DAMN IT

Fucker.

*flips microsoft the bird*

"Oh, there isn't an emoticon that properly displays my anger"

I just spent the last 30 freakin' minutes writing a post that got FUCKED by Microsoft and the fucktard that wrote that damn program!

Removing spyware? Why does that require me to FUCKING CLOSE MY BROWSER? DID YOU ASK? NO, YOU JUST FUCKING DID IT.

So now all you will get is this pissed off post because I have to RECAPTURE the feelings of the last 30 minutes (plus dial up load time) because of this fucking system.

Did I mention FUCK, yet?

I hate this shit. Have to use my dad's computer to update because the internet is out, I'M ON DIAL UP AFTER NOT HAVING IT FOR A WEEK AND IT DOES ME THE FAVOR OF ERASING MY FREAKING POST!!!!!!

I'm serious. I don't think I can properly put my rage into words. I WILL PERSONALLY STRANGLE THE MAN WHO CODED THAT!!!

Grr....

Stupid freakin'....

Why? Why the hell does that make sense? Dumb Fuck.

Mountain Con I <--- It's HERE!

Instead of posting of why I'll not be posting, I'll post something else that will offhandedly explain it:

"Feel free to post this to any interested mailing lists.

This Saturday, September 24th, Mountain-Con I will be presented for the
fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Two years of dreaming, countless
hours of planning and working. Numerous donations and many nights propped
up by caffeine to get the final details completed are about to come to
fruition. (you can't tell that I'm very tired as I'm typing this can you
) Again I want to thank everyone who has stepped forward to help
out. Without volunteers we would not have the fandom community that we do
now.

We have past the needed number of room nights required by the Salt Lake
Airport Hilton. This was reached earlier this month (and well before the
deadline) however we were too busy to stop and celebrate. I would like to
thank everyone who purchased a room. And I would especially like to thank
those groups who are holding room parties at Mountain-Con.

All of the guests are excited about coming to Utah. This will be the first
visit to the Beehive State for the majority of them. We also have fans and
dealers who will be arriving from California, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming,
Colorado and even Vermont and New Jersey. Lets make sure that everyone
feels welcome.

Registration can be purchased at the hotel on Friday Night from 6:00pm to
9:00pm. On Saturday morning, Registration will open at 9:00am. Events
will start at 10:00am and continue until after 11:00pm. The schedule has
been posted on the Mountain-Con website, http://www.MountainCon.org I know
that a lot of fans are looking forward to the Hogwarts Sorting
Ceremony. Which house will you be sorted into?

We will be running a special Hall Costume Contest with the participants
appearing on stage later in the day. Find your best costumes to show off
and polish them for other fans to see.

I would also like to thank the gamemasters. I know we were unable to get
our pre-registration up for the gaming events but there will be plenty of
events for everyone to participate in.

Media, Anime and Fan Films will be shown. Thank you to those who have donated.

Time for rest. Soon the convention will be upon us. Mountain-Con I awaits.


Carl Stark, Convention Chair
Mountain-Con 1, September 24, 2005
http://www.MountainCon.org"

I'll be there, the Kittens will be there, why aren't you planning on being there? You really should. $20 gets you unlimited access (and if you don't come to the whole day $7 gets you a concert!)

"Flightplan" of the brick wall.

Ok, so the wall doesn't have to be brick, but it definately made it more dramatic.

So I am up so late because I went to see a movie: "Flightplan" if you haven't caught on yet.

You are curious if it was good? Bet your bottom dollar. Seriously. This is the first movie in who knows how long that I found NOTHING to complain about. Zilch, nada, nein, zero... And so forth.

No joke, this was such a great movie, I recomend you see it in the theaters, straight up. It's a suspense sort of thing, too, and I never really saw it coming. Maybe I watched this one a bit differently, but I very much enjoyed it.

It takes place on a plane, how interesting can that be, right? But the way the plot unfolds leaves you asking yourself if the main character is insane. You would think that it would be easy to tell, right? But she KNOWS that something is true while EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE supports a completely opposite story. So now you have to figure out if she's insane (everyone else's take) or in the right (her take). It's so beautifully done, IMO. They seriously had me flipping between the two the entire movie. And having the actor who played Boromir as the plane's captain was not a shabby pick at all. It's really easy to identify with each of the main characters as well.

It really, really, was good.

On top of that, an answer of the day old question: "Would you rather be a wall or a glove?" Now I know that you're wondering "WTF?" And so was I, but I decided to take a momentary, random question and throw a decent curve ball right back. I decided to turn it into a philosophical thing like "Would you rather be a table or a chair?"

Whatever.

Give me my fun for a moment.

So here's the thing, I would rather be a wall. Now those of you that know me, know me well, and have known me for a while, will be "crap! Not again, do I have to hear this again?" but I'm running off with it, again, today always and forever. You obviously know that I'm a wall. You might even be able to explain to someone why that is. You might even get it right. But it has to do with what I envision myself as, (no, not really a wall) and some things that I try to mold myself after.

So: a wall is a protective feature. Walls are very handy. They are sturdy when built right (which will be an assumtion from now on). They stand firm against the ebbs and flows of nature, the wind, water, and even creatures find them impassable when working in tight unison. Walls stand firm and tall, you can use them for anything, face them in any direction. You can always count on a wall to be there, standing right where it should be. Some say that a wall is stubborn, but firmness can often be misconstrued for such. A wall doesn't move because there's no need to. They were built there for a reason, and just because the world shifts around them, that doesn't change their purpose.

Walls provide protection and shelter. You can always count on them to be there, and they don't complain when you leave them. They will stand just the same if there is 100 people sheltered from the wind and rain, or no people and it is sunny out. They are sturdy, now, tomorrow, three weeks from now and will be for a good time to come. You can count on them.

A glove on the other hand (no pun intended, honest) is an entirely different story.

A glove is maleable. It will shift to the whims of the wearer. A glove is a puppet, doing the bidding of it's master. A glove will morph and change to better suit the user, while a wall is as big as it needs to be, built with a purpose. A glove also has a purpose, to protect and be manipulated by the end user. There are all types of gloves, but they fit the same essential functions. They protect the user no matter what, no matter if they are pulling up some weeds, or carelessly handling acids. The glove is there only to sacrifice itself for the hand. The hand is there to manipulate the glove to it's will and purpose.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's a bit of a contrast that I'm seeing there, but by actually writing it out it allowed me to explore things a little bit. It allowed me to see the similarities a bit more easily...

Interesting...

I seriously believe that is where my gift of tolerance comes from. Man sees his neighbors faults and weaknesses, Nick from the Great Gatsby said that the eternal hope of man was that he could overlook his brother's shortcomings. Instead I find the similarities. It works better for me, but I often have trouble conveying those similarities to others around me... Hmm...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well today was take two of yesterday.

SSDD, but less so than yesterday.

Though the end once again made it look so much better. I will be tired tomorrow, but it will have been worth it.

Also, I got a half-hour of overtime by having someone help me stick it to a resolver, finally. It ended up infinately less cool then it was going to be, but so much cooler then sending it back to them.

Though I would like to see it become policy for us to be able to input "Read the frickin' work log before you even ponder sending this back to us" into it as a message before we send it off. But alas, the business kind of this world are so intertwined in respect and being proper. They fail to realize the kind subtletys that bluntness has to offer.

Somewhere over the course of human evolution we just seem to have forgotten the tactile pleasure of using a hammer.

Alas...

Why Do I Always Have to be Right?

North Koreans hold hands and drop teddy bears world wide as a sign of good will.

In other news, news at 11, why I would rather be a wall than a glove.

Stay tuned for more updates.

*dee* *dee* *deedeedee* *dee*







*dee*

DOH

Just wanted everyone to know that today was the day of hell. DOH.

It was really quite bad, a huge outage that piled callers on us and buried us for FOUR HOURS. Tomorrow should be mellow, I hope. At one point we had 107 people waiting for us to answer their call (at the time that I looked) and the first person had waited 17 minutes or more for us to answer his/her call.

Not pretty at all.

Turns out our ASA (Average Sevice A - something, basically the average time to answer a call) was 2 minutes or four minutes depending on if you were calling for a password or tech support. The numbers for the last several weeks have been 7 seconds. Just to give you an idea of the hell (that's 120-240+ seconds if you can't convert the math, so about 70 times or more the standard wait time).

