Category Archives: Life

General stuff going on with my life, which may or may not fit into other more specific categories.

Stuff of the Day

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Update of the Day: So, yeah, no updates for the last few days, and nothing on the weekend.  Sorry.  Have been really unusually busy lately.  We worked late both Monday and Tuesday getting stuff ready for a software milestone yesterday.  I’ve had the thrilling joy of dealing with and fighting various Cisco applications – their standard IPSec VPN client doesn’t support 64 bit Windows, at all, and they have no plan of doing so, their ADSM remote management app for the firewall for the new server is buggy and breaks in a frustrating manner (just sits there spinning its wheels forever until it’s end-tasked) on any version of Java newer than 1.6 Update 7, and a whole host of minor little things.  All resolved, thus far, but extraordinarily time consuming.  

I also ran my Dad around for various vehicle rodeo tasks Monday and Tuesday as he was getting his truck worked on (mostly annual maintenance stuff) at Jimmy’s shop (World Class Automotive, I highly recommend him for any domestic or Japanese import work).  He sprung for lunch both days, and both Monday and Tuesday I was bad, breaking my diet repeatedly.  2 days of carb devouring, up 2 pounds.  Yeah, so I started back pretty severely limiting my carb intake yesterday.  

Monday night, I had a late, impromptu date with J . . . we went to a strip club, Jaguar’s Gold Club.  I hope their busier days/nights are better than Monday nights, because it was like a parade of some of the skinniest girls I’ve ever seen.  There were maybe 3 or 4 dancers there with honestly attractive bodies – seriously, there were half a dozen girls there that were just scary, like 12 year old heroin user girl, skinny.  They didn’t need to eat a sammich so much as a deli.  Then yesterday, after work, talking J on the phone . . . she tells me a lot of stuff that I probably should have been made aware of a lot earlier.  I’ve come to the conclusion that she has basically been using me for money (not too much, but still, principle involved) and ego boosts (a lot of there).  Rather irritating.

Went and visited Ivy and Kodi last night, we hung out and talked and tried some decent wine, 7 Deadly Zins, which Ivy wants me to write up a “an old-Joe-style review” for.  It might happen.

Link of the Day:  Top 50 Text Acronyms Parents Should Know

Spam of the Day: “Wake up your porkmonster”

Funny of the Day: “Tell all your friends their lunches are non-notable!”

Pic of the Day: I simply don’t have the words . . .

Quote of the Day: “To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there’s no music, no choreography and the dancers hit each other.” – sayings on Sports by Jack Handy

Stuff of the Day

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Update of the Day: Plans: changed.  Date with K, tonight, not tomorrow.  Will probably abbreviate said date, to my dismay.  Still very much looking forward to it.

Finally heard something after a month of NOTHING from Goddess yesterday afternoon.  Not entirely happy, but very relieved to finally get some communication at all.

Drama from M last night.  Passive-aggressive hypocritical game crap.  Hope it’s done with.

Got a new toy last night, courtesy of Ivy and Kodi.  Haven’t figured out how to make iTunes cooperate with me entirely, but already enjoying it.

Link of the Day: Fish eats a DUCK!

Spam of the Day: “Wanted: ugly timeshares”

Funny of the Day: Why is it glowing?

Pic of the Day: Very funny.  Wait until you see what’s in your shoes tomorrow morning.

Quote of the Day: “that’s why i use a straw and blow bubbles in it first. or there is always wine bonging” – mtdewd (in response to a nutshell explanation of wine decanting)

Stuff of the Day

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Update of the Day: Maybe just a tiny little trace hint of ketones in my urine this morning.  

So, I finally get semi-industrious last night, and try to go install the water filter I bought like 2-3 weeks ago.  The primary thing for which I borrowed James’ cordless drill/driver.  I clear out all the cleaning supplies, trash bags, etc., out from under the sink, and worm and maneuver myself up under and into there to get at the hoses running from the cold water valve to the faucet.  After all this contorting and work, I discover . . . the hose is larger than the one that came with the filter.  Like, 1.5x the size.  Thus, to my dismay, the filter I bought . . . yeah, totally won’t work with the plumbing for my kitchen sink in my apartment.  

