"I am an old man" written by Terry on estrip.org

Category: aging

09/30/07 07:58 - 73ºF - ID#41424

I am an old man

It's no fun being a grown up, I tell ya. Painting a house is all fun and games for those 21 year olds, but for us old timers it can be a near-death experience. I thought my back was pulled out yesterday as I attempted to lift a 15+ ft scaffold, but the momentary twinge seemed to pass. Then this morning I awoke to a strange pulled-ness in my left leg, feels like a hernia maybe (I've never had one before so I can only imagine). So now my back is quite tender and I'm half limping. Then today my hand kept cramping about once every ten minutes holding the damn brush, and I'm very afraid of how my shoulder is going to feel when I wake tomorrow, since I spent about an hour reaching way out to one side or the other trying to reach the places the scaffold can't be rolled to.

On the upside, the house is stargint to look very nice. Almost finished the back, just a couple more of the sticking-out thingies on the top and the spaces between them, and then one final section where a giant hole prevents the scaffold from approaching. Now that I'm gainfully unemployed once again, that task belongs to me I suppose...

Permalink: I_am_an_old_man.html
Words: 211
Location: Buffalo, NY

08/31/07 12:55 - 61ºF - ID#40846

mad sex

...just might be had at the party on Saturday.

Or, at least you might get to see something like that, just make sure to peep in all the right windows.

Everyone's invited! Bring yer friends too!

(e:Mike) and (e:Terry) 's B-day Bash

Sat. 09/01/07
8:00 - ?:??
24 Linwood Ave.

BYOB and/or snackalicious item

Permalink: mad_sex.html
Words: 55
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: friday painting

08/17/07 08:23 - 75ºF - ID#40599

a day of painting

...and still half a ceiling to go...ugh

Our new tenant is moving in shortly and expressed a desire for a not dirty-red wall. (e:Matthew) and I spent the day making the red go away. We went through about 3 gallons of whitish paint. This is the first time we've ever made a dark color lighter, as we generally prefer pretty saturated colors, and I now appreciate what all this priming nonsense is all about. Dark colors don't like to go away.

We ran out of the first 2-gallon tub with splotches galore and a dark line at top and bottom. We opened up another gallon, which naturally didn't quite match, though both clearly said WHITE. We figure that doesn't matter since this is just primer anyways, right? Then we started the ceiling...then we finished with starting the ceiling. Yeah, you know what, that ceiling looks just fine the way it is. Except now it is kinda a different WHITE in some sections. I'm sure the new guy won't mind...

So anywho, anyone know of any relaxing things goin on tonight? Or just wanna hang out and chill a bit? My place or yours, or any other place for that matter. I do happen to have a nice big empty WHITE room...

Permalink: a_day_of_painting.html
Words: 213
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: motherly type things

08/15/07 11:09 - 74ºF - ID#40570

Mom

Sorry my phone is a piece of crap. I love you. Sorry I am such a wretched son who doesn't call his mother nearly as much as he ought to. I hope the dance show and cutie Neal have taught you the value of Buffalo, and how much fun it would be to visit me. I am excited for your upcoming event, drive-thru or otherwise. I miss you all so much and wish I could manage to get over there more. I am sorry (for you) that my sister seems just as smart(ass?) as I am. Tell her I love her, please. My B-day is coming up so I will probably talk to you again within 2 weeks, which just might be a first. And lastly, Maui has nohin' on da B-lo!

(except beautiful white beaches... crystal clear waters... hot bare-chested servers with coconut-shelled parasol-topped frozen delights...)

well at least invite me?!

Permalink: Mom.html
Words: 152
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: summer

06/30/07 11:44 - 72ºF - ID#39858

Lookin' for a swim hole

Just wondering if anyone knows a good place to swim. I'm looking for something unchlorinated. Such as a non-mucky pond, or a filled-in quarry. A rushing stream would be okay too. I need to swim! Anywhere within about an hour of Buffalo is fine. I'll even cross the border if I have to.

Any suggestions? Anyone wanna lead us through a secret backwoods trail to that perfect hidden pond you've been sojourning to every summer?

Please, help me get wet!

mmtornow writes at 06:26:43 07/02/07 - Comment #20321: Wow- I'm loving this. I also love to swim, and am frustrated with the lack of options around here.

