I, Ben: Thinking

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-12-08T06:27:00.000-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #206

2009-12-02T17:21:00.011-06:00

Today's Word:
"Thanksgiving nap"

Today's Picture:

Looks great.

Thanksgiving is the napping holiday for me. Naps are awesome. There was lots of sleeping at the Bartley household over Thanksgiving. Megan and I flew to Kentucky for Thanksgiving. Here is Megan on the airplane:

Blurry. Silhouetted. Artistic. Window seat. Hooray.

To pass time on the flight, we play Skipbo.

Megan is the champion of the sky. She never lost while we were in the air. I am going to make her a belt like this guy:

Then Megan took pictures out the airplane window. Here are some clouds over America:

You're damn right, they are Mr. Boxer.

In Louisville, we played Wii bowling. Jen & Gar and the kids brought the Wii. My mom and dad are Wii bowling champions. She was Triana. I was Berk. Dad was John.

Yes, my dad won. My mom took second. I took last.

Here are mom and dad, posing with their victorious Wii remote.

They taunt me in my defeat.

Mom had a unique Wii bowling style. It involved a huge sweeping motion that resembled nothing like actual bowling. She would start by lifting the Wii remote WAY above her head like such...

... then she would hold it straight back and not move her hand forward until after the ball was released. It was non-traditional, but totally effective. She crushed me. I realized I hit a new low in my technology career: my parents can beat me at video games. I am ashamed.

This is the group that gathered for Thanksgiving. Missing is John Eastberg and Zach Willenbrink. They stayed in Milwaukee due to previous commitments.

We partied with the family. They threw us a family baby-shower. It was a good Thanksgiving.

In Summary: my parents crushed me in Wii bowling, naps are awesome, clouds are pretty.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-12-02T17:20:00.001-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #205

2009-11-19T16:49:00.006-06:00

Today's Word:
"Oakland fans"

Today's Picture:

Interesting that when you Google-Image-Search "Oakland fans", a picture of Pittsburgh Steelers fans comes back. Google, you are broken.

I am going to pick up where I left off before Thanksgiving: the trip to Oakland for the Raiders\Chiefs game. Fans of football are pretty much the same... except in Oakland. Raiders fans make every game day Halloween. There are some people you see on TV all the time. They wear full-body costumes. I tried to take pictures with a few of them.

Here's me pretending to be tough next to a creepy guy.

The guy above handed-out his own posters. I am not joking. The poster had his MySpace account on the poster. Apparently, his target market is high schoolers. I guess Facebook is too classy for a man with a skull belt.

Here is a picture of me saying, "take a picture with me so I can make fun of you on my blog":

I like this picture because you can see me holding the poster the guy gave me in picture #1. The guy in the picture above bought his necklace at Tiffany's of Oakland. I bet no one dresses up like this for a Golden State Warriors game.

This one just makes me so happy:

I don't think these people know each other. I don't know any of them. But now, we will be forever joined on my blog.

These people accused me of being "incognito".

Their direct quote was, "I think we have a incognito here." I am not sure what they meant, but I assumed it to be one of two things:

They smelled the Kansas City on me or
They did not know how to use the word "incognito"

They were on to me. But I was onto their chain-link fence over coat. Paris Hilton will be wearing one next year. You watch.

And here comes the scariest Raiders fan of all:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh! Take off the mask! Take off the mask! This is the guy who got us our tickets.

It was retro-uniform day when the Raiders played the Chiefs. I thought it was ironic that I grew up in Kansas City, but now live in Austin... and the Chiefs had the state of Texas on the side of their helmet. I appreciate them going out of their way for me. Here is a photo:

Schully was able to get us great tickets thanks to Oakland starting quarterback, Bruce Gradkowski. We sat with Bruce's sisters for the game. It was exciting because Bruce was the backup for Jamarcus Russell... who was having a terrible season. Russell started the Oakland\Chiefs game, but Bruce was put-in in the 3rd quarter. The entire stadium erupted when Bruce got in the game, mostly because they were relieved the "Russell Era" was over in Oakland and partly because they were excited to see what Bruce could do. With KC leading by 6 points, Bruce almost led the team to a comeback. But dropped passes killed his winning drive and the Chiefs won.

After the game, I got to meet Bruce briefly and thank him for the tickets. He was a nice dude. But he dressed like a newspaper delivery boy from the 1920s. I hope Bruce does well the rest of the season, but I also hope his sisters give him normal clothes for Christmas. Gradkowski Sisters - get your brother a hoodie.

I was also stoked that I got to meet Paul Hackett. Coach Hackett is working for the Raiders. He was the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs when I lived in KCK. He was also head coach of the USC Trojans before Pete Carroll stole his thunder.

The week after the game, Bruce was named the starter for the Raiders. Backup quarterbacks everywhere: see what happens when you give me tickets to your game? Brodie Croyle, I'm calling you out. Where are my tickets, Jon Kitna? Rex Grossman, you need me.

I had a blast at the Raiders game. I will always root for the Raiders...

... when they are not playing Kansas City. And I will always root for Bruce Gradkowski, even when he plays the Chiefs.

Thanks, Schully, for a memorable weekend. Fu-gee, pa-do, 11-one.

In Summary: Smell the Kansas City on me, Facebook is too classy for a man with a skull belt, Rex Grossman needs me.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-19T16:45:00.002-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #204

2009-11-18T20:39:00.008-06:00

Today's Word:
fun-filled-weekend

Today's Picture:

Creepy. These koala bears are up to no good. I can see it in their untrustworthy koala-eyes.

Last weekend was a fun-filled-weekend. I could not have crammed more fun into a 2.5 days if I tried. I am still recovering (thus, no blog entries for 2 days).

The weekend started on Friday night with Megan and I attending the screening of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. The director was in attendance. Who directed it? This guy:

John Krasinski. (aka Jim from The Office). Megan thinks he's cute. She thought he was cute enough to take a picture with him:

During his Q&A before (yes, before) the film, he said a bunch of insightful things which I don't remember. I should have been taking notes. But I ordered a chocolate cake instead.

That was Friday night, 9:45 PM movie. We got home around midnight. We were in bed by 1 AM.

Saturday, I woke up at 4 AM to catch a plane to see this guy...

... Schully.

I took the BART from the airport to Oakland, the closest station to Alameda where Schully lives. The Oakland BART station is rough. It looks like a place hookers go to die. I tried not to make eye-contact with anyone, as even the children could kick my ass. When I got off the BART in Oakland, Schully called my cell saying he would pick me up in a blue Ford Excursion and I should meet him outside. So I am looking for a bald guy in a big Ford SUV. Again, I am trying not to make eye-contact with anyone. A green mini-van pulled up and started revving its engine right next to me. I was thinking, what kind of jack-ass would rev the engine of a mini-van. Turns out, it was this kind of jack-ass...

... yes, it was Schully in sunglasses, an afro wig and an "I Heart NY" T-Shirt. I laughed.

Next, we drove home where we saw Lana...

... and Archie...

... and we played with the afro wig...

... which looked way better on Archie.

Next up, Schully drove me to Berkeley for the Cal\Arizona football game. I graduated from the University of Arizona. I was the mascot for the U of A from 1995-1998. Arizona lost to Cal. I don't want to talk about it. Here is a picture of the game...

...I take full responsibility for the loss. They never win when I go to their away games.

The only good part of the Cal\Arizona game was seeing Mike Remedi.

I had not seen Mike in a long time. He looked the same.

