Neil Gaiman Anansi Boys

I am currently reading Anansi Boys by Nail Gaiman. I've enjoyed most everything I've read by him, although his work with Pratchett isn't up my alley. American Gods was not my favorite, but it was wonderful and he's written a followup that came out last week. It's about Mr Nancy's sons who do not each other and come together for his funeral. Mr Nancy is the African god, Anansi. Check out his website via the link above for more than you'd ever like to know about Gaiman or checkout Mirrormask coming soon to a theatre near us all.

Christmas

When we were little we'd go to my Grandma's house for Christmas and Easter. Sometimes my dad would not go because he'd be busy working, and Grandpap would be there making ham with pineapple rings and cherries. He lived next door to grandma and died shortly after she did. I think my brother misses her more than anyone, including her only child, my mother.

I once snuck out of my house to walk to hers. I never made it. I got tired, but boy did I get far for being a little dude. I stopped at some house and asked how much farther it was. They called my mother who came and got me.

Sometimes I think I write this thing now just for me and no one else. I wonder.

WES from the Real World

So I was in Best Buy and there was a dude who looked familiar. He looked like a frat boy with his sandals and vintage t-shirt. Then I realized who he was. He is Wes from the Real World Austin. Now he's not the coolest dude or anything, and he drinks to much and has sex with random ugly chicks, but whatever... I didn't say hello since I could not even remember this name, but it was cool to see a pseduo-celebrity.

Of course. Wouldn't you know it?

Hard Drive

I blew up my 200 g HHD. I think it was a power surge. Fortunately, it was still under warranty so they replaced it. Of course, they sent me a 250 g HHD. :) Bummer.

On another positive note... I think I like being what one would and could consider number two in my line of work. My boss comes to me for everything and most of the time I enjoy it, and most of the time I am able to help her. Rarely I wish she would not come to me, but I would take all of those for all of the formers.

Sometimes though I feel like I am out of the loop on certain social activities at work. Perhaps it's because I have a kid but I can keep telling myself that because others have kids. Or maybe it's because we don't smoke. Or something else all together... It just bugs me to listen to people at work talk about this and that knowing I know nothing and was not privy to it.

Happy Birthday to you, blog

Happy 1st Birthday, Dimension Blog. I love you and glad you've been there for me all year and haven't judge me.

My wife sent me several of these photos, and this one gives me the belly laughs the most.

Twelve Two Two Fondue

Twelve Two Two Fondue

Today we're featuring 12TUTUFONDUE due to the fact that my wife was reading blogs online and actually thanked me for adding this one to my blogroll. I read a bit of it, and I wish my wife would like to write more to me. Maybe we could do a blog together, but some of my more left wing ideas sometimes are murmured off by her.

So anyway read this couple's blog. It's my one of my four faves.

In no particluar order here they are by the way:

Mine
A Picture of Me
Dooce.com
12TutuFondue

I also like Astrid's. It's cool and she's fun. :)

Comment Spam Sucks

So I thought I was cool and had new friends, and I didn't ... some ass sent me comment spam. It's where you have a comment that is not a comment, but it is spam. I opened my heart and poured out my feelings about my little brother and I got friggin' spam. Damn.

So if you want to comment, and I hope you do so I know someone cares about my rants, then please see that you need to type in a little picture word so no more comment spam. I hope.

Social Security problems

In case you didn't already know this about Soc. Sec. - read on

Happy New Year!! Keep this going until 2008 !

Subject: If You are A Working Person Whose Had To Earn The Money You've Been Paid Read This.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT!
KEEP IT GOING!!!!

2008 Election Issue!!

GET A BILL STARTED TO PLACE ALL POLITICIANS ON SOC. SEC.
This must be an issue in "2008 ". Please! Keep it going.

----------------------------------
SOCIAL SECURITY:
(This is worth reading. It is short and to the point)

Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.

Our Senators and Congresswomen! do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it.

You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many year! s ago they voted in their
own benefit plan .

In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.

For all practical purposes their plan works like this:
When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die.

Except it may increase from time to time ! for cost of living adjustments..

This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two Dignitaries For example, Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives.

Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives.

Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00. NADA....ZILCH...

