My car, on Sunday, developed a noise.  Sort of a buzz, or a rapid rattle, inside the car.  Outside the car, it’s clearly something metal rattling.  It’s got me concerned, as it’s started happening more and more.  Something is probably loose.  I hope it’s an easy fix.  But even if it is, it’s an unwelcome expense with sucky timing.  I’m trying to save up some blasted money for GenCon in August, dammit.  Of course, spending money on food out 3 times this week, then $30 on something I truly don’t need (but is extremely cool, a 50mw green laser pointer) and $32 on beer doesn’t help that situation any.  Or $25 going to the doctor yesterday morning for her to basically tell me “you look fine, take Tylenol and gargle with salt water” because my throat was starting to itch again, and Jade came down on Monday with what seems to be the same thing that had me horribly sick before and I feared I was still contagious.

I was supposed to take it in to Jimmie’s shop Friday morning.  But because I’ve got to get up stupid early for a work trip to Amarillo Friday morning, I had to reschedule.  To the following Thursday, the soonest they can get me in now, because they’re so busy.  Grr.  I really hope something on my car doesn’t explode or fall off before then.

Link of the Day: Combination CD and vinyl record – on one disc.

Spam of the Day: “Just broke your leg…”

Funny of the Day: Rather tempting, honestly.

Pic of the Day: Kitty looks . . . happy.

Video WTF of the Day: Klenginem

Still very happy about being able to open my car door from the inside.  Such a small thing, but so appreciated after being deprived of it for a week and a half.  Jimmy also got me a front license plate mount ordered.

Got paid today.  My financial status has changed from “broke” to merely “poor.”  Rent paid, electric paid, ordered more cat food, ordered a surprise for someone.

Link of the Day: “The Spy Who Accepted My Friend Request”

Spam of the Day: “As catwalk in refill. An a willpower.”

Funny of the Day: Craigslist Wanted ad

Pic of the Day: The truth about Godzilla

Quote of the Day: “There is a pervasive tendency to treat children as adults, and adults as children. The options of children are thus steadily expanded, while those of adults are progressively constricted. The result is unruly children and childish adults.” – Thomas Szasz

My car is fixed. The broken driver’s side inside door handle was replaced yesterday, finally. Such a small thing, but it’s so nice to be able to simply open the door from the inside again.

Link of the Day: Super Mario Crossover – Play Super Mario Bros. – as Samus, Link, or other characters.

Spam of the Day: “Love the mall, but only the private spots.”

Funny of the Day: Beyonce – Masonic Satanist.

Pic of the Day: Sulu likes it!

Video of the Day: Slave Leia Car Wash

Quote of the Day: “Pros: Zero to ecstasy in 3 minutes. Works great on sore and knotted muscles too.” – Reviewer on Newegg.com for Hitachi Magic Hand Massager.

*tap tap*

“This thing still work?”

I’ve been meaning to start posting at least some token trifle of the Day stuff again for a bit, because there are far too many amusing things in this world, and I find a desire to at least feel like I’m sharing them with others outside of Gtalk. I’ve however found myself rather busy and frustrated with work-related technical issues several times this week, so it’s taken me until today. A reddit post and its accompanying comment thread provided entirely too many amusing moments for me to let it drift by again. Also, I can annoy people on Facebook now too.

Link of the Day: Women: Why do you show cleavage if you don’t want men to look? Every girl gets a disgusted look when they catch me looking at what they’re displaying.

Spam of the Day: “Supersize your tomatoes with Tomato Giant”

Funny of the Day: Nikon camera ad . . . with Face Detection.

Pic of the Day: “Dude, is there something on my cheek?”

Quote of the Day: Billy Mays here!
Are you tired of not being allowed to look at breasts? Then I’ve got just the product for you! My exciting new product Bitch, please! You ain’t all that! will revolutionize your dating life.
The BPYAAT system will teach you such winning techniques as:
Does this rag smell like ether?
I have cancer and I don’t want to die a virgin.
No means yes.
And many more!
All this can be yours, for the low low price of three easy payments of braaaaaains! – _Zombie_Billy_Mays_

Weekend was pretty good.  Spent it with my Kara, we entertained ourselves inexpensively, ate very well (perhaps too well, I need to not be poor again soon so I can afford to get back on my diet), had a lot of fun and many good snuggle times.  Weather most of the weekend was dreary.  I really kinda wanted to see about playing with/test driving some cars Saturday (though Kara really didn’t seem too keen on that idea), but the weather wasn’t cooperative for that.

