We Can't Stop Here, This is Bat Country

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

By the way, while in New Orleans last week, I saw a pretty good movie that I didn't even know existed called "Where the Buffalo Roam" starring the legendary 1980's Bill Murray as Hunter S. Thompson. That's right. The acid-popping, fax machine shooting, chainsmoking, brilliance mumbling journalist that brought you such classics as Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. As you may have expected, this movie was very similar to Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (though being done a decade or so earlier) but was actually pretty damn entertaining...and takes place at Super Bowl VI among other locals...and of course, Bill Murray is hilarious...and maybe even did a better Hunter than Johnny Depp did. I don't know, you be the judge. Check it out if you can find it.

Other than that, not a whole lot has changed since yesterday for me. I went to the gym a few times (last night & this morning), laundered my clothing, talked to Bubbles & my mom, arranged to finally pick up that table in Boulder that I bought a few weeks ago but couldn't fit in my car, thanks to T-Skittle & D-Skittle. Remember them? Were I spent my first weekend here in Denver while I was waiting for my apartment to open up? Yeah, they have a truck and are gonna help a playa out. Football news has been...interesting. The Racists are signing a bunch of free agents, my dad's favorite team the Chiefs just traded to get some good players, and one of my favorite players for my team (GO EAGLES!!!) is now...moving here to Denver to play for the Broncos. (Sigh...) This time of year is always interesting because free agency is like hired guns of the old West. There's really no loyalty (on either end, players or management) and it's really money talks and T.O. walks. Oh well, enough about that. Here's some news...

Samuel L. Update - Who hasn't gone to see a movie just because Samuel L. Jackson was starring in it? Really? You never went and saw the Shaft remake? Snakes on a Plane? The Spirit? Formula 51? Lakeview Terrace? Jumper? The Man? Coach Carter? Or any other movie where the only possible draw…was that Samuel L. Jackson would be yelling in it? Well, good for you. Maybe this next story isn't meant for you then…because this guy may never have to sign another deal the rest of his life if this one goes through. The ubiquitous actor is negotiating a NINE picture deal with Marvel Entertainment that would have him playing secret agent Nick Fury in Iron Man 2 and EIGHT other comic-book-inspired superhero films. Jackson popped up briefly as Fury, who works for the SHIELD (U.S. government's Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division) after the end credits of the 2008 blockbuster Iron Man, when he asks Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark if the billionaire is interested in coming onboard. A rep for Marvel told E! News the studio "does not comment on active negotiations," but Jackson is said to be a sure thing for at least Iron Man 2 and, if all goes according to plan, the Oscar-nominated actor could wind up in Thor, Captain America, The Avengers and their sequels, as well…including a possible SHIELD-centric action flick as a possibility, according to the Hollywood Reporter. So basically, he could be in a total of ten movies…as the same character. I don't think the same actor has played the same character that many times since the days of Chaplin…or at least Bela Lugosi. Maybe Robert Englund playing Freddie Krueger…but I don't think they've reached ten movies in that series…yet. Anyway, good luck Mr. Jackson. In these hard economic times, sometimes you just have to stick with the script handed to you.

