Sunday, April 30, 2006

A Sense of Accomplishment

Manuel nor I have green thumbs. In fact, we don't even like to work in the yard. I would GLADLY pay a gardener to come mow my lawn and pull my weeds. Money well spent, in my opinion.

That being said, you can imagine what our back yard looked like after the winter. In fact, I posted a while back that the weeds were so tall birds were perching on them. It was BAD news.

Well, Manuel took the weekend off from open houses and we pulled weeds, mowed lawns, trimmed hedges - basically worked our asses off to clean up the back yard. And now it looks FANTASTIC! There are no weeds, the lawn is mowed (kinda brown because the weeds and tall grass kept the sun from the actual lawn, but that will fix itself in a short amount of time) and trimmed the ivy and bushes on the side of the house so now you can actually walk on the sidewalk. When I look outside, I hardly recognize the yard. It looks really good.

When we were done, Manuel said to me, "Can you believe how good the yard looks?! What's more unbelievable? How different the yard looks or that we actually did all that work?!"

And that pretty much sums up our opinion of yard work.

But I'll tell you what, looking outside and seeing the difference gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. I'm really proud of us! I'm just sad we didn't do before and after pictures so you can appreciate exactly what we did...

Friday, April 28, 2006

God Bless Kevin Martin and TIVO

Words cannot express my joy right now. A game winning shot at the buzzer by the kid I HATED until midseason when he started waking up and playing ball. A game that with 27 seconds to go, I felt we were going to lose. And because of the beauty of TIVO, I keep watching the shot over and over again. Watch. Cheer. Rewind. Watch. Cheer. Rewind. After years and years of game winning shots going against my favorite teams in the playoffs by Paxton, Elie, Stockton, Horry, Van Exel, and now Barry, I finally get to see one go MY way. TIVO, will allow me to watch it over and over again. Even if we lose this series, I will always have THAT shot. It doesn't make up for the toughest ones - Paxton in '93 and Horry in '02, but at least I can be at peace that they don't ALL go against me and my teams. Yes, I am teary eyed.....

What I plan to watch this summer....

Summer movie season is upon us and I am jazzed about countless movies coming out. In between watching World Cup games, these are the movies I plan to go see at the theater this Summer:

5/5 Mission Impossible III
5/12 Poseidon
5/19 Da Vinci Code
5/26 X Men III
6/6/06 (Very Clever) The Omen
6/9 Cars
6/23 Click
7/7 Pirates of the Carribean II
7/21 Lady in the Water
7/28 Miami Vice
8/18 CLERKS 2!!!
8/18 Mutha F'n Snakes on a Mutha F'n Plane!!!!

Will I get to see all of these? Probably not, but I can't think of which ones I would even cut out. So excited!!! How many of these are YOU going to be seeing? Did I leave any out you will be going to see? Let me know...

Quiz time....even easier today. Next one I will try to make harder.

1. Why, don't you two just shut the fuck up? If either of you assholes had a$1000, I'd kill you both
2. Billy, we're good, but this is getting ridiculous.
3. No, I like all you Navy boys. Every time we gotta go some place to fight, you fellas always give us a ride.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Almost listing time...

Well, the listing that I have known I was probably going to get for quite some time now is finally about to hit the market. I signed the papers a couple of weeks ago and on May 1st, the listing will be on the market. Pretty excited. I have never done this part of Real Estate so it should be interesting. I feel really prepared though and I think the house should sell. There has been some price reductions on other houses around it in the last few days that has me a little worried, but we'll try out this price and see what happens. I am keeping my eye on everything going on around the house on a daily basis so I feel pretty knowledgeable on what to do. Once the sign goes up with my name on it, I'll post pics...

More movie trivia for ya...

#1 - I think my eyes are getting better. Now instead of a big dark blur, I see a big bright blur.

#2 - I said no camels. That's five camels. Can't you count?

