Hurley

Randoms 3.14.09

2009-04-14T13:55:00.001-04:00

- sent out my final tax form today. this is the worst one, since i have to include a check. Damned local taxes. Can i at least select the potholes that i would like them to fill?

- Do yourself a favor...never look at the nutritional value on the Microwave TV dinner. This little pile of Salisbury Steak and Mac&Cheese is providing 83% of my daily fat requirement and 78% of my daily Sodium intake. ugh.

- I'm disappointed that you can no longer see my tire tracks on the median at the Mt Joy interchange on Rt283. For the last few weeks i've been able to relive my harrowing trip down the median every time i drove past it. Now the grass has grown back and you can't see them as well.

- Seriously...this salisbury steak is sooooo tasty. it's worth the 83 percent of my daily fat intake.

- Dad's return home was delayed by a day. They wanted to check one more small thing and felt it was best if he stayed another night. Nothing major.

- Spent about 20 minutes on the phone with someone who was upset at the content of music and TV in modern society. I agree that society is coarser than 20 years ago. But i think that's almost always the case. Each generation one-ups the generation prior. It moves even faster today with so many delivery systems and ways to interact. Still...it's one thing to disagree about song lyrics and content...but entirely another matter to assume that my music is causing teens to have babies out of wedlock. I wouldnt think that "poker face" or "you found me" would be a good sex song anyway. If you conceive a baby while listening to Fergie, we need to talk. there's just something wrong with that.

- Springtime is taking it's sweet time getting here. I planted seeds 3 weeks ago and there's still nothing. A little warmth and heat would be a good thing. Supposedly it'll be nice on thursday. i'll believe it when i see it.

- random advice pulled from Facebook: "never go to a doctor who's got dead plants in his lobby"

- Tuesday is my least productive day because i spend most of the day in meetings. Shouldn't it be the other way?

- my buddy is working on his house, and i feel like it should inspire me to get off my butt and finally paint my kitchen. It hasn't...yet

- last week i learned a few things, and those things continue to frustrate me to no end. Truthfully, there's nothing that can be done about them at this time. I guess it just hits one of my hot buttons. I know you're not supposed to sweat things you can't control. but that's the problem. I feel like i SHOULD be in control of this. Dont' ask what it is, It's not something that i'm willing to discuss. For now it'll serve as motivation until i can do something about it.

- Did you know that TALAPIA is pronounced "tuh-la-pee-uh?" i always thought it was tuh-LAY-pee-uh. i learned something new today. FYI: it's a fish.

- you know what bothers me? POP edits of songs. This past year, there's been so many edits of songs that completely change the song. LOVE STORY from Taylor Swift is an amazing song in it's original form. The pop edit sounds like a bad kareoke version with an out of place dance beat. If people are buying millions and millions of copies of the original, wouldn't they expect to hear the same version when we play it? i think so. i can understand small edits for content or length....but do we really think listeners aren't comfortable with a bit of twang, or some rap in the middle of a song? We overthink these things sometimes...just play the freakin' record. it's either a hit or not. a new mix with lower guitars or a tacked-on cameo rap appearance is just silly. Do you know anyone who says "wow..i LOVE this song! but i completely change the station the minute that little guitar part plays in the chorus"?

- ok, to completely rebuff my last argument... i loved when they remixed that J LO song and changed everything and added Ja Rule to it. That was fun.

- RIP Harry Kalas. We've lost too many of the great sports announcers in recent years. Nobody can truly be the voice of the Phillies the way he was. Just like Myron Cope was the "voice" of the Steelers. It still seems weird to listen to Bill and Tunch call games without Myron. I can't imagine what it'll be like this year listening to Phillies games without Harry's voice. You never replace these guys, because they're too unique to be hired today. Enjoy the great ones while they're here....Ernie Harwell still fills in occasionally for Tigers games. The amazing Vin Scully makes it worth staying up late to catch a Dodgers game online.

- as a true radio geek, there is nothing better than listening to a baseball game on the radio on a warm summer evening. i can crank up the little AM tube radio in my office and catch games in lots of markets. Doesnt' even matter if i'm rooting for the team.

- i got a nice little easter basket from Kelly's mom and dad. It contained a bottle of wine, some coffee and lottery tickets. Wow....supporting all THREE of my favorite vices!

- number of times i got too bitchy/preachy in today's posting: 2
- number of salisbury steak patties i ate while writing this: 2

2009-03-24T17:47:00.001-04:00

- So glad to be back in good health. I got knocked down by this bug that's going around. Sore throat, coughing, sneezing, blah. It took a lot out of me. FInally got back into the flow of things this weekend. whew. hopefully that's the last big flu/cold bug for the spring

- Obama will pre-empt American Idol tonite for a speech. I KNEW i voted for him for a reason. haha

- Went back to the gym last night after two weeks off. I managed to maintain my usual weight so that was good. But wow...2 weeks of being sick saps the energy. i did a light workout and was panting and wheezing afterwards. gotta try and stay healthy from now on!

- It was really nice on Sunday so i got a lot of yardwork done. I had a pile of leaves that i needed to get rid of, so i dumped 'em behind the shed. Hopefully it gets really windy and they "disappear". Planted a ton of flowers too. In 14-21 days i should see the seedlings sprout from the ground...at least that's what the packets told me. I've never used seeds before for planting, so this is a new adventure in lawn care. I really hope most of them take, because i need some color in the backyard.

- ever have one of those weeks at work where you feel like you're in a Dilbert cartoon? We got some new stuff from our corporate offices last week. My boss and I just had to laugh and say "ok". It's gonna work out great, but it was totally unexpected. Sometimes it's best to just nod your head and smile.

- i am 100% completely addicted to Cadbury Mini Eggs. Once Easter is over i will stock up on 10 bags, at least. I gotta make it through the year until they go on sale next easter

- I'm searching for someone new to cut my hair. Rusty found true love and moved away to be with the person he loves....so now i need someone else to cut my hair. It's like dating someone new. You have no idea what to expect. Ugh.

- I spotted the first Daffodil of spring this weekend. Finally!

2009-03-10T17:06:00.001-04:00

I meant to update this more regularly than once a week. But it didn't happen this week. Listen...it was almost 70 outside this weekend. Did you expect to spend 30 minutes in front of a computer screen when it's that nice outside? hardly.

This will be a shorter post than normal. I'm battling a cold bug and feel pretty drained. My mind isn't spinning at full speed today. The gerbil isn't completely off the wheel, but he's hanging on the side of it while it spins slowly.

Watched Russell Brand on Comedy Central this weekend. His MTV Awards show performance last year was horrid, but my god is he funny doing stand-up. If you don't like dry humor, skip him. I've always thought stand-up would be a really fun challenge. I'm not sure i'm committed enough to write a full 15-30 minutes of material, but i'd like to try. No worry about me hopping up in front of a crowd with a mic, i do that every day and all the time at events. I just need to corral my ADD brain and put together a routine. I need to add that to my 2009 bucket list.

Actually..i need to WRITE my 2009 bucket list first. Let's see:

- Fix my Wrangler so i can drive topless this summer

- write stand-up routine

- use every vacation day i have coming

- Convince Alex to let me do one weekend airshift on 96.1 KISS in Pittsburgh, and Laura to let me do one weekend airshift on B104 in Allentown. That way, i'll have been on the air in every major radio market in Pennsylvania.

- paint kitchen

- spend a full week at the cottage and finally get the dock built

- insulate, rewire and renovate the loft and move my master bedroom up there.

- take my parents sightseeing in DC or Philly for the day

- add one more station to my roster

- Open a Roth IRA and complete my retirement plan, so i'm not just relying on my 401K.

- paint the carport

- learn to make Coconut Shrimp and dipping sauce like they serve at Red Lobster

That's good. If i think of anything else, i can add it later.

Randoms 3.3.09

2009-03-03T14:43:00.000-05:00

- I promise i will only make one posting about my new car. Let me briefly say that it is absolutely-freakin-awesome-super-spectacular-crazygood-amazing. Traction-control is a godsend. We got about 6 inches of snow yesterday and i had no problem getting to work and home afterwards. Although i DID stall once in the parking lot. that had nothing to do with traction control, and everything to do with me putting the car into 3rd gear instead of 1st while i was playing with the CD player.

- I don't think i slept this past weekend. On Friday night THRIVING IVORY put on an amazing show at the Chameleon. Thanks to everyone who came. We grabbed dinner with the guys beforehand. They're very nice and were excited for the show. Watched the whole show, said thanks to the band and headed home. Had to be back at the station in less than 11 hours to get ready for the David Archuleta meet-n-greet on Saturday, so it was a quick turnaround for me

- Speaking of dinner...i gotta recommend the Tuna Wrap at Alley Katz. It's not tuna salad...it's actual seared tuna with wasabi dressing. It tastes like a sushi wrap. i highly recommend it. I'd never been to that restaurant before, but i went there twice this weekend. I pick my restaurants by "proximity to the event i'm hosting". There's many restaurant i love, but if i'm doing a chameleon show i end up at either House of Pizza, Seniorita Burrito, the Belevdere, Arts Hotel or now Alley Katz. I should investigate that area more..i'm sure there's other stuff on some of the side streets.

- Our event with David Archuleta was equally exciting and fun. You never know what to expect from these stars when they come to visit the station. Luckily he was very genuine and nice. I think he's the most A.D.D. person i've ever met too. He kept getting distracted by posters and things in the studio. David Cook could have knocked him out of Idol weeks earlier if he'd just thrown some shiny nickels on stage while Archie was performing. Nice kid though, i wish him nothing but success. Pics? they're up at FM97.com, or in my "famous people 2" album on facebook.

- Three weeks ago i was sick of winter. Now i'm waaaay over the edge. If i could go on a murderous rampage against winter, i would. OK, we get it...snow, cold, wind, etc.... bring on the damned spring already.

-Luckily there are a few signs that spring is around the corner. While i was out for a walk in Harrisburg's Riverfront park this weekend i noticed some Daffodils starting to pop through the ground in the "sunken garden". A couple of weeks and those will be blooming. I wonder how my daffodils will do this year? I got mixed results last year, but they always do better the 2nd year after you plant them.

- When i try to email Bryan Jordan from the Morning Rush, my email always defaults to JORDAN from KISS in Cincinnati. Whoops. i keep sending him updates and stuff for the morning show.

- I wish i read more books.

- I had nothing but the lowest expectations for Jimmy Fallon this week as he replaced Conan O'Brien. Somehow, he managed to disappoint me...and i was expecting the worst. The only saving grace was Justin Timberlake and the Roots, who both made the show watchable. EVERYONE seems to think Jimmy is a bad idea, so why do these high-ranking officials at NBC think "no...he'll be great!". How many drugs are they snorting to think that Jimmy is funny and improvisational like a great late-night host needs to be? Jimmy's schtick is to laugh at his own jokes. wow. that's a FAIL. Do yourself a favor....go watch the AMAZING David Letterman this week, and then go watch Jimmy. It's like watching Michealangelo paint followed by watching a monkey flinging poo at the canvas.

- my friend's best quote of the week: "i'd rather watch my own mother take a shower than watch Jimmy Fallon".

- I'm entering a very tough period in my life. The guy who cuts my hair left this week, so i'm on the hunt for a new place to get my hair cut. Ideas? it's like dating someone new after you've been with someone else for a long time. I never figured out how he did it, but my old guy made my hair look very full. Wow. that's a feat! I'll probably go into a hair care funk and neglect my hair until it's a tangled mess. If you see me wearing hats to work everyday please pull me aside and tell me to get a haircut

- still winter? yes..it's still winter

- I've noticed that i'm not getting many of the "work from home and make 10,000 dollars" ads on the side of facebook now. I've moved on to "learn the trick to whiter teeth". hmmmm....first they insulted my income, now they're saying my teeth are yellow. Thanks facebook...way to build me up!

- My friend James was coming down on Monday and we were gonna grab beer and wings at Hooters. Unfortunately, it snowed like crazy and we postponed his visit. Yep...the snow caused me to miss out on Hooters. just another reason i hate winter.

