Hey Chris!! You have made me rationally happy!! I feel so cut off up here, Its great to know that I have been to at least one place Mike has. Too big for me though I get freaked out too close to four lanes. Sad I know.

I am a sissy, I have longjohns, and boots just a little too big so I can fit those big thermal socks in them. Not too long ago I decieded that I live in he11. Ive seen 117 degrees (yesterday) and -77. I'm still trying to figure out how the homsteaders survived. By the way Chris where in general are you?

Yay! Fargo who knew.

April

Hi April

I live north of Fargo. In Canada, Winnipeg to be exact.


chris


Oh and I can handle the cold, it just the heat that's getting me today. I went outside to mow the lawn and changed my mind. (way to hot and to many Mosquitoes for me) Even the kids and the dogs don't want to be outside.

Well Hello to everyone sorry I took so long to do another post but you know how it goes I had to wait till the house was quite quiet, before I could work. I hope you enjoy these.



You simply MUST watch this weeks show. The memories of your childhood area about to come rushing back.

Mike
Posted 08-07-05 09:53 PM



If you can find a slaughterhouse that is willing to give a camera crew access to it's inner workings, I'll do all I can to make a segment. Putting that kind of footage on the air would get the country talking about the realities of the agri-business in a meaningful way. Personally, I've been in such places myself, and can't say I've enjoyed them. (My personal pleasure of course, is not a priority of Dirty Jobs.)

Unfortunately, from what I've seen, most such operations would shun the publicity. And I seriously doubt Discovery would allow it to air.

Mike
Posted 08-13-05 11:23 AM



For the record Randy, that's not my gut...

Mike
Posted 03-21-07 12:09 AM



"Funny Learning" is about the highest compliment you could pay the people who make DJ possible. Thank you very much, and please thank your boyfriend as well, for fighting through the nausea and hanging tough.

Mike
Posted 08-04-05 01:37 AM



I have no satisfying answer to your first question. Someone, somewhere has determined that certain things are just too disturbing for you to see. I dont know who this person is or how their mind works. Perhaps one day, televisions will come with blurry screens, and no one will ever have to worry about ever seeing anything objectionable. Till then, it is what it is.

As for the sterility/dirty issue, trust me - the inside of a horse, blurry or not, is a fairly dirty place.

Mike
Posted 07-27-05 11:43 AM



Thank you.

Yes, there are a few places I would not go. But mentioning them here would only result in the Network asking me to go there.

They monitor my every move...

Mike
Posted 08-04-05 12:10 AM



Thanks for the kind words, and forgive the brief reply. I'm currently off the coast of MA, shark fishing, and rather exhausted.

If I knew the exact date of premiere, I'd tell you. I think July 26th, but don't hold me to it. Thirteen episodes have been ordered so far, God help me. We're currently shooting number 8. And yes, the network is threatening to advertise. Thanks again for watching.

Mike
Posted 06-12-05 11:52 PM



At my current rate of detoriation, I should be chunky and bald by early Spring.

Where will you be then?

Mike
Posted 08-12-05 11:39 AM



The following words appear in this thread.

bald, chunky, censored, hooked, adorable, demographic, Cher, brain, chicklet, Kinsey, candy, play.

You guys are all right.

Mike
Posted 08-13-05 04:09 AM



I'm glad you like the show, but concerned that I'm keeping you up past your bedtime. Proper rest is very important to a healthy lifestyle. Take it from a guy who hasn't slept in four months.

Please, watch responsibly.

Mike
Posted 07-30-05 01:36 PM



The rodeo clown is actually a possibility. And I do enj6y a good fair.

Mike
Posted 08-12-05 01:17 AM



Dear q4061

In spite of the fact that you're typing with mittens, I believe I have deciphered the basic crux of your observation. You seem disappointed in the networks decision to air a program like Dirty Jobs, and maintain that by doing so, they only stray further from their prime directive - to educate viewers.

I cant speak for the network, but I can assure you that Dirty Jobs is positively bulging with useful facts and information. In fact, I would challenge you to find ANY sixty minute program with more factual information than one hour of Dirty Jobs.

Now, that doesn't mean Dirty Jobs is any good, or even worth watching. It just means that if you do watch and your not careful, you're liable to learn something...

Tanks four washing,
Miek
Posted 07-29-05 02:18 AM


Dear Myth,

While I remain uncertain about the effects of poor spelling and incomprehensible grammar on a child's matriculation, I would concur that many environmental influences can and do have a powerful influence during the formative years. Certainly, a parent must lead first and foremost by example, and I shudder at the prospect of Q's children appearing in the local spelling bee.

