BenSpark Family Adventures

I am in Baltimore preparing for the LIVE that is happening tonight at 12:00. 2 Hours to go! I've been here since 2:30pm and I am getting antsy for this thing to begin then I can start trouble shooting the issues that arise. If I get to go back to the hotel before 2:30am I will be psyched. We shall see.

Originally posted by Allison Drew asked me to post the recipe from Last Night's Stew. I didn't really follow the recipe, I just started with it and then got creative, but here's my best shot: All-purpose flour Salt and pepper Olive oil 2 lb Beef stew meat; cut into 1-inch cubes 1 lg Onion; cubed A small bag of baby carrots 1 lb New Potatoes, Quartered 3 Garlic cloves; chopped 2 can Stewed tomatoes; (15-to -16-ounce) 1 Can Diced tomatoes with jalepenos 1 c Canned beef broth 1 Bottle Yuengling Lager (or any amber or dark beer) 2 cans Diced green chilies;(4-ounce cans) 1/2 c Sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives; (about 2 1/2-ounces) (I skipped this) 2 tb Dried oregano 1/4 tsp ground Cyanne Pepper 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/3 c Chopped fresh cilantro (I skipped this) Heat oil in frying pan over high heat. Toss beef in a bowl of flour seasoned with salt and pepper to coat lightly. Add to frying pan; saute until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to Crockpot. Add onion, carrots, and garl...

Anybody who knows me, knows that I like motorcycles and enjoy the Discovery Channel's programs like American Chopper and The Great Biker Build-Off. One of the mechanics/stuntmen/innovator/sculptor of The Great Biker Build-Off was Indian Larry. Indian Larry was known for his old school choppers and crazy stunt riding. According to this article from the Charlotte Observer Indian Larry died while performing one of his trademark stunts on August 30th, 2004.

Today should be my last day in the implementation group. However tomorrow I head off to Baltimore for a LIVE visit. And when I return I'll still be in implementation for a day to process the paperwork from the LIVE visit. The Good: This site has been (mostly) working hard on all aspects of the installation. I may be able to see the Red Sox play at Camden Yards. There will be other specialists here to hang out with. The Bad: The site is so demanding I may never get to the game. I'm anticipating that I will remain at the hospital from the moment I get there tomorrow afternoon till 3 or 4 in the morning, if I am lucky. The Ugly: The Bloodbank at the hospital woke up a week ago and realized that they've done next to nothing to prepare for the transition. EVERYTHING is top priority. So, today I try and clean up the loose ends that I can while I finish packing up my desk to move to my new desk downstairs. Then tomorrow morning I head to the airport and off to a 'fun-filled...

Have you noticed the abundance of dead squirrels all over the roads? Yesterday as I drove home I saw one tear across three lanes of traffic avoiding the cars but then ending up at the Jersey Barrier where he most likely died of a heart attack. The dead squirrels are all over the roads. Why would a squirrel run out of a perfectly good tree and across a highway? It makes no sense to me. Did anyone else see Scrubs last week with the squirrel army that the Janitor had. Funny. My Kieran Ridge Band CD came from CDBaby.com yesterday. No satin pillow, but it did arrive safely. I listened to the CD on then way in to work this morning. Kieran has a sound like Bob Dylan. His songs are very bluesy and American rock influenced, his lyrics are masterful in their storytelling. This CD is one I would recommend that you purchase. I can't wait till Kieran is touring again so I can see the band live. Kieran e-mailed me after I purchased the CD to thank me for buying a CD.  (CDBaby.com sends a message...

Yesterday Allison and I went to Joe and Jen's engagement party in Raymond, New Hampshire. We had a great time hanging with their family and sharing a delicious BBQ of ribs, chicken and the best corn on the cob of the summer. Joe's dad made a homemade salsa that was awesome. Here are some pictures from that evening. Allison and Ned Ned and Sarah

Did you know that the dog sniffing your crotch in an overly friendly manner may in fact be fighting cancer and not just molesting you. It is true. Please read. And did you know that one day if you are trapped in the rubble of an earthquake you may find your salvation at the paws of a cyborg rat. Again it is true. Please Read Another Article and Another and yet Another! I can't tell you how long before some pervert uses this technology to create www.robo-rat-up-skirt.com, but I can tell you how all of those videos will end. "AHHHH! A rat!" Giant foot comes into frame, and [ZZZZKKKRT!] And then there are cats that can perform acupuncture to help clear up acne. True enough... Nah, just messing with you.