Entirely too broke right now.  I had to borrow money from a friend until this upcoming payday on Friday so I could afford food to make sure I’d have something other than hamburger and ramen (not the end of the world, I’ve been worse off) and be confident of having enough gas my dad’s van I’m currently driving to be able to get to and from work this week.  Heard from Littlefield Automotive earlier, $350 to get my car from them.  Then haul it to Lubbock this Friday afternoon, and see what the Saab place there says it’ll cost to get things all fixed up.  I’m worried about what they’ll say.  I hope it’s a reasonable figure at all.  Even if I end up in (further) debt to my dad for a year or more, I’d really like my car back in proper working order.  I miss it.  I do like it.  I’d really rather not have to buy something else on the cheap right now.

Link of the Day: Students for an Orwellian Society

Spam of the Day: “Colo Cleanse Plus”

Funny of the Day: Burned by a pharaoh!

Pic of the Day: Irresistable geekette earrings

Quote of the Day: “Sometimes it’s important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it’s essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.” - Douglas Pagels

Quote of the Day: “I think gin would make a better mixie for cooker dough.” – Me.

Liz, one of our True Dungeon volunteers and DMs.

At this point, it’s more a question to me now of, what’s the sane cutoff point of money to throw at this car?

Link of the Day: “Where I Write” - pictures of SciFi Authors and where they write. (Thanks James)

Spam of the Day: “Look at cars they drive”

Funny of the Day: “That’s sexual harrassment, Lion-O.”

Pic of the Day: Spock’s Ship “Jellyfish” done in Legos

Quote of the Day: “I’m assuming it’s either ginger, or condom flower. I’m hoping for ginger.” – Kara

Was I moping?  Maybe I was just being practical, given that my car is sitting in the shop, with still no prognosis (I’m giving Littlefield until 3ish, and if they haven’t called me by then – which they won’t, of course – I’ll call them for a status update), and I needed some sleep and me time.  I had offers for companionship, which I rejected.  Some of it, genuinely because I didn’t really want anyone to intrude (oh, and Saturday, my left shoulder was sore and aching horribly) on my solo veg time.  Some of it, maybe . . . because I just didn’t really think that being with someone else I didn’t really want to be with when the person I wanted to be with was off with someone else for the weekend would make me feel any better.

Some friends had a poker game Saturday night that I’d have really liked to be able to go to, but I lacked transportation, and they couldn’t find anyone willing to give me a ride to and from their place.  Understandable, I guess, but I really would have liked to have been there.  I could have used the companionship and fun.  Does that seem to be a contradiction of the other offers of companionship I mentioned above?  All I can say is, they’re different sorts of things, really.

I’ve already had a couple of texts from one woman hinting that she wants to do something with me tonight.  I haven’t figured out yet how I’m going to decline.

Link of the Day: Jeremy Clarkson Sound Box video

Spam of the Day: “LUKY JUNE ONLINE CASINO PROMO”

Funny of the Day: “How’s the Magma?”

Pic of the Day: Kermit the Frog + Internet Horror

Quote of the Day: “(757): Shark Week may as well be Shark Weed.” – another gem from TFLN

No transpo?  Yeah, getting back to the terrible fucking Thursday last week . . . It rained Wednesday night/Thursday morning.  Lots and lots of rain.  Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

That’s the sort of open field that dips down a little across from my apartment complex, and behind a host of businesses right along on the Loop 250 service road.  It stretches from this paved alley behind them that runs from Midkiff to my apartment complex, up to Caldera.  It was basically a humongous pond, or a shallow lake.  Unfortunately, so was a good stretch of Caldera.  I stepped out of my apartment that morning, greeted by this continuing rain, water all over the parking lot, in a rush to try to make it to work and Not end up a couple of minutes late.  I hopped into my trusty (so I thought) car, and drove across the parking lot, and saw Caldera underwater.  Hmm.

Keep in mind, this was right at pretty much 8:00 a.m., I hadn’t had been awake very long yet, and what little caffeine I had in me thus far had not kicked in yet.  I’m not fond of mornings at the best of times, unless I approach them from the “still awake from being up all night” angle.  This is the only defense I can make for the terrible decisions I made.

I decided I’d try to make it across a bit of Caldera to Crista Lane on my way to work.  This was a bad decision.  The water was really quite a bit deeper than I thought it was initially.  This is something I discovered as I was trying to begin my turn towards Crista Lane on Caldera, as my car’s engine sputtered and died.  Then, being sleepy and stupid and panicked, I tried to restart it.  Only afterwards, reading on the web, did I realize just how terrible of a thing that potentially is.

A City of Midland Transportation Services truck happened to come driving by (though the water – that truck has ground clearance of about up to my windows) right as I was getting stuck.  They radioed for for someone to come get me out.  A couple of police cars, an ambulance, and a fire truck all showed up, with a wrecker supposedly on the way.  Two firemen got out of their truck, put on waders, and pushed my car out of the water up onto Crista Lane – so the tow truck ended up being unnecessary.  Later that morning, Corey pointed out a bit on the CBS7 web site about a water rescue being reported in Midland “near Loop 250 and Midkiff.”  That was probably the host of vehicles with various sorts of flashing lights that showed up for me.

