Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Life Update: 073107

Ok, I've been really disorganized and busy. Meaning that I get a few things done but nothing that I should in no particular order. So, here are a few things that are going on and have gone on recently:

Celebrated my birthday with Kerry prior to her heading off to Washington with her sister and all the kids to see her dad. We went to Lindo Michaocan (I think I told you about the place before) and then to see Love. Both of us thought it was an OK show. Kind of a let down as I believed there was something amazing dragging people there but it seemed more like a mish-mash of circus meets hippie visuals. Just really felt bad for the guy walking around with flowers looking for love. Great music, Beatles talking snippets and shadows of the band trying to cross Abbey Road.

Had lunch with Lloyd and Teri. I have already forgotten the name of the restaurant (Border something) but it really draws families. Jacob was very active and with all the other children there, he always had something to watch. Food was pretty good when they got the order right (the chicken from Lloyd's burrito must have been hiding but 4 lettuce leaves do not make a 'side salad.') They gave me the next E. E. Knight book (Valentine's Resolve) and bookplates... I'm still stunned. Have I said that I am lucky to have them in my life? Well, they don't read the blogs as much as they used to, so they may not see this.

I had a 4-day weekend that included the birthday. Didn't start work on my bathroom (that'll be another post as Blogger ate the first one.) I did clean up the pine needles and trash from the front yard, finished my Harry Potter book and started Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery.

Spent Sunday with the family. Usually we do birthday parties on Sundays as they seem to be the best day for us to all get together. I got to spend time with all the kids... should have brought the camera. Received some nice gifts. Luggage from my brother and sister, monetary donations from the parents, cookies from Grandma and Grandpa, a Raiders mug from Shawna and Dave and photo additions to my collection from Mom. It seems that she had another picture of me before I left for the prom. So, that'll be scanned with the other one I mentioned earlier. (Think mullet.) I had a great time there and keep thinking that I'd love to have the family like that together more often.

Things should calm down shortly as I've been preparing for a few other upcoming projects. I need to review Prince's Planet Earth album. On Thursday, my friend Daniel will be taping an episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and we will be holding a gathering of minds for his "phone-a-friend" lifeline. I'm expecting he will call us on the final question just to let us know he won the big bucks. I also have to fix the IR blaster on my Tivo. They are sending a replacement but it explains why I missed Hell's Kitchen last night (thankfully it's on Kerry's and we'll see it when she gets back.) I've also been utilizing my MySpace page. It's a good way to communicate with the people you don't see as often as you'd like. The only negative is when my brother Mike decides to put a topless photo up... I feel less masculine with that up in the Top Friends area.

Otherwise, life is good. Trying not to eat after I get home. It's amazing how hard that is. Anyhow, I hope you are all doing well.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Classically Martin: Ministry - Stigmata

Blogger ate my post from a few days ago. Don't have much time to retype it, so I have decided to put another favorite video up. It's not for the weak of heart. I remember seeing "Stigmata" on MTV's 120 Minutes and my stepfather walked in the room. Even though he liked heavy metal, the song was a big too much for him. I believe this song started my interest in Industrial music. Something about the groove and post-apocalyptic visuals. May grate on the nerves of soft rock fans.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Classically Martin: The Connells - '74-'75

I've never been able to flesh out a full top 10 list of my favorite artists. This probably comes from a reluctance to not have someone in the list that deserves a spot. I have mentioned two previously: the Jean-Paul Sartre Experience and Skinny Puppy. They hold down the top spots, respectively.

One band that I can tell you belongs there, would be The Connells. If you are again scratching your head wondering if you have heard of them, it is possible. The North Carolina band have a alt-country pop flair that can be likened to Toad The Wet Sprocket and seen as a R.E.M. step-child. I found out about them when their single "Stone Cold Yesterday" from their 1990 album One Simple Word was getting airplay on our college station KUNV. I kept adding their music to my collection but have yet to get to their earlier albums (they're on my Amazon wishlist, though.) Anyhow, they scored their biggest hit in 1993 off their Ring album. The song "'74-'75" was a smash hit in Europe (topping the charts in several countries.) Actually, if you are look at the top of the video it says that it was #5 in VH1's list of One Hit Wonders... I'm guessing VH1 U.K. Another big song off that album, "Slackjawed," received heavy U.S. airplay on alternative radio. The band is still around and are re-doing their Web site... which may mean a new album. Good stuff. Enjoy.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Public Service Announcement



