Wow... it's June already!

It looks like Harold Camping was just kidding about May 21 being our last day. Similarly, I was kidding about my previous post being my final one :)

So... June 2011 is already here, which will soon bring me to what I think will be a special occasion: my 28th birthday. I kow 28 years isn't anything significant like 18 (why is 18 signified as the adult age?) or 21, or even 22 (my transition out of Army life), but it has a lot of meaning to me, and I'm not sure it should.

This all goes back to my father. He never made it to 28, and there's a part of me that wants to dedicate my 28th year of existence to him, which sounds noble, except that I have no earthly idea how. It sounded good when I thought of it in my head, but not knowing my own father well enough to do it is kind of sad. I just wish I could go beyond the "make him proud" thing.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I've let it out on this blog, but for the past year or so, I've been going to Lincoln Technical Institute for computer networking. After taking two breaks for two different reasons, the end of my time in school is fast approaching. I'm in the middle of my last class, which is ironically one of the easiest, a course in Microsoft Office. After this, I'll be going for an "externship", which I imagine to be similar to an internship. Basically, I'll be going to a place to apply what I've learned in what I assume to be a real-world setting.

Of course, I'll need a few things before I can even think of doing that. One of those is my resume, which, with slight modifications, shouldn't be a problem anyway. One other requirement concerns me a bit, and that would be... a physical. Maybe it's much ado about nothing, but considering the last physical was way back in 2005, and they found a hernia, I worry about what they would find wrong with me this time, and considering I have no health insurance, anything they find that requires any attention would either have to wait or just ruin me financially.

Then, there's my post-school fate. I have no idea what I'm going to do after school is done. I'd love to leave the "city" I'm staying in now, but where would I go? As much as I'd love to start over somewhere I haven't been before, I'm not sure how likely or practical that actually is...

The End

Apparently, Judgment Day is coming tomorrow; with that, is blog is coming to an end. Apparently, there will be parties and pranksters and such, but I'm sure they're right this time. You know, the Hmong can't be wrong.

Guys, you needn't worry about the Earth being destroyed just yet. The rapture will happen today, and then those of you left behind will endure 5 months of hell on earth before the actual date of destruction, that being October 21.

Anyway, I'm going to embrace the end of days, while you guys fight for the scraps amongst yourselves. Ha ha ha ha ha, hee hee hee hee hee, I win, you lose.

The guys made an effort to cover their tracks here in my hometown. They went from this:



















To this:


















Either they're really covering their tracks here, or the folks at familyradio.com don't want to pile up debt after they get raptured.

I guess you were right all along. Goodbye...


























Just kidding.

St. Patrick's Day 2011, Way Overdue.

I'm way late for this, but I have a bit more free time now, and I was also hoping that some more memories from St. Patrick's Day 2011 would manifest themselves. They haven't, but my St. Patrick's Day tale is way overdue.

Honestly, it wasn't much to write about. Not to say it was terrible (it wasn't, as far as I can remember), just that it was merely okay.

Earlier that day, I'd get an invitation to go to a pub with one of my classmates, so I showed up after a shower, a shave, and a long walk. I had forgotten how far the place was, but that wouldn't deter me. Immediately upon my arrival, I was hit on by an older woman who was clearly buzzed, basically saying that I was overdressed with my trench coat, and that she wouldn't have worn anything under it if she was me.

I saw my classmate, and it was the happiest I've seen him before or since. I'm sure it was the alcohol, but it was far from his serious appearance in class. Anyway, I drank on and on, and some NCAA crap was on TV at the pub. I talked with some people, drank some more, and... I woke up in my room.

I lucked out. Someone possibly looked out for me, since I didn't end up in a holding cell again; there's the possibility that I made the walk back home myself, but I find that unlikely. I shouldn't be putting so much thought into that, though. Things could've been worse. I came back in one piece, and I didn't feel any ill effects from the night before. I had a good St. Patrick's Day for a change.

St. Patrick 2011 Prologue

Well, as anyone who reads this knows, I've taken a lengthy absence from this blog. There was a number of reasons I laid low after my only other post this year, not the least of which was my continued depression.

But between then and now, something inside me happened. I resumed school this January, and soon after, my mood has improved. I've finally been keeping my mind occupied. You know... I'm not going to bind myself to resolutions or give things up for Lent or anything like that, but I'm going to make more of an effort to post on here. This was my fortress of solitude, where I'd come to let off some steam. I'll be back here to post my St. Patrick's Day story, which isn't much, but I need to start small before I bore you all to death with my stories. Good night.

2011

As I hear the fireworks, I know none of you are wondering how my 2010 ended. To answer my own question: alone. I talked to my girl, who told me she was working on both the last night of 2010, and tonight, the first of 2011. I've exiled myself from the rest of the family, and really, I feel wrong inviting myself to partake in whatever they're doing. So I walked around, heard the jovial music at the Asian restaurant nearby, and walked away.

I thought better of celebrating what is usually a family moment with a bunch of strangers, so I walked some more, found a park bench and sat there, looking to the stars for the last minutes of 2010. As the phone read "01/01/11", I quietly got up, walked the block and a half to my room, threw my shit down, and sat down to write this up.

Fuck 2010, and fuck 2011 even harder.

Thanksgiving 2010

If you've read any of this blog, you'll know that I have complained quite a bit about the holiday that just passed us, Thanksgiving. Being the creature of habit that I am, I mainly complain about the traveling I get to do on that special day, like Thanksgiving Day 2006, when I was in Salt Lake City by 6-ish in the morning and not back at home until 10:30 pm.

I realized, though, that my complaints about Thanksgiving were petty. For the most part, I got to spend the day with my family, and even the ones I spent as a soldier weren't bad. I was with my girlfriend one year, and the next was spent with a good friend of mine (and his extended family, in the biggest Thanksgiving ever). I've always ended up with a roof over my head, and again, with people who cared. Family wasn't always literal, but with a heartwarming (and stomach-bursting) meal, and good company, it doesn't have to be.

This Thanksgiving was better than recent Thanksgivings for many reasons. I was free to go wherever I wanted. Even though there were tense moments in Massachusetts earlier this year, there were no tense moments, nor were there any hurt feelings when I didn't show up to see them. At least I hope not... I got to see all of the family, including Gizmo, something I haven't done since I left in January. Everybody clearly missed me; it was clear when they all started trying to catch me up at once. It was the best welcome back I could've asked for. Gizmo wasn't immediately excited, but when the family and I stepped out on Friday and came back, I was the first one he saw, and I received his "I miss you" dance (just coming up to me and acting the fool).

