Deep In The Forrest

This is not a post about a delicious, hot and crummy blueberry muffin! Still feelin the heat around Memphis these days. For those of you who live in a cooler climate, I am severely jealous of you guys. Heat is tough in many places I know, but I promise you that Memphis gets this type of "unbearable humidity" that makes it so much worse. I just feel totally crummy! I can take a lovely shower or bath, and get my make-up on just right , and then I step outside and instantly turn into a puddle of water. I'm not sure if it is normal, but my head/face sweats quite profusely, so my hair get soaked! I simply can't look lovely in this heat-box of a city. The heat definitely has an impact on our city's homeless, hungry and handicapped people. I've noticed lately that they have taken on a more vicious attitude altogether! -> I wish I could boast the great words of Major Charles Emerson Winchester 'The Thuhhd', and say: "I'm a Winchester Honeycutt! A W...

A good Tuesday to everyone! Pleased to say it is photo time again, as it is time for the "Weekly Words Challenge" brought to us as always by the lovely and charismatic Tink of Pickled Beef ! This week's words, as stated yesterday are "Temporary" and "Permanent". I am revisiting some photos that I have taken recently but may or may not have used before. No slide show on this one, but please stay after the WWC because I am bringing you a "Special Slide Show Presentation". It's a funny--you might have seen them, if not, it is sure to give you a laugh. Ok, here goes: Rain Is Temporary Graffiti Is Temporary: either gets painted over, or wears away. Sunsets Are Temporary Although the Ink Doesn't last, these are "Permanent" markers, the photo did something really strange here. Still, who doesn't LOVE Sharpies!!! I think Cat Hair is Permanent. At least I can't get rid of it all. Of course, Nothing here on Earth is really Per...

Hey... I know, I know. No posts over the weekend. I was checking Tink's blog to find out the WWC words for this week, which happen to be "Temporary" and "Permanent" so I will try my hand at that tomorrow. While over at Tink's, I always enjoy her "Daily Hoop Conversations" which are little snippets of conversations she and her boyfriend have all the time, and I always think they are the cutest! She's very witty, and to me, some of the quips and conversations she puts on her blog could well be the perfect material for Comic Strips! But also I was inspired and thought I might try one of my conversations with Mr. J. One such conversation popped up tonight, so I thought I would give it a go: The Daily Dose of AJ and Richie: Richie: "Man I need a humongous favor. I wore the wrong type of underwear helping Gary move, and my balls are really chaffed!! Can you go buy me some of that creme?" AJ: "Creme?" Richie: "Yeah, what...

It is Friday! Get finished up with your work and chores as soon as possible, and get out there and enjoy your weekend. I'm certainly going to try to do just that! It's been a long week, TGIF!! Also, if you need a good Friday 'WTF', to be shocked or maybe a laugh, then don't forget to pop by WTF Friday for all of your WTF needs! :) Peace out! -AJ

So I walk into the gas station/convenience store right around the corner this morning, only to read their "no shoe/no shirt" policy sign for the 100th time. It reads "Must have shirt, shoes and pants on before entering". Then I noticed at the bottom, scribbled in, it said "Pants Must Be Pulled Up". I thought, JEEZ! What is it coming to? I have seen so many funny signs here and there because you know SOMEONE is running around with their pants around their knees, or doing some crazy stuff that caused people to have to write up a special sign. O.k. well good luck to my local convenience store with that, I hope they have some success with it. This is the same convenience store that someone drove their truck through the glass door in an attempt to rob a few months back. It's everywhere isn't it? No place is sacred and relaxing anymore. Well folks, I'm keeping it short today, just not feeling overly-wordy (much to your dismay I'm sure!) However, ...

It's... you guessed it: My Wednesday Post. Today is just "ok". I'm not fueled up about anything in particular, although I'm sweaty from walking at lunchtime, and the bottoms of my feet are slightly sore because we did all that walking when I was only wearing flip-flops. Flip flops don't travel well on the cobble stone of Main street... but that's "ok". It's Wednesday and "Things" are "Ok". We started out heading South on Main with full intentions of hitting up The Arcade Restaurant , Memphis' Oldest Cafe (1919). It's down in the South Main district downtown, and can boast involvement in some movie filming, and patronage from many celebs, having served the likes of Cybill Shepherd, Robert Duvall, Dennis Quaid, Susan Sarandon, Rufus Thomas, Elvis and his buddies, and many others, as well. If you're ever in Memphis, and you have the time, I highly suggest popping in, even if just for the history and the memorabili...

