"Please open your container"

So, lunch at the student union a few days ago. Fried rice, pre-packaged sushi (better than it sounds) and a bottle of pepsi. $7.00

When I first started going to the House of Hunan in the food court - the fried rice was packaged in a re-usable plastic container with a transparent lid. So, paying for the food was simple since the cashier could see what it was.

Since those containers proved to be too expensive - they switched to opaque sytrofoam. Still, paying was easy since they just asked what was in there and I told them. Apparently, this was a cause for some concern, so they started marking the containers before they would hand them to me. No biggie, makes sense to me.

But they now insist that you open the container to show them what you've got. Well, during the wintertime, I've got my hands full, is what I've got. So, set everything down, open the containers for inspection, close them back up, then get out my wallet and pay for my food.

And they're still marking the containers. Which makes no sense to me. To circumvent this system, a person would have to carry in a pre-marked container with a differnt identifier and swap the contents for a cheaper price - or use a black marker and carefully modify the mark to that of differnt food item.

What they are esssentially saying is that they don't trust some people to not cheat the system. But the result is that they can't trust anyone and treat everyone like they're trying to get away with something.

The same kind of thing happens at Arby's - at least the one near where I live. When I pay for my food with a $20 - they mark it with a special pen to see if it's counterfit. Every time. Not a random sampling - every time. And now they're also checking $10. What's next? Toss a $5 on the counter and get it inked up to prove I'm not a counterfitter?

So, for the record - if I say I'm getting fried rice, that's what's in the box. And I'll be paying with money that I earned - and not that I printed myself.

end.rant = back to work...

the grudge

Watched "the grudge" over the weekend - scared the crap out of me. Big time. Normally, I'm a little bored with scary movies - been there, done that. My nightmares are always 10 times worse anyway. This movie - scarier than my dreams. Had a lot of trouble getting to sleep that night, and a lot of trouble staying asleep. Eyes closed and I'd see images from the movie. Eyes opened, and...well, I had trouble opening my eyes for fear of what I'd see. It was that bad.

I also picked up Resident Evil: Apocolypse - but thought I should wait a few days before working on my "confronting my fear of zomibes".

Played a game that my neighbor loaned me - Champions: Return to Arms. Did okay for quite a while - then got my ass handed to me by a giant spider.

Enough of an ass kicking that I decided to restart the game with a new character. This time, I decided to take the path of evil and in the second area I got smacked down by a troll. Aren't trolls evil? Apparently, they are - but they don't care who they smack.

So, I just turned off the game and read a book.

And now it's time to get back to work...

a cautionary tale and other stuff

I'm not going to go into the whole gastrointestinological incident, but can I say that eating an entire can of cashews in one rapid sitting is not a good idea. Draw your own conclusions as to what really happened, then increase it by a factor of at least 3.

Read a George Carlin book last night - "When will Jesus bring the pork chops?". A good read, but I think he got a little carried away with his euphimisms. Most of the book was made up of these and it got a little old. There were some gems in there, though, that I may need to jot down and save.

Finished Prince of Persia again - this time not skipping past the cinimatic near the end - pretty cool. Now I'm debating on if I should go ahead and buy the seqel already or wait until it goes down in price.

Working on my website a little bit - trying to use style sheets - lots of clean up to do on the existing pages to get them ready.

Well, not much else going on, so it's back to work...

quiet days

Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day at work and I expect today to be much of the same. Very difficutl to get up this morning as a result - not much motivation.

I do have a story from a couple of days ago that's finally funny - though it wasn't at the time. I was in the middle of a call helping someone when the second line rang - and the caller ID indicated it was very important. So, I hung up with the first caller (something I really don't like to do) and then got the second one. Not entirely sure how they got to me - but they were complaining that they got too much spam and they wanted me to "clear out their mailbox" - which I don't have the time or authority to do. Or, they wanted a new email account. Reminds me of an episode of Will and Grace where Grace wants to move so she doesn't have to clean her room.