All in all, it was strange to be in New York, though not in the city. It's like being in another state altogether. I traveled from Lowell to Manhattan, and then to White Plains, but that drive from White Plains upstate still feels like I only met them halfway. Despite all that, it was worth it. This was the first time I got to see my siblings (except Leila, of course) at once since I left the Bronx in January. I know I'm repeating myself, but after having been exiled, it felt good to be back.

So, I just want to say (although it's very late) thanks to Titi Cookie and Tio David for having been accommodating throughout the past weekend, and for The Exorcist. Who'd have thought The Exorcist, of all things, would've made such an interesting family movie? I'm not a horror guy (I'll still watch the old school stuff), and the movie wasn't really scary, but it was still an enjoyable experience.

I Haven't Forgotten, Have I?

I don't think anyone needs a reminder of what today is, at least none of my readers in the States. Today makes me sad for a number of reasons.

For a selfish reason, it reminds me of one thing I'll never get to do: go to the top of the twin towers. There was a moment in time when I was younger in which I didn't live with my mother, and we had proposed to meet at the World Trade Center train station. She didn't show that day, so I left the train station, crushed. I walked aimlessly, much like I do today, and saw some stairs. I ascended, looked up, and saw a building that looked like it'd never end. I don't know which of the towers it was, but it was an image that stood with me forever.

Other than that image, I did what many New Yorkers who can ill afford everyday trips to the city did with their landmarks: I took them for granted. I didn't care about the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, or Central Park. I'd see them someday, right? I thought the same about the World Trade Center. After that fateful meeting-that-wasn't with my mother, I moved on to New Jersey, Massachusetts, and back to New Jersey for high school (I went to three). After I graduated in June 2001, I went to the Army.

I was only a couple of weeks from graduating when we all received the news. We didn't have the access to news that the average citizen gets to enjoy, and we were skeptical of anything the drill sergeants told us, lest it result in another "Just kidding!". We received confirmation, though, from soldiers who had gone on sick call (where there was the much coveted TV) that what had happened really did, and that it wasn't another cruel joke. The Twin Towers had really fallen.

I was extremely fortunate not to have gone to either Iraq or Afghanistan during my time in the Army, and I'd even move back to New York. However, I didn't want to see ground zero. First, I felt like I wasn't affected. I didn't lose any family on that fateful day, thank goodness. For that reason alone, I felt like a trip there on any anniversary would be insincere on my part; I felt like my reasons were petty in comparison to those who had actually lost loved ones, either on that day or on the subsequent search/rescue efforts.

It wasn't until recently, though, that I realized that you don't have to have lost a loved one to feel impacted by that day. Maybe the skyline just doesn't look the same to you anymore; or maybe, like me, you just don't want to take the city you love for granted anymore. You don't know what you have until it's gone.

Honestly...

I have to admit something... Ever since my YouTube feud, I've sort of lost my way when it came to this. My original purpose in this was just to chronicle my events and to save everything in the event I felt like writing a memoir. Of course, by memoir, I mean a life-long list of what not to do. Despite some interesting events, I haven't put pen to paper yet because I know and you know that no one outside of my small circle is going to give a shit about anything I write, unless I misleadingly entitle my memoir "How To Look Like Shit and Still Get Laid (The Solution: Get Money)". However, I love you all too much to willingly deceive you like that. :)

I'll post more of my exploits at a later time, and I WILL finish the Yankee Stadium post as well.

I'm Back... In Lowell

My apologies for not having posted since the World Series (damn, long time!). Between moving to Massachusetts, dealing with family issues, and dealing with possible legal problems due to my YouTube beef with a certain washed-up public access host -- excuse me, FORMER washed-up public access host -- from Richmond, VA, a lot has happened and I had chosen to get away from here for a bit.

Not to worry, though. I've chronicled a bit of my time in Massachusetts (I've been here since January), and I may or may not post the entries here. Thanks for reading.

Yankee Stadium: My Failed Date With Destiny

Yankee Stadium...

For those of us too poor to attend actual Yankees playoff games, there was something done about it for the 2009 World Series. The Yankees opened up Yankee Stadium while they were on the road, which meant that we wouldn't have had to go to Philadelphia or watch the games at home. I was unaware of that for Games 3 and 4, so Game 5 presented me the last opportunity to have a free Yankee Stadium playoff experience.

Or would it?

Unbeknown to me and a vocal handful of Yankee fans who showed up, Yankee Stadium would not be opened for Game 5. I was one of the first fans there, and there would be a few others, including the only person to show up to both the Pine Tar Game and its continuation. It was a cool experience, as he told me a little bit about the game after admitting to him I knew nothing about it. As game time neared, we were at the gates, chanting "OPEN THE GATES!!!", among other things. Unfortunately, the NYPD showed up to tell us that the gates wouldn't be opening. ABC 7 and NY1 showed up before the cops did, and honestly, it'd have been nice if they had been the ones to break the news to us that there'd be no Game 5 in Yankee Stadium.

There was a restaurant on the outside of the stadium, and a most of what remained from the earlier faithful stood outside. Soon after the game started, though, we had to keep our distance from the place, as we were impeding incoming and outgoing diners. Fair enough.

Cars passing by would honk their horns either in support of us of just because; it was cool either way. I was unhappy that I was denied my chance to go to the new Yankee Stadium; on the other hand, the game experience was awesome. I got to chill (literally) with some fans outside, and we even chatted up the newspeople there. I was getting annoyed with the cops, and I really didn't want any trouble, so I left the stadium and went to Burger King. I grabbed a quick bite there, and watched the game, which was won by Philly, 8-6. Cliff Lee had beat the Yankees again, but he wasn't as dominant throughout as he was in Game 1. However, the Yankees would go on to win the next game and the World Series. In a perfect world, though. I'd have loved to be in Yankee Stadium as the Yankees clinched Game 5 on the road. A Series is a Series, though :)

Kitty in the Sink

Happy Halloween, everyone.

Guitar Zero

Well... I now have one less hobby to enjoy.

A while ago, I got quite an unpleasant surprise when I removed my guitar from its case: one of my strings, the third, popped. One of my cats had gotten on the case and started using it as a scratching post; however, I don't think that affected the string (more likely, it was her weight). Either way, I will have to restring the guitar.

It's kind of ironic, though, that I've actually played the guitar more since the incident. I've made an effort to play it for about 30 minutes every day, as opposed to going weeks without playing at times when I had all 6 strings in there. I guess I'm trying to appreciate it while it can still play.

