I like my iPod, I really do. It's the 4th gen iPod with photo capability, with 20 Gigs of storage, and it's just perfect for me. And bonus! It was free. My mom had found it months before at the hotel and nobody had claimed it, so she did. I know, somebody had to lost their iPod for me to find it, so I do feel a tad guilty that I'm not its rightful owner. But I sure am a grateful owner.
Anyhow, the only thing I wished that I could change about it was some video capability. I'm sure all this iPod needed was a video codec or something in order to play video, since it could technically run some video in Linux, but still I wouldn't shell out the extra money for the current video iPod. The screen is just too meager.
That said, the rumors that a wider, probably touch screen iPod has got me salivating... until I looked it up on Wikipedia. The last price points were initially 299 and 399, steep considering what I really just want is a bit of video to kill time at work, or in between doctor's appointments. I really don't need that much more space, nor am I particularly unhappy with my current iPod. In fact, I cringe to think that my speaker dock might have to be rejiggered to fit a newer design, along with the power adapter.
Then this morning, a unrelated gadget that I've been aware of popped into my head. In September, the PSP will have a newer design - though not a complete overhaul. Just slimmer, lighter, and faster, with an assortment of colors. But more than that, the price point of 169.99 plus the cost of a memory card might be the ultimate answer to my portable media problem. The PSP plays mp4s, and some other files, and most of the podcasts I watch are already mp4s. Some movs, but that's easily fixable. That way, I have no redundacy in my gadgetry, plus I have a portable gaming device. And since Alex has hijacked my DS for his pottytime, it'll give me something to do while I ignore people. And despite of what I've read about PSP games, the tweaky one analog control, and numerous camera issues with a lot of games, it's still got a nice big screen with crisp colors. Can't really fight that too much.
---
I had a dream last night that I was either homeless or unemployed. I was trying to work at Safeway or something, and then I was sleeping in the pews at a church. The pastor would tell me that I couldn't sleep there, I'd apologize and get up. Anyway, that's plenty weird in itself, imagine how I felt when I came to work and it felt familiar. It's my third week and there was a sense of comfort showing up for work. I dunno, a lot still in transition, though I have to say that a three day weekend is pretty sweet. Now if only the kids acknowledge that, it would be supper. Yes, I meant to say supper.
---
I keep thinking about what I have to do with my life, and I think the thing that I really still want to get accomplished isn't more school, different jobs, or selling of souls to anyone. It's about making movies, as it's always been about. I could try to jet off to CA and start off as some lowly production assistant or grip and try to work my way out, but I think I'd just like the freedom to be able to make movies without worrying too much about what I say and how I say it. Woody Allen has a great job, a movie every year, low budget with artistic clout that anyone will work for scale for you, and no pressure from the studios to perform exceptionally at the box office. I would love that job. Of course, I would need writing talent too, but that would just be asking for too much.
Well, back to work.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Loose Ends
Blogging from work during lunch, and though I'm basically emailing this entry to myself, I don't reckon that they'll go so far as to keep a key logger of some sort to monitor employee activity. At any rate, the blog isn't really mentioned and I'm not about to talk about work, so I don't think it'll be a problem.
Just thought about a few loose ends...
---
So we went to the Bite on Friday, and now that Alex is potty trained, we have to constantly make him go to the bathroom because he either doesn't think about it until it's too late, or he ignores the warnings. Anyhow, I had to take Alex and Zoe each to the bathroom at least once that day, and the results are mention worthy...
When I took Alex, he went first, and then I went after him, and he said something that I always wanted to hear, except in my mind it wouldn't be my little son saying that. More like a hot blind girl with no nerve endings on any of her appendages. But he said, "You got a big peanut, Dad." And I just laughed. Then he reached over to touch the toilet bowl and I said, "Don't touch that," and then realized how terrible it sounded to everyone else in the bathroom.
Then when Zoe went, she asked what I was doing, and after I told her, she exclaimed, "You got a peanut like Alex, huh? I don't have a peanut."
And by the way, we do use the actual word for that body part - they just hear it differently.
---
We ditched a sleeping Zoe yesterday and took Alex to see "Transformers", which was actually better than expected. I've heard that reaction with other people, and I have to agree that it's pretty much true. It's better than most Michael Bay movies, which always include a thing or two that doesn't seem quite right. Like how Pearl Harbor had that really cool, yet inappropriate tracking shot of a bomb going into a ship. And his romance scenes are always icky, like Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler playing out some deranged infantile safari with animal cookies. Or the body tossing chase scene in Bad Boys 2. Just not quite right.
The thing I liked about this movie was how diverse the cast was. The top hacker was a black kid, the girl was a grease monkey, and both their stories didn't seem forced. The plot moved the story right along, and the supporting cast and even Shia was actually not bad. The graphics of course, were fantastic. Completely seamless CG.
The things I didn't like with the movie was when the Autobots talked, it seemed weird. They were also too human to be alien. During a comedy bit, they were even going out of their way to hide from Sam's parents - quite silly if you've seen the rest of the movie. And the whole alien technology being able to make metals and machinery expand and contract to transform seem... suspect. And I'm being nitpicky here, but why would these robots fire traditional ammo? Like rockets and bullets? Wouldn't they be better off with lasers? Ammo has to be reloaded and rearmed, and it's not like there's a ammo dump for alien robots that's accessible to them. Maybe, but I don't think so. That said, I do prefer real world ammo. Lasers would just seem cheesy. But just the logic of it doesn't stick.
---
Well, finishing up the blog from home since a few paragraphs ago.
I think one of my issues about work is how overeducated I feel at the place. I mean, I'm not implying snobbery by any means, but thinking that I spent all that money for tuition to work here? Makes me feel a bit peeved. And I think one of the biggest problems with being educated is that now I feel unchallenged. Nothing at work takes more than simple mechanical memory to complete. I'm currently working under someone and he still doesn't call me by name, just "hey" or "you". Nice.
On the good side, it is a M-T work week, and I have three days off after four ten-hour days. It makes me tired and short on time on the weekdays, but it's nice to have a regular schedule that my wife can work around.
On the downside, it is a contract position with no medical, and the pay is only slightly better than most. But by and far, the biggest obstacle is that it is not challenging. Oh well, it'll do for now until I get those blueprints for the bank.
---
Ok, this is mostly for the one Apple geek that reads this. But there's been rumblings on the rumor mill about the iPhone nano, and the 6th gen iPod. There were some screenshots that were on a website, but Apple legal had them taken off which either means they're fishing for moles with intentional leaks, or they were on to something.
Here's what I'm hoping it'll be. I want a widescreen iPod with touch screen. That's all I want. But I think they're going to hold off on the widescreen. I think they might still have touchscreen, but who knows. To have an iPod with a touchscreen may be a bit goofy - it'll be hard to just skip a song without having to look at the screen. But they could very well do the opposite of iPhone, and just release an iPod with basic phone capabilities. But man, I'm really dying for a widescreen iPod. I don't even mind if it isn't touch screen. I just want a wide screen to watch my podcasts... August 7 is the rumored date for news. Just gotta be patient.
