She's gone. She gave me a pen. I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen
-- Lloyd from Say Anything
::: Tower View :::
Meme for Whowho
Karrie Lyne tagged me for the 8 Things You May Not Know About Me list. Is this what it feels like when the cow gets the number attached to the ear?
This isnt anything new to anyone who really knows me. I am pretty much an open book.
1) I suffer from road rage. Well, not necessarily suffer. More like inflict it.
2) After every MS150 bicycle ride, I reward myself with something that I had always wanted to do. The first 2 were tattoos and the last one was an ear piercing.
3) My first tattoo is the Japanese Kanji for "Hero." The second is a dragon that surrounds the first. They look like they are one large tattoo.
4) At age 17, I went to party and had an extremely large amount of alcohol that night. When I woke up in my bed the next morning, I had no idea how I had gotten there. Afterwards, I didnt touch alcohol for over 10 years.
5) I used to compete in martial arts fighting. I think I would like to compete again.
6) I am an avid movie watcher, especially for Hong Kong martial art and action films.
7) I tend to be a workaholic.
8) Someone once told me that I prefer living in pain. I think they were correct in that assessment.
I wont tag anyone with this. I'm actually of the few folks that havent done this before.
**********
************************************************
I cannot explain to you
In anything I say or do
But hope the actions
Speak the words they can
************************************************
Jeff: They're onto us! They know exactly where we are!
Steve: Jeff, she's my girlfriend. She already knows where I live.
Jeff: Ex-girlfriend.
Steve: Which part of your brain thought that was a good thing to say?!
-- from Coupling
::: Tower View :::
Watch Here
I cant embed Avril Lavigne's video for When You're Gone, but its definately worth the viewing.
I found the segment of the widower touching. Guess I'm just a sentimental old sod.
**********
************************************************
I cannot explain to you
In anything I say or do
But hope the actions
Speak the words they can
************************************************
Ree: That would mean no hiking, camping, fishing, sailing, or sex.
Me: I can hear it now. "Medic! Man down! Get him up! Get him up!"
-- from a recent conversation
::: Tower View :::
Never Mess With The Guy With The Mic
Hat tip to TmCamp for this little gem. Kevin Smith rules!
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
JW: Damn man. You're playing like a madman. What have you been taking?
Me: Its the steroids.
-- from this week's soccer match
::: Tower View :::
I'm Rated What?!
Hat tip to Starfury for this little gem.
I got this for the words pain and hurt.
Fuck that. I thought I would have been rated XXX.
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
Me: Waiting to see if Geoff decides to suck the tip or not
-- from a recent conversation
::: Tower View :::
The Space Between
I didnt realize that its been over a month since I've updated this thing. Geezus, its been hectic.
My boss, Hem, had taken some time off again so I was watching the shop. And of course the first day he was gone, everything went to hell.
I've been able to ride every so often. The heat has been pretty unbearable, but still fun overall. I cant complain.
Well, I could, but whats the point of it all, hm?
At least they know how to keep cool.
**********
::: Background Noise :::
Down With The Sickness by Disturbed
Open up your hate
And let it flow into me
Get up
Come on get down with the sickness
You mother get up come on get down with the sickness
You fucker get up come on get down with the sickness
Madness has now come over me
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
Oh yeah. Thats you. Dont need anything. Dont need anyone. Just you and your stupid job selling shrimp chips.
-- Jessica from Kiss of the Dragon
::: Tower View :::
Feels Like I'm Dying Here
The cycling season has been relatively quiet these past few weeks, but just enough to make me amiss in my updates. (Well that and I'm just a lazy bastard. I need to update the archives too. I didnt realize the link up top was broken.)
I recently rode a charity event that was 61 miles thru a wind storm. It not only caused severe cramps as we battled thru it, but there were experienced riders that had to get off their bike lest be blown over a bridge.
Those of us that normally average 17mph had to fight to keep 13mph. There were times where we dropped to 9mph.
And no matter how much it hurt, you kept going. 
Then there was another charity ride that was done during what was might as well had been a monsoon.
