id
int64 5.11k
4.34M
| gender
stringclasses 2
values | age
int64 13
48
| topic
stringclasses 40
values | sign
stringclasses 12
values | date
stringlengths 2
18
| text
stringlengths 4
790k
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3,874,094 |
male
| 16 |
Student
|
Scorpio
|
11,August,2004
|
Yeap, yet another pic from the collection of photos taken during sam's bbq....jesper being the main character here...check out Smacker's Lead Guitarist and Vocalist's contorted face!! This picture's quality is kinda better than the previous ones...inconsistent camera...LOL The dancing toilet man is a gif i managed to get from a webbie...this guy is going into my IMMF assignment...but he amused me so much that i decided to upload him. ................enjoy............
|
3,874,094 |
male
| 16 |
Student
|
Scorpio
|
08,August,2004
|
This will be a short entry.... Argh! Its bloody 2 a.m in the morning and here i am struggling with my IMMF assignment...decided to take a break by blogging to let off some steam...so much for a innovative destressing way huh...Bleargh. Practically slacked during the whole national day weekend...and i did not even manage to put in the usual hours of violin practice when my violin exam is like, in a couple of days time? Friday the bloody thirteenth to be exact...goodness of all the glorious days in the whole year, why did it have to be on a friday the 13th? Dont these dumb brits get the whole superstition thing...? Oh wait...why am i bitchin about it so much...lol. Singapore idol was bloody hilarious! Seriously, i laughed my ass off the couch...especially that Adrian Khoo guy....sang Careless Whisper by WHISPERING!! Holy Cow! Since when where singaporeans THAT thick-skinned! BAHAHAHAHAHA Bleargh thats all i guess, no mood to write anymore...and its quite a pity that mei's new cardcam turned out to be a white elephant...poor girl. With that, its bed time.....zzzZZzZZzz. Later people.
|
3,874,094 |
male
| 16 |
Student
|
Scorpio
|
08,August,2004
|
Pic taken during a steamboat meal at marina.....in case you are wondering whats that thing in the bowl..surprise surprise its a crab! LOL but yea, enjoy the seafood thoughts that this pic might invoke... :)
|
3,874,094 |
male
| 16 |
Student
|
Scorpio
|
07,August,2004
|
Oh goodness....i am so bloody shagged....can't stop yawning.....pretty surprising that i have lasted this long considering i only caught about 3 and a half hours of sleep. Graduates had planned to hold a mini harmonica training camp on friday, well from what i heard it was just meant for us grads as well, we still suck quite badly at the three slavonic dances thing..so yea, guys decided that we could do with the extra practice, and set the time to meet at five p.m in school. Being a friday, ah well, had another piano accompaniment class...did aural this time...i sincerly swear that she was trying her darnest not to laugh when i sang all out of tune..oh well. Rushed down to school...only to find that not a single soul was in sight...found out that those clowns were watching the house of flying daggers at jurong point...crap...wanted to catch that movie too...'Amused' myself by practising those damn violin scales over and over again....exam pieces over and over again till Ls reached yuhua at around uh...5.50? Got himself plugged into CM while i continued yada yada yada..... When we finally got into the harmonica room at around 8pm? Placed orders for a Mcdonald's delivery...yeap. Then it was practice practice practice till about 11.45pm, then we had to see allan off...and at the same time i agreed to help mdm peng's friend to edit the length of a particular song..well, when you have a friend like Jesper in the School Of Audio Engineering, should be an easy task for him yea? Nothing really much interesting happened later...had noodles...Ls got everyone amused by yelping in fright at his sleeping position's close proximity to a er well, dead roach corpse. Plugged myself into my discman and into the world of 98.7fm at around 3am as i tried to catch some shuteye....proved to be one helluva choice as i later found out that those clowns i.e yewon and george were causing quite some noise outside the harmonica room at around 4 plus am...disrupting most of the people's sleep..me excluded of course mawhahahahaha. Heard that they started calling people at about 6 plus am to wake them up for harmonica...goodness, really pitied those victims...jingying, shehui, zu er...just to name a few victimised people ....all just too some people's boredom...though it DOES sound like fun though...in a twisted way.... *smiles sardonically* Yeap onto Saturday....shehui seemed ok...heard that she actually wept for Jay Chou when she recieved news that his vocal chords were damaged or something like that...hey girl, its not the end of the world yea? Besides people like jay, there are other people that exist in this world...good example would be adorable little ole moi....LOL ok people i didnt mean to make u guys throw up...just a harmless ego joke...mwahahahaha. Yea well it was just more and more practice...skipped lunch to go do the violin again...uh and then after their lunchbreak it was more practice again until i had to leave for violin class. And OH yes, i SWEAR that Jingning & Co. DELIBERATELY arranged for me to sit next to sylvia...hell, hopefully tongues will stay silent...though its great to be sitting next to yeongsheng again, reminds me of the good old times when we struggled together in first high....ah.... *dabs lightly at eyes * LOL. Okay i think that the fatigue is making me slightly delirious, and the fact that Ja Rule is rappin away in the background doesnt seem to be helpin in anyway....*yAwn* Er, so after all that, jesper and allan came over to my house...jesper doing the song editing for me, while allan erm...was just to accompany us and to entertain shehui on msn using a mic...hahaha. Jesper edited the song very nicely...though gave up while trying to do a second version...and we all just went out to makan at je. Had a crappy plate of hokkien mee, had to order another bowl of noodles, mee pok i think, to appease the very dissatisfied stomach. So yeap, thats that then....really nothing else to write...woot there we go, done with releasing all my crap..*yAwn* crap i really need to get some shuteye, jesper still wants me to go to his house in the morning...heh we shall see about that....so yea, later people.
|
3,874,094 |
male
| 16 |
Student
|
Scorpio
|
05,August,2004
|
Ok here are 2 new pics...the group one is another pic taken during the bbq at sam's house..er...in case u are wondering, the one squatting down and looking like a spastic idiot is good ole moi. And the photo was taken with samuel's camera...so u know who to blame for the lousy quality... :) The other one is an animated gif i got from sookjai, its quite amusing so yea, enjoy these two pics!
|
3,874,094 |
male
| 16 |
Student
|
Scorpio
|
04,August,2004
|
Not blogged for quite a while....nothing significant happened over the weekend....slacked as usual....monday was a rather quiet day so well, will jump to a slightly more eventful tuesday. Tuesday....being an even week, had IAC. Seriously, though i do understand the aim behind Ngee Ann implementing all these modules, i still think they are a serious waste of time. I mean like come on man, how much awareness about the community are you gonna raise by making us do projects like these? Futhermore, we still have to endure the lecturer rambling about the current social stigmas that exist in today's Singaporean society....well yea i guess its something worth mentioning and also something worth thinking about but hey, we have been exposed to something called Social studies since we were like what, primary 4? Down with all these dumb community classes...they are a COMPLETE waste of time! Uh well moving on, did the WAA test, and while the lecturer was talking about the instructions and blah blah blah, i was busy creating a virtual cd of Jay's new album..wahahaha many thanks to sookjai! WAA test went pretty ok...would be interesting to see how i fare in WAA....and yea, dont know why i am suddenly hooked onto jay..i mean i have always been ok and all with Jay's music and i do have some of his music in the laptop but well, its kinda funny that i am suddenly so into him all of a sudden..hmmm...bah wateva. Went back to yuhua as usual, had fun in teasing shehui about already listening to jay's new album while she was still in school pining away....pity. And oh, it was rather amusing to see poor ys grimacing when well, he got hit by freshly made bird turd during dinner..and to make matters worse, the coffeshop's toilets were under renovation so he had to make a slight detour to another available toilet..wahahaha hey man, what can i say...life's a bitch yea? Well yea moving on to wednesday....had more fun during FS...did slightly more basic Set Theory..interestingly he introduced formulaes for the Set theory and even more interestingly he merged Set theory with Probability.....woot. Played Cm during the 2 hour long break...and what made today special was that about five of us had Western food take-out in class...pretty ironic when there is a huge No Eatin & No Drinking sign pasted on the door! Had problems trying to hook onto the Np network....so i just listened to Jay with the ear phones on while studying 2's complement while the rest of the class were busy with CS...oh well...bugger... CSA test...was a major killer....i, being the blind and dumb ass, failed to notice the space inbetween the characters....dang...there went all my marks for the first question...hope he gives me credit for my workings though. And question 2? Seriously hope that my 2' s complement workings are correct...though i already know that my conversion of 145 to hexadecimal is already wrong...which means i got one part of question 2 wrong...boohoo. Yeap, celebrated little cousin by the name of anna's birthday. Haigen Diaz oreo ice cream cake....heard it cost a whopping hundred and twenty bucks! But oh maaaaaaaan, the moment you take a bite out of it, you are seriously in heaven. And yeap, that rounds off the day, need to ascend to dreamland, damn classes starts at nine am tomorrow...and oh yea, there is still the psp test to contend with...hopefully its as easy as mr lim says it is...well with that, i am outta hereeee....*yAwn* Later people.
|
1,702,412 |
male
| 27 |
indUnk
|
Leo
|
17,May,2004
|
One of the original visions of the web was to have large repositories of information cross-referenced, and in the beginning this was largely true.As many of the web pages were academic, it made sense for content authors to cross reference their work with other articles of note. However, since the commercial explosion of the web, web pages have become more and more self-contained, as designers became less willing to link to external content, perhaps for fear of losing visitors. Well this bit of information might come as a shock: Web Users are incredibly selfish If I want to leave your site to find some information, I will - I only have to type the address in the browser. in terms of effort required, it takes more for me to go and make a cup of coffee. However, if a site actually provided me with an easy way to access the information I am looking for, I would be more impressed because it is doing me a service . Service drives us as consumers... if we were to receive good service at a restaurant, we would be more likely to return to that restaurant than to one that perhaps had better food, but awful service. While the food might be preferable at the second restaurant, the experience becomes less pleasant if the waiter is unhelpful and you end up waiting a long time for your food. When talking about the internet, we often use the word experience I'm not suggesting that a commercial site should actively be linking to its competitors, but the author should consider the benefits of linking to relevant content on the web. To take a small example: a building company. A website is established, and provides information about the company, history, past projects, services provided and so on. Now if I, as a customer was interested in hiring this company to build an extension to my house, I would have many other questions above and beyond the company - I need to know more about the project. Are there any special planning regulations in my area? How can I find out? This information is openly available from my local authority, and in the case of a localised business such as a builder - a simple link to the contact details of the planning department would mean that I don't have the hassle of searching for this information myself. My experience of local authority websites has been one of frustration to find the relevant page - and that is from someone who is experienced in using the internet. If as an author of the Builder's website, I was to take the time to find the relevant page on the authority's website, it would mean that my visitors do not have to waste time finding this information out for themselves. External linking can be seen as a way to improve the poorly-organised web, but it is also important to remember the user's path Many external links will open in a new window, for fear of losing a vistor to the external website. Well, if I am finished on the first website, I will close the window anyway, remember Web Users are Selfish . However, by opening the page in the current browser window, I am allowing the user the full use of their path . If I want to view what I had on the screen previously, then I only have to click on the Back Button to get there. If I have accidentally (or purposefully) closed the previous window, the I have to go back and either search my history folder, or search for the page I started at. A much longer process, and one where I am more likely to visit a competitor's site. Of course, external links should also be relevant. On my local MP's website, the article on fireworks links to something to do with Labour's manifesto for Swansea: urlLink Ross Cranston, Labour MP's website There may have been something about fireworks on the page, but I couldn't see where it was, and was not going to read the whole article just to find out this information. Remember - I am a selfish, impatient web user! Perhaps if the author of the Swansea article had made sensible use of Anchor tags then Mr. Cranston could have linked directly to the relevant section. The chances are that the external link had actually changed, and that brings me on to another very important point. Make sure your external links are kept up to date By linking to an external website, you are relying on a third party to keep their information up to date. Where possible, obtain a direct, unchanging link to the article. Many sites might simply have a 'news.htm' page that they update regularly. This is unsuitable for someone linking externally to your website, as an archived article might be relevant to the page that is linking to it. If you feel that the external link might change, don't use it. Instead, see if you can find a permanent link, or at the least, check your external links to ensure that they are relevant
|
4,138,144 |
male
| 23 |
Engineering
|
Leo
|
08,August,2004
|
Today was just like any other day, received several calls from amber in the morning, I don’t want to answer her calls. Last night she pissed me off, acting like me talking to another girl was like cheating on her. Screw this crap, I really don’t know what I'm doing anymore. It’s starting to piss me off. She WONT leave me alone and I don’t have the heart to tell her I don’t want to talk to her. I miss Tammie like nuts, why won’t she just tell me to leave amber, and move in and be with me. God I can’t take this anymore, I need Tammie so bad….I love her. I’m talking to amber as I write this, I cant stand her yet I can’t tell her, I just wish god would give me a sign, tell me wither or not I should wait for Tammie, and give me the strength to tell amber. If only I could see the future. I’m going go to bed, and try to get amber to hang up, until tomorrow, l8ter
