Friday, October 31, 2008

Why "troll"?

Some things about me that may interest anyone who feels like reading. I have done loads of different jobs over my life looking for that one thing that makes me happy and gets me paid. When I was in school I dreamed of being either a Hollywood stuntman, or a NASCAR driver. These were the two things that I wanted to do above all else. Then I thought maybe I wanted to be a Truck Driver. (yeah I watched BJ & The Bear, Have you figured out my age yet? ) When I got into high school I discovered 2 things that I was semi-decent at, and that might eventually make me some money, one was talking and the other was taking pictures. Along with the talking I have a primarily auditory memory and I love music, so I decided that I wanted to be a DJ, but I didn't want to be just any DJ, I wanted to work the overnight shift at a rock station. Where I grew up, the best station around had the best overnight guy I ever heard. He was Murdered a few years ago, but he was Unkle Rog. He was THE Coolest DJ in the world as far as I was concerned, and I wanted to be like him. Rumor has it that the Venus Flytrap character from "WKRP in Cincinnati" was modeled after Unk. I'll tell you more about him some other time, but for now back to my story.
So I wanted to be a DJ, now this was a time of transition in the radio business, they were done with the guys who walked in and started with a few weekend gigs and eventually made it to a regualr weekday/night gig. You were either "discovered" by someone in the business or you weaseled your way in as an intern. To be an intern, you needed to have a college course that was specifically geared toward the radio business, such as communications, or advertising. Plus you needed to have either a big bank account or a second job, because these internships were very rarely paid positions. Well I did my research and found out that a lot of the local radio guys liked this one particular titty bar, and I went and got a DJ job there. Long story short I was there for 4+ years and never got "discovered" Not for lack of trying, but because I didn't have the cutthroat attitude needed to get into radio, I'm just too damn nice. lol But while working there I did get my nickname. Here's how it happened:

There was a time in my life when I was dead set against scissors anywhere near my head, and I had LONG hair, at one time nearly down to my butt. Since my hair is naturally pin straight, I generally kept it tied back in a pony tail and I wore a hat most of the time. But me being me, I didn't where any old hat, I preferred cloth welders hats. If you are not familiar with a welders hat, they are special in that they come in bright colors, VERY bright colors! I had a large assortment of them once upon a time, now I am lucky if I know where I can find one or two, but anyways, back to my story. So I get this job working with nekkid babes, and music. Man I was in heaven! ( at least I thought so then!) So it's my first week working there and people are still trying to learn my name, and the day shift bartender was bad with names, (She could tell ya your drink in a heartbeat, but name? Not a chance!) So my second day, I was running behind, very uncharacteristically, and I forgot my hair tie, so it was sprawled out across my shoulders. One of the Dancers decided that she liked my hat, and wanted to wear it on stage, (It looked really cool under the balcklight. ) so who am I to deny a half nekkid babe? I let her borrow my hat. Have you ever pulled a blanket across your head and heard that static crackle? Now look in the mirrow, and see you hair standing on end! Imagine LONG hair static-ed out and sticking up everywhere. This was me in my little DJ booth. The Bartender needed to get my hours for the next day's schedule, and she couldn't remember my name, when she came around the corner she saw me with my hair all static and climbing up the wall and I bopped around in my booth, and she immediately thought of the little troll dolls that were all the rage at the time. She instantly called me DJ Troll, and it stuck, in less than three days, everyone in the places was calling me DJ Troll. I didn't mind it and in time I grew to actually enjoy it.

Jump ahead ten years, and I was no longer a DJ, I was now a maintenance guy in a factory, and since I didn't like most people to know my name I stuck with troll and even had it printed on my uniform nametags. I was troll and everyone knew who I was. There was no mistaking me for any of the dozen or so Karls and Carls walking around the place. Jump ahead another few years, and now I am discovering the wonders of the internet. Wow, there was all this knowledge and other interesting stuff, but I needed an alias of the crazy axe killers would hunt me down and kill me in my sleep! AAAHHH! OOH, I know I'll be troll. Already taken. troll69,( hehehe) taken. troll1967.... nope, trollpiano? YES, I could use that one, Since I love the piano, and play somewhat, it worked for me. Now I had me an alias that I could use around the internet. I wasn't thinking about the personals at that time, D'Oh! Oh well. So time goes by and I use a few different versions of the troll calls sign, trolleolleo, trollburger, and tragictroll. Now I have a job doing shipping and receiving, and Receiving troll just doesn't sound right, so I decided to go with shipping troll. It works and it seems to be fairly unique, so I will use it for now. Maybe someday in the future I can be "movie troll" or the one I really want, "travel troll".

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Illegal immigration...