---
I've been a geek for the History Channel recently, watching a ton of their documentaries but I was cemented as a fan when they showed Band of Brothers over a weekend a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, I missed 3 episodes, but the first 5 have been exceptional. If you've forgotten or not cared, it's a 10 part mini-series that revolves around Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment during WWII. What makes the stories amazing is that it's mostly based on real people, and the History Channel was true enough to leave the documentary uncensored. I think that's outstanding considering how touchy the networks can get.
But if you've got a chance, rent that mini-series. Every episode has so far been stellar, and each stands well on its own.
Just thought about a few loose ends...
---
So we went to the Bite on Friday, and now that Alex is potty trained, we have to constantly make him go to the bathroom because he either doesn't think about it until it's too late, or he ignores the warnings. Anyhow, I had to take Alex and Zoe each to the bathroom at least once that day, and the results are mention worthy...
When I took Alex, he went first, and then I went after him, and he said something that I always wanted to hear, except in my mind it wouldn't be my little son saying that. More like a hot blind girl with no nerve endings on any of her appendages. But he said, "You got a big peanut, Dad." And I just laughed. Then he reached over to touch the toilet bowl and I said, "Don't touch that," and then realized how terrible it sounded to everyone else in the bathroom.
Then when Zoe went, she asked what I was doing, and after I told her, she exclaimed, "You got a peanut like Alex, huh? I don't have a peanut."
And by the way, we do use the actual word for that body part - they just hear it differently.
---
We ditched a sleeping Zoe yesterday and took Alex to see "Transformers", which was actually better than expected. I've heard that reaction with other people, and I have to agree that it's pretty much true. It's better than most Michael Bay movies, which always include a thing or two that doesn't seem quite right. Like how Pearl Harbor had that really cool, yet inappropriate tracking shot of a bomb going into a ship. And his romance scenes are always icky, like Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler playing out some deranged infantile safari with animal cookies. Or the body tossing chase scene in Bad Boys 2. Just not quite right.
The thing I liked about this movie was how diverse the cast was. The top hacker was a black kid, the girl was a grease monkey, and both their stories didn't seem forced. The plot moved the story right along, and the supporting cast and even Shia was actually not bad. The graphics of course, were fantastic. Completely seamless CG.
The things I didn't like with the movie was when the Autobots talked, it seemed weird. They were also too human to be alien. During a comedy bit, they were even going out of their way to hide from Sam's parents - quite silly if you've seen the rest of the movie. And the whole alien technology being able to make metals and machinery expand and contract to transform seem... suspect. And I'm being nitpicky here, but why would these robots fire traditional ammo? Like rockets and bullets? Wouldn't they be better off with lasers? Ammo has to be reloaded and rearmed, and it's not like there's a ammo dump for alien robots that's accessible to them. Maybe, but I don't think so. That said, I do prefer real world ammo. Lasers would just seem cheesy. But just the logic of it doesn't stick.
---
Well, finishing up the blog from home since a few paragraphs ago.
I think one of my issues about work is how overeducated I feel at the place. I mean, I'm not implying snobbery by any means, but thinking that I spent all that money for tuition to work here? Makes me feel a bit peeved. And I think one of the biggest problems with being educated is that now I feel unchallenged. Nothing at work takes more than simple mechanical memory to complete. I'm currently working under someone and he still doesn't call me by name, just "hey" or "you". Nice.
On the good side, it is a M-T work week, and I have three days off after four ten-hour days. It makes me tired and short on time on the weekdays, but it's nice to have a regular schedule that my wife can work around.
On the downside, it is a contract position with no medical, and the pay is only slightly better than most. But by and far, the biggest obstacle is that it is not challenging. Oh well, it'll do for now until I get those blueprints for the bank.
---
Ok, this is mostly for the one Apple geek that reads this. But there's been rumblings on the rumor mill about the iPhone nano, and the 6th gen iPod. There were some screenshots that were on a website, but Apple legal had them taken off which either means they're fishing for moles with intentional leaks, or they were on to something.
Here's what I'm hoping it'll be. I want a widescreen iPod with touch screen. That's all I want. But I think they're going to hold off on the widescreen. I think they might still have touchscreen, but who knows. To have an iPod with a touchscreen may be a bit goofy - it'll be hard to just skip a song without having to look at the screen. But they could very well do the opposite of iPhone, and just release an iPod with basic phone capabilities. But man, I'm really dying for a widescreen iPod. I don't even mind if it isn't touch screen. I just want a wide screen to watch my podcasts... August 7 is the rumored date for news. Just gotta be patient.
---
I've been a geek for the History Channel recently, watching a ton of their documentaries but I was cemented as a fan when they showed Band of Brothers over a weekend a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, I missed 3 episodes, but the first 5 have been exceptional. If you've forgotten or not cared, it's a 10 part mini-series that revolves around Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment during WWII. What makes the stories amazing is that it's mostly based on real people, and the History Channel was true enough to leave the documentary uncensored. I think that's outstanding considering how touchy the networks can get.
But if you've got a chance, rent that mini-series. Every episode has so far been stellar, and each stands well on its own.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
The almost perfect day and the much delayed update.
I haven't blogged in a while because honestly, I was a little depressed initially about our money situation along with the new job. But I'm a little better now.
---
Yesterday was our day off as a family together, when I had the day off and my wife takes the same day off in order to fill in for me or whatever. I always look forward to the Bite of Seattle, because, well, I'm a bloody glutton and I love food. Not enough to want to cook or am I particularly picky about what I put in my mouth, but I sure like good food once in a while.
So imagine my delight when I found out that Bite was this weekend, so we headed down to Seattle yesterday despite the constant rain the didn't seem like it was going to let up. Umbrella and raincoats in tow, we had devised a plan to get the most out of the Bite. We would only order one thing, and we would all share it - extending the maximum food exposure, instead of just filling up on one thing.
So crab cakes were the first, and they were delicious - even at the 5 dollar price for two of them. Then came the Ham and Cheese Crepes, the frosted sprinkled strawberries, BBQ rib tips, and roasted corn for me. There was a frozen banana incident as well, when the kids were sharing a frozen banana and I took a bite of it. I was cringing the bite because the kids weren't really biting it as licking/chewing/gumming/salivating on it, so that bite wasn't very pleasant. Anyway, I made a face while taking a bite, turned around, and then looked back at my wife. And it was gone.
"Where did it go?" My wife had thrown it away, thinking nobody was really eating it. Then Alex wanted the frozen banana too, and was a little upset that it had disappeared.
But anyway, we went to the Science Center and spent a bit of time there, looking at the exhibits when I ran into an employee I used to train with in Bellingham. We were training to fill in for the regular Time and Attendance person, and we weren't really going to take over, just fill in for vacations and whatnot. Anyway, she told me that the person who used to do it had indeed retired, so she was doing it now. So in my mind, I'm kicking myself again because I always seem to have the worst timing. That job could've been mine, and the receiving job that was mine I left because of the videography. Bah.
We came out of the Science Center a little beat, but ready for more action. We went to the arcade and the kids got on some of the rides - the outdoor rides weren't running because of the rain, so we did a couple kiddy rides and one very nervous frog ride. They went highish, and it hopped down and up on a relatively gentle jolt. But the look on our kids faces were just sheer nervousness. Alex looked pale and all the muscles in his face went limp, and Zoe just looked like she was paralyzed.