-Looking forward to jetting down to Philly tomorrow night for a new artist showcase. Should be fun. Plus...there's free Italian food. If you invited me to my own beating, but offered free italian food..i'd still probably show up. Luckily, this is a bunch of industry friends and a great new artist...i will also enjoy the breadsticks.

- Hitting the gym tonight. I managed to get there on saturday morning for about 45 minutes before David Archuleta madness. It's packed on saturdays though. I much prefer to go in the evenings during the week. No waiting, no lines... less eye candy too, but at least i dont have to wait for some guy to do his 5 sets before i can use the bench.

- Random shout-out to Lesley Roy, Joe Daddio, Hooters and Springtime.

# of PRETZEL Goldfish crackers i've eaten while typing this: approx 60
# of PARMESAN Goldfish crackers i've eaten while typing this: 0

note to Giant. Stock up on PARMESAN goldfish...you were OUT when i shopped this week.

2009-02-25T17:33:00.001-05:00

I decided to buy a new car this week. My Volkswagen has been a perfect lil' car for the last year. supa' mileage and very comfortable. But I've been piling up the miles and thought it was time to make a switch. I wanted a little more room, and a little more VROOOOOM. Been looking for a Mazda 6 or a Jetta GLI. after a few weeks with no luck i swung into my dealership yesterday and spotted a gorgeous SAAB 9-3. woooo. It took 30 seconds of test-driving to convince me that i was in love. Signing the papers tomorrow.

Without question, this is the nicest car i've ever owned and i couldn't be happier. Since i spend 90 minutes a day in my car (at least) i figured i needed a comfortable place. This fits the bill. Sunroof? Turbo? 5-speed? check. A very reasonable price? also check. If you're thinkin' about buying a car...why not look into a used car? My Saab is less than 4 years old and was a top-of-the-line car when it was new. it's got low miles, but i bought it for less than a 2009 sedan with far less options and luxury. Just seems like you get a LOT more bang for your buck. Sure, you're taking a chance that there could be problems. DO your homework, find people you trust and pay attention to small details.

I try to eat and drink somewhat healthy. It's not a full-on commitment, but i do my best. I've been trying to drink more water the last few weeks. Not sure if it's making me healthier, but i have to walk to the bathroom a lot more often. so i'm getting more exercise that way.

Heated seats is the most underrated option in automotive history. I've always said that i'll never own another car without sunroof. Now, i'm adding heated seats to that list. Wow. my butt toaster was workin' nice this morning as i headed to work.

American Idol is on tonight and i could care less. Call me when we're down to the final 4. until then, i got other things to do. The gym beckons.

Speaking of the gym...i sincerely hope the steroid guys are more subtle tonght. I'm not passing judgement, i'm just saying.. If you want to openly discuss your steroid use, please don't do it in the middle of the weight room in an extremely loud voice.

Wait, this car gets better highway mileage than my VW GOLF? wow. when gas goes back to $4 a gallon this summer i won't be dying. whew. i never sweated gas mileage until i started driving 70+ miles a day for work.

Brief glimpses of sunshine and temps in the upper 40's have given me hope that i'll survive this winter. Every time i look up, i expect it to be spring...and it's not. i fully expect one more blizzard before the year is over.

How on earth did we shop for cars before the internet? In less than 2 hours i read about every price, option, glitch, road test and consumer review that's been published on my new ride. Went to the dealer and had them check two areas where problems were common. i can't fathom how i plunked down a few thousand dollars for my first new car in 1999 without doing hours of exhaustive online research.

My friend thinks that "Jai Ho" should become the new "whatzup". just a nice general greeting that fits in a variety of circumstances. I'll give it a shot.

In the hubbub about our show with David Archuleta on Saturday, i hope you don't miss out on THRIVING IVORY on Friday night at the chameleon. great band! cheap tickets! lots of exclamation points!

i get a lot of press releases and newsletters in my email every week because of my work here at the station. i get 3 or 4 newsletters that are completely in spanish. I want to unsubscribe, but i can't find the link because i can't speak spanish.

almost died this morning as i was trying to program all my presets into the radio of the Saab. wow...12 preset buttons? was this car built for a radio geek? yes. i should let my radio friends campaign for their stations to be the better buttons, and not stuck at the bottom. #1 is FM97, #2 is my sister station WRFY. The rest are fair game. begin your bribery.

One of my friends used to sing "thanks for the mammaries" when he heard THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES by Fall Out Boy. Now, everytime i hear that song i think of boobies. maturity is not my strong point.

In the market for a 2002 VW Golf that's had nothing but tender loving care for the last year? lemme know. I'd type the dealership here...but they're not paying me. yet.

# of thoughts related to my new car in some way: 7
# of thoughts related to Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire: 1

my car deserves an Oscar.

2009-02-23T17:44:00.001-05:00

Would it really hurt the Oscars and Grammys to give some awards to movies/music that people actually LIKE? I'm not saying they should nominate Paul Blart:Mall Cop...but at least take audience and box office into consideration. Even create a "peoples choice" where we can vote? C'mon...don't take yourselves too seriously, it's just movies.

Speaking of which. Whose idea was it to have 5 nominees come out and give a tearful speech about how cool each nominee was? lame-o. This event is already a big Hollywood circle jerk...but you don't need to spend 5 minutes telling me how Anne Hathaway is brave for her choice of roles. We're making movies...not curing cancer.

Also...i refuse to completely trust Hollywood after hearing that Paul Blart:Zookeeper has been greenlighted. Don't try and tell me it's a good idea. It's just not.

Brad Pitt was sporting a goatee last nite. does that mean that it's coming back into style? Crap...I'm 33 and still can't grow decent facial hair. Guess i can't be a slave to this particular fashion.

Ratings for this years Oscars were up slightly from last year. However, let's remember that last years show was the WORST RATED OSCARS ever. So this year was rated higher? yay. it's still in big trouble. i firmly believe this has something to do with Ryan Seacrest being on the red carpet. either that, or normal people don't really care to watch exceedingly rich, fake people get awards and have everyone tell them that they're great. (see: cancer, not curing).

I love Mickey Rourke. someone please get him a reality show, stat. This guy is nuts, funny, unpolished and extrememly fun to listen to. His acceptance speech at an awards show earlier this weekend involved swear words, mentioned actresses butts, etc... Take all of Kim Kardashian's cameras away and point them in Mickey's direction, please. for the love of all things sacred...if Denise Richards can get a show, Mickey Rourke can. He oooooozes with personality and talent. Denise Richards can cover her talent just by buttoning up her shirt.

It's amazing the amount of people who come out of the woodwork when you have a very big concert coming up and tickets are sold out. There's nothing wrong with asking...but if you haven't spoken to me in 2 years and NOW is the time you choose to start emailing, don't be shocked if you're not getting tickets.

I always see these ads pop up on the side of Facebook that talk about $100/hour part time jobs with no experience or training required. Really? please tell me no one is stupid enough to believe this. Off the top of my head, i can think of one Part-Time job that pays $100/hour and requires no training. Stripper.

Actually...even strippers need some training. You're not just BORN with the ability to slide on a pole and dance. I don't think they offer that skill at technical school.

I'm dangerously close to deleting my Myspace page. just feels like something that's come and gone. i don't talk to anyone exclusively on Myspace. it's just an extra page for me to get spam on. if you've got some incredible, life-altering reason to keep a myspace page...lemme know.

We're into the point of winter where i start to veg and get depressed. I'm so sick of being stuck inside. i stop doing laundry and let the housework slide. it's a vicious cycle, since the pile of laundry just depresses me more. i stare out the back window and wonder how much longer until i can reopen the patio and hang the hammock. the warm weather we had 2 weeks ago just made it worse, because i remembered how nice it was to be warm!

Does anyone honestly like the Fairness Doctrine? It's rare that i find an agreement where both Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama agree...yet here's one. They both think the fairness doctrine is a bad idea. Don't believe people who tell you that Obama is trying to shove this legislation down people's throats. he already said he's not in favor and it's a dead issue. Fair enough. Let's debate the economy instead. That's where we need to focus our energies.

What's the fairness Doctrine? It's legislation that would guarantee that all viewpoints are expressed in media. Right wingers feel that it attacks conservative talk-radio. They're at least partially right. Stations that air shows like RUSH and HANNITY would be forced to express more Liberal viewpoints as "balance". I always found that stupid, and I'm undoubtedly liberal. Who would determine what "balance" was? It's a horrible minefield to start monitoring viewpoints. If you don't like conservative talk, flip the dial. If you don't like liberal viewpoints...don't Tivo Keith Olberman. Seems like a much easier solution that spending millions of dollars and possibly endangering the ratings (and revenues) of local American radio and tv stations. And where else would this apply? Would liberal and conservative blogs be forced to offer varying opinions? Can you imagine trying to monitor online activity and podcasts to insure "balance". what a nightmare.

Luckily, Obama says it's not happening. so we can stop worrying about it.

Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity are popular because they're pretty amazing radio hosts, regardless of what you feel about their viewpoints. i hate most of their thoughts, but i wish i possessed half of their ability to deliver views and drive an audience to action.

I'm looking forward to two concerts this week. Thriving Ivory should be amazing on Friday night and Archuleta will be a good show on Sat. tickets for the Ivory show are only $9.70 at chameleonclub.net. please come out and support this up and coming band. you won't be disappointed!

Is it wrong that i want Thriving Ivory to cover "Chloe Dancer" by Mother Love Bone? Is that inappropriate to ask them?

Number of times i mentioned Seacrest in today's blog: 1

Number of times Seacrest mentioned Me in today's blog: 0

you owe me one, Ryan.

2009-02-22T16:43:00.002-05:00

wocka wocka wocka.

i dont know why i'm so tired today. Went out for a little bit last night, but i wasn't drinking because i had to drive. so i hung out for a while and then came home. woke up late this morning and have been half-asleep all day. was really hoping to hit the gym and get some launndry done. neither has been achieved...yet.

random randoms for 2.22.09

- played volleyball yesterday morning for the Schreier Pediatric tournament. they're a wonderful charity and it's a great time every year. We played against the college radio station from Millersville University (WIXQ....website is here http://www.wixq.com/). great bunch of guys who were having a lot of fun. i MAY have worn my Mansfield University shirt as a little bit of a college smackdown. haha. :) was really great to see them and also raise money for a wonderful chairty.

-after playing volleyball for 2 straight hours i would expect my forearms and legs to be very sore. nope, not a bit. i'm very sore in my upper back. wtf? that muscle right between my shoulder blades hurts today. how do i hurt THAT playing volleyball?

- i DID wake up at 730am on a saturday...maybe that's why i'm tired.

- Kelly and i decided to go to the Saturday Market for some lunch and bargain shopping on Saturday afternoon. I managed to avoid the delicious looking potato chips and kettle corn (gotta eat healthy). i did mange to make one very nice find....a model 466 General Electric tabletop radio.

nice and vintage, it's going to look cool in my offce. I've got a cool little collection of vintage radios started. i really love these little plastic 1950s , 60s and 70s ones. got one? email me...maybe we can make a deal-i-o.

2009-02-17T13:27:00.001-05:00

I'd forgotten my username and password for this blog...so i finally gave in and reset everything. i promise i'll update more!

- When i type the date, i use periods between the numbers instead of slashes. it looks like 2.17.09 instead of 2/17/09. where did i pick up this annoying little quirk? am i a bold "outside the box" thinker? no...the "." key is just one key closer than the "/" and i'm lazy.

- I'm trying out TWITTER. Like i need ANOTHER online distraction! Follow me..i'll follow you...http://twitter.com/JeffHurley. If you're on twitter, does that mean you're Twittering? Twitting? Getting Twitty Wit' It? ok..i'll stop now.

- As we make the push into spring i'm trying my best to stay in shape. Been hitting the gym regularly and trying to eat well. I say "trying" to eat well...because there's 3 kinds of dessert PLUS a package of Double Stuf Oreos in my kitchen. it's going to be hard to resist temptation when there's that much good food in the house. I always figure i can eat desserts as long as i continue to hit the gym, but the sheer amount of junk food might win out this time.

- Spent about 45 minutes preparing for a meeting today...and then the meeting was cancelled. i feel like i spent all night studying for a quiz and the professor decided not to do it. grrr. at least i feel caught up on everything that's happening on the station.