Schully, how would you best summarize my Saturday in Berkeley?

You're god damn, right, big man in a little coat.

Sunday was the Raiders game... which deserves its own post.

In Summary: Oakland children can beat the shit out of me, koala bears have untrustworthy koala-eyes, afro wigs are funny.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-16T17:31:00.002-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #203

2009-11-13T17:49:00.004-06:00

Today's Word:
Raiders are going to lose to the Chiefs

Today's Picture:

BOOM!

I am going to see 2 of my favorite football teams play this weekend. I am stoked. First, Arizona on Saturday. Then, Kansas City on Sunday.

I am also going to get to see two of my favorite people: Schully & Midori. Here is a picture of the four of us at our wedding that Schully posted today.

Should be a fun weekend, filled with football & friends. Hooray!

In Summary: Raiders are going to lose, so is Cal, I hope I am right.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-13T17:48:00.001-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #202

2009-11-11T17:10:00.003-06:00

Today's Word:
Raiders fan

Today's Picture:

Schully? Is that you? Nice makeup.

In Summary: Schully? Is that you? Nice makeup.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-11T17:08:00.001-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #201

2009-11-10T21:04:00.005-06:00

Today's Word:
cute kid costume

Today's Picture:

I am getting stoked about having my first child for a few reasons. Some of them are goofy. Here are the goofiest:

I want to shop for toys
I want to see cartoons at the movie theater without people wondering why I am there
I want to play baseball
I want to make Halloween costumes for my kids

My friends Brian & Gordon have sons. I saw their boys at Brady's Halloween party. Here is Holden, Brian's son:

Brian made the iPhone costume for Holden. Bad-ass.

This is Landon:

Awesome Speed Racer costume. Nice work, Gordon & Kim.

In summary: I want to play baseball, Holden and Landon had bad-ass costumes, cartoons with kids are OK

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-10T21:02:00.002-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #200

2009-11-09T17:51:00.006-06:00

Today's Word:
tallboy-koozie

Today's Picture:

Darrell came to Austin last weekend. This is a picture of Darrell & I, getting ready for a Texas Martini at Chuy's:

I picked Darrell up at the airport around 8:30 PM on Friday, then we ate at Rudy's. After dinner, we headed to the Master Pancake E.T. show. The next morning, we:

ate pancakes
went to a UT tailgate
received 4 tallboy-koozies from the good people at Tecate
drank 2 tallboys of Tecate
met nice people from Tucson... while tailgating at a UT game... weird
ate at Mann's Bar-B-Q
watched the Arizona vs. Washington State game with a UA alum named George
went to a birthday party for my buddy Scott
got 2 more tallboys of Tecate
watched some Saturday night live

It was a good Saturday.

Sunday morning, Megan, Darrell and I went out for breakfast where Darrell took this picture of Megan and I:

We all ate migas.

Then we stopped at Chuy's for a Texas Martini before sending Darrell on his way back to Tucson. It was a quick trip, but fun to see an old friend.

Darrell - Bear Down.

In Summary: Tecate tallboy-koozies rock, everyone eats migas, a UT football game is a good place to meet people from Tucson

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-09T17:48:00.002-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #199

2009-11-06T17:04:00.002-06:00

Today's Word:
stoked

Today's Picture:

I am totally stoked. There are 2 big reasons.

#1 - Darrell is coming to Austin this weekend. We are going to laugh, drink beer, eat Bar-B-Q and watch football.

#2 - I got into Butt-Numb-Athon! 24 hours of movie-watching bliss in celebration of Harry Knowles' birthday. Hell yes! High-five the blog!

I am pumped. This should be a great weekend.

In Summary: I am stoked, I am pumped, Darrell is coming to Austin.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-06T17:02:00.002-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #198

2009-11-05T16:55:00.006-06:00

Today's Word:
Apollo 13

Today's Picture:

Ron Howard came to Austin for the Austin Film Festival. I got a pass from my friend, Brian... then upgraded it to a Weekend Badge so I could attend panels. Megan got a pass, too. She took some amazing pictures of Ron Howard... see below.

Ron Howard's Apollo 13 panel was my favorite. They had several original NASA employees, including Apollo 13 astronaut James Lovell, in attendence. During the screening of Apollo 13, Megan sat next to me. Our baby was kicking like crazy inside of Megan's belly. Megan put my hand on her stomach and I felt our baby kick for the first time... right before the grandma's line of, "Don't you worry. If they could get a washing machine to fly, my Jimmy could land it." This was something I will never forget.

Other favorite moments from the festival were:

Mitchell Hurwitz on the story-telling panel
Owen Egerton on the Write-What-You-Know: Comedy panel
Rick Linklater on the Art of Storytelling panel
Kat Candler's Love Bug
Jason Reitman telling the story of how his father encouraged him to drop out of medical school saying, "there is not enough magic in it for you"
watching "Youth in Revolt"

Kat won the "Narrative Short Audience Award Winner". Congrats, Kat! You rock. I loved that short and can not wait for it to be made into a feature.

Megan snapped these pictures of Ron Howard outside the Paramount...

... and this photo of Ron Howard and the entire Apollo 13 Q&A panel after the movie screening...

In Summary: My baby kicks Megan's belly, Kat's Love Bug is awesome, there is not enough magic in med school.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-05T16:53:00.001-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #197

2009-11-04T16:10:00.006-06:00

Today's Word:
"doctor's visit"

Today's Picture:

Since Megan has been pregnant, I have been to the doctor's office more times in the past 6 months than at any 6 month period of my life. I have been to all the appointments. I have been to all the flu shots. It has been cool. This is what it looks like:

I am not normally a huge fan of doctor's offices. I get anxious just being there. I never think about what is wrong with me... unless I am at a doctor's office. I read the informational packets while waiting for the doctor. Ovarian cancer. Yeast infections. Scoliosis. There is a bunch of scary crap in the world that I do not know about. Sometimes I read the packets and think, "I will probably get this disease at some point." Then my heart starts racing. Unlike G.I. Joe, I think in regards to my health anxiety, NOT knowing is half-the-battle.

But I have been having fun at Megan\the baby's doctor's visits. Here is a picture of me having fun:

Turns out, I'm not pregnant. But Megan is.

I like these doctor's visits for a few reason:

I get to look at the other people's baby pictures and make sassy comments to make Megan laugh.
I get to hear the baby's heart beat. It is awesome.
I get to miss work sometimes. That is cool.
The doctors\mid-wives at Megan's OB\GYN are cool.

I tried to take a picture of Megan and I at our most recent doctor's visit. I set the timer and ran to the front of the camera. But this is what happened:

Oooooooo, so close. So close.

I should have stacked-up some of those scary informational packets to move the camera up. Or I guess we could have ducked-down. Either way would have worked. But now you know what I wore to the doctor's visit.

In Summary: G.I. Joe is cool, I have doctor anxiety issues, I am not pregnant (but Megan is pregnant).

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-04T16:08:00.002-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #196

2009-11-03T17:39:00.010-06:00

Today's Word:
pug costume

Today's Picture:

Why do people who own pugs go crazy? Before we got PugPuggy, I was a perfectly well adjusted human being. Now, I am crazy. Here is proof:

Yes, I dressed my dog in a dinosaur costume. Then we took her to the Austin Pug Club's annual Halloween costume contest. We did not compete, but I saw a couple of costumes I loved, including this four-legged guy:

... yes, a pug in a Michael Jackson costume. Complete with one sparkly glove over a paw. So awesome. At least I was not the craziest person there.

