"I can't complain, but sometimes I still do..." ~Joe Walsh

As I'm relaxing, enjoying a day of relaxful enjoyment and relaxation, (complete with Bud Light Chelada), I've been contemplating life in Las Cruces. Things are definitely better for me. I have a stressful job, that gives me a new appreciation for all other sucky jobs in my life.  I'm interviewing at a radio station, thus fulfilling a quest begun in the "Magic Jackson" days in LA. I'm also making movies, and getting my first producer credit on a small independent film. I also auditioned for, and booked an acting gig where I was a game show host. Perfect! So, life is all-in-all, not bad.
I am still a little down for a few reasons. I miss my family. I miss The Lovely Mrs Shoehead (I'm not sure why) I miss California (Again, I'm not sure why) I miss Cowgirl. I also miss my drivers license. California, as a parting gift, decided to throw the max on a few tickets I didn't have the money to pay for while I was there, and assessed me with about $1400 in fines. New Mexico won't allow me to get a license here, until Cali lifts the hold. I even assured New Mexico DMV people what a nice guy I was, and what a pleasure it would be for them to have me driving on their streets, but it was to no avail. So, here I am, a pedestrian once again.  It's all good.
So to sum it all up, life is... pretty good. Las Cruces is... OK.
So tomorrow night is the celebrity Apprentice once again! it's a great season! I must've been on such a blog-blackout, that I let all that good Dionne Warwick and Gary Busey material go by, unblogged about. But, that's OK. It looks like an explosive showdown between NeNe Leakes and Star Jones! Til next time, my awesome readers!

Happy Friday, everyone! :)

Today is a good day. My motto: Always remember to never forget!

Beacause I've always wondered...

Created by Oatmeal

Settling in to Las Cruces; Laundry & Bourbon, Bud Light & Clamato, and prison cheesecake,

MAN, this was a funny post! Unfortunately, Blogger didn't auto-save it, and I lost it as I was trying to publish... I might try and recreate it. I was so pissed off and traumatized, that I refrained from blogging for two months! Silly me! I'm back, and with my new fancy phone I can publish from my cell. I also have a new concept for my other blog, "The Shoehead Report" and I plan on getting started with that one right away!

Happy birthday to the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead

I just wanna give a recognition to my estranged wife's birthday. In happier times, we would go to Don Antonio's in Santa Monica. That was her favorite restaurant, and the staff always treated her very well...
Now She's off to who-knows-where, and I have to go back to Fresno and retrieve Cowgirl. I just want Cowgirl to have a nice safe home, and be reunited with Bocce Ball and Butch-Butch.
Happy birthday, Baba! Be safe...

My California experience 7-28-01 to 9-1-10

I just ended several chapters of my life very recently; the latest being my California residency. I ended up in Las Cruces NM, where I've set up shop temporarily and will be getting involved in New Mexico film production. I'm also going to be doing some community theater as well. It's basically back to my actor roots (and I couldn't be happier!)

Shoehead's Myspace account, June 2004-July 31 2010

The other day, I made the decision to delete a few of my social networking websites, primarily Myspace, and a few other cheesy ones.  It seemed a tough decision not even six months ago, but for some reason, i found myself less and lees connected with it. I tried to contact some of the buddies I'd met over the years and tell them to meet me over in Facebook, my main hangout. And then, I did the deed...
I'd originally joined Myspace to look at some girl's modelling pics I was a bit miffed that I had to "join" this thing to look at pictures, and I looked at her pictures, and that was that. For a few months. I started noticing that there was actually something going on in this "MySpace" thing (back then, the cool thing was capitalizing the "M" and the "S"; that died out around 2006) I started actually meeting (not in person, of course) and interacting with some very cool people. It seemed to have its own scene, and its own parlance, with phrases such as "thanks for the add!", and... um... I forget. I haven't actually interacted on Myspace for so long, I can't seem to recall. Around 2005, I'd developed a Myspace addiction. I'd log in and just hang out... waiting for "new message" alerts, friending a ton of people, and bands, and interesting people--even some of my "real" friends. Sometimes I'd stare at the Myspace screen for hours on end. Yay.
The magic started to fade out around 2006 or early 2007.  As an entrepreneur, I joined several "home business" and "networking" groups, and soon began inundated with less of my "friends" posts, and more spammy ads. and my friend requests started coming from less and less fun, interesting people, and more and more "networkers". Also the bands got crappier and crappier. Sometime in late 2007, a friend of mine sent me an invite to facebook, and I joined that. Again, another slow start, with about 5 friends for the first year I was on it. But soon, more and more of my friends started popping up in FB. I also found a book called Facebook Marketing: Leverage Social Media to Grow Your Business. I saw serious potential in Facebook, and saw they were a lot tighter on spamming then Myspace was. Plus, Facebook just seemed more fun than Myspace. In the meantime, I'd also joined several crazy social networking sites in an attempt to promote my home business, and well as this cool blog!
Recently, with my life going into a tailspin, I found that these things just seemed to complicate my life. I put out some notices to my friends where to find me, and  *BING!* Shoehead's Myspace was gone...
And I don't even miss it!

The latest laugh...

My last phone died around May 1st. Actually, it didn't die per se, but the charging port broke, and no charger would lock in and recharge my phone, ergo, cette phone est morte... So I finally got a fancy new picture/web phone, bringing my neo-Luddite technological level to about 2005 AD. Unfortunately, most of my contact numbers were trapped in my old dead phone, so I had to run around and email everybody for their new number. The other day, I caught up with my friend SimplyStar, and we swapped numbers. I texted her a few times including a pic, and she 's been texting me for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, neither of us received any texts from each other. I finally hit her up on twitter, and asked her number again, and wouldn't you know it, I'd copied it wrong. I then sent her my number, and it seems I'd typed the wrong number for myself as well! We've been texting 2 random people and sending them pics for 2 weeks!
So we did straighten it out, but  I wonder who those people are, and what they thought of our random texts. And I hope the pics we sent each other don't end up in some crazy cyber-weirdo site!

A new sense of purpose...

The last few weeks (months, really) have given me ample time to think about life, and analyze the position I now occupy. I have a new goal, and some new objectives, and I'm putting together a new implementation plane. I've slipped in recent weeks from my workout plan, but I still manage to knock out my 100 push-ups six days a week. I'm recommitting myself to going to my gym, and follow a routine. I'm also working on a home study course to help deal with depression, and I'd like to take the counseling skills I learned at C.C.W.F. and do something to help people with depression.
On another topic, I still haven't seen Avatar yet. Maybe this week...

Happy 4th of July! Thank you, Founding Fathers!

Declaration Of Independence Graphics & The Declaration Of Independence Pictures

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

---

The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:
Column 1
Georgia:
   Button Gwinnett
   Lyman Hall
   George Walton
Column 2
North Carolina:
   William Hooper
   Joseph Hewes
   John Penn
South Carolina:
   Edward Rutledge
   Thomas Heyward, Jr.
   Thomas Lynch, Jr.
   Arthur Middleton
Column 3
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
Column 4
Pennsylvania:
   Robert Morris
   Benjamin Rush
   Benjamin Franklin
   John Morton
   George Clymer
   James Smith
   George Taylor
   James Wilson
   George Ross
Delaware:
   Caesar Rodney
   George Read
   Thomas McKean
Column 5
New York:
   William Floyd
   Philip Livingston
   Francis Lewis
   Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
   Richard Stockton
   John Witherspoon
   Francis Hopkinson
   John Hart
   Abraham Clark
Column 6
New Hampshire:
   Josiah Bartlett
   William Whipple
Massachusetts:
   Samuel Adams
   John Adams
   Robert Treat Paine
   Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
   Stephen Hopkins
   William Ellery
Connecticut:
   Roger Sherman
   Samuel Huntington
   William Williams
   Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
   Matthew Thornton

I feel like I'm made outta gingerbread! (Uh huh, uh huh!)

