Is the grass really greener?

It just takes a little perspective...

TBG

There's a good reason there isn't an "I" in team...

TBG, Lone Wolf-

Signs of the Apocalypse - February 29

I should hope so!

After All-Star...Augusta.

I departed New Orleans none the worse for wear...
As a matter of fact, I got out at about 4:00AM on Sunday morning heading for Augusta.
I had a meeting at A Nice Golf Course there, tinkering about with Laser Beams and reflective prisms.


Eddie and Brian giving the Geodimeter a workout.

The guys from the PGA Tour were there and I absorbed all the info I could about PGA Tour's Laser equipment and how to configure the little monsters.


Amen Corner
It will look completely different by the first week of April.

Jingalls was on his way up to work on a screen projector so I offered to stay behind and help him. He and Jon VDW arrived just in time for Happy Hour at Hooters.

Jim was happy...

Can't you tell?

Dinner at Rinehart's... Mmmm. Shrimp and Oysters.

This was a bit odd...

This was just going on way too long...
It was more than just a "Glad to see you could make it" smooch.
This was more of a "Come over here by the jukebox where our boyfriends can't see us for just a minute and let me give you a proper hello."

Family establishment, my aching, dying ass.

Since we only had drinks at Hooters on Monday night, it was only fitting that we should go there on Tuesday for the Double Punch Lunch...


Jon, Belle and Jimbo.

Good times, good times.

TBG out-

Did you ever wonder....

Life - In a nutshell.

Play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play,
play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play,
play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play, school, play,
school, play, school, play, school, play, school, play, school,
school, school, school, school, school, school, school, school,
school, school, school, school, school, school, school, school,
school, school, school, school, school, first love, brief happiness,
break up, regret, school, school, school, school, school, school,
school, school, school, school, school, school, school, school,
school, play, work, play, work, play, work, play, work, work, work,
idealism, effort, rejection, failure, work, work, work, effort, failure,
compromise, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
commitment, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, play,
retire, play, die.

Haiku

Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense.
Refrigerator.

TBG out-

Quote of the Night

Whilst drinking at Rhinehart's in Augusta...

Girl drinking really heavily at bar:
She got offended because another (more drunker) girl was flashing her tits at Jingles...

"Hey...this is a family establishment!"

Jon VdW:
"Yeah, the Manson family."

TBG, looking forward to chocolate chip pancakes.

Quote of the Day

During the judging for the Slam-Dunk contest here at All Star weekend, Daryl Dawkins said
"He's got Power and Imagistration..." as he spoke about Dwight Howard...

We were laughing our asses off, but Natasha C was analyzing the etymology of the term Dawkins used...
"'Imagistration'? Does that mean he was thinking about rubbing one out?"

Wow.

TBG, phoning Webster's...

Pop Quiz - Orgasms

During beers & other beverages the following question came up...

Misc NBA Guy: "If she’s had five glasses of wine, and you’ve had six beers, who’s going to reach orgasm first?"

Other Misc NBA Guy: "Who cares?"

Scary, huh?

---------------------------------------

Gist of the conversation:
Where was it ever said that it is the man’s responsibility to see that the woman achieves orgasm? Most likely this concept comes from women’s studies departments always eager to prove that men stink in every area.
Absolute truth? It’s HER job to have her orgasm and it’s mine to have mine.

I just didn't know what to say...so I told the joke that should obviously follow this conversation...

Q: Why do women fake orgasms?
A: Because they think men care.

TBG out-

The Rules

Your bag can't be bigger than 8 1/2 x 11", and don't plan on getting your Uzi back....

Quote of the Day

"The equipment isn't lost...
We just don't know where it is."

- Bill L, NBA All Star Weekend, NOLA

New Orleans - Wednesday Night

But first...

You have to admire this TV Truck Technician's organizational acumen...


Truth in labeling.

Crawfish Quest...

Last time I was here I missed out on getting my teeth on some crawfish. I wasn't going to let it happen again...

I wound up over on the West End, basically because anything in the Quarter is going to be overpriced; I went over to the Lakefront to one of the baitshop/boat rental/seafood market places to get some redbugs.

I sat at the bar and ordered 2 pounds of tasty arthropods...


Can't you just smell the cayenne?


Suck the head, pinch the tail...
Just like back in high school.

They were so good that, glutton that I am, I ordered 2 more pounds as a langinappe.

I hunted up Bill L after returning from the slaughter in Bucktown...
I was reeking of boil spices and crawfish guts as we wandered down to the Cafe du Monde for a warm beverage (its been in the 40s here) and a little dessert.

Beginets and chicory coffee. Yum!

Mmmm... Square donuts and powdered sugar.

Wonder what we'll do tonight... I hear there is a Rodizio down on Iberville.
This can only end in tears.

TBG out-

How the fight started...

