V-Star Vid's Global News Page

So Here's My Blab

2009-04-01T18:24:00.002-05:00

All this bail out. All this stimulus. I don't know that I see any impact. Anywhere. The $13.00 that's not being withheld from my taxes... that's what I was getting back in my return every year anyway. And I don't know that $13.00 is really a stimulus. But they're talking Billions and Trillions. And I know in America, we are Millions. But the math just doesn't seem to equal $13.00... or the $338.00 if you multiply it by my 26 paychecks this year. But you'll have to subtract some cause they didn't start this January 1.

I'm told they're working on next year's budget and they're already in the Trillions.

But from what I understand, we OWE Trillions. I don't like a lot of detail, but I think saying we have NO money is accurate. So I think the budget is pretty simple... "Guys, we don't have any money this year." My father told me to never spend money I didn't have. I learned the not-so-easy way, but it didn't take Trillions. And nobody is BAILING me out.

I've seen on the news, other countries whose governments have gone out of business. Bankrupt.

I'd like the gov't to fund raise. And I don't mean taxes. If government is full of POLITICIANS, and if politicians are good at FUND RAISING, then why doesn't the government fund raise? O'Bama earned over $300,000,000.00 freely from people that wanted him President. Can't he fund raise, freely, at least that for AMERICA's FUTURE? Seems reasonable to Min.

I've got company, so I'm stopping now, but I was gonna venture into the spontaneous idea that I'd like to see the government impacted by the economy and not just printing cash they need... Maybe we should foreclose on the Whitehouse. What's the credit rating of the USA according to the three major whatevers? I'd like the President to move into a gated, i.e. safe to the rest of America, community and sell the Whitehouse. Have a garage sale of all that historic stuff. Sure it sucks that it'll in the hands of individuals, etc... but truth is, the government really can't afford its nice furnishings. I mean, that'd happen to me if I had Madison's portrait hanging on my wall and I owed Trillions.

Stop.

No Movement

2009-03-31T22:22:00.002-05:00

We've made no movement toward the completion of any projects. Of course, we've not had any warm weather, either. We had a freak cold front bring in snow over the weekend and it's still not back to warm or hot or anything.

I did make another proposal to let the K-5 go... 3500.00. I don't think I'll go below that. If it hangs out long enough... I imagine I'll eventually get it redone, too.

I heard from an old college friend, Maribel. She's doing really well these days. That's cool since last I heard, she wasn't having the best of times after school. Yeah for her!

Yesterday was one of the rare days that nothing particular causes me overwhelming grief. It's gone today. But yesterday I was absolutely positive I had no desire to do what I do professionally. I want out.

Stop.

Spring has Sprung

2009-03-26T10:15:00.003-05:00

Welcome back.
We're tracking things in 2009.
I will be reporting on the status of my Home Improvement Budget.
Currently, it consists of fixed assets (utility trailer and blazer) and unfinished tax paperwork. If I could liquidate the truck and trailer and finish my taxes, I'd have some cash. But as it stands, I just need to do my taxes.

I'll be reporting on the status of projects:
-curb appeal
-the back yard
-the electrical system
-the garage

Sub topics include general interior updates, the bathroom, and the kitchen.

Stay posted... and hopefully I will, too.

The Last Day

2006-12-05T09:43:00.000-06:00

There is no more vacation after this. Not till after the year changes. We'll have to max out today's activity to ensure a quality closure for this weekend. First item of business? The news:

This is absolutely amazing. I bet the odds are worse than 1:1,000,000. Anyway read this and you'll be sure crazy stuff can happen:

An angler has broken his own record for landing the world's heaviest carp - with the same fish he caught last time.

Gary Hagues, 34, hooked the 87lb 2oz fish while on a holiday he won for catching it last time, reports the Sun.
Derbyshire golf professional Gary battled for 30 minutes to land the carp at Rainbow Lakes in Bordeaux, France.
The fish had grown - it weighed 83lb 8oz the first time he caught it.
Gary said: "It was as strong-willed as it was the year before. Maybe it will get even bigger."
Experts said setting a new record twice with the same fish was a million-to-one chance.

I think that's good enough to stand on its own.

stop.

December's Project

2006-12-04T11:54:00.000-06:00

The last 5K I logged on the exercise calendar was in June, 2004. That's not to say that I stopped running then, but I do know that I've been here since Oct of 04 and have had minimal exercise in the last year. When I first got here I was doing a lot of stuff and staying busy, even if I wasn't actually running.

So the project for December is to get an exercise regimen in place and habitual. I'll be logging both my activity and my consumption this month. The goal is to have a habit by the end of the month of putting in at least 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer and maintain the log including both my activity for the day and my consumption. What I input into my body is something I will have to watch since I now have a fridge and calories are way to convenient these days. I want to drop about 40lbs. That's more than I probably should, but if I can do that, then I'll be amazed with my own determination and perseverance. Truthfully, I only need to drop about 15-20lbs.

So far, today, I've done 15 minutes on the trainer and I've had a rib-wrap and two bowls of salad, washed down with powerade. Today's plan is to get on it during the commercial breaks while I watch stupid tv today.

I'm still on vacation, but I'll be back at work on Wednesday.

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You Want Me to Put it Where?

2006-12-04T09:08:00.000-06:00

BERLIN (Reuters) - German sex educators plan to launch a spray-on condom tailor-made for all sizes.
Jan Vinzenz Krause from the Institute for Condom Consultancy, a Singen-based practice that offers advice on condom use, told Reuters Thursday the product aimed to help people enjoy better and safer sex lives.
"We're trying to develop the perfect condom for men that's suited to every size of penis," he said. "We're very serious."
Krause's team (spraykondom.de) is developing a type of spray can into which the man inserts his penis first. At the push of a button it is then coated in a rubber condom.
"It works by spraying on latex from nozzles on all sides," he said. "We call it the '360 degree procedure' -- once round and from top to bottom. It's a bit like a car wash."
Krause said the plan is to make the product ready for use in about five seconds. He said it would function more effectively as a contraceptive because it would fit better and not slip.
However, before the new condom can be sold in shops, the firm must ensure that the latex is evenly spread when sprayed, as well as optimize the vulcanization process.
Krause hopes the high tech condom, which will be available in different strengths and colors, will on the market by 2008.
He said the spray can would likely cost some 20 euros ($26) as a one-off purchase. The latex cartridges -- sufficient for up to 20 applications -- would cost roughly 10 euros, he said.
Krause said he had hit upon the idea when considering the difficulties some people faced using condoms, and drew inspiration from spray-on plasters now used in medicine.

That's technology and pretty much a weird thing, huh? I don't know if this will be a hit on the market...

Other cool shit that happened this year:

An 82-year-old Australian cartoonist who was expert at doing high-speed sketches of sports participants was able to do a quick drawing of a man who robbed his home. Police used it to arrest the burglar.

Good Bird, Shitty Spouse:
Ziggy Stardust, an indiscreet parrot in England, blew the cover on its mistress's love affair by repeating her amorous exchanges in front of her companion. The latter, named Chris, realised something was up when the bird started squawking "Gary, I love you."

Jump, Lemmings, Jump:
Drivers venturing to use their satellite navigation system in an English village called Crackpot found themselves being erroneously directed to the top of a steep cliff.

He ain't heavy. And he ain't my brother... he's a crappy sax player:
A talentless street musician in the Dutch town of Leiden got local people so upset by his awful saxophone playing that they got police to confiscate his instrument.

I'd like to be this canny:
A canny Canadian internet user showed the potential of online trading systems by gradually bartering a paperclip into a three-bedroomed house. The clip was first exchanged for a wooden pen, which was traded for a ceramic doorknob, and the process continued right up to the house.

More proof women don't get along well with each other:
A 68-year-old man in northern Nigeria told reporters that after having married a total of 201 women in 48 years, he had resolved to make do with the four wives he still had. His main complaint: older wives had an unfortunate tendency to turn the younger ones against him.

That's the year in review... well, it's just a little of what happened last year. Pretty strange, the things people do. It's still really cold here, but I know it's colder elsewhere. I'm sure we'll be reading about some less-than-genius ways that people are trying to stay warm, like setting the bed on fire that they're sleeping in, etc.

stop.

Around the World

2006-12-03T16:12:00.000-06:00

Here's the latest in ways and pursuits of human energy:

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - For 40 years it has been torched, vandalized, had its legs cut off and even been run over by a car. But officials in the Swedish city of Gavle are guaranteeing that this year's giant straw Christmas goat - the victim of Sweden's most violent yule tradition - will survive unscathed.

The 43-foot-high goat - a centuries-old yule symbol that preceded Santa Claus as the bringer of gifts to Swedish homes - has been burned down 22 times since it was first set up in Gavle's square on Dec. 3, 1966.

But for its 40th anniversary Sunday, officials think they have finally outsmarted the resourceful vandals by dousing the battered ram with flame-resistant chemicals normally used on airplanes.

"It is impossible to burn it to the ground this year, although you might be able to singe its paws," said Anna Ostman, a spokeswoman for the committee in charge of building the goat. "After 40 years, we think we finally found the solution."

The company providing the fireproof treatment is so sure of its resilience that its spokesman Freddy Klassmo told newspaper Aftonbladet that "not even napalm can set fire to the goat now."

For those who want to follow its fate, a 24-hour Web cam has been set up to film the straw goat where it stands on the central square in Gavle, 90 miles north of Stockholm. However, the security guards that have watched over previous versions have been called off, Ostman said.

"We can sleep very soundly at night now," she said. "The goat can too."

While the origins of the Christmas goat are unclear, the symbol is believed to date back to Norse mythology and the two goats that drew the carriage of Thor, the god of thunder.

Many Swedes place a small straw goat underneath their Christmas tree, or hang miniature versions on the branches.

Since 1966, just 10 of Gavle's giant goats have survived beyond Christmas Day. Aside from being burned, several were beaten down and the 1976 goat was hit by a car.

The vandals are seldom caught, but the 2001 culprit - 51-year-old American Lawrence Jones - was convicted and spent 18 days in jail.

The 2005 vandals - who witnesses said were dressed up as Santa Claus and the Gingerbread Man - remain at large. The pair fired flaming arrows at the goat, reducing it to its steel skeleton.

For 40yrs, this thing's been torched and messed with in lieu of guard oversight? what are these guards doing? Anyway, it's a shame that the goat can't just chill in peace.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi women still can't drive cars, but they can sell them. Potential buyers can go to an all-women showroom where, for the first time, other women will help them choose a car and answer questions about horsepower, carburetors and other automotive features.

Neither the saleswomen nor the female buyers can take the car out for a test drive because women are banned from driving in Saudi Arabia - even though they have been allowed to own cars for decades and hire male drivers. Almost half the autos belong to women.

The kingdom's strict interpretation of Islam has long limited what women can do outside the home, seeking to keep them from coming into contact with men who aren't relatives.

So touchy is the issue of women driving that people who previously called for dialogue about whether Saudi Arabia should remain the only Arab nation that bans female drivers have been largely silenced by a wave of condemnation from conservatives. Mindful of those sensitivities, the Riyadh car dealership that opened the all-women showroom asked that its name not be used.

The seven female saleswomen at the spacious showroom insist they aren't pushing for female driving but only providing comfort for women who want to buy cars and don't like to go to dealerships run by men. With the sexes segregated in schools, restaurants and banks, interaction between salesmen and women customers is awkward for many Saudis.

"I don't support women driving even if a permission is given for them to do so, because the society is not prepared for such a step," said Widad Merdad, one of the saleswomen, which is privately owned and - like many in Saudi Arabia - offers a range of cars.

While the introduction of car saleswomen into the work force may seem a gain for Saudi women, some say that for every step forward, women suffer other setbacks.

Saudi writer Maram Mekkawi cited a recent incident in which female doctors attending a conference in the same room as men - a rare event in the kingdom - were asked to leave because one speaker refused to address a mixed group. The women left, sparking outrage among other women.

In a column in Al-Watan newspaper, Mekkawi said the women doctors wouldn't have been kicked out had Saudi society not programmed them to accept such humiliation.

"I'm sorry to say that I have found in the Western world men and women with much more manly stands than ours here, where we claim a monopoly on values and principles," Mekkawi wrote.

"Would I be blamed if I felt like a third-class or even 10th-class citizen?" she added.

Some people wonder if the new all-women showroom will meet the fate of a similar business forced to close shortly after it opened in Jiddah a few years ago.

A Saudi woman in public relations said anything that brings women closer to cars is seen as a threat by conservatives, who think female driving will open the way for women's emancipation.

The woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being harassed, said she was forced to cancel a women-only private viewing of new models of a popular car a year ago when religious police agents stormed into the dealership hours before the reception.

When told the reception was intended only to show cars to women, the police retorted that the vehicles could be taken to the women's homes for private viewings, she said.

It's not only men who oppose women driving, however.

Ruqiya al-Duwaighry, in a letter to the opinion page of Al-Watan, wrote that driving "strips women of their femininity" and puts them in situations that might violate the ban on the sexes mixing.

Driving "may subject her to give up the veil or mix with strange men, such as workers at gas stations or security men at checkpoints," she wrote. "Women, by nature, cannot cope with such hard work."

Others say women should at least learn how to drive so they can cope in emergencies, especially in households that cannot afford drivers. The Saudi Gazette recently told the story of a woman who disguised herself as a man to drive her elderly father to an emergency room as he was having a heart attack.

At the showroom, where a half-dozen cars sit on gleaming marble floors shielded from the view of people outside by blackened windows, Merdad said the employees get several weeks of training - but not how to drive.

The showroom is attached to a dealership run by men with more than 100 cars on display. Female shoppers can watch a live feed of that showroom on a flat-screen TV in a comfortable seating area. If one sees a car she likes, it is brought into the female showroom.

"It's better than seeing the car in a catalog," said Maha Mohsen, a marketing representative.

I found this to be interesting. Some women are against women driving... and driving apparently isn't feminine. I don't necessarily agree with the "hard work" statement. But interesting, nonetheless.

And more on the Womens Lib movement in Islam:

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Heba Kotb is a conservative Muslim, wears an Islamic head scarf, and goes on television once a week to talk - frankly and in great detail - about sex.

On her show, "Big Talk," Kotb answers questions from Muslims all over the Middle East about the most intimate bedroom issues with an openness that is shocking and revolutionary in a society where discussing the subject is taboo.

"How do I talk about these issues? Very seriously," the Egyptian sexologist says. "I put on a mask-like face and make sure I speak in the right tone of voice."

She also does it by talking about sex in an Islamic light, arguing that the faith is in favor of pleasure for both men and women, with one important caveat - that it be only in the context of marriage.

"I'm very proud of my religion," Kotb told The Associated Press in an interview at Cairo University, where she teaches forensic medicine. "My studies revealed to me more and more how Islam was ahead in all sexual matters ... I discovered that Islam understood sex long before the rest of the world."

For example, Islam "stresses the importance of foreplay," Kotb said, and she often stresses to listeners that women should also enjoy sex.

Kotb's frankness is a hit in a region where sex education is minimal, male-female contact is often discouraged and talk on the subject is usually in hushed tones, allowing myths to circulate freely.

She lectured in Saudi Arabia and Yemen recently, where she said many men in the audience where shocked, while women - some with veiled faces - bombarded her with questions.

Kotb, 39 and married with three daughters, studied sexology with Maimonides University, a private school in Florida, and combined it with her own knowledge of her religion to produce a dissertation titled "Sexuality in Islam." She opened a sexology clinic in Cairo in 2002, wrote sex advice columns in newspapers, appeared on talk shows and answered questions on an Arabic Web site.

She started "Big Talk" on the independent Egyptian satellite channel El-Mehwar more than two months ago.

Much of her advice is straight biology - laying out facts rarely aired elsewhere. Nothing is too sensitive. She discusses sexual positions, female orgasm, oral sex (allowed, "since there is no religious text banning it"), even masturbation (frowned upon but at least preferable to unmarried or adulterous sex, which is "haram," meaning forbidden by religion).

She takes a strict Islamic line on homosexuality - she calls it a disease.

Along with doctors, she sometimes brings Islamic clerics onto her show, and many callers ask about the religion's rulings on sexual issues.

Because Islam trumps all else on her show, some complain that it's part of a general inclination in the Middle East to view everything through the prism of religion.

"After Islamic banks, Islamic fashion, Islamic TV channels, Islamic hairdressers, Islamic swimsuits, Islamic writers ... now Islamic sex? This is too much," protested feminist writer Mona Helmi in a column in the Egyptian pro-government weekly Rose el-Youssef.

"Sex is an emotional and human condition, not a religious or identity issue," she said.

Some complain that youngsters are watching the show.

"So now girls and boys have heard all about Heba's talk about sex ... that will let them know more than they should and will get them excited," Somia, a housewife, told AP as she watched "Big Talk," too embarrassed to give her full name.

Kotb says frankness is essential and believes 80 percent of divorces in the Arab world are due to sexual problems brought on by ignorance and societal pressure, such as the idea that man must marry a virgin.

"Many women know nothing about their bodies, not to mention sex, and they were raised to believe sex is for men and a dirty thing," she says.

She gives sex education courses for unmarried youths with the consent of their parents, but in her consulting practice takes only married couples. She says she is booked up for two months with couples from across the Arab world.

"It's a beautiful thing what she is doing," said Abier El-Barbary, a psychotherapist and faculty member of American University in Cairo. "It's a long overdue topic tastefully done," she said.

An Egyptian Sexologist? That sounds pretty hot, no?

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I'm So Cold

2006-12-02T10:41:00.000-06:00

It's freezing here... not technically... it's over 32, but the high is only 34 today. Last night it got down to 14 degrees. Good news is that the water pipes didn't burst. That's definitely something good.

I'm sick, too. I hate being sick. It doesn't feel good. So today I rest. I'll try to rest as much as I can. But these dogs and the cat need attention so I'll try to give them some exercise, too, but I can't be outside too much... the cold can't be good for the health, you know.

Anyway, I was thinking... what's going on? I mean in the world and with people and stuff. I don't know. I don't understand it. I wish things were simpler and people were simpler and everything was just less complicated. And I think it could be if we all decided to make it that way. But just one person wanting to take advantage would ruin it all. And I think that's what happened long ago. Someone took advantage. Then another saw it and followed. Then rules had to be made to stop it. Then there were new loop holes. Then more rules. Then premeditation. Then manipulation and conning. Cunning, too. It's no longer about what matters. It's about what doesn't matter and getting more of it. It's not about the good of the whole. It's about leeching the whole for the good of ourselves. And now we've all got to look out for ourselves and leech the system. I don't know what that's all about. I don't like it.

At GI Joe is still on TV. But it's not like it used to be... it's stupid now. No one wears camouflage. Any they try to be funny. They're supposed to be fighting Cobra and saving the world. But they're not really doing that anymore. I don't know... everything is becoming worse than it used to be.

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News

2006-12-02T10:12:00.000-06:00

The Blog is called my Global News Page. So, maybe some news is appropriate:

NEW YORK (AP) - When a food safety inspector walked into a market in Queens, he noticed the store had an interesting special posted on its front window: 12 beefy armadillos. In Brooklyn, inspectors found 15 pounds of iguana meat at a West Indian market and 200 pounds of cow lungs for sale at another market. At a West African grocery in Manhattan, the store was selling smoked rodent meat from a refrigerated display case. An inspector quickly seized a couple pounds of it.

