Today’s my birthday. Even worse, it’s Tax Day. I’ve always hated that. As I tweeted just a little while ago, if one more person says to me, “Oh, you’re a tax baby!” I’m gonna slug ‘em!

Screw the IRS, this is *MY* day!

However, according to Beth, today is also known as Buy A Gun Day. I can dig that!

“Democrats believe every day is April 15. Republicans believe that every day is July 4.” — Ronald Reagan

There … feelin’ happy. Now how ’bout we celebrate with a little song?

Lyrics: (courtesy of Moron Pundit)

I want to keep my money
And give away absolutely nothing
To the government who moderates my spending
and obliterates depending on what time of the year
brutality is near

in the form of income tax
I’d rather take a fucking ax
to my face, blow up this place

with you all in it, I’d do it in a minute

If I could write off your murder
I’d save all of my receipts
because I’d rather you be dead
than lose a tiny shred of what I made this fiscal year

I’d rather you be dead than ponder parting with my second home
I’d rather you be dead than consider not opening a restaurant

I’d rather you be dead
I’d rather you be dead

Prepare the laser-beam
I’m gonna use it tonight

Engage the laser-beam
It’s gonna end your life

I’m gonna use it tonight

If I could write off your murder
I’d save all of my receipts
because I’d rather you be dead
than lose a tiny shred of what I made this fiscal year

I’d rather you be dead than ponder parting with my second home
I’d rather you be dead than consider not opening a restaurant.

Big thanks to Beth for the reminder. I love love *LOVE* Metalocalypse!

I ran across a real gem of an album recently: “Sign of the Times” by Queensryche. It’s a “best of” compilation. I’ve been listening to it, reminiscing … I had forgotten how much I loved this group. Many of their songs carry special meaning to me for various reasons, but one song in particular struck me very deep and listening to it again just now, its message resonates very loudly in my mind — and I’m trying like all Hell to ignore it.

Bridge (Chris DeGarmo)

You called me up on the phone today
Struggling with the right words to say
Time can change a thing or two
Time has changed the lives of me and you
But you know… it could have been different, dad

The word brings back a sweet memory
I’m sitting on a bluff on a broken tree
By my side a distinguished man
Giving me encouragement, telling me I can
And you know… you’re not there

You say, “Son, let’s forget the past,
I want another chance, gonna make it last.”
You’re begging me for a brand new start
Trying to mend a bridge that’s been blown apart
But you know… you never built it, dad

And so I sit here through the night
And I write myself to sleep
And time keeps ticking…

Time has made you finally realize
Your loneliness and your guilt inside
You’re reaching for something you never had
Turning around now you’re looking back
And you know… I’m not there

You say, “Son, let’s forget the past,
I want another chance, gonna make it last.”
You’re begging me for a brand new start
Trying to mend a bridge that’s been blown apart
But you know… you never built it, dad

You never built it, dad
You never built it, dad
You never built it, dad
You never built it, dad

There’s a song I love by Cowboy Mouth called “Jenny Says” … a friend of mine used to send it to me all the time, especially the bridge, “Let it go, let it go, let it go.”

Wise words to live to by. Bloody good advice that someone else recently gave me that my ass really DOES need to follow more often.

I’ve got no reason for the things I fear
The things that plague me when I see and hear
A dime’s a nickel and a nickel’s none
I throw myself into the Sunday sun
That summer Sunday when you went insane
You said you’re going, but instead I came
I’m throwing oranges in an apple cart
The ties that bind are tearing me apart

Jenny says turn off the radio
Jenny says turn off the light
Jenny says turn off the video
You beat yourself up to bring yourself down
Let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go
When the world keeps coming down on me
I let it go

I’ve got no reason for the things I say
She turned toward me then she turned away
There’s lots of voices in a modern world
They take their toll upon a modern girl
I’ve got no reason for the things I fear
The things that plague me when I see and hear
I press my finger on an itchy trigger
What once was small right now is so much bigger

Jenny says turn off the radio
Jenny says turn off the light
Jenny says turn off the video
You beat yourself up to bring yourself down
Let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go
When the world keeps coming down on me
I let it go

I’ve got no reason for the things I do
The dealer deals and then the deal is screwed
You throw your cards up on the playing table
My name is Cain and I am now unable
I’ve got no reason for the things I fear
The things that plague me when I see and hear
A dime’s a nickel, a nickel’s none
I throw myself into the Sunday sun

Jenny says turn off the radio
Jenny says turn off the light
Jenny says turn off the video
You beat yourself up ’cause you love it
Let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go
When the world keeps coming down on me
I let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go
Let it go, let it go, let it go
When the world keeps coming down on me
I let it go
I let it go, let it go, let it go
I let it go, let it go, let it go
I let it go, let it go, let it go

I’m stressing over too much stupid shit that doesn’t really even fucking matter tomorrow, much less a month from now. Money’s tight today, but I have a side project coming up this weekend and next week that will keep me busy for the next couple of weeks and I will hate every minute of it but it will be money in our pockets and pay for more wedding goodies and pay a few bills early. (Paying bills early is always good and I like doing things like that, I’m a super organizer freak when it comes to the bills.) Things at work are going well, I get along well with my coworkers. The guys are helping me out with my .NET project and we sit around and goof off when we can (obviously not with our feet propped up on the office desks or anything but we always get the work done and still manage to have a good time!) … it reminds me of the old MACESS.

*nostalgic*

Today is the celebrated anniversary of the origin of MP3s. Funny enough, the whole thing started with the following email from Juergen Zeller:

Date: Fri, 14 July 1995 12:29:49 +0200
Reference: Endings for Layer3: mp3

Hello,_according to the overwhelming opinion of all asking: the ending for ISO MPEG audio Layer 3 is mp3. i.e. we should for coming www sides, Shareware,_Demos, etc. on it respect that no more bit endings rausgehen. It has a reason, believes me : -) Juergen Zeller

Thank you, Juergen!

I was browsing my feeds this morning and ran across this:

<nostalgic>Ah … high school … listening to NKotB on I-95 and gleaming every word that came out of the Mark and Brian show.</nostalgic>

My God, radio sucked back then. LOL!