Fly's Life! ! !

. . .and now"The Rest of the Story"

2008-03-01T16:51:00.000-06:00

. . .and now"The Rest of the Story"

As many of you may know. I've been somewhat depressed lately. So I decided to talk to my Dr. and get back on Happy pills for a while and see if I could pull out of it. The Dr. put me on Effexor. . . I heard good things about it so I didn't think anything of it. Well come to find out, Effexor was not the Happy Pill for me. The side effects did me in. It seems like every bad side effect there was for this drug, it was twice as bad for me. It's supposed to give you energy and it gave me nervous energy. It was supposed to give you slight insomnia and I went weeks on a few hours of sleep. Between those two side effects alone my mind was somewhere between Pluto and God knows where. . . On top of that. When and if I was able to get to sleep. I would have to worst night mares I think I've ever had in my life.

There were other side effects that weren't too bad, but as a Diabetic, they didn't help out either. One of those side effects was a strong desire for chocolate at night. So here I am before bed eating almost a half pound of chocolate or drinking almost a half gallon of chocolate milk just to reduce the craving. There were many more side effects that I don't really want to get into.

So one day I was sitting in my basement and realized that I hadn't left it in maybe three days or so. With the help of some friends and a nice drug induced sleep. I convinced myself it was time to make a change and get off of this "Happy Pill". I've been totally off for a week now after a weening off period and I am feeling a lot better. Not quite 100%, but getting there.

I want to apologize to a number of people for either ignoring you or acting crazy if I didn't ignore you. I realize now that my head wasn't straight and I am working towards getting back to life as soon as I can. I can't promise it will be today or tomorrow, but it will happen soon. I've also talked to a few older and wiser people and they have reminded me that I am grieving and that it's ok to grieve. I don't need drugs to hide it or cover it up. I just need time. I just have to realize that for myself and take it one step at a time.

Judith Powell Davis

2007-10-31T00:03:00.000-05:00

NORMAL - Judith Powell Davis, 64, of 311 S. Towanda Ave., No. 7, Normal, died at 11:35 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 28, 2007) at BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal.

Service: 10:30 a.m. Friday celebration of life service at Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bloomington, with the Rev. Charles Orr officiating. A second memorial service will be at a later date at Olivet African Methodist Episcopal Church, South Bend, Ind., with the Rev. Martel Winburn Sr.

Private inurnment: at a later date at City Cemetery, South Bend, Ind.

Visitation: the family will receive friends after the service during the repass on Friday at the church.

Memorials: in lieu of flowers, to Diabetes Research Wellness Foundation, P.O. Box 96046, Washington, DC 20077-7240. Arrangements are being handled by Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington.

Survivors: one son, Emory Grant Davis III, Normal.

My Life at the Present Moment

2007-10-28T23:44:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin? Well, let’s just jump into what the biggest situation in my life is right now. It’s my mother and there is no easy way to say it except to just say it.

My mother is dying.

It all started with a small sore on her left ankle that got infected and the infection spread a little too fast for me to step in and make a decision about it. That happened (I think) back in June. Now the infection is in and around the ankle bone. My mother is a diabetic which complicates things and she also has Congestive Heart Failure which complicates things as well. Her regular Dr. and a Wound Dr. have worked with her almost nonstop for about 4 months to get her wound under control. Because of where the infection is at and the hardening of the arteries in her legs, they have been unsuccessful in saving the foot. So they want to cut it off below the knee. Now the problem is that my mother’s Congestive Heart Failure has gotten to the point that they can’t cut her foot off. It has affected her kidney and liver functions and caused her to get an Aspirating Flu that has drastically affected her ability to eat anything at all.

So in a nutshell, she has somewhat good days and sometimes very bad days. The problem is that the bad days are getting a lot more frequent than the good days are. She has been in and out of the nursing home with her Congestive Heart Failure and Dehydration as well. She is currently in the hospital and they are not sure if and when she will be able to leave there. Some say she will pull through and some say they don’t think she will. This really has been a roller coaster of a ride for the both of us. I know, and they know, she is going to die, but only God knows when that will be. I know in my heart that she wants to die at home. My question is WHEN do you know it’s time to bring her home to die and when do you tell the Dr. that he’s done all he can do?

I’m not asking my friends for anything but a prayer for my mother and I. I’ve realized through all of this that both my mother and I have a huge amount of friends and I know that she as well as I are very thankful for that.

I will try to keep you up to date on the situation, but it’s been hard enough for me to just keep up with day to day activities.

Love you all!!!

Niagara Falls

2007-05-06T20:48:00.000-05:00

So I did it. I went back to Niagara Falls, ON to pick up more Peat Moss. . . It was an exciting day in my life because this time I was determined to see the Falls. It was exciting to learn that my pickup was on the same road as the Falls. I called a taxi and they instructed me on where a good place was to park a big truck at and that it was only 5 minutes from the Falls. I parked and called the Taxi.

I have forgotten how funny Taxi drivers can be. The taxi came to pick me up and the Taxi driver had a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other and was driving with his knees. I got in and told him to take me to the Falls and off we went. We talked a little about where I was from and how long he had been driving a Taxi. He showed me a few sights on the way like the casino and good places to go eat. Once we got close to the Falls the driver totally turned into Mr. Tour Guide. He started talking about the barge that got stuck on top of the Falls and how they had to rescue some men off it back in the 20’s. Very interesting story because the barge is still sitting there and is a National monument that no one can go near. It is slowly deteriorating and soon will be gone forever, but all in the entire story was a good one. Then he starts talking about how if you want to feel the water you need to go to the American side. However the lazy Americans don’t put much effort in keeping there side of the Falls kept up. He tells me this as we start driving up to the Canadian side of the Falls and there are hotels, Casino’s, Lots of Souvenir shops, Bus parking, and the most important thing. People! ! ! He dropped me off while pointing to the American side and sure enough, the American side was still covered with snow and there was no one in sight. Go figure. . .

The Falls were beautiful! ! ! There was a good mix of people at the Falls. Everything from French to Chinese were there taking pictures and breathing in the wet air. I even got (what I think was) a French lady to take my picture next to the falls.

After I was finished at the Falls I called another Taxi to head back to the big truck. He was a speed demon and liked talking about the first driver that had picked me up. Apparently the first driver used to be a preacher of some church and was now driving a taxi. Now he gets in trouble for locking people in the back of his car and preaching to them. He didn’t do it to me, but I can see where that would be wrong.

After that I headed out back on the road and decided to take the Northern route. I went up to Toronto, ON and then came back down through Detroit, MI. it was a pretty ride with peaks of Lake Ontario. What was interesting about the ride is that there is a lot of wine country in Ontario. I do believe that some day soon I am going to have to go back for a long weekend or week and do some more site seeing and wine tasting. I also hear of rumors that there are a few castles left from the old days that you can tour. So I may do that too.

All in all it was a great trip. I finally was able to see the Falls and some of Canada. I can’t wait to go back and or come across another great American adventure.

Zombies roam the streets...

2007-04-19T20:23:00.000-05:00

Zombies roam the streets...

ISU to serve as venue for unveiling of locally shot film

A deadly infection creates an army of approximately 88 flesh-devouring zombies in Jason Huls' locally filmed zombie spoof.

Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:52 AM CDT

By Dan Craft
dcraft@pantagraph.com

NORMAL -- Nights, dawns, days and returns of the living dead are bad enough. But what are you to do when an army of noxious, flesh-eating zombies mass for attack in the late afternoon?

Say, 'round 3:45 p.m.?

Well, you're not going to stay seated for the second half of "Oprah," that's for sure.

Especially if they're the late-in-the-day zombies loping/running about in Jason Huls' "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead," a locally produced send-up of living dead movies receiving its world premiere this weekend at Illinois State University (7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Room 138 of Schroeder Hall; admission is free).

Shot largely here in the Twin Cities and to the south in Decatur, this 88-zombie affair represents nearly three years' worth of blood, guts, sweat and tears (accent on the blood and guts) for Huls and his cohorts of the living dead.

Many of those cohorts are also locals who kicked in their various talents gratis so Huls could maintain his original budgetary mandate of "paying for it out of my own pocket."

He's hesitant to divulge the low-low budget sum as an actual dollar amount for fear of scaring off potential Hollywood distributors who might refuse to look past the modest means at the expense of what he feels are the polished results on screen.

And he will be using the film as his calling card when he begins meeting with interested parties in the months ahead.

Fully scored and gored, "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead" tells the tongue-in-cheek tale of a zombie-making epidemic that infests the planet, leaving a handful of survivors, from a meek librarian-turned-hero to a stockbroker in serious need of some anger management.

Among the recognizable Twin Cities locations they pass by and/or through are downtown Bloomington's Castle Theater, the area in front of Clay Dooley Tire and Auto on East Grove Street in Bloomington, the alley next to the Normal Theater and, elsewhere in an uptown Normal turned topsy-turvy, the nearby Jake's Pizza.