All of it was headed for the dinner table. All of it was also illegal.
Cow Lungs... it's what's for dinner!

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - Even in anything-edible-goes-in-the-pot China, the Huifu Fine-food Restaurant is drawing attention with special menu offerings that include alligator kebabs and soup - complete with the endangered species' head and tail.

Apparently, the Chinese gov't gave this restaurant a special license. The gators are bred in captivity and about 1500 are hatched annually. The article said that the gator goes fast, so you gotta book it two to three days in advance. The gator steak and soup are the best... they "preserve the taste of the meat." Good for them... Cajuns must love it.

COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (AP) - A teen accused of ordering from at least three fast food drive-thrus nude faces an indecent exposure charge. David Gatton, 18, of Columbia City, was found in the parking lot of a McDonald's by a sheriff's deputy after police received a call that the teen had been nude when he ordered from his car at the Arby's drive-thru, police said.

Kids are dumb, no?

and finally:

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (AP) - A grandmother found with a trunkful of marijuana was convicted of drug running in what prosecutors said was an attempt to earn cash for a bingo habit.

State troopers found 10 bundles of pot totaling 214 pounds hidden in Leticia Villareal Garcia's car trunk last year when they stopped her outside Bisbee, in far southeastern Arizona.

Villareal, 61, told jurors before they convicted her Thursday that her only regular income was a $275 monthly welfare check, but she frequently played bingo and occasionally won thousands of dollars.

Prosecutor Doyle Johnstun said the game was Villareal's undoing.

"People who play bingo almost every night of the week end up losing in the long run," Johnstun told jurors. "The underlying issue is that she's got a bingo problem, which explains why an otherwise nice person might get sucked into something like this."

Jurors rejected Villareal's argument that she'd been tricked into carrying the drugs.

Villareal faces three to 12 years in state prison when she is sentenced Dec. 18.

I don't even know what to say about this... but it makes me laugh...

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So then he didn't understand

2006-12-01T09:12:00.000-06:00

What happened? No one was there, anymore. No one was able to answer his question and in the echoing darkness he felt the chill of the air down to his bones. His soul was empty and where it resided was a thick fog. Hiding in that fog was nothing. Inside he was hollow. Outside he was lost. He had been searching. Searching for something. An answer? An understanding? He forgot what he was looking along the way and constantly was pulling the paper out of his back pocket to get re-focused. But from where does he go now? He didn't know. Even if he could find what it was he was looking for, did it matter now? How long had he been on this journey? He didn't know. He had no way to tell time... days passed. Suns set. Moons waxed and waned. And on he walked. If he was looking for a serum, there was no way to tell if the afflicted were still alive. If he was in search of food, there was no guarantee those behind hadn't already starved. Keep searching or give up and survive? He'll answer that later. For now, he had to figure out where he was and where to go next. Loneliness overcame him and he sat down by a rock, tilted his hat over his eyes, and slept.

It snowed yesterday. It was pretty deep, too. Good skiing powder stuff... about 4 inches on the truck. Didn't stop Abi from fetch... oh, no... can't NOT fetch!!! Today's high is about 16 or something ridiculous like that.

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Emotional Availability

2006-11-29T14:46:00.000-06:00

Here's what I got off the net. I don't think it's too useful for my purpose, so I'll keep looking:

Emotional Availability
Besides the net benefit of love, emotional availability is an important variable of falling in love. Are you or your love interest available for love? People who are already in love are usually immune to falling in love with another person. They may be in love with the person in their current relationship, someone unobtainable, a career, God, an addiction, themselves, or a fantasy ideal soulmate.

Insights and Predictions

1. If love interest is already in love, breaking up his/her existing relationship is difficult.
2. People who always need to be in a relationship will less likely find their soulmates.
3. Dreamers are more resistant to falling in love than realists.
4. To singles, unattached people, all things equal, are more attractive than attached people.
5. Crack or heroin addicts will have a harder time falling and being in love.

Tactics to Increase Love Interest's Emotional Availability

1. Undermine your love interest's existing relationship by using deceit and deception.
2. Use the Model to manipulate the variables in your favor.

Tactics to Increase Your Emotional Availability

1. Never commit to a relationship. You are always single and available. Be a player.
2. Be selective with relationships. It is sad to belong to someone else when the right one comes along.
3. If you have a close friend of the opposite sex (assuming you are heterosexual), always publicize that you are "just friends". Keep your distance from each other at social events.
4. End any relationship that has no future as quickly as possible. Learn to be alone.
5. If you are one of the lucky few that are in love with their careers, keep it a secret referring to your passion as "just a job" to avoid being labeled a "workaholic".
6. If you are stuck in an unwanted relationship, refer to your lover as "a friend" when he/she is not with you.

Why not the laptop?

2006-11-10T09:44:00.000-06:00

So last night, I had to puke. In under a second I made the clear decision to toss cookies on the computer. Smart, eh? I didn't want to get puke all over the already stained carpet... no, that wouldn't be good. But the keyboard of the computer has a tray-like effect that can contain all the vomit on one neat place. Duh... that makes perfect sense. Yeah... thank God for the shop-vac... the computer is clean and still works. I'm typing on it now.

Jager-nite... these nights are killing me. I've gotta not go next week. I really didn't feel like going this time, but U of L was playing and I wanted to be a good boyfriend and watch the game. They lost. Let's not discuss that.

China passed a law: Only one dog per household. They killed a ton of people's pets cause they had more than one dog. They've got a rabies problem. It didn't make sense to pass a law/ordinace requiring registration and vaccination. Why do that? Just kill 'em. And it wasn't via lethal injection... no. That doesn't make sense. Just club 'em to death. Right there in front of their owners. That fosters patriotism. Whatever... don't eat Chinese food for a while.

I gotta pay bills, get to the post office to mail some stuff to the City of Sweetwater, and get my butt on the way to Austin. Gonna see Ashley.

That's all, so far.

stop.

A Day of Learning

2006-11-08T17:46:00.000-06:00

Man. Today I exhausted myself surfing the net and reading news. Learning about stuff. Remember that I already knew some stuff. Getting clear on other things.

So, the Democrats have the House, the Senate is still up for grabs waiting on VA to figure their stuff out and Bush got a new Secretary of Defense. And Wolforth voted YES to alcohol sales (beer and wine) in the city limits. So what does this mean to me? Well, I'm hoping that Wolforth's decision will flow over into Lubbock. That'd be cool. The democrats having control of the House (and they will have the Senate, too) I don't think will cause drastic change in America's daily life. I don't know, though, hopefully there'll be some major shifts... maybe better handling of our global issues. Maybe some better input on domestic stuff. But I don't think that come January, we'll be living in some New Eden or anything. I'd like to see more honesty about things... more efficiency in the handling of business... you know, improvement. But the Democrats aren't exactly saviors or anything... they're still politicians. Lots of gabbing. Lots of hand shaking. But hopefully there will be new energy and movement in D.C.

Eminent Domain: what a bunch of crap. That's pretty much all you need to know about that.

Anyway, I gotta watch the news now. Here's to you, America!!!

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Signal Strength: Excellent

2006-11-07T14:53:00.000-06:00

Alright, so today I tackled the phone outlets. The one in the master bedroom now works. So does the phone I plugged into it. It's an interesting phone. It's like this clock-radio-phone with alarm and all that jazz. That's not the interesting part. This is: the radio tuner is a knob like on analog radios. But there's no needle moving along the dial thing... nope, it's got a digital readout telling you what station you're on. So I don't know if it's a digital tuner or not. I'm thinking not, just that it has a cool display, I guess. Anyway, it works and it set its own time cause it took the time off of caller-id the phone part. And another cool feature is that the phone still works if the electricity goes out. The outlet power supply only supports the clock and radio and alarm stuff. Cool, eh?

And I got the outlet in the kitchen to work. It's never worked since I moved it. Turns out, it was all wired and everything but at the box outside the wires weren't connected. So I did that. Then I tried to get the one in the garage-room to work but I think there's something about the line. I don't know where it goes, except under the kitchen somewhere, but I don't know where. And I don't know where it comes out of the house to the box. I hooked some unknown wire in the box that I thought might be that wire, but it wasn't. Anyway, I took the jack from the garage and used it in the kitchen cause I broke the kitchen one a long time ago and the garage outlet isn't working anyway. so then I moved the DSL modem and wireless router to the kitchen and set it up on top of the cabinets so that it's more centralized in the house. That's why I can now sit here on the couch in the garage-room, watch tv, and surf the net with "Excellent" signal strength. Before, when the router and modem were in the extra bedroom on the other side of the house, I had no signal in this room. So that's an improvement, I'll say.

Don't forget to vote. It's important if you can.

stop.

Wokw up warm

2006-11-04T08:30:00.000-06:00

Waking up and hearing the heater crackling like it's supposed to is one of the simpler pleasures of colder weather. It's like when you first fire up the heater for the year and you smell all the burning lint and dust and crap in there... yeah, that's the smell of warmth.

Today I woke up and I heard crackling of an old gas heater. I touched my lips to my nose as I do every morning when it's cold and my nose wasn't all that frigid. In fact, I woke up quite nice and comfy. Having a working heater is one of the little blessings we all take for granted. Maybe we all do... I'm kinda generalizing. The leak isn't fixed, but the work-around is doing alright.

The house is still clean... I attribute this mostly to having a trash can at my desk for the junk mail... that's a major polluter of the residence.

I'm going to read the news, now... work on the phone jack after that.

stop.

Turkey Basting to Warmth

2006-11-03T11:42:00.000-06:00

So I figured out the heater issue... there's a gas leak. Not a gas leak like "Evacuate the house! Call the fire department! Whatever will we do?!?!?!" Not like that at all.

There's a leak where the gas line attaches to the burner. The gas there is being lit and so it's burning before it gets to the burner... thus, there's no heat. The answer, for now, was to get the turkey baster and hose the leak to put the fire out. That allowed the gas to flow, un-lit to the burner and be burned there... that put out heat.

I once said that live a full life, you've got to MacGyver your way through every day. This is getting a little ridiculous though.

On a brighter note, Louisville smoked WVA last night... 44-34. Good game. Could have gone either way. It seemed that no one brought their defense to the game. Then U of L's D scored a touch-down. There was a bumbling episode of turnovers, but overall, it was a good game. Couldn't believe how many flags were thrown against WVA... what a bunch of cheaters!!! Anyway, U of L goes against undefeated Rutgers next week... college football... there's more drama there than on the O.C.

I got the carpet out of the bedroom yesterday and cleaned it up pretty well... The room looks nice. Nicer than it did with carpet. The dogs are sleeping on the couch. I'm letting you all know what's going on and that's that.

On a side note, I'd like to think aloud a little bit. There's something I haven't quite figured out. I don't think I will, and that's not a bad thing, it just is. I don't know where to start. If you've actually read this blog over the years, you'd know that when I meet someone, I'm balls to the wall swept. Absolutely drunk on their existence. And then, out of nowhere, I get cold. Could be something little. Could be something big. Usually, it's something small. Sometimes it's not even something about them or something they did. Sometimes, it's just the timing, the environment, the something. But it's always something. And it's always something that I never saw coming. Not something that grew to be unbearable, just something I never saw ahead of time.

Well, I can't say that I'm drunk on the existence of Ashley. I don't mean that as a bad thing. I tried to explain it to her... steak and potatoes... with her, the idea of a relationship just sits right. In the pit of my stomach, it sits right. Not so full that I can't move for the next four hours. Not butterflies that make me nervous and want to almost throw-up with excitement. Satiation, I guess. That's a compliment, right? I know there's a work for it... a better word... a complimentary word. But I don't know what it is.

You know, marathon runners don't sprint at the beginning. If they did, they'd burn out after a quarter mile... if that. No, they pace themselves... they push themselves, but they pace themselves for the long haul. I guess I feel kinda like that. Like every step is sure-footed. Not so much the whole race-to-the-top hap-hazard behavior of yore. Maybe I'm growing up. But I'm not settling, compromising, etc. She really does personify the list I made at BWW's so long ago:

Smart: PhD educated, a vocabulary that humbles the most well-read.
Self-Realized: she hasn't been chasing an MRS on the way to her PhD... she was developing her own individuality... living, growing.
Hot: She is absolutely head-turning
Low-Key: she's as low-key as me...
Participatory: she's not a veto girl... no, sir... she participates.
Moody (changing with mine, always in sync to compliment mine): As never-happening as that seems, she's a Gemini, too, and so it's like four of us whenever we're together... and it works. We are in sync... or have been thus far.
Problem Solving: she's goal oriented... not always distracted by what went wrong, but concerned with how to move forward.
Hassle-Free: as maintenance free as a Maytag
Literal: did you see that part up there about her vocabulary?
Absolutely NO chicking out: people wig, they do. Boys and girls... but she's a rational gal... amazing.
Tan or grease-free: she's got some color... Hell, she lived in Fl for 12 years going to school.

I'm happy. I can say that. I am happy.

stop.

Anonymous said...

2006-11-03T01:16:00.000-06:00

So here's what anonymous said, "I don't know. Making the rounds (of the circle/cycle/whatever) seems like progress. What makes the good part of a song good, the less good part...what makes the good part of a city good, the less good part, what makes the good part of work good...all of it is good in contrast to the less good. If you don't experience both ends of a spectrum, can you fully appreciate the end you like?"

I don't know that I agree. I know that I don't need to be cheated on to appreciate relationship security. I know that I don't need an STD to appreciate cleanliness. I know I don't need to be homeless to appreciate shelter... or unemployment to appreciate a paycheck.

But there is some validation in what was proposed. Yes, good things are good because there are worse things. And I guess if ambrosia came out of the faucet tap, then we wouldn't know it was ambrosia. Truth is, though, that maybe we don't need those things in our lives to be aware that they exist and that we are blessed. Truth is, no matter how shitty things are, we can always imagine worse things, right? And in that sense, maybe everything is at least not horrible, if not great.

Barbecue isn't good cause I've had crappy barbecue. It's good cause the seasonings and the smoke and the meat flavor all come to a happy balance on my pallet and the texture is in great harmony with everything. the atmosphere is right, etc... Now some barbecue is better than others, but good barbecue isn't good cause crappy barbecue exists. Maybe that's the deal... if it's good cause there's worse, then maybe it's not all that good... just not the worst. But great is great regardless of what else exists... it's just great.

To alter Toad's phrase, "You can define the moment. Or you can just make it better than it could be."

stop.

I forgot about the circles...

2006-11-02T13:06:00.000-06:00

Oh yeah, so the circle thing... it's all circles.

Dating: it's new... it's exciting... it's comfortable... it's old... it's over. If you find the right person, maybe the circle is so big around, that you never complete it and die first. I'd like that. I'd like to die before I get to the "it's comfortable" part. Oh, Ashley... this has nothing to do with you. I was contemplating some other people's current relationship status. I'm stil in the new/exciting part.

Home ownership: water the lawn. Then it dies and you work on the heater. Then you don't need it and it's time to go back to watering the lawn again. When I first got this place, I was doing all sorts of stuff one weekend just to get back to the point I was at when I woke up Friday morning. I asked my brother, "Is home ownership all about spending time, energy, and money just to stay where you are?" He said, "yep."

Work... we all get the circle there, right?

I just hope that we like circles... everything's a circle... or a cycle. or something. Existence is modeled after the water cycle, maybe.

stop.

It all circles... big ones, little ones, and in-between ones

2006-11-02T12:44:00.000-06:00

I didn't get to go see the folks this week cause I had to be in the ofice for a meeting yesterday. It went alright. I got my stuff handled. So I'm off the rest of this week. Today, I've been pretty productive, but we can't really get into that yet.

First, let's go back to last week. I kept with the October rule on going out. Max of 4 nights. I didn't even hit the max... I'm so good, right? Anyway, Friday morning came and I didn't go to work. Instead, I went to Austin! Woo-hoo!!! I saw Ashley, and she got me two new shot-glasses. One from Waco and one from Pittburgh. That'll go with the one she got me from D.C. Now I've really got to work on the shot-glass display, cause you can't have these little works of glass craftsmanship sitting in a cupboard, right? No! Otherwise it'd be called a shotboard or something like that. Anyway, in Austin, we had olives... mmmmm, good! We also had the martinis in which they come. We saw Brian again. That was cool. And we met up with Pseaub and Elizabeth at Sherlock's. Good times. Good weather. Great babe! Okay, so we had a good weekend, and went and ran errands on Sunday. I was a disappointment, though. I was gonna be this awesome body-work hero and fix her car with nothing more than cheesecloth and polishing compound. Then it turns out that what she was was talking about and what I was talking about were two different areas of damage. I fixed the part I meant to, but I let her down cause polishing compound can't really fix the area where the paint's been scrathed down to the plastic. But I did my part, and we got air in her tires, and her li'l corrolla-skate is in fine working order. Well, except the trash on the floorboard, but that's nothing more than a two minute drill next time she's getting gas and it'll be all top-notch. Speaking of trash, though, her garbage man is really a chick. And she's a little skinny chick. She drives those big garbage trucks that lift up the dumpsters and dump the trash in 'em... I was rather taken aback. Both, by her gender, and by her size. Little did I know, that I had a preconceived notion that garbage men should be men. How ignorant of me! Anyway, Sunday was booking rght along and then I didn't really wanna go back to Lubbock, so I stayed and came home Monday. Monday was traveling...

Tuesday was Halloween. I didn't really wanna go to BWW's, but I didn't have candy to give out, so I ditched the house and went. Didn't stay out too late, but ended up crashing pretty early for no apparent reason. As always, I didn't work Tuesday. I don't work on Halloween... it's a tradition.

Okay, so I worked Wednesday... that's that.

Today, I woke up frigid. I've gotta do something about this heater business... I don't know the source of my problem and it appears, the contraption isn't meant to be disassembled. I hope Garrett knows something about this stuff. I'll call him later. Instead, I did other productive things. I fixed the bedroom doors so that they shut. One bedroom had the latch thing installed backward, so you can push it open even when it's latched... not paroblem, just had to undo the handle and flip that latch over. The other had the latch in right, it just had the hole in the door jam too far recessed that it couldn't get to the hole to latch. So I fixed that and now we're in working order. That's a good thing. Oh, and I fixed the water flow issue in the bathroom shower and changed the shower head. All at the same time!!! Two birds, right?

So it's lunch time, and I've already had my delli-slliced hotdog sandwhich. It was yummy nad since there were only three piece of bread left in the loaf, I made it into a kind of big-mac hotdog sammich. It was delicious as all hotdog meals are! Gave some of the dog to the pups. They were so grateful, that they thought it would be a nice gesture to chew on my new backpack's strap... great. I wonder what the cost of replacement for random crap is annually due to the dogs? Yes, I wonder that. That on top of feeding them and vet bills and toys and chews, etc, etc. Anyway, Scout's in Alcatraz for this back-pack offense.

