Say Hello to my Little Friend

via lolcats at i can has cheeseburger.

made me laugh my ass off today!

We had a snow storm...

But it's okay now.

In-dirigible

If you have not been to my friend Brian Miller's blog, Waystation One, you are missing out. I know some of you read his lovely word-pictures, because that's how I found him (through comments on your blogs).

Anyway, I recently commented on one of his poems, that it made me want to draw a picture (I'm slowly working on it, around all my Christmas and Sketchbook stuff). He responded that he would like that, and if I wanted him to, he would write about one of my drawings. I told him to feel free. He chose this one (remember this one?):




His lovely poem:

in-dirigible

perhaps this is it,

someone's last hope

dumped overboard

washed upon shore

waiting to be found,

still learning to fly,

only so high inside,

dreaming beyond

these invisible walls, i.

quick, find a rock, break

the glass, release me

once more to dance

among the clouds until

a gentle breeze carries

me across horizon's line

- Brian Miller

Our Local Bar Scene

Once upon a time there was a great dive bar called Hangar 57, or "the Hangar". Cheap beer, the best pizza in town and a tall, dark and one-legged bartender. However, the owner apparently drank the business into the ground, or gave all the profits to his skank girlfriend, because it got repossessed closed down a few months ago.
And there was much sadness in the land.

The loyal patrons (myself, Secret Agent Man, and our sidekicks Tornado Tom, El Jefe (or the Hedgehog as he is sometimes known) and the Engineer, started a quest to find a replacement for the Best Dive Bar in town.

The search was far and wide over the Land, which means we started right next door at a place called the Wild Weasel. It was a disappointment: it is not wild, and there are no weasels (although they do have a great steak n bake special on Wednesdays and all you can eat Maui ribs on Thursdays). The beer was fine and the bar wenches satisfactory but the atmosphere was not appropriately dive-bar-ey enough for us.

So we tried another bar, called The Park Inn. Again, the name is a misnomer: there is no Park or Inn involved, it is just a dive bar with so-so pizza. But the beer is cheap, the bartender wears gaudy Hawaiian shirts, and they have awesome jo-jo's with bacon and cheese. We have been back there several times. It is fairly dim in there, which we like as we try to discourage any recognition of Secret Agent Man, if at all possible.
He is sometimes mistaken for Jon Lovitz which irritates the crap out of him.
Unless it gets him free drinks.
Which has happened.
In Vegas.

same same

But I digress.

We have also tried the Northern Lights brewery - hottest damn chicken wings we've ever eaten. But, not a dive bar. And no pizza.
And the Post Street Ale House - a little pricey, but good wings and deep fried pickles. Yes, I said deep fried pickles, don't knock it til you've tried it. But still, not a dive bar.
We tried the Flying Goat, which has hoity toity pizza and expensive beer, but- alas - no goats, flying or otherwise.



We tried South Perry Pizza, which had great pizza and good beer on tap. No atmosphere to speak of, but they are in an old car repair business so they can open the roll up doors. I would go back, and in fact have gone back for carry out pizza. Mmmm.

This week we went to Stadium Pizza. It actually is, as it's name suggests, near a sports stadium that the high schools use. It is also a dive bar, though there is regular restaurant seating available adjacent to the bar area. (Also dive-ey.) The pizza was not bad. The beer was cold and cheap. The bar wench was skinny and surly, if you like that sort of thing. And apparently it was music night at Stadium! Bonus!
Of course, by music night, I'm talking about the drunk at the end of the bar with a harmonica. He could actually sort of play, but - although he was in key with the juke box - he was clearly not playing the same song. It was entertaining for all of 2 minutes. Then it got old. And loud.
But then it got better! Some guy showed up with a crappy p.a. system for karaoke! Yea! Karaoke Guy's repertoire was mostly old Neil Diamond songs, but he enhanced it with some old Lionel Ritchie stuff, too.
Tornado Tom graced us with some Bob Seger that wasn't half bad, but the true highlight of the evening was -not the old drunk coot who spoke/sang "Pancho and Lefty"- but the stocky young man with the awesome porn 'stache from the other end of the bar who sang a rousing rendition of "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead". He totally rocked it!



