Nowhere Pennsylvania

Busy Busy

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:07:15 GMT

Right, so it's been a couple of weeks. Sorry 'bout not posting sooner, but I've been a bit busy.

Where to start? Lets go back a bit to the Bad Faerie Masquerade Ball. This was attached to FaerieCon down in Philly but was an independent event with separate tickets. It was an absolute blast. We drank, we danced, we mingled with other people in costume. I haven't had that much fun in a very very long time. I'd post pictures, but none of us had our cameras handy.

Kemarie was dressed in a corset/leather skirt combo that she made for the occasion with an awesome pair of wings made from heavy guage steel wire and black gauze. There were flames painted on the corset and skirt, and her wings were designed to look like black smoke. I'd say she looked awesome, but it doesn't do it justice.

I already told ya about my leatherpants/ smoking jacket outfit. I added a set of wings made from a giant spider with some fabric sown between its legs. It was good enough. Honestly I think we stayed too long though. There was some drama between the friends we were with, so we ended up staying a couple of hours after we were ready to run home. We ended up going out to a diner afterwards, and didn't get home till sometime after three.

Last weekend was the party weekend. Friday night we spent hanging decorations and making snacks. There's a recipe for peanut-butter eyeballs that was pretty easy to do, and came out delicious. I'd made a set of bowling pins out of coke-bottles for pumpkin bowling during the week, but we still had to make the werewolf and tails for "Pin the Tail on the Loup Garuo".

Saturday we had the party. Three little girls (Cassidy, Kelly, and Jordan) and one little boy (Zack). The poor boy was so outnumbered. He ended up pretty much just hanging out by himself. It was a blast. The girls had a great time, and their mother's seemed pleasant enough. The girls pretty much entertained themselves while eating pizza, then decorated cupcakes. The games all went well, though I'm pretty sure Katie cheated on pin-the-tail since she got it dead-on.

All in all, it was a hell of a lot of fun, though we were pretty tired afterward. I think we settled in for eating leftover pizza and watching movies for the rest of the night.

That Sunday K&K took me to the magical land of Ikea. I've never been to one of their stores before. It was.. an experience. All kinds of neat things all over the place. If you've never been, the first two floors are all different showrooms, displaying different arrangements of Ikea stuff. Everything in every room can be purchased downstairs. Pretty wild really. Still, a really good time.

Ok, this is way long enough. Guess I'll be seeing some of you soon, others later.

Meady Goodness

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 03:02:36 GMT

What do you do on a random Wednesday when you happen to have 12 gallons of honey from a local beekeeper handy? Why, you make mead! This batch will hopefully be ready about my birthday next year.

This is the result of about 3 hrs of boiling water and honey and scraping the scum off the top. It's about 5 gallons, and should be about 30 proof after fermentation is complete. I'll be sure to report its progress as the yeasty beasties breed.

I'm also going to buy a new car. Tomorrow after work I drive down to the local Subaru dealer and pick up a silver 4 door, 2005 Impreza RS, with a 5 speed manual transmission. Yum. Once it's in my front yard, I'll be sure to post a picture.

We've got tickets to a Bad Faerie masquerade ball in Philly for Saturday night. Kemarie made her costume, which involves a black/red corset and a black skirt. I've got a pair of black leather pants, and a red smoking jacket that I'll wear with my red and black devil mask. All in all, should be an eventful, and adventurous few days.

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:13:38 GMT

Blargh. So, events.

Someone decided to cut the corner in the parking lot at work last week. Apparently they cut it a bit to close, cause they hit my car. Fortunately, they were more honest than most people in this world, because they left me a note with all the insurance details. Long story short: I'm getting a check for 835.00 in the mail. Fortunately I hadn't put on the new tires that I was planning, so now I can take that money, and the money that would go for tires, and use it as a down payment on another not-so-new car. I'll be sure to post a pic of the new car when details emerge.

Here's a picture of the damage.

So, events occurring in the near future. This weekend I finally get to meet Kemarie's parents. That should be an event all on its own, but the real goal is to take her niece out to some haunted attractions near Harrisburg. The weekend after is a costumed Bad Faerie ball down in Philly. The weekend after that, I'm helping out with a Halloween party for the podling and her friends (which has me both curious and terrified at the same time). Finally after that, it's down to olde_scratch's party! Woo! So, I've been, and am continuing to be, a busy little bee.

