BennyEast.Com/Blog The official blog of Kenny West

29May/160

Neighbor Favor

Yesterday morning I woke up to my neighbor mowing my lawn with his riding mower.  I didn't ask him... He just kind of did it.

See, I've been using a reel mower which is just a manual push mower.  It's a struggle if the grass gets too high.  If you keep up with it, it's fine.  But if it grows too fast and it rains too much... Which we had recently... It's just impossible to keep on top of it.  I only JUST found the weed wacker in the garage which would have helped, and will help going forward.

See, the past few years the lawn has been mowed by my mom's high-school friend at a discounted rate.  Well... He couldn't mow it anymore because we were the only client in the area and it really just wasn't worth his time/effort because landscapers like to have multiple clients in the same area from what I understand.  If there's only one person and it's a good half hour drive, it's almost not worth the gas money to drive the equipment all the way there just for a single mow.  I understand that.  Makes complete sense.

So the gas mower we had was trashed years ago and I bought a little eco friendly push mower.  I actually used to take care of the lawn years ago in the 08/09 ish years before the landscaper person took over.  I knew it was a lot of mowing but I knew I could stay on top of it.  I just wasn't prepared for it.  It takes some getting used to and as well it's a work out.... So you really have to build up the muscles and stamina.

Anyways, he just did the whole lawn.  I thanked him and told him I would get him something in return.  To which he replied "oh man you don't have to do that."  Well I did it.

I did a little more cleaning up in general of the garden beds.  I need to buy a plant to replace one that died and I also need to really trim and clean the gardens.

So I went to Penns Woods Winery and got a glass of sangria and worked on the book, I also bought my neighbor a nice bottle of wine to return the favor.

Then I went up to West Chester to meet a girl for a date.  It was ok.  Nothing exciting.  No sparks.  I then got gelato after the date... The gelato was good.

I was then walking back to my car when I heard this "girls just wanna have fun" song playing, that had come up on shuffle on my iPad while I was driving to the winery.

So, I decided to go up there.  I hung around for a while and had a beer.  Then I left and went across the street to another bar.  I sat next to a girl and we started chatting.  Then her friend next to her, it turns out, her dad was the DJ across the street that was playing the song.

I thought that was funny.  Well so then we all left after the band that was playing at the current bar because they invited me to come to Pita Pit with them.

Well... She ended up buying us all Pita Pit sandwiches.  I was like wow... Thanks.  I exchanged numbers with the girl I was chatting with and went on my way.

I'm not particularly taken with her.  She seems nice.  I texted her today.  She texted back.  It's not a romantic thing.

Well anyways... Today I took the bottle of wine over to my neighbor.  He was napping so I gave it to his wife and kids.  They invited me to come to this little gathering they are having... I wanted to go... But I just never made it over.

I still need to shower.  I'll probably just make some food here.  Maybe go to the gym and up the street to Iron Hill to do some more writing and then probably to the store after to do some shopping.  Then back home here to head to bed.  Oh the exciting life I lead.  Everyone is off getting married and having kids... and I don't know... I'm just here... Not sure exactly what my next step in life is.  I think once the bigger money starts coming in...

I'll just start using that to make bigger trades and then when I really start making the big big money from trading and such... I'll travel a lot.  I'll just kind of really start sprucing up this house... Buy new things and do renovations.  Then I'll eventually sell the house.... Move somewhere new.  Just really kind of try to make bigger and better trades so that I can get my income above and beyond the 6 figure point. Then I'll just kind of see where that takes me in life.  Maybe I'll meet the love of my life down the road and end up doing that kids and marriage thing some day too.  For now... I don't know, I just can't seem to go on a date that really... Grabs me like I've had happen in the past.

Just waiting for that to happen again.  For now... I just kind of do random things like go out in West Chester, or go to the Winery and write.  Or give bottles of wine to repay friends favors.  Just go on first dates.  Always another first date it seems.  But when you're single... That's what you do.  You go on first dates until something finally clicks.

 

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27May/160

Vision Board

Tonight I went to yoga on the roof of Whole Foods.  It was nice.  Did an hour of yoga.  Hung out with the yoga peoples... Had a couple beers, talked about things, ate a taco and chips and guac.

One of the topics of conversation was...

Something called a vision board.  What's a vision board I asked.

I soon found out that it's a board you have, somewhere visible in your home.  Preferably you see it when you first walk in, and right before you leave.  It will have your goals.  It will have your visions, for life.  It will have things you want to accomplish.  Things you want to achieve.  It's filled with all of the big milestones in life that you'd like to get to.

How is it made?

It's pretty simple.  Any way you want to make it.  Most of their vision boards were more permanent.  You start one, you cut out things from old magazines.  You just make things, like craft.  Or you just kind of... Glue anything to the board that represents your milestones you have achieved or want to.

Or, alternatively you can also make it less permanent.  So instead of cutting things out of magazines or that sort of thing and gluing them to a poster board, you can use a cork board and pin things.  Then move them around, and take things down and add new things.

