St. Jimmy's coming down across the alleyway. Up on the boulevard like a zip gun on parade ...

Can you belive it? Spare the air day #1 and here I am back on two wheels. It's 90 in the shade today and I get to wear shorts to work. I know, great country right? So for those of you who missed my Facebook warning last night, I have found my Pre-K through 2nd Grade photo albumn. Also known as "Bugbee, the Glory Years". If you are related to me or were in school with me between 1969 and 1983 ... lookout ... I own a scanner. Beyond that it's the last week of summer school for the kids and 10 days until the mid summer party. Oh and softball playoffs start tomorrow.

Hope all is well with you all.

iPhone says, "Jesus of Suburbia - Live Bullet in a Bible" by Green Day

"Dearly beloved are you listening. I can't remember a word that you were saying."

Come out, come out, no use in hiding. Come now, come now, can you not see ...

Back in the train with a strained left quad. Lessons learned: I am old. I really need to stretch before playing. Don't try to make up for one bad play by over exerting on the next. Quads control the UP stroke on your bicycle so push don't pull. Ibuprofen is good. Ambien puts you to sleep. And lastly: It is possible to ride a bicycle with a travel mug full of latte in the "water bottle" pocket of your backpack. Just check the top carefuly and aim accordingly.

I have been meaning to create a Top5 nonsense lyric songs list on Fafebook but I can't think of 5 good enough to include. Easy ones "Surfin' Bird" - "oo mao mao boppa oo mao mao", "Pinhead" by The Ramones "Gabba Gabba Hey", "Witch Doctor" by Alvin and the Chipmunks "oo ee oo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang". But after that nothng seems to be good enough. Let me know if you have one so I can put a lid on this. Honestly, this is taking too many cycles from my daily brain allotment.

Iphone says, "In the City" by The Eagles

"It's survival in the city, when you live from day to day. City streets don't have much pity, when you're down that's where you'll stay."

I been running down a one way track. Won't you help me, police on my back ...

So I forgot to fill you in on the car situation. 110 days after the great front yard demolition derby of '09. Kris and I bought a 2003 Ice-Blue Honda Civic Hybrid. With less miles than Penelope and for more than I got for the Outback. I am, however, still on the train. Knowing that it is possible to live with one car and with the potential for saving plenty of cash on gas with the new one, I will continue to ride the rails. Days where I need a car or when I have to be somewhere else I can drive. Taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by the train pass feels like a whole different chapter in our lives and I am happy to continue and make my greener-than-I-ever-was kids happy that I am saving resources. So now we have to name it. Snowflake has been the best so far but honestly this is a boy car and snowflake just won't make him happy. I am thinking something overly butch like Frank, Nick or Gus. Oddly, 3 of my dads golf buddies, RIP Gus.

iPhone says, "Rock the Casbah" by The Clash

"The king called out his jet fighters. Said you better earn your pay. Drop your bombs between the minarets down the casbah way."

Little known fact: When the San Jose soccer team was known as "The Clash", the chearing section was called "The Casbah".

37 years ago a witch done put a spell on me. A spell where when I'm talking I'm singin' it with glee ...

Just a moment out if my day to let you know about my favorite kids animated movie if the past 10 years. Nemo? Cars? Wall-E? Bugs? Ants? No no no no and no. It's Hoodwinked the lower budget retelling of Red Ridinghood ala 7 Samurai or The Usual Suspects. The wolf I really an investigative reporter. In fact he IS Fletch complete with characters and a Magic Johnson Lakers #32 jersey. Voiced by Patrick Warburton he is the unexpected "hero" of this movie. Red wants out if the Forrest in the worst way and sings about it. Anne Hathaway plays the reluctant goodie deliverer who, when asked what they call her when she isnt wearing her namesake accessory responds snidley, "I usually wear it.". Which brings us to GrandMa the goodie making CEO of the most successful bakery in the forest. However in keeping with the nothing is as it seems atmosphere of he film she I in actuality an Xtreme athlete with a theme song titled "The Real G" that includes lines like, "75 alive in a hardcore bitty. Still making' half pipe hand plants look pretty. In the woody with the goodies for the Jacks and Jills. More power to the granny with the skillz." The wolf has an asisstant/photographer named Twitchy the squirrel who it is impossible to understand as he speaks waaaaay too fast. Please don't give him coffee. The Woodcutter (James Belushi) is really a german actor wannbe who currently sells schnitzel from an ice cream truck. The antagonist is actually attempting to corner the goodie market and need to do away with granny and red to get his way. Oh, and he is a cute bunny voiced by Andy Dick. He has a Dr Evil-esq lair and some euro trash henchmen/women. One of whom is sadly named Keith which just isn't mean enough for Boingo, "Watch out for Keith." Last but not least is Japeth the blind outcast singing goat. The title of this post is his song about why he has to sing every line he has. If nothing else he wants you to be prepared.