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 19:37:39 GMT

I've got reverse Midas' touch today. Everything that should be easy and simple is turning out to be much harder and more complicated that I could possibly imagine. Frustration is life's way of saying "Your Apathy Shield(tm) is Weak".

Besides that, my life has taking a major step for the better. I won't go into details right now, but for the first time in a very long time, actual happiness seems possible.

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:23:10 GMT

Meme Time!

SCATTERGORIES...it's harder than it looks! Rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...They must be real places, names, things...NOTHING made up! If
you can't think of anything, skip it. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

Your name: Bill
1. Famous singer/band: Bloodhound Gang
2. 4 letter word: Bold
3. Street name: Baltic Ave.
4. Color: Blue
5. Gifts/Presents: Bling
6. Vehicle: Bently
7. Items on a menu: Beer!
8. Girl name: Beth
9. Boy name: Bob
10. Movie Title: Bloodsport
11. Drink: Bloody Mary
12. Occupation: Boxer
13. Flower: Bluebell
14. Celebrity: Beckham
15. Magazine: BuisinessWeek
16. US City: Birmingham
17. Pro Sports Team: Brewers
18. Reason for being late to work: Blew a Tire
19. Something you throw away: Broken Bulbs
20. Things You Shout: Bitch!
21. Cartoon Character: Bugs!

Pictures

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 22:31:00 GMT

Well, I told you I'd post pictures of the great fence adventure. Here's how it went.

This is how the fence looked before I got started tearing down the existing fence at 7:30 am Saturday morning. Notice the crappy metal wire fence on the left side of the photo. It's a little hard to make out, but thats 90 feet of wire fence, with each post there buried two feet in the ground.

This is the fence at lunchtime. I'd pulled down the existing metal fence and the portion of the fence closest to the alley. "Pulled Down" may be to strong a word on that last one. It turns out that all three posts in the back section were rotted through. A single nail was supporting half of the back fence. I've no idea why it stood as long as it had.

This is how the fence looks right now. The tools have been cleaned up, and a single section mounted. Though when I get to the hardware store tomorrow, I'll likely replace the screws holding it. You can't really make it out, but we sank in three more fence posts, and dug another post hole most of the way down. There's a small boulder at the bottom that I haven't removed yet. I'm hoping to remove it tomorrow.

I'm only mildly disabled from the manual labor. Mainly my forearms and hands are sore. Go figure. Yesterday it was my back that hurt the worst. I've no idea why that changed.

Anyway, it's threatening to rain outside right now, so I don't think I'll do any more tonight. I do have a treat in store for you. I'm gonna photograph some of the rocks we pulled out of the fence holes we dug. I know, exciting times.

Defeat

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 01:00:00 GMT

I have been defeated. Betrayed by allies, and beset by faulty equipment. My campaign against the backyard fence has come to a temporary impasse.

The guys who live next-door who promised to help never bothered to wake up. It was me and my friend Seth. That's it. Let me tell you how much fun I had. We managed to get 10 posts sunk, and one fence section hung. We could have hung more but for the failure of my electric drill, and my phillips head screws. The drill has the torque, but the screws were stripping.

So currently I'm trying to relax after 8 hrs of exhausting work in the summer heat. Ok, so it's Pennsylvania heat, not Mississippi or Louisiana heat, but still. Monday I plan on upgrading my drill, and getting a corded drill with a socket-bit, with some socket head screws. Then my friends, victory WILL be mine.

I've got a picture I took at 7:30 this morning, and one I took at lunchtime on the camera, but I just don't have the energy to download em and put em up here now. Maybe tomorrow.

Bill

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:40:04 GMT

Do you ever feel that your vehicle is holding you hostage? The money for maintenance and repairs is less than paying on a new car, but the point is that if you DON'T pay for maintenance your car leave you stranded on the side of the road, or potentially kill you. If that isn't blackmail I just don't know what is.