What is illegal immigration? This is a great question especially from someone who is American Indian. Immigration is defined as "the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country." Illegal is defined as "Contrary to or forbidden by law." And finally law is defined as, "The system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of it's members and may enforce by the imposition of penalties."

No where in that definition is there a specification that a law must be written down. So this means that when European explorers "discovered" North America, (not it's original name) there was already a system of laws in place that governed the people who were already here, and had been here for many centuries. The European explorers wrote in their journals about shimmering fields of corn in neat rows surrounded by beans and squash. Neatly arranged villages, and forests of park-like qualities where game abounded. They described networks of trails tended and easily traveled that connected villages and even larger settlements that could be considered cities. A confederacy in the east of tribes together for the greater good of all of them. Other alliances scattered about the continent. None had a written law, unless you consider a wampum belt to be writing. Under the formal definition it isn't writing, but it does qualify as a record of transaction and treaty, recorded in symbols and structure.

And so they came The first wave of Vikings hopscotching across the north Atlantic and building settlements in northern Canadian provinces, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. They didn't last. The Chinese sailors making it across the Pacific Ocean and following the coast down from the Bering Sea. They didn't stay. The Spanish wave began by Columbus supported by the Spanish crown and the Roman Catholic Church. Columbus got lost on his way to India, and bumped into Hispanola. (unfortunately the true name of the island is lost to history thanks to the disease ridden European sailors) But upon his return to Spain he set off the true loss of paradise. And that is where the story really takes a turn. The Spanish brought the Conquistidors back with them to make their way across the continent and hunt for treasure. When they encountered native settlements they often killed the leaders and demanded ransom before they would leave. The vermin traveling with them would be spreading disease in their wake, and within a decade of the arrival the population of the mainland was almost halved. It took a generation for the natural immunities to begin to take hold and to stabilize the losses suffered simply from disease.

To add insult to injury, the European explorers were also accompanied by Catholic Missionaries, who were bent on converting as many as possible, and by any means necessary. This included torture, and bribery. When they could get a few converts they could soon divide villages that had stood united for a millenia of generations. How can they not see that something they were doing was so wrong? Because this has been their life in Europe, divide and conquer, but the natives would not be conquered so easily. As the Spanish worked on the south, the Dutch, French, and English worked in the northern regions.

The northern Indians heard stories from the southern reaches of invaders, so they were cautious when the first sailing ships arrived at their shores. In the mid-Atlantic region they made a peace with the newly arrived settlers and made agreements with them as to what they would allow and where the newcomers were allowed to go. They were allowed to stay as long as they stayed withing their bounderies, and kept their villages small. We know that this didn't happen. So the true storm began, and as 3 centuries rolled by the eastern seaboard and inland began to get crowded with people.

The land now "owned" by the European Colonists is still contested by the Indians, and they contest this by killing settlers. The penalties by their laws for invasion of tribal lands. Never was a treaty honestly rendered or enforced by the white "authorities". Given limits the white settlers immediately broke them, and wrote home to get more to come since the land was "free" for the taking. Murder is murder and stealing is stealing. Calling it Manifest Destiny doesn't make it right. I realize that most of the world has been settled this way. I have to admit that I think of Israel as the white settlers to the Palestinian Indians. I truly don't believe that Israel is always right. I can say this because my people have been subject to Genocide as well, but ours has been constantly reenacted in cowboy movies for the last 75 years. But I digress...

So here we are into the 21st century, and the cry by the white power structure in America is to reduce "illegal immigration". Illegal immigration is a matter of perspective. It has been genetically proven that most of the Spanish speaking "illegals" are more aboriginal than European, and as such should have aboriginal border rights similar to the border rights allowed the Canadian First Nations. As a member of a Canadian band and American band, I have the right to cross the border at any time and in fact there are places where I can cross the border completely unaccosted by border agents or customs officials. The same rights should be afforded to those who are south of the American border.

Now the real kicker is this, recent data gathered in California and Texas show that because of the falling economic outlook and labor market, more of these "illegals" are headed home to Mexico and points south.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Geronimo?