Here's a quick link of how to make a vision board:

http://makeavisionboard.com/what-is-a-vision-board/

"A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goal. Literally, a vision board is any sort of board on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life."

So... It's a good way to focus on what you really want to focus on in life.  It's quick and easy to make and it can really help.  Everyone tonight that has made one claimed that they love having it and it has really made it a lot easier to be reminded of those big goals and dreams in their own lives every time they come home from the buzz of every day life into the quietness of their home and each time they leave and head back out into the world.

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27May/160

1PM Fridays

Today was the first of the 1pm Fridays at work.  In the summer time, from May through August they allow us to leave at 1pm.  It's nice to have that extra 4 hours of personal time a week.  I usually come home and do things that I have on my to-do list and just basically use that time to be productive.

Today I went out for a quick lunch with coworkers.  After lunch I went to pick up some extra strings for my guitar.  Now I'm home and starting to do things around the house.  I might head over to the rooftop yoga/happy hour event at Whole Foods that the yoga studio is coordinating, but I think I'm just going to stay in and work on the stuff I have to do.  Right now I need to mow a little more lawn, then sign some documents and return those for homeowners insurance and car insurance...

I have to also do stuff for camp.  Etc. etc.  Work on music...

There's always things to do.  Respond to messages on various dating sites.  You know.  That kind of stuff.

Speaking of dating things... SO, we're out at this place grabbing lunch, and it's basically a bar type place.  So we go in... and there are three of us in our little group, but aside from that, the bar is mostly full, but it's only guys at the bar... SO, it's just ALL guys at the bar.  I mean... ALL guys.  Because basically only guys go to bars at 1pm on a Friday to sit and drink.  Girls will sit at a table and go with their friends, which is exactly what happened.  So next in walks two girls who sit at a table... We were also sitting at a table... so they were more near where we were sitting.  Two girls in a room full of guys.  One of my coworkers is also a girl.  SO, it's ALMOST a room full of guys.

Well... they are sitting there ordering food and they have a drink a piece.  You can tell that they just wanted to go grab lunch and that they are friends/sisters/coworkers.  Something of that sort.  They ARE NOT there to pick up guys.

So what does one of the guys at the bar do?  He buys the two girls drinks.

The bartender came over and gave them the little upside down shot glass to indicate they had a drink a piece of their choice.

Now, mind you I'm listening to this class from Yale called Human Emotion.  They talk about dating behavior and romantic behaviors in bars.

Right there before my eyes, the guy did the exact thing that guys generally do when they are interested in a lady... and the ladies?

They did the exact thing when they are NOT interested even in the least.  Which they were not.  They just wanted to get lunch.  They didn't want some guy trying to woo them with drinks.

That must be kind of insulting really.  I was thinking like, it probably gets old.  All they wanted to do was go out and grab food for lunch and maybe a drink and here this guy is essentially doing the drink buying equivalent of waving his wang in their faces.

It just irked me.  Oh well.  I don't know if they actually ordered an additional drink.  Maybe they only wanted one, the drink that they had, and not an additional drink?  Maybe they were scared that the guy would follow them out to their car.  Better take the drink and thank him for it?  But why should they?  That's BS.  He basically forced himself into their lives in that moment.  If they were interested they would have gone up to him and talked to him.  You knows?   All I can say is... that crap must get old... fast.

Everywhere you go some guy is trying to get in your pants.  It's like back the heck off.

I feel like maybe there should be a ring or something that girls can wear and if she's wearing the ring... You can't hit on her.  Doesn't matter if she's single, or taken... Or whatever...

Well, she has on the "I'm not interested in getting hit on" ring.  So back off bro.

That's just how I feel.  But why should women even be forced to wear a ring to indicate they aren't in the mood to have guys hit on them?  That's just ridiculous.  That's what that is.

Anyways... I'm going to get working on my to-do list of stuff.  I have off work now until Tuesday, which is pretty sweet.  The plan is to really accomplish a lot and check a lot of items off of my personal to-do list.  Woo hoo... productivity!

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26May/160

Belt

 

I'm in need of a new belt.  So, true story, I've had the same belt since high-school.  It was a belt from American Eagle.  I LOVED that belt.  It was just... it just worked with EVERYTHING.

Unfortunately earlier this year, it busted.  SO I've been using another belt, that I don't like as much.  It's just not the same.

I've kind of looked at belts here and there.  I went to various places to browse.  Nothing really "did it for me" though.

I went to Old Navy.  I went to the thrift shop.  I went to other places.  Nothing jumped out.  I might just buy one and see how it goes.  Maybe I'll just go back to AE again?  Do they even still exist?  I feel strange being 33 and still shopping at AE.  Haha... I feel like I should be shopping at... you know, somewhere more mature... Like... I don't know, the Men's Warehouse.  The problem with the Men's Warehouse is...

Besides the fact that I'm gonna like the way I look, as the commercial always tells me... I'll probably walk out of there with a thousand dollar bill on my credit card.  All I needed was a belt.