After that bout of child abuse, we went on the wet Ferris Wheel ride, which Alex wasn't particularly fond of. Even though I was sitting next to him, he just collapsed into himself. I'm not a big ride fan, but Ferris Wheels are pretty tame. But after that, we had just enough for food so it was back to the bite.
We got a couple Gyros and a hot brick of fries, followed by some yummy fudge, and then back to the Science Center for the Lazer Show. I was really looking forward to it because it was the Beatles, and it was an experience I wanted to share with the kids. Alex wasn't so sure at first, seeing all the other people lie down on the floor made him feel a bit suspicious of what was going to happen. Then the room went pitch black, and he went, "Too dark Daddy! Too dark!" I struggled to flip him around and then he saw the lights, and he was captivated. His hand reached up to feel it, and he was saying a bunch of stuff to me that I couldn't really hear, because either the music was too loud or I was singing along too loudly.
So we had spent a good day at the Seattle Center, and we went home just exhausted. The kids were having a snack before bedtime and I noticed something horrid. Two huge water stain on the ceiling, and one of the spots had actually split open to reveal the surface underneath the paint. It looked like the ceiling had ripped a hole. After my wife took a shower, the split got even bigger and it was actually dripping a bit too. So, that bummed me out for the rest of the night.
But otherwise it was a near perfect day. I wish I would've brought the camera but I think it would've been a logistical nightmare with the rain and all.
---
Okay, to catch up with the lost two weeks? I started my new job and for the first few days, it truly sucked. The first day we were to show up at 7, whereby we would meet this person. Well, there were four of us, and we sat there till 7, and there was nobody there. But we waited anyway, having signed in and checked in with security. At 7 there was a shift change, when the security went home and the world's dumbest receptionist came on. We waited and waited, and then at 7:30, I went up to the receptionist and told her we had a 7am appointment, and she called the person. So we waited more. Then at 7:45, someone finally came over. It wasn't who we were supposed to meet, but another receiver who showed us some training tapes. We ran into the person later, who said that nobody called her to let her know we were there. Hello? Four new contracters show up and you didn't know we were there?
Then we were skirted off to training, whereby we learned about the history of the company, the security, the policies, and all that jazz. When we were asked who our supervisor was, we had no idea. After that was over, we didn't even know where to go, so I hunted down the receiver who had escorted us earlier, and she told us to just "hang out" till 4 pm. I left feeling thoroughly unimpressed and frustrated.
The second day had a slightly better deal, though not much. At first they had forgotten that I was a receiver, not an assembler. I spoke up and they had to look it up. Another thing they confidently told us was that we were just numbers, and we don't use our names. Nice. Then I got recruited to help with the construction work going on, moving furniture, taking it apart, running to the dumpster... I was pissed. I wasn't sure I was going to last.
Since then, it's gotten a little better. I got placed in my applied position and got to know the two receivers there, who are pretty nice guys. The demographic there is seriously skewed - mostly Asians of different ethnicities, mostly immigrants, probably a median age of 42 or so. I was completely out of my element. To make things worse, the majority of cubicle employees and business employees were White. You can imagine how down I was with that. Even though there may not be any racism that I could see, the basic structure of the work environment was enough to make me uncomfortable.
Luckily, the two guys that I work with are pretty decent guys. A funny family man from Indonesia, and a 24 year old guy from Cambodia. They were relatively easy going, and fun to be around. There's a third guy, and even though he's not terrible to deal with, he does wear on you. He has conspiracies and theories about the police, 9/11, and the government that make him sound just misinformed and uneducated. He's the kind of guy just looking for validation from any kind of source to reinforce his prejudices and biases.
This last week, production on my line was halted due to a part shortage, so I've been sitting around with the guys, not doing anything. My repeated pleas with the higher ups for something to do has been largely ignored - seems like they don't know what to do with me either. Basically FDA has got this company halting domestic shipments, which account for 70% of orders, so we're basically doing overseas orders only. So this last week, I've just been sitting around, killing time, volunteering for projects. I'm not entirely comfortable with it, but the powers that be seem like they don't care.
On Thursday I was oddly assigned to deal with freight, which I don't mind, but I don't think I'll stick with it once receiving gets up to speed. I ain't doing that kind of heavy labor when I'm pulling in those wages with no medical. And the person in charge is a bit dodgy. He even looks dodgy. So for now, it's just going.
---
Taking it easy today. The kids are probably tired from yesterday, and I need to catch up on a lot of things, including blogging.
---
Yesterday was our day off as a family together, when I had the day off and my wife takes the same day off in order to fill in for me or whatever. I always look forward to the Bite of Seattle, because, well, I'm a bloody glutton and I love food. Not enough to want to cook or am I particularly picky about what I put in my mouth, but I sure like good food once in a while.
So imagine my delight when I found out that Bite was this weekend, so we headed down to Seattle yesterday despite the constant rain the didn't seem like it was going to let up. Umbrella and raincoats in tow, we had devised a plan to get the most out of the Bite. We would only order one thing, and we would all share it - extending the maximum food exposure, instead of just filling up on one thing.
So crab cakes were the first, and they were delicious - even at the 5 dollar price for two of them. Then came the Ham and Cheese Crepes, the frosted sprinkled strawberries, BBQ rib tips, and roasted corn for me. There was a frozen banana incident as well, when the kids were sharing a frozen banana and I took a bite of it. I was cringing the bite because the kids weren't really biting it as licking/chewing/gumming/salivating on it, so that bite wasn't very pleasant. Anyway, I made a face while taking a bite, turned around, and then looked back at my wife. And it was gone.
"Where did it go?" My wife had thrown it away, thinking nobody was really eating it. Then Alex wanted the frozen banana too, and was a little upset that it had disappeared.
But anyway, we went to the Science Center and spent a bit of time there, looking at the exhibits when I ran into an employee I used to train with in Bellingham. We were training to fill in for the regular Time and Attendance person, and we weren't really going to take over, just fill in for vacations and whatnot. Anyway, she told me that the person who used to do it had indeed retired, so she was doing it now. So in my mind, I'm kicking myself again because I always seem to have the worst timing. That job could've been mine, and the receiving job that was mine I left because of the videography. Bah.
We came out of the Science Center a little beat, but ready for more action. We went to the arcade and the kids got on some of the rides - the outdoor rides weren't running because of the rain, so we did a couple kiddy rides and one very nervous frog ride. They went highish, and it hopped down and up on a relatively gentle jolt. But the look on our kids faces were just sheer nervousness. Alex looked pale and all the muscles in his face went limp, and Zoe just looked like she was paralyzed.
After that bout of child abuse, we went on the wet Ferris Wheel ride, which Alex wasn't particularly fond of. Even though I was sitting next to him, he just collapsed into himself. I'm not a big ride fan, but Ferris Wheels are pretty tame. But after that, we had just enough for food so it was back to the bite.
