width="88" height="142" src="page11_blog_entry335_2.jpg"/></div>I walked the darkened house still listening to the wind and the night. Earlier I had brought in a few pieces of a garden table that had been grabbed by a gust and dashed into the side of the house, I remembered where it was in the darkened theatre of my creaking house and avoided sharp edges. Amazed that the power had not even flickered I decided to head to the chuckpace.com World Headquarters and begin a post. For about a minute I sat in front of the LCD laptop screen and thought &ldquo;what should I write about?&rdquo; Electrical concerns put visions of &ldquo;Reddy Kilowatt&rdquo; in my head and that led to &ldquo;Speedy Alka-Seltzer&rdquo; that and earlier I had to take an antacid due the pizza I had brought home after work. When I sat down to put this<div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Speedy" width="64" height="111" src="page11_blog_entry335_3.jpg"/></div> together I launched my iTunes, (of course) and started playing<span style="font-size:11px; "> </span><span style="font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Tchaikovsky's "The Tempest, Op. 18"</em></span><span style="font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; ">, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1985), Conducted by </span><span style="font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Claudio Abbado</em></span><span style="font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; "> , </span>one of the greatist building-storm songs ever written. Its been 2 hours since I got out of that bed and wandered and wondered, and started this post. The memory lane trip with company logo-mascots got a bit out of hand when I remembered "Mr. Zip," the post office's effort to get us all to use the new postal zip codes to get our mail to its destination quicker.<br /><br />The wind is still whipping and ripping around outside and I'm going to finish this<div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="zip1" width="63" height="85" src="page11_blog_entry335_4.jpg"/></div> and go lay on the couch, far from any windows. The rafter creaking is worse out here in the World HQ and the front room. I would swear that there was an upstairs on this house and that some very large people were up there dancing in their stocking feet if the front room didn't have a cathedral ceiling. Looks like its headphones on and the iPod/iPhone playing loud upbeat music. <br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Mr_Zip" width="123" height="82" src="page11_blog_entry335_5.png"/></div>Remember, <br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#56340f;"><em>MAIL moves the country, <br />ZIP CODE moves the mail! <br /></em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#0a119e;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#0a119e;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('2_129');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('2_129');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('2_129');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('2_129'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-333" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Quick Turnaround</div><div class="blog-entry-date">02/08/09 10:27 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="353b0bbe9e7efdc86f116d26b4305a30-333.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">Nature, It is amazing. One day you are getting 6 or 7 inches of snow,the then next it's too cold to snow then days after that it's 50 degrees and the melting begins. About a week ago I was worried by the screech the convertible starter was making in the sub zero morning as I was trying to pre-warm the car for a morning drive to work. Sunday afternoon I put the top down on that same convertible and drove to the bowling alley with a hoodie on but unzipped. That is Indiana weather. That's the weather I have grown up with and expect to be unpredictable. The rest of the week is supposed to be warm and Tuesday we are expected to see the mercury rise north of 62 degrees. temperature reading.<img class="imageStyle" alt="snow during" width="532" height="397" src="page11_blog_entry333_1.jpg"/><br />This photo was taken on January 28th after the next big snow. The neighborhood association conveniently pushed the street snow up into our driveway. <img class="imageStyle" alt="snow after" width="532" height="426" src="page11_blog_entry333_2.jpg"/><br />This was 11 days later the big thaw . February 8th. Since then it's been warm, windy and getting wetter. The good news is that the weekend is back to snow capable weather.<br />Due to circumstances beyond my control this post was not postable for three days, therefore its a little less timely. <br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#272727;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#272727;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('2_99');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('2_99');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('2_99');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('2_99'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-332" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Sad Affair</div><div class="blog-entry-date">02/06/09 07:07 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="0a2d9f4924b7d5fd111f675e491676fd-332.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Robert Jackson" width="259" height="359" src="page11_blog_entry332_1.jpg"/></div><span style="font-size:13px; ">This day of thawing out in central Indiana is a somber one for the Jackson, Mason, Seifert and Pace families. Funeral services for Robert "Bobby" Jackson of New Palestine Indiana are today from 3 to 8. Bobby was Jenni's Uncle, a perpetually pleasant man who loved family greatly and was always charitable and fun to be around. Bobby was a snow bird and was staying in Florida where his Niece Susie Siefert was visiting when he started complaining of severe internal pains. He went over a week in the hospital there before it was decided he should be brought to Indianapolis for treatment. He arrived the day of the big snow the 12+ inch snow. I took over two hours for the ambulance to get him from the airport to Community North Hospital, and he was in very bad shape before that. The Prognosis was bad, two or three days, and he passed before the second day back in his home state. Jenni's mother Peggy Mason is the only surviving Jackson sibling, Sandy her older sister passed from cancer a few years ago. Sandy lived in Morristown Southeast of New Palestine and the services were held at the same funeral home as Uncle Bobby's will be today. Jenni and I miss both of them, Bobby's deep caring voice and sense of humor and both of their charitable giving natures. It is a sadder world without them and they will be remembered with joy.<br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#272727;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#272727;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('2_69');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('2_69');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('2_69');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('2_69'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-327" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Week Rewind in Fast Forward.</div><div class="blog-entry-date">01/20/09 11:48 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="19bf26cac672d9d547d6958592a30063-327.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="theatre_mp3" width="532" height="441" src="page11_blog_entry327_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The improved World HQ Theatre version 2.0 in 7.1 Surround, <br />ready to play MP3 music.</em></span><br />It is amazing what a busy week can do to a person. Like posting for example. It only takes a couple days off schedule to make the whole thing derail. Busy is the key word again and busy I was. I had Thursday the 15th off, that is also the day that I got my 'big check'. <br />The big check meant time to upgrade the World HQ theatre area. The week before I had made a trip to BigBoxBuys and noted possible items for the theatre in the trusty Notes area of the iPhone, so the decision making process took less than 2 hours on Thursday. Then the paying and the bringing home. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="theatre b_a" width="523" height="325" src="page11_blog_entry327_2.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Before and After: 7 components become 3 <br /></em></span><strong><em>(the center channel speaker was behind the set before.)</em></strong><br />I started the process after making myself lunch (great restraint) at about 12:20. The old setup and components had to be dismantled, then the area vacuumed, and cleaned, then and only then could I add the wall mounting hardwares and the shelves. Next it was time to wire the speakers, add the components and the new surge protection equipment. Exhaustion was setting in, and a capital M headache was burgeoning. It was around 8:45 when everything was in place, about 10:00 when the wiring was done and by 10:45 I ready for testing the new blu-ray player. I decided to just pop in a regular DVD, no sound. Too beat to wait to hear a beat or BGM I drowned a mini-handful of rapid release gels and hit the sack. Friday I was in the throes of full-bore Migraine and didn't even get up to eat or try to kill myself to end it until around 4:20. It wouldn't be until Saturday after work that I added the final touches, the iPod dock and sound field set-up, only then did we watch our first blu-ray disc. The Coen brothers<strong><em> "Burn After Reading." </em></strong>The new viewing angle and the better receiver have enhanced and enriched our lives. <br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#721327;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#721327;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('1_219');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('1_219');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('1_219');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('1_219'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-325" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Arctic Assualt Pt. 1</div><div class="blog-entry-date">01/12/09 07:33 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="08cf8cc7eee3dad4f7854703f4b05640-325.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">No gags or jokes this time. A severe cold front is hitting Indiana in the next few days, with the worst of it expected on Thursday my day off (oh joy). This is why we donate to the Red Cross, the United Way ant The SAlvation Army. The street survivors and homeless are going to be particularly hard hit. Here it the extended forecast and the Warning from the MWS. Stay warm, wear layers and avoid long exposure to the elements. Chuck Out! <br /><span style="font:10px Times, Georgia, Courier, serif; font-weight:bold; color:#b50404;">THE COLDEST AIR OF THE WINTER IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA THIS COMING WEEK. ARCTIC AIR FROM NORTHERN CANADA WILL RUSH SOUTHWARDS IN TWO SEPARATE WAVES. THE FIRST ARRIVAL OF COLD AIR WILL BE DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY AND INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WHEN TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO NEAR ZERO OR SLIGHTLY BELOW ALONG WITH DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS OF LESS THAN TEN DEGREES BELOW ZERO. THE SECOND...<br /><br />AND COLDER AIRMASS WILL ARRIVE ON THURSDAY WHEN HIGHS ARE EXPECTED ONLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO WITH LOWS AS COLD AS TEN BELOW ZERO ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA. WIND CHILL VALUES WILL BE DANGEROUSLY COLD ON THURSDAY AS WELL... FALLING TO LESS THAN TEN DEGREES BELOW ZERO AGAIN. RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS FOR ANY POSSIBLE ADVISORIES OR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS VERY COLD WEATHER.<br /></span><strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="Pasted Graphic" width="456" height="201" src="page11_blog_entry325_1.jpg"/></strong><span style="font:10px Times, Georgia, Courier, serif; color:#333333;"><br /></span><span style="font:10px Times, Georgia, Courier, serif; color:#333333;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#3db1b5;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#3db1b5;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('1_129');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('1_129');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('1_129');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('1_129'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-316" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Not Like a Lion at All</div><div class="blog-entry-date">01/01/09 12:01 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="1513116c8a2028eafa5f75ab42073f8b-316.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"><br /></span><span style="color:#0c0c0c;">Quietly, sheepishly not making a fussy fuss. That is how the New Year seems to be coming in. At least here at the world headquarters it is. I am listening to </span><span style="color:#0c0c0c;">Thomas Dolby's</span><span style="color:#0c0c0c;"> </span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#0c0c0c;">Astronauts and Heretics</span><span style="color:#0c0c0c;"> (a lesser know collection of original tunes from 1992 on Giant Records) and waiting to usher in the new year. I have my ushers hat and a flashlight and I'm going to get the baby new year a seat right up front where it can see the </span><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry316_1" width="180" height="155" src="page11_blog_entry316_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#0c0c0c;">whole show. Back to the CD for a sec, I don't believe there was one "hit" here in the states from this album, yet I do like it much. I have eclectic musical tastes at times but I don't think this requires eclectic leanings. It is just good music with clever lyrical content. I will say that the song </span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#0c0c0c;">"That's Why People Fall in Love"</span><span style="color:#0c0c0c;"> has </span><span style="color:#0c0c0c;">Ofra Haza</span><span style="color:#0c0c0c;"> singing background on it, now that's eclectic and esoteric. In fact I bet other than my wife, none of my regular readers have a clue who that is (was). Oops there was a clue. <br /><br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry316_2" width="537" height="258" src="page11_blog_entry316_2.jpg"/><span style="color:#0c0c0c;"> <br /></span><span style="color:#0c0c0c;">Now you may ask what that has to do with the new year? Nothing and everything. Nothing to you, everything to me, because this is how I choose to see the backside of 2008 fade into the dark and be gone by morning. Jenni chooses to see the new year in through her eyelids, she retired before 2008 did, she'll have to take my word for it this time. <br />I don't like to go out on amateur night,when there are a lot of scary drinkers taking too many risks and endangering too many innocent folks. Nope I usually am safe and sound in my pj's on New Years or St. Patrick's Days and any other 'excuse to drink' night. In a few minutes I'll be climbing into the bed too, I just have to see this post starting to get up on the web, then brush my teeth and, well get ready for the new year. I hope you are all safe my friends and the lion I have avoided did not bite you.<br /></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#313131;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2009</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#313131;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('119');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('119');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('119');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('119'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-314" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Sneaking Up on '09</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/30/08 07:09 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="bdeaf32d0e3c197be14e59b596642b54-314.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="pano_tree" width="85" height="319" src="page11_blog_entry314_1.jpg"/></div>Friday the 26th was a busy day at the store. Not a lot of returns though. After work I had to stop at the Chatterbox to pay my tab for the sing-a-long, when we left there it was chaos and crowd so I promised to come back and remunerate on a later date. I did and then I thought about going to the Nap-Town Roller Girl party afterwards at Birdy's but I was just to beat from a season of sell, sell, sell. Besides Jenni wanted to go shopping and we were waiting for our care package from Florida and Meredith and Michael. So I headed home and she headed out. Now I can tell you that if a UPS package is tracked and it says it will be delivered on the 29th, it's not going to be delivered on the 26th even if it is at the Indy hub. We had decided on Christmas day that we would head south to Jenni's folks home and have a late Christmas stay with them two days later, over the weekend. Jenni's brother John and his new bride Jennifer were there too, and with our arrival all of the Mason sib's were home for the holidays. The drive down was rainy through the middle of Kentucky but by the time we got to Tennessee it was sunny and 75&deg;. There was talk of putting the top down on the convertible for the last thirty miles, but in the end we just left it up and drove with the windows down instead. My interest in history was piqued by a historical marker on TN 25 and we stopped so I could read it. It was a little graveyard and very interesting in design too. We stopped and stretched our legs and I documented a bit. <br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="hist_marker_lg" width="271" height="221" src="page11_blog_entry314_2.jpg"/></div>Before you knew it we were gathered in the living room or dining room snacking and waiting for the other package presenting parties to participate in pleasant plunder. Jenni and I had found some way cool robot toys at the toy store on Mass Ave and got one each for Hank and Logan, the nephews. They were a hit. The whole family had a great christmas and it was too bad that we only had a day to spend. John and Jennifer headed back east to Knoxville after all the presents were doled out and the sun had set, which meant that when the time to bed down Jenni and I would get the guest bedroom at David an Laura's (Sissy to the family) about a quarter of a mile's drive from the homestead. Sunday came too soon and we all gathered once again at the Parental palace for food and farewells. I got to watch the first half of the Titans at the Colts game before it was time to roll north with the warmer weather behind us. The trip north saw us driving and listening to the second half of the Colts game and then the Dolphins /Jets game. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="robot_boy toy" width="494" height="203" src="page11_blog_entry314_3.jpg"/><br />Photos: (Side banner) <span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Panoramic of the cemetery on Tennessee 25:</em></span><br />(Above) <span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Historic marker that caused us to find the cemetery. </em></span><br />(Immediately above) <span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Nephews Logan and Hank unwrapping and playing; <br />Logan with a robot walker.</em></span><strong><br /></strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_4" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_4.jpg"/><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> </span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_5" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_5.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_6" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_6.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_7" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_7.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_8" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_8.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_9" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_9.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_10" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_10.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_11" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_11.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_12" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_12.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_13" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_13.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_14" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_14.