Foo Fighters..... Here We Come!

Today I'm heading up to Fayetteville with some friends from work to see the Foo Fighters in concert. Trina has a friend up there that works for the University of Arkansas (GO HOGS!) that books the concerts. She hooked us up with 4 freebies! WooT! I think this should be a good time. I thought the typos and misspelled words on the credits after the video were funny. Gotta love little 13 year old hackers.

Something I've got on my list....BMW Z4 Roadster 3.0si 6 speed.

This is something I've got on my list of "To Get" items. I like to post pictures like this to keep my goals in mind. Kinda gives me something to work towards. Oh the joy! I will look dang awesome in this car. I've just got to get Trina on a test drive so she'll get hooked like I am.

This car will be in my garage within 2 years. BET!

Just some cool videos I wanted to share

I came across a few videos this morning that just made me laugh so I wanted to share the laughter.

Watch this first video for the kid in the orange shirt. Crazy stuff....




This next video is pretty cool too. I know Trina would've loved to have done something like this at our wedding, but being that we got married in a small country town, I think most of Trina's family would've looked at us like we were crazy.



Don't worry, this one is clean. I had to be careful not to laugh too loud in the office on this one.

Is this my buddy Erwin.......?

I just thought this was hilarious.

Grant..... My Pride

Maybe it's the fact that Grant has been at his MeMe's (Trina's mom)house for the past couple of days, or maybe it's that I'm listening to Coldplay (which makes you feel sappy), but I was just thinking about my son Grant. If anyone knows me very well, they know that Grant is the pride of my life. He is, with the help of his mother, my greatest accomplishment.

Anyone who is close to me knows (and my wife reminds me on a regular basis) that I am not a cryer or a very emotional person, but if there is one thing that gives me a lump in my throat and that weird feeling in my stomach it is my son Grant. He has such a sweet demeanor about him. He laughs a lot and he's just a generally happy kid. He's so smart too.

I fear for him and pray for him daily that God will protect him and grow him up to be a strong and God fearing man. Trina and I are reminded all the time what a dangerous and scary world this is to raise a child in. The only thing we know to do is pray that God protects him and allows us to be the best parents we can be for him.

Every night before bed I ask him, "Grant, who's your best buddy," and he says,"Daddy is best buddy."

That's all I need to hear.

Definitely, Maybe ???

Ok, so I have to come clean and make a confession right here on my blog. I LIKE CHICK FLICKS! Ok! I said it, I like chick flicks. Now, I don't like to watch them by myself (because that would be less than manly), but I do like to watch them with Trina (my wife). I think it appeals to my sensitive side or whatever (cough, spit, crotch adjustment). I guess I am some what of a romantic deep down inside somewhere.

I think what I like about these movies is that they make you "feel". Comedy typically makes you laugh, and action flicks give you that adrenaline rush, but these love story type movies really make you feel something in your gut. We've all been in love at one time or another. We've all had our hearts broken. We've all (or will at some point) experience the butterflies and utopia induced by the excitement of the early stages of a relationship.

Anyway.... Trina and I went and saw the new movie Definitely, Maybe starring Ryan Reynolds and Abigail Breslin. Abigail Breslin has been in a ton of movies lately and does a great job acting as a cute little kid. I don't want to give any of the movie away but I thouht it was a good one.

I'm not sure any movie these days is worth paying freaking $7 for a matinee ticket (but that's for another blog post), but a good time was had. Trina and I really enjoy going out to the movies together and it's just money right?

Oh, also, I thought the title of this movie sounded familiar and then I realized where I remember it from. I believe Oasis' debut album here in "the States" was titled Definitely Maybe. I thought that was a great album, but I am an Oasis fan so..... take that for what you will.

This is how I feel most days......

Tired.......

I'm just tired. Physically tired. Mentally Tired. Occupationally tired. Educationally tired.

Why isn't Osama lining up for the 72 Virgins?

Ok, so I was thinking, if being a martyr in the Islamic religion is so honorable and praised, and if each martyr is promised 72 virgins upon arriving in paradise, then why isn't Osama bin Laden or any of his other terrorist buddies lining up with sticks of dynamite strapped to their chests?

Let's think about this shall we.....?

Trina's Valentine's Day present 2008....

I've been asked several times recently about what I did for Trina's Valentine's day gift this year. The video/slideshow below is what I put together for Trina. I figured she'd probably cry.... and she did. SWEET SUCCESS!!

