As a boy things were pretty rough at times. Before we moved down to Taylorsville, GA our family home was a 2 room cabin in the hills of Big Creek. Our running water was a spring out front, our heat was a pot bellied wood stove, our bath a 50 gallon washtub and a bathroom that was as big as all out doors.

The military was a slice of heaven to me.

You learn to adapt. I don’t begrudge those things above, in fact in someways I miss them. I miss the cold mornings warmed by a cup of coffee listening to nothing but the trees and naught but Charles Dickens to keep me company. I miss the simplicity, and the quiet. I miss the peace. We were “off the grid” before there came to be such a concept. In those days “off the grid” just meant “poor”, but you couldn’t tell us that.

I spent the evenings after home work lost in Robinson Crusoe, As I Lay Dying, and Go Down, Moses.  You didn’t need electricity for books.

In many ways I have often considered that song to be a story of me. The cabin is gone now, my father has built his own house on the property. It’s been a long hard road for us. Trials and tribulations. I have a education I thought I would never get, and I am still traveling that road. My daughter does not lack for things to have, and truth be told is probably spoiled.

I have a few regrets, who doesn’t? Some dreams lost to the wayside. I have made many mistakes in my youth, as we all do.

So it goes c’sera sera, or as my grandfather would say: De reir a cheile a thogtar na caisleain. It takes time to build castles.

The year is almost over and the new year solstice will be celebrated, as it should be with friends. Consider me with you in spirit. Try to think of the good things that have came your way, find grace in the things you could not change. Most of all have a Happy New Year, from all of us at Registered Evil. We are thankful to have you, dear readers, among our friends.

Tags: Happy New Year, Home, irish, New Year, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sharecroppers Dream, Solstice, Tecvhnorati, Thankfull

Last night possibly the worst storm in 29 years rolled through the south east.

More than 200 people are dead across five southern states following what the National Weather Service is calling the deadliest wave of tornadoes since 1974.

Five southern states — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia — are reporting fatalities, with officials reporting at least 141 dead in Alabama and eight in Virginia.

Tornado riping through Alabama

This storm barely missed my town of Smyrna, and we were lucky.  Too many people lost their lives, and I struggle to find a reason for it.

Last night around 8:00, I started getting ready for the worst.  Mind you, I am rarely uneasy about storms, but this one seemed different.  It was just so hot and humid outside, and with a violent thunderstorm on its way, I knew this is what breeds tornado’s.  Unfortunately little else is known about why tornado’s strike with very little warning.

Fear sunk in as I watched the radar and the swirling red and yellow approaching, it was very sobering as I looked around our humble home and chose which of my valuables to save.  I packed a couple bags, of course the diaper bag for the baby with diapers and a change of clothes, milk, and juice.  Then I looked to our personal valuables.  I packed our firebox with priceless jewelry, some files, birth certs and marriage licenses, social security cards.  We took our baby’s book which had all the first memories, first hair clippings, and my computers and backup hard drive.

While looking at our bags, and got ready to start taking them down to the neighbors basement, I wondered how many by daybreak won’t even have these few things left.

Every time I hear of a storm, virtualy just wind and rain, 2 of the things that supply life, that is taking lives I have to wonder….

Why does this happen? How is it that 2 of the most important things that sustain human life kill so many people?

Bloodspite said it best when we talk of tornado’s, “They are the literal Finger of God”

I pray for the families that lost loved ones and of the families that lost their houses and businesses, nothing left to do now but to pick up the pieces and move on….

–v00d3W

Tags: America, death toll, Finger of God, Registered Evil, Severe Weather, Technorati, Tornado, unanswered questions, violent storms

That’s right my friends, I have not only found my daily cigar, but the perfect combo.  Here it is:

CAO Brazilia Gol and a brand of Birch Beer only available up north:  Weis.

How I came up with this killer combo?  When I enjoy a nice cigar, I like to have a beverage with me to keep my mouth moistened, and my palate clean.  This past weekend, I was headed out to the porch to savor my newly found favorite moderately priced stogie, when I went to the fridge, I noticed I had nothing worth drinking, then I spotted my wife’s stash of Weis Birch Beer, and figured “what the hell, I’m, an adventurer”  and out I went.

I fired up my cigar, and took a few puffs, then opened the can, and what ensued was a barage of flavor, and distinct enjoyment.  The flavors of both the soda, and the smoke combined in what I can only describe as an erotic dance.