There is also some hot and heavy zombie action on Bloomington's west side, and even some pick-up shots in Streator, Graymont and the Lexington area.

Another key location is a derelict building in downtown Decatur "across from Jimmy Johns" whose "blasted out" look provided a perfect place for Huls' non-zombie human survivors to hole up in. (So what if their filming coincided with downtown Decatur's biggest event of the year, the Decatur Celebration? Free cast of thousands! )

Moral of this story: Late-afternoon living dead may be restricted in their time frames, but their infestation knows no boundaries.

Huls, 28, is an area native who graduated from Normal Community West High School and Illinois State University before moving to Chicago several years ago to work for a college textbook publishing company -- not exactly a hotbed of the living dead.

What Huls says he did take to Chicago with him from his hometown was a love for writing and a minor in cinema studies from ISU, where he got his first taste of nuts-and-bolts filmmaking techniques under the auspices of his professor, Scott Rankin (who helped arranged this weekend's ISU world premiere).

He found himself in front of a camera ... positioning a camera ... setting up lights ... even, he notes, "how to do a dolly shot by putting the camera on a wheelchair."

Though he says he's not a hardcore film buff who can rattle off encyclopedic trivia about the history of cinema, he is a fan of good screenwriting, and "this sort of evolved for me out of my love of writing and wanting to visualize stories."

A role model for him is "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson, whose early work includes -- surprise -- an over-the-top zombie spoof called "Dead Alive."

"I've seen a lot of his older stuff and watched the documentaries on his movies, and he really knows how to stretch a dollar," says Huls. "I also like the Coen brothers because I love their sense of story and their sense of humor -- I think they write some very unique characters."

The decision to see what he could do in the film medium arrived in the form an epiphany.

"I woke up one morning, literally, and decided to it," recalls Huls, whose mother, Jeannie Burris, also lives in zombie country, Mackinaw, and whose kid brother Travis, 22, also co-stars in his movie.

"It occurred to me that day that I knew a lot of talented people, and, really, why weren't we all working on something together?"

Like a tale of zombie armies infesting Earth?

"While I do have an interest in zombie movies, I would have to say I only wanted to do a horror film because they're easier to do on a low budget and make work," says Huls. "Also, audiences tend to be more forgiving because they understand what we're working with."

As a result, "That seemed a logical place to start."

Helpfully, around three years earlier, Huls and his longtime creative partner Chris Hutson had made a "pretty laughable" 10-minute short about a zombie creating havoc in the heartland, dubbed "Afternoon of the Living Dead."

From that kernel and midday time frame sprouted "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead," which itself originally was conceived at no more than 30 minutes in length.

All those creative people Huls knew were tapped for input -- from Chicago-based actor Ron Rotondo, to B-N musicians Nathan Parks and Kevin Yarger, to Hutson's Heartland Community College film prof Phil Vandiver (who plays an "intrepid TV anchorman" named Bart).

Other key talent included sound designer Paul Brooks, makeup man Gary Thompson ("thank God he was there"), cameraman Andrew Moore and producer Gale Murrin.

Huls cast himself as a comic-relief supporting player, neither human nor human-devouring zombie, but a see-through poltergeist named Shelton -- doubtless a zombie cinema first.

As things progressed, Huls, as writer and director, decided the premise could be developed further into a full-blown feature. "We were in this no man's land of being neither a short nor a feature-length movie, so I decided to go full-length after shooting certain scenes."

Because of that sudden shift to the big time, production on the film continued along weekend lines for nearly two years.

Late afternoons of the living dead never dragged on with such stubbornness.

But as a new era dawns for Huls' labor of love, he's hoping it will pave the way for a full-time career as a filmmaker.

Don't look for a "Later in the Afternoon of the Living Dead," he says.

Do anticipate "a sort of futuristic dark epic, sort of a cross between 'The X-Files' and 'Children of Men' " and/or some "Hostel"-ish "straight-up horror."

Whatever he dreams up, it's probably safe to assume one thing: Jason Huls will come home again, looking to scare up more of the locally grown talent that has helped him invade late-afternoon Bloomington-Normal with an army of zombies.

At a glance

What: World premiere showings of locally made movie, "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead," with filmmakers and cast in attendance

When: 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Where: Illinois State University Schroeder Hall Room 138

Cost: Free

Information: www.lateafternoonofthelivingdead.com

The plot thickens

A strange and deadly viral epidemic creates a planet-wide legion of the undead. Chris (Chris Hutson), a mild-mannered librarian, is transformed into an unlikely hero after he awakens in an abandoned attic with only fleeting memories of those who saved him. He begins a search of the city, looking for answers, but finding only packs of zombies. Among the human survivors he encounters: Lt. Barnes (Rich DeBarba), a good-natured soldier out to save as many as he can; Bart Riedell (Phil Vandiver), an intrepid news anchorman; and Ron (Ron Rotondo), a stockbroker with a vicious streak. Also on hand, but just barely: a poltergeist-turned-sidekick named Shelton (Jason Huls).

DVD available for purchase

NORMAL -- Though the locally made "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead" is receiving its world premiere this weekend at Illinois State University, its fans won't have to wait long for the DVD edition.

In fact, notes writer/director/co-star Jason Huls, shiny little discs of the movie will be available for purchase at the showings Saturday and Sunday in ISU's Schroeder Hall Room 138.

In addition to the film itself, the DVD will carry all the bells and whistles of a top-end Hollywood release, including an episode of the non-existent "Masters of the Craft" series, described by Huls as an "Inside the Actor's Studio" parody featuring an unctuous James Lipton-style host grilling the film's makers with utmost pretension.

Also among the extras: a music video based on the film and a blooper reel of outtakes, both produced by Huls' Ten Wing Films.

The DVDs will go for $10 a pop.

The innard circle

Facts and figures from the open graves of "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead":

Production length: two years (2005-2007)

Hue: In living/dying black-and-white

Writer/director/co-star: Jason Huls

Budget source: Out of Huls' pocket

Budget tab: Let's just say "not a lot"

Primary locations: Downtown Bloomington (Castle Theater especially), downtown Decatur (a vacant building especially)

Secondary locations: Normal, Algonquin, Chicago, Graymont, Lexington, Lisle, Streator, Woodridge

Zombies on view: 88

Non-zombies on view (and running scared): 23

Music score: B-N composers Nathan Parks and Kevin Yarger

Blood recipe: Hershey's chocolate syrup, by the gallon

Prevailing tone: Irreverent

First critical response: "Splatterific fun for the whole family!" -- Mel Valentin, www.movie-vault.com

If it was rated it would be slapped with: an "R," for strong language and gore

So: Keep the children at home, Mel Valentin of www.movie-vault.com, notwithstanding

Shipshewana and Other interesting Places

2007-04-08T00:58:00.000-05:00

As you all may know, I love the road and can’t wait to go west. However I’m realizing that there is a lot in the Midwest to see before I even attempt to move on to another region. For instance, I ran across a little Amish town in northern Indiana called Shipshewana. Now I’ve been to and threw a few Amish communities, but this one was pretty big in my opinion. Also it was a working community as well. I remember when I was younger and my mother took my best friend and I to an Amish community for a day. It was kool, but I remember it being more of a working museum or something like that. It was nice and the food was great! This however was impressive to drive through. I saw horse and buggies, bicycles and lots of people walking around. It was a spring day so a lot of people were out plowing fields and doing outside work. What really got me were the stores and other places in town. Everyone had parking lots and driveways, but they also would have hitching posts too.

You know, sometimes I sit back and wonder how much better life would be if it were that simple. No electricity or motor vehicles to deal with. Yes it cuts out a lot of things like TV, computers, and lights, but sometimes I wonder if we really need these things or not? I mean TV for the most part is just there to waste time. Computers are usually more of a hassle then good, and lights are good, but good candles and a fire are fine with me. Learning a good trade like wood working would be kool too. I mean how many people dream of having Amish made furniture that you know will hold up in time? How many people would learn the value of work when they realize that if they don’t do it the community suffers from it? Beside, have you ever truly seen a sad Amish? They are all always smiling and seem so happy all the time. They gotta have a low stress level.

The other beautiful area I’ve been to would have to be Pennsylvania. What beautiful landscape they have out there. There are hills, mountains, trees, sheep, and cows. The roads are so curvy and hilly. My one wish would be that I was in an old Jaguar E type or Porsche 911 instead of a 180 foot tractor trailer that weighs 80,000 lbs. While driving through one beautiful morning I was coming down a tree covered hill and hit a very high bridge. Under the bridge was a small river. Next to the river were sheep grazing and a dog running around playing with them. On a hill side close by was a pretty New England style farm house with a bright red barn next to it. It was truly a beautiful site to see. I wish I could have stopped and taken a picture of it. The best part was it was somewhat like that all over the area. Houses on hill sides and sheep, cattle or horses were everywhere. I’ve always told myself that someday I want to retire and live next to the ocean and just eat seafood until I die. The more I drive, the more I might just travel or pick a few other places to live first. There are just too many places that I wouldn’t mind waking up to in the morning with a sunrise.

