the new pad!!!

This is the place! I'll get some more pics soon as we clean and fill it with "stuff!"

Griff seems to like it so far. He was totally excited to have his own room and bathroom!

He also loved his big new closet and already put it to use putting his skateboard and helmet in there.

Best Rock Album in the last 20 years.

None of these are actually 20 years old, but I had to create a cut-off somewhere. Anyway, these are some of my favorites. If you don't like any of these but have another one, pick "other" and add a comment to this post for what you like.

For the Albums I chose, here are the reasons:

Each of these albums is SOLID start to finish. You'll find a lot of albums that one or two good songs and the rest are crap. These are complete albums

Each Album was unique for it's time - I remember when 10 came out thinking the world of Rock had just been completely changed and for the better. Every song was so raw and so intense and I think was completely superior to Nirvana's Nevermind, despite the accolades heaped on that album.

When Dookie came out it was the first really good "pop punk" album and every song is awesome - catchy, sing-along punk rock! I remember when they performed at Woodstock in about 94 and it was all muddy and the guitar player took a huge dirt-clod to the face and had a couple of teeth knocked out but he kept on playin!

Incubus's Make Yourself was so good (and holds up, no problem) that I literally wore out a CD that I played over and over and over (I also wore out Morning View!) They also put on one of the best live shows I've ever seen - Sean and I went when they came to PHX in probably '02 or so.

Evolver is my favorite 311 album, though they're all pretty good, this one is just great start to finish. And it's 311, nuff said!

So get your votes in - and No, FLO RIDA is not considered Rock, so it doesn't make the list - it is in the playlist at the bottom though :-D

Get your bows here!

All you ladies that check out my blog (and some of you guys too - Reece) look at this site: bostynsboutique.com and order lots of girlie things. This is Arlee and her sister's business and they're really good at making these things. The little girl in the pictures is Arlee's niece Bostyn. I personally think Kaja and Avery would look totally cute with some giant bows in their hair!!!! Camdyn, Mary Kate and Lowee too, Rylee. Also, if you have an outfit and you want a custom-made bow, they will do that for you too!

I don't have a lot of sway with the prices, but I MIGHT be able to get you a discount if you buy lots of bows :-D

I'll put the link in my favorites on the side of the blog for your browsing enjoyment. The website is still under construction so if you want something, let me know and I can get you in touch with Arlee.

And Reece, I was totally kidding, you're not THAT girlie. ;-)

I'm a home owner!

Yes, it's true...I finally got the stinkin loan closed on my house and it's official! I own a house again. I'm almost happier about this than I am about the car (almost :-D )

Jim and Jill have been super cool letting me crash at their place all this time, but it has been time for me to get out for a while. Thanks guys, I appreciate the excellent hospitality, you can have the house to yourselves again! I'll bring Griffin by a lot, don't worry about that.

So, after easily the worst loan experience I've had in the mortgage industry maybe ever, I finally got the loan closed and signed today (it should have been done 2 weeks ago and shouldn't have required almost all my savings!) Anyway, I'll get the keys on the 26th and start moving stuff in. I actually need to get my storage unit cleaned out so I won't have to pay for March. Boys, be ready to help move stuff this weekend - WHOO HOO!!!!!

Funny thing was, when I went to sign the papers, the girl who helped me will actually be one of my neighbors in the new place, funny huh! Small world I guess...

So, again, I'll have pics of the place up soon. Gotta get it cleaned up and situated first. Then we'll have some sort of house warming rager - I was thinking a UFC Pay Per View party, but then I realized there's maybe one other person I'd invite that like the fights, so maybe we'll do a "Scavenger Hunt" Party or something. Anyone who hasn't been indoctrinated with "Scavenger Hunt" let me know and I'll show you what's up. You won't be disappointed. If you are, I'll show it to you again until you agree it's one of the greatest things you've ever seen. ;-)

Oh, and since it has a garage, my car will be so happy to be out of the elements and in its own little home. Again, WHOO HOO!!!!!

The new car is here!!!

I went to take pictures and it started raining. So instead, I went for a ride to test the Quattro! That's right, I took the step up to Audi. Got myself an A4 3.2l V6 Quattro (about 1/2 the R8 shown at the bottom of this blog at 1/5 the price! :-D ) It is a very nice car. The best part is, it's a 2005 with only 14k miles, well 15k now :-D It's brilliant black with light tan interior. The iPod adapter is coming in Wednesday and it'll be perfect. Eventually I will put in a navigation system that will actually run the iPod like an iPod rather then all these stupid adapters that only show you what song you're on and nothing else.

I got a pretty dang good deal from Ken Garff. Not only does the car have super low miles, they added a 2-year 50k mile warranty to the remaining warranty - so I have about 3 years and 85k miles (ROAD TRIP!!!) Also, they kicked in free oil changes and the 25, 35, 45k check ups (these are like $400-$600 a shot!) and finally an additional 5-year 50k mile engine warranty. Oh, and the car originally had some really ugly wheels on it so I made then swap on some decent looking split 5-spoke 17's that actually look pretty nice. So, as some of you may know I really hated that Jetta, so I'm super stoked to be rid of it. I really wish I'd never traded in my R32, but this car is almost as fast and a little more refined, so it's totally cool, I love it! Gas mileage is pretty good too, so I'm happy about that!