We got a couple Gyros and a hot brick of fries, followed by some yummy fudge, and then back to the Science Center for the Lazer Show. I was really looking forward to it because it was the Beatles, and it was an experience I wanted to share with the kids. Alex wasn't so sure at first, seeing all the other people lie down on the floor made him feel a bit suspicious of what was going to happen. Then the room went pitch black, and he went, "Too dark Daddy! Too dark!" I struggled to flip him around and then he saw the lights, and he was captivated. His hand reached up to feel it, and he was saying a bunch of stuff to me that I couldn't really hear, because either the music was too loud or I was singing along too loudly.
So we had spent a good day at the Seattle Center, and we went home just exhausted. The kids were having a snack before bedtime and I noticed something horrid. Two huge water stain on the ceiling, and one of the spots had actually split open to reveal the surface underneath the paint. It looked like the ceiling had ripped a hole. After my wife took a shower, the split got even bigger and it was actually dripping a bit too. So, that bummed me out for the rest of the night.
But otherwise it was a near perfect day. I wish I would've brought the camera but I think it would've been a logistical nightmare with the rain and all.
---
Okay, to catch up with the lost two weeks? I started my new job and for the first few days, it truly sucked. The first day we were to show up at 7, whereby we would meet this person. Well, there were four of us, and we sat there till 7, and there was nobody there. But we waited anyway, having signed in and checked in with security. At 7 there was a shift change, when the security went home and the world's dumbest receptionist came on. We waited and waited, and then at 7:30, I went up to the receptionist and told her we had a 7am appointment, and she called the person. So we waited more. Then at 7:45, someone finally came over. It wasn't who we were supposed to meet, but another receiver who showed us some training tapes. We ran into the person later, who said that nobody called her to let her know we were there. Hello? Four new contracters show up and you didn't know we were there?
Then we were skirted off to training, whereby we learned about the history of the company, the security, the policies, and all that jazz. When we were asked who our supervisor was, we had no idea. After that was over, we didn't even know where to go, so I hunted down the receiver who had escorted us earlier, and she told us to just "hang out" till 4 pm. I left feeling thoroughly unimpressed and frustrated.
The second day had a slightly better deal, though not much. At first they had forgotten that I was a receiver, not an assembler. I spoke up and they had to look it up. Another thing they confidently told us was that we were just numbers, and we don't use our names. Nice. Then I got recruited to help with the construction work going on, moving furniture, taking it apart, running to the dumpster... I was pissed. I wasn't sure I was going to last.
Since then, it's gotten a little better. I got placed in my applied position and got to know the two receivers there, who are pretty nice guys. The demographic there is seriously skewed - mostly Asians of different ethnicities, mostly immigrants, probably a median age of 42 or so. I was completely out of my element. To make things worse, the majority of cubicle employees and business employees were White. You can imagine how down I was with that. Even though there may not be any racism that I could see, the basic structure of the work environment was enough to make me uncomfortable.
Luckily, the two guys that I work with are pretty decent guys. A funny family man from Indonesia, and a 24 year old guy from Cambodia. They were relatively easy going, and fun to be around. There's a third guy, and even though he's not terrible to deal with, he does wear on you. He has conspiracies and theories about the police, 9/11, and the government that make him sound just misinformed and uneducated. He's the kind of guy just looking for validation from any kind of source to reinforce his prejudices and biases.
This last week, production on my line was halted due to a part shortage, so I've been sitting around with the guys, not doing anything. My repeated pleas with the higher ups for something to do has been largely ignored - seems like they don't know what to do with me either. Basically FDA has got this company halting domestic shipments, which account for 70% of orders, so we're basically doing overseas orders only. So this last week, I've just been sitting around, killing time, volunteering for projects. I'm not entirely comfortable with it, but the powers that be seem like they don't care.
On Thursday I was oddly assigned to deal with freight, which I don't mind, but I don't think I'll stick with it once receiving gets up to speed. I ain't doing that kind of heavy labor when I'm pulling in those wages with no medical. And the person in charge is a bit dodgy. He even looks dodgy. So for now, it's just going.
---
Taking it easy today. The kids are probably tired from yesterday, and I need to catch up on a lot of things, including blogging.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
I'm Charlie Brown.
We're watching "Snoopy Come Home" for the first time, and one of his first lines is, "Everything I do, I feel guilty." That sums it up for me. Even when I ebay my crap online or on Craigslist, I feel like I shouldn't be making people pay. Never give me money, lest I give it all away because I don't feel like I deserve it. After I skim the funds for an iPhone, of course.
---
Speaking of which, I heard that my brother in law got himself an iPhone, and I'm insanely jealous. If you're a techie like me, you probably know more than you'd care to about the iPhone. Here's 4 reasons on each side why I'd get/not get the iPhone.
Gimme!
1. It's got Mac OSX on it, and anyone with a Mac will attest that it has a stable, attractive, and functional user interface. Plus the touch screen with the OS is just sweet icing on the cake.
2. Internet on my phone! The real internet too, not the neutered, funky one that comes on most cell phones today.
3. WIDE SCREEN IPOD. C'mon, that's just insane. Movies on your iPod is just awesome.
4. Youtube, internet, blogging, are very integral to my survival. And doing that on an unlimited 59.99 plan is actually not that bad.
I'll Wait for a Couple Years.
1. For first gen, it is pretty sweet. But 8 gigs is still small. My selected playlist is already about 5 Gigs, and my podcasts alone are at around 5 itself. Also, no video and flash for the camera, with EDGE wireless instead of 3G? I'll wait for 2nd Gen.
2. If only I could get the iPhone without the phone... I don't talk that much on the phone, but I use the internet a long. Paying the 40 bucks just for the minutes isn't worth it. An iPod with internet access is really what I'd like.
3. Some funky stuff like no iCal, no proper word processing type program, synching through iTunes only, and a limited compatibility with 3rd party earphones? What is that all about.
4. They did a cost analysis, and for the cost of the phone and the monthly fees, it's close to $2000 for a year. Yikes.
So anyway, when they do unveil the next gen iPod, I'm probably for it. I've been dying for a video iPod, but with widescreen and touch screen coming along, I'll just wait till then.
---
By the way, this Snoopy is from 1972 and missing from the score and music is Vince Guaraldi and it's obvious how timeless his musical influence is on the Snoopy animation. Without it, the music sounds very dated and a little loopy.
---
Last night I did my last weddding, and it was luckily one that I enjoyed. The bride and groom were nice to me, the family was very kind to me, but most of all, the ceremony had limited moving, great lighting, and best of all, there was a great mix of family and friends. It was a Persian wedding, actually my second one, and it's interesting when I start recognizing songs from it.
The DJ unfortunately, was terrible. He was some kid with no DJ voice at all, seemingly reciting words from memory that often made no sense, like lines that are misplaced into random scenes. He said, "Let's give it up for the groom and bride" about three times, 2 of which had nothing to do with the bride and groom actually doing anything.
He played Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why" 3 or 4 times in the beginning - again, don't know why. When the bride and groom came in, the music started, ended abruptly, then another song started, ending abruptly, then the first one played from the beginning again.
Finally, he wanted the Father of the Groom to dance with the bride, until someone yelled, "Father of the Bride!"
