Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Tagged??? We played 'fart tag' at a place I used to work....is this the same???

Hmmmmm, since I have been called out on this, I suppose I must oblige. However this may be an endeavor of about 3 hours since I see myself as the most perfect man alive and without quirks.

1). My ideal place on this planet, not shared by the Mrs., is a mountain top cabin. It doesn't have to just be in the spring or summer, due to the fact that I have an insatiable appetite for the coldest days that come to this godforsaken midwest town of ours. I would hunt, although I never have, I would fish, and I would learn to knit blankets and live off of the land. Then go back to the cabin for some more HDTV viewing. All of this done while the rest of society flocks to the beaches of America while peeing in the ocean.

2). I REALLY like my job. Not many people can say this. But I've said in the past that mine is a special situation where I hold down responsibilities at 2-3 large projects at a time, and any day could take me to a different one than the previous day. An office slug I am not. I get my hands dirty every day, and I love it!!!

3). This somewhat plays off of #2. I really enjoy taking my showers at night. Right before bed. I find that I'm more relaxed after a shower and I get better rest. My wife says that I'm impossible to sleep with because I keep her up with my snoring and rustling of the sheets....but what do I care, I'm sleeping right!!!!

4). This plays off of #3. I do magic tricks in my sleep......get your minds out of the gutter. I can, without any preparation whatsoever, remove the bedsheet and the fitted sheet from underneath myself, while I sleep, without getting up out of bed, and completely bury it on the other side of the bed under my wife. It's almost like if my sleeping partner weren't in bed next to me, and a magician did the old 'pulling the table cloth out from underneath the china' trick. Only I'm the china and the sheets are the table cloth.

5). This one plays off of #1 a bit. My favorite place that I've ever vacationed is Reno, NV. Not because of Reno, but because of what lies about 45 minutes to the west in California. As I drove up away from the highway in the Rockies, the road began to wind and twist up and around this mountain and all you could see were trees all around you. And as you make your way to the summit of the mountain and make the bend around the top and look down, the most blue and clear body of water lay below me. It was as close to a religious experience as I've ever gotten(next to seeing dolphins w/in 3-4 feet of us on a boat trip in Sannibel). Lake Tahoe, my friends, is absolutely breathtaking. Take away the Northern Californians, who I am convinced come from another world entirely, and it is heaven on Earth. On a sailboat ride across the lake, we were out pretty far, I looked at the depth finder and it read 70 feet deep. I looked over the side and you could still see the bottom.

6). If I could call back one thing in life that I did or didn't do what would it be?: The only thing I've ever really have said irked me as I grew up into my 20's,
was that I wished that in high school that I had played football all 4 years. I had a talent that grew from the 4th grade, I had rhythm. I would drum on everything that I could get my hands on, and finally it drove my mom to hysteria 'JOIN A BAND!!!' And so I did. I played drums for my gradeschool band all the way through my 8th grade year, while during that year, I got my first taste of football as a starting tackle at St. Barts. For a gradeschooler, I was a big boy, me and 2 others I can think of struggled to keep our weight for the week under the 160 lb. limit. The more I played, the more I loved it. After the year was over, we had an awards ceremony, and as they handed out trophies to the individual 8th graders, the Roger Bacon highschool coach was there with our coach handing out trophies. Our coach introduced me and said "Mr. H.(we'll call him-AML, you know who this would have been at the time...rhymes with hankey) is really licking his chops for this guy." My older brother and this coach never got along, and I was afraid that the brotherly bond would carry down to me and I'd be the 'coaches ass' later on in highschool. That following summer I made an attempt at freshman football and I could already see the drippings of attitude falling onto me by word of mouth to the freshman coach. I turned to my other love, music. I made the most of it, and made it to the Quads very rapidly. I had a blast through halfway my Junior year and quit the band. I knew if I was ever going to play football again, it was my senior year and that was it. The instant I stepped onto just the practice field with pads on, I knew right then it would have meant so much more if I'd just gutted it out and did the old Bobby Boucher trick and put the 'evil coaches' head on the opponents shoulders. But on the same coin, I'll never regret NEVER playing. It was something I wanted, and I ultimately did it. ' I could have gone Pro..I bet you I can throw this football over that mountain.'


