Alive and well despite the local cotton top/blue haired populace.  My first car wreck happened a few weeks ago.  As I am an excellent driver and poor choice maker, I saved the life of a 78-year-old man that made a U-turn in front of me while I had a green light and traveling at 55 MPH and had to pay my $500 deductible because 1) I didn't hit him, choosing to run my vehicle off the road to avoid the collision and 2) he said I was driving unsafe for the conditions.  The officer on the scene did not issue a ticket because I did not hit him and my insurance company still ruled him at fault.  He then told HIS insurance company that HE had the green-arrow.  You're welcome for your life, old man.

I have a girlfriend now.  Or, I've had a girlfriend for some time now.  That's all I have to say about that.

Work is going very well.  We're making money despite the start-up complications and move.  We have new business knocking on the door every day and no room to put them.  I smell another building opening soon along with a PHAT promotion.

Apartment/living alone is working out rather well.  Bills from the past life are almost gone and new bills are emerging (go-go furniture shopping).  I still have the best view in Florida and I'm safe from major hurricanes given my geographic location.

In short; life is so fucking good right now I can taste it in my spit.

CurtisH.

Where I be: White walls, no chair Feeling: calm I be listening to: Oasis: Champagne Supernova

I've recently uncovered another bit of myself.

It seems that when I feel like there is something truly special in my life I tend to get songs stuck in my head.  The music has always been there when I wanted to recall it and keep my sanity, but when the truly remarkable is with or near me any number of songs take root and repeat unendingly.

Now, I have such a special in my life that music can't be stopped and is most welcome.

Much love to all,

CurtisH.

Where I be: White walls, no chair Feeling: calm I be listening to: Pink Floyd: The Trial

The last two weeks have been an absolute whirlwind of activity of which stories are written and movies are made. I've done and seen more in these two weeks than I have in the last 8 years. It's now after all that I want to share the adventure.

First, I want to thank all of my friends for being there for and with me during the chaos. After thirty-two years I've come to understand the value of real friends and the importance of the work it takes to be and have a friend:

"[Friendships] redoubleth joys and cutteth griefs in halves. For there is no man that imparteth his joys to his friend, but he joyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but he grieveth the less."
     - Francis Bacon (1561-1626)



As is my fashion, I set myself to a full blaze for this adventure and have been reborn yet again with the benefit of my previous knowledge and the newest understandings. For all of my previous moves a special occasion always marked the beginning of the new and the end of the old. From home to Florida it was the end of the longest winter in recorded history. From Florida to Memphis it was a birthday and a concert with Korn opening for Rob Zombie. With more providence than planning I celebrated my last unofficial weekend in Memphis at the Collierville firework show:





The next day was dinner with my roommate of 7 years and his family:



Saturday night at T minus 12 hours I held the bbq of doom with a group of people I would consider to be the best on Earth... and Chris and Stephanie:



Beware das boob-grabber! She grab da boobs!


6 a.m. came WAY too soon! I was on the road and ready for the long journey. Happy to be going and sad to be leaving.



In my CD player was a previously created playlist with this song that played as I started the car out of the driveway:

LED ZEPPELIN  - Ramble on
Leaves are falling all around,
Its time I was on my way.
Thanks to you, Im much obliged
For such a pleasant stay.

But now its time for me to go,
The autumn moon lights my way.
For now I smell the rain,
And with it pain,
And its headed my way.
Ah, sometimes I grow so tired,
But I know Ive got one thing I got to do,

Ramble on,
And nows the time, the time is now
To sing my song.
Im goin round the world,
I got to find my girl, on my way.
Ive been this way ten years to the day, ramble on,
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams.

Got no time to for spreadin roots,
The time has come to be gone.
And tho our health we drank a thousand times,
Its time to ramble on.

Ramble on,
And nows the time, the time is now
To sing my song.
Im goin round the world,
I got to find my girl, on my way.
Ive been this way ten years to the day, ramble on,
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams.

I aint tellin no lie.