|
4,138,144 |
male
| 23 |
Engineering
|
Leo
|
07,August,2004
|
What a day, shitty of course. I stayed yesterday night with amber…I really am starting not to be able to stand her. BADLY I can’t stand it no more, she really pissed me off today acting like me playing around with a few co-workers meant I was gona sleep with them. SCREW THAT, she’s starting to remind me of Melissa, her house is a mess, EXACTLY the way I remember Melissa’s..odd eh. I miss Tammie so badly it hurts, the only reason I decided to stay the night, that’s right I wasn’t going to at first, was the fact that I had to drive to the hospital to get my son’s shot records. Well who did I see but Tammie herself, hanging out with her boyfriend, I cried, got pissed, cried some more. I’m tried of that, what the hell am I supposed to do when I fee this way. It really hurts me when she says she loves me yet can spend a day with him at work, what the fuck am I…chopped liver? I feel like I will never find anyone who feels and needs like I do. Tammie is so perfect yet I feel sometimes she just wants attention from me, the attention she don’t get from Scottie. OH WELL, not like that’s anything unusual in my life, sucking as usual. Well I am staying home tonight, when amber calls me I am gona break it off, tired of this shit, I will not go through with amber what I went through with my ex-wife. As far as Tammie, I am gona wait and see, I just hope she comes around and realizes what a man I can be to her. For gods sake I won’t even let her come over here because I am afraid of kissing her, because I'm dating someone. What must I do to prove myself to this woman is beyond me. Well I’m gona go cook something, my son should be down here in a few days, and I miss him badly. That’s if for everything of interest today, as you can see if I had a good love life, my life would be perfect..sad eh. L8ter
|
4,138,144 |
male
| 23 |
Engineering
|
Leo
|
05,August,2004
|
GOD what a day, sleep till 10:30 so I was tired all day, first thing off the bat I get a wake up call from Tammie. Though I know she means well I don't think she understands me. I CAN NOT continue seeing her the way we have and not be able to hold her at night. I do love her but I just cant put myself back in that kind of situation where I lay in my bed, awake all night hoping that she's packing her things and will be knocking at my door any minute. I think she's upset with me now because I won’t give in this time. She tries to blame herself for this but it’s not that, I just refuse to do that again. I talked to her and it made me late for work, mostly cus I did not want to let her go being mad at me, she can be rather hateful to my feelings when she's mad and may do something rash. Got to work around 2:30 pm, and boy did it suck today. Amber works with me, and was a grouch all day. For some reason she does not like me to complement her at all. I'm not that attracted to her but I do find her good looking, I just don't see this relationship going anywhere. As for the rest of the day, one of my mangers who has a habit of causing problems told me that a door greeter called her last night and wants to have a 'conventional relationship' with her. Problem is he's married, and I find that ridicules because this guy doesn’t seem the type to cheat on his wife, though when I left work around 11:15, they where at her car talking, so who knows. Amber wouldn’t even say bye when she left so whatever, I'm about done with her. She's all about having sex but wont give me her emotions and attention, and that’s what I need. Sure she did at first, but now..It’s just all about my body lol. Rather strange to say that, I’ve never found myself attractive, but evidently I am..and good in bed =P. For the past few weeks this older women, who I would guess is about 35, has been coming in having long conversations with me. Come to find out she asked one of the night shift girls to get my phone number. She’s very attractive for her age, one of the more attractive females I’ve seen. So I gave it to her, and hope she calls soon considering what’s going on with amber, I need someone to talk to. Only thing is..she is married. He’s very mean, she’s not allowed inside the house after she gets off work till he gets home, and she’s not allowed to sleep in his bed. Sad men like that exist out there. But if she has a good heart, and will treat me right for more than a few weeks, or months, you never know. I would rather date older women anyway, mainly because they understand me better and have the mature level I need. I’m not into parties, drinking or any crap like that, I just want someone to hold me at night and likes sex as much as me lol. Anyway that’s my day, maybe tomorrow will be brighter. L8ter
|
4,138,144 |
male
| 23 |
Engineering
|
Leo
|
04,August,2004
|
I guess I just want a way to express myself without people looking at me like I'm nuts, even though sometimes I look at myself this way. You see I’m going through a hard time in my life. I just got divorced as of July 22 this year, I’m in love with a women who has a boyfriend and lives with him, and I’m dating someone who treats me like gold but yet my fellings for her are dwarfed by my feelings for the other. See my confusion? Just like today, today is the annual fair here in our little town of Petersburg and of course I would like to go. Tammie, the women who has a Boyfriend, is in fact going with him to this parade they are having. Now why would I get jealous is beyond me but I did and am still. Yet she says she loves me, how in fact can she I will never understand but none the less I do believe what she tells me, though she thinks otherwise. She had asked me to go to the fair but common, how could I go with her after she was hanging out with him. Oh and the other women, amber. She wants me to go with her and her kids but, I don’t feel that I should when the other will be there as well. Alas, some day maybe all my dreams will come true, and I'll understand what im feeling, perhaps. I need to go groceries shopping so I’m out of here, l8ter.
|
4,208,064 |
male
| 25 |
Consulting
|
Taurus
|
16,August,2004
|
Wow, where do I start? I have been spending the past couple of years thinking about what I have become, and how I have got were I am today? It is so amazing to me and at the same time unbelievable. While I don't have piles of money or a college degree even for that matter. I have done outstandingly well. I have a great job were I make more money then I ever imagine just 5 years ago? Here I shall take you back to the days of high school. I come from a small town of about 12,000 people (less then what is in the pentagon on any given day) and as you might imagine everyone knew everyone and was always someone in your business. I had my selected few friends and instead of being like most other kids in my school I was from a fairly poor family. While others drove around in there hondas and trucks with their 4 wheelers and motor cycles I was stuck trying to get a job to buy a little 1978 ford bronco II. I was not exactly popular although everyone knew me not too many particularly cared to. When I was 16 my mother began to leave my step and I was kind of left to fend for my self bouncing from friends house to friends house from couch to couch it was odd how it all worked it seemed my friends and my ex girl friend's parents all seemed to care for me more then my own parents?!? They all loved me or at lest they said they did. Then one day I met a new friend who was about 5 years my senior. He was nice and had a hefty appetite for beer as did I so we got along great. I began going there daily and before you knew it we had a group of about ten of us we became well known for fighting for any reason you could come up with it just didn't matter to us what the reason was. A couple of friends of mine became worried one of them being my friend Jake. Jake was on of my friends who I thought would be most likely to succeed. As well as many of my other friends who all had money set aside for college and had there future set me on the other hand had nothing no money no plans not a damn thing but an ability to drink and till 2am and still make it to class . Now back to the present. Here I am making a living and able to by at least some of the finer things in life. And all those friend who had it all (in my eyes). Have little more then a high school education. I don't quite understand it, Well I mean I do but it is all so surreal to me. I once was a man begging for any car that I could get and now I am a man who gets mad if I get sub standard service at enterprise!?! The thing that bothers me most is that I was not suppressed by no one nor was I taunted or teased, I may have been looked down on or what ever but I never really thought I cared till this past year when I have had an overwhelming feeling of wanting to go back and show people what I have done with my self. Is it arrogance that drives me or is this just natural? I am so confused as to why I would even want to see those people who didn't care about me or all those who did, why would I feel the need to try to ?Justify? Myself and my being? If I don't care then why? I guess some where I do care? CK 'It's not what you know it's who you know.'
|
4,208,064 |
male
| 25 |
Consulting
|
Taurus
|
13,August,2004
|
'What do you mean you are still going to talk to him?' This is how it all starts when it comes to my wife with concern in my 'Friends.' Here I will give a brief over view. I have two friends that I consider my 'bestest good friends' as a matter of fact my first son is named after them Jayson and Jaycob. Jake on one hand is a reserved well thought out kind of person (he rarely makes good decisions in life for himself in the past anyway) and then there is Jayson the loud obnoxious, egotistical, arrogant,pompous, pig.... You get the idea. He from what Jake and myself can gather has to have a mental condition, for he is absolutely convinced that every woman either wants him or he has been with and on top of that he tries to live like we did in high school (drink all night, hook up with just about anyone, fight just for the fun of it, among other things I rather not reveal at this point ;) ) . But, all that aside he is still like a brother to Jake and myself, at least that is what we consider each other as. So here is the deal, Jake and myself both have relationships and Jason does to but the difference is that he has little respect for his girls feels and is more then happy to talk about all the woman he has been with right in front of her. That is no biggie because that is his relation and whatever he does there is fine. The problem comes in when he disagrees with someone i.e. our misses. He is an @$$ hole and tends to go off with a vengeance. While Jake and I have grown to deal with his horrible behavior they have not and then as if they are not pissed enough at him then they come to us talking about how they hate him and expect us to do something. This is the part where it gets sticky. He is our 'Bro' and I know he is a total @$$ hole, but you know what he has been there when no one else was and for that I will never stop talking to him nor will Jake. CK 'Times may change but true friends are forever'
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
28,May,2004
|
I only have one thing to say. You two fuckers better be ready to get fucked up. Bitches.
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
26,May,2004
|
Apparently I am a bad bad person. Good thing the Devil is only pretend. Mwahaha. The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Sixth Level of Hell - The City of Dis! Here is how you matched up against all the levels: Level Score urlLink Purgatory (Repenting Believers) Very Low urlLink Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers) Very Low urlLink Level 2 (Lustful) High urlLink Level 3 (Gluttonous) High urlLink Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious) High urlLink Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy) Very High urlLink Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics) Very High urlLink Level 7 (Violent) Moderate urlLink Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers) High urlLink Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous) Low Take the urlLink Dante's Divine Comedy Inferno Test
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
25,May,2004
|
Just a few things that I am going to be doing during my limited 'me' time. By putting them down here I can make sure I accomplish them. Nexus Goals First and foremost I need to catch up on Hunty's paperwork. Between the Chongun Community Events (CCE) and War College I have lots I have not done in the last few weeks. I have to get that done. Give away the CCE. But not back to Jaded. Anyone but. Give away my baby. The Chongun War College. As much as I hate to, I have to. I just can't do it anymore. Hopefully I can still teach a class every now and again. I would like to start up a new group of Chonguns. Made up of only the best and brightest hardcore roleplayers, this group would be different from the pussy-ville the current Chongunate and Sodo has become. We would take sides, we would fight for what we felt was right, we would once again truly defend the kingdoms. Not this open ended 'anyone who needs it' bullshit which amounts to no action taken at all. We would again become the holy defenders of the kingdoms we once were. I hope to start a new blog about that soon. Stay tuned, I'll post it here when I get it set up. Last Nexus goal, step down from guideship. I don't have the time, nor do I have the patience to deal with Masra. I do plan on staying a Chongun. That'll never change. Magic Goals I swore up and down that I wouldn't buy any more Magic cards. But alas I have been sucked into the greatness of 5th Dawn. I have already put together a list for a Surprise deck for me; Black and White with only 8 creatures. But I should be able to get many many more than that. Bwahahaha! So I would either like to buy some packs or just buy the cards for that deck. We'll see, 5th Dawn isn't out for another week anyway. Video Game Goals Buy some! Hahah! I would like to get my PS2 online with FFXI, so I can play without having to be at my computer. How I would love to use the controller and lay in bed. It'll allow me to play it more too. I suppose I should get my Xbox online too. But that'll have to wait til I get some of my more important things done and payed for. Work Goals First off, I need to start staying with Gerhard during the week to shorten my drive. I was going to do that this week but I'll start next week. There are way too many things to list here in detail so I'll just run through a few so I can at least have them down. Fix the 1st to 2nd shift information exchange. Create a working 2nd to 1st shift information exchange. Eliminate completely the computer based router system. General process fixes. Life Goals Pay my Credit card off. Hopefully this week. Pay my Car insuruance in full. Hopefully in the next two weeks. With those two things done I can start putting more money into my car payement. I would like to have it payed off by November. So I can have extra cash to be able to buy everyone nice Christmas goodies. I like doing that. Finish valuefocusedmanagement.com and if I ever find the time, put together my own personal site. See Kelzor more. Once a month isn't good enough for me. I need her, I crave her, I miss her. All the time.
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
24,May,2004
|
Eep! I know I haven't posted in a few days, but alas I cannot make a true post at the moment. Today has been a busy day at work and I am going to go shut down the shop so I can get the hell outta here. I'm crazy tired and sore, but I'll explain about that later. Maybe this evening, maybe tomorrow. We shall see.