Sorry that got really deep there at the end.

Monday, January 29, 2007

One of "Those" people

Lloyd Christmas: (swinging his arms back and forth wildly in the dog van) Harry, it makes you feel like you're running at an incredible rate!!

We went to see a movie the other night, 'Pursuit of Happiness', (Fantastic movie...If you've ever been down on your luck, to any extreme, see this movie.....it will make you feel grateful for what you have.) Before we left we were in a hurry, I wasn't quite sure what I had grabbed as I left out the door. I had my keys, because I drove, and my wallet, that's all I knew. We finally made it to the movie, just in time. I waited in line behind Shaniqua and Lafawnda, with their 8 children combined, and as they odered all of the stuff they "wanted", as the clerk put everything up on the counter, that's when they proceeded to ask how much each item was(ie. Icee's, giant popcorn's, large coke's, etc.). Nothing that could be just put back onto the rack, right. So I tell the wife, just go in, I'll be in by the end of the movie. I'm assuming the manager saw what was going on and saw me waiting in distress behind 'Dumb and Dumber' so she said she could help me out. 2 large drinks and a Med. popcorn, EASY. I made it in by the end of the previews. We progress through about 1 hour of the film when I heard the loud, unmistakeable sound of my cell phone go off in the middle of a silent scene. Yes folks, Dan made a mistake, I had grabbed my phone in the mad dash out the door. I know, I couldn't believe it either. Not on my watch though. The reflexes were astonishing to me. Faster than a hummingbirds wings, I reached down to silence it and turned it off before the message alarm sounded as well. I felt awful, I was one of "them".
I know I haven't posted for a while, I'm pulling double duty in MySpace land now. The sites are actually a little more fun, you can look up all kinds of people and I've found 2 folks I graduated with. My site's all decorated and shit. It is so choice, if you have the means.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

On a lighter side....

A while back, AML did something called a 'meme'. I have time and I am exhaustes on my world affairs rant from yesterday. So here's my very own, and my very 1st MEME!!!!!:

Do you snore?: Aparently like a chainsaw.

Lover or Fighter?: Depends on the situation. Loving is so much more fun though.

What is your worst fear?: Not being able to be as good a parent to our kids/kid as my parents were. (No we're not pregnant yet). Is there a secret to being the ultimate parent??? Midgets scare me a bit too.

Were you a Lego maniac?: Absolutely!! I had many-a-lego sets and they came in handy too for forts for the GI Joe battles that commenced in the basement.

What do you think of reality TV?: I like certain ones. Mainly the ones where there is actual self improvement or a challenge involved(ie. Biggest Loser, Amazing Race, etc.)

Do you chew on straws?: No, that puts holes in it and it takes an increased sucking power to get the drink up to your lips.....way too much work involved.

Were you a cute baby?: Yes.....all 11 lbs. of Danno.

Is the single life for you?: It used to be. I had a thing when I was younger where it seemed that I wasn'ty single for more than a month at a time. I wasn't a giggilo, but I just enjoyed the company of women. I had a come to Jesus after a while and decided to take a break, and was single for over a year and found myself. When I wasn't trying was when I met my future Mrs. Danno.

What color is your keyboard?: Black...Why does it always have to be a racial thing?

Do you sing in the shower?: At times, when I know I'm alone in the house. The dog likes to lay on the floor though in the bathroom when I take a shower and when I do he peeks his head through the curtain to see what's wrong.

Have you ever bungee jumped?: No sir. Don't want to. The funny thing is that I'd jump out of a perfectly good airplane in a heartbeat.

Any secret talents?: Oh no, all of my talents are out in the open. I've been secretly working to perfect a few though. TOP SECRET.

What is your ideal vacation spot?: On a mountain in Montana or Washington somewhere for a month just to defrag my mind. Hunting, fishing, relaxing, watching satellite TV.

