So I'm caught up on my sleep now that the week is half over. Work hasn't been too bad so far. I've gotten some fairly large kudos from the boss on the results of a couple of my recent projects. Still, I can't wait for quiting time on Friday. My boss asked for volunteers to work saturday afternoon on a project. When he looked in my direction, I looked directly out the window.

One of my fellow supervisors, a farmer on the side, acutally owns a small coffee plantation in Costa Rica. I didn't believe it until I saw photos of her on tractors and shit like that. She brought me a pound of their coffee today. The emblem on the bag bears her family name. I can't wait to try it.

This week's guitar lesson is Pink Floyd's Money. This week I learn the basic parts, next week the solos. My housemate and his girlfriend brought three more guitars and another amp into the house yesterday afternoon. I may have to get rid of one of the living room couches to make room for guitar stands.

I feel like an idiot for not knowing this, but someone please enlighten me: Does cold beer go bad when it warms? I bought two six packs on Saturday night, and we only drank one in the hotel room because we were in the bar al night after that. The other sat and got warm because, get this, the hotel didn't have ice buckets in the rooms. I brought the beer home. Will it be any good if I recool it in the fridge, or should I just toss it?

...completely awesome! The weather was great- sunny and 82 degrees all Saturday. Johnny played his ass off that night. We sat five seats away from the stage, right in the middle, and had a perfect view. The stories were true. He did have to be led on and off stage. My son and I had a great seafood feast for dinner, and did a fair bit of drinking together. They did not allow photos or video to be taken at the show, so I have nothing to show you. I did however, get two T-shirts and his new CD. The hotel room was very nice. I've never slept on a softer bed, ever.

Mother's Day was nice. The ex, the kids and I had dinner at a great BYOB Argentine restaurant. The food was excellent, and we had a great time talking and joking around with each other. I have to say, the ex was wearing a new dress with horizontal black and white stripes that came up a good four or five inches above her knees, and she looked very, very hot. It rode way up when she crossed her legs, and I could barely keep my eyes off.

Well, I got to bed three hours late last night. I only got five hours of sleep and I am beat, so I am off to bed now. More tomorrow...  

Well, my son and I are getting ready to leave for Cape May and the Ocean Club Hotel. It's a two hour drive from here, but some nice scenery along the way. I'm really looking forward to spending some quality time with him, and to the Johnny Winter concert tonight. I'm hoping to not wake up with a birthday hangover.

Everyone have a great weekend...

When my son came home last night, he showed off what is done on his new tattoo. Now, my housemate had told me that my son was getting an eagle on his shoulder. Not totally accurate. Remember me saying that he already has the large Aztec calendar tattoo between his shoulder blades? Well, the eagle is around that, and it is huge. The eagle's head goes up his neck,the tail down the middle of his back and the wings actually wrap around the front of his shoulders. He sat for five hours and only the outlines are complete. He has to go back a couple more times for the shading and coloring. If I had to guess I would say this is about a $300-400 piece. I was knocked out. And it is very well done. Makes me feel like covering up my measly tattoos.

Work sucked tonight, even though the training session went well. I didn't really want to be there. I could not wait to get home and get the weekend started. I'm going to try real hard the next three days to not think about my boss coming back to work from vacation on Monday. Bosco was extremely glad to see me when I got home. The boys had left him here alone in the dark- they didn't leave any lights on for him. Yes, I have spoiled him.

Tomorrow during the day is errands and trout fishing.

I have to work the night shift today because I have to give some employees on that shift forklift safety training. I am turned around at thas point. I'm now so used to my 4:00 a.m. shift, I couldn't sleep in this morning. I kept waking up. I'm having my first cup of coffee now, and I would have usually had three or four by now. And it's two hours past my normal lunch time. Once second shift dinner time comes around this evening, it will be my normal bed time. I'll get off (work) at 10:00, and will probably be dead tired driving home.

Bosco is hiding from me this morning. He does not want to take his Benedryl, and is holed up behind the couch. I can't get him out. He got wise to the pill in the cheese trick, and now goes running any time he hears the door to the fridge open. His allergies are clearing up, so I want to keep the treatment going steadily.

Well, time to get ready to leave the house. Everyone have a great afternoon and evening.

I had another crown fall out of my mouth. That will now bring my total dental investment for the year so far to $800. I won't complain though, since I have been playing gear whore lately with guitars and such. In fact I had just invested another $133 in a new pedal board that I probably really don't need.

All friends have turned me down on the weekend concert deal, so my son will be going with me. This should be interesting. It's been a year since we did anything together that involved partying and alcohol. I'm looking very forward to it. To make it even better, I took Friday off work to just hang out. And drink. And I still have 16 vacation days left- over three weeks!

The new tattoo on my wrist has been peeling and itching all week. I'll be glad when it's all healed up. The one on my arm isn't doing it. Neither did my last one. I'm told by real veterans that it's because there was so much filling-in on it, and because of where it's located.

Speaking of my son and tattoos, he is off getting a new one right now. He already has the Aztec calendar on his back between his shoulder blades. It's very intricate, and was a six hour sitting. This new one is supposed to be some kind of an eagle on his shoulder. My housemate says he's sen a picture of the artwork and it looks like the nazi eagle holding the swastika. I surely hope to hell he's wrong about that.

I scheduled my summer vacation this week. I'll be going back to Ohio July 14-28. I can't wait.  We already have planned another fishing trip to Lake Erie, and some camping at a lake at a state park. The state fair may be on then, too. I have to check. That's always a good time, especially the bier garten.

Well, I'm off to practice guitar for a couple of hours. More later...

So my birthday is next Sunday, and for a gift the kids and the ex got me a special package: One night in a resort hotel on the shore at Cape May with an ocean view, AND two tickets to see a Johnny Winter concert being held in the hotel's lounge! The concert is limited to 50 people, so I will have a nice close view, I would imagine. Johnny is kind of old now, and from what I hear he is legally blind and has to be carried on to the stage. I'll bet that he is still a killer guitarist, though. Now to find someone to go with me. I asked a close friend to go, and am awaiting an answer.

I now think I have an answer to my issue of having a hard time falling asleep while it is daylight out. I saw my psychiatrist today and he told me to get melatonin at the pharmacy. I'm trying it in a few minutes here. I am hopeful for good results.

After over a week of frustration, I finally figured out how to do the "impossible" chord moves on the guitar that my teacher has me trying to do, thanks to my housemate. He simply had me move my hand position and tuck my elbow in, and that was it. I suddenly could do it. This made my week. I'm so easy to please.