Yeah, it was no good. I got only one break, partially my fault, because they wouldn't let us go to break during that rush. Which I don't really blame them, but I REALLY needed that break.

The day didn't get much better with having a caller yell at me, essentially, because he "knew" how to do my job better than I did. In one regard that's why I like the inexperienced caller, because they don't question the policy. I can't change the policy anymore then they can, so why do they need to get on me about it? That and some of our tools went down, again...

To be honest, it wasn't all bad, I did manage to save about 15% on...

But I did get to do my first remote session. Basically I remotely manage a caller's computer so that I can uninstall/reinstall software. Someone from Virginia, I think. It was something that tech support should have done, but they didn't do it right. So me, this lowly password reset guy, no experience with it at all, did it. And did it right. Sure, I asked for help in one or two trouble spots, but I got the job done. Now I just need to get paid for doing the job that I'm doing. $3 difference per hour for that sort of thing.

AND it looks like I'll have this Sunday off so that I can sleep and not be freaked out at work. Sure, it's a Sunday, so it's not a big thing, but I REALLY don't want to be up all night Saturday AND THEN go to work on Sunday. Plus I'm sure I can be helpful if I don't work.

So it looks like I might have a line in the water to hook some of you for Mtn. Con. Yeah, for those of you that aren't already involved with the planning/volunteering, heh. If the famous people doesn't get you (even the Dragonlance author), then the concert should. If the Vatican says their good, then they've got to be good, right? (No, they aren't religious rock, the Vatican just gave them the proverbial thumbs up for being a drug free band and some other cool stuff.)

I think I'm done here, now. I plan on having my baby by the end of the week, time schedules permitting. I've just been completely screwed with the companies hours. The company I'm getting it from has a service window of 7-7 CENTRAL TIME. Which is just outside of my free minute period (exactly the opposite hours, actually) and is pretty much when I'm working. So I just said "screw it" and fired them off an e-mail about it. So in theory I could have a response by tomorrow, and even better is that I could have that puppy by week's end. If nothing else I'll go pick up an external hard drive so that I can start installing all sorts of fun things on it.

Alright, I think that's about enough from me and my random interludes. Good news in the news today, if you believe the talk about North Korea. We shall see, but in the furthest corner of my mind there's a sliver of intelligence saying "don't buy into it". I hate being a realist, everyone thinks you're so cynical all the time...

Ah ha!

You thought you were going to make it out alive? But you had no chance to survive!

Ah, ah, ah...

Well yesterday was interesting. Saving the world, +1! We spent the entirety of the day (after 1pm, because even evil Gods won't wake early on a Saturday) fighting a great beast of Hell. Someone's icy hell. It was kinda great, if you ever want to see me play a Nun, you missed it. I was the Black Nun-ja (among other things) with my holy shurikens in the shape of justice (or a cross, whichever's closer). It was a ferocious battle, I actually liked my choice of character. At one point I actually turned the tide of battle, win or lose, was on me. But only because I had almost nearly forgotten about the coolest item I had all game.

But we kept the beast from coming forth and saved our corner of the world. But alas, we weren't through...

As we were leaving a real life crisis was unfolding. We stood near the door shaking hands and exchanging final good byes, then came a woman's scream from without! We opened the door not sure if it was the roudy group upstairs (there had been a party brewing all day), but it turned out being a group accross the way. Turns out their domestic dispute went a little violent. The man ended up dragging the woman, all the while screaming "Help! Help!"

We called the police and were constantly ready to pounce if the need should have arrived, but they remain cloaked in their home. The police showed up shortly there after and it was a testament to their training. They knock on the door once, ring the door bell once, and needed to hear her scream, just once...

They were in the middle of figuring out whether or not to go through the door or the window when the struggle inside tipped a lamp. It was a sight! The policemen spun on the spot, took no more then two steps and shattered the door frame as if it had never been there.

We ended up staying so that my father, basically in the middle of the (not fighting) action, had to fill out a report. He had been near the door the entire time, including the entry.

It was a sight, but equal to the magnitude of that was the state of mind that they maintained. The woman's first comment was: "Who's going to pay for that?" The man's was "I thought you couldn't come in without a warrant." with the entering officer (the one who kicked in the door) replied to the man "You left the door unlocked."

It was exciting to say the least.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well all that aside, it's still Sunday, so if you're reading this tomorrow, I DID NOT FORGET THE SONG OF THE WEEK.

I'm just having an extremely tough time deciding. On one hand I have a very powerful song that I picked last Tuesday. It was a great shield of mine, but then I have posted only serious songs here, songs with messages, and that's not the sole purpose of them.

The only defense of life is not a shield, or a sword. But laughter heals all wounds, so I turn to my friend Wierd Al for support. And yet there's still a choice...

A rough choice...

In the end, it doesn't even matter. There are some that will do better, but many of them you have to be listening to (as I am now) to get the reason why I would have picked them. The ones that truly amaze me of his are packed full of humor (whether it makes sense or not) and rhyme the entire time. Ok, not really, but some that mean nothing to me, lyrics wise, are awesome because of the way they are performed/recorded.

So I leave you with "That's your horriscope for Today". One of my favorites, and all you Saggitarius should pay heed when you listen (because you all have, or will have, a copy of this song). The saggitarius part is pretty much my favorite:

"Your Horoscope For Today"

Aquarius
There's travel in your future when your tongue freezes to the back of a speeding bus
Fill that void in your pathetic life by playing Whack-A-Mole seventeen hours a day

Pisces
Try to avoid any Virgos or Leos with the Ebola virus
You are the true Lord of the Dance, no matter what those idiots at work say

Aries
The look on your face will be priceless when you find that forty pound watermelon in your colon Trade toothbrushes with an albino dwarf, then give a hickey to Meryl Streep

Taurus
You will never find true happiness - what you gonna do, cry about it?
The stars predict tomorrow you'll wake up, do a bunch of stuff, and then go back to sleep

That's your horoscope for today (that's your horoscope for today)
That's your horoscope for today
That's your horoscope for today (that's your horoscope for today)
That's your horoscope for today

Gemini
Your birthday party will be ruined once again by your explosive flatulence
Your love life will run into trouble when your fiance hurls a javelin through your chest

Cancer
The position of Jupiter says you should spend the rest of the week face down in the mud Try not to shove a roll of duct tape up your nose while taking your driver's test

Leo
Now is not a good time to photocopy your butt and staple it to your boss's face, oh no Eat a bucket of tuna-flavored pudding, then wash it down with a gallon of strawberry Quik

Virgo
All Virgos are extremely friendly and intelligent - except for you
Expect a big surprise today when you wind up with your head impaled on a stick

That's your horoscope for today (that's your horoscope for today)
That's your horoscope for today
That's your horoscope for today (that's your horoscope for today)
That's your horoscope for today

Now you may find it inconceivable or at the very least a bit unlikely
that the relative position of the planets and the stars could have
a special deep significance or meaning that exclusively applies to only you,
but let me give you my assurance that these forcasts and predictions
are all based on solid, scientific, documented evidence, so you would have
to be some kind of moron not to realize that every single one of the is absolutely true.

Where was I?

Libra
A big promotion is just around the corner for someone much more talented that you
Laughter is the very best medicine, remember that when your appendix bursts next week

Scorpio
Get ready for an unexpected trip when you call screaming from an open window
Work a little harder on improving your low self-esteem, you stupid freak

Sagittarius
All your friends are laughing behind your back (kill them)
Take down all those naked pictures of Ernest Borgnine you've got hanging in your den

Capricorn
The stars say that you're an exciting and wonderful person, but you know they're lying If I were you, I'd lock my doors and windows and never never never never never leave my house again

That's your horoscope for today (that's your horoscope for today)
That's your horoscope for today
That's your horoscope for today (that's your horoscope for today)
That's your horoscope for today

That's your horoscope for today (that's your horoscope for today)
That's your horoscope for today
That's your horoscope for today (yay yay yay yay yay)
That's your horoscope for today

This one you really, really have to listen to. I'll attempt to find a copy for you.

The end of trigonometry.

Attn call center employees:

Link to a hilarious call to Best Buy.

"Are you sure that you don't want to take the survey?"

I wouldn't have a clue with what to do in this situation. This gal totally deserves a medal and a promotion. Hilarious.

Now I'm done, I promise.

All this, and from a pig?