Thoughts on Domestic Violence

A week ago, Mom told me she was going to be on TV. Of course, I felt some pride. Even if it’s local news or television, I’d be proud of any relative of mine appearing, especially for something positive.
She took part in a talk show covering domestic violence (this month being Domestic Violence Awareness Month), and she was the first guest. She went into detail about what happened with her and my youngest brother’s father. She also described how he molested my sister. Brandon (my youngest brother) and I sat and watched, and I cringed. I felt sorry for him.
I felt terrible because I didn’t know whether he had heard in detail about what happened to my sister that night. I felt bad because Mom was talking about his father doing that, and I wondered if that ostracized him. None of us in the family are related to my “stepfather” except Brandon, and that worries me. I hesitate to ask him how he feels about that, because I know that’s a very touchy subject. I mean, if I were 11 years old, and I had to hear on TV how my own father did things to my mother and my sister at a younger age, I don’t know what I’d do. I know this is going to have some sort of negative effect on him, if not now, then later on in life.
Honestly, though, I don’t know how much he knew prior to last week, but he hears us all the time talking negatively about his father. Until last week, though, I’ve never really thought about the effect it would have on Brandon.
Do I regret talking about him? No, because it was true, and there was a lot of frustration being expressed, especially from my mother and sister. But part of me wonders if it could’ve been said in a different way.
As far as the show goes, I was not present for anything Mom mentioned. I was living in the Southwest, doing my Army thing. I wasn’t told about anything until much later because the family was constantly on the move, and I was going through my own issues. Once I knew, though, I felt terrible, because I felt I had an obligation to my family, and that I failed them. I wondered how different things would have been had I been there with them.
Speaking of which, there was an incident that Mom did not mention on the show. I was 17 at the time, and living in Newark, New Jersey. Mom and Brandon’s father had gotten into an argument. I don’t remember what it was about, nor do I remember exactly what happened. All I remember was Mom telling him not to put his hands on her, by which time I walked to my room and grabbed my bat. I threatened to hit him if he put his hands on her again. He didn’t, so I didn’t swing. He’d confront me a few days later while I was alone in the park. Of course, nothing happened. Soon after, I’d leave the house to go to the Army.

Catfight!

It’s been a while since I’ve been on here. Parting with pets is rarely an easy process, and it’s something we’ve dealt with just last month. My sister’s boyfriend let the family have two of his cats, and at first, neither of them was spayed, so they did not behave. One cat pissed in my room on multiple occasions, while another humped my leg every night. Once they were spayed, though, that all stopped, and things were somewhat normal.

The cat we parted with, Baby, was adopted by one of my mother’s coworkers. From the moment he got here, he made quite an impression on us. He was meowing the whole time he was in his kennel, and he was reluctant to come out. He was very reserved, even before he was spayed, but he seemed unable to purr, which put some of the family off. It seems like a small thing (I guess it is), but I find it hard to connect with a pet I can’t make happy. Once he left, though, the family missed him, even though we have plenty of other pets to keep us company.

Midnight, the other pet my sister’s boyfriend brought in, might soon be on his way out as well. I felt a connection to him for a few reasons, as did my siblings. He loved attention, and we loved giving that to him. Also, he reminded me of Diamond, a black cat we had when I was in high school. She didn’t like me at first, but she warmed up after a while. Even though she left me something to remember her by (a scar some have thought was self-inflicted), I actually cried when she was picked up to be adopted.

Midnight, though, might be on his way out since he got into a fight with our Shih Tzu, Gizmo. Gizmo has the longest current tenure with the family, approximately 3 years. He was scratched up, but he’ll be okay. Since we hold Gizmo so dearly, though, perhaps Midnight leaving isn’t that bad an idea. He’ll be missed, though, but I won’t miss him waking me up early in the morning. Despite his name, he’s very much a morning pet. He’s up by about 3 or 4 in the morning, letting himself in the room and walking on me.

I guess we have to stay tuned to see what happens.

I know...

I know most of you have been curious to see what a hole in the ceiling looks like (no, you haven't). In fact, people ask me this question all the time: "What's it like to see between your ceiling and the floor above you?" (Maybe not)

Here's your answer:

See that 2009/07/07? Yeah, that was a birthday present from the neighbors above, as well as the guys working on the roof. Happy belated birthday, me (don't worry, it was fixed later in the week).

Mets/Yankees part 1

Yeah, I totally forgot about the Mets/Yankees game last night, which was partly due to my frustrations about yet another Boston sweep, which makes them 8-0 against us so far.

I tuned in just in time to see the last pitch, in the bottom of the 9th. See below:

Yankees/Red Sox 2009- Series 1: Sick Of It Already

Do I even want to watch the remaining 16 games between these two teams? We blew leads in all three games! I know that neither the season nor this season series is done, but the first two games left me with such a bad taste in my mouth, I didn't even bother to watch Sunday's game. I guess being in Boston helped the Sox... but how much better would it have been in "the new Yankee Stadium", or Coors Park East, as it's now known?

Game 1, on Friday, was won by Boston, 5-4. We led 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, when Jason Bay homered off Mariano Rivera to tie it. One thing that confused me, though, was when Rivera was summoned in the eighth inning, with two outs... and an 0-1 count on Dustin Pedroia. I don't know how successful Pedroia was against Jonathan Albaladejo, the pitcher Rivera would go on to replace, but in the middle of the at-bat? I don't know. Anyway, Damaso Marte did well until the 11th, when he served up a home run to Kevin Youkilis to end it. Ouch.

Game 2, on Saturday afternoon, was won by Boston, 16-11. I was pretty confident that we had this game, since A.J. Burnett hadn't lost against the Red Sox yet. I came to learn (the hard way, of course) that just because a pitcher is undefeated against a team doesn't mean that the team he plays for is undefeated against them when he plays. Burnett didn't get the L, but the Yankees did. It was a back-and-forth game until the later innings, when Mike Lowell, who had been doing poorly earlier in the game, just put us out of our misery, first with a 3-run homer in the 7th to make it 12-10 Boston, and then with a 3-run double in the 8th for the final score. A blow-by-blow here would take too much of this post, but let's look on the bright side: A.J. didn't lose. He and Josh Beckett both pitched 5 innings, gave up 8 runs (2 home runs each), and struck out three. Ouch #2. This was the game I expected to be the pitchers' duel. Heh.

Game 3, played last night, was won by Boston, 4-1. Yes, the repetitive structure is intentional. I'm trying to get you as sick of this as I am. I didn't even bother to watch this game, like I had the other two. I don't know what hapened, and I'm not even going to look it up for this post because that's how disgusted I am.

