Now Appearing in an Extended Engagement! Join Dave Robison as he takes you into his world and his daily life of reviving a stand-up comedy career. Prepare for side trips exploring Public Relations, marketing and business ethics. Enjoy some frequent detours describing his observations on life. Read the exploits of this self-proclaimed Renaissance-man and blooming blogger as you go
On The Road With Dave.
About Me
Name: Dave Robison
Location: Mobile, Alabama, United States
From Mobile, Alabama comes Dave Robison, a confessed Internet-aholic, middle-aged-married-man, who's generally a nice guy--he just has one or two issues.
Stand-Up Comedy by Dave Robison is available for corporate events, college campuses, and nightclubs.
I was checking my email Saturday night and I checked on one of my Google Alert emails on the topic of ventriloquism. In case you didn't know you can set up Alerts with Google and they will email you a list of links for the day of websites mentioning your topic.
In the email, I discovered Mark Betcher's blog, "Art Work by Manic Mark". Manic Mark collects old vinyl LP Albums in the niche market of private labels, vanity press, and self-produced albums. Not only does he find the recordings and the production of the albums of value, but also the accompanying album covers and artwork.
Mark explains,
"About vinyl collecting and my reviews. Producing a record for most artists was a costly undertaking. Without label support, artists had to pay for studio time and many extras to help engineer a recording. Artists then had to pay for pressing the record and the cost of creating the album jacket. And the cost of printing, even a low-end, one color jacket was very expensive! Certainly there was no budget for marketing. There were no fashion consultants, make-up artists or professional designers working on these projects. These private press, off or no label, vanity LPs were "expensive" undertakings in the most low budget way. I treasure them because I get the artist's vision... not the marketing department vision! It's the unvarnished truth!"
I'm not harshing on Mark's hobby--I think it's kinda cool. But Mark reviewed an album that is near and dear to my heart and although he said some good things about it, he sort of dissed the subject matter and the effectiveness of the album.
The album was Jimmy Nelson's "Instant Ventriloquism and Ventriloquism For The Beginner". Jimmy Nelson was a famous ventriloquist in the 50s and the 60s and brought to life his partners, Danny O'Day and Farfel, for millions on TV. Nelson's commercials for NESTLES chocolate ingrained in every child's mind of that era with the clever jingle, "N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestle makes the very best...chocolate." Nelson also licensed the likeness of his dummy, Danny O'Day to be sold as a beginner ventriloquist doll to boys and girls all over the USA through JCPenney's and Sears' Christmas catalogs. My first ventriloquist doll was a Danny O'Day doll received on my 9th Christmas along with an LP vinyl album called "Jimmy Nelson's Instant Ventriloquism and Ventriloquism For The Beginner"
Manic Mark says,
"I wonder how many people actually got anywhere learning the art of ventriloquism using this instructional LP? Not many, I suspect. The same deal applies to the instructional books you might buy as a comic book reading youngster to help you muscle up so that bullies would stop kicking sand in your face at the beach."
But Mark we must disagree. Not only did I learn ventriloquism from that album, but I performed all over my little city with that doll with nothing more than Nelson's instructions. Of course, my interest in the art sparked more reading, more training, and even more practicing; but that little doll and that recording was more than effective. Over the years, I've had conversations with other ventriloquists that had similar experiences.
Mark, you have found a piece of history for a lot of ventriloquists and I'm glad you found it worth collecting. (I still have my copy) Thanks for mentioning it, for saving it and for preserving it.
Thanks to Manic Mark you can listen to a small sample of the recording, and enjoy your first lesson in Ventriloquism from a Master--Jimmy Nelson.
The following post was originally published on January 7, 2006. I thought in light of the recent announcement of the iPad, I'd visit the archives and re-run an article on my favorite piece of technology.
...I have found a device that I highly recommend to everyone.
Introducing the new Bio-Optic Organized Knowledge device, trade named: BOOK
BOOK is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It's so easy to use, even a child can operate it.
Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere -- even sitting in an armchair by the fire -- yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM disc. Here's how it works:
BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information. The pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder, which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence.
Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs. Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now, BOOKs with more information simply use more pages.
Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. BOOK may be taken up at any time and used merely by opening it.
Unlike other display devices, BOOK never crashes or requires rebooting, and it can even be dropped on the floor or stepped on without damage. However, it can become unusable if immersed in water for a significant period of time. The "browse" feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet and move forward or backward as you wish. Many come with an "index" feature, which pinpoints the exact location of selected information for instant retrieval.
An optional "BOOKmark" accessory allows you to open BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session -- even if the BOOK has been closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers. Conversely, numerous BOOKmarkers can be used in a single BOOK if the user wants to store numerous views at once. The number is limited only by the number of pages in the BOOK.
You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with an optional programming tool, the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus (PENCILS).
Portable, durable, and affordable, BOOK is being hailed as a precursor of a new entertainment wave. Also, BOOK's appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and investors are reportedly flocking. Look for a flood of new titles soon.
I spent Tuesday night in a hospital Emergency Room. It wasn't my first choice, but it seemed like the entire day had it out for me. Here's the complete story...
I generally stay up late and Monday night was no different. After spending some quality time online at Twitter and Facebook; I had decided to turn in around 3AM. As is my custom, I went to the 'fridge to pour one last glass of tea and smoke my last cigarette for the evening. Upon opening the fridge, I noticed that "de-frosty" smell you get when your refrigerator is not working. This led to the next couple of hours of emptying the refrigerator, digging out a cooler, chipping ice, and saving the perishables. At about 5AM, I crawled into bed for a few hours sleep before work on Tuesday.
Now, work is just work. I answer phone calls from customers of a cellular company and hash out their bills, fix their phones, and answer questions. Some customers are nice, some are not so nice. There's goals to meet, expectations, rules, and stress. I handle it all pretty well.
At about 9:30 or so,Tuesday night, I finished a call; said "Thank you for calling" and experienced a sudden sharp pain in the middle of my chest. I catch my breath a couple of times and put my phone software on hold. Another sharp pain in my chest and my right arm begins to hurt. Right away, I'm NOT thinking heart attack, because it's supposed to be your left arm and the pain is supposed to be more to the left, not in the middle. I'm thinking some indigestion is at work. Generally, I eat lunch before work and just wait until I get home at night for dinner. My lunch break is only 30 minutes and I generally use it to de-stress and smoke an extra cigarette before returning to take calls.