One place I've been going (which mind you, is Lake Erie) is Gallagher Beach in south buffalo, at the end of Tifft St, accross from Tifft Farms. It's next to an old grain elevator, and it can look a little post-industrial at times, but it has been cleaned up a lot in recent years. There's even a nice boardwalk. The beach is gravel, but in the water, it is actually pretty sandy.

I'm excited to hear about a pool in my area too. Mike, you mentioned the "pool club" at Holiday Inn on Delaware. You mean the one closest to North St? Is it an outdoor pool? How much is the pass?

theecarey writes at 09:23:30 06/30/07 - Comment #20284: I hit up Beaver Island State Park for a non chlorinated swim. Located on South end of Grand Island (exit 18), the water source is upper portion of Niagara River. Lots of sand! Would be about 15 min drive from B-Lo?
:::link:::

and there is a hidden lake/pond that is located in Wheatfield area. I'd have to show you, as its not soemthing I can exactly give directions to. "drive along river road, find train tracks, look closely for dirt bike/ATV trails. Park on side of road. Follow foot path till find lake. Jump in"

For chlorination, Fort Niagara. Wade pool, 4ft olympic size pool and deep pool w/ slide. Could jump into Lake Ontario, but as with Lake Erie, ik dont recommend it. :)

james writes at 08:30:33 06/30/07 - Comment #20283: If you do find out let me know too. Diving into a pond from a boat is the very stuff summer is made of.

Too bad that one of the largest lakes on the planet is feet away from us but so poluted your toenails turn into toucans upon contact.

lilho writes at 12:36:47 06/30/07 - Comment #20270: come here, my auntie and uncle have a salt water pool!!!!

mike writes at 12:22:31 06/30/07 - Comment #20269: I want to swim!!!

mrmike writes at 12:01:49 06/30/07 - Comment #20265: Thunder bay beach cross the border is good. It's Lake Erie but it is removed from the industrial crap on our side. There is a hidden beach along Garrison Road in Ft Erie that works out pretty well. No Amenities of anyy kind other than clean sand and water for said wettness.

On the chlorinated front, I belong to the pool club at the Holiday Inn on Delaware. Pay one price swim as much as you want between Memorial Day and Labor Day

leetee writes at 11:47:53 06/30/07 - Comment #20264: no chlorine and no lake erie? hmm... when someone tells you, can i tag along? i adore swimming... and getting wet in general. ;)

Permalink: Lookin_for_a_swim_hole.html
Words: 80
Location: Buffalo, NY

03/19/07 12:02 - 27ºF - ID#38515

simone

hound dogs on my trail

we all gonna get it in our due time

don't tell me

me and my people

and me

wash and clean my ears

stop calling me sister Sadie

Why don't you hear it

just give me my equality

that's it!

Permalink: simone.html
Words: 45
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: parade

03/18/07 01:26 - 29ºF - ID#38508

Green is the color of my true love's hai

St. Patrick's day is here!

Gotta love washing the taste of coffee away with beer.

We'll be down around Delaware/North for the parade. Right now we're filling up the lounge room at the 24. A bit of pregame never hurt. Afterwards, who knows? Crazy bars, back to homestead, taking the parade to the Fruit Belt, anythings possible.

See you there!

Permalink: Green_is_the_color_of_my_true_love_s_hai.html
Words: 60
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: school

03/08/07 10:45 - 19ºF - ID#38394

a student again

Apparently I've shined off the last of my rust. Taking 7 years off school and then jumping back in was a bit of a shock, but I just got the results of my first exam and <ta-duh> I got an A. And I have an A in the class as a whole. Yay! Just call me the Chemistry King.

Permalink: a_student_again.html
Words: 60
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: grinchliness

12/22/06 09:50 - 49ºF - ID#35779

Bah Humbug

I hate Christmas!

There, it's out in the open. Ya'll can hate on me and stuff. There's just too many reasons, but here's a few:

I am not a Christian (not that Christ seems to play too big a role nowadays anyways)

I hate shopping

I hate feeling pressured into shopping even worse

I like eating, but couldn't we move the big eating holidays a little bit farther apart in the year to give the gut a rest?

