December Dancin' (part 2)

Bringing Ravenboy and Asrai into our home for a week was a great part of our holiday break. We all decorated the Yule Tree that took up a large portion of our living room. It was special this year sharing stories of some of the ornaments with Asrai as we put them on the tree.

Although most of the holiday music we have is specifically Christmas music, we have fond memories of it from over the years. One album by the Ray Charles Singers is our favorite and is all songs about Winter. We listened to good old songs like "Button up your Overcoat", "June in January", and our all time favorite "When Winter Comes a Calling."

The tree was completely decorated by the time RGBisMe pulled out the brand new CD with my special song on it. As I wrote in December Dancin' (part 1), I had altered the digital recording by singing over the part of the song where I am expected to dance. The quality of the recording of the beginning of the CD was very poor because the 6 minutes leading up to my dance were also recorded with Audacity but were supposed to sound like the original album. Ravenboy picked up on it right away.

"What was that noise?" he asked when there was a big thud in the middle of the recording. RGBisMe was a little shocked too but he attributed it to perhaps being one of the cats bumping the turn table as he had made the recording. Unfortunately it was not the only noise and as I prepared to dance all three spectators became increasingly curious and confused as to what was going on. Ravenboy picked out every little additional noise and even skipped back on the CD to listen to the noises again and again. I assured them this I was pretty sure that this was the song even though RGBisMe thought that he remembered my dance at the beginning of the song. It is curious what we remember and forget from year to year and my noisy recording was making us all confused.

Finally, the music that was right before my entrance assured me that I better get to my place in the wing. I am not in as good shape these past couple of years and had tried to warm up just a little to prepare. I braced myself for the change in song and switch over to my bizarre singing version.

My dance was the same as every other year (with the usual tiny variations in style and energy level) but the music was replaced with my "lalalas", "dododos", and "rumpa-pum-papums". Pops, raspberries, grunts and squeals took the place of the well know holiday song; my voice tried to singularly take on the whole orchestra. The clever orchestration of "Jingle Bells" would have been pretty much unrecognized if it hadn't been heard by us many times before.

My family received this year's variation first with scepticism then with pleasure to see the dance was intact and finally they joined in the singing where my limited vocal version needed gaps filled in. From my goofy bouree entrance to my final breathless fall to the floor, my good audience was all smiles and cheers.

There was even an encore performance because, it was rationalized, I hadn't really done it to the real song at all this year. Even with the smaller stage and twisted ankle, it too was well received.

There is a inverse correlation between the technology to record this annual display and the quality of the performance itself. Thus, I will direct you to The true indigo Trust to remind all that no bootleg movies should make it on to Youtube this year.

December Dancin' (part 1)

The end of our holiday vacation is winding down. I realize that I don't post as much detail as I used. I was thinking that anybody who has cared to read about my personal life has pretty much been directly involved in what has been going on. Conversely, I see that this blog still gets hits from outside of my family. If you comment that you enjoy a certain topic I have touched on, I can certainly elaborate.

Seeing that my annual shenanigans of trying to avoid performing my holiday shindy has been a popular mid-workday reading, I will share my demi-success this year. RGBisMe was able to make some awesome gifts for our family this year by taking the old holiday LPs and making digital recordings of them. This complicated exactly how I was going to avoid my dance.

The song itself is the last song in a medley of holiday songs. It is an 8 minute track that, when it was on a tape, I could easily tape over. I have not mastered the application of Garage Band yet and found myself with less that 4 hours to come up with something. I Googled something like how to cut into part of an MP3 and someone had thrown out the idea of the application of Audacity.

I was familiar with Audacity, I had used it to make a little recording of some Morse Code for a one of the From Where I Stand letterboxes if I am remembering correctly. I then got the idea to not just cut off the end of the song but to plug the headphones in and sing over it.

I was resigned to the fact that I would end up doing my dance but knew it would be delayed. Not only would it not matter what tape the song was on (there are not tapes any longer) but I had a good feeling that only RGBisMe knew what actual album it was on. I was counting on this distraction to make them believe that nothing else would get in the way.

The most humorous aspect was that while I was recording the medley that preceded my frenetic snippet of Jingle Bells our one cat decided that something particularly interesting was outside the window near the computer. His ramming around, up and down off of the desk was being picked up on the recording. There was little I could do. I had taken advantage of RGBisMe running out for a frozen pizza and was hoping it might take him about the 10 minutes I would need to get the altered recording. It was the only window of time I had and the cat jumps and bumps would have to stay.

As I got to the moment when I plugged the earphones in, cutting off the music that was being recorded, I had an odd thought. What if RGBisMe can home as I was singing my goofy, Spike Jones inspired, new version of the song? I had but a second to just inhale and go with it. If I was caught in the act, I would just have to explain.