So, I'm just going to maybe try a couple other places before there.  I might go to the mall and just browse a little in the mall.

I feel like there should be a store dedicated JUST to belts.  How cool would that be?

That would be awesome.  If anyone knows of a great place to buy guy belts let me know!  Just shout in my direction... Or...  I guess, you know... Belt it out.

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26May/160

A Dialogue In A Nutshell

This is a dating dialogue between two people, I've condensed about 6 months worth of dialogue. This is basically dating in a nutshell from all of my various dating attempts... This seems to be the most common scenario:

Person A: I like you!
Person B: I... Might like you back.
Person A: Oh. Okay. Well... Okay, I mean that's cool.
Person B: Wait... Maybe I do like you.
Person A: Really?
Person B: No. I don't know. I have to think about it.
Person A: Oh Jesus Christ. Well fine. YOU just let me know when you make up your mind.
Person B: Okay... I DO like you. I've made up my mind.
Person A: Are you sure? Because. I REALLY like you.
Person B: I don't know. I mean, I THINK I like you.
Person A: *Screams into a pillow and cries*
Person B: Okay. I LIKE YOU!
Person A: YAY!
Person B: Actually. Sorry, I was just drunk when I said that, REALLY really drunk. Sorry. I mean, you're cool and I enjoy your company. I just don't know if we're a good match.  I have some reservations about us.
Person A: SERIOUSLY? FOR FUCKS SAKE. SERIOUSLY? OH MY FUCKING GOD! *Screams into pillow even louder*
Person B: I think we should take a break.
Person A: You're an asshole you know that?
Person B: Wait. Okay, when I said we should take a break. I meant... I just needed a day to think about things but I DO actually have feelings for you. I miss you.
Person A: You better be for real this time because...
Person B: Sorry I was drunk again. That was just the alcohol talking. Sorry. I just think we should just be friends. Although the sex is good, I'll admit that.
Person A: FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!! I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!!
Person B: Wait. I've decided I like you!
Person A: No. I'm done. Go away.
Person B: Pleaaaaaseeeeee... I want you back!
Person A: Damn it. Fine. Let's try this one more time. But, I REALLY like you and I just can't take anymore of this back and forth bull shit...
Person B: Oh... Actually, I just met someone else. SO I'm going to see where things go with that person.
Person A: I hope you die a horrible death and suffer for a long time before you die... and that you get run over by a bus, but just the feet first, then they back up over your legs. Then no one calls 911 for hours while you lie there in pain in the street as people throw trash on you and feral cats pee on you, and dogs not on leashes poop on you.
Person B: Ouch.

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25May/160

Played A Show!

On Monday night I played a show!  It was actually a lot of fun.  I think it went over pretty well.  This was my first show in... a LONG while.  Yes, I've played open mics... But I haven't played a real deal show in some time.

The show was at The Pickering Creek Inn.  I went on around 10 pm or so.  It was maybe closer to 10:15 when I actually started.  It was just a little acoustic show.  Lots of fun!  I said that.  I know.  But IT WAS!  I had a small half hour set along with a whole slew of other acts, some were musical in nature, others were comedic in nature.

I had a grand total of 8 songs rehearsed and ready to go.  Although, I only ended up having enough time to get to 5 of them.  But, I knew I wouldn't be able to get to all 8.  I was figuring somewhere around 7 actually with one extra song, but I wanted to have an extra song prepared just in case I was told to continue playing.  You never know!  Sometimes acts show up late, or don't show at all.  It's hit or miss sometimes.  I guess part of me was thinking I would squeeze them all in somehow.

I actually had them in a different order, but I reordered them last minute.  What order did I have them in?  I'm going to keep that a secret.  Ooooo it's a mystery.  Now you're going to wonder aren't you?

Well anyways...

SO here's my whole setlist of all 8 songs, although I only played the first 5...

  1. Wish Upon A Hero
  2. Outlaw Lover
  3. Round Here (Counting Crows cover)
  4. First Kiss
  5. Walk The Plank
  6. Can't Get You
  7. Over The Bar Scene
  8. Love Your Life

I've asked my friend Melissa that books the shows to add me to future shows.  I plan to write more music and record more music and I also plan to practice, practice, practice to try and get a much more solid live show.  I really like playing live.  I like to make the crowd laugh and interact and joke.  It's just a lot of fun.

Well, hopefully I'll be playing live music along with writing and recording on a much more regular basis in the future.  At least that's the plan.

Just kind of continue to be inspired and stick with the creative outlets and see where it all leads.  I guess we never know what's around the bend in life... and it could be something completely unexpected.  After all I couldn't have told you on January 1st of this year that I'd be playing a show at The Pickering Creek Inn... And then that happened.

That's kind of the nature of life... It just sneaks up on you and things come out of nowhere.  Keeps us all on our toes I suppose.  Well... I'm actually going to go practice some music for a little bit just to keep polished on the songs even though I don't currently have any future shows planned.  Who knows... I could have a whole bunch of show dates come at me in the next 6 month that I can't even dream will be happening at this moment.  It's always a good plan to be ready even though you don't know what you're getting ready for.  I'm sure some famous person was quoted saying that at some point somewhere in history.  If not... that can be my quote!

