retrorocker

England

Sat, 17 Sep 2005 16:07:51 GMT

I have never enjoyed getting lost like I did in England.
from the time I landed until I took off from there I was lost.lol
not really but we did manage to get lost quite a bit.
only from the airport to Anita's brothers house did we get lost and
ended up on the motorway to Birmingham. My Navagational skills said we were heading in the wrong direction only after I read the sign that said birmingham 105 miles or something like that.we were headed to central London
anyway we found our way to her brothers house and had a nice Indian Dish called spagettie. lol am I kidding? you didn't know spagettie came from the indians?lol :}P
any way we then proceeded to go to Shetfield to meet some of Anita's friends
Nic and Ion made it there no problem. visited for about 45 minutes or so and then headed to Ingleton.ok now this is the part that would have been nice had the directions been right.as it turned out we drove all over the moors of England only to end up in a place called leeming bar at 2:30 am and 70 miles where we were suppose to stay the night.there was a hamlet called Ingleton that we passed by twice,but not the Ingleton we wanted.we did pass through quite a few towns a couple times more than once.
Anita got some directions on where to go and how to get there first place was a money converter so the bank is what we needed and we found one and got the money changed to pounds and ended up taking a wonderful drive through the mist and rain to get to dent. dent was a neat little hamlet in the dales and then we headed to a place called haus and had lunch and decided to go to pendragon castle. King Arthurs fathers castle which was built in the 12 century and is in ruins now. we got directions from the lady at the pub/resturant and I ended up driving past the road to pendragon castle and had to turn around and go back we got on the road they call it a road, any way it was a footpath about a wide as a sidewalk. found the place and took some pictures.
almost got run over by the mail lady I dubbed cruella deville.she drove just like cruella.anyway we made it to windermere at 6 and found the place only after having to ask where it was as I forgot the addy.
had a nice romantic dinner at Mrs.B place. never will forget the atomsphere
cool waiter and sixties music. wonderful food, Montford cottage was a wonderful place and the food was good too.
next day we head to dove cottage. got lost twice on the way but made it through the driving rain and all went through the cottage and then had a mug of cappiachino. went down the road aways after and got some wonderful ginger bread and a crystal shot glass for Khris as he collects them.
Anita and I got these rings while we were there hers is a heart and mine is a band .
rained like cats and dogs that day.lol
went to bowass for chicken and chips for me and anita had fish and chips with the vinager.
went to go to the library to use the computer only to discover they are not open on wednesdays. went to bowass as there was a inet cafe and it took us almost an hour walking to find the place. sat and did the Inet thingy and then I got a cup of expresso and wondered where the rest of the coffee was ?
well it started raining so I walked to get the car and pick Anita up,but she was already walking so I stopped and picked her up and then we proceeded to london. nice ride for the most part other than those dang roundabouts,
met linda and Madam_Doofie.got into london with not much fault other than getting lost once and and almost smashing into a car as I was making a u turn
through a gas station. they drive on the wrong side of the road.
anyway made it to Mr and Mrs Saunders place only to get a flat parking did I mention we haded planned to see the changing of the guard and do some shopping on thursday. well I wanted to get the flat fixed first thing which we did only to discover the news of july 7 2005 london under terriorist attack.
Anita got me on a bus, really didn't want to be on it but she was right the bombings were in central london. so we rode the bus to her brothers shop
had a coffee and watched the news and read a couple magazines and did some puter time. then decided to go to windsor castle.well I missed the road again and had to circle around heathrow right at the time of them having a bomb scare at terminal three and then media telling everyone to go home in central london mass confusion and traffic slows to a crawl never made it to windsor castle. hit the M4 to meet geoff at about 5 and arrived at about 8 pm.
traffic was at a crawl everywhere.at one point I was doing 17 miles per hour .
made it back to the saunders in no time.
got up at about 4:30 packed and doubled checked my bag and made sure everything was ready to go. had coffee while waiting for Anita talked to Mr.Saunders.went and washed my hair and got ready to go. headed to Rajiv's
to get my present which was a really neat serving dish and then proceeded to airport one hour to get there and the traffic was terrible I think everyone was leaving London anyway made it to the airport at 9:30 Checked in the car
and headed for the airport and got my ticket and met Anita again and went and got a couple magazines to read on the plane. got my money changed over and said good bye. I cried a few time on the way home but somehow I got a rash and when I landed no one was there to met me had to wait as mom had a doctor appointment and then headed straight to the airport to pick me up and then went and ate was not hungry was itching and wanted beneadryl spray
finally got some and went and got movies and I don't think we ever watched the movies headed to odessa on sunday. it was a wonderful time indeed and would love to go again england is beautiful in the north and london I am sure has it's charm as well. next time I do london first
Anita was everything she said she was and our first meeting was not awkward
so in a nut shell my trip to england.
since I have been home I have applied for her to come here on a k1 visa to be my bride.