I'll get pics up soon. I'm going to mess around with the Nikon and see what kind of sweet shots I can come up with. Stay tuned...

griff riding the dragon

Not sure why this is so blurry, but that IS Griff on the Dragon. Guess this one won't last long on the Blog. Weird...

IF

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,'
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Chris Paul who????

Yeah, I haven't posted for a while, I've been busy - sue me! (kidding :-D)

I've been waiting for this little number to show up on You Tube and here it is.

Meet Mr. Deron Williams! GO JAZZ!!!!

stacy at work, she has no idea i filmed this!

I had to wait mid-haircut for this girl to get her bangs done, I got bored, and this it what happens. The girl left a very happy customer, and so did I...eventually :-D

Audi R8 Super Bowl ad

The exhaust note alone gives me chills!

Super Bowl Commercials

Since I don't really care who wins the Super Bowl, though if I HAD to pick, I'd take the Giants, I'm SOOOO sick of the Patriots, I'm going to track the commercials - I've heard theyre supposed to be a lot better this year. By the way, Jordin Sparks was really good singing the National Anthem - two thumbs up!!!

Go HERE to see all the commercials, I missed some good ones. Shaq as a horse jockey was funny!

#1 - Audi R8 - a play on the "Horse head in the bed" scene - AWESOME! 1, I love the car; 2, it's pretty clever; 2, I LOVE the car!!!!

#2 - Diet Pepsi Max - everyone falling asleep - pretty funny. The dude dunking his face in the soup was good.

#3 - SalesGenie.com - cartoon - nothing special

#4 - Bud Light - wine and cheese club - eh, kinda funny I guess, beer commericals are played out

#5 - Underarmour - football guys - nothing special

#6 - Bridgestone - Screaming animals - kinda funny

#7 - Doritos - nothing special - though I'm sure the singing girl is stoked

#8 - G2 Gatorade - Derek Jeter - nothing special

#9 - Go Daddy - I immediately went to the web LOL - not really, DUMB commerical!!!

#10 - Dell laptops - Rolling Stones - Nothing special, though I like the computer

#11 - FEDEX - Carrier Pidgeon shipping - I liked the huge pidgeons, that was funny!

#12 - Cars.com - Plan B - Gladiator fight - pretty funny - "Please step outside the circle, just so there's no confusion." LOL

#13 - Tide Stain Stick - Talking stain - clever, I liked it!

#14 - Budweiser - Horses - these are SOOOOO played (two big thumbs down!)

#15 - I haven't been doing Movie trailers, but Ironman looks MEGA-dumb! I'll watch it on DVD :-D

**DINNER BREAK (sorry if I missed any good ones)

#16 - Ice Cubes Gum - Carmen Electra - no lines, she looks good, I like it! LOL

#17 - Bridgestone - Richard Simmons - weird???

#18 - Careerbuilder - Spider eats happy cricket, you're not going to get a better job by wishing - FUNNY!!!! LOL

**Took Griff Back - Break, will miss a LOT of commercials, please add you own input here**

#19 - AMP - Push it - Dumb

#20 - American Idol - Roethlisberger - doing Karaoke ruining the Pina Colada song - pretty funny

Gotta make a comment on the game - if it's 4th and nothing and only 1:40 to go in the Super Bowl against the Patriots - you GO FOR IT, the announcers act like there's a choice - DUH!!! (and then the Giants almost don't make it - sheesh!!!)

Oh, and someone needs to teach Manning how to throw the ball away - just terrible time management... (rolling my eyes) - I almost sound like I care, huh??? :-D

Holy Crap! Manning to Burress!! Wow. Who'd a thunk it? And Brady was scoffing at the low score Burress predicted - HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Congrats to the Giants I guess, anyone think Tiki Barber is pissed right now? LOLOLOLOL

If anyone wants to share their favorite commercials, feel free!

gti owns all!

On a very snowy winter Sunday, Griffin and I proved it on video, the VW GTI will beat a Porsche 911, a Lotus Esprit, and a Nissan Skyline head to head - and it's not real close! The VW GTI also costs a small percentage of the other three entrants to this challenge, making it the value choice as well! The line up - video left to right - GTI (white), Skyline (black), Esprit (yellow), 911 (red). Here it is, coming right into your living room!!!

griff's 1st time skiing

Griff and dad went skiing for a while on Saturday - it was PERFECT conditions at Brighton. We rented some skis and boots for Griff and then found out that Dad forgot his boots (DUH!!!) So, luckily Unkie Payce was just finishing up snowboarding and let Dad use his board (that was an adventure in and of itself! LOL) So, Griff did great for his first time, he did crash a LOT, but that was dad's fault for not having his skis. It was way too hard to try to figure out snowboarding while trying to teach Griff how to ski. Next time we'll do better. We had a good time, and since Griff is free, we'll go a few more times. Next year well get him in lessons :-D

All ready to go - pass, skis, boots - big smile!!! Up on the slopes, ready to get on the lift!

Dad and Griff on the lift