However, I fully support Q's right to avoid programs like Dirty Jobs, boycott Discovery, or throw his/her television out the window. Parents have a the right to create an environment for their kids that reflect their own values and standards, even if that means growing up in The Tower of Babel.

Hopefully, the buttons on Q's remote control will pose a lesser challenge than those on his keyboard.

Mike
Posted 07-30-05 12:43 PM



Giddyup!

We at DJ love the stable, and all that comes with it. In fact, the very first segment we ever shot was the now infamous horse insemination escapade. And next week, I hang out with a blacksmith - an experience both dirty and humbling.

Perhaps if there is a season 2, we'll stop by your place with a pitchfork, and help out with the spring cleaning.

Mike

N
Posted 08-18-05 12:03 AM



Indeed. The vagaries of programming, the nuances of content, and the ever-shrinking attention span of an untrustworthy public have conspired to vex greater minds than mine.

Look for more science in later segments, along with more character development, and more visits to the always fascinating world of animal husbandry.

Mike

PS While Strangers in the Night has worked well for the collecting part, I've found that the actual insemination works better with Love is a Many Splendored Thing, or Lady. (Kenny Rogers, not Styx.)
To each his own...

Mike
Posted 08-08-05 03:23 AM



Petty jealousy is so unattractive.

Mike
Posted 08-10-05 02:14 PM



Dear mike rowe is a god of all things on tv,

I appreciate your commitment to television, in particular, to Discovery programming. Anyone who watches 5 episodes of Drydock back to back is a person of refined taste and descriminating style. TLC and I thank you.

As for other Discovery narrations/voiceovers, please see American Chopper, American Hot Rod, Southern Steel, Powertool Drag Racing, Scavengers Rock (Animal Planet), and Deadliest Catch.

Narration is a respite from the on-camera crucible of Dirty Jobs. I enjoy it very much, and rarely have to shower afterwards.

Mike
Posted 07-05-05 12:05 PM



I sincerely appreciate your comments.

For whatever reason, there are very few opportunities in television for people to actually be themselves. Discovery has given me that opportunity, and the things you like about the show all come that unusual freedom. Dirty Jobs provides an unusual combination of interesting facts, memorable characters, and the rare opportunity to be a sacrificial lamb instead of a host.

I've never been prouder to publicly puke.

Mike
Posted 10-09-05 01:31 AM



Well said. It's always been my opinion that a bicycle helmet should only be worn when riding a bike. Assuming of course, the helmet in question actually fits, which mine of course did not. It was also suggested to me, by the veterinarian on site, that the horse's somewhat hasty "performance" was partially due to the appearance of my unusually large head jammed into a woefully small and brightly colored apparatus.

Under similar circumstances, I too would find such a sight distracting.

Mike
Posted 08-03-05 11:39 PM


Sold.
Now, I'll need a volunteer...
Posted 08-06-05 12:24 AM



I like this thread, and I think I like Vic.

He actually makes a really good point about the counter-intuitive effects of "over-promotion." It is I'm afraid, a sign of the times. With hundreds of channels to choose from, and devices like TiVo becoming commonplace, networks are now officially desperate for every single viewer they can get. Historically, aggressive promotion is a key ingredient to viewership. For networks like Discovery, the pressure is especially intense, since their number of new series is relatively low. Consequently, they have less content to promote, but just as much time to fill.

New episodes on cable networks are not only promoted excessively, they are repeated at a much higher rate that the major broadcast networks. Personally, I don't think think that's good for a series. But what do I know?

I suspect that Vic would be just as upset if he saw a show that he actually liked, (and wanted to watch,) being shamelessly over promoted. Unfortunately, he's made his point around a show that he hasn't yet seen, on a site frequented by fans of the show.

Without making excuses, I'll just point out that cable and broadcast are different worlds, and both capable of annoying their viewers in a variety of diverse ways.

Mike
Posted 10-08-05 02:21 PM



Thanks.

I have great respect for my elders, and generally find their taste to be impeccable. See you Tuesday.

Mike
Posted 10-09-05 12:56 AM



Thank you Big Bubba.
Thank you very much.

Big Mike
Posted 09-07-05 01:23 AM



I used to seriously consider writing for TV, but never got around to it. I have written various things for various publications, but nothing for television.

