baked scrod

I went to Eat N Park (which really should be called Park N Eat, but no one checked with me first) last evening for dinner and had the Baked Scrod. And when they say "careful, the plate is hot" they aren't kidding.

Incidentally, I really need to find one of those tip calculator cards. I'm tired of doing the math - hey, I'm supposed to be enjoying myself.

Lots to do here today at work, best get back to the mindless tedium.

later...

stress implosion

This whole thing with my room-mate has just made me sick - and way stressed out. At the urging of friends and family, I confronted him last night - since he's got 2 days left from the timeframe I gave him and he hasn't made any visible moves to even pack.

So, he tells me that his loan should be coming through any day now and this Friday he's going to pay his rent for this month and next - and use part of his home loan to pay the back rent he owes me.

Which is a nice gesture that I'll believe when I see. And I think on how much stress could have been avoided if he'd told me this at the beginning of the month - when I was paying the rent and expecting to get screwed as he freeloaded off me. Or rather, he and his girlfriend and her two dogs freeloaded off of me. Well, not the dogs since they don't have any money. If they did, I'd want them first to replace the book, comic book, and dvd that they've eaten.

And it's only a little about the money. It's mostly about respect. I'm not important enough to be kept in the loop and I'm the one that gets put on the back burner (or just taken off the stove) if something else comes up.

A more cynical person would say that he didn't intend to pay me anything on his way out and only came up with this cause I said something. I'm beginning to become that cynical person, and I'm not liking it.

So, if he comes through with the rent check on Friday, then he's got two more weeks. He told me he doesn't want to be there any more than I want him to be there. He admitted it was his fault - but in a way that suggested that it was really my fault for forcing the issue.

I guess this adds up to a partial win for me. He's going to pay me what he owes me - technically, more than what he owes but I'll need the money for cleaning anyway - but he's also got an extended timeline. Great - two more weeks of stress. The alternative is to be an ass and force him out.

A landlord wouldn't have given him extra time. A landlord wouldn't have let him slide on the rent for a full month - paying when it was convenient for him, or not at all.

Could I have let even this slide? Yeah. I could have ignored everything that had gone wrong and not confronted him at all. Would it have saved the friendship? No, I don't think so. I had built up a lot of resentment and distrust - I wouldn't have lasted much longer anyway.

I just want to go to park and sit and read all day. Home isn't a refuge and work isn't any less stressful.

I think this ranks right up there with one of the most depressing blogs I've ever read and by far the most depressing that I've ever written.

Sorry, faithful reader, that's about all I've got.

Back to work...

site update

I made major updates to my site - mostly design stuff, but some new content as well. A couple of pages, a few photos. I'm pleased with the result, so it'll stay like this for a while.

Worked on my sword last night for about an hour and a half. Good progress, now I just need to work on the edge. I think sandpaper is the way to go - slower than the chisel, but more precise.
I should be ready to stain it in a couple of days.

Still nothing from my room-mate. He's going to force me to be an asshole. I'm not very good at that and I resent that it's come to that. Grumble, grumble.

In the news of the weird - Lulu, the boxer with gas issues - cut loose with a fart last night that sounded like something out of Super Mario Brothers. I have expected to see a gigantic mushroom float out of her butt and glide along the ground.

Back to work...

SoRE award

Talked to my sister last night - she said she nominated a co-worker for a "soar" award. I like to make up words to fill in acronyms, but since she works with a hospital, my first thought was the word spelled like the injury - sore. So, it became - "Stupid or Really Excellent" award - for being really really good or really really bad.

We got a good laugh about it.

We also figured out what to get Mom for her birthday - she's nearly as tough to shop for as Dad.

My room-mate still hasn't made any significant moves to leave - and he's down to the wire. Makes no freakin sense to me, but I guess it just illustrates how different we are.

I just wish it was over - tired of the shadow over things. And I'm tired of the dogs eating my stuff.

Back to work...

rainy morning

It was muggy last night - so much that I actually turned on the AC at home - which is unusual for me. Went to Pier One to try and find something for my mom for her birthday, and then to Olive Garden for dinner.

Been listening to Norah Jones "Sunrise" all week. Great song - so sweet and simple. Just a quiet bit of joy.