Can you swim?: I can swim like a Dolphin. I can even come up out of the water and move across the pool like they do without getting my trunks wet. (Thank you Mr. Reagan for that bit.)

Have you ever seen Donnie Darko?: Nope, I have no comments on why or why not. Just haven't seen it.

Do you give a damn about the Ozone:? Yes, but I think alot of the hype is just that, hype. The Ozone that gets depleated is replenished by lightning. Bet you didn't know that lightning creates Ozone. I care more about the Bzone and the Me-zone though.

How many licks to the center of a tootsie pop?: I'm not that gentle with the tootsie pop. I gnaw on them.

Can you sing the alphabet backwards?: Am I taking a sobriety test?

Electric or manual pencil sharpeners?: Electric!!! I always would scrape my knuckles on the wall with the manual ones.

Whats your stand on hunting?: I believe that if you need it to survive, it's ok. But if you can go down to Kroger and get some hamburger, what's the point? Fishing is different for me though even though it is a form of hunting, it's more of a relaxation thing for me. I have just a good time not catching anything as I would if I catch three 4lb smallmouth bass. Hunters just get pissed if they can't bag anything. And what's relaxing about sitting there quietly for hours then break the silence with an earshattering shotgun blast?

Is marriage in your future?: Every day.

Do you like your handwriting?: It's the best. I'm especially fond of my signature. I practice my baseball signature every time I sign a reciept. You know, for when I make the big leagues.

What are you allergic to?: Pennicillin. Bad Joo Joo.

When was the last time you said I love you?: This morning when the wife left for work, and when I saw myself in the mirror.

Do you cry at weddings?: Only when the kneeler falls on my toe.

How do you like your eggs?: Scrambled w/ pepper and tobasco sauce.

Are blondes dumb?: That's an insult to my race as a blonde.

Where does the other sock end up?: It gets sacrificed in the dryer and gets sent up to the laundry gods.

What time is it?: 12:40 PM.

Do you have a nickname?: Where do I begin......Cliff Clavin( I know a little bit about just about everything), Lurch, D-D-A A A A(it's a family thing, you wouldn't understand), Dan the little guy(my brother always sounded like he hada cold when he was younger, so to differentiate between Dan and Dad, that's what he'd say), and the wife calls me Mr. Big......no idea why.

Is McDonalds disgusting?: I saw Supersize me and it turned me off to fast food altogether for a while. But a Big Mac always will have a special place in my heart.

When was the last time you were in a car?: My truck, last night coming home from work.

Baths or Showers?: Don't call me gay, but on the very rare occasion I do enjoy a hot bath. But then always shower to wash the filth I've been soaking in off my body.

Is Santa real?: Yes, yes he is.

Do you like your neck kissed?: That's my sweet spot.

Are you afraid of the dark?: Only when I hear the monkey in the closet.

What are you addicted to?: Again, don't call me gay, but I'm slightly addicted to the Starbucks Caramel Machiatto.

Do you like crunchy or smooth peanut butter?: Crunchy. It breaks up the pastiness you get from the smooth.

Can you crack your neck?: Once a day, anything after that I'm risking paralysis.

Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?: When I worked at Natorp's nursery, the Christmas trees came in and when we were unloading them, one came down and hit me square in the back 3 inches to the left of my spine breaking my ribs. I cried then, but then I made myself stop for 2 reasons: #1. I couldn't breathe and #2. All of the workers huddled around me to keep me warm while I lay on the cold ground, as well as the two hotties in the greenhouse. I had to play it cool.

Is drug free the way to be?: That's the word. We as a society over medicate to an extreme amount.

Are you a heavy sleeper?: I can be. Loud noises don't wake me, but the little inconspicuous noises do.

What color are your eyes?: Ice blue

Do you like your life?: Not much I can do about it, it's the only one I've got. It's good though.

Are you a psychic?: No but I do have those de javu episodes on a regular basis.

Have you read Catcher in the Rye?: It's a good one. I'm going to have to read all of the books again that I did in highschool again just to read them without being quized on them....too much pressure.

Do you play any instruments?: I've been known to pound on a few different types of drums in the past.

