And don't forget to send your donations to the fund to prevent phrench_phried from becoming a sardonic little bastard as he approaches 40.

( Cut for length and Youtoobieness )

Last night I called the U.S. of A.  Specifically Nazareth PA (not to be confused with Jesus although some guitarists might be prone to argue the point) to C.F. Martin Guitars.  They are now five weeks beyond the original date that they estimated the repairs on my guitar would be completed.  This isn't exactly a review of Martin Guitars in general, ( Read more... )

I'm going to turn 40 pretty soon.  I think I might also be going off the deep end.  Neither has necessarily anything to do with the other.

I wasn't going to pick up any new passions.  I had sort of resolved to try to not start anything new.  The resolution went something like this:  Any time I feel myself embarking on a new venture, passion, hobby ( Read more... )

I neglected LJ for some time.  It's probably good that I don't have pets.  In my absence, one of my favorite groups, one of the more active groups I belonged to, and probably one of the groups where I made most of my lj friends francophiles disappeared.  Purged.  Along with a huge archive of potentially useful and very diverse information.  Some of it was ( Read more... )

I've had French Fries three days in a row.  All the while, I've been daydreaming about back country skiing and training up for a triathlon.  There seems to be a huge disparity between the mind and the body (and the stomach).  So Dr. Friend, the guy I do most of my misogynic, male bonding, outdoor activities with, had this to say about french fries:

( Read more... )

I was thinking about Haiti.  My knowledge of Haiti isn't all that good but I can, and probably will improve it.  I almost got sent there once...  Well, let's back up.  The only real live Haitian from Haiti that I ever met was in Army Basic Training.  When I remember him it is with a lot of affection even though Basic Training isn't a place where ( Read more... )

A colleague of mine once said that whatever you are, as you get older, you become more of.  Brace yourselves.

On a related note, I'm turning 40 pretty soon.  I think it's high time for a midlife crisis.

And with that in mind...

Skiing:  I've ordered and received my 'randonée skis'.  Skis without bindings are not unlike boards.  I hope I chose well ( Read more... )

I wanted to come up with a guitar-related user pic.  What do think?

Getting on the apple-hype bandwagon about the i-pad (sure to be popular amongst hockey players) I made an apple-splotch user pic.  I'll leave it up for a couple of weeks.

I was looking for stories that the MSU could use in her ESL class and I came on this bit about "Honest Abe" Lincoln.  www.inspirationalstories.com/4/436.html I hope it's true.  I could be true.  If it is true, I have one nagging question:  How in the name of all things living great and small was the man ever elected President of the United States?