But the pain doesn't subside, and I catch the attention of my supervisor, and call her over. By this time, my fingers feel a little tingly, I'm kinda "clammy" and I'm not feeling so sporty. She calls Security, and they grab my stuff and walk me to the front of the building. I'm not walking too good by now and for some reason I'm feeling kind of disoriented. My wife is called and arrives and on the advice of the security guard, my wife takes me across the street to the local fire department.
After I explained my symptoms, they sit me down, they take my blood pressure,(157/90, put some Oxygen on me, start an IV and hook me up to an EKG machine. The EMT tells me that something doesn't look right and gives me a spray of nitroglycerin and some aspirin. I tried to stand back up but my legs went out from under me. An ambulance is called; much to my dismay, and I head to the local university medical center. I'm not liking all this. I have no medical insurance and I'm stressing about the money. On top of all this; now, I have a headache caused by the nitro.
The nice EMT, Donna, tried to relax me in the ambulance and asked me questions and I was slow to answer her and couldn't really think well. I couldn't remember my phone numbers, but I could tell her my Social Security number. We finally arrived at University of South Alabama Medical Center.
At the hospital--they hooked me up to another EKG machine. This is the third EKG of the evening, The EMT in the ambulance had also wired me up for the ride into Mobile. I have the little sticky patches all over my body by now. The hospital staff do a chest X-ray, draw blood, take my blood pressure(127/90) and asked me a hundred questions. "Rate the pain on a scale of 1-10" (7-8) "Use drugs?" (No) "History of heart disease?" (Yes) "How old was your Father when he died?"(89) and then I begin to wait. By now, it's about Midnight and the pain is a dull ache and I'm kinda hungry. Remember, I was going to go home at 10PM and eat.
The doctor came back in and said that my heart rate was good and the EKG looked normal. I answered more questions, but my two questions; "Can I go home? and Can I eat something?" are answered, "NO". The doctor said I needed to stay at the hospital for a second round of blood tests. I didn't know this, but the second round was for comparison purposes with the first round. During a heart attack, our hearts are kind enough to release an enzyme marker to let us know if we experienced any heart damage. Thankfully, my pain had subsided by now.
My wonderful wife who had been let into the room by now, decided to leave me to drive back home to gather up some stuff for me for what appeared to be my stay at the hospital. (By the way, did I mention that this was HER BIRTHDAY? Yes, she wakes to a busted 'fridge and is now at the hospital with her apparent "busted-heart-husband)
I laid in the hospital bed, listening to my heart monitor. I messed with the Oxygen Saturation monitor on my finger and made the wavy line on the monitor mess up and I read the same posters over and over again. "CALL BEFORE YOU FALL" and "YES YOU CAN ASK US IF WE CLEANSED OUR HANDS", with a smiling nurse washing her hands. If I had been thinking clearly, I would have called some one to ask them, but I missed that opportunity. Instead, I kept adjusting the hospital gown as it fell off my shoulders, tried not to move my IV-needled hand, and moved all the wires around so I could put a sheet over me. I also watched my blood pressure cuff as it automatically kept checking my BP(120/80).
At around 3AM, more blood is drawn through my IV tube,(That hurt like a "mother") and my dutiful-beautiful wife arrived back at the hospital.
A little after 4AM, the doctor said that my test results were negative for a heart attack. She said that I'm under a lot a stress and I smoke. (I knew that part) and that the chest pain was stress induced, possibly reflux, the pain raised my blood pressure and I probably had some anxiety and panic from it all. (I don't remember being that panicked) She also said I needed to schedule a stress test with my regular physician and that I needed to relax more, and quit smoking. To add insult to injury, she threw in, "You know if smoking doesn't kill you, it eventually causes impotency in men". (How,rude!) But the good news was that I could go home and take Wednesday off from work. My wife stayed home with me today, as well.
I do want to take this opportunity to thank the fine guys at Saraland Fire Department, Newman's Ambulance Service from Mobile, Alabama and the nice staff(Amy) and Dr. Costello at USA Medical Center.
Today, I've been sleeping a lot. I received some well wishes from Twitter and Facebook friends that read my status updates today and my wife's boss called to check on me. I've been thinking about my little "wake up call" that Tuesday decided to give me. Ambulance rides are not funny and I certainly don't want another one for quite some time. I suppose some changes are in order; Doctor's orders.
"There are three kinds of death in this world. There's heart death, there's brain death, and there's being off the network."
--Guy Almes
Yes, I know. I've been off the Internet for two weeks, and believe me; it's been a struggle and I'm extremely traumatized by the lack of cyber interaction.
For those who've missed me, I had a great Thanksgiving and hope all my readers enjoyed the holiday and are well on their way to getting their holiday shopping done. Today is Cyber Monday, so take advantage of all the online shopping deals today.
I've promise my teenage boys that if we have to subsist on beans and rice next time, we will not be without the Internet again. But, you can bet if it comes to that; they'll quickly change their minds. I think they'd choose an Internet connection over presents for Christmas. I don't think it will come to that, but such is life in a household with addictions to Facebook, Twitter, Farmville, Cybernation and GaiaOnline. (those last three, are not my vices)
Friday night one week ago, my training class and I celebrated the end of training at Ryla. Our instructor, Kate West, and a few of the management on hand on a Friday Night allowed us an unofficial graduation ceremony. (We're told that the President of the company will come on site the end of October for a more official ceremony with all the different classes involved)
The class Valedictorian and Salutatorian gave short speeches, Kate spoke(and cried) and the Director of the Training Department, Omar Hawk, gave a little pep talk. The class bought a vase for Kate and we formed a line and each of us presented her with a rose for the vase. (She cried some more) After the speeches we received our key card lanyards with the Ryla logo from Omar.
Kate also presented small individual ribbons for categories like "Most Professional Voice", "Most Improved" and "Most Spirited". I received the ribbon below.
Don't be too impressed. I was only 4th in the class; so I'm guessing it just means I was pretty good at a lot of stuff but not great in any particular thing.
Tonight finished up one whole week of taking calls on the production floor. It's been pretty good; but I arrived at work with "nerves" everyday. It's worse than stage fright before I perform stand-up comedy. I'm never sure if I'm doing everything correctly; but since Monday, I find myself asking fewer and fewer questions or seeking supervisor help for certain calls. I suppose I'm getting the hang of it.