Be ready for things that you don't know you're supposed to be ready for.  Just be ready for them.  Because they are gonna happen.

It's kind of like a variation of... If you build it, they will come.  If you're ready... Then you'll have something to be ready for.  Actually, I like that.  Well... I'm going to go get ready for things to come.

 

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25May/160

CIRCUS! (Part 2)

{CIRCUS... PART 2}
Where were we?  Ohhh, yes...
Westley was dead.
Grandpa, grandpa, wait. Wait, what did Fezzik mean
"He's dead"? I mean, he didn't mean dead. Westley's
only faking, right?Grandfather:You want me to read this or not?Grandson: Who gets Humperdinck?Grandfather:I don't understand.Grandson: Who kills Prince Humperdinck? At the end. Somebody's
got to do it. Is it Inigo, who?Grandfather:Nobody. Nobody kills him. He lives.

Grandson: You mean he wins? Jesus, Grandpa, what did you read
me this thing for?

Grandfather:You know, you've been very sick and you're taking
this story very seriously. I think we better stop
now.

Grandson: No, I'm okay. I'm okay. Sit down. I'm all right.

Grandfather: Okay. All right. Now let's see, where were we. Ohhh,
yes. In the Pit of Despair.

Ooops.  Wrong story.
Ohhhh, yes... That's right... Sorry... The clowns....
So, yes those clowns.  They ran around doing silly things.  It was mostly a distraction while the next act setup.  I'm actually convinced that the clowns were really mostly only there as a distraction to setup between stunts and acts and what not... But you know what?
It worked.
Next up?  Acrobatic Stewardesses.  So, they kept with the whole, in-flight theme the whole time.  The stewardess ladies climbed up ropes and high into the air.  They dangled and twisted and turned and twirled and swirled all coordinated to some dance music.
Both of them were in sync with one another and the music.  That went on for quite a while.  I actually felt as though it went on a little too long.  Maybe a minute less would have been better just because the ooooo and ahhhhh effect kind of started to wear off.
It's strange how anything exciting at first... Can kind of get... Boring.
Isn't that weird?  I mean it could be SOOOOO over the top amazing... And then... All of a sudden you find yourself checking your phone.  There are people hanging by a pinky toe 100 feet in the air!  And you're just like... Hmmm... Oh look.  Someone liked my Instagram photo!
Just me?  No?  Maybe?
Well next up was a strange little comedy bit that was obviously meant for the kids.  This one comic relief guy, he was... Not really a clown.  He kind of mimicked the host/circus director guy.  I don't know what a... Ring leader.  There you go.  That's it!  See, I knew I'd think of it.
Well the ring leader had a comic relief shadow guy.  His name was the Johnny Rocket.  He had a spiked mohawk kind of thing happening.  Well this Johnny Rocket dude brought out a trombone and blasted it behind the ring leader as he was talking.
The ring leader jumped and Johnny snickered.  Then he said he wanted to play his trombone.  The ringleader and him went back and forth saying that no one wanted to hear him play his trombone.  Finally he convinced the ring leader to let him play.
As this whole thing was happening a beat up old two truck from that pixar movie "Cars" was slowly driving up behind Johnny Rocket.
Then as Johnny went to play a note on his trombone the car honked behind him.
He then said... "There's an echo!"
And everyone laughed.  Then ring leader started to get the crowd to chant... "Turn around!"  Johnny didn't get it at first.  He just played the trombone not again, and truck honk again behind him.
Finally he turned around surprised.  He went over to the truck but water squirted out of the front of the truck at him.
They then began to tussle.  The car spit fire and smoke at him.  There were various special effects.  Then somehow he slipped and was hooked by his suspenders on the tow trucks back hook.  He was lifted in the air before being brought down again.
This concluded the first act...
There was an intermission of sorts.  The intermission was where they moved all the circus equipment out of the performance floor and brought in games/rides/attractions for the kids.  This included:
An elephant ride.
Photos with a snake, or alligator, both were alive.
A moon bounce.
A super slide.
Face painting.
They were also selling toys and such...
I decided to go use wander.  I found the food venders.  I almost got a churro... because churros are awesome.  Then I almost got funnel cake... because funnel cake is awesome.  Then I almost got some other food items.
I decided on deep fried Oreos.  I've never had them.  They were good.
As the saying goes... Good, just not good for you.
After that they had prizes and 50/50 and someone won a bike.
They started the "second act" following that.  I say that in quotes because the second act was just three more things that went super quick.
First up they had... Okay, so I GUESS this is kind of impressive.  They had two guys balancing on a plank that sat on top of a rolling cylinder.  As they balanced back and forth on that they juggled various things... THEN they juggled stuff, tennis rackets, tennis balls, bowling pins.... and then sticks ON FIRE.
That's definitely not an item on my resume for sure.
There was a quick break with more clowns and such...
Then came the circus elephant.  He did lots of different tricks.  Sitting down.  Standing up.  Putting a foot out.  And a leg out.  And doing the hokey pokey.  Okay maybe not the hokey pokey but...  He almost kind of danced.  A girl rode on top of him.
Finally it was time for the human cannonball!
A guy got inside the giant cannon and they counted down.  Then he shot out of the cannon accompanied by a loud boom.... which I'm guessing was for dramatic effect.  I mean... I'm not sure exactly how the thing REALLY shoots him out of there, but I can't imagine REAL gunpowder is used.  It's probably some sort of spring loaded something or another.  I'm actually curious to know how that thing actually shoots him out and into the air.
Well, he sailed through the air across the field and landed on a giant inflatable bag... thing.  They use them in the movies whenever you watch the behind the scenes when someone is jumping off a building.  It deflates as you fall into it.
And that concluded the show.  I had fun.  They introduced the circus performers one at a time and the performers bowed.  Then everyone headed for the exit.
So... This concludes the story of my day at the circus!  I guess it wasn't a day really... It was a couple hours.  But still.  It was a good day.
RELATED INSTAGRAMS:

At some kind of circus thing where lions and tigers jump through hoops of fire. Oh my!

A photo posted by Kenny (@kennywest82) on

 

 

Human cannonball! Because it's just not a circus without one of these. A photo posted by Kenny (@kennywest82) on

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23May/160

CIRCUS! (Part 1)

I decided to break this up into two blog posts since there was a good amount of content... and it felt like it is almost too much content for one full post.  So... Here's part 1 of 2 of my day at the circus!  I'll write and post part 2 tomorrow.  Ooooooo, the suspense!  Well, you'll just have to wait for part 2.

{A QUICK BACKSTORY}

Yesterday I went to the circus randomly.  Well, it wasn't completely random, but it was definitely unexpected.

On Saturday after work I went out to grab dinner with some family friends.  My mom and this one lady know one another from WAY back in the day.  Before I was even born.  I stay at their house on the way to Maine each year in Connecticut.  Well, they gave me some tickets to this circus.  The reason they have the tickets is because they went on Saturday while I was at work.

But why the circus you ask?  Well the one daughter married a guy whose dad is associated with the circus.  I think he was actually in it as well as coordinating putting it together.  I believe he's one of the clowns.  I'm not clear if he is or not.  I know he worked to put the whole thing together, and I'll have to ask, but I believe he's one of the clowns in the show itself.  My first thought was... This was a circus in someone's backyard.  What kind of circus could possibly be in Plymouth Meeting, PA?  Also... If  family friend's dad in-law put it together... Maybe it's just like... Something he does for friends and family.  Although there were tickets.  So it had to be at least semi legit.  Well not only is it legit... But it's also a big thing they do every year to raise money for charity as well.  In fact, it's in its 75th year according to the ticket.  It's called the Lu Lu Shrine Circus.

At first I offered the tickets to some other people, people with kids because kids love the circus!  My brother and his daughter... They were busy.  Then I asked my coworker to see if he wanted to take his son.  No deal.  He wanted to work in his garden.  Then I asked a couple other friends.  No on seemed interested.  So, as the time of the show grew near, I just said... I'll just go.  What the heck right?  So, instead, I just went by myself.  I had two tickets, ended up only using one.  Initially, actually, my friend Cara had wanted to go when I asked her last minute a couple hours before the circus was to start after no one else seemed interested in taking the tickets.  Cara was with her sister and niece all the way in Delaware.  It was one those, I THINK I can make it, but lets play it by ear kind of deals.  She just wasn't going to make it back in time for the start of the circus... She was just way too far away even if she floored it the whole way on the highway.

So I went alone.

{THE CIRCUS PART ONE}

They were starting when I arrived.  There was some bit where they had fake airplane seats and the clowns were pretending to be on a plane about to take off.  They were supposed to be stowing things away and stop using oversized electronic devices but they weren't listening.  So the stewardesses had to come around and rip the stuff out of their hands.  Obviously the clowns got upset and then it turned into a big Three Stooges type of physical comedy bit.  With everyone knocking everyone in the face and what not and clowns falling down.

Following that the circus moved to the tiger cage directly behind the inflight Three Stooges act.

The lions and tigers (I'm fairly certain there were both, although I'm no lions and tigers expert so other than what I know from The Lion King, so it could have just been lions, or just tigers, there were no bears though!  I know that for sure.).

The one liger, we'll just call them ligers, jumped through a hoop.  Not just any hoop.  It was a hoop on fire.  So, that was neat.  There was a second liger that did a whole "I'm super lazy" act as well.  He would just flop down on the floor instead of jumping over an object.  Then the trainer would have to go over to him and "yell" him.  Or, because he was too far away to hear, he just threw his hands up and then put his hands on his waist tapping his toe and then shaking a finger at him in a disapproving manner.  Then the liger would get up and do the trick before being a bad ass again and not cooperating.  Then he would do another trick and then pretend to want to go to sleep.  They had silly music that went exactly with the liger's actions.  SO obviously it was rehearsed.  The liger seemed to know exactly when each part of the song would change and he would do his next roll over on the floor thing.

