Disclaimer: per usual this blog & the contents are mine & mine alone, and no reflection on my friends, family, or employer.
Part I
For some reason I was thinking about friends today, and my seeming lack thereof. I don't have many friends, but the ones I do are close, and many know me better than I know myself. My closest friends live many miles away, different states most of 'em. But they're the ones I know I'll stay in touch w/'til I die. They celebrate the good times w/me, my victories in life. The mourn my losses & sympathize w/my pains, as I hope a friend would. But I've had many friends along the way, or people that I called friends, and it turns out that maybe that title was inaccurate. My advice is that if you really wanna find out who your friends are, move. Leave town, leave the state, and see who stays in touch w/you. Those that take the initiative to call, e-mail, text message (txt msg), those are your true friends. Even if you don't see them for years on end, they're still the ones that deserve that title. I worked w/some people for years, and thought we were great friends. The relationship extended beyond the workplace, we did things socially, I knew their significant others, their kids, visited their homes. But once I moved, the ties disappeared. If I don't call or e-mail, I don't hear from them, as if I've died or dropped off the face of the earth. None of these were short-term friendships either; I had worked at our common places of employment for no less than three years. We had things in common, shared a sense of humor, non-work interests, etc. But again, once I left town, they're not to be heard from again. I know life moves on, and everyone nowadays is busy, but damn...are friendships that easy to find, and so easily disposed of? Not to me. So again, if you question who your friends really are, move. You'll learn the truth in a matter of months, if not weeks.
Part II
Tattoos....I have four, and am awaiting #5. The artist is currently redrawing the original image I found online to meet my tastes, slight alterations as a tailor might hem some pants or take in a dress. This is the first "custom" piece that was drawn up by an artist, all the others, while somewhat unique in their own way, were taken from the tattoo shop's flash. I got my first tattoo over 15 years ago before they became sheik, commonplace. The artist that inked me said that tattoos become addictive: you get one, you want two, two becomes three, etc. Sure enough, he was right. Approximately a year after my first, I had my second. About four years after that, my third, then two years later, my fourth. And now, after a five or six year gap, #5 is in the works. All my tattoos have particular meaning to me, and none were done on flights of whimsy. Two of the pieces represent happy times, tributes to people, places, and times that I'm fond of & have committed to ink. The other two are reminders of more painful events in my life, and the inner strength it took to truly survive them, and come out a better person on the other side. Both events that spawned that two most recent tattoos were break-ups w/my girlfriend or female significant other at the time. Funny how most people try to forget & bury painful experiences, yet I've decided to keep mine w/me forever. Weird how that works. Each time I look at the tattoo(s) I remember the person & events that caused me to get the tattoo, so even though I've moved past the hurt, gotten over the pain & grown because of it, I carry it w/me forever. I guess that like physical & emotional scars we all have, these are just a couple more visible reminders of where I've been & what I've been through. The only thing I struggle w/is how to remember my dogs. My dogs are more than pets, they are companion animals, and companions in my life. Partners, best friends, but more than just pets for sure. I consider it a privilege to share my home & my life w/them. However, as I have four dogs now, and as they pass will undoubtedly get more, each of them holding a unique, special place in my heart, how do you honor each one? Some people have tattoos of their kids' names, or portraits, but if I did that I'd be covered! Speaking of names, that's one thing I've never had tattooed on my body, and probably never will. You rarely see a marriage or other relationship that lasts, so IMO, getting another person's name (that of a partner, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.) inked on your body is a foolish venture. I guess for some it's a commemoration of a special time, a special person, but as they so often do you wrong, that's not something I'd choose to take on (or have put on me).
Closing Time
I have nothing more to add for now, my fingers are tired & my brain empty. I hope you have a great weekend, enjoy yourself, live in the moment, and live life!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
The Day the Blogger Began
Well, this is my first actual post on Blogger. All the previous posts were copied over from my MySpace blog, dating from April '07 to Thursday Sept. 27. I tried to include the dates but Blogger mistook the <> for HTML tags & removed the dates, and frankly I'm too damn lazy to go back & add the dates. So just know that the prior posts span the aforementioned timeframe.
I've found blogging to be therapeutic & cathartic, but got sick of using MySpace, so I decided to move across town, and here I am. I don't have much more to say for now but wanted to make these facts known to whomever may choose to read my stream of conscience musings & ramblings.
Late!
I've found blogging to be therapeutic & cathartic, but got sick of using MySpace, so I decided to move across town, and here I am. I don't have much more to say for now but wanted to make these facts known to whomever may choose to read my stream of conscience musings & ramblings.
Late!
at-ti-tude
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Disclaimer: this blog is mine; the views expressed herein are mine & mine alone. They should not reflect on nor be attributed to my friends, family, or employer.
Part Inoun: manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, esp. of the mind. A change of attitude can make your day, believe that. You can let other people & events affect your attitude & make it what it is, or you can control your own. Too often I let external factors impact my mood & attitude, but no longer. To quote Jack Nicholson in Wolf: "the worm has turned, and he's packing an Uzi." Shit happens, and some shit that happens sucks, but you & only you can decide the impact on your life & the outcome. Take control; your life, your mind, and the moments that make up your days, are your own. Too often I play nice when I wanna hit back, withold my opinions when I should speak my mind, sugarcoat or mince words when I should be giving both barrels. Obviously you have to use common sense when taking this tack (discretion is the better part of valor) but by & large it's time to unveil the real Brian for better or worse...and it could be worse.
Part II
Well, Mike Vick got busted (again), this time he failed a drug test for smoking dope, and it looks like his future just gets worse & worse. Instead of maybe a two-year absence from the NFL, they're now talking about Vick being eligible to return maybe for the 2010 season. After 3 full years away from the game & a sullied, soiled rep, where will he land? And of course he was just indicted on state charges for the dog fighting atrocity, and while I'm not sure if he can serve time for both fed & state charges, it ain't good for the Vickster. I hope he gets a nice 5 year fed term, one or two 5-year state terms, and then a suspension from the NFL. And then a nice long stay in the toasty not-so-friendly confines of Hell.
Closing Time
Well, that's it for now, just a few random thoughts. I may be shutting down my MySpace account/profile for lack of decent shit to post. Then again, I may not. I don't have any recent decent pics, and it was a royal hemorrhoid to change the layout. The only saving grace is that I have a blog here (which can be moved elsewhere). We'll see. So if you're one of my friends make sure you have my e-mail & celly on record in case I decide to cut bait. 'Til the next time, live life & get in the game!
What's New?
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Disclaimer: this blog is mine; the views expressed herein are mine & mine alone. They should not reflect on nor be attributed to my friends, family, or employer.
Part I
It's been a long time since my last blog entry, apologies to those that care, the middle finger to those that don't. 
