watch this amazing footage shot in Honolulu on August 14, 1945. Greatest generation was also the coolest generation and they didn’t even know it.
Maybe that is one of the main reasons they were so cool.

VJ Day, Honolulu Hawaii, August 14, 1945 from Richard Sullivan on Vimeo.

Today is one of those days when I really do wish I were someone else.
I drove into to work today alone. I thought what it would be like to be in my 1969 Mercedes SL. Ill take mine in brown with powder blue leather.  That would be cool.

Went to the Rehab center to have my shoulder and neck worked on; the office is in west lake. Just about undid all the good adjustment, gawking at a brand new Ferrari California. That would be cool.

A co-worker showed me how to see the insider trading for my company. Oh for that kind of financial freedom. That would be nice.
The matram of “thank you god for what I have been given” is harder said than it will be tomorrow.

I have always liked an old series Landy.

It helps that the godfather of all things American cool had one.
I’d take one like this right here.

Today marks 7 years of my official membership in this Club of Brown. If I can do it anyone can.
A couple months back I was assisting a coworker who spotted a photo of Jade on my desk. here’s how that went.
Oh who is this, a nice?
No that’s my little girl?
What your married?
Yes.
No!
Yes Sir I am married.
How long?
Almost Seven years!
Oh wow, yikes!
Yikes?
Yeah man, my past two marriages both broke up during that seventh year. It’s called the Seventh year itch.
OK, well thanks for the heads up I’ll watch out for the distracters.
Oh you’ll never see it coming. Does she work your wife?
Yeah.
What does she do?
She works at a law firm.
Screwed and Screwed, good God man I am sorry for you.
Well I’ll hope for the best.
Ha yeah that’s all you got. Good luck with that buddy.
* um whatever man *
So this is the #7 and unless it is like the #2 I’ll be fine. #2 was a hard year. Baby #2 is on the way and will replace “#2″ the year in the naming convention. He or she will be the redemption of the term “#2″. Oh but before that Jade turns #2 in mid August and sends it all back to hell.
We (Karina Jade and I) went to the San Antonio Zoo this weekend. That was fun. You know how you go somewhere once and you are like oh ok we are totally unprepared. Next time we will do all of this different. Carry water, and Gold bond Medicated powder, know Mom and Dad stuff no one wants to know but wish you had before heading out on a paved path to see some caged wild animals.
We actually spent most of this weekend in San Antonio. I had to get the MINI serviced and they gave us a loaner so we drove around the city exploring.

Karina and I love to do this or I do and she goes along with me pretty well. Every now and then she is like ok I saw and antique shop lets go look for Jadeite. Our friend Randy introduced us to a new place well have already been back to. The Los Cocos Fruiteria, holy cow that place knows what the heck to do with fruit.

Come down we’ll take you. WOW it is awesome.

We also went to a couple of the other missions on the Mission Trail in SA. You know the Alamo is only one of several missions you can see. The cool thing is it is the only one not still being used currently as a church. I have blogged about these churches before.

It was a great weekend over all and the start of a great year! Special thanks to all the friends of Brown that helped it go down.

This is how we relive our great Christmas.

We pause Dora the explorer and nibble on blue crayon and watch our Aunt and Cousin Singing. And we try not to smile too much!

It has been one of those weeks already; and by already it is only Tuesday morning.
I am in the middle of my dieting process and all I want is HomeSlice pizza. Scratch that, all I want is food. Any food would do at this point. My little girls Teddy Grahams looked amazing this morning. I mentioned this to someone, that I thought allot about food now. They’re response was “why? oh no why do you do that to yourself?” Um, it is not like I choose cognitively to do it. I would say this is like an addiction and I am trying to get clean.
I feel sorry for all the addicts out there is Internets land, I do.

So for all of us addicts, me and my  food, you and your whatever is ailing you, drugs, sex or rock-n-roll. I am going to have George Harrison pray over us with this little song that will set the mood.

Also this week: News I already knew about & a Healthcare bill I am interested in and want to know more about sans spin from either party.

We have this controversy now with the uber rightwing republicans, who tend to be most of my audience.

Obama! Obama! Just the mention of his name and noses curl, shivers of cold and tingles go down some of your spines.
Meh, lets try it on me.  Obama! When I say it I don’t think “Oh my God I have got to get out of here!” anymore than I did when Bush was at the helm. However, SS Clinton needs to get on the horn with Benjamin Netanyahu and make sure he knows we love them Jew Boys. No matter how dumb it is that they are jacking with the Middle East peace process from Obama’s perspective. We love you ‘Gods Chosen peeps’ and we would love to think that we are also ‘chosen peeps” by association! Please smile on us as we criticize you!

There were pro-Palestinian rallies in Austin Last week. Almost didn’t make the news. An Israeli band played and people threw things like rocks and insults. WTF! I am sorry, This is my town, you don’t throw rocks. Insults; fine especially if your music sucked! Of cores it didn’t suck but it is cool for you to have that opinion! I mean everyone knows Klezmer Jew rock kicks butt! The church neighbor shouts insults every Sunday morning just about.