On the job for a month

2007-03-25T12:25:00.001-05:00

So I’ve been on the job for a month and have been so busy that I really haven’t had time to sit back and write bout my new adventures yet. Life on the road is a little different than I remember, but all in all it is adventurous, thrilling, and sometimes just plain crazy. The best part is that I never know where I’m going to be from one day to another. Some days I wake up in Chicago and other days I have awoken in Niagara Falls, Canada or Amish country in Northern Indiana and Michigan.

It’s hard to say where the coolest place I’ve been to have been because each place has its own level of excitement to it. For instance, I believe it was my second week on the job and it was snowing like crazy. I was fallowing the directions to my stop and I started to notice that it was out in the middle of nowhere. I was thinking it was an initiation run or something. There was about a foot of snow (not removed from the streets), no lights on anywhere, and out in the middle of nowhere. Oh and it was three o’clock in the morning.

I arrive at my so called destination which was just past some stop sign and nothing for as far as I could see (at 3 o’clock in the morning). So I park the truck and pass out. I wake up in the morning to a knocking on the door. I’m thinking it might be someone wanting to know if I was still alive or something. Turns out to be a gentleman with a small black hat, long beard, white shirt and a black coat on. I think to myself I understand now. I’m in Amish country. Suddenly everything became clear and the view was beautiful! ! ! There were farms up on hills, horse drawn buggies, kids walking to school and me with a big ass semi full of groceries.

Another great run for me was while I was up in Buffalo, NY. My dispatcher hits me up on my in cab computer and asks me the same question I had been asking myself all day. “Can you go to Canada?” I had to stop for a minute and think about that. So I called him back and asked the same question. “I don’t know, can I?” he laughed and asked if I had a valid license, no felony convictions, or was I wanted for anything. I was like yes, no, no. So I was off to Niagara Falls, ON. How kool is that. Going over the boarder was kool, being in Canada trying to figure out km instead of mph was kool and getting a load of Peat Moss was kool. Now what sucked is the 2 or 3 hour wait you have while waiting for your paperwork to get sent to customs and not having any Canadian money. So needless to say, I will have money next time and I will find a way to see the falls because big trucks are not allowed in the park.

I guess you could say that truck driving is pretty kool. Yes like every other job it has its ups and downs and ins and outs. I have good days where everything goes right and I have bad days where nothing goes right. For instance I strongly agree with every other trucker that enters Chicago and says that they need to shut down the entire city for a few months and raise all of the bridges by at least 3 inches. Also whatever the hell this Super 70 is going through Indiana and Ohio needs to be completed by tomorrow morning. LOL! ! ! Some people ask if it’s hard being on the road all week long and I tell them that it’s really not. Thanks to my friend Jetter that introduced me to XM radio and my laptop with Tivo on it. I can get through a week with little to no problems. The only thing I need is a better headset for my cell phone, but that’s about it. It’s weird waking up sometimes and jumping straight into the driver’s seat, but it happens. However watching the sun raise and set over the foot hills of OH and PA is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It’s what separates my cubical from other cubicles.

More adventures to come. .

Weekend Blues! ! !

2007-01-28T23:31:00.000-06:00

Many of you know that I love listening to the Blues on the weekends. Well I came across a great song this weekend by Walter Trout and it's called "She Takes More Than She Gives" and I love it. This video was recorded with John Mayall and is on Trout's album Full Circle.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

In the Pursuit of Happyness

2007-01-19T17:30:00.000-06:00

So I finally went and this well talked about movie the other night and I do have to say that it is a very powerful and moving movie. Will and Jaden Smith did excellent jobs in there roles and even if it was Jaden’s first role in the big leagues, he was a natural.

I don’t want to go into too much about the actors, I want to talk about the story it’s self. I have read I don’t know how many articles and interviews about the story of Chris Gardner and his struggles in life. One thing that worries me is that the story is right about a lot of things yet hard to believe in other ways. Maybe I need to read the book to fully understand, but I did leave the theater with a few questions that were unanswered. First of all, why is life so hard and why is there a price tag on everything? I mean money it seems has been a downfall for more than one marriage that I know of. Yes we make bad decisions in life sometimes, but was his wife really that unwise? I’d also like to hear more about his past and where he learned to be such a strong father and man.

The biggest thing about the movie and life in general for me is; how do you know and find the one thing you really want to do in life? How do you find the one job that will make you happy? How do you find the one person that will make you happy? Some people say “Well your only 35, you have plenty of time to find a wife and job” then here I am saying “Damn I’m 35 and I haven’t found anything that makes me happy in life”. I’ve been through god knows how many jobs and more women than I wish to count.

I’m somewhat excited because I somewhat feel what he went through while looking for a job. I’ve been pursuing a truck driving job for a little over a year and it’s been an uphill battle since the beginning. I know I’m close to finally making it happen, but what if I’ve wasted a year of my life only to find out that it’s not what I thought it was and I’m unhappy again? What then, more depression, more crappy jobs, more debt, more Bloomington/Normal? Does life ever really give you a movie ending? ? ?

Central Illinois Wind Farms

2007-01-04T19:51:00.000-06:00

Central Illinois Wind Farms

A few weeks ago I was driving down Veterans Parkway and saw one of those very kool looking 120’ blades for a windmill. Not having much of a life, I decided to fallow it and see where they are building this wind farm I’ve been hearing about. So I get on Route 9 and drive for about 8 miles and off to my right I see these giant wind mills. I do have to say that the site is pretty awesome to see.

So now I come home and decide to look on the internet and see if I can find out more information about these things like how big are they, how much power will they produce, how many will there be, and how much energy will they create for our county. Well I did find a few articles on the “Twin Groves Wind Farm” and the “Blackstone Wind Farm” (Building begins in 2008). They will build 240 towers and they will generate 1.65 megawatts each with a total of 396 megawatts of combined power, which is pretty good because that should power about 120,000 homes. To me that’s awesome! ! ! Where do I plug in at?

Now for the shocking news. . . We will not get any of the power generated by the two wind farms being built in the area. Both farms are being built to send power to the Chicago area (Windy city). What the hell? ? ? Our electric bills are going up somewhere around 50% and I would think it would be short term to help build these towers and they get turned on. Ha! Boy was I wrong. . . So you’re telling me that with all of this flat boring farm land we have between B/N and Chicago that they couldn’t build them closer to Chicago and or give us our own wind farm? Does anyone but me have anything to say about this? ? ? How do they get to use our county to power Chicago? Shouldn’t we get a portion of the power generated?

Here are a few links with information on the local wind farms:

Horizon Wind Farms Wind farm construction to begin Twin Groves Wind Farm

Wiki's Man Code. . . Work & Leisure. . .

2006-12-22T00:39:00.000-06:00

Work & Leisure

Occupation
From Man Code Wiki
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[edit]
General Occupation Guidelines

Hairstylist: Unacceptable
Barber: Acceptable
Secretary/Administrative Assistant: Unacceptable
HMFIC lieutenant: Acceptable
Any and all occupations requiring the use of hand/power tools: Acceptable, encouraged
Sheriff, Deputy or Cop: Acceptable, encouraged
Firefighter: Acceptable, encouraged
Military: Acceptable, encouraged (same rules apply to jobs within military)

Restrooms
From Man Code Wiki
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[edit]
Eyes Forward

Eyes forward at the urinal, Susie. There's no reason to be looking around in the men's room. Get in, do your business, and get out.
[edit]
Eyes Up

When at a urinal, you never look down. Eyes must stay straight.

* You may meat gaze for only about 120 dreary, uncomfortable, awkward, seconds.
* If your urinal-mate has a child, it's fair game.
* No moaning if you have chugged less than two gallons in between bathroom visits.

[edit]
No Talking

period no talking at all... you just look forward, do the job, then wash hands and get out, no talking at all. An almost imperceptible “I recognize you” nod is all the conversation you need.
[edit]
One at a Time

Men do not go to the bathroom together. If nature calls two or more men in a group, only one may leave the group at a time. And, if two or more men need to go and they happen to be standing outside of a restroom, the others have to wait outside to adhere to the one at a time rule.
[edit]
Stall Buffer

See Urinal Buffer Rule
[edit]
Stand Up

A man shall urinate standing up unless also dropping logs. The ability to stand upright is what separates man from ape. To urinate in any other position is primitive. Flinging feces is also frowned upon.
[edit]
Urinal Buffer

A man should only occupy a urinal that is NOT immediately adjacent to another man (otherwise, you enter his "Splash Zone"). If there are no urinals available which meet this criteria, a line should be formed. There are two exceptions: (1) at a sporting event in a crowded bathroom, this rule is suspended and (2) if there is a privacy wall between said urinals which extends from the knees to the shoulders. Even with said wall, the buffer should be maintained if convenient.