I am however, the same Mike Rowe who went to Egypt for Discovery. IMBD just got it wrong.

Mike
Posted 09-13-05 12:44 AM



Christina

Downunder,

An angry Koala is no laughing matter. Please inform the petting zoo that new episodes will commence next Tuesday, the 27th, and run for 6 weeks thereafter. Without sounding too dramatic, you may expect to see me covered in hot tar, and then pinned under a 60 ton house.

Ash,

While I would in fact lie to you under certain circumstances, I am not doing so at present.

Spock,

You're assessment is uncanny in its accuracy. No one really expected anyone to watch a grown put his arm in a horses bottom. And yet, here we are...

Strange days indeed. Most peculiar.

Mike
Posted 09-21-05 08:06 PM

Chris,
Thanks for this selection of Mike's funny past posts.
He certainly was sassy wasn't he.

grasshopper

Hi

Well I was going to post since I finally got some sleep and what should happens Brie (my oldest daughter) bought a new laptop and moved all her stuff to the new one. Now everything is missing. I have to wait till she gets up but she will be finding all my stuff and returning it to this computer. I don't even have any bookmarks or favorites. (I can't find anything) Even my games are missing, no this is just to unfair.

chris

I need more coffee, and some meds I am not dealing with this to well.

You're a hoot, Chris. Thanks for all you efforts on digging up the old posts.

Susan

"You're a hoot, Chris. Thanks for all you efforts on digging up the old posts."

Thanks Susan

I always loved Owls. You don't think I'm just a tad obsessive in my old age do yah??? (knowing that Mike must think I'm heading for stalker status)

chris

To much sleep is also not so good, the kids got out of control, the house looks like a tornado hit it, and I may never feel normal again.(not that I ever was) Heading for yet another coffee. (I may never catch up on everything that has happen here in the Mudroom in 2 days)

Hi, sorry it to so long for a new post but having to fight 5 people for the computer is not easy(but if you pull rank sometimes you win). An having 2-14 year olds (anthony and cory) sitting on the freezer and bugging me just for the sake of bugging me (that and they hope if I get annoyed enough, I will get off the computer for them to use it). I finally learn how to use photobucket, today. That was interesting to do. Todays post includes the word lazy and sleep. I hope you enjoy.



Here's what we know so far.

Some suspect I color my hair, some do not.
Some would be surprised if I did, some would not.
Some would be disappointed if I did, some would not.

Clearly, after three pages of comments, it's obvious that we have stumbled upon a topic worthy of serious discourse. Therefore, I will weigh in.

The only thing I do with my hair is cut it and wash it, not always with consistent or appropriate frequency.

Usually, a barber does the cutting. His name is Frank, and he charges nine dollars. For an extra five, he'll throw in a shave. I give him twenty, and tell him to keep the change. I'm cheap, but not with tips, especially when a man is holding a straight razor.

At home and on the road, I'll use whatever shampoo is handy, more often than not, regular soap. I don't use conditioner. I don't rinse and repeat. I just rinse. Repeating is a waste of time. Repeating is a waste of time.

I don't dye my hair. I don't see the point. I guess if I thought I'd like myself better with different colored hair, or more hair, I'd take steps to make that happen. Maybe one day I will. But if that day ever comes, I can only hope that my true friends will push me off a bridge.

I don't dye my beard. On those occasions when I have one, it is usually a reflection of laziness. If I'm too lazy to shave, as is often the case, you can rightly assume I'm too lazy to make my stubble change colors.

I brush my teeth often, because I rely upon them more practically than I do my hair. Both will probably fall out eventually, but I'd like to keep the teeth for as long as possible. I do not artificially whiten them. I floss daily.

I don't think it's unhealthy to want to look your best. I just think it's silly to let someone else decide what that means.

Meg wrote, "Mike cares about how he looks, and I for one can tell."

I'm curious to know what has lead Meg to that conclusion. I don't dispute it, but I wonder how you are able to determine such a thing from what you observe on a medium that relies so heavily on perception and illusion?

Mike
Posted 09-09-07 05:25 PM



Well, deep down, I'm a lazy clean-freak, so my issues are manifold.

I'm kidding of course. My only gripe is the schedule. It's like being forced to eat 5lbs of food at one sitting. It doesn't really matter that it's your favorite food.

Mike
Posted 01-01-07 05:28 PM



Hi Karen

Glad you like the show. No need to apologize for being lazy. In fact, your laziness has rubbed off onto me, and I now find myself too tired to do much more than thank you for watching.