Well, well... hope your day is going very nicely! Our summer heat is still in full force lately, and I can tell my air conditioner has a hard time keeping up. We have shut a couple of the doors, and closed off vents in hopes that the other rooms will be a little cooler. Hell, my folks grew up without air conditioning, and they lived! Of course, we're all spoiled brats these days, and I swear it is hotter than ever. Sorry to report that this week we aren't having a WWC due to the recent death in Tink's fiancee's family. She's just extended last week's, I think, and we'll resume next week! Still keep them in your thoughts please, because as we all know, losing someone is always hard, and it never gets easier. But you learn how to cope, and live, and move forward... I know though, that there is always a big empty spot. Also you should know that these loved ones will always be with you, but you have to pay attention, and be open to the little things. :) So inst...

Is it really Monday again and the work week has really come to slap me in the face? I have got to do something about this reality I created. Why did I not go for the tropical island or the snowy wilderness?? I guess it's meant to be for now huh. Complaint of the Day: People who send me like 20 "Fwd" joke/junk messages, one after the other. I don't really like forwards, but I deal with a few of them. I just think this is ridiculous though, one or two? Maybe... 20 in a row, torture. You're just begging me to "block" you. There goes another one!! Geez... get a life! Well, work is going to be steady and kind of hectic for the next few weeks, so much going on and an office relocation (not sure of exact date on that). I dread it though, I know change is imminent, it usually has the flavor of stale brew (hard to swallow). I guess every change has its pros and cons, but I always seem to experience changes that make everything harder to enjoy. Right now, the wo...

Well, just had to pop in for a quick weekend update... Richie and I got street legal for our bikes and we're all set and ready to go. We actually made a little mini trip to my Mom's yesterday on them and took the scenic route home this morning; it was a total blast. I loved every minute of it. The next order of business is to get the windshields soon, because the wind truly does become problematic when you hit 50 and over. We'll get to that soon though... Just enjoying being legit and able to ride. However, the weather is hot as hell and the bugs are out there slapping us around, so maybe the windshield will help with that, and I got a good pair of goggles. Anyroad... I'm riding around like a bad-azz and happy as a clam! :) Since it is summer, and the heat is on super-high, a lot of people tend to want to drink cold beer, or liquor (or both), and think that's going to cool them off or to make them SEEM cool. Well, this next video is really a testament to the fact th...

Stuff bugging on my brain today... and other random thoughts in no particular order. I woke up this morning thinking about how long this week has truly felt, I mean it seems like it's just been dragging on and on. I suspect this has something to do with my trying to get my motorcycle endorsement on my license, and just wanting to be out riding instead of doing anything else... but oh well. Jimi does not approve of sitting still, he demands to be ridden, and stone free. Also, being unable to go and get the motorcycle endorsement on our license and not having any other licensed motorcycle-rider that can accompany us to the DMV... either that or Trailer the bike, which we only need a trailer for like an hour, and nobody has a trailer... Uhaul charges more and for a 24-hr period... Frustrating! Elevator etiquette sucks in this town. I hate when I get to my floor, and no sooner than the doors open, someone else jumps on before I can even get off. I think people exiting the elevator shou...

It's Mom & Dad's 46th Wedding anniversary. They Met in '61 married in 62 she says. They've had a long and loving one, I am very proud to have been a witness to that. It's been a long day for me, but I just wanted to stop for a moment and recognize the wonderful two people who brought me into the world and raised me in such a loving and wonderful home... They are truly the best parents anyone could ever have. I Love you Mom & Dad!!! Happy Anniversary!

This week is a little sad for the WWC, due to a death in Tink's fiancee's family . Tink and Hoop: My thoughts are with you and yours during this difficult time. I'm so sorry to hear about Hoop's brother, my sincere condolences, and may you and your family have peace and understanding at this time. I will continue on with my entries for this week's Weekly Words Challenge (WWC) . This week's words are "Sign" and "Graffiti". Memphis is easy enough to gather for that, but hope you enjoy... AJ Graffiti Speaks For Itself A Sign that the Spirit of Big E is Near... Signs somewhere on Union Avenue An Old Store Front Sign A Sign That I Definitely Went The Wrong Way Signs of Rain Revisiting This B.B. King's Sign Happy Tuesday... AJ

South Park gig went well Friday night, and I appreciate everyone who was in the area and attempted to make it out... The support of friends and family is very important, and does make a difference. Means alot to us. I'm not feeling like a long post, so I will just give you a quick run-down. We started playing sometime between 9:30 and 10:00, and we split it up into two sets, just like we did at Stage Stop last time. We had some new faces, and also some familiar faces. Richie's friends, Justin, Zack, Lev and some of Richie's coworkers came, and from my end, really just Glenda and Byrd... I appreciate that, and was glad to see them. Others attending were acquaintances of our Bass players, so we made new friends and fans. It was a sweaty set, we were outdoors and There were insects abound. I sprayed myself down with Mosquito repellent and gave it my all. We were attacked by a Locust after the first couple of songs, and I just make a quip into the mic, "He must've not ...