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
20,May,2004
|
Well I am still sitting here at work. I am not happy about it. But at the same time I am. But staying late tonight, I will be allowed to sneak off early tomorrow. Hopefully I can sneak off at 8:00 pm tomorrow and be in Boston by midnight. But with the way things are going lately at work, who knows? I'm sitting talking with one of the Plasma guys, when I see one of the first shifters stumble in. And I do mean stumble. I get up and walk towards him. About eight feet away I can smell the booze on him, no lie. Anyway he proceeds to tell me how he just came to go to the bathroom and he wondered if he should take his tools home. I asked, 'Take your tools home?' Steve Martin (His real name, maybe being wasted was joke? >. I mean WHAT THE FUCK!?! Throw your tools out? Are you retarded? Oh yeah, you are. You came to work wasted. What would possess someone to come to work hammered. And this dude was haaaaammered. He could barely stand up. I kinda spazzed cause I didn't want him to have an accident here and told him to pee and leave. I should have sat him down, called a union rep and the operations manager. Hind sight is twenty-twenty. Anyway, he'll have hell to pay come tomorrow. On a lighter note, I was going to complain about FFXII but I totally changed my mind. For a few reasons. First, I saw this urlLink screen and absolutely fell in love. Not only are the cut scenes nasty, but that massive army and the general or whatever is just plain awesome. He reminds me of a young Hunt (my Nexus Chongun - want to know more, ask me). All shiny and paladin-like, motivated and powerful. His heart is pure, his desire to do good is unerring. He commands the respect of all the nations in the world, he can accomplish anything he dreams of. But there is always that one person who hates him for what he is, for being everything that 'one person' is not. But in the end sacrifices must be made.. Whew, I digress. The real kicker about me liking this game is the fact I was being a hypocrite. I didn't want to like it because of the change in the battle system. But I am always the first to say what keeps the Final Fantasy series so fresh and good are the great stories and constant innovation. So, I guess I am already in love with this game. I just pray, pray, pray it has a great plot. I NEED another Final Fantasy VI. Boy am I a geek. P.S. urlLink Ashe is hot!
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
18,May,2004
|
Disclaimer: If you are easily grossed out, read no further. Mmmmbbt. Mmmmbbt. I slowly peeled one eye open to spy my insanely loud alarm clock. 6:45 am. Even though my brain wasn't awake, my body was. I had a choice and it was a doozy. Sleep another 15 minutes or get up and take a massive dump. I quickly choose sleep over bowel evacuation and slammed the sleep bar. 16 minutes later I was up and in the shower, having completely forgotten about my previous dilemma. 8:00 am. After a nice couple egg sandwiches I am off down the road to work. We were having a stupid all employee meeting with some equally stupid customer so I had to be at work at 9:30 am instead of 2:00 pm. Gurgle. Gurgle, Gurgle. Well I wasn't two miles down the before my stomach started hating me. So the entire ride I let out little squeakers to keep the pressure in my gut to a minimum. I figured that after the meeting I would take care of things. So the meeting wraps up around 11:00 am when I realize there is no possible way I am taking a dump then! Not only was one of the first shift Stuporvisors not here, meaning I got stuck doing all his work, including a weeks worth of payroll in about 10 minutes, but every single worker possible was in the shop. The bathroom traffic was way too high to pull off a maneuver like I was planning. At figured I would simply wait until first shift was out at 2:30 pm and two thirds of the bathroom patrons would be visiting their own personal thrones. To make matters worse Gerhard and I got more gas station Mac-n-cheese for lunch. So 2:30 rolls around and I end up getting extremely busy. But instead of my problem slipping my mind, I can't get my mind off of it. It seriously felt like there was a watermelon in my colon. But I had too much stuff to do before part of my shift left for the day at 6:00 pm. Finally 6:00 rolls around, we are down to four people in the shop! I can unload this nuclear missile! I turn the corner start walking to the bathroom and who is coming the other way? None other than the Vacuum Vaquero. But now he is wielding a mop to clean the bathroom. No fucking way I am doing that now. But on the upside by waiting I am guaranteed a clean bathroom. 6:30 pm. I'll spare you the gory details but in summary, it was awesome. One of the best dumps ever. Standing up I figured the Cosbys are dropped off, swimming happily and all is well. I flush our industrial vacuum toilet and of course it plugs. This was a monster. Well I grabbed the plunger and was about to finish the job when I paused. I actually said out loud, 'No fucking way.' There was Bill Cosby staring at me from in the bowl. Not only that, there was Mortimer Icabod Marker. I stood stunned before jamming the plunger down on Bill as Mortimer screamed out, 'Do, do, Do, do, Do, do!' (By the way, I think I may be slightly delirious from lack of sleep and being at work for a million hours.)
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
17,May,2004
|
Apparently I am unknowingly a master of persuasion. After a few attempts to get the great Kelzor (my loving girlfriend) to simply comment on my Blog posts the unthinkable happens! She went out and actually created her very own blog. And where I am just plain strange and sometimes end up being funny because of it, she is weird and funny, always at the same time (which is a good thing). So it is definitely worth it to check out her urlLink daily antics . Maybe I can use my new found powers to get Kelly to join me at the 5th Dawn Pre-release this weekend. I'll be traveling to Boston to see her and urlLink Your Move Games , located in Boston, is hosting a pre-release event. Coincidence? I think not. If by some strange occurance my powers will no longer work on her, I'll have to go a different route and cast Persuasion on her. If by some reason it actually goes through and isn't countered, I'll have to give one hell of a crash course on urlLink Magic in general, Deckbuilding strageties and Sealed deck strategery. I would be in heaven not only teaching urlLink Magic , but with 5th Dawn in general. For those in the know; I have always wanted to run a Black/Green/Rainbow with the ability to drop 5 color nasties. And before where I thought the Mirroden block was pretty gay, I now realize it was created for me and only me. Anyways if you have read this post this far you are either drooling over 5th Dawn or wondering when I am going to shut up about urlLink Magic . Well I will be shutting up now, not because I want to but because I have to get back to work. Anyway. More to come later, I have been holding back ranting about FFXII but I don't know how much longer I can hold up. Stay tuned.
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
15,May,2004
|
As you probably already figured out, I achieved my goal of being wasted. And although I already knew I had a massive cranium, apparently it gets heavier the more I drink. Beyond that, I think this clip speaks for itself. urlLink
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
14,May,2004
|
My buddy Steven Tyler called up and told me that Gabe and I had to take over for him on his current tour. I was a little worried because we needed to brush up on our vocal skills. But with a little practice my howl far surpassed the quality of Steven's. urlLink
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
14,May,2004
|
So I'm sitting here thinking about what I am going to do for lunch, when Gerhard comes in and says, 'Lets go get some good Mac-n-cheese.' So we run out, hop in my car and he directs me to a gas station. I'm thinking, 'You have to be kidding me, a fucking gas station!' And not just any gas station, the dirtiest run down gas station in the world. There was a 350 pound man in there who looked like he hadn't showered in about 4 weeks, smelled like it too for that matter. He was interested in Fried fish and Lotto tickets. I secretly wondered if something similar to his armpit goo was going to be used for cheese in my lunch. We grabbed some sodas, waited in line, then grabbed our Mac-n-yack. Gerhard dug into his before I had even finished paying. I sat down in the car, cracked open the box and had some good fucking Mac-n-cheese. Like leaving work early good (which I'm doing today ^^). I was uber shocked. Well we pull back into the AAR parking lot and here comes Monica, the soft-spoken little engineer. On a fucking motorcycle. Come to find out, everyone, hourly and salary drives fucking bikes. And listens to Death Metal. It makes it even more difficult to figure out who is going to come in and start shooting up the place.
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
13,May,2004
|
I am quite bored here at work and the spanish dude is in my office vacuuming. It is really quite annoying. Besides the Vacuum Vaquero there are only three other guys in the whole damn place. I am so bored that all I can think about is how wasted I am going to be on Friday. I am going to be getting out of work at about 5:00 Friday, home as 7:30, shitfaced at 9:00. As long as things go according to plan. We shall see. Call if you are interested in joining the fun. Anyway, back to work.
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
16,June,2004
|
Have you ever had one of those days when all you hear on the radio are awesome songs. I mean, no crap at all! A crappy song starts, you switch the channel and BOOM you are right at the begining of another awesome song. That happened to me today. I believe I started out my ride to work with a little... Jethro Tull, Bungle in the Jungle Let's bungle in the jungle --- well, that's all right by me. I'm a tiger when I want love, but I'm a snake if we disagree. Then we had some.. Led Zepplin, Battle of Evermore The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath, The drums will shake the castle wall, the ring wraiths ride in black, Ride on. Sing as you raise your bow, shoot straighter than before. No comfort has the fire at night that lights the face so cold. Oh dance in the dark of night, Sing to the morning light. The magic runes are writ in gold to bring the balance back. Bring it back. At last the sun is shining, The clouds of blue roll by, With flames from the dragon of darkness, the sunlight blinds his eyes. Queen, Killer Queen She's a killer queen gunpowder gelatine Dynamite with a lazer beam Guaranteed to blow your mind Recommended at the price Insatiable an appetite wanna try? Aerosmith, Rag Doll Rag doll livin' in a movie Hot tramp daddy's little cutie You're so fine they'll never see ya Leavin' by the back door man Hot time get it while it's easy I don't mind a come on up and see me Rag doll baby won'tcha do me Like you done before And finally finishing up with my favorite yet.. George Thorogood and the Destoyers, I Drink Alone 'Cause I drink alone, yeah with nobody else... Yeah, the other night I lay sleepin' And I woke from a terrible dream So I called up my pal Jack Daniels And his partner Jimmy Beam And we drank alone, yeah with nobody else I know, I posted a lot of lyrics. Deal with it. At least it is a post. P.S. I can't wait to see my lovely girlfriend this weekend. P.P.S. GT & JT are her favorite bands too.
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
13,June,2004
|
Lots o'things to update today. As for yesterdays goals, all three were accomplished with religious like zeal (especially the chinese part). I definitely like Golgan better, even though Gage could do more damage Golgan is just a beast. I now have Monk up to level 4 and Thief up to 6. As for my previous goals: I am caught up in Nexus, now I just have to find suitable replacements. I will probably try to see if Raquil will take War College and hell, Jaded could have CCE for all I care now. My Magic goals.. well I don't ever think those will happen. I just don't have the time, money or people to play with anymore. So those are getting the axe. I bought some Video games (La Pucelle Tactics ^^) and got my PS2 online. So I'm well on the way to completing those. Work, is well work. I'll probably be going through some changes soon anyway, seeing how I am 'one of the corner stones of the organization'. Probably going to do a split shift and have my title changed to process engineer. Haha. I can't help but laugh, imagine how awesome I would be had I went to school? You bitches wouldn't stand a chance, I would take all your jobs! (Note: This comes from the fact that four or so people are being fired and a couple of us are assuming all their responsibilities.) As for my life goals, I accomplished the most important one, seeing urlLink Kel-zor more. Credit card is paid off. Now I just have to focus on the other shit. More to come tomorrow. ^^
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
12,June,2004
|
Here I am sitting at work on a Saturday and things are finally starting to slow down. Well they are still chaotic but at least it is manageable now. Well I took a few moments to myself and I realized that I have been a poor blogger lately. I always have things I want to talk about but I just don't find the time. So from this day forward I'll be a better blogger. Anyway, I'll be leaving in a few hours and I plan on doing two things. One, Play lots and lots of Final Fantasy XI. I started a Galka named Golgan who is a monk. I like monk but I don't know which I like better, Gage the Taru Black Mage or Golgan. We'll see. Two, Sleep. I have to work again tomorrow which sucks but at least I don't have to stay till 2:30 AM like I did last night. Three (I know I said two but I just thought of this), Eat. Chinese food or something fried and cheesy. Oop! Blades are coming out of the oven now, time to go unmask the roots. (I love when no one knows what I am talking about, makes me feel smarter and more important than all you fools. Mwahahaha, Bitches).
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
03,June,2004
|
The urlLink old man speaks.
|
3,336,364 |
male
| 23 |
Manufacturing
|
Scorpio
|
03,June,2004
|
This was sent to me today by the wise urlLink Kel-Bot . Don't ever tell Scorpios they've had enough, for they'll smirk at you and quietly but intentionally keep tippling till they're hog whimpering drunk, out of 100-proof spite. Scorpios like to drink, and screw you if you have a problem with that. Most of them see the sauce as something to savor in itself, and not as a personality-altering tool -- though if depressed, self-loathing Scorps seek total obliteration. But generally, they're fascinating drinking pals, brilliant conversationalists and dizzying flirts. They also remember everything -- especially what you did when you were blitzed. Only drink with a Scorpio who likes you. Sounds a little like me eh? 'Hey Gabe! Jump into that bush!'
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
30,July,2003
|
Well ... I guess somebody's reading my blog! Betcha didn't know I had that much pull with the Bush Administration, eh what? Hmmmm ... what shall I demand next? I know; let's give former Yugoslavia Most Favored Nation status. I'll see what I can do.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
29,July,2003
|
Sadly, an icon of our youth is passing. Fare Thee Well, urlLink Beetle.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
29,July,2003
|
Retirement For A Legend! So, urlLink Anna Kournikova may retire? You mean she had a sports career? 26-Year Reunion? Huh? Had a 26-year class reunion this past weekend. Yeah, I know ... 26th?? Well ... we tried to have a 25-year reunion last fall, but the deadbeats in my class didn't sign up, so it had to be canceled. Out of 307 graduating students, with about 295 still alive, only 16 signed up. Pathetic. Guess they heard I might be there. So last fall, about seven of us met at urlLink Cobblestones for a mini-reunion, mostly because urlLink Miles flew in from California. You see, he had already booked his flight when they canceled the reunion. Poor guy ... but he's a Liberal, so who cares *grin*. You know Liberals ... they love being victims of something -- anything. *big smile* So Jed Strausbaugh, just a regular guy, put together a 26-year 'off year' picnic reunion. Well, about 30 classmates signed up, and about 45 people total (spouses and girlfriends, that's the difference) showed up. It was fantastic. The small size meant you could really talk to people instead of just idle chit-chat. The picnic format was nice. Also, we didn't have music, which meant you could actually talk instead of yelling 'HUH?' all night. I'd recommend this format. Cigars I started smoking cigars on August 19, 2002 -- almost a year ago. In that short time I've become quite the urlLink aficionado. Premium cigars, mind you. The textures, the flavors, the shapes and sizes ... it's the flaming equivalent of fine wine (another hobby). Cigars are the ultimate reward, the status symbol that screams I Am Successful! ... and they're just plain good. I buy them urlLink online in boxes or bundles, and one at a time at Self Serve Beverage in York. Send any and all premium cigars to me; I'll appreciate it. Did I mention that I was a mooch? urlLink Fewer Air Marshalls Great ... just great. This is Homeland Security?