Rent it. Honestly you will be surprised.

iPhone says, "Red is Blue". Ben Folds from the Hoodwinked Soundtrack

"Trouble in your head now don't know what to do. Seems like up is down and Red is Blue."

The director says they may change a line or two, but a little bit of something can look awfully good to you.

Don't mean nothin', don't mean nothin', don't mean nothin' at all

It's been a great week. First softball game in a long time, big time Talent Show at Escondido and a big week for the Daily Deal (http:\\deals.ebay.com\). What else can I say this is one of those "right in the middle of it" times if the year along with Oct-Nov or as we call it "Nutcracker Season". Just to clarify, it is called "Nutcracker Season" because we are in training to perform the Nutcracker not because I am fond of naming things with semi-lewd epithets.

I am so happy that my kids enjoy getting up In front of a crowd of adults and their friends to perform. And the Escondido community loves their kids and all the others. It is an amazing thing to watch K-5 kids working together and of course the parent involvement is top notch. Pictures are up at http:\\galery.me.comkris\brockmann\ I am still clapping.

iPhone says "You Dont Know How It Feels" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

"My old man was born to rock. He's still trying to beat the clock"

Happy 75th dad! I love you!

For three strange days, I had no obligations. My mind was a blur, I did not know what to do ...

You get up, shower, dress and head out to work every day. And all you can ask for is something interesting and enjoyable to pass the time. You hope for, but don't expect, genuine positive vibes or friendly co workers or time to do things right. I am lucky that I have such a job at one if the "100 best places to work". Busy and producing is much better than nothing to do and nothing to show for it. I am excited to go in and excited to be a part of what is going on. I stay a little eate these days because I am vested in the success of the daily deal. Not too bad a day when you are fully tired on the way home.

Iphone says, "Goose Step Mama" by The Ruttles

"You've got something that makes you something.
Something tells me loud and clear.
In the end it comes to nothing.
You've got nothing to ein, svei, drei, fear."

Make up your mind. Decide to walk with me. Around the lake tonight. By my side. By my side ...

My car story just gets more and more interesting. I checked the VIN on carfax and the national stolen car db with little to no issues. It just feels wrong. I got a quote of 345 to ship it but the guy sasys he's in the service so I bet he can get it shipped free.
Someone needs to explain this to me. He says, he'll ship it unpaid but only a deposit got he shipper. I can then evaluate it when it's here and then decide on payment or return. What are the bad angles here. He's in it with the shipper? The car arrives different than shown? I have to pay some siklck # to send it back? What would you be willing to front to find out if it us real? How much would you be willing to lose to find out? Right now I'd say $500-$1000 but no more. I might call a dealer or a shop in Hendo to go and look at it. Hopefully $50 to $100 invested there could be a big payoff.
But seriously, who knows someone in Vegas that would do me a solid?

iPhone says, "Insider" Tom Petty with Stevie Nicks from "Pack Up the Plantation Live"

"Well I'll bet you're his masterpiece. I'll bet you're his self control. Yeah you've become his legacy. His quiet world of white and gold."

I don't want to come back down from this cloud, it's taken me all this time to find out what I need ...

So hi there, I find that writing took a back seat to veging on the train for a few weeks but today is somehow different. I blame family and friends.

