Another stolen image from somebody else's blog... But so hillarious I had to re-post it.
Thanks to Art Vandelay at http://vandelayenterprise.blogspot.com/
Squid
8 years ago
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Time
Back in 1973 a couple of dope-smoking college drop outs in their early twenties wrote the following:
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day,
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way,
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town,
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way...
Tired of lying in the sunshine,
Staying home to watch the rain,
And you are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today,
And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you,
No one told you when to run,
You missed the starting gun...
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking,
And racing around, to come up behind you again,
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death.
...how did they get it so right?
Friday, August 29, 2008
Talking to the minorities, here...
Allright, I realise most of my blog friends are female, but on the off chance that one of my male friends decide to visit this blog and make comment... Is it just me, or is Sarah Palin kinda hot?
Did I imagine this cartoon?
Continuing with the theme of cartoons we used to watch as a kid (from Melissa's blog: http://mellylifeliver.blogspot.com/)... Most people remember George of The Jungle. But, for some reason no one remembers the other two cartoons that were also a part of that show:
- Tom Slick
- Super Chicken
I'm not sure why nobody remembers Tom Slick or Super Chicken... Maybe I just imagined them. Maybe they weren't real cartoons at all... Except that I found this picture of Super Chicken and his sidekick, Fred (a big goofy lion who spoke with a lisp), on Google image search.
Super Chicken was always telling Fred to do dangerous things. Fred would always get wide-eyed and exclaim, "But, Super Chicken..." to which Super Chicken would always immediately interject with "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Fred!" I always thought that was a very funny line. And there are many instances where I'd love to say it to someone... If I thought they would get the reference. But, of course, no one ever does.
My co-worker, Brad, gave me such an instance this morning, and I said it to him. He didn't get the reference. So I'm posting it here in hopes of enlightening the masses.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
efficient night!
Okay, I'm feeling much better. Tonight I accomplished:
- three loads of laundry
- balanced my checkbook to the penny
- figured up my bills for next month
- set a legitimate weight goal for the rest of this year
- applied for a corporate IT job
No one to blame but me...
Another Wednesday (which, for me, is another Monday) and nothing to show for the weekend. I didn’t balance my checkbook. I didn’t work on my resume or apply to any jobs. For a guy who bitches about work as much as I do there is no excuse for not attending to at least some of that this weekend.
On the plus side, I did stick to my healthy eating regimen (something I find hard to do, particularly on weekends), and as of Saturday I was down 2 lbs.I weighed in at 207 two weeks ago, and kinda got that reality check moment there on the scale. (For reference, 6 months ago I was down at a nice 185).
Speaking of weight control / health, I also did not run last night as I’d planned to. I called my buddy and we both felt like skipping… So we did.
No excuse. I’m hoping that the motivation I’m feeling right now extends into the night, and the week!
On the plus side, I did stick to my healthy eating regimen (something I find hard to do, particularly on weekends), and as of Saturday I was down 2 lbs.I weighed in at 207 two weeks ago, and kinda got that reality check moment there on the scale. (For reference, 6 months ago I was down at a nice 185).
Speaking of weight control / health, I also did not run last night as I’d planned to. I called my buddy and we both felt like skipping… So we did.
No excuse. I’m hoping that the motivation I’m feeling right now extends into the night, and the week!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
call the police
Okay, I totally stole this from someone else's blog... But I had to re-post it here. Rock on nerds from the 70s!
the horror... the horror... of getting older
Well, Melissa recently did a post about cartoons she used to watch as a kid, which got me thinking about being a kid. I was chatting with a buddy here at work this morning and somehow the movie Apocalypse Now came up. My buddy had never heard of it (which in itself was a little bothersome), so I started to tell him about it. I said that it starred Martin Sheen… At which point he interrupted me and asked “Is he related to Charlie Sheen?” I just stared at him for a few seconds. I didn’t know what to say. Finally I responded with, “Yeah, that’s his dad.”
The fact that my buddy (who is 21 by the way) had never heard of Apocalypse Now and/or Martin Sheen was a reality check for me. And not a pleasant one, either.
I am freaking old… which takes me back to the original idea of discussing cartoons I used to watch as a kid. Not only am I sure that most of my friends will not have heard of them, I am sure that they simply will not believe me when I tell them that I used to have to sit on the floor in front of a TV that was actually a large piece of furniture, wait 10 minutes for the tube inside to warm up, and then stare at a color pattern for 15 more minutes while I waited for the local TV station to start broadcasting for the day.