While I was waiting, in the water, I took a couple of pictures.  This one, when, hrm, I felt something wet on my ankle:

Water was coming up from under the car, through whatever various holes or crevices or whatnot, and filling my floorboards.  It got to being a couple of inches in each of them.  Not fun at all.

Here’s a view from my car while I was stuck in the effing water:

Tried to do what things I could Thursday afternoon after work, Friday after work, and then Saturday, to get my car driving.  No luck.  Sunday, Kara and Matt came over, and we pushed my car back to my apartment complex, parked right downstairs.  It doesn’t start, and the electrical system is haywire.  I reached out to my dad for help, having no other real alternatives.  Finally got my car towed on a car carrier to Littlefield Automotive Wednesday during lunch.  Haven’t heard anything from them yet, going to call in a bit and see what, if any news, they’ve got for me yet.

I’ve been really severely stressed most of this week and last weekend.  Stressed about my car, about everything going on at work right now in crunch time (well, until this morning anyway), stressed about money being entirely too tight until my next payday.  Having a non-functional vehicle, and that adding unknown added costs to repair it (or possibly end up getting a cheap used vehicle if repair on it is too costly to be considered feasible) and having to work something out with my dad, probably on a payment plan basis, just added heaps of stress for me.  Some of that is why I haven’t posted a damn thing on this site until today.  It was just something that so seriously wasn’t anything of a priority for me.

So, yeah, that’s a bit to catch things up.  All I really feel like writing about it for now anyway.  Linkage commences:

Link of the Day: SDCC 2009 Hot Cosplay Chicks

Spam of the Day: “Time For a New Copier?” – from, of course, Copier King

Funny of the Day: “Try and spell shield that“

Pic of the Day: Interesting Top

Quote of the Day: “(760): I wish they had nachos that got you drunk” – another gem from TFLN

Air Conditioner at my apartment was messed with again (by request) Wednesday.  Whatever they did, it’s worse now.  Going to call them again, explain that I don’t consider my AC running for 4 hours solid and the temperature moving down 1 degree, or UP 2 degrees, to be acceptable.

Had lunch at the CAF yesterday with Kara, finishing off our leftovers from Carino’s.  Was yummy.  Also had a couple of Oatmeal Raisin cookies, that despite being a little hard from being a week or so old, were quite good.

After work, which I stayed a bit more than an hour late for, after killing some time at home, took Kara up on a much needed invite to go over to her and Matt’s apartment and watched the new movie version of Hairspray.  Fun movie, nice company, and working AC.

Link of the Day: Bluntcard.com

Spam of the Day: “Order the murder”

Funny of the Day: Could be worse.

Pic of the Day: Levar Burton’s license plate

Quote of the Day: ”When you get spiders on your weiner, you’re fucked.” – Name withheld by request.

Got a text message this morning from Bounce Energy, informing me I had a pending disconnect on my account.  39 minutes on the phone with them again, probably all but about 5 of that on hold, talked to two different people, one of which talked to his boss and the business office.  He read some of my notes back, and said, “Unbelievable.”  I said, “Yeah, unbelieve is a word I’d use for pretty much all of my dealings with anyone there for the last 3 months.”  James piped in with, “I’ll second that.”  After a while, he informed me that he’d make sure it’d get taken care of TODAY, and that someone would call me back to let me know when it had, indeed, been taken care of.  Yeah, we’ll see.

Link of the Day: Artifice Clothing

Spam of the Day: “Scheme of J Lo’s silicon”

Funny of the Day: A Horgy.

Pic of the Day: Underwater Dreams

Quote of the Day: “The phone is vexing me today.  If it continues to vex, i’ll be tempted to hex.” – Kara

So going to crash -hard- tonight.

Oh.  Ate at Carino’s last night.  I highly recommend their Chicken Parmigiana with their Romano sauce.  Also, Bellini drink = YUM.

Link of the Day: Southern China – Women are in Charge, Men have it Good.

Spam of the Day: “it’s BOGO, but Better”

Funny of the Day: Role Model.

Pic of the Day: I like.

Quote of the Day: “I’m thinking of starting a band called “Opening Band.” The confusion when we are introduced at shows will be worth it.” – Chris Gore

Link of the Day: Cats DO Control Us

Spam of the Day: “Save your marriage or relationship from ending” – The amusing part, is it’s from “Evidence Removal Services”

Funny of the Day: Probably worth a try.

Pic Video of the Day: Billy Mays’ Final TV Spot

Quote of the Day: “On the floor. Doing . . . ant things.” – Me.

Link of the Day: Swearing Does Help.

Spam of the Day: “Mutant fish sold at Connecticut market”

Funny of the Day: WWYDF100K

Pic of the Day: Just cool pic of something damn hot.

