Live Jazz, Dickinson Jazztet w/ Carl Hines Chuck Pace © 2006
There is no easy way to write today's post. To encapsulate the number of people or the chain of events that made last night such a memorable one. It would be like having been a sideline reporter at the Million Man March and having to name and say something pertinent about each attendee, all 200,000 of them! There's no way I'm not going to leave somebody or something out, but here I go.
The day started with an e-mail from the Chairished Connie Z. and an invitation to a fireworks party. When I got to work I opened the store front, and took over the helm since both Laura and Becky were not there. I answered phones, fielded questions and directed traffic to the proper channels until almost 11:00. Lunch at 12. I met Jenni on the Circle, where the NHRA folks were having a party of their own, there were hundreds, nay thousands, no more like a million people and horsepower gathered around that Circle, but I only got off two shots (camera wise anyway). Jenni and I ate at Giorgio's which is a Wednesday Tradition. That was where I learned that yesterday was Ryan Haun Martin's 17th birthday! Well shiver me timbers and blow me down 17, uck uck uck uck. This info blew the doors off more than the assembled Pro Stock and Funny Cars! I remember when the Steve Martin family (No, not that Steve Martin, no, no. not that one either, no, nope, wait go back one Rebecca husband, yeah that's the one) lived on Buick Dr., and Mary was in diapers and Ryan was in blue underoo's and a t-shirt diggin' out toys in the play room at the front of the house, wow, time flies. Happy Birthday Ryan, I hear you have a killer sound system in the Honda, do you really need all that audio horsepower just to listen to NPR?
After lunch, after work Jenni and I were going to converge on the Chatterbox, Jenni didn't really want to have more than one, and after having trouble find a parking spot just went home instead. I was already there with C Scott, Wilson and Rich and after having seen Jenni drive by sportin' two Corona's . Now this is where it gets complicated, being the last Wednesday of the month, there was a tasting event at the Box, so the usual rouges gallery was augmented by occasional and varietal rouges as well, a plethora, cornucopia nay a jubilee of people to mention and enumerate. To start the list, Brooks (of course), and Kay fresh from houseboy and sorority girl land making a quick stop before going home to ride a John Deere letter to the grass. Jane Pozek (the ivory key tickler), the Sherry's, Leslie Mastin and Chris, Peter Park, MaryAnne Beuke, Fred Shields, Alysha Griffith, Roy Griffith, Vanessa, Nicci and DeAnne, David Andrichik at the grill, Kris and Patrick just to list a few. I'm getting this all from disorganized notes (not unlike the stack of 5x7 note cards Connie carried in to organize her thesis) I jotted down during the night. Dick Dickinson and his Jazztet arrived and started an amazing night of live Jazz. Carl Hines on the Chatterbox piano played the most incredible version of Georgia on My Mind i ever heard, Carl is a retired 5th grade math teacher (I would have guessed Music teacher). When the jazz was walking out the door and shaking hands with the Avenue we met a new person, Uriah Baraka only six months gone from South Side Chicago, and in a desperate need of a Jazz fix. We invited him to take Wilson's recently vacated seat and he did, inside there were more first timers and I saw a slightly familiar face sitting in a photo opp mode. I opted. Annie Crosland who I had sold camera gear to when she was Ivy Tech a few years ago was enjoying the music too. The Luna Music annex was closing when I came back out, so I invited Maggie and Andrew to join us and they could not refuse, earlier I had purchased the new Bob Dylan Modern Times limited edition CD/DVD from Maggie, and turned down a ticket to see Bob in Ft. Wayne because Maggie only had one extra, no Jenni, no Bob.
It being a perfect weather night the walkers of the Avenue were out handing out postcards to shows at the American Cabaret Theatre and such. I received two such invitations one from Leigh and Lindsay for the Dastardly Ficus (Lindsay says she appears in pantaloons), and another from one of the Players in the "Jaws the Musical" show. I think Jenni and I will have to attempt one or both of these shows.

That's all for now. Tomorrow I'll tell you about the character who stole the show from all of the rouges I mentioned here today. Rich's new kitten, (currently unnamed) who was found by Jody and MaryJane's neighbors while he was out swimming in Lake Monroe.

Thanks to Kay for clicking the shot of Hane Pozek and Me. (don't mention it I think she would say).

Chuck Pace © 2006
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Stuck in Traffic on I-65: Chuck Pace ©2006
The Day of the Big Race was upon us. We had plenty of time to psyche-up since there were no other events going on Saturday. John had the generator going in the Minnie Winnie (it didn't for half a day, and there was considerable concern, ...and heat!). With the Generator working, I put all my techie toys on their various chargers; cell phone/bluetooth modem, laptop computer, ZR70 mini DV camcorder and even my iPod mini. I checked my provisions, and my race readiness. Then came the boiled omelet breakfast I mentioned before, some Nascar TV on the Direct TV satellite, then a chance to go to the tents and buy some Racin' Merch. Both camcorder batteries were charged so I grabbed the the standard one and Jody, Rich and I marched off to Officially Licensed Merchandise land. Jody was amazed by the retail aspect of the whole thing, flabbergasted even. I was surprised to find a Wonderbread #26 trailer with Officially Licensed Ricky Bobby Merchandise, but not surprised to see that it was doing a booming business.

Card Stunt #1, Before the Racin' Chuck Pace© 2006
I got another 12 minutes of "video footage" including a golf cart ride up the leg-buster mega-hill that gets us to our gate for the racin'. Gate 7, Junior Johnson Terrace, about 18 stories up to our seats, 21 stories up to the top rows, and Suites. On the way back Rich, Jody and I had to stop and get some more bottled water. Rich offered to carry the video camera in the front pocket of his cooler, and somehow while putting it in I flipped the toggle on, and for the next 21 minutes and 24 seconds we captured the qwush, qwash, sound of the trek back to the campsite, and the next phase of our adventure. When it was tome to return to the track just before race time, i forgot to grab the blank tape I had ready to take, and having recorded (unwittingly, and unbeknownst to us ) the cooler pocket found that as we prepared for the Anthem and Fly over that I was at tape end! If I'd know then what I discovered on Sunday night when Jenni and I watched the tapes, I could've had 21 minutes and 24 seconds of the Race and events Well, live and learn, I guess.
Tuesday: So, yesterday at work I had an opportunity to catch up on Kay's online Journal, only to find out that she scooped me on my own video travesty tale just recounted here on the www! So Kay didn't just come to the Box to share her Cookie dough, Pecan/Walnut and Chocolate Chip pie (which was to die for, but did not cause me a headache), but to prequel me on my own story. Dang It!

Chuck Pace © 2006
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Click Here to see a Jody Grober Bristol Mini-Album

I have very little time, again. The waking up process was much harder than I expected. I had a fitful night of sleep, RLS (restless leg syndrome), which I get honestly from my mother, kept me tossing and turning all night.

Boiled bag Omelet .8 miles from the Track! Chuck Pace © 2006
Let's see where were we... We did the Busch race, and Friday fight nights then went back to the Minnie Winnie.

The next morning we all got up and made ziplock bag omelets. Rich's had a pot of boiling water on the gas fryer stand, and showed us how to make omelets. It's really quite easy, but I had never heard of it before.