Why the hell do people yell "Geronimo!" when they jump from something? Geronimo was a great Apache warrior, who fought like hell for the freedom of his people. He never saw a parachute in his life!
Politics make assholes out of decent people. Don't believe me? Ask somebody you like what their political views are. You can bet that if they are any different than yours, they will come across like an uneducated idiot who has no concept of logic. Take this current election cycle, the catch phrase of the week is "Spread the wealth around." But what exactly is buying up mortgages with tax money, and selling them back at a discount rate? Sounds vaguely socialist to me. OOH OOH!! How about "Tax and spend"? Tax employers to pay for individual health care. Any time tax money is used for the public good whether individual or as a whole it is "spreading the wealth around." What about the Government salaries? Talk about spread the wealth! I have to laugh because while they are in session in the senate they must refer to each other as the "Esteemed Gentleman from..." or the "Esteemed lady from..." This rule was made to keep them from hurling insults at each other in session, because every word is recorded in the official record. What I wouldn't give to read the historic record someday and find a some one shouting across the senate floor, "You fuckin' asshole!! How in the hell can you even say that with a straight face?" Sadly, if that actually happened, I'm sure that it would be redacted from the public record. Especially if it was an FCC hearing!! LOL There is no doubt that the occasional epithet has been hurled in the hallowed halls of government, and I am sure that they echoed quite nicely on all that marble. I seem to remember our current VP calling somebody a "dumb fuck" so we know that it happens.

Hunting season is here as my little brother has reminded me. I'm not a fan of hunters in general, because as a group they are usually pretty stupid and inconsiderate. Now that is not to say that all hunters fall into this group. Some are exactly what the ideal of a hunter is, they take what they will consume, they hunt safely, and they respect property and property lines, and they kill as cleanly as possible. Growing up in the country, hunting was something that I was exposed to, my father took me hunting on occasion, and I was know to give it a try on my own now and then. I never shot anything big like a deer, but I got my share of rabbits and squirrels. I tried for partridge more than once, but never had any luck. Now I hunt with a camera, it's always in season, and the trophies are amazing when you get just the right shot. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a crybaby save bambi knucklehead. I eat meat and I love it, but I figure since I can get my hormone injected factory farm raised beef, pork and fowl from the grocery store, why do all the work of tracking and killing and cleaning and cutting just for a few pounds of sausage and steaks. I don't have the freezer room, and I sure don't want the trophies of the racks and heads. Although some nice fur blankets would be cool. I like to shoot my pistols and to try my hand with the bow now and then and any woodchuck digging in my yard is a goner, but traipsing through the woods carrying a gun looking for something to kill is just not something that I am wanting to do.

Thinking about starting a video blog on you tube, any feelings plus or minus?

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Redneck Toothfairy!


Today's post brought to you by the Tooth Fairy, "Gaily collecting teeth and scaring children for as long as I can get away with it!"

Yes Indeed, That's yours' truly dressed for a Halloween party as a redneck Tooth Fairy! I figure that I chose well, since I got lots of laughs and all the girls were pinching my ass!! LOL The sad part is that I didn't win the costume contest!! I came in 4th! Behind a store-bought costume, There is no justice! I figure the judges were bought off, or drunk. Since it was a bar, I guessing drunk, I mean who in this economy (besides a politician) can afford to bribe anyone?

So it was a fun night and everyone had a blast. The band was jammin' and the crowd was happy, and I just love Halloween when the girls release their inner exhibitionist! The number of naughty nurses and teachers were in their normal levels, but there was one that made my heart go pitter-pat, a naughty paramedic! she was hot! I'm gonna put the slide show up on You Tube so you can check it out soon. search Halloweenies ( or just click the link! )

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Where have I been...


I like to travel, and the truth is that it doesn't matter to me most of the time the destination, as much as I enjoy the journey. Occasionally the destination is more important than the journey, and sometimes they are equally important to me. One of my favorite places in the world is Odessa, Ukraine. I have been there twice now and I hope to someday be able to live there at least for a year or two. The city completely fascinates me, both because of its' history and its' people, especially the ladies! (see above^^^) Now in the process of traveling to Ukraine I have had the privilege to spend a couple of nights in Vienna, Austria. That is a cool place too, let me tell ya! It is a mish-mash of old and new, and in at least one case Ancient! There is a little ice cream shop there that has the best vanilla custard I have EVER tasted. My first time in Ukraine I also had a chance to visit Kharkov, as well, plus even though I never left the airport, I also bounced through Kiev. That pretty much covers my European experience thus far.

Now, when it comes to the USA I have been LOTS of places. When I was a kid we used to go to visit my mom's family in Pennsylvania. That's the beginnings of my wanderlust. But I have found that no matter where I go, I am like a big yo-yo , and I have to come home to upstate New York . Home is where I have to go, it may not be where I want to be every day and all the time, but it is where I have to be at least for a little while. So when I was old enough to drive, I began to explore, first my region, then soon my state. When I was old enough to drive out of state I was off and running! First time I drove an interstate on my own, I missed an exit and ended up lost in downtown Syracuse with my little sister in the passenger seat, and the gas gauge just about bouncing on E. But it was a learning experience and I have taken a lot from it. And now when I get lost in any city in the world, I simply take my time and find my way out. Then I have a reference point from which to start when I go there again. at least in an American city I can generally read the signs and get a fix on where I am, My Russian isn't the greatest yet so when I am lost in Ukraine it's really and adventure!!

