With the Mountains and the Lakes and the Plentiful Fish

Perth Postcard FrontCourtesy of Uncle Sam’s Cruise Lines I had the chance to visit the land down under back in 1977. The U.S.S. Midway made port in the town of Perth in southwestern Australia for 7 days. Perth is about the same size as Columbia, SC, that is to say a big city, but small town compared to the big cities in the US. From what I remember of it, it was very clean and there were blond-haired blue-eyed people who spoke English, which was a rarity compared to most ports of call in the western Pacific.

Perth Postcard BackTo let everyone know I visiting such a far away land I sent out postcards. This one was to Donna’s younger brother Scott. It was mailed from the ship, hence the 13¢ US postage. Even then I cracked me up. Of course then, like now, I’m the only one who gets my sense of humor. “I have to walk around with my hands in my pockets so I don’t lose my change.” You see? I was down under, on the bottom of the world, I was upside down. If my hands weren’t in them, stuff would have fallen out the top…sigh, oh well.

This postcard surfaced today as Donna was going through another box of photos and such trying to sort out the wheat from the chaff in the big ol’ pile of Morrison Memories her mom left behind. The back room still has a couple of tables scattered full with images from 1890 to 1990 and she wants to try and get it sorted by sibling and down to a manageable level. I’ve told her that I don’t envy the task, I can’t even throw out a blurry, underexposed digital image of the Aiken High School Marching Band from the local 2003 Christmas parade, I don’t know how she can make the decision to toss a family photo in the waste basket no matter what it’s condition.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 55

There’s No Place I’d Rather Be Roaming

29054 - GilbertHere is an outtake from today’s Postal shoot for my sister-in-law-in-law. Hi Beth We left the house at 8:00 AM and followed two-lane blacktop, except for a brief stint in Lexington, on a couple hundred mile loop through rural South Carolina gathering 10 new additions to the Postal Gallery, the nine listed yesterday and a last minute addition, home of the Annual South Carolina Peanut Party, Pelion.

Would have been more, but we only snapped one of the three reported post offices in Lexington, because when we got there around noon the traffic was thick as molasses. About the only thing Lexington was good for today was lunch. We stopped and ate at a Maurice’s BBQ there. One Little Joe basket, one Sauci-Chick, sweet tea for me and water for her.

Meal Cost: $14.62
Tip: None
Spent Today: $14.62
Year to Date: $439.66

 
It was around 40 when we started the trip this morning, so the top stayed up until White Rock. I’ve got all ten photos uploaded, but I have yet to write blurbs for them, so for tonight, you can easily figure out which ones are fresh (I wish there was a way to highlight the new entries into this photo album thing…). For an extra hint, they are all on the front page, except for the above mentioned White Rock.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 54

With the Tress and the Horses and the Rocks and the Sheep

Lunch at the Stoplight Deli. We split a California Pita and a bowl of chili with two waters to wash it down.

Meal Cost: $10.87
Tip Jar: 13¢
Spent on Lunch: 11.00
Year to Date: $385.17

 
Ate diner out with friends at the Patagonia Grill, a new South American restaurant in Evans, GA. I had an Americanized version of Anticuchos, marinated pork on a skewer. Donna had Anticuchos de Camaron, grilled shrimp on skewers and covered with a white wine sauce. Again, waters to drink. Good food that definitely warrants a return visit..

Meal Cost: $33.87
Forced Tip: $6.00
Spent on Dinner: $39.87
Year to Date: $425.04

 
The Emperor got a sponge bath (Meguiar’s Quik Detailer and a towel) this afternoon in preparation for tomorrow’s nine city Post Office Road Trip. Prosperity, Little Mountain, Chapin, White Rock, Ballentine, Lexington, Gilbert, Leesville & Wagener.

Started down, went up, back down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 53

Cure For The Common Blogger’s Block

As a public service to my friends in cyberspace (and you know who you are) next time you run into conception congestion and have nothing to write about in your blog…

A few year’s ago (2003) I subscribed to an email service that was going to provide a daily note with blog fodder in it. They apparently ran into their own issues with blogger’s block, because it flowed from January 1st consecutively until May 23rd before it started to hiccup. It then limped along until it totally ran out of steam in October. The archives are still up and are good for a couple hundred brain barricade breakers: Blog Fodder. (the original)

For once a week cranial constipations: Blog Fodder – Every Monday a new topic is posted to kick start your brain.

For anytime clogged cerebellums: Imagination Prompt Generator – Still blank? Hit the Next Prompt button for another.

If none of these work for you you can always Google “blogger’s block” and plagiarize someone else’s post on the subject….

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 50

Blogger’s License Pre-Renewal Announcemnet

On July 1, 2005, Life of Brian was granted a license by the Federal Internet Transmission Commission to serve the public interest as a public trustee.

Our license will expire on July 1, 2007. We must file an application for license renewal with the FITC, March 1, 2007. When filed, a copy of this application will be available for public inspection during our regular business hours. It contains information concerning this blog?s performance during the last license term of 2 years.

Individuals who wish to advise the FITC of facts relating to our renewal application and to whether this blog has operated in the public interest should file comments and petitions with the Commission by June 1, 2007. Further information concerning the Commission?s blogger’s license renewal process is available at 123 Main St, Aiken, SC 29801 or may be obtained from the FITC, 1001 Connecticut Ave, Washington DC 20554.

Best Of?

I have completed the “Best Of” pages with the addition of 2002 & 2003. One post from each month and boy did I have a hard time with some of them. And I think my blogging is lame now….all I can say is, good thing I wasn’t blogging in 2001 or 2000.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 49

Two For Tuesday

Enchanted Ceiling - Oh MyTaste of America with Mark DeCarlo on the Travel Channel in is my old home town, New Britain, CT talking Kielbasa. He said that the city is affectionately called Little Poland because of the large Polish population, we just called it New Britski when growing up, but I guess that would have not been very politically correct for 2007 & TV. I like to refer to New Britain as the “Ex Hardware Capital of the World.” What attracted all those Polish folks to the town in the first place was the plethora of jobs at all the factories that made locks, bearings, hinges, tools, etc. It is the “Ex” because all the factories are closed down as the manufacturing jobs moved south. The only company that still has any presence in town is Stanley Tools, but they only have white collar jobs left at their World HQ. You can get a brief glimpse of Broad St, NB, CT by watching the repeat of this episode at 11:00PM tonight or at 2:00PM on Saturday afternoon.

 

Wispy The skies have been very interesting around here lately, which means spring can’t be too far away. Also for the first time in a couple weeks we were near the average (low sixties) for us this time a year instead of 10 degrees below it. I’ve got my fingers crossed that this heralds the end of winter for us. For the next 10 days we will be 5-10 degrees above normal temps. Sunday calls for rain, but Saturday looks very promising for a Post Office photo expedition.

I meant to put this link in my post the other day about draftsmen: MUSEUM of OBSOLETE DRAFTING TECHNOLOGY.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 48