I got the mobile command center up for our Nascar Fantasy league picks, and we all chose to finish 10th or worse, just so Kay could have a better showing. Jody picked drivers to give him a 10th place finish, I thought 15th for me, Rich said o.k. I'll do 16th if John will do 17th. So we picked our teams, then Rich made a Shrimp boil over the same fryer stand, and we once again ate like kings. The next thing to do was march back to the Track and watch the Main event. The Nextel Cup Night Race, I'll tell you about that on the next post. Now I have to do some regular maintenance
Monday: At work one of the first things I noticed after a four day absence was that Becky Campbell, the repair liaison and phone person up front (The FCB) had colored her hair, it was much darker. I commented to her about it a couple times. Later in the afternoon Rich asked if he was mistaken or had Becky dyed her hair. I said no, you're not mistaken. He said, "Is this her attempt at Artificial Intelligence?" Just before the work day ended I walked up with my camera, she was hip to my attempt, so I got this "No Pictures Please shot."

Next stop, where else... Brooks was just leaving (dang! I got there two minutes too soon. Aaron, Jennifer and Jordan Barker, friends of the Chatterbox and Kay showed up to say hello to Kay and MaryAnn Beuke, but since Jordan is only 5 they did not go in, but just talked on the sidewalk. C. Scott, Eddie, Mel, Kay, Rich, Jenni and I inhabited the seats under the awning for a while, then one by one we turned into silhouettes and faded away. I talked to Andy Short, found out that she wasn't lonely , then I called Krista Bermeo over, she was very excited that she was getting a studio in the Murphy, I got a hot sweaty hug from her, toweled off and stalked her back to her door for another no pictures please moment.

Chuck Pace © 2006
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Sure there's more, there's always...

In The Winnie Chuck Pace © 2006 (Jody , John and Rich collage. )

First I'd like to say that I'm still alive. We all are. That was an awesome trip even if only a small portion of the technology cooperated. The John Qualkenbush Minnie Winnie motorhome is a hit. For three of us this beat the hell out of tent camping. Of course Rich "caveman" Culy still took his tent and pitched it (but at least he did that outside in his tent), which he shared with a 27" TV , a DVD player and direct TV satellite box (we were roughing it). The Mobile command center for chuckpace.com performed a little, which is to say I was able to use my LG phone as a modem via bluetooth connection to access e-mail and web sites, but the massive broadband requirements to upload a website using FTP through a cellphone were beyond the scope of the 1 3.4 x 3 1/4 telecommunications device! I was amazed that it worked as well as it did.
We left for Bristol, TN at about 12:30 thursday afternoon, arrived just after sunset and set up base camp (i.e. tent and DVD/TV, roll-out awning and camp chairs). The next day was the Cup and Busch qualifying, and the Busch race. Around 11:00 we were joined by Mark Mateitis, a buddy of Richard Reichart's (whom we owe innumerably for the tickets these last 4 years). Forty-five minutes before we hiked the .8 miles with coolers over our shoulders, caught the Nextel Cup qualifying and then split into two groups. Rich, Jody and Mark went back to the campsite, while John and I stayed for Busch qualifying, Cup final practice and the help lighten the cooler Rich left with us.
Afterwards the team returned just before the Busch race. Jody was a slack-jawed babe in the woods the first few laps, having never been to either Bristol or a nascar Race. The thing that happens at every big event happened in the rows in front of us, a drunk dysfunctional family started causing havoc, and nearly got a fight going. But before that all started I got the bride of the havoc provoker to take the our team photo. I noticed she was using a Sony just like mine so figured she could do it justice. The first shot she took was the self portrait, then the shot above. Her name was Starsha, the rest of her posse? Don't know, don't care.
I have much more to tell, but little time this morning.

Chuck Pace © 2006 (except where noted Starsha?)
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Y'all come back now. Ya hear?

The Birthday boar, and the mention whore: Chuck Pace ©2006
I stand here (sit actually) on the verge of making chuckpace.com history. In a few minutes I will attempt to upload two images and this text via my cell phone, which is being used as a bluetooth wireless modem. I also have to report that the hell I put myself through with the GPS unit may also be about to bare fruit. I was able to add all my waypoints for the Brisol trip, which hits the road in about 9 hours (yep, I'm up at 3:00 AM debugging my loony compu-life so that I might be able to keep my public informed of my every move while in Thunder Valley.
It is now officially Thursday, so Happy Birthday to C Scott, the reason I stopped at the box for 1 last night was to also buy Scott his Birthday Oat Soda since I will not be within 500 miles of him by the time he gets to the box tonight.
The other photo is Skippy doing his Hunter S. Thompson impersonation at the store on Monday. I guess the S. stands for Sony?

Chuck Pace © 2006

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O.K. that didn't download, but I have not yet begun to fight!

The hopes of a Mobile chuckpace.com are still alive. Maybe Travis is right and the technology stuff is making me Crazy! I've called my shrink in Beverly Hills, Dr. EBA (Everything'll Be Alright). I have the ability now to do my post from the laptop (when I'm near a WiFi network), but the last two days struggles have gone away from the Position Of Satellites Globally (POGS) to the more important, using the Phone As a Modem (PAM). The ability to PAM makes the reports and images come from Bristol. Without PAM we only have the Drink Enough to Float a Trailer (DEFT) scenario to fall back on. The Bristol Boy contingency will DEFT anyway, I'm sure that's in the cards, but I would like to do live updates. Oh no let's go, let's get nuts!
So yesterday the final piece was added. Originally John's brother Greg was the fourth Bristol Boy, but an accident where he works to his fill-in has made him have to cancel his journey. After a long and arduous search, with the contestants graded on several key areas, the team has chosen Greg's successor. Jody Grober will be the "new Greg" (he was almost voted off because his DEFT score was pretty weak, but in the end his CASH quotient proved the determining factor). I said let''s just go and have a good time. Let's go crazy, Jody said Take me with you. We passed on Beautiful Ones, and even though I've been Computer Blue, I'm hoping the Mac doesn't say "I Would Die 4 U. That should only happen in the Purple Rain or When Doves Cry. If it does, I'll be at the Chatterbox on Monday seeing Darling Nikki and DEFT. I'd rather be there bragging about winning the Fantasy League at Bristol again. Saying, "Baby I'm a Star!

If you couldn't tell I was playing Prince's Purple Rain album while doing the posting this morning. I found it to be the most appropriate under the circumstances.

Tonight I put together my travel kit, and (hopefully)perfect the PAM process.

Prince, "Let's Go Crazy", Purple Rain (1984)
Dearly beloved
We are gathered here today to get through this thing called life
Electric word life, it means 4ever and that's a mighty long time
But I'm here to tell U there's somethin' else
The afterworld
A world of never ending happiness
U can always see the sun, day or night
So when U call up that shrink in Beverly Hills
U know the one - Dr. Everything'll Be Alright
Instead of asking him how much of your time is left
Ask him how much of your mind, baby
Cuz in this life things are much harder than in the afterworld
In this life U're on your own
And if de-elevator tries 2 bring U down, go crazy
Punch a higher floor!

If U don't like the world U're living in
Take a look around U, at least U got friends
U see, I called my old lady 4 a friendly word
She just picked up the phone, dropped it on the floor
"Ahh! Ahh!" was all I heard

CHORUS:
Are we gonna let de-elevator bring us down?
Oh no, let's go!
Let's go crazy, let's get nuts
Let's look 4 the purple banana till they put us in the truck
Let's go!

We're all excited, but we don't know why
Maybe it's cuz we're all gonna die
And when we do, what's it all 4?
U better live now before the grim reaper
Come knockin' on your door
Tell me...

