Thursday, March 31, 2005

Everything's Not Lost

Yeah, I'm disappointed that the new project I was falling in love fell apart the way it did, but I can at least take a positive attitude and refocus on something else.

In all, the experiences over the past 2 weeks have cost me about $100. $50 for gas and $50 in fees. Not bad, really.

Could really use that $100 right now too, though.

I think my wife is still a little surprised that I've been taking such a positive attitude when crap is thrown my way. It's been more of a recent thing, with only slight "hiccups of positivity" in years past...

To tihnk negatively would kill me. It really would.

Watched 'The Apprentice' tonight, which is a semi-normal Thursday night show for me now. Donald Trump had a line like:
"When you focus on something and get excited about it, you fall in love with it. But if it doesn't work out, move on to something else and do it better."
THAT I can handle.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Inevitable Consequence of Progress

http://artinprogress.blogspot.com

In case people want to follow my other blog...

Monday, March 28, 2005

The Job That Ate My Brain

Dreama posted this and I like following up on things like this, since it really made me reflect on some of my old jobs.

God, some of them sucked. Also, I'm not naming some names just because I could see this stuff coming back --even after all these years and biting me in the ass.

First job to last job, FYI:
  1. Cashier - Yep, lame-o minimum wage job for a mom-n-pop store. Only there was no 'pop,' but a French Canadian family consisting of the grandparents, their son and their daughter and her 2 boys. They were in one location for 17 years, then brought me in had to move 2 weeks later. One bad decision saw them losing money quickly and then the big comics boom hit and they couldn't keep up to the speculators buying dozens of copies of every comic. Somehow they'd order the worst crap in the hundreds and get stuck with it.
  2. Pizza Crew Leader - Took a job at Little Caesar's right after high school and only lasted a year. Minimum wage again and despite being a friend of the manager in high school, he treated me like scum at the restaurant. Refused to promote me despite my work record and threatened to have me fired after a bunch of us decided to go see Batman Returns one night after our shift was over. Gotta hate camaraderie in staff, eh? I think he was even more annoyed when I quit.
  3. 'Map Boy'? - Basically tabulated a ton of information on Earthquakes for an emergency preparedness consultant office and learned a whole load of information of what to do in and after an earthquake. The boss retired after the city we were contracted to decided the odds on an emergency in the region was miniscule. Stupid city.
  4. Salesperson - Second foray into the hobby and comics industry. It had been a huge sportscard store before a guy I knew from the first job bought it and hired me. Everything was cool for a few years, but I got to be good friends with some of the customers and when one of them bought me dinner, the writing was soon on the wall. The NHL strike totally did in the sportscard aspect and the day the strike was over, I was let go. Found out after 8 months of unemployment that he'd been giving me a bad reference. Most likely because he was pissed I left him with a bunch of stock I'd ordered and never bothered to go in and actually buy.
  5. Research Assistant - My favorite history prof hired me to compile a database of written works by women in Victorian England. I blew him away with the amount of work I found and had done more than he expected by the third month in. Unfortunately, the university refused to pay me over the summer after running me through a series of hoops. Forced me to apply for a student loan to prove "need" before they'd pay me and then I didn't get the loan. Turns out I never needed the loan in the first place and the total asshole in the financial aid office basically told me not to come back to the office. I threw a hot chocolate at him in frustration. After he retired, I became good friends with his wife. Go figure.
  6. Office Manager/Location Scout - working at a Modelling agency, I discovered an interesting fact about the Vietnamese owner. He had absolutely no business sense. Believe it or not I actually worked there for about 18 months, but saw 7 other staff members come and go in the same period of time. Most people quit after they had someone threaten to beat up the boss for unpaid wages. Oh, and our office was in a pink building. Yeesh.
  7. Site Interpretor/Vignette Actor - Worked at a National Historic Site. Loved my co-workers and hated one of my supervisors. We got on each other's nerves so much I actually pointed out to him that I carry a gun at one point because he never said a plain 'hello' but also said 'greetings and halogens.' I hated that!! They moved me into an office job (hehhe - his office job) while he took an extended vacation. After a few uncomfortable meetings where I somehow managed to sit between 2 people warring with each other, I left. Best memory was of the guy who nearly keeled over trying to stifle a laugh when the superintendant commented on the stuffed beaver "don't you just love touching the beaver?" Still makes me laugh!
  8. University worker - Held down so many different jobs at the university that I wouldn't have enough room to list them all. I was basically a "jack-of-all-trades" and went wherever needed. The politics in a university are the most horrible I've ever come across. I'd go where needed and yet couldn't get hired on full-time because I "didn't have the qualifications." Finally got "in" after 4 years and got pushed out of my job to make way for a woman who'd told her boss to "fuck off." I paid the price and when I complained the union rep tried to get me fired. A year later, after the Sex Caffeine fiasco, I ended up back in the position only to get bumped by someone with much more seniority after 3 weeks back on the job. Went to a new department where I got to work with the infamous Co-Workers From Hell. Got a chance to go back to the 10-month then 3-week job for a third opportunity (by which time I was labelled a 'drifter' --stupid politics). After 2 weeks I was asked to resign (and gladly did) because I'd been "too friendly" with the students. No, not sex. Just constantly watching out for them because the Boss From Hell was verbally abusive to some.
I miss like one of these jobs and that's it. Isn't that sad?