Transportation
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[edit]
Directions

No man shall ask for directions. This standard is derived from women's stereotype of men. Men are to live down to women's expectations. Besides, women don't ask for directions either.
[edit]
Skills

No man shall drive slowly in the fast lane. No man shall speed up when someone tries to pass. No man shall slow down after passing someone. Driving skills are inherent on the Y chromosome. Failure to demonstrate said skills will result in forfeit of manhood. Your new nickname will be princess.
[edit]
Shotgun

To claim front passenger seat, a man should announce "Shotgun." If you can't see the car, it is too early. If someone is already touching the door handle, it is too late. The driver has the right to override shotgun without an explantion.

There is no "farkel" rule, or any other challenge to shotgun. Once shotgun is called, you MUST respect the Shotty, unless said claimer is late, which turns him into a woman...and results in automatic forfeiture of the Shotty.

Full ride shotgun can only be called for predetermined trips that last longer than two days.
[edit]
Slug Bug

Slug Bug is a child's game; no man over the age of 18 shall participate.
[edit]
Acceptable Automobiles

The only acceptable cars are American. Any foreign cars (with the exception of Italian sportscars) are strictly forbidden. If one happens to own a foreign car, they are not to talk about it ever. Under absolutely no circumstances are they to brag about it in any way.

Foreign trucks are not acceptable. Period.

The only acceptable reason for buying a foreign car or truck is 1)It was dirt cheap 2)You are going to beat the living hell out of it.

Work & Leisure
From Man Code Wiki
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[edit]
Diet

Men do not "diet". Men "get in shape". It is a semantics thing.
[edit]
Jobs

Men do not interfere with the possibility of a promotion for another employee, no matter what gender
[edit]
Work Relationships

You must obey all relationship rules when dating in the office

Wiki's Man Code. . . Hygiene and Entertainment. . .

2006-12-21T14:22:00.000-06:00

Welcome back to another installment of Wiki's Man Code. . . Today we talk about Hygiene and Entertainment. I hope you enjoy. . .

Hygiene
From Man Code Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search

[edit]
Hippy Hair

If a man has long hair, he shall also have facial hair. If a man is unable to grow facial hair, then he shall not have long hair. People should not have to wonder if a man is a guy or a chick.
[edit]
Mirror Time

A man shall not spend more than two minutes in front of a mirror unless he is shaving. Shaving is a manly pursuit.
[edit]
Facial Hair
If it's good enough for Chuck Norris, it's good enough for you. Facial hair is encourage

Entertainment
From Man Code Wiki
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[edit]
Forbidden

The following forms of entertainment are forbidden for a man:

* There is no reason for guys to watch Men's Ice Skating or Men's Gymnastics. Ever.
* chick flicks
* anything on Lifetime (with the possible exception of Frasier)
* anything involving Oprah and/or Martha Stewart

[edit]
Man-er-tainment

The following sports are allowed to be viewed in Party-Form and served with beer and snacks

* Hockey
* Baseball
* Football (includes "Arena Football")
* Basketball
* Any type of combat (UFC, Pride, Boxing, WWE, Bumfights, etc.)
* Rugby, simply because people have actually died playing it (includes murderball)
* Lacrosse
* Soccer (if one has foreign friends at said party or is in fact foreign. Exception to being foreing: rooting for ones home country in the world cup.)

OTHER

* NASCAR may be included if you reside in a state that was a member of the Confederacy in the Civil War or if you know all of the Jeff Foxworthy redneck jokes
* Canadian Football, or any other insults to the term "Football" are not allowed
* When stumbling upon other guys watching a sporting event, you may ask The score of the game in progress, but you may never ask who's playing.
* Women who claim they "love to watch sports" must be treated as spies until they demonstrate knowledge of the game and the ability to drink as much as the other sports watchers.

Wiki's Man Code. . .

2006-12-20T10:27:00.001-06:00

Good morning everyone. It's 10am and I'm getting a new garage door because my old one died. Who knew they died? I just assumed they live for ever. Which brings me to another question.What ever happened to everything living for ever? I don't ever remember replacing a garage door before? I remember the days where everything was fixable. Now you don't fix it, you just replace it. Is that crap or what? ? ?

Anyway, it's time for a new chapter in Wiki's Man Code! ! ! Enjoy and have a wonderful day! ! !

Outfits

Men do not wear outfits, Nancy. Men might wear "clothes that go together" but not "outfits". It's a semantics thing.

[edit]

Pink

Real men don't trust pink t-shirts that say "Real men wear pink." This is like trusting Garth Brooks that country music is good, JeffreyDahmer that humans are tasty, or Bill Gates that Windows is your friend. Men who wear pink have an agenda and are not to be trusted. The sole exception to this rule is a professional starched and pressed oxford or button down shirt worn with a tie, navy blazer and khaki slacks (never with a suit)for Christmas, Easter or a wedding.

[edit]

Yellow

Unless a true homosexual, a man does not wear yellow on Thursdays. The maximum amount of yellow a man can wear and not be called "homosexual" or "gay" is 33%. Anything over this threshold is gay. Days other thanThursedays are somewhat acceptable, but yellow is a gay color to begin with and should be avoided.

Exception:When showing support for a sporting event or team such as a football team baseball team or basketball team

[edit]

Underwear

A man shall be restricted to only three genres of underwear: briefs, boxers, or the combination of the aforementioned. The absence of underwear (a.k.a. "commando" or "freeballin'") is not acceptable unless severe situations necessitate it. Under no circumstance shall a man wear thongs or woman's underwear. Exception: Honorary Men

[edit]

Socks

No man shall wear toe socks. This cannot be communicated any more explicitly: MEN DO NOT WEAR TOE SOCKS. It's like wearing women's underwear.

A man shall be restricted to the following sock colors: white, black, tan/khaki and navy blue. All patterns are forbidden. A manly colored stripe or brand logo is permitted if participating in a manly sporting event.

Although commentary on fashion is not usually permitted, a man is required to mock a fellow man caught wearing white socks with black pants.

[edit]

Shoes

No man shall own more than five pairs of dress shoes. Exceptions may be made for specialized shoes for sports, outdoors, occupation, or other manly activities (AKAmantivities).

Friends. . .

2006-12-19T01:34:00.001-06:00

OK, so I couldn't wait to post another chapter of "Wiki's Man Code". These are just too funny and so true! ! !

Conflict Resolution

In the event that two men disagree, the following conflict resolution methods are appropriate:

Arm wrestling
Thumb wrestling
First-person shooter or sports video games
Rock / paper / scissors
A "Who's more ripped" contest
Bareknuckle Boxing
Staring Contest

[edit]

The Girl "Dibs" Guideline

If a man expresses interest in a woman to his friends, he has dibs, or exclusive rights to her. For a guy to call dibs, said woman must know his name and be in his league."in his league" is determined by agreement of three or more male witnesses. Dibs are automatically broken if the woman shoots him down or flirts with one of the said friends. Dibs expire after a period of two weeks and cannot be called on the same woman again.

[edit]

Relationship Rules

No man is allowed to make fun of or negatively coment on any other man's hookup, girlfriend, FwB, ect., unless he has previously been involved in some sort of relationship with her, thus insulting himself in the process
A man is allowed to date a friend's sister IF and ONLY IF she is older than your friend, and is rated a 7 (on a scale of 1-10) by at least 3 other friends
Men do NOT give relationship advice to other men unless requested. Venting about a woman does NOT imply a request for relationship advice.
If you've known a guy for more than 24 hours, his sister is off limits forever unless you intend to marry her.
Do not be a c*ck block. Any attempts to foil another man's potential hook-up are completely unacceptable. Even if said man is your enemy or this blocking is done in the pursuit of humor, it is totally uncool. It is encouraged that the blocker is to be beaten severely and/or referred to as princess for respective periods of time.

[edit]

Wingman

A man is obligated to provide wingman services to guys who are good friends. The wingman's mission is to help the friend get hooked-up. A wingman is not allowed to discuss the mission, especially if it was a failure. Discussing a secret mission may result in forfeit of future wingman reciprocation and demotion of friend status.

Any Man who brings a camera to a bachelor party or bar hopping, in doing so, surrenders any right to life, and lives further only at the mercy of other Men.

[edit]

Female Friends

Men do not recognize female friends. There are male friends and potential dates; that's it.

