May Day

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Last night after work, I met up with my mom & stepdad and we had a wonderful dinner at Johnny Carino's Italian Restaurant. I had Chicken Marsala (I like chicken, I like chicken...) and some wonderful drink that my mom ordered me that was apparently a mix of a peach smoothie and Sangria, which was quite delicious...but could've used some alcohol in it. Not a lot, just enough to make it melt quicker. Then again, it was snowing in the valley at that time, so that may have had something to do with it. Love this Utah "Spring" weather. In the morning, it's a beautiful spring day...then a few hours later you're checking the calendar to make sure that it's May because it's snowing again. Anyway, dinner was great, went home to watch some basketball, chatted with Bubbles, helped my sister-in-law feel better (bad day and my brother has "GTA4" so he's been playing that the past few days straight), my buddy Spitso gave me the usual 85 minutes notice that he & Soulshakers Entertainment were going to be on the radio at 88.1 FM, then JL Clyde & I geeked out by watching some Mythbusters (really like Kari Byron, have I mentioned this?) and Battlestar Galactica.

I'm a little afraid to say it again...but while watching basketball, I flipped between that and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" again. Two days in a row. Why? It's just a great movie. I thoroughly enjoy it. It's up there with "Fifth Element" and "Big Lebowski" and all those other movies that I can watch again & again...and it's just as entertaining. Sure, I may say it's because there's not much hotter than Angelina constantly being sexy and/or tough and/or strapped in a cocktail dress...because it's true. I also say it's because it's constant action & comedy from start to finish...because it's true too. I think the main reason that I really like the show...is that aside from all that...it's a great relationship story about true Love...and then they find out that each other has a dark secret...so they feel betrayed...and try to kill eachother (not the usual metaphorical sense, like most relationships though). During their conflict though, they hint that before they knew the secret, they really loved eachother...but to keep up public image (and professional focus) they don't tell each other how they really feel until they destroy their house. If they had just been open & honest (not about the spy thing, but how they felt about each other), then they wouldn't have to destory each other. What do I know about relationships though? I know that they're more complicated than that...for some reason...but still, I think my theory is true. If you really Love them, just tell them. Why does it have to be so complicated? Anyway, after Brangelina finally confess...then they can take on anything...together...even parenthood with an "It's a Small World" collection of parental & adopted children. "Ask us the sex question." Great flick. Now for some news...

Avery Johnson Fired - Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is going to regret this move. I can understand him firing former Spurs guard and now former Mavericks coach Avery Johnson after three years (where he won nearly three-quarters of his games...but after making it to the NBA Finals his first year, lost in the first round of the playoffs the last two years) but it's not going to help his team at all. You may recall earlier this year when I mentioned Avery's number being retired by the Spurs franchise but yeah...apparently internet billionairre Mark Cuban (who I really like as an owner with a lot of passion for his product...but think he's ass crackers crazy sometimes with his antics. We could definitely hang out and probably understand one another, I think) has a better coach in mind than this young prodigy. I don't agree with that thought...and according to this somewhat threatening picture, neither does Avery. That's okay though...because current Spurs coach Gregg Popovich may be considering retiring soon (like after getting a 5th championship this year, so he has a ring for the thumb) and I think that Avery would be a nice fit back in San Antonio for many years to come. Anyway, just my thought if Pops is looking for a retirement plan, this could be your year. Sorry that you got a pinkslip, Mr. Johnson...but I wouldn't be too worried. You're going to get another job...with a great organization if you're willing to be patient. In the meantime, enjoy yourself.

An Island of Lesbians? - Read carefully. You may just learn something about Lesbians. Three native of the Greek island of Lesbos (yes, there's really an island of Lesbos in the Aegean Sea) have taken a gay rights group to court for using the word 'lesbian' in their name. One of the plaintiffs said Wednesday that the name of the association, Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, "insults the identity" of the people of Lesbos, who are also known as Lesbians. "My sister can't say she is a Lesbian," said Dimitris Lambrou. "Our geographical designation has been usurped by certain ladies who have no connection whatsoever with Lesbos." That may or may not be true depending on context, but the three plaintiffs are seeking to have the group barred from using "lesbian" in its name and filed a lawsuit on April 10. The other two plaintiffs are women. The Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece could not be reached for comment. Now for the history lesson on the word 'Lesbian' that I found interesting…and somewhat erotic.