Originally, we were going to dress PugPuggy up like a banana. Here is a picture of her original costume...

... but something was weird about this costume...

... something was very weird about this costume.

At first, we could not put our finger on what it was. Then we figured it out. PugPuggy looked like a Klu Klux Klansman. Take another look:

PugPuggy is thinking, "white power" in this costume.

Yes, sorry, PugPuggy. I know.

So we returned the banana costume and dressed PugPuggy up like a dinosaur. My bad.

In Summary: I am crazy, PugPuggy's dad was a black pug, klansmen wear banana costumes.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-03T17:37:00.002-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #195

2009-11-02T15:06:00.004-06:00

Today's Word:
Stacy Hedger

Today's Picture:

Stacy Hedger was the inspiration for my Halloween costume this year. If you have not seen the video, search for "Stacy Hedger Star Wars" on YouTube. You will find it. It might make sense after you see it. My friend, Brian, is a composer. He explained to me that Stacy's trumpet was in Bb and the music was written in C. That is why she is off by a full step (atleast). She should have played it in D, then it would have been in-sync with the orchestra. But the dance is what makes it... especially the Charlie Chaplin interlude. Awesome.

I spent all weekend explaining my costume. After 2 Halloween parties of explaining my costume, I told Megan, "next year, I am going as something self-explanatory." Maybe I will be a storm-trooper. Or maybe I will be cookie monster. I just don't want to dress up like something that requires a brochure to explain.

In fairness, if I saw a full grown man in spandex unitard, carrying a trumpet, I would have asked, "what are you supposed to be?" The answer: Stacy Hedger.

I would like to thank the one guy who said, "are you that YouTube lady?" I wanted to hug him. But, unfortunately, it is against my moral code of conduct to hug another man while wearing a full body suit of spandex. Plus, would you want a guy who looked like this to hug you?

I didn't think so.

Who was huggable? Megan. Her costume was awesome. She went as an X-Ray with a baby in her stomach giving the thumbs-up. Here is a picture of her costume:

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-11-02T15:04:00.002-06:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #194

2009-10-30T11:27:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
pumpkin dance

Today's Picture:

My friend Dave showed me this. I have been fascinated by it.

So weird and great, too.

Happy Halloween everyone.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-10-29T16:38:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #193

2009-10-29T16:26:00.004-05:00

Today's Word:
"Pregnant Megan"

Today's Picture:

Creepy.

I totally do not understand how Google image search works. What does the picture above have to do with Megan being pregnant? It is scary. Please change it, Google.

Google image search should return this:

That is much better.

Megan is in week 24 of her pregnancy. She is looking good. The baby continues to grow and so does her belly.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-10-29T16:24:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #192

2009-10-28T17:13:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
Halloween pancake

Today's Picture:

Tonight, 7 PM, Master Pancake does John Carpenter's Halloween. Get tickets here.

See you down there.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-10-28T17:07:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture 191

2009-10-27T23:20:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
"halloween gone wrong"

Today's Picture:

Some things, you can't "un-see". The picture above is one of them.

I am sorry, blog. I am sorry I put this picture on you. I am sure you are embarrassed of me. I am sure you are embarrassed for yourself. Why do I abuse you?

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday. I love it. Here are some of my favorite costumes that I have worn through the years:

toilet
Guinness four-pack (with 3 other friends)
dancing banana
my high school calculus teacher

I love Halloween.

But if YOU love Halloween, you will come see Master Pancake's Halloween on Wednesday at 7 PM at the Alamo Ritz. Yours truly will be in the show. Come check it out. In the sketch, you will get to see Joe play Michael Myers (the murderer, not the comedian), John as the awesomely creepy Dr. Harold Loomis and me as a murdered female high school slut. It will not disappoint. Plus, a drinking game! Hooray! You can get tickets here. We make less of a mockery of this movie than Rob Zombie did.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-10-27T23:19:00.001-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Google Image Search: Word & Picture 190

2009-10-26T22:58:00.003-05:00

Today's Word:
worst halloween costume

Today's Picture:

Wow. What happened??! I am both afraid and sad. I am guessing he lost a bet.

Last year, I was the Peanut-Butter-Jelly-Time dancing banana. This year, I am sticking with the famous-on-the-internet theme. I am going to be Stacy Hedger. You don't know Stacy Hedger? She is this lady:

Hopefully, I will see you over Halloween. If not, I will re-enact this Stacy Hedger's talent show performance and post it online.

I love Halloween.

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-10-26T22:55:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Kat Candler Short Films at the Austin Film Festival

2009-10-23T14:20:00.002-05:00

Attention Austin-ites! My friend, Kat Candler, has a couple of short films playing at the Austin Film Festival this weekend. If you are going to AFF, you should check it out. Here is the press release:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(Austin, Texas) Candler Productions is pleased to announce that the award-winning director and screenwriter Kat Candler (cicadas, Roberta Wells, jumping off bridges) has two new short films, Quarter to Noon and Love Bug, at the 2009 Austin Film Festival.

In 2000, Candler received the Undistributed Feature Film Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival for her debut feature, cicadas. This year, Candler is back with two new shorts.

Quarter to Noon a 2009 Official Selection of the Women in Film International Showcase and the 2009 Texas Filmmaker’s Showcase stars Anne Nabors (jumping off bridges, Tree of Life) and Chris Mass (Chalk). It’s a fantastical tale about an office worker who discovers something just beyond her office walls that will change her life forever.

Love Bug follows nerdy, nine-year old Turtle Thompson as he works up the nerve to ask his best friend, Maddy Cooper, to the elementary school Spring Fling Dance. Starring Reese Merritt (Secret at Arrow Lake, Killer Weed) and Kelsey Buchanan, Love Bug is an excerpt from Candler’s next feature film The Spider in the Bathtub (co-written by Chris Mass). The Spider in the Bathtub was a 2009 Tribeca All Access Participant and was recently optioned by Executive Producer Victoria Fredrick (Pride) and LAF Studios.

Kat Candler is an Austin based director, screenwriter and Lecturer at the University of Texas and runs Candler Productions.

For more information visit www.candlerproductions.com.

SCREENING DATES AND TIMES

Love Bug - Shorts Program 5
Saturday, October 24th, 7:15pm, Hideout
Tuesday, October 27th, 9:00pm, Hideout

Quarter to Noon - Shorts Program 13
Sunday, October 25th, 4:15pm, Hideout
Monday, October 26th, 5:00pm, Arbor

Contact: Kat Candler (Director)
512-771-5863
katcandler@gmail.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #189

2009-10-23T13:32:00.008-05:00

Today's Word:
well well well

Today's Picture:

So guess who got married... my friends, Joe & Kristin. About 3 weeks ago, they got married at Umlauf Sculpture Garden in Austin, Texas. For my friends in Austin, you probably know Joe from Master Pancake theater. He is the shortest performer not named Owen.

Here is a photo of Joe, the Chick-Fil-A mascot and myself.

Joe is afraid of mascots. I am awkwardly comfortable with them. Almost creepily comfortable.

Here is another photo of (L to R) John, Ben, Emmy award winning Jacksonville news anchor Bruce Hamilton... and Joe.

John pointed out that Bruce Hamilton and Joe were having a moment in this photo. Here is a zoom of the same picture as above.

Makes me laugh every time. For the uber-bored, here is a video of that entire interview in Jacksonville.

I was asked to stand up for Joe and Kristin at their wedding. I happily agreed. Here are some photos of us at the wedding. The groomsmen:

The happy newly weds dancing:

Well, well, well... Joe and Kristin got married. Congratulations, my friends.

