Still here! Still no time to update lately, except for this. Started taking steroids yesterday (so I'm "on the juice," for you kayfabers) --- no, not to chase some elusive dream of becoming a professional wrestler (I'm better suited as a manager), but to help combat seasonal allergies. Is it coincidental that I moved up an extra 10 pounds on most weight machines at the gym today? Hmmm . . .

Kiss ruled! One of the highlights of the night was that the band played a song that they had never performed live in the U.S. before, "Love Her All I Can" from "Dressed to Kill," the third Kiss album, released in the mid-seventies. Wow! And this was only the second night they had done that on this tour, the first time being two nights earlier in Concord, California, where a couple of my friends were treated to the first-time-played-live-in-the-U.S. version of "All the Way." By the way, for those who complain that Kiss without Ace Frehley and Peter Criss doesn't cut it, you should see Eric Singer rawk the drum kit harder than any person has a right to, and Tommy Thayer more than fills Ace's platform boots in the lead guitar department.

I played a ComedySportz remote on Thursday night in front of more than 200 middle-school and high-school 4H kids, and the show went really well. The kids were responsive and enthusiastic, and the players fed off of that and gave it right back to 'em. It was a lot of fun. Plus, I was a Shakesperean anaconda.

How excited am I that I have a new queen bed, courtesy of Thin Lizzy (the friend, not the band)? So excited that I am posting about it on my blog. Yay, no more lying in a dip in the middle of a bed!


ComedySportz and karaoke pretty much made up my Friday and Saturday evenings. I actually had the opportunity to hit hard rock falsettos twice in one Saturday evening --- during a CSz show and at karaoke during Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz." Not a bad night.

Rubber Dali celebrates its fiftieth post!

Okay, sure, this monumental event could have happened much earlier if I updated more often. But let's put cold, hard facts aside and focus on fun!

For those of you who requested an update, here is today's "Watch what you ask for, you just might get it" affirmation: I sat in line for half an hour at Oil Can Henry's waiting for an oil change. I got so hot sitting in direct sunlight --- with no drinking water --- that I got allergy/heat hives on my lower neck (which thankfully usually disappear quickly, so it should be gone before ComedySportz workshop in 40 minutes). Then I worked out on weight machines for an hour. Now I will shower, then go make myself and hopefully others laugh at workshop, as they make me laugh frantically (there, now you fellow attendees have added pressure on you).

Let the celebratory 50th posting comments begin!!

Karaoke was pretty weird tonight. Lots of drunk non-regulars were there and they almost all put songs in. At one point, the rotation was probably just more than two hours. "My Sharona" was not attempted, as our table decided to go with the theme of eighties songs. Yours truly attempted Alice Cooper's ballad "You and Me" before the theme was decided on, and then Adam Ant's "Goody Two Shoes," Psychedelic Furs' "Pretty in Pink," B-52's "Love Shack" and Murray Head's "One Night in Bangkok." Mmm . . . bed now!

By the way, if you have wondered, like me, why "My Sharona" hasn't been attempted by anyone at Monday night karaoke since I started attending last year, you might want to come tonight to find out the answer . . .

New look! Audio posting added! (Admittedly minimal) HTML formatting! Someone has too much time on his hands today . . .

I just listened to my first audioblog post. Aside from the usual not liking how our recorded voices sound (and by "our" I mean mine, but I think many people feel this way), it was fun. When I played it back on iTunes, it went directly from my post to AC-DC's "Jailbreak" --- furthering my reputation as the King of Segues. If you didn't already know that about me, now you do. I am also the King of Parking Karma. If you ever need or want to park within two to three blocks of whatever your destination is, you might want to have me riding shotgun. Hmm, I wonder how metaphorically true that statement might be, as well?

I just listened to my first audioblog post. Aside from the usual not liking how our recorded voices sound (and by "our" I mean mine, but I think many people feel this way), it was fun. When I played it back on iTunes, it went directly from my post to AC-DC's "Jailbreak" --- furthering my reputation as the King of Segues. If you didn't already know that about me, now you do. I am also the King of Parking Karma. If you ever need or want to park within two to three blocks of whatever your destination is, you might want to have me riding shotgun. Hmm, I wonder how metaphorically true that statement might be, as well?

