You are in the Brett Bugle archives right now. The HOMEPAGE is much more important.
2006-10-31
A lot of people have been calling me with the same exact statement, "if there's anything at all I can do to help you, you can call me anytime, day or night." Well, I've been thinking about this, and there is something I would like from you.
My attempts to process this tragedy have been pretty focused on documenting everything I can about last weekend. So, if you crossed paths with me and Mom last weekend, please, please send me some notes about where we were and who was there and what happened and everything Mom said. This kind of stuff is insanely important to me right now. I am the historian. I am the guy that God picked to have all the info about last weekend — October 26, 2006 through October 28, 2006.
2006-10-29
If you happen to have saved any voicemail messages from Mom, whether it be on your landline or in your cellphone inbox, please, please transcribe them into text right now before they get automatically erased/deleted. Be sure to include the timestamp info — date, time, whatever. Then send those transcriptions to me. If you don't already know why I'm asking for this, I'm not gonna tell you right now, but I will definitely tell you later.
2006-10-27
Sorry to be so quiet right now, but there were and are a lot of things interfering with my blog time. First, there was the move to the new server. Then Ace Weekly's webmaster scolded me about some copyright-infringement thing. After that, I was summoned back to my database programming work (after almost a full month of pseudounemployment). Then Mom came to Lexington earlier than previously thought, and she'll be here through Sunday. I can't continue writing this entry because she and I are heading out for lots of errands.
2006-10-23
Welcome to my new Internet address — LexJB.com (please change all your bookmarks)
Does any one of my local friends have any idea when the new IHOP will be opening in Lexington? I live on the opposite side of town from their construction site at the corner of Palumbo and New Circle, so I never see what kind of progress is taking place there. For all I know, the new IHOP has opened, and they are one workday shy of sending me a free coupon for cheese blintzes.
The reason I want some immediate feedback from east-side Lexingtonians is that my logfiles show I'm getting flooded with traffic relating to this issue. I am, after all, the number one search result for IHOP Lexington KY.
Either a scout is going to write me with this info soon, or I'm going to drive across town and see for myself.
2006-10-21
Today's topic is completely Danielle's idea. I wouldn't be writing about it except that DT wanted to see it mentioned on my blog, and I'll gladly do this for her since she bought me lunch at Red Lobster yesterday.
By now, you've probably seen plenty of ribbon magnets on the backs of cars. Well, have you seen the "cervical cancer awareness" magnet? It's teal, and it'll never catch on like the pink "breast cancer" magnets. I mean, who is gonna take the advice and remain aware of cervicals? On the other hand, at least half the population can't keep their minds off of breasts.
That's all for now.
2006-10-20 again
Have been wanting to purchase a domain name because I know how much people hate typing out "pages.prodigy.net/jbmason" <>
Have been watching to see if the unused domain JBMASON.COM would be renewed before it expired on November 18th <>
Had dirt kicked in my face when I saw that the idiots at BudgetNames renewed their unused JBMASON domain on November 18th <>
Have found another domain name that I want and will register it very soon (maybe today) <>
Would like to know what domain name you think I should choose — and don't say BRETTBUGLE.COM, which I don't want, or BRETTMASON.COM, which I can't get
2006-10-20
Lots of news to share; here are brief summaries of my days.
10 Oct. While using a "Deal of the Day" coupon to bowl a free game at Southland Lanes, I bowled 5 consecutive strikes. Coming soon: 12 consecutive strikes.
11 Oct. Had a lonely, 14-hour drive (from 7 AM to 9 PM) to my parents' new house in Florida. It was less lonely at 3 PM, though, when Mom and I had lunch together in South Carolina. After lunch, Mom drove north to New Jersey, and I continued driving south to central Florida.
12 Oct. Visited with Aunt Pegi, Uncle Dan, and Grandma during the day. Visited with Dad during the evening.
13 Oct. Went to New Smyrna Beach by myself, which might have been a bad idea on Friday the 13th. Lucky for me, no serial killers were prepared to attack me while I swam around in the ocean.
14 Oct. I sent out a bunch of postcards today, and then Dad took me golfing. I'm not a golfer, but I didn't fail too miserably. Yahoo!
15 Oct. Went to church to see Grandma and went to Chili's to see my sister Cheryl.
16 Oct. Drove to New Smyrna Beach by myself, for the second time, and on the way there I noticed a thoroughbred horse farm called Sorrento Oaks. Seeing a horse farm made me feel like I was home in Kentucky. But then I also saw a branch office of the Kennedy Space Center Federal Credit Union, so the feeling of familiarity immediately left me.
17 Oct. Went over to Grandma's house, where she made me breakfast, before I left for Kentucky and spent 13.5 hours behind the wheel.
17 Oct again. Whenever I take long drives like this one, I always wear a super-crappy pair of sneakers that slip on and off very easily. Today, at the South Carolina Welcome Center, a random stranger looked at me and asked, "how old are those shoes?"