CHORUS

Come on, baby
Let's get nuts!
Yeah (Crazy)
Let's go crazy

Are we gonna let de-elevator bring us down?
Oh no, let's go crazy! (Go crazy!)
I said let's go crazy! (Go crazy!)
Let's go! (Let's go!)
Go! (Let's go!)

Dr. Everything'll Be Alright will make everything go wrong
Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill
Hang tough children

He's coming!
He's coming!
Coming!

Take me away!

Chuck Pace © 2006
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Well, because of the truck fiasco I missed half of Saturday at work, so I didn't get to go to Ed Sanders Funeral Service on Monday. I needed to get some of my hours back. Jody and Maryjane went on motorcycle. Jody said it was his last ride with Ed.
The Truck story is a good one, at least the repairing part, not so much the breaking part. But alas and alack I have but a wee pittance of time for my other tales, perhaps some day over a pint...
Yesterday was also Bruce Pallman's birthday, and I think he was in a pretty good mood most of it. At lunch Rich, Jenni and I went to Bearno's Pizza on Pennsylvania avenue, we had never been there before and were impressed with their buffet style lunch. The main reason we stopped there was because it was three doors down from John's Spirits, where we were really headed. Last week, while at the "Box" Rich and I decided that we would get Bruce a good bottle of Scotch, and John's was where one could be had.
Before we left for lunch I mentioned to Rita that we were going to buy Bruce a bottle for his birthday, so she kicked in too and together we were able to buy a $58.00, 12 Year Old Glen "Somethinerother" which was greatly received at the time of gifting. They didn't have cards at the Spirits shop, and we were running out of time so Rich and I stopped at the convenience store next to the Pub. She doesn't sell cards. Back at the camera ranch I assigned Rita the task of finding an appropriate card while she was at Border's Cafe and Book Store for lunch. With that out of the way I added what the guys at Mike's Auto Repair in Woodruff Place would call "The Coupe Day Grass (only thing better 'n 'at is a Sedan Day Grass)," a $1.00 Nutty Buddy Gift Certificate!
The evening was completed with a trip to The Chatterbox, the same menagerie was there as was to be expected. Brooks and Jack Green, Travis and Liz for a bit before popping off to see the Indians at Victory Field, Jim Strain (and much later Cheryl), Jenni, Rich, Eddie, Mike Wilson (I had to ask Jenni if Wilson was really there, he was not his usual demonstrative self) Rebecca M., Mel, Kay, Connie the Chair Queen, David, DeAnne and Nicci. Chris West was there with a reporter friend Staci Hupp from the star, and the front page Dick (Walton) made his usual pit stop before racing off to Saturn. (I'm sorry, in his Saturn). After I had clocked out (don't you mean tabbed out?), but before I had walked out Maggie from the Luna Annex stopped by, so I stopped byeing for one more and one for Maggie. Mel took off then, saying something about eating, which is sooo overrated. Then I guess I went home. Because I'm home.
There is a convoluted tour of my Monday, now even Travis, who has been fascinated with the GPS tale to date has got to find something interesting here. So I got that going for me..., which is nice.
Chuck Pace © 2006
| Did I mention that Rebecca was there? If I didn't mention Rebecca was there I want the record to show that Rebecca was indeed there. So there.

Looking for an inspirational moment. Something positive. Reason.
Yesterday was pretty much a day of catatonia. I did watch the Nascar race in HD. Got to watch most of my drivers fair poorly in high definition. Between the two leagues I had drivers finish 42nd, 40th, 37th, 29th, 28th, 16th, 11th, 10th, 9th, 8th, 4th and 4th. In the blue league I dropped to 4th place in the standings behind the DiNicolas.
I didn't mow the yard. I had a headache most of the day. I didn't even go to the funeral calling, I didn't remember that until this morning. Since I left work early to pay for towing and truck repairs on Saturday I won't be attending the funeral services today either.
I took a three photos yesterday the one time I was outside. I have red gladiolas blooming that are almost surreal in color. The only other photo I have to share; Tweek's face.
If you found this post extremely boring, remember that these are the highlights of the last 36 or so hours. Mmm boy, you should have been there.
Tomorrow? My Bristol preparations list. (unless something happens better).
Ch.. Pace © 2006
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So here it is 2:03 AM Sunday morning. The map software ha yet to finish loading, and it looks like when it does it won't even fit on my computer. Yesterday, Jenni told me she was looking at the forums about the Route Buddy and the maps. The software takes 9 hours (yeah, right three days?) to load and is 3.9 Gig . Well it turns out from the forums that the 3.9G is a compressed file and the actual size is between 12 and 14 gig. That would be great if I could drive my house and home computer around the world and use the GPS, however, since I'm more or less forced to use the laptop with 20GB hard drive (which has only 8.67 GB available), I think the conclusion is of the screwed yet again nature, don't you? I'm going to finish the download, and move it to the Maxtor external hard drive, but that will not be portable (without a generator in the back seat of the BMW anyway). Now about the Saturday that didn't exist... I got up at my usual early time, got my bleak post posted, and left as usual. I had enough time to stop at the 21st and Shadeland Starbucks (where Charlie S. works, but I think she's not back from Germany yet) and then get a Croissanwich from Burger King to scarf on the drive in.
The day was just about too quiet at work, but that changed at 11:55, Jenni called from Cumberland, she had stopped at the post office, and the truck would not even turn over when she came out after shipping one of her latest e-bay sales. I told Phil I had to go, jumped into the BMW and took off by 12:05, I traveled slightly above the recommended speed limit, and the only vehicle to pass me was a Sheriff's Brown and Tan (with a Semper Fi bumper sticker), with a female in the passenger seat. They had to be going at least 85 or 90, no lights or sirens. I got to the post office at 12:37, messed with the truck for quite some time and decided it had to be the starter. Jenni called "Mike" at the shop that fixed the wipers, they would send a wrecker, and be there in half an hour they said. I went home and de-greased (I may have ruined the clothes I wore to work), and noticed that the computer had stopped downloading the mega-file! I was just sitting down to restart the process, when Jenni called that the wrecker was there, so I jumped back in the BMW and was there in about 4 minutes. The got it running, but were taking it to put on an new starter unit. They said it would be done around 3:00, I didn't see any point in going back to work, just to leave again after about and hour, so we came back home and I started the computer zombie routine. Two hours and $159.15 later Jenni and I were on our way to pick up the truck, the download from hell was once again downloading to my personal hell, and the day was shot. I got home, checked the world HQ, Global position and took a 5 hour nap. Now its 2:50 AM, and I am going to bed again, only to get up in a few hours and hopefully pick the winning team in Nascar League.
Who knows, maybe I'll post some photos again, if ever take any more.
'Til the end of the World, Gloomy Gus, I mean Jed, ..er Chuck.
Chuck Pace © 2006
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Just about all day on Thursday I was trying to get a working solution for my GPS unit and the laptop. After two or three hours of struggling with the GPS utility disk that came with the unit I was able to get it to recognize. The data stream was overwhelming, but what to do with the raw data? I thought if I could possibly figure out some of the number codes I might be able to make something of it. To that end I did finally discover the sequencing, Latitude, Longitude, Universal Time Code in the string $GPSLL;, and that data repeated every six or seven lines (about a second per cycle.) I got in the car and drove to different "known" locations and ran off about three seconds of data, then copied and pasted those into a word document. Now I had Lat. & Lon. info for several places I frequent, burt could do nothing with it. That was futile and pointless. I then bought GPSy X software to make heads and or tails of the data streams, I didn't get the license key for that until 6:00 PM that night. Frustration was my only companion since 8:20 AM when I finished the mornings post and uploaded it, that is when I started in ernest working on the GPS-hole that ate my day. Not only did the GPSy software not help much, it took additional hours of messing with to get it to even find the info from the GPS itself. I sent an e-mail to their support, and eventually went to bed. At just before noon on Friday they answered my query for a little help. The following is the complete response:
"USB units do not work with GPSy. If you would like a refund contact refund@kagi.com.