I told the user that everyone gets too much spam and that I routinely clear out one of my accounts that gets about 500 messages a day as spam warnings and actual spam. I also told her that a new account wouldn't really help - as it too would soon be filled with spam. Ultimatly, I directed her to the person who had the authority to do the things she requested - and the authority to tell her no.

"Too much spam"? We all get too much spam. And while I partially blame the spammers, I also blame the people that actually buy thing from the spammers. If no one bought anything from them - then they would go away. The only reason they still work is that it takes very little money to get the ad out to a vast number of potential customers. But if none of the customers bought anything from them anymore - then even that little bit of money would be wasted and they'd stop. Maybe that's over simplified, but it's a start.

Oh, and I read today that Bush's budget plan calls for cutting funding for education and nutrition programs for kids by 20 billion or so - while also cutting taxes for mulit-millionaires. Anyone who didn't see this coming, pleaase raise your hand. It will make it easier to identify you for the smacking you've earned.

End rant - back to work...

the plague of non-awareness

I think I've touched on (or harped on, as the case may be) my issues with people that don't pay attention to the world around them. This morning, on the drive to work. I saw three cars sitting at a green arrow. Not only was the person in front not paying attention to the changing of the light - neither were the other two behind him since they neither honked to alert him or rolled forward in anticipation. In fact, once the lead car finally started rolling, the others delayed as well. They just barely got through the light before it changed.

Pulling into the parking lot, a car in front of me turned at a strange angle and stopped in the middle of the lane - perhaps working up the courage to go down the "do not enter" road. I managed to get around him, but I doubt he even saw me.

Getting into work - in the cube farm - two of the others that work around me began their latest all day shouted conversation. Even earplugs can't drown these guys out. And they don't seem to acknowldege that they might be disruptive to others working around them.

It's not even 9:30 and I'm already annoyed. Even more so 'cause there really isn't a solution. People are stupid when they drive. Telling my co-workers to shut the hell up or I'll kill them isn't reasonable. (Granted, there may be other approaches there)

I just want a little order. A little peace and quiet. A day without spam or being cut-off in the lunch line.

So, I'm sitting here at my desk, vampire stake at the ready - wishing I was anywhere but here. I think I need a vacation.

Instead...it's back to work...

I dream of Paris

The city - not the bimbo. In my dream I'm in France somewhere, trying desperately to get home to America. The map isn't much help, but I finally locate a road sign and I make my way to Paris and locate an international airport. Still not speaking any french at all, I find an American speaking ticket agent who finds a flight for me leaving in 20 minutes - a direct flight to the Akron/Canton airport - perfect! (Unlikely, yes, but still perfect).

There's a problem, of course. He won't get me on the flight until I ask my friend from college if she would like to make a "French Connection" with him. I turn and see C. in a bookstore across the concourse. What she's doing in Paris is a mystery and how this guy knew that I used to know her is also puzzleing, but I really want to get home. So, I try to casually talk to her - without it looking like I'm actually talking to her - in case he figures out who she is and stalks her even if she says no. I somehow manage to ask her and she casually glances over at him. She smiles at me and says she'll think about it. And I'm like "Well, think quickly, the plane leaves in 15 minutes".

I woke up before she made a decision - so at least a little part of me is stuck in an airport in Paris - forever waiting for the answer to a "booty call".

I wonder if there's anything to that? If the land of dreams exists somewhere and unless you make a graceful exit, you can get stuck. With the throughness and intensity of my dreams, there can't be much left of me here anymore. They are always so real and vivid - kinda makes you wonder. I suppose there are worse places to be stuck in a dream than Paris (see any of my zombie entries) - but it does explain why I had so much trouble getting up this morning - I wanted to go back and get the rest of me.