When the only positive is that Chien-Ming Wang can't get much worse than a 34.50 ERA, that's cause for concern. I'm not giving up on the season, and I'm not changing allegiances, but the Yankees have got to do better than this. Friday was winnable, as was Saturday, which was why the games were so hard to swallow. It's all right, though. As it's been said before, the season is young, and I'm hopeful that some wrongs will be righted before it's too late.

Go Yankees!

Yankees/Red Sox 2009

Yes! The first Yankees/Red Sox series of the 2009 season has begun. Tonight it's Joba Chamberlain vs. Jon Lester. In the other two games, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte face Josh Beckett and Justin Masterson, so that Burnett/Beckett matchup is going to be interesting.

We have a bit on the line: second place for now in the AL East since they're both 9-6 (Toronto leads with a 12-5 record), as well as bragging rights, of course. Boston is the hotter team, though, having won 7 straight. I'm hoping we win 1 or 2 of these games, as a sweep for us is unrealistic.

This series means a lot to me for many reasons.

Had I been into baseball the first time I was living in Massachusetts, I'd have more than likely become a Red Sox fan. Can any of you imagine me, in Red Sox attire, actually cheering for Boston?

...

Didn't think so.

Unfortunately, I was dealing with the family trying to shove baseball down my throat via Little League. A little later, though, once I moved to New York, I grew into it by getting into the stats (as well as visits to both Yankee and Shea Stadiums). Once I went to Yankee Stadium, I was basically hooked. Fast forward a decade and a half, and I'm still a Yankee fan.

Here's hoping we win.

300... A Really Introspective Electronic Lament

Before you congratulate me on post #300, I want to thank all of you for having read me, and for continuing to do so, given my very erratic pattern of posting.

I'm still working on my mega-blog detailing pretty much my whole March. It's gonna be nice, it's gonna be detailed, and hopefully you will all get a perspective in what has been a very... interesting March.

Enough about me, though. Approximately half of my March has been spent in Massachusetts visiting an online friend of mine named Natalia. Most of the time was spent in her dorm, and she told me about her cats (since I'm a cat person and all), one that lives with her father and stepmother, and another that is with her mother. From what she told me, Ariel (daddy's cat) hadn't been treated well recently, which is a shame.

Fast forward to today, Natalia left me a sobbing voice mail while I was having dinner. I gave her a call, and she told me the bad news: Ariel was dying. I didn't get all of the details, but she told me if Ariel didn't die in the next two days, that she'd be put to sleep.

As an owner (kind of- we've fostered our cat Goya) of a teenage cat, that's hard to deal with, which is why I have decided to dedicate this post to a cat I've never met. It's hard to come up with the words to say to someone who's about to lose a pet who's basically a family member, a pet who has been in the family for about 16 years.

Rest in peace, Ariel. Natalia loves you, and is sorry she couldn't say goodbye in person. This doesn't mean she doesn't love you... just that she can't be there.

Yankees Suck? In Their New Home?

You know... I hope that cheering for the Yankees doesn't become Knick-fan painful.

This afternoon? I feel like I'm watching the Knicks on the diamond. The third inning score? 15-2 Cleveland. IN YANKEE STADIUM. The Yankee Stadium homecoming hasn't been going well for us. Neither has Chien-Ming Wang early in the season. Neither has the season, to be honest...

I'm not panicking or calling it a season (we're only on game 12 today out of 162), but things have obviously got to get better, or it's going to be another long offseason. I, for one, am not up for seeing the [Devil] Rays (eww) misrepresent the AL in the World Series again. So here's hoping Chien-Ming gets it together soon. Please, man!

Massachusetts

Gorgeous George... I'll get more in detail as soon as I come back home from my little road trip.

Mercy!

Sorry... I just felt the need to gloat. Granted, I didn't do anything, really, and I'm not here to rail against everything the U. S. has ever done wrong. But, an 11-1 ass whooping in 7 innings is just so... satisfying.

I'm rooting for a Japan-Puerto Rico final... with Japan winning it all again. Cuba and Korea are going to be good as well... this should be interesting.

What a Week, Part 2

My cousin Maria has recently resurfaced in my life, most recently via Facebook. She's doing all right in Puerto Rico, and it just felt like old times. Ever since we both lived in Puerto Rico, we have been very close, and the way we chatted, it didn't feel like years had passed.

She got me up to speed with my family situation in Lowell... and unfortunately, things aren't going so well over there. Well, there are problems there... but that might be expected with so many people under a roof. Things can always be worse, though, and hearing about problems like these is better than, say, someone having health problems, and I'll take a minor (or major) dispute over something more serious. She told me that they all miss me over there, but I heard that before about my estranged sister Leila (who shares, but doesn't celebrate) my birthday. I might see them when I next go to Massachusetts, but frankly, I don't want to get in the middle of anything, and I refuse to take any sides.

Also... I have been invited to Disney World next month... and I have tentatively accepted the invitation. This is my second opportunity; I will get to the first in a future post, if I remember.

What a Week, Part 1

Yeah... so like I said in my previous post, last week has been pretty eventful.

No, I haven't found a job yet, and my lack of urgency on that part will not make too bad of an impact (wishful thinking, I know). First things first... I "met" someone. Before you go pointing out how all my other "meetings" have failed spectacularly, I'm trying to be a little more positive on this one, and I appreciate it if you did the same.

I'm so optimistic, that for the second time since I came to New York (the two trips to Newark don't count), I will be leaving the state, this time to Massachusetts. I don't plan on making this a permanent trip, but you never know. I am not above leaving everything behind to move on (been there, done that more times than I can remember) since I'm pretty much a hermit crab anyway. But I don't know how well things work out when Natalia and I meet in person. Additionally, I'll have to be considerate to her situation, and living it up in a dorm can only work for so long... I will bring my camera, though, so I will post pictures and such when I next get the chance.

Wish me luck!

Ketchup and Liquor in the Front, Poker in the Rear

Last week? Yeah, pretty interesting!

I just wanted to make this post to let you know that I have made 5 new posts, the fourth of which, linked under "pretty", is just a late "Happy New Year!" to all of you. I was basically cleaning up some unfinished drafts, and these are the 5 (of 9, I think) that made the cut.

I had been pretty depressed since the discovery of Megan's death, and thinking about it now still hurts, but I can't stay away here forever. This is my Fortress of Solitude, after all, and well... that should tell you how devastated I was. This is really the one place I go to let my frustrations out, and I couldn't go here. Last Monday (and parts of Tuesday) I was a teary-eyed mess, and my heart has been heavy ever since.