I just don't understand people sometimes. I'm throwing a party this weekend, and I swear some people act like they're doing me a favor by coming to my house to drink my alcohol. For the love of God people, if you don't wanna go to a party just say so! I'm gonna be having a great time getting drunk with friends whether you show up or not.

So the final analysis of the fence problem is that I'm getting some friends to help me, and next weekend we're replacing about 1/3 of the fence. This should end up costing under a grand, and we'll probably get it done in one day. My boss was the one who pointed out that I don't have to replace the whole fence. This way I'll be able to afford little things like "food", and maybe save up for that new computer...

It's a gorgeous day outside today. Maybe I'll spend the evening outside.

Later,

7&7 at 7:07 on 7-7-07

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 20:15:13 GMT

This is the plan. The goal is to spread the celebration across the country. So far we've got two groups of friends in Seattle, a group here in Bloomsburg. With some luck I can spread this party all the way to Hawaii! Ok, so my goals are pretty small.

So, go ahead and comment if yer gonna participate. Should be interesting to see how it goes.

Estimate

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:27:50 GMT

So I finally got the estimate for the fence. 34 8' sections of fence with 2 gates. $7,400.00.

That comes out to $27.21 / ft. or $217.64 for each 8' section. Now that includes removing the existing fence, but I can't imagine that would cost more than 500 bucks or so (The dumpster would cost about 100-150).

I went to Lowe's online to find the price of sections of fence. Pre-stained, prebuild sections of treated fence cost $46.97 for each 8' section. Thats $1596.00 for the sections. The 4X4X8's will cost @ $10 each, and the gate hardware will run about $50 total. That brings the whole shebang up to just under $2k.

So, for $5,400 the local contractor will tear down the existing fence and put up another fence. Assume two 8 hr days to do the work: $336.5/hr.

Methinks I'm being taken for a ride. So, anyway I've called a different company to get an estimate from. But they're closing for a couple of days (Going fishing I guess), and will get back to me afterwards. I'll have to think about this for a while. I'm guessing that if I want a new fence, I'll have to do it myself. Fuckin Yay.

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:14:53 GMT

So, sometime today I should get a call from the Fence contractor. He's gonna tell me how bad they wanna bleed me to replace the fence. *sighs* They're gonna use a Bobcat with an Auger tool to dig the holes, so I have to wait for them to _do_ the fence before I put in that patio. I wouldn't be so concerned with the fence if I wouldn't get sued to hell and back should someone break themselves on the existing POS. Liabilty. Fun times.

Found out where my family reunion is gonna be next year: Baja peninsula, Mexico. Should be a good time, though I'd better work on getting that passport soonish. I understand that there's currently a long delay. I'll definately have to get one of those Faraday wallets for it though. Yay RFID tags! I know.. it's not really safe, but leave me my illusions. I know they're fake, but they make me feel better all the same.

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 13:57:20 GMT

So. Over a month since my last post. Sorry about that.
I suppose what it gets down to is that nothing really interesting is going on in my life. I'm trying to save up some money, since I seemed to have hemorrhaged money last quarter.

I did have some friends over for a Starwars movie-a-thon on the 25th. We sat down and watched all three of the original starwars movies in rapid succession. I finally convinced my friend Diana to bring down her boy-toy. She's been dating this guy for 10 months, and only now brought him by. She's one of the ones who almost never makes it to parties though so, go figure.

The knife practice has been going pretty well. We've taken a few days off since my sparing partner had to go to Houston for work. Most of my bruises have managed to heal. I'll have to do something about that next week.

As usual I have more plans for work around the house than I have energy for accomplishing them. I suppose it keeps me out of trouble. This weekend however I think I'll start pulling up bricks from my back yard. I can't really plan anything until I know how many I actually have. Maybe I'll get motivated and take some before/after pictures so I can show you guys what I've been working on.

Anyway, back to the grind.

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:31:51 GMT

I just ran across a quote that I love. Apparently it's from "a freelance game and SF reviewer, and a noted Usenet personality", from a topic discussing the concept of teaching "The King's English" vs slang around 1990.

"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse (trollop). We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary." - - - James D. Nicoll

This is you random quote for the day.

