Friend indeed

Thanks Tina, For all your support

Can't help it...

This is a short post again mostly with pictures. One day soon I will write something significant.

Coney Island Station

Jwow took these pictures. It was a really beautiful Brooklyn day but when isn't it?

The hype man can be heard yelling "Shoot the Freak, Shoot the Freak. Shoot the Freak you" to a tune that could have been "Superfreak" by Rick James. That's only a guess since what he was sing-screaming didn't closely match the song at all

It's Huge!!!

In other news...

Remember when I said that the condo hunt was over? An interesting twist occurred yesterday. Got a call from an agent, saw a nice duplex and put an offer in today. I guess you never know.

Mind Full

It's obvious that things aren't what they're meant to be
The fact that we can't got me fucked up mentally
wish I had the words to open up your heart to me
so i can say the magic words like open sesame
better be a bevy of bomb blasts breaking backs like bane
I'd rather that than the pain
I feel when you are away
thought it was real but life is a mirage
Like trying to buy a Benz with money for a neon dodge
times it feels just right
just like we might
but I gotta fight
to keep sight of the light
and keep my thoughts tight

That's all I have so far. I started writing this on the train at the back of a business card on the way to chill with some friends. Don't have a title for it yet. I need some ideas.

I should be working on one that I actually have a beat for but I am without an MP3 player for now so it's kind difficult to remember the beat and write a 1/2 way almost decent rhyme. The name of the new piece is gonna be "new man."

This is Phantom's piece that I was supposed to post may 16th

Yo. This rhyme. It's like Mad Libs
Cause you fill in the blanks without giraffe ribs

April one five, tax day it's true
Also Sherman's birthday, damn who knew
The plans for the day, the itinerary
Janet kept it locked secret like the military
1 year older now a quarter century
It's been a beautiful struggle like Talib Kweli
That's the one clue, that I'll reveal
Maybe later on, we can catch a meal
Or head to the _____ to celebrate your b-day
Hope this yellow plastic bat ain't a dead giveaway
Gonna keep it Brooklyn centric as long as we can
Since 9th grade, you know you've been my man
Showed that heart of gold, morning volunterring
While DJ and I slept cozy in our beds
Whatever's next, no telling where Janet's steering
Clue #2 some pork fried duck heads
Middle of the day, gonna drop a big surprise
When _____ _____ and you won't believe your eyes
Once again props to Janet for organization
3 thumbs up like TiVO for Latin Nation
O know what else? We gonna blankety blank
At hmmm, but prolly not with Frank
Wanna hear how we did what we do?
The mystery'll be revealed when we get to part 2

AC/PC

Gambling Time

I didn't really take many pictures in Atlantic City. I figured that we were under enough surveillance in the Casinos. Our hotel room was extremely budget and was across from a crackhouse. I don't actually know if it was a crackhouse but it was boarded up and had several shady people coming in and out through the back. I definitely didn't take a picture of that. Here's a monkey







Snap back to reality...

Once again nothing substantial, just beautiful pictures.

German People are awesome...

It was actually my fault. See I was trying to take a timed picture so both of us could be in. However this German runner saw the precarious position my camera was placed in and offered to take it for us. I forgot that the timer was still on, well you see the results.













We were so stoked when we saw this. Alright that came off weird. Just a little enginuity.





All these pictures and I haven't gotten to Coney Island yet. I guess I will leave this for tomorrow.

I will insert witty comments later.

Day in the Park

Beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Maybe I'll add words later but I seem to remember some mathematical formula relating words and pictures. Whatever it is, it should apply here.

Neglect...

I've been calling it research but it should be called Neglect. I've been considering what my next post should be. I'm supposedly working on posts on Coffee and evolution of video game cards., basically bad habits and geeks stuff. Actually I spent most of my time picking up the Xbox once more and curling up to some Tony Hawk Under Ground 2. I apparently needed some THUGing love. I got the ranch back for Iggy, kissed the girl; typical happy ending.



Failures and Hard Times...

Though I find trying to put my thoughts to words kinda therapeutic, there's been a lot going through my mind that has kept me preoccupied. I've heard from some people that lists are good things. So this is my shot at a list.

List o' Crappiness

• Can't buy a condo
• Bum right knee

Not much of a list. I am clearly a beginner level list writer. Strictly following the definition I suppose two things can make a list but I personally think a list is better used when five or more things are involved. I need to get my list game up. When I decided on making a list I swore I had a billion things to write up. Feeble.

The Condo Speaks for itself...

Real Estate in NYC is ridiculous. Apparently two fairly steady paying jobs don't put you in the position to purchase a place around these parts. I am considering changing my name to Trump, the name alone has more equity than I can ever hope to build.

60 Year Old Knee...

My right knee is twice as old as the rest of me. I've had pain in it for quite a while; almost 10 years. I finally caved in a.k.a. got health insurance and got it checked out. I believe the doc said it was arthritis. He recommended arthroscopic surgery. While in his office I was convinced that surgery was the best choice. I've been reconsidering and now I am not sure.


This is likely what I will be going through. http://www.kneescope.org/Lbw/about.asp
Nut Soap...

I searched all over for the Yardley Oatmeal and Almond soap. Finally found it this week. I used to get it in Wegmans back in the days. If they need me for a commercial I am game. A second chance at a list?

It's Good Cause

• Not too fragrant
• exfoliating
• chunks of oats

Closer but still not a real list. Cucumber and Lavender versions. These lack the essential qualities from the above list

Car...

There was a special on the news the other day about the endless number of NYC residents with out of state plates. I guess it works. Been considering selling my car because insurance is so high. Maybe the best thing to do is to move out of NYC. Does Colorado have low car insurance?