The rest of the week has been so busy, and I may need to come in over the weekend to get stuff done on time. At least my photos will be done today - I'll stop by after work to get them.

Time to get busy again - those web pages won't build themselves...

Fifteen days...

Well, as of yesterday, my room-mate had 15 days to move out. He still hasn't said anything about it, but there was a notepad left out on the kitchen table with information about a house for sale. Can you really find and close on a house in a month? I guess he's going to try.

Bit of a headache today - didn't sleep well. I think I could easily go back home and sleep for a couple more hours.

Decided to find the best route to work - at least time-wise. Route A takes me 12 minutes and 2 seconds - from parking lot to parking lot - one way. I'll check it on the way home too, then try Route B tomorrow, if I can remember.

Guess that's it for me...lots to do today, but not a lot of motivation. Later...

Film issues

I finished up the roll of film in my potentially suspect camera on Monday and took it into Walgreen - thinking to have it devleoped while I went down the street for comics. I handed the film to the girl at the counter and told her I needed these developed and that I also needed a digital copy as well. So, she filled out some stuff, handed me a claim stub, and pointed to the kiosk to the side for my digitial media. I got her stopped before I went too far and explained how I wanted a digital copy of the photos as well as single prints - on CD. "Oh," she exclaimed and took back my claim stub - then filled out some other stuff. She handed me a new claim stub and said that to get a CD it has to be sent out and that the photos would be ready... then she consulted the screen... "On September 17th"

So, I went from 1 hour to 5 days. Granted, I could have just gotten the single prints and scanned them at work. I was just trying to save myself some time and be.... oh, there's the problem. I was trying to be clever. That never works.

This means my website update will be even more delayed. Bummer.

Gave blood yesterday - got a little sleepy when I was actually giving, as usual, but I'm fine otherwise. The worst bit was taking the tape off the bandage this morning - I have hairy arms and while I didn't cry - it was a near thing. I'm up to 23 pints with this donation - closing in on 3 gallons. Maybe I'll get a pin.

That's it for now - back to work...

football game

Went to a football game over the weekend - Walsh University vs. West Liberty State College. No, I didn't go to either of those schools. There was an alumni thing going that one of my friends wanted to attend - so, I went along for the h'ordurves (sp?).

I was a little bored with the whole thing, but tried to be a good sport about it. The game that followed was okay, football's not really my cup of tea. It was a pretty close match, so that was cool - though WLSC lost. The Hudson High School Marching band performed. Huge band - just huge. They did a great job and looked like they were having fun. Played a lot of "Doors" songs for some reason. Called themselves "the best damn band in the land" - which I thought was odd since that's what the OSU band calls themselves.

"Band Wars: 2005. Hudson HS vs. OSU - only on Pay-per-view"

Fired up the old minolta 35 mm over the weekend. I think I got that camera when I was 12 years old, if memory serves. The flash doesn't work anymore, so I took all the stuff I wanted to photograph outside. Took about 20 pictures, and I'll take a few more today. Dunno if they'll turn out - but I'll give it a shot. If they do work out - I'll have a major update for my website. :)

That's it for now... back to work

foggy morning

Lot of fog this morning, all along my route into work. Pretty cool - but creepy across the bridge. A real sense that everything beyond the bridge could just vanish and I'd not know about it.

I've been playing Wallace and Grommit: Project Zoo on the PS2 for the past couple of days - fun and a lot like the shows, since it's supposed to be a sequel to "The Wrong Trousers".

Glad its Friday - it's been a long week, even though I only worked 4 days with the holiday.

Lots to do today - catch up on work, teach a user how to upload files, work on my own webpage, and catch up on my email. I swear it - so shall it be done!

Also need to get some transparent sealant tonight for my wooden stake - the cherry stain turned out really well, but I want to protect it better.

Back to work...

Dog farts

Yep, can't wait until my room-mate moves out - and takes the dogs with him. Sarge sat on the floor next to me last night - farting. Joy upon joy.

Work was busy yesterday and looks to be the same today. I've got to rebuild a few forms - the user expects a lot of extra stuff and I'd be happy if the damn thing worked at all. Well, as the Klingons would say: "Dor-sho-gha!"

Not much going on except that I'm way behind on my personal email - gotta catch up on that today somehow.