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:55:54 GMT

I can always tell when I had a good practice session the night before. Lessie... one raspberry about the size of a dollar coin right on the chest, a nice bruise near my right armpit, and I've got a couple of sore ribs. Woo!

We've been working on dagger for the last few weeks, and I convinced the guys that running through slow drills on advanced techniques shown in the Codex Wallerstein isn't gonna teach us anything about knife fighting if we don't have the foundation of skill. I just don't think I'll get anything out of it until I've been actually fighting with knives for a while. So we took some aluminum facsimiles and went at it. Fencing Mask, Welding Gloves, and a 3 wpn. jacket? Check! And much violence was had by all. I think I learned more last night than I did in the previous 2 wks.

Interesting Meme.

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:45:22 GMT

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want -- good or bad. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people remember about you.

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:07:06 GMT

So, this is what 30 feels like. Strangely like 29.. who knew?

It seems funny to me how we love to divide organic gradual changes into discrete categories. Not just aging and geography, but cultural changes too. That's my deep though for the year, now I can go back to being shallow and oblivious like normal.

So, I got motivated yesterday and began some archaeological excavations in my back yard. I don't have any photographs, but it turns out that there's a substantial amount of brick work in my back yard that has been covered by years of overgrowth. I managed to uncover a very small patio, and some brick work underneath the hose faucet, and began the adventure of clearing off the small concrete path leading to the front yard. All of this got me wondering where I should go with the backyard landscaping. I originally though extending the wood deck out would be a good idea, but now that i've seen the brick already there I'm wondering if I should just do that instead. The existing brick would have to be pulled up and replaced with a correct soft foundation so either way it's a lot of work, and both will be way out of my current price range. So, I'll get your opinion on it!

View Poll: Back Yard Design

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 14:33:17 GMT

Well, I survived last week. Now i have 3 more days of idle time before the Doom that Came to Bloomsburg begins. That would be my 30th birthday party. Technically it doesn't start until Saturday, but I may have some friends coming in from out of town Friday. If they do, we'll be morally obligated to go find new and interesting alcoholic beverages... and drink them.

The wedding was nice and short (I know, I'm being redundant), and afterward we all (including the bride and groom) went out to a surprisingly good restaurant/dining club. Apparently they got around the dry county by being a "Members and Guests only" club. $5 for a year. Awesome. After dinner we headed back to the hotel where about 10 of us kept the neighbors awake playing a really fun game called "Apples to Apples". We all had such a good time hanging out, we're gonna try to set up some kind of reunion for 2 yrs from now. It should be a really good time.

Anyway, the decorations for the party are ordered, now I just have to clean the house. I know, I live a live of adrenaline and excitement. Me. And my Vacuum!

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 17:00:10 GMT

Busy Busy.

Yadda yadda... haven't updated in a while.. blah blah etc.

I'm currently in one of those "lulls before the storm" periods. In about 1.5 hrs my boss and I drive to West Mifflin, PA for 2 nights. We're teaching two classes how to use our product. So, the suit is cleaned, and packed and all my stuff is ready to go. I actually like going to teach classes, because we get to meet actual users, and see how they go about using our product.

In any case, I won't be home again till Thursday night, probably around 10. The next day, I fly out of Allentown to go down to Leighann Derden's wedding, in Conway, AR. I'll get to see a whole bunch of friends I haven't seen in years. I expect to be... less than sober.

And of course, in just under two weeks I turn 30. Yup, by some vast cosmic conspiracy my 30th is on Easter. Go figure. Since I gave up hard-liqour for lent, that means midnight on the 7th I'm doing 3 shots. 1 for each decade. I'll just have to warm up with beer and cider till then.

I know that the closest person who reads this is over 1000 miles away, but yer all invited anyway. E-mail me for more info!

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 02:15:48 GMT

reahkitty Quiz time!

The Everything Test

There are many different types of tests on the internet today. Personality tests, purity tests, stereotype tests, political tests. But now, there is one test to rule them all.

