Hiya Streamers.

Well, I am starting to get accustomed to not being on the computer so much..... I even dont jump on when I have a computer to jump on so maybe that's progress for a bonefide blog junkie....

First of all.... please send Secret your thoughts and prayers as she is going through a very tough time now.... she has several things on her plate that she is dealing with, and I am very proud of her and inspired by her integrity and her love and empathy for those in her life who are struggling.... she is indeed in one of life's valleys right now....and she needs her friends..

...I was driving to work the other day and I was greeted with such a beautiful view of the mountains........ the sun was breaking through the cool morning fog and the peaks were shrouded in a lush yellow mist..... heat and water in symphonic glory and radience........ I have seen many beautiful sights here in Appalachia but that morning's scene was one I will never forget.... it got my mind thinking about where I am these days.......... less spirit and more flesh....... I am such a slave to my flesh these days..... the easy way out..... please my flesh and forget what my heart really needs........ food, drink, sex, whatever....... not literally in every case, but those who are fully aware of what the Apostle Paul was warning us about in the New Testament know what I am talking about........ I am off track right now.... I still read my Bible every day but the readings are empty for me.... just a robot habit..... I need to straighten up.... grow up....... if the universe actually revolves around me then it is a sad universe indeed....... it took the sublimely beautiful view of the mountains on my way to work one morning that let me have that moment of clarity...... I cant make that happen.... it has to fall upon me.... and I am humbled.....

I miss so many of you and I feel really out of touch with the pulse of this site now...... but alas, life is about living it with all it's peaks and valleys and not just about having experiences to blog about...... spoken like a true blog addict. :)

.... and for all this crystal clear inner vision I still dont have new glasses and I cant see at all........ oh, the irony....

....With much love and affection,

Randy

Hi there Streamers..... Well, your humble and plaintive blogger here is without glasses..... they suffered a fate normally assigned to raccoons and possums.... Ok. I'll explain!

I was at a friend's house last weekend and I was out at my car saying goodbye and I went into some wildly gesticulated form of conversation and I took my glasses off and set them on top of my car.... why? I dont know. I guess I make my points better when I can't see what I am saying.... er.... anyhoos...

So, I finish up and jump in my car for the ride home and left them on top of my Honda..... I didnt even realize I had done it until I was a little ways up the road and I heard the "clink clink clink" of the glasses sliding off the top of the car and onto the back of the trunk.... so I drop a big F bomb and stop the car..... jump out and look and found they had fallen off into the road.... now, it was dark and it's the country so there was no light at all..... I jumped back in my car and swung it around so as to shine the light of the headlights into the road..... I get back out and begin roaming the road.... ironically blind as a bat, looking for the one thing that makes me be able to see anything!

Everything was fuzzy but I held out hope of finding them.....

I looked and looked and looked and then the hair raised up on my neck as a string of headlights appeared up the road..... Shit! I started running around looking up and down the road for my glasses as the string of 3 cars grew closer and closer..... then I just had to step aside and hold my breath and as the third car flew by I heard it.... the smashing of the glasses..... it was a popping noise.... like a spine cracking...... I bellowed out another, more emotional F bomb... but at least I had found out where the danged glasses were!! Hee Hee.... the frames were all bent and one of the lenses had popped out, never to be found.......

It's ALWAYS something with me..... and now, I am blind until I can get new glasses...... I am struggling.... I deal with alot of numbers at work when I do my ordering and I just squint and mutter silent F bombs..... Oh, well.... I have to just save up and get my eyes back...... and a backup pair this time!

WOOT!

I see some folks are posting their hundred things and since I dont have time to post much else right now, I'll share mine.... man, I've had a rich life..... although I dont have a hundred things yet.... I need to live more to fill it out!

I compose music
I play guitar
I play keyboards
I play bass
I play drums
I can't sing to save my life!
I write music for a local film director
I sold real estate for a decade in Texas
I LOVE hiking.
I'm a voracious reader
I like anchovies on my pizza
I'm a Civil War buff
I was born in Atlanta
Lived in Texas for 26 years
I ran the world's highest 10k
I can bat left or right
I've been to Costa Rica
I love traveling in the desert
I've been snorkeling
I've kayaked in the Pacific
I'm a theology buff
I shoot landscape photography
I've seen an active volcano
I'm a Christian
I dislike fundamentalism
I'm an expert on Texas geography
I want to be a writer.
I have seen a billy goat that was addicted to ciggys
I've been in several bad car accidents
I once chopped the end of a finger off
I've destroyed my poor knees by running/hiking
I've had 2 major surgeries in the last 2 years
I'm a huge fan of the band Genesis
I've never been to the northern U.S.
I've never ridden on a train
I love salt water fishing
I was obsessed with trains as a child
I played in several different rock bands as a teenager
My music can be heard playing at a nearby tourist spot
I'm a real "know it all"!
That really annoys people, too!
Cuz I don't know as much as I say I do!
BUT, I'm a good bullshitter!
Did I mention I have been in sales for many years?
Anyways....
I got a "creative "humor" award in the 5th grade.
I have witch's nipples.
I've met Joe Perry!
I have beautiful blue eyes.
I LOVE my Mom's sausage cassarole.
I've been baptised twice.
I have spoken in tongues.
I have been stung by a "Man-O-War"
I have mountain climbed.
I am terrified of unmarked white vans!
I am somewhat psychic. (email me!)
I write like a left hander but with my RIGHT hand!
I also write everything backwards and upside down, the opposite of everyone else!
I have been to Mexico 5 times.
I've had a housemate who was a convicted murderer!
I've hiked on the Appalachian Trail.
I've seen every single episode of the TV show "Dallas"

Um..... I just have a sec... I just wanted to say "hiya"

I dont really have time to blog anymore (for now) but I did want to say a big

THANK YOU!!!

...to those who have supported me through this big change in my life.... the comments, PMs, and emails...... I cant really explain how much all that has meant to me and helped me... I am so grateful.

I am doing good and am adjusting to all the big changes in my life that have happened in the last month or so.......

I am so sorry to be away from all those friends of mine who I love so much here on the Stream, and I miss visiting your blogs.....

I really do miss all of you very much and I look forward to getting plugged back in to all of your lives as soon as I can......

I'm so sorry to be such a stranger here.

Hiya Streamers!

Well, I havent been around too much this last week or so.... but things have changed for me in a big way. I dont have access to a computer right now so I just sit down at one when I can and check in....... I'm here at Secret's today to be here when my little LuLu gets off the bus so I can be around some today..... I have gotten settled in my new place 20 miles north of the Hollow..... I like it. It's quiet and peaceful and I like it... it is in a town though so I dont get to enjoy the country life so much.... but just like the computer, I just catch it when I can...... city life is ok... I have 20 restaurants within a minute or two of my house and I live right on a big river where I can walk........ Um.... there is also a train track next to my home and a train comes roaring through right about 4 am..... horn blasting, freight rumbling.... which gets my roomie's dog howling........ every dang time.... like clockwork....well, a clock set at 4 am. *shrug*

Anyway, I am doing great..... much happier than last week and getting into the changes happening in my life....... Secret and I are getting along great.... I think she needed a break from me and it's done her good to not have to deal with my over dramatic drama queen self every day....

Just wanted to check in and I hope to get my computer up and running soon so I can spend more time with the folks I love here on the Stream!