Now if you will excuse me, I am off to find a distributor of the Birch Beer, as I live in Georgia, and not up north.

Till next time, Happy Smoking.

-v00d3W

Tags: America, Birch Beer, Brazilia, CAO, Registered Evil, Technorati, Weis

Hello, this is the long lost soul.  I have been a stranger here, but I finally have a chance to breathe.

A lot has happened in my absence, and here is a brief update.

First and foremost, my son started walking, and forced me to lock all the cabinets in the house, as he appears to be a little terror already.  Another  thing he has started doing is shaking his head no…I wonder where he got that one from.

Another new event is the introduction of yard work to my weekends.  For the first year of our marriage, we lived in an apartment, and there was no outdoor maintenance there.  Now that we are in a house, and the landlord said to me “Do whatever you want to with it, make it your own, paint walls, take down doors, and rip up shrubs if you want, we dont care…”   Yea, I have done all of that, even remodeled the kitchen a bit 

With that said, I have taken out all of the shrubs, and tiny trees that were making the front yard look like a bit of a jungle, and constructed 14′ flower beds on both sides of the porch, and the wife and I have planted about 40 flowers in there.

One of the most noteworthy ventures of late, is that I have quit smoking cigarettes yet again, and have repleced them with fine cigars.  The little one is starting to mimic everything I do, and I dont want that to be one of the things that he starts because he saw me doing it.

Aside from all that, I have been extremely busy at work, as I have made the move to an IT position in my growing company, it keeps me very busy.

Well, thats all the updates for now, stay tuned…

-v00d3W

Tags: America, changes, Home, IT, Life, Registered Evil, Technorati

I first wrote this back in 2007 at Techography. With Calimus’ help I have dug it from the archives and republished it here, in 2010. Enjoy. -BloodSpite

Now that I’ve learned a great deal about Northern Ireland, there are things I can say about it: that it’s an unhealthy and morbid place, where people learn to die from the time that they”re children; where we’ve never been able to forget our history and our culture-which are only other forms of violence; where it’s so easy to deride things and people; where people are capable of much love, affection, human warmth and generosity. But, my God! How much we know how to hate! Every two or three hours, we resurrect the past, dust it off and throw it in someone”s face.

-Betty Williams Northern Irish Peace activist, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

It”s almost time ye see.

Time to dust off the green carnations, the Erin Go Bragh pins.

Time to remember, and time to celebrate.

It has been said, albeit sometimes bitterly, that Ireland’s best exports were her son’s and daughters. But they have kept the faith, however Americanized. Little Ireland, poor and underpopulated, with it’s humble patron Saint unknown in the rest of the Christian world causing all the fuss one day a year on a day in March.

Saint Patrick’s Day in New York is the most fantastic affair, and in past years on Fifth Avenue, from Forty-fourth Street to Ninety-Sixth Street, the white traffic lines were painted green for the occasion. All the would-be Irish, has-been Irish, and never-been Irish seem to appear true-blue Irish overnight. Everyone is in on the act, but it is a very jolly occasion and I have never experienced anything like it anywhere else in the world

Brendan Benhan Brendan Benhan”s New York

My grandfather used to joke.

“Do ye know what St Patrick’s Day is in New York?”

My grandfather moved south to Georgia, the mountains of the time in the North of the state wild, to escape the lack of jobs and the No Irish Need Applysigns that plagued him upon his arrival to the land of milk and honey.

“No Grandpa.” said I, the youth and unknowing. A babe in the woods. ” What is St Patrick’s Day in New York?”

“St Patrick’s Day In New York is the day all the factory owners on Fifth Avenue watch their employee’s parade in the streets.” he roared, laughing at his joke that took me years to understand.

Englishmen, Scotchmen, Jews, do well in Ireland- Irishman, never; even the patriot has to leave Ireland to get a hearing.

George Moore

Each day of the Weekend, for the rest of March I will supply some tidbits on life in Ireland, stories my family has past to me, both of their time in Armagh, and upon their arrival here in the US.

I hope that you will See St Patrick’s Day to be more than just a time for green carnations, green beer and music. I hope you will see just what it means for those of us who are Irish, in America.

Thus when you raise your green glass, to your mates and your friends, and you hear the words of every lasses lover in the lyrics of Danny Boy, you”ll have a tear in your eye and your heart, for a people who at once are ready for anything, and prepared for nothing, and proud just the same.

