It is staggering that anyone could be so self-infatuated as to single out their own particular policy preferences as "anti-war." Anyone who is not a sadist or an idiot is anti-war. The only serious issue is how best to limit, deter or conclude war. But responsibility for confronting this issue is evaded by those preoccupied with the moral preening of being "anti-war."

-Thomas Sowell, August 29, 2006

posted by Dash | 1:48 PM | |

Police Hunt 'Naked Tickler' In Central Fla.

Authorities in Volusia County, Fla., are searching for a naked man who breaks into the homes of women and tickles their feet as they sleep, according to a Local 6 News report.

Investigators said a woman who was asleep in her home on Katy Drive in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Saturday woke up at about 3 a.m. and found a man wearing only a baseball cap tickling her foot.

Police said when she screamed, the man dashed across the room with his hands covering his crotch.

The woman called 911 but the man had fled the area. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office is working with the New Smyrna Beach Police Department on this case since several similar incidents happened in the area in 2005.

Police only have a vague description of the culprit.

I was wondering why the guy covered his crotch when he "dashed" across the room. Maybe he was trying to hide a distinguishing characteristic? Who knows?

Just for the record, the rumors of me being out of town last weekend are greatly exagerated. I was home almost all weekend. Really! I have witnesses.

posted by Dash | 10:52 AM | |

When I got home from work last night, there was a package waiting for me from a friend of mine. It was from David at Fishtown Chatter, who despite living in North Carolina, is a huge Texas Music fan.

I had known David for some time through his blog, but I was finally able to meet him last year. He and his lovely wife brought five of their closest friends to Gruene Hall, Texas to see one of my favorite bands, Reckless Kelly. It turns out David is friends with the band and he introduced me to them before the show and we visited with them afterwards, too. That was pretty cool.

Well, back to the package he sent me.

A couple of weeks ago there was a weekend long concert in the mountains of Idaho called Braun Brothers Reunion. David went to the concert all the way from NC and he said it was so good that he will never miss another one.

He said besides being able to listen to some of the best music in the world, there was great fly fishing, white water rafting and some of most beautiful sightseeing you can imagine.

The package included an autographed CD/DVD set from RK's newest recordings, a poster from the Braun Brothers Reunion, a RK coozy, and a cool t-shirt from the concert.

The first thing I did was throw a Shiner Bock into the coozy and sit down to watch the DVD. It was great! The CD's will be in my truck for the long drives to and from work. If you have never seen this band before, you should check them out. They're the real deal.

Thanks, David. Your generosity and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated. I hope you don't wait too long to come back down to see us. I think RK will be back at Gruene Hall in late October, so maybe we'll see you then.

posted by Dash | 8:35 AM | |

As most of you know, we're starting to rebuild our house and have been thinking about things such as upgraded finishes, new appliances, pre-wired surround sound systems, built-in entertainment centers, etc.

One of the things I wanted to look in to was a new security system with... oh, I don't know... maybe a... new fire alarm system?

I voiced my concern and interest to one of my hunting buddies who just built a new house of his own.

Here's his response to my inquiry.

I don't know much about fire/smoke alarms, but here's my suggestion for a sure fire home security system.

1. Go to a second-hand store and buy a pair of men's used work boots, size14-16.

2. Place them on your front porch, along with a copy of Guns and Ammo and your NRA magazines.

3. Put a giant dog dish next to the boots and magazine.

4. Leave a note on your door that reads: " Hey Bubba: Big Mike, Slim, Tiny and I went for more ammo. Back in an hour. Don't mess with the Pitbulls. They attacked the mailman this morning and messed him up pretty bad. I don't think Killer took part in it, but I locked all four of them in the house. Better wait outside."

Thanks, Paul. I appreciate your interest in keeping it under budget, but I think I'll stick with the one I already had in mind.

posted by Dash | 8:45 AM | |

16 years ago today, I made the first good decision of my life and said "I do" to the lovely, smart, and sometimes feisty Christina. Those of you who know her know what a lucky guy I am.

Without getting too sappy, let me just say this.

Happy Anniversary, my dear. You are a great mother and wife, and you are my rock. Thank you for all that you do. I love you more every day.

posted by Dash | 6:13 AM | |

Chrissy here again.

Yesterday, Dash's mother died.

She had not been well for a long time, but it was still something of a shock for everyone.

Understandably, there is a great deal he, the family, and I will be dealing with in the next several days.


Rest in peace, Mom, you are loved.

posted by Dash | 5:01 AM | |

Well, Christina and her willing team of persuaders have talked me in to going to the fabled Helen Blogmeet in Georgia next month.

Don't get me wrong - I want to go. I always wanted to go. It's just that we've had a lot going on lately and I continue to be slammed at work. I didn't think it would work out, so I never really pursued the possibility.

But, I've been given the green light at home and my boss said he didn't see any reason why I couldn't take that Friday off - especially since I was supposed to be off all last week and ended up getting only two days.

Christina started putting the bug in my ear a few days ago and I never really thought it would work out. I wanted her to be able to go, too, but it's not in the cards for both of us to be away from home right now.

So, my flight is booked and I'll be arriving in the Peach State sometime late that Friday morning. I've already spoken with the illustrious events coordinator about room accommodations and all I have to do is hitch a ride to the "Hooch", and I'm good to go.

Thanks to all of you who sent out words of encouragement. I'm really looking forward to seeing some of the folks who have become an important part of my life, as well as many new folks that I've been wanting to meet in the flesh.

