Four years old...

... this blog is. Here's my very first post. I may be posting more sporadically these days, but I don't want to give it up just yet.

Life changes

I've got a life change coming up, one that starts incredibly soon. I know I'm being cryptic, but I'll fill you in on the details in the coming days.

Any life changes for you?

what Brownie would like for Christmas

Nephew-in-law, you can have your sun-powered lamps and your ham-flavored soda, but I'd like this - the Kindle. It's currently sold out, but you can always put my name in to arrive for Christmas.

I'm so healthy

I'm drinking soy milk in my coffee instead of some sugar-coated creamer. Is that healthy, or what?

what is it like living with three women?

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Cajun corn fritters

I took the family to the Indiana State Fair on Tuesday. The Sweet One went to her first day in the second grade, and got out early because the school ran for only half the day. Just like last year, we decided to spend the other half of the day at the fair.

One of the big food items at the fair this year is the cajun corn fritter. The corn fritter isn't cajun by itself, it has a little help from the accompanying cream sauce.


Not as much corn in the fritters as I would have liked, but they were still delicious. The sauce, which appeared to be composed of sour cream, cajun seasoning, and jalapenos, had just enough heat.

Here's how I looked after eating the fritters:

what does he sound like?

11 years ago....

She said, "I do!"

Update: Where did we celebrate our anniversary? Here, the site of our rehearsal dinner.

jonzin' for java

As you can see, my addiction isn't so bad.

I am 29% Addicted to Coffee

Mingle² - Free Online Dating
Now, Coca-Cola? That's another matter entirely...

it's all in the name

For obvious reasons...

I like this ice cream.

blast from the past 2

Back in 1989 during the spring of my senior year of high school, the drama department put on several performances of the musical Annie. I played the part of Drake, butler to "Daddy" Oliver Warbucks. Here I am during one of several musical numbers. Is this how I will look 25 years from now? Only time will tell, but hopefully it will be without the lipstick and rouge.

in the locker room

For some time now, I've been going to a local YMCA to work out. Like many people, I use the facilities to clean up - I don't like to drive home sweaty. Unlike some of the other Y's in the Indy area, the one I use now has no 'privacy barriers' in the shower area. Although I've never measured them so I can't be sure, the shower spickets seem to be about 18 inches apart. This means that if I was so inclined (and I'm not), I could reach out and... well, you know the rest of the line so familiar to telephone users.

I will admit that I don't really have a problem with this set-up, which is different from saying anything remotely like I'm glad it's this way. I don't really think about what I do there. I go to the locker, I remove my clothes, I put a towel around my wait, I walk to the shower area and do what I have to do, I put my towel back around my waist, I walk back to my locker, and I dress. No big deal.

What I do have a problem with is the presence of other guys there. Specifically, the guys who act like the shower facility at the local YMCA - which anyone can join if they have the money - is their own personal bathroom. You people who use the Y (or some other gym-type place) know what I'm talking about - the guys who act as if they are in a nudist colony. I'm sure there are some women who do this, but I'm willing to bet that their numbers don't compare to the men.

The guy who enters the sauna with a towel, lays it on the bench and sits down. The guy who flatly ignores the sign about wearing a swimsuit in the whirlpool. The guy who prefers to shave au natural. The guy who walks to the shower area with a towel around his neck instead of his waist... something I really don't get.

These are the men I'm talking about. If you're guilty of this behavior, please stop. You're in an area where there's going to be nudity, including your own. But you don't have to act like you're the only one there. A little cover-up goes a long way.

this is where I am right now

I'm typing from home, dear readers. That's right - my own house. The Brown family finally has a computer up and running in its home. It's a mish-mash set-up, really. We got a Hewlett Packard system with a Samsung monitor. AT&T came by today to set up our hi-speed internet system.

So, you will now see normal time stamps for my posts. I won't have to post only at weird times anymore, like 4:49 AM - although you'll still see those from time to time.

Taxes

Normally you would need to file your taxes by midnight tonight, but since April 15 falls on a Sunday this year, you get two extra days.

I've done my taxes already - did them several weeks ago, in fact. What about you?

Yes, I admit that one year I filed my taxes on April 15. I turned them in to the post office at 11:00 PM. What can I say? Sometimes I do dangerous things, like take a bite of banana after my two-year-old does...

Happy Birthday, Honey

On this day in history, The Wife was born. Because I value my life, I won't reveal the year. You'll just have to guess.

"Late mortgage payments reach high"

I bought my first house not long ago. So far my mortgage payments have been on time. However, some people have struggles with that concept.

Ft. Lauderdale

Next week, The Wife and I will be heading to the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area for a few days. We've been there before, so we're quite familiar with South Beach and Sawgrass Mills. Much to The Wife's chagrin, I plan on making a pilgrimage to the site where Anna Nicole died. Anybody have any other favorite spots to visit?

Update: Maybe I'll hang out with Ann Coulter. She owned a place in nearby Palm Beach.

You feel embarrassed when...

...you are in your yard and you yell at your neighbor's dogs to be quiet because it's nighttime and they're barking, and your neighbor steps out of the shadows to prove that he heard you.

"Good Evening Friend Brownie"

Listen to the music. Not very complicated, but nice.

Dreaming of April

It is at this time of the year that I really feel the sentiments expressed in this song.

My family members know there's another reason to like this song.