CAR WASH ETIQUETTE

So what is car wash etiquette? Well lemme tell you what it's not! Today after work SAXOMAN decided to wash his new car. WHAT? Anyway, so I went to the local do-it-yourself car wash and it was a pretty busy place. All of the car wash stalls were filled with people washing their cars. Their was one lady who was drying her car where you're supposed to be washing your car. I politely asked her if she could dry her car where everyone else was drying so that I could wash my car. She told me I would have to wait until she was done! What? Are you kidding me lady? You can't move to where your supposed to be so I can wash my car? I told her that she was being unreasonable. She just shook her head at me and continued to dry her car. I patiently waited for another stall to open up and none did so finally she moved her car and drove off. Jeez....what is wrong with people? I just don't get it! Where is the common courtesy nowadays? Umm.....SAXOMAN, what is this about a new car? HAHA! Stay tuned!

DO I LOOK LIKE I'M LOSING WEIGHT?

Probably nothing strikes as much fear into the minds of married men as when their wives ask them "do I look like I'm losing weight?". The mind goes blank as you are caught off guard by such as question. The heart starts to beat rapidly for fear of answering wrongly. Your mind races as you search for just the right words to answer. My stock answer, "Absolutely! Of course I think you're losing weight! I just forgot to mention it to you! Those pounds are melting away faster than butter in a frying pan!" Now I must say that my stock response doesn't always go over so good but I can assure you it is better than saying something really, really dumb. HAHA!

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK - TOKYO STORY

Now I know it's been a while since my last DVD Pick of the Week but it's really been a pretty slow period for new Asian cinema. The Asain movie season is pretty much like ours in that summer is when most of the blockbusters are released. Although I have picked up some recent dvd titles there has been nothing really deserving of my honorable "Pick of the Week". There are many that feel I just watch martial arts movies but that's really not the case as I watch many classic pieces of cinema as well. Because of this slow period I have been exploring a lot of older, classic pieces of Japanese cinema. One film I had heard about and recently saw is a 1953 release from noted Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu titled "Tokyo Story". This movie is as relevant today as the day that it was released in that it shows aging parents and how their kids and grand children have little time for them. It also explores how selfish children can be at times. A classic piece of cinema that I thoroughly enjoyed. The one to get? Why the two disc release from Criterion of course. Enjoy the trailer or check out the movie!

HOCKEY AND FIGHTING - I DON'T GET IT

OK, now I have to admit that I never watch hockey and never really understood the game. I guess it's basically like soccer but on ice right? Or is it like water polo? I dunno.... Now there is one thing in particular that I've never understood about hockey and that's the fighting that goes on during the games. I mean, basically the referees will let you punch and punch the opposing players until you are too tired to punch anymore. Now I just don't get this at all. Every other sport will have the fight broken up, players will be ejected, penalties will be called and players are suspended for future games. Hockey fights? I think the players are sent to a penalty box or something for a few minutes, if that. Go figure. Anyway, SAXOMAN does not understand this sport at all! HAHA! Oh yeah, I've also seen fans that throw live octopus (octopie?) on the ice during hockey games.What? What's up with that?

BRINGIN' HOME THE BACOS

Sometimes I think I'm a pretty funny guy. I thought of something the other day that I've told the wife on many occasions but thought I would share it with my many (2? 3?) readers. Basically I've always told my wife that I bring home the bacon (big money) and that she brings home the Bacos (little money). Now I'm sure that you all know that Bacos are little pieces of bacon bits so this is why I say she brings home the Bacos. Get it? HAHA! Now although I've mentioned this on many occasions to her she still likes to also mention that her Bacos were the reasons we were able to go out to eat when I was off on my extended vacation (unemployment). Anyway, she's got me there! HAHA!

MY FAVORITE OFFICE - OH YEAH....

In my years of working I have sat in a variety of different cubicles and offices. Now there is one office that sticks out in my mind as being my favorite. Why? Did it have a great view? a large window? Was it close to the parking lot for a quick exit? No, actually it was right next to a Conference Room. Huh? OK, let me explain. Outside of my office there was a small empty area that was right next to this Conference Room. Now, this is the good part. This empty area is where they would put the food for all of the guests and customers that came in. HAHA! I basically had this down to a science. They would first bring in doughnuts, bagels and other breakfast snacks, have an opening meeting and then take the customers on a company tour. While they were gone I would stuff my face with doughnuts, muffins, bagels, etc..... They would then cater lunch and I would snatch up sandwiches, soda's, hot food, etc...while they weren't looking! Whoowee! Sometimes later in the day they would also bring cookies and brownies for an afternoon snack so naturally I would help myself until I could barely move! HAHA! On top of this when they got ready to clean up they would see me hard at work in my office and ask me if I would like some food. Huh? Me? Well....maybe a little bit. HAHA!