This is my new love... my new obsession. Feel free to drool. This isn't an actual photo, but it's exactly what mine looks like, and I have photos, but just haven't been able to upload them yet... give me a moment, I've been a little distracted. What do you think?? (If you're going to lecture me then just save your breath). Please welcome the new member of my family, "Jimi". This calls for another Tattoo... don't you think?? Do you like my new header?? (Yes/No)

As I made my way in to work this morning, I looked around at the cartoon-like mayhem that surrounded me. It's something that you can get numbed to because there are so many idiots, and it's just every day, all day long. But when I looked around, I just sat in disbelief and wondered if everyone felt this way, or was it JUST ME? Do the crazed numskulls simply pick me out to "cut off", or to swerve over towards, or drive slowly in front of, as if to annoy the piss out of me? I think, perhaps I have given my fellow drivers too much credit. Maybe they really are just that stupid, and they aren't even aware of it. I mean, the newer car models are made with such complicated Turn Signals, it's no wonder they don't know how to operate them, and that they commonly mistake the brake for the gas pedal. Should I just ease up on them? Hey YOU!! No-Child-Left-Behind, Hooked On Phonics, Riding The Short Bus, "Where'd You Get Your Driver's License, Mickey-D...

Jinks had a couple of cool posts that I recently read, one of which highlighted nuts and profuse masturbation, and the other spoke sorely about the heat, and her way of dealing. I know everyone is feeling it, even in those places that we in the south have heard tall tales of that enjoy mild summers and harsh winters, I'm sure the heat is on at least 7 or 8. So we find ourselves smack-dab in the "Dog Days of Summer", right? Being from the south, I always wonder where funny little nicknames and phrases come from... so I always have to look it up. According to Wikipedia's definition of "Dog Days" : The phrase Dog Days or " the dog days of summer ", refers to the hottest, most sultry days of summer. They are a phenomenon of the northern hemisphere that usually falls between early July and early September but the actual dates vary greatly from region to region, depending on latitude and climate . Dog Days can also define a time period or event that...

"What?!?! Where's AJ's WWC?!?!" Oh guys, I'm sorry... I am just not feeling it today. I don't have a thing that I feel worthy of the WWC (Tink's words for this week are "Age" and "Beauty"), I don't act my age and I don't feel beautiful, so I am letting y'all down today. I'm just worn out. The summer heat has me feeling like a dog lately. I'm really sorry, I will get back into the game next week hopefully, and maybe will have had a chance to get out and snap more pics and stuff. Therefore, today before I get back to the grind, I'll share with you another cool website I ran across... It's http://www.unscrewamerica.org . Give that a spin, and check back later for other updates from the Forrest. You really just never know.

What to do... hmmm, weekend recap? Thursday nightmare: Richie started drinking margaritas early, after work, and an argument ensued with a good friend of mine over something that was said. It turned into a bad night, and I felt awful for this friend having to go through it since I only wanted to have a little coffee and some girl chat... But that's why I just lovvveeee alcohol. You never know what kind of hell it will put you through before the night's over. We made it through that, fortunately. I don't quite want to go into all the details of the ridiculous causes, I'm just sorry it was such a bad night for everyone involved and all. So... some other time perhaps. Friday, the 4th was spent pleasantly at my parents' house... we had a nice visit, and had my Mom's catfish... rather impromptu and doubly delicious. She cooked it on the fly kind of, and we enjoyed it, even though it was too late to eat dinner probably. It was the 4th, I deserved a little happiness......

I'm winding down, but it took a while for the buzz of being on stage to wear off. The sound was mixed much better tonight, and I feel like it went really well. Miss Nita was quite complimentary of our sets tonight, and she didn't give me any extra 'stage advice' tonight. Plus for the first time, our band collected some "door fee". That's a big deal because so far we have played for free trying to get our name out there! Very cool. Anyways, we only had one other band to play with us, so we had two (2) sets tonight, first one we played 9 songs and then took about a 20 minute break, and had a second set wherein we played another 7 songs and we were done. I was more "loosened up" I think, and felt more comfortable... Not a huge crowd, but then I didn't expect there to be a ton of people for some reason the day after July 4th. Was a fun night nonetheless. I'm starting to be quite aware of how much of my material speaks of death and destruction...

I don't do Cigarettes, nope... never been a smoker. But I enjoy coffee very much, especially when it's made by and enjoyed with my wonderful Mother... She makes the best coffee ever... or maybe it's just because it's her. :) Anyway, first I'd like everyone to enjoy this video by the wonderful Otis Redding, "Cigarettes and Coffee" . Couldn't find a live one, so stare at the pic I guess while listening to the cool song. Or you could just continue to read my blog entry while listening. Think of it as 'accompaniment music'. Now on to the latest "AJ Jibber Jabber". All is o.k. here, I guess. I'm just making it through the week and wishing that my band's Gig at The Stage Stop was over with... It really separates up my holiday weekend, and I fear that I am going to go back to work just as tired as when I finished the week... Is that what holidays are all about?? I don't really know anymore. Holidays, for the most part, suck. Th...