- the first race of the NASCAR season was laaaaaammmee. i hate rain-outs. It's confusing this year because Tony Stewart now drives a red #14. I keep seeing the Orange #20 and thinking it's him. Gonna take a while to get used to the new colors and #'s. Yes. i like nascar.

- i was flat-out AMAZED that i got a tax rebate. I've come to expect the absolute worst from taxes. Every year there's some little loophole or rule change and i've ended up owing money. i finally got everything in order this year and booyah...a tax rebate. When i pay taxes, can i specifically tell them which potholes to fill? There should be a little box that i can check for that. I'd like the pothole at the end of my street fixed please...here's 38 dollars.

- Is CAR CRASH by Matt Nathanson the best song this year? I would vote "yes". Of course, we're only 6 weeks into 2009.

- Why would anyone even consider buying REGULAR Oreos when the DOUBLE STUF Oreos are sitting next to them? Regular aren't cheaper or any healthier...so just go for the gusto and get the double stuf! Buying regular Oreos is just saying "i hate myself and don't deserve good things".

- I got a nice new leather jacket at Christmas from my parents. It's in the style of a motorcycle jacket. I haven't ridden my bike in years...so i dont really count as a "motorcycle rider" anymore. One night i was in this dive bar and some reeeaaalllly drunk guy looked at my jacket and slurred "heeeyyy...what the f**k bike do youuuuu ride?". i had 2 choices...admit that i hadn't ridden my Japanese bike in years and incur his drunken wrath...or blatantly lie. Of COURSE i lied like my life depended on it (it might have). He and i became best of friends immediately and talked about bikes for a few minutes. whew. I know lying is a sin, but getting beaten by a drunk guy is more painful. I should get a free pass on that lie come judgement day.

- Kel and I went to Olive Garden for dinner the other night. Why do i not go there more often? It's nearby, tasty and their house Merlot is yummy. i know that "real" wine lovers don't use the term "yummy"....but i do. Picture some wine snob with a French accent saying "this 2001 Ecco Domani Merlot is YUMMY with a full body and rich color". haha.

- Friday night i'm sitting on my couch (probably watching history channel or hgtv) and my phone beeps. I look at the screen and there's a new text... John from Secondhand Serenade felt the need to remind me that he was in the Bahamas enjoying the warm weather. I angrily texted him back. i dont remember the exact words, but i think it was something like "hate...snow...blah blah....you suck....snow...." Remind me to punch him next time he's in town. haha. FYI, please keep requesting his new song "Your Call". i love it.

- My dad and i had a long talk this weekend. He's got a fairly big surgery coming up in the next few months and wanted to go over everything with me. It's hard for a young man to deal with the fact that your dad is growing older. He's the last "hero" that most of us hold onto. When we're little we aspire to be like dad and see him in a different light than the rest of the world. He's Spiderman and Superman all rolled into one. As we get older we see the cracks in his armor, and it's tough to come to grips with. We start to realize that he's just like us, with issues and problems that he deals with everyday. My dad is still the toughest man i've ever met and i'm glad he's dealing with his health quickly before it blossoms into something more serious. Love ya dad!

- 'Dats all i gots. Maybe more another day. email me...or twitter.

2008-11-20T10:36:00.001-05:00

2008-06-22T12:01:00.001-04:00

On Friday i finally gave in and had my three wisdom teeth removed. No, i don't have four..i had three because i'm special. get over it.

i dreaded it....because i hate going to the dentist. i suppose all those years with braces when i was young scarred me for life. i bitch and complain every 6 months when i have to go for my cleaning. i just don't enjoy it. sorry.

so i went in and hooked up the IV. made some witty small-talk with the nurses (seriously, WHO puts their dentist office next to a graveyard??? c'mon!). 20 minutes later, the teeth are out and i'm in la-la land.

My parents dragged my half-unconscious ass into the car and took me to Rite-Aid for my prescrition. I don't remember any of this, but i know i was there....because i have the receipts.

Slept for the next 4 hours...woke up... OW OW OW....took a vicodin...YAY! back to sleep... another 4 hours...OW OW OW...vicodin....zzzzzzz. this cycle repeated all day.

My parents spent the afternoon tidying up my flower beds and pulling weeds. Very nice of them. They got to enjoy a nice dinner, while i sucked down yogurt and gatorade. i took them to my favorite sub shop...which sucked because it smelled SOOOO good...and i couldn't eat anything. ugh.

On saturday...i popped a pill and we hopped into the truck to pick up some bark for the flower beds. I'm not allowed to lift or do anything strenuous...so i just bossed everyone around. :) i'm sure the neighbors were alarmed, since my parents were doing all the heavy lifting, and i just stood there.

While they pushed the bark around, i tore up the landscape lights and fixed all of them (no lifting involved). Installed the new timer and got them all back in place. So now i have nice looking landscaping AND working lights. the neighbors hate me, since my yard looks better now. hahahaha!

all this work in the yard kept me from notcing my teeth. when we sat down on the patio for a drink (more gatorade), i suddenly remembered that they hurt a little. ow. but not too bad...whew.

My parents headed out, and i finished working on the new "patio lounge". now i've got a cool little spot to chill out in my backyard. very relaxing. since i have wireless internet, i can also sit out there and be online. pretty sweet.

anyway...woke up today and only have a minor little pain. so i think the teeth are healing normally. hopefully i can eat something a little more substantial later today and tomorrow. i sipped my sunday morning coffee like normal.

here's the lessons i've learned:

1). wisdom teeth extraction sucks for a few hours, but you don't realize it since you're drugged up.

2). my yard looks better than my neighbors.

3). getting teeth extracted is a viable excuse to lounge around while other people do the heavy lifting.

2008-03-07T23:07:00.001-05:00

did u ever get to the end of the week and wonder "what the hell did i do"?

my brain hurts...my back is sore and my liver is quivering softly as it attempts to balance the influx of red bull and coffee. so i'm trying to remember how i got here....

this week i...

- went to the Village and introduced the Pink Spiders, then laughed my ass off with silly co-workers and friends. followed the party over to 915 where i enjoyed a wonderful Pale Ale before retiring to my casa and falling asleep.

- laundry. not all of it. just the jeans and some sheets. thank god i own a lot of socks.

- contemplated the musical wonders of Wu-Tang and The Spill Canvas in separate conversations.

- hit the gym and had an unusual discussion with a guy who thought i played baseball for Mansfield University. i was confused. even tho i 'm in pretty good shape..160 pound catchers don't get to play baseball at D2 colleges with respected baseball programs.

- scrounged for dinner because i was too lazy to shop for groceries on tuesday night . settled on leftover turkey and a powerbar

- made an appointment to get my taxes done. have been holding my breath ever since. i have no idea if i'm gonna get a rebate or owe thousands.

- attended the lavish VIP party at the Chameleon Club. Laughed my asssss off with Dennis and many others. (mostly with Dennis tho, because he was drunk). made some new friends and reconnected with a few from the past. kudos to holly and nick.

- kicked back at the after-party and watched the chaos while sipping a red bull. (seriously, that stuff tastes far too good.)

- pounded my head off the computer monitor because i couldn't get a batch of HTML to mesh into the Clear Channel template for our website.

- felt good to be a gangsta'

- went grocery shopping. then forgot to grab my lunch the next day and had to go back to the store at lunchtime and buy more food.

- took the first step towards my goal of "becoming a regular caller to Andrew Siciliano's show on Fox Sports Radio". Used my 45 seconds of airtime to verbally destroy some guy named Tony in LA and make the point that Brett Favre's career is more than titles and stats.

- got great numbers from cinci. did a lil' happy dance

- stopped for gas three times. 3.16 a gallon + 18 MPG + 72 miles of commuting every day = angry me

- bowled a nice solid 157 before completely forgetting how to bowl and throwing 2 of the worst games of the season.

- watched Rob throw 14 strikes in a row over the course of 2 games. he ended with a 266. wow. it was only funnier because T-Bone ALSO rolled a 266. this means we have to cut the trophy in half. it seems fate is not without a certain sense of irony (name the movie...c'mon! it's a quote).

- piled up my junk mail by the door, but elected to leave it sitting on the floor until saturday.

- f'ed up my whole schedule because a blizzard was crashing into Cinci and Rochester, so i needed to get my shows in supa-early. ended up throwing my headphones at least once because i couldn't seem to say "Chris Brown" clearly. got all the shows done. Then realized that it was nice outside in Lancaster. After talking about snow non-stop for hours, i was thinking that we had a blizzard too. viva la' voicetracking!

- remembered that i hadn't turned on the dryer on tuesday....ran down and did that before my pants and sheets got moldy.

- cracked up because Token has a bass guitar in his basement.

- discussed politics and the trade-off between taxation and services, and the effect of taxation on the buying habits of americans.

- discussed tattoos and my lack of ink

- cackled like a maniac while running around the office with 13 pair of Jonas Brothers tickets in my hand.

- played Kanye for some kid in rochester who bitched because i didn't play it before.

- fell in love with the color red. it's just a cool color.

- set up a couple of cool promotions for the station. launched a new web feature. wanted to scream because i couldn't figure out how to explain a simple concept. drank 3 of the pepsis in my office fridge. kept 2 days ahead on music logs. said "whatever" and added what i liked.

- blared "Rock Supastar" by Cypress Hill to drown out a co-workers loud phone conversation.

- woke up with a fat black cat staring at me from on top of my headboard.

- fed cat

- Watched Paddy get his skull cracked by an animated dinsoaur.

- Debated the merits of a 2 hour golf outing...errr...business meeting. Erred on the side of caution and didn't take a 2 hour golf meeting despite an overwhelming desire to do it.

- watched as 26 tickets and one camera came together in a moment of photographic glory.

- overslept at least once. and worked late twice.

- posted a poll on my website that allowed listeners to pick my hat.

- got home friday. blew off the gym and relaxed.

2008-02-11T17:23:00.000-05:00

I went up home this weekend to see Gram and the family. what a trip... on the way up, i got just north of Ralston, PA on Route 14. I came around the corner and was greeted by flashing lights and stopped traffic. there was an accident and Rt14 was closed. This isn't some supa-highway...this is a two lane, glorified cow path with a yellow line down the middle. There's no other way to go up, unless i feel like taking the "scenic" route through Bodines and the mountains... so i elected to wait it out. So i sat there for about 45 minutes, and the girl in the next car walks back to me and says "do you have any cell phone coverage here?". Of course i dont. there's barely a radio station out there, let alone a cell phone tower. Turns out that she had a flat tire. So we pulled her car over and spent the next 45 minutes trying to get her tire off (damned rust). finally got the tire changed and sent her on her way. whew. got to the hospital an hour and a half late tho.

Weekend was fine. Spent lots of time with gram, which is always wonderful.

On Sunday i headed back a little early to avoid some of the bad weather. Got all the way down 322 and was about to cross the river, when i saw the sign... 322 EAST CLOSED AT DAUPHIN, PLEASE USE ROUTE 15 SOUTH. crap...ok. it'll take an extra 15 min to go down the other side of the river, but thats not too bad. So i headed South on 15...until i ran into the 10 MILE LONG line of traffic that was completely stopped. I guess there was also an accident on 15, and THAT was closed too. so me (and every other person) was sitting there NOT MOVING for almost 2 hours on 15 south. ugh.

I was not meant to have a good weekend of driving...

2007-12-21T23:16:00.001-05:00

Here's the BEFORE pics of my burning bushes.

and here's AFTER the ice storm.

2007-12-21T22:56:00.000-05:00

My birthday was last month, so i finally uploaded the pics this week. Shut up. i'm lazy. get over it.

Behold the beer fridge. THis fine 1950's model is older than anyone at the party...and can hold more beer than most of us.

The humble beginnings of an incredible beer-a-mid. Take note. this will come into play again later.

Steak fires up the grill....literally.

Krista and Aaron toast to my birthday.

and we're back to the beer-a-mid...James THINKS that he can stack the cans correctly.

Beer Pong action shot. Check out the ball about to hit the cup!

Sam and Mike get ready for their turn.