#3 - Never again will I allow our political self-interest to deter us from doing what we know to be morally right. Atrocity and terror are not political weapons. And to those who would use them, your day is over. We will never negotiate. We will no longer tolerate and we will no longer be afraid. It's your turn to be afraid.


Have fun...

Rich has another new post right below this. Make sure you check it out...

The fiction behind the truth

As promised about a month ago here is my short, biased take on the true story. I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a true story. This is not an attempt at outing all of our history in society or to make an entire section of your local library null and void. There are facts to life and there is no disputing factual evidence and data. What I challenge is the retelling of any of these events and facts. Everything has it's own bias and subjectivity to it. A writer who gives us the behind the scenes look at the presidential election is still giving his swing to the way things went. No matter how many interviews that writer does or how much film is used to capture all the events there is always a slight tilt to it. The writer is only taking from those anecdotes and connecting them together to make one cohesive unit. But we are dealing with human beings and not robots. Memories are not as photographic as people like to believe.

No you may be asking what about a documentary or anything caught on film? It is still based on a POV. That of the camera. The camera is cold and analytical. The cameraman is still capturing what HE wants to see. You are not getting the 360 degree view. Holes will always remain.

Back to the point. No true stories. Ever listen to someone tell you how their day was? It is retold from the perspective of that person. All the facts that person tells you maybe true, but what if they don't have all the facts involved? I would not call this person out as a liar. I am simply saying that the story is not complete and true, cause once you are involved you have swung it with your own emotions and input to the situation.

Perhaps I am looking into it way too much. I definitely fancy myself a fiction storyteller. I pull from real life and make it my own story. Even my attempts at true story telling fall under fiction cause I have allowed emotion to twist my objectivity. My own influence in the stories of my true past has caused me to remember the stories in ways that make it less than Truthful. Alcohol, anger, a lack of proper eyewear has caused me to miss something or to skew it. I only captured MY truth and not THE truth. Thus it is not really an absolute non-fiction.

There is my quick take on why there is no such thing as a true story. My 10-15 minute take on it anyways. Back to watching music videos and Smallville. A grapple a day keeps the bogeyman away. Rabble Rock!

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Movie news to make me giddy!!!!

A couple of very exciting movie news articles came across my desk in the last few days that I just had to share.

1. I loved Ocean's Eleven when it came out. It was just a fun movie that I have watched many times. I was jazzed to see Ocean's Twelve, and although it was an okay movie, it certainly did not live up to expectations by any means. In fact, I didn't even bother buying the DVD. Despite my disappointment, I was jazzed to hear a couple of months ago that they were going to bring back the whole cast again for Ocean's 13. Sure, the second was a semi-dude, but it is one of those movies that I will give a shot to anyway. I mean, it's worth a shot right? Well, they have just confirmed a new cast member and I can only see good things coming from this. Al Pacino as the villain that they are trying to rob? Sounds like movie goodness!!!






2. Many of you know that I am a BIG fan of the horror book I AM LEGEND. In fact, I have let many of you borrow it so you can read it as well(a fast read at about 180 pages). For YEARS, there have been rumors of them turning this book into a film. Well, actually, this would be the third time I believe it has been a film including the 70s film, The Omega Man. I have not seen the adaptations, but I heard they do not follow the book very well. Well according to joblo.com, Warner Bros. finally wants to get this done and they have hired a director and Will Smith to star as the last man on earth. Filming should begin early 2007 so we can probably expect it Summer/Fall 2007. I have been wanting this to be made for YEARS and it is good to see this is finally going to happen. I am so jazzed about this...




Alright, for those of you who made it this far, how about a contest. I am going to start with these questions on my posts simply because they are fun to do. Firts right answer gets the Manuel No-Prize. Very coveted. I'll start easy.

What actor has said these lines and in what movies? Same actor for all three flicks...

1. "Someone put me back in the fridge."
2. "Go ahead, I don't shop here."
3. "Yo, Tommy! I didn't hear no bell..."

1 pt - for the actor and for each movie. 4 pts total.