Now, the reason I bought the under-sink in-line filter, was because the sink itself is really shallow, and the faucet head arcs out in a very low arc, giving maybe 7 inches, if that, of clearance between the bottom of the faucet and the sink.  I’d originally planned on just an on-faucet filter, but if I go with one of those, I’ll lose around an inch to an inch and a half of clearance, on something that’s already a small space.  I suppose I could replace the entire faucet assembly, but that’d be a lot more work than I’m comfortable with right now, would run a much higher risk of being noticed by the complex . . . and I think I’d still have to come up with some sort of adapter or something to go from the weird size of tubing from the valves to the faucet.  Oh, and it’d cost a lot more money.

So, I don’t know, maybe I’ll have to go with a filter pitcher or jug or something.  Not really happy either way.  If Midland water wasn’t so terrible, I wouldn’t care so much.

Called Dr. Doctor’s office this morning, to try to get her to pick up the ball she – or someone – dropped and get my damn prescription sorted out with the insurance company and pharmacy so I can start the treatment I apparently need.  Haven’t heard back yet.  I’m going to give them another 10 minutes or so, and call them again if I haven’t heard anything.  And then every 2 hours until 1, at which time I’ll start calling every hour if they haven’t taken care of it.  Ridiculous crap.

So, finally, Dr. Doctor said to come in and see her, briefly, she wouldn’t charge me.  I went in for an 11:10 a.m. visit.  Waited about 5 minutes, then got in to see her, spent slightly more than 5 minutes on the phone (she kept saying if it took more than 5 minutes she was going to charge me for a visit, and said she was watching the clock).  She griped at me for being impatient with her staff, then apologized to me.  Supposedly the pre-approval is taken care of, and I should be able to get the actual script filled now. 

Link of the Day: Geocities to (finally) close. – Amusingly topical, as I decries Myspace as Geocities 2.0 on Twitter today, and apparently that’s the funniest thing since suicidal clowns.

Spam of the Day: “Prepare for every possibility” – Uhm . . . how, precisely?

Funny of the Day: “We’re fucking marketable“

Pic of the Day: I didn’t realize cameras were required for that, Pentax.  I’ve been doing it wrong?

Quote of the Day: “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is a little voice at the end of the day that says… I’ll try again tomorrow.” – Anonymous

Of Course, Nothing Can Be Simple

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So, I go to my local HEB to get my prescription filled, and figure I’ll grab a few things while I wait.  I make sure they have my number this time, so I don’t spend 30-40 minutes in the store before finding out that something’s amuck with the script.  In about 10 minutes, they call me, informing me that it requires pre-authorization from the Insurance Company.  So, I call the insurance company, in the store.  While I’m talking to them (irritating lengthy system of voice menus it took me a while to bypass and get to a human), the store pharmacy calls me AGAIN to tell me the same thing.  :/

Anyway, to cut a lot of cruft out of this recounting, I’ve got to call Dr. Doctor in the morning and get her to call the insurance company to request pre-authorization.  *mutter*

Stuff of the Day: Eggsplosion Edition

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Update of the Day: So, after going months at this job with almost no issues with being here on time, I’ve had a rougher time of it lately.  I resolved to fix that after being 40 minutes late one day (when I lost my phone, which was shut off, jammed between my bed and the wall), and I’ve been experimenting with some different alarm schedules.  Yesterday didn’t go so well.  This morning was going better, I was probably going to be at work right on target (3ish or so minutes “early”), though I could still have gotten up and moving 5 or 10 minutes quicker.  Then, as I was scrambling eggs in the microwave for breakfast – something I’ve done lots of times before with no issues – there was this loud popping sound emanating from said device.  It startled me, of course scared Baby into bolting into another room and into hiding (just as I’d given her a little bitty bit of half and half), and as I yanked open the microwave, I discovered what had happened: an eggsplosion.  The roughly 3/4 done scrambled eggs had popped somehow, and small little bits of soft eggy fragments were all over the inside of the microwave.  Not wanting to leave this as it was (and wanting to finish cooking the portion of eggs that remained in the container, so I could actually eat them), I spent probably 10 minutes cleaning up the inside of the damn microwave (which was nigh spotless before) so I wouldn’t have little stone-hard bits of crisped egg baking onto the interior.  So, I went from on-target, to walking in 4 minutes late . . . to an admonishment about slipping on that lately and instruction to fix it waiting for me.

