soundboard de cheevo

Today I flew to Nashville for my grandmother's 83rd birthday (much more on that later), but I had some fun moments in the early a.m. on Southwest Airlines. First off, thanks to my LYB for giving her sister the hook up with a super cheap round-trip ticket to Nashville. Yes, I should have driven from Birmingham, but my car is in the shop and this ticket was cheaper than renting a car. Enough about all that, now to the humor. After two hours of sleep last night I boarded a plane this morning got an excellent window seat and sat peacefully with my Diet Coke and the ever frivolous SkyMall magazine. As the plane was turning on its pre-engine switches (you know where the fans come on, but the engine isn't on yet) an older woman, clothed in a bizarre South American dress with an embroidered woman on the front that said "Honduras", raised her hand and said to the flight attendant, "My husband will be here in five minutes." She said this very matter-of-factly like sh

Although I do not c onsider this one of R.E.M. 's best albums, but it is an important one as it marks the band crossing the major divide from eclectic college rock into the heavy rotation mainstream. Although "Green" was their first major label album, it was still very much the R.E.M. of old and definitely not ready for prime time with exception of the mainstream single "Stand" (that didn't really stand out in a good way). I named "Out of Time" album of the we ek because I have recently been listening to it again after many years and have discovered what a strange album it is and one worth re-examining. "Losing my Religion" was first out of the gates, a strong single with a powerful video (and one of the last motion picture documents of Michael Stipe with hair). I heard the song before I bought the album and liked the direction I thought they were moving into, although the album cover was the worst they ever published. However, after

The residents of 6th Ave. S and 49th Place are happy to report this morning that a possum has officially been removed from our residence -- for now. We were shutting down the house and heard a weird noise in the basement. K went down to discover that the three cat bowls, that she had just filled a couple of hours before, were totally empty. She asked me to come down and look and I told her I believed her. They she let out an incredibly girly scream and I immediately knew our visitor was back. He was in the root cellar that K just cemented and was terrified. I wasn't as freaked out as I thought I would be because he was a baby and even smaller than Koko and she is a small cat. The thought of killing it crossed my mind for brief second. I do hate the idea of possums, but this guy was so small and scared. He peed on himself after I yelled at him to "get the hell out of our house" and then I started feeling bad for the little freakazoid. He was cornered and terrified and all

Does anyone remember the video for this song. It was so stupid. The Banarama girls were being followed by a trucker and they threw some banana peels on his windshield -- like that would stop him. Any other '80s fans out there remember any more details? I still loved the group and still love the song. I actually have this single on vinyl -- just like the picture. Tomorrow will be a beast. Today the air conditioning was like the Little Engine that Could except this little engine never made it over the hill. The dog pants all the time like she can never quite catch her breath and outside it is just nasty. Even at midnight tonight it was still 85 degrees and a super sauna outside. I have an elaborate system of fans set up in the bedroom and it helps. Andi even has her own fan and she sleeps jacked up right next to it. To add insult to injury, K called me at work frantic last night, "THERE IS A POSSUM IN THE BASEMENT!" If that exclamation doesn't typify the deep south I d

I love Google images. Where else in the world could you find a tiny stuffed raccoon enjoying a frosty cold one? Today marks four months without one. I am not going to say it is easy because it is definitely not. I understand why people join recovery groups because those of us that love the drug too much need reinforcements since our culture is so obsessed with promoting and laughing off alcohol additiction. I am not about to become one of those humorless, self righteous born-again straight edgers, but when I see alcohol ads on TV that say "You can't resist the mist" and "surrender to absolut vodka", I think "Hell yeah, I would love to and screw you guys for putting the thought in my head." Major props to my sister who was the first in my family to put a moratorium on the sauce. It helps having her support and her year-and-a-half experience of not drinking to observe and learn from. It's just kind of sad the way that alcohol is treated in such a cav

I posted a new blog this week of photos from my May 2001 trip to Manhattan. http://echeevonyc.blogspot.com Let me know what you think.