I've been busy as hell w/my new job, taking care of the dogs, putting finishing touches on the house, and just enjoying life in general. I'm now totally back at home in Tampa Bay & enjoy living here again. Hard to believe Fall is descending on much of the US - watching footall over the weekend & seeing fans in stocking caps & medium weight jackets is weird, especially since it's virtually Summer here. One can sit outside clad only in shorts & work on the laptop, post to their blog & be absolutely comfortable. It's a bit cooler, high's are in the high 80's instead of high 90's, but it's still damn nice. Ah, life in FLA!
Part II
My last blog entry, which was rudely interrupted by some ill-timed keystrokes, contained a long rant against Michael Vick & his dog fighting indictment. We've all heard plenty about that, all that's left now is his sentencing, and of course the post-prison post-NFL suspension life for that asshole. I wish he'd get a decade in Hell for each of the dogs he so cruelly treated & murdered, but of course being a celeb & pro athlete he won't do more than 24 months. He'll lose millions owed back to the Falcons for breach of contractual clauses, and millions more in endorsements, never to be won back. His rep will be sullied forever, yet it's still not enough IMO. May his soul burn in hell, and may he get all that's coming to him, and then some.
Part III
Nothing terribly shocking on the political front, and I'm a bit dismayed at the lack of action from Cap Hill. Of course AG Alberto Gonzalez is stepping down - big shock there. About the only cronies left from Dubya's inner circle are Shotgun Dick, and Condi Rice. Guess they're gonna go down w/the ship & stick by the captain's side til the bitter end. As much as I'm sickened by political commercials airing well more than a year before the '08 election, at least the end of the Bush reign is in sight! And none too soon. Unfortunately, even once GW leaves the White House he won't take the horrifically ill side effects w/him, which we as a country will feel for years & years. He can't take the soiled US reputation & image, fiscal obliteration of our economy or gov'tal budget, nor the political or social dissension w/him on his way out the door. But at least he'll be gone! On the upside, whoever is the next President won't have a hard act to follow. They'd have to be a collosal fuck up to do worse that Dubya, that'd be a bitch to pull off. Anyone could look good following GW, fuck, Bozo the Clown w/Coco the sign-language-enabled Chimp would be a vast, marked improvement!
Part IV
A man (or woman) once said that "patience is a virtue", at least that's what my Mother told me. Unfortunately patience is NOT my strong suit, and waiting for what I so badly want is very hard for me. Even though deserving & worthy as I may be, it's still hard to wait around for what I want most. I guess that's true for most people, but it seems even harder for me. Another said "good things come to those who wait", I sure as hell hope that's true! Yet another: "nothing worth having comes easy, and nothing that comes easy is worth having". Yikes, cliches out the wazoo that make you think suffering & being left wanting is a good thing, character building they'd say! Meh.
Part V
On the sports note, my St. Louis Cardinals struggled & persevered thru most of the MLB season, despite a profuse spate of injuries they stayed w/in a game or 2 of first place until the past two weeks, when they chose a horrible time for a 7-game losing streak, and now are all but done. Oh well, they won the World Championship last season & we Redbird fans have next season to look forward to. And being in FLA I look forward to Spring Training across the state next year. The Tampa Bay Bucs lost their first game, but stomped the New Orleans Saints last weekend to pull even at 1-1. I'm hoping to head to RayJay stadium this weekend to catch the Rams game, and look forward to next year & having access to season tickets.
The world of sport has been rife w/cheaters as of late. The New England Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick was caught taping his opponent's defensive signals, and was subsequently fined $500K, his team $250, and they'll end up being docked draft picks in the '08 draft depending on their regular season results.
The McLaren Formula One team was found to have nearly 800 pages of confidential technical documentation belonging to their arch-rival Ferrari. As a result McLaren was fined $100MM, and left out of this year & next year's Constructor's Title race. Stiff penalties for Belichick (some might say not stiff enough), and certainly for McLaren. Their respective governing bodies were certainly aiming to make examples of both offenders. To quote an infamous ex-pro wrestler: "lose if you must, win if you can, but always cheat!" Just don't get caught...
Closing Time
Well, I've drained my brain for now. I hope everyone North enjoys the Fall & all the joys it brings. For a fleeting moment I'll miss the cool crispy Fall air, and the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains in Fall, but I will NOT miss temps that approach 30, snow, ice, etc. I'll take the tropics of FLA anytime! Til my next discourse, stay well, do the best you can, and live life!
Florida Life (redux)
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Disclaimer: this blog is mine; the views expressed herein are mine & mine alone. They should not reflect on nor be attributed to my friends, family, or employer.
Part I
Well, I'm finally at home back in Tampa Bay, or should I say the greater Tampa Bay metro area. I have a great house, pool, my dogs to keep me company. I can sit by the pool, have coffee & post to my blog via the wireless connection. Yeah, life is good! My job is going quite well; I see a long & prosperous future here both professionally & personally.
Part II
On the political front, I was dismayed when Dubya commuted Scooter Libby's sentence. Not surprised mind you; anyone coulda seen this coming a mile away. So Scoot was fined $250K, which won't end up coming out of his pocket but surely will be picked up & paid from GOP coffers. They found the lowest common denominator in the White House that could take the fall for the Plame leak scandal, and he fell right into a feather bed. This is the cherry on top of the shit-scab-vomit sundae that is the George W. Bush presidency. Unfortunately the Bush years will be on-par w/Watergate & Iran-Contra, among the other embarrassing political happenings in American history.
No big shock that the Iraq war is still a giant morass & the situation hasn't improved any. Apparently the troop surge hasn't had the intended affect. Big shock. You could start a pool betting on the date we begin to withdraw but I doubt many would foresee a date/dates in the 2020+ range. I feel for the troops & their families, and all the innocent Iraqis devastated by this blunder. God help them all.
Part III
On the sports front, I dont know what to say about the Michael Vick dogfighting trial. As an animal lover there aren't enough words in the English dictionary for me to express my outrage at the dogfighting culture. But the details that came out about the actions of Vick & his accomplices make my skin crawl & the vomit rise from my stomach. I can only hope that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspends Vick for life, and that the Atlanta Falcons vaporize his contract. Even those that aren't animal lovers should be horrified at the details that have come out so far, and I don't think we've heard the worst of it. I was glad to hear that Nike has suspended their endorsement deal w/him w/out pay & have pulled his shoes from retail shelves. Reebok has also stopped selling the Vick jersey. Vick's actions are the most despicable, inhuman kind possible. And I hope he gets what's coming, I hope he burns in Hell, and in the meantime is ostracized from popular culture & the human society.