First golf. I got to play the Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay on Saturday and man was it ... Scenic. No comments on my game as that would mean I need to discus my lack of ability. Guys from work, 7:20 AM, coffee, a bacon/egg/cheese sandwich, cold, windy and lots of fun. I need to thank Andy for picking me up, Kris for organizing the family (wow was it a busy one) and She for clearing the skies before we froze.

Work is great. One mention if your project by the CEO during the earnings call and suddenly you have a ton if work to do. Cool huh?

And now, a car. Don't have one yet but the $ for it comes available Monday next. My dilemma is, do I buy the one that is in Henderson, NV site unseen? If it's what I think, it may be the best deal ever. Which only makes me think it's a riff. $7900 for a 2005 Infiniti G35. Free shipping, deposit held by shipping co, no payment til the car is verified. Too good to be true. Therefore, it's a scheme. Ah well I need to rally my network and see if I can verify its existance.

iPhone says, "I've Got a Feeling" Pearl Jam cover of the Beatles classic.

"Everybody had a good year. Though we never saw the sunshine. Everybody pulled their socks up. Everybody put the war down."

And if the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you ...

So I was looking at the channel lineup of my new favorite TV channel, Paladia (formerly Mhd), two nights ago and "The Foo Fighters at Wembley Stadium" was on. Let me first explain why Paladia is my favorite. HD music, few if any commercials and in a 4 week period last month they showed "The Song Remains the Same", "Tommy", "The Wall" and "The Last Waltz". It's an HD MTV circa 1982, but without Nina Blackwood :( . So Dave Grohl and the boys are whipping 86k Brits into a frenzy with "Learn to Fly", "My Hero" and others from the Foo back catalogue when about 2 songs from the end he steps to the mike and says something like, "we've been setting this up for 6 months to make this the most exciting FF concert ever ... It's you guys who made us what we are today ... (lowers head to compose himself) ... Ladies and gentlemen our very special guests tonight ... Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones from LED ZEPPELIN!". Dave turns the mike over to Taylor Hawkins and takes a seat behind the drums. Now, as I watch this I am reading his wilipedia page that he, "patterned his drum playing after John Bonham". They test the sound level briefly and turn to Dave on the drums and he has, THE biggest smile on his face. Dude has some teeth and always chews gum during a gig and man you could see it all. Dave counts it down and jumps into the intro to "Rock n Roll". The whole place goes off like a jet engine. Hawkins knows the word by this is all about Page and Jones ... and Grohl who, you known its the first and probably only time he gets to do this. He continues to prove to me how genuine of a person he is and I enjoyed it so much I replayed it four time and then two more yesterday.

iPhone says, "Rock and Roll" by Led Zepelin

"Carry me back, carry me back, carry me back, baby where I come from. It's been a long time, been along time, been a long lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely time."

Why not phone up, Robin Hood, and ask him for some wealth distribution ...

Two cold and windy, but clear, days in a row. Really looking forwad to the end of the month. Employee stock purchase, tax refund, Kris' first full "retirement" check it will be a banner two weeks in the old Clough household.

iPhone says, "Creep (Acoustic)" by Radiohead

"I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. I want you to notice when I'm not around. I want something special. I wish I was special."

Now here I am the angel of mirth and I have come to bring you my burden ...

I realize today it's 2 months since I started on the train. I thought I would feel more holier than thou for all the green reasons but in actuality I am very comfortable with what I am doing and that makes me happy inside where it counts. Which is a very bad segue into today's question.

Bowling? A difficult question with many levels of existential angst, and stuff. My team at work was supposed to go hiking toady as a team builder. But with the newly found ability of the atmosphere to pour down water from the clouds (yes it's raining again) we has to cancel and instead go to Strike! a new fangled nightclub as bowling alley establishment in Cupertino. Which brings me to my dilemma. Do I bowl like I want to or do I try to calm down and take it easy. I mean I grew up bowling at the Elks Lodge on Saturday mornings all winter long with Jimmy Dilello who at the age of 11 or 12 would raise the ball over his head on the back swing and simply obliterate the pins (and the back wall of the alley). But this is business and as Kris says there's politics everywhere. Luckily bowling is more than one game. I can do OK but hold back on the first game or two and then pull out something in the last one. Thanks nameless faceless Internet, you made my decision very easy.

iPhone says, "Don't f*** Me Up With Peace and Love" by Cracker

"Now here I am the game warden of love, 'til someone took away my gin and tonic."