Ok, this was just too humorous to pass up. Learn about you in entirety by drawing a pig! Here are my results! I would have kept the pig, but I picked the wrong answer at one point and reset the page (it was an accident, like I know what they're going to say about me!).

So here's what you can tell about me, these are conclusions based off of how you answer your questions about your drawing:

- Toward the middle of the frame, you are a realist.

- Facing front, you are direct, enjoy playing devil's advocate and neither fear nor avoid discussions.

- With few details, you are emotional and naive, you care little for details and are a risk-taker.

- With 4 legs showing, you are secure, stubborn, and stick to your ideals.

- The size of the ears indicates how good a listener you are. You are a good listener.

- The length of the tail indicates the quality of your sex life. You have a good sex life.

Now you try, I promise it won't take much time away from your Snape enthralled day, but I was definately amazed at how well they pegged my sex life. C'mon, it'll be fun, or are you afraid that we might learn something of you?

More links.

For those of you that don't go back to see how many freakin' entries I post, not only don't I blame you, but I will tell you. This is the third one today, already, but Fark had some big news to share:

Lego rocks your freakin' socks.

How does an Oracle of old tell time? Without a calendar?

As a matter of fact, my computer DID catch fire.

Dinosaurs never much found in Scotland, until now.

Meet my friend, Static Shock.

One of these days! Bam, straight to the Moon!

Meh, didn't read this, but the seat of our nation's leader was just sold. In theory.

One more thing, for you DragonLance fiends out there...

One more thing just occured to me as I was reading my e-mail:

Carl Stark
to utahfandom, announce
11:20 am (20 minutes ago)
Greetings Everyone

We are just a week away from Mountain-Con I and new developments are
unfolding all of the time.

We are proud to announce that local author Dan Willis will be a guest at
Mountain-Con. Dan has written several DragonLance books for Wizards of the
Coast including:

DragonLance: The New Adventures
Book #3 The Dragon Well
Book #7 Dragon Knight
Trinistry Trilogy #3 Wizard's Return (released May 2006)

----------------------------------------------------------

Hopefully I'm not overstepping my bounds by doing this, but it's a public mailing list anyways and we need the publicity.

So yeah, he's not Tracy Hickman and friends, or anything, but it might just be the opportunity for you fans out there to meet a mucky-muck and or get a book signed. It definately can't hurt. But like I've been saying all along, you'll be with friends. I'll be there as a part of the security detail and you've likely met a few of us before if you've ever been around me... At all... (Some of you are these people, so naturally you've met yourselves.)

Now for the shameless plug: MountainCon I at the airport hilton. Transportation IS NOT AN EXCUSE. Even having prior plans won't save you (unless it's something big, like you are in labor or something). It's a mere $20. I'll be there (should probably stop saying that, I want you to come). We'll have a rockin' band (punk actually). And plenty of games, panels and guests:

Scheduled Guests Include:

Vaughn Armstrong

Rena Owen

Bill Blair

Craig Richard Nelson

William Sargent

Dave Wolverton

Switchblade Kittens.

Go to www.mountaincon.org for more information. On the home page it has a picture of each of the guests and actually rotates through their characters if you don't recognize the names (for shame!).

It's only one day, unfortunately, but it's a jam-packed Saturday and you're all invited to the party! What's better then that?

FEMA

No, it's not the strongest bone in the body. Sheesh.

I didn't really want to start on this so early, the whole posting and being on the computer part, it's my day off, afterall. But I was watching one of the CNN channels and they went through talking about what FEMA's responsibilities were, are, and what they had done to support those.

I still support them, in fact, that little segment helped to boost my support for them. I think I need to reitterate that NO ONE figured on the impact of the storm and NO ONE saw that levy breaking in New Orleans. How do you prepare for that? I suppose I should just sit and wait for the "big one" to hit the west coast and then bitch at FEMA because they weren't able to keep California from sinking? What's the logic in that? FEMA responds to emergencies that have occured, they don't stop them from happening and they aren't profits. The media has a misguided outlook that our government officials (at any level) NEED to be perfect and if they're not, they're not right for the job and be ousted. Wierd. Pot calling the kettle black, anyone?

FEMA did plenty of pre-emptive preperations. They airdropped food VERY QUICKLY. But somehow that's not enough, maybe it's the fact that the media had told them that there were going to be 9,000 more dead (in New Orleans alone). Not likely, but still, how do you prepare for something like that? What's the last major catastrophe (natural catastrophe) that hit? Wasn't that hurricane Andrew in the mid-90s?

It just irritates me that the media throws around the weight that our poor brothers and sisters give them. They can turn the tide of public opinion with simple lies and miscalculations, underestimations, and most of us fall hook, line, and sinker for it. I don't get this.

So, now, what would YOU have done differently? Oh, come on, you have as much experience as the guy who was running the show (just ask the media). So it should be easy. Especially for those of you that are actively criticising FEMA and know that it could have done better. So What Would You Do?

Link time.

This was just too freaking funny to pass up, comp. users and nerds will get it, but so will my coworkers who might not fit the bill, lol:

AOL and MSN planning possible merger that could result in massive ball of suck powerful enough to warp space and time.

That's as found posted from Fark, just had to share.

ROFLMAO, that's still great.

*whipes tears from eye*

Hurray for water!

The dreaded "bounce".

Today was a helluva day. I tell you what.

Two VIP calls (they have to be handled lickety split AND as curteous and sweet as peach pie) and one that baffled even my immediate supervisor (here on called a Team Lead or TL)...

The worst part about it was that they "bounced" the tickets. Well, a bounce is when you send off the work to a specialized group called a resolver, and they send it back. They "resolve" things that we can't, either we don't have the tools for it, or we just don't have the know how. Typically a bounce involves the resolver taking one look at your ticket, deciding that a) you didn't do your job, b) they don't actually handle that or c) they just freakin' don't want to do their job. AT LEAST HALF of my tickets that are ever sent off get bounced. Not because I did something wrong, but because the resolvers need to get kicked, at least. We're convinced that they get paid to sit around and play Halo. What a rough job.

Well today I had someone call in saying that she had been locked out. Now for those of you that have never had any experience with a secure login before: you get locked out, typically, after three failed password attempts or various other security violations that will nail you for it. Capital One is uber uptight about their security. The whole coal-to-diamond out of the ass thing, yeah, that uptight. So that's why my job exists, because people forget passwords and or lock themselves out. Anyways, get a call, she says she's locked out. Because I just got my tools I'm like "Ok, no sweat." Open that sucker up and... She's not locked out. So I go into a similar tool that lets me reset the password, she's really definately not locked out, but I change the password anyways and have her try that. Nothing. So I call that special group that handles things that I can't (PAD, PAD's internal and not technically a resolver. Not sure what PAD stands for, but for some reason I REALLY want to work for them.), they open up the account, take two looks and say "Yep, damn, you're right. Wierd." Ok, not so much exactly like that, but close enough.

So I take it up to a team lead as per our little chain of command on the issues. He gives me the go ahead to send it to a resolver (it's a recent policy addition that we need all of our referrals checked off by a team lead). I send it off figuring that it is too wierd to be a fix on our end and that the resolver will take care of it no sweat.

So naturally they did their job, right? Pfft. That would be easy.

They send it back to me, not only saying that they aren't going to do anything about it, but trying to insult me by saying that I didn't do my job and try to trouble shoot it. Basically before sending it off, we get it checked off AND make sure that we have done everything possible to narrow down the actual issue. I get ahold of my Team Lead and have him READ EVERY STEP THAT I DID. They had told me, and asked me, if I had used this one tool when that was the FIRST THING that I did. It's just easier that way.

So he reads it, and confers with some other high muckity muck about it and tells me that he bounced it back. End of the issue?

Again, that would be easy.

Apparently the resolver is too busy having a Halo tournament to do THEIR JOB. So they bounce it, AGAIN, saying basically that it was so locked and that I should use that same tool, again. But they made a fatal mistake, they left a contact number.

So I grab that TL and tell him about it, he's like "Great, give them a call, I'll be right there behind you." So with reightous indignation I am totally about to dial the number when I figure, what the hell, I'll run that tool for at least a third time (probably fourth or fifth, honestly).