Now that my obligatory year-long mourning period for Jacko is over, it's time to get to some serious blogging. To my awesome readers, I offer up an apology for my flaccid blogging for the last year, as I was mourning the gloved one, and dealing with my own peccadilloes and follies. (I just took a shot of Captain Morgan's spiced rum for creativity fuel. I know it's not even noon yet. There's just a little bit of Captain in me now.) Where was I... oh yeah, rum (Takes another nip) NOW... Let's blog!
If you've been following my last few blog posts, my barking dogs, and my babysitting of Cowgirl for the ailing Lovely Mrs Shoehead, and the sneaky treachery of my co-tenants have darkened my standing here at the new Melrose place. While I may or may not get voted off the island, it has become all too apparent that my new digs are probably a mismatch for me, my tattletale co-tenants, and my landlord. I've been planning a major relocation this year anyway--a much needed exile from the Golden State--and now I've decided to hasten the process.Just as I was dealing with all this, a producer friend called me and opened up some opportunities in another city, another state. I think the lesson here is, when a door closes, another door opens!
And it's Monday, too! I love Mondays. To me, it's a new week, a fresh start. In fact, the Muppets actually reflect how I feel today:

Decisions, decisions...

Last night's bruhaha only got worse when the landlord found out I was baby-sitting Cowgirl for my wife while she's in the hospital. I have a 2 dog max, and I understand that. I'm just too good-natured, and was trying to help my wife out, and since the landlord's out of town and took her dogs, I didn't think a couple days would be a big issue. I discussed it with the landlord's son, who is de facto house manager while the boss is on hiatus, but after the other tenants ratted me out, and Cowgirl's temporary presence was discovered, I'm on thin ice again!
I really don't enjoy being in Fresno (nothing against the raisin capitol, but it's just not me) my marriage is just about flatlined, I can't get any kind of work here, I have almost no friends here; it begs the question: WHY AM I HERE???
My family and close friends beckon me in Richmond VA, my brother's living the Life of Riley in the sun in San Diego, I have solid film connections with offers in three major cities--nice cities, too--WHAT AM I DOING IN FRESNO????
This current housing arrangement was temporary to begin with, and while the landlord's son assures me that I'm not on the chopping block, damage has been done. The circle of trust has been breached. Now, landlord doesn't trust me, and I don't trust the other tenants. I'm not comfortable in my domicile. When my dogs bark (they are dogs, of course) I get all tensed up. I don't think a situation like this can sustain itself very long. It's a shame, cuz the place is pretty nice! But my issues with the present situation are far larger than the apartment. What am I doing stuck in neutral like this? I'm not living, I'm breathing. YOU MUST HELP ME, OBI-WAN. YOU'RE MY ONLY HOPE!!!

Trouble in Melrose Place ALREADY...???

OK, So I'm renting the east wing of the new place. The Landlord stays in the main house in the center. Right now she's on vacation for a month. The people that live in the west wing had a problem with my dog barking (they have 2 dogs too) and instead of coming over and talking to me, they called the landlord while she's on vacation, and she just called me now to harsh me out. 

WHO DOES THAT??? I'm a nice guy, I live here, and yet they wanna get me in trouble with the landlord?

Landlord suggested I go over there and apologize/grovel... Wha...??? Not after this, freakin' rats!

Any thoughts/feedback on that friends?

First night in the new digs...

This is my first night staying at my new place. It's pretty cool, and the people here are nice, but it just seems very strange to me to not be in my own home, with the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead (or at least her stuff) in casa...

Firebaugh chapter, 3 days left...

I've been packing and moving my stuff to the new place in Fresno, and closing out the last bit of my Firebaugh experience. The Lovely Mrs. Shoehead & I had a yard sale this part Saturday, and we're planning a final "everything-must-go" clearance sale. Wow...

Wrapping things up...

Closing out Firebaugh house is still a very bittersweet process for me. The Lovely Mrs. Shoehead has been here all week to help pack up our house, our things, our memories...
I've also been working at my new digs, doing some yardwork for my new landlord, Sgt. Becca USMC. So far so good, and she seems pretty cool. (She's read my blog, how can she not be cool!) All I can say is... swimming pool, and internet! YAY!!!
To paraphrase Billy Joel: "Say goodbye to Firebaugh, say goodbye my baaaaaaaaaby!"

It often surprises me who actually reads my blog...

My phone rang the other day with my landlord's caller ID on it. I picked it up, and he said,"This is the Nefarious Uncle Nemo!" I about fell on the floor laughing. Obviously that's not his real name, and for the sake of a good story, plus to keep his privacy I made up a name which I thought sounded like a cool comic-book bad guy name. It was hysterical! I told the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead (who I know does read my blog) about it, and she was amazed; she didn't even think he had internet!
It just goes to show you...

That's gonna be one expensive croissant!

Yesterday, I got lazy and decided to drive to the donut shop (5 blocks). I loaded up my 3 dogs into the Shooey-mobile, and off I went. Upon returning, I got pulled over right in front of my house--much to the chagrin of my neighbors. I knew the Shooey-mobile had a myriad of violations (the Lovely Mrs Shoehead's plates on it being one of them) but by the grace and favor of God (or luck, for my non-believing friends) the cop didn't impound my car! I got off with a "fix-it"! As I glanced over at my car, I could swear the dogs were in the car laughing at me!
So this morning I did go and register the car properly. *sigh* You can't fight the system. Well, you can, but you won't win!

My Twitter style is BFF!

My Result: B.F.F. on quiz: Learn Which Type of Twitter User You Are You are everyone's best friend! Everyone loves you because you are always ready to help: you Retweet at the drop of a hat. You are the life of the Twitter party! How the hell do you do that? Quiz School Take this quiz & get your result

Learn Which Type of Twitter User You Are » funny quizzes

Countdown to blast-off...

I'm trying to leave the nefarious Uncle Nemo's house by the 15th. It's getting close. I still don't have a place to go yet, but alot of people have been very kind and offering me temporary places to stay. If I didn't have my dogs, it would be so much easier. I'd walk the Earth, like Cain from "Kung Fu". But I love my dogs, so I must figure something out. Jehovah-Jirah (God is my provider)

Kent State 1970

I wanted to show recognition to the 40 anniversary of the Kent State incident. I had several ideas of where I wanted to go with my commentary—the relation to current events, the principles of government force against an unarmed populace, the climate of societal division on the American landscape, the consequences of rioting on a college campus—I thought about every angle I could examine this. Instead, I decided to just mark the tragic occasion without commentary.

I love my country. I pray for, and worry about America every day. We as a people, as a nation, have seen difficult and tearful times. Undoubtedly, we will see more. But we are also a resilient people, and we survive Kent States, and 9/11s, and whatever else tests our nation’s resolve. God bless and protect this great nation, and let not those four Kent State students be forgotten.

