I eat Pitt Bulls for Breakfast.

Today I happened to stumble across a "To Do" list from 2 months ago...There was this passing stage in my life where I felt the need to write everything down. Paper everywhere - notebooks, receipts, moleskines, post-it notes...a cluttered chaos of pre-calculated tasks. My attempt at conventional organization...From afar it might have looked OCDish or as if I had an unhealthy fascination with productivity, but as I mentioned in my last blog about the "Program"; the seemingly endless randomly placed "To Do" lists, were mere safety mechanisms to counterattack my inherent laziness. Even my laziness was dormant, whatever that means.

So back to the 2 month old "To Do" list. It was one of my typical "To Do" lists that I was making at the time. On the top, in red letters is usually something like "Go to Gym", or "Work on Music"...the red signifying something that needs to be done everyday. Proceeding down the list, in a more non-assuming color, are the more specific things that need to be done throughout the week. Pay credit card bill. Email Jane back. Finish reading novel. Buy concert tickets. Switch to T-Mobile. Stuff like that. I usually leave neat little lines or brackets to the left of each task, to check off at a later time upon completion. By now you probably think I'm weird. You have every right to. The truth of the matter is, I make pretty amazing "To Do" lists. Sure, in the time that it takes to plot out said list, daily task could have been done, but that's neither here nor there...

The list that I found was created in typical Frank Bell fashion. At first glance, it gave me a feeling of accomplishment to see all of the checked off brackets. When I gazed a little closer however, I noticed a few things that remained unchecked. I still need to catch up with my good actor buddy Brian Rieger in Boston. I still need to buy plane tickets to LA. I still need to do laundry -- heh, just kiddin'...Another neglected item, on the bottom of this "To Do" list, written bold blue letters next to a naked, unchecked bracket, was "Write New Blog"...

Well I'm sorry its taken so long, and there isn't really an excuse...after all - it was on a "To Do" list...And now, I don't even know if a blog about how "I haven't written a blog in 5 months" even constitutes as a real blog anyway...I guess I started to feel guilty, not only because of my void of a new blog, but because of the incomplete "To Do" list as a whole. As a general rule, when I start something, I do what I can to finish it. Isolated life-altering extenuating circumstances aside *cough BU cough*, I usually get things done. The last major task that I left undone still haunts me to this day...

Boston, Massachusetts. About 2 summers ago, mid-July. Allston. Spike's Junkyard Hotdogs. I came up with the bright idea to try and defeat their reigning champion in the veggie dog eating contest. When you walk into Spike's, on the walls are photos of the top eaters...I'm talkin' really fat guys, really skinny gals, all sorts of people that all had one thing in common - a freakishly large stomach capacity. I longed to be one of those people on the wall with a Spike's Challenge T-shirt. I wanted to prove myself in the vegetarian-hot-dog-eating-championship world. I wanted to make a name for myself. I started training about a week before hand. *Start Rocky IV Montage* Getting used to the taste of vegetarian-hot dogs (i'm already vegetarian, but not a fan of hotdogs, meat or faux...). I drank unhealthy amounts of water in efforts to stretch my digestive organs. I quit smoking Cigarettes. I had a team of trainers that did research into the composites and density of their buns. We devised potential strategies for the challenge which included dipping the buns in water to decrease surface area and expedite the process. My pothead friends insisted that a session with them would dramatically increase my chances of completing the challenge...It became a publicised event. I actually was supposed to play a show at a nearby bar later that night...I don't know what I was thinking. When the magical afternoon had finally come, Spike's Junkyard Dogs, was crowded with my arsenal of friends, supporters, and strangers hoping that I would barf...The record to beat was 12 Veggie-dogs in 90mins, but I was going for 15...Well, you already know how this story ends...I ate 9.5 dogs...and I still have recurring dreams of killer hotdogs...another naked bracket in the "To Do" list that is my life...I guess the moral of the story is, if you have something 'to do', get 'er done! One day I will return, with stomach organs worthy of making jabba the hut jealous. The name "Frank Bell" will grace the walls of Spike's Junkyard Dogs, along with a photo and a story of passion and perseverance to go along with it.

I've rambled enough today...So here's your damn Blog. Hope all is swell! Cheers, take care, and farewell...I've got stuff to do...
F.Bell

http://www.spca.com/