I’m f-ing old. I don’t feel like talking about cartoons anymore.
The fact that my buddy (who is 21 by the way) had never heard of Apocalypse Now and/or Martin Sheen was a reality check for me. And not a pleasant one, either.
I am freaking old… which takes me back to the original idea of discussing cartoons I used to watch as a kid. Not only am I sure that most of my friends will not have heard of them, I am sure that they simply will not believe me when I tell them that I used to have to sit on the floor in front of a TV that was actually a large piece of furniture, wait 10 minutes for the tube inside to warm up, and then stare at a color pattern for 15 more minutes while I waited for the local TV station to start broadcasting for the day.
I’m f-ing old. I don’t feel like talking about cartoons anymore.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Melissa, this one's for you... LOL
"There are those who call me.... Tim?"
- or even better -
"Who are you that can summon fire without tint or flinder?"
plot flaws...
Oh, so I’m a movie critic now? No, just a geek with too much time on his hands.
Okay, we all know Star Wars is one of the coolest movies ever. But, like any other story, it has flaws. Some of them even ridiculous. For example, in the original (Episode IV: A New Hope), Darth Vader knows that the stolen plans which can destroy the Death Star are inside R2-D2. He puts a tracking device on the Millennium Falcon so that when Han, Leia, Luke and the gang escape he can track the ship to the hidden rebel base. But why let them escape at all? Why not kill them, destroy the droids, and live happily ever after ruling that galaxy as a dark sith lord? The argument is, of course, that he wanted to know the location of the secret rebel base, and that’s why he let them escape so he could track them and locate it. So, okay hey, why not remove the plans from R2, and then let them escape? Then you can track them to the secret rebel base, when they get there they’ll realize they don’t have the plans, and you just cruise in with the Death Star and blow them up?
And, on the same issue, Princess Leia knows they’re being tracked. She even says to Han “They’re tracking us. It’s the only explanation for the ease of our escape.” Alright, so if you know you’re being tracked, why fly right to the secret rebel base? Why not fly the Millennium Falcon to an abandoned Wal Mart parking lot and just leave it there? Or, better yet, fly it to Wrigley Field in Chicago and park it there. Then, when the empire shows up they look like a bunch of stupid Nazis standing there in the parking lot, just like in the Blues Brothers! Then, you casually make your way back to the secret rebel base using public transportation, download the plans at your leisure, and go launch your attack on the Death Star later?
And, my favorite… In the final episode (Episode VI: Return of The Jedi) you’ll recall that the empire is building a new Death Star to replace the destroyed one in episode IV. So why not go and destroy it? Well, that’s the plan, but there’s this shield generator which emits from the surface of Endor (where those freakin’ little Ewoks live) protecting it. So, even if the rebel fleet arrives it won’t be able to destroy the Death Star because there’s a shield up. But then the rebels learn the secret location of the shield generator (on Endor) and plan their attack. Well, toward the end of the movie the Emperor says to Luke, “It was I who revealed the location of the shield generator. Your friends are walking into a trap.”
Why tell the rebels where the actual shield generator is? I mean, if all you want is for the rebels to show up so you can kill them, why not lie and tell them a false location for the shield generator? Then when they show up they won’t be able to turn the generator off, the Death Star stays protected, and you kill the rebels! But no, the Emperor tells them the actual location of the generator, they show up and destroy it! And then, of course, the rebels proceed to destroy the Death Star, and the Emperor in it, too.
What was the Emperor thinking? What was Darth Vader thinking? I mean, I understand the idea(s) behind the strategy (strategies)… But never hand a man a loaded gun just to see if he’ll shoot you with it!
You know I’m really bored here at work when I’m dissecting 30 year old science fiction movies made for children.
Okay, we all know Star Wars is one of the coolest movies ever. But, like any other story, it has flaws. Some of them even ridiculous. For example, in the original (Episode IV: A New Hope), Darth Vader knows that the stolen plans which can destroy the Death Star are inside R2-D2. He puts a tracking device on the Millennium Falcon so that when Han, Leia, Luke and the gang escape he can track the ship to the hidden rebel base. But why let them escape at all? Why not kill them, destroy the droids, and live happily ever after ruling that galaxy as a dark sith lord? The argument is, of course, that he wanted to know the location of the secret rebel base, and that’s why he let them escape so he could track them and locate it. So, okay hey, why not remove the plans from R2, and then let them escape? Then you can track them to the secret rebel base, when they get there they’ll realize they don’t have the plans, and you just cruise in with the Death Star and blow them up?