The morning after you and a girl who was formerly "just a friend" have carnal, drunken monkey sex, the fact that you're feeling weird and guilty Is no reason for you not to nail each other again before the discussion occurs about what a big mistake it was.

[edit]

Honorary Manhood

A woman qualifes for honorary manhood if she displays 2 out of 3 of the following:

She is as compentant as the guys at burping and farting.
She consistantly beats the guys at any manly game.
She engages in man talk fluently and often.

Honorary manhood has the following implications:

All rights and responsibilities of the Man Code apply as if she were a man.
Men don't flirt with other men, not even honorary ones.

[edit]

High Fives

If two men are to high five each other and their hands miss, it is not permissible to attempt another high five. That would be comparable to holding hands.

[edit]

Foreign Facial Matter

If a man has something on his face, such as a hair, food, dirt, or beer foam, a man is not obligated to warn him about it. It is up to his discretion on whether or not to inform him of the foreign matter. UNDER ABSOLUTELY NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS A MAN TO WIPE THE FOREIGN MATERIAL OFF THE OTHER MAN'S FACE. NO EXCEPTIONS

On a related law, a man is to try to wipe off foreign material off a womans breast no matter how small. Exception being semen.

[edit]

Physique Comments

A man is to not comment on another mans physique of any kind, unless in the name of humor.

Wiki's Man Code. . .

2006-12-18T23:33:00.000-06:00

Wiki's Man Code. . .

So I hope that people know about his pretty kool site called Wikipedia. It's a public accessible encyclopedia that anyone can add there two cents too. Not all is claimed to be accurate, but a lot of it is funny to read. So anyway today a friend sent me a link from it and I got a pretty good laugh out if it. So I think for the next week I'm gonna post a part from it for everyone to see. I hope you enjoy and please make comments as you see fit.

MAN CODE

Men have certain expectations of other men. Some of these are spoken, but most remain unspoken. The goal of this wiki is to document these expectations in a specific and understandable way. This should eliminate confusion and facilitate communication among men.

Dating

From Man Code Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

[edit]

Taken So Leave It

If a woman is taken, no man who does not claim the title of "Her Man" may spend time alone with her. The title of "Her Man" may only be given by the aforementioned woman. If it is found that she has more than one "Man", all titles are null and void, and it is considered bad form to continue to spend time with her.

[edit]

Bros Before Hoes

No man may deny his friends, in order to spend time with any woman. This is by far the most important rule of the man laws and must be obeyed, unless:

The woman is at least an 8 on the 1-10 scale
He stands a high (at least 70%) chance of scoring
Its that time of the month for said hoe

Also, No man shall get with a woman when that woman has screwed over the best friend.

My Worst Day in a Long Time.

2006-07-25T23:26:00.000-05:00

So where do I begin? Well lets start off with me accidentally washing my CDL Permit. So this morning at 8am I had to go to the DMV and get a new copy. I was supposed to be at the lot by 7am, but they were gonna put me last if I was late. Well I got there at about 8:30 and everyone was just sitting around doing nothing. Come to find out, there was something missing on the truck and they didnt want to come test us. So after a few phone conversations with our instructor and the office, the DMV said they would come out. However the tester was in Springfield and was supposed to be on his way. Well 11 oclock rolls around and nobody. 12 oclock rolls around and nothing. Its hot, we are hungry and still no one. Finally at about a quarter to one he rolls in and parks in the lot opposite of us and just sits there. Hes on fucking lunch! ! ! Well finally at about 1 oclock he rolls up. Its 90, we are still hot and hungry (Oh and pissed too! ! !). The test begins with a pretrip inspection of the truck. I get the honor of going first. I do pretty well on that part. He still asked me a few questions that I swear we didnt cover in class, but he passed me. Everyone passed the pretrip inspection but Bobby. He didnt even make it out of the first part of the inspection in the cab (ouch)! ! !

Next is the course test. There are 4 things we have to do on the course. Make a right turn without hitting a cone, a front stop (pull up to a line and stop), a straight back up through 3 sets of cones. And an angle back park (where you pull up at a 45 degree angle and then back in.) My first time through the course I miss my front stop by a good foot. Damn it! ! ! My second time through I pass that, but miss the angle back by 6 inches! ! ! How fucked up is that! ? ! ? So now I have to retake my test in a few days. Lifes a bitch and everyone losses! ! ! More in a few days after the shock is over.

Truck Driving School! ! !

2006-06-21T08:46:00.000-05:00

Well I haven’t had much to say lately, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I am finally going back to truck driving school. After 6 months of waiting I finally called the trucking co. that hired me and asked them if there were any other schools I could go to. Shockingly they informed me that there was a school here in town and when I called them, they told me I could start today. So guess what, I’m about to head to truck driving school. 4 weeks, Monday thru Friday, 9am until 4:30 pm, with the week of the 4^th off. Gotta love it! ! ! Well my alarm just went off, so I’m off to the shower! ! !

Have a great week everyone! ! !

Taking a walk down memory lane.

2006-04-10T15:50:00.000-05:00

Well day two of my trip and it was a walk down memory lane. Some was good and some was sad. I went back to my old neighborhood that I somewhat grew up in. Well I basically lived there since three days after I graduated High School until I went to College in Savannah, GA. So I’d say I was there about three to four years.

The house has changed a lot since I lived there. It use to be brown with big beautiful shrubs in front and a plant island that my mother worked on every day and won awards on. Since we have been gone, it’s been through about 5 owners and renters. I’ve heard that the new people have started to revise it and make it look good again. So we will see how it goes. And now for the sad news. I had to go visit my old neighbor and give my condolences for her past away husband Tom. Tom was a great guy, he was your typical southern good ole boy, but he was also a great husband, father, step-father, mentor, and man. He loved to fish, drive his big pick-up trucks, and crack some of the funniest jokes you will ever hear. He passed away about two weeks ago from an enlarged heart that collapsed his lower lungs. My mother loved him and I loved him too. Here is a picture of there house and his wife Emaline.

Now for the Rat Pack, this is a picture of my two oldest friends from GA. Steve and Mike, I swear we got in more trouble together than anyone else on the planet. Oh those were the days! Needless to say we all did some growing up, but yet in still we are all the same. We look the

same, talk the same, and are still doing the same things. Yes most of the mischief has stopped, but in ways it still hasn’t stopped. All I know is that I still love them like brothers and that will never change.

Well it’s another beautiful day here in Atlanta, GA and I’m off to do some shopping and see my Aunt. So I will talk to everyone later.

Completing the Circle. . .

2006-04-08T16:46:00.000-05:00

Now for the meat and potatoes of this entry; Atlanta, GA! ! ! Yes, I’m in Atlanta, GA for a much needed vacation. I’m only here until Tuesday, but glad to be back home. It’s been 5 years since I’ve been here and a lot has changed, but a lot hasn’t changed either. The old neighborhood doesn’t even look the same anymore. New houses and stop lights everywhere. My old golf course now has only 8 or 9 holes to make room for new houses. My old house is still there, but trees have been cut down and plants that won neighborhood awards are gone. It’s also very interesting talking to old friends and seeing old stomping grounds and getting the flashbacks. Oh the flashbacks are really something. Having flashbacks while looking at places we use to hang out at, old lost friends houses, and at the mention of certain names. Most of the flashbacks have been a laugh, yet some make me question myself and wonder what was I really doing and why? Do you ever regret things you’ve done in the past? Was it supposed to make you a better person? Did you learn anything from it? Why are you still doing the something now? Do you realize that you’re doing the same things you did back then, except with different people? Is running away really the answer? Do things really change? I know we grow up and learn from our mistakes (right?) or do we just grow up and tell the younger ones that it’s not a good idea and keep doing it ourselves?

One thing I do miss about Atlanta, GA is the people! Oh my god there are so many pretty people down here. The women all seem to have been genetically manipulated at birth and seem to have it all. One thing I miss about the city is being able to sit on a corner and just watching people go by. Weather they are walking or driving by and looking at them and there mode of transportation. Well I have a friend coming over to pick my up so I need to go change and get ready. I hope to have pictures to post tomorrow of sites and old friends. I know you will probably not know anyone, but I hope to be able to give you a glimpse of my old life while living here in GA.

Playing catch-up. . .

2006-04-08T16:45:00.000-05:00

Well it’s been a while since I’ve written anything in my blog, so let me give you a quick update as to what’s been going on in my life. Shit! ! ! Well some it has been good shit. Like working on the Vatakin video, this was hot! How many times in your life have you wished that you could roll up in a strip club and take a picture of the strippers? Well how about taking three digital video cameras and two still shot cameras in to the club and having free reign of the place? That’s what we did. We shot at a club called Deja vu in Springfield, IL. We also shot at a club called Karma (which was a story in it’s self). Other things going on are that Delvin and I are trying to get our own video production company (Area 51 Productions) up and running. I am the still photo side and he is the video side. It’s been a battle all the way, because one day people want pictures and the next they don’t. Then on the video side, you get lots of video and never have time to manipulate it and get it on DVD or whatever.

