Off the Trail

Phew!

2007-12-28T15:04:00.001-08:00

After one week on the market, it's official...

My First Magazine Cover!

2007-10-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

So, a friend of mine has a client called "Study Breaks Magazine" and he asked me to shoot the cover of this month's issue. Why? I don't know but the publisher of the magazine chose one of the pictures I took. Here is a scan of a low-quality print-out they gave me (I still haven't gotten the actual magazine). I don't know these women, but the one on the right came up to me the night I was shooting and I asked her if she could grab a friend and pose for me (I need to try that line more often!).

BROKEN ARROW MAN BANKS $200K POWERBALL WIN

2007-09-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

OKLAHOMA CITY – A Broken Arrow family is celebrating their good fortune this week after becoming one of only three $200,000 winners in the Sept. 5 Powerball drawing. The $29.1 million jackpot-winning ticket was sold in Wisconsin, and the other two $200,000 winners were from Tennessee and Wisconsin.

William Stewart said he has played the same numbers every draw since Powerball came to Oklahoma: his family’s birthdays.

The winning numbers from Wednesday’s draw were 11, 20, 21, 30, 48 and Powerball 18. The Power Play number was 2. Stewart matched all five white ball numbers but missed the red Powerball number.

“If you don’t play, you won’t get paid,” Stewart said.

The family plans to put the money in savings.

Stewart purchased his winning ticket at Quik Trip #82, located at 1820 S. Aspen Ave. in Broken Arrow.

Players can obtain winning numbers on the Oklahoma Lottery website, www.lottery.ok.gov, or by simply visiting their closest lottery retailer. Prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing.

Net proceeds of all Lottery games are used to support improvements and enhancements for Oklahoma education. More than $139 million has been contributed to education since November 2005. For more information about the Oklahoma Lottery, please visit www.lottery.ok.gov.

Caption: Broken Arrow resident William Stewart claims a $200,000 Powerball prize with his wife at Oklahoma Lottery Headquarters in Oklahoma City.

Just a little memory

2007-09-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

(and I know that it's completely demolished now).

... and I'LL be the one who's struck by lightning!

2007-09-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, you-know-who(s). I love you!

Give you something to read

2007-09-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

I just realized that it's been more than 2 months since my last post. Well, it's not like anyone reads this anyway, but it's just so hard to shut down a blog. I mean, how do you actually save the old posts and comments (and would you really want to)?

Here are things I like right now:
TV: Flight of the Conchords, VH1's "Pick Up Artist," Big Brother 8

Movies: Just saw "Super Bad." Pretty funny, but I prefer "Knocked Up" (seems as though one HAS to compare those two)

Books: I'm reading 3 books right now on the topic of social engineering and neuro-linguistic programming. Fascinating.

Rent: "300" was pretty good, but not nearly as great as the hype. "Vacancy" was mindless fun, but don't expect any kind of Hitchcockian ending like I did.

Wow. I live a very exciting life. Well, I did go to Vegas a couple of weekends ago at the VERY last minute (thanks to a free flight on Southwest and a few poorly-timed e-mails). Had way too much fun. It sort of made me nostalgic for making money. Ha ha.

Stop, it's the Police!

2007-06-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

While the nerdier members of my family were frantically scurrying about their respective cities and waiting in horrendous lines to spend $700 for a phone (ha ha... just jealous)... I was at "The Police" concert.
Here's a review that pretty much mirrors my feelings:

http://blogs.chron.com/handstamp/

0118 999 88199 9119 725...

2007-06-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

Let It Ride

2007-04-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

Ok. I'm writing this at 2:15am and I've slept less than 8 hours in the past 4 days after spending the latter part of the week in Vegas. I'll update more tomorrow... (and I'll tell you how I won $1500 just 20 minutes before I had to leave for the airport).