"Your vision was right, my vision was wrong/I'm sorry for smudging the air with my song"

"It's their ways to detain, their ways to disgrace/Their knee in your balls and their fist in your face"

--- Leonard Cohen, "A Singer Must Die"

That is how part of my past few days has gone. I have had a minor case of free-floating anxiety hanging about, but it is certainly a passing thing. On top of that, to go a bit more into confessional detail than I usually like, I am extremely bummed that I most likely won't be appearing in either of this weekend's ComedySportz shows, which will be Sam's last shows before moving to Chicago on Sunday to further his improv career --- which I know he will do, because the guy is extremely talented. When I made the cut for auditions in February 2003, Sam was one of the first to welcome me aboard, and always made me feel welcome and capable. It has always been a blast playing with him (Team Converse with Sam, Adam, and myself, and Team Anything Could Happen with Sam, Jose, and myself will always be among my favorite improv memories). I know not every cast member gets to play every time they sign up, and there was a high demand to play in Sam's final two shows, but . . . hmm, well.

Also, Wednesday night was my son's middle school graduation ceremony, and I caught myself reflecting on myself and my life a bit more than I felt I should, but thankfully was able to self-correct and focus on what was truly important --- him, the end of an era in his life, and the beginning of a new era. To put things in perspective regarding Sam's final shows, I am taking the same mental route as I did my son's graduation. Congratulations, Sam . . . kick arse in Chicago (one of my favorite cities in the world), my friend!

One last little complaint . . . I can't wait for these spring-grass-allergy hives to run their course! Aargh!

In the "rockin' the karaoke mic" department, I am pretty sure that I can safely add Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man" to my safe list. Additionally, this means that I now have a whopping two numbers that I feel I can do when accidentally or deliberately walking into a blue collar bar for karaoke --- that one, and "Cat Scratch Fever."

Congratulations to my friends graduating from college this week! Marissa and Mike, all the best to you two!

I must retire now, dear friends and readers, to get as much sleep as possible before auditions tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 10:00 a.m. for "Crouchman --- The Movie." We are auditioning for 25 bikini-clad females for a fight scene between, well, 25 bikini-clad female villains and Our Hero. For those who don't know what I am talking about, scoot on over to crouchman.o-f.com. I know, it is a tough job. When you start a Saturday morning like that, how could it possibly get better?!

To close on a more upbeat Leonard Cohen note, I offer you, from "The Window":

"Oh chosen love, oh frozen love,
Oh tangle of matter and ghost
Oh darling of angels, demons, and saints
And the whole brokenhearted host,
Gentle this soul . . ." 

"The following is a public service announcement . . . with guitaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaars!"

I only caught about 45 minutes of VH1's "100 Most Metal Moments" last night, but it certainly seemed worth taping the entire five hours for kicks and giggles. I recommend that you do so tonight from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The show works on so many levels, from "That really does rawk" to self-serving excess to high comic irony.

The film "The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years" is mentioned, and it is a really good film that captures the spirit and essence of the heady days of metal in the late '80s while doing a fantastic job of showing many of the inherent physical and spiritual pitfalls.

Bonus: the first person who e-mails me at rubberdali@comcast.net naming the band and album on which today's opening quote appears will receive a "Rubber Dali's 80 Most Metal Minutes" custom-made mix CD of some of my favorite hard rock songs from the '70s and '80s. Some of you may think the contest quote is from some obscure album, but let me assure you that it is not --- it contained one of the band's best-selling singles, which was an MTV and radio staple in its day. Wow, an impromptu contest!

Honestly, folks, I had planned on writing a longer post to let you know that the events causing a bit of stress in my life these past few days have settled down enough to . . . well, to allow me to update my blog. Then I accidentally looked at my clock and saw that it is 1:18 a.m., and I need to wake up at 6:30 a.m. So I will try again tomorrow. But in the meantime I present --- so that your trip here right now isn't a total waste --- Photoshopped evidence, created by and courtesy of Coasterama, of how fired up I am for the Kiss concert on the 22nd of this month. Rawk!