And, on the same issue, Princess Leia knows they’re being tracked. She even says to Han “They’re tracking us. It’s the only explanation for the ease of our escape.” Alright, so if you know you’re being tracked, why fly right to the secret rebel base? Why not fly the Millennium Falcon to an abandoned Wal Mart parking lot and just leave it there? Or, better yet, fly it to Wrigley Field in Chicago and park it there. Then, when the empire shows up they look like a bunch of stupid Nazis standing there in the parking lot, just like in the Blues Brothers! Then, you casually make your way back to the secret rebel base using public transportation, download the plans at your leisure, and go launch your attack on the Death Star later?
And, my favorite… In the final episode (Episode VI: Return of The Jedi) you’ll recall that the empire is building a new Death Star to replace the destroyed one in episode IV. So why not go and destroy it? Well, that’s the plan, but there’s this shield generator which emits from the surface of Endor (where those freakin’ little Ewoks live) protecting it. So, even if the rebel fleet arrives it won’t be able to destroy the Death Star because there’s a shield up. But then the rebels learn the secret location of the shield generator (on Endor) and plan their attack. Well, toward the end of the movie the Emperor says to Luke, “It was I who revealed the location of the shield generator. Your friends are walking into a trap.”
Why tell the rebels where the actual shield generator is? I mean, if all you want is for the rebels to show up so you can kill them, why not lie and tell them a false location for the shield generator? Then when they show up they won’t be able to turn the generator off, the Death Star stays protected, and you kill the rebels! But no, the Emperor tells them the actual location of the generator, they show up and destroy it! And then, of course, the rebels proceed to destroy the Death Star, and the Emperor in it, too.
What was the Emperor thinking? What was Darth Vader thinking? I mean, I understand the idea(s) behind the strategy (strategies)… But never hand a man a loaded gun just to see if he’ll shoot you with it!
You know I’m really bored here at work when I’m dissecting 30 year old science fiction movies made for children.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
THX 1138
Alright, so last night I settled in and watched THX 1138, George Lucas’ first movie (1971). This is one of those movies that I didn’t think I liked until the end… Spoiler alert, I will be discussing major plot points, and the ending. But then, if you haven’t seen this movie in the 37 years since its release, what are the odds that I’m really spoiling anything for you, now really?
Okay, I actually saw this movie many years ago as a kid… But even then it was still “an old classic.” It was many years after the initial Star Wars craze, and like many other folks out there I wanted to see George Lucas’ early work. I didn’t remember much of it, except a few scenes at the end involving some motorcycles. So, it was almost like watching a new movie last night.
This movie really bugged me for about the first hour (it’s only an 86 minute movie), and I found myself having to pause it and walk away several times just to keep from going crazy from what seemed to be lingering pointless scenes of bright white rooms of infinity and crazy bald people rambling about this and that.
But toward the end of the movie I started to get interested. The last 20 minutes or so are the only “action” sequences. Not that I need action sequences to be interested in a movie (after all, my favorite movie of all time is 2001: A Space Odyssey, considered by many to be the dullest movie ever made), but honestly it was really slow, dull, and confusing up to that point, and the concluding 20 minute chase was a welcome relief.
Three convicts escape from prison, and the police are after them as they run through this futuristic city. That’s basically the last 20 minutes. The first 60 minutes get you there. You have to have the patience to sit through the first 60 minutes to begin to see the significance toward the end… And still there is no real clarity until (arguably) the last scene of the movie when Robert Duvall actually escapes.
Having sat through all 86 minutes now I have decided that I really do like this movie. But I can see how many people would probably get fed up and quit watching soon after it starts. The end, I believe, makes reference to Plato’s “Allegory of the cave” which you may remember from that philosophy class you took in college your third semester when you lost interest in your major but realized that you still had several years left to go so you better take some interesting elective courses… Wow, did I just think that and write it?