One for the masses

There was this rhyme and this flow, but it's purpose was yet to be known. I could go here and I could go there, and still it followed me everywhere. I feel this pain and this urging. I know from whence it came. I have been up and I have been down, but for now my spirits remain dormant. I've had money and been broke. I have traveled for self and for others. It is an ache and an itch. It is the unsewn stitch. My eyes, my ears, my heart are aware of the scene that plays in my dreams. I have underpaid and overspent. I have said too mcuh and spoken too little. It is past and it is prologue. My mind my mind oh where does it seek to take me? I find that routine creates serenity now. Impulse causes controlled chaos. Contained emotions can explode on certain days and implode on others. There are always options and there is too much time. I can make my own cake nowadays and I most certainly will eat it too. The cards in the deck are always in my favor. I just don't know it yet.

Ladies and Gentlemen this is why I prefer not to say whatever is on my mind cause my stream of consciousness tends to be a jumbled bag of marbles. And no jokes about how you already thought I lost said marbles. I don't even own any marbles. This is what happens when a self-proclaimed writer has too much to say and no real clear-cut way to say it. Take it for what it is. I will make more sense tomorrow. I have some late assignments due and I suppose I am the only one who will actually do them for me. Cassie, Forrest got robbed. Tito got beat. Gracie vs. Hughes baby. Gotta see the old man do his thing one more time. Always remember to do your taxes and make sure to not hate the player, hate my shoes. Rabble Rock!

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Heartbreaking

I feel really bad for the Kings right now. They really did play their hearts out(well, most of them), and for them to lose was just really hard to watch. The way Shareef, Bonzi, and Kevin played was just inspiring and it saddens me to see them lose like that. I still don't understand why they wouldn't just foul and make them shoot free throws with 20 seconds left when SA has that many great three point shooters. They opted not to though, they left Barry open, and it was over from there. Rick Adelman is about to come to the podium for his press conference and you can just see the hurt on his face. He looks like I feel. Just tough...

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Attitude

I was taking care of this relatively young (20 years old) patient last night who was having her first baby. She had quite a few visitors in her room. The technical rule of the hospital is 6 visitors in a room, but I'm pretty easy going and I'll let more in as long as I can move around and get to the things I need to get to. I think this patient had 7 or 8 visitors.

It was time for her to get her epidural. I explained to everyone before hand that only one person was allowed in the room during the procedure and that everyone else would have to go to the waiting room. Well, the time came to kick everyone out, so as they were leaving, I said, "I'll send J to come get you when it's ok the come back in." They said ok and left.

We do the epidural and I lay the patient on the bed when we were finished. I go to the cabinet to get something, and I see a few of the visitors standing by the door. I say, "I need you to go to the waiting room. Remember I said I'd send J to come get you when it was time?" They kinda roll their eyes and slowly walk away.

A few minutes later I go to the cabinet again and I see them waiting in the hallway. I make eye contact, point down the hall and say, "Waiting room please."

Finally I have the patient all settled in and I'm ready to leave the room. As I go to the door, I see them waiting in the hall again. I decide not to say anything - you have to pick your battles, and this one I was obviously losing. So as I exit the door they push past me and enter the room. One of the girls, as she passes me, says, "Kiss my ass."

WHAT?!?! I'm already fairly fired up by them, so I call her on it.

"Excuse me? Who exactly was that comment directed toward?"

"What comment?"

"Kiss my ass?"

"Oh, uh, my cousin."

I hold eye contact with her for a few seconds, slowly nod my head and leave.

It amazes me how people think the rules don't apply to them. It also amazes me that people cop an attitude and ruin the experience for the patient. I know my patient was bothered by it because she later apologized to me for the girl's behavior. I told her that was sweet, but not her job to apologize for someone else's behavior.

And normally, that's not me at all, to be confrontational and call people on things, but I had had enough and didn't care anymore. I almost hoped to really piss her off so that I could have security take her out and she couldn't come back in at all.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Hooked again...