Anyway life goes on, I’m also still waiting for my damn hearing aids so I get out of Bloomington and hit the highway. I think I’ll be a lot more relaxed and calmer once that happens. It’s not that I don’t like Bloomington, but it’s easy to get tired of it and all the small town drama that happens. It just seems like no matter how hard you try to live a drama free life, people still seek you out and try to create drama. WHY? ? ? Read a book or something, but keep your drama out of my life! ! ! That goes out to all the women in Central Illinois. . .

LSD inventor celebrates 100th birthday in good health, still promoting drug

2006-01-12T17:57:00.000-06:00

LSD inventor celebrates 100th birthday in good health, still promoting drug

10/01/2006 4:29:00 PM

GENEVA (AP) - LSD is an unlikely subject for a 100th birthday party. Yet the Swiss chemist who discovered the mind-altering drug and was its first human guinea pig is celebrating his centenary Wednesday, in good health and with plans to attend an international seminar on the hallucinogenic.

"I had wonderful visions," Albert Hofmann said, recalling his first accidental consumption of the drug.

"I sat down at home on the divan and started to dream," he told the Swiss television network SF DRS. "What I was thinking appeared in colours and in pictures. It lasted for a couple of hours and then it disappeared."

Hofmann, who also had bad experiences with the drug, continues to insist it should be legalized for medical treatment, particularly in psychiatric research. But LSD's reputation has been as turbulent as some acid trips.

The drug earned a bad reputation amid fatalities associated with hallucinations and reports of "flashbacks" - the recurrence of hallucinations when not taking the drug.

LSD inspired the 1960s hippy generation and was immortalized in the Beatles' hit Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, although the band denied any connection. But it was also known as Like Swift Dead.

For decades after LSD was banned in the late 1960s, Hofmann defended his invention.

"I produced the substance as a medicine," he said. "It's not my fault if people abused it."

The chemist, who still takes nearly daily walks in the picturesque village where he lives in the Jura mountains with his wife of 70 years, Anita, discovered lysergic acid diethylamide-25 in 1938 while studying the medicinal uses of a fungus found on wheat and other grains at the Sandoz pharmaceuticals firm, now part of Novartis.

The company declined to comment for this story.

Hofmann was the first person to test the drug when a tiny amount of the substance seeped on to his finger during a repeat of the laboratory experiment in April 1943.

"Everything I saw was distorted, as in a warped mirror," he wrote of the experience, noting his surprise that LSD was able to produce "such a far-reaching, powerful, inebriated condition without leaving a hangover."

The chemist experimented with a larger dose three days later, but the result this time was a "horror" trip, he wrote. His surroundings turned into threatening images. A neighbour was transformed into a wicked witch.

"I was filled with an overwhelming fear that I would go crazy. I was transported to a different world, a different time," he wrote.

Hofmann and his scientific colleagues hoped LSD would make an important contribution to psychiatric research. The drug exaggerated inner problems and conflicts, and they hoped it might be used to recognize and treat mental illnesses like schizophrenia.

The drug was popularized by Timothy Leary, the one-time Harvard lecturer known as the "high priest of LSD," whose "turn on, tune in, drop out" advice to students in the 1960s glamorized the hallucinogen. The film star Cary Grant and numerous rock musicians extolled its virtues in achieving true self-discovery and enlightenment.

But away from the psychedelic trips and flower children, stories emerged of people going on murder sprees or jumping out of windows while hallucinating. Heavy users suffered permanent psychological damage.

The United States banned LSD in 1966 and other countries followed suit.

Hofmann maintains that was unfair, arguing the drug was not addictive. He has repeatedly said the ban should be lifted so LSD can be used in medical research, and he took the drug himself, purportedly on an occasional basis and out of scientific interest, for several decades.

But he added a note of caution.

"The history of LSD to date amply demonstrates the catastrophic consequences that can ensue when its profound effect is misjudged and the substance is mistaken for a pleasure drug," he wrote.

10/01/2006 4:29:00 PM

Nothing Odd About Normal, Illinois

2006-01-03T16:20:00.000-06:00

By JAN DENNIS, Associated Press Writer

When he's traveling on city business, Mayor Chris Koos carries around a $50 or $100 bill that he'll hand to anyone who comes up with a joke he hasn't heard about his central Illinois town where "Welcome to Normal" signs are about geography, not a state of mind.

"I still have the money," says Koos, mayor of this growing college town since 2003. "Sometimes when people make the same joke you've heard a thousand times, it gets old, but you try to play along."

Around Normal and in neighboring Bloomington, folks say they've heard all the wisecracks about a city that legend has it once combined with another uniquely named southern Illinois town for a newspaper headline that read "Normal man marries Oblong woman."

Few mind the good-natured jabs, but say most are time-weary standbys that have grown pretty, well, normal over the years.

"What's next to Normal, abnormal?" out-of-towners ask. "Is everything really normal in Normal?" "If you're in Bloomington, is that as close to normal as you can get?"

Still, even city leaders say they aren't above using their hometown for a laugh. For 25 years, retired City Manager David Anderson says he often introduced himself at conferences by saying he was "the only Normal manager here. The rest of you are something other than normal."

In truth, the town's offbeat name has nothing to do with the traditional American definitions of "normal" that have fueled the wave of jokes.

When the town was launched in the early 1860s, it took its name from the local university founded a few years earlier, then called Illinois State Normal University. Derived from the French "ecole normale," or "training college," the label was commonly used into the 1960s to designate U.S. schools that churned out new teachers.

The nation's only other Normal, in Alabama, also took its name from a university that sported the training college label. But Alabama's Normal is only a postal designation for Alabama A&M University, located in Huntsville, and has no local government or city structure, said Jerome Saintjones, a spokesman for the Alabama campus.

Around Illinois' Normal, officials suspect their unique name may have had a hand in three decades of growth, helping to make McLean County downstate's fastest growing county between 1990 and 2000. The population in Normal alone was 45,000.

"I can't point to any one company or organization that located here because of the name, but I think it caught some attention because it's unusual and that did some good," Anderson said.

Mike Humphreys, an ISU marketing professor, said Normal likely earned a second look from companies sifting through a nation loaded with Springfields, Lincolns, Clintons and Bloomingtons.

"We marketers are interested in memory or recall and I do think there's a great memory aid to it. It's a simple name and it's kind of off the wall," Humphreys said.

Mark Peterson, Normal's city manager, said the unique monicker often nets free exposure for the town when the national media tries to check the heartland's pulse on elections and other issues.

"There are far worse names," Peterson said. "I came here from the Kansas City area and lived near Peculiar, Mo. I'm sure they get the same sort of comments, but I'm glad we're called Normal and not Peculiar."

Former Bloomington Mayor Richard Buchanan says jokes about Normal have waned since he headed its twin city from 1977 to 1985. He credits Normal's growth from largely a college town to a city that's now home to Mitsubishi's only U.S. car-building plant and expanded retail and housing developments.

"It's become a really healthy, outstanding community as perceived by others," Buchanan said.

But even locals sometimes shy away from the town's unusual name. Fewer than a half-dozen businesses are listed in the phone book with Normal in their name, compared to dozens in neighboring Bloomington.

"Normal Psychiatry? If I was toying with names for that business I'd chuckle at the notion then move on to something else," Humphreys said.

Even townspeople, known as Normalites, sometimes duck the name, answering "Bloomington" when they're out of town and asked where they live, Peterson said.

"I think people are proud of their community," he said. "Maybe they just feel Bloomington is more recognizable since it's the older and larger of the communities. Or maybe they just don't want to put up with the jokes."

Dvyn Poetry: Fear of Commitment

2005-12-21T16:00:00.000-06:00

Fear of Commitment

Wishing, hoping, waiting for a commitment

Yet, not ready when it appears

Perhaps that’s why

You’ve been single for so many years

Cried so many tears

Hiding behind your fears

Covering your ears

And refusing to hear

The voice of The One

Who will give you what you need

They’ve planted the seed in your head

But you’ve said you’re not ready for this,

Or ready for that.

You say that you’re longing to belong to someone…

And them to you.

But the reality is…

When you are faced with it

You run

Scared

In the opposite direction

Pushing love away

Under the guise of

“I’m not ready”

“They are not The One”

You count their issues

And collect their baggage

Into a pile

Point at it and say,

“This is why I cannot accept you.”

And they are disqualified.

But the reality is…

That it is

You

That has the issues

You

That carries the baggage

You

That refuses to let your guard down

For fear of being hurt… again.