I'll try to be more positive from here on out (the key word being try), so that I can at least take something from this: her love of life. I can never love it as much as she did... but perhaps I don't need to ration my smiles as much as I do. I was trying to avoid doing this... I'll get going now.

A Letter to Megan... Explained

Let me elaborate a little bit on what I typed here yesterday.

I was pretty emotional, and a wreck for finding this out so late. In a way, I felt like I let her down as a friend, not only because I just recently found this out, but because I didn't get in touch with her more often than I did. I know hindsight is 20/20, but I feel like I could have done much more, and that hurts as well. I'm pretty certain that getting in touch every day wouldn't have made a difference, but I feel like such a stack of shit for finding out she died close to 9 months after the fact.

Like I typed yesterday, I felt like I was giving her space to enjoy Fort Bragg, and time to be with her son, who wasn't even born. This hurts so much to type.

Megan, again, I'm sorry for having been a lousy friend. Rest in peace.

A Letter to Megan

First of all, I'd like to thank you. You were one of the first people I met online, if not the first, back in 2000. One of my biggest regrets is that I never met you in person, and now I will never get that chance.

We got in touch on and off; after a long off-period, we'd talk again in mid 2007, back when I still had my Army account as an IRR. I was glad to hear you were still doing well up in Germany. And then I heard that you missed PLDC because you were pregnant, I was happy for you. You seemed a little different, happier, even.

You had last contacted me in May, telling me that you were going to PCS to Fort Bragg, NC, and I did what I always did: took you for granted, so I waited until August to respond.

At first, the lack of response didn't bother me. I figured you were still getting to know Fort Bragg, and I figured you'd be close to giving birth to the baby, so I thought some time would pass. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to write you again to see what was up, and I got the "e-mail address doesn't exist message", which meant she had no Army e-mail. I didn't think of looking any further until now, and I really regret doing so.

I'm sorry, Megan. I feel like a lousy friend for not getting in touch with you more often. I would've known sooner if I hadn't been so dumb about it. I'm sorry for the selfish tone of this letter; I truly wish I had known you better than I did. I'm sorry for waiting until now to say goodbye, and I deeply regret not getting to see you (or your son).

Thank you for caring about me for the past 7-8 years. I'm going to miss you.

-Luis

Twix Java...

Judging by the other review, Twix Java has apparently been out for a while. However, my younger brother introduced me to it today. As you can tell by the video, I didn't like it too much.

I don't expect to influence any opinions, but... it just wasn't great. I've had better, but I've had worse as well (see Three Musketeers).

YOR Luck Has Run Out, part III: With "Friends" Like These...

Well, it looks like I'm no longer a preferred customer.

What happened, you ask? In basic Scientology terms, I've not yet bought into this 110%, so I got disconnected with one of the members. Olivia talked to me, pretending to care about my day, how I'm doing, how the products I've used are helping me, etc. Customer service 101, basically.

I made the mistake of calling her out on her bullshit (having been a bullshitter myself), so we'll probably never talk again, which is fine; I am tired of trusting the wrong people. The only reason I can tolerate everyone else, aside from their trying to initiate me, is that they only chat with me to [try to] get me to attend more functions. These conversations weren't done on the pretense of friendship (even though that's one of YOR's tenets); they were done more to let me in on some of the secret.

In addition, if I didn't want to attend their functions, they'd respect my decision, and pretty much leave it at that. I appreciate that. They have communication down to a science, so I'll give credit where it's due. My old coworkers aren't as good as these guys. My "friend" needs a little work as well, so that her thinly veiled sale attempts can come through a little more successfully in the future.

Take a look at this. It will help in the future.

By the way:

"anyway, i made a fool of mysel thinking u would help"

Please. Tell me that WASN'T an attempt at a guilt trip. If you can convince me, I will apologize. I have nothing more to say.

Lest I Forget: The Buffalo Theory (edited 27 Feb 09)

“Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

Had to modify that a little bit as the words at the end got cut off. This was allegedly from Cheers, though I can't remember the episode. Sucks, because as a kid, that was one of the shows I'd watch every night (in addition to being happy that it was based in Massachusetts, where I lived at the time). Funny... I looked up a message board with Cheers fans, and they have no idea what episode it came from, either.

So... was this actually from a Cheers episode? If not, where the hell did this originally come from?

It's Evolution, Baby!

One of my favorite videos/songs ever, "Do the Evolution" used to freak me out as a kid. The video, combined with my then-Pentecostal upbringing and my naivete, plunged me into what I call "We're All Gonna Die" mode. I can enjoy the song much more now, though the video still gives me the creeps.

Enjoy.

Let's (Not Really) Lynch The Landlord

Now, I'm not really one for violence upon my landlord or any other people of "authority", especially those who can put me out on the street in a moment's notice. This weekend would've been the usual uneventful affair, but a knock on the door on Friday changed that.

The landlord, with some accomplice of his... went to our bathroom, and decided to make a hole in our ceiling, right above our shower... allegedly in the name of trying to fix their bathroom problem (they live above us). What struck me as odd was the fact that we hadn't been given any notice for it whatsoever. This is something I have to look up, because the one and only time I was out by myself, in El Paso, I had been given at least a 24-hour notice (usually 2 days' notice, in fact) for anything they were going to do that required anyone coming into my apartment. Of course, maybe what happens in Texas doesn't apply here, or maybe the guys over there were being very courteous (something I may have taken for granted during my stay there, considering the assholes who reside above us).

This weekend was uneventful; the kids had this past week off from school, and I'm possibly joining a cult. I've stayed away from the Kool-Aid... err, Flavor-Aid thus far. I've stayed away from everyone else since at least Friday...

He'll What? No, He Won't!

One last question. I look at my little MixMap tracker, and for some reason, this post in particular is by far the most popular. Why? What about this post attracts so much attention, and why is it that it's never (or very seldom) the same place more than once?

Me confused.

YOR Luck Has Run Out, part II

Yesterday, I attended my first training seminar with YOR down in Chelsea Studios (of course, I was late- seems to be a theme with me). I got to be in an even more awkward situation than I was at Olivia's house (all for the cause), but I did it in the name of getting to know the company in case I do decide I want to be a salesperson, which right now is about a 5% certainty, as well as networking, meeting new people, blah blah blah.

My first thought? Cult. It didn't seem to go too well with the salesperson I sat next to, but in my honest fashion, I felt it had to be said. This seminar was product product product, with some interaction, a little too much for an introvert like myself. I feel like I'm really going out of my way to do a favor for Olivia, but I got myself into it.