Have you ever stolen any money?: I'll take a dollar out of the wifes purse to get a White Castle on the way to work in the morning sometimes.....Ooooops, the cat's out of the bag.

Can you snowboard?: Nope, I'll let my friends that do ski blow their knees out for me.

Do you like camping?: I am a mountain man if I do say so myself. I pride myself on starting a campfire in the rain w/o gasoline.

Do you snort when you laugh?:P No but the wife does sometimes when she gets going.

Do you believe in magic?: David Blaine, that's all I have to say.

Are dog's a man's best friend?: Unequivically yes.

Do you believe in divorce?: I know it's there but it's hard for me to say that I'd give up on something if there were problems. It's all in the vows. Unless there's abuse. So when she begins beating the shit out me, I'm out of here.

Can you moonwalk?: On a regular basis???

Do you make alot of mistakes?: I try not to but I leave perfection up to the Rabbit.

Is it cold outside today?: Rainy and wet......chilly.

What was the last thing you ate?: Sugar free jello w/ fruit in it w/ whipped cream on top....just like in the commercials.

Do you wear nail polish?: can't say that I do.

How many people do you like right now?: 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer'-The Godfather. I like keeping it on the downlow, not too many people.

What are the most annoying TV commercials?: 2 words "Trim-spa Baby".

Do you like to shop at American Eagle?: I'm a big fan of their flannel shirts.

Favorite Song right now?: "I'm bringin' Sexy Back" no seriously, I am.

Yeah AML, that does take a while. Danno, OUT!!!!

Friday, January 12, 2007

Me a politician.....Yeah right!!!


Crimson Tide
Capt. Ramsey: " Now if were me asked if we should drop the bomb on Nagasaki, I would have given a simle 'Yes, by all means, drop that fucker....TWICE!' "

Ladies and Gents, in no way am I war monger. However, I do believe in fighting for a cause and defending ourselves when the time permits. We are not done in Afghanastan nor in Iraq, not by far. And to bring politics into the mix is assenine. Listen, just because it is getting harder over there, is no reason to pull out. We have become a society of instant gratification and if we can't get a Big Mac in 2 minutes, we get frustrated. War is not easy folks, it is not pretty, and it is not fast. Another thing is that Americans forget things. Of course we have never, and will never forget 9-11, but the 'why' and 'who' aspect get blurry after a while. It was mindless and barbaric and to shrug it off, and just sweep it under the rug would be an insult to the men and women who have brought the US to where it is today from their efforts in the past. (ie. my Grandma+Grandpa J.). I always make it a point to watch the documentories on the 9-11 attacks on History channel (my wife thinks I'm sick) and I watch the TRUE story movies on the different conflicts (ie. We Were Soldiers, Saving Private Ryan) just to keep the freshness of 'why we do what do and who we do it for' in my mind.

War is a terrible thing, and I can guarantee you that the first person to tell you that they hate war is the American soldier. They are the ones who must go into battle and see the things they see. And for the media to "try" to portray war from a balcony of a hotel and just portray the ugliness that goes on is a farse. My VERY BEST FRIEND, Cpt. RTH, has shown me his personal pics that are just a few of the many thousands of good stories of the locals appreciating our efforts over there. Can you immagine, even for just a second, if we had pulled out of France and Germany in WWII because it got "too difficult?" This world as we know it would not exist. Europe and Western Asia would be in shambles to this day with dictatorship. That was only 60 years ago. If we pull out now, we are vulnerable, and we bring all of whats going on over there to our streets. I'm not saying these things to scare or worry, those are the facts. Taliban wants to kill Americans, as do radical muslims in general. They wouldn't think twice about walking down the street and out of nowhere set off a car bomb, or just shooting any one of us in the face. Hell, these things go on over there every other day, whether they kill someone or not. They aren't picky as to who they kill.
I believe I've said in the past that our "PC" is going to get us killed someday. This is exactly what I mean by that. We as Americans hold human life to a higher standard. It is precious to us. The human body to a Radical is just a shell. They just flat out don't care. Our downfall is that we do, but to subverse that would make us no better than them, so this war is harder than any other in walking that tightrope.
Have we made mistakes over there? Yes. Are we winning the war? No. Are we losing the war? No again. We are at a point where more troops are going over to "the sand box" and the only issue I have with this is that it should have happened a long time ago. And screw 20,000 troops....send 40,000. If we're at war, we need to stop dicking around and make a statement. Safety in numbers is key. You hear the crazies talk about "well if we send more, more will die". No, just the opposite, if we do what 'you' want which is a slow withdrawl, our forces are weakened, that's when the shit will go down, and I mean in a bad way. Then what? You don't have an answer? Well then you shouldn't have an opinion either, so shut the hell up Pelosi.
In times of war, we must prepare for peace.....In times of peace we must prepare for war. If this country as a whole we united in this war effort, and not divided by what a few are saying, I guarantee that we would have a great victory.
This is why I'll never be a politician, I wear my heart on my sleeve and speak my mind. I just don't like being misunderstood, that's all I'm tryin' to say, that's all that I'm drivin' at....really, if you think about it, that's all.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Ron is going to be Healthy!!!!