I'm considering tackling the removal of carpet from the master bedroom today. Yes, I think I'll do that. That'll be a good thing to do. Then, maybe after that, I'll have a beer and enjoy the afternoon with a li'l fetch and some good music.

stop.

A Fresh Start... In October

2006-10-21T17:42:00.000-05:00

Today is supposed to be the commencing of the October Project. That consists of two hard working days of organization, cleaning, and reverse entropy at the residence. But I was hindered by my own physical ailments. I feel like ass. Not like an ass... but like ass. Apparently, tonsilitis is going around and I'm pretty sure that's what is wrong. So long as that is accompanied by headache and fever. Yesterday I wore the shell I make every year... it's already up to 5 layers.

The shell is my Mexican pull-over. I put it on over my shirt, or in somecases, under-shirt and shirt if it was a work day. Then when I take it off, I take off all layers at once and leave them installed in the pull over for the season. Then when I wear it again, I put it on over whatever I'm already wearing and that becomes part of the shell when I shed it again. So right now, from the inner-most layer out, there's a t-shirt, a sweater, an under-shirt, and a polo. I'll put it on again tonight and it'll gain two more shirt layers. It's getting thick fast, but that's okay. It gets warmer and warmer.

Anyway, so I was thinking that a good way to start the organization project would be to get the blog in-line and again commit to regular updates. If, for nothing else, my own expression and collection of thought. It heps me re-focus. Should help me stay focused. So here's what we gotta do. We've gotta document, at an exhausting level, a number of events that have occured. The last post was in August. So really, all we've gotta do is document September's events, cause I can't recall September's thoughts and ideas.

September started with me getting another Dodge pick-up. a 97 two tone (red over grey) extended cab, 4x2 360 cid v-8 w/ trailer package and 40k miles. It was a good deal. I've still got the K-5 and am looking at fixing the leak in the drive-shaft (I almost los the tranny one night when the cross beam fell off) and trading it in on a new 4-door wrangler. I've built the one I wanted on-line and it appears to be reasonably priced. It's a good truck. Too much power, though, as the tires spin without thinking and rain is not a really good environment for the power over such a light rear-end. patience is required when accelerating as over zealous pressure on the gas will result in a fish-tailing experience destined for damaging results. So that's the truck. It's got the exact same interior as the original Dodge. Same option package, too... just lots less miles and bigger engine. And red.

September also included the marriage of James Lewis Black; He. I was there to witness the ceremony and it was quite a nice event. It took place in Louisville. After some research, I found that my job has an office there and I've decided that's my next place of residency. In order to make that happen, I've got to complete the October project, find an opening there, sell the house, and get my ass to KY. I love it there and it's not too far from Cinci and it'll be great.

Also, while at the wedding, I met someone. I wasn't looking to meet anyone, but I did. I thought I was going to party in Cinci for a few days (which I did), then go to Louisville and celebrate the union of He and Tara. I did that, too. But along the way, I met someone. And she's great. Absolutely great. Spectacular. And that, people, is going well.

That brings us to October. And the only thing going on in October is my illness and the delayed October Project.

It's cold outside, so I'm not starting today. MAybe I can get it started tomorrow with a good solid push and by the time Sunday's over, either be complete, or have enough momentum that I can deal with it a little at a time after work all next week. We'll see... but at least I got this updated.

stop

Current Events and What Nots

2006-08-23T23:43:00.000-05:00

Today I had the day off. Guess what I did... nothing. I really mean nothing. I've got a plane to catch tomorrow morning at 640a and I haven't even managed to pack. I didn't eat till like 7p and I got up pretty early... before 10a!

What I did manage to do was get an appt for Abi with the Vet for next Tues. She's due for her annual vaccinations. Scout and she are both doing very well.

Okay,,, news. Here's the deal. Things didn't work out with Wrayngel. No one's fault... mostly timing, I guess. The kitchen has been ordered, but I haven't received a delivery date from Robin Givens (the kitchen lady at Sutherlands). The yard is growing. And I'm trying to get down to 100lbs total weight. That's probably unhealthily low, but it's a target. We'll see how small I can actually get before organ failure. Haven't changed a lot of my diet at this point... though I've made noticeable cut backs on beer and ckicken wings. And I've started a minimal exercise regimine. In fact, I was supposed to get my road bike over to the cycle shop to have the gears re-calibrated and new tires put on... didn't manage to get that done, though.

I guess I don't blog as much these days, but that's cause this town's a lot slower adn so there isn't a whole lot to post. Well, I can tell you all about Furr's. I's the W. Texas version of Luby's. But it's not just for old people and it's a buffet, not the Luanne. Can't say it's good for the diet program, but I just went for the first time a couple of weeks ago and that was before the diet challenge. I'm normally opposed to cafeteria-style dining, but it did remind me of the cafeteria in college... The Commons and SBISA, and even Duncan. They've got the breaded fish squares and they're good, but they don't have Malt Vinegar, so I just use the regular vinegar. It's good enough. But I can't be eating that fried fish stuff anymore. Mostly, I'll be eating tuna straight and eating salads with no dressing. And I'm taking flax seed (thanks John) and Chromium Picolonate( thanks Fisher).

The flax seed that I'm taking is a powder and it's got flax seed and nopal cactus and sacred bark (whatever that is) and psillium husk and other crap. Basically ist's dehydrated ruffage that expands in your system and scrapes all the plaque off the side of the intestinal walls. And flax seed is a good source for your omega 3's.

Chromium Picolonate is chromium mixed with picolonic acid. The acid halpes the body absorb the chromium faster. The chromium is sipposed to aide your body's insulin in working more efficiently. That's a good thing. And since I think I've got some sort of dietary sugar issue, I think that this might be a good thing for me. We'll see and I'll keep you posted.

Hmmm.... what else is goin' on? Well... I did go to a sight today that helped me clean up the computer some so it performs faster.

I didn't mention this, but a few weeks ago I saw Fred's parents. They were rolling through town and gave me a call and we met for milkshakes... again, that was before the diet thing. It was cool. I went from being the devil's child in Mother-Facker's eyes to hanging out at the DQ with her and Mike. I'm in the will now, cause Fred and Ben didn't make time when they were all in Austin. She's not too happy with them because of that.

I was talkin' to a dude yesterday and it looks like central air might be rather pricey... I hope those companies finance. And I saw the texture crap on the ceiling in the kitchen is starting to come down... it looks weird, too... like it's melting or something. It's been rainig here lately, but it feels dry, so maybe it's just the heat in the house cause it does get pretty damn hot in here... I don't use the window units all that much.

Alright... I've gotta move the sprinkler and actually do some packing.

stop.

It's been a while, no?

2006-07-08T01:03:00.000-05:00

Aright... time for a little bit of catch up.

I've been on vacation this week. Didn't do anything. I mean I did stuff, but I didn't have any plans. Mostly, I just relaxed and watched the grass grow.

The main accomplishments are: 1) I made it to Home Depot to get the kitchen designed and priced. That bad part is that we're talkin' about $4k in cabinetry and counters... and we've still got to get a new stove/range and a sink and a fridge. 2) I made it to the music store and got some new cables for the amp and bass. The bad part is that I can't daisy-chain all the speaker cabs... there's not out jacks on the cabs. That sucks. I though that was standard, but apparently not with Hartke. But I did hook up the aluminum cones and they sound pretty damn sweet. Makes me wanna get another mexican jazz and some new strings. Right now, though, I gotta work on my coordination and speed again... it sucks when you go too long without playin'. But damn, those days with Fred playin' shows at Club A-10 sure did kick ass, kwim?

The Fourth was a nice evening... went to coworker's place and watched them put on a major, and I mean major, firework show. Good stuff. I perused the blown up merchandise after the show's conclusion and it was all labeled either "finale" or "commercial grade" and you can bet that's some hella-cool crap. Well done, I say. Happy birthday, America!

stop.

Safe Haven

2006-06-17T12:18:00.000-05:00

I found a haven. I'ts a safe house where you can go and be a regular and nobody really still knows you. The staff is polite. They've only got one rule, really, and that's to not put your feet on the furniture,. I can handle that. They've got a little food court and it's got good food. Affordable, good food. and the rest of their product line is equally affordable. There's no light, so you can't really tell what anyone looks like. And they can't really tell who you are. But you kinda recognize the same shapes... that's how you tell people apart. It's the familiar shape. But they might be blonde or brunnette, they might have red hair, be pale white, or deep black. You'll never know in there. It's Hernando's Hideaway.

Knock three time, and whisper low. That you and I were sent by Joe. Strike a match and you will know... you're in Hernando's Hideaway! Enjoy your stay.

It's the weekend. I woke up this morning at about 530a just to realize that it was Saturday and I ddn't have to work. That was a cool realization. I celebrated by going back to sleep. I'm thinking of going for a jog today.

Last weekend, I went and got a long-board, some running shoes, and a new back pack. It's a good one, too... large payload, but not overly bulky. Now that the mp3 player is on line, the shoes are in the house, Ijust need socks and I can go for a run. I think I've got some, too.

Not much else to report. Abi's due for her annual vaccination shots. Turkey's starting to go spastic every now and again.

stop.

Three Weeks, 4 Wheels, and no freon

2006-06-10T16:10:00.000-05:00

I dropped off the bike at the shop today for the 12k mile service. Everyone else in the W. Texas area beat me to the dealership, so it'll be about 2-3 weeks till Dennis gets to my bike. In the meantime, I'll be sporting the fuel in-efficient Blazer around town. It's fun to drive, so I don't mind, too much, but I do have to replace one tail light bulb. What I really need is for the Wrangler to become available in a timely manner so I get go ahead and swap the blazer for the Wrangler and a car note... what fun that'll be!!!

Mora sent me a birthday card. I was sabotaged... I opened it up to find all the confetti falling all around me. I wasn't prepared for that. It was a cool jaeger envelop the card came in. And she got all these people to sign it. That was cool. But then again, what about Mora isn't cool? I don't know, either!!!

Wray got me a cool Guayavera, some leather Reef's and a sweet pair of Wray skateboarding shoes. They're designed by Jeremy Wray, but they say Wray on the back, not Jeremy, so it's totally awesome. And they're like walking on clouds... I mean super nanny-comfy!!! I just gotta find a skateboard again... should gone to the swap meet with Chata this morning, but I didn't think about it... that's cause I'm not always the most organized.

Kitchen has stalled. I need to really get engaged in that project again. Maybe I'll do something about it tomorrow. MAybes don't usually end up with action, I find... we'll see about this one.

stop.

He's Left the Building

2006-05-29T09:05:00.000-05:00

He went home this morning. It was another good weekend. Sam Hornish Jr won the Indy 500 and Casey Khane won the Coke 600. Good times. He got food poisoning, we think, within the first hour or so of arrival. He fought hard and battle his way back to pretty good condition by race-time.

Had a Barbeque on Saturday night... it went well. The experimental pork came out with better reviews than the traditionally-marinated pork... hmmm, I don't know about that. Personally, I preferred the original marinade. But I grew up on it and always have loved it. But if you're not ready for it, it's kinda tangy. And sometimes has more of a spicy kick than people can handle. Either way, we installed a Washers court and played washers. good times.

The dogs are well. The cat is fine. And the house didn't come out of the weekend in all that bad shape. A little sweep-sweep, vacuum and take out the garbage and we're in shape for Wray's arrival.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

stop.

He's in Town

2006-05-27T09:27:00.000-05:00

He's come in town for the annual running of the Indianapolis 500. I don't think I've seen him since last year's running. Good times.

Last night a few of us went to Stars and Stripes. It's the local drive-in movie theatre. We saw two movies, cause you're never too old to movie hop. We saw X-Men III and we saw Mission Impossible III. It was my first time ever to go to a drive in. He's, too. It hailed during the second feature, so we call got in Stan's truck and watched while the wipers cleaned the windshield. Drive-ins are pretty cool if you know what you're doing. For instance... next time, we'll definitely take a radio. You can take a cooler and food and everything. Aside from not being able to barbecue, it's kinda like minor-league tailgating. I'll be better prepared next time. And oh, yes... there will be a next time.

This morning we went over to the Walgreens to get medicines. He's swears by liquid ant-acids... I've been having some acid issues lately, so I got some Mylanta Supreme Tasting Cherry with Calcium... I hope it works. I'm kinda disappointed that my stomach lining is now virtually all gone. But I've got to admit that between the booze and the hot-sauces I've definitely put my guts to the test... and they lasted all this time. Hope I turn into one of those guys fighting ulcers with ant-acids in every drawer at work, in the night stand by my bed, in the glove box of the truck ,etc...

Speaking of truck, the Blazer is an optimal drive in machine. Even with the bad weather, you can sit in the back and watch the movie... it's like a portable lving room. I'm trading it in, probably, for a 4-door wrangler, and in good weather, I think the wrabgler would be great. It's all convertible, so it's got two rows of good seats... well, I'm sure leg-room in the back might be a little less than desireable for such a prolonged period, but maybe the back has a li'l tailgate rather than a door like the traditional ones do. We'll see about that. Anyway, check out the 4-doors cause they're pretty sweet looking.

Oh, medicine... He got about 3 different things. He's just not feeling all that great right now.

The house is in pretty clean shape. Gerritt came over yesterday and managed to take care of the cold water leak and I fixed the toilet and cleaned up some. Plus I went to K-Mart where all hoses, nozzles, sprinklers, etc were 20% off. I got a donut sprinkler and hose for the front yard and an impulse sprinkler for the back. You can water the yard with a sprinkler between 6p and 11a but between 11a and 6p you can only water by hand. Anyway, I got some cool nozzles, so it shouldn't be a problem. I was looking at fertilizer, but I'm gonna need some help with all that cause I don't know anythigna bout that stuff other than nitrogen burn is a bad thing. Maybe Zeph knows something abut that stuff... he sells grass, you know.

Well, it looks like maybe I need to move the sprinkler a little bit. I need to finish picing up the trash around here and crap cause I think some folks are coming over this evening for a party or some other hullabaloo.

stop.

751

2006-05-20T07:54:00.000-05:00

Good Morning!

I gotsta work today. That's not a good thing. But it's better than no job, right? Unemployment... not attractive.

Well here's a quick summary of some other crap:

The house has been going through a slow but steady makeover. Well, so far it's only been the kitchen. Some dudes and myself ripped out the floor and the counters, etc. re-leveled the floor and put the new flooring down. Now we need to frame and drywall a wall, get some counters and a sink. And even get a fridge. Then it'll be off to getting a new fence. Then it'll be time to make a deck and change out all the ceiling fans. Then we'll have to build an extra room on the back with an upsatirs deck. Then we'll look inot installing some central air. Then the place will be pretty damn tight!

The Dodge Caliber I want is due to arrive someday. The str-4 version doesn't appear to be available at this time, but I've got a guy working on it.

He comes in this next weekend for Memorial Day and the Indy 500. Gotta clean up the house a little bit before then. Wray comes the following week and I'll have to clean up really good for her.

stop.

Duck, Duck, Goose

2006-05-19T22:14:00.000-05:00

I got picked. I don't know why. I can't say that I've been struggling to understand, though. It matters not, really. The bottom line is that I did get picked. Thank you, Wrayngel.

I'm sorry that I wasn't a better, more faithful, blogger since I got to Lubbock. I really wish I had kept a better account of my time here. As it turns out, it's the end of an era. The end of a chapter. Thank you, Wrayngel.

I'd like you all to meet the Wrayngel. She's the greatest, most compassionate, trustworthy, understanding and patient individual in the world. Sometimes we all try to be idealistic. Sometimes we set out to change our perspectives and see the good in people. But that lasts just until we're on the road to work and some jack-ass cuts us off. Not for the Wrayngel. It's just the way she is. She sees the good in me.

I didn't mention the smile and the eyes and how her hand fits in mine at the start. I meant to not. Yes, I can see everything I ever wanted to see in her eyes. And her smile is nothing short of iconic for Crest and the like. And I can tell you this. When I hold her hand... I know it belongs in mine. Like puzzle pieces with magnets in them, they just click and fit.

All my bachelorhood aquirements... they're for sale.

stop.

Whoops

2006-04-08T19:42:00.000-05:00

I was trying to update my blog, but clicked Vid's instead. Then the page took so long to load I'd figure I'd post here anyway because Vid never does.

I played open mic on Thursday night and this blonde girl started stripper dancing right in front of me. She wasn't taking her clothes off, but she had all the moves. Luckily I was playing the Shakespeare song, which only has four chords, and they're all in first position, so I was able to maintain the song's integrity despite the distraction. Now, if she'd started dancing during a song with bar chords where I have to actually look at the neck of the guitar to see where I am, the song would have definitely been fucked.

So I end the song, and she kisses me on the cheek and then leaves. What is that shit? My sets are only four songs long?!! She couldn't hang out for two more songs?

This morning was my company picnic at the zoo. It sucked. I woke up late. The stoplights on Louetta were blinking red. I had to circle the zoo parking lots for 45 minutes before I could park. Then there was the lingering cloud of whether or not I'd run into you know who.

I haven't smoked in a week, and my voice is really thanking me for it. Unfortunately, I really want to smoke today. Probably will tonight. Oh well.

Stop.

Lent is Underway

2006-03-02T07:16:00.000-06:00

So far, so good on the no-meat thing. Of course, it's only been one day. The hard part is remembering every Friday.

I'm giving up booze this year. That'll be a good thing. Did it two years ago and it was a good thing. Didn't give up anything last year because, quite frankly, Lent came up on me too fast and I was ill-prepared.

Anyway, I'm going strong so far. I see the Hemphills this weekend. Ann and Ross are excellent people. Lunch will be great... wonder what we'll eat! Other than that, the weekend plans include painting and more plumbing work. This weekend, it'll be done so that Sunday I can rest and enjoy the deserved beer!

what're you giving up?

stop.

Something Interesting

2006-02-24T03:08:00.000-06:00

So you go to this website and enter your birthday. The year isn't included. And then it tells you about yourself. It's relatively accurate. But it's also rather vague. Anyway, with no further delay, I present:

You tend to be a the rock in relationships - people depend on you.
Thoughtful and caring, you often put others needs first.
You aren't content to help those you know... you want to give to the world.
An idealist, you strive for positive change and dream about how much better things could be.

Your strength: Your intuition

Your weakness: You put yourself last

Your power color: Rose

Your power symbol: Cloud

Your power month: June

stop.

Scented Memory

2006-02-21T22:19:00.000-06:00

I don't remember a lot of things. I remember a lot of things. The things I forget are the things I should remember. The opposite is true. But sometimes I can remember things so well because of a scent I smell. That's totally weird. The other day, I guessed a lady's perfume cause it smelled like my college girlfriend. Crazy.. cause I usually don't remember what breakfast was by the time I'm eating lunch. But I got the perfume. It was Angel. I was right.

One thing is true. I enjoy nothing. That's so much different than saying that I don't enjoy anything.

stop.

I was the First

2006-02-18T07:29:00.000-06:00

to call and wish Pseub a happy birthday. He's got some good plans, it sounded like, for today. That's excellent. Feliz Cumpleanos, Dude.

It's Saturday and I have to work today. I'm not happy about that.

stop.