Riding thru rain is one thing, but this downpour soaked my clothes within 5 minutes of just getting out of the Jeep. The socks were absolutely soaked before I even got my feet in the cleats.
And even then, it was a great ride. Wind and rain soaking thru to your bones. The water continuously stinging your eyes. The pain just drives you on. 
Pedal. Keep pedaling. Legs are hurting. Pedal more. Back is sore. Pedal. Just pedal.
Maybe it really is all about the suffering.
**********
::: Background Noise :::
Bleed It Out by Linkin Park
Death is rolling in every verse
Candy paint on his brand new hearse
Cant contain him
He knows he works
Fuck this hurts
I wont lie
Doesnt matter how hard I try
Half the words dont mean a thing
And I know I wont be satisfied
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
Harry: You were going to be a gymnast.
Sally: A journalist.
Harry: Right, that's what I said.
-- from When Harry Met Sally
::: Tower View :::
The Real Horror
As any man will attest to, these are the really scary movies that we see.
When Harry Met Sally
Sleepless In Seattle
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
Mothers of teenagers know why animals eat their young
-- anonymous quote
::: Tower View :::
Happy Mother's Day
Hope you mothers had a good day as well as you motherfu... errr... Anyways, Happy Mother's Day!
A Monkey Can Do Your Job
Hat tip to AlphaBunny for this little gem.
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
Yip: I havent had lunch yet. I need something big and juicy in my mouth.
Me: Well, dear, that leaves me out.
-- from a conversation at work
::: Background Noise :::
What I've Done by Linkin Park
So let mercy come
And wash away
What I've done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done
For what I've done
I'll start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I'm forgiving what I've done
This song keeps going thru my mind. It must be because I'm impatiently waiting for their new cd Minutes to Midnight to be released on Tues.
Aye, thats it.
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
Friendships are elective relationships. And they dont always last forever.
-- seen on a horrorscope
::: Tower View :::
I Got Your Humps Right Here
This is absolutely frigging brilliant! I've always loved Alanis' music, but this cover made me laugh like a madman. Enjoy!
**********
Look. An Idiot.
-- Valentine from MirrorMask
::: Tower View :::
Eternal Sunshine
I know I've put this out before, but it came to mind. Its a segment of a poem by Alexander Pope called Eloisa to Abelard.
How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd;
Labour and rest, that equal periods keep;
"Obedient slumbers that can wake and weep;"
Desires compos'd, affections ever ev'n,
Tears that delight, and sighs that waft to Heav'n.
Grace shines around her with serenest beams,
And whisp'ring angels prompt her golden dreams.
For her th' unfading rose of Eden blooms,
And wings of seraphs shed divine perfumes,
For her the Spouse prepares the bridal ring,
For her white virgins hymeneals sing,
To sounds of heav'nly harps she dies away,
And melts in visions of eternal day.
Far other dreams my erring soul employ,
Far other raptures, of unholy joy:
When at the close of each sad, sorrowing day,
Fancy restores what vengeance snatch'd away,
Then conscience sleeps, and leaving nature free,
All my loose soul unbounded springs to thee.
Oh curs'd, dear horrors of all-conscious night!
How glowing guilt exalts the keen delight!
Provoking Daemons all restraint remove,
And stir within me every source of love.
I hear thee, view thee, gaze o'er all thy charms,
And round thy phantom glue my clasping arms.
I wake — no more I hear, no more I view,
The phantom flies me, as unkind as you.
I call aloud; it hears not what I say;
I stretch my empty arms; it glides away.
To dream once more I close my willing eyes;
Ye soft illusions, dear deceits, arise!
Alas, no more — methinks we wand'ring go
Through dreary wastes, and weep each other's woe,
Where round some mould'ring tower pale ivy creeps,
And low-brow'd rocks hang nodding o'er the deeps.
Sudden you mount, you beckon from the skies;
Clouds interpose, waves roar, and winds arise.
I shriek, start up, the same sad prospect find,
And wake to all the griefs I left behind.
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
When I let her go, it felt like life itself was slipping through me fingers.