England

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 11:53:41 GMT

for those that don't know I met a wonderful lady on the net and I have the opportunity to go and meet her and am gonna do just that as I will be leaving here on the 30th of june to see my granddad and then I am going to mom's to visit my aunt as she is having surgery today and then maybe see my cousins if I have time
I had a rough go in April with my girlfriend and only one person knows as she was the only one I told outside of my mom,so Ali if you read this mom gave me some wisdom and said something that helped me out and then I also placed her on the Altar as I could not handle things at that time any more
well God intervened for me as things really changed,not only with my self but with Anita too.
So with that said I am flying out of Houston on the 2nd to tour london and to meet someone who has become so very dear to me and is also now the love of my life too.
we are both confident it will work out,funny noting of what I really like in a woman but I feel like she is more than what I need as only God knows what I really need.
she is very charming as she is British by nationality, and Indian "india" by race,
she is funny,witty,beautiful personality,sexy but not like you are thinking
and very intelligent .
Anyway we are gonna tour England and spend some time together to see if we are compatible to each other or not as we are on the net,we gelled really fast over the net and we have a lot in common and a few things not in common to keep it interesting.
getting back to trip we are going to the dales and to the lake district and from what I gather from talking to peaple it is really beautiful place to be
staying in B&B"s and looking forward to meeting our host at those places and then going back to london to do some sight seeing there and to met some friends and her family
so I am excited to be going I am going as friend not hoping for anything as I have to keep things in perspective but it could turn out to be the best thing ever bysides getting saved.
ps I think it is really more about timeing for the both of us as we are both older peaple and very single and I don't believe you meet peaple by chance.
I have grown with my kid,and learned some things through the years
to make it happen if it is what God wants for me,
also a dream come true for me after 30 years in getting to see England
which has bee a desire for me since I was 11 years old .

Communion

Sat, 26 Mar 2005 13:25:37 GMT

Last night our church had a candlelight
communion service and I have to say that it was really special.
I was suppose to help clean the church for this service but was never called
come to find out the youth director got sick.
I found this out right before service
anyway during the praise and worship I was starting to cry and I felt like the Lord was telling me to go Pray for her so I did.
Man that was the most awesome power of God I have felt in quite some time.
I fully believe she was healed. her countenance changed and that was the first time I have seen her beauty and glow. she looked angelic to me.
She is a very beautiful woman to begin with and I have alot of fun with her and our youth.but I never seen her in the light of what I saw last night.
the service was fantastic and I feel refreshed in knowing that God is doing a work in me,I still have a long way to go but I believe that He is The Author
and Finisher of my Faith.

Star One ~ Live on Earth

Sat, 12 Mar 2005 09:42:05 GMT

I have to admit I ain't much on live albums. there have been a few exceptions all though out my life I can name some good live albums,like Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo, Kiss Alive II, How The West Was Won,but none have come even come close to this encounter. this has got to be the best live album I ever encountered.
so good in Fact that if you like any kinda metal at all I would recommend you go and secure a copy for yourself as it has got to be the best live album I ever heard period.
when you do secure you a copy I would suggest you turnout all the lights unplug the phone and crank that baby as loud as it can handle the clarity.then close your eyes and enjoy the next two hours of pure musical bliss.
I was impressed.

I have some of the bestest friends.

update/news

Sat, 12 Mar 2005 06:55:20 GMT

Well peaple I have been busy so I am sorry for not updating.
but I have been doing hockey as an off ice official since october and the season is almost over.
I am getting ready to be a dj. I am taking my time there meeting all kinds of peaple. a dj from Britian and she is pretty cool loves metal and the Alarm
I have met a neat Indian woman who was born in London. she lives in india right now.
I am learning more about prog music in general and it has changed quite a bit from the 70's.
plus teaching our youth group at church and helping to add on to the church
and buying music like a mad man. well not really like a mad man but close.
hehehe.
look up for your redemption draws nigh.

Wed, 23 Feb 2005 13:01:07 GMT

I have found the coolest message board and I also have found a cool web station and if things go right I will be a dj again but how soon I don't know
Man I am excited. would love to do that again I am even volunteering to go part time.
God You need to hear the live version of star one period!!
yea! Tammy I am a couple of years behind musically,but that is changing.

:}P
Paul

The Beta Sessions

Fri, 11 Feb 2005 05:28:02 GMT

I listen to Celldweller for the first time this year and I forgot what a brillant musician He is.
had a rocking day I listen to a metal comp that I made sometime last year,marillion misplaced childhood, insideout music comp.
the beatles Abbey Road and Black Sabbath Paranoid what a weird music combination
hey it was fun.