Still no ketones in my urine this morning.  Irritating.

Went back to see Dr. Doctor this afternoon.  Waited for an hour and ten bloody minutes, and finally poked my head out of the room’s door to ask them if they’d forgotten about me, when finally she came in to see me and talk to me.  One of my hormone levels came back low on my bloodwork.  So that gets to get treated.  I was offered two options – come in every 3 weeks for a shot, which would result in big spikes and then falling levels of said hormone, or a gel that’s rubbed into the skin (and I guess permeates it and get into the bloodstream, like patches?) applied daily.  Opting for the latter, which the doctor thinks is the better option of the two (though more expensive) I’m going to get that filled tonight and get to start this treatment tomorrow morning.  Yet another thing I need to budget time in the morning for.

Oh yes, and she set me appointments for seeing both an Opthamologist and a Dermatologist.  I “possibly” have Rosacea, and I “possibly” have schleritis, but she’s worried about the way the redness on my skin is and how only the outer portion of my left eye seems inflamed, and listed an autoimmune condition in the tissue on my face as a possibility.  Probably not, but maybe.  Now, being someone who has watched every single episode of House broadcast, a little part of my mind started to freak out at the word “autoimmune.”   Lovely.  All of these office visits, and probable prescriptions to go along with, will of course cost me more chunks of money. 

Link of the Day: Worst. Ninja. Ever.

Spam of the Day: “Forearm Forklift – Your Solution to Heavy Lifting”

Funny of the Day: Bringing the “A” Game

Pic of the Day: Finger Arm Lickin’ Good?

Quote of the Day: “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Stuff of the Day: Scrapey Face Edition

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Brief Update of the Day: No weekend posts, once again.  It was an interesting, eventful, mostly wonderful weekend.  Got to spend more time with Goddess.  Went out to a club Friday night, Club Tequila.  Interesting, slightly intimidating, empowering.  Maybe 3 white guys in the entire place (including me); pretty sure I was the only white guy on the dance floor at any time all night long.  Officially became slightly less “square” Saturday night.  Nothing remarkable (in and of itself, other aspects of that night were awesome), but it’s something I’d try again.  Finally hit level 77 in WoW last night, and have flight again in Northrend.  Should make the rest of my climb to 80 quicker – certainly at least less annoying.  I wrote poetry for the first time in over 8 years this weekend.  Not sure if I want to share it with the world or not.

Link of the Day: Zoomarama 3D Graphical Representation of Net Traffic

Spam of the Day: “Obama caught in lurid scandal”

Pic of the Day: Scraped my face this weekend.  It looks way worse than it is. [singlepic id=4 w=320 h=240 float=center]

Quote of the Day: “Not everyone wants a machine that’s been washed with unicorn tears.” – MS Marketing Honcho David Webster

Stuff of the Day

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It’s been a very good weekend.  Got almost nothing accomplished as far as cleaning/organizing the apartment, or any of the leveling I’d sort of planned on in WoW.  That’s perfectly ok.  I spent a lot of time with Goddess this weekend.  Good, good times.

Edit: I started this Monday but was so busy with work, I didn’t get a chance to finish it.  Then it slipped even further to Wednesday.

Link of the Day: Zen Habits – I like this site so much, it’s not only today’s LotD, but it’s joined my “blogroll” links list on the left column.  Good stuff.