---
This afternoon I was playing with the kids when I heard something hit the window. I thought it might be a bird and sure enough, a foot away from the window was a black and white sparrow type guy who was upright, but not moving much. I had to stare at it for a while because I wasn't even sure if it was alive, let alone a bird. It'd turn its turn a little, probably dazed and confused. When we went out to look at it and offer it some bagel, it flew off.
Our neighbor is maybe less than 10 feet from our house, which probably worked out for the bird. Any further would've caused the little bird more harm.
---
Speaking of which, I heard that my brother in law got himself an iPhone, and I'm insanely jealous. If you're a techie like me, you probably know more than you'd care to about the iPhone. Here's 4 reasons on each side why I'd get/not get the iPhone.
Gimme!
1. It's got Mac OSX on it, and anyone with a Mac will attest that it has a stable, attractive, and functional user interface. Plus the touch screen with the OS is just sweet icing on the cake.
2. Internet on my phone! The real internet too, not the neutered, funky one that comes on most cell phones today.
3. WIDE SCREEN IPOD. C'mon, that's just insane. Movies on your iPod is just awesome.
4. Youtube, internet, blogging, are very integral to my survival. And doing that on an unlimited 59.99 plan is actually not that bad.
I'll Wait for a Couple Years.
1. For first gen, it is pretty sweet. But 8 gigs is still small. My selected playlist is already about 5 Gigs, and my podcasts alone are at around 5 itself. Also, no video and flash for the camera, with EDGE wireless instead of 3G? I'll wait for 2nd Gen.
2. If only I could get the iPhone without the phone... I don't talk that much on the phone, but I use the internet a long. Paying the 40 bucks just for the minutes isn't worth it. An iPod with internet access is really what I'd like.
3. Some funky stuff like no iCal, no proper word processing type program, synching through iTunes only, and a limited compatibility with 3rd party earphones? What is that all about.
4. They did a cost analysis, and for the cost of the phone and the monthly fees, it's close to $2000 for a year. Yikes.
So anyway, when they do unveil the next gen iPod, I'm probably for it. I've been dying for a video iPod, but with widescreen and touch screen coming along, I'll just wait till then.
---
By the way, this Snoopy is from 1972 and missing from the score and music is Vince Guaraldi and it's obvious how timeless his musical influence is on the Snoopy animation. Without it, the music sounds very dated and a little loopy.
---
Last night I did my last weddding, and it was luckily one that I enjoyed. The bride and groom were nice to me, the family was very kind to me, but most of all, the ceremony had limited moving, great lighting, and best of all, there was a great mix of family and friends. It was a Persian wedding, actually my second one, and it's interesting when I start recognizing songs from it.
The DJ unfortunately, was terrible. He was some kid with no DJ voice at all, seemingly reciting words from memory that often made no sense, like lines that are misplaced into random scenes. He said, "Let's give it up for the groom and bride" about three times, 2 of which had nothing to do with the bride and groom actually doing anything.
He played Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why" 3 or 4 times in the beginning - again, don't know why. When the bride and groom came in, the music started, ended abruptly, then another song started, ending abruptly, then the first one played from the beginning again.
Finally, he wanted the Father of the Groom to dance with the bride, until someone yelled, "Father of the Bride!"
---
This afternoon I was playing with the kids when I heard something hit the window. I thought it might be a bird and sure enough, a foot away from the window was a black and white sparrow type guy who was upright, but not moving much. I had to stare at it for a while because I wasn't even sure if it was alive, let alone a bird. It'd turn its turn a little, probably dazed and confused. When we went out to look at it and offer it some bagel, it flew off.
Our neighbor is maybe less than 10 feet from our house, which probably worked out for the bird. Any further would've caused the little bird more harm.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Chain Mail and Bulletins
I don't want to be too specific because I don't mean to offend my friends, but the right friends I know don't do this or read this blog, so it's probably okay.
I was just visiting someplace online and on the bulletin board, he'd posted a few chain mail type things, and this was one of them. Bear with me.
ONCE YOU START.
FiNiSH
if this doesn't touch u.....you're heartless
One night a guy & a girl were
driving home from the movies. The
boy sensed there was
something wrong because of the painful
silence they shared between them
that night. The girl then asked the boy to pull over
because she wanted to talk. She told him that her
feelings had changed & that it was time to move on.
A silent tear slid down his cheek as he
slowly reached into his pocket & passed her a folded note.
At that moment, a drunk driver was speeding down
that very same street. He swerved
right into the drivers seat, killing the boy.
Miraculously, the girl survived. Remembering the note, she
pulled it out & read it.
"Without your love, I would die."
1st:
If u post this on a bulletin in 5 minutes
someone special will message or call you.
2nd:
REPOST IF YOU CARE ABOUT SOMEONE SO MUCH THAT YOU CANT LIVE WITHOUT THEM. (even your best friends)
repost this with the title "Cutest love note"
Okay. I'll let you take a breath.
Ready?
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. What kind of precognitive moron keeps a sad sack note like that in his pocket? You really must be screwing up big time in your relationship to keep something depressing like that in your pocket, next to, "I wish you hadn't pulled that lever," and "I told you that was gasoline, not water."
There are similar ones like this, all with some moral behind it, which is inspirational and fairly worthy of a read, but they all end with something like, "If you have no human heart, don't repost this." or "If you do not email this to 10 other friends, you must eat babies and like to fuck the tailpipes of abandoned cars, and death will befall you in the next 5 minutes."
First of all, I'd hate to think that my destiny lies within some friend of mine emailing me my future. Second of all, seriously, if you were a friend of mine, don't email me that. It's like passing me a lit stick of dynamite. Don't make me determine the destiny of other people by forcing me to choose if I wanna die or not. C'mon.
I naturally never repost or reply or forward any of that crap, mostly because I like to have days like June 29.
Sometimes I get a little ballsy and I email people back.
My friend sent me a powerpoint presentation, which, in itself, is fairly retarded. Powerpoint presentations don't belong in personal correspondence, unless you really don't want to maintain your friendships, or if you're a big phallus. Anyway, it was basically another inspirational photo of a supposed river in Burma.
Well, tip it on its side and it's the magical image of a mother and a son, praying.
So, being the skeptical asshole I am, I googled the mofo and came up with this. Basically says it's from a Korean Children's book.
So I sent the link back to him. He hasn't emailed me back a reply.
My Dad, actually, sent me something too. Basically if you were having a heart attack, to make yourself cough violently, who should buy you time to get to a hospital to seek immediate medical attention. Looked it up, disproved it and emailed him back.
And he hasn't emailed me stuff since.
I dunno, I can be difficult sometimes. But seriously, stop doling out chain letters to me and I'll stop complaining about them. But none of you readers do that though. That's why I love you guys.
I was just visiting someplace online and on the bulletin board, he'd posted a few chain mail type things, and this was one of them. Bear with me.
ONCE YOU START.
FiNiSH
if this doesn't touch u.....you're heartless
One night a guy & a girl were
driving home from the movies. The
boy sensed there was
something wrong because of the painful
silence they shared between them
that night. The girl then asked the boy to pull over
because she wanted to talk. She told him that her
feelings had changed & that it was time to move on.