Feliz Dia de San Valentino

2006-02-14T07:15:00.000-06:00

Hey commrades,

Good morning. It's Valentine's Day... do you have a Valentine? I guess I've got 3 (Abi, Scout and Turkey) of course, but not a human one. That's okay, though... I don't think it really bothers dudes the way it bothers some chicks. But I have been contemplating the whole dating and girlfriend scenario. I'm not sure that I want to do it, though... it's such a vacuum of time and resources... so many other things to be doing... and the headaches... always gotta remember the headaches. Another human being in your life that close to you can't always be a good time. And as time goes by, I'm sure the fun times become even less often. I can't have that, can I?

Well, I've got my criteria. I made a list. According to some, I won't find the match to the list, but that's okay cause I'm not really looking. But I do have it for cross-reference should I come across someone that catches my eye.

I've got a meeting today. It'll be a long one. I was thinking about it when I fell asleep last night, so I'm not all that prepared. It'll be about 2hrs of me telling my people all the changes and listening to them moan about it. Why? I don't get it. Even after the moaning, the changes will still be there and they'll still have to follow them (the changes). So why waste time bitching in the 1st place? I don't get it. I just don't. Some people whine, I guess, for the sake of whining.

Talked to Derf the other day. He's successful with the ladies. Hope he's successful in other areas of life, too. Haven't spoken to Darren in a while. I think his replacement friends have taken root for sure, now. Sometimes, if he's in traffic with no movement, he'll call. But that's like once every 3-4mos.

I'm having some Yuban Original coffee this morning. It's made by MAxwell House, which I like, and is rainforest friendly. It's a good percolated cup of joe. Speaking of which, you all should be drinking more coffee. According to a recent article in the US News, coffee is the densest in antioxidants of any foodstuff we consume. More than blueberries. And you don't have to worry about the previous thoughts of the ill-effects of caffeine. The report says to have at least two cups a day. But, it goes on to say, if you're one of those 5-pot types, then that's fine. You're body gets used to the level of caffeine and there's no ill-effects. Not only is it the highest in antibodies, but it also does something that helps prevent a liver cancer. And we're talking percolated coffee, like here in the U.S. The French Pressed coffee isn't of the same vigor. So drink up, America!

It's time to go out one last time with the pups, brush my teeth, and then head off to work. I get to do that for the next forever... 5 times a week. Joy...

stop.

Here's the Deal

2006-02-11T07:12:00.000-06:00

Good morning to all of you! I have good news to report. It's 715a and I know that's quite unreasonably early for a weekend. Much less the Saturday. Cartoons don't start for a couple of hours... it's just church tv.

Anyway, I woke up at a little before 7a to the cries of Scout. I hopped up, still dressed, slipped on the Op's and went to let her out, then Abi out and then let them both outside. She pee'd in the right place to start today. that's absolutely great!!! So that's all I've got to report for now cause it's too early for anything to have happened. Though I am feeling pretty hungry. We'll see where I go with that.

I've been out of town and that's why there's no blogs for the week. Well, I'm back now, and I've got some chores to run and to do around the house. There's no football to watch anymore, so I don't know what's on regular tv during the weekends. If I'm lucky, Fox still has that old Kung Fu Theatre that plays hooribly translated ninja movies. I'd love to watch some of those. I wonder if you can rent those... or buy them somewhere. That'd be good to have in my cinematic collection.

Okay, I've gotta find somethin' to do today. I'll let you know what that is when I finish it.

Oh, first I gotta mention last night's dinner. It was one of the best meals ever for a bachelor. Went to 7-11 and got a 64oz fountain cherry coke. Then went to Subway and got a 12" Spicy Italian on Italian Herbs & Cheese w/ provolone. Then I went to Whataburger and got fries and onion rings. Yeah... that's nice. Subway and fries. that's sweet. Ate the sandwich. Some of the fries. Maybe 1 onion ring. Finished the 1/2 gal of soda. The dogs'll have the fries and onion rings today sometime.

stop.

Already Done So Much!

2006-02-04T06:53:00.000-06:00

It's 650a and I've been awake a little over an hour fartin' around the house gettin' stuff done. Paid bills and got the check book in line. Gotta make some deposits today and we'll have a new total. But bills are paid. The rest is just gravy? Rather, home and auto investment funding. And pet support. Man, I spent $200.00 yesterday between supplies and the vet visits. And I didn't even get dog-food. Anyway, Abi's wantin' to go fetch, like always. I swear she may start walking, but she never stops fetching. I think one day she'll just die fetching. But not for many, many years.

Scout seems to like her new place. I got her a deal like Eddie's got as Pseub's place. But bigger. She slept in there a lot yesterday cause the shot took a lot out of her, I guess. and she slept there fine last night. I was worried there'd be a little separation anxiety being split from Abi, but neither dog had a problem. Except that Abi threw up some french fries this morning. Not too much, easy to clean. But that's a crappy way to start the day, eh? We've already been out to fetch so she's cool and up to speed.

Toad comes in town today. Should be a good time.

stop.

Busy Friday

2006-02-03T07:14:00.000-06:00

Gotta call the vet and get an appointment for Scout, Turkey, and some pills for Abi. Gotta get to the store and get some carpet steamer. Gotta do the dishes, unpack the clean clothes, pack the dirty clothes, make the bed, get another kennel and bed, etc. and clean up around here. need gas to run the mower and see if we can't vacuum up some of the loose grass and crap in the yard. Damn that's a lot of crap to do on a day off. Better get started early. It's 717 and I'm givin' myself until 8a till I start this tremendous list. Oh, man, how could I get this far behind? And I have a stack of bills I gotta pay today, too.

K, well, I guess the blog is done. At least for the morning. Good morning, y'all... hope you have a fine day.

stop.

Lunch Lady

2006-02-02T11:52:00.001-06:00

I left for lunch a little early today to meet Herman on his way to the airport. It was good to see him, though just briefly. He wanted to repay the kindess I showed him when he arrived. That was a nice, unnecessary, gesture. I'm grateful.

Hoping today's going well for Pseub. He seems to be in need of a few sweet trades and no major pitfalls. I wonder if there's a Patron Saint of Day Traders...

Abi's slowing at fetch... like it's not all that fun for her anymore. I don't get it. She's a FeMa (Fectching MAchine), but latley she's been a little sluggish. Maybe's she's sick with whatever I've got. She's well, though.

Either today or yesterday was Fred's birthday. Feliz Cumpleanos, dude.

stop.

It's a Brisk Day...

2006-02-02T06:38:00.000-06:00

That means clean trading. Quickly... Ahh, it's winter, kinda. We're in the record 97th straight day of no significant rainfall. That dates back to when they started tracking this stuff, so it might only be a year or two or prior records. anyway, humidity is 50% today. It's so terrible. I miss the still air of Houston's humidity. Thick. That was like whole-air versus the skim stuff you get in the mountains. Anyway, it's dry out here and I've got my chap-stick.

Temperature outside is 39, 30F with the windchill. It doesn't feel that cold. Remember, it's a dry cold, right? Whatever. It's cold, though.

Alright, I gotta get some crap done today. I'm the late duty mgr, so I think I'll change my oil on lunch. Gotta get the vet's number and make some appts for Scout and Turkey tomorrow. And I need more pills for Abi.

I need a theme song to start my day. That'd be cool. "Risin' up, back on his feet. Just a man and his will to survive. It's the eye of the Tiger, it's the trhill of the fight. Risin' up to the challange of my rivals. And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night and is watching us all with the eye... of the Tiger!"

stop.

And the Weekend's Over

2006-01-29T17:51:00.000-06:00

So what we get done? Well, we managed to get sick. I think it's cause it got cold and I spent too much time at work the other night and then worked Saturday. So Sunday's been pretty chilled out. I did manage to make it to breakfast. Then I slept. Then I watched some tube... saw 1/2 of an AFL game.

Then I managed to make it to the Market. Got an assortment of random things. Among them, some steaks and some charcoal. Other supplies, and I'm now quebecing them. 1st cookout at the place. I've got a shoulder-cut of some sort in foil on the grill. It's a big peice.

****

The griling turned out magnificently! Hooray! There was plenty for the dogs and myself. I even gave some fat to Turkey, but I'm pretty sure Abi ended up with it. Anyway, it was most definitely excel-beque, if you kwim.

Well, I got some Bob Ludens cough drops today for the cough. Those are good... the cherry ones. Got some other stuff, too, but nothin' really worth mentioning. Did get some Tony C's, so I'm happy about that.

k, night.

stop.

Time For Breakfast

2006-01-29T06:04:00.000-06:00

It's 4 after 6a now. Lately, Turkey has started playin' with my feet at about 545a and waking me up. She was asleep this morning, but I got up anyway. I'm supposed to meet a couple of dudes for breakfast at Golden Corrall, but I don't know what time. I called and, of course, they're not up yet.

anyway, that's all for now. I wish cartoons were on but instead it's a bunch of people tryin' to save you.

stop.

Promptly Refrigerate...

2006-01-28T17:38:00.000-06:00

Hmmm. I had a can of Campbells Steak Chili with Beans. The can says to promptly refrigerate any unused portion in a seperate container. I've seen "refrigerate after opening," before like on milk and crap, but "promptly" cause me to ponder. Like it's such borderline-meat that once the seal's broken and air hits, the meat rotting faster and faster? Ooohhh. Maybe I'll call them.

Added a can of green beans and a can of herring in louisianna hot-sauce. It was excellent. it really was good.

stop.

And then the neons turned out.

2006-01-28T10:33:00.000-06:00

I was at work yesterday from 8a until Midnight. Not my fault. It's Saturday and I'm back already. Been here an hour. Can't wait to leave.

the phone system died and I was left to make sure the phone-tech wasn't left alone in the building. The entire voicemail system had to be reprogrammed. It took forever to get everything set to go. the new hardrive had to have remote downloads of software and licensing. then they couldn't ping the machine. then they couldn't do this or recover that. I brought Scout up here around like 5-ish and she slept at my desk most the night. Felt bad cause Abi was in jail for all that time and I shoulda been home no later than 730p.

No OT. I'm salary. Gotta love it, no?

stop.

Thursday's Two-Fer!

2006-01-26T23:03:00.000-06:00

Well, it's just passed 11p and this is blog two for the day. Impressive, considering the incredible time-lapse between posts in the recent history! Let's hope we can maintain better records of things in the future.

Didn't do a whole hell of a lot this evening. Got home about 715p and have just kinda chilled with the animals. I like spending a lot of time with them. It's craziness, but in a good way. It's always a party!

I don't have a lot to say. Like I said I didn't do a whole hell of a lot.

stop.

Lunch Time

2006-01-26T13:22:00.000-06:00

I might have to come home everyday for lunch even after Scout's big enough to hande jail all day. I like these mid-day pauses to blog. And coming home is so much better than going out to lunch somewhere... just so comfy. Sometimes I even change clothes while I'm here to totally chill out and the re-dress for the 2nd half. Today, I remain in the work clothes. I actually went out to eat, too, today. I went to Chili's with a co-worker. I had the cajun chicken pasta. Never again. I wasn't cajun... not really. It wasn't alfredo... definitely. Should have stopped with the chips & "salsa" but I didn't. You live... you learn. That's what we say when we try something new and it doesn't work out.

Anyway, the reason I have such a long lunch is because I am the late-duty manager this evening. I get to stay at work until 7p. It's wonderful. Not really. Anyway, I still get there at 8a, but I just take a lot of time on my lunch. At least I will today. Most days I take a normal lunch and just work all day. It's no good doing that. So draining. But today I went to eat, but still had to let the animals out of jail to go outside for a bit.

Last night... let me tell you... yesterday when I got home from work, I went straight to work. I washed two puppies and the cat. They all got full baths, towelings, and even q-tips in the ears. All of them... try cleaning a cat's ear. Anyway, 5 towels, three shampoos and a lot of q-tips later, I've got the cleanest, softest, trio this side of the Rockies. Oh, and they've been dirty. Cause of the weather... and the report's next. Read on.

thanks, Clark. that's right folks. It's time for the weather. We're in a drought. We've implemented wave 1 of 3 for water conservationism. Wave 1 consists of an education campaign (commercials) and volumtary conservation (expect you'll naturally cut back consumption). It's not really that we're way low on water... we're an inch and a qtr below average, year-to-date. But it just hasn't rained in so long (remember the burn ban's in effect) that the ground is really dry. So the blowing dust just gets the animals super dirty while they're out all afternoon. Abi ends up looking the color of a chocolate lab. Oh, they get dirty! And the problems goes beyond my dogs and the dirt in their ears. The ground is so dry that it's too hard to till and prepare for planting seasons that the farmers out here are worried about next year's harvest. Oh, and for some, their whole harvest this year burned up. It always happens to a couple of people. And the super-dryness isn't helping. we had about 37% humidity yesterday. Crazy! Weather's over, except that the temperatures have been mild.

Hmmmm.... guess I'll end there and sign off. Check the comments in to the previous entry. There's a person named anonymous and he/she's arguing with his/herself about toothbrush britsle firmness. It's quite interesting.

stop.

Dental Hygeine

2006-01-25T07:03:00.000-06:00

I had bought my last toothbrush at the DG. It was approved by the ADA and everything, but was a generic brand. But I typically go with generics, cause the name-brands don't carry firm bristles anymore. So this brush's main drawback was a small head. Kinda like the ones in hotels... you know, just not a lot of bristle area. The handle broke the other day, and so I had to go get a replacement. For the price, I got my money's worth. Here's the weird part. I was Big Lots and they carried Reach firm bristles! Total score, right. I'm thinking it's a bunch of clearance brushes from years ago cause you can't get Reach Firm anywhere else. Anyway, it feels great to have a real, firm brush. Like I'm cleaning better than ever! I just can't tell you how stoked I am... it really sets the morning right.

Anyway, I heard back from the Franchise Consultant at BWW. His letter stated that he heard that I had been back to the restaurant, spoken to Brandon, aand then he apologized if I felt Brandon wasn't his best that evening. Man, I haven't gone back. I haven't spoken to Brandon. I'll let him know... he left a phone number, so I may give him a call, but if I don't have time, I'll shoot him another e-mail. So the Boycot may be coming to a head. We'll see and I'll definitely keep you in the loop on this one. But, as Braveheart would say, Stand Fast, men, Stand Fast!

stop.

The Whole Gang's Just Fine

2006-01-24T07:26:00.000-06:00

Good morning. I'm here to report that all is well. The new puppy has been named Scout. And my staff is developing into their roles. Abi's my right hand... Turkey's in charge of Homeland Security (keeping mice and rodents away). Scout.. well, the name kinda speaks for the role. She will check the perimeter, report back, and then Abi and I will strategize as necessary. I might be undertaking another pup, but I won't be disappointed if that doesn't go through. But I could use some local muscle. A bouncer, you know... keep the riff-raff off the porch!

Home repairs are underway... kinda. I got some rods so all the closets now have rods. That appreciates the house, right? I don't know... check this out: USAA has sent me back about 350.00 and I didn't know why. 100 bucks was my dividend. the other 250.00 turned out to be an overpayment on my premium. That's cool. I don't owe another $1 to them until March sometime. I can handle that, right?

Saving for He's wedding appears to be on schedule as planned. In fact, with the USAA cash, I might be ahead of schedule and be able to put more in my 401-k. Currently, I'm contributing about 11%, but I wannabe at about 25% before the year's out and by next year's end be at 50%. If I can do that for about three years, then I really wouldn't have to contribute any more to the fund... the money would be in early in the game and could grow. If so, I'll diversify into an IRA and something else. Maybe talk to Pseub for some input about investing as that's his job these days. Nothing with insider trading, you know... that's just not fair and square.

The K-5's outstide warming up and we're all cozy enough inside. Better be! The heater is natural gas and that's getting as pricey as gasoline these days. I should invest in natural gas.

Looks like before the week's over I'll have a pair of boxing gloves and a mouthpiece and a buddy and myself will have knocked the shit out of each other. We wrestled Sunday. 12 years ago, he was the 2nd best in OK in two different weight divisions. I scored some points, but he clearly dominated. It's all about the hips. Control the hips, control the man or woman. Pi Apha Lambda Alpha X-out. Gotta figure that out.

Fred's alright for now. The Ducks have split up... no more entertainment in this town... time to do some exploring with the pups. It looks like winter's finally here... it's pretty damn cold outside. Still, though, it's mild compared to last year. I mean it's not like I'm wearing a jacket, yet. It's still colder in the office than in the outside world... go figure, right? It is winter... technically.

Rumor has it that Mike and the family will be in Houston in March. Don't know if I'll see 'em. If I do, super cool. If I don't, then I won't meet Skye for about 3 more years... and that's just not very Uncle-ish of me. Uncle Reid was there when I was hatched... I remember. He had lambchops fr sideburns and I knew he'd be cool. So I asked Pop and he became my Godfather. Yep, that's exactly how it went down. My story... I'm stickin' to it.

stop.

She's Not a Stray

2006-01-16T22:11:00.000-06:00

Whatever her name is to be, a stray she never was. I got her from a Dude that lives over by Tech. He owns the white shepherd. A dude a few houses down owns the german shepherd. She's from a family... no rescue, no stray taken in. Healthy and Clean... that's how I like 'em.

Anyway, that was in response to the comment posted on the previous entry. Tonight it's 1014pm, Noname is sleeping on the blankets in the New Room (an allusion to the converted room made out of the garage in my family's only house... similar conversion here). Abi's asleep in jail right next to me, and I think Turkey is asleep on top of one of the Indy-chairs. It's also in the New Room.

The lights are out in this room... on in the 6ft (if that) hallway. On in the kitchen. It's amazing how well I know my way around a keyboard in the dark. Almost hauntingly proficcient. As if corporate America (as I've had no formal typing education) has breached the interior of my core and started to convert my independence to a sytematic, and almost instinctive, translation to one's and zero's expressed through this blog. I got better at typing cause I work on a computer at work and have been doing so for the last 5 and a half years. Can't be good for the eyes. Neither can this computer-in-the-dark stuff. And with that...

stop.

No Name

2006-01-14T17:00:00.000-06:00

No-name came home today. She's a White Shpherd/German Shepherd mix. If you've never seen a white shepherd, they're pretty crazy. All white, like snow... it's a really cool looking dog. Well, No-name isn't white. She isn't traditionally colored, either. She's the color of a yellow lab. She's got a black splotch on her nose. But she's definitely a keeper. Just gotta get past the house-breaking bit and all.

Abi and Turkey are taking well to her. I'm open to names, so comment with some, if you got any good ideas. I'm contemplating keeping No-name, but then it'd be her name and a contradiction in itself, you know?

So we're looking at anything right now... Penzoil cause of the splotch on her muzzle is all I got right now.

stop

Here We Go, Again!

2006-01-12T21:31:00.000-06:00

Personal Achievement... that is the theme of this year. And to be honest, I'm glad I've got a new theme. Last year's theme was Action-Packed. And it defintely was. I couldn't keep it up much longer. This year, though, it's time for productive accomplishment and not just productivity. And I think that's a good thing... a little evolution, but maintaining the same momentum... Gaining, even.

That's a little cross between the Buddhist evolution to Nirvana and the Twelve Steps to Perfection, or whatever Ben Franklin called that set of rules.

