Christmas At Denny's

For some reason Denny's restaurants decided to offer free Grand Slam breakfast meals from six until two today. This came to my attention during a little football game on Sunday. Being unemployed, I had some time on my hands to take advantage of this fine deal. I set my alarm for the crack of dawn woke up sometime around nine, hoping to avoid all the working class people who might try to get in before work. I figured that arriving around ten would be a good time. Unfortunately, when I walked in the cute gal behind the counter informed me it could be a two hour wait. Luckily, a friend had tipped me off of potential long waits, and I came prepared with a book to read. An hour later I found myself saddled up to the bar awaiting my Grand Slam. Sitting there gave me an interesting view on the kitchen crew as they cranked out more Grand Slams that Bonds, McGwire, and all the other enhanced baseball players ever have. Twenty minutes later, mine arrived. Mission accomplished.

Since I was a couple miles from my brother's house, I decided to go spend a little time with my nephew. After some quality time discussing politics, the fact he should buck his dad's views and become a Cub fan, and him getting his first two teeth, I decided it was time to head for lunch. Hmmmm, if there was only a place giving away free food. Oh wait, there are two Denny's in a short driving distance. So it was off for Grand Slam number two. This time it was only a thirty minute wait for my table, and about ten minutes until the plate landed. Not only did the meal arrive quicker, it tasted better. Although I did have to wait for the waitress to bring me some silverware, which were in short supply today.

As it was nearing two o'clock as I headed out the door and the next closest Denny's was about forty minutes away, all I could do was drown my sorrows and Slams with a little happy hour special.

Song for this post: Randy Stonehill - Christmas At Denny's

So This Is My Cassette

In my cleaning process, I have come upon a large crate of cassette tapes from a time long ago. For those of you who do not know what a cassette tape is, it is what people used to listen to music before Ipods and even CDs, although not as far distant as the 8-track.

I want to see what is recorded on them before I either toss them or return them to storage. Unfortunately, most are unlabeled. So I have dusted off the old boom box, and am listening to all these tapes. I am hoping to find some of my long lost interviews with several artists, but so far I have found:

1. Answering machine tapes from both my brother and my machines during college.
2. A recording of 20 The Countdown's tribute to Rich Mullins
3. A recording of Jerry Springer's Dr. Talk.
4. A couple tapes where I am driving around talking into a recorder for no apparent reason.
5. My first broadcast on KLRC
6. My airchecks that I sent to radio stations in hope of a job.
7. The theme songs from 1991-1995 summer camps at Miracle Camp. Word!
8. Some salsa and meringue music from my time in Venezuela.
9. A tape I made of Christian music sped up to sound like the Chipmunks.
10. The KLRC Christmas greetings circa 1995 or 1996.

There are some gems that I might even transfer to MP3 for all to hear. But for now I must go back to cleaning.

We Have The Facts

The big craze sweeping through my friend list on Facebook is to post 25 random facts about oneself. You are then to tag 25 friends, who are to do the same. It is like a friendship knowledge Ponzi scheme. I figured I should post the list here as well, since some of my readers here are not my facebook friends. Yeah I'm talking to you, Fox's dad. So here are twenty-five random facts about myself that you may or may not have known. I know I have posted about a few of these. Enjoy.

1. I have three different valid drivers licenses in my wallet.
2. I have been to as many countries as years spent on this planet.
3. While I started my musical career on the French horn, I quickly switched to the tuba partially because I thought it would be more impressive to the ladies.
4. There have been few days in the last fifteen years when my face was completely shaved.
5. I am a big fan of the judge shows, especially People's Court, Judge Judy and Judge Mathis.
6. My name appeared in a list of thanks in a nationally released album.
7. I am a bit of a pistachio snob. If they are not Turkish, I will probably pass them up.
8. My minor in college was camping.
9. CNN has broadcast my face on at least two separate occasions.
10. I drive a twenty year old car that a friend gave to me. And I love it.
11. The last free car I owned, I totaled in Italy about a mile from the Mediterranean Sea. Bon Jovi was on the radio at the time.
12. Speaking of Bon Jovi, if you watch their Crush DVD close enough, you might see me in the crowd.
13. According to iTunes, you can listen to my music collection for one hundred days. That doesn't include the cassettes and records that have not be converted to mp3s.
14. I have consumed balut, dinuguan, and kimchi, yet still find banana to be the most disgusting taste I have encountered.
15. One of my favorite ways to sightsee is to wander around cities in the middle of night.
16. I have an amazing sense of direction. Sense of style still lacking.
17. When I travel, I like to read appropriate books. Romans in Rome, Ephesians in Ephesus, Dostoyevsky in Russia, Moby Dick while out at sea, etc.
18. Scuba Advanced Open Water certified
19. I am a sucker for street musicians. I have a collection of cds from some of my favorites.
20. I own the Marvin the Martian t-shirt and cape that Steve Zahn wore in Daddy Day Care.
21. I was picked up by the Chinese military near the Russian and North Korean borders with China.
22. Because of stories like that, some I know thought I wasn't really a missionary, but a spy.
23. I messed up some psychology tests because I love the solitude as much as the center of attention.
24. I had to talk to a counselor about those messed up tests. He looked just like Dr. Leo Marvin.
25. Someday I am going to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

Currently listening to: The Hooters -

Sure Beats Raising Cattle

Costume is the theme this week at PhotoFriday. Last summer, I took my sister-in-law and nieces to Chick-fil-A for their Cow Appreciation Day. This guy was there to claim his free meal for dressing up like a cow. I only received a free sandwich, as I only wore a cow themed hat. Guess I just wasn't that committed to the cause.

Make A Bid On That

Ponch Action Figure, originally uploaded by rycordell.

BUY SOME OF MY STUFF

I got some random stuff on Ebay, as I am trying to clean out my parents' basement. At this point there are some DVD sets, some CDs, some movie memorabilia I have collected over the years, and a few random action figures, including Ponch.

Some items are ending in the next day, and there will be more posted in the next few days. Heck, if there is something I own you would like in your possession, give me a call or leave a comment, and I might just put it up for bids. I am trying to clean out the closet, so you just never know what I am willing to get rid of. Who would have thought I would have put Ponch up for bids?

So get on over to Ebay and get yourself a deal on a piece of Ryan Cordell history.

Shiny Happy People

This week the theme at PhotoFriday is iconic. I took this photo on my last trip to California. This statue is located on the campus/compound of the Crystal Cathedral. My friend Dave and I both were puzzled by the metallic baby Jesus. I think I made the joke that he looks less like the son of God, and more like the son of Destro. Cobra-la-la-la-la-la-la!

Don't Sleep In The Subway

This week's theme at PhotoFriday is Meditation. This is a photo taken during my last few weeks in Korea.