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As much as I don’t want to, I am compelled to watch Bush give tonight’s State of the Union address. I figure to make anything make sense, I need to do some drinking… so I found a couple of drinking games. Working for Change has one, but I think the ones at www.drinkinggame.us or at the Daily Cardinal are better. I’m not sure I can find three other people to watch and play with me, I sure as hell know the wife’s ears will start bleeding the second he starts to talk. Oh well, I guess it’ll be just me and my beer tonight…

I’ve always loved a good story. That’s why when the old man sitting at the table next to me at Ukrop’s leaned over today and said:

“Young man, do you enjoy history?” I instantly knew that some good stories were about to follow. We spent the next hour talking Richmond lore, from the little known fact that there are Yankee soldiers buried in Confederate uniforms underneath the 3 crosses at the corner of Glenside and Horspen, to the fact that these two houses on Elwood are completely identical, due to the fact that the father of twin sisters had to marry them off and they each wanted houses just like the other. He spoke sweetly of his late wife, until he got to the part of catching her in bed with his lawyer. “That’s when it all went downhill.” She proceeded to smoke herself to death, and last he heard, his disbarred lawyer had also gone on to “meet his maker.”
He continued his storytelling as I enjoyed my sushi, all the while not caring if he was in any way embellishing any part of these stories. I immediately drove over to glenside, and sure enough, the three crosses stand there without any markers. I drove to Carytown, and there are the two houses, a perfect mirror image of each other. I’m not sure who got more out of our short time together, an old man finding a willing ear, or me.

I told the wife about my experience, and I could sense a small amount of jealousy in her voice.
How do these things keep happening to you?

I’m not sure. I’ve been going through this whole I’m getting older stage lately. Feeling nostalgic, sentimental, wanting to soak up all the things that are going on around me. Even one of my coworkers warned me that I’m acting like a little girl. I’m carrying my camera everywhere I go, snapping pictures everywhere. Maybe God is just being nice to me. I’m not sure, but I loved having this little experience today.

I swear this is the best cd I have made in a long time. Actually, it’s the first one I’ve made since I got my mp3 player about 2 years ago. I needed something for a ride around town, and came up with this playlist:

And BTW, I downloaded the podcast from J’s Notes from his Under the Covers show- GREAT STUFF. Download it now!

Was anyone as excited as I was seeing James Frey squirm yesterday? It makes me hate him slightly less for actually coming out and admitting his untruthfulness. I’m not sure why people are still giving him support. He LIED. To millions of people. AND took their money. If he really feels all that bad about it, he should give the money back. I guess I’ll have to settle for his public humiliation. Honestly, the book was ok at best, the only reason that it was so compelling was because of what this guy was going through. In such dishonesty, he made himself bigger than all the real people that are going through addiction. I’m not sure what punishment fits the crime, but I guess a public tongue lashing from Oprah is going to have to do.

Ok… I’ve said my two cents. I’ll get off my soapbox and let it go.

Lake Anna Winery and most of the other 100+ wineries in the state face a crisis. We need you to call the General Assembly and register your support for Self-Distribution HB 1288. The phone number is: 800-889-0229.A Federal Judge has ruled that the ability of Virginia Farm Wineries to sell directly to retail outlets (stores and restaurants) is unconstitutional and has ordered that stop. This represents at least 20% of our current sales and is what makes our wines available to stores near you. We can only continue to self-distribute if the General Assembly passes a law opening the state to small, out of state wineries. The Wholesale Lobby is trying to keep us from retaining this right by insisting that we use Virginia wholesalers (distributors) or set up a “phantom” distributorship of our own with its licensing, taxes, insurance, administrative overhead, etc. HB 1288, introduced by the Virginia Wineries Association, will enable us to retain our right to self-distribute by also allowing small out of state wineries to direct-distribute into the Virginia market should they wish. In addition, they can also apply to be sold in Virginia ABC stores, which will enable ABC stores to continue be an outlet for Virginia wine. This will increase the availabity of boutique wines to our consumers as well as ensure our wines remain available in all areas of the state. Please support us by making this call. We need to get a grass roots response to overcome the financial lobbying contributions provided by the wholesalers to influence our legislators.Thank you for your action on our behalf.

Read the bill here.

Zilla has this on his site… very funny. If you have’nt seen the the SNL one, watch that one first and then watch the bonus rap battle one. Awesome stuff.

Chronicles of Narnia/Rap Battle

Seriously, click here… is this for real?? I would hide if this was my name.

And check these guys out. I’ve spent hours looking through all the stuff that they have done.

Improv Everywhere.

From their FAQ:

In August of 2001, I went out to a West Village bar with my college buddies Brandon Arnold and Jon Karpinos. On a whim we decided to pull a prank where I would pose as musician Ben Folds. Three hours later, “Ben Folds” was drinking on the house surrounded by women and his “two big fans” were thrown out of the bar for “stealing Ben Folds’ wallet”. I had always been a prankster, but this experience enlightened me as to how far a prank could be taken. As an actor new to the city, I discovered I could create my own theatre rather than waiting around for someone to give me stage time. I got tired of telling the story to friends, so I typed it up and put it on the web. Improv Everywhere was born.

Ahhhh….good stuff. Have fun!

J

Iv’e got about ten tickets to the Riverdogs Hockey game for saturday night. We wont be using them, so if anybody is interested, let me know. I’ve been to a couple of games, and they are pretty fun.

Also, The Byrd Theater (one of my favorite Richmond places) started up their midnight movies. Woohooo!!! This weekend is one of my favorites… Fight Club. Go check it out, it’s only five bucks.

From Times-Dispatch:

Riverside on the James should be rolling with upscale restaurants and entertainment later this year.
Two companies have signed leases in the development, bringing more dining and entertainment options downtown.
The development’s 15-story office building and 10-story condominium tower is located on Brown’s Island between the James River and the Haxall Canal.

Read more about it here…

So, last night started pretty well, with 40 year old virgin showing up in the mail, and take out for dinner. Our night was saddened by the news that one of the wife’s dear friends, a kindred spirit, had received news that her cancer had now spread throughout her body.
Please say a little prayer for her.