Music, music, I hear music, can you hear it?

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 02:55:08 GMT

My friend Mark from alabama sent me about 9 cd's that he wanted me to check out and I recieved two in the mail that I ordered last week.
Man greg was sure fast in sending those things I think it took a week.
Mark is to kind so I will have to do him a favor sometime.
my granddad was in the hospital again,but he is doing fine now.
their just gonna watch him for a day or two before letting him go back to the nursing home.I am so glad that he decided to go there.
I am trying to get sick and I have had 3 UTI'S in seven monthes.
I think that was God telling me to lay off the cokes.
I hate this weather hot one day cold the next. plus my sinus' are trying to act up because of this cold or whatever it is that is attacking me.
I haven' t felt real good in like almost two weeks.
I need to buy a pair of jeans and I would like to get Paatho's killocain
or star one's space metal.

Wed, 02 Feb 2005 04:53:33 GMT

Man
I think the jacks need a new coach or better players something??
we have lost the last two games that I have been too.
the moral on the team is pretty low.
the record is 15/16/7 or something like that.
Not Good.

Central league Hockey!!

The Tangent

Sun, 30 Jan 2005 22:46:18 GMT

I am digging this band.
I don't know which album I like better
The Music That Died Alone or the
World That We Drive Through.
Both albums are completely different from each other.
Gotta love the song, Up-hill From Here
It's really jazzy.
Jonas Reingold has some amazing bass parts.

Has anyone heard of Star One.
I am thinking of buying it next.
it's suppose to be a metal album.

music

Thu, 20 Jan 2005 12:46:02 GMT

In the last two days I recieved four packages of music.
I am looking forward to hearing Yes' topographic Oceans as they are slowing becoming one of my all time favorite rock bands.
Kaipa was really a cool listen and Pain of salvation,wow they slap me in the face,I sometimes need a reality check.
prog rock is my cup of tea.
some of the music I have listen too lately is more moving that what is suppose to be moving.
I am beginning to understand why peaple feel the way they do about Christian music.
here's a list of what came in the mail.
Kaipa ~ Keyholder
Pain of Salvation ~ Entrophy
Katagory 5 ~ A New Kind of Rebellion
Yes ~ Topographical Oceans
Yes ~ Keys to Ascention part I and II
Yes ~ Friends and Relatives
The Tangent~ The Music That Died Alone
Insideout Music Sampler.

I was adopted.

Mon, 17 Jan 2005 04:53:32 GMT

I have been wanting to do this for awhile now
My dad as ya'll know died on may 7th 2003.
He was not my biological father,but he was my Dad and I loved him so very much for taking me and raising me as his very own. I was an only child.
He never had kids of his own except for me.
He married my mom when I was two so he really was my father cause I never knew my Biological father.he feed me, clothed me, took me places,spanked me,and most of all he loved me and gave me comfort when I needed it.
My Biological father and mom I don't think they were ever married nore lived together at all. And what little I know of him came from dad.
All I really know is that he is suppose to be living somewhere in the seattle area.
Dad adopted me when I was 14 and I changed my last name to fit his with the option of changing it back if I ever wanted too{Dads doing not mine}.
My mom has never said anything good about him or his family.
I don't know and don't want to judge
him cause I have always felt he did what he had to do whatever that was??
But I have also felt that God placed the right person in my mom and mines life.
Now when I was three years old{1964} I had major problems that required major surgery
and had my dad not been in the military I would have probably died.
the doctors only gave me a 10% chance of living.
so my mom wrote my biological fathers family and not once did they write back or acted like they really cared,My dad's family who we had never met wrote my mom to let us know they had the church[mormons] praying for us and seemed geniunely concerned as I would be the only grandchild they had at the time.
to make a long story short I was in and out of the hospital for the next two to three years and in 1966 I finally got to meet my grandmother. and that summer I got to meet one of my uncles and my aunt and my grandpa.
that Family has always treated me like I was one of their own and I love ever one of them.I just wish I would have got to see them more.
Now dad and I had our moments when I was in high school and even after wards when I got a job and moved out.I moved back in the house when I lost my job and finally I got a job and he threw me out of the house.
Best thing that ever happened to me outside of getting saved and being Bless to have a child.
After Khris was born I noticed our relationship started to blossum.
I think some of the best times were at Christmas and when we went camping.
I was fortuniate to have the opportunity to spend time with my dad before he died and I am so at peace that he got saved.I got to see something that alot of peaple don't see and that is Grace in action.
1Corinthians15:55 O death,were is thy sting? O grave,where is thy victory?
I loved my Dad for just being there and knowing what all I put him through
he still loved me.
I can say he was a brave and couragious man for doing that. I don't know if I could ever do that,because of issues that go with with marring someone who already has a child.I hope you enjoyed that I felt like I needed to get it off my chest so to speak.
Paul