Sunday, March 27, 2005

Stinker

My house stinks.

I mean, really stinks. These cats are killing me. They've totally crapped out their room (it's almost all in the litter box, but they're like shit-producing machines) and the smell's drifting down throughout the basement now. You walk downstairs and the smell hits you.

Geez, my eyes are watering.

Saturday, March 26, 2005

Cure for a Common Complaint

I'm having one of those weekends where nearly everything is making my brain bubble and I'm about ready to explode.

Some readers know about my history with doing work around the house (never a good thing) and the damage I've done.

I *think* I mentioned in an earlier blog entry about my basement toilet exploding. Well, we did go out and get a replacement, but times being busy and when it's not so busy I've been taking care of the kids, so it's been at least 6 weeks since the downstairs toilet flushed it's last flush.

So, enter Mr. Fix-it to remove toilet-the-broke and install toilet-the-new.

Removing the broken toilet, took about an hour with one minor break for cursing and swearing as I had to contort myself around the bowl to unscrew a few bolts and with my sore neck it was quite painful.

But I did it. I removed said offensive (and plum-broke) toilet and opened the box to pull out the new and improved flusher.

Now, bear with me for second as any women reading this may not/most likely wouldn't understand what a toilet means to a man. A toilet is like a bath for a woman. It's our chance to break away from reality, relax, and enjoy the moment. It's an opportunity to sit, hopefully uninterrupted, and catch up on the newspaper --or a good book. Hell, even just to be able to sit and think in solitude is great. And my basement bathroom also has a powerful heater which means it's time to relax, read, and warm up on those cold winter nights. Needless to say, I've missed my Fortress of Solitude over the past few weeks. And it's been 2 years since my father decided the shower (the only one with enough water pressure in the house) needed renovating (he's promised to finish it this spring...). I need my Fortress and now it was mere moments (an hour maybe?) away.

Then I opened the box to reveal a toilet in about a thousand pieces.

See, this is where the brain explodes.

Now I have to figure out if the store will take it back despite the over 30 days issue. I'm without a toilet. REALLY without a toilet.

*sniff!*

Art for Art's Sake

After getting over the initial shock of a $26,000 tuition bill for a one year art program, I went into a different art school today to get information on their program --an 18-month program that costs just a wee bit less ($25K).

And then I applied to take the program. My fingers are already dancing waiting to officially get my hands on the $2-million plus equipment they have there. And the place is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day!