David
Sales and Technical Support
support@gpsy.com "
Back to square one, ground zero. With the depression over the passing of Ed Sanders added to this 24+ hours of continuing frustration my day was not a sparkling bright spot of joy. I decided to go home and spend more hours of diligence trying to locate software that does work, and figure something out. Originally Jenni and I were going to go to Kay's impromptu cook-out. But I didn't want to be a mopey, Gloomy Gus at such an event and Jenni had to stay home to give a care package to Jamie Baker, who was stopping by between 6 and 8 to pick up said package, before driving south to see Meredith and David in Florida.
Jamie arrived around 7:20, I had been strapped to the laptop in the world HQ since 5:50, and just before he left at 8:10 I found the solution software. Brand new software and company called Route Buddy, designed just for Mac OS x Tiger and Panther. I downloaded the free demo version, and Jenni and I drove to Mt. Comfort Airport and back and created two "tracks" that show up on the free world map in the demo pane. Pleased and excited that my idea of a laptop GPS unit might work I purchased a full version, and then the "USA Map" file. I started the map download at 11:00 PM yesterday, now at 6:37 AM Saturday morning it is less than 1/8th downloaded, (through a high speed cable modem no less) it is a massive file and will most likely not be finished until after I get home from work. (see fig.1 to the right). My apologies to Kay, Rich, C. Scott P, Mel and anyone else who thought they would see me at the cook-out, but at least my attitude and mood have turned around a little.
Jenni told son-in-law David that we were adding a GPS feature to our laptop, and about the XM radio's and the HD TV, and he said we are becoming the "Techno Clampits!" I love that, that would mean Meredith is Ellie Mae and David is Jethro Bodean.

Well, I'll see you all on the Grid, and I can plot that for you real soon. Ya'll come back now, ya hear? Here's where my 5th cousin Lester Flat plays the theme music and we roll credits, My grandmother on my mothers side of the family was Violet Flatt, and she played harmonica with Lester and his friend Earl Scruggs when she was a young'n.
Jed Out.
Chuck Pace © 2006
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"They are dropping like flies," that's what Jody said to me on Wednesday. "I don't know how much more I can take of this."
Wednesday we found out about Ben Lawrence (some 48 days after his passing), the day before we found out that Matt O'Brien's father had passed away during the previous week while Matt was on vacation.
On June 29th Ben Lawrence of B&L Photography passed away unheralded by the Roberts crew, his obituary was not printed until July 1. M'Pozzi Tolbert on July 3rd, and now Ed Sanders, Thursday August 17th at approximately 9:00 AM.
I credit Ed and Jody Grober with my introduction to the Chatterbox. Back before I started at Roberts, Jody and Ed and several Herron types were in the space(s) that are now Urban Lilly and Luna Music, known then as the 431 Gallery. Several businesses and changes have come and gone on the Avenue since then, but the Chatterbox was always there, and Ed Sanders was always a Chatterbox patron. After I started at Roberts I started frequenting the Chatterbox with Ed and Jody who along with Bill O'Keefe (also deceased) called themselves the Wednesday Night Men's Club. Jody and Ed invited me in, then Jody stopped coming on a regular basis. Ed made a regular ritual of it for quite some time after Jody became irregular (in every context), and of course I became a regular. Soon I was inviting friends and coworkers to Wednesday Night, and I took over the Men's club, there are even two bricks on the patio with my version, but the Men's Club will always belong to Bill, Ed and Jody in spirit, even though Jody is still hosting and inhabited by his spirit (and I hope he continues that for a long, long time). Jody called me at 7:00 PM last night and told me that Ed passed in his sleep after a rather rough final evening and a morphine drip to reduce the discomforts. I will miss Ed's sarcastic and sardonic wit, his perfectly placed side comments that encapsulated the moment so well. His Budweiser (only after 6:00) and his "What is it Jazz again tonight?" Trade mark statement. Even though his trips to the Chatterbox became more infrequent in the past few years, I always expected to see him coming through that door. I think I still will for quite some time.
Chuck Pace © 2006
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The weather was in agreement. The air was filled with excitement (trillions upon trillions of molecules and atoms all in a flurry [furry?] of activity). It was to be a day like no other (they all are really, but I'm trying to be dramatic here). The "at work" part was pretty much a paint by numbers affair, nothing too hard or unusual happened, in other words a pattern of expected and scripted events happening in the usual, expected manner, so work was work. After work, that's when the day was supposed to be like no other, that's... Ummm. Here let me start over.
The weather was in agreement. The air was filled with excitement. It was to be a day like no other. It was Melissa Shoffner's birthday. (It seems like every August 16th is Mel's birthday, hmmm). Work was about normal. At lunch: Jenni, Rich, Mike Wilson and I conspired to make it a good birthday. Rich, Jenni and I along with C Scott P, Ed and Pam went to the bowling alley (It's baaaaack) with Mel. Wilson would have been there except he and his daughter Caitlin are headed to Milwaukee for a large Irish Fest event. He asked me to wish Mel a happy birthday, which I blatantly ignored (stinkin' mick! No I take that back, we all love Mike, and herpes, and small pieces of glass in the ball of the foot, that comes from the stupid wet glass that was to close to the edge of... where were we?)

Before heading to the Bowling Alley the core I mentioned above (except for Pam and Eddie) all convened at the Chatterbox. Brooks, Jack Green, Nick W. and Kay were all there too, and slapped Mel on the back, and wished her well, then we told them it was her birthday, and they apologized for the slaps. Earlier Jenni had bought, decorated and hidden a cake (not the trick it sounds like, David and Vanessa let her put it in the refrigerator at the Chatterbox. Sorry to take all the magic and mystery out of that previous sentence, these asides are killing the flow and mystery of this tale, I might have to start over again.) Anyway, the cake had to be spirited from one site (The Chatterbox) to the other without Mel seeing it so Jenni held back and let us all drive away before she did.
At the Sport Bowl we all bowled four games (o.k., not Ed or Pam again, they were there for moral support, carrying a whole different set of morals than the rest of us, they thought if that sort of thing were needed they would...), incinerated candles and consumed rums, cokes, beers, cake and pizza. Then almost before it started it was over. The night ended. Tragically, we all had to go on with our mundane lives, after these shining moments of fellowship and good times.

Nowhere in this story does Travis or Liz fit in. They were not there, they didn't call, they didn't leave word with Vanessa to wish Mel the best twelfth birthday ever (hey, it's her third twelfth birthday, I would hope it's better than the awkward first one, [all {first} twelfth birthdays are awkward]) or anything. Travis was at home playing Carl Spackler the Groundskeeper in his back yard, on a Junkanoo Holiday. If the Gopher is wearing a little bling Travis will find him!

Kenny Loggins, "I'm Alright ,"
Caddyshack Soundtrack (1980).
I'm alright
Nobody worry 'bout me
Why you got to gimme a fight?
Cant you just let it be? (repeat)

Do what you like,
Doing it naturally
But if its too easy
They're gonna disagree

It's your life
And isn't it a mystery
If its nobodys business
Its everybody's game
Gotta catch you later

No, no, cannonball it right away
Some cinderella kid
Get it up and get you a job
(dip dip dip dip dip dip dip dip)

I'm alright
Nobody worry 'bout me
Why you got to gimme a fight?
Can't you just let it be? (repeat)
Who do you want?
Who you want be today?
And who is it really
Makin' up your mind?