Mike
Posted 01-10-07 02:28 AM



With all due modesty, the real Dirty Jobs outtakes are in fact, hilarious. Unfortunately, they will never air on Discovery, as they are not in keeping with the image the network wishes to convey. There is little I can do about that. It is after all, their sandbox. However, failing to include added material on the DVD's is just plain lazy, and a decision that I have been critical of before.

Mike
Posted 04-23-06 12:21 PM



I sleep when I'm tired, which unfortunately, is usually during taping.

No plans to get through Nashville on this trip - currently at The Madewood Plantation in Napoleanville. Nice. Headed out to an oil rig. Not nice.

Mike
Posted 11-07-05 12:32 PM



Any hair that leaves my body will do so under the forces of time and gravity.

Wax, especially in a highly heated form, has no place on me.

mrowe
Posted 10-27-05 09:57 AM



Not really. Im just enjoying the fact that Dirty Jobs has no requirement for make-up, hair stylists, or wardrobe. It simply does not matter how bad I look.

Mike
Posted 01-29-06 10:28 PM



As a matter of policy, I make a point to always hold the door for the person behind me, pay the toll for the car behind me, and hold the hair of anyone barfing in my vicinity.

It's just basic manners.

Mike
Posted 10-14-06 03:39 PM



I like to think that I am not terribly self-conscious about my appearance. I don't wear make-up, color my hair, or conceal scars.

I do brush and floss however, at least twice a day.

Mike
Posted 04-30-07 02:31 AM


Holly - how could I forget the original princess of fire?

It is tempting, very tempting, to revisit many from Season 1 & 2. Personally, there is nothing I'd enjoy more. Professionally though, I'm wary.

Going back to see Don and Bill was great fun and good TV, but to be honest, I was not a supporter of the idea. Here's why. After 150 segments, we have come to a place where jobs and themes are beginning to be repeated. It's was inevitable. However, the one resource we have no possibility of ever exhausting is people, and it seems a little lazy on our part to simply revisit those who have already been featured. So, I resist these efforts. I am not so opposed though, that I can't live with the notion of being outvoted by my friends at the network and in production, which is the case here.

In my opinion, the best way to revisit old friends, is in the context of a special - a cruise for instance, preferably on a filthy barge, where we can check in and catch up in a different context. That would be fun to do, and fun to watch.

I know of no plans to see Don again, and heard no rumor of owl vomit in my near future. Alligators however, are coming back, in a fairly big way.

Mike
Posted 05-06-07 03:59 PM



Dearest Ash

When the self-appointed president of a mythical fan club starts asking questions, I answer.

1. Tomorrow night is a new episode. Incredibly, I'm not exactly sure what's on it. I just narrated the thing last week, and I can't even remember. I am falling apart. I think there's a segment about making cheese in Vermont. And maybe, a segment about collecting volcanic ash and mixing it with the special mud used in upscale Calistoga spas. I think I get naked in that one, but I could be wrong. We've shot 54 of these things since March, and it's now just one big, dirty blur. I don't even know what the third segment is. Forgive me.

2. Time zones are no big deal. The date line can be a problem, but we rarely cross it on this gig. Honestly, I can say that I've done at least 10 segments on no sleep at all. Most of the others on 4 to 5 hours. I'm all about the nap.

3. I don't have nightmares, mainly, because I don't sleep enough to dream. If I did though, the ostriches would no doubt have a staring role. As for post traumatic stress, no again. There have been too many jobs in too small a time period for me to be tormented by one particular trauma. They blend, and the amalgam is too huge to assimilate. Years from now, I expect to wake up screaming, with a facial tic, and the ability to communicate exclusively with a hand puppet.

I will now address "the littlest fan", in a separate reply.

Mike
Posted 10-10-05 11:39 PM



christina


placing earbuds in my ears and listening to music, so I can catch up on the mb, hope the kids don't destroy the house in the next hour or so. Thinking about starting in on that bottle of wine (really could use it) but I'm cooking ribs for dinner and all the fixings, not a good thing to do drunk. (maybe one or two glasses won't hurt me)

After "skimming" these forums for the past few days, I must say this is by far my favorite, and arguably the most useful (for noobs like me) thread in the Mud Room. Fab job, Dahling!