Well see where we are in a year...

stop

Merry Christmas, Everybody

2005-12-25T21:47:00.000-06:00

Ho, ho, ho... It's the evening now, nad Christmas has gone and is drawing closed... it was a nice day in Lubbock... the weather was agreeable, and everything went well. I haven't left home. I got a book from my bro about cooking under the hood of your car while you're on the road. It's cool... seems like maybe the 26% efficiency of internal-cumbustion engines, per pseubah, can now be recalculated... hmmm... it's funny, though. I may actually try it if I get the confidence in the k-5 to hit the road. I still think it's running richer than its own good, but I haven't bothered to look at anything.

that brings me to another point:

Responsibility is not a reactionary behavior, but a preventative measure.

That makes me see things a whole lot differently. You are held accountable for knowing shit. Like if you see a hole in the roof. YOu responsible if you fix it before it rains. You're not responsible if you get it fixed after the water damage is done.

stop.

Los Patos Quack!!!

2005-12-18T02:15:00.000-06:00

Well, before I begin with the post for the evening, I want What's Up?! to Todd. He left a comment on the last post and I didn't even know that he read or knew about this thing. But he's right. I was thinking that Wiseman would leave name for appropriate credit if it was him.

I was thinking about some of that comment on alcoholism and addiction. I was thinking that it's probably something that was found, highlighted, copied, and pasted in a comment and nobody actually took the time to write that, just to turn around and be anonymous. Anyway... I guess reading could be considered an addiction for some. A lot of people read to escape and relax. To reduce stress. And if you read too much, you ruin your eyes. You need glasses. Might not necessarily lead to anything terminal, but it does cause adverse effects on the body... well, the eyes. And it could inhibit exercise. People that sit on their ass and read all the time, might not be very active, involved in social groups, etc. Maybe reading alone is a sign a person has a problem. I think reading for some parallels my drinking in a lot of aspects. My mom, for instance reads multiple novels of over 300 pages in a single day. That's a lot of reading... comparable to my 30-pack in a day, right?

Anyway, wanted to report in that I saw the Ducks Friday night. The bassist picked me up and we went to their show. It was again great, but I only lasted till half-time. The jaeger-bombs really hit during the break between sets. Had I made it till the next set started I'd be okay, but without the stumulous of the live music, I just sit still and surrender to the wave of intoxication. Didn't go tonight cause last night cost me way too much moula... this is the first show I've ever missed since I started watching them... and that was several months ago. Take away Whataburger and the Ducks, and Briggs would just whither away in Lubbock! God Bless the Ducks!!! If you're ever in downtown nowhere, i.e. the Hub City, come check 'em out if they're playin'. It's well worth your time! And yes. Ducks concerts are another addiction... my escape from reality... etc. Ride the guitar solo and leave all else behind. Sing and shout at the top of your lungs... no problems during the show, right?

That's what I wanted to post... other than that, I'm glad to have the K5 back... it's running extremely well, and the choke is doin' it's part. I'm definitely happy with Prock's Auto... they did quite a job.

Ripped the carpet out of the kitchen today. Yep, there was carpet in there. Don't know what to put down in its stead, but I'm sure I'll think of something.... I'll keep you posted.

stop.

Interesting Comments...

2005-12-14T18:20:00.000-06:00

Did you read the comment to the last blog? Wow. I don't know who anonymous is. It might be Wiseman... I think. I don't know, though.. he may have called or put his name on it. Maybe it was just cut and paste stuff from the internet. I don't know. But let's say it's true.

According to that, I have an addiction to alcohol. I've been told that I have an addictive personality.

What if, instead of drinking, I ran. Would an addiction to running lead, if untreated, to insanity and premature death? I can't say that it would.

But I can say that I don't know many people that drink more than me. And I can say that according to the comments, I need to seek professional help. I can say, though, that I won't.

I didn't drink the other day. Didn't feel like it. Sometimes, I get that way.

Anyway, on to other things... I haven't blogged in a while and wanted to update y'all. The K5's at the shop gettin' the tranny overhauled. That's cool. I'll maybe get it tomorrow afternoon. That'll be great cause it'll be earlier than anticipated. That's always a bonus!

The house is warm. Abi and Turkey are getting along better than expected.

stop.

Alcoholism

2005-12-04T20:09:00.000-06:00

So I'm sitting in front of the tv and I realize that I'm overtaken by alcohol. Not because I'm stumbling, making idiot phone calls, or puking. But because I recognize the posture. I'm relaxed and slouching. But my neck is craning toward the tv and my eyes are focused. Im craned to the point that I realize the posture problems and want to shift my weight, straighten my back, and sit up... but the feeling is familiar.

It's the same posture I've had everytime I get woozy in front of the tube. Wasted... into what's goin' on around me... what's on the tube. Way too interested for non-cable, non-satelite tv. Then I wonder...

One of the guys at work told me about this dude he knew in the military... They'd get off at 4p in Friday. The guy stayed in his room... sat just a few feet from his tv. His door open and any0ne could see him. From Fri afternoon until Monday, abut 430a, he didn't move... just his arm... lifting, methodically, a can of beer to his mouth. He drank... the entire time. Didn't go out. didn't socialize, unless you came in and sat down with him and cracked a few open with him. He made it to work on Monday. On time. He worked all week. Did a fine job. But then, when Friday afternoon came, he repeated the previous weekend. Every weekend. Did he have a problem? I don't know. Seemed to me he made it to work, right? He did his job, right? And he only got wasted on his own time.I figured, though crazy, he was alright.

But I sit here and realize I'm not all the productive. It's my own time to do with what I want. So if I wanna get wasted, then I have the right, right? But if I keep it up, I won't buy Christmas presents. Wont's get 'em mailed on time. Won't fix the house or tackle the to-do list for the K5. Won't accomplish my own persona goals. Why? Because my desire to sit wasted supercedes my own obligations to myself. To making this place cool for Abi. Won't have th K5 hanging by its own strength from a tree before Tom accomplishes the same task with his truck. Won't paint. Won't roof. Won't add a building in the back, build on the extra space. Won't accomplish anything. And though I'm not letting anyone outside down, I'm letting myself down. Disappointing myself.

This blog is the first step to changing that. It'll be a long road, but I think I have to change. Then I have to commit to the change. Then I have to change.

I'll keep you posted.

stop.

Holidays and Parades

2005-11-29T22:09:00.000-06:00

So... what's goin' on, everyone? I'm here in the Hub City amidst the holiday season. Yep; T-Day and X-mas mark the season. I guess you could stretch it to New Year's, but that more like a chronological landmark... not really a holiday, right? But you can still celebrate it.

Why is this the holiday season? I mean couldn't you consider from Valentine's passed St. Patty's all the way to April Fool's Holiday season? Or even stretch it to May-Day (Happy Birthday Mora!!!), Memorial Day, D-Day and Juneteenth (at least in TX Juneteenth means something). But whatever, it's cold as hell, so we're all drinking cider and cocoa and other drinks that mark this time of year. Even the brewers have their own Winter Brews and what not. But still, I think that if we're gonna have a Holiday, i.e. Party, season, it ought to be when it's warmer. Like maybe July 4th through Labor Day... that would be a good time. Parades and lights and bbq's at the beach! That's what I'm talkin' a-boot, what are you sayin'?

In other news, Turkey and Abi are doing swell. I watched a couple of good shows this evening, as well. Kicked of tube-time with NCIS, followed by House MD and finished off with Criminal Minds. No CSI tonight. I couldn't believe there was actually a day when CSI wasn't on TV... not that the boob-tube is the meaning of life, but there are some good shows on these days.

The benefit of the cold: no ice necessary. The beer is the right temp for drinking. Not too cold, yet. Not warm by any means at all. But it's a nice slightly cooler than cool temp and you can drink it smooth. It's nice. It's Miller Lite, but it's alright. Anyway, that's the only good thing about the cold.

I didn't mention to all of you all that I went shopping for tools this weekend. I've got plenty... for working on the truck; but home maintenance requires a completely separate set of tools. I bought a scroll saw, circular saw, drill, bits and blades and some other stuff. Won't really use a lot of it till it's warm out cause I don't wanna build onto the house in the W. TX cold. It's windy and cold and windy. Did I mention it's windy? Of course, but it's super windy... that's why the emphasis via repetition. A literary tool. What do you think?

So that was this evening. The day was another day in the cubicle world of risk management. Didn't find the cheese... again.

atop.

Dia de Gracias o Pavo? Esta es la pregunta

2005-11-24T18:55:00.000-06:00

So today I was pretty productive. I used the day off work to clean the casa. Turkey and Abi playes around. Abi tries to eat her, and I get on to Abi, but it's not like she's been striking back either, so I can't say that Abi's been hurting her.

Turkey... not a dead, defeathered, degutted bird. Turkey's my cat. Might have alreadt blogged this, but I don't know. Anyway, she was born 9-20-2005 and I got her on Tuesday. She's cool and will be a good addition to the show. She's mostly grey... light grey with bleach stains (like a peach discoloration) marbled throughout. she's got a white chest and white paws... like she's wearing socks. She hasn't scratched me yet, and she comes housebroken. It's cool... we anticipate that her contribution will be keeping the pier-and-beam house free of rodents.

Happy Gobble, Gobble!

Turkey Day Comes Early

2005-11-23T01:21:00.000-06:00

Today I got my Turkey. She's a newborn kitten to join the Abi/Briggs show. It's cool. She'll fit right in well enough. She's got some original coloring. Mostly, she's grey with a ton of hair. I mean a ton of hair. Her job is to grow up and keep rodents away. they say the main threat is mice and rats. I don't need those. And Turkey's here to take care of that. I was contemplating getting a rabbitt, but I'm glad I didn't cause I don't think the cat and rabbit combo's a good one. I am, however, still on the market for 1/2 more puppies. I can't really get them until after the 6th of Dec cause I've got to leave town for some training.

Anyway, Turk's cool. Abi's cool. I'm cool and Lubbock's getting cold.

stop.

No more flower

2005-11-14T22:35:00.000-06:00

Abi got spayed today. She got a hysterectomy. She's still out of it. It's kinda sad, you know... I wish I didn't have to do it. But I did... hopefully, it'll make her a little more tame, though... she's been getting restless lately.

It was Monday... I went to work. That can't be the way it'll always be, right? Maybe so. Better find a job I like, eh?

Anyway, I don't have all that much to say. I had a great topic t explore on the blog, but I forgot it. That was the other night, though, so I might have already blogged that prior. Sorrous (sourrous not).

Go Eagles? They're beating the Cowboys. And anything's better than a Cowboy win.

That's all I got. Think it's time for some shut-eye.

stop.

A New Chapter

2005-11-11T20:07:00.000-06:00

Back at the casa... what a day! It's Friday, though, and so it's time to relax...

Tomorrow, though, will prove to be quite a day, weather permitting, for the homeowner and old-truck owner that is me. Home Depot, Loews, and some messing with the truck will be the agenda. By tomorrow night, I should be chillin' at Sports Form, maybe...

Gotta check my $$$ situation and flight arrangements cause I'm planning that major party tour next weekened. I'm driving to Houston, partying at Tom's Saturday night, flying to Phoenix Sunday morning for Skye's baptism, then flying back that night to drive to Lubbock on Monday morning. Busy-bee? No, busy me!!! Well, we gotta see the moula situation. If I leave Abi, I could do it all on the bike, no?

Oh, Abi is getting fixed Monday... no eating after 9p Sunday night. Hope she becomes a little more docile afterward. She took off the other night and crossed a major intersection. I'm thinking it's because of her going into heat soon. But maybe she's just defiant, like Mom says.

stop.

Back In Town

2005-11-07T02:07:00.000-06:00

I'm back... Psueb's with me. Pop and Mom drove me and Abi to Austin on Saturday and we hung out with Brian and Mary-Beth for the weekend. Psueb drove to Lubbock and is staying with me for a couple of days... should be good times.

More to come, I'm sure....

stop.

Headin' Out to Houston

2005-11-01T06:19:00.000-06:00

I'm goin' to Houston today... taking the burban back. Yesterday I managed to get the DSL set up and the Burban's horn fixed. It took longer than it should have, but I got it done in time to have it inspected. Almost didn't pass because the rear license plate light was out. They had one, so they fixed it. Then they passed it... new sticker in the dash. Sucked cause it was the 31st of Oct and they gave me an inspection sticked good till next Oct 31st. They couldn't have given me a November one? That would have been so much better... would've lasted for an extra 30 days... they didn't.

Hmmm... also went to Big Lots for some Trick-or-Treat candy... good thing, too. I had several trick-or-treaters... gave them all good stuff. They were pleased with the offerings. I noticed, though, some of them were lacking costumes... I didn't say anything this year cause I'm new to the block and I don't know if they're poor or not, but I think next year I won't be so kind to the plain-clothes trick-or-treaters. I don't think that's rude. I think that's the way it should be. As someone said, even the poor ones could make a mask out of a paper bag and wear it. That's a damn good point.

So we're off to Houston. Here's the plan. Tonight I'll go out with Stan. I owe him $100.00 I'll stay at Tom and Courtney's. In the morning, I'll head out to the folks. Might see Zeph on the way. Don't know. that'll require some early rising. I'd like to borrow Tom's Buell as a local loaner while I'm there, but I'm thinking that if the weather is nice enough for that, then he'll be on it and not in the Fox. We'll see.

Anyway, I think at week's end, Pop will give me a lift to Austin. I'll hang with Brian and Mary-Beth and Pseub will give me a ride back to Lubbock. He's coming to study some and to check out my new digs. He's an equity trader these days and has to study and take some tests... he can study anywhere, right? So why not in the Hub City where there are no distractions? Yo no se!

We'll see, though. I have yet to speak to Brian or Tom or Courtney or Mary-Beth. I also haven't confirmed things with Pseub and Elizabeth. I don't think that Riley is fixed and Abi isn't either... so there might be problems there. Gotta get that done when I get back... I just gotta.

Well, need to clean the house a little so that it's clean upon my return. And upon my return I need to line up the gas lines in the heater.

stop.

46th in the Winter

2005-10-31T17:48:00.000-06:00

The weather's coming and it isn't bringing anything nice. It's getting cold and the wind is blowing hard. Gonna blow the fence down... and it hasn't been fixed yet.

Anyway I got the DSL set up today. That's cool. plugged it into the wireless router that Pop and Mom got me last year for X-mas. It'll be an excellent asset to the home.

Also managed to fix the horn on the Burban and get it inspected. I take it to Houston tomorrow.

And finally, I'm going to watch t.v.... Fred's doing well. Al might be coming up to stay a while.

stop.

The Briggs is Back In Town

2005-10-19T16:56:00.000-05:00

People... it's been so long... how do I go about updating you since the last time since I posted... How about a brief synopsis? Here's the major details...

Trashed the Dodge on the way to my class reunion. Didn't make it. Of course, neither did the Dodge. No replacement, yet. We're looking at a '85 K-5... possibly. The wreck was August 6th.

The following weekend I split my head open jumping through a doorway. Glued it shut with super-glue. No infection... no hair growth on the scar either... it's a cutie.

Mmmm... oh, and I'm homeless. Been that way for about a month as well. Closing on my house tomorrow. Sweet little job... 843 ft^2, pier and beam, no central air (but I don't use it anyway). Built in 1953. Great little house. I'm excited. I close tomorrow. Live there by the weekend. After that, it's project wheels... get some.

Skateboard's also busted. That happened a while ago and I still haven't replaced it. You can't buy a long board off the shelf in Lubbock. It's gotta be ordered. I haven't ordered it yet.

Okay, I know it's not much, but that's what I've got.

For Fred... he rear-ended someone on his bike today. He was car 6 of 6 in the chain-rear-ender. That can't be good.

For now, that's all... whataburger is motivating me to find water...

stop.

Hmmm

2005-10-18T19:13:00.000-05:00

Vid's not dead. He just doesn't post anymore.

... in case you were worried.

Vid, check in

2005-09-04T16:41:00.000-05:00

Jim is worried about you because you've been "incommunicado." Call him, so he doesn't report you as a missing person.

Either Way... It's Not Stereo...

2005-07-03T09:05:00.000-05:00

Here's what I know about Saturday... I was conscious for about a few hours of it. Dont' know why. I mean, yes, I wasn't getting much sleep over the past week.

Saturday I was going to see two brother's and two sister's in law. It was the start of a two-weekend travel expedition to see all bros and sister's in law.

All I remember is Venus Williams won at Wimbledon. And I layed down again before the start of the NASCAR race... never saw it though. Woke up again and it was 2am so I went out side and rolled up the windows on the Dodge and set the alarm and went to bed in my bed rather than on the floor or couch.

Tired... that's what I am. Exhausted... that's true, too. I don't know why. I don't think it's mono. But yesterday I pretty much wasn't useful for anything. I went eventually to buy food... subway. I ate about 3 inches of it and that was all for the day, save a qt of gatorade x-treme.

I may sleep away today as well. Maybe even tomorrow. Good thing Abi sleeps a lot...

I do owe Pseub an apology for the mispelling of his name... that's no way to visit a blog! Anyway, he'll notice several type-o's as I do not spell check. I know what I mean and this is my blog anyway, right?

Well.. it's Sunday. The Dudes are going to play for Wimbledon... if I leave now, I can make it to Austin by 4p. Time enough to drink, sleep and come back tomorrow for work on Tuesday... it's so gay that we have to work!

stop.

Weest Texas: 1... Me: 3

2005-06-25T14:32:00.000-05:00

So the Solstice, in addition to beuing the longest day of daylight, is the mark of Summer. I was suckered. West Texas conned me into major binges at BWW's which completed the absolute dehydration of my body that the weather's been working on subtley... but constantly. So yestersday was Friday and I didn't drink cause I hurt. Not like most do... just in the knees. And it wasn't all that bad. I just didn't quite feel up to it. I felt kinda powdery? Dusty? I think I may have only peed like twice. And I bought two Powerades! Plus water, etc. But no beer, though it was properly iced down, as is customary. And again today, I'm just not up to it. I think the desert has drained me and is so overpowering that I can't replace the liquids needed in my body to "feel up to it." Add to that the no a/c and you're just not ever really feeling like nice cold one. So that's where we are. I tried to call He for some words of inspiration once I diagnosed this... mmm he (the pronoun, and not the proper noun, though I reference the same individual in this case) wasn't there. I've still got an MGD or two, some of that nasty-crap San Lucas, some Bud and some Pearl Light. 68 calories can't taste that bad, right? Ho-ho-ho...

Latnua.. okay so a new deal's come up right? I added cd-playing ability to the house without having to go through the computer. It's a cd-player and I can't remember how I got it, but someone gave it to me in the like last say 6 weeks? I don't know where it came from... Lisa? I wanted a funnel but maybe I got a cd-player instead... Tom? I Don't know. anyway, it's got a year of manufacture... 1990 or 91. I can't remember. Anyway, I hooked it up to Laura's folks' old machine and so now I've got it all except for 8-track. I'll have to make it a point soon to seek one out and then hang on to it.

