The strange case of the disappearing street performers

My avatars keep going "dead link" on me. You know, my icons. I like the street performer pics. They capture my gentle spirit. My wandering minstrelism. My lack of cash flow. But, like the very people whose essence they have captured, the links to these photos stick around a while and then move on in the night. C'est la vie. I put in a new one. For now.

I was watching a motivational speech yesterday and the little Ross Perot looking dude motivated me. I was as surprised as anybody. But, he said something really, really true. And true of me, too. So motivation took place.

I have off til Wednesday. Cool. Celebrated last night by going to an all you can eat buffet at Golden Corral and then to see 40 Year Old Virgin. As it turns out, I was no 40 year old virgin myself. But when I was twelve, it sure looked like I might be.

At the buffet I learned that where build your own tacos, soft serve ice cream, gummy bears or, and this last one is a little surprising to me, deep fried corn nuggets are concerned...well, just call me "piggy". I enjoyed myself and the company of my brother and some friends. The waddling out to the car afterward was just a bit embarrassing though.

Yesterday, my hero, The Red Queen, posted about coffee cups. She is indeed such a fine wench, although...well never mind. Anyway, that inspired me to pull a former ATF (All Time Favorite) out of the cabinet and press it into service this morning. It's a ship's cup, which are kinda smallish for my tastes, but nice and solid. You can drop 'em on a steel deck and they bounce. Nice and thick. Feel great in your hand.

I had this one personalized from the factory. I just took pics of it, which just saved a butt ton of typing. I will say this, the ship silouetted is the USS Gettysburg. Only reason is because this little rebel child loves the crossed US and CSA Battle Flag and the Gettysburg silouette had that as it's emblematic. So how could I not? The pirate flag? Well, that's the Senior Chief in me.

I was asked (seriously, I was asked) "Ramblin' Ed, what's with all the bling?" Short answer is: Because I can. I have always liked a lot of rings and 1 thick bracelet and 1 necklace. I don't know why, but I have. It wasn't til I divorced my first wife that I could start diverting some of my income from surviving and on into buying some nice shiny stuff. Before that, a combination of not enough income and living in high cost California and some lingering debtage had all pretty much kept me with no discretionary funds.

I got divorced, picked up some rank (read "additional income"), got a consolodation loan and suddenly had disposable income out the butt. If it's gonna be money you can spend on whatever you want then you don't care where it comes from. Or out of. So I bought a $3,300 diamond ring, $750 alligator boots and a new truck. Went kinda crazy for a while.

Then when I married the Thai girl, most of my big, gaudy gold and diamonds were presented to me as I watched, or rather TRIED to watch Everybody Loves Raymond reruns. I mean I might as well have taken them and worn them. Even though the wife would buy them for me I was always paying for them. "Teelac...I need you to give my allowance more $500 each month for 5 more months. My allowance now is not enough to pay for this, but I want to buy it for you." She has such a sweet, expensive disposition. There. The story of the bling.

Answer to another apparently burning question: Left then right sock, left then right shoe. Only variation from that is if left shoe string has a knot, then it'll be last because I need to sit down to fix it. Thanks for asking!

Last answer to some viewer mail: I am six feet one inch tall, nearly that around now, and right handed. In all matters Gummy (bears, worms, etc.) I am, like many people, ambidexterous.

That'll do it.
Ramblin' Ed