Does it get better? Jobs in this field pay beaucoup dollars. I can handle that.

I can also handle, for the first time in a long, long time, working at a job I love.

It's closing in on March 27th and classes start April 4th.

Holy Schmoley I'm going for it!

Now where to come up with $25,000.....

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Walk Idiot Walk

I haven't read 'The DaVinci Code' yet. I'll get that out of the way first.

A guy I know has read it and decided to come to me, "History Boy with the mighty power of book-learnin," for answers to his questions.

I haven't read the book. So, a wee bit difficult to answer some of those questions.

Now this guy is a little... off. Now, I know he's got some smarts, but I think they've vanished since his kids came along. I liked him back in the '90s, but he's seriously gone downill since. 3 kids'll do that to you. I almost throttled him at a meeting once when he went on this rant for nearly 40 minutes before concluding that there were 3 steps everyone could do for this idea he had: 1 - Do nothing. And he forgot the other 2 and couldn't find them on his PalmPilot. See? Wee bit of idiocy going on in there.

His first question: Were the Templars real?

So, after about half an hour of glazed over eyes (my eyes... couldn't believe the question), I started in on a lesson about the Knights Templar. How they'd been a Crusader army not really beholden to any monarchy, save the Pope. How they were powerful and rich enough to establish the first international banking system. How that power got them into trouble in the 14th century and pretty much cost them their lives and reputation. Most have since viewed them as Satanic or worse because both the French monarchy and the papacy wanted their richesto themselves. There's more to the story. Rumours that fleets of Templar ships went north into Scotland in time for Bannockburn (as I described it to this guy: the end credits of 'Braveheart' --which I then found out he'd never seen) have been written into other books...

I tihnk I just confused him more. I better get reading, eh?

A Few Good Men

I've joined a men's group recently. We meet once a week to discuss various topics, but most importantly to learn and teach one another about integrity. Integrity is a bigger word than you might imagine.

Now before your mind puts up a flag about 'Promise Keepers,' we'll "discuss."

First off, the basis for Promise Keepers (and the group I'm in is not part of PK) is that men need to take responsibility for themselves and their family. That means being there for the family. No porn. No thinking about other women in that way. No doing to other women what should be only done with your wife. Basic good common sense. Yes?

So here's our group. D is a pastor who specializes in families, especially those with young children (or grandchildren for that matter). D leads with group with the help of A. A is a janitor/basketball referee and is finally back together after about a year's separation from his wife. She was sick and tired of his addiction to internet porn, FYI. He hasn't used a computer in over 9 months. D & A are both in their mid-40s. D has 4 children, 2 under the age of 10, and 2 in senior high. A has 3 boys one in junior high, one in senior high and one in his second year of university. V is a 50ish father of 3. One in second year of college, one a year out of high school, and a son in senior high. V's biggest concerns were internet porn (it's like an epidemic) and thoughts that his son may be gay. J is in his 70s and I won't go into detail about all his kids & grandkids. There's a bunch, trust me. J does have one daughter whom he hasn't seen or spoken to in about 20 years and it's upsetting him. J used to do a lot of work with a disaster relief organization and has travelled the world assisting in rebuilding after disasters. He's been to Asia to help after earthquakes and floods. He's been to the southern states to rebuild homes flattened by tornadoes and hurricanes. He's been to California and Australia to rebuild homes after wildfires. He's the type of guy who you can call for help with anything electrical and he'll be over right away and inspect the entire house to see if there's anything he can fix while he's there. All he asks for is a cup of coffee for his work. G is a police officer who recently moved back to the area. He has family here as does his wife, so the opportunity to come back here and work was grabbed. He's in his 40s and has one married son and one son in senior high. His goal is to be a good example for those he works with and those he serves on a daily basis. T is a Vietnam vet and is desperately waiting a kidney transplant. He has 2 kids a little younger than me.