And the sooner you realize that

The sooner you can open up your heart

And start to let love in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

10 THINGS WOMEN DO TO .... driving the men who love them right out of their live

2005-12-20T16:38:00.000-06:00

10 THINGS WOMEN DO TO ....
Some women, without even knowing it, are driving the men who love
them right out of their lives. For the most part, women aren't
getting information about men straight from the source. They're
asking other women, listening to so-called relationship experts, and
believing statistics. While those sources may be helpful and provide
some information, nothing is as accurate as asking men what they
think and feel. This list of ten things women do that drive men away
was compiled from informal interviews with real everyday men. None of
these men are "experts" from academia. None of them are sociologists,
psychologists, or relationship experts. They're just regular guys: a
computer technician, a personal fitness trainer, a mail courier, a
college student, an entrepreneur, a corporate executive, a sanitation
worker, a police officer, a mechanic, and an attorney.

When I got the guys together, the first question I asked was "What
are some of the things women do that drive men away?" I asked them to
be blunt and candid in their responses, but I made it clear that I
wasn't looking for a list of mean-spirited complaints. Instead, I
wanted to compile a list of ten things that men wished women knew. A
list that would bridge the gap between men and women. I told them the
purpose of this list was to improve communication, avoid
misunderstanding, and expose any "taboo" issues that need to be
brought into the open. In that spirit, we began our discussion. As I
sat and talked with the guys, most of their answers kept coming back
to the ten areas explained below.

1. ACTING SWEET TO GET A MAN, THEN CHANGING

"I don't know why women act so sweet during dating and change
completely when they know they've got you." --Alvin, computer
technician

She used to go to bed in a naughty nightie and didn't care about
sweating the curls out of her head. Now she goes to bed with a head
full of rollers and a face covered with Noxzema. When they were
dating, she batted her eyes, spoke softly, and always looked sexy.
But now that she's got him, that all changed. The gently batting eyes
and shy smiles have been replaced with frowns, pursed lips, and
shrill tones. No more sexy clothes. Now she dresses like she doesn't
care what she looks like, every day is a bad hair day, and she's fast
losing the curves in her body and developing a pleasantly plump
figure.

Of course, men can't expect women to be superwomen who are able to
work, cook, clean, and make love with flawless precision. But a woman
shouldn't start out playing the superwoman role at the beginning and
then change. It's better to present herself as she is and get it all
out in the open. When a woman changes her entire act after the
relationship gets going, men feel as though they've been duped.
Suddenly, he doesn't know what to believe anymore and feels he can't
really trust the woman he thought he knew.

2. NOT GIVING ENOUGH SPACE

"She clings to me because she thinks that every minute I'm not with
her I'm fooling around." --Lewis, personal fitness trainer

The "S" word must be used carefully. Some men intentionally abuse the
term "I need my space" to ensure that they can have their cake and
eat it too--fool around while not giving up what they already have.
But not all men are that way. Most men simply just want some room to
be by themselves. Men, just like women, need to feel that they aren't
trapped or being held hostage in their lives. From time to time, men
want to get away and be alone or hang out with their friends.

But it's a strain on the relationship when women think that a man is
being selfish, silly, or making up an excuse to go out and cheat just
because he wants some space. The smart woman knows that a man needs
his space and doesn't hold it against him. She's confident enough to
know that each person needs his/her own space to maintain a healthy
relationship. On the other hand, jealous and possessive women are
well known for their deliberate attempts to prevent a man from having
any sort of privacy. Those are the women who think letting a man out
of their sight is a mistake. They keep choke holds on their men and
eventually drive them away. But if a woman can't give the man a
little space, either the relationship isn't solid or she has some
personal problems she needs to deal with. If it's because she can't
trust him out of her sight, she doesn't need that man anyway.

3. WANTING TOO MANY THINGS

"I'm just a working man. I can't afford a two-story house in the
suburbs, a Lexus, a Range Rover, a bunch of credit cards, and kids
too." --Jesse, mail courier

Some black men say black women are unrealistic in their expectations
and want too much. Of course, wanting a good hardworking man who
respects women isn't asking too much. But what about when it goes far
beyond that? For some women, having a good man just isn't enough.
They also want a Lexus, a two-story home in the suburbs, and a string
of credit cards. When they don't have these things, they moan and
complain as though life is terrible. If the man dares to say
something about how he's happy with things as they are, he'll be
accused of being complacent, lazy, and lacking ambition. It's fine to
have goals and want some luxuries. But counting the blessings you
already have never hurts either.

4. NOT SAYING WHAT SHE MEANS

"Women expect you to read their minds like a psychic." --Jamal,
college student

Men aren't very good mind readers. In fact, we often have difficulty
just figuring out what women mean with the words they speak. I think
women are far more sophisticated communicators than men; they seem to
be more adept at the subtleties of gestures, facial expressions, and
body language. Therefore, men and women almost always suffer from
communication breakdowns in relationships.

Unfortunately, some women do not express themselves honestly and
openly. It seems that they are more apt to use voice inflections and
body language to communicate what they mean, even when the actual
words they are saying convey the opposite. Take this situation, for
example: "No, I don't mind if you go out with your friends instead of
taking me to a movie tonight," a woman says, tapping her foot and
looking away with her arms folded. Although her mouth is saying quite
literally, "No, I don't mind," her body is saying she does mind.
Women expect the men in their lives to read their nonverbal cues.

Some men fail to read the nonverbal cues of the women in their lives.
When this happens, an argument is almost always the result, because
the woman feels that she communicated her feelings to the man and he
ignored her. For example, I'll use the scenario from the previous
paragraph. When that man comes home from his night out with the guys,
his wife is going to be angry at him. She'll probably snap at him
when she talks, slam doors, or even yell at him.

"What's the problem?" he'll ask.

"You know what the problem is!"

But he really may not know what the problem is, because she never
came out and said what she meant in words. She expected him to read
the nonverbal cues and he totally missed them. As a result, the woman
believes that the man is just being callous and self-centered.
Likewise, the man is upset too; he thinks she's nagging him for no
reason. Both of them will go to bed angry.

5. THE THREE B'S OF SEX

"I'm going to be straight about it: sex is important to me." --Gene,
entrepreneur

Perhaps it would be nice if sex didn't play such a major role in
relationships. But for most people, sex is a big part of a
relationship. And for men, it's probably more important than it
should be. The sexual aggravations of men boil down to the three B's:
bad, boring, and the boudoir battle.

Bad sex

Sex is a learned skill. It's similar to driving a car. Basically,
anyone can do it. Some are good at it. And others are experts. But
everyone has an idea of what they consider good and bad sex. Common
complaints among men are: lack of enthusiasm, lack of rhythm, no
creativity, and poor technique. If a person in a relationship is
dissatisfied or experiencing sexual dysfunction, it's something that
should be openly and honestly discussed. The reasons for sexual
dysfunction can be psychological, physiological, ethical, and
religious, or a host of other things. If the problems seem
insurmountable, the advice of a pastor or therapist may be necessary.

Boring sex

Boring sex isn't necessarily the same thing as bad sex. But it is far
from good. Boring sex is always doing it in the same place, at the
same time, and in the same old position. It's when the sex gets to
the point that it feels like more of a duty than a desire. Boring sex
is when you're going through all the motions but there's no spice or
passion involved.

Boudoir battle

Using sex as a weapon doesn't do anything but make a man angry. It
can be subtle things such as not being open to touching and cuddling.
Or it can be more strategic. It can be the refusal to do certain
things in bed. The most brutal form of bedroom battle is outright
refusal.

Of course, a man can't expect a woman who is angry at him to make
mad, passionate love to him. That's where communication comes into
play. It's far better to talk and resolve the differences than to
play games of will because any real man will be very insulted by such
behavior. Then he may become vengeful and the whole thing turns into
a cold war of revenge. Boudoir battle can lead to deep resentment and
some men will use it as an excuse to cheat on their wives or
girlfriends.

6. CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT OTHER MEN

"She's always talking about this guy at her job and it really pisses
me off." --Shawn, corporate executive

Men don't like to hear women constantly talking about other men. It's
not necessarily an ego thing. It's just that each man wants to feel
special and important to the woman in his life. Women don't have to
cradle us like babies. Nor do they need to be patronizing. But a
woman would be wise to realize that the ego of a man can be fragile.
Black men in particular are constantly attempting to gain and
maintain the basic elements of American manhood: the ability to
provide, protect, and be masters of our own destinies. Not talking
excessively to your husband or boyfriend about how great you think
other men are is one small thing that can go a long way toward
healing the beleaguered black male ego.

7. BEING A DRAMA QUEEN

"She calls my pager all day when I'm at work. Then when I call her
back, she just starts whining about some little thing that could've
waited until later." --Art, sanitation worker

Drama queens are always whining, pestering, or nagging about
something. With them, nothing can ever be right. They pull all kinds
of little tricks to get and control a man's attention. If he's
watching television, she wants him to get up and put out the trash.
When he has time off from work, she tries to plan each hour for him.
If it's bill-paying time, she's crying about her car note being late.