Tags: America, Armagh, Being Irish, Ireland, irish, Irish American, March, St Patricks Day, Technorati

Hello, sorry I haven’t been posting in quite a while, work has me slammed.  I just wanted to post some pictures of my new antique dresser, I have found that I like new clothes, and old furniture.  After all, I am living in a house that was built in the 20′s.

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Tags: Antiques, furniture, Golf, Registered Evil, Technorati

Let me start by saying, I love my dad, but he drinks coffee like it is the only thing keeping him alive.  My wife and I received a coffee pot for our wedding shower, that was just over a year and a half ago.  My dad recently came up with mom and stayed at our house for a few days.

The coffee pot did not survive.

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Tags: Coffee, Coffee Makers, Georgia, K-Cup, Keurig, Mr. Coffee, Random, Registered Evil, Technorati

Just got my ®Evil shirt in the other day, and in case you are wondering how nice these fine products are:

Well, they just look incredible, as will you, so stop on by our shop, and check out all the awesome products we have!

-v00d3W

Tags: Evil Store, Evil Wear, Registered Evil, Technorati

A few for my many friends in Georgia, currently snowed in. Here’s hoping they visit the site more often and this brings them some smiles while they mop the floor repeatedly as their children tromp in and out of the house.

The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball.

Doug Larson

Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.

Matt Groening

Skiing consists of wearing $3,000 worth of clothes and equipment and driving 200 miles in the snow in order to stand around at a bar and drink.

P. J. O’Rourke

We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand… and melting like a snowflake. Let us use it before it is too late.

Marie Beyon Ray

Tags: Doug Larson, Friends, Georgia, Marie Beyon Ray, Matt Groening, P. J. O'Rourke, Quote, Quote of the Day, Snow, Technorati

I wanted to post something for Christmas, as that is my holiday of choice for this time of year.  I could find nothing cooler to post than the first pictures my son (11 months old) had made with Santa!  So without further ado, here they are, Enjoy!

This is one of two professional photos taken by Santa's Staff....

This is the second professional picture.

More after the jump….

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Tags: America, Believe, Christmas, F*** Quanza!, Jesus, Registered Evil, Technorati

(I wrote a similar story at Techography a number of years ago. Unfortunately the database back up does not have it so we presume it must have been lost when our then hosts Database crashed back in 2003. I have done my best to recreate the story here. Sadly memories fade over time, even a memory as strong as I feel mine is. I hope I did the original story justice as it was well received at the time.- BS)

Lloyd C. Bain. My Great grandfather. Taken around 1976

My mothers grandfather was a big man, even by todays standards. Standing over 6ft 8 inches tall, the former bulldozer driver was a product of the North Georgia Mountains and the Depression. He once frightened one of my mothers suiters so badly by merely shaking his hand the boy would not speak to her until after they graduated and she had moved out. That was almost 4 years later. I recall his hands being the size of a dinner plate nearly, and though I was very small at the time, compared to even most adults, including my own father he was a mountain of a man.

He lived in Blue Ridge Georgia, until that faithful day in 1988 when he left this world, at the age of 97. It took 8 men to carry his coffin. He was a lean, strong, sturdy rock of a man. I miss him dearly. He was my mothers hero, and mine as well at a young age.

Today when a person speaks of hunting a Christmas tree they go to a farm, where numerous trees are gathered and bound, cut and leaned against a fence.

At home we went walking in the woods, looking for a suitable evergreen, be it pine, cedar or even hemlock.

And so it was on this particular day, the season of the last Christmas I would spend with my great grandfather of whose name I bear as my own middle, he summoned me to his side for us to capture a tree for the family.

More after the jump

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Tags: Arvil Stanley, Blue Ridge, Christmas, Christmas past, Clayon Stanley, Ellijay, Family, Fannin County, ghosts, Gilmer County, Glenn Bain, Home, Lloyd Bain, North Georgia, South, Stories of Home, Technorati

Hello Folks, sorry I have been inactive for a while, havent had much to write on, and actually, I still dont    so here are some pictures of what Christmas looks like in my neck of the woods.

2000 lights, and a Deer Family in the yard

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Tags: America, Christmas Lights, Grizzwalds Lights, My Home, Registered Evil, Technorati

The Armorer was kind enough to do a post on my Uncle. Which in turn led me to thinking about stories involving him, which are numerous.

One of the better ones, at my expense, I posted there. Because I’m lacking in creativity currently and still tired quite frankly I figured I’d repost it here.

My Father and uncle spotted a hornets nest on a tree limb that looked abandoned while we were riding on the back of the Stover Mtn.