And with that people, I do believe I'll sit in the sun and drink and ice-cold Budweiser opened with Tom/Courtney's belt-buckle even though it's a twist off. Oh, last thing.. rode to town for ice and bbq and such... wore Psub/Elizabeth's Woody's T with a biker on back... yeah, I was in true weekend biker fashion. Lesson of experience... it's not really feasible to carry the 20lb bag of ice, although it's a better value. But I did it...

stop

Repite, Por Favor

2005-06-25T11:48:00.000-05:00

Today is not un-like Yesterday. I don't work today. And I don't work tomorrow. I could have said that yesterday. This brings up an interesting idea.

Early this am, I was watching Sonic the Hedgehog when I should have been watching either Kenny the Shark or Tutenstein, but I was on the wrong channel... dang it. Anyway, so it turns out that Sonic and pals are really from a planet that used to be part of a bigger planet. Earth was the other part of this super-planet. Long story short, the planet blew up and now you have parallel universes whose timelines are starting to merge and cencel themselves out unless Sonic and pals get to the right place. Okay here's the deal. If they don't go and time merges then it will stand still. and they didn't want that. Let's see:

Yesterday was a beautiful day. It was great weather, I didn't work and I got paid. Could I repeat that day everyday? Hell yeah. Wake up everymorning to beautiful skies, getting paid, and having the day off?! Could I ask for more? I could drive to the beach. I wonder though, if this means that at midnight you'd reset back to wherever you were and everymorning, though the day's activities could change, you always start off "at base" in the morn. I don't know... that means no matter how far I got, I always start in Lubbock. And that's not where you wanna have your starting point. Make my starting point a beach. a warm coastal beach along Texas and my I wake up on this beach with enough cash in my pocket to buy a couple of breakfast tacos and some beef jerky for Abi and then we can talk about repeating forever.

Talked a little to Pseub today. Gave him the address for the blog. We'll see if he checks in. If so, then MOO, Pseub.

Talked to He today as well. He's with Tara and all is well in the Heartland, He reports. Not a long conversation, but it's not about the minutes... it's about the message. And if the messasge is that all's well in the Heartland, then I'm sure it'll be a beautifully agricultural day for America. Fear Not, Ethiopa, your free grain is on the way!

Tomorrow is Sunday. I don't know about Sundays... they're so spooky these days. And sneaky. You wake up do your stuff get some beer and watch NASCAR... then it the evening and you don't know it but Monday's looming ust around the corner. And there's not turning back... the fun will and then it's back to the mines.

Been doing some major computer activity today. Virus Scanning, and Defragmentation and Compression and all sorts of stuff. It sounds like I know what I'm doing, but really I just get lost in the right-click menus and execute the programs I find that seem like a good idea and haven't been done before. It took 8+ hrs to compress my hard-drive. It gave me an additional 2gigs of space. I now have 5 gigs of free space. The rest is full of music.

Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister... gimme three sips instead! now that's a song worth singing. I was at BWW's the other eveing when out of the background floated lightly, a little piece of something in the the Zeigen Bock in front of me. I got a free one... and one last sip of the tainted glass. 10oz sip, eh? That's way you work it. Had to leave two behind as proof for the bar! The free one came and it's now a memory. As for the grossness of something falling from somewhere and then drinking? Oh well, alcohol sterilizes, right? Good then, end of discussion.

Gotta do something with the dog today. We'll walk somewhere... whataburger?

stop.

June-teenth

2005-06-24T16:06:00.000-05:00

... it just passed by. I never saw it coming. No mention of the anniversary of slaves finding out they were freed by Abe in West Texas. Maybe out here they just don't care. I don't know, though. It's the 16th or the 19th. I'm not too sure cause it's not really a milestone in my culture. Then again, I'm not black. Not in the winter. I'm a nice shade of sauteed chestnut. We weren't enslaved. We were killed when we didn't want to be Catholic. I'm alive, so you can guess I'm Catholic.

Today I bought a camping loveseat (Ahhh, he said "love"). I bought two actually. One cost me $15. The other only cost me $5 and three zip-ties (cable ties?) and minimal minutes of labor and it's in grand fashion. there's a warning on there not to overload it (no more than 225Lbs). I can't believe that. It's supposed to seat two adults but each can only weigh like 112.5lbs max. I'm not in that category. I think it won't break though. But if it does... well it'll just deserve it, then. Also got a camoflauge Dodge cap. All these items were at the Dollar General and are superb in comfort, styling, and quality... Damn... everything there comes from China?

Big Lots... went there, too. Same parking lot as the D.G. Bought computer speakers ($5.99) and some chords cause Abi's got a real talent for eating chords and I'm out now.

Turned on the AC. I did it for the dog. She has a runny nose? It's stopped up in one nostril and flaky dry on one side. I wasn't sure if maybe it was something from the heat or maybe allergies like Molly has. So I turned on the AC and cooled her down. She slept... it's off again and I'm warming up...

Oh, and I also bought a new computer mouse at Big Lots ($2.00). Abi ate the chord on the last one, so I needed a new one. It's made by GE. At the GE plant in China. I think I only buy Chinese made items. We all probably do.

No working for me today. No sir. I worked last Saturday and I'm off today because of it. that's all about work that I've got.

No word from the bros. about the weekends. I called Tom last night and told him to call me back. I talked to him today but it was brief and about the camping chairs and not weekend plans. We only talk about projects and stuff... not about scheduling plans or coordinating family-planned excursions. Nah... at least I'm not a planner. I wonder how much stuff I miss out on cause I don't plan. And how much stuff do I get to do cause I don't plan and am free to go, to do, to whatever. It's a balance, and I do have considerable downtime, but I think I'm coming out ahead on the fun in the sun.

I think I'm gonna have to spend some money on the Dodge for some tires and some wheel repairs. I need lug-nuts like an addict needs a fix. Except that there's not really anything wrong with me needing lug-nuts. Anyway, I need them. And my front rt tire is wearing heavily on the inside of the tire and I'm concerned about my front wheel-housings anyway as last time I returned from Houston, I saw two Dodges on the side of the road and they both had what looked like broken A-Arms... one had the left and the other had the right one broken. That's not a good omen when you're in the same model vehicle also in the middle of nowhere. I made it home, though. But I will need to seek repair work.

I was thinkning the other day of buying this place I live in. I was thinkning that I'd floor the roof of the patio and have a deck up top. That'd be cool. Some chairs, a telescope and a tub of ice and beverages. I'd even put in a slide or a fireman's pole for quick descent. I was thinking, also, that since the fence is all crappy, that maybe I'd put up a wall of bushes... but then it's the desert and we're suppose to conserve water, etc. So maybe I'll use cacti? But will it keep the dog from running away? Do I worry about that? Molly doesn't seem to be a runner. I hope Abi isn't. Right now, though, she's a sleeper.

Bad news... I looked on a map. There is no Red Cedar in Lubbock... How far will I have to go to find Red Cedar and all the fun that lies behind the mailboxes?

stop.

It's the Solstice

2005-06-22T00:49:00.000-05:00

The longest day of the year, right? And I got to spend from 8a-7p at work. Aside from a short break to go to Subway (the cheaper location for the same sandwich) and another short break to go home and bring Abi back in the Dodge to the office for the last 1.5hrs of work.

But it was still daylight. Typically, the daylight does last quite a while here. Today was a little longer, though, I noticed. Sure I did, right? Of course.

Okay, got some Pearl Light and some Budweiser. The Pearl (really PBR, Old Style, Lone Star, Schlitz Beer, and some others... they're all made by Pabst Brewing). Regardless, there's a picture on the 12 pack that shows an old building and it says "Texas' Oldest Brewery." I don't know. Maybe it's a picture of someone elses brewery and just stating a fact about Texas. Or maybe the oldest brewery in Texas does make Pearl. Anyway, it's Pearl Light (68 calories... same great taste) and it's in cans. The Bud's are longnecks. I got 'em to test the new buckle. Tested on... buckle returned a confirmation of utility that was inspiring.

that's all I got.

stop.

Inconclusive

2005-06-19T23:53:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I had two variables in my experiment and that's never a good thing. I bought what I thought were Mexican beers cause Tom drinks Mexican beer and I was getting bottles to test the buckle he and Courtney got me. Turns out the beer was El Salvadorian in origin and it didn't work in the buckle. It did like half way. But I had difficulty with two other standard bottle openers I've used regularly over the years. So after cross-testing the bottles, I discovered that the bottles are as crappy in construction as the contents are within. I don't think I'll be finishing these. I'll probably give them away one at a time to folks. I'll be all like, "Hey, Dude. I got you this crazy beer from El Salvador. Try it." I anticipate they will try one. And when they do, I'll be like, "Not too good, huh?" I could give one to Mora to mix Fonda-style. This crap and Ginger-Ale on the rocks in a salted glass. Through a lime on the side and call it something. It couldn't be any worse than the ingredient solo. I have this Mexican salt stuff, you know the Tang at the gas stations in the packets in pickle and lemon/lime flavors that the Mexicans put in their Busch tall-boys after a hard day's work. Anyway, I have two shakers... one of each flavor. I tried adding the lemon/lime one. It almost made me puke. And it wasn't the salt cause I like to eat that stuff all by itself and it never induces vomiting. So anyway, the beer was bad and the bottles deformed, so I have to get some more bottles to test. The next brand will be Budweiser, for sure.

In other news, I assembled a level-1 difficulty model of an Apache helicopter. It was a snap-together model. Very nice, right? I skipped the decals, cause I thought Tom would better authenticate the decaling of the chopper. Anyway, looks like it'll get blown up on the 4th of July, maybe. I also got a P-51 Mustang for Mike. It requires glue and paint, so I'll have to set aside more time. I couldn't find anything for Pseub. No military Hummers. No Silverados or 626's of matching years. I'll find something, though. I saw a '97 f-150, but Darren's is a newer model and they're pretty gay anyway that I wouldn't want to build one. I got a mustang of Fred's year. I need paint, though, to do it right. But I may skip painting and just have a primer garage of model cars. It's about production and not so much about the finer details of the items. It never was.

Holy fly massacre. Today I started to kill the flies. First, I started to just hit with the moccasin ($3 at theDollar General). It was easy and I killed in the 40's. No, I don't have trash and food everywhere.. I have the door open and no a/c so they come around my place like it's an African Christian Charities commercial. Anyway, then I went to the living room and would hit them on the floor but they would only get a little dizzy or knocked-out but wouldn't die cause the carpet was soft. So I pulled their wings off and left them in a pile. I killed them if they stared to stray from the pile. That was probably uncalled for, but so is their presence in both a) principal and b) population. That was the fly war. I'm soon to have on with the moths, but they seem pretty content on staying on the ceiling or committing suicide by piling up with the other dead moths in the light fixter to fry to death. I've got a ton in there just by looking at it. I wonder if that powder is famable. I don't think nature would do that... cover moths in fire accelerants, but they are dusty and dry... they could catch fire. I probably ought to just clean the light thing out and then I don't have to worry if it is or not, right?

Went to Subway two days in a row. Same meal both days. Different locations. Same owner. Different prices. Huh? Yeah, this other location charged me to substitute out ham and in it's place add more salami and pepperoni. Yes, I prefer the Spicy Italian to the BMT, but the Spicy is no longer on the menu (except at the quality older locations) and that's all you have to do to change the BMT over. Anyway, so they charged me for it. Never has that happened before. And I saw that they're quitting the Club-Cards. That's a load of crap. Let's face it... it's an expensive sandwich. Used to be the card folded and you could earn enough stamps for a free 12-inch. And you didn't have to buy chips or a drink. Then they cut the cards in half and you had to buy the chips and drink. Now they're stopping it all together. That's such crap. Everyone goes there now more than ever. And they're making little cheap changes to earn a little more profit and it's starting to kill the experience. There's this one Subway on 290 between Houston and Austin next to a Dollar General. It's in one of those little towns... I don't know which one. Giddings? Anyway, they give you automatic extra cheese gratis when you get a veggie sandwich. That's what I'm talkin' a-boot. They said it was standard. I have yet to receive free extra cheese anywhere else. I think I'm done with Subway... they're getting crappy. I wish I could still get an Antone's Super Original Po-Boy at Chevron, but that doesn't happen these days. And I'd love some Jimmy Johns (it's in Indy with the best bread ever except, of course, for Sour Dough). That's an interesting paragraph on sandwiches, huh? I have nothing going on and I'm obviously reaching. You can tell. You can even stop now and just don't worry about the rest of this blog. I'm just gonna ramble and I can almost guarantee that it's just gonna get worse.

Did I mention that I e-mailed David's sunflower seeds? I'll have to read the blog and see. Don't wanna discuss that if I already have cause that's a lot of typing for that one.

It's Father's Day. I called Pop. I called Mike. Mike wanted to know about the 4th. Here's the deal. I thought I'd go out that weekend to seem Mike for his birthday, the 7th. I hadn't looked at a calendar yet, so I don't know which actual weekend is closest to his b-day. Anyway, Tom emails us all wanting to go to New Braunsfels for the weekend of the 4th. Okay, Mike and Amy aren't going. Jim and Elizabeth are in. Tom and Courtney are in. What am I to do? Well it turns out that I still have to see what Saturday I work in July (cause a "professional" job requires cubical attendance on Saturdays) and it also turns out that I'm potentially talking about two weekends. Jim and company are talking about the weekend of the 2nd. The following weekend, the 9th, is closer to Mike's b-day. But I think Mike and Amy will be there that weekend. And it's not like I really wanna drive all weekend to Austin and New Braunsfels then to drive 12hrs to Pheonix the following weekend.

Mike and Amy don't allow pets in their house.

I think I'm tapped. And I didn't even ask how you were doing... probably cause it's my blog.

stop.

Oh, 1 More Thing

2005-06-18T22:29:00.000-05:00

I forgot to report that for my cumpleanos, Tom and Courtney sent me a new belt-buckle. It's dang sweet with a bottle opener right on the front of it. I bought a 12-Pack of San Lucas Cerveza (Made in El Salvador, imported via Maryland... at least that's where Latin Brews Imports is located) so that we can check it's utility. I'm thinking it should be a winner. This isn't a good beer. I have 11 more for confirmation. I'll let you know how they go.

Okay, right, so Mora was supposed to update her blog today. But she didn't. At least she hadn't clicked on "Publish" yet. What's up with that? I've blogged, been to the Strip and returned. Anyway, it will be exciting to read what Mora has to say... but no talking about it later.

Wouldn't be cool if Mora was in Lubbock? Depends on your perspective, I guess. Cool for me, though.

stop.

Titles are Kinda Funny

2005-06-18T20:23:00.000-05:00

cause you've either got a great one or you don't. It's not like you're actually going to think up a great one. Sorry for the disappointment this time with the title. It's that kinda day, though.

Tom and Courtney's thermometer said it was 112F today when I was looking at it. I don't know if it's accurate or if that was even the high, but I can assure you that it was quite a warm day. No turtlenecks tonight! Who wears them anyway? Warren Beatty and ... and .... and ..... and..... you? Take a hard look at yourself and answer the question honestly. It's the first step toward something better.

I wonder if my neighbors like my music. I don't know where my walkman is, so I usually leave the back door open for the dog and play the stereo loud enough to hear outside. Easily, the neighbors hear my music. It's not offensive in content or subject matter, so I hope they don't. But who really gets a ticket for Disturbing the Peace cause they played Neil Damond too loud. That's a torrid thought! Military Rule: No more Neil... and the citizens revolt, screaming "He Ain't Heavy, He's my Brother!" and other things. I'd join that movement. It'd be in the history books one day and kids would read about the "Brooklyn Road Riot" and other cool things and how the people's love of his music changed the face of this country and the political make-up of modern elections. The Diamond-cratics? That's my political party, right? Hell yeah! And this could happen cause Bush is just the guy to declare Martial Law across the land from formerly shining but now Martial Sea to Martial Sea. Then all they have to do is crack-down on Cracklin' Rosie outburts in public and give us fans diamond patches to wear on our arm-bands to identify us as the "dirty" ones in the modern society. Wow, that's weird... man, I hope that never happens.

In other news, Abi can sit, lay down, speak, fetch, roll-over, and shake. Not too shabby, right. She also managed to study on her own and learn how to chew chords. Yeah... she's gonna start not liking her puishments a whole lot more than she's used to. But she's like a canine ninja... not a theif, but dammit, I can't ever seem to catch her doing it! Ahhh! (fade to black and scene change)

* * *

Went to PetSmart today with the dog. She got a ton of attention from folks. She picked Pedigree puppy food. It costs a little more than Puppy Chow, but I figure if she'll eat it, I'll compromise. She wasn't a huge fan of that Puppy Chow and she managed to get through the 40lbs. that Jake left behind. Whatever... got some other crap for the dog. But it's alright.

Okay, somewhere wait up at the top I was curtailed by the fantasy world of Martial Law and bands on Neil Diamond that I lost track of the meat of the whole thing. So today took the cot outside and took a nap for an hour or two (I woke up and then checked the thermom.... I must've not noticed. Remember, it's a dry heat, cause that matters, right?). Anyway, it was a dry heat and it did a nice job drying me out. Holy water consumption, Batman! But I can't really chug a ton of it cause then your stomach swells and you get queasy. So we're taking it in slowly but constant.

The sun will be down in the next thirty minutes and then this desert climate town wiill cool off about 10-15 degrees F almost instantly. It's crazy on the bike during the day cause you feel all the heat off the road just baking under the merciless beams of the Devil's Smile. I'm thinking I'll make it out to the Strip for some refreshments and ice in a bit. That should be a nice little mission. Then I'll come home and if I'm super smart, I'll simply stop and get a fly-swater and a mostiquito repelant of some sort ( the new OFF lantern pad thing, may-be? It would be a pilot test first reported here! Now that's what a Global News Page should have, eh?)

Man, it really feels good to get on the blog again. Sorrous about the length, I know it's been exhausting and awfully non-forward moving. I definitely type the scenic-route way. That might not be an appealing trait, though, cause most folk aren't concerned with the scenery anymore. It's unimportant, you know? Besides, you can take a gazillion digital pictures of everything so you don't even have to try to get a good shot or pay attention cause the probability is that you're gonna get one or two great shots when you 30 thousand at any given moment. But it's my blg and my journey, so it goes my pace. And sometimes that pace moves forward and sometimes that pace just sits down a spell and lets his dogs rest. Kwim? Much obliged...

I could keep going and I might go back later, but I'll end this here... it's probably pretty dang long.

The short end of the stick is that I'm in the Hub-City with the dog and we're fine... working and making it one day at a time. Chug... chug.... chug... not too fast, though... it's hot out there!

stop.

I said Good Day

2005-06-12T16:35:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've been on this thing, eh? So much has changed. So much hasn't. While I'm still in Lubbock, I'm not so distraught. I keep being reminded that I'll be alright, and I will.

Abi can now sit, lay down, roll-over, speak, shake, and fetch. There's definitely no doubt that she's not a whole lot terrier, if any. She's predicted to top out around 63lbs or so. I don't know how I feel about that. she's thin and all, but she's tall for her age. We'll see. She's housebroken. Still has an issue with chewing, but we'll get her over that.