Today is my last day to wear jeans on Fridays. The Marketing group does not allow jeans on Fridays. No big deal, in fact I am excited because that means that I'm getting closer to making the transfer to the new job. Now if I can just survive next weekend without losing my patience things will be golden. Did anyone see that a 15 foot great white shark was spotted in Woods Hole. There is a story about it in the Cape Cod times. [Shark Story]. On the news last night there was video and it looked like the length from dorsal fin to tail fin was way more than 15 feet. It looked like two huge sharks swimming behind each other. This thing is huge. Not something I'd like to come up alongside in a kayak, i.e. big plastic seal-looking-snack. I love newspaper articles sometimes. Here is a quote from the Cape Cod Times. .."He used a six-foot-long spear to attach the device to the shark's dorsal fin." ..."When you're dealing with an animal of that size, you've got t...

Yesterday I placed an Order for THE KIERAN RIDGE BAND CD through CD Baby.com. If you go back through the archives you will remember that Kieran Ridge is a Boston Based Blues Rock singer who also happens to have gone to college with me. Yesterday when I was looking up folk singers and musicians I went to his site to check out the latest news and see if the band was performing near me at any time. They are actually in the studio now recording a new album. Anyway, I placed an order for his debut album. And the following this the confirmation from CD Baby.com letting me know my CD was shipped. Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow. A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing. Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CD into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy. We ...

Well it looks like Wednesday night will be the reason for multiple VCR's. J.J. Abrams new show "Lost" premiered last night and it was awesome. The pacing, the feeling of terror and confusion and the unknown. I think this series will be one that I will try and catch each week. Law an Order has a new face Dennis Farina has replaced the retired Jerry Orbach as the new older detective with some moxie. Farina brings a humor and edge to the series as a detective who could easily pass for a mobster. From his martinis to his huge money clip, (with the big bills on the outside, like Pacino says to Johnny Depp in Donnie Brasco [And as an aside, Mike Newell the director of Donnie Brasco is now working on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I can just picture Pacino as Mad Eye Moody]), to his ride, and his tough guy attitude, I may actually enjoy having Brisco gone. If you'd like to see Farina in a lesser known work but very funny rent Dave Barry's Big Trouble, you will laug...

Emerson College has a nice radio station. The call letters are WERS. I stumbled upon this station because someone (not naming names) used my car and had been listening to the station and left one of the presets programmed to 88.9FM. Each morning from 6-10:00am there is The CoffeeHouse. The CoffeeHouse plays folk music, some of our favorites like Ellis, Vance, Christopher and Don are played often. I've even begun to enjoy songs by a few new people like Andrew Kerr (Listen to song Don't forget your Fans), Mark Erelli, and Peter Mulvey. This station is great for the morning ride in. Check it out. You can even listen online.

Well, I Found Some of Your Life is toast. I've had some mixed feelings about the site. At first I thought it was funny because the messages were not mean in any way. But then the more I thought about it I realized that it really was an invasion of someone's privacy and a public display of their life without permission. Even though the author may have been trying to do something to maybe find the owner of the memory card, it wasn't the best way to do this. I hope the authors intentions were sincere because there are plenty of insincere people out there who would have taken that card to mock the owner regardless. I think that by taking down the site the author knows that his actions may embarrass, or may have embarrassed someone. It is good to see that he did the right thing, eventually. I sent a message to the author of I Found Some of Your Life asking why he took it down. and this was his response. Nothing in particular caused me to take the site down. With the site's s...

Apparently taking someone's digital card and posting the photos on a website may get you into trouble. I Found Some Of Your Life Has been put on hold until further notice. I have found an interesting little blog that details the life of a young man who lost his memory card in the back seat of a taxi. Check it out but make sure you start at the archives and begin reading from the beginning. I Found Some Of Your Life. This site has also been added to my blogs of note section of links.