Traditionally, online tests would ask certain questions about your musical tastes or clothing for a stereotype, your experiences for a purity test, or deep questions for a personality test.We're turning that upside down - all the questions affect all the results, and we've got some innovative results too! Enjoy :-)

Personality

You are more logical than emotional, more concerned about self than concerned about others, more atheist than religious, more loner than dependent, more lazy than workaholic, more traditional than rebel, more engineering mind than artistic mind, more cynical than idealist, more leader than follower, and more extroverted than introverted.

As for specific personality traits, you are romantic (86%), intellectual (73%).

Stereotypes
Young Professional	82%
Punk Rock	73%
Old Geezer	67%

Life Experience
Sex	47%
Substances	38%
Travel	18%

Politics
Your political views would best be described as Libertarian, whom you agree with around 79% of the time.

Socioeconomic
Your attitude toward life best associates you with Upper Class. You make more than 0% of those who have taken this test, and 28% more than the U.S. average.

If your life was a movie, it would be rated PG-13.
By the way, your hottness rank is 57%, hotter than 82% of other test takers.

TAKE THE TEST
brought to you by thatsurveysite

Interview

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:02:18 GMT

I've been interviewed!

Answers for olde_scratch

1. Are you happy in your job? What do you truly desire to be working on?

I'm always entertained that everyone keeps asking me about my job. I was always told when growing up to "Find something you love to do, then find someone to pay you to do it." However, I've found that the things you do for work you stop doing for fun. I used to work on code during my free time, now I do other things. What I've found to be a better mantra is "Find a job that is enjoyable more than tedious, and make sure you have a good work environment." I love my job. I get to sit at a computer and solve puzzles all day. Now, sometimes I get frustrated at a particular problem, and some days I'm stuck doing grunt work. I challenge you to show me a job that doesn't involve boring bits? My coworkers are good people, and my boss is awesome. On top of that, I'm getting paid good money, with excellent benefits. Eventually, I'll leave this job though. Stagnation being a bad thing, I intend to go back to school and get a PhD in artificial intelligences. Preferably working with combining existing methods to find something new. (Feedforward neural network initialized through a Genetic Algorithm etc).

2.Why do you come back to New orleans time and time again? (friends is a cop-out answer)

I actually saved this question for last. I think the answer is escapism. I really like my life, and I'm proud of my accomplishments but I do need a release. New Orleans rejuvinates me in a way that is hard to define, but I'll try. While I'm in New Orleans I realy just don't worry about anything at all. Everything will be ok, plans are not necessary (indeed! They tend to fail dramatically), everything works out just fine. Even when herding a group of 9 or 10 people around I'm in a good mood.

When I'm in New Orleans, I can breath easier, dance all night, wear contacts for 20 hrs straight, drink enough to kill a lesser man, and wake up refreshed the next day with about 5 hrs sleep on an Air Matress. I'm terrified of the concept of every living in New Orleans, because I'm afraid the magic would be gone. I'd wake up one morning, and it would be Just Another Place. So, for now at least, New Orleans will remain an anchor point for me. A retreat from the ordinary, and a solace for my spirit. Just knowing it exists helps keep me sane during the long-dark tea-time of the soul. Some people pray. Some people write. Some people drink themselves into oblivion. I remember New Orleans.

3. Is there any place you truly want to be?

No. Now that sounds wierd, but hear me out. Every place has its problems. I've lived in a lot of different places at this point, and I know that no matter where I am, there will always be a time when I wish I'd be someplace else. For instance, when I'm in the middle of shovelling snow from my driverway, I most definately am thinking about warm sunny Florida. However when I'm actually down south during the summer, the mild temperatures of PA sound like a dream. Ultimately speaking I'd like to end up near a transit hub. Someplace that travelling to other places becomes trivial.

4. What is the "deal-breaker" for finding a suitable female? What do you actually look for? What do you avoid?

Personality, Intelligence, Independence, Appearance. In that order. Dumb, bitchy, needy super-models need not apply. The reason I made sure personality is first is because that's how most of my long-term relationships have ended, with personality conflicts. I figure if I find myself constantly annoyed with someone I've been dating for only 6 months, why even stay in the relationship? I'm not quick to jump the gun on a break up though, I try to see things through. My last few relationships have all ended amicably though. As for the rest? Intelligence is pretty self explanitory. I'm an intellectual snob. I admit it. I want a partner who is intellectually stimulating, and can have a deep conversation. Independence is really important. I cannot, will not be someone's sole source of joy and entertainment. Appearance is the last quality. It sounds shallow, but there it is. If I cannot picture sleeping with someone, I'm probably not gonna be interested. Of course I follow my own definition of attractive, and no it's not easy to quantify. I don't know that I actively try to avoid anyone in particular. First impressions really matter though, so if someone comes off as annoying, bitchy, stupid, mean, or really really needy, I'm probably not gonna persue them.