I felt so out of place there. Everyone seemed to be right at home there during this training, while I felt more and more like an outsider the longer this went on. In addition to doing this, I got the chance to finally pick up my products (and figure out how to use them properly). I'll give them (the people I met before) credit; they generally seem interested in getting to know me, which is something stressed in the training: getting to know the customer, their problems, specific needs, etc. They seemed interested in getting me into this as well... but as I said earlier, I'm not sure that's not something I want to really get into.

I had another late night with these folks. Between getting acquainted with these products, and getting to tell some of my stories, I came home in the AM once again (although not 3:00 exactly like yesterday). This has got to stop. Oh... and yes, I'm going to post my progress on this thing on a weekly basis. Every Thursday, I'm going to post my weight, how I feel about this stuff, if I cheated on this regimen, etc. I'm going to be completely honest with myself (unlike you), and every little thing I do wrong (or missed dose, etc.) will be documented.

I have yet ANOTHER of these things to go to... and I'll be at a hotel this time. I hope cameras are there... I'd LOVE to be part of an infomercial... even though this company prides itself on word-of-mouth, making that highly unlikely... again, wish me luck on this thing... so that I may lose a little weight.

YOR Luck Has Run Out

Yeah... I went to visit my old friend Olivia, to see how she was. I had gone through my old e-mails, and I saw some from her, so I decided to reestablish some contact with her. She had told me about a company she was working for (whose products she is currently using).

One of the first things I had to remember is how she was from me. From the Bronx Zoo (approximately) to... pretty close to the Bay Ridge area.




That's an idea of how long the trip took: about 2 hours (longer coming back since the trains come less frequently in the early AM). Anyway, I show up- late, of course- and I'm in her house; I meet a whole bunch of people I've never met before. Olivia's mom, a few of her friends, and a few people from YOR, and I'm thinking "awkward, awkward, awkward". The guys there are dressed decently, and there I was looking all laid-back and unkempt (thank goodness I had shaved off my beard).



The salespeople there seemed to know their stuff, and really emphasized enzymes and absorption (basically, keeping their products in your body, as opposed to in-and-out). In addition, two of the people I talked to in Olivia's house have actually heard of Lowell, MA.

I am giving this a try for one of two (maybe three) reasons:

1. A favor to a "friend".

2. A chance to lose this newly gained weight (what I endearingly term "my baby"). Fatass status is just not doing it for me.

3. If this product gets me results (it seems to have gotten a lot of people results), then I might go and sell this stuff, and make some money doing it... I, however, am getting waaaaay ahead of myself here... and I do NOT see myself going in people's houses for a product I barely know.

4 (why not? I love even numbers). A chance to meet people and socialize, and all that hippie bullshit. This is another chance for me to get out of my shell... and what better way to do it than around people I have barely known for a day (as of this writing)? What am I getting myself into?
(Self, don't answer that).

Weighing myself on Olivia's scale (the first scale I have used in over a month) revealed that fully clothed, I weigh a whopping 173 lbs. That may not seem a big deal to you, but I am obviously not you, and I'm sure you haven't gone through high school weighing barely over 100 lbs. Last year, I was happy to weigh as much as I did, mainly because I felt like I was transitioning into a new me, someone who actually had a little meat in his bones. But a majority of it has gone to my gut, and other places I don't like. In this first month, I plan on losing about 10 pounds (and looking better). While Olivia may think that's not much... I am not Olivia. I think a little modesty is a good idea, especially with a product with which I have no experience.

Wish me luck...

Beware The Ides Of January: Prophesy To Unemployment

Well... it's been almost a month now, and it's a little less painful to discuss my firing from the H. W. Wilson Company. You know... the way the last few days on the job went, it was almost... foreshadowed. All the warning signs were there. You can partially thank Planet Jimmy for unknowingly setting forth the string of events that would basically (to me) announce my firing.

First, after I had taken a sick day back in September, he had taken to calling me an "ex-employee". It may have seemed minor to my other co-workers (and I admit, it was to me after I was still employed after that week), but I took issue with it. I kind of took that as the beginning of the end.

Fast forward a few months to January. Since before I was in the company in November 2007, out printer had given us lots of problems. My co-worker had written a letter requesting its replacement, and when mentioning its location, he referred to the people with whom he worked. My name was absent, and it freaked me out. It seemed like everyone knew what was coming.

Next, my friend Manny told me that I'd be fired if I showed up late. It freaked me out at first, but I eventually dismissed it as workplace gossip. I would be late the next two days, and get fired one the second day. It freaked me out because I got up earlier than usual, but even under extraordinary circumstances, I'd still end up minutes late. I compare this to any of the "Final Destination" movies. You escape death... but one kind of knows it's coming. The day it happens, though... it just does. I didn't expect it to happen when it did, but once I was close enough, there was nothing I can do.

Bummer.

Say It Ain't So!

What an awful time it is to be a baseball fan. At this point, I'd rather be a fan of Isiah Thomas's Kni- oh, wait. Been there, done that.

Up until recently, it was easy (for me, at least) to ignore Barry Bonds's tainted* record of 762 home runs, because there were such high hopes that this record would soon be broken by someone who, we thought, deserved to be the all-time home run king. Now, though, this heir apparent has admitted to having done it himself, and I, for one, hurt as a baseball fan.

As a Yankee fan, this doesn't affect me too much, since the only times he admitted doing this was during his Rangers tenure (2001-2003 seasons). But at this point, I'd be naive to assume that no other times would come up. I mean, up until recently, I had believed that he hadn't done steroids at all. Man... this hurts.

I remember how full of it I used to think Jose Canseco was (ironically, someone else I looked up to as a young fan) before his books were published. Again, the pain... Anyway, speaking of books, I picked up the latest SI, and it contained an excerpt of what seems to be a rather interesting read, Odd Man Out, by former minor leaguer Matt McCarthy. Who the hell is he, you ask?

Well, here you go. If I wasn't such an unemployed bum, I'd buy his book. Hell, I might buy it anyway. Have a good one.

You Don't Always Die From...

Today seems to be a day of realization... or, more accurately, of action. It's only 4 in the morning, and I'm on my second post.

This time, we're talking about a commercial. Like the previous post, we're going to talk about things that totally creep me out. There has been one commercial that I've been seeing recently, and it scares me every time I see it... and hear it. I get more and more scared about someday "hearing" that; I swear I'll break down if I hear Mom so much as wheeze, because it takes me back to some very negative times.

