Pee on Bees!

My college recently installed new waterless toilets. You don't have to flush them. Just do your draining and walk away.

I will say, they are beautiful pieces of porcelain. Gone are the sharp curves and creases normally associated with urinals. These urinals are so inviting, you almost want to sit on them. Most intriguing, however, is the imprint of a small, cute, cartoon honey bee imprinted on the inside. The bee looks so odd, so out of place. I was even tempted to brush it off. Why is this bathroom fixture used in the removal of filth imprinted with a honey bee? I think I may have the answer.

It takes the urinating experience to a whole new level. I found myself seeing just how long I can pee on the bee, even tracing its outline.

Still, I can't help but wonder, why a honey bee? How about something more cute and less threatening than bees. Maybe some would rather pee on puppies or kittens.

But why stop at bees, puppies and kittens? The could expand to other species such as armadillos, sloths, and anteaters. This could be the next collectible craze. Remember beanie babies? Yes, some collect stamps or Pez dispensers, but I could collect urinals.

3rd Symphony

I have a bad habit of writing on random pieces of paper whenever I have the impulse. At the same time, its kind of exciting when I find something I don't remember writing. I cleaned up my place this weekend (Now it looks like I'm moving out). More importantly, I found a few things hidden in some old school notebooks. They were interesting, to me anyway.

Laying in bed, he savors the euphoria of the alcohol. The sound of music emerges from his phone, Brahms' 3rd Symphony.



He reads the message

"Glad ur home safe talk 2 u 2moro goodnight muah!"

He is overcome with the sensations of warmth and love, and that night will forever be ingrained into his memory.

For now Brahms' 3rd Symphony is not only a piece he appreciates, but also a reminder of when he was at ease and the world was his.

Dust myself off

I must admit that these past two weeks have been tough for me. Things do not always go as planned. And, sometimes, things go exactly as planned and you still hate it. It's been tough.

A couple of years ago I picked up a book about the faith of great men. It was not exactly what I was expecting, but I thumbed through the book anyway. However, there is one line I will never forget. It was a prayer said by a man whose name I forget. I do not remember the prayer verbatim but I do remember the last of it.

"...help for I am overwhelmed by discouragement, despair, and fear of the future."

This is exactly how I felt.

I guess that's the way life is. You have your lows and your highs. Sometimes you feel so low that you think you'll never be able to get out. But you do.

These are the times I stop and take a look around me. I look at what have and appreciate what I got. I look at where I am and where I want to be.

Then I pick myself up, dust myself off, and keep on going.

Toby on the Colbert Report!

Toby on the Colbert Report, who would have thought that would happen?

Yes I listen to country music.

I think country is simple, enjoyable music. It can make you laugh. It can make you cry. It can make you want to party. I know a lot of people can't stand it. Thats OK. They don't have to like. They're just missing out ;)

They're at it again boys and girls

Watch these guys dance.
Poor, poor cubbies. They're such a mess.

Aw Gabe, don't listen to this old fudy dudy

I love my grandfather and absolutely look up to him. He has so many stories to tell about life that I never get tired of listening to him. He lives in New Mexico and when I'm over there, I just try to soak up as much wisdom from his as possible.

I look at him and I tell myself that I want to just like him in my old age. He is in his 80s but is still robust for his age. He can still get up and mow that lawn and do some light duty yard work. But that is not what I find most fascinating about him.

After his daily early morning chores, he sits on the porch and looks into distance. There is a beautiful mountain range in front of his home so I assume that is what he is looking at. Yet, he does not just sit and stare at mountains. He sits and reflects.

He looks back at his life and, for him, it all makes sense now. He sits and looks back at his past and understands why events in his past occurred and understands them now.

His mistakes he laughs at. His tragedies he accepts. The happiest moments in his life, he values even more. But, more importantly, he looks back at his life and is happy about it. When he talks his voice is filled with a sincerity and contentedness that it puts you at ease. I just sit, listen, and appreciate. Yet he is humble too.

"Aw Gabe, don't listen to this old fudy dudy," he says.

I want to be just like him in my old age. I want to be able took look a back at my life and say, "You know what? I sure have had a great life."

For my grandfather, I suppose he believes that everything does happen for a reason, it just takes time to realize it. There is a quote that alway reminds me of this. I got it out of John Steinbeck's "East of Eden," probably my favorite book from my one of my favorite authors.

"One day we'll sit and you'll lay it out on the table, neat like a solitaire deck, but now - why, you can't find all the cards."

I guess that's why we don't understand why things happen to us.

We don't have all the cards.

I love baseball

This is just part of the game.

I miss playing baseball. I miss the competition. I miss the smell of freshly dewed grass. I miss tossing the ball around on a crisp morning. I miss playing in the summer at dusk. I miss the excitement from the ping of the bat. I miss the satisfaction from a beautifully handled ball.
What do I miss the most?
The camaraderie.