5. Do you miss theater? Do you want to work on a show again someday?

Yes on both counts. I think I'd like to work in community theatre. I still love being a lighting monkey, and I do get a design itch every once and again. However I don't think I could handle professional theatre. Community theatre is much less stressful, and still involves colorful people and fun projects

Answers for lysisb

1. I understand you have a degree or two. What are they and how have you integrated this education into your life?

In '99 I earned a bachelors of Science in Applied Physics. Which translates to a Physics degree minus Mechanics II, plus an engineering minor, which I earned in Computer Science. I like to think earning this degree gave me a fundamental understanding of the basics on how the universe is put together. It expanded my frame of reference from the quantum scale to the galactic plus lets me answer questions like "Why is the sky blue?".

In Dec. of 2001 I earned a Masters of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Computer Graphics. I switched to computer science because I didn't enjoy lab work (which I did for 5 yrs over both degrees), and didn't want to teach. This left little to do with a degree in Physics, so I switched to Computer Science. This degree I use on a daily basis. The software engineering principals I learned in school are the foundation of my work. I am the go-to-guy in my company for 3D graphics. As a result I've designed systems for rendering the internal components of nuclear power plants in 3D. How cool is that?

2. Do you have any strong religious affiliations?

None official, though I was raised Catholic and so I still practice some of the beliefs in my every day life. For instance, I gave up liquor and beer for lent, and I don't eat meat on Fridays during Lent. However, I'm having a zombie themed costume birthday party on the evening before Easter, so I'm not exactly Orthodox.

3. If intergalactic space travel were possible what would you be most curious to discover?

How intergalactic space travel is possible without encountering trouble with relativity.

4. If you could hop on a jet right now and have it take you to anyplace in the world, where would you go?

Bad time to ask. I'm still recovering from Mardi Gras. "Home" comes to mind.. Next week I might have a different answer.

5. Do you have a favorite book? Maybe a tied top 5?

I have favorite series, rather than books, mainly because I can't dissociate one book in a series from all the others.

The Saga of Recluse by L.E.Modesitt Jr.
The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist
The Belgariad by David Eddings
The Dresdon Files by Jim Butcher
The Coldfire Trilogy by C. S. Friedman

Answers to lililly

1. What was your favorite moment of Mardi Gras this year?

You want me to sift through 5 days of drunken debauchery and find a single crystalline moment of joy? Don't ask for much do ya... Let's see.. There was a moment, walking by myself from Endymion to meet up with ya'll and Scratch at Erin Rose. I was filled with an overwhelming feeling of contentment. A rightness in the universe, as though a thousand slackers side in pleasure, and dropped off to sleep.

2. Lets be honest here, you seem like a really lovely, awesome guy (well, from everything I can tell from our very brief time in NOLA), but what 5 qualities or attributes do you think you have that make people instantly like you?

You're just repeating questions you asked Scratch ;-). I'm really laid back as far as most things go. I don't take myself, life, or much of anything too seriously. I was born with the "Lucia Tongue", gifted to me by my Mother's side of the family. No, you pervert, I mean I can talk easily with strangers, or in front of groups with no problems. I like to think that I have a quick wit, though oddly enough I spend a lot of energy dulling my wits with drink.. so go figure. I'm good at defusing tension from uncomfortable situations with humor.

3. In comparison, what are 5 things that you don’t like about yourself?

I'm a condescending smart ass, and frequently give offense inadvertently. I'm lazy. Really lazy. Right now I'm answering these questions rather than cleaning or doing laundry, or working on home repairs. I've got a fiery temper when I get frustrated, which can lead to me yelling. I'm probably too comfortable by myself, and I can be very selfish sometimes.