Anyhow, in Plato’s allegory of the cave there are a bunch of cave men sitting in a cave around a fire, which is all they’ve ever known, and which they accept as being “real and absolute.” Long story short, one of the cavemen either wanders out of the cave, or is dragged out by an animal or something… The point is, once he gets outside he sees the sun for the first time, and realizes that there is more than just the fire in the cave. He feels compelled to enlighten his fellow cavemen, but none of them want to come out of the cave. He eventually drags one of the other cavemen out of the cave, kicking and screaming, who also becomes enlightened as to what truth actually is, and the two of them try to decide if they want to continue dragging others out of the cave or not, seeing as how none of them seem compelled to follow them out. It’s that whole “can truth be forced on somebody, or do they have to discover it for themselves” thing… You know (Melissa), that old chestnut. LOL
Well, having made it through the movie to the end, and realizing at least one of the points that I think Lucas was trying to get across, I now want to watch it again and try to get the rest of it. There seem to be several Orwellian themes thrown in there that, while obvious, I wasn’t really paying attention to the first time around. And I’m a big George Orwell fan, too.
Anybody else seen it?
Okay, I actually saw this movie many years ago as a kid… But even then it was still “an old classic.” It was many years after the initial Star Wars craze, and like many other folks out there I wanted to see George Lucas’ early work. I didn’t remember much of it, except a few scenes at the end involving some motorcycles. So, it was almost like watching a new movie last night.
This movie really bugged me for about the first hour (it’s only an 86 minute movie), and I found myself having to pause it and walk away several times just to keep from going crazy from what seemed to be lingering pointless scenes of bright white rooms of infinity and crazy bald people rambling about this and that.
But toward the end of the movie I started to get interested. The last 20 minutes or so are the only “action” sequences. Not that I need action sequences to be interested in a movie (after all, my favorite movie of all time is 2001: A Space Odyssey, considered by many to be the dullest movie ever made), but honestly it was really slow, dull, and confusing up to that point, and the concluding 20 minute chase was a welcome relief.
Three convicts escape from prison, and the police are after them as they run through this futuristic city. That’s basically the last 20 minutes. The first 60 minutes get you there. You have to have the patience to sit through the first 60 minutes to begin to see the significance toward the end… And still there is no real clarity until (arguably) the last scene of the movie when Robert Duvall actually escapes.
Having sat through all 86 minutes now I have decided that I really do like this movie. But I can see how many people would probably get fed up and quit watching soon after it starts. The end, I believe, makes reference to Plato’s “Allegory of the cave” which you may remember from that philosophy class you took in college your third semester when you lost interest in your major but realized that you still had several years left to go so you better take some interesting elective courses… Wow, did I just think that and write it?
Anyhow, in Plato’s allegory of the cave there are a bunch of cave men sitting in a cave around a fire, which is all they’ve ever known, and which they accept as being “real and absolute.” Long story short, one of the cavemen either wanders out of the cave, or is dragged out by an animal or something… The point is, once he gets outside he sees the sun for the first time, and realizes that there is more than just the fire in the cave. He feels compelled to enlighten his fellow cavemen, but none of them want to come out of the cave. He eventually drags one of the other cavemen out of the cave, kicking and screaming, who also becomes enlightened as to what truth actually is, and the two of them try to decide if they want to continue dragging others out of the cave or not, seeing as how none of them seem compelled to follow them out. It’s that whole “can truth be forced on somebody, or do they have to discover it for themselves” thing… You know (Melissa), that old chestnut. LOL
Well, having made it through the movie to the end, and realizing at least one of the points that I think Lucas was trying to get across, I now want to watch it again and try to get the rest of it. There seem to be several Orwellian themes thrown in there that, while obvious, I wasn’t really paying attention to the first time around. And I’m a big George Orwell fan, too.
Anybody else seen it?
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The end of another "weekend"
Well, it's Tuesday night, which is my Sunday night. What did I do this weekend? Well, on Monday, as is the norm, nothing much. I'm not even sure I left the apartment. I did get out of bed a few times to get something to eat and to use the bathroom. But Mondays are usually my crash days after a mentally exhausting week.
Today, I got up, went out and met some friends. Ran some errands. Went to the video store where I rented (don't laugh) Tron and THX-1138. When I got home and sat down comfortably on the sofa to watch Tron I discovered that it was badly scratched. I tried cleaning the disc, and even tried watching it on my computer's DVD player... But that disc is toast. Unwatchable. Now, many of you who have actually seen Tron are probably saying "That's not such a bad thing, Joe... Tron, after all, sucks!" Well, I know that, too. But since I left HR and got into IT this past year I've been wanting to watch a lot of those old computer movies that were popular when I was a kid, in a way I was actually kind of looking forward to watching Tron this afternoon. Oh well.