When I first moved to Massachusetts around 1990 or so, it was drilled into my head that smoking was bad. When I first learned that, it didn't really occur to me that everyone else in the household was pretty much aware of that, so I told Mom. I felt determined to stop her and a family friend from doing it... and nothing worked. I hid her cigarettes, ripped them up, etc., to no avail. I don't remember if Mom had explained to me about the will to try to quit any of those things (basically, the whole easier-said-than-done concept was pretty foreign to me), but I'd go on to learn that one the hard way. When it sunk in that none of my efforts were going to do any real good, it hurt.

For me, though, the struggle wasn't with tobacco. I never got into it like that. Tobacco was recreation and stress relief... as well as something to do with my Army buddies, who happened to be around during my times of need, particularly in Colombia.

My younger siblings were going through that period themselves, although they are getting traumatized by the commercials on TV instead of the propaganda that was given to me at school (I haven't seen anything sent here regarding anti-smoking). Those commercials remind me of my efforts to get her to stop... for my own selfish reasons. I didn't want to lose the one parent I had left.

As fortunate as I have been to have stayed with family pretty much my whole life, things wouldn't have felt right. I wonder if those commercials will produce any success. I hope so. I hope they'll at least be more effective than my efforts. But part of that is will... again, something I have learned the hard way as I struggled with alcohol. Alcohol/drug struggles seem to be hereditary, but that's something I will discuss with more detail as I learn about that aspect of my family.

Parallels and Waterfalls Make Me Feel Unpretty

Man...

I saw a Lisa Lopes documentary just now. Even though I never really cared for her (the 'L' in TLC, for those who don't know), that documentary on VH1 was creepy. I try not to watch too much of those, especially when you know how it kind of ends, but I couldn't resist. I hate watching endings like those... because it makes me think about my final moments, and how they are going to play out. It takes a while before reality sets in, and I realize that I don't really have too much control over things like that. Once that sets in, it's business as usual, but the moments beforehand are so unsettling. Also unsettling is the fact that I was able to make some parallels between the movie and my life, although there are obvious differences as well.

On the other hand, it's refreshing to see that there are people out there who want to make a difference in other people's lives. The part I saw showed when she was doing some spiritual retreat in Honduras, which reminded me a bit of Colombia (although I was there for different reasons). Toward the end... a boy gets hit by the car she was riding in (not driving); someone we worked with was involved in a similar incident (see "Deadly Accident Involving U.S. Soldier in Colombia Renews Calls for Revision of Immunity").

I can't really think of anything emotionally more devastating than watching the last living moments of someone you love; I wonder how that goes for the relatives of famous people, who'd almost certainly see that almost wherever they go. The documentary shows the minutes before the accident; in fact, it stops very shortly before impact (it was edited to show the moments just before impact), which brought back memories of my accident in 2005. Thankfully, the similarity ends there... I drove alone, and since I'm typing this... there were obviously no casualties. I hope that didn't come out too insensitively.

Anyway... I feel so strange that something like that compelled me to write. Something so related, yet completely unrelated.

Resolutions, Resolve, and the Lack Thereof 2009

Aww, yeah! It's that time again. I admit, I'm a little late, but work would usually drain me. If you read the previous post, then you'd know that I'm going to be a little less drained. That said, let's get to what I said I'd do in 2008, how I did, etc.

I don't know if I can call these resolutions. They don't all have that self-improvement thing like last year (well, it more so last year). These are more like things I want done by the end of the year. It's not like I have any really bad habits, I don't smoke, I've cut way down on my drinking since my Army days, and I don't plan on gambling any time soon. For the time being.

1. Now that I'm gainfully employed, I'm going to try to save $200 every month before my birthday so I can get myself something nice.

Should I even have put this? I did buy myself a few things last year. Laptop, Wii, my guitar, etc. I take more pride, though, in not having hurt financially after any of those purchases. Blah. Next.


2. I want to weigh 150 lbs. That's a more realistic goal than I thought it'd be, so I might push it up to 160 and see if I can attain that by the end of the year. I've already surpassed my previous high from Arizona (146). I weigh 148 as of today, but I don't want to be a fat tub of goo either. I want to be in some kind of shape, although getting in the shape I was in as a soldier (no caps, sorry) will prove to be challenging in terms of motivation.

According to the scale down at the shipping department, I went as high as 168. I am a fat tub of goo. This year, I'm not so worried about the weight; I'm more worried about getting in decent (not necessarily Army) shape.


3. I want to see a Yankee game this year. I mean a live one in Yankee Stadium, not on TV.

I failed. The Yankees would go on to get eliminated the day after their home finale... unlike the Mets, who again choked on the last day of the season.


4. Maybe 14 months and counting single (and celibate) is excessive. I should do something about that, shouldn't I?

Something I should've kept to myself. The unlaid calendar is now at about 8 months or so... and the single one is at zero.


5. I plan on expunging the word 'plan' from my vocabulary. Its plural form and I don't get along too well. (Make that until after this is posted).

Nah... I've come to accept that the word will be in my vocabulary. I have always been a "go-with-the-flow" kind of guy, and that "resolution" was part of my plan to keep that part of me alive. I'm happy to say that it is...


6. Tattoos! I know of at least two of them that I want done. The first one is going to be a doozy. Can I handle it after going inkless for almost 4 years? Can I afford it? Most likely, and surprisingly, most likely.

I chickened out. I am still capable of buying them... but I want to save a little bit, especially considering the fact that I am currently unemployed. I admit, however, that I am nervous about getting any more. In addition, I felt for a while like 7 tattoos was kind of a lucky number, although my current situation kind of counters that, doesn't it?

That's it. I WILL get at least one this year! That's not a resolution; it's something I really, really want to do.


7. I plan on writing 100 posts. I'll try to count the legitimate ones (like this one).

I was off. By about 44 posts. Blame it on work, I guess. I either forgot what I was going to type up by the time I had the energy to do it... or I flat out forgot to do them. No more excuses. I will post more frequently than I have been in the past year or so.


8. The AIT journal will be done hopefully by the end of the month if I can get off my ass and find those pages. By my estimation I'm about 40% done, but then, 87.2% of all stats, are made up anyway, so...

I never did find the rest of those pages. Actually, I did... and then put them away again... I'll have to organize that again and find the pages so I could get this rolling again.

Happy MLK Day, I'm Unemployed

Man... it hurts so much.

The announcement came out of nowhere. One of my co-workers warned me about it possibly happening, but I dismissed it as workplace gossip.

And on the 15, which was ironically a pay day, I got the news. My manager told me I'd be meeting with personnel, but as it became just the two of us, I was told I'd be meeting with someone else (I think that was done so as not to cause a scene).