-- Constantine from Hellblazer: Rake At the Gates Of Hell
::: Tower View :::
Music In The Mind
Today's ride wasnt so bad. 64 miles of wind, sun, and insects can make for a day, but overall, nothing too damaging. Too bad the same cant be said about me singing.
On the longer rides, I have to have me music and of course, when I get to some strange point of exhaution and/or anger, I have to sing.
It forces the body to keep going and drives the mind inward to concentrate at the task on hand, even for a wee bit. Unfortunately, it just doesnt stop because the ride ended.
And so one of the songs that kept playing in my head after the ride was
Figure09 by Linkin Park
Nothing ever stops all these thoughts
And the pain attached to them
Sometimes I wonder
Why this is happening
Its like nothing I can do
Would distract me when
I think of how
I shot myself in the back again
Cause from the infinite words
I could say I
Put all pain
You gave to me on display
But didn't realize
Instead of setting it free I
Took what I hated
And made it a part of me
Never goes away
Never goes away
And now
You've become a part of me
You'll always be right here
You've become a part of me
You'll always be my fear
I can't separate
Myself from what I've done
Giving up a part of me
I've let myself become you
Hearing your name
The memories come back again
I remember when it
Started happening
I see you in every thought I had
And then
The thoughts slowly found words
Attached to them
And I knew as they escaped away
I was committing myself to them
And everyday
I regret saying those things
Cause now I see that I
Took what I hated
And made it a part of me
Never goes away
Never goes away
Get away from me!
Give me my space back
You got to just
Go!
Everything comes down
To memories of
You!
I've kept it in
But now I'm letting you
Know!
I let you go
So get away from
Me!
Give me my space back
You got to just
Go!
Everything comes down
To memories of
You!
I've kept it
But now I'm letting you
Know!
I let you go
And now
You've become a part of me
You'll always be right here
You've become a part of me
You'll always be my fear
I can't separate
Myself from what I've done
Giving up a part of me
I've let myself become you
I've let myself become you
I've let myself become
Lost inside
These thoughts of you
Giving up a part of me,
I've let myself become you
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
"Goodbye, my love." He doesnt say it. There is no room for softness. No place for weakness. Not in Sparta.
-- Dilios from 300
::: Tower View :::
Prepare For Glory!
Hat tip to Fury for this awesome cartoon originally drawn by VG Cats.
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
No. You dont ask any questions. You dont get any answers. You dont stray from the path. You dont even think about whats happening to you right now. Got it?
-- Marquis de Carabas from Neverwhere
::: Tower View :::
Neither Here Nor There
As you can probably tell from my latest series of entries, I've been watching the BBC mini-series, Neverwhere, which was originally written by Neil Gaiman, who happens to be one of my favorite authors.
I liked the story so much, I ended up with the graphic novel and paperback.
The story is about a man, Richard, who finds himself in an adventure after helping a wounded girl. As an after effect, most people dont acknowledge his very existance. It takes some effort for anyone to even see Richard despite the fact he may be right in front of them.
I always wondered what it would be like to be here, but not ever be seen. Practically invisible to everyone around you, even the ones who knew you the best.
Richard: You're looking very fine, Jessica.
Jessica: You have the advantage of me.
Richard: You're Jessica Bartram. You're a marketing executive at Stocktons. You're twenty six. Your birthday is April 23rd and in the throes of extreme passion you have a tendency to hum the Monkees song 'I'm a Believer.'
Jessica: Is this some kind of joke?
Richard: Oh, and we've been engaged for the last eighteen months.
Jessica: I rather think I'd know if I'd been engaged to someone for eighteen months, Mister...
Richard: Mayhew. Richard Mayhew. You dumped me and I don't exist anymore.
The world would certainly be a different place.
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
In that other city, there was another life. There was another door that might still be open. Here, I broke no promises. Nobody would miss me. I dont look back. I didnt need to. The world healed itself behind me. And forgot that I had ever been.
-- Richard from Neverwhere
::: Tower View :::
Spring Cleaning
I looked around and realized all the things that I let accumulate over the winter. How in the hell did I let things get this way?