Some albums reflect exactly where you were in a place in your life and " Pretty Hate Machine" is definitely one of them. Although the album came out in 1989, I didn't hear it until the fall of my first semester at the University of Montevallo in 1990. I was in the drawing studio at the end of the semester and another art major had this tape blasting in the crusty little toaster of a boom box that looked like it had lived in the that drawing studio since the early '80s. Regardless, it still sounded great and unlike anything I had ever heard before. That still being the era of tapes, I took it back to my dorm and copied it. Although I have always been partial to a guitar-centered sound, I was really loving Depeche Mode's "Violator" at the time and " Pretty Hate Machine" was uncharted listening for everyone at the time. Seems like so many people came in and out of that studio during finals and wanted to know who it was. It had an immediate res

pretenders, new order all in one ride home last night i kept on driving. reminds me of when radio didn't suck ass and has real dee jays with all your channels i am never road weary what station to choose? deep cut by the smiths the church follows the pixies replacements trump all if rock gets old loretta lynn or sade can pass my time well how i love xm clear channel can kiss the dirt no use for them now

I have had insomnia all week and Wednesday night while wondering why I was still awake at 3:30 a.m. after having looked at about 20 pages of vintage Fisher Price toys from the '70s (I don't even know why), I had a visit from Mr. Miles. He stayed next to me in this drawer for about an hour and for that hour I didn't feel like the only one in the world awake during the asleep hour because I had a friend.

I was hoping I could find a reason to post this hilarious picture I found last week. Forget that it's a Photoshop nightmare and Arnold's faces is totally out of proportion, its the pose that really counts and monkey boy's creepy little E.T. foot reaching for Arnold's dagger? (errr) Today Arnold got in some trouble. Here is the official story: Fitness Mag Lines Arnold's Pockets (AP) Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger receives $1 million a year as a consultant to a company that publishes fitness magazines, a deal critics say is a serious conflict of interest for the former bodybuilding champion. The payments, revealed Wednesday in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, are from American Media Operations Inc., a subsidiary of American Media Inc., the company that publishes fitness magazines including Flex and Muscle & Fitness and the gossip titles National Enquirer and Star. Critics say the contract is a conflict of interest because Schwarzenegger&

I found this picture on a chat board today and it cracks me up. I'm glad this kitter could see the error in her ways and chose the more responsible non-alcoholic beer. She still seems pretty damn happy about it. She looks just like our cat Fred and I know he would probably be drinking non-alcoholic beer, or any beer if he could. Today marks 113 for me without a drink. As Kermit the frog said, "It ain't easy being clean." Errr ... maybe that was another frog ... like Jeramiah the bullfrog? photo by mizeeyore

We got lucky because Dennis lost a lot of power once it hit land and all we got was a lot of rain and wind. I know some trees came down in Crestwood, but not in our block. Weeks ago I had invited Eric and Jennifer over to celebrate their wedding (5/5/05) and Peter came over earlier in the day to play music with me. I made so much food and knew Mama MC was stir crazy next door so I invited the Fondren Family 3 over as well. We had a quite a house full. Seven adults, Lucy and Andi representing the canine species and Baby Ben, who spent most of the night sleeping in his car seat. We had a great showing of guitarists -- 4 to be exact with 2 mandolins and Peter playing drums most of the night (and switching to guitar for a few songs). Eric, Peter and I rocked to some old Every Alice On Earth songs (our band we started in college), Violent Femmes, Pixies and then we brought out the SBS songb ook that Jason made four copies of for the members of the Short Bus Singers -- Myself, MC, J

Straight outa Wilton! Whoo whee! Possums up, hoes down. Peter turned into D.J. Parnell before the party got crankin' It all started out with my Elvis sunglasses and set of Billy Bob teeth and of course Peter would have two of his own pair in his backpack (major WTF moment there). His self-described "Super-Size Me" facial hair really sealed the character. We didn't have a wig to create a mullet so we decided he could be a skinhead redneck. His red Chevy pickup would definitely have a sticker of Calvin pissing on the Ford logo. "Know whut I mean mane?" It is scary how in this picture his tongue looks like a gigantic bottom lip. If he lived up to his first name, he would be mixing Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" with The Charlie Daniels Band's "Devil Went Down to Georgia."

"I tole ya ta not take nun uh m' burs!"

"Cuz, I luv me sum burs. I say PBR stands fer Panties Best Removed!" (Notice the strange angle the teeth are making. Doesn't this look like a face from "Ren and Stimpy"? This picture is terrifying!)

"Anywun know doolin' banjos?"

What do you do with a crappy underexposed digital picture? Turn it into a sepiatone. He sure didn't seem very excited, but Baby Ben was another reason to celebrate last night. He stayed in his baby seat most of the night and every time a one of us got up to get a drink from the kitchen they would check on him in the guest room. One time I looked in on him and he had a sweet smile that made me wonder what he was dreaming about. For some reason he reminded me of a tiny little old man last night in his seat. He had a wise look on his face like he was pondering heavy subjects.

I am sorry I forgot to get pictures of their wedding rings -- tattooes on their left ring fingers. I am happy for these two. They have weathered much stronger storms than Dennis in the many years they have been together and they are good for each other. When I think of the couples who have what it takes to stick together, Eric and Jennifer are definitely on that list. Congratulations you two!