You wanna listen to the man?
Pay attention to the magistrate
And while I got you in the mood

Listen to your
Own heart beatin'
Own heart beatin'
Own heart beatin'
Own heart beatin'
Don't it get you movin'

Mmmmm-man
It make me feel good
(wow, cinderella kid)
Then give it up and give it the job
(dip dip dip dip dip dip dip dip)
(boom, boom, boom, boom)

I'm alright...
...Just let me be

Chuck Pace © 2006
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Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says,
"Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, ...which is nice.
Bryan Doyle-Murray, Harold Ramis and Douglas Kenney © 1980

Please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, do not attempt to leave the ride until it has come to a complete stop. Sometime between the first act and the last morning alarm I started getting a major synaptical lightning storm in the cerebrum. I was sitting down to watch Rescue Me, and I could not focus on the set. At first there were ghost images just offset about 7º to the top left of the screen then slowly that came together, by the time the show was in its final commercial break and starting the last "teaser" act where al the set-up for next weeks starts I could see fine except for the quart of salty tears running out of my left eye. Even as I type this seven hours later there is a distinct heartbeat in that eyeball. (I can only hope that it is in sync with the cardiopulmonary system). I awoke with a song title in my head. Not so much the words as the feeling. I hit the snooze button. I awoke with a song in my head. I refused to yield to it's persistent tugging. I hit the snooze button again. I awoke with a song this song in my head, it said put on the CD while you are trying to come up with something for your post. I hit the snooze button again. I awoke with John Bonham playing the drum solo from "I Can't Quit You Baby" on my brain pan. I surrendered to my subconscience, got up came into the world headquarters and pulled Led Zeppelin (I) from the shelves. Now it is in the final moments of the last track and I have streamed enough conscienceness. Good times bad times.
The waking song title?
"DAZED AND CONFUSED"
Been dazed and confused for so long its not true,
Wanted a woman, never bargained for you.
Lots of people talk and few of them know,
Soul of a woman was created below. yeah!
You hurt and abused tellin' all of your lies,
Run around sweet baby, lord how they hypnotize.
Sweet little baby, I don't know where you've been,
Gonna love you baby, here I come again.
Every day I work so hard
Bringin' home my hard earned pay
Try to love you baby, but you push me away.
Don't know where you're goin
Only know just where you've been,
Sweet little baby, I want you again.
Been dazed and confused for so long, its not true,
Wanted a woman, never bargained for you.
Take it easy baby, let them say what they will.
Will your tongue wag so much when I send you the bill?

"Communication Breakdown"Hey, girl, stop what youre doin!
Hey, girl, you'll drive me to ruin.
I don't know what it is that I like about you,
But I like it a lot.
Won't let me hold you,
Let me feel your lovin' charms.

Communication breakdown,
Its always the same,
I'm having a nervous breakdown,
Drive me insane!

Hey, girl, I got something I think you ought to know.
Hey, babe, I wanna tell you that I love you so.
I wanna hold you in my arms, yeah!
I'm never gonna let you go,
cause I like your charms.

Communication breakdown,
Its always the same,
I'm having a nervous breakdown,
Drive me insane!

I want you to love me all night..
I want you to love me all night
I want you to love me
I want you to love...yeah! I want you to love!

Its always the same, I'm having a nervous breakdown, drive me insane! Its always the same, I'm having a nervous breakdown, drive me insane! Its always the same, I'm having a nervous breakdown, drive me insane! Its always the same, I'm having a nervous breakdown, drive me insane!

Chuck Pace © 2006
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Writer's Block? No this sub division is not really laid out that way. It is not a grid or square at all. Not an old fashioned neighborhood. In fact I don't know much about my neighbors. We've been on this street, had this house built in fact in 1991, just before Meredith started 1st Grade. In that time only two other residents of this Cul-de sac, sweeping left-hander of a dogleg have remained here. Three if you count the residents to our right looking from the front of our house, but their house was built a full year and a half after ours. The house to our left has been a turnstile affair. I can't even tell you the name of the current residents, but they have been there for two years now, (about the average since it was built right after ours). We don't run them off, we are good and quiet neighbors, the only complaints about us were when Meredith was here and all of her friends would park in front of the house in the street because the drives were only 25 feet long. Well, that and the 19 inch deep inflatable pool which I need to remove by tomorrow night, because the covenants say no above ground pools. "No Above Ground Pools!" I don't imagine that that was intended to cover kiddie and wading pools. I think that was meant to be a permanent structure clause, but since the original neighborhood association was sold to a property management concern in the mid 90's, and none of them live here it has gone to a broader interpretation. The Management company? R&G. I can't remember if that stands for Röhm and Göring Management, or Rommel and Goebbels Management but since the "Verbindungsmann" have reported my 19 inch deep 9 foot diameter to the current reichführer at R&G I am obliged to remove it tomorrow evening. I plan on cooperating, but Jenni wants to make an issue out of it. I discovered 8 other "above ground pools" in the neighborhood on a drive thru last Thursday, the day the directive came ordering the removal of the liquid release from the oppressive July and August heat. Jenni sent Tracy at R&G a e-mail asking how many people in the neighborhood had received the removal letter, was told that they were aware of 3 "above ground pools." Tracy then asked us to provide information on any others in the area. Hmmm. Nein, say I. We will not join the SA or the verbindungsmann and rat out others who have "kiddie" pools, do your own drive thru, Ass!
Now I must get into der BMW und drive to zee vorkers place. See you volks later.

Chuck Pace © 2006
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The Chatterbox was a hoppin' happening place on Friday Night. Everybody was out to enjoy the moderate temperatures and lower humidity. Pam Walker was there after doing her stint at the fair. There was a lot of paint on her, as she is at the fair promoting the youth arts initiative, and I think maybe they ran out of canvas. Eddie was there too, as was Rich. Travis was there regaling the attended with some fish tale or another, and as I got there Liz arrived with a medium pizza box full of Chocolate CheesecakeTruffles from The Best Chocolate in town. Mmm Mmmm Mm. Kay arrived with a small tub of small tomatoes, but they had to take second to the Truffles for awhile, I eventually took pity on the poor things and finished them off. Travis was telling Mark Smith and Melissa Gallant about the latest trend in pier fishing, using a metal detector to find the Big Mouth Bass (blarnyous radioess personalitous salmoides) that have recently had fillings at the Aqua-Dentist.