Was re-watching an episode of the Venture Brothers and was reminded how important the scrotum can be. Feel free to read this report from the Scrotal Safety Commission to ensure their proper care and handling.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

All Geeked-Up

86% GeekMingle2 - Free Online Dating



It's all Lora's fault. I saw that she took this quiz and I had to give it a go. I don't know if having that much of a geeky side is that good but it is what it is. At least 14% of me has a life. hahaha

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Magic Numbers


I've always heard about there being powerful numbers. Maybe it was Stephen King's It where the group of 7 thwarted an evil creature only to be picked off to 3 about 28 years later by the... well, I don't want to ruin that book for you. Needless to say, 5 is also looked at as a power number. (Could be something to do with prime numbers.) And on 7/5/07, my niece Jillian Cecilia Hennessy was born. I got the call about the birth of my 4th niece (2 via Matt and 2 via Michelle) from my brother Matthew at 9pm (about an hour after she was born) while on my lunch break. Pictured above is Jilly (which her mom likes as a nickname or J.C. as I've already enjoyed calling her) with her mother Elizabeth. My brother Matt was off getting a refrigerator fixed (warranties are good but don't pay for spoiled food) and missed the photos. They should be heading home on 7/7/07.



If you remember any of the previous photos I posted when Jilly's older sister (just shy of 2 years apart) Mia, you may notice the red around her left eye looks vaguely similar. Both also had that olive complexion (with pink areas) and lots of dark hair. It seems that Mia is pretty excited about the companion as she came by and couldn't keep her hands off her sister. I stopped in the next day to see them, drop off a little stuffed pink kitty and take these photos. Life is pretty darn good as I can knock on wood that we have some healthy kids so far making up the next Hennessy generation. Heck, the 4 in mine have no major health problems and so far the 5 (possibly 6) of this next one are doing outstanding.

I talked to Beth while there and told her something that I've thought about for a long time. I want to be the uncle that I never really had around. Sure, I was able to see Billy a few times while growing up but not enough. I think that it may have given me another way to view and appreciate my father. So, Uncle Martin plans to be very active with his 4 nieces and 1 nephew (oh, poor Connor.)

...Meanwhile, you've heard about all those weddings taking place on 7/7/07. There will be so many in Vegas that I'll be rushing off after my podcast at noon to help a resort handle a record number of them. No, I won't be performing services but... well that's a story for another day.

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

When The Walls...Come Tumbling Down

The garage sale went better the second day. You see, I had a lot of furniture items and those don't always appeal to garage sale shoppers. But, I also put newer signs up that made the traffic easier. My sign from Rainbow (a major street) was intercepted by another garage sale sign which sent traffic away from my destination. More traffic came by after the new signs went up and I sold the big items that I needed to get rid of. Better yet, while cleaning, I found a few old photos of myself (as I've said, I don't take many) and will post them in the future.

I also got a little bit of yard work done in the back of the house. Which leads me to another issue: The Wall. Far from a Pink Floyd-ism, my neighbor has a pine tree planted in the corner of their yard. The roots have pushed the back wall behind our houses back where at some point it may fall on the neighbors behind and below our properties. The bricks you see on the ground, there on my side of the wall, were pushed over by a few big dogs next door as they want to play with the cats that find their way to my yard.



I know that the proper thing to do is go over to the neighbor's house and ask them about what is going on with their side of the wall. Of course, I'm not one for confrontation over something that I know little about and am unsure of when it comes to property rights. I was advised to talk to Las Vegas code enforcement. They take the call as anonymous but I figure that they will know it is my house as the bricks are here already. Yet, the wall is starting to give behind their house which may confuse. The neighbors with the pine tree are the same ones that have those dinosaurs I showed you.


There are several reasons for my concern when it comes to the wall at this time:

1) I don't want it to fall and not have the source noted
2) I don't want to have to pay to fix something that I didn't break
3) I have decided to sell my house soon and I know that this issue may keep that from happening.

It's going to be hard enough to sell my house with the neighbor's house having a trailer parked in front and a dinosaur in their front yard (they moved the triceratops.) Having a possible lawsuit (if the wall falls), possible need to pay a contractor to fix (if no party is found liable) and possible shouting match with a neighbor are not on my "Looking Forward To" list. I'm just curious how code enforcement looks into this and how the neighbors will react.