No weird dreams to report - though my room-mates ex-wife called at 6:30 this morning. Oh, yeah, I'm so looking forward to him moving out.

Back to work...

Vivid dream...

Another weird dream last night. In the dream, I was taking a night-class and trying to get ready for the final. I went to the bathroom before class started and was too short to reach the urinal. Made quite a mess, but the bathroom was already a disaster so I didn't feel bad.
Went outside for a quick cigerette - which is really odd since I've never smoked and never will. Wandered around the parking lot and over to an army vechicle. Wasn't surprised that one of my fraternity brothers was in the cab and he called out to me. Keith wanted me to watch the vechicle while he got changed in the back.

I told him I couldn't stay long - and that I didn't know what to do with my cigerette. He handed me out a sock monkey and told me to put it out in that. So, I rubbed out the cigerette with the sock monkey and turned to see a young boy standing nearby, facinated with the army vechicle. From across the parking lot I saw a women approach - his mother, I guessed - who called out to him and slowly and cautiously approached. From her mannerisms I guessed that she was distraught and trying to hide it so as not to scare him.

She started circling around him, trying to get closer without it looking like she was getting closer. The boy was trembling, facinated by the vechicle, but ready to run. He finally broke his gaze away and started to bolt. With that weird dream knowledge I knew that his mother had been chasing him all day and that he more than a little unstable. I grabbed him as he tried to get past and held on.

He was strong, his fear and maddness making him even stronger. Even though I was a lot bigger than he was, I was having to tough time. I called out to Keith, who was now standing at the side of the truck, to help me. He just picked up the sock monkey from the ground where I had dropped it and told me I was doing fine as he shook his head.

The boy was going even crazier, twisting and turning in my arms, trying to get away. The mother stood back and watched as he finally knocked me to the ground - bringing us both down. I landed on my back with him on top of me - nearly knocked the wind out of me but I hung. He was panicing so much now that he threw up - I felt the heat as it splashed me and was scared that he would choke on it since he was on his back. I struggeled to twist around to help him, and then woke up.

And quickly made a direct trip to the bathroom - any dream about using the bathroom is a full on gurantee that I really do need to go and should just wake myself up and take care of business.

Quiet around the homestead last night - which is not to say that it wasn't still noisy. The dogs barked, my room-mate struggled with the fax machine, and his son kept getting phone calls from girls. It was quiet in the sense that there was still no harsh words between my room-mate and me. We exchanged pleasentries and that was pretty much it.

Of course, he still hasn't paid his rent for this month - his last at the apartment. I'm going to ask him about it next time I see him. Things are going better than I expected, might as well shake things up a bit.
Back to work...

It's always tuesday somewhere...

Tuesday - maybe not always that day somewhere, but the feeling of a tuesday lasts beyond the day. Especially a tuesday after a holiday, and in my case a vacation/holiday combo. Since I last posted, I took a trip to see Jimmy Buffett in Pittsburg. Great show, lots of fun. Hung out with Jeff and his family - crazy people, but fun.

Talked to my room-mate last night. Had a normal conversation on the phone - like nothing was going on. Weirded me out quite a bit - though I don't think he's a good enough actor to fake me out with that level of normalacy. Well, guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Back to work...

sick. and tired

Avoidance is bliss. Sort of. I avoided my room-mate yesterday. Got home from work and he was upstairs. I went outside and read until he left, then I went up to my room and made some calls. Then I left to go to border's and burger king - then going in to work to play Diablo for a bit. Home, shower, bed.

Yeah, pathetic, I know.

Ah, well, that's the way it goes. I did talk to the landlord's secretary last night when I paid my rent, she said she'd let him know. I'm going to call him or write him an email letting him know what's going on. Just covering my ass. Not that I think there will be any legal problems. And if my room-mate makes a big deal about it - well, then I just bail. That's always been the back up plan.

This morning - lot of trouble getting out of bed. Then when I did get up, I was horribly sick. Did the old dry heaving thing in the bathroom for a bit. A little mouthwash and I was ready to go to work. Joy. Well, only a 1/2 day today - taking a trip for the next few days. Which is good, cause I think it's obvious that I need to get away.

Better get to it and do a little work though...