Lake Clifford Large (really Big) "Radio" Bass Chuck Pace © 2006

Jess and Brandon Hoffman were at the patio and I begged a seat their table, the Jeff Barber arrived on his bike and filled out the seating arrangements. Jack and Joan were there with Richard Plath, so was Brooks with yet another intriguing young lady who he did not introduce, but I think is called Lori 'round these here parts. Inside there were the usual blind cave fish, who also got to here the Travis Fish tale before I left; Keith Reed (wearing his sunglasses because of the intense light that the jukebox throws off), MaryAnn Beuke, Jody Frick, Kevin McConaughey, Matt Theobald, Marcel Marceau, Johnnie Cochran, Abe Vigoda, Fletcher Christian, Emmett Kelly, Captain Ahab and the Scarlet Pimpernel (of course it was very bright outside and my eyes may not have adjusted properly during my brief sojourn to the facility, so I may have a few of these people misnamed or uncredited, a quick couple of beverages from Nicci, three truffles and I was off like a prom dress. Jenni only works a partial day on Fridays and she was already home, and i was expecting a package. So I had to hurry home to be disappointed, the package in question arrived and the GPS/laptop unit inside did exactly what I expected it to do. Namely not function properly, well the software is really the culprit here and I was warned that it might be a bit 'buggy' on Panther (the small glitch I observed was the failure to launch the program for more than a millisecond), but the packaging is very nice. Very. I spent the better part of the evening trying to get some Position of a Global Nature on the portable "Field Operative" chuckpace.com mobile assault unit. Wait! What am I saying the better part of the evening was described earlier the lesser part, the worse part (but majority as is often the case) was the Laptop, GPS, software triangle.
And Now without further adieu... The Annual Caption this photo Contest.
What is Liz Thinking during the Wedding Ceremony

Photo by Meredith Garber ©2006 used with permission (and Mentions galore)

Now open to all persons living or dead, sentient garden adornment and charcoal grills in the northern hemisphere. Small print: (employees of chuckpace.com family and subsidiaries are eligible to enter but may not receive prizes, I don't think a football is a good Christmas present, a Daisey air rifle with a compass stock makes a great christmas present. Winner must be able to reply to caption contest and win an international spelling bee of latin insect names. The name and likeness of the winner will be used for chuckpace.com promotion and self aggrandizement. Chickens make lousy house-pets. If it's not Scots it crap. It takes two to tango, three's a crowd. A manwich is a meal. Only you can prevent forrest fires. It's really hard to get good Camembert or Moulin Bleu Goat Cheese in Indiana in August. Toy surprise inside of every box.Liscense taxes and dealer prep not included. An unreasonable facsimile is required this can for recyclable materials only, this is not a trash can.

Chuck Pace © 2006
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The Once an Future Ruler of the Garden Deluxe. Chuck Pace © 2006

First the good news. The Monarch's are coming. Wednesday morning on my way out the door I caught an odd something out the side of my eye with my newly reestablished peripheral vision. It was a larval Monarch, a caterpillar, I went back after putting my stuff in the car and took three shots (all amazingly good, I might add). I planned on putting them up on yesterday's post, but yesterday's post never came. I had too many day off only type of tasks to do. There was no Scott, Mel and Ed photo, or the excursion to the Old point with Mel for some Chili, or any other falderal about Wednesday. I can tell you that Wilson, for one was quite put off by this absence. First there was changing the oil in der truckenstein, the old oil came out black and smelly, definitely scorched, bad Jenni! Then there was the passengers side mirror, a flop ever since I got the ruck. So I bought a replacement mirror for that, and put it on (physically, I didn't make a joke or anything at it's expense, the expense was all mine.), halfway through the install in the driveway the heavens opened up. After the mirror, and a t-shirt change, I dashed to the License Branch on Pendleton Pike right there in the same strip mall as Bando's Korean Restaurant (you should eat there sometime SEE 5/31 post "Karaoke to Kerasotes" for more on Bando's ). In and out in under 6 minutes (Jenni's complaint? I think not) I got the renewal stickers for both the Bimmer and the Truck, and Jenni did not have to step into the License Branch at all, why would either of us complain? I switched vehicles, grabbed the mail (Jenni was waiting for one piece and I had another "surprise" piece to show her also), and headed to Flux Gallery in Fountain Square. From there I stopped at Anthem and retrieved the wife, saw her distinctly Jenni cubicle (no red Swingline stapler, I'm looking for my stapler), and Rebecca's doublewide with the patented "Amuse-A-Phone" feature. How do you keep a moron in suspense?
In yesterday's mail I learned the visual tale of Travis and Liz and the hidden treasure at the bottom of Lake Gitchy Goomey. I will expound on that this weekend, as well as launch a new Caption Contest photo that has been thoughtfully provided by Meredith Garber (this time there will be fewer restrictions on who may answer). Time grows short (not unlike Travis) and I must go to the great reward in the Wholesale District to earn my pay.

Enjoy.

Chuck Pace © 2006
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I wonder what the next Caption Contest photo is going to be? And...
How do you keep a moron in suspense?
I'll have to tell you in a future post.

Test to bring my home computer and my laptop together so that I can post while on vacation or in Bristol. This is only test but it is a crucial one.
Tweek Says: Things are Looking Up.
Possiblogs (Pt. 2)
08/09/2006 6:40 AM Chummin' Up Chucks

The picture and everything above were uploaded to the web last night from my laptop. That is the first time I have successfully married the two computers in cyberspace. This portion of the post, added at 6:40 Wednesday morning is being done on the static base computer in the world HQ. This is a great step in the evolution of the Thoughtpuke (albeit a boring post) for it means I can projectile vomit my ideas onto the world wide web from any point on the globe (provided there is internet access), true omnipresence. Can omniscience be far behind? There are some quirky quirks, and some things that I have to deal with when I go from world-HQ to "Field Operative" mode, and that is what took so much time figuring out, plus I have to carry a copy of the master layout and all the previous posts to update from some exotic location (like the red-eye or panera bread) but this too can be worked out.
Last night 's episode of Rescue me was amazing, and interrupted the discovery process. I worked diligently on the process until it came on, hacked away at the bugs during a couple of the later commercials, and finally got the "test" above to upload to der grand scheme right after the credits rolled. It's on now, I can take the show on the road. HQ or (disclosed or undisclosed) Remote Location. I have wings, tethers and tendrils that than now extend beyond the surly boundaries of my home. Beware. The Possiblogoties are endless!
Chuck Pace © 2006
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All the Doll's heads of my youth remembered. Chuck Pace © 2006
A full day of work, the headache diminishing and the night life returning. After all that working for a living I did a little living again after being all but comatose for over three days. I joined Rich from work and Rebecca (craving ambiguity) and Kathy Harrer from Wellpoint on the patio at the Chatterbox after work. Jenni was on the phone with Meredith the Princess of Mars, sitting in plain site in the truck a half block away for about 15 minutes. Jack and Joan were under the awning with Brooks (until he got a better offer) and we were all waiting to see if Mel would show up looking like one of those old dolls that 's eyes close when you lay them on their backs. You know, the ones that have half their hair pulled out and the grey (from lovin') pillow bodies with plastic feet and arms from the elbow? When I was growing up those were more common than barbie dolls, but that was a more simple pre-digital time. I had earlier in the day texted Mel to see if she was indeed "boxing" and she answered if she hadn't pulled her hair out. To which I answered, "Come even if thee hath snatched thynself bald!" Minutes after I arrived Rich pulled up and joined me at the table even before Jenni, then Rudy Gonzales sat and talked for a few minutes nut yielded the chair as Mel arrived with full bonnet of amber follicle foliage intact. Then Jenni ambled over. Scott Proctor arrived to deny the solar radiation limiting spectacles that David A. thought may have belonged to him. Jenni and the well intentioned Wellpointers dismissed themselves after a fashion, Connie and Kay arrived and Nicci came early for her shift and requested a rubberband adjustment on her hardened but petite back, Deanne who had been serving the rouges gallery went on break and Nicci took over. Cathy Morris sat in the Nicci chair and requested that i adjust her back from the rigors and tensions of he day to day as well. Accordionist Jalene Howse was in the house, and we all found out about "The World Accordion to Jalene," through Tony Shaw's hand held internet phone, "May I google you?" he asked in dulcet tones. She smiled and slowly turned her head and said "Sure." I finished my business of being everything to all people and stopped at the Starbucks for a half caf, listened to some old-timers telling a young pup the way things really are, instead of the way the mainstream media portrays them, then headed home to Jenni, who requested a massage release the tensions and and rigors of being Mrs. dotcom.
Chuck Pace © 2006
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You might mention that "My goal is to never be mentioned again." Said the unmentionable, the scoffs echoed off the urban canyon walls like kittens passing their first hairballs. Scoff, scoff, scoff scoff ff f...