All Along the Watchtower

2007-03-26T06:57:00.000-07:00

Let me geek out a second. Season 3 finale of BSG. Amazing. Could those 4 really be part of the final 5 cylons? I don't think so... I think that nebula was just fraking with their heads. And really, if I thought I was a cylon every time I had a song stuck in my head...
Oh and did Starbuck really come back at the end or will she just be a "Caprica 6/Baltar"-type apparition to Apollo?
I wish I could just black out until 2008!
Wow, this post really makes no sense if you didn't watch the show. Oh well, nobody reads this anyway.

**UPDATE**
Apparently, they really are Cylons according to an interview by BSG mastermind Ron Moore. Wow. What a shocking episode!

The Next Episode

2007-03-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

I start my new career as Account Manager at KIOL and ESPN Radio "the Ticket" Wednesday morning. Wish me luck!

More truck photos!

2007-03-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

I'm much more excited about my truck than my M3! I get much more excited about the prospect of hauling lumber (you never know) or driving through semi-flooded streets than driving a sports car. Man, I hit my mid-life crisis EARLY!

Out with the Old... Again

2007-03-08T15:50:00.000-08:00

In with the new truck (2007 Toyota Tacoma)

I Want My Baby Back!

2007-02-13T08:24:00.000-08:00

Let It "Me"

2007-02-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

My Masterpiece (ha ha)

Redesigned from the ground up

2007-02-03T15:55:00.000-08:00

621creative has been redesigned. Check it out and let me know what you think.

The only thing missing from these shows

2007-02-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

is you.

2007-01-31T12:49:00.000-08:00

2007-01-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

2007-01-30T14:30:00.000-08:00

2007-01-29T14:38:00.000-08:00

2007-01-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

BMW M3 for sale!

2006-12-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

That didn't last long.

I'mowna beat that chicken, dagnabbit!

2006-11-24T18:26:00.000-08:00

Tulsa is now home to some very large casinos. They're a lot like Vegas casinos but feature more mullets and elderly people. Also, the biggest draw, in which eager gamblers wait in line for a minimum of a half an hour at a time, is to play a rousing game of tic-tac-toe.

With a chicken.

Most people lose to the chicken.

Only in Tulsa.

Don't believe me? Here's a picture:

Rocky Racoon

2006-11-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

I've been hearing something scampering in my attic for a couple of weeks now and noticed a family of racoons scurrying about my fence-line. Then I noticed the hole that they're getting into. Called a "trapper" and they're going to try to catch them (or the neighborhopod cats) to the tune of just under $900.
If anyone is expecting a nice Christmas present from me this year, you can thank a family of black-eyed rodents for your lump of coal.

**UPDATE** I decided to cancel the pest control service and they were actually nice about sending me back my check. I went to Lowes and spent $35 on some "Raccoon Repellant" (that can't possibly actually work, right?) and a heavy duty screen to patch the hole they were getting into. I patched it up during my lunch "hour." Now it's only a matter of days before they claw their way into a new opening... but oh well.

**UPDATE UPDATE** The fact that I didn't spend the $900 that I originally thought I would have to spend may not necessarily mean that you do not receive a lump of coal from me for Christmas.

moob og, nwod llaf em

2006-11-18T18:54:00.000-08:00

Oops... sorry... just getting my brains unscrambled from a bike crash today. My wheels locked up after going down a little embankment that I've gone down dozens of times and I flipped over my bike landing directly on my head (then my arms and knee). I felt concussed for a while and literally couldn't see straight for about a minute. Then I couldn't remember things for a few hours (like short-term memory stuff). But alas I feel better now. So NO WORRYING!!! Just a few scrapes and a bit of a headache).

I love my anonymous poster

2006-11-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

and I'm glad she's part of my life.

Andes a nice guy

2006-11-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

I'm currently reading Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home by Nando Parrado. I loved the book Alive by Piers Paul Read (and the subsequent movie) and am fascinated by the story of survival of the Uruguayan rugby team after their plane crashed in the Andes.
I don't know why they didn't just sled down that mountain after day 2, but I guess they're not as smart as I.