- from AnnaMarie

I rear-ended a car this morning.
So there we are, alongside the road and slowly the driver gets out of the car
...and you know how you just-get-sooo-stressed and life-stuff seems to get funny?

Yeah, well, I could NOT believe it . . . he was a DWARF! He storms over to my car, looks up at me and says, "I AM NOT HAPPY!"

So, I look down at him and say, "Well, which one are you then?"

...and that's when the fight started...

NBA All Star Weekend - New Orleans

-or-

It's not Rocket Surgery...

We've been installing several miles of cables for our normal stats and clock feeds here in New Orleans for the NBA's All Star game... This year we're in New Orleans...
If you want to look back on last year's trip-to-hell, click here.

This year has been fun...

First- getting here... I had 4 equipment cases (laptops, modems, cables, etc) to drag along so I figured I'd save a little dough on excess baggage and airfare and drive over here from Jacksonville...
Wow. 10 hours behind the wheel, listening to podcasts and dodging deer & possums on I-10 across North Florida.

But... I made it.

Loads of fun here so far. It rained all day on Tuesday- It put us a little behind, but Bill L. and I got the arena TV truck compound cables run and tested before end of day today.
During the rain yesterday we hit the cabling for the Jam Session at the convention center and got that squared away, so we actually did OK.

Just a few pics of the going-on here in New Orleans...

John R working on some unique new server installed in the IT Trailer...


Tweaking the flux capacitor on the new server.

Testing the output

"Of course it works! The NBA IT Staff can install anything."

----

Elsewhere in New Orleans...

Signs of the Apocalypse

Two for $150...
Do that include installation?

----


Sadness.

I has it.



Yup. It's closed.

So sad.

----

TBG out-

New Business - The PC and her Beau

-or-

New Business- Same Old Business


In as much as I had a weekend off at home this month, The Perfect Child and I went up the range to shoot some trap on this fine Saturday.
I suggested she bring her beau, Beau, along for the trip.

In my warped and twisted mind, it doesn't hurt to demonstrate that not only do I have a large number of firearms, I am generally proficient in their use.
Hence, the comments made to said Beau during the Christmas Holiday at the neighborhood good-cheer-and-eggnog party, basically "I have a shotgun, a shovel and a big backyard, and no one will miss you" will take on a whole new gravity.


It's no "American Gothic", but I'm not Grant Wood, either.


The PC awaiting her turn to shoot as Beau lines up his shot.


Another clay pigeon bites the dust.

They did OK...
He won the competition... He hit 13, and she only got 12...
(...or was she sandbagging? Hmmm...)

Me? 24 for 25, just for the record.

TBG, making a point.

Old Business - New Camera

Hey Boss... What is that? A new camera?
Is that the new Canon XTi DSLR? Nice.

Don't let this one get stolen.

TBG, enjoying the new camera...

Old Business - DanO's Wedding.

(I know, it's about damn time...)

"...Anita, put your left hand there on the table. Good.
Dan, you put your left hand there on top of hers...Nice.
Ah..so romantic. See how the rings sparkle in juxtaposition with each other in the candlelight. Beautiful.
Now... Dan... As you look at your hand covering hers, I want you to realize something...

This is the last time your will have the upper hand in this relationship."
-- Chris, DanO's Best Man, as part of his toast to the happy couple.

Quite a time was had at DanO's wedding- held in lovely Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey.


For instance...

As the bride made her rounds...

Anita addressing the NHL contingent including Peter D, Pat P's wife- Suzanne, Pat P and Luc.

The Groomsmen were getting ready to augment the Groom's blood alcohol level...

"Shots for everyone!"


"...and here's your's, Dano."

A lovely selection of cigars were on hand...

Rallis and Luc enjoying the Fuente Cuba Coronas

Lo and Behold- Yours Truly in Tie and Braces!
(Hereafter known as the Miracle in New Jersey)

Luc and YT burning one...

Cigars- they're not just for guys any more...

Trecia and Nicci...
Dangerously close to one another.


More of The Girls enjoying the Stogies...

Once the festivities at the reception ran out, we all adjourned to the bar at the Sheraton in Eatontown...


Rallis giving DanO some tips on a happy marriage...
Or maybe just discussing the qualities of good Scotch in plastic cups.


The last thing I remember before retiring was Dan & Anita singing something from the soundtrack from Grease...

I overheard someone during the reception utter the Phrase of the Weekend...

"It's about damn time they tied the knot!"

Hear hear!

TBG, out-

Hmmm. I might be wrong...

... This proof is irrefutable...


Maybe there is something to this Global Warming thing.

Quote of the Night

Nicci: "Don't put that in my mouth without some Grand Mariner...."

Oh. My.

Dano & Anita

Genties and Ladlemen, I present to you

Mr & Mrs Dan O'Neill



Everyone congratulate the happy couple!

TBG- out-