-M

[quote]. I don't have nightmares, mainly, because I don't sleep enough to dream. If I did though, the ostriches would no doubt have a staring role. As for post traumatic stress, no again. There have been too many jobs in too small a time period for me to be tormented by one particular trauma. They blend, and the amalgam is too huge to assimilate. Years from now, I expect to wake up screaming, with a facial tic, and the ability to communicate exclusively with a hand puppet.~Mike[/quote]

Christina,
I think this is one of my favourite quotes of all time from our Mikey.
Sadly though, someday I too will suffer from this very affliction....I've got symptoms.

grasshopper

It's funny. A lot of TSA employees watch the show, and several have run from my bag as it goes down the conveyor belt. Can't blame them.

I haven't checked a bag in years.

Mike
Posted 01-22-06 03:57 PM



It works like this Meg.

The computer's on. I'm nearby, paying a bill, talking on the phone, whatever. I stop by the site. I scroll down. I click randomly, and fire off an answer.

It's not so much about setting time aside, as filling in the cracks. There are always cracks.

Mike
Posted 08-23-06 12:19 AM



I don't know who is responsible for the pop-up thing. My Apple seems to block such annoyances, but no matter. I have contacted my friend Floyd, the crawfish guy from Louisiana. He has agreed, with Rad the Hot Tar Roofer, to track down the offending party and dispose of him/her in the Atchafalya Swamp.

I do not know if this will remedy the problem, but it should make you feel better.

Mike
Posted 01-05-06 01:32 AM



Howdy

Grabbing a catfish by the mouth with your bare hand may or may not be harmless, and a 40lb catfish may or may not hurt when it bites you. But real noodling involves a lot of variable and tertiary risk, to say nothing of the Law of Unintended Consequences. In other words, the catfish are not alone down there. Many other creatures live in the mud - creatures that are full of teeth and toxin. Those things worry me to no end.

Mike
Posted 02-10-06 02:58 AM



Much obliged.

My own college days are a little fuzzy, but from what I recall, worthwhile. These days though, distractions abound, and Davis, while a fine institution, is frought with temptation. Don't succomb. Watch only Dirty Jobs. Study hard. Party on the weekends. Don't rely on the Internet too much, and always leave the seat down. Regards to your roommate.

Mike
Posted 03-06-06 10:08 AM



Hi Everybody

Just wanted to thank you all for the kind words and ongoing support. Dirty Jobs is kicking butt, (mine especially), and I'm grateful for your continued interest. Unfortunately, I won't be able to answer any questions for the next few days. The shooting schedule is crazy - I'm currently in The Colorado Rockies - and headed to Maryland for what looks to be a brutally hectic week. I'll check back as soon as things settle down. In the meantime, thanks again for watching, for writing, and for bringing a little sunshine into crappy hotel rooms across the country. See you Tuesday.

Sincerely,
Mike
Posted 10-12-05 11:29 PM



The shoot schedule varies. In general, every other week is spent on the road. Additional projects however - Shark Week, Egypt Week, Deadliest Catch, and preexisting commitments fill in the blank spots. Not to mention preproduction and post production responsibilities on Dirty Jobs.

None of this is worthy of your sympathy. Dirty Jobs is a hit. I love what I do, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do it. But the anatomy of a successful show is often surprising. For me, it's a bit like setting out to run a hundred yard dash, and told ten feet from the finish line that I was actually in a marathon. A sane person would slow down. The model wont allow it.

Mike
Posted 12-27-06 02:34 PM



Fantastic question.

My initial response is the variety of raw sewage that I've been exposed to, submerged in, and engulfed by. But for sheer, unmitigated horror, the answer is turkey. Not the fluid from a turkey, but the turkey itself, decomposed, composted, and left to break down and rot in a sweltering Texas poultry shed. Like a complicated receipe, a turkey that gets overdone in the compost process reduces itself like an an expensive sauce in a complicated receipe. It is literally cooked on a microbial level in mounds of its own poo, and then left to ooze from the wooden slats designed to contain the thick, pasty mess. What I first believed to be muddy puddles were in fact pockets of liquified poultry that had decomposed beyond the point of worthwhile compost.

A liquified turkey has the consistency and color of brownish-beige jello on the verge of hardening. The smell is unholy - a combination of rotten poo, fresh blood, decomposed flesh, and the subtle notes of ammonia from all the attendant pee. If you jump into a puddle of liquid turkey, it will spatter, and you will make enemies of those around you. But unlike poo, liquid turkey will never come out of your clothes. There is some kind of bonding agent that allows it to become a part of whatever it touches.