A silent tear slid down his cheek as he
slowly reached into his pocket & passed her a folded note.
At that moment, a drunk driver was speeding down
that very same street. He swerved
right into the drivers seat, killing the boy.
Miraculously, the girl survived. Remembering the note, she
pulled it out & read it.
"Without your love, I would die."
1st:
If u post this on a bulletin in 5 minutes
someone special will message or call you.
2nd:
REPOST IF YOU CARE ABOUT SOMEONE SO MUCH THAT YOU CANT LIVE WITHOUT THEM. (even your best friends)
repost this with the title "Cutest love note"
Okay. I'll let you take a breath.
Ready?
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. What kind of precognitive moron keeps a sad sack note like that in his pocket? You really must be screwing up big time in your relationship to keep something depressing like that in your pocket, next to, "I wish you hadn't pulled that lever," and "I told you that was gasoline, not water."
There are similar ones like this, all with some moral behind it, which is inspirational and fairly worthy of a read, but they all end with something like, "If you have no human heart, don't repost this." or "If you do not email this to 10 other friends, you must eat babies and like to fuck the tailpipes of abandoned cars, and death will befall you in the next 5 minutes."
First of all, I'd hate to think that my destiny lies within some friend of mine emailing me my future. Second of all, seriously, if you were a friend of mine, don't email me that. It's like passing me a lit stick of dynamite. Don't make me determine the destiny of other people by forcing me to choose if I wanna die or not. C'mon.
I naturally never repost or reply or forward any of that crap, mostly because I like to have days like June 29.
Sometimes I get a little ballsy and I email people back.
My friend sent me a powerpoint presentation, which, in itself, is fairly retarded. Powerpoint presentations don't belong in personal correspondence, unless you really don't want to maintain your friendships, or if you're a big phallus. Anyway, it was basically another inspirational photo of a supposed river in Burma.
Well, tip it on its side and it's the magical image of a mother and a son, praying.
So, being the skeptical asshole I am, I googled the mofo and came up with this. Basically says it's from a Korean Children's book.
So I sent the link back to him. He hasn't emailed me back a reply.
My Dad, actually, sent me something too. Basically if you were having a heart attack, to make yourself cough violently, who should buy you time to get to a hospital to seek immediate medical attention. Looked it up, disproved it and emailed him back.
And he hasn't emailed me stuff since.
I dunno, I can be difficult sometimes. But seriously, stop doling out chain letters to me and I'll stop complaining about them. But none of you readers do that though. That's why I love you guys.
June 29. WTF kind of Day was that all about?
Seriously, I'm expecting to just wake up any moment now, after finding out that I've been living out June 29 in an alternate universe, whereby a much unluckier shadow of myself found June 29 to be "Bend Over" day.
It makes me almost glad that I don't work quite yet, or that I didn't really have any major plans today. It would've just been terrible. I would've fallen off scaffoldings, got crushed by a semi, or dropped out of the sky if I had any other profession than stay at home Dad. All the forces that could possibly work against me did today, and today was supposed to be such a cool day.
iPhone came out today, and though I wasn't going to be able to afford such a cool thing, it was nonetheless exciting to see other people just freaking out about an Apple product like that. Also, Ratatouille and Sicko came out today, two movies that I really want to watch this summer. The former is probably more likely, since I don't think my kids have any interest in exposes on American Healthcare.
But no, the day started kind of late. For odd reasons, I slept in (the allergy medicine works!) and then went downstairs. The PC was not only down, it had the blue screen of death. I looked it up and I guess there's something wrong with the file system, which means I should log onto my mac, buy a firearm online, then wait for it to arrive so that I can shoot the damn PC. But like a logical person, I tried to troubleshoot it, by looking for solutions. One of the ways to fix it was to reboot from the XP disc, but of course, the PC's CD drive was long dead. Either the kids have killed it or, well, it's a PC. I plugged in an external drive, but it just wouldn't take it. So I just moved my Mac mini to my Mom's desk. Death to the PC. She can just use my computer. Time for her to stop using the square wheel.
Anyway, my wife wanted the kids to get a haircut, so we walked to the Hair Masters close by our place. I filled in the sign in as one person, my wife, and then checked off "1" in the adult cut box, and "2" in the kid cut box. There was no one else there, so I didn't reckon that it was going to be an issue. Another guy stopped in about 5 minutes later, and signed in as well. When one of the two stylists was done, my wife clarified that we did have two kids as well, so she had her sign them in after the guy. So, it was:
My wife.
The guy.
Alex.
Zoe.
And the stylist called the guy back. At this point, I was a little irritated because:
a) My wife obviously does not want 2 Child's cut and 1 Adult Cut. Anyone can see that she only has one head.
b) Error withstanding, my wife's name was still ahead of the guy.
So I'm huffing, irritating, fumes emitting from my ears and all that. I'm basically ignoring what the kids are doing at this point, because it was one of those stores that failed to have any toys, or even kids books laying around. But it's okay. It'll be okay.
The guy who wasn't really ahead of us is done, right. Then the stylist - no joke - says to the other stylist that SHE IS GOING ON LUNCH. I'm severely irritated now, because we got one stylist who is working on my wife, and two kids whose good behavior is slowly morphing into running around, taking stuff off the shelves, and Zoe locking the front door (which I wasn't aware of till someone tried to come in).
Some point later, a blond lady comes in and the "on lunch" stylist said there were two kids ahead of her, and then it was going to be about a half hour. Anyway, to shorten the story, the stylist stuck my wife under a hair dryer even though my wife said not to, she gave Alex a funny looking crew cut, and only Zoe's turned out well. She did give us a haircut free, but as I was leaving, I noticed that the blond woman who was behind us was still waiting in her chair, while two newer customers were getting their cuts.
Maybe they don't understand the concept of lists.
We walked over to QFC and Panda Palace to get some food, and this lady somehow got my order FUBARed. I wanted a two item entree, and she was explaining that it was a 3 item entree, and even when she opened up the box, there was only two... I just paid for it. I just couldn't take it anymore.
Oh no, not done yet.
I had put up Alex's car seat on sale in Craigslist, and one person had passed, but someone showed interest. So she came around at 7:30, and then she offered 25 bucks instead of the 30 I requested, right before "price is firm." Wilbur, our cat then ran out the front door, and then she said she was going to pass. She didn't know we had cats, and she didn't want car hair on the car seat. I explained 3 things to her, but she decided to pass. The three things:
1. The seat cover is washable. I totally expect anyone to wash it before they use it anyway, thus getting rid of any errant hairs.
2. It's a freakin' car seat. It was in the car. Cats don't ride cars, drive, or substitute for my children if they don't feel like going to the store.
3. It was in the garage after we stopped using it. Not a cat scratching post, not a cat bed, we don't strap the cats in the seat belt because it's cute.
So anyway, my interaction with the world is just horrible today. Let's hope it won't leak over till tomorrow because I've got a wedding to do. Stupid freak day.