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry310_14" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry314_15.jpg"/><span style="font:35px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#123c86;">-4:<br /></span><span style="font:29px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#123c86;">Next stop:</span><span style="font:33px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#123c86;"> </span><span style="font:31px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#123c86;">WildCard in SanDiego<br /></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#0e388e;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#0e388e;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12308');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('12308');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('12308');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('12308'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-313" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Days of Missing, Eve and X-mas</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/29/08 11:55 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="5fa6e5893e9730f804f92e8c9d599c97-313.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="blur_lights" width="532" height="297" src="page11_blog_entry313_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The Last days before Christmas were a blur to me. Chuck Pace &copy; 2008<br />T</em></span><span style="font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; "><em>his shot was taken on Christmas Eve at the Chatterbox.</em></span><br />Christmas Eve was a nice night and a not so nice night. The day started with a holiday breakfast at the Red Eye for whoever wanted to attend from the two stores. I was a little out of sorts not feeling myself, what have you. But the food was good and half of the Carmel staff showed up and about half of the Indy store was there too. This is the last week for Mike Novak too. He is taking a job at the American Legion here in Indy as a liaison and will begin liaising January 5th. Mike was at the store for just a few month south of 15 years. <br />Later in the day I was down with a very bad headache and Phil sent me packing at about 12:20, all I know for sure is that I laid down on the couch after taking migraine meds at 1:05 and other than taking off shoes and loosening my belt did not stir again until 6:15 when Jenni came home and woke me. Around 7:15 we headed back downtown for the unofficial sing-a-long featuring the dexterous digits of the dashing and debonaire Jane Pozek. The house was packed to the gills (I didn't even know it had gills until they where distending and flaring from the sardine solution to packing singers in a saloon). After the music started and the singing fluctuated from energetic to entropic and back a few times, and the smoke and the undulating crowds crowded and undulated just too many times I decided that escape was the better solution. Brock and Jess were in from Columbus with Travis and Liz, but were not afforded a place to be miserable with the rest of us and left before the festivities began with a beat and tempo. Six songs in and before the 12 days of Christmas, Jenni and I got behind lead blocker Deanne and made our way to the door and sanctuary. "Sanctuary!" <br />I took my headache to bed only to be unable to sleep. So I got up and placed wrapping papers around some items that were to be my wife's Christmas from me, meager as it was to be. Around 5:00 AM Christmas morn I stumbled into the bed chamber again and did find some solace from my somnolence (the longing for sleep) until a little after 10:00 when I work to the smell of coffee in the air-ducts and was revitalized enough to make my way out and be fronted with gifts and wife in festive giving patterns. It was a good day, and the head forgave me for the previous nights foray into the fray of frolickers.<br />There is the cap recapped in a nutshell not roasted by a recklessly unshielded heated hearth. More as I recover. <br /><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#0e388e;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#0e388e;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12298');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('12298');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('12298');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('12298'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-310" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Shake Rattle and Roll</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/20/08 10:22 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="99d9f9ecfeeaf323f8f2bdfe5a9a5084-310.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="RCA_Rubble" width="532" height="126" src="page11_blog_entry310_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>It wasn't just Carole King who felt the earth move under her feet!</em></span><br />In 1954 Jesse Stone writing as Charles Calhoun penned the early rock classic <strong><em>"Shake Rattle and Roll"</em></strong> which was first recorded by <strong><em>Big Joe Turner.</em></strong> The best known and most successful recording came in the same year by <strong><em>Bill Haley and the Comets</em></strong> who "rocked" up the arrangement and changed some of the lyrics. Then in 1955 <strong><em>Elvis Presley</em></strong> recorded it for the first time for Sun records using Haley's arrangement and the original Joe Turner lyrics. Elvis recorded it again in 1956 this time for the big time RCA Victor label. This is the version that I have and like the most even though it received only luke warm attention and was never a hit. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="RCA_EastFace" width="532" height="125" src="page11_blog_entry310_2.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Old Dome in rubble, East facade looking South.<br /></em></span><span style="font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The sky was still there after all, just waiting.</em></span><span style="font-size:10px; "> <br /></span>Yesterday at about 9:36 AM while at the Roberts downtown store that Elvis version came to me as I stood at the door and listened to the implosion of the Hoosier/RCA Dome two blocks west of me. The first concussive sounds started then and took on a few different notes as different charges were fired sequentially to drop the historic structure. The windows were rattling and the ground did indeed shake and the whole affair lasted about 24 seconds then peace and quiet (except for the sounds of crowds cheering further north on Meridian). <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="the steps_RCA" width="532" height="391" src="page11_blog_entry310_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Please have any purses or packages open and step to the next available security checkpoint. <br /></em></span>It would be almost three hours later before I got to see any of the carnage, I was on my way to the Circle Centre Mall for some power shopping, and I didn't have a camera except for the iPhone. After work I got a closer look and some shots before going to the Colts Pro shop in the new Lucas Oil Stadium. The most melancholy shot has to be of those steps. How many times since 1984 did I stand on or take those steps? Jenni's comment when looking at these photos? <br />"I saw Pink Floyd there, and Bruce Springsteen." Well Jenni, Shiel Sexton is the group that finally Rocked the House! Or reduced it to Rock and Roll-ing Thunder in the Dome!!!!<br /><span style="font:12px Verdana, serif; font-weight:bold; color:#0f368e;"><em>The last verse and chorus from the post title song!</em></span><span style="font:12px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#0f368e;"><em><br />I went over the hill, way down underneath<br />I went over the hill, way down underneath<br />You make me roll my eyes<br />And then you make me grit my teeth<br /><br />Well I said shake, rattle and roll<br />I said shake rattle and roll<br />I said shake, rattle and roll<br />I said shake rattle and roll<br />Well you won't do right<br />To save your doggone so</em></span><br /><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#0e388e;"><em><br />Go Colts </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em><br /></em></span><strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_4" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_4.jpg"/></strong><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> </span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_5" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_5.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_6" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_6.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_7" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_7.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_8" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_8.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_7" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_9.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_8" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_10.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_8" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_11.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_8" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_12.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_8" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_13.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page0_blog_entry903_8" width="36" height="27" src="page11_blog_entry310_14.jpg"/><span style="font:35px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#0f398f;">-4: <br /></span><span style="font:18px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#0f398f;">Next Week it's PEYBACK!</span> <br /><span style="font-size:13px; color:#0e388e;"> </span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#0e388e;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#0e388e;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12218');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('12218');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('12218');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('12218'); </script></a> <span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em><br /></em></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-309" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">A Lovely Digital Holiday</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/20/08 07:21 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="8a4ca6772ffc9818b056f76c006f4680-309.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="janey_pozek" width="156" height="288" src="page11_blog_entry309_1.jpg"/></div>Wow! we are in the home stretch now. I am only 4 and a half days from a day off. THE day off, the Holiday off. It is amazing how slowly some days can go, when the balance of them is nothing but a blur. Jenni has been going nuts on the buying thing, I have been sick and working so much I haven't done a lot of that (yet). The prognosis is a wet Christmas Eve, and a Sunny Christmas day. That takes about a third of the Holiday songs right off the table for the un-official sing-a-long at the Box with the Lovely (and talented) Jane Pozek. The "Lovely" thing is official by the way, it is printed on the Chatterbox table toppers of upcoming events, so you know it is true! Janey will be playing all your holiday favorites with her little digits (actually they are long and slender, see how they caress that wine glass in the photo), I digress. Favorites like: The Little Bummer Boy, Frost E the Blow Man (had a Very Long Fingernail), The Empty Tip Bucket Blues, Baby it's Cold (by this window) and so so many more. <br /> <span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#4a4a4a;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#4a4a4a;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12208');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('12208');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('12208');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('12208'); </script></a> <br /></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-308" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">And The Band Played On</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/18/08 12:41 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="1f437b3a83aad6489723f2e9a28537f4-308.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Tet-a Tet" width="532" height="294" src="page11_blog_entry308_1.jpg"/>Just like that fateful April day in 1912; the Band played on. This time none of the survivors had to be dragged out of the icy waters and onto the decks of the <em>Carpathia</em> and into a makeshift infirmary. No this time the freeze-line was beyond the windows and walls of the Chatterbox far south of the 41st parallel. o, this time the icy waters were in the form of snow flakes and frozen rain add mostly on the secondary streets of fair Indy. <br />The band tonight was the Jazz-tet that until March of this year was fronted, sided, no: more like inspired and guided by the late Dick Dickinson. I think the music was up to Dick's standard with Michael Moynahan on saxophone, Dave Scalia on skins (drums) and four year veteran and successor Jesse (the front-man in the back) Whitman on upright base. The first set was tight and the mix of songs just right. Near the end we were treated to a heart warming version of <strong><em>Christmas Time is Here (Guaraldi-Mendelson)</em></strong> from <strong><em>"A Charlie Brown Christmas"</em></strong> with Mr. Moynahan on reeds. <br />At the break I asked Jesse the name of the group since there was no sign. I said, "Are you the Dick-less Jazz-tet? Or has it not come up? Well for that matter...?" I could tell he was at a loss for words, so I let him be.<img class="imageStyle" alt="Steve and Maura" width="532" height="423" src="page11_blog_entry308_2.jpg"/> <br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Mr. Giles and Ms. Giles</em></span><br />Meanwhile down by the colder end of the Tavern (the jukebox/bathroom/backroom end) brother and sister Steve and Maura Giles were enjoying a quiet night celebrating Steve's 32nd birthday. Happy birthing remembrance (though thankfully none of us have to remember "that"!) Stephen. <br />These moments are the end of a nice evening at the "Box, the beginning of the evening saw me joining Mel for a Bourbon tasting. Mr. Ross Whitfield joined us before the festivities started and Mike McDaniel and Jeff Barber joined us shortly after. I did not partake of the Bourbon's myself, nor did Mr. Barber. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="Maxwell and Jessie" width="532" height="409" src="page11_blog_entry308_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Maxwell and Jeffrey fresh from a Pacers WIN!</em></span><br />Near the end of the whole mess for me Maxwell Banks and his crony Jeffery (both friends of Chatterbowler Clayton Hamilton) came in an quietly brought glad tidings of great joy, for indeed the Pacers of Indiana had vanquished Warriors from the Golden State of California to build a two game winning steak. <br />With coat in hand an love in my heart I started the car, feeling that for at least a moment all was right with the world... and they heard me exclaim as I drove out of sight, I hope Jenni's o.k. , cause I don't wanna fight. <br /><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#4a4a4a;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#4a4a4a;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12188');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('12188');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('12188');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('12188'); </script></a> <br /></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-300" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">We Were Listening</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/11/08 06:03 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="ef699112ea947e718bbe19664a8f6e8b-300.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Full House_DD" width="532" height="403" src="page11_blog_entry300_1.jpg"/><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em><br />Where the Music Still Matters. The Chatterbox Tavern. </em></span><span style="font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><strong><br /></strong><span style="color:#030000;">How do you honor a legend? By remembering and sharing and mostly by carrying on. There was a lot of all of that last night at the Chatterbox Tavern on Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis. An over Full-House of well wishers and rememberers were in attendance for the memorial event in honor of one of the city's finest sons, Richard A. 'Dick' Dickinson whose life influenced and inspired generations of Jazz musicians and aficionados alike. <br />It is only fitting and purely by design that David Andrichik should hold a tribute to Dick on a Wednesday, that was the night each week for well over 20 years that Dick Dickinson and his Jazz-tet of rotating and musicians took the tiny stage at the front of the Chatterbox and turned it into a house full of memories. <br /></span><span style="color:#030000;">Last night there were testimonials and stories and e-mails and videos and hundreds of well wishers all missing and remembering a very serious, dedicated, and well-loved man to whom the music mattered. As a long standing member of the Wednesday Night Men's Club that has seen the loss of two of it's founding members: Bill O'Keefe and Ed Sanders in the past five or six years,I can tell you that Wednesday Nights on the Avenue will never be the same. <br />Even thought the crowds were there for fellowship, drinks, amusement and entertainment all those years, and often got a bit boisterous they were still there for the music. We were there for the music, we were there for release, we were there for friendship, we were there for live Jazz and we were enriched. I say today to Dick Dickinson, we were listening. You will be missed, and the stage hasn't been the same since your retirement this last spring, but it will be quieter now. The shuffle of drumsticks and brushes, cymbals and hi-hats has ceased and we are left with only the rhythm of our memories and the quite respect of the passing of a great man. The quiet is deafening. Yes, we were listening. <br /></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#4a4a4a;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#4a4a4a;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12118');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('12118');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('12118');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('12118'); </script></a> <span style="color:#030000;"><br /></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-299" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Behind the Milestone</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/09/08 01:50 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="9b7145467d43f75c124eaa7f7a8b9dd1-299.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="flock of_" width="182" height="236" src="page11_blog_entry299_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">Where do I begin? It might have began when she moved into the apartment across the hall in the "Yellow House" across from "Old" Herron School of Art at 1701 N. Pennsylvania St. We were friends for over three years before the day. You might say I began when she said yes. You might say we began when </span><span style="color:#030000;"><em>we each </em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> said I do. By then I was twenty three, she was twenty four and now its 25. <br />Today it the Silver day for Jenni and I's married lives together. Twenty five years ago when I was but a sapling at a mere 23 years old and Jenni just 10 months my senior we tied together our knots in Springfield Tennessee less than a dozen miles from the Mason family homestead of most of Jenni's non-adult life. While every journey has its dead-ends, and rough roads I am pleased to say I still have my beloved co-pilot along on the trip, and we are still enjoying the journey. <br />As I write this it is 1:50 AM on December 9th, and I just couldn't sleep. I got up at 1:01 with the express purpose of finding our old wedding photos, but I guess she has hidden them, because I didn't find them. I don't want to wake her so I will just pop up some of the markers on the lane of memories. <br />The one up top I call </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>"Hey Flock of Seagulls!"</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"> Hubba-Hubba. 1982, </span><span style="color:#030000;">I think we were heading out to </span><span style="color:#030000;"><em>Crazy Al's</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> to see </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">X</span><span style="color:#030000;"> or somebody. The rest I will caption underneath. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="trench_coats" width="532" height="429" src="page11_blog_entry299_2.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>I</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>n the Trenches,</em></span> <strong><em>One of the earliest shots, circa 1979/1980.</em></strong><strong> </strong><br />Just another day in my apartment, back then Jenni's was across the hall. Funny thing is they say the longer you have been together the more you start to look alike, and this was at the beginning. Thanks to Russel Akred for pushing the shutter on my "film " camera. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="did I dream it" width="532" height="313" src="page11_blog_entry299_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Did I Dream it?