I made it to the end, clicked the button to stop the recording and checked to see if RGBisMe had pulled in. All was clear. I gave a quick listen to the recording and exported it as an MP3 before he got home. I knew I had to make a full playlist of the album and burn it to a CD but he came home before I had the chance.

Angrist & feralgyrl came over to help us celebrate our anniversary and the holidays. It got dark so early that the four of us said our goodbyes just as many night loving folks were probably just getting started. I was glad RGBisMe went straight to bed and I told him that I would join him very shortly.

I quickly burnt a replacement CD and swapped it with the one everyone would be expecting to find. I was excited for how the rest of the plan might unfold but first we had a trip to New York City and back.

Bring It!

It's that time of year when all family expectations of my certain holiday dance hang on if they can remember what tape the song is on. For those of you that don't know, RGBisMe received a wonderful gift on his last birthday that has allowed him to make digital copies of ALL of our old holiday music from their LPs.

This being said... THERE ARE NO TAPES! They are now sorted by ALBUM! There are about 12 albums! I wish you more luck than in 2007 and 2008, you'll need it! :D

Miles Helps Out

He is all about lending a paw with any tool.

True Emerald Adventure

This was a day of a 20+ mile bike ride to Milheim, PA. I stopped frequently and aimed to partake of something green at every establishment. It took me a good 15 minutes to actually get my butt out of the door and on to my bike and I still forgot things I meant to take with me. RGBisMe's rear view bike mirror sat idle on the back porch while I could have used it all along the 18 miles of rt 45 between Boalsburg and Milheim.


The day started off on a sad note as I saw the old body of a stray cat I used to know along the highway. Poor Woolly Bully died sometime this winter down on College Ave and her body is there now. She lived a rough life and was a real icon of toughness. I wondered where she had gone.

RGBisMe suggested I cut around Nittany and go through Lemont to make the ride less elevation but added a few miles. This was a great choice and I got a breakfast sandwich at the Pump Station Cafe. My "green" choice was the flavor shot of Irish Cream sweetener in my coffee. I took my own mug. Does that count as green too?

The valley along Nittany was mellow and chilly. I stopped half way to check the time and it was almost 10 AM on the nose. I stopped to peep at the round barn and buzzed into Old Fort about 10:30 AM. Snappy's was a great place for a break to finish my breakfast sandwich and purchase my green Spearmint gum.

Next stop, although it took some time to get there, was Spring Mills. I actually slipped on my regular pants over my biking pants to pop into the Frosty Hook for lunch. This location used to be called the Spring Mills Hotel and Quick Lunch (or as Toolman Luke likes to call it the "SMH & QL"). The shoulders of rt 45 deteriorated just upon entering the town so I was glad for a break. No Corned Beef nor Cabbage for me but a nice green salad and Guinness. The crappy part was it was served in a can - on St. Pat's - come on! Some guy tried to enlighten me about the dart league he and his son are in. Ho hum.

I wanted some desert and couldn't get the Water Street Grill out of my head. I tooled around the block, not changing out of my pants, to the location. Although lights were on inside and out this place was closed at 12:30! I was really disappointed and I got grease on my good pants! I called it the "wearin' o' the grease." Grrrrrr.

Back on the road for a bit, I made calls to family and friends to let them know I was making progress whenever I had cell phone reception. I took another nice break at Burkholder's grocery and got a Granny Smith Apple and a Turkey Hill green tea Mojito flavored. The tea was a mistake, the lime was very artificial tasting.

Elk Creek Cafe was my goal and I knew they had opened at noon. Their web site and email boasted "vegan offerings" as well as a "Trout Oat Stout" as long as it lasted. My goal was not to sit and drink my day away so I spent extra time in Burkie's trying to find a better green treat. Although the white chocolate deviled eggs were shocking and hilarious, they were not green. No more green treats were to be had so I biked into Milheim and took some photos.

It was sometime around 3:00 PM I walked into the Elk Creek Cafe and ordered my first Oat Stout. Smooth and dark it reminded me of why people choose oatmeal baths to comfort those with skin irritations. DabraLady wasn't getting off work until 4:00 PM so I nursed this drink and came up with the plan to make Milheim the completion of my my "Biking Bar Tour." I was done biking but there was the Milheim Hotel to check out yet.

I chatted with Kathy and Tim at the Elk Creek for a while and Tim asked if I was going to include Brownies Valley Tavern in my proclaimed tour. I told him that I thought the place looked too spooky and he didn't try to encourage me to make a visit.

