This post is in memorial to a dear friend, a loving family member, and a trustworthy helper. This morning, the 29th day of January, in the two-thousand and ninth year of Our Lord, one Rose “Galaxy” Bullard was in a fatal accident.

Rose was a rambunctious little lady. She ignored others when they claimed she was too old and too poorly built to be considered useful to a daily commuter. She trudged through rain, cold weather, and ice to dutifully serve her owner. Though not the prettiest of her ilk, those who took the time to really look deep into her frameset saw that she had an inner beauty. She was fast, agile, and loved to speed down hills. But this love of speed would lead to her demise.

While taking a corner on the greenway boardwalk, she slipped on some ice, slid across the pathway and slammed head first into the boardwalk railing. Her fork was broken. She died on impact.

Some may ask if a mechanic’s touch could bring her new life, but the truth is she’s past her prime. Rose, while beautiful and trustworthy, is ready to be put down. She lived longer than anyone would expect for a generic, cheap hobbyist bike built in the late 70′s. Rose had a few ticks about her, but that’s what made Rose Rose. She was dependable bike, and she will be missed.

The following pictures may be considered disturbing by some, so I’ll put them behind the jump to ensure no one sees anything they don’t want to. (more…)

Filed under: cycling, rambling by tonybullard
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Found an awesome song while watching a video. Best part? You can download it for free. I’m quite fond of that business model. I’m fond of a few other tracks on that album (which you can find here) Give the man a buck or two if you like what he’s making.

Thanks Ernest Gonzales. Keep up the good work.

Filed under: cycling, music, video by tonybullard
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Today, my sister, Margaret Page Bullard Burris (they’re so close, it’s so hard to remember!) is turning 29 years old.

I’m not sure if you’re aware, but 29 is only 12 short months away from 30, which, from what I understand, is pretty much death. Maybe not so much death, but certainly on the down hill portion of the ride. I write this not to be mean or foreboding, but rather to encourage Page to live this next year like no other. Hopefully once she stops hobbling around she can begin her 29th year here on earth with a bang. A metaphorical bang, not the sound of a toe sending a laundry basket flying across a laundry room. I hope she spends this next year enjoying the wonderful blessings she’s been given, cause she’ll probably be too old to remember anything next year. Then again, she’s already got like, 90 cats, so maybe she should cash out early and just become the crazy cat lady that kids dare each other to talk to. That could be fun if you approached it with the right attitude.

Well Page, you know all this mean sarcasm is my emotionally stunted way of saying I love you. I hope you enjoyed your 28th year, but I hope you enjoy your 29th even more. I hope I get the chance to spend some of it with you.

And I hope Chandler doesn’t cut your life short by sitting on your face while you’re asleep or something.

Filed under: rambling by tonybullard
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Squeaky, jumpy bi-folding pantry door.
“Maybe I should wax it. Do we have any old candles?”
“What? No, why don’t you use grease?”
“cause grease is messy.”
“Who uses wax?”
“Skateboarders…it’s perfect for this.”
“Why don’t you do these dishes instead?”
“cause I want to fix our house.”
“Do the dishes.”
“Fine, I’ll do the dishes, you go out in the garage and look on the shelf for candles.”
“What?! We do not have candles in the garage!”
“You memorized and cataloged the contents of the shelves in the garage?”
“No, but I have never bought candles, and I wouldn’t store them in the garage.”
“You’re the only person that lives in this house?”
“You have never bought candles.”
“This house was completely empty when we bought it?”
“Do the dishes.”
“Look for the candles.”
“No.”
“Then You do the dishes, I’m looking for candles.”
Return from garage 20 seconds later with huge candle, one of six, left by previous owner.
“Kiss my feet.”
“No.”
Wax squeaky, jumpy bi-folding pantry door. Works like a charm. Door slides smooth and is no longer squeaky.
“Kiss my feet!”
“No!”
“I’m going to post about this!”