We also have the case of the NBA ref who's been caught by the Feds & charged w/gambling on NBA games. The officiating of NBA games has long been suspect; as fans, players, and coaches can plainly see. Superstars get the calls, certain teams seem to be favored by the league. And now you have to wonder how many of the questionable calls made by Donaghy - and perhaps others? - were made w/financial windfall in mind. It's hard to believe that Donaghy is the only one who's performance has been impacted by gambling or other outside influences, it's just a matter of how many others, how far it goes.
Closing Time....well, it's time to shut this down for now. It's a bee-you-tiful day in FL, and it's time to get out & play! There's a lawn to mow & a floor to mop....but I think that'll be later. It's the weekend & Bri wanna play! So take care of yourself & those you love, enjoy, and live life!
Southbound & Down
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DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
Well, the aforementioned move is upon us. It's time to leave the place I've called home for the past three years & start a new chapter in sunny FLA. Next stop: Tampa Bay. The job search finally came to an end, and a fruitful one at that. A parallel move in job title only but another chance to expand myself, learn,and grow. Actually I guess this is more like FLv2 or "Redux", as I lived there before...kinda like a homecoming of sorts I guess. The job, residence, and everything else is a new start, a chance for rebirth & redemption.
Part II
We added a new member to our household a few weeks ago: a new Shih Tzu baby named Meredith. She's not yet four months old, and being 100% puppy she's a handful. Sweet one minute, mischevious the next, pure evil the third. She keeps all the other dogs - not to mention all humans - on their toes. She's a Pac-Man wannabe, eating everything on the floor & munching away if you don't keep a close eye on her. For the first week or two the other dogs found refuge on the couches & bed where she couldn't yet jump but now that she's getting bigger, and has mastered the art of the running start, no place is safe from the furry alligator.
Part III
Well, Paris Hilton went to jail, cried her way out, wore a special kind of anklet, went back to jail, and is now out again. Can there be any doubt that being rich & famous does indeed have it's benefits? Nobody else I know could serve what, 21 days of a 45-day sentence (a light penalty to start with). Pathetic & embarrassing. Lindsay Lohan, PHilton, Britney Spears, not worth the air they breathe nor trees killed for carrying the print ink of tabloid fodder. Meh.
Part IV
Surprisingly there hasn't been much political news to take note of or comment on. No grand (or garish) Bush-ism to tout, er, taunt....it's been a slow month! I'm surprised, what w/not having to serve the American people any longer (no re-election to brown nose for), that Dubya & his minions haven't done more to drag our nation down any farther in the past few weeks. The CIA declassified a number of documents & admitted to some obtusely shady dealings, which should surprise no one. The only surprise is that this stuff somehow got out via the Freedom of Information Act & wasn't quashed by the Executive Branch. Thankfully someone was held accountable for the Valerie Plame leak, as Scooter Libby was found guilty & will serve time. This will be Dubya's next chance to show how unjust he actually is by pardoning Shotgun Cheney's former Number One for a crime clearly committed.
It's a wrap...
Time to bring this blog entry to a close. To quote Fastball (I believe): "closing time/every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". Time to move & shake, rock & roll, run amok & start anew. Live life, and believe...
DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
Well, the aforementioned move is upon us. It's time to leave the place I've called home for the past three years & start a new chapter in sunny FLA. Next stop: Tampa Bay. The job search finally came to an end, and a fruitful one at that. A parallel move in job title only but another chance to expand myself, learn,and grow. Actually I guess this is more like FLv2 or "Redux", as I lived there before...kinda like a homecoming of sorts I guess. The job, residence, and everything else is a new start, a chance for rebirth & redemption.
Part II
We added a new member to our household a few weeks ago: a new Shih Tzu baby named Meredith. She's not yet four months old, and being 100% puppy she's a handful. Sweet one minute, mischevious the next, pure evil the third. She keeps all the other dogs - not to mention all humans - on their toes. She's a Pac-Man wannabe, eating everything on the floor & munching away if you don't keep a close eye on her. For the first week or two the other dogs found refuge on the couches & bed where she couldn't yet jump but now that she's getting bigger, and has mastered the art of the running start, no place is safe from the furry alligator.
Part III
Well, Paris Hilton went to jail, cried her way out, wore a special kind of anklet, went back to jail, and is now out again. Can there be any doubt that being rich & famous does indeed have it's benefits? Nobody else I know could serve what, 21 days of a 45-day sentence (a light penalty to start with). Pathetic & embarrassing. Lindsay Lohan, PHilton, Britney Spears, not worth the air they breathe nor trees killed for carrying the print ink of tabloid fodder. Meh.
Part IV
Surprisingly there hasn't been much political news to take note of or comment on. No grand (or garish) Bush-ism to tout, er, taunt....it's been a slow month! I'm surprised, what w/not having to serve the American people any longer (no re-election to brown nose for), that Dubya & his minions haven't done more to drag our nation down any farther in the past few weeks. The CIA declassified a number of documents & admitted to some obtusely shady dealings, which should surprise no one. The only surprise is that this stuff somehow got out via the Freedom of Information Act & wasn't quashed by the Executive Branch. Thankfully someone was held accountable for the Valerie Plame leak, as Scooter Libby was found guilty & will serve time. This will be Dubya's next chance to show how unjust he actually is by pardoning Shotgun Cheney's former Number One for a crime clearly committed.
It's a wrap...
Time to bring this blog entry to a close. To quote Fastball (I believe): "closing time/every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". Time to move & shake, rock & roll, run amok & start anew. Live life, and believe...
TV, Sports, Summatime
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DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
I was totally stoked to see Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip return to the NBC lineup in the past two weeks. My fiancee hates it, but I've enjoyed the show since it debuted last fall. If you've never watched it 1) check out the new episodes on Thursday night 2) hook up w/NBC.com & view old episodes online.
Part II
On the subject of sports, there's good, and there's bad. The good is/was Lebron James' 48 point Game 5 performance vs. the Pistons. He scored the final 25 CLE points to single-handedly win the game. That performance puts him in the pantheon of great playoff performers w/Jordan, Magic, Big O, etc. I wasn't overwhelmed early on about LBJ & was not a big "fan", but I'm becoming more convinced that he is one of The Greats. Won't become a bandwagon Cavs fan over this, but I am happy for the fans & those that live in Cleveland, and will watch him w/interest.
The bad: Michael Vick. Even though the prosecutors are moving very slowly, very cautiously, it appears more & more likely that a strong case can & will be made against Vick for his involvement in dog fighting. Being the animal lover I am, those that neglect or abuse animals rank right at the top of my personal shit list. And trailertrash thug punk assholes that are involved in dog fighting - they're the worst of the lot. It sounds like active, reputable informants can place Vick at the scene of dogfights, can attest to the large amounts of money he bets, and the fact that Vick brings dogs for fighting. I hope the prosecutors put together an air-tight case, indict, and nail Vick's ass. I hope the NFL suspends him for at least the season, if not for life, and that he does time. Vick is one of the few pro athletes to be named "by name" (Qyntel Woods of the NBA is another) for involvement in dogfighting, but I hope that any/all people involved in this heinous, abhorrent, inhuman spectacle get what's coming to 'em.