Another technique used by the drama queen is to play damsel in
distress to get a man's attention. In this role the drama queen
says "save me." Initially, it may make a man feel good to be the
chivalrous knight in shining armor coming to the rescue. But too much
distress can drive even the most loyal knight to ride off into the
sunset.

8. BEING HARD AND COLD

"I work the graveyard shift so I don't have to be at home with my
wife." --Derek, police officer

That response was from a man who had been married less than one year
and was already engaged in a cold war with his wife. Most of the time
she was openly disrespectful to him as a human being, not just as a
man. Other times she was cold and aloof, barely acknowledging that he
was in the room. Believe it or not, men have feelings too. Hard and
cold behavior is enough to drive anyone away. Again, we aren't asking
to be cradled like babies. But every man wants home to be a safe
refuge from the cold-hearted world. However, when the world at home
is colder than the work world, there is no solace.

9. CHEATING

"They call us dogs, but women are out there fooling around just as
much." --Barry, auto mechanic

Some women will maintain that when a woman is cheating it's always
the fault of a man. That simply isn't true. Women are human beings
and are therefore just as subject to dishonesty and deceit as any
man.

Cheating takes two forms. First, there's the obvious form, which is
having affairs. But the second way of cheating is mental. It's the
subtle art of getting over on him. She may not be fooling around with
another man but she may be cheating by fooling around with the
checkbook balance. Her body may be faithful, but she may be cheating
by playing manipulative games to keep him within her control. Such
games rob a man of his energy and creativity and prevent him from
realizing his full potential. The truth is that cheating doesn't have
to be just about affairs or lovers. Cheating is deception of any
kind.

10. ENGAGING IN A POWER STRUGGLE

"I can't stand it when a woman always wants to prove to me that she's
smart, tough, and independent." --Lawrence, attorney

It really irritates men when women they're involved with are
constantly trying to upstage them. This is especially bothersome for
those men who aren't trying to compete with their mates. This
behavior takes many forms. Some women who engage in power struggles
with their mates do it through career competition: who can make the
most money or get the most prestige? For some the competition is
based upon education level: who has the most advanced degree from the
most prestigious school? Another form of engaging in a power struggle
is competing in disagreements: who gets the last word in? In addition
to those power struggles, the men I spoke with mentioned four other
ways some women engage in a power struggle: (1) Making sure they look
smarter than a man by intentionally upstaging him in public. (2)
Disagreeing for the sake of disagreement. (3) Unnecessary rudeness.
(4) Being condescending or cutting down what a man says when he
states his personal thoughts and opinions.

The guys I spent the evening talking with agreed that they weren't
intimidated by women who made more money, drove more expensive cars,
or had more education than they did. Their issue was with women who
want to flaunt those things in order to be the superior person in a
relationship. They all agreed that such behavior was a complete
turnoff. No matter what form the power struggle comes in, it's an
energy drain for a man who isn't interested in competing with his
mate. Engaging in a power struggle is a quick way to drive a man
away.

I know this list is going to make the tempers of some women flare.
But remember, this isn't a list of complaints. It's information
intended to give women insight into what men are thinking; it's a
bridge across the communication gap. Without straight and candid
communication, we can't solve the issues that threaten to end so many
relationships. Use these ten issues as a starting point for a
dialogue with your husband, the man in your life, or a male friend.
Such a discussion will give you even better insight than reading this
list. And that's the one-on-one communication needed not only to save
relationships but to make them better.

Only African American Men like big women...he says...

2005-12-20T13:09:00.000-06:00

Doctor's obesity 'diatribe' detailed
Bennett says he was taken out of context

By ANNE RUDERMAN
Monitor staff

December 20. 2005 8:00AM

Picture

Dr. Terry Bennett
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The woman who filed a complaint with the state board of medicine, alleging that Dr. Terry Bennett said she was so fat only a "black guy" might like her, just got the standard version of "Dr. Bennett's diatribe on obesity," Bennett said in an interview yesterday. He said the quote included in her complaint condensed his philosophy and took it out of context.

Bennett, who runs his own family practice in Rochester, said he delivers the same speech to all of his overweight female patients, warning them that not only their health, but their personal lives are at stake if they do not tackle their weight problem. The talk and the logic behind it, according to Bennett, go like this:

Overweight men are much more likely to die than overweight women, so an overweight woman married to an overweight man risks being an early widow. American men "don't like obese women,"Bennett said - except one group: African-American men. But because there's a general dearth of single middle-aged African-American men in New Hampshire, the woman is likely to end up on her own.

"Black men are the only males that don't have a strong anti-obesity preference," he said. "They mostly grow up in fatherless households where they are surrounded by big, loving women, and they talk about fat as sugar."

Bennett said his logic is racial - the way medical issues like diabetes can be linked to race - and not racist.
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"The notion that a black person would find you attractive while a white person of the same age and same gender would not, that's a fact," he said. "If you are going to pick that apart and charge that statement is racist, I subject that you are the racist."

Bennett has been charged with professional misconduct after a 2004 complaint accused him of berating a woman for being overweight and another complaint accused him of telling another woman her medical situation was so hopeless she should buy a gun and kill herself. His case is currently before the Board of Medicine, which is weighing a motion to dismiss.

In the obesity complaint, Bennett is quoted as saying: "If your husband were to die tomorrow -who would want you? . . . Well, men might want you, but not the types that you want to want you -Might even be a black guy!"

But Bennett said that quote condensed his speech into a sentence and didn't give it the broad context it deserves. He said he didn't treat the woman any differently than he treats any of his overweight female patients -which is to take a hard line.

"Everyone else in the practice who's an obese female gets the same lecture. This woman was looking to be offended and get out of the situation. . . . We call this denial," he said.

Bennett said that his argument about men not wanting overweight women is backed up by research and said the "Technicolor" nature of his Rochester practice supports the idea that he is not a racist. He also pointed to his work as the bin Laden family doctor in Saudi Arabia and his practice there as further evidence that he's multicultural.

"If I was such a prejudiced person why did I have 50,000 charts in Saudi Arabia? They were all brown," he said.

But the Rev. Arthur Hilson, a leader in the African-American community in Portsmouth, said Bennett was perpetuating old cultural stereotypes of African Americans, such as the "mammy"image of the "heavyset woman with a bandana wrapped around her head." Moreover, Hilson said, he didn't understand what the place of race was in a question of a woman's weight and her health.

"Black women come in all sizes and shapes, just like white women and Asian women," he said. "If the issue is health and weight, what do black people or black men's preference have to do with health?"

New Hampshire NAACP coordinator Fred Ross's suggestion was even more straightforward "Maybe he needs to be sent to a school for tact and diplomacy. That's a lot of hooey."

Although the motion to dismiss is still pending, Bennett and his supporters - the "Have Nots for Dr. Bennett"- won a small victory last week when the Merrimack County Superior Court ruled that the Board of Medicine could not make as many of its meetings closed to the public. Bennett has also applied to be the state medical director.

------ End of article

The Monogamous Kinky Lovers' Test

2005-12-13T16:52:00.000-06:00

Wild Thing
26 Reserved, 94 Kinky

Sex is more than just physical. It is one of the ways to build an
emotional bond between two people. Sex gives adults the opportunity to
act like children again. You know how to enjoy kinky sex. You may have
problems finding a lover equally adventurous that isn't a slut or a
womanizer. But with time and affection the nicest lady and most refined
gentleman can become as wild in bed as you are. Communication is the
key.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 0% on Reserved
You scored higher than 93% on Kinky

Link: The Monogamous Kinky Lovers' Test written by nikki1970 on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Sweet Corn Festival! ! !

2005-08-27T19:10:00.000-05:00

Well this weekend was the Sweet Corn Festival downtown Normal. The corn was plentiful and the blues music was done by the Blues Decons out of Champain, IL. There were lots of crafts and cute dogs. I may go back tomorrow and get some more corn and music. I got 8 ears for $2 and I think that was a deal! ! !

2005-08-27T18:50:00.000-05:00

Cute Little Puppy! ! !

Gas prices and motorcycles! ! !

2005-08-17T20:32:00.000-05:00

Well as gas prices keep going up, I'm seriously looking at getting a new bike to ride. The scooter is kool, but I'm having problems finding people to work on it in the area and parts are even harder to find. Someone on the news said something about gas hitting the $3 more within the next few weeks. So I was browsing the internet looking for something cheep and one of my girlfriends said I should just go ahead and get a Harley. LOL! ! ! At the moment the one I want cost $25.5K and way out of my budget! ! ! But it is beautiful! ! !

Super Fly's Picture! ! !

2005-08-17T19:40:00.000-05:00

This is me at my finest! ! !