My Uncle thwapped it solidly with a stick and pronounced it empty. He cut down the hornets nest, and promptly chucked it in to the backseat with me.

I must now deviate and explain a few things. First it’s February, and we are in a 1968 Volkswagen cut down for off-roading. Being the youngest I was assigned to the backseat.

So here I sit, with my feet practically in my pockets, and with a hornets nest in my lap.

Off we go back down the mountain when it starts: The buzzing.

I am convinced the damn thing is full of hornets. The buzzing continues. I casually mention the fact that I have no desire to be eaten alive by a horde of angry hornets. My father tells me he has little doubt in my ability to escape them should their be any inside.

The buzzing continues.

My Uncle Charlie mentions that maybe the heat in the Volkswagen might be stirring them up. I stare at him in what I presume to be horror. He shrugs and nonchalantly says “They hibernate in winter and I may not have thwacked them good enough with the stick. Could be full of them.”

I am near panic.
I stare at the nest on my lap, as the buzzing continues.
Then out of nowhere a single hornet lands on my jacket arm that is outstretched to hold the “oh-shit!” handles in the back.

I screamed like a 12 year old girl and proceeded to climb over my Uncle and practically out the window of the moving car.

If you have ever ridden in the backseat of a 60′s model VW you know what this had to entail

My father screeches it to a halt, by which point I complete my Dukes of Hazard-esque escape and land on the grounding rolling in the late snow and mud while smacking at myself for all I was worth with my hat as if I were on fire when I hear something else.

I look up to see both my father and my Uncle laughing absolutely hysterically.

An expert game caller, Charlie had been making the buzzing sound. And he had picked up the hornet, along with several others, off the ground when he cut down the nest. He threw the batch at me and the one had landed on my arm while I was staring at the nest in rapt attention thinking I was going to be eaten alive.

He’d sprayed the nest with Raid 2 days earlier, which is how they knew where it was and felt certain it was empty.

I had been, most effectively, had.

Tags: BloodSpite, Family, Funny, Hornets, Nest, Ouch!, Stories from Home, Technorati, Volkswagen

When I was 12 he walked in to our cabin with an Ovation guitar, and a gallon of Canadian Mist whiskey. He took the bottle cap off and flung it in to the night and with a trademark smile said “Lets play some music, fella’s!”

I have never forgotten that.

He was my Aunt Betty’s husband. A joyful, fun loving man who had a love for life and music I have never seen in another person in my years. Always quick to smile, shake hands, offer help, advice a comfort.

He would play, my Aunt Betty would sing in one of the most haunting voice I can recall.

He almost collapsed when at my Aunt Betty’s funeral. I cried, as much because I had never seen him cry before in my life, as for her loss.

He pulled me aside one day after a playing and told me “Son you have a gift, that none of us have. you can do anything with your hands your music. Keep at it, I have no doubts we’ll see you at the Opry.”

The way I ended up there is not the way he thought, or I thought. My ability was not as good as i or he thought, but I never had the courage to tell him that because I believe it might have broke his heart if I told him I had given up that dream. He always knew, we just never spoke of it.

He had a stroke a few years ago. He was losing himself in his body. He was not the man I or anyone else.

His service will be held at the church my grandfather was honored at, interred in the same graveyard as the others of my family, in a building my family built.

The ties that bond in Northern Georgia are strong, and deep.

He was one of the few people I visited every time I went home, without fail. I loved him.  My fathers compatriot, my inspiration, a man who would give you the shirt off his back and then play you a tune.

Today my world is a little less bright, as one of the brightest souls in my world has went out.

And once again the damn Road keeps me from going home, and my heart cracks a little more.

Mr. Charles B. Marshall age 74 of Stover Mtn View, Ellijay died Tuesday November 30, 2010.

Mr. Marshall was born on October 7, 1936 in Middlesboro, KY. He is the son of the late Charles Berwin Marshall & Mamie Lucas Marshall. He is preceded in death by his wife Betty Stanley Marshall. He was a warehouse manager and a veteran of the United States Air Force.

Survivors include: Sons and daughters-in-law: Kenny and Joyice Marshall, Waleska, Danny and Beckie Marshall, Ellijay, Ronnie and Anne Marshall, Ellijay; Sister: Jean Ann Cantwell, Johnson City, TX; Brother: Bill Marshall, Wichita Falls, TX; Grandchildren: Lance and Levi Marshall, Tiffany Reichert, Bethany Marrott.