Off I went to boldly bust into the regulars sitting at the bar at the Milheim Hotel.
No balcony parties were planned buy it was finally nice outside and my walk up the street had allowed me to take a couple of photos as I checked on my parked bike.

I had no idea what to order since the guy at the Frosty Hook gave me the hairy eyeball when I asked for "something green." I thought that the same bet was just to get a Jamesons Irish Whiskey on the rocks and ordered that up. This was the most festive of all locations as it turns out. they were adding color to their beers and wearing flashing necklaces and hats and leprechaun ears! Holy cow, when the lady added green to my little drink I was afraid my teeth would turn green!

This bar also sported a bore who wanted to talk about his amazing camp near Hyner and how he can't get there until the ice melts in April. Ho Hum. The weirdos all kept joking about my biking and biking drink even though I told them I was done biking and meeting friends soon. I quickly finished my visit with a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream and scurried back to Tim at the Elk Creek Cafe.

The place was just as slow at 4:30 and DaBralady had not yet arrived. Tim saw me come in and said, "If you really want to complete your tour now is the time. Half of my staff just went over for a quick break at Brownie's." He told me to leave my bag, that he would watch it even when I checked to see what money I had left on me he assured me his staff would cover me. Amazingly gracious in an odd imposing way on his staff.

I walked catty corner to Brownies and opened the door expecting all of Milheim's cretins to greet me. It was just the staff from Elk Creek and they all cheered when they saw me. I has a very small drink just to say I had been there and hurried back to Elk Creek so I wouldn't miss my friends' arrival.

They came up the valley as soon as they could and joined in for a St. Patty's drink and a little vegan chili (really the only vegan offering). A band started up about 5:30 and I have no idea if they were good or not. I was a little giddy, not too bad though. Part of my elation was that I actually accomplished my goal of biking to Milheim. The other was that my muscles were not sore. I am wondering what tomorrow holds. Today Emerald, tomorrow, black n blue?

Six More Weeks

of winter is what Punxsutawney Phil has predicted. Here I am wearing my new groundhog hat, a purchase through Etsy. I hope it helps to keep me warm for the next six weeks because I have been very cold this year.

Holiday Shindy

Yep, it happened again. Just after our long trip from NYC Ravenboy wanted to put the holiday music on so that Asrai could see my annual jigue. Can you believe that they forgot the tape number AGAIN!!

I was ready this year. I had prepared a scavenger hunt starting with the spot in the music where my song was to start. I made a bogus tape and dubbed in a cd of my favorite ballet music, Delibes, "Sylvia" prelude. Everyone just looked at me because, quite by happenstance, I had been complaining that I downloaded a "Sylvia" ring tone only to hear that it was the one song from the ballet that I dislike, the Pizzicato.

Ideas of what it meant flew back and forth and I just grinned. Ravenboy hunted down the cd of "Sylvia" and found that I had pasted a photo of an sun ornament onto the cover. They made a bee line to the ornament on our tree and found a website address taped to it's back. The "url" was missing just a bit before the final ".jpg". The name of the file was something they needed to guess out. After about 5 minutes of trying things, RGBisMe decided to go to the directory of the address (ok, it was HIS personal web space I used) and suggested they look through all of the links that ended in "jpg."

I knew they might do this and watched as they scanned down all of the files. Their faces all lit up when they saw this link. They tried it and it worked. From there they went to the collection of photos that have been taken annually at the Knoebel's photo booth. When nothing jumped out at them from looking at the ninth one, I stopped them from taking the frame apart.

Ravenboy remembered that there is an application called Photobooth and they looked at a video clip that was the 9th image. It was of me taunting them and showing them the tapes as I put them into the middle of a hollow book. They all walked to the living room to look at the bookshelves where Asrai tentatively asked, "Is this it?" RGBisMe said, "How long has that been there!?" It was the hollowed book I had put on the shelf over a week ago and inside were the tapes.

On went my costume and out came the camera. I lived, barely, and if I can swallow my pride perhaps I will share it. The season of fun has begun!

Happy Holidays

Our tree.

Our wish to you.

Father's Day

A wonderful day out in the woods with my favorite folks. We celebrated Father's Day with a picnic and a little hike to check on our Story letterbox. Although Ravenboy could not be with us, he had a great day himself, see below.


Toolman Luke modles his Grandafather shirt


taking liberties on his special day, Toolman Luke carves his initials in a pavilion... NOT


Red Spotted Purples


a frog

Why is She Such a Misfit?

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer travels to the Island of Misfit Toys. There he meets many different toys that are misfits for differing reasons. Above, Rudolph stands with a doll that was on the island. At no time in the movie does it say why she is there. I need feedback as to WHY THE DOLL WAS A MISFIT.