The next night we went to a local dueling piano joint called Gibliano Brothers. As far as I know there is no one there named Gibliano, nor is anyone related to anyone else. There also were no actual swords involved. Bummer.



But it is fun and they have good nachos. And drinks called fun things like Sex on the Piano and G Spot (Southern Comfort, Chambord and OJ...mmmm).
We went with different friends of ours this time, since it is not a quest for a dive bar, but a quest for fun with pianos. Last time we went Secret Agent Man requested "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - upbeat" which they played! It was cool.
They give you little slips of paper to make your requests, put your name and what your tip is. SAM usually writes things like "don't do electrical work in the rain" or "Lucky Lady in the 3rd" and on.
It was fun, but it would have been more fun if the table next to us had not brought their own stripper along. Boy was she hammered. I kept expecting her to take her shirt off. And if her bump and grind routine to any random stranger on the dance floor was not bad enough, some idiot then requested the piano guys play Save a Ho, Ride a Pole Dancer "Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy". I almost lost my nachos.
** shudder **

Overall it was a fun evening. I am, however, looking forward to our next attempt at finding the perfect dive bar/pizza place. If we can find the right combination of atmosphere, cheap beer, good pizza and surly waiters - there will be much rejoicing.

I have a new shop!

Due to four or five overwhelming demands for me to do blog banners and such, I have now set up a new shop on Etsy:

Introducing Alice's Secrets:




My plan is to list blog banners, Etsy banners, business card designs, logos and avatars.
I am slowly getting things listed, so keep checking back.

Thanks to all of you who have pestered encouraged me!

Rain Rain Go Away

...we want to go out and play.

Memories

My dad sends me lots of pictures. He likes to take pictures, always has, and I occasionally post a couple here and there. Over the past week or so he's been sending me a lot, but they are not of the beach or the grandkids. He has been scanning in a bunch of old photos dating back from the 30's through the 80's, of family and friends. I love seeing these old pictures, even if they are of relatives, and other people, I never met. I really love this one of my Great-Aunt Neva ("Nene") and my grandmother (middle and right) with an unknown friend of theirs. Looks like it dates to the 30's sometime, judging by the clothes. I love the hats!



He also sent me these of himself and my mom that I think date around the time they got married, it looks like. My dad looks like he's got that James Dean cool thing down, and my mom was so cute!



Then he sends pictures like this.



Can you tell I was a little shy as a kid? That's my grandmother again, my dad's mom, Marion.
Thanks, dad!

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And now for something completely different... I got my first bloggy award!




From Pastor Sharon. She rocks walks Dances with God! She is one cool pastor and I would totally go to her church if only she would move here and start one!

This award was apparently started by Bookin' With Bingo. What a great way to share some of your favorite blogs! Pastor Sharon got one and is passing it along in true blogger fashion. I will pass it on as well, and maybe introduce one or two of you to some new and different blogs. I am so lame, I rarely take time to comment on their blogs, but I do read them, and about 473 (well, okay, maybe not quite) others, nearly every day.

B for Beautiful: I give this one to Beth Niquette who does wonderful, fanciful drawings and cloud "paintings", and truly has a gift for seeing fabulously unique things in our ordinary world!

I for Informative: I give to Michel at Facts Are Strictly Optional, because I learn something from her everyday. Things like how wonderful Little Debbie products are, or that there is such a thing as Bacon flavored vodka! Sometimes (frequently) I become informed just by reading the comments other people leave. Most important, though, I've learned that I do not, under any circumstances, ever want to work for the Government and live in Sudan. Thanks, Michel!

N for Neighborly: I give this one to Janie at Midlife Slices. She was one of the very first people in the blog-o-sphere to truly befriend me. Janie, seriously, you are welcome at my house for margaritas any time!

G for Gorgeous: goes to Jason at The Jason Show. He has wonderful stories of family life, great pictures, funny stuff, sad stuff. He knows how to make fun of himself while providing valuable lessons of tolerance in a not-so-tolerant world.

O for Outstanding: goes to Eileen at Sane Without Drugs. She is crazy and makes me laugh, but also makes me think about stuff. I love her photos of her flowers and cats (and everything else). Just one thing...will someone please rescue poor Fluffy?!

Now go check 'em out! I love you guys!