"That's what she said" was the running joke for the entire evening. After about an hour, we decided it would be easier to just make a sign instead of saying it.

Yep...that's what SHE said.

The nearly completed beer-a-mid. Only 6 more to go.

Sketch finishes one more, so we can complete the beer-a-mid.

The room falls silent as James prepares to place the final can at the top of the beer-a-mid.

And in a moment that shocks absolutely NO ONE....James knocks over the beer-a-mid.

2007-11-05T16:26:00.000-05:00

The space over my fireplace was SCREAMING for something. A wreath? eh...no. A painting? NO. Instead, i made 15 wooden squares, covered them in colored fabric and attached the whole thing to particle board. Then i screwed the entire thing to the wall.

After four hours of stapling, cutting and nailing...

Bada Bing. Classy and artistic.

best of all? they're velcro'ed in place, so i can move the squares around. That should appeal to the A.D.D. side of me!

FYI: this thing is 5 feet by 3 feet and weighs about 65 pounds. Somehow i managed to hang it by myself.

2007-11-05T16:18:00.000-05:00

The phone rang on friday evening. The "1980s" called to say they'd like their ceiling fan back. I agreed that it was time for a change. The "fake gold and wood" just didn't fit anymore.

But since i didn't have 70 bucks for a NEW ceiling fan, i decided to take down my old one...clean and repaint it...add new lights...and hang it back up.

BEFORE...

Still BEFORE... and yes, i'd already started taking the lights off before i took this pic. ugh. they're shaped like ugly flowers. who ever thought this thing looked good?

New paint, new lights... viola! A nice, modren-ish light. And it only cost $18 bucks for paint and the light globes.

why yes, those ARE compact flourescent lights! I've gone green!

2007-10-24T17:04:00.000-04:00

Headed to Bangor for a birthday party (bangor? i barely know her! haha. oh that joke never gets old).

We ended up having a huge fight with little plastic balls. Obviously, we're all mature individuals.

Here's a picture of Sketch, taking a picture of me.

James enjoys drinking with a monkey

The monkey got a little out of control and put something on his head. gotta cut off the monkey, he's outta control. Sam is amused

I really, really, really sucked at poker

Jess kepy winning all of our poker hands. She didnt really know it, but she'd be like "oh, are these four aces good??" grrr

Sam complained that she never won, but she had more chips than me!

2007-10-24T16:50:00.000-04:00

Headed to YORK a few weekends ago for a wedding.

Tom and Gina. i don't think Tom owns a tie. we've been to a bunch of weddings, and he just won't wear one. haha

Here's the whole crew just before the ceremony

and AFTER the ceremony. god bless them, the whole ceremony lasted about 3 minutes. it was lovely, sweet and fast. love it.

sketch samples the fine lager. it was a good vintage, with full rich taste.

cutting the cake. and then they smashed it into each other's faces. ahhh. love.

todd and i

and the whole gang

todd goes for the garter!

2007-08-23T14:48:00.000-04:00

AJ and BRIAN from Backstreet Boys came into the FM97 studios for a visit last night.

AJ on the mic

Brian laughs at something..

Heres the whole FM97 crew with BSB

My new myspace profile pic with AJ

Brian decided that we needed a myspace pic too, so he grabbed the camera and took this one. I'm sooo classy

2007-08-17T17:38:00.000-04:00

The Keggers hit the field last night for some revelry, and even a little softball.

Bob hauer takes a mighty swing.

Wilber tosses blades of grass to see which way the wind is blowing. At least that's what i THINK he's doing...i have no idea.

Fagan gets ready for his turn at the plate.

Still, the best selling jersey in Keggers history.

Bob took a pic of my cleats. I have no idea why. Sadly, i bought these in 1993. Yep. they're 14 years old!

Chris Garrett's ANGRY face.

I get ready to take a swing as Hoff catches.

Going for the score! Run!

Bob is clinically insane. Put down the bat bob....slowly.

2007-08-13T15:35:00.000-04:00

After years of dating, Sketch and Coley decided to FINALLY get married this weekend. So we ventured into the woods (seriously, the ceremony was in the woods) and watched them exchange their vows

Wow...he IS a romantic man. someone tell him that it's a bouquet, not a salad

baby Elizabeth partied into the night with us. note: until someone else has a kid, she will ALWAYS be called "baby" elizabeth.

MMMMM...sirloin.

They closed the bar during dinner. Since we weren't distracted by drinks, we decided to start calling the best man's cell phone (which was turned off ) and leaving him messages. I'm sure Christa is questioning his manhood or something equally innappropriate.

El and baby Elizabeth!

Heres the cake BEFORE the smashing took place.

here's a collection of winners! Tom, Me, James (the best man who has NO idea about the messages on his phone) and Bridge.

Here's the ENTIRE college crew. Jess, Bridge, Sam, Me, Christa, Coley, Walker, Sketch, Tom and James.

It's time to pass on the "ball and chain" to a new member of the group. I've had this for about 4 years, so it's time for Sketch to own it.

james clamps on the ball and chain....

Fear the beer god! (i have no idea what Bridge was doing, but i was laughing)

Yes, we ARE this white! haha. whoops. i guess the flash was set to "stun".

2007-08-08T23:35:00.000-04:00

My cousin (er...something like that. it's a big family) got married last weekend. We headed south to Maryland for the ceremony

Mom, Gram and Dad waiting for the ceremony to begin.

OK, ALL of these people are either Leningtons or married to Leningtons. Yep..it's a big family.

Daniel sweeps her off her feet!

Such a lovely cake... and it was about ready to melt from the heat!

THERE WE GO! Cake smashing!

Dad, Gram and I in front of the water-wheel at the reception.

2007-08-05T22:06:00.000-04:00

It was a weekend together at Sketch's house, as he prepares to plunge into holy matrimony this weekend.

Sketch and james assemble the boards for Quoits. (is that how you spell it? eh...who
cares...that's how i'm spelling it from now on)

Taz hams it up for the camera. He's a photogenic boxer.

Sketch prepares the feast of a thousand meats. We had steaks, clams, chicken wings, pretzels (not a meat...but a worthy companion to meat) and a lot more. ugh, i was stuffed! He may not fit into his tux next weekend after that meal!

Sketch kicks back and ponders the last saturday of his bachelor life.

Excellent product placement from James.

Finally it was time to throw some Quoits.

Yeah boys...thats a ringer. gimme my three points! woo!

2007-07-31T14:21:00.000-04:00

FRIDAY NIGHT i headed north to broadcast from the WORKS. Woo woo! Love this place. I've been there two weeks in a row. This time i was promoting "Jimmies Chicken Shack" who were playing live.

Yup yup...thats where i was.

i am FAR too happy to be talking on the mic. wow. what the hell kind of smile is that? it's like Jim Carrey.

So Jimmy, tell me about this "chicken shack" that i've heard so much about...

Don't make fun of me JIMMY! I'm not one to be trifled with! (damn...i look mad). Not sure why...this was fun! haha

2007-07-27T17:18:00.000-04:00

Sometimes i forget that people actually "listen" to what i'm doing on the radio. I know, it sounds crazy...but when i'm yapping on the mic or making a commerical, i forget that thousands upon thousands of people actually hear these things.

last night Aaron, D Murph and I decided to stop in at Molly's (on chestnut street in lovely downtown lancaster) for a beer. The bartender wasn't aware that I worked at FM97.

Molly's has a commercial that plays on our station, and he started impersonating the commercial. If you've heard it...you know there's a "drunken idiot" in the commercial who's using cheap pick-up lines. So the bartender starts doing the impression of that.

Of course...I'M THE VOICE OF THE "DRUNKEN IDIOT" IN THE COMMERCIAL! hahahaha

It's the first time i've ever heard someone do an impression of me, doing an impression of a wierd, drunk guy! haha.

Easily, a top-ten moment of the year for me. loved it.

2007-07-17T16:23:00.000-04:00

Woke up early this morning (6:45! ugh) for an appearance at the Fractured Prune in E-Town. Thank GOD i was appearing at a donut/coffee shop. If i had to appear at a car dealership at 8am, it would be ugly for everyone.

Needless to say, we're giving away an iPhone. In case you forget, here's a handy sign to remind you.

Here is the ACTUAL iPhone. Yes, i've touched an iPhone. It was something of a religous experience...i may not wash my hands again. I suggested that we hire security guards to escort the iPhone to different locations...but apparenlty that idea was shot down. Instead, i stood next to the table for 2 hours and gave everyone the "don't touch the iPhone" glare.

2007-07-16T15:20:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning we strapped on the backpacks, laced up the boots and headed for the Appalachain Trail in Wind Gap, PA.

Here i am, just hanging out before the hike. Apparently the sign CAN safely hold 165 pounds.

Sketch, Me, Christa, James, Walker and baby Elizabeth get ready to hit the trail for 9 miles of fun.

Yes, i said BABY Elizabeth. She's a year old, but she's already a hiking veteran!

So, why do we carry heavy packs over rock-filled terrain in hot weather? For views like this one on Wolf's Rocks. wow. you could see 10 or 15 miles from up here...if not more. just amazing.

Christa whispers in my ear "aren't you deathly afraid of heights?"

Sketch strikes a pose on the rocks. yes, we rock!

A turkey vulture joined us on the rocks. he was also impressed with the view.

After a bunch of crying and whining, we decided to stop for a lunch break. No...Elizabeth wasnt crying, it was the rest of us!

Here's our second sighting of actual woodlands creatures. See the brown spot out there? thats a deer.

4 hours of climbing over rocks like this was pretty tiring. Apparently Pensylvania is made entirely of small, sharp rocks.

Wooooo..9 miles and 4 hours later we emerged into Wind Gap for some well-deserved rest, followed by chicken wings and beer!

2007-07-11T15:12:00.000-04:00

You think i should UPDATE this once in a while? yeah..i've been slacking. ever since i took over as Webmaster at the station i've been living on THAT website. so it's getting the bulk of my time. You can see the fruits of my labor at www.fm97.com.

Cheers!

2007-07-01T20:14:00.000-04:00

Headed to Allentown this weekend to celebrate Jess's birthday party. This was the first time i'd seen her new place. Yes, she has a SLIDE on her deck. simply put...this is the greatest deck ever.

We all kick back and enjoy the sunshine.

Sketch takes a break from the sunshine and enjoys a beer

Her next door neighbor has an enormous train set in the backyard! I waited all day for him to walk out and fire it up. sadly, he never did. :(

Tonight's festivities brought to you by Yuengling Lager.

james fired up the grill (literally at one point, when it seemed to catch on fire!)

We took about 3 hours to get the pong table set up in the carport.

Mo' pong in the carport

Jen lays the smackdown on James.

Sketch and sam take their turns at pong.

An action shot!

james makes contribution to the pile for recycling. Why did we put it in the tree house? I don't know.

I risked life and limb to take more recyclables up to the tree house.

James shows off his pong form

You know...that spill DOES look like a little dinosaur!

Jen and Jess share the love.

Me, being cheesy

Relaxing after a long night!

What? it's just a two foot cock. nothing unusual here.

2007-06-29T20:34:00.000-04:00

Tom from the band PLAIN WHITE T's stopped by the FM97 studios today to meet some lucky listeners.

Here he performs "Hey There Delilah".

Is it strange that he wore a plain white t-shirt...and the band's NAME is Plain White T's? I asked him when i interviewed him later...he said it was a coincidence.

He stops to sign the "wall of fame" outside the FM97 studio.

Close up of his artwork on the wall.

Signing more autographs for winners

Here's the traditional "picture with the FM97 staff" photo that we do with every artist!

2007-06-27T16:39:00.000-04:00

The band SKILLET stopped by the FM97 studios this morning for breakfast and an acoustic performance. It was very cool of them to come two hours out of their way to meet us today. We're one of the first stations to play their new song "the older i get"...so they wanted to stop by and say THANKS.

I wasn't kidding about having breakfast with the band! here's what it looks like when you get 20 SMILEY breakfasts from Eat-N-Park.

The band performs in our "intimate concert venue"...also known as the "conference room".

Then it was time to sign oodles of autographs for fans!