So it pulls up, waiting for it to load and populate all of the accounts and BLAMO! There it is, plain as day that it's locked out. I look over my shoulder in disbelief at the TL who's totally going "WTF?" And when we pulled it up, I can look at when the accounts were locked out. Apparently somewhere between us bouncing it to them the second time, and their second bounce back, the account got locked out. I look at him "Dude, look at this, this totally looks like the resolver locked up the account to cover their tracks." So we unlocked the account and left a voicemail for the gall with the account. Here's the other thing. The "last bad password" meaning that the last time the account was attempted with the wrong password after the lockout WAS SEVEN MINUTES different from the lockout time, later not sooner. So someone tried FOR AT LEAST SEVEN MINUTES to try to login. I don't know about you guys, but once I'm locked, I know I'm not getting in and give up. And I'm rather sure the original caller would have known that to.

Needless to say, we pretty much handled the bizarre situation, we think, and Resolvers just slipped about 20 notches on my esteem totem pole (yes, I have one, don't you?). That and having the damn exec team send stuff back when that SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN is freaking ridiculous. Can we do it? Most of the time. But the exec team does EVERYTHING WE DO, but faster. But EVERY SINGLE ticket that I have ever sent to them (as according to every procedure we have) has been bounced.

I really think we should just have everything internal and strangle the life out of each and every one of those resolvers. There's a definate attitude difference because even when I call them up, there's a problem. They always try to shove it back in your lap. Can we do it? Yes, the point is that we're following procedure and they apparently have none. We have access to plenty of tools that we're NO LONGER allowed to use. They even try to push that back on us.

Buggers.

But other then that, I got another major password to a major tool. Very sweat. One more major one to go and I will have most of the access I need. Two more and I will have ALL OF THEM, I'm pretty sure.

Hopefully my frustrations were entertaining enough for you today. Off to argue more, heh.

Shhhh!! I'm in bed.

Sorry, I got a wild hair to write something cryptic and pointed for some reason, so Tough!

So here we are, chatting it up, I don't even know you. I've spoken to you for months now, but we've never met. I've seen you before, even before we met, but how did we meet? Neither of us know. You insist that it was through a median that I didn't even know existed. But that never stopped us from being friends...

Mysterious stranger, we never knew each other, and found each other waiting. We became fast friends and have never stopped. It's odd, really.

And there you are, reading this.

Did you know that I knew you before we met? How mysterious. Terribly mysterious. I knew when I saw you the first time that you were someone I wanted to meet. Shhh. I can't let you know that. I watched you a bit for over a year. Not because I'm a stalking creep, but because you were there every time I turned around. Did you know it too? Or is that something you will never admit? I'd still like to meet you. But there's no chance to survive, someone has set us up the bomb.

Then the bomb went off and we're picking up the pieces of what? Of nothing, really...

I suppose I've said too much. But to be honest you'd have to be blind not to see. I'm rather surprised that I haven't been called on it. It's plain to see. I wish I could fight it more, but this is something that I'll have to hold out on. I don't think it would work, not that I wish it would fail. But I know the only way to fight it is to see if it passes, and suffer whilst it doesnt.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Had to switch things up again.

If you couldn't figure it out, it's about two sepperate people, from different countries even.

One of whom I am chatting with at the moment. Let's see if they're blind and know it's about them. Or if they'll bone up and admit that they knew all along.

My first "ABM" password reset.

W00t.

Ok, so google finally got off of their big butt and put a blog search toolbar out. Sheesh, couldn't believe that there wasn't one of those (on this site) already...

I got my first ABM password reset today. It was a really good feeling, I've got my tools now and can even use most of them! Good day for sure. Empowerment, I tell you.

(BTW, since you don't know what ABM is since I made it up, it's "All By Myself", figured you'd like to know, comma, comma comma, comma. *shrug*)

Also:

Watch as the federal courts are allowed to make saying the pledge of allegience unconstitutional. We've already had a supreme court ruling on this, on the same trial (I believe), I mean, big ol' WTF on that one. Bastards. No one really makes you say it, they can't. And it doesn't say WHO'S God we are united under. Leave it to the athiests to get in a tissy about something that only applies in school.

And then:

Proof that Bush DOESN'T control the weather. Ok, well less proof than a very scientific and alternate reason that the hurricanes have been bigger as of late. And it doesn't involve global warming. Go figure.

I know, I know.

I know it's a chain letter, but this one had to be passed on, not because of the threat of reward (which would be totally cool to see a miracle), but it was a touching story, fact or fiction (thanks Ms. Lofgran, long time no chat for sure):

The first day of school our professor introduced
>himself and challenged us to get to know someone we
>didn't already know. I stood up to look
>around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.
>I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady
>beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire
>being.
>
>She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose.
>I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"
>I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course
>you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.
>"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent
>age?" I asked.
>She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich
>husband, get married,and have a couple of kids..."
>"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have
>motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her
>age.
>"I always dreamed of having a college education and
>now I'm getting one!" she told me. After class we
>walked to the student union building and shared a
>chocolate milkshake.
>We became instant friends. Every day for the next
>three months we would leave class together and talk
>nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this
>"time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience
>with
>me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus
>icon and she easily made friends wherever she went.
>She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention
>bestowed upon her from the other students. She was
>living it up.
>At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at
>our football banquet. I'll never forget what she
>taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the
>podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech,
>she dropped
>her three by five cards on the floor.
>Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into
>the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so
>jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is
>killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so
>let me just tell you what I know."
>As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do
>not stop playing because we are old; we grow old
>because we stop playing.
>There are only four secrets to staying young, being
>happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and
>find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When
>you lose your dreams, you die.
>We have so many people walking around who are dead and
>don't even know it!
>There is a huge difference between growing older and
>growing up.
>If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one
>full year and don't do one productive thing, you will
>turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old
>and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I
>will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That
>doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to
>grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have
>no regrets.
>The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we
>did, but rather for things we did not do. The only
>people who fear death are those with regrets."
>She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The
>Rose."
>She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live
>them out in our daily lives.
>At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she
>had begun all those years ago.
>One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her
>sleep.
>Over two thousand college students attended her
>funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught
>by example that it's never too late to be all you can
>possibly be.
>
>
>When you finish reading this, please send this
>peaceful word of advice to your friends and family,
>they'll really enjoy it!
>
>These words have been passed along in loving memory of
>ROSE. REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP
>IS OPTIONAL.
>We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by
>what we give.God promises a safe landing, not a calm
>passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you
>through it.
>Pass this message to 7 people except you and me. You
>will receive a miracle tomorrow If you choose not,
>then you refuse to bless someone else.
>"Good friends are like stars.........You don't always
>see them, but you Next know they are always there.

Sorry, I was just a bit too lazy to actually pull out the little arrow things. I think you survived, didn't you?

Remember - "Today is the best day of the rest of your life."

I love that quote. Sean Woodward spouted that beauty. Revel in the hope that it inspires. Today is the best day of the rest of your life, cheers!

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Ok, well there's more, but not much, with my history teacher back in town I find much of my fight is spent there, but here we go anyways:

I don't think this was the approach Bush should have taken: But perhaps that's just me.

And then:

If you ever think that you're doing something rather difficult, pull up this website and take a look. I know that I was impressed, I can hardly build anything in that median.

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And I finally have an additional insight into why you actually might read this (thanks Kevin) and I'm glad to hear it. It's nice to know that you can read interposed notes of mind-read drool and still find it entertaining, heh. It actually inspires me a bit, even if I feel like the legs have been cut out from under me again...

Just once, I'd like things to go right and have never a doubt in the world. For me to be confident in myself when I don't need it. Like lately I've had great things said about me, but I'm trapped feeling that somehow I don't really live up to it, or something. Doubting things that I really shouldn't, that have to be jumped into, but I can't bring myself to jump. After all, I might land on someone and I couldn't bear the loss...

I suppose marriage will be like that, that's when I'll know that it's right, right? That I am completely confident in what I am doing and there's not a thing in the world that can stop it.

Geez, I sound like a total girl.

California here I come, right back where I started from.

Great gravy this one is going to be a long post. If you haven't yet, and you comment on this blog here directly (by signing in), please read For Your Inconveniance down below this one. It will explain why you get pissed off at me after you try to comment here if you are a living, breathing, person. If you're a bot, kindly piss off. Thank you.

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No, I'm not in a bad mood, I just don't have very much respect for artificial lifeforms that mindlessly harass you. Especially to the detriment of innocent REAL people.

If you haven't noticed yet, I am back, yes I do know that you did that, and I will be with you momentarily.