</em></span> In the early years. I see the ring but I don't know the year. I think this was taken at my parents house before they moved to Florida, before Meredith. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="baby_makes_3" width="532" height="431" src="page11_blog_entry299_4.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Baby Makes Three,</em></span> the happy mother and the Birthday Girl. 5/27/1985, Methodists Hospital, Indianapolis.<br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="my_girls" width="532" height="415" src="page11_blog_entry299_5.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>My Girls. I'd Recognize that Smile Anywhere! Early Spring 1989.</em></span> <br />Jenni has borrowed Charles Nelson Riley's glasses, and Daddy is playing picture guy. Meredith is not yet four and we are living in half a double in the 12 hundred block of Keystone Ave..<br />I had been at Roberts for less than a year. <br /><br />As you might guess, I have hundreds of other photos, but I still don't know where the Wedding shots are. Now it''s nearing 2:45 and I have to try to get some sleep. As I go to listen to my wife, partner and life companion, snore. I will sleep with a smile on my face. <br /><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#4a4a4a;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#4a4a4a;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12898');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('1298');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('1298');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('1298'); </script></a><span style="color:#030000;"><br /></span><br /></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-297" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">The Old Sage, still has Flavor </div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/08/08 07:04 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="3941fbf82a64d3337af73a863824e63a-297.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="the smallest details" width="542" height="288" src="page11_blog_entry297_1.jpg"/><br /><strong><em>There are Worlds inside our Worlds the we Chose to see or Ignore. Look at the bigger picture through the smallest details.</em></strong> <br /><span style="color:#030000;">Last night there was the unknown. Every day there is more unknown which eventually gets to be known. That is what a day is it is a promise of change, same, challenge and routine. A day offers each of us a chance to excel, coast or fail in many things, to most a day is primarily a new opportunity to do the same patterns and actions again hopefully better or with more assurance. Just like marital arts training repetition is a key to success. The things that we have not experienced add to the collective us the things we do over are slowly turned into automatic responses to an already accepted set of patterns. May your day be filled with puzzles, challenges and new a great mysteries, may you solve conquer and unravel your fair share of those new day experiences and may you do it all with a thought for those around you. Your new challenge may be old hat to a coworker or family member or friend, they may choose to guide or they may take a observational role to see how you adapt. You may have a unique reaction or a mainstream one, but have one. Choose to face your challenges and you will grow, hide or dread them and you are accepting that you can not face change. <br />Do stupid things. For a carefree spirit does not find them stupid, but opens to the possibility that they are only stupid to a less aware personality. Face every challenge with a positive attitude and you will have fewer regrets about your choices and solutions. <br />Don't try to be happy, try to see the happiness in others, don't try to do everything alone try to do more with your friends and family. <br />Smile. You are beautiful when you smile. Listen. Share. Love. Above all Love.<br /></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#0b358e;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#be0b20;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('1288');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('1288');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('1288');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('1288'); </script></a><span style="color:#030000;"><br /></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-295" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">The Beat Goes...</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/06/08 07:22 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="8b6c252f88cfb841570a7f21c90c8e35-295.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="drum kit" width="519" height="473" src="page11_blog_entry295_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#be0b20;"><em>Dick Dickinson's drum kit at home on the stage at the 'Box. </em></span><span style="font-size:9px; font-weight:bold; color:#be0b20;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><br />If all the World is a Stage, then it's missing one of its best drummers, Dick Dickinson. <br />Dick succumbed to cancer on December 1st, and is being honored by his fans and friends at the Chatterbox on Mass Avenue. This Wednesday the 10th there is going to be a Memorial for local and National Jazz great Dick Dickinson. There will be live music, a military honor guard, and testimonials. The celebration of the man and his gift to the world starts at 8:00. I'll see you there. <br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#be0b20;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008&nbsp;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em><br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('1268');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('1268');</script></a><br /><a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('1268');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('1268'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-294" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Yesterday Morning</div><div class="blog-entry-date">12/04/08 09:59 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="927931723a6e33f1d64b9863f430315e-294.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="sky_pano" width="542" height="147" src="page11_blog_entry294_1.jpg"/><br />Wednesday Morning in panoramic<br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="fire_sky_dec" width="542" height="405" src="page11_blog_entry294_2.jpg"/><br />and the first shot look at the snow in the atmosphere it never made to terra firma.<br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="PENNY" width="43" height="40" src="page11_blog_entry294_3.jpg"/></div><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#813513;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008&nbsp;<br /></em></span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('12328');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('12328');</script></a><br /><a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('12328');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('12328'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-291" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Irish Up</div><div class="blog-entry-date">09/25/08 06:40 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="88dbe4c55bad7d95f574521524ba95d1-291.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><p style="text-align:center;" ><img class="imageStyle" alt="CP_RachelS" width="422" height="342" src="page11_blog_entry291_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#387a5c;"><em>Saturday Night with Rachel Shirley at Irish Fest '08</em></span><br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="drink_up" width="162" height="237" src="page11_blog_entry291_2.jpg"/></div>Time is an amazing thing. I may have mentioned time before. It is hard to believe that it was a week ago tomorrow when a three day pass was the way to fun and entertainment. Indy's Irish fest has come and gone again. It was a packed weekend, that wasn't a three day weekend. I worked on Friday, then Rich and I went to the Irish fest at Military park. We met up with compatriot and coworker Michael Wallace Wilson. This is nothing new, we've been doing this for four years straight. Friday night we acquainted ourselves with the layout and locations of the vendors and the all important beer trucks. Friday night was over almost before it began, and other than food and a glass or two of Guinness the only purchase I made was a Black Sheep tie. Being thoughtful citizens and wise beyond our years (even Wilson's) we reserved an Embassy Suite for our Saturday night party and partiers. <br /><br /></p><p><img class="imageStyle" alt="Keith_Roberts_CP" width="521" height="390" src="page11_blog_entry291_3.jpg"/><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#276245;"><em><br />Me with Keith Roberts , Front man for the Young Dubliners, <br /></em></span><span style="color:#276245;"><em>photo: Rachel Shirley &copy; 2008</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#276245;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#276245;"><em>Saturday:</em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#276245;"><em> </em></span> We didn't arrive at the festive site until around 5:30, since we stopped at the Suite on the 14th floor and dropped of all non-essential items and affects. Then a short walk got us to the gates of the park. Soon enough we found Mike Wilson diligently working away at Beer Truck #5 (I think). See, Mike volunteers to work the Irish Fest's every year, and Rich and I volunteer to attend. Mel Shoffner arrived not long before we completed our first pass around the grounds with Jenni, who (like Mel) was not in the Friday evening fest festivities. One of our favorite venders this year was artist/painter T. W. Williams of the 317 area code. We all liked several of his pieces (I think Rebecca even liked one or two but it is so hard to tell with the hard drinkers!) and in a surprise move rich bought one of his favorites before we left for the Embassy Suites and our hired room for the evening. Jenni, who's bursa bereaved knee which she had a cortisone shot in a few day earlier, left before the final acts of the fest crew were acted out. The remainders of our crew all wandered over to the Claddagh Stage and watched The Young Dubliners live while finishing off our food/beverages tickets. Rachel Shirley one of my Roberts camera customers who Rich, Mike and I hung with on Friday night returned form a Wedding shoot in St. Louis to finish the night with our group again. Rachel and I bought Young Dubs merch and got the autographs of the entire band after the encore song.<br /> <div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Mel_Pete_Rach" width="218" height="177" src="page11_blog_entry291_4.jpg"/></div>Then for most of us the last stop of the evening was Sneaky Pete's Irish Peat Bog cooking concession, I've blogged about Pete in the past. Another great Irish fest was in the bag and our core, short Jenni who had already left and Wilson who decided to head out instead, marched to the Suite of a different drunk. No, that was an illusionary phrase I was not to far into my cups on this evening. <br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#34684c;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('09258');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('09258');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('09258');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('09258'); </script></a><img class="imageStyle" alt="shamrockborder" width="259" height="47" src="page11_blog_entry291_5.jpg"/><br /></p></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-287" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Dream Weaver</div><div class="blog-entry-date">09/08/08 08:54 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="193f06c7b0e9df78d458a6b54d336e82-287.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#2e0307;">So Bob at work has been having some weird dreams because of the acid reflux medicine he has been taking. Occasionally he shares one of his bizarre nocturnal admissions with his coworkers. <br />This is not the case with me, I dream (I'm sure) but I usually don't remember the episodes, add to that the waking and sleeping problems I perpetually have and it is rare that I have a dream of memory or substance. Saturday morning I woke up with the creepies at 4:09 AM. I wasn't overly horrified or some such, but I did wake up. I did remember.<br />My Father-in-law Bill and I were in South America (I would guess Venezuela) for a wedding, (I don't know who's though). We flew into a small airport, then rode in a dusty truck to a community building. I decided to take a shower to get ready for the ceremony, I don't know where Bill went while I was washing up, but when I came out with a towel around me my suitcase was gone, with all my clothes. The room was fairly large, and there were some boxes and crates against one wall. I saw a piece of fabric through an opening in one of the crates so </span><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="spider-1" width="259" height="272" src="page11_blog_entry287_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#2e0307;">I walked over and put my hand into the crate. Immediately hundreds of black shiny spiders about the size of dimes were covering my right hand. I tried to brush them off with my left and knocked several off, but they were secreting fluids onto my hand which was making my flesh liquify. As is hurriedly used my left hand to squeegee more arachnids away my fingers were fusing together with the melting skin, and spiders were getting inside my hand and were moving under the skin towards my wrist. I tightened the left hand and squeegeed some of the nasty devils back out through fingers that where like flaps of wet rubber over tendons and bones. I could hear and feel spiders being crushed under the skin and it seemed like I was barely getting ahead of the battle. <br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="spider_2" width="244" height="218" src="page11_blog_entry287_2.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#2e0307;">I woke up with my heart beating a little harder than usual and took a deep breath and thought about how intense that was. I held my hand up in front of my face and spread my fingers just to be sure, then I fluffed my pillow and sought to reenter sleep in a different dreamscape. After we got up to start our day off from work Saturday I told Jenni a synopsis of the dream, she being an arachnophobe was more shaken than I. I came into the World HQ and sketched the offensive creatures and took it in to show to Jenni. The drawings were later taken into photoshop and cleaned up but are basically the same as I saw them in my dream. <br /><br />Now that you have seen them will you be able to ward them off in your sleep? I hope so.</span> <br /><p style="text-align:center;" ><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#a6210f;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('0988');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('0988');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('0988');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('0988'); </script></a></p></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-286" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Sunday Drive on Monday</div><div class="blog-entry-date">09/02/08 07:05 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="5f8e8f188ee9fdc0c0b293c333fa0642-286.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="CB_2687" width="532" height="302" src="page11_blog_entry286_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The Rolling Stone Bridge 1915 </em></span><br /><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="RSCB_2685" width="259" height="187" src="page11_blog_entry286_2.jpg"/></div>Due to the recent Day of Labor federal holiday, my weekend gave me an additional day of slumber. Jenni and I are not accustomed to a lot of slumber, so we hit the highways and byways and even the graveled country ways of Putnam and Parke County in search of a few of the Worlds Greatest concentration of Covered Bridges. With well over 30 to choose from, but not nearly as many hours to seek them out, we hit eleven of those nearest to Indianapolis. The first four were actually in Putnam County. The first two near Bainbridge Indiana were the Rolling Stone (pictured above on the right) and Bakers Camp Bridges built in 1915 and 1901 respectively. Then two more further south on either side of Greencastle were the Dunbar and the Oakalla Bridges. We left home at 10:00 am and by the time we had knocked the first four off our list of musty must sees it was already quarter after one. All four were in use and in good shape and not at all musty that was just an illusionary tactic I took to further the dialog. <br />With the weather cooperating to its fullest and the sun bringing a cloudless 90&deg; to terra firma we enjoyed a thirty minute drive to the next water crossing, the Big Rocky Fork Bridge (not pictured), built in 1900 by J.J. Daniels. Big Rocky Fork's condition was not as good and it was by passed by a new bridge and no longer open to anything but foot traffic. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="dunbarCB_" width="532" height="286" src="page11_blog_entry286_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The 173 ft long Dunbar Bridge built 1880 North of Greencastle</em></span>.<br /><span style="font-size:14px; color:#714c2e;"><em>Read the historical marker below at the end of today's post.</em></span> <br />From there it was a trek to the Conleys Ford Bridge built in 1907. Heading North and East just a spit and whistle we came to the Mansfield area which looks like a place Stephen King might have envisioned. It was in full tourist trappings, and appeared to be deserted, except for a half dozen bikers who were overheard saying that in the second week of October you couldn't move because of the crowds. I believe I will avoid this "place" in October. The bridge itself is a wonder, extremely long and the second oldest (1867) on our labor day tour. <br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="crooksCB_2764" width="259" height="242" src="page11_blog_entry286_4.jpg"/></div>Our next mission was to get into Rockville for a dinner break. Even though the bridges them selves were free for the viewing the Sun was exacting a toll. By the bank sign in Rockville we learned that it was now 94&deg; and we decided to cut short our tour and just hit three or four more bridges on the way back. The next three on the list are the Crooks, the McAllister (where I spotted a giant Sunflower field), and the Neet Bridge which has a neat little mall around it and is also closed to all but foot traffic. The Crooks Bridge (1856) has a bit of a lean to it and is cabled to a giant tree. I drove through as Jenni stood outside and captured it on video. <br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="sunflr_2773" width="530" height="317" src="page11_blog_entry286_5.jpg"/><br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="brgtnCB_2792" width="532" height="398" src="page11_blog_entry286_6.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The Bridgeton Bridge, built 2006 Bridgeton Indiana. </em></span><strong><br /></strong><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Dunbar_sign" width="259" height="354" src="page11_blog_entry286_7.jpg"/></div>The very last bridge was Bridgeton's Bridge. A new construction bridge in a town not unlike Mansfield (except that there is a population of corporeal cohabitants). The Bridgeton bridge was built in 2006 (150 years after Crooks') and is very nice. Then it was a quest for speed and we hit major highways and eventually an interstate to make it back to the World Headquarters by 6:45. <br />This is our first trek west to the Covered Bridge Capital of the World. Parke County is home to some 31 or so covered bridges, and at least 6 of the 11 bridges we encountered are east and south of Parke County, so we have our our road tripping future ahead of us for some time to come. We also have to head south again and check out the Moscow Bridge in Shelby County Bridge which was taken away by tornadoes on June 2nd of this year but is being rebuilt even as I write. <br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#a6210f;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('0928');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('0928');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('0928');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('0928'); </script></a></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-284" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">The Air Game and the Ground Game</div><div class="blog-entry-date">08/25/08 06:45 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="c298bc564e65d4de104c4262f661ab71-284.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="raptor top" width="526" height="286" src="page11_blog_entry284_1.jpg"/><br />F-22A Raptor<br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="raptor bombay" width="182" height="150" src="page11_blog_entry284_2.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#000f39;">Sunday's Indianapolis Air Show at Mt. Comfort was another stunning success. The F-22A Raptor is more than amazing, it is the most technically advanced war bird ever. Seeing the maneuverability and raw power is awe inspiring. Then when I heard the show announcer say that it weighs 68 thousand pounds my jaw dropped. This beast weighs 34 tons? This brick that can troll at 80 knots, and can turn completely around and go the other direction in about the space of a city block has the same weight as 100 new BMW 330i's.