Finally, we rounded up the troops for the "group photo". oooh, we're sexy.

Left to right...

Aaron Price, Ben, Dennis Mitchell, Korey, John, Me, Lori and Damian Rhodes.

2007-06-27T16:30:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, we headed to the palatial mansion of WHP's Bob Hauer for some burgers and volleyball.

Does the lovely ellie have another party to attend? her cell phone is BLOWING UP with text messages. I swear...she gets more texts in a day than i do in a month. could it be my lack of friends? perhaps..

Here i am showing off my legendary volleyball skills. This was actually OBSTACLE Volleyball. We were playing barefoot, and then realized that there was dog poop in the yard. Mike Miller is still washing his feet!

More action from the volleyball court!

2007-06-22T15:00:00.000-04:00

It's another exciting season of Keggers softball! We'll sell you the entire seat...but you'll only need the EDGE! There's nothing more exciting than watching us spot a team a 27 run lead...only to STORM back in the bottom of the 7th with a furious rally. and yet we still lose by 16.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.... this is YOUR 2007 Keggers Team!

Wilber, Laura and the rest of the crew listen to inspirational words from our spiritual leader...#21 Michael Parks. He's no doubt discussing the possibility of finishing the game quickly so we can get to happy hour before the "2 dollar imports special" is over.

Parks and me. if you add our numbers together...it equals 120.

Here's the first "obvious product placement picture" of the season. Laura spent the entire off season watching Nascar drivers take sips from their drinks while on camera, and she's perfected it.

T-Bone warms up with TWO bats...in honor of the TWO pieces that his lower leg was broken into during a horrific incident involving a scooter, a cow and some schoolgirls.

T-Bone and I give everyone a quick GUN SHOW...and then immediately head the Charlie Brown's to drown our sorrows after a 16 run loss.

2007-06-12T14:44:00.000-04:00

Sunday i grabbed the rake and shovel and went to work on the tangled mass of weeds in my flower bed. I haven't touched that bed since we moved in a year ago, and it showed! Wow. I ended up pulling an entire forest of weeds out of here. I worked on the soil...set the landscape timbers back in place and added a few bags of autumn red mulch. whew. I'm sure the neighbors who live next to this flower bed appreciate the work, since they dont have to look at pile of weeds anymore when they walk outside! haha.

2007-06-12T13:30:00.000-04:00

This weekend i was broadcasting at the Hamilton Arms in Lancaster. I got to meet the largest bunny rabbit i've ever seen, and he was dressed up. You can't make this stuff up..it's too good!

2007-06-11T15:19:00.000-04:00

Saturday night was DENNISPALOOZA! It's Dennis' birthday, so he throws a huge party out back at his house. This year's theme was "white trash". So i grabbed my cowboy hat and tank-top and headed out!

Ellie said "i thought you were supposed to dress differently than normal". Har har har. I don't wear cowboy hats at home dear....

Regina, me and Lauren give everyone tickets to the gun show.

Lauren basks in the glow of the tremendous bonfire.

2007-06-07T15:28:00.000-04:00

I love there silly iPod surveys on myspace...

1. Put Your iPod, mp3 player etc on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Let's Go All The Way - React

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Judith (Danny Lohner Remix) - A Perfect Circle

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Dirt - Alice In Chains

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Lethal Industry - DJ Tiesto

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Shake Ya Shimmy - Porn Kings

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Rosetta Stoned - Tool

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Whole Again - Atomic Kitten

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Summer Love - Jutin Timberlake

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Click Click Boom - Saliva

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
Hey Ladies - Beastie Boys

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BESTIE?
Fuck the Millenium - Scooter

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Nutshell - Alice In Chains

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Jook Gal - Elephant Man

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Goodbye Blue Sky - Pink Floyd

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Leave Out All The Rest - Linkin Park

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Tell Me Where You Are - Ago

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Float On - Modest Mouse

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Feel Good Inc - Gorillaz

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Blow ya Mind - Lock N' Load

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Take me Out - Franz Ferdinand

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Here's to the Night - Eve 6

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Just Because - Jane's Addiction

2007-05-29T18:35:00.001-04:00

I'm driving a new (ummm..NEWER) car now. I've parked the Wrangler for a few months and i"m zipping down the highway in a Grand Cherokee. It's got a FEW more bells and whistles than my Wrangler (power windows...ABS...a roof...etc..)

The new Jeep also has a trip computer, which shows ACTUAL gas mileage as you're driving. If i'm cruising on the highway, it's around 25mpg. When i step on it...it drops down to about 8 MPG.

This poses an interesting problem. Now i can actually WATCH the gas leave my tank when i drive fast. If i'm stuck behind someone and want to pass, i ask myself "is it worth the 55 extra cents of gas to pass this idiot?"

2007-05-29T15:56:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day weekend means FAMILY REUNION. Here's the backstory..

My grandmother (pictured below) is one of 10 kids. All of them had oodles of kids, and grandkids, etc.. so every year the entire clan descends upon a pavilion in upstate NY for fun and food.

here's our little part of the group. Dad, Christine and Roger, Mom, Ellie me and Gram (turns 103 this year, just in case you care!)

Ellie at the overlook, taking in the sights. If you look very closely, you can see the hill where my parents house is. It's that one with all the trees on it.

El and I at the picnic.

Back at the house...we were assigned the job of "picking flowers for a bouquet". Nice work.

2007-05-25T16:17:00.001-04:00

I slaved over this hot prize wheel ALL AFTERNOON! Ok, it's not the hardest job. But i DID line up all the Pepsi logos so they'd look nice when people came to see us.

2007-05-23T16:37:00.001-04:00

Last night i was topping off the tank on the Jetta at the Sheetz on Oregon Pike. The guy next to me asked about my car, and we started talking about Jettas. This is the SECOND time i've gotten in random conversations with strangers at that Sheetz, and both times we were talking about my car.

Note to self: If i'm looking to make friends with people who drive Jettas, go to the Sheetz on Oregon Pike.

2007-05-16T16:38:00.000-04:00

Tim (ellie's brother) came to town to visit this weekend, so we did ALL the tourist things! Strasburg, hershey, Washington DC...

Tim and I are standing dangerously close to the White House. If you look closely, you can see the sniper patrolling the roof. (seriously, we saw him up there...mildly alarming)

At the Wall. I have this exact same photo from when i was about 15 years old. I need to dig it out and compare the two.

El and I pose in front of the Washington Monument and Capitol Building.

Inside the WWII memorial. Did i mention that it was scalding hot all day long? whew.

Tim and I walking along the mall.

Here's Tim, Ellie and Abby in front of the Sidewinder at Hersheypark. We didn't get on this one, but Tim did experience the Lightning Racer and the Great Bear. oodles of fun

Tim and El at the house.

just in case you forgot..i'm a pirate...arrrgggh.

2007-05-10T18:14:00.000-04:00

Sign # 134 that i'm now a HOME-OWNER:

I see that it's pouring rain outside, and im actually happy, because i know that my grass seed needs it. All the sunbathers may now curse my name

2007-05-09T13:59:00.000-04:00

Here's a bit of Hurley original artwork. I've titled it "the board". feel free to repost and discuss the greatness of my photographic/photoshop skills.

2007-05-09T12:44:00.000-04:00

We don't really celebrate CINCO DE MAYO. nooooo... we waited a day and celebrated CINCO DE SUNDAY! (or SEIS DE MAYO...whatever you want to call it). It's so much better! There's no lines! No crowds!

Ole!'

Matt ponders the idea of parting on the 6th of May, instead of the 5th.

Jilly sports the sombrero and a strawberry margarita.

Here's the whole crew at the West Shore Hardware Bar. Matt, Jilly, Me and Jennnn

2007-05-08T17:22:00.000-04:00

I've got this entire list posted on my myspace page at www.myspace.com/hurleyonkiss. It's been especially helpful this week

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you". -- Woody Hayes

"If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience." -- Robert Fulghum

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." -- M. Kathleen Casey

"If you're going through hell, keep going." -- Winston Churchill

"We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way." -- Author unknown

"A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn." -- Author unknown

"The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief." -- William Shakespeare, Othello

"The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work." -- Harry Golden

"I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders." -- Jewish proverb

"You have come into a hard world. I know of only one easy place in it, and that is the grave." -- Henry Ward Beecher

"Turn your wounds into wisdom." -- Oprah Winfrey

"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." -- Frank A. Clark

"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." -- Walt Disney

"If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it." -- Mary Engelbreit

"The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem." -- Theodore Rubin

"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors." -- African proverb

"There is no education like adversity." -- Disraeli

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry, it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry, it'll change." -- John A. Simone Sr.

"The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back." -- Author unknown

"If you know someone who tries to drown their sorrows, you might tell them sorrows know how to swim." -- Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown Jr.

"Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don't have any problems, you don't get any seeds." -- Norman Vincent Peale

"Much of your pain is self-chosen." -- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, 1923

"A problem is a chance for you to do your best." -- Duke Ellington

"Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive." -- Josephine Hart

"Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater." -- William Hazlitt

"The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism." -- Norman Vincent Peale

"Better bread with water than cake with trouble." -- Russian proverb

"When suffering comes, we yearn for some sign from God, forgetting we have just had one." -- Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

"Problems are the price you pay for progress." -- Branch Rickey

"When you're feeling your worst, that's when you get to know yourself the best." -- Leslie Grossman

"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." -- Bill Gates, Business @ the Speed of Thought

2007-05-08T14:04:00.000-04:00

The inner geek in me came out on Sunday as i dragged Ellie to the PA Railroad Museum in Strasburg. It was "less boring than she expected", so that's a good thing. Here's a batch of pics...i'm not gonna describe each one, because:

if you're not into trains, you won't care..

and if you ARE into them, you'll already know what they are.

Here's me, posing inside the cab of an engine.

2007-05-07T15:44:00.000-04:00

It's springtime, that means our bushes have sprung to life after a long (not so cold) winter. There's no doubt, we have the best shrubs in our neighborhood.

2007-05-03T19:08:00.000-04:00

2007-04-30T15:36:00.000-04:00

House party this weekend! We figured the weather was so nice, we'd bust out the horseshoes and grill and have a get together.

Truly, living the "High Life". and yes..i DID take the time to make sure the labels were all facing the front. it's ALL about presentation!

I'm not sure how YOU use the hooks on the front of your Jeep. But this is how i roll.

Julie and El playin' horseshoes. Julie didn't tell us that she was actually a master of this game.

Julie poses with one of her THREE ringers. is it possible to be a Ringer at horseshoes? she really is.

Nothing says "party" like a SHEETZ t-shirt. (due to this ringing endorsement, i expect free MTO food!)

It's our house, and our party...and yes, we are very pretty! haha. Ok, she is...me, not so much.

This is destined to be Rob's myspace photo for the rest of the year.

i'm running for cover after someone threw a horseshoe at me.

Once it got darker, we moved the party inside for some Pong. Lauren in action here.

Matt and I watching the ball float around in the cup.

Jen decided to start doing chair shots like they do at the Hardware Bar. Jilly is the "lucky" recipient.

Yeah...i don't know. Matt doesn't know either....it's Jen, we're just rolling with it. haha

2007-04-23T15:28:00.000-04:00

Another weekend, another wedding. Wait..that was the theme for TWO summers ago. Only a few weddings to attend this year. We packed the bags and headed to Pittsburgh this weekend for Devon and Craig's wedding.

I'm about as comfortable in a shirt and tie as a politician attached to a lie-detector. Ugh.

After the ceremony, we got a tour of the neighborhood from a friend. Who's fabulous mansion is THIS? None other than Penguins owner MARIO LEMIEUX! We knocked at the door, but no answer. I'm sure he's still recovering from that stinging first-round exit. dammit penguins.

Ellie and Devon at the reception

Afterwards, we headed back to our friends' house to relax. Jay went out and purchased a new firepit, and we HAD to try it out!

Mmmmm...smores.

You have to use a different roasting strategy when you're toasting marshmallows on one of these round fire pits.

2007-04-23T15:21:00.000-04:00

It was blazin' hot yesterday! Whew. We spent most of the late afternoon working in the yard. Mowing...digging...trimming...weeding. It was enough to work up a sweat! Luckily, the tree that overhangs our patio area is blossoming right now. It's gorgeous!

