kona's saturday night austin tour

Guero's Taco Bar on South Congress is one of my favorite places to chow in this city. I haven't been there in awhile and this video I found on YouTube has me tasting my favorite dish... and the lovely margarita which is quite simply hard to beat.

My Feelings About Surge Protectors

This post started out as a comment to a post at Seventh Sister, and after awhile, I decided it was probably long enough to just create my own post. I mean, why give it away somewhere else when I can put it here, right?

I learned long ago the value of those surge protectors and I buy the best I can get for the TV, PCs, and stereo equipment.

Many years ago, not long after txrad and I moved in together, we had a wild electrical storm (this was in Hollywood of all places!)-- a nearby lightning strike knocked out my fancy schmancy amplifier I'd bought in London in 1984.

This looked really cool and high tech in 1984, trust me. And honestly, nothing can replace the feeling of turning up the volume on anything with a knob! A matching radio tuner was also available but I didn't have the bucks back then to add that to my collection. I didn't even have the $1500 for these two pieces, nor the additional $1500 I popped on a pair of Celestion SL-600s. Thank God for credit cards.

I got a quote of about $200 to fix it but since we were just starting out and money was tight (sorta like 2008) I decided to wait. Besides I wanted to check around and be sure whoever did the work knew what they were doing since this was an audiophile system.

Quite a few years passed and I had this thing sitting in a box here in Austin. I had a work colleague in Sacramento who knew someone capable to repairing this, and it was a recommendation I trusted. So I shipped it off, and a few weeks passed and I got it back in the mail.

My friend told me the guy who fixed it was VERY impressed with the sound quality this thing could produce. That was about 2 years ago. Prior to getting it fixed, my pair of Celestion speakers that I purchased with the system in London started getting a buzzing tweeter and had to be retired. The guy who worked on the amp searched for weeks for the parts and finally gave up.

Before I got the Sacramento repair connection I had already started amassing a new hi-fi system, assuming the old one would never be repaired. I got a Creek amplifier and a really high quality turntable for my wall of vinyl records here in the office. No speakers yet. That headphone cord you see attached is my source of sound.

When I get ready to buy speakers, I need to do some research and get a pair that are well-matched to either amplifier. The ones which were recommended to go with the Creek were about $1200 a pair. Needless to say I won't be buying a pair for each amp!

Anyhow, my point was this: if I'd realized the value of surge protectors in 1991 I wouldn't be having the need to write this blog post in 2008.

And pardon the dusty electronics. We haven't finished cleaning yet after the window installation project.

The Fucking Muse Strikes Again

Saliva Haiku

So lively and salively.

Rockindicular.

Friday Pussy Blog: The Pussy Contractor Edition

Let's end the week on a good note... the reason this blog was started: PUSSY BLOGGING.

Tater Tot is definitely the supervisor of all projects around the house.

After a stressful day, and when the strangers leave, everyone gets all relaxed and shit.

2 Fucking Years

Today marks 2 years of blogging. And frankly I'm ready to throw in the towel for awhile.

Hillary Clinton stole my fucking thunder. Between that fucking bitch*, the job, and the home disruption improvements and computer glitches, I can't take much more.

I have long suspected that one reason she might be hanging in is because of the "a" word.

Fucking vulture.

*Note to blogs which have me listed as "Hillary Friendly" -- you can remove my link. I'm not.

The kona Ranch is NOT a No-Kill Zone Tonight

Well, mosquitoes have never qualified for the no-kill exemption, but tonight after having more windows sawed out and replacement windows installed, the house is suddenly full of blood-suckers. And I am swatting with a vengeance.

I left work today with some work undone to come home as early as possible which meant 6:30. Had I known what awaited me at home, I probably would have stayed at the office and finished my work and come home right about now.

And little did I know that John McCain was on the Ellen Degeneres Show blathering about his objection to gay marriage.

