More Shameless Promotions

Because apparently I don't have a damn thing to write about lately, I will once again inform the commmunity that the Count has stepped up and started posting again lately. Props to everyone who is attempting to amuse and entertain us all. And, for like the third time in four weeks, go check him out at :

A Little Elaboration

Happy Reading!

Malfoy Is Coming

All right. Time to sound like a super geek. My friend from Debate Camp is coming. Him and I used to teach together at the camp that I was at last week, but for the past 4 years he hasn't been able to come. It hasn't been that big of a deal that he was gone, it's just another symbol of things that change over time.

He's one of the friends I can talk to for hours...

He's one of the friends that I don't see often enough...

And he always comes into town and the strangest and most inopportune times, but there's no worries, that's how it always works out. This time, instead of hiding him in my home, I want to parade him all over the city so that he can meet my friends. I haven't seen him in two years and I'm excited for him to be here.

None of this is the super-Geeky part, though.

This is my friend that I started reading Harry Potter books with. The last time he came to visit, I was finishing the 4th book, Goblet of Fire. I had about 200 pages left and he asked me if I'd hit "the point where shit hits the fan." I was assuming that I hadn't because nothing seemed extraordinary yet...He told me I would know because I wouldn't be able to put the book down. I scoff at these challenges, because I read at night just before I go to sleep and regardless of how crazy a plot gets, I can always sleep it off until the next day. When we were going to bed that night, I continued to read a few chapters, and finally it happened. Shit hit the fan. My peeps that are HP fans know. Yeah, you know. It was already late when I went to lay down-sometime in the one o'clock hour and I went out to wake up Malfoy (yeah, I know we have the cheezy HP names that we use to e-mail each other, I use Madam Hootch) and he sleeps on the couch while I stay up and try to read. I AM A SLOW READER. So the book closes and I finish sometime around 5:00 a.m., and I wake him up to talk. Thus began the mania. Now, whenever a book or movie comes out, we have to coordinate our viewing schedules across states so that we can see the movie or read the book in about the same amount of time. I made the utterly SILLY decision of only buying one copy of the 6th book and it was horrible because I had to wait for the Count to read it first before I could tackle it. We called each other when we were done and read passages and conspired together about the endingof the series. I didn't think I was a sick fan of anything, but apparently of this, I am. And so it is. The first confession that I've made in at least a few months, but I love the Potter. I can't wait for the next book or movie, and I can't wait for my friend Malfoy to get here...

The Fourteenth Time..Among other things

Today is the Fourteenth time I will be attempting to quit smoking. I would love to thank Kate for this, but she really just accentuated what I already know, which is that I loathe this habit. I mean, really loathe it. Except when I'm drinking and/or stressed out at camp, bored, sleepy, angry, happy, fussy, excited, you get the point. So here we go. Day 1. Yeah for Day 1. Can I get a hell yeah?

Tee hee hee. Bad shoe guy posted his first/second post(s) now and I linked his blog wrong in the index. It's fixed now, but go tell him he sucks. Or something nicer, I don't care. But either way, keep up the support for the new posters in the world...

And, M. Night doesn't suck! I have posted this all over Angry's blog, but I will post it all over mine too...the new movie rocked so much that I plan to make life a living hell for Angry over the next few weeks...this movie (Lady in the Water) was cute and it had a fat girl as one of the heros and there were really funny moments and I got scared a few times too, and there were some thinking moments too, and best of all, when we went to see it there were two full rows of pre-teens (which amounted close to 20) none of which could have been over 15, and they were ready for a scary movie, which is silly because I have yet to see a scary Shamalan movie, even though Signs had some jumpy moments, but it kept them silent after the first five minutes and I love that. Any movie that can make kids shut the hell up is worth of praise from me. I give it a full endorsement and you should see it. There. Hah. Oh and I know Shamalan's ego and bad acting sometimes distract from this movie, but I think it's no more presumtous than Steven King writing himself into the final two books of the Dark Tower Series...

Last Days

This is my last two days at summer camp. We have a new blogger, but he hasn't gotten to post for his first time. Check him out in the next few, so we can give him some support. Any you guessed it, it's bad shoe guy. He's finally got his own blog. Maybe he'll post as much as the Count and the Hater do...