4. What are you scared of the most? What really makes you shake in your big huge ass Quarter Boots?

Dying alone. I think it would be ok, if there was someone there with me. But dying in a ditch somewhere with no one noticing or caring what's going on has to to be the thing I fear most.

5. What are 5 things that you cannot live without on a daily basis (I ask this one a lot, but it really interests me!)

Umm the obvious smart-ass answer involves Oxygen, and Water.. but seriously? Nothing. I'd say my computer, but I've spent whole weeks without touching my laptop before. I'd say human companionship, but anyone who knows me well enough would know that's just a bold-faced lie. My interests are diverse enough that if you take something away from me, I'll just do something else. Seriously. I've been diverted for hours just drawing in the dirt with sticks before.

Answers to bridget_coila

1. You've had to deal with being on the periphery of a few different conflicts between friends (often two sides of a couple) during the past year. How do you handle it when there are major conflicts between two people you are friends with?

Poorly? In general I try to make sure both sides know two things: 1. I'm their friend no matter what the outcome. 2. They'd better leave me the hell out of it. I don't wanna hear it, from either side. Especially from couples. When a pair of people have been together for years, the seem to accumulate an arsenal of weapons to use against each other, and I refuse to be one of them. Other then that, I just try to be as supportive as possible.

2. Now that you've been living in your house for a couple of months, what do you like and dislike about homeownership? Anything you didn't realize before buying the house that you know now?

For the most part, it really isn't all that different, as far as day-to-day concerns go. Every once in a while it hits me though that everything in, on and around my house is _mine_. If I want to wander around the house bashing walls with a ballpean hammer, there's nothing to stop me! When I'm grilling in the back yard, and need a coal-poking stick, I just grab a convenient stick from the nearest bush. They're my bushes after all...

3. Sometimes you seem happy to be cynical, which seems kinda contradictory. How do you reconcile your relentless cynicism with your ability to stay generally positive towards people?

I'm a cynic. That doesn't mean I have to be unhappy or mean. Just that when two events are equally likely, the one that is worse will happen. What? I should worry about that? Hardly. I find knowing the worse is more likely is rather liberating. As for my opinion for people, my cynicism is more directed at "People" rather than individuals. "A person is intelligent, People are vicious dangerous animals.". I've also discovered that most people in the world fall into a vast category "A good person to have a drink with." I've known people in this category who later went to jail, or cheated on their wives etc, but I can deal with just about anyone on a superficial pleasant chatting level.

4. You were an absolutely wonderful friend to my brother and Kaela when you let them stay with you when they were displaced after Katrina. What qualities do you see as being important in a friend & what do you see as the things you need from someone who is a close friend to you and/or what qualities do you think you have that make you a good friend to others?

You think about these things too much. The way I tell "friend" from "Life Long Friend" is simple. After a long period of being away from them, when we hang out does it feel like any time passed? That's it. I don't "look" for anything in friends, nor do I expect anything from them. I accept them as they are. If someone doesn't accept me as I am, then they really aren't my friend are they? When I offered a place to stay for your brother n Kaela it wasn't as though I pondered long and hard, or considered things. They needed, and I had. I don't think about scratching my head when it itches either.

5. What are three things I don't know about you but you think I should?

Cop out question! That's like 3 in one!

- My mom's father was an Olympic fencing coach who instructed me from his wheelchair when I was very young.
- It is very likely that my late great-uncle Raymond flew with your grandfather Pal in WWII (Flying Tigers).
- I'm pretty handy with a 4ft signal whip.

1. Leave me a comment saying, "interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions.
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
6. I will update this post as other people ask my questions in their own journals.

Sat, 10 Feb 2007 03:56:02 GMT

Who says ya can't grill in winter! I just finished kicking my friends out of my house after hosting a small steak dinner. I marinaded two angus London Broils in Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, black pepper and seasoning salt for about 2 hrs and tossed em on the grill. Ohh. so yummy! So the grill was standing in snow? What of it?

in 6 days 13 hrs and 10 minutes I'll be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Hopefully I'll get to see everyone! olde_scratch mentioned something about a party Saturday night, instead of wandering around the quarter. I don't know if he's still gonna throw one or not.