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
29,July,2003
|
urlLink The Dandy Warhols have a great new song, 'You Were The Last High'. Web site art ain't too bad, either *grin*. FYI. I'm just talkin', that's all.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
28,July,2003
|
Okay, I'll stray into the political arena a bit here, but this opinion is something I've been carrying around for many, many years. Consumerism is killing this country. It's nearly a foundational problem; that is, it's almost the root of all our ills (hey! Didn't someone once say '... for the love of money is the root of all evil'?). Let me give some examples and some insight. You buy a house. You get a mortage. Let's say the mortage is $140,000 (my house -- four bedrooms, two baths, two-car garage, fireplace, pool). You pay about $800 a month for 30 years. That's $288,000. Sick, eh? Why do we do it? Because that's just they way we do it here in America . It's downright stupid! Better idea: Graduate school, get a job. Live with parents for four years, and save $1,000 a month. In four years, you have $50,000. Buy a simple house for cash. Save four more, move up. No debt. Get it? In eight years, you have nearly the house you'd pay $288,000 for over 30 years. Six years into it all, you get laid off. Guess what ... you can take a minimum wage job and still get by. Why? Because you're not saddled with a huge mortgage. What happens in the grand scheme of things? More people are paying cash. More people can pursue their passions instead of the Almight Dollar. More people are happy. Families are stronger. Couples fight a lot less about money. Layoffs are seen as a nusance instead of a horrible, life-altering experience. Okay, so maybe I haven't fleshed this all out yet ... but you see the trap we've fallen into? It's not just 'get out of debt'; no, it's more 'don't go into debt in the first place'. The older I get (dumb saying, really -- I mean ... what am I gonna say, 'the younger I get'?), the more I realize that Modern America is built on a sick idea of money money money instead of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
28,July,2003
|
urlLink The Harry Schenck Memorial Eagle Scout Project is done. I was only able to work for about three hours on Saturday morning, before heading to my 26th class reunion. Twenty-sixth? Yeah ... more about that later. urlLink Harry was my nephew, and about as fine a young man as you would ever meet. I guy that loved life, and loved people, and had that infectious sort of grin, and air of joy that permeated everyone around him. He and his dad were like this (fingers crossed). I can't imagine losing a child like that ... I just can't. But the project is incredible. The pictures don't do it justice; in particular, the pictures can't capture the workday on Saturday. People everywhere, doing everything needed. Reminds one of an Amish barn raising. It was beautiful beyond words. My dad, The World's Greatest Engineer (retired), designed everything, right down to all the drilling and assembly jigs. Patrick remarked that my dad did an unbelievable job; 'This thing went together like Legos'. Harry, we miss you. We know that this past weekend's work effort is what you would want.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
25,July,2003
|
urlLink Friends spinoff . Guaranteed to fail. Happy 60th Birthday (July 26) to the head of the urlLink World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band, The Rolling Stones! Keep rockin', Mick ... it's only rock 'n' roll, but I like it.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
24,July,2003
|
I love the music by Cake. I mean, if I had to listen to one group the rest of my life, it'd be The Academy of St. Martin-In-The-Field, but Cake would be next. Cake's bouncy, sing-along, hip and 'up' sounds just lift my spirits every time. And their lyrics are great, to wit: I am intrinsically no good I have a heart that's made of wood I am only biding time Only reciting memorized lines And i'm not fit to touch The hem of your garment Good stuff.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
23,July,2003
|
Just too much to do. Wow. Work is incredible; I have over 80 projects in front of me. Granted, some are one-hour projects ... but it's still overwhelming when you try to take it all in. Divide and conquer, that's what I do ... divide and conquer. It's tough to keep up to the day-to-day workload and at the same time attempt to prepare a strategic three-year plan for our I.T. department (I'm a CIO). Meanwhile, the work piles up at home. The garage shelves ... gardening ... landscaping ... painting ... working on my car (God I hope my wife lets me get the GTI -- I haven't asked her yet, but she likes the mantra 'No More Classics', so signs aren't good). On top of that, my high school 26-year reunion is Saturday. That's right, 26 years. Nobody -- bunch of deadbeats -- wanted to attend the 25-year reunion. Poor Miles, flew all the way in from California and we had to have a tiny meeting (seven of us?) at a local sports bar. Enjoyed it ... but it was lacking something. Oh, I know ... people. Been in e-mail contact with Rich Shambaugh. He's in California now, big shot producer or something, and probably won't get back to York for a while. He probably has ... Too Much To Do.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
23,July,2003
|
Coming soon to a big city near you: Congestion Area Fees! That's right -- you will be charged to drive through a known congestion area. They have this in urlLink London , and it's so 'successful' (Translation: 'It brings in so much money') that New York and some other large cities in the United States are eyeing it. It will happen. Just what we need; more Big Brother, more surveillance, more of the government reaching into our wallets.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
21,July,2003
|
I want a vacation! Had a chance to go to Kitty Hawk for a week for free , but ... well ... let's just say I can't and leave it at that. A week of surfing. Sun. Surfing. Beach. Surfing. Seafood. Surfing. Family. Did I mention surfing? ARGH!!! This totally sucks .
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
18,July,2003
|
Nobody. If you are, e-mail me. (waiting ... waiting) That's what I thought ... I'm posting into thin air. *sigh*
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
17,July,2003
|
My desk at work is a disaster. Stuff everywhere. I need to get organized. Funny, I'm normally an extremely organized guy at work. Likewise, my garage is full of projects to finish, foremost the shelving I'm building. And there's that living room wall that needs painted. Gonna have to borrow Bruce's 30-foot ladder to reach that high part above the steps down to the family room. Ever feel out of control? I certainly do. And stressed. Terribly stressed. I need a vacation, but can't take one. Just cannot. You know what that means, don't you: Time to hit the gym tonight.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
17,July,2003
|
So yesterday I'm driving to work, wearing one of my better Eddie Bauer dress shirts. I'm two miles from the office, got a good cigar going, sunroof open (Saab 900!), urlLink WXPN on the radio (world's greatest station), when all of a sudden my travel mug decides to become a dribble cup. ARGH ... coffee on my good shirt. Get to work and grab a new urlLink company logo golf shirt . Not too bad ... I'm wearing the company colors (I'm the CIO there), makin' it look good. But the coffee stains on my good shirt. ARGH. So this morning will be better, right? I mean ... gotta be. Roll out at 6:10 -- rats, it's late -- and head to the kitchen. OUCH! My legs are so sore from Tuesday nights killer squats. Get to the kitchen and assemble our urlLink way cool coffee maker . It's bangin' ... dump in the water, dump in the beans, and go. It grinds and brews. Up to the bathroom and quick shower. Get dressed -- hey, the pants are a little looser and the shirts getting filled out a bit better ... the weights are paying off! -- and head down for some coffee! ALL OVER THE FLOOR! Uh ... yeah ... listen ... next time, you're gonna have to put the thermos mug thingie actually into the coffee maker ... yeah. Rats! Coffee all over the countertop and on the rug (an aside: I'll never complain about that rug to my wife again -- it soaked up the coffee Real Well). So instead of coffee for the household, I'm out on the desk hosing off the rug. Mister Coffee. Yeah. Right.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
16,July,2003
|
Fat People got no reason Fat People got no reason Fat People got no reason To live They got fat hands And fat eyes And they walk around Tellin' big fat lies They got fat noses And big fat teeth They wear platform shoes On their nasty fat feet ... That bother you? Good!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
15,July,2003
|
I'm barely walking today ... killer squat routine last night. But that's a good kind of sore. There's nothing like hitting the gym (it's in my house) and busting my 44-year old butt to the point where I'm huffing, feel like I'm gonna puke, sweating like a whore in a church, and can barely walk. Then suck down a protein-rich shake and watch the muscles g-r-o-w. Pumping iron ranks right up there with surfing as far as being relaxing and, yet, invigorating. Warming up is like paddling out ... getting pumped is like catching a wave ... and breaking through a plateau is like mastering a cutback. I keep threatening to get into fly fishing ... seems very blissful and all that ... but I keep coming back to anything that makes me feel like a dish towel that's been wrung out and left hanging on the little hooks inside the cabinet door under the sink, right in front of the trash can. I often wonder what I'll do when I'm too old to be active. Probably shuffleboard. For now, it's Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Repeat. Put down the Big Mac Meal -- 'Supersize it, please' -- and give it a try.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
15,July,2003
|
WARNING: You tailgate me when I'm driving, and I may slam on my brakes. I just might! Don't tempt me, moron. I will not speed up for you, got that? Unless you're willing to pay my speeding ticket and my increase in insurance premium. Back off. If you'd get your lazy ass out of bed a bit earlier, you sloth, then perhaps you wouldn't need to fly along at 75 in a 65 zone. I'll drive 60 if I want to. You tailgate me, and I'll slow down until my speed matches the 'distance calculation' -- one car length per 10 miles per hour. So if you're four car lengths behind me, I'm going 40 ... got it? You're the jerk, not me. You want to speed, pass me! Oh ... wait ... you don't want to get a ticket? Neither do I, sped!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
15,July,2003
|
Those words ... sheesh. As I sit and wait for Blogger to create my blog, I'm warned. Do not close your browser or click anything! Whoa ... I wonder what would happen if I did? Would I disappear? Would I be arrested by the he-clicked-something Police? Would I be transported to another universe, where the virtual homeless sleep on tagless mattresses and push around unused virtual shopping carts? I didn't click. But I wish I had. 'Wet Paint' syndrome, I guess.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
26,August,2003
|
Is there any better music than Israel Kamakawiwo'ole? So my bride might have a detached retina. Not only is this scary, but it really riles me, because I'm sure it was from the accident ... the one where the drunk woman crashed into my wife's car, pushing it 120 feet, resulting in a bad back, a short-circuited career as a chef (she had just finished culinary school five days earlier) and a very, very low settlement from the insurance company. Yes, we had a lawyer, and no, we don't think he fought hard enough. So the radiator went on my Saab. It has a tiny hole, easily identified, but Craig (my friend who owns an auto parts store) talked me into getting a new radiator. Get it this evening, and I'll install it then. No biggee. I really, really want a sports car. I miss the Spyder, and have constant second thoughts about selling it. Oh well ... *sigh*. Patti says we can get a new Thunderbird after the Rendezvous is paid off. I dunno ... I love the styling of the Thunderbird, but it's not a five- or six-speed, it's an automatic. Yuck. Honda S2000. Yeah. Or Nissan 350Z Roadster. What sports car do you suggest? Email me and let me know. Isn't internet radio about the greatest thing about the 'information highway'? No commercials, gotta love that. Speaking of which ... you go to the movies and you sit through commercials now! What the ...?? I love watching previews of coming attractions (because, no matter how stinky the movies -- think Gigli -- the best parts will at least be in the trailer), but sitting through and ad for Pepsi? Come on. Oh oh oh ... and is anyone else glad to see that Pepsi finally stopped using that annoying little brat girl in their commercials? No, not Britney Spears ... that little 11-year old punk girl. Oh MAN I HATED those ads. ARGH! I ordered 100 handmade premium cigars yesterday from J. R. Cigars! They'll be here by Wednesday I'm thinking. Woo-hoo! Last night I had some red wine and a cheap (but handmade) cigar and it was fantastic. What a great way to celebrate life. Patti and I were waiting for the chicken to finish on the grill (Patti is the world's greatest chef, hands down no question eat your heart out Emeril and I'm so spoiled) and wiled the time away watching the spiders by our pond. They build webs over the water and catch gnats (yay!). It's fascinating! www.Mele.com. Check it out. Gotta run. More later.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
22,August,2003
|
So, the British have found a urlLink way to keep miscreants out of their country. Hmmmm ... perhaps we could sure up our own borders by applying this idea. I can see it now ... 'Yes, I want to come into your country. I want to come here to meet with others of my mind-set to pursue our agenda.' 'Whoa there towel-head ... first you gotta answer some questions to prove you an honest-ta-goodness Fine American, or at least you've searched the internet uh-nuff to figure dis here stuff out.' 'Yes, sure.' 'Okay ... lemme see ... hmmmm ... oh! ... I got one! Which state is about to elect a totally ass-kicking, RE-PUB-LICK-IN, Fine, Conservative, REAL AMERICAN, bodybuildin', cigar-smokin', movie-makin' Austrian as their gov'ner?' 'Ummm ... California?!' 'Hmmm ... that's pretty good there, camel-jockey. Now ... hmmm ... okay okay ... here's one: Who's prettier ... Shania Twain or Faith Hill?' 'What?' 'Ha! Okay okay trick question ... just testin' ya. There's no wrong answer there, if'n ya know what uh mean *wink*'. 'Uh ... okay ...' 'Okay ... final question before I let anyone darker than Bill Gates past our border. Ready?' 'Yes I'm ready.' 'Okay ... hmmm ... let's see ... nothin' more American than baseball ... so ... okay okay I got one: Name five starting players for the Detroit Tigers!' 'What? WHAT!?' 'Ah-HA! I knowed you was one of them there terra-rists! No can do, no passie, understand? Back to the desert for your! By the way, what's yer name there dress-wearin' guy?' ' urlLink Yusuf Islam ... and that's MY song they're playin' on the Muzak, jerkface!' Okay, so maybe it's not such a great idea.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