Here's his website: http://mildmanneredalterego.blogspot.com/

Also, I've been going to check out bipin and he's joined our little circle as well, so welcome him too if you are looking for something new: http://jumpstartbipin.blogspot.com/

Finally, I send my love to our little G who is under the knife again this morning. We decided she would have two different smiley scars-one that would smile and one that would frown, so that she could tilt towards you to give a non-verbal clue about how she feels about you...

Holding Pattern

I interviewed for a job and got the job yesterday. Now I'm waiting for the news that I can be released from my contract at my old job. I'm just waiting now. They have to hire someone new before I can be released from the old job. Last night I was full of all of these regrets, but I tell you, it's amazing what sleep can do to ward off stress.

I woke up this morning ready to deal with today. I don't know at this juncture that I can deal with the stress of more than today, but one day at a time is all I need right now.

I think, despite the title of this little blog, that everyone knows the thing I do worst in this world is deal with change. I put up blinders and get pissy and stressed out. Then, when it's all over, I reflect and think, "That wasn't so bad." It's predictable. Take Camp, for example. I re-lived every grueling moment with you all and then when other people asked me if I liked it or if I would go back, I ended up replying, "We'll see..." as if, by reading my blog you would think that I would ever step foot back inside of that city, let alone on that campus.

DON'T GET ME WRONG, the events that I described were as accurate as my little mind could portray them, but what I didn't post about is all of the days where we had awesome lectures with the kids, or how many cool places Tons of Fun took us to eat, or even just the simple fact that by week 2 I got invited to sit with the rest of the staff and I even joined the Brian McBride Fan Club. I didn't even bother to explain that most of the little things I posted about were resolved the night before my novices got there. Granted, I wanted those things to be handled before I ever even got to camp, but the real moral to the story is that at least they got done.

I think that I treat my whole life the way that Hater treats his movie-going experience. He always tells everyone that before he goes to see a movie, he tries to down-play all of the hype about it so that he won't be dissapointed with the film. I think I down-play every new situation so I don't have to tell you that I'm just scared of dissapointment.

It took all of these words to tell you that I just want to leave my old job and move to my new one and I'm scared that's not gonna happen.

The Laundry List of the Week

So far this week, I've:

• Cleaned the closets
• Moved the furniture in one bedroom
• Re-arranged the paintings in the house
• Hung 3 mirrors in the living room
• The usual-dishes, laundry, etc.
• Painted the bathroom
• Tore down the hideous greenery lining the top of the kitchen cabinets
• Hung new curtains
• Bought rugs, a trashcan, some canvas baskets, a new lamp, and a 40 watt lightbulb
• Switched the sheets to an older, but much more summery-looking set
• vacuumed
• Fought an epic battle with the cable man that ended with him stealing my soul and me purchasing a new cable modem
• Cooked two new recipes, both predictable and average
• And watched two discs of scrubs
• Oh, and moved the dvds into a new cabinet holder
• And put in a new bookshelf
• And traded 19 old books for 19 new used books
• And traded 30 cds for two classic ones (Nirvana-Bleach and Smashing Pumpkins-Rotten Apples)

And I think that sums it up.

The real question is whether or not the Count will notice any of it when he gets home.

You can tell I've lost all faith that he'll read this blog because I wanted all of this to be a surprise when he gets home...

Last question: Is anyone going to go see the new Pirates... movie? I want to, but I guess I don't want to be the only nerd in the house that is interested...

Great News! We're Brilliant!

My mom called me early this morning to inform me that CBS' Sunday Morning show did a piece on blogging and it explained the difference between web pages such as "My Space" and blogs. My mom was thrilled to inform me that blogs stood for "web log." Thanks, Mom. Sometimes she learns slower than others, but then again, most days she's still miffed by the whole internet thing, so cheers to her for figuring all of this out.

The best news was that she thought she would call me to tell me that studies have already been done with this whole "blog thing" and they found that while many people have "My Space" pages, only the truly brilliant start and maintain blogs. Jyesssss. I guess I can't skip posting weeks, it may somehow reflect on my mental capability or lack thereof.