Maybe You Shouldn't Be Allowed to Drive - I realize that even before I start typing about this story, that E*Star is probably going to hate me…even more than she already does…but here I go. A South Korean woman who has failed the driver's exam 775 times is not about to give up on her hope of buying a truck one day to go into her own business, whether other drivers want her on the road or not. 68-year old Cha Sa-soon has been trying since 2005 to pass the written portion of the test to get a license, but she has so far failed to get the 60% required to clear it (are you sh*tting me? 60%?). "I've looked up some guidebooks to get a driver's license, and they were saying it takes at most five years to get this," Cha said in North Jeolla province, where farmers on tractors or cows can be just as common on country roads as motor vehicles. "It's already been four years, so I might pass the test next time. That's what I hope for." Driving schools in South Korea offer courses to enable applicants to walk away with a license in a week. Cha has not been fortunate enough to set foot in such a class, which tends to congregate more in busy metropolitan areas, but she remains unfazed, even after having spent more than 10 million won ($6,800) on test applications. Oh…my goodness. So…she's taken this same test what appears to be every weekday for the past four years…and has yet to pass with the minimum of 60%? Amazing. Absolutely amazing. It's very easy to make fun of this situation…extremely easy actually…but you do have to admire her persistence. I still think that she should be kept as far away from paved roads as possible…but I also have to root for her…now four years and TEN MILLION WON put towards the cause. Besides, she said "I believe you can achieve your goal if you persistently pursue it. So don't give up your dream, like me. Be strong and do your best." Honestly, I'm a little curious if I could pass the written driving test after 775 tries with at least 60% in Korean. "Hmm, I have no idea what these caricatures mean…but if I remember from the last 286 times, I think this series was the right answer…because I remember this one that looks like a horse…and then this swoopy looking thing…yeah, it's definitely this one."

Germans Mystify Me - According to a recent survey, Germans would rather talk about death, sickness or money problems than sex. A new poll of nearly 2,000 Germans showed sex to be the subject they least liked to talk about, with 64% saying it was something they would rather avoid. Just below sex on the list of least-liked topics were cash and relationships. One in three of the Germans preferred not to talk about death, and one in five said sickness was a no-go area. The favorite conversation topic was gossip about friends, followed by the latest prices of consumer goods. Coming a close third was "everyday stuff" and how they felt about themselves. Now, maybe friend of the blog Ruben can help clarify these findings a bit (maybe they don't talk about it, they just do it…and well) but this is just the latest in things about the land of Germany that mystify me. For example…

• What's with all the websites? You know the ones I'm talking about.


• What is so damn appealing about David Hasselhoff? The only reason that Americans know this guy is because of Knight Rider & Baywatch…and that's because we were intrigued by talking cars and bouncing boobage. By the way, wanna know who the first actor to play Nick Fury in a movie was? David Hasselhoff. Apparenlty, he blazed the way for Samuel L. Jackson.


• Could your fantastic food POSSIBLY be more fattening? Granted…it is still delicious.


• Why is it called the 95 Theses? German monk Martin Luther allegedly posted his 95 Theses in 1517 challenged the practices of the Catholic Church…but why aren't they called the 95 Suggestions or something like that…instead of a word that sounds like poop. I think we all know why.


• How is your beer so damn good? I'm guessing you probably put some of that fattening food into it.


• How is you sew smrt? The country has provided over a HUNDRED Nobel Prize winners including Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit (has heat named after him?), Max Planck & Max Born (physics), Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen (X-rays), Wernehr von Braun (Saturn V rockets), Hans Geiger (earthquake measurement), Konrad Zuse (first digital computer), and basically every name associated with automotives and engines (Benz, Diesel, Daimler, etc.) and let's not forget about all the composers (Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Wagner, Kraftwerk, Rammstein, etc.) and philosophers (Goethe, Marx & Engels, Leibniz, Nietzsche, & the Brothers Grimm). That being said, what Germans have I witnessed in my lifetime? Claudia Schiffer, Katarina Witt, Detlef Schrempf, Dirk Nowitzki, Uwe Boll, Beck's Bier and the guys that made the Shamwow! "You know Germans make great stuff."
  