Allison Krause (April 23, 1951-May 4, 1970)


Jeffrey Glenn Miller (March 28, 1950-May 4, 1970)


Sandy Scheuer (August 11, 1949-May 4 1970)


William Knox Scroeder (July 20, 1950-May 4, 1970)

Packing up Camp Shoehead

Since I got notice that the Nefarious Uncle Nemo sold the house, and I have a limited time to vacate, I’ve begun the process of cleaning, throwing out, and packing up the clothes, books, papers, and belongings that make up a part of who I am. It’s been particularly painful for me, since I’m constantly reminded of my early days with the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead; finding pictures and other mementos from our happier times. Add that to the stress of moving, as well as not really having any place to go, and it has been quite an experience these last couple of weeks.
I really do love my wife. It makes me sad that we have such massive incompatibilities that neither of us would be happy together. Moving out of this house is definitely the closing of a huge chapter in my life. At the onset of moving to Firebaugh, we were (or at least I was) planning to buy the house from Uncle Nemo, and live a nice, quiet small-town existence with Mrs. Shoehead and sundry pets. I would concentrate on my writing, finish and produce my screenplays, and a few times a year travel to L.A. or other locations to work on film projects. But it was not to be so. The fates had a different plan for the Family Shoehead.
I’m leaving behind the graves of two beloved cats, Starva and Vanilla Bean (“Beansie”). I never even got around to construct the little heart-shaped grave markers I planned to place over them. Maybe it’s just as well—they sleep peacefully under two little piles of rocks.
Though this process is very painful, I also see a bright side to it as well. I liken it to childbirth—intense pain, followed by a joy; a new beginning. A new life.
Firebaugh—while a quaint little town that I really did try to adapt to—was never really a comfortable fit for me. It lacked certain amenities, and conveniences that I prefer to have in my life. My only comfort was taken in this house—Casa Shoehead. It at first provided me with a secure refuge, but over time it slowly became a prison for me. When I worked at C.C.W.F., I literally left one prison, and came home to another. Now it’s been just about a year since the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead left me; sometime in mid-May 2009. The 5-bedroom house filled with reminders of her and us fill me with such a loneliness that even my three precious dogs and two sweet little cats can’t quite ameliorate. Packing up Camp Shoehead and leaving Firebaugh and Uncle Nemo’s is going to be a good move for me, however painful the actual move turns out to be.
As the chapter ends, a new one unfolds…

And... OUT HE GOES!!!

I just got the word yeasterday from my landlord, the nefarious Uncle Nemo, that the house is going to be sold and I have to leave, like in 30 days. I have no idea where on earth I'm gonna go. Pray for me, readers! :-O

A mini-tribute to Jim Croce

Yesterday, as I was resting at Camp Shoehead (with electricity), my oldies station happened to play "Operator (That's Not the way it Feels)" by Jim Croce. I was actually moved by the song, and I reflected upon what an amazing piece of musical work it is. Not only does it have a catchy melody, but the songwriting is brilliant! Mr. Croce conveys love, pain, and betrayal--giving us a complete story all in a man's attempt to get directory assistance. His thanking of the operator, and offering her to "keep the dime" demonstrates a pure and giving heart. Simply a beautiful, near-perfect example of good songwriting, story telling, and musicianship in under 3 minutes.
Like major events marking people's lives, I happened to remember where I was when I heard the radio report of his death. I was driving with my family late at to a Revolutionary War re-enactment (being the Bicentennial era, and all!). It was late friday night, September 20 1973, and we were in our family's Griswold-style station wagon drving through Pennsylvania to get to the gig, possible Valley Forge, or the Daniel Boone homestead. Further radio reports speculated that Jim Croce's pilot might've had a heart attack, but the small plane took off and failed to clear a tree at the end of the runway. All aboard were killed, Croce and his long-time guitar accompanyist, Maury Meuhleisen, as well as several others.
Jim Croce's death ended a short, but brilliant career. Who knows where his career might've taken him, but his short time as a recording artist gave us some of the most beautiful and poetic music ever.

They're changing the rules of Scrabble???

I can't believe it. Is nothing sacred? The makers of Scrabble™ are changing the rules for the first time. They'll now allow proper names, backwards words, and non-connecting words! What's next, make up your own imaginary words?
I believe this will go over kinda like "New Coke" did in the 1980's. People will reject it, and then "Classic Scrabble" will come out, and the new configuration will quietly away. I hope...

A quick blog...

Just a quick hello to my legion of readers... I'll have a pretty good post this Saturday; I've been working on one.
Have a great day, friends!

Some more thoughts on secession...

I've really been thinking hard about my idea the last few days. It breaks my heart that we've come to this. as a kid, I was learning about the Civil War, and thought it absurd that the United States would actually split up. But now, we're in the midst of another civil war--not a violent one so far, (I pray it doesn't become one), but a war nonetheless between two highly polarized and incompatable sides--those that believe in freedom and personal responsibility; and those that believe in a huge governmental apparatus that runs everything in a person's life, providing anything they need and seemingly can't afford. These two positions ultimately cannot coexist. Government left unchecked by responsible public servants and an involved populace will seek to expand and engulf, until the entire population is subjugated.

So my idea, which I thought might appeal to the liberals--who are always concerned with "fairness"-- was to give 25 states to the liberals, and 25 states to the conservatives and freedom-lovers. I think that's a great idea, and it really does seem "fair". That way, both sides can have the kind of country they desire. I mentioned this to the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead, who-- alas--is as liberal as the night is long, and she would have no part of it, instead using my idea to bash Sarah Palin. Huh? Upon reflection, the liberals seem to not only want their own panacea, but they want everyone else to be subject to it as well. Hmmmm...

Anyway, I think my idea is great. 25 and 25 to each faction. The free states, would retain the title "United States of America", and the socialist states could rename theirs, "Obamaland"! I think that would be an amazing tribute to the historic young president. They could even have their own form of government that could let him be president-for-life! Maybe the capitol of their nation could be called "Pelosiville" or "Pelositown". Or hell, let's give all the accolades to this new founding father, and call it "Obama City". If they really wanna get down to it, the can start divvying up the states to all their different interest groups--the Blacks can have their own state; the gay, lesbian, & transgender community can have their own state; Latinos, the same, etc... I don't know, I really don't look at people as members of groups, I look at people as individuals. But I know that would indeed appeal to some people on the left, that's for sure. Their new nation would be theirs to do whatever they please with it. I dunno, these are just some suggestions. I really don't care what they do over there. I'll be living on the free side of the country, where the U.S. constitution will still be the law of the land.

About the bill... an answer to @MsErica187

@MsErica187 is a model and club promoter from Orlando, Florida. She's one of my coolest Twitter friends, and a very interesting person (as well as a hottie!). Monday morning I made a statement on Twitter that basically stated that anyone who thinks this healthcare bill is a good thing doesn't know shit about economics, or freedom. Erica very politely asked me for an explanation of my view, and I promised her I'd post one up in my blog; being limited by Twitter to only 140 characters. I'll try to give my best answer as succinctly as possible, but if I don't finish today, I'll definitely wrap it up tomorrow. My opposition to this bill, especially the way it got passed in the house is so strong, and for so many reasons, I really don't know where to begin.

First of all, I don't like politics at all, and I really try to avoid bringing politics into this blog. I'd rather blog about American Idol, crazy reality shows, the weather, how boring it is in Firebaugh, my pets, anything, but politics. Unfortunately, with the current administration, and the media, and the general social climate in our awesome nation today, politics is getting shoved in my face. That being said, let me address the lovely Ms. Erica's question to me.

Erica, I'll cut to the heart of what my statement was about. You told me that you're not ignorant, and I'm not saying you are at all. I said that supporters of this bill don't know anything about economics, and I stand by that statement. Economics are not being taught in schools, and in college, Keynesian economics--which is a proven fallacy--is basically taught as a universal truth. Though the Democrats told you this bill is going to reduce the costs of healthcare, it is just impossible to give things away for free and expect costs to go down. Having the government pay for the medical treatments of everyone living in the United States (whether they're citizens or not) is simply economically unsound. The government is basically broke anyway, but now they plan to provide healthcare coverage for everybody. I hear people often say, "The government's paying for it..." but keep in mind, the government only gets its money from taking money from working Americans. A more accurate statement would be "My neighbors are paying for it..." To sum it up, this new medical plan is goiong to be so expensive, the government's not going to be able to pay for it. Taxes will go up, which will force the economy down (killing jobs), and the actual medical treatments will have to be rationed or denied altogether. The people who are in favor of this bill, some of whom were quoted as claiming that it's now like Christmas, don't seem to understand that there will be a huge price to pay.
That brings me to the freedom aspect. With the passage of this bill, the government is now in charge of your health care! Politicians and bureaucrats will now make medical decisions for you, solely based on cost, and if you're valued as a taxpayer! The terminal and the elderly, who are not seen as productive (taxpaying) members of society will be denied treatments, and possibly euthanized. Plus, the very nature of the government forcing every American to but health insurance, is unconstitutional.