I also rented THX-1138, George Lucas' first movie (1970). Like Tron I have actually seen this movie, too. But it's been so many years that I thought it would be fun to watch it again, as well. Well, after discovering that Tron was unwatchable I laced up my running shoes and met some friends for a 2.5 mile run... My first run in about two months. So now I have that good kind of tired feeling, the kind you feel like you've earned, and I'm gonna take a shower and go to bed. I recorded both episodes of The Office on TBS earlier, so I will probably watch those and go to sleep.
For all of my blog friends out there, tomorrow is actually mt "Monday." The start of a new depressing week. Please update your blogs with fun things for me to read, and I'll hopefully be chatting with you all soon.
Goodnight! ...Joe
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The ABCs of Joe
I got this idea off a friend’s blog. Here we go…
A is for age:
A is for age:
over 30, and that’s all I’m saying
B is for booze of choice:
I don’t drink
C is for career:
miserable computer tech working in a call center
D is for your dog's name:
I don’t have a dog, but I love dogs and want one. I think I want children, too… But should probably try a dog first!
E is for essential items you use everyday:
E is for essential items you use everyday:
coffee- without that there is nothing
F is for favorite song(s) at the moment:
Comfortably Numb, by Pink Floyd.
I am sad to report that the song was actually written by David Gilmour, and not Roger Waters. I decided to stand on the Waters side of the fence after the band split up in 1984. I’m not saying anything bad about David Gilmour, just that I wish I could say that my favorite Floyd song was written by Waters. And it’s not. Good job, Dave!
I am sad to report that the song was actually written by David Gilmour, and not Roger Waters. I decided to stand on the Waters side of the fence after the band split up in 1984. I’m not saying anything bad about David Gilmour, just that I wish I could say that my favorite Floyd song was written by Waters. And it’s not. Good job, Dave!
G is for favorite games:
Football, to watch. I used to be a lot more into it than I am these days. I’ve actually road tripped hundreds of miles numerous times just to see an NFL game.
My favorite game to play is a video game called Star Wars Battlefront. I have a few friends at work who log in some nights and the three of us play head-to-head. I have to be honest and say that frequently there are little 10 year old kids in there from Germany and Australia who kick my butt on a regular basis! LOL
My favorite game to play is a video game called Star Wars Battlefront. I have a few friends at work who log in some nights and the three of us play head-to-head. I have to be honest and say that frequently there are little 10 year old kids in there from Germany and Australia who kick my butt on a regular basis! LOL
H is for hometown:
A land far, far away
I is for instruments you play:
I own a bass guitar. It is really cool looking, all black with an Amnesty International sticker on it. I bought it because I had a friend who played guitar, and he suggested we jam together… Then he moved away. Now I have this cool looking bass sitting on a stand in my living room collecting dust. I don’t play it. I’ve never had a lesson, and I don’t understand music. So, I guess the real answer is “none.”
J is for jam or jelly you like:
Strawberry. What red-blooded God-fearing American doesn’t love strawberry?
K is for kids:
Some day I’d like to have one daughter, and I plan to spoil her rotten!
L is for last kiss:
Wow! It’s been a while. But it was at the drive in, and I’ve forgotten her name. Isn’t that awful!
M is for most admired trait:
well, let’s see… My parents are really impressed with my “memory.” Although it is only random useless facts that I manage to store in there. For some reason, they are still impressed with that.
N is for name of your crush:
I don’t have crushes. I obsess over certain athletes and celebrities that I see in the media, but those are not crushes. For example: Natalie Portman… What a freaking babe! (I sound like a pre-pubescent boy there, don’t I!)
O is for overnight hospital stays:
Maybe back when I was a kid and had my tonsils out? I had elbow surgery a few years back, but they let me go home the same day.
P is for phobias:
certain numbers (I have OCD)
Q is for quotes you like:
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
“What if this is as good as it gets?”
“Open the pod bay doors, Hal.”
“What if this is as good as it gets?”
“Open the pod bay doors, Hal.”
R is for biggest regret:
Not being more decisive while in college and pursuing a degree that would actually help me get a job. Also, not participating in any internships while in college.
S is for sweets of your choice:
Okay, I have this ritual of eating several Reese’s Peanut Butter cups all at once. I buy like 12 – 18 of them at a time, put them in the freezer for 20 minutes until they are crisp, but not frozen. Then I individually unwrap them, put them on a serving tray, cut some of them in half, and sit in front of the TV systematically downing them all. I’ve never let anyone ever watch me do it. I think it might frighten them off.
T is for time you wake up:
NPR begins to wake me up at about 6:10am. I hit snooze several times before eventually getting out of bed at 7:00.