Asparagus Wars - With political turmoil happening all over the globe (glad that you're back from Bangladesh, Lis & D), sometimes it just goes a little too far. For example, U.N. peacekeepers have upset traditional wild asparagus harvesters on the ethnically divided island of Cyprus by preventing them from entering a buffer zone to gather the tasty shoots. U.N. soldiers say they are only doing their job by restricting access to the buffer zone which splits the island from east to west after Cyprus was divided in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a Greek-inspired coup...but residents are livid. "This is unacceptable behavior and I have demanded that action is taken," said Nicos Kotziambashis, leader of the Greek Cypriot village of Mammari which has been particularly hit by the U.N. ban. "The situation is explosive. It is not something we particularly like to do but unfortunately if the asparagus is found in the buffer zone the peacekeepers have to do their job, which is to regulate access to that part of the territory," a U.N. spokesman told Reuters. Plentiful rains ensured a bumper crop of "aggrelia" this year exacerbating the standoff between soldiers and the army of locals who flock to pick asparagus, which tied in green and red burgundy bunches, sells for up to four Euros at local markets. Asparagus harvesting has never been for the faint-hearted with pickers crawling into dense thorn bushes to pick the delicate shoots from the undergrowth…but throwing in armed soldiers takes it into the realm of extreme gardening. So when you go home tonight…and eat a fine meal of my one of my favorite dishes (and specialty), gently fried pork tenderloin in a creamy sauce with mushrooms over rice and/or asparagus spears, think about the Cypriots (sounds like a band of androids to me) who are quarreling and may not be able to eat such a bountiful feast. I hope this all ends peacefully…and quickly…because we don't need an asparagus shortage in this day & age.

Well, I'm off to rearrange the apartment a bit for the table coming in tomorrow...and I'll be watching Megan Fox tonight...in a movie. Have a great day everybody!!!

Dreams & Tattoos

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Still no soda three days into Lent. I know that you're all keeping track. Not much has happened the past few days except work and catching up with household chores and working out at the gym…which I'm sure intrigues you to no end. Oh wait, I did have a pretty odd dream the other night. Perhaps I'll share that with you. Okay, so the setting was at night time…and oddly enough, I was walking alongside a parade float (see Mardi Gras pictures posted yesterday). It was a pretty standard float, no crazy colored dragons or goddesses emitting from the bow…but rather just a basic parade float with a band on it…and the music playing was "Gin & Juice" sung by none other than…Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine. Why was I walking along side it? Apparently I was security…and there were a few other guys in cop uniforms on either side of the float. (Seriously, does he need protection?) Anyway, we're walking along…and I'm singing along…and after a few blocks we're in a part of town with tall brick buildings…but no people except for a few more cops. The police chief (that looks like Danny Glover) says, "Okay guys, spread out a bit. Look sharp. (Points at me) You two post up there and keep a lookout."

So me & this other guy magically appear on a rooftop (about three stories up) looking down at the float and a few cops. I ask my new partner, "What are we doing here? This doesn't feel right." "I know what you mean." All of a sudden, the police chief's voice yells, "IT'S A TRAP!!!" I glance over at my partner and he's pulling his gun out and starting to aim it at me. I knock his arm away and then kick him in the head…and it takes it smooth off his neck. I know. Let's see Bruce Lee do that. I pull my gun out…and there's gunfire all around. I'm running down the fire escape, sparks pinging all over the place. I can't really tell who's on my side and who's not…so I basically run to within a few feet of them and as they raise their guns that's when I cap 'em…or usually right hook 'em or snap their neck, you know…action movie stuff. Then Bruce Willis pops out of nowhere (I kid you not, he had the white wifebeater on like Die Hard) and he's yelling, "$teve, we gotta find the chief. I think he went this way." We go running down an alley and more cops show up…jumping down from the sky. It was like some kind of video game, they just show up in droves and we put them down the same way. "CHIEF!!!" The chief's up ahead…and a little bloody. Bruce is covering me as I check him out. It's not looking good. He hands me his walkie talkie, "They're on their way. You get them out of here." "Sorry chief, we're not leaving you for some f**king lounge singer." (Sorry Richard…but to be honest, we had no idea where you were at)