Part III
Summertime is most def. upon us. The Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff of Summer has come & gone, and now we begin in earnest. College seniors are graduating, public schools are winding down, "senior classes" (8th graders in jr. high, seniors in HS) are enjoying end-o-the-year activities, the weather's turning hot & humid. Yeah, summertime is here - my favorite season of the year. Our move to FLA happens at the end of the month. And some might question the sanity of that decision. If you've ever been in FL - or probably anywhere along the Gulf Coast in the summer - you'll get a feel for the heat & humidity. It's like nothing else, but in a twisted way I kinda enjoy it, and am totally looking forward to moving back to Tampa Bay. Thankfully we're missing the first tropical storm of the year (Barry) dropping in on the Sunshine State, and hopefully the 2K6 hurricane season won't be as active nor as intense as the 'experts' say.
Part IV
Job hunts suck! It's been two months, and though I've gotten some nibbles on my resume, nothing concrete has been aligned prior to our move. Actually, I have had some action, but recruiters seem to ignore the part of my profile that says "relocating to Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater". I have inquiries to gauge interest in jobs in Simi Valley, OC, Dallas, Boston area, DC area, etc. but nothing yet in Tampa. Recruiters must think I put down my target location as a joke, just for shits & grins, cuz they certainly pay no heed to it. As I'm pretty specialized in IT (not an Oracle DBA, Java Developer, or true Sys Admin ((Windows Servers, Unix, etc.)) the jobs that I'm looking for are few & far between. One upside is that when they're open there ain't much competition, and the compensation is pretty good. No worries though, just like when we moved to VA from Charlotte, the right fit will come up when the time is right.
Closing
Well, time to sign off, get out & mow the lawn (read: sweat my ass off!). This'll be a busy month, but a good month filled w/lots of big things. I think that can be said for the Summer, and probably the rest of the year too. As for my interest in politics I'll be interested to see how things progress in Iraq, and if Bush really vetoes an anti price-gouging bill for gasoline, if it comes from Congress. The NBA season wraps up, baseball will take focus, and the NFL activity starts to pick up momentum. Stay cool, stay save, and get out there & Live Life, enjoy whatcha got while you got it! Namaste.
DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
I was totally stoked to see Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip return to the NBC lineup in the past two weeks. My fiancee hates it, but I've enjoyed the show since it debuted last fall. If you've never watched it 1) check out the new episodes on Thursday night 2) hook up w/NBC.com & view old episodes online.
Part II
On the subject of sports, there's good, and there's bad. The good is/was Lebron James' 48 point Game 5 performance vs. the Pistons. He scored the final 25 CLE points to single-handedly win the game. That performance puts him in the pantheon of great playoff performers w/Jordan, Magic, Big O, etc. I wasn't overwhelmed early on about LBJ & was not a big "fan", but I'm becoming more convinced that he is one of The Greats. Won't become a bandwagon Cavs fan over this, but I am happy for the fans & those that live in Cleveland, and will watch him w/interest.
The bad: Michael Vick. Even though the prosecutors are moving very slowly, very cautiously, it appears more & more likely that a strong case can & will be made against Vick for his involvement in dog fighting. Being the animal lover I am, those that neglect or abuse animals rank right at the top of my personal shit list. And trailertrash thug punk assholes that are involved in dog fighting - they're the worst of the lot. It sounds like active, reputable informants can place Vick at the scene of dogfights, can attest to the large amounts of money he bets, and the fact that Vick brings dogs for fighting. I hope the prosecutors put together an air-tight case, indict, and nail Vick's ass. I hope the NFL suspends him for at least the season, if not for life, and that he does time. Vick is one of the few pro athletes to be named "by name" (Qyntel Woods of the NBA is another) for involvement in dogfighting, but I hope that any/all people involved in this heinous, abhorrent, inhuman spectacle get what's coming to 'em.
Part III
Summertime is most def. upon us. The Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff of Summer has come & gone, and now we begin in earnest. College seniors are graduating, public schools are winding down, "senior classes" (8th graders in jr. high, seniors in HS) are enjoying end-o-the-year activities, the weather's turning hot & humid. Yeah, summertime is here - my favorite season of the year. Our move to FLA happens at the end of the month. And some might question the sanity of that decision. If you've ever been in FL - or probably anywhere along the Gulf Coast in the summer - you'll get a feel for the heat & humidity. It's like nothing else, but in a twisted way I kinda enjoy it, and am totally looking forward to moving back to Tampa Bay. Thankfully we're missing the first tropical storm of the year (Barry) dropping in on the Sunshine State, and hopefully the 2K6 hurricane season won't be as active nor as intense as the 'experts' say.
Part IV
Job hunts suck! It's been two months, and though I've gotten some nibbles on my resume, nothing concrete has been aligned prior to our move. Actually, I have had some action, but recruiters seem to ignore the part of my profile that says "relocating to Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater". I have inquiries to gauge interest in jobs in Simi Valley, OC, Dallas, Boston area, DC area, etc. but nothing yet in Tampa. Recruiters must think I put down my target location as a joke, just for shits & grins, cuz they certainly pay no heed to it. As I'm pretty specialized in IT (not an Oracle DBA, Java Developer, or true Sys Admin ((Windows Servers, Unix, etc.)) the jobs that I'm looking for are few & far between. One upside is that when they're open there ain't much competition, and the compensation is pretty good. No worries though, just like when we moved to VA from Charlotte, the right fit will come up when the time is right.
Closing
Well, time to sign off, get out & mow the lawn (read: sweat my ass off!). This'll be a busy month, but a good month filled w/lots of big things. I think that can be said for the Summer, and probably the rest of the year too. As for my interest in politics I'll be interested to see how things progress in Iraq, and if Bush really vetoes an anti price-gouging bill for gasoline, if it comes from Congress. The NBA season wraps up, baseball will take focus, and the NFL activity starts to pick up momentum. Stay cool, stay save, and get out there & Live Life, enjoy whatcha got while you got it! Namaste.
Addendum
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DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
One topic I wanted to touch on briefly in my last blog addition was the passing of Jerry Falwell. Title him Dr., Reverend, hate-monger, great man of Christ, whatever you want. Living in Lynchburg, VA lent me a different perspective than some might have, or have thought you would have living here. L'burg is the home of Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church, both creations of Falwell. This was also his hometown. But not everyone here was blindly devoted to him, nor really all that fond of him. Those seem to be misconceptions of those outside of VA, or outside of L'burg. Personally, I despised Falwell for his statements, beliefs, and politics. I have sympathy for anyone or any family that loses a father, son, brother, etc. But beyond that...