This one is going to be a whopper. And because I'm a lazy ass, I'm going to do my little partition thing instead of making you hunt down (and destroy) multiple posts about my weekend. Feel free to send your homemade bombs to:

An Empty Field
123 Fake Street
The Moon.

Mark it as "Care of Homemade Explosives".

Thanks.

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Now on to the real post(s):

Unfortunately I couldn't really find it in myself to write at the time things were going down and stuffs were happening, so you'll get whatever I remember and just happen to drool onto the keyboard (oddly enough, my computer has had the keyboard outfitted so that it can tell what I'm thinking simply by measuring the acidity of my drool).

First things first: The paradox of my unlce's age.

We realized this weekend (my brother and I) that our Uncle John is the only person that seems to get younger with age. He looks like he's in his early to mid twenties but he's actually 34. Do you understand this number? (Sorry, The Last Samurai). We had to get his age from him, his wife, and a couple of other people, independantly, before we even thought about believin it. No freakin' way. I still don't believe it, really. The interesting part is that I am his doppleganger (if you ask anyone else. I can see similarities in everything, but I don't think that I look all that much like him, just my insider's perspective). Like seriously, the Best Man was actually confused about how my uncle had shown up so late, dressed in a completely different suit, and in a mysterious car before he had realized that he was STILL STANDING next to my uncle. The comments were comming so fast that we had joked about me escorting my new aunt into the reception to see if anyone would know the difference.

Since I'm on the new aunt subject, here we go:

I finally got to meet her, if only to see her for a moment, on Friday night. We were so late that it's not even funny, major bummer indeed. I started joking that our gift to the newlyweds was that we were absorbing all of the latent bad luck in the state of California...

Right, so the Aunt. Aunt Christina is a very nice lady. She's gorgeous (shh... I'm related now so no comments), she actually gives me hope that I can look like my uncle (heh) and wind up with someone that won't make me regret it for the rest of my life. She's sweet, but short. Like in height, not blunt. And she's todally and completely in love with my uncle. He looked nervous as sin, totally, but she almost never stopped smiling and was completely there and in the moment.

Oh, and it doesn't hurt that her family is rather wealthy. I'm kidding a bit, but they are. The family is actually really nice folks. They're all catholic (as near as I can tell) and thus the wedding was catholic. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but A) I realized that it was the first ACTUAL SERVICE that I have ever sat through (I'm grumbling at you Alissa) - though I have been to a small church (two different ones in different states now) and the Cathedral of the Madeline. It was odd because they split us like normal, one family line on one side, the other accross the isle. And you could definately tell who was in which family. Apparently the people on our side are either protestant or some other form of heathen (heh) because you are supposed to say certain things and cross yourself at certain times and we always got looks, and looked at each other like "WTF are we supposed to be doing?" Eventually I stopped trying because I didn't want to offend, and I was only doing it to be a part of it, and not for any other real reason. But it's something I will have to do again, if I ever again get a free Sunday. I always new that the Catholics were very much into their ceremonies, but this hit the ball out of the park. The actual members were on top of things like they had been practicing for ever, and I suppose they had...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A commical interlude, of sorts:

Came up with a new horrible pun. I think I might be willing to rent it out to you science teachers if you ask (and henceforth this is copywritten and if you ever use it without me getting proper credit and I hear about it, you will get a dirty look at best).

Sherlock Ohms and Watts-on. Yes, Phear the Reaper. Bwahaha. Now that you've finished groaning in pain...

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I was again struck by the incompetence of the media this weekend. It hurt actually, tell them to stop throwing things, will you?

I was watching a report on Katrina, again, and found it striking that in the first day of searching only 300 of an estimated 10,000 people were found dead. Now I understand that it was only the first day of searching and that about 60% of the city might have still been "under water" (probably counting even where it's as shallow as your shins), but it seems to me that you would find MORE or at least MOST OF your dead on the FIRST day. Then you will find the less obvious ones strewn about various piles of rubble. Especially when it's not something like a building coming down on you. Anyways, it just struck me as odd that the media was so shocked that they were so wrong. It really makes me question my outlook on Americans. I've long held faith that we are so delightfully stubborn that we would never let a conquering force hold sway over us ever again. But with the drastically high prices of oil and the horribly misinforming media, I am greatly saddened that there is no real public outcry. There are plenty of channels available for this, or is it the fact that the media would never report it? Wouldn't really surprise me.

The extremely sad part is that we are so willing. That not only is there no public outcry, at least on channels worthy to carry it, but instead we privately whimper to ourselves and either: by in to the bullshit that they spread (because we all know that Bush can control the weather, that "Frodo failed, Bush has the ring." - Is it just me or is that giving him waaay too much credit? - Torn between that and bending over and saying "Please sir! May I have another!" at the gas stations? I mean, we have two alternatives to paying extreme ammounts (and trust me, after paying $70 a fill up several times on a road trip to Cali, you understand the extremeness) that are getting absolutely no results. Hybrid cars would likely cut your gas price in half and Hydrogen vehicles will get you off that entirely. Not to mention the slightly less known conversions to get your car running off of corn syrup, vegitable oil, or something WAAAY cheaper than $3.00+ a gallon.

I mean, really... Get off your whiny American ass and actually DO SOMETHING. That's what worries me. We don't have that fire that I've seen in the previous generations. We bitch and moan and whine and groan, but you're damn right we'll pay $70+ to fill our vehicles because it's "too much of a hassle" or "too expensive" to buy an alternative. So with that pitiful excuse in mind, disregarding for a moment that oil will indoubtably dissappear (maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it won't be replenished nearly at the rate that we consume it), that if you stopped buying gas for an entire year, you would save several thousand dollars (especially at the current rates, and more when they go up again). Now, you're all thinking about how much of a problem that will be, but you fail to realize that it's easily the down payment on a brand new alternative vehicle. You're throwing the money at the oil industry, wouldn't you rather put it into something that would last beyond two years and not cost as much as your house payment in upkeep per month? You can easily get a bus pass, or car pool. I know, the buses suck, but I'm sure it will be worth it to you in the end.

Just a suggestion...

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So that does it for Friday, roflmao. Another "comic" interlude:

"West Coast Karate"

To explain this a bit, in the cartoon the Adventures of Jackie Chan, Jackie had an Uncle that he called "Uncle" (go figure). This guy knows everything about Chi, Chinese Magic and Kung Fu. Anyways, one of my favorite quotes of his is about Kung Fu "Your whole body becomes a seceret weapon."

Now, for the extremely lame and punny joke: West Coast Karate: Your whole body hides a secret weapon. I mean, really, they don't know Kung Fu, they know Shotgun-Fu or something like that. All the Karate that you would ever learn in LA involves hiding a gun somewhere on your person.

Budump-ch.

Ok, stop laughing now. No really, it wasn't that funny to begin with. Ok, alright, it was a little. Ok, now you're embarassing me.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am getting tired of writing and there is so much more. You're probably insane (if you made it this far, that means you Forgotten.) by now, so I'll try to shorten it up for you.

First things first on Saturday: I HAVE TOTALLY BEEN TO THAT PLACE BEFORE. I swear to God on all that is holy that I have memories of that reception. BEFORE THEY HAPPENED. It's actually starting to worry me, like I might ACTUALLY be losing it or that something else more sinister is afoot. Like seriously, I have been in that room, met those people, and sat in that very chair at some past point. The part that keeps me really boggled is the fact that my memories are practically concurrent (almost like deja vu, but very different) and that they aren't 100% accurate. Like things are EXTREMELY similar, even though it's a brand spanken new event, and I am not living the EXACT copy of a former situation, but might as well be.

On top of that I got my brother to dance with a Cali girl. That definately requires me to slip up and give a "W00t". Sorry, only response that fits the bill. They did this silly thing saying that you would have a year of good luck if you danced this one dance and that you'd have ten years of bad luck if you didn't. So after arguing with him through that (and several other dances, with and without the aid of all of those present) we managed to get him to commit to something: if I would ask a girl, he would. I tried to press him further into doing it first, not that I cared, I just wanted to make sure he didn't back out. So we went to the dance floor and I picked out a rather gorgeous femme (if I may speak for her) and asked her to dance so that my brother would. Lol, I put that in there as a "just in case", as in "just in case you even think of saying no". So we danced for a couple of songs and it turns out that she's some new form of family, she's the cousin of my new aunt "So what does that make us? Absolutely nothing!". She goes to Longbeach U. somewhere in So. Cal and actually is studying to be a marine biologist, which was a twist because it seems like everyone wants to at some point, but she's actually enrolled for it.