And then there's me. Early 30s with 2 very young children. I'm looking for support when I need the patience to "deal with" my kids. Some days, like today, are very difficult. And to hear stories from these men really does help. I'm glad they're around for me and I'm glad to be there for them too.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Just the Lonely Talking Again

I'm starting to think that one of the most powerful men on the planet limps along the streets of England, drinks more Red Bull than the average RB addict, wears leather, and emails people from the pub.

Don't believe me? Fine. Warren Ellis set-up a 12-hour 'forum' much in the style of his old digs, the "WEF" - Warren Ellis Forum. I was never involved in the old WEF and missed his last 12-hour forum done for last April Fool's.

In 12 hours, you needed to register with the forum, post on various subjects, and meet all the other people who listen to this man speak text through his mobile (probably from the pub).

I managed to post a few times before the day got a hold of me. As it was, the other 970 members managed a total of 3469 posts in those 12 hours.

That was Friday and I'm still making my way through the posts. Took me hours just to view the 24 pages of member photos...

I agree that 12 hours is long enough, but boy am I hungry for more.

Lukewarm Race

When you couldn't stand watching Rob and Amber on 'Survivor,' how does it help having them on 'Amazing Race'?

They're not a "You love to hate them" couple, but more of a "hate to see 'em" pair. And they squeak by like little rats in every event too.

I'm watching next week's episode and if they pull some of the same stunts, then I'm not watching again until they're out.

It's just not an enjoyable hour watching the two of them.

Again!

At least Survivor's more interesting this time around.

Art Lover

$26,750.

That's how much tuition is for the one year program I've got my eye(s) on.

Twenty-six thousand, seven-hundred and fifty dollars. Even bigger when you spell it out.

People, do your bit. Start clicking those Google ads on the left-hand side!!

Friday, March 18, 2005

When Walking Downtown

My wife & I took off fairly early this morning to head into Vancouver for the day. The original plan was to take in the 'career fair' at Robson Square which turned out to be quite the joke of a time.

You'd think in a city of 2 million-plus people there'd be quite a number of exhibits set up? Nope. According to the brochure, there was just over 40 and if we found more than 20 after looking in several nooks and crannies I'd be amazed. One of the problems is that the "convention" area has been absorbed by one of the local universities and the "wide open space" is now mostly offices, meeting rooms, and sweet-F-all for a "convention."

Geez.

We did take in 2 lectures over the afternoon. One was on interviewing tips and the biggest tip I got was don't be as unorganized as the woman doing the presentation. She couldn't figure out that the overheads were upside down and everytime she put a new sheet on.... upside down again!! Even worse, you couldn't read the bottom half of the page because of the giant stand they'd put the projector on! The second lecture was about getting into gaming design and about the new program based on that at a local film school.

Like, 95% of my dream job, people.

I felt a little ignorant afterward as the guy speaking has been with EA Canada for years before moving to this school and he was talking about other local software companies. IMPRESSIVE. I had no idea some of them had offices in the area!

Must delve further into this.

So, apart from that, we pretty much just walked around the downtown area. Had a very crappy lunch on Robson Street (the most expensive real estate in North America, y'know --yep, costs more $$ than 5th Ave or Rodeo Drive!). My tomato tortellini soup was sans tortellini. So, basically it was spicy tomato soup. That, and I had the blandest California chicken wrap. Blech. Sadly, I sat in such a position that I could see my favorite Vancouver pizza place (Pezzo, if you're ever in the area) right across the street. *sigh*

I was so hungry that a stop at Ikea on the way home saw me eat a plate of Penne with meatballs and 2 hot dogs. Believe it. That came to $3 for dinner too.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Model Prisoner

Got this from a friend from my former work... I think she's jealous.