With International Talk Like A Pirate Day just around the corner I thought I would check out some other books by the Pirate born 200 years too late... Jimmy Buffett. Jimmy has written a children's book called The Jolly Mon based on the song by Jimmy of the same name. The Jolly Mon is about a guy who is gifted with great singing ability and one day finds a magical guitar and is befriended by a dolphin. The Jolly Mon also becomes King. The song is a fun one and if you have the East Hampton 2001 CD there is a story about the song and about how Disney wanted to make the song into a movie. But the caveat was that, "Could The Jolly Mon be white?" To which Jimmy exclaims, "No! Ever seen Bob Marley you Dumbass!" Gotta love corporate suits. Speaking of corporate suits, I got roped into The Apprentice last night. "The" Bradford was fired for being such a cocky idiot. Granted there were other people who should have been fired before him but he made a fatal error....

September 19, 2004 be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. It also happens t' be me three year anniversary at work. But more importantly it be a day t' heave t' and speak likes t' that o' a scurvy dog. I've just finished readin' a few books that be piratical in nature.  Treasure Island The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty A Pirate Looks at Fifty Or rent one of these movies Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl The Bounty Pirate Links Margaritaville Pirates Pirate Mod - Clothing

So, yesterday Allison and I were watching VH-1's A2Z TV show and suddenly a synapse in my brain snaps to attention as I notice that someone I am watching on screen is someone I know. I can't believe it, but am not sure if I was seeing things correctly. But, then she came back on the screen and I knew, Jackie Clarke from Bishop Feehan Class of 1992 is a comedian in New York. She is one of the comedians who gives color commentary on all things A2Z for celebrities. After the show I checked the internet to see if she had a website and sure enough after some digging I found it.  Jackie has put on many one woman shows and is now starring in a couple more, one called Full Metal Jackie and the other I cannot post here.

Last night Allison and I attended the Jimmy Buffett concert at Fenway park. It was no Great Woods, but it was awesome none-the-less. Allison and I were joined by her parents Dan and Marcia, her friends Beth and Jen, then Richie, Gail, Dana, Debbie, Dave and Jen, and Aunt Sandy. We were in two sections: Allison, Beth, Jen, Dave, Jen and I were in Section 15 while Dan, Marcia, Aunt Sandy, Richie, Gail, Debbie and Dana were in section 26. Although I had a post in my direct line of vision. Would it have been any other way? Honestly. I was still able to see both of the giant screens. Jimmy played many of his old favorites and some of his new songs from the License to Chill album. But he played Southern Cross and so it was all good. We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Brookline and during the walk home I was looking around at all the apartment buildings. In one building on the top floor there were some people who were watching the crowds disperse. And as I looked around for other folks who were...

This morning Allison and I got up at 4:30am and headed down to Boston for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Allison worked with the Zeta's on handing out bags, shirts, and hats to the survivors. I walked around and checked out the booths while I waited for the race to begin. Allison also gave a great speech to the entire crowd. I am so proud of her addressing a crowd of over 5,000. She did a great job. I participated in the race as a runner. I ended up walking most of the race because there wasn't really much space to do any running. I did end up running over a mile of the race. Hey, I'm working up to more than one mile. Maybe on the race at the end of October. It took me about 43 minutes total. I'll improve on the next one. Allison addresses the crowd, surrounded by the survivors. Drew finishing the race.

Yesterday we celebrated the 50th birthday of Allison's father Dan. We spent the day babysitting Caleb from down the street. He bit Allison because "I have sharp teeth." Well Allison has a big bruise on her arm. Caleb is 3. And he is a speedy three year old. We had some Alley Cat Pizza for dinner, Allison made Bongo Bongo dip and we had plenty of Corona. Good time. Happy Birthday Dano.

Anyone got a Helmet for this nut. Last night was the Buffettless Buffett Party at Besty's. What a fun time. Of course I haven't been out for a rip roaring fun time in a while and needless to say I put myself into a state where, as Sammy would say, "I'd need a helmet". It was a nice night and I made Margaritas..... for me. Let's just say that I was pretty much the only person who got any margaritas last night, which I started drinking at 2:00pm. It was fun and everyone was great and I hope I didn't totally offend anyone whom I may be working with in the near future. (Rick, sorry about the Garden State Shirt comments, being as you have not seen the movie nor the commercials and the fact that your shirt in no way looked like the shirt from the Garden State commercials it must have not made much sense to you nor would it have been as funny as I apparently thought it was last night.) Like I said, I was in need of a helmet. Peter,Drew,Rick,Christine