I honestly never thought I would go down this path again, but I am hooked on comics again. I collected comics from around the age of 11-14 or so and then stopped because....well, I don't know why. I just stopped. However, in the past month or so, I have have started to collect again. Why? I just miss the stories. I miss the artwork. I just miss the fantasy that comes with reading about superheroes. I am 27, almost 28, but I really don't feel any shame for getting back into the comic world. Nerdy? Oh well. Childish? Whatever. It's been about a month and I do not regret it at all. I even got Jessica to read a few of them and she actually liked them(not that she would admit it). So what comics am I collecting now? Well, since you asked:
-X-Men
-Astonishing X-Men
-Uncanny X-men
-New Avengers

Wow, that is a lot of different X-Men titles, but then again, there are a lot of different characters. So I am back in the groove, reading on the internet what has happened in the comic world since I stopped oh so many years ago, and eagerly awaiting a cross title storyline called Civil War that begins next month. Is this just a fad for me? Probably not. But then again, you never know.

Jess has a new post below as well in case you missed it.

WHAT?!?!

This happened on my way to work tonight. It was the perfect thing to turn my good mood into a terrible one for a little while...

I'm driving along, approaching the intersection at Antelope and Roseville Road. I can tell the light is going to stay green long enough for me to get through the intersection, so I continue on at the speed I'm going. I can see a silver truck waiting to turn right onto Antelope from Roseville Road. He keeps inching forward as I'm approaching, so I'm on alert that he might go. And it was a good thing because he pulls in front of me and I have to slam on the brakes so I don't hit him. And I mean literally slam on the brakes, not slow down, not stop hard, slam on the brakes. In the process, I also lay on the horn for about 3 or 4 seconds.

Then what happens? He flips me off. HE FLIPS ME OFF. He flips ME off, like I was the one in the wrong.

If I knew how to spell the sound of the scream of frustration and injustice I wanted to let out, I would...

Thursday, April 06, 2006

What kind of job do you have?

This may be a set-up, but hear me out. I think at this moment sitting in my home listening to my ipod and eating a bunch of mini easter egg candies that there are two kinds of jobs in the world. The job that let's you daydream and the kind that doesn't. I will use myself as the example of the former.

I have an extremely easy job. I have always had jobs like this to an extent. The kind of job that any half-way intelligent person can understand in less than an hour. Perhaps I find myself looking for jobs like my current one because they offer no mental or physical challenge thus giving me the easy road. This also leads me to conclude that I get and deserve exactly what I have and am at the moment cause you get what you put into something. Something else hit me though over the past couple of weeks. If you don't already know, I am a driver. I do actually get out of the vehicle every now and then, but in a 10 hour day I will probably be sitting in the vehicle for 7-8 hours of that day. Now I love music, but even I can get tired of listening to the same 5 songs on every radio station every 10 minutes. I still do pay attention to the road of course, but I finally know why I took this job. I get to daydream. A LOT! This may be my creative side that likes to just consider all the things around me and get lost in my own imagination. I can reflect on the past and make plans for the future. Most of all I can just simply let go of what is on me. Now we all have that family member or friend who just simply can't get over all the things wrong in their life. As if they are the only person in the world with problems and those problems are of such great significance that we must all share in them. These kind of people need to go outside and daydream for a minute. Granted, I have few real cares or responsibilities in my life. If I packed up a bag and took off for a week it really wouldn't hurt anyone in my life. Just as long as I left a note. I just think nowadays that my daydreams take all those lil problems away for a minute. Yeah I still gotta pay for a tux and get rid of my credit debt and yada yada yada. Don't you think it would be tremendously boring and selfish of me to sit here and tell you about my self-inflicted problems on a weekly basis on this here blog? I think so. Now for the other end of this discussion.