The chopper showed up overhead but couldn't make it down between the buildings…so I threw the chief over my left shoulder and we ran up the stairs to the nearest rooftop. Bruce is yelling behind us, I'm hearing flamethrowers & bazookas and it's just getting ridiculously loud. We make it to the rooftop, the helicopter's spotlight is blaring in my face…and then I wake up…to a helicopter outside my window. No, not right outside my window looking in or anything…but just flying over the Denver Skyline…of which my apartment is now a part of. I guess we made it. There was another one later that morning were I was driving around outside of a club…and the door opens…and an ex-girlfriend gets into my car. I give a stunned "Hi" as she immediately leans in and starts making out with me. It was hella hot. Her lips were a little thinner than I remembered…but it didn't matter. How could I possibly complain about this? It was just different. Well, a few minutes into it, I woke up…and a piece of my top sheet was in my mouth and I had a hold on one of my pillows with my right arm. Yeah, that was an interesting night. I know some of you may have the opinion about dreams that they're like photographs. If you're not in them and nobody's having sex, then you just don't care…and that's cool…but then again, there are a few of you out there that might think something differently…

Dream Study - People in at least three countries, including the United States, believe dreams contain important hidden truths, said researcher Carey Morewedge, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. In six different studies, Morewedge and his colleagues surveyed nearly 1,100 people about their dreams. The results are detailed in the February issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. "Psychologists' interpretations of the meaning of dreams vary widely but our research shows that people believe their dreams provide meaningful insight into themselves and their world." In one study that surveyed general beliefs about dreams, Morewedge and co-author Michael Norton, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School, surveyed 149 university students in the United States, India and South Korea. The researchers asked the students to rate different theories about dreams. Across all three cultures, an overwhelming majority of the students endorsed the theory that dreams reveal hidden truths about themselves and the world, a belief also endorsed by a nationally representative sample of Americans. In another study, Morewedge and his colleagues wanted to explore how dreams might influence people's waking behavior. A total of 182 commuters at a Boston train station were asked to imagine that one of four possible scenarios had happened the night before a scheduled airline trip: The national threat level was raised to orange, indicating a high risk of terrorist attack; they consciously thought about their plane crashing; they dreamed about a plane crash; or a real plane crash occurred on the route they planned to take. A dream of a plane crash was more likely to affect travel plans than either thinking about a crash or a government warning, and the dream of a plane crash produced a similar level of anxiety as did an actual crash. Finally, Morewedge wanted to find out whether people perceive all dreams as equally meaningful, or whether their interpretations were influenced by their waking beliefs and desires. So, in another study, 270 men and women from across the United States took a short online survey in which they were asked to remember a dream they had had about a person they knew. People ascribed more importance to pleasant dreams about a person they liked as compared to a person they did not like, while they were more likely to consider an unpleasant dream more meaningful if it was about a person they disliked. "In other words, people attribute meaning to dreams when it corresponds with their pre-existing beliefs and desires. This was also the case in another experiment which demonstrated that people who believe in God were likely to consider any dream in which God spoke to them to be meaningful; agnostics, however, considered dreams in which God spoke to be more meaningful when God commanded them to take a pleasant vacation than when God commanded them to engage in self-sacrifice." More research is needed to explore fully how people interpret their dreams, and in what cases dreams may actually reveal hidden information, Morewedge said. "Most people understand that dreams are unlikely to predict the future but that doesn't prevent them from finding meaning in their dreams, whether their contents are mundane or bizarre." So what do you think? Have you ever dreamed something & it came true? I know I have. A few times. That's why I usually optimistic about the future…because I have some pretty good dreams. Then again, not too sure I want to be in a shootout while running security for a parade float. At least Bruce Willis was on my side. You can't go wrong there.