It was funny though, because later on that night as we were driving around she said, "Did you notice how there weren't very many pictures of my family in that video but your parents were in it quite a bit?" Hahahahah..... I was like, "Yea, but those photos were of Grants delivery and at 3 am those were the only people there." Trina's family lives out of town and weren't there 'til the next morning.

So... there will be a Directors cut coming out with additional footage in the near future.

Enjoy.....

Oh and by the way... I'm not this cheap to only give her this video I put together... I did make a stop at a popular women's "under garments" store. ;-)

A quote about Vision.....

Vision without action is merely a dream.
Action without vision just passes the time.
Vision with action can change the world.

--Joel A. Barker

Acoustic Outkast...... Hey Ya!

If you've never seen this, it's definitely one of the coolest acoustic renditions that I've ever heard. Check it out.

iJon

What am I doing right now? I'm researching Steve Jobs (Apple CEO and Co-founder) for a paper and presentation that I have to do in less than one week. I'm facinated by Steve Jobs and his business/management style. I don't really consider myself a techy person. I do work in a tech environment but..... Well, anyway... I'll leave it at that. I'm much more interested in how people work, what motivates them, what really speaks to them and makes them react.

Steve Jobs is techy but he's also a thinker; a tech-philosopher of sorts maybe. He's not all about selling the most "units". He's about innovation, doing things that no one else is doing. He's about designing products and applications that are unlike anything else on the market and in doing so creating a brand that sets the trends. The guy is a visionary and is best at birthing new ideas and concepts.

Jobs has impacted Hollywood. You can be sure that a MAC has probably been used on most every movie produced in the last several years. Every musical artist uses a MAC in the recording studio, in editing, in CD cover/insert design, and then in production. Heck, he gave us iTunes for crying out loud. The record companies said it'd never work; that subscription services were the way to go. Jobs and Apple told them that people wanted to have the choice to purchase the songs they wanted and not lose their music once their subscription was up. Steve Jobs was instrumental in the development and success of PIXAR animation studios. The guy has touched and had an influence on almost every facet of pop-culture that we experience today.

I think much can be learned by studying this guys philosophies on business.


Hey Wait..... I think I just wrote the intro to my paper! Sweet!

Thanks STEVE JOBS!

P.s.- Oh, by the way, the only piece of Apple equipment I own is an iPOD. Go figure.

Do I have to go to class?

Well, tonight is yet another night of listening to my professor drone on about stuff that he never did. Yep, four hours of racially offensive stories filled with things that never happened just so he can illustrate a point (that he totally misses).

I just keep hoping that all this time that I'm putting in away from my family in a classroom pays off somewhere down the line. I mean, I'm not paying for it so I think it's worthwhile. You can never be too educated I don't suppose. It just better pay off in the form of a promotion or more money at some point. I'm sure it will.

What would be funny is if I finished my Masters and then decided I want to get into a totally new field. Ya never know.......

Bathroom Etiquette in the Men's Room...... (Repost from MySpace)

This is a post I put on MySpace last year sometimes. I feel so strongly that everyone should know this information that I decided to post it here on my blog spot. Oh yea, the posts you see after my initial post are replies from a couple of my buddies. Pretty entertaining replies.

Read on.....


Wednesday, December 20, 2006


Pet-Peeves Surrounding Etiquette in the Men's Room!
Current mood: awake

Ok, this particular post may have multiple installments as I'm continually surprised and disgusted by stuff I see in the men's restroom almost anywhere I go.

#1. Why do guys walk into a restroom, stand over a urinal, commence to urinating, and whilst in mid-stream flush the urinal and just stand there? Do people not realize what is sprayed into the air when you flush a toilet? Those dudes are standing there breathing in urine germs of which may not be their own. Freaking SICK!

#2. I can't handle when people come out of the #2 stall and just walk out of the bathroom. WASH YOUR HANDS YOU FILTHY ANIMAL. At the very least these folks should have to wear a badge that says, "Don't shake my hand, I have fecal matter on them." Ok, last one for now......

#3. Why do dudes, (and I've seen this multiple times) walk into the bathroom, stand over the urinal, commence to doing their business and then all of a sudden spit into the urinal? I've failed to understand this phenomenon. Is their a rule or code that I missed out on at the last International Men's Convention? What is it about pissing at a urinal and spitting? Lots of people do this and I don't understand why.