I have heard too many married men tell me how smart I am for not being married. The reasons vary. Get more women before I settle down. You get to keep more of your money. You still have more freedom and a life without having to check in. Blah blah blah. This relates to those same people who tell me about the job they hate that they stick with because they "HAVE TO". These are the non-daydreaming jobs. Once you check in and get on the clock the first thing on your mind is when you are clocking out. You hate the cubicle you are in and the co-worker who takes all the donuts before you can get one. You become so busy getting buried in the next work assignment and the drama of the workplace that it just tears you down. Mind, body and soul. I know people like this. The first thing they do when they see a person for the first time that day is tell them all about the crap that is going on at work. The lifers who don't see beyond the weekend and the release. By the way, You do not "HAVE TO" do anything in your life. Every thing is still a choice.

I am not advocating either side. I myself see the pros and cons of my life and my daydreaming job. I have heard plenty about the other side to know that I won't ever have a job like the non-daydreamers have. My proposal for myself and for the others. Combine the two somehow. I have daydreamed away a lot of my life without the actual action that most non-daydreamers are known for. That said, I will not find my way to a two martini lunch followed by the 6 pack at home to get me through the rest of my work week. For those in the middle of it already I say take a lunch and DO NOT spend it bitching about what your co-worker just did or the work you still have to get to. Think about the clouds in the freaking sky for a minute. Drive by a neighborhood you haven't seen in a long time and have a nice memory of what you did there once with a friend of yours. Take a yoga breathe and daydream. And go back to the jungle. I will find a better way to fill my day with something more productive than window shopping or a movie. And at the end of the week we can all meet somewhere in the middle people. Ya with me?

By the way 7 out of 11 in my wrestlemania picks.
Hey Manuel, My tivo recording messed up so there is no WM 22 to watch either. I will get ya the DVD.
Cassie, when are you getting married already? Everyone else I know is either married, engaged, or getting married so get on top of things. :) JK kiddo. And don't you love spike TV? They always got some UFC show on every freaking night? Royce Gracie is still my dude. Him and Vitor Belfort
As usual, never wash colors and whites together. Your mother is always right. ALWAYS! and spread the virus. Rabble Rock!

Sunday, April 02, 2006

As promised

Wrestlemania 22 is in a few hours and this is my pre-post so as to be able to say I said it would happen first before anyone else did. Honestly, this post is just about me so if you care to turn away from the screen I can understand completely cause what follows is about 5-10 minutes of complete adolescent nonsense. In order of what I believe the lineup will be......

United States Championship
Chris Benoit vs. JBL
The Rabid Wolverine will defend his title against the Wrestling God. JBL is truly one of the worst wrestlers I have ever seen pushed through the roof in order to make us fans believe he is worth our time. I don't hate him cause he does things that make me hate him, as a good heel would. I just hate him cause he sucks. Benoit, on the other hand, is an elite wrestler and can be depended on to carry a lardass like JBL through any kind of match in order to kick off the show. Cause JBL will always need help to get over he will take this one and get booed out of the building by yours truly.

Winner and new U.S. Champ, JBL

Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle in a Playboy Pillow Fight
Two women who have posed nude in playboy are being rolled out for 5-10 minutes of just plain nonsense.

Winner Candice Michelle

Boogeyman vs. Booker T & Sharmell
The 5-time WCW champ and his girlfriend are going up against the most disgusting WWE superstar in years in the Boogeyman. It's a nice lil gimmick and all, but does the Boogeyman really need to eat worms every freaking time he comes to the ring? This is a bathroom break match-up. WHO CARES?

Winner Booker T and Sharmell

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Rather than go over each of the 6 men in this match I will simply make my prediction for what should happen. Everyone's favorite wrestler, Mr. PPV, Rob Van Dam needs this more than anyone else in this match. He is the most talented and gifted athlete the WWE has and his time has come to be given a shot at the top guys. His window is closing and if they do not give him the opportunity he needs he will be one of those almost guys that never was. The best play would be to have RVD win the match and cash in his newly won world title shot the next night on RAW. The world title has not changed hands on a Raw in years and this would be a very exciting way to get the fans going after the biggest show of the year.