Eric McGinty -- a.k.a " McFly" I have missed seeing this guy who I have known for 15 years now. We need to meet up for music and revelry more often.

A happy night for the Short Bus Singers. K got to use her new coffee maker and we were all heavily caffeinated. ROCK ON!

Andi sat in the middle of the music circle taking it all in. She was asleep at one point. K said our party probably reminded her of her puppyhood days at Montevallo where she was part of many parties. As always, she was cool, calm and collected. Words can't describe how much I love this dog.

I don't even know the story behind getting this album. I think my best friend from childhood, Vernay Reber , was involved as she turned me on to a lot of great music like Violent Femmes . All I know is I got this tape (the real tape and not a dub) in the fall of 1986 and must have played it a thousand times because I learned every song on guitar. It wasn't hard because, like the Femmes, the songs on this album are easy to play. Also like the Femmes, these guys take simple chords and lyrics and create their own sound. My virgin ears had never heard anything like " Mars Needs Guitars" although I am sure Auburn's excellent college station WEGL was playing it. My favorite on this album will always be "Bittersweet" and I started playing it at band practice one time last year and was impressed that Mark and Gary, two of the guys in the band, knew the song and also loved the album. "Death Defying," "Hayride to Hell" and "Like Wow-W

How cute is Ben? This is the same face Jason makes when he is put out with Mary Catherine and this child came into this world making the same face. What a miracle it is! I have gotten to spend some quality time with Baby Ben this week, have learned how to put a onesie on a newborn, have changed many diapers and have even gotten squirted and spit up on --- all with utter amazement. He loves being held and talked to and doesn't like being left alone on his boppie or in his bassinet. He rolls his eyes like a teenager, crosses them and makes funny faces all the way from possessed demon child with wrinkled forehead to peaceful happy little smiles and back in just a few seconds and he makes little grunting sounds like a puppy. I don't think he knows what his hands and feet are for because he flails them around aimlessly unless he is all swaddled up. All I know is no problems seem to cross my mind when I get to hang with Ben and I really like that.

To those of you that live in the Southeast, this is going to be as bad or worse than Ivan. The good thing is that the "special" trees have already fallen from Ivan's wrath last September and now we just have some "special" branches we will be keeping an eye on. The no power thing is going to be really bad this time of year and I have a feeling I might be spending some quality time at the News since they never lose power. Yes we are spoiled in the South to air conditioning and ice in our tea, but that is the only way to stay sane in this hothouse. Wish us luck!

I will never understand the evil that resides in the hearts of terrorists who strike out at innocent people as they are going about their daily lives. How cruel to attack London after they had just received great news of hosting the 2012 Olympics. It seems unfair that the world must live in fear of maniacs that lack a conscience. I am sure seeing images of today's attack brings great pain to all terrorism survivors and the families of victims. I know the U.S. has become so polarized over issues like war and it seems like in all our bickering, it is easy to forget that verbal and written argument is how decent, rational people react to what they disagree with. Terrorists react by killing innocents to send a message to political forces they disagree with. Commenting on the war on terrorism and England's involvement as motive behind the attacks is pointless and disrespectful to the people and families that have suffered today. I hope as divided as we seem as Americans at the pres

I did write in the description of this blog that there would be possible rants so here goes the first. Does it seem strange and outrageous to anyone that New York Times reporter Judith Miller is going to jail for not revealing her sources in the uncovering of a wrongdoing by the Bush Administration? By wrongdoing I mean a major wrongdoing -- uncovering the name of CIA agent whose husband wrote an unflattering opinion piece about a cover up (image that) by the Bush administration regarding Saddam Hussein and claims that he was buying uranium from Niger. When it turned out these claims were false, as discovered by former diplomat Joseph Wilson, the Bushies ignored the truth and stuck with the original claims to support their reasons to go to war with Iraq. Once again, and without any shock, it is obvious that the reasons to go to war were carefully crafted and "intelligence" was basically molded to fit the reasoning behind the war. The Downing Street memo ads further proof

To commemorate our nation's birthday, HBO appropriately ran "National Lampoon's Vacation" today. What kid from the '80s can't relate to this? It still holds up very well. The timing between Chevy Chase , Beverly D'Angelo and Anthony Michael Hall is so ripe and the movie does such a great job of making fun of Americans while embracing them at the same time. Who knows how to capture middle class white America in the 1980's better than John Hughes ? He wrote this script. Who's dad wasn't a little like Clark W. Griswald during the scenes where the rest of the family wants to give up and go back to Chicago and he goes on his tirade about screaming, "We are going to have so much fun we are going to be whistling 'Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah' out of our asses!" In the next scene the son, Rusty, lays his hand on Clark's shoulder and asks, "Are you okay Dad?" to which Clark replies after breifly staring at the hand like it is a

Happy Fourth of July! This picture was taken in Times Square in May of 2001 on a disposable camera -- not too bad eh? Remember, when setting off bottle rockets today to aim away from your eyes and toward your Republican neighbor's houses. Cheers!