Hip hip...

HOORAY!!!!!!!

Almost Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-10-23T13:28:00.002-05:00

That's right, I'm changing the name. It went from "Daily Name This Person and Win" to "Almost Daily Name This Person and Win". The prizes and rules are still the same, but the name is more accurate.

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Ben's Blog - Back in Action

2009-10-22T17:32:00.004-05:00

Blog - I have missed you. I am sorry I left you abandoned for so long. You must have been lonely. I feel sad that I left you with UFC wrestlers at the top for so long. You deserve better. Let me explain.

I put a baby inside of Megan. Hell, yes!!! High-five me, blog! I am going to be a dad!!! Crazy, eh?! I am stoked. Check out this picture of my baby:

My baby is a boy. Need proof? Check out his penis!

You looked a baby's penis, you pervert!

And here is a picture of his foot:

Crazy that this baby is inside of Megan's belly, eh? I am pumped. I have always wanted to be a dad. Now I am getting a shot. I hope I don't screw this up.

I was so stoked when I was blogging back in July because I knew that I was going to be a dad, but I had not told the world. We told my parents and Megan's mom face-to-face. So, when I was blogging back in July, it was like I was lying. I was trying desperately not to spill the beans, but it felt disingenuous to NOT write about the only thing that was really on my mind.

So I stopped blogging. I abandoned you. I am sorry, blog. I won't do it again... unless I forget.

There is so much to catch-up on. Here is what happened while I stopped blogging:
1) found out I was having a boy
2) went to Chicago\Milwaukee
3) Joe Parsons got married
4) did another STAG! show at the Alamo Ritz - sold out!
5) did a run of shows with Master Pancake

I will fill you in on the details in future blogs. But for now, know that I missed you.

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #188

2009-07-17T17:51:00.005-05:00

Today's Word:
Las Vegas countdown

Today's Picture:

Megan's mom is turning 60. We are meeting her in Las Vegas for her birthday. I have not been to Vegas in a long time. The first time I went to Vegas was to see the Greatful Dead at the Silver Bowl. Dave Matthews Band opened for them. It was about 4 or 5 months before Jerry Garcia died. Glad I got to see him before he died. Or should it be, "glad I got to see him before I died". Either way, glad I saw the Dead in Vegas. We stayed on the strip for 2 nights, then we camped at Lake Mead for 2 nights. It was a fun trip.

I've been back twice since then. I went once on my cross-country adventure. Tiajuana to Keane, New Hampshire... with my sister Jodi. There were cartwheels on the strip, lost wallets and injuries. I barely remember it, but I know I had fun. The most recent trip to Vegas was with Megan's family. We drove from Tucson to Las Vegas in a mini-van. This was while Megan and I were still dating. Pre-engagement, pre-marriage. I drove for most of it. It was the year after 9/11, so crossing the Hoover dam took forever. Security check lines were huge.

Vegas makes me think of three things: gambling, boxing and movies.

The first movie that comes to mind when talking about Vegas is this one...

... so money.

But, more recently, I think of this movie...

... Zach Galifiankis is hilarious.

In Summary: Going to Vegas, been to Vegas, Dead in Vegas.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-07-17T17:50:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules
This is the second of two submitted by Erik Schullstrom. Thanks, again, Schully.

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #187

2009-07-16T17:13:00.005-05:00

Today's Word:
mom jeans

Today's Picture:

In honor of one of my favorite SNL sketches, today's word is "mom jeans".

I did not realize it until today, but guys can wear mom jeans, too. Need proof? Check this out:

That is our president, throwing out the first pitch at the All-Star game, wearing mom jeans.

Besides the high waste and 9-inch zipper, what really makes mom-jeans stand-out: white shoes. Nothing says, "I have pushed a child out of my privates and, therefore, can wear whatever jeans I want" like a pair of high-cut jeans with white shoes. Hell yes, mom, you have earned it.

In summary: the president of America is a southpaw, mom jeans are deserved, guys can wear mom jeans.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-07-16T17:10:00.003-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules
This is the first of 2 entries submitted by Eric Schullstrom for your consideration. Thanks, Schully.

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #186

2009-07-15T16:52:00.003-05:00

Today's Word:
"Best of Austin"

Today's Picture:

It is the time of the year when the Austin Chronicle tries to herd cats. Out of the hotchpotch of opinions that makes up greater Austin, the good people at the Chronicle try to ascertain a "Best of Austin" list. Asking for the "Best of Austin" is kinda like saying, "what is your favorite ice cream". It's ice cream... I love it all.

Nonetheless, they try. Good on 'em.

If you are going to vote, you can do it here. Hurry. Voting ends on July 21st.

Also, if you are going to vote, please consider the following people\places as each of them are near & dear to my heart:

Comedian/Comedy Troupe = Master Pancake
(please vote for Master Pancake... I am hoping John takes me for Bar-B-Q again)
Neighborhood/Dive Bar = Cafe Caffeine
Local Author/Poet = Owen Egerton
Movie Theatre = Alamo Drafthouse
Weatherperson = Jim Spenser
Annual Event = Fantastic Fest
Place to Tube = Comal River
Swimming Hole = Barton Springs
State Legislator = Donna Howard
Emergent Local Filmmaker = Kat Candler
Composer = Brian Satterwhite and Mitchell Westmoreland
Radio Music Deejay = John Erler
Radio Talk/News Host = Mascot Wedding\Mac Blake & David Jara
Unsung Behind-the-Scenester = Scott Chester
Environmentalist = Joe Parsons - he traded his SUV for a hybrid

Wild Card at bottom
Best Iced Toddy Coffee = Cafe Caffeine

If you are reading this and I forgot you: my bad. Put it in the comments.

In Summary: Joe Parsons is an environmentalist, Jim Spenser is the man, vote for Master Pancake so that John takes me for Bar-B-Q again.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-07-13T16:32:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Schully is picking the DNTPAW tomorrow and the next day.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-07-09T17:34:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #183

2009-06-30T11:13:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
Texas weather

Today's Picture:

It is hot in Texas. But today is especially hot. 105. Ouch. These are the worst months to live in Austin: June, July and August. But it is made better by going to Barton Springs Pool. Megan and I plan to do that again this weekend. Hooray.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-06-30T11:12:00.001-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture # 183

2009-06-25T17:42:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
No Way

Today's Picture:

There is no way that Michael Jackson died today. That is unbelievable. The King of Pop is dead. Long live the king.

Very sad.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-06-25T17:41:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #182

2009-06-23T14:45:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
pancake performance

Today's Picture:

I don't understand. Barack Obama with pancakes behind him. Susan Boyle singing. It does not make sense. Yet strangely, I like it.

Last weekend was filled with Master Pancake performances. Joe went out of town for a weekend at the lake. I took his place in the Master Pancake show. The shows were fun... except the last one. I blamed the audience... specifically, David Strong. (I'm kidding, David Strong, I'm kidding)

We also took PugPuggy to the dog park. She picked a fight with a pitbull. She lost. Nothing bad happened (no blood, no stitches), but it was still scary. There is nothing like watching your dog's entire body enter another dog's mouth. I am not blaming the pitbull entirely. PugPuggy is a little instigator. She has a severe Napoleon complex. She has no idea she is little. She thinks she is the boss of everyone.

Sunday night, I played softball. My team did not lose... we took 2nd place... in a 2 team race in which we scored fewer runs than the other team we were playing. Hooray!