My sister Tara and her husband Erik are off to Colorado for a long weekend excursion and wedding of a friend. The 'girls' are at home and need someone to watch them. My cousin is watching the dogs for the weekend but she cannot drive a stick so she can't take the dogs to day care. So I took the dogs this morning. I can drive a stick but its been a few years since I have driven one and I am a little rusty. I was up at 6:30 and out to the driveway to take Tara's car over to her house to pick up the dogs (Taylor and Daisy Mae). After almost taking down our fence I was off. I got to the house and got the girls out of their crates and got their leashes on, grabbed their lunches, made sure everyone got to pee before they left and loaded them into the back of Tara's Passat wagon. Daisy has a very sensitive stomach and she gets sick on every ride. Couple that fact with the one that I didn't exactly know where I was going, nor did I have a complete and full mastery of th...

Today I had my yearly review at work. And unlike last year I am feeling pretty good about the outcome. Even with leaving to go to another group, getting two very difficult sites and staying longer for two extra LIVEs I think things are going to work out. I've got some high hopes. But we shall see.

Hi everyone, hope that your Labor Day was great. Allison and I started off the day with a great breakfast with Neil and Andrea at Crabapples. And thanks to a small craft advisory yesterday they were unable to go on a kayak trip. But they were scheduled for one today at noon with Cape Cod Kayak. So Allison and I called Kim and got in on the trip and we also spent the afternoon with Neil and Andrea and Kim on the water. We paddled out of Pocassett River over and around the two smaller islands of Toby's Island. Then in the afternoon we went for a BBQ at Kim's to celebrate Greg's birthday.

This Labor Day instead of the usual Jimmy Buffett afternoon we were on the Cape. This morning My Dad and I kayaked around The Coonamessett Farm Pond. It started as a windy morning and as we crossed the pond the weather turned very tranquil. It is such a great place to go and kayak. There is a photo below of the landing at the pond. My sister Tara and her husband Erik came down with their two dogs, Taylor and Daisy. Taylor is the retriever mix and Daisy is a German pointer mix. They are both Southern Belles, as they came to us from Mississippi (Daisy) and North Carolina (Taylor). Those two caused quite a ruckus at the house as they chased Shelby's two cats, Hannah and Lilla around the house. Hannah christened the kitchen. Ahh Lysol orange and cat piss, how aromatic. The beach was very windy today but the water was wavy and warm. I hope everyone had a nice Labor Day weekend and hopefully a fun day with the families. Taylor Daisy Mae

Today Allison and I found a new kayaking spot on the cape. There is a pond not far from the house that is out in the woods. Its a half mile off a dirt road in Falmouth. There was an article in the Cape Cod Times last Sunday that talked about beginning kayaking and some of the nice places to go. The Coonamessett Farm Pond is 151 acres in size and has very few houses around. It was a perfectly clear day to go and kayak there. Here is a map of the Coonamessett Farm Pond. Today was also a great beach day. It's been nice to relax out on the Cape. I was able to finish one of the four books I've been reading and start a new one. I finished Shackleton's Forgotten Men, the story of the group of men whose jobs it was to lay supply depots for Ernest Shackleton for his trip across Antarctica. It was a long slog through that book but I finally finished. Tonight I tried a food network recipe for Grilled Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob. It was pretty good, I'll have to try it again and ...

Allison and I are headed to the Cape for the weekend. I may be able to update the blog throughout the weekend but may not. Expect updates on Tuesday. I just found out that I may have to go to Canada again for their LIVE visit. This would be after my transfer. On the bright site that will put me on Platinum status for Sheraton hotels. Cool. Oh and Simpsons trivia will last throughout the weekend. New topic on Tuesday.

Last night Allison and I saw Garden State. Allison for the first time and me for the second time. The movie was even better the second time around. It has so many great themes in it. Love, Pain, Loss, the Unknown, Angst, Friendship, Sadness. It has tragedy, and the flawed characters and humor and all of it wrapped into a well paced and introspective film. If you want to see a movie that will make you laugh and the next minute move you to tears then go see Garden State.

The countdown cannot go any slower! I have been ready to make the move to the new position for months now and each hour, each minute, each second is painfully slower than the last. Today was the worst so far as I spent many of those minutes begin harangued by... The Prince of Heck. The Prince of Heck nephew was angered by some information that I provided and in usual form got right to the point and then whacked the crap outta that dead horse for 20 excruciating minutes. Thank God a long weekend is on the horizon.