Going Cowboying?

2006-11-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

So, I'm reading Factotum by Charles Bukowski, and I've got to admit, his character's lifestyle sounds pretty intriguing to me. The guy goes from crummy job to the next, living in really cheap housing, barely scraping by and just drinking and meeting strange people. Sometimes I think I would be much happier if all of my material posessions could fit in one suitcase and I could just come and go as I please. Probably not really, though.

I wanted to Depart it...

2006-10-30T06:33:00.000-08:00

Anyone who compares "The Departed" to "Goodfellas" is crazy. To say it's better is a crime. I saw "The Departed" last night and was mildly entertained by it, but, in the end, felt like it wasn't worth my time investing in these characters.
And how could Nicholson's character not know who the rat was? I mean... hmm... maybe it's the ex-cop who just joined your crew, has problems killing people and acts suspicious all the time. Ya think?

Battlestar Stewartica

2006-10-30T06:28:00.000-08:00

Well, since I, unfortunately, have a little more time on my hands lately, here's how I spent most of my weekend:

I watched 13 episodes of Battlestar Galactica (the new version), thus catching me up for the rest of Season 3 (Fridays at 8 on Sci-Fi). I even watched the first 3 hours of Season 3 again. The episodes were even better now that I know the background of the characters.

Ba Ba Booey!

2006-10-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

Wow. The roast of Fa Fa Flunky was so funny, I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. Who would have thought Sal would be the funniest person on the dais? Now I'm late for work because I don't want to miss the minute of show I'd miss by walking from my car to my computer!

621creative

2006-10-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

Clearing the Bookshelf

2006-10-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

I've gotten into the habit of reading 2 or three books at once, which is great because I get bored pretty easily but bad because sometimes I stop caring about some of the books I started. I had a little time on my hands the last few weeks, though, to get caught up on some reading, so, aside from "Post Office" these are the other books I recently finished (I never liked to read until well into my 20s, by the way).

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
I watched a free preview of this Showtime series a couple of weeks before it came out and was anxious to read the book. The series follows the book pretty faithfully (as long as the series is dealing with the "cold killer") but be warned, the book solves the case which the series is dragging out.

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
This took me a while to get into because of the "trippy" way it was written and because I wasn't born during this time, I didn't have a good frame of reference (not to mention that I've never done acid), but it was still a good book. It also took me a while to get through the last quarter of it, but all around a good read if you're into those counter-culture shenanigans.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (translated by David McDuff)
What a great classic novel. If I knew it was so good, I would have actually read it in High School instead of just BSing a book report on it. This novel reads as though it was written today.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Another one of those books that I always heard about but was afraid to read. I read this a couple of months ago, but just wanted to mention how great it was and it only took a few days to read.

Okay... so now the guilty pleasure. At the beginning of the year, I read all of the Harry Potter books. There's a reason why they're so popular. If you shun them because you want to be "cool" and don't like things that are popular, you're doing yourself a disservice because this is a very well thought-out brilliant series of books that are for kids the same way The Simpsons is for kids. Read them. Now.

By the way, if you have any suggested reading based on the above, let me know. I might read Factotum by Charles Bukowski because Post Office was so great, but short. I left wanting more.

Everything's Better in Threes

2006-10-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

Well , after many years of speculation mixed with doubt, hope and, well, a little fear... I have now been diagnosed by an actual doctor (well, a dermatologist*) that I do, in fact, have a third nipple.
Some thought it was a mole, others a birthmark, while some scholars maintained that it's an entryway into one of the seven gates of Hades.

Interesting note: the anchorman at my old station in Tulsa used to rub it for good luck before a newscast (through the shirt, of course).

*Seinfeld reference; not my actual feeling about dermatologists for those of you who may have been offended by that joke, and you know who you are.