21,August,2003
|
Some of you are really dumb. I mean like 'sucker born every minute' stupid. To wit: Seen the ... man, I can't even find an adjective strong enough ... seen the REALLY, REALLY STUPID ads (they make me so angry I could spit nails!) for Nextel's push-to-talk feature (they call it 'Direct Connect'. What? ... and another phone is somehow indirect? What, you call Joe and ask him to talk to Sally for you? Give me a break!)? I cannot explain how ANGRY I get when those ads come on TV. 'Sheesh Don ... back off. It's only a TV ad, for cryin' out loud. Get over it.' Oh yeah? Well it insults my intelligence to no end. If that's not the most insulting commercial you ever saw, then you just don't 'get it', do you. Let me break it down for you: George Lopez needs to use him BMW, but his daughter has it, right? So he calls her cell and there's no answer. Poor George, should have used Nextel's Direct Connect feature, because when he does, she answers right away and 'I'll be home in 10 minutes'. The difference between driving a BMW and a 60's-style VW Beetle (never mind which one *I* would rather drive). Right? Sheesh. You believe that and you're a moron. A total doofus. A Send-Your-Money-To-Benny-Hinn idiot. Tell me, bright eyes, what's the difference between the 'call her cell phone' scenario and the Direct Connect one? Is it the quickness of Direct Connect? The difference is: in the first scenario she doesn't have her phone turned on; in the second, she does. That's it. THAT IS IT! That's ALL it is. Has NOTHING to do with Direct Connect, it has to do with keeping you frickin' phone turned on and available. Sheesh. DUH! Let's go back and turn off his daughter's phone. Now, Georgie Boy tries to Direct Connect, and nothing happens. Oh ... oh ... wassa matter George, cat got your tongue? Can't connect? Wish she had a Cingular phone and had it turned on? Oh ... oh ... where's your Direct Connect now, VW-boy? And the kicker is: Direct Connect is a GREAT feature in an environment where you need to make frequent connections, such as the campus of a large corporation, or even over to the warehouse in a smaller company (such as where I am CIO). In that environment, Direct Connect rules. But to get ahold of your daughter to get your BMW back? Come on, bonehead, don't kid me; I'm not that stupid. Maybe Miranda is, but I'm not. :-) COME ON PEOPLE, wise up! Don't be so stupid.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
20,August,2003
|
Well ... I was gonna name names ... but then I got to thinking (I do that ocassionally): if I don't name names, I can write anything I want and don't have to worry about it. Kinda like working for the New York Times. Let me start by saying I use the word 'friends' loosely. I don't have any enemies -- all my friends hate me. Okay, I'll name names. Let's start with ... hmmmm ... 'Rich'. Rich has been my friend since 1975. Yep ... that long. He's a wirey little guy, about three years my junior, and about two inches shorter than I am. Imagine that ... shorter that I am! Why, Rich would be turned away at a carnival ride ... in Japan. He's also a very complex kind of person. His politics are all over the place, although his constant, annoying, tiring, over-the-top rant is 'anti-government'. No, he won't vote , no, that would require too much effort I guess ... but he'll complain to no end. I mean NO end. Rich, you're my best friend, and I love you like a brother, but it's getting old already. Just do like the rest of us and take your money and run. And run he does. All over the frickin' place. The guy has the world by the short hairs, if'n ya know what ah mean. He's self-employed; cuts grass and does handyman work. Lives below the poverty level, too, yet spends about three weeks on vacation in Florida every winter (he lives in Maryland). How does he do it? In 1987, I helped him build a log cabin back up a logging trail in the mountains outside of a small Maryland town. Solar electric, spring-fed water supply, pretty much self-sufficient (except for food. Sheesh ... 'except for food' ... is that like saying 'except for AIR'?). Everything he owns he owns. Everything's paid off, even the tractor he bought (it caught on fire, too, while he was on -- yep, you guessed it -- another vacation in the Boston area recently). He even goes Dumpster Diving in the winter. Don't laugh ... you'd be amazed at what supermarkets throw out. Perfectly good stuff. One bottle of ketchup breaks and gets the other bottles in the crate messy, and they just toss the whole crate. That's a sin, but to him it's a windfall. 'Hey honey! There's a run on Oodles Of Noodles down at the Food Lion! Get the flashlight and let's get next week's groceries!' Don't get me wrong; he's a great guy. Super. Can fix just about anything, and isn't afraid of anyone. He'll speak his mind no matter where or when. I've seen him get up and walk out of a church service because the pastor or someone else up there was being a jerk. He just does not care what people think. Really. We all like to say that about ourselves, but he really doesn't care (my father's the same way ... and my son pretty much, too. I *think* I'm there, too. That doesn't bother you, does it?). Married 20 years, he's seen a lot and done a lot. He's one of those people who enjoy life. I wish I could get him to smoke cigars, but he's too busy drinking beer and cheap wine. Oh ... and griping about the government. All the time.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
14,August,2003
|
I'm going to spend the next several Blog entries describing my friends. To my friends: You have been warned! *grin* Check back to see your entry! (Oh ... and I'm going to paint that circle far and wide, so yes, Miles, Robyn and Ali, you will be included) EXCLAMATION POINTS RULE!!!!!!!!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
12,August,2003
|
We all (I guess 'all') complain about something from time to time. There's usually something that gets under our skin, or worse. Personally, complaining and whining are two of my favorite hobbies. If I ain't complaining about something, I ain't happy. I think I got that from my grandmother (she was too cool). But how often do we stop and think about the Good Things ... the things we can't get too much off? Not often enough, methinks (Hey! That was an infinite loop -- can't get too much thinking about the things we can't get too much of!). Here are some things I can't get too much off: God's Grace. THANK GOD for God's Grace! Whew ... makes me want to 'take a lap' (Sorry ... that's the old Baptist coming out in me) My children Sunsets Sitting outside on a cool, clear evening and watching satellites Wine Cigars! Oh yeah ... cigars! Surfing Friends Great food Smittie's Soft Pretzels Nookie *grin* Good, strong coffee nopecan'tgettoomuchcoffeeIlikeitthecaffeinedoesn'tbothermeeithernopeitdoesn'tatallnope Solitude My bride 'Good Eats' with Alton Brown HOCKEY!! Baltimore Ravens LOSSES What are the things that you can't get too much off? E-mail me and let me know!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
12,August,2003
|
Who cares?
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
08,August,2003
|
Time for a list of really thin books: Applied Political Experience , by Arnold Schwarzenegger My Rise To The Top , by Gov. Gray Davis Marriage: The Bond For Life , by Kobe Bryant Attracting The Older Man , by Demi Moore Acting , by Madonna Acting II , by Britney Spears Getting Into Mensa , by George W. Bush Building A Self-Sufficient Nation , by The General Assembly Of Liberia How To Remain Relevant , by Yassar Arafat, foreward by Al Gore Humility: My Key To Success , by Don Schenck My State, My Country, My President , by The Dixie Chicks Quiet Leadership , by Jeremy Shockey Doing More With Less , by Bill Gates Winning Tennis , by Anna Kournikova Our Commitment To The Environment , by The Republican National Committee Our Commitment To Free Enterprise , by The Democratic National Committee Our Commitment To Practical Policies , by The Green Party My Life In PETA , by Sir Charles Barkley
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
07,August,2003
|
Think I'll just ramble a bit today. A Boost For My Fragile Male Ego Got an email today from a female -- former classmate (that's class mate!) -- and it started 'You are a total hottie!'. Yeah! ... that'll make this old wannabe feel good! Take that , Ann Van Roden! I haven't been complimented by a woman like that since ... well ... ever? Lightning! Had a lightning storm on Wednesday morning, about 3 a.m. The most incredible display of lightning I've ever witnessed. Being a true geek and obsessive-compulsive counter, I kept track: we averaged one lightning strike every two seconds over a period of 20 minutes! That's right ... over 600 lightning flashes! Never saw anything like it! Amazing! I love exclamation points! I really do! (sorry) Hey Miles, I bet you miss lightning, huh? That's okay, I miss earthquakes, so we're even (ha! ... what a trade. Don't tell Miles, he's kinda slow that way). I'll Be In Vegas I'm making a personal appearance at Las Vegas in February (that was cool; I wrote that like I'm a celebrity or something. Wow ... talk about stroking your ego!). I'll be there February 11-16. If you want to meet up and have dinner and some cigars (or just dinner), email me. I'm sure 'my people' can arrange something. (Wow ... my ego's almost big enough to support a run for Governor of California) California Giving Florida a run for the money in the 'Most Goofed Up State' contest, are ya? Sheesh. What a circus, that recall. Next thing you know, the Left Coast will be banning indoor smoking and permitting marijuana. Uh ... wait. And About That Hemp ... Hemp is illegal to grow in this *cough* free *cough* country of our's right? Yeah ... now that's a good idea ... yeah. Can't have a product that is longer-lasting than cotton, less expensive, warmer than wool, not able to get you high if you smoke it ... nope ... better not let that happen. Who is the Total Moron that is in charge of this idea and law? I want to kick his ass. By the way, why is alcohol legal and marijuana illegal? Another moron who deserves to have their ass kicked. My son and I have it all figured out: The government wants enough drugs to make you feel better (aspirin, asthma medication, Prozac, Viagra, etc etc), but not enough to make you feel too good (marijuana, LSD, etc). Makes me want to scream! And drink some wine! And smoke a cigar! And toss around some more exclamation points! !!!!!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
06,August,2003
|
urlLink This is just wrong! I don't think you should change 2,000 years of history and religion to fit the whims of society. Isn't religion supposed to be the bedrock? I mean ... if it was a sin 1,500 years ago, do you think God changed His mind? Or did we correct 2,000 years of misunderstanding? Was He 'okay' with homosexuality all this time, and we finally got it right? E-mail your comments to me.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
04,August,2003
|
urlLink These disturbed individuals are whacked out. Three construction workers had to 'escape' the flames. If anyone gets hurt or killed, let's hope it's only the terrorists who inflict this type of destruction. What we need are more urlLink Armed Citizens.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
04,August,2003
|
I just love urlLink recursion.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
04,August,2003
|
I'm not an environmental whacko (but I *am* a member of urlLink surfrider ) ... but urlLink THIS is a good idea!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
04,August,2003
|
They connected the phone in my office this morning. Rats ... two months of solitude broken by loud pages over the intercom. Can I turn this thing off? I can always unplug it! :-) Rich bought an old tractor ... a Ferguson (that's even before they became urlLink Massey-Ferguson ) from the 1950's. Apparently it runs good. He also bought a bushhog, and he'll use the combo to make money cutting fields and stuff like that. He can also use the front-end loader when building his new house. Funny, he being all excited about a tractor. A sign of old age? I'm still stinging over the loss of my urlLink Spyder . I will have a sports car again. Are urlLink Consuegra's great or what? Wow ... I can't get over how good they are. And affordable. A double Espresso of a cigar, if you will. I want a small snowblower. Just a simple, small one. I had a dream last night that Kobe was found guilty. You heard it hear first. Finally, went to see urlLink Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life on Friday night. Yeah, it's hokey ... but I like the action and intrique. Besides ... Angelina Jolie? Wow. :-)
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
26,September,2003
|
I got this in my email today, and it's too true. Enjoy. If you put a woman on a pedestal and try to protect her from the rat race...you're a male chauvinist. f you stay home and do the housework...you're gay. If you work too hard...there's never any time for her. If you don't work enough...you're a good-for-nothing lazy pr**k. If she has a boring repetitive job with low pay...this is exploitation. If you have a boring repetitive job with low pay.....you should get off your lazy [censored] and find something better. If you get a promotion ahead of her...that is favouritism. If she gets a job ahead of you......it's equal opportunity. If you mention how nice she looks......it's sexual harassment. If you keep quiet ..........it's male indifference. If you cry............you're a wimp. If you don't....................you're an insensitive bast**d. If you make a decision without consulting her.........you're a chauvinist. If she makes a decision without consulting you......she's a liberated woman. If you ask her to do something she doesn't enjoy....... that's domination. If SHE asks you.........it's a favour. If you appreciate the female form and frilly underwear......you're a pervert. If you don't..............you're gay. If you like a woman to shave her legs and keep in shape...........you're sexist. If you don't...............you're unromantic. If you try to keep yourself in shape................you're vain. If you don't ...........you're a slob. If you buy her flowers.............you're after something. If you don't .................you're not thoughtful. If you're proud of your achievements........you're full of sh*t. If you're not ....................you're not ambitious. If she has a headache............she's tired. If you have a headache.............you don't love her anymore. If you want it too often.........you're oversexed. If you don't................there must be someone else. You can't win, guys ... you really, really cannot.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