<br /></span><span style="color:#000f39;"><br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="2_birds" width="189" height="265" src="page11_blog_entry284_3.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#000f39;">The Lucas Oil biplane was impressive, as were the Fagen Ethanol biplane and the wing walker and the historic War-Birds. Now I only have to wait another 12 month to see the next air show, the lucky 13th. <br /></span><span style="color:#000f39;">Too bad the other Lucas Oil happening was not as lucky. The Colts were in the New Stadium facing a real opponent last night. Lucky for all concerned that it was a pre-season game, one that does not effect the season or the run for another record breaking AFC South Championship and Post season appearance. Peyton, who is still recovering from off season knee surgery was in the house in civilian apparel, so was his back-up Jim Sorgi. Back-up back-ups Quinn Gray and Jared Lorenzen had themselves a dismal night. Between the two back-ups there were 4 interceptions, 210 yards passing and only 1 touchdown. My inability to be in more than one place at any given moment placed me in front of a TV for the Colts non-dome home debacle. <br />Quantum Physics (and a previous channel remote button) did allow me to watch events from Beijing and Lucas Oil Stadium at more or less the same time though, so who's complaining? <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="lucas" width="526" height="276" src="page11_blog_entry284_4.jpg"/><span style="color:#000f39;"><br /></span><span style="color:#000f39;">I eagerly await the regular season opener against the Bears of Chicago Illinois, and gladly accept the close of the Olympics. I'm sure I will still be missing sleep for other (as yet unknown) reasons once again, now that I don't have to stay up watching the medal counts (USA110, China 101).<br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#091f68;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('08258');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('08258');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('08258');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('08258'); </script></a> <span style="color:#000f39;"><br /></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-283" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Fieldtrip and Cake</div><div class="blog-entry-date">08/18/08 06:43 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="a9fb7ff46c5d06238ee48cebbd208c91-283.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Lucas_SEnd" width="531" height="400" src="page11_blog_entry283_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#002077;"><em>South End of the Colts New Home. Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><br /><br /><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="face_lucas" width="175" height="203" src="page11_blog_entry283_2.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#000f39;">Saturday was a busy, busy day. There was time off to be observed, there were presents for presentation, there was scrambling and there were cues to be taken and stood in and stadiums to tour with wife and the Novak's.&nbsp; Barb and Mike Novak procured a couple of extra tour the new facility tickets for Jenni and I and Rich and JD.&nbsp; The place is really nice inside and so much more roomy. I can't wait until I can se it with a more modest crowd on a game day. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color:#000f39;">Having recently been to Lambeau field in Green Bay Jenni and I could not help but make comparisons. The two structures are very similar under he seats and in the concourse areas. Of course Green Bay's Lambeau is topless, because the fans there know how to dress themselves.&nbsp; Here in Weenieapolis we will probably have three games where the sky is the unlimited.&nbsp; Still and all the place is awe inspiring.&nbsp;</span><br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="birthday lineup" width="531" height="399" src="page11_blog_entry283_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="color:#000f39;"><br />After the tour (where Jenni blew out her left knee and there wasn't a trainer in the house to help) we hobbled back to the car and made our way to the Chatterbox to join Rich, JD and Mel already in progress. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color:#000f39;">Saturday was Mel's birthing reunion, but none of the people from the original big event were there except Mel. As surrogate medical staff&nbsp; the afore mentioned Rich & JD wee joined by Jenni and I, miss Kay and Maddie and Guy Tucker to help Missy usher in another cycle of the sun as it relates to her first presence beneath it extra-uteri.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color:#000f39;">Sadly we had to truncate our visit as Jenni football field days ended and she was swelling from pride in all her fingerless extremities.</span><br /><span style="color:#000f39;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#091f68;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008&nbsp;</em></span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('08188');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('08188');</script></a> | <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('08188');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('08188'); </script></a><br /><span style="color:#000f39;">&nbsp;</span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-279" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">I'm Beginning to Wonder</div><div class="blog-entry-date">08/12/08 09:52 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="45818fc3e4c98cd57eb361768a744c43-279.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#010000;">I asked you all to wish me luck, I know that 'you all' isn't as many as it used to be, that's my fault I know. I haven't been posting nearly as much as I should be. I've let you down, so maybe this is payback, maybe I had it coming. <br />Well the bowling experience is over for a bistle (I don't know how many bistles it takes to make a bit, but it is a lot), but the bowling experience may never be over. Tom; so impressed with Rich and I's mediocrity has asked us to join the fun (and failure) in his fall league (as alternates). Then there is the next Chatterbowling experience. David Andrichick, kegler aficionado and all around sport of sports has talked to the Smiths (not the ultra depressed British fab-rockers) the All-Star Bowl managers about making beer and pizza league. The seemed receptive to a whole new revenue stream, surprise. For our final performance on the uneven parallel lanes we all stumbled a bit. For the second straight week I had a higher series than our anchor Tom. We managed to take the last game but dropped two spots from 15th back to 17th where we have been spending a lot of our time. Next Monday we go for our paltry pay-out. Wish me lunch money? No I dare not ask again until I have reestablished your trust and confidence. <br />It was another long and mostly sleep deprived night thanks to the Olympics. Sadly our Women's Gymnastic team had some falters in their last two rotations but still the solidly captured the Silver medal. Michael Phelps is now the greatest Olympian with two more Golds (and 5 so far these games). <br />Well it is another day and another day requires me to make the best of it. I must finish getting ready for work. <br /><br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry279_1" width="168" height="172" src="page11_blog_entry279_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#010000;">Now the sad news. Just a few minutes before my alarm went off this morning, a sad missive made it 's way into my text message roll. It said "Brighid is gone" and it was from Melissa (Mel) about her beloved Boxer and companion. It is always awful to lose a loved one and and my heart goes out to those who survive her, Mel and Benton. I searched in vain this morning to find any of the photos I have of Brighid to post here but short notice and long day ahead have thwarted my efforts. <br /></span><span style="color:#010000;">The photo is of Benton, all of us here at the World HQ wish him well.</span><span style="font-size:13px; color:#030000;"> <br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#565656;"><em><br />Chuck Pace &copy;2008 </em></span><br /><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('08138');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('08138');</script></a><a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('08138');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('08138'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-276" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Been a Long Lonely, Lonely, Lonely Time</div><div class="blog-entry-date">08/08/08 06:49 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="04e405bcf50b77f93e78cfe64777fb86-276.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body">What can I say? I got complacent. I settled then I settled in. So much has happened since I last sent thought into the troposphere and beyond. Too much to adequately do any one thing justice here in afterthought land I am sad to say. <br />There was the worst race in Brickyard history and a tire company that can't make tires nearly as wall as they make excuses. <br />There were a couple evenings at the bowling lanes that failed to have their stories told and are feeling pretty low because of my rejection. <br />There was the lovely evening at Jake and Vanessa's to send our pal Nick off to Tempe to become even more than those that remain behind to honor and remember. <br />There is Tweek the pus drooling cat and his subsequent oral surgery, which came with the bonus "20 flying exacto blade claws" and the oral antibiotics. <br />Also, Pool version 2.0. New book tech editing well under way, and a new book by Bill Fitzhugh from Kay, personally signed by the author hisownself. <br />Since my inconsiderate absence there was also two seasons of Angel optically absorbed. The Dark Knight, and the long days at work. <br />The invasion from the Thromians from the Gamalon sector of the 8th dimension, the carnage, and the memory purge of the unworthy. I don't think that should go unmentioned. <br />So much time, so little mind. I can only make a weak commitment to do better, to get the words out of my head and to relieve the oppressive pressure!<br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#6f1101;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008 </em></span><br /><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('0888');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('0888');</script></a><a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('0888');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('0888'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-268" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">The Old In and Out</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/29/08 12:30 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="ee75c4e06294d6a1df6531b77c40fed8-268.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="vantastic" width="143" height="108" src="page11_blog_entry268_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">Well there was one between, but hopefully this is my last Comcast barrage. Scott, the fabled Sunday Cable Tech Guy got here at about noon and just now left. Of all the cable gurus before, he is the first to ask to see my hardware. I was a little embarrassed to say the least. We went out into the garage I strung some lights for more than just mood and he climbed my latter to new heights. Once he was half way in the attic he could get his hands on my connectors. That is when I left him to his own devices and took a couple of pictures. The sky was </span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="cable guy" width="143" height="174" src="page11_blog_entry268_2.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">getting a threatening look again and I was hoping that a "look what happens to Digital Cable when it rains at the World HQ" was in order. <br />The signal splitters in the attic are as old as the cable and the house, approximately 17 years old to be exact. He replaced them and hopefully solved our Digital Cable problems. Ultimately I would like to replace the cables themselves with the newer higher capacity/lower resistance RG 6 cable that is used in construction these days. </span><span style="font:12px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#030000;"><em>Through the access panel and into another world. </em></span><span style="font:12px Verdana, serif; color:#030000;">Note the hand painted BMW Roundel that I put on the wall of my garage this spring, isn't it lovely? </span><span style="color:#030000;"><br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="digital artifact2" width="537" height="311" src="page11_blog_entry268_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#7d1715;"><em>Storm created Technical Difficulties, Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><br /><span style="color:#030000;">As if on cue, while Scott was here there came a freakish pop-up rain storm and what he thought was job over done-with and gone became lock-up and image scramble. The above image is what prompted him to replace more splitters and (hopefully) run down my viewing problems. Now I have to finish and upload this to the www and get back to the TV where we were watching the Spiderwick Chronicles on DVD since we didn't know how the cable visit might turn out. <br />Chuck Out!<br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#6f1101;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008 </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('06292');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('06292');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('06292');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('06292'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-267" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">A Sad and Sorry Testimonial</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/29/08 01:03 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="d0fdebfba99a816a55e575755b70e91c-267.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">Jenni and I go to lunch together nearly every day. We work within a few blocks of each other, we ride in together most of the time and we deal with each other adequately most times. We know the things that annoy each other the most and play those cards when necessary. We know what pleases the other too, and withhold that as long as possible or until a need of some sort or another arises. Of course we would never say that or admit it to ourselves or to each other because we are actually like most couples that have seasoned together like fine food. We go together even if the ingredients don't always make sense. We play the subconscious chess game as wall as most couples. <br />Recently we both surprised each other. Knowing each other so well we were both just knocked for a loop. <br />Is age creeping up on us. Are we both slipping. Is this a case of cosmic coincidence? Worry is just around the corner. I think we are still too young for senility to start staking it's claims on our mental faculties. I think. <br />I get three weeks of vacation a year, that is how it works for a chap or chippy who works at Roberts for over 15 years. Now, once I finish this coming August and the first week of September I get four weeks from then on until the vague and indiscernible future. That is if I remember it. <br />Because there is very little sales floor employee turn over at the Roberts Rodeo the camera cowboys are all getting up in their vacation days. Being a smart wrangler like I am with a lot of experience at not getting the time off I really wanted I got me an idear this year. I moseyed into Evie's office on the third of January third and staked my claims on the calendar. There is a long standing rule in place that nobody gets to take two weeks in a row. I picked my weeks, and I confirmed them with Jenni via fax and telephone call. She in turn turned in her requests for sanity recovery times. <br />Tuesday last, when Jenni and I went to lunch she shared an amusing circumstance at her work-place. Lori, her "Lead" person sent an e-mail saying that because Jenni was going to be on vacation this coming week that they would taper off her work-load so that she (Jenni)could concentrate on closing all the work that was out there before the requested time out of the corporate mind. She told Rebecca, her long time friend and at work superior that she wasn't on vacation this week and that she would tell Lori not to limit her incoming appeals since the department was short handed (non-overlapping vacations were taking place there as well). I listened to her amusing recital with amusement (see, it was amusing as I have already stated). The next day Rebecca told Jenni not to tell Lori, that way her (Jenni's) work load would be a little lax for a bit, Jenni again took the high road because of the work-load /staffing deficiencies and went ahead and sent Lori the e-mail. <br />That same day, Wednesday. Evie handed out the upcoming month's schedule to the Roberts staff, there in black and white was my vacation this upcoming week June 30th through Tuesday July 8th. Humph, I said. Later I told Evie I had considered taking that week off with the possibility of visiting Washington DC for the 4th. She said you did schedule it off. I called Jenni and reminded her of the DC possibility plans and that she and I were indeed off this coming week. <br />Until that moment neither of us remembered the actual act of scheduling the time. <br />Now I'm a little confused and concerned. <br />I think Jenni might be losing her mind. <br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#6f1101;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008 </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('0629');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('0629');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('0629');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('0629'); </script></a><br /><br />I HAVEN'T LOST MY MIND, I JUST HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHERE I LEFT IT, IT'S HERE SOMEWHERE. </span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-264" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Last Night Standing</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/21/08 12:51 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="20498b19f0be9fdea73080e7617a5403-264.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#080808;">Friday came and went with even more car concerns and costly costs, but I think that may be the last major non elective auto-rehab for a spell. At least that is the optimistic hope.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:13px; color:#080808;"><br /></span><span style="color:#080808;">My friday morning post with the lizard was a bit vague on the workings of that old black magic "Pace Luck!" Here is a bit more detail.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:13px; color:#080808;"><br /></span><span style="color:#080808;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#080808;"><em>It started on Tuesday</em></span><span style="color:#080808;">, the day (way early in the morning) that Meredith and Michael arrived. I got just enough sleep to be punchy all day at work, and looked forward to a nice collapse. Instead after sleeping the majority of the sunshine hours off for "road-cuperation" Meredith and Michael decided to come downtown. They picked Jenni up from work and we caravanned from the parking lot to the Chatterbox. I introduced Meredith and Michael to LeAnne L-Train bailey, Kristofer Bowman and Chris West, we made short work of a couple grain-barley concoctions and then hopped into Luna to see Maggie H. for a split second. Just long enough for me to purchase the latest Portis Head CD for the loving and lovely daughter. Home and discussions of eat. Eat was to be accomplished in the convertible with a jaunt to New Palestine's Frosty Boy drive-in. Packed it was with moms, dads and little leaguers from half pint to quart sizes, and one truly great great dane. Consumption happened to the food stuffs and a ride back was in order. I chose Gem road out of New Pal towards U.S.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:13px; color:#080808;"><br /></span><span style="color:#080808;">40 and the roads namesake berg, Gem. Not three miles out of New Pal the car decided to jump into 2nd gear from a full on trot, and we experienced what is known in automotive parlance as "limp-mode." I got us home at 40 MPH the rest of the 7 miles and parked the car in the drive. A dark cloud had positioned itself over my reunion with daughter and a 'glorious only' week of happiness. No little blue pill solution would bring the White stallion Sebring out of limp mode. Jenni did what all super hero geek-types do in a time of crises. Searched message boards for failures like ours. Darkness followed the dark in the form of night.