JAZZ CD PICK OF THE WEEK - GRANT GREEN

This weeks Jazz CD Pick of the Week is Grant Green with the cd titled Streets of Dreams. Now I must admit that I have several of jazz guitarist Grant's releases and this one is another winner! My only complaint with this cd is that it is a little on the short side with only four tracks however this cd features an all-star cast! Along with Grant on guitar you have Elvin Jones on drums, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and Larry Young adding some very tasty organ playing. What? You say you're not hip to Grant Green? Here's one of the great tracks from this cd! Enjoy!.

SAXOMAN GOES BACK TO WORK - WHAT?

Yes, you read right! SAXOMAN goes back to work! Now probably a lot of you don't know because I haven't blogged about it but SAXOMAN has been out of work for the past 3 months. What? Yep, I kid you not. Now you may have noticed that there has been a slight increase in my blog activity lately and this has been due to my unlimited free time. But now? My 3 month vacation (unemployment) is over. Now I can tell you that the past 3 months have been great as I have slept in every day until 8:00 or 8:30 and then laid in bed after that and watched the Today show. HAHA! I am going to miss sleeping in as well as my afternoon naps. I will also miss my weekday trips to Chinatown and Little Tokyo, going to an afternoon movie with the wife and weekday shopping for cd's at Amoeba, Rhino, Penny Lane, Poo-Bahs, Canterbury, etc....I will now be a slave (once again) to slacks, dress shirts and dress shoes as well as commuting the L.A. freeways. Lord help me....... Anyway, I promise my many readers (2? 3?) to keep you entertained with my blog as much as time permits.

TIGHT JEANS - YES, THAT WAS ME

OK, now SAXOMAN has to come clean and confess something. Well....ok....uhhh...how can I put this? ... umm, ok.... the truth is that SAXOMAN used to wear tight jeans. WHAT? Yep, I kid you not! Tight, tight jeans. Now I'm blaming a lot of this on the fashions at the time because a lot of people were wearing tight jeans as well so it's not like I was the only one. Now I must say that I was quite a site with my shapely butt and my manly bulge in the front. HAHA! My wife says my butt was one of the things that attracted her to me. Go figure. Anyway, I cannot imagine how I wore those things and how uncomfortable it must have been to have everything all squished and scrunched together. Ouch! So guys, you'd better not be wearing tight jeans still, hear me?

BASE-KICKBALL -WHAT?

As a kid we were always looking for ways to amuse and entertain ourselves. One day we had gotten one of those large elementary school kickballs from somewhere and invented a game called Base-Kickball. Basically this game was played just like baseball but with the much larger kickball instead. The pitcher would bounce the kickball towards home plate and the batter would smack it with a bat. I think that you could also catch the ball and throw it at the runner to hit them so that they would be out instead of throwing it to the base. See, a perfect combination of both sports. Creative genius I must say! Now I don't remember this sport lasting too long for whatever reasons (busting a window maybe?) however I do remember when I tried to hit the ball with all my might, I hit the inside of my kneecap with the bat instead! OWWWWWWWW! MAN THAT HURT! I hobbled inside the house with tears in my eyes and I believe that was the last of my career in the sport of Base-Kickball.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK - HAHA

Well it seems like every channel lately has the latest interview with Charlie Sheen. This seems to be the top news story even over more worldly and important issues. It seems as if Charlie has displaced Lindsey Lohan as the current top news story. Now a strip club in a neighboring city had this sign posted on their marquee so I had to stop and get a shot of it! So for all of you.....Party Like Charlie Sheen! HAHA!

REST IN PEACE - REGGAE LEGENDS

I was watching the Grammy Awards recently and they had a tribute of music industry people that had passed away in 2010. Now I must say that I was shocked when I saw that two of my favorite Reggae singers had passed away in 2010 and I knew nothing about it! How could this be? Anyway, in case you are unaware (as I was), the great Gregory Isaacs and Sugar Minot both passed away in 2010. Sad...sad...sad....
I own about 14 of Gregory Isaacs cd's and he recorded a ton of music. Gregory was also known as "The Cool Ruler" and is one of the founding fathers of the Reggae style known as "Lover's Rock". Sugar Minot is another Reggae great but I am sad to say I only currently own only one of his cd's but will definitely have to pick up more as I have always been a fan of his vocal stylings. What? You say you're not hip to Gregory or Sugar? Well shame on you! Here's an example of what you've been missing!