EchoBooming in Birmingham

The Birmingham News is moving into a new building that is currently under construction. And while I’m saddened that their old building will be torn down to make way for a parking deck, I’m also glad that the move resulted in the re-discovery of hundreds of images from the civil rights era that were never published.

http://www.al.com/unseen/

The news published 7 pages worth over the weekend, and posted many more on the above website.

I have to say that the most powerful set of images are from a confrontation at another beautiful Birmingham building that has since been torn down, Terminal Station.

http://www.al.com/unseen/video.ssf?terminal16

Other first hand voice-overs from photographers and freedom riders:
http://www.al.com/unseen/video.ssf?lewis
http://www.al.com/unseen/video.ssf?self21
http://www.al.com/unseen/video.ssf?jones18b
http://www.al.com/unseen/video.ssf?adams18

I’m amazed at the level of bravery and determination that these men and women had, and thankful for their efforts and accomplishments. I can’t imagine growing up in a world like that, even though it was only 40ish years ago.

Mental note:

Getting into a car with “TC” may not be the smartest thing I’ve ever done…

So my buddy Jabroni and I are looking for a beater car to Rally-X, and as anyone who has ever driven down 7th Ave. S. near the lakeview district can attest, TC (bar owner, UAB supporter, many times over UAB grad, and many times over political candidate) has a isht ton of VW Beetles sitting in front of his bar in the Lakeview District.

I ran into TC last night at the “cease fire” meeting for District 3 and I asked him about buying one of his beaters for Rally-X.

So this afternoon, Jab and I stopped by TC’s bar in Lakeview to inspect a few VeeDubs. After explaining what we were looking for, TC decided to take us for a ride in one of his “Baja” style Beetles. The first one had a flat, but a quick trip around the block resulted in a freshly inflated tire with “I dunno, put about 10 more psi in it” lbs of air.

What happened next is something that I was absolutely not expecting. TC went down to 6th Ave, eyed an empty lot, switched off his lights, and proceeded to do donuts in the empty lot.

I’m
Not
Joking

After making his escape (back around the corner, one block away). We all loaded up in the other Baja Beetle (I was thinking surely one agricultural excursion in the middle of Lakeview was enough) and TC headed back for the lot.
Luckily for TC, he never had to switch off the lights on this one since it didn’t have any freaking lights!

Anyway, word to the wise… Don’t get in a car with TC, especially if it’s a Baja Beetle.

I want to hug their advertising company

Greetings live from Cheraw, SC.

I get giddy when my alarm clock is a 300HP Subaru Rally Car (even if it is 2 hours before I wanted to wake up):

We’re putting the band back together

Matt came down from DC, Shea, Jeff and I came up from Birmingham, and if Scoot’s tie-rod comes in today he’ll make the 8 hour drive up as well. That will put all the original BDSM (that’s Birmingham Drunken Subaru Modders you perv) guys back together for the first time since Matt moved to DC about a year ago.

Matt almost didn’t make it:
Matt stripped out and completely monkeyed up one of his brake calipers on his 04 WRX. Luckilly I had an extra 02 WRX front caliper laying around at the house so I brought it with me…. After a friendly parts store owner gave us a bolt that we needed, and a little lego action (thankfully Subarus are like Legos, parts from one car will just bolt up to another) Matt is almost back on the road…

Hopefully I’ll be able to post up some more info about the rally, but for more information about it, check out http://sandblastrally.com

I’m an addict. I’m addicted to cigarettes. I need help.

For way too long now I’ve been doing the worst possible thing one can do to their spouse, I’ve been lying to her. I told her I quit, I was attempting to hide my addiction from her.

Well, last night the entire facade came crashing down upon my head:

I was in the garage a little after midnight last night working on the driving light mount for DrWife’s Subaru Forester, and sneaking a smoke in the process as I did most every night. DrWife got up to let the dogs out, noticed I wasn’t around, and went looking for me. She looked out the back door and saw me puffing away in the garage.

I’ve known since I met her that she didn’t want to would never be married to a smoker so my marriage is literally on the line here.

So I’m coming clean to the general public here on the site:

My “Secrets”:
• I hide my cigarettes behind the interior fuse access panel in my car
• I always lose lighters, so I use the cigarette lighter in my car most of the time (in other words, I’m taking the cigarette lighter out of my car)

My History:
• Cold Turkey has never worked for me in the past.
• Smoking and Drinking go together for me (except for when I’m around my wife for some reason)
• Too many of my friends have “enabled” my addiction in the past

My Plan:
• I’m going to see a doctor, Wellbutrin has helped many people I know quit, plus it’ll probably help my occasional bouts with depression
• I’m going to seek out a support group. I’ve seen many signs around Birmingham for them and who knows, maybe I’ll get to meet meatloaf.
• I’m going to read the “Quitting Smoking for Dummies” book that DrWife bought me the last time she busted me.
• I’m going to stop going to bars (I think this will be the hardest part, I will miss the bands, the people, and the socializing)
• I’m going to ask the help of everyone I know (see below)

My Needs:
• I need none of my friends to enable me.
• I need no one to give or offer me a cigarette.
• I need anyone who sees me smoking to punch me in the face.
• I need everyone to quit lying to DrWife.

I’m going to quit, I’m going to win this time.
I have to do it for my marriage, my health, and most importantly my daughter.