Also called Mytilene, after its capital, Lesbos is famed as the birthplace of Sappho. Sappho lived from the late 7th to the early 6th century B.C. and is considered one of the greatest poets of antiquity. Many of her poems, written in the first person and intended to be accompanied by music, contain passionate references to love for other women. Very little is known of Sappho's life. According to some ancient accounts, she was an aristocrat who married a rich merchant and had a daughter with him. One tradition says that she killed herself by jumping off a cliff over an unhappy love affair. Lambrou says Sappho was not gay (probably played for both teams) "But even if we assume she was, how can 250,000 people of Lesbian descent — including women — be considered homosexual?" The island is a favored holiday destination for gay women, particularly the lyric poet's reputed home town of Eressos. Now you know…and knowing is half the battle.

Is this a frivolous lawsuit? Yeah, pretty much. If people could get certain words banned from organization, do you think we'd still have the Cleveland Indians or Washington Redskins? I'm sure the sound bits are even funnier than reading it. It's just a weird situation…and I'm sure that it'll be ignored…or who knows? Maybe Greece will force them to rename themselves as just the Homosexual Community of Greece or something. I'm just glad that they filed it because now I know the true meaning of one of my favorite words…and now I want to go on a vacation to the Greek Isles. I'll let you know when that happens. "Hello, my name is Markos. Welcome to Lesbos." "Thank you Markos. Say, are you from around here?" "Why yes, I was born & raised here in Lesbos." "Awesome, so you're a Lesbian trapped in a man's body too. That's great. We should hang out."

LSD Chemist Dies at 102 - Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, who advocated the medicinal properties of LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), the drug he termed his "problem child," died from a heart attack at his home in Basel, Switzerland on Tuesday. When a tiny quantity leaked on to his hand during a laboratory experiment in 1943, he noted a "remarkable restlessness, combined with slight dizziness" that made him stop his work. "At home I lay down and sank into a not unpleasant intoxication-like condition, characterized by an extremely stimulated imagination. In a dreamlike state, with eyes closed (I found the daylight too unpleasantly glaring), I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors. After some two hours this condition faded away." Hofmann wrote in his book "LSD -- My Problem Child."

A few days later Hofmann intentionally took a dose of LSD and experienced the world's first "bad trip" -- slang for when the user suffers a disturbed reaction. "On the way home, my condition began to assume threatening forms. Everything in my field of vision wavered and was distorted as if seen in a curved mirror." Once home, the LSD continued to warp Hofmann's mind: "My surroundings had now transformed themselves in more terrifying ways. A demon had invaded me, had taken possession of my body, mind, and soul. I jumped up and screamed, trying to free myself from him, but then sank down again and lay helpless on the sofa. The substance, with which I had wanted to experiment, had vanquished me." Hofmann believed LSD to be a wonder drug that could help find out the mysteries of the mind…but it was banned in the 1960's thanks to the Hippies turning it onto a recreational drug. However, recent research has been done into it again to find out the medicinal purposes of LSD…so we shall see. In the meantime, my condolences to Dr. Hofmann's family. You may be asking what his secret was to living to be 102 years young. Well, the answer would be Swiss chocolates, Swiss cheese (probably with bacon), and Swiss LSD…you know, to cure the Alzheimer's and all. By the way, I would like to mention at this point that I do NOT condone drug use. I have seen the effect...and would not recommend it to my worst enemy (Courtney Love? I really don't have enemies). I just think it's interesting how the best laid plans of mice & men to find a cure for mental conditions can lead to a cultural revolution...and get a little perverted along the way.

Well, that'll do it for me today. The Wingmans just called me and said that they're coming into town tonight to pick up some of the kids (ex-wife has the three youngest...for now) and they're going to crash here at my place...because I'm the host with the most apparently and we can have a good fun time. Until then, the weather's a little bad but I'm still going to try to get some jogging in. Maybe go see my dad and hang out with him for a few hours. I'm truly lucky to be surrounded by all these great people in my life. I just want to thank all of you that read this for being my buddies...and for those who don't, I'll get around to telling ya, I'm sure. Have a great day everybody!!! Wish you all the best in everything!!!