I've been going home a lot still. I'm done for this month, but I go back in July. Tom called and he's talking about the siblings and spouses and dogs going to New Braunsfels for 7-4. I said I'm down. I called Mike and he said he's down. Jim, too. I inquired about camping, but they weren't down for that. I have Grandpa's old tent again, though, so I wanna go campoing somewhere. I might could set it up in the back yard like when I was a little kid. Pop did that once for us. Usually, though, Pop took us camping for real.

I don't know what all to say. Have a Natty... I am.

stop.

Abi in Austin

2005-05-19T11:00:00.000-05:00

Alright, we're on the road, but there's been a lot going on so I ought to fill you in. Abi and I are in Austin... at Brian's. It's Thursday which means it's Pseub's 4th day on the job here. He has a work-truck... another silverado. Haven't talked to him since he started, but I got a little overflow from Pop Monday evening. Anyway, he's here in Austin with the wife, living at the in-laws. They're house-shopping right now.

Okay, so Tom did get married. He had some trouble with the Army... like he was supposed to be at monthly drill instead of getting married. Right... monthly drill... marriage. Anyway, he did have to scram afterward to make it to his annual two-week training stuff. This usually slims him down a bit. But damn the timing. Anyway, this year it's two weeks in Conroe. How military-esque, eh? What a crock. Point is, he got married.

Groom's gifts to the wedding party were these sweet knives. Smith and Wesson, actually. anyway, I totally severed Fred's shoulder. Cutting right through one of Katie's favorite shirt. And as it is an older Banana Republic shirt, I am unable to replace it. Wonder how volleyball went. It was a real bleeder.

Oh, spent last night at Zeph's... good times. Mandy gave her old job the boot yesterday. Quite an evening.

So now I'm in Austin. an oil change and then we're fishing. Too bad I forgot the Abu Garcia, no?

And as with all trips to Houston. Saw Mora... most excellent times were had.

stop.

2005-05-06T23:03:00.000-05:00

So I don’t know what all you’ve heard but I’ve recently been diagnosed with a life-long illness. Chronic Sobriety. I was treating it with alcohol, but it reacts with my body and makes me gain weight. So, after 16lbs (but still ahead of the game) I decided I had to quit the medication. Damn those side-effects!

I’m dog-sitting a couple of dogs for an employee of mine. It’s like a zoo here, but it’s plenty fun. Dogs always are. Anyway, tomorrow is Saturday and I’m working. I picked it up from another manager cause he needed the day off and I wanted to have the comp-day to cash in later this week to go to Tom’s wedding on Thursday. I gotta remember to schedule the following week off. But I don’t think anyone is doing anything or staying in town, etc. Not even Pseub. But if I take off the entire week, then I’ll be there to go to the coast with Brian, Al, and John. Fishing… excellent. I’ll take my trusty Abu-Garcia and prepares to catch whatever swims below the surface, for sure.

Anyway, that's that for now. Back to the drawing board of imagination, lads! Ta-ta...

stop

Abi on the Road

2005-05-03T23:47:00.000-05:00

Whew! What traveling I have been doing! Abi and myself have put miles on the Dodge. Hours in the seats, and endless songs playing on the radio. We've been traveling from Lubbock to Houston and back the last three weeks. That's why there've been no updates... we've been incommunicado, kwim?

Okay, so Abi's learning... a lot, too. But she's got one short attention span. So she's about 40% on everything. But she can sit, lay down (sometimes) and come. Sometimes she can even roll over. Housebreaking is still painfully underway. She doesn't have a style of communication, yet, to let me know her needs. Anyway, she's doing well and should end up sturdy, loyal, and super-cool.

Lubbock. I can't handle it. On one side, I'm thinking of staying longer and getting to like it here just to prove it can't run me off. On the other, I've got one life to live and I don't know if that's best done here trying to prove something to a town and has no capacity to care.

Houston... I've put on 15lbs traveling there. All the refrigerators! All that preserved food just waiting to be unwrapped. That and all the beer lately. But I've found my thrist quencher, now, so I shouldn't be drinking so much anymore. Whenever it gets warm here for good, I'll start running. I was already running at this time last year in Indy, but it's cold and today was even rainy! Ugh! Not that I'm a whiner or afraid of the outdoors... it's that it wasn't safe conditions for running, see?

So that's that. Oh, and we got a new Pope. Benny XV-1. That's not too bad. Not terribly cool, though, either. Best of luck to him... it's a cool job, eh?

stop

Sadness

2005-04-16T18:59:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, April 6th, I came home from work and let Jake out of jail. I was going to meet another manager dude for some beers before going to the softball game for my employees. I didn't think it was right to let Jake out to do his business and then jail him again. So I left him in the backyard.

I came home and the gate was blown open and he wasn't here. I went looking. It was dark and I couldn't hear his collar jingling. I couldn't see him. He wasn't answering. I went home and slept with the doors open and Boston playing cause I thought maybe it'd be familiar to him. I dreamt he came home. I woke up after an hour... he wasn't here. I went looking for him again.

4am
was dead in the road... hit by a car. I can't say I've ever cried harder. I still miss him. He was awesome and you don't get awesome twice. He was my first dog. I don't know how to really illustrate our relationship. I could talk to him. And he did his part. It was always us together... except for one evening. And now, never again. It hurts.

I now have Abigurl. She's 1/2 heeler and 1/2 Jack Russel Terrier. I didn't get her from a family. Zeph and Mandy found her at Willowbrook Mall, in the Bank One parking lot. This lady had several litters and they adopted her for me. I don't expect her to be Jake. I expect her to be her and we'll get along. But I still miss Jake.

Abi is a pretty little chick. She fits in the toolbag on the front of my bike. I took her by work when I had to work late the other night. She's a sleeper. Took her to the vet today to make sure everything's kosher with her. She'll be alright. She chews. But she can also come and sit when commanded. It's always a trade-off. But I didn't want to make a deal.

I love Jake. I hope dogs go to heaven. I hope I do. I hope I see Jake when I get there. I hope Abi makes it there, too, and that she can meet Jake.

Abi misses her family like I miss Jake. We're getting through it together and we'll be okay. It'll make us stronger. Closer. It just sucks. For both of us.

and now you know a little of what I feel.

stop.

Dudes... and some chicks

2005-04-04T19:17:00.000-05:00

I worked only 8hrs today. That's all I'm supposed to work each day, but it rarely happens. I also went for a jog today. I can say it was a good day. I didn't get behind and I even managed to leave work with nothing really waiting until tomorrow. I even had time to partake in the banter between Fred and Darren via e-mail.

Got home and checked the mail... got a notice from the Vet that it's time to get Jake's worm medicine. Went down and got it.. $43 and change. Weighed him in... 62.2Lbs... not too shabby. He's still not as tall as Buck. Doubt he'll ever get that big. Then I took him by the office since I was close and I was talking to one of my employees that strongly encouraged me to whistle-train the dog. That sounds like something my neighbors will enjoy. I probably ought to get more involved with the dog's brain, though. I got a blue-heeler cause they're smart... and smart dogs with no stimulation end up eating crap and getting in trouble. Okay, tomorrow I'll go to Wal-Mart and get a whistle. According to this dude, the dog will learn the whistle stuff super fast. Hope it works. This dog doesn't seem to "come" when I tell him. I was under the impression that he's a puppy and is still checking out the world. But at 60+ pounds, I guess we should start dropping the hammer.

Other than that, it's 730p and daylight outside. That rocked when I was a kid cause I could stay out later. But that was also during summer vacation. I don't have that anymore. Wish I did... why don't we? It sucks that we don't. I'd love to go back to the folks', sleep on the couch all day or play baseball in the street and just get bored in the sun, the humidity... ahh the beauty of summer vacation!!!!

stop.

Schaefer... American Proud

2005-04-03T14:46:00.000-05:00

Scaefer Light, "Proudly breweedd in the United States of America using the finest quality ingredients." There's no astrix, there's no footnote. The can speaks what Schaefer must think is the truth. I can't say it's the finest beer available. I can say that it's $9.99 per pack of 18 12oz. cans. I can say that a standard 18-pack of cans does fit perfectly in the saddlebags on the Roadstar. I can say that a bag of ice, a pack of hotdogs and their buns fits in the other side. That makes the bike the perfect machine for an afternoon at the lake. Not that I went to the lake today.

I'm at home watching the NASCAR race. My neighbor, Curtis, edged my yard this morning. His kid ran the weedeater around the fencing. That was cool. I thanked Curtis with a Schefer Light. He didn't seem to mind. It dioesn't taste like Light Beer, though. I mean there isn't really much of a taste. But of the taste there is, it's more akin to heavily diluted malt-liquor. That can't be good. Or maybe more like it's a can of club soda with a shot of vodka added to give it alcohol. Weird. But I'll knock them off.

I thought I was gaining weight, but I'm still checking in at 170lbs. But I think it's a softer 170, so Jake and I will be running in the warm weather this week.

So the yard is mowed and the main part of the house is cleaned. I bought some more hotdogs today, and the race is on. according the the Lubbock County Appraisal District website, my place is worth about $80k. Don't know that I want to pay that much for it. I could do somewhere in the $40's, maybe even the mid $30's. But for $80k, I think I'd buy out in Smyer and get a lot more land. smyer's in another county, too, so hopefully they sell beer at the gas stations and grocery stores.

Back to the race....

stop.

Productivity, At Last!

2005-04-02T16:14:00.000-06:00

Got somethings done today. Cleaned off the dining table and moved it to a more appropriate location so that I could take my desk out of one of the spare bedrooms and put it where the dining table used to be. That gave me the ability to hok up my old desktop computer to the internet by being around a phone jack as I use the old man's AOL account. Now the PC and the Laptop both are internet-ready. Then I installed AOL on the PC and downloaded the free McAfee anti-virus stuff. It's scanning the computer right now.

On the PC, the clock in the toolbar doesn't keep accurate time. I don't know what that's all a-boot.

I checked my email and really ended up just deleting most of it. I didn't bother to go pay rent today, so I'll end up having to do that on Monday. No late fees Monday, though, so we're still cool.

Mike and his wife are having a baby. Jim and his wife are moving to Austin at the end of this month and he got a job there working with a company that is involved in home-automation. It sounds relatively cool. Definitely something up Jim's alley.

I'm considering the purchase of a home in a neighboring community just west of Lubbock. In theory, it's 15 minutes from work. I don't know if that will be affected by whatever traffic there may be coming from that direction.

I need to mow today or tomorrow. I'm supposed to make it to the rodeo this evening to ride a Bronco, but I don't know if I'll make it there. I've been really productive today getting stuff handled around the house, but there's still so much to do: mow the yard, clean up all the trash inside, vacuum, fix the bed, wash Jake, etc. At some point I'm sure I'll be wanting a beer.

I did manage to burn my first cd. Really, it's full of mp3's, so I don't know if that really counts as burning. But there's a radio in the Dodge now and it plays MP3's, so I figure I can put all the music I own, digitally, on about 4 discs... that'll be good on rode trips.

Stop.

Not a Team Member?!

2005-03-13T10:33:00.000-06:00

I can't post a comment on Kelly's blog cause I'm not a team member? The hell with that! I'm a team-player, dammit!

Well, maybe she'll peruse this and see what I was going to say which is 1) change your settings so anyone can add a comment. 2) no blogs about the recent deer sightings was a disappointment. and 3) maybe you'll share a few words about your new job after your 1st day tomorrow? Oh boy, the first day... Momma oughtta buy you a new dress for your first day!

Well, folks, here's the goings on around town. Cooder Graw will be filling the warehouse we call Wild West here in the Hub City this coming weekend. If I'm not a ninny, I'll be there. Sometimes, though, I am a whining ninny and so there's a chance I won't go. I get paid soon and will have to secure admission shortly thereafter.

Yesterday I thought it was Jake, but, rather, it was the wind that was howling. Gusts up to 39mph. That's not like in Indy, where the wind could hit 50mph, but it's still impressive. It made it into the low 80's, too. But that's all changing. Today it won't break out of the 50's. But the sky's clear, so as soon as noon comes, I'm going to get some Lonies and have a fire outside with the dog. It'll be one hell of a time. I wish I had a hammock. But I got a coworker on the lookout for hammocks and 8-track players while she goes out garage sale shopping. She's a frugal one. And a former World Champion of Amateur Foozball. That's crazy! Who develops a skill like that? Not I, that's for sure. But somebody must, God Bless.

Yesterday was commited to recovery. Today is commited to healthy moderation. That started with Jake's bath. And he was such a champion about it, he got pizza when it was over. Complete with jalapenos. Jake said "Howwwwwww," in gratitude. What a great compadre he's proven to be! I just love that dog.

Oh, I think I've decided on my next bike. I'm not going with the sport-bike thing like I thought I wanted. The class is the Street-Fighter. It includes the Buells, the Triumph Speed Triple, this new Yamaha MD-01 and the former great V-Max as examples. I'm thinking either the new Speed Triple or an older used V-Max. Keeping the cruiser, obviously, but I need/want another bike for around town and not-so-long journeys.

Fred... you might could think about a V-Max, as well.

stop.

Hooked on Depression

2005-03-07T22:16:00.000-06:00

So I thought I only had $14 bucks before this morning's breakfast burrito to make it until next pay-day. Relatively no problem... I've got gas, and I've paid all my bills. And I've got a 1/2 gal of gatorade and enough ramen to make it to payday. Then I get home from work and log onto the net. Check the account (cause I'm being more on top of my finances... as much as a guy living check to check can be, right?) and it turns out my math was all wrong. I've got $50.00. So what do I do? Damn straight... load Jake up in the Dodge and head out to the strip for a 18-pack of Lonestar. That took $12 and change.

So alcohol is a depressant, eh? It's what I like to buy when I have the chance. I can't say that the body is as indestructible as it has been lately. I'm gonna need to embark on some physical activity soon just to balance out all the drinking. And it's getting warm, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. If only the rain will stop. It is West Texas, isn't it?!

Alright. so that's that. You all know the basics of the happenings out here. There's some really uncool stuff going on, but that's nothing I really care to share. Maybe that makes me fake, but there's only certain things I want to expose to all of you all... even though it's only Fred that reads this... and I doubt even he does... it's not like his Blog is all that current, right?

stop.

Time-Out

2005-02-27T00:33:00.000-06:00

I was talking to a friend today. She made a simple request... take 2.5 and see what's going on inside. I'm not happy in Lubbock.

I try to stay in a pleasant disposition. Overall, I'm a pretty happy-go-lucky type of dude. I'm good at making lemonade and letting go of crap I don't control. So I stay pretty positive about being here in Lubbock. All in all, it's not a bad town, and I can't really explain why I'm not happy here. But I'm not. I think this just isn't my bag. It takes all I have to make the most of it... and I haven't really noticed it, but I think that subconsiously, this place is draining me or already has.

I can't say all of Lubbock is bad... I found Jake in Lubbock. But that's about the only positive thing I've found here. I tried to be happy that at least I have Whataburger... but to tell you the truth, the Whataburgers here haven't been up to par. The buns are dry and the break up leaving you with a mess in your hands. I tried to be happy that I have Lonestar beer again. In truth, Lonestar isn't a great beer. It's not even an okay beer. It's the kind of beer that makes people say all beer is just horse-piss. It really is. I mean I like it... but it's no driving factor to bring a Texas native back to the Lonestar State from afar.

I've had girls that threw my chi out of balance. I've never had an environment that did. I don't have peace in Lubbock. That's probably why I drink so much and feel horrible today.

They say you can do anything for a year... they didn't try living here. One thing will come from this that's positive... wherever I go next, I'll be very grateful for the change!

I've blogged before that this town isn't so bad. That there are things about this town to experience. There are. This town just isn't for me. That's not to say this town sucks. It's just not for me.

I miss Indy. I miss my life there. I miss the conveniences of Greenwood and my location in that little town. I miss the perfect sidewalk and turning point to run an easy 5k. I miss the proximity of He and Cinci. I miss the beautiful sky. I miss the puffy clouds. I heard today was one of those days that made me love living there. I miss Jake's. I miss my Mexican neighbors to whom I had never said more than "Hola," or "Hace frio, no?" I miss the record store. I miss my partner through it all. Had I not left, I'd be much happier.

To all those that told me I shouldn't have left, you're right. I'm sorry I'm gone. Sorrier than you are/were to see me leave.

Along the lines of the 2.5 self-check, I've also come to a realization that because I'm not happy here, I can't be happy in a relationship.

********

Between the above and now, I’ve had a chance to talk to Ashley. It was a really good conversation. Probably cause I got to vent a lot of the above by simply writing it out. It sure does feel good when you get crap off your chest… even if it’s by dumping it into the vast emptiness of Cyber-Space in a place nobody else actually visits. Anyway, she’s been having her own craziness whilst I’ve been enduring my own struggles this past week. Her struggles, though… completely different and un-called for. And on a level and of a magnitude that gives me really no reason to complain about my own corporate frustrations and insomnia. Either way, the week’s over, the frustrations dissipating, and the opportunity to sleep has been available. Jake’s taken advantage… he’s sleeping right now.

Hey… READ THE LABEL… I bought two V8’s this morning (and I don’t mean Hemis). I got home, opened one, took a sip and realized I didn’t get the Spicy Hot V8. Then I got to number two and it was the same thing. So I had to add my own Tabasco and shake it up. Yeah, it ended up spicy, but it was lacking whatever they put in the Spicy Hot V8 that kinda aggravates the back of your throat. I’ll be more wary of the label next time.

Alright, I’ve complained about the wrath of my own free will. I don’t expect any sympathy or anything… it was my free will. But I did need to report the facts. And that’s all I really needed to do. Now I’m feeling better, will probably sleep well, and tomorrow, I will start the first day of Operation: Fecal Unity… yes, I need to get my shit together. The first step is to get with Pete and make sure my corporate efforts and fruits thereof are working to their best potential for myself. I think I might have to make some investment goals this year. Not just make them, but meet them. We’ll see. That’s what Pete’s for.

Or daily events, let me catch you up on today… 1) fixed the truck alarm. That’s key, cause I’ll be getting a new stereo for the truck soon. 2) I did a little yard work in the back. Didn’t really clean anything up so it’s still white-trashish. But I cut down most of the tall weeds and hosed down the remaining piles of Jake’s deposits. I have a green backyard. That’s cause of Jake. What a great dog. And 3) I got the Beta working up to par, setting the channels, and even going so far as to go through all the unlabeled beta tapes to see what all’s on them. I queued up Dune for whenever I’m ready to watch it. I’m bummed cause I couldn’t find the Dark Crystal beta. I thought I had it and it was actually a tape with a label. I couldn’t find it so I called Uncle Gary… he said he’d check with Judy but he’s pretty sure they turned over all Beta tapes to me already. I thought they had. It’s my own damn fault. And that’s such a great movie!

Stop.

Commitment Conversation

2005-02-25T01:23:00.000-06:00

1st of all, Congratulations, Kelly Mora... it's late but better than never!

Okay, so I was at dinner with HR today and we were talking about relationships and such. I was pretty dang sure that I'd be not getting married ever. I told her that.