After the ligers did their thing and strutted their stuff a group of acrobats came out and climbed up to some elevated hoops that were about 100 feet off the ground.  They had no safety nets and no other means or mechanism to capture the performers should they fall.  It was a nail biter for sure!

The acrobats or trapeze... It wasn't really a trapeze thing... I guess acrobats... Did their thing.  They twirled and spun around through the hoops.  They dangled by one leg and one toe and one pinky finger. They did all their death defying trick things 100 feet in the air.

Then... A guy came out with his chairs.  This was even more of a nail biter!  He was up on a platform a good 10 feet up.  Then he began to stack chairs on top of each other and climb them.  Some of them he put sideways and longways and the whole time he was wiggling to and fro.  His whole body looked like a flag pole just swaying in the wind along with the chair stack.  At one point he seemed like he was going to fall.  But he didn't fall.  He just held steady and then he began to show off and egg the crowd on to ask if he should climb even higher.  Higher and higher he climbed until he was a good 50 feet off the ground standing only on chairs stacked.  At that point I was fairly sure he was making himself wobble and making himself appear unsteady so as to cause the crowd to be anxious as to what would happen.

It's all part of the act.  Create suspense.  But he knows he can do this in his sleep.  He knows he's done this so many times, he could do this in his sleep and still pull it off without the wobbles.

After the suspense of the wobbly chair guy, a few clowns came back out again.  The clowns did a little bit where they ran around and did silly physical comedy things again just like in the beginning.  It's always good to relieve the suspense with some comedy.  Just part of the act.
Well.. This is where I'll leave part one.  I'll pick up part two tomorrow!
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23May/160

Tired Hands

Today I went to a circus... I'm working on that blog.  I also went to the Tire Hands fermentaria.  It was nice.  Tonight I'm going to blog about the fermentaria.  Tomorrow I'll blog about the circus.

Anyways... So the Tired Hands main location is nice.  I had a couple of the little 4 ounce beers.  They offer their beers in about 5 different sizes.  You can get them in little tiny 4 ounce pours so that you can sample.  I sampled 3 different ones.  I also had a taco.  All of it was pretty awesome.

I went there after the circus to work on my book.  I did a quick stop at the store to do some shopping for the week and then came home and fed cats.  Then I went over to Tired Hands.  It's a MUCH bigger space than the other location.  I really like this spot.  You can sit at a legit table, or at one of the seat yourself high tables, or at the bar.  I just sat at the bar.  I worked on my book some and chatted with the people next to me.

Actually, interestingly enough, the couple next to me is moving to Portland Maine!  That's where I'll be next month.  The guy/husband is from the Boston area and the girl/wife is from a small town in PA.  We all chatted for a while.  I basically only wrote a paragraph or so, but it was okay...  Sometimes I only get a paragraph and sometimes I get pages.  It happens.  I enjoyed getting to know these two people.

The guy, it turns out, went to University Of Miami.  He was telling me all about South Florida... Which I kind of know a little bit about because of when someone I used to know and myself were on talking terms when she first moved there.  But it's weird because what HE was telling me about was TOTALLY different from the story I know of from the girl that I used to know.

So her side of Miami is... Work... Rent... Apartment.  More work.  Cat time.  Hang out with her sister.  Work.  Maybe a beach day or a pool day.  More work.  Instagram stuff.  Pay more rent.  Pay bills.  More sister time.  More work.  Move apartments.  More work.  More cat Instagram photos.  It's hot.... It's really hot here.  More pool time.  Be creative and artsy.  More sister time.  Maybe go out again.  Not really wanting to be out.  More apartment time.  TV shows on Netflix.  More work... Catsagram.  Something about painting nails.  More work.  More hang out with friends/sibling/cats.

Tonight... HIS side of telling me about Miami?

HOLY CRAP DUDE!  IT'S CRAZY!!!!! EVERYONE IS RICH!  EVERYONE IS A MILLIONAIRE/BILLIONAIRE.  NO ONE HAS LESS THAN A MILLION IN THE BANK!

Me: No way.

WAYYYYY!!!!! MIAMI IS LIKE... HOT CARS. EVERYONE DRIVES A PORSCHE.  OR A BENZ.  OR A BEAMER.

Me: That's crazy.

BRO IT'S SOOOO CRAZY.  THEY ALL PARTY ON SOUTH BEACH.

Me: Really?

MILLIOARES ON SOUTH BEACH.  EVERYONE HAS A YACHT AND A LUXURY CAR.  AND A MANSION.

Me:  I don't know if everyone has...

EVERYONE!!!!!  I WAS ROOMMATES WITH A GUY THAT HAS HIS OWN ISLAND!!!!

Me: Uh huh.  You know, I used to know a girl that moved to that Miami area...