2007-04-19T16:39:00.000-04:00

The tragedy at Virginia Tech has touched everyone. My good friend Lauren is an alumni. She asked me to pass this message along:

Virginia Tech alumni are leading an effort to declare Friday, April 20 "Hokie Hope - Orange and Maroon Effect" day to honor those killed in the tragic shootings at the campus on Monday. Everyone is encouraged to show their support for the victims, their families and the Tech community by wearing orange and maroon. "Orange and Maroon Effect" was born several years ago as an invitation to Tech fans to wear orange and maroon to Virginia Tech athletic events. PLEASE JOIN US in this national effort to support Virginia Tech's students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends! Be a part of the Virginia Tech family this Friday, wear orange and maroon to support the families of those who were lost, and to support the school and community

2007-04-18T18:57:00.000-04:00

A tremendous WEDNESDAY to you! I'm excited, because i got my 2nd email on the Jim Rome show this week. I need all the Jungle Karma i can get right now! (if you don't know what any of this means...go to wikipedia and search "Jim Rome Show")

At work, we compete to see who can get on the show. Every time you get an email read on the air, we paste a little picture of Jim Rome on our desks. I have two so far.

Rack 'em!

2007-04-17T13:44:00.000-04:00

I feel so ....CLEAN today! Had a dentist's appt this morning to get a couple of fillings put in. Afterwards, they had time so they took care of my cleaning too. I keep running my tounge along my teeth now. I don't even wanna eat anything, for fear of messing up my shiny, pretty smile. That'll last until i get hungry, which is starting to happen..umm..now.

2007-04-16T13:36:00.000-04:00

I ventured into the craziness of 2nd Street on Saturday night to meet up with friends and celebrate Christine Ricci's birthday. Thanks to the wonders of camera phones, i can prove that i WAS there. This high quality image was taken moments after i walked into McGrath's.

2007-04-13T14:01:00.000-04:00

"State Police are the leading cause of traffic congestion."

There, i said it. No disrespect to the boys in blue...but it's true.

I'm driving to work today on 283. Like normal, i'm zipping along with the flow of traffic at about 73 MPH. nothing crazy. No one's passing or going nuts. It's just a normal pack of cars zooming towards our common goal of "lancaster."

Suddenly a trooper comes down the exit ramp in front of us and starts driving along. He's just going somewhere, not pulling anyone over. But it doesn't matter.

The jackhole in the SUV in front of me slams the brakes like he's about to hit a busload of nuns and orphans...and then the guy next to me freaks out. The cruise control is off...the brakes are applied.

NOW we're all stuck doing 60...yes SIXTY in the left lane. THE COP IS ALREADY HALF A MILE IN FRONT OF US AND PULLING AWAY. HIS LIGHTS AREN'T EVEN ON! He doesn't even know we exist! We're so far behind him, i can barey see his car in the distance.

It's no use at this point. The drivers around me are spooked and start driving like it's Drivers Ed class and they're being graded. I'm sure they've got their hands on 10 and 2 on the wheel and are checking their mirrors every few seconds. This whole pack of spooked drivers proceeds to drive at a leisurely pace for the next few miles. I try to pass, but there's no opening.

So with idiots surrounding me, i proceed to pound my head softly off the steering wheel.

I need a helicopter for my commute, i swear.

2007-04-10T12:27:00.001-04:00

It was nice driving into work this morning. the sun was peeking through the trees, the birds were chirping, the steam rising softly above the cooling towers of Three Mile Island. ahhhh...it's finally spring

Speaking of spring...i had the first "painful scalding hot coffee spill" of Spring. Yeah...that's a refreshing feeling. nothing like peeling back the top layer of skin on my hand with hot coffee. unfortunately, I'M the one who made it...so i can't sue anyone for negligence.

2007-04-09T14:46:00.000-04:00

What a strange weekend. First off, at noon on Saturday, my internet went down at home. It's STILL not back up. Attention Comcast...i will not be paying for the last two days. Let's get the gerbils running on their wheels!

Secondly...i FINALLY caught up and watched "Talledega Nights". Mildly disappointing. It was closer to the "Ladies Man" than "Anchorman". I'm convinced that Will Ferrell movies are only as good as the catchphrases that come out of them. If drunken frat boys aren't droppin' quotes from the movie on a regular basis, then it's not a good Will Ferrell movie.

I've discovered one of the downsides to my morning commute to Lancaster. If you drive on Rt 283, you're surrounded by miles and miles of rolling fields. Unfrotunately, this is the time of year when they fertilize those fields to prepare them for the summer. So now, my morning commute smells like cow.

Yes, i grew up in the sticks..and i'm used to it. But it's not nearly as nice as the smell of freshly brewed coffee that usually fills my car during the ride.

2007-04-02T15:16:00.000-04:00

Sunday was NASCAR day. James and I \decided to kick back, fire up the grill and watch the race. Since i spent all day Saturday cleaning the grill, i had to kick off the 2007 grilling season with a fine Delmonico steak.

MMMM...served with a side of cous cous and Sam Adams.

Then after the race we broke out the Pong table for the inagural pong game of 2007. Yes.,,we really did welcome the nice weather in style!!

2007-04-02T14:10:00.000-04:00

Friday night we headed downtown to the Hardware Bar for Carrie's Birthday! Woohooo! ASKING ANDY provided the musical entertainment for the evening. We were even graced with a special appearance by the world-famous Rob Wilber.

A bucket? this can't end well.... I think i'll drink something else. These things are nothing but trouble. but what should i drink? hmmm

DING! I'll have a beer! What a great idea!

Carrie and i partying like rockstars!

Me, Carrie, Jilly, that guy, that girl. They were friends of the group..i just don't remember names that well..

2007-03-30T14:17:00.000-04:00

Hit the gym again last night, as i try to get back into the flow. Amazing how a little cold can completely mess up your routine for two weeks. ugh. Was really glad to get back in there again last night, and this time i didn't almost die. not dying is always a plus.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other news..i did my taxes this week: here's my open letter to Lower Paxton Township

My dear Lower Paxton township,

I'm writing this letter to you in regards to my upcoming local taxes. I was unaware that you charged TWO percent, instead of ONE percent like your neighbor Susqhuehanna Twp. Thanks to that difference, i must now write out a rather large check to you in the form of local taxes.

While this small oversight is in NO way your fault, i did want to ask a simple question...If you're going to charge TWO percent, can you you at least remove the snow from my street sooner than 48 hours after a snowstorm? I know it's a little pushy, but bounding through enormous drifts as i attempt to make my way to work is an inconvenience on my part. I hope we can come to some sort of agreement on this.

Thanks for taking the time to pick up my recycling and trash, doing a great job there...except for that one time...but we'll let that slide.

Also, please update your maps....i don't want to see another police car come careening down my street, only to discover that it's now a dead-end. Look out for the cops, please. they're working hard, and crashing into the barrier at the end of my street isn't gonna make their jobs any easier.

Thanks again...please don't spend ALL my money in one place. Unless it's the god-awful potholes on my street. Then it's cool if you spend it all

Cheers!

2007-03-27T22:40:00.000-04:00

It's been 10 days since i came down with this cold. ALMOST over it now...but the lingering cough is, umm...lingering. Still, i figured it was time to head back to the gym tonight. Well...THAT was a treat.

I stretched a little bit, then headed over to the bench press. Tossed a 45 pound plate on each side (like normal) and went to work....

AND I DAMN NEAR KILLED MYSELF! AHHHH

it felt like i had 300 pounds on the bar. i thought it was gonna land on my head! haha. So i put the bar back up...sheepishly pulled the 45 pound plates off and put on 35....and resumed lifting.

ugh...just another reason to hate being sick.

2007-03-26T15:54:00.000-04:00

i haven't updated y blog in about 2 weeks. why?

1). i'm lazy
2). i've been sick and can't ditch this stupid cold
3). things have been up.

so anyway...here's a picture of the FM97 studio. ooooh...ahhhh.. pretty colors...

cool stuff coming soon i hope. :)

2007-03-11T14:14:00.000-04:00

It's the weekend before St patrick's day. That means it's time to bust out my green and head north to Scranton for Parade Day 2007. It's kinda like Mardi Gras meets St. Patricks Day meets a nascar infield party. Needless to say, it's worth traveling back for. haha. Headed up to Opie's place and hit the town!

All "greened" up and ready to head out at 11am. Yeah, they start early. The party actually starts at 6am, but i've got NO desire to see the inside of a bar at 6am. I'm older and mature now..i wait til lunchtime before grabbing a beer.

Ok, i wait til 11:40am to have a beer. C'mon! It's parade day! I'm allowed to start a little early.

Here's the inside of Mert's at 11:40am. Yep. It's PACKED. The bar next door had a line that wrapped around the block. It's really a crazy party.

After a couple of hours here...someone fell through the window. Yeah...and yet it didn't seem to alarm anyone. I guess things like this just happen on parade Day. Rumor has it that one of our friends slipped and fell into the window, causing it to break. I can't confirm this...but it seems likely. haha.

Headed over to Flashbacks at about 1:30. A tad crowded here too! We spent about 2 hours here...and i spent 30 minutes of that time waiting in line for the men's room. If i'm paying 10 bucks in cover charge, there should be more bathrooms! haha. (FYI...HALF the money i spent on saturday went directly to cover charges.)

Headed next door for pizza at about 3-ish. Opie, Lenny and Gibbie stole the last few pieces of pizza while i waited 20 minutes in line for the men's room. Yes...a 20 minute line for the bathroom in a PIZZA PLACE! I'm gonna bring in 100 porta-potties next year and charge people 2 dollars to use them. I'll make a freakin' fortune.

Headed over to NJ's for a few minutes after lunch. Lindsay and Lenny are trying to ignore the crazy people behind them who kept building a pyramid of empty beer cans, and then knocking it over by mistake. Also...there needs to be a rule about whistles at bars. Whoever decided to give a bunch of drunk guys little plastic whistles should be shot. There were at least 4 or 5 of these guys at every club...and they'd blow their whistles for ANYTHING. mucho annoying.

Here's the whole crew at NJ's doing a quick toast! Notice that none of us are stupid drunk? that's because of the turtles on my beads. They were our reminder to "drink slowly...the day is long". Anytime someone started to drink too fast, we'd show them the turtles. It seemed to work well, and made us laugh.

Tink's was our final stop of the afternoon (yes..it's still afternoon...this is the inside of the club at 445pm). Did i mention that it was crazy? Every single room at Tink's was packed. Even the back stairwell was full.

After this, we suddenly realized the following things:

1). we were really hungry
2). our legs were really tired
3). we were sick of waiting in line for the men's room.
4). people around us were getting a little too crazy and drunk...and that never ends well. haha.

besides, we're the old guys now. so we headed to McDonald's for a bite, then back to the house to kick back, nap and watch some basketball.

can't wait for parade day 2008! only 364 days to go!

2007-03-07T18:59:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, we headed out to the Exxon on Oregom Pike to give away thousands of dollars in free gas. Needless to say, lots of people showed up. Here's the photographic proof.

Chatting with listeners as they wait in line for their fill-up.

On the air with a young FM97 fan.

Awww....she's so happy to talk on the air.

2007-02-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

This weekend, our friends Jason and Niki came out from Pittsburgh to visit and help with some renovations on the house.

Whenever we have company, we always take them to Chocolate World. How can you resist? it's got singing and dancing cows...and it's free!

See? Singing cows!

Niki shows off her Kisses after we got off the ride.

Here's a kiss for you!

Jason and i were WAYYY too impressed with the Reeses Pieces wall. We're like two 14 year olds when we get together.

SO...here's the REAL project for the weekend. Jason and I were planning to clear out this area and put a workbench in here. I guess the "large board sitting on a garbage can" just wasn't cutting it anymore. We hung new lights and got to work.

jason measures before we break out the saw.

Here I am cutting boards for the framing.

Wow..that came out good! It's solid too...we overbuilt it a little! haha.

Jason is proud of his work too.

To celebrate, he grabbed the Epyptian headdress off Ellie's mirror.