Consider the following:
* "Falwell's long career was marked by inflammatory attacks on liberals, Jews, Muslims, blacks, homosexuals, women's activists and civil rights organizations.
Two days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />
A year later he called Muslim prophet Mohammad "a terrorist", to which Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khameini responded with a fatwa command for Falwell's death.
* Writing in the Catholic New Times in 2004, retired Catholic Bishop John Shelby Spong, who led Lynchburg-area churches in the 1960s, recalled Falwell as a "race-baiting segregationist" who praised
Falwell came under fire from fellow Christian leaders when he accepted several million dollars from South Korean evangelist Sun Myung Moon, who calls himself God's modern prophet.
*In 1999, he shot back to international headlines when he warned that Tinky Winky, a character in the popular BBC children's television show Teletubbies, might be gay.
But his opponents consider his most outrageous words to have been his comments after the September 11 attacks.
"The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad."
Naming feminists, civil rights activists, and Democratic party groups, he said, "I point the finger in their face and say: you helped this happen."
* "I believe that global warming is a myth"
* "If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being."
* "AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals."
This is info that can be freely found from various reputable sources & channels. I cannot mourn the passing of a person like this, call him a "great man", let alone a Christian as I think of Christians.
Part II
I believe that if you do what you love & love what you do, that alone goes a long way towards making you a rich person. A cousin of mine works doing something she truly loves. In fact, she told me that she looks for reasons to work on her days off, and looks for extra activities to do w/the kids she works with. I told her that this is the love of what you do that doesn't make your job "work". No matter how much money you make, the payoff from this kind of occupation is beyond value.
Closing
Well, it's time to close up shop for the night. The thoughts on Falwell I had during my last blog sesh but failed to include them. And the comments from the conversation w/my cousin were - I thought - worth including. Take care of yourselves & the ones you love, and LIVE LIFE, and live it LARGE!
Yada Yada Yada
<
DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
Leaving town tomorrow & flying to Buffalo for the weekend to see my cousin graduate from the U. of Rochester. First trip in a long time, and first time flying since right after 9/11. Air security has gotten tighter, and loosened up, but honestly I don't think it's any better than it was pre-9/11. Just more of a hemorrhoid. It's still quicker than driving from south-central VA to upstate NY but the hassle factor increases exponentially. WTF, it'll be fun to see my family & that part I look forward to. It's also my first trip w/my eldest step-son which'll also be fun. His first plane trip, and our first time to see Buffalo (and probably Niagra Falls) so there's something else to look forward to.
Part II
Gas prices continue to creep up in a less than subtle fashion, now topping $3/gallon at most stations. Some off-brand e.g. Kroger, Sheetz, etc. stations offer >$3 prices, but not by much, and for discount gas it just doesn't seem worth it. All the while the oil companies continue to rape, er, reap outrageous, heinous profits. Normally the raping & pillaging of the mid & lower classes would be enough to raise my ire, but since I drive 120 miles+ roundtrip each day of the work week this hits not only my sense of fairness & corporate responsibility, but it also wounds my wallet too. No "Subway fat wallet syndrome" here!
Part III
Sports-wise, the Chicago Bulls are attempting a gi-normous comeback vs. the Detroit Pistons. After being down 3-0 the Bulls won the last 2 games & if they win tonight will force the infamous Game 7 this weekend. Not many teams in any sport have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a seven-game series, but Chicago could be the latest if things go their way. Speaking of sports, the Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick owns some property here in VA, and the tenant(s) - a cousin of his I believe - was busted on drug suspicions, and found to have what appears to be a dog-fighting-training-breeding operation on grounds. Vick claims zero knowledge/involvement, but unnamed friends of his claim quite the contrary. Officials are investigating, yada yada. Charges may or may not be leveled against him. After he somehow got off of the water bottle incident in the Miam airport, I doubt all the more that he'll actually be charged, but I don't necessarily believe his lack of complicity. Animal abuse is one of the worst crimes to me, and not much gets my blood boiling hotter. I hope that Vick's tenants go down hard, that state officials exercise due dilligence to determine or exclude his involvement, and the NFL gives him a good hard talking to & warning.
Part IV
I just started reading yet another book about the planning & execution of the war in Iraq (Cobra II). One thing that strikes me as ironic is that Donald Rumsfeld drastically limited the number of troops Tommy Franks & his planners wanted to initially send to Iraq for the ouster of Saddam & post-war peace-keeping/nation building phase. Rumsfeld really put the choker on the deployment of troops for actual war-time activities, and the support of the troops i.e. logistics. But now, in order to attempt to quell the continued violence, Bush has asked that more troops be sent. He's pushed like hell for it this year. Why in hell didn't he push Rummy to send more troops to begin with? A rhetorical question to be sure, but just one of the glaring errors one can easily spot. Our executive & legislative branches will bandy back & forth on spending bills for the war, and any implicit or top-secret timetable(s) for withdrawl of our troops. Bush's term is up, which means he can absolutely ignore the voice of the American people & the massive want to start bringing our troops home, and stay his own ignorant way. Fortunately this buttnugget is out of office in under 18 months, but unfortunately he can now - w/out having to pay heed to the voice of his constituents - act as he pleases so long as nobody in Congress has the balls to impeach his stupid ass. I believe I've said it before, but history will not look kindly upon George W. Bush & his presidency, and eventually he will be labeled as the worst, most damaging president our country has ever seen.
Part V
Well, it's time to close up shop, pack up the laptop & finish packing for the trip tomorrow. Gotta catch a little SportsCenter & love the shih tzu's before bed. To all my friends, family, and those that choose to read my little slices of conscious/conscience, I bid you adieu! Go Live Life!
TGIF!
<>
DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
For all the working schmucks out there - of which I am - Happy Friday to ya! For those of us that put in 40 hours, or anything close, the weekend is well-earned. This was a long week, yet it went quickly too. Thank God the weather here is supposed to be beautiful - sunny & 70's both Saturday & Sunday. At least I can get out & enjoy the fresh air, getting outta the mole hole I work in (see prior blog posts). Tonight I'm watching the resurrected Bulls play the Heat in the NBA playoffs & relaxing w/the dogs. My oldest stepson (nearing high school) is at the movies & on a date, which is quite a trip. I'm not this old, but it's weird seeing your kids doing what you were doing not so long ago. I'm too young to be doing something this old!