16,September,2003
|
I'm pretty much a political conservative, at least on most issues. I've got this weird idea about individual liberty, personal responsibility, goofy stuff like that. You know the type: the kind of person who, for example, thinks that illegal aliens should be treated as ... oh ... I dunno ... illegal aliens? You know, deny them a driver's license, stuff like that. But I can be liberal on some issues. For example, I'm in favor of Affirmative Action. Oh yeah ... you gotta email me on that one. I guess you could say I'm a moving target! Ha ha ... makes it hard for you to pin me down, eh? You little runt. Go ahead and try - I'm smarter than you! *grin* So given that, it's either no surprise or a huge surprise that I'm against the California recall election. Surprised? Folks, it's a bad idea for many reasons. Yeah, Gray Davis isn't doing a very good job, but that's why he lost last year's election ... oh ... wait ... he won that election! Silly me ... and here I thought Californian's didn't want the guy. The Governorship isn't a defect bicycle pump that you can return, people. It's an elected office, a part of the government of California. Oh yeah ... a part ... not the entire thing. Don't you good folks out there on the Left Coast have, say, a Legislature? Any Judicial Branch of your State? Yeah? Oh ... I see ... you just want to toss Davis because it's nice to have a scapegoat, eh? Let's break it down: YOU ELECTED THE GUY, FAIR AND SQUARE. DEAL WITH IT! Jonah Goldberg, a Conservative columnist, has a take on this. Check it out urlLink here . Is this what we want? Do we *really* want to toss a guy out of office for poor performance? We can put up with a President who was impeached for lying under oath -- issues of character, integrity and honesty -- but can't tolerate a guy who botches taxes? Granted, I know about Davis' 'pay for play' politics. Sheesh ... you'd think he was a politician. Oh ... wait ... he is . At least for another two weeks.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
16,September,2003
|
Here's a little experiment for all you capital-L Liberals out there: Try blaming yourself just once. Just one time. I know it won't be easy ... it'll probably hurt your fragile ego ... but give it a try for, say a month. Or a year. Or better yet -- a lifetime. So next time you don't get your way, or something goes wrong (like, say, losing your job), how about you look inward? Lose your job and can't pay your bills? Well perhaps you shouldn't have gotten so deeply in debt. (Disclaimer: If I were to lose my job I'd lose everything. But I'd blame myself, so there.) Aren't you fed up with the 'blame someone else' mentality that is ruining our country? You know; Maurice Clarett gets caught lying, and all of a sudden Jim Brown is blaming Ohio State? Say what? You know what's happening? People are becoming basically sissies. Oh oh ... you don't have air conditioning? Suck it up; your grandparents didn't. Sheesh. The one that gets me is the big flap about obese kids. Oh yeah, it's a problem, no doubt. Perhaps you should encourage junior to get off his lazy rear and actually do something. Go biking ... hiking ... swimming ... skateboarding. No ... wait ... skateboarding is frickin' illegal in Red Lion, Pennsylvania! Can you believe that? 'Our little pissant town is not as nice because of ... uh ... the skateboarders, yeah!' Give me a break. Anyhow ... don't blame McDonalds; blame yourself for feeding them that crap while you were too busy to cook. Get off your fat duff and grow a garden; you only need a small area, so don't give me any excuses. I'm just so sick and tired of everyone blaming everyone else for their problems. Buck up and face the music, you mental midget. Don't be a wuss all your life. And how is it that at age 44 I can still do 25 pushups ... one-handed, that is. You mean ... you mean ... you mean I actually take care of myself? You mean you can complain about my cigars (you fat, lazy, whining sack of blubber) but you can't keep up with me in the gym? How can that be? Could it be ... COULD IT BE? ... that I take care of myself, while you are too busy looking for someone else to blame for your miserable condition? Thyroid problem my foot. Get out there and Play Outside. Blame yourself; it's refreshing. And it'll make lawyers get a real job.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
08,September,2003
|
RIP urlLink Warren Zevon . As a fellow 'excitable boy', I bid you farewell. You will be missed. ;-(
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
31,October,2003
|
Gotta love urlLink THIS story!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
30,October,2003
|
Just some stuff I feel like tossing out there ... memes, I guess. (HA HA ... now you gotta google 'Memes' to see what it means ... ha ha ... yet more evidence of my superior intellect and overall coolness) The Rolling Stones rule. Frickin' RULE. Your favorite group? ... they're the roadies for the Stones. I remember about six or seven years ago, my children were telling me that Oasis was supposed to be The Next Big Think, like the Second Coming of the Beatles. Hmmm ... Oasis ... don't they make dehumidifiers? My Spyder's not fast enough. I need a turbo. Not gonna happen -- it's called 'priorities' -- but I'd love a turbo. A seven-second 0-60 time might have been fast in 1980, but not now. A turbo would put 'Anna' (the car's name; my wife named her, after Anna Kournikova *smile*) in the 4.4 second range for 0-60 ... that's Ferrari territory, pal! A $25,000 supercar! Penn State versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. They'd both find a way to lose. *frown* The Yankees? Oh yeah ... them ... they lost to my Marlins!! *BIG GRIN* Had some carpal tunnel problems last week, so I took what Steve Crump insisted works like a charm: vitamin B Complex. Guess what ... works wonders! Pain gone the same day ... amazing! Remember that group, the three brothers, Hanson? They had that infectious 'Mmm-bop' song (which I love because of a story I'll relate later). Well ... these guys are incredibly talented. No ... wait ... hear me out. They've reinvented themselves as an acoustic/folk group, and they're really, really, really great! I'm dead serious; check out urlLink their website and listen to some clips. I'm buying that CD today, it's THAT good. I heard them on the greatest radio station God ever invented -- urlLink WXPN -- and I'm amazed. Hats off to them. Another good Hanson is Beck ... Beck Hanson. Love that music. And Phish. And The White Stripes, especially their song '7 Nation Army'. And I'll aways enjoy old stuff by J. Geils Band. I have fond memories of riding with my brother in his Pinto, heading to Otter Creek, listening to J. Geils Band on the 8 Track. (To this day, I *love* the styling of the Pinto) Had some veggies leftover from last weekend's 'The Light Of Don's Life Got Married' party, and my wife -- trained as a chef and incredible with food! -- made some out-of-this-world homemade (what else?) broccoli and cheddar soup last night. Enjoyed it with some organic bread. Wow ... what a great life. Oh oh oh ... but BEFORE that, I had to work a little late (until 6:20, big woop) and while talking on the speaker phone with our software vendor who was installing and upgrade and showing me around (thank you Microsoft for Net Meeting) via remote desktop, I enjoyed a urlLink Camacho . Uber-great. I've been getting up at 5:00 or so and making it to work plenty early (my commute is one hour, or 'one robusto cigar' in the Saab *smile*). Been rather nice, but then again I'm heading to bed at 9:30. I missed the Aurora Borealis last night! ARGH! I'll hope for it again tonight. Okay, why do I like the song 'Mmm-Bop'? I went to Dubai in 1997 (with another guy, Van) on a bidness trip to install some software. Long flight to a strange place. Middle East. Muslim. Definitely NOT York. (NOTE: I LOVED the place, absolutely loved it. The people were fantastic and wonderful. You want world peace? ... make everyone travel to other cultures. You *cannot* travel to foreign lands and remain racist/nationalist/wacko -- with a few notable exceptions) So we get there -- did I mention it was 115 degree during the day and 95 at night? NINETY-FIVE DEGREES at night? Anyhow, we get there and are immediately immersed into a foreign culture. Looking for something to remind us of home. We get into a cab, and what song is playing? It will forever have a lasting connection to that moment, and for that reason will always be a 'good song' to me. Finally, thank you LeBron James for getting Kobe out of the headlines.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
30,October,2003
|
So a Lands' End catalog ends up on my desk -- I'm the CIO of a company -- a catalog out of which businesses can order logoed items to give away. What does it say on the front? 'Merry Business To All!'. ARGH! ... not surprised ... but ... this is what Christmas has come down to? A blatant ploy to improve business? Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. I mean ... you sort of *expect* it from the retailers ... but now it's a Business-To-Business thing (B2B ... what a buzzword). Next thing you know, they'll try to associate bunny rabbits and colored eggs with the resurrection of Christ. Oh ... wait ... Thanksgiving is about my favorite holiday; it's not been hijacked by the money-grubbing retailers and stupid follow-me-over-a-cliff 'consumers' of this world. It's still a good holiday, and a truly religious occasion: A chance to thank God for His blessings. You don't believe in God? That's your problem. Convenient, too; no God, no judgment -- 'Hey! ... I can act like I want and never have to give account for it!' ... yeah ... you better pray -- oops -- hope you're right! LAWSUIT Someone will sue someone for giving out Peanut M&M's this halloween, mark my words. Peanut allergies, 'they didn't warn my son', etc etc. I'm just waiting for it to happen.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
28,October,2003
|
Grady Little will manage the Orioles next season. You heard it here first!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
21,October,2003
|
If you don't have it, you absolutely must get the urlLink Google Toolbar for your web browser. The popup blocker is fantastic. It's a blast to go to www.Weather.com and then watch the popup blocker stop those incesant, horrible, wish-their-organs-would-fall-off-for-writing-them popup ads. Do it. Now. Then get lost, you moron.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
15,October,2003
|
(You can tell I went to school to be a Baptist preacher, with my three C's alliteration there) While driving to work in my Spyder (!!!) this morning, I saw a Chevy Cavalier. You can't get a Cavalier with a six-cylinder motor any more. Why? Probably because of CAFE -- Corporate Average Fuel Economy laws. urlLink CAFE laws were started in 1975 in an effort to use less oil and reduce pollution. It works okay, although the standard -- 27.5 mpg -- hasn't been raised since 1986 as the automakers have been lobbying hard to keep it from being raised. Score one for Big Oil, Big Money and line-my-pockets politicians. They win ... we lose. As automakers sell more and more gas-guzzling cars (disclaimer: I own a 24-mpg Buick Rendezvous), the 'only way' to meet CAFE standards is to sell more and more fuel-efficient vehicles. In some cases, the small cars are sold with little or no profit just in order to get them out the door; the Corvette sales make up the profits and, at the same time, pull the corporate average fuel economy down down down. Takes a couple of Cavaliers to make up for one 'Vette. (I'd use SUVs in the above paragraph, but SUV's are considered 'light trucks' and fall under a less stringent standard. Surprised? No?) The CAFE standard needs to be raised. I'd say 30 for 2005, and then up up up until it reaches 50 mpg in, say, 20 years. 'Fifty miles per gallon? Are you nuts, Don? That's impossible.' Yeah ... impossible ... right. Loser. The problem isn't technology, the problem is getting people to think of solutions that require a different CONTEXT! ('I was wonderin' when he was going to bring 'context' into this lame diatribe against society of his') You see, you need to think outside of the current context in order to arrive at forward-thinking solutions. You can't limit your thinking to our current society if you expect to change and improve it. And trust me; it needs to change to improve. For example, the urlLink Hypercar forces you to consider a change in context, as does the idea of H2 cars in general (H2 ... hydrogen ... ya remember chem class? ... sheesh). One argument against H2 is that there's no infrastructure. Yeah ... there's not *now* ... but that will change. Change ... a new context ... you catching on yet? So another change would be lighter -- much lighter -- vehicles. Safer to boot. 'What's that? Safer? You've got to be kidding, Don. I don't want to be driving a 1,000-pound SUV and get into a collision with another SUV.' Listen, doofus ... go learn about Kinetic Energy, will ya? Dummie. So a huge change in context (if I were a buzzword idiot I'd say 'paradigm shift' and 'outside the box', but I'm not in California so I won't do that) will be needed. Can you picture it? No? Then get lost, will ya ... you're hindering the rest of us. Community? Yeah ... imagine a huge shift in context ... working closer to home or even at home ... wider sidewalks ... areas where cars are banned in favor of walking, cycling, Segway-ing. You could walk or bike to the store, the barber shop, to coffee shop. Less driving, more people out and about ... recreational drugs legalized to reduce crime (thought I'd toss that in there so you hyper-conservatives could have a conniption fit) ... get to know your neighbors ... COMMUNITY! It can happen. And, contrary to the ranting antics of hyper Right-Wingers who'd rather O.D. on pain killers than admit their mistakes, it will be driven -- or at least started -- by more government involvement and regulation. Get over it, and never forget: it's not 'them' in Washington. We are the government, and we get the laws we deserve and ask for.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
15,October,2003
|
urlLink This is Reality , and it's scary.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
14,October,2003
|
