Bring On '09

A generic welcoming of 2009, as we weren't actually awake when it arrived.

The Scene

The last issue of '08. Fittingly, a year in review edition.

A Holiday From The Holidays

After a week of having guests or being guests, a day off to relax is in order.

Home

Is good.

Why So Serious?

Payton's birthday is December 17th. So there was also a delayed birthday party.

So Fly

Every kid needs a red wagon.

X-Mas Redux

They delayed Christmas for us so Mari could experience Payton's 1st.

Generations

Great Grandmother meets Great Grandson.

Down To Georgia

Heading down to Georgia to see Lonnie, Amanda, Payton, and their new house.

Christmas Dinner

Sitting down for an early dinner of ham, sadly the unkosher kind.

Bad To The Bone

From my parents, who love to give art type gifts. A welded metal sculpture of a dog on a motorcycle, commemorating my learning to ride earlier this year.

Well Hung

By the chimney with care.

The Scene

The annual Boner awards, featuring Nashville's dumbest.

As Danzig Probably Said At Some Point

Father.

As Danzig Would Say

Mother.

Good Times

It's officially Christmas now, family has arrived. The folks are in town for a week, along with their pup Goody.

It's Hammytime

One of the great Sc3ne traditions, every year just before Christmas Stevan Steinhart makes his famous Hammy sandwiches. To accompany them, he always announces their arrival with a story or a poem of some sort. This year:

There once was a doc from Miami,
Who cloned a young porker named Shlammy,
At the end of it’s legs,
Were hooves shaped like pegs,
ZOUNDS! The first Kosher Hammy!
Hammy Holidays!

It's Like Google Earth In HD

The view of our building from Icon's deck.

An Iconic Event

Our office landlord (sorry Property Manager) threw a tenant's party luncheon at their fashionable condo, the Icon.

The Scene

A convicted murderer is getting out, and they're trying to keep him in.

Streetscapes II

Street lights on rain.

Adventures With The Marty Stuart Show 5

All of the show's guests for this episode got together at the end so they could shoot the promo commercial spot. Click for the bigger version. Connie Smith is mostly blocked, but is in blue. Marty Stuart in the middle in all black. Eddie Stubbs on the far left. I'm sure the other acts were known people, but let's be honest. The only reason I even knew who Marty Stuart and Connie Smith were, was because of my Sc3ne connection. A country aficionado I am not. See Brent's blog for an additional shot, I think he got a better angle than I did.

Adventures With The Marty Stuart Show 4

The set.

Adventures With The Marty Stuart Show 3

The guy in the suit is Eddie Stubbs, the announcer for the show. I don't remember the name of the woman standing next to him, but it was her job to make sure we clapped or were quiet at the right times. They came out and chatted with the audience before the show.

Adventures With The Marty Stuart Show 2

So we got in the door, and as we stood in line talking I found out we were going to be in the audience for the taping of an episode of the Marty Stuart Show, with extra special guest Connie Smith. We were invited because Connie Smith happens to be the mother of, and Marty Stuart the step-dad of, a person who works at the Sc3ne.

Adventures With The Marty Stuart Show

You never know where a day is going to take you. The adventure began when Brent wandered into my office and asked if I was going to this taping thing. I had no idea what it was but I wanted in, so I asked the organizer if there were any spots. The answer was no, but some people who had said they were going ended up backing out. I became Kevin for the purposes of getting in the door. The first surprise came when we arrived at the place and it was very familiar. Then it clicked...it was the building my Dad used to work at when he first came to Tennessee, now a completely different company.

Bizarro World Running Mates

It fades off in the lower corner so you can't see it in the picture. But written on this car in front of me: "McCain Obama 08". Huh? Also, how about that view through the van's cracked windshield? Classy.

The Greatest Gift Of All

And with one last stop, Christmas shopping is complete.

Mooned

The moon was huge, and hovering perfectly over the middle of Broadway tonight. I was pretty sure the camera phone wouldn't capture the moment in all it's glory. I was right. Though the reflection of the red lights made for an interesting effect at least.

Sprelling

We here at the Sc3ne take our spelling seriously.

The Scene

Local fashion designers.

Alright Then

Category: Surreal things you stumble across while waiting for the paper to finish.

The Everything But Silver Tree

Downstairs.

Model Behavior

Amazing what the promise of food will do.

Today's Product Endorsement

Works great, environmentally friendly, and smells really good too.

Rumours Has It

This year's Sc3ne holiday party, held at Rumours East.

Gettin' Dirty

The ornament I drew at today's "Bring an Ugly Ornament" office party. Mine's the one on the left, a lovely Pabst Blue Ribbon beer can with a classically arranged Jackie '08 bumper sticker wrapped around it.

The Silver Tree

Upstairs.

The Scene

Eric Crafton = dumbass. In any language.

Creepy Geek

This ad for outside technical support is wrong on so many levels.

History Is History

I transition away from my history kick, easing out with some historical fiction.

Ticking Bomb

It's the weekend after Thanksgiving, and that means Christmas is about to explode from these containers onto every surface in our house.

10 Years Later

White gold and diamond.

10 Years Ago

Gold and emerald.

Good Eats

A great lunch at J. Alexander's after ring shopping. That's supposed to be the window view of Centennial Park. Power poles should be outlawed.

It Takes A Village

The day started with a trip to Village Jewelers, and our streak continued. Thanksversary was awesome, Friday's play was excellent, and now this. Not only were they as nice and inviting as you could imagine, but we went in thinking it would take around a week or more to get a ring. Instead Mari and I both instantly fixed on one of the examples they set out for us to look at. It was perfect. It was under our budget. And they could have it ready by 4. Of course they could.

Elf This

A Friday night performance of The Santaland Diaries.

Outboxed

Apparently we both decided to be devious this year. I've been wanting an Xbox for a long time, and thought I had an outside chance of maybe getting one for Christmas. Does my wife know me or what? Better than any old diamond. Of course, speaking of Christmas, after an amazing blowout of an anniversary, we're probably going to be exchanging new socks.

The Rock

10 years ago we didn't have a lot of money. I was a college student and Mari had just started a new job having moved from Oregon to Arizona. So her ring was, let's say inexpensive. I promised then that in 10 years I would do something about that. I didn't forget. I've been planning this ever since. As we have joint everything there was no way I could do this without her knowing, so my folks became co-conspirators. It all came together perfectly. I got a loose stone, with a hook up from co-workers to have it set at Village Jewelers. I then convinced Mari the flowers were it, in a tight budget year. After our T-Day lunch I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me, again. There was a long, utterly stunned pause, then she burst into tears. It couldn't have gone any better. The picture is underwhelming. Curse you cell phone camera.

Happy Thanksversary

But there was more than turkey going on today, in fact the turkey part was just an appetizer. On this day 10 years ago, Mari and I got married. It started with roses, delivered of course to her work yesterday. (Hey after 10 years I know how this works.)