This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds;

"OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"!

From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into,-every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer)-we can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month after retirement.

Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator! Bill Bradley's benefits!

Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.

That change would be to:
Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us .
then sit back.....and watch how fast they would fix it.

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.

We need to be heard.

Power Surges

Power surges blow goats. I had one that fried my external hard drive. Completely. Lost a ton of videos of my daughter. And came to realize that it fried my DVDR too! Crap. I am calling Sony tomorrow.

CNN.com - Reaction to Katrina split on racial lines - Sep 12, 2005

CNN.com - Reaction to Katrina split on racial lines - Sep 12, 2005

Hard Rock Cafe - New Orleans

My friend was in New Orleans in mid-August and bought me a HRC shot glass from the New Orleans restaurant. I think it's pretty cool and someday I might be able to sell it for a buttload of money :)

Time Line of events in New Orleans - Katrina

Timeline

Friday, Aug. 26: Gov. Kathleen Blanco declares a state of emergency in Louisiana and requests troop assistance.

Saturday, Aug. 27: Gov. Blanco asks for federal state of emergency. A federal emergency is declared giving federal officials the authority to get involved.

Sunday, Aug. 28: Mayor Ray Nagin orders mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. President Bush warned of Levee failure by National Hurricane Center. National Weather Service predicts area will be "uninhabitable" after Hurricane arrives. First reports of water toppling over the levee appear in local paper.

Monday, Aug. 29: Levee breaches and New Orleans begins to fill with water, Bush travels to Arizona and California to discuss Medicare. FEMA chief finally responds to federal emergency, dispatching employees but giving them two days to arrive on site.

Tuesday, Aug. 30: Mass looting reported, security shortage cited in New Orleans. Pentagon says that local authorities have adequate National Guard units to handle hurricane needs despite governor's earlier request. Bush returns to Crawford for final day of vacation. TV coverage is around-the-clock Hurricane news.

Wednesday, Aug. 31: Tens of thousands trapped in New Orleans including at Convention Center and Superdome in "medieval" conditions. President Bush finally returns to Washington to establish a task force to coordinate federal response. Local authorities run out of food and water supplies.

Thursday, Sept. 1: New Orleans descends into anarchy. New Orleans Mayor issues a "Desperate SOS" to federal government. Bush claims nobody predicted the breach of the levees despite multiple warnings and his earlier briefing.

Friday, Sept. 2: Karl Rove begins Bush administration campaign to blame state and local officials—despite their repeated requests for help. Bush stages a photo-op—diverting Coast Guard helicopters and crew to act as backdrop for cameras. Levee repair work orchestrated for president's visit and White House press corps.

Saturday, Sept. 3: Bush blames state and local officials. Senior administration official (possibly Rove) caught in a lie claiming Gov. Blanco had not declared a state of emergency or asked for help.

Monday, Sept. 5: New Orleans officials begin to collect their dead.

Police made their storm misery worse

Police made their storm misery worse

Police attack poor blacks who are trying to escape from the flood waters.

Hahaha

One day, my fiance's "little" sister called and asked me to come over to
check the wedding invitations. She was alone when I arrived, and she
whispered to me that she had feelings and desires for me that she couldn't
overcome.

She told me that she wanted to make love to me just once before I got
married and committed my life to her sister. Well, I was in total shock, and
couldn't say a word.

She said, "I'm going upstairs to my bedroom, and if you want one last wild
fling, just come up and get me."

I was stunned and frozen in shock as I watched her go up the stairs. When
she reached the top she pulled off her panties and threw them down the
stairs at me.

I stood there for a moment, then turned and made a beeline straight to the
front door. I opened the door, and headed straight towards my car. Lo and
behold, my entire future family was standing outside, all clapping!

With tears in his eyes, my father-in-law hugged me and said, "We are very
happy that you have passed our little test. We couldn't ask for better man
for our daughter. Welcome to the family."

And the moral of this story is: Always keep your condoms in your car!!

CNN.com - FBI: Hurricane relief Internet scams proliferate - Sep 8, 2005

CNN.com - FBI: Hurricane relief Internet scams proliferate - Sep 8, 2005

Of course this would happen! We knew it would. This is just as bad as the damn LiveStrong bracelets.