There was the actual Taco Bell menu I picked up because I was getting those taco salad cravings. That had to be tossed into the trash. I dont think I'll be having those for awhile.
In a box went the toy football helmets from Boise State and Florida after their tremendous games. Football season will never be the same.
The little toy dancing hamster was put away along with all the various pictures of cemetaries, glass clocks, sunrises, sunsets, hawaiian boats, boardwalks, and gondola rides. The rave cds werent really my taste, but they were different.
Finally, I folded up the winter blanket and placed it in its spot within the box.
Then the box was stored away into the closet, far in the back reaches.
The winter seems so long ago.
**********
::: Background Noise :::
Goodbye by Night Ranger
Yet its hard
Living life on this memory-go-round
Always up
Always down
Turning round and round and round
And all this could be
Just a dream
So it seems
I was never much good at goodbye
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like.
Welcome to the layer cake son.
-- Eddie Temple from Layer Cake
::: Background Noise :::
Out The Back by Fort Minor
I'm no hero
You remember how I was
You know
All I ever did was worry
Feeling out of control
To the point where everything was going end over end
I'm spinning around in circles again
This is where you come in
All of this to explain
To you why
I had to separate myself away
From yesterday's life
Please remember
This isn't how I hoped it would be
But I had to protect you
From me
Thats why I slipped out the back
Before you knew I was there
I know you felt unprepared
But every single time I was around
I just bring you down
And I could tell that
It was time to be scared
Thats why I slipped out the back
Before you knew I was there
And I know the way I left wasnt fair
I didnt want to be around
Just to bring you down
I'm not a hero
But dont think I didnt care
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
::: Tower View :::
Hold Me
This came to mind after yesterday's tragedy at Virginia Tech.
All he wanted.
All he wanted was for someone to care about him. Someone to hold him. Someone to warm him.
Nobody would.
When we hold each other in the darkness, it doesnt make the darkness go away. The bad things are still out there. The nightmares are still walking.
When we hold each other, we feel-- not safe, but better. "Its all right," we whisper. "I'm here. I love you."
And we lie, "I'll never leave you."
Just for a moment or two, the darkness doesn't seem so bad. When we hold each other.
-- John Constantine from Hold Me. Written by Neil Gaiman.
Hold tight to your loved ones. They may be gone in that wee blink of an eye.
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
My Queen! My wife. My love.
-- King Leonidas from 300
::: Tower View :::
This is Sparta!
I know I've watched this movie abit too much. Matter of fact, I broke down and bought the hard bound copy of the graphic novel.
I had the first issue when it was first released, but didnt get a chance to get the rest of them.
So now, I've gone abit overboard. 
Ah well, at least the view is good. Heh.
**********
::: Out In The Yard :::
PvP pays tribute to 300. Gamers! Prepare for glory!
**********
::: Background Noise :::
Goodbye My Lover by James Blunt
I am a dreamer
And when i wake
You can't break my spirit
Its my dreams you take
And as you move on
Remember me
Remember us
And all we used to be
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
This is the curse of Jeff Murdoch. I've met the girl of my dreams and I cant take my trousers off.
-- Jeff from Coupling
::: Tower View :::
Vroom Vroom!
Hat tip: Fury
I'm a Ferrari 360 Modena!
You've got it all. Power, passion, precision, and style. You're sensuous, exotic, and temperamental. Sure, you're expensive and high-maintenance, but you're worth it.
"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.
**********
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
Chuck Norris uses ribbed condoms inside out so he gets the pleasure
-- from Chuck Norris Joke site
::: Tower View :::
Egg Time
Hope everyone had a good Easter. This came to mind this weekend.
That's it. I'm going to Hell.
**********
::: Background Noise :::
No Surrender by The Outfield
No surrender
Even if it's over
No surrender
Stop pretending
You never cared for me
Because I remember
Words that we shared
A promise to keep
If they meant nothing to you
Well they still mean a whole lot to me
*******************************************************
* If I should fall to rise no more,
* As many comrades did before,
* Ask the pipes and drums to play
* Over the hills and far away.
*******************************************************
The Steward