Reviews

2006-10-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

I think I might start posting some short reviews of the DVDs, movies, TV shows or books that I may be reading/watching.
Or maybe not. I'm pretty lazy.
I think I'll just tell you what I'm reading/watching/listening and let you decide for yourself if it's good or bad.

What I'm reading right now: Post Office by Charles Bukowski

Latest DVD I watched: Hard Candy

Last movie I saw: Jackass 2

TV Show with which I'm currently obsessed: Battlestar Galactica (oh, and I'm NOT a big sci-fi fan at all... but this show really transcends the genre. Holy cow, it's good! I've only seen the first episode of the new season so I'm hoping my Amazon order of the first 2 seasons gets here quickly!).

GC in NYC

2006-04-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

While in NYC last week, I got to do a lot of really amazing things. I stood on the stage where the host comes out on Saturday Night Live. I saw the Conan O'Brien Show and went backstage. And, as far as celebrity sightings, well, watching Tyne Daley fly mini-kites in Central Park with her grand-children probably wouldn't interest most people (I didn't even know it was her until I got up to leave). But, I did stand about 10 feet away from George Clooney. He was filming a movie ("Michael Clayton" as I later learned on IMDb.com) and I was one of the few people watching until word quickly spread and a large-ish crowd gathered.

Get Well, Carol Ina

2006-01-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

I'm breaking my rule of not posting anything on my blog to wish the beauiful Carol Ina a speedy recovery from her upper respiratory infection.
Get well, dumplin'.
-M!

Total devastation!

2005-09-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Rita pummeled my home... with RAINBOWS!!!

Lovely Rita

2005-09-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

There is only one lovely Rita that I know and that's my Aunt. Unfortunately, she's not the Rita that's visiting us in Houston this weekend.
I now have my provisions, important documents and all that good stuff, but I have to stay in Houston instead of evacuating.
I'm not really frightened of the storm itself... I mean, my house is just stuff (that, hopefully, with some sweet insurance money, will become even better stuff)... but I sort of feel like a sitting duck since I'll be sleeping at my station all weekend (and not even in my cozy office since it's one of the few offices here with a giant window).
Hopefully the building is safe. Otherwise, it's been a good run.
I love you all and I'll be in touch after this thing blows over.
Love, Mike

Nope. Not today.

2005-08-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I check my own blog to see if I've updated it.

In with the BMW

2005-08-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

Out with the Old

2005-08-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

It served me well for 7 years, but, in my usual way of not being able to commit in a relationship, it was time to move on.

To be continued after I take pictures of my new girl...

You did it, America

2005-08-12T05:50:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank myself for getting America to vote for Kaysar. The 3 of you who read this irregularly made all the difference!

Vote or Die!

2005-08-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

VOTE FOR KAYSAR!

Me fall down and go boom

2005-08-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, I was finally able to ride my mountain bike after almost a month of consistent rains that dampened my ability to hit the trails at Memorial Park. It was a really great ride. My bike felt like it was brand new after I used that down time to get a completely new tire and my derailleur (shifting mechanism) tuned-up.

As my riding buddy and I began to head our way to the last (and in my opinion, most grueling) trail that leads us back to homebase, we discovered some cement park benches, three of which were lined up end-to-end.

"Ooh, I'm gonna jump that!" my friend exclaimed.

"What, the benches?" I asked, thinking he was nuts.

"Yeah, I'll ride across the tabletops and then jump off the edge."

"Okay. Yeah, let's do it," I agreed after sizing up the three foot (or so) drop off the edge of the table.

We decided the best way to do it would be to hold the jumper stable while he clipped his cleats into the pedals and then sort of give them a starting push (the lengths of the three tables seemed long, but not enough space to really get good speed).

So he went first and when he came to the edge... he stopped.

"Nope, can't do it. It's like a high dive. It looks easy until you get up there," he explained.