GI Joe

I remember being under age 5 and collecting G.I. Joes like most kids in the late 70s/early 80s and I always wanted to buy JOE himself. I always thought that there was an actual character named GI Joe. Now looking back, I always wanted to make the one doll who was tall, white, and had brown hair like me, Joe. I think part of this was a latent ideal that the perfect hero for our United States was a strong white male much like who I was and who my father is. I wonder what GI Joe looked like to a little black boy. For example, I liked Snake Eyes, but he could never be GI Joe in my book. Was it because he wasn't some white guy with whom I could relate?

New Orleans - FEMA Refugees

Ok so tell me. Why do people in America obsess about rubber necking? Come on. Anytime there's any destruction or drama it becomes everyone's business. Now don't get me wrong, I'll help my fellow man, but I don't need to be in the middle of a situation that's not part of my deal. Enough money, time, and resources are bring poured into New Orleans without giving everyone $2,000. credit cards through FEMA. And what does FEMA stand for anyway? Federal Emergency Management Agency which suggests to me that I am paying people to stay and sit on their roofs in New Orleans. My federal taxes are going to people who choose to live below sea level in a town at the edge of the ocean. Get real, and get out. Give me my money, I am going to Canada. Now I pay $40.00 for a tank of gas, and why? Because Bush can't get our troops out of the Middle East and into Louisiana, and the poor could not evacuate themselves before it was too late because they're too damn poor to move, but they wouldn't be if they could find jobs in our country that are being out sources to the foreigners who will work for sub minimum wage in next to nothing conditions. So when I have to go buy my gasoline and give my tax money to a hundreds of thousands of people who choose where they live, I can thank my federal government for bending me over to grab my ankles.

And that's another thing. What's with Oprah freaking out about the words "refugee" or "evacuee". Oprah, I have one thing to say. You're a fat black chick. Deal with it. If a person flees then they are a refugee. If they take refuge then they are a refugee. If they are evacuated then they're an evacuee, and if they stay sitting on their house roofs, then they are damn stupid. You chose. Not me. Bring some of that water here and feed my damn grass, since I need to spend my money on gas to get me back and forth to work to make money to pay you to live. Damn it. Now I better not get that second coffee for myself because those poor people sitting on roofs in Louisiana don't have coffee. I should use my dollar to buy an ugly plastic bracelet that I can wear to show how much of a clone I am, and give my dollar so some company that says they'll send it to the New Orlean's people, but I say: what the hell will they do with my dollar? The have no grocery stores, or movie theatres, or restaurants where they can spend my money. So for me, it's another overwhipped, extra-sweet, chocalty-good caffeinated coffee to drink while sitting in my desert watching the dust bowls and tumbleweeds roll down my dirt roads.

cruise ships commandeered by government

My father gets these emails about cruise ships, and I found that this passage was poignant:

All cruises from New Orleans and Mobile have been cancelled, and the Carnival ships Holiday, Sensation and Ecstasy have been leased to the government for six months starting this week, to house evacuees. All cruises during this period on the Holiday and Sensation have been cancelled. The Carnival Elation will be redeployed to operate Ecstasy's schedule during this period, so everyone booked on the Ecstasy will now sail the same itinerary on the Elation, and all scheduled cruises for the Elation have been cancelled. Carnival has released the following statement:

The Lovely Bones

I finished this novel the other evening at midnight by the light of my small Eiffel Tower light sitting next to me on the end table while my wife had been asleep for hours. I borrowed this book from the library over a week ago, and a friend of mine lives by this book. To her it's my Girlfriend in a Coma. At first I found the tone sophomoric and histrionic, although I came to realize this was the exact point. I know someone who was reading this book at age 12, before her mother ripped it from her hands. Of course, at that age, I would not suggest that this book is read by many although I truly believe that age does not matter. People are always worried about how old this person is our that person is, and too many people base everything on age rather than who the person truly is. Susie in Sebold's novel is a 14 year old who was raped and murdered. She told much of this story from a playground that was her heaven. It continued for years on Earth until people grew up and dealt with her murder. They showcase a snippet of friends to sample how people her age continue on, and I realize that Sebold could not include every person who ever knew the little girl, but I wonder if the inclusion of pigeonholed steretyped kids was a little too much. Ray is indian and goes to Med School. Ruth likes girls. Two misfits get together and stay together, her sister loses her virginity, her mother has an affair and her father never really copes. Stylistically this was well done once I realized it was well done, but I found the relationships between several of the characters to be something out of Ordinary People. When I write my dead girl book, it'll be different. I will try to do something fresh, but how can we ever truly do that. I do not know. As for Sebold she hit a winner with her frank 14 year old voice, which several people obviously continue to enjoy.