Work vs. Prison
Just in case you ever got the two mixed up. This should make things a bit clearer ...
IN PRISON...you spend the majority of your time in an 8X10 cell.
AT WORK... you spend the majority of your time in a 6X8 cubicle.
IN PRISON... you get three meals a day.
AT WORK... you only get a break for one meal and you pay for it.
IN PRISON... you get time off for good behavior.
AT WORK... you get more work for good behavior.
IN PRISON... the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
AT WORK... you must carry around a security card and open all the doors for yourself.
IN PRISON... you can watch TV and play games.
AT WORK... you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
IN PRISON... you get your own toilet.
AT WORK... you have to share with some idiot who pees on the seat.
IN PRISON... they allow your family and friends to visit.
AT WORK... you can't even speak to your family.
IN PRISON... the taxpayers pay all expenses with no work required.
AT WORK... you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners.
IN PRISON... you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out.
AT WORK... you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.
IN PRISON... you must deal with sadistic wardens.
AT WORK... they are called managers.

Friday, March 11, 2005

All This and Nothing

I've come up with something everyday this week to write about, but Blogger seems to have its own idea as to whether or not I can actually write it out. I keep getting "no data" when I click on links and today's the first time since Monday I've been able to add a new post here. I've been able to comment on other blogs no problem, but I'm getting screwed around royally with my own. That and my profile STILL has been f---ing updated yet. Dreama's was updated something like 2 weeks ago, but she squeaked her wheel, so I guess they obligated to please her and no one else.

At this rate, I'll be the only person in North America NOT blogging by the end of year. But I'm not bitter. I hit 300 posts at some point in December and don't have the time to count manually (nor the concentration with my son's new hobby: screaming), so I have NO frickin' idea where I'm at now.

I'm a stats guy and this is seriously killing me. I needs me numbers.

As for all the things I was planning on writing about? Gone. Lost in a frenzy of a child in need of yet another Arrowroot and a father whose patience disappeared quite soon after the 3rd cookie in 20 minutes. Any attempts to do ANYTHING are greatly interrupted, thus lost, and never to be found again.

Oog.

Monday, March 07, 2005

Crazy Little Party Girl

I'm reeling right now and it's one of two things.

First, I still can't fathom that my daughter is now 5 years old. I mean, holy crap! We just had her didn't we??

Secondly, the weekend was a whirlwind of "partying" for her (and us I guess) as she got to celebrate with her pre-school class on Friday, her ballet class Saturday morning, go out with me for lunch and a movie on Saturday afternoon, birthday dinner at her grandparents' house that night, celebrate with her Sunday school class on Sunday morning, and her REAL party on Sunday afternoon.

The real party had 16 kids under the age of 6, 3 teens/youth (2 are babysitters and love her to pieces --she was a good baby, so they knew babysitting was easy money and a great opportunity to watch movies), and 2 dozen adults.

How do we top that for birthday #6?

I think I'll just send her to Disneyland or something...

Friday, March 04, 2005

Way Out There

[three for three! Did anyone think I'd be something else?]





You Are 60% Extrovert, 40% Introvert



You are quite outgoing

You are a social connector - you know a ton of people

While you aren't a wild extrovert, you are a great talker

A fantastic storyteller, you keep everyone laughing


Eerily Seductive

[granted, these filler posts don't do much for future post inspirations, but they're fun and filling! sounds like some crapola diet food commercial, yes?]





Your Seduction Style: The Charmer





You're a master at intimate conversation and verbal enticement.
You seduce with words, by getting people to open up to you.
By establishing this deep connection quickly, people feel under your power.
And then you've got them exactly where you want them!


Karma Chameleon

[too easy to title this entry!]





You Have Good Karma







In general, you like to do the right thing when it comes to others.

Your caring personality really shines through.

Sure, you have your moments of weakness - and occasionally act out.

But, all in all, you're karma is good... even with those few dark sports.


Player in a Tragedy

I was asked not too long ago about a tragedy in high school that had really brought everyone together like family. I'm amazed that today, nearly 18 years later, as I look through my high school yearbook, how that tragedy comes back so clearly. Everyone crying. Everyone wanting to know how. Why? Why some were spared and others, with so much potential in life, were gone in an instant.