Anyways, so I got my brother on the floor and can actually vouche for him having danced with a girl. And if that isn't enough I have an in on some photographic evidence and you can judge the validity of that story then. Also, I have a picture of my new aunt in her wedding dress, but I turned off the net access to my phone and need an adapter to get it off now (D'oh). But I will post them as I get them.

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Here's to Sunday, yet another pun (or two) to kill the mood and distract you from anything going on right now. As if you were sane and able to keep track of that at this point anyways (now I'm seriously curious, do you read it all at once, or come back for nibbles?):

My mom and dad love this fast food place called Jack 'n' the Box (for some reason) and always have to eat it twice when we go to any place that has one (namely Cali because they're big there and in Nevada, but near as we can tell there's one in St. George and one in southern Idaho beyond that).

Anyways, my brother couldn't figure out why they liked it so much, so in obvious fashion I explained: It's secretly known as Crack 'n' da Box. It works. They just love it waaay too much. It's simply another fast food chain, so what gives?

Beyond that we also came out with the Asian version of the store which is Yak 'n' the Box, now with new locations opening in Nepal and India.

Thank you, I'll be here all week (mwahahaha).

And that apparently concludes Sunday except for:

THE FREAKIN' V SONG OF THE WEEK

This one's an ode to myself, a bit, and fits various other situations that I find. I like it very much and you might see or know why, if not, *shrug*:

Michelle Branch - All you wanted.

I wanted to be like you
I wanted everything
So I tried to be like you
And I got swept away

I didn't know that it was so cold
And you needed someone
to show you the way
So I took your hand and we figured out
That when the time comes
I'd take you away

If you want to
I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted
was somebody who cares

I'm sinking slowly
So hurry hold me
Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on
Please can you tell me
So I can finally see
Where you go when you're gone

If you want to
I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted
was somebody who cares

All you wanted was somebody who cares
If you need me you know I'll be there
Oh, yeah

[x2]
If you want to
I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted
was somebody who cares

Please can you tell me
So I can finally see
Where you go when you're gone

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And last but not least, I got a cool tidbit of news today. Apparently one of the Switchblade Kittens is "looking forward to talking to me again". Sweet. Sorry, for some reason we just hit it way off (you know, waaay back in March, you don't remember, do you? Fine... Just fine...). So that makes me even more excited. I really should get the 25th off so that I can sleep because I'll be security at their little concert at Mountain Con, and that concert starts at 9 or 10, I can't remember. It'll be the first time that I'll have seen them perform, and it will totally rock. So if you find yourself wondering what you're going to do on a Saturday the 24th of September, you should definately be there. It will be worth it, good music, great people (well, I'll be there, heh) and good fun for a Saturday night, because what's better then seeing a Cali band in concert on a Saturday night? Not much, not much at all.

Well that about wraps it up here. Apparently I have unleashed a monster child by stating that I was open to dating again. So I got 20 questions. 20 million that is, so as to see what would be acceptable and how to handle things and whatever. I suppose I'm sort of excited because everyone has to do this at least once (everyone gets set up on a date once, then they realize how bad it sucked and never do it again, lol) and I don't have to do much of the work.

I don't think anything will really come of it and I don't have my hopes up, but anything's possible. So, yeah, whatever.

Oh, and if you're suddenly heart broken: "Don't delay, act now today! Our operator is standing by!" And that's what you get for not speaking up! :-p

(Heh, suckers, good to get that off my chest, good thing I didn't mention that I spent all weekend... Oh crap, they're looking at me like they're reading my mind. Act natural, just act natural.)

For your inconvenience.

Do to the sudden appearance and popularity of the IDIOT BOTS that have overrun Blogspot, I have unfortunately made it that <----> much more inconvenient for you to post on my blog. The first feature was a security feature so that if you commented, I would know who you were or find out rather quickly, this latter feature will make you fill out a stupid word box whenever you comment.

As much as I love having comments I'D LOVE IT EVEN MORE IF THEY HAD SOMETHING AT ALL TO DO WITH A LIVING, BREATHING PERSON.

Have a nice day.

Yeah, I know... I hate the word box too, I bet you it will apply to me as well though, so relish the thought that I suffer as much as you do. I got it after one of my friends added it to her blog. Unfortunately I felt it became necessary here.

I hope it trips up the damn bot something aweful, but that's wishful thinking.

'Bout that time again.

I suppose it's about the time that I should be getting frustrated with everything.

Everything's going great in my life, but not in anyone elses (at least not that I've heard). Broken pieces? No sweat. I've got my glue bottle all ready to go, but no one is willing to let me help. Makes me wonder why I bother. It's rather a catch-22. I don't worry about myself, I worry about others, and it only gets worse when they lie to me or I can't help about it...

Don't worry, you needn't worry about the smiling, joking, gent. He'll survive as always, but I wonder again what would happen if I simply dis... appear...

But a reader of mine had to snag me back to life. An enticing offer that they could hardly imagine, or perhaps time is all that was needed?

I don't know. This is why I hate being intelligent. It's something that "everyone" respects as a quality, it's supposed to help so much, but it's by and large a curse. With great power comes great responsibility, but people won't just sit back and accept help will they? Does that make me worry less? Hardly.

We're leaving tonight for new memories of new family. I just got back from costing the family quite a large and shiny penny because of my "fever" which was a false alarm, a waste of time energy and money. But I knuckled down and there's a sigh of relief, I suppose. But this is why I don't go. It's been so long since my last visit that they didn't even have me on file. I don't go because it's nothing that I alone can't handle. It's nothing that needs to cost so much, be such a pain. It's a hassle to me and my parents. I just don't like any of it.

But I have enough pills to take in a morning to choke a horse (ok, it's not the number seeing as there's only two, it's the size)...

Forgotten: If I ever figure you out I think I would die thinking that I accomplished something. I don't think you have half an idea of how frustrating you are in my mind. How little you correspond to a logical model of anything but complete chaos, and yet somehow not only do you exist, but you survive as calculated chaos.

And now that I've introduced my own variable to make you think and make you sweat, I will be cruel and depart for the mother land. I will return someday... It's the only thing I know: limbo.

Very Beneficial.

So, I found the locale that I will move to in Canada. Maybe this will be my 20s romp through a foreign country thing. Everyone has to do it at least once. But does it really count as a foreign nation?

So I guess it is the week that I check up on my vagrant friends. So you, who are reading this, and have not spoken with me for a while need to chime in, damn it. The one in Florida is safe from elemental harm, the one that really is vagrant and terrorises the west has chimed in, even. So as for the rest of you? You're on notice.

I enrolled in my benefits today. I figured out my login issue. And I'm going to be covered in about 2 weeks. Which is totally neat that I have my own coverage. We'll see what it does. I'm totally ignorant of this sort of thing and picked things at random, essentially (ok, at random with a bit of reading beforehand, and a helpful phone call). And this was the last of the benefits that I needed to allocate before they expired. Though I do need to check the status of my 401k plan to make sure that I get that fixed. It didn't like me buying stocks in Microsoft, go figure, even their stocks crash (oh, ouch, the pun-ishment).

I called the dude to get my phone plan cheapened, but he didn't respond. He doesn't seem to realize that I have the patience of a saint when it comes to harassing someone into submission. Hopefully it won't come to that. And next week I shall hopefully order my laptop. I would totally do it tomorrow, but aside from it being almost nearly the weekend, I will be in another state, and I very much want to be there when it comes in, or at least have somone that I trust, there.

So I had a healthy religious debate, of sorts, with my vagrant Floridan friend. It felt nice to stretch that part of my brain again, at least publicly. The problem is that I just drone on and on in my head (yeah, you thought it was bad in real life) until I get them out, or forget. Thus I forget a lot, especially if I'm distracted. But I got a nice, 4 page, response out (counting the quoted text of her page and a half masterpiece).

So yeah, it's good. Especially after getting kicked out of that forum. Nut jobs.

But tomorrow I leave for the North of Cali. So good bein' home again. But I found out that my aunts are still going to be having issues with my Grandfather. It's a bummer because one has said that she might not even show up. And none of them are coming to the dinner on Friday night when we'll be meeting each other (ok, well at least meeting my uncle's fiance's parents and herself)...