So here I am stuck in school and wanting to GO someplace, my senior year took forever because all I wanted to do was get out! Well It took me all summer after graduation, but I eventually had what I wanted and I took off for what I expected were greener pastures. I was south-bound and looking for glory. Having grown up in snow country I was looking for a warm winter in South Florida. Well it lasted for a couple of months, then I just knew that life was getting in the way of living and I headed for home. It was expensive to live down there and I wasn't making the money that I had hope to be making working in the business that I knew well, instead I was a shop monkey working in a metal-fab shop. It was work, but not what I wanted to be doing. So back to NY. So I have basically lived in NY since, but I have been all over this country in the mean time. I love Maine. I have driven across the US all the way to the Pacific Ocean once, and as far as Colorado one other time. Colorado is WAY cool, too cool for one post. Same for Maine and California and Tennessee. Yes indeed, I have had my adventures in TN! I have been around Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas. Toured Indianapolis, Indiana. Driven through Nashville in the afternoon rush hour, visited Lynchburg and the great Jack Daniels Distillery. I do have a favorite place in TN but it's not so much the place as the people who live there in Li'l ol' Bean Station! I have driven through some of the biggies, Washington DC, Charlotte, NC, Richmond, VA, Bristol, TN, Daytona FL, Miami, FL, Tallahassee, FL. Been through Mongomery, Alabama and Louiseville Kentucky, not to mention Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Hey, I drove I-70 from Columbus to Grand Junction 4 times! I have been to the Mad Greek's in Baker CA. I have spent time on the 405 in LA, and I have been in morning rushhour traffic in Orange county CA, on a motorcycle. For some of you that's an everyday occurence, but for this country boy from NY that was a true experience. two of the sweetest people in the world were kind enough to ride motorcycle with me along the Pacific Coast Highway from San Luis Obispo to Monterey. I have been to Memphis and walked along Beal Street with two of the most important people in my life. Saw the original Memphis Belle but never did see Graceland though.

I haven't been every where I want to go yet, but I have been lots of places and many that I haven't even listed here yet. Someday maybe I will be able to sit down in my favorite chair and just happily relive the memories, but I still have MANY left to make, so I will think about my next trip, when I have the money! right now I will look at the globe and decide where I want to go!

Monday, October 20, 2008

For love of the game



My nephews play sports. I like to watch them and to take pictures and videos. Someday I may do something cool with them, but for now I can share some with y'all. Now many of you know that I am not a sports fan. I have no care who wins the world series as long as it is over as quickly as possible and doesn't pre-empt regular programming that I am actually interested in! Most sports are a waste of time and money and are no more than opium for the masses. I have never understood the rabid sports fan, you know the ones, every piece of clothing they own is in the team colors or has the team logo on it somewhere, they read every stat from every season and never miss a pregame or post game analysis. ( Is "anal" the root of "analysis", or is it"lysis". What's a "lysis"? ) The go to the games as often as possible and when they can't make the game the where the jersey all day long even if they are poll bearers at a funeral. Face painters, chest painters, shirtless in a blizzard cheering for their team no matter whether they are winning or losing. Now this is not to say that I don't occasionally watch a game with friends, or can't discuss current events on occasion. Even the sports that do interest me I'm not rabid about. I like Motorsports, and I can honestly say that when nothing else is available I will happily sit and watch ANY form of racing. Mostly because I can fall asleep during the boring parts and then wake up and watch the great crashes. I don't want to see anyone die, in fact I am happiest when the crash is REALLY spectacular and the driver walks away. Then he really has a story to tell!

So anyway, back to my point, my biggest complaint about professional sports is that too many of the players are simply playing for the huge ridiculous salaries. They no longer play for the love of the game. Although I do imagine that some like Brett Favre play long past their effective careers to keep their attention addiction sated. Kids however still play because they like to play. Of course there are always the exceptions to the rule, but we all know that any kid that doesn't truly want to play any sport will do everything in his/her power to completely suck and thereby not actually have to play, meanwhile keeping daddy happy that he/she is on the team. Why do I say daddy and not mommy? Again with some exceptions it seems to be the sports that allow the fathers to connect to the children. At least this has been my experience. There are still the stage mothers who push their children into anything so that their child will be popular (or the stars knows the motivation). The kids that play because they like it, are the best to watch, because they will put all of their energy into whatever they are doing, whether it's football, baseball, soccer, hockey or anything else that kids play. These are the games that I love to watch. I don't even care what game it is or who they are playing, it's just infectious fun to watch when they still play for the love of the game.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Helpful hints...