In summary: my softball team took 2nd place out of 2 teams, PugPuggy thinks she is the boss, David Strong is to blame for all my comedic short-comings.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-06-23T14:39:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #181

2009-06-19T15:53:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
nothing

Today's Picture:

Nothing to see here. Please move along.

Hooray! It is Friday! Have a good weekend.

I am doing Master Pancake shows at the Alamo Drafthouse this weekend. We are making fun of Sixth Sense. It should be fun.

In Summary: Nothing important in this blog entry, it is Friday, Master Pancake: Sixth Sense... this weekend!

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-06-19T15:49:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #180

2009-06-18T18:09:00.005-05:00

Today's Word:
boston red sox fan

Today's Picture:

Continuing the "I Crushed My Digital Camera, Lost All My Digital Pictures of My Trip, Therefore Photoshopped Myself Into A Bunch Of Crap For Your Entertainment" segment, today's leg of the trip is: Boston!

Boston is a beautiful city. Here is what a picture of Megan and I in front of the skyline might have looked like, had we been standing on a buoy in the middle of the bay:

There are more universities than residents in Boston. Well, maybe not that many universities, but there are a ton. And, unlike Arizona State University, they are REAL colleges that allow people to learn and everything! Here is a picture of me at Harvard:

Damn! I look smarter just standing in that gate with the big red arrow following me around.

While in Boston, we had a lovely dinner with Megan's friends, Ken & Marie. They are wonderful people. I enjoyed our amazing Chinese dinner. Ken, like myself, is a fan of the sport of baseball. He drove me past Fenway Park, home of the Green Monster. It was really cool to see a part of baseball history. I took pictures of it. Had I hit a game-winning home run for the Boston Red Sox, lent my digital camera to the center-fielder of the opposing team and asked the center-fielder to take a picture of me as I triumphantly rounded first base AND then NOT run-over my digital camera with my car, this is what that picture would have looked like:

In Summary: Boston is buoy-licious, opposing center-fielders take pictures of me hitting home-runs in my world, there is a green monster in Fenway Park (don't make him angry).

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-06-18T18:07:00.001-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #179

2009-06-16T17:29:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
Montreal

Today's Picture:

Hello loyal blog readers. Continuing with my "I Crushed My Digital Camera, Lost All My Digital Pictures of My Trip, Therefore Photoshopped Myself Into A Bunch Of Crap For Your Entertainment" segment, today's entry is: Montreal!

After Megan and I left Maine, we drove the rental car to Montreal. It was a beautiful and easy 5 hour drive from Maine to Montreal. The border crossing was very laid back. We showed our passports, they asked questions, we drove through.

Montreal is beautiful. Here is what some of my photos might have looked like had I not destroyed the digital camera. This is a picture of Megan and I jumping off a bridge in our wedding clothes:

We went for a boat ride on the St. Lawrence River in Montreal. Much like Louisville, Montreal became a city because of rapids just upstream on the St. Lawrence River. The current of the river is extremely fast. It is much faster and more dangerous than the Mississippi River. If I had taken an off-centered self portrait with my digital camera of Megan and I on the St. Lawrence picture, this is what it would have looked like:

Before I went to Montreal, all I knew about the city is that

they speak French
they used to have the Expos
they currently have the Montreal Canadians hockey team

This is what it would have looked like if I had a referee take a digital picture of me playing goalie for the Montreal Canadians:

Montreal was beautiful. We stayed in Old Montreal. There were narrow cobblestone streets, delicious restaurants and friendly people. I hope I get to go back some day... but only in the summer. It is damn cold in Montreal.

In Summary: Montreal is beautiful, I did a glove-save, Megan and I jump off bridges in our wedding clothes.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-06-16T17:25:00.001-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #178

2009-06-11T16:33:00.007-05:00

Today's Word:
fake

Today's Picture:

Today starts the fake-photo album of our adventures of the past week.

If you did not read the post below, I broke our digital camera by 1) leaving it on the hood of the car and 2) running over it with the car. It was tragic.

But I have decided to relive our trips to...
Maine
Montrael
Boston
Narragasett, Rhode Island
Austin (with special guest, Haleigh)
... via the magic of PhotoShop.

First, up: MAINE!

Megan and I went to Maine. Here we are in Maine:

Yes, it was beautiful here. The weather was perfect. The people were nice. They were very pro-environment. They put dirt on their roads instead of salt. They love the earth in Maine. I loved Maine.

Megan and I ate lobster. Here is a photo of what it would have looked like had I not run-over the camera with my Tahoe:

Yes, beautiful.

We went to Maine because Megan's cousin graduated from college. Here is a picture of what it might have looked like:

Congratulations, cousin-in-law John. John is off to work for IBM after graduation. He will be working in St. Louis. Hooray for the Midwest.

Megan & I stayed in Freeport, Maine. That is the home of the L.L. Bean company. This is a picture of Megan and I running away from the L.L. Bean Factory outlet in our wedding clothes:

In Summary: We ate lobster, we are scared of L.L. Bean, John graduated from college.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-06-11T16:32:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #177

2009-06-10T23:23:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
broken camera

Today's Picture:

Since I have last blogged, I:

saw the Moore family
watched Megan's cousin graduate
ate a lobster in Maine
drove to Montreal
took a boat ride on the St. Lawrence River
saw Fenway Park for the first time
ate Chinese food with Ken and Marie
partied hard in Rhode Island
watched our dear friends Andy and Mary Ellen in Narragansett, R.I.
saw Michael and John and their 2 adorable adopted children
had a great visit with Haleigh from Seattle

... and I have pictures of none of it.

Why?

I ran over my camera.

Yes. I am a doo-dah. I put my camera on the hood of my car and forgot it was there. We had taken PugPuggy to the dog park with Haleigh. I put the camera on the hood while I was toweling PugPuggy off. She was wet from swimming in the creek. I put PugPuggy in the backseat, pulled out on Texas Highway 360... and CRUNCH! Good-bye digital pictures. We looked for about 45 minutes for the camera, thinking I could at least save the SD card with the photos from all of the above events. No luck. We could not find it. I was crushed.

So I have decided to Photoshop Megan and I into the above scenarios. I am also hoping some of our friends e-mail us pictures of our adventures.

This week is Photoshop week! Hooray!

In Summary: I am a doo-dah, I have no photos from our last 3 weeks, this is Photoshop week!

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-06-10T23:21:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

I saw this person in the Boston airport about 2 weeks ago. Another mildly interesting brush with celebrity in the life of Ben Bartley.

Today

2009-06-09T23:47:00.001-05:00

Today is the greatest. Hooray!

I promise a better blog entry tomorrow. But today. Wow. Today is awesome.

Back to Blogging!

2009-06-05T17:20:00.002-05:00

Hello Party People!

Blogging starts next week. I am back from our East Coast adventures and will post pics next week. Also, next week, a full detailed report of Haleigh's visit to Austin (happening this weekend). Hooray!

Until then...

Ben

Away From Blogging

2009-05-22T01:55:00.002-05:00

I am going to be away from blogging for about 10 days. I will start blogging around June 1st again.

See you after May.

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #176

2009-05-20T21:13:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
too damn busy

Today's Picture:

This morning, Owen & Les e-mailed me and asked me to go to a movie with them... the opening of Terminator Salvation at the Alamo Village. I said, "no, I am too busy".

What kind of a doo-dah am I?

Who cares if I am busy? These are friends! And this is a movie I wanted to see! What is wrong with me? I should have gone. Oh well.