So, here I come. And remember - what happens in Helen, stays in Helen. Right?

posted by Dash | 3:05 PM | |

Hey, Chrissy here!

Dash probably forgot I had the keys to this place when I helped him set it up.

Ha!

There's a blogmeet scheduled in a few weeks in Helen.

I think my boy needs a break.

Looking at flights from around here, I can have him in Atlanta between 11:00 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. on Friday, September 8th. He's on his own from there to Helen.

In any event, shout out and give the guy some encouragement.

That is all.

posted by Dash | 5:53 AM | |

Dammit! I missed another one.

My favorite is the "Mattress Chunk."

posted by Dash | 4:47 PM | |

Stole this one from Mostly Cajun who stole it from Lemons and Lollipops. We're a thievin' bunch, ain't we?

What curse word do you use the most?
Shit (is that really a curse word, though?)

Do you own an iPod?
Not yet, but I shall.

Who on your MySpace “Top 8″ do you talk to the most?
MySpace?!?!? WTF? We don't need no steenking MySpace.

What time is your alarm clock set for?
6:00 Time to get all bright tailed and bushy eyed for another wonderful day in paradise.

What color is your room?
A magnificent apartment standard off-white. Isn't that special?

Flip flops or sneakers?
Actually, I have flip flops, top siders, tennis shoes and boots. (What's a sneaker?)

Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?
I’m okay on either side of the camera, but I prefer to take the pic.

What was the last movie you watched?
Broken Trail (made for TV movie by Robert Duval)

Do any of your friends have children?
Yes, very few of my friends don't.

Has anyone ever called you lazy?
Not to my face.

Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster?
No, I can usually fall asleep fairly fast.

What CD is currently in your CD player?
Delbert McClinton - Cost of Living

Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?
Chocolate... cold.

Has anyone told you a secret this week?
Yes.

Have you ever given someone a hickey?
Yes.

Who was the last person to call you?
My insurance adjuster.

Do you think people talk about you behind your back?
Probably, but I don't worry about it.

Did you watch cartoons as a child?
Yes, I grew up with Saturday morning cartoons such as Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny, Pink Panther, UnderDog, Mighty Mouse, Atom Ant, Roadrunner, etc. I loved 'em all.

How many siblings do you have?
Lots - I have two younger sisters, three younger step-brothers and one younger step-sister. They are scattered across the world. One brother is in Singapore and another in Iraq.

Are you shy around the opposite sex?
Not since high school.

What movie do you know every line to?
I don’t know all the lines to any one movie. But, I know a lot of lines to a lot of movies.

Do you own any band t-shirts?
Nope.

What is your favorite salad dressing?
I love ranch on almost any salad, but occasionally get a real craving for plain old oil & vinegar.

Do you read for fun?
Occasionally. I wish I had more time to read. With two kids, sports and a demanding job, time for reading is scarce. I read news and editorial mostly.

Do you cry a lot?
Almost never. Although, I got a little teary a few times after the fire. Mostly, it was thinking about how important my family and friends are to me. I'm not normally an emotional person, but Wow!

Who was the last person to text message you?
Yesterday my daughter sent me a message from the vet's office to tell me my dog is fat. I guess that Iams Lamb & Rice diet isn't working for him either.

Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
Desktop at work. At home I use Chrissy's laptop. Mine got toasted.

Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos?
Yeah, I was thinking about getting the Prince Albert, but thought it might be hard to get through the airport security without a strip search.

What is the weather like?
As Adrian Cronauer would say, "It's hot! Damn hot!"

Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?
Not unless my wife says it's okay.

Is sex before marriage wrong?
Hard question. (Are my daughters reading this?) Yes, it's wrong. Very wrong. Don't even think about it.

When was the last time you slept on the floor?
Deer hunting trip about 5 years ago. I don't intend to do it again.

How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
Same as Tanker - Depends on your standard of “function”. I can get through the next day on two or three hours. If it’s a big effort requiring full mental faculties, I want at least seven or eight.

Are you in love or lust?
Both, with my lovely wife.

Are your days full and fast-paced?
Usually. Sometimes I have to slow down and take a deep breath. The older you get, the faster life passes you by.

Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages?
No, but I probably should.

How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
47. Damn! Really? That looks so old when you look at the actual number.

Are you picky about spelling and grammar?
Yeah, it's one of my pet peeves. When a proposal goes out of the office, it should be correct. In blogworld, I'm a little more lax.

Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Yes, but I'm not a crowd lover.

Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex?
I get along with any kind of sex. Well... maybe not ANY kind.

Do you like cottage cheese?
No, which is kinda weird, because I like almost every kind of food. I've just never been a fan of cottage cheese. Yuk.

Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back?
Back or side. Never tummy.

Have you ever bid for something on eBay?
No, but my wife has bought me stuff on eBay. I have a feeling I might become an eBay buyer soon, though. I have a lot of stuff to replace and I hate paying full retail.

Do you enjoy giving hugs?
Yes, I love hugging.

What song did you last sing out loud?
"You Can Leave Your Hat On" by Marc Broussard

What is your favorite TV show?
None - don't watch much TV anymore except for news.

Which celebrity, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with?
Willie Nelson

Last time you had butterflies in your stomach?
The morning of July 5th - when I called my insurance agent to tell him my house had just burned to the ground.

What one thing do you wish you had?
Same as Tanker - Happy, well-adjusted, productive children.

Favorite lyrics?
Anything by Waylon Jennings. Pick one.

posted by Dash | 10:07 AM | |