I stood in it for several hours, destroying my favorite boots forever.

Mike
Posted 02-13-06 03:35 AM



Excellent question Jennifer, and a fine analysis by bluechild.

The biggest commonality between the two has to do with false expectations. With Ostriches, I immediately defaulted to Swiss Family Robinson - big loopy birds being happily ridden down the beach by happy-go-lucky shipwreck victims. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

With Monkeys, I went back to Lance Link and Curious George - good-natured, diaper wearing primates that represent all simians. Wrong again.

In terms of stress inducement, there was very little difference between the two animals. Once their true natures were revealed, true stress (mine) was close behind. The bigger difference had to do with being in another country, cut off from civilization. That was significant, and more serious than the piece related. Chris was in worse shape than we knew, and came within 36 hours of losing part of his leg. Hopefully, in a future special, we can deal with the specifics of that dilemma in greater detail. For now, suffice it to say that ostriches are more dangerous, but monkeys more stressful.

Of course, Chris might have another opinion.

Mike
Posted 08-30-06 02:00 AM



Hi Kate

First of all, "pretentious" is a pejorative term, and usually used to accuse or insult someone who is deliberately putting on airs, or attempting to pass themselves off as being more enlightened or informed than those around them. If that's what you meant to say, that's cool (I can take it), but I wonder if that was really your intent, since you've said it's "not a bad thing." That's confusing. Pretension is always a bad thing, in my opinion. And "diction" I believe, does not refer to the written word, only to the spoken. No matter, I think I take your meaning, and my answers to your question are several.

1. Mainly, I like language, and find it kind of boring when people limit themselves to using the same words over and over. Communication and expression are about more than merely being understood, in my opinion.

2. I like contrast. The idea of quoting Yeats while sexing a chicken is funny to me. So too, is the notion of responding to a three year old as though he were a college professor. It may perplex the three-year old, but others might find it amusing, and this is after all, a public forum. (Likewise, it's fun to talk to college professors as though they're children.)

3. I notice that many people who are given the chance to speak to a broad audience wind up talking down to them. Newspapers are written on an 8th grade level. Newscasters address us like we're idiots. Show hosts read to us from prompters and cue cards as if they think we might not notice. People, especially in groups, tend to live up to the expectations put upon them. Personally, I prefer to be talked up to, rather than down to.

4. I get bored. Most of the questions here have been asked and answered many times. Mixing up the responses with fancy talk amuses me, and allows me to answer the same questions over and over. Besides, predictability blows.

As for politics, no. Never. And Discovery, to my knowledge, does not have a journalism department.

But they sure as he11 have a legal department.
Oy!

Anyway, your observation/question/accusation was unique. I appreciate that.

Mike
Posted 07-23-06 08:36 PM



Hi Alison

Couple years ago, I came through Madison for a dirty job. I'll never forget it. Met a guy named Les, who drove a honey wagon and cleaned septic tanks. It was a tough day that left us all fairly haggard. After the shoot, I ran into the sister of a girl I knew from my CBS days in San Francisco. I was right down the street from the main campus, and she and a bunch of her roommates were moving into the dorm. They had a ton of furniture, so the crew and I helped out. Afterwards, they invited us to hang out and have a beer. We did. Other students came by, and before long, there was a full-fledged party raging throughout the entire wing. I don't know where everyone came from, or how the kegs materialized so quickly, but it was an impressive feat of speed and organization that rivaled Delta House. At one point, I looked around and realized I was twice as old as everyone else in the room. Worse yet, I smelled like sewage. Under other circumstances, the realization might have been sobering, but amazingly, no one seemed to care, and I was too far along to feel sorry for myself. So, I proceeded to pretend that I was twenty-two again.



Three days later, I was well enough to get on a plane and fly
home.

I survived the septic tank, but the girls of Madison very nearly killed me. So thank you Alison, but no, I wont be calling.

Mike
Posted 12-12-07 07:20 PM



I couldn’t sleep so I thought I would just make another post

Christina



Had a good one today.

Slept in. Jet lagged from TN trip, so it felt especially good. Lay in bed. Beethoven and Debussy in the background. Fooled around. Made coffee, read the paper. Then, Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. Building is being painted, and currently wrapped in some sort of mesh. Keeps the light out. Nice. Answered some email. Worked on the novel. Walked down the street for a late brunch. Drank mimosas. Several, in fact. Staggered back. Fooled around some more. Made a fire. Friends coming over later. Considering further fooling around, but not optimistic. Reading some Demille. Answering you guys. Hi-Los in the background. More mimosas. Etc.