Truth...

I saw the Al Gore movie, it's mandatory viewing for some.

Nothing to see here

That's right, no pictures today, just straight talk. Ever had an itch on your palm on the front side of your finger? Incredibly difficult to scratch. If anyone has a technique to take care of those I would be in debt to them.

Speaking of debt, visit Times Square, NYC to see the debt clock and you'll find a display of our national debt and your portion. At some point this thing was actually going down. (Too easy) I have yet another clock for you. Union Square, NYC has a metronome that simultaneously counting down and up to midnight. Perhaps that's not what you consider sight-seeing. If you just want to hang find a way to Brooklyn and let the fun begin.

I do have to confess something. I originally thought that the clock at Union Square was a debt clock. I was obviously wrong, not the last time.

Learning is FUNdaMENTAL

Other things I learned. Did you know that bird have the ability to excrete solid urine? In fact the white stuff you see in what most think is feces is actually urine. WOW No need to get into why I even felt a need to look into this

So last Saturday someone got pooped and urined on... Also a long story.

ode


Since I always keep my promises and I am trying to become a wordinista (thank you Steven Colbert)


Noun

* S: (n) ode (a lyric poem with complex stanza forms)

Cherry blossom
tend to be totally awesome
unless you have allergies
or live in DC
so sensitive you are abhita
impressed with the mane on shiva
so this is an ODE to you
hope you write one for me too

Not sure if that had "complex stanza forms." C is for cookie...

Rhyme or Reason

It has become somewhat customary to write a rhyme after a birthday celebration; here is a tidbit of mine. Um also for some reason this site has decided to move my rhyme way down the page. Sorry about that. Please scroll down to read the posts.

thx
HD

King for a Day

half past seven make moves from the BK	not the last mention of MY boro
soon be in the club just waiting for the DJ	not to be confused with DJ
to *let your body rock* or the beat drop	like the Kweli song
want every day like this call me non-stop	Minoriteam reference
started the right way with P-A-C-K	Clever way of saying Tina's name
and Wow, giving back to the hungry	still can't spell
Alphabet Scoop next to the soup kitchen	it was for a good cause
tight Cherry Vanilla Malt got me twitchin''	Coconut pineapple is better?
Let me take a step back for a moment or two	cause I kinda skipped ahead
cause Geoff came from PA to represent too	he got in at 11am!!! damn!!!
that was just the first of many surprises	but not the last
spanning from the fall of the sun to when it rises	it's backward but rhymes better
Next up we got down dim sum	dim sum is awesome
Late as usual but Lbo did come	always late!!!!!
Now we headed back to Brooklyn !Back to the heart !	my heart is in the shape of BK
back to the borough that I will never part	don't hate cause I may move to NJ
shiv made a TD caught a beautiful pass	breaking ankles like Vick
in the past ball prolly dropped to the grass	Geoff still did :)
Prospect Park shined bright	It was a really beautiful day
got free tickets to the gun show	Guys gone wild from L
DJ with the wife beater	people who actually beat their wives are terrible
pumping iron on the downlow	secret not gay
Two toned from sun burn	it was quite the site I must tell
Flex the bicep on the intercept	flex for me
while Yomi hi-step	prolly not but needed a near rhyme
Yomi this time I didn't forget about Yomi	reference to larry's rap
cause see Yomi, he is my BK Homie	he is
Brooklyn representing all of to Barcade
Doc's Cider hit the sweet spot like marmalade

Several collage attempts using Picasa 2. I am apparrently quite the artist.

Contact sheet view. Click to enlarge.


Looks just like a a really messy desk

It's actually called picture pile.
Good Stuff.

Hot Stuff!!!

We started the journey at the soup kitchen, serving breakfast. You see I found out on that day that soup kitchen is just a classification. Apparently they are not required to serve soup. I was a little disappointed when I learned about this.

Tina and Jwow were with me at the kitchen but I had the best job of all. I was part of the Pantry crew. I basically carried bags of groceries for the homeless as they exit.

Whenever the kitchen crew came through to replenish the food line they'd yell "Hot Stuff!!" You can probably guess what that led to.

Cold Stuff ???

tasty ice-cream for breakfast? That isn't exactly true. The nice people at the soup kitchen fed us when we were done working. "Two Scoops" is so good, when I say good I mean good. I bet that didn't really clarify anything.

I had two scoops: one malted cherry vanilla and another chocolate something or the other. Jwow and Claw had pineapple coconut and couldn't stop talking about it.









Philly In NYC ???

I should mention that Claw completely surprised me by being there. He took a train from Philly at eight in the morning to be there for me. We left the ice-cream shop singing "you put the pine in the coconut and put it all together." It seemed really funny to us at the time, the actual commercial gets on my nerves.

dynamo

dy·na·mo (plural dy·na·mos)

noun

Definition:

1. generator of electricity from mechanical energy: a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, usually in the form of direct current

2. energetic person: a hard-working, tirelessly energetic person

[Late 19th century. Shortening of dynamo-electric machine]

I am The Human Dynamo but more on that some other time.

Better late...

Some things are better late; others better never. These have been a long-time coming. In true Phantom style these are almost a month late. You can clearly see another element of Phantom style in action. It may look like a drunken Frankenstein walk but I assure you that it's Phantom.








Prospect Park, Brooklyn NYC

Best park in the best borough.

I spent the day with my people from sun up to sun down. We started by volunteering in a soup kitchen, ice-cream for breakfast (totally awesome) and dim sum. Next we traveled to BK to chill in the park. Everyone took part in sport: wiffle ball, football and random acts of near nudity. Perhaps the last one isn't really a sport.

Thanks for making my Birthday awesome.

Enjoy the pictures.