Listen, I could go on all day. I'm still not even satisfied with this blog post answer to you, but I hope you realize that it's not out of hate that I'm passionately opposed to this new law. I love my country, and I believe in freedom for all individuals. This bill was unnecessary--70-75% of the American people were happy with their health coverage, and the uninsured were supposed to be covered by Medicare and Medicaid. PLUS, the way it was passed, with in-your-face bribery and corruption of congessmen, backroom deals and exempting people was absolutely disgusting. If the bill was so good, why do you have to exempt people to get it passed?
Anyway, I love people, and I love freedom, and in the end I believe Americans will do the right thing. Thanks for taking the time, Erica, as well as anyone who reads this...

A call for secession...

As I've blogged before, I really loathe politics, and I try and refrain from making this a political blog, but yesterday's passing of the illegal, unconstitutional, and destructive healthcare bill by a bunch of radicals has me really rattled. The glee that those people and their ignorant "something-for-nothing" followers over cramming a bill down our throats that advents the destruction of our great nation is so sickening, that I think I need healthcare now...
In the spirit of "let's-all-get-along", and "kumba ya", I think I've come up with a solution to make everybody happy. Since the country is divided anyway, let's split the country in half-- 25 states for the liberals to screw up as they please, and 25 states for the people who value life, liberty, and prosperity. The free states would go back to the U.S. Constitution as the law of the land. The socialist utopian half, well... who the f**k cares...?! They will have free healthcare, and free whatever else those people want, and leave the rest of us alone. Unfortunately, they will need us, especially our money. Hmmm... It's a thought.
I'm not even advocating a violent seperation, like in the 1860s. I just mean a peaceful divorce; kinda like the Czech republic and Slovakia underwent in the 1990s. No animosity, no hard feelings... Just a liberal paradise in one new country, and freedom and opportunity in the other. That way, we can all have the country and government we want! I think it's a wonderful idea!
As for me, I borrowed this slogan from the liberals: "Obama, keep your laws off my body!"

Camp Shoehead is in full effect!

The training camp set-up is a winner! I'll post up some pics later!

Happy Monday! Things are the same, but changing...

Things in Firebaugh are looking, well... very much the same. But my associates and I have transformed Casa Shoehead into a training camp, and we're working out fiercely. In fact, I think I'll go back to the Camp Shoehead moniker for Casa Shoehead. it'll be very much like Camp Shoehead of last summer, but with electricity! And no crazy prison job to drag myself to every morning. (the I do miss the lovely ladies of C-Yard!)
I've also made forays into rejoining actor-world. A very good friend of mine is exec-producing a script that got a greenlight from a major studio. It's looking pretty good, plus there are otrher projects being shot around that locale. I might migrate to make a few movies and really get back into my first passion. The training camp is really helping, and I wanna give a shoutout to my ol pal Bildo, for giving the inspiration and a new fitness program. We discussed taking his program nationwide, and I'm going to help him do that.
Stay tuned, my awesome readers!

Corey Haim and my lawnmower died the same day

Yesterday I was somewhat shocked upon hearing the news of the demise of one of "The Coreys" from the late 80's teeney-bopper movies and magazine covers. Corey Haim always seemed to me a tragic figure in pop-culture Americana. Lacking the charisma of the other Corey, Feldman, Mr. Haim never seemed to catch the attention of the public. Even as Feldman hit bottom, and had become a puchline, the public still took notice, and allowed him a degree of redemption in the eary 2000's as he got married, had a reality show, and became by all measures--quasi-normal. Not so with Mr. Haim. It seemed that he was almost trying to out-Feldman Feldman in his screwing up. And yet... scantly a notice. He showed up on Feldman's reality show a boorish, petulant loser-- and still, no one cared. He finally took the tragic end, that will secure him press coverage and public attention--until the next untimely celebrity death. Sad, and a waste of a human life. He was a pretty good actor, and The Lost Boys was a classic. I wish his family well, and my condolences.

My lawnmower, on the other hand, chose the same day as Corey Haim to check out as well. Like Haim, my lawnmower had an unfinished feel to its life, having left me with half a lawn cut. Casa Shoehead, it seems, is destined to be the neighborhood eyesore, despite my best efforts. Like Corey Haim, my lawnmower did some good work, made me laugh at times, and left this earth way too soon. Both Corey Haim, and my lawnmower will be missed.

WHAT'S HAPPENING with THE GOLDEN GIRLS

Yesterday's blog opened up a further discussion as to how the Golden Girls was actually a redux of What's Happening. Dee, the wise yet jaded, rarely smiling Yoda-type little curmudgeon; Rahj is Dorothy--the smart, yet somewhat nerdy dry-witted everyman, with intellectual pretensions. As for Dwayne, Dwayne got game! That's why he's the Blanche character. And loveable Rerun--simple, yet irresistably adorable--is the Rose all the way! Buried in their sweet goofiness are genuine pearls of wisdom and insight. Transforming inner-city black 1970's America into 1980's white Florida retirement-home culture was indeed a masterstroke.
"Thank you for being a friend" my ass--you people are rip-off artists!

I PROMISE Mr.T will be there, I swear!

While hangin around Casa Shoehead last night I was reminded of a standard sitcom plot that made my posse (yeah, I got one) laugh for hours. Remember the story on any sitcom--I think they're still doing it now--When one of the characters promises a famous person will appear at an event, and everyone's excited, but somewhat doubtful, then the celeb's running late, and no one believes that the character really knows the celeb. But in the end, the celeb does show up, appearing as him/herself, and all is right again! Remember that plotline? It came up when we heard last night on an oldies station The Three Degrees "When Will I see You Again". I thought about the Sanford and Son episode when Fred promised The Three Degrees would play at his social club, and they ran late, and Grady and all the oldsters in the club began chanting "We want The Three Degrees! We want The Three Degrees!" So funny...
Then there was Marcia promising that Davy Jones would appear at their homecoming, another classic! Or when Arnold promised that Mr. T would show up at his birthday party... and Mr. T delivers the tagline, "Whatchoo talkin' bout, Willis?" Priceless!
On the Golden girls, one of them (I forget who) assured our disbelieving octegenarians that Burt Reynolds is certain to appear at the fund-raiser, only to be vindicated when Burt's toupee showed up at the end of the episode, with Burt planted firmly underneath it!
The What's Happening episode when The Doobie Brothers were playing at Shirley's place was another good one. Rerun was coerced into making a bootleg recording for the neighborhood wiseguys, but after he just couldn't resist busting into his trademark dance moves, with the crowd parting the dance floor to give him center stage, his recorder and mike flew out into the middle of the floor! His plot was revealed to all!!! The Doobies were understandably upset, and were about to walk off, but--to the relief of everyone--Rahj's sage little sister Dee set everyone straight, including the band and their performance. The Doobies rocked on, and closed out the episode!
Man, I could go on... this seems to be a fallback episode to TV writers when they run out of ideas. Not quite shark-jumping, but swimming a little close to those waters. I'd like to produce a sitcom where that happens every episode, and the only thing the audience has to do is see who the celeb is for that week! First up--Beyonce! (Or has she done that already on show I don't watch?)
Salut, my awesome readers!

Not this again...