I think that has been a common theme in my life recently: there are more things I want to do than I have time to do. I think I work too much.

Any solutions out there?

In Summary: I am too damn busy, I should have gone and hung out with Les & Owen, I am a doo-dah.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-05-20T21:09:00.001-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #175

2009-05-18T16:28:00.004-05:00

Today's Word:
Rocky IV robot

Today's Picture:

I went to see Master Pancake's Rocky IV this weekend. It is High-Larry-Us. This is one of the most fun Master Pancake's ever. The sketch video (John's idea, my editing) was a hit. My sister Jess gets major props for playing a robot in the sketch.

If you are going to see the show, make sure you do a refresher on the Journey Separate Ways video before you go. I had not seen it in 15 or 20 years. But watching the video made it all come rushing back. I suddenly had the urge to wear a muscle-man T-Shirt and play my keyboard on the wall.

If you are in Austin, please go see Master Pancake's mocking of Rocky IV. It is the American thing to do.

In Summary: Jess is an excellent robot, Master Pancake's Rocky IV is hilarious, I want to wear a muscle-man T-Shirt.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-05-18T16:28:00.001-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #174

2009-05-15T16:24:00.004-05:00

Today's Word:
happy dog

Today's Picture:

It is Friday. And I am a happy dog. It has been a short week, but I am pooped. I am happy this week is over. I feel like PugPuggy in this picture...

... except my teeth are not as jacked-up as PugPuggy's teeth.

Last night, I stayed up until 2 AM finishing-up a Master Pancake video for their Rocky IV show which starts tonight. I am not in the show, I just made the video. Megan watched it this morning and said, "this is the most entertaining thing you have made". How about that?! The sketch video was John's idea. I just DP'ed and edited for him. It was fun to make. My sister Jess is in it twice... once as an Alamo employee, once as a robot.

If you want to see the video, you can check out Master Pancake at the Alamo Drafthouse any Friday or Saturday for the next 3 weeks. You can get tickets here. Mac, David, John & Joe are sure to rock Rocky IV. This movie has everything you could possibly want in a movie: boxing, a robot, montages, communism, heavy-handed political messages from Sylvester Stallone, more montages, Drago, more training montages, more flash-back-to-previous-Rocky-movie montages, Apollo dies... this movie has it all.

In Summary: It is Friday, I am a happy dog, Master Pancake Rocky IV is going to rock.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-05-15T16:23:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #173

2009-05-14T16:03:00.007-05:00

Today's Word:
Jess Zach Pug Puggy

Today's Picture:

Jess is my youngest of 3 sisters. She lives in Milwaukee where she works for Americore. Zach also lives in Milwaukee where he is a law student at Marquette. Jess and Zach have a band called One Small Step. They are awesome.

Jess and Zach went back to Milwaukee yesterday. I had a blast with them. Here is what we did...

tubing on the Comal River
took PugPuggy to the creek
saw 3 movies (Star Trek, Earth & Observe and Report)
filmed a Master Pancake sketch
played (or watched) a softball game
went to 2 outlet malls
went to IKEA
went to Barton Springs
went to the Blanton to see the "Birth of Cool" exhibit

... so I am pooped. The visit was so fun. I was really sad to go back to "normal life". I am having a hard time adjusting at work. I just want to hang out on my back porch with my sister again.

Here is a picture of four people sitting on a 3-person couch...

... we took this picture at Megan's office. What did we do before the timer shot?

Here is a picture of Jess and Zach at Bull Creek. PugPuggy loves to swim in Bull Creek...

... that was the latest I had ever been to Bull Creek. We left just after sunset and it was getting dark.

We hung-out on the porch a bunch. This is what it looked like from a small squirrel's angle...

... if you are a squirrel, PugPuggy is HUGE!!!

One more picture of 2 of my favorite people in the world (and 1 of my favorite pugs in the world):

In Summary: Jess and Zach are awesome, I am pooped, PugPuggy's head is HUGE to a squirrel!

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-05-14T16:00:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #172

2009-05-08T16:32:00.002-05:00

Today's Word:
Jess

Today's Picture:

So my sister, Jessica, is in town this weekend. I Google-Image-Searched her name and, low and behold, some strange couple comes back. Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel - never heard of them.

Jess brought her boyfriend... no, not Justin Timberlake... Zach. Zach is like Justin Timberlake in that he is a law student at Marquette. Wait, that is nothing like Justin Timberlake. Nevermind. This is confusing.

Jess & Zach are from the winter-wonderland of Milwaukee. Milwaukee is like Austin in that they both have a Bartley child living within their city limits. Also, in that respect, I must type this sentence: Plain City, Ohio, is a lot like Milwaukee and Austin. There is a sentence I never thought I would type.

I am going to have a blast this weekend. Expect blog entries the middle of next week as I am going to take a couple of days off next week.

In Summary: No blogs for a few days, Justin Timberlake is like Zach... except different, Plain City is like Milwaukee and Austin.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-05-08T16:29:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #171

2009-05-07T18:00:00.004-05:00

Today's Word:
Pac-10 pug

Today's Picture:

Wow. How does Lorenzo Romar look like a pug?

This is a Pac-10 pug:

Yes, Megan graduated from UW, I went to the UA. We are a Pac-10 family. From her facial expression, I am guessing PugPuggy does not like hats.

In summary: Lorenzo Romar is a pug, Megan graduated from UW, PugPuggy hates hats.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-05-07T17:58:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #170

2009-05-06T16:08:00.007-05:00

Today's Word:
"fun in waco"

Today's Picture:

Megan & I went to a wedding in Waco last weekend. Megan's friend Holly got married. Waco is home of Baylor University. It was also the home of David Koresh. I had no idea what to expect, so I did not expect much. And, ooo-wee, did Waco exceed my low expectations... barely. Because I set my expectations low, I was pleasantly surprised by Waco. I would not want to live there, but it was not as bad as I was expecting.

First, we visited the Cameron Park Zoo.

The zoo was amazing. Besides the Singapore Night Zoo, this is the coolest zoo I have ever attended. We were greeted by a couple of white monkeys (they have a real name that I can not remember). They were making these crazy sounds. They were defending their territory. It was unreal. They were going "WoooooooOOOOOOOp" and "Weeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooo!!" It was wild. Here is a picture:

I also saw a jaguar. The jaguar made extended eye contact with me. It was unnerving. Even though it was covered by a net and a cage, I was intimidated.

Then we saw this thing. I think I saw it on a Disney cartoon or something. It reminded me of PugPuggy.

I saw buffalo (yes, buffalo, not bison) eating hay.

We also saw sharks.

I was really impressed with the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco. It was very natural and the animals seemed happy. Except for a crazy bear who was swimming too close to the glass. And the Lion... it looked bored.

Next, we visited the Dr. Pepper Museum. Waco is the birthplace of Dr. Pepper. I did not know that before I visited Waco.

We did not go into the museum, we just went to the gift shop and the old-time soda fountain. We ordered an original recipe Dr. Pepper from the fountain. It was served out of a tap and tasted delicious. It was made with real cane sugar. It reminded me of a Mexican coke.

Finally, it was off to the wedding. I had so much fun at Holly's wedding, I forgot to take pictures. But this is a picture of Megan and I in our wedding gear.

On Sunday, we drove through Salado, a nice small town between Waco and Austin.

We stopped for lunch at the amazing Monument Cafe in Georgetown, TX. It was incredible. I love the Monument Cafe. If in Georgetown, TX, eat at the Monument Cafe.