Ju mp back Eagl es , Pink Floyd have trumped your reunion card five fold. Yes, this is David Gilmour and Roger Waters on stage together in today's Live 8 concert stage, the London version. These guys had not been on stage since 1981 and here they are in a shoulder hug? I don't know what was up with Water's high-waisted pants and strange southwestern woman's belt -- high Waters? (you can click on the photo for a high res version). This proves the guy is still a bit strange, but at least he was willing to put that nasty law suit over the copyright of Pink Floyd's name behind him to get together and do what these guys do best -- play excellent and timeless music. Don't lump them in with the other Jurassic Rock elders who try to appeal to MTV kids with hip videos featuring Alicia Silverstone, because those bands, they are not. Is this a kindler gentler Roger Waters that might have discovered the benefits of antidepressant drugs ? (shut your ass face Tom Cruise! )

Today marks the first installment of Album of the Week -- a new feature of my blog that will run on the weekends. This week's featured album is "Every Dog Has His Day" by Let's Active . I bought this album on tape from a place called Eagle Records in downtown Auburn, Ala. (where the old Tiger Theater used to be) back in the fall of 1988. As I remember this little store sold only tapes and wasn't open long. I bought it one night when I was out with my teenage partner-in-crime Andrea cruising the small town and drinking something foul like Purple Passion. I had read about Mitch Easter in Rolling Stone and knew he had produced R.E.M.'s "Murmur" in his legendary studio Drive-In in Chapel Hill, N.C. Sara Romweber played drums for the group on albums previous and she is the sister of Dexter Romweber -- lead singer of The Flat Duo Jets who Andrea, Lau ra Marrett, Carol Born and I saw at Darnell's, a small eclectic club in Auburn. I got to meet

I went to see Atlanta Tuesday to see Clare and we woke up at 4:30 (EST) to go to the IKEA grand opening in Midtown. As I expected, there were hundreds of people who had camped out and we weren't anywhere close to being the first 100 to the free arm chair. Clare's friend and Asian counterpart Mary Ann met us there with her brother Peter. They had been there hours before us. The guy who was first in line came Wednesday and beat out the rest of us because he doesn't have a job. The bedroom suite he won ws nice enough I guess, but his wife, or girlfriend, didn't look happy sitting in the little glass showcase with him. They were like human hamsters. Maybe she just wants him to get off his ass and stop being a crazed store opening camper and get a job. The store is amazing. Clare and I were both very captivated by the children's furniture, toys and bed linens as well as many kitchen items, pillows and area rugs. IKEA's designs are classic, minimal and timeless. The n

Mary Ann and her brother Peter were there much earlier than we were and farther up in line. They had sleeping bags, blankets and pillows.

Clare and her pharmaceutical counterpart, Mary Ann, dish the dirt. Clare has her license now so she is officially "Dr. Bitch" to those of us in her entourage.

Okay, all these kids are cute and all, but why couldn't I get a free snake too? I wanted to "borrow" a kid so I could get the snake to make my time in line worth it. The bandanas and frisbees were nice and all, but didn't quite do the wait justice.

How much do Americans love their big box stores? This guy was recording all the entertainment events on his video camera. I can see him in 30 years gathering his grandkids around to tell them all about the great IKEA opening of 2005, but then again I took a picture of him so what does that say about me? (that I was a bored smartass at the time?). The mayor of Atlanta was there as IKEA openings are always places that need to be punctuated with political speeches (WTF?) There was a gospel singing group that hurt my head with their high decibel rendition of "Midnight Train to Georgia." The Georgia State drumline was the best entertainment by far, but I couldn't see them due to dudes like this who had their video cameras in the air (tapin' like they just don't care).This guy wasn't alone.

What would a two hour wait in line be without a good butt crack siting. This one was minimal and featured a hip tatoo and the free IKEA doo rag we all got that never made it home with me (dammit!).

We didn't have to look far for our one and only IKEA mullet siting. Her face has been blurred to protect the identity of the poor snake wrapped around the nether regions. And hey, wait a minute, is that little kid playing pocket pool?