Tinkle, Tinkle, Little Star.....

According to Space.com, Thousands of stargazers were thrilled this past Wednesday by a spectacular light show in the night sky. Earthlings may be surprised at what caused it, spacemen not so much.

The stargazers can thank NASA. The beautiful starry-starry night was created when astronauts aboard the space shuttle Discovery emptied the urine tanks. Well ain't that a pisser! :^)

HAPPY BLOGGERVERSARY!

Today OFFICIALLY marks FLAST's one year anniversary! It's been fun- sometimes. I've un-met some very interesting strangers here, and made a few kinda-sorta-friends. I truly can't believe it's been a year!!! Good year? Bad year? Can't we just say a year? There I said it. 

I've been errant here lately, as I try, through MANY interventions, to overcome my addiction to "Crack-Book". I appreciate all your support.It's just kinda hard to shake the instant gratification I receive over there as opposed to the dust bowl, tumbleweed ridden domain, that has overtaken my humble blog. ;^)

THANKS to all of you who've come along for the ride, despite a drunk behind the wheel. I'm glad we never got pulled over, as it may have been a long walk home for some of you. I appreciate each and EVERY comment left by anyone who took the time to leave one or three. I'm even thankful for any possible cyber lurkers/stalkers that deftly stuck to the shadows.

Hooray for no one in particular. To (possibly) be continued.....

Happy 40th Birthnet!

The technology that transformed the world as we know it, and that is allowing me to do what I'm doing here at Blogger, turned the BIG 4-0 yesterday!

On September 2, 1969, UCLA scientists working in their lab, got two computers to "talk" to each other, and well, you pretty much know the rest.

DAMN, my blog just crashed! :^)

STRANGE but TRUE?!

Talk about the ol' ball & chain......

A man robbed a bank in Ephrata, PA., hoping to be arrested and jailed to escape his overbearing wife. At his hearing he explained to the judge that he'd been afraid to leave her because she had threatened to kill herself if he did. The couple eventually did divorce, but the man was sentenced to spend three to six years behind bars.

Too bad. He apparently didn't have a very good attorney who could both get him out of jail, AND take care of the divorce at the same time. :-(

The Dog Days of Summer

Sadly, the world's oldest dog has died. Chanel, a Long Island wire-haired dachshund, was 21-years-old. That would be 147 in dog years. Guinness Book of World Records officials celebrated her last birthday in style, with family and friends in May, at a Manhattan dog hotel and spa.

RIP Chanel! Although your bark has been silenced , and your bite has bitten the dust, your tiny spirit lives on as you ascend to that giant Alpo can in the sky.

**Think On It!**

"It is always too late, or too little, or both. And that is the road to disaster."

- David Lloyd George, English statesman
(1863-1945)

Whistle While You Work!

I've never been a very good whistler. Mind you, I've tried. I often consider all the lost chances I've had to meet an attractive woman because I couldn't whistle well- say THAT 50 times fast! :~)

I tend to do my best whistling with a mouth full of crackers. It's much more fun to try and whistle that way. Especially if someone you don't like is sitting across from you. I'm not a fan of whistlers in general unless they are VERY talented and proficient in the art form, or whistling a tune I dig.

That said, I'm VERY grateful for my bosses annoying whistling habit, and I'll tell ya why. Although he doesn't whistle well, nor have much flair and style, he more than makes up for it in sheer volume. Do you know where this is headed?

Since I occasionally dilly-dally and willy-nilly (aren't those fun to say?) at work, taking several coffee breaks, in your Face Booking, blogging, newspaper reading, etc., I'm forever indebted for his unintentional, I'm-coming-down-the-hallway-to-your-office-so-you'd-better-be-working air raid siren that I can hear a mile away. His early warning signal USUALLY gives me enough time to hide any contraband well before his arrival, all the while clicking off of pages I shouldn't be lookin' at!

So thank you boss, for your lack of talent and helpful noise making, which allows my day to be more counter-productive and relaxed. I sure hope he doesn't change to humming. I think that would be very difficult to hear.

Did You Know That...

recycling a three foot stack of newspapers can save one whole tree?!

I'm gonna start savin' my toothpicks.

Could It Possibly Be True?!

A 32-year-old man in St. Paul, Minn., had a distinctive cloverleaf tattoo on his left arm, a Celtic cross tattoo on his right bicep, and was wearing a cap with a clover leaf emblem. You'd think he'd be pretty lucky, right?

Well, no. Ya see, he ripped off a convenience store, and was quickly apprehended because of all the unlucky clovers several witnesses noticed!

Give that guy a bowl of cereal!

** Think On It! ** Patriotic Edition

"The trouble with this country is that there are too many people going about saying, "The trouble with this country is..."

- Sinclair Lewis, American author
(1885-1951)

Is That All There Is?!

So the chief calls me in my waaaay back office ("The Ice Box"), as he often does, and in a stern serious tone, tells me to come up to HIS office. Uh-oh! I forgot, eyes and ears are everywhere in this place! As a current example, he caught me (via computer) on Facebook earlier in the day, even writing it on my "wall" for all the world to see! Sure I could use the argument that he was on it too, but I'm pretty sure that's an argument I would quickly lose. And as he often says, "I'm the chief that's why!"

I slowly took the perp walk dragging my feet all the way up to his office through the dingy, dimly lit hallways, with my head hung low, expecting to be rebuked, as my mind quickly raced to come up with a really clever and imaginative excuse as to why I was on FB on company time. As I reached the door to his office, I realized I had nothin', and would just man-up and take whatever punishment was coming my way.