For the second time in a month, I find myself without a bed. First, my estranged wife, the always-lovely Mrs. Shoehead rolled in lst month and took the bed away to her new digs. She advised me to pull one of the old box spring/mattress combos from the back garage and employ that for my nightime slumbers. Now, the back garage is used as a storage facility for the landlord, Mrs. Shoehead's nefarious Uncle Nemo, and--let me tell you--the garage is nasty, moldy, black-widow-spider-webby, muddy, and animal-filthy. The were several mattress and assorted bed-parts leaned up against one wall of the space. So I dragged out the best-looking (or least-nastiest) box spring/mattress out of the garage, did my best disinfectation with bleach solution and Febreeze™, and staged it in my now single-guy room as artfully as I could. I used feng shui, chop suey, karaoke, Bruce Lee, and every other Eastern spiritual concept I could think of.
Then, yesterday, as I was about to go for a run--the door knocked. usually it's either Uncle Nemo, or my crazy cat-killing neighbor; this time, however, it was Mrs. Shoehead's cousin with a pickup truck, intent on reclaiming his bed. I helped him load it up, and take some of his belongings out of the rat-hole garage, and sent him on his merry way. I returned to my now bedless room, and noticed that the feng had shui'ed its way right out of my quarters. *sigh*
What next...?
Stay tuned, my good readers! I might have to go visit Larry Miller and his accountant Irwin very soon. "You're killing me, Larry!!!"

I think she looks great!

So all I heard about on the radio this morning was Hannah storm's outfit, and Tony Kornheiser's critique of it. I'm not familiar with Tony's work as a fashionista, but I was compelled to see for myself. I found this slideshow:



First off, Tony is no treat to look. First things first. Then, as I saw the outfit, and knowing Hannah is 47 years young, I thought she looked fantastic! Especially the boots. I'd have her keep'em on while... ummm, nevermind! But really, if that's all the Korn-man has to say about her, maybe he should stick to sportswriting, or whatever it is he does.

Life is a trip...

I had another blog topic today (I'm actually shaking off the funk and putting effort into my blogging again!), but I just recieved the news that an old friend of mine, Paige Kienel passed away this past November. I'd texted her a few times, and called, and had hoped to grab a latte with her on my Richmond trip this past December. When I didn't hear from her, I just thought she'd been busy. Paige was a real go-getter; she always had something going on. I saw on Facebook that it was her birthday, and I left her a birthday comment, and as I was gonna drop a quick note saying call me or something, I realized that she hadn't posted anything in a while. Plus, all the messages said things like "we miss you" and such. I scrolled down to realize that she was indeed dead, having died several months ago.
It really hit me hard. She was so vibrant, and full of life... One of the saddest things for me is that I hadn't seen her since 1996. We lost touch and reconnected through Facebook, but I hadn't seen her in person since the 90's. We'd exchanged numbers in September, and made tentative plans to get together over the Holidays, but it didn't work out. I guess if I'm trying to get a meaning out of this is that you just can't take life for granted. I'm very comtemplative right now, and I need to search for a deeper meaning.
Rest in peace, my cool friend... Meredith Paige Kienel 1971-2009

R.I.P. my phone (again!!!)

Since I connected my Twitter account to my Facebook, and then to my Cricket™ phone, it's been giving me nothing but grief. First, every single tweet posts to my wall, and a lot of my friends' walls. I've received many a comment about that. Plus, it just looks plain ugly on my Facebook page. Now, it seems the incessant updating of my Twitter friends seems to have killed off my crappy 2001-era phone! Oh, the humanity! So now I have to acquire another phone... I'm shooting for a 2005-era camera phone--wish me luck!

Another rainy night in Firebaugh...

It's been totally raining for like the last 2 weeks (or 3?) and, while the rain is really needed, it's become a bit dreary and depressing. (But my lawn has never looked greener!) I missed the Super Bowl, cuz I had to take care of some business, but I knew the Saints would win. I just had a feeling.
Things are pretty much the same around Casa Shoehead, other than we've turned it into a hardcore training camp. Every day now--100 pushups, pullups (NOT 100...) Lifting weights again, 6-mile runs... That's definitely cool. I can feel myself getting stronger by the day... YAY! But the scene here in The 'Baugh is, well... Ummmm... quiet.
Bocce and Butch-Butch are fighting like dogs and dogs. I'm down to 2 cats. otherwise, the exact same as before.
Perfect blogging weather, though!
See ya tomorrow!

A quick blog...

I'm still trying to figure out how to blog from my phone... I am pretty low-tech! I'll definitely post a REAL BLOG tomorrow!

Gonna try something new...

Because I have limited internet at Casa Shoehead, I'm going to try texting to my blog. If it comes out crazy, I apologize, but I'm gonna try to perfect the technique, and keep this blog rolling!
Meanwhile, Shoehead's world has been rainy for the last four days... Blah!

Cutting through the haze...

My life seems like it's getting a little better after all the storm and turmoil. As always, I try to keep a positive attitude, and an optimistic outlook. I believe this year will be a turnaround year. My ACN business is doing pretty well, our medical collective is getting off the ground, and things are starting to lighten up. I've been talking (negotiating?) with the lovely Mrs. Shoehead, and even on that front things are looking a little brighter. I've long held a belief that events and things in the world and in life are cyclical--and after the winter always comes the spring. This past season has been particularly brutal, but it also builds character. I've learned some skills and some thought patterns that will stay with me for the rest of my life. So all-in-all, I'm feeling much better. I've been running, and training for a marathon this year. I'm not sure which one, but I'd love to do the L.A. if it's not sold out.
I missed last night's Idol, but I heard that crazy "Pants on the Ground" song. Man, I need to pay my satellite bill and get my TV back on!

I've got a lot of things to think about...

I'm having difficulty posting today's blog. Maybe God is telling me to hold off...
The post I wrote is somewhat morose, and I don't like to post bummer blogs. I'll wait, and post when I'm better. In the meantime, I'll listen to the Partridge Family's sage advice, "C'mon get happy!"

The long journey home...

I made it back from my parents house, and I'm back in beautiful Firebaugh CA... I seems surreal now. While I was away, I underwent a personal setback that crippled me in so many ways. It's gonna take all of my Christian faith to try and forgive this person. This was a very close person in my life, and I don't know if this incident was a deliberate betrayal, and just an amazing whopper of a screw-up. Either way, there's no excuse for what transpired, and my heart is sick over the whole thing. It'll take me months to undo what this person did...
Sorry, my awesome readers, for a negative blog; I really try and keep it upbeat. Oh well... American Idol is returning soon! :)

Staying in Richmond for another couple of days...

I missed my plane today, just by being scatter-brained. It's not that I'm not enjoying myself, but i really need to get back to my home and see my Italian Greyhound, Bocce. My day was really stressful and crazy though. I really can't go into details here, but I made a very momentous decision today. You'll read about it in following blogs, but it will be a year fo change, much like 2000 was. For now, that's all...
Watch this blog for upcoming craziness!

Happy New Year, good readers!

So this is 2010... It kinda feels the same. I guess the big highlight of the year will be 30 years of Shoehead. It was around early September of 1980 I officially got the moniker of "Shoehead" from my buddy Bernard. So I plan on having some kind of celebration.
Ciao for now, brown cow!
Happy 2010!

Last Blog of the Decade!