&nbsp;<br />Jessica and Alex joined Meredith and Michael in the gardens with copious amounts of "The Captain" and I Jenni and I took our leave of the day in slumber. <br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#080808;"><em>Wednesday</em></span><span style="color:#080808;"> I drove the Bimmer. I sulked and moped at work until lunch time when Meredith and Michael again joined us (the Wife and I) for lunch at the Claddagh. Jenni had more news on the probable problem that limp-ered the Sebring. A solution part might exist for under $30.00. After work ended I drove Jen and I home, stopping briefly at O'Reilly Auto to find that the note from lunch was now vapor ware and that the remembered name of said solution was an error, and no such thing existed. I dropped the maiden off at the World HQ where she reproduced the information and item by merely placing hands beside the keyboard of her computer. I then hopped back into the Bimmer again to try an procure part. It was there under its real name and under $20.00 then it was not (for it was now in my possession, my precious). Apparently in the under-construction to and from drives I damaged my rear drivers side tire. It failed to do its primary design function, hold air, and I had brought another dark cloud to bear on my world.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:13px; color:#080808;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#080808;"><em>Thursday</em></span><span style="color:#080808;"> the long awaited day off. Thursday I was ordered to be up and cogent at 7:00 AM. A cruel thing to do to a man's day off. But it was for the arrival of the cable company commandos that the order was so given. They arrived at 7:11 (and didn't bring slushies or hot dogs) determined that which I already knew. My in-house cable receiving equipment was tip top and the signal strength was aces. I, like my wife before me (even though she was on her way to work and not at all before me) recommended a look in the junction box outside where twice in our digital storied past comcastic commandos had put some sort of signal filter in for denizens of the cul-de-sac further down the road. Twice before this filter or filters disrupted our signal and caused us untold grief (can you say Colts Playoffs 2006?). Twice before a technician had danced with my A/V equipment and found it a worthy dance companion and then found the culprit to be lurking inside the junction box outside. I said such to the dynamic duo. Yes they sent two on to subdue the angry customer who was lacking digital cable for a fortnight, and one to repair the problem I suspect. As I proposed the box solution and filter tampering they looked on with curious and circumspective gaze. They must have thought the consumer of a querulous nature but after about twenty minutes they came back in to announce, "Well there is a problem with that box (junction) and someone will be out later today or tomorrow to look at it, you do not have to be home and they don't need to come in." I took note of the us of look at it instead of fix it, and signed their silly paperwork.&nbsp;<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#080808;"><em>To Be Continued...</em></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-263" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Cable Guy pt 2</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/20/08 07:28 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="fdaf086a5511b456e0ebed1675d23b6e-263.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">Goodness what a busy week. A week in which cable finally got fixed (and other things broke). <br />Meredith and Michael arrived on Tuesday morning at 4:32AM. I got to sleep that morning for about two and a half hours before heading off to the retail factory. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="liz_zoo" width="538" height="479" src="page11_blog_entry263_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>A no Frills day off. I have the scales under my eyes!</em></span><strong><br /></strong><span style="color:#030000;">Cars. Travels, travails and a bit of honey in the shape of my only child.<br />Yesterday was like half a week just in itself. One car to the tire barn for new tires on the front. (An unexpected flat going to get a part for the other car which had its own unexpected surprise for the family). Another car to the shop to put on the (parenthetical) part, a trip to the zoo, and movie and, and. <br />Oh I'm out of time here I will relate when I won't have to be late. <br /></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#3b1723;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><span style="font:14px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#a0502a;"><br /></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('06208');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('06208');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('06208');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('06208'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-261" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">A Bridge Too Far Gone</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/04/08 01:12 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="2d1b3a808da906c8b50c8b362b33d33e-261.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry261_1" width="538" height="238" src="page11_blog_entry261_1.jpg"/><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font:14px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#a1542c;">The Moscow Bridge in Rush County 10/20/2007 , Chuck Pace &copy;2007, 2008</span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font:14px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#010000;">I got this e-mail from Kay last night:</span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> </span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#010000;"><br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry261_2" width="533" height="285" src="page11_blog_entry261_2.jpg"/><span style="color:#141414;"> <br /></span><span style="color:#141414;">To which I replied, "Yes I got a couple of dozen photos of the Moscow Bridge last fall"; <br />The date was 10/20/07 and we, Jenni and I arrived at the Moscow Bridge at around 3:08 in the afternoon, I did take a plethora of pics of this most astounding bridge marvel. One of the longest standing Burr Arch style bridges in existence. Built in 1886 by Emmet L. Kennedy it was over 347 feet long (over the length of a Football Field) it had two internal arches and spanned the Big Flatrock River, and a feeder creek. Here are a fews of my shots from that day. I too am sorry about the loss of this historical monument to the past. This bridge was put on the National Register of by the U.S. Department of Interior, and its loss is another disconnect to our past and the ingenuity of the people of Indiana and America. <br />Here are some of my shots: </span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"><br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry261_3" width="538" height="348" src="page11_blog_entry261_3.jpg"/><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font:13px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#333333;">Above: The Entrance. Below: One of the Giant Arch spans.</span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> </span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#333333;"><br /></span><strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry261_4" width="538" height="404" src="page11_blog_entry261_4.jpg"/></strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry261_5" width="538" height="295" src="page11_blog_entry261_5.jpg"/><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry261_6" width="538" height="528" src="page11_blog_entry261_6.jpg"/><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font:14px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#141414;">Each side seen from the bank.</span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#141414;"> <br /></span><span style="color:#141414;">May she always be remembered for her 122 years of service.</span><span style="color:#333333;"> </span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"><br /></span><span style="font:14px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#a0502a;">Chuck Pace &copy;2008<br /></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('0638');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('0638');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('0638');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('0638'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-259" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Loss: Storms and Damages</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/01/08 11:46 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="5d8b07f46353478a58924d03be2ca5c8-259.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">Before we left Geneva for the second time on Wednesday night, I suggested that we get a room in Portland 11 miles to the south and take up the search again in the morning, it was around 11:15 PM then instead we headed back to Matthews and the Cumberland bridge which was the last place that we had gotten out of the car that had to be retraced. From there it was the interstate and home as quick as possible. Thursday I was in no mood to retrace the route and had resigned to the fact that the iPhone was gone, besides I had much more home-work to attend to and didn't really feel like another day on the road. Like I mentioned in the Mad Scramble Post I purchased a "cheaper" phone which had taken just about all the patience I had left. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="1913 school" width="532" height="451" src="page11_blog_entry259_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>One Room School from 1913 in a Jay County field on a Friday Afternoon.</em></span><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Friday Morning:</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> I ought to have my head examined. Well I am actually going to have my eyes examined at 9:40 roughly 20 minutes after Jenni goes in to have hers examined. By the time I get out of my optical observation and examination Jenni is already ready to get her glasses started in the about an hour process, We look at the 5 or so pairs of frames she has winnowed down to and I pick two that I like the best then she and I and Eve our optical consultant land on the pair that will be gracing her face from now on. In a similar process I narrow the ranks of ocular enhancement holding devices from four to one and we are off to the lab. They say about two hours total and we go home. Jenni is on a crusade to find a metal detector so we can storm the wooded path near the Ceylon Covered Bridge which is where I added my last notes on the iPhones note pad, and the last place I could place having the phone. At home Jenni calls our Wal-Mart and then the one in Portland Indiana too, then after none of them have a detector she tries Dicks and they say the have them. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="rnd_barn" width="532" height="284" src="page11_blog_entry259_2.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>A fine Round Barn in Jay County.</em></span><br /><span style="color:#030000;">We pack up the car and cooler with waters and sodas again, but no cheeses or wines this time. This time it's not for leisure,and we high-tail it up to the Marion exit on I-69 and we're at the picnic area in just about 2 hours. No luck there so it's the Water tower spot and the Gene Stratton Porter home again and a call to the Geneva Marshall, who offers to write a letter for insurance purposes, but with a deductible there is no point. I decide that the trip to Matthews should be an experience at least now that the other three spots have failed to pan out. So it's small roads and bergs and missing towns like Corkwell, Center, Pony and Dunkirk which is a very nice little town. Just past where Pony should have been on Jay County CR 800 W a 1/4 mile south of Division Road was a nice Round Barn, and a mile and a quarter further south of that just off on CR 200 S was a dilapidated 1913 one room school house in a field. Matthews was a bust too as I had already expected, although we did uncover a copper belt buckle or a hair pin or something and two pennies with the metal detector. South out of Matthews we hit Gaston, Cammack, Yorktown, MIddletown and Markleville. Going south out of Markleville we found a farm selling brown eggs for $1.50 a dozen and relieved them of two dozen. Another couple of miles and we hit SR 234 which goes into McCordsville, then it was South to Mt Comfort, and bing, bang. boom we are home. <br /></span><span style="color:#030000;"><em>Friday Night: </em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> Just a couple miles north of us tornadoes touch down at 42nd St. and Mitthoeffer, then they continue due east through, Mt. Comfort RV and down a route I like to take to Greenfield, CR 200N which turns into New Rd in Greenfield. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="road closed_dolly" width="532" height="342" src="page11_blog_entry259_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; "><em>No place for baby-dolls, straight line winds or Tornado, it was devastating. </em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="power_down" width="532" height="259" src="page11_blog_entry259_4.jpg"/><br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="power_down_too" width="532" height="259" src="page11_blog_entry259_5.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The Power Towers look on at fallen comrades on either side of CR 200 N, you can almost see the sorrow in their drooping arms and slumped shoulders.</em></span><br /><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="dry_canoe" width="249" height="335" src="page11_blog_entry259_6.jpg"/></div><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Saturday Morning:</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> Up at the crack of early-enough we head to the LensCrafters and pick up our specs, then East on the National Road to Greenfield for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel there. We saw a few trees uprooted in Greenfield and some other storm related damage as we headed up SR 9 towards New road and the Breakfast. After eats I suggested we go home the way I like, and a couple of miles before Mt. Comfort Rd (CR 600 W) we encountered a road closed sign. We went on anyway until we were stopped by power lines down in the road , there was a lot of damage to trees and barns and a few torn up roofs on the area. We saw miracles like a huge tree broken off four feet from the ground not 25 feet from a small house without a scratch on it, or a canoe in the middle of a field, or a top of a pine tree a good half mile from any pine trees. <br />We had a few small branches broken and a couple of bushing plants looked as if a hippo had sat on them but other than that we suffered no real ill effects from the storms. During the downpour of rains and heavy winds we noticed that our downspouts and gutter were clogged, so Saturday after getting home from Greenfield I took my handy ladder and cleaned out the gutters, I also got up on the roof and looked around. There are a few shingles damaged up there. </span><img class="imageStyle" alt="pineing4barns" width="532" height="387" src="page11_blog_entry259_7.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Parting Shot: Pine Tree where is thy Home?<br /></em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#1b7619;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008 </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('0628');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('0628');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('0628');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('0628'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-258" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Amble and Mad Scramble</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/01/08 11:33 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="b8350f930d38405b670fd06c93527e07-258.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="yin-yang" width="74" height="74" src="page11_blog_entry258_1.jpg"/></div><span style="font-size:15px; color:#030000;">....You will think this strange. When in reality it is a balance achieved. Yin and Yang are served. There is a part of each in the other and they cannot be separated. Good cannot exist without bad. Bad has no meaning without the knowledge of good.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Wednesday: </em></span><span style="color:#030000;">The National Road, US 40 which cuts through the center of Indianapolis goes West as far as St. Louis MO (originally only to Vandalia Illinois) and East all the way to Maryland. Wednesday morning I proposed to my wife a trip that would take us as far as Richmond to the east and then North to Ceylon. Now the most brilliant of you will sparkle like Rubies and Sapphires from exotic Ceylon just of the southern coast of India, but I do not mean Sri Lanka which was know as Ceylon until 1972. I mean Ceylon Indiana (see; adding the extra na after India moves you thousands of miles closer to Indianapolis --at a considerable savings in gas too). <br />Gas in the car, crackers, cheeses, wine and sodas coolered and in the trunk, top down boot in place for added aero and the Garmin on the dash, we headed out at 1:18PM. A leisurely pace set (for two leisurely Pace's) we stopped at several of the Historic National Road Yard Sale stops. This is the 5th year that the states of Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois have held this event, and it will continue yearly until at least 2012 on the first Wednesday after Memorial day thru the following Sunday. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="Lewisville" width="538" height="224" src="page11_blog_entry258_2.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#b2201f;"><em>Downtown Lewisville and a Public Works. Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><br /></span><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Richmond_gummit" width="168" height="131" src="page11_blog_entry258_3.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">The trip east took us through Cumberland, Gem, Philadelphia, Greenfield, Riley, Charlottesville, Knightstown, Dunreith, Dublin, Lewisville, Straughn, Cambridge City, East Germantown, Pennville, Hiser, Centerville and into Richmond. Without a few stops the trip should have taken about an hour. We were in no hurry. I took a few photos in quaint Lewisville. In Richmond I stopped long enough to get a shot of their very impressive City Center building. Then ambling through a lovely downtown area we grabbed US 27 and started north towards Ceylon and its bridge on the Wabash River. <br />During the northward leg of the days adventure we drove through the towns of Chester, Fountain City, Lynn , Winchester, Randolph, Deerfield, Bluff Point, College Corner, Portland, Pleasant Ridge, Antiville, Bryant, Geneva and Ceylon. All during the trip from our leaving Indy to our destination I would use the iPhones "notes" feature to record times and places and oddities. The trip from Cumberland to Ceylon's Bridge took us 112 miles and 4 hours 20 minutes. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="ceylon_side" width="532" height="310" src="page11_blog_entry258_4.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#b21c1e;"><em>Looking SE at the Ceylon Bridge over the Wabash. Chuck Pace &copy;2008</em></span><br /><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="ceylon_mir" width="160" height="203" src="page11_blog_entry258_5.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">At the Covered Bridge in Ceylon there is a rather nice park with a "covered" picnic area and a "covered" hand pump for fresh mineral water, a stand of tall prairie grasses and a woods with paths that lead back to Wabash River. We took dozens of photos, picnicked each having just one glass of Blue River Riesling from Sam's Club. With the food and Spirits back in the cooler I darted down the path to get a far away shot of the Ceylon Bridge before we gat in the car and went far away again ourselves. I didn't figure to se this bridge again or at least not for some time so document, document, document. <br />Since I had gone to Matthews alone and taken photos of the Cumberland Bridge on the Mississenewa River in the late fall of '07 on one of my Thursdays off, I thought Jenni might like to see it in all its splendor with her own eyes. Besides it was on the route I chose to head back to Indy, on a day of wander-lost. she readily agreed and we headed back down US 27 to SR 18 which goes East and West from Ohio to Illinois. Our trip would only use 20 of its approximately 150 or miles, and we joined it already in progress at Bryant leaving it again at Roll after having driven through Fiat, Matamoras and Montpelier. South on SR 1 to Hartford City then West again on SR's 26/22 until SR 26 it splits with SR 22 and heads south 2.5 miles before again turning West. At that turn point there is a road that takes you into Matthews and becomes of all things Massachusetts Avenue a 1/2 mile strip of road at a 45&deg; angle to the N/S-E/W grid that is Indiana. Having been there once before I drove straight to the bridge and we de-verted and stretched and photographed and marveled. Then back on the road back up to SR 26 and to the Interstate for a short jaunt.