A Robber Fly (diogmites neoternatus) with Honey Bee lunch plans.
Chuck Pace ©2006
So I did some photographing' Saturday and again yesterday before the racin'. I discovered this giant mosquito looking bug and took several shots of him. He had cartoon like extra long legs, and was interesting looking. I followed as he flew around, but could rarely get close enough to get another shot, before he flitted away. I watched as he landed over a bee working on a flower and saw how he edged three of his legs nearer in a tripod fashion until the barbs on his legs had ensnared the bee. Next he flew away like a giant helicopter delivering a truck or heavy equipment to a work site. I was able to follow him as he landed and get another shot, In the haste most of the others were poorly out of focus and these were the two best shots. I had never seen one of these before and have no idea what it is, but it is a ruthless and efficient hunter.

Yesterday I spoke of The Cicada Rhythm Section (CRS) playing the background music from my migraine dazed catatonia. Well that's fine but last night and this morning I found out it's like a Phish show, they come in and climb the fences and hang from the trees, make a bunch of noise, they all know the song and sing along, but when they leave they leave their empties behind. The place looks like a bone yard. Well actually it looks like a nitrogenous polysaccharide chitinous exoskeleton yard!
I called this mornings post the Obligatory Post, because I thought I'd sleep in and not post today. Boy was I mistaken. I mentioned this to Jenni, and was chided into action. She said that Pam and Travis and Kay and all the rest need me. That they don't care what useless drivel I expound upon, they are there to read it. Like Kelli LaFara and the rest of the Mention Whores they are reading, praying I mention them. Well, Jenni, fat lot of chance they are going to be mentioned after a stuporous weekend in the migraine fog and garden, duh! Maybe Kay, because she is a gardener, but the rest? Not likely. I might mention Mike Wilson, because he won the Fantasy Nascar league, but Mike is not one of the Mention Whores. So after being scolded, admonished, berated, rebuked and vilified I chose to write a post about what I know about from the fog. Jenni's censure has spurred me into action, for better or worse. Don't bug me Jenni.
Chuck Pace © 2006
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Old Trains in an Old Indy: Chuck Pace © circa 1980
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I learned that nearly all circumstances are beyond my control. Actually I never thought that I could control much of anything, and that's been working out for me pretty well.
Neither Conductor or Engineer I direct as much of my existence as I can but I'm no where near the locomotive, I'm just in front of the caboose most of the time. In the boxcars with the other bums, I get derailed as much as anybody, and rarely know where I'm really headed. I'm rarely in the sleeping cars. I get side tracked literally, taken off the mainline and parked, waiting for the next impetus to take me somewhere. Passengers get on and off, the background changes but the immediate surroundings change little.
Friday a migraine train took me away for several hours, I awoke at around 8:00PM, was up until about midnight then half of Saturday was just not there. I spent a little time in the pool, vegging. Got a bit of a sunburn. I guess I vegged more than I thought. Jenni had to go into work early, left around 9:00, I got up then (started the flooded Truck), made myself breakfast, and a pot of coffee, then it was 11:00, then 2:00, I had been in the pool some, sat in front of the computer some, I realized at around 3:00, while sitting in the pool that I had not turned on the TV or listened to any music all day, except for very a brief period where I got to see the last 5 qualifying attempts for the Brickyard. I had next to no sensory input that wasn't backed by the Cicada Rhythm Section (CRS), I had been mentally dozing away the day and recovering from the migraine, but not really sleeping or awake. As my sleeping problems are well documented I won't go into that. Jenni got home around 4:00, and my day began to take on a semblance of time and nomality. The other picture above is of Jenni on the "L" in Chicago circa 1981.
Well it's race time, the pace laps are running and I'm home to watch this one, instead of there in turn 3. Time to go.
Chuck Pace © 2006
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A Photoshop attempt to illustrate the MVP (Migraine Vision Plan).
Chuck Pace ©2006

Wow, that came on fast. One minute I'm at work taking an order for a Rebel Xt and lens, the next I'm seeing through a left eye that makes everything look like your seeing it from the bottom of a pool. As soon as the waters started to get turbulent I took some pills for my headaches. Then came the stabbing pain on the right side of my forehead. Soon I'm on the phone with Jenni getting ready to leave. She is either going to follow me home, or take me. I'm gathering my stuff up to leave, I stop to clock put. I'm standing there wondering what I'm doing? Oh, yeah, I'm clocking out. I clock out. I put my messenger bag down to look for my sunglasses and keys. I find my keys and start for the door, then I remember I need my sunglasses on, definetly need them on a bright migrainey day like this, yep, and get those sunglasses too. I do the glasses switcheroo, put messenger bag over shoulder and head towards the door. Fom behind me a half blurry Rita says, "Is that your umbrella? Were you going to take it too?" Why, why, yes that's why I brought it out. To take it, I'm taking it too, thanks. I call Jenni's cell, no answer. I call Jenni's work number, answer, tell her I'm leaving right now. I put my hat on to also keep the bright on the other side of the optical brain input. Just then I swear a superball or something hits me on the crown of my head. I look at the semi-aquatic Rita and ask, "Did something just hit me on the head?" I'm looking around the floor for whatever hit me. "No, nothing hit you," she says with a worried and concerned mini-whirlpool look. I head out. Driving carefully I make it to Jenni's work (just 6 blocks away). Jenni finds me, says I should park in her lot, I say, "I can drive, the vision is clearing up (the vision was clearing up, but the headache pain was increasing), but the interior pain is increasing." I can drive. I drive. She follows and we take side streets and lesser traveled fairways home (crap, was I driving on a golf course?). By now the forward vision is pretty good, but I have no peripheral vision in the left, and diminished peripheral vision in the right. I'm shifting my eyes and turning my head side to side like a Baptist Minister at a nudist camp all the way home. But I made it home (hence the ability to post this little post), slept a quick five hours in a dark and steamy.. o.k. just dark room. Woke up trying to grasp the handle to the hatchet above my brow, feeling hungry and nauseous at the same time (Joy! Joy!) Each time I blink its like a video camera reacquiring focus, and I know I should head back to bed, but...

My Shining moment post sure has gotten the commentators off the sidelines, I think some people (Jenni's female co-workers, and my daughter Meredith to name a few) were confused and thought that Jenni and I were fighting. Nope, not this time. Jack Nicholson movie quotes. That's all. Which begs the question...Women?
Do you think God knew what He was doing when He created woman? Huh? No s***. I really wanna know. Or do you think it was another one of His minor mistakes like tidal waves, earthquakes, FLOODS? You think women are like that? S'matter? You don't think God makes mistakes? Of course He does. We ALL make mistakes. Of course, when WE make mistakes they call it evil. When GOD makes mistakes, they call it... nature. So whaddya think? Women... a mistake... or DID HE DO IT TO US ON PURPOSE?

Daryl Van Horne, Chuck Pace © 2006
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O.K. Soup or a sandwich or something then back to slumberyard.