18 years ago.

It's not that the town I lived in, when I started high school, was small. It was just that the population was growing on one side of town. As houses were built, the lonely junior high, suddenly found itself needing to expand to include grades 8 through 12. It meant, for the youngest students, they would never know another high school in their lives. For their 5 remaining years of schooling, they would walk down the same halls in the same building.

It meant that the younger siblings of senior high students would see their brothers and sisters on a regular basis at school as well as at home.

In March of 1987, there was a basketball tournament about a three hours' drive away. Vans loaded up with players, managers, and equipment and headed out to the tournament. One van was leaving later than the others, picking up the stragglers and following about 20 minutes further behind the caravan headed north.

Once it entered the mountain pass, tragedy struck.

As the van made its way around one of the winding curves in the highway, it hit black ice and spun out of control. The driver tried to turn into the skid, but the narrow highway, piled high with snow on the shoulder of the road, didn't give himmuch time to try and correct the vehicle. It hit the snowbank on the other side of the highway.

No one's sure just how long the driver and the six teenagers in the van were stuck in that snowbank when the logging truck came around that corner. The truck jack-knifed and slammed into the van.

Where 2 boys and 2 girls once sat in the back 2 rows of the van, there was nothing but carnage in an ecnlosed space less than 2 feet wide. Gone in an instant. The other 2 passengers suffered massive injuries. One needed open-heart surgery and the other suffered a broken back which kept him in traction for the remainder of the year. Both drivers were not physically injured. The total impact of the accident wouldn't be finalized until 6 years later at the inquiry as people questioned the condition of both drivers at the time of the tragedy.

Meanwhile, at home, sat the shocked brothers and sisters of the dead. In a school of 758 students, not one went unaffected. Brent was a jock. Darren, a math whiz. Meghan was big into drama. Michelle was into sports. Sean, who broke his back, was one of the preppies, and Rod hung out with the stoners and headbangers.

But in that one instant, it didn't matter which clique they were a part of. There was a greater whole.

And for the youngest students at the school, The ones who lost 2 big brothers and 2 big sisters, a world where everything seemed amazing great and wonderful and life would go on forever came crashing down and they turned toward each other for comfort. And 5 years later, they came together for their graduation ceremony and had to draw on some of that closeness to get through the ceremony.

At our 10-year reunion, I and the rest of the reunion committee sat back in wonder when we saw that out of 175 grads in our class 130 had come to the reunion. We'd been told by earlier reunions that turnout was small. Uusually 50% or less of the class returned to see one another.

But for some reason, our class had bonded in 1987 and in 2001 those bonds had held tightly among so many of us. Geeks, jocks, stoners, preppies and everyone else still felt that connection.

And still do today.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Test of Time

Appearing now on various Blogs, but helps with the procrastinating for the committee review report due in2 hours (and no, I haven't started it yet!)

X & Bold the ones you've done:

(X) snuck out of the house
( ) gotten lost in your city
(X) saw a shooting star
(X) been to any other countries besides the United States (how 'bout LIVE in a country other than the United States?)
(X) had a serious surgery
(X) gone out in public in your pajamas
(X) kissed a stranger
(X) hugged a stranger
(X) been in a fist fight
( ) been arrested
( ) done drugs (I have only inhaled, but never smoked...)
(X) had alcohol
(X) laughed and had milk/coke come out of your nose
(X) pushed all the buttons on an elevator
(X) made out in an elevator
( ) slept in an elevator
(X) swore at your parents
(X) kicked a guy where it hurts.
(X) been in love
(X) been close to love
(X) been to a casino
( ) been skydiving
(X) broken a bone
(X) been high (Like I said: I inhaled, but it was a Pink Floyd concert so all 20,000 people were high)
(X) skinny-dipped
(X) skipped school (skipped about 40 English classes in a row.)
(X) flashed someone
( ) saw a therapist
( ) done the splits
(X) played spin the bottle
( ) gotten stitches
(X) had an IV
( ) drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour
(X) bitten someone (BEEN bitten --have nibbled.)
(X) been to Niagara Falls (I really want to do this.)
(X) gotten the chicken pox
(X) kissed a member of the opposite sex
(X) kissed a member of the same sex (on the top of the head, does that count?)
( ) crashed into a friend's car
( ) been to Japan
(X) ridden in a taxi
(X) been dumped
(X) shoplifted
(X) been fired (laid off twice and asked to resign once, which is like a 99% firing)
( ) had a crush on someone of the same sex
( ) had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
(X) stole something from your job (pens, paper...)
(X) gone on a blind date
(X) lied to a friend
(X) had a crush on a teacher
( ) celebrated mardi-gras in new orleans
(X) been to Europe
(X) slept with a co-worker
(X) been married
( ) gotten divorced
(X) had children
(X) saw someone die
( ) been to Africa
(X) Driven over 400 miles in one day
(X) Been to Canada (almost every day of my life!)
(X) Been to Mexico
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show
( ) Thrown up in a bar
( ) Purposely set a part of yourself on fire
(X) Eaten Sushi
( ) Been snowboarding
(X) Met someone in person from the internet. (Dreama & I talked through a group for a couple of years before meeting in person --never did understand what her husband said to me ;-) )
(X) Been moshing at a rock show
( ) Cut yourself on purpose
(X) Been to a moto cross show
( ) lost a child
( ) gone to college
(X) graduated college (based on a technicality, yes, but not with a degree)
( ) done hard drugs
( ) tried killing yourself
(X) taken painkillers
(X) love someone or miss someone right now

Choice of Colors

This one's Madley's fault and if she thought it was freaky when one person had these colors, well...!!





You are






I Feel the Earth Move

So, I could start out with a joke about the earthquake we had last night as it happened when my wife & I were in bed....

But, alas, nothing's actually listed on the local seismology site about the Earth moving last night! So, hehe, I guess it was just us...

Seriously, though, it was a little freaky looking at the 50-most recent earthquakes in the area and seeing that 11 were in the past 4 days. And that the magnitude has been increasing each day. The lowest has been a 3.8 and the highest a 5.2, but what's really interesting is that they all occur within 20 miles of one another. That's close.

But if I'm reading the information correctly, they're deep enough that they don't cause any damage (despite the fact that most quakes over 5.0 DO cause damage.

So, maybe the big one is coming....

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Head of the Family

Today's a busy day in my life. My daughter's enrolled in a reading club at her future school at 9am. I have a 10am meeting that usually ends at lunch. After that, it's time to get any paid eBay items packaged and mailed out.

Throw in a discounted listing day on eBay today and I've been working my ass off since 8am this morning!

My wife & I have a weekly thing we go to on Wednesday nights, but it's been cancelled for this evening. We usually take our kids to her parents' place for the evening so that we can go to the 'thing.'

It's 6:56 right now and it doesn't look like we're taking the kidsa anytime soon! And the kids have been horrible today and when I mention it I get lecture #2,459 about how I'm not pulling weight when it comes to taking care of the kids.

We had talked about maybe just the 2 of us spending the evening "alone at home" (if you get my meaning, but I'm totally not interested now.

Like I ever wanted to have sex in 2005, right?

[don't write angry!!]

The Right Profile

2 short posts tonight because it's best not to write when you're angry --and I'm in a pissy mood. More about that in the other posting, but you get the idea.

Besides, it's bugging me since "Dreama" commented that her Blogger profile had been updated to show the current and correct number of posts she's made on her blog.

Mine? F--- all!! It STILL says 249 posts and it STILL says my last post was November 5, 2004.

Update it already!!!