Where am I from?

I was asked a few days ago: "Where are you from originally?"

Now aside from my usual smart ass remark about biology, or my other extrateresstrial remarks to that question, it's actually an interesting, though painful (memory wise) story.

Long story I'll try to tell short...

Born in East TN, just about 50 miles out of Knoxville.

Moved first when I was 10 to Nashville area.
Moved to Ohio, at 12.
Iowa@13
California@14
Kansas@15
Alabama@16
Back to town of birthplace@17 (Oh Geebus why!? Of all the places, why back to the stone ages?)

Moved away to Mid TN @ 18 for college...got married like fool.
Moved to Memphis @24 (Then kinda never settled anywhere for a while between ex-wifes hometown and whereever I was working around the State at the time.)
Atlanta for about 6 weeks...really long story that...involves a motorcycle, a Volvo, and a physics experiment.
Moved to Nashville @29

I say moved to Nashville, and I should say moved all my $hit to Nashville. I spent the next several years abroad, in Europe, Australia, Canada, and Mexico as well as varied places across the States. (Still haven't made Alaska yet damnit.)

I finally became an actual resident here in 2003.

To answer your question as honestly as I can: I don't feel that I'm originally from anywhere. The Internet perhaps? Is it cool to claim Internet citizenship yet?

In all honesty, I claim nowhere as "home." Ok, I claim somewhere as home, but I've only lived there for 31 days. Australia felt like as close to a "home" for a place as I've ever felt.

Great night for caffeine

I just love facility migrations. Especially love trying to problem solve at way too damn early in the morning.

I think I'm at 19 hours straight now.

My how time flies...

It's the 18th? Of February? Already? Crap, and only ten days left this month! Funny how that work/sleep/work/sleep cycle goes.

My latest shiny object? Twitter. I'm fascinated thus far. Feeds my need for constant information. And so far there have been a couple very interesting finds.

First: LeVar Burton

I'm sure you all know him from at least one of his roles on TV or the movies. For me my first real experience was "Reading Rainbow" on PBS. I don't recall how we started watching it. It came on before the Star Trek Original series that our local station had bought rights to. How cool is it that years later Mr. Burton himself was part of the Star Trek Universe?

But at any rate, I found LeVar Burton was on Twitter via Wil Wheaton, whom I'll be honest and admit was one of my least favorite Star Trek characters, but I have read his blog for alearned more about the person away from the character.

This is what I've done today with Mr. Burton. He's only recently started a blog, which I highly recommend reading and following.

http://levarburton.com/

I've learned a lot about him today, and he has some very useful insights. Chief amongst those that I gleaned today:

"The message I took away was to not be too hard on myself. Sage advice indeed! As a general rule I am trying to be less judgmental of everyone in my life, including me."

I told you...

MySpace is the Gateway to Hell...sans Cerberus. (No need after all...who doesn't have a concupiscence for the Internet?)

Sure you want your kids on-line unmonitored? Remember that ad campaingn in the 80's about "Do you know where your children are?"

Well...do you?


MySpace Says 90,000 Sex Offenders Blocked From Site Responding to a subpoena from Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, MySpace today is handing over the names of 90,000 registered sex offenders

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/03/responding-to-subpoena-myspace-says-90000-sex-offenders-blocked-from-site/

or

http://snurl.com/bathb

Now I can already hear the entitled cries of "Well it's about time MySpace was required to do something!"

Idiots. Here's an idea: What if, and this may come as a shock so hang on...What if the parents are responsible for the care of their children!?!

Holy Batshit Batman!! What the Batfuck can you possibly mean?

Personal responsibility Boy Wonder, personal fucking responsibility. So elegant in it's simplicity...so elusive in it's application.

Disgusting to me how the "Me first" generation has devolved into this self-devolving attitude of "anyone but me" mentality towards responsibility.

I'm oft times surprised to find this is far from a new, or generational attitude. I don't know if you can even find them anymore, but I'm reminded of a children's book series from my childhood called "Sweet Pickles" This series came out in the late 70's and thanks to Captain Kangaroo, into my life.

(Look, I found them: http://snurl.com/bavc0 [www_amazon_com] )

The above link references the specific character I had in mind...Accusing Alligator. Who Stole Alligator's Shoe? is about Accusing Alligator who blames everything and everybody for anything that happens.

Huh...sound familiar?

More info can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Pickles

Yes..I met Staind

March 2006
I was afraid I'd lost this photo. Fortunately my brother had a copy.

Was one of the cooler things I've been able to do. That had been a long day prior to meeting them. Ticketmaster had completely and utterly bungled my order. After driving over 3 hours and inviting others along to use the tickets I'd purchased I arrived and they told me I had none. To say I was upset is to say Vesuvius was just a volcano. I was livid...no...insane with rage is better. I was at that point where my peripheral vision blurred to dark and the only light at the end of my tunnel was red...now I know why those imbecile fat cow ticket agents are behind Plexiglas.

I had some rather unpleasant, unkind, torrents of profanity to express at what I'm sure was a volume greater than conversational. (Yes, I know what you're thinking smartass...and yes I can speak at a conversational level)

As I had decided I needed to leave before my urges of mayhem overtook me and I ended up being the guest of the local authority...I heard someone coming up behind me a tad too fast for my liking. I heard a question: "Is there a problem?" At least I think that's what he'd said...I was still trying to quiet the sound of "Redrum!" in my head...

So, as I was already wanting to pummel someone I planted and spun on this poor guy...I expressed my problem in a somewhat aggressive manner (Yeah, shut-up smartass) and in the midst of my tirade he explained (I'm sure more than once, I was torqued beyond measure...if memory serves I had paid for 6 tickets at ~$60 each, plus B.S. fees and tax...so I'd lost a lot of money not counting the 3 hour drive and my ever precious personal time.) ($1,223.125/hr is my value...what's yours?) He explained to me who he was, repeatedly, that he could help me out...hmm.

Turns out, he worked for the local radio station that was sponsoring the concert and had extra tickets. Enough for all 5 of us, as well as TWO MEET & GREET PASSES!!!

I almost cried. Actually, I probably did.

I owe this aid in no small part to my little brother Nato...who was friends with one of the staff and had been talking with them whilst I was getting tickets, and heard the subsequent explosion.

I'm eternally grateful to all who showed me kindness that I didn't deserve that day. Meeting Aaron Lewis meant more for me than I expect more than one or two people will ever know. Including Mr. Lewis himself I'm afraid.

So Mr. Lewis, in the off event you troll the web looking for yourself (I know I do) and you come across this. Thank you. Thank you for things I can't begin to explain and you probably will never know.

Thank you for what you did for Layne. Because you have done the same for me as you've ascribed to him.

Will