brother

I fear that my brother will never know how much I love him. We do not live near each other, and there are issues he has that he will never share with me. I don't know how to get him to share with me, and I do not know what to do about his relationship with our father. I am feable as I pretend to not think about these situations. And I wonder what he will think of this next book I am about to write.

New Orleans is America's Sodom & Gommorah

The flooding of New Orleans is our present-day Sodom & Gomorrah. Much like biblical history, the hedonism of New Orleans and its subsequent destruction has been brought upon itself by the actions of all who have acted out in this city.

Bush calls this the worse natural catastrophe in America, but he will not bring soldiers out of the Middle East to assist our own country.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield sent down a directive that all insurance claims from the catastrophe areas should be approved immediately. No questions asked. I am going to move to LA and request Lasik. Haha.

Rehnquist dies

Judge Rehnquist died this weekend, and I am not taking this well. Not so much because I totally supported him and all, but more so because Bush gets to appoint two justices now. That scares the hell out of me. I don't want some stool pigeon puppet sitting on my Supreme Court. This is a sad day for Americans.

Did I mention that my brother-in-law called me a social liberal? Hahaa.

Cousins

My cousins lived in Elizabeth, PA when we were young and we'd see them from time to time when we were small. I'd never want them to leave, so I would steal their shoes and hide them. It really made mum mad, though. When we were teens we started hanging out more often, and staying over at each other's houses more often until my cousin started dating a girl who went to high school with me. He ended up spending more and more time at my house. I'd like to think because he wanted to see me, but I think it was because he wanted to see her. Of course, they married years later and have to children and (I think) a happy marriage.

When we were little we'd ride home from my Aunt & Uncle's house and we'd fall asleep to the lulling of the tires against the asphalt of rte 51, before being half carried into the house and deposited into our bunk beds upstairs. I remember one time being dead tired in the car and being asleep, but as soon as I was home in bed, in my pjs, I could not fall asleep. In my eye's mind I imagined ice skating around South Park and remember nothing else until I woke up the next morning.

Today

I had a great time with my daughter today. The ladies were suprised when I showed up at day care at noon to whisk her away. See, this morning I had my window down and heard the thunk thunk of a flat tire as I backed out of the driveway, so I pulled back in and used that as an excellent excuse to take Mommy's truck. After picking up the baby from day care, we were going to meet Mommy to get my car to the tire shop. We have had hdd problems for the last week, and Mommy had a friend at work who was a techie. The girl and I went to visit him, and he hooked our hdd into a test pc and the board blew. White, burnt smoke shot sides ways from several circuits as he uttered a profanity and unhooked my drive, all the while shaking his head and frowing. Told me to go buy a new hdd from Best Buy and use that board. Damn.

Then we went to get the tire on the car. Another tire was shot, too. They replaced both and said it would be 90 minutes. I gave them my cell # and walked to Walgreen's with a diaper bag, car seat, and pouch of breastmilk rescued from the cay care fridge for the long weekend. We called Mommy and got a short shopping list and spent as much time as possible. Called Grammy to ask about healthy Walgreen's snacks, but everything lied about calories, fats, cards... Yuck. Then we found a coffee shop where several acquaintance of mine use to frequent. It was quite nice. After a hot summer walk across a smoldering parking lot, I bought a large iced coffee, sprinkled splenda across the ice, and settled into a leather couch to read Lovely Bones while the baby slept in the car seat at my feet. I checked my watch occasionally to go pick up the car, and after two hours of waiting we walked back. Mike, the car guy, said it had been done. I wondered why he didn't call, but I didn't mind reading quietly in a cool coffeeshop. We then left to find Mommy and finish our afternoon out alone.