I was told I was "repeatedly counseled" about my problem, which really wasn't true. The sad thing was that all of my co-workers, including my supervisors, were kept in the dark about it. I was surprised how close I was to crying. I had grown used to that place, and it was a good excuse to admire the Yankee Stadiums, although I wasn't able to witness either the Sabathia/Burnett or Teixeira news conferences held at the Stadium.

One of my highlights was being there when it was discovered a Red Sox shirt had been buried somewhere in the new Stadium. They had brought another one outside the construction site, and actually had someone try to remove any curse that might have... although I thought removing the shirt itself would have sufficed.

It's going to be weird not having to go there anymore, but I have no complaints. I don't regret working there, although I do wish I could've gone to another department and experienced that side of H. W. Wilson, like two of my former co-workers would eventually do.

Happy New Year

Happy very belated New Year, everyone.

Getting In The Spirit

Yeah... I've left out quite a bit regarding my relationship with Rebecca. Between my lethargy in this blog and other issues, I wasn't sure we would be an ongoing topic, but so far, we are!

Another ongoing theme with Rebecca is "The Spirit". I think we all know the alternate purposes of movie theaters, heh heh, and that secondary purpose is more apparent the more we see the same movie (third time for "The Spirit") or when watching bad movies.

I really don't want to get into too much detail in fear of grossing out my readers... so I'll refrain from doing that... for now. Notice I separated "The Spirit" from "bad movies"; yes, that was deliberate. Aside from the good times I have had while watching the movie, I also enjoyed the movie... definitely something I'd definitely want to get when it comes out on DVD (I'm not Blu-Ray ready, unfortunately).

The Spirit in this movie kind of reminds me of myself a few years past, especially when I wasn't going out with anyone. When I was single, I felt the need to try to charm more than one person at a time. Looking back, that might be very problematic... but that does not mean that I had relationships with more than one woman at a time... it's not like I was making out with multiple women in a night... hell, that's every (almost) single guy's dream... isn't it?

Yuletide Ramble

I woke up today, and the TV was put on SNY, and there were commercials on about the 2009 Mets (yuck). It brought me back to a time this year... back when the Mets and Yankees and Mets both had something to play for (actually, the Yankees were eliminated, and the Mets would lose their home finale and get eliminated on the final day for the second straight year). They then went on to show something about St. John's basketball, something I used to follow back in my youth, back when St. John's mattered to me.

I changed the channel, and it hit me that it's Christmas! It hit me again that it was Christmas when the Yule Log was on instead of the trashy morning talk shows we all know and love on WPIX (2 Maury episodes, Jerry Springer, and then Steve!). I don't know... maybe it's the fact that it's Christmas, maybe it's the fact that for the first time in 6 years, I am not single for Christmas.

I'm no longer in that rut I've been in pretty much since I moved here from Texas in late 2005. It took forever just to find the confidence to start dating. I met quite a few people, and for some reason or another, I'd take a wrong turn into the dreaded "friend zone". I either had no interest in them, or they'd disappear. Or I just wouldn't have the balls to take it farther than it was going (case in point: my V-Day date). The few that didn't all burned out in spectacular fashion. I thought that'd all be behind me, but then one of my friends called me to tell me about the end of her relationship, how this guy she had been with for a while decided to cheat on her. Things just went into perspective, and I worried. Call me selfish, but I was worrying about the possible events that can lead to... you know... the end. I have to get this out of my head.

However, I am looking forward to New Year's, this new relationship (and how long it will last) and hopefully my Knicks can get some wins. Have a good one.

Rebecca Date

Last night, I went out with Rebecca, who I've talking to for the past 2+ weeks. Things have quickly escalated (in a good way, folks) and... anyway, we went to Midtown and saw the Tree.

Honestly, it looks smaller than the one from last year. We did a lot of walking around, and I picked the wrong day to break out my Chucks, which I haven't worn in a long time. It was cold out, too... but it was worth it. There was this one guy (who she didn't even know... he's on her phone as "Guy") who kept texting and calling her. She had ignored him for a few days, and I came up with the idea that maybe she should say something, for him to leave her alone. It didn't quite work... until she said that I was going out with her, after which he pretty much gave up.

It was funny she brought that up, because I did want to ask her out, and she had been wanting to for a while, even though we just met on the 4th. Pictures will be coming soon, and if we're official, I'll keep you posted.

Confession of An Accidental Shoplifter

Yes, the title is exactly what you think it is... I pulled a Winona Ryder, and I may have been able to get away with it.

Here's what happened: I went to the Staples close to home. I was interested in a few things, but my main purpose was to get a new USB connection for my camera, the previous one of which I broke a long time ago. I bought a card reader soon after I broke my USB cord, and it works for my pictures, but my movies take forever to put on the computer, so action had to be taken.

In Staples, I was unable to find the USB cord, but I did find some pens I was interested in. I brought the camera in a black bag in the possible hopes that they would be able to find the specific connection. That failed, but I got a definitive "we don't have it", which is better than the usual uncertainty. I put the pens back, and once I was convinced I wasn't going to find what I needed, I walked out.

I came home as usual, and lamented my continuing inability to upload my videos... I emptied the bag, and found the pens inside. I panicked. I had never shoplifted before, and a few scenarios started playing out in my head. There are enough wanted posters featuring white Hispanic males, 25 years old, around 5 and a half feet tall. I feared getting arrested on the spot. I discussed it with Mom, and we were pretty much able to throw those scenarios out, considering I walked out with the pens and nothing went off.

I walked back in, and bought some other things (along with the pens). So my problems there have been solved. Whew!

The Day The Earth Stood Still

I'm keeping this one short and sweet. Here goes:

I was a bit looking forward to this movie. It didn't turn out to be as good as I'd hoped. My summary of the movie would be this:

1. Have you seen "War of the Worlds (the recent one)?

2. Have you seen "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer?"

If you say yes to these questions, you've pretty much seen the movie. Keanu Reeves was perfect for his part. He has the robotic, emotionless look down to a T. Sorry if this isn't much of a review, but I didn't see too much of a movie. Actually, as derivative as it is... I should possibly post more about it.

But I don't feel like it.

Never Gonna...

YouTube Monday continues. I was looking up Rickrolling, and I saw something about the Thanksgiving Day Parade. I didn't really care for it, until I saw this:

Gizmo vs. Skateboard

To date, this is my only YouTube video. It's our dog's struggles against a crippling fear of the skateboard (which he has since overcome, I think). It dates back to spring of this year... time and date unknown. I apologize that it came out a little dark, but oh well!