A very civilized Sunday.

Mike
Posted 11-05-06 08:31 PM

This is still a great thread, Christina. I don't know how you do it, I honestly don't!

But thanks for doing it.

Kim

I hate when this falls to page two, all I want to do then is post another post. But I am just to tired, think I will just read the mb, then watch an old movie hopefully then I will be able to sleep.

chris

your welcome Kim

This thread seriously needs to be sticky!

The world is full of people who think they know better, and for many reason, shows like Dirty Jobs flush them out.

Don't get sucked in - the only people who are qualified to judge the actual circumstances of that sludge pit, (or the roach house), are the people who were actually there. Knowsbetter, in spite of his chosen moniker, does not. And however genuine his concern may be for me, my crew, The American Worker, and the victims of Katrina, it's hard to look past his obvious delight in passing judgement on strangers and scolding the victims of a monumental tragedy.

Knowsbetter has made a number of incorrect assumptions about what actually occurred that day, but setting the record straight will not put his mind at ease. In fact, I think it would disappoint him to learn that I was in no real danger, and that tv does not always present the entire story. I would however, like to assure the casual reader that even though the work at the sludge pit was dangerous and difficult, the men of Keystone had my back every step of the way.

Respectfully,
Mike
Posted 09-03-05 04:02 PM



Isa,

I will preface my answer by saying that I am an idiot, completely undeserving of much of the good fortune and blessings that have come my way. Consequently, my advice should, as a matter of policy, be immediately discarded.

That being said, the key to serial monogamy is really quite simple. Forget what you think you know about fidelity, specifically, the widespread belief that you can be "cheated on." You can not. To believe otherwise is the beginning of victimhood, in my opinion. I believe the only word you can break is the one you give, and therefor, the only one you can cheat on, is yourself.

The trick of course, is to put a greater value on your own integrity, than you put on the feelings you have for another, and then, to find someone who values their word more greatly than they value your feelings. That's hard, because we all want our mate to put us first. But that let's us off the hook, and is precisely why we so often disappoint one another. We look outside ourselves for unconditional trust, before we hold ourselves to the same standard. It's a shortcut to happiness, and as my grandfather used to say, shortcuts lead to long delays.

Trust will always be a leap of faith, but serial monogamy will always be a decision, not a feeling, or an expression of trust. Ergo, the decision to be faithful has nothing at all to do with the way your partner feels about you, or the way you feel about them. Said another way, monogamy, serial or otherwise, is not an act of of love. It's an act of self-respect.

You may now wonder why, having found such a like-minded person, I remain single.

Please reread paragraph 1.

mikerowe

PS All serial monogamists like to get dirty.
Posted 10-16-05 05:08 PM



As our thoughts turn inward, our guts fly outward. Why is that?

Personally, I believe in a world of consequence. Newton’s Third Law says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The same is true I think with interpersonal relationships – without the equal part. The consequences of dealing with each other are not covered by mathematical theorems – they are determined by the individual, and individual results may vary.

All of us enter relationships with expectations, hopes, and needs, all of which are constantly evolving as we change. Infidelity, racism, emotional cruelty, these are all part of the human condition. How do we confront them? Do we condemn? Do we ignore? Does it depend? Are we doomed to an ever-changing code of situational ethics? In short, yes.

Richard Wagner was an anti-Semite. George Washington owned slaves. Martin Luther King cheated on his wife. What can you do? We all have feet of clay, and we all disappoint, and a world without forgiveness is a world of mutually assured misery. However, there is always a price to pay when we fail to hold people accountable for their actions. Always, always, always.

I believe that people want to live a Just world, and Justice=Consequence. We want criminals to go to jail. We want good Samaritans to be rewarded. We want fair play. And we want the people we love and admire to live up to our expectations of who they are. Fortunately, those expectations are completely up to us.

Unfortunately, those expectations are completely up to us.

Mike
Posted 06-04-06 03:48 PM



I believe the poem is called Crazy Jane Talks to the Bishop. If memory serves -

A Woman can be proud and stiff
When on love intent.
But love has pitched his mansion
In the place of excrement.
For nothing can be whole or sole
that has not been rent.

Now, finish your beer.

Mike
Posted 08-17-05 02:44 AM


I firmly believe that any member of the human race should insist that his or her partner also be human.