I know that it might have been rough for them, but how long has it been? Look at the changes on both side... It's tragic...

Well I think that's just about enough of drooling my thoughts onto the web. Have a great rest of the week. My song of the week will probably be a day late, unfortunately, but I think you can wait.

Creating Credit.

So I reactivated my phone today (three cheers for my independant, nationwide, line).

But more then that I used my credit card for the first time. Charged it to about half of it's limit, sure you think that might be silly, but so is the limit. Lol. Anyways, I'll be paid in a few days and I'm not going to be using it a super ammount (at least at first). But it's really nice, actually. I'm all caught up on my phone now, and by next week I will be debt free and getting into more debt (I still can't shake that computer, this is REALLY BAD, as bad as finding a book that I "need" for my libary.) But that's not bad either because it'll only last a couple of months and will be SO worth it.

So I like this, being monetarily independant. If you haven't tried it, I do suggest a short jaunt if nothing else. I'm thinking about moving out again, but that's still likely several months away. I'd probably move more south this time, to Salt Lake. That way I'd be really close to my job and a whole mess of other cool things. As neat as Logan was, it just really doesn't have much to offer for the bored loners. I can't just walk somewhere with no one else and create fun for myself. There weren't enough places for that, but that's ok. I'm thinking that I honestly might stay working for Unisys (in theory) for 5 years. I'll get a pension, and I'll only be 24. 24 is still plenty young enough that I can spend four years to get my bachelors and I won't have to deal with any of the lingering garbage. It will be straight up, I'll CLEP out of what I can, and that will be that. Easy cheesy.

Anyways, another blurb about my phone:

My phone should be activated by about 7PM tonight (in theory). So go ahead and call me if you'd like, but be quick about it! Some of us have to awake early in the morning!

Just thought you'd like to know, and it's quite concievable that from Thursday night to Sunday night you can call me anytime, if you're really, truly, that bored that you would pass the time with me, lol.

The reason why I'd be available for all that is that my youngest uncle is getting married. It's really interesting because he's a lot closer to my age. I don't even think he's hit 30 yet, and I've always identified with him really well (one of my favorite two uncles - out of four - but don't tell anyone). It'll be interesting because I'll have a new aunt. And I've never met her. I hear about her, I know bits and pieces, but I really don't know anything about her, all I really know is that she's a "hugger" and she's short (go figure).

For a change I'm actually looking forward to the marriage, too. I mean, a marriage. I don't like going to them because it doesn't really mean anything to me. I'm not a player that's trying to hook up with anyone, it's great that they're getting married but it's never impacted me, and I'm not a girl. So I basically have no wants or desires to visit them or be a part, I'll go to the receptions, but the ceremonies are full of tears that I'd rather not see about a "happiness" that I'm not sure I'll ever, or ever want to, experience.

But this one's a case study. This one's family. I'm gaining a whole lot of family, people that I'll probably rarely see after the weekend, but still. They are becoming part of our bond. I'll see my aunts and uncles react to my grandfather (my mom's family doesn't much care for their dad for some reasons that I won't discuss here, so it makes things complicated). I'll get an aunt and meet a whole mess of Californians and Arizonians that I never have before. It'll be good.

One more thing? I think I want to live in Canada for a year. I'm sorry, but I've got another stereotype for them. Their chicks are hot. I know, it's odd. I don't often run around talking about that, least of all in public, but out of the few that I've spoken with in the last few months, I totally can dig it. Just thought you'd like to snicker and laugh a bit. Don't worry, you can even call me to harrass me on my phone now. And if you call between 7PM and 7AM, it's even free! Hurray! Not to mention that it'll be 20% cheaper from now on because of my awesome job.

Yep, things are starting to work out for me, took 'em long enough. Let's see if we can take back a year of good for the last year of suck, eh? Who's with me?!

Lies! All lies!!

Forgotten, I'd like to call bullshit. Who the heck are you trying to fool? You don't have feelings? I'm one of the most emotionally seperate people I know and I don't even come close to fitting that bill. Just thought you would like to know... I don't feel that denial is ever an effective weapon, that's why I focus on learning and knowing the facts and not running around spreading lies and heresies and going "la la la" to anyone with a differing opinion.

You want to think that you don't have feelings great, but kiddo, you aren't going to fool me. Sorry, that sort of stuff doesn't work here.

The irony is that it sort of ties in with today's topic:

It has been brought to my attention recently that one of my esteemed readers thinks that I am lying or otherwise being untruthful in my domain here. I just want to put a few things out there and make a few things known...

I present the facts as I have them, not as I want them to be. If I presented what I wanted, you would have a very different sort of reading motiff going on here. I present these events as accurately as I can, ESPECIALLY in regards to other people. My thoughts are my own, judge them on their own merits, but I am so far from trying to decieve you that it's not even funny.

Thus, why haven't you commented? Why haven't you challenged the "lies"? I am EXTREMELY open to ANYONE who is willing to talk about these subjects. ANY AND ALL COMERS. I am not worried about your past, present or future relationship in this area. I am not here to decieve you, I am here to learn and to share my experiences. I learn from everyone and everything, even my deepest darkest enemies. The only thing you need be concerned about is your self-esteem if you make an assinine statement. I put that in there because if you come to me bemoaning something rediculous or saying how badly I suck or whatever, prepare to be laughed out of the room. I'm not here to throw labels around, so if you want to call me a liar, demonstrate how I have done it. If there are facts that you think have been omitted, BY ALL MEANS inform the local populace of the REST of the story.

I repeat that this goes beyond any relationship standings. I accept knowledge from all sources. I accept a "good" idea from anyone, I don't say "Aw, well, dang, I'd really love to use concrete, but the Romans were conquerors. Nope, can't support Conquerors 'cause their teh evils!!11". Doesn't happen. I won't throw it out if it is valid, no matter the source. I gaurantee it.

Just keep this in mind. If I were trying to warp your minds and present only my ideas, I would never source anything. If I wanted you to think something about an article, I wouldn't post the link to the VERY ARTICLE that I am speaking about. If I am talking about events that I have experienced (and you were there), sure I'm giving you my perspective, but I'm not jading it in any way. There's no other way to talk about those sorts of things.

I try as much as humanly (probably more than humanly) possible to present unbiased and unadulterated facts, opinions and information. I'm not perfect, but if you think that I'm some grand charlatan hell bent on wrending your minds into my demonic mold, you give me WAY TOO MUCH credit. I haven't yet BEGUN to start.

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On another note, today was the most rewarding boredom ever. 2.5x pay to sit around and talk? I can get used to that.

The catch is that tomorrow it sounds like it will be hell on earth as everyone comes back from a long weekend on not working and decides to panic, but we shall see. I know that there is some things that will end up like that, but I don't see it being THAT big of an impact.

"Mommy, a giant just threw me at Daddy..."

Forgotten: I just want to re-itterate that none of that earlier commenting was negatively directed at you. I hope you understand that, and if you do (which I'm assuming that you do at the moment), then I thank you for understanding.

..............................................................................

So I've realized over the last few months that I haven't really posted about our games so much... If at all... For almost a year. I guess that really stems from the fact that I don't have to keep certain individuals informed anymore. One of them is playing (that's how I got him into the game) and various others have ceased caring (at least openly) and thus I shall add one just because I can:

So I've been playing a Svirfneblin Rogue. For those of you that don't know, Svirfneblin is a subrace of Gnome. They're "Deep" Gnomes. And I love this guy. He's quite neat if I do say so myself. This time, for a short "one day" (really three... grr...) game, half of the "party" got together and decided that we should play rogues. The class of rogue is particularly cool because it is so broad and sweeping. Sure, there are multitudes of things that you can do with other classes, but rogues are the only ones that can become unrecognizable from themselves if you play them in unique ways. But they all have a few base things in common, naturally.

Anyways, I'm the sneak/pick pocket stereotype. I am your stereotypical dungeon delving (go figure) rogue. Additional to that, I'm built up a bit like Yoda in combat (thus my name, actually, which is Yodar). I've got all sorts of really neat things that make me niftier in combat. And then I have many innate, and not so innate, skills that turn me into a shadow. I'm essentially undetectable so my joke has been that you can't tell the difference between him and an illusion of him, you'll get the same results unless you walk up and poke him. Really quite neat.