Hey there, my awesome readers! I bet you thought I'd drop the ball on this one. For the past week I've been on the East Coast hanging out with my family in Richmond VA, making a quick run to Hoboken NJ for my cousin's wedding. I've been putting a lot of thought into this blog, and as I sit and watch the clock tick away the last minutes of 2009, and the first decade of the new millennium, I come to the point where it's time to blog... Blog, man, blog!
This decade has been a decade of change for me and my life. It was a milestone of a new era in the life and times of Shoehead. I began this millennium in South Beach Miami FL, trying to hawk Jello™ shots with my brother. It was complete washout, and then his car broke down in the Florida panhandle on our way to New Orleans. We ended up abandoning ship on an off-ramp in the middle of nowhere. My mother wired us the money for a Greyhound back to Richmond VA (I was living in Weehawken NJ at the time), and I remember thinking, this millennium is off to quite a start! I hung with my parents for a few days, and boarded the bus back to NJ. After the odyssey that was my Y2K trip, I arrived in my apartment, and literally had just set down my suitcases, when my cousin Chris knocked on the door and wanted to go out for drinks! So we went into Hoboken, and got jumped by five guys after we left the bar, leaving me with a swollen face and two shiners! Again, this decade is off to a crazy start...
A few weeks later, my brother the Jello™-Man called me and discussed giving full-time Jello™ shot hawking one more attempt. He instructed me to find the summer concert tours of Phish, Dave Matthews Band, and Jimmy Buffett and we would rent a van to gypsy around and sell the shooters at the shows. Buffett had a spring leg of his tour in the western states, so we hatched a plot to travel west, use our buddy Vince's place in Vegas as a home base, and make loads of money at the concerts. So in April, we embarked on our journey. Everything went as we planned it, except for one thing we hadn't anticipated--Jimmy Buffett fans are tailgate partyers. They're not a bunch of Grateful Dead hippies. They all brought their own libations, and couldn't even believe we were trying to sell Jello™ shots. We ended up scrapping Buffett, but we decided to try a Nascar™ event at the Las Vegas Speedway. That was actually very amusing, as we snuck into the event without tickets, and sold shooters like crazy; finally culminating in Jason getting chased through the stands by purple-shirted security guards as the Nascar™ fans cheered him on...
What this Jello™ trip did for me was open me up to the western United States. Before this, I'd never been further west than Colorado. But on our ill-fated trek, I'd within the span of a week visited for the first time Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Jose, not to mention seeing the Grand Canyon, and driving through Utah and Arizona and New Mexico! As I looked at life in Vegas, and how sunny, warm and nice it was to live there, I decide to simply stay there. Jason and I went back to my Weehawken apartment, packed up most of my stuff, and vacated my apartment within 24 hours. I stayed in Richmond for about five days at my parents to get things ready, and moved to Las Vegas May 3rd, 2000 with three suitcases on a Greyhound bus.
Life in Vegas was crazy. I got a job at Harrah's almost instantly, but the job sucked so I got another job at Rumjungle in Mandalay Bay. That was a blast! The management really didn't like your ol' pal Shoehead too much, however, so in July 2001, they fired me, and I headed to Redondo Beach to see the one friend I had in L.A. at the time.
I'm running outta time to post this blog, so here's the breakdown:
2001- I was living in Redondo Beach, and terrorists blew up my beloved World Trade Center.
2002- I fell in with some marijuana smugglers, and got arrested in Omaha NE driving weed to Chicago. The charges were dropped, thanks to an awesome lawyer! By this time I'd moved to El Segundo, with a cool roommate named Joe, and his dog, Duffy.
2003- Still smuggling (to work off my lawyer bill) I went to Mexico for the first time, and was travelling to Spokane WA a lot. We started hiking the weed across the U.S.-Canadian border ourselves, and toward the end of the year we were rolling in cash. Yay! BUT- in December my brother got arrested by Border Patrol Agents hiking through the snowy wilderness of the border. No yay...
2004- By this time I was dating the girl of my dreams who was later to become the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead. I worked on a lot of film crews, including my friends at Hemisphere Entertainment, and began really doing what I came to California to do.
2005- By this time I'd moved to Oxnard with my girlfriend (you-know-who) and was working as a shipping clerk for a printing and graphics company. Ho-hum... In August, my brother-in-law was killed by a drunk driver, and Baba and I decided to get married in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I got married, and turned 40 the same week!
2006- Still living in Oxnard, worked on The Apprentice Season -6 and several other smaller things.
2007- Went back to work as a truck driver for the same printing company, but got fired for wrecking the truck. Damn... Relocated from Oxnard to Firebaugh, CA in November.
2008- I worked on Seasons 2 and 3 of Co-ed Confidential and started working at Central California Womens Facility, as a substance abuse counselor (C-YARD!!!) which brings us to...
2009- I got laid off after they shut down C-Yard's program on October 19th. As a coincidence, the B-Yard program ended today, with a lot of my colleagues now out of work too. I chilled, soul-searched, and that brings me to here and now--visiting my family, and attending my cousin's wedding, typing out this last blog of the decade.
So you could basically say, that I'm still on the Jello™ tour. After a decade of changes and giant landmarks in my life, I look to a new decade and the next phase of my life with both optimism and uncertainty.
Happy New Year, my most awesome readers!

Merry Christmas!

I'm having a pretty good time in Richmond with my family, but I'm a little sad, cuz this is the first Christmas spent without my wife, the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead. Tomorrow, we leave to go to Hoboken NJ to attend my cousin's wedding.
Merry Christmas, everyone! I'll blog later...

I made it to Richmond!

Yay! Richmond... the capitol of the Confederacy, the capitol of the Old Dominion, the capitol of sitting on a Robinson Street bar stool getting drunk! My folks picked me up from the airport last night--actually it was my father and my brother, actor Jay Fontaine--and drove me back to my parents retirement condo in the fashionable West End of Richmond. I was still on West Coast time last night so I stayed up almost all night tweeting! Yee-HA! Then I woke up and went to Trader Joes with my father. I knew that when Richmond got a TJ's, it would be some kind of milestone, like when "Two-buck Chuck" went up to $3.25... as I took a tour of West Broad Street from Gaskins Road to Short Pump, I noticed that the chains had all landed--Dave-N-Buster's, Home Depot, Michael's, big box stores, and small national chains like Omaha Steaks; Petco, and then your restaurant chains--P.F. Chang's, Appleby's, Chili's, etc... When I left, some 13 years ago, this was all woodlands and cow pastures. Short Pump was a crossroads from colonial times that had an actual short-handled water pump at a long-vanished inn. Now, the place is unrecognizable from any other suburban landscape in the United States. If I didn't know better, I could be on Shaw Avenue in Fresno, or in Paramus NJ, or northern Virginia (Alexandria, Fairfax--take your pick). It was a weird feeling of familiarity, but difference. Well, I got 2 weeks of this to digest. I think I'm gonna go down to see my old guitarist Scott, and work on some tracks for the long-awaited (15 years) Just Because album! And sit on a Robinson Street barstool and get drunk!

Kinda having a rough week...

OK, I think I've officially written 2009 off. I'm just gonna hunker down, and let 2010 be my year. It's just been crazy around here. I'll go to Richmond, then my cousin's wedding in Hoboken, then let 2010 roll!

A short history of cats at Casa Shoehead

With the tragic loss of Vanilla Bean "Beansie" this week, I wanted to include a short history of my cats in recent years.
It started in 2003, when I first met the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead. She had one cat, Starva Wazzoo Kitty. After we got married, we saw a tiny kitten in a cage at our vet's, with a sign that stated "My name's Missy Cleopatra. I was found in a pillowcase in a dumpster. Could you please take me home?" So we did. That was around June of 2006. She and Starva didn't get along with each other at all, but we did keep them separate. Soon after, around August of 2006 or maybe a little later, a couple of alley cats started hanging around our little courtyard. One we called Asparagus, or just "Gus", the other had a crazy broken tail, and we called him "Cat-tail". Gussie sorta went away, but cat-tail always faithfully came around to our front door looking for food. Then, when we ended up moving to Firebaugh, we couldn't bear to leave cat-tail behind to face the dangers of--who knows what--so we loaded him up and drove him north.
Shortly after arriving at our new home, The Lovely Mrs. Shoehead noticed a little runt cat at her auntie's house that nobody wanted. he was a little grey tiger-stripe, and we took him home and called him Buster Brown. He never really felt at home, and was kind of a loner, although Cat-tail looked after him like a little brother. Eventually, Buster moved out of the house into the back garage. So we were a happy little family of 4 cats until July or August of 2008, when I looked out and saw a tiny orange kitten on my back porch. He was so malnourished and sickly, we took him in and named him Vanilla Bean Kittybone Catva, or Beans. He was a rebel much like Buster, and was always trying to escape, but finally he settled in to life in the house. Buster never really adapted, and stayed out in the back garage for months. I kept feeding him, but I went out of town for several days in April 2009, and when I got back, Buster wasn't around. I believe he moved on to another location. All went seemingly fine, when in October, I came home to find Starva dead! It was very traumatic for me. I buried her in a little rock garden in our yard. After that, the remaining three cats sorta bonded and hung out together. They were very cute, the three of them laying down sleeping all in the same direction on top of the dryer! This kept up until this week, when I found poor little Beansie dead and wet in the front yard. Now I'm down to 2 cats! I really do miss a house full of cats. I hope some needy cat finds us...