Fox Update - Well, the rumor mill is abound again about the breakup of supermegahottie Megan Fox and her fiancé of the past few years Brian Austin Green. According to a source (who may or may not exist), "The relationship has run its course. It's completely amicable and they are remaining friends." Apparently they're both focusing on their careers…which is groovy. There really must be something to the whole getting-a-tattoo of your fiancé's name. Angelina & Billy Bob, Johnny Depp & Winona Ryder, even Filly's friend from New Orleans Belle had a tattoo of her ex-husband…and now these two. By the way, if you don't know where that tattoo is, it's a really hot location. The name who inked that tattoo is a very lucky man. I'm not gonna jump the gun quite yet…because it seems about six months ago I fell for this trick…but regardless, I'm looking forward to my newest Netflix movie, "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People" starring the smoldering temptress…and don't think for a minute that I don't see the convenient timing of the this & the movie's DVD release. Also, you know what this update means…more pictures of Miss Fox…and why not a few of those legendary tattoos…and remember "Think Before You Ink"

If you ever want to hear a truly heartbreaking tale about getting somebody's name tattooed, let me know and I'd be happy to share it with you…with fake names of course to protect the innocent…and no, I don't have any tattoos…yet. Not scared of the needles or pain or anything like that…just the permanency of it. "Oooh, he has a fear of commitment." Not so. Aside from the stereotypical "Mom" heart tattoo, I really don't know what else I would get or that has serious meaning to me. I mean, even something like a Philadelphia Eagles logo or a basketball over my heart (oh yeah, it's been considered) would like kind of weird when the Eagles change their logo again…or everybody wonders why I have a basketball on my chest with a perky pink center (it's a nipple joke). "Why do you have a Panda on your ass?" "Because I'm gonna be reincarnated as the Panda that repopulates the species…because Karma is good to me." "That's stupid." "You're stupid." Based on my recent dreams, I'm thinking something along this line...

Who knows, maybe some drunken weekend in Vegas some recently-single smoldering temptress will convince me to get a tattoo of a raven-haired fox on my hip…but at this time, I doubt it. I've seen myself naked in the mirror…and I like it. Did Michelangelo do tattoos? DaVinci? Van Gogh? Picasso? Rembrandt? Rodin? Monet? Actually those last two were pretty much blind, so I wouldn't have trusted them anyway. There are some great tats out there…usually located on the smalls of women's backs…but yeah, I don't think I need one…and it would be very hard…er, difficult to convince me otherwise.

Local Good Samaritan - Speaking of Karma, here in Denver, a man who helped push three people out of the path of a pickup truck before being struck and injured has gotten a strange reward for his good deed: A jaywalking ticket. Family members said 58-year-old bus driver Jim Moffett and another man were helping two elderly women cross a busy Denver street in a snowstorm when he was hit Friday night. Moffett suffered bleeding in the brain, broken bones, a dislocated shoulder and a possible ruptured spleen. He was in serious but stable condition Wednesday. The Colorado State Patrol issued the citation. Trooper Ryan Sullivan said that despite Moffett's intentions, jaywalking contributed to the accident. Moffett had been driving his bus when the two women got off. In the interest of safety, he got out and, together with another passenger, helped the ladies cross. Moffett's stepson, Ken McDonald, said the driver of the pickup plowed into his stepfather, but not before Moffett pushed the two women out of the way. When he awoke in intensive care, he learned of the ticket. "His reaction was dazed and confused. I was a little angry." The other man also was cited for jaywalking, while the pickup driver was cited with careless driving that led to injury. Sullivan said the two elderly women haven't been cited but the investigation is ongoing. Do cops realize that stuff like this makes it really difficult to like them? "Wow, we're really glad that you saved those two old ladies. By the way, pay this in the next 5-14 days. Oh sorry, I mean…have somebody else pay this for you in the next 5-14 days. I think you're gonna be stuck here longer than that." How is it that I have all these crazy dreams about saving people…and I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to be a police officer? It's weird. Anyway, Mr. Moffett, I wish you a speedy and complete recovery.

That'll probably do it for today. Not much else to say really. Tonight's another Yoga class at the gym, new movies coming in the mail today, gonna try to have a little fun this weekend…so we'll see what comes up. Can't believe February's almost over. It seems like just the other day I was ringing in 2009 with Bubbles in Vegas. Have a great day everybody!!!

Mardi Gras 2009

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well after hours (literally...HOURS) of loading pictures and then adjusting this entry in a manner pleasing to the eye...all for your entertainment (okay, and a little of my own) without further ado, I give you...Mardi Gras 2009 by Dr Mookie Love.