Anyways, we've been sent to help stop some sort of prophecy that might lead to a Drow civil war. We get sent by my father's Drow Paladin character to stop it. So we finally make it to this border town (as in all good stereotypical DND games) and are "competing" with a rival adventuring group with the same mission. After we are there for a few days we take off into the desert. We fight through two different encounters and then (where the quote comes from) we face off with some sort of super giant.

Now, the cool thing about having a group of rogues is that the abilities that they share, kick uber butt. Flanking in this game lets rogue's do humongous ammounts of damage. So when we gang up on something, it's even less time before it is being looted for treasure. So we fight two encounters within 100 ft of each other and get ready to go down into the underdark when this hideous giant thing attacks us (it's like a giant, but different some how). Well I'm the underdark dweller, and there's not much of a place to hide, so I tell everyone to get to the cave mouth to bottleneck it and I stay in the open with the sun at my back to draw it's attention (well, that's what it turns out being when a 3'4" Gnome goes "Boogey, boogey, boo!" to a 22' monster with a tree as a club). So he charges me and after a few rounds of combat, he throws his club at my dad's character, and then picks me up and uses me as a projectile to throw it at my dad's character again.

And now, in the most longwinded way of telling a story in a long time, you have the quote. Because after this happened I went upstairs and said that to my mother, and I just happened to think it was sorta funny (and we all know how hard it is for me to think that...). Plus I had a weak excuse to talk about the game in not so much detail.

So the point? My guy's really neat, not yours, mine and: Gnomes do NOT make really good projectiles. Especially me.

So moving on, it is that time of the week. That time when I shall post the song of this week. It has a bunch to do with this week and I think I even had it picked out by tuesday or wednesday. It has about a billion hidden meanings and messages to me, good luck trying to figure it out, not to mention it's actually a good song. My brother introduced me to this one, more or less, a few months ago. And the "ammunition" verse has great connotations for current times:

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
by Jack Johnson

Well I was sitting, waiting, wishing
You believed in superstitions
Then maybe you'd see the signs

The Lord knows that this world is cruel
I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool
Learning lovin' somebody don't make them love you

Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool

I sang your songs, I danced your dance
I gave your friends all a chance
But putting up with them
Wasn't worth never having you

Maybe you've been through this before
But it's my first time so please ignore
The next few lines cause they're directed at you

I can't always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool

I keep playing your part
But it's not my scene
Want this plot to twist
I've had enough mystery
Keep building it up
Then you shooting me down
But I'm already down

Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting

Well, if I was in your position
I'd put down all my ammunition
I'd wonder why'd it taken me so long

But the Lord knows that I'm not you
And if I was, I wouldn't be so cruel
Cause waitin' on love ain't so easy to do

Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool

No, I can't I always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool

You know you're in trouble now.

I guess they figured that it was about damned time to bring in the cavalry.



This is a picture of a convoy in New Orleans, it's CNN's, I just decided that it would be better to link to it from here rather then send you trying to find it and have them move it on you.

What is wrong with the world?

What is wrong with the world when this happens in a crisis? Now do you see why I would want to be elsewhere? What the hell is going through their minds right now?

Going through it again, for the first time.

No, I wasn't neuralized, but it was a thought that I will explain a bit later.

Sorry Forgotten, it's one of those weeks, time for another message:

Why is it that we can't show our weaknesses?

This has gone on long enough, hasn't it?

It's really quite quaint that you try to play these games with me, but you shant survive the contest. I'm in too deep, know too much. After all, I taught you everything that you know, but not everything that I know.

It's so infantile, isn't it?

I'd love to say that you started it, I'd love to believe it, but I know that I allowed it, that makes me guilty enough.

"For evil to triumph good men need simply to do nothing."

I am dumb.

I wish to reconcile hates and wars of ol'.

I wish to hug my enemy.

I dream of peace in wartime.

"And now Lonestar, we know why Evil will always triumph over Good: Because Good is dumb."

And I would hug you in a heartbeat if I didn't fear the knife.

I would take you in an instant if you would stop this foolishness.

I'm an idiot for it.

We shall continue on our paths: Never a chink in the armor for fear of the knife.

You don't hate me anymore then I hate you, but we fight as hard as any rivals...

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Target locked, missile away... Target destroyed.

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So the headline. Been through this before, but always for the first time.

I'm getting more confused, and it's because time isn't as linear as everyone thinks it is. This has already happened. You've made the choices, you just need to understand them.

At work I can never shake the feeling. I know these people. Duh. No, it's not a "hey I've only worked with you for the last three weeks, I better know someone!", it's an actual pre-existing knowledge. I KNOW THESE PEOPLE.

Know anything specific? Not so much. But when it happens, it's not new information, it's memory. I've already been here and done this. I experience things that I've never experienced, but I do it through memories that I've never made. Psychic? Hardly. I don't really believe in it, at least not at the moment. But I can't shake the feeling that I know a lot of these people and that's relatively impossible.

I'd love to say that it's over active imagination, you have no idea how much I would love to say that, but that's not it. Too many coincedences, even if I believed in them. Just too many.

Each action is pre-determined, either someone set it out for me, or I'm just following the path that I've followed for all of time. I've always pretty much felt that I was on the path, regardless of comments to the contrary, and there's only one place that I feel I strayed whence I wasn't to. And the only thing that got me back was someone else did the same thing, but going the wrong way...

I know these things because I have memories of things I've never done, no inputs other than the individuals' face. People must look at me and think that I'm so quiet and uninteresting, that I have no life. How quaint and humurous. I have lived more lives than anyone, it seems. Something is coming that has always been coming. I sit and observe because I am missing something and waiting to pounce on it, is that the reason that I am missing it? Catch 22...

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Last night I went and saw "The Sound of Thunder". A time travel movie. If you've ever heard me criticize a science fiction movie with poor science (*cough* SpiderMan2*cough*) then you know that I didn't like the science. It was pretty good as a concept though, but I almost vowed to never watch a movie in a theater again. The people seem to disgust me more and more when I watch these world ending events on the screen. Laughing when someone gets eaten? There was once where I laughed with them and that was because the lady's attempt to ressussitate someone was so pitiful...

But I suggest you see it, if for no other reason than to make up your own mind about it. It poses some interesting thoughts, but these are things that I have glanced at before. It was a good story, but like all stories it was a bit "convenient" at times...

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Sorry for the serialized post, but I am trying to keep my jumbled thoughts as organized as possible for you. I got up and almost refused to go to work today because I am not doing what I feel I need to be doing. People displaced by Katrina, gas prices as high as $4 a gallon and 1,000 people dead in a stampede, of people, in Iraq and I'm going to make close to a hundred bucks by talking on the phone and sitting at a desk, half awake? What the hell? Some hero, eh? And so I went to work. What really am I supposed to do? Buy a ticket out to one of the trouble spots of the world, a nobody, A_Shadow, and offer my "assistance" and reign in the distruction of the world?

The world could be coming to an end with as stupid as these people are acting, and I'm going to work...

Yep.

Eventually I will realize that the world will rise and fall without my help, but I can't help it. I'm not so sure that if I had been at these places that I COULDN'T have changed the events.

I mean, come on. A THOUSAND PEOPLE died in a stampede because someone suggested there might be a suicide bomber in the crowd. That just reeks of brilliance when you weigh the number of dead vs. the number of dead if they had stayed put and there HAD BEEN a bomber. A thousand people dead because they panicked. That was the suicide bomb. And they were it.

Gas prices at $4 a gallon in some places. For why? Because 25% of our oil production was cut off. Do you know how much oil we get from ourselves??!! And we have strategic reserves. We have so much that could have offset that little bit. And now I'm watching a half-assed "documentary" come true because they guessed how stupid Americans are. Because we let our economy be slain by our idiot fears...

And not to mention the fact that people being evacuated from the football stadium in New Orleans were trapped for HOURS because some fuck-wit decided it would be a smart thing to shoot at one of the evacuation helicoptors. WHAT THE FUCK? That doesn't even begin to get at the surface of my reaction. That person should be skinned alive and put on someone's mantle. Shooting at an EVACUATION HELICOPTER IN AMERICA?? In the homeland. Evacuating people, necessarily, from a leaky stadium. What the hell kind of genius is that...? And I just watched a movie on evolution... He should be exterminated from the gene pool, back as far as 9 generations in each direction.

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That one killed the mood I think.

I'm done anyways. A week end is here and I get to sleep now. A week's worth of sleep is calling me screaming to be made up.