<br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="cumberland-in" width="537" height="421" src="page11_blog_entry258_6.jpg"/><br /><span style="color:#030000;">We exited I-69 at the Muncie/Alexandria exit SR 28/US 35. The Petros truck stop allowed us to fill the cars tank and empty our internal tanks. Alexandria and then Elwood where I stopped to put the top up since sunburned arms were getting cold and dusk was upon us. At the southern tip of Elwood IN 13 joins up with SR 37 for about 7 miles until SR 13 continues nearly due South and SR 37 goes S/SE to Noblesville and then Indy. We stayed on 13 through Perkinsville, Fishersberg, Lapel and Hardscrabble. A mile south of Hardscrabble, less than twenty miles from Fortville I reached down to adjust my belt and seat-belt. That's when it happened. That's when I noticed. <br /><br /></span><span style="font:15px Georgia, serif; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">"WHERE THE HELL IS MY iPHONE!!" </span><span style="color:#030000;"> I pulled over at the next crossroads, got the car out of the road and then the mad scramble and panic. Under the Seats, the armrest and glovebox, the trunk, pockets, door pockets. The trunk again all the other spots again under the spare tire in the trunk in the cooler the bags again and again. <br />After a 10 minute repetitive search with a full barrage of expletives a minute to compose thoughts, mentally retrace steps, plan a course of futility or recovery. <br />Places out of the car. McClure station at SR 28 and SR 37 to put top up. Petros fuel station and restroom SR 28 @ I-69. Matthews Bridge and park. Turn of the last century Indiana author Gene Stratton Porter house in Geneva. Geneva water tower photo opp. Ceylon Bridge, woods, park and picnic area. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="Geneva" width="539" height="239" src="page11_blog_entry258_7.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#ab2321;"><em>The Water-tower photo and the Gene Stratton Porter domicile, CDP &copy; 5/28/08</em></span><br /><span style="color:#030000;">WE turned around and went back, at McClure I asked and got the nopes from two station employees. Then I spent $7.00 on a shitty flashlight and two re-packaged Duracell D batteries. Petros. Nope-os. Now it is dark, we take 69 North to Marion exit then 18 east all the way back to Bryant and up to Geneva. Not in Stratton Porter parking or areas outside I visited. Spot from which I photographed Geneva tower. Nada. Ceylon Bridge in the dark, headlights , fog lights and intermittent flashlight to no avail. Back on SR 18 then to Matthews and the Cumberland bridge. Then depression set in. We were home at 1:30 AM Thursday morning for a nights sleep. 10 am Thursday at ATT to see what, and if and now what. A new iPhone is coming in a few months with newer, better and more features. so the Idea is to wait. The clerk suggests an upgrade which is in reality a downgrade and almost a torture device by comparison. <br />Any device designed and based on a illogical and counter intuitive Windows system is going to be difficult to use. Nothing is as easy and intuitive as the iPhone which since day one I never had to refer to a manual or even looked up anything on the computer with the iPhone. Like they say. It just works. <br />I spent the rest of Thursday cussing the damnable Blackberry Pearl II, and adding insulation to the garage doors. Gardening and Watching "The Good Shepherd." <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="cumberland_grass" width="538" height="365" src="page11_blog_entry258_8.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#b12320;"><em>The Cumberland Bridge re-revisited. Chuck Pace &copy; 2008<br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;">Friday we went to Dick's Sporting Goods and bought a metal detector (if Travis was not on vacation too, I would have borrowed his. I have run afoul of my Luck-Dragon I guess) and went back to the 'out of car' sites again in daylight. </span><span style="font-size:14px; color:#030000;">Guess what?</span><span style="color:#030000;"> We found out that I still had the Phone on my hip when we left the Ceylon Bridge from photos Jenni downloaded after we got back from Fridays re-occuring day-mare. <br />At least I added more photos to my growing Cumberland Bridge library. More about Friday's trip in the next post; I am here for 4 1/2 hours doing this one with photos and research and I now have to go make 'eat on fire outside'. Ugg!<br /></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#ab1d1d;"><em>Chuck Pace (CDP) &copy;2008</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('amble');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('amble');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('amble');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('amble'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-257" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Prior to Amble</div><div class="blog-entry-date">06/01/08 09:23 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="5b87f2463c83ba79bcd08fcbf7a3e112-257.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">You will think this strange. When in reality it is a balance achieved. Yin and Yang are served. There is a part of each in the other and they cannot be separated. <br />I chose the past week to take my second vacation for a reason. That reason is my daughters birthing anniversary. Lovely Meredith's birth remembrance day was on the 27th of May, the last day in which I posted, until now. <br />Much has befell me and my wife since the great day of daughter. Shall I illuminate your path of my recollection with a beacon of words gentle traveler? <br />When the time off was first requested (way back in January) it was my thought that we drive to Florida and surprise Meredith on her day. This was prior to the death of das M&auml;dchen, or the rebuilding of the Blue Frankenstien. Then there came the great Convertible buy (under extremely sad conditions), and a open air drive was added to amend the trip plans. Before that happened but not long after that Meredith the brave, bold and brilliant bought a black beauty. She did her homework as befits a bold, brave...etc. and after a few days of haggling drove off a Dodge dealership with her very first new car. A Dodge Caliber to be exact, this gave my darling daughter happy feet (well foot actually, since there is only one actively involved in most of the automatic transmission motoring). She declared to her mother, (who's own birthing remembrance is in this newly born month) that she would be upon our doorstep prior to the celebrated day. Another decision was reached and our plans of a Florida in the sun became vapor. <br /></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Saturday May 24th:</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> At precisely 4:31PM my vacation began as my workweek came to a close. I had thought that since the vacation trip to The Sunshine State was aborted that a three day affair in West Middle Tennessee might indeed be in order. Wednesday would have been the target day of exodus. Yet again a decision was made and it came not to pass my brethren.<br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="patriot_pin" width="105" height="269" src="page11_blog_entry257_1.jpg"/></div><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Sunday: </em></span><span style="color:#030000;">Race day and </span><span style="color:#030000;"><em>Cathy Morris</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> w/ Darrell and Jack at the Chatterbox afterwards.<br /></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Monday: </em></span><span style="color:#030000;">Memorial day. I tried to reach my brother Dennis near Kokomo and found that the phone numbers were no longer available. Called dad and wished him a happy memorial day, and got Dennis and Cathy's new cell phone numbers (like so m,any others they have ditched the land line and gone cell </span><span style="color:#030000;">phonly</span><span style="color:#030000;">, brain tumors be damned! I spent the day choring and projecting, the night aching. <br /></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Tuesday:</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> Planting and more chores and tasks knocked off the list. </span><span style="color:#030000;"><em>Bowling:</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> a resurrection of sorts, after a major correction series the week before rendering my high average and low handicap ineffectual I recovered a bit with one game over handicap (the only one we won).<br /></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Wednesday: </em></span><span style="color:#030000;">With two plans already aborted and a bit of hey we should be having fun because it's our vacation we decided to take a road trip. I chose a destination based on those bridges that are to shy to be uncovered (which Indiana has an abundance of I might add). <br />This is when it happened, the absolute low point of the entire vacation and a major bummer for the year I also add. <br /><br />I think Wednesday requires its own post.<br /></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>CDP &copy;2008</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('preamble');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('preamble');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('preamble');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('preamble'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-256" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">What a Concept</div><div class="blog-entry-date">05/27/08 09:23 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="2e67086900792974959070cfdaeda688-256.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">Reality? That is for everyone else. I chose to remain quietly disengaged. No that is not actually true. I am right here in the thick of it I am steeped in reality. I'm not just up to my neck like some (who leave their heads out for some reason --which is a lack of reason), I'm completely submersed in it most of the time. <br />The most unreal thing in my life right 'this second' is the vacation I seem to be finding myself in. Sure I have projects, projects, projects. I have projects to start, continue, rethink, complete, deconstruct and redo. <br />I have the Yard and Garden which is like a Federal Tax; it never gets done right, it never goes away, it grows in ways you didn't see coming and it is half consumed with weeds and corruption before the first fruits of labor are even apparent, if you ignore it for a few days the work to get it back in some kind of order is twice as difficult and if you concentrate on one area to full satisfaction the rest has completely gone to hell behind your back! <br />I'm disgusted with my Yarden now that I have analyzed it. I think I should go in a completely new direction. Each year I have a better garden, I am building the best garden I can with my resources, I need to re-do the garden. I need to give the same attention to every plant and area, promise to make each blade of grass the happiest blade of grass in the yard, instead of getting rid of my weeds and putting up borders I should tear down all the borders, I could feed the weeds too, they have a right to be here, I could stop burning precious fossil fuels to keep the grasses in check, I could get an electric mower (electricity is free and no fuels are used to convert one sort of energy into another anymore electric is clean at my end therefore it must be clean, and cheap and pollution free where it is created too, right?)<br />There will be no more dry patches in my yard either all the areas will get along. Since the planet is 67% water I will not have or allow dry spots, I will ask the wet areas to share with the dry ones and all will be happy. I will ask the plants to be the same color under the stem. I will have a utopian -socialist yarden, oh and I need to get all of my neighbors to pay for it since they will benefit from my perfect order, they should pay, especially the ones with better gardens. I should have my pick of their plants and efforts, I don't care if they put more time and effort in than I, I have a right to be pleased with my yard. <br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>I'm Chuck Pace and I approve this Message!<br /></em></span><strong><img class="imageStyle" alt="Stars and Stripes" width="540" height="176" src="page11_blog_entry256_1.jpg"/></strong><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;">I think I have to get out of the house and yard for a bit. Something got me thinking I have all the answers. Just because I've been tending a small patch of earth for a few years, I believed I could run the whole terrestrial terrarium. Is that crazy or what?<br /><br />Hey, Jenni! Wanna go for a drive? It's supposed to get nice.</span><br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="stars-stripes_2" width="540" height="159" src="page11_blog_entry256_2.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#c12324;"><em>Chuck </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#0c21c5;"><em>Pace </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#cb2524;"><em>&copy;2008 </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('05288');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('05288');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('05288');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('05288'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-255" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Time Out...</div><div class="blog-entry-date">05/27/08 03:34 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="97bc50808c3bfc2a1f378bd2c96e89b6-255.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="garden angle" width="530" height="337" src="page11_blog_entry255_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>How I spent my late Spring Vacation: Pt 1</em></span><br /><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="fents" width="259" height="352" src="page11_blog_entry255_2.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">Monday: </span><span style="color:#030000;">Memorial Day. A day off without a day off. I worked like a madman all day Monmorialday. It wasn't until after 12:30, when it was time to go to Home Depot for more supplies to continue working, that I even stopped for breakfast, o.k. more like brunch, well in truth brinner. Maybe Linner? As the sun began it's westerly decent we stopped again for a second and final meal, baked lemon chicken on a bed of rice, mmm mmm. <br />The day started with me digging post holes for the posts I made on my last official day off prior to this weeks vacation recess. I dado'ed and hole sawed capitals unto pressure treated lumber on Thursday so that I could dig holes and run creeper wire for the vegetables that Jenni is soon to be plugging into the soils between my master works. I dug holes, leveled and straightened and then ran creeper wire until I ran out of 20 gauge wire. Then it was break for supplies and victuals. <br />Then planting, and mowing and clean-up and cleaning up and watching 3 more Band of Brother Episodes while ingesting Chiko-Rice-Lemony Snackets. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="fentz" width="530" height="367" src="page11_blog_entry255_3.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>The 'nuther angle of the same old thing deal. Pt 2.</em></span><br /><img class="imageStyle" alt="flares1" width="529" height="138" src="page11_blog_entry255_4.jpg"/><br /><span style="color:#030000;">Tuesday: </span><span style="color:#030000;">The vegetation is starting to take shape, and the vacation is officially on, as it is now Tuesday and I am "at it" again today. Later I will be taking my sod-pounding sore self to the Alley where the bowling is taking place. Between then and now I will format photos and get myself a little rest. Speaking of photo, Jenni took some garden photos too hers are available fore oohing and ahhing at blogspot linked right </span><span style="color:#030000;"><a href="http://jennfromtenn.blogspot.com" rel="external">here </a></span><span style="color:#030000;">for your convenience.<br />The pictures here are all mine though. Including this rather oriental set from this afternoon complete with Foo Dog Dragon!<br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="flares2" width="532" height="274" src="page11_blog_entry255_5.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#1b7619;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008 </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('052728');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('052728');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('052728');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('052728'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-251" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Long Live Longevity</div><div class="blog-entry-date">05/12/08 07:14 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="138600aeb40cf2866f1195d1b5faff58-251.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">Jenni didn't feel well on Mother's Day. She got an allergy or something from Friday or Saturday in the garden I guess. Her eyes were puffy and swollen. She stayed a'bed much of the early part of the day. I ran a few Mother fetcher errands, brought home the dinner, etc... we watched the last three episodes of Firefly. Then, when that was over I decided I had to go buy </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Serenity</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> for both of us (Mother's day), so I was off on another Mother Fetching run! I got to BestBuy and bought, then I looked around and found too. Unlike those early adopters who pay a premium for new technologies I have adopted a different style of shopping the "Too Late Accepters" and there on the shelf was my procrastination prize, an out of box 'floor model only' Toshiba HD DVD player with remote. I looked for one HD DVD to play in it at BestBuy and later at Meijer, to no avail. Then I popped home ever so stealthily and brought in the video bacon.<br />The outsides of the houses and stores were mighty damp and not very pleasant, but inside we were up-converting </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Serenity</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> to 1080i and loving every moment. Even 'Puffy Eyes' saw clearer than ever before. So the short run for HD DVD in the Hi-Def Wars may be over but </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>we</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> have finally stepped into the battlefield... <br />...long after the dust has settled!<br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008 <br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('05128');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('05128');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('05128');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('05128'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-245" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Broken Record</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/29/08 06:41 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="a3fd7dacc6acaade8f308a965de911bd-245.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#0d0ca6;"><em>So last night after work...</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> Like so many Mondays it was time to go see DeAnne and Nicci. Mike Wilson decided to make a semi-rare appearance, and Meredith's best Indy bud Jessica Lipman made and even rarer showing. John David who went to the eye Dr. made his usual late arrival, Mel, Rich, Kay, Monica, Jody F., Chris West and Mary Ann Beuke were already there when I got there in the C-car with Jenni who had to be Enterprised </span><span style="color:#030000;"><em>(We Pick You Up)</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> to the spot since it was raining. Other than catching up with Jessica a bit the evenings entertainment was back to back episodes of Cash Cab on the bar's LCD TV. Rich told a harrowing tale of Manure towing and swapping ends on highway 36 when the overloaded trailer jackknifed and spun he and JD around 180 in the middle of the road. Manure maneuver '08 ended with out to much stuff hitting the fan and in the end only a wheel-barrel's worth of horse hockey hit the highway. The rest of the ride Rich kept the scat from scattering by keeping the Jeep under 35 mph. <br /></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#0d0ca6;"><em>So last night after the Chatterbox...