Part II
Sports are definitely one of my main hobbies. I follow the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, the Chicago Bulls basketball team, and the Tampa Bay Bucs football. The Cards won the World Series last year, which was hugely satisfying. It's been 20+ years since the last St. Louis title, and winning in the first year of the new Busch Stadium was cool. I'm no bandwagon fan - my late grandfather was a diehard Cards fan, living in StL as long as I knew him. He took me to my first professional baseball game at Busch Stadium II, I saw Lou Brock get his 3,000th hit there, etc. My grandfather passed very early; I only hope, nah, I actually have faith that he was watching, cheering, and celebrating from the great skybox above. Cheesy metaphor you say? Kiss my ass.
I've been a Bulls fan since Jordan's first season in what, '84? My father lived in Chicago at the time, and my first NBA game was at the old Chicago Stadium. I was lucky enough to really enjoy Jordan's 63 points vs. Boston, and the Bulls' title two three-peats. While living in Chicago, a friend of mine scored tickets for Game 4 of the playoff series vs. Orlando the year Jordan returned. And corporate skybox tix at that - one of the highlights of my sports fandom. But after MJ retired the Bulls sank into the doldrums of the NBA & have remained there for the better part of the past 10 years. Last year they started to improve, and this year they've been a great suprise. Not quite as attention grabbing as Batman & Robin (Jordan & Pippen, et. al.), but still worth following & entertaining nonetheless. A young team that just might bring another title banner to the United Center yet...
As for the Bucs, since the Super Bowl win of 2002 they've kinda sucked, but on the eve of the draft, hope springs eternal.
Part III
Unfortunately it seems the political & economic landscape is still fraught w/disaster, liars, and unadulterated bullshit. While browsing the business headlines on MSNBC.com, I noticed that one of the major oil companies (Exxon I believe) posted a $9 billion profit. This, while I notice that gas prices jumped $0.20 in less than 36 hours. Gee, wonder where my money's going?!!? I hope the corporate exec's are enjoying the massive, yet embarrassing fleecing of the American public as they line their pockets. Somehow, Alberto Gonzalez is escaping getting his due for his role in the firing of the eight US attorneys. Somehow, we're still listening to yet another official - or ex - attempt to lie his/her way out of their role in the Iraq mess. George Tenet now denies making the "slam dunk" statement (or claims his statment was exaggerated, nigh taken out of context), and seems to be paving the way for a future "I didn't think this was a good idea" statement/ruse. Petraeus states that the Iraq war is "exceedingly complex and very tough" and said the U.S. effort might become more difficult before before it gets easier. No shit Sherlock; whatta fucking genius! Does anyone have any doubt that this has become the modern era Vietnam? Some day we as a nation will look back & realize how big a mistake this war was, and how much damage Dubya did to our nation in so many ways. Unfortunately it will be too late.
Part IV
Corporate radio sucks. Hard core. Big time. The vast majority of radio stations are boring, repetitive, and inspire a mighty, "meh". This sad institution has bred such smegma as Hinder, Fergie, Bowling for Soup among many many others that are supremely suckarrific. You can spend 8 hours listening to the radio & hear the same what, 18, 24 songs (if you're lucky) repeated in the same mindless, numbing loop. Switch to a different station, and you'll probably catch the same set of songs, just in a different order.
Nothing again her personally, I'm sure she might be a nice person, but Fergie is one of the most prolific no-talent assclowns in my humble opinion. London Bridge, Fergalicious, My Humps, and the latest piece of shit song are just about unbearable. Back in the 80's Reagan & Co. used gems like "Achy Breaky Heart" to drive Manuel Noriega mad & out of his bunker. A constant diet of Fergie could drive me to suicide.
One unexpected gem I found living in the Lynchburg area has been NRN (WNRN) - New Rock Now. It's like the NPR of rock & roll radio, and I love it. A small sampling - their last five artists played include Bloc Party, Sparta, Papa Roach, U2, and Madina Lake. Not what you hear on WKRAP FM right now. I will miss it dearly when we move. If you have a chance, hit the "listen online" link. While at work & doing relatively mindless tasks I like to listen to Internet radio stations like Sky.FM, a streaming station you can get thru app's like the VLC media player, Winamp, etc. You can also listen to Sky online via their website. When I get bored of my CD & MP3 collection I can find solace or refuge here.
Part V
Life is better w/pets. I think that behavioral science has shown that human's blood pressure drops when a person pets a dog or cat. Christ, how many therapy dogs are there?! Endless proof there. Even though none of my dogs are therapy dogs per se, certified as such, they are therapy for me. I can't imagine my life or home w/out them. Dogs are in many ways the essence of love. That's really all they want, and they're willing to give it w/out end. They live in the moment, they forget the bad & are able to forgive w/out prejudice. I wish I could be more like my dogs. Speaking of which, I have a "Dog a Day" calendar on my desk at work, w/a different doggie pic & factoid, quote, or related story for each day. In the past couple of days was a plea for those of us that love purebred dogs to consider one dog of the breed of choice, and one mixed breed adopted from a shelter. I echo that plea: if you can find room in your heart & home for a dog, please consider a rescue, or a shelter dog. And when you see the little change trays at your grocery or convenience store for the local shelter, drop some change in. It'll make you smile on the inside, if not outside as well.
Closing Time
Well, it's time to sign off for now. Time to get a bit of exercise on the treadmill & watch a DVR'd episode of "Lost" or "Desperate Housewives". I hope everyone gets outside, gets some fresh air & enjoys the great Spring weather this weekend. Of course, I hope you have some great weather wherever you are! If you're lucky enough to own a convertible (I have a sunroof!), drop the top, get out & drive! Find some time to de-stress, decompress, let all the shit of the week roll off your back & flush from your mind, in your own place, your own way. Find your happy place, space out....Enjoy, appreciate yourself, the ones you love, the ones that love you, and the life you've got. Peace!
DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
For all the working schmucks out there - of which I am - Happy Friday to ya! For those of us that put in 40 hours, or anything close, the weekend is well-earned. This was a long week, yet it went quickly too. Thank God the weather here is supposed to be beautiful - sunny & 70's both Saturday & Sunday. At least I can get out & enjoy the fresh air, getting outta the mole hole I work in (see prior blog posts). Tonight I'm watching the resurrected Bulls play the Heat in the NBA playoffs & relaxing w/the dogs. My oldest stepson (nearing high school) is at the movies & on a date, which is quite a trip. I'm not this old, but it's weird seeing your kids doing what you were doing not so long ago. I'm too young to be doing something this old!
Part II
Sports are definitely one of my main hobbies. I follow the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, the Chicago Bulls basketball team, and the Tampa Bay Bucs football. The Cards won the World Series last year, which was hugely satisfying. It's been 20+ years since the last St. Louis title, and winning in the first year of the new Busch Stadium was cool. I'm no bandwagon fan - my late grandfather was a diehard Cards fan, living in StL as long as I knew him. He took me to my first professional baseball game at Busch Stadium II, I saw Lou Brock get his 3,000th hit there, etc. My grandfather passed very early; I only hope, nah, I actually have faith that he was watching, cheering, and celebrating from the great skybox above. Cheesy metaphor you say? Kiss my ass.