Once we got the headdress off Jason, we headed over to Tokyo Diner to REALLY celebrate. Our chef lights the grill on fire...ooooh...ahhhhhh.

jason and i indulged in sushi.... mmmmmm

Later that night, we grabbed the PS2 and broke out ATV OFF ROAD FURY 3! We played for a while, until the girls complained and we had to find a game that everyone could enjoy. So we played golf.

Niki shows off her impressive UNO hand.

2007-02-22T20:10:00.000-05:00

Sunday it was the Daytona 500, so we all got together to watch some racin', play some darts and drink some drinks. We gamble on nascar every year, and there's a small trophy that's given to the winner. None of us won last year, but Tom hasn't picked up his trophy yet. so we decided to break it in and drink from it.

MMM....tasty.

Rally monkey got in on the action. Unfortunately, he got drunk and forgot to help me with my gambling, since my drivers all sucked.

It's bottoms-up for james

and then Sketch partakes in the fun. I'm sure Tom will appreciate that we used his trophy!

2007-02-14T16:29:00.001-05:00

Let it snow....let it snow...let it snow. Wow. we got hit pretty hard with snow and ice the last couple of days! My boss was nice enough to give me snow days, since i have a 35 mile commute, and the roads were bad. I didn't actually have a DAY OFF though... lots of shoveling to do!

Clearing the driveway.

Wow...we got a lot of snow. the weather channel wasn't kidding!

Ellie pitches in to help with the shoveling.

Still working on the driveway....this snow got awfully heavy with all the sleet on top of it!

Its a winter wonderland in the back yard. Don't see any squirrels and bunnies out here today.

Finally got the driveway done! whew. now i've gotta do the sidewalk

The mailman will be happy that i shoveled the steps.

There's just a little ice on the trees. ...and YES my christmas lights are still up. i just don't turn them on anymore.

The ice looks so pretty on the trees. can't wait til these come crashing down and leave me without power.

Even the Jeep got covered in ice. it's easy to get it off though. i just punch the canvas top, and the ice cracks right off. it's very good at relieving stress.

2007-02-07T20:06:00.000-05:00

It's tuesday night, and that means it's off to Red Crown for Rock-n-Bowl. There's no better way to relax in the middle of the week than with some pins and beers.

Lauren (web goddess) and i getting ready to bowl.

Rob Wilber prepares to rain down furious anger upon the unsuspecting bowling pins.

Rob demonstrates his gangsta-bowler style. mad cool...yo

Fear my 12 pound ball!

If i stare at the beer long enough, will someone take the hint and refill it??

Carrie finally hits the pins. believe me, we're ALL this surprised.

Oh, i wish i had a fancy professional purple ball like Rob...

Because he can convert a 4-10 split with his fancy ball. Here he is...savoring the glory after his accomplishment.

2007-02-07T12:36:00.000-05:00

Lauren the web-goddess here at CC Harrisburg/Lancaster is getting all of us on the WeeMe bandwagon. So here, i've given in and created mine.

2007-02-04T23:01:00.000-05:00

Another weekend...another project for the basement. Now it's time to make the room livable. That means i've gotta get the cable hooked up for the high-speed internet (and so i can watch the game later tonight!)

Lovely smile. man i'm a dork.

More cable. I went to install it, then realized i didn't have the right chuck for my drill, so i had to go BACK to Home Depot and pick up a $1.75 part. Then i was able to drill the holes and install the cable connections.

Yes...that IS a smurf looking over my shoulder. I've already explained that i'm a dork, and i'm also a child of the 1980's.

Ok, so the cable is hooked up (that's extra in the middle of the room.). the desk is in place. the cat is in place. We're moving along here.

I have 7 boxes of crap to put up on the walls and display. Stuff like plaques, trophies, nick-nacks, statues, autographed sneakers (from Nelly). Lots of cool stuff. I'm gonna have to get rid of some of it, we're running out of room!

Also trying to figure out where to put my lava lamp collection. I've got 4 now, and haven't got a clue where to put them all. I took one to my office in Lancaster, but the rest are gonna end up in the rec room.

Yet MORE of the CD collection. This time, we had to empty out the CD rack so we could actually pick it up and move it. Look closely, there's actually a copy of "Hampsterdance, The Album" buried in there. Yes, my shame is great.

Now we're getting somewhere! Here's the wet-bar taking shape. Yes, there's a neon light and a LOUNGE sign. Still got a lot of little things to add (lights, artwork, etc). But it's gonna be nice to have a little corner in the rec room devoted to martinis! haha. Maybe we'll move Martini-Fridays to my house. that would probably save us money.

Finally got some artwork on the walls too. My EMINEM, JOAN OSBOURNE, and 50 CENT platinum records are on the wall now. Later, I got a few more of them hung up.

I feel bad though. we spent four days painting the walls...and now i'm punching holes in it!

Eventually, i got distracted by the Super Bowl and gave up on working. I guess i should have hooked up the cable LAST instead of doing it FIRST. whoops.

2007-02-04T22:56:00.001-05:00

More renovations for the basement/rec room. I decided that the single exposed lightbulb wasn't quite classy enough for the bathroom.

There's the before ...

Kinda hard to see, but there's a spectacular fixture with three lights now. Now i've gotta finish up the rest of the trim in this room. It's coming along...slowly.

2007-01-28T19:47:00.000-05:00

Georgie is none too happy with us now. We have to get her medicine twice a day. As you can see....she REALLY likes it. haha. Oh well, at least it's nothing serious.

2007-01-28T12:05:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago, we repainted the whole basement. After i stood back and looked at, i realized that the floor looked terrible. It was fine before, but after we painted the whole room..it just didn't look as good.

So i headed back to the Home Depot paint dept and ordered up ANOTHER gallon of paint. (they honestly know my name there...)

I moved all the junk out and mopped up the coffee stains and dust.

Here's the BEFORE photo:

I slid around the corners and painted all the edges first....

And here's the AFTER picture! WE now have a lovely sand-colored basement floor. Very nice. It's hard to see a huge difference in the photos...but in real life...WOW. What a huge difference.

2007-01-20T17:05:00.000-05:00

I took this week off. so. like any sane person, i spent the entire week re-doing my basement. It's started as a "wood paneled 1970's rec room". and it ended as a "white paneled 2007 rec room".

Here's BEFORE..

More before....including the famous "beer fridge".

Ellie cleaned out the fridge. I didn't realize that we had THIS many condiments! wow.

Mom and Dad pitched in this week too. When you paint wood paneling, you need to paint EVERY stripe to make it white. this took all day wednesday.

While we were working, the heater gave out. we got the tank filled (someone forgot to check the fuel gauge). and it started working again. then, later that night it died AGAIN! half a day and 100 dollars later, the heat was restored. ugh.

Since it was cold without heat, Georgie decided to rest her head on the flourescent light! this can't be safe OR healthy. at least she'll have a nice tan.

Bundled up staying warm, and painting...and painting..

Two days and 6 gallons later...the final peice of masking tape comes down!

Pretty stairs...ooooooohh.

2007-01-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

Enjoying my week off. Slept in today....but not by choice. Georgie woke me up at about 3:30am by puking on my pillow. yes, you read correctly. my cat threw up on my pillow. luckily, she missed my head, but it still wasn't the nicest way to wake up. ugh. so i had to get up, change pillows and then try to get back to sleep. didn't fall back asleep until about 5am. ahh, the joys of cat ownership.

spent the rest of the day running errands and working in my basement. i'm trying to get the wood shop in order, but it's taking a while. i keep getting distracted. i'm too A.D.D.

2007-01-14T14:56:00.000-05:00

Rob Wilber and i grabbed lunch today at Damon's. Nothing better than kicking back a cold beer and eating a cheeseburger while watching football and bowling. haha. i also figured out why guys like pro bowling.

One of the players had an off game, and only scored 183. Now, i'm not a great bowler...but i can score 183 on a good day. There's no way my best golf game could ever beat Tiger Woods...my best fastball can't strike out Derek Jeter (maybe i could strike out A-Rod, but who can't?). But i could have conceivably have beaten this pro bowler. What a great sport. Everyone loves a democracy.

2007-01-12T14:57:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. had some computer problems here at work, and this is where i usually do my updating.

Just a quick note...is there anything better than Fiery Habanero Doritos? no, there isn't. I just downed a bag of them with lunch. there's a happy fire in my mouth right now. yum.

Fuego

2007-01-01T17:22:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! After ellie finished up at work sunday night, we piled into the car and headed for Wind Gap for some new years poker and partying. Mental note, do NOT allow me to open bottles of champagne, unless you want your jeans and couch to be soaked.

Sketch celebrates another Happy New Beer!

Everyone is gathered around the table for some poker.

James and Sketch made a resolution to be "more gangsta" in 2007. nice job fellas'.

Here's my first winnings. Notice all the 100 dollar chips. too bad we weren't playing for money.

My pile has grown a lot! A few big hands and some healthy wagering!

And here i am after winning ALL THE CHIPS! yeah! first time i've ever done that. the moral of this story? get to the party late and let all the other players get drunk before you start playing.

happy 2007!

2006-12-26T20:49:00.000-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Headed home on Sunday to spend Christmas at my parent's house.

Dad and I take a break from wrapping presents to relax by the tree. it's a tradition at our house to wrap the gifts the night before christmas. i think it's just because we put things off to the last minute. haha. even funnier...we end up wrapping our own presents sometimes. mom just sticks a box in front of you and says "wrap this". once it's wrapped, you find out that you were wrapping your own present. haha.

mmm...nothing says Merry Christmas like a fresh pineapple.

Everyone's got their crowns on for dinner. (its an english thing, ask ellie to explain)

Here i am...probably unwrapping a shirt.

Tortie has to be part of the action. hope we don't throw her away by mistake.

Mom and Dad open their gift from ellie and i.

Gram opens her gift too.

2006-12-23T22:49:00.000-05:00

Wrapped presents tonight before i head up to my parents house tomorrow. I guess the pile of shiny bows and ribbons was just too much for the girls to resist. I got LOTS of help from them.

2006-12-18T22:12:00.000-05:00

Perhaps i've raised expectations a little high by calling it the "First Annual Spectacle of Lights". It's more of an exhibit, not really a spectacle. Still, this is my first time decorating a house with lights. Give me a few years. By the time we get to "the 5th annual spectacle of lights" it'll be huge.

Feel the power of the Spectacle of Lights.

2006-12-15T13:11:00.000-05:00

I found the music game on myspace, and tried it out. it's fun, so i posted it here.

1. Open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod).
2. Put it on shuffle.
3. Press play.
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing.
5. New question– press the next button.
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool.

Opening credits:10 MILES BACK- THE CRYSTAL METHOD
Waking up:IMAGINE-SHOLA AMA
First day at school:BREAK IT OFF-SEAN PAUL/RHIANNA
Falling in love:RENEGADE MASTER-WILDCHILD
Breaking up:WHOLE AGAIN-ATOMIC KITTEN
Prom:GET UR FREAK ON - MISSY ELLIOT
Life’s okay:MACHETE-MOBY
breakdown:FREAK ON A LEASH-KORN
Driving:CLINT EASTWOOD - GORILLAZ
Flashback:IF EVERYBODY LOOKED THE SAME - GROOVE ARMADA
Getting back together:MOUTH FOR WAR - PANTERA
Wedding:THE LAUNCH- DJ JEAN
Birth of child:TRIAD-TOOL
Final battle:DANCEHALL VIBE - FREESTYLERS FEAT. TENOR FLY
Death scene:MADSKILLZ - BT
Funeral:FIRED UP - FUNKY GREEN DOGS
End credits:DON'T WAIT - DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL

2006-12-14T21:23:00.000-05:00

Almost finished with my first week at FM97. We had the holiday party last night, and it was so much fun! We were down in the catacombs at Bube's Brewery in Mt Joy. everyone was in the mood to celebrate, and we had a blast. Pics are coming soon i promise. haha.

Settling in to the new station has been really easy. I've been surprised at how smooth the transition has been. This is one of the nicest studios that i've ever worked in. There's 4 flat screen monitors, three keyboards, a Voxpro controll panel and three computer mice (mouses?), so it's a lot to keep track of. haha. I think i've got it figured out, but i'm sure there's little quirks that will creep up in the coming weeks.