The first night, a customer asked to speak to my supervisor and I received, "KUDOS". That means the customer was pleased with my help and told the supervisor. A broadcast email is sent through the corporate email system to alert the other employees I received customer praise. It's one way the company tries to motivate employees.
Wednesday, my supervisor sat at my cubicle and "plugged in" to my calls and eavesdropped on how I handled my calls and treated my customers. We then discussed the calls and she graded me based on a company scoring system. In "school terms" I made a B+ to A-. Not bad for my third full day out of training.
At ten o'clock tonight, I clocked out for the weekend and it seems like it has been more than just 5 days long. I will enjoy this weekend, but I know those two days will go by at a much more rapid rate than a "work" day and in an instant, I'll be back to work come Monday.
But until then, I deserved to brag just a little bit, and you had to listen to it.
Friday night was my last night of training at my new job. Starting Monday, I show up at my own little station and start answering phones for 8 hours a day. My new schedule is from 1 in the afternoon until 10 at night and should provide me with enough decompression time after work to start contributing to this blog in a more consistent manner as in the not so distant past.
I have an "Amway-related" entry I want to talk about and some bragging to do regarding my new job and a few other things I wanna talk about this week so those are waiting in the wings ready for me to write.
I also plan to talk more about Social Media in the upcoming weeks. That's going to require some actual research on my part, but I'm looking forward to it.
But it's Sunday and that means I can't leave you without a "Sunday Thoughts" entry. As I said, Friday night was the last night of classroom instruction and afterward, a few classmates and myself went out to celebrate. So this quote is more than appropriate.
"I think a man ought to get drunk at least twice a year just on principle, so he won't let himself get snotty about it."
I bet you are surprised to show up here and find a new blog entry after over a week had passed with no updates. I confess I have not been diligent with updates but I have lots of excuses that will amount to this newest entry and update.
As some readers might know, I started a new job seven weeks ago, at Ryla, Inc in Saraland, Alabama. Ryla is a national call center operation. During these past seven weeks, I have been working a brutal nightshift from 4:30 in the afternoon until 1:15AM.
After working those hours, winding down after work and falling to sleep at 3 or 4 in the morning and then getting up at 7AM to drive my wife to work and coming home to sleep a little more before going back to my work...the blogging muse has not been a frequent guest in my head.
But, I'm happy to report that the end is near for that schedule. Friday night was my last night of classroom instruction and I did pretty good. I finished 4th in my class, and I'm pretty proud of that. Apparently, an old dog can learn new tricks. I begin a "nesting" process of supervised and monitored calls next Monday for two more weeks before I officially "graduate" and move into my actual job position with a better schedule for work, sleep AND blogging.
But, the ultimate reason for the lack of this week's blog posting has been...wait for it...computer problems! That's right, another computer died. This time, we think it's a video card and a hard drive that has gone kaput. We did some scrambling and have an old Windows2000 system that I'm running now. It only has IE6 on it and can't be updated, but it accepted a Firefox download and so I have a decent browser to send out Twitter updates on, but I can't download my TweetDeck interface; so even though I can blog, update MySpace and Facebook, it makes it difficult to keep up with a full-fledged Twitter session. But still; I can update "On The Road With Dave", which is the important thing.
Speaking of that, look for tomorrow's edition of "Sunday Thoughts" late Sunday afternoon to give readers a chance to read this update first. (I wrote it late, late, Saturday night) With any luck, you can count on even more entries next week.
And so, we now continue on with our regularly scheduled show, once again in progress.
Personal power animal is the Amazonian Manatee (Who'd a thought?)
'Numerology' number is 7. If it wasn't bulls**t, it would mean that you are spiritual, eccentric, and a bit of a loner. Introspective and analytical, you think deeply and prefer seclusion.
According to the US Census Bureau, 0.053% of US residents have the first name 'Dave' and 0.0098% have the surname 'Robison'. The US has around 300 million residents, so we guesstimate there are 16 Americans who go by the name 'Dave Robison'.
I had another blog entry planned for this evening, but events conspired against me and now I'm posting a special "Dave Needs Some Help" Entry.
For about a week now, I have had a small pin-prick size hole in the fuel line of my 1994 Buick Century car.
The hose is located under the car just ahead of the driver's side door. The hose is rubber/plastic. After turning the car off, a significant amount of gas leaks out and puddles under the car.
Some advice given to me at a local chain parts store told me to CUT the hose at the leak and buy a Brass Nylon hose coupling. It was the wrong part and then they had no other solution.
Another parts place said to try a double male hose connector and two small hose clamps. The part looks something like the image at the right.I tried this and can't seem to get a tight enough seal. Still a major leak.
I need this fixed by tomorrow evening, so my wife and I can go to work on Monday. I do not have the time, spare car, or the money to replace an entire fuel line. (I hear that is a major labor intensive and expensive job)
So, any shade tree mechanics out there with a solution that a NON-mechanic can perform in an afternoon that will provide a safe, secure "fix" please leave me a comment.
Special thanks go to the staff at O'Reilly Auto Parts in Saraland for their advice and to a passing O'Reilly customer/mechanic who advised towards the actual correct part and how to put it on.
As advised a few days ago by a staff member at Advance Auto Parts; I did need a nylon-to-nylon compression connector. But when I went back to get it, another staff member sold me a connector for a nylon-to-steel connector, and then offered no solution when it didn't work. Which is why I went down to the other parts store.
In case you are wondering, the part is made by Dornan Products and is part number 800-145. It took me about 25 minutes to install(I'm slow and mechanically-uninclined) and when I was finished, the car cranked and there is no leak.
For the record, the male-to-male connector did not work because the fuel line pressure forced the fuel around the tapered connector as well as through it and the hose clamps could not tighten enough.
But, everything worked out well. If I would have had to replace the entire fuel line; the cost would have been well over $250.00. My cost for the right connector and the part that did not work, but couldn't be returned--
$13.00.
I've gone from extremely frustrated to extremely happy and grateful.
Last week, I announced my new job at a new call center. At the time, I held off announcing the name and giving any details about the job, until I found out about the corporate policy regarding blogging about my job. I'm a big promoter of corporate transparency and as you know I have always been pretty honest about my day-to-day life, but I didn't want to break any rules the first week on the job. I also didn't want to end up like this person and create a major Social Media faux pas.