I've been a Bulls fan since Jordan's first season in what, '84? My father lived in Chicago at the time, and my first NBA game was at the old Chicago Stadium. I was lucky enough to really enjoy Jordan's 63 points vs. Boston, and the Bulls' title two three-peats. While living in Chicago, a friend of mine scored tickets for Game 4 of the playoff series vs. Orlando the year Jordan returned. And corporate skybox tix at that - one of the highlights of my sports fandom. But after MJ retired the Bulls sank into the doldrums of the NBA & have remained there for the better part of the past 10 years. Last year they started to improve, and this year they've been a great suprise. Not quite as attention grabbing as Batman & Robin (Jordan & Pippen, et. al.), but still worth following & entertaining nonetheless. A young team that just might bring another title banner to the United Center yet...
As for the Bucs, since the Super Bowl win of 2002 they've kinda sucked, but on the eve of the draft, hope springs eternal.
Part III
Unfortunately it seems the political & economic landscape is still fraught w/disaster, liars, and unadulterated bullshit. While browsing the business headlines on MSNBC.com, I noticed that one of the major oil companies (Exxon I believe) posted a $9 billion profit. This, while I notice that gas prices jumped $0.20 in less than 36 hours. Gee, wonder where my money's going?!!? I hope the corporate exec's are enjoying the massive, yet embarrassing fleecing of the American public as they line their pockets. Somehow, Alberto Gonzalez is escaping getting his due for his role in the firing of the eight US attorneys. Somehow, we're still listening to yet another official - or ex - attempt to lie his/her way out of their role in the Iraq mess. George Tenet now denies making the "slam dunk" statement (or claims his statment was exaggerated, nigh taken out of context), and seems to be paving the way for a future "I didn't think this was a good idea" statement/ruse. Petraeus states that the Iraq war is "exceedingly complex and very tough" and said the U.S. effort might become more difficult before before it gets easier. No shit Sherlock; whatta fucking genius! Does anyone have any doubt that this has become the modern era Vietnam? Some day we as a nation will look back & realize how big a mistake this war was, and how much damage Dubya did to our nation in so many ways. Unfortunately it will be too late.
Part IV
Corporate radio sucks. Hard core. Big time. The vast majority of radio stations are boring, repetitive, and inspire a mighty, "meh". This sad institution has bred such smegma as Hinder, Fergie, Bowling for Soup among many many others that are supremely suckarrific. You can spend 8 hours listening to the radio & hear the same what, 18, 24 songs (if you're lucky) repeated in the same mindless, numbing loop. Switch to a different station, and you'll probably catch the same set of songs, just in a different order.
Nothing again her personally, I'm sure she might be a nice person, but Fergie is one of the most prolific no-talent assclowns in my humble opinion. London Bridge, Fergalicious, My Humps, and the latest piece of shit song are just about unbearable. Back in the 80's Reagan & Co. used gems like "Achy Breaky Heart" to drive Manuel Noriega mad & out of his bunker. A constant diet of Fergie could drive me to suicide.
One unexpected gem I found living in the Lynchburg area has been NRN (WNRN) - New Rock Now. It's like the NPR of rock & roll radio, and I love it. A small sampling - their last five artists played include Bloc Party, Sparta, Papa Roach, U2, and Madina Lake. Not what you hear on WKRAP FM right now. I will miss it dearly when we move. If you have a chance, hit the "listen online" link. While at work & doing relatively mindless tasks I like to listen to Internet radio stations like Sky.FM, a streaming station you can get thru app's like the VLC media player, Winamp, etc. You can also listen to Sky online via their website. When I get bored of my CD & MP3 collection I can find solace or refuge here.
Part V
Life is better w/pets. I think that behavioral science has shown that human's blood pressure drops when a person pets a dog or cat. Christ, how many therapy dogs are there?! Endless proof there. Even though none of my dogs are therapy dogs per se, certified as such, they are therapy for me. I can't imagine my life or home w/out them. Dogs are in many ways the essence of love. That's really all they want, and they're willing to give it w/out end. They live in the moment, they forget the bad & are able to forgive w/out prejudice. I wish I could be more like my dogs. Speaking of which, I have a "Dog a Day" calendar on my desk at work, w/a different doggie pic & factoid, quote, or related story for each day. In the past couple of days was a plea for those of us that love purebred dogs to consider one dog of the breed of choice, and one mixed breed adopted from a shelter. I echo that plea: if you can find room in your heart & home for a dog, please consider a rescue, or a shelter dog. And when you see the little change trays at your grocery or convenience store for the local shelter, drop some change in. It'll make you smile on the inside, if not outside as well.
Closing Time
Well, it's time to sign off for now. Time to get a bit of exercise on the treadmill & watch a DVR'd episode of "Lost" or "Desperate Housewives". I hope everyone gets outside, gets some fresh air & enjoys the great Spring weather this weekend. Of course, I hope you have some great weather wherever you are! If you're lucky enough to own a convertible (I have a sunroof!), drop the top, get out & drive! Find some time to de-stress, decompress, let all the shit of the week roll off your back & flush from your mind, in your own place, your own way. Find your happy place, space out....Enjoy, appreciate yourself, the ones you love, the ones that love you, and the life you've got. Peace!
Lunchtime!
<>
DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
It's a bee-you-tiful day in Roanoke, VA so I'm taking advantage of the weather & getting outta the office for an hour or so. Working in what equates to a subterranean bunker sucks. No windows, no skylights, nothing. Fluorescent light, filtered air, yuck. So when the opportunity presents itself to get outside, one must take it! Hence I'm sitting in a park in downtown Roanoke taking advantage of free wi-fi access & the ability to be mobile.
Part II
Extremes in the workplace routine bite. Being either way too damn busy to even think of breathing, or being sooo bored that you find yourself clock watching - either diametric opposite stinks. Where's a happy medium when you need it? Being at the tail-end of a project gives me a chance to reflect on what I actually did, what we as a team accomplished, all of which is fine & good. But the subsequent down-time - while nice in a sense - can only last so long. Time to get back to work & reprogram the machine that is the sys admin/programmer analyst in me.
Part III
I apologize for not having much to contribute today, but I felt I needed to make a new entry & at least put something else out there. My brain is pretty empty, and there hasn't been much news-worthy to comment on. The VT (Virginia Tech) incident is a week old, and it seems that most of the world outside of south-central/south-west VA has gone on to the next story, awaiting "the next big thing." I guess - to some degree - that includes me. I feel horrible for those that were affected by the shootings - any VT Alumni, friends, family, or friends & family of the victims. The lives of those touched will never be the same, and as much as there's an air of resliency & perserverance, as much as everyone will try to imitate a return to normalcy, there's now a new, ugly, scar to ponder, and a new anniversary to commemorate. My best to everyone in that VT family.