17 Oct again. Here's a fun little complaint: even though I had submitted hold requests for both my snail mail and my Sunday paper (which was set to expire tomorrow), you will not be surprised to learn that both were waiting for me when I got home. ARGH.
2006-10-11
I am unreachable right now. If you're desperate for some Brett time, you could always try my email or the Sorrento phone. But odds are, in the next 8 days, you're on your own! Maybe Google can help you!
This trip is happening at a really good point in the month — I'll be able to see the Blue Ridge Mountains in their autumn glory, and I'll be able to avoid the 40-degree temperatures predicted for Lexington this weekend.
Birthday greetings: Lisa Lankshear, Sally McCall, Leah Bridges, Elise Batsel
2006-10-09
Tonight I was informed that Rachel is going to celebrate Thanksgiving at her Mom's house in central Florida while I am celebrating Thanksgiving at my cousin's house in southern Tennessee. Here's the kicker: Rachel will be cooking her first turkey as well as a sweet potato casserole. That's quite a family milestone, and I'm going to miss out.
MySpace can be an awful mess of a place sometimes, full of "technical errors" and absolutely ridiculous profile layouts with annoying songs attached.
On the other hand, MySpace can create some amazing, incredible moments like the one I had today.
Back in 1995, I took a solo trip to France and stayed for 3 months. While I was there, I bought a few souvenirs like Calvin & Hobbes comic books (in French) and CD singles. One of the songs I really wanted to take home was called "Viens" by Princesse Erika, a song that was really popular at the time and could be heard on grocery-store intercoms. Unfortunately, there was no CD single available for "Viens" as I left France. I have a strong memory of how the inflight movie on the trip back to America, The Quick and the Dead, ended with a song that reminded me of "Viens" and made me cry — it hit me that I did not want to be leaving France without that song, and I just did not want to be leaving France.
Well, all right, fast forward to the present. I've been able to get a copy of this song in the 11 years that have passed, and it continues to please me greatly.
Today, on MySpace, Princess Erika herself left me a comment because I went on her profile page asking for "Viens" lyrics. Can you believe it? I am stunned and super-stoked.
viens; c'est chaud à l'intérieur; je vais t'en donner du bonheur
2006-10-07
Intermission from the Brett movie: just doing a favor for my next-door neighbor.
If you're one of the people I usually visit or help, and you've noticed that I'm not making myself available this week, then I'm sorry. On the other hand, how can I be sorry? The reason I'm not available to visit or help you this week is that I'm in hot pursuit of a sweet, kind, caring woman who is helping me forget about all the unkind, noncaring women I've pursued previously.
Oh, and I'm working in Lawrenceburg today, so I wouldn't have been available for you today anyway. (Which is too bad, considering today is 50-cent boneless wings day at BW3.)
2006-10-03
I'm going to use today's blog entry to encourage Rachel to keep blogging. I know I want to see a lifetime of entries start now, and I think you do, too. Give Rachel a shout-out.
2006-10-02
The following question is directed at everybody except Mom, Dad, my two sisters, and my marvelous niece Rachel: Are you a Verizon Wireless customer like me?
Apparently, my Dad was getting sick of not being able to reach me when I'm on karaoke dates with Barbara, so he sent me a Samsung SCH-a870 flip phone to use for nonstop contact with my "Top 8" MySpace friends.
It was a total surprise, and I'm pleased to be part of the 21st century, finally. I mean, I'm 36 years old, and this is my very first flip phone ever. Even better: it's a cameraphone.
On the other hand, I don't see this new expense as being worth it! Do I really need a small leak in my paycheck for unlimited calls to Verizon customers? Are all my friends and family getting insanely upset that they have to leave voicemails on my landline?
Hey, I don't want to seem ungrateful. Maybe in time I'll wonder what I ever did without this. I reckon I'll relax now and be happy to finally have a new gadget that everyone else already has.
Note: my new cell phone number is 386-8#1-#1#5
2006-10-01
It is time to tell you about four very little things which make a big difference to people.
This blog, the Brett Bugle, is nothing special, as you can see. But it makes a big difference to my parents, who check it frequently in order to keep up with my adventures. (Plus I can use it to do as much shameless self-promotion as I want!)
Southland Lanes put yet another free bowling coupon in today's Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper, and finding it made me so very very happy.
My next-door neighbor Mary Ann tells me that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are "the perfect vegan snack." I am not a vegan, but I just promised her I would spread this good news on my blog.
Tonight I was informed that Rachel is going to celebrate Thanksgiving at her Mom's house in central Florida while I am celebrating Thanksgiving at my cousin's house in southern Tennessee. Here's the kicker: Rachel will be cooking her first turkey as well as a sweet potato casserole. That's quite a family milestone, and I'm going to miss out.