Don't worry, I'll be informing the Count as well, I'm sure this will be just the motivation he needs to get blogging again. Or not. But still, we're smart.

To quote Homer Simpson: "I am so SMART, I am so SMART. S-M-R-T. Oh, S-M-A-R-T.

Must...Kill...Cable Guy...

I am just wondering if this will even post, so I won't elabortate on this situation except to say this: I am at home now and still the best internet connection that we get is from stealing wireless from the neighbors. If stolen wireless is more consistent that your cable modem, there's a problem.

Worse, I call to have this now 5 week problem addressed and I'm met with hostility. I have paid for months of internet that I can barely use, and yet I'm the "bad guy" oh, I don't think so. I better hurry and post this before the connection disappears again.

And yes, IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE HOME!!!

A Really Crappy Post

This morning my suite area in my dorm room was used for lecture. There's only been 10 kids in our lab group, so we squeezed in. As the lecture goes on, my least favorite partner, who I have yet to post about, so lets do a sidebar here so I can describe Tons of Fun--

--Tons of Fun is the person that when you see, you know at Christmas time that he doubles as Jolly Old St. Nick. He's smiles from ear to ear, and his cheecks even give off a soft cherry glow. He seems to be as jovial as the obese stereotype goes, and I enjoy his giggles. Yeah, I know now why this sonofabitch was smiling when he met me, and it's not cause he plays Santa Claus, it's because that little shit knew that I would be the one doing all of the work for this lab. I cut a 50 page affirmative (which by the way, is lame in debate terms, but you don't know that, so I'll make it sound important) and I typed notes for every single lecture. If he gave the lecture, there were no notes. No structure. I am sitting here now cutting 152 pages of rape impacts and this ass is odie-doe-ing all around the dorm. AND, sidebar to the sidebar---

---I am working on being less judgemental. I guess its working...

But He drew the line when (during his roaming-not-cutting-card-14-day-break that he's been taking since he got here) he decided to drop some kids off at my pool. You know. He sunk a submarine. He pinched a loaf. Sometimes we call it number two-sies. I don't have a problem with that. I don't normally have a problem with poopers in my bathroom. Even no-working-only-nose-picking-harry-potter-playing-get-the-fuck-off-my-xbox assholes have the right to use my toilet. I'm not that heinous. And he even does the courtesy room spray, which was a nice touch. I guess he had the extra time to spare, considering he hasn't spent any time to find evidence, so I'm pleased that there was no smell violation. Then, about an hour later, it is my turn to make a deposit at the bank, so I walk to the lieu. Murder most fowl! Timmy and Tommy brown turtle are floating in the water and staring up at me. Shit! Literally. Shit. Now what do I do? You can't flush before you go to the bathroom, then he knows he's committed a party foul. So I do my business as quickly as possible. Then I reach for the toilet paper to finish it off. You knew this was coming, didn't you? Yeah, you guessed it Inspecter Morris, the bastard took all of the toilet paper. I am at this moment dripping from my own contribution, and carefully balancing over his deposit and there's no fucking toilet paper.

I do believe this carefully sums up my experience in Austin at Debate Camp. Really really shitty. Whew. I'm all punned out.

I'm Joining The Club

Okay, I'm on board with the homesickness crew. I have no idea now why I was wishing for summer because all I have wanted is to be near friends and not be alone in some random place. I miss everyone and it's time.

I'm not ready to cry yet. So I just keep getting more and more angry.

Happy 4th?

It's the Count's birthday tomorrow, but we are celebrating it today. It's cloudy. I'm sick. I've been sick since Count got here. Everyone seems to be having a rough day. So I am just sending out the good vibes...

How could we not be happy when on this day:

In 1826 Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died,
AND
In 1831 James Monroe died,
AND BECAUSE HE WAS SO HAPPY
In 1845 Henry David Throueau moved into his shack on Walden Pond,
AND
In 1939 Lou Gherig said fairwell at Yankee Stadium

Don't worry though, for tomorrow the anniversary of the bikini swimsuit will make us all push out of this July gloom.

Much love all my friends and family, Happy 4th.