Guess that's it - over & out, aloha, ciao, adios, sayonara for now...peace.
Opening Stanza
<>
DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. It bears no reflection on my friends, family, or place of employment.
Part I
I've never blogged before, but then, I never put so much of myself out there like I have on MySpace, so WTF, might as well give this "something new" a try too, huh? So if you choose to read, understand that this is all pretty much stream-of-conscience, and/or consciousness. It may be disjointed & random, but then so's my head at times.
Part II
I just started looking for a new job, an endeavor which in & of itself is exciting, frustrating, and challenging all at once. I've been in IT for so long that I don't know if looking for a job in other fields feels this way too or not. Guess I kinda take the lazy way out by posting my CV on a couple of different IT-centric sites, hoping employers will contact me. But you also have to be aggressive or assertive yourself as a job hunter & do some looking too. It's early in the game, and our move (oh yeah, relocating back to FL) isn't until late June, so I have some time. But, my natural tendency to procrastinate is most definitely my potential worst enemy. Thou shalt get off thine ass Brian...(so speaketh my conscience.)
Part III
My family took off for a trip today, gone for a week, doing some advance work for our move, seeing family out-of-state, and also just getting away for a bit. That leaves me to knock around the house w/three of the five dogs (other two on the trip), pretty much keeping to myself. It'll give me a chance to burn some new music, relax, catch up on some movies I'd like to watch but haven't had the chance to, catch the Malaysian Grand Prix (F1), and some long-DVR'ed shows I have yet to watch.
Part IV
Saw on the news the other day that VP Cheney is still trying to make some ties between al Qaeda & Iraq - when will the dumbass give up that fight?!!? I think I have a right to bitch, cuz I did get my ass out & vote the past three or four elections. IMO if you don't vote you cannot complain. But I did, so I can . Ha ha ha...I'm just so over the Bush administration & all their antics. The more I read, the more I learn, the more I'm embarrassed, and outraged. Latest book I read was Guantanamo by Joe Margulies, on the imprisonment of people at GITMO in Cuba by the US government, and the abuse of presidential powers. Before that I read the series of three books by Bob Woodward: Bush at War, Plan of Attack, and State of Denial. Forgive me if the titles are wrong, but I believe that's accurate....All very worth reading, whether you're Liberal or Democrat, sit on the Right or Left. I must credit a (somewhat) new found interest in reading for what I've learned as of late, and authors such as Joe Conason, Robert Baer, Woodward, and Margulies for helping open my eyes & get a glimpse behind the wizard's curtain. I could write forever & ever on politics, and it's a subject that gets me all riled up, veritably foaming at the mouth, so I'll stop now. Just let me close by saying that yes, even though the Pentagon stated it has no evidence linking al Qaeda & Iraq (read: Hussein), Cheney still thinks it's so. Wish I had some of the shit he's been smoking!
Closing Time...
Well, it's time to bring my first blog entry to a close. There's laundry to do, dishes to wash, and dogs to harrass/play with/entertain, and dinner to forage for. When it comes to my blog here I cannot promise regularity or make predictions on intervals of writing, or quality of my posts. I guess this will end up being something of a diary of sorts, my musing & thoughts on the world around me (immediate and that in the distance, over the horizon), and the general happenings in my life. At the very least it should be cathartic & somewhat therapeutic. Over & out for now, go out there & Live Life!
Part I
I've never blogged before, but then, I never put so much of myself out there like I have on MySpace, so WTF, might as well give this "something new" a try too, huh? So if you choose to read, understand that this is all pretty much stream-of-conscience, and/or consciousness. It may be disjointed & random, but then so's my head at times.
Part II
I just started looking for a new job, an endeavor which in & of itself is exciting, frustrating, and challenging all at once. I've been in IT for so long that I don't know if looking for a job in other fields feels this way too or not. Guess I kinda take the lazy way out by posting my CV on a couple of different IT-centric sites, hoping employers will contact me. But you also have to be aggressive or assertive yourself as a job hunter & do some looking too. It's early in the game, and our move (oh yeah, relocating back to FL) isn't until late June, so I have some time. But, my natural tendency to procrastinate is most definitely my potential worst enemy. Thou shalt get off thine ass Brian...(so speaketh my conscience.)
Part III
My family took off for a trip today, gone for a week, doing some advance work for our move, seeing family out-of-state, and also just getting away for a bit. That leaves me to knock around the house w/three of the five dogs (other two on the trip), pretty much keeping to myself. It'll give me a chance to burn some new music, relax, catch up on some movies I'd like to watch but haven't had the chance to, catch the Malaysian Grand Prix (F1), and some long-DVR'ed shows I have yet to watch.
Part IV
Saw on the news the other day that VP Cheney is still trying to make some ties between al Qaeda & Iraq - when will the dumbass give up that fight?!!? I think I have a right to bitch, cuz I did get my ass out & vote the past three or four elections. IMO if you don't vote you cannot complain. But I did, so I can . Ha ha ha...I'm just so over the Bush administration & all their antics. The more I read, the more I learn, the more I'm embarrassed, and outraged. Latest book I read was Guantanamo by Joe Margulies, on the imprisonment of people at GITMO in Cuba by the US government, and the abuse of presidential powers. Before that I read the series of three books by Bob Woodward: Bush at War, Plan of Attack, and State of Denial. Forgive me if the titles are wrong, but I believe that's accurate....All very worth reading, whether you're Liberal or Democrat, sit on the Right or Left. I must credit a (somewhat) new found interest in reading for what I've learned as of late, and authors such as Joe Conason, Robert Baer, Woodward, and Margulies for helping open my eyes & get a glimpse behind the wizard's curtain. I could write forever & ever on politics, and it's a subject that gets me all riled up, veritably foaming at the mouth, so I'll stop now. Just let me close by saying that yes, even though the Pentagon stated it has no evidence linking al Qaeda & Iraq (read: Hussein), Cheney still thinks it's so. Wish I had some of the shit he's been smoking!
Closing Time...
Well, it's time to bring my first blog entry to a close. There's laundry to do, dishes to wash, and dogs to harrass/play with/entertain, and dinner to forage for. When it comes to my blog here I cannot promise regularity or make predictions on intervals of writing, or quality of my posts. I guess this will end up being something of a diary of sorts, my musing & thoughts on the world around me (immediate and that in the distance, over the horizon), and the general happenings in my life. At the very least it should be cathartic & somewhat therapeutic. Over & out for now, go out there & Live Life!
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