Filly's Crib, different from last I saw it...

Thursday, I took a morning flight and was picked up by Filly at the airport, taken to her house to drop off my stuff and then we were off to the first parade of my trip on historic St Charles Avenue in Uptown. There were to be three parades this evening - The Knights of Babylon, Chaos & Muses. Sounds like fun, right? Well, it was. We got there just as the sun set...and the parade was a little behind schedule...but it's a parade...and they throw out free stuff, so you can't be picky. Now, I'm used to Utah Parades like the 4th of July or the Pioneer Day parade...or really more recently, Pride. In those parades, you get some taffy thrown at you...or pamphlets handed to you...and if your lucky, condoms. Not so with these parades. They throw beads, plush footballs, shoes, frisbees, special collector beads, flashing beads (like blinking light beads...not the ones you get on Bourbon Street after you've had a few drinks), coconuts (that's right, I said THROW COCONUTS), and whatever else is clever. We also met up with one of Filly's friends, we'll call her...Sunrise. She's a bartender from the area...and Mardi Gras has been a family tradition of hers since she was a kid...so they had a place set up with lawn chairs and everything right on St Charles...and the funny part was, the adults were having more fun than the kids...but a lot of fun was had by all...and that's what was important.

The parade started off kind of lame...

"Then the acid kicked in..."

Flambeaus - The Nightlights of Mardi Gras

This part was awesome...but my camera didn't capture it well

There was a string of Bond parody floats...

Then the Elvi showed up...

Shout out to Bone Junior

Friday, Filly wasn't feeling well. Working in New Orleans during Mardi Gras...and being the new kid on the block, she had to work a LOT of hours over the past few weeks...and it caught up with her. So we decided to just order some Chinese and watch some movies. I wasn't too bummed. It was good to just have a lazy day where I could walk around her neighborhood too...and see New Orleans. The city is just...so different from any other around here. It's like its own country. A few cities are like that - New York, San Francisco, Chicago (I hear) and of course, Las Vegas...but New Orleans is kind of...the Paris of America. Nobody can pronounce the streets correctly (including the locals), the food's fantastic, there's a certain smell to it (and not a particularly good one) but the main difference with New Orleans...is not everybody's an asshole, which is great. They have Southern Hospitality...even when they've fallen on some really hard times. I got Love for that.

The Great Zulu Coconut

I Love You Mom!!!

Saturday, we visited the Barataria Natural Preserve...which from what it sounded like was a habitat for bears...but I was wrong. It was however a habitat for swamp creatures...like Armadillos, which I had never seen in the wild before...so I had to check it out. Here are some pictures...

The red & orange parts...are underwater

SNAPPING TURTLE!!!

A real life Armadillo...named Chester

After that, we went to the parade of Endymion, which had a theme of "Tales of Sleep & Dreams". This one was located in a different part of town, starting near City Park and then running down Canal...and we thought he'd hit it near the beginning of the route...so we did. Now, past grand marshalls of this parade have included Bobby Vinton, Britney Spears and even the legendary Chuck Norris. Who would it be this year? Well, here's where the first few of our special celebrity guests come in.

Willy and his horse...Willy

Again, the parade started out slow...

"Then the acid kicked in..."

Lots of great marching bands...and the

schools are allegedly not segregated

More Flamers...er, Flambeaus

Ah, the Maids of Endymion

The King of Endymion

Sunday ended up being another lazy day. I know, I know. You're disappointed because I was going to see Val Kilmer as the King of Bacchus...and believe me, that would've been cool...but Filly wasn't feeling well...and I wasn't going to ditch her to see an old Batman. Adam West maybe...but not Val Kilmer. Besides, Filly had to work...and so did all of her friends...and it was raining pretty bad anyway...so I'll just have to see it next year. Anyway, that's how I'm trying to cope with it...so just leave it be. I did watch a lot of episodes of a TV series called "Dead Like Me" about soul reapers...but it's actually a hilarious little comedy...except the main chick whines a bunch...but she's 18 so it's to be expected. Watch it anyway. You'll like it.