In January of 2002, my income dropped by 40 percent. Yeah ... *you* try it. To meet my 'shifting paradigm', I sold my urlLink Spyder (scroll down, you'll see it). It was a Rock Star car; everyone looked at you. And for an attention-seeking narcissist such as I, it was the perfect 'accessory'. So on January 26, 2002, at 11:30 am, I sold My Precious to Hanover Toyota. A rough time for me. I was finally able, emotionally, to put that behind me this past spring. When it was nice and I wanted a drive, I had my Saab. Granted, not a convertible, and not quite as fast and fun, but fun nonetheless. Expensive to keep repaired, but fun. Last week, while driving past the dealer, guess what I saw on their lot? Checked the VIN ... yup ... my old Spyder. Only 6,000 miles added to her odometer. Long story short: I stopped, we talked, I get it tonight (Tuesday). Certified Used Car, too, which means a 6-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Vroom! I'm BACK!!!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
09,October,2003
|
What more can I ask for? I'll answer that: Nothing. This weekend my daughter is getting married to the most wonderful young man you could imagine. You could not hand-pick a finer young man. He's about the only guy good enough for my little girl. I cannot describe how happy I am about this. I know I'll miss her, but it's all a father could hope for. You can bet some GOOD cigars will be enjoyed on this occasion!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
06,October,2003
|
Saturday morning I awoke to a cold rain outside. The cold front was moving in and putting down even more rain on our already-soaked ground. But I was determined; I would not be denied. You see, the wifey was away, and this was my chance, my opportunity, my clear path to ... ... kayaking on the river! After cooking myself a great breakfast burrito (Two eggs, cheddar cheese, chile peppers, onions, taco sauce in a huge tortilla -- I'm a urlLink metrosexual , I can cook!), I loaded the urlLink soft rack kayak carrier onto my Saab. My urlLink Perception Acadia 12.5 was next, strapped down and ready to go. Picked out a change of clothing -- just in case -- and a few cigars, and headed down to Long Level by the Susquehanna River. I parked across from Shank's Mare and put it. By then, the rain had ceased its taunting, and the wind was answering with a shout of waves. Looking around, I noticed that the motor boaters were ... absent. Ah yes ... 50 degrees, threat of rain, some wind, some waves ... perfect for keeping those noisy, dangerous ne'er-do-wells away from *my* morning. Unloading the Saab, my heart was racing. Finally, after many months of my kayak begging me from its loft in the garage, it was our time. Donning my pfd, then my urlLink Mountain Hardware vest , then covering with my CRL windbreaker, I tested my whistle before putting in. The feeling of freedom that comes when you move out from the shore is something that cannot be explained, only experienced. The cares of the world stay ashore when you kayak. The only elements are you, the boat and the water. Well, the wind quickly becomes a concern, too :-). I paddled straight out about 1/8 mile to get my 'sea legs' and to assess the situation. Okay ... wind from the south, current moving toward the south, waves from the south. Got it. Dipped my hand into the water ... good ... it's warmer than the air. The 'adds up to 100' safety rule was passed (the air temp and the water temp should add up to 100 in order to avoid hypothermia). I turned back toward shore and then headed north toward the creek. Probably 3/4 mile away, it would be a quick but lively trip. As I began to move out, I tried to keep up with the wind and waves, but couldn't. Rising up on a wave was great -- a push from behind -- but then you slide down the back of the wave. Still, with the wind at my back, paddling seemed rather easy. And quiet. No phones (I did have my cell phone in my waterproof bag, again, just in case), no keyboards, no dog, no one else. Finally ... the solitude I need but never seem to get. Ahhhh ... The debris along the shore from Isabel was noticeable, but not bad. Some logs, but not much else. I reached the creek, crossed under the road, and cruised into the crystal clear stillness of the creek. Just like that, the waves and wind were gone, and I was greeted with a calmness that belies the day. Paddling slowly upstream, trying to conserve some energy for the rough trip back against the wind, I observed vacation homes made empty by Autumn's chill. Gone are the weekend rousers ... the backyard grills ... the noisy boat. The summer's frivolity were gone, replaced by falling leaves and long, uncut lawns. I paddled until I reached the eddies, where the kayak's four-inch draft began to touch bottom. It was then that I saw a blue heron -- one of my favorites, along with the red-wing blackbird -- fishing in the cool waters. *This* is what makes life worth living. You cannot, CANNOT, kayak and be depressed. Turning around, I let the slow current lift my kayak and my spirits even higher. Floating now, with the occasional correction for steering, I watched tens of thousands of minnows scurrying along the bottom, waiting their turn at maturity and their chance to play against Spring's anglers. Crossing under the overpass, I mentally braced myself for the onslaught of the wind. I conservatively figured it would take an hour to cover that final 3/4 mile back to my car, given the wind. What a pleasant surprise! The wind, to be sure, was still blowing, but the current was pushing me as it was fighting a winning battle agains the wind. The elements were grappling, and I was feeling the victory. Bouyed by the current, I began paddling with enthusiasm and vigor. This was too good to miss. The waves would sometimes break over the bow of the kayak, the spray hitting me, and the moment was robust and filled with life! It was as though this moment had been set aside to encourage me, to challenge me, to lift my spirits and carry me. And indeed it did. Arriving at the car, I was giddy and 'pumped'. The adrenalin rush was the drug of choice and I was overdosing. God I LOVE this! Loaded up the car and then did what anyone would have done: Coffee and an urlLink El Rey Del Mundo Originale . Sometime's life is good, sometime's it's bad. But on this day, this moment, it was perfect . Thank you, God, for those moments.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
03,October,2003
|
urlLink But will he inhale?
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
01,October,2003
|
Wife doesn't have a detached retina. That's good news. Remember the bad radiator on my Saab (blog entry, August 26, 2003)? I said 'no biggee', didn't I? What a fool! The short story is this: While replacing the radiator, I punctured the air conditioner condensor. ARGH! So my 'do it yourself' repair to save, say, $100, will end up costing me $200 for a new condensor. That's it, I'm not working on cars again, ever. Ever. I thought I had Patti talked into getting me a new car. She said 'we can look at one while we pick up my Buick' -- it was in for service. Well ... pssshhh ... yeah ... we looked at one ... yeah. Lot of good that did. She won't budge on the 2003 Focus SVT (competition orange with the European Appearance Package). Black leather interior, moonroof, six speed manual, hi output engine ... so sweet ... so not mine. :-( Saw 'The Rundown' starring 'the Rock', that rassler-turned-actor. One of the more entertaining movies I've ever seen. The operative word is 'entertaining', okay, so don't bug me when you figure out that it's not Gone With The Wind or Glitter (Miles loved Glitter ... figures). My daughter gets married in eight days. Wow. Work is overbearing. Just too much to do. Seriously too much. I need to figure out a way to hide from everyone so I can get some work done. The wife's away tonight, and I got paid today ... woo-hoo! Can you say 'cigar bar after work'? ... I knew that you could. Then, home to watch some playoff baseball and kayaking early on Saturday morning. Then back to reality: cut the grass, fix stuff ... You know, owning a home is 80 percent work. Got the garage straightened up last weekend, put stuff on the shelves. Now, two cars can fit in it ... imagine that. Perfect space for a Toyota MR2 Spyder! Hear that, Patti!! I should just bring one home; what's she gonna do? 'YORK MAN FOUND DEAD, RUN OVER BY SPYDER' Hmmm ... nooo ... better not. Finally; since Patti got a part-time job, I cook two nights a week. I'm becoming quite the chef, I tell ya. Many people have said I'm the gay-est straight guy they know! Gotta run; my hair's messed.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
01,October,2003
|
Ah yes ... yet urlLink another argument in favor of forced sterilization. Some people just should not be allowed to have children. Think about it: We want to restrict guns, but anyone is allowed to have a child? Chilling.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
01,October,2003
|
On the right side of this screen (Over here, stupid --->) you'll see a link to Miles' totally boring blog. I went to high school while Miles (although I'll never know how he ever graduated). After that, I showed my superior intellect by getting my first job (janitor) while he obviously needed more education and got a Masters Degree in some silly Chemical Engineering or something, I dunno. Point is, Miles recently misrepresented me -- he's a typical don't-bother-me-with-the-facts Liberal -- and I want to clear it up. I *do* like the Push-To-Talk feature of cell phones. It's great. As I so eloquently stated in a previous blog entry (August 21, 2003), it's not the feature itself I don't like ... it's the stupid, insult-your-intelligence ads (this assumes you actually have some intelligence, so I'll give you 'American Idol' fans a pass). And the feature works best in an environment where you need frequent point-to-point conversations, similar to a walkie-talkie. I mean ... really ... your kid needs Push-To-Talk to call you from Penn State on Sunday morning to ask 'what do you do about a hangover?' (the answer, of course, is two words: Bloody Mary). Come on, Miles ... I expect better from you! You're the best skateboarder I know and your sisters are hot. But you gotta work on your fact-checking before getting into a pissing contest with me. Remember; I'm the Stupid Conservative, you're the Elitist Liberal. Finally, I'm ending my love affair with exclamation points (they're just too much). However, I'm quite fond of paratheses (they're great for interjecting comments, ya know?)!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
01,October,2003
|
urlLink This would be BRILLIANT!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
01,October,2003
|
So I see a reference to urlLink this article, and I'm flumoxed. I can't believe that people even think that 'Nessie' may exist. What are you people, retarded? Let me break it down for all you NASCAR fans; Nessie doesn't exist. UFO's are not from 'outer space' or anything weird like that. Ghosts are caused by gases and radiation and magnetism and urlLink sounds and some unknown gravity-related phenomena and fantasies of the human mind. There's no Bigfoot. Folks, X-Files was fiction, okay? Get real. Quit reading urlLink Weekly World News (Hey, Elvis is dead, OKAY?), quit listening to country music, quit watching 'floor it and turn left' NASCAR [You want auto racing? Get into Formula 1 -- they don't wuss out when it rains; they change tires and go back at it. WITH AN OPEN COCKPIT! Rain, 200 mph ... think it stings? Think it's hard to see? Still think NASCAR is anything other than old guys' Big Wheels?]) and get on with life. Sheesh. Oops; gotta run ... the Illuminati is onto me.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
01,October,2003
|
It's true, much to my chagrin. And here, all along, I thought I was a dyed-in-the-SUV capital 'C' Conservative. I mean ... I try ... I try. I like guns. I hate paying taxes. Heck, I used to act like I hated cats just to be Conservative. Now, urlLink this Political Compass quiz goes and ruins me. I scored a 1.25 on the Economic Left/Right scale -- slightly economically conservative, and a spot-on ZERO on the Libertarian/Authoritarian scale. Call me boring; worse, call me Joe Lieberman Junior. I was so bummed about this. How can I rant against Liberals (who I'm still convinced are the biggest bunch of wussies around) when I'm not even a Conservative (who traded their IQ points for increased testosterone). Then, it hit me! I'm in the middle; I can complain about both sides! YEE-HAW ... what a windfall! I can slam Liberals for being weak on defense; or, just being weak (you don't generally find Liberals by the squat rack at the gym). I can slam Conservatives for thinking that everyone who has any kind of problem is weak, without character, or just not working hard enough (you don't generally find Conservatives working at soup kitchens). I can drive my SUV while wearing my Birkenstocks! Sweet nectar of life! I'm in the perfect position to rant, whine and criticize! Join me in the middle, won't you? The world could use more like me! *big grin*
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
26,November,2003
|
I just love urlLink this web site .
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
21,November,2003
|
Go ahead and pour tons and tons of fertilizer on your suburban yard in hopes of a green yard ... sheesh ... and you'll get urlLink this . Notice that urlLink ChemLawn has slowly migrated their name to TruGreen. Nice ... nice ... they think we're a bunch o' morons. 'I know! Americans are so stupid ... we'll change our name from ChemLawn to TruGreen and they'll forget that we use chemicals that kill birds and marine life so they can have a green yard that they'll never use!' Kinda like Kentucky FRIED Chicken becoming KFC. Do you have any idea how HUGE the urlLink Chesapeake Bay Watershed is? Spray a lawn in Harrisburg, kill five oysters and seven blue crabs in Havre De Grace. Yeah ... that's a nice tradeoff. Idiots.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
19,November,2003
|
Attributed to Bill Gates (I doubt it), but nonetheless good stuff: Rule 1: Life is not fair—get used to it. Rule 2: The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself. Rule 3: You will not make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of school. You won’t be a vice president with a car phone until you earn both. Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping—they called it opportunity. Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parent’s fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them. Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closets in your own room. Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers but life has not. In some schools they’ll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to anything in real life. Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time. Rule 10: Television is not real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs. Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
18,November,2003
|
Of course I'd weigh in on this hot issue, no? My stand is best summed up urlLink here .