Spam of the Day: “Queen guitarist May named university chancellor”

Pic of the Day: Madonna Before and After Photoshop

Quote of the Day: “Satisfy your lover . . . WITH STAGGERING PENIS SIZE!” – Name Withheld by Request

Weekend Update

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I didn’t realize I didn’t get anything posted Friday.  I’d intended to at least do SotD . . . but work is getting just really busy recently, with preparations needing to be done for the new version of our software there.  I might have to refresh my knowledge on Windows Server admin stuff, and basically give myself a crash course on being an all-around-admin again.

This weekend so far has been fantastic.  Nothing I should really post any details about here.

I really need a new Pointless Poll.  I just don’t have any ideas for a topic for it right now.

Finally Friday

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This has been a frustrating week for me.  Weekend was good overall – at least Friday and Saturday, anyway.  Then I came down with “crap, I’m sick and getting sicker” Monday, rushing out that morning before work to pick up Zicam swabs, Airborne, some multi-symptom cold meds, etc.  Tuesday was bad enough I got sent home early from work.  Wednesday I was late, but then was feeling, so I thought, “better” by late afternoon and stuck it out until the end of the day (though, I have to admit, my productivity level Wednesday was way below usual, my mental focus was about as clear as a bale of unginned cotton after being shat upon by Godzilla).  Yesterday (Thursday) I was feeling so absolutely miserable yesterday morning I called in sick.  

That really stresses me.  I’ve used a sick day, in Mid-March.  Not even halfway through the year, and 1 of my 2 sick days is gone.  Despite (truthfully, probably because of) past issues, I’ve really been working on trying to fix some of my bad habits, and have been doing pretty well.  With 2 sick days, I intended to not use one unless I was flat out, down-right unable to physically get myself moving out the door and make it in, or unless I was informed by a doctor that I was a horrific raging source of contagion or something similar.  I take my multivitamin everyday, I’ve been working on eating healthier and losing weight (and oh, I tell you, the most tempted I’ve been to break down and eat carb-laden comfort has been while I was sick this week), and being sick, especially with this particular timing that’s costing me so much productive time, has been extremely irritating.  What have I gotten done on the apartment this week since I moved in?  I’ve got my two desktop computer systems – more or less (no speakers on either yet) – up and running, and the router running.  I’ve done a little bit of laundry.  I’ve taken one small load of trash out.  

That’s pretty much it.

Lots of boxes and bags with stuff strewn haphazardly over the living room and near my closet?  Yeah, still there.  Practically untouched.  Frustrating.  Depressing.  I should have been spending time this week getting that stuff sorted out.  Instead, I’ve been either sitting in a chair like a zombie, or been zonked out in bed trying to let my system hurry the hell up and get back to a state where I can DO things.  Today, Friday, is finally the first day this week that I feel almost human again. I’m still clearly sick, lots of stuff wanting to come out of my nose or run down my throat, but I sort of actually feel like someone who’s started to rally and is watching their body fight this thing as a winning battle . . . albeit entirely too slowly in the endgame.

I’m going to go buy a microwave tonight, and hopefully a couple of other little things.  I’m going to look at some furniture options again this weekend sometime.  I’ve decided I definitely want a different, better computer desk, because the mess of kitchen table and little Wal-mart desk I’ve been using just doesn’t work well for my setup.  A couch would also be rather convenient.  Oh, and I’ve got a ton of stuff I need to sort out, get put up or away, or get rid of, the sooner the better.  I’m tired of the mess ‘o boxes.

Moving, Aftermath Attack

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Moved this weekend.  Started last night with a little tickle in my throat, which turned into an itch today.  Doing what I can to try to stave off a full-on cold with Zicam, Airborne, eating and drinking plenty.  Has my energy level pretty much zapped.  Lots of stuff I could write about the moving process, but just not feeling up to it.  Apartment is pretty much boxes and chaos, with maybe 20% of stuff unpacked/sorted out.

I need a microwave, and more furniture.  More money would make all that easier, but have to go gradually on it.  It’s just kinda frustrating.

Why, out of everywhere I’ve been and everything I’ve done, does it seem like I’m finally putting things in my life together for once (again) after coming back to Midland?