Yeah with one foot in the grave, and one foot on the pedal, I was born a Rebel ...

Busy weeks make for a very odd sense of what's going on. It's Wednesday and man if it don't feel like Friday. Lots to do and lots already done at work. I'm going to miss J's second ball game today and that bums me out a little.

Left work a little late yesterday and caught the train that only goes half way home then you have to get out and wait 15 before the next train that goes all the way. So I decided to ride as far as I could to see if I can get anywhere near Tasman before I have to stop and wait doe the train. Got two stops away and probably could have made it all the way but it's a good thing I didn't as there were 9 bicycles on the car after Tasman and only 2 before, one was me of course.

Ok now I have to talk about wings. Kris, el superior chica en todos del mundo, went waaaaaaay out of her way Monday to get me BW3 on opening day of the Dublin, CA Buffalo Wild Wings. I can feel the WTFs out there so let me explain. Buffalo Wild Wings (I will always call it BW3 even though the last W for "Weck" has long since gone) is an Ohio institution and something with which I have 25 years of history. Monday signified the opening of the first NorCal BW3 and my wife, el gran jefe de los pajarros rojos, was there. The only downer was that she missed a year of free wings by 5 people. But I got wings for the final 4. Anyone see who won that?

iPhone says, "Southern Accents" by Tom Petty

"For just a minute there I was dreaming. For just a minute it was oh so real. For just a minute she was standing there with me."

There's no need for you to say you're sorry. Goodbye I'm going home ...

Ah what a day, validate my reason for living. Come to find out it's about simplifying complex stuff down to the lowest common denominator so that those who are less familliae with the underlying data can ... can ... I make pretty pictures out of numbers.

It was great to have a bunch of people commend your work. So much so that I stayed late to get through some backlog that came up as I was finishing my weekly report for the ... for the ... My pretty pictures.

So far so good, now on to the train at 727 and home so I can see what else I need to do. Sad isn't it?

iPhone says, "Glycerine" by Bush

"Should have been easier by three. Our old friend fear, and you, and me."

Because the world is round it turns me on ...

Don't worry this is only a test. If it works it should make it much easier to blog from the iPhone.

Cheers

On the iPhone, "Because" by the Beatles

"Because the win is high it blows my mind."

Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream ...

Gotta go with it this week. Found out that I have hit 15 pounds lost since the car was destroyed. Need to go buy size 34s (34 x 32 for anyone who cares ;) ). Kids having fun all night at A and B's house then Y camp swimming. Kris and I saw "I love you man" yesterday and I would recommend it with the exception of the puking scenes. Our audio was bad in the theater so we got 4 free tickets. Kudos AMC. you retained our $.

iPhone says "Gin and Juice" by Snoop Dog

" With so much drama in the LBC it's kinda hard being Snoop D-O-double-G."

Oh let the sun beat down upon my face. Stars to fill my dreams ...

It's been non stop at work and the kids are on spring break this week. Kris has exercises at the Y while kids at camp and is seeing the rewards from all the cakes she made for the fund raiser. Kids at Spring Break Y camp this week as well.

Questions are flying in the valley due to the facebook redesign. But more ominous and far more worrisome is the fact that many of OUR PARENTS ARE JOINING FACEBOOK. The proverbial shark jumping moment. I am sure the Tweens and Twentys were quaking in their baggy jeans and micro minis when I joined two years ago. But like Xcite, Yahoo, Google and MySpace there is nowhere to run and hide ... Right now. Give it a few, "Do you have to use such language?" posts on your wall to see how fast it happens. Twitter is an alternative but not as rich. Which seems to be the way social web is moving. Pretty soon it will be like the joke where inmates at the state penn tell jokes by shouting out a number as everyone knows them all. I can see it now a website call "OnOrOff" where people communicate in binary messages of 150 characters or less.