Proto-Kaw

Wed, 12 Jan 2005 05:17:38 GMT

O.k.
First off I would like to Thank Sh0kr0k for the Icons I will be using for this journal and also for pointing me in the right direction for my audio fix that I am needing. http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=sh0kr0k. she is one hip Lady.
As I said I would post a review for proto-Kaw. Instead I will give you my thoughts on the cd.
Proto-Kaw. The Early recordings From Kansas 1971-1973.
First off it is amazing that this recording has survived all these years without deteriorating to much in the fact that this recording is over 30 years old.second off it's nothing like what I remember of Kansas.this recording had flutes and saxs very progressive in sound and to think this kinda music was being played in the heartland of the usa. I can understand why most bars kicked them out I was mezmerised when I first heard it.this is classic Kerry and co just jamming. you can hear some Frank Zappa and Don Ellis,King Crimson some of it was Jazzy and I even heard some Carlos Santana I think. I forgot how well kerry can play the guitar and the Hammond organ is so lush.For those of us that grew up in the 70's you know what I am talking about. the song Belexes was on the debut and Incomudro was on song for america.in one area of the cd you can hear the limitations of the recording as it kinda fades for a second or two but in a way it also kinda sounded like it could have been place there which I sure it wasn't, but this does not in no way take away from the recording. the first three songs are kinda darker sounding and then the next four it lightens up and the last two are live recordings althought it's really hard to tell.
Die hard Kansas fans need to get this and it comes with a booklet to explain about the history of this band known as Kansas II.
I would recommend this cd to any Kansas fan or Prog Head.

Khris' booty butt has been booted!

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 06:55:33 GMT

I have done the hardest thing I ever had to do this week.
I kicked Khris out of the house. maybe he will start to take on some responsibility. he's been very argumentative. gee I wonder where he got that from certainly not from me. hahah!!
he's drug habit is getting to be to much for me to handle.
acid and speed is when he gets uncontrollable. not that I ever been in control
I can usually tell when he does these drugs. but the hammering process has started for him.
he has 800 dollars in fines and 500 of that has to be paid by the 21st
lets see if he runs any takers for a bet??

Yes Heads beware!

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 06:42:11 GMT

I have bought 5 Yes albums and I am loving every minute I listen to them.
I had going for the one back in 1978. I loved that 8 track but never replaced it. I will get it one day as I am buying everything I can get my hands on before the years out so I got plenty of time.
right now I have
The Ultimate Yes
Magnification
The Ladder
Re/union
Fragile
and I just ordered Tales From Topographic Oceans.

why the name change!

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 21:26:42 GMT

lately I have been listening to alot of music everywhere I go in the car,at work,at home. recently I discovered a message board about christian metal and through it I found a couple bands that I happened to be interested in, along with a advertisement in a christian publication that had these same bands and where you could buy their music.as it turned out the hastings here in Odessa had a couple of them so I bought them and I really liked the bands.
one was Pain of Salvation and the other was The Flower Kings.
both of these bands fit under the prog rock banner,This was all before Christmas
my mom came in to town for Christmas on the 17th and on the 18th we went shopping in midland for my son. while I was at best buy I noticed the Yes box set but was not interested at the time.
fast forward to 22nd. I was at best buy getting my kids {Khris and His Girlfriend}some gift cards because they both like Rap and I have no clue other than I don't like it.I picked up jelly jam 2.I also noticed Proto kaw which is Kerry Livgren's old new band or what some would call Kansas 2 if you know the history of Kerry and Kansas. sometime between the 22nd and the 26th I decided to buy cd's that are not what we would call christian bands but have christians who are the main players I thought of yes and Kansas
well rick wakeman and Kerry livgren as it turned out I have purchased both proto kaw cd's and the ultimate Yes cd,I an kicking my self for not getting the yes box set when I was in midland.I was there yesterday and they did not have it.I never cared that much for Kansas, but thought that I would try them out.
My mom bought me a stereo for christmas so I went to midland to look for music and ended up getting Chris squire's new cd call conspiracy and some awesome headphones.I sat down to listen to music last night and remembered I have not done that since the early 90's.
I was so blessed and the proto Kaw cd is some really awesome music That I will do a review on when I get some time.
since I have been listening to so much music I decided that I needed to change my user name to fit more my lifestyle. i have been thinking lately of the prog rock music I use to listen to in the 70's but I will stay with what is new and current and mostly positive, Christian or faith based.
P/O
Paul