I'm happy to report that I now work for Ryla, Inc. Ryla was founded in 2001 in Georgia by Mark Wilson just a month after the "September 11" attack on the World Trade Center. In that time of uncertainty, starting a new business might not have seemed promising but Mark Wilson and the team he developed, has grown Ryla, Inc into a company with a 2009 revenue of 100 million dollars. Wilson was named a 2009 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Southeast Regional finalist. Ryla has been listed 3 consecutive years as one of the nations fastest growing companies on the Inc. 5000.
Ryla is headquartered in Kennesaw, Georgia but recently spent 8.5 million dollars to open a regional headquarters, corporate data center and regional customer contact center in Saraland, Alabama. The expansion means over 1200 jobs to the Mobile, Alabama area and was greeted by extensive press coverage, a whirlwind of job fairs, and a visit to Saraland by Governor Bob Riley.
Now, before this article starts to sound like a Public Relations press release, what's it like working there?
So far, not so bad. I'm still in the training environment preparing for a job as a customer service representative for Verizon Wireless. It's intensive training. The attitude at the company is upbeat and positive. Ryla has a corporate culture unlike any I have ever worked for. Having a positive attitude is promoted and stressed throughout the company. There are "cheers" performed in the training class and management stops by often to talk to employees and encourage their work. There is always a sense of duty for the clients that Ryla services, such as Verizon; and you are always aware that without these clients; Ryla does not not exist and neither would your job. Ryla truly wants to live up to their slogan of providing, "The Best Job You've Ever Had".
A lackadaisical attitude won't get you far. When you are at work, you must be professional, be positive, you need to do the job you were trained to do and remember rules are rules. If you can't hack that, you can't hack the job.
My training class started with 60 people and we've lost 3 or 4 in the past week who decided it wasn't for them. Overall, I'm in a class full of some pretty cool people with a diverse background. Young, old, experienced, inexperienced, traveling from all over Mobile and Baldwin Counties to work for Ryla. A few have even expressed interest in coming to see me perform at my next comedy gig and have already sent me MySpace friend requests.
Our trainer is Kate West. She has a background in pharmaceutical sales and started working for Ryla as a contractor, she has since joined the Ryla company full-time. Kate makes the 8-hour classes interesting with personal stories, motivational video clips and she has that positive attitude and a desire to make each of her class graduates ready to hit the ground running. Our class has been dubbed, "The Untouchables"(Each class has a nickname) Several times a night, she yells, "Are You Heated Up?" We reply loudly, "SMOKIN'!". (Yeah, I suggested it)
For a look at what a training class is all about-- Take The Ryla Virtual Tour and click on Training.
Ryla has one of the lowest employee turnover rates in the Teleservices industry, so I'm gonna do my best to provide them with another quality employee without breaking any disclosure rules.
"Did you hear the one about the customer who called in to the call center and asked"...wait--never mind.
UPDATE: MARCH 12, 2010
This entry at On The Road With Dave has become a depository for former Ryla Teleservices employees to leave comments expressing dissatisfaction with the company. It is the policy of this blog to allow free discussion of entries posted; however, this company currently provides me with a paycheck and I appreciate the employment and my creditors and local utility companies appreciate my timely payments of my bills.
If you must leave a negative comment--own it. Leave your name in the comment. Anonymous comments can no longer be approved on this entry. If you hated the job, you can say it, but you'll have to identify yourself. After all, I identify myself with every word I write.
Last month I tendered my resignation at my old job. I wanted to do something else. Something different. I gave it some thought and left on good terms and well-wishes from my former bosses.
Unfortunately, I didn't give it enough thought in this economic cycle and with the state of Alabama nearing a 10% unemployment rate, there were not many job offerings for a "wannabe" comic looking for "something different".
Lucky for me, a company opened a new branch office near my home and hired me several weeks ago to start on August 10th. Training consists of 7 weeks of classroom instruction from 4:30 in the afternoon until 1:15AM. As I write this; it is 3 o'clock in the morning and I'm still winding down from work before I go to bed.
So far, I'm trying to stuff all the new information in my head, so that I can pass through each learning module on my way to the "real job". I have to discuss with Human Resources any restrictions they may have on me blogging about the job or any other Social Media restrictions that are in place, before I will publish the company name. But, I think it will be safe to say that the company is a national call center and I will be working as a customer support representative.
Yep, it's almost like my old "8-5"--not really the something different I was looking for; but at least I won't get more behind on bills for the moment and it is some PLACE different.
This post could have easily been entitled, "The Exploding Lighter Myth Confirmed"
I'm a big fan of Discovery's Mythbusters show. In case you don't watch; its a show that tackles common myths, urban legends and movie stunts to prove or disprove their plausibility.
Recently, I saw the episode that supposedly "busted" the myth that a cigarette lighter left in your car could heat up and explode. The Mythbusters crew did several trials to see if they could get the desired results. Their conclusion was that not enough heat could be generated to cause a "hot car-lighter explosion" Eventually they did explode a lighter in a toaster oven at a temperature of over 500 degrees.
Well, I know it gets hot down here in Mobile, Alabama but I don't think it gets 500 degrees even in July. But nevertheless, I had my cigarette lighter explode.
Last weekend, on a boating trip, I had placed my lighter, cigarettes, boating licence and some snack crackers in a clear plastic Glad® bag to keep everything nice and dry.
The boat experienced engine trouble and for about an hour, we sat on the shore awaiting repairs. I was sitting in the boat relaxing and daydreaming as I surveyed the scenery.
All of sudden, I'm startled by what appeared to be gun fire.
POW!
The sound echoed in the trees and across the water. Was someone shooting at something down river? Maybe someone was target shooting in a backyard along the river. I listened to hear a second shot, but none came.
Well, this bit of excitement made me want a cigarette; so I got up to grab the bag off the driver's seat of the boat.
The bag had an enormous hole in it and inside was what was left of my lighter. No fire burns, but little pieces of cigarette lighter shrapnel. No wonder the noise had sounded so loud and nearby...it happened just 6 feet from me.
The Discovery Channel also has a forum that tackles the issue of other people having similar experiences with lighters exploding that would seem to bust the Mythbuster crew's conclusion.
In my opinion, their "Busted" conclusion is completely BUSTED along with one cheap .99-cent cigarette lighter.
"First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish. We propose to accelerate the development of the appropriate lunar space craft. We propose to develop alternate liquid and solid fuel boosters, much larger than any now being developed, until certain which is superior. We propose additional funds for other engine development and for unmanned explorations--explorations which are particularly important for one purpose which this nation will never overlook: the survival of the man who first makes this daring flight. But in a very real sense, it will not be one man going to the moon--if we make this judgment affirmatively, it will be an entire nation. For all of us must work to put him there."