It makes me almost glad that I don't work quite yet, or that I didn't really have any major plans today. It would've just been terrible. I would've fallen off scaffoldings, got crushed by a semi, or dropped out of the sky if I had any other profession than stay at home Dad. All the forces that could possibly work against me did today, and today was supposed to be such a cool day.
iPhone came out today, and though I wasn't going to be able to afford such a cool thing, it was nonetheless exciting to see other people just freaking out about an Apple product like that. Also, Ratatouille and Sicko came out today, two movies that I really want to watch this summer. The former is probably more likely, since I don't think my kids have any interest in exposes on American Healthcare.
But no, the day started kind of late. For odd reasons, I slept in (the allergy medicine works!) and then went downstairs. The PC was not only down, it had the blue screen of death. I looked it up and I guess there's something wrong with the file system, which means I should log onto my mac, buy a firearm online, then wait for it to arrive so that I can shoot the damn PC. But like a logical person, I tried to troubleshoot it, by looking for solutions. One of the ways to fix it was to reboot from the XP disc, but of course, the PC's CD drive was long dead. Either the kids have killed it or, well, it's a PC. I plugged in an external drive, but it just wouldn't take it. So I just moved my Mac mini to my Mom's desk. Death to the PC. She can just use my computer. Time for her to stop using the square wheel.
Anyway, my wife wanted the kids to get a haircut, so we walked to the Hair Masters close by our place. I filled in the sign in as one person, my wife, and then checked off "1" in the adult cut box, and "2" in the kid cut box. There was no one else there, so I didn't reckon that it was going to be an issue. Another guy stopped in about 5 minutes later, and signed in as well. When one of the two stylists was done, my wife clarified that we did have two kids as well, so she had her sign them in after the guy. So, it was:
My wife.
The guy.
Alex.
Zoe.
And the stylist called the guy back. At this point, I was a little irritated because:
a) My wife obviously does not want 2 Child's cut and 1 Adult Cut. Anyone can see that she only has one head.
b) Error withstanding, my wife's name was still ahead of the guy.
So I'm huffing, irritating, fumes emitting from my ears and all that. I'm basically ignoring what the kids are doing at this point, because it was one of those stores that failed to have any toys, or even kids books laying around. But it's okay. It'll be okay.
The guy who wasn't really ahead of us is done, right. Then the stylist - no joke - says to the other stylist that SHE IS GOING ON LUNCH. I'm severely irritated now, because we got one stylist who is working on my wife, and two kids whose good behavior is slowly morphing into running around, taking stuff off the shelves, and Zoe locking the front door (which I wasn't aware of till someone tried to come in).
Some point later, a blond lady comes in and the "on lunch" stylist said there were two kids ahead of her, and then it was going to be about a half hour. Anyway, to shorten the story, the stylist stuck my wife under a hair dryer even though my wife said not to, she gave Alex a funny looking crew cut, and only Zoe's turned out well. She did give us a haircut free, but as I was leaving, I noticed that the blond woman who was behind us was still waiting in her chair, while two newer customers were getting their cuts.
Maybe they don't understand the concept of lists.
We walked over to QFC and Panda Palace to get some food, and this lady somehow got my order FUBARed. I wanted a two item entree, and she was explaining that it was a 3 item entree, and even when she opened up the box, there was only two... I just paid for it. I just couldn't take it anymore.
Oh no, not done yet.
I had put up Alex's car seat on sale in Craigslist, and one person had passed, but someone showed interest. So she came around at 7:30, and then she offered 25 bucks instead of the 30 I requested, right before "price is firm." Wilbur, our cat then ran out the front door, and then she said she was going to pass. She didn't know we had cats, and she didn't want car hair on the car seat. I explained 3 things to her, but she decided to pass. The three things:
1. The seat cover is washable. I totally expect anyone to wash it before they use it anyway, thus getting rid of any errant hairs.
2. It's a freakin' car seat. It was in the car. Cats don't ride cars, drive, or substitute for my children if they don't feel like going to the store.
3. It was in the garage after we stopped using it. Not a cat scratching post, not a cat bed, we don't strap the cats in the seat belt because it's cute.
So anyway, my interaction with the world is just horrible today. Let's hope it won't leak over till tomorrow because I've got a wedding to do. Stupid freak day.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Good News, Bad News, News that Would be Good if I was an Apple Employee
I'll deal with the third bit to get it out of the way - but Steve Jobs announced that all full-time and part timers who've been with the company for over a year will get a free iPhone in July, once the initial sales have settled. I'm insanely jealous of that, even though I'm not sure if I could afford the 60 bucks a month for contract service. Seems like you could use it as a GoPhone, but I couldn't imagine the rates being very good as a multimedia type phone. Who knows. But damn, it's a great day to be an employee. Somewhere on the news it says that Apple has upward of 18,000 full timers. What was the last great thing your company did for you?
Freddy's just eliminated the double discount in favor for the much more selective employee discount, so that sucks. Besides, I've always thought that employee discounts were cannibalistic in nature. They give you the impression that it's a company perk, but the discount isn't deep enough to say, "I value you as an employee."
---
The good news is that I finally got a job, a shipping/receiving position at a medical supplies company in town. It pays okay, and there's a tremendous need for overtime at the moment, which means a bit more money.
The not-as-great news (but still not terrible) is that it is still a contract position, so I could be looking again in 9 months. The contract could be extended, or they could decide to keep me on, but that's as certain as an actual nice, summer day in Washington. Also, the job is 5AM to 4PM. So overtime would be on a Friday, which is good. 5 AM would hurt. I'm infamously bad with mornings, but I guess at least it's always going to be 5am, instead of bouncing back and forth as I did with my previous jobs.
The other good news isn't really news, just interesting info. We're going through the house to clear out some junk, and I put together Zoe's old crib yesterday and chucked it on Craigslist for 50 bucks, and by the end of the end, it was sold and out of the house. Some of the other stuff didn't get any replies yet, but at least it's free.
Yeah, yesterday I got the news about the job, then made 75 bucks from selling stuff (the other from ebay.), so I felt kinda productive.
But anyway, time for some RE4. I'm already past the middle of the game, but I guess it gets tougher from here on out.
Freddy's just eliminated the double discount in favor for the much more selective employee discount, so that sucks. Besides, I've always thought that employee discounts were cannibalistic in nature. They give you the impression that it's a company perk, but the discount isn't deep enough to say, "I value you as an employee."
---
The good news is that I finally got a job, a shipping/receiving position at a medical supplies company in town. It pays okay, and there's a tremendous need for overtime at the moment, which means a bit more money.
The not-as-great news (but still not terrible) is that it is still a contract position, so I could be looking again in 9 months. The contract could be extended, or they could decide to keep me on, but that's as certain as an actual nice, summer day in Washington. Also, the job is 5AM to 4PM. So overtime would be on a Friday, which is good. 5 AM would hurt. I'm infamously bad with mornings, but I guess at least it's always going to be 5am, instead of bouncing back and forth as I did with my previous jobs.
The other good news isn't really news, just interesting info. We're going through the house to clear out some junk, and I put together Zoe's old crib yesterday and chucked it on Craigslist for 50 bucks, and by the end of the end, it was sold and out of the house. Some of the other stuff didn't get any replies yet, but at least it's free.