In Summary: Waco - not good, not bad, just Waco; Holly's wedding was super fun; I like original recipe Dr. Pepper.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-05-06T16:06:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #169

2009-05-04T14:57:00.004-05:00

Today's Word:
Megan's birthday dinner

Today's Picture:

Google, you mysterious, magical image searcher. A couple of questions:

Are these kids old enough to be talking on a cell phone?
Are these kids old enough to be eating sushi?
Are these kids old enough to drink?
Which one of these kids is Megan?

So the above picture was not taken at Megan's birthday dinner. But this picture was:

That is Megan and I after her birthday dinner. The food was amazing.

In Summary: Kids should not have cell phones, kids should not eat sushi, Megan had a birthday dinner with a handsome guy in a jacket.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-05-04T14:54:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #168

2009-04-28T19:53:00.005-05:00

Today's Word:
Smitty's Bar-B-Q

Today's Picture:

My friends, Darrell and Jen, came to Austin last Wednesday. Loyal blog readers may know Jen & Darrell for their combined dominance of my "Name This Person and Win". Jen is especially adept at naming-that-person-and-winning. She has mad skills. Mad skills.

Darrell and Jen are from Tucson. Darrell and I met in college. We were both RAs. We were both home brewers. We were both avid Arizona Wildcat athletics fans. Darrell and I have an impressive streak of traveling long distances to see our team lose. So far, we have watched our beloved Arizona Wildcats lose in:
Eugene, Oregon
Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Madison, Wisconsin

I am sure there are many more trips in our future... I just hope the Wildcats can win one. I am confident the problem is not Darrell and I being at the game. At least I hope that is not the problem.

Despite being a curse to our athletic team, Darrell met me in Austin last Wednesday evening. He was going to his cousin's wedding in Dallas and decided to fly into Austin first. He arrived late Wednesday. We ate Rudy's Bar-B-Q and drank beer on the porch until 1 AM.

The next morning, we went tubing. But this was not just any tubing trip. Darrell turned 34 years old on this tubing trip. Technically, he turned 34 the entire day... not just during the tubing trip. Nonetheless, we spent Darrell's birthday here:

The beautiful Comal River in New Braunfels, Texas. We rented tubes from Texas Tubes and floated the river with a cooler of beer.

Here is a picture of Darrell, Jen & I after the float and a few beers. Notice Jen & Darrell's official Ben Bartley Fan Club T-Shirts (a wedding gift from yours, truely):

I know you are super jealous of those bad-ass T-Shirts. I KNOW you are jealous. Or at least I like to tell myself that you are jealous of the Official Ben Bartley Fan Club T-Shirt.

After an awesome tubing trip, we dropped Megan off at her car in San Marcos (she had meetings back in Austin). Then Darrell, Jen & I headed to Lockhart, Texas. Why did we go to Lockhart, Texas? One reason:

Smitty's Bar-B-Q. Smitty's is consistently ranked in Texas Monthly's top 5 Bar-B-Q joints in Texas. Rightfully so. This was not so much a Bar-B-Q joint as it was a meat mecca.

Here is Darrell and Jen before we entered:

What do they serve at Smitty's? HOMEMADE WIENERS!!!

Do you think I would pass a sign that said, "HOMEMADE WIENERS!" and not put it in my blog. I am a 34 year old man, with the mind of a 12 year old boy. Yes, I giggled when I saw the sign. My first thought was, "If you're going to make wieners, you better make them at home."

The first place you go in Smitty's is to the meat counter. The meat counter is directly in front of the smokers. These are not fancy, industrial smokers with timers and thermostats. These smokers are like a giant chimney. Brick. Fire. Meat. If Smitty's is a cathedral, here is a picture of the alter:

Next up, it was time to order. I did not want to appear to be a rookie. I looked at the menu and confidently ordered: "A pound of ribs, a pound of fat, 3 hot rings".

They yelled out my order for the chef. I then sheepishly said, "This is my first time to Smitty's, was that a good first order? Did I miss anything?" The lady smiled and said, "you did just fine."

Indeed I did.

I can not begin to describe how happy this food made me.

Next stop: meatsville.

Vegetarians, I apologize for this next picture. Prepare for your visual hell. You may just want to scroll down past the next picture.

Here goes...
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... yummy.

Here are three full people:

If you have not been to Smitty's, come see me. I will drive to Lockhart any day of the week and eat there with you. It is about 45 minutes from my house, straight down 183. This is not so much a restaurant as it is a religious-meat-experience. I can not describe it. We just have to go. God clearly loves Lockhart, Texas.

I was not only fascinated by Lockhart's Bar-B-Q. I was also taken by its architecture.

Here are some store fronts of downtown:

This is the Caldwell County Courthouse in downtown Lockhart:

Beautiful, eh?

After leaving Lockhart, we stopped by Central Market in Austin to pick-up Darrell's birthday cake:

No offense to the good people of Central Market, but compared to the Bar-B-Q, the cake just did not cut it. Next time I celebrate Darrell's birthday, forget the cake: I am getting him birthday Bar-B-Q. Ribs that spell out "Happy Birthday" on a pile of Brisket.

We capped the night by a walk around downtown Austin. Here are Darrell and Jen, silhouetted by the Texas Capitol at night.

It was a good trip. I was glad they came. I hope they come back. Screw that, I hope they move here.

In summary: meat is a religion in Lockhart, Darrell's birth took place on the Comal River, I ordered a pound of fat at Smitty's.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-28T19:52:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #168

2009-04-24T16:30:00.007-05:00

Today's Word:
awesome week

Today's Picture:

So far, this has been an awesome week.

It started Sunday night with Megan's birthday party. We partied like rock stars. Here are some people who made it:

It continued with a visit from my friends, Darrell & Jen, from Tucson, Arizona. I will save that info for later.

In Summary: Megan's party rocked, Scott Chester loves lambs, Darrell & Jen stories - coming soon to a blog near you.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-24T16:26:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #167

2009-04-17T16:02:00.004-05:00

Today's Word:
"Megan's mom"

Today's Picture:

Megan's mom is coming to town this weekend. That is not her in the picture above. This is her in the picture below.

She is the one holding the glowing-eyed dog.

Megan's mom is coming to Austin for the first time in a couple of weeks. She flies in on Saturday and flies home on Monday. It should be a fun-filled weekend.

In Summary: Megan's mom is coming to Austin, she holds dogs with glowing eyes, fun is ahead of me.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-17T16:01:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #166

2009-04-16T17:42:00.005-05:00

Today's Word:
Schully

Today's Picture:

My buddy Schully was in Round Rock, TX, last night. He was scouting for the Hiroshima Carp. Schully is a friend of mine from Japan. Round Rock is a suburb of Austin and home to Dell computers. The Carp is a pro baseball team in Japan. I have explained enough in this paragraph. Time for a new one.

The guy in the picture above is not my friend Schully. This is:

Schully drank more back then. Now, he drinks less.

Schully was watching players from the Omaha Royals, a AAA team of my favorite team: the Kansas City Royals. We started talking about Saturday Night Live's digital shorts. One of my favorites is this one:
http://www.idkwtf.com/videos/latest-videos/dear-sister-snl-digital-short

I did not know it, but this Digital Short is based on this scene from one of Megan's favorite shows, The O.C.:

Schully - you should move to Austin. If you do, I will buy you one soft serve ice cream.