NO ONE WORKS!  EVERYONE IS RICH.  THEY ALL PARTY ALL THE TIME.  EVERYONE JUST WEARS BEACH CLOTHES AND FLIPFLOPS EVERYWHERE.

Me: Mhmmmm.  Okay I believe the flip-flops part.  Although, I know for a fact that it does get cold enough to wear a sweatshirt sometimes.  Also... If everyone is a millionaire rich person...

EVERYONE BRO!  FLIP FLOPS AND MONEY!!!!!!!  MONEY AND FLIP FLOPS!!!!  HOT WEATHER!  BEACH.  FAST CARS.  IT'S CRAAAAAAAAAZY.  BUT I WOULDN'T MOVE BACK.

Me: Wait.  What?  If you liked is so much and you love the hot weather why are you move to Portland Maine.

BECAUSE IT'S CRAAAAAAAZY!  EVERYONE IS CRAAAAZY!

Me: Okay.  Let me get this straight.  It's awesome.

YES... SOOOOOO AWESOME!

Me: Right.  And you love it.

OH MY FREAKING GOD.  I HAD THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE DOWN THERE.

Me: I see... Best time of your life....

SOOOOOO GOOD.

Me: But you wouldn't move back.

HELL TO THE NO.

Me: I'm not following.

IT'S CRAZY DUDE!  EVERYONE IS RICH AND FAST CARS AND IT'S HOT.

Me: Yeah, you said that already.

LOVE IT!

Me: You said that too.

WOULDN'T MOVE BACK.

Me:  Riiiiiiight.  So... You're moving to Portland Maine.

WE'RE JUST READY FOR A DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE.  SETTLE DOWN... KIDS.  YOU KNOW?

Me: Not really.  I'm single.

DUDE!  YOU SHOULD TOTALLY MOVE TO MIAMI!  IF YOU'RE SINGLE YOU SHOULD MOVE THERE!!!!!

Me: Thanks but... I'm good.

We talked for a while longer about Portland.

So anyways, I enjoyed Tired Hands.  I'll definitely go back.  The conversation was interesting at least.  I got a paragraph written in my book and I learned that everyone in Miami is a millionaire/billionaire and they all drive expensive cars.

And that it's crazy.  I'm still unclear what exactly this means.  Just that it's crazy.  Which seems to be good if you are single, but bad if you want to settle down and start a family.

So... There ya go.

All in all it was an interesting day/night.  I'll be sure to recap the circus in an upcoming blog.  For now, I'm gonna head to sleep since I have to get up early to take my car dealer once again.  They ordered the wrong part the last time I was there.  So... I'm back again tomorrow.  Although the good news is that something they were going to charge me for, they aren't going to charge for anymore.  So that's cool.  Anyways... Good night.

And remember: Everyone in Miami has a mansion, drives a luxury car, owns a yacht and is rich.  And it's crazy.  Which is a good and bad thing at the same time.  It's a reason to move there, and never to move back.

I'm thoroughly confused.  Although, I'm fairly certain most people work jobs, and pay rent, and drive regular cars, and have never set foot on a yacht and that living in Miami is the same as living anywhere else.  You go to the store.  You come home.  You to go work.  You cook food for dinner on the stove.  You watch TV.  Etc. etc.

I think it's just that college is crazy.  And that he happened to have gone to Miami for college.  So... I'll just assume that was it.  And that craziness of college is what he was recollecting this evening.

But who knows, Miami could be exactly as he tells it.  It's a place to move if you are single... Then when you want kids... You get the heck out of there.  Honestly, I've never lived there.  So I have no clue.

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21May/160

The Jubilee Theatre

Today I'm working the Saturday Shift at work.  It's not a bad shift.  It's usually good for getting additional work, or catch up work done since things are slower on Saturdays.  Sometimes they can be quite hoppin' though!  It really all depends on what events are happening.  Tonight is a fundraiser gala.  So I have to stay an extra hour until another guy gets here to take over with that.

It's an event they throw each year to raise money.  It's an institutional advancement thing.  Colleges are interesting as far as how the money comes in.  Not all of it comes from tuition.  Actually a good amount of money for things comes from other sources.  Tuition is generally just one slice of the whole pie.  A lot of people think that the cash from tuition covers the operating costs... That's not so.  It doesn't quite work like Starbucks... Where Starbucks sells coffee and that covers their costs.  Although, Starbucks as well now sells coffee in all kinds of sneaky ways and doesn't just make money from that iced drink you order when you stop in at one of their friendly locations.  They have their name ALL over the place now.  Revenue can come from some very unexpected places in any business or organization.

From the investment research I've done over the years... I've found that colleges aren't the only ones that do this.  As I mentioned with Starbucks, companies sometimes make money from sources that you wouldn't think.  Amazon and Apple along with Google make money from 100s of different sources of revenue.  It's kind of crazy.  I don't know how they honestly keep track of it all.  Although, Google loses money in a lot of places too.  Or Alphabet as they liked to be called now-a-days.  But the ventures that they lose money on are more along the lines of research and development or they are just trying out a new thing to see if it takes off.  If it doesn't generate revenue eventually, they cancel the project.