Mines a tale that cant be told,
My freedom I hold dear;
How years ago in days of old
When magic filled the air,
Twas in the darkest depths of mordor
I met a girl so fair,
But gollum, and the evil one crept up
And slipped away with her.
Her, her....yea.
Aint nothing I can do, no.

Ramble on,
And nows the time, the time is now
To sing my song.
Im goin round the world,
I got to find my girl, on my way.
Ive been this way ten years to the day, ramble on,
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams.

Gonna ramble on, sing my song
Gotta keep-a-searchin for my baby...
Gonna work my way, round the world
I cant stop this feelin in my heart
Gotta keep searchin for my baby
I cant find my bluebird!
Id listen to my bluebird sing but I cant find my blue bird
A-keep-a ramblin baby...

The sun outside of Tupelo, 78 to Birmingham, me getting bored, ALABAMA SIR!, it's raining again, a pig, look at the 30th cop, the 40th and the 50th in the RAIN, :



FINALLY after 10 hours!!



I got to the hotel around 10:30ish and immediately went to bed. I had to be at work at 7 the next morning and had a 40 minute commute for the entire week. I saw the apartment on Monday afternoon and fell in love instantly. Sadly, the first pictures were taken with a piss-poor setting on the camera and can't do it justice. This picture however is one I'm proud of. It's from my garage door facing East:



This place is really amazing and is exactly what I wanted for my first living alone experience.

And now a public service announcement or two:



A week later I was picking up the keys, getting electricity and setting up internet service. I left for Tampa to spend the night with my friend and moving buddy. We left Tampa at 4:00 a.m. with an empty Kia van and a 4' x 6' trailer attached. We made great time getting to Memphis with little to no bumps along the way. My final meal in Memphis was to be Rendezvous with Mike, Shannon, Cypress ... and Eric. I was really fucking cranky from lack of sleep, yet apparently still tolerable enough for my guests to not want to choke the living shit out of me. Prior to dinner Mike and I loaded the van:







We made decent time getting back and unloaded the van and trailer as quickly as we could. We had to drive back to Tampa to get home and to pick up my car for the drive back. Just outside of Tampa on I-4 there was a traffic jam from an accident where a Dodge Stratus got into a fight with a gas truck. Gas truck won. I didn't get to bed until 2:00 a.m. and had to be at work at 7:00 that morning. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Throughout the week I've been unpacking as I could. I miss my friends and I've been talking with them as I and they are available.



Funny enough, the place stills looks like that after a week of unpacking.

And yes, I have THIS view:

 

To all of my friends that have laughed and cried with, for, or at me; I offer these words which are far better than my own:

Green Day - Time Of Your Life
Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.

Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.

So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.

It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.

Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.

Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.

For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

(music break)

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

Where I be: White walls, no chair Feeling: calm I be listening to: Bonham: Change Of A Season

Here I was thinking it was going to be too hot... 

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Rain drops keep falling on my head

 I just picked some "cargo" shorts from wal-y world.  I'm down to a size 32 and I must say that my ass looks fuckin' great in these shorts.

Carry-on.

1 day till the party.  2 days to escape.

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: The joyous rapture of sweet release in my head.

I'm saying goodbye to you, Memphis.  With your insanely hot summers, bad traffic, inconsistant and dangerous law enforcement, corrupt politicians, rude and racially divided population, and horribly unstable economy.  I love you.

There's a going away party this weekend.  Food (burgers, dogs and brats) will be provided and it's BYOB.  If you want something else grilled, bring it along and we'll do our best not to turn it into a hockey puck.
When:  July 5, 2008 @ 4:00ish until I kick your asses out because I have to drive to Florida the next morning.
Where:  Please R.S.V.P with your email address (if I don't already have it) and I'll send you the invitation.
Who:  Well me.  I'm leaving.  Haven't you been reading?
Why:  See above.
How:  As rambunctious as this tiny little hamlet in western Tennessee will let us be.

7 days and counting.  Get it while it's hot! 