If I had money

We've thought from time to time what would happen if we won the lottery, and I've actually made lists with my brother-in-law about this. Here are some things.

1. Buy a 4Runner and get rid of the Chevy.
2. Completely pay off my bills.
3. Move South.
4. Let my wife quit her job.
5. Buy my brother a cabin in the woods.
6. Retire my inlaws.
7. Buy my parents a single floor house.
8. Refurnish my house.
9. Get a house keeper.
10. Not quit my job.
11. Get a really big television and built in book cases.
12. Buy a terra byte hard drive.
13. Publish my first novel.
14. Vacation next summer in Australia.

Yes, I realize there's more. And I realize that all of the above isn't that wild. It's just what I want.

Things about me

I want to remain relatively anonymous on here for reasons I will not share. Although maybe I can share with you some things.

I like Doc Marten's but find cheaper shoes are just as comfy now.
I feel older than I am.
I think I am fat and that depresses me.
I keep old clothes trying convince myself I will wear them someday.
I talk to my mother almost every day.
I tend to procrastinate too much.
I am too social at work and need to get more done.
I love drinking coffee and have taken to having it for breakfast and lunch now.
I wish I could go to work earlier.
I don't know if I ever want another pet.
I like watching scary movies and get annoyed that I can't watch them at home.
I get bored with meals we make at home at night.
I am histrionic and react to people if I think they're wrong.
I always wanted to be an actor or musician, but I cannot sing and don't like my body.
I think I am hot from the neck up.
I wish I had perfect eye sight.
I wish I had more time to practice my bowling.
I think I'd love to have a desk job behind a computer for one year. I'd like to try it for a year.
I wish I could take my professor's brain and put it in my head, or automatically understand and remember every single thing I read.
I wish I was fluent in Portugese.
I wish I could move my work, everyone there, and my family to a rainier city.
I wish I had no spiders at work.
I wish I had a bigger house and someone to clean it.
I completely and utterly loathe Britney Spears and wish I could punch her in the face.
I have killed earthworms that almost escaped my grasp in muddy golf courses after the rain.
I hate Chabon's short stories, but I like his novels.
Douglas Coupland needs to write a novel I like. It's been too damn long.
I want to see an NFL football game.
I don't think I want to sky dive ever.
I want people to actually read my blog, and yes, sometimes I do have a big ego.
I wish I could learn Moveable Type, Adobe, and Macromedia beyond novice level.
I want to learn Spanish, hire some Mexican lady to live in my house, and pay her sub minimum wage.
I want to take my family to Australia.
I am a guy with good hair, but the gay dude who use to cut it sucks.

Stevie Nicks

I remember when I was little flipping through my parent's record collection and seeing Dad's Stevie Nicks albums and worrying that she was a witch. I was a religious little kid who thought everything not Christian was the Devil's music. I would call it secular, stick my fingers in my ears, and scream "lalalalalalla" at the top of my lungs. A few years ago my wife asked me to download a song called Rhiannon for her, and I did. I put it on a CD I made for her and then stole the CD. I am now completely and utterly infatuated with Stevie Nicks. It's so funny how perspectives change, and how we all change. I listen to Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac all of the time, and I enjoy the emotion behind the music since they all have such an intricate history together.

Tonight I lulled my daughter to sleep while singing "Go Your Own Way" to her. As I sang, her eyes grew heavier and heavier until she was asleep. Then I turned down itunes and walked her into the nursery. Her grandmother just called and she woke up to say hellow. Now Mommy is sitting here holding her.

It's Labor Day weekend almost, and we're not going to the mountains as planned. A friend will have a swimming pool birthday party on Saturday as a last hoora before they move farther south. We'll do that this weekend. Our friends are flying to Portland to consider moving there, and selfishly we don't want them to go. Although selfishly we'd like someone there to visit, although I have a friend in Seattle I promised I'd visit for over the last year. Sooner or later we will get to both.

I took the kid to day care and they only saw one spider today. What friggin' fun. I even wrote a little story to Mrs Spider. The mood at work was not lightened by my story.