Well, back to work...

gving blood - weird dream

I went to give blood yesterday and while I was waiting for the medical history part, the guy in charge asked me if I would be willing to do the apheresis - or "double red" - and he was particularly encouraging when he found out I had O- blood. So, I agreeed since I'd done it before. I read my book through most of it, shivered at the cold, and got done in what may have been record time. I got a bright green bandage that supposed to rip the hair off my arm and then sent me over to the canteen area. The people there tried to push some soup on me, but I know what I need after giving blood - cookies and juice. :)

Didn't do much when I got home - mostly video games and reading. Got to bed a little later than I should have and had a funky-ass dream. I was with one of my co-workers while she was getting her driver's lisecense renewed. The clerk said he could also re-do mine - to give me a better picutre. Apparently, I wasn't happy with my exisiting picture - so I agree. When he came back to me the picutre was terrible - far worse than before. And he'd also mesed up my name and address -

I was now Andrew L. Schmitson from St. Louis, MO.

I told him it was wrong and that he needed to fix it - but he said that it was now the valid liscense and I would have to go to another office on another floor to get it fixed.

I woke up cranky.

And now it's time to get back to work...

Stage one of the apocalypse

At least that's what it felt like. Really really really bad nightmare. I was in a 5 story mall and the dead were rising. They looked normal until they attacked and then their eyes would glow.

It was just the start of the end of the world, but it got worse as the dream went along. I had my sword out and I was running though the mall, trying to find an exit. I stumbled into a large kitchen and watched a running disaster as people slipped and fell and impaled/stabbed each other with knives and other implements - looked like about 40 people died in a domino effect.

Finally got out of the mall and over to a farm, where I tried to get my family to safety - but they wouldn't listen. Felt like cassandra or something. Went to a supermarket - where the panic was just starting. I was going to get supplies, but I didn't want to put my sword down long enough to steer a cart. So, I just left the crowds and wandered outside - decapitating anyone who lunged at me.

I woke up shaky and scared.

So not wanting to be here at work - too many people...

dinner at the deli

Met up with a friend from college - and she brought her 6 year old along. We had a nice dinner, folded some paper, and just hung out a bit. And I got a drawing of my ring:

Yeah, it's a little greasy, but hey, he's six and he had fries.

Finished the Prince of Persia game - the last boss battle was kinda lame. Didn't even get below 50% on the old health bar. Still, overall, the game was a blast and looking forward to going through it again to unlock some of the secrets.

Well, I've got a poll to set up and a boatload of pdf files to move, so I should get cracking.

Back to work...

new origami and stuff

I visited my folks this past weekend to celebrate my sister's birthday. We went out to eat and watched movies - a pretty good visit. I also finished up my latest origami project - photo's here. I think it turned out well - but I'm also glad it's over. Lot of work into that one.

Tomorrow I'm going to have dinner with a friend from college - haven't seen her in 8 years. Should be fun.

Well, lots to do today so it's back to work...

zips basketball

So, I got an invite from my friend from Kent State to go to the Akron/Kent basketball game last night. I managed to score a couple of free tickets to the game - and bought the rest early so that his friends wouldn't have to stand in line. The group of eight walked to Aladin's for dinner - they were packed. We tried 3 amigo's they were packed too. Walked back to his house, then hopped in cars to go to Spagetti Warehouse - 1 hour wait. Finally, plan "D" at this point, we went to Parason's - where we proceeded to stuff ourselves silly.

Then to the campus where we parked far away from the arena (I figured the other lots would be packed). And since we go there just before the start - the place was packed. We ended up in the far corner, in a Kent State section.

Highlights:

1. Zippy was cool and seemed to have a lot of fun.

2. The Zips dance team was pretty good, but they're a long ways away from Laker girls - hey not everyone can be Paul Abdul

3. A zips player goes flying off the court and take out two people sitting on the side - and breaks a chair. One of the two people gets pissed and throws the broken chair out onto the court. The ref talks to him and then the police come over to escort the guy from the area. The other knocked over person is also talking trash, but not enough to get her thrown out. They were both akron fans.

4. The game was really close all the way down to the wire - but Akron lost by three.

I had threatened to throw popcorn on the Kent State fans in my midst - but the popcorn selling people were too far away. And plus - I hate to be that obvious or obnoxious. I'll get them later - when they least expect it. hehe

Additional notes - the meatball sub at parason's = really really good.

back to work...