Quote of the Day: “(706): so i decided not to tell her that her fiance is cheating since i already bought the bridesmaid dess” – Another from TFLN

Got paid today.  Money from that paycheck has vaporized alarmingly quickly.  Cable, Verizon, Airfare to Indy for GenCon.  Yeah, that hurt.  $346 was the best I could score, even with The Priceline Negotiator working his dubious magic (not as magical as I had been led to believe).  Having to borrow some money from my Dad for 4 weeks so I can be sure I don’t starve and so forth.  Bounce Energy STILL has my account screwed up.  Called, left two different voicemails to people there (Though I don’t know if one of the extensions actually is anyone or not), filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and even griped on Twitter.  Someone at Bounce responded on Twitter and I emailed them about it, going with cut ‘n paste from my BBB complaint.  ;)  I’ve got to budget for paying Bounce still this month, once I can find out what I actually owe them, and probably replace another wheel on my car (please god/universe/karma/luck/whatever, just be the wheel and not require the tire to be replaced now as well).

Link of the Day: Key/Keyring Combo

Spam of the Day: “ Are you looking for the Fountain of Youth?”

Funny of the Day: Lit-er-al?

Pic of the Day: Super Trooper

Quote of the Day: “Life is like a road trip. Sometimes, the road is smooth, the scenery is beautiful, and the weather crisp; other times, you break down with a flat across the road from a hillbilly with 3 teeth, playing a banjo and looking at you like a dented can of Spam out of the dollar bin at the local Piggly Wiggly.” – Kara

I went home, ate a pork loin chop and an Atkins bar, watched Attack of the Show, and crashed.  Zonked out hard.  I slept most of the evening, and most of the night, waking up a couple of times briefly.  Had some very, very weird dreams.  All I remember from any of them is being at a job interview or something, and the last thing I was asked being, “What’s the recipe for the perfect tomato soup?”  Well, not entirely true.  I remember vaguely about who my waking dream this morning when I finally got up was about – and that it must have been a nicely naughty dream.

I badly needed the sleep.  I’d been running on a sleep deficit all week, since the July 4th holiday weekend.  It was a very good weekend that I enjoyed tremendously.  I just didn’t get anywhere near adequate sleep during it.  Today is the first day of all week where I haven’t been tired all day at work.

Link of the Day: Potential for Life may be hardwired into the universe.

Spam of the Day: “Point me mistakes, please”

Funny of the Day: Me, I’m wondering what Christ Cakes would look like.

Pic of the Day: Neil Gaiman Apocalypse Balloon Mosaic (zoom in, and keep zooming)

Quote of the Day: “(630): According to my dad, my tongue ring makes people assume I give a lot of blow jobs because, as stated by him “that’s what it’s for” – another from TFLN

Plans for tonight are similar, except no laundry.  Just want to crawl up and get intimately acquainted with the insides of my eyelids.

Got a date for Saturday night.  Something I’m looking forward to – should be fun.

Link of the Day: This is just too cool. Needless to say, I want one.

Spam of the Day: “Teach your baby to read!”

Funny of the Day: This is why templates exist.

Pic of the Day: “Free dog souls with conversion”

Quote of the Day: “(214): I think she just tried to waterboard me with her vagina.” – someone from TFLN

After work yesterday, I ran by HEB to pick up the second half of my Androgel prescription.  They of course didn’t have it ready, despite my calling in on Friday and using their automated system to request the (half) refill.  Which was supposed to be ready by 11 a.m. on Saturday.  I was really not very pleased.  Got it eventually sorted out, got my meds, grabbed some Atkins stuff, some eggs, and got out of there.  I’m a poor, poor boy until payday – and that paycheck is going to have to stretch a whole bunch of different ways already.

Said “yes” to a “want some company” message last night.  Ended up watching Yes Man with Mummy Chick – I was a tad amused, because if I hadn’t said yes to her on a general sort of “sure, might as well” basis, I wouldn’t have seen that surprisingly excellent movie.  I like the core concept the movie is based around a lot.

Link of the Day: My Jello Shocks post made it onto Mancouch – It’s so nice of them to repost my entire article there, but use my bandwidth for the images. :/

Spam of the Day: “Grow Giant Snake in Pants”

Funny of the Day: Hmm.  Maybe some sort of ass-garter system?

Pic of the Day: Uh, maybe not?

Quote of the Day: “My next cast is going to have shag carpeting.” – Kara

Today started off sucktastically.  See my previous post about my lovely tire/wheel surprise.  That’s it for now, on to linkage:

Link of the Day: Portugal’s Drug Decriminalization: Seems to be Working.

Spam of the Day: “How the silly frog does talk”

Funny of the Day: Leg!

Pics of the Day: Patriotic Body Paint

Quote of the Day: ”I’ve been putting my nuts in the salad bowl . . .” – James Cross