Vanilla Bean Kittybone Catva July 2008-December 12 2009

Vanilla Bean Kittybone Catva, the orange cat


Yesterday was another sucky day for me. For the second time in six weeks, I had to bury one of my dear, beloved cats. As I walked to my neighbor’s house yesterday at around 2pm, I glanced over into my front yard, and saw the body of “Li’l Bean” curled up amongst the wet leaves. I walked over and picked up his stiff little body, and gave a quick examination. Preliminary examination showed no sign of foul play; this exonerates (for the moment) all the dogs, including visiting Pit-bull mix Chloe, as well as my creepy neighbor who kills cats and shoots blue jays from his back porch. While we are awaiting autopsy results for an official cause of death, it appears that “Beansie” expired naturally, probably from the cold and wetness of this week’s rainstorm. He’d had some kind of eye infection that the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead and I were trying to treat with antibiotic eye drops, so maybe he was just in a weakened state and succumbed to the elements.
For the past several days, I hadn’t seen Beansie around, and yesterday was the day I decided I was doing a thorough search. The discovery of his little water-soaked body was a disappointing end. Since the arrival of Chloe this past week, Beans, and the other remaining cats—Missy Cleopatra and Cat-tail—have been scared of this new dog, and staying away from their former safe-zone on top of the washer & dryer. In fact, I hadn’t seen either of the cats since the discovery of Bean’s body yesterday afternoon, until Cat-tail showed up this morning in the house, looking for some food. Today, I’ll look for Missy. Fingers crossed…
Li’l Bean came into my life around late July-early August of last year. One morning, I looked out on my back porch, and there was this tiny kitten; starving and filthy. He fit in the palm of my hand. Mrs. Shoehead and I took him in, gave him love and brought him back to health. As he was growing, he went through a little phase when he was trying to leave the house. He’d hang out all day in the back garage, and try to jump the fence and go to a neighbor’s house (not the creepy cat-killing sadist, the neighbor on the other side). Recently, Beansie returned to the house, and was hanging out with Missy and Cat-tail; particularly after the death of Starva. The three little kitties would curl up together on the washing machine and hang out together. I loved that! I took some pictures, that I’ll post very soon. With the arrival of Chloe, however, the little cat clique has been staying out of the house. And then, yesterday, Li’l Bean was discovered dead in the yard. Like Starva, I had a little funeral for him. I wrapped him in an old towel with his full name and a note that said what a good cat he was, and how much he’ll be missed, I also added a cat toy for him in the eternity. I said a prayer to God thanking Him for letting us have all the joy from Beans for a year, and then he was buried.
I think the storm is over now. The sun seems to be creeping up, as day breaks while I write this blog. It’s a new day, and I’m gonna miss my little friend. Good night, Beansie… You were an great little cat.

116 days of Camp Shoehead! Was I going green? You betcha!

I was actually green with envy at my neighbors who were enjoying TV, computers, reading at night, and warmth, as I sat by my nightly campfire on my porch. Due to some crazy financial dealings, and some indecision, as well as sheer treachery, Casa Shoehead was Camp Shoehead for 116 days, beginning July 31st as PG&E turned off the power. It was kinda fun at first (kinda), but after a while it just plain sucked. well last week, thanks to the diligent efforts of the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead, and a cool PG&E guy named Al (who left a really cool flashlight behind), we are now back at least to the 20th century, hoping to slip into the 21st century sometime soon. I'm still trying to break the "no-power" mindset as I rearrainge my habits back to a pre-Camp Shoehead routine. I'd forgotten the other night that I actually can read at night. Plus, I flipped on a switch only after automatically reaching for the flashlight.
But the biggest joy I got this week was The History Channel! And the other 500+ channels that I can now scan aimlessly! Yay! Now, I can actually re-connect with all my favorite shows! in fact, I'm just in time for the season finale of Sons of Anarchy. I watched it last night, and said to myself... "What the hell's going on?" But that's OK, I'll get back up to speed before S.A.M.C.R.O. really takes it to Henry Rollins and Adam Arkin! I've got my microwave popcorn all set!

Happy Birthday, MOM!

Today's my mother's birthday, and I'd be remiss if I didn't give it some kind of mention.
Also, we're working diligently to get the power turned back on, once again returning to "Casa Shoehead" from "Camp Shoehead". Camping at home can be fun, but it's a bitch during the winter months. We actually did do something somewhat cool the other day--the lovely Mrs. Shoehead wanted to take a hot bath, so we heated up water over the fire in potfuls and filled the bathtub with water, colonial-style! My good friend Hawkeye, who's a part-time mountain-man (or maybe he's a part-time 21st century man) was very proud of me, not to mention the least bit amused! But, through faith, prayer, money, and the mercy of PG&E (if any exists) Casa Shoehead should be lit back up with real electric lights, and gas to cook with, too!
I just reviewed some of my older blog entries from over the spring and summer, and I noticed that with the lack of television at Camp Shoehead, I haven't been able to deliver any of my cutting-edge, witty critique of reality shows an other TV pop-culture bonbons. Well, rest assured, my faithful readers, that my biting op-eds on our favorite media medium will soon burst forth once again!
So 'til next time, Happy Birthday, Mom! And to all a good night!

Sigh... I had to scratch "Co-ed 4"

After lots of deliberation, and much reluctance, I talked to the producers of "Co-ed Confidential 4" this morning and had to drop out of the project for personal reasons. I'll really miss the cast and crew, and I want to the thank the producers for being so understanding.

Outta Nowhere!

Irony of ironies... This past week, the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead returned to Camp Shoehead. She has a few health problems, and I plan to take care of her, but WOW! I went from getting prepared and adjusted to a single life again, and now she's back. Now, don't get me wrong--I'm happy, and Camp Shoehead is a lot less lonely. One of the most important things to me, those of you that know me personally, is the happiness of my pets, especially my dogs. They're overjoyed that Mommy's back! I know that seeing all of us together as a family once more fills their little hearts with such happiness! We've been having fun spending quality time together in front of a fire every night, and it's been great!
But what about me? Now my plans are changing once again. What will the future hold for your ol' pal Shoehead?

I can breathe again!

Was it the garlic? Or was it the crazy-smelling vapor-rub? All I know is, I'm about 95% at my optimum. I've been reading through not one, but two books on herbal remedies. I used to be into it in 1999 when I managed a GNC store. but over the years, and crossing the continent, I fell away from that whole "healthy lifestyle" thing. In California, no less! But I plan on getting my medical 420 card, and reading and learning more about herbal remedies and natural health cures. Especially if the Democrats take over health care! I'll become my own doctor, too!

Crunch time!