Special Message to the Congress on Urgent National Needs President John F. Kennedy Delivered in person before a joint session of Congress May 25, 1961
"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too."
--John F. Kennedy; September 12, 1962
40 years ago today, that mission--that dream, of JFK's became a reality with the lift off of Apollo 11, the first manned mission to the moon. You can follow the entire mission at the interactive website, We Choose The Moon. I have to say I have spent a great deal of time at the site today, reliving the past and re-experiencing the inspiration.
I'm a fan of Mobile, Alabama's bi-weekly newspaper called Lagniappe. I was even interviewed by the paper back in March of 2007. Regular sections in Lagniappe are Commentary, Cuisine, Music, Style, Arts, and Classifieds.
Since 2003, Lagniappe has featured the annual "Nappie Awards", where favorite local people, places, and things are chosen by readers' votes. The next two issues of Lagniappe feature the ballot for the 2009 Nappie Awards.
One particular category--MEDIA: Best Local Website or Blog; is my interest.
If you are a reader of "On The Road With Dave" and live in the Mobile area. Please fill the ballot out listing all your local favorites and include www.ontheroadwithdave.com as your favorite blog.
Lagniappe is published every other Wednesday and is available free per person at over 300 locations in southwest Alabama, including Mobile County and Baldwin County.
Don't Forget--Vote For "On The Road With Dave.Com" Best Local Website/Blog.
According to the today's calendar, I turn 47 years old today.
For the first time in a long time, I feel younger.
I believe it's a combination of not being at an "8-5" at the moment, and getting some things done on a creative basis. There's some stress, but not like I was experiencing.
As I said a few days ago, I'm working on some behind the scenes things here at "OTRWD", and they should be ready in the next day or so. I'll be doing some more open mikes over the summer and working on a few paying gigs as well.
I know that I'll have to get a regular "8-5" again soon, but this time it'll be on my terms.
I may have one or two more grey hairs today than I had a year ago, but today I feel younger.
At 5:03CDT today, I "clocked out" of my "8-5" gig for the last time.
Every afternoon we have what is called a "two o'clock stretch" meeting. We stop making calls and everyone pulls their office chairs out of the cubicles and we kinda sit in a circle, all facing each other and just talk for a few minutes.
Today, everyone told me how much they will miss me. (even the bosses)It was nice.
I'll miss everybody, too. But, it was nice clocking out and knowing that tomorrow is a new day. I feel lighter.
If you need a translation, that's "cool" for, "Hello, Dave, What have you been doing lately?" or for fans of the Budweiser commercial, it's a shorter version of "wassssssup!"
According to my pop culture elitist sons, the correct response is something that sounds like. "aiight" or "all right."
If you were to ask me this week, "Sup?"; I'm afraid my response would be more than "aiight". Not that everything is not "aiight", but I came to a crossroads last week and took what I hope to be a correct turn.
The big news is that I turned in my two weeks notice at my "8-5" job.
For those loyal readers who might think I am quitting my job to finally build an Amway business; you'd be wrong. That kinda goal is not in the near future.
For those loyal readers who think I am quitting my job to pursue a full-time Stand-up Comedy career, you'd be wrong, also. That goal while closer in the future; is not economically feasible at present.
The real reason is that a growing job dissatisfaction and several lateral moves within the company prompted me to make a break and forced my hand to find more enjoyable work. I was not happy in my most recent position and it was affecting my job performance. Rather than not giving my all to the position, I chose to proactively turn in my notice to avoid another move at the company that might have resulted in moving out the door with bridges burning behind me.
I have enjoyed my time at the company and thank all my bosses, (including my wife) for the opportunity and the experience. My bosses have vowed to provide me with glowing recommendations. It still seems funny that I was originally hired at the company on a temporary basis until they found someone else. That was almost 5 years ago.
A few of my co-workers seem worried that I would make such a drastic decision at my age and at this uncertain economic time, but I'm feeling pretty confident at what's around the corner. I already have a few leads on some other jobs, but the confidence comes from more than that, it comes from a feeling my next job may be something just a bit more, or a step in that direction. I'm looking forward to it.
One of the current trends, buzz, or viral happenings lately at all the social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook is the "25 Things About Me" tag.
Your friends write 25 things about themselves and "tag" you to do the same. Normally, I don't join a lot of the "apps" and tags at these sites, but I found this one interesting because I could talk about myself AND I learned some things about my friends.
Here's my version of the "tag" as it was reproduced at "My Face."
I was tagged by Saul Colt and Mark Largent to share 25 random things about me. Normally, I don't do this stuff or take the silly surveys on MySpace, but maybe this'll be interesting to someboby
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
25 THINGS ABOUT DAVE
1. When I was 4, I had imaginary parents that lived in the garage. When my real dad wanted to meet them; "Bring'em over for supper". I said they couldn't come because they had no legs.
2. When I was 10, I was Governor of Mississippi for a day, and had lunch with the real Governor and presided over the House of Representatives.
3. I don't agree with Rush Limbaugh, but I listen to the second hour of his show every day.
4. My first ventriloquist puppet was a fox houseshoe(slipper) folded in half to form a working mouth.
5. My favorite childhood toys were Major Matt Mason and Big Jim, but I could make an action figure using a wooden clothespin and a popsicle stick.
6. I love the way coffee smells brewing, but I hate the taste.
7. I didn't get my driver's liscence until I was 17.
8. I once had a job as a dog catcher.
9. I've always wanted to visit Australia.
10. I was published at age 16.
11. I never went to a concert until I was in my late twenties.
12. I smoked my first "joint" when I was 36.
13. I experience "cognizant dreaming" and control dream outcomes.
14. I also have "flying dreams".
15. I believe in astral projection, but can't do it.
16. I only got to play one play in peewee football and it was not a "Rudy" moment.
17. I want to retire in Key West.
18. I'm afraid of heights and bridges.
19. After 6 years, I'm still mourning the death of my parents.
20. My wife has given me 2 free "passes": Marylin Chambers, Rosie Perez--Although I still try to talk her into one or two more.
21. I hate cell phones, would never own one, the only reason I have one is my job provides one.
22. I've never played golf.
23. I don't like mushrooms.
24. When I get off from work, I have to run all my errands first, because once I get home I put on a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt and I don't leave the house.