He was on the phone as I entered, and looking up, motioned for me to sit in the electric chair. He picked up something from his desk and threw it at me. Thank God for my still employable cat-like reflexes- they still serve me well. As I look down at what he threw, 25 years of my life washed over me like a tidal wave. As I was drowning, I realized I was holding a black pleather (?) bi-fold containing my PBA Silver Life Card! This is the metal card you receive when you've worked 25 years and are about to retire.

There was no fanfare. No drama. No tears. No gold watch. No nothin', aside from the (real?) silver metal card with my name lovingly (not!) etched upon it. I looked up at the chief, hoping for a smile, or a wink, or nod, but he just motioned for me to leave.

How utterly anti-climatic! The card's NOT even gold for crap sake! Well, I guess this is one of those, don't let the door hit you on the ass, type situations............sigh.

Adios, Amigos!

For whom the Taco Bell tolls, it sadly tolls for an advertising icon. The famous Taco Bell chihuahua (Gidget) who fascinated the world in the 90's with the catch phrase, "Yo quiero Taco Bell!", died this past Tuesday from complications due to a stroke. Gidget, actually voiced by actor Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911!) on the commercials, was 15-dog years-old when she went to that salsa and guacamole filled burrito in the sky.

Vaya con tacos, amigo!

"One Small...W-H-A-T?!

It was 40 years ago, well, a few days ago. I'm talkin' 'bout the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. When Neil Armstrong, along with fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, landed on the moon, as well as into the history books. I must also include the final member of the 3 man crew, Michael Collins who circled the moon, while the other two walked upon it.

As Armstrong exited the lunar landing module, he spoke those famous first words; "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind." That's what we all heard, except Armstrong says that not what he said...sorta. Armstrong claims he actually said, "That's one small step for 'a' man." The 'a' apparently was not heard by those listening.

At a press conference in 1999, Armstrong insisted "the 'a' was intended." Science, and NASA, back him up. In 2006, Peter Ford, a computer programmer, ran a software analysis. While looking over the the sound wave data, he found one that would have been the missing "a." Armstrong, along with experts at the Smithsonian Institution took a look at the evidence provided by Mr. Ford, and found it convincing.

Either way, whether said or not, I think the whole damn thing is pretty amazing. The 3 astronauts recently said that we should now focus on exploration of Mars. That'll cost quite a bit of moo-la in today's fiscally challenged environment. We shall see. Thank you and good night.

R.I.P. Walter Cronkite, American television news anchorman
(1916-2009)

** Think On It! **

"The love we give away is the only love we keep."

- Elbert Hubbard, American author
(1856-1915)


Well said, Mr. H!

I know I've been posting quite a few of these filler "thought" thangs, but ya gotta admit I choose carefully and best! Hooray for myself and I!

-Stay tuned for nothing folks-

STEFANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to check your blog and it's GONE! What happened?! I hope you're OK. You were the first stranger to comment on my blog. Contact me if you can.

I have abandonment issues! :~)

** Think On It! **

"Happiness is good health and a bad memory."

- Ingrid Bergman, Swedish-born actress
(1915-1982)

** Think On It! **

"Sometimes it's worse to win a fight than to lose."

- Billie Holiday, American jazz singer
(1915-1959)

Down To The Wire!

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but I was hoping to enter Amazon.com's 30 sec. commercial spot contest. I haven't even finished shooting my short ("The Conversation") yet. Between work, the band, a visiting friend and her son, and sadly my current sick addiction to Facebook, I haven't had much time.

My partner and me ("Cop Out Productions"), were finally able to get together this past Sunday to shoot. I only had about 3 hours to find an "actor" and location so we could shoot the footage before I had band rehearsal. Much to my surprise we were able to do most of what we set out to do.

We've needed to do a rough cut so I could have my friend from the band lay down a simple score. In a slight panic, I'd been trying to reach my partner on his cell for the past day and 1/2 with no success. My anxiety level increased as time quickly passed, when FINALLY I get a call in my office that my partner was waiting up front for me.

We quickly got the rough cut finished so my friend can add some music. Sadly I didn't realize just how short 30 seconds can be until you have to edit, as I don't have much experience in that department. We had to trim the whole beginning which I loved. We'll see tomorrow when we do the final cut. I'll need the music done by then.

We have until Friday at midnight to have this thing completed and received. Hopefully we can download it and send it as a file. Worst case scenario- we'll have to send it by courier pigeon.

Wish me luck!

I'm So Ashamed...

Now I've gone and done it. I've tread where I've dreaded to tread. I've joined Satan's playground. The communist central location known as Facebook.

I feel like a martyred hypocrite. In all honesty, the ONLY reason I joined was to track down my friend CH. Well, I succeeded, but now I'm trapped. Monsters old and new are crawling up from their dungeons, or slithering out from underneath beds everywhere. 

Old foes as well as some former Nemesis's wanting suddenly to be my "friend", after many years of regret, deep meditation, and mellowing. HELLLLLLLP MEEEEEEE!

I must admit however, it's sickly (or is that sickeningly) addictive. I feel like it's just another distraction from posting here at FLAST. It is summer however, and readership is down 5/3's, as people who have real lives find better things to do than read this drivel.

Speaking of summer, I sure hope you're enjoying yours! Don't forget to slather on some sunblock, SPF 5000.

** Think On It **

"Only a mediocre person is always at his best."

- W. Somerset Maugham

   English author and dramatist (1874-1965)