If you blink, you missed it. Yesterday was all work and no play. Today Chuck is a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
Jenni, let me explain something to you. Whenever you come in here and interrupt me, you're breaking my concentration. You're distracting me. And it will then take me time to get back to where I was. You understand?
Now, we're going to make a new rule. When you come in here and you hear me typing
...or whether you DON'T hear me typing, or whatever the F*** you hear me doing; when I'm in here, it means that I am working, THAT means don't come in. Now, do you think you can handle that?
Good. Now why don't you start right now and get the f*** out of here? Hm?

Have you ever thought about MY RESPONSIBILITIES?

Have ever had any SINGLE MOMENT'S THOUGHT about my responsibilities? TO MY READERS. Has it ever occured to you that I have agreed to look after the THOUGHTPUKES. Does it MATTER TO YOU AT ALL that the READERS have put their COMPLETE CONFIDENCE and TRUST in me that I have made an agreement, a CONTRACT, in which I have accepted that RESPONSIBILITY?

Well to that end I finally updated the mention meter. I've come up with some new ideas for the mention 'ho's also.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
All work and no play makes Chuck a Dull boy.
Chuck Pace © 2006
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Wednesday recap. I went to work. I went to lunch with Jenni and new mention whore Kelli. I went to the bank, got called an a**hole, by a guy who wasn't in the cue, but thought he should be next just because he was in the bank (talking to a bank officer). I went back to work. I stopped at the Chatterbox before coming home. Scott Ponting was there, I haven't seen Scott in months, I told the bank story (in greater detail and accuracy) to Scott and Jody Frick. As Scott was headed out I said, "Hey Scott great to see you ..." He says, "Great to see you too," I say you interrupted me . "Great to see you... leaving." He says, "Great to see you too, A**hole!" Rich, Scott Proctor, Brooks, Jack and Joan were there when I got there. Then Kay "Small tomatoes" Niedenthal showed up with a quart container of cherry tomatoes. I extracted three beers from Vanessa before heading across the street to get some persuasion cookies from the "Three Dog Bakery." Next I headed home, on the way I stopped at the 21st and Shadeland Starbucks where Charlie Schleicher works, she was on her lunch break, so we got to talk for about a half an hour. She'll be heading to Germany for 10 days soon, I'll be heading to work, and home, and work and home. Bowling leagues start next month. So there's that, and in three weeks Rich, John "Big Daddy" Qualkenbush and I will be heading to Bristol for the Night Nascar race, and the hardest ticket to get in all of Sportdom. I'm going to try to "post my thoughtpukes" from the road then.
So after my visit with Charlie last night I headed nowhere more spectacular than home, and nowhere better than into my Jenni's arms. Believe me that is enough for me.
When I got there she was taking to Garth in Bangalore and setting up the XM satellite radio she purchased on her morning run to Sam's Club. Tweek was so moved by the XM purchase he started doing some Funky Feline break dancing on the box. The daylight faded, we watched Nightmares and Dreamscapes on TNT-HD, then off to the Cricket concerto, and less than perfect sleep, but too late to take a melatonin or Tylenol PM, else I be a drowsy dope all day, instead of an alert dope.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Game, Set and Match.

Chuck Pace © 2006
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Hey! It's a camera (MUG), I need a camera! Chuck Pace ©2006
Sometimes the cure can kill you. This is a simple and so often truism, not a damning appraisal of Robert Smith's music, which I happen to love. No, I'm talking about the lawn mower, which I wrestled with the other day. There was the initial problem on Sunday, after refilling the tank when it ran out of gas it would not restart. I did the obvious fixes then, the spark plug, the fuel filter but still it would start, fire a couple times and die. Sunday I cleaned out the fuel filter quickly, without draining the tank of the gas I'd just added, last night I did a thorough job, put the thing at waist level on it sides, drained the fuel into a bucket, and disassembled the entire respiration system. Two things became instantly apparent. One there was water or some other contaminant in the gas. Two, the throttle linkage was sticking and needed lubing. Those things handled, I went to Speedway and bought two gallons of fuel (after dumping the rest of the contaminated load into the same bucket). Back home I got the cursed beast to start, but it would only barely idle, no zoom, zoom. I adjusted the throttle settings through the one inch wide access opening behind the air cleaner and covers, still nothing. Back up on the bench, drain the "pure" gasoline and re-dissasemble the respiration/carburation area. I had knocked the spring from the throttle to the butterfly off in my previous attempt, a quick re-springing and a slow reassembly later the mower was now a mower again, and 45 minutes later I was putting it away, mow complete. Nyuk, Nyuk. Hey Moe!

That was all after a full day of work, which started out great and ended up like a full day of work, the highlight turned out to be going to lunch with Jenni and her coworker Kelli LaFara at the Slippery Noodle. The talk was of work and since I sell cameras, of cameras, Kelli said, "Say I wanted to buy a new camera?" Jenni and I piped up, in unison, "I wanted to buy a new camera." Soon I had picked out the camera for Kelli, showed her mine (yep, right in front of Jenni, Yank Rochelle, God and everybody), told here that hers was even nicer, though smaller (I would hope to tell ya) and upon returning to Roberts from the "Noodle" consummated the deal. I think she was more excited by the camera than by her Jem and the Holograms t-shirt, and Kraft Mac and Cheese is no longer the Cheesiest, just look at the photo proof.
"How can I ever repay you?"
"All in a days work miss, I'm a camera salesman, it's what I do!" (cue music, fade out)
Chuck Pace © 2006
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Closer than this? Sure, They wouldn't sting the Media, Right?
Chuck Pace ©2006

I usually take a few photos every day, I took only two photos last night, one of Travis and Mel, and another of Ben Murray, which I will probably use later. Over my days off last week and the weekend I did get a few "big game " insect shots, including the wasp shots here featured. Every day while photo hunting, I invite more of my oriental insect pals to the pool, and get a few less takers. Maybe not the great host I think I am. Who know?

Last night the Chatterbox was a veritable who's who of mention meter spectres. At one point there were 23 people in the Tavern and I could name 21 of them (o.k., I could have named the other two, but they wouldn't have answered to it). Travis called Liz, found out she was going to be working late (what?), so he got to stay and socialize for a little longer than of late. We were going along in regular social mode, Jack and Joan had left and has Richard Plath. Brooks and Jeannie had popped in and out like that famous ground hog, and Brooks' shadow fell on me so I have six more months of bad puns! Damn! John David called just before 6:30, arrived just after 7:15, we almost never see JD, so I of course bought his first wheat soda. Soon it was decide that we were empty vessels, and a trip to Bazbeaux's would void the emptiness well. Rich asked JD if he was coming too, he said his new roommate and girlfriend Cyn was probably already making dinner, called home and after some miner negotiations was able to persuade Cyn to join us at Bazbeaux's. Scott Proctor, Rich, John David and Cyn, Mel and Jenni were arranged clockwise around the tables with me at the head. We invited Kay and Travis, but they seem to have a little more sense than the rest of us, or lives, or just stuff to do on a Monday night. At Bazbeaux's Jenni and I had switched to soda's and the conversation went from rude to Spam and back through college drinking exercises. It was a good time, but I'm not sure Cyn is going to give JD much more rein. We barely see him now with the move, the Indians job ant the other obligations, he's more a figment of our dement already.
Well time is still doing it's thing, and I have to play by those rules (for now), so I'm off like a dirty shirt.
O.K. I couldn't wait. The Geo. B. Murray photo opp.

Ben could use a Ride to the front of the Bar please.
Chuck Pace © 2006
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