I was next. I got up on the table and, straddling my bike, walked toward the edge. Wow. It did look pretty steep from up here.

As I was contemplating my fate, a lady walking her dog strolled by us.

"You're not going to jump off of that are you?" she asked, smiling.

"I'm thinking about it," I said.

Then she asked (and I swear I'm not making this up), "You don't want to have kids, do you?"

"Not really that important, I guess," I replied, smugly.

Then it was put up or shut up time. As my friend held me stable, I clipped into my pedals and with a slight push I was off and riding. No stopping now.

NAILED IT! I landed perfectly and it was really no big deal. It was really easy. I felt like the Fonz.

"That wasn't bad at all," I told my friend.

I think he was bored with this game by now because he went off to try to find some other trails for a couple of minutes and I got back on the bench. I really wanted to see if I could make the jump (which by now I was a pro) by myself. I was pretty sure I could clip in on time while pushing off to give myself good acceleration for the jump.

I must have come down on my right knee and left elbow first, then the left shoulder and, ultimately, my back. Lying there like a flipped, defenseless turtle-- all of my weight pressing down against my water filled backpack-- and after getting my breath back and realizing that I could still feel body parts, I just looked up at the clouds and laughed.

After I finally got back up and began to hit the next trail, I rode past the dog lady and said "I did it."

She asked, "you made it off the bench?"

I said, "Yeah, once. The second time, not so much."

The ironic part of the story-- after spending two hours traversing all of the rocky, rooty and rugged trails, after finally making it back to my car... my back tire went flat.

I guess I'm lucky.

My God it's full of stars! (a.k.a Name Dropper)

2005-07-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

That last post got me thinking about some of the celebrities that I've met, written for or gotten to hang out with through my job or just by accident. I'm sort of shocked by the numbers here:

Martin Short (met and wrote copy lines which he delivered on camera)
Jay Leno (talked to and shot video promos of him in Houston)
Teri Hatcher (talked to- met through my Cousin who used to produce/direct "Lois and Clark")
Dr. Phil (met and wrote copy lines which he delivered on camera)
SNL alum Ana Gasteyer (hung out with, wrote part of a speech for, spent time with her and her husband)
SNL alum Jim Breur (hung out with, circled the 610 loop in a limo with him and his wife talking and laughing)
CarrotTop (hung out with one night in a hotel room in Tulsa with a small group of people... actually really funny guy and a totally random encounter)
Debrah Norville (met, danced with... don't ask)
Kimberly Cauldwell (American Idol contestant- what a sweet girl. Her mom said she was going to give me her, Kimberly's phone number but I wussed out in getting it... mistake)
Maury Povich (met, hung out with)
Roger Lodge (host of "Blind Date")
Mary Hart from Entertainment Tonight (met a few times, sat next to her at dinner once)
Bob Goen from Entertainment Tonight (met and hung out with)
Ellen Degeneres (wrote copy lines which she delivered on camera)
Montel Williams
Jerry Springer (hung out at my desk and used my phone. We talked about my ex-girlfriend's dad who gave Jerry his first TV gig supposedly (thank God)).
The cast of Star Trek Voyager (and not at a convention)
Anthony Edwards from ER (brief encounter- we passed each other in a hallway and said "hi" to each other)
Mitch Hedberg, Joe Rogan, Brian Regan (various comedians that I talked to after comedy shows... but a lot of people talk to them after shows, so I don't consider this a big deal).
Charlton Heston (met and got a picture with him... he was at my work).
Jesse Jackson (was at my work the day after Charlton Heston)
George Foreman (also stopped by work... nice guy with hands that feel like boxing gloves... just huge and puffy!)
Tiny Tim (met at the college radio station I worked at in Kansas)
Public Enemy's Chuck D, Flava Flav and Terminator X (also met at the college radio station. Signed my PE CD!)

There might be more... I may add more to the list if I think of them. Sorry.. this is kind of boring...