U is for underwear:
boxers
V is for vegetables you love:
Does anybody really love vegetables?
W is for worst habit:
Hmm… I would say smoking. But I quit several months ago, so now I clearly have no bad habits! LOL
X is for x-rays you've had:
lots
Y is for yummy food you make:
For my birthday this year a friend took me to The Cheesecake Factory and I had their meatloaf platter. I gotta say, that was pretty freaking good! (Oh, I just re-read that... Food I make? I don't make any yummy food).
Z is for zodiac sign:
Taurus…. But I don’t believe in any of that crap (awful “stubborn” of me, eh?)
Letting the days go by...
I used to get up in the morning, shave and put a tie on and drive up the road to my office where I would sit and push papers and make $16,000.00 more than I make now. I never worked weekends. I never worked overtime. i took breaks whenever I wanted to. I walked around and chatted with co-workers while holding a cup of coffee... Everything was very nice (no comments, yet, Melissa!).
Now, I get up 5, sometimes 6 days a week (including weekends) and come in to a call center where I work 10 hour days tethered to a phone. I work with barely more than kids, most in their early twenties, wearing ripped jeans and t-shirts, with pierced lips and faces, colored hair, and inappropriate images on their desktops. I get phone call after phone call from angry people who just want to argue with me. The tools that I am supplied with to assist these "customers" in alleviating their problems are always broken themselves.
It is a constant state of frustration for me. What happened? Like the Talking Heads say, "I may ask myself, well, how did I get here?"
(Okay, Melissa, now you may comment about how miserable I actually was at my last job).
Now, I get up 5, sometimes 6 days a week (including weekends) and come in to a call center where I work 10 hour days tethered to a phone. I work with barely more than kids, most in their early twenties, wearing ripped jeans and t-shirts, with pierced lips and faces, colored hair, and inappropriate images on their desktops. I get phone call after phone call from angry people who just want to argue with me. The tools that I am supplied with to assist these "customers" in alleviating their problems are always broken themselves.
It is a constant state of frustration for me. What happened? Like the Talking Heads say, "I may ask myself, well, how did I get here?"
(Okay, Melissa, now you may comment about how miserable I actually was at my last job).
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tech Puppy... I feel your pain!
I don't really have anything to say today. I've been reading other people's blogs trying to stay entertained while here at work. But I had to pass this photo along that Melissa sent me earlier.... This is EXACTLY how I feel every day at work! LOL
Friday, August 15, 2008
A few random thoughts…
First of all, how about a shout out to Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson for winning the gold and silver, respectively, last night in the women’s gymnastics all-around competition! Good job girls… Now what?
I got my truck back. The damage was $565.00. It was a bad alternator, and some other stuff they saw under the hood when they popped it. $565.00 is not so bad. I was able to pay it. But that was a big chunk out of my checking account that I hadn’t anticipated spending! My truck also has no air conditioning. It broke last summer and I’ve been 13 months without AC… Living in Arizona! Freakin’ hot. I really want my AC back, but I was quoted $1,000.00 last year and so I put it off. I can’t afford it this year either. And the door handle on the driver’s side just broke, too! LOL I have to actually roll down the window to let myself out of the truck. I’m wondering if, after 10 years and 131,000 miles, maybe I should be shopping for a new vehicle? I love my truck… I LOVE my truck! But I have a great big V8 in there that guzzles gas, and I’m only getting 14 mpg. With gas at $4.00 a gallon that’s another thing on my mind. I don’t want to get rid of my truck… I love my truck (did I mention that I LOVE my truck?), but I used to love my teddy bear as a kid, too, and yet the time came when I had to give that up, as well.
Maybe I will start “looking.” I’m thinking it would make a whole lot more sense to use $1,000.00 toward a down payment on a new vehicle with a working AC and a smaller (more fuel-efficient) engine, that fix this one. Especially if other random things are starting to break on it more frequently.
I am sad.
I got my truck back. The damage was $565.00. It was a bad alternator, and some other stuff they saw under the hood when they popped it. $565.00 is not so bad. I was able to pay it. But that was a big chunk out of my checking account that I hadn’t anticipated spending! My truck also has no air conditioning. It broke last summer and I’ve been 13 months without AC… Living in Arizona! Freakin’ hot. I really want my AC back, but I was quoted $1,000.00 last year and so I put it off. I can’t afford it this year either. And the door handle on the driver’s side just broke, too! LOL I have to actually roll down the window to let myself out of the truck. I’m wondering if, after 10 years and 131,000 miles, maybe I should be shopping for a new vehicle? I love my truck… I LOVE my truck! But I have a great big V8 in there that guzzles gas, and I’m only getting 14 mpg. With gas at $4.00 a gallon that’s another thing on my mind. I don’t want to get rid of my truck… I love my truck (did I mention that I LOVE my truck?), but I used to love my teddy bear as a kid, too, and yet the time came when I had to give that up, as well.