Yeah, yesterday I got the news about the job, then made 75 bucks from selling stuff (the other from ebay.), so I felt kinda productive.
But anyway, time for some RE4. I'm already past the middle of the game, but I guess it gets tougher from here on out.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Vicodin, Percocet, and Housework
Yeah, blogging on Vicodin.
I haven't had a good toothache in a while, and perhaps that's why I've been a little careless with my sugar intake. Anyway, I was chewing on this European chocolate bar that has this bittersweet taste to it, and didn't mind it at all. But afterwards, I had an aching on my two front teeth, which then spread to the bottom ones and then during a Wii game, it got so bad that my head was pounding. The headache is usually the worst part of a toothache, and I just had to take a Vicodin because the Percocet I had taken just wasn't doing it.
Well, dishes got done in a quick hurry, and then the garbage got taken out lickety split. And now when the words do form in my head, they're coming out through my fingertips lighting fast. I just know I'm going to sleep well tonight.
---
Had another job interview today, as a shipper/receiver. The staffing company liked me okay, now it's up to the actual company to okay me to start. It's related to my last job in a way, so it should be a cinch. It's not anything exciting, but at this point I just want to be employed.
I went for an "interview" yesterday at the movie theater, and after finding out it was only part time and the pay was 7-8 bucks an hour, it was pretty much out of mind. They didn't really interview, it was just a list of questions and this one: What is your favorite movie and why?
Flicka. Because horses are the greatest.
Actually, I said that it was a rather broad question because any true movie-loving nerdball like me would simply reply, "Which genre of what year?" But I just chose "Fight Club" because it was one that popped into my head. I was given a reference form but I just tossed it out. I can't live on 7-8 bucks an hour.
---
We went to the Seattle Japanese Garden today and it was kinda nice. It wasn't as grand as I thought it might be, but it was still really nice. The kids got to see some things they've never seen before, so they were pretty happy about it. I'll get some photos up soon.
---
God, my heart's just racing.
---
By the way, I'm pretty upset about the recent slate of news of men killing their families. The professional wrestler, the pregnant wife, and the guy who blamed his wife for the shooting... It's odd to say this, but whatever happened to just running away or divorce? I think it's just terrible when kids have to pay the price of adult mistakes.
---
I was watching something on the history channel and the factoid that Budapest had a drunk driving BAL limit of 0.0 struck me as awesome. I think if I ever had the money to do it, I would run for Governor or Mayor on the very radical platform of drunk driving will warrant serious jail time, serious offending would be caning, and guns are just illegal. I will not get elected, but I think that's the issue right there. Politicians are so afraid of not getting any votes if they were that radical that they play it safe, and nothing ever gets accomplished. It would take a radical candidate to bring those ideas to the forefront, that someone is willing to put that subject on the table, and is willing to risk the popular vote to do it.
We just read so much bad news about these terrible things like gun deaths, drunk driving deaths, and it seems that nobody wants to really do anything about it. They'd rather just talk about it over and over until nobody wants to talk about it anymore.
All we need are some candidates who truly take a solid stance, and then the idea would become less more commonplace and acceptable. Think of it. No tolerance for drunk driving. It's really not that tough of a stance.
I haven't had a good toothache in a while, and perhaps that's why I've been a little careless with my sugar intake. Anyway, I was chewing on this European chocolate bar that has this bittersweet taste to it, and didn't mind it at all. But afterwards, I had an aching on my two front teeth, which then spread to the bottom ones and then during a Wii game, it got so bad that my head was pounding. The headache is usually the worst part of a toothache, and I just had to take a Vicodin because the Percocet I had taken just wasn't doing it.
Well, dishes got done in a quick hurry, and then the garbage got taken out lickety split. And now when the words do form in my head, they're coming out through my fingertips lighting fast. I just know I'm going to sleep well tonight.
---
Had another job interview today, as a shipper/receiver. The staffing company liked me okay, now it's up to the actual company to okay me to start. It's related to my last job in a way, so it should be a cinch. It's not anything exciting, but at this point I just want to be employed.
I went for an "interview" yesterday at the movie theater, and after finding out it was only part time and the pay was 7-8 bucks an hour, it was pretty much out of mind. They didn't really interview, it was just a list of questions and this one: What is your favorite movie and why?
Flicka. Because horses are the greatest.
Actually, I said that it was a rather broad question because any true movie-loving nerdball like me would simply reply, "Which genre of what year?" But I just chose "Fight Club" because it was one that popped into my head. I was given a reference form but I just tossed it out. I can't live on 7-8 bucks an hour.
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We went to the Seattle Japanese Garden today and it was kinda nice. It wasn't as grand as I thought it might be, but it was still really nice. The kids got to see some things they've never seen before, so they were pretty happy about it. I'll get some photos up soon.
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God, my heart's just racing.
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By the way, I'm pretty upset about the recent slate of news of men killing their families. The professional wrestler, the pregnant wife, and the guy who blamed his wife for the shooting... It's odd to say this, but whatever happened to just running away or divorce? I think it's just terrible when kids have to pay the price of adult mistakes.
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I was watching something on the history channel and the factoid that Budapest had a drunk driving BAL limit of 0.0 struck me as awesome. I think if I ever had the money to do it, I would run for Governor or Mayor on the very radical platform of drunk driving will warrant serious jail time, serious offending would be caning, and guns are just illegal. I will not get elected, but I think that's the issue right there. Politicians are so afraid of not getting any votes if they were that radical that they play it safe, and nothing ever gets accomplished. It would take a radical candidate to bring those ideas to the forefront, that someone is willing to put that subject on the table, and is willing to risk the popular vote to do it.
We just read so much bad news about these terrible things like gun deaths, drunk driving deaths, and it seems that nobody wants to really do anything about it. They'd rather just talk about it over and over until nobody wants to talk about it anymore.
All we need are some candidates who truly take a solid stance, and then the idea would become less more commonplace and acceptable. Think of it. No tolerance for drunk driving. It's really not that tough of a stance.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
That's my ebay listings for today. I'm liquidating a bunch of crap that's been laying around, either untouched or unwanted junk I've managed to accumulate through time that I don't want to just toss out. There's probably tons more, and I'll sell more stuff through Craigslist when I got done with my videography business, but it's a start. The older I get, the less crap I'd like to gather.
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Have a job interview tomorrow at a cinema, have absolutely no idea if they need a popcorn sweeper, a toilet cleaner, or a shift manager. Absolutely no idea what the pay would be. I guess I'll find out tomorrow if it's worth the time. Scary thing is that if no one replies to my resumes, I might have to take the job.
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Kids are sick. Not terribly sick, but they're coughing and they're sniffling. Blame it on the stupid weather I suppose, but my allergies have been going haywire as well. They have slight temperatures and intially, Alex tossed some cookies as well. I told my wife that my allergies were so bad that I didn't even smell the mess I was cleaning up. Whoopee!
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Having a rather blah Sunday - it's Summer but you couldn't tell from looking outside - seems like October with the blustery winds and the chilly temps. We're just staying indoors because of the weather and they're sick.
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Resident Evil 4 is cool.
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