0100110101101000110110101000010101101011010100101001010001010100010101

Ah well, some can tell a joke and some can't.

iPhone says, "Lunch Lady Land" by Adam Sandler

"Well yesterday's meatloaf is today's Sloppy Joes. And my breath reeks of tuna and there's lots black hair coming out of my nose."

Barking Incessantly

I owe the title today to Kris who read me a cartoon from the New Yorker. Two dogs are talking and one says, "Yeah, I used to blog but it got old. I think I'll go back to my first love, barking incessantly."

You blog to pass the time, to tell the world your story, to take a side, or just to keep your head from exploding. What comes out may occaisionally be entertaining but more often it's just words of no lasting impact. I enjoy doing this but I don't think y'all are interested in, as Joe Strummer said at the Us Festival, "This and that and what's up my ass." (Family excepted mom I see you.)

iPhone says, "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" by David Allen Coe

"Now you don't have to call me darlin, darlin."

There's a red moon rising on the Cuyahoga river, rolling in to Cleveland to the lake ...

Sunny and COLD! Geez can't we just get to spring? Time change made the morning ride a very cold one even though it's totally clear. Reminded me, only slightly, of the ride to school in Japan although it was much colder there. Just above freezing as I recall.

Weekend was good, Amelia can count to 100 in Spanish. Jackson is working in math facts 8x6,8x7,6x7,7x7 seem to be the toughest so far.

Ok I have nothing else today so ... Top 5 , current, favorite reality TV shows:

5. Dog the Bounty Hunter - Can't .. Not ... Watch. Must be the last vestiges of redneck in me.
4. Deadliest Catch - Mike Rowe's voiceover work, nuff said.
3. Mythbusters - screw you it's made in SF, that's my reality.
2. American Chopper - Really, workboot wearing, cycle ridding, upstate NYers. I went to school with those guys! ... "fabrication"
1. Ace of Cakes - For no other reason than it's Kris' reason for trying to make her cakes.

iPhone says, "Pretty Maids all in a Row" by The Eagles

"Call someplace 'paradise', your kissin' it goodbye."

White riot, I want a riot, white riot, a riot on my own ...

Hi-ho crime stoppers!

A day where it rained and still was a good morning and a good afternoon. Accomplished stuff and worked hard all week. Amelia be Kris are off to Alvin Ailey (Eh-ley,Aylee,Alley,Aillee?) Dance in SF courtesy of aunt Kama and J has his first Coach Ken Baseball practice tomorrow. Must be spring. I have no weekend plans as it is usually planned out for me.

Sydney is hurt. He did something to his paw and has completely shut down until he feels better. I took him to the vet last night and two shots later (and a humiliating shave of his back right paw) we went home. Today I hear he hasn't moved. Good for him except for the inability to get food. We plan on getting the tuna out for him tonight. Hopefully some comfort food will be appetizing.

Good weekend see you Monday.

iPhone says, "All the way from Memphis" by Mott the Hoople

"Forgot my 6-string razor and hit the sky. Half way to Mephis 'for I realized."

I hear that train a comin' it's rollin' round the bend and I ain't seen the sunshine since, I don't know when ...

Can't believe I haven't used that subject line yet. It feels like I could use it every day.

Either I am catching the early train more often or there are more people riding the train. Yesterday all seats had at least one person in the at one point. There are always 2 other cycles in the bike car, one belonging to an Indian woman who gets off at Cisco. I only mention this because she can't hike the front wheel up enough to hang her bike in one of the four parking spots so she is always sitting in the bike car and I have to excuse myself to get around her and park mine.

Today there's a guy in the bike car with just the frame to a dirt bike. It is painted copper with huge flakes. It looks like one of the Teutel's choppers gone bad.

Cut to a closeup of Paul Jr., "We sent it out for paint and chrome .... but something went horribly wrong ... fabricate".

iPhone says, "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" by Warren Zevon

"I met this girl here in Buffalo, she took away my breath. She followed me to my hotel room, and she beat me half to death."