Maybe I will start “looking.” I’m thinking it would make a whole lot more sense to use $1,000.00 toward a down payment on a new vehicle with a working AC and a smaller (more fuel-efficient) engine, that fix this one. Especially if other random things are starting to break on it more frequently.
I am sad.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
"Give it to me straight, doc! Will she make it?"
There are few things in life that really put me in a "panic." One of them is realizing that I have a negative balance in my checking account (which has not happened in a long time), and the other is having my truck break down.
This morning my truck broke down. It happened 20 minutes before I had to be somewhere important. So, I called a friend, who did a u-turn and came and got me. Then, when I got home, I called AAA and had them come tow it to my dealership where it can be looked at. I’m actually sitting here in my apartment now awaiting the arrival of the tow truck…
I have a nice balance in my checking account, so I’m hopeful that I will be able to afford this. But what I’m really feeling right now (aside from annoyed) is grateful. Grateful that I had a buddy willing to do a u-turn and come pick me up this morning. Grateful that I have thoughtful parents who keep renewing my AAA membership each year even though they live in Virginia and I live in Arizona. Grateful that I have money in my bank account. Grateful that I have a job to replace the money in my bank account which will be undoubtedly drained after this. Grateful that I have family and friends who can come to my aid should I need it… Just grateful.
It’s my “Sunday.” Here I sit, waiting for someone to come tow my broken baby away. I could think of a lot better ways to spend my weekend, but in the grand scheme of things this really isn’t so bad.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
I want to build an igloo
Okay, file this one under "weird fantasy" if you want, but I have this obsession with sleeping in the cold. I don't know why. I was in the Army infantry for two years and have slept out in the cold plenty- and it's no fun. But at night I turn the AC way down low, and pile under a series of blankets, and I love it. I would probably sleep with the window open (like my parents do) except for two things:
1) I live in AZ, so no cold air would come in
2) I live on the ground floor of a large apartment complex... too dangerous
...anyhow, I have this theory about insulation. My father is (was) an architect, and I've been told that air is the best insulator. With that in mind, would the human body put out enough body heat to keep the inside of a cardboard box warm if one were, say, out in the arctic? Could one sleep comfortably in said cardboard box, again, if one were out in the freezing weather?
Now, I know the answer is no. I know that because, as I stated earlier, I have slept out in the cold in a big sleeping bag inside a tent and still froze my ass off. So, even though I know it's BS, I still want to test the theory. I actually want to go out into the arctic with a cardboard box, and see if I can survive with that alone. And if one box wouldn’t do it, how many more layers of just cardboard would it take to hold in enough air to insulate a person?
Weird. You'd think I'd like those survivor shows, or "Man vs Wild"... but I don't. Well, I actually did watch one where he was in the arctic- maybe Alaska. But I didn't really get into it.
I’ve been told that we all have a “feel good place” kind of image in our heads when we’re relaxing and getting ready for sleep. Mine is this image of myself all curled up in a cardboard box out in the arctic. Maybe a little weird, maybe a little disturbing, but there you have it. (Other than that I’d like to think that I’m a pretty normal guy)
Along the same lines I am also fascinated by igloos. I’ve seen pictures of them, and I even found this video on You Tube showing how to make one. But I still don’t understand how they work. How do you keep the roof from collapsing in on you while building it? I’ve watched this video… I’ve seen them do it… And I still don’t understand it. I’d like to try it myself sometime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pia4i5sr0o0
1) I live in AZ, so no cold air would come in
2) I live on the ground floor of a large apartment complex... too dangerous
...anyhow, I have this theory about insulation. My father is (was) an architect, and I've been told that air is the best insulator. With that in mind, would the human body put out enough body heat to keep the inside of a cardboard box warm if one were, say, out in the arctic? Could one sleep comfortably in said cardboard box, again, if one were out in the freezing weather?