Enough already. Jesus H. Christ, if what txrad and I are going through right now isn't typical married life, then fuck McCain. I have no use for him and his ideology anyway because we are on a sweep in November for Obama. And fuck his stupid trophy wife Cindy too. She needs to start living her age. She dresses like some of the women at my office who are about 35 years younger. What's up with that shit?


Friday is going to be a big day, assuming I can access my Photobucket account, which currently I cannot. Who knew that replacing windows could be SO messy and dusty.

Now we know.

And Friday is Bob Dylan's birthday eve. It's cat blogging day. And it's my 2-year blogiversary.

Whoop te fucking dooo. Wish me luck in getting everything up that is deserving.

And did I mention there's lots of dust when you have windows replaced? You need to cover everything in the house. And did I mention I don't dress my age?

Fuck that shit, and fuck Cindy McCain. And her big dog too.

Pardon Me While I Rejuvenate Renovate

Reflections!

That and the fact that work (the job) sucks right now is one reason why posting is light.

It's not that I have nothing to say, just FYI.

Photo courtesy of txrad while I was slaving away at the cesspool of hell.

The Kentucky Primary

Clinton has won the Kentucky primary. And again, I get the feeling racism was involved. Obama is winning the urban areas of Louisville and Lexington (not by large margins) but it was a tad lopsided in some of the Appalachia counties with Obama pulling as low as 5% of the vote. Kinda makes you wonder. Is this Hillary's claim to fame now?

The New York Times has an interactive chart up at the time I'm posting this. Just drag your mouse over the counties and you'll see what I mean. I could not find a direct link to the chart but hopefully it'll still be there for anyone clicking the link a few hours after I post this.

Oregon still to come. Probably after my time of retiring for the evening now that the dude has a job (from hell).

I was really hoping this would all be over tonight (and it is unofficially) but I guess we need to get the next round of votes in from the early June primaries. Fair is fair.

Let's get on with it. Or let's get it on.

It's a Bug's Life to You and I

So txrad and I are sitting around after two bottles of wine watching Bill Hicks and we decide to go out on the patio for a smoke.

There are bugs here in Texas that will fly into doors, windows, walls, whatever is close to a light and knock themselves out, falling to the patio while waiting to regain consciousness and begin their pursuit of light again.

txrad asked me what they do when the sun is shining. Do they fly into it and burn up?

I said no. These bugs are more analytical than that. They realize the sun is more than they can handle and they hide from it. But bring on the little energy-efficient bulb at night and that's something they can wrap their little wire-like legs around..

Just my theory.

TMI

In yesterday's meme I had these 5 things on my to-do list. I was successful in all but one. I won't bother to tell you which one.


1. Take the bus to work.
2. Select my benefits package.
3. Floss.
4. Have a stellar bowel movement.
5. Convince myself that I love my job.

Fight Boredom: Find a Meme

Nothing quite like finding a meme to fulfill a Sunday blog post obligation. Via The Chemist.

1) Ten years ago I was:
38 and still getting carded occasionally for liquor. I had been living in Austin less than a year and was making about $30,000 more per year than I am today. And I was probably wondering when I'd get around to have the windows replaced and painting a few rooms.

2) Five things on tomorrow's to-do list:
1. Take the bus to work.
2. Select my benefits package.
3. Floss.
4. Have a stellar bowel movement.
5. Convince myself that I love my job.

3) Things I'd do if I were a billionaire:
1. Quit my job.
2. Renovate my mother's house.
3. Invest enough to live well on the interest.
4. Invest the remainder and use the interest earned for some charity work.
5. Realize that nobody needs billions. $5 million is plenty for anyone.

4) Three bad habits:
1. Tequila
2. American Spirit Lights (you know, those healthy cigarettes!)
3. Cursing at everybody while driving

5) Five places I've lived:
1. Los Angeles
2. San Diego
3. Little Rock
4. London
5. Denver

6) Six jobs I've had:
1. Advertising agency management
2. Clerk in a record store
3. Cashier at bookstore
4. Cashier at Asian grocery
5. TCBY yogurt store
6. Lots and lots of temp agency clerical jobs