Filed under: marraige, rambling by tonybullard
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Teresa has picked up Crochet. I’m extremely jealous.

She started because she wanted something to do with her hands. This is very odd for Teresa, as I’ve spent the past 11 or so years that I’ve known her wondering how people can live with out making stuff. Of course, I barely produce anything anymore, but I recall many conversations at the beginning of our relationship about how she doesn’t “produce” anything. I’m was a little captain of musical industry and she “just studied.” I was such an ass. Why she married me I’ll never know.

But Teresa has now found herself a hobby. I’ve commissioned her to make me a beanie. She has until next fall. Right now she’s had little time, and is having a little trouble getting off the ground. She blames herself, I blame the crappy book she bought. But now her Grandmother has come to the rescue in the way only a grandmother can: a box full of yarn balls. “Grammy” as Teresa calls her, (they probably spell it in some crazy way though. The Korte’s have this weird way of making “Papa” sound like “puppuh” and “Mama” like “Mummuh.” They’re strange people.) went above and beyond the call of duty to help her granddaughter get sucked into what looks to be a lucrative world of pot holders and scarves.

Right now Teresa is just working on the basic stitches. So around our house are several 6 foot long pieces of straight braided yarn. Sometimes she wears them as headbands while she’s crocheting and it’s so damn cute it almost makes me want to give Noah a sibling.

But I’m not allowed anywhere near crocheting. Teresa is sure that my seemingly bottomless well of talent would instantly consume her hobby and ruin it for her. The closest I’ve come is the few times I’ve attempted to interpret the horrible drawings in the first how-to book she got. Other than that, I have to stay far away. She even had accusatory questions about me and the sewing kit when she got home from work on Sunday.

She’s not crazy though. I probably would swallow crochet whole and make a sweater and then leave it in the dust like every other hobby I’ve ever had. I’d crochet like mad for 3 weeks, and then get bored with it when I realized I couldn’t make a crochet bike cover or something. I’m not trying to brag. I don’t mean to say I’m incredible and I can do anything, but things like this, working with my hands, I pick that stuff up fast. But as I’ve said before, I’m bloated with “talent” but have little to no creativity, which is important if you want to make that talent productive. None the less, watching her little fingers wrapping yarn around a needle makes me want to dive right in. I’m like some sort of hobby locust. Devour and move on.

So don’t be surprised if next Christmas all our family gifts are bags and coasters. You all saw how cheap we were this year…it’ll only get worse if we start making crafts.

Filed under: family, hobbies, rambling by tonybullard
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It’s time for another installment in the “This [time period] in Noah” series. Not much video shot lately, so this video doesn’t cover a lot. I’ll warn you, this video is more of a grandparent friendly one. It’s cute…and then it goes on for too long. Fast forward if you get bored, but there’s a lot of cute here.

Filed under: family, video by tonybullard
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I rarely ever buy “singles.” I’m kind of a believer in the concept of “The Album.” But I just went through my mental library of those cool songs you know but have never really heard all the way through. So I put the few lyrics I knew of each song into Google and went on the hunt. Most were pretty easy, since they’re all pretty popular. Anyway, I figured I’d share my finds, since I’m so excited about every last one of them.

Sidenote: These are all amazon links that get me money if you click through and buy them. That’s not a suggestion you do so, but I figured linking to the amazon mp3s was the easiest way to share the songs with you, and if I’m linking, I might as well use the kind that just may get me money. I promise this is not me trying to figure out ways to make money.

Anyway, the songs are as follows:
Cars by Gary Numan
Funiculì, Funiculà by Luciano Pavarotti
Beyond The Sea by Robbie Williams
Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra
The Girl From Ipanema by Stan Getz
Largo al factotum – from The Barber of Seville

Altogether, $5.75. Not too shabby in my opinion. Can’t wait to hit them on random right up against Vader or Black Dahlia Murder.

Filed under: music, rambling by tonybullard
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