Now, I know the answer is no. I know that because, as I stated earlier, I have slept out in the cold in a big sleeping bag inside a tent and still froze my ass off. So, even though I know it's BS, I still want to test the theory. I actually want to go out into the arctic with a cardboard box, and see if I can survive with that alone. And if one box wouldn’t do it, how many more layers of just cardboard would it take to hold in enough air to insulate a person?
Weird. You'd think I'd like those survivor shows, or "Man vs Wild"... but I don't. Well, I actually did watch one where he was in the arctic- maybe Alaska. But I didn't really get into it.
I’ve been told that we all have a “feel good place” kind of image in our heads when we’re relaxing and getting ready for sleep. Mine is this image of myself all curled up in a cardboard box out in the arctic. Maybe a little weird, maybe a little disturbing, but there you have it. (Other than that I’d like to think that I’m a pretty normal guy)
Along the same lines I am also fascinated by igloos. I’ve seen pictures of them, and I even found this video on You Tube showing how to make one. But I still don’t understand how they work. How do you keep the roof from collapsing in on you while building it? I’ve watched this video… I’ve seen them do it… And I still don’t understand it. I’d like to try it myself sometime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pia4i5sr0o0
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Happy Birthday, Glenda!
One of my blog friends (Melissa) was over last night, and the last thing she said to me before she left was "be sure and post on your blog tomorrow!" Well, here I sit at work again trying to think of what to post about, and the only thing I'm coming up with is the fact that it's my friend's mom's birthday.
So, Happy Birthday Glenda! (Okay, it was actually two days ago... But I didn't know)
I moved in to my new apartment over two months ago, in late May. I hate to tell on myself like this, but I have not cleaned my fish tank since I moved in. So, last night was spent cleaning the fish tank... I know Melissa had a blast hanging out with me while I did that. Just what a girl wants to do with her Friday night!
Then we watched Christopher Walken videos on You Tube.
Since I'm so new to this, I thought I'd try posting a link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZwZiU0kKs
Enjoy!
So, Happy Birthday Glenda! (Okay, it was actually two days ago... But I didn't know)
I moved in to my new apartment over two months ago, in late May. I hate to tell on myself like this, but I have not cleaned my fish tank since I moved in. So, last night was spent cleaning the fish tank... I know Melissa had a blast hanging out with me while I did that. Just what a girl wants to do with her Friday night!
Then we watched Christopher Walken videos on You Tube.
Since I'm so new to this, I thought I'd try posting a link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZwZiU0kKs
Enjoy!
Friday, August 8, 2008
here we go again...
Today is my third day here at work in a 5 day week. Most of America (normal America) is excited that it's Friday, but to me it's just Wednesday. I have been on this schedule for 9 months, and I'm really getting tired of it... Who am I kidding, I am tired of it.
I never have weekends. Add to that the fact that I work 10 hour days (50 hrs a week), and you begin to feel my frustration. Lately I have been keeping my brain stimulated by reading blogs on line while here (I sit in front of a computer all day). Now, on the advice of a friend, I have decided to start one of my own.
As I walked into the building this morning the thought came to mind "Here we go again." I am going to put 10 hours in today, go home exhausted, sleep, get up tomorrow (Saturday, no less) and start it all over again. I can't even get excited for Monday and Tuesday anymore (my weekend) because I know that in 2 days I'll start it all over again.
Isn't that pathetic? Now, I don't want to give the impression that I am living in a world of doom and gloom with no light at the end of the tunnel... I am striving for better things, and have taken steps toward making them happen. But for today (and most days, lately) I just can't get that "Here we go again" feeling out of my head.
Thanks to all of my on line friends who keep me entertained with their blogs. Hopefully this will be the start of something fun.
I never have weekends. Add to that the fact that I work 10 hour days (50 hrs a week), and you begin to feel my frustration. Lately I have been keeping my brain stimulated by reading blogs on line while here (I sit in front of a computer all day). Now, on the advice of a friend, I have decided to start one of my own.
As I walked into the building this morning the thought came to mind "Here we go again." I am going to put 10 hours in today, go home exhausted, sleep, get up tomorrow (Saturday, no less) and start it all over again. I can't even get excited for Monday and Tuesday anymore (my weekend) because I know that in 2 days I'll start it all over again.
Isn't that pathetic? Now, I don't want to give the impression that I am living in a world of doom and gloom with no light at the end of the tunnel... I am striving for better things, and have taken steps toward making them happen. But for today (and most days, lately) I just can't get that "Here we go again" feeling out of my head.
Thanks to all of my on line friends who keep me entertained with their blogs. Hopefully this will be the start of something fun.
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