Any organization can diversify into something else.  Heck, any person can do this too!  Something that could start as a side project could begin to really take off as far as revenue.  Then you can make the decision to hop to that instead.  So, I trade stocks on the side and make music.  Right now my stocks are poised to hit just above the 1k mark in income for me for the year.  Obviously my paycheck from working in the IT field is greater than that... So I won't hop over to trading full time just yet.  Or, I might not ever do that.  But theatrically if my paycheck from trading stocks were greater than the IT pay... I could switch and do that full time.  I'm also making  about 10 bucks a month from music sales.  Who knows... Maybe that will continue to climb and one day I'll hop over to that instead.  Or I can do both as I'm doing now.  And then just keep starting new projects and see what takes off and then  cancel the things that don't.  Just as Google does.

So, anyways this gala is another source of income that makes up the total pie.  I just like finances I suppose.  I enjoy budgets and cash flows and knowing where money is coming in and going out.  It's from all of the time I've spent doing investment research for my own stocks I think... Although even from my first Financial and Managerial Accounting classes in college, I just ate that stuff up!  I was all like...

"THIS IS SO NEAT!"  And everyone else was like...
"Um... Seriously bro?  This is a snoozer.  I'm just trying to pull at least a C in this class and be done with it."  And I was like...
"Yeah.  I think it's cool."

So... yep.

Well anyways I'm working on this rainy Saturday.  It's raining again.  Or about to rain, no, it's already raining.  I've been trying to keep up with my lawn mowing... But this rain is making it difficult.  I'll keep at it though.  I just do a little here and a little there.  Just keep cutting away at the grass as it continues to try and grow and grow.  It's a never ending battle.

Again, ANYWAYS, Saturday work.  I've now been writing this post for a good 2 hours.  I'm just typing and sending emails between tabbing back over to write more blog post here, then back to more work emails, then more blog post...

You're probably saying to yourself, the post name has nothing to do with the content of this post.  That's true.  Let me explain about the post name.  So my post name comes from a random Wikipedia article.  Every morning when I get to work, I load up a random Wikipedia article.  You can get to the random Wikipedia article by clicking "Random article" just under "Current events" but just above "Donate to Wikipedia".  It's one of my favorite things.  I love random generation.  Random stuff is great.

I know I'm strange/nerdy... Oh well.  Whatever.  I like my random daily Wikipedia article!  Today's article was the Jubilee Theatre.  At first I thought it fit in with the theme of the whole gala thing happening today.

The Jubilee Theatre.  That sounds fancy I said to myself.  That sounds like... Ritzy sophisticated ultra wealthy hob nob gala people raising money for a good cause.

But it's not what it seems.  The article explains that the theater was built for patients at a hospital.

"The Jubilee Theatre, is a grade II listed building theatre. It opened in 1899 in St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, England."

So it seems it's more of a somber tone type of article... it was for entertainment for the hospital patients.

The daily random Wikipedia thing is something that I've done for a long time.  Although, I'll admit I sometimes check more than daily, you got me.  Sometimes I read random articles multiple times a day.  Just to spur my mind and get me thinking.  My other favorite thing to do is to load up 5 random articles in a row and then use those 5 articles to build a short story on the fly.  Sometimes you get some REALLY interesting stuff to work with.  Sometimes it's tough.  Sometimes the articles are just not great, and super dull... But, I say, that just makes it more challenging.  SO... Sometimes I'll ask for a new "hand", so to speak, and load up 5 new ones.  Or, I can toss out one article and refresh it with a new random one.  Let's see... I'll load up 5 new random Wikipedia articles now...  Here we go... What kind of story would you make with the following...

  1. 1940 Venezuelan Primera División season
  2. Hicks Mill, Caroline County, Virginia
  3. Bob Stanley (musician)
  4. Tabaxi
  5. Tobu 500 series

Now my random Wikipedia article short story rules include... You can use just the title or the whole article and any part of it in any way that fits into the story.  As well the word can be use in a new way that has nothing to do with the original meaning.  So for example a story could start out...

Tobu and Tabaxi sat in the back of the taxi waiting for the light to change.  "Come on already!"  The cabbie shouted, in his native tongue, from the front of the vehicle.  The year was 1940.  Tobu and Tabaxi suddenly found themselves traveling to Venezuela on last minute detail.  Their previous assignment had them all the way deep in the the hills of Hicks Mill, Caroline County, Virginia.  Venezuela was most certainly vastly different from Virginia.  The only information they had received was a small business card.  A musician by the name of Stanley would be waiting for them when they arrived.

In that example the story has to include something from each one of the 5 articles.

Let's see what you can come up with!  Try your own 5 random Wikipedia articles to make a scene or short story... Or here's 5 more just for kicks...

  1. Qincheng Prison
  2. Uzma Khan
  3. National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2014
  4. Prachuap Bay
  5. Coláiste Pobail Acla

 

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