With my upcoming gig on "Co-ed", plus two weeks back in Virginia for the Holidays, I'll be away from Camp Shoehead for six weeks! It seems like I have about a million and one things to do.
My main concern as always is my dogs. My neighbor said he'd feed them every day, but I still hate leaving them all by themselves. The estranged Lovely Mrs. Shoehead told me that she'd be too busy to look after them. Hmm... do I board them? That would eat up all the money I'd make on the show. What to do, what to do...
My next concern is a place to stay. I've stayed with friends before from the crew, and I'm always absolutely appreciative (I am the consummate houseguest!) but none of my friends that I usually stay with are on this shoot! Now, I have slept in my car before--taking my showers in the gym, etc.-- but for six weeks???
Another thing is my ACN business. Now that I'm done with the prison gig, my ACN is starting to gain momentum. Then I just leave for six weeks? Hmmm...
Not to mention DMV stuff, some other bureaucratic crap I have to deal with, and just getting ready for a six week trip, I'm a little stressed out! Not my usual cucumber-cool Shoehead!
Oh well, it'll all work itself out.
here's something fun--I'm still fighting off a slight bout of bronchitis (at least I hope it is, and not the H1N1 swine flu!), so ever the holistic wannabe, I read in an herbal remedy book that a great cure for bronchitis is garlic. So, I've been chewing raw garlic cloves for the last four days! Nice, huh? I don't think I stink like garlic, but then again, I wouldn't notice it if I did! It was recommended that I chew sprigs of parsley to combat the garlic breath, which I have been doing... But doesn't that stuff go through your bloodstream and your pores? Yikes! The plus side is, there have been no vampire sightings at Camp Shoehead since I started this new regimen.
OK, readers... let's see what tomorrow brings in this crazy, stressed-out week!

Wow, I just hit 100 posts!

Actually, this is my 101st post... Who'da thunk it???
I've been very busy the past couple of weeks. I actually thought being unemployed would slow me down some, but I've been ROLLING! I just confirmed a spot on the crew of "Co-ed Confidential Season 4" and I'll get to work with my buddies Kevin Patrick, Bradley Joseph, and the always awesome Michelle Maylene.
It's gonna be a trip. Otherwise, still no power at Camp Shoehead. I'm trying to have it fully electrical by 2010! OK, til next time my amazing readers!

I'm loving the new schedule...

Since they laid me off from the prison, and shut down C-Yard's program, I'm really enjoying not having to drive there every day, and listen to a bunch of crap from a bunch of unqualified losers. But I do miss the inmates, they were the only good thing about the job!
My favorite thing right now is the total stress-free existance that I'm experiencing. I've been running 90 minutes four times a week. I plan to run the L.A. marathon, and the N.Y.C. marathon next year. I wake up whenever I want to, but usually it's been at 6am. But that's OK, too... It's my choice!
Now, I face a major decision of the day... what will I eat lunch?
See ya tomorrow, good readers!

Happy Halloween!

I'm one of those people who don't really put a whole lot of effort into my halloween costume, and basically throw something together last-minute every year. I think tonight I'll wear my bathrobe and go as Vincent "The Chin" Gigante. The problem is, I don't think anyone will know who that is here in Fresno! That's kind of a New Yorker's costume...

Starva Wazzoo Kitty (ca. 1995-2009)

Yesterday was quite a traumatic day for me, good readers. As I returned from the library, where I blog, tweet, and network, I walked in to my house to see our oldest cat, Starva, laying half-on/half-off the dog bed in the living room. I called out, "Hi, Starva!", as I realized that something didn't look quite right. She'd never taken a position like that before, and her fur looked kinda matted, and it didn't look like she was even breathing... I felt her, and she was dead.
I immediately called my estranged wife, the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead, to give her the awful news. She's had Starva since the mid 90's; this little kitty was always there as long as I'd known my wife. She was devastated.
I let one of our other cats, Missy Cleopatra, who's known Starva for three years and had gotten as close to friends as starva would allow (she was a pretty aloof cat), and Missy looked curiously, and sniffed around . It looked like Missy was trying to feel for Starva's breath. There seemed to be a moment of understanding, as Missy slowly walked away.
There was no other choice, being the animal lover that I am, and absolutely devoted to my pets, but to bury her, and conduct somewhat of a funeral. I dug the grave (boy am I outta shape!), I wrapped her in a towel, and I enclosed a paper containing her full name, and a note that I appreciated having her in my life, and that her mommy loved her, and missed her a lot. I also placed two cat toys with her to play with in the great beyond. then, I finished with a prayer thanking God for the joy Starva gave us, and protection over my other pets, and she was buried. I tried to give her as much reverence and love as I could.
A combination of the exertion of digging a grave and the trauma and stress of finding her body and loss of a treasured pet left me drained. I slept all afternoon! I thought about feeding her, and listening to her meows, and I felt sad. The house seems a little bit emptier now.
One of the things that struck me about the whole incident is when I carried her little towel-wrapped body over to the gravesite. I cradled her head and tried to be as loving as I could. Her little face didn't quite look peaceful, but looked a bit in pain. There was some blood and tufts of fur laying about, but there was no mutilation. I don't think the dog actually killed the cat per se, I believe it was just a dog/cat fight--one of many--but her 14 year-old heart just couldn't take it.
So good-bye, Starva... you were an awesome little cat, and thanks for all the joy you've brought us over the years.
(The irony of this picture is that she's pictured on the dog bed that I her body on...)

Changes, changes...

So I'm finally a statistic. My crappy prison job ended last week, and I'm officially on the unemployment rolls. Actully, I couldn't be happier... I'm still camping out at camp Shoehead, but it should get better soon. I'll make a point of blogging more. I know I've said that before, but I can't tell you how that job really sucked the life outta me. I remember not too long ago when this blog actually had readers! That's OK, I'll blog it up and get my readership back. It feels like I've been paroled myself! I'm still adjusting to not being in C-yard. it was somewhat bittersweet; I really was fond of all of my clients. There were some wonderful women in there, with talent, heart and a real desire to make positive changes in their lives. I'll miss those ladies a lot.
meanwhile, now I have time to catch up on the things I really love to do. Blog, write screenplays, work on my ACN business, and whatever else I feel like doing...
It's the dawn of a new day for your ol' pal Shoehead!!!
(Yawn... Time for a nap!)

This is an interesting day...

Exactly one year ago (man, this was a fast freakin' year!) I made a mistake that cost me a lot out of my life. A year ago I was in Miami, shooting season 3 of "Co-ed Confidential", and really having a great time. I was with my friends, making money and having a blast, and it was really a great experience. I won't go into details just yet, but this day in particular is kinda reflective to me...
I understand "Co-ed 4" is getting ready to shoot soon. I should give them a call, especuially since I have like 25 days left of the prison job!

44 years old...

Wow, it's my birthday again. Last year at this time I was in Miami, on day one of "Co-ed Confidential Season 3" shoot. This year has gone by so quick, it's scary. I'll try and get to blogging again, too. i miss it, and I miss my cool readers. I'm probably moving back to L.A. within the next fewmonths. The Lovely Mrs. Shoehead has left me, and I don't think she's coming back. The idea of dating again seems so crazy, and even a little stressful. BUT--I got a nice new haircut to start me off just right. OK, the uploader is not behaving, so you have to go to my Facebook profile to see the new look! I basically had a "Britney Spears moment". And shaved my head!
Yay!
Until next time, my awesome readers!

I haven't posted in a while...

Sorry readers! I went back to prison... (my prison counselor job, that is!) But I am trying to get a little more diligent about my blogging. Soon, I'll actually have the internet back in my house. Yay! And a few moere changes little by little in my life.
Quick shout out to my cousin Chris Meyers, who is celebrating his birthday today. Happy Day, Chris!
OK, I'm getting back into the swing of things, readers, so bear with me, and thanks for sticking it out.
Aloha!

Some crazy stuff, my awesome readers!

Ya gotta stay tuned 'til tomorrow, though. I just escaped from a crazy cult, and I'm also thinking about shutting down my "Myspace" page. Look for tomorrow's blog!