</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> Having seen Frankton alum Nicci H. for a brief moment at the box, and Meredith's best Jr. and Sr. High School friend I though I would call Dwaine Jackson, </span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Dwaine" width="156" height="202" src="page11_blog_entry245_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">my best friend from my Frankton School years. It has been over a dozen years since we talked, well over . I didn't know that he had 16 and 13 year old daughters. I talked to his mother last October and got a phone number and address (which turns out to be someone else's address not her son's) so I phoned. We caught up a bit, and I asked if he was going to our 30th anniversary class reunion. He said he had not talked to Les Hiatt (the class of '78 prez) but had seen he had called a couple of times. I said if he didn't go I had no reason to, and we'd have to catch up on our own some time. We talked a while longer and then I got back to cleaning the garage. I took two huge garden size bags of detritus out to the curb for todays garbage p/u. <br />All of this garden variety garage glamorization is for the return of the Blue Frankenstein from Black Forrest Motors. The BFB will have it's bed back and to put the convertible out in the driveway, Ya Vol! <br />Well the hour is nigh that I have to ride the roads to gainful employ and earn enough money to house and feed (fuel) the four wheeled wonders in and about the garage de World HQ. Ciao Kiddies, and welcome to the newest -Thoughtpukes- readers the Dwaine Jackson Family. <br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy;2008 <br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('04298');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('04298');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('04298');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('04298'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-241" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Re-Entry & Mixed Blessings</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/26/08 07:39 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="aabc6ec023c813b7d51e3a379cc39e9b-241.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">Transitions are always difficult. Some more so that others but all have compromise and/or acclimation to deal with. That is as true when returning from a great vacation as it is when returning from a really crappy one. I have done both, I know. This last vacation was spectacular. There were no really bad moments. There were no arguments with my copilot through this vacation. There were few decisions that were not met equally with approval or disapproval during the trip. But there were other factors to be weighed. It has been a week since the final day of the trip and I have not kept up on the post. Other things have been in play. Very serious things and not all of them really my place to remark on, or embellish on much. <br />Several weeks before the trip got under way, not long after the death of the Madchen in fact. Jenni and I were awaiting the insurance check, and looking for a replacement vehicle when one presented itself to us as a future option. The date of the option was left in the air, and we decided to use some of our insurance money to rebuild the Blue Frankenstein since it's future could be more easily tracked than our own. Then there was vacations, which were already scheduled in early January (the 3rd as I remember). So my plans were altered with the death of my beloved Bimmer but the goals were not changed much. <br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="vert head on" width="208" height="160" src="page11_blog_entry241_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">Option exorcised. After the death of the Bimmer, Jenni's friend and boss Rebecca asked if we wanted to buy her father's convertible. We said yes, why yes indeed. The stipulation was that we could not drive it away until after he finally succumbed to the lung cancer that was bound to lay him low sooner than later. We made arrangements, deposits, got title, and time marched on. <br />We arrived in Dodgeville Wisconsin on Monday the 14th, the next night after a fun day of House on the Rock frolic and a great dinner at "The Shed" in Spring Green we returned to the Inn and had Whirlpool Hot/Tub bath and relaxation, that night Rebecca called and said well you can come get the Convertible. Her father, David Rasp had indeed lost his battle with the big C and the car awaited our return and a decent scheduled time to bring it to its new home. With all the things involved in the passing of a loved one many things took precedence over the turning over of the keys and such, so we waited until Tuesday, and then after jump starting the car brought it to its new home. <br />I have no name for the Sebring Convertible. It is a fine and beautiful thing, and I will cherish it forever. Sad though it is how it came into our life, we will make it a tribute and an honor to the man who owned it before us. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="Vert_overview" width="532" height="314" src="page11_blog_entry241_2.jpg"/><span style="color:#030000;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>The New Convertible, It shall </em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#284aff;"><em>"live long and prosper"</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em> in my care. <br />Chuck Pace &copy;2008 <br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('04268');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('04268');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('04268');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('04268'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-242" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Pleading the Fifth</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/19/08 03:36 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="df89067c191e816a5bfc0192a1f23616-242.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#010000;">Friday. The fifth and final day of the road trip. What stays in Michigan probably happens in Michigan. We only happened to drive through it from the southern reaches of the U.P. all they way over to the glove and down. From Benton Harbor we shot East South East on M31 until we got to Niles, at Niles we got onto M12. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry241_1" width="532" height="286" src="page11_blog_entry242_1.jpg"/><span style="color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#333333;">Lunkers in Niles Michigan, what else need be said?</span><span style="color:#333333;"><br /></span><span style="color:#010000;">In Niles I pulled into the parking lot of Lunkers to get a photo of their sign. We entered Indiana 10 miles past Christiana Lake and Adamsville turning south off of M12 onto M131 which became Highway 15 in Indiana from there we ventured South and East until we got to highway 5 and took it into Shipshewana and Amish country. After buying some grass feed beef products we continued South until Ligonier where we grabbed 33 and went SE on it until highway 9. At Columbia City we darted over to Ft. Wayne on 30 then grabbed I-69 down to our next stop. 717 N. Capitol Ave. in Indianapolis to pick up Charlie from the Tender Loving Pets Doggy Day Care. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry241_2" width="532" height="360" src="page11_blog_entry242_2.jpg"/><span style="color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#333333;">These original 1HP jalopies own the roads in Shipshewana</span><span style="color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="color:#010000;">Home with Charlie I unpacked the rental for the last time. It was obvious that his eye sight had degraded even more in the 5 days since he was dropped off. He ran into a lot of things in the yard, and even into Jenni's leg once. After the unpacking was done I called the store to see if I had packages there, Rich had two waiting for me so we agreed to meet up at the Chatterbox for a parts transfer. We also had jumper cables for another mission that didn't happen yesterday. That story will have it telling in due time. <br /><br />I got my replacement center console. I got my rubber isolator boot for the shifter and the grommets for my trunk emblem while I was away playing. Plus in the mailbox at the house I got my center cap stickers for the Blue Frankensteins wheels (but they were the wrong size ones, so I have to contact the e-bay guy I got them from for a correction of order). After the Chatterbox Jenni went to the store so it was time to play in the garage again. I replaced the isolator boot and cleaned parts and when Jenni got home (at just after 9) she gave me automobile detailing toys and carpet cleaner (which works really well). So I cleaned carpets and parts and prepared for Saturday when I could begin putting the interior back together. <br /></span><span style="font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:#eb4637;">Chuck Pace &copy; 2008<br /></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('04198');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('04198');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('04198');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('04198'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-240" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Conclusion? Four Gone</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/18/08 08:37 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="93d311ecf2071acae783f4233b71b8c0-240.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry240_1" width="532" height="246" src="page11_blog_entry240_1.jpg"/><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#010000;">We left Green Bay with smiles on both our faces (mine so prominent that it kept spilling over onto Jenni's). My next destination Manistique Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. We got there after 10:00 so the sidewalks were already rolled up and put away. But the point was to get inside the U.P. and sleep which the Econo Lodge allowed to do. The next morning it was up with a crack (and a pop and a few groans too). Packing the car back with all of our stuff it was time for a pleasant drive to White Fish Point, where there be a Shipwreck Museum. White Fish Point is horn of land jutting out into Lake Superior. There is a lighthouse there, and The Great Lakes Museum. The Museum officially opens on May 1st, but there is an appointment only routine that we tried to rig using Aldiss Lamps, Semaphore and Cell Phones. I would leave a message. They would reply that they got the message. Jenni would leave a message. My new I-Phone worked well everywhere but the upper reaches of the U.P., Jenni's sprint phone didn't work well at all and 90% of the trip she was roaming. Neither of our phones were working when we reached W.F. Point, there were workmen repairing sidewalks, and people at the Coast Guard Station, but the Museum itself seemed closed. We never heard if our 'by appointment' tour was granted, and so we just</span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"><br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry240_2" width="259" height="169" src="page11_blog_entry240_2.jpg"/><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"><br /></span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#010000;">walked out to the beach and gathered Superior Tumbled stones of unimaginable beauty. The wind was blowing at about 30 knots, the temperature on the Point was just under 40&deg; and the breakers off the beach were frozen snow-mounds covered with wind blown sand. After we were blown and stoned enough we traipsed back to the rental car (mercifully black and sitting in full, sun) where we sat looking long lingering looks at the closed Museum. <br /><br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry240_3" width="532" height="334" src="page11_blog_entry240_3.jpg"/><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font:13px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#333333;">Jenni Looks South East Towards "The Glove" of Michigan.</span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#010000;">So we did the logical thing. We told Karen (our Aussie sheela, GPS guide) to takes us to Mackinaw City. She was guiding us along the way, giving useful driving info after we had traveled about 70 miles, and made one or two turns Jenni considered suspect, I pulled over and had a talk with Karen about her choices. The avoidance's tab for toll-roads had been checked, so she was sending us all the way to Indiana and around the non toll roads and back up the other side of the lake to get to Mackinaw since the bridges is a toll affair. I unchecked the tab and she recalculated the way in her automated best. <br />It was during this come to Jay-Suss meeting with Karen that I also got the message from Jennifer at Whit Fish Point some 70 miles (and 85 minutes) to our rear that someone would indeed be there at the Lighthouse to take us in for our appointment tour of the museum at 12:00. Here is where I say that I timed the drive perfectly and we turned the car off at The Point at 12:01. So I got my first two disappointments all in the same 90 minute period of my vacation. The long detour, and the missed Museum moments. We did not turn back. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="page11_blog_entry240_4" width="532" height="402" src="page11_blog_entry240_4.jpg"/><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#333333;"> <br /></span><span style="font:14px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#333333;">Four Studies of low-tide backwaters on a Lake Michigan Beach.</span><span style="font:11px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; color:#010000;"><br />Highway 2 runs right along Lake Michigan, and afforded us some lovely views and just 8 miles south of Epoufette we stopped at a rest stop and walked the beach where I took the series of shots of the water on the beach and The Missus looking out to the water that adorn this litany of words. <br />Once we got our saucy Aussie guide to see the light of reason Mackinaw Bridge was a breeze (22 knots worth). Next was a jaunt through Petoskey, (which didn't rock) and a long drive down to Benton Harbor for the night. A stop at the Wal*Mart for a new nightgown for Jenni and some ice for our cooler, another at the Steak and Shake for evening meal and we were up to the third floor of the Comfort Inn Sites for the night. Day for ended like it began, packing and unpacking. <br /></span><span style="font:14px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; color:#eb4637;">Chuck Pace &copy; 2008<br /></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('04188');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('04188');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('04188');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('04188'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-238" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">The House Rocks</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/17/08 12:00 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="72ea2498c7cd56d9ee1f5b10ca7caf1e-238.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Infinity out" width="532" height="241" src="page11_blog_entry238_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Alex Jordan's Infinity room from ground level looking up.</em></span><strong><br /></strong><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="infinity in" width="259" height="175" src="page11_blog_entry238_2.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">So after posting the post yesterday we headed out and up the The House On The Rock. A truly unique destination, the #1 tourist attraction in Wisconsin says the propaganda. The visionary mind behind the whole thing is Alex Jordan. An architect and a nut-burger according to Jenni. He certainly is a unique fellow that was for sure. The OCD mans man to say the least. The House is extremely weird, then there are the grounds where building after building are linked together through tunnels and ramps and what not. A walking "self guided" tour takes about three hours for each tour. Tour</span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="asian" width="118" height="182" src="page11_blog_entry238_3.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;"> #1 takes you up to the house where you see the most bizarre rooms stacked offsetting each other, full of Oriental Soshi screens back lit in blue and statues of all manner. Then there is the infinity room an unsupported tapered protrusion 140 feet off the North side of the house that is suspended over the valley floor something like 156 feet below. It is breath taking as is much of the house </span><span style="font:13px Times, Georgia, Courier, serif; color:#030000;"><em>(photo two is looking toward the needle end from inside)</em></span><span style="color:#030000;">. There is no way to do the 2 tours justice in just a few hours. So after the first one ended we went driving north to Spring Green, where we found a nice little bar "The Shed" with great food. I had two Leinenkugel Honey Weiss beers there and a killer burger called the Blooming Idiot. Yum. I liked both so much I bought a Shed beer glass at the bar and a 12 pack of Lienies HW at the Dodgeville Wal*Mart later that very same day. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="taliesin" width="532" height="210" src="page11_blog_entry238_4.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; "><em>Side view of Taliesin from Iowa County Rd C.</em></span><br /><span style="color:#030000;">We also stopped and voyeured some Frank Lloyd Wright houses onto digital memory cards through the modern technologies. The former home of Mr. Wright "Taliesin" is just 6 miles or so from The HOTR, plus there is The School House, and another FLW house all around the curve of highway 23 heading into Spring Green. The Frank Lloyd Wright visiter center and restaurant just west of Taliesin by 2/10ths of a mile was not open for the season, and there were no tours of the houses either, but they are still accessible from the side of the road. So day two of the no longer a mystery Mystery Vacation was a rousing success. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="DSCN1687" width="532" height="195" src="page11_blog_entry238_5.jpg"/><span style="color:#030000;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Three Quarter view of Taliesin.</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> <br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="skele-horse" width="259" height="227" src="page11_blog_entry238_6.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">Day three: We started by finishing our stay at the HOTR Inn. We packed everything in the car except one item each. I left behind my portable charger and spare battery for my Nikon P4 camera (still plugged in) and Jenni left her nightgown on the back of the bathroom door. Of course we didn't know or intentionally leave behind keepsakes for the Inn staff, it is just dumb luck. Once packing was done (if not complete) we headed back to the House to take in tour two. The worlds largest Carousel, some 36 tons worth with 269 animals (not one of which is a horse) in eight rows, 182 chandeliers and 20,000 lights is the mid point of tour two and the exit point as well as you loop back on your way out. There is a room 5 stories high with pipe organs that reach from bottom floor to ceiling, and steam engines and electrical generators to numerous to count that weigh multiple tons each on each of the floors and three and five story doll-house carousels and, and, and... <br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="hotr_logo" width="74" height="105" src="page11_blog_entry238_7.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;"><br />So after that we headed north and east to...<br /><br />...my next post. <br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#924324;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#1c9a2e;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('04168');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('04168');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('04168');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('04168'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-237" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Welcome to Wisconsin</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/15/08 09:40 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="aa309e196c2081af699a03dcdcea06f1-237.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="welcome" width="208" height="276" src="page11_blog_entry237_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">We got up Monday morning. We went to the Budget rental car store. We took Charlie to Tender Loving Pets Doggie Daycare center, where he gets to hang with Peyton Manning's Black Lab. We came back home, I wrote checks to the IRS and State. We finished packing and we headed out to parts (un)known. I had programmed the Garmin Nuvi&copy; 660 for three points. The mid point in Illinois where we would turn a an head north from I-74. Dodgeville Wisconsin (where our lodgings are), and the main attraction! The House on the Rock. <br />We didn't' leave Indy until just after noon. The drive out of town through site after cite of construction was the worst part of the trip. <br />The drive itself provided not one unwelcome surprise. The weather was wonderful and the sky was filled with fluffy dumpling clouds in a lovely azure broth as far as the eye could see in all directions. When we left Illinois for the Dairy State I had to pull over and get a picture. Of course there is a dairy farm in the photo what else.<br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="there be dragons" width="259" height="211" src="page11_blog_entry237_2.