Really, I wish I could be put on a list so that no one would get me anything and I wouldn't have to give anything to anyone else. I feel like birthday shopping once a year should be enough. Then you can focus your energies on a specific gift and not have 20 at the same time. Why is Christmas so much about the stupid gifts anyways? Am I just heartless and selfish? I especially feel that way after reading (e:jacob) 's last post

about how magical it is finding just the right gift... I like being with people though not getting them stuff... and I can't ever seem to find these magical gifts, just end up getting people the first thing I find that they might like/could use. I'm actually playing hooky from Christmas shopping right now.

The thing I do like is the friends/family aspect. I like the getting together and the seeing relatives you don't often see (though I guess I don't tend to see my "real" relatives on any holidays). I also like the smell of a Christmas tree, though ours doesn't seem to smell very much at all, despite the allergies it gives (e:matthew) (which I find pleasantly ironic).

So Ba-Humbug to all and to all a grinchly night!

jacob writes at 08:42:37 12/27/06 - Comment #13990: I know that magical experiences are not translated very between people without a strong connection, but I felt that every gift I found and made was found in the path I was walking already.
For example: I wasn't planning on buying Christmas gifts yet. But I was thinking about what I should get my family. There's a good will by my house that I stepped into to past a few minutes a few weeks before The Day, and I happened upon a real mink cape. It was so soft and opulent. I knew my sister would love it. There was no tag so I asked someone to help me. She put it on while she was finding out the price. Then came back and told me it was $40. I only had $20. But, the next day I told my other sister and she we had to get it right away and she'd go halves with me.
I didn't have much money this year, so I did feel kind of lame. But, I found this plastic bucket with some leather and satin ribbon I'd had for over a year that I had intended to make purses with. But, of course hadn't. So in desperation I started putting them together. I made three, one for each sister. And they were perfect. They weren't as well made as a Parada, but my sisters loved them.
I don't think I over thought my gifts. I just let them happen......magically.

metalpeter writes at 10:38:22 12/23/06 - Comment #13905: Man I guess that means I have to return the Baby Jesus butt plug I got ya, Kidding of course. But seriously I do understand that at Christmas time there is presure to by gifts for people. And you are right that gifts being the important part of christmas makes no sense. Like what happens if someone buys you a gift and you didn't get them anything. That always feals so fucking great to the person who didn't buy a gift. There are people who really do enjoy the finding the perfect gift for someone and they are really good at it. But that isn't me either. I guess I might as well get into why I didn't do the seceret santa. Basicly it was for that reason. I can't tell by what someone writes or even by knowing them what they would like as a gift. The other thing is with out being in someones home you really have no idea what they have. So I could figure out the perfect gift and get it for someone and they allready have it. It really isn't fair for me to get someone a crapy gift. But somepeople are really good at buying gifts for other people. I will admit that there are somepeople who do the gift certifacate thing, I can respect that in that they know the other person will get something that they like. But on the other hand it seems kinda inpersonal also. Oh and on a side note you don't have to be christian to celebrate christmas or certain parts of it.

mrmike writes at 10:39:04 12/22/06 - Comment #13899: "You're a mean one, Mr. Terry...."

imk2 writes at 10:17:26 12/22/06 - Comment #13898: oh terry, i feel bad for your secret santa recipient!

brit writes at 10:10:35 12/22/06 - Comment #13897: or, do what I do and buy people things that hint towards some lack in their life, it gently pokes fun at the avariciousness of the western world whilst making the recipient grateful AND paranoid at the same time.......oh how I laugh.....

brit writes at 09:57:04 12/22/06 - Comment #13896: oh mr tewwwy! ting tong love christmas!!!!!!!!!

Don't buy anyone anything, problemo solved!

Permalink: Bah_Humbug.html
Words: 307
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: pilgrimage

12/19/06 10:14 - 35ºF - ID#35778

Baby jesus roadtrip

This story is just great.

Someone stole a frontyard baby jesus and took him on a roadtrip. They left a note at the scene of the crim saying he would be back in 3 days but didn't return until 8 months later. With him was a photo album detailing his travels all over NY. I wish I had done that, so creative and cool. Though maybe a little heart-wrenching for the original owners. But can you really "own" baby jesus, and doesn't baby jesus need to get out and se the world from time to time?

And on the topic...

At tony's B-day someone added an item to our grocery list fridge-magnet. It started with 4' nipple (which was actually a small piece of pipe we needed to get replaced and went through a couple other items before getting to "baby jesus buttplug". Well, (e:brit) did some web-snooping, and lo and behold:

Crazy crajy world we live in.