Blot don't rub.... Helpful hints seem to come unbidden and furiously no matter what. When you tell people that you are interested in something they tell you about someone they know who is also interested in it, or they have their own interest and they begin to share all of their resources with you. Sometimes it's cool because you are dying for assistance, but other times it is the most annoying thing in the world. I never claim to be perfect, I have my days when I make typos so much that I wonder if I actually have control of my fingers, and I do proofread, but when you have been typing for hours and you know what you have just written, ( or were supposed to write!) your eyes don't catch each and every mistake. Fortunately I have the ability to return to the post and edit. I try to get it right the first time, but as you are all aware, Murphy was an optimist.

So this ain't a big one, and sometimes they won't be, but hey "It's my bloggy and I'll sigh if I wanna..."

Friday, October 17, 2008

Page 2...

So here we are Post number 2! I guess that I have to find a direction, even though I have referred to grouchiness in both the title and the URL for this page, the truth is that I am generally a pretty mild mannered and happy person. That doesn't mean that I don't get plenty pissed off at idiots on a pretty regular basis, and that's one of the things that I'm gonna be ranting about every now and then. The American people have become a nation of victims and a perfect case in point I saw today on the midday news. A pair a teenage girls get into a fight and the aggressor ends up on top of her victim pummeling her face mercilessly. Not for a second or two, but for close to half a minute, then the victims' (foster)mother arrives and drags the aggressor off of the other girl and gives her a good smack in the head as she lets her go. Guess who is in trouble? Yup, the adult who hit the child! This "child" is a teenager who was trying to just about kill another girl. Personally I think she ought to be in jail herself, and thankful that someone didn't try to beat the snot out of her. Then this vicious chick's mother has the gall to go on TV and cry about the way the her daughter was manhandled!! BITE MY ASS !!! The whole situation stinks and that is a huge problem.

I have said this many times over the last few years, but it seems to be getting to be more and more true, the American mindset is becoming this, " Since I'm probably going to get in big trouble anyway, I might as well make it worth it!" It goes along with the "Go big or stay home." philosophy. There is a serious lack of respect for other people in this country lately. Not always when people are in one on one situations, but definitely in crowds and public places. There is no longer a please and thank you used for most transactions, especially from the customers. I like the French philosophy of Commerce, "The customer is always wrong!" It makes the customers much more respectful of the merchants and sales people whom they must deal with. The American tourists think that the French are rude, when in fact it is simply a matter of perspective, they aren't used to being told the truth and they don't understand it when they see it! Manners are simply the lubricant that makes humanity tolerate each other, and rudeness is sand mixed into that grease. It starts with the Boomers who wanted children who were their friends. It was wrong and it is still wrong. My lovely peers, the Gen-Xers are making the same mistake regularly, and it is only exacerbating the problem. Fates know how rude the country will be by the time my nieces and nephews are full adults.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

a beginning...

Everyone has to start somewhere and I guess I'll start here. I have been commenting and posting on various blogs and websites for a long time and I figure it's finally time to start writing my own pages. How often I will get to it, and how interesting it is will be is up to someone else to decide, but I will be writing what is on my mind and I will not be able to always be gentle or politically correct, In fact I vow to not be politically correct, because that's one of the things in this country that peeves me more than anything else. I don't take offense at somebody referring to me and my family as indian, rather than Native American. If you do take offense at being called an Indian when you have family that lives on a reservation anywhere in the North American continent, then you're a PUTZ! get over yourself before they start playing cowboys and indians again! Little Bighorn was a FLUKE! Even now we are far out numbered, but if you want to know an interesting fact, most Mexicans now have more native blood that Spanish in their heritage and that means that they belong here far more rightly that any of you silly white people. Now that being said I am somewhat of a white person since my Momma is "second generation Euro-mutt" ( I really love that term! )

I really don't know what direction I wish to take this thing, but I hope that a few people will eventually read it and maybe try and tick me off to see what I will spout about!! Things I hate, Kid Rock, any educated person who talks like they are from the ghetto, Knuckleheads in general, Stupid trends, people who are proud of their ignorance. Bigotry. Stupid drivers. Oil companies who charge us instantly when the price of crude goes up, but take forever to lower the price when it goes down!! Liars who KNOWINGLY lie. Someone who spouts off without full information then realizes they were misinformed and changes the story, is not a liar, just too eager to spread rumors.

Give me Liberty Or give me death!! Patrick Henry, sure knew how to turn a phrase.

Look for my videos on youtube search "trollpiano"