In Summary: Round Rock is a suburb of Austin, Schully is a scout, move to Austin and I will buy you a soft serve ice cream cone.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-16T17:41:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #165

2009-04-15T17:15:00.004-05:00

Today's Word:
"PhD Jodi"

Today's Picture:

Congratulations to my sister, Jodi, for finishing her PhD today. She sent a text message saying, "Done! Doctorfied!"

Jodi is 2 years younger than me. She finished her undergraduate degree 4 hours before I finished mine. She walked through her graduation at 9 AM... mine was 1 PM. She definitely flew through the Masters & PhD... basically, Jodi finished before I started trying.

Jodi had the unenviable task of being my little sister. Here are some facts that she may or may not want me to share with you:

She played the baritone
She once had a mullet (and I had one, too, thank you)
She once pierced her nose

That is enough. My purpose of this blog is not to bring fashion skeletons & high school skeleton's from Jodi's closet. Plus, I know she knows things about me that I do not want publicly known... for example, I had 2 Cabbage Patch Kids. DAMN IT, I did it to myself!

The purpose of this blog entry is to celebrate my studious sister, Jodi.

Quick, Jodi, do something studious!

My sister holding a laptop, a clear sign of studious-ness.

Jodi - congratulations, I am super proud of you.

You are now a proud owner of a brand new, 2009 PhD!!! Hip hip...

In Summary: Jodi is my sister, I had Cabbage Patch Kids, laptops make people smart.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-15T17:14:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #164

2009-04-14T16:51:00.006-05:00

Today's Word:
Greaster

Today's Picture:

Monday evening marked the third annual Greaster celebration.

What is Greaster?

I found out via Google image search that it is Grease Meter Control Valve. I read the description here... but I am still confused.

Greaster is also the holiday I celebrate with friends on the Monday after Easter. Greaster has few traditions and fewer rules. One rule is that you must leave without saying good-bye. It is harder than it sounds. When it is time for you to depart, you stand-up and walk out. Another Greaster tradition: greasy food.

This year, Greaster was celebrated at the sacred gathering site of Waterloo Ice House on 38th and Lamar. Greaster was celebrated by the following good denizens of Austin:

To quote Scott Chester and many-a-lame-yearbook-caption, "A good time was had by all".

What do you have to say, PugPuggy?

Indeed. A very happy Greaster to all.

In Summary: Greaster is celebrated on the first Monday after Easter, Austin has denizens, PugPuggy wears ridiculous costumes for my entertainment.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-14T16:49:00.002-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #163

2009-04-10T15:38:00.008-05:00

Today's Word:
dog tricks

Today's Picture:

Best... dog... ever.

PugPuggy, can you bring me a beer?

I don't want a kangaroo. I would rather have a beer.

What tricks can you do, PugPuggy?

Not, bad. Not bad at all. What else?

That is pretty good. What else can you do?

PugPuggy, don't stalk me.

PugPuggy, that is very creepy. Don't stare at me from a distance.

Ooooo, the silent stare, very creepy.

PugPuggy, why don't you come close to me.

Yes, too close. Your breath smells like you have been eating out of a dumpster.

In Summary: PugPuggy can not (yet) bring me a beer, her breath smells like a dumpster, the silent stare is the creepiest of all stares.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-10T15:37:00.000-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #162

2009-04-09T17:43:00.003-05:00

Today's Word:
Brrrrruuuuuuuuuccccce!!!

Today's Picture:

I saw my first Bruce Springsteen concert last Sunday night. I have been tired all week. I am not a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. I don't own any CDs, I have not downloaded his songs from iTunes. But still, I like his music. He is a part of my childhood and definitely part of the American conscious.

My friend, Pat, and his wife, Cynthia, are huge fans. Pat learned to play the piano so he could play Springsteen songs. Here is the lovely Pat and Cynthia:

We accompanied Pat & Cynthia & Cynthia's cousin and her husband to the Bruce Springsteen concert.

It was awesome.

I was really, really impressed. He puts on a great live show. The crowd shouted "Brrruuuuuuuuuuuuucccce!!!" a few times. It was funny. It sounded like boo-ing at first. Then I figured it out. Bruce slid around the stage actively, unlike the 59 year old man that he is. He was very, very high energy.

There were a few things I loved about the show:
1) he took requests... all requests were his songs (ofcourse). People passed their requests on giant pieces of poster board or gum wrappers. He even took a very old request (I forgot the name... Sherry Darlin', I think).
2) he almost forgot his own songs and I don't think the band knew some of the songs they were playing. I think he was playing a song called "I'm A Rocker". I think the band was giving each other hand-signals and yelling at each other to figure out which key it was in. I am not 100% sure, but I think I heard Bruce say on microphone "A"... which I think he meant, "the song is in A"! It was awesome. I really appreciated the spontaneity and having the confidence to do something that they had not practiced.
3) "Hard Times". He did a cover of an old Stephen Foster song. It was absolutely beautiful and very moving. The entire band sang. I think it was my favorite song of the show.

I was surprised how many of the band members I knew by name. Max Weinberg, Clarence Clemons and Steven Van Zandt (from the Sapranos) are all people I could name by full name. For me not owning a CD, I was shocked that I could name half the band.

It was a really good show. I felt like I was part of music history that night.

In Summary: Bruce Springsteen rocked, Stephen Foster is old, Brrruuuuuuuccce is easily confused with boooooooooo in a large arena.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-09T17:41:00.001-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #161

2009-04-08T18:35:00.004-05:00

Today's Word:
"Polynisian pug"

Today's Picture:

To find this image, you must misspell the word, "Polynesian". Replace the "e" with an "i" and, BAM!, sleeping pug abuse!

As reported last Friday, we went the the pug luau this weekend. It was a blast. Right, PugPuggy?!

PugPuggy, are you saying "hello" or "good-bye"?

We ran into our friend Blake and she introduced us to our new friend, Weston. Weston is passionate about film-making, too. We dorked-out about HD cameras. It was fun.

In Summary - Ben can not spell Polynesian, PugPuggy says both hello and good-bye, I make my dog wear leis.

Daily "Name This Person And Win!"

2009-04-08T18:34:00.001-05:00

The first person who names the person in this picture wins a hug from Ben!!!

Rules

Google Image Search: Word & Picture #160

2009-04-03T23:53:00.003-05:00

Today's Word:
pug luau

Today's Picture:

I have always been weird. I was born that way.

I asked my mom what a "dick" was at age 5. I thought professional wrestling was real long after I knew Santa did not exist. I was a mascot in college and in Japan. I am a Kansas City Royals fan. I am weird.

But more proof is needed that I am weird: I belong to the Austin Pug Club. Not only do I belong, but I attend the functions.

This weekend, we are going to the pug luau. Yes, the pug luau. Pug owners bring their pugs, put leis on them, dress them in Hawaiian shirts... it is embarrassingly fun. For one Saturday in Austin, Don Ho becomes re-incarnated in the form a four-legged, heavy-breathing, flat-faced, curly-tail potato of fun.

This is what it looks like:

Oh, I am embarrassed for myself.

You see, I never wanted a dog. Megan wanted a dog. I wanted Megan to be happy. But now that I have a dog, I can not imagine life without a dog. PugPuggy is a blast. When I leave Austin, I miss my dog. I thought only crazy people would miss their dog...

... oh, wait: I'm crazy. Damn.

This weekend is the Austin Pug Club's Pug Luau. I am going. I am going to have a ball. I will take pictures and post them next week. Have a great weekend.

In Summary: I love my dog, I love the Kansas City Royals, I am weird.