25. I once asked a guy to punch me in the nose to see if I could take a punch--I couldn't.
Now readers of "On The Road With Dave" can feel like they, too, have been tagged. Leave your "25 Things" in the Comments section.
In which Dave rambles on and on about the joys of sleeping on a cotton pillow and searching for raw cotton:
I can't sleep on any other pillow except my own. I travel with it. In hotels, I throw the chain's pillows on the other bed or the floor and I sleep on my own pillow. If I'm staying with friends or family and I'm offered a pillow, I say, "No Thanks, I brought my own. In my 40+ years, I have owned 4 pillows; numbers 2 through 4; they have all been cotton pillows. An aunt living in the Mississippi Delta made my first cotton pillow when I was about 5 years old.
To the uninitiated that may view my current pillow, they would see a lumpy, misshapen blob that looks anything but comfortable. They would be wrong.
The lumps are perfect. By moving and squeezing just right, you get perfect neck support that would rival any bead-filled or polyester fibers, or foam cervical support pillow. If you move the lumps together just right you can bury your face in comfy cold goodness; and if you roll to your side and place one hand under the pillow you can wistfully fall into a heavenly, cool on your cheek, slumber.
This perfect sleeping accessory in my possession is over 15 years old, and sadly the covering of the cotton pillow has seen it's last days. For months, bits and pieces of the miracle ingredient has been leaking from the pillow and finding itself on my bed in the morning. The seams are beyond sewing and the ticking is thread bare. Believe me, I have tried stuffing the material back through the holes, and currently, I have doubled-pillowcased my prized possession.
Now, I knew way back in March, that I needed a new pillow. A new pillow required cotton. You are probably thinking about the kind of cotton in an aspirin bottle or the soft white cotton that you might use in a craft project. You'd be wrong.
A perfect cotton pillow requires raw, ginned (as in, cotton gin)cotton. But, back in March, the local cotton gins in and around Mobile County were silent. The first cotton plants of the year were yet to be planted. I visited a local cotton gin at the time to inquire as to the season's end and harvest time, so that I could return when thousands and thousands of pounds of harvested cotton would be available.
In Mobile County, that would be in November and December. Back in North Mississippi, where I grew up; harvest time comes a few months earlier. So on Tuesday of this week I paid a visit to the Producer's Gin Company in Theodore, Alabama and made my odd request to the manager. I would like to buy a bag of cotton.
Now, the reason this was an "odd" request is that cotton is sold in large bales by the ton--NOT by the sack. I was even questioned by the manager's wife as to why I needed a sack of cotton. I told her my story. She laughed. I later found out that they had received a request some time ago by a gentleman in an RV to purchase merely 500 pounds of cotton. 500 Pounds? They were suspicious.
I asked why they would be suspicious? Is a mere 500 pounds of cotton somehow dangerous? Used in explosives? Drug making? No, actually, cotton is purchased in small quantities by individuals to make money. Not to sell to make money, but to make "money", counterfeit money. Well, they decided that I was not a counterfeiter, I was just a goofy guy that needed a new pillow. Manager, Arland Starr, was happy to accommodate me and escorted me to the gin and collected one ample sized garbage sack with my fluffy addiction. Cost of enough cotton to make THREE cotton pillows? I'd say PRICELESS, but Starr and his wife said, "No Charge, happy to help you out."
My thanks to Arland and Mrs. Starr. This weekend I will purchase new ticking and my wife has agreed to sew a new pillow for her husband. I couldn't be happier. Trust me, by Sunday, I'll be sleeping better than you.
If you live in a big city, never seen cotton and have no idea what a cotton gin looks like; take a look at the video about Producer's Cotton Gin in Theodore, Alabama. This is a story about last year's harvest and was aired by WKRG-TV in Mobile, Alabama.
It appears that my recent changes here at the "OTRWD" site are finished. Everything seems to be in working order.
The only problem I was having over the past day or two was not being able to see my favicon on Firefox or Internet Explore 7. It would show for a millisecond and then was replaced by the Blogger icon. I think that is fixed now. I don't have IE7 but the Firefox browser is picking it up. Ya'll let me know of any other problems.
From time to time, you may notice that the "Feed Box" for Comedy This Exit and Skyler's Gravel Road sometimes does not appear or is slow to load. That's a problem with the code that I'm using. It's a good code, but is used by several people and may fail to respond at times. I'm assuming it has to do with traffic load.
(On a side note--Both "Comedy This Exit" and "Skyler's Gravel Road" have been tweaked in the last six months with some different colors and images added that were not in the original template. "Comedy This Exit" features a new green exit sign-type title)
I've had some fun doing this as well as some frustration, but I think it turned out pretty good.
Chip Martin is no dummy when it comes to advertising. That's why I read his blog on a regular basis. So when he wrote about an advertising company out of Durham, North Carolina called The Republik; I had to go take a look.
"Dave, why did you not link The Republik website?"
Have you ever seen a website that makes you wanna just pick up a gun and shoot your monitor? Well, now you have the choice of .44 Magnum, Sniper rifle, or shotgun. The Republik invites you to blast holes in their old site, reload, and blast again, before taking you to their new whiz-bang website, The Republik.
These guys look pretty good. Their website sells their service, or as they would call it; "pulls" their clients in. It's tongue-in-cheek, serious, informative and there are a few surprises to keep you on the site.
And what website these days would be worth it's salt without a blog? I can't think of one and The Republik agrees with me. After blowing their old website to smithereens and then perusing their portfolio, you can keep up with their ideas on advertising by reading their blog, Change Or Die.
So, pick up your weapon of choice and destroy The Republik...consider it your Saturday Diversion.
Lately, I have become a huge fan of chef, traveler, author, and TV personality Anthony Bourdain. So much so that for the past week I have been trying to write about my most recent trip to New Orleans in a "travel writer" style. I know exactly what I want to say, but have no "fricken" clue how to write it.
Well, that's not exactly true; I write a bit of it and then get distracted or frustrated or tired. It's been a long week at my "day job" of doing things totally removed from the life of a travel writer or comedian or even a lowly blog writer; and after I have arrived home, it seems that the inspiration can't break through the fatigue.
But, now it's the weekend and I'll be finishing that travelogue, so keep a look out for it.
Also, for all my readers still interested in my opinions about Multi-level Marketing and Quixtar there's a new entry brewing for next week.