"You Can't Beat Wagner's Meat"

Monday was my last full day in New Orleans. The sun was bright...as it usually is. It was surprisingly chilly for that being the case...but I checked out the neighborhood a little bit while Filly slept after working all night, then we headed out to the last bunch of parades that I would see (Krewe of Proteus & Krewe of Orpheus) with her friends Sunrise and...we'll go with...Belle. Anyway, we picked them up and headed to the parade...and they were in parade attire. Masks, faux fur coats, a few tasteful beads and big smiles. We picked up some quick food and got to know each other a little bit...and I'm not sure how it happened...but between her two friends they had pretty much drilled me into giving up most of my life story & family history. It's pretty easy...seeing as you've probably noticed that I have no problem answering questions...with almost too much honesty...and I think they dug that. They were pretty persistent...and didn't shy away from any subject. Yeah, they know how long it's been too now. Anyway, great girls...and that's why when Belle asked if she could sit on my shoulders during part of the parade, there was only one thing to say. "Forwards or backwards?" Enjoy the pictures...

Sunrise & Belle

Sunset & Clouds

Ladies, this is what it's like to be 10 feet tall

You can shake hands with Jim Belushi...

...or the cast of Reno 911

So they DO grow on trees here...

After the parade, we had some Chinese food at a nearby place that was really, really good. The questioning went on from there and a lot of off-color humor, which is always appreciated...and then after dropping Filly off at work, the ladies took me to Frenchmens Street for a good time...and it was had. We walked around the area and finally decided to stop at a place called Lazizza's which was surprisingly slow business given that it was Mardi Gras...but no matter. Great salsa music...and you know what that means. $teve got to show off his ballroom dance skills with the ladies...and they recipricated by showing their belly dancing skills. Yeah, I think Southern girls like me. It was a lot of fun.

This crazy ass prehistoric fish skeleton thing...

is actually a bicycle that they rode through town

Inside Lazizza's - Eat, Drink, Hookah & Dance

Made it back to Filly's for a quick nap before being picked up by her other friend...mmm, we'll say Occult Jesus...and he drove me to the airport for my flight back. Now, don't let the name Occult Jesus fool you. He's an awesome guy too. He just...is a really mellow guy, who kind of resembles a gothic Jesus...and he reads palms in the French Quarter to earn his keep. I could call him Fred and you'd probably have some preconceived notions...but yeah, he's a cool cat...like Jesus...if he read palms. Anyway, so yeah, I made my flight...and now you're basically caught up.

So what did you think of Mardi Gras? Pretty cool, right? Well, you'll be happy to know that my mom is already wanting to plan a trip out there for next year...and my dad wanted to go until he found out my mom wanted to go (they've been divorced for about 15 years now) but yeah, if anybody's interested, let me know...and I'm actually thinking about going the week before it gets insane...so that there's still badass parades...but without the tourists puking all over the place. That's what the locals recommended to me. Anyway, you've got a year or so to save up...so let me know. Also, if you think I posted a lot of pictures...just know that this is about one-fifth of the pictures that I took. Just so you're aware. Not enough pictures? Well, I'll be getting copies of their pictures too...so there may be a follow-up in the next little while.

The whole experience was a fantastic one...and I thank Filly for giving me a place to crash...and her friends Sunrise, Belle & Occult Jesus for putting up with me. I can't wait to come back and visit...but I'm not moving there. Still prefer being over a mile high to a few feet under water. You all should come visit if you ever need to get away from things like...I don't know cayanne pepper, humidity, that Bourbon Street smell, those Frenchie named streets, all that stuff...and I'll show you the fresh mountain air, dinosaurs, nature hikes, buffalo and more microbreweries per capita than anywhere else. Be my guest. It'll be fun...just bring a jacket.