Funeral services will be held Saturday December 4, 2010 at 2pm from the Pisgah Church of Christ. Interment will be held in the Pisgah Church of Christ Cemetery with military rites by the North Georgia Honor Guard. The family will meet with friends Friday Dec.3 from 3 until 8pm at the funeral home.

Flowers are accepted or donations may be made to the Pisgah Church of Christ cemetery fund in memory of Mr. Marshall.

Bernhardt Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Well, I know there’s a lotta big preachers that know a lot more than I do
But it could be that the good Lord likes a little pickin’ too

Tags: Charles Marshall, Ellijay, Family, Funeral, Georgia, Home, In Memoriam, North Georgia, Personal, Stories of Home, Stover Mountain, Technorati

My Dad and I hold this song between us.

I got a lot of E-mails and Facebook comments with my rendition of Glory to Georgia. Couple of folks didn’t know I played.

I don’t…play well that is. I have a bad habit of repeating rifts over and over especially if I am singing.

My Dad, the man who taught me? He plays and does so semi professionally. If you like bluegrass you can see him on youtube as well.

But music has always been our bond.

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Tags: Big Creek, BloodSpite, Bluegrass, Dad, Dirt Road Rascals, Ellijay, Family, Georgia, Grandpa, Guitar, Music, SEBA, Technorati

My dignity shredded.
My ego lie in tatters.
I have been splattered across the Internet for the world to point and cackle at.

My only hope is that my perverse brand of sarcasm managed to salvage a moral victory from my destruction.
Which given my bizarre inclinations…… it probably didn’t.

A lesson dear friends, in gambling with people you consider close: It just ain’t worth it.

Here is the proof of my transgressions, as I am a man of Honor. Unfortunately, that is all I have left after this little charade.

General Neyland, be merciful when I get there sir.

In other news, I’m betting V00d3w didn’t think I’d have the balls to do it

Now if you will excuse me, I consider this good grounds to finish my last bottle of Green Spot.

Want to sing along?
Here are my “modified” lyrics…

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: bet, BloodSpite, Football, Gamble, Georgia, Glory be to Georgia, Go Dawgs!, Go Vols, NCAA, Registered Evil, SEC, Technorati, v00d3W, Video

Here it is folks. The moment we have all be waiting for. Who will sing what? Will I end up singing Glory Glory? Or will v00d3w have to cough up a version of Rocky Top? In just a few hours, the answer will be known.

When I did my first video yesterday I wasn’t really satisfied with it.

While I am far from being the Ridley Scott of Internet video’s, I do take some pride in my work, and I want it to be at least semi enjoyable to watch. It is hard to come up with video’s however when most of your clips are having to be used over and over. Contrary to popular belief there is not a wealth of footage thats usable. Once you convert it loses some of the image, when when it gets converted again it loses so more, and it doesn’t take long to become a blur instead of a nice crisp video.

That said, I felt I had to do a better job on the video. The first one, just was not up to par with what I wanted.

So here is the new video, and I hope a good improvement upon the last.

Side note if anyone has some video footage from Tennessee games they would like to share, please drop me a line at staff -at- registeredevil.com

GO VOLS! BEAT GEORGIA!

Tags: Bulldogs, Dawgs, Go Vols, Go Volunteers!, Motivation, Registered Evil, Technorati, University of Georgia, University of Tennessee, Video

Personally, the worst fans for me have always been LSU and Arkansas fans.

LSU fans are just plain rude. Practically criminal.

Arkansas fans, are crazy. You have 50% of them who are your normal average every day fan. The other 50% are liable to hire an airplane with your name on it. Or run you out of town. Or subpoena your cellphone records.

However Georgia fans…can be…special.  Very special.

You know its bad when the school President asks the fan base to behave. So bad in fact that the school has even threatened to revoke ticket privileges.

Having only been to a handful of Georgia games I can’t vouch for UGA games and while I have nothing but disdain for UGA I love my quasi home state. However, I’ll also be the first to say that most Georgians are…passionate…of their causes.

All of this said I’m seeing more and more remarks that the Georgia fan base is..shall we say…uncouth? rude?

It for sure doesn’t help your case when other countries find you to be a rude fan base.

So help me out here Georgia fans. What do you think?

Rude? Passionate? Uncouth? All the Above?

Tags: Bulldogs, Football, Georgia Bulldogs, Go Dawgs!, NCAA, SEC, Technorati, UGA, University of Georgia