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">I gave Jenni more hints as we drove and finally told her where we were going as we turned into the House on the Rock (HOTR) Inn, which is where we are stayed last night and where we will sleep and relax tonight. <br />After de-trunking the baggage (not Jenni, she was my copilot), we ran over to the local Wal*Mart to get sundries and bathing suits (I forgot to pack mine, and Jenni has lost enough weight to not have a suitable suit) then ti Culver's for dinner. <br /><br />After that it was time to find the HOTR itself. Of course it was closed but I wanted to see where it was none the less. 7.6 miles from my temporary bed is the gate proper. We stopped and took pictures of the Dragons guarding the entrance until sunrise. Now it is 9:00 AM and the attraction is open. It is time to head those 7.6 miles and step into a world not our own. <br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="dragon profile" width="84" height="71" src="page11_blog_entry237_3.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">I think it will be awesome!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#924324;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#1c9a2e;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('04158');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('04158');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('04158');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('04158'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-233" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Nearer and Nearer</div><div class="blog-entry-date">04/03/08 09:58 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="58f4adac2c45b607d12258c905eb69b8-233.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">My vacation starts in 10 days. I work on Saturday the 12th then I am off until 8:30 am on April 21st. At work today, in anticipation of the Super secret Mystery Vacation I purchased a Garmin&reg; NUVI 660 GPS unit. Jenni played with it for nearly an hour while I was at the ATT store replacing my iPhone case-mate case which expelled its spring somewhere along the way. I won't be able to load the SSMV location into the Garmin&reg; until right before we head out, otherwise curious minds might discern the real location long before I want them too. I will most likely be renting an automobile for the trek to the Placesterious Vacaystination, since there is no way I can have the Blue Frankenstein road ready by the end of nest week. It would require a Miracle of miraculous proportions to get the purchased parts on, and the confidence up to drive the umptrillion parsectors to Obscuria, Diversia and back I'll tell you what! Plus what would I do if we were to break down in the Imagaplains and had to call a tow truck? How would I explain where we weren't? It is most perplexing. <br />Jenni asked if I would have her blindfolded the entire way, since I have the very secretive mission to not divulge. I would say only about 6 hours worth of blindfolding will be necessary. However a full on gag all the way to Stopperage Station might well be in order. I can only imagine the peaceful drive through the golden fields of bleet and chlorophylum. No I could never do that to her. I love her and totally fear the retribution, and retaliation. Besides the half of the journey that is the getting there would be unfairly missed. There is also the very real possibility that we may be stopping to p(hoto) more often than we stop to pee. It would look bad to have other travelers seeing the missus gagged and blindfolded in a rent-a-car while I am photographing a mushed blatherhund on the turnpike. Bad form, old man, bad form. <br /><br />Well t'is now my preemptive stroke, struck at a post for the AM yet to be. <br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#2a7bb7;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#1c9a2e;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('0448');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('0448');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('0448');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('0448'); </script></a><br /><br />On to the hinterlands in a tennerday.</span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-229" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Parts Falling Apart</div><div class="blog-entry-date">03/30/08 02:32 PM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="acfb185dd2ac6a90f10645087bcdbd2c-229.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="BMW Logo" width="29" height="29" src="page11_blog_entry229_1.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Car Part:</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> It is all hurry up and wait. It is all, "On Your Marks, Get Set....." There is no go. Not yet. My anxious nature is not capable of handling this much longer. The BMW parts world has all but abandoned me. The folks in California have been given two chances to send me a list of parts available and prices based on a master list of needs I have faxed to them. They have all my digits, my e-mails and my desires. They have not contacted me as of yet in any way. </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em> </em></span><span style="font:13px Georgia, serif; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>"They say that patience is a virtue, but I haven't got the time"</em></span><span style="font:12px Georgia, serif; color:#030000;">,</span><span style="color:#030000;"> </span><span style="color:#030000;">"Psycho Killer", David Byrne and the Talking Heads, </span><span style="color:#030000;"><em>1977</em></span><span style="color:#030000;">. My other contact person, Bruce C. a recommendation from LeAnne Bailey has not come through for me yet either. I have spoken to him multiple times on the phone and given him my requested parts needs, but as yet he has failed to be available on three occasions when I was able to drive the 45 miles to see him, and he has yet to return one of my calls. I'm starting to think that this may be a</span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em> "One Sided Love Affair"</em></span><span style="color:#030000;">. (Re: Elvis Presley: 1956, side 1 track 4; Written by Bill Campbell, with the musical greats Floyd Cramer, Chet Atkins and Scotty Moore, Shorty Long, Bill Black and D.J.Fontana among others). I contacted Bruce C. at 12:01 this afternoon (one digit after noon, none the less after noon) as yet here at 2:45 he has yet to call back.<br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="pindown" width="92" height="31" src="page11_blog_entry229_2.jpg"/><br /><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Bowling Part:</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> There is just three weeks between me and not bowling anymore I fear. The eight year love/hate relationship with kegling may be nearing a divorce, if not at least a self-restraining order. Jenni and I stopped at the Chatterbox last night hoping to have a run in with the Gary's CC girls and a couple of Betties. Well if they showed up it was after we gave up. After an Hour and a half of being inert, inertia held sway without swaying and we went to Bazbeaux Pizza just a few scant yards from the "Box" (note: the only yards that are near the "Box" are Paved ones, an enterprising youth with his own lawn cutting company would starve to death in the Art & Theatre District). Once inside the pizza emporium we were ushered to the subterranean chambers where we ordered a Hawaiian Pizza for two, and got to hear some of the worlds loud and clueless expound upon the virtues of Mark getting drunk and arrested. Apparently in some diction circles "Oh my God" has replaced "Uh" as the filler of choice, while the brain catches up with the steam of expelled verbiage at a volume level sufficient enough to have every table looking at the one just behind and to the left of mine. The culprit was a twenty something co-ed with eight of her friends (I didn't notice if the others were wearing ear-protection like Rich and I wear when we are in Bristol, or not). To my Great Expectation those little Dickens' left as we did so we got to hear and share in the telling of Mark's arrest twice. To clear the air we headed towards home, and stopped at the All Star Bowl on the East side (only 3.8 miles from the World HQ I might add) just to look around. It is big, 48 non-synthetic lanes, but I don't know if I have the desire to start over in a new house, and I don't want to patronize the Royal Pain Bowlin' Sinners again after my tenure is up at Sport Bowl. I will go for the car give-away tournament since I am registered for that, and will gladly take their Mustang if I am lucky enough to make it to the final round and dinner, but as far as giving them my hard earned entertainment dollars. They get bubkis! I may be rolling my last </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>league</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> ball in three weeks, If I am even in town. <br /></span><span style="color:#030000;"><em><br />Vacation Part:</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> Well with all this strife in my life I may have to let down myself and my wife. Times and travels, money and misfortune may have me calling to cancel my Mystery Vacation plans for the near & foreseeable future. The death of the M&auml;dchen and the search for a few parts for the Blue Frankenstein in the garage on jack stands have left me motivationally and financially immobilized. My vacation starts on my birthday, April 14th: a day truly blessed with history. <br /></span><span style="color:#030000;"><em>Happened on April 14th: </em></span><span style="color:#030000;">The day the Donner Party departed Springfield Illinois in 1846, the Titanic strikes an iceberg in 1912, the Assassination of Lincoln in 1865, Black Sunday; when 20 Dust Storms laid siege to the great Plains and turned day into night in 1945. Also the day that Don Ho(2007), Burl Ives(1995), Anthony Newley (1999), Pete Farndon of the Pretenders (1983), and Frederic March (1975) died. And still more on April 14th, that day that Rod Steiger, Kenneth Marrs, Erich VonD&auml;niken, Pete Rose (baseball scoundrel), Richard Jenni (comedian, suicide 07), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Greg Maddux and "Buffy The Vampier Slayer;"Sarah Michelle Geller (1977) was born. <br />I am in a sort of stasis, Neither stopping or going, incapable of moving, while around me, I can't stop plans or things from falling apart. I think Jenni and I are going to head out to the parts Farm and see if we can see the Mystery Mr.C, and drop some green for my Blue Frankenstein who was needed to be reborn on the day of my Valentine. <br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#17328d;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#1c9a2e;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('03308');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('03308');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('03308');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('03308'); </script></a><br /></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-227" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Easterly</div><div class="blog-entry-date">03/23/08 09:35 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="05c4c2e9a0357e85d6e580dce66a557a-227.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="EasterPS" width="168" height="168" src="page11_blog_entry227_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">Here I am on an Easter Morning. One of the earliest Easters I can remember. Not hunting for multi-colored eggs, or believing in a bunny who might deliver them. Not pulling artificial grass in many odd colors out of a basket full of trinkets and plasto-crap. Not really understanding the whole commercialization process of the holiday at all. What I am doing is listening to the album </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Easter</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> by </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">Patti Smith</span><span style="color:#030000;"> and </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">Simple Minds, </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>"East at Easter" </em></span><span style="color:#030000;">from the album</span><span style="color:#030000;"> </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>Sparkle in the Rain, </em></span><span style="font-size:13px; color:#030000;">then</span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em> "Easterly" </em></span><span style="color:#030000;">by</span><span style="color:#030000;"><em> </em></span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">Ultravox</span><span style="color:#030000;"><em> </em></span><span style="color:#030000;">which was just a B-side of one of the many </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">Ultravox</span><span style="color:#030000;"> 12" vinyl records Jenni and I had (still </span><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="sparkle" width="168" height="168" src="page11_blog_entry227_2.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">have) before the beautiful daughter was born. </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">Ultravox</span><span style="font-size:13px; color:#030000;"> </span><span style="color:#030000;">is a now defunct band that most of you may not remember or realize you have ever heard. They were around before, and when MTV just played music, and did news about music. On April 1st 1993 (10 days before Easter) Jenni, Brian Shull and I were in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom to see </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">Ultravox</span><span style="color:#030000;"> perform live. Last night I found </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;">Ultravox's</span><span style="color:#030000;"> rare tracks on 2 Albums in the iTunes store; on Rare1 there was exactly 1 song that we didn't have on 7" or 12 " singles and rarities. I bought them all anyway, Rare 2 had three songs I didn't have. I bought those and two others from that one. </span><span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:bold; color:#030000;"><em>"Easterly"</em></span><span style="color:#030000;"> was one </span><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="UvoxEasterly" width="168" height="168" src="page11_blog_entry227_3.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">of the tracks that I had on vinyl but bought again in a digital presentation. I still have all those vinyl recordings, but since Meredith's irresponsible friend Chris once borrowed my turntable and kept it for two years and trashed the needle and the drive belt, I have no way to import them into my iTunes and digitize them. <br /></span><span style="color:#030000;">Back to Easter:</span><span style="color:#030000;"> Easter has fallen on my birthday three times since my entry into this earthly realm. 1963, I don't remember this one (being only three at the time). 1968, this one was a bummer, we lived in Swayzee and had all my cousins in from Marion for an egg hunt and a big day partying, it wasn't all about the guy who just turned 8, it was about cousins. I needed to be the center of attention, yet I was almost an afterthought or so it seemed. 1974, what do 8th graders care of Easter? I don't remember this one either. <br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="UvoxARAGON" width="169" height="100" src="page11_blog_entry227_4.jpg"/><br /><span style="color:#1ba762;"><em>Oh no!, Jenni just brought out a bag of Robin's Eggs (whoppers in tiny egg shapes) and a plastic egg full of Reese's miniatures. At least there is no chartreuse or magenta plastigrass. I forgive her and hope I don't get a belly ache from eating half the booty as I sit here quibbling and nibbling. </em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><br />Speaking of birthdays and Easter I know someone else who has had b-days fall on her special "all about me" day too. DeAnne Roth, shared her special day with her family the rest of the world in '78 and '89. I doubt she remembers the first one any more than I did mine. Well I have exhausted my hunt for eggs to drop in your virtual baskets and so I head to the mid-day mark and the garage to look at the Blue Bimmer in from another side (underneath). </span><span style="font-size:13px; color:#030000;"><br /></span><div class="image-left"><img class="imageStyle" alt="Eggs" width="68" height="25" src="page11_blog_entry227_5.jpg"/></div><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#1462ff;"><em>Chuck</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#ff0508;"><em> </em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#ff32cb;"><em>Pace</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#ff0508;"><em> </em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#ff9e23;"><em>&copy;</em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#ff0508;"><em> </em></span><span style="font-size:16px; font-weight:bold; color:#24ba52;"><em>2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#1c9a2e;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('03238');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('03238');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('03238');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('03238'); </script></a></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-225" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title"><font color ="CC3300">Yesterday After Work...<font/></div><div class="blog-entry-date">03/20/08 07:23 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="fdd74514e1b44887745ae0855f9ebdd6-225.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">Well it was a quiet evening at Rancho Pooro. All day long my interior and exterior self was in distress. My Whole right side was sore, my back, gluteus area, thigh and knee in particular were making me hobble and unhappy. So yesterday after work we watched two more episodes of Buffy. Then, I hobbles to the World HQ and Techsies, two chapters for the Next Dummies Book. That out of the way I takes a fist full of pain-relievers and floppsies into the horizontal rest-room. This morning I was able to stand up as I got out of the bed. Not being crouched over and forcing the wheels of injury to right my ship of fool was a pleasant surprise. We will see what we shall see as the hours tick away and the meds are burned. <br /></span><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="dummies40x" width="147" height="184" src="page11_blog_entry225_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">Like I said I am currently tech editing my third book for Wiley Publishing (in the process more accurately, "currently" I'm being absurd and over dramatic for the sake of nonce). I received a copy of the first one I did in my very own Snail-Mail holding receptacle about two weeks ago. Here is the proof that as a reader I can proof read, and make valuable contributions to the world other than my amazing Daughter Meredith (even here I was at best a co-publisher but it was a work most monumental). <br />You might even go so far as to say that Meredith is my raison d'&eacute;&bull;tra, I have no other purpose of accomplishment that I am more proud of.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#ff0508;"><em>Chuck Pace &copy; 2008</em></span><span style="font-size:14px; font-weight:bold; color:#1c9a2e;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#030000;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/chuckpace"> </script><a href="javascript:HaloScan('03298');" target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('03298');</script></a><br /> <a href="javascript:HaloScanTB('03298');"target="_self"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('03298'); </script></a><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-224" class="blog-entry"><div class="blog-entry-title">Turkey Fryer</div><div class="blog-entry-date">03/19/08 07:12 AM <span class="blog-entry-permalink"> | <a href="aabb60e552e548dd12189744677d082d-224.html">Permalink</a></span></div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="color:#030000;">Generalizations. That is what I am about. That is what everybody is about. Or is that just my first of many generalizations this post?<br />About two months ago a real life Fryer in heavy brown robe with wooden cross and rope belt came into the store to get is ire out out of his element. He was not a happy camper. He did not prostrate himself, or show the good will or love of man that I would have thought he should have projected. He argued, groused and quibbled. After he left I did a drawing of myself as a fryer or monk myself and told Bob that I may have to be one on halloween this year. The tonsure alone is worth the price of admission. But from this chance meeting with the pretentious, pious prick I can say all Fryers are jerks. Generalization number 2. <br />Yesterday after work...<br /></span><div class="image-right"><img class="imageStyle" alt="fryerchuck" width="104" height="186" src="page11_blog_entry224_1.jpg"/></div><span style="color:#030000;">Remember the best posts start with. Yesterday after work...<br /></span><span style="color:#030000;">I drove Rich's GP to work so I had to drive it and the missus back home before I could fulfill my sublimation substitution as a kegler in the very 10 for 13 beer and pizza league I spoke of in yesterdays riveting and captivating post. Rich and the team failed on the first two occasions to impress upon the tower of power boys that we were the #1 team in that league. In the vernacular of the keglers we lost. Then in defiance and with undaunted optimism we rebounded and took the last game and two whole points. On several occasions I had