2/25/08

up the river, down the river

For all that it stormed and raged Friday night, hanging out at the river (Suwanee, in this case) with a handful of friends and several cases of Pabst is always better than sitting in town watching cable.
The best times were had just sitting on the bank, listening to birds and cows and dogs and such echo over the water. But the funniest bit was when my friends decided Sunday morning that I'd slept enough, and very carefully removed on length from each leg of my tent, dropping the roof two feet and making the sides look deflated - a little strange to wake up to, let me just say.

2/21/08

furry damn snake

The small complex where I live involves a duplex (my side of the joint) and a triplex. (You can see the front of these above.) The middle unit in the triplex is our cursed apartment - everyone who moves in is a loser or an asshole. Twice now, guys have basically abandoned pets in there. The first time it was two cats - they finally got out; we rescued one but the other roamed free. Annoying, pitiful, and angering, yes. But not frightening.

The dude who "lives" there now (but generally stays with his girlfriend), on the other hand, keeps two ferrets. Well, I guess some time Saturday, one of them made a break for freedom. My friend and neighbor next to me saw the critter peering out of the bushes at him. The beast didn't stay shy long - by Sunday, it was chasing people. Ferrets are bitey little buggers anyway, and this one was pissed off, hungry, and fearless around people.

Monday night I needed to walk over to the triplex to talk to my bro there. In my flip flops, I strolled the few feet, flipping through numbers in my cell phone as I went. When, all of a sudden, that god damned ferret came rushing out of the bushes and bit the crap out of the back of my heel! So I yelped and hollered and jumped back to my place with it fast behind me. I shut the door yelling, "That fucker bit me!" and went to wash and disinfect the wound. Meanwhile, a friend that was hanging out with me decided to open the door and see if she could spot the animal.

Bad idea!

She cracked the door and it scurried inside. It tried to chomp her and she screamed for me, so I grabbed the broom and went to do battle, barefoot. The beast went for my cat, went for me, and went for my friend while we herded it back out onto the porch and slammed the door. I called my landlord and left a message telling her we had an attack ferret in the neighborhood and asked her to call the middle neighbor and tell him to come deal with his pet.

Tuesday evening, while I was still at work, middle neighbor showed up at my bro's front door. He apologized and lied about checking on the two ferrets Monday afternoon, saying it must have escaped right after that. My buddy told him, a) take it up with me, since I'm the one that got chomped and b) don't bald faced lie to people. Middle neighbor left the area, beast still free and aggro.

Finally, yesterday afternoon, a guy working at the print shop next door caught it in a trash can. He left middle neighbor a note on the door, but if he doesn't hear from him by today, the animal is going to a friend of his who already has two of his own and doesn't mind another. As I told my bro, I don't care if it goes to Ferret Hell.

Just business as usual in my neighborhood.

2/13/08

call the wahmbulance

DeVoe Moore sure is pissy about not being allowed to just go ahead and lay strip-malls wherever he pleases. Wah wah wah.

This is my favorite part of the linked story, by Gerald Ensley:
You'd practically have to be a materialism-hating communist not to be impressed by his magnificent museum. Moore, 69, began his Horatio Alger climb to fortune and fame as a blacksmith and has never lost his love for good craftsmanship.

That's right. If you don't love sprawling strip malls, repeatedly ugly designs, and blatant environmental damage, you're a commie. Also, I suspect, a pinko liberal treehugger.

What was it they said about Tallahassee on that show Lost? "Nothing but strip malls and Waffle Houses."

2/12/08

sun screenings

I just wanted to brag on my step-mom:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 11, 2008

Governor Crist Appoints Lucia M. Fishburne Film Commissioner of Office of Film and Entertainment

TALLAHASSEE- Governor Charlie Crist today appointed Lucia M. Fishburne to serve as Film Commissioner of the Office of Film and Entertainment (OFE) within the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development (OTTED), an agency of the Executive Office of the Governor.

“Lucia’s understanding of film and digital media and her experience in the development of Florida’s film industry makes her an excellent choice for this position,” said Governor Crist.

OTTED Director Dale A. Brill, Ph.D., added, “Lucia’s background in workforce development and her years of service on our Florida Film and Entertainment Advisory Council (FFEAC) puts her in a position to lead and enhance film and entertainment’s economic impact on the state.”

Fishburne most recently served as the Communication’s Director for Workforce Florida Inc. (WFI) where she assisted in the development and implementation of state-level marketing, communications and public relations strategies for Florida’s workforce system. She has served on the FFEAC for over eight years, which advises the OFE on matters of concern to the film, TV and digital media industries. She was the Executive Director of the Florida Institute for Film Education (FIFE) where she was able to expand her knowledge of the film and entertainment industries and interface with local film commissions statewide. Fishburne holds a master’s degree in Marketing, Communication and Information Technology from Florida State University, with a nationally-recognized Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).

“I look forward to serving the citizens of Florida as a part of the Crist team,” said Fishburne, “To continue the growth of the film and entertainment industries in Florida and to serve its workforce and infrastructure.”

Fishburne replaces Paul Sirmons, who will continue to serve until Fishburne takes office. Sirmons, who has held the position for two-and-a-half years, is returning to family and faith-based film production in the Orlando area.

The Office of Film and Entertainment assists the Governor and Lt. Governor to serve and build Florida’s film, TV and digital media industries in Florida.
--------------------------

I wish I had some of her old rocker babe pictures to post with this.