You can find links to my various sites here at "On The Road With Dave"; but why not hit one or two of them today.
If you have a MySpace account, I'd appreciate it if you added me as a friend, if you haven't already done so. You can go to my profile, Dave Robison™, and click on "Add Me As A Friend"; after you take a look at my profile.
For those of you on FaceBook, I can be found at Dave's Face.
And if wanna see me in your city, I need to know who would be willing to pay to see me perform. You can let me know by Demanding Me in your city. You can do that by clicking now, with the DEMAND DAVE ROBISON link.
Also, if you wanna listen to the songs I like, you can visit my Project Playlist profile at Dave Robison's Playlist.
And Don't forget you can still follow me on Twitter, that link is in my sidebar and you can sign up to follow me or even those people that I'm following.
That's it. Shameless Promotion time is over. Finish enjoying your weekend.
Given the option of having a birthday and NOT having one; I'll gladly take the former. But I wish that the accompanying birthday didn't bring the older age with it.
I joke about being "perpetually 19" to my wife. I'm "young at heart"; I'm still just a "big kid" and I can still "hang" with the "young crowd" at the clubs. I listen to "today's music"; I keep my hair a little long, and I'm Internet savvy--I know what's "viral" out on the web.
But, I'm in my 40s. I'm getting old.
I'm already a Grandfather. My back goes out every now and then. Sometimes I wake up sore for no apparent reason. Every once in a while, I go to sleep before 10PM. And dammit, sometimes I "check out" a girl walking down the street and realize that I just committed a felony in my imagination.
Today I turn 46. I enter the back side of the 40s. I'm headed to 50.
This should cause me some pain. I mean, that on most birthdays I lament about the things I haven't done yet. Or worry about if I will ever do all the things I want to do.
Yesterday I was telling a co-worker about an episode in my life and I made the comment that I suppose I have collected quite a few stories over my lifetime; and that maybe I was getting to a point where I would be just telling the old stories and not creating any new ones.
That's the probably the STUPIDEST thing I have ever said. Sure, I hate birthdays and I don't like getting older; but it's not like I'm already 92 years old.
I'm embarking on a comedy career at about the same age as Rodney Dangerfield started. He was making movies in his 60s with young attractive females and getting paid for it.
I was born when MY DAD was FIFTY!
Dad said it wouldn't have happened except that he got a long-distance phone call in the middle of the night and the phone was on Mom's side of the bed.
If Dad could tell that story in his "Fifties", then I'm sure I have more stories to create while still in my "Forties".
So, yeah...I'm gonna fight growing older tooth and nail; and I'm still gonna hate birthdays; but I'm not dead yet. The birthdays keep coming and I guess I'm still gonna be "perpetually 19" for a while.
Besides, sometimes a cute girl in a club does look over at me and give me a flirtatious smile...and yeah, sometimes she is of legal age.
And when that happens, I've got another story to tell.
I don't want to be accused of following in the footsteps of the Alticor Media Blog and falling behind in updating my blog, so I'll let you in on what's coming up next week.
I have several entries I'm working on.
I attended my first Mobile Bay Bears game last week, and took a few photos. You might have surmised that something like that influenced my "Sunday Thoughts" last week. So, expect a summary of my trip to the "Hank".
I was contacted last week by Nashville publisher, Turner Publishing to write a review of a pictorial history of Mobile, Alabama. I received my copy a few days ago and plan to share my thoughts on the book.
Friday night, I performed here in Mobile at "30 Something" with a group of fine comedians and a small audience. That story will be coming over at "Comedy This Exit".
I have a birthday coming up this week, and you can pretty much expect that I'll be in one of my contemplative and reflective moods on that day. I really hate birthdays.
I posted a few comments over at Chuck Lia's "Speaking Of Amway" blog regarding should "Quixtar" bloggers start to blog less and concentrate on actually building a Quixtar business. Nice discussion.
Special thanks to those that attended the mock press conference last week; that entry is still open for more questions.
I stumbled across a great site for Freelancers of all types while researching rates that writers charge.
Freelance Switch offers a blog, forum, resources, and books for the person looking to make the switch to a freelance career in their field of expertise.
The Rate Calculator was helpful to me as a writer and as a comedian.
I had this idea for a blog entry over at "Tex's Quixtar Blog"; and I figure what's good for Tex is good for Dave.
Consider this entry a press conference or an "open-line" talk show.
Is there something you want to know about Dave? An opinion?
Ask your question in the comments; and I'll try to answer. It can be Quixtar or Amway related. MLM-related. Comedy. It can be about anything, but let's keep the real personal stuff to a minimum--I can always choose to answer, "No Comment".
Just questions. And hold off on follow-ups. Let's see how the first round plays out first.
Okay first question--that person in the second row.....
No Theme, no real sense of purpose. Just a few things rambling around in my head.
I did some karaoke last weekend at a bowling alley lounge, no less. One of my friends' and coworkers' Dad and Mom run a Karaoke night. Her dad mentioned I was a stand-up comedian and was going to give me a chance to do "5 minutes". I wasn't really prepared, and another friend started talking to the crowd; giving them hints at my material. (Who wants to hear about MySpace, Midgets, and Mayonnaise?) She "worked" the crowd's curiosity up; but I declined and offered to come back another week when I was prepared. Some audience members were actually upset that I didn't perform right then and there. Maybe I should have.
I got a form email from Steve Hofstetter saying he's going to be doing his "Business of Comedy" seminar in Atlanta, Georgia on May 3rd. I wanna go. The seminar is inexpensive and is chocked full of relevant, useful information. Steve is a top-notch comedian's comedian and I'm sure I would get lots of "good" from it. I just gotta figure out how to afford the trip. Not just the seminar cost, but gasoline costs, meals, and whether I can make it a one day trip with a tired trip home or a possible hotel stay.
I joined Twitter. I'm not sure why. Do I really want to make little updates of day-to-day activities for my online friends to read? It's just one more thing to experiment with. Do I want people to follow me on Twitter? Will anybody figure that it'll be worth following? Who knows; but I am all a twitter. Maybe I'm "twitter-pated" as well. If you wanna see Twitter updates, then they are in my side bar.
I wanna win a Bloggie. Or a Blogger's Choice award. But, "On The Road With Dave" doesn't exactly fit into any of the categories to nominate it for consideration--Unless of course it happened to be "greatest blog of all time" or greatest Blog Writer. I envy blogs that I find on the Internet that have the little banner that proclaims they have won the coveted Best Blog award in a particular category. Also the prize money of $20.08 seems to be enticing me.