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
18,November,2003
|
I made the most awesome urlLink puttanesca sauce last night. Just thought you'd like to know. *smile* -- Don
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
11,November,2003
|
urlLink You (and Bush) are likely too dumb for this.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
07,November,2003
|
We went to Target the other day, which we affectionately refer to as 'The 100-Dollar Club', because we can never seem to get out of that place under $100. For example, we go for paper towels and come home with new patio furniture. I love the store, but it's killing me. So we first stop by Customer (non-) Service, where we need to exchange, of all things, resealable sandwich bags which didn't, in fact, re-seal. Imagine how I felt when I discovered that the zip lock tops didn't zip, nor lock, after picking up Penny's poop (our dog; got her name because she's the same color as my urlLink Pittsburgh Penguins cap). I had to carry an unsealed bag of dog poop home from the schoolyard. (Pittsburgh. P-I-T-T-S-B-U-R-G-H ... there's an 'H' on the end. Penguin. P-E-N-G-U-I-N ... that's a gee, not a queue) So while we're waiting our turn to complete our $1.58 transaction, the moron ... excuse me ... woman in front of us is causing a scene because 'this software won't run on our computer and I want to return it'. Well, as you probably know, returning software is up there with removing sofa tags and skateboarding on the 'OH MY GOD YOU WANT TO DO WHAT?' list. I mean ... RETURN SOFTWARE? ARE YOU CRAZY?!! You may have loaded it and are now returning it to rip us off! Actually, in this instance, I have to side with Target. She was Just Plain STOOPID. Hear me out. The guy behind the counter points out that the licensing agreement prohibits returning software. Further, it's on the box, with the system requirements. That's when she get's frustrated and says 'But some of aren't computer literate; I have no idea what my computer has!'. Uh ... excuse me ... HELLO? YOU ARE TOTALLY STUPID! You DON'T KNOW what your computer is, yet you go and buy software for it? Does anyone else see how totally assinine this is? 'Uh ... yeah ... I'd like a new transmission for my car. What kind? Dunno ... just give me one ...' Sheesh. If you're THAT computer illiterate -- and there's NOTHING WRONG with being computer illiterate -- then for the Love Of God please DO NOT go shopping without help! SHEESH! Sorry lady, but YOU have to take some responsibility for the things you own and buy. ARGH!!! ... probably a Clinton-voting soccer mom dumbo-crat. *BIG GRIN* -------------------------------------- Don't look now, but Howard Dean is urlLink promising to BUY THE ELECTION! At least he's honest enough to admit it. Sheesh. --------------------------------- Nov. 10 was our 25th wedding anniversary. Feel free to email me with 'your wife is so lucky' comments. *cough* ------------------------------- So how, exactly, do you make DiGiorno pizza? I mean ... I made some last night, but we had a hard time slicing it. Oh yeah ... that's right ... I left the cardboard on the bottom of the pizza . Did I mention I'm a doofus? ---------------------------------- Been too wet to drive the Spyder *frown*. Been driving the Saab ... but that's okay ... because I've been enjoying a cigar during my commute. Hey ... ya gotta know how to play the system, eh? --------------------------------- Business Idea: Pinata Repair Kits. Gotta run. One more thing; I have the coolest kids (they're 24 and 22 in December). Your kids? They can come over and wash Erika's and Ian's cars. -- Don, aka Pizza Man
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
07,November,2003
|
urlLink Mazzilli hired as Orioles manager. FYI: My favorite team = Pittsburgh Pirates.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
06,November,2003
|
Unless you've ever suffered from depression, you have no idea what it's like. Because it's not an easily-seen or outwardly visible illness -- no runny nose or swollen ankles -- it's misunderstood. People who never suffer from depression can be the cruelest and most hateful 'friends' of those who do suffer ... while never even knowing how hurtful they are being. That, in turn, just makes the depression worse. Comments such as 'snap out of it', 'it's a spiritual problem' and 'why don't you quit feeling sorry for yourself' (or, my favorite, 'if you get depressed again I'm leaving you') are verbal salts rubbed on a life-threatening wound. Depression can come and go like low pressure systems over Lake Erie; one minute you're feeling fine, next you're depressed. Sometimes even a very small event can trigger depression; a word, a memory, even a song. I know, because I've been suffering for years. YEARS. It started with a 'sleep disorder'. That's putting it quite mildly. In 10 years, I slept all night only eight times. Yeah, you read that right, it's not a typo -- eight times in 10 years. During that time I didn't 'feel' depressed -- at least not nearly as despondent as I sometimes get now. Back in 1998 things got really really bad for me. Now follow closely, and see if you can realize that your outward situation isn't always an indication of depression: At that time, my income has just doubled. Yeah, DOUBLED! That's depressing, right? Okay ... so that's not the problem. Also, I had started back to Penn State to finally finish my degree work (which my advisor that I've known for 20+ years said 'why bother? You already have a great career, you're successful, and you alreadly know all this stuff?'). My home life was fine. So what was the problem? Let's just say I had managed to isolate and then dwell on some decisions that I made that I thought I could have done better. THAT'S ALL IT TAKES! During that time, I nosedived into depression like a Kamikaze pilot over Midway. No matter what happened, I managed to find fault with my decision-making and blame myself (N.B. to this day I blame all, ALL, of my problems on myself -- and I'm totally convinced that they ARE my fault. Name ONE problem that's NOT my fault; you can't). This downward cycle combined with well-meaning but misunderstanding friends culminated one day while driving home. I'll never forget the moment. I was driving around 55 mph down a long stretch of two-lane blacktop when I saw a stone wall. Thoughts raced through my mind, and it seemed so tempting to put an end to this misery once and for all. As I grew closer and closer, my mind raced faster than you can even imagine. All I had to do was pull my steering wheel to the right and it'd be over; no depression ... freedom at last from this misery that I had created. At the last minute, one thought raced through my mind, and I literally had to fight -- to force myself -- to continue on the road. My heart raced as I pulled over and started to sob. I couldn't believe that I had come *that* close to the edge. It scared me beyond anything I'd ever experienced, and was stronger than any medicine. The thought? I could not bare the thought of my daughter at my funeral. She who understands me like no one else, who loves me more than anyone else, had just saved my life! My wife? She's older, she'd recover, she'd do well. And -- as callous as this may sound -- she'd be better off financially. Plus, she's drop-dead gorgeous and would never have a problem finding a new (and better) husband. My son? He's a guy. He'll pull through. He'd just chalk it up to 'my dad was a doofus'-kind of thinking. I'm NOT saying those last two paragraphs are CORRECT thinking, but those were my thoughts at the time. --------- So, I had hit rock bottom (my son, since then, has given me some of the best advice and encouragement of my life: 'Dad, resiliency is how high you bounce when you hit bottom'. Thanks, Ian, you'll never know how often I tell myself that). I went to the doctor with a few days and was prescribed Prozac. Things then improved rather quickly, partly because the cat was out of the bag. After a few weeks I started sleeping. 'Wow ... so THIS is what it's like to sleep all night and be rested? WOW!' After a few months, I was able to forgo the Prozac in favor of a natural supplement, St. John's Wort. I continued to improve, and have not had anything *near* that depth of despair since. ---------------- Prelude: I do get depressed from time to time (for example, as I write this), but I've learned to manage it quite well. The number one thing is that I now know that it *will* go away, and it's temporary. Also, I'm VERY quick to mention it to anyone that will understand. For example, I'll tell my wife 'I'm feeling depressed', and it puts us both on guard. Also, I'll call in or leave work, telling them 'I'm not feeling well' -- which is true. As odd as it may seem, sometimes the best thing is for me to go home and sit quietly. I reflect on my life, my mistakes, and rather than get even more depressed, I get encouraged. How's that? Because instead of beating myself up, I analyze my mistakes and then purpose to learn from them. One of the best anti-suicide quotes I've ever read has been the most helpful: 'Once you're dead, you won't *feel* anything, so you won't *feel* better'. May sound crazy to you, but it strikes me as quite logical. ----------------------- The debate rages between whether depression is caused by a medical condition, or whether the psychological aspect of depression causes the medical problem. I believe, in my experience, it's most psychological. ---------------------- Why am I sharing this? Why am I bareing my soul like this? Well ... now you know. If I seem 'down', you now may have an idea as to what's going on inside my head. And you can talk to me without worrying about offending me. You won't have to walk on eggs. Also, and most importantly, you may know someone who suffers from depression. Worse, someone you know may suffer from depression *and you don't know it*. Work to lift the stigma of this killer illness. Work to support that person. Suggest, lovingly, that they get medical help. Finally, if you suffer, GET HELP! If you don't know what to start, email me. All the best -- Don
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
06,November,2003
|
If urlLink this is true, then who could possibly benefit from it? urlLink Carlyle?
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
05,November,2003
|
QuickRant: Michael Moore runs to England urlLink and calls Americans 'stupid' . Johnny Depp says we're ignorant. Other so-called celebrities and movie stars (puke) rant and threaten to leave the country (hint: PLEASE DO!). Oh no, NOT IN MY HOUSE! You're American and got a problem with the United States? Then why not do what a COURAGEOUS person does? Stick around and work for what you believe in? Worked for Ronald Reagan ... Tipp O'Neal ... Lenny Bruce ... Rush Limbaugh ... Barbra Steisand (I hate hate HATE her music and her politics, but she's got the right idea to voice her opinion) ... and on and on. Callin' *me* stupid, are you Michael Moore? You want to get ad hominen, do ya? Fat pig. Take off your stupid baseball cap and become an upstanding MAN. I don't see James Carville backing down or calling us 'stupid'. Why do I waste my energy on this piece dungheap of a so-called human bean? ------------------------------ Just so you all 'get it', the above was INTENDED to be very Moore-like. It's ugly, no? Exactly my point.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
04,November,2003
|
urlLink THIS is one of the most outrageous, ignorant and appalling sports item I've seen in my life. Miami ahead of Virginia Tech. Yeah ... makes sense ... I mean, VT only pummeled them 31-7 two days earlier ... yeah. Until there is a playoff, I officially HATE the NCAA and all associated with it.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
30,December,2003
|
The Bush Administration pushed through urlLink a ban on the dietary supplement ephedra , while letting the prescription drug 'Meridia' continue to be sold. You get one guess: Which drug has a higher rate of deaths-to-users? BING BING BING! We have a winner ... that being the pharmaceutical companies ... again. *sigh*
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
29,December,2003
|
HA HA ... This is side-splitting stuff ... they sell stuff at urlLink this site! Now that is funny. Cue the band ... we're about to start the NFL playoffs, when normally sane American males abandon all sense of reality and start migrating to the TV set like a third-world slave worker during break time. Don't get me wrong; I like football. Well ... it's okay. But the hype associated with football rivals only that of Average Joe 2. (If you watch Average Joe 2, do me a huge favor, k? DON'T VOTE!) No ... Americans are not stupid -- contrary to what Johnny Depp and Michael 'Fat Man' Moore say. No ... they're just lazy. And, after all, laziness (NOT necessity) is the mother of invention. You think the TV remote was necessary ? Okay, I don't really believe we're lazy. But I couldn't have written my last paragraph about invention and all that stuff without positing that idea. In other news ... would it have been okay to say to Iran, 'We'll help you with earthquake relief after you give us complete access to your WMDs'? Moral and ethical question. Discuss. Another Christmas come and gone. I survived. It was my worst Christmas ever. The first time I really, really did not enjoy the holiday. I think I'm slipping into a mild depression again. Great ... just great. Guess I better hit the gym. Resolutions! You do 'em? What are yours? I don't make 'resolutions', instead I play with semantics and 'set goals' for the year. Whatever. Mine for 2004: Become more assertive and less nice. I'm too easy 'stepped on' and I tend to give in and keep quiet, which isn't good. I sometimes wonder if I'll explode. Kinda like that scene from Life Of Brian. So I gotta learn to be not so nice. I know that sounds bad, but it's not really. I mean, I just have to be more selfish and carve out *my* life -- since I don't have one -- and let those around me love me for who I am (that's what others tell me all the time, so ...). I'm 44 years old and don't take any opportunities to do some things just for me . Enough about that; what are your goals or resolutions? Oh; I worry about people that don't do anything like goals or resolutions. How do you grow? Does Dean have a chance against Bush? Is Dean a shoe-in to win he Democrat nomination? Politics in America has become so uncivilized and so uncouth, it's no wonder that more and more people are tuning it out. The Left is the worst. They are incredibly racist and so dishonest. It's truly disgusting. They have no moral compass -- many of them being atheists -- and so anything goes. At least the Right, no matter how extreme, have a sense of right and wrong and justice. Except, of course, for the late not-great Strom Thurmond. Bastard.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
18,December,2003
|
Hope you enjoy urlLink this. It's from the heart.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
16,December,2003
|
urlLink THIS is what I want, front and center. After that ... anything from urlLink here.
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
12,December,2003
|
urlLink Earth’s magnetic field weakening! Now I know where my lost car keys went; to Australia!
|
1,684,227 |
male
| 45 |
indUnk
|
Gemini
|
11,December,2003
|
Hey! I just noticed something! Ever notice that the singer Roger Whittaker and the actor Patrick Stewart sound exactly alike? Strange. And I've never seen them together. Hmmmmm ... (Makes as much sense as urlLink Howard Dean's suggestion that President Bush knew about the September 11 attacks beforehand )
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.