I think this may be the last Mardi Gras for my current pair of combat boots. They've had a good run of it, but the treads are worn almost completely smooth, and they don't hold out water quite as well as they used to. Ah, well. Maybe I can convince Scratch to take a swing by the Army Surplus while I'm down there.

Thanks to everyone who posted a comment w/ regards to the previous post. It was fun. If you didn't, feel free to post there. I'll answer it for fun if nothing else.

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:47:09 GMT

Stolen Shamelessly from olde_scratch
Comment here and I'll.....
1---Tell you why I friended you
2---Associate you with a song/movie
3---Tell a random fact about you
4---Tell a first/favorite memory about you
5---Associate you with an animal/fruit
6---Ask something I've always wanted to know about you

Fair's fair, if you're going to play you have to repost in your lj.

Am I Ready For This?

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:25:21 GMT

Busy weekend ahead! It turns out that a friend of mine is moving out to South Dakota this weekend. Tonight is his send-off. At this point I'm mildly concerned as to my sobriety when the party tommorow night starts. Oh, in addition I'm running my standard Shadowrun game Sunday. Ever have the foreshadowing that come Monday a whole weekend will sound like a "Bad Idea(tm)"?.

I guess I'll see about fixing that fence _next_ weekend, 'cause I'm just not thinking I'll be in any condition to consider manual labor tommorow. That and the forecast is rain for the entire weekend. Hope that doesn't prevent people from showing up to the party.

Anyway, it's about quittin time. Have a good weekend everyone!

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:16:46 GMT

Is it safe to come out yet? Have those X-mas holiday type things finally left? I actually enjoy the holidays. I get to hang out with my parents, who I see too rarely and my brother who I can tollera.. ahem enjoy hanging out with!

Ok, so the good news: I'm alive. I'm slowly yet steadily pulling myself out of the financial hole that ripped into my life when I bought the house. I bought my plane tickets to Mardi Gras, and shouldn't have any major purchases till I fly down to Leighann's wedding in March.

The bad news: Still single, with no prospects (damned small towns). My laptop is out of date. A section of my fence in the back yard ripped down in a windstorm last night because a neighbors rain gutter rotted out the post completely through.

The plan: Party this saturday. Get my buddy Eric to help me fix the fence (he's got a truck so the trip to the lumber yard will be easier). Spend more time out and about town as opposed to sitting home at the house. Dieting and Exercise!

The Goals: Get in shape by March. In particular lose at least 10 lbs, and drop my pants-size down to at least 34. Buy a new computer in the Summer, either a new laptop or a beast of a desktop. I haven't decided which yet.

I'll let you know how it works out.

Party, Cleanup and Life

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 14:40:18 GMT

So, the party was this last saturday. The usual crowd including the guys I work with, the people I game with, some from Anime Club, and a group from J&J's gaming crowd formed the core of the party group. My boss and his wife showed up, which was a pleasant surprise. The biggest shock of the entire evening goes to Rick Frank though. I arrive home from making a drink n food run to see him standing on the porch. I was floored.

Thus did the drunken debauchery begin. The hurricane mix flowed like water, and yea the party did commence. Nate brought DDR, (gawd help us) so much of the night was divided between drunken DDR, and drunken Air Hockey. It was a good time. A girl named Erica won the "Has Most Beads" contest. I think it helped that she replaced her top with one made entirely of painter's tape.

Mostly everyone left by 4/5 am, but Caroline and I stayed up playing DDR and Air Hockey till dawn. Where upon I collapsed for 5 or so hours. I owe Caroline someone's soul. She and her boyfriend Joe stayed sunday, and helped me clean up. I still have about 2 dishwasher loads of dirty glasses to clean, but mostly the house is back to normal. There's still some paraffin on the floor, but that shouldn't be too hard to deal with. I didn't see anyone taking pictures, and I failed to get my digital camera fixed before the party. So... NO PICTURES FOR YOU! Hahahahahah.. ahem. Anyway, that was the party.

For those who said you'd come, and didn't? Your Loss. We had fun without you.

For those who couldn't make it and told me so ahead of time? Wish ya coulda been here.