Mobile, Alabama was chosen as the location by the U.S. Air Force and Northrop-Grumman and EADS were chosen to build the next generation of Tanker Aircraft, The KC-45.
Boeing is contesting the decision as unfair.
If the process was "fair" before Boeing lost, then it's fair AFTER they lost.
Every State in the Gulf Coast and Southeastern United States could benefit from this contract. Many Vendors will be chosen to support the production of this aircraft. This project could have long-lasting benefits for the Gulf Coast area and beyond.
I support the project and the decision to build it in Mobile, Alabama.
I must be rich. I had to pay the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Alabama again this year.
Yeah, I'm a Liberal and believe that taxes are a necessary evil to fund our Government. And, you could probably hear me in an argument talk about how "the rich" should pay more taxes or pay taxes in a different way than is currently devised.
If I'm complaining about our Income Tax system, it's usually related to HOW those taxes are spent.
And, I've been quoted as saying, "I want to pay MORE taxes than anybody else in the United States, because then I'd be RICHER than anyone else. Bring on the taxes!"
(It's true, I've said it)
But yesterday, the water pump on my car went out and the last mechanic that replaced the water pump "cross-threaded" the bolts that held it on , which cost me some significant labor charges to put this new water pump on.
And, my wife calculated our Income Taxes last night and found out we owed more than we thought we might. Just having one qualified dependent hurt us. Plus we HAD medical expenses this past year...just not enough.
Car repairs AND Tax payment. Ick!
On the one hand, the car is a 1994 Buick Century with 200,000 miles on it. CLEARLY I'M POOR. But, on the other hand, the IRS and the state of Alabama say I made a "butt-load" of money; CLEARLY I'M RICH.
So, I find myself looking longingly at this 1913 copy of the FIRST tax form from the Department of Revenue. I believe the tax rate was 1%. I must be rich
I really suck at April Fool's Day blog posts. I toyed with one earlier today, but my wife talked me out of it. I really thought the one posted at "The Truth About Amway" was clever. In case you missed it, it was a "press release" that Jim Dornan had left Quixtar/Amway to join competing MLM company, Monavie.
The entry has since been taken down, but is mentioned on the IBOAI Blog.
Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow with coverage of the Panel Discussion I participated in Prague, Czech Republic for Alticor Global Communications. IBOFightback at "The Truth" will also be covering the actual Panel Discussion in the next day or two, also.
Both of us have been under the weather and agreed to not "scoop" each other on the questions asked of the panel.
So, all the details are coming--questions, answers, and commentary--NO FOOLING!
Remember that defunct Multi-Level Marketing company called Passport?
Yeah, I didn't join that.
What I did do is; I joined those people that are able to travel out of the country. I got my own Passport.
It was an ordeal.
I found out about two weeks ago that I would have to travel out of the United States. There were a few problems, though.
The travel plans were within three weeks AND I had no Passport.
Acquiring a Passport normally takes 3-6 weeks provided you have all the paperwork handy. Well, I have moved several times in the past 5 years and I could not find my birth certificate proving I was born the poor son of Sharecropper parents in the state of Mississippi in the good "ole" USA. To get a birth certificate would require about 2 weeks through normal channels. But, I only have two weeks to get my Passport.
So, I have to pay extra to have the birth certificate expedited, so I can then pay extra to get my Passport expedited.
Last Monday, I call in to the "birth certificate folks" and give them a credit card number and I'm told "3-5 days"; which is cutting it close for my Passport--but good luck, karma, and the "will of the gods" has my birth certificate in my hot little hands the next day. (Bureaucrats can work fast, when you are nice to them)
Then the wife and I make a trip over to New Orleans to the District State Department division and hand them all the paperwork and some more extra money. We are told we can have my Passport in about 4 hours.
So, we go eat lunch and walk around the French Quarter. (Not a bad deal when you think about it)
At 4:30, we are headed back to Mobile, Al; and I am "legal" to travel the world.
I'll fill you in on the details of the impending trip later on in the week, but suffice it to say that now "On The Road With Dave" will be on a few international roads very soon.
Friday and Saturday night, I'll be performing stand-up comedy at the Comedy Corner Cafe in Ft. Worth, Texas.
I'll be the emcee and opening act for Headliner Brent Dawson. Brent was voted Funniest Person in Dallas and appeared on the second season of Last Comic Standing. Also appearing will be Feature Act, Comic Andy Kaufman(yes, that's his real name) from Aurora, Colorado.
If you're one of my readers who live in the Ft.Worth/Dallas area, come see me.
Comedy Corner Cafe 5256 S. Hulen St. Ft. Worth , TX
NOW, for some housecleaning--due to my absence until Sunday night from my computer, I may not have internet access until I return home.
For that reason, I'll be enacting COMMMENT MODERATION.
There has been some heated arguments and name-calling with my previous entry, "Surrogate Blogging".
I've had to delete several comments that I considered malicious and possibly character-defaming and legally liable. Ultimately, I'm responsible for the moderation of all blogs published under my administration.
I'll continue to allow "free commneting" through sometimes late Thursday night, after that; readers you may continue to leave comments, but they probably won't be approved until late Sunday evening.
Comments will also be moderated on the same time frame at "Tex's Quixtar Blog"--also for the above reasons cited.
Look for "Sunday Thoughts" late Sunday night and a full accounting of my weekend early next week.
Yesterday, I promised another entry of my "Getting Political" entry today.
I'm still working on it. Not that it is a long drawn out entry; it's just not "gellin" the way I want it to. And it's nothing earth shattering or controversial either--I just ain't ready to publish it, yet.
So, take a break, have a drink, smoke'em, if you got'em or maybe decide how you're gonna spend that economic stimulus package money that's coming to you in 10 weeks or so.
Some blogs have more impressive numbers, and much more mathematically and scientific measuring devices...but it's not bad for a guy that writes about what he wants to do and what he's doing.
"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope... and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
But Mark we must disagree. Not only did I learn ventriloquism from that album, but I performed all over my little city with that doll with nothing more than Nelson's instructions. Of course, my interest in the art sparked more reading, more training, and even more practicing; but that little doll and that recording was more than effective. Over the years, I've had conversations with other ventriloquists that had similar experiences. 