It is all fun and games till someone gets an eye put out I am telling you.

(Hand in the air like I don’t want to hear your rebuttal … but of cores I do.
Here is one of the bands from Jerusalem ISRAEL that just played SXSW. Orphaned Land (my dad does this thing when you can tell he is not sold on something, he stretches out the skin between his nose and the top of his lip and says ”Interesting”.. can you see me doing that right now?)

The phone lines are open comment away.
Ok first caller…

This is not my Christmas list. I have not been this good.

My Grandpa Branham had a truck like this I don’t know if his was a 65 or a 66 but I am pretty sure I need one. That relaxed sense of self awareness just goes with a vehicle like this. It is not for commuting in or driving in the city.
It is for topping out at 60mph and pulling on the hard shoulder to let people pass.

30stick humidor that is a water tight otter box. Win win, and when you decide cigars are bogus, you have a cool hand gun case and when you get your gun rights swiped, even though you said “Swipper no swiping” you have a cool humidor again.

Grandpa also had a hat like this. Yeah I want one. I am a grandpa kick.

Check out my last few songs of play list.
George Strait ‘if I know me’
Clay Walker ‘this woman this man’
Tracy Lawrence ‘if you loved me’
Diamond Rio ‘Love a little stronger’
Alan Jackson ‘tonight I climbed the wall’
Mark Collie ‘Something’s Gonna Change Her Mind’
Clint Black ‘burn one down’
Toby Keith ‘ wish I didn’t know now’
George Straight ‘ I can still make Cheyenne
Clint Black ‘loving blind’
Other stuff Sammy Kershaw, Neil McCoy Brooks and Dunn…
Then throw in P.M. Dawn’s ‘I’d die without you’ Random.
Wow, what a morning.
I hear these songs and I am instantly transported back in time say 1996-97. I miss Lara ‘the queen’ and ‘Shiny-white-Reeboks’ Josh, Lisa, my pretty girl friend with the cool dolphin sticker on her red Nissan, Billy bob Joe Jackson something something jr. aka Bill, Jake and his red truck,. You are all still my friends too, but you are all better looking now.
I remember fondly working at Pizza Hut, delivering people’s pizza before they could blink twice. I had the best car ever, my Nissan Sentra SE-R. Once I lent it to Bubba (Otis Lee for you outsiders) to take someone out to supper. I had to drive his old Chevy truck. I lost money that night I had to put gas in it twice. I remember thinking that the long horn sticker on the back made it look even cooler. Now that I live in Austin and everyone except me has a long horn on their car, not so much.
Funny thing is, as warm as my memories are of this period, I would not like to go back there and relive any of it.
Love you all
MDB

I hate it when I am affected. When I am stressed and want to punch a freaking hole in the wall, or when I am fully aware that I have too much on my plate or it hits me I need to be a responsible person and all I really want to do is selfish stuff I don’t have time for; one of two things always tends to happen. Either I will crack to the ego be a man, be all hard, say something I’ll regret as soon as it has left my lips, OR I’ll feel the pressure know I need to deal with it, not deal with it hear a sappy song and cry.
I have been trying to be strong, trying to ward off feeling of wanting to quit wanting to give up, wanting to pack my bags and head for the ‘Ozark’ hills even though I know there is nothing there for me. Trying to please the list of people I want to think highly of me. Trying to be a good husband, Papi, friend, employee, volunteer, citizen, driver, drummer, leader, energy conserver, home owner, decision maker, recruiter, spreadsheet compiler, and graphic designer all while watching my portions and sugar intake. I feel like I am failing at least 50% of my list at least 50% of the time. The one thing I am afraid of is failing. I know I haven’t been given more than I can bear, just not very good at asking for help. Not help from any of you; I am talking over you now.
So sitting at my desk this morning, not well, I asked for something. Some release, a sappy song, some Celine Dion, Some help. Please give me something to help me push through this most stressful of weeks.
Get ready to hear Zach laughing all the way from Santa B.
OK so Mercy Me has this song I heard while shopping at Marshalls for nothing the other day.
Watch the video and then picture me feeling sorry for myself with my office door closed having what I like to refer to as a shower moment. As in – get out of here I am cleaning myself and there is nothing flattering about this.
Have a good laugh. I feel better.

I believe in being myself and being real and letting the chips fall where they may. Not on the carpet because they can leave grease spots. I like individuality, but I’d still buy a silver Toyota and blend into the fray. Maybe even listen to the Fray. I’d say buy American but I wouldn’t. I moved away and the idea of disappearing and not disappointing was so refreshing. No one knows D.C. here and expects me to be him. HA jokes on me. The islands are looking more appealing all the time. that is not a threat. i don’t threaten. it is just an observation.

I hate feeling sick to my stomach over the thought i have let you down.