But then, I'm old fashioned.

Mike
Posted 04-13-07 01:55 AM



Thanks.

If there is a greater indicator of universal acceptance than a group of 18 year old women validating my efforts, I've yet to experience it.

(Where were they 20 years ago?)

Mike
Posted 01-01-07 09:18 PM



It is the fleeting nature of the acceptance, that defines the appeal.

Remember, I have issues.

Mike
Posted 01-01-07 09:57 PM



Hi Speed

I watched last nights episode in a bar with some old friends from Evening. Very nostalgic. The catfish segment was shot in Oklahoma. I point this out because Noodling is illegal in Tennessee, and we at Dirty Jobs are committed to following all local laws and and customs. For the most part.

Mike
Posted 08-10-05 12:03 PM



Yes, it's a hard road, being a pig.

Mike
Posted 08-12-05 01:31 AM



Hi

Check out the Q&A and Bio sections on the site. As for the sex symbol thing, I really don't know what to say. I'm a 43 year old guy covered with slime, sludge, sweat, mud, and other people's poo. Thanks, and to each his own...

mrowe
Posted 10-27-05 10:23 AM



Thanks you ladies - I'm flattered.

The last time I got a letter from a 13 year old was 1975. Her name was Susan Torrence, and she was my square dancing partner in gym class. Do they still teach square dancing? No matter. She told me I had nice eyes, and one day, she let me hold her hand on the way home from school.

I never really got over that.

Mike
Posted 02-04-06 06:54 PM



You're welcome.

The producers/hosts of every radio show have access to all the info on this site, and many use it to guide their questions. (Some of your actual questions have been repeated to me on the air.) As a rule, most hosts assume their listeners are hearing about DJ for the first time, so the questions become pretty predictable. Typically, I'll do 20 or so interviews back to back. (To keep myself from falling asleep, I'll try to vary the answers. But for the most part, it's the same old stuff.)

Mike
Posted 02-06-07 09:12 PM


There's an old parable that you're probably familiar with, that involves three blind men and an elephant. As you may know, the blind men approached the elephant together, a creature they had never before encountered, and laid their hands upon it. One touched the trunk, the other touched a tusk, and the third grabbed the tail. Afterward, they all described the elephant, based only on their own limited interaction with it. Naturally, none of their experiences complimented or confirmed the others.

I don't recall if any of them expressed "major disappointment" at not having the exact same experience as the others.

But it would have been funny if they had, don't you think?

Mike
Posted 12-27-06 02:20 AM



Hi Everyone

So sorry this took so long to post, I’m having a very strange day. I was suppose to drive the DH to work at 5 am so I could have the car today (I promised the son I would take him to buy a new bike today) but according to the DH when I called him to take him to task for not waking me he informed me he did wake me but I was rude and threw a pillow at him and to quote said “leave me alone I’m sleeping go to _______ work yourself you know how to drive” mmmmmm I can’t remember this could have something to do with reading till 4 am. Then Brie was talking to me about her birthday and I blanked on her, I realized that my oldest would be 22 tomorrow (I’m getting so old and had a mini break down about how life is passing me by) and I forgot to get her a present another reason I needed the car. I started work on the post again and Hydro (gas and electric company here) called I forgot to pay the bill, whoops, so off I go online banking (I paid all the bills, how could I forget that, now everyone will be happy). Then I needed something on the pc laptop, spent almost an hour looking for that, where is it???? Found out Cory took it with her to my sisters with out permission (looks like she will be grounded again). My other sister Kellie comes home (she lives here with us) and decides that I need to talk to her (another hour gone what she said is a blank). Then the kids come in the room discussing Football (as if I even understand football) and the darling son then explains to me the differences of the CFL and the NFL as if I really cared (I now know that the CFL field is long and wider and the end zone is also bigger, and we have 3 downs not 4. Why this is important to me I have not idea (I do not like football except when the son is playing). I seem to remember having this conversation with him at least 5 times before. I then start working on my post again, I realize I haven’t had anything to eat, so off I go more coffee and some toast and could I make some for the son and daughter, (sure no problem) could I make some bacon and slice up a few tomatoes for their toast (yah ok,hang on it sounds like a sandwich) then make juice, and haul all that to them as they are watching football (no problem, I wasn’t doing anything anyways). Well I got this post done now (the room is locked, the music is playing loudly and the phone is in the other room) I’m now going to finish reading the threads I missed while