Looking for Funny Dave

2005-07-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember David Letterman's HBO special titled "Looking for Fun"? Anyone happen to know if it's floating anywhere on the net (aka "World Wide Web")? That special truly shaped my comedic sensibilities. I remember the late comedian (whom I was fortunate enough to interview), George Miller, on that show writing his name, in blood, on a bathroom mirror.
I remember the day my dad got a call from a survey company to check out a new late-night show on NBC. We all watched it and found out that it was our favorite comedian, David Letterman, in a brand new show. My brother and I watched it every day (we taped it so we could watch it after school). What a great show. Even Jay Leno (whom I also have worked with) was funny on it ("what's my beef?). I think I've seen every "Late Night" episode and even watched for about 5 more years on CBS. I used to dream of writing for the show... but nowadays I don't really watch the show anymore. It's so watered down and predictable.
I really hope Conan doesn't get the same way when he moves to the Tonight Show.

Cat on a Hot @#%%@ Roof

2005-07-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know how to get rid of a cat? I mean, I'm not talking about stuffing it in a Hefty bag and hoisting it out of my car doing 65mph down Highway 59... but just... making it go away. Seems I've got this kitty that hangs out around my home and makes noises like a crying baby at night. It's freakin' annoying. I just want the thing to find a nice man-cat or OD on some catnip. Oh well...
Your bleary-eyed blogger
-M!

The De Niro of Subs

2005-07-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

This thought actually crossed my mind tonight: "That Jared Fogle's becoming a pretty good actor." Yes, the "Subway weight loss guy." Yes, I'm bored tonight.

Stir Crazy

2005-07-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

My bike tire's been in the shop for more than a week (I turned the tire into a taco after taking on too many sweet jumps). It was done on Friday, but I've been too lazy to pick it up. Not because I don't feel like riding. I do. It's just that it's been raining every freakin' day so even if I got my bike together, it would all be for not. I think I'll ride this weekend in the mud. Nature be damned!

You Are What You Eat

2005-07-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

So I'm just a P-I-G pig. Today, I went to lunch and decided I would get a nice tuna salad or something else light. It's time to start losing some L-Bs, I thought. My co-workers (who may be evil) talk me into going to this butcher shop in town that also makes great burgers and other stuff (Pete's Fine Meats). "Resist resist resist," I kept telling myself (and my co-workers). So what did I order? No, not the burger... I have WILLPOWER, jerk! No, I ordered the 2 meat barbecue platter featuring ribs and sausage (my third choice of meat was chicken, but who needs something unhealthy?!?) and a side of potato salad and savory baked beans.
I need help. I swear I was only kidding when I once joked that it would be cool to be buried in a piano box.
Time to get serious about the weight loss. Plus, being single and 34... I need all the help I can get.

A Rocky Charm

2005-07-19T18:11:00.000-07:00

I started using a "good luck" charm when I play poker. As you can see by the picture, it's a jagged little rock. The significance, you don't ask? It's a piece from the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City. You know, the one that was blown up by American terrorists? One of the reporters I used to work with in Tulsa gave it to me after he covered the story. I've always felt, after all of these years of having it, that maybe I shouldn't have it (if the Feds need it for evidence, I will happily give it back) or maybe it's not even really part of the building, but just a piece of rock that was picked up off the street. Regardless, it does serve as a nice memory of the people who died in that horrific tragedy (which has strangely and sadly gone almost forgotten after 9/11).
My question is: is it in poor taste to use this as a good luck charm? It did seem to work last night.

All in!

2005-07-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

Last night I hosted my first poker game on the new table that I built. 8 of us played and after a grueling night of being up and down in a bunch of carney card games, I ended up being up about $110. I guess it's new table luck.
I gotta tell you, there's just a great feeling building something from scratch by yourself (especially without ever working with wood and fabric and all that stuff before). Recovering a third of the cost after the first time I use it ain't too shabby either!