2006-12-11T19:02:00.000-05:00

just wrapped up Day #1 on FM97. There's nothing crazier than your first day on a new radio job. not only do you have to meet everyone and make a failed attempt to remember all their names, but you have to figure out how all those damned buttons work in the studio. Luckily, i got through my first show without saying KISS-FM. i'd say that's a major accomplishment. Listen on Wed or Thursday, and i'm guaranteed to mess up. after a few days, you get comfortable and complacent...THEN you say the wrong station by mistake. haha.

ok, time to make the trek back home.
cheers

2006-12-10T13:49:00.000-05:00

Saturday night was the CC Harrsiburg Holiday Party. We all headed out to Felecita Resort for a night of dinner, dancing and assorted craziness.

Yes, i wore a suit. I have no idea why there's blue lais at a HOLIDAY party.

Nick says "cheers" in his stylish cowboy hat. i guess he's working for the country station tonight.

Rob and Chris from the traffic department take a break from the partying and get their photo taken. Just remember, the next time you're listening to the radio and getting an up-to-the-second traffic report...one of these two yahoos are delivering it! haha. it really does inspire confidence. also, these are the best "singing traffic reporters" in central pa. they are truly kareoke kings.

Rob...part-time traffic reporter, full-time entertainer. He's performing a stunning rendition of "I swear".

Jen, Jilly and Monica decided to go with matching red dresses. Ellie decided to join them for kareoke and sang "wannabe" by the Spice Girls. Clearly, this was the highlight of the night for everyone.

Cheers to you! Yuengling really should pay me for this. I got the logo in the picture and everything

Bob "the showstpper" Hauer along with Carrie and Lauren. Bob entertained the crowd with his version of "sweet caroline". Carrie was the big winner in the raffle and won a new TV. Now we're all gonna go over to her house and watch tv.

Ellie and i all dressed up for the party.

Here's a picture of gavin, who's taking a picture of me.

2006-12-08T17:43:00.000-05:00

What a wild and crazy week it's been. As most of you know by now, i'm leaving 99.3 KISS FM due to a corporate realignment. While it was a little unsettling at first, It's actually been a blessing in disguise, and i can't wait to get started on my new path. Luckily, we don't have to move or sell the house.

So...what's happening? First off, i'm staying with Clear Channel....I'll just be in more places..try to follow along, there's a quiz at the end.

1. I'll be the new afternoon host on FM97 in Lancaster. You can hear me on 96.9 from 3p-7p Mon-Fri, plus random weekend appearances.

2. I'll continue doing weekends on 106.7 KISS FM in Rochester. You can wake up Saturday mornings from 6a-10a, and wind down from 4p-8p on Sunday evenings.

3. I've expanded my freelance imaging empire by adding two great stations! I'll be producing imaging for WILD 95.5 in West Palm Beach, FL.

4. On Thursday, Mark Anderson contacted me about freelancing for him. His imaging director will be off for an extended period of time, and a friend recommended me to him. It took me all of three seconds to say YES. So i've added MIX 94.1 in Cincinnati to the roster!

Whoooo . get all that? good. After all that change, i couldn't be happier. I'm able to continue my great relationship with everyone here in Harrisburg, and expand my horizons at the same time. It's been five years since i was able to just focus on the creative side of radio, and i can't wait. This is really a new start for me.

Went to Lancaster to see the new facility and meet everyone. Aaron and I already discussed how to decorate the office (these are the IMPORTANT things in life). I've got more bobbleheads than we have shelf space. this is an issue.

Thanks to everyone for putting up with me this week while i've been sorting through everything. Now i've just got to get the rest of my crap out of my old office.

The Holiday party is tomorrow night, can't wait!

cheers
hurley

2006-12-05T17:49:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time coming, but i finally got my right eye done today. As you might remember, i had correctice surgery on my left eye back in March. I was originally going to hce the right eye done shortly afterwards. However, due to a minor complication i had to wait. The left eye finally got settled, and today was the day for the other eye.

So i went in at about 2 today. Theygave me my drops and startd the IV. went into the chilly operating room at about 3, and hopped on the table. Joked around with the docs for a few minutes, and then they put something in my IV. my arm felt cool and then...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

next thing i know, i wake up and i can see clear out of my right eye. wow. that was even easier than the left eye. woooo

called the taxi and got my ride home. i hate when taxi drivers make it obvious that they're taking their sweet time. Wow. we went 15 miles an hour the entire way back. Old ladies on the sidewalk were passing us, and they were walking! oh well. i got home, and now i'm gonna devour food...i haven't eaten since midnight! i need fooooooood!

2006-12-04T23:13:00.000-05:00

I spent most of the day Sunday decorating, and YES i hung up my lights outside. What's it look like??

Wow. exciting. yes, i know...you can't really see it...but believe me, it's damned good looking.

You see the square lights in the front window? those aren't typical christmas lights, they're actually chili pepper lights. no, i never completely escape my love of chili peppers, even in the holidays.

2006-12-03T20:45:00.000-05:00

Sunday was "decorate for Christmas Day" We pulled out the tree, lights and decorations and got to work. It's exciting, because this is the first Christmas here in the new house.

Jasmone helps ellie with the tree....sorta. Seems like she's struggling a bit. She probably wants to get down so she can swat the ornaments.

Here's the tree all lit up and sparkling.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care... The green one was given to me as a gift when i was very young. It's seen a few christmases! And yes, we have little stocking for the cats. shut up, it's cute.

Ellie getting to work on the tree. She let me hang all the outside lights and the window lights, and she worked on the tree. This tree actually flew here all the way from England 2 years ago. We weren't allowed to have real trees in our old apt complex, so ellie's mom flew over to visit and brought a fake tree with her. seems like it wouldve been easier to drive to Target, but who am i to complain?

Georgie is helping me sort out the lights. Why does she ALWAYS look guilty??

The tree's all set up, and the girls are in their spots. It won't be long until the start knocking down ornaments. That's the reason we hang all the breakable ornaments on the upper part of the tree.

Hangin' up the lights outside. FYI: Santa, if you're reading this..i need a taller ladder. i had to get up on my roof to hook up the lights out front, and i almost died many times. A taller ladder would help me avoid an untimely death by falling into my flowerbeds.

The fireplace looks good. I'm admiring my work.

2006-11-29T15:59:00.000-05:00

Weirdest thing happened this week. Had a bit of a falling-out with an old friend. Opposing viewpoints, strongly held opinions, etc... so after we exchanged messages, he finally deleted me from his friends on myspace. haha. wow. i feel like i'm back in third grade again.

i hope that's not how it finally ends...i'd hate to be explaining this one to St Peter at the pearly gates. um..yeah...we fought and i got deleted from his myspace, that's why we're not friends anymore.

2006-11-26T16:10:00.000-05:00

It's THANKSGIVING! We've got apple pie, turkey, parsnips (yuk), brussel sprouts, potatoes, banana bread and much more!

The whole family is gathered around the table to eat

Time for a post-meal nap while watching football. i guess Georgie had some turkey and needs a nap.

Putting the finishing touches on the turkey before dinner.

The whole family headed outside for a photo op

Georgie makes her appearance at the table.

We headed down to Strasburg on Friday for some sight-seeing. Here i am in front of the steam engine.

Rode thru Hershey's Sweet Lights too...wow...what a show!

2006-11-18T22:50:00.000-05:00

It's STUFF A BUS 2006! How much food can you cram into a school bus? a lot. wow. we left the first few seats open so we'd have room to sit, but this bus was still FULL! It's all getting donated to the Central PA Food Bank.

We took the bus to the Harrisburg Holiday Parade. Here's Chris and I before the parade.

Awww...cute puppy!

We're entering the TV zone. Not that it really matters. Whenever the KISS Krew goes by, they cut to a commercial break. I've been in three parades, and they ALWAYS go to commercials when we go past the judges stand. you'd think they don't like us... to retaliate, i threw candy at them this year. Hopefully they get a cavity in their pretty TV teeth.

One of Harrisburg's Finest.

Here's the crew walking down 2nd street in front of the bus. Left to Right...
Chris, Gavin, Silly Jilly, Mike and Darnell.

Hangin' out with the Strawberry mascot.

2006-11-13T20:58:00.000-05:00

Here's to you! Cheers!

2006-11-12T21:03:00.000-05:00

We headed north to celebrate my 31st birthday. Of course, we HAD to make a pitstop in Mansfield to say hello to a couple of old friends. the MARKS BROTHERS were a fine...um...upstanding...err... you know what? i have no idea what they did. the only bar in mansfield is named after them, so they must be good people.

Ellie had to listen to us talking about this bar for three hours on the ride up. She walked in and said "this is it???". yes...this is it. It's a magical place where dreams are made an little fairies walk through the tulips. or not. either way, we like it here.

Finally got settled in at the cabin (notice me sporting my new MU hat).

Sketch prepares the first round of food. These are "poppers". Little hot peppers filled with chese and ham. yup...tasty. notice the excellent product placement.

It's not a party until the dogs arrive....and then sit on your lap. Taz is a 75 pound lapdog. looks comfy.

James became the official "fire tender". he also became the official "suzy home-maker", but thats another story. Here, he's got the fuego burning nicely.

Here's my reaction to ellie saying "i'd like to play poker tonight". Yes....there will be poker.

Headed out for a hike on saturday morning. There's no bridge across the creek, so we had to find a way. We took great care to LIFT the dogs across, and then they ran right back through and got soaked. Luckily, no one else took a swim. It was a tad chilly for swimming.

Apparently, this cottage is "a nice little place".

Here we are at the far end of the lake on our hike. Minutes later, the first raindrops began to fall....and we began to move more quickly.

the Reeders buy the BEST gifts! nice sweatshirt. i will wear it proudly!

Here's the official "31st birthday toast".

Ellie, Harley, Coley, Taz, Reeder and Sketch relaxing before dinner on Saturday.

Gina made brownies (yum). We added the candles! You can see that Gram made it to the party. In case you're wondering, she turns 103 this year.

Time to break of the chips and cards, it's Poker time! I think ellie's hooked on it now.

Not a bad take for me...i'm not ready for World Series of Poker yet, but i'm working on it!

After a long night of poker, these two were pretty exhausted!

Here's the view just before we headed out Sunday morning

2006-11-02T15:19:00.000-05:00

TUESDAY night was Halloween, and we all dressed up and headed to the West Shore Hardware Bar for the costume contest ( i was HOSTING it...not competing).

Yeah...you laughed...it's a funny sign!

FYI: Big Mike always dresses like this. He didn't realize it was Halloween. He's just a bad-ass mo'fo.

All the girls dressed up and partying. The Navy guy in the background checking out the girls is the funniest thing.

I'm dead sexy...no denying it. Also, i'm not dressed as Austin Powers...i'm dressed as Tom Cruise PLAYING Austin Powers in the 3rd movie. yeah baby.

Matt (BTO) has spent far too many nights watching Adult Swim on Cartoon network. Nice!

Austin and Blanch from the GOlden Girls. Who besides Silly Jilly would go as Blanch??? no one..

Carris decided to steal Big Mike fro' and try it on for size.

2006-10-31T16:10:00.000-05:00

Well, the next two weeks are gonna be an adventure. I'm having surgery on my right eye. no biggee...but to prepare, i can't wear my contact for 2 weeks. soooo.... i'm living with one good eye and one bad one. i't s not too bad, except when something happens just off to the right of me, then i miss it! i need to get a pirate patch and wear that for the next two weeks. then i can plunder! argghh

2006-10-29T21:20:00.000-05:00

It's halloween! Time to bust out the costumes and party! We headed over to a co-workers house for a party on Saturday Night.

Mike and Julie as a geisha and Hunter S. Thompson

K-Fed and Britney hanging out with Mr and Mrs. Johnny Cash.

Yours truly is groovy baby!

2006-10-29T21:17:00.000-05:00

It was the Penbrook Parade, so we dressed up the KISS truck and got ready to toss some candy!

Gettin' my game face on! It's time to throw some candy!