Winner RVD

Big Show & Kane vs. Chris Masters & Carlito for the World Tag Team
Championship
4 people I could do without. Masters and Carlito need something to do since they are currently out fo the singles picture.

Winners Masters and Carlito

Edge vs. Mick Foley (Hardcore Match)
Please let it be Mick Foley's night. I dispise Edge so much. Pardon my language, but I soooo don't give a FUCK about you and your girlfriend and you two kissing everytime you are on screen. Edge is proof that if you yell loud enough and bitch about it long enough that it still won't make you worth the time it takes to listen to your rambling. It is so forced and worthless. I miss Christian. Foley is the Hardcore legend and I wish they would give him this one, but Edge is going to be there everyday and they can't cut him off at the legs by giving him this big of a defeat at the big show.

Winner Edge

Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James for the Women's Championship
Trish Stratus is the only reason to watch females wrestle. nevermind her gorgeous looks, she is a legit wrestler and in this case has a foe worthy of a match at WM22. We shall see if they can pull it all off, but I believe that between the good storyline and the in-ring capabilities that this will be worth taking a seat and giving a viewing.

Winner and new Women's Champion Mickie James

Mr. McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels in a No Holds Barred Match
HBK has been getting screwed over and over again by Vince. HBK is going to steal the show and do the damn thing.

winner HBK

Undertaker vs. Mark Henry (Casket Match)
The Undertaker is 13-0 in Wrestlemania matches. No one can lay claim to such a record and this is without a doubt going to rival his match with the Big Bossman as one of his worst WM matches of all-time. If Mark Henry beats the Undertaker and breaks his win streak at Wrestlemania I will do one favor for each and every person who responds to the posting. That is a promise.

Winner The Undertaker

World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton
I hate the WWE for this match. It would have gone off just fine if they left it alone and gave Rey Mysterio a one on one match up with Kurt Angle, but NOOOOO. They have to include Orton for some reason. He wasn't in the picture at all, he is coming off an injury, and I do not know why the WWE is in love with the self-procliamed Legend Killer. They just couldn't make Angle look weak and let him lose to Rey rey in a one-on-one situation. Orton is gonna lose this match to Mysterio. Angle won't lose any credibility since he didn't not actually take the pinfall or submit. Blah blah. Fing WWE. Let Rey have his moment legit.

Winner and new World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio

John Cena vs. Triple H for the WWE Championship
The Main event of the evening. The 10-time world champ vs. The Dr. of Thuganomics. Now I am a big fan of Cena, but he has reached a breaking point with the fans that is similar to what the Rock use to go through. If you do something for too long, they begin to hate you for being too scripted and cuddly. We respected you cause of your badass attitude and your edgy behavior. Now you are a character who does the same things every time. HHH is the measuring stick for every big time wrestler in the industry. They must go through him to become a legit MAN in the business. HHH should make it number 11 tonight. It would be a different ending to a WM then we have had over the past few years. It has always ended on a good note. Not this time baby.

Winner and new WWE Champ HHH

The surpises tonight will be appearances by Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan and Stephanie McMahon. Or so I think.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

A new direction

I did not come by this decision lightly. I have given it a lot of thought for a very long time. I love my job. It is a dream job and when I am in it for a while and I get some breaks, I feel I can make some good money. But last week, after winning another big 19 player tournament and pocketing almost $300, I realized that I can be even more successful elsewhere. I think my true calling is to become a professional poker player. It is a dream of mine and one that I think I can accomplish. Now I know that I am not going to have the approval of any of you for a while, and that is fine, but I really think this is the right step for me. I have thought it over long and hard. I am going to try and build up my bankroll and then it is on to the tournament circuit. I really feel I have the skill to go somewhere with this. I have talked this over with Jessica, and althought she is not happy, she is supportive. I hope you all wish me luck and have a good April Fools. May you have a good day.