When Ron and I first met back in March of '06, things were great!!! We went everywhere together....we shopped at Home Depot, we ate at Taco Bell, Hell, we even went to work together everyday!!! (We laughed, we cried, it was better than Cats....sorry AML, had to use it) Things are still that good, but even better. I was on the E85 web site, and low and behold, there is a new E85 fueling station at the Kroger at the top of Winton Hill just under the Star 64 tower(the one that looks like the Kate Moss version of the Eiffel Tower that can be seen just about anywhere in Cincinnati.) I didn't even know there was a Kroger there. When I got the news I was so excited, I ran out to tell Ron the news. He's been bummed out that he's topping out now at over 5,000 lbs. His eyes lit up and I think I almost saw a smile under that beautiful grill of his.
For the laymen, or lay women<------(ounds cool huh?) anyway, E85 is a new blend of fuel for vehicles that are only E85 compliant. Ron is the only vehicle in the Nissan fleet right now that is. The blend is 85% ethanol fuel and 15% gasoline. Compare this to the 90% gasoline/10% ethanol mix many oil companies are using today. The gain is two-fold. The emissions are much cleaner for the environment, and it will begin the transition to the US's steps towards it's independance from middle eastern oil and the strains from OPEC.
E85 is still relatively in it's infancy stages right now and still has a kink or two to mend out, like the loss of mileage(Ron gets 19 MPG on the highway now, with E85 he'll get 17 to 16. It has to do with the alcohol being less volatile than regular gasoline.) It's being worked on right now.
So I will let you all know, not that many of you will care, about the outcomes of Ron's next fillup and any differences in driving.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Hey You Guys!!!

I'm Back, Bigger Badder and Blacker. Sorry Chris Rock, I had to use it. Well the only thing worth writing about since I wrote last, outside of actually getting my boheamoth of a TV setup, is the events of the afternoon of January 9th.
Ms. Olive was resting peacefully as she normally does wherever she wishes. @12 noon, the Mrs. Danno is leaving for work, and as I can only assume, SHE assumed that the cat, Ms. Olive was still resting peacefully. But as she normally does, the cat saw her chance in sneaking out of the house through Mrs. Danno's legs without her noticing. (Ms. Olive sees Mrs. Danno as a pushover me thinks.) The afternoon was a blank to me as I was at work already. I can't imagine what she did outside all day by her lonesome. All I know is when I got home and let out the crazy insane animal (not the most fiersome pic) from his kennel and walked him to the door, when I opened it, there was Ms. Olive, ready to come back in from her days romp outside. I called the Mrs. to let her know of her mishap, and in her most N. Carolinian accent you can think of, and AML you can almost hear it can't you? "But I saw her before I we'ant ou'side".
Any-who, the cat was fine, a little tired and cold, but fine. As I laid on the couch later in the evening, I could almost read her mind as she lay there quietly, dreaming of the daily events with her new neigborhood friends.