Anyway...... if anyone has any thoughts or explanations on these thoughts I'd be interested to read them.
Currently listening :
The Back Room
By Editors
Release date: By 21 March, 2006

8:48 AM - 5 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
ben


dude.. i am so with you on the first 2, but the spitting thing is actually alot better an option than you realize. i have been guilty of such a maneuver many times and here is why. say you have a loogey been building up for the last hour or so... do you spit in a trash can around the office or wherever you might be, or do you wait and spit it into the urinal that will soon flush away all memories of such a horrific throat terd? you be the judge and jury my friend, but i will continue to send me gren goblins to a urinal mortuary:)

but please guys.. do wash your filthy paws after touching your wang and/or nasty butts!

Posted by ben on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 11:02 AM
[Remove] [Reply to this]
Jon


What I got from your post to this blog entry:

-Wang
-Throat Terd
-Gren Goblins

Posted by Jon on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 11:05 AM
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Russ


OK this is why I freaking love both of you, Jon and Ben. Ben, because you're freaking hilarious, and Jon because only you would dedicate your entire blog to tell the world why everyone annoys you. So allow me to join in on some disgusting bathroom observations...

1. I've begun noticing that almost every urinal that I use has a puddle right in front of it, or the glossy, dried up footprint of a preexisting puddle. Dude, is it that common for men to miss a freaking urinal? I mean, it's in front of and below your package, so how could that happen in every bathroom I visit? It's like dudes do there business and just as they're done, they take a step back and offer a little dribble to any thirsty instects that might wander into the bathroom... just in case.

2. I always seem to find myself next to the dude that steps up to the urinal and blows the loudest, nastiest farts ever while he's pissing, and just stares at the wall and sighs like no one heard that. It's like, dude, if you're having butt problems, perhaps you should have made a different porcelain selection.

3. And what about that dude that always talks to you while you're both standing there with your goodies hanging out. Really, you want to talk now?

Posted by Russ on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 at 9:01 PM
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Jon


Russ, you touched on another important, and often ignored restroom rule. In the men's rooms whilst standing next to another dude and handling each their own package... there shall be no turn of the head to the right or to the left, no eye contact and no speaking until the package has been recessed into the pants and both individuals are standing at the sink WASHING THEIR HANDS. Even at this point.. there shall be no eye contact until both individuals have left the confines of the restroom.

Posted by Jon on Thursday, March 08, 2007 at 9:48 AM

Stoked about Trina's V-day gift!

I'm super excited about giving Trina her Valentine's day gift this year. It's something that I spent a little time and thought on this year. Typically Valentine's day comes and goes and I usually give my "Valentine's is just another holiday drummed up by commercial interests" speech to at least one person in hopes of starting a revolution against the day that guilts me into going and spending more money right after Christmas.

This year is different howevever. I actually came up with a good idea. A creative idea, and put it into action. I'd say I have a few brownie points coming my direction within the next week.

Stay tuned....

This struck me as funny.....

Initial Pondering....

Well, this is my first official blog post. I'm not really sure what this blogging thing will lead to but for some reason I feel compelled to do it. I used to be very much into writing. I would write poetry, letters, songs.... you name it. I'm not sure where that part of me has gone over the last few years but I'm hoping to reignite some of that creativity in the coming months and years. I'm sure it's all been lost to things like career, education, and just life. Not that any of those things are negative

I've decided to pick my guitar back up and start playing again. I plan on auditioning for my church (New Life Church - Conway, AR) worship team. Now, I'm not an accomplished guitar player or vocalist but I do enjoy playing and I suppose I'm decent enough to have played in front of people before and not get booed from the stage, (wait isn't that what all the American Idol contestants on the reject reel say?). At one time music was what I thought my life was. I'm a trained trumpeter. I studied Jazz Performance and Recording in college for awhile in Kansas City.

I began to pick up guitar a little bit by just fooling around with an acoustic guitar and this cool poster I got from Wal-Mart that had a bunch of guitar chords on it. Hahahah.... it's funny now that I look back on it. So technically I'm a better and more proficient trumpet player. I know God has given me an ability but I haven't quite figured out yet how he desires for me to use it. So until I can figure that out or he shows me clearly I'll just continue to look for opportunities to play in whatever capacity I can.

I dreamed of being a professional musician at one time. I guarantee that the majority of my current friends don't even know that I have any musical ability at all. I'm not sure why I've suppressed that part of me but it's gone by the wayside over time. I really miss it but it seems like a lifetime ago. It seems so long ago that my once strong confidence in my abilities has weakened a little bit. I'm determined however not to let that shaken confidence get in the way of rekindling something that I love.

I've gotta get to practicing.