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: cheerful I be listening to: Ram Jam: Black Betty

It's unoffialy mine. I got a verbal offer today before I left for the airport. Now I'm stuck in the airport due to weather.

Where I be: Stuck in Orlando hell Feeling: accomplished

Have gone any better!!!  I had all the answers and I grabbed his attention when I told him that I would stand up to him if he was getting in the way and I agreed when he told me he would do the same.

He told me that I was the best candidate and I have a very favorable chance to get the job despite another scheduled interviewee... 

Where I be: Marriott Courtyard Feeling: excited I be listening to: Some really people conversing

Let the adventure begin! 

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Nada

 It never really changes (taken from my OkCupid Inbox):

Her first message to me:
Your profile is way deep.....I rather enjoyed it. You contemplate such interesting topics....I contemplate things like why they would put calcium in Tums when your body needs stomach acid to absorb the calcium but the anti-acid neutralizes all the acid. Makes no sense to me........but I guess old people swear by it cause it's good for ya.

Anyway, your profile sparked my interest and I thought I'd give ya a shout!

~~K~~ 


I think, "Well, she complimented me, isn't horribly disfigured, and made an honest effort at identifying with me on my level.  So I write back:
Thanks, ~~K~~.

The answer to your query is actually within the query itself: What does calcium do? It tells your body to create more acid for breakdown. The anti-acid elements neutralize the acid being created stopping the break-down of the calcium. This intern tells your body to create MORE acid. You now need MORE Tums from the excess production of acid needed to break down and absorb the calcium. My uncle eats them by the handful because he hasn't figured out this vicious cycle of addiction implanted by an unregulated "drug" company.

Stay you and enjoy your evening.

P.S. Was that over-the-top? I swear I don't know how to shut this thing off sometimes.

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Tool: Lost Keys (Blame Hoffman)

 Electricity.
Desire.
 Expectation.
Fulfillment.
 Satisfaction.
Catharsis.
 WAHOOO!!!!!

I'm going.  To Florida.  For 2.  Days.  Next week.  For an.  Internview in.  The Davenport.  Area South.  Of Orlando.  The company.  Is flying.  Me there.  On their.  Dime.

Pardon me.  While I.  Fucking EXPLODE.  With excitement. 

P.S.  Thank you ladies for the positives.

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: The Smashing Pumpkins: Pug

good.... no .... frickin' GREAT! news.

I got a call from my manager after I asked him to check my mail at work.  I've gotten three favorable responses for jobs within the KN family!  "Settle down C.  Breathe.  Breathe.  Breathe."  It's not solid yet and I'm soooo damn psyched!

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Some crappy Mt. Dew commercial

I've been told that all hourly employees have been laid off en masse at work.  Not sure if anyone saw it coming although it was only a matter of time.  Big meeting at 11 will determine the exempt employees fate. 

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Nada

I'll be on day shift for the term of the contract at the end of June-ish.  Still no word on alternate locations.

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Filter: Stuck In Here

 All supervisors and managers were given their official two week notice today.

Silver lining:
They offered to help find jobs for us by asking for our resumes.  Also (and this is really the best part) anyone interested in relocating to another facility anywhere in North America (109 locations spread out over the east and west coast as well as Texas) are elligible for positions not being posted.  Some of these jobs could be a raise and promotion if I play my cards right.

Now I have to right a cover letter to complete my resume.

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Pearl Jam: No Way

So, I decided to alphabetize me movie collection. Three days later I'm still working on it. I have over 300 titles and I was never any good in English. I'm going to watch all of my movies; one each night and post which movie here. Also, I'm going to put my favorite line from the movie in the post. If you've seen the movie and you want to join me in meriment that is quoting, please do.

For my first submission:




"Spartans! Ready your breakfast and eat hearty. For tonight, we dine in HELL!" 

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm

 Happy birthday larouxbelle.

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Nada

Well, I've finished moving and I'm back on-line.  I miss the house already.  I had more space and less complications.  Whatever.

CurtisH.

Where I be: Black chair, blue walls and a bed Feeling: calm I be listening to: Aerosmith: Living On The Edge