She and her husband have an excellent marriage.. from what I can tell. Here's what I know. A) He's not all possissive nor wishing that she'd stay alone in her hotel rather than enjoying a pleasantly appropriate evening with a host/coworker. Background... she's not from here... only visiting and it's cause of my issues at work. So I kinda feel responsible she's leaving her dude to hang in the middle of nowhere al ban herself (Pseub and the rest of the family understand "all ban itself") B) she goes on beer runs for her dude and his friends whenever she's out or if she has time. That's cool.

She admitted, before being that cool, she was a more typical chick with him.

I don't have the energy to wait for the chick (not her... I mean the one I meet) to come around, quit chicking out and relax and become cool... even facilitating my harmless past-times. That's not cool, but it's the truth and I need to come to grips with that. I have.

That being said, we both agreed that so long as after work I have the mentality of a college-aged bachelor that I won't ever get committed... at least not to a spouse. I've already come to grips with that. I'm okay with that.

that's all. keep it rocking.

stop.

Dog Tired

2005-02-25T01:16:00.000-06:00

And I don't mean Jake. I'm so freakin' tired, it's not even funny. I don't have the energy to drink the normal quantity of beer I regularly consume. That's probably okay, though... I was starting to drink more and more and it would only lead to health and $$$ problems. That's the least case scenerio... there's always the impact it would have on my my daily function provided I ever let it get that badly out of hand.

Lubbock... not so bad. I started wondering if I'd leave. Why? Where'd I go? I don't know. Woody Boyd got to Boston so he could work at Cheers. I don't really know what made him eave Hanover. Do I really have a reason to leave Lubbock? I don't know... the next town will be cool in different ways. The next town will suck in different ways. There's good stuff here. There's bad stuff here.

I do miss my place/life in Indy outside of work... though I do miss those work hours!

That's it y'all... I've got to hit the hay at some point and the sooner the better, eh?

stop.

Disclaimers and More

2005-02-21T06:37:00.000-06:00

I like the disclaimer just below the title of my blog site. Sometimes I do lie. I don't even know it really, when it happens. But sometimes people catch me. I'm like Oh, I guess I was wrong. They're like "Liar!" but whatever.

Anyway, I guess that means that there's potential that this entire blog is a lie. Maybe my name is really Shawn and I'm a black kid from Queens struggling wth my self-identity because I want to break away from the gang life and work in my Aunt's hair salon. I guess that could be true.

You'll have to decide, eh?

I had a three-day weekend, but I'm still missing Sunday. I can't believe it went by so fast. All I did, really, was hang out with Jake... playing tug-of-war and fetch for the better part of three days. Except for watching the race and one walk we did take to the beer store.

It was a great walk. We passed this huge prairie-dog colony, but I'm sure I've already blogged about that. And Jake saw his first jack-rabbit and longhorn... he even moed at Jake. Haha!

Today's today and that's another work day. Man, I can't believe we all came from a primitive society of hunting/gathering and hanging out and consider evolution being that we spend most of our days working. It wasn't always this way... and I want to go back.

stop.

NASCAR Superstition

2005-02-20T19:19:00.000-06:00

I don't really think that, of al things, omens and signs and voo-doo preminitions would apply to NASCAR. I mean come on, that's about the only socially accepted thing Rednecks do. Other than drink, dip, wife-beat, hunt, and rodeo... and some of those things are perfectly accepted in some circles. But today that punk Gordon won the damn Daytona 500. And I think he led the first lap, too. Add that to the fact that Dale Jarret couldn't even hold onto the pole for 2.5 miles and you've got all the preminitions that I ought to just skip this season. But then again, Mark Martin did come in 6th. I don't know if Casey Kane even raced or not... never heard anything about that dude. If Rusty's still driving a Dodge, then I'm sure that's the highest finishing one in the field. And I'm not the biggest fan of his, but I'll hold my tongue and give him a peaceful final year.

Anyway, I didn't get to watch the whole thing cause I went to the airport to pick up the HR lady coming to the office to fix my geoup's problems... at least that's what I hope she'll do.

Anyway, it's sun-down and it's time to hang with the dog...

stop

A New Goal

2005-02-20T08:14:00.000-06:00

I think I'll be in corporate America fr a little bit longer. I know that I want to leave it all behind and live away from everything. But I think Jake and I have one more year of hardcore city life before we say adios to everyone.

When I'm done in Lubbock, I think I'm gonna try to live in Chicago for a year. I wanna live close to the train and somewhere within walking distance to Wrigley Field. I saw on Monster.com that they've got jobs where you go to the games and keep score from the pressbox. I think that would be pretty cool. It's a part-time gig. So long as work lets me go to the homegames (which would be a stipulation in relocation) it won't be a problem. But I think I need a good year of Cubs baseball... one great season. Maybe I could live in those buildings with the bleachers on top.

Anyway, that's the thoughts I've got right now.

stop.

Today's Walk

2005-02-19T12:48:00.000-06:00

I don't wanna set the world on fire. I just wanna start a fire in your heart. That's not my wording... that's Somethin' Smith's... but it's a good one, I suppose.

I don't know what my "mantra" would be. Maybe "Let it go" or something like that. Who knows.

Going to walk to the Strip with Jake in a minute here... that's a good couple of miles each way at least. Taking a backpack cause the beer would be a pain to carry back in hand. If you need me, I'll be on Cellu-Ed.

stop.

It Only Gets Better

2005-02-19T07:51:00.000-06:00

It's Saturday morning and I'm up. I got up at 622a and shut off the alarm. Then opened the back door and went to the bathroom. Went back to the back door and Jake was outside handling his own business. Then we went back to bed for about 5 minutes. Pizza is warming up, now.

Things will be cool all around when people quit harassing me to be something else. It's just the frustration of distance, I guess. Maybe that distance will be reduced for a little bit and things will be guzzi once again. Who knows.

Gave Jake a bath yesterday... he's super good. Though he has started to eat stuff. Mostly just trash in the house (boxes and crap) that I haven't thrown out yet. But he's really gotta stop that.

Anyway, I just wanted to check in and throw you a freakin' bone.

stop

Well, Alrighty Then

2005-02-16T20:42:00.000-06:00

So here's the deal... yeah, it's taken me a while to get back to the blog... sorrous to myself and those that read this... are there those that read this? Hmmm... can't really worry about that, eh?

Anyway, it sucks that I didn't keep better records to start the year. I mean geeze, this year is supposed to be action-packed and so I should be blogging as a matter of record, kwim? I know some of you do.

Well, the other day, Jake and I made the walk to Sonic. It's the walk to 50th street, but then you gotta actually go to 49th cause that's where Sonic is. I got a Route 44 Strawberry Limeade... I think they're better than Cherry Limeades. Oh, and Jake got a cup of ice water and some popcorn chicken. Then we walked home...

I've discovered I bought a truly crappy matress. The other morning I rolled over and then a little bit later, I heard the "bong" of a spring unsticking and expanding.... that's not the sound of quality back support. I'm thinking of going with that trendy memory-foam crap from the shuttle. If you know anything about this, please add a comment and advise. Mucho appreciated, vato.

Valentine's started off quiet. Almost too quiet... like somebody stole the radio out of my dash. Yep... and the getaway vehicle was my bicycle. Great... asses. I'm contemplating putting a "bait and beat" strategy in place to venus-trap those asses. In other Holiday news... I upset Ashley. Don't really wanna go into too much. I know what happened... this is just for the record.

The realtor called and asked if I wanted to buy my house. I'm thinking that I don't. I did get robbed here. Oh, it's case 05-6127 with the local authorities. Well done, dude. Very civic to report it... and warn the neighbors.

Fred's car burned up... that can't be good. Anything that makes a home-invasion take the back-seat has gotta be a major buzz-kill. Watching your '67 'Stang with matching number and beautiful paint burn is such a buzz-kill. Sorry for re-hashing, dude... I feel your pain.

It was in the 70's here, but the cold is coming back. It sucks to be cold in Texas. I didn't mind so much in Indy. That's all about that.

In fact, I'm pretty much done and you're caught up. Won't be on the road again until I get a stereo... and I think I'm going with a Wally Martinez special. I gotta tell Tom that... he'll laugh... Wally Martinez! Pseubah and I used to work with a dude named Wally at the airport.

Okay, I'm out.

stop.

23 Years and 5 Feet

2005-01-29T06:52:00.000-06:00

Ashley turns 23 today. After 23 years of life, she's managed to grow a whopping 5 feet. Way to go, Ashley! She's got a cast on her ankle right now cause she broke it dancing... not pole-dancing. She's really a good dancer and teacher cause three of her kids (and it was an uphill fight with little time to prepare) are going to Nationals... you know... the big tamale of dance. She's gonna dance there too... or maybe just stand with her crutches and twirl a baton. We'll see, but it's a great thing for her! Feliz Cumpleanos, chica! It's Saturday and there's a lot to catch you all up on.

I'm going to Houston today. I have training there for work on Tuesday-Thursday, so I took Monday and Friday off to make it a solid week back in H-town. I get to be a trainer for the state for some new process thing. Not because I'm good at what I do... moreso the opposite. Yeah, for me!

John and Al and Brian were here over the last weekend. It was cool. Good times. And all I need is a new shifter and a right turn signal and we'll be back on the road. No other damage... but John can now say he rode a motorcycle... mine's just a little too big to really be the "learner" bike. Man, though, my bike's been through a ton of stuff... already on it's second engine block!

The Dodge is road-ready. Went to Walmart for a new headlight, oil change, and to get a bolt removed from my tire, gratis style! So I've got lilghts, no leaks, and new blood. I'll pack up in a bit, add some petrol and hit the highway for 8+ hours while see a ton o the Texas landscape.

Lately I've been receiving e-mails at work from an old friend. She's engaged and thinking about her marriage and we've exchanging ideas about mariage and the bachelor life, etc. She's the type that would like to be married. I think that there are good things about being married. Good things, too, about not being married. For now, I'll stay in the demographic of unmarried people.

This week, I've been surviving on a strict diet of Ramen noodles, complimented with Chips and Picante Sauce... Pace, Medium. Pace has gone down hill since they got bought out and aren't independent anymore... they're owned by Campbell's Soup these days... they make a decent V-8, but they really oughtta stay out of the Texas picante sauce market and return Pace to it's original owners. I bet that's why there's all those crazy Pace's now... Thick N Chunky, Chipotle, etc. It used to be just picante sauce, pick your temperature....

714am, now. I need to get on the ball if I'm going to Houston... can't relly put off getting that trip started because it's going to take forever from whenever I start it, so I might as well get it over with early. Either way, though, that's the day!

Jake's coming along nicely. I don't know where they're going, but he's losing his baby teeth and starting to grow his real ones. I think it's bothing him a little cause he seems to like chewing and biting more these days. He's become the digger that I don't want him to become. We'll have to set him straight on that... I aticipate an easy correction. Jake comes across, for the most part, to be pretty intelligent and to understand... he just has an issue with his willingness to comply sometimes.

Alright... I'm gonna ----->

stop.

Missed Brian's Call

2005-01-15T11:00:00.000-06:00

Missed a call from Brian's. Managed to talk to Fred this morning. Couldn't use the phone very long, though, cause the battery was all used last night during other conversations.... So I ended up putting Fred on speaker phone. It was like Charlie's Angels except I'm no hot chick.

Saw a thing last night on television about Bollywood. That was amazing... like an entire other culture out there that I didn't even know anything about. It was crazy. It's all in Bombay, right, and they make tons more movies than Hollywood does. And the biggest stars there make more than the big guys in Hollywood. And their movies are all over the world and they are gaining on the Hollywood productions. In fact, Hollywood is starting to incorporate some styles of Indian movie-making into our U.S. movies to attract a larger crowd. Anyway, maybe Fred could go to Bombay and be a star... so long as he's not "act-kissing" other chicks.... that's not good for the vows.

So check this out. Brian and Aex are coming out here on the weekend of Ashely's b-day. that's the 29th (Saturday). I have to drive to Houston that Monday because I have training in my old office for some new corporate thing that being rolled out. I'm a trainer for it but I need my own training first. Make sense? Good. Well, anyway, I'm trying to reach Al, cause if he hasn't bought his plane tickets, then he only needs to buy one leg and I can drive him back to Houston when I leave and if Brian hasn't bought his ticket, too, then I could take him back to Austin Sunday and then drive to Houston on Monday and that would be way better. Of course, Jake, the Mighty Giant, is coming.

Anyway, that's it. I need to call Brian back... it's good to keep this thing current even though news has slowed since I departed Indy.

stop

Charlie and his Kettle Drums

2005-01-15T01:57:00.000-06:00

Dudes, I don't know how to tell you about today. Well let's start off with some blanket info: a) I don't sleep well these days and I don't know why. I'm thinking it could be the ultra-cheap matresses, but then I'm also thinking they've gotta still be better than the cot and I didn't have sleep issues in the cot. So that's really not solved; b) it sure isn't nice weather. Man I don't like the winter. I don't know how folks in Sioux Falls stay warm... it's gotta be totally cold there. But maybe, and there's a good chance, that place is a lot cooler (neater not chillier) than Lubbock. I've said it before... Indy was cool enough that the cold didn't matter. God bless Indianapolis!!!

Dudes, it's late and I gotta get some rest. I really wish I could sleep in tomorrow until about 11am, then get and go do something cool with Jake, but I bet I wake up early and manager to get a minimal amount of things done. And the only reason I will get something done is because tomorrow marks at least deadline I can immediatly recall.

Got some interesting e-mail correspondence with Fred and Devo lately. It's been good stuff. I don't know what's goin' on in Fred's office but there's a lot of potty-talk goin' on in there and Darren and I have about the same minimal murmur of acknowledgement and the perfectly timed air-freshener mist.

I think this is now current. Sorry, people, but there's not a lot goin' on in this town and there's no project $$$ right now for us to trek out on adventure. But we will soon cause we gotta stay action-packed, right?

stop.

And on the 6th...

2005-01-06T17:51:00.000-06:00

So here goes the late-night-at-work blog. I work late on Thursdays. I work until 7pm. Usually I work from about 8-5p. On Thursdays, though, I work late... til 7p. Does that mean I come in late? Not at all. It isn't very give-and-take in the salary world of lower management. I will say this, I delayed my arrival this morning until about 15 past 9a. That's the most any manager's pushed it here... I will get to the late duty start time of 1030a that all the other employees enjoy when they work late... yes, it's a rotating schedule. Beautiful...

Another source of great beauty and joy in this world is this wonderful landscape of Lubbock. Truly, it is a blank canvas awaiting art. It's been waiting since long before I got here. It'll still be waiting when I leave. I gotta get outta here.

Don't think I hate my job and don't think I hate Lubbock. That's not the case, at all. As for being employed, I'm happy to work where I do. As for as having to work, though, it's that need that I don't like. Yeah, I mean come on... does anybody really want to work?

And Lubbock isn't the worst place to live. There are always worse places. But it definitely isn't the kind of place where you'd stay if you could live anywhere.

I know I'm being a little over-the-top in my visions and crap, but I only have this one life and I don't want to spend it in-doors on beautiful days providing quality customer service on the behalf of somebody toward somebody I don't know in a cubicle next to another person that I don't have any real feelings about since he/she only exists in my world because we both found ourselves working for someone else during the best years of our lives in order to pay for something that's either totally cool (the bike in my case) or something that's totally scripted (the SUV, the Honeymood, Showers, etc).... that's not me.

So I'm thinking that as soon as I figure out how to secure nourishment for the dog and when it warms a little more, I will really need to grow a pair and walk away from it all and head to the hills with Jake.

stop.

The Flip Side

2005-01-06T01:26:00.000-06:00

Isn't the Flip Side always just a pain in the neck? I mean let's face it... I totally enjoy hanging out with Ashley. I could do it for a really long time. I really could. But you know what... I just can't commit to it. I wonder why... and all I can think is cause of the damned Other Hand.

On the Other Hand, I do so enjoy not having anybody to care for me extraordinarily. I do enjoy the freedom to float here and there, not have commitments... even if it is just to call. I do enjoy this time of selfishness.

But I can't really say that I think I'll run across another Ashley... damn the timing, eh?

Anyway, I think I've figured out the Great Corporate Escape. Here's the basics... I need a good hiking backpack with all weather gear and a tent. I'll need tons of beef jerkey and a really good pair of hiking, all-terrain shoes/boots. Then the plan is to walk with Jake from one place to another... We camp along the way but we walk to different friends' places across the country and when we get places, we stay a few days, clean up, shave, change, and then head on to check stuff out on the way to another friend's place. We'd camp most of the time. We'd be able to see the Grand Canyon and we'd get caught in some awful weather, I'm sure, but I think it's do-able. I just need to get the backbone and do it. My main concern is the adequate nutrition of the dog. I mean I can risk my own health all I want, but this isn't really Jake's choice, you know. I do have a responsibility there.

Anyway, I'm thinking about it. Obviously, setting up closets with clothes would be costly up front. And I'm asking all my friends to hold on to a change of clothes for me. But I think it's all okay. But I do have to get their commitment. After all, I have no safety net in this whole thing...

stop.

Happy Birthday, Pop!

2005-01-04T07:29:00.000-06:00

Today, Pop turns 58. He's cool. Happy birthday, Pop.

Happy New Year, people. I was in Austin, cause that's a good place to start the year... the capital of Texas! Yee-Haw. I didn't get to see Mora, though. Would've been cool.

Ahh yes, the resolution... hmm... I got a good one. It's important to have a resolution that not only pushes you, but also one that you'll be happy to have accomplished. People often times resolve to better themselves in one way or another that they don't really want to change. That's the inherint flaw in each of these resolutions. So I was careful. I hope you were, too. My resolution was that I resolve to by more Action-Packed. I know that's a vague term. And that probably gives me the ability to define it to suit my needs. But I don't look at it like that. I figure the higher the bar I set when I define Action-Packed will only mean the better the year with more adventures and memories... and that would be a good 2005. I want to have one of those years of brilliance. Starting in Lubbock is no advantage either. So I gotta persever and maintain the Dodge so it can get me out of here on adventures whenever possible.

For now, though, I gotta report in to the cubicle world of auto insurance...

stop

A New Year's Surprise

2005-01-01T18:38:00.000-06:00

So after living in this house for a year with only rabbit ears on the television, I discovered a large television antennae in the attic wired to the cable plugs. I attached the television to the wall just to see what would happen, and we now have 27 channels instead of 5. What a nice new year's surprise. Too bad I didn't try that a year ago.

Beer-Thirty

2004-12-28T19:53:00.000-06:00

Today is definitely a day for beer. I can't believe work. I manage an employee that's been employed for 24yrs. I also manage employees hired as recently as September... and the problem employee is the tenured one. Who'd have thought that I would need to focus my attention on the older employees... there'll be some smack-laying and ass-whooping starting in 2005...

Other than that, al is well. The snow is gone... that's good. I heard from Deborah today. She's in town visiting Branon's family. That's right, Branon with no D... whatever. She told him last night when he asked that she would marry him. Congrats to him.. Deb is one kick ass chick and a definite rare find.

That's all... I gotta get Jake in the truck and head out to the strip for some beer... I'd write more about stuff, but it's all just sad drama that I'm disappointed I have in my life... where's Mora when you need a good time?!?!

stop.